#i like to headcanon that the show takes place after the telltale games

[very-uncorrect]

if there was ever a season 4 (sadly probably never gonna happen) theyd HAVE to have the Geek/Darla in it

[ma1dmer]

Star Wars - Darth Maul NSFW

edgy bitches unite

A = Aftercare (What they’re like after sex): he doesn't feel like he needs aftercare and wouldn't even know where to start with you, but he'll let you lay your head on his lap as he strokes your hair till you fall asleep.

B = Body part (Their favourite body part of theirs and also their partner’s): i think he is a sucker for marking you up, so he tends to kind of obsess over different parts of you body, anywhere he can sink his teeth in, anywhere he’ll see a bruise or hickey bloom.

C = Cum (Anything to do with cum basically… I’m a disgusting person): did someone order a facial, he'll finish on you and swipe his cum with his thumb to shove between your lips, ordering you to clean up your mess. he gets impatient after he cums however, be prepared for him to literally force an orgasm out of you if you havent finished by the time he has.

D = Dirty Secret (Pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs): loves hates sex, loves when you fight with him, argue with him in any way, he wants you to get rough with him as much as he gets rough with you, slap him and pull him to you, sink your teeth in him and he is in love, he gets restless easily, he needs this release.

E = Experience (How experienced are they? Do they know what they’re doing?): definitely has experience, he knows what he is doing and through some rough trial and error he finds exactly what makes you tick

F = Favourite Position (This goes without saying. Will probably include a visual): he likes folding you and specifically holding you in positions that are slightly uncomfortable, pushes your legs a bit too far apart or presses your knees against your chest, wants to hear you whine for him or watch you take it for him, fight or submit.

G = Goofy (Are they more serious in the moment, or are they humorous, etc): more serious, will growl about finding him funny or something if you laugh, his smirk sharp almost challenging you

H = Hair (How well groomed are they, does the carpet match the drapes, etc.): much like the rest of him he is hairless even before he had his bottom half forcibly removed by our dear obi-wan kenobi

I = Intimacy (How are they during the moment, romantic aspect…): not particularly good with the romantic side of things, but he does pull out some surprisingly sweet nicknames in the middle of it all, he coos them to you in almost sweet mockery, but he does mean them, sometimes

J = Jack Off (Masturbation headcanon): wants you to watch him, he strokes himself languidly almost lazily as he looks at you, head cocked to the side, the only telltale sign that he is focused on you the fire behind his eyes

K = Kink (One or more of their kinks): spitting, choking, cock warming etc

L = Location (Favourite places to do the do): anywhere and everywhere, he has no shame and makes a point of showing it to everyone so no one gets any funny ideas about you.

N = NO (Something they wouldn’t do, turn offs): not much he can't be talked into at least once

M = Motivation (What turns them on, gets them going): an argument, peace was never an option, he doesn’t want someone emotionally weak next to him, even though he wants you to submit to him he still enjoys the fire in you, he is always the most horny after you two argue

O = Oral (Preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc): likes receiving and giving equally, not necessarily out of the goodness of his heart, in both cases its to show how he owns and knows your body, its about dominating you

P = Pace (Are they fast and rough? Slow and sensual? etc.): fast and rough, he takes you as if he has a point to make

Q = Quickie (Their opinions on quickies rather than proper sex, how often, etc.): doesn't feel particularly for or against them, he doesn't like to be rushed but he won't deny you or himself

R = Risk (Are they game to experiment, do they take risks, etc.): he can be talked into trying just about anything with the right wording and putting him in the right mindset, sweet talk him, plead for him, paint a pretty image of what you want of him and sure who is he to say no

S = Stamina (How many rounds can they go for, how long do they last…): he has a lot of stamina from all the training he has and even if he doesn't he for sure isn't backing away from you until you are trembling

T = Toy (Do they own toys? Do they use them? On a partner or themselves?): he’s fine with you using them, but he wants to be the one that personally handpicks the toys for you

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease): likes to get to the point quickly, teasing him doesn't work, he will have you bent over in front of everyone if you push him too far

V = Volume (How loud they are, what sounds they make): loud and he doesn't care who hears him, he grows quiet only when it's to encourage you to get louder

W = Wild Card (Get a random headcanon for the character of your choice): i can really see him being into cock warming, either sitting on his lap all pretty and patient, or on your knees with your head leaned on his thigh and his cock in your mouth

X = X-Ray (Let’s see what’s going on in those pants, picture or words): knot? knot! and dare i say, he could be pierced , who knows, those tattoos definitely go all the way there though

Y = Yearning (How high is their sex drive?): once he sets his mind on something he is really focused until he gets it done, this translates to his sex life as well, once he gets that one thought of you, in any way, even just a glimpse of something like a memory of your previous encounters, he has set his mind to it and will make sure to visit you the second he has the chance

Z = ZZZ (… how quickly they fall asleep afterwards): it takes him a while and he never quite sleeps peacefully but he at least tries to not bother you and wake you up once you are out

[pugwitharug]

For headcanons, M6 with an MC who still has red Plauge sympthoms ? 👀

Ooooooooh I've seen this floating around, me likey. Also I think you mean they still have the symptoms but aren't sick, so I'm gonna write that

GN Reader, who knows when this takes place tbh, it's probably not too long after the main game and they probably had it the whole time, spoilers for Asra's, Julian's, and Lucio's route

���Asra Alnazar🔮

Oh he feels like shit about it

When he brought you back, he sacrificed so much to see you again, and when you opened your eyes and the sclera was the telltale red of the plague, the remaining half of his heart drops

You don't even know. You're so innocent in those first few weeks. You don't know anything about yourself, about what happened, and you don't understand why people give you a wide berth when you go with him to the market, and he can't even tell you

However, he just has to deal with it

Some of the other symptoms seem to be similar to fever, like looking pale and always being hot, so people always think you're sick but really you just look like that lol

The red veins look cool tho so you've got that going for you

Back to always being hot, he makes sure that you have lots of water on you, gets you fans on his travels, carries an umbrella with him, and makes sure you wear light and flowy clothing so that you're not passing out in the middle of the market

If you're uncomfortable with how you look because of the symptoms, he'll definitely get you clothes or other articles to cover them up. Gotta make sure you're fashionable

One of his ways of showing love is giving gifts, and he wants to make sure you're comfortable with something you can't control

👑Nadia Satrinava👑

She had to witness the Plague essentially wipe out her city, all while the people who were supposed to help sat by the wayside and let it all happen. Needless to say she's a little bit angry at the whole Plague

Not at you of course! Just at the fact that you're still tainted by it when it was thought to be gone

Once you explain that you only look like you have the Plague and have a few minor symptoms but you're not actually sick, she does feel a little better

She probably....*sighs* she might have to avoid letting you be with her in public for a while. It's a lose-lose situation, you're gonna get weird looks and people's respect for her is gonna drop and nothing's gonna get done

But once that's over with she's showing you off honey (only as much as you're comfortable with of course)

Prakra is in the north I believe and it's hotter there, so she has plenty of experience with heat. She helps keep your fever down when it flares up and, like Asra, gets you gorgeous fans and parasols and flowy clothing to help keep you comfortable

She utilizes her ice cold glare at anyone who wants to be rude to you >:3

She'll also make sure no one bothers you if you feel like crap and you don't wanna get out of bed, except for the doctor to make you feel better

No matter what you look like, she will always love you, and she will make sure everyone knows this

⚰️Julian Devorak⚰️

Twinsies! (angsty)

Okay, but really, his first approach is the doctorly one. He's checking you all over, trying to figure out how far along your illness is and how long he has until you've left him...

Again.

(assuming he knows you before you died at least)

He's stumped when all the results come out negative for the Plague. After constant reassurance, he has nothing to do but accept that this is just some strange magic stuff that's out of his league.

Tracing your red veins...........while you sleep.........or while he thinks you're asleep....................nnnnnnngh

This man has poor circulation so he sticks his hands under your shirt to warm them up. And also to mess with you and laugh when you scream lol

He also stands over you and flares out his big dumb (affectionate) jacket when you forget an umbrella and it's hot out. Kids keep mistaking him for a vampire tho and they run away and he always feels so bad

He might still be looking for a cure during the night when you're asleep. Even though he knows the Plague is over and Lucio is dead/dead adjacent, it still hurts his heart a little to see you like this

He wants to fix you, even if it drives him to death......again

🐻Muriel of the Kohkuri🐻

He wasn't super affected by the Plague itself, more just by Lucio's existence, so he's not super affected by you having symptoms

And the animals aren't gonna care, and it's not like anyone who doesn't know of your condition is gonna come over, so he just lets it be

If any of the symptoms do start bothering you he of course will help. He knows herbal medicine so he can help bring a fever down or deal with aches and bad coughs

Healing kisses from Inanna!! :3

He tries to keep you from doing very strenuous work sometimes, like lifting a bunch of logs for the fireplace, and if you're really stubborn about it he'll just carry you instead. Mountain man will use his mountain arms

He'll gently stroke your head if you're having a hard time sleeping.....getting up to get you water if need be.....telling you stories to try and lull you to sleep........listen to you cry if that's causing you problems.................somft

On the rare occasions you do have to go into town, he'll swallow his apprehension to follow you and give death glares to anyone who wants to try and make a comment

Loaning you his cloak :3 loving and protecting you dearly :3 :3 :3

🐱Portia Devorak🐱

She has no connection to the Plague so it doesn't affect her at all! She just thinks you look sick as hell!

Like......literally! Are you okay?

You have to explain to her what's going on but after that it's all good

Pepi loooooooves how warm you are. She always wants to snuggle with you during the winter. Then again I think Portia is also pretty warm so she's a little jealous lol

Sunhat and parasols to keep you cool! It's also fashionable in the summer >:3

She probably makes vampire jokes about you ngl (only if you're comfortable with it tho)

S............skin..........skinnydip...........skinny-dipping............*falls into hole*

If you're ever feeling bad about how you look she is there to lift you up 110%. No one's gonna feel bad about their appearance on her watch!

Also tracing your veins. Yes

She says they look like plant roots :3

You're always comfortable with her, no matter what. She is the comfy QUEEN!

🐩Lucio Morgasson🐩

Twinsies! (happy)

Okay obviously he's not entirely happy about you looking like you have the Plague cuz that reminds him of all the horrible shit he's done

But damn if you two don't look good together

He'll give you makeup tips on how to show off your red eyes and really make them the centerpiece of your outfit

And he'll give you glamorous outfits that compliment your skin tone and red veins

People might think you're siblings if you match well enough

He's also showing you off to everyone in the classic Lucio style, but it might be a bit much. If it is he'll send everyone out of the castle...classic Lucio style

If you're more of an introvert he'll try to keep the parties small, and he actually will! He loves to party but he also loves to respect your boundaries!

There will be moments, of course, when he has an existential crisis and starts spiraling downhill with flashbacks of being a ghost and the fire and the beetles and the red flooding his vision and the cold, cold forest and the way the snow crunches under his feet and the horrible sounds of--

Take his hand. Kiss the back of it. Listen to him. It's alright. Breathe. You're here. You forgive him

Or maybe you don't idk

Either way he always wants to show you off no matter what and let everyone know how much he loves you

[angstyantoinette]

Yandere!Howl Jenkins Pendragon x Reader Headcanons

Warnings: Slight NSFW [mention], kidnapping, manipulation, toxic relationships. 

We all know that Howl is very much a ladies man; he knows exactly how to pull women in, and captivate them so that they fall in love with him easily. 

For Howl, it’s all a game. He catches the eye of a girl, no interest on his part of course. She just happens to be in his line of the game. He knows what to say, how to present himself to perfectly fluster and simultaneously intimidate every other person there. He doesn’t venture outside the castle often, and when he does, there’s an air of fear; there’s such awe left in his wake. 

And he loves it. This drama queen feeds off it.

But we also know that Howl is a runner. He cannot commit to anything, hating the restricting nature of feeling tied down. I mean, he abandoned his apprenticeship. With this in mind, Howl makes the most unlikely yandere. But he actually is highly dangerous, although he doesn’t really look like it.

He’s afraid of himself in a way. He understands that he is quite powerful, and after practically going rogue, Howl gets his kicks with spontaneity, with the complete unexpected in life. 

When he meets you, he expects you to give him all your attention, like everyone else. But you brushed past him, looking at his fancy clothes, his blonde hair, sapphire eyes, green jewels swinging from his ears, and the beautiful pendant around his neck. He was picturing it now in his mind, getting ready for the look of adoration, the tense of muscles, the scarlet blush upon your cheeks.

But you looked away. You gathered your belongings, perhaps stowing them away in your satchel, and you just looked away.

What?

Is that it?

You weren’t even interested in him. Howl was still so stunned he had nothing to say, no suave and seductive voice to tempt you into his charms. He was in awe of you; you looked at him with such indifference it made his head hurt. Not with heartache or pain or anything like that. But he could not deny that he wasn’t curious.

Well, of course, not only does this not sit too well with Howl, he is very much a delusional person in this kind of state. However, he is incredibly smart and calculating and he balances these two personalities scarily very well. 

Like I said before, Howl is a very dangerous yandere, and he thrives on his blantant misinterpretation of a mere womanizer to scamper away, unsuspected, unscathed, and free to do what he likes.

Howl doesn’t really hold on to grudges that much, or anything; when he loses interest, he tosses things away. Not all though. 

You, you, YOU. 

Why won’t you leave his weary mind after days of being apart? Why is his  conciousness telling him to look for you, and not relent until he’s succeeded in doing so? Despite all the signs, all of the telltale signs that shows he’s just a little too invested in you, he writes it off as his bad habits resurfacing to play another game. 

And, of course, Howl Jenkins shall oblige!

Howl is a patient man, make no mistake. He finds it enjoyable to watch things go down for a while; no matter how trivial, poking fun in plain sight at innocent civilians never gets old. 

When he finally gives in to trying to find you and play with you for a little while, Howl pushes aside all distractions to do so. That means traveling through counties and villages, towns and cities until he’s found you again.

Howl is desperate for love and affection that isn’t because of his looks. He really wants someone to love him, not the image he puts across, not just above the surface with his tantalizing blue eyes that pull you in and trap you. 

You saw through that. You barely gave him a second glance and while it peaked his interest initially, it annoyed him for days on end. Usually being teasing and indifferent to Calcifer’s complaining, he found himself snapping and getting easily annoyed. Markl began to subtly keep his distance on bad days. 

Now, though, he’s become delusional. In Howl’s mind, you are to blame for his interest, for his inability to keep his mind off of you. You are the sole reason for his burgeoning obsession that seems to be running the show. He tells himself that when he finds you, it’ll leave. This painful, utterly agonising sensation of having you in his grasp, playing his game will go far away. He’ll seduce you, definitely, take you to bed and have a good time and his obsession and all-consuming desire to play the game, just you and him will just...go. Poof.

Except when Howl does find you, he doesn’t feel like letting go of you. 

Ever. 

And while this does take him by surprise, it all starts to make sense for him. 

Because looking at you now, bundled up in his arms, crying in anger and confusion, he sees in the stars that this was meant to be. 

He waits until he’s sure you’re asleep [more like passed out from exhaustion-] to really, really get a good look at you. He notices for the first time your cheeks and how they’re squished against his pillows and wrapped up in his sheets so perfectly, it’s like you’ve been here many times before. He notes how relaxed your closed eyes seem to be, no furrowed brow or scrunched tight eyelids; just complete and utter serenity. 

You’re just so perfect. Could you be a god, some kind of deity perhaps?

He’s in love for the first time in a long time. He may have let it slip by then, selfish and uncaring, but now?

Oh no, Darling, you don’t stand a chance. Howl will do anything to keep you hidden from those bastards’ eyes  protect you, to love you and most of all, make you see that he’s the one for you.

 Always.

You sat in the boiling water filling the bathtub, limp and tired, unresponsive as Howl bustled around you, his task completely focused on getting you ready for bed. Once upon a time, you would have refused to call him by name; instead you settled for ‘bastard’, ‘prick’, and ‘I hate you’. 

You even tried to sleepily mutter these things under your breath, not caring now that you were being lifted out of the bath, and dressed in a white gown. You cared even less when feeling your mind slip away into a soft sleep, curling into your body with comfort, clinging onto Howl’s pillows.

However, in front of his ‘housemates’ [ you could only guess what a talking fireplace could have to do with his wacky moving castle ], you were frightened. Howl didn’t even have to say a word; he had you smiling and  acting somewhat normally in front of ‘Calcifer’ and the little boy, Markl, you thought his name was. 

But you could always feel the sliver of magic take a hold of your wrists from behind, a little voice telling you that staying here was for your best interest, what more could you want? It promised you eternal love, devotion and affection, coated with a sickly sweetness only Howl could pull off. 

All in all, you stopped resisting after a while. Howl was annoyingly patient it seemed, and it frustrated you to feel as though you were a child all over again. He smothered you, insisting on doing the most trivial of things for you, never snapping back at you, never doing anything to remotely answer back at you in the same manner whenever you resisted his help.

It didn’t click until you had cursed at him mercilessly, screeching and crying, pulling at your combed hair, that by acting like this; he looked better than you. He looked above you. Compared to your tantrums, Howl looked calm and collected and completely willing to help you in any way possible. 

But why was he doing all of this? 

Why did you wake up in his bed, with his lanky arms draped all over you as if you were lovers? Why was he spoiling you, letting you wear his clothes, feeding you? What was he trying to convince you of? 

“Darling, I have some new nightclothes for you. Do you want me to help you into them?” He was slower, more gentle tonight as he strolled around his room. He was delberate though, not forceful exactly, but it was more of an atmospherical warning. You could just tell; if little Y/N tried anything, something would happen. 

Some kind of spell, or perhaps even a curse to teach you a lesson.

Ah, there it was. Another gift. 

Did he think you’d simply tolerate him because of his lavish, his blatantly excessive gift-giving?

Why did he look at you with such sickening adoration on his flawless features? 

At last, his bustling seemed to cease and he took a longing glace back at you. He probably only meant it to last a few seconds but the longer he gazed, it just became a cold and glassy stare. 

You knew the feeling of ‘zoning out’ well, but his eyes became darker and darker. Some kind of shadow must have passed over him or something, because he snapped out of his eerie trance and threw himself onto the bed. 

You yelped in surprise, pulling your hands to your sides, hastily spreading them out on the soft quilt like spiders, your legs pushing your body back ever so slightly, eyes wide. 

Howl chuckled, but it was filled with a sinister undertone that you weren’t used to at all. He snapped his head to the right, his hands already unraveling a silk-encased package. 

“I saw these while in the town today and couldn’t help myself.” 

Pulling out the brand new nightclothes, you unwillingly let out a pleased gasp. It was a set of matching pyjamas. They were satin, smooth to the touch and a beautiful shade of emerald, not too bright at all, but not dark either. 

Sometimes, you enjoyed this sort of treatment from Howl, albeit, very guiltily. He was always polite, courteous and kind, willing to help you with anything, but you also couldn’t help but feel a sense of horror, lingering long after you fell asleep. As if it were some kind of parasite. You just couldn’t for the life of you place your finger on it. 

You had learned to never keep him waiting for anything; he was a busy man and as much as he liked to have free reign of his work, he liked to be organised too.

This time you had apparently spent too long admiring your gift rather than answering him.

“Isn’t it lovely, Y/N? I thought it would suit you divinely.”

“Y-yes, it’s beautiful, thanks so much H-Howl.” 

Not wasting any more time, he sat up from his previous position on the bed, and somehow managed to gracefully snatch the nightclothes away from your trembling hands, and shooting you a look as if to say, well, take your clothes off. That was the less sinister version. Howl’s eyes took on a new darkness that growled, or I’ll do it myself. 

Your hands flew to your neckline, undoing the small ribbon that held the soft cotton on you, and allowed Howl to thread his fingers through the material, travelling towards the bottom of the garment and pulling it over your head whilst you lifted your arms, feeling the comfort of the soft sleeves peel off your arms. 

The blush on your face was unmistakeable. It was another embarassment being bathed by him, but this? Stripping you out of your clothes? It didn’t help that he was aware of your inner battle, and having an annoying, but otherwise barely noticeable smile on his face. 

His hand reached over with the satin nightclothes, urging you to take them. You did, carefully so, slipping them on against your flushed body, his cerulean orbs watching intensely. 

As if he didn’t want the image to go away. 

When you had finished dressing yourself, you stood up and  tentatively walked to the mirror, even slightly stumbling on your feet, and gasped in pleased surprise. You looked...beautiful in the nightclothes. The satin felt so smooth on your skin, and the emerald shade brought out your e/c eyes nicely. 

A few moments later though, you gasped for a whole different reason. Howl slipped his hands around the front of your torso, letting them wander further and further down, reaching your thighs with a renewed urgency, pressing you back against his body.

“I didn’t hear a ‘thank you’, darling.” His tone was teasing, but you could detect a hint of anger, annoyance was it? As quickly as the shadows came they departed, leaving you at the mercy of the wizard Howl. 

“No matter,” he rasped against the nape of your neck, placing soft, heated kisses against your skin,”You can say thank you, whilst begging on your knees.”

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

sorry about that ending, it just needed to come to an end before i drove myself mad with the procrastination :)

but what did you think of it?? there really isn’t enough Howl’s Moving Castle fics, let alone yandere ones, but i like how it came out. 

to the person who requested this, Howl, is 100000% the gentle dom we ALL NEED OKAY

[takamikeiigos]

Okay okay wait. I read ur post about how he just neglected/didn’t know how to reciprocate affection.. BUT what would happen if hawk’s s/o ended up getting kidnapped in the middle of a mission or smth 🤨🤨 and how would he be once his s/o is back and safe with him😩

so i feel like hawks kinda has a hard time coming out of his 'role' of being a hero / weapon / tool. like all his life he was told 'you don't have time to be distracted, you don't have time to process feelings, you need to be better'

so being able to really get attached to someone and experiencing genuine love and affection from them is kinda jarring? and sometimes things happen (like this for instance) and he gets put back on factory settings bc he doesn't know how to handle the worry and fear and anger for someone he cares about (that he's not supposed to care about bc he's not supposed to have distractions in the first place)

anyway. this is my shit. ty for this delicious ask 🤌🏼

• there's not many people hawks gets into a tizzy about. not many people that upset him - or irritate him - or really push him over the edge

• there's also not many people that push hawks to his emotional boundaries - make him feel such need to want, cherish, protect

• you just so happen to be one of them

• so when you're both on a mission together thats consisted of you two chasing leads for a couple days, he's definitely not expecting you to go missing with a ransom note left in your wake

• he's immediately tense with worry as he takes in the telltale sign of struggle, his thoughts in a whirl as he tries to process what could've happened in the hour that he was gone, and his brain kicks into overdrive

• he doesn't have time for this. doesn't have time for worry and panic. he needs to get you back. his objective is to get you back

• when he finally does find you after what seems like an eternity (only a few hours, really) of cat and mouse games, he's nearly unrecognizable with the cold and calculated expression he wears as he enters the room you're being held in, the villain's unconscious body left carelessly on the ground behind him

• he slices the rope that's binding you to the chair with a hardened feather and you limply fall into his arms, still weak and hazy from being tossed around in your earlier struggle

• he stiffens suddenly as you lean into him, your fingers grasping his jacket in a weak attempt to draw him closer for comfort, and finally your warmth snaps him out of his stupor and he wraps his arms around you

• he reports back to the agency and flies you out of there before backup even arrives

and hawks is still tense, still sitting on the edge of the bed where you left him (while you processed the past few hours in a warm bath) with his head in his hands

○○○

when you're both finally home you seem to be more lucid, sporting a nasty black eye and a split lip, but you're safe in your own home and thats what matters

"kei.." is all you could muster, the sight of him nearly deflated more painful than the bruises blossoming on your body

all hes ever known is using his quirk to defeat villains, protect civilians, and maintain his spot as a high-ranking hero. to carry out missions quickly and efficiently. to not be distracted by trivial things such as friends and desires and love

what he doesn't know is the absolute fear of losing someone that has managed to take up such a large part of his life. someone who has torn his walls down and made a nest somewhere deep in his chest. someone he loves.

he nuzzles into your touch when you gather his head into your hands, caressing it against your stomach with your fingers tangled in his hair

his wings deflate and rest easy against his back, and he draws in a stuttered breath against your skin as you hold him. hes learned as hes spent time with you to appreciate being showed affection, and to learn to accept it as well as reciprocate it

"fuck, y/n.."

"what is it baby-"

"- i can't lose you, kid.."

hes pressing his nose into your skin and you can feel that by the way that his face scrunches against you, that his brows are furrowed and there's a frown on his face

his hands rest on your hips and squeeze, as if to make sure you're real and safe in his arms

he hates when he gets like this. flayed open and vulnerable, fear and hurt and worry seeping through his being. he doesn't know how to deal with sudden onslaughts of emotion and his brain just shuts off. all he can do is start calculating the next steps so he doesn't drown himself

" 'm right here, baby. come back to me," you whisper, and he finally looks up at you, his eyes red and glasses over like he's fighting back tears

you brush his hair away from his face and lean forward, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. he closes his eyes and reaches up, pulling you back down until your lips meet

when you pull away he sighs, his head falling back against your stomach as you continue running your fingers through his hair

"it's okay, kei. i'm not going anywhere"

"promise me that, songbird. please" his voice is desperate

"i promise, bird-brain"

ngl i gave up on the bullet points halfway through bc instead of headcanons it was turning more into a lil fic lmao

at first i was gonna write more of 'hawks hesitantly attempting to doctor and care for y/n' but then i was like..

ya know what? hawks not being able to handle emotional overload is where its at and we need y/n bringing his ass back to earth

hope this was okay!!

♡ ky

[koutarouthighs]

『 soft cotton 』

S U M M A R Y ― sometimes out of necessity, sometimes out of desire, and other times out of convenience, you end up wearing their clothes.

post type ➺ headcanons fandom  ➺ haikyuu!! characters  ➺ tsukishima ⧾ iwaizumi ⧾ terushima  genre ➺ fluff rating ➺ t+  tags ➺ established relationship; clothes share/swap; nudity if you squint (bare thighs); party environment described but not in explicit detail; word count ➺ 2.8k request ➺ [YES/NO]      ↳ request status: OPEN

⤭ tsukishima is confused the first time he finds you in one of his shirts. before his brow wrinkles in that telltale way of frustration, you hold your hands up in surrender and explain that while you were helping his mother in the kitchen, you spilled soy sauce on your white top and she offered to clean it for you while dinner was in the oven. ⤭ after that, you don’t end up giving him that shirt back. it’s an old one, that doesn’t have much sentimental value, but there’s something jarring about tsukki seeing you in his clothes; an out of body experience, almost. he doesn’t understand why anyone else would want to wear anyone else’s things - isn’t that why you buy your own clothes? ⤭ and he has to ask the other guys about it. why does she wear my shirt to bed? why doesn’t she just give it back? and boy, do they have a field day with him. he can be so dense sometimes. doesn’t he see? you wearing that shirt is like you carrying a piece of him with you, even when you’re far away.  ⤭ his clothes engulf you, absolutely dwarfing your frame due to the height difference between you. tsukki has always thought of you as tiny, not fragile, but now, seeing you swimming in the fabric that makes up his ratty old tee, he thinks he has begun to understand why you like to wear this shirt over any of your more expensive, more fashionable ones. ⤭ he might be an asshole about it, but tsukki finds ways to gift you more of his clothes indirectly. he accidentally spills soda on your shirt one night when you’re staying in, watching a movie and eating pizza. another day he grabs at the hem of your shirt when you’re walking away and tears a hole in it. somehow, you still haven’t caught on, but he doesn’t ask you for the shirts back anymore. in fact, when you start to return them, he gets almost as irritated as he did when you had to ask for the first one out of pure necessity.

more below the cut ↴

“i’m sorry, kei,” you brush the fabric free of wrinkles as it settles at your mid thigh, covering the shorts that are currently adorning your lower half. you slowly look up at him, a warmth on your cheeks that signals your shyness, “i’ll bring back this one with the others next time i see you, okay?”

a scoff leaves his lips and he’s tugging at your wrist, pulling you forward on the couch until you’re tumbling down to meet him. your knees settle on either side of his waist and he watches as the fabric of the shirt pools around your thighs, “don’t worry about it. your washer makes them smell like old lady anyway. i don’t want them back.”

the way you tilt your head to the side, cocking an eyebrow and dropping your lower lip in confusion never ceases to amuse him. tsukishima reaches up and brushes his thumb against your bottom lip, inhibiting your speech even as you ask, “i-i can wash them over here, if you want, kei.”

he’s shaking his head again, snagging at you until you’re flush with his chest, your face tucked against his neck. it’s not necessarily odd behavior for him to want you so close, however it is strange that he’s not asking for his clothes back. he used to put up so much harder of a fight.

“nah, they were shitty shirts anyway,” he sloughs off the string of words like they were meaningless, however you know the weight they hold. you also know better than to tease him too far, rather to take the prize you’ve silently won through heckling and hard work. the shirt on your shoulders feels warmer, somehow, with the knowledge that you have his blessing to keep it as if it were a gift from him in the first place.

your hands run up the length of his shoulders until you are hooked around him entirely, clinging to his lanky body like a koala. he smells so good, especially after a shower and a shave, which you suspect he’s done earlier today based on the scent of his aftershave still lingering on his neck. you nuzzle your nose further against his jugular, feeling the way his heartbeat pounds the blood in his veins. a low hum escapes your lips without your permission, but tsukishima must not mind your slip of the tongue, but instead is encouraged by it, sneaking his chilly fingertips underneath the hem of the familiar item of clothing until he finds your ribs.

he’s practically lulled you to sleep with the ministrations of his fingerprints mapping out each of your ribs, in tandem with the warmth he provides and the skin-on-skin contact you’ve beseeched with your own hands. your eyelids cannot stay pried open any longer, and so you allow them to shut. somewhere between now and then, tsukki drags a blanket over your shoulders, angling his body to be in a more comfortable position without jostling you too much to the point you’re far too awake to fall back asleep.

just before your mind is consumed by that dark realm of slumber, you hear a low murmur in your ear, “they looked better on you anyway.”

⤭ iwaizumi would not admit it in the beginning of your relationship, but there was something about seeing you in his clothes, namely a t-shirt with his old high school jersey number on it, that just made him feel a certain way that he could not explain. ⤭ it starts with you forgetting to wear a jacket on a date one night, but you don’t ask. iwaizumi sees you shivering and wordlessly removes the bomber jacket from around his shoulders and places it on your own, waiting until you’ve slipped your hands into the sleeves before he grabs for your hand again, interlocking your fingers at the knuckles.  ⤭ after that, you start to become more comfortable asking him for his hoodies and even though he gives you a bit of a frustrated comment after you accidentally take one home, when you stop asking for his jackets, he gets confused and concerned.  ⤭ with iwaizumi’s job, he gets a lot of free merchandise from the team(s) he works with. and by proxy, you get a lot of t-shirts and hoodies and other items passed down to you because he would accumulate too many things otherwise.  ⤭ you refuse to wear anything the first time, though. because without iwa wearing it around the house at least once, it won’t smell like him. he thought it was weird at first, but eventually you started noticing more clothes piling in on your side of the dresser that you’d seen him wearing a few times. and then, when he sees you step out of the bathroom after your shower with that team japan long sleeve shirt on, if you catch him quickly enough, you’ll notice a small, fleeting smile on his lips.

﹢

“hajime?” your call comes from the kitchen, and iwaizumi can hardly hear you from his place in the bathroom, showering after a long saturday of practice games. he rubs the towel against the top of his head, drying his hair before responding, “yeah, just a minute, babe!”

when he steps into the kitchen, you take him by surprise. you always do, even now, years after your first date. settled on your shoulders is an old seijoh promotional t-shirt he remembers having to wear to a fundraiser. but the seafoam green fabric settles against the tops of your thighs, exposing the remainder of your legs to the chilly breeze coming through the apartment windows. you always crack the windows when you’re cooking or baking; something iwaizumi noticed when you first moved in.

“iwa-chan?”

iwaizumi has to blink once, so harshly that he sees stars on the backs of his lids, before he can focus on you. he tilts his head and licks his lips, “yeah, sorry. what did you say?”

that laugh that rings in his dreams floats across the space between the two of you, and he fights a smile so he doesn’t look like a dope while you’re trying to ask him a question. he steps forward on the guise of hearing you more clearly, and then reaches out to push your hair behind your ear, his fingers itching to brush against the stitches of the fabric holding the shirt together on your pretty frame.

“i asked if you wanted the spicy steak tonight, or if you wanted me to reign in the heat,” your voice comes easy, simple and soft, and iwaizumi catches himself turning gentle at the sound of you. your palms abandon the cookware for a moment to extend towards his body, slipping beneath his top to rests on his hips. your thumbs brush over the warm skin, still slightly reddened from his time in the shower.

he’s so lost in the primal, territorial sensation he gets that starts as a prickling in the base of his neck, seeping down his spine and curling around every bone in his body. he wants to kiss you, to show you how he feels rather than telling you, and so he does. 

iwaizumi has never been one to deny how he feels.

your breath is stolen from your lungs when he lurches forward to capture your mouth with his own. his palms are rough as they search your torso for somewhere to land, settling on your shoulders so he can keep your upper body pinned to him. you release a small squeaking sound from the back of your throat, but he’s already swallowed it before you can feel self-conscious. 

“haji,” you gasp when you feel his fingertips dig into the muscle of your shoulders, and a laugh follows suit when his lips withdraw from yours and you can see the intensity in his gaze, “wh-what’s gotten into you?”

he’s not really sure, if he were to be honest with you. maybe it’s the nostalgia of the color fabric of the tee that you’re wearing. maybe it’s the way he wishes that he’d continued to play volleyball in a more direct way. maybe it’s the way the shirt falls just far enough to keep you from exposing anything too tantalizing.

or maybe...

“it’s just you,” he answers, pulling you by the thighs so he can pick you up and deposit you on the counter top. your legs sashay, ankles brushing his legs, and you can’t help yourself from twirling your fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck. iwaizumi takes a deep breath before repeating himself, as if saying the phrase again might solidify the statement, but this time he adds: “it’s just you, in my shirt. you’re absolutely beautiful.”

your whole body burns at the compliment, and you bashfully blink downward, but iwaizumi is quick to lean in for another kiss. before too long, he’s got you drowning in his affections, his palms beneath your shirt to map out your skin, and the dinner you were previously preparing has been completely forgotten.

“iwa,” you murmur between the clacking sounds your teeth are making as they collide, “d-dinner, what...”

you feel his chest reverberate with a growl and then his mouth is on your neck and his fingers are tugging at the hem of your shirt, “forget dinner.” his voice is rough and his touch is gentle, “we’ll just order out tonight.”

⤭ terushima is the one to ask you if you want to wear his clothes from the very beginning. he loves seeing you wearing his flannels and tees and hoodies. he always tries to find one that pairs well with your outfit so that way he can reason you into wearing his clothes whenever you go out.  ⤭ if he comes home to see you curled up on the couch in one of his hoodies, just absolutely engulfed in the warm fabric, it makes his whole body tingle. he goes and changes after work and will definitely slip underneath the blanket you’re hidden under to wrap his arms and legs around you. ⤭ when he asks you for clothing advice, at first you wonder if it’s because he’s trying to change up his look. but, after a few strangely specific questions, you finally realize that he’s trying to tailor his wardrobe to be something that you could always find easy to wear. ⤭ the desire to see you in his clothes is partially from being territorial, but mostly because he just thinks you look hot as hell when you’re wearing his clothes. you always manage to make his clothes look ten thousand times better, mainly because it’s you wearing them. it never fails, he will always make a comment about how good you look wearing just his big tee to bed, even if your hair is all mussed and your face is still shiny from your skincare. ⤭ sometimes you’ll catch him stealing your clothes, too. you wear big tee shirts that are comfortable, and sharing is caring! he loves to pick on you when he wears your clothes, pointing out the designs printed on the shirts and how adorable you are for wanting to wear such cute little things. 

﹢

“god, pretty girl,” his voice is rough as it runs ragged against your ears, his hands on your waist from behind, “you know how it makes me feel to see you in my clothes.”

and of course you do. yuuji is no quiet thing when it comes to how you make him feel. so, you lean into him, if only to egg him on until he’s begging you to head out of this little house party. his fingers slip into the back pockets of your jeans and you find yourself stumbling into his chest, palms fumbling over his torso to try and clutch at his shirt to steady yourself.

“teru,” you chide, pinching his cheek before leaning up to kiss him. you pull away before he’s gotten warmed up, leaving him following you by craning his neck. a chuckle escapes your lips and you press your index finger against his pursed mouth, “we came here to celebrate kiyoko and tanaka. can you keep your hands to yourself for just a few more hours?”

“baby,” he’s whining in your ear now, all needy with his lips pouted and his irises widening, “you can’t be serious! you know that’s my favorite shirt to see you in! i think you did this on purpose!”

his fingers tug on the material of the flannel that’s draped over your shoulders, pooling around your hips and framing your body just perfectly. you watch as his irises struggle to focus, pupils dilating as he looks down at you. his mouth twitches in expectant words, but he’s interrupted by someone else who steals your attention.

while you’re busy talking to one of your old friends from high school, terushima is given the opportunity to take in your appearance for the first time since he met you at the party earlier, and the sight of you engulfed in his flannel and a pair of his crazy socks that peek out from the cuffs of your jeans makes his chest constrict so much so that he grasps at his shirt with his fingertips, barely curling his digits around the fabric of his tee before he realizes what he’s doing.

a slow, gentle blinking of his lashes brings him back to earth, where he can stare at you some more, all unbeknownst to you. he doesn’t mind admitting to anyone who wants to know that he loves to watch you when you’re just existing. he likes to notice the little things about you, to catalog them in the back of his mind so he can remember them on days when you have to be apart for longer than he wants to be.

your attention is diverted when you feel his palms against your hips, his chest brushing your back as he leans forward to kiss your shoulder, “i’m gonna get a drink, yeah? you want anything?”

“water,” you nod, reaching back with one hand to run your fingers against his undercut, “thank you, teru.”

another kiss is deposited to your cheek before he unravels himself from you and heads towards the kitchen, hands shoved deeply into his pockets. and you tilt your head so you can take in a deep breath of the collar of the flannel that you’re wearing, and somehow it feels like you’re there with him despite the distance between you. 

[mengyan]

Do you do headcanons?? If so can i get some domestic carulia headcanons 👀 like after carmen spends some time in argentina but then she misses jules so she goes back to england but jules is sad she left her so abruptly and isnt taking her shit so carmen moves near her and like has to re-win her over🥺🥺

anon, i absolutely do headcanons!! my brain is practically a dump for headcanons, you’ve come to the right place :D and if anyone ever wants me to write any just leave me a request in my inbox!

here is part one of my classic fic style headcanons based off of the prompt you’ve given (which is SO good by the way please i am so tempted to write it into a full fic and add to my mountain pile of drafts rn-):

carmen loves her mother, she really does. she’s sweet and kind and her family. it’s all she’s ever dreamed of. after carlotta sees her standing on her doorstep, her warm brown eyes freeze and then she gasps, launching forward and hugging her equally as shocked daughter.

“your eyes. my god, i would recognize them anywhere. [given name], is that you?”

“it’s carmen, actually,” she manages to say, her mother hugging her like it’s the end of the world. and her mother doesn’t question it, merely letting go and smiling at her with tear filled eyes.

“well, carmen, it’s nice to meet you.”

things aren’t perfect after that, of course. there are questions, so many of them that they stay up the entirety of the second night talking (not the first, carlotta insisted that she had to get some sleep). carlotta doesn’t seem fazed when she tells her about VILE and stealing from them, cries when she brings up her father, but they push through it because now they have each other.

it’s strange, then, the feeling she gets a month or so later. she’s lying on the couch after a few rounds of games with the orphanage kids, and she doesn’t feel... satisfied. she should, shouldn’t she? this is what she’s spent her life searching for. she left her team behind to focus on this, to give something to herself for once.

it’s maddening. she can’t figure it out, talking to player as she bounces a ball against the ceiling. her mom worries, asking her what’s wrong, but she can’t answer her because she doesn’t know.

another few weeks pass. she’s cleaning her tools, sorting through her red coat for some nostalgia. a slip of paper falls out, and written on it is the address to this house she’s living in, and-

“player- i never asked, and i’m not sure if you even know. who found the address?”

he hesitates. a beat, then— “your favourite ACME agent.”

oh. oh. jules. she hasn’t let herself think of her ever since she left them all behind, afraid of the memories of her brainwashed time being dredged up. julia probably hates her, and rightfully so.

but she’s buzzing. she feels like she’s onto something, like satisfaction is just out of her reach, and player is more than happy to check up on julia’s blog for her whereabouts. turns out she’s not in france but in england, visiting her mother, telling her blog audience that’s why she’ll be inactive for a while.

carmen laughs at the irony. player books her a flight.

fast forward and she’s halfway to julia’s mother’s place and in the middle of the sidewalk, she stops, suitcase rolling behind her. she probably shouldn’t be showing up randomly like this, no warning and dropping back into julia’s life when she doesn’t need it. julia’s had to have moved on by now, the girl in red just someone who was too afraid to meet up with her before she left.

“red, what’s up?” player asks her, staring at her unmoving icon on his screen. “you having second thoughts?”

“kind of, yeah,” she admits. “i’m just not sure if-”

there’s a tap on her shoulder. carmen turns around and feels her heart drop out of her chest.

julia argent stares back at her, arms crossed and looking exactly the same with her glasses and dressed in a casual tan coat, yellow sweater, and black jeans. she looked good, and, well, annoyed.

“hey, jules!” the greeting doesn’t come out as confident and suave as she hoped, but it suffices, and player speaks excitedly from his end. tell julia i said hi! he says, before cutting off.

“by the way, player says h—”

“ms. sandiego,” julia says stiffly, none of the playful flirting and easy tones that she’s gotten used to. “why are you here?”

“i thought you—” carmen stammers, reaching into her pocket and showing her the slip of paper. “you gave me this, and i wanted to thank you. also you know you can call me carmen.”

something in julia’s eyes softens at the sight of the paper, but then hardens again when she looks back at her. “you’re welcome. you didn’t have to come all this way to tell me, though. and calling you by a first name basis would imply that we’re friends, but it seems that we’re not, doesn’t it?”

carmen chokes a little, eyes widening. “we’re not- friends?”

“i would think a friend would at least say goodbye or get in contact with me any way before disappearing for months, so no, ms. sandiego, i don’t think we are.”

carmen’s first instinct is to feel offended, but she understands where the agent’s slight hostility towards her is coming from. this wasn’t just julia being petty, it was the consequences of her actions that she had to now make up for.

“jules, i’m sorry,” she says, going to grab her arm but drawing back at the last second. right. their subtle touches with each other were definitely off limits now. “we can talk about this in somewhere that’s not a public sidewalk, and i’ll explain everything, i promise.”

julia’s mouth twists into a frown, and she uncrosses her arms, one finger pushing up her glasses. she looks her square in the eye, her gaze cold and unflinching. “what is there to explain, exactly? how you left me- left us all so abruptly, and gave your closest family a note to remember you by? zack and ivy mentioned it to me- they’re being trained for ACME now, but i’m sure you knew that already.”

she didn’t. she hasn’t asked player for updates for a month. a heavy exhale escapes her, and she wishes she had player in her ear. julia lets out a humourless laugh at her lack of a response.

“i guess you found something better, ms. sandiego. i’m happy for you.”

the declaration is bitter- and with that, julia spins on her heel and walks away, heading to her mother’s house. carmen stands with her suitcase on the sidewalk, apologies on the tip of her tongue, wanting to chase after her. she swallows them down and drops onto the nearest bench, burying her face in her hands and tapping her earring so player can reconnect.

“red! how’d it go? what has julia been up to? is she-” player’s voice bursts through with questions, and carmen doesn’t say a word, a new mission in mind.

“do you know where julia is staying? not her mom’s place, i’m assuming.”

if player is surprised by the question, he doesn’t comment, and carmen can hear his keyboard clacking as he scans address books and properties. “she’s a couple blocks over, i’ll text you the address,” he says at last. carmen’s phone pings with the incoming text, but that’s not the actual thing she’s looking for.

“thanks, player. are there any houses up for sale near her street?”

“give me a second.” player pauses, scrolling through listings, and then continues. “there’s one like, diagonally across from her house, actually.”

“we have any funds left from our world saving?” she can tell player knows what she’s asking for now, from the telltale anxious drumming on his desk and the slower than usual clicking.

“a couple million, actually. i thought we were slowly distributing to-”

“i’ll make up for it, maybe nag some of the VILE stragglers and the remaining stolen artifacts and whatnot. can you set up a meeting with the house owner so we can wire the funds over?”

“this is a bad idea,” player cautions.

carmen grins. “and since when have i ever been known to have a good one?”

part two will be up as soon as i can get it written out! if you’re the anon that sent this, send me an ask about part two so i can answer it that way!

[twst-roses]

Lover’s Games: Rook

[honey-girlie]

every kind of way (jake x mc)

rating: E (for the last chapter)

chapter: 1/3

word count: ~4k

summary: To say Eris has had a rough time in the villa so far was an understatement. She really didn’t need to go and complicate things further by fancying her closest mate, but then again, her brain rarely worked properly when Jake was around her. 

a/n: this is a short fic about coupling up with Jake. it’ll be three chapters long and will only cover day 11 and the night of day 12. this first chapter takes place on the morning of day 11

for the most part, it follows canon with the exceptions that my MC, Eris, has a much closer relationship with Jake, and she also makes it clear to Levi that she’s not interested in him. i also (briefly) included an explanation behind Jake’s cheating, which is entirely headcanon. otherwise, the story is basically the same as the game

anyway thanks for reading if you do!

[link to ao3]

x x x

i wanna love you in every kind of way - H.E.R.

“Oh, Christ.”

Eris stared deadpan at the telltale beep of her phone that resounded throughout the empty bedroom and interrupted whatever retort Levi was about to throw at her. 

After last night’s dumping and Lucy’s antics this morning, she wasn’t in the mood for challenges or dates or whatever it was they were going to be doing today. She wanted to relax, sleep in, hang out by the pool. One day of peace in the villa seemed like more of an impossible feat than she realized.

And on top of that, Levi has been trying to rekindle their relationship after Eris admitted that she wasn’t interested in him anymore. Her feelings hadn’t been that strong to begin with, but they’ve waned since the whole Cherrygate debacle. In recent days, she could now easily say she’s moved on. Levi, however, refused to give up. It was why he was currently sitting in bed with her, convincing her that he didn’t have feelings for Lucy, whatever she might say or do. 

Needless to say, Eris was having a shit morning. If the producers allowed them alcohol this early in the day, she’d be cradling an entire bottle of wine right now.

She huffed at the phone, hoping the stupid device knew that whatever text had been sent to her was not welcomed right now. Beside her, Levi appeared irritated. 

“I guess we’ll... talk later,” he grumbled.

Eris scratched her nose in an annoyed tick. She’d honestly rather not, but it was a conversation she knew needed to be had. 

“Sure. Later. But,” she interjected firmly, “I’ll say this one last time.” She looked Levi straight in the eye, keeping her tone gentle yet steady. By god, if they had to have this discussion again, she’d burn her hair off. “We might still be coupled up, but we’re not together and we haven’t been for a while. If you want to get back with Lucy or graft on another girl, I won’t stop you because honestly, I don’t care.”

Levi’s lips thinned as a sour expression formed on his face, but he kept quiet. Whether it was for the sake of the text or because her feelings had finally sunk in for him, she wasn’t sure. Either way, she was glad he chose silence.

Suppressing the urge to sigh, Eris dragged herself up and leaned over to snatch the phone from the table. She avoided looking in his direction as she shouted for the other Islanders to gather. 

“Guys! I got a text!”

They piled into the bedroom in a matter of seconds, some with breakfast still in their hands.

“Read it out, Eris!” Reese exclaimed. 

Tim took a bite of his toast before asking, “What do you reckon it is? Another challenge?”

“Oh, don’t talk with your mouth full, hun,” Jen tutted. Her expression, however, was still amused. “But I do hope we get treated for some dates.”

The two of them leered at each other, and Eris couldn’t help the pang of jealousy that hit her. That was what she wanted for herself, but it seemed like the one guy she did want in the villa didn’t want her back. 

Stuffing her bitterness down, Eris cleared her throat. 

“Alright, everyone ready?” she asked the group.

When they nodded, she lowered her gaze to the text and read it out loud. 

Islanders, tonight will be the last recoupling. The boys will be choosing their partners.

#thefinalcountdown #holdontight

Eris’ heart sank as she scanned the short missive again. Another recoupling? After they had one just last night? She knew for a while that she needed to find a better partner than Levi, but she thought she had more time. And of course the very last recoupling would be boy’s choice. She could very well be dumped from the villa tonight. 

She couldn’t stop her eyes from darting over to Jake, but she was surprised to see he was already staring back. He ducked his head immediately, looking oddly frustrated. In the next second, Jake bolted from the room without saying a word to anyone. 

Bemused and crestfallen, Eris sagged. She’s been having trouble reading him more than ever in the past few days, but him fleeing from her was very clearly a bad sign.

There were a few beats of silence that were shortly broken by Jen. Eris tuned it out as her mind reeled. She ignored the excited chatter of the room and flopped backwards onto the bed, resisting the urge to groan into the pillow. 

Shit morning indeed. 

x x x

Eris ambled through the villa alone, wondering how on earth she got herself into this situation. 

She had finished breakfast and conversed with the other Islanders in a daze, too worried about what tonight had in store for her. Since Levi wasn’t an option any longer, her thoughts were in shambles as she considered what else she could do. There was always the possibility of coupling up with Rohan as friends, but at this stage in the game, it wouldn’t be right. They both knew the attraction wasn’t there. They deserved better than that.

Eris didn’t care so much about winning. All she wanted was to find a future with someone on the show, and Rohan was not the boy to have that with. There was nobody else in the villa for her. 

Nobody but one, and he had barely looked at her all day.

She’s been dealing with the particular frustration that was Jake for what seemed like half her time there. At the very beginning it looked like he was into her, offering secret glances and smiles across the room that always seemed to verge on longing. They even coupled up for a bit. Those few days with Jake, being able to cuddle up with him in bed and find excuses to touch him in and out of challenges... 

Those days were undoubtedly the happiest she’s felt. To hear him say that he had wanted her to pick him too made Eris smile so wide, her cheeks hurt. 

But all of a sudden, things changed. Levi was grafting on her, and Jake backed off, insisting he didn’t want to stand in their way. Eris had never been so conflicted. On one hand, she couldn’t deny that Levi was attractive, and as a conceptual artist, she was also delighted to learn that they both shared a particular love for installation art. The way he chased after her was thrilling. It was nice being wanted by one of the most eligible Islanders on the show.

But with Jake, things were so... right. 

Early on, he confessed to Eris that he struggled to connect with the others, but she had no problem growing close to him. He started opening up to her after some gentle prodding on her part, then things just snapped into place for them. 

While they weren’t completely attached at the hip, Eris and Jake were damn close. He cracked wry jokes, often only for her ears and told at the most unexpected times. He spoke freely to her about his thoughts on the other Islanders and their couples. He allowed himself to be more selfish when he was with her instead of trying to maintain peace around the villa like he usually did. 

In the same vein, Eris was just as comfortable around him. She felt relaxed in his warm, easy presence, even when he wasn’t talking much. She enjoyed watching him do the most mundane things, like cook or take a swim in the pool. She forgot about trying, about keeping up appearances and making sure her face wasn’t sweaty or her makeup hadn’t smeared. 

Jake made her feel safe enough to rant to him and be quiet with him and be herself, unapologetically, around him.

What humbled her the most, however, was the fact that he opened up to her about his cheating past. 

Fittingly, he had told her about it the morning after the infamous mess that was Cherrygate. It had been early on in his adult life, barely past his 20s, and he’d been dating his then-girlfriend for almost two years. They met each other through a mutual friend, but they didn’t start dating until a few months later. Everyone had seen it coming. Everyone encouraged it too.

Things were fun in the beginning, but it didn’t take long for them both to realize they weren’t good for each other. Their constant arguments were never resolved, and their communication was never there. Jake suspected that they only stayed together for as long as they did because everyone expected it of them.

He was vague about the specifics of his infidelity. All Eris knew was that it started three months before the breakup with some girl who lived on the same street as him. When Jake found out his girlfriend had been cheating on him too, he confessed to his own affair, and they finally decided to split up. With so many mutual friends, the two of them saw each other occasionally, but they were mostly on good terms. Still, he admitted that even if they were both equally guilty parties, there were few things that hurt worse than being cheated on. 

Eris wasn’t exactly torn up about Levi kissing another girl. What did make her cry was knowing that Jake empathized with her enough to share something so private about his life. The other Islanders offered their comfort in their own ways, but Jake was the only one to hurt with her. The night Cherrygate occurred, he was there, wrapping a sturdy arm around her shoulders and telling her how strong she was, how much she didn’t deserve it. The morning after was no different. That was when he permanently cemented himself in her heart.

Eris had a stronger bond with Jake than with anyone else in the villa and even some of her friends back home. It came to the point where she had grown attuned to his emotions. From the subtle wrinkle in his forehead when he was troubled to the downturn of his lips when he was confused, it wasn’t difficult for her to figure out what he was feeling. Even her awareness of his physical presence had become second nature. Her ears could make out the timbre of his voice from the other side of the villa. Her eyes could recognize his silhouette in a darkened room.  

It was well-known that Jake was the most reserved Islander on the show. But she knew him. She knew him, and it was such a privilege that he allowed her. 

He was sweet. Funny. Self-assured. Romantic. Supportive. Considerate. And unquestionably the most beautiful man she’s ever laid eyes on. 

Jake was everything Eris wanted in a partner, and in a very short amount of time, she knew she was already starting to fall fast and hard for the quiet, cheeky chef. She had every intention of staying coupled up with him to see where they could go. 

So when Jake suggested to Eris that she and Levi had strong potential, she was more than a little upset. He didn’t fight for her or their couple, and it made Eris think that maybe he didn’t want her as much as she thought. 

He seemed so willing to let her go. And it hurt.

Eris wasn’t the type of person to internalize her feelings, but being humiliated like that on national television made her bite back her disappointment and put on a strong front instead. She had smiled tightly at Jake, then picked Levi for her date later that night, and when he kissed her, she didn’t fight it. She thought of the man she’d rather be kissing instead, but she didn’t fight it. Everything about it had felt off. His hands weren’t the same, his shoulders a touch too wide. 

Jake didn’t seem to mind any of it. That was the proverbial nail in the coffin that prompted her to choose Levi at the next coupling. Maybe it was the out Jake had been hoping for. After all, he didn’t look all too upset when he clapped along with everyone else at her decision. And he’s obviously been getting on well with Cherry. 

Eris couldn’t stop the small scowl that formed on her face. Fucking Cherry. That ugly, green-eyed monster of jealousy roared inside her whenever that girl so much as looked at Jake. But Eris would never compromise his happiness, and if Cherry made him happy, she’d suck it up.

With all of this drama happening, Eris was starting to wonder why she signed up for the show in the first place. She could’ve had failed relationships back home in Kent just as easily. She could’ve pined over yet another man who didn’t want her in the comfort of her own flat. 

She groaned and tugged at her hair. Mindlessly walking around the villa didn’t help much. Besides, Tim’s constant rapping could be heard wherever she went. It wasn’t like she could escape anywhere. 

Eris walked through the dressing room, her mind nowhere near concluded. But her tumultuous thoughts were interrupted at the sound of hurried footsteps behind her. 

She turned. A small gasp escaped her when she saw who it was. 

Jake strode right for her with a determination she’s never seen from him before. At first glance, he appeared cool and collected, but once she took in his crazed eyes, clenched jaw, and shaking hands, anticipation whirled in her stomach. 

“Jake?” 

“I’m sorry, Eris,” he breathed as he stopped a few feet from her. “I just — can I have a word?”

Her eyebrows knitted together. “Wha— Jake, what’s going on?”

“I have to...” He huffed and shook his head, clearly frustrated with himself. “There’s just something I need to tell you. Can we...?” He gestured to the doors of the roof terrace. 

It was clear that whatever it was he needed to say was big. Jake was rarely anything less than put together, and right now, he looked like he was on the precipice of a meltdown. 

Eris didn’t hesitate as she nodded. “Of course. Come on.”

They entered the terrace, luckily finding it empty. Jake took a seat, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. His clasped hands sporadically squeezed and loosened. Eris eyed him in concern as she joined him on the bench. 

“Are you alright?” she asked. She’s never seen anyone in the villa look half as nervous as he did right now.

“I’m fine,” he assured. “It’s just... I’ve been thinking all day about whether or not I should say this. And it’s like — if I say it, I might ruin a friendship, or worse. It could be really bad for the villa.”

Jake sighed heavily and hung his head. He almost sounded like he was talking to himself with his next words. 

“But if I don’t say it, maybe I miss a chance to finally be happy?”

Eris’ frown deepened, and she felt a fluttering in her chest, something she couldn’t name. 

Confused as ever, she caved in to the urge to touch him and placed a hand on his arm. “You’re kind of scaring me. What is this about?”

Jake quieted. He stared at her hand, resting gently on his warm skin, and his gaze softened. When he remained silent, Eris squeezed in encouragement. 

He exhaled quietly.

“Fuck it.”

His eyes flashed, and he whipped his head up to stare her down. She almost recoiled. 

“I want you,” Jake blurted, his voice hoarse. “I want to be with you so bad, Eris. From day one... it’s always been you.”

Her jaw dropped to the floor. 

For a moment, nothing else registered other than the words I want you.

I want you.

Jake wanted her? 

Her?

It was appropriate that Eris’ response was just as bewildered. “Huh?” she said stupidly. 

Jake ran a hand through his unruly hair as he shot up from his seat to pace around. “Look, I realize I left it so late, but it’s the last recoupling this evening and I just had to say something, even though I might’ve ruined everything I’ve tried to make in here. Plus, you had all this stuff going on with Levi and I didn’t want to piss you off or ruin our friendship, so I kept quiet about it. But I can’t anymore. I need to know, or it’ll kill me.”

He stopped pacing and took a deep breath. Visibly bracing himself, Jake turned to her, his face verging on desperation. 

“Eris,” he rasped, “is there any chance for me? Could — could something happen between us?”

Stunned, Eris leaned back on the bench with her mouth agape. 

Shock coursed through her for a few long beats as silence stretched between them, his confession hanging in the air. The longer she sat there, utterly dumbstruck, the more Jake’s face fell. It took her a bit, but her brain caught up as she finally absorbed what he had said. 

I want you.

It’s always been you.

Something between us.

The world around her spun, but once the words got through to her, it careened to a complete halt. Suddenly Jake was the only thing she could see. 

Her heart soared. 

A short, disbelieving laugh bubbled out of her as the reality of his confession kicked in, and Jake’s shoulders drooped, looking like she had just kicked him in the gut. 

God, he was so adorable. 

Eris stood up and neared him. “Jake,” she barely managed.

He sighed and put on a brave face, attempting a weak but sincere smile. “It’s alright. I just couldn’t —”

Unable to resist any longer, Eris surged towards him and flung her arms around his neck as she crashed her lips against his. Jake gasped and froze, but once he realized what was happening, she felt his whole body shudder. He engulfed her in his tight embrace and returned the kiss with a fervor that made her stomach swoop. 

Finally, she thought before her mind quieted, focusing only on the sensation of Jake’s presence surrounding her entirely. She knew him, but this... This was new territory she couldn’t wait to explore. 

He moaned into the kiss, his eager hands wandering from her hips to her back until one of them traveled up to tangle itself in her hair. Her heart skipped two beats before running right out of her chest. He pulled her as close as humanly possible then closer still, and as a result they stumbled onto the nearest wall. Jake pressed her up against it, slanting his lips over hers. Eris whimpered a sigh when their tongues grazed, and she couldn’t stop her knees from buckling a little at the electrifying sensation that chased up her spine. 

His hands left a fiery trail wherever they went. When his mouth lowered to the side of her neck Eris gasped, her head tilting back and her fingernails digging into his shoulders. Jake hissed in pleasure and doubled his efforts on her neck by sucking lightly on her pulse point. If not for his firm grip around her, she would have fallen over at how heavenly it felt. His responding, dark chuckle at her reaction would have done her in next. 

For what felt like hours, they remained entwined in each other. Her head was dizzy by the time their kisses and frantic touches slowed down into something soft, content. When they finally pulled apart, Jake rested his forehead on hers, and they exchanged goofy, joyous smiles as they caught their breath. Whatever doubts she’d been carrying had all but vanished as his fingertips pressed into the flesh of her waist. 

“Just to be clear,” he panted, “this means you fancy me too, right?”

Eris laughed. “Yeah. But I could show you again if you’re still not sure.”

His grin grew even wider, and he ducked in for another short kiss. “You have no idea how terrified I was you were going to say no,” he admitted against her lips. 

“It’s always been you too,” she whispered. “But I didn’t think you liked me like that anymore.”

He briefly closed his eyes, and when they opened, they were full of regret. “I’m sorry. I acted like an idiot when we had coupled up. I somehow thought I had messed up my chance when I learned that Levi was grafting on you.”

“So you pushed me away,” she said quietly. 

“I convinced myself you were happier with him, so I tried to move on too.” He let out a humorless chuckle. “Not my finest moment, I’m aware.”

Eris gave him an apologetic look as she brought a hand up to the side of his face, running her thumb over his thin stubble. “I’m sorry too. I should have been honest and said something to let you know how much I liked you, but I... I don’t know. I guess I felt too wounded.”

He nodded. “I definitely could have made things easier, but I understand. I just wish we hadn’t wasted so much time together here.”

A dry smile appeared on her face. If they had actually communicated properly, they wouldn’t have gone through so much bullshit. It was as amusing as it was infuriating. “We’re a pair of dummies, huh?”

He chuckled. “I heard this place will do that to you. It’s practically our job, right? To stir as much drama as possible.”

“Well, I think it’s safe to say we take the cake there.” Eris wrinkled her nose. “How do you suppose everyone else will react?”

“We should talk about that, actually,” Jake sighed as he loosened his hold on her. The air shifted on a more serious note. “I don’t know what the situation is between you and Levi, but we’re still coupled with different people. It wouldn’t be right to surprise them with this at the recoupling later.”

A sense of dread settled in the pit of her stomach. “I told Levi we weren’t together anymore,” she muttered. “But I still need to talk to him.”

“Yeah. And I need to break up with Cherry.”

As much as Eris hated the idea of having that conversation, he was right. They couldn’t spring this on their partners at the last second, even if a part of her thought they deserved it a little. Damn Jake and his kind heart, otherwise she would ignore everyone and spend the rest of her time in the villa with him. 

“This afternoon, then,” she agreed. “We’ll have to get it done before the recoupling.”

“Right. I just don’t want to be that kind of guy. I’ve made enough mistakes in here as it is.”

Eris nodded, and when she caught the remorse in his expression, she stood on her tiptoes to gently kiss him again, feeling him smile against her lips. They pulled away, and she grabbed his wrist to press one last kiss on his palm. His gaze was full of reverence, making her heart clench. 

Jake suggested they get going so that hopefully, Levi and Cherry would calm down by the time the recoupling started. With reluctance, she parted from him and wished him luck with his talk with Cherry. He squeezed her shoulder in thanks as he returned the sentiment, then they left the rooftop. 

Eris walked through the villa in search of Levi, her head held high but her stomach rioting with nerves. She couldn’t imagine the backlash she’d get from both the Islanders and the audience watching, but she didn’t care. 

For the future she was seeking outside the show with the man she wanted by her side, this was worth it.

[talesfromthenorsesmouth]

N O R S E ! :D

ha ha shit i forgot the ask thing was coded by letters and thought this was some Viking threat; that they’d finally caught up to me and this was how it ended

but it’s not! hurrah! here we go! mainly sticking with Batman for these (I say Batman, it’s mainly Riddler, I mean what else?)

N - Name three things you wish you saw more or in your main fandom (or a fandom of choice).

honestly, I don’t know- I’m coming back to Batman fandom after a gap, and I kind of have no idea what’s going on, or what is common or not, so everything I see, I just sort of appreciate, it’s just nice to be here, waving at all the stuff I see go past

No wait I have one thing, there is like NO Telltale Riddler fic and I want it, I want more about him and Catwoman because it’s suggested he was her mentor or something and the game never explored that and now they never will; I am Let Down by the absence

also Telltale how dare you kill him off so quick? The level of disrespect here, I tell you

O - Choose a song at random. Which ship or character does it remind you of?

o boy- is The Riddle too obvious for the Riddler? yes it is let’s think of something else... ok sorry this is a lot of Bowie, but Conversation Piece is definitely baby Edward; also Marc Almond’s Bedsitter Images for a similar time period in his life pre-Riddler (’and so you see I can’t go back, until I either win or crack’ is such an Edward line); and Fame for Eddie in his peak-Riddler years (bonus here’s the live performance on the Cher Show which i also love for the sheer slightly unhinged intensity of it)

Look I have a lot of these but I will stop there- except honorary mention to the Beautiful South’s Bed of Nails for a song about friendship and coming back to someone after many years, there’s a very ���here you are again, then’ about it and so it fits nicely with how I think about Edward and Vicki Vale for my dumb comic I am trying to write

R - Which friendship/platonic relationship is your favorite in fandom?

The more I see of Riddler, Scarecrow and Mad Hatter hanging out, the more I want it, they are tiny babies who should be protected at all costs, possibly from themselves, I don’t know who first started the Dork Squad but they’re doing the Lord’s work

S - Show us an example of your personal headcanon (prompts optional but encouraged)

Query and Echo retired from crime, moved to Florida, got married and started a  gym/boxing studio (do we call them studios? you know what I mean) specialising in self-defence classes and casual gun-running

E - Have you added anything cracky/hilarious to your fandom? If so, what?

I feel I mainly add crack to any fandom (hilarious is a matter of opinion), because I can’t work any other way; probably the biggest addition is my first real comic attempt for the  MCU fandom, from (god) 9 years ago, about the adventures of Loki and Dr. Selvig, based solely on the after-credits scene from the first Thor movie because I thought it would be cool if they were friends. I managed to write the whole thing before the Avengers came out, and do you know? I wasn’t right about a single thing, something which I remain inordinately proud of

Otherwise, I do/did aggressively stupid comics for Batman, some of which were positively cracky, and my favourite of which was this showing i have been interested in Riddler PI since 2009 and 11 years later may actually get round to doing something about it.

(NB that link will take you to my deviantart, which is... well it’s a place, I’ll say that for it. most things on there are very old, and I like to think I’ve got better since.)

[warsinmyhead]

!Special [HC] – AJM [NSFW A-Z]

All NSFW headcanons – under cut for courtesy!

A = Aftercare (What they’re like after sex)

Always the gentleman, Jimin will be up and looking over his partner, checking to ensure they’re okay, if he can get them something, etc. One of his first thoughts is to run a bath or shower for clean-up, but if his partner’s too worn, he’ll settle for washcloths and wiping them down. 

B = Body part (Their favourite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

Eyes – he’s been told he has beautiful and/or unique eyes. He has a little too much fun playing with people and using his expressions to gauge/spark reactions. As for partners, it depends on the person he is with. 

C = Cum (Anything to do with cum basically… I’m a disgusting person)

Jimin prefers using condoms regardless of gender, unless he’s talked it out with his partner about foregoing protection. (Especially if the other is on birth control and/or has a cum kink.) Privately he’s into stimulating a female partner to the point where they squirt, but he’s very shy to share that. (Ladies, if you are capable of doing it, do not apologize – he’s pretty proud to know that he can make you feel that good.)

D = Dirty Secret (Pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

He’s pretty sure he overheard a neighbor having sex with a girl in the boys’ locker room for the gym in high school, but he tried to block that memory out. He even took a cold shower and got out of there as fast as he could before the couple realized he was there. 

E = Experience (How experienced are they? Do they know what they’re doing?)

Jimin did learn about sexual health and reproduction in school as part of a section during his Biology class. (Albeit his aunt and uncle argued about whether to let Jimin learn or not once they got the permission slip.) He has experienced a blow job from Hiro and a bad one from his ex Tatiana. As for actual sex with a partner, it hasn’t happened yet. 

F = Favourite Position (This goes without saying. Will probably include a visual)

Ji is a simple guy but he does his homework about various positions that help women achieve orgasm quicker/more easily. He’s not choosy about the positions. 

G = Goofy (Are they more serious in the moment, or are they humorous, etc)

Jimin is a romantic at heart so expect a more serious, but sweet session. Very passionate because he wants to ensure that his partner is into it as well. Maybe a few laughs take place if he was playing around jokingly with his partner then it turned heated.

H = Hair (How well groomed are they, does the carpet match the drapes, etc.)

Jimin does groom down there and it’s due to the fact that he doesn’t want his partner dealing with hair, especially if they insist on a blowjob.

I = Intimacy (How are they during the moment, romantic aspect…)

See G – the gentleman through and through. Give the parenting award to his aunt and uncle for raising a good guy.

J = Jack Off (Masturbation headcanon)

Jimin is a bit shy about jacking off. He didn’t want to be caught by anyone in his family while growing up, so he often avoided it. (Maybe he’d hump the bed in his sleep and insist on doing his laundry if his boxers showed telltale signs of his act.) In college, he’s rarely horny – he really doesn’t start figuring out masturbation until he is in the later part of undergrad/early graduate. 

K = Kink (One or more of their kinks)

Squirting (giving – female partner), ball worship (he’s particularly sensitive there), overstimulation (giving), tight fit (if his partners are stretched around him but not uncomfortably)

L = Location (Favourite places to do the do)

Bedroom maybe the bathroom. Now that he has his own office at Kingsman, a few times people teased the idea of office sex. He’ll get flustered but if you persuade him and he’s not in meetings, maybe he’ll consider locking the door and giving it a go.

M = Motivation (What turns them on, gets them going)

Chemistry is key between him and his partner. Sometimes it’s little things that get him going. One time Tyler sent him a pic with freshly dyed blonde hair that almost resembled a sext (in reality Tyler was eating one of those wax cola candies), and Jimin let it slip he was on the brink of having a boner problem.  “Hey Grandpa! Your boyfriend’s here so I let him in! Use protection kids!” “AMELIE!”

N = NO (Something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

Threesomes and extreme BSDM. Jimin will entertain a blindfold and light restraints but he will not raise a hand to his partner. Pain play doesn’t interest him. Also don’t ask him to leave you hickeys – he thinks they’re childish.

O = Oral (Preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc)

Very, very, very shy about receiving. He’s not completely against it, but you’ll really have to convince him that you’re prepared for him to hiding quite the monster in his pants. He has discovered through masturbation that he is sensitive in his balls so if you really want to have him give in, fondle his balls. XD 

He’s never tried giving oral to anyone.

P = Pace (Are they fast and rough? Slow and sensual? etc.)

Ji is usually a medium pace. He prefers to watch for visual and oral cues that he needs to change the pace. 

Q = Quickie (Their opinions on quickies rather than proper sex, how often, etc.)

Not a fan. He hates the risk of possibly being caught and he knows not many women can orgasm from a quickie.

R = Risk (Are they game to experiment, do they take risks, etc.)

Not a daredevil, but what do you expect? The man throws himself into danger at work and sometimes a guy wants to come home to less craziness.

S = Stamina (How many rounds can they go for, how long do they last…)

Because Jimin does work out regularly, he’s in excellent health and could go a couple of rounds if he and his partner agree. But he’s content with one good round if that’s all the pair can do.

T = Toy (Do they own toys? Do they use them? On a partner or themselves?)

At best Jimin’s thought about light bondage and blindfolds. Maybe he’d try a little stimulation with a vibrator on a partner while his hands work on them, but only if they ask.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

Verbally he’ll tease someone lightly in banter way before things could get heated. Once you’re in the bedroom, it’s down to business and not much teasing.

V = Volume (How loud they are, what sounds they make)

He does curse more freely if he’s enjoying himself. He used to hate making noise when getting so worked up, but a few people encouraged him to be as loud as he wanted.

W = Wild Card (Get a random headcanon for the character of your choice)

Tyler wanted to watch a movie with Jimin at his place and there happened to be a really heated kissing scene during the film. The former wanted to kiss his boyfriend, but was interrupted by his younger brother barging into his apartment for a visit, settling himself between Tyler and Jimin. 

“Ah can we skip this scene? I mean, the acting between these two is sad – zero chemistry,” Isaac asked as he plucked the remote from his brother’s hand. “Read somewhere that these two hated each other and would make faces once the director called cut. Hey Ji, how’s it going man? You mind passing the popcorn?”

X = X-Ray (Let’s see what’s going on in those pants, picture or words)

7.5″ – Ji may not be tall in height but the boy’s packing. He’s slightly thicker than average and has a few veins on the underside. 

Y = Yearning (How high is their sex drive?)

Average – Jimin’s not thinking about the act that much. He’d rather build a strong relationship with his partner based on other interests before thinking about the physical aspect.

Z = ZZZ (… how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

Jimin will feel weary, but his first priority is making sure everyone is settled before he crashes for the evening. 

[ughrafe]

observations on that prison scene

aka i was rewatching uc4 cutscenes and noticed a ton of little details in the prison scene that i just . needed to point out ??? so these are my observations, sam & rafe & nate centric, under a cut because it got really long & full of pictures–i’ll say over and over again that i’m in awe of how much effort naughty dog put into this game.

nate’s line “hey give me a call when you’re tall enough to ride the rides!” to gustavo as vargas leads him away from the fight. i wonder if at any point he’s thought it @ rafe lmao

after lying to vargas, nate goes to find sam. sam looks like he’s having fun beating the other inmates at the game they’re playing and smiling smugly til he looks up and sees nate. his smile goes awaaaay

probably at that black eye, you know

the way sam delivers the line “jeee-sus they worked you over good” is golden, it reminds me of faraday’s line “jesus wept” from the magnificent 7

sam & nate’s conversation before rafe comes in. i feel like “now this rich asshole comes in on the tail end” is the first time nate has properly brought it up – i’ve no canon evidence to support that, but i feel like it can be inferred from conversation cues? nate sounds earnest, whereas if he’s brought up this specific issue before, he might have said something like “i still don’t understand why ____”.

which is interesting because if that is the case, the way sam responds suggests that nate’s argued against rafe’s involvement before–it’s kind of a simple, tired, “don’t- don’t start, please?” he’s definitely had to defend rafe’s involvement before. which makes me wonder, if nate has voiced distrust of rafe but hasn’t brought up what really bothers him about rafe until now, how did their previous discussions about rafe go? i imagine nate might have said vague/passive aggressive things like “i don’t trust him,” and clearly sam had defended rafe & his decision to trust rafe well enough before in order for them to still be working with him. i’d like to know what sam might have said in rafe’s defense when they first teamed up, if there was anything beyond “we need him to get into the prison”.

just. there’s a tone when sam first goes “don’t start” that implies they’ve discussed this before, but the rest of the conversation lacks that tone imo and. basically i wish we had more background on how they came to work together and more on nate & rafe’s dynamic (nate clearly doesn’t like that rafe’s just “coming in on the tail end.” on the other hand, this scene is before nate goes off to find 3 ancient cities and become “““a legend”““ so there’s not as much basis for rafe to dislike him this early on. i headcanon that rafe admired the drakes and wanted to impress them to some extent, but again, it’d be nice if we actually knew more of their dynamics!!

rafe finally comes in, seemingly from out of nowhere. i honestly wonder what he was doing before he saw them & came over??? probably standing idly and being uncomfortable

“i’ll work it out with vargas, don’t sweat it.” rafe puts a hand on sam’s upper arm. sam doesn’t flinch away. note that rafe doesn’t look at sam even though sam’s the one who voices concern about what would happen if other people find out about the cross, even though rafe’s words are directly in response to that concern–instead rafe looks at nathan, and his expression is pretty relaxed and confident. personally i see this as support towards “rafe was trying to impress them"

rafe glances at both brothers throughout their conversation but it’s interesting to note when he does. “for now let’s get on to more important matters” he looks at nate, makes sense because nate was in charge of/presumably has the cross, then he looks at sam. nate suggests they go somewhere else more private, rafe looks at him, again makes sense. he takes a step back and begins angling his body away, but then there’s like a split second’s pause when his gaze switches to sam and he nods (even though it doesn’t look like sam’s looking back at him?) and then begins walking away.

the differences in the unholy trinity’s prison garb!! i really don’t know much about what inmates are given to wear/how that differs across different prisons, but i guess here they were given the same overshirt and two kinds of undershirts? there’s seems to be a sleeveless undershirt (the one gustavo was wearing) and a longer-sleeved undershirt (the one that nate is wearing). if you look around in the scene at the other inmates you can see what they’re wearing varies – some have the overshirt buttoned up completely, some have it unbuttoned with an undershirt, some unbuttoned with no undershirt, some topless entirely, etc etc

the neckline is the telltale difference – the sleeveless shirt dips lower, below the collarbone, while the longer-sleeved one cuts right along the collarbone. references:

nate & rafe have the same necklines, so it seems like they’re both wearing the long-sleeved undershirt. (sorry the picture here doesn’t have the best lighting).

meanwhile sam appears to be wearing the sleeveless shirt underneath.

so now we have that established, there are the overshirts. it’s hot in panama ofc. much of the prison yard is exposed to sunlight. we see inmates that are openly shirtless and many have their overshirts unbuttoned/completely off. sam’s got the sleeveless shirt and he wears his overshirt unbuttoned, with sleeves rolled up past his elbows. nate’s wearing the longer sleeved undershirt and he’s also got the overshirt unbuttoned and rolled up to his elbows. but rafe? rafe’s wearing the longer sleeved undershirt and has the overshirt buttoned up. @rafe maybe this is why u can’t chill…….

in all seriousness though, i feel like these details reflect them really nicely. sam’s sleeves are bunched up with wrinkles suggesting that they’ve just been rolled up carelessly, while nate’s have been folded up with a little more care. nate’s also covered in dirt – which ofc is from the fight, but if you think about how much of the active work he does across this series, it’s apt that he’s covered in the most grime. sam’s looks well-worn too, but rafe’s looks the cleanest, unsurprisingly. rafe also has his sleeves pulled mostly down to the wrist, just slightly rolled up. he looks like he’s trying to cover himself up as much as possible, and while i did see other inmates wearing garb the same way he does, it’s very fitting considering his background and how different the world he comes from is

so they get inside and nate pulls out the cross. rafe reaches for it, and nate goes “hey” and holds it away from rafe a  ibit. “may i?” i’m surprised rafe doesn’t sound more sarcastic/impatient here. my guess is nate’s been open about his distrust and rafe knows the younger drake isn’t completely sold on him and for once chooses to placate.

i like how nate looks to sam before moving. sam nods and nate hands over the cross. i wish i could tell more clearly who rafe is looking at here

like even though their judgments of this guy differ, nate still trusts his brother

won’t stop nate from eyeing rafe skeptically though lmao

oh naughty dog why didn’t u give us more of these 3 interacting

“why would avery’s men go through the trouble of hiding a cheap crucifix?” rafe looks at nate first, then sam, then nate again. interesting thing considering rafe himself later on calls sam the “authority on avery”. though this could also be just because nate was the one who brought them the cross and rafe assumes he’s already got an explanation for it

nate explains it’s not a crucifix. sam begins to look away, distracted by something?? maybe bored by the conversation? i can’t quite tell, and i like how nate has to nudge him a few times to get him to pay attention

“if it’s not jesus then–?” rafe shoots quick glances at sam then nate, and nate’s like “read the inscription.” i love how most of this scene feels like nate patiently guiding a student

THEN ONE OF MY FAVORITE PARTS. at the prompting, rafe hesitates with “uh…” YOU CAN HEAR NATE SCOFF SLIGHTLY ND LOOK AROUND LIKE “IS THIS FOR REAL I DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THIS” JUST BEFORE RAFE STARTS READING . i wish we got more of these two being petty at each other. i mean i guess that’s the whole game on rafe’s end but i still want more.

 sam puts rafe out of his misery & translates. i’m still not over rafe’s little “…look at you” like it’s so funny that he seems genuinely awed. again, he definitely looked up to the drakes one some level bye

i love nate’s face here. it sums him up for this entire chapter

rafe’s so smiley as he listens to the drakes come upon the scotland revelation. as sam begins to say “there is a cathedral of saint dismas…” rafe is looking intently at him and his brow furrows slightly, IN AWE. i feel ya rafe

rafe takes point as they leave. when the inmates show up he sinks back behind nathan, oh rafe

ofc can’t forget his face when the inmates begin closing in, like this is the reason i went back to rewatch in the first place

the ensuing fight: “jesus did you have to pick a fight with the most popular guy in this joint” “well i didn’t hear you volunteer” (volunteer to be the one to pick a fight, or volunteer to be the one nathan gets to pick a fight with?) “GUYS SAVE IT FOR LATER” oh sam i feel ya too. imagine forcing those to sit down to a civil dinner with each other jfc

okay i’m gonna stop here because i have to get off, but there’s so so so much more i WANT TO BURST. like tldr naughty dog really outdid themselves !!!!!