#i sincerely hope nobody takes this as bragging

[its-a-human-person]

a rambley ramble-rant

okay but like why are people following me on tumblr??? my heart keeps skipping a beat bc JESUS CHRIST THERE ARE COOL PEOPLE. INTERESTED IN WHAT I HAVE TO SAY. INTO THE VOID OF TUMBLR

but also JESUS CHRIST THERE ARE COOL PEOPLE. LISTENING AND WATCHING WHAT I HAVE TO SAY. INTO THE VOID OF TUMBLR

dont get me wrong, follow me if u want, i appreciate it very very much just like wOw cOoL iNtErNeT pEoPLe LiKe mE, oR aT LeAsT mY cOnTeNt, tHiS dOeSn'T uSuALlY hApPeN oH bOy

[smolwritingchick]

Forced To Believe Chapter 17- Total Divas Season 1 Episode 5

Chapter Summary: Melanie joins the girls for go-karting while Ariane and Trinity have issues with each other

Words: 900+

---

'Tampa FL, Next Day'

"Come on girl!" Eva Marie said as her, Jojo, Trinity and Melanie waited for Ariane.

"Gotta wait for the diva," Ariane teased as they all laughed

Trinity (Ariane, Jojo, Melanie, Eva Marie and I are going go-karting today on our day off. Ariane and I have had a lot of tension between us lately so I'm hoping that we'll be able to have fun and chill out a little bit.)

"Ladies, Ladies, I hate to break it to you but I'll be standing on top." Eva Marie grinned as she looked at the stands for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. She gets on top of the 1st place stand.

"Oh yes, girl." Ariane stood up next to her.

"Both of yall are gonna be number 2 and number three. I'm gonna be number 1." Trinity chuckled

The girls get in their go kart gear. 

"All right! Who is ready to get trashed!?" Melanie exclaimed, earning laughs from them.

"Someone's competitive," Trinity teased while Melanie gave her a thumbs up after she put her helmet on.

Ariane (If I don't win, I'm gonna have a boo boo face.)

After the race, Trinity gets 5th place, Melanie gets 4th place, Jojo gets 3rd place, Eva Marie gets 2nd and Ariane gets 1st place.

Melanie (Sucks I lost but it was really fun racing with my friends. I'm happy for the winners. I lost fair and square but I declare a rematch!)

"Losers! Losers!" Ariane bragged and walked around with excitement.

"You are all about winning. Passing me and everything." Trinity grinned as Eva laughed

"Don't be mad." Ariane said.

"I'm not mad. I'm not a sore loser. You won, congratulations." Trinity shrugged.

"You can be a little more sincere about it."

Melanie (I knew I felt tension between them.)

"You're just being bitter right now." Ariane declared

"I'm not being bitter, you doing too much right now. It's a game, who cares?" Trinity exclaimed

"But I won though."

Melanie sighed as she and the new divas watched the drama.

Trinity (You won, we said good job.)

"Don't get hot." Ariane said.

Melanie (Okay, I think Ariane may be making the conflict worse because she keeps talking about how she won. It's done and over with. We all said congratulations, now can we please get some lunch? I want some food.)

"I'm not hot. I'm the one who wins the matches." Trinity argued

"Oh!" Jojo dropped her jaw.

"Ooh~" Eva and Melanie say.

"Oh, you're the one who wins the matches? I'm the one who can talk on the mic. " Ariane declared.

"I can speak very well for myself." Trinity retorted.

"You wanna take it there?"

"Why you getting hot for?"

"Because you took it to a whole 'nother level."

"I didn't! Isn't it true that I'm the one who wins the matches?"

"You win every single match?"

Trinity (No one wants to sit and hear you talk about yourself for another hour.)

"Actually, I'm done..." Ariane rolled her eyes.

"You see? She's too much." Trinity pointed out.

"No, you're too much, you took it to a whole 'nother level."

"Can we please just get some food? And can we please just drop this?" Melanie asked while Jojo nodded in agreement.

"You need to shut up sometimes." Trinity snapped at Ariane while Melanie facepalmed.

"You need to shut up, that's what you need to do." Ariane snapped back.

"Okay, well go."

"I'm done with you."

"No, I'm done with you, nobody wants to hear all that."

Melanie (I'm getting kind of worried because people are staring. Not good...)

"Relax!" Ariane yelled

"Take that bullshit somewhere else. Nobody got time for that right now." Trinity exclaimed. "All right, ready to go?"

"Yes!" Melanie shouted. "I'm freaking starving-" she began but stopped when she saw Trinity push Ariane and getting pushed back by her.

"Don't push me." Trinity angrily said.

"You just push me!" Ariane yelled

"What are you gonna do huh?" Trinity got in her face and Ariane retaliated by pushing her face.

Trinity (Really? You really think I'm scared of you?)

"You acting real ghetto right now." 

"I'll show you ghetto," Trinity said in her face.

"Everybody calm the fuck down!" Melanie yelled as she separated the two. "I'm in no mood for this! Enough. We're in a public place and we're supposed to be WWE divas. And right now, we're not showing that because you guys keep arguing. In public! Let's just take it somewhere else and get some food! I'm dying over here!"

"I agree Melanie. Trinity isn't acting like a WWE diva since she wants to act all hype. Tell her to calm down." Ariane pointed out.

Melanie (That's not what I fucking meant!)

"You calm down!" Trinity retorted.

"Ariane! You're escalating it! Just stop, both of you." Melanie exclaimed.

"I'm done..." Ariane walked away.

Jojo (I would have been kind of scared to get in between them two because they really were close to getting very physical.)

"That's what I thought," Trinity said while Melanie held her back.

Melanie (So much for a positive day with friends...)

'Next week, Raw'

"Mark and Jane are with Ariane and Trinity, they are still arguing," Eva says to Melanie as they walk around.

"Jeesh...I hope they get it together. They've been through so much." Melanie sighed.

"Hey, ladies." Nattie smiled, approaching them with Jojo.

"Hey, how are ya?" Melanie asked with a smile.

"I've been all right. How are you, ladies?"

"Fine. Just waiting for Ariane and Trinity. They've been at it."

"I heard..." 

Ariane walked to them with an angry expression and was asked how did things go.

"I don't get why she has to act like this..." Ariane sighed.

"Are you guys still having the match?" Nattie asked

"I don't know. We're supposed to talk to Stephanie now."

Ariane (Stephanie McMahon is top lady. She is THE Vince McMahon's daughter. You do not want to be on Stephanie's bad side.)

"Honestly, Ariane, that's not good," Nattie said.

"Exactly..." Ariane mumbled.

Later, Melanie, Ariane, Jane, Nattie and Eva watch Trinity's match. They watch as Trinity miscalculates with the crossbody. 

"Yikes," Melanie said with worry. 

Trinity loses the match as Alicia wins by the roll up. After Trinity's match, they watch Ariane's match against Aksana and she loses. After their matches, Melanie sees Trinity and Ariane walking together with smiles. "You guys worked it out?"

"Yep!" Ariane grinned.

"Awesome. I'm so happy."

[love-toxin]

Hello dear!! May I please ask for headcanons for Yandere Reinhardt from Overwatch? Either way, I love your writing and your blog!! Please don’t stress yourself or pressure yourself over writing, please stay hydrated and rest when you can! I hope you have a nice day dear! ❤️💜💖��💝💘💕💞💋❣️♥️

ty!! <3 and I'll do both old and young rein cause yknow.....i can't resist the hotheaded blond version 🥵

☆ hc / ♡ spicy hc / ♂️♀️ gendered hc / ‼️ dark hc

Current Reinhardt

☆ He seems like he would see himself as a selfless lover. Always focused on your desires and your safety, his world practically revolves around you and making sure you are always satisfied, in all aspects he can manage.

☆ With this in mind, however, it'll be pretty difficult to tell such an intimidating man that you don't need his help, or even worse, that you're not interested in him. And if you do, the chances of him actually listening to you are slim.

☆ Overall, his love for you is something that he keeps hidden fairly well, both before and after confessing. As happy as he is to have you as his, he's not gonna go around shouting it to everyone--he has no idea who might be listening to him, who might come after you if they knew you were connected to him.

Young Reinhardt

☆ Despite his history and his strength in general, he would never use violence against you no matter the circumstance. Not only could he never bring himself to do it, but he doesn't believe in correcting you with pain. He would rather die than lay a hand on you in anger, and he just doesn't have the stomach for it.

☆ Sometimes, if you're getting especially frightened of his rather forward advances, he'll bring in someone like Brigitte to try and settle those anxieties back down. She's sweet enough that having her to talk to will certainly be relieving, but also close enough with Rein that she'll probably talk highly about him so much that you might start being manipulated to think that he's not such a bad guy.

♡ For an older man, he's got quite the sex drive. He's rough and handsy when you're alone, and impossibly polite and gentle when you're around other people, but either way when he gets you in his bed he won't hold back, he can't. You'll have to get used to it pretty quick if you don't want to end up bedridden or limping everywhere.

♡ He's possessive to the extreme. As much as he would never harm you intentionally, he'll unintentionally leave handprints bruised into your skin and bite marks that get sore and ache after the fact, and if he hasn't absolutely flooded your belly with cum to the point that it just keeps gushing from between your legs, then he hasn't done enough to make you realize you're his.

♡ He's very generous with aftercare. He'll have food and water stashed somewhere in the bedroom, a topical cream for your bruises, and more pillows and blankets than you can count to wrap you up in and hold you like a little cannoli. He's one for soft reassurances and praise for how well you did, sprinkled with some very off-putting, very possessive claims to your body that you might want to just tune out.

☆ Though he's certainly going to mature with age, Reinhardt in his prime is a much more selfish lover than when he's older.

☆ He wants you to be there for him on demand, and always available when he needs affection, reassurance, and a warm body to cuddle up next to him. He's quite hedonistic and vain and thinks primarily of himself, so you may end up feeling like an accessory of his rather than a lover.

☆ However, one aspect of his love that rivals nobody else's is how sincerely, and loudly, he professes his love for you. Someone trying to creep on you or try to get you into their good graces is pretty much a total impossibility, with Reinhardt constantly bragging about you to anyone around and yet also hammering in the reminder that you're his.

‼️ Unfortunately for you, he likes to label his property. He'll take a knife and dig the tip into your skin, painfully dragging it in arcs to cut your skin and spell out his name,"Reinhardt". It's not to punish you (or maybe it is, if you give him a good reason) it's just something he feels compelled to do once he takes you as his lover. Whether you've accepted him or not changes how gentle he'll be during the process.

☆ He's much more apt to kill someone for your sake, especially if they're someone that's either annoyingly close to you or has the intention of wooing you. Deep down, he's very insecure about whether or not you love him as much as he loves you, so he feels the innate need to eliminate any and all competition before they become a bigger problem.

♡ He's absolutely insatiable. He can't really be matched no matter what you try, so he just completely decimates you every time he lures you into his bed. At least he does his best to make it less painful, but there's only so much you can do when you're as big as he is.

♡ Though you'd think he'd be just as selfish in bed as he is in every other aspect of his life, he actually moves further in the opposite direction. He won't let you squirm away or tell him it's "too dirty" when he goes down on you, and you'd best be prepared to be there for a long time when he does. Because his tongue won't let up until he can't squeeze any more orgasms out of your poor body, and you're so weak and shaky from being brought to the brink and pushed over again and again, that he can just slide right in and enjoy how loose you are for him.

♡ He demands you say his name, that you scream it as loud as those little lungs can manage. He'll trace his fingers over the scars of his name in your back or your legs or wherever else he's chosen to write it, all while buried so deep inside you that you swear you can feel his cockhead puncture your stomach, and he won't move an inch until he's satisfied with how desperate you sound when you're crying his name. He gets off on it like you wouldn't believe.

[dreamwritesimagines]

Burn The Witch 7 - After Midnight [Bucky Barnes x Reader]

A.N: Thank you so much for your wonderful support and feedback my loves ! ❤ Here’s an extra chapter, I hope you like it as well and please let me know what you think! ❤ Thank you! ❤❤❤

Warnings: Enemies to lovers, fake dating, mentions of blood, sex, violence, death, manipulation, language, guns, knives.

Summary: Missions require stealth.

Series Masterlist

For a spy, working at unusual hours was nothing new. During your training at the academy they would wake you up at ungodly hours to drag you to exercise just so that you would get used to being ready to fight anytime.

So technically you weren’t supposed to be this tired, but you hadn’t gotten any sleep last night. To your surprise, at around 5 in the morning you were assigned to a new mission to capture and bring another member of HYDRA in. It was unexpected because your superiors had told you earlier that earning Bucky’s trust and getting information from him was the priority, and they hadn’t sent you after any target for days up until this morning. You weren’t exactly complaining anyway, other missions weren’t your priority.

Even if you kept telling yourself what you were doing was just business, somehow talking to him didn’t feel like it.

“God damn it,” you muttered to yourself when the sight of your reflection in the elevator mirror caught your eye, making you heave a sigh and push the button to your apartment. Your shirt was stained with so much blood that you could hardly see the white and you licked your thumb before trying to scrub off the dried blood on your cheekbone. The elevator made a small noise before the door opened and you stepped outside, dragging your weary self to your door.

“What’s up neighbor?”

You jumped out of your skin and turned to Keith who was watching you with a grin on his face, holding a cup of coffee.

“What the fuck?”

“Likewise. Why are you covered in blood, you normal civilian you?”

You opened your door and stepped inside with him following you suit.

“Mission.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose, “Young lady, look me in the eye and tell me you didn’t kill the Winter Soldier.”

“What? No!” you made a face, “I could never- it was another kind of a mission.”

“You already have a mission, didn’t you tell them you’re supposed to focus on that one?”

“The target was heavily protected and it needed my expertise.”

“Nobody likes a brag.”

You rolled your eyes, “Keith, General literally told me that before sending me there.”

“You’re not supposed to get close to targets anymore,” he reminded you and you shifted your weight from one foot to other, biting inside your cheek.

“It got out of control,” you murmured, making him sigh.

“Y/N.”

“It’s not like I wanted to!” you defended yourself, “It was just necessary, that’s all.”

“If you get in close combat with a target you might end up with visible injuries, and that would compromise your cover as a civilian and tip Barnes off.”

“I know, I know…” you murmured as you walked to the sink to wash your hands, then switched the coffee maker on.  

“Do you?” he insisted, “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re looking for trouble.”

You grabbed a cup from the shelf and turned to him.

“I just wanted to get it over with,” you said, “Okay? I have other things in mind.”

He pulled his brows together, “Like what?”

“Like…” you waved your hands, trying to find the words, “Like other stuff. Like my main mission— by the way I couldn’t ask the other night, why did they locate you here?”

“General said your relationship with Barnes is progressing well. It’s better to have another agent close by, just in case he decides to make a late night visit.”

The innuendo wasn’t lost on you and you raised your brows, “I feel like I’m working in a dark alternate version of a matchmaking system where they hook you up with a date you can’t trust.”

“So every dating app out there?” he asked, making you laugh as you sipped your coffee.

“Speaking of dates,” you started, but was cut off your phone beeped and you checked the time, then cursed under your breath.

“What?”

“I can’t believe I’m working at a stupid milkshake shop,” you grumbled, “I need to take a shower and get to work, see yourself out.”

“You know, you could bring some milkshake home,” he said as you walked to the bathroom, “That’s what a good neighbor would do.”

“Goodbye Keith!” you called out and closed the bathroom door.

                                    ***

You really, really needed something to snap you out of this sleeplessness. Preferably coffee, preferably in an I.V. or something because you had a feeling drinking it wouldn’t be enough at this point.

“Thank you and bon appetite!” you smiled brightly at the customer after serving them their milkshake, then dropped the smile and pulled the small apron off your uniform.

“I’m going to take a break and get some coffee,” you told your coworker “You want anything?”

“No thank you,” she said and you fixed your hair before walking outside to make your way to the coffee shop.

Keith had a point. It was stupid to get in close combat with a target, especially now. General had sent you there with clear orders of you keeping your distance and using your sniper rifle, not your dagger and in the heat of the moment, you had decided to go after him when you couldn’t get a clear shot.

“Hi, can I get a hot red eye please?” you asked the barista, “Actually no- make it a black eye, largest cup you have.”

She smiled slightly, “Long night?”

“You have no idea.”

She swiped your card before giving it to you and you walked to the waiting counter to lean against it, nibbling on your lip.

You really, really wanted to believe that your sour mood was a result of you not getting enough sleep, but deep down you knew it wasn’t like you to take unnecessary risks.

It was the fact that you had been too distracted to take the shot at the right time because you were looking down at your phone when the target had walked out of his building.

But after all, it was your main mission, wasn’t it? You had to make sure to get Bucky’s attention to get closer to him. Maybe two missions at the same time had these kind of disadvantages, but it wasn’t as if you could walk there and tell them not to give you side missions.

If you wanted to be a handler, you had to prove yourself.

You took the lid off the cup, the scent of hot liquid filling your nostrils and you grabbed the sugar packets before tearing the top off to pour sugar into it. You dipped the thin stir stick into the beverage to stir it, then put the stick between your lips but as soon as you turned around and saw who had just gotten his coffee, you held your breath.

“Hi!” you said breathlessly, pulling the thin stick off your mouth, “Um- Captain—Captain America sir.”

“Oh God no, please call me Sam.” He offered you his hand and you shook it.

“Hi Sam.”

“It’s Y/N, right?”

“Yes!” you said, “Yes, it’s wonderful to see you again. Under much better conditions where I haven’t been shot at.”  

“Bucky just went to that uh….” He paused, “Milkshake shop right? He just went there to see you.”

You scrunched up your nose, “Oh no, I literally just went on my break.”

“That’s alright,” he said, “He’ll be back here. Would you like to sit down?”

Nope.

Nope, you did not want to sit down.

You had planned a whole strategy to pull the wool over Bucky’s eyes, but Sam’s file told you that he was an excellent judge of character, much better at reading people than Bucky. Everything that you had told Bucky to manipulate him had worked so far but persuading Sam wouldn’t be that easy.

Seeing that any small sign could tip him off, you had to put even more of an effort into the illusion.  

“I’d love to!” you said and followed him to the nearest table. You sat down and pushed your hair behind you ear, smiling up at him.

“I never got to say thank you,” you said, “For saving me back there.”

“Don’t mention it, really,” he said, “How’s your arm?”

“It got better,” you said, “I thought I was dying but as it turns out, it was just a graze. Only thing that’s hurting right now is my ego.”

“Oh it happens.”

“Even you have to admit, that was a bad first impression.”

He grinned, “For what exactly?”

“For—um… for a first—first impression. In general,” you stammered and sipped your coffee while he sat back.

“So how do you find New York?” he asked, “Bucky mentioned you just moved here.”

“It’s been a month, yes,” you said, clearing your throat, “I like it so far. I mean, aside from getting mugged, I enjoy it. It’s very different than where I grew up in but like— it’s very new.”

“Yeah, especially if you’re from a small town…” he mused, “Where did you say you moved from by the way?”

“Cannon Beach, Oregon.”

“I love small towns,” he said, “Very peaceful.”

“They are!” you said, “I mean sometimes a little too peaceful with nothing to do but…”

“You know, visiting Oregon has been in my list for a while now,” he said, “Any advice on where to go if I end up visiting there?”

Oh he is good.

If you weren’t a trained spy, you wouldn’t have even noticed that he was trying to see whether you could be trusted or not. Bucky, being secretive himself hadn’t even asked anything about your so called hometown but Sam knew exactly what to ask to see if you were hiding something.

You thanked Chloe for making you read everything about your file the other day in your mind before you pursed your lips, deep in thought.

“Well my hometown doesn’t have much to offer but— do you like hiking?”

“Sure, why not?”

“We have a state park,” you said, “I think you’d enjoy it. Natural view, all green and peaceful. Back in high school, every semester break my friends dragged me there and the there was this one time we were all there, I got stung by this huge wasp and it was just before the school dance and I ended up not getting asked out by my crush—anyway, it’s a long way of saying I don’t hike anymore.”

That made him chuckle and he seemed to be convinced that you were sincere, thankfully.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said as his eyes went over your shoulder, making you look up and gasp.

Jesus, as it turned out you weren’t the only one with a mission who required you to get in close combat.

“Oh my God.” You covered your mouth with your hands, staring up at his bruised face half hidden by his hat. Sam pushed his chair back, clearing his throat.

“I should probably step outside,” he said as he stood up, “Gotta make a call, I’ll see you later.”

“Thanks man.”

“What happened?” you asked as Sam walked out of the coffee shop and Bucky sat down across from you to the seat Sam had just left. He tried to offer you a small smile.

“It’s nothing.”

“Bucky it doesn’t look like nothing…” you mumbled, your brows pulled together “Does it hurt?”

What?

“Does it hurt?”

You weren’t supposed to ask that, you were supposed to gather info on where he went and what he was doing on missions of his own.

“Not at all,” he assured you and you took a shaky breath.

“What happened?”

“There’s this thing me and Sam are working on,” he said, “Don’t worry about it. I went to the milkshake shop to see you but…”

You wanted to ask for more details but something told you it could create a problem to insist this early so you decided against it.

“Just tell me you’re safe?”

A soft light crossed his eyes, “I am,” he said, “I promise.”

You paused for a moment before you pushed your hair behind your ear. “I gather you’re kind of used to getting hurt then?”

“A little,” he admitted, “That’s why I couldn’t call you or anything. I got caught up in something.”  

Ah. He wasn’t giving you any details even if he thought you were a civilian.

He could like you, but he still couldn’t trust you. Maybe it was a precaution, maybe he wanted to keep you away from his mess, but either way, it was very clear that he had trust issues.

You took a mental note to put it on your report for General and shook your head.

“Of course,” you said, “You don’t need to explain anything, I’m just glad that you’re well and safe. Bruises aside.”

“Looks that bad huh?”

“No!” you said quickly, “No I wouldn’t say bad. Not by a long shot, you’re still pret—uh…dashing. Cute as a bug’s ear I’d say. Looking—looking aces. Dynamite even!”

He pulled his brows together, keeping his eyes on you.

“I may or may not have checked some early to mid 20th century slang just in case,” you admitted, making him tilt his head in confusion.

“Just in case of what?”

“Just in case you said something and I didn’t understand on the second date,” you said, “And let me tell you something, you guys spoke a completely different language back then.”

“You’re joking,” he said with a small smile and you crossed your arms.

“You don’t believe me?”

“Say one more term and I will.”

You thought for a moment, “Fine. Are you ready for this?”

“Absolutely, bring it on.”

“I will….” You trailed off, searching your mind for the right words you had checked online the other night, “I will snap my cap if you spook me showing up looking like you were about the buy the farm last night.”

A clear laugh escaped from his lips as it lit up his whole face and that was when you realized how rare it was to hear him laugh out loud. A warmth filled your stomach and you raised your brows, your nose in the air.

“See? Told you,” you pointed out and stole a look at him, “Was it—was it good?”

“It was great,” he said when he could pull himself together, “Absolutely perfect.”

“Why thank you,” you sipped your coffee as he cleared his throat.

“Speaking of the second date…” he said, making you bite down a smile, “Any chance you’re free tonight?”

“I am,” you said, “But you’re not.”

He pulled his brows together, “Hm?”

“Have you seen yourself?” you insisted, “You look like you—you almost died or something!”

“It wasn’t a big deal, really.”

“Well, those bruises say otherwise,” you said, “You need some rest. How much sleep did you get last night?”

He averted his eyes and waved a hand, “Some. Enough.”

“Bucky,” you said, leaning in slightly, “How much?”

Everything the government and your division had gathered on Bucky suggested the same thing; The Winter Soldier was basically created for war. He was the perfect soldier, and there was no way anyone could get any information from him. There was a reason why they had sent you into this mission, trying to get intel from him by force was absolutely impossible.

Even the government knew that.

But the same unstoppable soldier who would probably die before saying anything to the enemy caved in when you batted your lashes.

“Two hours.”

Your jaw dropped and you shook your head, “Nuh uh.”

“It’s enough, it’s more than—“

“Nope,” you cut him off, “You’re going to rest at home and—eat soup and watch garbage TV, mister. No dates for you on two hours of sleep.”

A soft smile pulled at his lips, “I can function with two hours of sleep darling.”

Your heart did not skip a beat at that, it was just you being very focused on your own cover and that was it.

“Well I don’t want you to just function,” you mumbled, “You need to take care of yourself too.”

Judging by his expression you could see that he wasn’t used to hearing that and you put your coffee on the table, then reached out to gently put your hand over his vibranium one. His hand twitched like a gun recoiling in your hand, even if you knew it was involuntary and a look of disbelief crossed his features, as if he hadn’t expected you –or anyone to touch that, as if he was afraid that you would be scared.

But of course, that was the spy in you speaking. Your cover wasn’t supposed to notice anything of the sort.

“How about…” you trailed off, “We have a date tomorrow? You go and get some rest tonight, and I’ll pick what I’m gonna wear for tomorrow and spam my friends with outfit ideas.”

“You sure?”

“Of course,” you said, “We have all the time in the world for dates. And I happen to live here, you know? It’s not like I’m going anywhere.”

He smiled and turned his hand to entwine his fingers with yours, rubbing his thumb over your knuckles.

“Good,” he rasped out, “I like the sound of that.”

                                         ***

You should’ve known your superiors wouldn’t make it easy for you. This time, you were allowed to take your team with you because as it turned out, the right hand of the target you had brought in last night had gotten away, so now you had to take him down for your superiors to cut a deal with the target.

The first part of the mission had gone splendidly. He was alone and in hiding, so setting your gear up on the rooftop and pulling the trigger hadn’t been difficult whatsoever. You watched as a couple of agents burst through his door so that they could retrieve his body and fixed your ski mask before starting to dissemble your rifle to carry it easier.

“Anyone wants to grab some dinner?” Keith’s voice reached your earpiece and you yawned.

“Nah,” you said, “I’m going to go home and sleep for a year or something.”

“Deleting the security cam footage of the building right now,” Chloe let you know, “And I want dinner, I’ve been running on multiple cups of coffee.”

“You got it.”

“Are you buying?” one of the agents in your team asked, “If you are, we’re coming too.”

“Yeah man, I’m buying. Tacos?”

“Sounds good, just let me check—“ Chloe started but then gasped, “Shrike, get out of there right now!”

It was almost instinctual. You grabbed the small pistol out of your boots and turned around to point it at the person behind you but as soon as you recognized who he was, your heart started pacing.

Bucky had decided not to rest at home after all.

“Hi soldier,” you managed to say, “We have to stop meeting like this.”

Chapter 8

[rhysintherain]

I was wondering if you had any college application essay writing tips. Those personal questions are kicking my ass fr

Well, the first and most important thing to remember about these is: they want to know you can write.

Not great, sweeping essays that will get you an A in a 4th year course or anything; just that you're not going to be in over your head in the program you're applying for. Nobody wins if you go to college and flunk out because you couldn't do the work.

Stick with simple, solid techniques like the five-part essay plan. Make your thesis clear, and organise your argument like you would for any academic essay. The fact that the topic is you isn't as important as how you present the topic.

Second, and a bit trickier to figure out, is the topic. Again, they want to know they're not wasting time on you, but it's really, really hard to think of yourself objectively as a topic for discussion.

Before you start writing, give yourself time to think. That's a very important step here, because you are the source and the research. Talk to friends and family as well, because they probably notice things you don't about yourself.

Then focus on three areas:

Achievements. What have you done that makes you a good candidate for this program? Why do you deserve to attend this institution? Here we're thinking awards, volunteering, jobs, or skills related to what you want to do. This is where you get to brag a little. Tell them why they should take you seriously. Don't feel too bad if these things don't feel like huge accomplishments; you're just starting out, and they know that.

Relationships. Think of the people you are doing this for, and the people who inspire you. Do you look up to a mentor in your field? Have a family member who is your biggest cheerleader? Want to set an example for the people coming after you? Connections are important, because they'll be your support network through your education, and also because they demonstrate your ability to connect with the people around you. Are you a team player? A natural leader? How do you relate to your positive relationships, and how will you build new ones moving forward? It's really difficult to get through school all by yourself, so show your audience that you will be part of the community and build the connections you need for success.

Goals. Where is this program leading you? What will you do with the skills you learn? They want to know you'll do something meaningful with what they teach you, so tell them what you hope to achieve. A bit of idealism isn't a bad idea here. Who do you hope to help with what you learn? How will this program make your life better? Remember that this isn't a set in stone destination, it's a hope for where your education might lead you. Talk about where you'd like to be, and how you plan to get there. Make your audience feel like they can contribute to your success.

Once you have concrete ideas about these areas of your life, you can answer most of the questions they present you with.

Remember that admissions staff want you there: they can't run a school without students. They also want to know who you are and what you're about, so they can tell if you're a good fit for their school. Try to be sincere in your answers: passion and connection show in your writing, whether you want them to or not, and your sincerity won't go unnoticed. We write best about things we care about, so focus on topics you feel passionate about and things you're proud of.

If the questions ask about challenges you've faced, put a positive spin on them. How did you overcome those challenges? What did you learn from the experience? How can this program help you to overcome future challenges? Personally, I don't like to bring up this sort of thing unless I'm asked directly, but that's up to you.

Finally, remember that not every school you apply for will be a good fit for you. Maybe your passion is something they don't have a good program for. Maybe you are really into theory, but they focus more on applied science. Don't be afraid to shop around, and don't be afraid to be flexible if you find what you want doesn't line up with what a school can offer. You'll find where you fit, but sometimes to takes some work to get there.

[slasherhaven]

Hi there! Could I request a fluff alphabet with Otis since you did a NSFW one? I know he isn’t super fluffy but I think there are some things that he’s be into

Warnings: brief mentions of sex, drugs, and alcohol.

Otis Driftwood Fluff Alphabet:

A = Attractive (What do they find attractive about the other?)

While he thinks you’re stunning, it will be your personality that makes him fall for you, that makes him want to keep you around. After all, if he just thought you were a pretty face, you would have a much worse fate. He loves it if you like weird or morbid things, and he loves your acceptance of him and his family. Of course, accepting the fact that they’re criminals is important, but he likes that you accept the family for all their strangeness.

B = Baby (Do they want a family? Why/Why not?)

Otis doesn’t have any plans to be a father and he likely isn’t going to suggest the idea of starting a family, he doesn’t think it’s a life he would want. However, if you were to become pregnant, he is not disappointed at all. If he was going to have a child, it would definitely be with you. He didn’t think he would feel this way about having a child but it feels right, he’s excited to be having a child with you. Plus, the thought of you carrying his child sends a thrill down his spine.

C = Cuddle (How do they cuddle?)

Otis enjoys cuddling more than he’d let you believe. Whether it be him laying on his back while you rest your head on his chest and drape your leg over his hips, he’s got his chest pressed against your back with an arm wrapped securely around your waist, or you’re laying on your back while he sprawls out on top of you, head on your chest, arm around your waist, your hand in his hair.

D = Dates (What are dates with them like?)

Nothing fancy, more chaotic than anything. If you share his hobbies, the perfect date would be picking a victim together and having some fun. If not, that’s perfectly fine, you’ll just do something else. You could go out drinking but he actually prefers having a date night somewhere more private if neither of you plan on causing chaos. Getting drunk and high together is just fine by him. If you want to do something else, all you have to do is say the word and he’ll do what he can to make it a reality.

E = Equal (Are they the dominant one in the relationship, or rather passive?)

Otis is the dominant one in most situations, including your relationship. That being said, you have more power over him than you realise.

F = Feelings (When did they know they were falling in love?)

Just when he realised he was thinking about you when you weren’t around, when he realised you were the only person who put a smile on his face just by being around, when he realised he trusted you. It was all to sappy and it made him feel sick with himself. But how couldn’t he feel that way when you accept him fully for who he was, when you laughed along with his fucked up sense of humour, when you came around just to see him.

G = Gentle (Are they gentle? If so, how?)

Otis is not a gentle person. However, his gentleness with you is surprising. He can still be rough handed and he’ll still pace the length of the bedroom raving about something that happened that day. But he’ll sit with his arm wrapped around you, kiss the top of your head when you’re laying together, even lets you play with his hair. You almost have a soothing effect on him, leading to some uncharacteristically gentle moments.

H = Holding Hands (How do they like to hold hands?)

Otis doesn’t have much of an opinion on hand holding. He likes to have a hand on you in some way, showing you off and showing everyone that you’re his. So, if you like hand holding, that’s a perfectly acceptable way for him to get his message across. So sure, lot’s of hand holding when in public.

I = Inspiration (Did their s/o change them somehow, or the other way around? Like trying out new things or helped them overcome personal problems?)

Nobody is ever going to make Otis ‘see the light’ or anything, he’s always going to be the way he is. However, you are somebody who comes along and accepts him, allows him to be himself, and that does help him be more sincere with you. 

Otis has a way of bringing you out of your shell if you’re particularly shy. His (and that family’s) confidence in just being themselves really helps you do the same, making you more confident.

J = Jealousy (Do they get jealous?)

Less jealous, more possessive. He doesn’t question your feelings for him or even your loyalty, he just doesn’t like the people around you doubting it (even if they had no idea you were together). He will pull you towards him, glaring down whoever had been flirting with you.

The only time that he doesn’t seem to get genuinely jealous, and even pouty about it, is if you’ve been spending a lot of time with Baby. You two are bound to become good friends with spending so much time together, so you start spending time alone together. Otis get’s jealous over this because you’re supposed to be his, why are you spending so much time with his family? However, he does like that you get along with his family, so whatever.

K = Kiss (How do they kiss?)

Intensely. Otis’ kisses are always intense, a quick or soft kiss from this man his rare, every time he kisses you it’s like he wants you to remember it, wants to leave you a little stunned. Grabbing the back of your head and tilted your head back, pulling away and leaving you breathless.

L = Love (Who says ‘I love you’ first?)

It’s possible that it could be either of you. Otis isn’t ashamed of his feelings so it’s possible that he’ll just tell you straight up. However, if he hasn’t said anything but you say ‘I love you’ first, it will definitely encourage him to be honest about his feelings as well.

M = Memory (What’s their favorite memory together?)

There are two possibilities, depending on your feelings about the family’s hobbies. If you share their hobbies, Otis’s favourite memory together will be the first time you shared a victim. If not, he would lie if you asked him. He’d tell you that it was the first time you slept together, but that’s not really the truth (even though he is a big fan of that memory). 

His favourite memory of you both together would actually be the first time you agreed to drink (and/or smoke) with him, before you were together. It was a tame night by his standards but he thought it was amusing to see you with lowered inhibitions. Bonus points if you ended up falling asleep on him (extra bonus points if you had kissed him at some point). That was the beginning of Otis having some very annoying feelings for you.

N = Nickel (Do they spoil? Do they buy the person they love everything?)

The Firefly family isn’t wealthy but they don’t need money to get by. And Otis doesn’t need cash to get you whatever you want. He does like to spoil you, if you ask for something, he will do whatever he can to get it for you. Of course he isn’t going to buy it, he’ll either steal it or kill for it. But he is determined to get you what you want.

O = On Cloud Nine (What are they like when they are in love? Is it obvious for others? How do they express their feelings?)

The family could tell almost instantly. Otis doesn’t pay attention to people outside of the family unless he’s planning on killing them, but he clearly enjoys spending time with you, always having you around. The family could tell that he cared about you just from his strange behaviour, and they teased him about it. You’d come around and Otis would smile, you’d make each other laugh, he’d comfort you when you were upset. Of course the family noticed and new what was going on, he didn’t hide his feelings as well as he thought he did. 

He isn’t always great at expressing his feelings, at least at first. Normally he just takes what he wants and doesn’t care what anyone thinks but he can’t do that with you. He gets much better as expressing his feelings as the relationship grows, becoming more honest and open about them, but only with you. The rest of the family will still receive a snappy comment if they pry too much.

P = PDA (Are they upfront about their relationship? Do they brag with their s/o in front of others? Or are they rather shy to kiss etc. when others are watching?)

Otis is very upfront about your relationship, he wants people to know that you’re together and he wants people to know that they can’t have you. He’ll always have a hand on your or an arm around you, showing you off to anyone. He’s not shy about it at all, he doesn’t have a very strong boundary when it comes to PDA, he will happily just make out with you in public. He actually kinda likes making strangers uncomfortable, so he really doesn’t care.

Q = Quaint (What is their favorite non-modern thing?)

The family live pretty off the grid. The most modern appliances they have are an old television, a radio, and a car. He isn’t too fussed on modern things like that, he can do with or without them for the most part.

R = Rainy Day (What do they like to do on rainy days?)

On a day where there is nothing to do, where the two of you choose to just laze around the house, you’re probably just going to spend most of the day in bed, only really leaving to get something to eat and to use the bathroom.

S = Sad (How do they cheer themselves/others up?)

Otis usually cheers himself up by making other people suffer, that shouldn’t be surprising. However, now that you’re around, you’re a perfectly effective way of cheering him up. You’re the only one who can get through to him when he’s in a bad mood, the only person who can calm him down.

However, he isn’t good at comforting or cheering people up. It’s not exactly something that he has to do much either. But when you’re upset, he does genuinely want to help. If something is wrong, he will try to fix it, hoping that will make you feel better. If you’re just upset and need him to hold you, he will. He’s pretty good at that part, just holding you, maybe even starting to stroke your hair, but he’s more awkward when it comes to verbally reassuring you, not knowing what to say but assure you that things would be alright.

T = Talking (What do they like to talk about?)

Otis may not seem like the chatty type but there are things that he likes to talk about. He likes to talk about old ‘adventures’ either before he met the family or afterwards, his favourite kills (though he won’t talk about any of that if you don’t like it). He’s more talkative when he’s in a ranting sort of mood and that’s not really a good thing. He’ll rant about the day he had, about the things he hates, or even some conspiracy theory. There aren’t many pleasant things for him to talk about, you’re the only pleasant thing in his life. However, you like listening to him talk about his art because he’s so passionate about it.

U = Unencumbered (What helps them relax?)

Either spending some time in the basement, taking out his frustration on some poor victim, or spending some time with you. That used to be the only way he could truly relax but now you’re here and you have such an affect on him. Just having you around soothes him a little. When he needs to get his frustration out and really need to relax, sex is always a good method.

V = Value (How important is the relationship to them? What is it’s worth in comparison to other things in their life?)

Your relationship is very important to him. The most important thing to him is the family, everything else comes and goes, his family is what’s most important to him. You are now part of that family, making you possibly the most important thing in his life.

W = Wedding (When, how, where do they propose?)

CLICK HERE for Marrying Otis Driftwood Headcanons

X = XOXO (Are they very affectionate? Do they love to kiss and cuddle?)

Otis is more affectionate than you might assume. He’s always got a hand on you, an arm wrapped around you, or you sitting on his lap. He wants everyone to know that you’re together. He also doesn’t care about PDA that much, usually happy to give you an intense kiss no matter where you are, it helps that he likes making other people uncomfortable. And he’s softer behind doors, allowing his kisses and touches to be gentler, letting you cuddle with him. He has to keep up appearances after all.

Y = Yearning (How will they cope when they’re missing their partner?)

Otis mostly sulks or gets in a bad mood when you’re separated for a while. The whole family notices it and teases him about it, but that only makes him more angry. And when you get back, he tries to act like he hadn’t missed you as much as he did, still pulling you into a kiss. It’s Baby or Mama that will tell you how much he missed you and how grumpy he was when you were gone.

Z = Zeal (Are they willing to go to great lengths for the relationship? If so, what kind of?)

Absolutely! Otis is the type of partner to tear the world apart looking for you, he’d do anything to keep you safe. He’d break out of prison and find a way to cross the world just to get back to you.

[dreaminpetals]

hope this isn't too specific but if possible can you do ronald of ness norton sfw/nsfw hcs? ♥︎

🎩 ronald of ness ー sfw & nsfw hcs

SFW ;;

♡ going off the atropos ropes event, ronald of ness has the personality of a commoner but lives his life disguised as a snobby noble. he hates how high and mighty nobles act and only makes pleasantries with those fools for the money and connections.

♡ from the way he holds his teacups to his posh vocabulary, everyone would assume he was a noble born and bred. yet when ronald is alone he's like a mole who lives in the dirt. all about vulgar speech and being unkempt; feral.

♡ he values wealth and status above all, likely because he grew up poor. so he's going to want to spend his life with someone from a good family that has their pockets lined with gold.

♡ his ideal s/o is a noble who doesn't act like a noble, so he has little to no experience in romance. nobody meets his extraordinary standards for a lover. he isn't one for flings and flirty interactions with strangers, he wants to settle down with someone who accepts him for who he is and can give him a comfortable life. he views his inner circle as shallow snobs who aren't worth his time so i doubt he'd be interested in dating someone from there.

♡ he's a hopeless romantic until he meets you.

♡ his first time meeting you was during one of his performances and you nearly stole the breath from his lungs as he belted out his lines.

♡ he's all about appearances. spotting you in the front row lead to him falling for you on the spot. your shimmering jewellery combined with your formal attire and extravagant hair had this man imagining a married life with you before you spoke your first words together.

♡ as if your looks weren't enough, he saw you guide a lost child back to their parents and didn't let them pay you when you returned their kid. you didn't care about the money, just the safety of others. he likes a selfless person to compliment how greedy he can be sometimes.

♡ ronald is a smooth talker. once the curtains fall he'll kiss your hand as you're gathering your bags and invite you backstage, eager to show you all the trophies that line the shelves of his dressing room. if you listen to him boast about his accomplishments then he'll never let you go.

♡ he finds you as radiant as the sun, you're a noble who's bent on supporting others financially but doesn't brag about it. it's just second nature to you. you handed him a tip worth a couple thousand dollars because of how enjoyable his performance was, which he used to reserve an elegant dinner date for you two.

♡ he feels so stiff around you at first because he fell in love with you before getting to know you. on your first date however, he learns about how you grew up poor just like him and sees you're more similar than he initially thought.

♡ although you know table manners, the way you eat in front of ronald is the same way you'd eat while having dinner at home. every laidback ministration of yours goes straight to his ice cold heart, the glaciers melting as he falls for you harder and harder.

♡ as a boyfriend, ronald of ness is... extreme. he burns thousands of dollars on you everyday. he never simmers down about how you're his entire world, he kisses you with vigor every time you enter or exit a room he's in. he's an arrogant romantic who's constantly spoiling you.

♡ he'll buy you the entire galaxy if you ask. lavish jewellery, a swim with dolphins, a yacht, backstage tickets to all of his shows. anything you wish for, he's delivering it wrapped in gold ribbons.

♡ the house you live together in? that's a castle.

♡ the bed he bought you was made for affectionate nights. his idea of a perfect cuddling session is you reading separate books snuggled up to one another. dozens of pillows and warm blankets keep you company when ronald is away, his scent still lingering on the fabric.

♡ ronald is a storyteller, so he'd love to read to you as you snuggle. he can do super convincing accents that always draw out giggles from you.

♡ he can be a bit hotheaded and jump to conclusions. if you aren't thrilled about a gift he buys you, he might take it personally and it'll wound his pride. if you're unhappy with one aspect of him the walls come tumbling down and he thinks you won't love him anymore.

♡ words of reaffirmation are how you can most effectively communicate your love to him. praise him and be there for him when he has episodes of extreme rage or sorrow.

♡ act casual with him. he'll know you love him if you plop your feet up on a nearby table or burp or something. hearing you make risqué jokes or swear when you stub your toe grounds him in reality.

♡ he doesn't like enclosed spaces or indoor areas much (ronald was never a miner so there's no accident, but norton's claustrophobia does carry over to all his skins.. a universal constant) so his favourite dates are exotic beaches or sprawling fields of flowers. he'll take you to a five star resort and give a toast to your eternal love as you clink your glasses together.

NSFW ;;

♡ this man is the most reckless spender to ever exist, so he's probably blown thousands on love hotel rooms, toys, and lingerie for both of you.

♡ he wants to be praised. no, needs to be praised. as an actor, ronald of ness' ego is maintained by critics worshipping him and his fans obsessing over his every move. when he isn't being showered in compliments his insecurities kick in and he starts to feel washed up, so he's developed quite the praise kink.

♡ tell him he's the sexiest man you've ever laid eyes on, that he makes you horny, and that nobody can fuck you like he can. every word you sing goes straight to his dick, especially since he knows you're being sincere and aren't acting.

♡ if you tell him that you've masturbated to one his performances before, his cock would ache from how badly he needed you. the idea of his love watching him perform and needing to touch themselves to his work drives him absolutely mad with lust. it doesn't just turn him on, it makes him feel a bit soft that you enjoy his acting and watch it in your free time too.

♡ he'll take you backstage in his dressing room every time you watch him perform. after a successful performance, there's no better way to reward him than deepthroating him in front of his vanity.

♡ huge voyeurism kink!!! let him jerk off for you. please. he does such a good job of exaggerating his moans and bucking his dripping cock into his hand, his hips shaking below him as he strokes himself. when he feels your eyes burning into his skin he couldn't stifle his whimpers even if he wanted to.

♡ loves being the center of attention. when he gives you oral, he demands for you to look at him as his nails dig into your thighs and his tongue licks you to euphoria. say his name if you want to feel him gasp with you in his mouth, he loves hearing his name drip from your lips like honey.

♡ he has a heavy oral fixation in general. when you're sucking his dick it feels like the spotlight is on him and he eats it up, not even trying to muffle his moans and grunts. the most vocal partner you could ask for, he can't help but hang his head back and let loose as you work your magic on him.

♡ swears like a sailor. the string of curses that you pull from ronald in his husky voice never fail to send you into a daze. if only the cameramen and supporting actors could see just how vulgar ronald is when he comes undone! they would chalk it up to a stunt double. "fuck, you take me so fucking well," being hissed into his lover's ear is the last thing they'd expect to hear from him.

♡ such a heavy breather. the way his chest rises and falls erratically with every pant makes waves of electricity pool in your lower stomach. when he tries to hiss out your name but can't catch his breath because he's so overwhelmed... goosebumps.

♡ ronald can afford to make a mess. literally. he's willing to break furniture as he rams into you, it's happened before. he can be very, uh, passionate.

♡ expect lots of roleplaying scenarios from him. ronald has starred in plenty of romantic productions, and he'd be lying if he wasn't turned on by some of the scenes he's filmed. two detectives getting dirty on a desk? you've done that. two soulmates reuniting on the train and not being able to wait to make love? yep, that too. he wants to share his wildest fantasies with you, and is open to trying anything you want.

♡ comment on how you like certain outfits or professions and when you come home after a long day you'll receive a surprise. ronald will be dressed in a uniform you fawned over, acting perfectly in character and ready to please you for the rest of the night.

♡ he'll take on any role you like, whether it's a bottom or a top. just ask. ronald leans towards a top but if you want to penetrate him or take the reins, he's excited to sit back and let you claim him.

♡ loves sex the morning after too. when you wake up with a bedhead and your skin is covered with nothing but blankets. he'd love to have a super tender session in the morning when you're both at your most vulnerable. the smiles he leaves on your skin whenever you yawn or stretch are contagious.

♡ ronald can thrive with elaborate, planned sex or just you two kissing in bed and things escalating from there. he loves the tenderness, and he loves having a muse to reenact his dreams and fantasies with.

[andraaste]

I am not your enemy - Lance fanfiction part 2

I am currently writting chapter 10, but for now, here is chapter 2 translated into english ;)

(Link for Chapter 3 here)

Chapter 2 : Everything is your fault

I woke up in a room that I knew all too well, especially since the last few days. The infirmary was perfectly silent and only the lapping of the water flowing in the room accompanied me. Staring into space, I put an arm over my face when a sly pain in the blank made me wince. I realized then that my clothes had been changed and that I was wearing a top that was unknown to me. Lifting it up, I realized that a red stained bandage was covering my stomach. The reason for my presence here came back to me then.

Lance...

I had started bleeding, for no reason, in Lance's presence!

Since waking up, I felt like I was losing my mind. Memory problems, dizziness, bleeding and other strange phenomena were accumulating in me and no one was able to explain it. At the same time, no one before Leiftan and I except the Oracle had lived in the crystal.

But yes, Leiftan, how was he? The latter woke up shortly after me and strangely, I had hardly ever seen him since. The aengel had refused to join the Sparkling and since then he seemed to be doing his best to escape any presence. But one thing was certain, it was that I never saw him in the infirmary, the lucky kid.

Snippets of voice slowly reached me and I listened to try to figure out who it was.

- I don't understand what she has ...

- .... had a link? ...

I narrowed my eyes, trying to decipher the conversation I overheard.

- .... don't know ... bring her back ...

Hearing muffled footsteps moving in my direction, I hurriedly closed my eyelids, pretending to be still asleep.

When they reached me, a warm and comforting hand rested on my forehead. Eweleïn's, I was beginning to know it by heart.

- She is stable and her fever has subsided, we will bring her back to her room, she will be more calm to rest. I'm counting on you to watch her.

- Very good.

My stomach contracted at the sound of that voice.

- Are you telling me she started bleeding for no reason? Are you sure you didn't hurt her, even without doing it on purpose?

A silence heavy with innuendo spread between the two interlocutors.

- I understand it's strange, but that's what happened, Eweleïn.

- Alright ... in that case, I'll let you bring her back.

When the dragon's arms encircled my body again in minute detail, I unwillingly tensed in fear and apprehension. Before lifting me up, he gently lowered the shirt over my wound, and when his fingers touched my skin as gently as a caress, I felt an electric current flow through me. Lance lifted me up without difficulty and without really knowing why, I resolutely kept my eyes closed, squeezing my eyelids a little too tight.

Without a word, he carried me like a lifeless rag doll, weak and silent, to my new room. With each of her steps, I could feel her calm, deep breaths against my neck. Why was it that I didn't come forward, exactly? I felt like I was paralyzed. He finally opened the door to my room and stepped silently into it. The pole closed behind us, cutting us off from the outside world. He suddenly stopped and began to sigh for a long time.

Lance seemed marked by fatigue and worry, which piqued my curiosity. Cautiously, I opened one eye and watched it in the wake of my lashes. His jaws, covered with a growing beard, were contracted and his expression, she, expressed the same weariness as her sigh. When he started to move again, I pretended to sleep again as he gently laid me down on the mattress. While withdrawing his hands, he crouched down very close to me and despite my resolutely closed eyelids, I felt his sad gaze pierce me. But it was the intonation of his voice, like torture, that upset me the most.

- I'm sorry, Andraste.

My hands clenched against my stoneware on the bed sheet. Keeping my eyes firmly closed, I couldn't help but answer, even lower than him.

- Everything is your fault.

- I know...

The dragon didn't seem surprised to hear me answer him. How long had he known I was awake?

Timidly, I forced myself to open my eyes. I thus discovered a Lance perfectly different from the one I had seen in the market. His gaze filled with infinite sadness, he looked at me as if I was the only person in the world able to cure his ailments.

- You're not trying to justify yourself? I asked him, intrigued not to hear his answer immediately.

- My actions are unjustifiable, I just try to live with it and redeem myself with each passing day. But you ... I dreaded for years when you were finally going to wake up. I don't know how to react in your presence when, on the contrary, I know more than anyone how much you must hate me. I won't try to redeem myself from you because I know it's impossible.

His words grabbed me. The tone of his voice, so calm and composed, totally hypnotized me. But I could not nevertheless keep my questions about him.

- So what are you doing here ?

I was sincerely curious as to why it was precisely he who had taken care of bringing me back to my room.

- Eweleïn asked me to watch you.

I raised my eyebrows in surprise, which brought a slight smile of amusement to his marble face.

- Sorry ?

- As you have surely noticed, your state is very unstable since you woke up.

- But what do you mean, she asked you to watch me ?

- Since you obviously start to bleed yourself for no reason, Eweleïn and Huang Hua have decided that you have to be watched closely. Plus, it's not yet clear how things will turn out now that people know the Oracle Chosen One is awake. The news has surely spread outside of HQ already and your safety has become a priority.

At these words, I straightened up quickly.

- You mean we could try to take it out on me?

Lance's gaze fell on mine for the first time since the start of our exchange.

- Nothing will happen to you.

- Anyway, why is ...

- Most people admire you for what you have done, but human nature being what it is, many are wary of what they do not know. You have accomplished something incredible and totally new, but like all admiration, there is always an element of mistrust that lies dormant in the unknown.

- But anyway, it's insane, nobody can decently think that I can be dangerous !

The young man was silent for a moment, letting me digest the information he had just taught me.

- Obviously, this is a simple security measure, mainly as long as your condition remains uncertain. When you get better, we will focus on teaching you how to defend yourself.

- I already know how to defend myself !

His slightly haughty raised eyebrow made my hair bristle with anger.

- Do not be offended, but from what I saw earlier, you seem to have lost a lot of energy since your stay in the crystal.

Touched . I decided to swallow my pride for now, I was too tired to argue with him again.

- So what's the plan ? I inquired.

- This is where I come in. I know you don't trust me, but strange as it sounds, I am the best person to keep you safe and your training.

A cold sneer escaped me, stretching the smile that had started to mark the dragon's face a moment earlier.

- So you're telling me that you and I have become inseparable?

- I'm sorry to tell you.

At least he had the decency to sound as thrilled with the news as I was.

I was lost. Completely. How could the Guard have thought it was a good idea to cram the two of us together? It was just insane!

I pinched the bridge of my nose, irritated by all this flood of information.

- Besides the fact that I'm not a fragile little thing, something the Guard seems to totally ignore, no one else can take on this role? Lance, it's simply impossible! I can't accept it, and you know it as well as I do!

Still squatting, one of his forearms resting on his lap, he let himself fall back against the wall behind him.

- Andraste, I'm not trying to brag about my merits, but if there's one thing I'm good at, it's fighting. I am the most qualified here to protect you in times of need and to teach you the best way to defend yourself.

Anger began to take hold of me again. Was he really serious ?

- But anyway, do you realize what you're saying ?!

- It is indisputable.

- And foolish! You tried to kill me, you used me, you manipulated me. How do you want me to accept this wisely? You're still blowing hot and cold! You apologize and then you give me orders !

- I'm only obeying those of the Sparkling.

A frank laugh escaped me this time.

- Seriously, are you saying that ?

A flash of defiance crossed his icy gaze. An ambient electricity hovered between us.

- You have to believe that I am ready to listen wisely to the orders to protect you.

He then straightened up and looked at me from his full height.

- Times have changed, you'll have to get used to it, he added. Being the chosen one of the Oracle is not going to be easy to take on, believe me. People are going to expect a lot from you, whether you feel like you can or not. Hope you are ready for this too.

Surprised, I remained silent. What shocked me the most was not this overwhelming truth that Lance had just confessed to me.

It was that he was the only one who had done it.

And that turned everything upside down. Who could I sincerely trust here? Can our enemies one day become our allies ?

He walked to the door and put a hand on the doorknob, before adding:

- Rest now. I won't be far, if you need to.

Then he rushed down the hall.

(Chapter 3)

[taetaespeaches]

“Not me, we. We are writing Christmas letters to Santa.”

seokjin x reader (oc) genre: fluff word count: 1.4K

a/n: Hi lovelies! So I started this one with very little direction of where I was going and I’m a little worried that shows, but anyways, here’s this haha. It’s a little mix of silly Jin/Poopsie and deeply understanding of each other’s emotions and mental strains Jin/Poopsie... so yeah. I hope you all enjoy and thanks for reading! :))

Lifting your head from the mattress, you pushed the blankets down under your chin allowing your boyfriend’s figure to come into view in front of you. “What time is it?” You asked, Jin’s head snapping to you in surprise before a soft smile greeted you.

He was already dressed in his pajamas, his hair fluffy and appearing soft, making you want to run your hands through it. “A little after eight,” he told you, reaching a hand out to run his thumb across your cheek. “You were asleep like this when I got here.”

Inspecting your surroundings, you realized you had been sleeping with your head at the foot of the bed and you remembered coming home and resting for a moment after undressing from your work day. You must have passed out quickly, and Jin seemingly tucked you in when he arrived.

“I shouldn’t have slept,” you pouted, thinking about the chores you wanted to complete that evening.

“You deserved the rest,” your boyfriend assured you sweetly. “You’ve been stressed and tired,” he reminded you.

Sighing, you sat up on your elbows, your eyes drinking in Seokjin’s charming and comfortable appearance as he sat cross-legged next to you. “You look cute,” you complimented.

“You too,” he replied, shooting you a sweet close-mouthed smile that pushed his cheeks up adorably.  

“What are you doing?” You asked, the notebook sitting between your bodies catching your attention.

“Well I’m so glad you asked,” he started with a grin, causing you to squint at him in question. “Not me, we,” he replied with a smirk. “We are writing Christmas letters to Santa.”

“We are?” You asked, your eyes wide as Jin grabbed another notebook from beside him.

“We are,” he said simply, setting the notebook in front of you. “You get to ask for whatever you want,” he told you with a single nod. When he looked down at his own letter, you continued watching him. “Like we did when we were kids.”

The words were spoken with a soft vulnerability, the tone and sentiment tugging at your heart. You knew what he was doing as he tried to relieve your stress by taking you back to a simpler time, but as he concentrated on his list, you couldn’t help but think he needed a break as much as you did.

“Ok,” you agreed simply, picking up the pen that sat on the bed and lifting yourself into a sitting position. “We’re writing letters to Santa,” you confirmed with a nod.  

“What are you asking for?” Jin whispered, leaning forward so he was closer to you.  

Leaning even closer to him, you whispered back, “I don’t know yet.”

Humming, his eyes danced across your features. “Ask for anything your heart desires,” he said sweetly. “Whatever you want most.” Bumping his forehead against yours cutely, you giggled. “Tonight, we believe in magic.”

As he went back to writing his letter, not realizing how smitten you were with him and his words, you once again continued gazing at his stunning face.

December hadn’t been an easy month for you, as Jin was well aware. You knew Jin well enough to know that this Christmas activity was an attempt to provide you with a simple relief. A time to be carefree and childish, taking the weight off your shoulders just for a bit so you could breathe.

Jin always made things easier, and you were forever thankful for his ability to strip back the complexities of your troubles, not making them disappear, but giving you a space to forget about them for a moment. Jin was using the childhood tradition to show you that magic still exists in the small things. It existed within that very room. Within him.

“Are you done?” He asked suddenly, interrupting your thoughts. Folding his letter, indicating he had completed his Christmas requests, he looked up to find your eyes on him. Meeting your gaze, you gave him a guilty smile and a small giggle. “Have you even started?” He asked, his eyes widening as he dramatically raised his voice.

Directing your attention to the paper in front of you, you smirked. “You’re a distraction,” you told him with a pout. “It’s not my fault you’re so beautiful, you know. You just sit there and look like that and I have to somehow try to go on with my tasks, it’s harder than you think,” you complained as you began writing.

Jin’s spectacular windshield wiper laugh rang out in response to your remarks, your smile widening at the sound of it. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize,” he feigned an apology, promptly rotating his body so his back was to you. “Here, I’ll hide my face so you can focus.”

Laughing at his antics, you lightly smacked his back with the notebook. “As if your back isn’t a distraction, Mr. World Wide Shoulders,” you teased, his squeaky laugh sounding once more.

As you continued with your letter, you both let stray giggles slip, unable to stop them. “Poopsie,” Jin suddenly whispered.

“What?” You whispered back.

“What are you asking for?” He asked impatiently, peering over his shoulder at you.

“I can’t tell you that,” you teased, poking his lower back with your pen.

“Why not?” He questioned in offense, turning back around to face you.

“If I tell you, Santa won’t get any of it for me,” you told him through a massive smile, amused by his dramatic expression.

“I don’t think it works that way,” he pointed out, causing you to throw your head back in laughter. “Does it?” he asked, beaming at your amusement.

Staring at him for a moment, you sighed. “If I read mine, you have to read yours,” you relented, Jin nodding enthusiastically.

Raising the notebook to your face, you cleared your throat dramatically, Jin grinning fondly. “Dear Santa,” you read, Jin’s smile growing wider. “I haven’t written you a letter in many years. Sorry about that, I thought I had to be a grown up,” you continued, Jin’s gaze soft as he watched you carefully. “Anyways, I don’t want much this year. A pet maybe,” you said, peering over the notebook to shoot Jin a smirk, the man’s eyebrows raising at the request. “World peace would be cool. Or at least a happier world,” you continued to read, Jin nodding in agreement. “But mostly, I just want you to make sure Jinnie knows that I’ve believed in magic for nearly four years now. Because I believe in him.” As you read over the words you wrote, you found yourself becoming bashful under Jin’s watchful eyes. “I know you’re busy, so I’ll end this here. Thanks for supplying the gifts, old man. Sincere-”

You were cut off by Jin snatching the notebook from you and tossing it to the floor, his hands immediately grabbing the sides of your face as he leaned forward to crash his lips against yours. The next thing you knew, his body was pushing yours to the bed as he crawled atop you, yours and Jin’s lips passionately working to impart the love you both felt for one another.

“I’m so in love with you,” Jin suddenly mumbled against your mouth, you replying with a fond smile. “Like so in love with you.”

“You know I love you back, Jinnie,” you replied, pressing another quick peck to his lips. He pulled back, just enough to look down at your face, his gaze soft, full of adoration. “What did you ask Santa for?” You asked.  

“To be honest, I just asked for more of this,” he told you quietly, his voice soft. “More of us together, carefree,” he gave you a small smile. “It’s all I want.” The man gently kissed your cheek as you wrapped your arms around his back. “Do you really want a pet?” He asked, causing you to giggle against him.

“I think so,” you confirmed, Jin smiling fondly. “Oh, I also had a p.s. in my letter,” you told him, the man lifting is head to show you his interest, his eyebrows raised. “I asked for Santa to deliver you and the boys a Grammy,” you giggled, Jin gasping before smiling widely.

“Wow, that’s my girlfriend, everyone,” he bragged to nobody as you beamed at him. “Ok, I lied, I asked for that too,” he admitted, both of you giggling as he kissed you again.

“As you should,” you mumbled against his lips, enjoying the feeling of his smile forming on his own.

Though your mind wasn’t completely rid of your troubles, it all just felt a bit easier in that moment. Just like magic. Jin was magic.

[azucanela]

Ahh i'm glad you write for them, thank you so much for answering my question :) may i ask for Dabi, Shigaraki and Toga headcanons w/ a female reader that likes to sing but is kinda shy about it? and like one time they catch her singing and are just speechless because her voice is so beautiful? Thank you so much :)

HEARING THEIR SHY S/O SING[HEADCANNONS]

[ft. dabi, shigaraki tomura, and toga himiko]

SUMMARY: in which Y/N can sing but nobody else knew that, until they did, and let me tell you they were SHOCKED.

WORD COUNT: 1.6k

WARNINGS: implications of death, implications of nsfw, almost nudity bc towels, embarrassment, dabi being a perv, blood, injuries

A/N: this concept makes me happy lol, dabi’s is my favorite kjsahkjfshdkjh anyways ofc bb thank you for requesting! this is adorable :D

DABI

in all honesty, you’re probably singing in the shower and dabi is super nosy and has zero shame, so he kinda just comes into the bathroom while you are showering, like a perv

he hears you singing in the shower because he randomly shows up to your apartment, and he kinda just listens from outside for a hot minute because WOW, there is no one else it could be, unless you lived with a ghost who took 30 minute showers just like you did

he sincerely doubted this was the case

he’s vibing tbh, after he collects himself, he’ll kinda just take a seat on the toilet with a small smile on his face, and you won’t hear him unless he decides to sing along just to give you a heart attack

probably realizes that the reason he didn’t already know you have the voice of a literal angel is because of the fact that you’re a shy bb, and he’s gonna savor this while it lasts

he will tease you though, when you come out of the shower, grabbing your towel and then opening the shower curtain to him just sitting there, dopey smile on his face

“hey doll.”

you curse him out, cheeks warming, you lowkey forgot that you have no clothes on as you cuss him out, and he APPRECIATES the sight before him

you being angry is a TURN O N, angry and naked? even better

i think you know where this about to go

anyways as you curse him out for invading your privacy, you do be feeling EMBARRASSED because you were singing your heart out in there and he was just listENING

the audacity.

“you’re a really good singer, babe.”

Now you are more embarrassed and it suddenly dawns on you that you are not wearing clothes, just a towel to cover your body, and you are glaring at this mans because what the-

“what were you even thinking?!”

“that i would listen to my beautiful girlfriends equally beautiful voice.”

the type to ask you to sing for him, he has no shame like i said, will randomly say, “i like this song, think you could sing for me?”

you’re shy and like nO

he’s like, “come on babe, a private session ;)”

yeah he really likes this whole singing thing and will hype you up, but subtly, like hes constantly complimenting your singing voice because it really is just super pretty and he wants you to know this so that you’ll sing more

already comes to your home randomly, but this will increase in frequency because he really wants to hear you sing more AND catch you singing in the shower

LOWKEY

REALLY REALLY LOWKEY

LIKE R E A L L Y LOWKEY

i can see him asking you to sing him to sleep, it reminds him of his childhood because he finds comfort in your voice, and this would be the only time he’s shy about it

you’re just like WHAT internally, because if you express your shock externally he IS going to retreat back into himself and you will have lost your chance at a emotionally available Dabi

my type is emotionally unavailable people sigh

SHIGARAKI TOMURA

most confused award goes to this mans

you’re probably just singing along to your music as you clean your room, he told you he was dropping by, hence the cleaning, you are also dancing because why not vibe

he opens the door, you don’t hear him with your earbuds in, and he kinda just freezes at the door because thats your voice 

your actual voice

he listens for a bit because it sounds pretty and he likes it, he’s really confused, but he likes it, and you

tbh this is a really domestic moment and tomura is really shocked that he’s enjoying leaning up against your doorway as you treat the broom in hand as a mic and belt out some nice lyrics

kinda hates that he likes it

they you turn around after finishing the song with a dramatic little ending, and open your eyes to see your lovely emotionally constipated boyfriend standing there, albeit uncomfortably, his arms are awkwardly crossed and he’s squirming under your gaze

“so... is that your quirk?” genuinely thinks you are such a good singer that it is your QUIRK to be a literal ANGEL

you’re too mortified to answer because shyness, mouth gaping open as you grapple for words and you feel your entire body heat up in embarrassment. You genuinely are contemplating jumping onto your bed and screaming into your pillow before suffocating yourself with it.

“how long have you been standing tHeRe?” your voice cracks and you lowkey wanna cry because WHAT EVEN IS THIS DAY

he kinda shrugs, “few minutes.” he’d mumble and then look up at you, he is equally nervous at this point, “you have a nice voice.”

“thank you,,,,”

he’s too awkward to ask you to sing for him, but he would try and encourage you to sing, because he really does want to hear you again, he just can’t find a way to ask you

literally this is stressing him out, just start singing randomly and he’ll appreciate it so much, don’t make him ask p l e a s e

he is definitely gonna start stopping by randomly way more often, in hopes of catching you singing once more, because thats just an experience he wants to happen again

would probably bring it up that you have a pretty voice to other league members in hopes that they’ll bully you into singing so that he doesn’t have to

sometimes he wishes he didn’t tell them though because he kinda just wants to keep you and your talent for himself

isn’t the best at hyping you up, especially not outright, definitely the most awkward of the three, but he’s going to try, purely because he thinks that if he boosts your confidence enough then he’ll hear you sing more and he won’t have to outright ask you to sing for him because that would be painful for the both of you

“you know... you sing good.”

“thank you...?”

“this is a nice song.”

“yeah,”

“sing it.”

sounds really demanding but he’s trying his hardest okay. 

understands if you don’t want to sing in front of others due to your shyness, he’s awkward too, so as long as you sing for him its chill

he likes the intimacy of the moments when you sing for him and him alone, it just makes him happy to have that, especially since you are shy about singing.

TOGA HIMIKO

oh knife wife, love of my life, 

that rhymes

toga is probably the most outwardly supportive of you and your singing endeavors, bbg is gonna be so happy when she finds out you can sing, unlike the other boys she won’t have time to savor it because she will immediately start talking about it

probably breaking into your home through your window because she needs medical assistance and cannot tell if the blood on her belongs to someone else or not, you are her go to because hospitals are a no no for a villain such as herself

she sees you through the window, and she can kinda hear you singing as you cook in your kitchen, though you aren’t that visible and the window blocks out most of the noise.

genuinely contemplates breaking the window so that she can hear you better because it already sounds so pretty??? how??? why didn’t she know about this, why didn’t you tell her?

the audacity honestly what are you doing

she opens the window with class instead, effectively breaking into your home, but you don’t hear her as she closes it and re-locks the window

she’s gonna be speechless for a hot minute, now that she hears your voice clearly, she’s beginning to wonder if the blood is hers and shes dead, because you have a voice that belongs in the heavens literally what-

wondering how she didn’t know about this as she bursts into your kitchen covered with blood, “Y/N BABY YOU CAN SING?”

you nearly drop the knife in your hand and cut your foot off at the sight of your bloody girlfriend like, for several reasons

one. how the hell did she get into your apartment. two, why is she covered in so much blood???? three. she heard you singing. oh god she head you singing. time to panic and die

you kinda freeze and your mouth gapes open because you are so confused and panicked right now as your hands begin to gesture vividly while you search for words, trying to avoid her gaze and questions as your face heats up

this shock and panic distracts you from the fact that she broke into your house covered in blood as you respond, “i mean anyone can sing-”

“you sing GOOD.”

brags about you being such a good singer ALL THE TIME, literally how she introduces you to people, much to your dismay

will ask you to sing for her with no shame, unlike dabi she isn’t even going to shut down if you say no or find it weird, she’s just gonna keep asking until you agree to do it

would not be opposed to falling asleep to your similar voice, in fact, your voice is one of few things that calms her down

she’s literally just so excited about the fact that you can sing, like WOW, the whole league is gonna know so fast, she’s just 

SO HAPPY

she’s literally going to be hyping you up 24/7 like even if the conversation has nothing to do with it, she’s going to tell you how amazing you are and try to help you overcome your shyness because your talent must be SHARED WITH THE WORLD

just a super supportive gf at the end of the day we love toga

A/N: the vibes are immaculate, sing for your evil lover, that is the point here

[orsuliya]

Alright! Time for part 3 of married!Awu/XQ headcanons. This time? It’s all about the children!

There is nothing unplanned about Awu’s second pregnancy. The subject of children comes up again not long after Awu reunites with Xiao Qi after the so-called death of the latter. Their days in Ningshuo may be filled with the hustle and bustle of preparing for the upcoming march on the capital, but evenings and nights? Those are for holding each other close in search of comfort and reassurance. If not for that, Awu would scarcely have the strength to let Xiao Qi out of her eyesight during those first days and weeks.

During one of those quiet Ningshuo evenings Awu finally breaks. She has had to be strong for so long, all the while half-believing she would never be allowed the luxury of being weak in her husband’s arms again, that even now it takes time for her to let go and simply cry. When tears finally do come out, so do all of Awu’s past fears, leaving her one by one in an unstoppable torrent. Fear for those reliant on her, for the orphaned country and for her own fate; all of those are carefully listened to and soothed with words, silent affection and sense of complete togetherness.

One of those fears? Had you died, had you truly left me alone, what would I have of you for all the years to come? she asks, her voice muffled, her face pressed into her husband’s neck. There is a good reason why she was prepared to die after exacting her revenge. Far too many sleepless nights in Hulan had been spent imagining the long, dreary years of her widowhood. Ten, twenty, thirty years of loneliness, seeing her nephews and nieces being born and then growing up, with nothing, not even her husband’s sword to put in that bloody chapel; would that have been her fate?

She hits him – not too hard, but hard enough for it to be more than a playful tap – when he says that, in time, she would remarry and find happiness again. Would you?! she demands angrily, then softens, once she reads the answer in his eyes. A man should take responsibility from the beginning to the end. Not even a bloody sword to be mounted on the family altar, she laughs tiredly. You owe me, my Prince Yuzhang, you owe me and I shall be your most merciless creditor. Give me a child with your smile, one with your hands and eyes, she demands, pressing insistent kisses to that smile, to those hands and eyes, and then and only then will I consider myself satisfied.

He would, you know, he would have given her a dozen children if that were only possible, but surely she must know that it is not, it can never be in this lifetime. Awu can have anything else for the payment of his debt; he knows he owes her and will give her all that she may wish for that she does not already own. She wants children? Fine, she may have all the orphans in Ningshuo for the raising, if that will bring her joy. But he doesn’t, can never regret putting her health above all else and would give her five more miracle flowers if he had to…

Yes, Awu finally shuts her husband up, unable to take any more of this lethal sincerity. How? Well, the exact method I shall leave to your imagination, but the gist of it is as follows: Xiao Qi is not getting off that easily. They can and will have that child. How? Well, Awu might have plotted with Doctor Shen towards that goal and it will work this time. Maybe not now, maybe it will take another few months or years of fiery needles, but it’s not like they are in hurry. There is no way Awu will agree to have a child in the middle of a civil war, so her husband should really get on with restoring peace in all Cheng. Not right now! In the morning should be soon enough.

____________________________________

It does take some time, first to restore peace and then for Awu to actually get pregnant. In the meantime, she does take all the orphans in Ningshuo as an advance on that debt, not to mention their first son and daughter, Xiaohe and Qinzhi.

Doctor Shen, who – struck with a sudden premonition – had moved to Ningshuo among much grumbling and trembling over the contents of his priceless apothecary, is rewarded with the dubious honour of playing witness to Xiao Qi’s complete meltdown. The first thing our brave general does upon hearing of his wife’s pregnancy is to hug her and refuse to let go for a good while, not that she protests. The second thing? He panics like he’s never panicked before. Doctor Shen comes upon his noble patron, well, not hyperventilating, we’re talking about Xiao Qi here, remember. But certainly in throes of a good old anxiety attack. It’s… an experience for the good doctor, that’s for sure.

Thankfully Doctor Shen manages to talk Xiao Qi out of his wildest ideas. Like, for example, shutting Awu in her rooms in the middle of Ningshuo Fortress and standing guard over her until the baby is born. Yeah, that was not Xiao Qi’s proudest moment. Doctor Shen promises not to tell anyone of this sudden bout of unreasonable behaviour and keeps his word… for about three days, when he gladly throws Xiao Qi under the bus in order to ensure Awu’s full compliance with his own, medically justified safety measures.

Mind you, even Doctor Shen cannot work miracles, which he comes to bitterly regret in those next few months. Panicked Xiao Qi and worried Turnip Wang make for a truly hellish duo and Ningshuo soon experiences a steady trickle of accomplished doctors from the capital. Some of them have clearly been dragged out of their comfortable practices under duress, for others it’s quite an adventure. The latter soon find themselves put to work; no use in simply standing around and deliberating over a stunningly healthy woman when there are actual patients in need to be seen to!

____________________________________

Awu considers Xiao Qi’s debt fully repaid the moment she sees her son smile for the first time. Xiao Qi, an overachiever that he is, doesn’t quite agree… and a few years later they try for another child; this time it’s a daughter. One - as Xiao Qi likes to brag - as beautiful as her mother and isn’t it lucky that he has an army fit to guard the greatest treasures in all Cheng? Awu thinks that it would serve him right should Treasure the Younger marry an officer of that very army in the future. She doesn’t, by the way, but that is an entirely different story.

The children are named Yunshuo and Yunning, which is a reason of much good-natured teasing. Even among the children themselves. Yunning, once she grows to an age when she starts to assert her dominance, insists that really, her brother should listen to her in all things. He may be older in years, that much is true, but Ning always comes before Shuo, everybody knows that!

Jinruo’s words come true after all: Xiao Yunning is Awu’s tiny copy, only, according to Awu herself, twice as bossy and confident. Xiao Qi never questions this claim, at least not out loud, but Uncle Asu has no such qualms and immediately provides a good half-dozen stories to that effect. Now, Yunning has every chance to grow up spoiled with a mother who applauds her strong character, a father who might seem strict, yet folds like wet paper at the first sight of a trembling lip and a whole bunch of playmates only too easily coaxed into following her commands. And she very well might have... if not for one Hu Yao (who is alive and you won’t convince me otherwise, ha!). The younger Hu, a true Ningshuo legend, enjoys great authority among recruits and veterans both; she proves a match for a head-strong girl like Yunning, although only barely. No, Hu Yao’s pupil doesn’t become a general in her own right, choosing another path instead… but she keeps up with her training in the years to come.

Xiao Yunshuo, affectionately called Xiao Xiao, is no warrior in the making, being of a rather gentle disposition, something that he never grows out of, for all that this gentle disposition later turns out to hide a character of pure steel. Oh, make no mistake, Yunshuo is perfectly competent with weapons and on horseback, but it is not something that comes naturally to him, nor does he find much joy in fighting. This becomes blatantly obvious once he starts advanced training. Every child under Awu’s care is taught enough to be able to defend themselves or know when to run away, but nobody is forced to persist with military training, should they not wish to. Yunshuo persists all the same, making continuous progress. It’s only natural that he does: he’s rather frighteningly smart, that boy, and he works hard.

A bit too hard, as it turns out. Xiao Qi becomes suspicious of his son’s behaviour and makes sure to ‘accidentally’ come upon one of Yunshuo’s solitary and completely unsanctioned training sessions. Why, he asks and becomes rather angry once the truth starts coming out. No, not with Yunshuo. With himself, for not preventing this whole issue from existing in the first place. See, Yunshuo thinks it shameful that he, the firstborn and only son of Prince Yuzhang, the greatest general and warrior Cheng has had for generations, will never be able to become a worthy successor to his famous father. No, nobody has said anything, but Yunshuo is not stupid, he knows what he is and is not capable of!

Xiao Qi takes a minute to consider his next words carefully. In the end, he tells the truth: when he was a bit older that Yunshuo is now, he had no valuable skills, no education, no family and no real hope for the future. Signing up for an army was pretty much the easiest choice to make for somebody who didn’t really have all that much to live for. Killing people? Is not that difficult. All it takes is a good sharpened sword and some basic training. Learning to protect people, well, that was a bit harder; took Xiao Qi some years and a lot grief and pain to master that. Everything else – building a true home, making peace for yourself and everybody else, and creating a lasting, better future? That’s Awu’s forte and her work. There is no shame in having different skills, explains Xiao Qi. Find what you do best and make sure that it is of use to somebody. That’s it. Whatever Yunshuo’s skills, as long as at the end of the day he is be ready to use them to protect what is dear to him, he will be a warrior in his father’s eyes.

Xiao Yunshuo takes his father’s words to heart and, when the time comes, relays them to his own children. He never becomes a one man army, for all that he takes care not to let his skill with weapons go to rust. He does, however, become a great lord and statesman, and a startlingly brilliant strategist to boot; his advice is greatly appreciated by his older brother, the brave General Xiao Xiaohe… as well as by his brother-in-law, the Emperor of Cheng himself.

In Ningshuo, despite all his merits and great dignity, Xiao Yunshuo stays Xiao Xiao long, long after becoming a father himself.

____________________________________

Xiao Yunning is widely held by the ministers of Cheng to be the cause for at least a quarter of their grey hair. And all because of one rather tiny, if rather infamous deed. Okay, maybe not that tiny… But it is not Yunning’s fault that Xiao Qi had made such an impression on a bunch of delicate noblemen over twenty years earlier!

Once His Imperial Majesty, one Ma Jing, successfully negotiates puberty, it becomes a matter of national importance to supply him with a wife of appropriate station, character, beauty and fertility, the first and the last being the most important, of course. The true war over who will become the Empress of Cheng does not start until His Imperial Majesty becomes a fully-grown man; that is not until the Prime Minister’s eldest daughter comes of age. Having another Wang Empress is seen as inevitable by many; others are rather eager to see the streak of Wang Empresses die a final death. The idea of courting a foreign princess gets briefly thrown around and then soundly rejected. It’s a pity that all of His Majesty’s marriageable cousins with even a drop of Ma blood have the same family name, says somebody who sounds suspiciously like a true Classist Wei. For a moment there is complete silence as the thoughts of everyone present turn to the one cousin who is neither a Ma or a Wang.

See, Xiao Qi and Awu could easily make their daughter an Empress… if they thought that it would make her happy. They have nothing against Jing’er, why, he’s a beloved nephew to them both and they have taken a good measure of his character during the time he spent in Ningshuo, which amounts to a good couple of years. If they were to be honest, Yunning could use a husband this good-natured and conciliatory, and Jing’er would do well with an Empress of Yunning’s strength of character. There is also the matter of a rather touching childhood crush… but since Yunning herself has nothing but derogatory words for this whole imperial marriage mart mess, there is nothing to be done. Nothing to be done at all, as Xiao Qi quite readily assures his brother-in-law, adding that being an Empress is not an easy fate and one that he would not wish on anybody. Asu, long-used to not truly understanding Xiao Qi’s ambitions or rather the lack thereof, takes this assurance on its merits and goes back to planning his own daughter’s imperial wedding.

Rather surprisingly it’s Jing’er who becomes the greatest obstacle to Asu’s dynastic plans. Somehow he never really says no… but no mercenary father can ever pin him long enough to force him to say yes to any of the myriad of candidates. This stand-off lasts for some time, to Xiao Qi’s quiet amusement and Turnip’s frustration. Awu, on the other hand, becomes rather pensive, although she refuses to share her suspicions with anybody. It’s not like she has any proof…

...until her daughter provides her with all the proof she could have ever wished for.

The day another group of potential candidates is to be presented at court, Xiao Yunning pulls a Xiao Qi, causing many a minister to relieve their old trauma. Yes, she marches into the throne room accompanied by six of her companions, most of which do rather poorly at concealing weapons under their dresses. Yes, she climbs the stairs without as much as a by-your-leave. Yes, she does all of that while wearing clothing in a colour appropriate for the occasion. In this case? Wedding red. The main difference is that Ma Jing is a much wiser Emperor than Ma Zitan and grants Yunning’s petition immediately and with good grace.

The reason why Yunning did what she did, leaving Jing’er with no choice but to accept her suit? Well, that childhood crush might have been rather more than a crush. Really, Yunning would have had it in the bag the day of her coming-of-age ceremony, were His Imperial Majesty not such a noble bore. I cannot condemn you to carry this burden with me before you really know what you want, he said, every word disgustingly noble and self-sacrificial. You are not somebody who can be caged, so go and spread your wings and I shall wait for you for as long as it takes, he offered in a rather suspiciously bland tone of voice. Really, one could almost believe that Jing’er actually bought into that silly rumour that Xiao Qi requires every prospective son-in-law to fight him with live steel. Which, by the way, is not true. He only ever fought two rather persistent young lordlings who couldn’t understand that Qinzhi’s no means no.

Everything ends rather well for all interested parties, although Turnip keeps grumbling about having an unfairly deceitful brother-in-law. Awu quickly shuts him down, if only to get in her own portion of shameless teasing. See, if Xiao Qi wanted to avoid such situations, then he should have given his children a better example. This quickly devolves into a round of Yuzhang-style teasing, which prompts a stark realization from Xiao Yunning. She might be the Empress-to-be now, but even being thrice an Empress would still give her no power to stop her parents from being a pair of embarrassing old people in love. Jing’er, ever the conciliator, shows his diplomatic skill by proposing that she might have her revenge… by being one half of a pair of embarrassing young people in love.

The Wang Princess of that generation, a rather lovely and wise young woman by the name of Wang Xu, is not all that sad about losing a chance at the throne. Why, her tastes were always rather specific and in general ran more to generals than delicate young nobles. Now, this Xiao Xiaohe looks like an interesting specimen and certainly worthy of taking a closer look, should one be in-market for a pet general of one’s own...

[jeremyss]

‷ watch out , jeremy washington has crash-landed into roswell !! they look twenty two years old and celebrate their birthday on march 25th . they are from roswell, reside in greystone complex and are currently working as a waiter (teal pumpkin cafe). one thing you should know about them is he's hoping to go professional with lacrosse ‷

* loud trumpet blare * d-d-d-d-d-j khaled! hiya its g again ! here is my dumbass thot jeremy washington !!!

straight cis 22 year old dumbass . he / him pronouns !

he literally has half a brain cell

he has the best heart though he’s genuinely so nice and well meaning .. he just doesn’t know what hes saying , ok .

his foot lives in his mouth i love that for him

was That guy in school who literally failed every class , knew nothing , had the attention span of a fish . . and he got by because he was so good at lacrosse . honestly , he probably would have dropped out of high school if he hadn’t had lacrosse

lacrosse was his one true love and passion in life . he went to college on a lacrosse scholarship and he was co-captain of the team . he’s still hoping to go professional with it 

was raised by a single mum and was the oldest and only boy. therefore he mcloves women!!! he respects them. he’s president of ‘we should all be feminists’ club

his goal in life is honestly just to take care of his mum and be able to afford to set her up somewhere really nice . his mum is his everything and has DONE everything for him so he truly loves her with everything he has and would do anything for her happiness

did i mention he has half a brain cell

won’t even notice if u insult him

so dumb, and such a dude bro

speaks in dude bro language

is goofy as hell

has half a brain cell

can’t do anything except play lacrosse and play it well

similar to early seasons scott mccall from teen wolf, jason from the good place, andy dywer from parks and rec and 

defs a party animal, defs gets down n diggity. drinks and smokes weed but also pretends his body is a temple and drinks kombucha.

the only thing he’d ever get upset / angry about is any comment about money or his family . he really doesn’t like people who are showy with their money or brag about it . that’s the one thing that REALLY gets under his skin . 

lowkey just wants to mclove and show he mccares…

he’d make a great boyfriend .. i’m just saying

if he’s ur server at teal pumpkin cafe then im so sorry but ur never getting ur food right . he is the worst worker in the world but bc he’s so SINCERELY NICE . . . nobody can really be mad at him . he’s just . . so dumb guys , honestly , really . such an idiot .  

some connections / plots i’m down diggity for

a wholesome bro squad. they’re all bros. they act very wholesome but dumb together. they’re trying their best.

a crush . please let jeremy be maximum goofy idiot himbo around u because he doesn’t know how to behave normally . 

an ex girlfriend that jeremy probably still is super into but knows he can’t have bc she’s too good for him

people who remind him of his younger sisters so he’s protective of them

drinking and partying buddies

somebody please tutor him or he’ll fail everything . either a past tutor or a current tutor , because lord knows he needs it !

he’s been born and raised in roswell so honestly , he probably knows u ! he’s very VERY social so maybe somebody that grew up with him ?? went to school together ? i love a long time friend !

any buddy from greystone , lets unite !!! 

literally anything u want im ur wh*re.

[sapphire374]

Soy Sol: Chapter 2 (Gossip that Spreads like Wildfire)

Wattpad Link

Ch. 1, / Ch. 3 / Ch.4 / Ch.5 / Ch.6 / Ch.7 / Ch.8 / Ch.9 / Ch.10 / Ch.11 / Ch.12 / Ch.13 / Ch.14 / Ch.15 / Ch.16 / Ch.17

Luna is stunned by what she's just witnessed. She'd never expect Matteo to be cozying up so close with a random girl, especially after everything they've been through together. Luna started having doubts and her fears just came rushing over her like a waterfall. She couldn't believe that he would do this, all because she was late

When Matteo sees that it was Luna who opened the door, he immediately got up ignoring Viviana, as if she wasn't there. "Luna, I've been looking everywhere for you. You promised you would be here for my last show and you know how important this is for me. Why were you late.... again? You even promised to watch the entire show this time." Luna just stood there, staring at Matteo. Her rambunctious thoughts were clouding her judgement. She doesn't want to think about it, yet she already is. What if Matteo is cheating on her?

Matteo's face quickly changed when he saw a depressed look on her very pale face. "Que to pasa mi amor? What's the matter my love?" Matteo asks Luna in a very worried tone. Luna shakes her head from a terrified trance. "No nothing, I just came to tell you how proud I am. The arena seemed packed with loads of people. Umm yeah and I also wanted to apologize for being late. Too late it seems." Luna tries to not think about what she noticed yet the random girl staying in the room isn't making Luna feel any better. "I'm sorry who are you?" Luna questions the girl sitting on the couch who seems to not feel bad for listening on their conversation.

"I'm Viviana Marcel. Some people like to call me a very famous actress and rising singer; but if I'm being modest, I've only been in like fifteen movies," Viviana brags to Luna, showing off. "Really. Well sorry I had to ask is just I've never seen you on TV or in anything," Luna says sincerely which brings an enraged frown onto Viviana's face. "Oh, would you look at the time, it's getting late. I don't want to arrive home late since I have a very important meeting at Laix tomorrow. You know the place where famous people work together. I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't know it since you're not, well a celebrity. Ciao Matteo, I'll talk to you later." Viviana leaves after giving a wink to Matteo.

Luna's depressed look still stays plastered on her face. That girl almost reminds her of a celebrity version of Daniela, and after everything was finally going great for her and Matteo. "Luna, your smile has disappeared all of a sudden and hasn't come back. Please tell me what's wrong. I'm always here for you," Matteo states to Luna, expressing his concern. Luna almost stutters when she says, "Matteo why is Viviana here? What were you doing with her?" Matteo instantly takes a sigh of relief because he originally thought something unpleasant happened to her. "Oh, Luna you don't have to worry about her. She's just a friend I met through Rafeal. It's okay." "Matteo what would've happened if I didn't arrive at that moment," Luna asks anxiously holding on to every word she said. Matteo hesitantly replies, "Nothing. Nothing at all."

. . . . . . . .

Next Morning

Simón and Ámbar's House

Simón wakes up in his Buenos Aires home at eight o'clock in the morning. He's surprised to notice Ámbar is not there beside him. He pulls the sheets to their new bed and marches to the kitchen. Ámbar is sitting in the dining table doing some paperwork while drinking a café con leche. This brings a large smile on his face seeing how hard of a worker his soon to be wife is. "Buenos días mi amor. Good morning my love," Simón declares to Ámbar which also brings a warm smile on her face. "So, how's the paperwork going?" Simón asks Ámbar. "Honestly, it's not looking too good. I don't know if we'll be able to keep the Jam and Roller for so long especially since Vidia is considering on selling it to this company who wants to remodel it as a club and bar. They're the ones with the highest bid and if nobody comes soon to place a higher offer... we may lost it," Ámbar reluctantly replies to Simón.

"I can't believe this. First the separation of the Roller Band, then the separation of the Roller team, and now this. The worst part is how can we even tell Luna about this? How can we tell the rest about this," Simon complains while he and Ámbar give each other worried glances. "I don't know how we should tell her but one thing I know for sure is that we need to tell her soon cause what if she finds out and thinks we were lying to her this whole time. The one thing I've learned from my previous mistakes is that lying does no good and the truth always ends up revealing itself... but we'll think about that later. Right now, let's eat some breakfast cause I have a meeting to get to. Whatever happens, we need to find a backup plan to work somewhere else while I study to become a lawyer."

As Ámbar gets up from her chair, she turns the TV on. The news channel announces, "This just in! Viviana has been spotted AGAIN being very close to Matteo Balsano, the infamous 'Quiero Verte Sonreir' artist, yesterday night at his last concert for his Alla Voy Tour. Could this mean that Matteo has a new girlfriend and broke up with Luna Valente!" Ámbar and Simón both turn their heads and look at each other, shocked by what they just saw on the news. "I can't believe it! I wonder what Luna must be thinking watching this. It's just that this doesn't even make sense. Matteo would never do such a thing to Luna and even so she would have told me by now," Simón states confusingly. Simón and Ámbar are both confused and concerned about what they have just witnessed.

. . . . . . . .

Nina's Apartment

Nina accidentally spills her coffee after hearing what she just saw on the news. Gastón hears the loud noises in the living room, so he runs quickly to Nina from the kitchen to help her. "Que paso, what happened? Are you okay Nina," Gaston asks while helping her clean the mess she made. Gastón arrived last night from his job being an engineer. The company he works at has multiple branches, so he tends to travel all around the globe to set up meetings and build all sorts of new gadgets. Nina had also arrived from Oxford after finishing the semester early. She only has one year left to graduate and can't wait to travel with Gastón as a professional writer.

"Did you hear what was on the news? Apparently, Matteo has been spotted multiple times with this girl named Viviana. News outlets think that he broke up with Luna and replaced her with Viviana. I just couldn't believe it. I was so shocked I accidentally tipped over my coffee. Sorry for the mess," Nina states to Gastón. "No pasa nada. It's okay, the stain easily comes off but going back to what happened with Matteo... is this true, en serio," Gastón wonders, hoping Nina would say a 'no, just kidding' but sadly that was not the case. "Well we don't know if he did break up with Luna but the pictures that they showed of him with Viviana look very real and very close." "Esto no puede ser. This can't be true. I'm going to call Matteo right away. We have to get to the bottom of this," Gastón vividly expresses his disbelief right before turning his head and seeing the TV screen, in which he noticed the girl that's with Matteo. He doesn't for sure know who she is, but that girl appears very familiar to him. Then, Gastón remembered who she is and quickly runs to go call Matteo. After Nina puts her mug inside the sink, she rushes to go call Luna as well.

*BTW: Thank you guys for the support you've been giving Soy Sol in the last chapter. I really do appreciate it and hope you guys like the rest :D *

[flowerkidlove]

Hello! I encourage any who see this to read it. I've spent roughly two hours redrafting this.

We are a system and recently, one of our headmates was accused of being ableist. We would take this directly to them, but they did it anonymously. Before I get to what we've been lead to believe is the reason, I would like to point out that the system's body is disabled and there's not a single one of us who isn't disabled, neurodivergent or mentally ill in some way - including the alter who was accused of being ableist. The alter in question is autistic, psychotic, depressed, anxious, semi-verbal, hard of hearing, has PTSD, night terrors, sleep paralysis and has dyscalculia. The body itself has three chronic pain conditions, an autoimmune disease, a suppressed immune system, is hard of hearing, has kidney disease and is highly likely to develop some form of cancer before we hit our 40's. The fact that we, a traumagenic system, have DID needs no explanation, but here we are anyway. Despite this all, we have a job - it's not a good one by any means. We work, at maximum, an hour and a half a day and are frequently victims of casual ableism in the workplace (often to the point where our paychecks get held for a pay period because our boss doesn't like how we did something). Despite what little money we make (and the fact that we have to rely on food stamps, housing and disability payments), we donate portions of our money to various charities and relief funds, some of which include ones for disabled individuals, while also trying to survive and also save up for a graphics card so we can try and get a job as a youtuber and/or twitch streamer so we can leave our dehumanizing job. We don't talk about most of this because, to us, it feels strange having all of it out on the internet. It also feels personally wrong to talk about our donations. Feels like we're bragging, to be honest.

Now that our background is out for all to see, let's get to the point of the matter - the things that may have given someone the impression that at least one of us is ableist.

The first one I'll explain is simple - a post about how Discord servers that have blacklists often handle said things poorly, to the point where every possible topic you could talk about was on some of them, leading members of our systems to get triggered by things due to having to reveal all spoilers just to see what was being talked about. Nobody ever said that they were bad, just that, because of this experience, we don't feel comfortable in them.

The second is less easy to explain - a conversation (later dubbed a discourse?) about the canon-ness of Chell being mute. The alter in question has Portal has a major special interest and has since before the game even came out, thanks to our mom being a playtester of the game. I won't get into the details, but basically, the alter wanted to share some information and got a little overexcited about it, to the point where some people thought they were trying to say that having Chell being mute as a headcanon was awful and terrible because of canonical things - which was never said. In fact, the alter themself actually holds nonverbal autistic Chell headcanons close to their heart because they are semiverbal and go nonverbal when overwhelmed. They just also think that if there is canon information, it should be shared. The repetition of "my mom playtested the game" is an inside joke. It means nothing other than the fact that she played the game before other people. She uses it to try and get a laugh out of people, especially when it has next to nothing to do with the situation (like this one that I'm talking about right here). The alter does regret getting so excited about sharing the information and even apologizes to anyone who felt hurt by their words. I also couldn't help but notice an ask saying they were saying there was a "wrong" and "right" way to see a character - something that literally never got brought up until that particular ask - I went back and read the entire ordeal.

The third involves the beginning of the above situation - a simple statement that they find the "dangerous mute lunatic" line from Portal 2 hilarious, as they tend to call themself that in a lighthearted way (and also just find GLaDOS funny in general). I have nothing else to say on that one.

The alter in question is one of the kindest people I've had the fortune to meet. Unfortunately, in order to make people more comfortable and not hurt anyone else inadvertently, they've decided to step back from the blog that they created. To be fair, they rarely contributed to it these days, opting to let the rest of us run it and occasionally ramble due to things involving one of the system's abusers (moreso hers, but he's bullied the entire system off of previous accounts and sent us into hiding twice now).

Now, I personally wouldn't care about having words thrown around about us* if it wasn't for the fact that this entire situation has made the alter have a shutdown and fall into a delusion that our aforementioned abuser has found us once again and is going to try and hurt us. As such, I felt the need to clear things up. Again, I'd take this directly to the person, but they called us an ableist through an anonymous ask, so we really can't. I can only send this and hope that it gets posted and furthermore gets seen and fully read by whoever thinks we're ableist. I also hope it clears things up, because this is one Hell of an accusation.

Sincerely,

Gordon from the system behind @abbyfreemansmind

*EDIT: Thinking about it and going beyond the irony of us being called ableist, it just doesn't sit right with me. Working on the assumption that it's regarding one of the three things above, the person is basically turning an overly excited conversation about Portal canon into evidence that we discriminate against (or even hate) disabled people. Aside from the fact that we ourselves are disabled, a scroll through our blog shows a lot of proof that we're far from discriminatory against our fellow disabled people - or anyone aside from discriminatory and harmful people (homophobes, racists, transphobes, ableists, maps, terfs, etc.).

[star-spangled-steve]

I have one with Steve, angst w fluff ending, where maybe the reader thinks Steve’s heart still belongs to Peggy do she rather break up with him than hurt herself and he has like zero idea why she is been so cold and avoiding him, but at the end he assures her she is the love of his life.

Masterlist Of My Works

A/N: This is the first headcanon I’ve ever written, so I hope I did justice to the request!

Steve and Y/N were basically the perfect couple.

Always going out on dates together, holding hands, giving each other special little gifts just because. Forever smiling and laughing, kissing, and hugging. Their PDA was through the roof.

To everyone else, there seemed to be no problems between them. Hell, to Steve there was no problems between them.

But Y/N noticed things that he probably didn’t even realize he was doing. Things having to do with the famous Peggy Carter.

When he jumped at any opportunity to talk about her, Y/N noticed. That longing look in his eyes whenever Peggy was mentioned, Y/N noticed. Whenever he always starred at that stupid compass, Y/N noticed.

She tried not to let it get to her. She really did. But after two years dating, two years of feeling second place to an old lady, it really started to hurt.

One day, when she was feeling particularly upset by this, she decided to finally call him out on it.

Y/N had been telling Steve about how the promotion she’d been wanting was instead given to a male co-worker, who had way less qualifications than her.

“So when I went up to my boss afterwards to ask why I didn’t get it, he said that our department needs ‘a strong male leader’ to scare off our competitors. He said it loud enough for everyone else in the room to hear too. It was so embarrassing, Stevie.”

When Y/N was expecting a soft, warm, and comforting response from her boyfriend, she was met with a very unpleasant one instead.

“You know, Peggy would’ve just punched the guy.”

The girl had no clue how to react.

Here she was, almost crying over what had happened at work today, trying to find consolation from her love, and was met with that bullshit reply instead.

“Do you always have to make everything about her?” Y/N asked, now beginning to cry for a different reason.

“Huh?”

“Peggy. You never stop talking about her, Steve. I feel like I’m in a relationship with the both of you, for gosh sake.”

Steve had the audacity to look confused. “What do you mean, N/N? I just made one comment.”

“Ya, one comment today. Then most likely one more tomorrow, and one more the next day, and one more the day after that. You never stop talking about her, Steve.”

“I’m sorry that you feel that wa-”

She stood up from her seat at the kitchen table, now beyond pissed at him. “Don’t make it sound like this is just a ‘me thing’. Every sane person would react the exact same way I am. Maybe even sooner, too. I’ve been silent about this for so long.”

“Silent about what?”

“The fact that you love Peggy more than you love me!”

Steve, now realizing how sensitive this topic was for her, changed his tone completely. “Darling, what are you talking about? You know that’s not true.”

“No.” She sniffled. “No, it is true, Steve. You talk about her so much, read about her so much, look at damn compass, which I know has her face in it, so much. Look, I’m sorry that I’m never going to be as tough as her, or as smart as her, as badass as her, or whatever exactly it was that made you like her so much. I’m sorry that I’m never going to be your precious Peggy Carter.”

Steve now stood up from his seat too, placing his hands on her upper arms to comfort her. “N/N, sweetie, I never wanted you to be Peggy Carter. Ever. I love you for you.”

“Th-Then how come you talk about her so much? You never talk about me that much.”

“Maybe not to you, but I’m sure that you can ask each and every one of my teammates, and they’d be able to tell you your own favourite colour. I’m always bragging about how wonderful my girl is.”

She shook her head. “Steve, you look at her picture almost everyday. For gosh sake, you carry her around with you wherever you go!”

The man pulled the compass out of his pocket, placing it in her own hand. “Open it, doll.”

She sniffled, mentally preparing herself to be met with the mocking face of Peggy, before reluctantly opening it. And what she saw inside baffled her.

“See?” Steve questioned, watching as Y/N covered her mouth in surprise.

Inside of the compass was not an image of the beautiful Peggy Carter, but instead one of Y/N Y/L/N, who Steve thought was even more beautiful.

It was taken while they were at Central Park, early on in their relationship. She was laughing at some cheesy joke that Steve had told her, the ice cream cone in her hand accompanying the ice cream that was smeared on her lips. Y/N had remembered the exact moment, remembered the flash of Steve’s new and fancy phone that he could barely even use, but she’d never actually seen the final picture.

“When did you change the photo?” She asked, looking up into his eyes.

“Actually, this is a new compass that I’ve been taking around. The old one is in a box somewhere in the closet. Dusty. You must not of noticed.” Steve told her, watching her hands toy with the thing. “I still like the feeling of carrying around my girl in my pocket, and no phone wallpaper is going to cut it for me.”

Y/N realized that her not noticing the change was actually very plausible, as she had never really looked inside the compass itself. Her inner sadness just made her assume the worst. It always had.

“Look, baby, I’m sorry that I talk about Peggy a lot. I’m sorry that I read about her a lot and visit her a lot too. She’s just one of the last pieces of my past that I have, and I guess I like reminding myself sometimes.” Steve explained, stroking her cheek with his large and warm palm. “I never meant to make you feel this way, Y/N. And I most certainly don’t love her more than I love you, or love her at all anymore for that matter. You’re the only one, my darling. I swear.”

The girl nodded, a small smile beginning to form on her face at his comforting words.

“Next time you have thoughts like this, sad thoughts, I want you to tell me right away.” He instructed, making Y/N much happier than she was before. She loved when acted all protective of her and her feelings. “No more bottling up your emotions. Okay, baby girl?”

“Okay, Stevie. I won’t.” She told him, being sincere in her response; because honestly, bottling up her emotions was not very fun.

“I love you, Y/N. Alright? Never forget that, sweetheart.”

She nodded again, having complete faith in words, knowing that he really did care about her.

No, that was not the last time Y/N felt insecure about Steve’s feelings toward Peggy Carter, because negative thoughts don’t just disappear like that. She still dwelled on it a bit from time to time, here and there. But what she never did again was keep her emotions from Steve, letting them blow up in his face once there got to be too many. Instead she communicated to him, telling him exactly what bothered her, and he made sure to fix it like the good boyfriend, fiancé, and eventually husband that he was.

Because in the end, nobody in Steve’s heart could ever compete with Y/N Rogers.

Except maybe all of the future little Rogers.

Feedback is always welcome!

Permanent Taglist: @jesseswartzwelder @firecatcher007 @ctrl-alt-jeon @xlanawriter

Tell me if you want to be added!❤️

[ace-oreos]

For prompts, I would like to think that after ventress took off in the ship that had alpha on it, she just kind of left, leaving him on some planet far from the rest of the galaxy. So hes alone, probably injured, and not anywhere close to the GAR or even the separatists. Does he try to get home? Does he just live wherever he is? Whats he thinking now that he's absolutely on his own? Anything with stranded Alpha is 100%

I finally got some inspiration for this one and ran with it, to put it lightly. I’m fairly pleased with how this came out, but I might revisit at some point and rewrite some parts of it.

I’d call this vaguely AU-ish but technically canon compliant.

Please be aware that I have virtually no medical knowledge and more or less came up with it as I went along. But I tried to make it reasonable, so there’s that.

It’s been two years since Alpha-17 has had contact with anyone from the Republic, eighteen months since he took his first steps after the fight with General Grievous, and fifteen since Asajj Ventress dropped him in a backwater town on a planet light-years that’s closer to Wild Space than the Outer Rim.

It’s the sort of town where nobody is anybody and everyone knows someone, about as far from the Republic and the Core as any standard starship can handle. The planet doesn’t even have a name as far as Alpha knows, which suits him fine. 

In fact, it’s so isolated from the rest of the galaxy there is no talk of the war. Folks seem more concerned with getting by than invasion from hostile forces. The town - if it even qualifies as such - has been falling apart since the day it was built, or so its quaint citizens like to claim. People keep to themselves here and don't ask questions, which is just as well. 

All in all, it’s a far cry from the life he’d known. But it’s for the best; the life he’d known and the person he’d been seem stranded behind an impenetrable veil. Most days it doesn’t take much to convince himself there is no way to reclaim what he’s lost. 

(What happened to you? Alpha thinks when restlessness and uncertainty set in despite himself and sleep eludes him.) 

(Uncertainty where there was once conviction, hesitation in place of tenacity, desolation rather than something like hope.)

The sparring matches are hardly anything to brag about - a collection of untrained, undisciplined freighter pilots and merchants who don’t have much else to occupy their time after selling hours - but even now he finds himself unable to stay in one place for long. 

(Stay in motion, keep looking forward, and maybe it will bring him back.) 

It doesn’t take much negotiating to get himself in the ring. His performance would appall even the youngest cadets in Tipoca, but here - a town that doesn’t exist - it’s enough to get him in on the action he sorely missed. 

They don’t know his name. It doesn’t matter, really. For the first time he’s beginning to see who he might be outside of the war. 

(It’s not what Alpha wants for himself, but what choice does he have?)

__________________

His opponent isn’t much older than him, brash and eager to prove himself. He moves in an over exaggerated way that plainly suggests he doesn’t consider Alpha to be much competition.

But Alpha has ample experience in cutting opponents down to size, and as they circle each other, he feels a rush of confidence. It may not come close to taking on a platoon of battle droids or going toe-to-toe with a Gen’Dai bounty hunter, but it’s enough to spark the energy he’s been lacking. 

He lets the kid make the first move. True to his intuition, the first pass is a poorly planned head-on charge that only requires a neat sidestep to avoid. His opponent stumbles past, leaving himself completely open to an attack from behind, but Alpha isn’t in the mood to end this quickly. Now that he’s begun to recover his old spirit, he wants to see how far he can go. 

The kid seems baffled when Alpha doesn’t make a move. It’s clear he’s accustomed to the usual uncoordinated exchange of blows from hotheaded opponents. Alpha doubts he’s ever gone up against a rival with any semblance of proper training, let alone an ARC trooper. 

His opponent makes another valiant attempt to knock him off balance. Alpha shifts his weight without moving his feet and sends the kid to the floor. There’s jeers and calls for him to finish it then and there, but Alpha doesn’t waver. He knows exactly what he’s doing, and no nat-born freighter pilot from the shebs end of the galaxy is going to get in his head. 

The kid has grit if nothing else; he’s pushed himself to his feet again and assumed what passes as a defensive stance. It’s enough of an invitation for Alpha to take the offensive. He doesn’t miss the flash of fear in the kid’s eyes, and it’s with a sense of satisfaction that he plants one foot to lunge towards his adversary - 

But his leg collapses with the motion. Alpha is sent sprawling, palms scuffing the floor in his effort to redirect before he loses his balance entirely. His body refuses to cooperate, and for one terrifying moment he’s unable to push himself to his feet. 

This wasn’t supposed to happen! 

It can’t be much more than a handful of seconds, but a range of emotions sear through him so fast he can hardly distinguish between them. Fear and humiliation overpower the rest, but it’s the overwhelming sense of vulnerability that drives him to his feet. 

Alpha prepares to launch another attack - this will end on his terms one way or another. But the kid knows where he’s weak now and gets behind him, aims for his legs. Alpha whirls, but between that and the jarring kick delivered to his knee, he’s soon on the ground once again. 

Caught between fury - at himself more than his opponent, who had simply recognized his chance and taken it - and disbelief, Alpha doesn’t bother trying for one last strike. 

Wouldn’t Fett be proud, he thinks savagely a while later, gritting his teeth as he cleans the dirt and blood from his arms. One of his own, getting his shebs handed to him light-years away from the Outer Rim. An ARC trooper at his best. 

He’s torn from his thoughts by a man dressed in a ragged flight suit clapping him on the shoulder. “No shame in it,” he says bracingly. “Happens to all of us at some point.” 

Alpha shrugs him off. “To you, maybe.”

They don’t know who he is, and he can’t help thinking it’s a relief after tonight’s disgrace. 

“You’re not half bad,” the man assures. “Just off your game, I’d say.”

“Thanks for the assessment,” Alpha grumbles. 

 The man peers at him. “Skills like that, you must’ve been someone before you wound up here.”

Alpha hesitates before admitting, “I was a soldier for a while.”

“That so? We heard about a war from time to time, but nothing ever reached us here,” the man says thoughtfully. 

Alpha still finds it hard to wrap his mind around that: people going about their lives without any indication that the rest of the galaxy was being torn to shreds. 

“I wouldn’t know,” he mutters. 

He pushes through the door and into the night. The air is heavy with rain here, clinging to his skin and lodging in his throat when he breathes in. Even the lights from ships passing overhead are dimmed by the thick fog that hangs over the town. 

His legs burn the further he walks, but Alpha continues on anyways. He’s not ready for everything to catch up with him just yet. 

Is that what you’re doing, then? Running away? 

He grimaces at the thought. Two years ago the very suggestion would be enough to provoke him; it’s not any less piercing now, but there’s too much truth in it for him to be angry. 

Why are you so afraid? he wants to know. You get hurt once and you’re done? 

(It’s more than that, but Alpha doesn’t have the energy to delve deeper.)

Just let go of the fear. It’s not doing you any favors. 

(If only it was that easy.) ___________________________

It’s an arduous process, but Alpha thinks he might learn to adjust to this new life. 

The medics can only do so much for an injury inflicted by a lightsaber; he’s come to accept that. It’s a blow to his pride, but he’s resolved to make something of the situation. Feeling sorry for himself won’t get him anywhere. 

So he learns to live with the wound, with the loss of independence that comes with it. It’s unlikely he’ll ever see field service again, but a soldier is more than his skills. 

Stranger than his new way of life is the presence of Asajj Ventress.

He doesn’t trust her - can never trust her, not after Rattatak - but she seemed sincere in her renouncement of the Dark Side of the Force. She leaves him to his devices for the most part; whether it’s an effort to put him at ease or unconscious avoidance, he can’t say for sure. 

But it’s a small ship. When they do cross paths, there’s little conversation between them. Alpha hasn’t discounted her as a threat, and she knows it. So he’s taken aback when she approaches him one day. 

He meets her gaze squarely, not bothering to conceal the knife on his belt. He may not be fully recovered from his ill-fated fight with General Grievous, but he can still take down an enemy in a number of ways.

“You’re looking better,” she says, watching him carefully. 

He won’t let her go that easily. “Time was you’d have slit my throat if it served your purposes.”

“That was a different time.” She looks away, and an expression he can’t quite decipher crosses her face. “I was a different person.”

“No, you weren’t. But the circumstances were different,” Alpha allows. 

She lapses into silence. Then she takes a deep breath. “You know I can heal you.”

It’s Alpha’s turn to look away. “I don’t need your help.”

She moves as if to put a hand on his arm but pulls back before she brushes his skin. “Let me try.” _____________________

Alpha jolts awake in a cold sweat. The image of Grievous towering over him, lightsabers poised to strike, fades as he tries to steady his breath. 

He pushes himself up with a sigh. He’s woken from such dreams too often lately to be optimistic about falling asleep again. 

Alpha straps a knife to his hip and makes his way outside to resume his earlier wanderings. It can’t be much later than 0300; the streets are empty, and even the incoming freight traffic has slowed.

He chooses a route out of the town. The area is surrounded by a range of low-rising mountains, so he sets his sight on the nearest peak. It won’t be easy on a half-healed body, but maybe that will be enough to distract him from his thoughts for a while.

The sun has risen by the time he reaches the summit. The town looks impossibly small from here - it would be swallowed by the likes of Coruscant or Tipoca City. He suspects even the smallest outposts on Mandalore are livelier. 

I can’t stay.

It’s no good letting himself drift further and further away from the Republic. He serves no purpose here; even if the Republic is rotting from the inside out, he belongs with his brothers. 

I’ll find a way back.

Alpha gazes out at the town, and for the first time he feels a glimmer of hope. Getting out of here won’t be an easy task, but he has a goal now. And although he can’t say for sure what awaits him, he's determined to meet it. 

Adapt and overcome.

Cin vhetin.