#i will come back to this... maybe.... hopefully

[heal-the-ashes]

I feel like Hershel and Desmond would both be afraid of themselves.

If they stop and look at themselves. If they realize what they're doing came from years of pain. Would it all lead to a question of "Who else am I going to hurt?" "How many people have I unintentionally hurt because I never realized what I was really doing?" "How many things of my life have I missed because of this?" "How many things do I—or will I—regret?"

I feel like Layton self-sacrifices to a fault. That others get hurt trying to protect him. That he unknowingly drags other people through pain to get to where he thinks he needs to go. To solve every mystery there is. To get rid of his pain from outside sources, he needs to make as much of it himself under the titles "Determination" and "Amazing at solving things" and "Helping others" because then, how could those things ever hurt him? How could they ever be seen as pain? They're not like his (other) traumas. They don't cause pain at all. Not to mention what he thinks about danger. Danger? What danger? There's no danger here. Just people who are willing to hurt others to get what they want—Which is very sad and shows their pain and he'd very much like to help them in any way possible, if possible. If they show that they don't want to be helped, then it's better to leave them be.

But then again, nothing can ever be someone's fault other than his around him. I think he goes over betrayals thinking, "There must have been something I could have done." or "There must've been something I did." or "If I learn from this, I can make sure it never happens again." or... ... I think he has a hard time accepting that things really aren't his fault / there's really nothing he can do about some situations. Actually, when it comes time for Unwound Future and the whole Evil Layton arc... The only time in which he actually raises his voice is at himself. Is at the version of him that betrayed all of the morals in which he's held onto for so long. But a part of me thinks that, if he knew things were actually his fault, he'd have a problem with that, too... I mean, look at how he reacts to him getting puzzle answers incorrect in CV. In CV. In the 4th game of experience that he's had with puzzles. And a movie. With all that experience and he gets something wrong... he's disappointed in himself. Going back to the UF/LF thing... "I demand an explanation!!" I don't think I'll ever forget that line. I think, from his journal... We know he was trying to think of reasons why he would do something like this. Idk. I'm. Thoughts are not thinking anymore. Um. Wow I really lost my thought process. I was also gonna talk about Desmond. But I guess that's not happening at the moment.

[mayakern]

If you don't mind sharing, what happened to vanetta's ex Edmund and his new saintess gf?

oh boy, so, a LOT has happened here so BUCKLE UP.

(and here’s a picture of vanetta for context for the maybe 2 other ppl who will read this huge post, which i have tried to summarize)

TLDR: after vanetta “died” and was yeeted into time travel, edmund died and charlotte saved the world. but edmund got brought back… and he came back wrong.

but the full story is so much weirder than that:

the core conceit of this game is that we are time (and place) hopping every time the party levels up, and mostly this is pretty normal—someone who’s from an ancient time visits a future date and finds out their country no longer exists, someone from the future goes to an earlier time and is shocked by the severely lacking technology, etc etc

except for vanetta, who is not from the past or future. she is from a book series. and she has JUST discovered this.

our most recent time hop has taken us to a dystopian capitalist future that takes place in a big mall in outer space (think a combination of tron, zenon: girl of the 21st century, wall-e and other similar media), where our wizard comes from.

and as soon as we materialize there, vanetta is recognized as a “really high quality and authentic cosplayer” of, well. herself. the book series she is from (the briar path) is popular on a level that basically combines twilight, harry potter and the bible all in one. it is fantastically popular, but also pretty old, and also is continually getting remakes and re-releases and right now they are currently making a manga adaptation of it. and it has a very active fanbase that writes a lot of fan fiction. this is, somehow, incredibly plot relevant.

an npc shows vanetta the comic, which currently i think covers 2 of the books in the series, and it shows her being depicted as basically your typical shallow, unsympathetic villainess character. and it depicts her death: the moment when, on the ramparts of the palace she was meant to preside over, she is faced with an angry mob seeking her death on one side and the crown prince (edmund, her former fiance) and charlotte (the saintess, his new woman, who in the fiction of the book was isekai’d into the world of the briar path) on the other side. vanetta climbs onto the rampart and makes a big impassioned speech (aka a villain monologue) about how pathetic and horrible they all are and when charlotte makes a swipe at her, vanetta chooses to let it unbalance her, forcing charlotte to live on with the guilt of her death.

only, the real vanetta doesn’t die. she gets yeeted out of time and space with three other time travelers. and our story continues

anyway, back to present day, the manga adaptation has just reached the part of the series where edmund dies—something vanetta did not know about. but just because he died in the book doesn’t mean he died in real life.

see, edmund had some pretty devoted fans. and one of them, who thought edmund was robbed by the narrative, got into some ancient, evil magics and combining this with the immense power of FAN FICTION, he tried to bring edmund out of the novel and into real life, and in the process ended up fusing with him and also with a force called The Hunger, a roiling miasma of despair that was the ultimate evil in the novels.

and so they all fused together and became a new thing. a god. in fact, our yuan-ti paladin’s snake god. who uhh subjugates and eats all non-snake people. the creation of this god also uhh was a huge cataclysm that basically started the earth apocalypse that lead to everyone ending up in the sky.

vanetta has JUST managed to secure annotated copies of the entire series that include academic commentaries and notes on historical context and the first chance she gets she is reading them so hopefully i’ll get more info soon lol

[bloodfiendarling]

𝓹𝓮𝓷𝓽 𝓾𝓹

— ( do note this ask was sent before my rules post was out but ill let it pass bcz it doesnt break any rules )

ah hello ! !! this is the first time im writing for jingyuan sama ..! hopefully its to your liking anon .. <:D tho i did self indulge a lil much on this ... hopefully you still like it x_x

also , yes .! i love ryona . i dig it a lot .. please dont b scared to req anything with dark themes .. i will be cheering you on !

pair — reader x jing yuan

wc — ~1k

contains — sub bottom char, dom top reader, established relationship, gn reader, possessive reader, jealousy, (false) cheating suspicions, reader is kinda fucked up in the head, size difference (smaller reader), thigh humping, dry humping, reader is pretty forceful

you couldn’t stand it.

the way he would ignore you sometimes, when you two just wouldn’t be able to have some pda for the sake of his reputation. it pissed you off.

you want to love him! show him off, maybe. hug him, kiss him, hold his hand.. all in public. but you can’t — because he has a reputation to uphold here. and what made you more mad is the fact you’d hear your own colleagues talk about him. how they want to get with him.

what pissed you off the most about today, though? you heard someone spreading rumors. dating rumors. not between you and jing yuan, no. (you would’ve appreciated that, really) it was between him and some other woman — one that he’s been working with for a good while.

you clicked your tongue, entering his office. even just from your face it was obvious you were in a horrible mood.

“oh?” he started, with that usual lazy smile of his — “my dear, something on your mind?”

he shifted in his seat, adjusting himself so you could sit yourself beside him — which, you do — letting out a tired sigh. “rumours about you again, love.” you respond.

“mm, it’s the one with that woman, i assume?”

you click your tongue again. just hearing anything related to her set you off — c’mon, now.. it’s not like they’re actually together.. your dearest would never, ever betray you in such a way.

but you see the way that woman was — how she was smiling and all. laughing those rumors off, all while clearly enjoying the attention she got. it disgusts you. it worsens your mood more and more as you thought about it.

the general could sense your frustration — almost as if he read your mind. his expression softened a little bit, this time looking at you. watching you biting on your nail, whilst the other hand was balled into a fist, resting on your thigh.

“hey,” you looked back at him. the frustration was clear in your eyes. even you, yourself didn’t get it. what were you so angry about…? you can’t help but take it out on him. “you love me, right, jing yuan?”

“of course I do.” he replies — it’s short. it’s obvious. but in your messed up little head, it felt like nothing but a lie.

“prove it.”

“wha–?”

“prove it, i said.” you lean into him, a hand against his stomach. the gold part of his belt felt cool against your palm. for a second, it gives you shivers.

“here..?” the general’s voice was filled with uncertainty. “the door is still unlo–”

“that doesn’t matter.” you interrupt, “they’re not allowed to come in, right? locked or not. just tell them to leave if someone knocks. simple.”

jing yuan gulped down, eyeing the door once more before giving in — fumbling with his belt. slowly but surely getting that corset-like piece of armor loose and discarding it completely.

he’s so obedient whenever you were mad…

“c’mere.” you pat on your thigh, inviting him to sit on it — he does, obeying you. you were upset, he didn’t want your mood to go even lower. though, due to jing yuan being bigger than you, he was quite hesitant on putting his entire weight — he knows he’s quite heavy.. but you insist he sits down properly.

he felt shy all of a sudden — putting his hands on your shoulders, nuzzling his face into your neck. you didn’t know if this shyness was a result of the position, or the fact the door was very much unlocked — maybe both.

you had a hand on his lower back, as if inviting for the white-haired general — your free hand decided to run through his hair. it’s so soft… how could you not?

jing yuan lets out a whimper, hips moving on his own. slowly but surely running them up and down your thigh. his own legs shaking. you slip your hand into the side of his pants — feeling around his waist. he jolts at your cold hands, letting out a small gasp. those hands of yours continue to trace through his body, feeling his breath grow a little faster. feeling all over his back, his hips, his waist, him. just him.

you wanted to escalate this, though, you heard something. something he feared. a knock at the door.

“jing yuan, sir?”

a voice is heard, calling to the general. you could clearly hear his breath hitch. “a– ah.. who—nnh–!”

those hands of yours continued to tease him. featherlight touches all over his body, teasing him by slipping your hands into his pants every now and then — watching your darling general explain why the person couldn’t come in — stuttering on his words, trying to reason with them..

you felt mean today. you were in a shitty mood, after all.

he lets out a sigh of release when they finally decide to go — whoever that was leaving his office alone for another time. finally, he gets to calm down.

“i love you.” you whisper into his ear suddenly, “you love me too, right? you wouldn’t go for that woman, right? right?”

why did you doubt him, even?

you don’t know, nor did you care. all you wanted to hear was an ‘i love you, too’ from the general.. your general.

his weight was kind of crushing you.. but you didn’t mind it much. you pressed a kiss onto his neck, sucking into it to form a hickey. then another… and another. it didn’t take too long for his entire neck to be covered by them. you loved it.. marking him up as yours (as if wasn’t already..)

“m’gonna–” his grinding was growing a bit more desperate — damn, already?

“go on. show me how much you love me.” — those words made him whimper, closing his eyes. you pulled on his hair, yanking his head so jing yuan was looking at you — grabbing his face with one of your hands and inviting him into a messy kiss — tongue being forcefully shoved into his mouth.

“i love you, i love you, i love you.. mmMH—!” he said between eager gasps, feeling his orgasm washing over him. you could, too — that warm feeling on your thigh.

he wraps his big arms around you, moans being muffled by the kiss. he just couldn’t get enough, can he? he wouldn’t even care anymore if someone came in and saw him this way. neither did you. at least they’d know you were his.

“i love you, darling. please ruin me..”

hsr masterlist ♥︎

[robo-writing]

Hi robo! I had an awful birthday yesterday and I was wondering if you could write some cute birthday fluff with reader x logan? 🥹 Like maybe she has a rly bad day where things don’t go as planned but Logan gives her a little cake or something and they spend the night together because he wants to make it better for her 🥹 ik it’s a big request so no pressure! 🫶

I’m sorry about your birthday anon, hopefully the rest of your week is better!

Thinking about how your day went almost makes you want to laugh, but not in a funny way; more like a “how the hell can it get worse” kind of way.

By the time you get home your feet are dragging across the floor. Trains acting up, bitchy manager—hell, even your local lunch spot ran out of your favorite order. So much for a happy birthday. The past 24 hours have been such a drain on you mentally that you don’t register Logan’s voice when you walk inside.

Your minds a mess, a metaphorical cloud hanging over your head as you side-step him, immediately walking to your bedroom. You hear him call your name from behind, but it doesn’t really matter, does it? More than anything, you want to lie down and just sleep.

You strip yourself haphazardly, not really caring that your clothes pile up on the floor, before falling face first onto your mattress. Maybe a nap will help you forget.

“Sweetheart?” Logan calls, and you’re guessing that he’s standing by the door because you don’t hear his footsteps come closer. The worry is evident in his voice, and as much as you hate to make him worry you really can’t find it in yourself to speak right now.

“You alright?” He says, and you groan in response.

“Okay, not alright then,” he hums, and finally sits himself beside you. “Talk to me.”

It takes you a while to muster up the words, but he’s patient with you, a luxury you can’t say he affords anyone else. “Had a bad day is all.”

“Sounds like more than just a bad day.”

“…had a bad birthday.”

“Ahh, there it is,” he sighs, putting a hand against your back. “Explains why you never noticed my present.”

You turn your head to him, looking up curiously. “Present?”

Logan nods his head in return. “Mhm. Decorated the whole living room for you. Looks like a clown threw up in there.”

The faintest smile graces your face, tinged with guilt at how callous you’ve been. You know how Logan struggles with emotion, and having you ignore his efforts probably felt like a slap to the face.

You reach your hand out, letting your fingers drum against his. “I’m sorry Lo’, didn’t mean it.”

“Got nothin’ to be sorry about,” he answers, kissing the top of your head. “When you feel better, we can go downstairs and give you a real birthday celebration, okay?”

[nightlyrequiem]

Valeria Garza X reader mutual masturbation 👀 maybe it turns into the reader and Valeria scissoring really hard with one another until they squirt idkkkk

Hiding behind anon because im a pussy LMAOAOAO (I am over the age of 18 though ^^ /gen)

You're so real for this, anon. (I'd also hide behind Anon, can't be caught lacking.)

I did some research for this one (Thank you twitter.) I've wrote smut before but there's only so much I can do when I've never experienced it myself #maidenlessloser

Hopefully that means the scissoring part was written well.

Tags/Warning: Pure Filthy Smut, Mutual Masturbation, Scissoring, Squirting, No Plot At All, LESBIAN SEX!!!!

Quid Pro Quo

'You owe me.' those were the words muttered after Valeria lent you money to pay off your debt to different loan sharks. You didn't ask her for the money and you're not sure how she knew about your debt. You were hesitant in accepting her money because then you're just in debt to her. The loan sharks were starting to get inpatient and that was a health hazard. You thought she'd ask you to pay her back or do a bunch of neck breaking tasks. That's not what she wanted.

"What?" You ask, wondering if you heard her right. She stares at you from under hooded eyes across from you. Leaning back in her chair with her legs spread.

"I said, I want you to touch yourself for me." She enunciates slowly, like she thinks you're stupid.

Your face heats. "Like masturbation?" You ask carefully.

Valeria rolls her eyes, ringed fingers tapping the wooden table impatiently. "Is there another way to interpret 'I want you to touch yourself for me' that I am not aware of?"

You sit stiffly with your hands politely folded in your lap.

"You want me to masturbate in front of you."

"Yes." She says with exasperation.

You furrow your brows at her, trying to come up with a reason as to why she'd want that. Your mind blanks. "Why?"

Valeria leans forward, eyes locked on yours. "Because I want you humiliated and leaking all over my desk."

Her words are brash and to the point. Sending heat across your face and to your lower regions.

"Right now?" You ask quietly. Looking around. The door behind you is closed but not locked. You picture yourself with your fingers deep inside of you, Valeria sitting there still as a statue, and someone barging in.

"Yes, now." Valeria says. "Take off your pants."

"... Will you kill me if I refuse?" You ask nervosuly.

Valeria's lips curl in disgust. "Killing someone for rejecting my advances is beneath me. I'll just have you fired."

That's not very ideal either but it does give you a choice. 

Do you really care about your job enough to degrade yourself like this? You let your eyes wander over her toned and tattooed forearms, over the swell of her chest under that gray tank top. She's an evil bitch. An evil bitch coercing you into doing a sexual favour for her. It feels erotic in nature, as much as you hate to feel that way. Were you not attracted to her you'd say no and look for another job. 

"Well?" Valeria raises a brow.

"Okay." You mutter reluctantly. Valeria's lips curl into a small smirk. She gestures for you to take a seat on her desk.

You hesitate before climbing up onto your knees and sitting. You wait for further instruction, but Valeria just stubbornly stares at you. You sigh and lean back, fumbling with your pants before sliding them off, not bothering to make it look nice. You're already giving her a show after all. You let them fall to the ground and begin to work on your underwear next.

"Slower." Valeria barks.

you swallow back an angry reply, slowing your movements. You peel your panties away from your body, embarrassed by the way they stick to your folds. You're surprised by how wet you already are. And a little ashamed.

You carefully set down your panties next you and spread your legs. Too aware of how visible you are. You feel a twinge of insecurity. You've had partners in the past, but not once have you been this exposed or scrutinized. You slowly trail your hand over your stomach. Slowly you push your fingers through your wet folds, gathering up slick onto your fingers. You prod around your entrance before rubbing circles around your clit.

Valeria makes no noise. Just sits there and watches. Honestly, her insulting you would make this experience less uncomfortable than her stony silence. You rub a little harder, hitting an angle that makes you arch your back with a gasp. Your fingers trail down once more, and you slip one inside of you experimentally. It slides in with ease and you slowly pump it inside of you.

Rusling fabric reaches your ears, and you tilt your head to see what it is. Just in time to watch Valeria discard her pants. You go still when you see her slip her hand beneath the elastic band of her panties. She meets your gaze with a scowl.

"I didn't say you could stop."

Quickly you resume. Valeria's heavy breathing sends heat through you, making your walls flutter with excitement. You moan a little louder, exaggerating it just a little for her. You buck against your own hand after adding a second finger. Sqeezing and pulling them deeper into your wetness.

Valeria matches your pace. Swiftly pounding into her cunt with her own fingers. Soaking her panties and the chair from the sight of you spread open on her desk. She can see the cloudy liquid of your arousal leaking around your fingers. Slowly dripping down onto the desk and collecting into a small puddle.

she curls her fingers, seeking that spot inside of her that makes her vision blur. Your moaning makes her inner walls pulse. Throbbing out with need. She stops, unable to take it anymore. Valeria wasn't planning on touching you, but she can't control herself. She stands and grabs you, forcing you onto your stomach. You blink in surprise, hand retreating from your pussy. She clumsily peels off her underwear and lifts one of your legs onto the desk, taking in the sight of your raw, puffy cunt.

Without hesitating she slots herself against you, sliding her folds into yours roughly. You gasp and whine, not complaining at all about the turn of events. This wasn't a part of the deal, but you don't care. Not while she's grinding into you and moaning in your ear. Her pace is fast and rough. Her hands grip onto your hips, aiding in her task. Your pussy throbs and weeps. Thick arousal leaking from you and dripping down your thigh, wetting her mound. she slams herself into you, grunting and panting. The loud slap of skin on skin almost drowns her out. Valeria reaches up and squeezes her breast painfully, adding to the stimulation. Something inside of you snaps. The pleasure and sensation becoming too much. You feel wetness rushing out of you. Each pulse sending more of it to the ground. You hear it audibly splash.

Valeria groans. Feeling it hit her legs. She trembles and sobs, feeling her own dam break. she doesn't stop or slow as she releases. Liquid squirts from her hole, soaking her legs and the floor, accumulates in her folds. she's left recklessly humping on you while the both of you cum. Making a mixed mess of arousal. Her legs shake and she finally falls still. Leaning on top of you, crushing you to the desk. Both you and Valeria can smell the aftermath. Covering your legs and the floor. Her warm breath hits your shoulder blade as the both of you catch your breath. She slowly pulls off you, the space between her thighs wet and slippery.

Your ass is left hanging off the desk, the consequences of your copulation running down your legs. She spreads you, watching your empty hole glisten and flutter.

"Consider your debt repaid." She says.

Your leg twitches. You're too fucked out to form a response. you think you may need to borrow money from her again sometime soon.

[thesummerstorms]

You know that conversation you can have with Emmrich where he asks what your plans are for your body when you die?

I think Arsinoë accidentally horrified him. Not by clinging to non-Nevarran ideals about cremation, but by telling him she never thought anyone would care that much one way or the other.

She would be dead, so she wouldn't care. And honestly, a majority of compradi die as Fledglings without graduating; she thinks their bodies were probably burned (since you have to do something with bodies) but they certainly don't have funerals, so it certainly wasn't worth worrying about then.

Emmrich interjects, trying to wrangle his own shock long enough to point out that she's not a Fledgling now, so surely...?

Well if she dies now, Arsinoë all but shrugs, it would depend on the circumstances, wouldn't it? She isn't someone important like a Talon or the scion of an established Crow family. She certainly isn't Caterina Dellamorte, who warrants something verging on a State Funeral.

If she died, there is still a non-zero chance it would be at another Crow's hands, in which case it's anyone's guess what happens after.

If she dies honorably fulfilling a contract, then Viago might feel obligated to do something if he isn't pissed off at her failure and she's isn't still in Exile. He's her mentor, so probably he would manage at least a small pyre. Maybe even a flower or two for the flames if he's letting himself feel sentimental. Teia would probably be there because Viago was.

But just as often, when a contract goes wrong, there's no time to go back for the body. The mark get ahold of it, or whoever's left on the contract has to focus on survival rather than the dignity of a corpse that can't feel any of it.

But really, none of that would matter to Arsinoë, would it? She'd be off wherever dead souls end up going, or maybe in oblivion, who knows. She doesn't have any family to be horrified by her corpse unless you count Viago, who is Fifth Talon, has bigger things to worry about, and will get over it.

But anyway, why do you ask, Emmrich?

Emmrich is too aghast to answer clearly at that point because every single point of Arsinoë's answer goes so deeply against everything that is ingrained in him as part of the Mourn Watch, from the belief that a corpse just doesn't matter to her sincere belief that no one would care enough about her for any particular mourning rights.

And the thing is Emmrich does care. It's his professional duty to care, but he's also become fond of his young friend and he cannot handle imagining that she could die on this mission or the next and potentially receive no rites at all.

Cue Emmrich starting to plan how he's going to have Rook interred in the Grand Necropolis when the time comes. It may involve some string pulling, especially if (hopefully) she dies not on this mission but in the distant future, and even more so if he precedes her and has to leave the job in one of his colleague's hands. But Maker help him, there will be a plan and her death will be respected.

When it comes to light, Neve is uncertain and a little weirded out, but also a little offended by all this. She's fallen in love with Rook, but even before that, the respect between them would have warranted a pyre and Arsinoë's name on the Wall of Light if there was no one else to arrange things. Is this why she's never asked about what happened after Varric-

Lucanis is horrified by the idea of Arsinoë as one of the spirit-possessed skeletons in the Necropolis or one of the jewel-eyed skulls in its many niches; he snaps at Emmrich about Nevarran obsession and respecting Rook as Antivan.

Emmrich refuses to budge. She expected the Crows to do nothing for her. She deserves better, deserves to be remembered, even if she isn't Nevarran.

Lucanis seems fully stunned by the idea that Rook believed this in the first place, given Viago's attachment. Given Lucanis's own growing feelings. Emmrich does soften a little bit when he sees that Lucanis truly didn't realize, but he also doesn't fully divert his plans.

Gathering a grave-dowry is normally left to a lover or family member if the deceased was themselves unable, and Emmrich is neither. But needs must, and though his friend now seems attached to Neve and Lucanis, hearts can be fickle. A plan is better. So he puts away small things here or there, eyes which of Rook's enchanted rings and amulets she seems to favor just in case.

It almost helps him live with the knowledge that Arsinoë believed she would die unmourned. Almost.

[cloudedmoonofficial]

Grey was ready.

He stood by while Rainfall finished her other announcements… he saw right through her and he couldn't wait to get big and become a Ranger. She would never choose him as an Envoy, he knew that. No, Grey would have to take a different path to remove the cruel Captain, be it Herbalism or just all out rebellion! But he had to learn first, he needed to complete field training. His conviction set fire to his heart, but he kept it well hidden from anyone who looked too close. He wasn't sure who he could trust yet.

It was a miracle any of them had finished base training! His friend, Tiger, had paid the ultimate price at less than three months of age, swept away by the river, at Rainfall's order. It wasn't fair! Grey could see the sorrow on Lily's face as she sat next to him, waiting to be assigned to a teacher, same as Grey. Tiger was Lily's sibling and all the young cats in the colony still missed him… They missed a lot of cats, so many had disappeared lately…

Many cats in River Colony whispered behind Grey's back that he was the son of a renegade, but he knew better. It was so long ago, but his mother would never have left him on purpose, that had to be Rainfall's doing, and Iceclaw… he held back a snarl, realizing that Rainfall had already assigned Lily and Ivy was next.

“--teach her loyalty and obedience!” Rainfall sneered before her gaze landed on Ivy, “Silverblaze, you will train Ivy. Make sure to train her to follow orders well, those long legs will make her a good scout.” 

“Yes, Captain!” Silverblaze nodded before turning around to greet Piketail, Ivy's aunt, as she ruffled Ivy's fur and congratulated her on reaching the next step of training. Piketail was one that Grey might be able to talk to… maybe…

“Grey.” Rainfall's ice cold gaze fell on him finally, “I can only think of one cat to match your weak will.” she seemed to goad him, but he didn't falter, not even as he heard some snickers behind him. ‘Don't let ‘em get to ya’ Rockyshore had told him, ‘Let it all roll off you like water.’ “Wolfthorn, how would you like to actually pull your weight in this Colony, hm? I'm sick of you freeloading, so you will train Grey. That is all. Dismissed!” she finished, her eyes still trained on Wolfthorn.

“Sure, Rainfall,” Wolfthorn's smooth voice answered, “I'm sure that decision won't come back to bite you.” He shrugged with a smirk. Several cats gasped, no one dared talk back to their Captain, but Grey had witnessed Wolfthorn do it on more than one occasion since he had entered the colony. Apparently he was born here too, but he left on a long journey before returning. Rainfall had just… let him come back. 

“It had better not.” Iceclaw growled a threat. It made Grey's neck fur stand on end, but Wolfthorn didn't seem put off by Iceclaw at all. Why? Grey knew there was more to that story, there had to be, and he was going to uncover it! He could barely hide how excited he was to be assigned to Wolfthorn, of all cats! The Spirits might have been on his side after all!

Grey looked back at the silver striped tomcat with an eager smile, ignoring the flashes of pity in many cats’ eyes. They certainly didn't think his assignment was a good thing, and he would pretend to be unaware of why; he would continue his act of naivety until he had Wolfthorn alone. He had to be careful about it if he was to succeed. 

There would be no harder working new-claw than Grey, Wolfthorn wouldn't even need to try very hard to train him. He would practice his stances, his tactics and his strikes until they were flawless. And one day he would be good enough to beat Iceclaw. Hopefully he could get Lily on his side too, and Talon, Ivy and Falcon! 

Wolfthorn blinked at him and then turned away, walking toward the west shore of their island base. Grey hurried after him, following across the stepping stones and through the mangrove tendrils. They didn't stop until they had reached the Rainbow Trees, the huge eucalyptus trunks towered above them, reaching for the sky. Grey bounced into a trot as he realized they were the only cats here. What should he ask first?

Wolfthorn stopped abruptly, turned and sat down, his striped tail flicking from side to side and his eyes narrowing, “What’s your story?” Wolfthorn asked before Grey could speak, “You're not as naive as you let them believe.”

“...No.” Grey's heart jumped into his throat, should he really trust Wolfthorn? His idealistic plan started to sound stupid suddenly, he didn't know what to say, “I--well, I just…” he cleared his throat and trailed off, shuffling his paws nervously. 

“Relax.” Wolfthorn smirked and rolled his eyes, “I'm not going to bite you. Obviously, you are aware that Rainfall isn't my biggest fan, so I'm sorry she made me your teacher, I don't know why, and I'm not exactly a good one.” 

“That’s okay!” Grey blurted out, “I can already do a lot! I've been practicing!” he launched into his best leap and roll technique before bouncing over Wolfthorn’s back, swatting him gently and then leaping back in front of him, a huge smile on Grey's face as he finished.

Wolfthorn chuckled, “Look, kid, you don't have to impress me. Mine is an opinion no one cares about.”

“I do! I think you might be what I need to save the colony!” Grey almost looked like a kitten again, huge yellow moon-eyes gleaming.

“You're really into this, aren't you?” Wolfthorn raised an eyebrow. He seemed caught off guard, but also a bit amused. “Save them from what? ‘River Colony is the best colony in the Alliance’ after all.” he echoed Rainfall, fishing for an answer that suited him. 

The last thing Wolfthorn expected was to hear Grey out himself for treason, but that is what happened: Grey's face turned serious as he prepared to speak. This was it, if he couldn't trust Wolfthorn, all hope was lost anyway, “Save them from Rainfall! She got Tiger killed. My mother is missing… several cats are. Piketail tells us about them, she says not to talk about it though… you never know who's watching…” 

“So, you're a little traitor huh?” Wolfthorn laughed in Grey's face, after a moment, Wolfthorn tilted his head to the side, “I suppose I underestimated you. Kittens don't normally have such resolute opinions.”

“I'm not a kitten anymore, I'm six months.” Grey stood tall and Wolfthorn realized how large he was, almost as large as any adult really, “And yeah, I am a traitor! Are you going to report me?” Grey's demeanor was more challenging than anything, “Someone has to do something or more cats are going to get hurt.”

It almost gave Wolfthorn hope… hope for the colony he knew as a kitten: safety and pride in their work. He sighed, “I suppose kittens are forced to grow fast in River Colony now… No, I'm not going to report you, but keep all that to yourself.” Both toms relaxed a bit, “I suppose you've noticed that my relationship with our Captain is a bit different, hm? Well, don't test it for yourself, alright? Your job is to become a Ranger right now, you'll be playing the long game.”

“So, you do have a plan? I knew it!” Grey's ears stood on end as he prepared to listen

“Not really…” Wolfthorn answered and Grey's excitement melted, “I don't really do… hard things anymore.” He yawned.

Grey's brow furrowed, “But, all we need is a few more cats on our side! You could lead–”

“I'm no leader.” Wolfthorn interrupted his new ward, who drooped a bit in disappointment. It hurt Wolfthorn's heart to see Grey's conviction shatter… Who was he to tell this new-claw that his idea of justice wasn't tenable? Not wanting to completely break this young cat's confidence, Wolfthorn caught Grey's gaze and said, “But I know who could be.” He supposed he was about to do a ‘hard thing’ after all.

The new-claw smiled with determination, but kept his mouth shut, waiting to be let down again perhaps? Or maybe just waiting for instruction.

“You are just a naive little kitten, yeah?” Wolfthorn raised an eyebrow. Grey smiled eagerly and nodded enthusiastically, “You would never dream of betraying Rainfall and I'm quite annoyed that she has you following me around.” Wolfthorn smirked as he got their story straight, “You're too dumb to see me do anything treasonous though.” Grey nodded again, laughing at the continued charade.

“I'm ready.” Grey said.

“I guess I am too.” Wolfthorn shrugged. He wasn't sure why he came back to River Colony, but he never expected to meet a cat like Grey. He supposed his shadow must have guided him home for this. Was he really the only cat for the job? He hoped not. Time to find out.

-Art by Snap

[4only1]

Could you please write Gitae obsessing over Jake's gf? Him getting jealous when he got to know that reader was dating Jake and when he tried to pursue her she had no intention of betraying Jake. This made him more determined to make her his and Jake hating his brother more. Thanks!!!

Trouble

Gitae Kim x Reader (Also technically x Jake Kim but barely) Word Count: 943 Masterlist -----------------------

Peace had finally returned to Big Deal. After the recent events, Big Deal was finally proven innocent, allowing the gang to return to the street. It made you happy that now you technically, weren’t dating a wanted man anymore.

You had been sweeping, when a large shadow had overcast you. Looking up, you are greeted with the sight of a very tall man. You couldn't recognize him, so he clearly wasn’t part of Big Deal. His words only confirmed your suspicions. 

“Hello, I’m looking for someone, can you help me? Where is Big Deal’s Number 1, Jake Kim?”

His voice was smooth, but still kept you on edge. You didn’t want to tell the man where Jake was, he sounded like bad news. Swallowing your nerves, you spoke.

“Oh Jake, I’m not quite sure, but he isn’t here at the moment.” 

It took a lot of energy to keep your voice steady, but it still wavered a bit. The man in front of you leaned closer, causing you to take a step back, clinging onto your broom tighter. He examined you, closely, seeming to like what he was seeing. 

He moved closer, again, causing you to take a step back. This pattern continued until your back met a wall. The man reached an arm above your head, effectively caging you in.

“Now I came here to see my brother, but I found something much tastier. What’s your name?” 

Brother? The gears in your head worked quickly to deduce that this man was in fact, Jake’s older half brother, Gitae Kim. What did he want with Jake, and why did he have to come after everything had just settled down.

“I’m not a fan of repeating myself, so I'll ask once more. What is your name?” He leaned in closer, his face right in front of yours. You didn’t really have a choice, knowing it would get ugly if you continued to refuse.

“(Y/n) (L/n). Why are you here?”

Since you told him your name, you felt you had the right to ask him a question. Maybe he was feeling friendlier than he looked and would answer. And he did, although whether it was due to him feeling kind or taking a liking to you was up to debate.

“I told you, I’m looking for Jake Kim. You said he isn’t here, so why don’t you keep me company until he is.”

Worry began filling you. You didn’t particularly trust this man. At all! His intentions with Jake were obviously bad and he clearly was playing with you right now. You needed to stay strong, and hopefully, get Gitae to leave.

"Jake won't be back for a while, so don't waste your time here."

"Now, now, no need to get upset with me. I was just asking a question. I can't help but wanna hang around a girl as pretty as you. I approched you for a reason."

He spoke with not a care in the world. It was as if he knew that whatever he wanted to happen, would happen. You tensed as he moved, his hand coming up from his side towards you cheek.

Thankfully, the tension was interrupted when someone grabbed Gitae’s wrist, pulling it away from you.

“Now, now, harassing girl’s is no way to get a date. I can give you some pointers if you want some romantic advice.” Sinu had appeared.

You breathed a sigh of relief, as Sinu’s appearance allows you to slip away from Gitae. You moved yourself to hide a few steps behind Sinu, out of harm’s way, but in reach if needed.

The conversation between the two men was a blur to you. All you could think about was what this man wanted to do to Jake. As the two men clashed, you took a few more steps back, until a kick to Gitae’s face caused him to look at you. No, he actually looked past you.

Following the gaze, you let out a sigh of relief as Jake’s figure appeared. You moved quickly, hugging yourself around Jake’s arm, who reacted in confusion.

“(Y/n), what are you doing? Not that I don’t mind, but can someone tell me what is going on here.” 

Just as Jake spoke, his brother’s arms wrapped around both of you, hugging you tightly. Gitae’s arm squished you between him and Jake, making it a bit hard to breath. He spoke, but you zoned out, too focused on the feeling of his muscular arm squeezing you.

Gitae removed his arm from Jake’s shoulders but kept it over yours. He took a step back, dragging you with him, being quite happy that you weren’t putting up much of a fight. He couldn’t help but admire you, despite not fighting back against him, you didn’t let yourself look weak.

Jake, getting angry at Gitae’s hold, moved, pushing his brother’s arm off, and pulling you behind him. You peaked out, finally paying attention to the conversation.

“I don’t care that you're my brother. You come here, asking about Gapryong Kim and now harassing my girlfriend! What is your problem?” Jake yelled, arm out, guarding you.

Gitae’s expression darkened. Girlfriend? Now that isn’t right. He had taken a liking to you, wanting to get a better taste, only for you to be taken by his brother. Despite this new information, that didn’t take away from your appeal. In fact, it made you even more delicious. 

He now had a second objective, making this girl his, no matter how much of a fight she put up. She seemed loyal to Jake, but that didn’t matter, a chase made things more fun anyways.

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

Please excuse any grammer and spelling mistakes.

That first picture is just 😘chef's kiss. But who TF is this man below?

😞 I still love him but why does he look like he hasn't eaten in days. He's losing muscle by the chapter. His downfall was when the art style changed and they unslutted him (buttoned his shirt up. Speaking of which, did this man only bring one set of clothes?)

Sorry for the rant, I didn't wanna make another post.

[d33pd3sire-blog]

Grace and the Sickle

Emily Prentiss x reader, reader doesn’t know how to communicate her feelings. No use of y/n

Word count: 498

The ending probably feels a little cut off, I didn't know how to finish it/continue. Hope you guys enjoy it anyway.

"I like this. A quiet breakfast with you." Emily looked up. "On mornings like this, I sometimes pretend we're retired and living in our little apartment. Just us two. Oh, and Sergio of course."

You hummed into your tea, smiling up at her. "Sounds.. peaceful. Hopefully one day it'll happen." You say, half of you unable to comprehend how Emily could think such wonderful things about your relationship. Sometimes you find yourself wondering how Emily could love you as much as she does, never having experienced this kind of affection before.

Emily wrapped her hands around yours, noticing a change in your demeanour. 'Hey, you still with me?' She snaps you out of your thoughts.

'Oh, sorry, you were saying?' You blurt, Emily rubs her thumb over one of your knuckles as you come back down to earth.

'Where were you just now?' She gives you this half confused, half worried look. You shake your head and look at the half drunk cup of tea in front of you, kind of hoping she would drop it.

'Nowhere, really. I just..' You shrug your shoulders, contemplating whether you should keep up the front or be truthful. 'Never mind.'

Emily scoots her chair closer to you, moving her hands from yours to your arm and pulls at you slightly. 'You know you can tell me anything, right? I love you, I want to know what you're thinking.'

Part of you is still hesitant, wondering if Emily would still be saying those things if she knew the thoughts that plagued your mind on a regular basis. It wasn't Emilys problem to shoulder, it was yours. She was perfect to you, you didn't want to darken her mind because you couldn't accept her love fully.

Emily nudged your side. 'You know I love you, right?' You nod. 'So you know, i'm here for you. In any way you need?' You nod again.

You finally gather the courage, taking a deep breath you start. 'I just.. I don't get it sometimes.'

Emily scrunches her brows slightly, confused. 'Don't get what, baby?' She continues to rub up and down your arm to comfort you.

'You're so great, you know? You love me so much but I just.. I don't get how. People like me aren't supposed to have people like you. I think fate was being cruel to you.' Immediately Emily raised a hand to your cheek and caressed it, kissing the other side.

'People like you? You mean the kind, loving, beautiful and powerful woman I see before me. Those people?' You try not to, but her words force the corner of your mouth to crack into a smile.

'You're just saying that to make me feel better.' Your smile doesn't fade, Emilys love was hard to fight.

Emily shrugs. 'Maybe, but that doesn't make it any less true.' She smiles at you, showing off her dimples with ease. You could never look at them and think negatively. She truly did love you.

[tiger333k]

there are a lot of people complaining about Arcane season 2, and yes, I get it, it is a bit rushed at times and it would do well if they did a little extra explaining on some parts but honestly it feels like people are just nitpicking sometimes

example: just saw a video about someone complaining about ep7 about Powder and Ekko getting together, and just, wtf??? yes, I know it's because of Ekko's tip that vi died and I know the characters should've it weird when Ekko woke up and just started pointing about things in the past that they really don't want to be reminded of... but if you found this a problem you really didn't watch the show. the main theme about this alternate universe is forgiveness, powder forgave Ekko (though tbh, it was really Vi's plan to go rob someone the whole time), vander and silco forgave each other etc etc. alt Ekko was slaving away at this project when Ekko (firelight) got thrust into his body. powder said it herself, genius and insanity go hand in hand, Ekko saying random things like this probably wasn't even a surprise. also saw a thumbnail where Ekko and powder were kissing and they put 'cheating' beside the image. hopefully I won't have to explain how stupid this is.

Ekko didnt just kiss powder and go 'I can fix jinx'. he doesn't want to change jinx into powder, he even admits that jinx has something good that powder doesn't, jinx's ideas can change the world. what Ekko learned from the alt universe and powder is forgiveness, to look at the past and move forward, leaving a few things behind, leaving behind hate, anger, for the present, for the future. he learned to forgive jinx, so they could build something new.

also adding the fact that it wasn't vi's death that changed everything, it was the act of a child, the fact that someone had been killed that points out how dangerous hextech is, and that's why it was never developed.

personal opinion here, I don't think it was just the death and the letter that changed everything, I think it was little details leading up to the moment silco forgave vander, the moment everything went right. it wasn't one spontaneous event that changed it. we don't know what happened in the alt universe, we don't know if the fight went differently, or if slico had done anything different... maybe he never developed shimmer, maybe he wasn't so set on revenge. we don't know, so maybe don't jump to conclusions so quickly?

another point: jinx didn't just magically lose her trauma because of Isha, dunno what you guys were thinking.

jinx in season one had obvious mental issues, and we always see her drowning out the noise with blaring music. the reason why she was like that was because of her internal conflict, of powder and jinx clashing. jinx was trying to forget the past, and powder was the one that kept remembering it. powder was the one that kept trying to insist it wasn't her fault. powder was the one that held on to everything, and jinx hated powder. and in S1E9 we see her let powder die.

she accepts that she is a jinx to people she loves. the voices stop calling her a jinx, because she already knows this. she accepts this. jinx ruin everything. jinx is a curse. it isn't a case where some kid comes in and changes everything, jinx isn't healed in season 2, she just accepts that she is a catastrophe.

the only thing Isha changes is that jinx learns to love powder through Isha, and maybe even lets a bit of powder come back through. and that's why, when Isha is thrown into Stillwater, the voices come back before jinx takes control again.

three: Caitlyn was done dirty, her entire character was ooc

no it was not. you just saw it through a different lens and decided you didn't like it.

like it or not, Cait has always been privileged. she goes where she wants, does what she likes because she has the kirramman family name to protect her. Marcus says it himself in S1, we just chose to ignore it because that's when cait was doing what we thought was right, investigating and helping Vi, although she was not an enforcer, had no right to be there, we liked it because, well, because we hate Marcus, and she was actually doing something right back then

till season 2, where she gasses Zaun, goes all hitler, and... acts exactly how she acted in S1. she does what she wants, goes where she likes, to achieve one thing: get revenge on jinx.

cait has never lost a parent, she has never learned to cope with such a loss, so she reacts in a wrong way, reacts so drastically that we feel is out of character, its not. we merely see her previous traits painted in a different light and y'all decided you hate it.

I could go on forever honestly, but these three points got on my nerves the most, so I decided to say something about it. there.

this is way too long, my god.

[13hoax]

holiday shopping with bf!matt ⋆ ⁺₊❆ . [ wc: 685 ]

౨ৎ facing the foggy window, you wipe away just enough to watch matt slowly approaching the car. when the door opens, you’re met with an icy breeze paired with matt’s face flushed pink from the cold.

“thank you, for making the brave sacrifice of warming the car up,” he says while rubbing his hands together, trying to gather any source of warmth.

“yeah, you owe me. it’s freezing out here, even with the heat on full blast,” you reply with short laughter.

matt promptly starts the car and reverses unsteadily, from the amount of snow blocking the driveway. after about 10 minutes of driving, you both are greeted with christmas lights that lined the exterior of the local shopping mall. while matt tries to find a parking spot in the midst of holiday chaos, you quietly watch through the frosty window as kids run into piles of snow surrounding the building. observing them are their parents who stand and grip onto their hot coffee cups, and everyone is fitted in colorful hats, mittens and coats.

matt parks the car, and turns over to you slightly, asking if you’re ready to go inside. with a slight nod, both of you step out into the cold. before setting off you readjust your scarf over your mouth, to hopefully shield some of the winter wind from your face.

“here,” matt sighs while tossing his mittens over the hood of the car, “don’t owe you anymore,” he says with a slight smile.

౨ৎ walking through the front door, your attention goes straight to the bookstore. every time you come to the mall you promise to only ‘look’ at the calico critters, you and matt know that’s a reoccurring lie. you’re supposed to be shopping for your family and friends. but how could you not visit your favorite fixation at any given opportunity?

matt knows your fate and follows you up the escalator to the bookstore. browsing the aisles carefully, you spot the section you’re looking for. leaning over, you pick up a family of cats. taking a moment to admire the box, in awe you quickly turn to show matt,

“this is the cutest thing ever, aren’t they so cute??”

he can hear the excitement in your voice and decides to play along with your slight obsession, “yes they’re so cute, they would look very cute under the christmas tree.” he watches are your eyes light up.

before you’re able to say anything else he adds on softly, “under the christmas as a present for someone else maybe? that is why we are here y’know..”

your smile slowly fading, you simply turn away from him and put the box back on the shelf. not willing to beg him and argue his reasoning why you’re at the mall on a busy holiday weekend.

he notices and turns your head back towards him, “it could be under our christmas tree if..”

“if?” you interrupt trying to hide the pout in your lip.

“you know what i want to hear,” he says tilting his head up while showing that smile he knew would get you to do whatever he wanted.

you softly punch his shoulder and look up to his eyes, “put it under the tree first, and then i’ll tell you anything you want to hear.”

he continues to stare down at you, hopeful to get some sort of reaction that would lead to your defeat to him. but instead he’s left with a grunt from your mouth and a prompted head shake that silently scolds him from thinking you’d be so easy to break.

breaking eye contact, you brush past him swiftly. matt quickly takes his phone out to snap a quick picture of the box before he’s met with your hand, grabbing him and dragging him into the next aisle.

he follows your lead with full commitment, with rolled eyes and a smile slowly appearing on his face. little did you know he would come back later to buy the family of tiny cats for you, and he took a picture to make sure he got exactly the ones you wanted.

⋆❅* this is a entry for @mattscoquette & @letstrip13‘s writing comp! i’m new to writing on here, so pls be kind & give rylee & mae a follow!

[bentnotbroken1fanfiction]

Style is pacing back and forth in front of the Diner. He knows he needs to go in, just needs to get it over with, but his nerves are on fire. He doesn't know how Fadel is going to react to this news. 

Hopefully, better than Kant had, but he'll understand if it's the same. 

Because Fadel doesn't know what Kant is up to. He doesn’t know that he's potentially going to jail. So, learning this information may completely set him off. 

Or maybe….and there's a tiny sliver of hope in his chest, this will change things for Fadel. Make him want to leave his secret life behind.

It's probably not going to happen, but Style can dream, right? There's no harm in pretending that this news could be happy.

Fuck. 

Who is he trying to fool here? 

No one is going to be happy about this except for him. And he's only happy because he has no self preservation skills and is already so attached to Fadel that he wants to keep this part of him no matter what.  

Shit. Maybe he should just leave. 

Yeah. He can just tell him tomorrow. when he's more ready….

His phone buzzes. 

Fadel:

Stop pacing and come inside. You'll scare away my customers.

Well, looks like he can't put it off anymore..

He pockets the phone and rolls his shoulders back before opening the door. He can see Fadel behind the counter, and there's only one lady in the far corner booth so he decides to just go to him, mind still trying to figure out the right way to do this.  

But as it turns out, he doesn't have to tell Fadel a damn thing. All it takes is the Alpha scenting him, and Style knows that the man can tell something is different. That his scent has started changing. 

Fadel backs up, hands holding tightly to his arms as he stares at him for a moment. His dark eyes are searching for answers on his face and when Style gives him none, he drops to his knees right there behind the counter, and starts racking up his shirt.  He shoves his nose just above his groin and inhales deeply before pressing his ear against the space between it and his belly button. 

His eyes are closed, brow furrowed in concentration. Style knows exactly what he's doing, so he just lets him. There's no point in feigning ignorance. Not now. 

Finally, his eyes snap open and he looks up sharply at Style. “You're pregnant.” 

Style throws up a weak imitation of jazz hands. “Surprise.” 

He frowns as he stands back up. “You weren't in heat.” 

“Yeah, well I guess our bodies are soooo compatible that they decided to knock me up anyway.” He tries to keep his voice from shaking but fails.

He's just….he's scared. 

And Fadel isn't replying. 

So he nervously shifts his weight, and looks around, but when he glances back at the Alpha, he notices that he hasn't stopped looking at Style. He's quiet, but it's like a million things are going through his mind as his eyes drift between his stomach and his face. Then, finally, he reaches out and pulls Style to his chest, maneuvering his face so that his nose rests against the scent gland on Fadel's neck. 

He takes a shuddering breath in and then goes completely boneless in his Alpha's arms. He wants this. Wants Fadel so badly. Needs him to hold him. Wants to feel this safe all the time. Doesn't want Fadel to leave him.

Please, don't leave me.

He doesn't realize he's saying some of that outloud until Fadel holds him tighter and breathes into his hair.  “I'm not going anywhere, Style.” He whispers. “I promise.”

[violetwolfraven]

Maybe unpopular opinion but if we do get a season 8 I don’t think it’s going to skip 7 years immediately. I think it’ll skip ahead a little but not the entire time jump, and give us a bit of in-between. Like, progress on building the city. Finding bird Harrow. Miyana having her kid and jamaya being aunts. Soren looking for Claudia probably and maybe eventually deciding to face his mommy issues and bring their mom in. Hopefully sorvus canon. Maybe setting up a potential Ezran/Aanya future romance. Definitely preparations for how they’re going to be ready when Aaravos does come back. That sort of thing.

[strwbrychffoncake]

"the most wonderful time of the year,, word count: 1.2k words synopsis: you decide to surprise a certain doctor when your mission wraps up earlier than expected; quality time in the form of decorating takes place contains: lads greyson x reader (not lads mc but reader is a hunter!) ,v fluffy ,maybe ooc greyson (using what little screentime he has + characterization through others) , ,playful teasing/back n forths ,kisses ,hugs ,domestic feel(?) ,soft makeout ,he carries you ,ending might be suggestive (but doesnt have to be interpreted that way lol) ,thats mostly it :x note: (mostly edited! pls bare w me!) this one was simultaneously easy and difficult. the idea was there but w what little screentime greyson had i had to draw up character aspects from thin air sigh... i think it came out well? at some point i tried capturing the "warm, home-y" type feel that something like the holidays seems to bring w it so hopefully its conveyed well?

upon entering his home late in the evening, greyson notices a couple of things.

one, he absolutely did not leave music playing when he left, and certainly not the festive classics who's notes float their way towards the entrance, seemingly coming from the living room.

two, the boxes littering just at the end of the walkway were not there when he left for work this morning.

and three...

the special guest humming along to the music and scurrying around the living area was not expected for another day or so.

he haphazardly shrugs off his coat in realization, speedwalking down the short path towards the destination that would lead to you.

he was eager to hold you in his arms again, unable to stand another moment without you when you were right there.

. . .

upon finishing your two week-long mission earlier than expected, you managed to contain the excitement from telling your boyfriend or stopping by akso hospital (you did have some minor cuts and bruises, but figured it was too little to have greyson fuss over, thinking he likely had more important matters to deal with), instead settling to surprise him at his place when he got off of work.

though, when you got there in the early evening, the lack of decorations and the sight of a bare tree were too much for you to leave alone, deciding to dig around for any decorations you could find, and embellish the place while you waited for him.

. . .

something new you learned about greyson today: he had quite the amount of festive decorations.

you're looking around at the containers of decorations and ornaments you have out, checking to see that you have everything you might need when you're engulfed by a sudden weight.

you startle for a moment, not properly registering who it is before you both are quickly falling towards the ground.

in his excitement (and slight miscalculation of the actual distance between you two), greyson practically crashes into you.

in a split second, you're engulfed in his arms as he twists his body while tugging you, falling on his back with a small oof while cushioning your landing as you plop down right on top of him.

"g-greyson??!"

"sorry! are you alright?"

he's gripping your waist securely, looking up at you, automatically checking over you for any injuries.

you shake your head, hands on his chest, pushing yourself up slightly.

"i'm okay... what about you?? what was that?"

after assuring you're alright, he smiles.

"you didn't tell me you were back already. can you blame me for being a little excited?"

you let out a laugh, crawling off of him before offering a hand to pull you both to your feet, a sheepish smile overtaking your features.

"i wanted to surprise you, hehe... seems like it worked?"

"it definitely surprised me," he cups your face in his hands, and you instinctually nuzzle further into his warm hold.

"i missed you."

his voice is a little quieter, his honesty shooting straight to your heart, eyes shining up at him.

he doesnt let you respond, closing the distance and meeting your lips in a sweet kiss. your arms wind their way around his neck, pulling him impossibly closer to you.

after all, you missed him just as much, if not moreso.

after a minute the need for breath becomes too strong. you break the kiss first, eyes fluttering open, a quiet laugh escaping you as you watch greyson's lips chase yours for a moment before pulling back to look up at him, arms still around his neck. his eyes are bright as he looks back at you, thumbs caressing the sides of your face.

a playful look takes over your gaze before you speak.

"but you know, who knew the doctor greyson had so many christmas decorations?" you tilt your head, exaggerated surprise lacing your tone.

"even more, for someone who seems to like christmas so much, your tree is just depressing! so little time until christmas and the tree is as bare as it was when i left?"

you slip a hand from his neck to poke his cheek.

"for shame, doctor greyson" you finish, pouting playfully and shaking your head lightly.

a deep rumble escapes his chest at your teasing, gaze shining with mirth.

"well, you know how it is at the hospital," he moves in close again suddenly, noses centimeters from touching.

"and what can i say? i missed a certain hunter too much while she was away. how can i bring myself to decorate the tree myself knowing its your favorite part of the holiday?"

he pecks your lips, much shorter than the last before pulling back and booping your nose.

you feel your face warm at his honesty, gaze shyly darting to the side.

"w-well, in that case... would you like to help me?"

a bright smile overtakes his charming features.

"would i?"

-

you and greyson spend the next while sorting through the ornaments in the containers, thinking of a color scheme before deciding which ornaments to place and where.

"this one is too cute! let's put it in the center-"

"doesn't this one look better?"

"doctor greyson, i had no idea you had such a knack for decorating!"

"i'm not so sure id say that..."

playful conversation fills the living room, the music a quiet hum in the background as you both carefully assess and hang each ornament in place.

"oh! i brought some candy canes too, let me go find them~"

you scurry off to the kitchen, swiftly returning with a couple of boxes.

greyson's eyes widen at the treats in your arms.

"darling, i'm not so sure you know what the word 'some' means..."

you playfully gasp.

"well, i made sure to get the ones that you like and the ones that i like. plus, they were on sale!"

"you know I'm not picky..." he shakes his head, "but thank you for thinking of me."

you open the boxes before you respond plainly.

"im always thinking of you."

greyson's cheeks color a pretty shade of pink as he feels his heart skip a beat. he's not even sure if you've realized what you said, working to free the candy cane's from their confines before you hand him his.

what is he going to do with you? he thinks.

. . .

candy cane's in hand, you inspect the tree for a moment.

"do you think they'll all fit...?"

"i'm sure they will- there's still a considerable amount of space. see?" he says, placing one closer to the top.

"pfft, you only say that because you're so tall."

"i can always help you up here, too" he offers.

you ponder for a moment.

"if i can't find anymore space down here, i'll let you know."

he giggles, nodding.

"sure."

(you did end up taking greyson up on his offer, and he gratefully lifted you up to place your remaining candy canes closer to the top of the tree. when he gently placed you back down, you wondered aloud how you would get them down later, to which he replied "you'll just have to ask me, of course!" a little too proudly, but given your sweet tooth, you know he'll have the full-power to deny you of fulfilling your craving when the time comes. you couldnt help but shudder at the thought).

-

in just a couple of minutes, when every ornament and candy cane is hanging in place, you take a step back to admire your masterpiece, pausing before a question bubbles up.

"do you think the candy canes throw off the color scheme?"

greyson backs up to where you are, looking at the tree for a few moments before answering.

"nope. if anything, it gives it even more character, don't you think?" he shoots back, gaze wandering to you.

"yeah, you're right," you look back up at him. "and we did it together," you smile gratefully.

together.

yes, you did this together.

he nods before suddenly closing the distance in one step, engulfing you in a warm hug.

"greyson?"

"can we stay like this for a bit?"

you wrap your arms back around him, returning his loving embrace, breathing in his scent.

"of course."

he was so grateful to have you to spend christmas with, excited to do whatever you wished so long as you were both doing it together.

arms still secure around you, he pulls back enough to take a look at your face. you look up in question, parting your lips to speak before he dives down, silencing any words with the answer of his kiss, both your eyes slipping shut as your lips easily melt into his, returning the love and yearning he's pouring into them.

neither of you keep track of how much time passes like this, christmas tree lights twinkling on your silhouettes as it casts embracing shadows on the wall, festive music a gentle ambiance in the otherwise silence that engulfs the space, hearts laid out for each other in a soft warmth, words unnecessary in the loving gestures that you share.

-

extra.

you place a hand on his chest, pausing him from diving back in as you lift a hand to cover your mouth, letting out a yawn.

greyson's eyes crinkle.

"are you tired?"

"i guess so," you lower your hand. "what time is it?" you reach for your phone, but greyson is quicker, reading the time from his watch.

"its... 11 pm?"

greyson almost laughs at the way your eyes shoot open in surprise.

"what??! i didn't realize how much time had passed..."

"should we get ready for bed then?"

you give a sleepy nod before you're startled again as you feel yourself being lifted up.

"greyson?!??"

he hums in acknowledgement, making his way towards the bedroom.

"what are you-"

"my lovely miss hunter is tired, so im carrying her to bed," he states matter-of-factly. "is that a problem?"

"no its just..."

his gaze is soft at your sudden shyness, pushing the door open with his shoulder.

"you deserve some good rest for all of your hard work," he speaks quieter, placing you gently on the bed. "allow me to spoil you, miss hunter."

and spoil you he did. you think this is the best sleep you've gotten in the almost fourteen days you'd been away from him. how ever did you manage that long without him, you aren't even sure yourself.

-

a/n: had to keep replaying greyson voicelines in my head n read it in the dialogue i looooove his deep voice heheheh dr greyson marry me ? i wanna write for him more he's soooooo cute yet attractive at the same time?? i<3 him i can only hope i did him justice sigh

[spotsandsocks]

Oh hi!

For my wintery ask to you, I'm sending 🎅🏽 and marshmallow. :)

Hellooooo! Thanks for sending a stocking ask. One ficlet for marshmallow. 570 words . Hope you like it 😊

His phone is ringing which considering the time is enough to make Buck’s heart rate spike. It’s way past the acceptable time for calling without an important reason. Grabbing his phone and seeing Maddies face and name lit u does nothing to calm him down. It’s way past eleven. What's happened?

He answers the phone intent on finding out “what’s wrong?”

“Elves! Stupid things. I hate them.”

It’s not anything close to what he was expecting. At least it’s not an emergency or a disaster which considering thier lives is more than possible.”

“Ok and why do we hate elves at” he checks the time “11.23 at night?”

“Because I forgot about them tonight and Howie’s on an extra shift tonight and I have not idea what to do with the damn things! I need help! You're my help!”

Maddie sounds at the end of her tether, hardly surprising the holidays are stressful, there’s a lot to do and the elves are, he knows from Chimney a major source of stress. He makes a mental note to not start any elf shenanigans when he has kids,

‘“Ok… what have you done already?”

“Everything! Stupid things, maybe they can have an accident tonight…”

“Maybe not, let’s not traumatise Jee ok Mads.”

“They deserve it, they could get locked out or get flushed down the toilet, the oven…”

“Maddie!” He stops her, almost shocked at the level of homicidal rage she has towards the naughty Christmas elves Jee loves to see every morning. “Flour footprints?”

“Basic, did it week one.”

“Drawing on the fruit?

“Done it.”

“Using the pans as drums?”

“Fun but done it.”

“Playing cards?”

“Boring!”

“Top of Christmas tree? Melted ice cream? Stuck to the ceiling? Grated carrot?”

“Buck, you’re meant to be helping me. I’ve done all that, it’s almost Christmas Eve, I’ve got to get creative now!”

Ok… um what have you got in the cupboards?

Almost at once he can hear cupboard doors opening and closing.

“There’s nothing useful! What am I going to do?”

“We’ll think of something, don’t worry.”

With his sister calling out things from her cupboards he tries to think of Christmasy things. Cookies, mistletoe, snow, stockings, trees, presents, baubles… one of his ideas comes back to him; snow.

“Maddie, you got any marshmallows?”

“Umm… yeah, why?”

“Big ones or small?”

“Both.”

Hoping this idea goes down better than the others he takes a breath.

“Ok, build a snowhouse out of the big ones and then use the others for snow and make a snow angel shape with the elf.”

He waits hopefully. There’s silence on the other end of the phone, then a sigh of relief followed by his sister's voice.

“That’s brilliant. Buck you’re a genius! I love you.”

Then she hangs up. About 15 minutes later he gets a picture of the elves doing exactly what he suggested, it looks good if he does say so himself.

Maddie sends a text that says thank you and heart emojis that make him smile.

The next one she sends doesn’t. It says; great job tonight so you can help again tomorrow.

Looks like Maddie’s elf problem is his too now, but then what’s family for if not to put mischievous elves into situations together. He opens a new browser page on his phone and types ‘elf on a shelf ideas’… who needs sleep when there are nieces to keep happy.

[uselessbard1031]

Snowflakes & Sunshine -- Sevika X Chem Baron! Reader (C1 Preview -- AO3 link at end)

You can hear your captive before you can see her. Three of your largest men drag her into your hideout, yet still she is grunting and growling as she tries to fight them off. All the theatrics. Sevika really did live up to her reputation, now didn't she?

You tuck the book you were reading away into the built-in wood shelves of your basement hovel just in time for the twins (Ratchet and Clank) to shove her forward and remove the blindfold from her grey eyes. Your captive stops fighting, instead glaring at every shadow and corner, daring it to attack. As she takes in the room, you pour yourself a cup of tea from the kettle on your single burner stove. It sits between your cot of a bed and the entrance to your bathroom. After that, it's your desk and the bookshelf along with an old five time hand-me-down loveseat in desperate need of a reupholster. The buttons on the tufts don't match and two have popped straight off. But it was here when you got here and was comfortable enough for a seat.

“What is this dump?” Sevika scoffs. Some of the hair from her half-back ponytail falls in front of her eyes. She blows it back the way a bull does before it charges. 

“My office,” you respond simply, leaning against the front of your old wooden desk. “It's where you'll be staying until your boss pays up. You're free to explore the other rooms too, once you cool off a little.”

“No locks?” She half scoffs half laughs. “No chains?”

“Unless you try to leave or attack me, I don't find them necessary.”

With a disbelieving -- no, challenging -- grin the woman turns for the door instantly.

“Do you want locks and chains?” You sip your tea. “Kinky.”

“You can't stop me,” she says it like a fact. Which it is. She's easily twice your size. A fight is unlikely to go in your favour. Good thing you don't plan to fight.

“No,” you agree. “But Brutus can. Brutus?” The burly man comes in from the hallway to block the door. To block her path. If he were to enter your room, he'd have to duck. And bend his knees. And maybe squeeze his shoulders together too. Good thing he's not entering yet. “If she tries to leave, chain her up. I think she likes it.”

Sevika turns. She can't face him. But she can more than face you. 

“You don't know who you're messing with here,” she warns. How cliche. “Silco has a lot on his plate right now. The last thing he needs is to be wasting time with some nobodies so cowardly they had to jump me to get me here.”

Silco needs her. Hopefully more than he needs is attention to be elsewhere. He won't fight you. No. Like she said, you're nobodies. Fringe at best in the chem baron game. So he won't waste the men or the time. He wants Sevika back? He'll just pay you off. Deal with you later. If he feels like he can crush your forces without trying, then he'll leave you in the palm of his hand for now -- if only not to strain his wrist with the fist he'd need to make to end you. Besides, he's focused on Jinx. You had it on good authority that the girl's favourite holiday was the one coming up. Even better authority said that your gift to her was about to arrive. 

You crack a smirk. “You’re just a ray of optimism, Sunshine.” 

She growls at the nickname. You laugh, pushing yourself off of the desk.

“Get cozy,” you say, patting her cheek. She jerks her head away, a threat in the way she bares her teeth. “I think there's going to be snow for Christmas.”

There is indeed snow for Christmas. Of course there is. And it's all thanks to you. 

You see, Zaun hasn't seen snow for the last decade and a half due to this obnoxious Piltovian factory built right above the promenade level. It's wide and flat and pumps all of its smog and runoff down to your city. Between it and the bridge, about three quarters of Zaun has had only the rain of pollutants in all this time. Someone had to blow it up. With the workers on a union strike far away and safe from the crossfire? That someone became you.

The explosion is enough to rattle down the valley walls of the city and wake every alleycat and drunkard left out on the streets. Snow falls at first in a big white sheet that covers everything from the ground to the rooftops. Then it doesn't stop; a flurry of soft white dots like horizontal stars in the window. Outside the main door of your hideout (a bookstore and cafe offering both free books and coffee on most days when your heart strings are pulled by someone hopeful but broke), it's like a small white step has appeared; one stair up closer to the opulence of those who live above. A few people leave their homes. At first, they're curious, then, rather swiftly, curiosity turns to wonder and awe and snowball fights and snow angels. For once, it'll be a white Chsirmas in Zaun. 

You notice Sevika looking out the window and have to chuckle. Though her tough girl mask attempts to cover it, there's this sparkle like a snowflake in her steel eyes. That childlike magic of a snow day beckons her the same as everyone else only, she fights it off with a stick.

“Brutus!” You call over your shoulder. The giant appears between two tall oak bookshelves. “Get the cocoa barrels from the basement. Make sure everyone's got a scarf and mittens. I'm taking our new pet outside.”

...Continued on Ao3