#i'm not ready for this to be their last thread bye

[420days]

Chapter 2

masterlist

"Come on momma. We're gonna get you and my nephew something to eat." Sabrina rubbed her best friend's stomach as they walked out the doctors office.

Kaliyah walked behind her friend slowly feeling sad as ever. Considering she found out she was having a baby boy you'd think she would be happy but she was feeling the exact opposite.

Just three months ago she found out she was two months pregnant with her baby and it felt so unreal.

From the moment she found out she was pregnant she was filled with nothing but mixed emotions.

She even contemplated getting an abortion and showed up to the appointment but at the last minute she couldn't bring herself to do it. The thought of having an abortion was more to burry her feelings about Jey rather than her not wanting a baby.

She wanted to keep her baby and that's what she decided to do.

"What do you want to eat?"

"I'm not hungry. I just wanna go home." Kaliyah told her as she put her seatbelt on and turned towards the window.

"I know you're upset but you can't starve my nephew. What does he want? A deluxe combo and a lemonade?" She teased.

Rolling her eyes Kaliyah broke into a small smile. The sound of food made her happy no matter what.

These days all her son craved was Chick Fil A which was weird to her because she didn't care for it too much before she got pregnant

"Whatever, just give my son some food."

It didn't take them long to get their food considering how great Chick Fil A's customer service was. The food didn't stand a chance and was gone before she even got home.

"Call me tomorrow and stop being so sad!" Sabrina yelled as Kaliyah walked to the door and took her keys out.

"Bye Sabrina!" She stuck up the middle finger.

When she got in the house she stepped out of the clothes she was wearing and hopped in the shower.

She was exhausted because all day Sabrina drove her around making her run errands with her in order to get her out the house. While she appreciated her friends effort all she wanted to do was stay in the house until the baby got here.

As she brushed her hair into a ponytail her phone vibrated with a message from a familiar number.

Picking up her phone she read over the message before responding.

Maybe (Jey 💗): What u want?

I need to tell something important. Can I call you?

Maybe(Jey 💗): Nah, you can text me what you want before I change my mind about unblocking you

I'm pregnant

Maybe(Jey 💗): ????

Maybe(Jey 💗): So what you tryna say it's mine?

Please don't do that. You know it's yours.

Maybe (Jey 💗): I don't know nothing. Ima need a test before you put anything on me.

Nevermind, forget I even brought it up. You can just block me again.

I don't know why I even wasted my time with you.

My and my baby will be fine.

Maybe(Jey 💗): Calm down, how I know you're not fucking with me?

Why would I be wasting my time? You made it clear you don't fucking like me. I'm putting my feelings and pride aside to reach out to you so my son can have a father in his life but really just forget it.

Maybe(Jey 💗): Son?

She read over her last message and decided to just leave it alone. She was over going back and for with him. If he didn't believe her than that's what it is.

Shaking her head she turned her phone off and prepared herself for some much needed sleep.

-

On the other side of town. Jey sat in his car, smoking a unt to calm his nerves. Ever since Kaliyah told him she was pregnant his mind was all over the place. He wasn't ready to be a father but if it was his baby he wouldn't have a choice but to step up to his responsibilities.

Especially when it comes to having a son. Every kid needed their father but with a son it was just different. There were so many things he learned from his father and it was only right to pass that down to his son.

Staring down at his down he went to his message thread to see if he had any message from Kaliyah but there was nothing. The messages he attempted to her send her weren't delivering and it was pissing him off.

"I know her ass ain't block me." He mumbled to himself as he put the blunt out and turned on his car.

After turning a 30 minutes drive into a 15 minute drive he arrived at Kaliyahs house. He knew from her car out front that she was home and that annoyed him even more.

Parking his car behind hers he got out the car and knocked on her door as hard as he could.A few moments later she found these her coming the stairs and yanked the front door open.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Banging on my door like that?" She yelled at him but he was too mesmerized by her large stomach peaking from her tank top and her small pajama shorts.

"Hello!" She snapped her finger in his face making him look up at her. Her pregnancy has her looking different and he liked it. Every part of her body filled out, her hair was longer and she carried a nice glow on her face.

"Can you stop yelling? I ain't come over here for that." He sucked his teeth once he snapped back into reality.

"What do you want?"

"Let's go inside."

"No, you're coming in my house. And I just lit some sage earlier, tuh.” She rolled her eyes.

"Yeah? Did your skin start burning?" He said smartly making her squint her eyes at him.

"What the fuck ever. If there's nothing you want you can leave my home." She waved him off.

"Listen, I'm trying to fix this shit. Can we go inside and talk?" He asked her.

"We can sit in your car."

"I just smoked in there. Y'all don't need to be around that." He told her and she nodded knowing it wasn't good for the baby.

Stepping back from the door she let him inside of the house and made her way into the living room.

“That's my baby?" He asked her after they sat in slings for a moment.

"Yes, I really don't know why you keep asking me that. If you want a test pay for it when the baby gets here or don't. I really don't care at this point."

“ I can't ask? I haven't seen you in five months I don't know what you be doing Kay."

"Whose fault is that? I didn't break your heart and block you on everything." She rolled her eyes.

"Why you keep saying I broke your heart? I was honest with you from the start."

"You just don't get it." She shook her head.

"I really don't so tell me."

"You said you wanted to have sex. And that's what we did but then we started texting all day, falling asleep on the phone, going out together and then you go me pregnant. The whole time we're doing things that's more than just fucking and it meant nothing to you. Like it literally meant nothing and that's fine. I hurt my own feelings thinking that those things actually meant something so I can't be mad at you." She wiped her face.

"I never meant to break your heart. You're a good person for real and I took a liking to you but I'm really not ready for all that. I don't wanna be tied down in a relationship and that's why I distanced myself from you. I knew you started feeling a way and that's not what I intended." He said honestly, breaking her heart all over again.

"That's cool, let's just take care of our baby." She told him.

"I can do that."

⠄･ ⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄ ⠄･ ⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄ ⠄･ ⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆

tags: @bebesobrielo @trentybenty @amandairene88 @kiki1704 @paigereeder @uceyliyahh @skyesthebomb @cyberdejos2 @chloeijuana @tian-monique

⠄･ ⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄ ⠄･ ⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄ ⠄･ ⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆

[marcelloshdz]

surprise party

summary: marcello pulling out all the stops to celebrate you on your big day. requested by anonymous. *b/f/n = best friend’s name 

“so, what are you doing for your birthday next weekend?” b/f/n asked as you both sat down to lunch. 

“i don’t know. i haven’t really thought much about it. i’ve had other things on my mind.” you shrugged. 

“y/n, come on. i’ve known you for years and know how much you love celebrating. what’s going on?”

“i really just wanted to spend it with marcello. we’re always together for our birthdays, but this is the first year that we wont be. he’s going out of town for some shows next weekend.” you sighed. 

“he can’t reschedule?” they asked, and you shook your head. 

“no. his shows were already rescheduled from last month because of some electrical or plumbing issues with the club or something. next weekend was the only weekend that was still available after all the other acts rescheduled their shows.”

“well then. i guess i’ll just take you out for your birthday next week. and i’ll make sure you have a blast.” b/f/n suggested, and you nodded in excitement. 

the week flew by and it was finally friday again. you were moping on the couch, sighing loudly while marcello was packing to leave. 

“y/n, please. i don’t want to leave like this.” he said, placing his bags by the door. he moved to sit next to you on the couch, pulling your chin to meet his gaze. “are you mad at me?” he asked, a small pout pulling on his lips. 

“no. i’m not mad at you. i’m upset that you’re leaving, but i’m not mad.” 

“i'm really really sorry. i tried my hardest to move things around to be here with you this weekend. what can i do to make it up to you?”

“put on your best shows this weekend. then come straight back home.” 

“deal.” he said with a smile. you shared a good bye kiss before he left, making his way to the airport to head to the city he was performing in this weekend. you went to bed early that night, resting up for a full weekend out you had planned with your friends. 

the next morning, you woke up to a bunch of texts from your family and friends, wishing you a happy birthday. you went to your text thread with marcello, reading his messages first. 

“happy birthday, mi amor. i wish so badly that i could be home with you, serving you breakfast in bed, and getting ready to take you out to celebrate. but i hope you know i’m thinking of you, and will be all day long. i love you so much, and i hope you still have the wonderful birthday that you deserve.”

“by the way, i did leave a gift for you hidden behind my clothes in the closet. it’s in a black box with a red bow. enjoy. 😉” 

“facetime me when you find it.”

you got out of bed and walked to the closet, rummaging through his clothes before finding the box. you sat down at your vanity, tapping on marcello’s contact to call him.

“good morning, baby.” he said excitedly when he answered. “happy birthday.”

“thank you, my sweet.” you talked for a little bit before marcello turned the conversation to your gift.

“alright, open your present.” he said, a wide smile on his face.

“okay, okay.” you laughed. you untied the bow, and lifted the lid. you removed the tissue paper to reveal a stunning pair of boots in your favorite color, ones that you’d been hinting at to marcello for months. you let out a loud gasp once the sight in front of you finally clicked in your head. “no! oh, these are beautiful.” 

“i figured once you put their picture on the fridge, it was safe to say you wanted them.” he laughed. 

“needed them, actually. and they fit perfectly.” you said as you slid them on. 

you and marcello were on facetime for a little bit longer before he had to start getting for his first show. he wished you another happy birthday, blowing a kiss through the screen before hanging up. 

later that afternoon, your friends came over to hang out before you went out that evening. you spent the afternoon watching movies, eating junk food, and enjoying your day being surrounded by people you loved. 

after dinner, you all finally started getting ready for your night out. you’d just finished doing your hair and makeup, when you stepped into your closet to decide on what to wear. you knew whatever you decided on needed to match your new boots perfectly. once you finally decided on your outfit, and were finished getting ready, you stepped into the living room to your awaiting friends.

they erupted in cheers and applause, hyping you up more than you could’ve asked for, or really wanted. but it was all in good fun. it was your birthday, and they wanted to make you feel special. 

you took a few shots before heading down to your uber and making your way to wherever your friends were taking you for the night. they ended up taking you to a five-star hotel, which you immediately protested to. 

“awe, come on. i don’t wanna drink at a hotel bar.” you whined. 

“well, good thing that’s not what we’re doing!” b/f/n said. they linked arms with you as you followed the rest of your group down a long hallway towards the hotel’s ballrooms. you finally stopped at one of them, slowly walking into it. the lights flicked on as soon as you stepped through the door, a loud “SURPRISE” erupting around you. 

“oh my god.” you said softly, barely above a whisper, fighting tears. your eyes bounced around the room, marveling over the decorations, including a large banner that read “happy birthday y/n” hung over the stage area. you were immediately engulfed in the crowd, friends and family giving you hugs and wishing you well. as you made your way through the crowd, you emerged on the other side, finally face to face with the mastermind of the evening. 

“marcello!” you cheered, falling into his arms and pressing a kiss to his lips. “what are you doing here?”

“you didn’t actually think i was gonna miss your birthday, did you?” he smiled down at you. 

“you did all of this?” you asked, and he blushed. 

“me and b/f/n. they helped me in ordering a lot of stuff so you wouldn’t get suspicious when party decorations started showing up at home. but i’ve been here all week helping set everything up.” 

“so you’ve been lying to me all week? you haven’t been working on your set for shows this weekend?” you asked, and he shook his head.

“nope. those shows were rescheduled for like, two months from now.” he shrugged. “i had the perfect alibi and you didn’t suspect a thing.” 

“i can’t believe you.” you laughed. “you’re too much.”

“never! you deserve the world, and it makes me happier than i can ever truly explain to be the one to give you the world.” he said with a smile.

“i love you.” you said.

“i love you.” he said, pressing a kiss to your lips.

the night was so absolutely wonderful, as you spent it celebrating with your favorite people. you still couldn’t believe that marcello would do all of this for you, and you could never be able to fully express how much you appreciated him.

as the night was winding down, you were getting ready to go when marcello pulled you into his arms. 

“where are you going?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at you.

“home? where else?” 

“i have a room for us upstairs. c’mon.” he took your hand in his, leading you to the elevator. you made your way upstairs, and down the hallway to the room. all of your gifts had already been brought up here, and marcello’s bags sat on the dresser.  you slid your shoes off and undid your hair, letting it fall loosely over your shoulders. 

“as much as i appreciate all of this, i can’t believe you made me sleep all alone the night before my birthday.” you sighed, falling onto the bed.

“i know, i’m sorry. but it was the only way i could pull all of this off.” he climbed into the bed with you, hovering over you before pressing a kiss to your lips. “mm, i have another gift for you.”  he said, moving back to the dresser. he rummaged around in his bag, pulling out a velvet box. he moved back over to you, placing the box in your hand. you flipped it open to reveal a diamond necklace with matching earrings. 

“oh my god, these are beautiful!” you said with a smile. marcello took the necklace out of the box, hooking it around your neck.

“perfect.” he smiled as the necklace rested on your chest.

“thank you, so much. today has been perfect, and you’ve made me feel so special. i don’t think i’ll ever be able to truly express how much i love and appreciate you.” 

“muñequita, you don’t have to thank me. it’s your birthday, and i love being able to spoil you. because you do the same for me. te amo muchisimo. para siempre.”

“i love you too.” you said softly. you wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling him in for another kiss. 

marcello quickly deepened the kiss, laying you down as his lips began trailing down your neck. you let out a soft moan, raising your head to expose more of your neck for marcello to explore. his fingers fumbled with the zipper of your dress, and you quickly shimmied out of his as marcello lifted his shirt over his head. he stood briefly, your eyes not leaving his body as he finished undressing in front of you. you wrapped your leg around his waist, pulling him back into you as your lips met his again.

the intimacy you shared in the moments that followed was as perfect as ever. the way your bodies intertwined and meshed together was more satisfying than you could ever put into words. marcello treated you like a queen, making sure every inch of you was taken care of, and every need was met.

the end of the night was an absolute perfect end to a perfect birthday. you loved marcello so much, and you felt so incredibly lucky that he loved you the same way. 

[rapha-reads]

IWTV rewatch

Season 1 episode 7 [The Thing Lay Still] - part 2/3

- AAAAAAH IT'S THE DANCE SCENE EXCUSE ME I'M NOT READY AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.

[Louis] "So much would be written about that grim night in New Orleans, but not a single mention of our last hour at Latrobe's, as if the only crime unfit to print took place on that dance floor." - and what do we say to homophobia, both "period-typical" and current? FUCK OFF.

It's the way they cannot… Aaah, need to say it in French, sorry. Use your translation tool. Ils ne peuvent pas se quitter des yeux un seul moment, même pas quand leurs pas de danse les forcent à se tourner le dos, Louis fermant les yeux jusqu'à ce qu'il soit de nouveau face à Lestat, ou qu'ils doivent se tenir l'un à côté de l'autre, leurs regards irrémédiablement attirés l'un par l'autre, comme deux aimants, magnétiques et plus fort que tout.

[Louis] "It was my sole duty to distract Lestat, but in his mirrored eyes, the distraction reflected back onto me. And in the dead center of the whispering gallery, I lost the thread to my plotting and fell once more into the well with no bottom. I was his, and he was mine."

I haven't said a word about Jacob's voice acting yet. But the way Louis' voice is so soft and slow. As if Louis is lost in his memories and back there, feeling all the love and the frenzy of that night, but also the pain and grief of the long decades since.

- Oof, I'm barely midway through the episode. I'm pausing it so much to not miss a single line that my player is starting to complain.

- "'Claudia, born 1903, I drank the water in 1917. I'm 36 years old.' 'Louis de Pointe du Lac. Born in 1878.i drank of the water in 1910. I am 61 years old now.' 'Lestat de Lioncourt, born 1760. I drank the waters in 1794. 180 years old… this coming November.'"

Ooooh, canon divergence! Not Louis and Claudia, them, we know, but Lestat. Born 1760 but turned in 1780 at 20 years old in the book. Interesting! I wonder why that change. There's another element given in s2, when Armand's writing his little Lesmand fanfic, but otherwise I guess s3 will give us an answer to why that tiny time change.

Meanwhile Tom fucking Anderson continues to be a nuisance.

- FINALLY. BYE TOM.

Love the music. Love the blood. Love the violence. Love the magnificent entrance of the three, in white and red. Vampires are freaking cool and the werewolf crowd can bite my a… Ahem, sorry, werewolf buddies. I got carried away.

- Aaaand goddamn Antoinette about to make her entrance. Aaaargh. But also I am very bi and she is very hot so I can't entirely hate her.

- [Lestat]"'Quite drunk this one. Rosemary… And something else. What is it, my love?' [Louis] 'I… I think it's gin.' [Lestat] 'I wasn't talking to you.'"

Bitch how dare you call someone else your love right in front of Louis, I'm offended.

Oh, wait, actually I can perfectly hate Antoinette, GET YOUR HANDS OFF CLAUDIA.

- [Claudia] "'Lestat… You must think me an idiot. 'She was at the ball tonight.' Not just the ball. You shoulda let that train go, Uncle Les.' [Lestat] 'How? Who?' [Claudia] 'He who called you him… Always the petty lights with you, Uncle Les.'"

Ah, I knew I hated Tom Anderson for more than his slimy, racist, homophobic ways. Nice planning, Claudia!

- Ooh, oh, no, baby, not the cane sword, no no no no. I hate (not) when the foreshadowing comes full circle.

- [Lestat] "Louis! We are joined by a cord, by a cord that you cannot see, but it is real. It is real. I have loved you… with all myself. I'm happy it was you… here with me… à la fin."

*cries*

No but can you imagine Lestat's anguish, the pure suffering and desperation he must have felt? Yes, yes, I know he's done plenty of wrongs, he's hurt Louis and Claudia a lot, he made mistakes after mistakes, he was prone to anger and abuse and violence.

But à la fin he's still a little boy who was neglected by his mother, abused by his father, hated by his first love, kidnapped and raped by his maker, hurt and threatened by the first vampires he's met, and was so lonely, afraid and hurt he didn't know how to love honestly even though he was deeply in love.

"Are we the sum of our worst moments", can we not feel pity and sadness for the monster in the woods? Can we not show kindness to the monster even after he's slapped our hand away, isn't kindness what could make the monster accept the hand?

I wrote a thesis about kindness being the true core of the story of Beauty and the Beast last year, about how it's true kindness and not love that Beast relearns how to be human and builds the self-esteem and self-respect needed to truly fall in love with Belle and have her fall in love with him in turn (there's more to my thesis, it's a 100 pages long, but that's the main point I wanted to make), and I can't help but draw parallels with Lestat.

Beauty and the Beast is French and it was first written in 1740, then rewritten and condensed (from 125 pages to barely 30) in 1756. Lestat definitely must have heard the tale, by the 1770s, 1780s, it was quite popular both in noble salons as in lowlier classes.

Do you think he ever fancied himself the Beast, and saw Louis as his Beauty? Do you think he ever thought he was cursed - despite claiming he never saw his condition as a vampire as a curse - and saw Louis as his salvation? Do you think he felt the fairy tale shatter irreparably around him when he realised that this time he could not keep Louis with him? Do you think in 1945 at the trial he saw himself as the Beast freed from his curse finally, heard and avenged, only to then realise that the curse was still there and stronger than ever because he had deeply misunderstood it? Do you think he spent 77 years living off rats in a dilapidated shack in the city that held his heart because his story went from Beauty and the Beast to the Ice Queen, or Koschei the Deathless, heartless and waiting for the one person that could unfroze or unbury his heart?

Ooooh, Lestat versus folktales. I think I can write a whole other thesis with just that idea. Or maybe a series of fics. Too many thoughts.

- [Louis] "The blood poured out of him as it might never pour from a human being… all the blood he had filled himself with. He lay now on his back, his eyes staring wildly at the ceiling, the irises dancing from side to side."

[Louis] "His irises rolled to the top of his head, the white went dim. This horror that had been Lestat… I stared helplessly at it. The thing lay still. There was no point in lingering."

No comment, just… Can you hear in Louis' voice the anguish, still, after so many decades…

- Huh. Bye Antoinette for real I guess, fire doesn't forgive. So no Antoinette at the Court.

- [Louis] "It was as if we'd expected Lestat to disappear in a puff of smoke or get sucked back into hell." - no but see, that's what I'm saying, the fairy tale ended and now you're left facing the very real consequences of the plot you thought you were living. Lestat ain't no fairy tale monster, just a regular (albeit vampiric) one, flesh and blood at the end. This ain't Buffy. Vampires are flesh here, animated flesh and when you kill them by any other means than fire or the sun, you are still left with the painfully visible reminder of the man that was the monster.

[I really like this part because I hadn't thought of the whole Lestat/folktale before and now I'm having a million of ideas knocking around my head.]

ep1 | ep2 | ep3 | ep4 | ep5 | ep6 | part 1 | part 3

[rosedere]

The Liyue Lotus and the Merchant from Snezhnaya

(Pantalone x Fem Reader)

MDNI +18

Cw: kidnapping, stalking, non con elements, graphic violence (later chapters), yandere content, pregnancy mentioned, forced marriage, female/ fem aligned Reader, *will update as the series goes on

Cross posted on AO3

Previous Chapter: The Lotus sailing into Port

Current Chapter : The Tsaritsa and the never ending winter (you are here)

Next Chapter: The Lotus Amongst the Dead//

Synopsis: Unfortunately, The Regerator develops a fixation with you while you are working undercover for Yelan. And there’s no one who can get in his way of his prized Lotus.

Life is a dangerous business, you know

Who's gonna care for your bleeding soul?

Take a run, take a run with me

Where the sky is blue forever

'Til the end of time

-

“Augh— Galina it isnt going to fit me!” You squealed as she tightened the velvet corset that was sitting above your long china print blue and white silk dress. The rest of your ensemble patiently waiting as you tried to get the bottom layers secured on your body.

“No– come on it has to fit! We measured you on Monday” She tugged on the silk ribbons behind you, “Lord Pantalone will dock my last pay if we dress you in something else we already arrived” Galina panicked pulling your corset a bit lower onto your back to try to tie the strings together.

“I don't know why the corset is required— The veil and the large other three coats will leave only my neck and face” you grunted as you felt Galina make another wave of hard pulls to your back.

After a hard exhale, Galina finally gave up, you were defeated as you tried to breathe in with the vice grip of velvet surrounding your chest and queasy stomach.

“Well I guess this is as tight as it will stay my lady” Galina sighed, quickly lacing the corset backing before reaching for the rest of your ensemble.

“I tried my best to hide that shelf on your stomach my lady”

“It's alright, I'm sure no one would even notice it, I'll have to be sure to try to work out once we settle in” 

Yelan had chastised you about it already anyway.

A stern knock on your door was heard outside the vanity dressing room.

“Oh no—” Galina hurried placing your long Indigo blue gloves and layers to accompany the long dress you were wearing.

“Almost ready my lord” Galina reassured, placing your long flowing fur coat over you as she stood you up on uneasy feet.

Placing your gloved hands in a hand-warming fur before finishing the final touches to your hair pulled up underneath your veil and hair decorations of small pearls and silvers you wore.

The door opened revealing Pantalone; 

His large white coat over his dark purple and black ensemble underneath, his face pulled back in the usual relaxed smile as he entered the room. You could feel his eyes taking in your appearance, silently undressing you surely from the way he lingered on your hips to the way your chest was prominent even under all the jackets before he focused on your face.

“That’ll be all Galina” Pantalone dismissed her with a hand, her only obediently moving to grab the few pins and threads she had around trying to mend the hems of your new fitted clothing.

"ah— sir Pantalone" Galina said quickly before turning to walk out the door.

Pantalone only looked at her with a questioning look beckoning for her to continue,

"May I say bye to Lián before I leave" She asked.

Ah, you had forgotten after you docked her and Fedor would be dismissed.

"Oh, I forgot, touching to see you form a bond with your client" Pantalone stepped back allowing Galina to get close to you.

Expecting a small wave and a "nice to work with you" was instead met with a headbutt hug from your Guard the few months when you were in Liyue.

You thought your guts were being choked hard enough from the abuse from the corset, and now you were being squeezed by Galina whose hood and mask were now against you giving a faint sweet amber scent you assumed was perfume.

"I hope you enjoy Snezhnaya Lián" She pulled back before giving you a kiss on both cheeks.

"Don't hesitate to come find me or Fedor around Nordekalle if your new guard allows you to; maybe I can show you around the cape of Snezhnaya when you are settled in" she said with a small smile on her lips.

"I'll hold you to it soon" You felt yourself genuinely smile, a smile formed from the contagious joy your guard was radiating.

"Now I will let you go— I must report on time, The Tsaritsa waits for no one," she said before giving your head a soft pat.

Gathering the few things she had brought with her, she escorted herself out With a soft slam it was just the two of you alone again.

“So what do you think?” you asked holding the trim of the long pooling gown around your heavily fur-lined boots you had on looking up at Pantalone.

“I once again have to give Galina a good word for how beautiful she made you look” He as usual let his gloved hand roam your exposed cheek, tinted in a natural blush for your complexion. 

“I have to fight the urge from smudging your makeup before we disembark to the Tsaritsa” 

You could feel yourself blush as he met your wide gaze, his smoldering one confirming he wasn't lying at all about what he just confessed to you.

“Please will you let me escort you to the Tsaritsa as my guest to the Snezhnaya capital” he extended his hand to your shoulder, mixing under your viel in a clash of stark white and vibrant dark violets to your Dark navy and pooling ebony sparkling as you both walked together up the steep steps you’d traversed a few times on the voyage to Snezhnaya.

The different fatui soldiers and fatui agents you had seen bustling around the halls loitering or doing busy tasks were not missing only leaving you two down the dark devoided lighting in the long vessel.

Finally reaching the open cabin was when the rush of cold chilled your bones, reminiscent of when you had your vision and tried to channel the energy without your weapon.

It made sense since you were in the Ice Archon land, the initial shock of the dense grey skies around you the urge to keep walking and not stop and spectate at the unreal tundra that was surrounding you both under the dense snow flurries delicately falling.

“Ah– it’s so c-cold” you whispered to Pantalone shifting your eyes from the now rows of Fatui agents and lower ranked fatuus standing in attention facing towards where you and Pantalone are walking. “I wasn't exaggerating when I said it was cold here, hopefully, you put on those “silly armbands” under your clothes” Pantalone teased quietly as he continued the monotonous march to the dock decorating the horizon beyond the lowered ship plank connecting to the mainland.

You were surprised and soon disappointed you did not see Fedor and Galina anywhere in the sea of Fatuus patientlystanding facing the port. However as you both began to close in you saw on the horizon a white carriage, one you'd never seen before most likely made of steel and iron, with only one fatui member standing facing the both of you approaching the oppressive atmosphere of the dry and grey harbor.

This one was different however as she didn't wear what most of the fatuu members had on when you saw them in your many years in Liyue, namely the long coat crystal hued luminous coat tails reminding you of the fontainian's fashion accompanied with dark long pants with a crystal stained glass hem on the bottom.

Your attention was however the anubis-esque mask she wore on her face, covering her eyes but you could make out the frown ebbing away at the corner of her pale skin and warm orange hair framing her face.

“Good morning, Lord Pantalone” Her voice sounded of glass chimes, A thick Snezhnayan accent coated her words but her voice sounded dainty and elegant.

She bowed her head as you both paused in front of her. “The Tsaritsa has requested you to join her in the palace banquet room” She held her hand over her heart, “she says it was an important matter she had to handle before then so do excuse her inability to warmly welcome you from your voyage my lord” 

She extended her hand to the carriage opening the thick metal door, inside were red velvet seats and what seemed to be small candles affixed to the spaces where the two windows were placed providing some kind of warmth to yourdestination.

Pantalone only silently got inside without a word, holding your elbow a bit tighter he let you go ahead and step up into the carriage first leading him in behind your freezing self.

Sitting on the plush red velvet seats by the window you cursed yourself further since your shoulder was getting a smalldraft from the thick window pane beside your poor shoulder from outside.

Pantalone slid in beside you elegant as usual the small trinkets attached to his snow-white cover made the faintest sound signaling his presence.

And of course, a lone arm finding purchase on your slightly bloated stomach.

You kept looking out the window Letting your head lull to your side on top of Pantalones warmer coat the smell of expensive amber and musk radiated from him. Very warm coat, It was beyond you that you were tired but you felt your eyes slowly close as you looked out into the frost-encased windows, the winds hollering around the barren landscape.

…

Unheard by you, the carriage door opened revealing the fontainian dress Fatui operative. Pantalone sat beside you, looking down at you who had now been taken by the grasp of a frequent nap you had at least every other day, his unoccupied hand combing through your soft-washed hair, careful to avoid the intricate metal pins in the shape of the Fatui emblem firmly stuck on the top of your head under your veil.

A rough slam to the carriage door signaled the steerer to operate the carriage through the storm.

Crossing her legs across from the two of you she only let her lips fall into a thin frown of displeasure.

“So, were you the one that summoned me to… witness this,” The woman said pointing to you across from her.

“I thought you said you'd never move on after you broke up with me” She added.

Pantalone only sighed, moving his hands to cover your ears under your veil before he spoke anymore.

“I had no say so in this— Galina and Fedor suggested someone that worked under the same section as them, I didn't realize you were a part of the Snezhnayan branch still” Pantalone let his thoughts spill.

“Maybe it is for the best; so I know it's officially over” She crossed her arms looking back at the snowy landscape.

“perhaps— I'd rather lay out right now our boundaries” Pantalone sternly warned the fox-colored-haired woman in front of him.

“Yeah yeah, don't have to tell me twice I just am serving the Tsaritsa, and whatever I'm told I do,” She said quickly dismissing Pantalone's words.

“Don't catch a tone with me, Fatui operative Nyla— remember your place to me” Pantalone raised his voice, Nyla didn't seem to react only looking bored back at him.

“If this seems to arise in a problem I won't hesitate to send you to Il Dottore's Squad” He smirked back at her.

“Maybe it would be better— I'd rather be lobotomized than see you making out with that Old pig” She narrowed her eyes underneath her mask, "She's old enough to be your older sister I bet she was alive to see the Archon war" she added looking over at you.

“Hey, isn't she the one that was with our comrade in Liyue?” 

Pantalone huffed in disbelief.

“Oh of course you had to bring him up—” Pantalone's face began to flush with anger.

He checked once more to see if you were still asleep, thankfully you were looking a bit out of place with his big hands wrapped around your ears.

“Well? You at least can answer that, I'm genuinely curious I used to see you and him in the palace all the time followingyou around like a puppy” She laughed under her breath.

“he's… out of service” Pantalone once more glanced down at you.

“Why do you want to know? So you can shoot your shot with him” Pantalone teased.

“hmm, very funny but I don't think I want to see another man with your hair and face ever again” 

Nyla was about to say more before the carriage came to a halt, he hadn't realized he'd been arguing with his worst enemy in the back of the carriage the whole time.

“Case and point” Pantalone cleared his throat.

“You need to behave tonight; this is an important ceremony between The Tsaritsa, (Name), and I” Pantalone reiterated watching her with sharp eyes.

“Hmm? Who's (name)” She asked.

“Long story, but she's pretending to be Lián for now—” Pantalone crossed his legs,

“Fedor has assumed she must use it in the harbor to separate her identity as the Tianquan's eyes and ears of the harbor just as we do” Pantalone waved away.

“Pantalone?” You asked carefully rubbing your eye to not rub your delicate eye makeup you did yourself in the morning.

“Yes, my lotus” He looked down at you reminding himself about what mattered today.

“Did I fall asleep? I'm sorry” you apologised trying to sit up in the carriage bench seat before Pantalone moved his hands from your ears, “and why were your hands on my ears” you blushed smoothing your dress down.

“Ah– we were just discussing secret information” Pantalone glared back at Nyla sitting across from you, “but I think we've exchanged everything we need to hear” Pantalone smiled before kissing the top of your head.

Nyla only sat silently watching judging you from where she was.

“I suggest you look alive since my coworkers may be out and about—” Pantalone gestured for you to sit up.

Soothing your dress you looked once more out of the window, 

Tall ridges, not as steep as the mountains that would decorate the Liyue ecosystem but certainly as wide as them all you saw around the tall cathedral-like castle walls the carriage was currently stopped in front of, a coastline in the distance beyond the flat plateau was what you could see.

You wondered where it went to.

Nyla wordlessly let herself out, opening the carriage door and prompting Pantalone and you to exit.

“Why is she so standoffish” you whispered to Pantalone glancing back at the agent disappearing off towards the front of the carriage.

“Bad blood simply put, Unfortunately, she's going to be assigned you for the rest of the stay here until I can get to transfer her away” Pantalone whispered back to you.

Your face immediately fell the blood draining the color from you.

“Thankfully you should have free range of the whole palace, you'll only need her when you go off into town or when I'll be busy some nights” He reassured you.

You once more glanced out the carriage to see her standing close to the door holding it open for you both, she was facing neither of you but facing out towards the towering palace.

“Come on, We need to be punctual” He grabbed your hand with such tenderness it radiated through your gloves.

“The Tsaritsa waits for no one”

-

Now, you knew you were going to stick out like a sore thumb regardless, of your complexion, hair color, and even something you'd never thought about like your accent was different from the exotic bunch of harbingers and settled Snezhnayan folk.

But everyone stopped to spectate you and Pantalone's arrival.

At least in that situation, you could keep walking beside Pantalone practically hidden underneath his enormous coat, 

But now that you were in the tall banquet room it felt like everyone was watching you.

The different fatui grunts lining the tall ice pillars, the serving staff, and finally.

Him.

His mouth only was in a manic grin in front of you, his eyes obscured by a bird-like beak mask reminiscent of a plague mask. His liquid test tube swirled on his ear behind his cyan-colored hair.

Pantalone had been summoned to tend to something conveniently leaving you alone at the private dinner table with… that thing staring at you, The Tsaritsa had still been tending to something with her own personal guards taking a bit longer than normal.

So just left you, your snobby-faced guard sitting next to you with a stare that could kill, a bunch of fatui standing around the ice pillar.

And of course him.

Awkwardly clearing your throat you looked back at the strange thing in front of you, honestly, you couldn't even tell if he was a real person, his unique style looking extremely far out for even the most edgy person.

���Erm– so your name is…” you were asking to be polite but you genuinely don't recall if anyone even called him a name when you first wandered into the tall crystal and marble floors of the Zalphonary palace they called it.

“I go by many names, but I was given the title Il Dottore for my specialty” He crossed his hands to let the fingers touch.

“Oh, your special—”

“I'm going to politely ask you not to indulge him in that subject Lián” the unfriendly guard you'd been assigned quickly intervened.

“Hmm? Why Nyla I didn't recognize you without chatting up a storm, did Pantalone whip the loose lips out of you already?” Il dottore glanced briefly over to where your guard was sitting.

“I'm on duty to be Lián's guard, Pantalone warned me to be on my best behavior” She answered sternly.

“how about that, Who knew there was someone even crueler than me out there to assign you to guard this intoxicating woman” he looked back over you with hungry eyes under his mask.

You only shifted uncomfortably in the plush wooden seat you'd been provided.

“Pardon but why did you stay behind? It seems rude they just left without asking you to join them” you asked trying tocontrol your voice from wavering as he focused his gaze on you. 

“what you don't like my company? I can be very entertaining when I'm allowed to be” he once again gestured to your guard sitting with her arms crossed over her petticoat.

“I sure don't” she piped up from beside you.

For a little while they both bickered as you watched on in mild amusement.

Until you hear a heavy door swing open coming from the left.

You instinctively looked to the source of the sound; the side where the tall hand-carved bejeweled Snezhnayan throne was standing tucked behind was a door opposite from where you had arrived and been ushered through.

“Turn around and face the wall” Your guard bumped your leg.

“You aren't supposed to watch her enter the room” 

Without a word you swiveled your head to face the pillars in front of you, ignoring the sharp smile coming from Il Dottore watching you with interest.

A few more resounding footsteps were heard approaching the throne.

A hand was felt on the back of your neck.

“Pardon me, sorry I just arrived,” Pantalone said placing a small peck on your cheek before sitting down.

He wasn't dressed in his large white smock-like jacket he had when entering only wearing something akin to a dark amethyst-colored turtleneck with dark ebony accents near his neck, reminding you of an eye-like pattern.

Sitting to your right he gently plopped himself in the chair before looking in the direction you were also looking at.

He was going to open his mouth only to let his lips fall as he heard the Tsaritsa finally sit down on her throne.

You only stared straight at the wall watching your strange acquaintance for your cue to move or talk.

“Did you need something? Il Dottore” 

This time it was the voice from beyond the throne.

You wanted to look, just to confirm the familiarity with the voice that had been haunting you since your fall.

But what your mind wanted your body ignored only sitting patiently in the chair.

“Oh, am I not invited to this meeting? That's very unfortunate” Il Dottore once again looked over to you and Pantalone.

“Save it for the actual ceremony, right now this is only a confirmation between the two parties” her voice's reverb sounded throughout the echoing room.

He grumbled, but he got up from where he was sitting humming a strange tune, a bird-like mantle on his coat now visible that you hadn't initially seen before he left.

“See you later my partner in arms” Pantalone waved at Il Dottore with a carefree smile from his side of the table.

He didn't say anything only the steps of his shoes were heard disappearing towards the big wood gate-like door where the three fatui mages were standing.

You felt like you could breathe, exhaling as you looked back at your empty plate and bowl.

“If I may Your Majesty but I hope it pleases you the gift I brought you for our dinner this evening” Pantalone's haughty voice broke through the silence, his fingers crossing under and over each other as he rested them against the table.

“I am, but as I said before I do not desire the rich; even a lone apple would suffice for me” her familiar voice once more said.

“But again I thank you from the bottom of my heart,” she said in a demure tone.

As soon as she finished her sentence a slew of different uniformed chefs similar to when Pantalone had his own in his estate arrived with a huge pot and a few different loaves of pillowy sourdough bread that you'd never seen before alongwith bowls and plates filled with an intoxicating smell, different from the cuisine in Liyue.

A soup with thick brown gravy was served in front of you with a few warm rolls placed in front of you. You and Pantalone were served a warm fish reminiscent of a mackerel around a bed of vegetables and a different type of vegetable you think a squash was decorating the plates you had been served.

“Will that be all Your Majesty?” The chefs said in unison.

“Yes that will do,” she said from the other side of the table.

You decide now to sneak a glance.

Your guard was occupied eating the thick gravy beside you none the privy to your sneaking look you were making to your left.

But when you realized who she was.

The same navy blue and tinsel silver design on her veil, her tall ice crystal crown covering her snowy lashes, she was focused on her own meal in front of her blowing elegantly with her long golden talon fingertip cages on her fingers.

The one from your dream.

“You remember me yes?”

“(name)”

She was looking straight at you, her glacier-like eyes looking straight at you through the veil.

And she somehow knew your actual name.

You only politely smiled.

“You might have me confused with someone else I believe this is the first time I'm meeting you” You smiled hoping no one else had heard what just slipped out of her mouth.

“Oh? Do you not go by (name) anymore” she asked.

You glanced back at Pantalone, thankfully only idly grabbing the wooden handle of his ladle and serving himself some more of the hearty soup.

“My name is Lián Your Highness” you corrected looking into her eyes, pleading, for her to realize what you were truly saying.

“Well I guess I will refer to you as Lián as you wish,” she said, taking a bite of her fish and bread in front of her.

You took the opportunity to begin to eat your meal, unsure where to start you were going to reach for your small roll of flaky bread before Pantalone interrupted you cutting your fish for you with a lone knife, His movements were as quick as the rest of the fish was cut up you were stunned when you saw him grab the lone fork besides you carefully stabbing into the meaty fish before holding it in front of your mouth.

A bit embarrassed you opened your mouth letting him gently place the piece of fish in your mouth before you chewed savoring the flaky baked fish, a meal you thought you'd enjoy that wasn't the usual liyue cuisine.

You could see him already preparing to go in for another scoop of food, only for you to raise your hand in a stop motion.

“Please it's okay Pantalone– you should eat” you murmured trying to grab the fork from his hand only for him to skillfully move it away from you, frustrated at his game you only relented letting him feed you the next bite of fish in your mouth.

“I'd rather make sure my lotus gets fed first before I dare begin my meal” He charmed you once again.

You wanted to say something back only for the glare to return on you, even with her animalesque mask on her face couldn't hide how she felt.

“Seeing you two together really does warm my heart” the tsaritsa declared from the same direction as the boring stare into the side of your face.

“I can see now why you were so insistent on me requesting to meet your potential fiancee” You felt your lips twitch in a smile, you seriously didn't believe he was actually going to go through with it you thought to yourself as you felt another bite of fish dangle in front of your lip.

“Somewhat Yes, I also had to take the opportunity before someone else tried to take my mountain lotus from me” Helooked back to you next to him at the table.

“I know she isn't from Snezhnaya or affiliated with our organization but I still would very much like to carry on with our union” He paused feeding you grabbing a crisp blue napkin to dab the corners of your mouth blissfully within his dark violet glove.

“I just ask you to take into consideration the accomplishments I've made all these years as a harbinger before you give us both an answer,” He said.

She took a moment to respond, looking you up and down once more as if she was considering something.

Maybe, she'll be the one to save you silently wishing to yourself.

“Oh no she's not of Snezhnayan descent send her back to Liyue” and you could return to Yelan and the familiar harbor in one piece and prove you didn't get murdered and somehow escaped out of this chilling nightmare you were in.

“I see no reason to oppose the marriage” the tsaritsa started, “But I will have to ask Lián something” her taloned finger raised at you.

Feeling your breath hitch in your chest as you felt singled out in the room eyes wide and sweat threatening to seep from your forehead.

“Would you be okay with leaving your past behind” She took a dainty sip of her soup before setting the spoon down.

“You hail from Liyue yes? Such a far way to be separated from everything you knew and are familiar with to be with your spouse to be” the concern in her voice evident to you.

You wanted to tell her, the actual truth, her warm expression conflicting with the ice-encased look she had was what made you want to coax out how you felt.

But Pantalone and his silver tongue were faster.

“Ah I let her decide when I first brooch the subject to her back in her home country” Pantalone quickly answered, “Lián thought it would be better this way instead of being alone in Liyue harbor the rest of her life” he looked back to you.

“Isn't that right Lián”

You nodded your head slowly closing your mouth.

The rest of dinner was filled with brief conversations and occasional silence, but the Tsaritsa never took her eyes off of you.

You and Pantalone parted ways afterward letting you be in the care of your stoic mellow new guard.

She didn't bother taking you around the whole palace despite the many hallways and floors only taking you to the Harbinger's wing.

Specifically where Pantalone resided.

Of course, it was as extravagant as you could imagine for the richest harbinger, namely the large balcony overlooking the sea with columns and a warm tub outside decorated with blue and white flora around like a privacy hedge.

His bed was almost as giant and spacious as the one in Liyue.

And to greet you above the fireplace and mantle of the amethyst and dark blue room was his portrait hanging above withall its glory with golden leaf around said portrait.

You felt hesitant to walk the rest of the way inside only standing at the entrance silently absorbing the new environment.

“Well, are you coming along Lián? Or do I have to walk you inside too” your guard said with crossed arms.

“S—sorry I was just looking” You awkwardly cleared your throat before walking inside letting the heavy wooden doors close with a delayed thud.

“As you know, you are free to roam the palace as long as you avoid areas that aren't guarded,” She told you, “if you need to go somewhere outside of Snezhnaya that isn't here in the majesties domain then find me” She pointed to herself.

“If you are found wandering around somewhere without me that'll be my ass so please don't hesitate to find me” 

You simply nodded in understanding before looking for somewhere to sit in the warm room watching her eagerly escape the room you just entered leaving with brisk steps.

Once again alone in a new environment.

Sitting on top of an ottoman you let your thoughts wander to earlier in the day.

It seemed as though this wedding or "union” was going to be soon.

Unfortunately for you, he had no hesitations about it; he did mean he was ready to be married to you for an unspecified amount of time.

You were pulled out of your thoughts unexpectedly by your stomach, lurching as it had on the ship and the estate these past few months.

The flutter rose within your stomach once more, like a small hiccup in your abdomen.

You glanced down at the shelf your stomach had now formed; maybe it was because of the realization you had talked to the Tsaritsa in your dream, but the small bubble of flab forming in your lower pelvis was a bit low compared to where your fat would normally hang from.

Everywhere else on your arms and legs and chin area had also not accumulated any fat either

You stared in curiosity at the little bump on your stomach underneath your dress.

Placing your hand over your stomach you surely thought nothing would happen.

But alas were you wrong when you felt.. A spasm.

You pulled away; watching your stomach for another sign of movement, anything, under your dress.

…

Once more you let your fingertip hover over the area on your stomach. This time the flutter became more overwhelming.

And you swore you felt a kick.

“My archons” you sputtered in the quiet room.

It felt like an actual footprint, just as you’d hear the women you grew up with talk about.

Silence.

It had to be his.

It couldn't be anyone else’s 

You got up immediately going past the bedroom towards the large stained glass door where you saw a bathroom.

Undressing yourself for the first time in a while was awkward but you shimmied into only your bra and underwear you had on, leaving the many pieces you'd been dressed in on the cool surface of the bathroom floor as you stood in front of the long vanity mirror next to the grandiose tub. It certainly looked like a dome shape was forming around your mostly round stomach. You hyperventilated, storming out of the room without a care in the world if someone were to walk in on you. 

Looking around near the roaring fireplace you saw parchment and fountain pens.

Ah, yes! 

You went over to the desk after taking your veil off and dragging it around your chair before you went to business.

To Lady Ningguang

Please send this letter to the orchid of Liyue as soon as possible, I am fortunately physically fine but don't know where In Snezhnaya I am nor what the plans are for me here.

I possibly might be ill or worse something terrible that needs attention once you receive this letter.

Signed (Name)

Retreating back you slumped back in the chair.

Combing your strands of hair through your shaking fingertips you tried to calm your ragged and hushed breaths, inhalingand exhaling was when you tried to think about the situation with clarity closing your eyes.

Maybe you weren't pregnant, after all, you did get tested in Liyue right? 

Surely they would have found something especially this late into the pregnancy.

You opened your eyes to see the intricate golden painted mural above the chandelier and the intricate architecture in the ceiling design. Tomorrow besides mailing your letter for help you’d put this unease to rest, take the pregnancy test, and find out if it’s just your mind playing tricks on you

You got up from your chair before looking once more down at your alien stomach.

One problem at a time… you reminded yourself silently.

Note: awah I know AO3 is slightly ahead with updates but it’s because I haven’t had time to update this blog until now 😭 I swear everything should be caught up by January again so yay!

[miyokurenai]

ONE SHOT STORY

••••••••[ Shoto x reader x Deku ]••••••••••

You have something on your palms, held tight with your fingers softly for it not to deform. But minutes have passed and you are still looking at what you hold. A thing that you put your heart on every knit, it's soft that you could cuddle if you're scared but you will give it to someone who is brave enough to face death. Now you wonder, shall I give it?

But you know you've spend all day and all nights to sew perfectly every part of it. The furry paws, head, ears and tummy made of cloth similar to a color of hazelnut brown or tree bark. Nose and eyes hand stiched from a blackish ink thread with added designs. Especially the cushion scarlet heart that the thing you made holds. Symbolizes of what you want to express but cannot tell.

"I hope he likes this teddy bear" you whispered to yourself with determination for you are ready of the possible outcomes.

You knocked at it gently but with a powerful sound for him to hear. You waited if he will open it.

You feel your heart beating faster while waiting. What would you say and do? What would he say and do? These questions made you gulp.

At last you heard a door knob ready to open and you saw it moving hinting that its already happening. Now you feel nervous even more but it is now or never.

You sighed and now you feel he's in front of you. Still not looking straight to his eyes afraid of saying different words if you did. So you looked at the floor. While holding the teddy you want to give him all this time.

"Please accept this..." Now you decided to look to him ready to tell the words only he can hear.

".... Deku?" You said out of confusion that made your tone a little pitched. He left a shocked expression for he doesn't know how to respond and you also don't know what to say.

"Oh! T-thanks I-"

"What I meant was accept this and give it to Shoto. Sorry I didn't mean to give the wrong idea. I'm truly sorry" you said and bowed waiting for his response.

I messed up! Your inner voice screamed.

"It's okay I'm just about to say thanks, I will surely give it to him" he said with a friendly tone that eased the regret you felt for the misunderstanding. He gave a smile to tell that there's no problem.

You noticed that smile was different so there's a stab of guilt inside you. Receiving something from someone to you is a different kind of happiness. Who wouldn't be hurt? He's your friend. You're consience whispered that made you even more feel guilty.

He's always there with you in times of crying and laughing. His cheerful and inspiring attitude made you get more close to him. A boy of blackish crow and a dark green grass strand of color in his hair. With it's childish face and dots at his cheeks that is a unique facial feature. Which you made his day bad.

"I'll make something for you--"

"It's okay I mean it. I want to be given from the heart not from guilt..." He cut out what I'm saying where he is a type of guy who would not do that. There was a silence after, that irritated my ear where the guilt before multiplied inside me.

"You want to come in? He's inside training. I just fetched the door, you know him. When it comes to training he doesn't hear anything" he said while laughing. Looks like they're enjoying not until you came. Your guilt's side said

There's a part of you that you want to come in to see Shoto but half of it is that you need to give space for Deku. You know that he has an attitude of always smiling even if he is hurt.

"I'm tired making that so I'll train with you tomorrow"

"Oh! You made this for him..." He mumbled but you heard it since where just face to face. He looked at the teddy bear and gave a slight smile. "He'll like it for sure" he cheerfully said.

"I hope so, I'm going. Good luck training and be sure not to out do yourselves guys!" You exclaimed as you waved good bye to him and he waved back. Then he came in then shut the door.

You started to walk but the feet that usually jumps or runs if you know Shoto is around seems gloomy now. Walking slow paced while thinking of what mistake you have done.

You slapped your forehead out of stupidity for doing stupid things earlier.

You were insensitive but you will make up to Deku tommorow, that cheered yourself.

"Hey! (You're name)"

You turned you're head to confirm if that's Deku's voice. Looks like you should do that now you thought when you recalled that you said to yourself you'll make up to him.

You ran to him for he is already panting, maybe he is exhausted after the training.

"What is it?"

"He..... Said...... He....."

Deku spoke but still catches his breath

"You should drink first before you faint" you advised as you gave him a water bottle from my shoulder bag.

He took it and drunk it fast, just in a second your bottle is already empty and let out a chuckle

"Is this so important that you need to run like a horse. You're almost looked like a horse" you teased him and he laughed while he wiped his sweat on his forehead.

"No time for teasing. I gave it already and he said... I don't want it" he said but lowered a Little his voice for he knows that would affect you badly while lending the teddy to you.

" He doesn't.... Want ... It.." you repeated aloud out of pain. Tears are formed at the edge of your eyes that slowly falled on you cheek.

"I'm really not good at sewing, I understand him. Thanks for telling" you said and gave a bitter smile trying to cover the ache.

You were waiting for his response, a gesture or anything that could cheer me up but he did nothing. Is he still the Deku I used to know? You asked yourself inside you're mind but you just think of ridiculous thinks because you're hurt. Maybe that's what you are experiencing.

He just stood there, watching you cry like a weakling. You started to turn for you to get out of this place, head home, and let it all out under my pillow. But instead of a wide hallway, you bumped on to someone.

You thought it's his fault since, why would you?

The hall is fairly wide and not crowded unable to bump easily to people. It depends if it's blind or pretending to.

You breathed out to release the frustration you felt for things might get worse if your temper hit you and hitted to someone.

"I'm sorry for bumping-" you apologized even if it's not you're fault for things to run smoothly. When you looked who you bumped at, you almost exploded heat if you can. You Don't know if it comes from anger or fluster.

"I should be the one to apologize." He replied then sighed as if he is saying some words he normally doesn't tell or just lazy to tell it. " I don't want it " he said and held the teddy you we're holding and lifted up at the level of our faces. Now our hands are wrapped at the teddy bear.

"I know that already" you sarcastically said and put down your hands for him to get out of your sight. But he gripped tightly that resulted of you not able to let go.

He sighed again that annoyed you a little for not only you are close to his his half whitish snow hair and half flaming red hair, pair of attracting eyes; one blackish grey graphite hue and the other oceanic green pupil, proportionate jawline and fair right tanned skin. But you can also smell the minty air from his breath.

"I don't want it...... I want you..." he sincerely said. A guy who appears emotionless that always prioritize what's practical can say these words out of him.

You were speechless of what would you say and what should you even believe.

"To personally give that to me" he continued that almost made you melt at the floor for expecting other meaning of what he said.

Both of you released at wrapping each other's arms on the teddy bear and then you made a move for you to get home already.

"Oh sure, here" you calmly said still leaving a hint of anger in your tone. You gave him that teddy but the feelings of enthusiasm was not like before.

"Giving gifts personally is a different situation. It allows you to hear and see only you can understand and the receiver can only tell. Let's get back Deku" After telling that he walked beside me and straight back to the training room while hearing two feet's walking away leaving you standing alone.

You looked down and wiped your tears for no one to notice you and categorize as weak. While doing it you saw a heart laying on the floor.

You took it immediately for this heart is familiar, a creator know it's own work.

You concluded that you didn't stiched it nicely that's why the heart cushion of the teddy bear dropped.

But you're jaw also dropped for there's a stiched letters in white color where you can read it clearly.

My heart belongs to you,

as always

- S.T.

°°°°°°°

Hope you enjoyed reading it. This is my first time trying to make a one shot focusing on fanfic so I hope I did fine.

Every heart and comment is really appreciated thank you. You can say what you want to say. Don't let others stop you from saying what you want.

[wordsofrowan]

From Ashes to Embers

Chapter 13 - Truth and Lies

“Truth, I am Shadow Moth!” I watched as the purple butterfly outline appeared over Luka’s face as he clutched the sides of his head. “I am giving you the power to force people to tell you their most sacred secrets!” 

Luka shook his head vigorously as if attempting to purge himself of Shadow Moth's influence. "Truths should be shared willingly, not forcefully taken!" I rushed towards Luka, gripping his shoulders tightly, desperately trying to make him focus on me. 

"Luka, I'm so sorry. Please you have to fight this, I believe in you, I know you can resist him!" I pleaded, my voice filled with a mixture of anxiety and determination.

“Why resist for her when she doesn’t even trust you?” Shadow Moth's voice reverberated, taunting us both.

“She does trust me!” Luka said back, his eyes closed tight and his face scrunched as he tried breaking free from Shadow Moth’s control. 

"Yes, Luka, I do, I do trust you!" I cried out, tears streaming down my face. "I trust you with all my heart!"

“If she trusted you, then why won’t she tell you the truth!” Shadow Moth’s words cut through the air like a chilling wind challenging Luka’s faith in me. I could see the pain written on Luka’s face as he suck to his knees. Seizing the moment Shadow Moth’s voice boomed over Luka, his words dripping with power and temptation. “Embrace my power, and the truth will be yours," his whisper danced through the air. But the price he exacted was high: Luka must unveil the secrets hidden within Ladybug and Chat Noir's identities.” 

Overwhelmed by the gravity of the situation Luka used the last of his strength to muster up one final plea, “Run, Marinette!” before submitting to the power of darkness. I stood watching as the purple tendrils enveloped him transforming him from the Luka I knew and loved into his akumatized self, Truth. His once familiar appearance was now adorned with a black and blue bodysuit, embellished with three ominous eyes that seemed to hunger for revelations. In the presence of this newfound power, Shadow Moth conjured forth a menacing Sentimonster, its name echoing as Lighteye. Born from an amok, the colossal eyeball bowed to Luka's command, prepared to bolster his quest for truth.

Confronted by the formidable Sentimonster, Shadow Moth reiterated his sinister intentions, his voice dripping with malevolence. "With Lighteye at your side, your power will amplify. This Sentimonster is your loyal guardian. The time has come to unveil the secrets veiled in the shadows." The weight of his words settled heavily upon me, my heart sinking as the moment of reckoning drew near, understanding that the truths concealed within my realm were on the precipice of exposure.

Without hesitation, I sprinted through the city, seeking refuge and transformation. With the utterance of the words ‘Spots On!’, I embraced my superhero alter ego and emerged ready for the impending confrontation. With resolute determination, I trailed after Truth, my pulse echoing the urgency of the situation. As I arrived at the Liberty, my focus locked onto his silhouette.

Alya turned away from the rest of the girls with a wave of her hand, “Bye guys see-”, only to be abruptly shattered by a searing light beam emanating from Truth.

“What is Marinette’s secret?” his demand cut through the charged air, directed at Alya, the unsuspecting recipient of his relentless pursuit of truth.

"She is… In love with Adrien Agreste," Alya's voice resonated under the light of Lighteye as she spoke.

"Wrong!" Truth's retort sounded impatient, annoyance threading his words. "That's not her secret!" The beam of light shifted abruptly, leaving Alya reeling in its wake, its spotlight now centered on Mylène. "You there! Tell me Marinette's secret!"

"She’s in love with Adrien Agreste," Mylène's response mirrored Alya's, the words leaving her lips through the force of the Akuma’s power. 

"You're just as useless!" Truth's frustration erupted in a huff of exasperation, his irritation palpable.

"Chat, Hawkmoth has merged his powers with the Peacock Miraculous, ascending to become Shadow Moth! A supervillain and a Sentimonster have emerged. I need you here!" My voice carried a note of urgency as I dispatched the message into my yoyo, a voicemail left for Chat Noir.

Stepping forward, Rose's determination led her to confront Truth, her gaze unyielding. "Marinette doesn’t have any secrets because she’s the most honest girl in the whole world!" Her words held a certain conviction as if she were warding off the encroaching shadows.

Lighteye's attention shifted towards Rose, but her steadfastness didn't waver. Yet, Juleka stepped forward, intervening with an admission tinted with a mumble. "She loves Adrien, I guess," her voice carried a mix of reluctance and annoyance, which only served to further anger Truth. 

"Enough, Luka! You don’t need to do this!" I shout out to Truth, capturing his attention. Instantly, his beams converge on me. My gaze locks onto the guitar pick necklace adorning his neck, causing me to freeze momentarily and giving Lighteye the chance to ensnare me.

“Now you must reveal your secret for everyone to see. Let me do the honors. Who are you Ladybug?” 

“I.. am… Ladybug! Heroine of Paris! Guardian of the miraculous!” Chat Noir then comes in and tries to smash Lighteye with his baton only for the amok to move out of the way at the last second.

Truth tried once again to get me in his light only for me to continuously dodge it out of the way. “I must know Ladybug’s secret identity!” 

"Hey, what are you doing on my ship, pirate!" My eyes snapped to Anarka just as she got caught in Lighteyes' beam, the tension thick in the air.

"It's time for you to tell me the truth, Mom!" Truth demands, his voice filled with a mix of anger and desperation. "Who is my father?"

Anarka's voice softens, a hint of emotion creeping into her words. "Luka," she says, her voice tinged with a bittersweet tenderness, "Your father is... Jagged Stone."

The weight of the revelation hangs heavy in the air, and I look at Luka who is left speechless. The truth hits him like a tidal wave, leaving him breathless and yearning for more answers. I looked between Anarka, Luka, and Juleka and guilt wracked through me for enjoying Jagged as my honorary uncle when he wasn’t even there for his kids. 

"I want the truth!" Truth shouted, my voice echoing with a mix of frustration and determination. "Who is my father, really?" I demand, needing confirmation and clarity.

Anarka's gaze meets mine, her voice steady and unwavering. "Jagged Stone," she repeats, her words carrying the weight of honesty and a touch of sadness.

"Where are you going?!" Shadow Moth's voice echoes behind me as Truth turns and starts running in the opposite direction of the Liberty. His words fade into the distance as he pushes forward, fueled by a relentless thirst for the truth.

"Sorry, Shadow Moth!" He calls out, his voice filled with urgency. "But this truth cannot be put on hold!"

Chat Noir and I chase after Truth, our determination matching his as he heads straight to Le Grand Paris, where Jagged Stone is known to stay. As we arrive, we find Jagged in the midst of practicing a song, his rockstar persona momentarily overshadowed by the sudden light from Lighteye's beam.

"Hey! Easy on the spotlight, buddy," Jagged Stone protests, his voice laced with a touch of annoyance.

"I am not your buddy," Truth declares, his three-eyed visage shimmering with unwavering determination. "I'm here to find out if I'm your son."

Jagged Stone's response is tinged with uncertainty, his eyes searching Truth's face. "Uh, depends on who you are."

Not one to miss out on the action, Chat Noir interjects with a mischievous grin on his face. "Hey, I want to play too. Truth or dare?"

I roll my eyes at Chat Noir's playful interruption, realizing the gravity of the situation. I quickly try to use my yo-yo to wrap around Truth, hoping to bring some semblance of order to the chaotic moment.

However, Truth remains resolute in his quest, proclaiming, "Truth and dare. Lighteye, freeze Ladybug and Chat Noir!"

Lighteye obliges, diverting his attention towards Chat Noir and me, temporarily immobilizing us. This distraction allows Truth to take center stage, undeterred by any obstacles in his path.

"My name is Luka Couffaine," he declares, his voice filled with a mix of determination and emotion. "And I have the right to know the truth!" With unwavering focus, he aims his beam at Jagged Stone, posing the question that has haunted him for so long. "Are you or are you not my father?"

Jagged Stone hesitates for but a moment, his eyes meeting Truth's unwavering gaze. Then, with a mixture of apprehension and acceptance, he answers, "Luka Couffaine? Yes, I am your father."

The revelation strikes Truth like a bolt of lightning, the famous rock guitarist he had admired from afar turning out to be his father. Chat Noir and I stand there, stunned and speechless, as the weight of the situation sinks in.

Guilt washes over me once again, realizing the pain I unintentionally caused Luka. Not only did I hurt him, but now I feel as if I stole his father away from him. My heart ached even more as I temporarily froze. 

But Truth's emotions run deep, a turbulent mix of anger, confusion, and hurt. "Why would you hide this from me, and why did you abandon me?!" he demands, his voice filled with a raw intensity.

Jagged Stone's confession is laden with remorse, his words heavy with regret. "I was too lame to take care of a kid. I'm sorry, son, but I spent my whole life on tour. I live in hotels with a crocodile. I could never be the father you'd need me to be. Besides, it made for a super cool song! Have you heard 'My Guitar Is My Only Family'?"

Truth's anger remains unabated, his frustration boiling over. In a fit of rage, he tosses Jagged Stone into an adjacent alleyway, his actions fueled by a mixture of pain and betrayal. Shadow Moth, watching from the shadows, can't resist interjecting, his annoyance palpable. "Follow them!" he commands, his voice laced with impatience.

But Truth remains resolute, his determination unwavering as he addresses Shadow Moth. "Sorry, Shadow Moth, I still have one last truth to uncover," he declares, his voice filled with an unyielding resolve.

Shadow Moth begrudgingly recognizes Truth's commitment, sighing in frustration. "How can I be sure that it's the last one?" he asks, his skepticism evident.

With unwavering conviction, Truth replied, his voice dripping with smugness, "Because I always tell the truth!" The sinister gleam in his eyes betrayed the chaos he aimed to unleash upon the city.

As the situation grew dire, I swung down from above, my nimble movements guided by the trusty yo-yo in my hand. With a swift flick of my wrist, I caught Jagged Stone just in time, preventing him from hitting the unforgiving ground. His signature energy remained unyielding, even in the face of this tumultuous revelation. "Woohoo! My son is out of sight!" Jagged Stone exclaimed, his voice filled with unbridled enthusiasm, a testament to his indomitable spirit.

Meanwhile, Lighteye, the ever-watchful sentinel, patrolled the area, his gaze sweeping across the surroundings. His vigilance almost caught sight of the heroes, but their expertise in concealment kept them hidden, allowing the sentimonster to pass by, blissfully unaware of their presence. It was a close call, but their quick thinking and stealth skills saved the day.

Chat Noir, his feline instincts razor-sharp, leaned in close to Jagged Stone, his voice a mere whisper in the chaos. "Now, you stay out of sight while we deakumatize him," he instructed, his eyes filled with determination, mirroring the unwavering resolve in his voice.

With an air of urgency, Chat Noir and I trailed behind Truth, our steps quick and purposeful. As we followed his path, it became evident that he was heading straight for my house, a realization that sent a surge of adrenaline through my veins.

Arriving at the familiar sight of my home, we positioned ourselves strategically, hidden from view but close enough to observe the unfolding events. From our vantage point, we watched as Truth, his determination unwavering, continued his relentless pursuit of information.

Inside the cozy Dupain-Cheng living room, Sabine and Tom were engrossed in a video game, their laughter creating a joyful atmosphere. Little did they know, their peaceful evening was about to be disrupted by the intrusion of Truth himself.

In a blinding flash of light, Truth materialized before them, his presence commanding attention. The room fell into an uneasy silence as Sabine and Tom exchanged bewildered glances, their expressions mirroring the mixture of surprise and trepidation.

Without wasting a moment, Truth directed his piercing gaze towards Tom, his voice demanding and authoritative. "What is Marinette's secret?" he interrogated, his tone leaving no room for evasion.

Caught off guard, Tom stumbled over his words, "She's in love with Adrien Agreste," he revealed, his voice tinged with a hint of regret for unintentionally exposing his daughter's emotions.

With his thirst for truth unsatiated, Truth shifted his attention towards Sabine, his piercing gaze fixated on her. "Does she keep a diary?" he probed further, his voice resonating with a firm resolve.

Sabine, swept up in the power of Truth's influence, succumbed to its compulsion, her voice trembling slightly as she answered honestly, "Yes, she hides it in her room."

The weight of their revelations hung heavily in the air, the room enveloped in a palpable tension. Tom, fueled by a fierce desire to protect his daughter's privacy, mustered his courage and attempted to block Truth's path, determined to shield Marinette's secrets from further exposure. Yet, his valiant efforts proved futile against the relentless force of Truth's power.

Undeterred by the resistance, Truth declared with unwavering determination, "My work is not yet done. Lighteye, stay where you are. I'll be there soon." His words carried a sense of urgency, hinting at the impending encounter that awaited Lighteye, a confrontation that held the potential for even greater revelations.

Chat Noir and I swiftly made our way to the balcony, our hearts pounding with a mixture of urgency and determination. Panic threatened to consume me as I witnessed Truth reaching for the cabinet that held the precious Miracle Box, the source of immense power. Reacting swiftly, I used my trusty Yo-yo to ensnare Truth's wrist, preventing him from accessing the cabinet.

"Lighteye! Come back now!" Truth shouted, his voice tinged with frustration and desperation. The situation grew increasingly precarious as the fate of the miraculous objects hung in the balance.

"Mmm hmm!" I muffledly responded, gesturing towards the akumatized object, emphasizing the need to neutralize it before it could cause further harm.

"Hmm?" Chat Noir's eyes widened with understanding as he recognized my intent. "That's the akumatized object! Got it! Cataclysm!" he declared, his cataclysmic powers ready to strike.

"Mmmm!" I muffledly exclaimed as Truth forcefully shoved me into a trunk, momentarily silencing my voice. I desperately signaled to Chat Noir, indicating that I was still gagged and unable to activate my Lucky Charm.

"M'lady, whenever you're ready, you can call upon your Lucky Charm!" Chat Noir encouraged his unwavering support evident even in the face of adversity.

"Mmhmmm!" I muffledly responded, reminding him of my current inability to speak freely. But Chat Noir, ever resourceful, reassured me, "Take it off. I have a plan!"

I removed the belt from my mouth, grateful for my partner's quick thinking. Before Truth could resume his line of questioning, Chat Noir swiftly tripped him, momentarily incapacitating him.

"Ladybug, tell us what's your-" Truth began, only to be interrupted by Chat Noir's diversionary tactic.

"Top three favorite qualities in Chat Noir!" Chat Noir interjected playfully, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

I seized the opportunity to respond, my voice filled with genuine admiration, "I have to say it's his courage, his self-confidence, but really the quality I like most in Chat Noir is his humor."

“So what you're saying is that you actually like it when I clown around?” Chat Noir asked hopefully. 

“No and definitely not right now!” I yelled back at him as I tried to land another blow on Truth. 

“Ladybug, under your mask, what do you-” Chat smacked Truth with his Baton on his head knocking him over momentarily. 

“Use when all seems lost?” Chat Noir winks at me as I piece together what his plan was. 

As Truth stumbled, I finally had the chance to activate my Lucky Charm. "My Lucky Charm!" I exclaimed, receiving a box of aluminum foil as my miraculous gift. However, before I could fully utilize my Lucky Vision, our attention was diverted by the unexpected arrival of Lighteye.

Caught off guard, I watched in horror as Lighteye immobilized and struck Chat Noir with Truth's beam, leaving him vulnerable and defenseless.

"Chat Noir!" I cried out, my voice filled with genuine concern and fear for my partner's well-being.

Truth attempted to resume his line of questioning, but I swiftly intervened, throwing a present at him to momentarily distract him.

While Truth was momentarily preoccupied, I seized the opportunity to address a burning question in my mind. "Chat Noir, do you think about my new role as guardian?" I inquired, a mix of apprehension and hope lacing my words.

Chat Noir, ever the supportive ally, responded with unwavering loyalty, "If it doesn't change things between us, then I'm good with it!" His words brought me a sense of relief and reassurance, strengthening our bond in the face of uncertainty.

Finally, I activated my Lucky Vision, spotting Lighteye, a parasol, and the box of aluminum foil that I held. With swift and calculated movements, I wrapped the aluminum foil around the parasol, merging the mundane with the extraordinary. Lighteye, now uncontrollable, darted around the room in a frenzy, causing chaos and confusion.

"Lighteye, stop!" Truth shouted, his voice filled with frustration and desperation. But Lighteye, under the influence of its own twisted power, remained undeterred, wreaking havoc with every unpredictable movement.

Refusing to let the situation spiral out of control, I swiftly attached my Yo-yo to Lighteye, aiming it towards the reflective surface of the parasol. The beam ricocheted off the foil-covered parasol, redirecting its destructive force back towards Truth.

In a moment of triumph, I hurled my Yo-yo at Truth's necklace, severing its connection and freeing the akuma and amok from their imprisonment. As the dark energies dissipated, I captured them in my Miraculous, sealing their malevolence away.

"No more evil-doing for you, little akuma! Time to de-evilize!" I declared, my voice filled with determination and resolve. With a flick of my fingers, the purified butterfly and feather were released, embarking on their journey of restoration and renewal.

As the purified energies dispersed, Truth's menacing facade crumbled away, revealing the familiar face of Luka, a bewildered expression etched upon his features.

"What am I doing... in Marinette's room?" Luka questioned, his voice filled with confusion and disbelief. The realization of his actions dawned upon him, and he struggled to comprehend the events that had unfolded.

"You were akumatized after a horrible fight with Marinette, don't worry, I got her to safety," I reassured Luka, my voice filled with empathy and understanding. The weight of the situation hung heavily in the air, a reminder of the consequences of Shadow Moth's relentless pursuit of power.

With a final glance at Luka, Chat Noir and I made our exit from my room, determined to put the ordeal behind us. As we stepped out onto the streets of Paris, Chat Noir couldn't contain his excitement, his voice echoing through the night.

"Woo hoo!" Chat exclaimed, his enthusiasm infectious. "M'lady, it's been a while since I've had that much fun."

I chuckled softly, shaking my head at his boundless energy. "If battling a supervillain with three eyes and a giant monster buddy is your idea of fun, I can't imagine what your other days are like."

Chat Noir's eyes gleamed mischievously as he responded, "A baddie, a sentimonster, and Shadow Moth. It's even more exciting with his new name, don't you think?"

My expression grew serious as I contemplated the ever-present threat of Shadow Moth. "He can change his name as often as he likes. He'll still never win," I declared, determination lacing my words.

Chat Noir's playful demeanor softened as he looked at me with unwavering support. "You can count on me and my jokes, Bugaboo," he said, his voice filled with sincerity.

A playful smile tugged at my lips as I replied, "Well, you don't have to overdo it."

As we reached our parting point, Chat Noir turned to me, a wistful expression in his eyes. "Truth is, I only ever have this much fun with you. Catch you later!"

I couldn't help but smile at his words, appreciating the genuine connection we shared. "Until next time, Chat Noir," I replied, my voice filled with warmth and gratitude.

I decided to return to the lake where Luka and I had been at, before the chaos of his akumatization took over. Shortly after I arrived, I spotted Luka running towards me, his expression filled with remorse and regret and my heart instantly sank.

"Marinette, I'm so sorry. I should've never tried to force you into telling me the truth," Luka confessed, his voice laced with genuine sorrow. He pulled me into a tight embrace, seeking solace in the warmth of our connection.

Tears streamed down my face as I held onto Luka, the weight of our recent struggles weighing heavily upon us. "I'm sorry too, Luka," I whispered, my voice choked with emotion. "I don't want to lie to you, Luka. I don't think I can... maybe we should..."

Luka's gentle touch silenced my words, his unwavering support shining through his eyes. "When you're ready, I'll be here, Marinette," he reassured me, his voice filled with unwavering loyalty and understanding.

In that vulnerable moment, I mustered the courage to express my true feelings. "I love you, Luka," I confessed, my voice filled with both vulnerability and hope.

His response was filled with equal parts love and devotion, "I love you too, Marinette."

With a heavy heart, I slowly pulled away from Luka, knowing that the path ahead would be filled with uncertainty and difficult choices. I walked away, the weight of sadness settling in my gut like an anchor, dragging me down as I made my way back home.

As I entered the familiar comfort of my house, I passed my parents silently, unable to find the words to express the depths of my emotions. I retreated to my bedroom, the tears flowing freely as I allowed myself to release the pent-up pain and sadness.

In the solace of my room, I cried, the sounds of my sorrow echoing through the empty space. The emptiness and heartache felt overwhelming, but amidst the tears, I held onto a glimmer of hope, knowing that love and understanding would guide me through the darkest of times.

I barely had a moment to wipe away my tears before an urgent akuma alert flashed on my phone. My heart sank as I watched the livestream, revealing a massive dome of light surrounding City Hall. Determination surged within me as I quickly composed myself, calling out my transformation phrase and leaping into action.

Standing atop a nearby building, I surveyed the situation unfolding before me. The dome of light radiated an ominous presence, threatening to freeze everything it touched. I needed a plan, and fast. Suddenly, I heard an all too familiar voice shout out “Cata-”.

Without hesitation, I swiftly moved, sending out my yo-yo to wrap around Chat Noir's wrist and putting my hand over his mouth to muffle his words. It was crucial to prevent any accidental contact with the freezing sphere.

"No! If you touch the sphere, you'll freeze," I warned, my voice filled with urgency.

Chat Noir's muffled voice came through, his determination evident. "Not if I've always told the truth," he replied.

I shook my head at him. "Yeah, but is that the case?" I questioned, a hint of annoyance in my tone.

“Hardly,” He replied looking at me, “how ‘bout you?” 

“Of course not Kitty, were supposed to lie. If only to keep our identities a secret. ” I said my heart squeezing in my chest as I thought about Luka, “Now don’t touch that thing, if you do then there will be no one left to stop Lies from swallowing all of Paris.” 

“Okay, so what do we do then?”

"Lucky Charm!" I exclaimed, receiving a box larger than myself. Opening it, I discovered a camera drone and a remote. It was time to put it to use.

Chat Noir couldn't contain his curiosity. "I can't wait to see what you're gonna do with a drone," he teased, a smirk playing on his lips.

Determined, I formulated a plan. "Okay, we can't go inside, but I doubt this machine ever lied. This means... keep her busy while I send this spy bird inside! We'll stay in touch," I instructed, placing an earpiece in my ear to stay connected.

Chat Noir followed suit, putting in his earpiece with a mischievous grin. "Your wish is my command, M'Lady. And that's no lie," he teased, playfully taunting Lies from his elevated position. “Yoohoo! My name isn't ChatNoir, I'm not a superhero, I hate Ladybug, and I think Shadow Moth should have been called Peacock Moth! Way funnier! I forgot, my favorite dish is cauliflower with béchamel sauce.” 

“Lies, catch that deceptive cat and seize his miraculous!” 

“You have my word Shadow Moth,” It was then that I noticed the bracelet on her wrist, one I had the pleasure of seeing quite a few times, “Liars will always pay in the end!” 

Undeterred, I focused on the task at hand. "I know what the akumatized item is," I declared, my mind racing with possibilities.

Chat Noir, ever supportive, encouraged me. "Great, so break it!" he urged, his voice filled with anticipation.

The reality hit me. "How do I do that when I can't touch it?" I questioned, frustration lacing my words.

My attention shifted as I observed the paralyzed guests at Prince Ali's party, except for Fang. Inspiration struck as I noticed the four slices of cake and the drone remote. The pieces were coming together.

"You're right, only someone who's never lied can get into that sphere and do it, but that doesn't exist!" Chat Noir exclaimed, his voice filled with both skepticism and hope. Chat Noir continued to leap across rooftops, fleeing from Lies' rapidly expanding sphere. 

As we ran, my voice rang out with conviction. "Yes, it does, Chat Noir! It does exist! Fang! Jagged Stone's crocodile. He's never lied. He's an animal, he wouldn't know how!" I yelled out, amazed to finally put the pieces together. 

Our pursuit led us to Hôtel de Ville, where the drone sprang into action. Its four arms attached themselves to the slices of cake, propelling it outside the building. The drone chased after Fang, who had broken free from Penny's leash, navigating through the paralyzed Parisians.

Amidst the chaos, the citizens cried out for help, their voices filled with fear. I continued to run after Fang, making sure to stay in range of the drone so that our plan did not fail. 

“It’s working!” I shouted out happily, “It’s actually working!” Chat Noir extended his staff to get a better vantage point of the situation. “But if Lies sees him coming we're toast!”

Chat Noir's voice cut through the tension. "There are only two liars left in Paris, and one of them knows the ultimate way to catch her attention." His words held a glimmer of trust and confidence in my abilities.

I hesitated, suddenly feeling the crushing weight of the situation. "No way! Don't do it! What if I fail?" my doubts crept in causing me to freeze up and hesitate. 

“You know what? I trust you.” With a mix of determination and love, Chat Noir detached himself from safety, deliberately falling into Lies' sphere. My heart raced, filled with a mix of worry and panic. 

"Chat Noir, no! You're completely crazy!" I pleaded urgently with him my voice filled with concern and dread. 

“Crazy about you my lady.” 

“No just plain crazy and reckless.” Time seemed to freeze and Lies made a grab for Chat’s Miraculous and at the same time, the drone dropped the last piece of cake. Fang forward, biting into the cake and shattering the akumatized object. The moment of truth had arrived.

I wasted no time, using my power to de-evilize the akuma. "No more evil-doing for you little akuma! Time to de-evilize! Gotcha! Bye-bye little butterfly! Miraculous Ladybug!" 

The citizens erupted in cheers, celebrating their freedom from Lies' grasp. I yo-yoed over to Chat Noir, filled with a mix of relief and frustration. "Seriously, you've got to stop doing this to me!" she scolded, her frustration fading into a sense of relief.

Yeah, but I can't resist this angry little pout of yours when you bring me back." 

In a moment of unity, Chat Noir and I sealed our victory with our signature fist bump. "Pound it.”  After our signature fist bump, I left Chat Noir and made my way back home. The weight of the day's events pressed heavily on my heart as I snuck into my room, seeking solace and comfort. With a heavy sigh, I released my transformation, and Tikki settled herself in the palm of my hand.

Tikki looked up at me with concern. "Oh, Marinette, I'm so sorry," she spoke softly, her voice filled with empathy.

The floodgates of my emotions burst open, and I couldn't hold back the tears any longer. "It's not fair," I cried out, my voice thick with sorrow. "As long as Shadow Moth poses a threat to the people I love, I can't have a boyfriend. I can't have friends. I can't have anyone. It's just too dangerous."

My sobs echoed through the room as I buried my face into my pillow, seeking solace in its softness. The kwamis, ever attentive and caring, exchanged worried glances.

"What is this strange liquid running from her eyes?" one of the kwamis exclaimed, their voice filled with curiosity.

"It's tears, she's crying!" another replied, their voice filled with sympathy. "Oh, that's so sad!"

The kwamis gathered around me, their tiny forms radiating warmth and comfort. "Is there anything we can do?" one of them asked, their voice filled with genuine concern.

I threw myself back onto my bed, feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders. "Just give me a hug," I moaned, my voice muffled by the pillow. And at that moment, I felt the gentle presence of the kwamis as they drew closer, wrapping me in a comforting embrace.

XoXo Rowan

[oliviatcte]

STARTER: CLOSED  LOCATION: MYSTIC FARMER’S MARKET DATE: JUNE 6, 2021 TIME: 9:04 AM

                    As the warm summer sun sliced through the clouds, the farmers market was alive and bustling with perhaps the biggest crowd Olivia had seen since September. Although the couple had been forced to take a break for winter, Sunday mornings at the farmer’s market had returned back in May and remained a tradition she looked forward to almost weekly. From munching on baked goods and artisanal coffees, to helping Wyatt pick up fresh ingredients for his recipes, it always seemed to be the highlight of Olivia’s week. 

                     As a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, the brunette took a moment to stand back and admire her view. To many, watching their partner pick out the perfect bunch of potatoes wasn’t anything to swoon over. But with Wyatt, it was things like this that made her adore him. His passion for culinary arts was evident, in a similar fashion to the way she agonized over her cases. It was nice to finally be with somebody who understood, who had his own set of goals and aspirations, and wanted to see her thrive just as much as he did. “By the way you’re examining that thing, you’d swear you were preparing for brain surgery. Something on your mind?”

@wyattdcvis​

[ambivalent-anarchy]

The First 'I Love You'

Gender: Female

Pairing: Peter Parker x stark!reader

Warning: None

Prompt: “Are you sure you love me?” “Who else could I love?”

Requested by: @cyrusandhiscollaredahirts

Summary- kinda goes without saying. Peter says his first 'I love you'.

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

May Parker always kept a watchful eye over her nephew's relationships.

Aside from the fact that it was to be protective, it was like a little game for her. Trying to catch and determine what parts of how Peter loved were like her or Ben or his parents or just himself.

He was always incredibly touchy, like Ben had been.

And he loved to give gifts. That was May's thing.

He was a bit overprotective. Ben.

And he definitely was the jealous type. May.

Pet names were the big one that tuned May in to start watching for more in the first place. The first time she ever heard Peter calling you 'sweetheart' over the phone, May almost spat out her water. 'Sweetheart' was one of Ben's favorites.

And yeah okay Peter definitely had way more of Ben's love traits than May's. But she didn't mind. Quite the opposite.

But there was only one thing that held potential to being a problem.

May had brushed it off before due to her nephew's persistent bashfulness at first. But it really did seem now that one of Ben's most prevalent habits was about to show itself inside Peter at any moment.

Ben was never one to be patient with something or someone that he truly, deeply cared about.

If he wanted something, no matter how hard he tried to give it time, it'd just thread on him until he had to do something about it.

Which was why he was the first to say 'I love you.' And thankfully, May was ready to say it back when he did.

And May desperately wanted it to be the same for Peter.

And she didn't want to be judgmental, but she knew you were a Stark. And everything came easily to Starks, except one thing.

She'd seen how you were on the first date with Peter. How intimidated he'd been. How much your guard was up all the time.

She'd known how long it finally took you to say yes to being his girlfriend. How many times he had to ask and get an 'I need to work on myself first' or an 'I really do like you, but I'm not ready yet.'

She saw how much it broke Peter's heart even though he tried to stay hopeful. And how ecstatic he was when you finally decided that you could say yes.

You'd made lots of progress since then, but even now, with how comfortable you were with him, you were still cautious. It was almost as if you expected to be hurt. That at some moment Peter would pull off a mask and show you a 'true self'.

Normally, she'd try to sneakily butt in and ease your worries, but she knew it wasn't her place. You'd have to find out on your own that Peter would never hurt you.

And she could see that Peter was reaching that point that Ben often would. When there was only one thing on his mind and it would dominate his thoughts and it was like he was a balloon all too ready to pop.

"Give her time, Pete," May said one day out of the blue, causing Peter's head to snap up. "I know what you've been thinking about lately, and I just wanna tell you to give her some time. Trust your instinct."

Her nephew smiled, amazed at how well she could read him. He nodded. "Okay."

And true to his word, he waited until he felt the time was right.

He was walking you home, a lovesick smile on his face as you ranted passionately about some stupid tv show.

Your eyes held so much joy and wonder. He just wanted that to go on forever.

When he was little, he always thought it was corny when his uncle Ben would sit him down and tell him about his first 'I love you' with May. But now, he understood. Because this was a feeling that everyone should want to feel.

"Guess it's time to go, Pete," you said. "Thanks for tonight-"

"-I love you."

He said it confidently the first time. So sure and so certain that he wanted you to hear it.

But when you hadn't caught what he said exactly and wanted him to repeat it, it all went away. What if it wasn't what you wanted to hear? What if you weren't ready to say it back?

He looked down at his shoes. "I-i, um.." Taking a deep breath, he looked back into your eyes and said it again. "I said I love you..."

You didn't say it back immediately, and that really threw him for a loop. Instead, you shifted and looked anywhere but to him.

"I-i mean, you don't have to s-say it back. That's totally fine," he rambled. "I-i just s-sorta wanted you..to-to know..."

"Are you sure you love me?," you said, your eyes becoming a bit glossy.

You'd never heard those words spoken like that before. You never thought that you ever would.

A little confused, Peter scrunched his eyebrows together but smiled. "Who else could I love?," he chuckled a bit. "I mean, I do love Ned, and Aunt May, and Mr. Stark, and MJ... but none of them this way.. not like this," he confirmed for you.

He'd never seen such uncertainty in your eyes before. You held yourself and started to back away a bit, cluing to him that he'd done something wrong.

Maybe you weren't ready to say it back he figured. Maybe you wouldn't be for a long time. But he knew right then and there, that he wanted nothing more than for you to be, and he'd wait forever for it to happen.

"Look, [Y/N]. I'm sorry," he began, tearing up a bit, but there was no way he was gonna be crying in front of you. "You probably don't-"

He was shut up when he felt your arms tightly wrapped around him.

"I love you too," you said back, fully crying tears of joy at this point. "I love you so much Peter!"

At that, he started to cry too. You actually said it back. This was perfect. You were perfect.

"Full warning," he said, pushing back so that he could see your entire tear stained, doey eyed, perfect face. "Now that I've got you, I'm never letting you go."

All you did in response was smile widely and pull him closer. It was a confirmation of what the two of you had done. And neither of you would ever forget it.

"You're so precious, baby," he softly whispered into your ear. "I'll love y-"

"Um, excuse me why is my daughter crying?," a rough voice broke in.

The two of you looked to the side to see your father at the door with his arms crossed. He looked to Peter's face. "Oh and you're crying too," he noted. "And you're both smiling- Oh my God you didn't ask to marry her did you?"

"Their vitals show that they are happy, Mr. Stark," F.R.I.D.A.Y. broke in. "If you would like, I can play back the last five mintues recorded from the door for you; starting with the words 'I love you'. That phrase seems to have started this ordeal."

You and Peter looked to each other before you both burst into laughter. "That little snitch," you said.

Your father rolled his eyes. "Alright continue your little.. thing," he said. Then he pointed to Peter. "But you're not allowed in her bedroom tonight, underoos. Too many emotions going around and I don't trust it. You two stay in the living room."

"Oh-uh," Peter scratched the back of his head. "I actually better be on my way home for dinner. Have a nice night, Mr. Stark." He looked to you and his blush deepened. "Bye sweetheart. Love you."

"Love you too," you responded, to which your dad made vomit sounds as he walked into the building.

-

That night, Peter literally skipped down the sidewalk all the way home, humming and having spontaneous bouts of laughter.

Walking into his home, he quickly yelled out.

"May! May c'mere!"

"What's up?," she yelled back. "Did the date go well? What happened? Oh my gosh are you crying?"

Peter shook his head slightly. "No no no no I'm just...so happy right now!"

He ran to hug her, smiling brightly.

"She said it May... I told her and she said it back."

-

You walked into the game room after having a squealing fit in your room.

You walked in and was immediately met with... applause?

The entire team was sitting there looking at you and there was a cake... what?

You couldn't hear everyone because they were speaking all at once. It wasn't until you were patted on the shoulder and turned to see Rhodey standing there. "Hey kid..make sure you two have a condom when you finally...do it."

Your face scrunched up. "What?!"

"Yeah, Tony showed us the footage," Bruce said, appearing on the other side of you.

"He- what?!"

Bucky laughed, taking a big cut out of the cake. "Peter probably would've snuck into the bedroom with you too, if Tony hadn't cockblocked you. But yeah we threw you a little love party."

You blushed profusely as Sam swung an arm around you. "Hey Steve! That was a language word!"

Steve rolled his eyes and then looked to you. "Congrats [Y/N]."

"Okay, this is officially weird and I'm going to bed."

"Okay but check the room for any spiders first!," Rhodes yelled out, earning a middle finger as you walked away.

When you made it to your room, you threw yourself onto the bed with a sigh.

"He loves me...he actually loves me."

[ketsuyuki-hibana-typed]

I just take one request so I'll go with modern one!

Sabito x Reader (Domestic ModernAU) (Slight NSFW warning)

Being Sabito's childhood friend means knowing almost all of the behaviours and habits, and so does Sabito. And when he finally confess to you after both of you graduated from High School, you were so happy because you've been waiting for this moment.

Being in the same university made it more easier for him to reach you out. Sabito proposed you to live in his apartment until both of you graduated and you happily accepted it.

He called this, 'A simulation before the real one.'

"What real one?"

"Marrying you." He winked. Damn, that's smooth please shut up.

And now, you and Sabito were in 3rd year.

When Sabito woke up in the morning, he will just play with your hair until you wake up by yourself.

"Mm... Morning, Sabito. Playing with my hair again?"

"Hm."

"If you're awake, wake me up too, geez."

"I can stare at your stupid face for hours."

"Seriously, what is that for."

You raised your body from your bed and stretched out, planning what breakfast you should make. Both of his arms snatched your hips.

"I'll make breakfast, you should get ready first. Your project will start at 8 right?" Sabito mumbled.

"Um yeah." You yawned, caressing his messy hair. "Thank you."

Today, the role reversed. He's the one who wore apron while flipping eggs and you helped him with the tables and coffees after done with your clothings.

"Sabito, you make lunch too?" You peeked from his shoulder. "Uwah, the legendary bear-shaped onigiri rice."

"Yeah, after you finished on your project, let's eat them together."

You usually went to uni with him, but this time, you'll go first.

"Why are you wearing scarf?" He crossed his arms, standing in front of the door, while escorting you to outside.

"You dare to question why?" With embarrassing and mad face, you revealed some hickies on your crooks. "Whose fault is this?"

"My bad." He raised his hand while smugly smiling.

"Grr..." You grabbed both of his shoulder, tip-toed and planted kiss on his neck, leaving red marks. "Fufu, fair play."

"Ugh.."

"Bye Sabito!" After another quick peck landed on his lips, you finally headed out to your university. He covered his reddened face with his palm, swearing that he will revenge you.

Like usual, you ate lunch with Sabito and your other childhood friends, Giyuu and Makomo at the mini park.

"You know, (y/n). The other day, Sabito was sleeping in the class and he called your name!" Makomo giggled. "I got the video!"

"Whaaat, show me, show me!"

"Wait, Makomo!!"

Being university student means both of you don't really much time to meet, but you always made sure to pay Sabito a visit on his kendo club activity.

But Sabito didn't want you to sat near his kendo friends, because of constant eyeing from the boys and death-glaring from the girls.

Nah, it's just his natural jealousy. You didn't really mind about them anyway, you just wanted to see him training.

"Why can't I sit with them? I want to befriend with your manager too."

"No. Just no."

"....I'll go home then."

"Wait, no! I'll lost my morality!!"

"THEN WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?"

So, here you are, seeing his training at second floor. When your eyes met with his, you grinned and smiled while waving your hand.

"Fight, Sabito!"

Then he waved back, making peace sign. That some sort of morale make him more brutal while swishing his wooden sword towards his team.

Sabito probably looked soft and all but he's really become fierce when it comes to other people. But apparently, this didn't apply to you.

He wanted to make sure that you got enough attention from him, even though both of you were busy.

So, dating-days is all of your choices. You're the one who decided where do you want to go.

He likes to take your picture from behind on dates and send it on InstaStory

"With (y/n), lol she's smol." "Bby would deadass fall into that water fountain." "Love it when she said 'Chimkin nugget'"

And please do not question about how he made long ass threads on his pinned Twitter, all contained about you and your photos.

You also have your own habit, like slipping your hand inside his hoodies' pocket, ran with your hand pulling his shirt while showing him something interesting, accidentally stepping on his back shoes.

Sabito literally loses his mind when he can't find your figure behind him while both of you walking, but he stayed cool and started looking for you. This is just your another behaviour when dating, but still, gave him heart attack.

Until he saw hands of yours waving on the air, the method he taught to you in case you lose him.

"Again?!"

"Sorry, I got distracted by the student disc- awawawawa." He pinched your cheek. You grabbed his hand while whining in protest.

"Tell me if you wanted to go somewhere, stupid!"

Dates will be always ended with shopping for 1 week-stocks

Sabito never let you bring a single groceries bag and often snatched it from you even though you said you wanted to carry half of them.

"What kind of man who let girl bringing these much?"

Both of you knew how to handling with eachother's moods.

One day, you slammed the door after a shitty day.

"He-"

You just ignored him and went straight to your shared room, slamming down your whole body onto the bed.

Sabito immediately knew that you're in super bad mood, so he prepared hot tea and your favourite snacks, bringing them to bedroom.

He lifted your body, and positioned yourself between his lap, rolling you around and making you hugged his body. After that, he will read books or played with your phones while caressing your back, letting you stay in silence until you started to tell what made you upset today.

Or, when he's the one who stressed, he will say nothing while hugging you from behind and put his head on your shoulder.

"Care to spill?"

"..."

"Okay, then. Anytime you ready." You'll do your usual activity inside the house with he clinging onto you, regaining energy by claimed that it's called 'recharging'.

Day-off like Saturday and Sunday is the most precious day. Well, not really, just doing a normal bunch of what couple would do in the apartment.

Also, he's literally... Your mom.

"Hang it here!" "How many times do I had to tell you to not put your pants and shirts on the chair?" "Don't forget turn off the water." "You haven't cook the rice? Geez, I almost done with the other foods!" "Your bra, missy. I really have an issue with that if you carelessly put them in the living room. What if someone's barge in?"

"I don't think someone will barge in unless they're thief, Sabito."

Not to mention how he forced and dragged you all the way down on Sunday to jogging and running.

"Ok, one more lap!"

"Wha-?! Didn't you just say that this is the last?"

"Go! Go! Go!"

Bathing together after long one day? Sure! But please bear with his groping on your breast when you bathe in with him on the tub.

"I'm not groping, I massage them. They said it will grow bigger."

"...where did you hear that. Also, I'm insulted, you know."

"Hmm, I don't really care but isn't it more-"

"Shut up, you pervert!" You splashed water onto his face.

Other affections like kissing and cuddling were done when both of you about to go to bed. He didn't kiss you outside the house because he wanted to feel the simple intimacy from you.

He usually offered you 'pillow-hand' when you're about to sleep or when you still wanted to talk to him with his feet cuddling yours under the blankets.

"The scar..." You slowly dragged your finger at the reddish mark from mouth to ear. "...If I'm not so stupid to go near the wild dog when we were 10, you probably don't have-"

"How many times do I have to tell you that this is not your fault?" He pressed his temple onto yours. "It was my decision to protect you, this scar is also my responsibility."

"But, I'm still not-"

"Oh, but if you kissed my scar everyday, it probably helps."

"You just wanted to be kissed, do you?" You slowly smacked his head while giggling.

"Yeah, maybe? Just- don't think about it anymore. It's all in the past." He butterfly-kissed your nose, telling you to sleep afterwards.

"Umm, can you pat my back?"

"If it made you at ease, sure." He started to move his hand, dragged his palm on your back.

Now, this is new. He didn't know you like it when he caressed your back.

Even though both of you have been together for a long time, Sabito is still eager to discover other real side of you more, so please be prepared.

[shawnpetermuffins]

Accidentally Out

Summary: Shawn and y/n aren't that great at keeping their hands to themselves

Warning: slight mention of smut, angst?? (What else is new?)

***

Shawn's limbs were tangled with mine come daybreak. His hair tickled the side of my neck as he snored softly. With how angelic and innocent he looked now, I could almost forget what we did last night.

I scratched at his back as he pushed himself deeper into me. Moans - both his and mine - escaped and filled the room.

"Ride me," he begged into the crook of my neck.

I smiled and pulled gently on his ear with my teeth. "On your back, Mendes."

I stretched out my sore right leg and caught a glimpse of the flourishing bruises that littered my thigh. I let out a breathy laugh.

I held tightly onto the sheets as he licked a stripe over the part of skin he just bit. Then his face was buried between my legs, his tongue painting me in feeling. God, his mouth on me was everything. I felt myself nearing my edge and told him so. Shawn eyed me from my core and unhooked my hands from his sheets, tangling our fingers instead. He moved his tongue faster against me and the noises he made were exceptionally dirty as he encouraged me to orgasm. I arched my back, my eyes rolled so far back I swear I saw stars.

My fingers ran through his hair in an attempt to keep my boyfriend asleep. His phone ringing ruined that, though. He groaned and moved out of my grasp, answering the call right before it stopped ringing. "'Llo? No, I'm not... Andrew, come on... You know, y/n is here..." Even though the irritation was evident in his voice, the sleepiness of it was still so cute. "Okay, okay... Yeah, bye."

"Everything okay, bub?"

"No," he found his way back to my chest and placed soft kisses all over my collar bone. "Andrew needs me in the studio."

"Oh no."

"I don't wanna go. I wanna stay in bed with you all day." He complained, pulling me impossibly closer.

"It's your job, Shawn. It's okay, go."

He looked up at me and pushed a strand of hair out of my face. "Can you come with me?"

I sighed, "will Andrew be okay with that?"

"I don't care. I don't want to leave you here by yourself. Plus, I think I'll write better with you there with me."

Running my hands through his hair, I nodded. "Okay. Sure, babe. Just let me get ready."

When I came out of the bathroom, showered and with a little bit of makeup, towel around my body, Shawn was rifling through his drawer for clothes. "Hope you don't mind, darling," he said when he caught sight of me. "I went through your bag and got you some clothes. I wanted you comfortable. Jeans and my t-shirt okay?"

I smiled, "perfect." I stood on my toes and held onto his arm. "Kisses?"

He leaned in and pecked my lips once, twice, three times. "Oh," he said when he pulled away, "and I have a hoodie for you in the laundry room. I'll get it in a second. It gets cold in the studio."

"You're wonderful," I mused. "Now go clean up. We don't need an even angrier Andrew."

---

I sat on the couch in the back of the studio as my boyfriend and his song writers bounced ideas off each other. His guitar sat in his lap and he strummed a few notes here and there, but I tried not to pay too much attention in fear of disturbing the writing process. So I read.

Shawn told me to bring something to do, just in case. "Sometimes these things run longer than they should," he had said. So I brought two books, seeing as I only had a quarter left of the one I was currently on. When it was nearing one, Shawn made his way over to me. I didn't notice until his hand touched my knee and I flinched.

"Sorry, baby girl. Didn't mean to scare you."

I checked the bottom of my page for the number and closed my book. "It's okay, what's up?"

"Let's go get lunch. Just you and me."

"In public?" I was skeptical. We'd been together for nearly eight months, but haven't gone public yet. And we were in his hometown, if people saw us that would be it.

He nodded, "There's this place down the street I just ordered from. We just have to go get it."

I smiled softly at the boy in front of me who looked gorgeous despite the dark circles that were becoming prominent beneath his eyes. "Okay, bubba. Let's go."

I tried to keep my distance while we walked from the studio to the restaurant, but he took my hand and pulled me to his side while we walked, placing a kiss to my cheek. It was clear that he didn't care about PDA here. That made me nervous.

---

Shawn Mendes Has a New Girlfriend

"Shawn! Come here!"

"What's wrong, y/n?" He came from the kitchen to the living room where I was currently pacing.

"Look at this," I held my phone in front of his face.

"Oh god," his features paled.

"Shawn, there are pictures of us! What are we gonna do?"

His phone rang and he pulled it from his pocket. "It's Andrew."

I scrolled through the article while he talked to him.

Rumors have been circling Canadian singer, Shawn Mendes' love life for quite some time now. Fans have reportedly noticed a change in Mendes' attitude recently, saying he seems happier than usual. Mendes was spotted yesterday with a mystery girl that some are speculating is his new girlfriend.

Sources close to Mendes say they've been dating for several months now.

I stopped reading because I couldn't handle it anymore. And the picture they had of us didn't help either. I felt myself beginning to shut down.

Shawn re-entered the room just as I tossed my phone on the couch.

"Y/n, calm down. It's okay. Andrew is taking care of it."

"The whole world knows now," I said, running my shaky hands over my face.

"No," he crossed the room and took my small hands in his large ones. "They're assuming."

"We kissed! We were holding hands and hugging! They have pictures! They're not assuming, they know!" I pulled away from him.

"Why is it such a bad thing if they know?"

"Because I wasn't ready!" I sighed deeply. "Okay, I know everyone is gonna have their opinions about our relationship, and I know I can't do anything about that. But we're still so new to this. I'm still so new to this. My first serious relationship is with an international super star . It's not just you and me. I have to share you with the rest of the world."

"You knew that coming into this," he pointed out.

I nodded, "I know." I pinched the bridge of my nose. "I know. But that doesn't change the fact that from here on out everything we do or don't do is going to be documented. There will be people that still ship you with Camila or Hailey, and there will be pictures of us everywhere. Breakup rumors, pregnancy rumors, engagement rumors. You cheated on me. I cheated on you. It's never gonna be just the two of us again."

He ran his hands over his face and sat on the armrest of the couch. "Look, I'm mad about this too, believe me. But maybe this isn't such a bad thing. Now I don't have to hide you. I can take you to award shows with me and hug you and kiss you. What's so bad about that?" He held his hand out for me. "C'mere."

I instinctively fell into him and let out a shuddery breath. My fingers found his jaw, his lips. "I just, selfishly, wanted you to myself a little while longer."

He kissed the pads of my fingers and held on to the back of my thighs. "We're alone now."

"You know that's not what I mean." I tried to pull away, but he brought me between his legs and wrapped his arms around my torso.

"I know."

"This is such a mess," I muttered and looked down at my hands.

"Y/n, honey. Look at me."

I glanced up at him from beneath my long lashes.

"It's all gonna be okay."

I nodded, "What did Andrew say?"

He shook his head, "that he's getting the article taken down. And that I'm an idiot for showing PDA when I know you weren't ready to do public yet."

My fingers threaded through his hair and his eyes fluttered shut. "He's not wrong."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-"

"Don't," I cut him off. "It's okay. I knew that we couldn't be a secret forever. I have no right to be mad at you for this."

"You have every right," he said definitively.

"No," I shook my head. "You were right. I knew what i was getting into. I did this willingly. I gladly took this risk."

"You scared?" He asked after a while.

"Terrified," I confirmed.

***

A/n: I think I kinda liked this one lol. Hope you enjoyed it too. Please give feedback if you have any and leave requests!!

[jackfromthegrave]

I'm giving you the opportunity to pick any of those nonsexual acts of intimacy and write me a thing k thanks ilu bye :)

@griftersister▐ █ NONSEXUAL ACTS OF INTIMACY // ACCEPTING 

♝: READING A BOOK TOGETHER

When Helios fell in a shrieking storm of fire and twisted metal shrapnel, the last things Jack expected to survive were the books. It’s not as though the station had been known for its extensive library, but corporate drones do love a trashy romance novel between martinis. Still, it’s enough to wrinkle the nose of his mask as Jack flips through a few of the paperbacks left in a pile by one of the firepits of Vaughn’s compound.

It’s not to say that Jack hasn’t propped his feet up with a good classic back in the days of drunk chicks in his jacuzzi tub and cigars after a good threesome, but even then he’d had distinct preferences. If a read didn’t stroke his ego in the first few lines, it was garbage. Erotic audio books were always his go-to, anyway. But this crap? This drivel about the Elpis ecosystem or 50 ways to organize your stamp collection? He can feel his own badassery being sapped from his essence just to hold a book with the title, “Math in the Bedroom: How to Impress Your Partner with Erotic Algebra.”

It’s as he’s skimming unimpressed through some pretentious period piece that he hears boots crunching in the dirt and the annoyed “hmph” of someone stopping a few feet away.

“Are you… reading?” that someone asks, propping her shotgun over her shoulder. Jack barks out a laugh.“You kidding me? I mean, what do you take me for? One of these virgins?” He gestures to a few of the Children of Helios passing apprehensive glances from across the ravine. But he also starts to smirk as he snaps the pages shut. “Not that you’d know what that’s like. Reading.”“You’re such an ass.”

Sasha rolls her eyes and moves to tear the book from his grip so she can flip through it herself. It’s not long before she pulls a disgusted face. “Okay, totally wasn’t worth proving a point. People actually like this crap?”

Jack snickers. Somehow, the two of them always find a strange plot of level ground to stand on. They hate each other on principle – feel the acidic disgust burning bile at the backs of their throats too often than not – but there’s still this place that settles some kind of twisted respect between two fighters who love pulling the trigger a little too much. Which is what sparks a light in Jack’s eyes as he scoops up his own shotgun from the ground.

“Heyheyhey– Throw it. The book. Right over there.” He points with the muzzle of his gun to an open space free of bystanders and Sasha’s own eyes flicker like those of a cat whose seen the scurry of a mouse. She smirks, takes a step back, and tosses “Beatrice Besotted” within firing range.

BAM. The shotgun shells obliterate the book into flimsy scraps of paper singed and unrecognizable. One might call it overkill, but Jack would argue that could only be someone who hadn’t glimpsed any of the unbearable prose. 

“Wooooooo! Take that Beatrice, ya moron!” crows the ex-tyrant, already reaching for another victim from the pile. He’s glad to see Sasha picking up the hint and readying her own weapon. Their exchanged grins – sharp, impish ones for those who play rough – flash there between them for an instant before Jack lobs a thicker volume titled “Egg-spect the Un-Egg-spected! A Guide on Egg-laying Aliens and How to Avoid their Ovipositors.”

Another BAM as Sasha pulls the trigger, tearing the tome asunder in a violent burst of metal and fire. For once, he thinks it’s a shame her gun isn’t one of Torgue’s. And so it continues like this for a short while: two completely incompatible people enjoying some “light reading” by way of destruction, the volatile thread that loops from her wrist to his like a fuse. It’s only when the pile’s completely destroyed that they lower their weapons and share a laugh.

“See, now that’s the kinda book club I’d go to,” Jack drawls. “How ‘bout it, hot stuff? We meet up once a month, bring different ammo?”

Sasha’s starting to turn away again, clearly having had more than enough of her fill of quality time with the king dethroned, but there’s a smirk still pulling at the corner of her mouth and the trace of another chuckle in her voice when she responds. 

“Don’t push it.”

He feels his own false lips curving a grin as he watches her wander off, content enough that he feels less stiff in the shoulders and a little more complacent with the fact that he has to put up with her. Might make an avid reader of him yet if they do it again sometime.

[vagabondpainter-blog]

Catching up

It all is so far away now, counted as well in days as in weeks, in kilometers, in miles or in impressions, in encounters and insights, or measured by fruitless attempts to write this blog.

To catch up while still keeping this Text readable, I will shorten things, I will have to be unjust.

The people I met, friends I visited, friends I found, even strangers who gave advice or help before quickly disappearing again along the ever winding road, they all deserved more words of gratitude, the landscapes I've seen, the early morning mists, birdsong, rough hills and gentle streams, they are all worthy of poems, paintings, and some day hopefully I will find the rest to praise them rightly.

And about people, about friends: I will not talk in depth about them here, maybe some of the closest not even talk about at all or just mention briefly. That is because trust and friendship are sacred, I don't want anyone to have to worry about being displayed and evaluated here, or conversations being put on public display. That's why my tale will sound probably egocentric at times. Besides some points I take out of conversations I'm determined to keep this a blog only about the experiences and lessons I came across, to share and hopefully inspire, but leave people their privacy.

So informations about others I'll keep vague and brief except for some relevant points now and then if they are required as context.

For now it's these fragments, learned lessons and impressions:

1] The Kindness Of Strangers

The boat leaves in the late afternoon, yet I'm here already. It wasn't easy to say goodbye to friends. Its the moment when you painfully realize what you leave behind before you find the courage to let things go and to jump into an uncertain future. I'm grateful that there have been friends to be missed, friends waving when I left and many people, places and memories to cherish, so rather say 'Thank you' than 'Good bye'.

Now I'm here, not sure how to store a bicycle on the ferry, what to do and where to go. A fellow cyclist reassures me that everything will be ok and shows how to secure the bicycle before we part and enter the huts.

It is a smooth sailing on calm waters. I take position on the south side and watch, watch how Ijmuiden floats away, see Zandvoort passing in the distance, let memories rise out of the parting waves until much later the last dim reflection of the sun is swallowed by the darkness of the water.

Next morning I watch the sunrise from the front-deck before later slowly the shore of Britain appears on the horizon.

Back in the belly of the ship, bicycle is packed and we wait for permission to get on land. My fellow cyclist is here again and we find out that we worked in the same field, be it in different positions, until lately when I quit my job. Healthcare in general, and psychiatry in particular seems to struggle with the same problems on both sides of the water- lack of resources combined with an abundance of expectations and many self-declared specialists eagerly waiting on the sidelines to tell you how exactly you should do your job. I don't regret my step.

Soon we change the subject, talk about more uplifting things, like freedom, travels, cycling and living life.

I'm glad he offers to accompany me for the first few miles, show me the way and help me get accustomed to cycling on the left side of the road.

While traveling the shore, he realizes that my journey later would take me along the A1, the most dangerous and deadly road of Britain. Plans change and a bit later I find myself in a nice cozy house, greeted by a friendly dog. The family is gathered now, they brought dutch scones and there I am, arrived in Britain, eating dutch bread and being made welcome.. and grateful.

Later they even offer me a lift along the A1 so I can continue my journey quite a few miles north on a safe bicycle path.

Actually- actually I made a promise to myself when I gave up my home- to leave every place I visit a little bit nicer, tidier or kinder then I found it, be it a small bit within my powers only.

Yet here I am, receiving all this kindness and struggling to find a way to give a tiny thing at least.

A small contribution I might be able to make after all- the lady of the house is an artist and I hope to come back and spend some time, exchanging tips and knowledge about painting.

It won't really be able to repay the welcome, they didn't know how much it meant- this first encounter on the new path, a sense of home in the world out there.

2] Of Hunters, Vegans, Spiders, Flies, and Shamans too

For my first working assignment I arrive one or two days late.

The bicycle paths in Britain are made for leisure, not for means of transportation, to get from A to B, you sometimes get sent along the beautiful yet rough and rocky road uphill through E to G.

In the morning my host comes to town to give me a lift uphill so I don't need to climb up to the cottage. We soon find out a difference in lifestyle, that either might lead to conflict or to very interesting talks-

While I myself took up a vow years ago to restrain from eating or even using animal products, he is an outspoken and passionate hunter and skillful hunting guide.

Greeted by a friendly dog and a flock of even friendlier chickens I put up my hammock next to a cottage that has seen many years, some of them hard, now regaining its beauty under its tenants committed work.

Not only the growing vegetables outside provide some common ground to get along, we soon find out, as the Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh once said: “If you wish to be understood, you should listen very carefully”

I put aside any prejudice and get a chance to actually learn- a hunter may just as much care about nature and all life in it as the convinced vegan.. not every hunter of course, some are in it for profit just as some vegans are in it for pride.

Those others, those on both sides who actually do care, more and more appear to me as devoted parents arguing about the best cure for their sick child. Later I will briefly encounter a native American shaman and will have to realize that those revered ancient cultures are hunters too.

And when I rescue a little spider after that the other day, it strikes me, how many other insects I might have sent to certain death by saving this one predator...

In the end it seems that our technological power has by far outgrown our human wisdom and it's estrangement from nature what deceives us to take extreme positions- on one side some are abusing sensible, breathing, childbearing live as if it where an industrial product, which makes us a parasite in the organs of life, while on the other side we might not interfere when necessary and so get complicit in catastrophes out of fear of causing individual harm, which is neglect of our responsibilities as intelligent life form.

Life is sustained by devouring itself in any form. In the complex web of interdependence I will continue to avoid harm, but I also learned to judge less those who are willing to intervene, it's the caring about nature, the respecting of life and the willingness to learn about them, what defines whether our actions are righteous and wise, there is not one answer that fits all circumstances.

3] Anam Cara

The path up north led me through the green hills of a land where all the places sound like echoes of long forgotten songs and ancient tales.

Shelters where ready, arranged by friends of a friend, all without expecting anything in return, just out of kindness, setup in beautiful places, the shore of a river, a comfortable trailer in a wide meadow with view on the distant chain of snowy hills, hosts welcoming the traveler, helping and showing me around, and I had to learn that sometimes all one has to offer in return is humble gratitude.

What a strange and beautiful paradise waits in the hills behind Inverness. Anam Cara is the retreat center I work and paint for here.

Lodges and huts are made of timber, stone, from large barrels and from caravans..

I sometimes get lost on the terrain, nothing here is put in a straight line, everything has grown naturally accordingly to the apparent conditions at the time.

It's a place just like its founders and inhabitants, a marriage of Buddhist Dharma and shamanic teachings, enforcing and helping each other by aiming at the same goal from different angles in perfect eclectic harmony.

4] Of Tunnels and Light

At Scottish Borders it is. We follow the shore along the stream, up in the hills, where a long abandoned railroad left its trail, and a tunnel between the trees.

Here, our kind host and guide tells us, many found an experience of transformation.

On a dark day in his life he decided for the first time to go inside.

With the courage of despair he had entered and faced inside this darkness that other darkness which at the time needed to be released. On the other side of the tunnel the light that welcomed him brought the beginning of the change to the better.

We are glad he 's willing to share the experience and I opt for walking first.

Beforehand it all sounded quite easy, just going inside the darkness alone without light and walking through, blindly, until the eyes capture a dim light from the other side.

Now in front of the big black hole amongst the green I doubt for a moment whether I really want to go in.

Threads of fog, hovering at the entrance, weave a mystical web. A chilly breeze greets me as if it where the breath of the earth.

One of the dogs accompanied me on my first steps towards the huge mouth that will swallow me in a moment, and for some time I have the impression the dog is still with me in the dark. I hear my own footsteps and feel this other presence right behind me. Later I learn the dog left me at the entrance already...

Once the darkness surrounds me completely and I should probably feel lost in the void, a deep calm sense of serene silence comes over me, a trust that whatever happens here, is supposed to be and is just perfect as it is. I wander in the timeless spaciousness, listening to my ever slower footsteps.

There is no hurry, no need anymore to get anywhere. While the feet calmly keep going I suddenly loose all intention to either stay or leave. Everything is just about now and now is exactly, perfectly well as it has to be.

Maybe due to a lack of external input, the sense of self dissolves into the black empty space and only a floating undefined feeling of wideness and joy vibrates on.

The first glimpse of light some time later doesn't seduce me to rush, I could just as well stay here, in this very moment for eternity, yet I keep moving.

Never thought the greens of the trees and the grasses, the gentle mos could look as vibrant and intense as they appear while I leave the tunnel. It rather seems, I'm watching the surroundings steadily passing by, then moving myself.

I enjoy the forest with a joy I haven't known so far- like a child looking at trees and clouds and pebbles for the first time ever. I keep walking and keep looking, perceiving without judgment, without naming, without wanting, only looking, smelling, listening, just sensing the stream of impressions calmly arising and taking course.

And I know that nothing ever will be the same, also know now that nothing ever has been the same before. It's freedom to ride on the stream of ever changing appearances without grasping or rejecting, I heard of that, I knew it, could have said these words any time, yet now the tunnel showed that truth in a way, so that I actually could see it too .

5] What is Home?

Back in the Netherlands, coming home from being home, not sure how and why I would deserve this. It must be a natural human kindness I didn't notice before that strongly. Now when I need it, there are friends to let me stay in their place, people offering shelter without expecting anything. I visit friends, I'm humbled and touched by all generosity, and I suspect I might know now, why in some lineages Buddhist monks are obliged to beg for their food- it's only when you depend on others in a way, that you get a chance to realize that, contrary to what the news might tell, human is in essence a very kind and giving being.

I have, for now, just to practice in gratitude to hopefully some day be able to give back.

6] Cow-dung is not Bullshit

Cycling in Germany is a challenge, most roads are forbidden for cyclists, they send you along long winding tracks and don't care to close a path without alternative.

After days of sweating under threatening thunderclouds, in heat, having my navigation gone with the broken phone, getting lost in unknown places, climbing hills without knowing where I am and how to get on, I arrive, days late again.

Now I work at the Schwäbische Alb, there's a small Village on top of a hill and I live here, take care of the garden and paint the portals, just paint, nothing artsy :) but besides being invited to feel at home and greatly being cared for, its my first real encounter with alternative building and painting materials what makes it extra special to be here.

The paint is the etching, burning, kind of chalk that was used for centuries here, but the main lesson is a little building project inside the large shed, a storage room made from clay and dry cow-dung.

I learn from mistakes and from what went well, getting an idea to – one day, some day, after the journeys – maybe build my own alternative home based on experiences and learning ahead.

7] The naked Truth

One more fragment, one I doubted if it was ok to tell, but decided that it should not matter if people think I'm weird, I'm a fifty years old guy giving up a comfortable stable life to cycle around and work without predictable income, not even a pension-plan. I AM weird probably and as long as no one gets hurt I'm free to be as strange as I choose to be.

It's the evening of a hard and hot day, the sun burned my skin dark red and any sweat from cycling uphill dried quickly without cooling me off. I finally find a great spot to spend the night, near a small town or village, but out in the green, well hidden and comfortable.

Before I rest I need to refill my water-supplies and rehydrate myself, also the new used phone I was lucky to receive, does act up, the batteries run quickly, didn't recharge anymore and I want to give it one more try.

It's good as well, to check the vibes of the area, to know the territory and get familiar with the place.

So instead of getting ready for the night I enter the place for a drink and general recharging in the local pizzeria. I'm the only customer inside. The friendly owner refills the bottles and tries to help me with the phone. After a tough day through the hills in merciless heat I enjoy talking to someone before I get back out into the fields. Yet when I tell about the travels and my new life, he offers me to seek shelter at the small terrace next to the house where the guests sit in daytime. It's right at the fairly busy street, surrounded by houses and I'd like my first shelter more, but there are two good reasons to gratefully except the offer- one, it is an act of kindness and that counts more then comfort, two, I slept in fields and woods, in trailers, tents and under bridges, but never in the open air in the middle of a town.

So I set up my shelter, sleeping bag as isolation and the raintarp as cover on one side tied to the fence, the other attached to the bicycle.

A thin tarp provides the illusion of privacy and I lay down in the noise of passing cars and voices on the street.

Now the overheated body starts boiling and burning, however I move or turn, a layer of inescapable

fire keeps me awake. Everything I wear sticks to the skin. Half asleep and half in fever I guess, I remove it all.

A gentle nightly breeze cools me off and sings me to sleep. While I see the stars through the fence it occurs to me, that whoever would find me here, would think I was drunk or crazy. Laying there amongst all cozy houses, bare and naked, not showered for days, hair and beard growing wildly I have finally become a drifter.

And then the image comes before my minds eye, of me laying there, bare of any sign of social status or role, looking like an abandoned corpse, but there is no shame, no fear, only deep calm peace and freedom.

That takes me back into the tunnel. It's the same sense of serenity, nothing to achieve, nothing to loose, nothing to be done, only being.

I will loose this peace of mind again on several occasions, when the wind stands against me, when I loose direction, when I set up goals, but there are more and more times of this deep relaxing equanimity, the acceptance of whatever might be.

[princepancakemage]

Hey! Regarding your mer!Lance AU, Blue claim him and stuff but... How will he pilot her with his fishy tail? Does he sort of can dry it to make them shift to legs or will they... idk fill Blue cockpit with water?? (this idea is stupid I know... it was funnier in my head actually) I'm kinda curious about this part! And also, will Pidge be extra curious and ask a ton of stuff to Lance to try to understand his species because "holyshit he's a mermaid!"?? Love your AU btw and the cute doodle for it!

OKAY SO BE WARNED BUT THIS IS BASICALLY SPOILERS FOR HOW THE MER!LANCE AU ENDS

So in the begining of the Mer!lance au, lance really cant pilot the blue lion. Both in the sense he doesnt know how to pilot anything and he cant actually get in the cockpit

So the story goes is that while blue has choosen her pilot, allura remains piloting her till ajustments can be made. Alongside waiting, lance is taught how to pilot the lions, through a serious of simulations on the castle-ship ^ 3^ (hint: he tries tO thread the needle kek) lance also bonds with blue on the side, especially whenever theres water nearby lel they end up growing really close during that time, tho it seems to bum lance out alot because hes heard the stories of voltron and heres the blue lion right infront of him, he just wants to be a hero and be important too. Not only that but he feels like he isnt contributing to the team, since hes her pilot and allura still pilots her.

I know some people has said “Maybe blue can fill the cockpit with water to help Lance” and i can totally see them trying that as like a last ditch attempt, but the way i see it is that the second blue opens up to let him out, the pit would empty out onto the bay floor and he’d be a fish out of water again >

(note: i still cant draw the blue lion all to well so i had to trace a bit of the face cause if i didnt, i’d never finish this post ; ; forgive me, one day i’ll be able to draw her) 

At one point or another, Lance would be reclaimed by Prince lotor (reminder that lotor wants lance for his own personal zoo,because lance is hella rare and cute) and is put under lock and key in his dungeons till he can be accomodated into a tank (lance is nOT happy about being put in a tank) time goes on and he starts drying out (because up until recently, lance has had plenty of water to swim in) and this is no bueno for our fishy friend ; ; Shiro and keith find him, sick and stressed out and as theyre leaving lotor finds them, and hES FUCKING PISSED THAT THEY TOOK LANCE KEK

fighting happens and lotor has his own little group of druids to attack keith with while he fights shiro. Meanwhile lance is put in a corner away from the fight, and told to wait till hunk and pidge get to him. More fighting happens, maybe even a monologue from lotor about how lance is his, and then boom shiros had enough and pins lotor down. Keith is still holding his own against the druids, until sHIT KEITH GETS HIT aNd shiro goes dad mode for half a second

Lotor laughs and pulls out one final trick from his sleeve and yells at the closest druid to do “it” whatever it is kek

The druid ends up hitting lance with some sort of magic that leaves him screaming and shaking on the ground. And lotor, being the kek he is just whispers “if i cant have him, no one can” and then poof the druids and him disappear bye bye!! Hunk and Pidge make it and they are both freaking out like “SHIRO WTF IS GOING ON???? ” and shiro just tells them to pick up lance and keith and to get to their lions as quick as possible. Hunk picks up Lance, whos now gone freakishly quiet and Hunk is like gotta go fast to my lion, my friend is probs dying shIT, while pidge and shiro hold Keith up and walk him out.

Once they all get back to the castle ship Keith is put in a cryopod, Meanwhile Lance still hasnt woken up! They put him back in the pool and at this point Shiro is hella worried, thinking about whatever the druid did and what it could be doing to Lance ; ; and Lance cant be put in a cryopod since its not a physical injury. Shiro ends up spending the night with lance, just kinda watching over him, poor babu is just so worried about him ; ; not only that but since he just loves him so much he starts planning on telling lance how he feels c ause fuck this the boy could be dying??? he’s gotta tell him his gay feelings ; ; but after a few hours shiro sorta falls asleep (cause fuck he already doesnt get enough sleep, and that rescue mission was too stressful)

Come morning, Lance wakes up and everything seems totally normal up until he tries to get out of bed. (because at one point, both shiro and lance were moved to a room, you’ll find out soon in a second) 

Boy realized he got feet???? like WHAT HOT DAMN WHERES MY TAIL WHAT THE PISS?????

At first this boy is completely devastated, even crying a bit, and Shiro holds him all the while, comforting him and never letting go! the two share a cute moment together and then everyone else comes in, having heard lance crying ; ; 

They all attempt to comfort lance and once he’s calmed down, and thanks everyone, Allura points out one benefit to having legs ^3 ^

guess what it is…

HE CAN PILOT BLUE NOW!!

Lance legit just gets up, all wobbly and weak, cause kek he’s never walked before and just starts to try and book it over to blue! granted poor kid doesnt even make it a step before he falls over, hes JUST SO DAMN EXCITED THAT BLUE IS FINALLY HIS AND THAT HE CAN PILOT HER!! Shiro laughs at him, holding Lance up and gives him a little kiss and tells him to slow down, that he still needs to learn how to walk properly first, and lance is now just!!! sO READY TO LIVE HIS LIFE WITH THE PALADINS AND BLUE!!!

(Shance kisses kekekekekek)

With the help of everyone he ends up being able to walk

AND THATS HOW BABIES ARE MADE NO WAIT THATS HOW LANCE GETS TO PILOT THE BLUE LION

iM GONNA MAKE A SEPARATE POST FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THIS QUESTION WITH PIDGE BECAUSE FRICK THIS IS ALREADY SUPER LONG AND I HAVE YET TO DRAW THAT OUT >