#if she doesn’t win I’ll blow this whole world up

[stubbyartist]

MY SWEET GIRL FRYE 💕

[mariaxman]

PIETRO MAXIMOFF X READER

Resume: you made a bet with Jean, when you’d ask Peter out he’d turn you down. Easy made 50 bucks, right! Exept he beats you to the punch..

A/N: I really love this, I love the cliché of kissing in a Ferris wheel sm AHHH:33!!

Charles Xavier’s school for Gifted Youngsters, Westchester,1974.

The summer breeze hit your skin like a bird’s feather, soft and gentle, as you stood outside of the institute. A year ago, a man from the future named Logan came and knocked on the door, claiming he needed the professor to save the world from ‘sentinels’, some anti-mutant, killer robots. You were 15 at the time, already having mastered your mutation, came along with them to give a hand. That, is when you met Peter. As requested you had to break out Magneto from the pentagon, and Logan ‘knew a guy’. He was JUST your type. Sure, he was a kleptomaniac and all, but god was he handsome, and a charming in his own very-weird-way. Though, it didn’t last long, as he went home the moment you stepped out the pentagon, Magneto in hand . You never forgot the handsome speedster, even ten whole years later. Sure, it was kind pathetic. But hey! Can you blame a gal? He was flirting with you the whole time AND WINKED AT YOU WHEN YOU EMBARKED THE JET BACK, of course you fell for him!

Charles Xavier’s school for Gifted Youngsters, Westchester, 1983

You never thought you’d ever see him again. Like, ever. But hey, fate works in a strange way. One second you were standing next to Beast as Havok wrecked shit, the next you landed surprisingly gently on the grass outside as the Institute blew up. You were dizzy and felt like you were about to blow chunks. Nevertheless, you stood back up on shaky legs and just stared at the mansion with wide eyes and a dropped jaw, not even noticing the speedster standing riiiighht next to you, staring intensely. Until he said a simple ‘hey’ and you yelped embarrassingly loud for a qualified X-woman. Atleast he laughed! Then you were kidnapped by.. what was their name? Oh well, then you escaped, fought apocalypse, Charles lost his hair, which is VERY pertinent, I know. And, well, you were back at the mansion soon enough, students were sat outside on lawn, huddled up as, mind you, it was totally broken down and needed SERIOUS repair. Which leads us to here, you and your friends(who are literally all teens which is.. yeah) went to the mall to pass time and buy new clothes after losing all of the old ones in the explosion, an activity you loved doing with Jean and Jubilee.. until now. You were browsing a store with said girls, grabbing a top, you held it infront of you.

‘’Is this cute?’’

You ask Jubilee, the top was simple in itself, a baby blue tank top with an embroidered yellow lightning bolt. It kinda reminded you of Peter..

‘’Yeah, that is really cute, BUT-‘’

Jubs says and snatches the top, putting it in your basket

‘’WHEN are you gonna make your move on Peter?!’’

The girls asks eagerly. Your cheeks immediately burn up in embarrassment

‘’make a move on him? W-what are you talking about?!’’

you chuckle nervously, looking away at the clothing racks. Jean chuckles from behind you, which startles you, just a little bit

‘’Come on now, Y/N. You definitely love him, you did since… 1973! C’mon!’’

The redhead exclaims, in the middle of the store, catching a lot more attention than your liking. Goddam telepath. You didn’t know what to say, really. You definitely wanted to date him, more than anything! But you just felt like Peter didn’t feel the same

‘’Okay, okay! Y’know what? I’ll tell him tonight, at the fair! But I bet you 50 bucks he doesn’t even like me a little bit!’’

You say as you walk to the cashier. Jean shoots Jubilee a look. ‘HE IS LITERALLY HEAD OVER HEELS FOR HER, GUESS IM WINNING 50 BUCKS’ she tells the other girl telepathically, which makes her vibrate with a giggle.

Now, at the fair, you were scared shitless. You made a promise, you gotta keep it now, huh? You’re sure Peter‘ll be sweet if he rejects you, yeah! You sigh, snapped out your thoughts when Jean and Jubilee dragged you to an attraction, giggling the whole way, which left Scott and Peter alone. The former elbows Pietro in the ribs, hard

‘’So, when are you finally gonna ask her out?’’

Scott teases, that irritated smirk on his face

‘’What? Pssfghhsss- what are you talkin’ bout?’’

the silver-haired man plays dumb, shoving his hands in the pocket of his silver jacket

‘’C’mon, dude. I know you like her— you’re literally staring her as we speak!’’

Oh, yeah, he was… it wasn’t his fault you were so gorgeous, for Christ sake! You were literally his dream girl come true, can you blame him?

‘’Okay, yeah, maybe I do like her a little. But she has great taste in music and a bitchin’ haircut! And.. pretty eyes’’

He mumbles the last part as he watched you settle in right between Jean and Jubs in the attraction, laughing your head off at something Jubilee said. God were you pretty

‘’Dude, I see the world trough a red visor and even I can see it’s definitely more than ‘liking’’’

Scott huffs, crossing his arms and looking ahead

‘’You should win her a prize, y’know, a plushie’’

The brunette shrugs. Yeah, he was right, he should

‘’Mh.. maybe I will’’

Peter grins. A few minutes later, the ride end and you stumble out with the other two, using Jubilee as support as you giggle, totally dizzy and giddy

‘’You’re not gonna throw up, are you?’’

Jubs quizzes and you shake your head no. Phew, that’d be embarrassing. You all continue walking as a group until Jean drags Scott over to the game booths. Scott grin in Peter’s direction in a ‘you go dude!’ Fashion. Jubilee catches on and lean closer to you

‘’I’m gonna go grab us a coke, okay’’

She pats your back and speed walks away before you can even turn around, leaving you with Peter. An awkward silence fall between you two until he speaks up

‘’hey, princess, want me to win you a prize? I’m pretty damn good at that game over there’’

He grins in his usual boyish manne— PRINCESS?? That was new, wow, why did that make butterfly flutter in your stomach..

You nod quickly with flushed cheeks and follow him when he grabs your hand and drags you to the booth. The game was easy, pop 10 balloons in one go and win a plushie. Easy enough. Peter walks up and pays the bored worker, who just hands him the 10 darts with a poker face. Shit job, huh. Surprisingly, he didn’t use his mutation. Which is pretty good considering the setting. He picks up a dart and shoot. POP, one balloon down. POP, two. POP. POP. POP. POP. POP. POP. POP. POP. Yay! Free plushie, considering-all-the-ones-you-had-got-Fucking-cremated! You giggle and jump on the ball of you feet as Pietro gets handed the big stuffed snow leopard plush. He turns to you and hands it over

‘’There you go, N/N’’

He grins when you hug him tightly

‘’Thank you Pietro!’’

You pull back and turn around when you hear your name, running over to Jubilee with two bottles of coke in hand. She raises an eyebrow at you then look over at Peter, giving him a proud thumbs up and a wink of approval. Which— to him — was a little perculiar, but honestly… you wouldn’t expect less from a girl name jubilation. Jean and Scott arrived back themselves a few minutes later, empty handed. Scott shrugged, his excuse being that his visor was at fault. Though Jean whispered that he just sucked ass at the games. You continued walking around the park, going on rides, when 23:00 hit. Many people left but you decided to do one more ride, the Ferris wheel. You still had an hour before it closed, so why not? You all went in the line, and when it was your turn, the teen boy there let Jubilee, Scott and Jean in a carrier, but told you to wait for the next one because the people limit was 3. So now, you were stuck, alone with Peter. Your crush for the past TEN FUCKING YEARS! Great. You took a quiet, deep breath and slipped in the carrier next to Peter, setting your plushie on the seat across from you both.

‘’Hey’’

The speedster jokes, grinning ear to ear. You smile back, resting your chin on your knees

‘’Hi’’

You look to your right when the Ferris wheel starts moving. You had the view on the lake beside the fair, where fireworks’ll be lit in a few minutes

‘’So, enjoyed your night, N/N?’’

He asks, cocking his head to the side

‘’Yeah, I loved it. Thanks for winning me a plushie too’’

You grin at him, full teeth, eyes scrunched and lit by the moonlight

‘’Hey, nothing less for my favorite friend’’

You laugh and continue talking, the wheel slowly moving your carrier up and up until it stops, right at the top. As if planned, fireworks goes off and you shoot around, smile as wide as your eyes as you stare out the glass at the colorful beam of light, reflecting on your face. But Peter’s stuck, stuck staring at you in awe. You looked absolutely gorgeous. He couldn’t look away, not that he wanted to

‘’It’s so.. Beautiful!’’

You chirp in amazement

‘’ Yeah.. gorgeous, even’’

Peter mumbled, still very much looking at you. You turn to look at him with a crooked grin and a raised eyebrow

‘’You good, dud—!’’ Peter cut you off by grabbing your cheeks and leaping foward, pressing his lips to your so gently. You froze, arms to your side until you brain fully apprehended what happened. Peter kissed you… PETER KISSED YOU!! You melt against him, arms coming up to rest your hands on his gently, smiling into the kiss. You were content, stretch that, you were ecstatic! Even when he pulled away, and.. whooped, huh. Strange way to react to your first kiss with a girl.. why did you find that cute? You laughed aloud, along with him. He swept you in a one armed hug

‘’That was the best decision I’ve made ALL NIGHT, woo’’

He chuckled and squeezed you against his lovingly, silence falling between the two of you until the end of the ride.

When you stepped out you were greeted by your three friends waiting for you, Jean grinned and looked over at Jubilee, who’s jaw dropped. You glance at Peter to find a lipstick mark over his lip. You snort and quickly join the girls while Pietro joins Scott, who’s deliberately holding back laughter, much to Peter’s confusion. As you’re walking out the fair, Jean leans in and whispers;

‘’You owe me 50 bucks’’

[yuraslefttoe]

DOUBLE BONUS i found the full render so here you go : unreleased 2020 tart content warning its really loud and really bad listen at your own discretion lyrics:

Stasis, just like a house of cards I think I’m ‘bout to cave in The things I’ve said look better when put in perspective, A picture-perfect palace stained, but yet the world keeps turning, “ad meliora” Traces, when the world comes crashing, burning, falling, In your places Isn’t that enough? Though you’re still changing, Taken by the sun, down to one Through the light, and the triumph Don’t think you’ve seen the last of me Right hand idle,  Played the devil’s hand for three, I’m burning through time, She’s yet to be appeased And even so, you’d never see her count her woes, Oh, believe me, I’ve seen the sunlight come and go Go and tell your lies, It doesn’t come as a surprise You’re making bets with a dead man’s compromise And tell me again, how you plan to escape the walls that you’ve grown so close to know And even if I cared, You burnt that bridge long ago Let’s put on a show, For the viewers there at home You’re falling again, reaching ever dropping lows How long will it be, until you finally let go   I don’t care about the things you say, And if it comes to love, I’d rather throw my beating heart away So read your morals, “so divine” I’ll call your bluff, shut you up, Until these walls of mine just cease to fight Constricting, the rooms around us push me back up onto my feet With every step you take, you’re drawing closer to me Focus on the sun, now ‘till none Through the rage and the fury Don’t think you’d win so easily Oh, are there you are, screaming again, And by the power in him, You’re too far gone, Tried to keep his true intent I know it’s hard, But continue and abstain, Oh, what’s the point of seeing how I end the game? Simply put, I’d rather read the clues Of who you knew, And how they came in twos, Shove my life to the side, Do or die, and when the tides come crashing down I’d doubt I’d ever hold the crown Half side idle, Played the devil’s game for me, She’s staring bleakly, I’m sure he’s been released And even so, I’ve seen this play out all before, Oh, believe me, I’ve known her longer than her soul And so it seems, the monster’s latched on with his teeth, Singing so faintly, I hope she’s found her peace The years pass by, have you ever wondered why It never fades, even as the stars comply And even if you’re right, I’d be living out of spite, Nowhere else to go, So just make your way back home I’m laughing again, never would I find the time, To look to the sky and see you meet your own demise Find yourself another game to play, ‘Cause when it comes to love, you’re not the one that I’d choose to save So read my morals, They come entwined, Your time is up, called your bluff Don’t fool yourself, I know you’ve seen the light Trigger idle, Don’t play the devil’s games with me And when I see you the whole world seems to convene, And even so, you’d never think I should’ve known Oh, believe me, I know the sunlight comes and goes “Aren’t you sick of life?” The silent speaks up without strife, The vise takes the blows, “Pack up, the labyrinth is closed” You’ve fallen again, How much farther can you go? I think that it’s time for you to finally call home Think about all the things that you’ve said, ‘Cause if I’ve really lost, wouldn’t I be here lying dead, So read his morals, see the light, This is enough, wrap it up, I’ll see you when you finally know right— I don’t really know, If I’m the one that’s all alone, My heart takes the blow, It seems the soulless took their toll I’m starting to crash, farther than the deepest lows, How long has it been since I was clearly overthrown? I don’t care about the things you’ll say, ‘Cause if it’s come from above, then I’ll just take my place and stay The world’s gone under, too far gone,  Don’t call his bluff, pack it up, And run with me if you wanna see dawn

[thedarkestgreys]

Fexi - 29 ❤️

sorry for the wait sweet anon! also i may have blacked out writing this one because it's over 700 words and i'm not sure how. under the cut for length!

“You have nothing to worry about,” Lexi reminds her husband over Facetime as their separate glam teams get them ready for the Grammy’s in conjoined rooms. Not that anyone in the room knows she married the rapper in a private ceremony three months ago - all anyone really knows is that they met at a Grammy’s party two years ago and have pretty much been inseparable ever since. Fezco snorts lightly as Gemma - his personal assistant - hands him his take out order while his regular groomer cleans up the lines on his buzz cut. “They got you presenting with a guy known for takin’ his fuckin’ shirt off at any fuckin’ chance he’s given. These the Grammy’s baby, an’ music types ain’t all prim and proper like you’re acting buddies at the Oscar’s, you feel me?” Lexi rolls her eyes, much to the annoyance of her MUA Jesus. The man tuts at her and despite Fezco’s insistence that actors like Lexi are way more serious than musicians, she sticks her tongue out at the older man before he starts cursing at her in Spanish about messing up her makeup. “Real mature Lex,” Fez snickers as she throws a French fry at Jesus. “You win one fucking Oscar and everyone thinks you have to be like, a full time adult or something,” she complains lightly as Louise hands her a stack of rings for her left hand - her engagement and wedding bands mixing in with the other jewels easily. They may not be ready to tell the whole world they got married, but it doesn’t mean she’s about to walk a red carpet without her wedding rings. Fezco’s lucky, he’s been known to wear his fingers full of rings for years, even before he and Lexi became a Hollywood It Couple. She, on the other hand, has always been known for her more understated taste in jewelry, something that quickly became a problem when Fez proposed. “Hate to break it to ya shorty, but you just turned twenty-five like, two months ago. Been a whole ass adult for a minute.” “Oh my god, you know what I mean,” Lexi exclaims as a team of hair stylists start taking out the hot rollers that have been setting her hair. “You win for a dramatic role and people think that’s all you are capable of. Need I remind everyone I got my start on a CW comedy as a teenager? I have comedy skills.” “Aight baby, I hear you.” There’s a lull in the conversation as their respective teams start making them actually get ready, but Lexi’s unwilling to end the call, even though Fezco is literally in the room right next door. They’re expected on the red carpet in less than an hour, Fezco being a big time nominee for the night and every single outlet on the face of the planet is going to want a sound clip from him about his chances of winning big. She blows her husband a kiss before she get dragged into the bathroom to step into her gown for the night - perfectly coordinated with Fez’s suit for the evening. “We gotta go now,” her PA Morgan says, eyes trained to her Apple Watch. “Fezco is waiting outside the door.” With one last round of thank you's to her glam squad, Lexi accepts the clutch where Morgan has stored her essentials for the night with a grateful hug. Just like she was told, Fezco’s waiting right outside her hotel room door, whistling low when she steps over the threshold. “Too fuckin’ gorgeous,” he whispers as he pulls her in for a kiss, both Morgan and Gemma begging them to remember the makeup. “Can’t believe I get to call you my fuckin’ wife. Just don’t let that lil bitch do sumn inappropriate up on that stage tonight shorty, I ain’t hadda knock anyone out in a long ass time, but I can fight.” “No one’s ever getting in between us,” Lexi reassures him. “How about this though, if your name is the one I get to read off that card tonight, I’ll announce you as my husband and we can just put it all out there?” Fezco’s eyes light up. “Forreal baby?” “Yeah,” she says, leaning in to kiss him again. “I’m tired of hiding it.” “Aight,” he replies with a wicked grin. “You on Howard.”

[readnburied]

What I Read in October

Target: 11

Read: 6

So I wasn’t able to reach my reading goal for the month of October but I did read some very interesting books, so it doesn’t seem like a total loss, because of all the good books. So here’s a list of all the good book I read. 

Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson

This is book 1 in series of the same name and follows multiple perspectives of four friends who were extremely close in childhood but life and circumstances forced them to drift apart. Now, years later, fate throws them together and they all need to understand and figure out their roles in this world while keeping a hold of their values and beliefs at the same time. 

I really enjoyed this book. It was full of intrigue and witchcraft, which is one of my favorite element in books. And I have to say this book is worth the hype and I’ll be giving more details of this book in a separate review. However, in the meantime I recommend everyone to pick this book up and give it a read. 

Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber

This is book 1 in the series of the same name and follows Evangeline Fox who is trying to win back the love of her life and she’s willing to do whatever it takes to have him, even if she has to make a deal with the devil herself. The devil presents himself in the form of the Prince of Hearts who offers to stop her lovers wedding in exchange for three kisses. And though Evangeline agrees, she soon realizes that she’s gotten more than she bargained for and the Prince of Hearts is playing a game far bigger than she could’ve ever imagined. 

I’m going to be honest here. This book/series is a spinoff of the Caraval series by the author, and when I started reading Caraval but I couldn’t get into it so I thought maybe this author wasn’t for me. However, after reading this book I have to say I was wrong. I loved this book a lot. It was super fun and interesting and I really want to read book 2 to see what happens next. The Prince of Hearts has my heart and I can’t wait to read more about it. And I will be giving the Caraval series another chance after finishing this series. 

Reawakened by Colleen Houck

This is book 1 in the series of the same name and revolves around the life of Liliana Young who despite coming from an affluent background feels really lonely and one day comes across a sarcophagus in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Her life soon gets entangled with an Egyptian prince who is here on a mission. Liliana wants no part of it but the prince has other plans and soon they embark on an epic quest that not only threatens the arrival of danger but of some new feelings as well. 

I’d been meaning to read this book for quite some time and never got the chance. I did have high expectations for it but I found myself being bored from time to time due to the lengthy description. However, I do understand why the description was there. But even though this book didn’t blow my mind, I still had a good time reading it, especially towards the end and I’m glad I finally got to read this book.

Yellowface by R. F. Kuang

This is a standalone and follows the life of June who is a struggling writer and has deep envy for her fellow writer Athena Liu and her success. When Athena dies due to an accident, June ends up stealing her manuscript and publishing it as her own. And there begins the unfolding of a drama that not only takes her to new heights but forces her to acknowledge the deep, ugly truth about herself. 

I waited a whole year to read this and I enjoyed this book a lot. As a writer myself, it was slightly uncomfortable to read at times because I felt called out and vulnerable but that just shows how raw and amazing this book is. I do recommend everyone to give this book a chance. 

The Body Painter by Pepper Winters

This is book 1 of the Master of Trickery Duet and revolves around the lives of Olin and Gil who are thrown together once again due to fate working its hand. Gil, hiding behind a wall of secrets, keeps telling Olin to stay away from him, but their feelings override every secret and danger until they’re destroyed. 

I have been curious about this book since I got to know about it and I finally got the chance to read it. I love this author and have read almost all her works. And I’ve loved each and every one. The writing style is perfect and I hated the villain in this story. That person… I wish I could do something to that person. But the point is, everyone should go and read this book, because it’s really that amazing. 

If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio 

This is a standalone novel and revolves around the life of Oliver who has been released from jail and recounts the details of what exactly happened to land him in jail in the first place.  He, along with his group of fourth year drama college students prepare themselves to graduate from the esteemed college and face the world. However, rivalry and power struggle causes one of the member to die and there begins the mystery of who actually killed him. Friends turn against friends. Secrets are revealed. But in the end love prevails. 

I’m so glad I finally got to read this book. I won’t say much about it here because this book will have its own separate review, but all I’m going to say is, this book was fantastic. I enjoyed everything about it. And I wished I could dive into the world and be a character in this story. I highly recommend everyone to read this book. It’s definitely worth it. 

So these are the books I read in October and my thoughts on them. Let me know if you’ve read any of the books mentioned above and your opinion on them. And let’s see how I do in the next month. 

[saltyxtides]

MONTGOMERY WARDEYN.

She was acting overjoyed with the simple gifting.

“Aw. Flowers. Picked fresh and stolen from the yard just for me. Now that’s the BayBay I know. Risking your little bit o’ welfare just for me. Ohhhh. You could have gotten in trouble for this one.”

She held them to her nose as she leaned her head against his shoulder ever so sweetly fawning over it with great dramatics, a sentimental affair like no other.

Pink was her favorite. Absolutely. So that was a win. Rock candy was a golden touch. She almost wondered if Bayden made it himself because that actually seemed like a project he might do in the kitchen, but didn’t ask. She’d check for a store bought label later. He’d pulled out his mother’s credit card at Christmas which was a rare affair of it’s own. It let her know he and their mother were back in good spoiled standing if he was allowed to use it. Monty liked to keep track of these things. Having any access while in lock up was a big deal. So the fact that he did again at Christmas was something Monty noted. It felt like maybe their worlds were getting back to normal after the big blow up and she wondered if it was even possible. Monty saw that as a good sign.

“Thank you. So sweet of you to go out of your way for me. I love how much you love me. I love you too.”

She was leaning there ever so seemingly happy and overjoyed by the whole exchange when her brother changed up attitude on her.

Not in the mood? Fake dance?

If this were on a scene in a show a scratched record sound would have split the scene and brought everything to a halt.

Since when doesn’t her brother want to dance with her on Valentine’s Day?

“Uh oh.”

She hugged him tighter.

“Someone’s holding something in again. What mood? What happened? Talk to me.” Her hand started to pat his tummy. “Who was mean to you this time? I’ll fix them. No dance with my brother will ever be fake.”

Then she looked up from his shoulder right into his face and patted his cheek. “If that doctor mom has griping over you is giving you too much homework again I’ll go give him another good case of dysentery. Give him a high fever. See how he likes seeing things that aren’t there. I’ll get you out of whatever he assigned for at least another week or two and you haven’t even looked at your big basket from me yet.” She turned and pointed at his Valentine’s gift trying to cheer him up.

Monty would in no way believe Bayden meant fake dance as a real jab against her. It was their tradition to do this dance every year. So not doing it would confuse her and make her think something was seriously wrong with Bayden. It would make her worry for him right after such nice gifting which made her believe he and she were fine. So it would lead her to believe something was wrong elsewhere that was dampening his mood.  

Then she tilted her head in the other direction still looking him dead on in the face thinking of him wanting to hurry along home. “Or is this about mother?” She smoothed the hair around his ears. “I got you all worried about her now mentioning the gin, didn’t I? She’s a grown up Bay. She’ll be okay. She’s made it this far. Stay present. Right now’s about me, what you gave me, and how much I love you for that, and how I got a basket full of all your faaaaaaaaaaavorites. Come on. You love dancing. All you ever do is whine there’s no real girls here to dance with. Come on. You made up this tradition and told me I would be an evil witch and wanted to curse me green with warts if ever I refused. Remember? No way I’m letting you out of it now if I have to puppeteer you myself, just in case you suddenly get a burst of unused bottled magic. I’m not letting that be the first spell that casts out of you.”

She laughed trying to lighten Bayden up, but she was serious. Later bloomers with magic were sometimes known to happen.    

( @montywonmom​ )

       BAYDEN’S sisters current state was a privilege she took for granted.

       Watching as they continued to c o o over her little surprise’s, as the least they can say is Bayden’s sister looked overjoyed with such simple gifts.  Literally had to execute the risk they had to put in to the gift out loud.  It didn’t take much to entertain herself, which was a small blessing considering the circumstances of having to live, breathe, && act as BAYDEN W a r d e y n.

       The dramatics, the act of sentimental affairs, no wonder Bayden was confused at times.  It was like Bayden understood his sister was a WACK-j o b, but they could see why it was a battle to distinguish what’s reality && what’s easier to look the other way because they were tied by blood.  Not fully, but still tied && anchored to one another by DR. W a r d e y n at least.  Especially when his issues flare up, the definition of what’s real && what’s not has it’s own emotional toll.

       “I’m glad you like it.”  They replied genuinely relieved that they passed the test, putting there arm around her shoulder, giving her the faintest of a side embrace.  Every second counted && they didn’t want to linger to long, not sure what MONTGOMERY W a r d e y n was made of.  Pulling away in mere seconds lazily, as they still had to act a little like Bayden, The Older Brother.

       Despite the scratch-record misgivings, they stayed silent glad it wasn’t a full fire-works of dramatics from Montgomery.  They couldn’t run from a psychopath’s whims.  But if they could avoid it, then they’ll face it head-on. There's no way it's going to get the better of them.  It just wasn’t going to happen.

       Reflexively grasping Montgomery’s elbow gently halting her from touching Bayden’s stomach, releasing her elbow effortlessly.  The sheer soreness from vigorous military's muscular strength they spent time doing to build Bayden's endurance trials, && to test Bayden’s own endurance through insomnia-esque late nights.  

       Gaining hope, or some traction to achieve lighter dosages on certain pills in his plethora of pills Bayden takes on the daily.  Performing for six consecutive nights, resting completely one day per week.  Has it helped?  No.  All there was to show for all that effort was a lame 6 pack, && a lot of there time wasted in Bayden.  Girls where just very different from boys.

       Bayden’s face twisted into a scowl.  “Why does it matter if I don’t feel like dancing?  Fake.  Not fake.  Can’t we just not do it this year.”

       Sighing, as they frowned.  Wondering how close Bayden really was to Montgomery.  They can’t say they knew everything about Bayden to act like him, if this was some moment to be vulnerable or not, but it seems from listening to her babble on what she think’s is happening, his younger sister also carried on the weird trait in the WARDEYN f a m i l y.  The only normal one, out of the three to choose from was DR. W a r d e y n. For now . . .  Anything can happen with this damn family.

       “You really aren’t going to stop until you get something out of me?”  

       Rolling there eyes, they couldn’t listen to Montgomery anymore.  As much as they couldn’t take the little touches, from the fact she tried to touch his stomach to the way she’d brush down the sides of his hair.

       “I appreciate your concern Monty, I really do, but there’s nothing to talk about.  I’m just feeling overwhelmed && anxious about something going on in my personal life.  Thanks for offering to help, but I think I need to work through this on my own for now.” 

        “Monty!  Someone drowns in a tub nearly every day in America-”  taking on a serious tone, obviously, that was the que, placing there hands underneath Montgomery’s arms && easily lifting her off there lap placing her down beside them as they where getting up. 

       “-BuT nOt ToDaY sAtAn!  Not my mom. No sir.”  As the amount of sass, && effort to make that so cringe was worth it.

       Placing there hands in there pockets as they where already walking off.  

       “Stay present?  Girrrl, we gotta get you outa here.  Nobody has time to dance in a Asylum when Prince Charming’s waiting for the worst Valentines of his life.  The earlier the better.  So the paramedics can make it on time, you know Monty?  You’re Valentine’s date doesn’t know he’s going to be an organ donor by the end of date.”  A dramatic whistle.

       “It’s all fun && games until you start playing sports sis.  Why mom’s staying with me tonight.  She get’s it.” 

       Not bothering to illuminate or fabricate the gifts Montgomery got for Bayden mattered, because in a way, they didn’t.  Because in some way Montgomery was worried about the wrong things.

       “Oh, by the way Monty.  This might come as a shock to you, but I’ve danced with a real girl before.  Words can't describe.”  

       What a tweaker she was!  A tweaker && a drunk on Valentines Day. Odd to say they missed Bayden right then && there.  Only what there putting Bayden through, the real Bayden, they didn’t deserve it.  Much how Rowan didn’t deserve it either.  There friendship was probably to far gone even if they found a way to fix things.  

[letstrywritingmaybe]

5. Marriage Verse

(Re:part two of my list of fic ideas I’ll never get to)

It’s been done before, but never by me so here we go.

You guessed it, post black org and antidote, my queen gains a lot of haters. So to protect her, what better way then getting with the savior of Japan?

• basically to help prove Shiho isn’t evil and was a victim in all of this, the Kudos vouch for her. To the extreme. My ship is getting married y’all!

• now did they really have to go this far? Probably not, but why do they do it? Well because Yukiko is extra as fuck and also, Shinichi is in love with Shiho so this is a win win for him

• he keeps claiming it’s for the greater good and he’s doing this cause he wants to protect her. Which kinda true, but the real reason is because this is how he keeps her forever

• typical of my queen wanting to leave and move on, cause she thinks of the canon ship (who are very broken up in this verse though feelings linger…) and of course Shinichi has abandonment issues so he’s not for her leaving

• besides she’s still low key treated like a criminal so it’s not she can leave anyhow. So operation help Shiho gain a good reputation is a go! So off to the chapel my ship goes!

• similar to how my green card au went, he’s obviously already in it while my queen is in denial. She thinks once this blows over they’ll get divorced and he can be with his ex. Which is not at all where he thinks this is going

• I know it seems like I hate marriage cause of my fics, but I’m of the belief that it should be forever. (That being said I know it doesn’t always work that way, hence why I never really write about it in my fics and why Shiho is a cynic when it comes to marriage) which is how he sees it, so he isn’t just being rash when he suggests getting married

— side note, I do actually have a divergence of this verse in which Shinichi’s plan of them getting married doesn’t happen cause he was in a coma, so instead to save Shiho’s reputation the Kudos adopt her. Which makes things very messy cause now Shinichi can’t just get what he wants and make her his wife. This version is kinda messed up though cause I envision Shiho moving on and loving the fact that the Kudos have been so kind to her and accept her as their own, meanwhile Shinichi is not taking it well. I’m sure no one will know what I’m talking about but there was a Taiwanese drama I watched called Devil Beside You a long time ago and that’s the vibe of this fic. Basically they’re siblings but not biologically and they still end up together. Except Shinichi is way diabolical in this verse cause he’s completely lost it. Also Shigo is a thing and again Shinichi is insane. It’s low key heartbreaking for Shiho and such a toxic relationship, but some days I can’t stop thinking about it

• basically I just wanted an excuse to write a short fic where they can be all cutesy and he can properly woo her. I feel like I had more of this verse planned but the alternate version completely took over and I’ve lost the plot. But I know a lot of it was him being like the That’s my wife! guy. So over how he’s the one everyone is obsessed with, give me a Shinichi who knows how lucky he is to be married to my queen

• there’s definitely drama with the canon ship cause listen, if my boyfriend of like idk a month who I’ve always thought was mutually into me since we were kids all of a sudden breaks up with me over the phone then goes radio silent then shows up with a whole ass fiancée a year later? Best believe someone’s going to catch these hands cause what!??

• also this is probably unpopular but I love how much Sonoko stans Ran and is on her side, these besties are definitely scheming to break shinshi up. At first they’re like it’s not real, he’s not really gonna marry her. But then they do get married and they’re like what!?! So then it’s operation show him what he’s missing and remind him how great Ran is which leads to a shinshi divorce and all is right in the world! (Though Ran low key has mix feelings about this cause if he really did love her why would this even happen? She still trusts him and he always tells her he can explain but this time he doesn’t so she’s doesn’t know what to think)

• meanwhile Shiho sees through their ploy but also doesn’t think the marriage is real so she’s just like okay yeah, go for it, steal my man cause he’s not actually my man. Which is just for my benefit cause I have a thing for him trying extra hard to prove they’re real

• also since this is my verse, they do consummate the marriage on their wedding night. I know it’s a thing that every drama does where they don’t until they’re like actually in love and on the same page, but I actually kinda hate that (even though I low key did that in the green card verse too…) (which is weird cause I’m ace but I’m also just like get it over with already! Plus I think it makes the dynamic more interesting cause people are weird after the relationship becomes sexual too, but maybe it’s just cause I’m a Vegas gal) plus you’ll notice a theme in my belief that Shinichi thinks sex=love while Shiho thinks it’s just fucking

• also would love a recurring thing where Shinichi loudly proclaims to just about anyone that Shiho is his wife, so hands off! Like that’s his woman and he’s gonna protect her damn it!

• idk if they’ll have kids, but it will be discussed (again my bias in thinking he absolutely wants to knock her up cause he low key has a breeding kink) of course Shiho is overruled in this, cause what better way to prove they’re real then by having kids! A win for the Kudos! But Shiho is like um no! That’s way too much! Having kids complicates things! I’m doing this to have freedom, how is having a child going to set me free? That’s another shackle! Besides, even if she leaves her kid behind which she would never, it’ll be harder for Shinichi in the long run as a single father to remarry. Again queen is still waiting for the rouse to be over

• obviously it ends with them living happily ever after cause it’s my fic, and again like the green card au I hate the whole they get divorced then get married again for real thing, it’s such a waste of time imo and so much paperwork. Like I get why it’s a thing, but I still think it’s dumb. So they stay married the whole time and that’s that

• this is the verse that I’ve been dreaming of lately and keep adding details in my head. Like the beginnings of it, when Shinichi is trying to justify a kiss and taking her out on dates and she’s conflicted.

[theblacksheepcz]

Homies i feel compelled to finally release all my Rebecha headcanons into the wild

Also this turned out longer than expected-

She’s chubby, but also freaking shredded. she was created for a fighting game after all, and fixed a whole bridge dozens of times.

COULD beat anyone up. And will if she loses her temper.

strong enough to carry a person.

and she’s only 5’7”

In Combat Arena X she was competitive and loved to win, but that flame turned into ‘i want to get the fuck out of here’

She’s an ambivert. Used to be more talkative in the first days of her creation, quieted down as time went on.

Honestly i can see her personality being similar to Beffica from Bugsnax when she was created (…obviously that didn’t last long).

Now she’s pretty much just chill and serious and “i literally don’t care (cares)”

And she’s not afraid to speak her mind and doesn’t like picking sides.

She was created by Kaycee when she was working for Lionel but that’s another can of worms, but Carla was like ‘everyone in this stinky office will create at least one female’

Wizarro is her bestie (mlm and wlw solidarity), she also somehow befriended Jack.

Likes Bryce’s pies 👍

Her favourite drink is Popper’s Rootbeer

Definitely bonked someone with her big wrench

Really wanted to stay in Waste World…totally not because Rust was like a father figure to her hahahehehoho

Now whoever gives her headpats she gets flashbacks about Rust

Fought with Irving many, many times, whether it be arguments or fist fights.

Leshy tolerates her. Invites her to play card games and drink tea with him. And because of that animals like her but when many smaller creatures decide to just rest on her head/shoulders or bigger creatures gather around her for pets she’s like ‘help…Leshy help-’

Actually tried to eat the meat cake…

Grimora treats her like she’s her granddaughter. Pinches her cheeks a lot. But Rebecha doesn’t like going to her crypt because the zombies from the ground try to grab her ankles and the undead severed hands freak her out.

Has many sassy comebacks to P03’s insults

Hates Magnificus with her whole being.

Didn’t know James Cobb personally but knows everything that happened to him, gets upset whenever she sees Plasma Jimmy.

…if she was a human she’d be poc ❤️

And now some songs that remind me of her and makes my brainworms brrrrr (in no particular order)

I need to be alone - girl in red

I’ll die anyway - girl in red

Lent - Autoheart

Rät - Penelope Scott

Blow my brains out - Tikkle Me

I bet on losing dogs - Mitski

Burning Hill - Mitski

Nobody - Mitski

Liquid Smooth - Mitski

First Love / Late Spring - Mitski

Real Men - Mitski

Geyser - Mitski

Drunk Walk Home - Mitski

Jealous - Eyedress

Girls - Marina and the diamonds

Alligator Skin Boots - McCafferty

Better than me - The Brobecks

The Stand - Mother Mother

Ordinaryish People - AJR

When you die - MGMT

[theadmiringbog]

I want to be in the arena. I want to be brave with my life. And when we make the choice to dare greatly,

--

Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome. Vulnerability is not weakness; it’s our greatest measure of courage.                

--

Therefore, we need to be selective about the feedback we let into our lives. For me, if you’re not in the arena getting your ass kicked, I’m not interested in your feedback.                

--

If we are brave enough often enough, we will fall; this is the physics of vulnerability.                

--

Daring is not saying, “I’m willing to risk failure.” Daring is saying, “I know I will eventually fail and I’m still all in.”                

--

The most transformative and resilient leaders that I've worked with over the course of my career have three things in common: First, they recognize the central role that relationships and story play in culture and strategy, and they stay curious about their own emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. Second, they understand and stay curious about how emotions, thoughts, and behaviors are connected in the people they lead, and how those factors affect relationships and perception. And, third, they have the ability and willingness to lean in to discomfort and vulnerability.                

--

Liz Gilbert's Instagram feed—and I think it sums this up perfectly: “Grace will take you places hustling can’t.”                

--

I relied completely on a technique I had learned from my research, a phrase that emerged in numerous variations over and over again. I said, “I feel like you’re blowing me off, and the story that I’m making up is                

--

I often say, “Show me a woman who can hold space for a man in real fear and vulnerability, and I’ll show you a woman who’s learned to embrace her own vulnerability and who doesn’t derive her power or status from that man. Show me a man who can sit with a woman in real fear and vulnerability and just hear her struggle without trying to fix it or give advice, and I’ll show you a man who’s comfortable with his own vulnerability and doesn’t derive his power from being Oz, the all-knowing and all-powerful.”                

--

his leadership book Creativity, Inc. would go on to influence me as much as anything I’ve ever read.                

--

Day two, or whatever that middle space is for your own process, is when you’re “in the dark”—the door has closed behind you. You’re too far in to turn around and not close enough to the end to see the light. In my work with veterans and active members of the military, we’ve talked about this dark middle. They all know it as “the point of no return”—an aviation term coined by pilots for the point in a flight when they have too little fuel left to return to the originating airfield. It’s strangely universal, going all the way back to Julius Caesar’s famous “Iacta alea est”—“The die is cast”—spoken in 49 BC as he and his troops made the river crossing that started a war. Whether it’s ancient battle strategy or the creative process, at some point you’re in, it’s dark, and there’s no turning back.                

--

Hanging on the wall of Pixar’s Story Corner display were these three sentences: Story is the big picture. Story is process. Story is research.                

--

An image of a crown was at the top of the wall, symbolizing the axiom that “story is king.”                

--

Darla helped me get my head around the three acts: Act 1: The protagonist is called to adventure and accepts the adventure. The rules of the world are established, and the end of Act 1 is the “inciting incident.” Act 2: The protagonist looks for every comfortable way to solve the problem. By the climax, he learns what it’s really going to take to solve the problem. This act includes the “lowest of the low.” Act 3: The protagonist needs to prove she’s learned the lesson, usually showing a willingness to prove this at all costs. This is all about redemption—an enlightened character knowing what to do to resolve a conflict.                

--

The irony is that we attempt to disown our difficult stories to appear more whole or more acceptable, but our wholeness—even our wholeheartedness—actually depends on the integration of all of our experiences, including the falls.                

--

Our job is not to deny the story, but to defy the ending—to rise strong, recognize our story, and rumble with the truth until we get to a place where we think, Yes. This is what happened. This is my truth. And I will choose how this story ends. In                

--

Choosing to be curious is choosing to be vulnerable because it requires us to surrender to uncertainty.                

--

Researchers are finding evidence that curiosity is correlated with creativity, intelligence, improved learning and memory, and problem solving.                

--

There is a profound relationship—a love affair, really—between curiosity and wholeheartedness. How do we come to those aha moments if we’re not willing to explore and ask questions? New information won’t transform our thinking, much less our lives, if it simply lands at our feet. For experiences and information to be integrated into our lives as true awareness, they have to be received with open hands, inquisitive minds, and wondering hearts.                

--

as poet Mizuta Masahide wrote, “Barn’s burnt down / now / I can see the moon.”                

--

Chandeliering is especially common and dangerous in “power-over” situations—environments where, because of power differentials, people with a higher position or status are less likely to be held accountable for flipping out or overreacting. These are places where our powerlessness and hurt get worked out. We maintain our prized stoicism in front of the people we want to impress or influence, but the second we’re around people over whom we have emotional, financial, or physical power, we explode. And because it’s not a side of us seen by many of the higher-ups, our version of the story is framed as truth. We see power-over chandeliering in families, churches, schools, communities, and offices.                

--

And just so we don’t miss it in this long list of all the ways we can numb ourselves, there’s always staying busy: living so hard and fast that the truths of our lives can’t catch up with us. We fill every ounce of white space with something so there’s no room or time for emotion to make itself known.                

--

no matter what we use, we can’t selectively numb emotions—when we numb the dark, we also numb the light. When “taking the edge off” with a couple of glasses of red wine becomes a routine, our experiences of joy and love and trust will become duller, too.                

--

Tactical Breathing 1. Inhale deeply through your nose, expanding your stomach, for a count of four—one, two, three, four. 2. Hold in that breath for a count of four—one, two, three, four. 3. Slowly exhale all the air through your mouth, contracting your stomach, for a count of four—one, two, three, four. 4. Hold the empty breath for a count of four—one, two, three, four.                

--

Mindfulness means maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment. Mindfulness also involves acceptance, meaning that we pay attention to our thoughts and feelings without judging them—without believing, for instance, that there’s a “right” or “wrong” way to think or feel in a given moment. When                

--

TEN GUIDEPOSTS FOR WHOLEHEARTED LIVING 

1. Cultivating authenticity: letting go of what people think 

2. Cultivating self-compassion: letting go of perfectionism 

3. Cultivating a resilient spirit: letting go of numbing and powerlessness 

4. Cultivating gratitude and joy: letting go of scarcity and fear of the dark 

5. Cultivating intuition and trusting faith: letting go of the need for certainty 

6. Cultivating creativity: letting go of comparison 

7. Cultivating play and rest: letting go of exhaustion as a status symbol and productivity as self-worth 

8. Cultivating calm and stillness: letting go of anxiety as a lifestyle 

9. Cultivating meaningful work: letting go of self-doubt and “supposed to” 

10. Cultivating laughter, song, and dance: letting go of being cool and “always in control”

[pondwatr04]

Who Obeys Who?

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3

~F!Mc~ Word Count: 4,494

Summary: After Mc’s latest brush with death, Lucifer has placed various rules to ensure her safety. However, the independent human will soon discover that the brothers have become increasingly possessive/protective over her, to the point where she begins to feel suffocated. In the heat of the moment during a particularly bad fight, Mc uses the power of her pacts and accidentally harms the brothers in the process. Anguished over this and the brothers’ behavior, she runs away and seeks a way to break the pacts, for their sake and her own!

Warnings: Mention of death, brief violence, aggressive scenarios.

It was no secret to anyone that the 7 Lords of Devildom were fiercely protective of their little human, however this was something that Mc was still adjusting to. Back in the human world, Mc was never really the center of attention or had particularly protective family/friends, and was quite content with the sense of freedom that came with such a life.

However, as the brothers began to grow closer and closer with her, their desire to guard the new member of their family also swelled. At first, she found this behavior somewhat endearing; it warmed her heart to know that such powerful and feared demons cared so deeply for her, a mere mortal human. With this new sensation of the brothers at her side, Mc felt safe in Devildom, despite the multiple times she had almost lost her life.

That was until she had a particularly bad run in with several lower demons at RAD once a day. Mc had left her classes mid-session to use the restroom, the hallways were silent and empty as everyone was seated in their classrooms. However, when she was making her way back to class, three lower demons jumped out and began attacking her, beating her nearly unconscious.

In between the grunts and deafening blows the demons dealt her, she could hear them shouting something about how she was making the Demon Lords soft, that her presence was ruining their reputation as fearsome, cruel creatures.

However, it was over as soon as it started; the demons left her gasping alone on the cool, tiled floor. Soon after Mammon (who had been in the process of skipping class) discovered her battered body and called his brothers for help. Although Mc hadn’t sustained any serious injuries, she was quickly raced to the nearest hospital and made a swift recovery with the help of Solomon and Simeon’s healing abilities.

In the days after the incident, Mc was feeling suprisingly unscatched, both physically and mentally. Despite how worried sick the brothers were, she was simply happy that the whole ordeal was over and done with, the perpetrators promptly beaten and jailed. However, Lucifer had decided this was not good enough for Mc, or rather, him.

==================================

Mc sat nervously at the dining table in the House of Lamentation, all the chairs filled with their respective brothers. Lucifer had called a “family meeting” earlier that day during RAD classes and had stressed that everyone must be there.

At first Mc hadn’t been too worried about the sudden order, but simply watching Mammon anxiously bounce his leg from next to her with his chin resting gravely on his palm, had her suddenly reconsidering. Everyone instantly perked up as Lucifer cleared his throat from the end of the long table.

“In light of… recent events...,” he begins his gaze sweeping from brother to brother, eventually landing firmly on Mc, making her jump slightly. He pauses for a moment, huffing slightly.

“...I have decided that there is an urgent need for new rules regarding Mc, more specifically on how to ensure she remains safe in her time at Devildom,” he announces.

“What do you mean ‘new rules’,” Mc questions, eyebrows furrowed slightly.

Lucifer shoots her a quick glare after being interrupted before continuing.

“I mean that as of today, you cannot be without an escort when leaving the House of Lamentation under any circumstances-,” he says as Mc rises quickly from her chair.

“What?! I need an escort?-'' she exclaims, hands placed definitely on the table before her.

“-That includes walking to and from RAD, walking between class periods, and anywhere else outside of the House of Lamentation,” he continues, ignoring Mc’s sudden outburst.

“That ridiculous, I can handle walking myself perfectly fine-,” Mc shouts.

“You will be required to have your D.D.D on you at all times, and you are not permitted to leave the house after 8pm,” he states coldly, staring down Mc. “All of which are effective for an indefinite amount of time.”

“This isn’t necessary, Lucifer! I know what happened last week, but that doesn’t mean you can just start making me follow all these crazy restrictions!” Mc pleads, desperately looking around the table at the brothers for any semblance of support.

However, they all avoid her gaze, a few of them taking sudden interest in the intricate carvings that adorn the side of the wooden table.

“It is necessary, Mc,” Lucifer says matter-of-factly, crossing his arms. “I know that you’re a very independent person, but these rules are for your own safety.”.

“I’m sorry Lucifer, but I won’t allow myself to submit to this-,” Mc begins defiantly.

“-You will follow these rules. This is not something that is up for discussion, Mc!” he bellows, causing everyone at the table to flinch at the sudden aggression.

“And that goes for all of you,” he commands, pointing accusingly at his brothers. “You all are to make sure that she adheres to these rules, you understand?”

They all exchange quick glaces between a fuming Mc and Lucifer’s stern expression. They all nod slowly, reluctantly submitting to Lucifer’s will. Mc flops angrily into her chair, teeth clenched as she festers silently in her own wrath.

As much as she wants to, she simply can’t win against Lucifer, especially not on this one. Seeing that none of the other brothers came to her aid, she decides she has no choice but to swallow her pride. Biting her tongue, she nods slightly along with the brothers.

“Then… that is all that I need to say,” Lucifer says, his composure restored as he rises from his seat. “This meeting is adjourned.”

In the days after Lucifer's declaration, Mc begrudgingly followed each rule. Although she was still fuming, she offered no further protest on the matter, electing to just wait until Lucifer decided these restrictions were no longer necessary.

After a while, Mc began to not be particularly bothered by these rules. Although she valued her occasional moments of solitude, having the brothers escort her from place to place proved to be somewhat enjoyable. Additionally, having her D.D.D on her at all times wasn’t too much of a hassle, and it wasn’t like she had many places to be in Devildom after 8pm.

However, Mc began to feel more concerned with the brothers’ behavior as more and more questionable moments occurred between them. She first took notice of this somewhat alarming shift in behavior when Mc was conversing with a new friend from her Curses and Hexes class; another demon, obviously.

Mc was always eager to make new friends, especially since she rarely had the chance to talk to any demons outside of the seven brothers. Her and this new demon had randomly sparked up a conversation when he had asked her for a spare pencil. He had noticed it had a design on it that originated from a popular movie franchise that he was also interested in, so the duo became engrossed in discussing the topic long into the class period. Even after the bell rang, they continued absentmindedly laughing and chatting with one another.

This caused Beel, who had recently begun waiting for Mc outside of each of her classes to walk her from period to period, to peek his head in the room worriedly. The redhead immediately noticed the lower demon and how he was leaning against Mc’s desk, deep in conversation with his human. Anger quickly sparked in the pit of his abdomen, prompting him to stalk swiftly towards the duo.

He planted a solid hand on Mc’s shoulder. “The bell rang, Mc. Let’s go to your next class,” he grunts, refusing to acknowledge the surprised demon beside him.

“Oh, it's okay Beel. You can go without me, I’ll be leaving after I finish up here in a second,” Mc says cheerfully, waving Beel on without much thought.

In response, his grip tightens every-so slightly on Mc’s shoulder, digging into the fabric of her uniform. “No. I have to go with you Mc,” he says firmly.

“Beel, seriously, it’s okay,” Mc responds in a quizzical tone, eyes flickering between his face and his hand on her shoulder. “I’ll just have my friend here walk me instead. Your class is on the other side of campus anyway, so you’ll be late if you wait for me.”

“I don’t care if I’m late. I’m not going to let you be alone with some other demon, Mc,” he growls.

Both Mc and the lower demon gape at Beel, taken aback by his sudden aggression.

“Beel! Don’t be rude! You don’t need to worry about him, he’s oka-,” Mc exclaims.

“Mc. I’m not leaving you with him,” Beel repeats, this time finally eyeing the fidgeting lower demon sitting across from him. He wilts slightly from Beel’s piercing gaze, feeling as if he’s somehow made a grave mistake by simply talking to Mc. Mc shakes Beel’s hand from her shoulder, rising from her desk to confront him head on.

“Beelzebub. I’m telling you-,” Mc begins before she’s abruptly interrupted by Beel grabbing her wrist and tugging her towards the classroom’s exit. Despite her protests, he managed to make it halfway to her next period before Mc finally wrenched herself from his grip. The other demons in the hallway disperse, fleeing to their classrooms after sensing the dangerous arua the Avatar of Gluttony was emitting.

“What the hell Beel?” she pants, rubbing the angry red skin on her wrist. She eyes him, feeling increasingly uneasy; what happened back in the classroom...it was completely out of character for him. He never spoke to her, or anyone in that way, let alone put his hands on her like that.

“Lucifer said you can’t go anywhere by yourself,” he explains, placing a hand on his neck while shame begins to replace the wrath within him.

“Yeah, I wasn’t going by myself. I said that my friend was going to walk me instead,” Mc shoots back.

Beel frowns, “You can’t trust any demon you meet, Mc. You don’t know if you really would be safe with him.”

In the back of her mind, Mc knows he’s half right; she simply didn’t know that demon well enough to confidently say he wouldn’t try something the moment she was alone and vulnerable. However, she wasn’t upset that Beel questioned his integrity anymore, she was upset that he didn’t even take a moment to consider her feelings on the matter. He simply ran off with her without a second thought, completely disregarding her ability to judge a person’s character on her own without him or one of his brothers weighing in with their own cynical opinions.

They stood silently for a moment as Mc stewed in her thoughts, the hallway empty, its air turning stale around them. Before she could give a proper retort, the sound of the school’s bell rang around them, indicating that they were now both late for class. Mc clenched her firsts angrily.

She then turned sharply and stalked to her next period, allowing an uneasy Beel to accompany her from a distance. Once she entered her classroom and slammed the door behind her, Beel began the trek on his own class. When the next period ended, Mc found Belphie waiting outside to escort her in place of Beel.

Despite this concerning event, there was a brief lull in the brothers’ display of possessive behavior; whether that be because they finally realized that they were suffocating Mc with their antics, or because Mc had been more careful about complying to Lucifer’s rules.  However, this moment of peace was soon to be interrupted.

After Asmo accidentally spilled wine on Mc during a visit to Ristorante Six, he had vowed to take her shopping for a whole new outfit, even though it only really stained her blouse. When Levi caught wind of the excursion, he decided to tag along to go window shopping for some newly released Ruri-chan merchandise.

That weekend, the trio made their way to the bustling shopping center at the heart of Devildom; the majority of the day was very lighthearted and served as a much needed break from school and the crushing protectiveness of the brothers. They all spent hours browsing and trying on clothes in Majolish, laughing as Asmo forced Levi to briefly explore his fashion sense with them. After they finally left, Mc and Asmo struggled to carry the various bags filled to the brim with clothes and accessories while Levi happily snapped pictures of the exasperated pair, offering no help as he uploaded the photos to Devilgram.

After some more teasing, Levi finally slid his phone away before reaching to take one of the heavier bags from Mc’s hand. Mc gladly accepts the aid, shifting her weight forward to lean towards his extended hand. However, her shoe briefly caught the raised surface of a slightly out-of-place tile in the pavement, causing her to trip mid-step. Before she could sprawl across the floor below, she collides into a passing demon, falling face first into their chest.

“Hey! Watch it-,” the demon shouts, falling backwards from the force of the impact.

Mc instantly removes herself from the demon. “Ah-, I’m sorry! Are you okay?,” flustered from the embarrassing spectacle she’s caused. She offers a hand to the fallen demon, smiling politely as they glare at her from the floor.

“My apologies, I accidentally tripped, and you just happened to be in front of me...,” she says quickly as they begrudgingly reach to take her hand.

Before their palms can overlap, Levi moves in between the two, slapping the demon’s hand away from Mc’s. Shocked, the demon sharply pulls back his hand, hissing from the insult.

“Levi? What the fuck was that for?” Mc gasped, Levi’s expression startlingly contradicting the joyful demon he was moments ago.

“Don’t fucking talk to her like that,” Levi snarls at the demon, shoving Mc behind him despite her protests. “Stay the fuck away from us.”

At a loss for words, Mc desperately looks to Asmo for help. Rather than stepping forward to mitigate the situation as he so often does, Asmo simply moves to pick up the fallen bag and plants himself next to Levi, ignoring Mc’s aghast face.

“Guys, calm down! It was my fault, I was the one who bumped into them!” Mc exclaims, moving in front of the pair with raised hands.

“Yeah, what the hell? It was just an accident-,” the demon begins, moving to return to a standing position. Before they can get themselves completely upright, Levi shoves him to the ground.

“Levi-,” Mc yelped at the sudden display of violence. This time, she places a hand on the two advancing brothers’ chest, glaring at them both.

“If you two don’t knock this shit off right now, I’ll use our pacts to command you to stop,” she warns, hoping the anger in her tone masked the fear she felt creeping its way into the corners of her mind.

Levi clicks his tongue in frustration, reluctantly taking a step away from the terrified demon. Asmo slowly follows, never taking his eyes off them.

“Fine,” Asmo mutters. “But it would be in your best interest to leave, and never show your face around us ever again,” Asmo spat at the demon, his usually pristine face twisted into an irritated grimace.

The demon immediately takes off in the other direction, leaving the trio alone in the street. Before Mc could scold them, they both link their arms around her’s and stomp away.

“That was out-of-fucking line, guys!” Mc exclaims after a moment of stunned silence. The pair flinch a little but continue tugging her back to the House of Lamentation wordlessly.

“That was… that was absolutely ridiculous! It was just a simple mistake, and it was my fault! There was no reason for you guys to blow up on them like that!” she says, whipping her head from side to side in an attempt to read the faces of the two demons.

“Why’re you acting like that demon running into me was some kind of assasinaton attempt?! You guys didn’t used to be this… unreasonable…” she trails off, desperately trying to get Levi or Asmo to meet her eyes. “...What the fuck happened?” she asks the pair.

“I’ll tell you what the fuck happened, Mc,” Levi finally retorts, clenching his teeth as he lifts his head to look at her from behind his violet hair. “You… you were almost killed... not even a month ago. And if you think we’re just going to let something like that happen again then-”.

“But they weren’t trying to kill me!” Mc thundered, shaking with anger. “You both totally overreacted!”

“We can’t be too careful, Mc. I’m sorry we upset you, but I’d rather that than risk you being murdered!” Asmo admits, gripping her arm desperately.

“There was no danger, Asmo!” Mc yells. “Why can’t you two understand that?”

Levi and Asmo exchanged troubled glances.

“Mc, we’re just trying to do what’s best for you…” Levi pleads, Asmo nodding.

“This is what you think is best for me?! Just tearing off with me the moment I interact with any demon aside from you guys?” Mc scoffs, struggling to wrap her mind around the ridiculousness of the whole situation.

The two demons are silent, festering in shame and frustration. They avoid her eyes, struggling to produce a proper retort.

“I decide what is best for me, got it?! Because clearly, you guys have lost all touch with reality!” she continues, beyond caring about softening her insults.

Although the brothers wanted to argue back, they both elected to bite their tongues for the rest of the walk home, hoping that Mc would eventually calm down and come around to their point of view.

However, when they finally arrived home Mc ripped her arms from their grip, storming to her room while Asmo and Levi frantically tried to apologize from behind her wake. She slammed the door in their faces; they knocked the wooden surface as they pleaded for her to let them so they could make it up to her.

After a while of fruitlessly calling to her, they finally gave up, leaving Mc alone to quietly sob in her room. She refused to speak to the pair for a couple days afterward, but eventually gave up on attempting to hold a grudge on the demons she loved so deeply. She tried to drop her guard around them once again, but still couldn’t shake that uneasy feeling that had been clouding her mind ever since that day.

==================================

Although Mc found these instances incredibly peculiar (alarmingly so), she still gave the demon brothers the benefit of the doubt. She understood that they cared for her fiercely, and that this could lead them to act aggressively; but she could not wrap her head around why they were starting to disregard how Mc felt. They had begun to handle her like a delicate piece of artwork; something to be admired from within a protective container, never to be touched by outside hands.

Despite this, she decided that for the time being she would simply grin a bear it all while she gave them a chance to calm themselves, hoping they would all eventually return to their normal selves. However, this was not the case as Mc would soon realize after she had forgotten to walk home with Mammon after classes at RAD.

As per Lucifer’s rules, Mc was to be accompanied by one of the brothers to and from school. After much pestering from Mammon, she agreed to make walking back with him a daily occurrence. The two would meet in the garden at the center of RAD’s campus and make the journey home together, chatting about their day. However, Mc had completely forgotten about this agreement one day.

Mc has a bad habit of becoming lost in thought, forgetting the world around her as she silently listens to music through a pair of tangled earbuds. Mc was often accompanied by at least 1-2 demon brothers at once, so she doesn't often get much time to simply explore her own thoughts without interruption. This, coupled with her bad habit of becoming detached from the present, caused her to simply walk straight to the House of Lamentation without the thought of meeting Mammon even crossing her mind.

She had gotten home before any of the others, and absentmindedly slumped into bed after changing out of her RAD uniform. Lazily rolling over, she reached out to pick up her previously discarded D.D.D and earbuds, music still faintly playing. She clicked on the screen to turn off the music and noticed she had 9 new notifications while her phone was on silent. There were 6 text messages from Mammon, and 4 new missed calls. Mc sat up in bed to read the texts:

“Oi! Where the hell are ya at Mc?” - 19 minutes ago

“Are you coming or not? Did ya forget about me?” - 16 minutes ago

1 missed call.

“Did ya walk home with Asmo instead of me? That hurts my feelings, ya know.” - 15 minutes ago

1 missed call.

“Hey! Respond to my calls… you’re startin’ to worry me”. - 12 minutes ago

"If you’re worried that I’m mad, I’m not! Just text me when ya get home safely, OK?” - 11 minutes ago

2 missed calls.

“That's it! You better call me back right now, or I’m gonna start freakin’ out!” - 6 minutes ago

Mc drags a hand over her face, annoyed by his gross overreaction. Mammon has always been the clingy type, something she had gotten used to and eventually found somewhat endearing. However, this was just too much…

Before she could even begin to return his calls, the door to her room burst open, swinging on its hinges and slamming into the wall with a loud bang. There in the doorway stood Mammon, sweaty, panting, and obviously very distressed. Alongside him stood Satan, Asmo, and Belphie, all looking slightly less disheveled but with equally concerned expressions. As soon as they laid their eyes on her, relief immediately flushed all other emotion from their faces.

“Wha-”, she began, but was swiftly cut off when Mammon leapt towards her to clutch her shoulders.

“What the hell happened Mc?!” he exclaims, shaking her before embracing her firmly. After a tense moment, he quickly peels himself from her form, his flushed face mere inches from her own as he continues his volley of questions.

“I really thought something bad happened to you!” he cries out, silvery eyebrows furrowed. Mc opened her mouth to explain but was interrupted once again.

“-and why didn’t ya answer my calls? I got so worried that I even called Asmo, and when he said that you weren’t with him, I totally freaked!” he says, his eyes wandering to inspect her body; still expecting her to be harmed in some way.

Mc pushes the babbling demon off of her as she explains, “I’m sorry, I had my D.D.D on silent, so I didn’t see any of your texts.”

As Mammon tumbles to the foot of her bed, Asmo quickly takes his place next to her.

“Mc! You can’t do that to us again! We really thought some other demon got to you!” he sobs, wrapping his arms around her , dramatically burying his face in the crook of her neck. Satan turns his back to them to make a call on his D.D.D, presumably to let the others know that Mc is safe and sound at home.

Overwhelmed by the sudden attention, Mc struggles to pry the weeping demon off of her. She looks to Belphie to help as he’s usually the brother that grants her the most freedom in situations like these. Meeting her gaze, Belphie moves forward, his facade of indifference faintly cracking.

“That doesn’t explain why you didn't wait for one of us to walk with you. You know you’re not supposed to go anywhere by yourself, Mc,” he says with a sigh, running a hand through his hair in an attempt to feign exasperation.

Mc glares at him; she half-expected him to be on her side, to scold Mammon and Asmo for their dramatic antics as he so often does.

“I’m sorry guys, I totally forgot to wait. I guess I just got so lost in thought that I didn’t realize I forgot about Mammon,” she admits, chuckling awkwardly at her rather anticlimactic explanation. Satan turns to face them as he places his D.D.D back into his pant pocket, frowning at her words.

“Well, it's a good thing that you at least went straight back to the House of Lamentation, because if we didn’t find you in your room, Lucifer would have asked Diavolo to form a royal search party for you,” he says, his hand cupping his chin thoughtfully.

“What?! A search party?” Mc exclaims, becoming more exasperated by the second. “Isn’t that a bit much? I mean… I was only unaccounted for for less than half an hour, right? Doesn’t that seem like overkill to you?” she questions, attempting to face Satan as Asmo and Mammon fuss over her.

Satan and Belpie, who normally jump at any chance to criticize Lucifer’s decisions, simply shook their heads.

“No, it’s understandable. We can’t afford to give you the benefit of the doubt anymore,” Satan sighs.

“Huh?” Mc says, completely vexed by his explanation.

Satan moves to place a hand on her head, his palm lovingly stroking her hair despite the troubled expression that lingers on his features.

“You better start working on your apology, because Lucifer and the others are on their way back now,” he says, only half-joking. “And from what he told me, Levi and Beel had been tearing up every inch of RAD’s campus looking for any trace of you.”

Before she can argue about the matter any further, the sound of 3 pairs of footsteps thunder against the hallway’s stairs and towards her room. The other brothers burst into her room, followed by another flurry of questions and quick embraces. After a while of explaining and apologizing, Mc finally managed to quell the fears of the brothers.

Later that afternoon, they all sat down to have dinner together, the brothers continuing to fuss over an annoyed Mc. Although this ridiculous incident hadn’t ended in complete disaster (aside from the scolding of a life-time from Lucifer), it still worried Mc. She could understand, to an extent, their protectiveness over her, especially after the most recent attempt on her life. However, she was only unresponsive for less than 30 minutes, and all of them had flown into a panic; it was completely out of character for most of the brothers.

She poked at her food, still sore about the lecturing she had received. Hopefully, this was the last incident for a long while. Little did she know, it would get much worse.

==================================

Thank you for reading part 1! Can you tell this is my first time ever writing fanfic? lmaoo

Let me know if you guys wanna see more, because regardless I plan on making 2-3 more chapters! Comments, suggestions, and reblogs are much appreciated!

Tags: @obey-mes-treasure

[analiza-beta]

Misha and Lyme

(A very late birthday gift for @lorata because I am a serial procrastinator, and could not for the life of me figure out the last section. It’s only *checks calendar* a month late! Set roughly half a year after Misha wins. I believe I read somewhere that Lyme took Claudius hiking, so loosely ties into that I suppose.)

In which Misha gets a tour of the Village, sort of.

The world outside Misha’s window is still asleep when Lyme rips off the covers of her bed. Abruptly cold, she shivers and kicks out to grab the blanket again, throwing it over her shoulders and nestling down to escape the freezing winds blowing through the room.

“Come on,” her mentor says, fondly exasperated, “you said you wanted to see the outside world, didn’t you? We agreed on today.”

Misha groans, and tries to melt into her mattress. Somehow, when she’d agreed to go hiking she hadn’t anticipated the whole waking up in the morning part.

“Any day now,” Lyme continues, and Misha doesn’t have to look at her to know she’s raising her eyebrows. Misha frowns, disgruntled at the prospect of getting up but throws her duvet off anyway, swinging her legs out of bed and onto the carpeted floor. Immediately regretting her choices, she flops back down and shivers.

“Fuck, it’s cold,” she whines, and wraps her arms around herself.

“You’ve been living in this district, how long exactly?” Lyme asks her, wryly. Misha wrinkles her nose, and pokes out a tongue. District Two is somewhat notorious for cold mornings. If you’re up before the sun, then you’re liable to freeze.

“I should probably get dressed, shouldn’t I?” Misha sighs, and rolls of the bed and up to her feet. Having opened her closet, she’s alarmed to find that there’s only three items hung up. Her confusion must show on her face, because Lyme snorts and gestures to the corner.

“If you hadn’t noticed, most of your clothes now live in the pile.” Ahh, so that’s where she’d put her leggings. She scrambles over, nearly slamming into Lyme in her sleep deprived haze. Snow on a shit-pile, she can’t believe she willingly woke up before eleven. Wasn’t the whole point of victory that you make your own schedule?

“Don’t diss Jeremy,” Misha tells her, pretending to be haughty about it. She cracks fast though, and she and Lyme share a laugh before Misha has to dredge out a shirt to wear. Satisfied that she won’t go back to sleep, Lyme moves toward the door again.

“I’ll go make us breakfast, you should probably find a jacket. Can always take it off, but just in case,” she tells her. “Anything specific you want?”

Misha considers, frowning in thought. “It’s gotta be quick, right?” After Lyme’s nod, she continues “can we have omelettes? The ones with the little bits of ham in them?”

“Sure thing. I’m assuming with a cup of far too much caffeine.” Lyme grins.

“Of course,” she snarks, and turns to frantically fish through Jeremy for a jacket. She could have sworn she had left one in there somewhere. Flinging aside a pair of old shorts, and some miscellaneous socks, she triumphantly raises her coat. “Aha! Fantastic.”

Lyme’s already downstairs, so Misha grabs her boots out from under the bed and pulls them up over her feet, tugging violently to avoid undoing the laces. Impatience is key to speed, Misha finds.

She frantically brushed her hair, suddenly invigorated by her earlier excitement the day before. She grabs it in a hunk and ties it back with an elastic, before bounding down the stairs, taking them three at a time.

The stairs creak beneath her feet, as she stomps down and jumps the final distance to the floor. “I’m ready,” she announces, shouting into the kitchen.

“Alright, I packed us lunch last night, can you fill up two water-bottles?” Lyme yells back to her, a yellow sheet busy frying on the pan.

“Sure,” Misha says ducking past her and over to the cabinets. Having successfully found the water-bottles — one blue and one purple — she slides over to Lyme, and head-butts her shoulder. It earns her a hair ruffle in return, and she smiles to herself as she turns on the tap. They stand in companionable silence, Misha screwing on the lids and Lyme flipping the last omelette onto its plate. When she’s done, Misha slips behind her and stealthily grabs her plate, making a quick getaway. She drops the water-bottles into the pack before unceremoniously stabbing her fork into the meal and stuffing it into her mouth.

“Careful,” Lyme calls to her, “it’d be a shame for a Victor to die choking on breakfast, huh?” Misha grins, until she has to catch the bit of omelette that fell out of her mouth. Lyme cackles at the sight, but still shakes her head fondly. Misha glares.

“Don’t say a word.”

Lyme rolls her eyes. “Drink your coffee and we’ll head off once we’ve eaten, okay?”

—————————————————————————————————

When Lyme pushes the door open at 5:35 in the morning, backpack slung over her shoulder, Misha winces. There’s a thin layer of dew on the grass, clinging to the gutter and dripping down the web that a spider made in the corner of her gate. It only reinforces the cold, which Misha can still feel beneath all three of her layers.

Still, it’s nice out actually. The village is different in the early morning. From what she can tell, most of the others aren’t awake yet. Despite the hint of sun rising from the east, it’s still mostly dark outside, a thin layer of mist and fog rising as the temperature increases. Odin’s puttering around his garden, and when he notices them leaving, he offers a wave. Misha waves back cheerfully, before jogging to catch up to Lyme.

“Where are we going?” She asks, still eyeing the various signs of life in the village. Hera’s light is on, and one of Callista’s cats is poking its way behind a curtain on the other side of the path. Sometimes it strikes Misha that she’s part of this community now, that she’s an active member of the village. It’s still a little jarring to see these idols in real life. It’s even more jarring to be one of them. Misha can’t quite wrap her head around it.

“Just out to the lake, it’s a ways up from here, but we should make it up there easily.” Easy for her to say, Misha’s pretty sure her mentor could climb a vertical wall with the amount of muscle she has. She wasn’t so lucky; at 5’11, she’s one of the shortest in the village.

“Where is it?” She asks, leaning forward to wrap her hand around Lyme’s elbow. Lyme points to a clearing up the mountains, a break between the forest cover. It’s surrounded by rocks and Misha can almost make out a shimmer of blue against the stone face.

“See up there,” she says, gesturing above it. “There’s a reservoir from before the Dark Days. It’s not functional any more, so it’s open to the village as a pool.” Misha can faintly make out what she’s talking about; one of the misshapen grey blobs she’d noticed earlier is larger than the others, stretching wider and farther. It mustn’t be a rock then.

“Are we going swimming?” Misha asks, and Lyme cocks her head to the side before answering.

“We can if you want. Though, I’ve never swum before.” Neither has Misha, though the both of them have been thrown into icy water before. Standard centre procedure to ensure that their tributes don’t die of accidental drowning. That probably doesn’t count as swimming, does it?

“Could be good to learn. Things are always more fun when there’s a threat of death.” Lyme gives her the concerned mentor look at that, cuffing her on the head.

“Sure they are,” she says sceptically, and leads Misha forward.

They continue to meander down the cobbled path, until they reach the high, metal gates that guard the village. Misha’s favourite guard, a woman named Vania with a wicked sense of humour, signs them out. She winks at Misha as they walk out the gate.

—————————————————————————————————

The mountains surrounding the village are bracketed with thick forestry and slippery, unstable rocks and by the time they make it to the top, Misha’s soaked in sweat that sticks to her hair to her forehead. Lyme somehow looks unbothered, which how. Lyme notices her incredulity, and grins.

“Girl, you’re only six months out, of course you’re not at your peak.” Misha wrinkles her nose. That may be true, but it’s no less annoying. She’s still the best with swords though; no matter how fresh from the arena she may be. Her skill with the sword never diminished. It’s like a muscle, the memory locked in her brain; a dance she can never forget, the steps ingrained as much as any other part of her.

She leans over her knees to catch her breath, inhaling sharply. By the time she stands again, her back aches from the sudden movement. Now that she’s in less pain, she can finally feel the extent of the sweat, her shirt stuck to her back.

“Gross,” she mutters, peeling it off and whipping it twice, before removing her jacket from her waist and chucking it onto the ground unceremoniously. She groans, arching her back to crack it. Lyme, whose busied herself with the food since they arrived, gestures to the area behind Misha.

“You can check it out if you want,” she says, and Misha narrows her eyes in suspicion. She’s curious, yes, but over the half year since moving to the village, she’s gotten used to Lyme’s mentoring tricks. She gives her mentor a once over, and - detecting no lies, she nods quickly.

“What’ll you do while I’m gone,” she asks, and when Lyme tells her she’ll set up lunch, Misha takes that as her cue to leave. Maybe it’s not a trick.

“Okay, can I go in the water? It’s way too hot,” she asks, gesturing to her burning cheeks. She shucks off her shoes to explore without waiting for an answer.

Lyme nods, shoulders shaking with a repressed laugh and that’s permission enough.

—————————————————————————————————

Hours later, Misha lies on the bank, dripping water and with her hair stuck to her forehead. Lyme, who’s divvied up the sandwiches and is cracking open a can, looks over at her. Misha glances back, raising an eyebrow. She’s not done anything wrong; there’s no reason for Lyme to give her the Mentor Look.

She twists her head back to look upward at the canopy, resting her neck on a log. The light is fading now, and they’ll have to head back soon, but Misha finds the scenery oddly charming. The leaves and brush are dark and curling, and bright spots of orange light dance across the clearing. Lyme had once told her they were sex demons, but she knows Emory and Brutus call them fireflies.

She digs her teeth into her sandwich, and the meat tastes like ash and freedom. When she notices Lyme watching, a complicated expression on her face, Misha just smiles.

[startanewdream]

the big damn kiss

Note: I had this HC for ages in my mind but never wrote it, so thanks to Prompt #2 by @theresthesnitch and @mppmaraudergirl, here's how I think James and Lily ever topped that perfect Hinny first kiss.

Ficlet!

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

The game doesn’t end until the last whistle, James once told her, and Lily knows he never believed more on this adage than he does now.

His last game as Gryffindor chaser and captain.

It feels weird to think that in one month they will be out of Hogwarts, exams finished, trunks packed and taking the Hogwarts Express one last time. In the real world. Fighting in a war.

For now James seems to be fighting a battle of his own, captaining this team this final time with more seriousness than she has seen all year; Quidditch had seemed less relevant in the great scheme of things, with him being Head Boy and—and her. If James would once devote hours to flying practice, Lily knows perfectly well how he’s been spending most of his evenings this year.

He takes this game solemnly, probably because it’s against the Slytherin team, probably because next time he sees most of the players there, it will be in a real life-threatening situation, something far more dangerous than a Bludger hit. James scores goal after goal, but he also seems to be everywhere; intercepting the other team’s passes, distracting the beaters, interrupting a dive from the Slytherin seeker.

And she can see him in a few months, still with that careless lopsided grin that drives her crazy, fighting not for house points, but for his life—and his beliefs. It’s a war that he could stay aside, a war that didn’t have to involve him, but he is choosing it anyway, not because of her, but because he couldn't ever ignore it.

She loves him for it.

And then it dawns on her, that realization that had been bordering on the corner of her mind even when her heart had accepted it for some time now—she is in love with James. She loves who he is; she loves who she is with him. She loves who they are together, the smiles exchanged during classes, the lingering of hands when they depart, the night talk conversations about everything until sunrise, the promises of better days.

The whistle blows and the cries around her tells her they’ve won, Gryffindor has won the game and the cup, but this feels almost small now.

The crowd is coming to the ground to join the team and Lily follows the flow, watches her friends’ glee, feels herself immersed in a bubble of happiness that she doesn’t want to ever burst. She isn’t the first to reach James, but he seems to ignore everyone else—all those crowd of admirers he once relished upon—when he sees her, his already happy face breaking into an even shiner beam as if winning this last game pales in comparison with her presence.

He loves her as well, how come she never realized it?

She will tell him later, in private, because this feels as something that James should hear first, so for now she is satisfied with throwing her arms around his neck and forgetting everything else—the whole school, in fact, professor and students still on the benches or around them in the ground—, Lily kisses him.

And it’s only them, mouths exploring the other with quiet devotion, his hands at her back pulling her up to her tiptoes, bodies glued together. It could be raining, the world could be exploding around them, and yet Lily feels oblivious to everything up to the moment when they break apart, and then she can hear all the sounds around them, cheers and whistles and a barking laugh that’s probably Sirius.

“Ops,” she mumbles to James, a blush spreading over her cheeks that he touches tenderly.

“I’ll miss winning the Quidditch cup,” he says, winking at her, grinning adorably.

He doesn’t let her go, not even when they bring the cup for him to hoist; instead, James offers it to the rest of his team, standing next to her while everyone else jumps, his arm around her waist.

“Aren’t you going to celebrate, captain?”

James kisses her forehead. “I already am.”

[eveningspirit]

Last episode of The peripheral was amazing! What was your favorite part? And are you perchance feeling inspired to write some more lovley fanfic? ;)

Yeah, yes I think I am slightly inspired. :) And it is by the scene which was my favorite part, actually, but I’ll get to it in a moment.

First, I want to say that all the worldbuilding stuff in this show is unbelievably well done. It’s so complex and yet presented in such a clear, concise and consistent way. Discovering layers, under layers, under layers of this story, with each new episode, is incredibly stimulating. So that counts among my favorite things, but…

Hyperfixation wins though, and my favorite is everything Burton Fisher. ;) From the moment during Flynne’s test, when he was holding her hand, through that insanity on the bridge, and his difficulty trusting Billy Ann (come on, she’s a good pea! and badass to boot) to everything that happened back at home.

I’m on the fence between that short convo in the kitchen and the whole scene with Mama.

Now, a digression. Acting on this show is brilliant all across the board. Chloe Grace Moretz blows my mind every time, T’Nia Miller gives me chills, Cahrlotte Reiley has my heart, eFFing JJ Field… Frell! I hate him so much! Adelind Horan, Julian Moore-Cook, Katie Leung. Eli Goree! Sheeesh I went to check their names because they deserve all the mentions.

Jack Reynor’s performance among all this doesn’t shine, perhaps, but I love such subtle acting, when done well. Of course, I went and tried to watch some of his earlier roles. Tried, because, let’s be honest, Transformers is… what it is. But that little episode of that show based on Philip K. Dick’s stories? Amazing! Again, subtle. And I realized he doesn’t act so much with his face, as with his whole body, and with his voice. Oh, gads, his voice.

And this too long digression brings me to that small convo in the kitchen. The way he says it, “Tommy and his sheriff’s badge ain’t the solution” – I’m seriously hung up on how his voice breaks there, a little. He’s tired. A little lost, maybe. It’s too much, but he can’t really show weakness. Flynne depends on him.

Then, the scene with Mama shed a whole new light on what kind of person that woman is. She was sick, dying, in the first episodes. But now that she’s well? We can see she’s smart, she’s observant. She won’t take no bullshit and won’t beat around the bush. When she has an opinion, she voices it. She respects that her kids are grown-ups, but still, she asserts her control, because she knows her life experience still trumps theirs.

And here, I think Burton allowed himself a moment of vulnerability. He knows she’s right, he knows they are in over their head – which Flynne doesn’t seem to realize yet – and for the first time he feels there is someone who he may, perhaps, relay on. Not for the protection, the military tactics or any physical purposes. But the long-term strategy? Yes, Ella Fisher can be a good advisor.

Some viewers (and Flynne) were upset that Burton didn’t consult with his sister about some decisions he’s made. But the truth is, she’s young, and she doesn’t have any experience in real world conflicts. She’s the only one who’s seen 2100, alright, but she’s already made so many mistakes, missed so many clues (we aren’t paying them anything? Really, Flynne?). Burton doesn’t consider her an equal decision-making partner, and for a reason. But he needs someone he could ask for advice. Conner could be that person (but Burton can’t show weakness in front of him either). And now Mama as well.

The fic I’m tempted to write, would expand on that relationship with Mama, but not in a big-picture kind of way. I want to dig into something softer, more personal. We’ll see how that goes. :)

[sortasirius]

“Unity” and the Broken Boys

BOY Y’ALL BETTER SIT DOWN BECAUSE THIS IS AS LONG AS CAN BE AND I TOOK OFF WORK TOMORROW SO I’VE GOT TIME

This is....one of the best episodes in the show.  Yeah, in all 325 of them, this is hands down one of the best.

First of all, stan Amara for clear skin.

That silent treatment babey, right out the gate with the Angst.  Tbh Dean deserves it.

“Like I said, killing Amara, Jack dying...that’s the only way.”

“The only way.  Our one shot.  Our Last chance.  You ever get tired of saying stuff like that?”

“We don’t have to like it, alright?  But you and me, we gotta get it done.”

Amara is such a welcome energy in this whole episode.  She’s warm and understanding, whip-smart and probably more powerful than Chuck.  I love her.

Sam is a wonderful, understanding, loving dad.  I love him eternally.  He loves Jack so much, he’s trying so desperately to do what’s right for Jack but also what’s right for the world.  Jack made this choice, but he can’t live with it.  How do you support your child when their life is at stake?

“Come on man.  Blindly following orders, lying to Amara, sending her to her death. Does any of this feel right to you??”

“It doesn’t matter how we feel!  You know what?  Stay.  Stay.  Someone has to be the grown up here.”

“Yeah well someone has to keep fighting for Jack!”

“He knows what he signed up for!”

“Last I checked, we don’t give up on family.”

“Jack’s not family.”

Y’all should have heard the noise I made.  What a fucking line.

“I know how you feel about the kid, I care for him too, I do, but he’s not like you.  He’s not like Cas.  He’s just not.”

“I’m- I’m ready.”

You can see the regret, the heartbreak in Dean’s eyes.  You can see how he wants to take those words back the moment he said them, and for Jack to hear them?  It’s unthinkable.

Sam and Cas I’m just so fucking emo dude.

“Sam, you stayed behind to find another way huh?  I woulda done the same.”

AMARA

First of all, LOVE this structure.

Amara and Chuck have such a fascinating dynamic.  Rob and Emily do a great job (as they have all along) by clearly being siblings but...heightened.  You can just tell they both exude power, and the other is the only one they consider an equal.

“You and Dean had that whole weird...thing.”

“That wasn’t you writing?”

“Ugh, not that part.  Gross.”

What I took away from this is what I’ve suspected all along.  They HAVE free will, just not total free will.  Dean and Amara’s connection wasn’t Chuck, there are parts of the story he didn’t write.  Obviously, this comes into play later. 

I also have a hunch that Chuck doesn’t write romance.  I also think that in particular will come into play.

“Balance.  Something we’ve never tried before.  Creation and destruction, light and dark, brother and sister united again, but on behalf of one world, this world.  True balance.  The way it was always meant to be.  But you can’t.  You only care about your pleasure, your story.  Well, I guess that makes you the villain.”

“Villains get all the best lines.”

We see again and again this season, Chuck is irredeemable.  He doesn’t care about the angels, he doesn’t care about the world, he doesn’t care about anything.  He is a petulant toddler who has broken his toys. And when he realizes he’s trapped, he gets angry, he shouts and screams, completely at odds with Amara’s peace.

“You can’t hold me here forever.”

“I can hold you long enough.”

DEAN

Pain is the name of the game in this section homies.  Because not only are we dealing with Dean’s pain, we’re also dealing with Jack’s.  Jack says he understands why Cas and Sam mean more to Dean, but Dean clearly doesn’t, he, once again, wants to say more, but is stopped, still stopped by his fear: his fear of not beating Chuck.

Alright guys, gals, and non-binary pals.  Let’s talk about Adam and Seraphina.

Adam.  The first man.  And Seraphina.  The angel.

“My old lady.  She’s the only one who could put up with me all these years.”

Yeah okay.  Volume at 100 I get it lmao.

But also: Adam wants God dead not because he and Eve were kicked out of the Garden, but because he went after their sons.  The theme of protecting the children strikes again.

“Killing God is your plan?”

“Yeah, Billie’s been giving us a hand but Sera and me, this is our baby.”

This juxtaposed directly with Dean’s own pain at what he has to do to kill Chuck, to gain his free will: the cost of his child.

Adam’s rib.

And who else might get his ribs hurt, only to be likely healed by an angel?

It’s fine, that’s fine.  I’m fine with that.

“Jack, I don’t know how to explain it but, when I found out about Chuck, it’s like I wasn’t alive.  Not really.  You know like my whole life I’ve never been free, but like really free.  But now?  Now me and Sam, we got a shot at living a life, without all this crap on our backs.  And that’s, that’s because of you.  So, I want to say, I need to say...thank you, Jack.  Thank you.”

I’m gonna have to do a separate post about just Dean in this episode, because there is so fucking much to talk about, but there are a couple of things that I think are important:  Dean realizes how wrong he was, to say what he said.  He knows that it’s not true, this is the way he’s always coped with loss, by pushing the person to be lost away, but for Jack to hear it?  He can’t stand for that.

And:

Dean has finally pushed through the barrier.  He won’t be quiet in the face of his doubts anymore.  This is a breakthrough for him, and, of course, there are more to come.

SAM

Sam and Cas, my chaos duo.

The box, the inscription, the door.

Death’s library, filled with dead reapers.

And there it is.  The Empty.

It tells Sam the plan, the plan for Billie to take God’s place.  For everything to go back to the way it’s “supposed to be.”

This has always been the game, since season 13.  This is the longest of long games.

Sam fuckin Winchester, lying his way out of a confrontation with the Empty like the legend that he is.

He comes back with a new purpose: to stop Billie’s plan, and here’s where we get to the heart of the episode and maybe the heart of the season.

“You hear that?  Dean, brought to the edge of doubt.  His sense of duty, his rage winning out in the end.  And poor Sam, always gotta know everything.  Can’t leave well enough alone.  This is my ending, my real ending.”

The gun comes out, pointed at Sam.

Hmm...what did I say during 15x05?  Oh yeah, this.

And:

Dean would never survive killing Sam, but he’s willing to do anything, anything to earn his freedom.  His ending, where one brother kills the other and then kill himself.

Why, you might ask, did Sam not mention that the angels would be sent back to Heaven, why does he not mention Cas?  I’ll tell you why, or rather, Becky will.

Plus, Dean looks back at Cas IMMEDIATELY when Sam says that, when he mentions Eileen, and THAT’S the first time he hesitates.  He can’t lose Cas.  But at the same time, he’s willing to do anything to have his freedom.

“Sam we don’t have a choice, Jack’s about to blow!”

“We always have a choice!”

You know me, just sitting here thinking about choice, the ability to choose, and how that translates to their free will.

And Sam...I don’t think there will ever be characters I love as much as these.

“I don’t care if Billie gets what she wants!  I don’t man, I’d trade it all, I’d trade em all for Chuck.  In a heartbeat!”

“What about me?”

“You’d trade me?”

“Chuck has to die.  He has to!  Otherwise he’ll keep us tap dancing forever, and I can’t live like that man, I can’t live like that, I won’t!”

“I know you feel like that right now, okay? I know you do, but you gotta trust me.  My entire life, you’ve protected me.  From Dad, from Lucifer, from everything.  I didn’t always like it, you know?  But it’s the one thing in the whole world that I could always count on.  It’s the only thing I’ve ever known that was true.  So please, put the gun away.  Just put it away.  We’ll figure it out, Dean, we’ll find another way, you and me.  We always do.”

Okay I feel like this is going to be one of those scenes that I cry watching for years to come.  Because fuck.  After fifteen years they finally admit that not only did Dean protect Sam from Lucifer, but he protected him from John.  John.  On a par with Lucifer.

Dean and Sam have, for so many years, sacrificed themselves for the other.  Dean’s demon deal, Sam and the trials, every season they have fought to see who can die the quickest for the other.  But this?  This is them fighting to stop the violence, to stop from killing the big bad.  This is them growing, in our eyes, in real time.  Sam has always been able to get through to Dean when no one else had a prayer, but for Dean to listen, for Dean to take his words to heart, to stop the hunt for Sam, for their family, that’s how you know they do have free will.

(Btw Chuck’s eye effect when he dusted Amara was sick as fuck but I’m emo for my boys so.)

Chuck knows it’s a loss, he knows that his story has, once again, been thwarted by the boys making their own choices.  And he’s pissed, but in his anger, we get a bomb dropped on us.

“Spare me your contempt Castiel, the self-hating angel of Thursday.  You know what every other version of you did after “gripping him tight and raising him from perdition”?  They did what they were told.  But not you.  Not the one off the line with a crack in his chassis.”

Are you fucking kidding me?

Also, just worth bringing up this one as well:

Every Castiel pulled Dean out of Hell.  Every one told him the same thing.  And yet, immediately, with this Cas and this Dean, something was different.  Because what has everyone seen about Cas, from the moment he met Dean?

And there’s our endgame people.  Laid out on the line.

But we ain’t done yet, fam.

We’ve talked about the handprint, but you know:

So there you have it, our prep into the “monumental” 15x18.  I have spec on that, of course, but I think a novel is long enough for this.

What to take away: Dean’s rage was always Chuck’s plan, they do have free will, their love for each other, for their family, is what will stop Chuck’s control, Death is about to come back with a vengeance, Cas’ deal is at play, and, most importantly, Castiel and Dean Winchester are a blind spot for Chuck, something he has never, not once, controlled.

[makeste]

BnHA Chapter 315: I Didn’t Expect This to Blow Up

Previously on BnHA: Horikoshi was all “guess which plot that you thought was dead is actually not dead and is making a comeback!” and we were all “EVIL HPSC??” and he was all “girl you know it,” and that’s the story of how we got a sexy Lady Nagant flashback with lots of guns and murder. Flashback!Lady was all “gotta murder peeps to preserve the people’s trust,” but then a little while later she was like “actually wait that makes no sense,” and so she shot her evil boss and they sent her to jail. Back in the present, Deku was all “okay fair, the hero system might in fact be a little fucked up, but hear me out... have you considered not helping AFO take over the world so he can murder like a bazillion more innocent people??” The chapter ended with the not-all-there Overhaul finally revealing himself to Deku, and I honestly have no idea where this is gonna go.

Today on BnHA: In what is unfortunately the single worst plan ever concocted by anyone in BnHA, Nagant is all “I’m going to try and get this Deku kid to panic and freeze up by putting someone in mortal danger.” Deku is all, “[doesn’t panic and freeze up at the sight of someone in mortal danger].” Nagant is all “omg no way.” Deku, who is now all of a sudden being so OP that even I have to acknowledge that it’s OP lol, is all “[smashes Nagant’s gun arm to bits]”, which sucks but is also really cool, and which also apparently makes Nagant decide that she actually likes this kid after all. Deku is all “NAGANT I REALLY LIKE YOU AND THINK YOU’RE GREAT SO PLEASE JOIN UP WITH ME AND STOP BEING EVIL.” Nagant is all “aw shucks (✿ •͈ᴗ•͈) well okay then” and everyone is all “( ･◡･) ✰ ( ˆᴗˆ ) ( ᵘ ᵕ ᵘ ⁎)” and then Nagant FUCKING EXPLODES LIKE AN EGG IN THE MICROWAVE AND FALLS TO HER DEATH!!!! except not really because Hawks saves her??? In conclusion, (a) THE FUCK, and (b) AFO TURN ON YOUR LOCATION I JUST WANT TO TALK.

so I have to tell you guys something, which is that barely ten minutes after I made that “please don’t send me spoilers” post the other day, someone replied to the comments in a stunning fit of “tell me that you’re twelve without actually telling me you’re twelve” energy and posted what seemed to be the copy-pasted spoiler summary from reddit or twitter or whatever lol. so here is my good news/bad news rundown of all that

good news: I have very well-conditioned ABORT!! reflexes and have trained myself to immediately look away from the screen (usually in dramatic fashion) as soon as I realize that whatever I’m reading is a spoiler

bad news: unfortunately as I was subsequently deleting said comments, I accidentally read the very last one

good news??: said spoiler was so unbelievably, absurdly over-the-top that I’m almost positive this person was just trolling. like, there’s just no way lmao

bad news: but in the unlikely event that it is true I will absolutely lose my shit I swear to god

(ETA: “NAGANT DIES.” that was the spoiler I read lol. like, literally all I read from the person’s comments was “My Hero Academia Chapter 315 Title: “Beautiful Words.” Chapter starts with...” and then I noped out of there, and then of all the comments to read as I was deleting, it had to be that one lol. I seriously was just like “SURE, JAN.” all “just how gullible do you think I am” sob. but I was wrong. a troll, but an honest troll they remain.

but anyways like I’m pretty sure Nagant isn’t even actually dead lol, so in the end this whole little adventure doesn’t even have a point to it, but for me it was a journey!)

anyway, so there are apparently two versions of the chapter today?? no idea what the difference is, but I’m going to go with the Bean version, because it’s the one at the top and I don’t feel like making decisions today

huh, so Overhaul is actually more coherent than Horikoshi was letting on

look at him having a whole back and forth conversation with her. side note, how is he still this jacked when he’s been sitting in a cell doing absolutely nothing for the past six months

anyway so he says he’ll go with her on one condition. I wonder what that condition could possibly be. do you think it could be the thing he literally hasn’t shut up about ever since he reappeared lol

yep! and damn -- maybe this guy will surprise me after all

still would be nice if you also felt a bit sorry for the little girl you tortured and traumatized, but this is something at least. maybe Deku will yell at him for that other stuff lol

(ETA: also can’t help but wonder if he wants to make amends because he put him in a coma, or because his plan was a failure and ended up destroying the family. just hoping you’ve finally had that “hurting other people is bad” epiphany dude.)

anyways so now Nagant’s arm is transforming again, and this particular transformation happens to be the only truly unsexy thing that Nagant has done thus far so I’m just gonna skip right on ahead lol

aaaaand we’re back to the delirious ranting

buddy. just. read the fucking room, guy

wow she really is aiming at Overhaul, then. those theories were spot-on

damn she’s really out here all “it really fucks with kids’ heads when you kill people right in front of them and make them blame themselves” like yo

I’m picturing her saying all this in a very loud stage-whispery tone while making very significant eye contact with Deku lol

uh oh but wait

um. okay. who’s gonna tell her. Nagant I might have some bad news for you about the kid you’re trying to capture here. specifically about the way he tends to do the opposite of what you’re thinking that he’s about to do

holy shit

so it’s basically just “tap x repeatedly to charge up your attack” lol

and okay, so that’s cool and all, but is anyone else wincing at the thought of what that must be like on his knees. oh to be young

anyway, but so to the surprise of basically no one, Deku did not, in fact, freeze. I am very sorry, Nagant. he’s just like this

LMAO

someone wanna tell me how getting yoloed in the fucking ribs by this fucking slingshot kid moving at literal sniper bullet speed is in any way even remotely better than getting hit by the bullet itself lol

(ETA: this is 10x funnier now that we know the bullet wasn’t even gonna hit him lmao.)

anyway so now Nagant is having an extended “!?!?!?” reaction about how Deku just moved with no hesitation, and I’m starting to get an inkling of fear that the rest of this fight isn’t going to go very well for her and maybe that’s what all the “hoo boy” is about

oh my god Deku are you about to Gomu Gomu no Rocket yourself at her you insane little man

now Three is popping up again and he’s all “I see you’ve learned your lesson and are now only using three quirks at once instead of five” like with all this effusive praise about how great and badass Deku is and sob, okay, yeah. this chapter is basically one of those machines that shoots tennis balls at people, except instead of tennis balls it shoots hot piping discourse

OH MY GOD

YOOOOOOOOOO but also, NOOOOOOOOOOO

lol oh my god it’s literally two opposing reactions at once wtf. do I love this or hate this. like just for once can Horikoshi actually let a badass lady character win their fucking fight without getting their arm ripped off, BUT ALSO fucking look at that absurdly cool “SMASH” onomatopoeia though. it looks like it’s about to float right off the page holy shit that’s some seriously good art

anyway so is this really the end?? do I need to break out my ಠ_ಠ faces

lmao okay yeah I can definitely see how this would piss a lot of people off

he basically one-shotted her and she’s all “damn this kid is so amazing that I’m about to do a complete 180 turn on all of my previous angst” lmao. Horikoshi is really shounening it up today

on the plus side though, maybe this means there’s still a chance for her to join up with him after all? unless that spoiler was true lmao, then all hell is gonna break loose

YESSSSSSS

OH MY GOD AND HE SAYS THE BULLET WOULDN’T HAVE DONE MORE THAN GRAZE OVERHAUL ANYWAY, wow, I’m actually more relieved by that than I would have expected. I mean I would have forgiven her either way, but it means that there was still more hero in her than she was letting on

YES!!! FUCKING YES, THANK YOU

lol but I mean, it’s also like, “oh so today they get to have brain cells”, thank you so much lol. sometimes it’s really hard to tell which times we’re supposed to question these character decisions that seem dumb, and which times we’re just supposed to full on embrace them and switch off our critical thinking

but okay, so in this case it really was Nagant going easy on him on purpose, and not just her fucking up for no good reason even though she used to do this for a living and was the best in the game. and I know in this case it’s probably just Horikoshi giving us some consolation headpats to soften the blow of her losing so abruptly, but you know what, shit. I’ll take it

also you guys the light is coming back into Deku’s eyes again for just a moment here and I’m having feels about it?? the way it still comes back when he’s reaching out to save someone, and following his own hero path instead of the much darker and lonelier Christopher Nolan path that’s been laid out for him instead that he never wanted?? it’s both reassuring and also very sad

YESSSSSSSSSSS

DO IT LADY OMG PLEASE?? PLEASE COME BE HIS NEW IRRESPONSIBLE ADULT SUPERVISION YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO

AHHHHHHH SHE’S GONNA DO IT AHHHH

p.s. I am now absolutely scared shitless that that spoiler was actually true sob. swear to god, I will throw this manga into a fucking volcano. but we’re almost at the end of the chapter and this seems just WAY TOO GOOD to be true fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck f

UCK

NOPE NAH SEND IT BACK, NOPE, NUH UH, DIDN’T ORDER THIS. “GULLIBLE” OKAY FUCK YOU?? “COUNTERMEASURES” NOPE, DON’T NEED ‘EM, WE’RE ALL FINE HERE. WE’RE ACTUALLY GOOD SO YOU CAN JUST GO, OKAY. PLEASE

fuck, lol, I don’t wanna do it. I don’t wanna scroll down what have I ever done to deserve this oh my god

WHAT THE HONEY-ROASTED FUCK

WHERE THE FUCK IS THAT FUCKING VOLCANO IN ICELAND THAT I KEEP SEEING ALL THESE PICTURES OF. WHERE THE FUCK IS THAT SHIT. LET’S GO

ARE YOU SERIOUS RIGHT NOW

can someone please give AFO a really good, sharpish kick in the balls. just really let him have it. I’m so tired, what the fuck

-- ARE YOU KIDDING ME LOL WHAT

bro. I was literally going through my Excel folders to find the spreadsheet about female characters in BnHA that I made back when Midnight died. was gearing myself up for a wholeass rant. and honestly I might just let all of that continue simmering on low to keep it warm just in case lol, because to tell you the truth I have absolutely no idea what’s happening right now

my girl straight up does not have a face. she used to have a face. people usually need those, idk. like, even if she’s alive, her gorgeous eyebrows are definitely not making it out of this and I’m gonna throw a funeral just for them

how the fuck did AFO just blow her up?? how did he know what was going on?? and if he had a quirk that could explode people at will, why is this the first we’re hearing of it?? you’d think that might have come in handy at Kamino or Jakku, like what

(ETA: present!me, who’s had more than three hours of sleep and can now actually remember facts about the series, would like to remind past!me that AFO gave Nagant a quirk, and so this is probably just more Vestige shenanigans now on his part. that’s also probably why Air Walk suddenly stopped working out of nowhere. still doesn’t explain why he doesn’t go around blowing people up more often though but maybe he thinks it’s gauche.)

Hawks just straight up out of nowhere. just Mirioed his way straight into the chapter just in time to be too late sob. here I was looking forward to seeing your face when Deku showed up with his new best friend. can’t believe Horikoshi deprived us of that moment

on the plus side, WELCOME BACK, HAWKS’S FEATHERS. I have no doubt that in this chapter of Deku being an almighty threequirk-mastering god, and Nagant losing anticlimactically only to be immediately blown up because girl characters in BnHA can only be cool for one fight and one fight only, there are still some people who are focusing solely on the “how dare Hawks get his wings back when he is a MURDERER this is an outrage what about CONSEQUENCES” discourse, and to hell with all the other discourses lmao

anyway, so yeah. wow. and now it’s just occurring to me that maybe the real reason why Overhaul is there is so he can get a head start on that amend-making by actually doing a good thing for once in his life, and using his quirk to heal Nagant. assuming he can still do that

and so now Horikoshi has got me out here actually rooting for Overhaul. you know what, on that note I think I’m just gonna go ahead and call it a day sob

[mmvalentine]

Pomegranate pt 5 | Feysand

Hades/ Persephone inspired AU. Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 6

Rhys stays up most of that night with Cassian and Amren, making battle plans. The Night Court is far north enough that they aren’t in immediate danger. The same cannot be said for the Spring Court.

Since Hybern is already in the mortal lands, they are closer to the Spring Court than Rhys’s armies. He starts them travelling that very day, and then in the evening, is back in Feyre’s room. She is in his arms almost as soon as he winnows in.

“Hello lover,” he says into her hair.

“You still haven’t slept, have you?” she asks. Rhys doesn’t answer.

“Any response from Tamlin about the Hybern attack?” he says instead.

“Just one,” Feyre replies dryly, and then pulls back enough to meet his eyes. Rhys blanches.

Feyre’s face is mottled with bruises on her chin and temple. There’s an ugly gash across her left cheek, and a small cut in her eyebrow. Rhys’s knees give slightly, and he pulls her to sit on the bed before kneeling in front of her and inspecting her face and body. There are cuts on her hands, too. “Tamlin says, how dare you side with that night court whelp over your own father,” Feyre recites. “If I say Hybern isn’t a threat then it isn’t a threat. Stupid stubborn bastard.”

“He hit you?” Rhys said. His jaw is clenched so tight Feyre can see the muscles jump. Feyre’s laugh is brittle.

“Oh no,” she says. “He never hits me himself. He just… explodes things in my vicinity. And then he panics and says I shouldn’t have been standing so close. Or pressed him after he said to stop. Once, he actually told me I should have thicker skin.”

A snarl builds in Rhys’s throat, but Feyre touches his cheek.

“I’m okay, Rhys. They’re just scratches.”

“I’ll kill him.”

“Rhys. Don’t do anything dumb. Besides, whenever he really loses it at me he usually feels so guilty that he lets me out again. You know, until he finds another reason to lock me up.”

Rhys looked up at that. “So you’re free to go?”

“He hasn’t said anything yet, but he usually waits until breakfast anyway.”

“Well fuck waiting. Just come with me tonight, leave Tamlin for Hybern.”

“And abandon my own court? Would you do it?”

She has him there. Rhys sits back on his heels and drops his forehead to her knee. “I don’t know when they’re coming,” he says. “And I can’t just leave you waiting. Not when Tamlin’s doing this shit to you.”

“Okay, then stay here,” Feyre says. He looks up at here.

“Stay with you?” he asks.

“Yeah. I never like it when you leave anyway. And you need to get some sleep. Seriously.”

He looks at her and the anguish stings his eyes like hot tears. Hybern is coming. Tamlin is hurting Feyre. She’s asking him to sleep in her bed. There are too many things to feel.

“Come on,” Feyre says gently. She tugs him off his knees. “Come to bed.”

Rhys lets her pull him up into the bed. He toes off his boots and shrugs his arms out of his jacket and shirt, sending them in to a pocket realm in case someone comes in and finds his things on the floor. Feyre blows out the candle on the table by the bed, and gets under the sheets with him. He pulls her against him, and nuzzles her face into her shoulder.

“My armies are on their way,” he says. “Hybern won’t win.”

“Sleep now, Rhysand,” Feyre whispers, and he doesn’t think he could just fall asleep when he’s wrapped around this girl in her bed, but she hums a lilting song under her breath and he does.

///

Feyre wakes Rhys early in the morning by tracing her fingertips over the contours of his face. Travels the mountains of his cheekbones and the planes of his nose. Trips over the valleys of the crease above his eyelids, and is just brushing over his lips when his fingers tighten at her waist.

“Hello you,” Feyre says softly.

Rhys’s eyes open slowly, and he loves that she is the first thing he sees in the morning. The dawn light is filtering in through Feyre’s gauzy white curtains, and catches in the loose strands of her honey-gold hair.

“Hello my favourite flower.” His voice is scratchy with sleep.

Feyre’s hands are now trailing down his bare chest, and he watches her studying his tattoos. His hands start to wander, too, and he can feel the heat of her skin through the short satin night gown that he doesn’t remember if she was wearing when he got in last night.

“What do these mean?” Feyre asks quietly. Rhys uses his ankles to tug one of Feyre’s legs between his, and strokes down her flank again.

“It’s sort of a rite of passage for Illyrian warriors,” he tells her, now swirling a finger up her arm and over the top of her bare shoulder. Her skin in contrast is creamy white and unblemished.

“Did they hurt?” she says. She’s now following the tattoos over his biceps.

“Yes,” Rhys replies, with a smile in his voice. His throat bobs. “But it was worth it to have you touching me like that.”

Feyre smacks him lightly and pulls her hands back, but Rhys grabs them and places them back on his chest. “Don’t stop,” he says.

Feyre meets his eyes then, and in the dawn light Rhys finds flecks of gold in her blue-grey stare. He circles his arms around her and pulls her closer in. “I’ll never get tired of your hands on me,” he murmurs. Feyre’s gaze drops to his mouth then, and she blushes slightly but her fingers start to move again. Cautiously at first, up his chest and over his shoulders. Rhys closes his eyes and breathes deeply while she does it. Feyre rubs a little more firmly down his arms and back up. The next pass down, she scratches lightly and a rumble stirs low in Rhys’s chest. His fingers twitch around her waist.

Feyre runs her nails up and then down his back, and now Rhys can’t keep his own hands still. He makes broad strokes over her back, too, fingertips following the line of her spine from the nape of the neck all the way down her backside. Back and forth, slow and leisurely, while Feyre’s hands slide under his hair and scrape down the back of his neck. The next time Rhys reaches Feyre’s ass, he keeps going and brushes her pussy through her underwear.

Feyre’s touch stutters, but she doesn’t make a sound. Moves her hands down his chest and over his abs, while his travel back up. And then back down.

With every pass he pushes his fingers against the growing heat of her, and on the third stroke he can feel her getting wet through the cotton. Rhys pauses, and then pushes her underwear to the side so he can feel her. When his fingers slide down the bare core of her, Feyre moans softly and it’s all Rhys needs to be rolling smoothly over her with his erection pressed firmly at her centre.

“I’m going to vanish our clothes now,” he says, an inch from her nose.

“Okay,” Feyre says breathlessly.

Rhys does so, in a moment between moving his body down and back up hers. They both breathe sharply when they find nothing separating their skin, and Rhys gets achingly hard between her legs. He holds still for a minute.

“Just a reminder that we have to be quiet,” he grits out. “Is this a terrible idea?”

“Yes,” Feyre says. She grins like sunshine through clouds. “Let’s do it anyway.” She rolls her hips beneath him and Rhys is moving again. He snaps his wings out and cocoons the both of them, as if that will help stifle sound. He puts his mouth on hers, and a second later he’s shifting between her legs and pushing against her pussy.

Feyre gasps slightly, but Rhys just kisses it from her lips as he focuses on going slow. Her breathing shallows but he’s holding his breath until he hits his hilt, and then he exhales hard against Feyre’s neck. She is so impossibly tight around him and she’s got her hands under his jaw now. He looks at her, and tries to anchor himself in her eyes as he pulls out just as slowly and then pushes back in.

“I fucking love you,” Rhys whispers to her, and then he moves again. Feyre tries to reply, but can’t form the words. She tries to hold onto his gaze but her eyes roll back as her body adjusts to the size of him and he starts to speed up. Just a little.

“It’s okay,” Rhys tells her. “I’ve got you. Keep your eyes on me.” With some effort Feyre pulls her head back up. “That’s it,” he croons, and then fucks her a little harder. Leans down to press a kiss to her lips, but doesn’t break his rhythm.

“Rhys,” Feyre gasps.

“Yeah honey?”

Feyre opens and closes her mouth, but can only manage his name again. “Rhys…”

“I know.” Rhys slides his hand between them and touches his fingers to her clit. His hips are relentless, and Feyre can’t catch her breath.

“Rhys I… oh gods I…”

“What’s that, petal?” She doesn’t know how he sounds so calm.

Rhys sits up onto his heels, and the angle deepens. He’s circling his thumb over her clit now, and Feyre’s eyes squeeze shut again.

“Open them sweetheart, please,” Rhys murmurs. He curls one hand under her thigh to bring her in closer to him. “I just want you here with me.”

Feyre forces her eyes open, but it’s so much more intense when they’re watching each other.

“I can’t,” she whimpers.

Rhys drops back down over her, and hovers his face above hers.

“It’s just me,” he whispers to her. “I’m right here.”

Feyre moves her hands to his face and somehow, with him this close, it is easier. The room fades away and his violet eyes fill her vision, and then they’re back in the field of wildflowers and they are the only things in the whole world.

“Good girl,” Rhys breathes. He moves his mouth on her nipple, then her neck, then her lips. Feyre's hands are on his ass and pulling him in further now, and he gets drunk on how much she wants him, too. Rhys watches her for a minute, then whispers in her ear. “I want you to come for me.”

And out of nowhere there it is, her climax is right behind her. Feyre holds onto Rhys more tightly as her breaths come fast and shallow, and there’s a moment she’s lost and her knees are gripping Rhys’s hips for dear life while his fingers move deftly between them and then the orgasm is bursting behind her eyelids and Rhys’s hand is clamping down over her mouth so she doesn’t make a sound.

Feyre shakes violently as the waves ebb, his wings tightening around her. Rhys takes his hand away and kisses her lips. She’s coasting on the come down when she realises Rhys has started to build his rhythm back up. He’s got his mouth at the hollow of her throat now and his hand squeezing over her breast, and before she knows it the spiral is tightening again.

“Come again honey,” Rhys says huskily.

“And you too?” Feyre asks.

“Yeah,” Rhys manages. His thumb is flicking over her nipple in time with the one over her clit. “I’ll come if you come.”

Rhys’s hips are getting erratic now and finally he is unravelling. Feyre is satisfied. She pushes her fingertips against his wings and listens to his breathing change, and then she’s floating again. She forgets to keep eye contact but at this point she can’t care about anything at all.

Rhys watches her eyes roll and her face flush. He loves her reactions to him, loves being able to watch her orgasm sneak up on her and the glorious look of almost surprise when it hits. Most of all he loves the way her pussy clenches tight around his cock when she comes, and this time when it happens he loses it and he’s right there with her, and he yells as he comes before biting down hard on his lip to keep himself quiet.

Their bodies shudder together and Rhys gathers Feyre close to him as they chase their breath. He takes in lungfuls of the scent of her and it is minutes before he finally pulls out and cleans them up with magic. Rhys has just gotten his arms back around Feyre and closed his eyes when there is a crash in the hallway outside.

Feyre sits bolt upright and looks at him with terror in her eyes. “My father,” she says.

But Rhys can hear shouting minds in the corridors. “No,” he says, sitting up more slowly. “Hybern. They're here.”

**** Happy weekend my loves! Wishing you all a wonderful day xx

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