#if they have a shift job where they cant just get off easily along with all these factors a lot of people say screw it and stop showing up

[hyperspacial]

And speeding tickets are only one head of the hydra- parking tickets, license revokations, and repeat offender penalties are all things that drive mass incarceration of poor people.

Because if you're rich or middle class and you get a ticket, you stomp your feet and pay the ticket. It impacts you more depending how tight your budget is, but it's not worldending.

But if you're working class? Tickets often cut into spending for essentials, and a lot of people make the decision that it's not worth paying instead of utilities or groceries. Or maybe because you're in survival mode you forget to pay the ticket on time, and now the additional fees make it so you can't afford it at all.

Then you're out driving and get pulled over for an unrelated offense and suddenly, you have a warrant, because your license was revoked for unpaid fines. The officer takes you to county jail, your car is impounded or taken as evidence (more money to get back), you likely no-call no-show to work and face repercussions and firing there. You go before a judge who if you're lucky offers you a payment plan, if you're unlucky issues bond that you can't pay.

I used to work at a law office that regularly went into the jail, and I would guess 30% of the people there were in for driving on a suspended license (and the rest were there because they couldn't make bond which is a whole other can of worms). The problem is that for impoverished people, speeding tickets provide a slippery slope to getting involved with the courts, which demands they interrupt their work and life schedule to come in for hearings, and racking up more fees. If you fail to attend or don't pay, it snowballs into worse charges and more life disruption.

Speeding tickets only hurt poor people

[albaedhoe]

genshin ward

“modern hospital!au with the genshin characters as your patients and coworkers”

gender neutral reader

warning : mentions of blood, needles and death

feel free to send in your own thoughts and hcs!!

albedo definitely works as either a diagnostician or the in-hospital pharmacy technician. either way, i can see albedo giving advice on treatment and prescription that might help relieve a patient’s condition. works more for the children’s ward. you greet him with coffee every time you know he’s on shift, knowing that he probably hasn’t slept in a while. you cant convince me that he doesn’t experiment with the defective or expired meds. he shows you his own recent discoveries on certain combinations and you tell him to go to a proper research facility. you often wonder how such a genius ended up as only a pharmacist rather than a chemical engineer.

i think diluc would work as an adult nurse solely because of the fact that he’s patient, kind and the elderly aren’t scared of him unlike the children- though he doesn’t look like it, he enjoys listening to their stories and past. he’s the person you usually chat with during your breaks. you’re often seen re-doing his ponytail or just styling his hair at the break room. normally is the one who does the heavy lifting at his ward.

klee was sent to the hospital for cardiomyopathy, a disease where the heart muscles have been stretched or thickened, making it extremely hard for blood to pump through the body. though it’s very rare for children, klee was just unlucky. because of her rather rambunctious behaviour, you’ve put her on a strict rule of no extreme movement around the hospital and can only walk around with the supervision of a nurse. it makes you happier knowing she’s taken a liking towards albedo. you often see her colouring a book near where albedo can keep watch of her. if albedo isn’t on shift then she mostly clings onto you when she can. she claims that the other doctors are not as kind or forgiving as you are. because of her comment, you start to debate the employment of some of your fellow staff.

venti is a frequent visitor to your hospital. you see him perform some songs at the nursery, soothing and entertaining all the kids and babies. when he’s not performing for the children, he’s visiting his twin brother (nameless bard, not canon) in a private room, away from all the chaos and noise of the hospital. his brother has been in a coma for almost four years now. a car crash. you can tell that the anniversary of the accident is near when you can hear slow and melancholic music from the corridor leading to his room. you sometimes offer him a drink that he favours the day of the anniversary. in exchange, he would tell you his favourite childhood memories of him and his twin.

kazuha is for sure a children’s nurse. the children see him as a person they can really talk to without feeling intimidated or scolded for what they say. he’s so gentle and calm when giving the kids their injections, even going out of his way to hold them close if they’re really scared. gives them lollipops since they’ve been so brave! during playtime and he’s in charge of the activities for that day, he teaches the kids how to make haikus and expanding their vocabulary. at the end of the day the children give kazuha their haikus. he puts them into an album and cherishes them. when the two of you are on lunch break, he excitedly shows you all the new haikus he got from the kids. you laugh at his over excitement, you’re glad he’s finally settled into the hospital. you think back to the treatment he recieved at his former hospital but you shoved those thoughts aside and nodded along to the stars in his eyes.

bennett would also be a frequent visitor of the hospital, always covered with scratches, gashes and bruises everywhere. you nag at him to be careful next time, though, you know he’ll be rushing in in a few days, but you don’t say that. poor boy is the unluckiest person you’ve met. once, when he walks into the ER casually, you asked him what happened this time and he says that he was in the forest exploring, tripped down a hill and splashed into a river. you’re glad it isn’t as bad this time.

just because he’s a family man, i think that childe would also be a child nurse heh. he can easily give the children the same energy back at them without much effort, but he knows when to put his foot down once things get out of hand. because he builds such a close relationship with the kids, he’s absolutely devastated when he learns a child doesn’t survive a surgery. he thinks of his own younger siblings and it breaks his heart even more. you can find him in the laundry room, where it’s quiet and only the whirs of the washing machine can cover up his chocked sobs. you allow him to have some days off because you know that if you don’t, he’d be more snappy and impatient with the children. you tell him that he becomes like this because it’s a coping mechanism he’s developed after experiencing such an intense feeling of grief. his mind wants to cut all relationships he’s built with the children so he doesn’t have to experience such a thing again. he denies it but you know he’s saying this in attempts to convince himself that he’s okay. he’s not. you tell him that death is not something anyone gets used to but instead become stronger against, after all, it’s part of his job and if he ever wants to change professions you’re happy to recommend him to other wards.

my knowledge in health care and medicine is limited so sorry for any inaccuracies.

[magalidragon]

killing time | a Jonerys drabble

This is for the Anon who suggested we revisit the racing beans from that one fic I wrote where they were racecar drivers and it ended up far angstier than intended 🤣 Also uses prompt from @youwerenevermine “you’re an idiot”/“yes but I’m your idiot.” Ooooh and it is smutty 🤭

"I can't believe you think this is going to work."

"It will work. Because I'm a genius."

That was a little much, Dany thought, hoisting herself onto the tool bench in the garage, swinging her feet back and forth, watching the handsome specimen of her husband bent in half in the engine of the Direwolf, his fine, tight ass wiggling in his grease-stained coveralls, which should have made him look like he was wearing a potato sack, but were pulling in all the right places. He'd tied the arms around his hips, his white t-shirt underneath stained with grease, sweat, motor oil, and if she was not mistaken-- a large swipe of chocolate from the cake their daughter had been eating before he put her to bed for her naptime.

He moved some more, shifting on his feet and she bit her lower lip, checking the clock hanging askew on the wall. They had a meeting in about two hours, and were killing time just lounging around the garage. It made her think of when they were teenagers, spending all their time in and around the garage, making messes and letting someone else clean it up.

Now they cleaned things up themselves. He also cleaned up nicely himself. He wiggled again and she wondered if he was doing this on purpose. She shifted uncomfortably on the bench, sitting on her hands instead of doing anything that might get her in trouble. He was <i>working</i>, as he liked to stress. He didn’t want distractions when he was working.

Although working wasn’t an apt enough word for what he was doing. Fucking up a perfectly good vehicle. That’s what he was doing.

Now he was adding some sort of extra filter which he claimed would give the Direwolf extra air flow, boosting its acceleration. It made no sense to her. Plus, he'd screwed with the fins on the back, which was <i>not</i> his job, that was Gendry's as their aerodynamics expert, but Jon knew better, always, he said.

Except for her.

She wrinkled her nose, when he pulled out from the engine and then spun around, dropping down onto the other side to scoot underneath the vehicle. Exasperated, she groaned. "What are you doing now?"

"Checking the fuel pump, I think it’s jacked."

"You're making shit up." He hummed underneath and kicked his feet around. After a few minutes of clanking around, she couldn't stand it any longer and climbed down, peering into the engine, disgusted at the wires he had crisscrossing everywhere. It made no sense. It was like the inside of his head. She scowled at him, when he emerged, swatting her ass lightly with the dirty rag in his hands. She rolled her eyes. "You're an idiot."

"Ah, but I'm your idiot."

Be that as it may, he was screwing up a perfectly good working engine because he couldn't just leave things alone. "That's not getting you anywhere, give me that." She swiped the wrench from him and crawled up onto the Direwolf's fender, small and spry enough to really get into the engine cavity. She made sure to wiggle her butt, in her tight jeans, just enough to tease him, while also kicking up her foot.

The mess he’d created was atrocious. She could not believe this chaos of an engine. Disgusted, she made a derisive snort. “I take it back, you aren’t an idiot.”

“Aye?”

“Aye.” She climbed out and threw one of the fuel injectors she had just removed at him, as he scowled. She tilted her face up to his, smirking. “You’re a moron.”

“Is that not the same?”

“Moron is worse to me. Idiot implies you have some sense of awareness of what you did, you just did it stupidly.”

He wagged the fuel injector at her. “This is perfectly fine!”

“It’s corroded!”

The fuel injector flew over his shoulder, after he tossed it and he grabbed her hips, hoisting her up onto the car’s side, tilting her back over the fiberglass to the roof, growling. “You’re impossible.”

She snapped her teeth on his bottom lip, groaning. “You are.”

“No you.”

“You!”

The next thing she knew they were over each other, his mouth hot on her sweaty neck, pulse racing against his tongue. She moaned for more, needy, grinding her hips up into his and scratched her nails down his shoulders, pushing them under his t-shirt sleeves to get to his bare skin.

“Jon,” she groaned, his palms under her arse to lift her higher against the car, while she furiously pulled at his coveralls. He kissed her, silencing her protests, tongue spearing into her mouth and she nipped at him, her fingers easing into his briefs to free him and thumb at his cock, fondling the thick, velvet length, hardening to steel in her hands.

He pulled away, whining impatiently. “What time is it?” he panted, flicking the tab at her jeans, leaning sideways to keep her upright against the envie with his body while he worked the denim and her lace bikinis over her hip.

Doesn’t matter, she thought, busying herself with kissing him again. She loved him, loved him so much, it was hard to wrap her mind around how they had been willing to go their separate ways for so long before coming together again.

She gasped when he pulled away and latched his mouth over her nipple through her tank’s thin cotton, the competing sensations blinding her. She lifted higher and he thrust into her hand. She was drenched, cunt pulsing, and she lined him up, sliding her cunt along his cock, the head bumping her clit. She moaned softly and knocked her head against the car hood behind her.

He pushed into her easily, filling and stretching, smothering her with his body and mouth. She canted her hips, encouraging him to move, and clutched his arms. He found her hand with his and squeezed, joining them at her thigh, which was hiked up over his hip, the coveralls slapping against their thighs, zipper clanking and her jeans awkwardly bunched near her knees, the stretch denim stretching to its limits.

They had done this more times than she could count, fucking in garages and in and on cars and gods she loved it. She moaned his name and tore her nails at his arm while squeezing his hand. He grunted into her shoulder, name a breath on his lips and then she was coming, encouraging him with her until they were shattering, her cry strangled and her name a shout on his lips.

“Jon,” she sighed, feet falling to the floor, loose and limber. She hummed into his neck, kissing his pulse.

He tilted his face down and kissed her, slowly, reverently. She smiled lazily. It was so nice and comfortable afterward. She met his gaze, loving and sleepy, gray eyes blown out to black. “You’re still an idiot,” she murmured.

Jon laughed and arched his brow, about to reply when they froze, hearing a door banging from somewhere near. “Uh…”

“Jon! Dany! Where are you? We have that sponsorship meeting today and I don’t want to go can I stay with Laena?” It was Arya, bellowing through the house.

They cursed, hurriedly righting themselves as best as they could. Dany winced, squeezing her legs together uncomfortably. “Arya? What are you doing here?”

“We have that thing!” She pushed open the door and stepped in, scowling immediately. “What are you doing?”

“Nothing,” they said at the same time.

Arya made a face. “Ew you both are gross. Were you fucking?” She didn’t wait and gagged. “Nevermind don’t tell me…” she trailed off distracted at the engine. She bowled, leaping for it. “Jon! What did you do!?”

At the same time, from the monitor on the table beside her, Laena began babbling, awake from her nap. Dany sighed, patting Jon’s cheek. “My idiot,” she murmured and kissed him, before skirting away to leave him to argue with Arya over what he’d done to the car.

All she knew was when it was ready to drive, it would be ready and she’d trust whatever he did. Even if it made zero sense. She winked at him when he caught her gaze across the garage and he made a face.

She laughed, skipping off to get their daughter and clean up. They had a race to go prep for.

[rainileo]

have you seen hao’s selca ?? where he’s on the bed ?? ugh he keeps posting thirst traps and i cant stop thinking abt him and u having sex in the dorm where you have to stay quite bcs all of the boys are there and u guys eventually get caught </3

HES SO FINEE KHAUDUSJSJ

be quiet (m)

idol!minghao/the8 x (female reader)

warnings: public sex (?), dorm sex, quiet sex, minghao is sassy lol, not much else just sex w/ minghao

lmk if i miss anything (not proof read)

a/n: i literally almost peed when i saw those pics lmao he’s so hot ahhagejajdvs. i decided to make it so that he’s in school rn (like idfk art school or smthn trying to get a degree lol, but he’s still an idol). and sorry for taking so long to get something out lmao

10:33 pm

“are you done yet?” your was tone is riddled with annoyance. you slumped in irritation, starting to get restless. you were asking if minghao had completed his school work yet, as he has been working on it non stop since you had arrived a few hours prior.

at this point you were so bored. the time was slowly passing by, and you thought about leaving more than once, but decided against it as the two of you haven’t had much quality time together lately. the other boys managed to keep you busy in the meantime, but it was beginning to get late and they were getting ready for bed, or already were fast asleep.

minghao wasn’t even paying attention to you, busy with his work that has been piling up over weeks. usually, you attempted to keep him on track with assignments, occasionally helping him or reminding him, but sometimes his actual job can get in the way and cause him to fall behind to the point where he has to spend his extra hours trying to catch up.

you felt bad for bothering him and getting upset, but, he did invite you over after all.

the two of you are always so busy that it could be almost impossible to find time for each other, so when you could, you tried your hardest to make the best out of it. it was even worse seeing as the two of you could barely have sex either, and it was really beginning to get to you.

his eyes were trained on the assignment sheets, reading over them with his head resting on his knuckles. he sighed, closing his eyes for a moment and looking up to you with tired written all over him.

“no.” was all he said, his blank facial expression never faltering. he blinked slowly and tiredly at you, the bags under his eyes now more prominent as you finally get a better look at his face.

he was seated at his desk and you were on his bed, sitting atop the sheets, holding one of his plushies for comfort. one of his nightlights was illuminating his room, letting off a warm glow that contrasted his skin perfectly.

you roll your eyes and get up from your position, walking over to where he’s seated.

“you need to take a break, like meditate or whatever you usually do.” you try to suggest, coming in front of him and placing your hands on his shoulders and rubbing them soothingly. his eyes follow you, moving his head to crane itself to look up at you.

his face softens from your ministrations, his body immediately relaxing into your touch. “-and i don’t know, maybe spend sometime with your girlfriend.”

the attitude is evident in your tone but he ignores it, moving his head off the table to move his hands on your waist, squeezing it in response to your comment, still looking up to you with those same tired eyes. he only stays silent, the air becoming thick as you await his answer. when he doesn’t reply fast enough, you begin, “c’mon, let’s do something, you’ve been sitting here on your arse since i’ve walked in.”

you now move your hands to his forearms, backing up so you can use your weight to leverage yourself to pull him up. he complies and comes to stand up with you. when he gets off the chair, you hear the joints in his knees crack loudly. he grimaced and began to stretch, finishing it off by twisting and shaking his leg like a dog almost, making you laugh cutely at him.

the side smile he gives goes straight to your core, it being a little to seductive looking for your liking.

suddenly it was like a switch was flipped, now that he was at full length in front of you, it felt like the mood had taken a complete 180. he intertwines your fingers and presses his chest up against yours, exhaling through his nose when you look up at him.

“i have a proposition.” he blurts out and you nod, “shoot your shot.” you reply, blinking at him as you wait, wondering what he could possibly be interested in now.

“lets fuck.” your eyes widen at his bluntness, mouth dropping open in hesitation. now it was his turn to wait for your response, biting on his lip and stroking your sides gently.

“but the guys,” you look to the door and gulp nervously, already imagining one of his group members walking in on you while you two are intimate. “don’t worry about them, they’re tired, it’s been a long week and i just need you now.” his hands shifted down to your ass, squeezing it through your sweats and you narrow your eyes in thought, hesitating on the idea of having sex with your boyfriend while 12 other men are just on the other side of his door.

you look up to him and he’s got his head tilted, looking at you with admiration.

“we don’t have to, but,” he pauses, pursing his lips, “it’s been way to long.” he exhaled again, letting out that breath he didn’t know he was holding. you nodded in agreement, trying to weigh the outcomes in your mind.

his hands smooth over the skin on your ass now, your left hand grips onto his shoulder and the other rests on the nape of his neck, playing with the hair that was becoming very long at the back of his head.

your brain tells you not to, but your core says otherwise by pulsing when he leans into your neck, leaving open mouth kisses all it. “o-okay, yeah let’s do it.” your voice is barely above a whisper when he pulls away with the same smile as before, griping your hips and pressing into you when he leans in to kiss you deeply.

the kiss is sloppy and desperate, spit beginning to build in your mouth fast. your hands dig into his neck unintentionally when he licks over your lips, causing you to shift into his member on accident. he groans into your mouth and you finally open yours for him to slide his tongue into you, immediately exploring and causing spit to dribble down the both of your chins.

it became intense really fast when he began to shift your hoodie up your torso, pulling it up and over your head, leaving your upper half completely bare, as you weren’t wearing a bra.

minghao shifts his eyes to your boobs and he feels his mouth salivate, moving his hands and beginning to massage both your mounds.

he leans in to kiss you again, simultaneously pushing you backwards towards his bed for you to lay down with him hovering over you. your lips never leave each other when he shifts onto his knees, hunching over you, hands going back to play with your boobs.

you let out low moans and he takes that as a go for him to suck on your nipples. he leans down even further to put his mouth onto your right nipple, making eye contact and your mouth drops open in awe.

his hands makes quick work on the waist band of your sweats, playing with it before you buck up into him wantonly. he smiles against you and moves his hands to pull your pants down, leaving your nipple alone. he throws your pants somewhere along with your undies quickly after, spreading your legs to view your soaking center.

“jesus, look at you.” he mumbles, eyes focused on your core and you whine impatiently, bucking up again to get his attention, “minghao please~.” you flush, heat crossing over your cheeks and leaving behind a light blush.

you didn’t notice until now that your heart was pounding, even harder when you realize that he’s straining against his sweats. “just relax, i miss your body.” his hands run over your skin, fingers softly gliding every inch of you and you squirm in anticipation, getting anxious as you hear one of the boys in the kitchen near by.

“minghao they’re right in the kitchen.” you complain and he scowls up at you. “so what if they catch us, they’ll just be jealous they’re not getting their dicks wet.” he says before leaning back on his calf’s to pull his hoodie over his head.

the warm light still reflects off of him, making him glow in the dark light and your mouth waters now, thighs shutting against each other to relieve yourself. he chuckles and palms himself, the both of you staring down each trying to relieve yourselves.

he moves his free hand to your knee to pry them apart, marvelling at your wet center again. he feels himself twitch and decides it’s time to remove himself from the confines of his sweats.

you silently watch him, moving a hand down to play with yourself, biting your lip from the pleasure of the relief of your fingers.

once his pants are on the floor he comes back between your legs and leans in to kiss you again.

everything in the dorm was silent except for the boys that were still awake in the kitchen, either cleaning up for the night or relaxing in the living room.

it felt wrong to do what the two of you were doing and you began to let you thoughts get to you as you hear the guys get louder, actually hearing mingyu walking down the hallway.

minghao senses you uneasiness and pulls away, moving his palm to your cheek, thumb sliding over your lips easily. “y/n, i told you we could stop if you wanted.”

it was like everything came crumbling down on you in that moment and you groaned out in frustration, slamming your hands by your sides and frowning at him. he watched you with wide eyes, confused.

“minghao i swear just stick your dick in me.” he snorts at your response and roughly grabs your thighs to hoist them over his shoulders. he leans down to hover over you, practically folding you in half. your hands clutch onto his biceps’s tightly as you wait for his next move.

he grips his dick, sliding the head through your folds momentarily, then slowly pushing into you, causing you to gasp loudly, mouth dropping open as he slowly stretches you open. he too has his mouth dropped open, sliding in to the point where he’s ball deep, waiting for you to give him the go. “you’re so tight baby. just like i remembered.” he comments, his voice now an octave deeper, pressing his forehead against yours.

you back your hips against him and he takes that as a sign to start moving his hips and immediately begins a fast pace. the way he fucks you is desperate and rough, panting noises only coming from between you both, trying to keep quiet.

“s-shit.” you throw you head back and minghao moves his head into the crook of your neck, leaving open mouthed kisses and biting, being sure to leave marks. you let small breathy pants out, struggling to hold you noises in, deciding to bite your lip to aid you in concealing your noises instead.

right after that, minghao finds your spot and it causes you to mewl and to arch up into him. his hand holds onto your rib cage while the other snakes itself between you two and starts to rub over your soaking center, stimulating you even more, causing your pants to get louder and louder.

“baby,” he pauses, his thrust never faltering, and taking a breath, “be quiet.” his command makes you shiver, his deep voice resonating in your ears.

suddenly he changes his pace, making it slow and gripping your hips with both hands, pulling out and slamming in against you roughly. you moan out in response, but not loud enough for anyone to be suspicious. he immediately moves his hand over your mouth, going back to his fast pace.

you whimper into his hand, hands clawing his back as he shifts himself to hit your spot repeatedly. “i told you to stay quiet.” your face contorts in pleasure as he begins to speak, your brain not generating a response fast enough, “do you really want to cum?” he whispers into your ear and you whine, nodding vigorously. you begin to speak, pleading and begging him to let you cum, but your sounds are muffled from his palm.

he chuckles deeply and leans back onto his knees, sitting back to admire your fucked out look, eyes watering, hair sprawled on the sheets and a light layer of sweat on your skin. his hand remains tight on your face and your brows furrow after realizing he won’t remove his hand. “you said you didn’t want to get caught.” he smirks, his cocky remark making you roll your eyes internally.

he sits up to start another fast pace, now on his knees with your legs dangling off his shoulders. his thrusts are forceful but quiet, skillfully angling them to hit your spot with each thrust.

your hands go to wrap around the one that sates you, nails digging in with each thrust. “fuck.” he groans under his breath, watching as your breast bounce with the force of his thrusts.

he can feel you flutter around him, you feeling him twitching as well. “are you close?” he leans back down right in front of your face, breath fanning over it. you nod, giving him pleading eyes and he removes his hand. when he lets go you gasp for air, immediately swearing out as he chases both your highs.

you arch your back, squeezing your eyes shut, moving one of your hands down to relieve yourself.

you’re both so close and you feel it coming.

until mingyu comes busting though the door loudly, laughing at one of the guys and turning to the two of you who are looking back at him with frightened eyes.

minghao attempts to cover you, giving him a glare and mingyu squeals in fear, realizing what he had just walked in on.

“OH MY GOD IM SO SORRY!” he yells, putting a hand over his eyes and blindly walking out the room, bumping into the door and closing it.

you hear him run away and you both let out a sigh.

minghao slowly turns his head to you and you glare at him, shoving his shoulder angrily.

“i fucking told you.” you retort, crossing your arms over your chest as he laughs loudly at you, listening in on the conversation in the other room.

“whatever, let me finish you off it’s been way too long.” he says one last time before reconnecting your lips and starting his pace again.

[readingaccountability]

snow crash - neal stephenson

my playlist (because of The Way That I Am)

final thoughts:

okay, im going to be honest right out of the gate- i cant decide whether this is a book id recommend or not. it was really fun for the most part, but personally there was a lot more exposition than id like. the early portions of the novel have exposition which feels completely fair, mostly things relating to worldbuilding. stephenson creates his own vision of future america, and some places online referred to it as cyberpunk, and some as post-cyberpunk. id be more in the latter camp, mostly due to the way he plays with tropes, leaving the reader unsure of which will be subverted and which wont.

the use of language was really fun, and i enjoyed the worldbuilding a lot. his vision of a futuristic capitalistic earth feels surreal in its immediacy and recognizability. the back jacket blurb ends with "a future america so bizarre, so outrageous, you'll recognize it immediately." which, yeah. a texan info-tech magnate? two competing corporations owning the highway system? suburban city-states? this was another enjoyable thing- everything was colorfully named, and names treated totally normally, which kind of poked fun at how we have everyday things named very ludicrously and for the most part we are totally blind to it.

one aspect i really enjoyed was that the author often doesn't make certain things clear to the audience, until he does, and then it becomes necessary to reassess the entire story and setting. this goes to underscore the theme of the importance of information and the ways we take it in and perceive the world based upon it. for example, we don't learn that y.t. is fifteen until maybe 75 pages in, at which point a lot makes sense in retrospect. the same thing occurs in the worldbuilding, as suddenly a detail is given in passing and the reader must incorporate it into the setting, which by default we assume to be similar in many ways to our idea of america. it keeps the reader on their toes as well as furthering the worldbuilding. for the most part, the tech stuff didnt feel outdated to me, despite being a future projected out from '92.

however, aspects of the book are definitely very 1992. id put these into two camps: the first, being that the book does at different times use slurs. the main character is black and asian, the n word is used a few times by racist side-character/antagonist types, as are a few other racial slurs. there was also the occasional usage of the r slur, within the narrative prose itself, rather than usage as an insult within dialogue.

the protagonist, who is named, unfortunately, hiro protagonist, is a great character and felt very fleshed out to me, though at times he reminded me more of dirk strider than normally would be ideal. (its obvious that stephenson and andrew hussie are of a similar type of writer, and play with similar tropes, lmao.) hiro is a man of many worlds. he seems to shift between them easily, though never fully existing in any of them. this is reflected in his background, both in his biracial identity and in having been raised on a myriad of army bases. this is layered further in his fluidity in interacting with both reality and the metaverse, yet remaining slightly, consistently aloof. fascinatingly the first moment i sensed this drop was when we meet juanita- aka where his real and meta realities coincide. the description of them as the adam and eve of the metaverse is both insanely romantic and thematically key (good god i wish we had more than like, two conversations between them). juanita designed the facial component to metaverse avatars, doing the majority of this work when the two were together, and hiro can see echoes of both their facial tics in the face of every avatar in the metaverse. in a way, by having done this work juanita is positioned by the narrative as one of the gods of this digital realm. she is also hiro's call to action, being aware of the coming trouble and alerting him to it, as well as connecting him to the informational database he needs to prepare.

y.t., the secondary protagonist, fucking ruled. i loved that she was just a fifteen year old punkass kid whose mom doesnt know how crazy this part time job is. y.t. being worried about her mom was a great thread throughout, and a really good balance to how obviously independent y.t. is. i do wish there had been a chance to explain more about her background (she has a dad who left who is mentioned in a throwaway sentence, and a boyfriend who is mentioned near the beginning but never again.) i really enjoyed how obviously hyperaware y.t. was at all times about her own place within the insanities of the setting, while also consistently writing her as a teen maybe in way too deep who thinks about things in typically teenage ways. but like, that wasn't ever held against her? the narrative meets her where she is. it was honestly awesome. HOWEVER,

i absolutely hated the raven and y.t. scenes. how creepy!!! he basically statutory rapes her!!! we know hes at least late 20s early 30s, because hes the same age as hiro. if this sort of content is upsetting to read for you, i definitely do NOT recommend this book. (if you want to avoid reading these bits: ch 47 y.t. meets raven, ch 50 they are in a bar eating, ch 52 things happen that result in y.t.'s anti-assault device activating- she did not activate it on purpose, but forgot it was there- and raven is knocked out.)

please PLEASE dont take any of the following analysis as like, trying to be apologetic towards this scenes. because again they were awful and hard to get through and really gross. but im also cognizant that the author was obviously trying to convey something by making the choice, like the way it was written is obviously not condoning this sort of thing.

i think maybe what stephenson was trying to get at with that, was that we see hiro internally negate any potential for anything untoward with y.t. basically immediately, since he kind of senses that she might have a small crush on him (though this doesnt last more than a fleeting moment, especially from her perspective). vs raven, whose 'poor impulse control' warning tattoo eventually elicits a sarcastic remark from hiro after he finds out raven and y.t. were "a thing". i really dont think hiro knew how far it went? like it was just suuuper weird, but i figured it was meant narratively to 1. execute the chekovs gun of y.t.'s anti-assault device, 2. contrast hiro and raven (especially considering the bike-racing argument where theyre telling the story together, which is supposed to parallel them, while contrasting the differences in how they ended up?), and 3. just to get raven unconscious, i guess. but good god it was weird and i hated every second of it, why couldnt the device have like, activated way earlier?? gah. fucking upsetting. moving past that!

honestly i was really frustrated by how little screentime juanita got, because the way she was introduced was so fucking interesting and then shes mostly off doing her own thing. the bits of explanation she gives at the end about what she was up to on the raft are so sparse and im like damn, can we get a little bit of her pov in here? please? that would have ruled. additionally, shes supposed to be hiros love interest, but we see so little of them interacting outside her intro scenes. a huge portion of why hiro is getting into the sumerian mythology is literally framed as something that will help him understand juanita, but we dont get to see him talk to her about it barely at all.

the supporting characters were quite fun, i particularly liked the librarian. big surprise, i liked the overly literal ai information-dispensor, lmfao. watching him and hiro interact reminded me SO hard of geordi laforge having honest to god conversations with the computer where he tries to coax information out of it, aka one of my favorite little aspects of tng.

and lastly, the major plot themes themselves. i adore the way stephenson approached action, it was very entertaining. usually i cant really visualize action scenes written out, but his use of language was really really effective and engaging. the plot itself was absolutely fascinating, though i found the premise pretty contrived. which isnt bad in itself, i was fully suspending my disbelief until the last hundred pages or so. which for a 550+ page book, isnt too bad.

i did like the approach of linking the ancient to the modern, that is always really neat. and i think ultimately stephenson did it in an interesting way, not how i would have done it, but definitely interesting! creating these ideas about information infrastructures, and there being words that can access those and be used to control people, was wild. not sure if i agree about the equating of religion to a virus, though he did specifically establish that it was more the approach to religion, than religion itself. (maybe if juanita had been more goddamn present in the narrative that could have been elaborated on a little more. literally her perspective would have been perfect in balancing that out!!)

ultimately what did me in was the very very very long winded MONOLOGUE where hiro re-explained the whole premise, in ways that didnt really neatly organize into a cohesive argument. a lot of the scenes where hiro talks to the librarian, which are interspersed throughout the book, are really exposition heavy, because stephenson is rooting his ideas in historical concepts that need to be explained to both hiro and the audience. and i thought all that was fine, because it was a conversation where hiro was grappling with the information, and he was figuring it out along with the reader, and most importantly it was a conversation between him and the librarian computer program.

howeverrr later on we get a full rehash of all that, where hiro makes clear some stuff that was just implied for the reader, and hes literally just telling these important men whats up in this big long monologue. utterly worthless. i kept reading it and going YEAH, we KNOW, we know this we know this. and the important men barely interjected. it added basically nothing to our understanding of the situation, other than reframing it. but everything added was already an implicit thing, and didnt really need to be said again.

the resolution to the book was stellar, the last 30-40 pages, once hiro is onto the raft, were great. ultimately after reading and giving some time to digest it, i think it was a solidly great book with a few big drawbacks near the end, but which dont carry through and sully the ending.

[the-empress-7]

The Red Flags of Meghan Markle (& other essays)

Hello empress! I changed phones & cloned the old one. Apparently, I wrote this stuff on the Harkles in my notes. Done in 2018, edited Feb 2019. How time flies on this trainwreck duo! Thought I'd share, for a bit of reminiscing :)

1) the running to Vanity Fair

2) she herself praised her father (until she started dating Harry)

3) The only one at her wedding was her mother (who wasnt there while she was growing up, but convenient now because she can play the racism card). Out of all her family, no one gets along with her? Not even a niece or nephew, a cousin? Not even the uncle who got her the embassy job (and she did not qualify for a foreign service position. Oh she must be so smart)

4) With money at her disposal, how difficult is it to fly and talk to her father in person? Make a deal.

5) the "racism" card

6) No lifelong friends (and her best friend spoke out against her) Forget childhood friends, but not even college friends?

7) The confusing bump. All the bending (that pregnant women attest simply is too difficult).

8) The yoga but no muscle contour

9) Shady AF at Eugenie's wedding

10) apparently still living-in with the chef when she went on a blind date with Harry

11) "Is he kind?"

12) Not knowing much about the RF or Harry when she followed Diana, and wrote about Kate and William's wedding on her blog.

13) Got a role in suits, dumped the producer husband. Met harry, dumped the chef who introduced her to the higher circles in the Canadian society. Who's next after Harry, a Russian oil magnate?

14) The merching. And its obviously merching. Usually 3rd party websites and blogs post what they wear but with M, its the designers themselves who post on their sites, even soho house

15) The dysfunctional family.

16) I get the sexy scenes which are for roles, but the other racy videos, what were they for?

17) labeled herself a "humanitarian" after 1 World Vision trip. If that isnt egoism right in there.

18) the word salad speeches. I admit she really talks well (in manner) but doesnt get to the point. Thats her way of showing her "

"intelligence ."

19) the being disturbed by the media (lol we didnt see her being papped, Kate experienced that for years). What Diana and Kate went through was scary. Where are these photos and videos of Meghan being chased by paps? Im sure even with KP dealing with things, some would still surface. Even went on a pap walk with the PR guy, she was not ever chased. And you see people in the background did not even bother to pull their phones to take a photo of her.

20) the way she flips her coats to show her bump

21) the expensive clothing for a technically minor royal. Spent almost 400% more than Kate, not even a year into the family. She's not even important in the grand scheme of things. And many of those dont fit her right. Doesnt know how to dress for the occasion.

22) the bump holding. We get it, you're pregnant, but to have your hand attached to it almost 24/7, thats not normal anymore. Thats drawing attention.

23) The unprofessional behavior. People are easily fooled into loved up displays because who doesnt want love right? But when you're representing an office, you have to be professional. The constant PDAs are like teenager behaviors. You're not there to showcase yourself, you're technically diplomats/ambassadors. Do we see handholding among those in events? Very childish. Look at them now, even when there are times Harry obviously does not want to hold hands, they still do because they've set a precedent. Look at the Endeavour Fund handholding, that looked so stiff and hard. In the event they dont show PDA, the people will be wondering why and the attention will be shifted off the cause they're representing.

24) the clinginess. She cant make a move without clinging on to harry. Isnt it just stupid to walk in really high stilletos if she cant walk in them? 2-3 inches are fine.

25) the cookbook. Made it all about her in her written foreword (and thats her only contribution, it was the ladies who worked hard on it. Then she barged in and it is now her project. Wasnt there a story of her claiming her bf's recipe as hers too?). Is she still working with the charity now after the isis fiasco?

26) the inappropriate tour clothes. Sure KP would post it, they had to.

27) did not curtsy properly to the king and queen of tonga. Basic respect. People said its because she was pregnant and can't bend, but why is she bending non-stop?

28) the borrowing of jewelry (half a million for that? Lol). Are they allowed to? I thought they are not allowed to borrow or receive those kinds of gifts.

29) the engagement interview. Took over even questions directed to harry. And they dont match answers (18 mos and 2 yrs)

30) the engagement photoshoot. Even the future king and queen did not have 1, they had just done it in the palace, no need for a location shoot and expensive dress.

31) cant dress appropriately. Summer clothing in the winter? Really thick skinned.

32) couldnt take criticism. She lashes out in the form of her "friends" everyone critical is a bully and racist. Statements had to be made for her. Lol.

34) who runs KP IG? Her people? Liking Meghan's friends post when they were not supposed to. Its also been observed that criticisms against her are erased, but the ones on Kate stays on. Her "fans" even hijacked William's speech on bullying. How is she bullied? People have reactions to HER OWN actions. And you,'re living partly on public money, it comes with the territory.

35) the doxxing of people. No more free speech now. Arent people allowed opinions (as long as there are no threats). Isnt it her fans who are on twitter wishing for the deaths of the cambridges so she can be kween?

36) leaked private engagement photos (there werent leaks before she came in) esp after a series of K & W private engagements. It's like "oh im important/doing something important too"; the " secret" visits with a lot of photographers and a red carpet rolled. Note that these are supposed to be secret, and not an embargoed private engagement.

And weren't there studies that those who show too much PDA are those who are insecure in relationships?

37) exorbitant cost of clothes when they are taxpayer-funded. And they're so ill-fitting and lacks class. Even if it is funded solely by the Duchy and not taxpayers money, it still smacks of bad taste to go spending that much in UK's troubled times. Marie Antoinette?

38) the constant belly cupping, the back bending before she was "showing". Even on an official photo. She cant even clap properly bec it goes back to her belly. And usually pregnant women cup the top or the bulge, but she does it at the bottom. Afraid the bump would fall off? Maybe that explains the tight clothes, so the bump wont fall off. And notice she does it much when the engagement is of only her or with harry. If out with other royals, though she still does, its not as much. As with all things, there's a level that ok and fine, then there's overkill.

Also, people noticed she did not gain any weight, and 1 week after (the museum event), she showed up with a plumpier face (fillers?), But nothing changed in her body, esp the ankles.

39) the KP statement: when was she papped? Were people chasing her like they did diana and kate? Were there police reports of attempted entries to her house? Who are these friends and were they at the wedding?

They just called the british public racist. If someone who partly lives off my taxes (and they are not voted into it), I would certainly react and ask for a proper vetting before that someone gets my taxes.

40) The 2013 interview with Craig Ferguson. Ive seen a lot of celebrity interviews never this level of flirting. This is blatant flirting and she's obviously selling herself hard. So don't be fooled by the doe eyes, she looks at other men that way.

41) The Markles were silent until PH said the RF will be "the family she never had." Compare that with William's statement on the Middleton family. Before that, even when she was in Suits, they did not say anything. But before dating Harry, dad was the best. Haha! I get it, hiring papparazi is also despicable but seriously just talk it out? How hard can that be? He had to navigate his way through the news and did not receive help/orientation. Besides, Harry has despicable offenses also (eg the Nazi stunt). But he had always been forgiven because "oh poor boy, lost his mommy" but William did not act out even though he went through the same thing (although I know people react to trauma differently)

42) more on Harry but the "I hope she loves me" is already indicative of the state of things. Haha!

43) the doxxing of those who dislike Meghan but no efforts being done for those who posf against Kate (even with those who post threats)

44) when she started dressing for the winter (museum outfit), she looked like Melania Trump. Hahaha!

45) The royalty worked hard to shed its celebrity image after Diana. And now its back to that, even worse bec there's social media.

46) what was that shoot for that ended up in Pornhub? (Was that for a role?)

47) the recognition of fans she supposedly interacted with in IG. It stopped when people reacted how many more of them were planted.

48) her IG popping up. Im sure thats no Instagram breach. Were there previous cases of deactivated IG accounts suddenly popping up without the owner activating them again? We would have heard of it. Someone, even with a few followers, would complain about that. Just 1 public complaint and the others would jump on IG bec thats a privacy issue.

49) the inconsistencies. Vegan but cooked and ate chicken, wore leather

50) abandoned her dogs. Seriously, they can afford private jets. How hard could it be to transport an injured dog? If flying is dangerous, there are ships. Even the photos with her animal patronage, the dogs dont look like they like her

51) the #hellotokindness campaign which only applied to her (but not to Kate and Camilla).

52) changed her nose, got implants which are gone now (those boobs in deal or no deal were obviously fake) .

53) what's the deal with her constantly eyeing up William? And side eyeing Kate?

I think Harry is more spoiled than what I previously thought, seems like no proper vetting was done on her. Or they feared the "racism" backlash. After all, its easier to divorce than to be labelled as a racist, especially in current times when it could easily backlash the whole institution (that could be a global outrage).

__________

What she is not:

1) contrary to what her fans claim, she is not a Hollywood a-lister. In fact, her biggest role was as a supporting character in a cable show. (Was it overly popular? If people had to google who she was - someone told me she was most searched- then that means not a lot of people knew her). She already had one foot in the door (with an Emmy winning dad, and still cant get roles? Must be a bad actress.

2) She does not embrace her black side (until the narrative was convenient). (Does she bleach?) Didnt she list herself as Caucasian (not half-caucasian in her bio/resume?) Who were her friends before Serena Williams and Jessica Mulroney? Straightens her hair, changed her nose.

Her fans who do not know the history of the family (even as recent as Kate and William and label everything as "Meghan inspired Kate" Kate copies Meghan. Lol. Kate was already in the RF before Meghan was in Suits.

I dont get the lazy title. Kate was part time royal, building a family and stepping up now that both her and William are full time. I wonder, if they are lazy, what did Harry do before Invictus? The current run of Invictus wasnt even that successful (his wife stepped all over it). And what is Harry doing now aside from tagging along his wife's engagements?

There were negative press about Kate (but only in Britain) but Meghan seems to be widely disliked (her "friends" called it global bullying). Maybe because social media was different then but to be vilified by other populations (than your own/new country), why isnt she sitting well with the world?

-

- The need to "modernize" the need to "rebel". Dont fix anything thats not broken. I dont really get this preoccupation with having to rebel, sometimes there are things that dont need changing. There are rules for there to be order. There can be healthy respect for tradition (unless its harmful and had to be changed. But what is harmful with the way the RF is ran?) Surely things can be improved (but does it have to be done forcefully and disrespectfully?)

-

- kate and william are boring. Lol. They're steady and dependable. You can be exciting nd wild at any time, but that wouldnt help in the long run. See how cheeky and wild Harry was, what now?

- KP releasing a statement essentially calling people "racists". Kate had been heavily papped in her early 20s and why wasnt there notice to back off? Then this 35 (then, or maybe 39 already) actress who should have already been used to being papped complained a lot about it (but then ran to Vanity Fair. Lol). You can tell people to back off without calling them racists ya know. Kate and William did it well (and sued those who severely infringed their privacy)

Sometimes I think "oh she might be telling the truth bec who has the audacity to lie that much in such a public setting". But then I think, oh yeah politicians, some actors, and some encountered well-spoken psychopaths. So its really possible.

How were the Middleton family social climbers? What is wrong with being an air hostess? If they managed to enroll their children in expensive schools (even at a young age), wouldnt it mean that the business is already successful before William and that they already had money? All these years (aside from that one uncle), they all had behaved impeccably and are a grounded family. You do not see them imposing themselves but you can see the support they have for Kate and William's family. Btw, who informed the press that Doria was invited for Christmas? Wasnt true no? Hahahaha! Also, who told the press about a possible US-Canada tour? That's like putting the queen into a corner isnt it? Since the public "knows" even if there are no such plans, they should just give in. And why send them for a trip with that level of importance? They're not the ones who will be running the royal family. Essentially, they will be nothing once George comes of age.

- what is this preoccupation about "modern". What do they mean by modern in this instance?

- the current fan culture. The royalty is not Hollywood, they are not celebrities. They are ambassadors/diplomats. They represent causes, not actors.

- The way Ive seen things progress, the anti-Meghan accounts are a reaction to the Meghan fans who first created anti-Kate accounts. They started the comparisons, people just defended. Crazy stan culture. Havent seen people calling for Meghans death, but I have seen plenty threatening the lives of all the Cambridges.

- Oh Harry was fun, wild, cheeky. He has more "personality." And now, what did fun, wild, and cheeky bring to the family? Not fun no?

- the constant use of the race and bullying card. People cant have opinions now? And even though she is criticized, she is not criticized because of her race (she doesnt even claim to be black, she's always identified as half-white, not half-black). That's why there are many who dont give a toss about racism and bullying because its constantly used as an excuse (I know there are REALLY MANY cases of racism and bullying and those make me angry), it's almost like the boy who cried wolf.

- who paid for M's gown? With the veil overkill. If M's dad was supposed to be in the wedding, did we see him with tuxedo fittings? Was he given proper orientation? Seems like no one from KP briefed him on anything. I think this is more deliberate to have Charles walk her down the aisle. That solidifies the 'family she never had.' Besides, C is the next king, she had to get close to him (although I doubt Camilla will tolerate it, esp in private)

- "she's doing more engagements than Kate when she was pregnant. She's more hardworking. Kate has HG, thats fucking life threatening"

On Prince Harry

- We know people react differently to trauma but how long will he use the excuse of his mother's death (and how long will the public let him). People seem to forget that while Harry lost his mother, william lost his mother too. And yet he did not act up. He probabaly had it even harder because he's older, he had seen more and understood more than Harry. He had to deal with his pain while he was helping Harry deal with his. Yet he did not lash out, did not do anything wild. Except for that night he went dancing with a random girl on a boys' vacation (I felt really sorry for Kate on that one and really girls, when a man is already married, hands off), he conducted himself with dignity in all times. He finished his education, done courses on agriculture, trained in the military and served. He took his time to marry (and while there are many negative opinions about him and Kate, those had been thrown out the water once perspective is gained in comparison to Harry and his wife).

- Harry was tolerated and babied for so long. Was he reigned in after his Vegas stunts (on public money?)

- wanted the quiet life and yet, married an actress. He could give up his titles and lead a private life (he's not really important anyway) but he wont, too many privileges to give up too (or his wife would run in the opposite direction since she wouldnt have attention)

What Meghan fans criticize about Kate

- her flying skirts (can you control the wind? Even if weights are put on hemlines, strong winds can still blow them). That is different from someone DELIBERATELY choosing clothes with thigh-high slits, and see-through dresses.

- she has not worked. She was in college, then worked for Jigsaw, then worked for their company. Try working also with papparazi hounding you every day.

- Meghan hustled, she is a millionaire. Oh really? Did she buy her gown? Besides, there was some declaration that she was paid 450,000 per season, was that net income? How about payments to PR, stylist, etc etc?

- K & W kept their relationship lowkey as much as they could. M deliberately displayed hers on IG (that spooning banana. Lol)

- Kate is a curtain, she's just in the background. Lol. Try raising a family in her position. Even if she is "just a housewife" (which she is not), what's wrong with being a housewife. She's raising her children who are the future of their family. And its obvious that her and W are hands-on parents, you can see it in how they interact with their children. Besides, isnt that what feminism is, to allow women the choice to do as they want. While others want to be CEOs, others want to be housewives. Kate has a lot of supported charities, she envisioned Heads Together (there was one interview where W said something like she is not given much credit, but she started the project- it's the interview of Heads Together with all 4 of them).

Meghan could not claim that she was not welcomed. In fact, among all royal girlfriends (Diana to her), she had it the easiest.

- before her IG shut down, she was allowed to post coded innuendos of their relationship

- the Vanity Fair article was allowed to be printed

- she was welcomed into the fold even before she was wed: Christmas in Sandringham and was even given an engagement: Heads Together

- most of all, KP and Harry issued a strongly worded statement for her.

If the public perception of her is negative, its all on her. She's already 36 (or 40) at the time they got engaged, she should be mature enough to understand the world she entered into. But no, she chose to barge her way in (really verifies that she is pushy).

======

This. Is. Amazing. Thank you. 

What a long and comprehensive list of red flags. And you know what.. this doesn't even include all the things that went wrong on their tours, the NYC baby shower, the Wimbledon debacle, the Archie reveal. There is so much more. I appreciate this submission. 

[sabraeal]

(don’t go) making something out of nothing, Part 2

Prologue | i. the first woman he ever loved

Yet another piece of @infinitelystrangemachinex‘s run away birthday fic; many thanks to @bubblesthemonsterartist​ and @claudeng80​ for beta’ing this chapter!

ii. the first to make his heart race

When all his mistakes are immortalized for posterity by one of those nosy little court historians, Zakura would like the record to show: the pharmacist isn’t his type.

She’s too tall for one; in her boots she stares him straight in the mouth. Her own quirks with that smug smile of hers, like it’s funny how unimpressive he isn’t. Too old too; at least five years on him, and the kind of person to lord it over a man all his days. Her hair frizzes, blonde kinks that he finds in his mouth, despite keeping his distance, and her face, nice as it is, tends more towards handsome than pretty. Strong; that’s what Her Majesty would say, if she were here.

And she’s got opinions to match.

“You’re heading up to Wirant, Highness?” she asks, glancing over her notes. His Prickishness is buttoning up his shirt, the pale porcelain of his doll-face uncharacteristically pink.

His stomach is clenched too, trying to make ridges where there’s only smooth boy-belly. By the cant of this woman’s mouth, she knows it.

“Yes. To visit my mother.” His Highness doesn’t grimace, but boy, does it look like he wishes he could. “For solstice. It’s an...event up there.”

“Oh, I know.” This time her big mouth spreads into a grin. Friendly, but not friendly. “I trained up there.”

The prince’s eyebrows raise, but only a seemly amount.The little bastard already knows. Clever. “At Lilias?”

Gazeld settles back into her hips, arms folding right under her chest. Doesn’t do her any favors, either. “Good guess.”

“It’s the finest institution in the country,” the kid says, with the kind of confidence belong to a much older man much-- one who could actually grow a beard. “With your skills, it would only make sense that you were an alumna of its hallowed halls.”

So this is how the other half flirts. Standards must be lower when the man could buy and sell countries with a blink. “I reckon you have places to be Your Highness. Documents to sign, plots to foil, that sort of thing.”

The prince turns to him, face utterly blank. With a year on the job, he knows it for the scowl it is. “Sir Zakura, I’m sure that--”

“No, no, don’t stay on my account.” Gazeld waves a hand, too amused. “I was only going to ask-- have room in your carriage for one more?”

“Has it been long since you’ve been north?” The prince crosses his legs, and gods, it’s like sharing a cab with a spider with how much of it he manages to take up. The kid’s barely seventeen.

“Who, me?” Zakura presses a hand to his jacket, buttons scraping at his palm. “Why, I’ve hardly even left--”

“I meant--” His Highness’s mouth sets thin as a blade beneath his nose-- “Mistress Gazeld.”

She darts a glance at him, like they’re somehow in on this joke together. “A handful of years, give or take. I keep up with a few friends.”

“I see.”

His Highness has an array of masks, each one with the proper expression for an empty-headed prince to wear in every circumstance, but now-- now his face twitches, as if he’s not quite sure which one he means to make. Zakura smothers a grin. Watching this jackass struggle to be human is a rare pleasure in this shithole of an assignment.

He settles, ultimately, on an inquisitive smile. “Is that who you are visiting?”

It doesn’t take a chessmaster to fill in what he won’t ask: for this solstice? And it certainly doesn’t take one to hear the thin thread of jealousy wound ‘round his words like a spindle, as if a woman Gazeld’s age would waste a strings-free kiss on a boy hardly old enough to find his ass with both hands, let alone his prick.

It’s almost enough to make Zakura pity him. Or at least, it would be if the kid wasn’t in the position to force the issue, should the mood strike him.

“Mm.” Gazeld watches him with interest-- not the kind a woman has for a man, but what a scholar has for a book unread. “Them, and your mother as well. Thought I might see if I can’t help with her castle allergy.”

Every inch of His Highness stiffens, and-- and Zakura’s seen all of his thirteen fake smiles, every single one of his twenty-seven princely masks but this, this studiously blank face is new. He doesn’t like it, not one bit.

“I see,” the prince says, like he’s talking around a mouth of glass. “Intriguing.”

It’s only his second solstice, but it’s already head and shoulders better than the first.

Zakura had heard that Wirant put out a good party-- not much else to do up here in the ass end of nowhere but throw an endless parade of soirees when the occasion called for it, really-- but he hasn’t seen it. Not with the country in the throes of mourning, and a queen with no use for laughter.

But this year; oh, this year-- there was no moratorium on merriment.

“You’re late,” grunts one of Arleon’s guards, a gruff little bulldog of a man. “Maybe I shouldn’t let you in.”

Zakura sighs, the guard at his back shifting, uncertain. A new recruit then, if he doesn’t know this old gem. “I’m a knight, Jirou. I arrive fashionably late.”

He wouldn’t have, if the royal prick hadn’t sent him out to do busywork; two weeks here, and today of all days is the one where the posts must be inspected. Not that the prince had deigned to come along, oh no-- he’d been snug here at the castle, primping, while he froze his tits off with the ugly sons of bitches Arleon sent out into the hinterlands.

Jirou grunts, the closest he comes to laugh without a few drinks in him, and the rookie eases. “Nothin’ about you that’s fashionable.”

He smooths a hand over the glittering buttons of his coat. “I’ll have you know, this is the very latest out of Wistal.”

“Hah.” The man leans back, taking him in. “You can put silk on a pig, but it don’t make it a princess. Sir.”

Zakura grins. “With that attitude, you’ll never make it pass Sargent.”

“Fine by me.”

Zakura could believe it; there are some men that are meant to be captains, to be leaders of men, but some-- some are born to sit just to the left of power, wryly reminding them of when they weren’t too big for their britches. Jirou’s one of them.

“Anything I should know going in there?” He rolls his shoulders, trying to get the mantle of knighthood to sit as easily on him as it does to the smug pricks born to it.

Jirou blinks. “Like what, sir?”

“Any trouble? People who have a habit of having a little too much and causing a ruckus?” He lets his mouth stretch into a leer. “Any pretty girls who might need a kiss come midnight?”

The guardsman scowls. “You’ve never had trouble finding any of those.”

Zakura’s not sure he’d be saying that if he knew who had been his partner last year. He grins anyway; he’s got a reputation to keep, after all. “Well, I’m short on time tonight.”

Jirou’s mouth twitches. “Better hurry up, then.”

He casts a worried glance into the hall. “There’s a lot of people.”

“It’s an auspicious year, sir.” Jirou’s grin says he’s enjoying this far too much. “Not one to miss.”

He blinks, brows raising as the man escorts him into the ballroom. “Why’s that?”

The guard tilts his chin toward a window. “Full moon. Happens once every twenty years, or summat. Some say it’s a blessing on the prince’s reign to come.”

Zakura hums. “Is that what you think, Jirou?”

“Hah. Me, sir?” He shrugs in the way men do when they don’t agree but like sleeping in their bed. Rumor had it he’d been married earlier this year. “I don’t know about all that. Work around too many of them scholars, you know? On their word, the heavens run like clockwork, and that’s good enough for me.”

Zakura claps him on the back. “Good man. Glad to see someone can keep their head about them.”

He moves past him, toward the glittering press beyond the archway, but--

“There’s another thing, sir.”

He cranes his chin just over his shoulder, and there it is again, that self-satisfied shine to Jirou’s eyes. “About the moon. They say whoever you kiss on a full solstice moon, you’ll kiss every one after.”

A grimace tugs at his mouth, stretching it thin. “I’ll keep my lips to myself then.”

Zakura means to keep that promise, he really does-- he may not put any stock in the sort of folktales they spread up here, closed in by the cold and the mountains, but the last thing he needs is to kiss a girl that does. He’s no prize catch in a court that boasts marquis and dukes among them, but here, where lords scrabble to hold onto counties and baronies, any man with a title is good enough. And if there is one thing he’s not looking for, it’s a wife. Especially a northern one.

He makes it two steps.

“Sir Zakura.” A clutch of pretty young debutantes crowd him, fluttering fans and eyelashes. “We’ve been waiting for you.”

Now there’s a question for the scholars: what if he’s kissing more than one girl at midnight? He’s got only a few minutes, after all, and if this whole thing is as fatefully binding as Jirou warned him, well, it’d be prudent to hedge his bets--

“Oh!” One of them turns, gaze slipping over his shoulder. “Is that the prince?”

The whole flock of them twists around to look, fans flapping faster. Zakura grits his teeth, and yeah, there the little prick is, strolling into this humble fete without a care in the world, Arleon’s youngest trailing behind him. He should have known; stories might talk of oysters or ambrosia, but there was no more potent aphrodisiac than a title. And oh, here was this pretty boy with the most arousing one.

Forgotten now that there is better quarry, Zakura slips back into the shadows. He’s used to this, watching that slippery bastard of a prince have everything handed to him on a platter, only to say he doesn’t like the taste. Even now his eyes are roving over the room, never resting, for all the world seeming like he’s searching--

Until he stops, short enough that the lords trailing in his wake nearly trip over him, his gaze fixed to the other end of the room. Zakura follows it, right down into the warren of drunken cardsharps play games with rules far too arcane for a simple man like him, and--

Ah, there she is. The pharmacist. He should have known.

She’s the only lady here tonight that’s not dressed to the nines, hoping to catch a convenient kiss. Instead, she’s wrapped up in Lilias blues & whites, the only formal wear most of those scholars own. His gaze drops further, and by every god, old and new, she’s wearing trousers beneath her tunic and cloak.

He’s got to bite his cheek looking at her, else he’ll laugh himself sick. This His Prickishness could have all the prettiest, glittering cunts in the world, but this is the one he wants to sink himself in.

Or at least, that’s what any normal, red-blooded man would be after. This boy, though-- he stands there, jaw the tiniest bit soft and hands clenched at his side, and stills.

Ah, his father should have trained him better. A soldier never hesitates.

Zakura pushes off the wall he’s decorating, rolling toward her in a loose-hipped swagger. “Mistress Gazeld.”

Her eyes dart to him, then over his shoulder, and when they return it’s with a smile on her lips. “Of course. Sir Zakura. To what do I owe this dubious pleasure?”

There’s a thousand pretty nothings that sprout from his mouth, but this woman isn’t a girl in her first season, ready to be wooed by pretty words. So he settles for the truth. “I didn’t think I’d see you here. Weren’t you supposed to be with those scholars you like so much?”

She hums, amused. It’s...an intriguing sound. Or at least it would be, if she couldn’t look him dead in the eye as she made it. “I was. But I had an appointment with Her Majesty. She insisted I stay.”

Zakura huffs out a laugh, leaning on the mantle beside her. “You don’t strike me as the sort who takes commands.”

“I don’t. She asked nicely.” Teeth flash behind her lips. “And I heard they imported scallops for some of the hors d’oeuvres.”

“How mercenary of you.” He lets his mouth widen into a grin. “I approve.”

“Oh,” she coos, mouth twitching at the corners. “Just what I’ve always wanted: a man’s approval.”

Ah, perhaps that was not his best thrust. He leans back the barest bit, and gathers himself for the next engagement. “I trust Her Majesty is well?”

“As well as she looks.” Gazeld’s eyes soften as she speaks. Zakura smothers a smile-- the best way into a healer’s good graces is always through her patients.

“And her...unique ailment?” It’s been years, but Castle allergy is still too ridiculous to say in an adult conversation where he plans on kissing at the end of it. “Anything to be done about that?”

Something in her expression changes-- closes, really; like a village toward a stranger after dark. “I’ve done what I can about the physical symptoms,” she says after a long moment, voice pitched low. “But I can’t do anything about...”

Her lips, thinner than he’s used to-- hell, she’s older than he’s used to too-- press together, a scar across her face as obvious as his own. Her eyes dart up to his, searching, and gods above, he doesn’t know what she finds there to make her say, “There’s nothing I can do for guilt.”

Zakura blinks. Guilt? What could--?

“That didn’t heal well,” she says suddenly, and he hardly knows what she means until she reaches out, brushing out over his nose. “I told you to take care of it.”

He stares down at her-- or across, really, but no one’s keeping count-- right into those strange eyes of her, nearly Wisteria blue in some lights and an intense violet in others--

And remembers thinking the same thing as he laid on his back, delirious with pain and not a little alcohol, as the pharmacist painstakingly stitched his skin back together.

“Fuck.” It’s all a little much-- the guilt, the suspicion, the memories-- and, when she opens her mouth to give him another dose--

The bells ring midnight.

Well, he had come here for a reason.

It should have been a joke. The “ha-ha” kind, where he lays one on her long enough for her to push away. Maybe even slap him if she needs to save face; scholars don’t kiss soldiers, after all. But no harm done; just a solstice kiss between two people who don’t belong here.

Instead, her fingers curl into the velvet of his cloak, hooking like talons around the brass of its pins. She tugs, sending him stumbling forward, hands hovering around her waist with the sort of wariness he shows mutts frothing at the mouth.

An odd thing to think, with hers covering his like this, tongue prying his lips open, and--

And, fuck him if this isn’t the kiss he meant to give. Not that he’s complaining.

Cheers kick up behind him, voices raised to meet the new day, and Zakura takes that as his cue to step back, to breathe.

He catches his hand only a moment before it touches his lips, sending it to lean along the mantle.

“Fair Solstice,” he manages, grin not quite fitting on his lips.

“Fair Solstice,” she agrees, mouth curling. “I have to admit, you did an admirable job, considering.”

Considering? Zakura frowns. Her gaze darts pointedly over his shoulder, and ah yes, there is His Highness, glowering at his back.

“But next time--” she leans in, mischief sparking in the mystery of her eyes-- “leave me out of your children’s games.”

“Ch-children?” Heat flares up the back of his neck. “I’ll have you know, I’m twenty--”

“Of course, of course.” She waves him off with a laugh. “But I’m sure you two can find a more obliging girl to squabble over.”

He doesn’t like the way the queen smiles at him over the rim of her cup, the dawn breaking behind her. “Dare I ask what you’ve done with my son?”

“He’s in his rooms,” Zakura replies, stilted. “Didn’t want to come down.”

Don’t ask why, he doesn’t say. There’s no point when Her Majesty’s already got that look in her eye; the one that says she might not have been there, but all the right people were.

“I see,” she hums, letting her cup settle back on its saucer. “Haki is quite a demanding dance partner, I hear.”

“Seemed a little young to be there tonight.” He scratches at his scar, nose aching in the morning chill. “She can’t be more than what? Thirteen?”

“Fourteen. Not out until next year, of course, but Arleon thought he might make an exception, since her dearest friend would be there tonight.” Her Majesty raises a brow. “Are you really going to hope I don’t know exactly what happened?”

“Ah--”

“Should I congratulate you on such a fine catch?” she asks, arch. “I know there were quite a few young men at Lilias hoping they’d catch such a magical moment with Mistress Garak tonight. After all--”

“It didn’t mean anything.” His hands fly up to ward off her well-wishes. “Just a bit of fun.”

“Oh, I knew exactly what it is, sir.” He chin tilts just so, the thin light of morning washing over her face. “I wish you wouldn’t make enemies of each other, when you would do so much better as allies.”

Zakura barks out a laugh; his scar pulls just enough to sting. “What does a prince get from a man like me? There’s any number of your sort who could do the job.”

“And all of them would stick a knife in his back for a handhold to the top.” Those eyes fall on him, deep and fathomless as the night sky fading above. “You two are more similar than you’d like to admit.”

“Is that so, Your Majesty?” Each word leaves his mouth on a whip’s crack. “A boy loses his father, and now we’re supposed to be--?”

“No.” Her mouth twitches; it’s the only warning he has before she replies, so mild, “Because you’re both stubborn fools.”

Well, there’s not much to say to that one, now is there.

“My son has been left a...complex legacy.” Her fingers smooth across the table’s linen. “There is no other man I would trust more to help him navigate it.”

Zakura’s never been a man to swallow down his words, not for thieves and not for kings, but when he opens his mouth to laugh, to scoff at what complex legacy the world’s richest boy could inherit--

He does. He takes one quick glance at Her Majesty’s face, and what’s there, what’s left behind from these two long years--

I’ve done what I can about the physical symptoms, but there’s nothing I can do for guilt--

Some deaths leave their own legacy on every one they leave behind.

“Well,” he coughs, squinting into the dawn, “how can I say no when the kissing’s so good.”

Her Majesty’s laugh bubbles from her, a force of nature, like water rushing through a stream. “I was under the impression that your kissing days are behind you. At least, the ones that don’t belong to Garak Gazeld.”

He snorts, turning toward the door as a footman enters, preparing to announce His Highness. “We’ll see about that.”

[1wishyouwould]

Emptiness. That’s all there was. A shadow lay across Sam’s world, only briefly lit by fire. Then smoke descended again. He didn’t know how long it had been since his brother had died yet he knew, some how it had be 6 weeks 5 hours and 43 minutes since the world come undone around him. The silence wasn’t the worst part, the wrong noises were. The humming of off key metallic riffs and whispered curses still lingered in the empty bunker.

Walking the halls turned out to be the newest way to pass the time, a new game if that was what it could be called. Walk as far as possible, to fall on the floor, unable to bare the weight of a world, without his brother in it.

It took him weeks to be able to go in to his room again, but the smell of old beer was almost as bad as the blood he could never quite wash off his hands. So walk in he did heart in his stomach, and a miracle at his side. He walked. Because he had too. So when he found a box under his brothers bed, Sammy written across it in the block letters of a child. He was taken aback. The lock on the front was old yet it had been recently unlocked by the lack of dust surrounding the key hole.

Searching around the room led to nothing but old pornos, and half stale pizza slices. Until he looked up from grasping underneath the bed, at a confused looking mutt, with an oddly shaped tag dangling from its collar.

Sitting up, and festering for the dog to come closer, he carefully pulled the collar over miracles head. Attached was a generic dog tag, and a single key. “Always loved your mysteries” a choked sob came out of his mouth, muffled slightly by a hurriedly rubbing at his eyes.

Leaning against the end of the bed, he inspected the lock and key. A perfect match. Fitting the key in he turned, pausing only to shift in to a more comfortable position. The inside was filled with papers, nicknacks and assorted bullet casings. One letter sat on top of the rest, that seemed to be the most resent. It was signed to him in deans haphazard script and sealed with red wax. Opening the seal reveled a letter dated a few days before his brothers death. A last gift perhaps. - - - Hey Sammy you and I both know I’m shit at saying my words out loud, and heaven forbid I actually admit to like or care about something. But the thing is Sammy I do care about three things in this world. You, my baby, and Cas. But it will always be you first, thats why I made this box Sammy, its for you my last gift to you. If i’m dead. And we both know id never let you read this if I was alive, I want you to know a few things.

First: Im waiting for you Sammy no matter where I am, I’m waiting for you. Cause your my stupid ass little brother and I’ll always need you. I cant be happy anywhere with out you in it.

Second: Take care of yourself, I know you. You learned one of my worst character flaws “everything is my fault” Its not Sammy I don’t care how I went it would never be your fault. Find Eileen stop hunting for a bit and just live. Just live Sammy. Be a human and get stuck in grocery lines for insane amounts of time or drive your kid to school. Just don’t name him John and your all good.

Third: cut your hair you look like a damn Sasquatch.

I don't know if I will have the time to write any more letters. And I’ve rewritten this letter so many times. So since this is the last one I wrote before my death then here’s what’s just happened. Cas is gone. The empty came for him. Bobby, Charlie and even the damn miracle dog, their all gone. As I sit here writing to you Lucifer and Michel are having th staring contest to end all staring contests. Because I might be too busy trying to save the world again, from God.

So, if this does end up being the last letter, I just want you to know that I was in a bad place before I started hunting with you. And you helped me. You helped me Sammy, we’ve lost so much since I walked in your door all those years ago. Even if you didn't know what I was talking about. You in your weird striped pant thingy, and a girlfriend. Being with you made me not feel alone.

Because I know there are people who will say our lives didn’t happen, tell those sons of bitches how awesome I was. And there are people who will forget what it’s like to be normal when they get dragged along on the journey of being a hunter. I know our lives will be stories someday. And our pictures will become old photographs.

And you’ll be somebody's dad, because I can’t imagine a time where I die without saving you. But right now, these moments are not stories. These are our lives, our crazy demon, angel, monster filled lives. This is happening. We’re here. And as I look at this world so beautiful. And so broken. But it was Home. It was our Home. You, me, jack and that wonderful angel, following each other from heaven to hell, and everywhere and everything in-between.

And in this moment, standing against God himself, with little to no chance to survive but sheer dumb Winchester logic and luck. I would swear on my own soul.

We are infinite.

So get up off your ass, we’ll see each other again. Death hasn’t ever been able to keep us apart, even if there’s a new reaper I doubt that will change. But don’t worry I’ve got my hand full waiting for you. And I for one cant wait to see Kevin, and Charlie’s faces.

And besides I’ve got an Angel to run after.

Love your brother, Dean

- - -

After The tears slowed down long enough to read the letter once, he read it again. And again. Until the words could be read when he closed his eyes. Picking himself up, and off the floor, he walked towards the door, pulling on one of deans larger jackets on. Making his way slowly through the bunker, the dog at his heels, a silent companion.

Packing himself in to the drivers seat of the impala. He drove. Past hills and mountains, through valleys and towns. The same old mixtapes playing on repeat. And so the stories rose up. The tale of a man, searching for a woman. Who would stop at nothing to find her.

Hunters gathered around fires, in kitchens, and anywhere more than three could sit long enough to hear the tale of the Winchester brothers. The boys not even death could separate. The avenging angel, who would always come when called. And if you were lucky enough to find someone who knew them you could count yourself lucky, as not many that did lived to tell their tale.

It took time. Several thousand contacts. And mile after mile of the same road. But find her, he did. In an old run down dinner outside Chesapeake she waited. Together, tears shed for the ones lost along the way, old pains were dulled and almost forgotten. Except green eyes. Those would forever remain. Burned like a hand print in Sam's mind.

They settled down, and for once Sam got to be on the other end of the job. Instead of protecting people with guns and swords. He protected people with warm hugs and tender words. This life came almost easily to him. The routine distracting him from the ghost of almost forgotten smiles.

When his time came there was no fuss. Just a hand holding his. Dean. His sun, his son. The light that had been extinguished by the passing of his brother had come roaring back with a passion with the birth of his son.

His son.

Those simple words brought him so much joy. But sam knew. He could feel it. The end was here, and he wondered what might have happened if he had given up on that empty bedroom floor.

“You can go Dad its ok”

- - -

“Bitch”

“Dean”

[jadekitty777]

See You Heal

Hey everyone, long time no update, right? Aha!

Alright time for something a little different but still sweet. This entry is a work entirely inspired by @ladyrobiness‘ beautiful Slow Sunrise series. I woke up one morning and the idea just hit me like a truck and well... I had to write it out.

This is a continuation to that series so, reading it first is absolutely required. But why wouldn’t you? It’s a beautiful Fix-It fic with lots of tender moments of healing for Qrow and Clover both along with them just falling in love like the adorable dorks they are <333

Here are the Ao3 links to both:

Robiness’ Story: Slow Sunrise series

My Story: See You Heal

It’s also below the cut!

Rating: K+

Pairing: Qrow/Clover

Word Count: 2800

Summary: Qrow knows ignoring the problem only makes it worse. Unfortunately, dealing with it has its own set of problems too.

~

Sometimes, Qrow wished his standard for dealing with shit wasn’t ‘‘Ignore it until it goes away’.

It didn’t work. He knew it didn’t work – and yet sometimes his traitorous brain thought: maybe this time it’ll be different. So, when the issue of Clover not liking anyone at his six came up, like a scroll that had been factory reset, he defaulted. Hoped in the most ironic ways that the problem would just fix itself or at the very least, never become a problem.

That was why, as he gusted through the air trying to spot the nearest nomadic settlement, all he could see instead was Clover’s dismayed expression.

Really, he only had himself to blame.

They’d been traveling through Vacuo’s unforgiving desert for hours. It was a six-day journey to reach Shade Academy, most of which they had to do on foot as no locals at the city border ever escorted anyone across the desert without a price. Though they’d gotten an early start, beginning their trek even before the sun had peaked the horizon, as the day waned the sands around them began to shimmer as the heat rose to unbearable heights. Add onto that an unstable ground that left them all unsteady on their feet, relentless winds that whipped sand along exposed skin and eyes, and the occasional Grimm or wildlife lying in wait for an attack, and it just seemed like a recipe for disaster.

So, when the Sidewinder Grimm leapt from the dunes they were walking across and struck out at Weiss, all but two of them either didn’t react fast enough, or stumbled when they tried. The first of the two that had was Clover, who had his fishing line around Weiss in an instant and yanked her his way. The second was Ruby, who sped above the field like a shot, petals and dust following her wake as she managed to get in the first blow.

Within seconds, the rest of them recovered and suddenly the snake had ten skilled opponents bearing down on it. It certainly wasn’t a long battle, but enough to get the adrenalin going. The kids seemed to take it as they saw it, realizing the threat was over once the smoke cleared. But more veteran huntsmen like himself kept on guard a little longer.

Or like Clover – who wasn’t expecting Jaune to come up behind him and give him a congratulatory pat on the back.

The reaction was instantaneous. Clover yelped as he twisted and swung Kingfisher right at the boy’s head.

The clang of metal hitting metal seemed to echo the world into silence.

Jaune, shield shadowing his face, looked tense and a little frightened.

Clover just looked horrified.

And then he was faltering back, dropping his weapon into the sand. “I’m- I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to- are you okay?!”

“I’m, fine.” Jaune answered a little shakily, trying to laugh it off. “I don’t think now is the time for a training exercise though.”

Clover tried to meet him, but his own chuckle rang hollow. “No. No it’s not.” He ran a hand agitatedly through his hair. “I really am sorry. I, I don’t know what came over me.”

“It’s too hot.” Weiss was the one to offer, turning the attention her way. “I’m having trouble too.”

It sounded logical. Believable. Of course the Atlesians weren’t accustomed to blistering heat like this and would be most likely to succumb to its’ effects.

Only Qrow knew the truth of the matter. Tried not to think how a desert wasn’t so unlike a tundra – open space, unsteady footing, extreme weather.

“We need to get out of this sun.” Blake decided.

Ruby nodded in agreement. “Right. Uncle Qrow, can you scout ahead and see if you can spot something?”

That’s how he ended up in the sky, canting in great big circles like a vulture and looking to every horizon as he tried to make out a camp or an outcropping or a cactus. Anything that might provide shade or water. It took a few cycles, increasing his radius at every turn, before finally managing to see several flutterings in the distance. Upon closer inspection, he knew it was the tarps of caravans, moving southwest. Which meant stable ground and civilization.

He dove back towards the group, morphing just shy of his landing. “Looks like someone’s on the move several miles that way. There’s probably a temporary camp nearby.”

Or if there wasn’t, there would be.

“Right, then let’s move.” Ruby ordered, turning to the robot beside her. “Penny maybe you can try and keep us cool in the meantime?”

“I will give it my best shot!”

Their conversation faded to background noise as his focus instead shifted to Clover who, for the first time since they’d begun traveling together, took lead instead of rear. A silent attempt to rebuild goodwill. But his posture was held straight, an unnatural rigidity to his movements.

Qrow joined him, not quite reaching for his hand, but allowing their knuckles to brush together. The effect was miniscule, but there, just the slightest drop of his shoulders as his face eased into a small, not-quite-there smile.

Okay. He could work with this.

~

It was funny how easy it was to trick a Vacuon when they thought they were the ones playing it. All it took was some altruistic speeches from the kids about wanting to help because that’s what huntsmen did and the words “free of charge” and suddenly they were traveling with a whole parade of people who thought they were getting protection for nothing. Which was mostly true – except of course, now they had a place to stay in and quicker way to the academy.

It also kept them busy, trading off shifts throughout the day to keep watch on their surroundings. Which meant it was almost two days later before he finally had a moment alone with Clover. The wayfarers who they were assisting had a strict habit of bearing down at the hottest part of the day to conserve resources and energy. With JNPR 2.0 on duty and RWBY helping with lunch, Qrow took the opportunity to retire to their makeshift quarters.

As he stepped into the tent, he found his segue into the conversation was going to be more on the nose then he’d planned for.

Clover was seated on one of the various sleeping mats, Harbinger in his lap as he tended to her gears. “Hey.” He greeted. “How’d scouting go?”

“Uh. Fine.”

Seeming to sense his unease, the huntsman paused, looking between him and the weapon. “Oh, sorry! I guess I should do this later.”

“No!” The word burst out of him, startling them both. Qrow cleared his throat, repeating more levelly, “No, it’s fine really. I told you to take care of her.”

To prove his statement, he took the few steps forward to sit directly across from him.

Clover eyed him skeptically for several long moments, perhaps trying to puzzle out if he was trying a backwards form of recovery or just talking big. He seemed to decide the former as he bent back over the sword. “Well, I’m glad you’re here. A lot of grit is getting in-between the gears. But I’m worried about messing up the mechanics.” He offered him a smile. “Harbinger’s really intricate. You did an amazing job.”

“Laying it on a little thick there, aren’t ya Ebi?” He scooted forward just a little, pointing to the correct parts as he spoke. “First loosen the spindle here. Then you can take out the suspension spring and remove this gear.”

They spent the next several minutes just going about the task. Even though he was guiding another’s hands through the motions, the work was so familiar it was relaxing. He even found it possible to keep hold of the small, easily lost pinions as they were removed. All the while, he studied Clover as he worked, the way his brow furrowed with deep concentration or how his strong hands never faltered as he took out each gear with care and reverence. As if the weapon was as cherished as his own.

“Last one.” Qrow announced as the fifth pinion was dropped into his palm.

“You know, before I really was praising you.” The smallest cog came out with a small pop, being added to the growing collection on the cloth Clover had laid out. He finished his statement with a mirthful smile, “But now I’ve determined you went too far.”

He snorted. “Sorry my sword-scythe-shotgun hybrid is a little more complicated than your basic fishing rod.”

He gasped in mock offense. “My darling may not have all your weapon’s fancy little tricks, but it gets the job done with just as much grace.”

“Oh, that’s what you call all that flailing around?”

“Watch it Branwen.”

“What? Am I-” The rest of his words ‘on thin ice’ died in his throat. “Uh-”

This time, Clover misinterpreted his floundering. “What, am I doing it wrong?”

He focused on where the other’s hands were, his own quickly reaching out to catch his, only to abort the motion just as quickly when his fingertips skimmed Harbinger’s surface. That Clover noticed.

He ran the same hand over the back of his neck. “Uh, don’t remove that unless you want her coming apart completely.”

“Alright.” Clover lifted his hand from the center plate obediently. “Are you doing okay or should we stop?”

Dropping the pinions onto the cloth beside the other parts, he tried not to let it feel like too much of a failure. “Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”

“Why would I be uncomfortable?” He replied with a frown.

Qrow stared. Was he being serious right now? “You’re kidding. If anything you should be more repelled to be holding her than me.”

“But I’m not. I never have been.”

The frustration broke over like a wave so that his next words flooded out like a tide of turbulent emotions, “Why not? You’re the one who got hurt! Why is it so easy for you?!”

No, no. Shut up.

He slouched over, scrabbling hands through his hair, tugging at the ends as if it would ground him back to the present.

This was going all wrong. He wasn’t supposed to be getting angry.

“I-I mean-” He started to say.

Clover cut him off. “Have you ever considered things were different from my perspective?”

He blinked. Looked up. “What?”

The other huntsman’s gaze drifted, falling down to the blade still in his lap. He ran his palm along the surface. “I never saw it. Or if I did, my mind’s blocked it out. I… remember pain. How hard it was to breathe. But as far as anything I saw in that moment? All I can think of is gray. A dark gray, almost black, but kind of green too?”

Qrow frowned, trying to piece that together. Atlas wasn’t exactly known for its abundance of greenery. The only green thing he could think of was Clover’s own pin. Maybe it was just his body going into shock, making him see things that weren’t actually there.

“Either way,” He continued, idly tracing the intricate patterns embedded in the sword’s metal. “What I’m getting at is, the only reason I know this was the weapon that struck me is because I was told it was. To me, it’s kind of removed from the whole event.” His movements stopped, that same dismayed look from several days ago clouding his features. “Instead, I have other problems.”

Seemed like they were going to have that conversation after all. “Like what happened with Jaune.”

“Yeah. I hadn’t meant to attack him. I just thought…” Clover slumped, trailing off.

“That he was someone else. I know.” Qrow said in the space left behind. “Known for awhile, actually. I knew it was an issue, but I hadn’t said anything. Tch. I should of. Maybe then-”

A flick to his forehead had him jerking back.

“Stop.” Clover’s fingers soothed over the spot, sliding down along the contours of his face to cup his jaw. “You’re not responsible for my problems Qrow. It’s my job to acknowledge them and ask for help if I need it.”

There was a lot of things he thought to say, the most prominent being how Clover never seemed to have an issue laser focusing on Qrow’s problems and addressing them (though, to be fair, those results didn’t always pan out) – but what he finally decided on saying was, “Do you need help?”

Teal eyes went wide and he drew back. The look on his face, vulnerable and lost, was heartbreaking. “I, uh. I don’t know.”

“Would you like to try something?” He pressed on gently.

“Like what?”

“An exercise.” He waved towards Harbinger. “Set her aside and take off your shirt – Don’t smile like that, I’m not gonna do anything lecherous.”

Clover laughed. “Ah, there goes all my hopes and dreams.” Still, he did as commanded, laying the blade to his left before peeling off the green shirt he wore.

Qrow managed not to stare at the metal plating built into the center of his chest, stitching his body together like a broken doll. Instead he reached forward, undoing the red bandanna around the man’s arm – one of the only things he’d kept of his old uniform, besides the boots – and tied the cloth around his eyes instead.

“Uh, Qrow?” Now blind, Clover sounded a lot more uncertain.

He ran a hand through short brown locks. “When I used to teach, I would do this with the students.”

“Lot to unpack with that statement.” He was barely containing a laugh.

It was his turn to flick him. “Shut it and listen.” He got to his feet, speaking as he rounded the other. “It was usually for typical stuff. Figuring out what movements they knew by reflex and what they needed to work on. Keeping an ear on their surroundings when their eyes can’t. But sometimes,” He stopped directly behind him. “It was to help break bad habits.”

Clover was already tense. “Really?”

“Ruby’s footwork used to be terrible. Got worse when she discovered her semblance – she was tumbling all over the place. Taking away her sight made her focus harder on every step she made. Made her more aware of everything she was doing.” Qrow reached out, fingertips brushing along the base of Clover’s neck, the skin shuddering under his touch. “That’s what I want you to do. Focus on the way your body reacts and correct it.”

“This… seems a little unconventional.”

He knelt down behind him. “Sometimes it’s the unconventional methods that work. Now,” He laid his palm flat along metalwork layered over his spine, hearing the sharp inhale. “Let’s get started.”

~

Qrow couldn’t say for how long, exactly, the exercise went on for – but it was certainly not as long as he would have kept one of his students at it. Where he’d push them to continue even just a minute longer, he was more willing to pull back with the brunette, knowing this was taking a mental toll along with the physical one. So, when he noticed Clover’s efforts were turning to frustration, he was quick to call for a break, offering that maybe they could finish up with Harbinger in the interim.

Clover, stubborn man he was, didn’t want to quit entirely though.

That was how they ended up sitting back to back as Qrow polished off the gears and pins and Clover set them into place.

Healing takes many forms, Qrow mused as he handed over the third cog and reached for the next, the anxiety he normally felt completely, blissfully absent.

Felt the stretch of muscles against his own as Clover worked, his erratic breathing and shakes having steadied a while ago.

One day, he hoped they could come out of this without their demons controlling them.

Yet, he knew recovery was a difficult, haphazard mess of a journey; so that day was in a future he still couldn’t quite discern, no matter how hard he looked.

Not that he could say he was surprised. His life had never been simple and that track record wasn’t going to let up a four decades’ long streak so easily – but, for once, he wouldn’t have it any other way.

For the one brightness he could see in all this was right behind him.

Qrow slid down, just enough to rest his ear against the metal along Clover’s back, the reassuring thump-thump-thump of his heart a gift he’d never waste.

For it beat with the promise that he was here.

He was alive.

And, Qrow recklessly dared to believe, he was his.

Another gift he’d never waste.

A devotion he’d never dishonor.

A love he’d forever hold onto.

[sagittariusboyfriend]

im gonna do a "how i see the signs" as well!!

traditionally masculine aries: a force of creativity. oftentimes politically correct. very friendly and easy to talk to, but will shift in temper and energy depending on whether or not he is in focus. musically inclined.

traditionally feminine aries: also a force of creativity. a kind of jittery energy that cant really be contained. might go up and down in volume a lot depending on social context but is always bursting to have a conversation. very awake and with fire in her eyes. openminded and wouldnt hurt a fly. artistically inclined.

trad. masc taurus: ugh horrible. forcefully straight forward, blunt in an unsensitive way, not that good at picking up on social cues because he is convinced of his reality. might be pompous and pretentious, even bitter. the flip side of venusian traits - pretty uncharming. snarky. way better at group/professional relationships than personal relationships. assertive in the workplace and is doing his job better than anyone else could.

trad. fem taurus: intelligent and an intellectual. sensual, assertive, has such a presence that people are in awe most of the time. might be pretentious but its actually genuine and doesnt come off as a negative trait. powerful.

trad. masc gemini: ahh gemini. witty, quick, reactive. genuine, but in short bursts. his intuition is based upon HOW he feels at any given moment, however he has no clue WHAT he feels. scared of emotions. might have a tendency to gaslight. obviously prone to communication and loves learning from history, but has a hard time seeing the bigger picture over the details. small things make or break him... for a week or so. then its forgotten, until something stirs it up 6 months later, and his emotions are all over the place; its like they get tossed up in the air and love might stick to the ceiling and pride to the wall and fear to that person over there and he has no idea where to start to assemble. charmingly childish, prone to grumpyness. social artisan regardless of controversial values or not. needs constant intellectual stimuli.

trad. fem gemini: does not need romantic relationships to feel like a complete person! prefers friendships over love relationships, and can usually pick and choose between lovers if on a romantic whim. not always even interested in shacking up with anyone, makes a happy independent single household. that "fun" friend. self-confident, quick, witty, might have a sharp tongue. absolutely excels in social situations and knows everyone in one way or another, and everyone knows of her in one way or another. prone to ghosting people for weeks because she simply forgets to respond. loses focus easily. probably works in sales. might come across as not so complex to other people.

trad. masc cancer: sweet, charming in a wholesome way. in tune with himself. intuitive and embraces and encourages talking about feelings. oftentimes very politically correct. might live somewhat of a fake life in the sense that he IS a family man, but cant help himself from wanting dirty, promiscuous sex for many hours with many random people. giving and generous - in every sense. probably does a lot of philantrophy or volonteers.

trad. fem cancer: reserved. exudes feminine energy, almost to a point that she is not comfortable with herself. very very sweet, just wants everyone to be okay. will disappear and reappear in social circles and no one will know where she has been, but theres an air of mystery to it and no one dares to ask. might be some kind of red preistess lol.

trad. masc leo: loyal, as long as he doesnt feel in the slightest that he has been made a fool of. very strong integrity, but an integrity that is based on image. easily approached, the nicest person in the room and will include and respect everyone. generous and genuinely loves anyone who does not come off as harmful, and will give you his last money if he feels you need it more. works hard to feel safe. creative in what he thinks is a funky way, but its actually pretty mainstream.

trad. fem leo: also honest, hard-working and loyal. integrity is also important. creative in traditionally artistic ways, like photography or drawing. has a natural authority but is the sweetest person and will NOT abuse it. very passionate about peoples equal value, doesnt really have a flare for drama at all, just wants to be stimulated. when she loves she loves with every fiber of her being and being affirmed by her partner is imperative to self-worth.

trad. masc virgo: retains information like a motherfucker! man, what a chattery bloke. an earth sign ruled by mercury makes the most, i think, well-rounded PR personality. gemini can frick off when it comes to arguments because trad. masc virgo WILL shut you down. he serves facts and will probably be a tad manipulative about it, but will also admit to it. doesnt really wait to run you over or quip back, and then just stares at you blankly as if he is waiting for a response. witty and warm like a sun to his closest, will make jabs and is cold like granite to people he doesnt like. might however have some ego issues.

trad. fem virgo: pretty much exactly like trad. masc virgo, only retains a certain jovial energy and a strong sense of nurturing and dicipline. very funny! authoritarian.

trad. masc libra: might come across as very calm and even meek at times. everyone likes him, no one dislikes him, but he isnt a big personality. nice and sweet and always positive. comfortable in the background as the glue that keeps groups together. not very verbally communicative, but ingenious when he channels his communication through music or art. wants to be appreciated and very much is. pretty private, but everyones friend.

trad. fem libra: full of the good venusian traits. loves love, loves good food, loves yoga, loves pampering herself and others. the best hostess you have ever met. has a hard time deciding on things and will make herself suffer through qualms and trials for days for something that, for anyone else, could have been decided within a couple of minutes. somewhat of a perfectionist. spiritual. gets along with everyone. very into female impowerment.

trad. masc scorpio: kind of rude, but smart. he doesnt know where it comes from, but his subconscious intuition oftentimes leads him to hidden truths, whether they are pleasant or not. might be the jealous type. can just trust his gut and will know exactly what is going on behind closed doors. intelligent in a very abstract way. might come across as always ready to strike just in case someone thinks they are better than him in any way.

trad. fem scorpio: does not show emotion easily. is very intelligent and knows how to lead a conversation where she wants it. inquisitive, literally opens her entire mind for you when you sit down one-on-one. not for anyone to enter, but for her to use ON you, and will analyze your behaviors to the core and dig around in there. make you see things from perspectives youve never even thought about. this could be used for bad, but usually its used for your own good because insight and truth, darkness into light is what she is after. intense. low key passionate. a great person to brainstorm with. excudes sultryness, but almost like a perfume, an illusion, mostly because people become so mesmerized with her psychological skill that they immediately figure she is coming on to them. powerful socially. doesnt want nor need drama, the quest for truth just gets ruthless sometimes. loyal if you dont mess with her integrity. unlike leo, her integrity is based on conscious and subconscious intuition. not into practical things in general. does not care for high morals.

trad. masc sagittarius: good at everything on the first try but gets bored easily, even depressed when forced into routine. diplomacy is important, so is personal freedom. a charismatic positive personality that shines bright and has an almost gravitational pull because of it. wants to be valued for his brain and generosity of free, non-traditional love and insight. learning is everything. the bigger picture is everything; abstract concepts that you can translate and cross-reference to different doctrines and schools and philosophies. on an eternal quest for knowledge in all situations, be it emotional or practical. "why do things work like this?" he asks and is genuinely excited to hear your and everyone elses reasoning. his goal in life is to get to know himself through others and to find firey partners to come along for the ride and share the fun. loathes drama, wants everyone to be accepting. optimistic. might be the guy many fall in love with but who is completely oblivious to it because he has his mind set on other things.

trad. fem sagittarius: very much like trad. masc sagittarius. also fierce, takes no shit, the life of the party, everyones instant friend and a BIG personality. equality is very important!

trad. masc capricorn: attractive, cold, sexual. on the grind, because everything works against him either way so he might as well work hard and overcome. dry humor and a smug smile, vicious eyes. but tender and fragile once you get to know him. so used to being the underdog in his own head that he hasnt realized everyone sees him as the leader. doesnt realize people follow him. doesnt care. is just and stern. is not afraid of delivering harsh truths, can shut you down with a look.

trad. fem capricorn: leads with silence. not because of shyness at all, its just a demeanor that comes naturally. although may have been shy when young, simply because of society. exudes power, unknowingly or knowlingly. intimidating and stylish as fuck. eloquent. uniformity is a keyword for everything. has learnt the hard way. hilarious dark humor. prefers respect to spectacle. is a force to be reckoned with and gains pretty much everyones respect.

trad. masc aquarius: might have a hard time deciding about personal freedom, what is and what isnt. contemplative, insightful, the least traditional of traditional men. high EQ, might prefer polyamorous relationships, almost lacks jealousy. tall and slender. very much capable of seeing through all points of view and will speak rationally. rarely gets heated in discussion because he just doesnt see the point in being reactive.

trad. fem aquarius: a higher being. high octave intuition; the person with the highest EQ youve ever met in your life. new insights with every breath. does NOT care for tradition, usually only indulges in the bare minimum of tradition to move about unnoticed in society as the penultimate alien being they are. she has an entirely different kind of mind that seems so complex and effortless at the same time, and her knowledge and ingenuity could change the world - if it was only ready for it. finds solutions to everything. altruistic. optimistic. so wise and so rebelliously young at the same time. manages to care for everyone and everything all the time. truly wondrous.

trad. masc pisces: an academic. a sensitive guy. highly philosophical, in its scholastic form. makes a good teacher of abstract concepts. always searching within himself first before speaking. interested in history and the human mind. constantly battles with feelings of not being good enough but always comes out as more and better than expected. probably very introvert.

trad. fem pisces: witchy. dreamy. some kind of seer. needs quite some time to process emotional impacts. has a tendency to mimick peoples traits and quirks without knowing it. very emotional, highly sensitive. very impressionable. open to and thirsty for new ways to make sense of all these emotional impacts, but might change ideologies and/or trim her sails to the current wind. conflicting subconscious emotional forces at play all the time which leads to a lot of self-doubt. not necessarily introvert, but introspective.

[pandylovepost]

what are your headcanons for andy and panchos relationships with the other characters in the kingdom? ❤❤❤ I love your blog!!

ohhh i love this question & tysm!! 🧡

it ended up being rlly long so here’s the cut ;)

Pancho

•Julien; Julien is like a brother or cousin to Pancho! He trusts the king more than anything after Julien basically saved .. well himself, but also him. any scheme Julien comes up with that he knows Maurice wouldnt approve of, he’ll go to pancho

•Maurice; maurice has a kind of wary vibe around Pancho ever since Pancho suggested eating him on the sub in exiled. he’s suspicious of him mainly because he wants to protect Julien tho, & he cant shake that Pancho is (or was) a sleeper agent programmed with the sole purpose of killing his best friend so

•Clover: Pancho is kinda cautious around clover since she’s always round the corner ready to bust him & Andy’s schemes. when it comes down to it they DO work together as they aknowledge each others skillsets. literally pancho is the only lemur (from the kingdom) who’s beaten Clover in combat. just once though.

•Mort; Pancho just......aknowlegdes his existance. he’s there i guess. doesn’t find mort as terrifying & creepy as the average citizen but Panch has probably seen worse. or he just doesn’t care. mort also does crimes so theyre just aware of each other.

•Becca & Abner; he’s kinda friends with them cus Andy’s friends with them. he goes round to deliver them stuff sometimes like moonshine or weapons from Andy. He probably shouldn’t pay too much attention to their government conspiracy theories though, they tend to really freak his paranoid ass out

•Timo; Timo is scared of Pancho or at least wary. He admittadly would like to study him tho & Panch is often a great help to him doing manual labour for any of Timo’s big projects

•Masikura; she mindmelded with him once & swore never again. she just doesn’t wanna know.

•Ted; Ted has a lil crush on Pancho (he’s one of Ted’s many crushes) & Panch will lightly flirt with him sometimes when he’s in the mood to. Pancho will bicker & grouch with him but they are really tight friends especially after their time together during exiled.

•Dorothy; at first she saw Pancho as this ideal bad boy type, but then realised how bad he smells cus he hates bathing. She’ll offer him tea like she does with everyone & (begrudingly often) lets him crash with her & Ted when they all stumble back drunk after a night out. Literally her & Ted both just have a mutual crush on Pancho is that not canon though

•Willie; despite being mean to Willie like EVERYONE ELSE IS Pancho and Willie are quite good friends. He’ll go stay with him whenever he’s worried about something cus he knows Willie will understand. sometime’s he’s too panicky for Pancho to be around though cus it sets him off

•Hector; I WANT THEM TO BOND OVER MILITARY HARDSHIPS & EXPERIENCE I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL & HEALING FOR THE BOTH OF THEM! I should write about this sometime..........

•Horst; the DJ friend who he can always have a crazy sesh with; they actually get along pretty good. except when Pancho’s out here stealing his bolos. Like with everyone, Horst just rambles to Pancho when he’s drunk.

•Tammy, Butterfish & Todd; no real connection to them besides that him & Butterfish will often do the same jobs. They usually just make casual work chat. Tammy thinks Pancho is posessed by demons but he doesn’t let that phase him.

•Karl: he’s not rlly a “kingdom citizen” but he’s about there enough so. anyway Pancho just doesn’t treat Karl like the evil genius villain he portrays at all, since Pancho’s own morality is in the grey area, which kinda infuriates Karl that Pancho just talks to him like hes a normal person. he wants Julien’s people to FEAR HIM!!

•Dr. S; Absolutely not. they don’t even really have a friendship of any kind & Pancho is terrified of going to see the doctor as Dr. S literally experiments on lemurs...he’s not about that after what happened with the previous king.......Andy often has to drag him to the hospital kicking & biting to get him to go to checkups

•Nurse Phantom; u know what they’ve never interacted in canon but I think Nurse Phantom senses how troubled & anxious he is & takes a lot of time to talk to Pancho like if ever Andy or anyone else manages to drag him to the hospital, Rob will hold his hand if it comes to it; he goes into major helpful mode like offering him fruit & telling him he’s gonna be alright. He’ll also scold him for getting into so many dangerous scrapes & tells him he’s gotta look after himself!

Andy

•Julien; for some reason Julien just refuses to exile him even after all the bad shit he’s done BUT i think that’s because Andy is overall helpful to him like he ignores all the weirdness for example when they walked in on him & that rat holding a body wrapped in leaves because hey! we need tropheys Andy fast! thats the issue here!! perhaps its Julien’s awful adhd memory though & he just genuinely forgets. Julien is close with Pancho of course so Andy’s been round to the plane for parties & dinner as Pancho’s +1 of sorts— heck even he can be “polite” when he has to be.

•Maurice; Momo hates him. hates him hates him theres no turning back. i mean its hard not to when most of the citizens suffer from rediculous lemur stupidity & ur the only one who can see through this bat when he’s just standing there chatting shit. Very suspicious of Andy— plus he just thinks he’s creepy

•clover; LMAO bUT .....like obviously she hates him for good reason. but i do have this hc that’s way too long to write out that after Julien, Maurice & Mort literally fucked off to go with the zoosters in madagascar 2 Clover was literally responsible for two kingdoms cus she couldnt just leave them with a gecko in charge. I just want some situation where theres a proper twist & Andy ends up mellowing the hell out & actually being useful to her & the kingdom...he has skills but he uses them for nefarious reasons. She’d probably save his life somehow in the post-Julien chaos & he’d b like....”why would YOU of all people save ME?” n she’d b like... “well you are technically a citizen of this kingdom and ....i’ve gotta make sure you’re ALL safe for when ..... if King Julien ever gets back.....”

•mort; ??? sometimes theyre legit business partners. Mort can get in on a good scam. that second rub’s gonna cost ya. theyve probably been in the same prison before at one point. Mort’s so old.

•Becca & Abner; his fellow anti-establishment pals!! he doesn’t fully believe all of their ideas & theories but he loves em cus they’ll always buy self defence scorps off him. They get along & they drink a lot together by the stagnant watering hole. they’ve seen Andy in horrible states; all 3 of them are an idiot squad when theyre together. Becca & Andy argue a lot cus even she thinks some of the things he says are wack sometimes

•Timo; i have this hc that Timo, Andy & Karl knew each other when they were kids they kinda bonded together during school cus they were three non-lemur losers who got bullied for their eccentricity & varying levels of intelligence. Timo will sometimes go to Andy for stuff but he is his last resort really

•Masikura; probably mindmelded with him once & just saw a vision of him daydreaming about being kissed by Pancho & since then she was like. “Im not scared of the bird demon he’s just a big softie. where is my shipment of “ect” for my tea, that bird demon’s late again—“

•Ted; Ted is such an easy mark he can sell almost anything to him if he’s cheery enough. Helps that Ted thinks he’s really cute so Andy can just easily sweet talk him into buying whatever dodgy product he’s got at the moment. he knows & interacts with Ted mainly through Pancho being his friend!

•Dorothy; rlly wild hc actually that Dorothy used to be a propper crime don before she settled down with Ted— or when Ted was shifting into Snake more frequently back in the day for whatever reason—so Andy knows her from the criminal underworld. Cus of this he’s very respectful towards her... he’s seen what she’s capable of

•Willie; Andy could walk round the corner with his wings outstretched & say “boo” & Willie would pass out from shock. He’s also very easy for Andy to sell to- his fearmongering really works on Willie he’s very suseptable to it

•Hector; Hector doesn’t take any of Andy’s crap he’d probably just hit him with a broom if he came round his hut to sell him dodgy hand cream honestly

•Horst; Andy keeps him topped up with a steady supply of beverages...........Horst will actually sometimes ask him & Pancho for help with importing various new vinyl records

•Tammy, Butterfish & Todd; that family buys a LOT of product off him since they’re just typical americans basically he finds it rlly easy & reliable to sell stuff like drinks & toys to them. Tammy kinda hates Andy though & like Pancho, thinks he’s a demon. Doesn’t help that Mort nicknamed him “bird demon”.

•Karl; like with Timo i hc he knew him when they were in highschool—! Karl found Andy infuriating & so annoying though & didn’t consider him a friend at all. a lot of his early lazer guns were born from Karl’s growing need to shoot Andy out of the sky cus he’d fly up to get out of reach of his claws when he’d annoyed him.

•Dr. S; i hc that Andy and Dr.S are business or trading partners of sorts but they keep it very lowkey. Andy probably handles hits and the crazy snake doctor requires bodies and “test subjects” for his manic experiments. Andy is the perfect guy for the job! When Nurse Phantom is unable, Andy will hide the evidence of Dr.S’ malpractice for a reasonable fee, of course. He dislikes going to checkups himself though— he doesn’t like people knowing too much about him! Plus Dr.S always “””jokes””” about “””studying””” him because he finds the fact Andy is a flying mammal facinating & talks about using Andy’s wings to create a frankenstein flying lemur.

•Nurse Phantom; Rob just lectures him about being reckless & getting into fights everytime he sees him. Kinda the same as Dr. S really, but he does tell him like.. Hey I used to be pretty mean & put people in danger too. And that there’s always time to turn another leaf. Andy usually just scoffs, collects his paycheck, & leaves.

[angrylizardjacket]

ask your destiny to dance [2] {Roger Taylor}

[masterpost]

“So what do you think?” Freddie’s eyes are shining when he accosts Ash on her way back from the bathroom. Giving a gentle shove, she weaves through the crowd, picking up various empty glasses scattered about the room while there’s a lull between sets.

“Yeah they go pretty alright.” She concedes, pretending like she didn’t have Doing Alright’s harmony running through her mind. That seemed to sate Freddie well enough, and he followed along behind her, picking up a few glasses here and there before she headed back to the bar.

“Hey, Pocket Rocket,” the way the nickname is said makes Ash’s hair stand up on the back of her neck, and she fixed her best ‘customer service’ smile on her face. Roger’s grinning back at her, almost completely ignoring Freddie, who turned sharply to Ash and mouthed the nickname at her with raised eyebrows. His incredulity, which she catches out of the corner of her eye, still making unwavering eye contact with Roger, makes her sharply professional smile crack as she represses a genuine grin. 

“Yes, Roger? Can I help you?” Voice sweet, she sees Freddie’s eyes widen even further, if it were possible, recognising the poison in her voice from a mile away.

“Me and the boys are about to start our next set, could I grab some beers?” There was nothing innocuous in his words, and he kept his gaze focused on hers, but he’s grinning like it’s a challenge. She doesn’t back down.

“Of course.” She sets about her work, grabbing three bottles from the refrigerator behind the bar, uncapping them, and handing them over. His fingers brush against hers where he’s quick to pick them up, and Ash retracts her hand like his touch burns. “Well, if you need anything else-” Tone chipper, she’s quick to fold her hands behind her back, bouncing quickly on the balls of her feet.

“I know where to find you.” Roger agrees, his gaze lingering just a little too long on the tightness of her smile before turning away.

“You guys are playing really well, tonight.” Freddie adds, and Ash chuckles at his earnestness, the sound fond and sincere where she were artificially bright only moments ago.

“Yeah, thanks mate.” Roger looks over his shoulder, her soft, genuine laughter catching him off guard, but she’d moved to start washing up the glasses she and Freddie had collected. 

As soon as Roger had gone, Freddie rapped his knuckles against the bar top to get her attention, practically bursting with questions. With the band starting up, however, she can barely hear him over the buzz of the music and the crowd, and so she offer to take her break early. Waving off her offer, Freddie seems far more content listening to the music, but she knows that he’d bombard her with questions at the next given opportunity. 

By the time the last set is winding up, Freddie’s had to head home, like Cinderella before the strike of midnight, and a lot of the crowd had dispersed. 

“You boys did such a good job.” Maureen’s voice carries over from where she’s uncapping three bottles of beer for the guitarist. Ash, tries not to eavesdrop, but Maureen’s speaking loud enough so he can hear her across the bar, over the jukebox.

“Yeah, we’ve never really played here before, what made you guys try and find us?” Brian, leaning against the bar, takes a sip of his own beer, letting the other two sit patiently beside him, getting gradually warmer. 

“Ash is the one who asked, actually.” As soon as she hears her name come from Maureen’s mouth, Ash freezes. “Yeah, apparently her little friend is a fan.” And there’s a fond note in her voice that has Ash smiling abashedly.

“He around? Should thank him for getting us a gig.” Brian’s smile is bright as he turns, gaze roving over the crowd, though Ash joins them, grinning faintly.

“I think you’re talking about Freddie; he’s left.” And at the sound of her voice, Brian’s turning back, though Ash’s attention shifts to Maureen. “’Reen, I’m gonna have a smoke, can you manage this lot for ten minutes?” Grinning, she doesn’t even need to cast her gaze around the bar to know that everyone at the bar was too busy fawning over Tim, the singer, to be bothered to order much.

“I think I can manage, my little Pocket Rocket.” Maureen ruffles her hair, stepping out of the way as Ash went to swat at her, making a beeline for the back door.

“Ash, could you do us a favour?” Calling out after her, Brian holds out one of the beers as she turns back with a half smile. “Rog is out by the van, can you take this to him?” After a beat of hesitation, she forced a smile on her face and took the beer, heading much slower towards the back door.

He’s sitting in the open back of his van, leaning against the side door, wearing shorts that exposed way too much of his thigh. He’s got one leg hanging down to the ground while the other was drawn up to him, where he’s propped his hand which held a gently smoking cigarette. His head was leaning back, his eyes closed, and after a beat of watching him, so relaxed, taking a moment in the cool night air, Ash watches him exhale a lung full of smoke, watches the smoke turn rose gold in the glow of the streetlight. There was something pretty, even calming, about the sight, his aura of easy confidence apparent even without his usual posturing.

“This is yours.” Breaking the silence, Ash steps from the back doorway, onto the gravel of the back car park, letting the door swing closed behind herself. He doesn’t start when he hears her, just cracks open his eyes and gives her a once over, eyes zeroing in on the beer. Neither of them move for a long moment, and then he’s turning, grinning at her as he legs hung over the edge of the back of the van, holding out a hand for the drink.

“Thanks, love.” The crunch of the gravel sounds so loud in the silence created by the closed door. Once he has the beer, she’s moving back to the door, pulling one of the crates from the stack by the bins, and sitting on top of it, patting down her pockets. Part of her knows he’s watching, curious, possibly a little amused, watching as she finally pulled out a pack of smokes and lit one, stashing both the remaining smokes and her lighter in her back pocket.

“Where’s Pocket Rocket come from?” Roger’s the one who breaks the silence. Ash looks like she’s trying to melt into the brick wall, head back, shoulders loose, heels resting in the gravel where she’s got her legs straight out in front of her. Smoke drifts from her lips, eyes looking up at the stars, and at first she doesn’t answer him, he thinks perhaps she didn’t hear him, and he opens his mouth, but she speaks over the top of him.

“Me or the nickname?” Unsmiling, she digs her heels further into the gravel, listening to the stones shift against one another. Roger takes a long draft from his cigarette, gaze wandering across the back of the building, along the parking lot that was mostly empty, save for the staff cars.

“Surprise me.” He finally says, and Ash makes a noise in the back of her throat that he can’t identify, though it does sound a little amused, but not necessarily in a good way.

“Why?” She snorts, finally looking at him, smiling sharp and uncooperative.

“Why what?” He asks, frown creasing his brow, and her smile widens.

“Surprise me.” It’s a challenge not an answer, and he knows he met her a few hours ago, but he thinks her grin has turned a little more genuine, a little more playful. Or maybe he’s imagining things. Either way, he finally looks away, goes back to leaning against the inside of the van with one leg up, looking up at the sky.

“I’m just trying to make conversation, aren’t I? We’re probably going to be working together again, after all.” He lets himself smile at her snort of amusement, or perhaps derision, but continues anyways. “Fine; you first, then the nickname.” 

For a long time, Ash is quiet, watching him, trying to discern his intentions, and he waits patiently for her to respond, sipping his beer, flicking his ashes onto the gravel.

“Fife.” After a beat, she sighs, knowing before he even opens his mouth that he has no idea where that is. “Northern Scotland.”

“Hence the accent,” Roger muses, squinting up at the sky.

“Hence the accent.” she agreed, taking a moment to breathe in another lung full of smoke and lean back against the wall of the pub, joining him in his stargazing. “And I’m Pocket Rocket because I am.” It takes a long moment for her words to sink in, Roger flicking his cigarette butt away.

“That’s not an answer.” He scoffs, and Ash makes a hum of agreement, cigarette hanging from her lips as she pulls out her notebook. Her answer was incomprehensible to him as she spoke both through her accent and around the cigarette between her lips. “What?” He actually turned to her, brow furrowed, trying to decipher what she’d actually said. After a beat, and without looking up from her work, she takes the cigarette out and breathes out.

“‘s not like I owe you my origin story.” The way she drew out her annunciations made Roger feel a little bit like a fool, though there was something about her accent that he found charming. “What are you even doing out here? Shouldn’t you be inside with your groupies and whatnot?” Not even letting him get a word in edgewise, she goes back to speaking normally, which he can decipher easily when she’s not mumbling around a dart.

“Can’t a man have a smoke and get ready to load his van in peace?” Roger grinned, standing and stretching. Ash mumbled something else, too quiet for Roger to even hear, though it was accompanied by an eye roll where she was looking at what she was drawing. “Oi, watch it.” He went out on a limb trying to call her out, and when she looked up at him, flush with embarrassment, he at least knew what she’d said hadn’t been exactly polite.

“Watch yourself, drummer boy.” Despite the retort, she was bright red. Her gaze met his and she could see the triumph in his eyes. She could feel it rising within her, that anger from before at his sheer arrogance, even as he stepped out of the shadow of his van, haloed by the streetlight, smiling at her despite the situation, perhaps challenging, though, she thought it looked more playful than anything else.

Breaking the look, she turned away, face still warm with embarrassment having been caught shit talking under her breath. Stubbing out her cigarette, she put away her notebook and pencil, standing and taking a moment to kick the crate back to the stack beside the bin. Roger watches her all the while, his arms folded over his chest, as if analysing her; she doesn’t look back at him. The only sound is the aggressive crunch of gravel beneath her feet as she makes her way back to the back door of the pub, pulling it open to fill the night with the sounds of people talking and laughing, and the jukebox playing. They don’t exchange any more words, and when he comes back inside to start loading the van, she’s nowhere in sight.

“Ash, the band wants to see you!” Maureen calls when Roger leans against the bar, asking about their pay for the night once everything’s been loaded into his truck. All the bands get paid cash in hand, and Dave had left Ash in charge.

“If I have to talk to some long-haired muppet about how I owe him more than what I promised, I’m gonna retire on the spot.” Dave had said to her, looking exhausted at the mere prospect and putting a stack of notes in the till with a rubber band securing them together. “This is how much they get; no more, no less.” He’d been very serious about that part, and Ash took pride in the fact that he’d trusted her after so little time.

The smile she gives Roger is tight as she passes him the money, and he raises his eyebrows at her, finally picking up on her strained professionalism.

“Thanks again for the gig, uh, Pocket Rocket, was it?” He asked, feigning innocence, something inside of him delighting at the way her jaw tightened.

“Sure,” Ash said, working to untense her jaw, “it was lovely having you play.” After a beat, he gave her a nod, his own grin now just amused as he leaves to join the other members of the band where they’re talking to some, what Ash assumed to be, fans.

Roger catches her humming Doing Alright as she wipes down tables a little later in the night, and, for reasons he’s not quite certain of yet, he smiles.

the ususal suspects: @deakydickfanpage @hollyissuchahoe @laueecakee@smittyjaws @crystalshines2909 @i-am-sarah @legendsaresooftenwarnings@2ptonpt @benhardy24-7 @maiilovely @mickey-yr-a-goner @butter-times@heyyouitskay @yepimthatperson

[buy me a coffee?]

[takenbyemrys]

Day 2: They were Roommates/Jealousy

Summary: Harley, Peter and Ned are starting their first year at MIT. They didn't end up rooming together and Harley does NOT like Peter's roommate, who happens to really like Peter.

This is rated Lemon for Explicit content!

Harley glared as Peter’s roommate smiled at the boy. They were sitting together in the cafeteria having a get to know you brunch. Ned had joined them as well. Ned, knowing Peter and Harley, kept shooting glances between Harley and Peter’s roommate.

“So, how do you guys all know each other?” Peter’s roommate asked. Eric was his name. He had dark swooping hair and glittery green eyes. He looked like a fucking Disney Prince and Harley was not having it.

“We all went to high school together. Ned and I have been friends for years, but Harley transferred in our Senior year. We actually met at work before that.” Peter gave Harley a soft, private smile.

“Oh, where did you work?” Eric was leaning into Peter, ever so slightly. Harley’s eyes flicked to their touching arms, but he didn’t say anything, opting to chat with Ned’s roommate.

“Oh we still work there. We work at Stark Industries.” Peter said simply. Ned snorted. All three of their roommates were staring at them.

“Dude, you say that so easily. Ah, i work at SI as one of Tony Stark’s two personal interns.” Ned mocked him easily. Harley chuckled.

“Wow, that’s awesome. You must be so smart. I mean you have to be in order to be Tony Stark’s personal intern.” Eric cooed. Harley felt his eyelid twitch.

“Oh well i mean, i guess, but it was kind of weird circumstances on how i got the job. Plus his other intern is way smarter than me.” Peter said. Ned rolled his eyes.

“Don’t sell yourself short. I mean i can see that you’re incredibly smart.” Eric grinned at Peter again. Harley felt his blood begin to boil.

“Thanks Eric. You’re really nice, truly.” Peter said. Harley cleared his throat subtly, so softly that only Peter’s super hearing could catch it. Peter’s lips turned down in a frown and his brows knit together in confusion.

“Peter is obviously the smarter of the two interns, but sometimes he can be a little dense.” Harley said. Ned hid the lower part of his face with his hand.

“Oh,” Eric said. “That’s cool. I mean, sometimes people have to be direct with you. I’ll remember that.” Harley’s eyes narrowed. Eric had his eyes trained on Peter. Specifically the column of his neck. Harley stood up.

“Well, as much fun as this is, I have to go get some books. See you guys later.” Harley slung his bag over his shoulder and stormed out of the cafeteria. Ned looked back at Peter.

“Dude.” Peter blinked owlishly at him.

“That was new.” Peter said.

“Yeah, maybe he’s working on his outbursts.” Ned snickered. Peter glared at him.

“Dude, really though. What did I miss this time?” He asked Ned.

“Wait, what was that? Is he just a massive douche?” Eric asked. Peter glared at him.

“Harley isn’t a douche. That’s so mean. What the hell?” Eric’s mouth gaped like a fish.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you guys were that good of friends. He seemed pretty indifferent with you.” Eric said.

“Harley isn’t my friend. He’s my boyfriend.” Peter half snarled. Eric looked between him and Ned in shock.

“Wait what? Is he pissed because I was flirting with you?” He cried. Peter gaped at him.

“You were flirting with me?” Ned snorted. Peter, the ever oblivious.

“Yes!” Eric cried. Peter turned to Ned in shock.

“This is the exact reason I refused to room with either of you. Go get him, tiger.” Ned gave him a thumbs up. Peter stood up, grabbed his bag, and fled from the room.

Peter found Harley perched on his tiny twin bed. Harley had his nose shoved in a book and was resolutely ignoring Peter.

“Harles,” Peter murmured. Peter came up and sat behind him. Harley huffed and continued reading. Peter leaned forward and started pressing gentle kisses on his neck. “Were you worried? Did you think I’d be interested?”

“Yes.” Harley snapped. He slammed the book shut and sniffed.

“Come on Harles. You know there’s no one else for me.” Peter continued mouthing at Harley’s neck. He slipped his hands under Harley’s shirt and gripped his hips. The southern boy groaned softly. Harley leaned back into Peter’s touch. “Just as I know there’s no one else for you.” Harley nodded wordlessly.

Peter lifted Harley’s shirt and threw it on the ground. His grip tightened as he turned Harley to face him. Peter placed a hand on his chest and pressed him backwards. He crawled up Harley’s body, kissing and biting his chest as he went. Harley let out a moan.

“Peter,” he started.

“Shh,” Peter said. “You really thought I’d give all this up? You really think I’d go after someone else when I get to have you all pliant and perfect under me?” Harley moaned as Peter’s lips found his nipples. Peter’s teeth grazed his nipples. He hummed as Harley gave an involuntary buck. Harley reached down and threaded his fingers in Peter’s hair and tugged. Peter climbed up and pressed a kiss to Harley’s lips. Harley wrapped his legs around Peter and surged forward, flipping them. Peter gasped as Harley started attacking his neck. Harley’s eyes flicked up and stared into Peter’s.

“This is my neck.” Harley growled. Peter groaned as Harley went back to it.

“Yours. All yours.” Peter breathed. Harley pulled Peter’s shirt up and tossed it next to his.

“I’m going to show you just how much you’re mine. Got it?” Harley asked. Peter smirked.

“I mean, that’s unnecessary, but I’ll happily accept it.” Harley glared at him, but moved down his chest anyway. Harley flipped the button on his jeans and leaned forward. He nosed at his jeans and teethed the zipper. “Harles.” Harley bit the zipper and pulled. Peter moaned at the sight. He shimmied Peter’s pants down his hip, taking his briefs with it. Peter moaned as the air hit his hard, weeping shaft. Harley grinned and gave the head a gentle kitten lick. Peter bucked into it.

Harley eyed him before swallowing his entire length in his mouth. Peter cried out and gripped Harley’s hair.

Harley gave a few experimental bobs of his head, taking in as much of Peter as he could. He grazed his teeth along the underside of Peter’s shaft. Just the way he liked it. He was rewarded with a loud moan. Harley gripped Peter’s hips and pinned him to the bed. He set a brutal pace, licking and sucking the entirety of Peter’s length. Peter cried out.

“Harles. I’m gonna, oh my god.” Harley came off with an obscene pop. He leaned up and popped the button on his jeans. He jumped off the bed and shimmied out of his jeans. He crawled back up Peter and kissed him. Peter reached around and started massaging Harley’s ass. Harley reached over to the bedside cabinet and pulled out a condom and lube. Peter snatched the lube and coated his fingers.

Harley groaned as Peter reached around and slipped a finger in. He slowly moved in and out of Harley, stretching him with ease. He added another finger, stretching and scissoring him. Harley moaned and ground down on Peter’s fingers. Harley leaned down and captured Peter’s lips in a searing kiss. He shifted his hips until Peter got the memo. Peter pulled his fingers out and lined up his length.

Harley sank onto Peter’s shaft with a moan. His eyes fluttered closed. He sat up, taking more of Peter into him. Peter’s arms were shaking with their iron grip on Harley’s hip. He knew there would be bruises in the shape of his fingers. Harley took a deep shuddering breath as he adjusted to the feeling. He lifted himself almost completely off before sliding back down. Peter canted his hips and Harley moaned at the angle change.

Harley began bouncing up and down. Peter’s breath caught at the sight. Harley was staring at him with a severe intensity. A fire was burning in his eyes as he rode Peter into oblivion. Peter bucked his hips, slamming into Harley. The boy grinned at him, thrilled with the pace. Peter began to sit up, and Halrey met him halfway. They met in a bruising kiss.

“You’re mine, Peter Parker.” Harley growled. Peter moaned and gripped Harley’s hips tighter.

“I’ve always been yours Harles. You’re the only one who ever questioned that. But that makes you mine too.” Peter huffed and slammed his hips up. Harley let out a cry as Peter brushed against his prostate. He grinned and started rocking his hips differently. Harley watched as Peter slowly fell apart underneath him. Peter cried out, his rhythm slowly spiraling. Harley leaned back, letting the Peter’s tip continually brush against his prostate.

“Fuck!” Harley cried. Peter sat all the way. He wrapped his arms around Harley and pulled him into his chest. Peter captured Harley’s lips as they both came undone. He wrapped his hand around Harley’s length and started moving his hand to their pace. Harley keened and came with a cry. “Mine.” He growled into Peter’s lips. Peter followed quickly as Harley contracted around him. Peter nipped at Harley’s neck.

“You idiot.” Peter mumbled. “Of course I'm yours. Just because people flirt with me doesn’t mean that I’m going to decide to fuck them.” Peter lifted Harley off him gently and rolled off the condom. He tossed it into the wastebasket and pulled Harley down on the bed with him.

“Well i mean, he’s attractive, smart. He seemed stable enough.” Harley sniffed.

“You are all of that, and more, you idiot. I’m in this, forever.” Peter nuzzled his boyfriend's cheek.

“Sorry,” Harley muttered. “I know that, it’s just hard. That’s why i left. Better to simmer alone than blow up in the cafeteria. I mean the way he was eyeing your neck. That’s my fucking neck.” Harley glared at said neck. Peter laughed. And nuzzled into Harley’s side. Harley relaxed into his embrace.

“I know babe. I’m proud that you didn’t blow up. I think Ned might be right though. We are definitely asking your roommate to switch.”

[thatfairyfangirl]

True Colors Chapter 1

A/N: This was written before Infinity War came out. Screw Bucky being kept in Wakanda, I never liked that ending anyway.

Normally I would post this on Wednesdays but I just couldn't wait to get this one out! You can expect regular updates with this every Wednesday or if you cant wait every Sunday on Patreon link below.

The summer heat beat down on the city as thick storm clouds brewed teasing the idea of rain to break the hot spell that had taken New York hostage. Outside protesters stood at every corner with signs inscribed with “Free the Heroes” “Cap didn't get iced for this” and “Hawkeye is NOT a target”. Unlike in other cities there was no shouting and screaming for their release...that wasn’t what needed to change, it was the law. In the center of the group you sat, their rainbow haired leader with your beloved guitar belting out a strong song showing the public’s solidarity with the heroes and how much the world needs them as everyone sang along with you in protest. The job didn’t pay, but it was a cause you whole-heartedly believed in… You didn’t mean to become a political activist, you didn’t wake up one morning and say “I’m going to try to change the world.” But you did stand out, and the songs you wrote  resonated with anti-accords and pro-mutant rights themes...and that certainly was no accident. Too bad changing the world didn’t pay the bills… but for that there were the parties you would DJ for at night, and tonight you were lined up to work for one of your closest friends and most loyal of clients...Tony Stark himself.

~ ~ ~ ~

Late in the night music raged as the mist of fog machines mixed with air conditioning working its hardest to keep far too many cool as they moved to an unrelenting techno-beat provided by none other than you. Rainbow tendrils whipped past your eyes as you bobbed back and forth to the sounds you were creating. Stark had always been one of your main sources of business...the man did love a good party. But this one he had to beg you to take, only agreeing to it once he promised to work on getting the accords revoked. Drinks flowed freely as those legally able to call themselves Avengers blew off some steam...well, all except for Vision, who was standing in the corner rather stagnantly, not sure of the purpose of this activity, nor what to do.

~ ~ ~ ~

“So, Tony, didn’t you say the whole ‘team’ was going to be here?” You asked with a smirk, giving the word team some air-quotes as you packed up your mixing board, all the guests now long gone. “Where’s that spider guy I saw on the news? He looked so…” You paused nibbling at your lower lip with a sinful grin, thinking about the best way to describe what you saw. Tight? Muscular? Nah, don’t want to sound like a slut...“Acrobatic.”

“Oh Spider-ling? Umm that depends...would you happen to know if the school year goes this late into June?” Tony answered with a smirk.

“You mean he’s…?”

“Fifteen.” Your face lost all color as Tony chortled at the way your foot fit so perfectly in your mouth without you even trying.

“Ew...ok no to the spider-boy.” You finally laughed off the idea with him, guess you never know who’s under those masks these days. “Pizza and booze?”

“Right this way.” He answered with a chuckle, he sure as hell wasn’t letting this one go for a long while.

Drinks firmly in hand you sunk into the couch in the common area. “So what about everyone else?” It was obvious you were referring to the Avengers who didn’t sign the accords, those on Cap’s side. He knew how you spent your days, hell, you mixed in a few of the songs you had recorded about the issue tonight as a not so subtle reminder.

“Yeah, I’m still working on it...But I’m going to get them out.”

“Out? Out of where?” And there was the face, a rare one that you learned after years of friendship with Tony, you had hit a sore spot he didn’t want to discuss. “Okay,” you paused handing him his drink. “Never have I ever worked for Stark Industries.” The tradition had started long before you worked on the party scene, when you were still DJing clubs to make ends meet and maybe get your songs noticed...though Tony did notice your talent he didn’t have the means to get you that recording contract you yearned for...But after a night of the game he had decided he liked you enough to hire you for all functions he’d have and at least that got your foot into most high profile parties in the city. From there the game just kept going.

Tony let out a breath of a laugh taking a drink. “You used that one before, drink up.”

Hours passed as Natasha T’challa and Rhodey joined you in your long standing game with your old friend.

“Okay. Let me think.” T’challa let out a bourbon scented breath as he searched his mind.

“No thinking just go!” You retaliated as you threw a handful of popcorn in his general direction.

“Alright alright,” he chuckled, “never have I ever colored my hair.” As the words left his mouth everyone looked around to see who was now forced to drink.

Soon all eyes were on you as everyone waited for the bottle to touch your lips yet it stayed firmly on the table. “What? I haven’t!” You assured everyone as you propped your feet up on the couch. Even in your inebriated state you knew the conversation this was going to generate...might as well get comfortable.

“Oh come on! How are you even going to pretend that’s natural?” Rhodey asked pointing to the rainbow that now sat in a loose braid to keep out of your eyes.

“Ummmmm… Well, for starters…” You trailed off as you focused your mind on the colors in your hair. They all watched as they shifted and changed from your usual cascading rainbow to a soft blond then back to as it once was. “Did seriously no one notice that there were colored lights despite me not bringing a lighting rig?” You chuckled before explaining that you are in fact a mutant, and colors are your main game.

“Oh my god you’re a mutant!” Tony leaned forward with shock and intrigue, and just a little upset at himself for letting this slip by him for all the years you’ve known each other. “What else can you do?”

With a sigh  you reached into your bag, pulling out the a t-shirt that you had planned on wearing home, pulling it over your head to cover the rainbow bikini top you had been performing in, suddenly feeling a bit exposed now that your secret was out…

“Officially I’m classified as a Photokinetic… But my training was mostly in chronokinesis. Bending light changing colors… That sort of thing. But I do have this thing they taught me, I call it a prism blast. Basically I can focus light into a super concentrated high heat rainbow beam, and well...You ever burnt ants with a magnifying glass before? Kinda like that.”

“Wait? Your training?” Natasha asked, rather curious where you would have trained for this.

You nodded. “Upstate there’s a school for people like me. You heard of the X-men?” A few of the group nodded. “That’s their base. I trained under them.”

“Do you think you could make someone invisible?” Tony asked as he sat forward with that smirk that told you he had a plan brewing.

“Oh, easily!”

Tony’s smirk grew into a smile dancing along his lips. “Still want to meet Captain Rogers?”

Tag List:

@sillydecoy

@nosleeptillbucky

Announcement from the writer:

I am also on Patreon! You can find me on Patreon HERE. I know, I know, it sounds like I am expecting you to pay for my writing but fear not! I will only be charging $1 a month, and even that is voluntary. The majority of my fics will be available for free. The $1 subscription will be for access to the really adult content stuff I have been sitting on such as what I have been calling “Blind Date’s Deleted Scene” and access to my discord AND early access to fics! Including True Colors up to chapter 5 as of this past Sunday.

I will still post fics on Tumblr up until they are no longer welcomed by the staff, but patrons will be able to view them early.

For those who have trouble with hyperlinks on their device or find it hard to click a small word vs an actual link here is the full link to my new Patreon    https://www.patreon.com/fairyfangirl

[redefiningthirtysomething]

I’m going going, back back to AZ AZ

2 years ago we were living in Phoenix, Arizona. It was the best decision we made for our family and we thought things would be amazing. I am born and raised in Los Angeles, CA but life in LA was too busy, always working, Bella was growing up and life was just to expensive. I was looking for something else, something slower. I was tired of trying to keep up with work, my friends, family,... it all was very overwhelming.

We packed up our SUV and put our LA life away and drove 8 hours with our baby girl (she was 7).

We arrived so excited, ready for our new life, full of expectations. We planned this months in advance, we saved money, we prepared our friends and jobs. We had going away parties and tears. We arrived to our home, a 3 bedroom, hard wood floor, made for us house. We celebrated over drinks on our first night and experienced our first monsoon in our first week, It was spectacular. I had never seen anything like it. After settling in and introducing ourselves to the neighborhood I landed a job at a local hospice and Eli resumed his stay-at-home-dad job during the day and a night job he got at a local facility. I worked 3 days on, 4 days off 12 hour shifts. Bella was going to a great school right across the park, we would literally walk her over, drop her off and have a morning workout, followed by our breakfast, some morning sex and Eli then was off to sleep to be ready for his night job. We were living in a beautiful big home in a quiet neighborhood with a nice yard for Bella, fireplace, we had a cat and a Kitchen island I absolutely loved. My Master bedroom was bigger than the size of our entire LA apartment and my closet space, sigh... why did we ever leave? ... well, here's what happened.

We made plans to live there for life, but we only lasted six months. I got a job a few weeks after we moved in, we were living off of our savings and we were  planning our next career moves. The Job I got was good, but it paid very low and yes, I know that is expected in AZ the wages are less than in CA, what I made in CA was an unreasonable wage in AZ and they clearly told me this during my interview. But I thought, well ok I can figure this out as we go. The bills or the first month were a little outrageous. We moved to AZ in August ... need I say more? It was HOT AF so we had the AC unit on all day and all night long at a cool 71. Although some locals told us how to maintain a low electricity bill during the summer, we had NO IDEA how serious they were and didn't quite listen to their advice! It cant be that bad right ? wow, $600 for a month? A MONTH? That's not even including any of the other bills. that was the electricity ALONE! It knocked me out of my shoes. Ok, so the bills became an issue but we got a handle on it the best we could, but we were definitely in a strict budget.

A few months after we moved in my sister and her GF were having a hard time in LA and we agreed to help them out and let them live with us in AZ, we had an extra room and it would help us with the bills, plus it would be nice to have family around since we still hadn't made any new friends. It was good for a while but turned ugly really quick. I don't like to talk shit about people, but the GF has a nasty attitude and she's just an overall toxic person, I kind of see her as a bully who cried wolf. Awful, awful. Unfortunately my sister doesn't see it and they always think it's everyone else. I mean if she's happy with that, it's on her but like I've said before, leave us out of your negativity. Anyway, things got heated one night, she yelled at my daughter and insulted Eli, and I had to defend my family. After a screaming match, and an almost full on throw down in my kitchen I kicked them out. They moved to Tempe and my sister and I stopped talking. Cause of course, we attacked her, so they say. I have never in my life been in a fight and i'm so non confrontational... but apparently that night big bad me was in attack mode. Such silliness.

At this point, we're broke AF, we have no friends and my sister lives 20 miles away and doesn't talk to us. Ugh, Great start. Seriously the only good part for us about AZ was the happiness Bella had. She made so many friends on our street, she ruled that street basically. This girl was never home, she was always outside riding her bike or her scooter, or playing in someones yard, at the park ... she loved it. Sleep overs at out house, she had her room which we decorated to her style, her own bathroom...she loved it. I cant even begin to explain how good we had it. Bella was in her happy place.  Isn't this what we moved for? We completely lost sight of it. Eli and I were arguing a little bit, we were kind of just annoyed at life and we took it out on each other. Bella was getting stressed out because she hates to see us bicker, she tried to help us make up a few times. We don't like to put that on her, so we would make up, but a week later we were both back to not giving AF. We made things work, but there was a tension.

A little after Christmas we found out I was pregnant, 2 weeks pregnant to be exact and that very same day I found out I was pregnant I received a call from my boss at my old job in LA that they needed me to come back and that they would give me a raise. We looked at each other and it was like a weight lifted off our shoulders, we didn't even think about it before saying yes. We packed our shit and were gone by the weekend. We dipped out SO fast, we like ran back to LA ... what we thought was the best decision. Boy... were we wrong.

We moved in with Eli's parents, we were broke and didn't have money or time to find a new place. I started back at work that upcoming Monday and we had to get situated ASAP. work, yes, work was great. I went back and they started me at a great rate and It was like I never left. I still had my status of 10 years and accumulated my PTO, benefits as if I never left. So grateful that they thought well enough of me to ask me back. Bella went back to her old elementary school and things went back to Normal. Months went by and I'm super pregnant. We decided to stay at his parents house during the pregnancy because I didn't want to add anymore stress.  I have come to realize that I don't like living with other people other than Eli and my girls. People have something to say about something and always give opinions. whatever, I stay at work or in my room most of the time anyway. But, that's not how I wanted to live. Soon after I had Olivia, Elijah went to work so that I can spend time with the baby and bond. 4 weeks in a was stir crazy and made him quit his job and I went back to work. That's his family we live with and I am not comfortable, I don't feel like I can just go make breakfast and lounge around, not that I cant but it's a me thing. I don't like having to tell people where I am going if I'm leaving the house. I have always been very independent and I am easily annoyed when I don't have my freedom. plus, hey we pay rent ... I don't really have to explain my life ... but I cant be rude you know, so I bite my tongue.

We live in a trendy area of LA filled with hipsters, bars and restaurants .... and also very high rent. A 1 bedroom small apartment on the low end will cost you somewhere along 1900 month. jeez. We haven't been able to move out or find a decent price. We almost decided to buy a home but they're at 1 million for a little house. Bella has her room, a small room ... literally half the size of her AZ bedroom and she cant play outside , we live on a busy street and with the mentally ill/homeless that hang around the area doesn't make it safe. So she spends most of here time inside unless we go somewhere. Olive sleeps with us, we co-sleep, we did with Bella too, but soon I am going to have to transition her to her own room, plus she's about ready to crawl but we don't have space! Another thing is things have changed here. I don't see any of my friends, they don't have kids so they're out traveling and brunching. Things that I can't do right now. I haven't seen them at all to be honest, maybe once since I've been back from AZ. Olivia is 8 months now. Management at work changed, we have a new director and things are so different from the company I once knew. My sister eventually moved back to LA and I made peace with them, I wanted to have my sister in my life and things were good until recently. The GF strikes again, but with my mom! that's another story for another day. so, yet again my sister thinks its everyone else, except her GF. Also, I don't have a relationship with my little sister, but we will get into her in another blog.

I am a total mom and my focus is 100% on my kids and my family. I didn't know this until I had them.. obviously. I used to be all about me, going out, working and living my life. everything changed. everything. I live for my kids, I love them so much and my ultimate goal in my life is to make sure they are taken care of. why the fuck did we leave Arizona? Because we had no friends? I want to slap myself sometimes. were we bored? who fucking cares? Bella was happy! We could have made it work. We could have but we ran and took the easy way out. Eli and I sat down one day and we were trying to figure out our next move. we need to grow and make changes to better us as a family. We asked ourselves where is our happy place? where are our kids going to be happy?

The move back to AZ is in July. YES! we are so excited and thrilled. This time we see things differently. this time we know what to expect , we know the summers are harsh and we know the job market, we know that we only have each other out there... and that's OK! I am going to start an online business which I am currently working on. Eli will be the one working and I will stay home with bebe. It's NOT about us anymore. The house is set and ready for us we just gotta pack and go. By the way, we have a family house in AZ. It's my moms and she rents it out, but she lets us (her daughters, family) stay there and it's currently without renters. She knew I would go back. She knows that we have to make sacrifices for our kids sometimes. I don't feel that I am sacrificing this time.

I have faith and we love adventure.

[thatonebadassstapler-blog]

The Kid

Kind of a Five x Reader??

TW: Gun mentions, Blood mentions 

Summary: When it’s your first week of working at Griddy’s and people are already trying to shoot up the place.

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It is your first week on the job and you were just getting used to how everything worked. Your manager, Agnes, is a kind, older woman, who just needs another set of hands to get everything running smoothly. You were working in the back when the door opened again and some customers walk in. You were trying to unclog the sink, hands all the way down, so Agnes went over to get their order.

As she walks up, she starts apologizing for not getting to them sooner, as she and her co-worker were attempting to deal with an awfully clogged sink.

“Sorry about that! So, What’ll it be.” She asks the trucker.

“Uh, give me a chocolate éclair.” The trucker shifts, trying to get a better look at the dessert bar behind the server.

“Mm-hmm, sure. Can I get the kid a glass of milk-” She gestures with her hands “-or something?”

The kid looks up and scoffs.

“The kid wants coffee. Black.”

Agnes pulls her face up in shock, then smiles.

“Cute kid.”

The kid smiles mockingly at her comment, signaling to Agnes to just get on with the order. You finally come out of the backroom to try and help her with her customers, with your sleeves rolled up as high as they can go. As you dry your hands, you look over as Agnes grabs the coffee pot.

The sink is close enough to the two that you can hear what they are saying.

“-Used to sneak out here with my brothers and sisters, eat donuts till we puked. Simpler times, huh?” The smaller one was smiling, as if remembering something that happened in years long passed. The trucker- who you assume was his dad, turns towards him in mild confusion. This kid couldn't be more than 14.

“Eh, I suppose.” He shifts uncomfortably, looking away.

She brings over the two orders.

“I got his.” The trucker gave Agnes the money to pay for both orders, while he side-eyed the older man.

“Thanks” He raises his mug to cheers the man.

Agnes calls you back into the backroom to help with cleaning the dishes, while she was doing the register behind you. You go out to grab the plates left by other customers outside, bumping into a wall along the way.

“Mhm.” You gasp quickly, after hitting your thigh on the railing. You pass the kid behind the counter, as you rub your thigh awkwardly. You put the plates down that you were carrying, and notice the trucker was gone. Oh well, you think.

“You want a refill? You were looking at the kid, who was staring off into space, holding his half empty mug. He looks back at you and smiles.

“That would be amazing.” As you were grabbing the pot and returning to the counter, you saw the door opening again behind the kid. They were about four of them, all carrying guns. You froze, and watched as they filled the room in front of you.

“Hmm. That was fast. I thought I’d have more time before they found me.” He looks directly at you, and mouths Get down.

One of the gunmen began to speak. “Okay. Let's all be professional about this, yeah? On your feet and come with us. They want to talk.” You look up and only saw the kid. His eyes were practically glazed over while the man was talking, obviously disinterested.

“I’ve got nothin’ to say.” He moves his head, as if he was shrugging to his coffee mug.

“It doesn't have to go this way. You think I want to shoot a kid? You think I want to go home with on my conscience?” The gunman was trying to get him to go outside and talk to someone, not that you knew who that was. You were just worried about his kid who seemed to have gotten himself in a lot of trouble.

The kid sighs, looking down at you again. He looked up, “Well, I wouldn't worry about that.” He moves his head towards the gunman, looking him straight in the eyes. “You won't be going home.” The gunman recoiled a little from the obvious threat from the thirteen year-old kid. He inched forwards, looking through his scope.

Unfortunately for him, the kid has just enough time to grab a butter knife. He looks down at you one last time and mouthed Don’t look. You did as you were told, curling into a little ball on the floor, the cold tiles pushing back against you as you heard gunshots and strange ‘fwoop’ noises. In seconds, the lights began to flicker and signs all around the store to break. Crashing, banging and screams became the norm for about three minutes, until you stop hearing noises at all, aside from a suspicious crack. It seemed like the noises all stopped, so you peeked your head up from the floor, looking directly at the kid. Unfortunately, he was stabbing into his own arm.

“Woah woah woah!” you practically jump over the counter, trying to reach for the knife in his hands. He easily dodges, and points the knife at you.

“What are you doing? I told you to stay down!”

“And I thank you for that, but I'm not gonna let you stab yourself, especially when you're already covered in blood.”

He looks down, eyes widening as he sees how much blood his suit actually accumulated during the fight. “This isn't mine”

“Mhmm, sure. Doesn’t change the fact that you are stabbing what could potentially be a major artery”

“Listen. If it had been a major artery they wouldn't have put it there.” He points to the spot he was digging into earlier, with the bloody knife in his hand.

“Who is they? And why are you even trying to cut open your arm?”

The kid sighs, sitting back down from where he was standing, and hands you a little green beeping box. You take it from him, looking at the little monitor on the top half. It had a little radar system built in. There is also a red dot, right at the base of the radar circle.

“Is- Is that you? The little red dot?”

“You finally figured it out! Congratulations.” He gives you another mocking smile.

“Now, if you don't mind, I need to get this tracker out of me. I cant have them following me again.” He went back with his knife arm and went down to begin digging in his arm again when you held his wrist.

“Wouldn't it be easier if I took it out for you? You know, so you can steady yourself?”

He sighs, knowing that this stranger probably wouldn't let him leave without doing this. He held out his arm to you, like it was an olive branch.

“Don’t fuck this up.”

After a few groans, and you squinting, attempting to see properly in all the flickering light, you manage to get out a small button-like object with a blinking green light.

“What do want me to do with it, crush it or something?

He immediately looks panicked and tries to grab it before composing himself again.

“If I destroy it, then they’ll know I know what they’ve done.”

“Again,” You ask, “Who are they?”

“I don't have time for any of this. I need to go find Van-” He stops and looks at you. “I need to go find someone I trust.”

“I’m not going to let you go alone. If whoever is after you has more men then who just came by, I would not be able to sit right unless if I helped you.”

“Oh,” He looks at you, dead in the eyes. “And you were such a great help when they came after me in the first place.”

“Hey! I didn't have my guns on me the first time. Trust me, I won't make that mistake again. Now, will you let me help you?”

“I’ve already let you help me.”

“Alright. Will you let me help you again?”

He sighed, knowing you weren't going to leave him alone, and his cool-down on his flashes was still way too low.

“Fine. Just don’t fuck it up.”

“Cool! Alright let’s just get you fixed up and we can this Van-someone you were talking about earlier. Also I want my guns.”

He groaned, laying his head on the table.

“Just stitch me up so we can go.”

You were just wrapping up the last of the kid’s injuries when you realize you couldn't keep calling him ‘The kid’ in your head.

“So. What’s your name anyways?” You try to catch his eye, with his head still laying on his uninjured arm, teeth clenched together.

He lifts his laid-on arm, with the creases still on his jacket.

“The names Five. Nice to meet you.” You stretch your unoccupied arm to his.

“Y/N. Nice to meet you too.”

You turn around, looking for any signs of a pink uniform.

“Now, let’s get out of here before Agnes gets back.

“Good plan.”

You both walk out together, with him dropping the mini button object into a storm-drain’s puddle. You point to an old red pick, with rust all over the back.

“Alright Five.” you gesture to the car. “Let’s go beat up someone else.”