#if this sounds passive aggressive it isn’t i’m just being very blunt

[maebyshifting]

hello :)

do you have any proof shifting is real? i believe it is but i want to see some proof cuz at the same time, idk if its real if that makes sense😭

anyways have a good day!!

you’re gonna hate this but you can’t really “prove” shifting. you just have to trust people when they tell their stories. you can’t bring things back from different realities other than the memories. sure, people have done the book experiment and predicted things, but realities are so vast and different that there isn’t actually anything shifters can do to “prove” it. other than people’s stories there’s not much you can show people about your drs.

but it’s also not shifters jobs to prove it to you. there’s a lot of trust in shifting, and sometimes that is broken with people lying, but this is something that’s been practiced for a long time so word of mouth is mostly all what people have about shifting. there’s also most likely not going to be any scientific evidence or research as it’s still something people are making fun of, the same way lucid dreaming was treated years ago.

is it all frustrating? yes. but that’s how we currently understand it so that’s the best answer i can give

[serafiel-jacobs]

Misery loves company (Fanfic)

New Angst series 💜

There was a knock at the door.

Geppetto got up and looked at the wooden clock that hung in the room, it was 5 am, who could it be at this hour? He looked to see that Carlo was still fast asleep, and he felt relieved, hopefully, he can just quickly kick out who was out there, he doesn’t want to deal with having to get rid of another dead body.

Geppetto doesn’t bother getting properly dressed, he opens the door to tell whoever is outside to leave, but his heart stops as soon as he opens the door, finding someone he never thought he would see again, someone that unlike Carlo should have stayed dead.

“Hello Geppetto, long time no see,” Simon said with a smirk on his face.

“What?… how? Geppetto was speechless.

Simon pushed his way inside the home, as he didn’t want to be left out in the cold, he sat down in Geppetto’s living room, clearly not caring that he wasn’t welcomed, Geppetto was starting at him, and Simon wasn’t stupid, the old man could tell that he was different.

That he was weak, very weak.

Paracelsus had brought him back, and he didn’t know why, claiming that it was just “a friendly favor” but he had a feeling that Paracelsus was just using him as his experiment, he has to stay hidden with him; he calls himself Giangio now and likes to pretend he is a meek and shy doctor, Simon doesn’t know what game he is playing but owes him his life, that’s something he can’t complain about, not to mention that he had kept him hidden if the news that he was alive were to reach others, it wouldn’t end well for him.

Simon had told Paracelsus that he was just going to visit an old friend, and being a smart man, Paracelsus understood who he was referring to, and it was quite the miracle that he let him leave, he never lets him leave the house they now share.

“What the hell do you want?” Geppetto said, clearly furious, yet his voice was quiet.

“Can’t I say hello to an old friend?”

Simon saw how Geppetto took a glance at the hallway behind him, he was confused but he quickly realized what he was doing.

“What a shame that Carlo is still asleep, he should come and greet his uncle Simon”

“Oh you wouldn’t want that” Geppetto’s voice while still quiet, he didn’t want to wake up Carlo, he didn’t care if his son killed Simon but, if he was here, then that’s bad news, whoever brought him back is more powerful than him, and Geppetto doesn’t want to deal with someone like that, for now, Simon is going to have to live.

“What have you been up to, Geppetto? I heard you retired, finally making it up to your brat and spending the time you never spent with him before?” Simon knew how to push Geppetto’s buttons.

“Yes,” Geppetto was blunt in his response.

That wasn’t the reaction Simon expected but, he continued, “Hopefully you aren’t too paranoid about everyone finding out about your little secret, my, if the people knew you started the frenzy then-“

“I have other things to worry about” Geppetto’s voice sounded irritated, not even wanting to give Simon the time of day. “Are you done? Did you only come here to mock me?”

What was the deal with Geppetto? He was always a coward, he schemed his plan to bring back his son, making that puppet do all his dirty work and using the frenzy to his advantage, Simon knew that back then, Geppetto would have never spoken to him that way, maybe be slightly passive aggressive but nothing like this.

“It’s 5 am, I’m tired, I need to take care of Carlo, I don’t want to deal with you”

“You need to take care of Carlo?”

“Yes, he gets upset when he doesn’t sleep properly and I don’t need my little boy to get agitated”

“Isn’t your brat supposed to be 21? Why are you-“

Simon suddenly felt someone tackle him from behind, it all happened so fast, one moment he was sitting and the next he saw Carlo, he had pinned him down on the floor, holding a knife to his chest.

“Is Uncle Simon bothering you, Daddy?” Carlo’s voice was sweet and childlike, something Simon didn’t expect.

Geppetto was quiet, he just looked at him, but he let out a sigh, “No Carlo, he isn’t please drop the knife”

“Are you sure, Daddy?” Carlo tilted his head curiously.

“Yes, Carlo, please, do what I tell you and don’t kill him, we could be in trouble if you do”

“Mmm” Carlo moved and sat down next to his father, with one arm he grabbed his father’s left arm and held him with force, not wanting to let go, his other hand still held the knife.

“Am I a good boy Daddy?” Carlo asked with a sick grin on his face.

“Yes, you are a very good boy for listening to me” Geppetto was being sincere this time, he couldn’t believe Carlo listened to him.

After Simon regained his composure, he sat down again, and saying that he felt confused would be an understatement. Carlo was intensely staring at him, clinging to his father, as if Geppetto belonged to him, and he was preventing anyone from touching him. The young man in front of him couldn’t be Carlo; Carlo was a dumb brat who got himself into trouble and tried to act tough all the time, having his hero act, saying how he would be a famous stalker.

“Mmm Daddy, are you sure I can’t kill him?”

Simon felt a shiver going down his spine, Carlo’s voice was almost exactly the same as when he was little, and that’s when he realized why Geppetto was being so apprehensive, and why he called Carlo a little boy.

“Yes Carlo, I can… I can play with you if you don’t do it, you’ll get that for being a good boy alright?”

Carlo was beaming with joy, giving his father a big hug, while still having his eyes fixed on Simon, the murderous intent never leaving him behind, at least Simon found solace in the fact that Geppetto was stuck having to be with Carlo 24/7 and having to be the object of his sick obsession.

The living room was quiet, Simon didn’t know what to say, Geppetto didn’t know what to say and Carlo, well, Carlo was just enjoying the tension.

“Well, I just came here to say hello and make sure that you know I’m still around” Even if things didn’t work as planned, Simon had given his message, that he was alive again, and that Geppetto needed to watch his back.

Although perhaps it’s best that he just leaves him with his now deranged son, that’s more torture than he could ever inflict on him.

They all stood up, Carlo still clinging to his father.

“Uncle Simon don’t you want to play with me?” Carlo let out a few chuckles as he said that.

For a moment, Simon almost felt bad for Geppetto, almost, as he absolutely hates him, he ruined all of his plans after all, and this is just what he deserves.

“No thank you”

“Mmmm but I want you to play with me” Carlo started to get closer and Simon’s true feelings betrayed him because he backed down, he knew that he wouldn’t stand a chance against Carlo and it made him afraid.

More than anything it frustrates him, his body is in an extremely weak state, it’s pathetic compared to the man he was, to the god he became; Simon is too dependent on Paracelsus's help, who insists that he would make him recover back to full health himself, but Simon knows that there is more to that, for now, he just needs to play his cards correctly.

“Carlo is too early, we can play later, let’s go to bed okay?” Geppetto looked so tired, and not just because he had lost sleep, tired because it takes him hours and hours to tend to Carlo, to console him if he is upset, to keep him entertained, to try and reason with Carlo so that he can be a good boy, and even when today those efforts seemed to be paying off, as he is behaving himself today, it all makes him feel so exhausted.

When they were at the front door Geppetto grabbed the handle and barely managed to slightly open the door before Carlo shut the door with his strength, making a loud bang as the wooden door was sealed shut.

Carlo let go of Geppetto and finally dropped the knife that was in his hands, as he lifted his arms and made motions to ask his uncle Simon for a hug.

Simon looked at Geppetto, who was begging him with his eyes to just give him the damn hug, Simon extended his arms and Carlo had him at his mercy, he felt suffocated, the boy was applying too much pressure and Simon can feel that at least one of his ribs is broken; he saw Carlo’s head tilt closer to his ear whispering a message.

“Uncle Simon, if you ever hurt my Daddy I’m going to make you suffer”

When Carlo let go, Simon needed to compose himself, his arrogance had gotten the better of him, he shouldn’t have come here to gloat, so accepted defeat and left.

——

“So, how did everything go?” Paracelsus said as soon as Simon opened the door.

“Fine”

“Your voice doesn’t sound fine to me”

“I don’t feel well, that’s all” Simon was desperately trying to avoid telling what happened, but he could tell that Paracelsus knew that things did not go as planned.

“Come here, let me help you feel better” Paracelsus signaled for Simon to come closer.

Simon wanted to walk past him and ignore him, but suddenly Paracelsus grabbed him and made him sit down, starting to use his power to cleanse him, and he couldn’t deny that he did in fact feel better. Yet it was odd, now realizing that it’s been months since he has been living with him, yet he hasn’t gotten better, his condition is stable, and Simon knows that Paracelsus is capable of healing him at least to his previous human strength.

Things weren’t making sense, Carlo was back to normal, and stronger than ever so why was he still weak?

“I like taking care of you” Paracelsus's voice was gentle but there was something else behind it.

Something sinister.

It was not until now that Simon realized what had been happening this entire time.

No no no no no

“It’s fun to pretend to be a doctor you know? I like playing doctor” Paracelsus knew that Simon had finally realized the truth, “And you are my favorite patient Simon”

“What are you doing to me?”

“I’m healing you~” Paracelsus hummed, getting closer to Simon. “I can see that Geppetto and his little boy gave you some trouble”

Little boy. How does he know? How does he know that Carlo behaves that way?

“I know a lot of things Simon” Paracelsus said, almost as if reading his mind. “There isn’t anything in this city that I’m not aware of”

Simon’s heartbeat became faster and faster, making things even worse for him.

“What’s wrong? Feeling a little agitated? It’s okay, don’t worry”

He tried to speak up but he couldn’t, Simon was feeling desperate and for the first time in his life, he felt powerless.

Paracelsus now had a syringe in his hand, and he slowly held it closer and closer to Simon.

“I know just what will make you feel better”

[errorpeachy]

hello :) i hope you are having a fantastic day ^^. I'm currently re-watching soul eater and am in soul eater blog mode fgujergiub- would it be possible for me to request crona, death the kid, patty, and maka with a very apologetic, nurturing, and motherly fem! s/o? like she always cooks for them, and whenever something isn't even their fault they blame it on themselves and apologize like crazy? she also overworks herself a lot? thank you :) have a fantastic day :D - nonnie :)

🍑💭: That’s completely okay! I’m like this too so this was really fun to write!

Pairing: crona, dtk, patty, maka (separate) x fem! reader

genre: headcanons

cw: fem/fem presenting reader

˚₊·͟͟͟͟͟͟͞͞͞͞͞͞➳❥ 𝕞𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕝𝕪

『••✎••』

𝕔𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕒

❥ Have they died and gone to heaven?

❥ No but seriously they are so thankful for your existence

❥ You’re like a saving grace after all the things they went through with Medusa, they love you so much omg

❥ You must always cook for three because if you don’t, Ragnarok tries to eat Crona’s food (menace to society)

❥ They’re always quick to express their love for your food, often saying “This is really good… thank you for cooking.”

❥ Any time you do anything for them, they make sure to thank you, it’s very sweet and it shows that they appreciate everything

❥ In terms of being apologetic, they get it. They’re like that too

❥ However, just because they’re the same way doesn’t mean they let you get away with it

❥ “It’s okay, you didn’t even do anything wrong. There’s no need for apologizing.”

❥ They’re very reassuring, and it’s like a breath of fresh air from your constant worrying

❥ While they appreciate you doing things for them, they’ll take over if they notice you’ve overworked yourself

❥ Their words are firm, and they tell you “Go rest, Y/N. I’ve got it, I promise. I don’t want you to make yourself more tired…”

❥ You both compliment eachother so well :’)

❥ (can you tell they’re my favorite character)

𝕕𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕜𝕚𝕕

❥ Oh he adores you

❥ Although there’s never really much to clean, considering he keeps the mansion spotless, he appreciates it when you try to keep it tidy

❥ Falls in love all over again if you fix things up to make them symmetrical again before he notices and freaks out

❥ You help him with his OCD in little ways and he adores you for it, you don’t see him as weird and that makes him so happy

❥ Loves your cooking. The sisters love it too and will force him to invite you to spend the night just to eat your food and steal you away for girl talk

❥ While he can be straight faced most times, he’s very dramatic whenever you tell him he isn’t asymmetrical garbage when he’s having a meltdown

❥ “Really? Y/N- you’re the best girlfriend ever, seriously!-“ followed up by dramatic sobbing

❥ He’s pretty blunt when it comes to you being apologetic. You don’t do anything too bad most times, so there’s no need for a repeated apology

❥ “Hush, you’ve done nothing too bad. A quick sorry was enough, there’s no need for repetition.”

❥ While you do take care of him in some aspects, he’s quick to do the same with you

❥ Again, he’s very blunt. If he doesn’t want you to do something, he’ll be straight up

❥ “Y/N, you look exhausted. I’ve noticed you’ve been working hard lately, so go lie down and take a nap. No arguing.”

❥ All in all, he’s firm but caring in the way he treats you <3

𝕡𝕒𝕥𝕥𝕪

❥ Oh this ball of sunshine just loves you

❥ She’s very childish (and clinically insane) so you’re a really big help for her

❥ She draws you pictures. You hang all of them up on your wall. Couple goals

❥ Liz is an overprotective sister, so she was pretty threatening until she realized you were basically harmless

❥ Patty likes your cooking. She always wants you to teach her how to cook, but any time she tries to help, something ends up going wrong

❥ You both just laugh it off and order pizza when that happens

❥ Very often, she’ll ask you random questions, and you always do your best to answer them

❥ “Hey Y/N, why are giraffe’s necks so long?” “It’s because they evolved to have longer necks to reach tall trees for food, dear.” “Ohhh! Haha, you’re so smart!”

❥ She’s always confused when you start getting overly apologetic

❥ “What are you apologizing for silly? You didn’t do anything!”

❥ She’s not one to notice if you’re tired, but if Kid points it out or you mention something about it she’s quick to jump to caring for you

❥ “Hey hey! Why don’t you go rest? We can cuddle! Doesn’t that sound great?”

❥ She’s so cute :’)))

𝕞𝕒𝕜𝕒

❥ Same lol

❥ She is also a mom friend, just more aggressive

❥ You guys do a lot of things together, like cleaning and cooking

❥ The two of you cook together pretty often! Maka really likes it, she finds it fun and it’s a nice way to spend time with her loving girlfriend

❥ You often buy her new books to read and she is so thankful for it

❥ She doesn’t like it when you get apologetic. She’ll frown at you and listen to your rambling before cutting you off

❥ “Hey, it’s alright. Don’t apologize, ‘Kay? You didn’t do anything.”

❥ She overworks herself too, so she’s aware she’s being hypocritical when she calls you out and scolds you for not resting

❥ But she loves you and just wants you to take care of yourself :(

❥ “What do you mean you haven’t been sleeping right? Have you been staying up trying to work?” “Well, yes, but-“ “no buts! You’re taking a nap with me right now!”

❥ She gets free cuddles out of it so it’s a win win!

❥ She likes the fact you’re much more passive, it helps calm her down

❥ The two of you r just so similar, it leads to great bonding experiences <333

[cinnamonest]

Yandere Kaeya Alberich

Words: 3,162

Tws: General yandere content, Kaeya being a dick

Summary: You’ve been trying to avoid the Favonius captain. He’s convinced you’re unsafe without him. If you don’t believe that, he’ll prove it to you.

"Traveler."

Your muscles tensed. The hairs on your skin raised up. How?

You turned your head towards the voice, a strained smile across your face. "Captain Kaeya!" You pushed with all your effort to make your voice sound pleasantly surprised, excited, sing-songy in the way anyone who knew you would expect upon being greeted with a familiar face. "What are you doing so far out?" You said it so very playfully, casually, as if it was a casual conversation maker and not a genuine question that burned in your mind.

What the hell was he doing so far out of his jurisdiction? What need does he have to be out all the way in Liyue?

Why did he have to show up when you specifically went out of your way to avoid him?

"Oh, I was looking for you. Asked around. Heard you were hanging around the area," He said, pulling out a chair and sitting in front of you, effectively cornering you in your little spot in the corner of the small tavern. He smiled, folding his hands together and resting his chin on them. "I just sent a couple knights out to look for you."

He made no effort to even try to hide it. He was completely shameless. That explained the Favonius knight that had appeared in the tavern earlier - you'd felt uneasy as you saw the man gaze around, halting when he made eye contact with you, before abruptly stepping out as quickly as he'd come in. You should have trusted your gut and left as soon as you could - but here you were.

When you'd first met Kaeya, you'd admired the young captain. He was brave, skilled, charming, and undeniably a very attractive man. His charisma made him a well-respected, well-liked person throughout Mondstadt, even if his reputation did include an arrogance that was just as well-known as his skill.

That was the issue - you'd noticed that trait, that one characteristic about the man that made you uneasy, that upset you so greatly that you had resolved to avoid him entirely. Well, three traits.

One, he was obsessive, clingy, attached to a degree far too unnatural for someone who had known you for such a short time.

Two, Kaeya was a little overly touchy. It was just on the border of your discomfort, too noticeable for you to feel okay with it, but too mild to feel justified in confronting him about it. Everywhere you went with him, you could always feel his hands somewhere on your person.

And three, Kaeya was perhaps the most condescending, self-righteous person you'd ever met. He was always, always right. You never knew what you were talking about. He always knew better. He was always smarter, you were always dumber. Or so he seemed to believe. You'd grown to be increasingly irked, insulted whenever he would treat you like some naive idiot, reminding you how you, some foreigner, had no grasp on reality in this world. Really, you were hopeless, you really should let him stay by your side, help your poor naive little self navigate the world, since you were so incapable on your own.

"Oh," you finally responded, snapping out of your thoughts, smile straining, trying to come up with some response to the utterly creepy truth he'd been so shameless to reveal. "Yeah, I came out here for a few days. Really, uh, pretty area."

"Mm. That it is. This place attracts a good deal of tourists," he tilted his head. "The route here is... Particularly dangerous, though. You didn't travel here all by yourself, did you?" His eye contact was unwavering, and you found yourself breaking away, opting to gaze downward. "Or were you... Accompanied?"

"Ah, I came here by myself," you answered. "I didn't encounter any dangers... Outside a few hilichurls."

"Hilichurls are responsible for quite a few deaths in the area. You shouldn't underestimate them," he remarked. "Really, that's an unwise decision, coming here alone... You really should have sought some protection."

"Oh, I'm pretty good with a sword. I can take care of myself."

He laughed, shaking his head. "Is that so?" His voice was amused. Condescending. As if you were a child, some little kid insisting on your competence. "I'm sure you'd fare well, if you found yourself surrounded by them. Or worse," his voice darkened, "some... Other forces. Plenty of bandits and other criminals walk the roads in the Mondstat region."

Isn't it your and your knights' job to deal with that?

"O-oh, I see. Well, it's a good thing I didn't run across any of those..."

"Yes, it is." The blunt statement left you feeling your stomach churn with awkward silence that followed. The undertone - the clear hint of frustration - of his voice made you shiver. "They could easily catch you off guard..."

You'd left Mondstadt almost solely to get away from him for a few days. You needed some respite. The irritation in you boiled over ever so slightly. "It's ok, I'm pretty sharp. I'm always on guard."

Since meeting him, Kaeya had been attached to you virtually every waking moment of the day - no, he insisted on being near when you slept, too. On the very day of your arrival, he'd insisted you sleep in the knight headquarters, despite how many times you repeated that an inn was perfectly suitable. It was safer, he claimed. Safest in the little spare room just down the hall from his own, where he could come check on you before you settled down for the night. The first time, you'd been startled, flushing as he stood in your door frame, thinking that the moment he realized you were barely clothed in your sleeping gown, he'd surely get flustered and leave, but he didn't, opting to talk to you for several minutes before turning away. That experience had been... uncomfortable.

He'd been everywhere you were, both inside of Mondstadt and, albeit a bit less, in the wilderness. You weren't even sure how he kept appearing exactly wherever you were - you'd be minding your own business, and a knight of Favonius would appear in your line of sight - soon after, Kaeya would always appear. No matter what time of day, no matter how far out you were, no matter what you wore or who you were with. Even if you had other people in a party with you, he insisted on showing up, as he claimed, for your safety. Sure, you had other companions that could try to guard you, but really, were they any valid comparison for a swordsman of his caliber?

You didn't need them, he could easily be more than enough, surpass any other companions you could take with you.

"Excuse me miss," a waitress approached. Oh no. "Did you and your friend need anything else?"

You knew what was coming, but he moved to speak before you could, snapping his head towards the woman. "No. Could you kindly leave us alone?"

The poor girl's eyes widened. "O-of course. My apologies." She quickly scurried off.

You'd never seen him be anything short of rude, even downright nasty, towards anyone that entered his presence. Somehow, you felt that he likely wasn't like that when it was just him - he was too clearly well-liked to be so rude all the time.

"Anyhow," he turned back to you, "I came here primarily to fetch you... Extremely important matters happening back in Mondstadt. That bard is looking for you. Something about Stormterror?"

Oh. That changed things.

"Something's wrong with him?"

"Mhm. Apparently so, but I don't have any details. Your assistance is needed immediately, apparently. Come," he smiled again, rising and extending his hand, "I'll take you back."

It shouldn't bother you - you should be grateful. You should simply sigh, and acknowledge that even if he was clingy, even if he was unnecessarily protective, there was nothing wrong here, there was nothing about the situation that should give you the feeling that it did.

It was a weight in your stomach, a twisting in your gut. Something instinctive, something in your deepest, most primal senses, was set off, a chill seeping through your blood. An innate sense in your very core that directed your actions, told you to get away.

But your trained sense of social decency rejected such an idea. He was being gracious, kind, helpful, and although he might put you at unease sometimes, Kaeya was known for being an upstanding person. And besides, logically, someone who seemed to like you so much wouldn't do anything to harm you.

You realized that you had frozen in place, briefly lost in your thoughts. He cocked his head. "Something the matter...?"

"N-no! No, I'm fine, I'm coming," you stood hurriedly, pushing the chair back as you did. "Thank you, Captain Kaeya."

He hummed in approval. "Of course. What kind of knight would I be, letting a defenseless girl wander back alone?" He paused. "I'll always protect you, so long as you actually bother to tell me when you plan to disappear." Despite his smile, there was an obvious hint of passive aggressive irritation in his voice, and you tried not to cringe in discomfort.

"Oh, aha, I'll be sure to let you know next time."

"I'd appreciate that."

You wondered how you'd apologize next time when you conveniently forgot your promise.

As you exited the little tavern, dropping mora on the bar for the owner, you felt a firm hand on the small of your back, pushing you through the doorframe. The touch made you shiver, and it lingered, like a brand against your skin.

The walk back was lively, you weren't bored with Kaeya to talk to. Even if his conversation was primarily bragging about this or that, telling you all the oh-so-wonderful feats he'd accomplished in his time, it was better than silence, you supposed. You were back to Mondstadt fairly quickly - no hilichurl encounters, although you did briefly run across a few slimes that he insisted on taking down by himself.

"Hey, are you feeling alright?" He stopped in the middle of whatever he had been going on about - honestly, you weren't paying that great of attention. 

"What? I-I'm fine," you responded, eyes wide.

"Really?" he looked at you with something like concern in his uncovered eye, brows furrowing with worry. "You look... a little sick." Suddenly, he pushed the back of his hand against your forehead. "You feel hot, too."

Well, now you did feel warm, his touch leaving a searing feeling on your skin. "A-are you sure? I don't think I'm..."

"No, you're definitely coming down with something." He glanced over in the opposite direction, where the city walls were not too far off. "You probably haven't even realized it yet. I could carry you the rest of the way, if you'd like."

"O-oh, ah, no, that's fine! I can walk... just... fine..." You found yourself trailing off, embarrassment making your face burn. 

"Well, why don't we stop by the Knights' Headquarters before we go to meet that... Venti, was it? We have a nurse there that could see to you."

"I..." you paused. Once again, that dreadful, sickly feeling rose in your stomach. Something telling you that something was wrong.

And again, you pushed it back. "Ok, sure."

He hummed in acknowledgement, swiftly moving towards the gates. "Let's hurry, then. Let me know if you change your mind and want me to carry you." He added a slight smirk to his last sentence. You weren't sure if you found it endearing or irritating.

Once you got back, as expected, Kaeya began directing you to the Knights of Favonius headquarters. And you followed him, all the way in, all the way down the stairs, all the way into the hall -- wait.

You figured perhaps he was absent-mindedly headed that way out of force of habit. "Uh... Kaeya, are you sure we're going the right way? This is..."

The same little tucked-away hallway that your rooms were in. In fact, you were literally coming up on your room.

He stopped, turning his head your way with a soft smile. "No worries. You're really starting to look like the blood is draining from your face... I just figured I can bring the nurse down here." He paused next to your room, then took a step back, motioning his head, as if to tell you to go in. "Just sit down, I'll find her and bring her this way."

The churning was stronger than before. Every hair on your body stood up. Every instinct you had told you something was not right.

Nonetheless, yet again, you didn't listen.

Your feet clicked on the stone floor as you walked through the door. It all occurred so quickly, your mind spun. It felt like a punch to the gut, the air knocked out of you, the impact pain pulsing as your back was slammed into the wall. Strong hands kept a bruising grip on your shoulders. The room spun around you, head dizzy and struggling to process. What snapped you into awareness was a cold, sharp chill pressed right up against your neck, and a firm knee pressed between your legs.

He had you pinned to the wall, sword hovering ever so slightly above the skin on top of your veins. You gasped for air from the impact. "K-Kaeya!" You managed to choke out. You couldn't form anything beyond that. Panic was surging through your body, mind overwhelmed as survival instinct tried and failed to find a quick way to get away.

"What's that?" He pressed his face forward, almost nuzzling it into your neck. You could feel him smirking against your skin. "I believe I remember you saying something about how you couldn't be caught off guard...?" 

You were vaguely aware that you would normally be angry - furious - over whatever was happening here, but primal fear still controlled your brain at the moment, unable to feel anything but panic. You trembled.

"This is what I meant when I said you should be more careful," he muttered. "You think you're so capable and strong, but look at how easily I could trap you... I could kill you, right now, so easily."

Your body shook fiercely. You felt tears begin to gather around your eyes. "I-I just... Trust... You..." Your voice was weak, frail, trembling harder than your body. "You're, you're my, m-my friend..."

"Mm, plenty of people will come along pretending to be your friend, (y/n). You're very, very lucky that I actually do have your best interest in mind." Finally, he lowered the sword from your throat. You released a breath you hadn't realized you were holding in, and you felt your knees give way, stumbling forward, quite literally falling into his arms. He dropped the sword in order to catch you, and it clattered to the ground.

Your shaking hands grasped his arms, fingers digging firmly into his skin, desperate for some sturdy stillness to cling to. There was a moment of silence.

"You see, (y/n)? Think about all the people that wouldn't just be proving a point like I am... All the people that might want to really hurt you... Do awful things to you... Aren't you grateful I'm not like that?" His voice was deeper than its usual tone, and you felt his chest vibrate as he spoke from where your head was pressed against him. It was low yet soft, almost a growl, yet almost a whisper.

You were breathing rapidly, forehead pressed against his chest. You didn't respond.

"I said, aren't you grateful that I don't want to hurt you?"

"Y-yes," you found your voice. You didn't know what else to say.

"And you understand now... You need me. You need me there to protect you from bad people. You're so easy to trick and overpower... So naive... Imagine what could happen if you get into this situation again, but for real... And I'm not there?" He reached one hand up, stroking the back of your head. "Surely, you understand that now, don't you?"

You nodded.

"That's good. I hope you remember that, next time you try to run off." He tsk-ed, tilting his head to rest his chin on top of your head, grip on your shoulder increasing, almost crushing. "Honestly, you should really just be guarded full time. I could probably arrange that."

As you began to calm down, the reality of the situation began to dawn on you. Anger rose in place of the fear. He had the audacity to do something like this, and blame you for trusting him? You wanted to speak up, say something, but that same primal instinct told you it was a bad idea.

This time, you listened. 

He gently shifted, setting you down on the bed. "Now, you really do look sick, truly. Tell you what, I'll just go see that bard in your stead, tell him you couldn't make it. We'll have to just figure something out. I'll tell the nurse to come down here."

"Wh-what?" You started to stand on your shaking legs. "No, I-"

"You really can't be going out," he grabbed your shoulders and firmly pushed you back. "Really. You'll just get worse. Better to recover faster, than prolong your illness, no?"

"I don't feel si-"

"You are sick." Once again, his smile was betrayed by the irritation in his voice. "Don't tell me you don't know about the Mondstadt influenza? No wonder. You're foreign, so you're probably highly susceptible to illnesses you've never encountered."

You'd been given a rundown of local illnesses by Lisa, actually, but didn't recall such a thing. "I've... Never heard -"

"You won't feel symptoms for several days after first showing signs. You're very lucky I'm used to seeing it." He pulled out a watch, eyebrows rising. "Oh, look at that. It's already time to meet the bard. I'll be back in a little bit."

"Wait-" 

"It'll only be a few minutes. I'll be back soon."

"Captain Ka-"

"Get some rest now."

The door shut firmly. You heard his heavy footsteps quickly sprint down the hall.

A nurse never came. Ten minutes passed, half an hour. You thought about trying to go find her yourself. Maybe he was actually being honest. Maybe you were sick. You almost wanted him to be right. You would prefer being sick to the idea that he might be lying to you.

You preferred worrying about being sick to worrying about the implications and meanings of the situation if he was lying to you.

You finally stood, resolving to go find a knight yourself, ask for directions to the nurse. Something. Anything to get your mind away from this, distract yourself from your brain's racing to process what had happened just before.

The metal lock rattled against the wood as you tried and failed, with increasing desperation, increasing heartbeat, increasing rapid breaths, to open the door.

[early2000smovieimagines]

Meeting and Dating Dennis Rafkin

(Not my gif)(Requested by @bruciecaboosie​ )

(Matthew Lillard is like ...really attractive.)

- You and Dennis met through Cyrus. You worked as the mans assistant, putting together different aspects of his “missions” and taking care of whatever he told you to; oftentimes things he couldn’t be bothered to deal with himself. 

- It was during one of these “missions” that the two of you first met. Cyrus had only taken a few seconds to introduce the two of you before you were being ushered into the middle of the action. 

- As per usual, Dennis was swept up into one of his fits as the entity came closer which prompted you to kneel down beside him and try to see if he was alright. He quickly shouted for you not to touch him before apologizing, sounding a lot like he was in excruciating pain while he tried to calm himself. 

- You assure him that its okay before insisting that the two of you have to move, and quickly, before you’re right in the middle of the line of fire when the “bullets start to fly”. And thus, the two of you began to work closely with each other.

- Dennis has a habit of attaching himself to people quickly and you’re no exception to this. The minute you show yourself to be a fairly trustworthy and caring individual, the two of you find yourselves practically attached at the hip. 

- On top of him trusting you, he also sort of has a thing for you; something that’s becoming more and more apparent to him the more time you spend together, so that’s even more of an excuse for him to try and stick close to your side. 

- You’re on another one of your “missions” when he confesses his feelings for you. 

- The two of you had been hiding, concerned with not dying as a particularly dangerous “individual” wrought havoc on the rest of your team. He’d said that he had to tell you something, you asked if it could wait in disbelief, he said no, repeated the word and followed it up with a “I’m sorry, but I have to say it. I’m in love with you, okay? I’m sorry.”. 

“God, you couldn’t have told me that like an hour ago?” You scoffed incredulously but half heartedly.

- Well, of course you make it out alive; panting and frazzled but alive. You’re sitting across from each other on the floor when he looks over at you and; out of breath, asks if you want to go get some coffee with him sometime. You can’t help but laugh before you manage to pull yourself together and agree. 

- So, for your first date, the two of you go to a coffee shop, grab some hot drinks and walk around town together, talking and getting to know each other without the pressure of your boss being a few feet away. 

- The two of you share your first kiss a few months into your relationship since he; you know, can’t really touch people. You were sitting with him in his apartment after one of your dates when he asked if he could try something. 

- Before you knew it, he’d gotten up and walked over to you, leaning down and hesitating before softly pressing his lips to yours. 

- The kiss didn’t last very long but you didn’t mind; even if he was a bit disappointed in himself. You merely smiled at him and reassured him that you have all the time in the world to figure things out. 

- There’s not a ton of affection in your relationship for obvious reasons but the two of you try your best.

- You definitely have to take things slow and let him initiate a lot of what goes on between the two of you. Be prepared for him to pull away quickly or need to take a break for a while. 

- Soft, chaste kisses. 

- Quick, rough and intense kisses; usually after something dangerous happens to him and the both of you are just glad that he’s alive.

- Locking pinkies. 

- Him leaning down; most likely a bit awkwardly considering how tall he is, to press a kiss on your lips out of the blue.

- The two of you don’t cuddle but you do sleep in the same bed because you both like being able to wake up next to each other.

- Something tells me that once he’s used to you and your memories, touching you becomes somewhat of a solace to him. You and your life is familiar; compared to anything else he could encounter, so it’s like an escape whenever he touches you.

- He tends to call you honey, baby, or some kind of specific nickname that pertains to you/your relationship; usually when you’re alone.

- He has a habit of introducing you as his girlfriend to anyone and everyone. He just likes everyone knowing that you’re together right off the bat; he’s very proud. 

- He gives you quite a few compliments. Oftentimes they’re more on the teasing and playful side; i.e. him calling you hot, but other times they’re more sincere.

- Making each other laugh. He loves seeing you happy and knowing that it’s because of him.

- Meet your friendly neighborhood pushover. Dennis has such a hard time saying no to people; especially you. He may act all annoyed and be blunt; mainly because he’s annoyed at himself, but he’ll do what you ask.

- There was this time where you wanted a teddy bear or something similar and he thought that it was completely ridiculous yet, since he’s Dennis, he later bought it for you as a surprise. Now every time he sees you hugging it, or sees it laying on your bed, he can’t help but feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

- You can’t really hide anything from him considering with one touch, he can know your entire life story.

- Well, at least he’ll always remember your birthday and anniversary, right?

- Dennis doesn’t have a ton of money; Cyrus kind of fucked him in that regard, so he isn’t going to spend a fortune on you; because he doesn’t have it, but occasionally, he’ll get you a really nice thoughtful gift.

- On your anniversary, he got you a simple silver band with a little message engraved on the inside and you wear it pretty much everyday.

- Staying in a lot. Being around a ton of people that can potentially touch him, or accidentally walking near a place that people have died in, is a bit dangerous when you’re with him so the two of you tend to play it safe and make your own fun.

- Movie marathon and television dates. He’s not a huge fan of horror/thrillers but it’s sometimes funny to watch them just to see his reactions.

- Café dates; especially if you’re doing research for Cyrus together.

- Taking walks together.

- The two of you will go grocery shopping together and then cook yourselves dinner at his apartment. It’s a regular thing for the two of you; even though he himself isn’t the greatest cook.

- Wearing his sweaters. In a; sort of, weird way, it makes him feel closer to you.

- He doesn’t have a ton of friends or people that believe him when he’s talking about anything ghost related so when the two of you are together, he tends to ramble/talk a lot.

- Getting to learn and hear a lot about ghosts and other supernatural entities.

- Carefully patching and cleaning him up when things go haywire during your “missions”.

- Helping him explain things to people so that they can understand what’s going on before he has an aneurism.

- Giving him warning looks when he really needs to watch his mouth.

- He has a habit of acting like your dad, scolding you like a frustrated father would whenever you do the same stupid stuff that he does.

- As nervous and oftentimes neurotic as he is, he’s always quick to reassure you that it’s okay no matter what’s going on. He might not be the most patient but he tries his best to make sure you don’t feel bad or get too scared.

- Comforting him and trying to make sure he doesn’t blame himself too much for what happened during his time with Cyrus. “Funnily” enough, even though you were involved as well, he only ever seems to blame himself.

- Considering his ...condition, you’ll occasionally find yourself needing to try and comfort him while he’s having a “moment”. You’ll usually just stay by his side and make sure he knows that you’re there for him while he goes through the motions.

- Trying to help calm him down during stressful situations, he’s not the greatest at controlling his emotions.

- Making sure he has and takes his medication when he needs to.

- You’re pretty much the only person that he really trusts so expect him to be sort of clingy with you, only asking you questions and insisting that the two of you stay together when everyone’s splitting up.

- Do you know how much he wants to touch you? This poor boy yearns to be able to just hold your hand. Rest assured, whatever you’re feeling in regards to not being able to hold your boyfriend, he’s feeling it 100x harder.

- Sometimes you’ll just have to reassure him that you’d rather have a fucked up, abnormal life with him than a normal life with someone else; or otherwise without him. 

- And on that note: sometimes, he just really needs to hear that you care about him and that you think that he’s a good person.

- He’s an incredibly jealous person but it’s because he thinks of himself as a mess and believes that you’d be better off with someone else. He won’t do anything if he doesn’t have a reason to but the minute a guy seems flirty with you, he’s immediately at your side and being passive aggressive with them. 

- Overprotective. Dennis; to put it simply, has seen some shit so he’s constantly looking out for both you and him. It’s also helpful that he can; occasionally, see into the future and know when somethings going to happen. 

- There’s definitely a good few fights in your relationship, I mean, you saw how he can be. That being said, they don’t last very long. Usually, there’s a bit of yelling and him cursing; just in general not at you, before things are settled.

- He’ll apologize just as quickly; and neurotically, as the fight began since he usually doesn’t even mean to start one. It’s pretty easy to forgive him since; even though he can be a bit of a jerk, most of the time his reactions are understandable; as much as you’d like to not admit it.

- There's a lot of I love you’s in your relationship. If he can’t touch you than he; at least, needs to let you know how much you mean to him verbally, right?

- It’s going to be obvious throughout your relationship that Dennis is in it for the long run. He wouldn’t do all that he does; trying to overcome his psychic challenges, if he wasn’t so rest assured, he’s planning for a future with you.

[katestrophic]

Kingdom Hearts OC Week - Day 1

Prompt: Reference Sheet

Want to read my fanfic? You can read it here.

@khoc-week​

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

Back at it again for the third year in the row with my baby, Sakura Andrews! For the day one of the week, I chose the Reference Sheet prompt! I don’t think this is a reference sheet in the traditional sense like what you see with artists and their OCs, since I’m a writer first and foremost.

Soooooo I decided to do a spin on it and create a reference sheet of characters that Sakura is inspired from during her creation! These characters are the ones I often think about while writing about Sakura. I’ll list them, starting from the left and going down, then the right and going down from there:

Winry Rockbell - I love Winry from Fullmetal Alchemist and Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood. She’s so strong willed and stubborn when it comes to things she’s passionate about, so why not have Sakura share some of that with her? Like Winry, Sakura is a woman who’s very stubborn and straightforward, having little patience for beating around the bush and won’t stop until she gets what she wants She also shares a bit of her emotional temper, as she tends to think with her heart first rather than her brain when it comes to those she love that are in danger.

Hajime Hinata - I just love Hajime’s quips during his inner monologue when he’s commenting on a situation. Both he and Sakura are very blunt when asked for their opinions on things, and aren’t afraid to speak their mind. Sakura doesn’t say things to be mean or to hurt others, she’s just telling the truth.

Megara - That being said, even if Sakura’s honest, it doesn’t mean that she’s gonna tell someone what she thinks of them to their face directly. She has some tact, after all. Once their back is turned, if she doesn’t like them, she will express that quite clearly with snarky comments about them when asked about what she thinks, similar to Megara in the Hercules movie. She’ll even snap back at those in a subtle, sarcastic manner that comes off as passive aggressive if they annoy her enough and won’t go away.

Haruhi Fujioka - Like Haruhi, Sakura is responsible and thinks logically when it comes to approaching a problem instead of kicking in the door and charging in with a knife between her teeth like Sora. It’s her practicality that helps reign Sora in during their adventures together when helping others. But, as mentioned before, she’s not immune to her emotional side and will sometimes do what the heart wants instead of using her brain first, especially when it involves those she has formed an emotional connection with.

Millie - Honestly, I base so much of Sakura’s and Riku’s relationship off of Millie’s and Moxie’s relationship in Helluva Boss. They are so cute, their dynamic is great, and they are absolutely goals. Please, let there be more relationships like Millie and Moxie in mainstream media. Sakura is very protective of Riku and Riku is worried that his girlfriend will do something idiotic as a result of that. Plus, those two are the only ones who have witnessed one another let down their emotional walls and be soft and sensitive towards one another.

Kim Possible - Finally, to top off this reference sheet is one of my favorite characters of all time, Kim Possible. I was obsessed with this show as a kid to the point that when I got my first phone I made custom sounds from my ringtone all the way to my notifications be sound effects from the show. So, naturally, when creating my first OC that I never shut up about, I used Kim as a huge reference point. Sakura isn’t exactly a reskinned carbon copy of her, but she does take heavy inspiration. One of the biggest references to Kim I made with Sakura was that she’s confident in what she does and if she puts her mind to it, she can do it. She doesn’t give up and keep trying. This does make Sakura a little arrogant and prideful, as she doesn’t easily admit defeat and won’t take responsibility when she’s wrong and has messed up, instead choosing to blame outside forces. This is an attitude that she needs to grow past from and change for the better, which she does do once it hurts someone close to her (no spoilers here hehe). Nomura, I’m begging you PLEASE PUT KIM POSSIBLE INTO KINGDOM HEARTS PLEASE

Honestly that isn’t a bad idea for a Kingdom Hearts one shot that I should write bUT ANYWAYS that caps off the first post for Kingdom Hearts OC Week 2021. Can’t wait to show you all what I’ve come up with for this week!

[evangeline-perry]

Their parents reaction to their sons' girlfriend being immigrants

A/N: This was a request I got on my Wattpad profile and I thought I’d post it here too. if you like, you can go follow me on Wattpad also @ Evangeline_Perry :)

masterlist

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

Neil

Neils parents: rude AF

·      You and Neil met in the theater during the auditions of A midsummer night’s dream and hit it off rather quickly

·      It didn’t take him very long to ask you out

·      But it also didn’t take long for Mr. Perry to hear about his son’s relationship and his commitment to the theater from one of his colleagues whose child was also part of the theater group

·      When he first heard about it, he was furious

·      Firstly, because his son was doing a play behind his back

·      Secondly, because his son had a girlfriend behind his back

·      And third, because he’d heard this girlfriend was not a born and raised American

·      He’d read about immigrants, mostly those who’d fled their homes for America during the Second World War, but none of those news outlets showed these people in a positive light. As a result, his views weren’t positive -or at the very least sympathetic- either

·      Because of this, Mr. Perry came bursting through Neil’s bedroom door, and seeing his son on his bed with his arms around that girl, his rage only grows, and he demands Neil break off his ‘relationship’

·      What Mr. Perry didn’t anticipate however, was his child’s reaction. Neils arms tightened around the girl he loved as his expression hardened. ‘No’, he states firmly.

·      ‘What?’

·      ‘No’, Neil repeats, ‘I am *not* breaking up with (Y/N) and you do *not* get a say in who I love. You need to leave, right now.’

·      With a small but stern shove, Neil removed his father from his room, closing the door in his face and turning the lock, preventing Mr. Perry from re-entering

·      A short tense moment later, Neil turned around, his angered expression softening into a smile once he laid his eyes on his shocked yet relieved girlfriend

Todd

Todd’s parents: awkward

·      You and Todd were reading in his room. One of his arms around you and your legs entangled while sitting on the bed

·      Both of you jumped when suddenly the door opened to reveal Todd’s parents

·      Seeing his son with a girl in his bed, caused both to stop in their tracks as well

·      Todd jumps out of bed, standing up and coming face to face with his shocked parents

·      After another long tense moment, Todd’s father was the first to break the silence. ‘well, Todd, would you please introduce us?’ he asked somewhat awkwardly.

·      Todd froze, unable to speak as his entire body tenses up. Instead, you stand up, reaching you hand out for Mr. Anderson to shake: ‘I’m (Y/N). Nice to meet you, sir.’

·      Mr. Anderson shook your hands after a moment’s hesitation

·      Todd’s parents both seated themselves on Neil’s empty bed and motions for his son and his girlfriend to do the same. ‘I’m going to be honest with you both. I did not expect you,’ he motioned at Todd, ‘to be getting a girlfriend, especially not one who’s clearly-‘ he caught himself, ‘-especially not since you’re not the most social boy.’

·      With this he turns his attention to you: ‘Do you go to school in the area, young lady?’ You noted that you do. This is where the still awkward smalltalk begins, though most of it is Todd’s parents asking you questions as your boyfriend only occasionally chimes in, which you don’t mind, you’re just glad he hasn’t completely frozen up in the presence of his parents

·      The smalltalk goes on, until it finally reaches the topic of parents: ‘and, if I may ask, what do your parents do?’

·      ‘well, my father is a teacher, and my mother is a housewife’, you tell them.

·      ‘And.. uhm… may I ask where-‘

·      ‘where I am from?’ you ask, trying to sound as neutral as possible, ‘Well I am from (American State) …but my parents were born in (country that isn’t in north-/south-American). They moved here during the war.’

·      The parents simply nodded in understanding before sharing a look and standing up, causing both you and Todd to follow suit.

·      The parents shook their son’s hand and yours one last time before bidding both of you goodbye

Charlie

Charlie’s parents: surprised but chill ft rude Welton teachers

·      Both of you go to different schools so one of you always had to sneak out to the other’s school.

·      But this time a professor walked in on you and Charlie when you were kissing behind the Welton building

·      The professor, of whom you didn’t know the name, was beyond himself with rage, dragging both of you to the headmaster’s office

·      Headmaster Nolan sat behind his desk, shot both of you a look of annoyance and disgust and simply informed you he’d called both pairs of parents.

·      With that he motioned you to sit in the chairs in front of his desk.

·      You both sit there in silence for a while until both your parents arrive

·      When you both turn to face your parents, you can clearly see a short flash of shock come across Charlie’s parents’ faces as they lock eyes with you parents

·      The reason for that was all too familiar to you, you weren’t even surprised

·      Once the parents were seated next to their respective children, headmaster Nolan relayed what had happened until you noticed something;

·      ‘So, Mr. and Mrs. (L/N), your daughter had sneaked out of her school domain without permission and convinced one of our boys to abandon his schoolwork-‘

·      ‘excuse me sir’, your father’s voice suddenly interrupted, ‘but it seems to me that it takes two people to kiss. You are sitting here blaming my daughter, when I am sure this young man was more than willing to put his schoolwork down.’

·      You blushed at your father’s blunt statement and after you saw Nolans shocked face you had to do your best to conceal your giggling

·      You shoot a look at Charlie only to see he was blushing and holding back laughter also

·      The meeting was concluded shortly after that with Nolan demanding both of you get detention for at least 2 weeks

·      With that you all leave his office and lead your parents to the exit of the school. Charlies parents say their goodbyes to their sons, after scolding him one more time, telling him to behave. They also shoot you a friendly nod and both fathers exchange a handshake.

·      After a short moment, your father turns to Charlie: ‘you seem like a smart young man. You treat my daughter with respect and there’ll be no problems. Alright?’

·      Leaving Charlie to stiffly nod before shaking your father’s hands.

Meeks

Meeks’ parents: patronizing

·      Unlike most of his friends, Steven Meeks told his parents about his girlfriend before they could hear about it from someone else

·      Meeks had let you know they’d invited you both to dinner one evening. You were a little nervous since you knew Meeks’ family was full of doctors and professors and they might think you’re not good enough for their son

·      And your fear turned out to be true. The evening was filled with passive aggressive questions with a patronizing undertone. But you just smile, linking your hand with Meeks’ under the table, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

·      ‘so (Y/N), how are your grades in school, Meeks is a straight A student.’

·      ‘yes Ma’am, I know. So am I’, you say smiling.

·      That statement was caused an annoyed side-glance to be shared by the two parents.

·      The night goes on like that, yet your smile never wavers as it is clear you exceed all their expectations (much to their annoyance)

·      At the end of the evening Meeks dropped you off at the school gates, while giving you a hug he apologized for his parents’ behavior

·      ‘It’s alright’, you tell your boyfriend, giving him one more peck before re-entering the schoolbuilding

Pitts

Pitts parents: very nice

·      Like Meeks, Gerald Pitts told his parents about his girlfriend before they could find out from a third party or before you and he got caught sneaking around each other’s campuses.

·      And thus, one night you got a phone call from your tall boyfriend inviting you to a coffee date with his parents.

·      You knew he was going his parents about you, but you were nervous none the less.

·      Pitts seemed to notice this in your silence: ‘don’t worry. They are going to love you. I promise.’

·      His kind words put a smile to your face as you accepted the invitation as you began to count down the days until you got to see your loving boyfriend again

·      That day soon came. You walked into the coffeeshop Pitts had specified and scanned the room looking for his familiar face.

·      You soon found him, his face lighting up when he saw you. A soft blush spread across your cheeks

·      When you arrived at their table Pitts scooted over so you could sit next to him after pecking you on the cheek.

·      His parents smiled at you before introducing themselves

·      As you all sipped your coffee, Pitts parents asked you many questions, one of them being: ‘how did you meet our son?’

·      You told them the story of how you’d met after bumping into him at an assembly of your school and his and had kept in contact ever since

·      At the end of the ‘coffee date’ Pitts’ parents offered to drive you back to school, all the while commenting on how they were so glad their son was seeing such a nice girl.

[touchmycoat]

OP!Anon for Leverage!HX/LQG: *SCREAM* oh I adore how you wrote this - HX is so good at reading everyone and understanding how to motivate/manipulate them, except for lqg. I love how angry he got at the idea of lqg seeing him in the same light as swd, and also how lqg's just like, yep, swd's gotta die when he heard the full story. I love the idea of HC coming in like the king he is and laying down the law about XL. ahhhhhhh!!!! just imagining hx and lqg getting close after lots of shenanigans!

teamwork baby

"Xue Yang must die" is literally one of my favorite WWX quotes of all time LMFAO time to pay homage

so you know how in book 3, during the Black Water arc, HX is there trying to push his whole scheme forward? It's well-timed, well-thought-out, but the only fucking spanner that keeps jumping back into his work is XL-and-therefore-HC? Yeah I imagine working with grifter!HC is pretty much like that. He's always late or never shows up at all to briefings, or he shows up to the very end to hear the conclusion and goes "Nope, that's fucking stupid, change it." SQQ's like "Why??" and HC's like "oh, lil boy can't figure it out?"

and whenever they have an actual plan going, HC sometimes just shows up and starts doing his own thing in the middle and forces HX to keep up. This is often motivated by one of XL's jobs, and XL would ask if HC knows a little piece of intel, and HC would be like "oh you know what, I actually have a hostage right here to ask about that, one moment please :)" and utterly prioritize XL's thing. HX has to change the job on the fly so many times, and it's so fucking annoying, but it's not like HC leaves him at a dead end, so he always does find a way out.

(this got fucking long, but HX/LQG under the cut)

Bingliushen are also annoyed as fuck, but while they're godtier at their own things, none of them are mastermind-level (yet—Binghe's gonna get there, isn't he), so they just have to put their faith in HX and keep chugging forward. This is how the foundation builds, y'know? HX insists to both others and himself that he's being honest and faithful to his team because that's just the best way to handle them, not 'cause he's actually a team player and not 'cause he cares for anybody at all. And LQG's a simple guy—you save my life, I'll save yours. You act in good faith, I'll be loyal in turn.

It starts with something small. HX's suffered tremendous loss, and has been on his own for a very, very long time. He's used to taking care of himself, but we all know LQG's love language is "here, you dropped this. I've been quietly paying attention to everything you like and do, no big deal." So maybe it happens on a mission. HC has three marks to dupe in succession, and they're playing a nasty Big Pharma group, so it's hitting close to home for HX. At the last minute though, HC says over the comm, "the CEO & CFO made me. Must've recognized me from speaking to the secretary earlier. He Xuan."

"Can you still do the COO?"

"I'm not about to waste this outfit, am I."

and HX has to hop in and do 2/3rds of the grifting himself, which is fine, he's completely capable of this, he's a goddamn prodigy at hiding his murderous tendencies. but out of nowhere LQG is on the line, "Shen Qingqiu, you said you can hack the finances, right?"

"Yes, but nothing else."

"Then He Xuan doesn't have to talk to the CFO. Give me 2 minutes, I'll knock him out."

and HX doesn't stop him because sure, why not? It was more efficient for HC to do three of them at once, but now that it was HX doing it (and HX still has his own part to play), it would save them more effort if LQG goes for the blunt force solution. But it rubs HX the wrong way—what the fuck? Yeah, HX may not like grifting as much as HC, the stupid drama queen, but hasn't he proven himself every bit as capable of it? Why did LQG think it necessary to, what, bail him out?

So that night, after debrief, HX pulls LQG aside to give him a piece of his mind. "Don't ever try to override my judgment again." "What are you talking about?" "I made a call, I did not need your 'help' on the grift." "That wasn't help." "Then what was it." "You hate talking to guys like that!" "???" "You didn't need to talk to him, and I was right there. It was the obvious thing to do."

and HX still doesn't get it, not until the next day, when SQQ and HX are quietly setting up for the morning, and SQQ says out of the blue, "that's just how he cares. Liu Qingge, I mean. It's never an ego thing once he's your friend."

"I don't need friends," is HX's automatic response.

"No," SQQ snorts in agreement. "You need revenge. That's fine. Then I'm sure he'll get over it."

Which—okay—no? Bastard. That's just a passive aggressive attempt at a guilt trip, and it's not going to work. HX has already made it abundantly clear from the get-go that this was simply a job, he was the pointman, once they were done everybody will go on their way. It's not his fault SQQ dragged in a hitman with the loyalty instincts of a german shepherd, and it's certainly none of his business whether LQG treats him as friend or a colleague.

LQG will just have to be disappointed.

BUT OF COURSE WHAT GOES ON TO HAPPEN IS THAT HX sees more and more of the things LQG does, the ways LQG manages to be thoughtful. The way LQG handles visitors during HX’s mealtimes despite how much LQG hates talking to randos, bc HX has bad food days and can’t really stand eating with others. The time they had some time to kill undercover in a consultant’s office, and HX passed the time by pointing out all the things wrong with the office’s mini-aquarium set-up, so when SQQ brought up something inane about decorating their headquarters, LQG made HX draw up specs for a saltwater tank of their own. HX and everybody else kept insisting it was a waste of time, but LQG still went ahead and got it made anyways, and now it’s HX’s favorite thing in the entire HQ.

But HX wasn’t about to owe anybody anything. If LQG insists on this game, then fine, HX was going to play to win. He requisitions new toys (read: weapons) for LQG, he builds heists around the sole purpose of giving LQG a room of satisfying bad guys to beat up, he goes to the gym and spars with LQG, he even tries to give LQG’s weirdly famous younger sister’s novel a read—which was a lot. Ahem. But LQG loves his younger sister, so surely this would be the ultimate “hah! I’ve given you more than you’ve given me! I win! move.

...turns out LQG’s never read the damn thing, and just takes everything HX gives him in total stride. “We still on for tomorrow?” “...Yes.” “Cool. See you.” And HX’s over here totally overthinking EVERYTHING while LQG’s just chilling, super matter-of-fact.

Fuck, were they friends???

HX rage-panics, because he does. not. need. friends. And it has nothing to do with how everyone he’s ever loved dies, it has nothing to do with the careful balance of vengeful fury and self-hatred inside him that’s about to tip over any day now, once they take down SWD. It has nothing to do with HX being too traumatized and grief-stricken to imagine moving on from revenge, to ever imagine being simply content again.

His eating habits get worse. One day he snaps at LQG for pining so much after SQQ. “You already know he’s never going to return your feelings. It’s embarrassing to watch you insist on giving so much when he’s not going to give anything back.”

“Shut up,” LQG snaps, “it’s not about getting anything back.”

But that makes it worse. Of course HX wasn’t actually talking about SQQ, though sure, that’s annoying too. LBh obviously knows, so why can’t they take their infernal flirting somewhere private, instead of flaunting it in front of LQG all the time?? But the fault’s with LQG too, what with all the giving. He should find someone more worthy of his affections and stop wasting his time here.

HX cuts everything he and LQG has built up in one fell swoop—completely gives him the cold shoulder. Only ever talks about work, no more dry quips, no more infodumps on niche hobbies. HX wishes he could destroy the tank at HQ, but that would be way too confrontational at this stage.

Until one mission, when LQG knows HX is not in a good place, and keeps trying to argue HX out of doing something excessively risky. HX rounds on him and says, “you’re just a hired gun, so shut up and shoot where I'm pointing, or you can pack your things and get out.”

LQG goes red, then white, and storms away.

“Nice sucker punch,” HC comments idly where he’s lounging on the side. Who knows when the fuck he showed up. “Right where it hurts.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Don’t tell me you don’t know. His five-year stint with the Sha City Demons?”

Of course HX knows about that. He’s looked thoroughly into everybody’s backgrounds. But what does that have to do with this?

“Gege is the best at this, after all. See you and I, we stopped asking questions once we knew the name, because we don’t think people are ever as pure and good as they pretend to be. But you know what Dianxia said, after I mentioned Liu Qingge’s old gig to him? ‘Five years, hm? I wonder what they had on him. In my experience, men like Liu Qingge don’t work for crews like the Sha Demons. And in order to sink their claws deeper into men like him, the Demons always make them do the worst jobs.’ Just a hired gun indeed.”

That’s right. LQG gets a Moreau backstory of his own. HX feels his heart sink to the pit of his stomach.

“Fuck.”

“I don’t know why you’re so stressed out about it. He is just a hired gun—”

“You know why. Fuck.”

“So get out of my face and do something about it already. You know where he’s gone, I know you’ve put trackers on your entire team.”

“...”

“You didn’t? No, you didn’t put one on him? My god, you do care.”

While HC’s busy sounding disgusted, HX is reeling. He just sent the best hitman in the field packing, and was an absolute dick about it. He was not a kind man, but he also wasn’t a cruel one. He believes in fairness, and everything he said simply had not been fair. It had all been his own guilt and issues talking; if he really didn’t give a damn, then he wouldn’t have...done all this.

“How much are you willing to pay?” HC says, swiping at his phone.

“What?”

“Because I don’t trust any of you, and did put a tracking device on Liu Qingge.” He sure has—HC is waving the loading tracking app in HX’s face. “So I’m asking, how much are you willing to pay?”

...And that’s the reason why HX owes HC so much damn money.

[whatyouwantedmetosee]

Thoughts on some Jack X Joey??

Boy howdy do I have a lot of thoughts!! (I actually love this ship, whoops.)

Disclaimer: a lot of my thoughts are from before the Illusion of Living, but now that I know the IOL stuff, I can’t not factor that in to my thoughts. So, various slight spoilers for the Illusion of Living under the cut!

Secondary Disclaimer: My information about the books is via other people, so I may have slight information wrong. This is a lot of headcanons anyway so please excuse any inaccuracies!

(It’s also honestly a lot of rambling character analysis rather than ship thoughts, so I guess if you want to hear my TED Talk on Jack Fain’s personality that’s in here too.)

SO! Obviously this one isn’t exactly like... an Obvious Pairing. But it’s one I think could, theoretically, be pretty nice.

First off: So like, I’m honestly just, gobsmacked, the amount of fuel for my sorta niche ship that showed up in the Illusion of Living? Joey Drew and Jack Fain have coffee and chat, that’s cUTE??? (Also apparently the audiobook puts weird emphasis on Joey enjoying their... meetings, which IDK, it’s probably intended as a like “haha yeah it’s a work meeting even tho we’re actually just having coffee for most of it” but tOO BAD I MADE IT QUEER NOW.

Anyway, on to actual thoughts, which I have split into mini chapters because I am physically incapable of being succinct:

Part One: The Accidental TED Talk About Jack Fain (Or At Least How I View Him)

A lot of my thoughts on this ship are affected by how I view Jack as a character, I think? I see him as someone who’s soft, and nice, yeah, and overall very chill, but I don’t really see him as a pushover, really? I feel like, Jack’s a character who can tell what people want, and then sorta... gently steer them in a direction, rather than just going with what they want.

So like, with Sammy - Sammy is real direct and blunt and rude, and somehow Jack manages to work with him well. This is actually sorta how I view that one IOL scene where Jack interrupts Joey and Sammy’s Gay Reminiscing:tm: - he sees Sammy getting off track and distracted, and decides to step in to keep things back on topic.

I feel like this probably is also how they’re able to work together so well, because Jack can tell when he needs to step in to keep Sammy on track, while also understanding how Sammy wants him to act and doing what Sammy wants him to do. (And as a side note, I honestly feel like Sammy probably knows this and appreciates it? Helps keep things running smoothly. Probably why he isn’t as much of an ass to Jack as he can be to other people.)

Basically, I see him as having a pretty good skill at like, working out people’s systems, working out how to please them, while also coming to compromises that help him also get his point across.

I also feel like, I’m not sure how much of Jack’s Big Attention Seeking Energy is him, so much as him filling a role to do what needs to be done? I don’t think he necessarily hates it, but like... Working with Sammy, someone has to be doing that role. He knows how to work with people, work an audience, get the attention the duo needs to be successful the way Sammy can’t. (Sammy outright doesn’t want attention, but alas, that doesn’t really pay the bills.)

But then, when you hear about Jack at JDS, he tends to get away from everything and be more chill - and I read that as more like, now that he doesn’t need to draw attention for his job, he’s able to settle down a little in that regard. Writing is a lot different from pleasing a crowd, so he doesn’t need to maintain that persona, and can slip into more comfortable habits, get some more peace as he works on writing.

(Also, wrt the one audiolog he has about not being too bothered about that one award being in Joey’s name - I feel like, if he doesn’t actually want the attention so much, I could see him... like, legitimately just not minding it that much, actually, rather than being passive aggressive about it or anything.)

Anyway!!! Those are my thoughts on Jack, so now we can move onto...

Section B: Jack/Joey? On This Blog??? It’s More Likely Than You Think 

So then, with regards to like... shipping with Joey. Note that we’re now sliding into even more headcanon-y territory.

I feel like at the very beginning, Joey probably misreads Jack a lot. He’s still kinda expecting that showy, charismatic, crowd-pleasing persona, the like... what he reads as wanting attention. (Which, true, Jack was seeking that out - because the job required it, not because he, specifically, wanted it.)

So, what he gets is a bit more of a surprise - a bit more chill, calmer. But, he still has that ability to work with people, even though he’s not using it on a crowd.

From the sounds of things in IOL, it seems like, the meeting stuff between Joey and the Music Dept. Boys goes pretty smoothly... but like, I get the impression that later on in the studio’s timeline, things go slightly less well between Sammy and Joey. (Stares at the conspicuous lack of Jack Fain in DCTL. Hm.)

But yeah, I like to imagine, Jack in meetings with Joey and Sammy, helping like... smooth things over more when changes need to be made or the music isn’t working out quite how Joey wants it to. Jack knows enough about Sammy to know how to appeal to his side of things, while also compromising enough with Joey’s side of things, incorporating the changes Joey wants but suggesting ways it could work better, helping tone down Joey’s helpful suggestions that wouldn’t work as well as he thinks they would.

I’m a big fan of the concept of like... Joey originally has a big crush on Sammy, he’s so mysterious, what’s going on in his head, etc. - but then, a lot more slowly, he gets to know Jack better, spends more time with him, slowly works out how Jack actually works. Learns to appreciate that more subdued charisma he has, the way he can tell how people work and work with it.

And then, it’s just nice to imagine a nicer more chill Joey ship. Have some nice meetings, get coffee together, casually make out in Joey’s office. That’s some good content.

(It also works nicely because I feel like... IDK, I don’t think Jack would just put up with Joey’s Being Joey, I don’t think he’s that much of a pushover. So like, IDK, in this scenario Joey learns to be a bit less of a jerk, maybe things don’t go so bad. Or, I mean. Stares some more at the conspicuous lack of Jack Fain in DCTL. Hmmmmm.) 

...

Also like, this is also good opportunity for a Joey/Sammy/Jack OT3, give Joey the best of both worlds. Jack cares a lot about Sammy, Joey is infatuated with Sammy and slowly grows to understand Jack, Jack helps Sammy and Joey clash slightly less and work together better, etc. It’s a different ship, but also good.

Act III: Okay But What If I Added Some Angst? Eh? Any Takers???

So, first up, consider: this very good post of Jack Fain thoughts by @inkyvendingmachine. Now hear me out:

Jack Fain, who (through whatever nonsense) ended up with his office nice and tucked away in the sewers where he has some peace and quiet. Due to Some Reason, be it poor memory on Joey’s part or unclear instruction when he demanded that the Ink Demon be locked up...

The Ink Demon gets locked away in the Infirmary... but, unbeknownst to Joey, Jack is still in there. Things don’t go well. Joey realises, and...

Well.

Add in some previous Jack/Joey shipping, and Joey suddenly realising what he’s caused, unintentionally or no. Lead that into either Joey losing it and turning to his weird ink nonsense, or Joey going further than he meant in attempt to somehow reverse what he did.

Throw in some additional: Jack is no longer there to help balance out Joey’s Joeyness. He’s also no longer there to help out with Sammy and Joey interactions - a Sammy who can tell something’s happened with Jack, but Joey sure isn’t going to just tell him what happened, and that certainly isn’t helping things here.

...

maybe i put something like that in my requirement au. just a little. its fine. i lov to cause myself pain

[mithrilwren]

Servant Song

I always keep my promises :) Whether or not we get it on the show, here’s Fjord and Caduceus having a much needed check-in about the events of the Menagerie, their first night at sea.

(Also on Ao3)

Fjord could have taken the captain’s quarters. Caduceus expected him to, though in hindsight, that might have been a foolish supposition. But here they are, with Fjord laying down linens over his old bunk and tucking the sheets in with martial precision, when Caduceus had been thinking - had been hoping, truthfully - that he would have the night alone.

The ocean rocks beneath the hull, and Caduceus sits cross-legged on his own bunk, drifting with the rhythm and watching Fjord work. The corners are all done up neatly, far neater than anything that’s meant to be lain in ought to be. Could Caduceus be blamed for thinking that the man would want his crusts cut off, all those days ago? Fjord is particular about everything. 

And Caduceus is… frustrated. Unfair as it may be, that’s what he is.

He’s very, very tired. He wants to sleep, and Fjord is still fussing around, and he has to bite his his tongue lest any passive-aggressive word or complaint slips out. He may not enjoy the ocean, but he’ll be stuck on it for the next few weeks. He’d better start getting used to that discomfort now. It’s no reason to snap at Fjord, who hasn’t done anything wrong, even if every sound he makes is grating on Caduceus’s nerves like a taut wire scraped over stone.

Fjord finally drops down onto his bed, satisfied, and Caduceus fights the urge to cover his ears as the wooden frame creaks with his weight. Everything is too loud. Everything is too much, tonight. He’s feeling well past frayed. Speaking with your family for the first time in a decade will do that to a person, he’s finding out.

Fjord finally looks up at Caduceus, biting his lip before speaking. “...You mind if I put out the light?” The words are apologetic - like he had another question in mind, but lost his nerve.

“Sure.”

Fjord hops off the bed, and there - the sheets are already wrinkled. What was the point in all that? Caduceus huffs, then lays down and pulls the covers up over his chest.

The torch by the door snuffs out, leaving only a pair of thin candlesticks on the twin dressers and the light from beneath the door to illuminate their little shared room. Fjord walks back to his bed, confident where Caduceus would have stumbled. He’s the only one in the party now who can’t see in the dark. He thinks that most of them forget that, these days - that he can’t see the way they can.

“Night, Caduceus.” Fjord’s soft murmur rumbles over him, and he curls up as comfortably as he can on a bed made for someone a head shorter, facing the wall. Briny speckled wood stares back, half-rotted and almost slick in the dim candlelight. Or maybe that’s his mind playing tricks on him, reminding him of what lies beneath the thin protection of the hull. 

The world rocks, rocks, rocks-

Clarabelle’s face drifts from the darkness. He hears her high, excited laugh in the break between swells.

She was so happy to see him. 

He was so happy to see her. 

To see all of them.

He was so happy.

He was.

He is.

Caduceus tightens his hand into the blankets, body twitching as the ocean rocks, and the bed rocks, and the world moves around him, and there’s nothing he can do to stop it.

He is happy. His family is safe, and the grove will soon be saved as well, and that’s all that ever mattered. And this? This melancholy? It will pass. Tomorrow there’ll be new things that need his attention, and a fresh path forward: something to distract himself from the movement, and the noise, and all the things that are too much. Too loud. Too bright. Too unceasing. There’s still so much left to accomplish. 

What’s the point of feeling like this? How does it help him? What good does it do?

Caduceus presses his face into the mattress, willing the darkness to come already. Everything will be easier tomorrow. He’ll feel less heartsick, and more steady, like he needs to be. Like he always needs to be.

It’s just been a long day. It’s just been-

“Caduceus?” Fjord’s whisper is entirely too close and Caduceus flinches, but manages not to flail. He rolls over to find Fjord hunched over his bed, one hand braced tentatively on the edge of the mattress. “Are you asleep?” 

Caduceus sits up, drawing the blankets up with him. Fjord lowers himself onto the side of the bed, perched in an awkward way that makes it clear he’s trying not to take up too much space. It’s an uncomfortable pose, and Caduceus scoots over a little, until they have room to fit side by side.

“What’s wrong?” he asks, but his voice is too rough for the question, not filled with enough easy assurance. Habit sends his eyes flicking over Fjord’s body in search of traces of seawater. If this is another nightmare, he’s not sure he has the energy to be the comforter tonight. 

“Nothing.” Fjord’s response is quick - too quick, and Caduceus’s eyes narrow. “I just… we haven’t gotten a chance to talk for a while. A lot’s happened in the last few days.” Caduceus nearly snaps that they would have had the chance, if he and the others hadn’t been so dead set on spending the previous night desecrating a sacred site. But when Fjord said he wasn’t involved in the acts themselves, he did believe him, and he has to be fair. Fjord’s done a lot for him; Caduceus owes him that much.

“What do you want to talk about?” Jester’s religious revelations, almost losing Beau in the fight with the Gorgon, the peace treaty they’re sailing towards. There are lots of things Fjord might want to talk through, and he doesn’t know if he’ll be able to pretend to be excited about any of it, but can’t quite make himself tell Fjord to go away either. 

“How’re you feeling?” 

Caduceus sighs, staring off towards the wall over Fjord’s bed. How does he answer that, when he doesn’t know himself? He knows what he should be feeling. He thinks he knows what Fjord needs to hear. 

“Good, I think. Very relieved that we all made it out in one piece.” And that must be what he feels, because he said it. And if he doesn’t feel particularly joyful, he will by tomorrow, once he’s rested a little more. And if he doesn’t by then…

Well. It was never his job to be happy. His job was to be patient, and to listen to the Mother, and to endure whatever trials might come, until the others came back. He didn’t spend these past ten years locked in a stone prison. He lived freely, and that’s a close enough thing to happiness. It’s good enough for the bees, and the beasts, and the whispering elms. It should have been enough for him.

(And besides, how can he say to Fjord, who never had parents to come home to, that the reunion hurt more than the leaving?)

“I’m sure the garden will be beautiful by the time I return. I’m excited to see what my family makes of it.” He manages a little sad smile, and expects that to be the end of the conversation, but Fjord is still there when he looks back to him. His eyes are troubled, flickering yellow in the candlelight, and Caduceus finds he can’t hold his gaze for long.

“They seemed like good people. It must have been nice to finally see them again,” Fjord says softly. Caduceus nods, swallowing hard. Nice. That’s how it was supposed to feel. He’s thankful to Fjord, in that moment, for reminding him of the right words, the proper ones.

“Very nice,” he says. “I missed them, more than I realized.” He startles when Fjord reaches out and touches the back of his hand, blunt nails grazing the soft fur over his knuckles.

“Sorry,” Fjord says, drawing his hand back, and he looks down at his own hands, still folded in his lap. They’re shaking, he realizes. Caduceus gives a little chuckle, almost as surprised as Fjord at the sight.

“Don’t worry about that. Just tired. How are you doing, Fjord? It must feel strange, being back on the sea, and on this ship. I know being the captain isn’t a role you relish.”

Fjord frowns, and answers slowly. “I’m fine, Caduceus. But… are you?” Caduceus opens his mouth, and nothing comes out, for far too long. “You’ve been through a lot in the last forty-eight hours.”

“Have I?” Caduceus laughs again, and uses the interruption to search for the next question he can ask, the next avenue he can take that will lead Fjord off this one. He’s desperate to divert the conversation before they reach whatever precipice they’re teetering towards. The swooping in his stomach tells him they’re close to one, even if he can’t see the drop.

“I mean, yes. What we saw in that place… it was incredibly disturbing, even to me, and it wasn’t my family who was petrified.”

Corrin’s broken body scattered amongst the sand. His father’s form frozen, with one arm raised. Clarabelle, she’s never looked that terrified, he didn’t realize she even could-

“But aren’t they your family too?” Caduceus asks. His brother, Caduceus sometimes wanted to hurt him when they were younger, but he never wanted anything like this. “You’re a Stone now, after all,” Calliope, with all her strength, even she couldn’t protect them and he smiles, mouth moving into a curve almost without his noticing. Fjord reaches out and takes his hand more forcefully this time: not hesitant, and not letting go. 

“Caduceus,” Fjord says, and Caduceus watches something wet drip onto the back of his green knuckles, the ones that cover his. Is the roof of the cabin leaking? He opens his mouth to speak again, and tastes salty water on his lips, and more dripping onto his tongue. 

Oh. He’s crying. That’s… odd.

He raises the hand that Fjord isn’t holding and wipes at his eyes, surprised to find that more tears are leaking out even as he swipes the first batch away. 

Does anyone ever cry, if there’s nobody there to watch? He’s always wondered. He was usually the one who did the watching, and the comforting as well, for all those who came to the Grove to lay their loved ones to rest. 

But why should he cry, if there’s no one to mourn? If no one actually died, in the end?

“I’m fine,” he insists, his voice roughening with each word. “Let’s talk about you, Fjord.” 

“You’re not fine,” Fjord says, undistracted and undeterred. “Caduceus, talk to me.”

“What’s there to talk about?” More heat slips out from the corner of his eyes, and brushing the tears away does nothing to stop more from falling, and he doesn’t understand what’s happening to his body - why it’s doing this, when he isn’t even upset. “My family is safe. I did what I set out to do. You know the rest.”

“But I don’t,” Fjord says, tightening his grip on Caduceus’s hand and looking at him so unhappily, and Caduceus would do anything to make this conversation end. “I don’t know what’s going on in your head. Did… did you get enough time with your parents, before they left?” He doesn’t mention the tears. For that, Caduceus is eternally grateful.

“Yes, of course. I’m glad that I got a chance to see them. I’m very lucky,” that they wanted to see me, after what I did, “that they were alive, all of them. I’m very grateful to you, and the others. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you all for what you did for my family.”

Far from being soothed, Fjord’s face grows more stormy. Caduceus suspects he’ll be losing circulation in his fingers soon, if Fjord’s keep up their vice grip. “You don’t have to repay us.”

“Don’t I?” I still have so much to make up for, after all. “I’m sure I’ll find a way. We still have a long road ahead of us.”

“Caduceus, we wanted to help you. Did we make Nott repay us, for rescuing Yeza? Or Beau, for standing up for her when we met her shithole father? Or me, when you gave me that sword, or when you helped me find the Wildmother? Was I supposed to pay you back for that?” Caduceus shakes his head. Of course not. He’d never have put that on his shoulders. “Then why would it be different for you?”

Because you deserved to be saved. And I-

“It’s fine, Fjord. Let’s-”

“It’s clearly not. Why do you keep saying that?” 

“Because I need it to be.” The treacherous nugget of honesty slips out in his frustration, and Fjord latches on. 

“Why? Why does it need to be fine?”

He doesn’t know the answer, and then he does. It hits him like a punch to the gut, a physical ache of realization. “Because if it isn’t now, then when will it be?” I did everything I was meant to do, everything I was led to do, and I’m still alone. He sucks in a breath, and that breath turns into two, then turns into a gasping, frantic pattern of inhales and exhales. “Then I’m always going to feel this way.”

“What way?” Fjord leans in closer, till his forehead brushes the loose waves of hair across Caduceus’s forehead, not letting him pull away, as much as his body wants him to press his back into the wall, or crawl beneath the bed, or be anywhere but here.

“Afraid.”

Is that how he feels? It seems true, when he says it, but it doesn’t make sense. None of it makes sense. 

“What are you afraid of, Caduceus?” 

Everything. The sea, the future, his parents’ love. Fjord’s hand on his, still holding him close, keeping him from running. He wants to shove Fjord away, but then he’ll be even more alone, and Caduceus is afraid of that too. But if he lets him in, then who will carry the weight? Is Fjord strong enough to hold them both?

Is he?

“I don’t know if I made the right choices. Maybe I chose the wrong path. I don’t know who can tell me the difference.” I don’t know who can forgive me, if I did.

Fjord’s other hand moves to rest on his chest, rough calluses catching against the silk that covers the ribs beneath. “Breathe,” he instructs, and Caduceus tries. He can’t make it slow down, at first, but Fjord’s hand runs gentle circles across his heart, moving in time with the rock of the ship. Eventually, air starts finding its way into his lungs again. 

“You told me that I should start looking for my own answers. Well, I’m going to try.” Fjord’s hand never stills as he speaks. “I don’t know if you’re on the ‘right’ path, Caduceus, because I don’t think there is one. I think the world’s more complicated than that. But I know that we all found each other for a reason. I know that your family is alive, because of what you did. And I know you set me on a far better path than the one I was walking, so if that counts for anything... I’ll never regret that I met you, not for a single day. I hope… I hope you feel the same way. And that you’re not just staying because you feel like you have to.” A twinge of uncertainty twists behind Fjord’s eyes, and his hand starts to pull away. Caduceus catches the hand before it can, holding it against his chest.

“I do,” Caduceus says, and finds that he means it. Even if he was supposed to live alone for the rest of his days, even if he abandoned that duty, he doesn’t regret meeting the Nein, or Fjord. He can’t bring himself to pretend anything else. “I’m glad to be here, with you.”

“Then this path can’t be wrong.” Caduceus smiles, looking down. That answer is more straightforward than he can accept. There are still some things that are ordained, that he can’t ignore in favour of his own feelings. But it’s a very Fjord sort of solution, and that’s endearing in its own way, and… it’s something to think on, at least.

“Thank you,” he whispers, and Fjord’s posture relaxes, bit by bit. “I think I needed to hear that.” His head feels impossibly heavy, and he leans forward, dropping his forehead onto Fjord’s shoulder. A moment later, the hand that was on his chest moves to cradle the back of his head, not stroking his neck but just resting there, a comforting, steadying weight amidst the rocking of the ship.

“Anytime,” Fjord murmurs into a mouthful of hair. “And I mean that. Anytime you need me, Caduceus, I’m here.” 

He knows from Fjord’s twitching after a minute or so that the position isn’t comfortable for him, nor is it particularly comfortable for Caduceus either - his back isn’t meant to bend quite that far. He reluctantly sits back up, and Fjord grins at him as he straightens. “Bedtime?”

“I think so.” Fjord pulls away, standing, but he lingers a moment longer before returning to his own bunk, just watching Caduceus, like he has something else to say. But whatever it is, he loses his nerve again, and they both retreat to their separate blankets once more. 

In Fjord’s absence, the gnawing guilt starts to creep back in, and Caduceus’s heart rapidly begins to sink as he leans over to blow out the candles. But in the faint light before the last flame flickers and fades, he thinks he catches a glint of blue waves on the ceiling, reflected from the space between Fjord’s hands. 

He recognizes the hue. It’s the emblem he gave to Fjord: still cherished, even weeks after the fact.

Was I supposed to pay you back?

Not for something freely given. Not for something earnestly shared. 

Maybe that’s what makes the difference, in the end.

[knifefather]

Hi!! Congrats on 400 followers!! You deserve it 👍🏻. I was glad to hear your dad was ok and I hope your moms alright too, I also hope your doing ok 💕. Anyway here’s my info for jjba matchup please! Take you time I’m sure your getting a bazillion of these so no rush!!

Finn (nickname I always go by), Female

Capricorn (I don’t know what the other stuff is sorry I’m dumb with star sign stuff 😫!!)

ESTP (I know Myers Briggs tho 😉)

Bisexual

Likes: Being busy and active, Attention 🙈, Social situations, Travel and trying new things/food, Video games, Music and concerts, Relaxing and watching anime at home after a busy day 😊

Dislikes: Loud chewing (HATE ASMRS), Neediness? (I like people who are ok being on their own and are ok not coming out with me ALL the time cause I tend to have lots going on lol),Texting/calling I’m very bad at it lmao, Passive aggression (just be blunt!!), Blabbermouths... just stfu 😅

Body: 170cm (5’7ft), 130lbs, Hourglass body shape (medium size boobs and hips?), Short silver hair (shaggy kinda like narancia), Green eyes, Dimples lol (I hate them but my mom likes them 🤷🏼‍♀️)

Thank you!!

Hey, thank you so much my friend! Honestly, you will never know how much I appreciate the kind words about my mom and dad. When they were both having health problems, I was having a really hard time and definitely wasn’t on my game. Thank you once again, from the bottom of my heart. 

The Knife Father matches you with...

Diego Brando!

via d4c

➼ This short king is going to sweep you off of your feet! Diego’s not a very romantic kind of person, but your extroverted personality and sweetness really rubs off on him. He falls in love with you slowly, but hard. Diego has an independent personality, and as a Capricorn, I’m sure that you probably are similar. You are both fairly ambitious and driven people. You’re good at providing each other with attention and affection while also giving each other the space to accomplish your goals. Diego isn’t up your ass all the time, but there are moments where he really wants your attention. He’s very good at  communicating this, as he is most things, due to his blunt attitude. 

➼ Diego’s very into the fact that you’re slightly taller than him. He would never discourage you from wearing heels around him, ever. The jokes from others don’t really bother him, either. He loves bringing you to parties or gatherings and showing you off, that’s for sure!

➼ Also hates loud chewing sounds and will literally threaten someone if they are too loud. If Diego were alive in modern times, he would probably be very against ASMR and not understand it at all lmao. Or just have the misfortune of only coming across really strange/lewd/ ASMRs and have a bad impression of it. 

➼ Little do most know, Diego is a closet cuddlebug. He loves to give you attention, especially when you act cute and ask him directly for it. The jockey always has his eye on you and tends to pay attention to you at most times, but he knows that you require a little bit extra. He lays it on thick with the cuddling, kisses, and sweet words. He’s not a fan of PDA but will literally hang all over you in private. “Come on, can’t we cuddle for awhile?” he would whine, his accent particularly thick. “We’ve been away from each other all day and I missed you...” he would say, dramatically flopping down and wrapping his arms around you. Yes, he’s a drama king about cuddles. No, nobody is surprised. 

➼ He would always bring you on his travels when he competes in races! You love the excitement of the races and always meet new people while out with Diego. He takes you to many different places, and the two of you share a lot of fun experiences. You also try a lot of different food (you’re a lot less picky than Diego!) 

➼ Diego has an attitude and can be pretty passive aggressive with most people. However, if he respects and loves you enough to have you as a partner, he makes a good effort to not be an ass and be upfront with you about anything he needs to say. You are very precious to him and one of the only people he can let his guard down around. He’s very straightforward about how he feels, his wants, his needs, and pretty much anything regarding your relationship. All he asks is that you do the same in return.

[astrologysvt]

Seokmin’s Ideal Type - Natal Chart Reading

Happy birthday Minnie~~ 🎉 thanks for all of your hard work and shining bright so our crops can grow ☀️🌱

For ideal types, I’m not going to be doing specific placements of their ideal partner. Instead, I’m gonna be listing personality traits I think would mesh well with them, as well as focus on their needs and the kind of person who could meet them. what this reading cannot account for is the compromising the members would do on their end for their s/o. so just keep in mind this is only half of the whole picture!

i can see him being with someone very cute and charming.

his cancer moon loves cute things, and his libra mars is attracted to those who are very charismatic. 

he’s an incredibly romantic guy thanks to that libra mars and wants to be with someone who will put in the effort to keep things exciting, tender, and light between the two of them. 

wants to go on dinner dates till the age of 99 

he also wants to be with someone who will constantly try to woo him, as he’ll do the same.

he’s a very traditional, movie-like romantic.

someone very communicative and outgoing thanks to that aqua. 

discussion is a huge part in how he understands and navigates relationships so a certain degree of compatibility on this front is vital. 

someone assertive.

his cancer moon and libra mars don’t make him the most assertive person, even with all of that fixed aqua. that aqua can make him very stubborn, but doesn’t necessarily make him assertive. 

because of that, he’s very receptive to someone willing to both protect and guide him. 

with that being said they shouldn’t be overbearing, abrasive, or controlling this this regard as his aqua doesn’t like surrendering full control. 

someone very caring and warm.

when it comes to relationships his cancer moon is going to be a huge contributing factor. 

his emotional needs are something that very strongly correlate with his well being, and this is often represented in his need for comfort, support, and a general nurturing environment to come back to. 

without having this comfort met, he really struggles to be everything else his chart wants him to be.

s/o should be very soft, kind, and emotionally intuitive and communicative. 

(which, side note, i think it’s adorable when people mention how loved he must have been growing up in his family. that would have been the absolute perfect environment for him to really allow his chart to be as actualized and well-developed as it is now). 

he really craves a “homey” relationship, and so someone with a gentle approach to relationships and love would be received very well by him. 

he really just wants to indulge in all of the cheesy parts of relationships! 

this influence also creates a great desire for stability, so while his aqua really loves people who are interesting, passionate, and unique -- a relationship without a strong sense of stability/predictability/security is not going to last long for him. 

he wants to feel like he’s coming home when he’s with his s/o. 

and his s/o should put a good effort forward to ensure he has someone to fall back on. 

his cancer moon is square his libra venus. 

so this can give him a strong tendency towards passive aggression. 

i went into this in his chart first impressions, but he’s a very sensitive guy and he takes everything said to him to heart. 

and so with that he has a habit of storing things inside of him, partially with the knowledge that he could be overreacting, with no real idea of how he should address them. if he does its after some build up, and probably very clumsy. 

so i think it’s important that 1) his s/o doesn’t have similar placements that ALSO give them similar habits 2) they’re not overly aggressive/blunt in the way they handle conflict that could cause him to further hide his feelings out of fear of potential outbursts 3) straight forward enough to nip those insecurities in the bud before they have a chance to fester in him. 

sounds kind of complicated, but it really just comes from the fact that they should have a lot of patience with him in terms of how he processes emotions that can lead to hurt/anger.

they should understand how to help him navigate those moments, while also being very good at reading him when he falls into those moods.

putting libra in the planet it is in detriment to causes a huge blockage with anger, and his cancer moon is incredibly quick to activate his mars and so his s/o should have a great deal of emotional control/patience so the inevitable relationship conflicts aren’t exasperated beyond whats necessary. 

it’s also important to note that he is quite prone to insecurity. 

with all of the tension between his mars, moon, and saturn that i went into in his chart first impressions: he is constantly second guessing himself, and may feel like he cant win when it comes to balancing out emotion, action, and discipline. 

there’s a habit of him second guessing his ability to commit, his ability to support, and his ability to be present. 

even though, in all honesty, these are aspects of himself that come super easily to him. 

there is just a part of him that’s constantly saying “you could do more” when really there’s not much more he NEEDS to do.

he may need his s/o to exude confidence in this regard so he can really and fully trust that they mean it when they say he’s both doing a good job, and that things are okay between them. 

someone who is so sure of themselves they don’t leave even an inch of room to question anything from their amount of commitment, to their happiness/satisfaction in the relationship. 

if he’s feeling doubt or has lost his point of reference on how well he’s doing or what his expectations are, having a s/o that’s so stable, reliable, and reassuring in this regard would be of huge benefit not just to the relationship but to him in general. 

his mars is super well aspected to his outer planets. 

there are two big aspects to note in my opinion, and those are his mars sextile pluto & mars trine jupiter. 

his mars sextile pluto is a super fun one to be honest 👀

it totally Spices™️ up his chart ten fold. 

when you mix the passionate/heated energies of mars and pair it with the obsessive and magnetic ones in pluto -- this placement gives him a lot more of an authoritative presence behind closed doors than you would imagine. 

this makes him both pretty possessive and protective over his s/o, so they should both be able to appreciate as well as respect this part of him if it decides to come out. 

it’s good if his s/o can balance out his desire to have this nurturing and protective nature offered to him, while also being receptive to him when he decides to return the favor.

or really, they should just be down for when he decides to be adorably clingy and possessive and randomly assertive if he feels they need protecting. 

it’s also important that they’re not someone so concerned with being in control that they feel the need to discourage this part of him. 

he’s not the most quick to express this aspect due to that diplomatic libra mars, but those energies are there and it makes him both very committed, intense, and very emotionally charged when it comes to his s/o. 

he would hate to have these feelings in him rejected as they’re so pure/concentrated and create a great deal of investment on his part.

his mars trine jupiter makes him incredibly affectionate, passionate, and generous in love. 

and then you throw in this all-giving, super attached/devoted cancer influence and this makes him crave a relationship where both him and his s/o are very liberal with how they express love and affection. 

this part of him is so plentiful and ridiculously selfless, and so his s/o should be really good and reciprocating and acknowledging this part of him. 

he’ll get insecure if they don’t seem as appreciative, and i think the worst thing you can force him to do is reconsider how generous he is on this front as he doesn’t really want to think twice about how it. 

i also don’t think he’d do well in a relationship with someone who was too independent, or someone who needed to retreat too often. 

his aqua craves company, his cancer influence is very quick to grow attached, and that libra influence brings a strong emphasis towards the importance of relationships/companionship in his life. 

he’s an all or nothing kind of guy in this regard to the point of excess, and it wouldn’t sit well if his s/o felt they needed too many barriers in order to maintain the relationship. 

like he wouldn’t like to be in a relationship where they’re like “don’t get me gifts because they stress me out” or “leave me alone if i’m upset because i get snappy.” 

with an added emphasis on air in his chart, being with someone who needed space in moments like that may make him feel like he’s navigating blindly. 

if you don’t communicate then his air influences have no idea how to form a plan of action that ISN’T directly confronting it in conversation which can potentially end up being pretty unintentionally abrasive and clumsy. 

and then his cancer moon is so hyper aware of any issues there may be emotionally, even if they aren’t said in so many words, which brings his level of concern up to 100 and can make him feel helpless if he’s talking with someone who is more solitary. 

so he may not vibe too well with someone who feels they need to retreat, doesn’t like talking about those things, or feels they need space in those moments

adding onto that, i don’t think seokmin gets enough credit for how emotionally intelligent he is -- he’s obviously very emotional himself, but the understanding he offers the members is incredibly sweet, understanding, and empathetic to them and their own habits. 

he understands members really well, and i laugh whenever he points out something about the members. 

like i remember once he called jeonghan out for being uncomfortable with emotions and it’s unsuspecting how aware of these things he is because he doesn’t flaunt it, but he’s bound to be a very observant & understanding person with that aqua/cancer combo. 

i think this is something he’d really like to offer his s/o, and so i don’t he’d mesh well with someone who wasn’t open to help or too concerned with providing as that may make him feel like there’s a wall in that regard. 

it really just goes back to how open he wants the exchange of love and support to be in relationships.

such a sweet, sweet boy. 

his chart is so people and relationship centric through those aqua placements, that loving cancer moon, and that romantic libra mars. 

he’s the type who really wants to have a s/o. 

he probably thinks constantly about being in a relationship and being able to share his love so freely with someone else in such an intimate and committed way. 

he’d do best in a relationship with someone who was unapologetic and so assured in how they approach love.

this would be an incredibly liberating experience for him as he tends to be pretty shy with putting himself all out there so freely. 

his cancer moon is pretty reserved, those aqua influences aren’t the best at conveying his emotional sincerity, and his libra is terrified of any potential rejection that may result by coming on too strong. 

and so someone assertive in love and confident in life to teach him by example and kind of meet him half way in passion and generosity would be his ideal romantic situation.

which i think is just adorable 🥺

[hourglasscinnarose]

The Three Prideful Houses

Because three of the houses are prideful, I decided to try and differentiate between how they are prideful and how they would react in different situations.

Insulting the Personal

Gryffindor: Gryffindor is Prideful in the sense that they've either mastered it or they're leading with it. They would respond either by not being bothered, as they put enough pride in themselves that it bounces off of them, or they would be highly offended because that pride has been poked at. They would see pride as a positive trait in themselves, because it gives them confidence, so they would not mind being called prideful. However, they will defend themselves and their personal honor if you insult them, even more so if it's in front of other people. How they approach it is either extremely maturely, or as though the other party has committed a crime.

Ravenclaw: Ravencalw is Prideful in a sense that they treasure their accomplishments. Anything that's personally said about themselves that is used against them would be very hurtful because of how they build themselves to be independent people. They are proud because of who they are, and when that is challenged, it becomes a massive argument where they would try to one up you, or prove that what you had said is a lie. It's likely they would try to avoid the other party afterwards, or at least be very passive aggressive around them. In either case, from then on, it would be very clear that they had insulted them.

Slytherin: Slytherin's Pride is much like Ravenclaw's, the only difference that they gear it towards a legacy and use it as a front rather than have it be something that's grown roots deep within them. You can only really insult them by being specific and aiming at their weak spot - whatever it is they've been working towards and why they haven't accomplished it yet. Be it something about them or a physical project, when that's targeted, it's possible you'll never be forgiven afterwards. How they react would likely be coming up with excuses to why they haven't reached their goal, or a "at least I'm working towards mine" sort of remark. They could also accept the insult without giving it an explanation, but would defiantly be upset about what had been said.

Insulting the Family [Also Friends]

Gryffindor: Gryffindor places great honor on where they come from (assuming the have loving families that they like, and even then, it can depend) and will defend their families greatly. Their families are a part of who they are, and therefore, are a part of the reasons they are prideful. They would likely see themselves as a hero protecting their families from these insults, and take them quote seriously. The insulting party would need to apologize before being forgiven, but depending on the insult, they may not be forgiven at all.

Ravenclaw: Ravenclaw's pride puts more emphasis on the fact it's their pride - they're not insulted when their family is. That said, they know what their families are prideful about, and would likely fight for them if they can't. Rather in an off comment about something that was said or directly confronting what was said, Ravenclaws wouldn't back down unless they are satisfied. Thinking outside they box, they would likely try to make the other party feel uncomfortable about the topic in some way, just to get them to shut up. It's likely that they would forgive them, so long as they weren't extremely insulting. Ravenclaws would lose respect for them, though, and wouldn't trust them, afterwards.

Slytherin: Slytherin's family is part of their legacy, and so would feel very insulted should someone in one of their families be. They probably wouldn't defend them if they were there in person, since they have the mindset of stepping in as an insult, in of itself. But if too much is said, or if their family member isn't present, they would likely be harsh and blunt about the aspects of the argument - maybe even picking at the person's poor taste due to the subject. They would defend this pride heavily, never forgetting about what had happened and never forgiving the person, either.

Insulting the Stranger

Gryffindor: Although their own pride isn't picked at, the Gryffindor would likely rush to the insulti's side, as they, themselves, are prideful. They are also very chivalrous, and so the like to protect those who cannot protect themselves.

Ravenclaws: Likely not to interfere unless it's harsh or simply lies the insulter is spouting. If the victim seems to be struggling or taking what's said very personally, they may jump to their aid, but since they don't know them, they wouldn't have anything to disprove the insulter with. In their minds, if it's not important, then they could make it important for the wrong reasons. They would likely watch the argument and talk to the stranger afterwards, or wait for it to get out of hand so that they're forced to include themselves.

Slytherin: About the same as Ravenclaw. They may jump in early if something is said that just sounds weird, or they may just jump in to lead the stranger out of it before anything big can happen. It really just depends on what they were doing at the time and how personal the fight seems.

As Insulters

Gryffindor: You must have injured the Gryffindor pretty bad to be antagonized by them, since they usually put themselves above insulting others.  (Also possible that they've had a bad day and you just got on their nerves) They're usually ones who apologize for what they said afterwards, unless you just messed up real bad. They are always trying to be the bigger man (or woman), though, so if you have messed up that bad, you would just need to apologize in a special way.

Ravenclaw: If you're being insulted by a Ravenclaw, it's usually because you interfered with what they were trying to do at the moment. Their anger doesn't last too long, so long as it's not important, and the next time they see you, they'll probably act like nothing happened. They're good about not losing their cool during a debate, but if they do, they might apologize for it, since it could be something that's a part of who they are. If you've messed up bad, they're likely not going to forgive you, though, especially if you personally pushed them this far to begin with.

Slytherin: Either didn't mean to be insulting or was very insulting and very brash about their insults. Slytherin's tend not to have a filter (something they have in common with Gryffindor) and will speak their minds about everything. They'd probably laugh it off if you took them seriously, or become mad if you get mad at them, because they didn't mean it that way and the fact you took it that way is 'ridiculous'. If you've managed to push their buttons so hard they explode, you're not really going to be coming down from that unless you make it up to them, which would be doubtful because of how stubborn they are. In fact, they'd likely taunt you for the rest of your days, if it really came down to it. (Or at least until they get bored.)

[anaisfinallywrites]

Day 1 - February 8th “Cupid”

"We should probably put them in a room together to sort their shit out," Scott said thoughtfully.

The whole room was so quiet you can hear a pin drop. Scott looked up to see everyone was looking at him.

"I can't believe you're mentioning this now after all this time. They haven't exactly been subtle since from the very start." Lydia looks decidedly unimpressed with Scott's observation.

"We didn't get along from the beginning, okay? There was a lot of bad blood with him and me, him being passive-aggressively helping while I'm stubborn as hell to not listen to his advice. I'm slow on the uptake, not dumb." Scott retorted defensively.

"Isn't that the reason why we're having this very secret meeting that neither the two of them are present for?" Allison spoke up, trying to defuse the tension. "You can try all you want, princess but Derek is an immovable wall when it comes to Stiles." Erica chirped with way more mischief in her eyes than was necessary.

Boyd sighed a long-suffering sigh. "You can't blame the guy, okay? We all know his track record with relationships."

"We know," everybody chimed in perfect unison.

"Um," a hand was raised tentatively from the tallest guy in the room. "Are we seriously trying to act as Cupid for Derek and Stiles?”

All eyes honed in on the golden-haired cherub looking, boy. "Yes, we are." The answer was unanimously bland.

"What are you going to do? Love potion?" Kira asked sceptically.

"Nope," Scott said with a grimace on his face. "Jennifer Blake. He'll just kill us when he gets his head screwed on straight."

Lydia knocked on the table with her knuckles. "We can't be subtle with the two of them. We need a steamroller to make them see it. Any romantic movie ideas?"

The silence was telling.

"Ugh."

↬

"What are you doing here, Braeden?" Derek greeted the woman carrying a duffel bag in front of his door.

"I thought you said I could save money and stay at your loft whenever," she replied with wide innocent eyes.

He sighed deeply and stepped aside to let her in. "I'm not playing whatever game you're playing."

"Good to know that you know there's a problem." She walked in like she owned the place, dropping her duffel bag at the side of the sofa and sat down gently. "Valentine's Day is like two weeks away."

"Will you be my Valentine's?" He asked sarcastically.

"I'm going to ask Laura," she said, entirely too gleeful.

Derek made a disgusted face as he closed the door.

"So, you still haven't resolved your problem," Braeden stated with exasperation.

"Do you remember that time I nearly sucked out his heart because I don't have one? Well, I do. Vividly so," Derek said darkly, still standing at the door.

"He doesn't blame you. You do know that, right?" She looked at him pointedly. His face darkened considerably. "I blame myself even if he doesn't."

"At least you acknowledge there's something between you two. What with your passive-aggressive baking and Peter's grouchy remarks about his idiot of a nephew." Braeden leaned back on the sofa and surveyed her surroundings like she didn't just make the most profound observation about Derek Hale, Grump Extraordinaire.

Well, it wasn't profound observation. Try as hard as he might, Derek can't completely mask his longing stares and outright staring when it comes to one Stiles Stilinski. And everybody knows except the said object of affection, which is ironic considering the boy was supposed to be as sharp as a bloodhound with a scent and he views information and secrets like the only thing that would sustain him.

"Any plans to ask him out?" Braeden riffled through her duffel.

Derek harrumphed as he made his way to the kitchen. Not that he could hide all that much, open floor plan and everything. 

"I'm thinking about something," he admitted hesitantly.

Braeden made a whooping sound right where she sat.

And Derek proceeds to regret every life decision he made so far.

↬

"You're not supposed to mope about my brother at the freaking kitchen he works in," Laura grouched as Stiles beat aggressively at the batter that's probably unusable by now.

"Who says I'm moping about your brother?" Stiles retorted half-heartedly and stopped beating the abused batter.

"Aliens from outer space would have been privy to your most private thoughts about my brother." She didn't look up from balancing the checkbook.

Stiles snorts. "Ugh, how do I get over this stupid crush? It's worse than before compared to Lydia..." he pouted morosely into the batter.

"You two are entirely hopeless when it comes to anything regarding feelings," Laura commented not unkindly.

"You're - How are you and Braeden?" Stiles changed tack mid-sentence.

"We're good. Better than good, even. I, for a fact, know that she's planning a grand gesture in the very distant future. You, on the other hand," she taps her pen on her bottom lip in thought. "Well, you'll grow old and die alone as long as you don't man up and make a move."

"Well, I'm kinda waiting for your thick-headed brother to make a move actually. The ball is in his court this time around, anyway." Stiles muttered unhappily. Laura made an over the top shocking gasping noise. "Why didn't I know about this? How could I not even have heard a peep of this?!"

"We are very private people," he said seriously. And really, he's not even joking.

↬

And so, the mad dash begins. The pack are conceiving plans to help their assumed oblivious friends while Derek and Stiles are respectively trying to work up the courage or work out a plan to... take the next step. So to speak. 

As one would expect, it leads to some... well, disastrous results.

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The bakery is in full rush hour at eleven o'clock in the morning, almost lunchtime for everyone but still early enough to buy brunch to curb the hunger. 

Derek is always working at the bakery, and so is Laura. The only person who doesn't help out is Peter, not that he couldn't cook or bake to save his life but more to the fact that no one wants to put up with the constant "chatter" that comes out of his mouth. The rest of the pack, which consists of Scott, Kira, Boyd, Isaac, Erica, Lydia, Danny, Jackson and Stiles, they work part-time or full-time at the bakery. Laura says it's good bonding time, but really, who was she trying to kid?

Lydia and Scott were trying their best to concoct a plan that would put the two (not so) stubborn idiots in a situation to make them talk to each other, whereas Derek has been trying to work up the courage to go up to Stiles and just be... blunt, he's never been anything but passive-aggressively straightforward, anyhow. Stiles, on the other hand, is trying to make himself available time-wise. So far, every single time Lydia and or Scott manages to corner them, aka giving them space or a controlled environment, Derek is very tempted to take the obvious help. But the rest of the pack is observing with shit-eating grins on their face and so he thought better of it. Laura was resolutely staying out of this gay chicken shit, as she so eloquently puts it, but secretly she's having popcorn with Braeden to see what happens next.

So much for a helpful big sister.

Stiles couldn't take it anymore. He sighed long and loud, stared determinedly at Derek's turned back and just strode towards him. 

The pack held their collective gasps as much as they could during the rush hour, simultaneously helping the customers and stealing glances at their quarry.

"Derek," Stiles said his name quietly. He didn't need to say it out loud because of two reasons. One, Derek had always focused on him whenever he's around, be it his heartbeat or his breathing, Derek is attuned to it. (Stiles would say the hyper fixation is super creepy if he wasn't so gone on the grumpy asshole of a wolf.) Two, he knows he's special to Derek. Stiles doesn't know what it is that makes him special yet, but he will soon enough.

Derek didn't turn around to look at him, still busy with packing the baked goods (?) but his body swayed in his direction for a split second with his head tilted. He's listening even if he pretends he doesn't care.

"Uh, so. Valentine's a few days away. Are we making headway or are we still dancing around it like it's a pit of vipers?" Stiles muttered, careful to make his words audible only to the intended recipient. Luck is, however, on his side because the rest of the wolves in the bakery are still newborn bitten wolves, even if it's been a few months since. Lack of desire for training does wonders for Stiles being sneaky.

Derek finally turned around to face him, eyebrows and lips scrunched in a way that Stiles has long since interpreted as the exasperated 'What the hell are you going on about?' look. He couldn't backpedal fast enough to save his tattered dignity. "I mean, okay then. We'll be friends forever then. There's nothing bad about it. Having you as a friend is better than not having you at all, so if we can just forget this ever happened-"

"Stiles." 

"Uh, yeah?" Stiles asked hesitantly.

"Can we meet in the preserve and continue this conversation? There are too many ears here." Derek pointedly did not look at any of the wolves that surround the bakery.

Stiles took a deep breath. "Uh yeah, sure. No problem."

"You better be there instead of letting your brain run wild with an idea that's most likely untrue," Derek pointed his patented glare at Stiles. "I will hunt you down." Stiles shivered at the threat. Nobody should make a threat sound sexy. Like, seriously. On the other hand, he can concede that he does have a tendency to let his insecurities and doubts get the better of him but, have you seen Lydia Martin and Derek Hale? Anybody's self-esteem would plunge down an abyss and Stiles has been here before, once burnt and twice shy and all that shit. Rejection hurts no matter the better outcome that you got out of it. Lydia Martin as the best friend and sister he never had but wished he did is awesome but Derek is different. Derek is so different that he's probably not on the same planet, in Stiles's honest opinion. 

Derek is still looking at him, the glare softened a little, eyebrows raised up saying 'Are we clear?'.

"Crystal." Stiles nodded like his head was a bobblehead. "I will be there and I assure you that you won't need to hunt me down to get to the bottom of this." His voice cracked embarrassingly at the word.

Derek smirked like a cat with cream.

"Shut up, asshole." Stiles gave his own glare as he turned around to make his way out of the bakery. He ignored the questioning looks from the pack.

Stiles hurried home. He has a possible date to get to. Or just plain ole revelation. Derek is taking a break at one in the afternoon. Stiles only has so much time to ponder how this will end because he's about to get his long-awaited resolution. A few months late, but better late than never.

[ill-be-istj-if-no-one-else-is]

curse tumblr for eating my asks. basically: i have this one friend who says she's an infj but i actually think fi dom and tert si especially make a lot of sense for her, but i wanted second opinions. she has a tendency to come of as inconsiderate: when asked about a piece of clothing by acquaintances she will just blurt out if she thinks its 'ugly', and you dont need to be a fe user to notice the "bad vibes" it generates, lol. she also has a tendency to project/broadcast her bad mood /1

onto others, and whenver she is tired or sleepy she gets so grumpy and irritable it’s frankly better to not talk to her. i love her but she has this “rude-ness” to her that is all over the place at times. tangent here but i can’t believe te users get pegged as The Rude Ones when in my experience fi doms are the biggests perpetrators of bad manners imo. xxtjs can be blunt and rude in other ways but they rarely have bad social etiquette. moving on. in any case, she is also very messy, and im not /2

talking about forgetting to do laundry, im talking about the esfj anecdote, her living space being an absolute mess, cooking with her giving me borderline anxiety, etc. she also gets very defensive when confronted about any of this, and generally handles criticism poorly. i once brought up to her i thought she could be mistyped and she was upset for the rest ot the day lol. also (here's a stereotype) she does have really good memory and remembers events easily and in accurate detail. /3 

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I can’t really tell. I doubt she’s an INFJ. With that said, while there are rude people of any types I find high Fi users to either be pretty considerate or when they’re not, it’s more extreme flakiness or carelessness and shitty introvert behaviors than bluntness (and high Fe rudeness tends to be more passive-aggressive/manipulative than blunt). The rudeness you’re describing here sounds most in line with really immature high Ti users, though this person just sounds like a miserable childish brat and like, could be a Te user. I mean, not handling criticism as an adult? being whiny about being told you’re mistyped while well into adulthood? deeply immature, to the point that it’s hard to say anything about type. There’s nothing else, however, that points to dom Fi that points to it and there are some things that point more to Ti or maybe Fi-aux (projecting your mood especially; Fi-doms in bad moods tend to go more withdrawn and moody, but quiet, but Fi or Ti-aux in a bad mood will project and lash out and all of that). Messiness isn’t a guarantee; again, she sounds really fucking immature (and honestly...I mean you can like her and maybe she's delightful in person in a good mood but this description has absolutely no redeeming qualities except I guess that she works hard sometimes when she cares enough about it) and an immature Ni dom will have terrible Se.

I think it’s worth saying that when there’s a description like this, when someone is depicted with almost no redeeming qualities, it’s really hard for me to type because I’m like “well I don’t really want them to be any type because they sound fucking awful”. I mean have my issues with the Fe-Ti axis but I don’t want to lay this on them when on average they have a few traits that get on my nerves and plenty of wonderful other qualities and are not like, the personification of a tornado that will insult your shirts.

[the-magic-lava-lamp]

Soul Siblings

Summary:  This one-shot belongs to the ‘Caught Up In You’ universe which is my high school AU in which most characters are seniors (apart from the likes of Loki, Wanda, Pietro etc. who are Sophomores) ! 

However, this story takes place before the beginning of ‘Caught Up In You’, during Loki & Wanda’s freshmen year.

*Loki & Wanda Friendship* 

Word Count: 3,872

“You two almost ready up there?” 

Wanda nearly jumped at the sudden sound of her mother’s voice from below the carpeted bedroom floor. But thankfully, she remained perfectly still and was able to sweep the eyeliner brush across her lid in just the way she wanted & had practiced. 

Scooting her chair back from the large deep red vanity, Wanda checked herself out for a final full-look and tried to keep her pleased smile from taking over her face. 

“They’re not gonna let you out of the house like that.” 

Holding back the smile was no real effort now. Wanda pushed her hair so it could fall over her shoulders. A distant memory of Pietro falling down the stairs and knocking his front teeth out when they were around seven or eight came up in her mind while she fidgeted. “Just go downstairs and tell her we’re ready.” her voice was husky with annoyance. She hadn’t made fun of his silly front-toothless grin then but Pietro had no problem making fun of the way she had shrieked as if it were the end of the world and not just an early tooth fairy visit. 

Her brother flashed her an amused grin before thumping down the stairs with loud booming footsteps. Wanda allowed herself a minute to admire her work again before following after him. 

But it was the middle step, around stair five which was the one just above their cute little height markers drawn in pencil on the wall were, where she heard her mother gasp. “Wanda....” 

She popped her leg out and slapped her hand down to curl it against the railing. The traces of red glitter from the eye-shadow she’d used were shining against her skin. 

“It’s not that I don’t want you to express yourself-” 

Her mother climbed a few steps, trying to meet her daughter. Wanda only gave her a look that suggested a ‘But....?’ 

“This is a family dinner and you-”

“Look like you’re wearing a Halloween costume.” Pietro gave her a large smirk to which she rewarded him with a roll of her eyes. 

Their mother waved Pietro off and turned back to Wanda. “Why don’t you just take the makeup off and come have a nice dinner with us?” 

“Why should I? You guys never make a big deal out of Pietro going out in the same ugly track suit!” She shoved her hand out to point at him and her brother stepped forward to argue. “It’s just makeup.” 

“If it’s just makeup then can’t you do your mother this favor and wipe it off?” She pleaded and Wanda gripped the railing harder. 

“It’s ok to express myself as long as it’s not embarrassing for you. Got it.” She gave a passive-aggressive false smile and a thumbs up. 

“Wanda, you are fourteen years old and have black and red smudged all over your face like some kind of...” She waved her arm around but never did finish that sentence. “Just get cleaned up and we’ll go to that place you like so much, ok?” 

Wanda pursed her lips. “No! This is what I want to look like! I don’t understand why you’re being so controlling about it.” She growled. 

“Listen to your mother, Wanda.” Their father came in from the kitchen and stood at the front door but she was far too mad to really care. “Take off the makeup or you’re staying home.”

She gave them all a heated glare and crossed her arms. “I’m staying home, then.” and with that, she huffed dramatically and pounded her way back up the stairs. 

“Make sure to slam the door and stamp your feet some more while you’re pitching a fit like a child!” Her dad called out after her. 

“Ughhhhh, just leave!” 

She slammed the door and waited until she heard her family leave without her before hopping onto her bed. 

                               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Soul sibling. That’s how they referred to each other since about the 3rd grade. Loki and Wanda had been introduced when the twins were new in town and were in desperate need of friends. Thus, their parents decided on making play-dates with some of the neighborhood kids. 

It was not an event that ever went smoothly. Mr. & Mrs. Maximoff quickly learned that though little Pietro was astoundingly social, he’d been very protective over his twin. And Wanda just never seemed to click with any play-mate the parents set them up with. Their little girl was quiet and mostly kept to herself. Though she’d open up about certain things...

it was just that none of the kids really wanted to talk about how she was a ‘witch’ or how she could ‘predict the weather’. And it was always a ruined play-date when Wanda pulled out her thick binder of Bella Sara cards. 

Most of the neighborhood kids just didn’t click with Wanda and so Pietro hadn’t made much of an effort either. The Maximoff’s had been worried their children just wouldn’t make friends at all. 

But then they set up a play-date with two brothers who lived close by. The younger, Loki, was the twins age of 8 and his brother,Thor, was three years older. 

Thor was a polite and energetic little kid that Pietro got along well enough with but the real magic was that Wanda finally seemed to have found a friend she could bond with. Finally. The Maximoff’s felt extremely comforted by the fact that their daughter wasn’t alone. 

The Odinson’s told them all about Loki. He too was a bit of an off-beat child that didn’t play well with others, even his brother on the occasion. He was a tad bit mischievous, absolutely refused to cut his long shaggy black hair, and sometimes wore his mothers large rings, insisting he could do magic. He spent most of his time isolated (though Thor was always willing to spend time with him). The Odinson’s had been a little nervous about the making friends aspect of school as Loki grew. 

Both sets of parents couldn’t believe their relief when Wanda started her speech about being a witch and Loki only listened with interested ears. They let go of the breath they’d been holding when he offered her some of the rings on his fingers. 

They couldn’t believe their lucky. At the moment, it didn’t even matter if the other two kids got along. That had been the most comforting sense of relief that a parent could have.

And so from then on, Loki & Wanda had been best friends. And Pietro was feeling less like he had to watch over her so much. Wanda had a friend. They passed around a journal at school, wore gaudy friendship mood-rings, begged to be driven to the mall, and made potions in the kitchen at 3 a.m. during sleepovers. 

They’d spent many nights over at each other’s houses, talking about things they couldn’t talk about with anyone else. 

So when the call came, Loki didn’t hesitate before picking up the same over-night bag and walking the short distance to Wanda’s house. They lived just about a block away from each other and her home was tucked into the middle of a quiet street. 

“They just don’t get it! No one understands.” Wanda wined as she padded up and down her carpet, bare-feet sinking in slightly. Loki followed her movement with his eyes but remained silent because it was best not to interrupt her. He only gave her a look. 

“Except you!” she added with a small smile before leaning back on her vanity. “It’s just that...” She fiddled with her fingers.

“I’m listening.” Loki hummed and she threw him a light smile. 

“It’s annoying when I can’t be myself, y’know?” She stepped away and came towards the edge of the bed where Loki was perched, legs crossed with his hands folded together. 

“Oh, I know.” He huffed, eyes rolling in that flawless way of his. “At least you don’t have my dad. He thinks he’s subtle about...” his voice trailed off “Not liking my personality, to be blunt, but he’s not.” His shoulders shrugged and Wanda put on a deep frown. 

“At least you have your mom and Thor.” She reminded him gently and he made an amused expression. “Pietro doesn’t even seem to like me anymore. He’s always got something to mean say about the way I dress or my makeup.” 

Loki glanced up to take another good look at her makeup. “Well, You’re still not very good at it.” He pursed his lips but was rewarded with a punch in the arm and Wanda punched hard. She wasn’t weak but she wasn’t really aware of that yet. “Ow! I’m sorry. You’re getting better, truly.” he put his arms up in mock surrender. 

Loki learned early on in their friendship that he couldn’t be quite as snide as he usually was with Wanda. She was a sensitive girl but it was the first time he ever valued a friendship, so Loki made the effort. “Your brother’s just in that phase where he’s got to tease you. It’s like...a rite of passage.” He gently patted her hand. 

“Thor doesn’t tease you that much.” 

“That’s because I tease him.” Loki grinned, wide and mischievous. “Anyway, not that listening to your misery isn’t fun-because it is...” He pinched her hand and she smacked his arm. “But can we move on to something else? A movie maybe?” 

Wanda grinned. “Movie, huh?” 

“Oh-no.” He sighed, rubbing his hand down his face. “Wanda, we’re not watching that.” He crawled over to fetch her laptop which was sitting atop her nightstand and started typing. 

“Please?” 

“Pick something else! You always pick that one!” Loki rolled his eyes but he knew this was a losing battle for Wanda was already setting it up her way. She got her DVD and shoved it into the player before hopping down next to him, again not gently. Loki nearly shot up from the force of her jump but was weighed down by Wanda resting her chin on his shoulder. 

As ‘Scooby-Doo & The Witch’s Ghost’ flashed on screen, Wanda burrowed her arm into Loki’s and watched him browse her computer. 

He opened her Facebook messages and sighed. “He never answered you, huh?” Loki tried to look down at her but his vision was clouded with her hair. 

“Nope!” Wanda lifted her head and slammed her back against the wall but she wasn’t even close to upset. In fact, she was more amused. She kept their arms interlocked but was now leaning on her light red wall and kicking her feet. 

“Remind me why you like Steve right now?” Loki raised his brow and tilted his head slightly as he flicked through her recent messages. Wanda hummed. 

“He’s really...” She blinked, in long thought and Loki held back a laugh. “Sweet.” 

His laugh came out then and she smacked him but not quite so hard. “I’m serious. He was really nice to me when he was at your house with Thor.” She picked at the nail polish on her fingers. “We’re gonna be in Student Council together when it starts up!” She grinned and shuffled to tuck her legs under herself. Loki rolled his eyes. “Why don’t you like him?” 

“For starters, he’s very boring.” He happily replied and even took the time to glance at her before returning to his 'work’ which Wanda had 100% stopped paying attention to. “And so...painfully...plain. Nothing special about him.” 

His friend whistled to his right and watched the TV screen as she spoke. “I should’ve known he’s not your type. That’s why you’re into Tony.” She giggled, tossing the remote and catching it flawlessly no matter how she twirled it. “He’s so eccentric. Like you.” She crinkled her nose and turned up the volume. 

The television fuzzed a little in focus before it fixed itself and Loki chuckled. “Yeah but he’s eccentric in a...party boy nerd way. And I’m eccentric in a...” Loki paused, trying to find his words. 

“Moody, emo, drama kid kind of way?” Wanda poked his arm.

Loki poked his elbow into her side. “Yeah...” He nodded. “That’s why I’m much too good for him. But I’ll give it a pass if he ever shows interest.” He winked a Wanda whistled loudly. 

Loki and Wanda had major crushes as often as people ate. At least every week there’d be a new guy on their radar. 

Wanda reached over the laptop and grabbed a scrunchie from her nightstand. “Guess I’m gonna wash this makeup off if we’re gonna get comfortable.” She sighed, dissapointed but not surprised that it never got to see the light of day, just the light of her flickering lamp. 

“If it helps, I like it.” Loki flashed her a grin and hoped it didn’t come of as sarcastic. He’d been told countless times that his joy could sound that way. But Wanda nodded with genuine understanding. “You’re just not so great at the girl stuff, huh?” He teased her some more and gently smacked the back of his hand against her arm. 

“I’m really not.” She giggled and scampered off to the bathroom that joined to her room, which was a blessing. But left the door cracked a little so she could listen to the television. “Remember when I tried to curl your hair and burned all my fingers and your neck?” Her laughter was loud and bubbly which countered the girls dark personality. It was very contagious. 

Loki put on an annoyed tone. “How could I forget? That was a fun thing to explain to my parents when they saw the mark.” 

Her laughter was getting to the point where she must’ve been shaking in silent giggles behind the door. 

As the sink began to run, Loki glanced up and fondly rolled his eyes at the movie because ‘How many times could Wanda watch this and not get sick of it?’. He heard the familiar creaks of her home from behind the fuzzy TV and felt comfort wash over him. Which, he wouldn’t admit to needing but he really did. 

They’d just started their Freshman year and he would be lying if he didn’t say he was nervous. But that was fine. He liked to lie. So he could mask that feeling well. Though it wasn’t just that. 

As he entered High School, Thor was starting his second half. a Junior. And although he put on a front, Loki was actually very close to his brother. Not many people but Wanda were aware of that. 

Loki mercilessly teased Thor but who else was he gonna record doing stupid things? Who else would understand him in the same way that his brother did? He didn’t like to admit it but Thor was his best friend in a different way then Wanda was.  

Having a brother meant having someone you can have a knock-down-drag-out fight with but still get ice cream with a 3 a.m.

And soon enough, that could be coming to an end. 

He glanced up at the bathroom door, hearing Wanda stumble through a mumbled version of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Gypsy’ as she splashed her face with water. “You know, my dad thinks we’re dating.” 

“Gross. Why?” She spoke from behind the door as she opened and closed multiple drawers. 

Loki had to agree with her immediate reaction. “Well, the curling iron incident probably didn’t help...plus, remember when he came to wake us up and we were sleeping in the same bed?” 

Wanda snorted. “That was because you made me watch those scary videos-!” 

“They’re not scary! You’re just too easily scared.” 

“I am not and you know it!” Wanda stuck her head out of the door, ponytail flopping downwards. “People need to respect ghosts and NOT try to antagonize them.” She scoffed and he shrugged. 

“Anyway, he’s been calling you my little girlfriend for ages.” Loki’s voice was small and a little insecure which did not happen often. “I don’t mind it so much because I’m not sure how he’d react to me being gay, y’know?” Loki frowned and Wanda gripped the side of the door. 

She was about to speak some genuine words and he knew that just by her expression. But it was too much for him at the moment so he decided to change the subject.

“Speaking of parents...” He flicked his tongue. “When are yours due back and are they gonna be upset with my being here?” He asked as she moved back to the bathroom. 

“I don’t know. They’re only getting dinner. So probably soon.” There were a few more shuffling sounds. “And they gotta be used to you showing up by now.” 

The room went silent for a few minutes besides Wanda running the sink a few more times. So Loki glanced back at the screen. 

“You’re about to miss the whole reason you love this movie.” 

The girl shoved the door open and darted over to the bed once more and hopped next to him. This time she dangled her legs over the side and he set aside her laptop. 

‘I'm gonna cast a spell on you You're gonna do what I want you to Mix it up here in my little bowl Say a few words and you lose control...’

“I'm a Hex Girl and I'm gonna put a spell on you. I'm gonna put a spell on you!” Wanda playfully pushed Loki as she sung along. This part of the girl was hardly ever seen by anyone but him. She was so quiet in school. 

Wanda sank back into the bed, the palms of her hands buried in the blankets. “Besides her whole Vampire thing-I never had a vampire phase, I always knew I was a witch girl-she’s my style icon.” Wanda pointed out the same girl she did every-time they watched this movie. “I wanna dye my hair that red color.” 

Her lips pursed sadly and Loki had about enough of that kinda mood for one night. “Why don’t you dye it then?” 

She scoffed. “Sure.” 

But Loki picked up his phone and started texting before even looking at her again. She paused the movie and tried to peek over his shoulder. “What are you doing?” 

The man didn’t answer until he got a satisfying reply bell back and proceeded to leap off the bed. “Thor’s picking us up to take us to a CVS or something.” And with that, he twirled out of the room and picked up his night-bag on the way out.

“Text your parents and tell them your staying over at my house! Things could get messy and you’re bathroom’s way too nice to destroy!” 

Wanda widened her eyes and stood still for a moment or two before doing just as Loki told her and rushing down the steps after him. Her bedroom door hung open.

                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

The turning blinker was beating in their ears and the glare of the red light was almost painful. Loki leaned back on the fabric seats of Thor’s car which had been a gift from their parents and sighed. Rain splattered against the window and provided a nice background noise to their record silence. 

“You know, one of you could sit up here with me for once. It’s pretty lonely.” Thor teased, though he was kinda serious, as he tapped his fingers against the wheel to the blinker’s beat. 

There was about two different ways for Loki to respond, Wanda learned. The boy was either going to be a little smart mouthed kid and make a comment back to him. Or, Loki was-

‘-Oh, looks like he went for the second option.’ 

Wanda laughed as Loki reached over to smack the back of Thor’s head. The two brothers smacked each other around so often and it never seemed to bother either of them where their location was. 

This was far from the first time she’d seen them attempt to fist-fight while Thor was driving. Wanda let them do their little skit and took some time to zone-out as water pitter-pattered against the window. 

:

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:

CVS was playing a far off version of ‘Fly Me to the Moon’ when the three idiots in their Pajamas stared at box-dyes in the hair-care aisle. 

Thor, the largest, was curled up criss-cross style on the rough carpet. He was digging deep into the bottom shelf and pulling out whatever colors he thought the others might enjoy. 

Loki was completely off-topic and not all there with his eyes targeting the last half of the aisle. Which was made up of useless home-ware and a half-broken into Lava lamp box because suburban drug stores never made any fucking sense. 

And Wanda was hovering between them with her pinky finger resting unconsciously on her bottom lip. 

They were frozen in their positions for a good solid five minutes which actually clocked in around ten minutes in small-town shopping time. 

Somebody in the store checked out with a loud beep, the double-doors slid open, and with no warning the fuzzy song above them made an abrupt change in genres to ‘Somebody's Watching Me’. 

Wanda popped out her leg and knelt down next to Thor, who at that very second held up a ruby red shade that was just what she wanted. 

The electric doors came open again and momentarily allowed the sound of rain to take over the music before it was muffled all over again. 

“-All I want is to be left alone, in my average home But why do I always feel Like I'm in the Twilight Zone?”

From two aisles over, somebody sneezed over another person’s question of the time. 

“You’re paying, right?” Loki smirked at Thor but the gentle giant only nodded and ruined the annoying little brother game.

Loki paid and they escaped back out into the rain. 

                          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“She is like a cat in the dark and then She is the darkness She rules her life like a fine skylark and when The sky is starless-”

Wanda sang into the tiny brush before once more running it down a chunk of her hair. Performing effortlessly in the Odinson bathroom while drowning in an old sweatshirt of Thor’s which he’d offered kindly so as not to ruin her outfit. 

Loki, who’d been watching from the edge of the tub, took the opportunity to swipe the brush from her fist and go about the back of her hair. Wanda would surely miss a large space if he didn’t do it for her. As much as she wanted ruby red hair, she was still a teenager with loads of other junk on her mind. 

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:

During the thirty minutes of waiting, Thor made them popcorn and humored Wanda in her questions about Steve. He genuinely loved hanging out with his little brother and his friend even when Loki shoved him out of the room. 

But Loki asked him back for the hair reveal. 

Thor’s little brother playfully rubbed the towel against Wanda’s head a couple times before finally sliding it off. 

The shining ruby hair flopped from the cloth and water-falled off the smiling girl’s shoulders. 

Clearly, the day had turned out much better than she expected. Her smile was the dead giveaway of her joy.