#is apparently unreasonable to want from other people or something not sure.

[haikyuuharemdreams]

some angst (for now!) w akaashi keiji!! part 1

keiji was, by nature, more giving than he was receiving.

this was most apparent in his friendship with bokuto; bokuto’s volatile mood swings are usually left to be handled by keiji. while their teammates do occasionally help out with the ego boosting, keiji is usually the one bearing the brunt.

when you first appeared in his life, he couldn’t be bothered. no, that perhaps came off a bit too harsh. you were his classmate, sure, but you’ve never really had much reason to interact.

not until you pop up right in front of him on a thursday morning.

it was a compliment you gave him about his play at a match. he never thought himself exceptional by any means, and it didn’t help that bokuto’s presence overshadows everyone’s, including his. however, in yours eyes, he outshone everyone’s else.

you, just like most students in fukurodani, thought akaashi was cute. unlike most though, you also mostly noticed only him on the court.

most people only noticed bokuto, and occasionally other players when they make a good play.

as much as it sounds like i’m claiming you aren’t like “other girls”, that wasn’t what was meant.

of course, you do notice the rest. they are all great players, and it’s no secret that bokuto was going to be a star. but, for some reason, akaashi unfailingly catches your eyes each time he’s on court. his observation and deduction skills leads him to make decisions that allow bokuto to change the flow of the match; it all impressed you.

it helped that you were naturally more outgoing. you were worried at first, but you decided that there was no harm in acknowledging his ability.

three months after that, he asked you on your first date. another two months later, you became a couple.

when the both of you graduated, you decided to major in japanese language and literature. akaashi, however, decided to take a gap year to figure out what he really wanted.

part of him thought about pursuing volleyball, having been scouted by a smaller volleyball team, but he also knew he wasn’t as passionate as bokuto was.

he also considered something more practical, such as law or medicine, which he wouldn’t have trouble majoring in; he had always excelled academically. but, they weren’t exactly what he wanted either.

his internal turmoil worried you. he seemed lost, which wasn’t foreign to you, but you didn’t know how to help him when you were aware that this was something he had to resolve himself. you could only try your best to support him however you can, offering reassurance, opinions and advice.

he decided to take up some internships while in the process of discovery, and found one at a company that wasn’t too far from where you studied.

he would come to find you during his lunch breaks, often with food he rushed he buy before the queues get too long. he would also meet you after your classes, a tired but contented smile on his handsome face when you rush to hug him.

when he was accepted into the same university as you did, he wanted to celebrate with the woman he loves. unfortunately, you fell ill with a bug. he ended up cancelling the celebration to take care of you.

he doesn’t resent you for it, but he felt disappointed. he couldn’t explain why when he knew that it wasn’t your fault you fell sick; you had just been unlucky to share a class with the carrier.

but, he thought you would’ve at least tried to make it up to him after you’ve recovered. maybe he had set his expectations a little too high because while you did congratulate him, you made no suggestions to do a belated celebration. he didn’t feel like it was unreasonable, though, considering he had brought you out to eat and given you a small gift the day you got accepted.

but he had always been the giver.

you weren’t aware that he wanted to celebrate. you knew he went above and beyond for your matriculation, but it wasn’t something you necessarily wanted. you appreciated it, don’t get me wrong, but you didn’t really expect it from him. it was a pleasant surprise, of course, and you were ecstatic.

you thought a simple text and treating him to a small meal on a date would suffice.

while he did trying bringing it up to you, he ultimately did brush it off and assured you he was fine. disclaimer: he wasn’t, not completely at least.

akaashi was immediately placed into the starting line-up of the university’s men’s volleyball team, his reputation having preceded him.

with him being on the team, along with other freshmen and sophomores who were proving jto be just as capable, they finally stood a chance in the university volleyball nationals this year.

when they made it to the top 4, akaashi had been exhilarated and wanted to share that joy with you. hence, he invited you to watch his match.

you really wanted to.

your body disagrees. the night before his match, you decided to stay up just a bit longer to go through your texts. you’re going to be spending one entire day with him tomorrow, after all, might as well get some extra work done.

you wake up with a splitting headache the next day, and the painkillers you usually took aren’t working.

you head back to sleep, hoping that you’ll wake up pain-free. that did not help either.

you decide you had no choice but to bail on him, asking him to send you any videos and photos along with updates.

your no-show affected his mood; he doesn’t want to compete anymore. not when you’re not around to watch him. not when this is an important day for him, and you can’t make it. not when he would’ve let the world burn just to make it to anything of yours. not when there is no point in doing well when the only person he wants impress is you.

they lost that day, and he skipped on the team dinner that the coaches were treating them to for their hard work and achievements.

the heavens had to be mocking him at this point, because it started pouring a distance away from the university and he didn’t have an umbrella.

when he arrived at school, his first instinct was to find you, which is funny considering that he was upset and didn’t want to see your face. but, he needs to know if you’re okay.

“jiji?” you blurt, quickly rushing him in when you saw how drenched he was. “your match?”

“we lost,” he simply responds, sitting on your study chair.

“oh, love, i’m sorry.”

“how are you?”

his curt tone astonishes you.

“i feel slightly better. it still hurts a bit though, but i’ll be fine after sleeping.”

“that’s all i wanted to know. i’ll be going off now.”

“are you okay? why do you sound like this?”

he stands up, ready to leave.

“i don’t want to talk about it.”

“what’s wrong?”

“i said, i don’t want to talk about it.”

he leaves, and you are left baffled as much as you were hurt.

he feels guilty for hurting you; his heart clenches thinking of how your face fell, how your eyes sparkled with tears that you tried to hold in and how cluelessly sweet you are with him, not even knowing why he’s upset but still trying to be as patient as you can be.

he desperately tries to sleep, tossing and turning the whole night. he has his phone on ‘do not disturb’, but he knows that you’re already texting him - apologising and expressing concern over how he acted.

he doesn’t want to read them. he’s guilty, but he’s also crestfallen.

he doesn’t sleep the whole night, and a knock at the door sends him trudging.

it is you, a small and cautious smile on your face accompanied with an iced caramel macchiato in your hand.

“jiji!”

he lets you in, accepting the drink you bought for him.

“what are you doing here so early this morning?” he asks, a part of me feeling pleased at the fact that you did this, another still conflicted.

“i’m worried about you.”

“i’m fine, (y/n). you should head to class soon.”

“my morning lecture has been cancelled,” you respond, your smile having vanished. “why are you calling me (y/n)? that’s not what you always address me by.”

he shrugs.

“akaashi keiji.”

he winces; he doesn’t it when you use his full name.

“you missed the match.”

“i know, and i’m sorry. i was planning to go, and i know how much you wanted me to be there. i’m so sorry, love.”

“okay.”

it isn’t, the apology doesn’t change anything.

“i’ll watch your next match, love. you’re going to have so many more opportunities to compete, and i’ll definitely be there to support you at each!”

“will you?” his question comes off too blunt, too direct.

“of course i will, jiji.”

“something might happen again, (y/n). maybe next time you’ll trip over something and end up in the hospital.”

his tone is accusatory.

“i didn’t choose to wake up with a headache, keiji.”

“you chose to sleep later.”

“for god’s sake, i didn’t know it was going to result in this.”

“exactly, and you won’t know if something is going to happen the next time,” he coldly replies, “i shouldn’t have any expectations then.”

“what the fuck are you saying?”

you explode, frustrated at his apathetic tone.

“the last time i was accepted, i wanted to celebrate with you just like we did when you were, but you fell sick so i took care of you. this time, you have a headache because of your own choice and still i came over to your room first to check in on you.”

“you didn’t have to do all of that, you know?” you shoot back, anger tipping over. “i never asked you to.”

“i did all of that because i love you, and you didn’t even care to try to make it up to me.”

“i didn’t know you wanted me to!”

he glares at you.

“it’s not about whether i want you to, it’s whether you even think about me or bother to put in as much effort.”

you stare at him, and burst into incredulous laughter.

“if i didn’t think about you, i wouldn’t have treated you to that meal after i’ve recovered. if i hadn’t bothered, i wouldn’t have passed on my notes to you in case you wanted them. if i didn’t care, i wouldn’t have asked your teammates to look out for you. i wouldn’t have asked your manager to ensure you stay hydrated. i wouldn’t have asked them for photos and videos of you.

i show my love differently, perhaps in a manner you’re not familiar with; that doesn’t mean i don’t love you. but all you see is this. that i don’t love you enough to reciprocate your effort.”

you stomp out of his room, leaving him to his own thoughts.

thank you! @dwaintydoll for the divider! 🤍

[snekdood]

saw the other day someone say that "mary sues are for people who think everyone should treat them like they're the best ever" and buddy, trust me, at no point am i under the delusion that people will be nice to me in a normal and sufficient way. this is how i *wish* people treated me, not how I expect them to or think they should. trust me i know humanity sucks and will never be cool and nice, dont you worry, dont need to prove my point more, making me retreat even more to a fantasy world because clearly there's nothing here in humanity for me so w/e

[lesservillain]

baby daddy!eddie x mom!reader

cw: smut, non established relationship, best friend!eddie as well, idiots in love

wc: 3.8k

Closing the door as gently as he could, Eddie tip toed down the hall of the trailer and rounded into the kitchen to get himself a beer. He’d played hard enough with Autumn that she could barely keep her eyes open through her bath, but that also meant he wore himself out in the process. So after cracking open a can, he plops his ass down and turns on the TV, ready to chill until he passes out on the couch.

Well, that was the plan. Just as he got comfortable, there was a small knock on the trailer door. With a frustrated sigh, Eddie jumps back up, mumbling something about people coming to his house so late at night.

“Listen, I’ve told you all I don’t fucking deal anymore—Woah!”

Instead of some annoying kids looking for weed, Eddie was met with your sniffling nose and tear stained cheeks. He immediately went into best friend mode, wrapping you in a big hug and letting you get those emotions out.

After some crying and a soaked shoulder later, you finally peel yourself away from Eddie and attempted to talk, but only babbling came out.

“Shhh, it’s okay,” Eddie says, thumbs rubbing the tops of your shoulders. “Just calm down and tell me what happened? Did someone hurt you?”

You shook your head, doing your best to compose yourself.

“He-he-he g-got mar-married,” you hiccup out.

Eddie blinks at you. He knows exactly what you were talking about. Dustin told him back when that Harrington met a girl about 6 months ago and apparently they hit it off right away. The last thing he wanted to do was tell you about her considering your long time pining for him Especially considering he’s the reason Harrington would never ask you out. But you ended up finding out on your own, and devastated couldn’t even begin to describe how you felt.

It seemed soon in Eddie’s opinion, granted he would marry you tomorrow if you would say yes. When Dustin told him that he was going to be the best man that the wedding, Eddie had mixed feelings. He knew that it would kill you when you found out. That you’d react exactly as you were now.

Actually, you’re doing a little better than he anticipated.

“He came into the store and,” you blew your nose into the toilet paper he grabbed for you, “and I saw the ring on his finger when he was getting his money out of his wallet.”

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart,” Eddie says, wrapping an arm around you and pulling you close.

“They haven’t even known each other that long! He’s such an idiot…”

“I’ve been trying to tell you that,” Eddie jokes, rolling his eyes.

“Oh god, what if--do you think it’s because she’s pregnant?”

Eddie’s pretty sure Dustin would have told him if that was the reason why, but it’s not an unreasonable guess.

“I don’t know, could be? Or maybe Steve Harrington is just an idiot like you said. And maybe they’ll be divorced by this time next year. Who knows, right?”

You sighed, leaning into Eddie and resting your head against him. “I don’t even know why I’m so upset. He was never going to ask me out anyway. No one wants a young single mom. Steve has his whole life to do what he wants, why would he be with someone who has so much baggage?”

“Hey, don’t say that about Audy,” Eddie scolds.

“No, I’m sorry, that’s not what I meant,” you correct, “I was talking about myself. I’d never be with someone who didn’t accept Autumn. Even Steve Harrington. I just…I’m damaged goods, Eddie.”

Eddie could feel himself getting upset but didn’t want to make things worse right now, so he took a few breathes to steady himself. He said your name sternly, pulling your full attention to him.

“I don’t like it when you say things like that. It makes me feel like it’s my fault--”

“Eddie,” you stop him before he can get another word out, “You know that you didn’t do anything wrong. I’ve told you before that if I was going to get pregnant right out of high school with anyone that I wouldn’t want it to be with anyone else but you.”

Eddie knows this, and he feels the same. But it’s not what he wants.

Even though it was all a total accident, he hoped that night the two of you spent together was going to be the next step for both of you. And even though he was scared after you told him with tears in your eyes then that he had gotten you pregnant, he wished with all his might that it would bring the two of you closer together.

Which it did in a way. Obviously the two of you would be bound together for the rest of your lives, but it wasn’t in the way he wanted. You still were head over heels for Steve, and there was no way Eddie could even compare to the king.

“Yeah…I know.” He says somberly. Your brows pinch, making him worried he should have said something else.

Then your expression changed. You looked at him intensely for a moment, before your eyes became lidded and…were you leaning in?

Eddie thought fast, making a quick decision to put his hand over your mouth, stopping you in your tracks. Your eyes go wide as dinner plates, tears perching on your waterline as what hot embarrassment washes over you.

“I’m sorry,” Eddie says, suddenly regretting everything. This could have been his chance and he was an idiot.

You pull his hand from his mouth, sitting in silence for a moment before you begin to laugh. It catches Eddie off guard and he freezes.

“Eddie, I should be the one apologizing,” you say with giggles. “I’m the one who was stupid enough to try and kiss her best friend for a second time. We both know what happened the first time and the last thing we need is history to repeat itself.”

Eddie still felt conflicted. Your tone wasn’t sitting right with him, like there was some level of self depreciation in your words.

After a moment you stop laughing. Your face warps into worry as you stand from the couch.

“I-I need to go—“

“No, wait!” Eddie stands to grab your wrist before you could run away. He pulls you into him and hugs you tightly to him. You stand still before slowly wrapping your arms around him, gripping his shirt in your hands.

“Listen, I know you’re going through a lot emotionally right now, but…I’m here for whatever you need. Even if…” He trails off for a moment, knowing that he’s just going to hurt himself if he lets you use him. But he can’t turn you away when you need him. He’d rather you take advantage of his feelings than run off to someone else who would hook up with you without second thought.

“Even if it means crossing a boundary that we’ve already crossed before.”

Eddie feels you press into him harder, face buried in his chest. And when you look up at him, Eddie thinks he could melt into a puddle and let you mold him to however you’d like.

“I don’t think I should make any rash decisions right now,” you say with a sniffle. “I think I just need to clear my head. Let myself rot in my own misery instead of dumping it all on you.”

��Or,” Eddie says with a smile, “you could rot with me. I rented some movies and some beers in the fridge that have your name on them. I think we have some leftover pizza still, too.”

Your smile was so bright it was comparable to the sun rising. There was nothing in the world that could keep him down as long as you were happy. Eddie probably would have dropped out of school after his second failure if you hadn’t simply smiled at him and told him that he would graduate next year, for sure. He probably only did because you smiled at him every time he got a good grade.

The way you hugged him for a long time after a report card with no F’s on it kept Eddie’s head in the zone that last school year. And, well, the way your body felt under his when he finally graduated…

Eddie shook his head, wracking his brain for anything to keep his mind from thinking about that night right now. There’s no way him getting a boner while you were still holding on to him so tight would be good.

“I think that sounds like a good idea,” you finally say after staring up at him for several beats. But Eddie caught the somber look in your eyes. It was going to take a lot of distracting to get you in a good head space.

“You know, I think we might still have some popcorn, too.”

After a few drinks, some weed, and a movie and a half later, Eddie finds himself waking up on his couch at some point after falling asleep. The bright, staticy screen causes him to squint his eyes, turning his head enough to bump his chin against the top of your head.

Eddie looks down at where you’re leaning into his side. He vaguely remembers wrapping an arm around you before the two of you had succumbed to sleep. It pains him to possibly wake you but the urge to pee is what startled him awake in the first place, so he does his best to untangle himself from you and sneaks to the bathroom.

On the way back to the couch, Eddie decided to stop in his room and grab a blanket for the two of you. But when he returns, he finds you sitting up and rubbing the sleep from your eyes.

“Hey,” you croak out, looking at him with squinted eyes.

“Hey,” he whispers back. “I brought us a blanket.”

You stretch before standing up from the couch. “I should probably head home, Eddie.”

“Sweetheart its,” he leans to check the time on the microwave, “3 in the morning.”

Your eyes go wide, hands running over your face. “It is? Fuuuuck.”

“Just stay,” Eddie says, walking over to you and wrapping you up in the blanket. You groan, feeling conflicted on if you should stay and sleep on Eddie’s couch or if you should brave the drive home.

“Hey, if you stay, you don’t have to drive all the way over here to get Fae in the morning.”

“Ugh, okay you got me,” you say, giving in. You sit back down on the couch and start to make yourself comfortable.

“Wait, you can sleep in my bed. Promise I don’t bite.”

That took less convincing as you pop back up, dragging the blankets behind you as you wobble to Eddie’s room. Eddie laughs as you plop into his bed, stealing one of his pillows to make yourself comfortable.

“Hey save some room for me,” he says, walking around to the other side to climb in. He lays next to you, adjusting in an obnoxious manner that has you giggling. You turn to face him and he does the same.

“I love you,” you say at the tail end of a giggle. It’s something said frequently between the two of you. Genuine as it’s spoken after years of friendship.

“Love you, too,” Eddie says with a sigh. Sleep soon takes you both over again. The only sounds that can be heard is the sound of the a/c doing its best to cool down the trailer.

Eddie felt himself waking once again, this time much more comfortably in his own bed. He yawned, shaking a bit as the feeling of waking overcame his body.

The sun peaking through the cracks of his curtains gave the room just enough light that he could see the room with a slight glow. Turning his head, he chanced to see if you were still laying with him. He had a dream that you’d left with Autumn and ran away with Steve that left a sick feeling in his stomach.

Much to his delight you were indeed still occupying the bed with him. Smiling wide as you looked at him, already awake where you lay.

“Mornin’,” he says in his morning voice, and your eyes flicker.

“Morning,” you squeak back. As Eddie turns to face you, your hand finds its way out from under the covers and reaches out towards him. Your fingers gently glide across his cheek, rubbing against the stubble as you push his hair out of his face.

The way you’re looking at him has Eddie’s tummy feeling funny, but in a different way from his dream. You’re looking at him the same way he looks at you.

Suddenly, you push yourself up on your arm, hand still on his cheek as you start to lean in once again. Eddie’s heart beats hard against his chest as you close the distance between the two of you, your lips meeting his in a soft kiss.

It lasts a few moments, and Eddie melts into it. It was a kiss like none he’s ever had before. Not even compared to the last time the two of you kissed before Autumn was born. This kiss felt like a hot cup of coffee on a cold winter morning, the warmth spreading to every part of his body as he drank you in.

When you pulled away, Eddie chased after you, not wanting it to end so soon unknowing if it would ever happen again. When you don’t kiss him again, his eyes finally open to meet yours. They’re bouncing everywhere, scanning his face as if looking for an answer written on his skin.

“Eddie…”

But Eddie doesn’t let you ponder much longer, hand snaking around your head to pull you into him once more. This time more feverishly, the heat palpable between the two of you.

You shift so that you can bury your hands in his hair, and Eddie takes advantage of this to move himself above you. Eddie kisses you into the pillow beneath you, long kisses turning into passionate smacking, poking the fire that was burning between you.

“Tell me to stop,” Eddie says as his lips begin to move down your cheek and to your neck. He says your name breathily, “Tell me now, because I won't be able to stop once this starts.”

“I-I can’t. I won’t,” you stutter, hands grabbing at his waist as he kisses and nips at your neck. Eddie breathes against you, body alight knowing that you wanted this as much as him.

“But,” you say, stopping him in his tracks. You give him a coy smile, nodding towards the door. “You better make it quick. You know she’ll wake up at any moment.”

Eddie huffs out a laugh, “Don’t gotta tell me twice. Better get to work then.”

Eddie suddenly lifts the blanket above the both of you and disappears underneath it. Soft kisses leave a trail from your knees to the apex between them. Eddie slips his fingers in the hem of the sleep pants he let you borrow, pulling them down with your panties in one quick motion. There was barely any light to see, so he decided to just dive in tongue first.

He ate you out like a man starved. Your thighs try hard to wrap around him as he works you up on his tongue, but his strong arms hold you open for him. Eddie groans at the way your fingers grip his hair, tugging just enough to burn so good against his scalp.

Once he added fingers, you had to cover your mouth with your hand to keep yourself quiet. It was like Eddie knew exactly what you liked, because not long after you were coming undone, riding his face as you did.

Eddie crawls up your body, head resting between your breasts as he pokes out from under the covers.

“Jesus, Eddie,” you pant, looking at him in awe.

“And that’s not even the best part,” he teases, making you roll your eyes at him. You grab his face and bring him closer to you, tasting yourself on his lips as you kiss him again.

Eddie rolls his hips subconsciously, and you can feel how hard he is as he grinds against you. You want to say you also forgot how big he was, but it’s something you didn’t want to admit you thought about often.

Your hand travels between you, fingers trailing against his skin as you reach the hem of his boxers. Slipping under it, you feel your way to his hard cock, taking it in your hand to pump him. He whines against your lips, hips moving faster in your grip. You watch with awe struck eyes as his beautiful face contorts in pleasure above you.

“Please,” he pants out as he fucks your hand, “Wanna be inside you. Can I?”

You nod silently, unbelievably turned on by your best friend for the second time now.

He works fast pulling his boxers off quickly, a loud thwaping coming from his cock smacking against his stomach after getting caught on the waistband. Your eyes go wide as you take in his size.

After almost 2 years you’re still shocked at what Eddie Munson is packing. Those dumb ass cheerleaders that picked the bone head jocks over him have no idea what they missed out on.

Eddie settled himself between your legs, spitting on his own cock to get it good and wet before rubbing it in your soaked folds. You had a moment of clarity, realizing that Eddie wasn’t wearing a condom. You opened your mouth to speak, but your words got caught up in a moan as Eddie pushed his way inside of you.

The stretch took your breath away. Eddie seesawed his way into your tight cunt, opening you up on his cock until he was balls deep inside of you. He placed his hands on either hip and started moving, holding you tight as he worked up his pace.

Every thrust felt like too much and not enough at the same time. The constant knocking against your sweet spot had you seeing stars quickly, still worked up from him eating you out. The pretty sounds that Eddie was making wasn’t helping either, but you still had enough mind to shush him so that he wouldn’t wake your daughter.

Eddie’s pace quickens, and he makes the fatal mistake of adding his thumb to the mix. It only throttles you to the edge for a second time this morning. It’s not much longer before your vision goes white, toes curling as your orgasm takes over. It's probably the hardest you’ve cum in a long time.

“Oh, fuck.”

You barely registered Eddie’s words, but you definitely felt the reason behind his curses. Eddie was cumming deep inside you, balls emptying into your pussy as you were still riding out your own orgasm.

In the moment it felt amazing, but the post orgasm bliss left you crashing as you realized the very real situation you were both in.

Eddie felt himself being pushed by you, taking him out of his own high as he stumbled back on his ass. As you open your mouth to speak, Eddie is hit with a wave of deja vu with every word.

“Did you fucking cum in me?” The words came out in slow motion and Eddie’s body broke out in cold sweat.

“I-I’m sorry. I was going to pull out, I just—“

“What? You forgot? Are you kidding me Eddie? Do you not remember what happened the last time?”

Right on cue, your daughter's whines could be heard from across the hall. You sigh, kicking the covers completely away from you and grabbing the pajama pants you had back on.

“Listen, I really am sorry,” Eddie says, looking at you with big, sad eyes. You groan, unable to stay mad at him when he looks at you like that.

“What are we going to do then, Eddie?” You ask him, walking out of his bedroom to get your daughter.

Eddie sits on the bed for a moment and thinks. He knows that you getting pregnant again while Autumn’s only and a half isn't ideal. Not that you being pregnant is ideal anyway, but honestly Eddie wouldn’t be mad about it.

He was so head over heels for both you and Autumn that he doesn’t hate the idea of another person to love is the worst thing. But he’s also not the one doing all the hard work. And if it wasn’t obvious the first time that having a kid wouldn’t fix any problems, then having a second would probably not make much of a difference in your feelings towards him.

The door opens again and Eddie watches as you enter with a squealing toddler on your hip, clearly happy to see both mommy and daddy.

“Morning, sweet girl,” Eddie cooes, scooping his baby up and smothering her with kisses, sending Autumn into a fit of giggles.

“I went ahead and changed her. If you want to dress her I’ll make breakfast.”

Eddie gave you a quick salute as you went to the kitchen, leaving him and your mini me to get ready for the day. It took a lot of wrestling but he was able to get the little one dressed, including hair done, and looking presentable for the day.

Fixing her up in her highchair, Eddie sat at the small kitchen table and breathed a sigh of relief. You shook your head at his theatrics, setting breakfast down for the both of them.

“Hey, I was thinking,” Eddie said, spooning some applesauce into Autumn’s mouth. “After we eat, why don’t I follow you to the pharmacy and we can pick you up a Plan B?”

You quirk an eyebrow in amusement. “You have Plan B money this time?”

“Ha ha,” Eddie laughs dryly at your reference to the last time you had sex, the both of you freaking out over having no money. Thankfully Eddie was able to get a good job at Hawkins Auto Body when you got pregnant. He makes pretty good money now considering he was able to get his own trailer. Money is still tight, but he can manage.

“Fine, better eat up then, or else you’re gonna have two mouths to feed instead of one.”

Eddie looks at your daughter, spitting image of him, besides your nose, and smiles. Maybe now isn’t the right time, but…maybe one day.

[dnickels]

I don't think Gibson gets enough credit for how skillfully he extricated himself from the sodomy allegations. Long post to follow ->

The evangelical mindset is "we are constantly under siege from both invisible powers and our fellow man (and even one's own thoughts), every waking moment is nonstop spiritual battle" so Gibson framing himself as too weak to refuse advances (without spiritual backing, naturally) is a brilliant play for Irving's own anxieties while also putting him in the position to be the shepherd rescuing one of his flock. A direct appeal to the Victorian bourgeois savior narrative, expertly played. He's given Irving a script so familiar and one he's so eager to act out he doesn't for a second question its veracity.

And now we depart to the realm of pure speculation (oh boy my favorite) but I always wonder what exactly Gibson told him, and how much it actually corresponds to what we hear Irving scold Hickey for. I wonder if something got lost in translation (Irving heard what he wanted to hear which is not quite the same as what's actually being said). I think Gibson is perfectly capable of shopping Hickey to save his own skin no question, but that scenario doesn't quite jive with how surprised/concerned he is that Hickey and Irving apparently had a chat about the situation. Surely Gibson didn't think he could say "I was coerced" without some kind of follow-up? It could be a feint, he's just acting to try and keep Hickey from holding a grudge (I think Gibson knows with brutal clarity that you do not want to be on Hickey's shitlist) but his reaction reads to me like he's seeing his fib start to spiral out of control. Of course, one of the grand themes in Terror is people not being as smart as they think they are (or, more charitably, that even well-conceived plans often shipwreck on the shoals of human unpredictability) so it could just be an example of a reasonable plan blowing up on contact with an unreasonable person, as individuals are a universe unto themselves and truly unknowable to each other. Or maybe he really didn't think Irving would do anything, because he asked him to keep it quiet? Maybe that's how it usually goes, everyone agrees to keep it quiet-- sobering thought.

Still, it intrigues me to think about Irving as the wildcard in Gibson's plan, not Hickey-- bringing baggage to it that Gibson didn't include in his calculations. I wonder if Gibson heard the lecture, how many of his own words would he recognize? I can see the shape of a communications breakdown, where a tactful "the temptation was overwhelming, I couldn't resist him" becomes "he used overpowering force" or "I didn't come forward because I was afraid" becomes "he threatened me into silence". Not unreasonable assumptions for Irving to make, honestly, I just think its interesting to play with the idea that they are assumptions and not part of Gibson's ass-saving explanation. Just no accounting for what happens in the pressure-cooker of the evangelical brain!

Obviously the darker read here is that Irving can't understand a messy gay situationship despite spending years at sea is because he is homophobic (while desperately refusing/denying/fighting his own desires) or was himself party to coercion, either towards himself or someone else.

I just think its interesting to think of how it might have played out if Gibson and Hickey been surprised by say, Hodgson instead-- who might have given them a stern "I don't want to catch you two not at work again" but otherwise let the matter slide, or Little, who I can see loading them down with donkeywork but refraining from escalating because doing so means talking to Crozier and Oh God, Please No.

I keep coming back to the question of whether or not Gibson was ready/intending to burn Hickey as badly as his lie makes it seem. While I think he's perfectly capable of it, but it seems like such a risky move when his confession (owning what Irving has no real proof of, I'm more familiar with the early 19th century legal situation on land but the standard of proof for sodomy specifically was actually pretty high) could just as easily backfire on him rather than exonerating them both. We only have Gibson's word that he acted for their mutual benefit, and even if he's telling the truth it seems like stepping on a landmine: no one seems to think Hickey would hang on his accusation, so he's going to still be around after a potential flogging and presumably pissed off. Obviously its a bad situation all around but I am so curious about his own risk/reward accounting. For me, I really enjoy imaging him trying to play master manipulator to Jirv who is absolutley not a player and mostly lets Jesus call the shots. Very funny to me to be so ambitious and skillful and willing to play the Great Game but it all comes to nothing due to human folly. Thesis moment.

[itsa-me-lily]

This is not what I originally set off to write, but I'm not totally mad at it. Please note I am a type 1 diabetic, so I am writing from a place of knowing about it.

Here is more Simon & Thimble Playlist

Here is the MPS Au masterlist

Content warning; Mention of medical devices, medical drugs, a lot of swearing, allusions and mention of an eating disorder (no one has an ED in this, just the concern for one), concern for possibly domestic abuse

“Are ye sure you’re okay with it hen? Simon sleeping with other people?”

You feel your patience slipping further out of your grasp with Johnny’s question. That or it’s the fucking god damn pan that you’re trying to scrape your burnt god damn eggs off of. All you had wanted was nice fucking breakfast. But the universe apparently wanted you to fucking suffer.

First you ended up fucking up your replacement insulin pod, and then when you tried a second time the syringe leaked, so while you finally got a working pod on yourself, you had the smell of insulin stuck in your nose.

And you knew that you needed to go grocery shopping, your list taunting you from where it’s magnetized to your fridge, but you weren’t expecting how bare bones it was. All that was really left had been an almost empty bag of shredded cheese, half a pouch of questionable grapes, and two eggs. Omelets and fruit it was then.

Or it would have been but as soon as you put your eggs in the pan the doorbell had gone off, and Simon was apparently in the shower because he didn't get the door, which meant that you had to, and even though you had tried to be as fast as possible, your eggs were still burning when you and Johnny got back to the kitchen. And now he was asking the same question for the tenth fucking time.

"Yes Johnny, like I said before I'm perfectly fine with it. And no before you ask it's not that I can't fuck anyone else, it's because I don't want to fuck anyone else."

In the end you just drop the pan, figuring you can just come back to it when you don't feel like bashing a scott's head in. Only as soon as you turn around you decide that maybe you should just beat his skull. Simon wouldn't be that upset right?

"For fucks sake stop eating my fucking grapes!"

Johnny stops mid grape, wide eyed and looking like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Wot? It's just a handful."

"It's half the fucking bowl already!"

Are you being unreasonable? Maybe, but you've already figured out your numbers, taken your bolus, and now all those numbers were fucked, and you didn't think you had anything else, and you just wanted to stop fucking smelling insulin.

Before any murder could happen though, Simon decides to grace you all with his freshly showered presence, pushing one of his protein bars into your hand. Your very loud speaking gets caught off as you stare down at the bar as if you're confused as to how it got there.

Simon doesn't say much as he grabs the list off of the fridge, and then the back of Johnny's shirt, pulling the man away from your strangling range and towards the front door and freedom.

"Going shopping. Text if you need anything else."

Before you can question why Simon has decided to do your grocery shopping for you, the front door shuts, leaving you with your few remaining grapes and a protein bar. At least it was a flavor you liked.

Outside Soap doesn't say anything until they’re in Simon's truck and already on the way to the grocery store, sounding confused and a little hesitant to get on another Riley's nerves.

"So...she always like that?"

Simon cut his eyes away from the road quickly to see how his teammate was looking at him like he was some poor damsel in distress. Jesus he wasn't thinking you two were normally having domestics was he?

"She's gotta keep track of the carbs she eats."

"Wot? Like compulsively?"

Lord now Soap is going to think you have some sort of fucking eating disorder or something. Not that Simon thought you did. At least he was pretty sure you didn't.

"It's for her diabetes. She takes insulin based off the carbs she eats, and she's gotta take it a bit before she eats. So you were messing with her carb count."

He paid attention to what you did, and he remembers what he read up on it after the possible haunted baby episode.

Soap's quiet from the passenger seat, and Simon just hopes it doesn't lead to some sort of over the top over compensation for it all. Though maybe he can swing for some free groceries.

Edit;

I'm not in love with how I ended it, but I also don't really know how I would end it otherwise. Also yes, the hanger gets real. I also was going to have this be a piece where Reader explains how she feels about sex and it's part in relationships and stuff but somehow it became more of a piece about how Simon does pay attention to how Reader handles her disease and how he kind of accommodates it. Because in my head Simon fucking hates those protein bars, but they're good in a pinch. I do want to write a different piece about Simon being a little over bearing with it as well, because I think it's an interesting idea of "This is how I'm trying to show my affection" (Even if it's maybe overbearing) vs "I am a fully grown adult I can fucking handle myself"

[space-mermaid-writing]

A bat experience

Relationship: Tony Stark / Stephen Strange

Tags: Vampire Stephen Strange, Cursed Stephen Strange, Humor, Fluff, Established Relationship, Supreme family, Magic mishap

Author's note: I blame @darkkitty1208 for this. She showed me a picture of a vase and put this idea into my mind. My contribution for @harpywritesfic's vampire themed birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Beta by my trusted @kvjjjjjj HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

Ko-fi | Read it on AO3 | More vampire Stephen| Word count: 1.5k

Peter’s eyes followed the zig-zag flight pattern of the little bat. “I didn’t know Doctor Strange could do that,” he admitted in awe.

“Oh, no. That’s new,” Wong said. “He got cursed two days ago, and now he can’t change back.”

“Cursed?” Peter’s eyes widened. “But he looks adorable.”

The bat screeched.

It would have made so much more sense if turning into a bat was part of Strange's vampire powers. Sure, it was a fictional cliche, but some fictional cliches were indeed true.

Although, Peter was sure he would have known by now if this particular skill was part of Doctor Strange’s powers. After all Strange was dating his mentor slash father figure.

Doctor Strange had even become an additional father figure to him during this time. A currently very small, and flying father figure.

“Will he become human again? I mean, a vampire? With arms and legs. Vampire arm and legs.” Peter asked the sorcerer.

“We are working on that.”

It would be easier for them if Stephen was able to help with the research. But the bat had been banned from the library after his last attempt to read an ancient tome had resulted in an accident in which he clawed through several pages.

Wong had not yet forgiven him for that.

“Why are you here anyway?” Wong asked the boy, raising his eyebrows in suspicion. Peter had strolled in for no apparent reason, his backpack slung over his shoulders.

“It’s Wednesday,” Peter said as if that explained everything. There was a pause as Wong waited for more. So Peter added, “I always swing by Wednesdays to do my homework while Doctor Strange reads.”

Since Peter had quite the habit of talking while he was working – he really took after Tony – more often than not Stephen put his own book aside and just had a conversation with the boy. Sometimes he even helped with the homework.

The vampire didn’t seem to mind the interruption. On the contrary, he had prompted Peter to turn the occasional visit into a weekly fixed routine.

“Well, as you see, Stephen is unavailable today.”

Peter pouted, making Wong sigh, defeated.

“But you can use the library for your studies if you want.”

“Can Doctor Strange join me?”

Wong didn’t give in. “Absolutely not.”

Peter’s pout deepened but Wong was one of the few people who could still resist it. At least partly.

The teenager strolled up the stairs, his phone in his hand, texting.

Wong turned back to Stephen, who hung upside down from a wooden beam at the ceiling.

“You are being unreasonable,” he told his friend.

The sorcerer was pretty sure the screech that followed was an insult, but he had no way to prove that.

______

The noises died down after that. It was never completely quiet in the Sanctum; there was always something going on that would reach the ear - whether it was students arriving or leaving, the woosh of the cloak, or the low hum of magic in the background.

Still, it felt peaceful.

It lasted about half an hour. Then, the Sanctum’s door was yanked open with force.

“Where is he?!”

A worried, almost frantic Tony Stark stood in the door. His eyes darted around as if he was expecting someone to jump at him.

His behavior would be alarming on any other day. But today, Wong, who had heard Stark even in the kitchen, had a pretty good guess what had the Avenger upset.

He walked out of the kitchen and into the big entrance hall. Without a word, he pointed at a vase on an ancient-looking dresser.

It looked like a regular vase, the perfect size for a big bouquet of flowers. It was green-ish with a mostly black pattern which remotely looked like edgy flowers in a field.

Nothing remarkable.

However, Tony knew there was hardly anything regular in the Sanctum. Not even some of the doorknobs were regular – he had learned that the hard way.

Having that experience etched in his mind, he moved closer to the vase. Frowning, he peeked inside. It was pitch black.

“Stephen? Can you hear me?” He almost yelled into it. There was no way a grown man could physically fit in this thing. In conclusion, it must be some magic shit, like a soul captured or an aura stored away. “I’m here, bab-”

Something small and furry shot out of the vase and right into Tony’s face, screeching. Tony shrieked in surprise, trying to get it off.

It was small but had sharp claws that dragged over his skin.

Tony cursed. Finally, he managed to snatch the little thing and held it in his hands. He was surprised to find a bat, panting heavily.

Tony stared at it. Then he looked up to Wong, who had watched the whole thing unimpressed. Tony looked at the vase. Then back down at the bat.

He was putting two and two together.

No way…

“That’s…” he started but the sentence seemed too ridiculous to finish.

Yet, Wong confirmed it. “Yes.”

“The curse turned him into a bat?”

“Unfortunately.” Wong tilted his head. “How do you even know about the curse?”

Peter answered that question, suddenly standing at the upper end of the staircase. “I texted him.”

The teenager was still on his phone.

Tony’s pocket made a low chime noise. It was probably another reaction gif from Peter. He loved to send them.

Wong needed a break. “Have you finished your homework yet?”

Finally, Peter looked up. “No.”

“Go back to the library,” Wong and Tony told him at the same time.

Peter pouted but sauntered away.

Tony watched the bat, who had calmed down, and approached his boyfriend slowly.

“Why did he just attack me?” the engineer asked. Did Stephen forget who he was? Did he have the mind of a beast?

The answer was far more simple.

“Because bats are neither blind nor deaf. He probably didn’t like it when you yelled into the small space he hid in, and that amplifies your voice even more.”

Stephen flapped his wings, agreeing with a chirp.

Tony winced.

“Sorry.” He lowered his voice to a stage whisper.

With his finger, he brushed Stephen’s soft fur. The bat was actually really cute.

Stephen climbed onto his finger and curled his long toes around it. Tony raised his hand and the bat hung upside down from it. He barely felt the claws, they were more like small pressure points.

Adorable.

“We are looking for a way to break the curse but in the meantime, there’s little else we can do besides making sure he is safe.”

Stephen’s small bat size was problematic since it was easy to overlook him. It made him prone to accidents, like getting crushed in his tiny body.

“What about his regular condition? Did that change?”

“He is still a vampire. Which makes it easier to feed him but complicated in breaking the curse.”

Of course. Stephen was known for complicating things.

By now Tony had calmed down as well. He knew all the facts now, and had convinced himself with his own eyes that nothing truly dangerous had happened to his mate.

Honestly, this wasn’t even the weirdest shit the sorcerer had gotten himself into since Tony met him.

“I’ll look after him while you work on getting him back,” he reassured Wong.

The sorcerer nodded, actually looking relieved at the offer. He left to get his tea and then return to his research.

Tony climbed up the stairs and walked to Stephen’s room. He had a Starkpad there that he could use to entertain himself and Stephen.

It made him think of something else.

“When was the last time you ate? Are you hungry?”

He offered his wrist to the bat.

After a brief consideration, Stephen lapped onto it, his small black eyes glowing red for a second – that was the only sign so far that this bat was not a normal animal.

When the tiny teeth broke his skin it felt like the prick of a needle, the pain gone just as fast.

Tony was used to Stephen drinking off him, but this time felt different. Normally it was an intimate gesture. It had to do with the fact that they were also lovers. Tony knew that for other people it was different, sometimes nothing more than a business transaction.

Now it was just… over in an instant. The small body didn’t need much blood; no more than a few mouthfuls.

Afterwards, Stephen rubbed the soft fur of his head against Tony’s thumb as if to thank him. Then he spread his wings and took to the air, moving in a zigzag pattern as if he were drunk.

Back into Tony’s hair.

“No. Absolutely not, you little menace.”

Tony scooped him out of his hair before Stephen could get too comfortable.

Stephen complained loudly and slipped out of his hand to claw at Tony's shirt, with mediocre success. He slid down – right into Tony’s breast pocket.

The engineer glanced inside and watched the bat wiggling around, but not trying to get out. Instead, he settled against the warmth of Tony’s chest, chirping happily.

Tony sighed dramatically to cover up a smile.

“Fine. I guess you can stay in there for a while.”

[reds-skull]

Not Alive, Nor Dead

[NEXT PART]

Okay I'm trying to be brave and post this before I chicken out, first time writing a fic, and I'm not sure if this is any good.

So, since I don't have time to draw out all of the revenant au story, but I still want to share it, I'm writing it instead.

Will continue this if people are interested!

[this isn't requiered but reading the comic might help you understand this better]

[also there's a Soap pov version of this by Badolmen, it doesn't line up 100% because we didn't work together but it's very very good and you should read it regardless]

“No.”

“I wasn’t asking, Ghost.”

He shifted in his place. Can never get used to Price’s voice in his head.

“You know I work best alone. All he’s gonna do is get in the way.” 

Price’s mustache twitched, as if he’s fighting a smile. Bastard is about to drop something to win the entire argument, Ghost already knows.

“He’s a revenant. Strong one too.” 

Fucking figures. Still, he could argue he doesn’t need any support-

“Intel is rigged with explosives. And the Sergeant just so happens to be explosion-proof.”

…Fuck.

Ghost sighs heavily like he was presented with an unreasonable amount of shit to deal with. He watches as Price sits there, shit eating grin spitting at him. He looks back to the folder, at the details of this already annoying mission, “you said there are 2 buildings?”

Price snaps from his self boasting to confirm “one suspected barracks and the other an abandoned warehouse. Warehouse contains the majority of explosives.” 

Finally finding something to work with, Ghost straightens his back to his usual self-assured posture, “the Sergeant can deal with the warehouse, I’ll clear the barracks. No need to work together.”

Price seems less happy about that. Serves him right. He sighs and drags a hand over his face, and Ghost almost feels bad for ruining his plan to get him to play with a team. Almost.

“Will it kill you to try and work with the lad?” Price asks offhandedly, while organising the folder back to the never-ending pile of documents on his desk.

“You mean again?” Ghost would wear his own shit eating grin if his face wasn’t permanently covered.

Price still seems equally pissed. Probably saw it in his literal mind’s eye. “Get out of my office Lieutenant, wheels up at 0500.” He gets up and walks around his desk to face Ghost, “don’t scare the kid off alright? I have a feeling you two could mash well together.”

Ghost tilts his head and projects the most doubt he could muster at Price. “Yes sir.”

This is going to be a bloody long day.

It’s not that Ghost hates people per se, it’s just that most of them seem hell-bent on being annoying, disruptive, or boring. Useless on the field for someone of his caliber, and even more useless off-field.

He knows he’s not exactly easy to relate to, but he couldn’t care less about trying to be. He’s here for one purpose. And it’s not “making friends” or whatever Price and Gaz has been trying to push him towards.

He wonders which category the Sergeant currently standing in front of him will fall into. By his fidgeting nature and easy smile, Ghost would put his money on “annoying”.

The Sergeant, “Soap” apparently (Ghost wonders if that callsign was given to him before or after he died a probably painful death), now directs that smile at him, seemingly undeterred by the giant man wearing a skull like a stereotypical grim reaper. He has to give it to the lad, at least he hides his discomfort well.

“You must be Ghost, eh? Let’s get ourselves a win LT” The Sergeant says with an obvious Scottish accent, fist-bumps his shoulder and walks off towards transport.

Oh, annoying is definitely winning.

Despite that, Ghost can’t feel like Soap really fits it. He’s unlike the other muppets in the category, He’s not poking him like the rookies do, trying to make him reveal his powers.

No, the Sergeant is annoying like an overly friendly dog is to someone that doesn’t want to be licked. He’s acting like they’re just two normal soldiers on their way to a normal mission, not the unnatural, unexplainable phenomena they actually are.

Ghost will have to keep watching. Certainly on field he will be able to find out his true colors.

On the helo, Ghost picks his usual spot near the ramp, where the lights don’t reach as much and most prefer not to sit, and observes Soap. His fidgety nature stayed the same, but the carefree expression he wore on ground morphed into a determined one, face stern and serious. He seemed lost in thought, eyebrows twitching here and there. He sees how his fingertips flicker, watching flames dance between them before the rapid movements put them out.

Well, at the very least Soap doesn’t fall into “boring”.

Clearing the barracks is a laughably easy job, even without using his powers. Although, it would’ve been so much faster with them… too bad he doesn’t hate the Sergeant enough to send him to Limbo.

They practically run through both buildings, untouchable storms. Ghost has to admit, Soap is clearly competent, disarming bombs and taking down hostiles at an impressive rate.

God, he hates when Price is right.

“Ground floor clear, heading to the basement” Soap relays on comms. 

“Copy, clearing third floor, keep an eye out for Intel.” 

“I have to say LT, you’re not quite like I expected.”

Feeling’s mutual, Ghost thinks to himself. “That so?”

“Aye, you’re not a major cunt for starters.”

That startled a small huff out of him. What the hell do the rumors say about him? He would have to ask Gaz about that, “Could still change that Sergeant.” he mock-lectures him.

A small laugh is what he gets in return, “I doubt that. I’ve worked with some bastards before, you barely make top 50.”

“Only 50? I hoped for at least 20”

“Got work cut out for you then, sir”

“That I do.”

Ghost continues clearing the floor methodically before faltering for a moment. Why was he entertaining the Sergeant like that? Since when does he joke with people? 

Though, he would’ve done it more if he had someone so ready to joke back…

Useless thoughts. 

Cursing Price, Soap, and all other stupid distracting things swirling in his head, Ghost takes down another hostile.

The mission is going without a hitch. Which is usually when something “hitches”.

A couple of minutes after Soap’s last words, Ghost sees a bright light flash from the warehouse, before a soundwave shakes the windows of the now barren barracks.

One of the explosives went off… “Soap, what the hell happened there?”

No answer.

Ghost knows he’s fine. Price wouldn’t brag about how “explosion-proof” he is otherwise. But he’s not answering…

“Sergeant, give me sitrep, now.”

Ghost stands still for another minute, listening to static. He checked the last room right before the explosion went off, so he just has to go to exfil and wait for the Sergeant at this point. His part of the work is done.

He should just go to exfil.

Ghost climbs down the stairs and heads for the warehouse, a foreboding plume of dark smoke billowing from its roof.

If asked why he didn’t ignore his gut feeling and use his brain like always, he wouldn’t have an answer.

Maybe he just wanted to exchange one more joke with the Sergeant before they finish the mission and never see each other again.

Arriving at the doors, he sees how the ground floor caved in, creating a ramp down to the basement. He starts making his way down, when he sees bodies littering the debris. Was Soap ambushed?

“Soap? Where the fuck are you Sergeant!” Ghost shouts. He has half a mind to be quiet, not wanting to attract enemies to their location, before realizing no one would’ve survived this. No one but-

“LT…?”

“Soap, why weren’t you answering comms- what…”

He stumbles upon Soap. Soap, who's laying on the grey concrete floor, wheezing and shaking, a metal rebar in his hands. Ghost walks closer and realizes the rebar is going through his stomach and pinning him to the floor. 

The Sergeant’s eyes blearily look at the metal “I need, I n-need to get this out…”

He lifts himself half an inch and Ghost sees how the blood rushes out of the wound, how Soap pales. 

Ghost rushes to his side. “Stop fucking moving”, he slides his hands under his torso, feels his gloves getting soaked in blood, “let me help you”.

Soap’s breathing becomes less harsh, and he looks up at him, “you… you don’t have to-”

He slowly lifts Soap before he can say another useless remark. The muscles under his fingertips clench and the Sergeant chokes out a scream.

“Fuck” Soap mutters between pants. 

“We’re halfway there, you’re doing good.” Ghost lets him rest before continuing to lift his body up. The blood keeps rushing out of the wound, enough that he doesn’t understand how Soap is still conscious. The sergeant let go of the rebar, and is now gripping Ghost’s forearms like he’s about to fall to his death.

After a few seconds, which Ghost is sure felt like hours for Soap, he eases him off the metal and onto the ground. Soap immediately collapses, shuddering and holding his hands around the wound.

Ghost then realizes he’s not sure how the Sergeant’s powers work. Is this supposed to even happen? Is he actually dying?

Soap looks up at that moment, giving him a small smile that looks more like a grimace, “I just… give me a minute to heal, I’ll be ready to go soon.” he uncurls and drags himself to sit against a piece of wall.

Ghost frowns and slowly steps towards Soap and slides to sit next to him, “take however long you need.”

He doesn’t look, but from his peripheral, he sees Soap’s head whipping around and staring at Ghost like he told him he’s giving him a million pounds.

He seemed to find something in his expression (however much he could even see of it), and looked down at his bloodied hands, “thank ye…”

Ghost blinks down, “I hope this doesn’t lower my cunt rank.”

Soap lets out a small laugh that turns into a fit of coughs. More blood rushes out of his wounds, and Ghost internally winces.

“Ha… I think it takes ye off the list, mate.”

Ghost heaves an over-the-top sigh, “shame”.

Soap smiles at him, and Ghost notices it’s different from the one he gave him before the helo. This one is… warmer. Or at least it makes him feel so.

Soap lifts his shirt to inspect the wound, and Ghost can’t help by take a look. The wound stopped bleeding, and when Soap wipes some of it away, he can see how it’s already closing.

So he does get hurt… it just heals. Ghost still wonders how it all works, but he knows their powers work with bizarre rules, weird exceptions and what not. He can almost hear his Reaper laughing. Or whatever you would call that chilling noise it lets out when it finds something funny.

It doesn’t matter either way. Not like he’ll get to work with Soap again. 

The Sergeant exhales and lets his shirt drop, “a’right, let’s fuckin’ finish this.” he slowly starts lifting himself up before Ghost wordlessly grabs his arms and helps him.

Soap mumbles a thanks, “did you find any intel?” 

Ghost looks ahead. The climb out of the basement won’t be easy on his wound… “Negative. We’ll keep looking.”

Eventually they reach a door labelled “storage”, that is blocked by several tonnes of concrete and metal. Ghost internally curses.

Soap, who’s been trailing behind Ghost, reaches the door and looks around. Ghost is about to ask him if he’s got a few C4’s hidden somewhere when the Sergeant asks him, “permission to use my powers, sir?”

Ghost raises an eyebrow, “what are you planning?”

“Gonna blow it up sir” Soap says like it was obvious.

“...go ahead.” Ghost replies, half baffled Price forgot to mention the Sergeant, besides being unkillable by explosions, can also create them. 

Was probably in the folder he didn’t bother reading.

He takes a step back to let Soap Have a go. The Sergeant rests his palms on the debris, inhales, and…

A loud boom makes Ghost’s ears ring. He’s momentarily blinded by the bright explosion before he regains his vision, and sees Soap stepping around the remains of the door into the small room.

Ghost shakes away his slight shock and joins him. Soap’s powers intrigue him… he wonders what else he could do.

Somehow, the intel survived the explosions. Ghost could barely care. At least they won’t have Price on their case later on. 

As they walk towards the exfil point, a heavy feeling sinks within Ghost. He’s not sure what to call it, but if he had to it would be “regret”.

Regretting what, he’s not sure. Maybe he should’ve prolonged their walk.

And from a glance at his face, Soap might understand this feeling as well.

“You did well Sergeant.” He has the sudden urge to say. Maybe it will make him regret less.

Soap casts a smile at him. It doesn’t warm him in the slightest.

The chopper blades slashing through air never made him feel worse.

“I guess this is it then.” Soap says when they land.

Ghost turned to face him. That heavy feeling in him just kept getting heavier throughout the flight. Why?

“So it seems.”

Soap stares for a moment longer before sighing. Ghost wants to do something about the annoyingly heavy air of despair around them.

“Soap” the Sergeant hums, “Why did the Scotsman’s prank fail?”.

Confusion takes over his features, “what?”

Ghost inhales, “because no one let him get away scot-free.”

Soap stares at him like he brought shame to his entire bloodline. Ghost grins like he did.

“Steamin’ Jesus LT, that was horrendous.”

“Ah Sergeant, just admit my jokes are better, no need to be a sore loser.” 

“My gran got better jokes than this, fuckin’ hell” Soap laughs.

“I’d like to meet her.”

“So you two could battle? I rather not see you die of embarrassment sir.”

Soap’s transport decides to arrive at this moment, chasing away the small joy they both found.

Soap looks back at it and turns to Ghost.

“It’s been great working with you sir.” if Ghost was feeling bold, he would say Soap almost looks sad, “I hope we’ll get to go another round later.”

Ghost hates the hopeful tone in his voice. Hope is uncertain, leaves everything up to chance.

Useless.

“Likewise, Sergeant.”

He stays standing there for a few minutes, staring at the truck vanishing towards the horizon. As if it will lighten the boulder in his chest.

“So, Simon, what’s your verdict?” Price finishes after debrief.

Ghost thinks about the entire endeavour. Not annoying, not disruptive, or boring.

Soap is…

“He’s something else…”

Critiques are welcome! Nobody beta'd this so I'm sure there are mistakes lol (that and this isn't my first language...)

[ganondoodle]

(idk if anyone wants to keep hearing my opinions on totk book stuff but-)

apparently it says that rauru DID have kids, multiple even, which yeah... is kinda necessary for zelda to even be connected to them so much so that sonia can SENSE a blood connection (which, even with all the excuses with magic, is just a little too far for me to suspend my disbelief bc its over, OVER, ten thousand years worth of generations that seperate her from them that one lil touch of the hand can sense that (feels more like an attempt to make you care about them or .. see them as zeldas "better" parents just bc they exchange a few nice words, i never got the feeling they were 'better' parents and its also kinda disrespectful to her actual parents, like sure rhoam wasnt the best but i wouldnt call rauru better just bc he was polite)- i could see maybe the light power of hylia or sth but since its the coolest dude that ever lived rauru now that had it which still doesnt make sense and makes me unreasonably annoyed and she can sense BOTH of their powers in her? nah) the fact theres NOTHING about them in the game itself is just so ... no way they planned any of this

i dont think theres anything they can do or say that wont make be believe they either

are making it up alla 'fix it in post' mentality trying to hastily explain stuff the game never bothers to do to try and appease fans or let it appear as if they thought about it at all

something went really REALLY wrong during development, which kinda seems likely given how the game turned out (im sorry i cannot let go, its not just the writing, the game design too and how little was changed in the map while being so damn expensive, i dont know how people dont feel scammed q_q)

given that they (allegedly) spent the last entire year of development on polish (where??? where????? huh??? like it would make it more understandable (EXCEPT for the price) if there was alot of trouble, which was also bc it got delayed and ... turned out like this, but they dont want to say it, especially given their reputation, with that quote i have heard way too many times 'a delayed game blah blah') i just??

are they just gonna go and do it like they did with kashiwa (kass)? "they uuuh where flying around the whole time ony cool sonau tech maschines, you just dont see or hear from them ooooorrr they were uuuuh out of the country at the time" (sending invitations to other continents to join their glorious kingdom ;) )

(bet they are also gonna say they did all the stuff like ... moving the shrines around (lol?) and lifting the islands up into the sky- which is still weird bc ... didnt they also say they were living in the sky before coming to the surface?? so where?? did they park all their islands on the surface and the mystery kids had the keys so they had to repark them back into the sky after they returned off camera?? xD also why are the islands so different as an environment if they where from the surface? like even the STONE up there is different- and if they were first in the sky then on the surface and the nback in the sky .. why is there not a single yellow tree or grass in the past- you cant really argue that it changed bc they were up there so long bc .. nothing else changed, the suddendly and totally always there sonau buildings are largely in prime condition, only some slightly moldy, and what we see of the glorious past looks barely any different from the present, aside from like ... some standard trees shuffled, no castle yet and that glowy uwu filter DESPITE that stupidly long time frame between it)

[lutawolf]

My Personal Weatherman and the D/s element Ep 4

If you haven't read the others, they can be found here.

Ahhh, nothing gets me going like a sub wearing what their Dom picked out. That subtle ownership. Why yes, I do pick out all my husband's clothes except the dreaded work clothes. I refuse to take the blame for those tacky things.

Right off, we can easily see that this is not an M/s situation. The fact that Segasaki is asking Yoh what he wants to do, tells us exactly what we need to know. Yoh is explaining what he is going to do. That is not something a slave would ever even think to do. We can easily tell that he is a subby sub though, cause when Segasaki brings out the Dom, Yoh eases back.

OMG, that chin grab! @bl-bam-beyond pretty please gif that chin grab.

That chin grab with the "No." Ugh, how all my lovely subs doing? Are you still here? Have you been able to finish the show? Or are you stuck here on rewind?

Yoh actually questions Segasaki as to why not. Anybody still thinking Yoh a slave? Cause not to be rude, I can't fix stupid. This boy, a brat. Fuck, this whole scene is really showcasing their dynamic. "But we made a promise." "Tell her that you can't go anymore. Do it. Do you even know why you are in this house." And once again, we're back at the misunderstanding stage.

A fangirl, I see. OMG, this is adorable. Yoh is like, sure. Let's look at the tie of my Dom, bestie.

Yoh calling with Segasaki standing over him. This episode is killing me in the best possible way. Don't revive me! (No! I have not taken my ADHD meds, don't judge me!) "I was ordered to stay home." Hahahaha! Then the ahhhh, after he tells her that he will make it up to her. Letting you know he was likely just punished by Segasaki. Yes, my mind went here.

Then the reward of the head pat, "you did good."

She showed up to check on him! Woot! Haha, she is about to find out who is boyfriend is. Hahaha. I'm dying. Meanwhile, his boyfriend is like, "guess it's time for a face off." Ya'll I'm not okay. I'm laughing so hard.

And Yoho stepped over a line and got put in his place. But he is too busy having a crisis to care! 🤣🤣🤣 Her face is my favorite.

That effortless lie. He wasn't feeling well. Uh huh. I love these two dumbass friends. I need sake too!!! I'm dying. Shit, I can't breathe through the laughter.

Now it's Yoh's turn to be jealous. Ahh, he got drunk and fell asleep on the floor. The places we find comfortable when we are drunk.

Nope, he doesn't want to go to the bed. I love the outer dialogue we are getting. I really enjoy that we get Yoh's side of things and from his perspective, but this rounds it out a bit for me.

And look at that beautiful smile when Segasaki finds out she's married. "Are you in your rebellious phase." Does this sound familiar to certain people whom I will not mention by name!?! Hmmm! Brats! Stop breaking my heart! Make him stop Segasaki, make him stop!

Fuck, I love these two so much. Everything he is describing is very much a Brat Tamer. Bossy but gentle. Controlling but caring. Charming and unreasonable. Brat Tamer.

The way his squishes Yoh's face! Ahhh, these two are gonna kill me!

"It would be nice if you stayed drunk forever." Because of the honesty. Segasaki likes Yoh's quirks, but he also wants the honesty and the connection.

I need the curry story now! But apparently, I must wait. Heavy sigh.

Hope you guys enjoyed this! Let me know in the tags if you did. 💜💜💜 See you next time.

[certifieduruihater]

what were your thoughts on 2007 leo

I’ve seen this guy get a lot of hate from the tmnt fandom, so i went into the movie expecting the worst. Instead, i came out of the movie feeling sorry for the guy. 

Dude doesn’t even want to come home from the jungle because he doesn’t want to come back a failure after splinter sent him away to become a better leader. Which is crazy by the way. Imagine sending your teenage son to be a better leader by sending him AWAY from the team he’s supposed to lead. Who is he supposed to lead out here, the plant life? Leo’s probably seen stuff out here that no teenager should ever have to see, but that doesn’t matter to people, i guess. Anyway, it’s clear that he holds splinter and his brother’s opinion in high regard. Maybe too high, honestly.

He stops writing his brothers after a year and not a single person goes to check up on him. No one but APRIL of all people. Not his brothers, not splinter, but APRIL. Wow. and april didn’t even start out with the intention of seeking him out. She was there on business, but when the local legend started sounding familiar, then she decided to snoop. I have to ask, how did his family even know leo was alive? Did they know? His family clearly didn’t even try to contact him at all; they just wallowed in their misery and waited for leo to come home to fix things. But leo was so sure that his family had things under control; he refutes the idea that his family needs him when april brings it up, because i dont think leo believes it himself. Leo is so sure that his brothers don’t need him and says directly that “[the people of the village] need me more than my brothers do.” I think leo truly believes his family will be fine without him. It’s part of the reason why he stayed in the jungle for so long; he wanted to be in a place where he felt needed and, by proxy, wanted. And that’s just sad, because it implies that he was not feeling this way in his own home.

So leo comes home and the reunion is great between him and donnie and mikey, who both at least appear to be happy to see him. Raph and leo’s initial reunion is just awkward, because raph can’t ever just say he’s happy to see his brother. There always has to be something going on with him, which in turn affects leo. The tension quickly mounts between the two as raph continues being unreasonable and belligerent. 

When the turtles fight against that monster thing both raph and mikey just charge in without heeding leo’s instructions (in which he was just trying to follow splinter’s orders of not engaging), and then somehow, splinter blames leo?? ”there are no excuses when you are the leader” Huh?? Leo literally tried to stop them, splinter, but you didn’t want to hear him out and just blamed everything on him! If splinter is so concerned by the turbulence in the family, why doesn’t he do something about it then? No, instead he just keeps watching gilmore girls and counts on leo to handle everything for some reason. Splinter, and the rest of the turtles by proxy, put the burden of bringing the family together solely on leo. Leo trusted donnie to manage the team, and donnie just…gives up and starts a call center. Both mikey and donnie, instead of holding down the fort while leo is away, continuing patrol and ninjutsu like they’ve been trained to do, give up and get normal jobs. What? Splinter apparently said nothing, by the way, i guess he was perfectly cool with donnie and mikey giving up their life’s work and trusted that leo would fix things when he returned. Raph straight up ditched the team. Everyone fell apart without leo there to wrangle them. This dependency on one sole family member, one who’s presumably the same age as the other turtles and is by no means their parent, just does not sit right with me and makes me feel even worse for the guy. So leo has to just keep going, while getting no familial or any sort of support from anyone. No, leo just has to do better i guess. Meanwhile, raph’s got a great friend in casey, who takes the time to listen to poor raph’s woes. And what does raph do in turn when casey needs someone to lend him an ear? Falls asleep and ignores all of what casey says. Awesome. 

After their failure of a fight, raph makes it clear the next morning that the person he blames is leo and leo alone. It could never be his own fault for charging in recklessly without a plan and ignoring splinter’s orders, oh no, let’s blame leo, our convenient scapegoat. Apparently in the prequel comics leo and raph have always had somewhat of a turbulent relationship, so that’s rough. 

Really minor, but I also felt bad for leo when raph, semi-conscious from the dart, told leo to go back the jungle. I’m used to these sorts of drugs lowering inhibition in their targets in fiction, making them reveal things they’d normally never say, but are their true feelings. Apparently raph’s true feeling . . . is that he wants leo to leave. ouch.

It was so sad seeing leo go from fighting the nightwatcher to fighting raph. When he was fighting the nightwatcher, he was taking him down so easily. But when he’s fighting raph, it’s clear that he can’t bring himself to go all out, even when raph isn’t pulling his punches. Leo says he was training to be a better leader, and that he was training to be better for raph, and point blank asks why raph hates him for that, confirming my suspicion that yes, leo does think raph hates him. Raph, meanwhile, is trying to convince himself, the audience, and leo that he never needed leo because he’s still jealous or whatever. He fixates on the idea that he doesnt want to be led, and that THAT is his main issue. Okay buddy. I see right through him, but i don’t know if leo does. I don’t blame leo for thinking that raph hates him, because i myself have a hard time believing that raph cares about leo.

Maybe leo gets a lot of flack for saying that he’s better than raph, but honestly, i was cheering for him. Go off king. I don’t know why people act as if raph had any semblance of a point at any time during this movie. I don’t know why people act as though LEO was the one in the wrong here. Leo said nothing but the truth.

Leo: You aren't ready. You're impatient and hot-tempered. And more importantly, I'm better than you.

And he’s right. Throughout the whole movie, raph has been nothing BUT impatient and hot tempered. Raph has been unreliable as ever this whole movie, being reckless and endangering both himself and his family as the nightwatcher. Bro is making headlines. Did raph ever stop to think of what would happen if something happened out there and he had no backup? Did he stop to think what would happen if he was ever followed home? Or exposed? If raph’s identity is exposed, they’re all exposed because they’re all mutant turtles, and their names and mask colors aren’t going to make much difference to the public.

How exactly is leo wrong here? Or should i be scolding him for being so mean to poor raphie? Why, especially when raph has done nothing but be hostile to this dude for no reason the whole movie.

raph breaks leo’s swords and nearly impales leo?? What?? Leo nearly gets KILLED by his own brother. What a welcoming reunion. Seriously, with family like this, who needs enemies?  I can’t imagine how terrifying it would be to be put in that position by your own sibling, but Leo doesn’t even look scared as he’s staring up at raph. He wasn’t angry, he wasn’t yelling. He was just resigned. Did he truly believe raph would have killed him in that moment? I don’t know, but leo’s mindset cannot be healthy. If this was mikey that raph had pinned to the ground, the tmnt fandom would have been up in arms. But because it’s leo, it’s fine because “he can handle it,” i guess. 

And raph’s stupidity gets leo captured. Instead of owning up to his actions, that yes, you very nearly DID just kill your own brother, he abandons leo and leaves him defenseless on the rooftop, where of course, he gets captured. He lets out a loud yell as he’s getting captured, probably to let raph know he needs help because bro is the only one around. Either way, that’s another sort of terrifying, to have to rely on the person who nearly killed you, but leo doesn’t have a choice. Not that raph even succeeds in getting leo back in that moment. Leo’s knocked out for most of the next part, raph supposedly gets character development and resolves his conflict with leo by . . . not talking to him and saving him from captivity. Hooray, raph cares for his brother’s life? But this doesn’t solve anything, because for all leo knows, raph still despises him as a person. They didn’t talk through ANYTHING, so how is leo supposed to know what raph is thinking? 

I kind of wish leo could just go back to the jungle and continue being the ghost of the jungle. I know he’d be without his family (and honestly i’d say good riddance), but at least there, he was actually respected. Leo didn’t want to get too involved with the residents there, and they respected his wishes and didn’t bother him, but were clearly respectful and appreciative of what he’d done for them. Unfortunately, i can’t say the same for his family. 

Anyway, sorry for this huge rant, anon, but thank you for the ask! Gave me an excuse to ramble about this film.

[akiizayoi4869]

Can I maybe have more insight into Sokkla?

Idk I've been wanting to get more into it but I'd just like to hear why people ship them, more depth into them as a ship, how they'd work out, etc

Have a great day ^^

Sure!

I was honestly so confused back when I first found out that people shipped them lol. They only had one scene in the entire show when they interacted and actually spoke to each other, and it wasn't good. But I decided to bite the bullet and check it out anyway. Think it was either one of @seyaryminamoto or @libbysatton25 Sokkla fics that I read, and by the end of it I was like "holy shit why do these two make so much sense for no reason"😂.

People ship them for a number of reasons. Both of them are very smart, are strategists, sense of humor is kinda the same, and they have similar issues when it comes to their parents and how the writers wrote it. With Sokka, his grief about Kya's death is never expanded on or given the same kind of depth like with Katara, even though it would have been really interesting if they did since it was painfully obvious that he had repressed memories of what happened that day, sine he couldn't even remember their mother's face. It's similar with Azula. Zuko's issues with Ozai is taken seriously by the narrative, as is Ursa leaving and how it affected him. With Azula, however, her issues with their mother are never given the same importance. Ignoring the shit comics, during the beach episode where she says "My own mother though I was a monster. She was right of course, but it still hurt" was interesting. For the first time ever, we saw a vulnerable side of Azula, a glimpse of into what her own experience with their family was like (even though we kinda did see it a bit on her end in the Zuko Alone flashback episode). Nobody responded to what she said (and to be fair to them, that's a subject that shouldn't be treated lightly, and they were all teenagers with their own problems, even though at the very least I think that Zuko should have said something) and the last bit of what she said makes the whole thing be treated as a joke.

Which, honestly? Is brilliant, because that's a defense mechanism. Showing a vulnerability without meaning to, and the moment you realize it, you try and deflect by making a joke or acting as if it's not a big deal. I've done that plenty of times. There's just one problem with this: the narrative actually frames what she said as a joke and that it's not a big deal, because she is in fact a monster and even she knows it (I swear narrative framing is seriously a bitch in this show) and it's never brought up in conversation again. Nobody asks her what she meant by that and actually try to talk to her about it, and the ideal candidate for this woukd have been Zuko, since he could sort of get where she's coming from since they have the same messed up family. Instead, it's only touched upon again in the finale during the mirror scene, and then that's it.

Ok I know that I said ignore the garbage comics, but they actually prove my point further. In The Search, Azula's issues with her mother definitely aren't taken seriously whatsoever, she's made to be seen as unreasonable because she's "crazy", and when they find out what actually happened to Ursa and Azula is rightfully angry about it? Once again she's written off as being unreasonable and doesn't get taken seriously at all, and she just runs off and nobody stops her. That entire comic was basically about Zuko and his relationship with their mother (see a pattern there?) and to this day her and Ursa have yet to have a one on one conversation with each other, because apparently this is too hard for the writers to do. The point that I'm trying to make here is that Azula surpresses her feelings because for her, it's a sign of weakness, and she was taught to not show any signs of weakness whatsoever. You know who else surpresses their feelings? Sokka. He obviously has his own feelings about Kya's death, but he pushes that aside for Katara. Yue's death definitely left a profound impact on him, but he never talks about it with anyone, not even his girlfriend Suki. He just bottled it up.

Although in Suki's case I think there's another reason why he doesn't tell her, something that I think nobody actually picked up on in the fandom because I've never seen anyone mentioning this: during the Serpent's Pass episode and the two of them are talking because Suki wants to know why he's being so overprotective of her all of a sudden, he tells her that it's because when they were in the Northern Water Tribe, something happened to somebody that he cared about and that he couldn't protect them. So he was telling her about Yue without really getting into it. In response, Suki sees that as an opportunity to tell Sokka how she feels about him, by saying "I lost someone too. He didn't die, he just went away." So basically, she got the implications of what he was trying to say, and she uses that as a way to confess. Now, if I were Sokka? I wouldn't want to talk about it with that person anymore. Idk why on earth the writers thought that would be romantic, but whatever. I'm not saying that this is the reason why he never tells her about Yue, as far as I'm concerned this is just a headcanon of mine, (and all of this is honestly the main reason why I don't care for Sukka whatsoever, aside from the fact that I find it to be boring and poorly written) but it's interesting to think about. Anyway, both Sokka and Azula bottle up their feelings, which is what a lot of Sokkla shippers picked up on, and it's what makes us think that they'd be able to connect with each other because of that, because they both understand what that's like.

So yeah, I think that's why a lot of people find these two interesting as a non canon couple. If any other Sokkla shippers see this, feel free to add on!

[letmeoutofthebasementt]

Hyunjin in relationships Astro pt.2

This is the second part of my other Hyunjin reading. I'm going to be so for real here, I was going to add more aspects and stuff I look into but this is already way too long. So...Yeah. Also, preferably you should start with my tarot reading here

Pt. 1

So, to start, if Hyunjin was married to his partner he'd like their marriage to be very orderly and structured. He'd want a balanced family life that's harmonious and a place where he and his family can be truly at ease. Though if he ever had kids he'd definitely struggle with laying down the law for them and probably be prone to spoiling them rotten, so his partner would have to be the authoritative figure.

He's very responsible and practical in matters of the heart, all things considered. At first when he falls it's a steady, controlled love before it very quickly consumes his entire being because that's how he is.

His love is definitely the type that flip-flops. It could go from calm, fluffy romance to (Tell me why I was about to put Kevin Gates...Never that) this passionate, fiery, sensual kind of romance.

He could be prone to...Abusing his natural sexuality? Like he'll use...Intimacy to get out of situations or gain what he wants. Like (I'm trying to keep this PG13 so bear with me here and I really don't know if I used the right bear but it's like 3:00 AM and I can't be assed to check) for example, him and his partner have a disagreement about something so he uses his...Body against them? Like next thing you know you're rolling around in the sheets unable to think straight and he's like "So yeah can we get a dog?" And naturally you say yes because you're not thinking straight because it's Hwang motherfucking Hyunjin and next thing you know you have a dog

Arguments? Minor quarrels? Jealousy? Etc. etc. Any and everything

Hyunjin 100% is the type of partner to take you on a date to the mall and something and it's almost like a mini fashion show. You'll probably walk out with arms full of new clothes.

So much in his chart revolves around either sexuality or romance. Like it's split 50/50. So.

He's most definitely the jealous type. He gets very paranoid and overthinks everything. Probably the type that doesn't introduce you to the group or his friends for a while, not because he wants to hide you but because he's scared you'll fall for one of them or vice versa, and he just overthinks everything.

I wouldn't be surprised if Hyunjin has had breakups because he cheated. LIKE, I think he's a generally loyal partner, but he's very influenced by the people around him. If they're cheating, he thinks it's okay for him to. And cheating is very normalized in Korea, ESPECIALLY via prostitution, and he has a very strong sex drive. Granted, apparently he has a very religious background which would kind of repel him from cheating? So it's a toss up.

But he's also very restless. If things are the same for too long he grows bored of it. If things are too easy for too long he grows bored of it. And then he starts to wander. And settling down in general is a task for him. And sure he should probably just break up if he notices his eye wandering, but he doesn't want to hurt you, so naturally (note my sarcasm, but this is just how I see his logic being), he just needs to keep it a secret and stay with you, right?

Then you find out.

But with Hyunjin...He could be cheating for YEARS before you find out.

Now, if he has a lot of positive influences cheating won't be something you have to worry about. And even if his eye wanders he'll probably just break up because he doesn't wish to hurt you.

And if he's genuinely in love with you you don't have to worry about him cheating either.

But do you remember how I said he's prone to be in relationships but never in love with the other party? Yeah.

He also expects impossible and unreasonable things from his partners.

He's drawn to things that are forbidden, and loves a chase in love. Not in the sense of "Oh, let's pursue this person who so obviously wants me to stop" but kind of in the sense that in love he likes someone who keeps him on his toes and makes him have to work hard for it, but not too hard. Just that little push and pull.

He'd probably try a lot of new things if he knows you like or are interested in them.

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

WIBTA for asking my friends to unfollow my abusive ex on Instagram? (obvious TW for mentions of abuse, and also SA)

I (19nb) broke up with my abusive ex (22nb) several months ago, after I realized how the relationship was affecting my mental health and (at about the same time) they cheated on me in a situation that may have involved them coercing the other person.

that other person told someone in the friend group what happened, and as a result, my ex was removed from all group chats etc. I didn't learn about all of this until after it had already happened; though my ex was abusive, I wasn't going to ask our friends to stop talking to my ex because I really didn't want to discuss the relationship with them. However, I know that our friends have tried to keep their own friends away from my ex, and I'm pretty sure they know that my ex possibly SA'd someone.

I have my ex blocked on Instagram, but every so often the intrusive thoughts get to me and I unblock them and go through their profile to see what they're up to. and I noticed that some of our friends' accounts had liked their most recent posts, and then I went through their follow list and apparently a bunch of our friends still follow my ex. some of them are the "I barely post on my account and I might not even be logged in" type but some are pretty active. at least one friend has apparently entirely blocked my ex (they were one of the first to know what happened), so it doesnt feel like this is an unreasonable ask?

caveat: I'm really not comfortable talking about details of the relationship to these friends, and I dont want to come across as emotionally unstable or needy, it's just something that's been nagging at me.

also, so I can actually know what people think, to clarify the acronyms YTA = "I am the asshole" and NTA = "they are the assholes and i am not" and NAH = "no one is the asshole" right?

What are these acronyms?

[whumpshaped]

I beg please can we get a continuation to the ""caretaker"" and the hypnotised whumpee? here's the link in case (https://www.tumblr.com/whumpshaped/734771203827515392/nah-cause-your-recent-caretaker-becomes-whumper) 🫶🫶

prev

tw caretaker turned whumper, paranoia, betrayal, conditioned whumpee, self-blame

Whumpee was pacing back and forth in their room, trying to muster up the courage to go talk to Caretaker.

They’d wanted to do it the first time after Caretaker had used a command on them, because it felt violating and cruel, but it had been too outrageous a prospect back then. They’d wanted to bring it up when Caretaker vetoed the idea of proper therapy, because it felt unreasonable and unfair, but they had decided to trust the process anyway.

But making them kneel? No. No, that was entirely too much. It was stupid and unnecessary. It was humiliating. It was… not something a friend would do.

Still, the thought of confronting someone who had become so eerily similar to Whumper was a terrifying one. Someone who had abused commands for multiple months would have no problem using them yet again to shut them down, right? They couldn’t talk to Caretaker directly. They had to go around them somehow, contact a friend, the therapist they would’ve gone to, a doctor– anyone.

Or… or maybe they were overreacting. Maybe Caretaker just didn’t know how distressing it was for them. Maybe it was all a big misunderstanding. Maybe going behind their back would be a silly thing to do, maybe… maybe…

Whumpee took a deep breath. It would’ve been significantly less risky to try to go to someone else for help. In the worst case scenario, Caretaker would get mad and cut ties. But if they went to Caretaker first… In the worst case scenario, Caretaker would realise how uncomfortable Whumpee felt, and they’d silence them. They’d make sure Whumpee never had the opportunity to talk to others about it.

Just like Whumper had done.

They had to go behind Caretaker’s back. There was no other way. They had to. Caretaker would understand, if they really were Whumpee’s friend.

They grabbed their sweater from the back of the chair and quietly left their room–

Instantly bumping into Caretaker, who had apparently been on their way to said room.

“Oh, hey,” Whumpee said awkwardly, heart hammering in their chest. Act normal. Act normal.

“Are you going somewhere?” Caretaker asked, eyeing the sweater in their hand.

“Yeah– well, not really, I guess… I, I was gonna go on a walk. Just… around the block. Get some fresh air.”

Caretaker didn’t miss a beat. “Oh, awesome idea! I’ll grab my jacket and we can go together.”

Before Whumpee could’ve come up with an excuse, Caretaker was already gone. They stood there like an idiot, feeling like they’d just squandered their only chance of getting out of this. Who knew whether they’d ever have the courage to try again?

They pulled on their sweater and followed Caretaker down the stairs, trying not to look too dejected. Maybe they deserved it. Maybe broken people like them were never meant to escape.

[snowblack-charcoalwhite]

People nedd to stop infantilising helaena.

That's literally one the most annoying things that some of her "stans" (i doubt those are her real fans) keep using. Like, she only wants to play with her bugs, leave her alone. And apparently her evil brother is weaponizing her and doesn't respect her autonomy because he wants her to join him against Daemon's army? What's unreasonable about it? She should have accepted to harm the man who was behind her son's gruesome death. Dreamfyre avd Vhagar would have killed Caraxes and decimated Daemon's army. But she doesn't want tk burn anyone. Sure, but the war is an extreme situation, even Rhaena who is also shown not to be a fan of violence and is more traditionally feminine is going to fight because she is obviously getting Nettles' arc. They are changing everything from the book, unless the change could be beneficial to the greens. And the so called fans are cool with it. I mean, if this was their plan for helaena, they should have just copied her arc form the book since by making her a dragon dreamer they only made everything more nonsensical and annoying.

Another thing: it's funny how people were predicting for a whole season to whom are her words about playing a part and fulfilling the destiny were directed- Aemond, Alicent, even Aegon. But no, it was her for some reason helping and guiding the f***ng Daemon. I guess she can leave her bugs for a moment to do that , according to her supposed fans. It's infuriating.

Hello!

Even before the leaks came out, I questioned Helaena's virtual disappearance from the plot. But now it's quite clear that the writers turned her into a prop (as the author of one of my recent asks very aptly put it).

I mentioned my opinion on Helaena in season 2 here, and I want to emphasize that my quarrel is not with the character but with the writers. Just like Aegon, Helaena is blatantly being used to show how dysfunctional the Greens are as a family - and to highlight the flaws and sins of other characters. These characters being mainly, once again, Alicent and Aemond.

Alicent is a bad mother because she is shown to be more worried about Helaena seeing her having sex with Criston than about Jaehaerys' death and then forces her traumatized daughter to go through with the public funeral and traumatizes her even more. And now Aemond gets violent with her and trying to force her to do something she is not willing to do.

Whether it is a good call to ask her to fight or not is one question. A lot of people say something along the lines of "If only Aemond had not burned Aegon...". True, Vhagar plus Sunfyre would be better than just Vhagar; but, firstly, even this duo (okay, trio if we count Tessarion) would still not be enough to counter Rhaenyra's four dragons (with Caraxes and Sheepstealer - six), and, secondly, Sunfyre for all his spirit is young, inexperienced and quite small (Tessarion is also basically still a baby, by the way). Would Aegon, had he remained in power, have abstained from asking Helaena to join the common effort?

The thing is, post B&C Helaena became almost a non-entity. She easily gets over the horrific death of her child - and then does nothing. What is left of her? Why is she supposed to be treated as if she is made of glass? Because of the mere fact that she is a woman? Not enough. Because her child was murdered? She seems to have got over it: she is nowhere near the mental state her book counterpart was in. And don't get me wrong, I am not of the opinion that only badass dragonrider ladies are supposed to be respected and cherished while peace-loving and gentle women deserve nothing. This is not about badassery: as you said, the situation is dire. It's not about Helaena doing it for Aemond, it's about the survival of their family: Alicent, Aegon, Otto, Helaena herself - and her little daughter about whose existence many viewers have probably already forgotten. But she refuses to join Aemond because "I don't wanna and because you're a bitch". Awesome.

However, she is indeed ready to guide the murderer of her child. When I understood where this whole thing about "fulfilling destiny" is going I couldn't believe it for a second. And for me it was the final nail in Helaena's character coffin. Phia's acting was great (in the scenes where she was actually given the chance to act) but the character development... RIP, Dreamer Queen, it was nice knowing you.

P.S. Gosh, I completely forgot about Moondancer and Vermax while counting TB dragons. So, even with Aegon and Sunfyre safe and sound - but without Dreamfyre - it would be 3 against 8. Helaena, would you like to rethink your decision?

[starlitangels]

The Power of Words

I can, apparently, only ever write ficlets for these two, not full fics. Enjoy? 736 words

CW: heated verbal argument

—

“There’s nothing stopping you from leaving, y’know. Least of all me,” I remarked.

Guy swore, paused his game, dropped his controller, and whipped his head to stare at me. “What—and I mean this with the utmost affection—the hell is that supposed to mean?!”

I shrugged. “If you wanna break up with me, I’d respect that.”

“I don’t—where did that—respect—the f—honey what are you talking about?!” Guy spluttered.

“Don’t act like you didn’t know I could hear you yesterday.”

Guy’s confused expression dropped. “Oh God. What did I say?”

I dug my fingernails into the skin of the apple I’d been munching on as my grip tightened on it. Juice spurted from the punctures. “Something to the effect of ‘you shackled yourself to a cruel, unreasonable taskmaster’.”

Guy stared, greenish-blue eyes wide and eyebrows attempting to disappear into his hairline. “Did I really say that?”

My other hand dropped to the dining table. The thick, heavy ring on my middle finger clanked hard against the wood. “Don’t act like you didn’t know what you were saying,” I snapped. My nails dug deeper into the meat of the apple. “Mr. Vocab King or whatever the hell you’ve called yourself before.”

Guy kept staring. Slack-jawed. “Baby… you know me. I speak before I think and I exaggerate to be funny.”

“Oh so you don’t consider yourself shackled to me but you do think you’re stuck with me in some way that’s just barely lesser than steel chains. Great.” I used my hand on the table to shove to my feet.

Guy scrambled to his, following me down the short hall to where I stormed into our bedroom. “Honey, no. Never—”

I clenched my jaw around grabbing my overnight bag out from the back corner of the closet where it had been shoved. “You—of all people, Guy—should know the power of words.” I grabbed a couple shirts off their hangers and threw them at where I’d opened the small suitcase on the floor.

Guy seemed to realize what I was doing. “What—why are you packing?”

“Because you think you’re chained to me and decided to finally admit it in the middle of a monologue against decorating. After we’ve been together for almost two years.” I yanked open a drawer in my dresser and snatched jeans out, adding them to the pile. “So I’m giving you space to decide what you actually want without the pressure of my domineering wickedness hanging over you. Or whatever you said yesterday.”

Guy was going along behind me, putting my stuff back where it belonged. “I didn’t mean any of it like that, hon, I swear—”

Until I grabbed the shoulder of his T-shirt and shoved him against the wall. “Stop. That,” I snarled. “I’m going to go spend the night at my brother’s while you figure yourself out.”

“Is this why you were still awake at two-AM last night?”

I let go of his shirt and rolled my eyes with a scoff. “Leave it to you to change the subject.”

“I don’t consider myself stuck with you,” Guy shot back. “I love you. I’m happy with you.”

“Happy? With the person who rations affection like it’s a non-renewable resource and forces you to decorate.” I scoffed. “Sure.” I pulled the hoodie of mine he’d been trying to hang back up out of his hands. “You may consider yourself an insufferable headache but we both know I’m the one that’s hard to live with.” I threw the hoodie back in the suitcase. “I’ll see you on Monday, Guy. I’ll say hi to my brother for you.” I grabbed some socks and the shirts he’d put back on their hangers in the closet and dumped them all in before zipping it up. “Think about the power of words while I’m gone and what you actually want out of this relationship, hmm? I’m in it for the long haul. If that’s not for you, I’ll respect that. But at least be an adult and tell me to my face. I get that you love me. But think some things over while I’m at my brother’s.” I zipped up the bag and shouldered past him out of our room, dragging it behind me. I shoved my feet into my boots and grabbed my wallet and keys. “I love you too.”

“Honey—”

I ripped open the door and slammed it shut behind me before he could say anything else.