#it’s Her birthday so prepare for a LOT of Athena posting

[wisdom-devotee]

I’m an Athena Devotee, of course I take on more than I can handle when it comes to academics

I’m an Athena Devotee, of course I study classics

I’m an Athena Devotee, of course my Pinterest feed is full of owls

I’m an Athena Devotee, of course I’m a writer

I’m an Athena Devotee, of course I make some of my offerings by hand

I’m an Athena Devotee, of course I like debates

I’m an Athena Devotee, of course I’m ‘opinionated’

I’m an Athena Devotee, of course my posture is bad due to creative hobbies, reading, and college

I’m an Athena devotee, of course I’m a literature student

I’m an Athena Devotee, of course I love researching Her

I’m an Athena Devotee, of course I like poetry

I’m an Athena Devotee, of course I’m a history nerd

[shelby-love]

BOBBY NASH

Life as Cap's Daughter

Requested: yes

Author's note: I got a little carried away, but I wanted to DELIVER FROM POINT A (LOWEST) TO POINT B (BEST) PART OF HIS LIFE. Kept it realistic as possible plus it’s very long SO BEWARE

P.S. you can kind of see how my love for the man just SPILLED ... aka I kind of lost it and just hammered the numbers. It shows how unexperienced I am at these <3

Requests for 9-1-1 are OPEN

Headcanon

Bobby had you before Marcy and Athena were a part of his life

You were his little everything

The food he fed you growing up…

You would tell people that your dad's a chef, and not a firefighter

You thought a chef was a better job! You were four…

With your mom out of the picture it was just you and your dad for a big part of your childhood

He baby proofed the entire house

Balled his eyes out when he walked you to school for the very first time

When he met Marcy you were roughly around 8, but the two of you got along very well right off the bat

Even though he's a quiet, withdrawn man that likes to keep to himself, you were the one who brought out his witty side

He was very proud when you showed an interest in ice skating, it quickly became 'your thing' and Bobby loved that you inherited that from him

He's at all of your performances! 

He catches you every time no matter the situation

You loved Robert Jr. and Brook very much too, considering them your siblings without a doubt

You helped change their diapers, practically raised them with Marcy and your dad

Family dinners with Bobby's marvelous cooking – a must!

Bobby was very overprotective when you entered your teen years so thank god for Marcy (she was a saint)

He'd invite your date over and drill him while eating the nicest foods he prepared with extra caution

"Dad, that was a bit too much…"

"You think? I didn't even get to scratch the surface."

"Okay, honey, let her go have fun."

Marcy and the kids were there for you when your dad started to go south because of his injury

"Dad where are you going?"

"I'll be back soon. Don't worry about me."

For a moment you considered if life with him was even worth it

Wanting to finish high school as soon as possible just so you could get away from his lies was your darkest thought

But he is your father, and no one could change that

The fire though... It was the most heartbreaking moment of your life

You were out, so you weren't on the scene

But you wished you were at some point

You couldn't look at him after that

Went through the roughest time of your life

It felt like you jumped through time because you two were alone again

But that made you treasure each other more than anything

You watched him at his lowest and supported him when he started to get better

"Dad, please don't give up."

I don't think Bobby would be able to get through the trauma if it weren't for you

Not even his notebook was enough to keep him together – you were the glue

That's why making a fresh start in L.A. felt great

You two settled quickly; you giving in more effort than he did at first

Because you're smart like your father you got into a very very very good college in L.A.

"At least something's working out for once."

"Hey don't say that."

"But dad... It's true!"

When he told you, he was in station 118 you stalked researched them

Found out the address, looked at the place from outside using Google Street View

That kinda thing

"But dad. I'm just looking out for you!"

"I know. Thank you for that."

There's a lot of buts

But dad this but daaaad that

You're very annoying when you want to be

The two of you lived together, since you didn't trust him enough to move out and live on campus

He didn't bring you to the firehouse until he was 100% sure

No scratch that: until he was 100000% sure, you weren't stepping foot on the grounds of that station

When you did meet them, you loved Hen instantly

You wanted to come back just for her

Chimney was a bit awkward

He didn't know how to act around you

You were 18 but since you were Cap's daughter he didn't know if he had to treat you like you were 8 or not

Hen didn't have that problem obviously

She was so easy going you loved her instantly

Bobby has eyes everywhere when you're at the station

MEETING BUCK WAS HORRIBLE

Your dad was breathing down on your neck when you came to the firehouse one day and Buck 1.0 was working there (just started)

HE HIT ON YOU IT WAS HORRIBLE YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO

Neither did he once he found out

That was the day Bobby fired him bc he did the nasty with that lady in the firetruck

You came by like, "Hi, I'm Y/N nice to meet you Evan."

And then suddenly you had to go like, "Bye Ev- Buck… It was nice knowing you."

Buck went home that day – pride demolished

"Did you really have to do that dad?"

"I said three strikes, and he's out. He didn't listen."

Why didn't you come earlier? Surely you could have given Buck some great tips

"Oh, well."

Buck came back!

You became friends after that. Had a teasing relationship, never looked at each other the other way after that day

Y/N + Buck = BFF

You'd joke about your first tragic meeting and you’d go out with him when he was going through a dark time because of Abby

You didn’t drink, he did

Everyone loves you OBVIOUSLY

You're Cap's daughter I MEAN WHAT IS THERE TO SAY?

Eddie came too! Eventually.

You fell in love with him instantly

But you love his son even more than him

You'd take care of him whenever you had time and Eddie was busy working

You learned more facts about the world from little Christopher than from your own father

You often came by to eat lunch at the station because that's where your dad ‘the cook’ was

Maddie and you hit it off very well and became close friends

NOW MEETING ATHENA FOR THE FIRST TIME…

Your mouth was on the floor

She was so goddess like you were smitten by her

So, your dad and her announcing their relationship to you wasn't a surprise

You and Hen won the bet

Became close with May and Harry too although it was hard not to picture them as Brook and Robert at first

After your dad and Athena got married you finally felt as if you could breathe

Knowing that your dad was safe and sound, you moved over to campus but still had your own room at Athena's place

You go there every weekend

You're essential to the party planning

Even though you're a perfect little young adult you're ready to pull out the "My step-mom's a sergeant" card

A huge party was thrown for your 21st birthday

I'm talking BIG BIG BIG

Buck and you got drunk

Your dad got drunk too

Life turned around for the better although some pieces of past tragedies still lingered

You've let go of people but you and your dad also grew and healed enough to let new people into your lives

No one knows what life has in store for you two, but you both know it will be good

As long as you have each other

He's your pillar, and you are his in return, that's how it's always been

"I love you dad."

"I love you too kiddo."

~

Tags (general (all posts)): @fofisstilinski​​ @short-potato​​ @miranda0102​​  @httphiddlestan​​ @caromichaela​​ @xx-missunicorn-xx​​ @jemmakates​​ @theravenclawmarauder​​ @httphiddlestan​​ @tclaerh​​ @chefdoeuvre​

Tags (9-1-1): /

Let me know if you want to be added to my 9-1-1 tag list! My updated tag lists ♡

[firetrucks-fastcars]

Deck the Halls

Summary: The Buckley-Diaz family prepares for their first Christmas together (but not without a few bumps in the road)

Read on ao3 here

Eddie expected a lot of things when he came home from his post-thanksgiving shift. He expected Buck to be warming up leftovers, Christopher to be watching tv or drawing at the kitchen table. He expected Buck’s current favorite album playing on the record player he’d gotten him for his birthday or some random podcast on his current hyper fixation to be playing in the background.

What he didn’t expect was to find his husband and son with a half-put-together Christmas tree and boxes of decorations strewn about them.

“What’s going on here guys?”

“We’re decorating,” Christopher said like it was obvious.

“I see that buddy. But it’s two days after Thanksgiving.”

“So?” Buck questioned. “It’s never too early for Christmas.”

“Will you help us decorate Dad?”

“Of course. First I’m gonna take a power nap, but in two hours I would love to help.”

Eddie dropped a kiss to Christopher’s head then lifted Buck’s chin to properly kiss his husband.

Buck grinned up at him and said, “We’ll get everything sorted and get something ready for dinner. Then Christmas decorations and a movie?”

“Sounds great baby.”

“Good. Go get some rest. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Once Eddie had disappeared upstairs for his nap, Buck turned to Christopher.

“Okay, buddy where should we start?”

“Finish putting the tree together so it can fluff? Then find out what’s in all the boxes.”

“Sounds like a plan. I’m gonna put the top half of the tree up then work on getting the Thanksgiving leftovers warmed up for your Dad. Will you sort through the boxes and see what we have? Ornaments can go over by the tree and everything else we can leave where it is.”

“Okay, Buck.”

Buck finished putting the tree together and plugged it in, casting the living room in a warm yellow glow. That was one of the reasons Buck loved Christmas. Everything seemed so much cozier when bathed in the glow of Christmas lights. He was also just excited to spend his first official Christmas with Eddie and Christopher. They’d spent the holidays together many times over the years, the entire 118 got together at least once for the major ones, but this was his first Christmas as Eddie’s husband and their first holiday season in their new house. So he felt like a little kid digging out the decorations when Thanksgiving was barely over and recruiting his son to help him turn their house into a winter wonderland. He wanted it to be like every Christmas he’d never had when he was younger.

But he was also nervous. The first Christmas as part of Eddie’s family presented its own set of challenges. Eddie had already been married. He and Christopher had years worth of memories with Shannon and Buck felt like he was inserting himself in a way that he shouldn’t. He couldn’t shale the feeling, even after being with Eddie for over two years, that he was somehow trying to replace his wife.

“Hey, Buck?” Christopher’s voice brought him out of his thoughts.

“Yeah, buddy?”

“Can you put the boxes of ornaments by the tree? They’re heavy.”

“Sure buddy.”

Buck slid the boxes over to the corner where they’d set up the tree, and turned back to look at his son.

“I’m gonna go get dinner started. Are you okay in here by yourself?”

“Yep! Dad has a lot of Christmas junk to look at.”

“Okay,” Buck chuckled. “Let me know if you need anything.”

“Okay.”

Buck made his way into the kitchen and peered into the fridge to find something for dinner. Their entire fridge was filled top to bottom with Thanksgiving leftovers. Pans of tamales and enchiladas from Abuela as well as the containers of macaroni, turkey, stuffing, and other goods from Bobby and Athena.

He decided on tamales, praising Abuela for her foresight in writing the instructions on the foil. He slid them into the oven and peeked in on Christopher. Seeing his son was still occupied sorting through Eddie’s “Christmas junk”, he slipped upstairs to check on Eddie.

His husband was just waking up and he slipped into the bed, cuddling against him.

“Hi baby,” Eddie mumbled.

“Hey. Dinner is in the oven and Christopher is sorting through the decorations.”

“Okay. I’ll be down soon.”

“Good. Chris has been itching to decorate all day.”

“That kid loves Christmas almost more than you.”

“It’s a kid thing. And don’t say a word about me having the brain of a child,” Buck pointed a finger at him.

“I would never,” Eddie laughed, leaning forward to nip playfully at his hand.

“Oh quit it. Come downstairs when you’re ready, but if you take too long we might start without you.”

Buck made it downstairs just in time for the oven timer to beep, Eddie just on his heels. They ate tamales on the couch, surrounded by tangles of lights and garland with A Christmas Carol playing on the tv.

“Can we start decorating now?” Christopher asked as they finished.

“Of course. Where do we start?” Eddie asked.

“Tree,” he said definitively.

They started on the tree, using the blue and silver ornaments that Buck and Christopher had decided on for their color scheme and dispersing the ornaments with sentimental value in between. Christopher took over, for the most part, his parents helping with the places he couldn’t reach.

Once the tree was finished, they moved on to the rest of the house.

“Uh, we have a small issue,” Eddie said digging through a box labeled “stockings”.

“What is it?” Buck asked.

Eddie lifted up three bright red stockings with names on them.

“These stockings are a little outdated,” he gestured to the one with Shannon’s name on it.

“I uh- I kinda took care of that already. We went shopping today.”

Buck dug through a bag and pulled out three new stockings. They were dark blue, embroidered with silver stars, and their three names in white at the top.

“I hope I didn’t overstep,” Buck mumbled. “I just thought we might need new ones.”

“These are amazing Buck. Thank you.”

Eddie took the stockings from his hands and hung them over the fireplace.

“Dad we should put up the star lights over the stockings. They match.”

“Good idea buddy. Buck, will you dig out the command hooks?”

Buck rummaged through the boxes before emerging triumphantly with the hooks in hand. They used them to hang the lights on the mantle and Christopher flipped the switch, covering the living room in shifting twinkles of light.

By the time they were finished, their living room and dining room were a Christmas wonderland. Buck smiled as they collapsed on the couch and he pulled his boys in close. This was everything he’d been dreaming of.

“Okay Chris it’s bedtime,” Eddie said, nudging his son. “Go get pajamas on, we’ll be up in a minute.”

“Okay, Dad.”

When Christopher was safely up the stairs, Eddie turned to Buck.

“What’s going on?”

“Huh?”

“You’ve been so adamant about decorating for Christmas, but when we were hanging up the stockings you got all weird. What did you mean about overstepping?”

“I just- I don’t know. It’s our first Christmas together and I wanted it to be special. But, when stuff like this comes around, holidays and stuff I mean, I almost feel like I’m- like I’m trying to fill the hole she left.”

“You mean Shannon?”

“Yeah. I mean, you still have the stocking with her name on it. And I bought new ones but it almost felt like replacing her.”

“Buck, you’re not trying to replace her. She’d been gone for a while now. And yeah, she was my wife and the mother of my child, and I’m always gonna love her. But Buck, you are my husband and I love you. Our relationship is so much different and that’s a good thing. I’m happy for this fresh start with you.”

“Really?”

“Yes, baby. You have never tried to replace her, you came in and made your own spot in this family. Like there was a missing piece the whole time.”

“I love you.”

“I love you more,” Eddie leaned in for a kiss but was interrupted by the call of his son.

“Dad, hurry up.”

“Duty calls,” Buck chuckled.

“Let’s go get the monster in bed. Then,” Eddie tugged on Buck’s t-shirt. “You and I are gonna have some fun.”

“I’m not gonna say no to that.”

[teawiththegods]

My 2020 Festival Year

It’s a new year! Which means it’s time for a new festival calendar! Oh joy! This is actually my first year doing anything like this. And trust me it took a lot of time, a lot of wine, and a lot of me shushing my perfectionism. It was a huge pain in the ass to put together, I’m not going to lie to you, babycakes. But my hope is that now that I have SOMETHING, it’ll make the process less of a hassle in the years to come. And also hopefully this will help you not want to smash your face into the keyboard when you go to plan out your festival year.

Before we get to the actual plan, I want to talk a bit about how I went about constructing the year.

I mainly used the Hellenion.org calendar as a basis along with Baring the Aegis. I went through both month by month looking at the festivals listed and deciding whether I wanted to celebrate those festivals and when exactly I wanted to celebrate them. Both websites provide information on each festival they mention, but I also did independent research just to back everything up and see if I could find any additional information.

 It’s important to note that the Hellenic year follows the lunar cycle, so it doesn’t line up with our modern calendar. It’s up to you to decide how you wish to approach that. The Hellenion calendar transfers the Hellenic calendar onto our modern one which is extremely useful for those of you who want to keep your worship as traditional and historically accurate as possible.

I did not go in that direction (shocker!). I chose to instead adopt the calendar to not only fit the modern calendar but fit my own life. I wanted to make it as easy as possible for me so I won’t get overwhelmed.

Some festivals line up with when about they were traditionally celebrated, but others I decided to move around for various reasons. I tried to spread out the holidays because again I didn’t want to get overwhelmed and some festivals I put on the sacred day of the god being honored because why not? I’m already giving them an offering so why not just make a whole celebration out of it?

Like I said, I designed this calendar specifically with my needs, interests, and life in mind. And I encourage you to do the same. In no way are you required to celebrate every festival so don’t put pressure on yourself to do more than what you can manage. Remember you can always alter and update the calendar each year to add more so there’s no need to jump into the deep end right away. Do what makes sense to you, your worship, and your life.

Okay one last thing before the calendar. I want to note that there are some special days that I will be celebrating monthly which are:

Noumenia - Celebrated the first of the month (traditionally on the New Moon) this holiday is used to prepare for the new month. Great time to set goals for the month, reset your energy, and of course ask the gods and any household daemons to bless and protect you.

Sacred Days - Some of the gods had days of the month which were sacred to them and were given offerings or libation in their honor on those days. Athena (3rd), Aphrodite and Hermes (4th), Artemis (6th), Apollo (7th), Poseidon (8th), and my own personal addition Persephone (First Quarter Moon).

Hekate’s Deipnon - Celebrated the last day of the month (traditionally on the Dark Moon) this holiday is all about doing what needs to be done to let go of the old month. Tying up any loose ends, making sure all debts are repaid, all obligations have been fulfilled, reflecting on the lessons learned, and just doing what you need to so you don’t bring any baggage into the new month. You wanna start fresh! Also it’s time of the month to honor Hekate to make sure you stay on her good side and a good day to do some charity or volunteer work. Especially anything involving feeding the homeless and those in need.

And now we can finally get to the calendar! I didn’t include descriptions of the festivals because I’m going to make separate content for each one and update this post with links as I do. Also if you don’t want to wait you can research them with the resource links I already provided!

Okay finally! Here’s my festival calendar for 2020!

 January

3rd - Athena

4th - Aphrodite and Hermes

6th - Artemis

7th - Apollo

8th - Poseidon

23rd - Theogamia

31st - Hekate’s Deipnon

 February

1st - Noumenia

2nd - Imbolc, Persephone

3rd - Athena

4th - Aphrodite and Hermes

6th - Artemis

7th - Apollo

8th - Poseidon

14th - Valentine’s Day (Aphrodite, Eros, Psyche)

29th - Hekate’s Deipnon

 March

1st - Noumenia

2nd - Persephone

3rd - Athena

4th - Aphrodite, Hermes

6th - Elaphebolia (Artemis)

7th- Apollo

8th- Poseidon

9th- Dionysia

19th - Ostara

31st - Hekate’s Deipnon

 April

1st- Noumenia, Persephone

3rd- Athena

4th - Aphrodite, Hermes

6th - Artemis

7th - Apollo

8th - Poseidon

10th- Mounykhia

13th - Olympeia

22nd - Earth Day (Gaia)

30th- Hekate’s Deipnon

 May

1st - Beltane, Noumenia

3rd- Athena

4th - Aphrodite, Hermes

6th - Thargelia

7th - Thargelia

8th - Poseidon

10th - Mother’s Day (Hera)

30th - Persephone

31st - Hekate’s Deipnon

 June

1st- Noumenia

3rd- Athena

4th - Aphrodite, Hermes

6th - Artemis

7th - Apollo

8th- Poseidon

11th - Death of Alexander the Great

21st - Litha, Father’s Day (Zeus)

28th - Persephone

30th - Hekate’s Deipnon, MY BIRTHDAY!

 July

1st - Noumenia

3rd - Khalkeia

4th - Aphrodite, Hermes

6th - Artemis

7th - Apollo

8th - Poseidon

17th  - Aphrodisia

27th - Persephone

31st - Hekate’s Deipnon

 August

1st - Lammas, Noumenia

3rd - Athena

4th - Aphrodite, Hermes

6th - Artemis

7th - Boedromia

8th - Poseidon

25th - Persephone

31st - Hekate’s Deipnon

 September

1st - Noumenia

3rd - Athena

4th - Aphrodite, Hermes

6th - Kharisteria

7th - Apollo

8th - Poseidon

23rd - Mabon

24th - Persephone

29th - Thesmophoria

30th - Thesmophoria, Hekate’s Deipnon

 October

1st - Thesmophoria, Noumenia

3rd - Athena

4th - Aphrodite, Hermes

6th - Artemis

7th - Apollo

8th - Poseidon

23rd - Persephone

31st - Samhain

 November

1st - Noumenia

3rd - Athena

4th - Aphrodite, Hermes

6th - Artemis

7th - Pyanepsia, Oskhophoria

8th - Poseidon

22nd - Persephone

30th - Hekate’s Deipnon

 December

1st - Noumenia

3rd - Athena

4th - Aphrodite, Hermes

6th - Artemis

7th - Apollo

8th - Poseidon

13th - Poseidea

21st - Yule, Persephone

31st - Hekate’s Deipnon

Hope you all have an absolutely blessed year in 2020! <3

[lofitojii]

Admiration [Final]

Summary: He’s the son of Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty. He was everything as described, handsome, cunning, admirable. You, the daughter of Poseidon, god of waters, knows that it’s against the rules to fall for such a man. Demigods aren’t allowed to be romantically involved with one another. But it’s hard to stay away.

Warning: swearing

Word Count: 3.8k

Admiration Masterlist

The Day You Met.

It felt like so long ago, like you had known Baekhyun and the others longer than what the reality was. You had grown a special type of bond with the people you trained with, lived with, grew up with. You were 15, just before your 16th birthday. 

“Why don’t you let them put your things away,” your father said, taking the hanger from your hands and placing it down on your bed. You shook your head, picking it right back up. 

“It’s okay, father. I don’t mind helping them,” you replied. You were excited to check out the rest of the area but you had felt bad leaving your work to the house staff. Your father shook his head, knowing there was no way he could change your mind. 

“Poseidon?” You looked over to your door way, seeing Athena standing there in the door frame. She was so beautiful, you had always thought that. Plus you had known her since you were little, but never her son. “Sorry to bother you both but we have a meeting to get to. Why don’t you let my son and his friends show her around.” Your father looked over at you, annoyance plastered across his face. You knew he didn’t want to go, but it was technically his job.

“Don’t worry,” you looked over to see a very tall boy standing in front of Athena now, his hair white, figure broad. You hadn’t even started training yet but you could tell he had come prepared. “I’ll show her around. Hi, I’m Chanyeol.”

“He’s the son of Selene,” your father leaned down and whispered in your ear. “You’ll like him.” He stood up straight, bowing to both you and the boy named Chanyeol before exiting with Athena. You were left in your room with the random boy who had tagged along, and the staff who were basically done putting together your room. 

“Well then,” Chanyeol awkwardly scratched the back of his head. “Would you like me to show you around?” You nodded, following him out of your room and down the long hallway that would soon lead to a long staircase that would take you either up to the higher floors or down towards the main level. “What’s your name?” Chanyeol broke the silence as you two walked down the busy hall.

“Y/n,” you replied.

“Well nice to meet you Y/n. My mom talks a lot about you and your father. Always really good things actually. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.” 

You felt embarrassed that your father hadn’t told you about him. His own mother hadn’t even said anything about him when you had met her not too long ago. “I’m sorry this is kind of awkward but neither of them have mentioned you before.” 

“To be honest, they’re not supposed to. They don’t want information getting back in case one of us ends up blabbering about each other to the human world, so don’t feel uncomfortable.” He was smiling down at you, his smile so genuine and… happy. You couldn’t help but smile back up at him. “Have you met anyone else yet?”

“Nope just you and Athena so far. Only people we’ve run into were the staff when we got here.” Chanyeol seemed excited by your answer, enthusiastic even as you started to make your way down the stairs. 

“Let me introduce you to the others.” He grabbed your hand, leading you out the main doors, taking a sharp left down a dirt trail. You followed closely behind him, his hand still gripping yours as he tugged you along the trail. You soon came up to a small cottage that was placed on the other side of the lake. 

“Wait, aren’t we going to get into trouble for going into buildings we don’t have permission to?” 

“It’s okay. This place belongs to one of the guys.” You were rather confused as to what was happening but you trusted Chanyeol. He gave off a trusting aura, something that made you feel comfortable and safe. You always had pretty good intuition about first impressions. 

Chanyeol walked up to the door, knocking in a specific pattern before you heard rustling come from behind the walls from the outside. The door swung open, being met with the smiling face of someone you had yet to encounter. “Yeol! You’re back.” He raised his eyebrow, looking over Chanyeol’s shoulder, making eye contact with you. “A new face?” He pushed Chanyeol to the side, reaching his hand out for you to shake. “Nice to meet you! I’m Jongin.” 

“I’m Y/n,” you replied, giving his hand a firm shake. He smiled at your grip then pulled you into a hug. 

“Guys she’s strong! This is awesome!” He pulled you into the small cottage, Chanyeol closing the door behind him. There were two others in the room, one tall like Chanyeol, black hair, serious face. 

“Daughter of Poseidon,” the other tall one replied. He gave off such a stressful aura, but nothing hostile. “I’m Sehun and this guy right here is Baekhyun.” The other boy looked up from his desk, placing the pencil down to get up and greet you. He reached out his hand, letting you grip it with yours. His hand was warm, soft to the touch, gentle. You looked up at him, being met with a charming smile. 

“Nice to meet you Y/n.” 

You had no idea that you would slowly fall in love with him. You knew the rules even before you had moved to Olympia. You tried so hard to push your feelings down, trying to convince yourself it was a petty crush that would soon pass. But it never did. So many nights filled with secret affairs, love, anxiety in fear you would get caught. When you were with him, everything just felt right, like you were meant to be there. It went on for years, behind the back of all the higher ups, behind all your friends who had eventually caught on due to negligence in keeping it a secret. 

You had thought about this moment as you tried your best to sneak around the empty halls of the prisoners dungeon. Chanyeol had really grown into himself, filling in every bit of himself. Same with Jongin, Sehun, and Baekhyun. You all weren’t the same kids you were before. 

“This way,” you whispered, signaling for Chanyeol to follow you across a side entrance. Trailing down the hall, you passed empty cells, trying to avoid the more crowded areas where guards would be posted. You were surprised to see Jongin’s cell unguarded as you approached the locked door. Chanyeol held his orb out in front of the lock. He inhaled deeply, letting out a deep breath while blowing directly on the lock. You heard the lock click, signaling that his method had worked. 

“Jongin,” you crept down, placing your hand on his shoulder. His eyes slowly fluttered open, pain ridden across his face. He turned his head the other way, turning his back towards you. “Are you hurt at all? I can help.” 

“There’s no use,” he sighed. “We lost.” You were taken back by his sudden discouragement. Junmyeon must’ve beaten something into him. 

“Why would you say that?” You questioned, trying to stay calm within the thick negative energy swarming around you. “Listen Jongin, I don’t know if it will work or not but Hera gave me a letter and I need to give it to Zeus. I need your help. Please don’t give up on us yet.” You were pleading with your whole being, trying your best to choke back the threatening tears. Jongin just laid there, beaten and bruised, his will power drained. “Can I least heal you?” Again, no response, so you decided to go along with it anyways. 

You hung your orb over his fragile body, doing your best to focus on your breathing. The orb lit up with the familiar blue aura, transferring its energy to Jongin. This caused him to sit straight up, flexing his arms, feeling his face. He looked over at you, pure shock and amusement plastered across his face. “Y/n… I didn’t know you could heal…” 

“I didn’t either until I tried it on Chanyeol.” You reached your hand out in hopes Jongin would accept your encouragement. He shook his head, gripping your hand tight with his. 

The three of you sat in Jongin’s cell, trying to come up with the best option on how to enter the main meeting hall without getting caught. You still had the transferring papers but you didn’t want there to be a chance of appearing in the middle of guards or even worse, in front of Junmyeon and his team. 

“I say we take the staff hallways. Most of them are working on the main levels so we’re less likely to run into anyone through those halls,” Jongin suggested, drawing out a map of the passageways and hidden doors that lead to the staff tunnels into the dirt. It was the best idea you three had come up with and time was slowly ticking by.

You had no idea what was to come from giving Zeus the letter. You had no intentions of reading what Hera had wrote but she mentioned it might help your cause. The only thing you were truly concerned about was Baekhyun. You had asked Jongin where he was placed since he was the one with him when they were captured. He shrugged his shoulders, not knowing the location. The only information he received was that he was taken back to Aphrodite, which is not good for your situation. 

You followed Jongin through the staff halls which were placed mainly under the structure of the main house. He had told you that this was how he would sneak around to see Plum when she was here so he had a pretty good understanding of the area. 

You thought you were going to be able to make it up without trouble but as soon as you were spotted, the alarms set off, alerting the entire area of Olympia that we had escaped the prison cells. Jongin quickly changed directions, coming up to several charmed guards. He was quick to react, forming a sword with his orb. “Y/n, Yeol, take the door on the left and follow those stairs to the top level. I’ll try to meet you there after I finish these bastards off!” He charged in, slashing his sword across on of the guards causing it to dissolve into gold dust. Junmyeon’s guards.

You trusted Jongin, knowing he had refueled his passion when you healed him. You were relying on him to slow down whatever obstacle was to come from the alarms. Chanyeol followed closely behind, keeping a small distance between the two of you. You reached the top floor, slowly opening the door to reveal on of the bedroom levels. 

“Do you guys need help?” You were taken back by the sudden outburst from behind you. Sehun stood there, trying to keep his snickers to a minimum, knowing how serious the situation actually was. Jongdae was by his side, along with Kyungsoo. 

“What.. What are you guys doing here?” you asked, referring to the two men who weren’t students here. 

“You need our help,” Kungsoo answered.

“We got your back. We’ll do our best to slow down things here on our end. Kungsoo will take the main floor with Jongdae. You guys just try to get to Zeus,” Sehun ordered, forming a sword from his orb just as Jongin did. You were taken back by the sudden support you were receiving from your allies. They were willing to put their life on the line to help you and your love be together. It made you think that maybe they were fighting for their own reasons. 

“You’re too late.” It was the last person you were hoping to run into, just the sound of her voice enraged you. Chanyeol placed a hand on your shoulder, giving you a tight, reassuring squeeze that it was okay for you to say what you needed to. You turned around, seeing Alice standing in the doorway of her room. She looked beautiful and you hated to admit it. Her hair was twisted up, gems randomly placed. Her makeup contrasted with her white dress. She was stunning. It made you sick. 

“What do you want Alice?” You pressed, crossing your arms over your chest. 

“You’re too late! Times up Y/n. Baekhyun is mine. You lost. How can I be more clear?”

“You’re wrong.” 

“Am I?” She was laughing. Laughing even though her victory hadn’t come, even though you were still fighting, she stood there, confident in her words. You inhaled deeply, trying your best to remain calm and focus on your breathing. You’ve wanted to tell her off ever since you met her but you have learned to hold your tongue, but not anymore.

“Tell me Alice,” you started, fist clenched as you tried to muster up the courage you felt you had been lacking since you met her. “Do you love him?” She just snuffed, shaking her head. 

“You’re funny. You really think his mother cares about whether or not we are in love with each other? If that was the case, I wouldn’t be here. I’m here to continue on their line and their money. To be honest, the best part about all of this is seeing you suffer knowing it was because of me.” 

“You bitch…” You cursed, clenching your fists tighter. Your knuckles were white, the feeling drained, more like numb due to your anger. She raised an eyebrow, silent to your insult. “How can you be okay with that? Marrying someone who doesn’t love you, let alone marrying someone you don’t love. He is the son of the goddess of love and whether you care to admit or not, it’s killing him inside that he’s being forced to commit to something that isn’t real!” You approached Alice, your breathing heavy from your outburst. You stood inches from her face, her reaction showing she was a little scared with how forward you were being. “You haven’t won anything yet.” 

You turned around, walking away from the speechless woman. It felt nice to be able to release energy you had built up against her. You felt more confident knowing you had had the last word with her. 

“Proud of you,” Chanyeol winked, giving you a thumbs up.

Before long, you were standing in front of the double doors that lead into the main hall. Beyond this door was the higher up’s of the council, the ones who hold the power to banish you, strip you of your powers. You looked down at the letter, letting out a deep exhale.

This was it. 

Without a second thought, you bursted through the doors. You were surprised to see only the higher ups sitting in their usual spots. No guards, no Junmyeon. All eyes were on you, the way the demeanor in the room changed as soon as the door was opened. 

Remember what you’re here for. 

“I have something to give you.” You slowly walked up the steps, holding your breath the closer you got. Zeus got up from his spot and made his way towards you. He had slowly shrunk his size yet he still towered over you. He reached his hand out for you to hand him the letter but you hesitated. “Before I give this to you, can I say something?” 

“Go ahead,” he nodded. 

“I did what I did because I’m in love. I didn’t do it because I wanted to go against the rules or to upset anyone. I did what I felt I needed to do. Love isn’t a bad thing, especially when you know it’s real. I know you’ve been hurt and I’m sorry but that shouldn’t mean you should take out your anger on those around you.” You placed the letter in his hand, taking a step back while he opened it. 

Your heart was beating out of your chest, your body aching from the amount of anxiety you were feeling. The room was silent while Zeus read the letter from Hera. This was it. This was all you could do. Your fate was now lying within the hands of the council, the situation you had so desperately tried to avoid. 

Zeus just stared down at the letter, facial expression unreadable. “Guards!” And just like that, you were cuffed together with charmed locks. You were taken back by the sudden outburst, being surrounded by Junmyeon and his team. They stood behind you, trapping you in between them and Zeus. You dropped to your knees, knowing there was nothing more you could do. 

You had lost. 

“This letter means nothing to me. I banished her out of hatred due to her negligent actions.” His words stung as they pierced through your ears. “I make the rules, I put them in place for a reason.” 

“You put them in place because you’re fucking selfish.” One of the guards standing behind you was quick to shut you up, his fist colliding with your cheek. You had been beaten, bruised, turned away, left alone. You could feel the rage grow inside of you, something you couldn’t control. You spit out the blood from the hit on the floor in front of Zeus, groaning in pain as you lifted your head again to look at him. “You’re… a fucking.. coward.” Your statement caused for you to be hit again, more painful than the last. 

Zeus just observed as you took hit after hit, being beaten down to the point where you didn’t care anymore. You wanted the pain to stop. You wanted to leave, to never return. Death sounded better than what you were going through. 

You wanted it all to just stop. 

“I’m sorry father,” you thought to yourself, tears forming in your eyes as you thought of all those who had put their life on the line to save you, protect you. “I’m sorry guys, Yeol, Jongin.” Your heart ached at the loss of all things good in life. You had followed your gut and it lead you to loss and heartache. You felt defeated by yourself. “I’m sorry Baekhyun.” 

The room spun, the blows from each hit were getting more harsh as they repeatedly struck you . You felt helpless, weak, truly feeling every perception of defeat. 

“STOP!!” the room became still, the guards looking up from you to where the sudden outburst came. “GET OFF OF HER!!” 

“Son please,” it was the voice of Aphrodite, you could tell by the subtle rasp in her voice. 

“You stand up there as the leader of this council yet you are not a leader. You are a coward who sits behind his guards, letting them take care of your dirty work. You’re pathetic even!! You let a heartbreak control your entire life, right down to the gods and goddess who look to you for guidance and protection.” You looked over through your swollen eyes, seeing Baekhyun running towards your direction. He was quick to push the men off of you, leaning down caressing your bruised face. “All of this… Because you let your ego consume you. You’re heartless! A fucking dictator!” 

Baekhyun looked down at you, pulling your fragile body onto his legs. Even with feeling nothing but the physical pain on the outside, you cried for him. All you could think of was how you failed both him and you. “I’m… sorry…” You groaned. Baekhyun hushed you, pressing his forehead to yours. 

“I’m not leaving here without you. I will die with you if I have to. I’m not leaving you again Y/n.” The two of you sobbed softly in each others arms. If this is how you died, in the arms of Baekhyun, then maybe dying didn’t sound too bad. 

You could feel his tears drip onto your cheek, sliding down onto your neck. You shut your eyes, wanting the savor every last bit of this moment you had with him. For all you knew, this was the last time you would be able to be held by him. Suddenly, that familiar burning sensation overtook your body. It felt so natural, a feeling you had missed, that you had craved for so long. You couldn’t feel the pain anymore, as if his kiss had healed your physical state. Which is exactly what happened.  

You could hear Aphrodite’s gasp, assuming it was from the kiss Baekhyun had so suddenly given you. “True loves kiss….” She whispered to herself.

Baekhyun pulled away, looking down at you with his eyes filled with tears. “I love you Y/n.” 

“I love you, Baekhyun.” And in that moment, the life you had so desperately wanted to live with him flashed images in your mind. Everything you had fought so hard for had slipped away from you, leaving you with this moment, being held by the love of your life.

“You are free to leave.” Looking up, you could see Zeus walking away from you, making his way back to his seat. “You are no longer a part of our council but you are not banished. You are free to live your godly lives the way you wish away from Olympia.” 

You looked back up at Baekhyun, quick to react to Zeus’ words by wrapping your hands around his neck as soon as they your cuff vanished into gold dust. He mimicked my actions, wrapping his arms around your waist. You didn’t want to waste anymore time, taking Baekhyun’s reached out hand and getting to your feet. You looked over at the council, bowing in their direction. “Thank you.” You didn’t care of an explanation or why he had changed his mind.

Baekhyun took your hand, taking off towards the doors that lead to the exit. As you followed closely behind, you couldn’t help but think about how you had lost all hope at one point. You were so ready to give up, just letting yourself be defeated. 

In that moment, you made a promise to yourself, to never lose whatever hope might be out there. Fate works in mysterious ways, ways you couldn’t imagine on your own. And for that, your heart was filled with admiration for the a word that had no physical meaning.

“So what now?” Chanyeol stood outside waiting with the rest of your friends. They all greeted the two of you by pulling you into their arms. It was a group hug you needed, that you all needed. You couldn’t help but cry out to them, letting them know you loved them. They had all worked so hard for you to get here, none of it being possible without them.

“I’m going to marry her,” Baekhyun replied. He took your hand in his, bringing it up to his lips for a gentle kiss. You couldn’t help but admire the man you had fallen in love with. This was your life now, he was your life. 

That’s all you’ve ever wanted. 

To be able to love Baekhyun and be in love with him. The way you wanted to.

[ultravioletsoul]

Virgo Shaka x Reader - N/S/F/W Alphabet

Oh dear lawd, I’ve always found it a little (ok, terribly) difficult to imagine Shaka of all people in a romantic relationship. Out of the twelve gold saints, he’s probably the least likely to be in one. It was already too much effort for my brain to picture him holding hands with anyone, let alone expressing any interest in doing the do, but here I am… writing an adult post about him. 

I need to clarify that these headcanons are about Shaka post the Twelve Houses story arc. Honestly, he would have zero interest in anyone before that since he was a little of an arrogant and vain jerk or, if he did, he would be too proud to admit it because how can a god-like figure like him feel that way?? Ludicrous!

Anyways, yes, after the fight with Ikki (what an absolute mad lad that guy is, bless him), Shaka would be more open to the idea of a romantic relationship but I still feel it’d happen under some special circumstances. And he’s going to be a peculiar boyfriend.

This is a very belated birthday gift for an amazing friend because she loves Shaka, ever since I dragged her into Saint Seiya hell ♥♥. Forgive me if it’s terrible *le cri* 

Warnings: Sexual content. Possible OoC. Unbetaed. I have no idea how this happened. 

                                                             *  *  *

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex): 

Despite his serene appearance, how collected he acts around others, and the way he carefully reins in his emotions to the point he may come off as cold and detached, Shaka can be surprisingly caring and soft with you after an intimate session between the sheets.

Considering he would only do it with someone he deeply cares about and that it’s not a decision he’d take lightly (people just assumed he was asexual until they learned about you and then were confused as heck), you have to mean a lot to him.

So of course he wants to share the warm afterglow of lovemaking with you, lying together in complete bliss.

He may not be very talkative afterwards, but don’t take it as a sign he is troubled or displeased about something. Your most recent experience is still sinking in his mind and he’s not used to feeling so many strong emotions at once.

Little actions such as playing with your hair, kissing your forehead, letting you snuggle against him, or draping a protective arm around you to bring you closer, are ways in which he would show his affection.

He’d also like to make sure you’re both clean and refreshed before a good night’s rest so don’t be upset if he scoops you up in his arms and takes you straight for a warm bath. 

Just let him pamper you while he’s in the mood for some touching and cuddling ;)

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s):

Not actually a favorite part of his body, but he likes it when you gently run your fingers or place feathery kisses across his abdomen. If you tease him and “innocently” draw closer to his cock, he’s going to have hard time resisting you (no pun intended :v) and may turn the tables on you.

Shaka loves everything about you but his favorite part of your body would be your eyes because of the beauty of soul he sees in them. 

As a saint who fights to for Athena and justice, he knows there is evil in this world but you are a lotus flower growing in the mud. And it’s because of people like you why the goddess he serves believes humanity is worth saving.

He can easily get lost in them when he’s making love. It’s one of the few times he wouldn’t want to close his eyes and he would gently encourage you not to break eye contact either. He loves gazing into the depths of your soul as you both reach new heights of pleasure in each other’s arms.

Nothing but that moment with you matters to him. When you’re two alone in that room, you’re the only deity he worships in mind, body and soul.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically):

Sorry to break it to you guys, but Shaka wouldn’t do cum play or anything of the like.

He’d actually be weirded out if you even suggested the idea to him, and he wouldn’t understand what’s so attractive or exciting about it.

He’s a guy who has always been meticulous and methodical in everything he does given the teachings he’s received from his mentor (the Buddha :o). As someone who has engaged in lots of meditation to clear his mind from fears and doubts, personal hygiene and cleanliness are important to him, so he would prefer to keep the mess to a minimum if possible. So no, he isn’t in a hurry to see you doing stuff with his semen.

Shaka likes coming inside you. It’s the only place he ever wants to be when he makes love to you.

It’s a wonderful, intimate moment and he would hold you tightly against him as your souls mesh together into a single being.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs):

It has never interested him before but, after starting a relationship with you, out of curiosity, he might have read some texts on the subject of erotic love. It was for science, tho!

Now now, of course he isn’t oblivious to the intimate affairs of couples, and nobody has to explain to him how babies are made. You can rest assured Shaka knows perfectly well how sex works. 

He wants to be a better partner for you but, for all his knowledge and wisdom, he’s aware he’s not exactly the most versed man in such matters. 

Despite this, Shaka adamantly refuses to ask anyone for advice, so you bet he’s gonna do the research on his own. He can figure this out.

Shaka would keep it classy, however. Nothing pornographic or vulgar is acceptable. That’s not how he wants to treat you.

Shaka’s approach is purely analytical and educational, and he reads it all with a straight face. The others would never guess what he’s actually up to.

It’s a serious matter for him. He wants to make sure he’s got what it takes to make you happy not only on a physical but emotional level as well.

In the past, the thought of sex wouldn’t have even fazed him. Shaka cared very little about it and honestly he didn’t see what the appeal was.

He still doesn’t much care but when it comes to you, he’s not against the idea. 

Fine, he digs it.

But he’s a little embarrassed to admit it.

As someone who has trained to let go of his attachment for sensual pleasures and desires, it baffled him a little that the thought even crossed his mind.

That hasn’t stopped his curiosity for learning more about how to please you.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?):

Shaka is a virgin. Don’t @ me. 

That’s the real source of his power. Geddit? *fingers guns*

On a more serious note, it is no surprise that he’s not very experienced.

It’s not that he thinks sex is something dirty or bad per se. He just never had the time or any interest in the pursuit of such trivialities. Lust and sexual craving are not traps he would fall prey to. He devotes himself completely to his duty as a saint of Athena, and so he avoids distractions that would hinder the fulfillment of his mission.

You’d most likely get to be the first sexual experience he’s ever had and it’s no simple feat to seduce the man who’s closest to being a god. He believed himself to be above such worldly affairs until he met you and boy…

He was wrong once again.

Finding ecstasy in your arms is nothing short of divine.

Shaka would take his time to be intimate with you, though. He doesn’t do casual sex and needs to be absolutely certain of your feelings for each other first.

However, don’t let his virginal status fool you. He has made his research beforehand (see letter D), he has prepared and knows where to go.

If he doesn’t get it right the first time he’ll try again and again until he has you writhing in pleasure. His own satisfaction is secondary to yours.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying):

Lotus. I’m sorry for being so cliché OMG.

Pic (NSFW)

He spends a lot of time in this position when he meditates, so don’t be surprised if at some point he wants you to sit on his crossed legs and ride him.

Shaka would enjoy the intimacy and closeness this position provides. 

It’s not a position that allows for frenzied love-making, but that’s precisely why he likes it so much.

Buried deep inside your wet core, he can feel your heart beating against his chest in unison with his as he holds you in his protective embrace, and there’s nowhere else he would rather be.

He loves it when you shower small kisses on his face and happily surrender yourself to him.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.): 

The first times, Shaka would wear a serious expression because he’s concentrating on learning what you like, what makes you tick and curl your toes.

He’s studying you not just on a physical level. Intimacy is beyond simple carnal pleasure for Shaka. It’s a matter of spiritual connection.

He’ll get more playful and cocky (no pun intended) once he learns how to push your buttons.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.):

He doesn’t have a lot of body hair and always keeps his face clean, shaven and moisturized.

His nails are well trimmed. His hair nicely brushed and scented. His body devoid of bad smells. 

That being said, he’s not very hairy downstairs (he’s got mostly a patch of soft blond hair), but he keeps things well groomed. Shaka doesn’t like sloppiness.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect):

It’s gentle lovemaking with Shaka and nothing less.

However, he can get too caught up in the details and in delivering a good performance that it may be a little difficult for him to really get lost in the moment.

He’s too worried about being perfect and bringing you pleasure that he sometimes forgets about the most romantic aspects.

Reassuring him he’s doing a good job will put his mind at ease. Be appreciative of his efforts and give him your undivided attention.

He’ll be the most doting lover ever because sharing his bed and body with you are very special to him.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon):

Shaka has an unbelievable control over his sexual urges and, even if he’s in a relationship with you, that wouldn’t change a lot.

He doesn’t usually masturbate, even when he’s been deprived of your touch for long periods of time (which would be when he’s away on missions for the Sanctuary). He can handle it no problem.

That doesn’t mean you’re not on his mind. Shaka always thinks about you with the deepest love and respect.

Masturbating can never compare to the bliss he feels when you’re in his arms. It’s just empty pleasure and would leave him even more frustrated, aching for you.

He would rather show you how much he loves you and missed you the next time he gets to see you.

Mutual masturbation is something he wouldn’t mind doing, if given the chance.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks):

In all honesty, Shaka is not overly kinky and he’s perfectly content with vanilla sex.

However, he lowkey enjoys being dominated so if you flip him on his back and mount him, he’ll find it a nice game changer.

Ride that boy, seriously. He gets off on being a bottom and the sight of you enjoying yourself so much would drive him to the edge.

Tease him all you want, deny him release or keep him from touching you, he’ll endure it like a good boy.

But if you think you can run the show for too long, get ready because Shaka will get his due.

You’ll have to learn you can’t play dirty and expect him to show you mercy.

Bad girls like you deserve divine punishment  ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

L = Location (favorite places to do the do):

He’s a bit old-fashioned, so he prefers the privacy and quiet of his own bedroom. Discretion is Shaka’s middle name.

It’s very practical and convenient too.

There’s no better place than his bed: clean, fresh, comfortable and quiet. He can relax and get in the mood without worrying about anything else.

He also won’t mind doing it on the floor, provided it’s pristine and there’s a plush mat with lots of cushions on it.

If he’s in your place, your bed and environment have to be clean and neat or else he’s not going to feel up for any sexy times.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going):

As someone who spends a lot of time inside his head, he needs a stimulating conversation to get him going.

It doesn’t even have to be sexual. You could ask him about his life as a saint or engage him in some philosophical talk. He’ll be happy to share his knowledge with you and will be interested in what you have to say.

Stroke his ego a little but don’t make it obvious.

On the other hand, witty banter turns him on, too. He’s got a sharp sense of humor but if you can turn around his jokes and roast him, leaving him speechless, he’ll want to get even through other means.

And you can imagine how  ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)  ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Shaka loves foreplay. The more foreplay you have, the more aroused he’ll be. He can spend hours just kissing, cuddling and touching.

A nice bath with him can also get him in the mood. He’ll feel more comfortable if you’re both clean and fresh. It doesn’t matter if you’re about to get dirty again.

If during foreplay or sex you whisper sweet nothings in his ear and praise him, that’s a sure way to turn him on. Praise that boy if he’s doing an amazing job, he’ll try to do it even better.

On the other hand, don’t be shy to tell him if something isn’t working for you. He’ll know if you’re faking it and that will kill his inspiration. He’ll start doubting himself.

He likes it when you talk dirty to him, even if your words make him blush, but refrain from being vulgar. He will find it in bad taste.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs):

Anything that involves humiliation or degradation of you or himself.

Any weird kinks.

Don’t ask him to get into hard-core BDSM. He won’t do it.

Edgeplay. Anything that would hurt you is a big no for him. He loves you too much and wouldn’t bear the thought of bringing any harm upon you even if it’s consensual.

He won’t do it in public places.

Poor hygiene will definitely turn him off.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.):

He may not be very keen on the idea of oral sex at first, whether it’s giving or receiving. Poor bb is still shy even if he doesn’t want to look like it.

But he may be open-minded about it once he gets more experience with you.

He’ll get there with gentle guiding and reassurance, but don’t rush him if he isn’t ready yet. Let him go at his own pace.

Once he gets past his initial shyness, he’ll be more confident to go down on you.

He won’t mind receiving but he prefers not coming in your mouth or any other part of your body.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.):

Let’s be honest. Shaka doesn’t fuck. Ever. He’s not gonna rip off your clothes or manhandle you or use you like his plaything. That’s not his style.

Don’t get the wrong idea. Despite his cool exterior, he’s still a passionate man. It’s just that his passion burns slower than most.

He will take his time to make sure everything’s perfect so you both can take delight in the experience.

His mindset is one of enjoying the build up and the journey rather than desperately rushing to his destination.

He wants to relish in every kiss, every caress and every sound of pleasure you make, he wants to feel all of you— to reach into your soul.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.):

Quickies aren’t his thing. Shaka’s sex life isn’t very spontaneous, so suggesting him to pull off a fast one isn’t going to appeal to him.

He can control his urges and expects you to do the same. He can wait until a more appropriate time for intimacy.

Shaka needs preparation to have sex. He wants to be in the right state of mind, he needs to plan the details of that special night with anticipation, he doesn’t want to leave anything to chance or else he’ll find it difficult to be at ease.

Let him have it his way, it’ll be worth it.

Conversely, you can teach him how to be less uptight and not to fret over being flawless.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.): 

Shaka is game to experimenting as long as you talk about it beforehand, but don’t expect him to go outside his comfort zone. It’s a feat in itself that you even managed to get him laid.

He prefers sticking to what works for you both, so keep in mind he’s not very adventurous. 

But he’ll do his best to please you and will be open to suggestions on how to spicy things up in the bedroom.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?): 

It may not look like it but Shaka has a surprising amount of stamina.

Though he’s a bit slow to warm up, his passion will burn longer.

He won’t tire out easily but if you’re exhausted already he’ll let you rest. If you want to go another round, he’ll be happy to oblige.

He can last for a very long time without releasing inside you, but he’s also learned to have orgasms without ejaculating.

All that meditation and self control stuff? Well, turns out it’s helped him have a wonderful sex life with you :v

Bae can keep going all night long. You’ll sooner get exhausted before he does.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?):

He doesn’t own any toys. The only toys he knows are the ones kids use to play.

Blindfolds and restraints are okay. He’ll use them on you if that’s what you want.

He still prefers simple, intimate, vanilla sex. Less is more for him.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

Shaka can be a big tease when he wants to so don’t expect him to be very merciful if you provoke him.

He loves it when you beg him like a god tho.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.): 

He’s not very loud. Shaka is always restrained about how vocal he is, but you’ll definitely hear him grunt and sigh and moan often.

He prefers listening to the sweet sounds you make.

Once he’s close to an orgasm, he can get noisier and will try to muffle his moans by biting his lips or kissing you.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character): 

At times when tending to his garden in the house of Virgo, he’s thought about making love to you under the night sky and among the flowers he’s cultivated.

Your hair covered in petals as the light of the universe shines in your eyes is a sight he wants to see in this life.

Though maybe he’ll never have the chance to tell you.

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes):

Ideal size. Not too big, not too small. Proportional to the rest of this body. 

He’s got a pretty cock, honestly. Its texture is silky and when he’s hard it turns a rosy color. 

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?):

Shaka’s sex drive isn’t very high actually and, if it’s up to him, he won’t have sex very often. He’s for quality before quantity.

You may start wondering when was the last time you even had intimacy.

Don’t be surprised if it’s been 84 years.

He might as well look at the calendar and think “we haven’t done it in a while, next week may be a good time to get it on”.

His training taught him not to grow attached to his desires and he’s tremendously disciplined at that.

It doesn’t mean he doesn’t have sexual desires. He just doesn’t let them control him and is not animalistic about them.

Sex isn’t the most important aspect to have a fulfilling relationship. It’s just the icing on the cake, so to speak.

What truly matters is the emotional bond you two have forged. 

You’re not an object for him.

He can live happily without any kind of sexual intimacy if that’s what you want. He won’t love you any less for it and you’ll never hear complaints or reproaches from him.

Shaka doesn’t feel guilty about wanting to make love to you. Just don’t expect him to be a sex beast ready to pounce on you any time. That won’t happen.

Shaka would have no problem if you have a higher sex drive than he does. He’ll strive to make you happy. 

If you take the initiative and try to get in his pants, as long as he’s in a private and comfortable environment where he can let go, he’ll give in. Otherwise forget it.

Plan ahead if you intend to get naughty with him. Shaka will appreciate the thoughtfulness.

Just don’t take advantage of him because as much as he enjoys sleeping with you, he’ll quickly get bored if all you think about is undressing him when you’re with him.

Don’t reduce him to a sex object for your personal gratification, he won’t be comfortable with it. Respect and love him like he does with you. 

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards): 

Shaka doesn’t fall asleep immediately.

He likes cuddling after making love.

He may have his eyes closed but he’s still awake and he’s listening to your every breath, your heart beating, he’s basking in the warmth of your gentle and blissful cosmos.

He can’t believe he has the most wonderful person in the world by his side.

Even if you both know it may not last, that the next holy war approaches fast and he’ll have to fight, you’ve made peace with it. You accept what the future holds in store for both.

However, that thought still keeps him awake at night.

But he’ll never tell you. He’ll just kiss your forehead and stroke your hair until you’re fast asleep.

                                                          * * *

Well, that’s it. I can’t believe I did this. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed (?

[shadowydoes]

travel log 5, west end, waitress, feb 19 //

Oh boy, oh boy. In case you didn’t know, I love musicals. As an ex-ballerina and a writer, I have a thing with music that tells me a story. My approach is more on the modern side but I am still learning. I am not, by any means, expert. I can’t even sing but I enjoy them. So, even before I got accepted into the university, I was checking what musicals could I see them finally live.

When I realized I was going to spent my birthday far, far away from my family and my friends, I saw to myself: ‘I have to go and watch a musical’. My gift to myself. Then was the question of which one. But pieces fell on their places: Waitress. Is a funny, cute and lovely musical. It wasn’t as expensive as others. And it has one of my favourite song of all times: She used to be mine. It got better, Jenna was going to be played by Sara Bareilles. This meant, I was going to see live a song that had made my cry in my room for hours, with the singer that I discovered it. I wasn’t emotionally prepared, at all.

My next post would be all about what I did in London for my birthday, this is just about the play. But just to let you know I was tired but so happy. I got to the Adelphi theatre early, got my tickets and waited. I bought an apple pie as a souvenir and it was delicious!! My seat was not the best but either the worst.

The play was … wow. I had seen theatre before but not since I started actively listening to it. When I was in New York, I saw Wicked, Lion King and the Phantom of the Opera. This time, I had been listening to the cast recording for a solid year. She used to be mine I found it years ago. It was because of that song that I gave a chance to the musical. I loved it more than I thought I would! I was funny as hell. Characters like Joe and Ogie surprised me a lot. As well as the relationship between Dr. Pomatter and Jenna. I loved every single second of the friendship between Dawn, Becky and her. I am not going to spoil anything about the plot but it changes quickly from light hearted drama to mature content and serious but so fun!

Now, She used to be mine. I cried so much more than I thought. I was sitting straight on my seat, watching Sara gave her all while tearing would run down my face. This song has been with me for years, for different stages and I am positive, it is going to continue with me for a while. Seeing this, live and with here… was another experience. Tears would leave trails of mascara in my checks while a happiness, sadness and nostalgia wrapped me. It was all worth it to get to this moment. // athena, adelphi theatre.

[dotshiiki]

Fic post--Quest

This fic has been kicking around in my WIP folder for nearly a year. I thought it was about time I finish it off, especially since it's Annabeth's birthday today! Happy birthday to my favourite demigod!

Summary: Annabeth Chase has wanted to lead a quest ever since she was a little kid. This is the story of her seven-year wait ... and what she's learned about quests. 

 When she is seven and the newest camper at Camp Half-Blood, Annabeth watches Flavian Barkwith return successfully from a quest to slay a giant sea serpent and retrieve his father's silver swan. The campers raise him on their shoulders to carry him to the amphitheatre, where they all burn the golden shroud that was made for him. 

 Flavian is tall and athletic, with dark, wavy hair and a tanned, handsome face, and he looks every inch a hero. It is the first time Annabeth realises that a fight can be won, that one can stand triumphant over the forces of darkness. 

 It doesn't have to be like Thalia. 

 A quest seems to be this magical incubator for heroes. And she can't wait for her chance to lead one herself. 

 +++ 

 When she is eight and a year more knowledgeable about the history and traditions of Camp Half-Blood, Annabeth can spout details about decades of quests from memory. She has made it her business to find out everything she can about questing—pestering Chiron about the heroes he's trained since the beginning of time, begging older campers for stories of their adventures, scouring books in spite of her struggles with reading. 

 She could tell you how Perseus slaughtered the gorgon Medusa, or how Atalanta speared the Calydonian boar (she loves that heroism doesn't discriminate: girls are every bit as capable as boys). She knows that Flavian Barkwith hypnotised his sea serpent by lulling it to sleep with a magical lyre and setting it on fire (because slicing the head off a hydra only makes two grow back). She has catalogued years of quests—the triumphs and the failures—and could tell you the pitfalls that lead to disaster. 

 (She could also tell you about the architecture on Medusa's native Cisthene, or the design of temples on Atalanta's hometown Argos, and the details of various other amazing creations around the world, but that's just a bonus. You never know when it might come in handy.) 

 Christy Askoll calls her a little nuisance when she offers up everything she's learned about taming a Hippogriff, but the daughter of Hephaestus has to eat her words when it is Annabeth's advice and not her own forged weapons that prevent her from being sliced and diced by the beast. 

 Annabeth knows then that the key to leading a successful quest is being prepared: a fitting task for a daughter of Athena. 

 +++ 

 When she is nine and asks if she can lead a quest, the other campers laugh at Annabeth. She is tiny at that age, still the smallest among them, and no one takes her seriously when she insists that she could handle it. 

 She shuts everyone up when she beats Brogan Whitlock in a duel, using her speed and agility to get around him and bring her trusty bronze dagger to his throat. Everyone is too stunned to clap, except for Luke, who whistles and shouts, 'Awesome, Annabeth!' 

 His praise drowns out the glare Brogan sends her, and she couldn't care less that she's made an enemy of the son of Ares. 

 But Brogan has the last laugh when he gets the quest that year. Annabeth grits her teeth and vows that next time, next year, it will be her turn. 

 +++ 

 When she is ten and begs for her chance to join a quest, Annabeth is let down by her best friend in the world. Luke's father sets him the task of retrieving a golden apple from the Garden of the Hesperides—a challenge equal to the great Heracles himself—and as per tradition, he chooses two companions. 

 It should be her. Luke knows how much she wants this and he's seen how well she can fight. But he picks Tyler Grayson and Abby Markoff, and Annabeth feels deeply, bitterly betrayed. 

 She storms up to the Great House, determined to get her own quest from the Oracle, but instead, all she receives is a dusted-off prophecy from the 1940s, and Chiron's pronouncement that she won't have a quest until some undetermined time in the future. 

 When Luke returns alone a month later, scarred and bitter with failure and the loss of his companions, Annabeth is devastated for him, but she also can't help the burning conviction that if she'd been the one to go with him, things could have been different. 

 +++ 

 When she is eleven, nobody gets a quest at all. 

 'Given the events of recent years,' Chiron announces, and although he doesn't look at anyone in particular, Annabeth notices how every camper's eyes dart towards Luke and then scurry away, 'I have convinced the gods that it would be prudent to hold off on the issuing of any quests for the time being.' 

 A wave of murmurs ripple across the tables, ranging from relief (mostly Aphrodite and Demeter) to outrage—Ares is loudest, although Annabeth feels like she could out-yell any of them if she were to focus on the injustic of it all—no quests, no chance to prove herself … what is Chiron thinking? Instead, she looks over at the Hermes table, where Luke sits very quietly, the only one not muttering about Chiron's edict. His friends are all carefully avoiding looking at him. 

 Luke's face may as well be carved from the same stone as their dining tables. Annabeth can't read the expression in his eyes. The deep scar the dragon left on his face last year turns him into someone different, a defeated warrior, cold and distant. She can't tell what he thinks of Chiron's announcement. 

 He doesn't meet her eyes. 

 That summer seems to stretch out impossibly slowly, too long and languid without a quest to spice up the routine of their daily activities. Even capture the flag starts to feel a little stale. Chiron—perhaps in an effort to inject some festivity into the summer session—invites his relatives to visit, a move which he promptly regrets (at least Annabeth thinks he must) when they insist on throwing a prom for the campers. 

 The Aphrodite cabin goes wild. The Apollo campers spend a week mixing up antidotes to love charms and potions that the Hermes kids have been merrily sneaking into people's food (Annabeth almost considers sneaking one to Luke). Hephaestus's lot shut themselves in the forges until the madness ends. Mr D, with a long-suffering sigh, produces plenty of punch for the dance, which takes place in their usual campfire spot. 

 Annabeth sneaks away from the amphitheatre and makes her way up Half-Blood Hill, where Thalia's tree stands proudly, pine leaves rustling soothingly in the wind. Annabeth places her hand on the bark and gazes out into the distance. Somewhere, under the same constellations, a kid marked by a prophecy is waiting, like her, to fulfil its charge. Chiron may have put a moratorium on quests for now, but once that prophecy is set in motion, he'll have to let her go.

Soon, the leaves seem to whisper to her. It won't be long now.

+++ 

 When she is twelve and so tired of waiting, Annabeth's special half-blood finally arrives. At last, Chiron gives her permission to accompany a quest. Her heart is full to bursting as they set off. 

 But nothing goes as it should. Percy Jackson is an insufferable idiot with kelp for brains and she has to tell him everything, and he manages to tick off all the gods, so it must be his fault that their plans keep going wrong (because Annabeth is a good planner, and she's studied and prepared for this for years) and they're flying by the seat of their pants half the time, which just feels wrong. This isn't how a quest is meant to go, is it? 

 Yet somehow they escape monster after monster, and after they've saved each other's lives tens or dozens of times (Annabeth's lost count), Annabeth realises improvising isn't the worst thing after all. And the son of Poseidon is pretty good at it. 

 Percy is also funny (not that she'll admit it) and brave (challenging Ares might be a dumb-ass thing to do, but it also takes a yard of guts) and loyal (though it takes her a while to recognise his actions on the bus out of New York as such). And he doesn't look at her like she's a kid who needs to be protected, but an equal, important member of his team. 

Like someone he needs. 

 And Annabeth wants to be that someone he can depend on. 

 ('Because you're my friend, Seaweed Brain.') 

 When they finally make it through the twists and turns of a mission which wasn't as straightforward as she thought it should have been, she feels like she can no longer remember a time that they weren't friends. 

 (Was it really only a week ago?) 

 Later in the summer, she sits on a blanket under a spectacular array of fireworks and watches fondly while Percy skips stones in the surf and Grover plays So, Yesterday for them one last time before he leaves on his search for Pan. She never would have imagined questing with either of them, but now she can't picture doing it without them. 

 When she gets to lead her own quest, she knows she won't even have to think twice to pick her companions. 

 +++  

When she is thirteen and the quest she proposes to save Camp Half-Blood is given to Clarisse, Annabeth takes matters into her own hands: she and Percy run off to find Grover and the Golden Fleece themselves, and for the first time, Annabeth realises the power of deciding her own destiny. 

 When the time comes for the heroic return to camp, Annabeth doesn't even feel the slightest twinge of jealous or possessiveness when they hand the Fleece over to Clarisse to take home. She doesn't need the glory, she realises. The honour of the quest is in saving that which needs to be saved. 

 Annabeth feels proud enough just to be a saviour. 

 But then she becomes the subject of a quest herself: betrayed by her oldest friend, crushed under the weight of the sky, held captive and close to death until the heroes of the quest arrive. 

 She's never been so happy to see Percy Jackson, but she's also never been so humiliated. She is Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena, not some damsel in distress in need of rescuing. 

 Except, of course, that is what she's become.

Never again, Annabeth promises herself. She won't be fooled and trapped and held hostage waiting for a white knight to come along, even if the stalwart hero in question makes her blush and her heartbeat quicken when he asks her to dance. 

 Next time, she's going to be the one doing the rescuing, thank you very much. 

+++ 

 When she is fourteen and finally handed a quest to lead, Annabeth realises that the single mission that has been her burning ambition since she was seven no longer defines her. She understands now what she didn't at seven, at ten, at twelve: that a quest isn't about glory, or pride, or even proving oneself. A true hero undertakes a quest because she has to. 

 And someone has to descend into the Labyrinth and find Daedalus (find Luke, her mind whispers), convince him not to let Kronos's army have Ariadne's thread (convince Luke to come back). 

 But every twist in the maze seems to bring a new horror. The Labyrinth is alive and it whispers to all of them, tearing apart the group she carefully chose to accompany her. 

 They lose Grover and Tyson to the seductive promise of Pan. And then she loses Percy to a volcanic eruption in the heart of the Labyrinth. 

 The pain of losing Percy is almost enough to make Annabeth switch sides herself as she stumbles, choking on her own tears, back into camp. Because how could the gods—the same ones whom they are running quests for; their parents—let something like that happen? 

 Is this how Luke felt when he returned, sans companions and sans victory?

She is just coming to terms with her failure and her loss when Percy gate-crashes his own funeral and resuscitates both her heart and her quest. 

 And the rest of her quest prophecy unfolds after all, but Annabeth is never quite sure if she succeeded or failed ultimately. She finds Daedalus, but is too late to persuade him to hold back Ariadne's thread; yet she convinces him to return to fight for Camp Half-Blood. The lines of the prophecy play out—none of them quite as expected, but heartbreakingly accurate all the same. 

 They found the Lost One, but lost him just as quickly. Minos played his hand, but young Nico di Angelo was the one to lay claim to the ghostly power of the Underworld. She didn't die, but an ancient genius gave his life to save the camp. 

 Percy didn't die, but Luke (oh, Luke) is worse than dead. 

 And she can't shake the feeling that it's all her fault. 

 Her quest, her choice, her responsibility. 

 (Choose, whispers Janus in her ear.) 

 At the end of her quest, Annabeth still doesn't know if she has it in her to make the wisest choice. 

 (Especially not when a single choice shall end his days.) 

 +++ 

 Annabeth Chase spent half her life wishing for a quest before she got one. If she could go back and speak to her younger self, this is what she would tell her: 

 You never really 'get' a quest—the quest finds you. 

Always, always have a plan—but always, always be prepared for that plan to go wrong, too. 

 The most important thing about questing is who you take with you. Choose carefully, because you're gonna need to depend on them to save your ass at some point. 

 And to be honest, you don't really need a quest. Because what is life but a big quest where any clues you might have about what's coming are as murky and unpredictable as the Oracle's prophecies? 

 And like any good quester knows, you need three things to successfully navigate a quest: a prophecy, a plan, and a damn good team. 

 Maybe the first and the second don't always work out so well, but the last—well, if you get that one right … 

 If Annabeth Chase could tell her seven-year-old self one thing about quests, it would be that the person you take with you could very well be the one you keep beside you for life.

[proofthatihaveaheart]

end of year 2019 recs

this was meant to be posted two months ago and then it got buried in my drafts and i forgot that it existed while i started a new fic rec list for the first quarter of this year oops

[1 Borderlands, 1 Good Omens, 1 Life is Strange, 1 Marvel, 1 She-Ra, 9 Steven Universe, 1 Tangled, 1 The Adventure Zone, 1 The Last of Us, 2 The Umbrella Academy]

Borderlands

Burn Out by snufflyphoenix (VH1 gang, 5k):  As Mordecai and Brick prepare to ship out to Athenas as the Crimson Raiders' B Team with Not So Tiny Tina, Lilith worries about their safety and starts to wonder how she's going to manage without them now she's gotten so used to them always being with her again. She contemplates their relationship; how it's changed since when they first met and how they're going to manage going forwards with the world turned upside down again. [This fic balances tenderness and comfort and grief so well while capturing the dynamics between these characters and I just really love it.] 

Good Omens

Choose Your Faces Wisely by Poetry (Aziraphale/Crowley, 5k):  In a world where humans wear their souls on the outside, Crowley and Aziraphale learn to make their own. [Daemon AU! It’s well-written with lots of references, cool concepts about the daemons of supernatural beings, and strong character moments.]

Life is Strange

migratory animals by swapcats (Chloe/Max, 11k): “Here,” you say, tossing the photo her way. “Check it out. Blackwell was insane for kicking me out, right?”You give her your best grin. It’s not very good, but she’s not looking, anyway. She twists the photo in her hands, turns it upright, and does nothing but blink at it.For a moment, you’re scared she’s going to fall in. Not because it’s a photo -- it isn’t even of her, isn’t more than a few hours in the past -- but because you’re more convinced than terrified that she’s just going to up and vanish. If it’s not time-bullshit, then it’ll be her having enough of putting up with your bullshit; she’s got her family out there, over in Seattle, and you’ve got a beat up truck and a few thousand dollars to your name. [Road trip fic! Full of pining and a careful exploration of their traumas and healing, it serves as a perfect epilogue to their adventure]

Marvel

dance, dance (we’re falling apart to half-time) by gleesquid (Gwen/MJ, 4k): “We were going to go dancing. Peter and I, I mean. We could still go. You and me, that is, it’s not like we need Peter to dance, or any boys at all, and he’s not very good anyways –,”“Gwen Stacy,” Mary Jane said and Gwen faltered at the sound of her own name on foreign lips. “It’s like you read my mind.”Or: Gwen and MJ will always be each other's favorite dance partner. [A perfect fic about Gwen and MJ’s growing friendship and feelings, with lots of dancing thrown in. The build-up is fantastic and it’s romantic and it’s very much them.]

She-ra

I Can Make You Stronger by inkubusmb (Glimmer, 7k): "You can really make me that powerful?""You think of yourself only as a princess, but you're the child of a great sorcerer. You have a more powerful connection to magic then you've ever realized. Let me show you."Shadow Weaver couldn't be trusted. Glimmer knew that.But after losing her mother, she knew she had to get stronger. Strong enough to protect her friends from the same fate. Strong enough to destroy the Horde.And Shadow Weaver was the only one who could give her that power. [A neat character study of something that very well might happen in s4 - Glimmer learning magic from Shadow Weaver.]

Steven Universe

Before We Turn to Dust by Mintly (Ruby/Sapphire, 6k): Their days were dirt roads and endless blue sky. It would be freedom, except it wasn't. Sapphire is a quiet country storefront and Ruby dreams. [Human!AU set in a small rural town. The writing is beautiful, the relationship and yearning between Sapphire and Ruby comes through clearly, and the atmosphere shines. It’s really good and even if you’re not a human AU fan, you should check it out.]

Cleave by susan_voight, thingswithwings (Ruby/Sapphire, 8k): “Tell me a story,” Steven asks, as he shuts his eyes. Garnet, as far as she has the capacity for it, is surprised; Steven is seventeen, and while he still has a tendency towards whimsy, he hasn’t asked for this particular indulgence for years. Not since he was a lot smaller. Garnet feels a little angry at herself for not having noticed that earlier; she feels regretful, too, that she can never seem to see any part of Steven’s adulthood coming in advance. [Garnet tells Steven a story about Ruby and Sapphire and the time they had to separate for a mission. It’s absolutely lovely, a great study of their relationship and how they grow to be even stronger.]

Little Rebellions by CompletelyDifferent (gen, 58k):  Not all Pearls have the chance to run off to another planet and take up arms. Not all fights are grand and romantic. These are the little rebellions- little, but just as defiant. [A wonderful set of interconnected one-shots centered around themes of rebellion and freedom. And all the good world-building! I loved them all.]

Only Human by mllelaurel (gen, 23k):  When a malfunctioning artifact temporarily (they hope!) turns them all human, the Gems must face down a monster infestation, while dealing with the loss of their normal powers and their own sudden fragility. [This very much reads like a multi-episode arc and it’s absolutely delightful. The insecurities and vulnerabilities the Gems struggle with are ones that are always there, but they’ve been magnified and brought to the surface with their human state and it’s just really well-done.] 

Pushing By Like Hearts by mautadite (Lapis/Peridot, 13k): “Sounds like you’re really counting on that road trip magic.”(Peridot and Lapis do Midway City, and Empire City, and Plateau Ville, and all the places in between.) [Peridot and Lapis go on a road trip and it’s wonderful. Love the imagery, the development of their relationship, and the characterization.]

starwalker’s birthday by the_sockpuppet (Pearl/Garnet, 11k):  Garnet wonders if she is Rose’s replacement. Pearl wonders how Garnet could love her. [I love this fic and the way it navigates their relationship and all the insecurities they bring along to it. The focus is very much on communication and being open and working through things, and it’s very good.]

the meek shall inherit the earth by Ushio (Pearl gen, 958): "Where was her Pearl?" asks Blue Zircon. Well. She was holding the sword. [Even though this was supremely jossed, it makes for a good, poetic read.]

Waltz of the Nian by QuickYoke (Lapis/Peridot, 6k): Lapis doesn't understand fusion at heart, but she does know she's an unideal partner for it. Set after the season 3 finale. [A character study of Lapis and her relationship to fusion, and the moments when Lapis almost fuses with Peridot. It’s well-written and it handles the subject of trauma + navigating boundaries and intimacy beautifully.]

where we love is home by possibilityleft (Pearl/Garnet, 532): "You're looking at me differently now," Garnet says.Slight Pearl/Garnet. Post-regeneration for them both, Garnet and Pearl have a discussion. [Early rebellion days, a short conversation that holds a lot inside it.] 

Tangled the Series

strings by pathygen (Cassandra-centric, 19k):  The weight of the stone should be concerning, but it’s not. She’s never been unfamiliar with weight. [This fic is a fascinating exploration of what could happen with the Moonstone and the ghost. It’s also a fascinating story of becoming lost in your own anger and insecurity, how that can twist you and make you someone you’re not. It’s dark and painful and I read it in one sitting because I couldn’t tear myself away from what was going on. It’s also a slow build to the final confrontation, which is stunning and one of my favorite moments in any fics I’ve read this year.] 

The Adventure Zone 

tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow by fishycorvid (Taako-centric, 28k): The funeral of one of the birds should have more attendants than this, some part of Taako thinks. But Magnus hadn’t wanted that, of course; he’d told Taako as much decades ago, just a few years after the Day of Story and Song. Taako had laughed then, told him he’d regret it when there weren’t any adoring fans weeping and tossing flowers into his grave. Taako isn’t laughing now, here in this clearing with the body that used to be his friend. (What comes after the end.) [As you might expect from the summary and warning about character death,this fic is painful. You will cry and your heart will hurt. But it’s also very well-written and a beautiful exploration of grief and having to live on and how sometimes things don’t work. Sometimes you pretend you’re fine but you’re not, you’re on a self-destructive spiral. That said, it’s also juxtaposed with some really lovely moments between Taako and his family, his friends. Highly recommend!] 

The Last of Us

landscape by januarys (gen, 854): It's the moments that define who they are, the spaces in between, and as the seasons fade into one. [A lovely stream of moments over the course of the game between Joel and Ellie.]

The Umbrella Academy

Keep Trying by pprfaith (Vanya & Klaus, 8k): At thirteen, a drunk Klaus goes wandering the mansion instead of locking himself into his room. Seventeen years down the line, he saves the world. In between, they're all just trying not to drown. (Klaus and Vanya against the world.) [This fic is lovely and healing and imagines a different world where things are still messed up because Reginald is the worst dad but there’s also support and comfort and learning how to trust.]

Try Again by pprfaith (gen, 57k):   They have outlived their father. They've managed to fix themselves. A little. Sort of. So from here on out, things should be peachy, right? [The Hargreeves get the healing and recovery they deserve, lots of good sibling dynamics, confronting what Reginald did to them, I really love this fic.]