#it’s not like the main focus but it’s clearly there

[eminemily05]

Ratchet x AFAB Reader—Periods—

Currently, I’m battling some cramps of hell of my own. And I wanted to write a story to make myself feel better. Now that I have, I’m sharing it with you all.

I hope this at least helps some of you feel better. Periods are never fun, but always make sure you take good care of yourselves. Treat yourself to sweets, take a nice warm bath, and just..be kind to yourself.

It may suck, but your body is actively doing what it does best for your health. Even if that means cramps every month…or few months, depending on your situation..

Now, please enjoy this little Drabble I’ve made. And I hope it brings some warmth to your hearts (and cramps, 🙏)

———————————————————————————

“Ratch…”

Your soft call tore the medic away from his current focus at the main console. Voice wavering and weak…was that hurt he sensed..?

Looking over, he glanced at your small form. Curled up atop the tatted yellow couch, head perked slightly. Your expression was scrunched in one of discomfort and pain. Olfactory sensors flared and flagged a key chemical scent wafting over.

Blood.

Immediately, he abandoned his current project. Taking a few hurried steps to stand behind the raised platform, glancing down at you with worried, appraising optics. You looked back up at him, a pained whine leaving your throat.

You squirmed around, hands pressing down against your abdomen to try and quell the spikes of discomfort. “I-It hurts…”

Scanning you, he gave a soft sigh. Concern flashed through his optics, antenna dropping just slightly. He knew this was a rough time for you.

You had explained to him what it was the first time this had happened. Naturally, it was going to occur in their presence, within the months you’d stay there. So, you figured if anyone needed to understand your predicament with periods, it was Ratchet.

At first, he’d been horrified. Not at you. Gods never. But at the fact that this was so normal. The idea of a Cybertronian bleeding Energon every couple times of a Quartex nearly sent him into shock. Not to mention how painful you had described it to be.

I mean, on par with a human heart attack? For something so small, your species seemed so durable.

But, as the team’s hybrid medic for human and machine, he took it upon himself to learn. Through the web, and you. He learned what he could, and asked for help when he needed more explanations. Now, he felt well equipped.

Ratchet gently set a digit against your lower belly, taking a measure of any inflammation or otherwise unseen pain. He could just hear how painful the cramps sounded.

“Did you take any anti-inflammatory medication? Pain relievers or Acetaminophen?” He glanced at your face as you nodded. Hmm…clearly it hadn’t kicked in yet..

You gripped onto the digit against your lower stomach desperately. “I-I took them some few minutes ago…but I forgot my heating pad at home…” Looking up at his optics, you gave an expression of discomfort.

His spark flared at the sight, audials flicking down as he sighed.

“Of course…” Glancing back at the console, he weighed his options.

He still had piles of work to do. Formulas to refine, tools to repair, files to decode. Then, he looked at you. His human. His pained human, and he didn’t need any other convincing.

Gently, he lifted you in both servos. Whining slightly at the sudden movement as a flare of cramps spiked in your belly. He pulled you against his chassis, engine rumbling gently just under the surface.

“Relax, Sweetspark…I have you..” he mumbled softly, finials clicking up just a notch as you nodded and curled your body against his frame.

Carefully, he made his way to his habsuite. Cautious, as not to rile more cramps in your poor body. His engine gave a worried whine as he glanced at you, body desperately seeking warmth. He crooned at the sigh, optical ridges drawn in concern. “I know…I know..”

Curse your biology for making you suffer like this. He couldn’t even imagine the pain you were dealing with. And it hurt that he couldn’t do much to relieve it.

As he punched the code in for his habsuite, he pressed you to his warm chassis and entered. Metal thumb rubbing soothingly against your hair.

He carried himself over to his berth, settling into the malleable metal that accommodated his back kibble. Gently, he settled you on his chassis. Watching as you squirmed around for a comfortable position.

Eventually, you rested flat on your tummy. Stomach pressed against the warmth radiating from his chassis as soft whines left you. The pain continued to spike as you sought out the heat.

“Ratchet..” You cried desperately, soft hands gripping onto any purchase of his frame you could find. “I-It hurts.!”

His spark flared, plating hissing at your pain. He couldn’t help but feel helpless, useless. Watching his little partner as they wriggled and cried, unable to really do anything.

Curse the gods for bringing this upon them. If he could smite this pain-

Without even thinking, his engine rumbled and revved loudly. The vibration, combined with the rising heat of his cylinders firing, seemed to quell you somewhat. He watched as your little frame untensed a hair, and he needed no more time.

Gently, he set his engine to a low rumble. Idling it quietly and relaxing as the vibrations and warmth slowly settled into your form. Your brow unclenched, a soft sigh of relief escaping as you glanced at him.

He sighed, resting a large servo over your form. The metal acting as the perfect insulation—and bonus weighted blanket— for your body. Steadily, you relaxed and practically melted against his plating.

Yet, he couldn’t help but still feel bad. “I’m sorry…I wish there was more I could do to relieve you of this..” he grumbled, tone full of annoyance but optics full of silent shame. Shame he couldn’t help his own mate.

A gentle kiss against his chassis soothened his thoughts. You looked up at him, eyes lidded with a sense of exhaustion.

Had they taken that much out of you? Curses!

“This is perfect, Ratch.” Your soft smiled cut through the berating thoughts of his spark and pride. “Best heating pad I’ll ever need.”

He chuckled softly as he watched you settle in against the plating. Eyes closing softly as the warmth pulled you closer to sleep.

“Besides…” you mumbled, a happy smile on your face. “Having my big, metal partner to help me makes it feel just a little bit better. Don’t beat yourself up.”

The last part was a bit muffled, as your cheek pressed against his chassis and you were out like a light. Humming, he ran a thumb over your hair. A soft smile graced his faceplate as he watched you subconsciously lean into it. Shutting his own optics in the process for recharge.

“Sleep well, sweetspark…I’ll be here when you awaken..”

[lafleurose]

UNSPOKEN- Ellie x Reader (part 2)

Part 1

Warnings: some cussing, lots of angst

♡ I apologize for the delay on part 2! I recently moved, so that took up so much of my time. I also couldn't figure out where I wanted the story to go lmao but I'm done! Here ya goooo!

Summary: someone's flirting pushes Ellie over the edge. Leading to a tense confrontation where she's forced to admit why she's been acting out.

The smell of roasted pork belly lingered in the main dining hall, mingling with the sound of chatter and clinking dishes. The room was alive with energy, people gathering around long wooden tables, their voices bouncing off the high ceilings. Jesse leaned back in his chair, admiring his plate like he’d just won the lottery.

“Told you I’d get my pork belly,” he said, spearing another piece with his fork and shoving it into his mouth.

“You practically tackled Carl for it,” Dina said, settling into the chair across from him. “I thought he was going to stab you with a fork.”

Jesse shrugged, completely unbothered. “He respected the hustle. Besides, I left him a piece.”

“A crumb,” Dina corrected, snatching a roll off his plate and earning a glare. “Don’t be greedy.”

You smirked but stayed quiet, trying to focus on your own plate. Even so, your eyes kept drifting to Ellie, who sat across from you, leaning on her elbow and absently poking at her food. She hadn’t looked at you once since sitting down, which somehow felt worse than the usual glares. The silence stretched between you like a taut string, one that could snap at any moment.

Dina noticed your distraction and leaned in, her tone casual but pointed. “I love you both, but when are you two going to start talking?”

Ellie stiffened, her fork pausing mid-poke. She glanced at Dina, then at you with a look that could have frozen a fire. “We talk,” she muttered, her voice clipped. “Just not about anything that matters, apparently.”

You rolled your eyes, stabbing your spoon into your stew. “Maybe when she stops glaring,” you muttered under your breath before shoving a spoonful into your mouth.

Ellie’s jaw tightened, and Dina let out a heavy sigh, leaning back in her chair. “Maybe the bonfire will help. Might actually stop you two from trying to kill each other.”

“Doubt it,” Jesse chimed in through a mouthful of pork belly. “At this point, I’m taking bets. You two either break something or make out by the end of the night.”

Ellie choked on her food, coughing as she glared at Jesse. “Jesus, Jesse. Can you not?”

You felt your face flush. “God, you’re an idiot.”

“I’m a visionary,” Jesse said with a grin, gesturing dramatically with his fork. “The tension is unbearable.”

Ellie shot him a warning look. “Keep talking, and you’ll see tension when I shove that fork down your throat.”

Dina rolled her eyes. “Enough, children. Some of us are trying to eat in peace.”

Ellie turned her attention back to her plate, clearly done with the conversation, but the tension lingered in the air like smoke. You tried to focus on your food, but your eyes betrayed you, constantly flicking to her. Every move she made seemed deliberate, like she was holding something back. It was driving you insane.

“So, what’s the plan for the bonfire?” you asked, desperate to steer the conversation somewhere else.

Dina perked up, clearly glad for the shift in tone. “We’re heading down to the creek after dark. Maria found out, but she said we could do it if we behaved. So let’s try not to burn the whole forest down.” She nudged you, her eyes sparkling with amusement as she nodded toward Jesse. “If you’re lucky, maybe someone will get to show off their terrible dancing.”

“My dancing’s a gift,” Jesse said, patting his chest with mock pride. “I can’t help that people are intimidated by it.”

“You flail like you’re being attacked by bees,” Dina shot back, her grin wide.

“It’s a stylistic choice,” Jesse retorted, completely unbothered.

Despite yourself, you laughed, the tension easing for a moment. But the moment of calm didn’t last. Ellie stood abruptly, her chair scraping loudly against the floor.

“I’m gonna grab something to drink,” she muttered, not waiting for a response before heading toward the drink station in the corner of the hall.

Dina glanced between you and Ellie, her brow furrowed. “What happened? I thought you two were-”

You shook your head, the knot in your chest tightening. “Me too. She told me she liked me and the next day she- it's like she hated me. I don't know what I did. Whenever I ask, she just flips and avoids the question."

Dina gives you a sympathetic smile, reaching across the table to squeeze your hand. "I really think this bonfire will help."

You sigh, dropping your spoon in your bowl. "I don't know. I don't have much hope."

Dina frowned but didn’t push. As you watched Ellie’s retreating form, you couldn’t help but wonder if tonight would be the night something finally broke.

♡♡♡

The fire crackled brightly, casting warm light over the group as laughter and conversation filled the night air. Jesse was in the middle of another over-the-top patrol story, using wild gestures and exaggerated voices to imitate the people involved. Dina groaned, covering her face with her hands.

“Please, spare us,” she said, though her laughter betrayed her.

“What? It’s a true story!” Jesse insisted, grinning. “You can’t make this stuff up!”

“You absolutely can,” you said, smirking as you leaned back on the log. Despite the lighthearted atmosphere, you couldn’t ignore the weight in your chest. Your eyes drifted to Ellie again, just like before, but she didn’t meet your gaze. Instead, she kept her focus on her guitar, her fingers plucking at the strings absently like she wasn’t part of the group at all.

She’d been distant all night. Just like she’d been distant for weeks. Even now, sitting a few feet away, she felt unreachable.

It hurt.

You didn’t know what you had done wrong—if you had done anything at all. The warm familiarity that once sat between you had turned cold, and you weren’t sure how to get it back.

“Alright, Y/N,” Jesse said, pointing at you with a grin. “Your turn. Most embarrassing moment—go.”

You groaned, but the attention from the group gave you no choice. “Fine. You know why I’m not allowed to solo patrol anymore?”

Ellie’s fingers faltered over the guitar strings, and her lips twitched into the smallest of smiles. She didn’t look up, but the soft laugh she let out gave you a flicker of hope.

Dina raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Care to share, Ellie?"

Ellie looked up then, but not at you. “No, I—I'm good.”

The group fell silent. Ellie glanced your way for the briefest moment before turning back to her guitar.

You knew why she laughed. She was there. It was a memory that had brought the two of you closer. You remembered clinging onto Ellie as your feet touched the ground. The hesitant way her arms wrapped around your waist, when you kissed her in thanks. The first time you'd kissed a girl and known—really known—that you’d fallen deep.

But whatever warmth she’d felt in that memory was gone now. She shut herself off quickly.

A kick to your foot snapped you out of your thoughts. You jumped and looked around at the group. “Sorry. I lost my train of thought.”

Dina smirked at you, her expression knowing. You frowned at her and cleared your throat.

“Water tower,” you began. “Amazing view, right? So I thought, hey, let me climb it and check it out. Turns out I’m terrible with heights. Got stuck up there for hours.”

“No way,” Dina said, her laughter already bubbling up. “How long were you stuck?”

“Four hours,” you admitted, grinning sheepishly. “Ellie eventually found me with Shimmer, but it took her an hour just to convince me to climb down.”

The group erupted into laughter—except for Ellie. She barely reacted, just kept her focus on the guitar, her smile long gone.

That stung.

Before you could dwell on it, Jane's voice echoed in the night.

“Heights, huh?” she said, her voice smooth, teasing. “Didn’t peg you for someone afraid of anything.”

You looked up at her, caught off guard.

Jane—the prettiest girl in Jackson. You know the saying "tall, dark, and handsome"? That was her. Everyone either wanted to be her or wanted her. Everyone, of course, except for you.

She gave you a slow, lazy smile, taking a seat on the log next to you, her posture completely relaxed. She brushed her long braid over her shoulder, her dark eyes flickering with amusement as she watched you. “So, since you can’t solo patrol, when do we get to go together?”

Her long fingers traced over your arm in a way that was almost absentminded. Or maybe it was intentional. With Jane, it was hard to tell.

You weren’t expecting this. Jane never showed interest in anyone—until now. And maybe that was what threw you off.

You didn’t know how to react.

She was pretty. She was easy to talk to. She wasn’t cold or distant. But she also wasn’t—

You glanced at Ellie.

Her jaw was set. Her hands gripped the guitar tighter, her knuckles pale in the firelight.

Jane, either oblivious or fully enjoying herself, leaned in just a little more. “We’d make a great team. I mean, someone’s gotta keep you from getting stuck in trees.”

Jesse whistled. “Damn, Jane. You’re really laying it on thick.”

Jane smirked, her gaze still locked on you. “What can I say? I know what I like.”

Ellie’s strumming stopped completely. The fire crackled, but the tension around you burned hotter.

You felt Ellie’s gaze, sharp as a blade against the side of your face, but you didn’t look at her.

“Come on,” Jane continued, her voice dropping to something more private. “You and I both know patrol’s boring when the company isn’t good. And I think we’d have fun.”

You swallowed. “I—”

Jane didn’t let you finish. “What do you say, Y/N?” she mused, tilting her head. “Think you can handle me?”

Ellie abruptly stood up, her voice void of emotion. “Need more firewood.”

She didn’t wait for a response before walking off toward the treeline.

Jane arched a brow as she watched Ellie go, then turned back to you with a slow, knowing smirk. “Huh.”

You swallowed, suddenly feeling exposed. “What?”

Jane’s smile widened. “Nothing. Just… interesting.”

It didn’t feel like nothing.

Some time had passed, and Ellie was nowhere to be found. Jane kept talking, but her voice faded into the background as your focus shifted elsewhere.

You weren’t listening. Not really.

Your mind was on Ellie—on the way she had stormed off, her shoulders tense, her death grip on her guitar like she was barely holding herself together. She hadn’t come back. Hadn’t even glanced your way since she left.

You tried to ignore the uneasy feeling gnawing at your chest, but it wouldn’t go away.

“I’ll see you later,” you muttered, cutting Jane off as you stood.

She blinked in surprise. “Oh?”

You hesitated, but you didn’t have time to play whatever game she had started. “Yeah. I just—need to check on something.”

Jane didn’t press. She only smirked, like she already knew.

You didn’t wait for a response before you turned, heading toward the trees where you last saw Ellie disappear. The bonfire’s warmth faded behind you as the quiet night wrapped around you instead.

Then, you heard it.

A guitar.

The melody was soft, familiar—achingly familiar. It was the same song she played for you the night of the water tower incident. Where she kissed you back.

The night everything changed.

You followed the sound until you found her sitting beneath a tree, guitar in her lap, fingers plucking the strings in slow, absentminded strokes.

For a second, you just stood there, watching her, feeling something tighten in your chest. The moonlight carved shadows across her face, her expression unreadable.

This was your chance.

Here, where she couldn’t run.

“You okay?” you asked cautiously.

Ellie stilled. Her fingers froze mid-chord before she exhaled sharply, her shoulders rising and falling with the breath.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” she muttered.

You frowned. “You stormed off and never came back.”

Ellie turned then, finally meeting your gaze—but her eyes were cold, detached, nothing like they used to be.

“You wanted me to come back for what?” she said flatly. “So I could watch you flirt with Jane in front of me?”

“What?” You recoiled, caught off guard. “Ellie, I wasn’t flirting—”

Ellie scoffed. “Right.”

You took a step closer, frustration creeping into your voice. “Look, I’m sorry she came onto me, but I wasn’t flirting. I didn’t even—”

Her voice cracked as she cut you off.

“You were a mistake.”

The words hit like a punch to the gut.

You froze.

A moment passed.

Then another.

And suddenly, you were tired. Tired of the back and forth, of guessing, of the constant shift between warmth and cold, between having her and losing her in the span of a breath.

Ellie had been awful to you for weeks, shutting you out without an explanation. And now she was saying this?

Your throat tightened and your eyes welled with tears, but you forced yourself to swallow them down.

“I’m not going to ask you again, Ellie,” you said, quieter now, your voice strained but firm. “What happened?”

Ellie let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. “You really don’t know?”

“No,” you said, desperate to understand. “I don’t.”

She clenched her jaw. Her hands curled into fists on her lap.

“I saw you two,” she muttered.

You frowned. “Me and Jane?”

Ellie’s eyes flashed, like even hearing it made her angrier.

“The way you looked at her,” she spat. “That day she was helping you fix your rifle. You ditched me to go see her.”

Your breath caught in your throat.

That?

That’s what this was about?

You shook your head, trying to piece it together. “Ellie, I—I didn’t ditch you. I didn’t even know—”

“Bullshit,” she snapped, standing up abruptly, her movements sharp, restless. “I saw it. I fucking saw it, Y/N.”

You flinched at the venom in her tone. “Saw what, exactly?”

Ellie exhaled sharply, running a hand through her hair like she was barely holding herself together. “The way you smiled at her. The way she smiled back. You looked so—so comfortable with her. Like it was easy.”

Your heart twisted.

“You think I wanted Jane?” you asked, voice soft.

Ellie’s jaw clenched. “Didn’t you?”

“No,” you said immediately, the weight of her accusation hitting you all at once. “Ellie, I didn’t.”

Ellie looked away, shaking her head. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Yes, it does,” you insisted. “Because you’ve been treating me like shit over something that isn’t even real.”

Ellie’s breath hitched.

She was unraveling, piece by piece.

She inhaled sharply through her nose. Her lips parted like she wanted to argue, but she hesitated.

And then—

Her face changed.

It was just for a second. A flicker.

Her eyes moved between yours, searching, like she was looking for something—some kind of proof that she was wrong. But beneath it, you saw everything.

Anger. Frustration.

Sadness.

Guilt.

It all crashed together in one fleeting expression before her face hardened again.

But it was too late. You had seen it.

Ellie let out a shaky breath, looking away.

“I was scared,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

You stared at her, heart pounding. “Scared of what?”

Ellie swallowed hard, her eyes glassy now.

“Scared of screwing this up,” she whispered. “Scared of losing you.”

You felt the anger in your chest waver, flickering between frustration and something else—something deeper, something raw. You had spent so long trying to figure out what you did wrong. Trying to understand why she had suddenly become so distant.

And all this time... she was scared?

Your voice was quiet, careful. "Then why did you push me away?"

Ellie’s lip trembled. Her fingers twitched at her side, as if she was holding back.

Her green eyes fixed onto yours, eyes glossy and tired. "I thought it would hurt less."

Your heart ached at her words, your chest tightening as you held back your tears.

You stared at her, at the way her shoulders hunched, at the way she dropped her gaze. You hadn't seen her like this in a long time.

Vulnerable.

Exposed.

"I know it's fucking stupid. I thought shutting you out, and- hurting you would help me get over you. That eventually I'd stop feeling all of this."

You swallowed hard, "And did you?"

Ellie blinks, confused.

"Get over me," you clarified.

She let out a slow shaky breath, "No. I never did."

Her words hung between you. The weight of everything-- weeks of tension, confusion, and aching silence-- pressed against you chest. You weren't sure what to say. You finally had you answer, but you hadn't expected this.

Ellie looked exhausted, she had been carrying this for far too long, her admittance draining every last bit of fight from her.

Jane-- all of this because of her.

You had seen her around Jackson, seen how she interacted with others. She was outgoing, friendly-- maybe even a little too friendly-- but you figured that was just who she was. When she offered to help you with your rifle, you hadn't thought twice about it.

Because to you, it had meant nothing. But, it meant everything to Ellie.

"Ellie, I never wanted Jane."

"I know." She lets out a self-deprecating laugh. "I know. But I still thought... what if you did? What if one day you realized you could have something - someone, easier?"

That caught you off guard, "Easier?"

She rubs her face before resting her hand on her neck. She rubs it slowly. Her voice is hoarse, "Yes. Someone who isn't a fucking mess. Someone who doesn't run away when they're hurt."

You had stepped forward without realizing, "If I wanted something easier, don't you think I would have walked away by now?"

Ellie drops her hand, eyes fluttering to the ground, "I don't know."

You were close enough to Ellie now, able to trace your fingertips on her hand. "Well I do. And, I want you. Even when you make it difficult or when you shut me out. But I need you to meet me halfway."

Ellie looked at you then-- really looked at you.

For the first time in weeks you could see her defenses faltering. Her throat bobbed as she swallowed. "I don't know how."

Your heart ached. She had spent so long running and convincing herself that real love was something meant for other people. Not her.

You took a slow, measured breath as your hand found hers. You could hear Ellie's breath hitch at the contact.

"Ellie.'

Her lips parted as she looked at you.

"Let me show you."

Silence stretched between you, thick and fragile, waiting for someone to break.

Then-- slowly and hesitantly-- Ellie squeezed your hand. "Okay."

You didn't press her for more. Not yet at least.

Because for the first time in weeks, there was something between you that hadn't been there before.

Hope.

And for now, that was enough.

[astheskycries]

Twisted Games- Break Down.

"If you're looking for mercy, you're in the wrong business, Sunshine..."

One of the main mechanics under Steve Rogers, Curtis focuses on building whatever is needed and not asking questions. Homeless until recruited by the Captain, his hard edges and silent loyalty are part of what make him one of the most trusted in the circle. So long as he's left alone and can focus on work, Curtis is content with the messier parts of life and remaining in the shadows.

Masterlist Buy Me a Coffee  

Thank you all so much for the support of this series! This time we're diving into Curtis, our favorite grump and seeing what unfolds for him. As always, please feel free to reblog and tell me what you think!

Curtis’ hand twists on the handle of his bike, easily speeding along as the engine purrs. Though his Harley isn’t the newest, the time he put into restoring it and making it run smoother than most market cycles was well worth the effort for him. New paint, new parts, and it rides like butter- who could ask for more?

Behind the helmet Curtis’ brows furrow, seeing a worn down old car off the road and a woman running back and forth around it. Out of reflex he slows down, seeing the woman going between the open drivers’ seat and the front where the hood is popped, though he can see the duct tape and parts held together by mere threads of hope and tape. He immediately pulls over beside her, kicking the stand and removing the helmet as he strolls over. “Everything ok?” He asks, voice gruff from a long day.

The woman turns, looking more than a little embarrassed as she smiles sweetly up at him. “Oh I’m fine, just a little problem with the thingy.”

Curtis feels his jaw twitch slightly, her optimism and clear naivety almost amusing- almost. “Care if I look?” At her nod he moves closer, starting to inspect under the hood. “This is… Creative.” Creative and dangerous- duct tape can only fix so much.

She laughs a bit, leaning over the side to see what he’s doing. “Well, we’re on a budget, and I need her to run until she falls apart- well, beyond what I can fix.” She glances at his face curiously. “What are you doing riding so late at night? It’s not safe.”

His lips curl in amusement, nearly smirking into his beard. “I could say the same about you.” He slowly straightens, taking time to observe her- bright sweater, worn jeans and boots that look like they’ve seen better days, yet she’s still smiling, still has a sparkle in her eyes that surprises him despite how rough her situation clearly is. “Where are you headed?”

“Just home,” She hums, studying him curiously as he tugs at the sleeves of her sweater. “I take it you can’t help?”

Curtis shakes his head, glancing back at the parts under the propped hood. “It’s the ignition, you’ll need to take it in to get it going again.”

She bites her hip, thinking as she looks over her car. “I guess I’ll leave it here until I can get it figured out…”

He frowns, noticing the piles of boxes and bags scatter in the back and trunk of the car. “I can call in some favors.” The words leave his lips before he can think, unsure where the thought came from but knowing he can’t leave someone like this.

She smiles, eyes sparkling as peers at him. “It’s ok, I can walk home and see who I can get it towed with.”

“Not a chance.” Curtis closes the hood of her car, making sure it latches closed.. “Give me a minute, I’ll drop you off and get this to the shop. I should be able to fix it quickly, I just don’t have the tools I need here.”

She tilts her head. “You’d do that?”

“I’m not leaving you here.” He sends Steve a quick text, knowing his boss would be able to handle it for him. “Come on, Sunshine, I have a helmet.”

She giggles, the sound stirring something in Curtis’ chest. “And what do I call you?”

He hums, smirking as he hands over a spare helmet. “Curtis.” He waits to make sure she has it secured, using the mic inside to speak. “Just tell me where to go and hold on tight.” He easily revs the engine, making sure she has what she needs before starting the drive, unable to help frowning more as the houses become smaller and more trashed, piles of garbage surrounding houses that look lucky to be standing. He finally arrives at a small trailer, slowing to a stop as he kicks the stand, helping her to her feet. “Here, let me give you a number. Just message me and I’ll get your car ready.”

She smiles, handing the helmet back and scribbling the number down on a paper. “Thank you, Curtis. Really.” She waves at him as she steps away, clearly expecting him to leave after dropping her off.

He doesn’t move, simply waiting and crossing his arms as he watches her clear struggle to go up to a building. "Something wrong?"

"No, no, just... Thinking a moment." She smiles, clearly not expecting him to wait for her to get safely inside.

Curtis hums. "You don't have a place to go, do you?"

She bites her lips, hesitating. "I do! Things are just a bit tight, that’s all."

Curtis sighs, rubbing a hand over his buzzed scalp before running a hand down his beard."Sunshine, I'm not comfortable leaving you on the street." He frowns, tilting his head as he watches her. "If you need a place to stay, I have a spare room at my place. It’s yours until you get on your feet."

She swallows, clearly taken aback by that. "You'd do that?" She asks softly, looking so vulnerable that it stirred something unrecognizable deep within his chest.

He says nothing, tilting his head for her to come closer. “Let’s get you safe, Sunshine.”

…

“The time table is set- we should be able to start work on the new factory next week, not including the new reinforcements on the vehicles.” Steve crosses his arms, the black sweater tugging tighter around his broad shoulders. “How’s the… other assignment going?”

August Walker hums, looking perfectly clean and polished in his suit, not a wrinkle in sight or hair out of face. “The target is… Difficult. He knows how to hide when he wants to, but Lloyd and I are better. We’ll get the White Wolf to meet.”

Steve hums, thinking as they pause by Frank Adler, the brunette wiping grease from his hands with a towel as he steps away from the vehicle. “Just keep him in line. This is a job, not a hunt.” When August nods and leaves Steve turns, waiting until the agent is out of earshot. “How’s Mary?”

Frank releases a breath, tossing the towel to the bench and putting his hands on his hips. “A pain in the ass, as usual.”

The boss chuckles, shaking his head with a smirk. “Glad to hear it.” His phone dings, immediately catching his attention as he reads the screen. “Curtis needs a tow.”

Frank grumbles a little, head falling back. “Damn it, Everett…”

“You of all people know how easy it is to find a stray,” He smirks, confirming it with his other mechanic.

“The strays I find are cats Mary refuses to give up on.” Frank sighs, now owning three of them. “I’m on my way, shouldn’t be too long to get it in the shop before we lock up.”

Steve nods, smirking when Frank’s phone goes off with the address. “Good. We’ll see what happened tomorrow, for now just leave when the car gets in.” He slowly walks away, mind working as he considers what’s coming next.

Tags:  @janeyboo  @mylittlefandomfanfictions  @palaiasaurus64  @averyrogers83  @guera31  @soulmates8  @coffeebooksandfandom  @sweater-daddiesdumbdork  @pegasusdragontiger  @mizzzpink  @onetwo3000  @see-you-again-my-sun-and-stars  @sleepylunarwolf  @wheresmyplums  @smoothdogsgirl  @marvelouslyme96  @esoltis280  @jtargaryen18  @k-evans-writes  @rainbowkisses31  @buchanansebba  @katiew1973  @patzammit  @time-for-a-lullaby @openup-yourmind

Twisted Games: @hangmanscoming @awkwardgiraffe726

[maskyartist]

Happy Death Day

startin to try n put my drabbles on here instead of just hoarding them on discord so here’s somethin I did for my RWBY Mafia AU awhile back. dont have read more since I’m on mobile so be warned for long text!

Tw for discussions of death/murder, hints of parental abuse, and general Mafioso stuff. This AU is meant to be dark so tread with caution

Also @bowl-of-shortness @zacs-of-rwby and my other rwby moots who’s names I currently forget THIS ONES FOR YALL >:D

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

A soft hum interrupting the silence of the office makes Qrow peer over at his boss.

It’s not uncommon for Qrow to make himself at home while Ozpin busies himself with paperwork and whatnot, but it’s not often for him to interrupt the quiet that overtakes the top of the clock tower. Usually it’s Qrow himself, or someone else charging into his office with news of a shootout or deals gone wrong or whatever else the big man needs to handle.

“Somethin’ up, boss?” Asks the hitman, prompting a gentle smile from his employer. Qrow’s been around long enough to see through each and every smile Ozpin wears. There’s no malice underneath this one, no anger or disappointment. Merely gentle joy.

“Ah, not exactly, just...” Ozpin finally looks at Qrow fully, golden eyes filled with soft nostalgia. “...today is the anniversary of my father’s death.”

You could hear a pin drop from a mile away with how quiet it got.

“Oh...” Qrow mutters, staring back at his boss.

He knew...some, of what happened to the late head of the Pine Family.

Ozymandias Pine was quite the powerful man, until he was murdered in cold blood in his office. Only a few days later, Ozpin was appointed head of the family, since he was the next in line. But not much word got out beyond that. No one knew who killed the man. But, even with that knowledge, Ozpin looked...content. Like a cat who caught the canary. A happy little smile on his face.

“Is that...good? Or bad?” Qrow asks, a tad out of his element. He taps on the back of his chair. “Sorry, boss, just kinda confused here.”

Ozpin chuckles, soft and sweet. You wouldn’t guess this man has more blood on his hands then Satan himself, not with the way his eyes crinkle as he smiles, and not with how he sounds when he’s like this. Content. Peaceful. Happy.

It’s disconcerting that he looks like this when he speaks of the death of his father.

He waves a hand at Qrow. “Ah, it’s quite alright. Today is a good day, Qrow.” Ozpin says, as calm as ever. Better that then to have him all riled up. He lays his chin in his palm. “Have I ever told you how my father died?” Peering over his glasses, golden eyes lock with wine-red, and Qrow shakes his head. Ozpin’s smile morphs into something...darker. And so utterly pleased.

Even his years with the tribe, seeing the amount of lengths people will go through to live, Qrow can safely say he’s never gotten used to that smile.

“My father called me right here.” Ozpin taps the desk. “Into his office. He trained me often, prepared me to take over the business, but I suppose today he got bored of me.” He rolls his eyes, amused. “He handed me a single knife and told me to defend myself, because only one of us will be leaving this office alive. Then, he charged at me.”

Qrow’s stomach tightens uncomfortably, while Ozpin pushes himself up from his lounging position to lean back in his chair. “He left himself wide open. For someone so high classed, he certainly got sloppy that day. Perhaps he was that eager to be rid of me.”

He hums. Preening like a house cat. Proud and smug.

“I stabbed him. Right in his cold, blackened heart.”

Fingers deftly run over the curved top of Long Memory’s handle. That smile just grows larger. “I didn’t need that knife. I stole his own weapon, and killed him with it. Right here in my office.”

A sigh. A disappointed one. “Though, I will admit, it’s quite saddening that I wasn’t prepared enough to stop him from leaving me lame. He broke my femur, shattered it.”

A gentle hand lays on his injured thigh. “I wasn’t supposed to walk after that. My guess is that he wished to leave a lasting impact during his final moments. But...”

Ozpin stands from his chair, clutching the cane tight as he leans his weight onto it.

Lame...so that’s how Ozpin became this way.

Still, he’s standing. He’s walking, moving around the desk to stand in front as he looks at Qrow with a proud smile.

“With such a weak grip? It’s really no wonder he died so easily!”

And he laughs.

He laughs as if this were normal.

As if this was fine.

As if Qrow learning that he had killed his very own father with his bare hands at such a young age was...was okay.

It’s unsettling, because Ozpin’s laugh is anything but happy, but his smile says otherwise. Qrow should know. He can read his boss best, after all.

Thankfully, Ozpin doesn’t continue with his maniacs, as his laughing dies down to a gentle chuckle. Less deranged and more like himself. “He was a weak man. I did him a favor.”

Then, he pushes himself from his desk to stand right in front of Qrow, the man leaning back in his chair as his boss approaches.

A gloved hand, white and pristine, never needing to work a day in its life, gently cups his scruffy cheek as Ozpin offers him a warm smile.

“Like I said before, today is a day for happiness. No longer will that man be in charge of this business or my life, and no longer will I be harmed. It’s as simple as that.” He practically purrs as he pats Qrow’s cheek. “But it is very sweet of you to worry about me, darling.”

Qrow leans into the touch. “I’m always worried about you, Oz.”

“I know.”

Ah. There it is. That rare expression. Gentle eyes and soft smiles. Ozpin makes himself comfortable atop Qrow’s lap, easily wrapping his arms around his lover.

“I love your loyalty almost as much as I love you~”

Qrow will never know how he appealed to Ozpin like this. He felt nothing for no one. But…maybe he doesn’t need to know.

Maybe he doesn’t want to know.

Ignorance is bliss, after all.

[bisclavret]

cannot stop thinking about these lines and their respective expressions. merlin "cracking" what matters to gwaine the most and trying to tempt him with it. gwaine looking compelled but wary, almost betrayed? and later that same episode when gwaine retaliates by "cracking" merlin's deal he does so in a way that validates merlin instead of judging him (as this is more about gwaine seeing how much merlin loves arthur than anything else), leaving merlin speechless and cautiously elated. in both their reactions there's the vulnerability of "oh fuck i've been perceived" and being generally caught off-guard, but there's also an undercurrent of "why are you saying this? because you mean it? because you think it's what i want to hear? because you want to show me you've figured me out? all of the above?" a sort of mutual intrigue..... the mortifying ordeal of it all

[cosmic-walkers]

I think the best way I could describe this episode is 'fear'. The absolute fear that Thomas feels after Jane's death when reality begins to weigh on him. The complete devastation in his eyes when Mary told him that Stephen had returned, the way that his relationship around Henry is different. Henry isn't a friend to him, he's a dangerous person, but now he realizes he's stuck. The way he accidentally let it slip that he would retaliate against Henry, in front of Risley, and the cold fear that we see in his face.

Thomas is genuinely terrified. I don't think he believes death, is looming in the air, but he knows that something is going to happen. And i mean, the fear he is feeling was enough to get him sick, and nearly die. It brought back his Italian fever but this time, it was worse, much much worse.

He can't even talk straight, he can't walk straight, he can't think. Thomas, a man who has been nothing but brave and resilient his whole life is finally being broken down, and finally succumbing to fear. Which is something he truly, truly, never thought he'd be able to feel fully.

What did Anne say in the first season, "Fear can unmake a man" , and well...it's happening.

[crimsonxe]

At this point they need to make a good will bridge to those that they stabbed in the back (and idgaf if you, no this isn't just from this post its from looking at your entire set of Pricefield posts hoping to get context to not be pissed off; but here we are). Especially with Michel of Dontnod aka the true canon makers in regards to Max and Chloe having stated that Pricefield would never break up; thus bringing Chloe back going to re-aligning the DE AU branch with the main canon.

"unforeseen reason", dumbass its called a connection, chemistry, and having gone through shit that fire-forges a bond. Also fuck off with this "losing Chloe leads to growth beyond the past"; reconnecting with Chloe can just as fucking easily deliver ACCEPTING the past, dealing with & healing from her trauma, and finally finding herself in the position of being ready to step forward WITH Chloe. It would be a matter of ACCEPTANCE & HEALING to move forward with the one that's always had her fucking back. The notion that she should just drop Chloe and "move on" is utterly fucking disgusting and very damn much biased, but I'll get to that. You clearly like Decknine don't have a damn clue about the characters, which is rich since in other posts of yours you try to frame Pricefielders as the ones wrong about them. Probably even defend the character assassination done to both Max and Chloe in DE. Hell your bitch ass just nonchalantly saying to kick a 10+ years old fucking iconic LGBT+ ship that has been said would NEVER break up by the true canon makers; that went through hell for each other including Max literally breaking time itself for Chloe; that has unmatched chemistry to the side says plenty about your very biased view.

No, its very much bias and if anything having Chloe there amps the potential storyline due to her & Chloe's relationship in this Decknine AU branch. Having Safi pulling on strings between Chloe and Max, that forces them to reconnect = great "villain" styling. While Safi is definitely better than Amanda (she at least has some damn sharp edge to her), she is NOTHING in comparison to Chloe.

Oh so your dumbass is fine with her being attached at the hip to Amanda/Vinh (the chemistry-less lipstick lesbian and the Nathan Prescott cleaned up preppy asshat); or Safi the seeming villain that at least does have some chemistry with Max just utterly lacking against Chloe. I also find it fucking hilarious how you literally throw open the door to all 3 of them, but won't offer a 4th option. But clearly your ass isn't biased, right?

This is pulling a later post into this which has to do how Pricefielders only focus on Chloe and take issue with DE cause of no Chloe vs. BtS that has her w/ Rachel. As someone that very much enjoys BtS, ships AmberPrice, Pricefield, and Amberpricefield (which the LiS multiverse thankfully allows all to exist) I can say that DE character assassinates the fuck out of Max and Chloe. I can also say that you're a fucking moron to think that LiS1 doesn't revolve around Pricefield and instead is about "violence against women"; that's an element within but isn't at the core of the damn game. I can say that Amanda (lipstick fucking lesbian) and Vinh (fucking Nathan cleaned up ass) are utterly fucking lacking, which makes the forced character assassination done to open the door for them that much fucking worse. Chloe wouldn't up and leave Max, because as of the halfway point of LiS Max had entered her walls and that locks her in, she also wouldn't make fucking threesome comments about a rando or other guy; Max wouldn't just give up on her relationship with Chloe, wouldn't be thirsting after every person, sure af wouldn't even in her journal use Rachel as a barb against Chloe, wouldn't be into a Nathan Prescott type, and several other details (punching Alderman, siding with Safi). That's not even going into outside of them details that DE utterly fucked up. Personally I'd want them to reveal that DE is just an AU branch within the multiverse by having its Max run across the actual main canon branch that has GREEN-haired Chloe and her Max living together happily as DontNod set up for Bae route people in LiS2; while also repairing her own relationship with her Chloe leading to a choice in the end. Unlike you I'd even say that in that choice there'd be 5 options: Vinh, Amanda, Safi, Chloe, and alone.

Clearly your ass is in the minority camp of things, especially considering the disdain towards DE that goes beyond just Pricefield. Hopefully the shake up in regards to the creative team brings in people that actually know the characters to try to fix the garbage fire that DE is currently. I'd beg them to bring in Emma Vieceli that handled the comics, which did everything DE attempted to do BETTER and before it; including respecting DontNod and their damn canon.

this is probably going to be EXTREMELY controversial so i dont expect ANYONE to agree (please dont hate me 🙏🙏🙏‼️‼️‼️) but i REALLY DONT WNAT CHLOE BACK IN DE2. I HAVE REASONS!!!!!!!!

1. i think that it'll be viewed as a cash grab and like pricefield / chloe fans r never happy sooooo

2. if chloe and max were to get back together for some unforeseen reason i think that woukd ruin max's potential growth in de2 in my opinion. like i PERSONALLY think that her 'losing' chloe should help her move on from the past and should be portrayed as something that can help her move forward instead of dwelling on what could have been (as taylor swift once said, everything you lose is a step you take 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️)

3. i think she'd be so out of place and id rather have de2 focus on max and safi's relationship and this highkey sounds lkke bias because of my fixation but i PROMISE YOU its not.. mostly...

4. i think that max should grow by herself i really dont think she needs to be attached to chloe by the fucking hip.. like i would be so fucking ecstatic if you got to be with amanda/vinh/safi at the end of de2 but i think the most realistic ending would be for her to be by herself, not FOREVER, but for a good amount of time for her to be secure with being by herself because i personally think max is extremely codependent with chloe.. if .. that makes sense

[randomtheidiot]

Shoutout to Rebecca Colton from Amanda The Adventurer for being a murder victim in a mascot horror game that’s actually a character with a personality, thoughts and feelings.

[greyedian]

MAN I'm seriously so sad about season 2. Bc I wish act 2 had the same emotional impact on me as it appears to have on so many others. But rn I'm just somewhere between unable to care and actively annoyed by some of those writing decisions. Seriously the more I think about it the less I like it.

[smimon]

Giant K series #14: you can always count on Jesse 🧡

Okay this episode is a bit different so the text part goes in the beginning! Fair warning that this story is not comedic but very emotional, however with a hopeful conclusion 😊

Change of tone! Today we cry 🤧

[lunar-wandering]

thinking about the time when i was like, 16, and i lost my mind entirely and made characters based on the ENTIRE ALPHABET and then put them in a school life story together-

[orangedagger]

sword af season 2 being sound only is lowkey killing me because english isn't my first language and i rely a lot on watching people's mouth move to understand what they are saying....... i'm also very confused as to why they are not uploading it to their podcast channel even if it doesn't have a video? idk it feels kind of weird that it's kind of not attached to any smosh channel?? like i understand it's still smosh because they shared it in their community tab but it feels weird that i have to get out of youtube to listen to it?? idk i know they kind of gave up on it because it wasn't getting as many views and they made it a podcast to still make us happy but i cant help but be a little disappointed

[fandomsandassortedgoods]

bro I feel SO bad for him

ouch

[slashernipples]

In me heart, Killer Frequency has like, 8 movies, 2 failed reboots, and a tv miniseries.

[unnonexistence]

just started reading book 3 in this series and page 1 is taking no prisoners hgdshdslk

[lesbianlenas]

i was just in a bookstore & as i have said before i always look for horror novels written by women & they actually had a bigger selection of women authors than usual & i also noticed that there were several books written by women abt a lesbian main character……thank u for my life to those women ❤️