#it’s so funny to me that the villagers always accept gift even if they don’t like it
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stripeinouterspace · 2 days ago
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STARDEW COMIC!! ft my farmer
find me on tiktok aswell ^__^
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badnikbreaker · 2 years ago
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@spiinsparks​ a nightmare : “How do you sleep at night? Knowing you could have done MORE?”     /     accepting.
Robots don’t really have to sleep — not in the traditional sense, anyway.  It’s not the same as it is for living creatures, or it shouldn’t be.  Belle needs to recharge sometimes / be plugged in or sit with her solar panels in the sun for a bit, otherwise the machinery fails.  Her father is — was, was, was — a genius, but she’s still mechanical.
Her father was a genius, and he loved humanity so much.  Maybe that’s why she’s closer to something organic.  Maybe that’s why, when she’s recharging, not - quite - conscious, she can sleep — and she can dream.  A kind of gift to her, the daughter he loved so much, the daughter he was so proud of.  The daughter he wanted so badly to have a chance to be happy.
It’s not a happy dream — not this time.  She feels trapped, cornered in a kaleidoscope of lights and colours, visions from the corners of her eyes — her father, then Eggman, then Tails, Amy, Sonic.  Jewel, Tangle, any of the residents of the village she’d once called home, Metal Sonic.  They disappear when she turns to face them, eyes wide and lips parted, only to manifest again from the edges of her vision.  The voice is fragmented, seems to come from all and none of them — “How do you —” Tails and Amy and one of the village children who called her a monster start, “— sleep at night?” and it fades into Jewel and Tangle and her father.
“Stop it!” she shouts, hands grabbing at her hair, eyes squeezing shut; she curls in on herself, feels tears pressing at her eyes as she kneels.  As you always do in dreams, she knows where this ends, how the story goes. 
It’s not as if she didn’t try!!  SHE TRIED SO HARD, to find her father, to bring him back.  It wasn’t her fault he was taken, it wasn’t her fault he’s gone — as sure as he’s dead.  DOES THAT MEAN SHE LET HER FATHER DIE?  “Leave me alone!”
—— It’s silent.  The voice ceases, something cavernous and vaguely echoing replacing it.  Her eyes dare to open, and — there stands Sonic, expression unreadable.  Pitying, maybe.  Her eyes widen further.  “Knowing you could have done MORE?”
Dreaming was a gift, but she comes to with a scream trapped in her throat.
She barely processes that she’s out of the dream, even once she’s up and someone has pulled the charging wires out of her skull.  Where is she?  Tails’ workshop — she was staying in Tails’ workshop.  Tails is at her shoulder, speaking, but she can’t parse the words, and she’s not looking at him.  She inhales raggedly, processing — finally — that the Sonic kneeling in front of where she sits, expression concerned and kind, is not the same Sonic from her dream.
She inhales again, as slow as she can manage it / she realizes she’s hyperventilating when it takes her a few labored breaths to manage to slow them.  She feels tears tracking down her cheeks.  It’s funny, that she can cry — that she can dream ——— she crumples further at the thought :
Another gift, from her kind, kind father.
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empyreanwritings · 3 years ago
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Damsel
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Pairing: Princess!Wanda Maximoff x Warrior!Reader
Word Count: 4.2k
Summary: Princess Wanda knew only two things were certain in her life: her father would never allow her to see past the palace walls, and you would have killed anyone to keep her safe (Based off of Yona of the Dawn).
Warnings: Language, violence, mentions of blood and wounds, written like an anime (this makes sense if you've seen it), minor angst, yearning, suggestive content
A/N: Today is @missmonsters2 's birthday, and so I am fulfilling a request she made as birthday gift bc she is the love of my life and deserves nothing less! This ends slightly open-ended but that's bc I may turn it into a series if enough people were interested, so feedback will keep me going ;) <3
Dividers by firefly-graphics
Wanda watched you from her balcony as you trained with Steve. It had been many years since the land had seen war, but you and the other knights trained every day as if battle loomed on the horizon. Your swords met with a resounding ‘clang!’ and she gaped in awe as you pressed your blades closer to Steve’s chest, an ever-growing smirk resting on your lips.
You were somehow much stronger than Steve, who was at least ten years your senior. Rumors spread across the palace that you were descended from gods, but no one but the servants truly believed that. Everyone else knew your village bred warriors - The Valkyries - and you were no exception to their greatness.
“Princess! Get off of that balcony, you know you shouldn’t be watching them train!”
Wanda sighed. After losing her brother and mother in a raid, her father grew more protective. Every move she made was monitored by at least one palace guard; she wasn’t allowed to partake in anything deemed “aggressive”, and she could never step foot outside the palace gates. Her father believed this to be acceptable since the palace grounds were large enough to sustain a small village if needed, but it only made Wanda feel stifled.
Her father pulled her away from the ledge and firmly shut the doors. The curtains flapped violently at the impact, but they didn’t seem to faze his highness. He only cared about pulling Wanda away from the sight of faux violence.
“They were only training, papa,” she whined. “I don’t understand why you assigned Valkyrie as my guard if you never want me to witness her train.”
“Her protecting you has nothing to do with watching her train,” he replied with such a finality there was no room to argue. “Now, please, go with Natalia to the bathhouse. We must get ready for tonight’s festivities.”
Ah, yes. The Firelight Festival.
Every year the king hosted the Firelight Festival at the palace to bring the surrounding villages together. The meaning behind it had been told to Wanda when she was young, but she pushed that out of her mind a long time ago. She only cared about the festival now because it meant she’d have alone time with you. It was the only time her father let her enjoy the festivities without whisking her away back to her room for the evening.
They call me a sheltered princess, she thought as Nat escorted her to the bathhouse. Perhaps they are right. Will I…will I ever be anything more?
She caught a glimpse of you sheathing your sword, laughing along to whatever excuse Steve was coming up with for losing, and frowned. Will I ever be worthy of your attention, my Valkyrie?
“Would you like me to bring you tea?” Nat asked, helping her strip out of her dress before guiding her into the opaque water.
Wanda shook her head and sunk into the water until only her face could be seen. “Just leave me, please.”
“As you wish, Princess.”
Princess.
Why did that nickname always feel wrong coming from everyone else but you? When Wanda first met you, she insisted you only refer to her as Princess because she saw you as nothing more than a servant. The defiant way she stuck out her chin as she said this made you laugh until you doubled over, which only fueled Wanda’s frustration. There had been nothing funny about her request! Yet you continued to laugh until you wiped a stray tear from your eye.
“Okay, Princess, I’ll do whatever it is you ask of me.”
Her cheeks flushed at the memory. Something about the way you said it made her insides curl until she felt nothing but her nerves buzzing inside of her. Now every time the title left your lips, it felt as if you were teasing her and admiring her all at the same moment. It was confusing.
“Are you trying to drown yourself?”
Wanda jolted at the sound of your voice, sending a wave of water towards the edge of the bath with her arm. Water licked at your boots, but you didn’t flinch. She brushed the wet bangs back from her eyes and found you crouched at the edge. The smile on your face didn’t falter, even as she shrieked at you that she was indecent and you shouldn’t have been in the room.
You tilted your head to the side. “Does the princess not wish for me to see her naked?”
“I-”
“Because I promise I would never do anything to defile your reputation.” Your eyes never dropped, but she could somehow feel the burn of your gaze across her entire body. “Unless you asked me to.”
WHY WOULD YOU SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT?!
A drop above her upper lip pulled her out of her thoughts. She gently touched her face and nearly groaned at the sight of blood on her fingertips. Now you were giving her a nosebleed with your filthy words. Disgusting.
The sight seemed to worry you enough that the smile Wanda loved so much dropped from your face. “Princess - do you need me to fetch a doctor?”
“No!” She crossed her arms over her bare chest and turned away from you. “I do not need a doctor, thank you very much. And I do not need you ogling me! Please leave before I poke your eyes out, you barbarian.”
You snorted. “Barbarian, huh? I guess that’s an upgrade from servant.”
She pressed her lips into a tight line. She refused to smile at your comment because she hated when you made her feel this way. It was as if you did it on purpose! Constantly trying to get a rise out of her, just because you could, at the expense of her feelings. She accepted long ago that you would never return her love, but you didn’t always have to make it seem like this was untrue.
“I’ll leave you be, Princess,” you laughed. “Will I still see you at the Firelight Festival?”
“Obviously,” she grumbled, still refusing to turn around and look at you. “Do not be late when you come to fetch me. The fire flakes are always tastier when they are fresh.”
You agreed and promised to fetch her just before the festivities began, so you could be the first in line, before taking your leave. The door creaked as it opened and shut, and she finally let her arms drop when she heard it click. You were such a mystery to her.
Do you mean the things you say, Valkyrie?
Or is it nothing more than your warrior charm trying to squeeze its way around my heart?
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As promised, you arrived ten minutes before the festival began to escort Wanda to the food stalls. Fire flakes were a staple for the festival, but merchants from all over the kingdom came to give the people a sample of their delicacies. The smell of cooked boar wafting through the air made her mouth water. She had never been allowed to try boar - her father claimed it was meat for peasants - but she always wondered if it tasted as good as it smelled.
You bent slightly to meet Wanda’s gaze and gestured to the corner of her mouth. “You know, it’s not sexy when you drool like.”
She screeched, slapping her hand over her mouth so you could no longer see the unsightly spit pooling on her chin. “I wasn’t trying to be sexy, you pigheaded brute! I was just admiring the smells and realized how hungry I was.”
Your lips lifted slightly. Of course, you weren’t affected by her insult. Somehow, you always seemed more energetic whenever she threw insults your way.
You leaned back into a standing position, hands resting on your hips as you glanced back at the stall with the boar. You sucked at your teeth. His Highness would kill you if he knew you wanted to buy her something other than fire flakes and candy, but…Wanda’s eyes were wide with curiosity when she watched the chef slice into the meat. She had been so sheltered that anything excited her lately. And she looked so damn cute when she had that look on her face.
Wanda looked over at you and saw your fingers clutching your shirt just over the left side of your chest. You didn’t say anything, but the look on your face was one of pain.
“Are you…okay?” She reached up to grab onto your fingers, which only made you tighten your grip on your shirt.
You looked down at her delicate hand then back up to her concerned gaze. “I think I’m having a heart attack.”
“Well, I insist you suck it up,” she declared after a beat. “You are not allowed to die, especially during my favorite festival. I forbid it.”
“You forbid it?”
“Yes. If you dare try to defy me, I will have no choice but to make you spend the next month chained to Sir James.”
You deadpanned. Sir James was not a native to your kingdom, but he was an ally to the palace. He spent most of his time shamelessly flirting with Wanda whenever he visited, and you always felt like cutting off his hands whenever he got a little too close.
“I will not die tonight, Princess,” you relented. “I’d hate to make you sad on the night of your favorite festival.”
“Thank you-”
“Because Gaia knows you don’t need any more wrinkles on your forehead.”
Wanda gasped and shoved two fingers into your side repeatedly, purposefully aiming for the soft spot just under your rib cage where it would hurt the most. “You. Take. That. Back! I do not have wrinkles!”
“Is everything okay, Princess Wanda?” Steve clapped a hand on your shoulder and pulled you back from her brutal assaults. “Do you need me to take over as escort for the evening?”
You nudged his side with your elbow. “She’s fine. We’re just about to go find our seats for the storytelling.”
“You shouldn’t tease the princess so much,” Steve scolded you. “She’s fragile.”
“She’s not fragile,” you countered. “You’re just overprotective of her.”
Wanda raised a finger to speak. “I’m right here-”
“If her father found out you were teasing her, he would force you to clean out the stables for a week.”
“Horse shit isn’t exactly worse than hearing Princess Wanda whine how stuffy her room is.”
She moved to smack your shoulder, but you dodged the blow just in time. “I do not whine! Gods, you’re insufferable. Can we please go sit now?”
You shrugged out of Steve’s hold, ignoring the way he grumbled about not being invited to sit with either of you, and directed her to walk forward. You liked Steve; he was your oldest friend, and he was a good captain to follow. But you didn’t want him butting into your time with Wanda.
The villagers gathered around the giant bonfire every year to hear the story of the first Firelight Festival. How it signaled the end of the brutal winter season and brought the people of this kingdom together now that the snow had melted back into the ground. Wanda always found herself bored listening to the same story every year, but it kept her out of her room longer, so she always insisted on attending.
You found a spot far enough from the crowd to feel comfortable but still close enough to hear the story. Her father would have dragged her back inside had she been seen any farther than this. You let Wanda get comfortable in her spot first before sitting next to her. She enjoyed the way your arm pressed against hers as you sat, and she feared if she moved even an inch, she would lose that comfort.
“Do you think father will ever let me see outside this palace?” She asked once she finally gave up on trying to listen to the story.
“Hm?” You looked down at her, brows furrowed and lip slightly down. “Do you even want to see outside the palace?”
“Some days I don’t think so.” She rested her chin on top of her knees and let herself lean more into your arm. She missed the way you adjusted just to let her be more comfortable against your side. “But there are days when I grow tired of doing the same thing and hearing the same people whisper about me.”
“Do you want me to kill them?”
You probably would kill them if I asked, wouldn’t you? Such a brute.
“No. I just think I want to see the outside world, even if it’s only the surrounding villages. They’re all so different, and I want to know what I’m missing.”
You stared out at the bonfire quietly. A look Wanda couldn’t decipher flashed across your face, but she didn’t have time to ask you what was wrong before you were speaking again.
“If you ordered me to take you outside of the palace, I would,” you murmured. “I would defy your father if that is what you wished, Princess.”
If you don’t stop talking to me like that, I’m going to fall in love with you!
Or get another nosebleed…
She hid her face against her knees this time and whined. You coughed to hide the fact you were smirking at her, but she didn’t need to look up to know that you were. You were so smug sometimes, it drove her crazy.
Someone screamed from across the courtyard, and your moment with Wanda was ruined. You jumped up, unsheathing your sword with one hand and pulling Wanda up with the other.
The screams grew louder, and the people started to grow restless. They shoved their way past you and Wanda to try and get a peek at who was causing the commotion. You knew if you didn’t move now, you were going to be trampled, especially when people saw whatever the source of distress was. You only took a moment to look for a clearing before you were tucking Wanda against your side and guiding her back towards a secure room.
“Stay here until I come to get you,” you ordered her. “Do not open this door for anyone but me, do you understand?”
“What about Steve?” She looked up at you with so much love and trust, you nearly keeled over right there, but you shook your head.
You trusted Steve with your life, but you trusted no one with Wanda’s except yourself.
You cupped her cheek, gently tilting her head so she kept her eyes on you. “Only open this door for me, Princess. I will return soon.”
Dread filled her chest as she watched you secure the door behind you. She wanted to run to the window and watch you until you made it to the source of distress, but she knew what you would say if you caught her.
“Why would you run to the window? What if bandits showed up and were specifically looking for you? You could have gotten hurt!”
She squeezed at her fingers in the hope it would distract her from her worry. You spent your life concerned with Wanda’s safety, but who was concerned for you? You would die for the princess, but would you live for her if she ordered you to?
A crash came from the distance, and screams surrounded the room she hid in. Heavy footsteps sounded like rumbles of thunder as people ran from the palace courtyard to the safety beyond the gates. Wanda had never witnessed a battle, but she assumed this is what one sounded like. She wondered if anyone was fighting - if she would soon smell the blood-soaked earth coming from the outside.
The doorknob rattled, and a hand hit the door, making Wanda jump.
“Princess Wanda, are you there?” It’s Steve. “Princess, if you can hear me, we need to leave now! Open the door, and I will help you.”
She stared at the door. Blood rushed through her ears, muffling all of the screams and conflict beyond the safety of the room. Only open this door for me, Princess. You made it clear that she could not open the door, even for Steve. Steve was a mentor to you, but you didn’t trust him enough with her life. Could she disregard your words and open the door for Steve in hopes of escaping sooner?
Steve cursed and hit the door again. He screamed at her to open it before the situation escalated, but her feet remained frozen in their spot. She refused to betray you. If you said you would return for her, she knew that you would. No matter of man or beast would keep you from fulfilling that promise.
Wanda sat on the floor, moving slowly to ensure she didn’t make a sound. It was better if Steve did not know she was in the room because, despite your words, she still hated to hurt Steve’s feelings. He was only trying to keep her safe too.
Time moved slower the longer she sat in that room. The struggle outside never quieted, and the longer you took to return, the more she worried you were injured.
What will I do without my Valkyrie?
Can I survive without someone holding my hand?
She didn’t have time to ponder on it further when you burst through the door. The sight of you made her gasp. You were covered in blood and sweat; the soft eyes she fell in love with all those years ago were steel as you looked at her. She finally caught a glimpse of who you were really. The Valkyrie many men dreaded on the battlefield.
Despite knowing you could hold your own, she found herself running to you and insisting on checking for wounds.
“I’m fine,” you insisted with a gentle nudge to keep her from undressing you there. “We don’t have time to assess the damage, we need to go.”
“Go? Go where?”
“Your lady in waiting is dead. There was an assassination attempt on your father, and she stopped it.”
Wanda’s bottom lip trembled. “N-natalia?”
“The other guards managed to get your father out and are on the way to the northern fort to regroup. We need to leave now.”
Why were you speaking to her so coldly? Was it to keep yourself together after losing a dear friend? Or were you so concerned with getting Wanda out to safety that you didn’t realize how plainly you spoke to her? There was something you weren’t telling her, and she needed to know what it was.
You grabbed her hand to guide her out of the room, but she stayed firmly planted in her spot. You began to argue with her - yell that you didn’t have time to sit there and chat. There had been no way of telling how long they had before reinforcements showed up, and you weren’t going to waste time with her life in the balance. She knew that. But she still needed to know the truth.
“I will go with you wherever you choose to take me,” she whispered, keeping her grip tight on your hand. “But tell me, who is responsible for this?”
“Tch! We don’t have time for this, Princess!” You moved to pull her again, but she fought back.
“Just tell me! I can handle it!”
Your jaw clenched. The words you forced between your teeth made Wanda finally lose all of the strong resolve she had. “It was Steve.”
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The silence between you and Wanda as you escaped the palace had not been uncomfortable at first. She understood your main focus was keeping her safe, and you followed through with such ease. You cut down soldiers who even looked at Wanda suspiciously. Not a scratch landed on her because you worked so hard to keep her safe until you could no longer hear the chaos from the palace grounds.
But the farther you walked, the harder it was to ignore the silence. Too much happened in the last few hours. Her thoughts raced with all of the new information, but most importantly, she wanted to know where you two would go from here.
And if Steve were still alive.
Would you kill your oldest friend if it meant keeping me safe?
“There’s a small cave just a few paces from here,” you gestured deeper into the woods with your sword. “It’s close enough to the river that we’ll have clean water to sustain us for the night. We’ll continue in the morning.”
Wanda did not speak until you reached the cave. Even then, she found it hard to gather the courage to ask why Steve would do such a thing or how many people died at the hands of his men. She wrapped her arms around herself in hopes it would stop the trembling, but it was useless. The fear she tried so hard to stomp down finally crawled its way back out.
You stood at the entrance of the cave, back turned to Wanda so you could observe your surroundings. No one followed you, but you could never be too sure.
Moonlight glowed around your body, and Wanda had never seen you look more like an angel of war until this very moment. It should have terrified her. But the shiver that moved down her spine as she looked at you wasn’t from the sight of you. At least, until she realized you were purposefully favoring your left side to conceal a wound on your abdomen.
“You’re hurt!”
She rushed to your side to get a look at the wound. You attempted to turn away from her to hide it, but she tugged at your arm to prevent it. The little princess was strong when she wanted to be. You let her guide you to the ground, despite knowing she knew nothing about tending wounds. If it comforted her to feel useful in a time like this, who were you to deny her?
The wound was deep but not the worst you’ve ever had. When she pulled your shirt away to get a better look at it, you flinched. The fabric peeling away from the exposed flesh felt like getting slashed all over again. She apologized but continued. The best thing she could do was wash it with whatever water she had leftover and wrap it. It wouldn’t help much - and if you broke out into a fever the next day, she wouldn’t know what to do - but it was something.
“Was it Steve?” She asked while she tried to tear some of the fabric from the bottom of her dress. Neither of you had any bandages, but she hoped it would work if she ever managed to tear through it.
Why am I not strong like you, Valkyrie?! Why can I not help you when you need it?
You placed your hands on hers to stop her. “That is your favorite dress. You shouldn’t ruin it for me, Princess.”
“If we don’t dress the wound, it could get infected.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“I am not risking your life over a pretty dress!” She shouted. Your eyes grew wide, but she refused to apologize for her outburst. “Please rip it for me, so I may tend to your wounds now.”
You complied if only to avoid hearing her yell like that again. The last thing you wanted was to add to her growing list of worries.
“You didn’t answer my question,” she reminded you.
You rested your head back against the stone wall and sighed. “Would it bring you peace knowing?”
“No.” But I want to know who would be so cruel enough to try to take away those I love most in this world. “I suppose that gives me my answer. Are you taking me to the northern fort in the morning?”
“No. Steve was unsuccessful in his coup, which means he will go after you and your father again,” you replied. “I will not bring you there until I know we have what it takes to defeat him when he shows his face again.”
The way your expression darkened at the mention of Steve made Wanda’s stomach twist. Steve didn’t just betray the royal family - he betrayed you. He tried to kill you. Wanda knew you didn’t care about your life as much as you cared for hers, but it didn’t lessen the feelings of betrayal.
“Where will we go?”
“Across the kingdom to gather allies. When Steve strikes again, he will use every person he has at his disposal, and we need to be ready.” You finally looked down at her and gently took her hand, cradling it to your chest. “Do you trust me to keep you safe?”
She smiled warmly despite the tears still gathering in her eyes. “With my life.”
“Good because I don’t plan on traveling the kingdom without you by my side. It’s the only way I know you’ll be safe.”
You wrapped your arm around her shoulders and pulled her against you. You placed a kiss on her temple before resting your chin on top of your head. The exhaustion must have finally caught up to you because you fell asleep not long after that. Wanda wished she could fall asleep as quickly, but she took the time she was awake to enjoy being in your hold.
I don’t know who these allies are, but if it means finally seeing the world with you, I will go anywhere Valkyrie.
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imlovewithpixels · 3 years ago
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Our little cousin Pt. 1 ( Encanto Imaginas- ENG)
- Reader x Isabela, Dolores and Luisa (Platonic)
Where you're Bruno's daughter.
reader is 3 years younger the Mirabel and her gift is hipnosis.
(( Remember that my request are OPEN - Spanish or English, please ASK ME ANYTHING, tALK TO ME ))
Also, If you like my work, check out my Encanto Masterlist. <3
- This is my first work in English, please be nice if I had any grammatical errors.
This is the second part of this Spanish Imagine.
....
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You were the youngest Madrigal (before Antonio's birth) and that means that all your cousins are protective of you.
Even if you are quiet and shy, and preferred to follow the steps of your Mama Alma and your aunts.
They love you in their way, and you love them too.
Isabela Madrigal
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Being little miss perfect is a really hard job for Isabella. When she could be fooling around with Dolores or laying in the grass and have her dress full of dirt, or just keep reading books about Botanics and all types of plants apart from flowers.
She’s always looking at you. Seeing you follow Abuela like a duckling, always nodding to her, always happy when you are praised. You kinda remind her of herself.
And you admire her, how pretty she is and how elegant and delicate her moves are. She makes mama Alma proud, so you tried to imitate her. But your shyness and insecurities always play against you. Making you look tense and about to cry in important events.
Isabela is the one who comforts you cause you don’t want to bother the adults.
She’ll carry you or take your hand. You’ll play with the laces of her dress to avoid any visual contact, and just let your nose be filled with the scent of lavender.
Both of you have a silent agreement to always help each other. When Alma commands Isabela something that she does not want to do, you would try to distract Alma and make puppy eyes to her. Saying that Isa promised a playdate with you or something like that.
You are her sweetheart, and her weak point, so she will accept.
Isabela, in payment for your kindness, will have no problem with actually having a playdate with you. Spoiling you a little bit (thanks to the gifts that the men of the town send her) or having a little picnic near to the crops.
Isabela talks a lot with you to compensate for your usual silence. Eventually, she will tell you her worries and that she doesn’t want you to be like her.
She wants to see you living your own life, free, happy, and confident.
You just look at her with shiny eyes and hug her every time that you can.
Growing out, the two of you became the face of the family, and secretly besties. You hypnotize Mariano every time that he and Isa have a date, and end up hanging out together while the young Guzman stays away, thinking that he is kissing your cousin.
When Alma said that the two would marry, you were really angry. And even if you love your grandma, you tried to talk with her and said that Isa is mature enough to decide when she wants to marry. and with who.
But Alma was stubborn, she thought that Isa will be happy with the decision and got angry with you, calling you selfish.
You hate upset people, especially your dear Mama Alma, but your desire to protect Isabela almost makes you hypnotize your grandma. It was Dolores who interrupt the two of you and drag along Isa to calm you down.
Isa hug you tightly and told you that everything was ok.
It was not. But in her arms, sometimes it would feel like it.
Dolores Madrigal
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You would not say that you have a favorite cousin.
But Dolores was your favorite from a young age.
When you were a baby, Bruno will always leave you with her, since both were quiet kids, he thought that It will be easy for you to open up with the family. It worked.
You like being around her, it was calming and relaxing. Dolores always knows what is going around your head and she will never say a word about it, instead, she comforts you petting you, or let sweet whisper scape her mouth, telling you funny things about the villagers.
Dolores liked you at first because you were a quiet child, in comparison with Camilo o Mirabel (who she babysit sometimes) your presence was more gentle and comfortable for her. With the years, she was the one who stands up to take care of you, or helps you, always listening to you, if you were sleeping good or not (in this case, she would go to your room and cuddle with you in completely silent)
She was the one who would stay awake at night (after Bruno’s disappearance), and when she listen to your loud cry, Dolores would not hesitate to come for you and hug you. Even if her ears hurt because it hurt her more to see you broken like this.
Growing up with her meant that you learned how to interpret her facial expression, especially her eyes. The two of you could communicate with a single glare, and all the Madrigals were still impressed by that.
Even when the two of you have duties to do, you would whispers to her randomly during the day and she would leave you romance books in your rooms, she knows that you love them, but everyone thinks that you’re still too young for romance. Dolores knows that they’re just being overprotective.
Oh God, she knows a lot of things. She knows about Bruno living in the walls. She knows about Isabela not wanting to marry Mariano. She knows of how sometimes Alma, Julieta, or even her mother will refer to you as Bruno when you are not around them, always by mistake, but they never correct themselves.
Sometimes Dolores is overloaded with sounds and information that she does not know what to do. She will stay all night walking alone around the house.
One day, you found her at 3 AM, you were reading the new book that she got for you and wanted to steal some cookies for the kitchen.
“What are you doing so late, Nena? “ She asked to you.
You felt your cheeks burn and point your book with your eyes.
She smiled, a smile full of tenderness.
“Could you read it to me? “ Dolores said.
You looked at her with confusion, but seeing her eyebags, you nod and took her hand, leading her to your room.
After some pages, both of you fell asleep immediately.
Pepa was the one who found you. That day, she calls Julieta with emotion. The sisters looked how, while you were sleeping with your little body extended in the bed. Dolores had her arms around your tummy. Trying to keep you near to her.
Luisa Madrigal
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You cried the first time that Luisa held you. It was probably because of her excited expression or her hard arms, maybe the little jumps that she made when she took you. You just cried and Bruno had to take you immediately. After that Luisa cried too.
She thought that you were scared of her. She didn’t wanna scare you. So she refuse to see you for a long time, even when Julieta or Agustin tried to show you that you just ware a normal baby who cry sometimes, or Isabela, who just took you with her and star follow her little sis around the house. Luisa just run away from you.
You don’t really remember any of that, but everyone does and sometimes tease Luisa with that.
When you were three it was the first time that you escaped from your home, all the adults were distant and distracted, only thinking about your father and why he left. For that, it was easy for you to walk outside of the house.
Anyone noticed until Dolores did her hourly check on you when she said that you were not in the house, everything was a disaster. Isabela screamed your name, and the adults scold each other.
But Luisa, who was the first one to run to the door, took a glance at your pretty green dress near the plaza. She went for you, and carry you back home. It was a little distance, but you were really tired.
“Wheres papa? “ You asked her, half-sleep. Luisa could give you an answer, and rub your back like her mama did one time that you cried for her uncle.
When you were back at home, everyone cheered up, remember that it was your special day. But or without Bruno, you should not feel displaced on your birthday.
You stay in Luisa’s embrace all evening, refusing to leave her. And Luisa was the happiest there.
Luisa was always working, so she could not entertain to like Dolores. And since her work involves getting dirty, and Abuela would never want you to get dirty, she could not share chores with you like Isa.
But you like Luisa, she was big and kinda intimidating, but her heart was soft and delicate. She always speaks sweetly to you, and you could see that she was extra careful when she touches you. It was like a big teddy bear.
Also, you like her room a lot. When you discovered that it was a beach you beg her to let you in. You wanted to see the waves of the sea and feel the sand again.
She tells you every time that she workout there, so you could enter with her, and while she does push-ups, she keeps an eye on you.
You started going to draw, but got bored easily, and then. There it was. The biggest collection of books that you have ever seen.
Oh yes, Luisa was the want who introduce you to romance novels…without noticing, of course.
When she saw that you have her book in your hands and was in the middle of the lecture, she felt horrified.
You were just a sweet little girl, you shouldn't be reading about romance and stuff. What would happen if you wanted to get married and leaf the family immediately. Or if a prince comes to you, and you accept his offer ad leave Encanto.
She took the book away from you.
The next day, she saw you reading it at dinner, and didn't have the heart to take it again when you look at her with a sad face.
So she told her mom.
Julieta tried to talk with you about how you could read these things in some years, but your pleading eyer shut her down.
She searched for Pepa, but the redhead couldn't do a thing, except pat your head and call you a prodigy for reading these books at a young age.
When they finally arrive with your Mama Alma, you had already finished the book. And you returned it to Luisa with a smile.
Since that, every time that she notices that a book was not in her place. She knew who was the little thief.
Sometimes she stays silent. Because she wants to talk about these books with you, but her chores don’t let her any free time.
You knew that thanks to Dolores. So you started to leave press flowers and letters in the books that you return, or even lend her some of the books that Dolores bought for you.
When Luisa finds those letters, she read your thoughts about the books and responds with another letter. Leaving it in any book that you have not read yet. Always smiling at the idea of having you as a pen pal.
You two are just hopelessly romantic.
....
Thanks for reading <33 Besitos a todos, mañana lo subo es español
Part 2
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maoam · 3 years ago
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WHY HINATA IS NOT A GOOD CHARACTER
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INTRODUCTION
I wanted to take a deeper look at Hinata’s character, considering there are a lot of claims about her out there, that she’s strong, that she’s kind, that she’s complex and relatable, that she’s the perfect woman and that she’s at least better than Sakura. I don’t really think so, and I’ll explain why. I’ll be focusing on canon, so no fillers or novels will be included in this post. I’ll say this as a warning, if you’re a fan of her character this probably won’t be something you’ll like. This will be tagged with the anti tags and put under read more so please do not complain if tumblr somehow puts this in the normal tags, it is not intentional. Also Sakura stans please don’t write lengthy comments about Sakura under this, I’m not a fan of her either and I’ll write about her later. Make your own post instead.
”HINATA IS STRONG AND THE BEST KUNOICHI”
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Hinata is generally really bad as a shinobi and I’m not sure where the claims that she is strong come from. Hinata's entire character revolves around her being weak. This could have been fine if she actually developed, or if she found some other area for herself, yet she's mediocre at best and a waste of panels at worst, because she never becomes good or strong at anything. She’s not only physically weak from start to finish, but she’s also the equivalent of a damsel in distress. Everytime Hinata attempts to do something, she ends up failing, getting beaten up and having to be saved. She lost to her sister who is five years younger than her, which is what marked her as a failure in her clan. She tried to fight Neji in the chunin exams and ended up coughing up blood and losing her consciousness, and Naruto had to beat Neji for her. After Kabuto heals her fully, she spends the rest of part 1 either sleeping or missing in action. Very underwhelming.
If this had been only the beginning, it would have maybe been fine, but it’s a reoccuring pattern with her character. She throws herself in front of Pain, managing to do nothing but get one-paneled and almost killed. Even at the start of the war she had to be saved by Naruto. She tried to run to Naruto and tripped over a rock. Actually, she’s so weak she got Neji killed, when he had to jump in front of her so she wouldn’t get impaled. Why is she even in the front lines when she can’t fight? Even in Naruto the Last movie she had to be saved multiple times. In Boruto the movie she is still useless and reckless, leaving her daughter’s side to help Naruto, ending up defeated and having to be healed by Sakura once again.
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I can’t say she’s mentally strong either. She has the personality of someone who hates conflict and tries to avoid it as best as they can, to the point of agreeing with others on everything, as Neji pointed out. Even without him saying it out loud, most of Hinata’s moments that aren’t her thinking about Naruto are her doing exactly this. This is not the personality of someone who is strong mentally. It’s the personality of someone who is too weak to have their own mind, someone who will go with the flow and is easily led and convinced. It can be dangerous the more you think about it. Hinata is also the bystander who never stands up for Naruto despite liking and admiring him. If she’s a compassionate girl, why isn’t she showing this by reaching out to Naruto and befriending him? Why doesn’t she show he’s not alone? Why is she only drawing inspiration from him? I don’t normally watch fillers, but there was one filler scene unrelated to Hinata where this girl says if you only look at the loser and do nothing, you aren’t much better than the oppressors, which probably wasn’t meant to be a call out for Hinata, but ended up being so anyway. Another thing that’s annoying is how she is berating herself often, yet doing nothing, it comes off as self-pity. Even in the Last movie, she is talking about how she must be a bad sister for knitting a scarf when her sister is in danger. Then why are you doing it and not stopping? Of course everytime this happens Naruto must cheer her up because she just can’t stop moping around and doing something herself.
Aside from all this, from the very beginning Hinata’s honor needed to be defended by Naruto because she couldn’t stand up for herself. Of course, after Naruto’s words she did stood up for a moment, and that was good, but it should have been a wake up call which altered her course. Instead, she kept doing the same she always did. If we take the Last movie into consideration, she’s still not strong enough to do anything even about her crush on Naruto. She needs genjutsu and Sakura to do the work for her. So even when it comes to the only thing she cares about 90 % of the time, which is Naruto-kun, she can’t do anything about it. That’s really sad.
”HINATA IS KIND AND SELFLESS”
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There’s one mistake I see people make often, and that’s assuming characters that are quiet and shy are automatically kind. I wouldn’t say Hinata is as kind as the fandom makes her out to be. She simply comes off that way because you don’t really see her have her own opinions or disagree with the other characters. Hinata’s shyness on the other hand is most of the time a fetishized quirk to appeal to certain subset of fans. Her shyness doesn’t stop her from taking exams or hanging around Shino and Kiba, or talking to characters other than Naruto. She also has enough attitude to rub Neji’s status as a house slave in his face during their match, but because she stutters Naruto-kun every five minutes she’s supposedly kind. Kindness is shown through actions, not through standing around and stuttering. For comparison, we see Ino befriend an unpopular kid like Sakura, and give her confidence. That’s an act of kindness. Did Hinata ever cared about helping the branch members in any way? No.
She's supposedly "kind" but like I mentioned before she never shows this kindness by standing up for Naruto, or reaching out to him. She simply stares at him behind a tree and draws inspiration from his suffering. The only time she can actually stand up is to selfishly confess her love and die. She even said she felt like being selfish, and like I said she knew there was nothing she could do, she was told she’d only be in the way. She came there only to confess and commit suicide. This actually reminds me of another anime where this female character, after being unable to receive a male character’s love killed herself in front of him and said ”now you’ll never forget me”.
In the end, she cares about nothing but her own hormonal urges. Hinata tried to help Naruto cheat to pass an exam at the risk of disqualifying her whole team. This is the first individual action we see her character take. Did she consider Shino and Kiba during that moment? No, she didn’t even have an inner conflict on whether she should do this, whether it’s right towards her teammates. Even Naruto considers he might get Hinata, Sasuke and Sakura all in trouble if he accepts Hinata’s offer, which is why he doesn’t do it. Then when Hinata wonders if she can cheer for Naruto during his and Kiba’s match, she thinks Kiba might get mad. It’s more about how Kiba views her rather than whether she should cheer for Kiba because they are in the same team and should support each other. During the Pain attack, she left an injured shinobi, who couldn’t move, to go to Naruto, even when said shinobi told her she would only be in Naruto’s way. She didn’t try to save people, she simply wanted to confess and act in front of Naruto. This is about a threat to the entire village, which includes her comrades and her sister and she’s thinking only about her romantic feelings towards a guy she had maybe two conversations with and who barely remembers she exists. How is she better than Sakura? War arc really was the icing on the cake that Hinata’s character is only about Naruto. We should not forget the infamous ”Naruto-kun’s hand is so big… so manly...” is that really the right time to be thirsty? When Neji just died? Shikamaru mentions that he could help out Naruto as a right-hand man and then Hinata thinks “I-I want to be by Naruto-kun’s side too.” Then there’s of course the scene where she starts running to Naruto, leaving her post and teammates, even when Naruto is a mile away and already in the hands of medical ninjas, and even that ends up her pathetically tripping over a rock. Kiba has to remind her to use her byakugan because she is too busy gushing about Naruto. Eventually her only last line is “Naruto-kun”, when everyone is put into IT. It’s like a parody by this point. She doesn’t have any concern for her sister, her father, her teammates, Kurenai or her baby. It’s just “Naruto-kun” like it always is. Even in the Last movie, she is knitting a scarf for Naruto during the mission where they’re supposed to save her sister. Who brings a scarf on a mission? Why is she thinking about her romantic gift to Naruto so much she has to take it with her on a mission which focus is saving her sister? She even looks more devastated when Toneri tores the scarf apart than she ever does for Hanabi’s sake. It’s just silly and selfish.
”HINATA IS A COMPLEX CHARACTER”
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Is she complex though? Her development goes from standing behind a tree looking at her crush she never talks to, to committing suicide for feelings that could never be reciprocated, to… waiting that a genjutsu and Sakura guilt trip Naruto enough for him to be with her? Like I already mentioned her character revolves entirely around Naruto, she has no hobbies or interests we know of aside from him. She has no motivations aside from being by Naruto’s side. She once had an interesting goal and backstory, but that was never fully explored, and it turned into her wanting Naruto’s attention and thinking about him. Her clan plot was irrelevant, she showed no interest in wanting to be a leader or even wanting to make things better for the branch members. It’s funny because immediately after the ending, no one cared about the Hyuuga branch and how the storyline was dropped and had no resolution. It was only when Hinata was being attacked for not showing to care did her fans start to over-analyze all the panels looking for the tiniest little clue that might hint at some changes.
It’s possible to be both shy, anxious and quiet and also to be strong, motivated and have interests and dreams. Hinata is never strong for herself, she’s only strong to be with Naruto, to die for Naruto, to motivate Naruto, to have Naruto look at her even for a moment. All the while Naruto doesn’t pay much attention to her unless she’s literally dying in front of him or she slapped him. Even when a big climax is happening, what’s on her mind is always her romantic feelings and her crush. I saw someone say if she were a male character, and she pulled this pointless sacrifice and theatrical confession in the final fight of an arc, she would’ve been universally mocked. Actually, I think even if it was Sakura who did this instead of Hinata the former would have been mocked, because their stans are unable to see the same flaws in their own fave as they see in the other girl. Naruto is a battle manga, characters are supposed to contribute to the defeat of the villain in some material way. The only reason people praise Hinata for what she did in the Pain arc is because they either pity her or because they’re men who think women killing themselves for a man is great because it boosts their ego.
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I also notice many Hinata fans don’t notice the vanity in their own fandom. They call Hinata “princess”, ”heiress”, ”Konoha’s first lady” and draw fanart glorifying these concepts and how it makes Hinata good, because they like the superficial status, what they don’t care is the titles are unearned. I thought Hinata’s appeal was that she’s the underdog and a loser? Or maybe her real appeal is the idea of getting everything you want without doing much in order to get it?  Another claim is that Hinata is the perfect woman, which you might see from men. This is what I might dislike the most. Men judge Hinata’s worth and whether she’s a good character based on what kind of woman they want and think is the right kind of woman. Hinata has big breasts, she’s submissive, she has no other interests than the man she likes, and she’s the only girl in her class who didn’t go for the popular guy. Many men hate Sakura, Ino and Karin for being fangirls but praise Hinata for being a fangirl. Basically to them if a character is a fangirl of the wrong guy, she’s a stupid slut. If she fangirls their self insert, she’s wife material and the ideal woman. If Sakura has to be saved, she’s useless. If Hinata tries to kill herself for Naruto, she’s ”so kind”. Rin is a one-dimensional character, but Hinata saying Naruto-kun for the 50th time is depth. Hinata is also claimed to be better than the other girls because she had more kids and thus is more ”fertile”. It’s like feminism never happened and we are back to the 16th century. Why are we judging women’s worth on how many kids they have and how much they can please a man?
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I could also talk about how Studio Pierrot turned Hinata into a hentai bait for otakus, which also plays a part in her popularity, but I don’t think it’s necessary, so I will just offer this picture which speaks for itself.
END NOTE
Hinata is simply just a sexist stereotype, a shadow of a real woman, with not much depth, and who is certainly not better than Sakura either. Both of them are fangirls whose characters revolve around men. It’s wild to me how there are women who genuinely act like one must be a misogynist if they reject Hinata’s superficial, one-dimensional and boy crazy character. Her character itself is misogynist for crying out loud. And honestly, what does it say when even the creator himself assumes that Hinata is someone’s favorite character because he must like big boobs?
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krabstick32 · 4 years ago
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Girl Code
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Pairing: Giyuu x Reader
Synopsis: Having crushes are hard. Especially when your best friend and the person you like seem to be hitting it off. 
Tags/warnings: very very very light angst, mostly fluff uwu
a/n: first of all, happy new year! school got reaaaal busy, so whew! it’s been a while! not gonna lie, I really missed writing stuff! I got a few days worth of break, so hopefully I get to finish a few backlogged reqs. (I think I only have two left, but to those two, I sincerely apologize for the wait! I’m planning to write them as headcanons to get them out faster, so I hope you don’t mind!)
to @aliaisreal​, thank you so much for requesting and being so patient with me 🥺 i apologize in advance if it’s not very good :(( it’s not my best work, but I hope you still enjoy it and that it’s somehow worth the wait^^
Link to the ask: Request by @aliaisreal​
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As the Insect Pillar, and the successor of the Butterfly Estate, Shinobu Kocho was one busy woman. She has a lot of responsibilities on her plate such as slaying demons, concocting medicine, and the like, so it was safe to say that she had no time to babysit anyone but—
“Shinobu!” The door bursts open and one of her… self-appointed responsibilities come prancing right through the threshold. “How about we go out to the village and have some lunch, hmm? My treat!”
Even if her skin felt like it almost flew off in shock, her smile stayed the same as she arranged the papers she intentionally threw around her desk when you came barging through the door. It wasn’t like you immediately coming in shocked her or anything. No, not at all. “Hello to you too, (F/N). Not that I particularly mind, but why so sudden?”
At that, your cheeks turn an adorable shade of red. In your excitement to invite her out to eat, you forgot to greet her first. “Ah, hello. But, back to the topic of lunch!”
Shinobu didn’t really change the topic, but she waved a hand as an indication for you to continue.
“Well, you seem stressed lately. I was hoping to treat you out y’know? And then you could rant and tell me all about it—only if you want to of course, no pressure at all!”
She sighed. For the past few days, Shinobu was starting to get a little frustrated with the current medicine she was trying to make work. On top of that, she needed to handle so many other things, and do missions, check in on patients, cook—well, it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary, but it was starting to get on her nerves. 
It was no surprise that you were starting to notice because even if you seemed a little too enthusiastic at times, you were still her best friend and a pillar at that—you wouldn’t be here without being exceptionally skilled and observant. Overenthusiasm aside, she—and everybody else included—knew you meant well. 
“I don’t know,” She hums, excited to see how you’ll react. “Are you done with your portion of the work? You looked a little distracted earlier, what with Tomioka-san—“
With the mention of the water pillar’s name, your sweet closed eyed smile turned sour as you immediately placed your hands on her mouth to stop her from continuing that sentence. “Y-Yeah! Yeah, I’m done! You know I don’t slack off. All the patients are fine and I've stitched up the few whose wounds opened.”
She was just teasing. Shinobu was well aware of your skill and work ethic, and while Shinobu was gifted in medicine, particularly pharmaceuticals, you had an uncanny knack for cutting people apart, and stitching them back up again. You were as skilled with a scalpel as you were with a sword.
“I’m just teasing (F/N)-chan.” The Insect Pillar replied, and couldn’t help but want to push more of your buttons as your face seemed to relax at the thought that she wouldn’t mention a particular someone. “But are you sure you’d rather invite me? I’m sure you’d rather ask Tomio—“
If your face was pink before, you were absolutely glowing right now as you put back your hand on top of her mouth. “Shinobu! You know I...you know I don’t like him like that! Besides, I am positive he likes someone else.”
She shrugs your hands off—which were slightly clammy, ew— as she shows you a devilish smile that has you sweating more. “Lie all you’d like, but I don’t think that’s something someone who ‘doesn’t like him like that’ would say, don’t you think?”
Ah, teasing was fun, but teasing you and tomioka were one of the few pleasures in life she made sure to enjoy.
“...Stop teasing me or I will eat without you.”
“Okay, okay, let’s go to that ramen shop in the village.”
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Everyone didn’t give the great Inosuke-sama enough credit!
He was raised by boars, grew up in the wild, and treated the mountains like his home. Insouke may have lacked skill in what society normally taught, like proper etiquette, and reading, but the wild was a great teacher on its own, and taught him things he wouldn’t have learned in the company of other humans.
Spending his entire life out in the wild, Inosuke was able to learn how to heighten his senses, particularly his sense of touch, and how to observe. He may have been clueless in the socially acceptable ways to voice out what he sees, what he feels, but Inosuke is perceptive, and that’s what people normally wouldn’t associate with someone who was as stubborn as a rock, and as brash as a beast.
Inosuke—and Kentaro, Nezuko, and Monitsu for that matter—usually spent their time at the butterfly estate. The three of them—mostly Tontaro, really—helped the girls. Cooking, laundry, cleaning, lifting heavy things, were simple chores that they did, and afterwards, Inosuke would often find himself looking for you and Shinobu.
He always felt this...fuwa-fuwa feeling around the two of you, and he thought both of you were like that Gengoro, his sister, and reluctantly Chuitsu.
There was a day where Shinobu was out on a mission, leaving you partially in charge of the butterfly estate, and spending some time with Inosuke. Personally, you found Inosuke to be interesting due to his origins, and overall, he was fun to be around with. Surprisingly, both of you really complimented each other despite being both huge balls of energy and enthusiasm.
That day, you and him were having a little spar by one of the yards around the estate. To an outsider, it was absolutely funny seeing him, who had a more built body compared to your lithe frame, getting thrown off and beaten to a pulp with a wooden stick. If Shuitzu were here to see the spar, he would be laughing his ass off in that pissy, slightly disgusting high-pitched tone at the many times Inosuke was thrown down. Manchiro would probably observe though, and would probably encourage him that he could beat you one day while helping him with his wounds.
Contrary to popular belief though, Inosuke was well aware he couldn’t beat you, at least not yet. Regardless of the way you looked, he could feel it in his skin that you were a formidable opponent who could easily break his bones if you wanted. Seeing your strength for himself was an opportunity he saw where he could get stronger, even if it did frustrate him a little. Or a lot.
“The great Inosuke demands a rematch! A rematch!”he demands, fussing against the ground as you lower your sword and stand up straight from your last breathing form.
“Ahaha, okay, okay! But I’m feeling a little tired…” you pause and place a hand on your chin with a thoughtful look. In a few seconds, you snap your fingers and turn back to him with a bright smile. “Ah! How about we take a break first? Then you could go back to handing me my butt?”
Inosuke knew you weren’t tired and that technically, you were the one handing him his ass. You weren’t heaving a lung out like he was, or sweating bullets. You were the picture of calm and collected, pristine like untouched snow, without a hair out of place.
Inosuke huffs and pushes himself off the ground. “Fine! Insouke-sama permits it!”
“Wonderful! Wait here.” You chirp and pad back into the butterfly estate, leaving Inosuke to unceremoniously plop back down to the ground.
A few minutes pass, and he feels his skin tingle—someone was here, but they didn’t seem to have any malicious intent. It would have felt different if there was.
He looks up from his spot on the ground and spots the hanhan baori guy, his face looking the same as it did the past few times Inosuke saw it. The odd guy was just passing through the gate when Inosuke pushed himself off the floor, wooden sword pointed between Pochioka’s eyes.
“Hanhan Bao—!”
Before Inosuke would have finished his proclamation to fight, you were back standing at the engawa with a tray of sliced fruit, and bamboo cups filled with cool water. “Inosuke? What’s wro—Giyuu! What brings you here?”
Huh. That was odd.
“(F/N)-san.” Inosuke goes uncharacteristically quiet as his eyes darted between the two of you.
It was completely unmistakable. Hanhan Baori’s mouth moved when you arrived. Inosuke honestly thought Dohioka was a magic statue before this day.
You turn to Inosuke and place the tray in a safe spot. “Here, eat first. I’ll just ask what Giyuu needs, and we can spar right after, ‘kay?”
“‘Kay.”
At his response, you give him a warm smile and pat his head (there was that darned fuwa-fuwa feeling again!). He watches as you and Tapioka move a few meters away, settling underneath the shade of a tree to talk, a bit too far away for him to hear.
He doesn’t think he needs to though, because your body language said it all.
Your face was a little flushed, your smile looked even sweeter. Hanhan baori’s mouth was curling upwards in a smile, and his eyes looked fond. A suspicious combination for someone who he previously thought was a statue up until now. But he digresses. He’s never seen you look so...like this. You smiling wasn’t much of a surprise, but with Pachinko around...it was different, and Tochioka seemed more open to boot. There wasn’t much of a doubt in his mind. There was something between you two. He just couldn’t put a name on it—but there was something. Maybe he should ask Monjiro about it.
He munches on the fruit thoughtfully, watching you smile softly—softer than he’s ever seen—as you seem to answer a question Torioka asked you.
Yep, definitely something up between you and Tomioka.
Maybe he should extend his help. After all, the great Inosuke-sama was the kind ruler of the mountains. Pushing you two along would be a piece of cake.
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Shinobu catches you pouting by the window in your joint office. It was adorable, considering how your cheeks were puffed, and your eyebrows were furrowed, but with your personality? Sulking wasn’t like you. “Care to tell me what’s wrong?”
Surprised, you jump and turn to find the Insect Pillar with her ever present smile painted on her face. It seems softer though, kinder. “Huh? No, nothing’s wrong!” You disagree, pushing yourself off the chair and tidying up the papers scattered on your desk.
She watches you with a small knowing smile on her face. “What, didn’t see Tomioka-san today?”
You paused for a moment, imperceptible to any outsider, but to Shinobu, who has spent so much time around you, that momentary lapse in movement was enough of an indicator. “...No.”
Hit the nail right on the head!
“You are a terrible liar (F/N)-chan. I thought the two of you were getting along? Should I go put poison in his tea?”
At her suggestion, you turn back as your skin pales. It was largely concerning how easily Shinobu could do that. “What? No! He did nothing, I swear it!”
“Awfully defensive,” The Insect Pillar snickers, before taking a seat on her chair and turning to you. With you pouting at her, Shinobu is reminded of how fun it was to tease you.
“Shinobu-chan.”
“Teasing.” She raises her hands in a move to placate you. Well, annoying you was fun and all, but she was concerned for you, more so than wanting to piss you off. “Anyway—jokes aside, you know i’m always here for you, right?”
You knew that. She was always willing to listen to your problems, but you couldn’t exactly tell her that you’re trying to distance yourself from Giyuu because he liked her.
Truth be told, you were getting along with Giyuu, so much so that you’ve started to like him as more than a friend. But, you cared for Shinobu and you wanted her to be happy. She and Giyuu made more sense than you and him.
“...Yes.”
“And that I love you like a sister, right?”
Despite all the teasing, you knew Shinobu really cared for you. She may like to push your buttons, but oddly enough, it reminded you of one of your siblings, so you didn’t mind. Just like your relative, you knew they did it because they wanted to distract you from your problems. An odd way of doing it, but they really would have gotten along.
“Yeah.”
“And that I can easily kill a man and hide his body?”
“Shinobu-chan!”
She laughs, the sound very similar to bells, and you can’t help the bitter thought that maybe Giyuu liked someone with a mellow voice like hers. “Kidding! Kidding! Well, kind of on that last one.”
You pout, and she brushes off her statement with a near irresistible bribe. “Alright, how about we go get some food? My treat.”
Awfully tempting. But there was still one more concern in your head.
“No poison?”
“Have more faith in my, (F/N)-chan!” Giggling, Shinobu slides the door open, and beckons you over. “Now, let’s go—I’m sure you’re hungry!”
“You didn’t answer my question!” You say, trailing after her in mild worry, feelings momentarily forgotten as the thought of food replaces it.
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It was any other early evening in the butterfly estate when the Water Pillar barged in through the doors, blood dripping from an open wound on his chest, with the oddest expression on his face.
Maybe what should have alarmed the butterfly girls were the deep scratch marks on his chest. Instead, it was the near half-crazed look on his face. Tomioka-san’s face never moved from it’s impassively cold stare, why was now any different?
“Where is she?” He rasps.
Aoi, who was standing at the entrance with Kiyo upon his arrival, was brought out of her shock. “Tomioka-sama, lie down. Kiyo will lead you to a room and I’ll get Shinobu-sama immediately to take care of your wounds.”
“No, where is she? Where’s (F/N)—”
From the end of the hall, you came down to see what all the huff was about. You were taking inventory of the supplies since it was a little slow today, but the ruckus urged you to go out and take a look.
“Giyuu? What’s going on he—ohmygods, Giyuu, are you alright?” Seeing Giyuu pale—well, paler than normal—and bleeding all over the floor was not what you expected though.
“(F/N)...” Seeing her alive and breathing eased Giyuu’s worries, so much so that he sags in relief. He would have dropped down the floor if it weren’t for your quick reflexes.
Lightly, he feels you press a hand to his head, wiping the sweat forming on his brow. 
“Giyuu? Stay with me, we’re going to fix you right up, ‘kay?” There was no doubt in his head that you could. He’s been in much worse really. The blood loss just wasn’t doing him any favors.
Regardless, he shakes his head and just savors you being here, warm and alive.
“Hey, what’s wrong?”
“I thought you were dead.”
“Dead? Who, me? No, silly! I just sprained my ankle, so walking’s a little hard, but i’ll be fine!”
“I thought I was going to lose you...” He was starting to babble. The blood loss was starting to affect him more than he’d thought.
“Lose me? Don’t worry, I’m not going away any time soon.”
“Good…” Giyuu breathes out a sigh of relief. He liked the thought of you living for a long, long time. “I like you a lot.”
With that admission, his head slumps over your shoulder, and his body gets heavier, prompting you to nearly drop him with the weight of his sudden confession and his mass.
Aoi and Kiyo watches, shocked beyond words as your face continuously gets redder and redder. Whether it was from the exertion, or his words, well, everyone knew exactly what was causing you to look like a freshly plucked apple.
“H-Hah?! Wait, Giyuu? Giyuu!”
And that is the sight that greets Shinobu. She was back from a report to Oyakata-sama, so seeing you all red and flustered with a fully grown man who was bleeding all over her floor and who was about to fall over and kill you—with his weight, or with his words, Shinobu could easily guess which—was an especially unusual sight, but unfortunately, not really unexpected. And mildly infuriating.
“Tomioka-san, you total dunce! Get treated first! Ugh, (F/N)-chan, don’t let him fall, he’s losing blood!”
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“Ow—“ Giyuu grunts, the bandage being wrapped around his torso a little too tight for his taste.
“Tomioka-san.” Shinobu starts, her hands continuously steady as she wraps the bandages with precision and efficiency around his chest. “I don’t think we’ve had a heart to heart chat about (F/N)-chan, don’t you think?”
After Giyuu’s surprise confession, you and Shinobu were able to drag him to a nearby room. He was passed out cold, and between you two, carrying a fully grown man would still be difficult, even if you’ve both had special pillar training.
He woke up a few minutes after you were done stitching the open gash at his stomach which caused his bloodloss (and slightly embarassing fainting spell). These unfortunate series of events have led him here, painfully being bandaged by none other than Shinobu. It wold have been nice if you were the one doing it, but Shinobu sent you to go look for more bandages with this sickly sweet look in her eyes—which you barely noticed in your worry. The worry was sweet, but now he knows Shinobu’s motives. Interrogstion.
Giyuu could do nothing else but nod, doing his damn best to not flinch, and keep still.
“You see, she really likes you, you know? I’ve never seen (F/N)-chan happier than she is when she’s with you. Honestly, I don’t know why she does, and what she sees in you but I like seeing her happy. You and I both know that she deserves it.”
Giyuu watches her wrap the bandages with practiced ease albeit with a little more force than necessary. Hearing Shinobu talk about you so fondly has him feeling grateful that you had someone who cared so deeply for you, and who was so willing to do anything to keep you happy. Even if the brunt of her attacks did fall on him, he could understand where she was coming from.
“She does,” Giyuu says, surprising Shinobu as she finds the softest, most fondest look she has ever seen on Giyuu’s immovable face. For a moment, Shinobu could see that he cared so much for you—as much, if not more than you cared for him—and she knew that he would never do anything to hurt you.
Unbelievable. She can’t believe he passed her test so easily.
She lets out a heavy sigh, turning back to the task at hand with a saccharine smile ready on her face.
“All that said, If you hurt any part of who I see as my beloved sister, I'll make sure to use my medical expertise to ensure you don’t get a chance to spread your genes—”
The door slides open with a nice loud clack, preventing Giyuu from hearing the rest of Shinobu’s sentence. Just as well too. He doesn’t think he’d want to hear the rest.
“Shinobu-chan! I’ve got more bandages for Giyuu!”
“Ah, thank you, (F/N)-chan!” The Insect Pillar smiles, taking one of the fresh bundles you offered, as you moved to the side of the room, arranging the medical supplies for easier access.
Shinobu leans down, under the guise of tying the gauze, as you flit around the room, spreading sunshine in your trails. None of you mention how you blatantly avoid eye contact with Giyuu. But it’s not like he’s initiating any either.
“I don’t think I need to continue my sentence.” She mumbles under her breath. “Do you understand?”
Giyuu winces as she tucks in another piece of bandage, grumbling in response. “Loud and clear.”
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BONUS:
Later that night, Shinobu left the two of you alone in Giyuu’s hospital room to talk it out. It was a little awkward at first, but as the two of you melt the ice, your usual sunny personalty—ironic, as you were the Snow Pillar—takes over. Throughout the course of the evening, you take out his hand with his permission, and have the time of your life holding it. It was a little funny how stiff and unused he was being at hand holding, but you found that to be one of his unexpected charms. And it wasn’t like he was complaining. He actually found it adorable how small your hands were, and how it fit really well against his own.
“So you don’t like Shinobu?” You ask a little shyly, playing with the tips of his fingers.
Against your skin, you feel him shiver in disgust as he looks slighty disgusted by question. “Gods, no, never.”
“So you were serious about liking me? It wasn’t a joke?”
“I don’t think I’d joke about that in my final moments.”
You giggle, feeling a little silly for even questioning it. But really, you don’t think you could be blamed for it. “You have a point.”
The two of you stay in comfortable silence for a while. He watches you trace vague shapes against his palms and he’s never felt so at peace before, than he did at this moment. After a while though, a curious thought strikes him, and he can’t help but want to ask.
“...What made you think that?”
The tips of your ears stain pink before you look away and bring one hand to your cheek. “Well I thought you two liked each other, and it seemed like she suited you much better than I would.”
“I only ever liked you. I thought I was being obvious.”
As blunt as ever.
“Ahaha!” You laughed, getting flustered in spite of the warmth pooling into your chest. “Well, I guess not enough for me.” It’s not as if you were able to notice. You did think he liked Shinobu after all. “By the way, why did you think I was going to die?”
He look up at the ceiling. “One of Tanjirou’s friends...that boar kid told me you couldn’t walk, and that you couldn’t move.”
“Inosuke? Oh, that…that actually makes a lot of—a lot of s-sense!”
Giyuu watches you fondly as you laugh. In your defense, the thought of you spraining your ankle being blown out of proportion by none other than Inosuke was funnier than you ever expected.
“Don’t laugh.” Giyuu pouts. It was the most adorable thing you’ve seen. “By the way he said it, I really thought you weren’t going to live to see another day.”
You breather deeply, giggling a little as you look at him with mirth and happiness dancing in your eyes. “Okay, okay. I’ll explain it to him tomorrow. But I guess I should thank him. If you weren’t nearly half-dead on your feet, neither of us would have confessed.”
“Yeah. I‘ll go with you.”
“Cool! Cool...Um, Giyuu?”
“Yes?”
“Could you maybe… perhaps, say that again?”
“Say what, again?”
“That you like me?”
Giyuu chuckles, giving your hand a light squeeze. “I like you.”
He’d say it a million more times if he gets to see you smile like that again.
“Heehee, I like you too Giyuu!”
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a/n: i got a little sick of rereading this so many times, so, apologies for any grammar/spelling mistakes!! i hope ya’ll liked it though uwu
also, are any of you playing genshin impact? man, that game saved my sanity, and at the same time caused more insanity....it’s fun.
if u guys wanna play, feel free to send me your uid’s! i’m at world level 6 so i can go into most worlds :^)
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captnjacksparrow · 3 years ago
Note
Hello!! Well this came to my mind and would be interesting to put into words.
Something that her fans were right is that she hadn't to accept Rock Lee's confession and love. For them a No was No, which is hilarious becase their princess didnt do this with sasuke lol but anyway. After Lee saves Sakura in Death Forest, she changes her attitude towards him and started to be nice , she even defends him when Naruto said something aboout bushy-eyebrows. Even more, i dont actually remember scenes where she is rude against him after that incident in the forest. She tried to encouraged him and most of the time she was "nice" with Lee. In the Hospital in part 1 she was going to visit Sasuke and she also thought of Lee, so she gifted him some flowers too.
-All of this I speak from the anime canon, manga i dont remember tbh. Also in movies I remember her being nice with Lee too- So, what's my point and question? Why is she so bitchy towards Naruto? While she is nice -or try to- with Lee (which he fucking deserves this treatment of course) , why she is still so ungraceful towards Naruto? Naruto saved her much more times than Lee, but still she can be nice with him. I get that when you are confident with someone, you tend to "insult" more lets say. But i get that feel when naruto is around of shikamaru or the other guys. We know how he and Sasuke treat each other ♥ But still, i dont get this with Sakura. Even more, did she ever defend Naruto? From other people I mean. If she could change her attitude for Lee, being almost a good friend.
I always think about this @melody-of-lost-souls 🤔🤔🤔.... Why is she bitchy towards Naruto alone??
There is this hard fact that every author with just half a braincell knows, that is, 'IF YOU WANT A CHARACTER TO BE LIKEABLE, MAKE IT BEHAVE NICER TOWARDS THE MAIN CHARACTER'.
To be honest, I started to like Sasuke because of that very fact 'He was extremely nice towards Naruto in his own way' and later I started to adore him because of his own backstory. But the first spark was because of Episode 3, Orphan insult scene.
It seems Kishi never had that intention to make Sakura be an honest friend with Naruto even in The Last movie. So, ummm.... Yup.
Like you said, Sakura changed her attitude towards Lee and she encouraged him when he was wounded after fighting Gaara. But anyways, she again went onto being a bitch in the Kage Summit Arc, by leaving Lee on the road without any care!!! So... That's what you can expect from her🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️ But that's not the point of this post. Is it??
Point to be noted : Sasuke and Naruto insulting each other shows their comfort level with each other. Sakura harassing Naruto is not the same thing. Never.
I think she spoke for Naruto before Sasuke twice. One, In the forest of the Death. Two, Under the Bridge. But it doesn't matter.
She should've defended Naruto from Sasuke's attacks in Orochimaru hideout like Sai.
She should've worried about Naruto's wounds after Naruto came back like an Egyptian Mummy from fighting in VoTE in part 1. Instead she was worried about Sasuke alone.
She should've fought Sasori for Naruto's safety sake instead of getting information about Sasuke.
She should’ve stayed with Naruto when he went with Karui to deal with Sasuke’s Akatsuki activities. 
She should've stood up for Naruto in her final confession like 'Sasuke-kun, if you touch Naruto, I'll have to kill you eventhough I love you'... Yeah, she wouldn't stand a chance against Sasuke. But her character would've shined a lot.
So, Nope. She defending Naruto couple of times but letting him down countless other times doesn't matter.
WHY SAKURA TREATS NARUTO BADLY ?
After thinking about all the possibilities,
SOCIAL STATUS OF NARUTO
Sakura is the reflection of the Villagers' mindset. That is, The object of Hatred who should be treated like pest.
She definitely gave me that vibe in Episode 3. She literally treated him like a plague and I wanted to slap her so hard ever since. But even after the Pain Arc, I mean after Naruto became a Hero by making peace with Nagato, she still behaved like a Worst Bitch.
If she truly represents the social dynamics of the Villagers, she should have become a good friend like Shikamaru or Neji long back. But she didn’t.
So, we can safely eliminate this possibility.
SAKURA THINKS NARUTO IS 'THIRDWHEELING'
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Well, This is from Chapter 3. So, I think whenever Sakura makes a move on Sasuke, Naruto accidentally comes in between her one-sided ‘duck dreams’ and spoil her party. It seems this has been going on for a long time. So, she just hates him for that. 
I found this ‘coming between’ thing twice in part 1. The first time was when Naruto stole the ‘First Kiss’ of Sasuke.
Second time was when Naruto was about to fight Gaara.
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Here, Sakura was fretting over Sasuke’s cursed Seal and when Naruto asked her a question, she responded with a ‘Devil Face’. I mean is there any need to get angry at this time? There’s a monster standing before them and all she worries about is her poor ‘Sasuke-Kun’ and not even bothered about her surroundings, because Naruto will do the dirty job. All she can do is touch and worry about Sasuke. 
Well, In reality she is the one coming between them and she never realized that. What a self-absorbed Trash!!!
SAKURA IS JEALOUS
Naruto receives something from Sasuke that she never got from him, not until the very end and even today. That is, Attention. 
I noticed this in the Manga. Surprisingly, I guess none of the SNS bloggers brought this very cute panel up for discussion. It’s not in the Anime though!! 
This is from Chapter 3 page 6. (Geez!!!! Chapter 3 is a Gold Mine for SNS)
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As you see Sakura was watching Sasuke up close like a Fruit Cake. It seems, Sasuke doesn’t give 2 fucks about her or anyone!!!
Now Let’s go back to Page 5 and see what happened earlier.
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Naruto has been intensely throwing knives from his eyes. And you know what!!! Sasuke noticed it and asked him ‘What?’. To which Naruto asks, ‘What do you mean what?’. LOLLLLLL.
This is their First official conversation in the Manga.😍😍😍😍😍
Sakura looking at him with love doesn’t get any reaction and Naruto’s angry stare get his attention. Well, this is not an one time occurrence!!
In the Same chapter, it occurred again
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This panel screams, ‘Why pay attention to Naruto, when he is not here?’. Kishi established this dynamics in freaking Chapter 3 and it never changed towards the end. LOLLL.
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Even during Chakra Training, Sakura climbed the tree very easily in the hopes that Sasuke would appreciate her or notice her with admiration. But he was never bothered about her achievements even by a bit, but he paid attention to Naruto when he found out he was slowly catching up to him🤭🤭🤭.
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I always find this scene very funny and cute because just like before, Naruto throws Daggers at him visually and Sasuke was like, ‘What did I do this time?’. 😍😍😍
And this is after getting the pass to participate in Chunin Exams
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Well, I don’t have to add the scenes from Orochimaru Hideout, Bridge scene and War Arc, Do I?
And the best part is Sakura knew that Naruto gets his attention. So, her jealousy is probably the reason for her to treat him so badly. Just like how she treats Ino. Since Naruto plays dunce in front of her, she takes advantage of it and used him like a Tooth Brush.
This is also one of the reason for her to treat him badly.
Because Lee never came in between Sakura and Sasuke. It was Naruto, the whole time. And that's why she was like a bitch to Naruto.
Kishimoto in his own words,
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I mean, Come On!!!, Sakura is nothing compared to Naruto's power level, strength or jutsu varieties to consider him as a rival in these departments. Still she is considering Naruto as her rival.
In what????
The only thing that connects them is their obsession towards Sasuke's Acknowledgement. And Kishi himself is hinting at a love triangle with Sasuke as the central figure.
Does it means Naruto also loves Sasuke and Sakura was jealous of it???🤔🤔🤔🤭🤭🤭🤭.
Well, that makes more sense. 😂😂😂. Because I can think of no other reason for her to be a bitch towards Naruto.
Curse You, Kishimoto!!!!!!
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extraclevermongoose · 3 years ago
Text
Well-Oiled Gears
Mouth off enough, and you lose your job. Learn to use your mouth right, and you just might keep a better one.
You've managed to do the former with no problem. Unfortunately, Lady D is tired of giving chances to an insolent maid and pushes you off on her brother to use as scrap. He finds some better ways to use you.
Karl Heisenberg x Reader
(dubious consent, improvised sex toys, double penetration, restraint)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/31768645
Your employment had been a gift - at least, to your family. For you, it appeared to be a death sentence.
There were not a lot of job prospects for a young woman in the village. Your parents were not the most well-off family, and an unmarried adult daughter with no seemingly valuable home or artisan skills was a burden that could not be afforded. The good news was that the massive castle on the village outskirts seemed to be in constant demand for new staff.
Nobody spoke of how the lucky girls who were accepted as handmaidens and servants never seemed to come back home. If there was a single rule to remember above all else: you do not question the will of the Mother and her four Lords. As you stood in metal wrist cuffs between the inhumanly-tall Lady and a scruffy, smirking man, it had solidified any suspicions on the high employee turnover rate.
Lady Dimitrescu did not take kindly to insubordination. Unfortunately for you, insubordination was a skill of which you were a natural expert. You had seen many maids disappear with accompanying rumbles through the staff of how they had been sent to the dungeon, and that it would be best to presume them dead. The dungeon had not been your fate, but rather a quick slice to the wrist and an unnerving lap of Lady Dimitrescu’s tongue before she unceremoniously dropped your dripping hand and pronounced your to blood to taste vile - quite unfit for a woman of refined tastes and her precious daughters.
A large hand on your back shoved you forward, causing you to stumble. “This one has proven itself capable. It’s quick to learn and asks precious few questions. It’d be a shame to waste good flesh and disposable hands.”
The man snorted. “So you’re shoving your hand-me-downs off on me?”
The Lady took a drag off of her ornate cigarette pipe and sneered down at him. “Think of it as a gift, Heisenberg. Surely even you can show a little decorum toward an act of kindness.”
So, this was the infamous Lord Heisenberg. You had never seen him beyond faded photographs placed on some altars, and those barely bore a resemblance. He certainly didn’t strike you as a regal figure, especially after your months in Castle Dimitrescu. He smelled of iron, smoke, and oil, and was coated in plenty of the same. His long hair was messy and speckled with grey, with a similar short beard. It’s not that his hair looked unkempt or gross, but he certainly didn’t put emphasis on his grooming.
Heisenberg stared at her through round, dark glasses. You could tell that he was not impressed.
She rolled her eyes at him. “Fine, my dungeon is a bit out-of-hand for the moment, and I refuse to taint my casks with sub-par swill. Donna has no use, and Moreau wouldn’t have a clue of what to do with it. If you don’t want it, I could always just throw it to the Lycans, but it would be foolish to waste good free scrap. I’m not an animal.”  
Heisenburg shrugged. “Whatever.” He looked over at you and nodded toward the door. “Come on, fresh meat. Let’s see what you’re made of.” He swung an oversized hodgepodge metal scrap hammer over his shoulder, ignoring the fussing and threats from Lady Dimitrescu of where she would cram said hammer if he broke a nearby antique china cabinet.
You hesitated, looking toward a side hallway that you knew would lead out another way.
Heisenberg paused, but didn’t look back. “Don’t try anything funny,” he warned. “You run, and you’re Lycan chow.” With a cackle, he waved his free hand, and the metal on your wrists yanked you forward as if being pulled by an invisible leash.      
The factory was somehow even more imposing than you expected. You’d never seen it beyond the overgrown scrapyard surrounding it, let alone ventured anywhere near the entrance. It was out of place in your village - an electricity and steam anachronism in a town of cobblestone and thatch. You had seen radios, televisions, and telephones, but never anything as intense as the raging gears and pistons that caged you in as Heisenberg led you through a maze of rusted steel and flourescent bulbs. Steam hissed, machinery whirred and whined, and good god, the air itself burned.  
By the time you had reached what appeared to be a basic triage room, you dripped with sweat. Thankfully, not as much of the intolerable heat permeated the room. Heisenberg dropped the massive hammer in the corner as if he were simply tossing a stone and not a mallet that likely weighed as much as you. He flicked his hand dismissively and your cuffs dropped to the floor. You rubbed your wrists, grateful to be free of the chafing metal. You were in his territory; you were nowhere close to being a threat to him, cuffed or not.  
“Up there,” he grumbled, pointing at a metal exam table. He yanked over a swiveling chair and sat down at the neighboring desk, one foot propped on top of the other knee. He snatched up a clipboard, flipped a few pages, and began writing, his leg an impromptu table.
“Alright, let’s get some information on you. Name? Not important. Height, weight, blah, blah, blah.”
You scooted yourself up onto the table, which wobbled precariously. You didn’t want to think about how long it probably had been since it was last cleaned. Or when it last held a living body. You wiped your sweaty forehead with the apron of your uniform. Lady Dimitrescu had allowed you to wear it as you left. It’s not like you had any other clothes anymore anyways.
“What’s the bandage?” He pointed to your wrapped left wrist with his pen.
“Oh, uh.” You turned your hand over and unwrapped the cut, which had already stopped bleeding. “Lady Dimitrescu. Whenever she decided to dismiss me, she, uh…”
“Tasted ya? Part of her whole shtick. If you don’t perform to standard, you’re served up as her dinner. Better yet, juiced into that garbage wine she makes.”
You grimaced at the thought. How many of your coworkers from the last half year were fermenting deep in the castle?
“Can you use the hand?”
You squeezed your hand open and shut a couple of times. “Yeah, it’s fine. It’s not that bad.”
He went back to scribbling on his notes. “You ever used a soldering iron?”
You hesitated. “I… What is a soldering iron, my Lord?”
“Mmkay, no surprise. A little too much expectation for a frilly little maid. Baby steps, then. You at least used a basic screwdriver?”
You wrinkled your nose at his jab. “I have not, sir. I’ve never had a need for mechanics’ tools.”
He slammed the pen down onto the paper and looked up, annoyed. “I thought she said you would be useful.”
“An employee is only as capable their superior enables them to be,” you said a bit too loudly. “I am useful, if you actually show me how to do these things, sir.”  You snarled a bit on the honorific.
You forced back a flinch when he slammed the clipboard onto the desk loudly enough that the slap echoed in the room. “Try that tone on me again, little girl,” he growled.
You stared him in the face with defiant raised brows. He was probably going to kill you whether you were respectful or not. Why waste manners on your own murder? “Or what?”
In a swift motion, your arms were pinned above your head. You wheezed as your breath was knocked out of your chest when your back hit the wall. You gasped for air, your lungs filling with the smell of cigar smoke.
Heisenberg’s nose nearly touched yours. He shifted both of your wrists to one hand, and with his free one, he slowly lowered his glasses and set them to the side.
With horror, you realized that, seeing him up close and without hiding his face, your captor was unfortunately beautiful.
He spoke in a low growl. “Let’s get something straight here, darlin’. You don’t get to talk to me like that. I’m tryin’ to be real civil here and give you a chance to breathe a little longer. I could snap you like a twig if I wanted.”
Your thighs clenched involuntarily. Oh, god, you thought. Am I really getting horny while being threatened with literal murder? Heisenberg squinted and squeezed your wrists tighter. You let out a shuddery breath.
Heisenberg barked a laugh in disbelief. “Oh my god! Are you getting off on this, you little freak?”
You swallowed and looked away from him, your face burning with shame.
He stood as straight as he could without letting go of your wrists. “Is that why Alcina wouldn’t eat you? Because you’re a desperate little whore, huh? She can taste it on ya.”
“I’m not a whore,” you mumbled.
“What was that?” His tone mocked you.
“I said that I’m not a fucking whore, Lord Heisenberg.” You glared at him, your eyes stinging with tears of embarrassment. Your voice shook as you gained volume. “I don’t give a shit what you do. You’re just going to kill me anyways, but you still don’t get to talk to me li-”
You were cut off by the sting of thin metal slapping firmly over your mouth.  
“Woah, woah, woah! Now, I said that I COULD kill you. I never said I was going to. And here I was being gracious and was gonna find you some work around the factory.” A scalpel flew to Heisenberg’s open hand. “I think we can arrange a position more suited to your preferences, though.”
You protested loudly from behind the metal. Your shame blazed into outrage.
He released your wrists, but before you had time to shake them out, he grabbed your cuffs from earlier from the air. Heisenberg gripped your hands and snapped the metal around your wrists, binding them behind your back.
“Get up on your knees,” he commanded.
You slowly maneuvered your legs underneath you on the table, struggling without the use of your hands. Heisenberg pulled the front of your dress taut and jabbed the scalpel into the cotton, earning more muffled protests.
“I don’t know why you’re getting so worked up, sweetheart. I’m just giving you what you wanted.” He began to slowly slice down the front of your dress. “Let’s see what we’re working with.”
With an excruciatingly long rip, he tore through the dress and pulled the ruined fabric away, leaving you in just your undergarments, stockings, and shoes. With the tip of the scalpel, he snipped through the front of your bra and the sides of your panties, discarding them with the dress. With parted lips, he set down the scalpel and took one breast in his hand with unexpected gentleness. He brushed his thumb across the skin as if in admiration. He leaned forward and softly lapped at your left nipple.
“I might have to thank that oversized bitch for once.” He bit down, a sharp canine digging into the soft tip. You squeaked behind the metal as he slowly pulled back and then released it. “Glad she didn’t waste tits like this on her shitty wine.”
Tears welled in your eyes - out of shame, out of anger, and out of outrage at yourself that he was right. You definitely wanted this. You ached with that wanting.  
Heisenberg stared you in the eye as he reached his hand between your legs. He smirked. “Wetter than I expected.” He brushed two fingers between your labia, dragging them in lazy circles around your clit. You gently rocked into the stimulation, huffing through your nose. His fingers ebbed and pressed in rhythm, becoming harsher and faster, then lightening into a feathery graze before repeating the cycle. Gentle shocks radiated through your abdomen, your muscles tightening, and tightening.
He bit down hatshly on your nipple, jolting your breast with needling pain. You cried out behind the metal gag.
Heisenberg laughed. “Didn’t want you getting too comfortable, now.” He pulled his hand out from under you with a swift slap to your crotch. In your earlier daze, you hadn’t noticed the two metal rods hovering in the air. Heisenberg turned, rummaged around in a desk drawer, and pulled out a small bottle that he set down on the exam table. You looked down; it was a lubricant of some sort. You got the feeling that it wasn’t meant for human use.
You also got the feeling that you weren’t going to get a choice on the matter.
Heisenberg flashed a goofy grin. “Now we’re really getting started. Ass up.”
You shuddered and leaned down into doggy position. Somehow he was more unnerving when he was being playful than when he had been threatening to feed you to wolfmen or break your spine.
You yelped when you felt something frigid and slippery prod at your ass. One of the rods, you realized. The stray lubricant on your skin felt cold, even in the heat. You were grateful that the rod entered slowly, giving your ass a moment to adjust to the intrusion.
Just as you had begun to get used to the first rod, a second larger rod slipped into your pussy, much less gently than the first. You squirmed, suddenly very full.
Without warning, you were flipped onto your back, your arms behind you and your head tipped back over the edge of the table. Heisenberg gently pulled the metal strip away from your mouth.
Your lips felt numb as you stretched your jaw.
Heisenberg looked down at your face, one hand on your cheek. “You ready to be nice?”
You looked away and huffed, earning a firm pat on the cheek and a chuckle.
“That’s what I thought,” he muttered, and began quickly undoing the buckle of his pants. He turned your face toward him as he pulled his cock free and slowly stroked it.
He brushed the tip over your lips. “If you bite me,” he whispered, “you’ll wish I had killed you.”
You gingerly opened your mouth and ran your tongue up the shaft of his cock. He hissed and shoved his cock into your mouth. After a couple of shallow thrusts, he lined up with your throat and began to shove deeper. You tried to keep up, running your tongue around the head and the shaft. You flexed your soft tonsils around the head as it pushed back into your throat, drawing groans from your captor.
Heisenberg bent over you and began to lap with vigor at your clit. You bucked against his face, tender from his teasing earlier. He sucked at you, electricity crackling through your abdomen. You felt your muscles tightening as you began to truly lose composure. So close. So, so close already.  
You jolted as the rods in your ass and cunt began to vibrate furiously, and the overstimulation sent you over the edge, pulsing. You cried out as you continued giving head. He didn’t stop either.
You tried to move away from his mouth, unable to completely come down because of the vibrating rods.
“It’s too. It’s too much! It’s too much!” You gasped, and he pulled his slick face away, panting.
Heisenberg pulled away from your mouth and replaced his lips with the fingers of one hand, rubbing coarse circles around your clit as you squirmed and chirped. The stimulation ached. Your nerves felt ablaze.
He came onto your mouth and chest. The hot splatter decorated your breasts, your chin. You licked your lips, tasting the salty liquid. His chest heaved, and the vibration died. He closed his eyes for a moment and leaned against the table. He sighed, and helped you sit up, releasing your wrists from the cuffs and handing you the mostly-clean apron from the floor so that you could wipe your face. He wiped his own on a musty towel.  
“You alright?” Heisenberg asked, a bit winded.
You rubbed your raw wrist. “Weirdest hiring process I’ve ever been through.”
Heisenberg snorted. “I’d say you passed.” He walked to the door. “Don’t move. I’ll get you something to wear.”
When he walked back into the room, he greeted you by throwing a bundle of basic clothing at you. A screwdriver plopped onto the table next to you.
“Guess I can make some use of you yet.”
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beyondspaceandstars · 3 years ago
Text
Renegade
Relationship: Din Djarin x Reader Warnings: N/A Summary: [based off the song Renegade by Big Red Machine feat. Taylor Swift] You're a shopkeeper in a remote corner of the galaxy just trying to get by. For some reason, every now and then a certain Mandalorian pops into town. He comes and goes as he pleases until one day you finally get the courage to confront him on his drifter habits. Unexpected confessions spill out. A/N: I haven’t written something for The Mandalorian in a long time but i just had this idea for a while and i wanted to actually try to execute it. Idk if this came out good but i think it’s still sweet. I hope someone enjoys it :)
Masterlist
You never knew when he was coming into town.
It would happen pretty much in the blink of an eye. You’d shut down your store for the day, retire to your home, then he’d be there, in the middle of the village, bright and early. The Mandalorian kept no schedule it seemed but his surprise visits were always welcomed by you. 
He’d make it a point to stop at your store first. He never really bought anything, just browsed the fabric and clothing you had to offer. The Mandalorian seemed to appreciate your craftsmanship, always taking time on his stay to ask about your newer items or what your plans were for your next collection. Your shop was modest but it helped bring in some kind of income which was very valuable as the fate of the galaxy hung in limbo.
You built up some kind of rapport with the masked man but feelings have been shifting within you for a while. You didn’t really understand how it was possible. You had begun falling for a man that never even gave you the courtesy of saying goodbye. But at the same time, the hours you would spend chatting meant everything to you. It felt so good to confide in someone as a life as a solo storekeeper could be quite a lonely one. He also seemed to be no stranger to loneliness as a man roaming the galaxy, taking odd bounty jobs. Nowhere to really call his own. 
A deep, deep part of you wished he would call this village his home. He seemed to enjoy it here, evident by his numerous stops. When he’d come and go from your shop, he was always bringing back new treasures. The woman down the road would be testing a new stew recipe or the jewelry maker at the end of the block had talked him into buying something. Most of the time, he’d just give the items to you, claiming he couldn’t resist the shopkeeper but had no use for the trinkets. The pseudo-gift giving was a little ridiculous to you but it couldn’t help but fuel your burning crush. You always accepted and wore whatever the Mandalorian presented. 
Yes, you two definitely had formed a relationship over time. You didn’t know really what to call it and you two never seemed to want to speak about it but it was no secret that it was there, and you were a bit thankful for it. No matter where he had gone or how long he had left for, you were always there to welcome him back to the village with open arms.
As many times before, the Mandalorian arrived unexpectedly one beautiful, clear morning. He was hovering around your shop, seemingly waiting. His armor shined so loudly in the daylight, it was nearly blinding, but you appreciated how powerful he was. He may show you his soft side in the village but you’d heard plenty about his hunts. If the truth was even half as alarming as the gossip, you were impressed he could have such a gentle side. 
“You’re early,” you called out, pulling your shawl tighter around you as you walked towards the passing bounty hunter. He stopped dead in his tracks upon hearing your voice. 
“It would appear I am,�� he said, letting out a breathy laugh. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize the time.”
You came to stop right in front of him. You peered up at his helmeted face. You certainly couldn’t see anything through that insane gear but some part of you still felt him staring into your eyes, deeply. Instinctively, you fiddled with the necklace resting on your lower neck. The charm was a piece of some dark crystal. You didn’t know what it was and you were slightly too nervous to inquire the jewelry maker about it but the Mandalorian standing before you had given it to you the last time he was here. He simply said he thought it would look nicer on you. You didn’t ask anymore.
“It’s alright,” you smiled. “I’m just glad to see you back here in one piece.”
He seemed a bit taken back by that. You worried you had overstepped the boundary between flirting and kindness but then he tilted his head, curiously. “Yeah?”
Oh, you felt yourself blushing a bit. You ducked your head and stepped around him, beginning to work on the lock of your shop. 
“Yeah,” you shrugged and opened the door. The Mandalorian followed closely behind. “I’ve heard your work can be demanding. Lots of opportunities for you to get hurt.”
“Does that worry you?”
You stopped in front of the pile of new fabrics you had just woven. You sighed. “I’ve come to think of us as a little bit more than acquaintances. It’s normal to worry about others.”
You swore you heard him let out a low chuckle at that but he didn’t acknowledge it. Or your statement. You chose to do the same. You walked around to the counter and began prepping the logbooks for the day. The Mandalorian continued to hang around, gaze and hands roaming the new pieces you had set up last night. You were hoping this new collection you were previewing was going to bring in some hefty credits. Maybe allow you to take a holiday.
The Mandalorian broke the tense silence with the most unexpected comment. “I worry about you too, you know.” 
Your finger stopped abruptly as it scanned your list of sales for the week. When you had offered your care, you had never expected it back. You two technically weren’t on that level, at least not verbally. In other formats of gift-giving and worried looks, it was a different story. 
“You worry about me?” You inquired, brows raised in surprise. 
He gave a very Mandalorian-like shrug, his gaze still fixated on your for-sale items. Something in you was crushed when it looked like you weren’t getting any more from him. Maybe he’d disappear tonight, embarrassed by this exchange. But then by some miracle, he spoke again.
“Of course,” he said it like it was so obvious. “You’re a very kind shopowner living out in this village alone. This galaxy, no matter what corner you hide in, can be dangerous.”
You smiled to yourself. “I’ve done this for many years, Mandalorian. I think I will be alright.”
He hummed in acknwoeldgement. “I’m sure,” he mumbled. “But can you blame me for having concerns?”
This conversation sure was going to a funny place, you thought, but you were along for the ride. If he was going to talk about concerns, you could for sure rattle off yours. He was worried about your safety in this little village while you worried for his health. It cannot be good for a human, assuming he was human under all that gear, to be wandering the galaxy with no rhyme or reason besides the bounties strung about this galaxy. You never thought you’d express these things to him but the Mandalorian appeared to be a talkative one today. And you felt you two were beyond strangers. 
“Well, I’m flattered you think of me,” you admitted. “But I fear it’s you who faces more dangers than me.”
The helmeted man gave a little scoff at that comment. “Nothing I can’t handle.”
Sure, you didn’t doubt that, but that wasn’t what was on your mind. “I’m not talking about bounty hunting. I’m talking about your habit of being a drifter.”
The words didn’t feel very impactful in your brain but when they hit the open shop it was like you had dropped a bomb. The Mandalorian stilled, his gloved hand letting go of one of the scarves you had laying on a table. He began making his way suddenly towards where you still stood behind the counter. You frowned.
“A drifter?”
His eye gaze wasn’t seen but it was sure felt. You shrugged. “I’m not a fool. I know you bounce around from planet to planet throughout this galaxy. Maker knows why you keep coming back here but... I just worry you don’t have a home-,”
“I don’t,” he confirmed. Your heart all about stopped. Well, you didn’t exactly want to be right.
“Oh,” you said, averting your eyes to the wood counter. “And that doesn’t bother you? You must want someone waiting for you. Someone to just spend...moments with.”
“Don’t I have you?”
The question hung in the air between you two like a heavy pendulum. You couldn’t believe what you were hearing. He… He thought of you like that? Of this village? But why would he… Oh, but didn’t it make some kind of sense? The reappearing? The coming and going… He waltzed in and tried to get to know everyone. Got to know you.
Your head was a jumbled mess, so much so the only thing you could get out was a soft, “Me?”
The Mandalorian nodded. He wasn’t looking anywhere near you, finding such interest in the wall of your shop. But you noted his stiff stance. Maybe he hadn’t meant to say that… Except he had. And now it was out there. Something in the mysterious bounty hunter made him let out such a grand confession.
“Yes,” he eventually confirmed. “You. This village. I have that. I have this to come back to.”
With thoughts swimming violently, you had to ask, “But why don’t you stay?”
“I have jobs to do.” He almost sounded offended you had asked that. You shook your head.
“N-No, I mean… Get a place for yourself. You’re always sleeping on that ship. Maybe accept the invites to dinners the sweet lady down the path invites you to. Or you and I could…” Your words faded fast, slightly scared of what was going to slip out. But the Mandalorian wasn’t letting it go.
He turned his gaze back to you. “We could what?”
“S-Spend time together or something,” you mumbled. Real smooth, you thought. Just the perfect way to flirt. You expected him to now be so offended, maybe even storm out such a suggestion, but the armored man didn’t move. Instead, he cocked his head, curious.
“You’d want to do that?”
You sighed. “I want you to start a life somewhere. Really start it. Drifting around this galaxy cannot be very promising. You deserve this. You deserve a home, Mando.”
“Din.”
Your brows furrowed. Now it was your turn to be curious. “What?”
“My name is Din,” he explained. “You don’t have to call me Mando.”
If a heart could sing, yours would be a full chorus. He finally told you his name. After collecting jewelry and stories, he had finally opened somewhat to you. That was a good sign, a great sign. 
“Din,” you said, testing the name. It rolled off your lips easily. “We’d love to have you around.” A beat. “I’d love it, especially.” It was a bold declaration but he had given you something, the least you could do was make your intentions more obvious.
“Thank you,” Din said. 
“Of course,” you shrugged. “We all need to find the place where we belong.”
Din let out a bit of a chuckle. You frowned at that.
“You think I belong here?” He asked, amused. 
You didn’t like that he wasn’t taking you seriously but it would be okay. Just gave you more of a reason to show him everything this place had to offer. From the nice shopkeepers to the lovely food. This would be some kind of home for him or at least a place where he’d always be welcomed. Your heart fluttered at the idea of him leaving less, maybe even never leaving. He could train people on fighting or - or… 
You had to stop yourself as your brain was getting beyond reality. You shot the Mandalorian a smile.
“I think you’ve always belonged.”
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ackerfics · 4 years ago
Text
edelweiss — levi ackerman.
— levi ackerman x female reader
— warnings: spoilers for season 4 and the good old aot canon-typical violence.
— summary: you pour your unsaid thoughts to levi, only to break a promise that costs you your heart.
— word count: 4.5k
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The sea holds so many promises with its sea-green hue that it spreads a chilling wave through your body like the first breath of winter’s snow. The first time you had ever set eyes on such a majestic view, there was still momentary happiness lingering as your comrades splashed each other with its blue waters. It was a symbol of hope and yet it remained a mystery that prevents all of you from knowing what was beyond this thing called the horizon. You remember how you laughed in delight when Hange presented a bizarre creature on their hands, beckoning you to move closer and focus your entire attention on the small unknown thing lying on your best friend’s palms. You remember glorying under the Sun’s ever singing rays, watching them glitter against every small jostle of water at your feet. You remember turning around to face your lover with a bright smile that might have rendered him speechless — fumbling for words when the two of you face each other.
Those moments were timeless.
Minutes spent wading in the sea was the only time you had peace.
You let out a shuddering breath as you brushed your fingers against the gold band decorating your left ring finger. This is no time to be vulnerable. You were a captain for years, for heaven’s sake, even before Levi joined the Survey Corps. The younger soldiers would feel nervous if they see your unnecessary tears. Hastily wiping them from your cheeks, you turned away from the railing separating you from the dreadful vastness of blue that placed you in such a mood and placed a tentative hand on one of the rooms housing your injured husband.
Entering the small room was more stifling than the situation happening around the continent. It would mean seeing Levi in such a state that would always accumulate unshed tears in your eyes. The bandages wrapping his figure only worsened your melancholy and with every step, you pray that he wouldn’t wake up from the cringing creak of the wood paneling of the floor. The room only had one single bed and a convenient chair on the opposite side of the lone furniture. You wasted no time in lifting the chair to place it beside Levi’s bed, seating yourself with pursed lips and clenched fists. The more time you surveyed his battered body, the more your throat burned with the urge to pour out your feelings in the small confines of the room.
With the Rumbling purging the continents beyond Paradis, this was no time to be relishing in old memories. 
Yet living in those memories you shared with Levi kept you solid.
Your life wasn’t guaranteed in this last mission. There will always be a possibility that you won’t come home with the rest of the people fighting against the Rumbling and you had to make do of the short amount of time you had with Levi. But a part of you was saying that you had to survive no matter what, to make that dream of opening a tea shop in a small village possible — to give your child the freedom and childhood you had never experienced. That little ray of sunshine that came to both you and Levi in times of hopelessness a year after taking back the lost territory of the Walls. He looked like Levi that it was so hard for you to say goodbye, even if it were only missions for weeks on an unknown land. This time, you didn’t utter a single closure to your son, regret started bubbling in the abyss of your mind and stomach.
And now, you don’t know if you could ever meet with your son again.
Taking Levi’s hand as gently as possible, you took a deep breath.
“If time really was against us, I promise I wouldn’t cry. I promise I wouldn’t wait for you because I know you’ll still be the strongest soldier I have ever known. I am a mere mortal compared to you, Levi, and I fear that this dream of ours will have its last breath.”
A bitter chuckle came out of you as your grip on his hand tightened. The memories were now more vivid than usual — the time you introduced yourself to him and his friends from the Underground, the respect that blossomed between you when he knew you will be his new squad leader, the way he looked after you as your second-in-command, you recommending him in the vacant Captain spot of the Survey Corps, and you giving him a welcoming gift in his new office. Then, the images shifted to when he finally kissed you under the canopy of stars, to when he whispered words of reassurance as your bodies erased every space between you, to when you screamed in Shiganshina that you were pregnant with his child, and to when you started carrying his discovered last name along with the birth of your first son.
“The reason these thoughts tend to cloud my head at this moment was that the memories simply flashed in my mind as I stared at the ocean that I always longed for. Memories we shared that might have been fleeting yet they carry a thousand-fold of emotions coursing through every fiber of my being. Funny how every time we went out on an expedition all those years ago, you always told me to keep safe and come back with a heart that’s still beating for you. As if I would ever stop loving you and set my sights romanticizing the Titans as Hange does. I had realized that you never once accepted that my life could abruptly end with a constant war on our hands.
“Until your tired breath from lack of sleep gradually diminishes, this time, I will be the one to protect you and fight until I will let go of my own heart to sing a song worthy of you.”
“Was that a speech of farewell just now?”
Your eyes flew from your joined hands to the dulled gray irises of the keeper of your heart. Before you know it, tears continuously flowed a stream on your cheeks, your shoulders hunched as sobs racked your body. “I don’t know what came over me, must be the tension brought by the possibility of dying when we haven’t even stopped the Rumbling from erasing the rest of humanity.”
“Hey, look at me,” Levi uttered your name so softly as if he was afraid it would sadden you even more. Placing his left hand on your cheek, he wiped the cascading tear that glistened under the mellow glow of the lantern beside his bed. “You’re not going anywhere. Not when I am still alive with limbs fully intact. Well, except for the fact that I lost two of my fingers.” From that, more tears appeared in his view, flustering him in the slightest. “The point is that I will protect you. This dream with our small family will be forever ingrained in our future. You will always have me looking out for you.”
“But I’m supposed to be the one protecting you now.”
“Are you underestimating me?”
You shook your head, covering his hand with both of yours. You placed a tender kiss that you hoped radiated the unsaid thoughts that could ruin the moment you share with him right now. You wanted him to be a part of humanity’s victory against whatever crazy plan Eren has set his mind on.
“Our little boy is waiting for us to come home,” Levi reminded you after a few minutes of silence (with your occasional sniffles here and there). “Isn’t that enough reason for us to come home alive? Imagining him losing one of us was the one thing I don’t want to happen right now. Promise me.” You love the sound of your name when he says it. Akin to the flowers that seem like they hold all the jewels at the center of their petals. “Come home with me safe and sound.”
“I’m not one to keep promises, Levi, you know that.”
“Just this once,” he pleaded. “All I wanted was to have a happy ending with you, my edelweiss.”
With new tears blossoming in your eyes like flowers in spring, you gave Levi a promise that will desperately cling as long as the two of you are alive.
And he regretted making you say those words.
The battle with the Nine Titans of the past proved to be tormenting. With forces so small, the group who allied two countries at constant war with each other fought with bated breath, all eager to get out of the situation alive like no other. As hollow as your chest became after witnessing Hange sacrifice their life to let all of you escape, you steeled yourself and momentarily forgot the emptiness you felt as you landed on top of Eren’s back. You fought back a gag of disgust when you realized that the humungous creature shared similarities with those insects you loathe. However, Armin was captured by a Titan out of nowhere and everything went to absolute shit. Maneuvering in the air was perfect for the remaining members of the Survey Corps as they assessed the onslaught and ongoing appearance of their intelligent enemies on Eren’s back but their numbers continued pouring in. Two thousand years of Titan history right in front of your eyes. Everybody, Mikasa especially, was starting to feel agitated that one of their comrades was hauled away with a good number of Titans to prevent them from saving him.
“Even if I was in perfect shape,” Levi told them while they stayed perched a good kilometers away from Death, “I would still not choose to make a charge there. So calm down. Mikasa, don’t rush. Wait until I distract them.”
You glanced at him from the corner of your eyes. “Levi, don’t overexert yourself. We don’t want to lose you.”
“The feeling’s mutual. Don’t die on me.”
The rush of adrenaline started when Pieck initiated the charge, along with the thought that she had never known Eren unlike the rest of the people behind her. You screamed for her to retreat but they were futile when the Warhammer Titan materialized behind the Shifter and pierced a weapon made of hardened Titan skin through the torso of the woman’s Cart Titan. Gritting your teeth, you followed your comrades in a route specifically to rescue the new commander of the Survey Corps. Thunderspears were released every minute, maneuvers were done in utmost accuracy, and sliced napes gradually increased as your small group evaded every death-defying moment. As you were about to set your sights on one Titan in particular as well as avoid the Colossal Titan, Connie descended when the fifty-meter mass of burning flesh threw Reiner’s inert Titan at the rest of the squad, shaking the entirety of the spine you were carefully standing on. 
“Levi!” you called out desperately when you saw him cough up blood. He was only a few meters away from you and you had to take him away from there fast. However, the sudden motion of a jumping Titan made you rethink your decision, latching your hooks at somewhere near Connie and blinding the creature’s eyes with an angered shout that might have startled it. The horrible creature tried snapping at your form but you were quick enough to evade its jaws with a hiss from your ODM gear, turning in midair to slice the Titan’s nape and rendering it lifeless. Looking down for a moment to check on your blades, you saw the lone pair sitting inside either sheath of the gear. “Fuck. My gas canisters and supply are not cooperating with the situation right now.”
Looking around, you suddenly realized with a hollow chest that everything was hopeless at this point. There was no escape as every intelligent Titan known to mankind swarmed your squad, their shadows a foreboding omen on your death.
Feeling a prickling sensation at the back of your neck, you turned around and saw that the Warhammer Titan was starting to make another one of its weapons, this time, a needle-like spear forming from the hardened material at the bottom of its foot. Shouting at the top of your lungs for your friends to flee, the message only registered to them when you pushed Mikasa, who was dangling in the middle of the trajectory with a determined face, oblivious to the weapon hurtling towards your squad’s direction.
Pain was something you always described as a chain of a chemical reaction. From all the books you read while trying to keep up with the latest idea Hange had, you always marveled at how a small prick of a needle would soon creep the sensation to your entire finger. To prevent yourself from being affected by the pain, you always likened the creeping pain to a blooming blossom in your and Hange’s favorite season. It promised something anew that would grow from the initial pain that racked your body. The dizziness was another story entirely. You never had issues with iron deficiency while growing up. You were a force to be reckoned with — battle scars lining up your legs and knees from all the running and climbing you did as a part of your childhood. These dents on your body grew in numbers as the years passed by until you were granted a position in the military regiment of flying wings and anxiety-ridden adventures. You wore these battle scars proudly like any other soldier.
Then, the promise of being alive rang across your head like a beacon.
That spear caused the entire left side of your torso to be gone.
The shouts of terror and agony from your squad fell on deaf ears as you slowly plummeted to your death. Ah, so that was why you were having flashbacks of your life from gazing at the ocean a final time. Glassy eyes stared lifelessly at the steaming sky as a single voice screamed your name nearly made you smile. You can finally let go of those long, never-ending days now. There won’t be nightmares plaguing you every other night as you finally succumbed to your last sleep. Selfish as it may, you were at peace once again.
“[Name]!”
And when you opened your eyes, a familiar face appeared to greet you and everything felt like a dream you just experienced from a drunken daze.
“Hi, I hope that wasn’t a bad dream.”
You blinked away the drowsiness that fell upon your eyelids, staring at a familiar landscape you only saw in daydreams. The clean air reminded you of the good old days, of summers left uncherished and autumn with its red leaves and yellow treats. There weren’t any Titans looming at every corner of the space and you slightly felt relieved at the thought until a single tear ran down your cheek like a chill in the winter air. 
“Don’t cry.” A slightly panicked tone that only deepened the cut you felt in your chest. “You’re safe here.”
Those words only fuelled your cries. Palms covering your mouth, you uttered the name of the person who would pull you from the inner workings of your mind and bring you back to the surface. You never knew how much you missed them until you wrapped your arms around their shoulders, pulling them in an embrace that you should’ve done before they said their farewells, face taut with determination to stop Eren.
"Hange.”
They smelled like home. Of baked bread during late-night trysts in the kitchens to make them eat after a week of slaving inside their laboratory, of hot chocolate from the marketplace, of scented shampoo from the baths you had to force them. Your grip tightened when you felt their gentle hands reciprocate the hug you showered on them.
“I can’t believe you’re here waiting for me.”
“You did well.” A call of your name snapped you from reuniting with your best friend.
“Erwin?”
A warm smile lifted the said man’s lips as he kneeled beside you and Hange, who was now trying so hard not to cry. “You fought beautifully, [Name], and I’m so glad to see your smile again.”
The overwhelming emotions made you laugh brilliantly in the vast meadow where the veterans once had their picnic. Then, an image of a man with ebony locks and loving steel eyes and a toddler with an uncanny similarity as him made you stop breathing. The tea shop you promised your husband would have. The perfect childhood your son would’ve enjoyed. “What about Caelum? Levi?”
Erwin placed a firm hand on your shoulder. There you realized your torso was still intact. “You will see them as many times as you want. Come,” he took your hand and pulled you up, “the others are waiting. It’s your time to tell your story now.”
“I bet it was interesting since I never got to see it,” Hange interjected, wrapping a nostalgic arm around your shoulders. “That blasted Eren! I will haunt him in his sleep if he survived that massacre he started!”
-
Sleep was never Levi’s friend growing up. It was a realm that he chose not to venture at certain nights, afraid of the demons lurking at every corner of his tunnel vision. There was a time that sleep was kind to him. It took the form of a beautiful sprite with gentle fingers; coaxing him, tugging affectionately on his black locks, and humming lullabies that will guarantee him a good night’s sleep after a tiring day of having responsibilities. Only there was no fairy to lull him to sleep this time around. The nightmare was always the same — it started as any other random memory stored in the kept jar inside his chest, turning the whole scenario in a crescendo until he saw the limp body of his wife dropping lifelessly, the wire of her gear snapping from the impact of a white spear. His wife had the same face as the fairy who he held every night while being in the Survey Corps. The wife who gave him the light of his life, who was sleeping soundly beside him on the bed; black hair tousled, puffy cheeks blabbering drowsy nonsense, and chubby fists clenching on the thick sheets.
Glancing at the child on the bed, Levi ran an agitated hand through his hair, tugging at the roots as hard as he could. His mind flittered to the dream he just had, shocked that no blood and corpses were waiting at the end. Levi doesn’t know if he should be grateful or spooked at the sudden change of his unconscious.
“Guess you won’t be calling me ‘Captain’ anymore, huh, Levi?”
A playful jab colored Levi’s new office. It was a new change from that stuffy bedroom he got back when he was still the second-in-command of the woman standing in the middle of his office as if it was a new wonderland fit for admiring. The room was nothing much. It was an old storage room, which ticked Levi off to many tomorrows, spending every free time polishing the wooden cabinets and bookshelves until they reflected his face. There was an adjoining door to the right of his desk, showing his new sleeping quarters — equipped with a bed, housing double the pillows he got a while back and a soft mattress that his spine was grateful for. Now, the black-haired man observed how [Name]’s face lit up when their eyes met, igniting a foreign feeling inside his stomach and chest.
“So what’s second on the agenda, Captain Levi? I deduced that cleaning is the first one and you finished that without a hitch. You should’ve told me you needed help, I can always spare a few minutes taking a break from paperwork.”
Levi snorted at how smooth the title and his name sounded with the woman’s voice. “Finding brats to place on my squad.” As he fidgeted with the stacks of papers on top of his desk, his gray gaze kept glancing at [Name], who was now sidling up on his bookshelf, occasionally commenting that they pay a visit to the marketplace downtown for some good books to add in his collection. (“Your taste is bland, Levi, spice them up, for fuck’s sake,” to which the man brushed off.) “Uh, if you don’t mind, you can help me with finding some good soldiers for my squad.”
[Eye color] irises immediately snapped to meet his, causing Levi to clear his throat to ease the nervousness that started to chill his spine. It was as if he didn’t spend the past year under her leadership, which amounted to more moments spent with just the two of them. This, however, the nervousness he felt, was uncalled for. The cause being the woman with the unbound hair, curling at the bottom from the hours she pinned it in a bun, and a resolve that rivaled that of a stoked fire shining through her eyes. Truly worthy of the title ‘Humanity’s Beacon’, being one of the few women to ever prove themselves by slaying titans and conditioning their bodies and mind to achieve such an accomplishment. Levi found himself continuously staring at [Name] with the most blatant awe his stoic face could muster. He realized something that might have crossed his mind a couple of times they were together.
[Name] [Last Name] was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
“Finding good soldiers?” [Name] hummed, oblivious at the fact that she took the black-haired man’s breath away with a glance. “I think I have some cadets in mind.” Then, she clapped her hands. “But before that, I would like to give you your welcoming present!”
“Welcoming,” Levi trailed off, “present?”
[Name] nodded, turning around to the long couch pushed against the wall. So that’s what that poor excuse of wrapping paper was for, Levi thought. Like a little kid presenting the parent their shitty drawing, [Name] placed the gift in the middle of his desk with a clang. Wait, clang? “I hope I didn’t break it,” the female captain murmured, scratching her head sheepishly. “You can open it now.”
Levi tentatively unwrapped the brown paper around the supposed gift the woman gave him. Upon seeing what was nestled inside the papers, gray eyes met the most tantalizing [eye color] as he slightly gaped in disbelief. “You bought me a,” an eager nod could be seen from the woman in his peripheral vision, “a tea set. And a new jar of tea leaves as well. [Name], I-I couldn’t accept this, this must cost a lot. You know I have plans of buying my own tea set and tea leaves once I have a solid paycheck. These are even made from the highest quality, both of these, how—?”
Laughter bubbled from [Name] as she endearingly stared at the flustered state of her friend, abruptly stopping his chatter. “You’re rambling, Levi. Don’t worry about the lost money, we will be getting our paychecks next month anyway. I don’t have anything to splurge the rest of my savings on, except for a few books and quills. Besides,” she paused to give Levi a brilliant smile that once again rendered him speechless, “I guess giving you these are worth every single penny. Congratulations on being captain, Levi.”
Clearing his throat, he looked away. “Tch, you’re the one who recommended me to Erwin, stop with the congratulations as if you don’t know the promotion.”
“Still stingy, I see. So about those cadets you wanted to recruit. Here, I recommend these people.”
A small weight knocked Levi out of his stupor, silver-gray matching his stare with worried eyes. Small hands plopped on either side of the man’s face, squishing his cheeks as the hunched smaller figure on his lap pouted with furrowed eyebrows. “Dad, did you have a nightmare?” Letting out a sigh, Levi took his son’s hands from his face and proceeded to hug him close. The little boy sensed that his father was in a sad mood because of the man’s tense shoulders so he determinedly patted Levi’s head. “There, there, Dad. It’s more than okay to forget that dream.”
“You know I wouldn’t dare forget your Mom, kid,” Levi murmured, leaning back to look at Caelum with a raised eyebrow.
“You were dreaming about Mom?”
“Yeah.”
Great, his kid inherited his insomniac tendencies. If [Name] would see him now, there would be no doubt she will initiate a late-night tea party with Caelum. The kid also inherited his love for tea (Levi lets him drink fruit teas in the meantime) which is more than fine.
Caelum ducked down, pouting while fiddling with his father’s shirt. “I miss Mom.”
A sad smile pulled on Levi’s lips. “Me, too, kid. Me, too.” He brushed his lips on Caelum’s forehead (which lead to a small whine from the toddler, saying that he’s a big boy and he doesn’t want kisses from his dad) before lying down on the bed, with his son on top of his chest. “Deal with the kisses. Let’s sleep, yeah? Are you sleepy, kid?”
The little boy yawned and rubbed his eye. “Nope.”
Levi snorted. “Well, no shit.”
“That’s a bad word. Mom wouldn’t like you saying it.” Silence enveloped the two until, “Hey, Dad, can you tell me stories about Mom?”
“Go to sleep, brat.” A pause. “She is—,” Levi sighed, “quite a handful, even when she was a captain.”
Caelum huffed. “I already know that. You always complain about it.”
“Well, did I tell you about that time she stood on top of a Titan we were planning to capture, leading it like a horse to our trap?”
The dark-haired boy shook his head adorably. “Did Mom get hurt?”
“That idiot did.”
“That’s not a very nice thing to say about Mom!”
“Setting that aside, your Mom…”
Telling stories of [Name] always proved to be quite a time-consuming thing as the toddler fought against his drooping eyelids. Levi fondly stared at the only memory his wife left behind, his hand soothingly rubbed the boy’s back as their breaths turned into a rhythmic melody synced with each other. “I love you, kid. I know your mom will be proud of you. We’ll always be here for you, our edelweiss.”
-
To you, glowing with the suns,
There was no one alive to tell the tale of how the world almost came to an end, how earthquakes rumbled, how hopes were extinguished. There was no one alive to tell the story of how much I dedicate my heart to you. If I’d known it would be this way; I would have written thousands of paragraphs with the way I looked at you as if you were the sea, I would have written the ending with words that rivaled the infinite stars in the cosmos, and I would have finished it off with happiness that we (you) deserve. 
You are my prologue, my epilogue, and every chapter and page in between.
From a tired soldier who loves you until we become ancient,
Your Levi
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idanit · 3 years ago
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possibly underappreciated Good Omens fics I enjoyed once upon a time
Indirectly inspired by a video series about fanfiction I watched, I decided to pull together a list of Good Omens fics I have bookmarked as stories I enjoyed, but which have less than 250-300 kudos at the time I’m writing this. No particular order. They’re accompanied by short excerpts from my private fic reading notes (not originally intended to be read by anyone but me, mind), sometimes slightly edited for clarity—and, sometimes, the comments I left on the fics.
This list sat in my drafts for a long time and the recent S2 announcement reminded me of it. I’d love it if it inspired you to do something similar! Spread the love.
And mind the tags, please.
△ = general and teen ▲ = mature and explicit 
thermodynamic equilibrium ▲ 7K the author has such an ear for dialogue and is unapologetic about what they want to write the characters like. They think of the characters as a mix of TV and book canon, but they feel like a homemade blend to me. (...) It’s very funny.
such dear follies ▲ 6K I can really picture this Aziraphale—Crowley as well, but her especially. She’s rather distinct. (...) Nice writing.
The Words Were With - △ 1.2K post-Blitz vignette, Aziraphale realizes what he feels and wonders if they're human enough for this. I liked it, and I liked the tag "transhumanism, but in reverse?", too—what an interesting idea. I'd say it's a vignette in a dire need of a follow-up, but, well, there's the show. The show is the follow-up. It fits very nicely within the canon and I totally believe it could have happened, like a deleted scene.
Gossip and Good Counsel △ 19K/? I love their companionship and how they're set up to be opposites by the management even though they get on pretty well. It feels very in keeping with the canon, but I feel like the fact that it's an F/F set in this particular time period adds a meaningful layer to the situation. It's women supporting each other in the world of men, working with the personas that are created for them, but, privately, being normal, well-rounded people. (...) and of course your writing is always a pleasure to read. (...) SDHDGDHDHDG Maisie is truly an Aziraphale.
Crowley Went Down to Georgia (he was looking for a soul to steal) △ 6K This was nice. Based on a song I didn’t know. Crowley goes to a funeral in the USA, one of a fiddler he knew and lost a bet to once. (...) The fic has not one but two songs composed for it and embedded inside it and that makes it even better. I really enjoyed the experience.
The Thing With Feathers △ 18K WARLOCK you'rE HORRIBLE AND I LOVE IT I would read an entire novel-length fic just of Crowley fighting his battles with Warlock. Written like this? It would be a blast. (...) The OCs are believably characterized and well-loved by the story. (...) Everyone seems to need a friend in this house. (...) This was so fun, and at the same time, their mission has weight here (...) We wonder about what the future holds even though we know it.
Here Quiet Find △ 11K This fic aimed for my head and the aim was sure precise. It was a story of Crowley sensing Aziraphale's distress and finding him in a self-quarantined English village in the seventeenth century, tired and anxious. It's hurt/comfort, so there was washing and bedsharing and I had to love it, so I did.
outside of time △ 2K Post-Almostgeddon, (...) nicely-written, short, but strung with a soft kind of tension and unspoken words. There's no drama, just "can we really", and "do you really" of sudden freedom. They fall into being inseparable. Book canon, which I like for this story (sitting on a tarmac). I liked the footnotes. There's a mention of Eliot. All in all, very much yes.
She'asani Yisrael △ 2K It’s Crowley going through a two-hour service and drinking blessed wine. He also keeps an eye on a boy he was asked to. It’s 1946. It was pretty good, so far the best Jewish GO fic, I think, from the ones I’ve read.
To Guard The Eastern Gate △ 11K  I loved it. You really made Sodom feel lived-in; the description of Keret, Hurriya and Yassib's house and relationship were great. I got attached to both them and the city (...) Aziraphale and Crawley’s interactions were generally very entertaining. I laughed (...) Your rendering of their voices just lands so well (...) But then oh, the entire ending (...) hurt, hurt a lot, and your descriptions are so vivid.
If you’ve been waiting (for falling in love) △ 14K AAAAA a good ending line. The whole paragraph, in fact. I love a good smattering of philosophy in my fics, and this was really nice. I can get behind Thomas Aequinus's and Crowley's view on eternity. It's (...) a pretty simple fic (...) - the courage to express yourself and take a risk is awarded with winning what was at stake by the virtue of reciprocity - but the way it was intertwined with a study of how they would experience a forever was done well. 
Holy unnecessary ▲ 2.2K It's well-written. (...) this is my type of sexual humour if I have any. So subtle. Blink and you'll miss it. Lovely.
The Parting Glass △ 17K Through the ages, they're dancing around their relationship until after the Armageddoff. (...) Wow, this was really, really nice. Very simple in its concept and nothing I haven't read before, but very well-executed. (...) AAAAH I LOVED the first chapter. I always like abbeys as settings, that's a given, but the banter, the good writing, the moral ambiguity!
Name The Sky △ 33K This Crowley is different, but very intriguing. Without his sarcastic talk, and much more animalistic. (...) I love how expressive Crowley is. (...) This fic has a very nice balance of drama and levity. I don't love Crowley-before-the-Fall stories very much, but with this execution I can read about it. (...) Okay I've read Crowley offering fruits, and even Aziraphale biting fruits, but the two of them sharing the apple? Outstanding. Ingenious. What a take.
A Flame in Your Heart △ 5K post-Blitz (why are so many dance fics post-Blitz?), they go to the bookshop and have an actually believable conversation. Then they dance the gavotte. It was really nice! Believable writing, emotions, the dancing! (...) Of course it's too early for them, (...) but the author's note? yeah.
Put down the apple, Adam, and come away with me ▲ 32K At this point it's just reading original stories with characters with names and some personality traits that I recognize. (...) I really enjoy this, the careful dance, the opposition between their views. (...) This is well-written, wow. (...) it's not an easy read (...) this story feels very believably 50s, but also reaches out to the present time. 
Liebestraum ▲ 10K/? It really is like music. I'm enjoying the writing a lot. (...) oh my actual god. This, this? Wow, uh. This came for my throat. (...) THE MUSICAL COMPOSITION, THE MOTIF RETURNING, THE AUTHOR KNOWS WHERE IT'S AT (...) Excellent. This hits the right beats so precisely, (...) and with feeling, too.
Down Comforter △ 2.4K and they lay down in angeldown, a soft rug ‘neath their heads– alright. Well, Crowley lies under Aziraphale's wing on a Persian rug after the Apocalypse, and they talk (...). It was sweet.
The Corsair of Carcosa △ 5K Crowley wakes up from a nap, visits Aziraphale for some drinking, and they read The King in Yellow that he happens to own. Good writing, so I'm bought. Aziraphale mentions Beardsley, so I'm bought twice over. My god, a discussion of etheral/occult madness? Caused by some wrong/true reading? Yes.
Very Good, Omens! △ 6K It's rather well-written, well-pastiched. People don't do that too often, nowadays - try to write in the style of a particular writer. (...) I love wordplay like this.
Reviving Robin Hood: The Complicated Process of Crème Brûlée △ 30K it's well-written (...), has a rhythm to it, and quiet humour. (...) Finally some nice, good, light writing. The attention to detail! (...) I'm still reading most of it aloud, the rhythm of it compels me to. (...) okay this does sound like Pratchett&Gaiman, the Good Omens itself (...) The fic is meandering, hilarious, sensitive in all the right places, and overall lovely.
my dear acquaintance △ 1K Oh. Oh. Yes, yes! Aziraphale in Russia, Russia I've never been in, but I can feel the snow and the evening of. Very real, and the bar, too. Attention to detail - vodka flavoured with dill, what on earth? Yes. He would totally have a distinct taste in operas and he would totally complain about a subpar one. I'm glad Tchaikovsky's there.
there is a crack in everything △ 1.8K This was good! Ah. Inspired by a comment (...), I went looking for Mr. Harrison and Mr. Cortese fics—really, what a big brain moment someone had and why have I never thought to look for them? This is Crowley getting suddenly anxious and Aziraphale going out of his way, through all his layers of not-thinking and denial, to console him. I also really liked how the Arrangement is a carefully unacknowledged partnership-marriage.
Scales And Gold And Wings And Scars △ 6K  No conflict, no plot, one tiny arc like a ripple on the surface of water on a calm sunny day - of Aziraphale discovering Crowley’s scars. It's the South Downs and it's early summer. They bask and swim in a spring. Non-sexual nudity, love in the air like a scent. Nice.
Nineteen Footnotes In Search Of A Story △ 0.4K This is a Good Omens story told only through footnotes. Your mind can fill in the gaps. Fascinating (...). Also, it’s an experiment so apt for this particular fandom.
Hell on Earth △ 6.5K Oh, I loved it! How could I not love it: it's Beelzebub-centric, it's historical, it has classical painting, and even a hilarious scene with a cuneiform phrase, as if I didn't enjoy this story enough already. There are so few Beelzebub fics out there and I find searching for them very difficult (I accept recs if anyone has any), and it's such a shame, so this was really like a gift to the fandom. I absolutely adore the way you portrayed them, small, frightening, powerful, and confident. Also, it was super fun to see how different Crowley seems when we're not in his POV or in a story about him and Aziraphale. (...)
Go Up to Ramoth-Gilead and Triumph △ 24K Daegaer is... pure class. (...) hdhdhdh what pfttt why you so funny (...) I love this Crowley. (...) This got unexpectedly intense. (...) I love the little nods to the fact that Israelites, especially the poorer ones, still believe in other gods. I also really like that they sleep on roofs. It's just the kind of detail that grounds the story and shows that the author is, in fact, a historian. 
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sup-hoes-its-me · 4 years ago
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Adore You II (Yamato x Reader)
A/N: secret admirer Yamato fic. said that this one would be short, but i once again have gotten carried away. Here is the ending. It should be cute. thanks for reading. 
Word count: 3200
It had been a long day at the bakery, full of kneading breads and selling cupcakes and just generally doing some busy work around the store. Life was uneventful, except for the moments she arrived at her apartment in the evenings just as the sun was setting, and she’d find a new gift lying on the ground or a note taped to her door.
 It was nice, having these little surprises either at the beginning or ending of her day. In fact, she was growing all too used to the confidence boost the sweet love letters gave her. 
Apparently, she was beautiful. She was strong and kind and generous and funny, and so many other things all stated and elaborated on in these notes. She was high off those letters. They made her feel just a bit better about herself. Even after long days of work where her hair was falling out its tie and her skin dusted with flour and chocolate frosting smeared across her dirty apron, she still felt on top of the world.
Every day she grew more and more curious as to who was leaving those notes lying around. It really could be anyone, even someone she barely knew. In that case, she had no idea what she would do. Yes, the person in question seemed nice, but she didn’t exactly feel comfortable dating someone she didn’t know or like. 
And if it was someone she knew, what would she do then? Could they stay friends after all this mess? She would try, but would it be too awkward for them to be around her after spilling their feelings over and over again?
Just thinking about the outcomes of this secret admirer situation was overwhelming and she avoided the thought. She would just enjoy the acts of admiration from the comfort of her own home.
It had actually been three days since the last gift was left outside her door and she was beginning to grow excited. If he was gone for another few days, surely she could go around and figure out who was on a mission for the entire week. The turning point was almost here, she thought. Only a few more days until she could find out. It was both scary and exhilarating to think about.
As she rounded the corner to her apartment, walking up the metal stairs, she expected nothing at her door once again. That only made sense. Definitely not a person standing there, no way.
She certainly did not expect to see Kakashi standing at her doorstep, holding a bouquet of flowers. Just as quick as she had seen, she ducked back behind the wall, hand pressed to her mouth to shush her gasp.
What the fuck…
That was definitely him, she confirmed in her mind. The same white hair, mask, jounin vest, everything. Her heart raced and she felt panic creeping up her neck. How could this be? Kakashi was her friend, and only her friend. She thought that had been established a long time ago. There was nothing intimate going on between them, and she never anticipated there would be. 
She waited until he was gone before she walked to her apartment and picked up the flowers and note. She swore that this wasn’t Kakashi’s handwriting, but now she wasn’t so sure. Maybe it was and she was just remembering wrong. Why was she even questioning herself though? Right in front of her eyes, she saw Kakashi leaving flowers at her doorstep. The answer was clear as day.
Kakashi was her secret admirer.
The more she thought about it, it made a little sense. He always accepted her free baked goods, but she always just assumed he didn’t feel like buying his own bread. And he walked her home from the store on more than one occasion. He was nice to her every time they hung out. All of those things she always just assumed were normal friendly things to Kakashi, but she found herself questioning his every move now. 
Oh man. Oh shit. How would she even go about confronting him? He was such a cool and collected guy, she would feel awkward rejecting him. Would he be angry? Another thought crossed her mind for a moment. Maybe she shouldn’t reject him. He was a very smart and kind man, and he always knew what to say even in the worst of moments. He was reliable and strong and forgiving.
Maybe she should just go for it. 
Yeah, she cared for Yamato a lot, but why keep trying for someone completely unattainable when another guy she got along with was ready to give her the entire world? From the way he spoke in his letters, he liked her for a long time and intended to make her his long term girlfriend. It broke her heart that the man she spent years longing after didn’t feel the same way, so much time wasted. It really sucked.
She had been lonely for so long that the thought was more than tempting. 
It was all way too much to think about.
She entered her apartment that night with a lot to ponder before she fell asleep, tossing and turning with the knowledge that Kakashi was in love with her. How could she sleep knowing that? She would have to talk to someone else first before deciding what to do about everything. She would wait for Yamato to come back and help her out. He’d know what to do. 
_______
It had been days since she found out about Kakashi and this entire mess. Yamato was due to be back today, and she was counting the minutes. She already asked off work for the rest of the day so she could get all her business sorted out. There was just too much to do and she couldn’t wait until night time to get it all done. 
Awkwardly enough, on her way to see Yamato, she ran right into Kakashi outside the grocery store. He was carrying quite a big bag of food items, and she nearly knocked them all right out of his arms. She yelped, jumping back about two feet to keep her distance. Being so close to him felt nerve-wracking. 
“Y/N, what’s up?” he asked, his eyes scanning her up and down. “You look nervous."
“Me, nervous? Psssshh, of course not. Why would I be nervous?”
“I don’t know. That’s why I asked.”
She stood there for a silent moment, her eyes drawn right on his face. He didn’t look different. He looked like his normal, cool self, definitely not like a man in love with her. He was damn good at hiding how he felt. She rubbed the back of her neck, her eyes averted now to the wall beside her. “So, uh, what’s up with you?”
“Nothing much, Just got back from a mission and I’m going to be home for a few days so decided to get some groceries.”
“Oh, really? How long were you on that mission?”
“It was only 2 days.”
“I see…”
Why was she asking? She saw him. There was no way he was on a mission that night. He was right there. Maybe all this questioning was a sign that she wished this was all some sort of mistake, that it wasn’t Kakashi at her doorstep, or maybe they were pranking her. A cruel and unlikely prank, but still, it was a possibility.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” he questioned and he leaned in just a bit closer to get a look at her face. The woman found herself getting flustered. Quickly, she pressed her hands to his chest and pushed him away. 
“I’m fine. Just stay over there.”
“Yeah, you’re definitely not fine but whatever you say.”
She bit her lip, not knowing how to diffuse the situation. He was right, as usual. Things were definitely not okay, she just wasn’t ready to face the reality that he loved her, not here in front of the grocery store in the broad daylight. That was meant to be private. She couldn’t reject him like that, it would be humiliating.
“It’s nothing, Kakashi. I’m just...getting sick is all, so you shouldn’t get so close.”
But he persisted. “Sick with what?”
“I don’t know, the flu?”
“Hmm,” he nodded, but his eyes were all knowing and she found herself wanting to slither away on the ground and hide in an alley for a while. “You’re on your way to see Tenzo, right?” How? How could he have known that? She swore, this man was getting on her last nerve with his smartass attitude.
“Yes. How could you tell?”
He smirked through his mask, shifting the weight of his grocery bag to his left side. “Well, he just got home today, and the only reason you’d be walking that fast is so you could see him,” he replied, and she nodded grumpily, her arms moving to cross over her chest.  “I’ll let you go. He should be leaving the Hokage Tower soon, I just saw him heading in that direction.”
She thanked him before continuing on her path to go find Yamato. She was actually glad to be done talking to Kakashi. It felt way too weird talking to him knowing all the things he was secretly thinking about her. Plus, he was getting annoying with all the questions. She just wanted to find her friend and talk through her options.
It saddened her, but Yamato was never going to like her back and maybe Kakashi was the best choice for her. In this town, if you got to 25 without getting married you were pretty weird, especially if you weren’t a shinobi. Villagers get married off so quickly, it’s just part of the small town nature of it all. Parents want grandchildren, and it’s easier to live off a two person income. People got married young. 
Societal pressure would definitely be taken off her back, that’s for sure. It just wasn’t exactly as she had planned. One sided love.
Yamato was indeed walking home from the Hokage Tower when she spotted him after having wallowed in her own thoughts for the entire walk over.
“Yamato!” she called, running up to him. He stopped in his tracks, feeling himself growing warm again. She was just as beautiful as the last time he saw her, granted that was only a week ago. He wanted to give her a hug, having missed her for the last 7 days and all, but he refrained. He had no idea how she would react. Knowing her kind nature, she would hug him back, but then what would she think? He liked her? It was too embarrassing.
He looked down at the young woman and smiled. “Y/N, did you need something?”
“Yes, it’s really important. Do you think we can sit down somewhere more private?”
Oh God. Whatever she wanted to talk about, it couldn’;t be anything good. She wasn’t smiling, and normally she would have work right now. She wasn’t going to take off work for nothing. He nodded, and she silently dragged him over to the tea shop, her eyes flickering around to make sure Kakashi hadn’t trailed behind her. She took a seat at one of the tables and motioned for him to sit across from her.
He did as she asked, sitting cross legged on the floor, his hands secretly being wrung over and over again under the table. “So what did you need to talk about?”
“I know who my secret admirer is.”
Here it goes…
“Kakashi!”
“Wait, what?” His eyes shot open, and he froze. He was not expecting that, not at all. How could he? Yamato was Y/N’s secret admirer, it didn’t make sense. He made sure Kakashi knew to leave the flowers on her doorstep in secret, there was no way he would mess up something so simple. He was an S-rank ninja for a reason. 
She nodded, her eyes almost as wide as his. “Yeah, I know. I couldn’t believe it when I saw him.”
“What did you see?”
“When I was coming home from work, I saw him outside my door with a bunch of roses and a note. It was in the same handwriting as all the other love notes, so I know it’s the same guy. I-I just can’t believe it’s Kakashi.”
Yamato knew he should have confessed right then instead of asking, but he couldn’t keep himself from knowing the truth. “Well, how do you feel about him? Are you going to accept?”
She sighed, her eyes trailing down to the side. “That’s the hard part. His words, in those letters, they made me feel so special and loved. If Kakashi feels that way about me, surely he can make me happy for a long time,” she told him softly, and he could feel his heart tearing in half with every second that passed. He put in all this effort, and for what? For his friend to steal the girl right from him. He felt a terrible pain in his stomach, and he had to keep the discomfort from reaching his face.
“So, you’re attracted to him?” His worst fear. He knew the ladies liked Kakashi. He was suave and handsome. It would make sense if Y/N liked him. Who didn’t like Kakashi? 
His own self-esteem was diminishing. Out of all the outcomes he had thought up in his head on how this confession would go, he never expected it to end up this way. 
She shook her head. Carefully, she explained, “It’s just that I’ve loved someone else for a long time, and I’m not ready to give up on them. I know I should, but I just can’t.”
It was time to tell her. His hopes were low, but her confession left him feeling like there was a chance. He wasn’t planning on telling her any time soon, not until he was positive she liked him back, or even wait for her to figure it out herself so she could come to him. He really wasn’t one for expressing his feelings like this. He was Anbu, that wasn’t their way of life. 
He was scared. Scared of the rejection and then what would follow. The fallout and the avoidance. The dissolving of their entire friendship. Yamato was afraid of what this one little woman thought of him, and it took everything in him to  muster up his next words.
“Y/N, your secret admirer is not Kakashi, it’s me. It's been me the whole time.”
Her lips quickly fell into a frown, and he knew that wasn’t a good sign. She tilted her head to the side and asked, her brows furrowed deeply, “How could that be? I saw Kakashi with my own eyes.”
“It’s because I asked him to fake it for me until I got back from my mission,” he groaned, “You said you were going to wait until the next time there was a big break in the gifts coming and then figure out what shinobi it was; well, I was just on a week long mission and I didn’t want you figuring it out so soon. I gave Kakashi some flowers and a note and asked him to leave it there sometime in the middle of my mission, to throw you off my scent.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. I guess I should have anticipated Kakashi being late and you finding out, but I hadn’t.”
“Yamato-” Y/N felt relief bubble up in her chest. If Yamato was really her secret admirer, then she had nothing to worry about. It seemed things had worked out too perfectly in her favor. She loved him, wanted nothing more than for him to reciprocate her feelings. And he had. He had spent countless hours planning little surprises for her in the hopes that it would make her happy.
Her heart felt over the moon with happiness. No one had ever went out of their way for her, not like this. But Yamato was different.
“Y/N, I care about you. I care about you a lot, as you can tell from all the letters I wrote for you.” He paused, his eyes rolling to stare up at the ceiling, too nervous to meet her own which were filled with shock. “I know we live completely different lives, and I know you���d rather be with that other guy, but that night you got drunk and you told me you wanted a man to sweep you off your feet and that you were lonely, I thought I’d try.”
“I got drunk and told you I was desperate for a man? When...When did this happen?!” Admittedly, she felt a shot to the gut at that one. How embarrassing. Perhaps, that wasn’t the first thing she could have got from his confession, but she needed to know.
“I don’t know. A month ago?”
“Damn, I’m so embarrassed.”
He groaned once again, covering his eyes with his hand and mumbling, “Yeah, me too, Y/N.”
“Why are you embarrassed?” she asked, noticing his red face and neck. “Yamato, I want to be with you. You are the other guy.” 
“You really don’t have to lie to save my feelings.”
“I’m not lying. Admittedly, when the first gift you left was a bonsai, I immediately thought it could be you because 'tree', but I couldn’t be sure so I waited. I wanted it to be you the entire time, but I just couldn’t see someone as strong as you falling for a simple baker. I thought you’d be into other shinobi. I mean, they are more interesting than little old me.”
He reached over the table to grab her hands, and immediately he cringed. All this drama was making his hands sweat, and he didn’t want her to think of him as the sweaty hands guy. He scolded himself immediately after having the thought. She’s not gonna care, don’t be so nervous. Tell her how you feel. 
“Stop. Y/N, all I care about is you. You are the most beautiful, smart, kind, and interesting woman I’ve ever met. You’re amazing. You work so hard at the bakery. You aren’t simple at all.”
“Yama...”
“Please, just be with me. It took me a lot of courage to tell you how I feel, just say yes and accept that I love you for you.”
“O-okay. I’m so happy. I just can’t believe this is happening.”
A smile grew on his lips, and she let a goofy one take over her own expression. He never looked this happy, and she realized it was all because of her. Her heart  jumped in her chest, and she squeezed his hands, feeling herself growing warm with happiness. His sweet words filled her ears and she laughed. “I promise I will treat you like a princess. I will not let you down.”
“Okay. I promise to treat you like my knight in shining armor.” His heart fluttered again. She was the one for him. He was sure of it. His cold exterior had grown soft and warm because of her, and he loved it. He loved her.
“Deal.”
They ordered their tea and sat their just relishing in the fact that for once, everything worked out for the awkward, terribly lightweight baker and her anxious, ungracefully stupid shinobi that she was hoping for all along.
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enbysiriusblack · 3 years ago
Text
I keep posting non marauder content and I apologise (no i dont, you just have to deal with it)
BUT HERE GO, THE CONTENT YOU ACTUALLY WANT FROM ME (probably)
A lil Jily story of angst and fluff kind of:
(its not lil,, its pretty darn long)
tw. brief physical violence and stalking
Lily hated the summer holidays. Her sister always complaining about her return, her parents struggle with keeping Petunia calm while still spending time with Lily, and Severus' change of character once they were back in the muggle town.
But this summer, she had more to worry about. Severus still hadn't left her alone after their fall out. He had started waiting for her in the library, following her in between classes, and and watching her hanging out with her friends at Hogsmeade.
And now without her friends and the separate common rooms in the way, it would be even harder to avoid him and she was worried for her own safety.
So as she stepped off the train, said goodbye to her friends and walked towards her family. She was miserable.
And as the days of summer ticked by, Lily had locked herself in her bedroom. Not wanting to go downstairs in order to avoid the endless arguments and shouting of Petunia, and not wanting to go outside to avoid Severus stalking her and pleading with her to forgive him.
But after a few weeks, her parents urged her to get some sunlight and got her to go to the shop round the corner to grab a few things.
Carrying 2 bags, filled with milk, bread, toilet roll, laundry detergent, the daily newspaper, and a litre bottle of fanta; Lily left the shop. Only to spot Severus a few feet away, and hurriedly following her.
She started walking faster towards her house, but only a few metres a way from home, a hand sharply attached itself to her shoulder.
"Lily!! I'm trying to talk to you!!" He yelled.
Lily shook her shoulder, flinging his hand off it and back to his person.
"I've told you a million times!! Leave me alone!!" She yelled back.
"But I'm in love with you" he said, stepping forwards and about to touch her cheek.
She took a step back and scoffed, "you can't love someone while hating who they are"
"It's not your fault who you're born as, it doesn't matter to me. It's like a curse being put on you, but you can still overcome it. The dark Lord himself is a half blood like me! But we know we're better than that, we just have to overcome that set back." He replied, stepping closer and closer to Lily.
A loud crack sounded and blood ran down Snape's nose. He lifted a hand to his face and felt the blood pouring out. Her grocery bags fell to the floor.
"Being muggleborn is not a setback to overcome. Don't ever come near me again" she replied, before picking up her bags and heading back to her house without looking back once more.
.
The next morning, she looked out her window to see Snape standing outside, holding a bouquet of lilies.
She shut her blinds and hid in her room. As the days ticked by, she never left the house and Snape stood there hour after hour, bringing different assortments of gifts to compensate his inability to actually care about her.
She decided she had to leave for the rest of the holiday. But Mary was visiting family outside the country, Marlene and Dorcas were in Italy together to celebrate their anniversary. Then she remembered Remus was at home.
She owled Remus straight away and got a reply from him fairly quickly, accepting her request of staying at his till the holidays had ended.
So the next morning she packed her things, said goodbye to her mum, and drove with her dad to the train station around 7 am, before Snape arrived at the house.
It was a long, confusing train journey to Wales. But once she got there after hours on different trains, she spotted Remus and his mum sitting outside one of the station cafes.
Remus looked up as she walked towards them, and he moved over a piece of chocolate cake and his cup of tea to make more room for her on the small metal table.
Lily grabbed a seat from an empty table nearby and sat it down. Hope passed a menu over to Lily and she ordered a cup of tea and a a hot sausage roll. The three of them ate and drank before getting to Hope's yellow volkswagen van to get back to the Lupin cottage.
Once they got to the cottage, Hope showed Lily around the house and brought her stuff to Remus' bedroom.
"We don't have any spare rooms I'm afraid so I hope you don't mind sharing with Remus?" Hope asked her.
"No it's fine thank you" she replied.
"Alright, oh also I need to get some more herbs and plants for my stocks so I was going to go foraging tomorrow, would you two like to join me?"
Remus looked towards Lily to see her thoughts, she nodded at him in acceptance.
"Yeah we would" Remus said.
Hope lifted her hand to affectionately stroke Remus' curls before leaving the room.
.
The next day the Lupin's and Lily set out to the forest, Lyall deciding to join them as it was his day off work. All four were carrying small handmade baskets, Lyalls was full of picnic food for lunchtime, while the other's were empty for foraging.
Remus and Lily went ahead in a different direction, agreeing to meet up at the usual spot at lunch time.
As Remus and Lily went through the woods, Remus sometimes picking up certain plants and flowers and putting them in his basket, while Lily (not knowing much about foraging or what Hope needed) only picked flowers she liked and had decided to make a nice bouquet for Hope with them.
The two chatted as they walked, talking about what topics they're studying in their classes next year, about Snape, about their what they had been up to for the last few weeks.
Once they got back to the house, Remus started writing a letter to James and Sirius, who had run away to James' a few weeks ago. While Lily and Hope were downstairs talking, after Lily had given her the bouquet.
Around an hour later, all four were sitting on the lounge for dinner, the bouquet was placed on the middle of the wooden table as a centre piece inside a tall mug with a picture of Phil Bennett on.
After dinner, Lily and Remus went out. There wasn't much to do in the small village in the evening so they ended up in the middle of someone's field. The two sat on the hill for a few hours, stargazing and mindlessly talking about whatever came to mind.
The days went by, with Lily staying at Remus' place. The duo found themselves spending most of their time in a small bookshop cafe and walking through the woods, Remus smoking his weed and Lily sometimes Lily would take a hit but she wasn't as fond of it as Remus was.
With only a week and a half till school started again, Remus and Lily planned to go to hogsmeade together tomorrow.
But midday, two figures appeared walking towards the Lupin cottage just as Remus and Lily got back from their walk in the woods.
As the got closer to the two, they saw it was James and Sirius.
Remus dropped his joint to the floor and ran to the two standing by the door to his home.
He wrapped his arms around Sirius, but felt them freeze up at the touch. So Remus moved to stop the hug, but at that withdrawal, Sirius wrapped his own arms around Remus tightly with no sign of letting go.
The two stood there for a few minutes, wrapped in an embrace while Lily and James stood awkwardly nearby them.
"... hi" James said, waving at Lily, but since they were near each other, Lily had to move backwards to avoid getting hit by his hand.
James quickly withdrew his hand, and stepped back. He looked down at his hand for a few seconds, before bringing it up again and saluting Lily.
As he was half way through saluting her, he realised what he was doing and quickly brought it straight down to his side, and froze at Lily with unblinking eyes like a deer stuck in headlights.
She started laughing, affectively ending the hug between Remus and Sirius, who turned to look between Lily and James.
At that moment, Hope came inside, calling Lily for something and waved in greeting to James and Sirius.
After Lily had walked into the house, James grinned widely.
"She laughed at me!! She thinks I'm funny!"
"She was laughing AT you, cause she thinks you're a wanker" Remus corrected.
Sirius grinned slightly at the retort and grabbed Remus' hand.
Remus looked to Sirius and James realised Sirius would talk to Remus and Remus could help Sirius, even just slightly.
"I'll go see if Hope needs some more help" James said before turning to the cottage and giving Remus and Sirius some time alone.
Inside the cottage, James and Lily were setting up cutlery around the table and helping Hope with the dinner.
James noticed the flowers in the mug, "wow, these look really nice Hope, my mum keeps trying to make some nice flower arrangements for around the house but she's not very good at it. I made this red and gold one, go gryffindor!! for her birthday a few weeks ago but it was no where near as good as this one!!"
Hope came out of the kitchen carrying a saucepan of curry.
"Oh no honey, I didn't make that, that was all thanks to Lily" she said coming round the table and softly touching Lily's arm in gratitude.
"Oh" James said, freezing again as he stared back at Lily. "Its.. um.. its really good.. I like the uhh,, its good."
Lily raised an eyebrow at him, "thank you?"
James nodded, and tapped the table, trying to think of something else to say.
His eyes glanced over the the window, spotting Remus and Sirius sitting on the edge of the woods on a small bench, still talking and holding each others hand.
"I should probably go get them for dinner" he said, about to get out of his seat.
Hope waved her hand absentmindedly, "oh leave them its fine, the lovebirds can eat later"
A few minutes later, Lyall came back from work and sat at the table with them.
The four ate in fairly comfortable silence, sometimes having small conversations.
.
The next day they went to Hogsmeade.
Sirius waringly looking out for any of their family members as they walked around doing their shopping. Remus stood by xyr side the whole time, with James and Lily awkwardly leading the group together.
Peter found them a few hours later, he was shopping with zir mum but stayed with his friends for a while.
In Flourish and Blotts, Sirius and Remus seemed to have disappeared together in a fiction section, bonding over their mutual love of books packed with monsters and adventures and swordsmen.
Lily gazed at books on the shelf closest to her, sometimes bringing one up to her eye line and reading the blurb before putting it back on the shelf again.
James stood there with Peter, who he was very glad of, Peter acting as a distraction of the awkward silence between Lily and James.
So as Peter rambled about how he's so glad ze doesn't have to do potions anymore, James took his mind of trying to impress Lily and put his focus on listening to Peter.
However in the next moment, Peter made a very tactical decision of engaging Lily into the conversation.
"So Lily, I'm guessing you're still taking Potions this year?" Peter asked.
Lily turned around, one hand still lightly touching one of the books on the shelf.
"Yeah, but it sucks that none of my friends are taking it. I tried to get Remus to change his mind and take it for weeks.. and then he blew up half the kitchen trying to make pasta sauce and realised my efforts were futile."
James laughed, "thats Remus, alright"
Lily looked over at him, contemplating. Before nodding her head and smiling slightly as she turned back to the bookshelf.
After around five minutes, Peter chiped up.
"Oh!! James is taking Potions still aren't you? You said you're dad really wanted you to get a Potion Newt. You two can hang out in class"
James sent Peter a 'what the hell' glare before Lily nodded again and clearly said the words,
"I guess we could, its better than the chance of getting stuck with Sev- Snape for the rest of the year... are you any good?"
James froze, "um.. yeah, yeah.. well no, not really to be honest"
Lily smiled again, "thats fine, I'm hood enough for the both of us"
She took a book off the shelf and kept it in her arms for the first time. And then walked back to James and Peter.
"If I'm helping you in Potions though, you've gotta help me with transfiguration."
She lifted up the book in her arms to show the cover, the transfiguration book they needed this year.
"I skimmed this a little, and it barely made any sense at all."
James lifted a hand to his hair, ruffling it up on a nervous habit.
"Minnie gave me a group of younger years to tutor last year, maybe you could come to those? .. not that I think you're as dumb as first and second years, far from it, you're one of the smartest people I know. But I just mean that a lot of our topics this year our ones that we did in first and second year but with more context and more advanced. So I thought that if you revised the basics then the more advanced parts would make more sense to you.. if you wanted?"
"Yeah that sounds great" she said, before moving to another bookshelf and flicking through it.
The rest of the day, the two of them talked and talked. And back at Remus' cottage Lily walked up to him before he had to leave with Sirius.
"Today was fun, friends?" She asked.
James nodded, "friends"
As him and Sirius left, Sirius hit his shoulder.
"What were you and Lily talking about? Declaring your undying love for her?"
James shook his head, "We're just friends, I need to just... move on i guess, friends is as best as it'll get. And its enough for me."
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ashesgraves · 4 years ago
Text
Here’s the first part of my first story!
Warnings: some violence mentioned, a few swears that’s all I think
part 2 https://yourlocalorcishbandit.tumblr.com/post/646294553661423616/an-orcs-promise-part-2
Part 3: https://yourlocalorcishbandit.tumblr.com/post/646373247166906368/an-orcs-promise-part-3
Part 4: https://yourlocalorcishbandit.tumblr.com/post/646477938321244160/an-orcs-promise-part-4
Part: 5 https://yourlocalorcishbandit.tumblr.com/post/646486100736638976/an-orcs-promise-part-5
The chosen: Ellera https://yourlocalorcishbandit.tumblr.com/post/646559933035364352/an-orcs-promise
The chosen: Oridan https://yourlocalorcishbandit.tumblr.com/post/646771371691622400/an-orcs-promise
The chosen: Killian https://yourlocalorcishbandit.tumblr.com/post/647330998732881920/an-orcs-promise
The chosen: All https://yourlocalorcishbandit.tumblr.com/post/647482818600009728/an-orcs-promise
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An Orcs Promise
You lived in a simple and small village in the middle of a valley not too far from a forest of fae, an ocean filled with water dwellers, a stronghold of orcs up in the mountains and a field of centaurs.
Everything was about a days trip away by horse, by foot it was typically two to three days worth of travel. It was worth it however, your village thrived with the amount of trading that was available to them. Fae providing seed and saplings already in growth, the water dwellers granting you safe travel or bountiful baskets of fish, the centaurs allowing land share for your crops and the orcs, they provided live stock and hunting goods as well as strong work hands. Doing things you humans couldn’t really do.
You lived a simple life in your simple village as a woodsmith not exactly what it’s called but you liked the title. No you couldn’t do blacksmithing it just didn’t suit you unlike it did your father and gardening/crop tending didn’t feel right like it did for your mother. So you turned to wood, of course you helped your parents but you just preferred to stick to your own, like carving or maybe the occasional building and repairing. Because of your skills you were often called ‘too manly’ and your parents were told “good luck marrying you off” however they didn’t want to do that, you’re too helpful around the shops and farm.
Your mother is a fae and your father is a human giving you some funny features and hair. Your eyes seemed like they could shift colour and you had magic freckles that disappeared with the sun. Long and wild hair that couldn’t be tamed. Your mother always made sure to call you beautiful and your father always made sure to teach you how to throw a punch. But enough of all this back story let’s talk about how three of your favourite orcs are battling in your families shop.
The twins and their older sister going full throttle displaying their strength wits and ability to strategize. It had started off as any other Saturday you were in your own shop your mother in the fields and your father in his shop. You were working on a carving to trade with one of the centaurs for a spot on their bountiful fields to grow a few trees for your upcoming project. A place of your own. You were ready to move out and start new, of course you didn’t want to leave your parents but they’ve been leaving a few hints here and there. They were ready to let you go and fly from the nest. Cheesy as that sounds that’s just how your parents are.
Heavily lost in your work until a soft moss green hand lifted your chin to face her. Ellera the eldest of the three Thundered, you always giggled at their last name but it made sense they sounded like a thunder storm when they all came roaming around.
Your face went bright red as you jumped from surprise. “Oh Ellera!!!! It’s good to see you, sorry I just got lost in my own world again.. what can I help you with?” Your voice was soft as you set your things down and put your full attention onto the orcess in front of you.
“Well my lamb you could start by getting me mother some of those boards for hackin as well as rod for the seas “ Her voice was strong and full of power with a heavy accent but it always held some softness just for you. Smiling brightly as you grabbed a few different types of cutting boards and chopping blocks for Ellera to pick from. Lastly was your prized fishing rod, carved from the finest tree you ever saw. Your best handy work.
“Take your pick! The thicker the block the more force it can handle. And this is the best of the best in my shop, just for you.” Smiling so sweet you would cause a cavity as you watched her face grow a darker shade of green. It was always your own personal mission to make Ellera blush you couldn’t help it. She was just perfect no matter what she did or how she did it.
“So you make these boards like yourself mm ??? The thicker the more you can handle~” Waltzing up beside Ellera was the older of the twins Oridan the flirtatious goof. Now it was your turn once more to blush bright in the face. Ellera on the other hand scoffed as she smacked him upside the head.
“Hasn’t mother taught ya manners you ass.” Ellera rolled her eyes but was her brother wrong? Lastly to join your conversation Killian the youngest of the family. As well as the smallest but compared to you he was still a giant. They all had tree trunk thighs, gorgeous muscles, beautifully braided and decorated hair and ears. Tribal tattoos that littered every inch of their body you wished to explore. Now now reel those thoughts back in.. “as you were saying lamb which is best for meat and which for vegetables “
Drawing you back from your thoughts you shook your head. “This one has thicker boards and the grain is going this way meaning it’ll absorb the force. Better for meats and such. This one is thinner with grain this way meaning it’s better for slicing and all” you could talk about this stuff for hours but you didn’t want to bore the siblings.
“Then we’ll get them” Ellera spoke so kindly as she took the boards under her arm and into her satchel. You knew the rest of their family would prefer to pay as one rather than separately and possibly underpaying your family. No overpaying wasn’t their issue they were happy to do so, it was possibly underpaying you that they worried about. Your family always took good care of them when they needed, the first of your village to show them such kindness and hospitality.
“Oh Ellera here I have something for you.” Gingerly taking the orcesses hand in your own you lead her to your little safe. Digging around the box for a moment you found what you were searching for. A beautiful hand crafted obsidian necklace. You knew orcish traditions you knew this was you asking Ellera to court you. “It’s obsidian, it’s too heavy of a stone for me so I thought you would like it. W-Will you accept..”
“You know what this means correct??” You were no dummy of course you knew, so you gently nodded your head. “Of course l will it’s beautiful thank you my lamb.” Ellera smiled brightly and turned to her brothers with an all knowing smirk. “ suck it losers I have won!!!!! My dearest little lamb had chosen me. Now butt out of the shop before I take both of your heads and put them on a platter. “ You couldn’t help but snicker a bit at her words, it’s just how she was with those two.
Now this leads us to where we are at the moment. Ellera taking off her satchel and her necklace before brawling it out with her brothers. You hadn’t known the twins also had an eye for you, looking around your shop there stand their parents with your own. All of them had the what the hell happened and is going on look. You could only smile sheepishly as you weaved your way through the mass of limbs colliding with one another. “So I’ve asked Ellera if we could court per orcish tradition and I didn’t even know the twins had a thing for me. And now their battling it out because the twins think Ellera had an unfair advantage and can you please stop them before they break anything in my shop??? Oh and Mrs. Thundered I had Ellera pick out some lovely cutting boards and butchers blocks for you !! “ The orc parents laughed and shook their heads at your little story. They can deal with all this after they save your shop from being ripped apart.
Mrs. Thundered grabbed Ellera with most of her might and tossed the girl over her shoulder. While Mr. Thundered grabbed the two boys and held them apart like bickering cats. “Now before you break this lovely shop why the hell are you all fighting. I swear we raised you better than to fight inside. “ Mrs. Thundered spoke sternly as she glared at all of her children. Collecting all the items they have picked out you rang them up while the parents took their kids outside and had a much different conversation than in the shop.
It took maybe twenty minutes of waiting before the orc family came back inside. The boys a flustered mess and Ellera grumpily huffing and sighing as her mother held her back. “Boys. Go. “ you laughed a bit at how large they were compared to you but yet in this moment they seemed so small. “Boys.” Her tone was much sterner maybe the sternest you had ever heard. Tilting your head up to the twins you smiled softly .
“W-Will you accept our own courting gifts.. and by the end of the courting months you can pick who wish to be with the most. “ it was Killian who spoke which surprised you he was always so shy and cautious of his words.
“I mean it’ll obviously be me.. I don’t even know why we have to wait months! Right sugar ???” Oridan made you laugh as he nudged his brother aside to hand you his gift. A simply terribly carved handle but with a beautiful dagger blade attached. You had no idea how he even managed to do such small carvings in the metal. “I know the handle isn’t pretty but I thought maybe you would help me with that.. “ now all of a sudden his loud and boisterous self was no more than just like his twin.
Killian however seemed a bit more confident with his gift a beautiful fur lined cloak. You had no idea he could sew.. “Boys these are both beautiful in their own ways.. but Ellera..?? How would it work what if I can’t choose ? What will happen then ? A fight to the death? “ Ellera nodded and pulled out her own gift she didn’t need to give it to you but she wanted to. Just to out shine her brothers once more. It was a crystal vase with preserved flowers encased inside.
“It wouldn’t be to the death just to where the other two can no longer rise to their feet. Any other orc yes to the death. “ Oridan spoke up once more, you loved all of them but you never thought the twins were interest in you Oridan maybe but, that was just you thinking he was joking. “So please.. will you accept?”
“I will, all three of us can court each other. Until then you need to work on your wood skills how did you not loose a finger and Krillian this is gorgeous I didn’t know you could sew like this. Ellera of course this is gorgeous but what if it breaks ?? What if I shatter it ???? “ The orcess simply laughed and shook her head.
“It can’t shatter I promise hun how can I promise such a thing, well me and my big man hands made it. “ Ellera smiled willy her dark oak brown eyes shining gleefully as she started down to you. Puffing out her chest showing off her muscles it was her final display of strength before her mother dragged her off to the horses.
“I look forward to this.. I haven’t always been able to sew just with the changing seasons I thought you would get cold so I took up the skill for you. “ That immediately made your heart melt. Killian took up a whole hobby just to be able to provide for you. With his Killian getting the last day of the three siblings they all went off on their way home.
Oh dear, how could you choose..
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artificialqueens · 3 years ago
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What Baking Can Do (Rosnali) - Athena2
Summary: Rosé keeps making food for Denali as a way of expressing her crush, not knowing that Denali feels the same way.
A/N: Writing has been slow for me lately, but I'm glad I was able to finish this! It's basically just pure fluff, and I hope you enjoy! Please leave some feedback if you'd like, I really appreciate it! Thank you to Writ for betaing!
Title from the song from Waitress because I'm basic.
Rosé might live in the city now, but in the small southern town where she spent most of her childhood, every woman had an arsenal of pie and casserole recipes to whip out at a moment’s notice for birthdays, funerals, and new neighbors.
Rosé just so happens to have a new neighbor, and as she knocks on the door, a fresh strawberry pie in one hand, she feels the pride her mother must have felt in welcoming someone new, giving them a nice gift.
Even if she’s already friends with the new neighbor she’s welcoming.
“You didn’t have to do this, Rosie,” Denali says as she takes the pie, a huge smile on her face showing her dimples. “I mean, we’re already friends. Hell, I should make you something for telling me about this apartment in the first place.”
It’s true that Rosé had gone right to Denali when she found out the apartment was up for sale, knowing that she and her roommate Kahmora hated the tiny apartment they had, with the shower that always broke and the heat that never went on. She was just helping out a friend. A friend she’s just happened to have a crush on for a year now, since the night Jan introduced them at some club.
“It’s nothing,” Rosé insists. “You know I like to bake.”
“Why complain, Denali?” Kahmora asks. “It’s food that’s actually edible.”
“My food is perfectly edible!” Denali sputters. She bites her lip as Kahmora stares, and nods in admittance to herself. “Look, no one’s ever died from eating my cooking.”
“No one’s ever really enjoyed it, either,” Kahmora mumbles under her breath.
Rosé holds back a smile. Denali’s struggles in the kitchen have been well-known in the time Rosé’s known her, with Rosé’s favorite being the pancakes that Denali somehow burnt and left raw at the same time. She’s always been so busy with skating and work that she never got much practice at cooking, and Rosé pushes away the thought of teaching her, of her hand curling around Denali's as they mix ingredients.
“Keep mumbling, Kahmora. Maybe I’ll eat the whole pie myself.”
“I’ll see you, Denali.” Rosé leaves them to fight over the pie and heads back down the hall, passing apartments full of people she’d welcomed with food at one point. There’s Kylie and her roommates Ra’jah and Scarlet, who loved the peach cobbler Rosé made. Then Brooke and Vanessa, who demolished her chocolate cake, next door to Raja and Manila, who she still makes almond tarts for from time to time. It’s Rosé’s favorite part of making something, really--to have someone love it so much. Rosé thinks of the smile on Denali’s face and knows this won’t be the last time she makes her something.
—-
Rosé’s normally much smoother, more confident. If Denali were anyone else, Rosé would’ve been open about her crush and already asked her out months ago. But there’s something different about Denali, something that makes Rosé hesitant to take such a leap, to confess her feelings, because if it ruins things between them, then she’d lose a friend she really cares about.
Food is safer than feelings, so Rosé ignores everything and busies herself in making dinner, not realizing how much spaghetti she’s making until it’s all piled in the bowl. There’s enough to feed a village, even after she and Jan eat. Rosé stares at the bowl and figures Denali wouldn’t mind some.
Her heart leaps into her throat when Denali opens the door. Her hair is up in a bun and she looks adorable in her tie dye sweatshirt, soft and sweet in a way that makes Rosé’s chest hurt.
“I made way too much food,” Rosé says, handing Denali the bowl. “I didn’t want to waste it, so I figured I’d give you some.”
“Thank you.” Denali flashes her dimples. “Hey, do you want to come in? Kahmora’s out with some friends.”
“Sure.” Rosé follows close behind Denali, moving past boxes she hasn't unpacked yet on their way to the kitchen. The apartment feels like Denali already, with sneakers by the door and video games in the living room.
Denali hums with joy as she eats the first bite, and Rosé grins, her body buzzing with that rush of someone loving what she made. No matter how many times it happens, it will always be special to her.
“How was work?” Rosé asks.
“It was good! My coffee tasted so good this morning, and all my lessons went well, and I saw this adorable dog—not as adorable as you, Donut,” Denali adds to her dog, who’s curled up under the table.
Rosé just laughs as Denali talks, and it’s easy. So easy. Easy being friends like this, just talking and laughing. Watching Denali’s eyes widen and listen to her laugh just makes Rosé like her more, but it also makes her want to hold back on admitting her crush a bit more. Because the more she likes Denali, the more she has to lose if things go wrong.
Denali bursts into laughter as Rosé shares stories of her day, and it’s enough.
—-
It’s nice, knowing Denali is open to accepting leftovers. Rosé usually makes small recipes for her and Jan, and it’s nice to make whatever she wants, even if it feeds a crowd, and just bring some down the hall instead of giving herself a headache trying to halve fractions of ingredients.
She makes chicken and potatoes and cookies and brownies, extras carefully wrapped up and delivered to Denali, each one letting them have time to talk and just be around each other. They talk about work, about friends, about funny things Donut did that day. And Rosé loves every second of it.
Rosé finds herself making more things than she probably should, but she can’t help it. Cooking started out as a stress reliever for her, when she and Jan were up to their eyes in paperwork trying to open the dance and vocal studio. Jan suggested she make something to relax, and Rosé remembered how much she had loved to be at her mother’s side when she was little, watching her roll out pie crust. She remembered how much she loved creating something out of a pile of ingredients, the soothing repetition of mixing batter, the joy of watching someone eat what she made.
She’s made things all the time since, and part of her knows she’s making more now just so she can give them to Denali. Jan’s always teased her for baking enough to run a bakery when she’s in love, and Rosé doesn’t want to admit how true it is. Because baking is a form of love for her, a way of transforming her love and work into something people can eat. A way of caring for them and loving them at the same time.
Not that Denali knows any of that.
---
Denali sighs as she shuffles to the elevator after the skating class from hell. She had parents almost fight her because costumes haven’t come in yet, like Denali controls the mail, then yell at her some more for not giving their kid the solo in the group performance.
Rosé slips in the elevator with her, and Denali smiles a bit just seeing her, with her big green eyes and soft red waves. Rosé always makes her happy, since the night they met, and being around her just feels right to Denali. So right that Denali likes to invite her in when she drops off food, just for an excuse to spend more time with her. So right that Denali wishes they could do it all the time, that they could always be close, maybe even close enough to kiss--but no, they’re nothing more than friends. Especially not when Denali is standing here in old sweatpants and smelling like a skating rink locker room. How could Rosé ever like her back anyway? She makes fancy pastries with fancy names and Denali almost set ramen on fire once.
“Rough day?” Rosé asks.
Denali groans as her answer. “If I ever become a parent, please don’t let me be like the ones at the skating rink.”
Rosé snorts. “Tell me about it. I’ve had parents follow me to the parking lot because their kid isn’t famous yet.”
Denali manages a smile. It’s nice to know she isn’t the only one, that someone else understands.
“Is there anything I can do?” Rosé asks.
Denali’s heart flutters at how she’s always so caring, so kind. Just friends, they’re just friends. “I don’t think so. I’ll probably just take a bath and watch TV. Thanks, though.”
“Of course.”
They head to their own apartments, and Denali soaks in the tub until the water runs cold, the stress of the day leaving her.
There’s a knock on her door as she turns on the TV. Denali groans and throws the door open, only to find a plate of chocolate chip cookies on the welcome mat.
Still warm.
---
Rosé turns down the hall and almost smacks into her neighbor, Kylie, who’s on her way to walk her dog. Gizmo licks happily at Rosé’s ankle, and she would pet him like she normally does, but her hands are full of the pan that might be just a little too big, if Kylie’s staring is any indication.
“What’s that?”
“Mac and cheese I made for Denali.”
Kylie blinks at her. “Hun, are you sure that’s for Denali and not a school cafeteria?”
“Well, I mean, she can freeze it if she wants,” Rosé stammers.
“I hope she’s got a big freezer.” Kylie looks at her thoughtfully. Rosé’s always thought Kylie has some sixth sense, able to figure out your feelings and what you need to hear just from looking at you, and she’s about to be on the receiving end of it. “You should tell her,” Kylie says softly.
Rosé doesn’t bother to ask how she knows. “I don’t—I don’t want to lose her if she doesn’t feel the same way,” Rosé says, eyes on the floor.
“I don’t think you have to worry.” Kylie heads for the stairs, and Rosé stands in the hall like an idiot before taking a breath and going to Denali’s door.
Someday. Maybe someday she’ll tell her.
—-
Denali knocks on Rosé’s apartment, trying to calm her heart. There’s no reason for it to be racing like this, not when she’s knocked on Rosé’s door to bring back her food containers a dozen times. Not when she talks to Rosé almost every day.
Denali isn’t sure if she’s disappointed or relieved when Jan opens the door.
“I just wanted to bring Rosé her plate back,” Denali says.
Jan nods. “I’ll give it to her. You can come in, if you want. There’s some leftover blondies on the counter.”
Denali follows her inside, taking in the apartment with wide eyes like she’s never seen it before. Being in the kitchen feels special, like she’s in Rosé’s sacred space. Denali peeks at the soft pink stand mixer and utensils beside it, at the worn recipe box and well-used cookbooks on the other counter. She thinks of Rosé standing here, carefully measuring out ingredients, flour in her red hair, and her heart tugs painfully. What she would give to be around Rosé in her element like this, at her side while she cooks. “She really likes cooking, huh?”
Jan rolls her eyes. “You have no idea. She loves cooking for people, especially when she really likes them. It’s basically her love language. When she was with her last girlfriend, this place was like a freaking bakery. Not that I’m complaining, because her stuff is amazing. Even if she makes a giant mess of the place.”
“It is,” Denali says, but then she freezes as Jan’s words hit. Especially when she really likes them. Does that mean Rosé likes her? Likes her as more than a friend, if she cooks this much when she really likes someone? If cooking is her love language? It’s normal for Rosé to cook a lot, Jan said so. And Rosé still cooks for other people, has her friend Lagoona over for dinner every week. But Denali thinks of how many carefully-wrapped plates and full containers Rosé has given her the past few months, juicy chicken and thick soups and buttery shortbread cookies, and knows it’s more than anyone else has gotten. Rosé likes her, and the food is her way of showing it.
Denali usually isn’t so oblivious. Then again, she usually isn’t so hesitant around her crushes either. But maybe she was so oblivious and hesitant with Rosé because she didn’t possibly think Rosé could like her back.
But Rosé does. She likes Denali.
And if food is love to Rosé, then Denali has an idea.
---
Rosé hums as she unlocks her apartment. Jan has a date tonight, so it’s just her, and she’s really in the mood for takeout. Maybe she’ll order from that Chinese place--
Rosé drops her keys when sees someone in the apartment, and she drops her heart when she realizes the person is Denali. Denali, who’s standing in her living room for some reason.
“Um, not that I’m not happy to see you, Denali,” Rosé says, easing her way inside, “But what the hell?”
Denali’s cheeks are flushed and some hair has escaped her ponytail, and her smile is one of the brightest she’s ever seen. “Jan let me in so I could surprise you.”
“Well, I’m definitely surprised.”
“But not surprised enough,” Denali gloats.
“There’s more? Haven’t I had enough near-heart attacks today?”
Denali just smirks and leads her into the kitchen, where Rosé sees the table laid out with candles and a fancy tablecloth and huge platters of food.
“I thought I’d cook for you for a change,” Denali says. “I’m not the greatest, but they’re my mom’s recipes and I had her FaceTime me to help, and I don’t think you’ll get food poisoning or anything—“
“You cooked for me,” Rosé says softly, looking at Denali in awe.
“I did.” Denali bites her lip, and her cheeks flush even more. “Rosé, I--I realized how much cooking means to you. And what you were trying to tell me with your food. I want to tell you that I...I feel the same way. I like you, I’m trying to say, and that’s why I wanted to cook for you.”
Rosé reaches for Denali’s hand, squeezing it gently for proof that this is real. That Denali really does like her too. That Denali took all the love Rosé puts into her cooking and gave it back to her. “I like you so much, Denali. For a while now. I just wasn’t sure if you--”
“Well I wasn’t sure if you would like me,” Denali laughs softly.
Rosé snorts. “We could’ve done this a while ago if we weren’t idiots.”
“But we’re doing it now.” And then Denali is leaning in, her lips meeting Rosé’s like coming home. Denali’s kiss is soft and sweet, just like her, warm and passionate yet still gentle. It’s everything Rosé has dreamt of, and she can’t resist going back in for another.
And another.
“Hey, the food’s gonna get cold,” Denali says, and they laugh all the way to the table.
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rumor-imbris · 3 years ago
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Hello, Lady Connor! I want to ask out of unbearable, suffocating curiosity in my heart, even though in the previous post you already said to not mention "that certain comic". Could you please enlighten me about your view on that comic and what you despise about it? I would love to read your detailed thoughts about it even if just once. But if this is too triggering for you, I'm truly sorry for your discomfort and you don't need to answer it.
Hello, dear Anon and welcome ^-^ It's weird you naturally called me Lady Connor, as usually only my little fairy @giuliettaluce does. Well, I guess her magic put a spell on everybody here!!
If you really care to know, I'll answer, but brace yourself, it's going to be very long, almost an essay, because I can be very detailed about that comic being a failure in its every part. There's so much to say. You're right, as I mentioned before, it can trigger me, but I have attentively analized it and I know it makes not a single atom of sense. So nothing can actually bother me that much, don't worry ^_-
First of all, my general consideration of the AC Reflections comic issue #4, (yeah, that thing -.-) is that of a mere attempt to desperately make Bayek's remote vision through Senu's eyes a canon feature. It was created and published in 2017, the same year AC Origins was released and yes, they needed an excuse to make believe Connor's alleged daughter inherited a skill someone (who isn't even their direct ancestor!!) that lived 1700 years ago in ancient Egypt had! OMG, this should be funny enough, but I'll go on. Also, I think it was likely a carelessly arranged way to satisfy those AC3 fans demanding a "happy ending" for unlucky Connor (quite 5 years later, of course).
I'll better go step by step to figure out where to start from, seriously.
1) In the comic, when Otso Berg opens the file related to Connor, the scene is set in "1796: Upstate New York." Now this is chronologically and spacially incoherent and illogical. We see Connor still wears his assassin outfit in it, right? According to AC Initiates (2012) in 1804 Connor invites the Dominican assassin Eseosa at the Davenport homestead to provide him some advices and further training as he's involved in the leading of the Haitian Revolution. That's a really cool character, read about him, if you want!
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So, until then Connor is still an assassin, probably the mentor (by now) of the Colonial Brotherhood. He still runs the homestead and he still commands the Aquila, I guess, he's the captain still. I calculated the distance between the homestead and the then upper NY frontier territories is approximately 260 miles (quite far nowadays with cars and planes as well). Then, why the hell should he have a family located in the forest upstate NY? It sounds very unconfortable to run back and forth to reach them and go back to take care of all the Brotherhood matters, doesn't it? Unless he knew about teleportation!!! Also, wow, he lives all alone in a nice massive villa with all the comforts of that time while his children and wife still live in a Native village constantly menaced by settlers wanting to steal their land? Beside the fact that Connor, at least in my point of view, seemed at last very familiar with european way of living by the end of the game, this leads us to the next point.
2) By the time the game and the comic are set (second half of 18th century), most of the East Coast Native tribes were facing the tragic and forced migration to western and northern territories (mostly towards Canada, protected by the British) because of all the consequences of the Revolutionary War (lost territories, failed alliances, settlers advancing and buying their lands and so on). So tells us history, unfortunately. It's a fact. And this is wisely showed to us in the AC3 main game when, after all the Kanien'kehá:ka tribes had left the territory around Connor's village (yes, even those near New York, to be clear) even Connor's own tribe at last migrates west, leaving an empty ghost village. They had remained all along to protect the secret temple, but in the end they as well were forced to leave. So, to me it's highly improbable that in upstate NY, one could still find a tribe and even if so, that Connor would let his family live there and risk their safety everyday.
3) The whole comic plot revolves around the fact that Io:nhiòte has a "special gift"... She inexplicably knows how to read the ground and find animal traces, she also can perform a perfect twisted acrobatic flip in the air and land unharmed to the ground. Do we know why? No, don't ask! xD She simply knows U.U, even if right after the next scene she slips and falls miserably down a cliff xD, but... ok!! Beside that, when Connor is far away to search for some water and is about to be attacked by a wolf hidden in the grass nearby, she sees the whole scene from the eyes of an eagle flying in the sky above her. As I said before, this reminds us of Bayek's (never clearly explained) ability to see through his eagle Senu's eyes and spot dangers and enemies. Now can you tell me why the hell this little girl has super powers and a skill Bayek had? As I said, they are not even directely related, as Bayek is not one of Desmond Miles' ancestor, we know him simply because Layla's new Animus is magical and can inexplicably read fragmented DNA from people who died a thousand years ago (it can also prepair coffee, I think!). So, where did she get that from? Magic? Mysteries of life? Convenient improbable connections for marketing's sake? We'll never know and you should simply accept that and ask no question!
4) From her height, way of speaking/moving/running, I assume Io:nhiòte is at least 8 years old, 8 - 9 minimum. She's the youngest of three siblings, who must be at least two years older than her and than each other (according to a human woman pregnancy timing!). If the comic events are set 12 years after the main game ending (1784, when Connor also starts to train the young ex-slave Patience Gibbs, arriving at the Davenport homestead with Aveline De Grandpré, according to AC IV Black Flag bonus mission with Aveline), so, this means that in that same year Connor must have found hastily the love of his life in a Native village (as if he was easy to open himself with other people after all he's been through), married her, impregnated her and seen her give birth to their first child, all in the same year when (let's not foget! xD) he still is the leader of the Colonial Assassin Brotherhood at the Davenport homestead training novices. Now, this may even be possible humanly speaking, (well, if you force the things a bit and hurry up!) but highly unlikely to happen!! xD
These are the main problems affecting the logic of the comic in my opinion, the points making its foundations crumble apart. Though I'm sure there are many little others to point out, such as Otso Berg "opening" Connor's files... like what? Where did those data come out from? I remember playing AC IV Black Flag and uncovering a file where Abstergo researchers themselves closed access to his memories as there was "nothing appealing to this character anymore"! So, if no more researches were conducted on him since 2013, where did Mr Berg magically or conveniently discovered such data in 2017?
Or... do we want to talk about the cover? It shows Connor in the spirit outfit from the Tyranny of King Washington DLC, which has apparently nothing to do with the comic, since it is set in his present day and he wears his assassin standard robe. Now, I think that can be either a simple marketing choice to make the comic more appealing, as... well, that cover is so cool, let's admit that, or maybe the subtle suggestion that the events told in it are just a parallel Disney-like reality and are not to be considered true at all! xD i don't know, maybe both explanations are right.
I'm sure that the deeper i dig, the more nothing rational I'll find!
If you played the old games, if you know well the franchise and its lore, the true, good, old AC lore, you definitely realize by yourself how that comic is useless and senseless.
This doesn't mean I do not wish an "happy ending" for Connor. But I'd rather accept something coherent with the main game events and AC chronology. Also, it doesn't necessarily needs to be a "happy" ending, as they conveniently created to please complaining fans. I wished for something real... coherent with his personality, acquired life-style and endless sense of duty and values.
Maybe that's what pushed me to write my FanFic novel in the first place, after all... To give him MY OWN cohesive ending, including my love, for love is always needed, I guess.
I'm so sorry if the answer took this long in time and words, but you were warned! ^w^
Though, thank you... Seriously, thank you so much for asking. You made me reflect once more about this matter.
Come visit me again, if you want. Take care
- Rumor Imbris 🦋
P.S. Oh, and if you're interested, this is my "jelousy song", for when things like this trigger my inner witch!! xD
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