#its stressful keeping up with each time this happens cause it happens A LOT

[kisses4reid]

scare | ·˚ ༘ spencer reid ,, (part 1)

synopsis - you’re in a relationship with some one else and have a pregnancy scare, both your own reaction and spencer’s makes you realise that you’re not happy.

genre - bau!reader x spencer, friends to lovers, multi-part, pregnancy scare, reader has sort of a douche bf, one sided love (at first), angst and fluff

warnings - pregnancy talk, mentions of sex, unhealthy relationships, stress, sickness

w/c - 1.4k?? take a guess cause that’s mine.

a/n - i’ve got 9 weeks free. yeah, i have a job. and yeah, i have about 6 other hobbies i enjoy. but am i gonna make promises i can’t keep about writing more?? yeah. i am. here, enjoy. (pls lemme know abt mistakes it’s rlly late at night rn.)

The plane whirrs, small chatter from Morgan and who you assumed to be Penelope over the phone humming along with the music you try to distract yourself with. It isn’t working.

Because every song has its own special and quirky musical instrument that happens to sound like a message notification. And you keep getting your hopes up.

Your left leg started to bounce, your fingernails found their way to your anxious teeth. And Spencer noticed.

He noticed about halfway through the case, when you stopped talking as much, started drinking an influx of water, started discreetly taking pain medication. At first, he thought it was a simple stomach bug, and he knew your stomach didn’t agree with a lot of travel. But then you started getting nervous.

Spencer glanced at you a few times before moving, sitting next to you (attempting to be discreet). He can’t be discreet though, because every time he’s around you, his body does this weird thing where it can’t decide whether it should be instantly calm or instantly more nervous. Your presence stopped his fidgeting hands, his tired thoughts. But god, when he looked at you, it’s like his heart wants to see you for itself.

And right now his heart hurt, why were you scared?

You barely noticed Spencer sit down, usually you would, but your phone was annoyingly blank, silent. You turned it off and on three times, and re-entered the plane’s wifi password five times.

And now your stomach was grumbling, and not in the way that those nice small sandwiches can help out with.

“Are you okay?”

You jumped, taking your earphones out and staring at Spencer surprised. You laughed nervously, quietly, “Spencer! Sorry. Yeah, I’m fine.”

His warm eyes searched yours and for a second you could ignore the tight feeling in your chest. It made you think back around 8 months ago, when Penelope, your childhood best friend and now co-worker, created a pros and cons list for both Lloyd, and… Spencer.

It was unprofessional and inappropriate, especially when you decided to listen because you had nothing better to do. And especially when she started making some good points.

He squinted his eyes, and you sighed.

“Sorry, I’m just a bit antsy. Feeling a bit… off.”

You felt sick, and stressed, and like your thoughts were going to be the cause of your death. Because you’ve never been sick like this. And to your overworked brain, it only meant one thing.

Spencer’s a great profiler. And although the team collectively agreed to not profile each other, it becomes hard for Spencer when the girl he’s in love with is so obviously in distress. Even worse when he can’t be the hero.

“I can leave you to sleep if you want.” He says, getting up to leave.

“Oh, no. That’s okay. Honestly, I think sleeping would just make it worse.”

Ah, right. Travel sickness, Spencer thought. He gaps his mouth slightly and nods. He relaxes into the couch and looks over to you, heart picking up slightly as pieces of hair fell from your loose ponytail.

You looked over to the table he was previously sat at, the book you gifted him last Christmas open and nearly finished. You smiled to yourself, but it was bittersweet.

“You’re actually reading it?” You asked, looking back at him with slight surprise.

“Of course. I’ve read it 6 times already, it’s a great pallet cleanser- Just like you said in that Christmas card!” He smiled childishly, like he was recalling the first snow.

“I know right! It’s so simple but interesting, I mean I’ve only read it three times but to me I always found it to clear my head.”

Spencer angled himself towards you, “Did you know that the author actually interviewed his daughter’s teachers to see what ages teachers were more invested in compared to class sizes? He said in an interview that depending on a students intelligence, there’s an underlying emotional connection made between student and teacher,” he took a breath, “It plays into the intelligence to ego ratio that so many people claim isn’t true. Which I’m not trying to say you have a big ego, or that I do-“

You waved you hands, “Woah, woah. Why would I think you’re talking about me?”

He furrowed his eyebrows, “Well, you’re very intelligent.”

“Oh!… Thanks for thinking I’m intelligent, or smart.” You shrugged, “But I think you insulted yourself. You don’t have a 187 IQ for nothing do you?”

“You remembered my IQ?” He laughed nervously. His smile warms your chest like a candle. Like that candle he got you randomly in April, after you mentioned your favourite one being used up by your boyfriend.

Your boyfriend. Ugh.

You smile falters for only a second, “Of course. You only mention it to every person that second guesses you.”

He nods and smiles, “Must be my ego.”

You laugh, subconsciously bumping your shoulder with his. But- Jesus. Your stomach is queasy.

“Hey, uh, do you want some travel sickness pills?” He reached over for his satchel but you grab his forearm and smile as convincingly as you can.

“No, no. We’re landing soon, but thank you.”

You’re overreacting.

That’s what he said. When you texted your boyfriend of a year and a half that you thought you were pregnant he said, You’re overreacting. Two words, two hours after your first text, on his day off.

Maybe you are. You started feeling sick on a slightly more gory case, it’s lasted ever since the case started, you get travel sick as well.

The headaches are from the computer screen and stress. The stress is from fatigue. The fatigue is because of the lack of sleep. The lack of sleep is because of the headaches.

Why do you always do this? Always thinking that there’s something wrong with you. Always being the biggest person in your own life, selfish.

But… what if?

There’s a sudden squeak from behind you, and you instantly snapped out of it. You took a deep breath and looked at your surroundings. You were at your desk, standing, the strap of your bag clutched in your hands - god, your knuckles were white. Your eyes darted in surprise and confusion, and you jumped once again when Spencer spoke into the silence.

“You okay?”

“Um…”

You didn’t look back at him, only looking down at your shoes and taking a deep breath. You plastered on a smile despite the bile collecting in your throat.

“Yeah! Yeah, I’m fine. I’ve gonna go, the bus leaves at um…”

You took out your phone. He didn’t even respond to your text asking him to pick you up.

“I’ll drive you home. But uh, I gotta pick up some groceries. I hope you don’t mind.”

He curved to your desk and gently took your bag from your hands, glancing at the way you traced your knuckles and how the leather strap now had slight wrinkles in it. He smiled, warmly. And he started walking like you rejecting the idea wasn’t an option.

Which is wasn’t, because he knew you too well.

“Well, a cucumber actually has 3% more water than watermelon. So if you really want a refreshing snack, cucumber is your man.”

You smiled and raised your eyebrows in interest. He’s had many vegetables and fruits in the basket, not a lot of protein. Explained a lot.

My man, you thought with a smile.

My man, you shivered.

“I don’t like cucumbers.” You said like it was distraction, and he nodded, picking up some kewpie mayo as he you around to the next aisle. He glanced at you,

“I know. You say it’s tasteless. I like it.” He shrugged.

“I know.” You smiled, and he smiles back.

God, you wish you could bask in it, the warmth. But your chest was still tingly, and your heart hadn’t stopped aching ever since you got excited about an email notification.

“Hey, are you sure you’re okay? I noticed you’ve been tense for like… a week.” He grabbed some pasta sauce and put his hand on your shoulder to turn you around - you obviously looked too far into your own head.

“Yeah, just feeling-“

“Y/n.” He turned to you, stopping your venture into the dairy aisle. His eyes were hard, worried. The fluorescent lights swayed slightly. A worker walked by the end of the aisle with a trolley full of food.

“Sorry.”

“Don’t,” he lifted one arm, wanting to rest his hand on your upper arm, to help you, “Don’t say sorry. Just tell me what’s going on.”

“I have been feeling sick. That’s true. And I’ve been stressed and, thinking a lot. A lot.”

It felt weird to nearly tell Spencer about your relationship problems. It was like complaining to a doctor about healing crystals. It was like a slap in the face. Maybe that’s why you never did tell him about it, because it was facing your fears.

It was the pros and cons list made by Penelope.

But I’m overreacting.

“It’s nothing.”

Spencer sighed. You had that habit, of nearly opening up, and then shutting the door just as he was about to walk in.

You heard his sigh.

“Okay. I gave Lloyd my car because he has the day off, and he likes going to his friends houses on his days off. And, I told him something that should probably freak him out. But he doesn’t really care. I don’t think he really cares, about anything. At least about me.”

You started walking, because holy shit you’ve never said that out loud before, and Spencer followed you,

“Y/n, if you want to tell me something-“

“I think I’m pregnant.” You stopped, and started picking at your fingers, acting as if it was admitting to not knowing your left and rights, or that you don’t really like coconut.

His eyes widen, and his heart drops. It was like his worst nightmare coming true- jesus, how could he even think about himself right now? The girl he loved felt trapped with a man she thought might be the father of her baby.

Spencer gulped, “Oh.”

“Yeah, oh.”

You looked at each other, scared, you more than him. And then you cringed,

“God, I’m sorry Spencer. I shouldn’t have said anything-“

“No- Y/n, it’s fine. I’m glad you told me-“

“I haven’t even, like, taken a test yet-“

“Wait so-”

You spun on your heel and looked at him exasperated.

“So… let’s go get some tests.” He said (he hopes) calmly. He was really trying, to pretend to be calm and collected. That’s what you needed, a clear head to replace yours.

He paid for everything, even the 5 pregnancy tests and the over sized lollipop you put in the basket to ease your nerves later on.

The moon was high, you were about three hours late to get home now, and your head was attacking itself with rambles and aches and honestly, you were sick of it.

You shivered, huddling in your jacket and drawing only slightly closer to Spencer. His silence was like a hook, drawing you in closer and higher and taking every word you had been thinking that day to the tip of your tongue.

You looked up to him. His hair fell into his eyes, the breeze reddening his cheeks slightly.

It’s Spencer. You’ve known him for nearly 6 years, but it feels like you’ve known each other for ever. You know everything about him, and he knows everything about you. Well, not everything. He doesn’t know how you feel in your own apartment, how every anniversary had been forgotten even when it was the ‘1 year’ mark, how you felt like you were raising an over grown child who could drink.

He knows you’re strong, but admitting all that? I’d look weak.

You have looked weak in front of Spencer. He stayed overnight in your hospital room, he held you when you watched a little girl die, he wiped your tears when you watched a sad short film during your break.

You couldn’t hide anything from him.

“I don’t think I’m pregnant- Well, I mean I might be, but there’s a very low chance,” You started, Spencer’s jaw clenched for a millisecond, “I’ve just been feeling sick and… it could be because of stress from work, or just general stress- like, I don’t know.”

Spencer moved the grocery bag to his other hand.

“Kids are great, don’t get me wrong. Some people don’t get the chance to have kids. I mean…” You gulped, and Spencer finally looked down at you. But now, all you could do was stare at the car park’s concrete floor. Speaking out loud was like clearing your brain, the fog was lifting. “Lloyd doesn’t want kids. I do, at least in the future, not right now. I just hope it’s not with-“ You cut yourself off, and slow down a bit. Spencer matches your pace.

I just hope it’s not with him.

He gulps, and clears his throat, looking down at you with understanding eyes, “With everything that’s going on.”

“Yeah… yeah. You know, my job, my…” It’s no use lying to Spencer. He knows. He’s known, for a long time.

Your chest was tight, and you made eye contact with the pregnancy tests lying on top of Spencer’s groceries. The thought of going home, rushing to the bathroom, avoiding your boyfriend who was already waiting angry, made your throat close up. Because only now, when you were three hours late from work and ignoring his one attempt at a phone call, Lloyd texted, ‘I think you need to calm down.’ It was a bare minimum, and finally Spencer could see you realizing it.

No, ‘Wre you okay?’, ‘What’s making you think this?’ ‘Where are you?’

No. He was making you out to be the crazy one, the one to be over thinking, over bearing, too much.

You were confused. To put it blankly. And scared. And questioning your life decisions. And honestly you just wanted to curl up in a ball and to have Spencer make you bad cucumber salad at his warm apartment.

You looked up to Spencer but he was already looking down at you, reaching for his keys and nodding, “You can come to mine, it’ll be okay.”

taglist (open) - @jeffswh0re @reap3erslov3 @candyd1es @0108s22m @aurorsworld @theoraekenslover @c-losur3 @littlelearningbrat @khxna @laurakirsten0502 @cultish-corner

[idekkkjja]

Ok hiii i have a request!! So my mind has been plagued with loser!audiz thoughts since smtown. I dont know how open you are to poly stuff but imagine them being annoying and possessive about the 5th member and its causing a little bit of tension in the group so they just decide its better to share and not fight🤠

Stress reliever ୭ ˚. ᵎᵎ

As the world tour gracefully approached its bittersweet conclusion, a wave of overwhelming nostalgia washed over you, prompting tears to well up in your eyes and clouding the jubilant celebrations that surrounded you. Your beloved dancers mingled joyfully with the other members, each moment imbued with a sense of preciousness. Unbeknownst to you, two possessive hands sprawled across your back, each vying for dominance in the shared space.

Afterward, the group decided to take vacations seperately to wind down.

Separately, you say? Too bad the word didn’t exist in Karina’s and Giselle’s vocabularies. Instead of leaving you in the warmth of Hawaii’s embrace, they decided to tag along.

Heads-up: light ish cursing, Karina and Giselle argued like once or twice, they possessive as hell, no smut at the end GUYS IM SORRY I COULDNT BE WSKEDD, did they make out w u and were abt to ?? Yh.

ೃ࿔*:･ It all started at the concerts itself, the clingy moments captured on cameras numerous times and some went viral at how unprovoked one of the two could be.

For example, Karina, her hands just can’t be kept to herself! Squeezing mercilessly either at your breasts daringly or enveloping naturally around your waist, suffocating you by her side.

Or Giselle, she is rather subtle and discreet in her words, though she was caught by hidden camera behind stage manhandling you—cosplaying it as ‘teasing’—to the point you tripped to the floor, adorably frustrated by her silly antics.

Maybe on days when she is bold, she absolutely hard launches and posts the cute lunch dates you took together, all the slideshow being cute selcas of your head resting against her neck or the aesthetic items you two selected from an antique store.

Unlike Karina, who gatekeeps every waking moment the two of you spend off-camera, yes it could be a little annoying because you do want the fans to know more about your bond with her but she insisted on keeping it less… noticeable.

Plus, sometimes your dates have been exposed by bypassers who happened to be fans or saesangs. So no point.

Back to the point, the two are very clingy in their ways, to an extent they breathe down your neck.

You loved them a lot that words cannot grasp the knowledge of your heart for them and the rest of Aespa, but you did want to get away from them for a short space of time.

To think, to relax alone.

Much to your many futile protests, you found yourself squished against them in the middle seat of the row on a plane heading to Hawaii with the rest of the group.

Maybe you shouldn’t have suggested anything about a holiday or the implication of you being separated from them in a country far, far away across the globe. Which was an immediate no as their response.

Ningning and Winter at the back of the plane.

And you, between Karina and Giselle.

The latter nestled in the window seat, was completely absorbed in the view outside. With her camera in hand, she zoomed in on the sprawling mass of billowing clouds that drifted by, their fluffy edges illuminated by the warm hues of the setting sun. Meanwhile, Karina sat nearby, lost in a deep, tranquil sleep, her face softened with the gentle rhythm of her breathing, completely unaware.

You groaned quietly, pressing your forehead against the front seat, praying at least the flight would be over and the hotel Giselle booked without your permission would have separate rooms, and a cozy bed to accompany you throughout this agony.

Later, the plane landed smoothly, and you stood up; uncomfortably your thighs brushing against the girls’, though you had not much space to stand up fully and your hands instinctively gripped their thighs for balance.

Embarrassingly so, they noticed. “A bit close, aren’t you, y/n?” Karina blurted out, her voice husked with sleepiness lurking within her, her hand gently pried your right hand off Giselle’s and onto her thigh instead, so both of your hands were on her.

Giselle narrowed her eyes simply, eyeing the pair of you in barely concealed annoyance.

“Seriously, she looks more uncomfortable now, Karina.” Emphasizing her name to express it subtly so others wouldn’t notice the damping demeanor, she clenched her fists when the leader blissfully ignored her comment focusing on enjoying the fleeting moment.

Well, it was a little awkward for you because you spotted the warning stare of Giselle’s that she used in public whenever any of the members or her friends did something she assumed attracted unwanted attention or embarrassment on their or her end.

“Move, Karina. The girl can’t do parkour and jump over your fucking legs.” Gruffly, Karina got out of her seat and teasingly loomed over you by stretching her tall figure to carry the luggage on top.

With an exaggerated, groan that only you could hear, she got them in her hands and strode off, making you follow like a lost puppy within the crowds since she had your things too, leaving Giselle unintentionally behind because the other duo left the other way.

Which the latter did not appreciate at all, being made a fool in front of people and she was fuming in silence.

You knew Karina did that on purpose at this point.

Huddled against the enthusiastic leader’s side, you sat on the chair, the arm holder was no barrier for the two of you as she kept you close no matter what.

As Ningning approached, worry etched on her face, outlining the almost furrow of her eyebrows crinkling together. “What’s up with Giselle? She seems quite upset.”

Karina shrugged it off lazily, “homesickness.”

“It hasn’t even been an hour yet—“ Ningning tried to protest but got cut off by an excited squeal coming from Winter as she made a dramatic entrance to the airport, buzzing with unadulterated joy.

“I can’t wait to explore this beautiful island!” Unusual for the typically reserved introvert, rather the type to sneak out and take long night strolls with the freedom appealed in foreign countries far away from South Korea.

One of the cons of being a Kpop idol.

“Our taxi’s here, come along.” Simultaneously standing along with Karina, who counted each member and their items to make sure nobody and nothing important would be missing; there was a void in the group that couldn’t be dismissed easily.

Giselle wasn’t here.

“Giselle…” the leader gritted her teeth in growing irritation and anxiety at where that woman could end up—no, she isn’t a child—though being lost in a completely different country significantly increases the danger of anything suspicious and weird occurring.

And she did not want that to happen on a vacation where she’s supposed to spent time with her members (especially you) and chill.

Long, tense minutes passed on in expectant silence, and she declared abruptly, "that's it, I'm calling the police." That moment, out of impulsive anxiety, she was about to phone the local police station nearby, Giselle appeared with a blank expression; all nonchalant as if she wasn't the reason for the upcoming chaos about to erupt in the group.

Now, the fury was passed onto Karina.

"Giselle, where the fuck were you?! You had all of us worrying, and for what? Getting attention or something?" She yelled at the woman, too unbothered now for public appearances and straight-up was about to curse her out. And Giselle, simply, did not seem to care, which provoked her further.

Winter interfered warily, stepping in between them, "let's calm down for a moment here... at least nothing bad happened, right?" Ningning nodded stiffly, a little startled by their leader's sudden outburst.

Managing to restrain her growing fury, her shoulders rolled back and she sighed in frustration. Disapproval lingered in her narrowed eyes. “Let’s go to our hotel, I need to cool off.” You didn’t want to tag along with Karina, but that warning look in her eyes told you otherwise; to shut your mouth and stay quiet, to comply with her needs.

Being roughly pulled along, she didn’t care if you stumbled and nearly tripped over, your pleading eyes cast behind your shoulder over to Giselle to check if she truly was okay as she wanted to seem.

Her expression was unreadable, that’s all you saw before you nervously looked ahead.

When arriving at your hotel rooms, the tension was still there, thick and obvious as much as Ningning and Winter desperately tried to dissipate it.

The two were in their hotel room, and you unfortunately out of supposed ‘coincidence’ shared a room with those two bulls.

One bed, too. What a coincidence considering Karina or Giselle was busy booking the hotel rooms for you.

Exhausted to the bones, and frustrated as well, you plopped on the bed anyway, relaxing against the (not so) comfortable headboard as the two women entered in feigned shock at seeing there was one bed for the three of them; including you.

“I’m sleeping on the couch,” you declared flatly, not wanting any heated debates to tire you out further.

Giselle was the first to protest against it surprisingly, “hell no. Karina can sleep on the couch instead.”

The latter did not like the idea at all, smoke could be seen coming out of her ears at this point. Her day was getting worse than she thought, on vacation as well.

“Don’t fuck with me right now, Giselle. It’s you sleeping on the couch tonight, for worrying me and the rest of the group!” Karina bellowed, your ears ached at how loud she was today, not expecting the other woman to equally raise the volume of her voice to match hers too.

Oh, but she did. “You? Worry about me?” Giselle exclaimed, laughing in bitter disbelief. “That’s funny, ‘cause I know you fucking were happy off your panties that you could get Y/n all to yourself!” And why were you getting dragged into this whole dreadful ordeal?

Maybe because you were the reason of it.

“Oh fuck you, I’m not like that—”

Giselle cut her off sharply with a remark that for sure would make the woman explode in flames of burning rage. “And Y/n didn’t want to even be with your pushy ass anyway, I know that she likes more than you. Everybody knows, even our fans.”

This was getting too far, slowly you got up and slipped in the middle of the two women in barely restrained fury, hanging onto the basic serenity they had left.

“Okay, okay, you two!” You exclaimed to draw their attention to you, not wanting this to turn into a physical altercation.

“What’s going on?” From this situation dragging on for weeks now, you had to get the blunt, hard truth out of it.

Tauntingly cackling, Giselle merely scoffed under her breath, her amusement disappearing when she saw that you weren’t joking.

“Someone can’t accept that you’re mine—”

Now it was Karina’s turn to interrupt, “fuck no. Y/n’s mine,” she hissed through clenched teeth.

“Who said I’m any of yours?” Bewildered was an understatement, your eyes widened and eyed the two warily.

“Me.”

“Me.”

Both agitated women yelled in unison, you didn’t know what to do. At this time, you wanted the floor to swallow you whole.

Next thing you knew, you were shoved down on the bed by Giselle, her form towering over you as she leaned down, and Karina intently tugging on your arm to avert your attention from her.

“Bitch… move! She’s mine,” out of pure frustration, she was about to tackle the Japanese woman before the latter said something that made her pause.

“How about we share? Equally?” Giselle suggested, her eyebrows raising teasingly, the leader slowly looked at her then you.

With a reluctant stiff nod, she muttered a few gruff curses under her breath and yanked you up straight like you were some doll sustained for their needs only. Sitting on the bed, she practically threw you on her lap, and automatically her arms squeezed your waist gently.

Giselle leaned forward, her breath ghosting your lips, she slowly started kissing you; having you feel her emotions through the process with her tongue sliding up against yours in a heated embrace.

Feeling hot kisses against your jaw and neck, sharp nips at the bare skin making you jolt and whine against the other woman’s lips who eagerly swallow your muffled protests, Karina’s hands trail up to massage your breasts firmly through the thin shirt you were wearing.

Then one of her hands sneaked down to the waistband of your sweatpants, sliding her fingers to brush against your slick inner thighs, and Giselle noticed after pulling away and harshly gripping your hand fist-full, yanking it backward to reveal your neck that’s about to be covered with many, many of their hickeys almost impossible to cover in the near future.

Abruptly, a firm knock caught all of you out of the lustful haze. Indicating it was your manager, Karina panted hard and whispered breathlessly in your ear.

“You're ours now, got it?” Before pulling you off Giselle hurriedly attended to the door.

You knew after the annoying interruption, that the night and the following days would be tiring despite being a relaxing vacation.

[gureumz]

project aphrodite

rating: explicit

member: jungwon

premise: in a post-apocalyptic world, you and jungwon are excellent scientists and are at the relative top of the list of people who are ideal parents for the next generation of this dying world. it's now your job to repopulate this earth so you ask your co-worker to pretty please knock you up.

notes: sci-fi elements, dystopian au, scientist!reader, scientist!jungwon, fem-bodied reader, reader is referred to as a woman, dom!jungwon, breeding, impreg kink (like heavily), dirty talk, platonic (?) breeding, co-workers with benefits (?), idk this is kinda speculative fiction but also suspend your disbelief a bit lol

a/n: first of my 1k follower special! not quite sure what order i'm following here but i hope you stay for the ride nonetheless! enjoy!

it's a strange feeling.

in your line of work, 'strange' is hardly any cause for concern. as a biologist with a concentration in genetics, you've seen all the ways nature does its job. from the familiar concepts almost all people learn about in science class like the basic 'mom-meets-dad-equals-baby' to the eerie methods organisms in the deep sea evolve to survive.

you've learned about it all, pored over each punnett square, stressed over the formulas. so, this shouldn't be anything to worry about.

and yet, you're still worried.

"i mean...what did we expect?" jay speaks up from beside you, eyeing the phone in his hand.

"we're presently some of the world's most brilliant minds so...," he adds, locking his phone before hunching over his desk. to your ears, it sounds as if he's trying to convince himself rather than you.

you scan over the document flashed on your own laptop screen. the harsh fluorescent lights overhead buzz nonstop, going on and on, a background hum all of you in the bunker have grown used to. at this moment, it lulls you into a daydream, vision swimming as you repeat the words in your head.

all government personnel with a status level 7 and higher are recommended to partake in project aphrodite. those falling under level 10 are strictly required. participation at this level is compulsory.

common citizens with a status of 9 to 10 are also required to participate. ample compensation for those successful will be provided.

"you're a level 8. it's not as if you have to," you mutter, fingers digging into your temples.

jay snickers. "how many level 10 government personnel are there in this ruined world? a few hundred or so doctors, another few hundred scientists, even fewer world leaders. that's not taking into account the difference in sex. my information's not up to date but last time i checked, there is a hell of a lot more men than there are women. it's a shitshow waiting to happen."

you turn to meet jay's eyes, not meaning to convey any certain emotion, but the way jay's expression falls leads you to believe that you look way more upset than you're letting on.

"oh shit, yeah," jay curses. "you're a level 10. i forgot."

you sigh, tilting your head back against the headrest of your seat.

"i'm sure they'll release more regulation soon," you begin. "this is just the initial memo. with our world hanging in the balance as it is, no one's gonna let this devolve into some patriarchal anarchy, i hope."

"yeah, of course," you hear jay agree. "most of the proponents of project aphrodite are women, anyway, so i'm sure they'll take extra measures to keep you safe."

you sit up straight, looking at jay once more. "this is the world, huh?"

you and jay pause before sharing a quick chuckle.

"'go make babies, or else,'" you say in a mock radio announcer voice. jay lets out a laugh, his voice echoing off the empty office walls.

the two of you fall into silence, as if retreating to your respective thoughts. all that's in your mind at this moment is your current project, the very thing the few people more powerful than you had assigned for you to do: leading your team in stopping that godforsaken virus ravaging the outside. you've been making steady progress so far, but with the weight of this new responsibility, you're not sure if you could keep the momentum up.

you realize with a passing thought that most of the scientists on your team are level 9s and 10s.

"well," you begin before you could stop yourself. you're suddenly overcome with a feeling of suffocation, the office space seemingly too small and continuously growing even smaller.

"i hope you find someone you'd like to procreate with," you say lightly, pushing yourself off your chair. you quickly gather your things: folders and binders and other loose papers in your arms.

you catch jay looking at you, a pensive look on his face. you stop as you're grabbing your reusable coffee jug.

"no," you deadpan. "not me."

jay's eyes widen, as if realizing he'd said something without really saying anything.

"i—no, wait—i mean...," jay stutters, ears quickly turning red.

you smile, patting jay's shoulder reassuringly. "in case you were thinking about it."

jay's mouth opens and closes like a fish out of water and you can't help but laugh.

"these are desperate times, but i'm hoping it's not too desperate," you add. without waiting for a response, you turn towards the door, already making your way to it.

"besides, dr. isa lee seems more your type," you say over your shoulder one last time before pushing the door open and stepping out into the hallway.

---

"hey."

you look up from the microscope, tearing your attention away from the specimen you were examining. your eyes readjust to their normal focal length as a tall figure enters the lab, perfectly crisp white coat hanging off his broad shoulders, thin-wired spectacles resting on the bridge of his tall, straight nose. your lips feel strangely parched as he makes direct eye contact with you and you're left with no choice but to moisten them with your tongue.

"oh hi, dr. yang."

the other scientist chuckles, setting down a stack of papers on a desk in the corner. "i've been here for three weeks. please, call me jungwon."

you swallow. "right. jungwon."

dr. jungwon yang was a new import from the seoul bunker, having come to your own area's bunker merely a few weeks prior. he was immediately put under your supervision, an addition to your already elite team of biologists, geneticists, and virologists. off the bat, you could tell he was a man of many talents, coming up with unconventional solutions and arriving at answers quicker than anyone else.

his presence in your lab made your heart swell. in pride, adoration, or desire, you're not quite sure.

"uh, yesterday's results are in that binder over there, in case you want to go over them," you begin. jungwon walks over to your side of the long table, peering over the slide loaded into the microscope.

ignoring the way he brushes ever so slightly against you, you continue. "the director's dropping by later this afternoon, but i wouldn't be too bothered with that. he's just looking for someone to blame for the slow progress at this point. if only they could get us those materials we asked for..."

"have you read the memo?" jungwon asks abruptly, straightening up. he towers over you, his eyes downcast as he stares at your face.

"of course, you've read the memo," jungwon corrects himself, chuckling. "what i meant was...what do you think of it?"

"it's a government-issued memo, it hardly matters what i think," you respond, focusing back on your work in front of you, although all you do is stare blankly at the moving microorganisms, mind unfocused with how much of jungwon's perfume you can smell.

"it's your reproductive health that's on the line. i'm pretty sure your opinion counts for something," jungwon says with a pinch in between his eyebrows.

oh, a feminist. that's even hotter.

"okay, yeah. i appreciate the new guidelines they put out," you admit, looking back up at jungwon. "though it's the bare minimum, i'm glad they're letting us keep the autonomy of choosing who to...boink."

jungwon laughs at that.

"and free fertility drugs for anyone who wants or needs it. oh, also, thank god they didn't have the brilliant idea of putting a time limit on it. having read some crazy speculative fiction myself, the things people are willing to do in fiction are crazy. who's to say they can't do the same in real life?" you continue.

you don't notice the way jungwon's smirk grows as he listens.

"kind of makes the whole thing unsexy, don't you think?" jungwon cuts in, raising an eyebrow. you blink, unsure of what he's talking about.

"i'm surprised they're not monitoring us with cameras and hooking us up to EKGs and shit," he adds.

"oh," you say with a soft giggle, finally catching on. "i'm sure some people are into being watched."

"are you?" jungwon asks.

"am i what?" you answer.

"into being watched."

a pause.

you shake your head. "how about you?"

"oh no," jungwon says. "i prefer to keep what's mine for my eyes only."

"hm. possessive. that's kind of sexy," you mumble under your breath, a sudden surge of confidence coursing through you.

jungwon just stares at you, but you can see his pupils dance in amusement, taking in your whole face and all your features. you might have imagined it but he seemed to have peeked down at your chest for a second.

"do you think it's attractive for someone to be into lego-building? or at least, used to be into it. i'd give an arm and a leg for a complete lego set nowadays," jungwon asks, leaning against the table, and only now do you notice the veins running over the back of his hands.

you think about whether his arms are just as veiny.

"do you think it's a good trait to pass on an offspring? lego-building, i mean," he presses on.

"uh, yeah. good problem-solving skills," you answer, humoring his question.

jungwon nods. "do you think leadership skills are important?"

you smile, leaning against the cabinet opposite jungwon. you nudge his foot lightly. "i lead a team of scientists myself. of course, i think leadership skills are important."

"you and i both," jungwon agrees.

jungwon shifts, placing his hands in the pockets of his lab coat.

"how about dimples? do you think dimples are cute?" jungwon asks once more, one corner of his mouth upturned. a deep crease on his cheek appears.

a dimple.

"very," you admit.

"i see."

there's a silence that stretches over the two of you, and the weight of uncertainty is daunting as you stare at a spot on jungwon's tie. finally, after a few seconds, you heave a sigh, unable to take the tension any longer.

"this is the weirdest way anyone has ever flirted with me," you declare, looking up at jungwon through your lashes. he's grinning and you nearly shiver at how utterly attractive you're finding him at this moment.

"but it's effective," jungwon says. that was a statement, not a question.

you tilt your head to the side. "how do you know?"

"because you would have blown me off two minutes ago if it wasn't," jungwon reasons, crossing his arms. by doing this, he just made himself appear even wider than he is.

"always so calculated," you say, impressed.

you stretch your neck, easing your head from side to side, watching as jungwon fixes his gaze on the taut tendons of your neck. "are you also this precise in bed, dr. yang?"

jungwon approaches, a large hand resting on your hip. "that's for you to find out."

your breath hitches as you feel his thumb rub through the fabric of your skirt.

"later?" he asks.

"my place or yours?" you reply, fingertips grazing the front of his polo. you can just about feel the slope and ridges of his toned muscles.

"i'd like to be a gentleman, so mine," jungwon offers. "i'll walk you back to your room after."

"i was kind of hoping i wouldn't need to walk back after," you say, a hint of teasing in your voice.

"is that a challenge?" jungwon says, his other hand pressing firmly on your lower back. he pulls you to him and your hands involuntarily reach out towards his shoulders to steady yourself.

a few seconds pass before any of you speak again.

"that's for you to find out," you say.

---

"kind of weird, isn't it?" jungwon asks, panting against your neck.

your back is pressed firmly against one wall of his sleeping quarters, a wide, loft-like room, similar to yours. a luxury offered only to level 10 government personnel, the room gives its occupants enough space and enough privacy.

and boy, did you need privacy.

"what's weird?" you say breathily, fingers threading through jungwon's hair as he kisses down the column of your neck. his fingers nimbly undo the buttons of your blouse and you whimper when you feel him lick at the valley between your breasts.

"coming up to coworkers or friends then asking them to reproduce with you," jungwon responds, tugging your blouse off of your shoulders.

(you both held enough respect for the institution that employed you both, so your work lab coats were neatly thrown over the back of jungwon's couch before anything got too frisky.)

"see, it's the way you say it that makes it weird," you giggle. you pull jungwon back up to your face, kissing him fervently, tongue licking into his mouth.

"oh yeah? how would you say it?" jungwon challenges as he pulls away slightly, his nose grazing your cheek. he licks a stripe on the underside of your jaw.

"please, jungwon," you whimper, playing up the whine in your voice just a little bit. "need you to knock me up. make me pregnant, please."

jungwon grunts in your ear, reaching behind you to rip the zipper of your skirt down. you let the fabric fall to the floor, stepping out of it quickly, revealing the matching red lace panties you had in tandem with your bra.

"yeah? want me to cum inside you so many times that there won't even be the tiniest chance that you're not pregnant?" jungwon says lowly, kneading one of your boobs in his hands.

you nod, hooking a leg around jungwon's hip, pushing your core right up against the bulge in his pants.

"yes," you breathe out, dragging your clothed pussy over his straining cock. "let's be good citizens and have a whole bunch of kids, yeah?"

jungwon chuckles, hands hurriedly working on his belt. you take this time to kiss up his neck, still rutting against him, desperate for any contact.

"come here," jungwon says through gritted teeth as his pants and boxers fall to the floor. he kicks them off unceremoniously, yanking you towards the couch. your eyes briefly catch the flash of white that were your lab coats.

the two of you fall onto the cushiony surface, with jungwon sitting up and you falling a little less gracefully on him. the two of you laugh as you adjust yourself, righting your posture so you could look at jungwon.

"take this off," jungwon commands, pulling at your panties. you swing off jungwon for a moment, pulling off the garment in record time. you reposition yourself over jungwon, his cock standing tall, hard, and painfully red.

"come on, show me how bad you want those kids," jungwon teases, tucking your hair behind your ear.

you roll your eyes. "you gotta help with the diapers."

a second later, you sink down on jungwon, moaning wantonly at how much he stretches you out, filling you up effortlessly. jungwon throws his head back, his bottom lip pinched between his teeth.

"i'll quit my fucking job at the lab if this is how good it feels to make babies with you," jungwon groans, his fingers digging into the flesh of your hips.

you whimper at his words, rocking back and forth on his lap. you angle your hips a certain way, the tip of his cock kissing at just the perfect spot inside you. you shudder, repeating your movement.

"god, you feel amazing," jungwon praises. "so warm, so tight."

"yeah," you respond. you're gliding up and down his cock, swiveling your hips as fast as you can. you clench down around him, the thought of jungwon cumming inside you your only motivation.

"filling me up so good," you add, watching as jungwon screws his eyes shut, neck shiny with sweat.

you move forward, attaching your lips just below jungwon's ear. you suckle on the salty skin, running your tongue over the spot, savoring the way jungwon lets a moan rip out of him.

"gotta let the whole bunker know this one's mine," you whisper as you let up on jungwon's neck. a faint red spot is left in the wake of your lips on his skin.

in a blink of an eye, your whole world tumbles upside down, jungwon's hands forcing you down on the couch by your waist. in a daze, you realize that jungwon has you pinned under him, his eyes wild with a hungry look in them. he pushes your legs right up against your chest, lining himself up with your entrance.

"the moment you start showing, no one in this goddamn bunker will have a single doubt who gave you that baby," jungwon counters, thrusting into you. he gives you no time to adjust, picking up where you left off.

you cry out, trying to anchor yourself on anything your hands can find. eventually, you find purchase in jungwon's shoulders. he feels your nails digging in, and he mutters a soft 'fuck', speeding up his movements, the wet sounds of his skin slapping against yours so incredibly obscene in the confined space of his room.

"give it to me, please," you say, meeting jungwon's eyes as he continues to fuck into you. his forehead is creased, a look of concentration washing over his face.

"cum inside, fill me up as many times as you want, fuck it deep in me," you continue, cradling jungwon's face in your hands, the tender gesture a contrast to how rough he's bein.

"god," jungwon groans, voice breaking at the end as he speeds up, but then he halts abruptly, his mouth hanging open in a silent moan. you feel him twitch inside you and you gasp, clenching down as hard as you can.

"fuck, yes, milk it all out," jungwon says. he starts to thrust up into you again, watching as his cock is slowly coated with his cum spreading all over your cushy walls.

you whine, your fingers finding their way down to your cunt, your middle and ring finger pressing onto your clit. you rub at it ferociously, the idea of jungwon's sticky release inside of you turning you on impossibly.

"i'm getting hard again, jesus christ," jungwon complains but his movements don't cease. he's shaking from the overstimulation but he wraps his arms around you, pulling your limp form up against him.

"rub that pretty pussy for me, babe," jungwon requests, thrusting up into you shallowly.

"make yourself cum while i fill you up for a second time."

---

"so?"

you jump a little at the sudden intrusion. you look up at jungwon through both of your reflections in your bathroom mirror. three pregnancy tests lie in a neat line on the edge of the sink.

"i just started the timer, jungwon," you reply with a laugh. jungwon turns you around to face him, kissing you briefly.

"hm," you say, looking up at jungwon questioningly. "you never kiss me unless you want something."

"well," jungwon begins, hands slipping under your sweater. "we can always kill time while we wait for the results."

you shake your head, but you're already pressing yourself up against jungwon. "you're insatiable, dr. yang."

jungwon winks at you, undoing your bra under your shirt. "you know it."

"plus, you just look too good in this damn lab coat."

[mvst4far]

౨ৎ

Clayton Beresford x f!reader summary: Clayton comes home from a bad day at work, hoping to unwind with you. warnings: everything is pure fluff!

Clayton spoiled you rotten─nonetheless. He'd surprise you with fancy dinner dates, new designer shoes, bags, you name it. Though you reassured him he was wasting his money, he disagreed entirely and never listened. He was always quite a stubborn man─which was the reason he was so successful.

Being the CEO of the Beresford Capital, definitely had its fair share of pros and cons. For this case, it was mostly pros. There were plenty of options for deals to merge with, having complying employees and being left alone in his office. Clayton loved having his alone time, even at home sometimes. He didn't mind if you hung around the office and fiddled with his pens or papers, he just needed silence for an hour or two.

Whenever Clayton was working late, he'd usually come home in a bad mood. The expectations he was always relied on─drowned him in stress, no doubt. The only good part when coming home, was being able to relax and unwind with you.

The front door to the penthouse slammed shut, causing you to flinch a little while currently finishing dinner up in the kitchen. Obviously, Clayton was in another bad mood.

"Sweetie? You okay?" You called out gently, placing the sizzling steak on a large plate, as well as a mix of vegetables scattered. You didn't hear a response for quite a while, besides some shuffling heard. Hearing your sweet, loving voice made Clayton internally relax a little, though he wasn't completely satisfied.

Suddenly, you felt a strong pair of arms wrap around your waist from behind. He was almost completely pressed up against you, that you could feel his rugged breathing fanning over your ear and neck. Sensing his distress, you frowned.

"Bad day, huh?"

"Mhm," Was all that left his throat with a nod of his head in confirmation, pulling you back to be closer. "This new merger is pissing me off, I need to find a loophole and close it." He grumbled, nuzzling his nose into the crook of your neck.

You listened quietly as Clayton began rambling on about work while you prepared dinner. He was never one to keep quiet when he had a lot on his mind─unable to keep it in.

"And then-" He was soon cut short by his phone ringing in his pocket, causing him to loudly groan. He unwrapped an arm from your waist but kept his other secured, reaching for his phone in the pocket of his dress pants.

Quickly answering the call, he spoke up. "What?" His voice was rough and seeped with un interest towards one of his stupid employees he hired. Which he was deeply regretting.

You continued to prepare dinner as Clayton spoke gruffly into the phone, keeping quiet to not disturb the 'important' phone call. The last thing Clayton wanted was to get calls from work─especially when he was getting comfortable while clinging onto you.

As the conversation started to get a little more heated and the frustration was evident, Clayton stepped away from you and out of the kitchen. He stood in the living room, looking out at the Skyline of Manhattan from the floor-to-ceiling windows as he continued to speak with an employee. He didn't want you to hear about his work call, knowing you'd become worried and interrogate for him to tell you what happened. He'd rather handle his work problems himself, without you getting in the way.

You could still faintly hear his conversation in the distance, setting up each plate for either of you. Once everything was prepared perfectly and neatly, you left the dishes in the kitchen and quietly entered the living room. Soon spotting Clayton no longer on the phone, you approached him from behind.

"Clay?" You whispered, not wanting to startle him.

Clayton had the bridge of his nose between his index finger and thumb, his shoulders tense before hearing you call out his name. His muscles began to ease up a little, turning around to face you. He met your soft eyes and pulled you into a tight embrace.

It was clear how much he needs this. How much he needs you.

His arms wrap around the small of your back, his chin resting on top of your head as he took in your welcoming scent. He always adored how you smelled like vanilla, which, no doubt, he enjoyed. Your arms came to loosely wrap around the back of his neck, providing a comfort.

"Sorry," He sighed, pressing a kiss on your forehead as he pulled back a little to look into your eyes. "I know I shouldn't be answering work calls at home, it's just-"

"Sweetie, don't worry about it, okay? I know how busy you are." You cut him off, reassuring him in a gentle coax.

"Yeah, I know... but-"

"But nothing." You cut him off again, not wanting foolish scenarios to enter his mind. "Let's just go have some dinner I prepared, okay? I made steak."

Clayton immediately cracked a small smile, "I love steak." He murmured, letting you take his hand in yours as you pulled him towards the kitchen.

"I know."

[goldenlikedayl1ght]

born to die - m. murdock

a/n: IM NOT DEAD i am very busy with finals but this has been rattling around the old noggin for a while now. i took a lot of inspiration from @ellephlox 's fic strawberry rhubarb which i 100% reccomend bc its better than most fics including this one! hope you enjoy! as always reblogs and comments are always appreciated! <3 warnings: oh boy. torture (cutting, burning) some sexually suggestive talk (nothing happens but it's not consensual) readers dad abused her, nightmares, lots of major character death (but not permeant) ANGST!!! but with a happy ending! kidnapping, medical stuff, cursing, and if i missed anything, let me know! word count: 4.8k summary: as matt murdock's wife, your life is rather full of surprises. getting kidnapped by wilson fisk takes the cake as the worst one. pairing: matt murdock x wife!reader now playing: born to die - lana del rey "choose your last words, this is the last time/'cause you and i, we were born to die"

You would think after patching him up too many times to count, five years without him, and countless sleepless nights worrying if he was alive, you would think you’d be used to Matt Murdock and his world of surprises.

And then you get kidnapped, so maybe you’re not so immune to surprises.

It’s really such a shame too, because you’re storming out of the apartment, too angry to take notice of your surroundings.

Silly, foolish, ditzy you.

Because it isn’t like Matt hasn’t told you time and time again that you need to be careful, especially when you go out alone at night. But he’s so angry that he doesn’t even think about the potential dangers of Hell’s Kitchen at three a.m. when Daredevil has been tucked away for the night and Matt Murdock comes back out to play.

He’s been taking more and more patrols because with Fisk being out of prison he can’t help but be constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop.

How silly he was to think that maybe he could have it all—A successful law firm, good friends and a loving wife.

Silly, foolish, ditzy Matt.

But after a week of nonstop patrols, you’re both fed up and tired, and above all, you’re yearning for each other. Neither of you allow yourselves to be totally happy all the time. It would just make everything too easy.

So, after yelling at each other over, what? Patrols? Cases? Burnt dinners? You’re freezing on the streets, and you get about five blocks before you stop and rub your eyes.

This is dumb, you rationalize. Of course, you’re both stressed out and tired, but you’ve gotten through rougher times before, and you both made an oath. To each other, in front of his God, to love each other no matter what.

You realize you left your wedding ring on the table, the ghost of the metal around your finger haunting you. You were dumb for leaving and Matt was dumb for telling you to go. You’re made for each other.

You turn around to go back to your shared apartment, and then, someone grabs you from behind. Your first instinct is to yell for your husband, but you don’t get the chance to before you’re knocked out, by what you can only guess to be a gun or maybe a large fist.

• • •

You wake up in this dingy room, the lighting not suitable for much of anything except to make you afraid. The set up is almost comical and in a fucked up away, stereotypical for a kidnapping. You’re tied up to a chair, and the lights shine only bright enough so you can see shadows and rats scurrying along.

The air is this weird musk of salt and earth, and you realize you’re near the docks, and that’s about all you know about your current location.

Your head is still pounding from whatever it was you were hit with, but you can see another chair a few feet from you and a wooden table with various weapons laying on it. You don’t feel good about this one. Also on the table is an old school record player. You have no idea what the intention is with it.

You try to keep your cool, knowing that wherever you wander, your husband will not be very far off. That whatever is happening, he will be coming to find you no matter how upset he is for whatever it was you were fighting about earlier.

And then, out of the shadows, there he is. 

But he’s too big to be Matt, and he has a man standing next to him.

Frank, maybe?

And then you realize who this man is.

He’s Wilson Fisk, the kingpin who has done nothing but torture and kill people, shoving it in Matt’s face for years. Matt only met you after Fisk was put back in prison, and you know at some point in the five-year blip without Matt, he had escaped prison.

So, this is the first time you’ve had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Fisk. When he meets your eye, you do nothing but stare.

“Good evening, Mrs. Murdock. It’s a shame we must meet under these circumstances.” He tells you, taking a seat in front of you. His henchman stands behind the chair.

“It’s regretful to say the least.” You tell him, not intending to make any more of an enemy out of him than Matt already has, not right now.

“I wanted to congratulate you on your wedding. I remember my own, it was a rather special day.”

You know that was the day Matt took him down. The night that he, Karen and Foggy took him down.

“I’ve heard stories. It seemed like a lovely day.”

“You’re a much more gracious guest than your counterpart.”

“Well, I’m sure people say similar things about you and yours.”

He seems to consider this for a moment before nodding.

“You’re probably right about that, Mrs. Murdock. I wanted to tell you I’m terribly sorry these are the circumstances in which we are finally introduced. But it seems Mr. Murdock has been interested in finding out more about my endeavors. And you see, we simply cannot have that. I made a promise not to hurt Miss Page or Mr. Nelson but it seems you were not included in that deal.” Of course not, it had been a long time before you showed up. “So, you’re how we’re going to send Mr. Murdock a message.”

Huh.

So, this is how you die.

Well, you might as well go out with a bang.

“You see, Mrs. Murdock, When I was a boy—”

“I’m going to stop you, Mr. Fisk, because your sob story is rather dull. I know who you are. You were beaten by your father, just like I was. The difference is that I don’t use that as an excuse to murder my way to the top of the food chain. And you can torture me, assault me, whatever you feel you need to do. But if you think for a second that I’ll forget who’s coming to stop you, you are sorely mistaken. And if you think he’ll ever stop trying to find me, you do not know my husband very well.”

Fisk stares at you for a while, his gaze hardening into a glare.

“You’re right. You do know who I am. Because we’re rather similar.” He stands up and nods to the man nearby. “If Murdock can hear her far from here, make sure he hears her screaming.”

Then Wilson Fisk walks away, and you are left with the sickening gaze of a man who has no good intentions.

 The man goes to the record player and starts to play a song you recognize quickly as “Fly Me To The Moon” by Frank Sinatra. As he does this, he speaks,

“Hello, Mrs. Murdock. I’m John.” You stay quiet, and he just enjoys the song.

He picks up a knife from the table and goes to you, this grin on his face that makes you sick.

But you remember a trick from not only your childhood, but also from Frank who told you the key to remaining strong under torture—Distraction.

You stare straight ahead, trying not to mind as the man runs the knife over your skin. You think about Matt. You imagine him in his wedding suit, the smile he had on as you approached him down that aisle. You think about when he asked you to marry him, and—

A sharp pain slashes down your arm, cutting open the shirt you’re wearing. You yell in pain, before moving in to try and take deep breaths.

You can do this. Matt will be here soon.

You continue to breathe through the anxiety and the pain, trying not to think too hard about when John hums along to Sinatra’s voice, guiding his knife around your skin. Another cut finds itself on your shoulder.

This goes on for a while, with the classic song looping over and over again. John never seems to tire of it, no matter how badly you will for it to end. As the song ends in one particularly good loop, John hits your face hard, and your nose starts bleeding.

You try to think of Matt’s voice. You don’t listen to John’s torments, knowing it will only egg him on further. You just want him to burn at that point.

By the end of… Countless Frank Sinatra serenades, you have cuts littered around your body, dry blood on your face from your nose and tears running down your face. When he’s eventually done, two men cut you out from the chair and drag you along to a smaller, darker room. You are left in there with a small meal, and you just huddle against a corner, nearest a barred window out of your reach.

And then, you begin to speak for the first time since you saw Fisk.

“Matt,” You whisper, “I’m by the docks.” You tell him, not sure if he can even hear you. “Please, I’m sorry for everything, please just come find me..” You mumble, too tired and aching to try and do more.

• • •

The next day, or what you presume to be the next day since you have no way to tell how much time has passed, you’re woken up by a loud banging on the door of your.. cell..?

The same two men enter and drag you back to the room, where John waits for you.

“How are you feeling today, Mrs. Murdock?” He asks.

You glare.

“Fuck you.”

He laughs and shakes his head.

“What happened to the polite young woman Mr. Fisk and I met yesterday?”

You’re filled with unprecedented anger.

“I said, Fuck you!”

He wastes no time, grabbing a lighter off the table and starting the record player again. Once more, Frank Sinatra’s voice fills the room, and you’re pretty sure once you’re done with John, and then Fisk, you’ll bring Sinatra back from the dead just to kill him again.

You’ve never really been a violent person, but you suspect that it lives in the worst parts of you, just as it did with your own father. You’re much better at keeping it all at bay. Besides, it does you no good to be violent while you have Matt. He’s plenty angry for the both of you.

Oh, Matt..

This is how time passes for you. While John tortures you, burning you or carving into your skin, you think about how great it will be to choke the life out of the singer… And you think about Matt. When you’re in your dark little room, you talk to him. Even if he can’t hear you, you must hope that he’s looking for you.

• • •

Days pass. How long have you been here?

One night, you have the following dream:

It starts out as a memory. A memory of you and Matt. You’re lying in bed with him, and the sunlight is hitting his face just right. You love this memory, it’s one you recall often. He just has this angelic look to him.

Yeah, most people who encounter him, especially at night, meet the devil. But occasionally, you get glimpses of the angel you know he is. He’s sleeping, and you think in this state, he is the most relaxed you’ll ever see him.

Then, before your eyes, the dream shifts and you’re in this black void, on the ground.

Foggy, Karen, Frank, and Matt stand around you. You run to Matt but hit a clear shield keeping him from you. You bang on the glass, well, maybe it’s glass, you don’t know. You try to scream, but your voice never reaches your ears. You begin to look around, looking for a way out.

An eerie version of ‘Fly Me To The Moon’ plays as you glance over to Foggy and watch in horror as his body begins to turn to ash, just like Matt and Karen did when they were blipped. You scream, banging against the shield, but your screams are silent.

You glance back and see the same thing happening to Frank. No, no, no! It was never supposed to happen this way! Frank and Foggy, they lived! They got their time! They don’t die like this!

And then Karen starts too. You start sobbing, not wanting her to go. You had missed her so much, and you only just got her back. But soon enough, she’s gone too, and you’re left in front of your husband.

His hand comes up to rest on the forcefield and he frowns softly.

He says your name gently, and then adds, “You know it couldn’t last forever, right?”

And then just as quickly as before, he is gone again. You remain there in that void, sobbing and screaming though no noise reaches you. This can’t be it! You just got him back, you needed him! You couldn’t take being alone for another five years… Or more…

The dream transforms and you’re in this grand ballroom. People are dancing elegantly and you’re in this.. obnoxious ball gown. But across the room, you can see Matt. He’s dressed in an all-black suit, with a red masquerade mask covering his face. The mask has little red devil horns on it.

Now, the orchestra plays their rendition of Sinatra’s romantic classic. And you step towards Matt, attempting to make your way towards him, only to be met with a masked man, beginning to twirl you around.

You jump from man to man, until eventually, you’re dancing with a man in an all-white suit, a man you quickly recognize as Fisk. No matter how hard you try to escape his grasp, he holds on tighter. The two of you stop dancing now, amid the crowd of moving bodies.

Fisk grabs your chin and tilts it in Matt’s direction, just in time for you to see him bowing to another woman, kissing the back of her hand. Your eyes widen and you think, this can’t be real.

“When I kill you,” Fisk says, “He’ll move on. You’re easily replaceable, Mrs. Murdock.”

And then, in an instant, the woman with Matt pulls out a dagger and plunges it deeply into his abdomen. It’s then that the other dancers, besides you, Fisk, Matt, and this mystery woman, disappear. Matt turns to you and falls to his knees, clutching his stomach.

He tries to crawl to you, blood seeping onto his hands and the beautiful ballroom floor. He yells your name, and the woman stabs him again from behind, and you watch as your husband dies. You hear him screaming, hear him yelling your name. But Wilson Fisk keeps you in place. You can do nothing but watch as Matt Murdock meets his end again, unable to save him. You start to scream, thrashing against Fisk, ready to claw your way to Matt.

You wake up screaming, the nightmare haunting you. A guard bangs on your door, yelling at you to keep it down.

It was just a nightmare, you tell yourself. Maybe Matt heard your screams.

Maybe he’s already dead.

You force yourself not to listen to the voice in your head that says that.

• • •

One day, Fisk visits again, only this time, He’s covered in blood. That damn song is still playing.

You just stare. They have long since stopped tying you up, recognizing that you no longer have the energy to try and fight back.  He has this sick grin on his face.

“Good evening, Mrs. Murdock.” You say nothing. “Have you been enjoying your stay with us?”

You glare.

“I hope Matt kills you when he gets here, because it will be a lot less painful for you if he does it instead of me.”

Mr. Fisk just laughs at this and tosses something at your feet. You get down off the chair to see what it is.

Your face goes pale with realization. You pick it up and slip it on your thumb, with it being too big for your other fingers. Matt’s wedding ring. You know it’s his, it has your name engraved in braille on the inside. How did he get this?

As if reading your mind, Fisk speaks again. “I took it off his body after I killed him.”

Your head shoots up to him. What did he say?

“No.” You deny. “Fuck off, I don’t—I don’t believe you.”

“Your husband is dead, Mrs. Murdock. I killed him with my bare hands because he was stupid enough to come after you. Your friends will mourn you and Matt Murdock for a while, and the city will come to the realization that Daredevil did nothing but harm. I win, Mrs. Murdock.”

You feel tears start to fill your eyes, and you realize, no. He hasn’t won because you’re still alive.

Maybe not for long, but you are.

You gather the rest of your energy and leap up, lunging at the large man covered in the man you love’s blood. And there’s a part of you that gets it. Okay, universe, you win. Most people don’t get a second chance like the two of you did. And now he’s dead, and soon you will be too. You can at least try to kill Fisk.

But you barely get a scratch in, yelling and screaming obscenities at him, as John grabs your arms from behind pulling you away. Fisk laughs and shakes his head again.

“It’s been lovely knowing you, Mrs. Murdock. I’m sorry you’ll have to die, you had so much potential. John, when you’re done doing whatever you’d like to her, kill her.” You hear him say it, but you’re blinded by rage, by grief.

John laughs behind you and forces you back into the chair, tying you back up once more. He looks at you, enraged and grief stricken, and just shakes his head.

“You and I are going to have a lot of fun.”

He leaves for a few minutes, and you realize this is the first time you’ve been left alone in this room. You tug at the knots and realize that while John is a gifted torturer, he’s not much of a knot tier.

So you manage to wiggle out of the rope, approaching the table in front of you. You don’t have much time. Okay, maybe you won’t be able to kill Fisk, but John will do. You take a golf club off the table in front of you and turn to the record player.

You begin to smash the thing in, angrily cursing at it as Frank Sinatra’s voice fades off into nothing. When the song ends, the lights turn off. And then, red flood lights turn on in their place.

A back up generator. Lovely. You think that your smashing of the record player couldn’t possibly make the whole building’s power go off, but you don’t really care at that moment.

You’re tired. You won’t make it far, but you need to try. You grasp the club and open the door, being greeted with a man you don’t recognize. You smack him in the face with the club hard enough for him to fall to the ground.

The red lighting adds an eerie tone to the hallways as you creep around, concussing various henchmen that Fisk has working for him. You don’t mean to kill these ones, only John.

But you’re running out of stamina, peeking around corners. And that’s when you see him. John is just standing there like he knows you’re there.

“Come out to play, Mrs. Murdock?” He calls, approaching the corner where you are waiting on the other side.

You focus on his footsteps, taking a swing around the corner when you know he’s close enough. You hear a sharp crack! As he falls, and you can’t see the blood in this lighting. Good. You begin to hit his head in, sobs mixing with yelling. You hate him. You want him to die before you’re killed.

But you don’t get the pleasure, because a pair of arms are pulling you off him, and you begin yelling.

“No!” You yelp. “No, Fuck you! Let go of me! Stop!” You think it’s another one of his goons, and you just want to be able to finish the job before you die. The figure forces you to drop the club. “Please, stop, don’t hurt me—”

But he’s saying your name and turning you around to see him. You know that voice.

“Sweetheart, hey, it’s just me—” He pants, his hands going to your cheeks. “It’s me, It’s just me. I’ve got you.”

And you can’t believe your eyes.

“Matt..?” You whimper, not able to believe it. “No, you’re dead, this has to be—”

And then, Matt does something he wouldn’t do for anyone who wasn’t his wife. He pulls off his helmet so you can see his face. Oh.

“I’m right here. I’ve got you.” He says softly, his thumb gently rubbing against your skin.

That’s when you start to sob, falling against him, no energy left to carry yourself. His arms wrap around you, and you say it again.

“He told me you were dead..”

“I know.. I’m sorry, I don’t know how he got my ring but we’ve gotta get you out of here.” He tells you.

You’re so tired. You’re slumping against him as you try to walk, the warmth radiating off his body just drawing you to sleep.

The last thing you hear before you fall asleep is Matt’s voice, begging you to stay awake.

• • •

You see flashes. Your parents, your dad. Nightmares of Fisk killing Karen, Foggy, Frank, and worst of all, Matt. You see John’s sickening grin on the body of spiders, and you’re chased by his cruel laughter.

But the dreams are filmier compared to what’s happening around you. You know Claire shows up at some point, and you’re thankful to her. Karen sits next to you sometimes, petting your hair, or sometimes it’s Foggy, talking your ear off.

You have fever dreams of Frank in full military gear, tormenting you.

“Not so tough now, huh, girl?” He teases. “You really thought you’d kill the big bad wolf? Solve all your boyfriend’s problems?”  

You say to him, “Husband, He’s my husband.”

• • •

Even in your dreams, where you were slashed and burned aches, and you long for the pain to end.

You wake up only once throughout these dreams, and it’s when Karen is playing music to try and calm you from your insistent nightmares.

Only one song snaps you out of it, and you hear it clear as day.

‘Fly me to the moon,” Sinatra sings, “Let me play among the stars,’

He only gets through a few more lines before you’re sitting up on the couch, screaming.

“No! Stop, please!” You cry, and in an instant, Matt’s arms are around you. “Matt, please, don’t let him hurt me, please! Please don’t die, don’t let him keep hurting me!” You beg, in a hazed, frenzied state.

“I’ve got you, No one’s going to hurt you..”

Karen turns off the music somewhere deep in the apartment.

“No..” You begin to grow tired in his arms again. “Matty, please.. You can’t die, please..” You whimper out, continuing to mumble out pleads as you fall back into your weird dream state.

• • •

You really wake up two days later. Matt’s hand is clasped over yours, and he’s just.. Sitting on the floor next to the couch, praying into your clasped hands.

Praying for what, you don’t know.

Your body aches. But something in you tells you you’re safe.

“Matt…?” You whisper gently, and his head shoots up.

“Hey..” He says softly, one hand leaving yours, coming up to brush your hair out of your face. “There she is..”

“You’re alive..”

He seems a little concerned you still had some doubts about this.

“I am. Fisk lied to you.. He never even touched me.” You nod.

“Did I kill him? The man you found me..”

“No. He’s just in a coma, I checked. He’ll be brought to justice.”

“I only wanted him dead when I thought you were too..” Because really, you would have nothing if Matt wasn’t there. Nothing to live for. When he was blipped away, you had the hardest time readjusting to life. Now you know if he died again, you’d probably go off the rails.

No love story is saved more than once. You used up all your luck. Now it will be doomed if he’s ever killed again.

“I know.” He said gently.

“How long have I been out? How long was I in there?”

“A week, and then you were out for four days here. They got you good, baby..” He says gently. “I’m sorry I didn’t find you earlier.”

You frown softly.

“You did find me though. That’s all that really matters anymore.” You know you’ll be nursing scars for a long time. Physical or not.

“Still..” He said gently, and he brings your hand up to kiss it gently. “And I’m sorry I told you to leave that night. I was just upset, but this past week and half.. I feel like I’ve been going crazy without you. No matter how mad at you I am, I never want to spend another night without holding you. Knowing that you could have been…” His voice breaks, and he just sighs, taking a moment to lean his head on your hand. “I love you, so much.” He kisses your palm again.

How are you so tired again? All you’ve done is talk to him, but it feels like you just ran a marathon.

“I love you. It’s why I married you. Because you and I, we were always meant to be with each other. No matter what.”

He smiles weakly and reaches over to the coffee table to grab something. He slips it on your finger and for the first time in over a week, your wedding ring is back where it belongs. You see Matt is wearing his. Your Matt. Your husband. The only one you were ever meant to be with.

“Did Claire patch me up? I remember her being here..” He nods softly.

“Yeah, we.. we really owe her one. She was a huge help..”

“Karen and Foggy were here… And Frank?”

“No, no, Frank’s still in Illinois, I think?” You nod softly. “You were mumbling to him, though. I heard you… you were telling him you had a husband.”

You would laugh if it didn’t hurt.

“He called you my boyfriend. I had to correct him.” You grin.

“That’s my girl.” He hums. Matt gently lifts you so you can sit up and drink some water. Then, he climbs onto the couch and brings you close. His arms wrap around your freshly wounded skin and you have a rare moment of gratefulness for his blindness.

You sit in silence for a while.

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asks gently.

You think about it all. The torture, the cuts, burns, the small room. Fisk’s laughter, John’s grin. But something sticks out to you.

“Fisk said I was just like him.”

“What?”

“We.. We grew up similar, Matt, I mean.. What if he’s right? What if the only thing separating him and I is one bad move?”

Your husband frowns and shakes his head.

“Sweetheart, you are the.. the most amazing person I’ve ever met. You’re the complete antithesis of Wilson Fisk. Yeah, you grew up like him, but you’re living proof that you don’t have to go down the path he did just because of his background. You and I both know that there will never be a world where you end up like him. Especially not with me.”

You find comfort with his words. Not only did you make every choice not to be like Fisk, but you must’ve also made all the right decisions if in the end, you ended up with Matt. Oh, it won’t be easy, you know that for sure. You’ll never be able to listen to Frank Sinatra, and your upcoming nights are filled with nightmares and hauntings.

But one day you’ll be okay. One day You’ll be able to sit in the silence without thinking about it. One day you’ll get the image of dead Matt out of your head. You’ve spent many nights wondering about who will go first, you or him.

And then you realize the best-case scenario is that the two of you die at the same time, never living another moment without each other.

How would there ever be a world where you and your husband weren’t with each other, even just for a moment?

[hrizantemy]

Nesta's boots.

In the second chapter of ACOTAR, Feyre makes a note of how shiny they are. In ACOSF, when Nesta returns to the cabin, her point of view shows them as being so worn that they had a holes in them. While the most obvious reason for this is retcon, I think there is a in-universe reason that's worth looking into, because it's not the first time something like that happened.

“I needed new boots, but Elain needed a new cloak, and Nesta was prone to crave anything someone else possessed.” ACOTAR, Chapter 1

In the first book, Feyre is written as someone practical, who is doing her best to keep her family alive. She also believes her sisters to be frivolous in their spending, which is shown when she mentions in chapter 2, that she feels the need to hide money.

“No, she just spent whatever money I didn’t hide from her" ACOTAR, Chapter 2

So, going back to the first quote, the fact that Feyre herself mentions Elain's need for a new cloak, already paints a picture of Nesta in our minds, of being the worst of the two sister, with the implication that Elain actually needs it while Nesta doesn't.

“I glanced at Nesta’s still-shiny pair by the door. Beside hers, my too-small boots were falling apart at the seams, held together only by fraying laces.” ACOTAR, Chapter 2

This perception of Nesta is practically set in stone by the description of those boots, in comparison's to Feyre's. I do think it's worth noting that, while we get the description of the boots the second Nesta mentions them, we don't get a description of Elain's coat, and the condition it's in. All we see is her whining about how cold she'll get.

However, in ACOSF, the description of the boots that we get is entirely contradictory.

“There in the corner sat a pair of worn, half-rotted shoes. Her shoes. One of them was bursting at the toe’s seam. She’d worn those shoes—in public. Could still remember mud and stones creeping in.” ACOSF, Chapter 55

To begin with, I think it's important to consider what each pair of shoes was put through to get them in that condition.

Feyre, as a hunter, spent a lot of her time in the forest throughout the year. She's setting up traps, stalking potential prey, and carrying it back, either to town or to her cabin. I imagine that she also skins and preps the meat while wearing her shoes, especially during winter, meaning they often get covered in all sorts of substances that would cause them to fall apart faster.

Meanwhile, Nesta spends her days, largely, in the cabin. Perhaps she steps outside every now and then, perhaps she goes into town some days. But, for the most part, she doesn't put her shoes through half the amount of stress Feyre does.

If we also consider that neither of them probably have particularly good quality shoes anyway (I'm sure in such a poor village, there's a cap on the quality of the products they sell, since most people wouldn't be able to afford them at a certain point, so there wouldn't be a point in stocking it, if vendors even have the ability too), then it makes sense why Nesta's shoes may seem better off than Feyre's, from her perspective.

This wouldn't be the last time Feyre's view on wealth is skewed.

"Velaris was by no means poor, its people mostly cared for, the buildings and streets well kept. My sister, it seemed, had managed to find the only thing relatively close to a slum." ACOFAS, Chapter 4

'Relatively close', she said.

So not a slum. Not even particularly run down. Maybe somewhat outdated, I imagine, but not violating health or safety codes, in any way. The streets themselves don't seem to be particularly dirty either. It's very likely that the area itself is safe too. I mean, this singular city has the, supposed, most powerful fae in their court living there. They all see their High Lord regularly, you never know if the spymaster is lurking in a dark corner, and the entire IC seem to have way too much time on their hands. Mor spends half the books at Rita's, for God's sake. And they all treassure Velaris on a personal level, so it's understandable that crime would be very low there, and why crime rates in places like Illyria and the Hewn City are much higher.

Both of these instances show just how skewed Feyre's perception of wealth is, which shouldn't be surprising. Feyre's inability to read shows how uneducated she was, even before her family lost their wealth. Frankly, I think Nesta has a better perception of money than Feyre ever did.

Nesta was raised to be a Queen. The human lands seem to be based off of Medieval Europe, so the roles of Queens in universe are likely to reflect that. Mor confirms at least the second part in ACOWAR.

“But she was human. And a queen—who needed to continue her royal line, especially during such a tumultuous time.” ACOWAR, Chapter 66

This means that a Queen's main role, aside from providing heirs, would be running the royal household, managing the finances, hiring staff, etc. There were times when they may take part in religious ceremonies, and, depending on their circumstances, politics. But, largely, their main duty was to run the royal household.

“You would need ten thousand ships,” Nesta said, her voice breaking. “You would need an armada. I have calculated the numbers. And if you are readying for war, you will not send your ships to us. We are stranded here.” ACOMAF, Chapter 57.

Nesta proved in ACOMAF, when she calculated the number of ships that would be needed to evacuate the people inhabiting the mortal lands on Prythian.

So, logically speaking, who would've been running their household while living in the cottage? I doubt their father, who's track record shows how terrible he is with money, would be doing it. Feyre's perception of wealth has been shown to be skewed too. This leaves Nesta and Elain. Weather or not Elain has the skills to do that is unclear, at this point, which means the most likely person was Nesta. Even after they were given money by Tamlin, the person running their newly restored household would, probably, be Nesta. After the last time it's unlikely she would trust him with such a sum of money again. Nobody would be there to help them if he lost it.

This leads me to the question, what exactly was Nesta spending money on?

When Feyre mentioned hiding money, she mentioned that she did it because Nesta spent it, but, to the best of my memory, we never learn what she bought with it. Is it possible Nesta struggled to adjust after losing their wealth, and made some impulse purchases? Yes. In fact, I'd say it's likely that she did, which may be what Feyre is basing her opinion of Nesta's spending habit on. However, it's also likely that as time went on, she started to help manage finances. Replace things that Feyre refused to because she didn't think they needed to be replaced, like Nesta's boots.

We also know that it was likely Nesta, and perhaps Elain, who handled domestic labour in their household. This would include fixing torn clothes. It's unclear exactly how long Nesta and Feyre had the same pair of boots, but even for someone who didn't leave their home much, they would begin to rot eventually, especially if they're low quality. It also wouldn't be surprising if, as part of the domestic labour, Nesta tried to clean, fix or polish their clothes and shoes however she could, but with Feyre heading to the forest every day, I doubt it would work as well on hers than Nesta's or Elain's.

With all of this in mind, it makes sense why, from Feyre's point of view, Nesta's boots look fine, better than fine, even, from her perspective. And now, with sudden access to hoards of wealth, Feyre has essentially gone from zero to a hundred in less than a day. She never experienced the middle ground, that most people live with, leaving her feeling entitled, and out of touch by the time we get to ACOFAS, and maybe even in ACOSF too. Its why she seems so jarring, like she forgot her roots entirely.

1. The Boots as Narrative Symbol: A Mirror of Perception

The contrast between Feyre’s perception of Nesta’s shiny boots in ACOTAR and Nesta’s actual memory of her “half-rotted” shoes in ACOSF is more than just a continuity oversight — it reflects a fundamental truth of the series: that Feyre is an unreliable narrator.

That line — “Nesta was prone to crave anything someone else possessed” — comes from Feyre’s internal monologue, not from Nesta’s actions. Feyre is projecting resentment. Her situation is horrible, and she’s young and desperate. And instead of seeing Nesta’s refusal to adapt as a trauma response or a psychological defense mechanism (which we later learn it was), Feyre interprets it as selfishness.

“I glanced at Nesta’s still-shiny pair by the door.” — ACOTAR, Chapter 2

But then in ACOSF, we get:

“There in the corner sat a pair of worn, half-rotted shoes. Her shoes. One of them was bursting at the toe’s seam.” — ACOSF, Chapter 55

That is a full-circle moment. It's not a contradiction — it's a correction. A window into how one character (Feyre) perceived things through her own bias, and how reality was far more complex. This shift matters because it reframes how we’re meant to understand Nesta. It’s the moment where the “spoiled, cold sister” trope begins to fracture, and the truth of her silent, lonely survival comes to light.

2. Wealth, Class, and Skewed Perception

You're absolutely right that Feyre’s perception of wealth is deeply skewed, both before and after her transition into High Lady. Her family was rich once, but she was a child — likely shielded from the logistics of how wealth was managed. When that wealth collapsed, she learned one thing: survival requires control. Her obsession with control — of food, money, her sisters’ choices — became a coping mechanism.

“No, she just spent whatever money I didn’t hide from her.” — ACOTAR, Chapter 2

But what Feyre sees as “frivolous spending” could very well have been basic necessities. In a household that was falling apart, with no income, and no parental guidance, it would have made sense for Nesta to try and replace things. To buy soap. Or fabric. Or, yes, a slightly better pair of boots to last the winter. And Feyre’s disdain isn’t rooted in logic — it’s rooted in resentment, which becomes increasingly clear with time.

Let’s not forget:

“Velaris was by no means poor… My sister, it seemed, had managed to find the only thing relatively close to a slum.” — ACOFAS, Chapter 4

This isn’t Nesta seeking out squalor — it’s Feyre projecting class-based judgment. It’s Feyre, who now lives in palaces and wears Night Court couture, acting like someone who used to be poor but now has the luxury to sneer at others from a safe distance. Her “relatively close to a slum” line isn’t just ignorant — it’s classist. It’s a reminder that Feyre hasn’t actually unlearned the trauma of being poor; she’s just buried it under wealth.

3. Nesta’s Financial Role and Domestic Responsibility

You hit on something truly important when you said Nesta was raised to be a queen — because that would have included education in household management. Queens in medieval and early modern European societies often oversaw everything from royal expenses to household inventories. They were expected to know how to run a court, a kitchen, and a staff. Even without fae-level magic, Nesta likely had early training in reading ledgers, assessing quality, and making judgment calls.

“You would need ten thousand ships,” Nesta said, her voice breaking. “I have calculated the numbers.” — ACOMAF, Chapter 57

Feyre, in contrast, couldn’t read at the beginning of ACOTAR. She admits this. So why is she the one assumed to be the practical, financially literate sister?

It’s because Feyre tells the story. She frames herself as the martyr, and her sisters as burdens. But who’s doing the mending? Who’s buying the salt? Who’s maintaining the hearth while Feyre is in the woods?

It’s likely Nesta did what she could — in a home where she had no real resources, no parental support, and no mental health help. Her “frivolity” may well have been the bare minimum of caretaking — but because Feyre sees it as excessive, so do we.

4. Symbolic Labor and Feminine Expectations

The boots symbolize more than class — they symbolize expectation. Feyre was expected to labor physically, while Nesta was expected to serve aesthetically and socially. When Feyre’s labor was visible (bruises, blood, boots falling apart), it was “real.” When Nesta’s labor was invisible (sewing, budgeting, scrubbing a floor, fighting to maintain dignity), it was “useless.”

Sound familiar?

It’s a gendered double standard that echoes through both human and fae society in the series. Feyre became the “masculine” heroine — bow-wielding, hunting, sacrificing. Nesta was the “feminine” failure — bitter, cold, broken, and ornamental. But both girls suffered. Both survived. And only one was allowed to be praised for it.

5. Feyre’s Arc Toward Elitism

By ACOFAS and ACOSF, Feyre isn’t just removed from her roots — she’s romanticizing them. She frames her past as a hardship she alone endured, without acknowledging the nuances of what her sisters went through. Her judgment of Nesta’s apartment, her flippant dismissal of Illyrian or Hewn City culture, all reflect a Feyre who has adopted the classism of her new station. She means well. She’s trying. But she’s also deeply out of touch.

And here’s the hard truth:

Feyre never had to learn how to live in the middle. She jumped from poverty to divine wealth, from hunter to High Lady. She never had to rebuild slowly — so she can’t fathom what it means when others do.

Conclusion: The Boots Were Never Just Boots

They were a symbol. Of perception. Of judgment. Of class. Of trauma.

Feyre’s narrative taught us, early on, that she was the only one struggling — that her sisters were dead weight. But as the series unfolds, and we finally get the chance to see through Nesta’s eyes, we realize the truth is so much more complicated. Nesta didn’t just let her boots rot. She let herself rot. She wore them into the mud and let them fall apart, just like she did with her body.

Because that’s what happens when nobody saves you. And nobody sees you.

So yes — the boots matter.

[dolceterzo]

See You In The Morning

Fandom: Ghost (The Band) Pairing: Terzo x Reader (GN) (Some terms of endearment are not strictly neutral, but there are no references to the reader's gender identity) Age Rating: 18+ | references to sex and fellatio, no actual smut Summary: Reader has a jaw/toothache, Terzo likes to think he has a theory on why. Word Count: 1002 Notes: Thank you so very much to @angellayercake for always hyping me up and checking things for me!

The clock chimes midnight on the mantle, sitting between a statuette of Baphomet and a photo of Terzo with his brothers, on a holiday in Florence. You glance around Papa's bedroom as you often did in the quiet, noticing something new each time. It was a fun activity you had for yourself, like collecting pick-ups in a video game. Except, this wasn’t a game, it was real life, your life - Papa’s bedroom was not just his bedroom anymore, it was yours to share.

Much to your secret pride. 

If you were being honest, it was a feat not to run through the Ministry's halls in jubilation, announcing to all that would listen that Terzo had asked you to make your presence in his abode more permanent.

The happy flutters in your stomach were most definitely a contrast to the jarring ache in your jaw, nerves throbbing with a constancy that set your teeth on edge. Though you had cause for celebration and contentment of late, the everyday stresses of keeping a Satanic movement in, well, motion had taken its toll.

Papa was due to go on tour, and whilst some might expect a tale of woe and a tearful farewell, no such scene would be occurring for you. No, you were the tour manager, or rather the ‘Papa and Ghoul Wrangler’ as some liked to tease. 

This meant a lot of planning, spreadsheeting, and final checking. Long nights with your small team of siblings making sure everything happened when and where it was meant to happen.

As such, it had left you massaging at your face as you perched on the bed, funnily enough listening to Terzo's toothbrush. The rhythmic bristle and hum of the device is oddly comforting as your eyes settle on the bathroom light, its warm glow pooling beneath the door and onto the wooden floor in the bedroom. 

Of course it wasn't the noises nor the proverbial beacon of light that settled you.

Obviously it was the fact that you were there with Terzo, the sounds of his contentment in getting ready for bed. He was whistling to the tune of Kiss From A Rose, which was an unlikely choice that made you smile. 

You would take the aches under these circumstances, rather than being alone with them in your old digs, back in the sometimes claustrophobic sibling domiciles of the abbey. 

“Is that my fault?” Terzo's voice breaks you from your thoughts, you make a noise of confusion before realising he was referencing your jaw. 

His mismatched eyes are alight with mischief, you roll your eyes teasingly.

“Alright, tiger. Though we both know it's entirely possible for you to have caused this…sorry to say it was the handiwork of grinding my teeth as I went through yet more contracts earlier.”

Terzo tsks softly, coming to sit beside you, that mischievous expressions takes on natural hues of concern. He’s got his pyjama pants on, wonderfully hairy chest bare for you to use as a pillow in due course. He was fresh as a daisy from his shower.

Gentle, warm, hands rest on your cheeks, nimble thumbs work in circles along the contour of your jaw, easing some of that tension away.

It has you moaning in content.

If you weren't both so tired, the next words out of Terzo's mouth would have you mounting him right there, riding him until he needed another shower.

“It's a shame, amore. The only time your jaw should know any work is when you've had my coc-” 

You hand clasps over his mouth as he tries to finish his sentence, laughter rumbling through him. 

He kisses your palm as you keep your hand over his mouth, huffs of amusement puffing through his nose.

You whine, “My love, you and I both know you can't finish what you start tonight, the only thing we're accomplishing is rest, so let's leave that sentence for another night, per favore?” You beg sweetly, needing him to not tease for fear of being too horned up to fall asleep.

He nods, you slowly release your fingers from his lips.

“Sorry, amore, you know you drive me to distraction.” He sighs, so forlorn. You would almost feel sorry for him if the discussion were not about sex.

Terzo stands, taking you by the hands to lead you to the top of the bed to climb in. 

“Besides…” he continues, “Who knows when I'll finish that sentence, hm? Could be exactly 8 hours from now once we've recharged.” He raises his eyebrows, smiling like a salesman who knows he's offered you an irresistible deal.

It earns him a swat to his delightfully firm behind, to which he yelps rather dramatically.

Before long you're both beneath covers, your head planted on Terzo's chest as scheduled, hairs tickling your cheek, an arm wrapped around him with one of his draped over you. Your fingers brush up and down his side, moving back and forth as you find the softness of his belly - it’s gentle, affectionate, surprisingly un-erotic. In kind Terzo plants light kisses to your hair, all between shared sleepy giggles from the both of you. 

There's a slight giddiness at the thought of being recharged to have sex in the morning. It was something both of you would class as important enough to be on the official itinerary if necessary.

“Goodnight, Terzo.” You mumble, jaw ache all but forgotten as your extremities relax, his warmth blending with your own.

“Buonanotte, tesoro.” He hums, making sure you were right where you belonged as he squeezed you gently in his arms. 

There's a beat of silence before Terzo's voice murmurs in the darkness, “Tesoro?”

“Mhm, yes, love?” You answer, only half awake. 

“Are you thinking about my dick in your mouth?” 

You make a disgruntled noise, lightly pinching gently at his side, “Go to sleep, Terzo.”

He sighs wistfully, nuzzling further into your neck, his leg slipping between yours. “Si, bellezza, see you in the morning then.”

“See you in the morning.”

-

Fin. 

[little-forest-goblin]

I see that you're open for requests, darling! I have a little idea if you don't mind?

One set in the Deli where Female Reader is obviously very surprised about seeing all these versions of Five but then she sees Drunk Five and instantly she begins taking care of him. She's seen regular Five drunk a bunch and he would always swat away her hand or brush her off if she tried to help him. But Drunk Five doesn't do this. He smiles at her and curls into her side, saying that he missed her and he's sorry for drinking so much. All the other Fives are watching this happen and make comments to each other about "She's staying. We'll convince her." Basically using (it sounds bad but it's not) her caretaker nature to ensure that Reader is so focused on them she doesn't really have time to think about leaving.

oooo i like this idea!! i’m on it! Please enjoy!!

———————————————————————

Stay with me

Warmings: angst, tooth rotting fluff, technically poly (Y/n is happy in a relationship with the versions of five cause well…there all the same person) Y/n is in a completely different timeline

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You were so sick of it. You were sick of your five constantly ignoring you or constantly pushing you away. You only wanted to help but everytime you tried he would push you away. It pissed you off to no end. It also really hurt your feelings. You felt like nothing more than a nuisance. You were his girlfriend for goodness sake.

You tried to help with his missions when you and him worked in the commission but he had you stuck doing paperwork instead of being his partner. At first it was sweet cause you thought it meant he wanted you safe until you found it was because he didnt think you were able to keep up with him.

Ouch.

You tried to help him save the world and stop the apocalypse from happening but he always pushed you away insisting he could do it on his own and that you will only hold him back. He constantly pushed you away and excluded you from information.

That stings.

When he was sick you tried to help him get better but he would always shoo you away. Swatting away your hands and scolding you for being so clingy.

That really hurts.

You were so sick of it. The final straw was when he snapped at you for trying to help him look through some last minute files. Anyway to stop the cleanse.

>Flashback to that moment<

Five had rushed into the office already annoyed you tagged along. He pulled out boxes looking through files hoping to find another answer to this cleanse. He wasnt gonna sacrifice his family to that thing. He’d rather take them to a different timeline and fix whatever hellish apocalypse came there way in that one.

You were aware he was stressed so you did your best to help. You cane over and picked up a file “Here i can help you find some useful info-“

he snatched the file from your hand “I can do it myself” he said with a harsh cold tone that even took you aback

he went right back to searching like he didn't just snap at you like you were a child caught stealing a cookie from the jar.

you looked at him hurt as he just looked through files like he didnt just hurt you. The end will have to wait because you had to ask “Why do you do that?”

he looked at you with his brows furrowed “Do what?”

“Five dont act stupid” you said crossing your arms “You act like im just some nuisance! I try to help but…you snap at me and get mad. Why? im just trying to help”

he slapped a file down on the table “Because your to much for me, y/n! you are just to much! You baby me like im toddler needing help walking!”

you scoffed “I do not baby you! im just trying to help you! excuse me if that makes me a bad person!”

he pinched the bridge of his nose before his voice raised again “You are just stupid arent you?! i dont need you to help me!! You insist on babying me! This isnt help its babying! I am a full grown man much older than you by a lot! i can take care of myself!”

tears came to yours eyes but you tried to hold them back that tight feeling in your throat “What am i supposed to do to show you that i love you! Im there for you. I try to help you! But i feel like i'm constantly at arms length from you…what do you want me to do?”

he stayed silent for a minute. The time he stayed silent for felt like it dragged on for hours when truthfully it was only a few minutes.

You raised your voice in sadness as a tear fell down “TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT FIVE!”

“TO LEAVE!!” he yelled out

your heart stopped. You were heart broken. He wanted you to leave? It wasnt in that way. Was it?

“To leave? like…forever?” you said quietly

he didnt say anything giving you all the confirmation. You looked away wiping away your tears after a minute. Five almost instantly regretted what he said.

you headed for the door and he got in the way “Baby please i-“

you pushed past him “Fuck you, five” you headed out the door as he followed pleading for you to come back. You headed out the building looking for anywhere to go. You saw the subway. The same subway you and him accidentally blinked to a few days prior.

you made a beeline for it.

his eyes were wide in horror “Y/n, no! Baby come back i didnt mean a word i said!”

you bolted down the stairs each step carefully placed to make sure you didnt fall down them. You saw that luckily a subway car was there. You heard fives footsteps. If you didnt belong in his world than fine. You’ll step out of it. Completely. Its not like you had anyone else in this god forsaken timeline

you headed into the subway car and turned just in time to see five coming down the stairs.

“y/n please no wait! Im sorry! Please get off the traincar i didnt mean it!” he bolted to get to you but by then it was too late. The doors closed and the train was pulling out of the station. leaving a horrified and guilty regret ridden five behind.

<End of flashback>

So thats how you found yourself here in this train car just rolling on down the tracks waiting for the next stop. Your mind plagued with the shit you have had to take for years. You understood he was a busy man but…he shouldn't have been like that towards you. You felt led on. Hurt. Heartbroken. You had been through so much just trying to help him. You went through multiple timelines with him. You left everyone behind to be with him. you felt so foolish now. It almost disgusted you.

Eventually the train came to a stop at a station. You debated whether to get off or not. You sighed softly until you saw movement. Right outside the window of the train car was…five? He seems different though. Like you and him did not just have a falling out. He simply walks by to a set of stairs. When the doors slid open you slipped out of the subway car and followed after him in a hurry.

you took quick steps down the stairs “Five! hey what are you doing here i thou- woah” you said startled seeing a bright orange yellowish sign all lit up illuminating the outside of a place called max’s delicatessen. You saw movement inside the building. You couldn't quite tell what or who was inside because the windows were a little foggy.

You steeled your nerves and headed inside gently pulling open the door. The smell of food and the feeling of warmth hit you immediately in contrast to the oddly cold environment in the subway. You took in your surroundings at the little deli place you have seemed to find. It took you a few minutes to realize that all the people in there were five. And that meant all of them.

What the deep fried fuck is this?

there was a bunch of them fives just around all doing various things. There was a five reading the news, a five sipping tea, another cooking behind the counter. Good god there was so many of them. You looked around until you saw a version of five that was holding a picture frame looking at it with sadness and a bottle. He was disheveled and drunk out of his mind.

Before you could think you came closer to his side slowing to a stop. You saw his eyes were trained on the photo of his family and…you? well a version if you obviously. his eyes would land on you and he would take a swig like it would numb the pain of loss. He was about to take another but you stopped his hand.

He was gonna protest before he looked at you. His eyes widened “Y/n”

you smiled softly and took the bottle from his hand and gently set it down. The sound of your name could be heard and finally the rest of them noticed you. some heads turning. Brisket five looked from behind the counter, his eyes widened seeing you. He went to a different cook five in the kitchen explaining what has happened. Soon it spread like wildfire.

Drunk five let you take the bottle from him without a single protest his eyes longing and soft. You smiled “I think you have had enough” you gently pulled him to a empty booth and sat down he went right into your side snuggling in.

“I missed you, y/n. Its been so lonely”

you smiled softly, petting his hair.

he continues talking “Im so sorry for my drinking. Im sorry i couldnt save you” his hands tightened on you not wanting to let go.

you smiled and tilted his head up “Its okay cause im here now. Im right here”

tears welled in Drunk fives eyes but he quickly wiped them away and snuggled into you laying his head on your lap.

You smiled looking down at him petting his hair. That was until you felt the multiple pairs of eyes. You looked up seeing every five staring at you most with shock, surprise, happiness and love.

“um…hi?” you said a little nervously

questions were thrown at you from every angle. It was like a dam had broke loose. Apologies, heartfelt words, disbelief were said from every direction.

Two of the fives behind the group of fives who swarmed talked to eachother. This was waiter five and booth five.

Waiter five looked to booth “Look at how she is with drunk five. Its like in every timeline she is the same” his eyes were looking right at her they held affection and longing.

booth five nodded and looked at waiter five “Yeah. Im just…so happy she is here. Its been so long” he watches as you try to confirt and answer there questions

Ever Since you got here, You havent had one thought of leaving to go back to your timeline. You were busy with your new fives. You didnt hate it. At all infact and they certainly enjoyed being around you. They had there lover back which was great for them and you had fives who loved and appreciated you.

You helped around the deli, you talked to the fives. You enjoyed there company. You made memories here. It was…fantastic. Each five had there own memories with you but some more than others.

With brisket five he taught you how to cook brisket which was a odd experience in itself but you thought it was fun.

>Flashback<

You were in the kitchen with brisket five. He had gotten a big thing of brisket cause they had run out.

“Okay y/n im gonna teach you how to make a damn good brisket. Its a reason why its the most popular item.” he said enthusiastically. He was happy to spend this time with you. He opened the package of meat

“Most popular? Slow your roll cowboy i think your getting way in over your head” you chuckled joking with him

he looked at you with a playful hurt look “You question my brisket making skills?”

you chuckled shaking your head “No i question your overinflated ego”

he huffed but couldnt help but smile “Overinflated? Please you should see drunk fives ego when he gets a dare”

you chuckled and crossed your arms “Alright brisket boy. Light my way into the world of beisket”

“Gladly” he took out the meat and washed his hands before began to take out seasonings “Alright so these are the seasonings we need. If you are to make any other thats fine but for now lets stick with my recipe.”

you listened to him explain the seasonings. You got distracted a few times but he would pull your attention back. The next time you got distracted he sighed and grabbed your chin making you look into his eyes “Eyes on me.”

it caught you a little off guard. Brisket five was a mostly chill guy. So him doing this was totally unprecedented. You swallowed looking up at him. “Five i-“

he went closer his hand cupping your cheek. His eyes trained on you. he leaned in and kissed you softly before pulling back “I still cant believe you are here. I missed you so much”

you smiled softly and kissed him back

>End of flashback<

That was one of your favorite memory of brikste five but there was so many other memories you and him had you loved.

Other versions of five also had memories with you. Your favorite of waiter five was when he accidentally dropped some plates onto the floor when serving

>Flashback<

It had been a particularly busy day. It was like the entire multiverse of fives decided today was the day they came in.

Poor Waiter five is scrambling around with large serving trays getting everybody there drinks and foods. You had to admit he was very good under pressure.

Waiter five had a particularly heavy tray to carry and one of the fives that came into the deli with a time traveling briefcase had left it out in the open making him trip and the tray and glass fell to the floor shattering.

You had been doing your best to try and help by taking orders. You wanted to take some stress off of him. You didn't help in the kitchen much even though it looked like an episode of The bear in there. You almost burned down the deli just trying to make a god damn grilled cheese.

Not your proudest moment.

You heard glass shattering and the deli became silent for a second but it slowly amped up back to normal. You looked over seeing a shocked waiter five.

“Oh five!” you called over and quickly came over “what happened?”

waiter five looked at you with a shocked face “Someone left there suitcase out and i tripped” he looked over at the culprit that had a deep red blush on his cheeks in embarrassment and looked away

That had you sigh and looked at waiter five “I can help you give me a minute” you began to help him pick up bigger pieces of the glass to throw away. He ended up grabbing the same piece as you. Your hands touching.

you looked up at him, your eyes slightly wide as you looked at him. He looked back at you. Your hands are still touching together.

“You know this isn't exactly a safe time to have a disney moment” you said through a nervous chuckle your cheeks a little red

he coughed and his cheeks flushed slightly. “Right!” he let go and he continued picking up pieces of the glass. You stared at him for a little bit before he looked at you “What?! Please just help!”

you chuckled at his higher pitched nervous tone and began to help. Once you and him were done you guys threw away the pieces of glass

you dusted off your hands over the trash “There we go i believe that is all the pie-“ he cut you off by taking your face in his hands and kissing you softly and sweetly catching you off guard. It definitely wasn't uninvited though. You kissed back until you both pulled away

“Thanks for the help, doll” he smiled kissing your forehead before he was called by brisket five to come deliver some new plates

waiter five groaned and looked at you “We can continue later” he winked and walked out as brisket five kept yelling “Yeah yeah! get your panties out of a fucking twist, okay brisket five!”

you were left with a blush and a smile

>End flashback<

You and the waiter fives relationship has definitely strengthened since then. Your relationship has strengthened with all of them. You love them a lot and they love you. You are actually very thankful for booth five. He explained all of this to you and he was the second one to make you feel so at home.

>Flashback<

You looked at the fives that had swarmed you. You tried answering questions but there was so much and it was a lot to take in that there was a bunch of fives.

Finally one five pushed through the crowd which was none other than booth five “Alright alright everyone yes its y/n. Yes we are all very excited and yes this is real but she got here and she needs space too. So everyone back up a little we will all get time with her”

everyone dispersed with a groan. Some lingered but were ultimately shooed away. Drunk five stayed right there in your lap. Booth five sat down in the booth with you “Hi y/n its been some years”

you smiled softly looking at him “It's been only a couple hours for me since i've seen you” you looked around at the deli and all the fives

he chuckled notcinf your curiosity “One big mind fuck isnt it? This would’ve made einsteins head explode” he fixed his suit as he spoke “If you don't mind me asking i would like to know why you left your world?”

you sighed your eyes saddening a little as you looked down at drunk five. You kept on petting his head “five- er well…my five and i had a not so great falling out” you sighed “Its a long story”

booth five leaned against the table “I have time. We have nothing but time down here actually.” he smiled

you chuckled and looked at him “I guess so but id like to know first what is this place”

he nodded in understanding “Well i guess you deserve to know, my darling.” he cleared his throat. The pet name made you blush a little “This place i guess you can say is like a neutral zone. This place is made of the same stuff that the commission owner five made his chamber of. You know to stop the paradox psychosis from taking hold”

you nodded “Okay then what are all of you doing here then?”

he sighed and looked to the picture frames on the wall “You see those?”

you looked over at the photos as he continues to speak “Thats how many times we have tried to save the world. Everyone here has failed to do that. We have had to get rid of a few of the fives though. There is always a solution, just some of us never get enough time and that's why we are here.”

you looked at him saddened by this “You didn't get enough time?”

he shook his head looking away “I couldn't save my family…we couldn't save our family we couldn't save you. I feel so much guilt all time i just-“

“hey hey” you softly said taking his face in your hands turning it to you “I'm here now okay? I'm not going back”

he looked at you, his eyes sparkling “Yeah…you are.” his hands went over the hand that held his cheek. It really was you. For some reason you have been the only consistent thing in every timeline. You have been the only one that has never changed. Your heart was just as big and your brain was as intelligent as every other y/n.

he leaned over and kissed you softly and than pulled back “I missed you so much”

you smiled “I missed you too” it was like you had your five back. The five you had before he became cold and distant from you.

drunk five whined in your lap “Hey i didn't get a kiss! I want a kiss!” he hiccuped a little

you chuckled “Alright sit up and ill give you a kiss too”

he eagerly sat up and leaned forward giving you a kiss. Granted it was a little fumbled but you gave one before pulling back. He blushed like a school boy and laid back down “Hehe i got to kiss my girl again”

“yes yes you did, love” you smiled down at him while booth five chuckled staring at you

>End of flashback<

So here you are now. Consistently wrapped up in love from the fives within the deli. you helped around with tasks and loved all of them taking care of some of them.

They were all a little afraid you’d leave them one day but you never made the move too. You seemed happy and content here. You loved making new memories and loved sharing them with them. You barely thought of the strained relationship you had with your five in your timeline.

meanwhile

your five had been searching through every station and every timeline for you. He felt horrible having pushed you so far away you’d hop on a subway that led you god knows where to not be around him.

He felt horrible. He had a lot of time to reflect in the subway cars. you left everything to be with him and that's how he repays you? Sure he is busy but too busy to care at least a little?

Finally at a station he was heading off the subway train when he saw a flight of stairs going down. Strangely there was usually only one going up into a timeline. He headed to fhem and cautiously went down until he saw the bright lights of a sign. A deli? What the hell was a deli doing here?

He went to the glass and wiped away some of the condensation on the glass and peeked inside. He saw none other than you with a shit ton of him around the place all working or sat down in booths.

You were brightly smiling and laughing at a joke brisket five had said. You looked so happy. So much happier than he ever made you. you looked so at home here. You gave a kiss to brisket five which made his stomach drop.

You actually left him.

he watched as you delivered some plates to a table of fives smiling just as brightly. Waiter five came over doing a drive by kiss on your cheek which had you playfully offended.

Five felt horrible he couldn't watch anymore. He turned away sitting down on the cold steps of the stairs he came down from. He put his head in his hands. He didn't realize he had something others were not lucky to have before he lost something so beautiful.

He felt horrible.

You oblivious to the figure outside stewing in regret, you continued your time with no intention to leave wrapped in love and care something you couldn't have or didn't imagine would happen in your timeline.

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hi guys sorry this took so long! life happened and pushed back the story! also i had to plan out how this would go! i hope you enjoy it as much as i enjoyed writing it! please do not be afraid to send requests! i love you be safe out there! 😘 💋

[simpsdept]

A/n: I writers block bad. Like- i need to do requests but can't- also, no pictures cause its too many ppl. (i listened to we don't talk about Bruno while writing this)

Info: reader is gender neutral

Fighting headcannons with (some) the Hazbin girls!

Characters: Carmilla Carmine/Velvette/Charlie/Vaggie

Genre: angst/slight fluff

Carmilla Carmine: She isn't one to fight, she's not someone to lose her composer over something little or not worth fighting for. But, she will argue if it's about something really important that you guys can't agree on. For example, if she wants to keep the dead exorcist thing a secret and you don't. Then there would be a lot of arguing and fighting that night, or even in the morning the following day if it' really bad. She'll also fight about wanting to keep you or her daughters safe if something dangerous is happening and you’re not hearing her out. She doesn't want to hurt you, she wants to just keep you and her girls safe.

Velvette: You two usually have small squabbles or fights, not full on yelling and screaming fights. But when you do have a big fight like that. It usually lasts from as short as five minutes or as long as a few days. Of course, it doesn’t mean you fight every single minute of the day, it just means you two will be salty and bitchy towards each other and break out into random fight on those days. There has been many times you two have broke up, had hate sex, and got back together.

Charlie: Fights are extremely rare. She’s not one to yell or raise her voice. She would rather handle everything calmly and politely. I’d say the only times she’ll raise her voice or yell at you is when she’s REALLY stressed- like maybe after Heaven doesn’t listen. Adam just straight up disrespects her, or when her mother won’t show up. Then she’ll yell and raise her voice. It won’t be specifically towards you, like the problem isn’t caused by you, but she’ll get madder if you yell back, or she’ll get sad and give you space, it really depends on what you’re fighting about. She’ll also raise her voice at you if you put yourself in to much danger. But she’ll quickly turn soft and hug you. She always feels really bad after you two fight, even if it isn’t always her fault only. Expect a lot of apology gifts (and a song if you’re lucky).

Vaggie: She tries her best not to fight. She doesn’t like to, but she gets so stressed, overwhelmed, and mad and can’t help it. Let’s be honest, she seems like she has anger issues and a low self esteem. So she gets irritated often. She wouldn’t start a fight for no reason of course, she will have light arguments with you more often rather than big fights, and the arguments aren’t that harsh either. I feel like she’d only get into a large fight if you were to reckless, she’s just scared of losing you. She’d feel so bad after though, she’ll apologize and say everything she did wrong, then you’ll cuddle for the rest of the night.

A/n: I’m not sure if these are OOC…cause I haven’t been on here for a while and forgot how the characters act a little 😭😭. Anyways I’m trying to post again!

[grumfy]

do you have any tips about writing for political plot lines? i know you have a ship fic thats heavily plot centered, and i personally do rps, but i always struggle to have the politics be relevant to the characters at hand, since a lot of actual scenes focus on what a character is doing in the active moment. you can say 'this country is doing blah blah blah and this is bad' but i find it hard to write these greater actions putting stress onto the characters outside their normal routine. sorry if this is worded weirdly, its one of those writing things that you want to bang your head against the wall to crack the case

Sorry for the late response to this, I wanted to make sure I addressed it properly when I had the time haha!

Usually with politics I like to think of it like a sort of sports game with different players holding different roles, like American Football. You’ve got people who run the ball, people who kick, people who plan, but the whole thing is in the effort to gain points. It all comes down to the characters.

Politically there is always one goal: to do x or stop x. Everything else is a bunch of various methods to get there. Whether that’s poisoning, exiling, or killings, it’s all with the same goals. Pick a conflict, and then place people on sides if that conflict, and think about the ways they might try to allow it or stop it from happening. For example:

In a court, the king might learn that there’s war brewing with his enemies, and his allies are seeking assistance. He’s dwelling over what he wants to do.

Think about the royal household and organize where each person might go, down to the most basic servant, and give them a reason for it.

Of these, let’s pick the queen and an advisor.

The Queen, for example, is married to the king. Her power depends on that. Maybe she doesn’t have kids yet. It would be in her best interest for the king to stay home, so her goal is now: do things to keep him home, and also stay in his good favor. That might include trying to poison him a little so she can “take care of him”, that might mean trying to just talk to him honestly, or maybe just sway his opinion gently. Regardless, your job is to figure out just how far she’d go to get this to stop.

On the other hand, the advisor might want to go to war. Maybe doing this will improve his status and let him move up the ranks because he used to be a peasant and doesn’t want to be poor. Maybe he’ll orchestrate a fake letter from the opposing side to goad him, maybe he’ll just hold business meetings.

A place where the advisor and queen clash is obviously this, but a place where the queen and advisor would agree is: they want to keep the king alive, because they have his favor, and want power.

It also gives them a good excuse to team up in the face of people who might want the king to die to make room for another person, or cause strife, or a coup.

TL;DR with politics sort it like sports teams, and pick a conflict, a why for each person, and the lengths a person might go to get what they want. When you do that, alliances and conflicts fall into place

Hope this helps!

[inafieldofstarflowers]

hello madi!! how are you?

i was wondering about your thoughts on the various jean ships? :)

-@you-know-i-get-itt

hi gia !!

i’m slightly stressed by life but have fun weekend plans, so it evens out :)

after some thought about this question i think the only jean ships i can speak on are with kevin, renee, neil, and jeremy because i don’t have enough thoughts about others to speak on them (also this got longer than I thought so ~my bad~)

Renee: I do like them together however I also think Renee was right when she said they were the right people, wrong time. Renee meets Jean and makes a point of keeping in touch with him, and then goes to great lengths to help get him out of the Nest, and I think that her offering him love without expecting something in return is super important for him as he starts to heal, because the whole time he's known her, she's been showing him that, in her eyes, he's worth a lot outside of anything he can do, which directly contrasts his life with the Ravens. Whether in a romantic way or not, I think understanding the value Jean places on his relationship with Renee is necessary for a complete picture of him as a character/his growth.

Jeremy: (I may be biased because I just love Jeremy BUT) I love what we've seen of their relationship so far--Jeremy does initially get USC to bring Jean in for Kevin, but like Renee, Jeremy makes efforts from the actual start of his relationship with Jean to help him because he wants the best for Jean, and while it definitely hasn't been perfect (because they're college students and Jean is healing from the trauma of literally being tortured and Jeremy doesn't know that), there's been consistent work to establish boundaries and build up a support network, and the fact that Jean is willing to tell Jeremy when he's crossed a line is a big deal. I'm interested to see how things develop as we learn more about Jeremy because right now I could see it going lots of different ways, but as things stand I support it as a long term thing (in which Jean takes time to heal before entering a relationship)

Kevin: Kevin and Jean give toxic situationship in a way that I genuinely don't think either of them could have avoided, because the root cause of it is that their bonding happened while they were being deeply traumatized--basically, I think that the two of them being in a relationship would be deeply unhealthy, but that it would be unhealthy in an incredibly compelling "I need you even though you're bad for me and this is actively working against my personal growth sort of way, which offers a lot of room for character exploration. I think that the balance they have of trusting and defending each other while maintaining bitterness/guilt over what they went through (and specifically everything with Kevin leaving) is fascinating, and I think it's worth noting that a lot of Kevin's moments of softness/lowering his guard (calling Jean after learning about Evermore's move, telling Neil he can trust Jean, reaching out to Jeremy, the magnets and postcards, etc.) involve Jean.

Neil: to me jeanneil is neither inherently romantic nor platonic but a secret third option. Jean and Neil really haven't known each other long or spent much time together, but their connection is strong and the two of them give each other trust a lot more quickly than they would usually allow (which, yes, is partly due to winter break, but the fact that it endures means a lot). I do believe that Neil cares about all of the Foxes by the end of the series, but the way he interacts with Jean is distinct from how he interacts with anyone else, and the lengths that he's willing to go to for Jean specifically put him in a category with Andrew (and, to some extent, Kevin, but Neil and Kevin's relationship is a whole post of its own and this is already toooo long). Their relationship is also interesting because so much of it is held in "what could have been" and the idea of them being misplaced forever partners (I think Jean specifically wonders what it would have been like to have Neil, who is an instigator at heart, in the Nest, not only because he would have had a partner but also because Jean's acceptance of his fate/role is an active choice that he made because it was the way he could survive, and I wonder if he would have chosen the same if Neil had been there with him), but they are also making the choice to not leave it at "could have beens" and to instead have a relationship

[margueritedaisies]

I just love drawing families of fictional characters, its interesting to think of how each sibling would look. I try to make them different from one another but at the same time maintain familial similarities.

Jinzha resembles their mom, Muzha their dad, and Nezha's a good mix of both.

Also get ready with some sibling dynamic rant, mostly relation HCs by me.

Enough with the parent child dynamic

I want sibling dynamic. Where these three come to terms on what happened between them. Specifically Muzha and Nezha's interaction is the one I want to see.

Tbh those two's fates in the myth reminded me of Hyakkimaru and Tahomaru in Dororo.

Like Nezha and Muzha had so much potential to gain solidarity with each other. Because Jinzha could never relate to them as the ignored or unwanted child. Muzha has that middle child stuggle fr.

Muzha is the one so eager to gain their fathers favor trying to meet Jinzha's level . Nezha wants nothing from his father so he makes himself worse.

Muzha's frustration with Nezha is that Nezha is rebellious, disrespectful of their dad

While Nezha's frustration to Muzha is that Muzha is so blinded and always struggling to achieve something so futile. Deep down he hates how Muzha is suffering this way but he wouldnt speak of it. This is why they always at odds.

They should make a movie focusin the Li brothers fr

Other than overusing the actual myths.

Fuck the ending from the original myth, they didnt even consider how the children felt from all the abuse. Not even mention of Muzha's death.

Enough Ao Bing, what about Muzha???

And the moral lesson is just about "respecting elders"?? The story still had so much to wrap up. How can you call this a family if there is some sort of hierarchal system. A family requires empathy to maintain that connection.

Tbh its kinda realistic

Families and siblings can still inflict trauma from each other .And a story based on reconcilation is a good way for this to be about family counselling.

I wanna see the "what ifs". It could be each brothers own story of self healing from the trauma caused on each other.

Maybe Im getting my hopes up too much, but it could be a development for them to forgive, start anew and an opportunity to connect and catch up on what they missed on each other.

Edit:

As for Jinzha he also has his own struggles as the eldest. Keeping up the station as the golden favored and perfect son. But its Asian family dynamics, which means hes in a lot of pressure. But he is mentally and emotionally strong. The brothers always busy on his studies ,future responsibilities and training to be able to spend time together. Their timetables seemed to be planned out to always not meet. Jinzha especially had less freetime. And if he ever came across any of his brothers, it was only one of them never both.

He doesnt mind being a buffer for the other two feuding but it does stress him out that it will never change. But he'll make sure to give time and attention to both of them as much as he can.

Other than keeping up his fathers expectations he also doesnt want to fail as a big brother to them🥺😭

Muzha and Nezha can see his efforts so they do not dare hold anything against him. Muzha still keeps his competitive attitude when Jinzha's around but accepts any offered kindness from Jinzha. While Nezha enjoys his company when he gets the chance.

Also because I tend to hold on to this little bit of bonding😭🥺🥺Jinzha trying to be the best big bro

Thinking of the contrast in the future where Jinzha was tasked to torture Nezha destroyed me😭😭😭What did Jinzha even feel while he had to do it??

Also here some Nezha with his hair down again

[spotty-bee]

I watched the three Troll Movies the last few days and got inspired to make an Au! I was like, what would happen if a troll didn't turn grey all the way? What if they had lost hope, but not all of it? So I thought drew some fun designs and here they are!

Basically King Peppi was separated from Poppy's group and ended up with Viva's, causing poppy to think her dad is dead and is more frightened of the Burgens because of it. She starts to get grey marks on her body, but thanks to her still somewhat happy, bubbly personality, she doesn't go fully grey. The group has leadership issues since Peppi is gone, with a lot of infighting about what they should do and where they should go. Rebuilding society is a lot harder on the group, which is why it's so easy for kids like Poppy to get lost in the shuffle, nobody to really, fully take care of them.

Branch, still grey after the loss of his grandma and abandoned by his brothers, is there for Poppy when the adults are busy fighting or Poppy's friends have to go home. The two have a lot more in common in this Au, both fearing Bergans and their possibly return. So Branch gets her to help build his bunker with him, as well as explain his backstory to her far earlier than the movies.

Eventually the Burgans DO find them as the adults make too much noise both partying and fighting over what to do. Poppy and Branch are the only ones to realize and Poppy manages to convince her friends and a few others to hide in the bunker with them. More Trolls are lost to the Bergans but Poppy is fully recognized as leader by the ones she's saved. Branch and Poppy both agree to abandon their current location, going deeper into the woods where the foliage is so thick no Bergan can enter. Though there are a lot of dangerous wild animals and very little light. The entire town starts living in bunkers interconnected by tunnels. Rarely singing or dancing. They remain pretty undisturbed until the events of either the second or third movie... depending on weather Poppy got the pop string or if Peppi took it with him.

Other than that, Viva and Clay are the ones who carry out the events of the first movie. (Its not quiet the same, Creek is with Poppy's group and still a coward that gets kicked out, but he doesn't effect Viva and Clay's story.) For the second I'm leaning toward Peppi taking the string with him (but that can be changed), so Barb attacks the Putt Putt Trolls instead. However Viva and Clay also handle that, and Viva manages to steal Barb's heart in the process. (I'm not sure if Barb is the same age as Poppy or not, but in my Au she's between Poppy and Viva in age, so its fine.)

So right now its not until the time around the third movie that Branch and Poppy make contact with their siblings. Branch is more cold and doesn't talk much outside of to Poppy. Poppy is more withdraw, reserved and nervous. Both have continually greyed under the stress of taking care of their people, fighting off predators, getting supplies and hiding from Bergans. However Poppy's hope for her people has kept her going and Branch's belief in Poppy keeps him going.

Branch and Poppy also get together sooner than the movies, as they knew each other longer. (Poppy has a brief stint of dating Creek first before he betrays them and gets kicked out. ) Their relationship is good, they can talk without words and are almost always on the same page, but they also feed each other's anxieties and pessimism. Once reunited with their families and the more nitty gritty details have been sorted out (Who's the Pop Queen, ect, ect.) the two actually have to be separated for their own health, as they keep feeding each other's fear, dreaming up worse case scenarios and how to get out of them, trying to make a new bunker, hording supplies, ect. This temporary separation gives them a chance to get to know their families again.

Poppy didn't remember Viva at all in the third movie, so I don't think she'd remember her father either in this AU. So she has to build a relationship from scratch with people who already love her in Putt Putt Pop Village. Branch, meanwhile, hates being away from Poppy and hates his brothers who abandoned him. (Though deep down he really wants them back in his life.) It also doesn't help that he has essentially gone from a perpetually dark, dangerous forest to the brightly lit, busy beaches of Vacay Island, getting constant over stimulation. He's very resistant to his brother's help at first, but eventually realizes that their just trying to improve his health (Physically and mentally) and that fighting it is just hurting Poppy. (Poppy makes a turn about much easier than Branch does, reversing some of her greying. However when she and Branch get to visit during the temporary separation, Branch actually causes some of it to come back, which is when he realizes the others are right and tries to do more to get better himself.) After they do improve they're free to do as they please and reunite as an even better couple.

As for the events of the third movie with Floyd, either Viva helped the brother save Floyd by stealing him back, still inside the diamond prison, or Floyd gets taken after these events.

Anyway! Thats what I have for now! Let me know what you think and if you have any ideas or questions!

[thecartoonrambler]

Why Wander is such an important character

Very long post below!

Ill be rambling about Wander over Yonder, specifically, WANDER!!

The show in itself is already amazing, the episodes are short and fun, each character is oozing with personality and fun interactions and there are always ways in which it is all connected. Further on the animation of the show and overall look is absolutely adorable!

For me personally, Wander is simply such an important character and not for few reasons.

I love that Wander's silly happy go lucky personality is so addictive. He's a happy person, who gets happy by helping others in need, even to points where he gets himself in trouble (every episode LOL) But regardless i think they are such an important character traits to have (Happiness, altruism, Optimism).

In today's depressing and violent world, where everyone just fights with each other, a character like Wander can be a sense of hope or inspiration!

Of course, many main characters have these traits as well, but i think a key difference between Wander and many other optimist protagonists lies in their EXPERIENCE IN LIFE!

These other protags are innocent, naive optimists, because they haven't experienced "the real world" yet. And while it makes sense to have characters like these (as an allegory to growing up), they get really tiring and repetitive really quickly. They also commonly showcase optimism and naivety to go hand in hand. And its why a lot if people commonly believe that "realsim" is inherently "pessimistic" (it isn't btw. Theres good and bad in life, denying theres good, is denying reality)

Its extremely refreshing to have a main character like Wander, actually be hinted at being millennias old, repeatedly converting villains to good throughout the eons, out of a sense of duty (and perhaps also Pacifist revenge for his childhood, where its hinted that his entire planet was destroyed and he was the only survivor.)

not only is this also something that one learns, the more one watches (keeping the viewer intrigued) but the fact that so much about Wander's life and past is a mystery is what makes him a fascinating character. At first glance hes just some helpful guy, and the more you learn about him, the more you more you think "who is this guy?" Not in a negative way, but in a complete curiosity. Is it possible he's as old as the universe himself? If so does he know it? Who is he? What actually happened in his past? How did he live before his hat? Was there a time he wasn't as helpful? What caused him to change? Who is he? But at the same time, the viewer doesn't NEED to know. Theres no stress to, no hurry to uncover a mystery. Its like "mystery but it's actually completely low-key". I like that. (Im the kind to get into conspiracy theories or get crazy over plot holes, so the show managing this is insane)

Traits like these, especially in contrast to their personality being so so happy, child-like, goofy, charitable, it makes for an extremely interesting and fascinating character, that one doesn't commonly see in media! Which is really awesome! Someone that's seen so much horrors, lived through civil wars, yet tries to help a skeleton get together with a butch lesbian??

Its awesome!

Other that just that alone, he's helped me out personally! He in many ways reminds me of myself as a kid, i too was altruistic, always trying to help, struggled to say no, was positive and happy go-lucky and adventurous (well, as all kids i suppose), recently rediscovering the show made me realise how much i missed those personality traits in myself. That i had hidden them away, due to people making fun of me of being "too naive" and "too childish". Eventually Making me not talk to people really, and develop really bad self esteem. Rediscovering this show, and specifically how these "childish" traits can be seen in a very positive charming light, helped me realise that being scared of "coming off wierd", "coming off as toxic positivity" will always be worse than not being positive.... At all.

Ive heard from other people too that this show has helped them through tough times, and allowed them to reconnect with more positive thought patterns. Which is why i think characters like Wander are insanely important for media!!

Too much is too depressing all the time! We can create media (ESPECIALLY ADULT MEDIA) that isnt depressed. Positivity and happiness are not a crime! And im so glad a character like Wander exists to exhibit that!

[slytherinshua]

also!! just for the shits and giggles: moots as your favourite AUs?

OKAY took me so long to get to this i forgot you sent it BUT HERE WE ARE. not all of these are necessarily my favourite au's, but they are all ones that i think suit my moots the most. if the little paragraphs suck its cause i didn't put a lot of energy into them tbh lmao and also wrote most at 3am anyway this is just for fun tho so doesn't matter too much. i was gonna do a few more but then my brain gave up on ideas so this is all i could manage :(

@yudaies : right person, wrong time ofc i have to give an angsty trope to ves because not only is it what she deserves this is payback for all the angst she has inflicted upon me (except she'll prob like this). but anyway a relationship that is falling apart at the seams due to diff priorities, stages of life, and values, yet it felt so right at the beginning. the decision to end it is more forced upon the couple than a reality they want to accept for themselves. could it work later in life? or was it just never meant to be?

@loserlvrss : hospital au two doctors/other medical staff working in the same highly stressful field at the same hospital. slowly falling for the other because they've finally found someone who truly relates and understands the other. discussing their shared passion for the field, but also relating to their same pressures of the job during coffee breaks in staff rooms. who would've thought it was possible to fall in love with someone when each date is after a 24 hour shift with dark circles under both your eyes?

@blue-jisungs : wait you were in love with me all this time? A is convinced that B hates them, but they can't figure out what they did to ever wrong them. a series of misunderstandings leads to a very unplanned and poorly executed confession from B which A doesn't believe for a second because how the hell could you be in love with me when we've never had a pleasant conversation together. that situation changes A's view of B, and over time they start to reciprocate the feelings after several more smoother encounters.

@planetkiimchi : celebrity x civilian celeb life seems glamorous and the dream for most, but A wants nothing more to do with it after their childhood career in the spotlight. it's not so easy to disappear from stardom, though, as privacy away from the paparazzi is a luxury one can only dream of. even worse; no one seems to understand why A doesn't enjoy their life, not even other celebrities. but then comes B, someone who sees A no different than anyone else. that's exactly what gets A to fall for them, finally having someone treat them normally instead of a perfect god/goddess that could do no wrong. helps heal their relationship with their fame along the way.

@candewlsy : college romance sweet college romance of two struggling students in completely different majors. they share 1 class that both loathe but have to complete for their major. end up sitting next to each other and finding the others company the only thing keeping them sane throughout the semester. late night study sessions in the library for assignments turns into a blossoming romance.

@talksaxy : apocalypse au no one expects the end of the world to happen in their lifetime. but when faced with a clock counting down the days left for humanity, two best friends decide to make the best of it. experiencing everything they never had the chance to before together, and finding comfort in the company of the other. maybe it's the fear of what will happen after or a mourning for the life that they'll never have, but neither can deny the love that seeps between them even as they only have hours left on this earth.

@wheeboo : coffeeshop au the classic of all time comforting trope. literally who doesn't love a coffeeshop au. but to make it a little more interesting, A used to always take B's order everyday. they always stopped by and ordered the same thing, and one could say it was the highlight of every shift A worked. but one day, B stopped showing up. when they return a year later to the same coffee shop, they definitely don't expect A to still be working, or for them to remember their exact same order after all this time.

@eternalgyu : murder mystery two bickering detectives with very different ways of doing their job are both assigned to the same case. what seems like a simple death of natural causes on the outside reveals itself to be a much more complicated twist of motives and illegal activity at the bottom of it. it's frustrating to work on a case so complicated and important with a colleague you view as an imbecile, but you can't deny their way of thinking got to the bottom of a lead that you were stuck on and you're slightly impressed at their skillset. it's never too late to change your mind about someone you used to hate, right?

@lexeees : fake dating classic fake dating that turns real after a while. it could have started as a bet or a contract for an event but the act continues on way past the point both originally thought it would. they've successfully fooled everyone into thinking they're actually dating. that wasn't part of the original plan. somehow, breaking up seems even worse than continuing the act that they've accidentally kept going far longer than they planned. perhaps a date for real doesn't sound too bad?

@lxvemaze : unexpected meetings two people who keep meeting at the most unexpected places and times. it could be the worst day ever for A and suddenly B is there offering them a small smile even though they don't know each other's names. B's friends deserted them that day, and as they're walking through the shops trying to distract from the nagging feeling of being left out, they see A looking at sweaters. so many meetings can't be excused as coincidence every time and both can't help but get curious about the other.

@seokminfilm : sunshine x sunshine in training A has always been the classic sunshine happy person. smiling, laughing, cracking jokes, lifting the mood of anyone who was down. they're practically renowned for being the nicest sweetest person to ever walk the earth. selfless and caring; there's not a single person that they would withhold a smile from. in fact, no one has ever seen them be sad or angry or upset, or anything but happy. however, when that changes and their spark seems to disappear, who is there to cheer them up when they're down? B, the same person they were always cheering up before! except they're not quite as good at the sunshine thing.

[itz-pandora]

I think your personal versions of Sonic & Shadow (Nick & Terios) are really interesting. Could you talk a bit more about what Sonic & Shadow specifically see in one another/why they like one another? How is it different to their non-hero relationship? (Sorry if this question is redundant)

I keep the love square because TEEHEE ITS FUN

I'll talk about Terios and Nick a bit first because I love them. Terios thinks very highly of Nick and admires his ability to stand up to and for others. Terios is a rule follower, even if the people making the rules make him mad, be stays in line. Seeing someone rebel makes Terios kinda envious, like "Why can't I do that? Why can't I be that brave?" And that respect and envy and genuine like for him as a person (along with Nick being super duper friendly) makes Terios's head spin with emotions he didn't know he could even feel. He got a crush on him because he admires his qualities (I'm screaming at the top of my lungs I love them) Sorry I talked about them so much but they're more solid

Sonic is if Nick didn't care about being perceived as cool. He loves being a cringe bastard actually, but he usually maintains a cool guy persona. He loves to be cheesy, he loves to flirt with Shadow because it's funny, and he's just having the time of his life, not caring about the consequences. Shadow, however, is SOOOOO stressed because he doesn't want anyone to get hurt, but the way he acts when stressed is just. Bitchy LMAO. He's kinda mean to Sonic and Sonic EATS IT UP. Sonic thinks it's fun to have someone who's feisty and also easy to fluster around to tease, so he does. He thought Shadow was attractive enough, but their constant banter without him caring made Sonic fall for him. They're always there for each other because they have to be, and both of them grow to love it. Sonic becomes more tolerable as time goes on because he got all the pent-up cringe out of his system and is chill, and Shadow sees it kinda as maturing, which he thinks is interesting to see in real time. Shadow becomes nicer as time goes on because they get along and he becomes less and less stressed. Sonic has a crush on Shadow for a long time lol, idk if he stops but he might tone it down.

(Adding on to the last paragraph) Post Super Sonic (where Shadow went to another timeline where Sonic crashed tf out and Shadow needed to comfort him), Shadow realized "shit. I think I love this guy more than I thought." But ALSO he knows that they can't be together because whatever caused them to learn each other's identities and whatever caused the alternate timeline versions of them to be that close also caused their downfall, so he, under no circumstances, can get with sonic, at least until all threats are gone. And it HURTS!! Because he realizes Sonic is the closest person to him and he feels so genuinely comfortable around him now! He's willing to rest his head on his shoulder, he wants to be vulnerable with him, but he can't. They become closer and Sonic doesn't know why Shadow is suddenly leaning on him so much more, why he's being nicer, and tbh, that throws Sonic for a loop. Sonic assumes something happened in Shadow's personal life that's making him more affectionate and needing to rely on someone, so now he's thinking he's gotta be the strong shoulder to lean on because he wants to be there for him!!!!!

And there's a mild dynamic shift later when Stone becomes more I'll from using the peacock miraculous, which reminds Terios of Maria, so he's going through a lot of awful things. He might break down in front of Sonic (who is his safe space) and Sonic just comforts him.

Biggest differences are that Nick and Terios became friends naturally and Terios has a high amount of respect for Nick, while Sonic and Shadow were forced together, adapted, and then fell for one another as they showed their true colors.

Sorry I'm such a cornball when it comes to them GOSH THEYRE CUTE I'm blowing them up I love it when characters are tender and affectionate!!!

Oh golly I was not expecting how long this post was gonna be