#ive shot myself in the foot

[devihashi]

i think deleting my blogs b4 was a mistake bc now im too avoidant to do anything here 💀

[piningpercussionist]

Okay. Fellas. Real talk. I've seen some of you do it and I thank you profusely for doing so but can yall PLEASE credit the original artist of that piece yall kinda made into an a dtiys/art meme? That's not official art. I am point blank refusing to engage with any of these pieces that I see not doing such. (Even when it pains me to keep scrolling, because some of them are really good!! And I want them here!!! But I do have some rules for myself I try to stand firm by with this blog.)

Like you can literally see them say right there that it's fine IF YOU CREDIT. I'm fucking begging you.

I'm not mad at anyone who didn't know but I've seen SO MANY versions at this point, and I think I've seen maybe 3 or 4 of them RECENTLY include the credit. (And one with improper credit, I think?) Please. Please just. Tack it on.

[auberginecrochet]

Knitting my first sock ever!! 🧦

[toytulini]

they should invent cool masks for ppl who wear glasses and want to see while wearing the mask but dont want to bother with contact lenses

[stranded-in-the-gobi-desert]

ive created a problem for myself. in f1 they abbreviate drivers' last names to the first 3 letters for graphics in the races.

However, in my mdzs f1 au, when you have many people with the same surname (and similar given names cough jin zixuan and jin zixun), it becomes a problem to give these 3 letter identifiers.

like i cant have 4 WEN or using XWE/ZWE/NWE/CWE as has been shown the precedent with michael and ralf schumacher (MSC/RSC) looks clunky to me

why must everyone have the same surnames..

[clanoffelidae]

Cons to being suddenly sent into vyvanse withdrawal again: basically everything

Pros: my appetite, which I have been struggling with since starting adhd medication that resulted in me rapidly (nearly a pound a day) and uncontrollably losing weight and led to changes i don’t like in my diet (more processed sugar, doesn’t sit well on my stomach :/) in an effort to consume enough calories to stabilize, has returned with a VENGEANCE

[night-cr0w]

writing essays is the devils prank on us all

[steampoweredskeleton]

.

Ignore

[ex-vespidae]

realising something and then sitting staring at the wall for a good quarter of an hour is just an experience isn't it

[abysswatchers420]

theres this guy i compound hormones for and hes always been really obtuse and annoying, and i kept hoping he'd eventually fill elsewhere but the other day he was like "u guys are so awesome, im gonna transfer all my stuff here!"

me: oh ok great

me, inside:

[bespectacledbun]

@lorei-writes​ oh yeah no I think people are misunderstanding me and making this way too serious ahdjhdjfjghfdhgbdf I was just making a shitpost because it’s equal parts fucking hilarious but also frustrating as someone who’s deeply passionate about like. accurate clothes and settings and stuff

also in my personal friend group I am the unofficially designated Historical Knowledge KeeperTM (and general wikipedia) so I'm the one who can connect things in ikepri to what is being referenced from the real world (which unfortunately means I see all of the inaccuracies...) but yeah. it’s not something I take too seriously because I know the confines of an otome game won't allow for much era-accuracy like other mediums 😂😂😂

every new piece of worldbuilding that cybird put in ikepri makes me feel this image on a spiritual level

[cryingcoyote13]

New York City: Chapter 1

Warnings: Not Proofread, Spelling Errors, Violence, Cursing, Abuse, Kidnapping, Fighting, OOC(??)

TMNT x Oc (Platonic)

(Dashed text) = Na'Vi speech translated to english text

|| Chapter 2 ||

Inspired by @talewrites

(pls go read their fics they are amazing)

* * *

When Donnie was able to intercept the radio signal about the Foot Clan's newest "experiment" he immediately informed his brothers. They eventually decided they needed to go check it out, and in the cover of darkness the descended upon the warehouse. Leonardo was the first to notice it's disarray and the alarms blaring,

" it looks like a horror movie scene," Mikey whispered, earning a huff from Raphael as Donatello looked around nervously. What had happened here?

As they got closer, the bodies started to pile up, along with the sounds of crashing and things being thrown. Eventually, they heard a guttural growl as they came around a bend. Their eyes widened as they spotted a blue huddled form sitting in the middle of multiple bodies. It sat up with a shrill gasp as it whipped around to face them. She jumped up, knife and hands covered in blood as she panted, staring down the brothers. She was as tall as them, if not taller. Was she a mutant? Her tail lashed widely as she let out a hiss as one of the bodies began to groan. She plunged the knife into it over and over again, growling, hissing and panting like a feral animal. She eventually jumped back up and started knocking stuff off tables with shrill yells and yips.

" WHERE AM I!? " She whipped around, gasping and tossing stuff. These demons had brought her here. She knew that much.

She whipped back around as Leo stepped out from behind the corner, she hissed, lashing out with her knife as he stepped out. She climbed behind the metal table that had been dented when she threw it.

" WHO YOU DEMON!? " She screamed, fangs barred as the gaint green creature took in her words, her accent was foreign, something no one had ever heard before. He raised his 3 fingered hands to show he meant to harm as she lashed at him. She backed up, stepping over bodies and broken glass.

" I'm Leonardo, I am not going to hurt you. " He stated calmly as she pressed herself against the wall, ear pressed against her skull and tail lashing. She glanced at the body beside her, reaching down and grabbing the gun from his hand. She cocked it, pointing it at the creature as she hissed. Thank god dad taught me how to use this thing, she thought as the creatures eyes widened.

" Back. Now. " She hissed and he glanced at his brothers as they came to his side, she hissed louder. I could try to run past them, but then what? She hissed as the one in purple slammed his pole down on the metal ground that rang throughout the warehouse. She huffed, lowering the gun as her adrenaline started too where off. Everything was so heavy, so... tiring...

* * *

I was out cold before I hit the floor, I know that because I never felt myself hit the ground. My eyes shot open as I sat up, head whipping around frantically as I took in my surroundings, a little room. I ripped out the IV line that was stuck into me with a yelp of pain as I stumbled out of the bed and into the wall. I heard walking and quickly climbed under the bed that I had woken up on. I pulled my knee to my chest with a grunt of pain that I tried to suppress as my breathes became ragged and frantic. Where am I? What were those things? How did I—

My thoughts we interrupted by the covers the hung over the bed being moved, causing light to shine in under it. I winced at the bright light and hissed as a head bent down to look under. I pulled my knees closer as I scooted back as far as I could.

" Hey, it's alright, we will not hurt you." My ears perked at the familiar language.

" You speak the language of my people? Who are you...? " I moved my hand in front of my face to block the light as I squinted.

" My name is Donatello. You need medical attention. You are hurt. " Slowly, a 3 fingered hand reached under and was held out, I slowly took it, crawling out from under the bed. Everything burned, I winced, blinking rapidly at the bright light as I was helped up. I steaded myself, hearing talking from out behind the curtained entrance. I sat down on the edge of the bed slowly, glancing at the green creature in the purple mask nervously.

" Where.. where am i? " I whispered as he started to tend to where I had ripped out the IV.

" New York." He glanced at my confused expression as he continued, " On Earth. "

I felt my heart drop to my stomach as my eyes widened.

" What.. no.. no, no, no, no! " I started to shake violently, and as he put a hand on my shoulder, I jumped up, screaming and hissing from my perch on the bed.

" GET AWAY! GET AWAY FROM ME. " At this, he tried to step back as I shrieked, but almost tripped as I huddled into the corner. There were footsteps and yelling outside,

" Donnie! What's happening? " One stated as the curtains were pushed open. I growled, crouched down in the corner of the room as another green creature with a red mask walked in. My eyes locked on the gap in between him and the other mutant, and I bolted, throwing myself in between the two before they could think. I crashed into something and yelped, standing up quickly, I ran as I heard someone come running. I glanced at something that reflected on the wall, a weapon. I quickly lept, taking a sword in hand and wipping around. I growled at 2 creatures that stood before me, one in red and one in blue, weapons also drawn. I hissed, tail lashing as I crouched down. I jumped over them as something crashed down where I had just been, a.. a hairless tail!? I glanced at the form with a hiss as I landed on top of the couch. My ears twitched at the sound of footsteps, and I swung around, ready to kill as everyone started yelling. Two humans had barged in, the sword I held almost pressed again them. There was a shriek from someone as I was shoved harshly, I dropped the sword with a hiss of pain as I crawled back up from the floor.

" You okay angelcakes? " The creature in orange looked at the humans with concern as the one in red huffed in between us. I scoffed, picking myself back up as the one in red started towards me, weapons drawn. I hissed, running at him. I jumped right into him, sending him onto his back. I wrapped my hands around his weapons blades and yanked them from his grip as I jumped off of him. I flipped them around and got a grip on the handles as I spoke

" I WILL KILL YOU DEMON! DO NOT COME CLOSER! " I snorted as he started to get up, huffing and angry. I crouched down, ready to fight until the same creature from early stepped in between us.

" Raph, calm down. You, drop the weapons. " I hissed, fangs baring as I did.

" Send me back home! " I growled, ears flat against my skull.

" I need time to figure out how to do that alright, so please, for everyone's sake, drop them. " I snorted, throwing the knife like weapons passed both of their heads and into the wall. Everyone was silent as I stared at Donatello, the tension growing so thick you could cut it with a knife. My ears twitched as footsteps sounded, I turned to see the rat-like creature from before. I glared at it as it came closer,

" What does it want? " I stepped back with a hiss as it continued to come at me, slowly but surely.

" She wants to know what you want, Sensei. " Donnie said, looking at Master Splinter. He didn't answer as he finally got close enough to touch me. I glared daggers at him, and he grabbed my hands firmly as he inspected the cuts from grabbing the twin sai from his son. He motioned for me to follow with his hand, I glanced back with a hiss at the one in red and followed nervously. He led me back to the room I had come from. He grabbed the first aid kit Donatello had been using and opened it up, wrapping my hands tightly and silently. I stared blankly pasted him, thinking about everything when tears started to prick at my eyes.

" I want to go home... Will I ever be able to go home? " I studied the small huddled rat-thing as if expecting an answer, but I got none. I sighed, tail and ears drooping as the one in blue, Leonardo, pushed through the curtains. I let out a small hiss, but he just glanced at me as Donatello pushed through the curtains as well.

" We will try to find a way to get you home. " He glanced up from the screen that glowed in front of him.

" Raph, you totally got your ass beat by the new babe! " The one in orange laughed, practically crying, earning a shove from one in red from behind the open curtain. A slight smile crawled across my face as the rat thing, the 'Sensei', finished wrapping my hands.

" Since I am apparently stuck here, my name is Lìu'ye alu Pxiut Asipä. " I scrunched my nose in annoyance as I watched his eyes fill with confusion and glance at Leonardo.

" Lìu'ye. " I repeated in annoyance, flexing my bandaged hands. He tried to say it back, but I put my hand in his face.

" Stop. It is pathetic to hear you struggle with something so simple! " I rolled my eyes, looking at Leonardo, who was eyeing us in confusion. I stared back, side eyeing him as I snorted in annoyance as Donnie spoke up.

" You should probably go apolo— "

" For what? That he's a wuss? Or weak? " There was immediately cackling from outside as I smirked as Donnie rolled his eyes. I shrugged, walking past him as he sighed.

" What do you guys have to eat around here? " I eyed the mutant in red as the one beside him in orange was hunched over laughing, at the lack of response I growled. My tail flicked as I eyed the two humans talking to the 'Sensei', or what must be the Eytukan and the mutant in blue. I turned to the sound of footsteps and looked down at the one in orange.

" What up, dudette! My name is Michaelangelo, but you can call me Mikey! " He grinned, I eyed him before I spoke.

" Mikey? " His grin widened as he raised his arms.

" Welcome to your new home!- I guess? " He glanced at his brother in purple who thought for a moment then nodded as he turned back to his computers. I eyed the Twin Sai in the wall and walked over, ripping them out of the wall and turning around. Everyone stared back, waiting for me to make a move. I rolled my eyes and walked over to the one in red, or 'Raph?' I handed him the two sai and smirked.

" What? Never got beat by a girl? " His eyes widened, and I swear I saw smoke come from his nose and ears. Mikey practically fell over laughing as I turned away, my tail hitting his hand as he practically vibrated with anger.

" Idiots I tell you! Eywa, help me! " I hissed, rubbing my face with my hands as I walked away. I felt my heart crack a bit as I reflected on what was happening. I was staring off into nothing that when someone grabbed my arm, I practically jumped out of my skin. I whipped around to see a human woman staring up at me. She put out her hand to be shook.

" My name is April O'Neil. " I glanced at her wearily, looking back at a grinning Mikey as he gave me a thumbs up. I bent down, taking her hand gently and shaking it. I thought as she stared up at me, a small smile plastered on her face.

" Lilith.. My name Lilith. " The corner of my lips pulled to a small grin, slightly showing my fangs as I did.

" You are not all bad, little demon. " I smiled, standing up.

" Names? " I glanced at Mikey as I sat down on the couch, who seemed to light up at my words.

" This is my brother Donatello, a technical genius who is technically a genius! " He pointed to the mutant in purple as he spoke, then pointed to the one in red.

" This is my other brother, Raphael! He's the one with anger issues! " This earned him a glare from his brother as he moved onto the one in blue.

" This is my other, other brother. Leonardo, our fearless leader! " I glanced at him, eyebrows scrunched. Really? Him? A Eytukan? I almost laughed at the thought.

" Then, of course, there is me, Mikey, " He then pointed to the two humans,

" Then there is April, whom you already met, and Casey, the weird guy." I eyed the two as he pointed to the Sensei,

" And that is our dad, Master Splinter! " Ah, there is why they all listened to him. He was their father. I glanced at him, then Mikey.

" We are mutants. It's a long story. Anyways, tell me a bit about yourself! " He grinned excitedly as he sat down next to me. There was something so comforting about his unbothered ways. He reminded me much of my brother...

" I am Lìu'ye, or Lilith, of the Mangkwan clan. My father is the olo'eyktan, and my mother was a part of the Avatar Program before the Great War. " My ears twitched as Donnie walked over.

" Her name is Lilith of Mangkwan Clan. Her father was clan leader, and her mother was an avatar, " He stated, sitting down in between us with a cup of coffee.

" Yooo!! That's so cool! So you're like a princess of the clan? " Mikey chirped, leaning forward to see past his brother. I shrugged, nodding slightly

" I guess you could say that? " He grinned at my response, earning an eye roll from his brother,

" So I could call you princess? " At this, I snorted, flicking him in the face as he let out a yelp, almost knocking Donnie's coffee out of his hands as he flinched.

" Watch it, Mikey! " He barked in annoyance, standing up and walking back towards his computers. Mikey rolled his eyes. My eyes followed the edges of the room, then stopped at the wall full of weapons. I stepped up, walking closer to it with care. I inspected the weapons, metal, I scoffed, turning towards Mikey, who had followed me.

" Where my knife? " At this, I felt something come flying towards us, I practically shoved Mikey out of the way as I grabbed the knife before it hit the wall. He stumbled up with a star-struck expression as he looked at who had thrown the knife.

" Did you just throw my own knife at me? " I growled, stepping closer to Raphael as Mikey gulped.

" Hey- uh- guys, let just calm down– " At Mikey's blubbering, Leo realized what was about to go down and quickly stepped in.

" Woah woah woah, everyone, calm down! What happened? " I snorted, knife in hand as I stared down into Raph's eyes.

" Don't you EVER think that I am scared of you. You moron, thinking you're so tough when you are the weakest. " I spat, pointing a finger into his chest.

" Raph threw Lil's knife at her! " Mikey explained to Leo as his brother was still being faced down by their newest 'addition' to their group.

" Raph! What the hell is your problem!? " Leo retorted, shoving his brother away as Mikey drew away my attention as I sheathed my knife.

" Hey princess, how about we go get you something to eat? Is there anything specific you want? " He said as he pulled me away, my tail lashed as I reluctantly followed him. I shrugged as I sat down at the table and watched Mikey get to work on whatever, while Leo and Raph's arguing was still echoing throughout the rooms. I eventually must have fallen asleep because Mikey had to wake me.

" Hey! Hellooooo! Wake up, sleepy head! I made pancakes! " I slowly pulled my head off of the table with a tired groan as a plate was put in front of me. I rubbed my eyes as I took in the scent of the food in front of me. I started stuffing my face before Mikey could hand me a fork. He watched in amusement as I finished off the plate within seconds.

" Thanks Mikey. " I purred out, standing and stretching as I yawned.

" You're welcome! Anytime you want something to eat, just let me know! " I nodded, eyes closed as I breathed in the scents around me. There was something.. something new, I turned around to see Master Splinter sitting cross-legged in a circle of candles. I silently walked over, careful not to interrupt as I sat down in front of him. I watched curiously, head cocked to the side as my tail thumped quietly against the floor. He eventually opened an eye to see what I was doing.

" Hello, Master Splinter. " I chirped out as he opened both eyes.

" Hello Lilith, how are you feeling? "

" ..Lost. " I whispered out, and he nodded in understanding.

" We will try our best to get you back home to your universe. " He returned to his pose, leaving no room for questioning his words. I huffed, standing up and looking around and picking a direction. I walked over to the glowing room of screens cautiously. I wasn't even halfway there before I felt something flying through the air at me. I leaped for the couch, almost flipping it over as I rolled back up and looked around. Master Splinter was standing where I had been with an amused glint in his eyes. At this sudden movement, his sons joined us on the outskirts of the room. I felt a grin creep across my face as I took a stance, ready to dodge or attack. There was a deafening silence until he came running at me, I jumped out of the way and onto the roof, hanging upside down by my legs with a grin.

" That's all you got, old man? " I chirped, causing Donnie to cackle as he informed Master Splinter of what I had said. They all grinned, even Raph, as I jumped down. Splinter motioned for me to make the first move, and I did. I jumped at him, but as he ducked down, I grabbed the back of his clothes and rolled, sending him flying. He caught himself with a thunk as I quickly stood back up. He walked closer, clamly and I followed suit.

" You fight well, but you can still be taken by surprise. " At that, his tail swept my feet from under me, and I hit the floor with an annoyed hiss. I sat back up, still grinning slightly as he continued.

" With more training you will be ready for surprise attacks. If you would like to train? "

I grinned wide in excitement as I hopped back up.

" I would love to! - if it's not any trouble! " I nodded quickly, bowing my head to him.

" When your injuries are healed, we will begin. " He said as he walked back to the circle of candles, I grinned, looking back at the 4 brothers who had watched. Mikey gave a thumbs up and Donnie nodded, but Raph and Leo just watched, faces deadpanned as they glanced at each other. My grin faltered as I looked at them, I turned back at Mikey who was excitedly hopping around, and it returned.

" This is so cool! You'll get to train with us! It'll be soooo fun! " I nodded, a yawn escaping my lips as I did.

" It's almost sundown. " Donnie pointed out, elbowing Leo gently to which he nodded, arms crossed. My ears perked as I turned to look at them.

" What does that mean? " I inquired, following the group as they went to the weapons wall.

" We are going out to patrol the city, " I cocked my head at Donnie's reply.

" You can sleep in the guest room, where you woke up at. " He pointed to the room as I nodded.

" We will be out until sunrise. " Leo added as he sheathed his katanas. I took a seat of the couch as they finished grabbing their gear.

" We won't be gone too long princess! " Mikey chirped, earning a groan from the rest of the party and an eye roll from me as they left.

I huffed, melting into the couch as I tried to stay awake. I very much lost the fight and fell into deep sleep and was awakened by the sound of heavy footfall. I practically jumped up, making eye contact with a masked man. I growled, jumped on top of him as he let out a shriek, I knocked of the mask to reveal– Casey.

" Really smart. " I spat sarcastically as I hopped off of him. He stumbled up, looking at me in fear as I returned to my spot on the couch, eyes following him.

" You almost killed me! " He yelped, pointing his mask at me with his hand. I nodded, letting a fanged grin show as he stomped off. I snorted, rolling my eyes as I closed my eyes once again, relaxing into the couch.

I was awoken to the sound of hushed arguing as the brothers returned. I yawned, stretching and getting up as they put their weapons back up onto the wall. I spotted Casey staring at me from beside April and I snapped my fangs at him with a grin as he jumped back. They all turned to me as I cleared my throat.

" Thank you. " I stated as I signed 'I See You' to each of the brothers as they stayed silent. Suddenly there was a scoff from Casey as he spoke up,

" You guys are lucky, she tried to eat me! " He snapped as I let out a laugh and snapped at him again.

" Tasty human~ " I grinned, and he rolled his eyes as the brothers' and April broke into laughter. After they calmed down April handed me a duffle bag, to which I cocked my head in confusion.

" It's clean clothes, probably not your style but it's all I could find that would fit you. " A purr rumbled out of my chest as I smiled down at her.

" Is she– purring? " Raph pointed at me as I walked towards my unofficial room to change.

" Na'Vi purr when they are content or comfortable." Donnie piped up from his screen, fixing his glasses before turning back.

" Awwwwww! That's adorable!!~ " Mikey squeaked from beside Raph who just rolled his eyes as I disappeared behind the curtains.

I quickly changed, the clothes fit like a glove and were surprisingly comfortable! Though I did have to cut a hole for my tail in the pair of shorts I picked out. I stepped out of the room to see April's smiling face.

" You look amazing! " She took my giant hands into hers as she led me along to the kitchen area where everyone was crowded at the table, talking and eating. My nose twitched at the unfamiliar smell that got stronger as I got closer. April pointed to an empty chair next to Raph as she sat on the other side of it. I hopped up into the chair and sat cross legged, catching the glances that everyone shared as I got comfortable.

She scooted a plate with a triangle shaped piece of food towards me.

" It's called pizza, it's good! Try it! " I picked up the flimsy thing and nervously took a bite, it was delicious! I quickly scarfed it down with a satisfied purr. I watched as everyone descended into conversation around the table. I felt my heart crack as my eyes started to sting, I missed my home. I quickly got up, without a word, and jumped up into the exposed piping within the lair. I crawled into a hidden away spot, breathing out a sigh as tears started to stream down my face. I pulled my knees to my chest as I fought to silence the sobs that shook my body as I scrubbed the tears off my face.

" Eywa please... please, I miss them. I miss my home... " I whispered out, the prayer to Eywa echoing in my ears.

I sat there for a while, exhausted and lost. I stared at the pipes, longing from the familiar twists and turns of the trees and the sounds of village below. I closed my eye tightly, hoping I would open them and this was all a funny dream, but it wasn't. I eventually fell asleep, curled up against the unfamiliar pipes, yet somehow they gave me a familiar sense of comfort as I slept. I dreamed of the forests, my family.. my family...

I groaned, slowly pulling my head from the uncomfortable position it had fallen into while I was asleep. I crawled down carefully, letting out a big yawn as I wandered towards the kitchen. I fumbled with the fridge and grabbed a water bottle from inside. I struggled for a moment with the cap then opened it and chugged the whole thing in one big gulp. I wiped my mouth, throwing the bottle away as I stepped out into the common room. I peered at the sleeping figure on the couch, the familiar blue mask gone, but I still recognized it as Leo. I strolled towards the exit, glancing back each time I heard Leo toss and turn. I eventually lifted the cover and peered out; it was just after sundown. I pulled myself out of the small hole, blinking quickly as my eyes adjusted to the darkness. I sat to the side of the cover, watching from the shadows as people walked by. I took in a gulp of air, savoring the taste of fresh air on my tongue as it filled my sore lungs. It was so peaceful and calm, that was until the manhole cover flew off as someone jumped out. I bit my tongue in order not to scream as Leo crossed his arms, eyeing me as he stepped over to me. He crouched next to me in the shadow as he slowly spoke up,

" You shouldn't come out here alone. It's dangerous," I scoffed as he continued.

" But I understand you just wanted to relax, I come out here sometimes when I'm stressed. " I raised an eyebrow disbelievingly as he turned his head towards me.

" I'm serious! " He laughed quietly, as my lips pulled into a smile.

" It's... calm. " I stared up at the sky as he followed my gaze. He stood up, putting out his hand to help me up. I took it carefully, pulling myself up as he motioned for me to follow him. As we climbed to the roof top in silence the stars became more and more visible with each step we took until we made it to the roof. He sat along the edge, and I sat next to him, feet dangling off the edge as we looked up at the sky.

We sat there until it was almost sun up, then we slipped back down into the sewers and returned to the lair. I held a smile as we returned, a new energy coursing through my body. We were met with a piercing stare from Master Splinter as we walked into the common room.

" And where have you two been? " He eyed us curiously as Leo spoke up.

" Just watching the stars and relaxing. " I nodded, throwing a small smile his way as I looked back at his father.

" Well next time please let someone know where you are going. " We quickly nodded; a smile still plastered on my face as we were dismissed. I quickly scattered to the kitchen at the smell of food, I was towering over Mikey before he realized I was there. He must have felt my breath on his head, because he looked up suddenly. I beamed, looking into his eyes then at what he was making.

" Food? " I questioned as I stepped to the side of him, and he returned to cutting the vegetables.

" Yep!~ You'll love this! April brought it down for me to cook! " I smiled, leaving him be as I went to find Splinter again. I found him in what looked like an empty room, this must be the training room, I thought as I walked towards him.

" I am ready. " He glanced at me with a nod.

" Are you sure? We will not go easy on you. "

" We? " I echoed as he called for Raphael, who was quickly in the entrance at his father's call.

" Raphael, are you up to help Lilith with her training? " Splinter said as he turned to his son as he nodded, arms crossed.

" Good, stand in that corner. Lilith, you'll stand here, " He pointed to the corner opposite of the one that Raph had stepped into,

" Alright, your goal is to stay out of Raph's hold. No weapons this time. " He stepped off to the outskirts of the room, waiting for a moment as we got into stances before he spoke.

" Begin! "

And with that Raphael leapt forward, running towards me as I stood still. He was about to grab me when I swiftly ducked, rolling to the side and jumping up and quickly gaining distance as he whipped around. I grinned, raising an eyebrow as he came towards me again. I quickly dodged, letting a fake yawn slip as he came at me again. I jumped out of the way again, as I opened my mouth to say something a pair of arms locked around me. I yanked my arms out, throwing them back as I gripped onto the back of the neck of whoever had grabbed me. I shifted my weight forwards as I bent down, throwing whoever was behind me over my head and towards Raph. I panted, pulling myself up right, meeting the stunned face of Leo, who was laying on his back on the ground. I let out a throaty laugh as I looked at the two shocked turtles as I crossed my arms.

" You didn't think I would be that easy to overpower, did you? " I grinned, sticking my tongue out as Leo got up and into stance beside Raph. I grinned, also getting into my stance as the two leapt towards me. I crouched down, throwing myself into Raph's legs. This sent him tumbling over as I rolled out of the way and ran faster towards the wall, Leo following close behind. I leapt onto the wall, pushing myself off of it and flipping midair as I launched myself into Leo, feet meeting his mid-section in an action that sent him flying backwards with a gasp of surprise. I jumped up as he hit the wall with a crash. I smirked as Raph got up, who was chuckling at his brother's dazed expression he had from his spot on the floor. I couldn't hold back my laughter as I glanced between the two brothers'. I snorted, shaking with laughter as Leo regained his balance.

" Geez, I didn't think I was gonna be a punching bag today! " He whined as he got up. At this I practically fell over laughing, drawing the attention of Michelangelo from outside the room.

" Yo who put a Leo sized dent in the wall? " He said, peaking into the room with a hand on the door frame. Raph pointed to me as I grinned innocently.

" No way! And I missed it?! " He gasped, a smirk creeping across his face as Master Splinter joined me in the middle of the room.

" You did well Lilith, we will end training here for today. " He said with a curt nod. I nodded, bowing my head as he exited the room. Me, Leo, and Raph followed suit, drawn towards the smell of food from the kitchen that Mikey had returned to. I quickly hopped into a chair, nose twitching at the mouthwatering scent of food in the air. There was bowl of food placed in front of me by Raph as he and April helped Mikey get the food ready for everyone as Splinter started making some tea. I stared at the bowl, slowly taking the small metal utensil that sat beside it. There was chunks of meat and vegetables, I sniffed the spoonful of food I had brought closer to my face before taking a bite. My pupils grew wide with delight as I ate some more food, I was met with a smirk for Mikey as he sat down next to me. My tail thumped against the chair with a purr rumbling from my chest as I ate.

" Really good! " I grinned through a mouthful of food at Mikey, who had just started eating his own food. He grinned back, also speaking through a mouthful of food.

" I know right? First time April made it with me I fought Casey for seconds! " I purred out a laugh as I continued to scarf down the food until my stomach felt like it was going to burst. I got up with a purr as I collected the empty bowls from around the table and quietly stood by Leo, who had taken the responsibility of cleaning up after dinner. I put the dishes in the water and joined Mikey, who was playing a 'video game' on the couch. I sat next to him, watching over his shoulder as he muttered angrily every time he lost. It became a rhythmic sound, the clicking of buttons followed by the sounds of angry muttering or cheering each time he won. I watched, not really understanding what he was doing but it was more interesting than trying to sleep or dreaming about my home only to have to wake up in an unknown world. I was about to fall asleep until Mikey jumped up, whooping and running over to where Leo had been sitting. I quickly followed, getting close enough to hear Mikey and Leo's conversation.

" Pleaseee Leo! Pleasepleasepleasepleaseeee " Mikey whined, on his hands and knees, begging Leo, who sat in his chair with his arms crossed, looking disapprovingly at Mikey.

" No! It's way too dangerous out there! Especially with the Foot Clan activity picking up! " At this, Mikey let out a groan of annoyance.

" Pleaseeeee this is the only day of the year we can fit in! " He begged, shaking Leo by the shoulders as he got up.

" No Mikey! You are not going out anywhere, that is final. " He snapped as he turned towards his room, causing Mikey to sigh and turn back towards the couch. I followed after him, rubbing my tired eyes as I did.

" What's wrong? " I asked as I trailed after him. He practically threw himself onto the couch as he answered.

" Leo is no fun! Not even letting me go to one Halloween parade! " He whined, sitting up and making room for me on the couch.

" Halloween? " I echoed as he thought of the right words to explain it.

" It's a celebration of sorts, where everyone dresses up. It's the one day of the whole year where we are free to mingle with humans without fear of scaring them! But someone never lets us have any fun around here! " He yelled the last part, making sure Leonardo had heard him. My eyebrows knitted together as I thought.

" Just trying to protect. " Mikey let out a sigh as I spoke, head in his hands.

" I know, but it's annoying. " I nodded in understanding, putting a sympathetic hand on his shoulder.

" Get some rest. " I suggested as he yawned. He nodded, grinning as he pulled me into a bone-crushing hug.

" Good night princess, sleep well! " He grinned as he released me from his hold and made his way towards his room.

" May Eywa guide you, " I yawned, taking a moment to stretch before jumping up into the piping. I crawled into the corner, realizing that someone had put some blankets and pillows up here. I smiled, curling up in the blanket as I quickly descended into sleep.

I looked around the pitch-black void I had awoken in. I whipped around at the sounds of something moving, only to meet the piercing gaze of someone's purple eyes. I was frozen under their gaze, I tried to step closer but couldn't. I was fighting my own body as those eyes burned straight through my soul.

I shot straight up, banging my head on a pipe with a yelp of pain.

" Son of a- " I growled as I rubbed my head.

" You okay up there? " I crawled towards the exit slowly, a hand still rubbing my head as I jumped down to meet Donnie's curious gaze. I nodded, removing my hand from my head.

" Did you put a blanket and pillow up there for me? " He shook his head and took a sip of coffee. I walked past him and towards where April was making food.

" You want some? It's cereal. " She looked up at me with a tired grin. I nodded, and she handed me a bowl and a spoon. I sat down at the table next to Splinter and Leo, who both had tea in their hands. Leo was slowly perking up; he obviously wasn't a morning person. Splinter was sipping his tea silently as I too started to perk up.

" Who put blanket? " I pointed to where I had slept at, and Leo shrugged.

" Must have been Mikey, "

" What must have been Mikey? " Raph interjected with Mikey at his side as they sat down.

" Whoever put a blanket and pillow up there for Lilith. " Leo answered tiredly as Mikey piped up.

" I didn't put anything up there? "

" That's because I did. " Raph answered, taking a sip of coffee as practically everyone turned to face him with a shocked or confused expression.

" Thank you, very comfortable. " I smiled as I continued to eat. He nodded with a huff as Mikey grinned at him.

" Growing soft or something Raph? " Casey grinned as Rapheal turned around to face him, causing Casey to find safety behind April.

" I'll punch you short stack. "

" Okay okay, I get it! " Casey whined from behind April as she made her way towards the table.

" Do you mind if I make a bow? " I looked up at Donnie as I finished off my breakfast.

" I don't see why that would be a problem. I have some wood you can use as the base. " He said as he disappeared into his room, returning a few seconds later with multiple sticks. I carefully took them, inspecting each one until I found one perfect for my new bow. He put the rest back as I sat down on the couch, knife in hand as I carved away. Eventually, Leonardo joined me on the couch, watching carefully as I carved away.

" What are 'ya making? " He pointed to the stick as I grabbed the string Donnie had brought over earlier.

" Bow. " I said as I tied the string and held up the bow. I pulled back, pretending to fire an arrow as he watched curiously. I stood up and I grabbed one of the smaller sticks I had sharpened for an arrow. I pulled back, breathing out as I let the arrow fly through the air. It hit the wall and stuck into it, I grinned, turning to Leo as he held a amazed expression.

" Woah! That was amazing! " He smiled as I retrieved the arrow.

" Want to try? " I held out the bow and arrow to him. He smiled, carefully taking it as I showed him how to stand.

" Hold here. " I carefully directed him into the right way to hold a bow, hissing slightly every time he tried to move.

" Shoulders back! Elbow up! " I barked, pushed his arms into place as I made sure his stance was good. I nodded as he breathed out to release the arrow. It didn't hit and he let out a frustrated groan as I snickered.

" Most do not get that far, did good." I retrieved the arrow as he handed back my bow.

" Yeah, well I'll stick to my katanas. " I nodded, smiling at the fact I was able to teach my new friends about my ways of fighting. I returned to the couch as he left, and I continued carving designs into my bow. Once I had finished with the designs on the bow I moved onto the arrows, sharpening them until they couldn't get any sharper. I then joined everyone for dinner, which was pizza, at the table. I was able to show off my new bow, shooting arrows quickly and swiftly into the walls as everyone watched. I retrieved them and crawled back up into my spot, sharpening them again before putting them in a quiver that Donnie had found a while back as dinner ended. I curled up, ready to sleep as the noise around the lair stopped as everyone went to sleep. That was, until the sound of soft footsteps echoed throughout the space, I almost thought I was dreaming, until I heard someone breathing. I quickly and quietly hopped up, grabbing my bow and quiver and slinging them over my shoulder as I hopped down to meet Mikey, who was as pale as a ghost as he spotted me.

" Oh- uhh, hey princess...! " He whispered as I eyed him curiously while he grabbed his nun chucks off the wall.

" Where you going? " I whispered back, following after him as he walked swiftly and silently towards the exit.

" Um, just, y'know- out? " He grinned, trying to seem innocent as I followed him.

" Where. " I hissed softly back as he rubbed the back of his neck.

" To a Halloween parade... please don't tell Leo I'll be fine! " He whined softly, as I crossed my arms.

" Fine... but we stay together. " His eyes glowed as he led me towards the exit. As we climbed out of the hole I looked back, wincing internally, this was definitely not smart. But what was the worst that could happen?

I was quickly distracted all the people; my mouth fell agape as we joined the crowd. A smiled crawled across my face as we danced and sang with the crowd, Mikey was right, this is awesome! Many people came up to us, saying how good our costumes were. We just laughed and gave them fist bumps as we continued down the streets. It had to be almost midnight when I first noticed the smoke. I grabbed onto Mikey's arm as the smoke became thick and explosions sounded off. We were separated in the panicking people, I looked around as fear rose in my chest, only to meet those purple eyes from my dream. They pierced through the smoke; I felt my heart leap into my throat as I froze under their gaze.

[usedpidemo]

a tale of two (concert) halves... (storytime!)

I've made it clear over the past few updates that my real life struggles have really backed us into a corner. If the first half of 2024 was on hard difficulty, the second half has so far been on brutal. Personal relationships are falling apart, our physical health has been going through hell, and our finances are struggling to keep up with ever increasing debts. As much as I am a man of faith, I do struggle with maintaining such devout trust on the daily, because I am afraid of the worst.

But even during these tough times, it's comforting to know I won't be left for dead, and I can still find enjoyment in them.

Not gonna lie, I thought I would never attend a concert this year. IVE was coming back after a little over a year, but I didn't have money for it (and is something I still struggle to move on from). ITZY was coming back less than eight months when I saw them, but no Lia, and the ticket selling was insanely early (fuck you Live Nation). The only other girl group I think came here was fromis_9, which I still would love to see, but that was for a festival, so the setlist was extremely limited—and it was during finals week, so that was not gonna happen. There's just been an overall downturn of concerts compared to last year, so whether or not this is a good thing, you decide. (Seriously, no aespa, no (G)I-DLE, no NMIXX, etc.)

However—here comes Red Velvet, one of the holy trinity of 3rd gen girl groups (TwicePinkVelvet), celebrating their 10th anniversary with an Asia tour. By some miracle, I got a stimulus check two months ahead of my birthday, and yet it was still a hard decision, because I wasn't sure if other girl groups would also tour near the end of the year. Looking at what's to come for the last quarter of the year, I highly doubt it and 2025 is sure to be stacked, so it all paid off in retrospect.

It was a completely different experience than the first two outings. For one, it was fucking standing floor over seated, so I knew my body would be put through the torture rack. Second was the unpredictability of where I would end up—thankfully it wasn't first come first serve where I would be forced to camp early (which by the way, concert campers are disgusting and should be arrested). Still, my positioning would depend on my queuing number (which in itself was dependent on when you would buy your ticket, and obviously unless you got into the site as soon as it loaded up, the earlier), and while it wasn't completely shit—it still meant that a majority would get their preferred spot over mines.

Cut to the actual concert day and it was a tale of two halves. The first was the pre-concert, which wasn't all bad at the start—but then there was the queuing before entering the venue. I could have easily waited and taken my sweet time exploring and doing other shit, but I was pressured to queue early out of fear of not getting a good spot. I forgot that since it was queuing numbers, they would rearrange the line anyway, so I never really had a chance lmao. I really shot myself in the foot quite literally by adding an extra two hours standing around.

Everyone in VIP was given a bonus member card, and I didn't end up getting my bias. I tried bartering with other fans, but I absolutely failed. To add insult to injury, everyone else were able to trade and/or get theirs, so that fucking sucks.

It was also the first time I was forced to wear some kind of noise control for my ears. Didn't really have earplugs but Airpods were certainly a nice alternative. Fucking hell—this was the loudest of the three crowds I've ever been a part of, and it doesn't help that the audience would screech and shout out of tune. It was so goddamn annoying. Then you get to the ments/speeches, and they would just fucking bark and make monkey noises while the members were talking, and after performances. I counted a total of 12-14 times this happened throughout, and it never got any better. If the members weren't encouraging the audience, I'd probably have socked someone in the nose out of annoyance at some point.

As for the overall concert itself, I had a blast! I'm not that familiar with Red Velvet's colorful discography, but they performed most of their hits and title tracks (ripperoni Russian Roulette and Chill Kill). Not only that, but the set ran for almost 3 hours (2 hours 50 minutes as they did start like 10 minutes past schedule), and the energy persisted all throughout. Wendy was constantly flaunting her vocals, but Joy. Joy was absolutely fucking insane. Also, the fucking Zimzalabim encore is something everyone needs to experience once in their lifetime.

I wish I could say the pain was all worth it—but of course, life being life, it decides to fuck with me one more fucking time with the middle finger. After the show ended, we were all told to stay in our spots for the send-off event as everyone else were escorted out and the raffle winners from lower seating tiers were pulled in. We waited for 40 minutes, and then the members come out. It should be a cool moment! Except they were led by staff straight to the extended stage for a bit and then they'd get off, completely neglecting the sides, where me and a few others were. They would eventually go around the venue, but by the time we realized what has happening, it was too late—we never got to see them up close properly.

I'll be honest, while I don't feel as bothered thinking about it a few days on, when it happened, it almost ruined the entire experience for me. The organizers/staff had misdirected us and didn't organize properly, so some of us got a lesser experience than those who won the raffle, which is worse for us since we paid more. The send-off treatment here was way—way worse than in Bangkok and Jakarta, and it fucking pisses me off. We can't have shit in this country. I don't blame the girls for it; they were just following instructions and they had a flight to catch shortly after (not to mention they were tired as fuck). Still, the fact I paid so much for that underwhelming send-off experience just reinforces my opinion that hi-touches are simply better. At least everyone gets a fair shot, even if it was very brief. You can't win them all, I guess. I also do believe that it was bound to happen, the first two experiences were near-perfect and flawless in execution, so something had to give to bring me back down to earth.

Nevertheless, even if for just a few hours, it's nice to find some comfort and enjoyment despite the world around me crumbling down. To think that they're 10 years on and still as active as their younger contemporaries in K-pop is astounding. I can see why they're among the most beloved girl groups ever; there's only a handful with equal the talent and discography to match. This was also my first outing with a new camera, and when it was hitting, the shots were fucking hitting.

I really wish Bamboleo was part of the set tho.

[arachnidiots]

"riiiiiight," synesilk's head tilts, whole body leaning into as it goes further sideways and eventually they swing a leg forward, spinning on their heels to face away from the detective and instead peruse his wall decor. "kinda sounds like a shitty cover for why you don't have friends."

❝ — believe it or not , that's normal. private investigators don't exactly make friends. quite the opposite. "

@arachnidiots , liam and richie , liked.

[ghostofskywalker]

Hi hun, I was wondering could you write 🥺

Bucky Barnes w/ fem reader with the quote

“You love me?” || “I always have”

If it’s taken I can choose another 💜

hi missy!! i will absolutely write that for you, it's so cute <;3

words: 766

summary: when you wake up after a mission, confessions are made.

Bedside Visitor

bucky barnes masterlist

The feeling of waking up in the medical wing of the Avengers Compound was not something you cherished, but it did happen more than you would have liked it to. This time however, was not because of a trip down the stairs or a bad cold, but an injury sustained in the field. There was nothing you could do about it now, but you’d prefer not to relive the memory of getting shot in the stomach again. 

Once your eyes had adjusted to harsh light of this room, you noticed that you weren’t alone, and you were in no way surprised about who was sitting on one of the uncomfortable chairs across from the foot of your bed. 

“Bucky,” you breathed in a voice no louder than a whisper, just glad to see that he was okay. You weren’t surprised that your best friend would be here, but you certainly hoped that he had taken care of himself before camping out here to watch over your sleeping body.

You didn’t want to wake him, but unfortunately you were not successful in that endeavor. Seconds later he was at your bedside, looking into your eyes with an expression of worry you had never seen before. “How are you feeling?” 

“I’m fine,” you said, not wanting to worry him any more than he clearly was. 

“I watched you pass out,” he said, clearly not calmed down by your brushing off of the subject. “And there’s a hole in your abdomen.” 

“Okay, so maybe I’m not feeling super great right now,” his eyebrows raised as you spoke. “But I made it out, we’re back in the compound, everything is going to be fine, I promise.” 

“Y/N-” 

“Bucky-” 

“From where I’m standing, this is very much not fine,” he said seriously. “When I heard the gunshot, when you fell, I felt like my whole life flashed before my eyes.” 

“Wow,” you said. “Didn’t know I had such an effect on you, Bucko.” 

You could he was starting to get annoyed, but you weren’t completely sure why. Yes, you knew that you cared for you, you cared for him too. But this job wasn’t exactly all meetings and presentations, and you were not the first member of the team to land themselves in a situation that required medical care because of something that had happened out on a mission. 

“Can we please be serious for a moment?” he asked, and you nodded, not wanting to annoy him too much. “How are you feeling?” 

“Not too bad, considering what has happened to me in the last twenty four hours,” you said. “But that’s probably because of some kind of medication they have me on.” 

“Yeah, the doctors put something in the IV,” he said, nodding. “They told me that with some time and physical therapy you’ll make a full recovery, but I still can’t help being worried. I’ve never liked it when the people I love are in pain, and this is no exception.” 

Whatever you were originally going to say in response completely vacated your brain, and you were left to process the insane admittance that Bucky probably hadn’t even realized he had made. “You love me?” 

He stopped, as if just now putting the pieces together. You watched as his face changed, his brain clearly trying to figure out something to say in response before he let out a soft sigh and spoke. “I always have. But I was never sure how you felt about me, so I kept it to myself. I’d rather be your friend than lose you over something as stupid as this.” 

“Bucky,” you said, reaching out in search of his hand. As if he knew what you wanted, he extended it in your direction. “First of all, you could never lose me, and especially not over something as stupid as this. And second of all, I love you too.” 

He stopped, an expression of surprise crossing his face, then a smile. “Really?” 

You nodded. “Really. And I’d really like to kiss you, but I can’t really move my body right now.” 

He laughed before leaning down to place a soft kiss on your lips, and as much as you would have liked to have your first kiss not severely injured, it was perfect in a way you could never truly put words to. 

But of course, there would be many chances for re-dos, and you never wanted to stop kissing him. And from the way he poured all his emotions into this kiss, you had an inkling that he probably felt the same way.

- the end -

i no longer have a taglist! if you're interested in being notified when i post, you can follow my library blog @ghostofskywalker-library and turn on notifications!

[lotties-ashwagandha]

ok but ive been thinking about shaunanat/reader recently...maybe being a newcomer at the wellness center and getting partnered with nat for an activity and eventually getting introduced to the other girls and hanging out with them. lottie knows you like them both so she schedules you three together 🤭

BABYSITTING BRUCE

pairing: shauna x natalie x reader

word count: 1466

notes: only way i changed this is that natalie and reader were already dating pre shauna

You knew what she was up to, even if she didn’t know that you knew.

Lottie had reworked your schedule, Natalie’s too, scheduling you both for sessions in the barn with Shauna.

“She’s quite taken with Bruce,” Lottie had said. “But as much as she loves him, he keeps getting loose on her watch, and I think we all know what sort of state Shauna would be in if Bruce went missing and we couldn’t find him.”

“So I’m helping two grown women babysit a goat?” You’d asked, and then she’d given you that look and you’d relented, stalking off in annoyance and taking your new schedule. You didn’t remind Lottie of the time a few nights prior when she’d gotten drunk as hell with Taissa and Van and afterwards had come to your cabin trying to lecture you about making the first move with Shauna.

In any case, you were out of options, and as you approached the wellness center’s barn you began to get a bit nervous. You’d developed feelings for Shauna, both you and Natalie had, and it scared you slightly. You were no good at flirting, never had been, and you knew Shauna was newly divorced. Things were fragile, and you didn’t want to ruin it.

You remembered the first night you’d confessed your feelings about Shauna to Natalie. The two of you had just gotten back from having dinner out, it had been a brief escape from the wellness center. You’d been a bit tipsy, and you couldn’t quite remember but you think you might’ve started crying, ranting to Natalie about non monogamy and throuples and how you wanted her so bad but you also wanted Shauna. Natalie had been completely fine with it, and had confessed that she’d been feeling the same way.

The two of you had talked about it a bit sense then, mostly Natalie teasing you about your drunken rant that night, but you could tell she felt the same way, her gaze lingering on Shauna for too long at a time, the way she got slightly flustered around Shauna, and Natalie almost never got flustered.

You saw the proud trotting of a goat exiting the barn. After a moment Shauna and Nat appeared behind it, and you smiled, jogging the rest of the way to meet them.

“Bruce, look at these two psychos you found,” you teased, approaching the three of them.

“That’s brave, coming from you,” Shauna said, shaking her head at you with a small smile. “You’re lucky Bruce still wants to spend time with you after that horrible insult you shot at us.”

“Oh, it’s Bruce that wants to spend time with me, hm?”

“It’s definitely Bruce.”

You bent down to Bruce, petting behind his ears, and he almost seemed to smile at you, if goats were capable of such a thing. He was a sweet goat, though he did have a tendency to chew your clothes and escape from you and Shauna by chewing through his rope. He was a rebel, and he was known for his mischief inside the commune.

“I can’t believe Lottie scheduled all of us together to take care of him,” Shauna said, watching Bruce as the three of you began to walk around the commune, heading for the woods. “He is a bit of a troublemaker, but I think I’m perfectly capable of taking care of him myself, let alone with three other people.”

“We could ask her to change our schedules,” Nat said, testing the waters.

“No,” Shauna said quickly. “I’m glad you two are here. Bruce is, too.”

Bruce bleated in agreement, stomping his foot into the ground.

“So,” you started, breaking the silence as the three of you strolled through the woods. “I’ve only done self care with Bruce in the barn. What exactly do we do? Just walk around with him?”

“Sometimes he likes to cuddle. Or hear gossip about the other girls,” Shauna explained, sitting on the side of a fallen tree.

“What genre of gossip does he prefer?” you teased, sitting next to her. Natalie sat at your other side, an arm snaking around your shoulders.

“Well,” Shauna said, fully prepared to give you an answer as to what type of gossip her goat liked to listen to. “Sometimes he likes hearing my rants about Lottie and her freaky hippie bullshit. And sometimes he likes to hear stories about my divorce with Jeff… and sometimes he likes to hear about people I’ve set my eye on.”

“Oh?” you asked, heart racing at her last remark. “I want to hear the drama about who you’ve set your eye on. Guy or girl? Do Nat or I know them?”

She nodded. “You know them quite well, I would say.”

You were about to ask for more details when Natalie stood and began looking around, and you watched her with confusion, trying to figure out what she was looking for.

“Where’s Bruce?” Your girlfriend asked at last, and panic rose in your chest.

“Oh, fuck,” Shauna breathed, looking down at Bruce’s leash, which had been chewed in half. “That little fucker! I know exactly where he went, damn it!”

You followed her as she started through the woods, sharing a confused glance with Natalie.

“Shauna,” you asked, “where are we going?”

“I’ll show you,” she said, exhaustion obvious in her tone. “He has a field that he likes. There’s all his favorite types of grasses and flowers to eat. It’s at the edge of the commune, though, so I don’t like to let him go by himself.”

“I just can’t believe all three of us were out here watching him, and he still got away,” you complained, and Shauna smiled.

“You two distract me, that’s the reason,” she said.

“Oh?” Natalie teased, shoving her lightly, and if you didn’t know better you’d think Shauna was blushing. “Got a little crush on us or some shit?”

“Stop acting like we’re fifteen,” Shauna said, though she still looked rather flustered.

“If it makes you feel any better, you distract us, too,” you admitted.

The two of them stopped, Shauna’s cheeks growing redder and Natalie smirking at your sudden boldness. You held your ground, not letting yourself get as flustered as Shauna was and holding back a snarky remark to Natalie’s expression.

“We need to find Bruce,” Shauna said awkwardly, turning on her heel and walking deeper into the forest. After a moment you and Natalie followed, and the silence that overcame the three of you was unbearable.

After a few minutes you approached the clearing. Sure enough, Bruce was in the middle of the field munching on flowers, looking perfectly content.

“Bruce!” Shauna shouted, and the goat gave her a guilty look. He trotted over to her, and she tied the remains of the leash around him. “You can’t do things like that, you silly little thing.”

“He did pick a nice field, though,” you said mindlessly, picking a white flower and holding it delicately in your hands. “It’s gorgeous out here.”

After a moment of hesitation, you moved toward Shauna, and you held out the flower for her.

She paused, and again she was blushing. She took the flower, a soft smile painting her lips — and you’d barely had time to process what was happening before her lips met yours and everything faded away. She tasted of vanilla and coffee, she was intoxicating, and every moment had you craving more, craving everything she wanted to give.

You felt Natalie’s hands on your shoulders, trailing down to your waist. You could feel her lips kissing your jaw, your neck, and when you pulled away from Shauna her lips were replaced with Natalie’s. Whiplash, and it was glorious.

It was even better, though, when you separated from Natalie and she went after Shauna, the two of them kissing before you, and for a moment you forgot how to breathe. They were everything, perfectly contrasting in every way but somehow complimenting each other.

Bruce bleated from beside you, and the two women broke apart.

“Bruce, you’re ruining our love confessions,” you said, leaning down to pet him. “You’re in your field, just let us have our moment, okay?”

He stomped his foot. You took that as a “no.”

“You don’t have to be so rude about it,” you muttered, moving away.

“Oh, he’s just a sweet baby,” Shauna said in his defense. She picked him up, kissing the top of his head. “Isn’t that right, Bruce?”

“You’re so fucking weird,” Natalie said, watching Shauna with her goat.

Bruce shook her head at her. Obviously he had a favorite out of the three of you, and you would have to work to gain his approval.

But as long as you were with Shauna and Natalie, you didn’t really mind.