#just gotta make sure to study and remember enough so i can pass

[a-sleepy-ginger]

24/5/24

✿❈✿❈✿

Double ender toast

Talked with brother

Played with dog

Dinner (rice bowl with veg meat and jalapenos)

[moonstruckme]

I’ve been binge reading your emt polymarauders. And I gotta tell you ! It’s like sipping a nice lemonade on a summer day. Oh my…

I’m a medical student so I loooooove this prompt so much. I couldn’t sleep tonight because biochemistry has been rotting my brain. Ugh

Anyways,

I had an idea, could you maybe make a reader who’s in her first year of med school and she’s so stressed. The boys try to ease her a little but she doesn’t listen and itch closer to burnout. Until she starts to feel unwell and comes out of her study to drink water. But before she can react she passes out and the boys rush to help.

(Totally not happened to me once in front of almost 30 3rd years. Nooooo.)

Hope you like the idea ❤️

Thanks babe, I'm glad you enjoy them! And thank you for requesting <3

cw: academic stress, fainting

emt!marauders x fem!reader ♡ 1.1k words

“What nerve supplies the posterior arm and forearm?” Remus asks you. 

The words are beginning to sound like gibberish. “The, um…the radial nerve.” 

“Well done.” Remus sets your flash card atop a stack. There are three of them, ones you know well, ones you’re still shaky on, and ones you’ve not got a clue about. This card goes in the first stack. It’s small enough that every addition feels like a victory. 

Your boyfriends have been kind enough to bring you lunch at the library. It was quickly revealed as a plot to try and coax you into taking a break, but when that clearly wasn’t working they decided to stay awhile and keep you company. You have a reading room all to yourself today, so James has made himself comfortable on the couch and Sirius has laid his head down in his lap, content to have his hair played with while James watches you and Remus study.

“And which carpals communicate with the radius?” Remus asks. 

“Um…”

“Think carefully,” Sirius says in his TV host voice. “This one’s for full points.” 

You blink. You feel suddenly odd. Off-kilter. “There’s two,” you say slowly. “Lunate and…um…” 

“Can we do hints?” James asks. 

You’d rather not, but you feel like you need it. “Sure.” 

“Alright.” Remus glances down at your card. “It starts with an s.” 

“I know it.” You squeeze your eyes shut. “I had this one yesterday. It’s like sca…sca something. Sorry, I feel like I can’t concentrate.” 

“Do you want me to tell you?” Remus asks gently. 

You sigh. “Yeah, okay.” 

“It’s lunate and scaphoid.” 

You groan, pushing your fingers into your forehead. “I knew that.” 

“It’s alright.” Remus sets the card in the middle stack. He’s watching you carefully. “Do you think it’s time for a break?” 

“Yeah.” You take a deep breath. “I feel weird, I think…” You pick up your water bottle, but it’s light, empty. “I’m going to go get some water.” 

Remus’ eyes are sympathetic. “Good idea, dove.” 

The feeling worsens when you stand, like the change in altitude is making you light-headed. You take two steps. The first wobbles, the second sinks. 

You don’t remember passing out. There’s no darkening of your vision or panicky realization, just one second your knee is bending unbidden and the next the trampled fibers of the library carpet are smushed against your face. 

“Fuck, sweetheart.” It takes you a second to recognize the feel of hands under your head and ribcage, but that’s James’ voice. The knees of Remus’ trousers are in front of your face. “What’d you do that for?” 

“I didn’t mean to,” you mumble. 

“Let’s get you on your back,” says Remus. 

He and James work together to rotate you gently, and then you have a better view of the room. Remus and James kneeling above you, Sirius standing behind them with a look of wide-eyed horror. It appears each of your boyfriends has jumped up in a fright. 

“Do you feel warm?” Remus brushes some hair away from your face while James picks up your wrist to get your pulse and Sirius launches into action, kneeling by your feet. 

“Not really…” You startle as your legs pick up off the floor. “Sirius, my skirt!”

“It’s just us here, doll,” Sirius reminds you. “I promise to protect your modesty if anyone comes in, whatever the cost.” 

You frown at what he could mean by that, but Remus thumbs over your cheek placatingly. “Is there anywhere around here that might have sports drinks?” 

“Um, there’s a vending machine downstairs.” 

“Perfect. I’ll be back shortly.” He gives your cheek a quick hold before leaving. 

James kisses your palm once he’s done with your pulse, and then his fingers find the collar of your shirt, popping open the first two buttons with practiced ease. 

Your hand flies up to prevent him going further. “Why does everyone keep trying to undress me?” 

James laughs, and Sirius replies smoothly, “Why, is this not a good time for you?” 

“Take it easy, lovie.” James takes your hand, holding it in his own. “We’re just making sure all the blood that wants to go to your brain can get there.” 

“Oh.” You knew that. Or you should’ve, if your brain was working properly.

“If it’s somewhat risque in practice, I certainly don’t mind as much with you as I do with the old blokes we sometimes get.” Sirius winks at you. 

You offer up a weak smile in return, and he pouts. 

“How’re you feeling, sweetness?” 

“I’m alright.” You take a breath. “Can I sit up now?”

“Let’s give it a bit.” James rubs your shoulder. “How do you really feel?” 

“Just…weird. Shaky. But not too bad.” 

“That’s good,” he says, though he looks like he doesn’t quite believe you. 

“I think I’ll be fine once I get something to drink.” 

“Mm, I think there’s probably a bit more to it than that,” Remus says as he comes back in. He crouches beside you, twisting the top off a bottle of orange juice. “That is a very well-stocked vending machine. Do you feel ready to sit up, dove?” 

“I have been,” you say. “They won’t let me.” 

“Such ingratitude,” Sirius teases as he sets your feet back down. “We were only waiting for your juice.” 

James helps you up with a hand on your back, and it takes a second of wordless wrestling with Remus to get him to let you bring the bottle to your own lips. 

“You could be dehydrated,” he says as you drink, “or you could just be exhausted, or both. And you can faint from too much stress too, you know.” 

“I know,” you grumble, wiping your mouth. 

Remus takes your face in his hand, forcing you to look at him. You find your indignance shrinking under his steady gaze. “You hurt yourself when you push yourself this hard, sweet girl.” 

“I know,” you say, softer now. “I thought I could handle it.” 

“You need to take more breaks.” 

You nod slightly. 

“And work on putting less pressure on yourself.” 

“Alright, Rem, lay off her.” Sirius rubs your knee. It breaks you from Remus’ trance, and your dark-haired boyfriend flashes you a smile when you look his way. “She’s got enough going through her head without having to remember all you want her to do. Let’s go home, yeah?” 

James insists on supporting you while you walk out of the library. Sirius and Remus debate what film you should put on once you get back to your flat. 

“Shouldn’t I get to choose?” you ask. 

“Well, look who’s feeling up to asking questions.” Sirius gives your cheek a condescending little pat. “Unfortunately, I don’t think you’re really ready to be picking out films, my love. Your decision making is probably still impacted from that fainting spell.” 

“Really.” You narrow your eyes at him. “I’ve never heard of that side effect.” 

“Well, you’re only a first year, doll. There’s lots you don’t know.”

[mysteryshoptls]

SSR Ace Trappola - Room Relaxation Vignette

"Happy Birthday"

[Exterior Hallway]

Ace: Well, it's gettin' about time. Guess I'll head to basketball practice… Hm? Who's that over there…?

Ace: Yo, Kalim-senpai! How's it going? Hey, hey, do you know what tomorrow is?

Kalim: Tomorrow? Hm, what's going on tomorrow…? Is there a dance competition? Oh, or is there some sort of feast planned?

Ace: Ooh, you're getting' close! The correct answer is… My birthday～!

Kalim: Woah! Tomorrow's your birthday!? That's awesome!!

Ace: Yeah, it's totally awesome! There's gonna be a party back at my dorm, and everyone'll get me a gift. It'll be a blast!

Ace: But, y'know, the crazier the party, the more lonely it feels the day after my birthday…

Ace: I always feel like it'd be great if these sorts of days come around two or three times more a year.

Ace: …Don'tcha think, Kalim-senpai?

Kalim: Oh, yeah, I feel you! It just doesn't feel enough to only have one birthday a year.

Kalim: Hey, I just had a great idea! I'll throw you another party the day after your birthday.

Kalim: That way you won't feel as lonely, right? It sounds super fun, so let me do this for you!

Ace: Ehhhh, you sure!? I'm tickled pink! Kalim-senpai, thanks so much!

Kalim: Yeah! I'll make it the best, most outrageous party you've ever seen, so I hope you look forward to it!

[Kalim leaves]

Ace: Nice, I got Kalim-senpai to celebrate my birthday! And he's making it an outrageously awesome party…

Ace: That might get a veto from Jamil-senpai, though…

Ace: But regardless, I at least secured a promise from Kalim-senpai for a celebration. I can't way for the day after tomorrow～!

[Heartslabyul Dorm – Ace's Room]

Ace: Huuurgh, today's basketball practice was insanely hard… Floyd-senpai just wouldn't quit guarding me!

Ace: Usually he just gets bored and disappears off to who knows where… Ugh, I'm so tired～ I just wanna pass out…

Ace: My roommates sure got it easy. Doesn't sound like they got any upperclassmen that cause problems or nag all the time…

Ace: …Augh, I'm definitely gonna fall asleep if I just keep zoning out. I'm gonna go jump in the shower.

[Heartslabyul Dorm – Ace's Room]

[roommates chatting]

[Roommate A greets Ace]

Ace: I'm baaack. Why did I take so long…? Y'see, Trey-senpai cornered me while I was brushing my teeth in the washroom.

Ace: He made me re-brush my teeth, and then handed me some floss and mouthwash. Then…

「Survey on Quality of Life Improvements for the Student Body」

Ace: Right, so he handed me this survey to fill out too. Ugh, it's short answers! Better if it was multiple choice or something.

Ace: Hey, can't any of you guys fill this out for me? I'm real tired from practice today, 'cause it was reeeal hard.

[Deuce refuses]

Ace: …Do it myself without tryin' to slack off? Fine, fine, guess that's what I shoulda expected from you honor student types. You're takin' it waaay too seriously!

Ace: Maybe I'll just jot down that it sucks to be stuck in a room with guys I don't vibe with, or something.

[Deuce argues]

Ace: …Oh, shut up, I was just kidding. Whatever, I guess I'll just start filling in the form.

Ace: First off… The dorm rooms are way too small! That's the worst thing, so I definitely can't leave that out.

Ace: Sure, we can ask each other to swap dorm duties, or help each other when we can't remember a specific Queen of Hearts' rule…

Ace: So I guess it's not the end of the world that there's four of us in here. But it'd be better if the room was just a bit bigger.

Ace: It's practically impossible to study in here. Sometimes someone else's stuff'll end up in my personal space, too.

[Roommate B speaks up]

Ace: …Huh? Pot, meet kettle? No way, I'm always tiding up after myself…

[Roommate B interjects]

Ace: Eh, you found my pen mixed in with your stuff the other day? Uhhhh…. Oh, dang, look at that, it's lights out time!

Ace: I gotta hit the hay! Mmkay, night!

Ace: Aaand, that's the way to shut them out! This is why I love canopy beds.

Ace: As soon as I draw the curtains closed, I can have secure myself a small, little private space…

Ace: The thicker curtains help to keep light and sound down, so even if I'm playing with my phone all night long, it's not bothering anyone else.

Ace: When I think of it that way, I think the only thing I really have to complain about my room is just that it's small.

Ace: …But once I step outside my room, I gotta deal with strange rules, scary upperclassmen, and insanely hard homework.

Ace: Oh, right, I have homework… I need to do that… But first, I think I'll take a bit of a breather and play on my phone for a bit!

Ace: Ooh, my middle school friends uploaded something onto Magicam. They look like they're havin' fun back in the Queendom.

Ace: I feel crazy jelly seeing that, especially since I'm stuck in the middle of nowhere on Sage's Island… Hm?

Ace: Wait, what's this video at the bottom…? Oh! It's an ad for the magic shop I was looking into the other day!

Ace: Woah, how'd they manage that trick? Yooo, I bet I'd look real cool if I could master that!

Ace: I really want that magic trick. Maybe I should ask for it for my birthday.

Ace: Oh, hey, that next manga chapter is out. I gotta check that out.

Ace: Oh, and there's an event going on in that one mobile game. Guess I can log in for that. Oh, and…

[Heartslabyul Dorm – Ace's Room]

Ace: Urrrgh… Mm… It's too bright… Is it morning already? I guess I fell asleep playing the game.

Ace: What time is it…? Huh!? It's already this late!? Hey, why didn't anyone wake me up!?

Ace: Didn't my alarm wake me? You opened my curtain for me? …If you're gonna do that much, you coulda woken me up!

Ace: At least I don't have morning practice today… But I gotta get ready on the double!

[Heartslabyul Dorm – Washroom]

Ace: My face is washed and my skin-care routine is done.

Ace: Ack, my hair's all over the place! Ughh, c'mon, I hate how my hair is…!

Ace: Maybe I can just fix it with some wax… Oh, but I want to make sure I have time to fix my makeup…

Ace: I got no choice, I should just use magic to set it! I screwed it up last time, but… I can totally do it today! Definitely! Hyah!

[poof!]

Ace: AAAAAAAAHH!? IT GOT EVEN WORSE, THIS SUCKS!!

Ace: What can I even do about this now!? Okay, first, let me try this spray to fix the bedhead!!

[spritz, spritz, spritz]

Ace: Ack, did I spray too much? Okay, I should just be able to rub it in here with my fingers… Guess I'll just have to see how it looks later.

Ace: I gotta set my makeup while I wait for my hair to loosen up. First, I gotta slap on some sunscreen…

Ace: Now, my eyebrows are the priority. I can kinda let everything else be half-done, but this's gotta be on point.

Ace: Back in middle school, I remember we were all laughing our heads off at this one person who did a terrible job drawing in his eyebrows, tryin' to look all fashion-y.

Ace: …I mean, not like I'd ever or will ever make that kind of screw up, though.

Ace: I saw a video yesterday that says that thicker eyebrows are in right now, so I'll just try to follow that tutorial and draw in where it's lacking…

Ace: Okay, nice. Not bad! I think I did pretty good for just trying to copy what I saw.

Ace: Now all I got left is my eye makeup… What should I do for the suit? I'd like to use something with a bit of lamé in it, but…

Ace: I bet the Housewarden'll get all huffy if it's too fancy. Guess I should just do what I normally do.

Ace: How's my hair looking…? Nice, it's tamer now! Probably was a good thing to spray too much on it.

Ace: Just gotta put some hair wax in to set it… Done. Whew, I feel a bit more presentable now.

[Heartslabyul Dorm – Ace's Room]

[roommates chattering]

Ace: I gotta get my stuff together ASAP… Wait, huh? If the rest of you are all here, does that mean we still have a bunch of time?

Ace: Maan, then I coulda worked on my hair a bit more. I think I'll dip into the washroom again… Huh? My enigmatics homework?

Ace: …AAAAAAAAAH!! I COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT IT!!

Ace: Oh man, I'm so screwed, Crewel's gonna tan my hide if I don't do anything… What should I do!?

Ace: …Hold the phone. I have enigmatics in the afternoon. That essentially means I'll have my lunch break before I have to turn it in.

Ace: I think the other classes might be ahead of us, so maybe they've already finished the homework already?

Ace: Even if the questions are slightly different, as long as I can figure out how they solved it, I should be able to bang it out… Oh yeah, it's all coming together.

[Roommate A speaks up]

Ace: Wheeew, I got all worked up over nothing～ Mmkay, then I'm heading out… Huh, what is it? You want me to help with your homework?

Ace: Hahahah, no waaaay! Here, I'll open the curtains up for you, so why don't you figure out the rest～?

[Main Street]

Kalim: Oh, there he is. Ace! Good morning!

Ace: Ah, Kalim-senpai! Good morning…? What's up? Isn't the party tomorrow?

Kalim: Yeah! But your birthday's today, right? That's why I thought I'd come wish you a happy birthday in person.

Kalim: So, yeah… Happy Birthday, Ace!

Ace: Haha, you really are the type of guy to show up the day of just to wish someone a happy birthday, huh.

Ace: Thanks a bunch! I can't wait for the epic party tomorrow!

Requested by @thelonepearl.

[hlficlibrary]

Remember to leave kudos and a comment on the fics you enjoyed to show your appreciation! You can find the library's other recs here.

🎒 so let's cross the lines we lost by @thecoloursneverfade {E, 165k}

Louis lives a not so quiet life on a not so quiet street. Starting university was supposed to be easy, that is, until he realises his new neighbour is Harry Styles, and they kind of hate each other, so falling for him is definitely out of the question.

(or: Harry and Louis have a complicated past, Niall throws too many parties, Zayn is definitely not pining, and Liam just wants everyone to get along)

🎒 i want you so much (but i hate your guts) by becauselarry / @obviouslybecauselarry {M, 83k}

AU in which Louis gets accepted to play for the Manchester University Alpha-Beta Football Team. The only problem: Louis is actually an Omega. He is determined to make it big in the football world, though, and he can't do that bound to an Omega team. With the help of a faked doctor's certificate and some pretty strong suppressants he is ready to fight for his dream.

That Harry Styles (Alpha, second year and youngest football captain of the A-B team in ages) doesn't seem to like him complicates matters, though.

🎒 And I'll judge the cover by the book by harrystylesandstuff {M, 73k}

At twenty years old Harry has his life figured out. He’ll graduate from the private University of Buckingham and move to Oxford to study journalism. He’ll meet someone who shares his values and accepts who he is, and apply everything his successful parents have taught him.

At twenty-two years old Louis has no clue what he wants in life. He’s not sure he’ll pass the year and doesn’t know where he’ll go after that. He spends his time smoking away his doubts about himself with his friends and all he cares about is making sure his family doesn’t fall apart.

They don’t belong together.

Or a Private University AU where Harry is a queer posh prince, Louis is a closeted troublemaker, and neither expect to understand each other the way they will.

🎒 always you (i should have known) by 28goldensfics / @28goldens {T, 60k}

“Oi, now we’re talking. Came running to ol’ Tomlinson for help, gotta say Harold,” He crossed his arms over his chest, and Harry watched as his eyes looked him over. “It's very out of character for you.”

“Yeah, well, don’t feel too special, you're my last choice,” Harry subconsciously crossed his arms as well, giving Louis his own look over.

“Oh, that's a lot of power, I’m your last resort!” He wagged his finger at him, letting out a cackle. “Alright, hit me with it.”

Harry’s lips pursed as he slowly started to regret the words about to spill out of his mouth, “I want you to pretend to be my boyfriend.”

or the one where harry and louis cant stand each other and fake date to make someone jealous.

🎒 Love's On The Line, Is That Your Final Answer? by PearlyDewdrops {E, 53k}

Harry can’t believe it when Louis, the boy he’s always had a tempestuous rivalry with, asks him to be his boyfriend. Well, pose as his boyfriend, that is—for a new television game show in which young couples are quizzed on how well they know each other for a jackpot of thirty grand.

Reluctantly, Harry agrees—because he's got student loans to pay off, hasn't he? What's the harm? And he can totally deal with keeping his secret thing for Louis under wraps too. This is all just to win some money. It's fine. No big deal. What could possibly go wrong?

Well, everything. Obviously.

🎒 catch me if i fall by @shimmeringevil {E, 47k}

“You– how do you–” Louis stammers before attempting to compose himself, fighting off the tidal wave of fear that threatens to wash him away in its wake. “No. You don’t. You don’t know.”

Every protest falling from his lips is in vain, because despite what he keeps telling himself, Harry knows.

Harry's widening smirk is answer enough as he steps forward slowly, walking up until he’s right in Louis’ space.

“You look like you need some time to process things,” he whispers with false-earnestness. Sliding a hand under Louis’ chin, Harry tilts his head so Louis is forced to look up at him. “Why don’t we take a little break and start up again later, so you can mull things over?”

OR - Lovers when on the stage but bitter rivals as soon as they step off, Harry and Louis have butted heads from the moment they first met. Locked in a stalemate that they hope to ride out until graduation, things take a turn when Harry learns that Louis is hiding a secret.

🎒 Through a Mirror Dimly by LadyLondonderry / @londonfoginacup {M, 38k}

Louis Tomlinson, in his third year at university, does not expect nor want the roommate that is being assigned to his room.

Harry Styles, in his first year at university, has just been kicked out of one dorm and doesn't want to deal with yet another snobby, rich roommate.

They don't get along, and that's just how it is, until circumstances force them to reevaluate.

🎒 an ocean in my veins (you'll be diving in) by me_her_themoon / @dreamersdivin-headfirst {E, 31k}

But, since Niall is so talkative to literally anyone with a working mouth, it means that when Louis Tomlinson started to take a shine to him, Harry started to hate him.

Because suddenly, it wasn’t just Harry and Niall, and whoever else wanted to join their antics. It was Harry and Niall and Louis.

Did Harry mention that Louis is a stupid fucking prick? He wants to make sure that’s clear.

[or, harry and louis hate each other and niall just wants everyone to get along]

🎒 don't make this easy (i want you to mean it) by wildestdreams / @thelavendrhaze {E, 24k}

“Harry’s a player. All he does is chat everyone up. And guys like him are just--so ugh. He’s got that arrogant, self-assured smirk plastered to his face all the time. Always smug and stupid, like he could get anyone he lays his eyes on. All he does is make me mad and laugh all the time like he knows something that I don’t. That is so annoying.”

“But that’s just Harry,” Niall shrugged at Louis. “He doesn’t even try to flirt or anything. He’s just naturally charming, but that doesn’t mean he’s a player nor that he’s trying to get into everyone's pants. He’s just friendly. And he likes you. He doesn’t usually fall for people, but he fell for you.”

“Oh, should I feel special then?” Louis asked, snorting and rolling his eyes.

or Harry’s a frat boy who is head over heels for Louis and Louis wants nothing to do with him.

🎒 it's not a walk in the park to love each other by maroonmoonlouis (E, 24k}

“Um, where is your stuff? Have you even packed?” Harry tries not to sound irritated. Louis looks up to level him with an unimpressed glare.

“If you had bothered to pay attention to the news, you would know that I’m pretty sure I can’t leave this apartment.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Harry demands, hoping his panic doesn’t show. If Louis missed his flight, Harry will personally pay out of pocket for a new one. He is that desperate for his alone time.

Or the one where Harry and Louis are roommates forced to quarantine together, but they hate each other very much a lot.

🎒 Love Me Please by @angelichl {E, 23k}

Louis hates Harry, which is fine because he would really rather prefer to avoid him at all costs.

The only problem?

They're soulmates.

🎒 I Didn't Fall For You (You Fucking Tripped Me) by @allwaswell16 {E, 20k}

These days Louis tends to steer clear of dating alphas. He’s dated too many knotheads in his time, and he’s ready to just focus on school and his friends and his pet monitor lizard, of course.

Too bad the alpha next door won’t take a hint and stop using the worst pick up lines of all time on him. He’s really got to stop laughing with him--and talking to him and walking to class with him and letting him bring him coffee and tea and gifts for his lizard and watching Netflix together and...

🎒 Spinning Out Waiting for You by amomentoflove / @daggerandrose {M, 18k}

Harry Styles is a year and a half away from graduating with a masters in potions and he has one huge milestone to reach in his academy career: the Matching Ceremony.

From Halloween night until graduation, matched witches and familiars will have to create a talisman to be a physical representation of their bond. One for the witch and one for the familiar. Most pairings last an entire lifetime.

If only it were that simple.

🎒 if it looks like, feels like, tastes like love... by tempolarriefics / @tempolarriefix {T, 16k}

Niall has an easygoing smile on his face, bright and unbothered, as if he isn’t facilitating a lunch between Harry and the one person he might truly hate. “Niall. Louis,” Harry greets them both, somewhat strained. Louis doesn’t even look up at him. Harry sighs, taking a seat next to Niall and grabbing for the sandwich on the table. “Hear me out,” Niall says, cutting right to the chase. “Family housing.”

Or, the one where harry and louis hate each other but pretend to date to be able to live in university 'family housing', zayn and liam are their nosy next door neighbors, and niall is the friend who made it all happen.

🎒 oh so familiar by @insightfulinsomniac {E, 13k}

When Harry transferred to the University of Mestonwood, he hoped that he'd finally fit in. As a witch, he's much less likely to feel isolated on an entirely supernatural campus, right?

Wrong. Thanks to the cold-shoulder efforts of Louis Tomlinson, president of the vampire Coven, Harry still feels the sting of rejection from the most gorgeous boy on campus. It's doubly frustrating that everyone else, even Harry's only close friend, Niall, seems to think Louis is a great guy.

Harry vows to actively ignore Louis in return, but his plans are foiled when his familiar, Oli, starts turning off their telepathic connection during Harry's classes. It doesn't take long for Harry to find out where Oli is disappearing to - or, rather, who he is disappearing to.

A story of misguided enemies to lovers brought together by a stubborn orange tabby.

🎒 Do You Like My Sweater? by kiwikero / @icanhazzalou {E, 13k}

“Look, for a Sadie Hawkins dance the omegas are supposed to invite the alphas instead of the other way around.”

Niall and Liam shared a look. “That… sounds like the sort of thing you would usually be all over, Lou,” Liam said, face pinched in confusion. Niall nodded his agreement.

“Yeah, if omegas were hosting it,” Louis replied sourly. “It’s one thing if we decide that we’re going to ask the alphas for a change. It’s insulting that they think we need their permission.”

When Harry's alpha fraternity decides to host a Sadie Hawkins dance, outspoken omega Louis has a thing or two to say about it.

🎒 Where Do We Go Now by @jaerie {E, 10k}

Louis goes off to college ready to start a fresh life away from the oppressive alphas of his pack. The odds aren't in his favour when his new dorm mate turns out to be an alpha. Louis hates alphas.

🎒 Can't Buy My Love, Can Buy Me Dinner by LadyAJ_13 / @ladyaj-13 {G, 9k}

Is it ethical to accept a dinner date for the free food? And will you hate me when I go anyway?

Fact 1: Louis hates Harry Styles. Fact 2: Louis is temporarily living off toast and spaghetti hoops. Fact 3: ...Louis may be semi-accidentally dating his worst enemy.

🎒 Cut me up, kiss me harder by @lunarheslwt (M, 9k}

“Y’know, you push and push and you’re mouthy and defiant, but it’s all an act isn’t it,” Harry pressed tauntingly. He was helpless to not tilt Louis’ face back up to him by placing a hand under his chin. Louis’ eyes fluttered in response. “You just want to be roughed up a little,” he continued, voice dropping. Louis swallowed harshly, keening. “You just want to be made to take it.” “God, shut UP!!” Louis hissed, fisting roughly at his shirt. “You don’t want that either,” Harry mumbled. “Are you like this with every other omega you fuck too? How does anyone,” Louis seethed, crowding into his space further, “beg you to fuck them when you’re so full of it?” “Who said they do?” Harry asked. “Unless,” he began, voice devious, “You’re speaking for yourself. Is that it? Are you gonna beg for my knot, then? Hmm?” “Shut the fuck up,” Louis bit out. Harry had no time to think before Louis crashed his lips onto his again.

Or, a group of friends, a slightly drunk alternate version of spin the bottle, and the universe having a wicked sense of humour may just be enough to bring one bratty omega and a tired-of-said-omega’s-bullshit alpha closer than they’ve ever been. In more ways than one.

🎒 Lock On by thinlines / @thinlinez {E, 8k}

“Sure you don’t wanna do this? It’s fifty pounds a throw, my man.” The alpha winked as Louis froze before turning slowly back to face him. The twinkle in Liam’s eyes meant that he knew Louis had taken the bait. “Fifty pounds?” Louis exhaled as Liam nodded, holding the water balloon further out. The smaller alpha swallowed thickly. “Why didn’t you say so?”

In which a missed water balloon throw might have led Alpha Louis to the world's most difficult omega

[yukimiyaz]

Aki doesn’t necessarily crave change.

In all honesty, he quite likes things being the way that they are. Having a—somewhat, most of the time—normal routine he can follow. Clock in and clock out and pick up takeout from that one restaurant on the corner on his way home. Make sure Power and Denji don’t try to steal the ramen shop’s cat as they pass by. It’s relatively nice, he thinks. Having a day to day.

But now he’s standing in front of the bathroom mirror and he just.. wonders.

“Power knocked Denji through the bedroom wall again. So we gotta fix it, again,” you sigh as you come in and lean your head on his shoulder. “And Meowy’s stuck on the fridge and won’t come down, so I might need your help with that.”

Aki hums, nods. He figures he can stop by the hardware store to buy more drywall tomorrow after work. And he doesn’t mind to come rescue the cat off the top of the fridge. But he doesn’t move, just tips his head at himself in the mirror.

He's been told many times that it wouldn’t kill him to loosen up, but he doesn’t think he’s all that stoic. Yes, he agrees he is blunt, but he is still soft for those he cares about, no? Is that not enough? Shouldn’t it be?

“Do you think I'm too uptight?”

The question comes out low, like he didn’t mean to even say it out loud, and you catch his gaze in the mirror. No, he decides, it is not enough that he thinks that way. He needs to make sure someone else does, too.

He needs to make sure you do.

“That depends, are we talking on bill day, or?” You’re joking with him, and normally he likes that. but now he just shifts his eyes off you in the mirror back to his own face. You frown, tug at his shirt sleeve until he looks down at you fully. “No. I think you’re curt and honest and take things seriously, but not in a bad way. You’re not like that deep down because you care. Why are you even asking that?”

He blinks at you. Once, twice, three times. He doesn’t particularly want to answer that question because now as he thinks about the reasoning behind what’s got him thinking this way it just seems silly. And what if you laugh at him, heaven forbid?

But he finds it hard to not be honest with you. It's like you’ve signed a contract with an honesty devil, because you somehow always make him sing like a bird regardless of whether he wants to or not. And right now is no different.

“A colleague at work said that I was more uptight than my topknot.” He cuts his eyes from you, because it sounds even more minute coming out of his mouth. “So, I just thought..”

“What?” And your hands are on him, now. running up his chest and smoothing over his shoulders in the way you know soothes him after long and tiring days. He sighs into your touch, remembers his walls do not have to be up here, and lets you in.

“I think I'd like to cut my hair.”

He takes the next few moments to study you, gauge your reaction. there’s the tiniest twitch of your eyebrow, smallest intake of breath, little tilt of your lips. but nothing too expressive, too.. judgmental.

It's times like this that he remembers why he fell in love with you. Because even if he is not entirely conventional, you treat him as if he is anyways.

“Okay,” you say, light and easy and make a show of faux rolling your eyes. “Even though you’ve never gotten more than a trim in the numerous years we’ve been together. I guess it���s time for a change.”

And he doesn’t even need to say anything else before you’re leaning over to retrieve the hair scissors and clippers from the bottom drawer of the kitchen cabinet. Then you’re straightening back up and tapping your finger to your chin.

“Hmm, let’s see. What’re we thinking?” He’s about to answer you when you reach forward and grab his jaw, theatrically tipping his head this way and that as you hum. “A mohawk? buzz cut? Shaved heads are very in style now, you know. I think you could rock it.”

Aki narrows his eyes at that, loosely grabs the wrist you have held up to his face. 

“Very funny,” he gripes, but there’s no real venom in it because the smile on your face dilutes everything that comes out of his mouth. “I don't think I signed up for sarcasm with my haircut.”

You put your free hand on his shoulder and push him down onto the toilet seat before he can stop you. And he gulps just a bit, feels his stomach twist like it does when he sees you cooking breakfast in his shirt. You pat his cheek and he can’t stop himself from trying to chase after the warmth of your palm as you pull your hand away and start to reach for a comb.

“No, but you signed up for it when you got me, so.” You turn back to him and slide the comb through his hair as you step between his legs. “I'd say that it should’ve been a given.”

And that’s true and it is, but sometimes he just likes to pick. That's something that may feed into his apparently uptight reputation or break it down, he doesn’t know, but he never picks quite as much with anyone but you. You bring out the best of him, he’d argue. The parts of him that he thinks are far too soft and fragile for him to walk out into the world without shielding in armor. You ease him, and he likes that. You make him think change doesn’t have to be so bad.

“But seriously,” you hum, sliding your fingers through his hair, twisting the ends lazily. “What are you wanting?”

As he looks up at you from his spot on the toilet seat, he finds his mind slightly drifting from the matter at hand. You look nice today. You’re wearing his cologne, he detects. There’s a flake of something in your hair that he suspects to be from Power and Denji breaking the wall. You seem to handle everything so effortlessly, even though he knows that isn’t quite true. And he realizes something.

“Surprise me,” Aki says, and feels his lips twitch at the way your face lights up. 

You make quick work of it. Like you’ve thought about this before. Mapped out a route of change for him prior to him even asking. He wonders what else you’ve thought about changing in life.

Maybe he should bring up changing the paint on your bedroom walls. Maybe he should ask if you’d like a different brand of spices at the store. Maybe he should inquire about your thoughts on getting another cat. Maybe he should see what you think of replacing the worn out sofa with something better.

He sits on the toilet seat and watches you focus. Smiles at the way you bite your lip in concentration and tilting and turning his head when you tell him to. His hands have politely made their way to the backs of your thighs, mindlessly playing with the hem of your shorts as you ask him about his day and tell him of your own. His cheeks heat up when you catch his eye and smile at him, and his fingers tighten on your legs when you lean down to give him a peck every now and then.

And with each wisp of hair that falls from the scissors and each buzz of the clippers by his ear he finds himself leaning into change easier and easier until you’re taking a step back and admiring what you’ve stripped from him.

“You’re scaring me,” Aki chuckles under his breath as he takes in the look you’re giving him. You’re chewing the inside of your cheek, holding out a hand to him as you bounce on the balls of your feet.

He takes it, as he always does and always will, and lets you drag him back in front of the mirror and turn him until he’s looking at himself. And the breath leaves him all at once.

You've clipped the sides, faded it out and shortened his hair all around and given him layers of some sort. He cuts his eyes to your excited face in the mirror for a split second and wonders if you secretly went to some barber school he isn’t aware of. It’s just so.. nice. It fits him; suits him. His face looks like him, and he knows that should be obvious but it’s different than before. It’s…

“What do you think?” you ask, and you’re half wrapped around his arm now as you blink up at him. “Do you like it? You said surprise you but that’s so nerve wracking so I really just tried to do something that would be more manageable and—“

Aki turns to kiss you so fast that if you didn’t have a grip on his arm already then you might’ve just fallen backwards onto the bathroom tile.

“It's perfect. I love it,” he breathes as he pulls back, looks back into the mirror for a split second before pressing another peck to your lips, “I love you. Thank you.”

And you’re beaming, now. Painting that smug look on your face that you get when you’re cocky as you wrap your arms around his neck. He loves it, adores it. He kisses you one more time before you turn your face from him with a giggle.

“Psh, knew you would. I'm perfect at everything you know. I should charge you, actually. Send you a bill.”

He’s about to jibe back with you—maybe ask if he could repay the favor by making dessert and doing the dishes tonight—but there’s a yell of your name from a few rooms over that sounds suspiciously like Denji’s cry for help when power is fighting with him that drags you away. You peck his lips and grin at him before you scurry your way out of the bathroom and to whatever sort of commotion is going on now.

Aki turns himself back to the bathroom mirror, studies the man staring back at him. He slides a hand back through his freshly cut hair, lets the new buzz tickle his fingertips. His own touch isn’t as delicate as yours, doesn’t welcome the change as gracefully as you do. He turns from the mirror and scuffs his feet across the tile to follow you to the debacle that you’ve been called to split up. And as he watches you soothe an overly dramatic Denji and calm down a riled up power, he thinks.

No, Aki doesn’t suppose that he necessarily craves change, but he finds that he doesn’t quite mind it. And as he stares at the hand you have patting Denji’s head while you flash him an exasperated grin, some of his loose hairs stuck to your shirt, he figures there’s one more change he’s more than ready to make.

Maybe he should start picking out a ring.

[twisted-art-wounders]

YGO AU: Breaking the Seal 20

Chapter 20 Connection

Yugi gets to know his fellow DOMA members and discovers their is more to them then meets the eye.

“Why do I gotta babysit?” Valon groaned as he walked side by side with his fellow swordsmen down the long hallway. “I'm no good with kids!”

“He's not a kid, He's 17.” Raphael answered.

“Whatever! Why do I gotta waste my time looking after Dartz's brat? That's not fair! What did I do to deserve this?” Valon covered his eyes with his free hand a frustrated grunt passing through his lips.

“Because we're not the ones who got injured on the job while trying to flirt with a blonde.” Alister teased “You're lucky Dartz is even giving you work to do after that tremendous blunder.”

“Oi, I was trying to recruit her! She's a strong duelist I can get her to join us! I just need a little more time…” Valon huffed making Alister chuckle before responding

“Valon, there's no woman on EARTH with that much time.”

They were returning from DOMA's main card room; Rex Raptor and Weevil Underwood were in there for about an hour preparing their new decks before they were instructed by Dartz to go and capture the souls of the Nameless Pharaoh and Joey Wheeler. With their powered up decks and using the Seal of Orichalcos they'd hoped it would be enough for them to finally beat the two chosen duelists. Both the bug and dino duelists were taken by one of Paradius' private limos to the train station so they could prepare to en act their plans.

Valon again grumbled to himself under his breath, before trying to change the subject.

“So…anyone else freaked out with the kid's power? I thought he was human not some kind of meta human or mutant…”

The other two looked down the hallway both remembering what they witnessed from the vessel; he emitted a monstrous amount of energy the likes of which none of them had seen before. Powerful enough it felt like the whole building was going to crumble around them.

“…You guys think he's Dartz's illegitimate kid? I mean he and Dartz seem to carry the same aura you know.” Valon looked at the other two hoping they were thinking the same thing.

“Pfft I doubt it. It's Dartz's were talking about can you imagine him having a child?” Alister shock his head but still paused for a moment before continuing.

“But I am a bit confused too, how could he have that kind of power? Did the Orichalcos grant it to him or was he hiding this power all along?” Alister looked to Raphael waiting form him to weigh his thoughts in.

Raphael closed his eyes and kept walking “There's no doubt he has a powerful soul, he broke the Orichalcos twice after all. Not to mention he's the chosen vessel of the Nameless Pharaoh…only a vessel with that amount of strength could hold the power the Nameless Pharaoh has.” The blonde man opened his eyes again and looked down the hallway as they passed by more closed doors all incidental to each other.

“Whatever Master Dartz has planned for him we need to make sure to follow his orders; You need to keep an eye on him Valon don't let him out of you're sight.”

“Yeah, last thing we need is for him to go critical on us and blow us all to kingdom come…” Alister added

“So I gotta keep the brat entertained huh?” Valon sighed “Great…how am I supposed to do that?”

Raphael started to recall his own childhood when his younger siblings Sonia and Julian were much smaller and would follow him everywhere he went. They always wanted to spend time with him when he wasn't in one of his private home school lessons or studying something related to that. He loved spending time with them and would always watch out for them when they'd play in the garden. Hide and seek was one of their favourites and he'd always pretend he couldn't find them right away just to keep the game going as long as possible. Their smiles and giggles would always bring warmth to his heart, a warmth he was now missing greatly in his life.

Alister on the other hand could recall his own childhood with his younger brother Mickey; before the war had broken out he was always asked by Mickey to hang out with him when he'd go spend time with his friends. Alister hated having to bring Mickey along with him but with their mother at work he had no choice. He'd sigh and roll his eyes when Mickey would always bring up his favourite hero; Dyna Dude it was embarrassing to have him always talking about that in front of his friends. He'd always wished he'd never have to bring him along anywhere again. Sadly he'd eventually get that wish…Alister touched the area in his jacket were he kept the final remains of Mikey's toy close to his heart.

“You'll be fine. He's a teenager he wont be much trouble.” Raphael spoke coldly trying to straighten his back as they stopped in front of the door.

“…Just do what Dartz's says and keep an eye on him.” Alister spoke with his usual tone but there was a hint of sadness to it that he tried to hide back.

Valon was a bit confused by both of their reactions, he felt they'd become a bit more emotional just now but since they both brushed it off he decided not press any further. He sighed and put his free hand behind the back of his head.

“Guess you two are right…”

Raphael pulled out his card and swiped it in the door before placing his hand on the black square scanner, once it beeped he reached for the handle and opened the door. He and Alister walked in first followed by Valon who kept his eyes shut as he entered. Both the blonde and red head had stopped and stared as their eyes scanned the room left to right; they saw the once pristine and cleaned room was now littered with cards on the floor, the cabinets all opened and riffled through it was like a hurricane had come through the place.

Valon had finally entered and opening his eyes he too got a look at the room.

“I mean how hard can it be-eeAHEGHA!!!” Valon screamed in shock grabbing his head with his free hand. “WTF HAPPENED IN HERE!?”

Just then they all saw Yugi walking back towards a table that sat in the other part of the room, in his hands was a small wooden box inside it was filled with the cards he'd just picked out. He had a very delighted expression on his face, he didn't even notice the other men had entered the room too focused on his treasure box of cards.

Valon hissed as he lowered his arm and pointed a finger at Yugi before screaming “YOU!”

The sudden noise made Yugi jump out of fear with a small yell before he finally took notice of the three older men who'd just entered the room. Two of them were still in shock at the mess while the third- the brunette was fuming in rage.

“You cheeky little shit! What the hell did you do to this place!?”

Yugi blinked confused at the accusation before he finally looked around and it hit him like a ton of bricks that he left the room in such a horrible state! Yugi's eyes widened when he realized this and looked back towards the brunette with a scared expression, instinctively he held up a hand and backed away a bit.

“OMG! I'-I'm sorry! I didn't even notice! I-I'll clean everything up I promise!” Yugi's meek persona once again surfaced as he felt the intimidation from the group hang over him, it was like he was back at school and cornered by bullies once again.

“You betta! Despite the accent mate I'm NOT Marry Bloody Poppin's! I'm not you're personal maid! And if you think I'm gonna clean up after ya I'm gonna give ya a spoon fulla my FIST! Hows that to help the medicine go down!?”

Valon's hand tightened into a fist to give extra emphasis on his threat, which worked since Yugi was feeling intimidated by the man. Finally the other swordsmen had come out of their initial shock and listened into Valon's ranting watching Yugi they could see he wasn't as confident as before, maybe because he was staring down much larger people then the two teens.

“I didn't mean to make a mess! I was gonna clean it up and I just got distracted and- okay no this isn't working. I'm making a horrible impression on you!” Yugi took in a deep breath and with one hand brushed his blonde fringe out of his face before changing his expression to more confident smile, he held out his hand in a gesture for greeting.

“Let's start over! Hi I'm Yusei- No! I mean I'm Yuya- No! I'm Yuki- No! I'm I'm Im-” Yugi was sweating with anxiety before his face had turned red from all of the previous wrong names he yelled out.

“I AM…so embarrassed…” Yugi sighed looking down and holding the box close to his chest with both hands now. How on earth could he forget his own name!? He was supposed to work with these people and now all they were gonna see was a scared child!

The swordsmen had watched him as he continued to ramble off names and slowly shrink back into himself. Valon and Alister had an unimpressed expression on their faces while Raphael kept his normally stone hearted look. He did notice Yugi's embarrassment, he looked like kid who had wanted to appear to be grown up in front of his peers but came off as childish. Recognizing this it did move his heart slightly since he'd experienced this kind of embarrassment before in his childhood and knew what Yugi must be feeling.

So he decided to break the ice so to speak, he cleared his throat getting everyone's attention before he spoke.

“Hello Embarrassed, I'm Raphael.”

His deadpanned expression mixed with his flat delivery caused everyone to be silent for a moment before Alister's frowned mouth curled upward into a slight grin he started to chuckle under his breath and had to turn away a bit. Valon tried to bite his lower lip to keep himself from laughing but failed tremendously as he burst out laughing. Raphael looked between the two of them and had a slight smile on his face, satisfied with the results he folded his arms and looked at Yugi.

Yugi was dumbfounded by how Raphael's words managed to get his fellow swordsmen to lighten up rather quickly. He wasn't really sure what to think of this, should he laugh too or- Finally Valon had gotten enough of grip on himself to wipe away a tear and breathe normally again.

“Raph! You always know how to bring the sunshine mate!” Valon looked down at Yugi with a neutral expression he put his good hand on his hip. “Relax kid, I ain't gonna smack ya but you are gonna clean this place up, right?”

Yugi blinked then nodded with a smile “O-Of course! I'm sorry again I should be more mindful of my actions. I mean we are gonna be working together. After all we are the four musketeers!” He raised a fist up looking to his fellow swordsmen again.

Alister and Raphael had the same neutral expression Valon had earlier but Valon rolled his eyes a bit with and added chuckle.

“Nice try kid but we all know there's only 3 Musketeers!”

“Uhh…actually there are four…” Yugi interjected, making Valon pout a bit and want to argue again only for Raphael to speak up.

“Actually he's right there were four of them. Athos, Aramis, Porthos, and D'Artagnan.”

This made Valon turn his head to the blonde and blinked confused “Wait are you serious?!”

Alister then rolled his eyes and crossed his arms looking at Valon “Someone clearly didn't read the book.”

Valon now turned to Alister and yelled “Wait it's a book!? I thought we was named after the candy bar!”

This made Alister glare at him in annoyance “Did you seriously think we named yourselves after the candy bars?”

“Well yeah there's three of them in a package there's three of us so it makes sense to me.” Valon folded his good arm, making Alsiter smack his face in embarrassment.

“You realize you JUST made the high school student look smarter then you right now right?” Alister grumbled through his hand.

Valon growled and shouted “Hey! you know not all of us is as well read as you!”

“Wouldn't kill ya to pick up a book once in while Val! Then maybe you'd stop embarrassing yourself.”

As the two continued to argue Raphael only rolled his eyes and let them go on, he knew it was the only way to really let them cool off so they'd be less likely to argue more later. Yugi watched on and as he did he couldn't help but see his old friends in the three men; this was how Joey and Tristan would act at times getting into arguments with each other normally leading to some kind of violence between the two, Tea would either end up having to step in to stop them or she'd just watch on with Yugi annoyed with their childishness.

Yugi couldn't help but smile as his mind drifted to those better times, finally he just started to giggle then was laughing out loud. As he did Valon and Alister stopped fighting as they heard Yugi laughing, soon all three of the swordsmen looked at Yugi confused as what had made him laugh this hard.

“Uhh… what's the joke kid?” Valon looked at Yugi who'd had also noticed them staring at him and managed to collect himself enough to answer.

“You guys are people…you're people…” Yugi smiled to them which brought on another confused expression from each of them.

“Yeah, we're are people.” Alister answered flatly. “What else would we be?” he folded his arms.

“Uh nothing…” Yugi sighed contently and turned around “I'm gonna start cleaning this mess.”

Yugi smiled and headed towards the table to put the box down then he began to pick up some of the cards on the ground closest to him. The three swordsmen looked between each other still confused about what had just happened. Valon giving a shrug before he headed towards the table to sit the other two following after him.

--

After Kaiba exploded about Yami Yugi's loss to Raphael during the video call the gang knew they would have to find a different method to get to Florida. They ultimately decided split up; Yami, Tea, Joey and Tristan would use a train to get to the airport, while Mai, Duke, Rebecca and Professor Hawkin's would drive into town to find another airport then meet each other there.

Everyone started packing up and getting themselves ready; Tea and Mai had mentioned they wanted a quick shower so they could change clothes for the trip. The Professor's RV had running water so he offered it to them along with the bed room for them to change. Mai offered Tea the shower first so she was in the shower while Mai instructed the boys to keep their distance and help move things into Duke's car again for the drive, and to help pack up her bike on the trailer hitch.

Yami Yugi had wondered outside and further into the desert away form his friends whom he didn't want to face right now. The sun was beating down hard as it getting closer to Noon, he stopped just past a few rocks and looked down at the ground. Only dust and rocks at his feet and stray lizard that had run by. His mind was still flooded with guilt not only because of what happened to Yugi but now the world was in danger because of his actions.

//What have I done? Now thanks to me he's gone…and if he is the key to stopping DOMA I just handed him over to them! Partner…how could I have done this to you…//

His mind drifted back to the duel, just when he was about to play the Seal of Orichalcos Yugi stopped him only for him to yell at him.

“This is my fight! This is my justice! My beliefs are on the line! And I don't need you butting into everything I do! Do you hear me!? Be quiet and stay out of this!”

He winced at his own words as they echoed in his memory; he longed to have his old memories back to know who he was in his past… but with this memory oh how he wished he could forget this one too. “I DONT NEED YOU!”

His gut sank even lower at that final staement the final thing he told Yugi before he played that awful card. The fear in Yugi's eyes… he did that to him. Tears started to threaten in the corner of his own eyes now. And even after he was so rotten Yugi still saved him! He always saved him from becoming his worse self but now- tears ran down his cheeks as he tried to scrub them away.

He felt weak and powerless…

“So you never did change did you?”

Yami blinked and turned around for the source of the voice, it was Mai standing with her arms crossed and a look of disappointment on her face. Yami didn't want to look her in the eyes right now so he looked at the ground again.

“I really had hoped you had changed since our duel in Duelist Kingdom. And I had believed it during Battle City. You grew up you changed and became even stronger as a duelist. You trusted yourself and you still kept your principles. But the Yugi I saw back there in that duel…That was the same scared and stubborn child I duel back in the finals.”

“Y-you don't understand. There was so much riding on that duel! I had to use the Seal it was-”

“It was the cowards way out! You were scared of losing so you decided any method was the best method even if it would cost you someone precious!” She yelled.

“I never thought he would-” Yami argued only to be shot down again.

“You knew what the other Yugi was like! You KNEW he'd never put you in danger! I think he'd starve himself before he'd let you go hungry! Face it you did this because you're a coward!” Mai pointed to him.

He hated that word he HATED it so much! It drove a dagger into his stomach and twisted it deeper inside the more he thought about it. She was right…he didn't need to play the card, if only he'd had Yugi's humility… if only he had listened to him! Why didn't he listen to him? Yami looked as if he was about to cry again, only to feel Mai put her hand on his shoulder.

He looked up at her and saw she'd softened her expression a bit and looked him directly in the eyes.

“You screwed up big time…but now is the REAL test for you. You can either sit here and wallow in your own pain and failure. Or you can find the strength to keep going you can find the strength to fight for him again.”

Mai took her hand off his shoulder and headed back towards her Jeep, Yami stood there and watched her leave before returning his gaze to the sands. He swallowed hard and turned around heading towards the trailer.

--

Yugi had taken off his long over coat and hung it on the back of one of the chairs while he cleaned up. He didn't realize just how much of mess he'd made until he had to perform his own personal game of 52 pick up but instead it was more like 5200 pick up. Luckily for him he was used to having to clean up loose cards not only that but cleaning up after kids in general. When they'd come to the store most times the kids would make mess of things and of course it was Yugi's job to clean up the mess afterwards. it was quite an annoyance for him but over time he'd gotten used to it and was much faster at tidying up.

After cleaning up the cards around him and placing them back in their cases in the proper order Yugi decided to sweep the floor a bit, a habit he picked up form his grandfather. As he swept up his fellow swordsmen sat at the rectangular table and watched him work. They didn't mind he was being extra cleanly no doubt a way to show he was sorry for the mess from earlier. And it meant they were spared from cleaning up before Dartz would come back and check in on them.

Valon decided to speak up first.

“You know I don't get why you went so nuts about the cards in here, don't your family own a card shop or somethin'?”

Yugi kept his sweeping momentum going while answering.

“Well first, it's a general game store not exclusively a card shop. Domino City has a few hobby and card shops but we focus on a variety of games. Even though Gramps prefers old school styled ones like chess, solitaire, etc. Second, this is like the biggest card collection I've ever seen in my life!”

Yugi gestured to the cabinets around them before going up to case to case and reading off the cards he'd just put back.

“I've never even heard of half of these cards before! “Nightmare Tri-Mirror” “Royal Decree” “Spirit Hunting” I swear Dartz must have the worlds best collection!”

Yugi sounded so excited when he was talking about cards it was like talking to someone about their special interest, once they get going they just get more excited and happy.

“We do have access to every card produced, Dartz would reserve only the best ones for us and himself of course. ” Raphael answered.

“Guess that makes us pretty lucky.” Yugi smiled before finally finishing his sweeping. “Which means I can make a really strong deck just like Dartz said.”

He put the broom away and went back to the table to pick up his card box. Instead of sitting at the table with the other's Yugi sat on the ground and started to sort through his cards; making piles for magic, trap and monsters. They all found it a bit odd Yugi would just sit on the ground and work but then again it's not like the ground wasn't clean.

As he started working Alister piped up curious.

“So what kind of deck will you build?”

Yugi paused for a bit thinking “Well I'm still brain storming a bit…I've always stuck to dark monsters but maybe I can try something different…”

“Well if you were looking to use the God cards you're outta luck kid. I don't think Dartz will be willing to part with them even for you.” Valon grinned a bit as he sat back in his chair he was hoping he got on Yugi's nerves just a bit since he was the type to tease people.

The air in the room had a sudden chill sweep across as Yugi paused what he was doing holding one single card in his hand. His hand shook a little as he bit down on his teeth hard trying to repress the anger that was building in him.

He huffed out

“Fine with me. I hope I NEVER see those miserable things again!” Yugi slapped the card down on the ground.

All three men looked down at Yugi confused by his answer, especially Valon.

“What's the matter kid? You was ready to fight us at 'fisty cuffs' to get them back the first night we met, now you're acting like their cursed or somefin'…oh shit they ain't actually cursed are they?” Valon sweated looking at the others before looking back at Yugi.

“No, they aren't 'cursed' but they might as well be…” Yugi paused again as his mind was starting to flood with memories of the events of the latest tournament. It started to over flow and this time he had no dam to try and hold himself back from speaking so he started to spill.

“Everyone thinks Battle City was some kind of cake walk for me since The Nameless Pharaoh gained all three of the God cards and won the title of Duel King. But every other duel was like life or death! A constant parade of one bad event after another like a waking nightmare!”

Raphael watched him carefully; he knew this kind of body language meant this was a touchy subject for Yugi, still a fresh wound not quite healed and still festering under the bandages. While he was curious he still understood the pain, so he didn't really want to press him more but Valon ever the curious sort asked for him.

“Whadda ya mean?”

Yugi was still he had both hands on the ground now as he stopped and tried to think of his answer, his heart was overflowing with emotions and his mind was trying to control them as best it could. He wasn't sure how to best answer so he decided to start from the beginning.

“You guys know who the 'Ghouls' are right?”

They did, they encountered them a few times in their line of work. Card thieves and counterfeiters who worked under a mysterious man only known as Marik, only recently they'd been disbanded due to Marik's change of heart.

“Like me Marik was chosen to hold a Millennium Item-the Millennium Rod; using it he could control people's minds and make them do what he wanted like some kind of twisted puppet master…And of course he had some kind of grudge against the Nameless Pharaoh meaning he held a grudge against me.”

“During Battle City he sent his goons after me; The first guy…I didn't know his name but he used an Exodia deck. Not bad once you figure it out and can counter him. But then the next guy was a Dark Magician user and some kind of illusionist? Archena. He was a BIG time cheater! He shackled our ankles to the ground, with giant buzz saws that would inch closer to our legs every time we'd lose life points and if you lose you'd get your legs sawed off and die bleeding to death!”

All three older men's eyes widened when they heard him talking about the buzz saw trap, they all exchanged a looked between each other before Yugi continued with his recount of Battle City. After that duel The Nameless Pharaoh had dueled a Mime named Strings who held the God card Slyfir the Sky Dragon and how they would have lost if Kaiba didn't show up to kept give them a confidence boost. But speaking of Kaiba.

“And you know you'd think Kaiba would be a little more thoughtful and hold a little sympathy about the fact a maniac was after my friends and they would be in serious life threatening danger but NOOOOO! It's just “We have to Duel Yugi!” “You can't run away from our fated Duel, Yugi!” Like are you SERIOUS RIGHT NOW!? I told his stubborn ass we didn't have time to fight and of course he has away to track Joey down for me. BUT I'm stuck having to hear him go on about 'fated fight' this and 'duel title' that! I wanted to smack him SO hard!”

Yugi rubbed his face hard just thinking about Kaiba's stubbornness and how it almost cost them a tag team duel that would have gotten them BOTH killed made him fume. Alister couldn't help but relate to Yugi's plight about Seto Kaiba, his rude and selfish attitude and how nothing else mattered as long as he got what he wanted.

Yugi's shoulders lowered again as now he had to recall his most painful memory from Battle City, his life or death duel against Joey…Marik used his mind control to brainwash his best friend and force them to fight with each other. One or none of them would survive if Marik had it his way, how could someone be so cruel? Forcing two people to fight in such a despicable manner…burning this pain forever into his heart. And why? because he was mad at the Nameless Pharaoh for something he wasn't even present for? He wasn't the one who killed Marik's father…Marik's dark self did that! And of course Shadi…Odion…even Ishizu was there! WHY! WHY didn't they tell him!?

All of this madness and pain could have been avoided if any of them had done something to stop Marik! But no they all sat back and allowed everything to happen! It didn't matter who got hurt right? As long as the Pharaoh could regain his memories…

“All of Millennium Items…They really do have evil in them…And HE'S part of it! Why did my friends have to suffer just because of him!?”

Yugi felt tears welling up in the corners of his eyes, he was angry not just angry he was furious! A great fury that caused the Seal of Orichalcos to appear on his forehead again. The more he thought about it the more it made sense one by one more people were hurt by this; Bakura was injured thanks to the spirit of his Ring working with Marik and he too was later sent into the shadows. Odion suffered from Ra's wrath for using a fake card given to him by Marik to trick them all into thinking he was the real one. Mai was tortured then trapped in a living nightmare as her mind was eaten by the darkness…and Joey…Joey died right in front of his eyes…

“Why…Why did everyone have to suffer just so he could regain his memories? Why does he get to step on all of us just so he can be 'King'?!”

Yugi grit his teeth hard as he felt the darkness start to surround him, he felt the power enter his body driving his anger which made the darkness grow stronger around him, the three swordsmen now witnessing his descent into darkness thanks to Orichalcos.

“…why did I give up my soul for him?” Yugi's tears fell down his cheek as he finally started to sob into his hands.

“When am I going to learn? When am I going to stop being so…stupid.”

As they all watched Yugi break down in front of them, collectively they each realized Yugi was just like each of them. Brutalized and used by a cruel world and left to suffer under a great deal of regret and pain. They all had found themselves in his shoes once and just like him Dartz had come and given them a chance to thrive and finally change the world with their own hands.

Raphael once again was the first one to act, he slowly got up and walked towards Yugi, getting down on his knees he came close to the boy to speak.

“You are not stupid.”

His words rang out and into Yugi's ears making him look up from his hands and turn his head to the more gentle look Raphael had on his face.

“You put your faith in the wrong person, everyone is capable of that. But now you know better…you're on the right side for once.”

“He's right, it's not you're fault the Nameless Pharaoh is corrupted by darkness. He's the one who hurt your friends not you.” Alister got up and stood beside Raphael crossing his arms but he also had an understanding look on his face.

“Exactly! And that prick has the balls to toss you unda the lore just so he can strut 'round and pretend to be you? I say you go and teach that faker a lesson! Show him and everyone else who the real Yugi Mutou is huh? ” Valon grinned getting up and giving a wink.

“We got yur back kid! After all we are the Four Musketeers right?”

Yugi, Raphael and Alister all blinked at Valon surprised by his answer, he then shrugged and said

“What can I say ? its starting the grow on me!”

Yugi looked at both Alister and Valon and wiped some of the tears away, he never thought these guys would be this kind to him. Yugi felt the Seal of Orichalcos leave his forehead, he then felt a very large hand on his shoulder. It was Raphael who once again offered a kind expression, it was hard believe a man so intimating could actually be so kind.

Yugi sighed and sniffled a bit collecting himself as he sat up straight and looked at each of his fellow swordsmen.

“Thank you…now I know that you have my back, I know I wont lose to him.”

[griseldabanks]

for the ask game, would you do #23 for link and zelda?

Let Me Count the Ways ask game

Prompt: "I feel like we've met before…."

“You only want to go there because you think she'll be there.”

“I do not!” Link retorted, hanging his helmet on Epona's handlebars while holding his phone to his ear with the other hand. “I'm going to study for midterms, like I said. Not my fault you didn't want to come along.”

“And watch Malon making googly eyes at you the whole time? No thanks.”

Link paused halfway through slinging his backpack over his shoulder. “What? Malon?”

He could practically hear the rolled eyes across the phone line. “Oh brother. She's had her eye on you since orientation!”

“Really? How can you tell?”

“Because I have eyes in my head!”

Suddenly, Link spotted a familiar pink backpack weaving through the tables outside the coffee shop, heading towards the door. “Sorry, Navi, gotta go.”

“Hey! Listen to me—“

He hung up and darted over to the front door, managing to reach it just in time. He grabbed the door and pulled it open.

The girl who'd been reaching for it started at his sudden appearance, then let her extended hand fall back to her side. “Oh...thanks!”

She smiled up at him before stepping inside, and for one glorious moment, their eyes met. Link grinned stupidly, but she'd already passed him.

Heart pounding in his chest, Link followed her into Lon Lon Cafe. He stuffed his hands into the pocket of his green hoodie, trying to act casual as he stepped into line right behind her. He glanced up at the girl behind the cash register, and the pleasant giddiness in his chest deflated somewhat as he remembered what Navi had said. Sure enough, Malon spotted him and immediately shot him a grin, tucking a lock of red hair behind her ear. And she kept glancing at him as she listened to the next customer's order.

Link looked back at the girl in front of him instead. Zelda. So was so pretty, her blonde hair pulled back in a half-ponytail, golden earrings dangling from her ears and catching the light.... And there was an elegance to all of her movements, even simply in the way she pulled her wallet out of her purse. Like a princess...if princesses ever graced college-town coffee shops.

Suddenly, she looked over her shoulder and turned to face him. “Hey, do I know you?”

The bottom dropped out of Link's stomach. “What?”

Zelda cocked her head to one side. “I feel like we've met before....”

Link swallowed, mouth suddenly dry. “Uh...History 101. Professor Rauru.”

Zelda's face brightened with recognition, and somehow she looked even more beautiful that way. “That's it! So are you ready for—“

“Next!”

With a little start, Zelda quickly turned around and stepped up to the front of the line. While she was ordering her drink, Link couldn't help noticing that Malon wasn't smiling anymore, but answering Zelda tersely and stabbing at the register with more force than necessary.

When it was his turn to order, Link was a little nervous at how Malon would receive him, but to his relief, the second her eyes landed on him, a huge smile lit up her face again. He might have been imagining things, but he thought he detected a hint of sharpness in her gaze that wasn't there normally. “What can I get you?”

Link opened his mouth to reply, but she talked over him.

“Pumpkin spice latte, right? As usual?”

He'd actually been thinking of trying out something different this time, but she was already ringing him up, and he did like anything pumpkin spice-flavored, so he remained silent and just handed over a couple blue rupee notes.

Zelda was still waiting for her drink at the other end of the counter, and Link's heart skipped a beat when she glanced up from her phone as he strode over to her to wait as well. “So, what's your major?” she asked, her blue eyes bright and interested.

“Uh...undeclared, so far,” Link admitted, feeling his cheeks go warm. “I came in with an archery scholarship, but I don't know if that's what I want to go with....”

“Well, that's okay,” Zelda said. “You're a freshman, right? You've got plenty of time to figure it out.”

“Wait, are you not a freshman?”

Zelda giggled. “Oh—no, I'm a sophomore. I just didn't get around to history last year. I wanted to take harp lessons, and my schedule didn't work out.”

“So you're a music major?” Link brightened at that. Maybe he should've signed up for singing lessons or something after all.

“For now,” Zelda said with a thoughtful frown. “I love the harp, but I've been thinking about switching to political science instead. Do some real good in the world, you know?”

The more they talked, the more relaxed Link felt, just like he was talking to Navi or Saria—except that every time their eyes met, he felt a glorious swoop in his stomach. “Maybe your harp can usher in world peace,” he said with a grin.

As Zelda laughed, the barista slid their drinks across the counter towards them. “So do you play any instruments?”

“Oh, just the ocarina—“

They both reached for their drinks at the same time. Both froze, staring at the backs of their hands. Link's left, Zelda's right. Like a strangely geometric birthmark, against their pale skin was the clear outline of a triangle divided into four smaller triangles. On Link's hand, the smaller triangle on the bottom right was filled in; on Zelda's, it was the bottom left.

Link stared at their hands, the marks upon them perfect mirrors of each other. For his whole life, his soul mark had been there, as familiar a sight as the moles and freckles on his arms. He knew it was supposed to be a reflection of his soul, and the legends went that somewhere out there, his soulmate bore the mirror image of it. But who that person was, or if he'd ever meet them...that just wasn't something he bothered thinking about too much.

Just like anyone, there had certainly been times when he'd wondered who his soulmate was. Growing up, he'd compared soul marks with his friends—Saria had been extremely disappointed when she realized that the swirly mark on her shoulder was nothing like his soul mark. In idle moments, he would daydream about whether his soulmate would turn out to be someone he married, like his parents, or a really good friend, or maybe even one of his children someday.

But then life got busy, and there was no time to think about something so frivolous when school and archery club ate up so much of his time. If he ever met his soulmate, he would deal with it then.

Then was now.

Slowly, Link's eyes traveled up Zelda's arm to her eyes, which were open wide with shock. “Does this mean...?”

“You're...m-my....”

“Oh my!” Zelda's face instantly grew as red as a tomato, and she whirled away from him, covering her cheeks with her hands. Link's eyes were glued to the back of her right hand. The soul mark was unmistakable.

Without warning, Zelda began speed-walking back through the cafe, almost knocking into several people on her way out.

“Wait—Zelda!” Link grabbed both of their drinks and rushed after her, finally catching up to her where she had collapsed into a chair at one of the tables under an umbrella out front.

Hesitantly, Link set Zelda's drink down in front of her, then slipped his backpack off his shoulder and sank into the chair across the table. He looked over at her staring fixedly at the cast-iron tabletop as if she could melt it with a glance.

Just to have something to do, Link sipped his pumpkin spice latte, but it scalded his tongue, so he set it aside.

She was so pretty, even with the blush extending all the way down her neck. Actually, the blush made her look even prettier, the pink tinge of her skin setting off the pink shirt she wore.

She's my soulmate, he thought numbly. All I wanted was to talk to her, maybe ask her out eventually...and she's my soulmate. The most important person in my life.

“Um...sorry,” Zelda said with a shaky laugh, looking up at last and tucking a strand of golden hair behind her ear. “I didn't mean to run out, I just...that took me completely by surprise!”

“Yeah, uh...m-me too.”

They both realized at the same time that they were staring at each other's hands, and broke into nervous laughter.

“So, we're...soulmates.” Zelda let out a long breath. “No, saying it out loud didn't help. It still doesn't sound real.”

A sudden thought occurred to Link that made his heart sink. “Hey, um...just because of this,” he pointed at the back of his hand, “that doesn't mean we have to...I mean, it's just a legend. You don't have to feel, like, obligated to...to hang out with me or....”

To his relief, she smiled sweetly at him. “You're right. But...I'd still like to get to know you. If...you don't mind.”

“No, of course!” Link said, a little too quickly and too loudly. He cleared his throat, his cheeks burning again. “Can I buy you coffee or something sometime? I-I mean, I know we already got coffee, but....” Crap, he was making such a fool of himself....

But Zelda just giggled, hiding her smile behind the hand that bore the mirror image of his soul mark. “Yes, you can take me on a date sometime. But, um...what's your name, anyway?”

“Oh!” They'd been talking all this time, and he still hadn't introduced himself. “It's Link. Nice to meet you.”

Zelda cocked her head to one side. “Link...strange...it feels somehow familiar....”

Link realized he'd felt the same way, the first time he'd learned Zelda's name. He'd passed it off as merely thinking it was a pretty name, but...maybe it was a sign that their souls were bonded to each other.

Either way, as they sat at the coffee shop and continued to get to know each other, everything felt right with the world in a way it never had before.

[s0lar-ch3ri]

making this a series ig (spoilers, mostly minor, idk well just have to ROLL WITH IT AND SEE)

episode is starting from zero, episode 1 (quick note: i love how excited everyone is aty the beggining for this camoain, so heartwarming) "'for all you audio listeners your about to hear what a man catching on fire sounds like' 'and also a house catching on fire'" "so its like 3 belts? yeah" "this character sucks not enough belts" ok chip hasnt been described and hes already drawn blood "how much trouble does this woman have keeping her pants up holy shit" "anything that looks valueable, take it" "whats a barrel" instant love with this campaine from here "ill carry this" "ok" "but w h y" “this is the fastest I've ever committed arson in a campaign” "ok as soon as we light this ill let them know so they die an honorable death" "but the barrel is terrified of fire" "so this is a barrel" "lets blow up this popcicle place" hes trying guys "grab a barrel as well i need to study" "in you multitude of belts" when did i forget jay had so many and got bullied for it "i hope she didnt find any more belts in there" ok but whenever i hear marshal jon being described the dopamine just floods out "oh! that wasnt the bathroom!" "no it was not, it was the room where we got the explosives" "WHAT ARE YOU GRABBING THE EXPLOSIVES FOR" "to blow up your ship" bro i loved how gill interacted with people before what an idiot /pos "gill make a-dont make anything you told the truth" gotta love grizzly doing a save "and jay you go to kick this man in the back of the knee and you do you realise that his calf muscles are literally built like boulders" "i want to put my hand on his shoulder" and so it begins the convincing! yes gill go!! "hang on let me see that...big j" "JON, ITS YOUR CHOIIIIIIIIIIIIIISE" "as the door is blown off-" "did somebody fart?" ah yes gill you lit the explosive that makes people fart" "BACHOW!" please dont stop this man from making random noises its great "is your skin always wet or is it dry?" GRIZZ ASKING THE REAL QUESTIONS!! "you are to learn a lesson from the moisture master!" remember when gill made his title canon now, its 6 seconds to 20 minutes in "THOSE PIRATES!" man knowing him now its kinda strange to hear him hunting them down "i just occasonally grab people and im like 'you can be better'" cant believe gill went from telling people to be better to just immedately trying to solve their problems (like not even 2 episodes later if im remembering right) "excellent jay you are a fog frog" "im gonna steal somebody's hat then run out the door" jay stealing chips job now "im passing the barrel out the window" i remember when hed just be a problem for any stealth kind of movements "MY FRIEND SAID HE DOESNT WANT YOU TO HAVE AN ADVANTAGE" "there is still time" ITS STARTING WOW "you get the sense this guy cannot see very well" i forgot he had sight problems "YOU BLEW A HOLE IN OUR TOWER" "and you blew a hole in my heart" ACCIDENTAL FORESHADOWING AND A GREAT MOMENT FOR SHIPPERS?? HOW MUCH IS CHARLIE FEEDING US WITH GILLION TIDESTRIDER!?!!? (spoiler: a lot) "can i make a persuasion check?" "sure" if charlie never said this we would never have the future pirate jon, IF HE NEVER GOT A 16 THINK WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED "you cant tell if i cry a single tear or if im usually that moist" the fact that he is can make for an angsty hc that nobody really would notice gill crying "jon didnt make it" oh this better not be another accidental foreshadow "you see, a pink frogtupus" everyone being excited for the preztal reveal was also all of us huh dont lie! "i look like a big flounder" fanartists canon gill description /j "god damn it big j" friendly reminder that (from what ive seen) marshal jon is the only character gill gave a nickname, and he had met him like 20+ minutes ago "YA BOY GILL ABOUTA BE FRIED" "ima just grab them both and jump" ngl i cant put my finger on it but calmer gillion probs the chaos control thats needed because of him being feral "jon this is for you" *proceeds to get an 8* (would have been epic if he suceeded that charisma tho) "jon, the power is- eyeh" "i look over wistfully (?) 'but w h y?'"

[vanmarkus]

20 questions for fic writers

I was tagged by the lovely @jesuisici33 thank you mwuah 💛

I'm gonna put some of it under the cut bc it got kinda long uhh

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

15

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

188,136

3. What fandoms do you write for?

currently consumed by 911, but most of my fics either belong to The Witcher or Stranger Things

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

789 – Long and Lost /geraskier, 9.7k, explicit/

707 – It might walk like a duck /steddie, 10k, explicit/

656 – The Companion /geraskier, 6.9k, mature/

634 – A promise I could not make (But what if I was wrong?) /geraskier, 16.4k, mature/

451 – Of Banquets and Destinies /geraskier, 5.4k, gen/

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Absolutely!! I love everyone who takes the time to comment on my stuff, it makes me so happy and excited whenever I get the email 💛

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I'm a firm believer of heavy angst + happy endings, but I gotta say But where they lay, they cannot stay is hands down the angstiest, because it can barely be classified as a happy ending oops

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

I guess Spare me your dreams has a pretty sappy ending lol

8. Do you get hate on fics?

No, but once I got a comment on the last chapter of a multi, saying that they 'liked it up until the smut' because I made them use spit as lube and apparently 'I was promoting unsafe sexual practices'........ love, this is fiction and not a sex ed class. The characters in question weren't even fully human, come on now.

I have been moderating my comments ever since, because I'm just not willing to give the time of day to idiots like that.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Funnily enough I wasn't big on smut for a really long time and though I felt that some stories needed it, I always just wanted to get it over with as quickly as possible (I also used to skim sex scenes when I was reading) because I just didn't really find them interesting... that kinda changed when I found some truly exquisite fics and realised that smut can be written just engagingly as the rest of the story and now I include explicit smut in most of the stuff I write. I just really enjoy getting into that part of the characters' minds and finding different scenarios and new nasty things for them to do 😊

What kind? Hmm. Not sure, I like to sprinkle in some sub/dom undertones and a little bit of a praisekink or edging even for the most vanilla stuff. I wouldn't say my stuff is that kinky?? Though I did write watersports, public settings and some degradation too, but who even knows what's considered kinky nowadays...

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

I don't write crossovers, I don't even read them... it's just not for me, I guess.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of, so hopefully not

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope, or at least I can't remember anyone asking

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

It was the way I used to RP in high school... I'd write a paragraph and then my roommate would write the next and we'd pass the notebook back and forth until we finished... it was mostly smut though and I have no idea if I could actually co-write something publishable 💔

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

I have a few forever fandoms and forever ships... but I gotta say buddie is the most fun I ever had in fandom so far, so I think they deserve the title (hah)

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

fuck, so many 😭 but I have a long steddie fic (26k already written and it's about halfway done) that I regret not finishing, because it was the ultimate angst and character study and I just... yeah, it would've been great, but maybe I get into the mood when season 5 comes out (or it'll just make me wanna never touch the fandom ever again, who knows)

16. What are your writing strengths?

Not sure what counts as strength, but I love learning the speech patterns of the characters I'm writing for and I guess I've gotten kind of alright at it??

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Writing fluff is definitely something that doesn't come easy for me

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

Worth it if it makes sense in context and you can make sure that you translate correctly (or realistically incorrectly, if that's what you're going for). Overusing another language just to show that you can is not a good reading experience though, especially if you only put the translation in the end notes.

Also, making a character that rarely ever speaks that language speak it extensively without a good reason can take me out of the story real fucking quick... generally just use it when it makes sense and you can make sure that you're not butchering it.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

I think the first one I ever posted online was a RyoDa fic (jpop rpf, respectively) and the first fandom I posted for on ao3 was Stranger Things

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

Hmmmm. It kinda changes as I move along. I always felt like Hunger at last was pretty under-appreciated compared to my other witcher fics, but It might walk like a duck was something I wrote in about 2 days because it came to me so smoothly and I really enjoyed writing it... The Companion is a big favourite for me because I think it was a pretty unique idea to work with... also it's not even posted yet but the mudslide fic already has such a special place in my heart, plus it has my favourite confession scene I've ever written so...

idk I'm not a very decisive person lmao sorry

✨no pressure tagging: @forthewolves @eddiediaztho @daffi-990 @callaplums @ladydorian05 and anyone who wants to do it 💛

[waltwhitmansbeard]

There's so many good ones, but can we get a Vaxleth #10 for MFL?

10. "Can you braid my hair?" this takes place shortly before the events of my fair lady. i guess this is now my fair lady: drabble #10? i gotta go update everything lol oh yeah if this is mfl then obv it's inspired by @romeoandjulietyouwish's medival au!!

Keyleth is not a fool. She is aware that her value to her people comes from several sources—her ability to make decisions, her knowledge of her nation's needs and capabilities, her years of studying at her father's elbow. There is another source of value, one she has long been loath to acknowledge, but one that is getting harder and harder to ignore: her someday match with a powerful man who will bring a boon to the Ashari Nation.

Even before she became of marriageable age, nobles and royalty from all across the globe have been throwing their sons at her, hoping to impress her and her father with their looks or their money or their connections enough to lead to such a match. Keyleth detests each of these meetings, where some strapping young man with a winning smile and too many anecdotes about hunting or archery or jousting tries to woo her over an elaborate dinner, with said young man's hopeful parents just a few seats down the table, trying not to seem too desperate as they watch on eagerly. Keyleth has never been good with small talk, but she is even worse when the tone of the conversation is intended to be flirtatious. She stumbles and blushes her way through each of these meals, which unfortunately only encourages these men, who believe her to be so overcome by their charms that what they are doing must clearly be working.

It isn't. Tonight, like every dinner before, Keyleth is not swept away by this Dwendalian viscount's charisma; if anything, she is barely paying attention, doing her best not to spend the entire night searching for Vax's eyes across the dining chamber. He is positioned near the door, which, luckily, Keyleth is facing. She works so hard to keep the misery from her face, but in the brief moments where their eyes lock, she lets the truth slip, and Vax smiles at her with some mixture of encouragement and pity.

She cannot remember if she says anything particularly insightful or engaging during the dinner, but then, she isn't trying to. When the meal is over, their Dwendalian guests, who mercifully are in Zephrah only for the night before continuing on their journey to Emon, thank Keyleth and her father for being such gracious hosts. Keyleth smiles politely, though she is aware it doesn't reach her eyes. Before the guests retire for the evening, the viscount—surely he told her his name, surely she hasn't forgotten it already—pulls her off to the side to murmur, "I bet you taste delicious in bed, Your Highness."

Keyleth goes ramrod straight, all of the blood leaving her face. She hears a low chuckle in her ear, and then the viscount is leaving, saying his final farewells to Keyleth's father, who claps him on the shoulder and wishes him a good night. Barely breathing, Keyleth's eyes find Vax's, and he is watching her with concern, his hand gripping his dagger in a question. She gives the barest shake of her head, managing to pull herself together long enough to return the guests' goodbyes and bid her father farewell.

Then she is alone in the dining chamber, with only Vax left at the door. In an instant, he is by her side. "What happened?"

She shakes her head again. "I...I can't..."

"Do you want to go back to your chambers?" She nods fervently. "Alright, come on." He starts to wrap an arm around her shoulders, then must realize how inappropriate this would be should they be seen, so he gently places a hand on her back at a proper height and guides her into the hall. Keyleth is working on her breathing as they make their way toward her chambers. She hope her face resembles something normal as they walk, though she can't even remember if they pass anyone on their way.

As they approach her chamber door, Vax curses low under his breath. "Kynan." He slows his pace, and whispers to her, "Go inside. I'll speak to Kynan for a moment, and then I will be at your door within minutes, as fast as I possibly can. Alright?" She nods and doesn't need to ask which door he's referring to. She affixes a smile on her face, forced and painful, and murmurs a hello to Kynan as he opens the door for her. Once she's inside, in the safety of her rooms, where a fire has been stoked for the evening, she collapses, falling into a shaking heap on the floor before the hearth. She vaguely hears Vax's voice telling Kynan to keep an extra sharp eye out this evening, and then there is just the sound of the crackling fire and her own erratic breathing.

She doesn't count the time, but it is not long before there is a familiar scratching at the hidden door behind the tapestry, a sound as comforting to her as birdsong in the morning. She hauls herself off of the floor and opens it, immediately wrapped in Vax's arms.

"Kiki, please," he says into her hair as he pulls her to sit on the sofa by the fire. "Did he hurt you?"

She shakes her head. Her hands are trembling. Why is she so ridiculous? "No." Her mouth is dry. "No, I am...being silly."

"Keyleth." He guides her chin up so she is no longer staring down at her lap and is instead looking at him. "Something he said has you rattled, and I never want you to think yourself silly for feeling the way that you do about anything."

"I just...it surprised me, is all."

"What did?"

"He said...well. I have never had a man, a stranger, really, be so...forward."

She doesn't elaborate, but she doesn't need to. Realization dawns cold and dark across Vax's face. "I see."

"I-It was not a threat, nothing serious, I just..." Her eyes slide closed. She is suddenly so very tired. "I am not used to such advances. Not when they are unwanted."

"But you were made uncomfortable by it." She nods. "Then I am very tempted to slit his throat in his sleep."

Her eyes fly open. "Vax!"

He does not appear to be joking. "Any man who cares so little for you as to cause this kind of distress is not a man I care to let see another sunrise."

"Vax, no." She grips his hands. "I am sure he thought himself...I don't know, romantic for saying such things. He does not deserve to die for it."

Vax huffs out a sigh, clearly disagreeing. Still, he brings one of her hands to his lips, presses a gentle kiss to her knuckles. "Are you sure?"

"We are already at war with Draconia; the last thing we need is the Dwendalians coming at us, too."

His shoulders relax as he relents. "Fine. What do you need? What can I do to ease this discomfort?"

She sighs and leans into him. He is so warm, and she has been so cold. She wants to be out of this damned dress, wants these pins out of her hair and the aura of this terrible night off of her body. "I should like to change, and then...can you braid my hair?" There are few feelings in the world as comforting as Vax's fingers in her hair, their smooth movements as they weave her locks in and around each other into one of his brilliant plaits.

He kisses the top of her head. "Of course. Go get dressed, I'll be right here."

Reluctantly, she removes herself from his warmth and shuffles over to her dressing room, where she changes quickly into a nightdress. When she returns, Vax has her hairbrush and pats the sofa next to him. She sits, and one by one he delicately pulls the pins from her elaborate updo. Her hair cascades down her back, and she could fall asleep right here, with the pressure from the pins gone and the steady rhythm of the brush through her tresses soothing her nerves like a lullaby.

As he begins to braid her hair into something loose and simple, something she can easily sleep in, her heart finally slows to its normal cadence. Though she knows many responsibilities await her outside the walls of this chamber, she wishes with everything in her to never have to leave it again, to never have to part from this fire and this man and these hands in her hair. Someday, her duty will call her to wed an advantageous match for her people, and there is nothing in her future as a royal that she dreads more. But that someday is not today, not tonight, so with her eyes closed and her heart heavy, she will let the man she loves braid her hair, will let him love her the way she cannot believe any other will ever be able to do.

[kindheart525]

It was just in time for the annual family trip to Filly Fun Land when Luster Dawn came to stay with her Gramma and Grampa. Just when she thought it couldn’t get any more hectic than her packed week with her Nana, she was whisked away to the carnival before she had a chance to even put her suitcases down. It was such perfect timing to arrive the day they left for their trip, there was no way they didn’t plan this.

Luster used to go to theme parks as a little filly so this wasn’t entirely new to her. Her dad loved this stuff, now she could see where he got it from. It was almost like reliving a memory.

Yet in many ways it wasn’t the same at all. Her trips with her dad were much more carefree and unstructured. Her Papa always came up with a schedule but it really didn’t matter how much they followed it as long as they had fun. 

But with Gramma and Grampa it was like a performance. They went all-out with the coordinated mascot t-shirts and the expensive VIP passes like they were trying so hard to be a picture-perfect family. All of the pictures they took so far looked almost staged.

Luster’s dad loved amusement parks just as much as the rest of his family but he never went on these trips as far as she could remember. Maybe there was a reason?

“You gotta try out the roller coaster, Luster! It’s a blast!”

Her uncle urged her on excitedly, snapping her out of her thoughts.

First Base’s actions didn’t seem as staged as her grandparents. He seemed like he was genuinely having fun, along for the ride just because he wanted to. He was a lot like her dad in that aspect…he looked just like him too.

“Can we go on a slower ride first? I just had lunch.”

This wasn’t a lie, but looking up at the roller coaster she couldn’t help but notice how much bigger it was than any she had even gone on before. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to go on it at all.

First Base’s grin never dimmed at her turning down his offer.

“That’s fine! I know another ride you’d like! Follow me!”

With that he trotted off, somehow knowing exactly where to go even among all the crowds. Luster did her best to keep up.

She was starting to feel comforted by his genuine, unadulterated enthusiasm before he went on.

“Mom and Dad go on these trips every year, they have since I was a baby. It’s a family tradition! If you live with them we could have loads of fun together! Flash really missed out when he moved away and stopped coming with us. Kind of a killjoy, he was.”

Of course this was just a ploy to get her to live with them. Maybe it was as fun as he said but she didn’t like hearing about her dad this way. He was the opposite of a killjoy! Luster out of anypony knew that!

“Here we are! The boat rides!”

He pointed out the ride and started making a beeline towards it, motioning for his niece to follow him. She trotted after him but slowed down a little, turning her ears back to hear what her grandparents were talking about.

“There’s no way she’s gonna choose Stellar over us! We actually know how to make memories!”

“Been doing it for over 20 years. Beats renovating some old village.”

Honey Bee and Ironwing laughed like they were sharing an inside joke, but Luster knew exactly what they were talking about. They were just trying to make her live with them. As if deciding wasn’t hard enough already. She wanted to have fun with her family, she really did, but her grandparents seemed more interested in convincing her of something than actually spending time with her.

“Luster! Hurry up!”

She sped up, furthering the distance between her and her grandparents and doing her best to leave that drama behind her. She would at least try to have fun. As much as she could in these circumstances, anyway.

~~~~~~~~~~

Previous: Study Next: Schism

Collaboration with h0wlingb0nez Luster Dawn’s cutie mark by NC-TV

[bandedbulbussnarfblat]

Remember that post that joked about Daniel's daughters finding Armand playing with a blender in his house? I wrote a fic of it. Read it on ao3 here

“Dad?”

There's no answer. Rachel can hear a blender going inside; he must not be able to hear her. She digs her own keys out of her hoodie pocket and finds the old key to his place. She lets herself in and heads to the kitchen.

“This has kale. No one likes kale.” She can hear her dad say as she reaches the door. He's in sweat pants and a tee shirt and bedroom slippers. Standing in front of him is a young man holding a smoothie. He's attractive with dark hair and nice shoulders. Something's up with his eyes though, they almost look orange from this angle. And are those pajamas he's wearing?

“It's healthy; you need to eat more fruits and vegetables,” The young man says, passing Daniel the glass. “You can drink it while you take a walk.'

“Or I can make coffee.”

“The doctor recommends thirty minutes of physical activity a day.”

Rachel watches as her dad hooks a finger in the loop of the man's pants and tugs him forward. He murmurs something in his ear. The young man rolls his eyes, then smiles. “Later, if you behave.” Then he kisses Daniel on the cheek.

Rachel does not want to know. She does not want to know.

“Hi Daddy!” she blurts loudly.

Her father and the man turn to look her way. The man does indeed have orange eyes. And okay, whatever. People can wear whatever weird contacts they like. Daniel drops his hand from the man. The man studies her with his gaze, before glancing toward Daniel. They look at each other a moment and say nothing, but it certainly feels like they are communicating something.

“Hi sweetie; I didn't know you were stopping by.”

“Clearly,” she says dryly.

Rachel glances toward the young man. He's younger than her! Mid to late twenties, most like. She just celebrated her 30th birthday. It sent her on a spiral of despair, grief for her wasted youth and all the things she never did. Then she sobered up. Still, it was a reminder of her mortality, and with it, she thought of her father's. He's sick, and she doesn't know how much time they have left. She wants to make things right before he goes.

“This is Armand; he's an old friend,” Daniel says. He looks back at Armand for a second, giving him a Look. Rachel isn't sure what it means, but she's seen her mom do something similar to her stepdad enough to recognize its intimacy. “Armand, this is my youngest, Rachel.”

“Pleasure to meet you.” The voice is smooth like velvet and sweet like honey. And yeah, Rachel gets it. He's hot. Her father is old. Sure, she would have assumed this problem would be more lady-shaped, if it were to occur. How can she bring it up and still sound supportive? She hardly cares if he's gay or bi or whatever. But she doesn't want him taken advantage of by some gold digger. Especially when he hasn't got any gold to dig, not really.

“Uh-huh,” she says and crosses her arms. She really wants to grill this guy. Find out what he's about. She's never felt particularly protective of her father, their relationship has been strained since the divorce with her mom. But he's her dad and he's sick.

“What are you doing here, Rach?”

Rachel shrugs. “You know, it's been awhile.”

Before Daniel can answer—and she wants to hear his answer, she does—his phone rings. “I gotta take this,” he says, then glances between the two of them. “Play nice.”

As soon as he steps out of earshot Rachel snips “So do you call him Daddy too?”

Armand's face is expressionless.

“Never mind, low hanging fruit,” Rachel continues. “How long have you and my dad known each other?”

“Oh, years now,” Armand says, moving to the cupboard. He pulls down the can of coffee and starts the machine. It's new; Rachel has never seen it before. It has more buttons than can possibly be necessary.

“How many years?” she asks, then “You aren't one of his students are you?”

Armand tilts his head. “You believe your father would sleep with one of his students?”

“If they look like you, maybe,” Rachel says, then winces at the confirmation. “So you are sleeping together.”

“Does that bother you?”

Rachel glances out the door. Daniel is still speaking into the phone. She closes the door and turns to face him. “Real talk, aren't you a little young for him? Because trust me, fucking someone old enough to be your dad doesn't fix your daddy issues. I would know.”

Boy, would she know.

Armand chuckles lightly. “My relationship with my father wasn't lacking.”

Oh. Wasn't lacking. Past tense. Great. So he's probably fucking her dad because his own dad is dead and he has unresolved trauma around it or something. Who knows? But now she's a dick for bringing it up. “Can I ask why? I mean, what's in it for you?”

“Is your father not enough?”

That's a loaded question that Rachel doesn't want to answer. She'd rather not discuss all the ways her father failed her with his new...whatever this was. She sighs. “My mom was his midlife crisis. I don't know what you are.”

“You believe I'm taking advantage of him.” He says it simply, without malice.

“Are you?”

Something shifts in his expression and he looks toward the door behind her. “I believed I was, once. Then with time, I came to love Daniel.” His gaze returns to her, meeting her eyes. “That's what you want to know, isn't it? If I care for him as he does me?”

“I-yes.” Rachel feels uncertain now. There's something in Armand's voice that sounds honest. But then, the best liars did.

“The answer is yes. I plan to love your father until the end of his days, which I'm aware are fewer than mine. We are making the best of the time that remains.”

Rachel nods. She isn't sure if she believes him or not, but what was the harm in letting her dad be happy? He did seem happy.

She points a finger at him. “If you hurt him, I will find you and end you.”

Armand laughs. Rachel doesn't see what's so funny. “No, but Daniel is concerned for his relationship with you. He will be pleased to know you care so much.”

Rachel wants to tell him that her father will never know of this conversation, but the door opens and her father steps in. His eyes go to Armand's and they look at each other for a moment. Whatever he sees in Armand's face must reassure him, because he visibly relaxes.

It'll be okay. Her dad is happy. Everything else will sort itself out.

[istadris]

Funny fuel for: Bot clothing kink

A bit more specification on the humans teasing outta spite one (relevant in TFA especially): 

1) They wouldn’t harass or actively approach. Tease as in pretending they do not know that cybertronians even can be intimate w anyone in the way humans can.

Like doing things that drive em up a wall, for example casually underdressing bc “it wouldn’t matter” to bots, or dropping something and bending over in a waay too short skirt.

2) Especially in TFA bots are very proud of being “more advanced in literally anything” in default, even if they never heard of said thing before. By that logic humans would be this new , underdeveloped and naive civilization. Kinda how they get the condescending “pet status” literally everywhere.

That, together with the fact that they are a different species, potentially unicron spawn, and OrGaNiC, would make it so that they gotta stay in the closet and hide it to keep face. 

And THAT is what humans would use outta spite. Basically blueballing them and driving them up the wall.

3) Example1#: Sentinel “MaGnUs” is too xenophobic and paranoid about a human sent to cybertron and would insist the human stay in sight at ALL TIMES?

As per malicious compliance, not only would they set up shop in the rec room (remember beds included), but would put on/take off most of their clothes in sight. If asked, they woud just tell innocently, that Sentinel told em to stay in sight ALWAYS. Now Sentinel has to explain, that he ain’t a pervert. The rumors would never really disappear, and it becomes an inside joke. Or something OP would tease him with subtly.

Example2#: Is Megs out of his cell but under supervision and in an anklet for plot reasons? 

(like being planned to secretly be manipulating sentinel, like he did with trial&error and has benefits, or diplomatic reasons etc.)

Casually sit in his lap like he is comfy, especially in skirts, or those bedroom gowns with the feathers and silk(and nothing else) in the morning.

He would seemingly not react or move and just look extra grumpy, others thinking he feels disrespected. But when they leave there would be a dent on the metal seat armrest from *that horny grip*, getting visible when Megs moves his hand later.

Let the funny cliche suggestive shenanigans begin! XD

****

I’m sorry, I got distracted by the concept of Sentinel getting trapped in his own bigotry and being stuck between acknowledging he’s a pervert or pass as a complete idiot. Wait, that never stopped Sentinel before. That doesn’t stop him from being a pervert by Autobot standards. Good, gotta make sure he suffers for his cringe crimes.

I think Megatron spent enough time spying on humans in the Sumdac lab to be more aware of the cultural differences (through intense study of the matter. Very intense and careful study) and be less vulnerable to such ploys than your average bot freshly debarked from Cybertron.

I however approve thoroughly of the Horny Grip. Eye twitching is also a good indicator he’s not as unaffected as he pretends.

Honestly though, given the TFA verse, I don’t think any human can combine “seduction” and “subtlety ”. They got villains dressing up as Robin Hood ! They have bold fashion statements ! Would they play up clichés seduction routines ? Of course they would! 

This is why Swindle is so good at business. He knew what he got into the moment he struck a deal with fashion businesses all over the place.

[universestreasures]

@crimsonkaiser​​ (Cause Emi gotta nag her brother’s BF LMFAO)

“You’re sure Aichi’s doing okay in your new shared dorm room, Kai? I can’t imagine how hard it must have been for him to be suddenly evicted from his dorm a few weeks into the semester...” The explanation Aichi gave was vague at best, something about his room needing repairs that would make it unlivable for a while. Emi suspects there is more to the story than what her brother had said, but she doesn’t want to press him on it. As long as he was okay with this new arrangement, that’s all that mattered to her.

Kai being his roommate over some random stranger is a relief to the young girl. She knows just how good the brunette has been for Aichi. Honestly, if it wasn’t for him she can’t imagine her brother having ever gotten out of the cycle of pain he had been caught in since his youth. She’s forever faithful to Kai for that reason, and she trusts him to take care of her brother full heartedly. She and her mother like to joke he’s Aichi’s knight in shining armor, and considering how Kai took Aichi in when he got kicked out of his dorm, the image of such a thing became more and more tangible each passing day.

With her unable to be there for her brother, she had to rely on Kai to take care of him in her stead. Aichi was a handful, Emi knew that much from growing up with him, but she knows the older student is up to the task. He hasn’t let her down before. Besides, Aichi had a support system now. He wasn’t the same as he was when he was younger. She needed to keep that in mind.

“Please promise me you’ll make sure Aichi is getting enough food and rest. You know how he can get so caught up in his studies that he forgets to take care of himself.” She reminds him, placing the phone on speaker so she can continue to converse with Kai as she starts placing neatly wrapped items in a box. Doing so causes a lightbulb to go off in her mind, instantly remembering something important.

“Oh, right. Can you please give me the mailing address to your new dorm? My mom and I put together a little something as a thank you for helping Aichi, Kai.” It was her mother’s idea, of course. She just loves to spoil Kai whenever the chance arises. He had become already part of the family, even if he and Aichi still only being in the dating stage. “We...We really appreciate you looking out for him. We’ll be sure to treat you to dinner when you guys come back into town for winter break.”

~

[lavendersnsfs]

can we get a Logan x transmasc reader where Logan is helping the reader study for his GED? and maybe (but you don't absolutely HAVE to add this if you don't want to, I'm just thinking) the reader secretly has a praise kink, so anytime Logan is like "good job" or whatever, it's a turn-on for the reader?

I’m callin this series “Mr. Logan”

He’s a professor, and has a tendency to be pretty professional when working with people, it’s just 🫰🏽 this one ends up being different cause he realizes he’s falling for his student (this is absolutely self serving as well cause I’m transmasc)

This is middle of it cause I got carried away and we’ll have flashbacks and stuff to the beginning

Logan sat next to his newest client, the time has come for this to do a practice test but not until after a night of targeted practice with the things he had helped his student study.

‘Remember to breathe, this will be open book. I promise, you’ve done so well during this time there’s no need to worry about a thing either, a fail is just something that tells you where you can do better’

-

*I honestly don’t think he knows what his voice does, it reminds me of a smooth whisky..*

Taking a deep inhale in, and out as told

“I know. You keep telling me, doesn’t make it any less scary yknow. Like- you’re so smart, I don’t think you get how.. like this literally cannot be the same brain that got me through skipping multiple grades in school before yknow..”

-

Logan let’s out a sigh after listening to y/n’s rant “no I get it..” he gives a small smile “there’s a reason I do this job on the side, I had to do the very thing you’re doing right now. There’s no need for stressing…because. Tell you what, if you don’t pass your GED. I’ll pay for your next one..s if multiple are needed”

That makes you take a pause not looking up from the paper you’ve been looking at “…why would you do that??” The crack in your voice at the end makes you clear your throat, face heating up

Logan smiles, going to fidget with his hands “You’ve been doing well so far, you’re hard working. I recommend you take the offer but take a break before you try again, it can be difficult after taking a fall to get back up especially with how you are, being gifted can make people more susceptible to..raking themselves when they fail at what they’re typically seen as you are, a very wonderful student with a bright future”

*he’s gotta know by now what this does- not like it wouldn’t be noticeable*

The thought dissolves, the praise making y/n’s face flush a tinge again almost forgetting the rest

“Mhm yeah but like- doing well is good n all n I know I work hard but like.. there’s no- reason for that to be enough, there are so many with a bright future. Why me?”

Logan’s face flushes this time, more noticeable in certain places like his ears. He can only shrug “I..am not sure, I enjoy your presence y/n, and it’s not really something I thought about thoroughly? I just.. want to”

Y/n gives a lopsided smile that makes Logan’s heart flutter, stomach swirling with butterflies and there’s this moment of an inner *oh no- oh, oh no ok*

“I’m glad that you enjoy my presence, sir. Not sure what I did to make that happen but I sure am glad it had happened”

The lesson continues more quietly, little times of taking small impromptu breaks just to talk, and slowly through that Logan understands why he said what he said. The conversation is easy flowing, they’re good at debate and never seem to play devils advocate at least purposefully, they’re smart enough to know when to say they don’t know the answer, they talk about what they want to talk about and.. the emotional intimacy of this is.. the feeling of love, something he himself thought was at least kind of hard for him to feel but it’s almost. Effortless here

[alyjojo]

Capricorn Yearly Career & Finance Reading 🪖 2024

Preshuffle: Medical News, health, health, it keeps being pointed out. You need to get something looked at, tests done for something, what you hear is going to shock you and keep you from doing something you’d planned. They may admit you right away, in someone’s case. You don’t see it but you *know* something is off, you’re ignoring it. If not, disregard. Outside of health, canceled plans due to something unexpected that happens. Something you’re planning now?

Meditation: Giant room decorated like a playroom or daycare, rainbows 🌈 on the walls , with a huge circle train track on the ground, and a tiny train that went maybe 2mph, I mean this thing was *slow*. First you were yelling out WHOOOO!!, time passed and you fell asleep, time passed and there was one bump like a break in track, that was kind of exciting but not really, time passed, you were on the opposite side of the track from where food was on a table where you could snatch it. You just waited. Paiiinnfully slow my gosh. Finally I was like “what in tf areee you doing?” You said “waiting for the others”. Huh? Who would want to ride this thing? It’s not fast, or even fun. You were genuinely shocked, and when I turned it off to make it faster, you were mad at me! 😡

Main Energy: 3 Wands

Interesting energy coming out initially. Surprisingly enough, your year is not about money (you??), but instead it’s about pulling yourself out of the doldrums and back towards the things that make you feel PASSION 🔥 Especially in the fall, when Pluto pops back into your sign for a couple of months, it looks really positive. For the rest of the year it’s like you’re on this slow lil choo choo, expecting something. Expecting the fun, passion, advancement, whatever - to come to you. As if you have no role in making it happen. There will be a lot of waiting until you figure it out. Passion, Innovation, and Flash are all about creativity, trying new things, *seeking* the passion and fun in a conscious way, on purpose. It’s there, you’re just not looking at it. It’s like Spirit is going to give you a high you don’t want to come down from (not literally), so that you remember how it feels. Or just know. Maybe it’s the first time. Let loose 🥳

January: The Hierophant & Wheel of Fortune

Oracles: Idealism

Zodiac Signs: Aquarius

You could be making some New Year’s resolutions, if so you’re very serious about them and intend to commit wholeheartedly to whatever this is, could be relating to your finances & career goals. Some of you are divorced, or have been through a breakup, if so I think it’s already done & over with, and you would be committing to enjoy your singlehood until you find *the right one*. Giving yourself some grace, even telling yourself it’s okay to date again. The Hierophant can talk about so many things, separating yourself from a parent, religion, or long-term traditional way of behaving/ believing, studying under a mentor of some kind or going back to school to obtain a higher degree, or simply letting go of “the old way” in favor of YOUR way. Whatever that is. You could want to quit your job even, after you find something better. It’s all about improvements for you, and Idealism shows you with a visionary mindset, looking at things as how they could be, futuristic thinking. You’re hopeful, motivated, and career driven at the start of the year, the future looks bright 💡Some of you have jobs that will require you to travel more, you may counter offer that sentiment with a “sure, for more money”.

February: 4 Pentacles & Ace of Cups

Oracles: Isolation & Convention

Zodiac Signs: Capricorn Venus, Virgo Saturn

Your standards are so high that no one could ever realistically meet them. Do you even meet them? Do you know anyone that does - platonically? You gotta start somewhere, and even those people or situations that would meet your 10 page, bullet-pointed list of expectations, they’re gonna have flaws. It’s going to have things that suck, are difficult and challenging, nothing is rainbows 🌈 all of the time - and if it was you’d still find something wrong with it 🙃 Spirit is calling you a hypocrite here, just last month you were ready to break free from tradition and the same old shit, this month you’re clinging onto it for dear life. If this is regarding love, there may be someone around you that is much younger than you, and you’re closed up like a hermit-crab, you see this person as a baby - The Fool. Or switch it. Though Capricorn is known to attract age differences, in this case it feels drastic or desperate to you, and you are refusing to engage. Could just be someone really immature too. Or are they just fun? 🤷 Could also be a kid. You can’t connect with playing, fun, innocence? Depends on the context. You could be taking yourself way too seriously.

If not love, then this is you either rejecting new experiences, keeping by the book and the same old thing that you know to be good for you, or it’s possible you’re needing to save money in order to take some kind of new adventure, but you’re not there yet. If you’re looking for a job, nothing is good enough - but really, you don’t want to start all over again. It’s easier to play it safe - regarding everything. Some of you are planning new things, you’re still in January’s energy, but that’s not the majority. Most are on the train.

March: 4 Wands & The Chariot

Oracles: Endurance

Zodiac Signs: Cancer, Aries & Scorpio

You’re stuck to something, a habit, some outside thing, transportation possibly, distance, or most likely a limited belief system that you operate by like its the only right way to do things - when it’s not. It’s The Devil - what keeps you stuck, chained, bound to something. A home? Family? With Scorpio and The Devil here, there’s a lot being shown about obsession, drastic actions or emotions, needing to see clarity instead of through an emotional lense. You could have this one idea in your head: I’m moving to Canada. But you’re being blocked every step of the way, can’t find a job there, can’t find a reasonable place to live, you don’t want to live on an ice block in the mountains with no grocery store - that’s reasonably priced though. There’s never a thought of “maybe this isn’t for me” or any acknowledgement of the signs from Spirit who are undoubtedly trying to show you something. A need for travel (if that applies) may be a solution rooted in shadow - you run away from your problems, maybe relationships - and travel is the excuse. If not travel, then just movement, running away/avoidance.

Some of you want to work at home and refuse to do anything else, or that’s the driving factor to keep a job, if a new one doesn’t meet that criteria, then it’s not for you. Honestly, that’s gotta be like 80% of people these days. Some of you are avoiding dealing with darkness in the home, relationships, family. Bad habits, toxic cycles, outdated or harmful beliefs systems, shit is not healthy whatever it is. The Emperor at the bottom shows what you want - to be the boss. Then…take charge. Start small, probably with what’s in front of you. The bottom of the deck shows you getting the clarity you need like a bolt of lightning, and it could be small. Jeez I haven’t cleaned this garage in 10 years, I could sell so much of this that I don’t even need or use. Step 1. The more you wake up to how you keep yourself stuck, the faster you can open up to new experiences, it’s a process. Some of you are literally trapped to a house, maybe one at a distance, something inherited that you’re still paying taxes on, a family, a business, you want to do your own thing but feel beholden to someone/something higher than you. Rules, traditions, laws even. For someone this can be a DUI or some court order to not leave the state/city, home arrest, but being trapped by the law in that case. This could also refer to engagement or taking the next step in a relationship - either being unable to do that or feeling like you’re trapped/switch it. Reasons - someone could be married, live far away, hopefully isn’t underage cuz gtfoh, their job is demanding/important, etc. Or you could feel distance keeps you from these things, maybe you already live on an ice block and long to leave it 🧊

April: 8 Swords & Queen of Wands

Oracles: Defense & Influence

Zodiac Signs: Aries, Scorpio, Taurus Mars, Libra Mercury

If you are married/committed, there may be temptation, possibly a lover, or one existing anyway, looking good and trying to sway your affections. I don’t see you biting the bait if that’s the case, you may just be removing yourself, blocking them, or somehow getting them out of the picture and celebrating your family or partner more. Like a passive aggressive “fk off”. This could be at work. If single, again the message of standards…attractiveness or sexy qualities don’t matter to you anymore. You’re looking for someone to build 10 Pentacles, THE one, a mother figure, maybe someone your family will approve of. Even if there’s someone attractive at work, you’re so focused on career, responsibilities, the long-term, you’re not interested in potentially messing that up. Are you attracted, yes. But also, pass.

Otherwise you could keep your own desires hidden, some may be sexual or passionate, within a marriage/partnership. Doesn’t have to be, if you’re wanting to buy a bunch of leather and get tattoos, buy a sports car, a bigger house, there’s a sense of “status 🤑” with whatever this is, you’re keeping that quiet too. You could feel like it’s impossible, your person would just reject it. Or you’ve been doing this for some time and it’s all coming to light now. Your true ambitions, what lights your fire, what you really want for the future, career goals. Again a house shows up, maybe you don’t like where you are, or again maybe you want to transfer to the main branch of a company, located somewhere else entirely. There could be one particular job you really want, somewhere else. Or you’d like to move the family to a safer city. There’s a practical element to whatever it is, yes it’s attractive but it also makes sense to you. It’s family or a partner that isn’t thrilled, doesn’t want things to change, doesn’t want to move anywhere. Or switch it, this could be a partner’s energy. 8 Swords could indicate there being no choice, someone got promoted so it looks like you’re moving now. Or your family, maybe they’re leaving your home town for this reason. You or someone else feels helpless to do anything but go along with whatever this is - or helpless to actually act because someone says no way. Those focused on work at home jobs probably still haven’t found anything yet, that could be the driving focus for a location change, you can do it there but not so much here.

May: The Sun & 2 Swords

Oracles: Optimism

Zodiac Signs: Sagittarius Moon

The Sun ☀️ is very happy energy, especially with Optimism, you have reason to believe in whatever it is that’s coming towards you. Maybe you found the job of your dreams, and they’re willing to hire/transfer you, The Sun is a card of promotion, success, positive attention, fame on some level. Some of you are just bringing more attention to this conundrum you’re having, like “look, here’s what I want, why is it so difficult to get!” in the hopes your friends/family may have some suggestions or ideas. You could be complaining about your current job and how things stand, on social media maybe, or even directly to your boss or someone with influence. Showcasing your talents - you’ve risen above or have outgrown this position, when might they consider moving you up? Not would - when? Whoever you’re talking to is going to be surprised when they hear what you have to say, or you may be shocked by the response…how about right now? Tomorrow? Or when you leave one for another, the first job is like whaaat 🤯?? Whatever your new thing is, new job, new passion, possibly a new partner/lover, it’s sudden and shocking to others around you. Could be the same person at work you were like “nah” to the first time. Or they’re confessing their feelings to you and you’re paused like…wow, they really like me? Hmm. Ok let’s try it. Something good is happening, you’re not sure if it’s good and you question it, it could be happening really fast and you’re not sure if you trust it, but it makes you feel good.

June: King of Pentacles & Strength

Oracles: Harmony

Zodiac Signs: Heavy Libra

You have some sort of news to drop like a bomb, but you’re holding it close to your chest instead. Not because you’re unsure, or questioning it, but because you’re quietly plotting “an escape” is what I heard. Could be family you’re doing this with, knowing they’re gonna have something to say about it. Could also be work, if they don’t know you’re leaving, your property manager or someone involved with a house (which comes up again), some of you are secretly planning to buy a home somewhere else, or you’re acting in secret so that when the time comes - it’s too late to stop. You can’t change your mind, or be swayed by what others say, it’s already done. A house or lease, money to pay for something, putting in two weeks and working it for the extra money, waiting for a start date or even a new home in a new area - may be the only reason you don’t act immediately, you have to wait something out for responsible/practical reasons. Your family may be very upset, or you know they will be.

July: The Fool & 5 Cups

Oracles: Extremism

Zodiac Signs: Aries, Libra, Aquarius, heavy Scorpio Sun & Mercury

This is the month things come to light, you’re taking action, and there is sadness (or devastation with the extremism card) and disappointment from loved ones, parents, childhood friends, maybe an established relationship/marriage, kids, the whole nine, anyone is involved or possible here. You could be selling the childhood home (again home comes up, every month so far) in order to buy one somewhere else. You may be disappointed in yourself due to someone guilting you, like “if you would have told me, I would have…” something it’s too late to do, and there’s sadness there. The impulsivity or quick decision seems thoughtless or selfish to some, but it wasn’t actually all that quick…you knew it would be like this. Even if it’s a good thing, people are upset. A King of Wands in particular may act quite dramatically over the situation, could be a fire sign, and they may say or do something “extreme” that breaks your heart in response to hearing your news/decisions. King of Wands can be you too, knowing what you want, taking the steps to make it happen, could be centered around work. There is a better job in this city, I’m sorry, I have to go. For someone, it could be your job is closing a branch or something, moving cities entirely (or countries?). If you’re not going with them, this would be your own sadness, and maybe extreme actions in anger/retaliation. Some of you are leaving a family, maybe even kids, and there are some high running emotions there. Your actions may seem extreme to others - but you feel it’s necessary, or switch it. Because Queen of Wands showed up earlier as a temptation, this could be someone they’re with or were, be very careful, “extremism” may be you getting your ass kicked by someone in a rage. Or this is you and your person, and it’s your/their family that’s upset.

August: 10 Cups & 2 Cups

Oracles: Caution & Discrimination

Zodiac Signs: Heavy Libra, Virgo Mercury/Venus

You’re very cautious in how you proceed, but very happy all the same, like your dreams have come true. You may have had to take on an entire family war, switch jobs, buy a new house, move to a different country even, but you’ve got what you wanted and that’s all that matters. Some of you may end up getting pregnant around this time, or you/this person could have kids that you’re bringing into the mix to create this 10 Cups ideal. Both Oracle cards are ones of perfectionism, matching the reality to your inner picture of what you want, and how things should be. You won’t be hearing any words that suggest otherwise from anyone, period, it’s like you’re ready for negative feedback and you’ll shut that shit down immediately. Most likely from family, who are heartbroken. You may get the blessing of your mother, who is on your side and will work on the rest of the family. Or maybe your family are upset but coming around very quickly, especially if you’re leaving town, like they’re sad but they don’t have time to be sad, they need to make it right now before you go. Some family members might tell you to fk off, if so you’re sad but oh well, what can you do? You’re focused on your growth, in career, love, family, you name it. Whoever comes fits with your inner picture and whoever can’t, it’s love ya see ya later ✌️ There may be sadness over selling a home, either it’s not selling for as much as was hoped, or there’s a lot of nostalgia attached. A whole family dynamic could be changing.

September: 8 Wands & Ace of Wands

Oracles: Enterprise & Status

Zodiac Signs: Heavy Sagittarius, Aries Jupiter, Taurus Jupiter

Once you are given the green light 🚦 it’s GO, immediately! No more train for you, 8 Wands is one of the fastest movement cards in tarot, you could simply be waiting on news or approval, then you’re off. Moving towards your passion, what inspires you, excites you, turns you on in some cases - Ace of Wands with Lust at the bottom of the oracles. You will win because Jupiter Aries will make damn sure of it, they don’t lose. Jupiter Taurus cautions against a newfound love of extravagance, materialism, overindulgence or superficial things. Money. Status. Don’t get too caught up in appearances, or what doesn’t really matter…then it’s The Devil (Capricorn).

You have cooperation with this new thing, whether a new love, new coworkers in a new job, maybe some status holding (important) neighbors or work contacts that are willing to give you hand, a good word, they could have all sorts of suggestions you appreciate. There’s a new group around you, with new ideals, and anything from before is a burden on you now. You’re not that person anymore, you’re determined not to be. With these Jupiter signs, and this planet moving into Gemini in…June? Ish. You may have been dreaming for this to happen for the past few years, and you’re finally getting everything you ever wanted. Or it’s available on the horizon, you can SEE it.

October: Page of Wands & 6 Wands rev

Oracles: Eccentricity & Manipulation

Zodiac Signs: Pisces, Scorpio Jupiter, Aquarius Saturn

There could be a friend working against you, upset you’re not around, doesn’t agree with whatever you’re doing. Or family, or even someone at work that tries to undermine your efforts or act out of jealousy/manipulation. They smile to your face and hide their hands, or that’s how someone feels about you. If you made big sweeping changes for a job or relocation, someone may betray you or it’s somehow not all it was cracked up to be - Manipulation being here shows you could have been mislead, 10 Swords on the bottom showing betrayal. Or maybe someone in your circle that wasn’t aware could feel betrayed.

Could be a kid. No one will make you pay for a mistake like your own kid 💯 Could be your person’s as well, maybe they’re not sure about you, question your intentions, see right through you even. For most it’s probably family, someone close to you, they could be inquiring about holidays or something and feeling betrayed by failure to make them a priority. 2 Swords here isn’t “no” it’s “I don’t know” but it’s enough of a no for someone to get pissy with you. It’s like they’re aware you’re putting in so much effort towards happiness, maybe family even, they’re just upset they’re not included in that. Or the tables have turned and a friend is doing the same thing to you. It’s like you’re being punished for going off the beaten path - Saturn Aquarius. A failure to plan ahead for something is being noted, you may not have enough money to cover initial expenses, or you planned for house payments, electric, etc etc but WTF is a sewage bill, you’re stuck with satellite and why is there community tax for some privacy gates? It’s possible someone sells you on an idea with a lot of passion and you’re bamboozled later, especially anyone that goes door to door (I almost learned that the hard way myself 😬).

November: The World & 5 Pentacles

Oracles: Power

Zodiac Signs: Heavy Taurus, Scorpio Moon

Oof this month is tricky. Manipulation already came out, but the vibesss are strong here, and next month as well. Someone is out to teach you a lesson, could be a parent. If they were helping you out financially, that’s ending, or if they’re giving to you and feel you’re not wanting to do anything for them, cut off. At the bottom is you with 9 Cups, a dream come true, could be some extravagant or self pleasing spending and if you’re borrowing money then this person is like “absolutely not”, that’s done. It’s possible wherever you’re working is cutting hours or something for the winter, because you’re struggling with debt or not having enough and it’s some “official” decisions. At the bottom there’s a sentiment of “you got what you asked for” - but like…ominously. Yeesh. The Hermit. This could also be the fake friend/family member pulling shit last month, or throwing a fit, cutting you off this month. Someone feels neglected, left behind, not cared about, forgotten. It’s possible some sort of promotion or bonus is going around, but you miss out on it - not being there long enough or there’s some reason. The Emperor can also show anything law/official, maybe a hefty bill for something indulgent? Or having been indulgent before, you don’t have enough now. Public intoxication? A ticket of some kind. Closing costs. Insurance. Those are what came to mind. If you’re asking your father, they may gift it and say “that’s it, you’re on your own now.” For Moon Scorpio to come out, that could describe a person, or this is definitely going to make you feel a way. Emotional, vengeful, explosive, intense, a silent burning or overdramatics (maybe hidden), manipulation like I said. Water energy is strong at the end of the year, some of you have a watery family that operate passive aggressively but…petty, vengeful, tit for tat.

December: Queen of Cups & King of Cups rev

Oracles: Practicality

Zodiac Signs: Heavy water 💦 Pisces, Capricorn Sun/Moon

This is either a partner or a mother it feels like, she is using everything at her disposal to get to you on an emotional level. Guilt trips, tears, manipulation, sorrow filled statements to make you feel like you should be reassuring her, telling her you love her, coming around to care for her. Laying it on thick - with King of Cups rev this is intentional, this person is a master manipulator. But not to hurt, if that makes sense. Moon Capricorn is cold AF and that’s what’s coming out, this placement can tend to be kinda distant with their mothers and have issues with feminine energy (others’ or their own), seeing it as weakness. That may be how this person feels you see them, or they’re just not getting the love, care, and attention they were from you and it’s hurting them. Is it your job to make this person feel whole, no, but I think you do care. At the bottom, they just want you to cooperate with them, the family, the group, whoever. They have intentions that are unseen, and on the surface it’s all love. Is that love genuine, it seems like it. They just know how to sway with kindness, fussing over you like a little baby, and easy tears 😭 If there’s conflict between you & Dad, Mom is trying to work her magic, with good intentions…mostly. Could be your person too, in their case manipulating you away from the mother - colder - Moon Cap, towards them and their own family. You belong HERE now. Controlling with softness and googoo eyes 🥹 Could be someone at work asking for favors, which you do because you’re being nice.

No matter who this is, you’re starting to question your decisions, second guessing yourself. Did you even make these decisions in the first place, or did this other person, and what was the motive…is it love? Work? Success? All of it. Maybe you’re questioning both parents now because they just don’t get it. This could be your person trying to work with you, literally, like can you give them a job at your company? The feelings are as genuine as they are filled with motives in any case, I’m not sure how much you’re paying attention to what lies beneath, Capricorn tends not to (unless you’re watery too).

If these Cups people are a pair, one is manipulative and the other is loving & emotional. Could be parents, other family, could be you and your person too. Could also be your person’s ex being upset due to custody/visitation, someone is unreliable. It’s drama, but again at the bottom, you may feel this is all necessary to obtain your happiness, and you wish everyone would just be happy, or happy for you. Fair enough.