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yooglefics · 8 months ago

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Reveal — Part three: celebrating

Pairing: Yoongi x fem!reader ( camboy!yoongi x camgirl!reader ) Wordcount: 4,513 words Genre: 18+ / smut. mdni! remember to not use fics as your only source of sex ed. Summary: Your birthday celebration takes a turn when Jungkook forgets to uninvite a particular guest. Part 3 of Recording & Editing. Read it in that order for context. More warnings under read more.

Includes: 3k words of just smut. Mentions of posting / selling sex content. Dirty talk. Use of pet names ( baby, doll, good girl? ). Fingering ( f ), Oral sex ( f and m ). Frottage. Cum play? A bit of overstimulation? Possessive Yoongi because Reveal!Yoongi is just like that and I can't do anything about it. It's true, I tried. Author's note: Okay, I think this is actually the last one for this. A trilogy is fine, right? But also don't quote me on that because clearly I can't seem to know how to stop writing this pair and I'm watching Jungkook from a distance like 👀 but shhh Which speaking of, I was thinking and if you want to know more about the characters in this verse specifically, you can send an ask with “( reveal!verse )” at the beginning, maybe specify if you want it to be answered ic with “( @ reveal!theirname )” , and a question or whatever you want to say. Idk, thought it could be fun~ Also, I made a post with different options for tag lists in case anyone is interested. You know, for future projects and stuff. But don't feel preassure to request it, and thank you for following this mini series. Anyway. I hope you like this and if you do please remember to comment, reblog, ask, follow, and whatnot. And again, thank you for reading <3

“You know, you could reply instead of just staring at it,” Jungkook says, over your shoulder.

You're sitting in your living room, phone in your hand with the audio post on screen. There was no way of denying you were caught, you had already embarrassed yourself by acting like a schoolgirl when telling him about SugaD leaving a comment.

“But what if I say something dumb and he deletes it?”

“Why would he do that? He thinks you're cute,” he teases.

“The cutest,” you correct, silly smile on your face once again.

“See. You should shoot your shot and talk to him, he clearly is interested in you too,” he winks, finally walking around the couch to sit at your side, fresh bowl of popcorn on his lap.

“But it's all so crazy. I don't even know how he found my page, he only follows big creators.”

“Well, he asked me.”

“What?”

“He asked who you were,” his Bambi eyes blink at you, fear creeping on his soft expression, “I… don't kill me, please.” He moves away from you and that makes you turn to him, leg over the couch and phone forgotten.

“Jungkook? What did you do?” All the scenarios go through your mind, imagining the worst. He told him you kind of have a big old crush on him even if you have never seen his face? Did he tell him about the joke of suing him because he is so—

“And I was busy so I thought, you know, he works with music and edits his own content and it seemed like a good idea,” he is talking so fast and you realize you missed the beginning of it, but before you can ask him to start over he just burst it, “so he edited it.”

“He what?”

“The audio. Your audio. He edited it.”

“My… audio.” The audio you're sure included the start of his video.

Fuck.

Shit.

That's so much worse.

You should delete your account. Delete yourself. You want to move to another country and change your name.

“Fuck.”

“I'm sorry. I should have asked you, but I figured…” he trails off, coming closer again. “I just… I didn't think it was a big deal because… well, I didn't know he was gonna subscribe to you. He only subscribes to people he is friends with and I know he doesn't even watch their stuff.”

You can tell he is trying to make you feel better, and although you appreciate the effort, everything is confusing. Does that mean he wants to be friends? But he doesn't watch his friends's content so… no friends?

“Fuck.” You murmur again.

“Are you mad at me?” Jungkook asks softly, worrying the ring on his bottom lip.

“I… don't know.”

“Do you want me to go?”

“No. Let's finish the movie.”

But you can concentrate for the rest of it, and know that you'd have to watch it again another time in case your friend brings up something important about the plot. But now, the only thing in your head is theories about what you're going to do about that one particular comment and, again, you consider just deleting the whole thing.

Jungkook invites you the next weekend to the restaurant, it's his free day but he tells you he can get you the birthday special even if it’s one day early and he can even sing for you. You tell him you are only going if he doesn't make a whole thing out of it. You'd wear the birthday hat and blow out the candles, but if he dares to bring more attention to you, you actually will kill him.

He believes you.

And so, here you are. Sitting in a booth in front of Jungkook and Hanna, your best friend. Big chocolate cake in front of you that they insisted on getting because “you can have it for dessert for the next week and think about how much we love you”, and also because you love chocolate.

“Sorry. Am I late?” A voice behind you interrupts the end of the birthday song, your smile falling because you could recognize it anywhere, and the fact that he is here makes you panic.

“Oh, shit… ah…” Jungkook stumbles over his words, even comes close to knocking his drink. “Sorry. Hi.” He greets the guy and throws an apologetic look your way. “This is my friend Yoongi.”

“Oh, hi. I'm Hanna and didn't know we were waiting for someone, but good thing we got a big cake, uh?” she jokes and looks at you. She does that whenever you're around people and you don't talk, her way of making you feel included.

But right now you want to disappear. Birthday crown and all. Maybe take the cake too.

“Hi,” you say timidly, eyes on Jungkook instead.

“I…” he starts, remorseful look on his face as he explains, “invited Yoongi last week, didn't want to third wheel with you two.”

“Oh, that's fun! Well, you want to sit there or should I move?” Hanna proposes and you're about to say she should come to your side even if that means Jungkook has to stand up too, but Sug— Yoongi speaks faster.

“I’ll sit here. Is that okay?”

You only nod, scooting to your right to make space for him. To not be so close he notices how nervous he makes you just with his presence.

He smells nice. Fresh and woody at the same time, and is only overwhelming because is him. Because a lot of things about him are a mystery still and you are about to unlock them all right now.

“Those are cute,” Hanna says.

“Ah, yes. I… these are for you,” a bouquet is presented on your line of vision. Is not big nor too much, the perfect size to be a nice present and it lets you admire the flowers’ beauty. “Happy birthday.”

“You didn't have to.”

“You don't like it?” If you weren't so focused on your own nerves you'd have noticed the ones on his voice.

“I do.” You quickly say. It's cute. The lavender mixed with two types of white flowers you don't recognize but you love the look of, mostly the one that looks like little stars. “Is really pretty. Thank you.”

“I'll bring you a drink,” Jungkook says, and looking at him you know he needs one himself. You could actually kill him after this.

“Wait, where is the restroom?” Asks Hanna and your eyes lift from your present so fast your neck almost hurts, but she is quickly disappearing in the direction Jungkook points her to.

And that's what you get for keeping everything a secret from your best friend. Karma as its finest.

“Pff,” you breathe, sinking into your seat.

“I can go if you want me to,” Yoongi says softly at your side.

“What? No, no is—” you try to explain is not him. Nothing is wrong actually. Everything is perfect and you're totally not freaking out.

“You haven't looked my way,” does he sounds hurt? “Is alright. I don't want to make you uncomfortable or anything, I just thought… I don't know. JK invited me weeks ago and then I found out who you were,” you cringe at that, knowing he most likely means when he listened to your audio. “I figured I'd take the chance and meet you.”

“Why? I mean. Don't you feel uncomfortable because of the…” finishing your sentence feels unnecessary and saying it at loud is embarrassing.

“The fact that you watch my videos?”

“I swear I only watched like three and I don't do that with all of them is just— Are you laughing?” Finally you turn to him, a smirk playing on his lips.

“Sorry, sorry. But is that supposed to make me feel better?”

You don't answer.

“Of course I don't mind.” He leans in, "If you sound that cute, I'll let you watch all of them for free.”

Breath caughts on your throat, looking at him with big round eyes. His face is right there and you try to take it all in. Clean shaved, jawline not too harsh and with soft features, crested moon shaped brown eyes, pink lips, and the way they curve up when he catches you staring at them.

“I don't want to go, but if you want me to, I'll do it.” he backs out, and somehow you can tell he is genuine.

“Stay.”

After dinner and some chatting, Jungkook offers to drive Hanna home and Yoongi takes you to his place. It’s fancy, looks like taken out of a magazine and you tell him exactly that. He asks you if you want to judge his room too and with a laugh you tell him yes, because honestly, you're curious now.

You tell him it doesn't look too cozy and suggest investing in a nice blanket, he raises an eyebrow at you and finally you confess you're an interior designer by day. He tells you he is a music producer. And then you talk about how and why each of you decided to join OF and what kind of things you have discovered you like during that journey.

“Interesting,” he says when you confess you started following him because of a hand picture you saw somewhere else. He has been playing with your fingers while you lay on his bed, is relaxing and you don’t mind at all. “You said you were going to sue me, should I even be this close?”

“Oh my—” you pull away, covering your face. And he laughs. “Go away.”

“No, c'mon. It's cute.” He tries to turn your body to its side, but you don't give in. “Look at me, please.”

“No. I can't.”

“Why?”

“Because no.”

He laughs again, hand on your hip, “Baby, please?” Head shake is your answer, “I'm sorry. Should I confess something too?”

“Yes.”

“Let's see,” he props himself on his elbow, looking at you even if you are still covered. “I knew about you before the audio.”

“You did?”

“Well, Jungkook talks about you all the time and I was curious. I think it was the third time you guys collabed that I saw a picture and he mentioned your name on his page.”

“Which picture?” You ask, uncovering half your face to look at him, he smiles.

“The one with the books. You were holding one in front of you.”

You remember that. Like all your pictures with Jungkook, it was suggestive more than anything and in that one the pose made it look like you were touching yourself.

“And now I know what you sound like doing that,” he teases, “wonder if I'd be lucky enough to see it someday.”

“You've to stay subscribed and see,” is your turn to have fun.

“Should I make another instruction video for you?” or maybe not. And before you cover yourself again, he holds your wrist, bracelet digging a little on your skin but not enough to actually hurt. “Don't. Let me see you.”

“Yoongi…”

“Fuck. Don't say my name like that,” is only half joking, but he knows you can tell he wants you just as much. “Can I kiss you?”

You nod and his lips touch yours in a millisecond. They are soft, but his movements are quick, and soon his tongue is asking for permission to enter your mouth. With a moan, you granted happily and hungry to taste him.

His hand goes back to your waist, only resting before squishing it gently. Your own hand traveling to his nape and bringing him closer, your chests touching.

In need of air you break the kiss, and instead of stopping, his mouth keeps working down your jaw and neck, “ohh…” you try to breathe, throwing your head back just enough to give him space. It feels so good you don't want to stop.

And he doesn't. He continues until he reaches the fabric of your dress, covering your chest. He imagines your little gold collar he saw in some pictures. He thinks about buying you one on silver to match his own jewelry or buying a chain for himself the color of yours. Anything would do, he just wants you to be his and for people to know.

“W-wait,” your voice brings him back, and he stops immediately, “don't leave marks. At least not visible.”

“Okay, I can get creative.” A wink seals his promise and his hand moves to the buttons in the front of your dress, his lips following soon behind to attach themselves to the exposed skin. To your breast. He licks and kisses and when he reaches your nipple he flicks his tongue a few times.

That gets a good reaction from you, but he still asks “You like that?” because it does good to his ego and the mid-erection on his pants.

You nod between whimpers and can feel his laugh through his chest resting on your stomach, “is that enough?” You look at him, the lust on his eyes and his stupid smirk on his lips when he frees your abused skin from his mouth, leaving a bruise on your breast. “Is my tongue enough to make you cum, doll?”

And your pussy answers for herself. Legs impossibly close in search of some friction and, of course, Yoongi noticed.

“You need something?”

“P-please…”

“Tell me. I'll give you anything, baby.” His voice is raspy like on the videos you watch alone at night. Except is not through a screen and is actually directed to you. Is everything you wanted while touching yourself and for a second you wonder if it's really happening.

Running your hand through his hair you look at him, now lower on the bed and playing with the bottom of your dress while he waits for a sign between your folded legs, cheek against your thigh, letting you catch your breath.

“Yoongi?”

“Hmm?” his hand stops on your leg, heavy and warm.

“Touch me, please.”

And you don't have to tell him twice. His hands roam your body, while he leaves kisses here and there. Too desperate to finish unbuttoning it, the bottom of your dress gets pooled at your waist, revealing the lilac lingerie he saw a picture of the other day.

“So pretty,” he whispers, fingertips traising the embroidered details. It makes you shiver. “Fuck, I can see how wet you are.” His movements travel south to the patch over your entrance, and you respond just as he expects, moaning.

And before you can get used to that, his tongue is on you, flat over the wet and thin fabric. “Can't wait to taste you properly,” sounds a lot like a promise.

Biting your lip, you contemplate asking him to hurry, to give you anything. To get rid of all of your clothes yourself.

But he knows exactly how to drive you crazy.

Moving your panties to the side with the help of his left hand, the fingers on his right one make an appearance again. Collecting your wetness and using it to rub over your pussy, only applying little pressure at first. Moans echo throughout his room once again, louder and this time in the company of a couple groans from him when he finally pushes in.

“O-oh… oh my,”

“That's it. Let me hear your pretty sounds,” he encourages, letting you get used to the sensation before adding another one, his eyes on you the whole time. In the way you lick your lips before moaning, the way your hips move towards his hand asking to be fucked, the way your pussy wraps around his fingers.

“...more.” Is barely a whisper but he hears it, smiling at you.

“Want more? Is not enough?”

“Need you, please”

And how can he say no to you when you look at him that way. Like he is the only one that can give you what you need, how you want.

His head disappears between your legs, mouth watering at the thought. He can't even deny he was waiting for you to ask him to eat you out, he would do it in a second, whenever you want, because “oh, god, you taste so sweet.”

Feeling your legs closing he holds them back, pushing them against your torso with his free hand and squishing your soft skin just as tight as you are doing to his fingers. Thinking about how much force he would need to apply to leave a mark.

“F-fu… fuck. It, it feels so good, please.”

He is proud, lips curving lightly but without wanting to pull away to smile properly. His tongue laps at your entrance alongside his fingers, moving faster and faster, against that spot that makes your body tremble and makes the knot at the bottom of your abdomen want to scream.

“Please, please, please…”

And he knows what that means. Knows you're close and just need a little push, and he gives it to you in the form of a “Cum for me, baby.”

And you do. Head back and pussy tight around him, legs closing and hand pushing him away when his tongue keeps working, overstimulating and catching all that you give him.

“Oh… my…” you breath. Legs still shaking but feet finally on the mattress again.

He is standing at the end of his bed, one hand pushing his long hair back and the other unbuckling his belt, eyes on you while he takes you in. “Was that good?” He asks, you nod and he smiles matching yours. “Great. You deserve it.”

“You want some help with that?”

“What do you want?” Yoongi throws back, “You’re the birthday girl, after all.”

Worrying your bottom lip between your teeth, thoughts filled with ideas of the things you had wished to be able to do before, you watch him get rid of his jeans and boxers, his dick on full view for you. Only you. “Can I suck you off?”

Obviously, he can't say no, so he nods and you are quick to stand up, legs still feeling a bit weak after your orgasm, but it isn't a problem because as quick as your dress falls completely to the floor, you're kneeling in front of him, between his legs and hands on his tights.

You watch him stroke himself a couple times through gritted teeth, his other hand coming to cup your cheek as you get closer to his length. Saying you had been waiting for this wouldn't be an exaggeration, and without breaking eye contact you stick your tongue out, touching the blush tip slowly.

He sighed, as if he was, too, relieved at the contact. “So pretty.”

You push his hand away, taking his hardened length into your hand, only realizing then how big he actually is.

Tapping his dick on your tongue gets you a groan from him and you hum as you wrap your lips around the head, circling your tongue around it inside your mouth before letting go. He smiles at you, his chest moving fast as his breathing increases and his eyes are filled with lust. Your hand moves up and down when your mouth is not working, still wanting him to feel good.

Preparing yourself, you get closer again, taking more in and closing your eyes, adjusting to the girth.

“Fuck,” he moans, thumb softly stroking your face as his hand moves to the back of your neck when you imitate the previous movements of your hand, going up and down, taking more and more into your mouth. “Y-yeah, just like that.”

The encouragement helps the feeling on your lower abdomen to build in again, pussy squeezing around nothing and moaning around his dick, making Yoongi clench his jaw, bucking his hip up, and letting his grip go only at the last second. He wants to fuck your mouth so bad. Only watching your lips around him is driving him crazy and you feel oh, so warm.

“So pretty, doll,” he compliments as you try to keep your eyes on him as much as possible, only closing them when he hits the back of your throat.

You come up, catching your breath as you let your hand do some more work. Collecting your spit and rubbing your thumb on his sensitive tip. He reacts just as you expect, groans and head tilted back slightly, with his hands on either side gripping the black sheets. And that gives you an idea.

“Can you…” eyes are on you immediately, but you wish they weren't because that makes you shy and is even more difficult to ask.

“Tell me, baby.” He pleads, “I'll give you anything, just ask.”

But is easier to show than tell, and your fingers grab around one of his wrists, positioning his hand on the back of your head. “Just… hold it.”

“Fuck.” He has to inhale quickly before nodding, are you reading his mind? “tap my thigh if it gets too much, okay?”

A nod of your own, licking your lips before taking his dick in your mouth once again, the simple weight of his hand being enough to encourage you to take more in and staying there a bit longer before bobbing your head.

Yoongi alternates between letting you follow your own peace and holding you down for a few more seconds every once in a while, finally letting himself slam his hips more harshly against your mouth and the back of your throat. His moans fill the air as he pushes into you. “feels amazing… you take my cock so well.” You hum, making his hips fuck into you at the vibration, increasing the tension on his lower abdomen. “Such a good girl.”

“I could fuck your pretty mouth all night,” he goes on, looking down at you and all the mess you've created between his legs. “Oh f-fuck. What a beautiful sight.” opening your eyes makes the view even better, and he holds your head down, making you gag around his dick, “ah… ah…” he lets go, not wanting to come just yet.

And it might be the first time you see him and his beautiful dick in person, but SugaD’s last video is fresh on your mind, —how could it not after the anxiety of him finding out— so you remember he likes to hold back. And is hot. But he is right, is your birthday celebration and you don't want to play by his rules.

“Are you close?” the hoarseness in your voice is surprising for a second, but you don't have time to think about how it's most likely going to hurt tomorrow because he is fixing your hair behind your ears with a devious smile on his beautiful face.

“Want me to come in your pretty mouth?”

“No.” He raises an eyebrow at the quickness of your answer. “I have an idea.”

Standing up, your knees thank you, only realizing then you'll also have to deal with that later, being so in your head while giving head, the weight of having him in your mouth a priority, that you didn't even care until then.

You're back laying on his bed, pulling Yoongi to be in front of you, between your legs. “Is going to be embarrassingly fast if you ask me to fuck you right now.”

And for a second you consider it. Because he is not saying no and because he looks so good like this, hands reaching down to hold your waist and bring you closer to him down the bed. But you shake your head no. “You ruined my plans today,” feeling the need to justify your pervy desires you explain, “I was supposed to take pics today for my birthday post, so now you have to help.”

“You want me to take pictures of you?” also not saying no, just clarifying, and you can see in the lust of his gaze he likes the idea.

“I want you to do something first,” shyness invades again but looking down at his hardened length is enough to deliver the message, “and then take a picture. If you want.”

Yoongi is close to you again, bending down to kiss you with a “fuck yes, I want to.” His dick is resting over your pelvis, and you can't help the involuntary thrust your own body does. It feels heavy, and warm, and just so perfect. And when he thrust his hips, frotting against yours, you can't take it.

“Y-yoongi,” and he does it again and again, and soon you're cumming by just the feeling and the thought of how would it be to be actually fucked by him, how much would he reach inside you, making you feel so full and “Ohhh… oh”

He holds you and kisses down your neck as you come down your high a second time, before kneeling once more at the end of the bed. “You look so fucking precious, baby,” he notes, hand wrapping around his dick once more.

“You look great too,” you offer, biting your lip before letting honesty take over shyness, “I finally get to see you.”

“You been thinking about it?” He knows exactly what you mean. The reason he cuts it off his videos isn't just for privacy, is to give people something to wish for, to yearn.

You nod.

“Baby wants to see me cum?” Another nod, lost for words, but he is not having it. “Tell me.”

“Yoongi…”

“C'mon, baby. Tell me,” he taps his dick over your clothed pussy. Once, twice. Making your body jump at each touch. He teases the tip over your over-sensitive area and then taps again. Honestly, is hard to tell if he is teasing you or himself, but either works.

“I-I want to see you, please.”

His wrist moves in a faster rhythm, his other hand resting on your leg because he just needs to touch you. “Yeah? I'm going to cum,” he pants, “and you're going to show people how gorgeous you look covered on it.”

You really don't know how much he loves the idea of that, how much he wants to show the world you let him ruin you, how you whisper “please, please,” as he finishes, head thrown back and your name escaping his lips on a moan, shooting white over your naked stomach.

But you can imagine, his victory smile gives him away. And the way he keeps complimenting you all the while grabbing his phone and snapping picture after picture just confirms it.

But you can judge Yoongi too harshly, it does something to you as well. It helps your confidence and a proud smile matches his as he tells you people are going to hate him if you really post this on your page. And that newfound confidence tells you is going to be the first time you click upload without second-guessing yourself.

[ afterhours(y/n): Thank you for the birthday wishes! I indeed got a nice present, don't you think? [ picture ] ]

[ SugaD: Unbelievable 😻 Can we do something for my birthday too? ]

♡ Tag list: @m00njinnie , @sexytholland , @seoullove96 , @thelilbutifulthings , @disneyprincessshuri , @yoongibaybee ,

Thank you so much guys for your interest and support on this little series, I appreciate you 🥺💙

➪ Part one. | ➪ Part two | ➪ Updates for this verse | ➪ Ko-fi

➪ Main masterlist. | ➪ Updates in general | ➪ Request & chats ♡

#( writing. )#( reveal )#( reveal: celebrating )#min yoongi x reader #min yoongi smut #min yoongi fanfic #min yoongi fic #yoongi fanfic #yoongi smut #yoongi fic #yoongi #yoongi x reader #bts x reader #yoongi x f!reader #yooglefics

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wileys-russo · 1 year ago

Note

for a potential Ellie Carpenter blurb : maybe some domestic fluff where Ellie is exhausted from all that running around after a match-packed week and reader, her girlfriend, takes care of her.

(Any other details would be up to you)

roadrunner II e.carpenter

you crossed your arms tighter as the airport doors opened and a crisp breeze blew through, rocking back and forth on the balls of your feet as you waited patiently.

bundled up in your girlfriends favorite hoodie she'd so kindly forgotten to pack, you definitely didn't hide it, you were engrossed in the smell of her perfume but it just wasn't the same as the real thing and these last two weeks you'd missed her terribly.

coming off the back of five back to back wins in the span of two weeks with lyon ellie had been called up to her national camp for pre world cup friendlies against new zealand.

she'd flown out from france on tuesday night, arrived in australia friday mornning and played the first game sunday afternoon. from the facetimes or phone calls she somehow managed to squeeze in among her action packed schedule you could see the jetlag was affecting her.

you'd never completely understand what she went through to play for club and country of course, whenever you were called back to england for national duty of your own it was a couple of hours on a plane and that was hardly comparable in the slightest.

however you'd warned her time and time again about burn out and listening to what her body was trying to tell her with the insane travel schedule she stuck to throughout the season going continent to continent.

but each time you tried the blonde would only wave you off making a sarcastic joke and often sending your head spinning with a feverish kiss in an attempt to change the subject, though by now you knew her games all too well.

you perked up as a crowd of tired looking passengers burst through the arrival gates standing on the tips of your toe to try and spot your girlfriend, a frown settling into your features as seemingly everyone headed their separate ways and there was no sign of ellie.

"not looking for someone are we?"

you spun around at the thick australian accent, a grin curling into your lips as the blonde stood behind you with a smile of her own. "how the hell did you get behind me? i was looking so carefully!" you laughed as the two of you pulled one another into a bone crushing hug.

"not carefully enough babe, i'm too good at being sneaky im like a ninja!" ellie pinched your sides teasingly as you pulled away with a roll of your eyes, pecking her lips a few times and grabbing her bags, ignoring her calls that she had them.

"shut up and tell me you missed me." you teased, the taller girl sighing dramatically and pausing as if to ponder her next words.

"need i remind darling that i am your ride home and i have the house keys?" you warned jingling them as the two of you made your way out of the airport and toward the car. "missed you so so so much." ellie wrapped her arms around your neck from behind and kissed your cheek repeatedly.

"much better." you complimented with a wink, smacking her hand away as she tried to grab one of the bags off you. "aren't you going to tell me you missed me?" ellie countered with a playful frown as the two of you neared the car.

"mmm but we promised not to lie to one another." you teased, clicking unlock on the car and squealing as ellie attempted to pick you up and spin you around, her bags falling to the floor as she stumbled and nearly dropped you down with them.

"okay! lets not forget you've just flown for two days." you laughed as you shoved her toward the passenger side and quickly loaded her bags into the back. "thats normally my job." the defender pouted as you opened the drivers door and slid inside.

"snooze you lose and you need a good snooze." you smiled softly, leaning over the middle console to kiss her properly and mumbling how much you missed her against her lips, gently grabbing her hands in yours as she tried to grip the back of your need to deepen the kiss.

"i meant it el, home and sleep." you cautioned firmly though not unkindly, the time nearing 8pm anyway. "food, home and sleep?" the australian asked hopefully as you nodded with an amused smile.

"how could i possibly forget that the way to your heart is through your stomach?"

only when you got home after grabbing takeout on the way back, ellie did not want to sleep. "el!" you groaned, dragging your hands down your face as the two of you finished dinner and she insisted on washing up, and then unpacking, and then doing her laundry.

"what? if i do it now then i save myself doing it tomorrow, or you doing it for me!" the blonde replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, the bags under her eyes growing darker and darker with each passing minute.

"ellie, my love." you moved your body to block the exit of your shared bedroom, your face softening as ellie sighed and placed down the basket of washing.

"you're racing around like a roadrunner and you've been on the go for weeks now. we have two days off before we're back to training and you need to rest." you reminded, hands falling to gently clasp her face.

"its nine at night and you've been flying since monday morning, you might feel awake but you look like shit and i can see in your eyes that you are fighting exhaustion. please let me look after you so you're looking after yourself baby." you requested, thumbs tracing the sharp curve of her jaw, bracing as suddenly the tall defender collapsed into you.

"do i really look like shit?" she mumbled into your shoulder making you chuckle, body sagging and melting into yours as you held her tightly and smiled.

"you always look beautiful but today lets just say you look a bit beautifully disheveled." you tangled a hand in her hair and moved to scratch at her scalp as she heavily exhaled and you shifted a little as more of her weight bore into you.

"okay. how about this-" you gently pushed her backward until she was sat on the edge of the bed, her arms moving to wrap around your waist as her head fell to your stomach with a hum.

"-you go and pick a movie, get comfortable. i'll pop your washing on and we can lay down together and watch something until you fall asleep, deal?" you bargained as ellie exhaled heavily but nodded in agreement.

"good." you tilted her head back with your finger and placed a tender kiss to her lips. breaking away you hurried to grab her basket of washing, darting off to the laudry as your girlfriends footsteps made their way toward the living room and you heard the gentle thud of her body slumping into the sofa.

returning a few minutes later you smiled to see her wrapped up in a blanket, blonde hair hidden beneath your favourite hoodie she'd taken with her. "swap." the australian called out as you arrived beside her, sitting up and starting to take it off.

"what?" you laughed as she rolled her eyes and huffed, tugging impatiently at the hem of your own hoodie and repeating herself. "alright alright, needy." you teased, tugging off the hoodie and trading with her, both of you pulling the material over your heads.

"this one smells much more like you." ellie mumbled happily, going to lay down again as you stopped her, slipping in behind her into her normal position of the big spoon. "do you want a drink or anything?" you whispered into her hair as she clicked play on the movie.

"no, just a tall glass of you." the australian replied charmingly with a smile, eyes drooping a little as she fought back a yawn. "always the charmer aren't you carpenter." you teased as she settled herself into you, flipping around onto her stomach as her head rested on your chest and her hands dug into the small of your back.

"oh els no come on!" you whined seeing which movie she'd selected, one of her favorites she'd watched to death and back, and one that you despised and she well knew.

"you'll fall asleep like ten minutes in and i'll be stuck." you complained, her hand moving over your mouth the only response you needed. unable to argue with the adorably tired smile sent your way you melted, pressing a kiss to her nose and grinning as she scrunched it up.

"go to sleep angel." you whispered watching as a few minutes in she was fighting to keep her eyes open, one hand sneaking up the back of her hoodie and the other messing with her hair, your nails raking up and down the toned and tanned skin of her back.

"mm that feels nice baby." the australian mumbled, eyes fluttering closed finally as her body relaxed and her breathing evened out. within a couple of minutes you bit your lip to stop from laughing as she let out a small snore, a tell tale sign that she was exhausted and out cold.

but you'd be sure to tease her for it once she was a little better rested tomorrow.

#woso #woso community #woso x reader #woso imagine #ellie carpenter x reader #ellie carpenter #woso fanfics #woso blurbs

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beneath-light-and-sky · 1 month ago

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BENEATH LIGHT AND SKY

Blog run by: @starsabovee

(do not repost art posted from this blog or my main blog)

After the King was defeated, for the final time, and Siffrin’s loops were broken at last, the Island Up North was, after so long of being shrouded in heavy fog, visible to people outside said country.

It so happens that Siffrin was born there, it’s only expected that he leaps at the opportunity of finally returning home.

But, just like Vaugarde had been, this island has a problem that the Saviors of Vaugarde are alerted about by one Aster Birdwhistle when they reach the island.

The constellations are fading. The elders have fallen. Time is running out. History is being forgotten.

Siffrin agrees to help their home country. They helped one country, why can’t they help another? They did it once, why can’t they do it once more?

Artemis warns the group before they enter Aviary Village that this will very likely be the hardest challenge they have faced in their lives. Some words went unspoken, but the message was clear as day, “you may lose some of those you love. Tread carefully and think wisely in your choices, Child.”

The Eye of Eden awaits. The storm rages on within it, the light visible from almost anywhere for miles and miles stretching on, teasing everyone, mocking them. The Universe watches in silence, but that silence will soon be broken.

Child of Light, be not afraid. Your light will shine brighter with your family. Stay by their side, and let them stay by your own, and no matter how many times you may fall, you will rise and prevail.

Good luck. May the ancestors look upon you kindly. May the stars light your path clearly, and may the clouds part in your favor.

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Siffrin

Pronouns: he/they

Craft type: scissors

Extra info: blind in one eye, ended up getting stuck in a time loop (of their own making) for… uh… a concerning amount of time!! He lost count at around 400 loops. Doesn’t do too well under pressure. Scrawny and thin stature yet very agile. Shortest party member if you don’t count Bonnie. Has albinism.

Mirabelle

Pronouns: she/her

Craft type: dual type, scissors-paper with a scissors lean.

Extra info: has anxiety (has it BAD too), stresses and frets a lot, you can only imagine how she reacted when Siffrin broke his leg during a battle with a Sadness due to recklessness.

Odile

Pronouns: she/her

Craft type: paper

Extra info: A “researcher” from Ka Bue, who came to Vaugarde shortly before the King began freezing Vaugarde. The oldest and wisest of the group, she’ll stay with them until the end, whenever that may be, out of love and loyalty to them but also because “leaving the fate of ANOTHER country in the hands of young ones would, once again, give me an ulcer.”

Isabeau

Pronouns: he/him

Craft type: rock

Extra info: Used to be a Defender in Jouvente before joining Mirabelle. Very upbeat but also determined. Cracks really bad jokes with Siffrin, getting various reactions from the others. Despite his supposed airheadedness, Isabeau is very perceptive and not a lot of things trick him.

Bonnie

Pronouns: they/them

Craft type: rock

Extra info: Hails from Bambouche, a coastal town on Vaugarde’s north coast. Bonnie is very impulsive and bold, often needing to be held back by another party member. Past their boldness, they care a whole lot for their family.

Nille

Pronouns: she/her

Craft type: rock

Extra info: The older sister of Bonnie, Nille is stubborn and semi-hot-headed. She uses a hammer as a weapon, and wears her hair in a braid. She struggles to keep calm sometimes, but the rest of the party is there to help.

Artemis

Pronouns: any/all

Craft type: dual type, scissors-rock, scissors leaning.

Extra info: Masked, faceless, Artemis is a person of few words. His words to the party before they followed Aster to the portal were words of warning. It’d be wise the party heeds them.

Aster

Pronouns: she/her

Craft type: paper

Extra info: Bubbly yet jumpy, Aster is Artemis’s business partner. The two have been trying to find someone to help the island. Aster is a professor at a University for Wishcraft and Magics, and expressed surprise upon seeing the pins and charms on Siffrin’s cape.

???

Pronouns: It/Its

Craft type: all, yet also none at the same time. Everything but nothing.

Extra info: The embodiment of entropy and order, darkless and lightess and everything in between. The executioner, the playwright, the judge, the ruler, the puppeteer.

——————————————————————————————————

Tags this blog will have

#beneath light and sky au : the name of this au, will be used in every post.

#ooc : used for ooc posts, such as explanations for less posting, hiatuses, etc.

#the storyteller : used for in character posts as the narrator.

#isat au : you know what this is for

#sky children of the light : since this is a sky isat crossover, this tag will also be here

Any cws, if necessary

And more!

THIS BLOG WILL NOT WARN FOR IN STARS AND TIME SPOILERS, NOR SKY CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT. IF YOU HAVE NOT FINISHED EITHER OF THE GAMES, DO NOT FOLLOW ALONG WITH THIS BLOG YET UNLESS YOU DO NOT MIND SPOILERS.

LINK TO THE AO3 (will update randomly):

#beneath light and sky au #ooc #the storyteller #isat au #sky children of the light

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oneatlatime · 1 year ago

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The Journey to Ba Sing Se Part 2: The Drill

Could I have Appa back please?

The Previously On segment actually didn't spoil anything for once. Nice.

I do like these tank things. In fact I like all Fire Nation technology. Not what it's used for. But the designs are neat. And more interesting than most actual military tech. You ever look at something techy, and think to yourself 'there was an artist involved here,' because that's the impression FN tech gives me. It's not beautiful, but there's a pleasing toothiness to it.

Excellent sound design on the metal screechy moving bits. And is that tank escort really necessary?

I know this is a kids' cartoon, with characters that are designed to be the audience's age. I know! And usually I can suspend my disbelief and forget that I'm watching children do very adult jobs! But this caught me so off guard I laughed. The Fire Nation's big secret project to break through the wall once and for all, that would be an absolute career making achievement for whoever is in charge, and they've given it to a bunch of teenage girls. This is where my suspension of disbelief stops.

Can you imagine the meeting where this was proposed? The Fire Lord being like "Who can lead the attack on Ba Sing Se? We lost Zhao at the North Pole, does whoever it is who occupies his equivalent rank in the Army want the job? Or even Zhao's second in command perhaps? Or how about: three middle school girls, two of which aren't even members of the military? Doesn't that sound like a good plan?" And of course all his advisors have to agree and be like "that sounds like an excellent plan your lordship; did you have any particular girls in mind or should we go scout out the local Claire's?" because the last guy who disagreed with him got his face blown off. I don't care how viciously talented Azula and friends are; a country that puts eighth graders in charge of invasion plans should have lost the war in year one, not still be winning it in year 99.

Did that random commander guy just smack Ty Lee in the face?

Problem the first of this plan: unless the Fire Nation has invented pocket dimensions or bags of holding, there is no way that that drill, even stuffed full of soldiers, would hold enough people to take a city that seemingly contains every single refugee in the entire Earth Kingdom.

Do you think those refugees got preferential treatment for arriving on an Avatar powered elevator?

"I'm the Avatar. Take me to whoever's in charge." OWN IT BABY!!!

That's one hell of an irrigation system they must have.

"He was quickly expunged." Was he? I got the impression he quit. Of his own accord.

Something tells me like forty guys throwing rocks won't stop that thing.

So... what was Mai doing that whole fight? Hanging decoratively off a rope?

I'd forgotten how stupid Earth Kingdom generals were. Luckily Sokka is there to vicariously express my opinion of them. A reverse beat up Sokka quota fulfillment!

Toph is such a little shit and I love her.

Aang sure does put up with a lot sometimes. Part of being the Avatar. It's a good thing he has such patience. Can we talk about how lucky the world is that Aang is the one tasked with putting up with nonsense like this? Imagine if Sokka or Toph were the Avatar. There would be casualties.

I like complaining too buddy. Nice to see Sokka's worth being recognised. Now can we do that outside of a life or death situation too please?

I joke about Zuko's dumbass behaviour, but let's be honest, it's inherited.

Jet. Fuckboy. You do not make it easy to even slightly like you. Guy is missing the point as much as Zuko usually does. Going straight MEANS leaving the freedom fighters behind. It doesn't mean reforming them somewhere else. And what Fire Nation threat are you going to find in Ba Sing Se for your Freedom Fighters to fight? You know, if this idiot was actually serious about fighting for Freedom rather than blowing stuff up for fun, he'd fudge his age and enlist in the Earth Kingdom Army.

Four points: How does Katara know Ty Lee's name? Is this confirmation that waterbending healing cannot remove a Chi block? I love that the trait that gives away Ty Lee's identity is the fact that she cartwheeled away. I love Sokka. Just in general.

There is no way this girl is not tripping.

Can you imagine how loud standing right next to that drill must be?

ABS

Normally I'd say that one earthbender trying to slow the drill down with spikes will work even worse than the Terra Team who tried and failed with like 40, but this is Toph we're talking about. It could work.

These children are so polite when they're committing industrial sabotage. Truly, they were raised well.

Do you ever get the feeling that whoever is in charge of designing Fire Nation armour is into a few things that he's trying to repress so hard that they're coming out in all the wrong places?

Jet seems to have lost all the manipulative abilities he had in his episode. Suddenly he's very bad at reading body language and keeps saying the exact opposite of what he should.

New achievement unlocked! 1000% agreeing with something Zuko said! That was a pretty stupid move.

Cups made out of leaves are neat.

Katara, you can't have it both ways. You can't look to Sokka to make the plan, then get snippy when the plan correctly plays to all of your strengths. He physically CAN'T bend. Either you come up with a better plan yourself, or you do as the guy you appointed planner suggests.

Points in favour of allowing Katara to murder people, exhibit 1.

Confirmed: Sokka is catnip for girls.

Even in comparison to the others, Ty Lee has a bad case of cartoon physics.

Did Katara just disarm herself? That'll come back to bite her in 3, 2, 1...

Mai gets a second personality trait! Yay!

There is no way this is actually practical armour. This is someone in procurement with a thing for sweaty bulging muscles and puppy masks.

And thus, the log ride was born. Later versions would go on to perfect the concept by introducing a log.

I felt Sokka's mud freakout in my bones. Looks like Katara giving away her water isn't going to be a problem.

Petition to let Katara say bitch. The voice actress said Circus Freak but I know what I heard in my heart.

Remember that time Sokka smacked his forehead so many times that his face was permanently red? My turn now.

Aang. I know you love your friends. But maybe a battle on top of a moving machine of destruction in the midst of an aerial assault from your idiotic allies while facing off with the single most powerful and amoral firebender in existence, isn't a place to bring your pet lemur?

Beat up Sokka quota fulfilled by little sister. It's surprising that isn't the case more often. I know Sokka took it too far, but if you don't want him telling you what to do, maybe you shouldn't have looked to him for a plan?

Toph is here! Day saved.

Finally some sense re: Momo safety.

Time for the Western showdown. There's even something that could stand in for a water tower in the background.

If Azula had just struck at Aang the second he got knocked unconscious, rather than waiting until he woke up for dramatic purposes, she would have won this. I give Zuko Hell for being a theatre kid, but he's not the only one in the family.

I would love to know what they make Fire Nation boot soles out of. They have supernatural traction.

I take back everything I said about pet safety. That was a really cool Momo assist.

Aang invents the pneumatic hammer.

I LOVE that the cut braces had an effect after all. Sokka's contribution counts!

I bet this guy's wishing he'd been eaten by a giant fishman like Zhao right about now. Have fun explaining that one to the Firelord!

HOW is Ty Lee still alive?

HOW does Azula still have knees after that drop?

HOW does Mai have such perfect timing?

ROCK TRAIN ROCK TRAIN ROCK TRAIN ROCK TRAIN ROCK TRAIN ROCK TRAIN ROCK TRAIN ROCK TRAIN ROCK TRAIN ROCK TRAIN ROCK TRAIN ROCK TRAIN ROCK TRAIN ROCK TRAIN ROCK TRAIN ROCK TRAIN ROCK TRAIN ROCK TRAIN ROCK TRAIN ROCK TRAIN ROCK TRAIN ROCK TRAIN ROCK TRAIN ROCK TRAIN ROCK TRAIN ROCK TRAIN ROCK TRAIN ROCK TRAIN ROCK TRAIN ROCK TRAIN

They really ought to put wheels on all but the back car to reduce friction and save energy. Then again, if the Earth Kingdom is one thing, it's stupid.

So... Jet's change of heart lasted a bit less than one episode. Good job fuckboy!

So precious.

So Pretty.

Final Thoughts

This was like 90% action, with the other 10% being split between Zuko & Iroh plot stuff and Sokka playing comic relief. So there's not that much to talk about here really (she says, having found a whole post's worth of stuff to talk about).

Sokka had his bossy pants on, admittedly because he was asked to don them. Aang got to do some proper Avataring. Katara and Toph got to exercise their bending muscles. I'm not surprised that Toph was absent for much of the middle of the episode, because - let's be honest - given the right tools, Toph would have finished the Drill in one move. And then they'd be out of episode.

Actually, Mai got to have a personality beyond Too Bored To Live this episode. This is probably the most personality I've seen out of her so far. She's much more expressive when she's with just Ty Lee, rather than Ty Lee and Azula.

And Zuko! Had! Common! Sense! Iroh had to be a dumbass for Zuko to shine, but Zuko was, once again, the most reasonable character in his little B plot. For future reference: If you want to make Zuko reasonable, all you have to do is nerf his uncle and juxtapose him with a terrorist.

I loathe Jet. Always have, probably always will. But I'm still disappointed in him. His 'turning over a new leaf' - if it was sincere at all - lasted like 10 on-screen minutes. I feel sorry for Smellerbee and Longshot. I don't think their faith in their glorious leader is going to be repaid. He seems to brush off Smellerbee's opinions.

The strangest thing this episode was how few lines Azula had. I guess maybe they were using silence to try to show how calculating and collected she is compared to others, but honestly my first thought was that the voice actress had something going on. A cold? A previous engagement? It felt really weird to hear her speak so little, since previous episodes have shown she's not averse to gloating and dramatic monologues. She didn't even have much in the way of facial expressions.

I think the winners this episode were Mai, who got to have a personality; Zuko, who got a turn with the brain cell; and Aang, who got to work out pretty much all the bending he knows so far and successfully Avatar.

I did notice with some of the shots of Aang moving the big boulders the idiots were chucking down, that there was a kind of fuzziness to the air between Aang and what he was moving. Was I seeing the actual bending energy (Chi I guess) moving?

#atla #avatar: the last airbender #avatar the last airbender #the drill

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yuurei20 · 2 years ago

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Azul Info Compilation part 9: Jade

Jade enjoys mocking Azul extremely.

He goes off-script during Halloween to force Azul to dance in front of visitors (“it’s called ‘ad-libbing’, my dear Azul”), and when a possessed Azul is discovered during Spectral Soiree he says “Oh, but it’s so entertaining. Couldn’t we just leave him like this for a while?”

When Azul regains consciousness Jade confirms whether or not he is still possessed by quizzing him on Mostro Lounge earnings from the previous night.

(When asked what he remembers about being kidnapped he says he does “faintly recall hearing Azul’s voice”, while Azul says he “had a dream where I was floating in the ocean. I was unusually buoyant.”)

Jade jokes about Azul being thrown “into the depths of despair” when the lounge has few customers, teases Azul about being an “ink-spewing crybaby” despite having signed an NDA covering Azul's childhood and happily leaves him with a difficult task during Vargas Camp 2 during a tense moment, taking up a far easier task for himself.

We also see him tease Azul during Book 4 by complimenting Kalim on his compassion and saying, “would that Azul could take a page from your book” and when he observes that Azul says he would like to “offer (his) services” during Wish Upon a Star, what he actually means is “take advantage of people’s wishes for your own gain”, he follows up with “That sounds rather fun, actually.”

When Jade makes a comment during Vargas Camp 2 about going to fish for an octopus Azul responds that, in that case, he looks forward to grilling eel.

Azul encourages Riddle and the others to go to Jade’s Mountain Lovers Club exhibition in Book 5 as “I assume he’d be all alone and bored out of his skull otherwise”.

Jade’s dorm uniform vignette consists of Jade feigning interest in transferring to Pomefiore in accordance with a plan that Azul has devised in order to trick Vil into promoting a drink offered at Mostro Lounge.

There is an interesting interaction where Vil presses Jade for information about how he met Azul and Jade refuses to answer, saying that he hasn’t “the foggiest idea” what brought them together.

Vil is suspicious about him having forgotten “such an important event in his life”—perhaps related to aforementioned NDA?

The vignette ends with Jade returning to Octavinelle (“Azul convinced me—tears in his eyes—that Octavinelle is at a complete loss without me”) and Azul welcomes him back as “the best in the school at worming your way into other’s hearts”.

Jade assures him that “satisfying Vil was like child’s play in comparison to a certain someone. My stay at Pomefiore was like a well-deserved breaks”. Azul responds, “Oh, you jokester, you.”

For all his mocking of Azul, however, Jade does seem to concede to his requests in a way similar to Floyd: Jade does not wear a t-shirt that Azul has forbidden and refrains from filling the Mostro Lounge menu with mushroom-based dishes when Azul asks him to stop.

In a vignette we see Azul being quite strict with Jade when he made a poor decision related to Mostro Lounge, but Jade is undeterred: in the same vignette we see Riddle complimenting Azul’s role in capturing Grim, which transitions to Jade going above and beyond at a task Azul had assigned him by drafting a list of home countries, hobbies, least favorite foods, worst subjects, public magicam accounts and “secret” magicam accounts for Azul’s use.

Riddle explains, “At first glance, it may seem as though Jade only follows Azul and Floyd’s lead, but that is a grave misunderstanding.”

We also get a small example of Jade keeping Azul informed about goings-on in the school when, in a separate vignette, Jade is nearby when Floyd commits himself to performing in a live show with Kalim, and Jade says he will be notifying Azul.

Jade and Azul also seem to share a healthy rivalry, teasing one another both before and after Beanfest.

#twstazul #azulfacts #twstfacts #azul ashengrotto #twisted wonderland

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demonicintegrity · 1 year ago

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Just saw a tiktok comment that said “it’d be great if people got over 9/11 as fast as they get over school shootings.”

And I’m not gonna lie, that stunned me. Holy shit that was a comment. That did shift my perspective on things so I looked up a few things:

Death toll of 9/11: 2,977

Number of anti Muslim hate crime in 2001: 481 (it was just 28 incidents the year before.) (and 2015 anti Muslim hate crime jumped to post 9/11 levels and then anti-Muslims assaults surpassed the 9/11 levels in 2016) I tried finding if there was a death toll associated with this but couldn’t.

Hate crime instances in 2021 alone (for any reason): 7,262

Death toll from school shootings (includes suicides and domestic violence): 279

Total death toll from Covid-19 in the US alone: 1,174,691 (do you remember hearing “a 9/11 a day” at some point? Cuz I do)

I can’t find an exact number of people who’ve died as a result of roe v wade being overturned but I know there are deaths because of it.

Death toll of Hurricane Katrina: 1,245-1,836

Death toll of HIV/AIDS: 65,000 in 1995 alone, 675,000 total now

And I want to be clear: I’m not trying to rank any of these tragedies as more devastating than the others. All of them are horrific and tragic for their own reasons. All of them deserve the grief and mourning that comes with them. But only one of them is given the most attention. A national remembrance every year, written into the curriculum of schools, and never allowed to be scoffed at or joked about. Only one of them explicitly told to never be forgotten.

But everything else is allowed to be brushed off, even when the effects are felt currently. When I was a child I didn’t worry about terrorism, I worried about school shootings. Because they were happening. Sometimes even the county right beside mine, sometimes my school would go on lockdown for an outside incident. But people would swear up and down until they were blue in the face that I and my peers were being over dramatic. (But god forbid we didn’t give 9/11 the respect it deserved. God forbid we didn’t stand for the pledge.)

I got scoffed at by my mom when I said I have to consider politics when thinking about where I want to live because I’m queer. That wasn’t a real issue.

These are all real issues. But only one is given the national attention of being a real issue. Hell if you bring up any of the other ones it’s only a matter of time before someone says “you’re living in the past” or “that’s just how it is.” And I think that makes reconsidering how we address things as a country.

#9/11 #us politics #do not clown in my notes I s2g #rambles

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magicalyaku · 3 months ago

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Why is it October already and why am I still talking about books I read in April?! I'm like half a year behind in time than the rest of the universe. So let's make this quick, eh? The theme of this part is Gay Adult Fiction series, my comfort food. uAu

The Prince's Assassin series (Ariana Nash): I picked this up on a whim, at the end of April when I was in a slump, and then I read all 3 books and the novella in about a week. It's good! In the beginning, it has quite a few parallels to Captive Prince but I didn't mind and it quickly becomes its own story. There's magic and elves (who are very different from what you usually imagine as 'elves') and some dark themes. I liked reading it a lot and I enjoyed Nico as a character. That he actually walked away from Vasili when it got too much. And that just when I thought "how often will you repeat this?" they worked it out. :D

The Paladin's Shadow & The Sword-Witch's Heart (Radiance 2+3) (Tavia Lark): The easy-going ones, here they are! Not much different to say from the other books I read by this author. Enjoyable adventure, romance that works, good world-building. For the third book, I was very apprehensive to read about the second protagonist because I didn't like him when he appeared in the second book. But suprisingly, he got better and I ended up liking book 3 a lot more than book 2. The series got new covers recently btw. These look a lot better than the old ones. :'D

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen & The Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel (The Doomsday Books 1+2) (KJ Charles): Omg, so much fun. I loved reading the first book, so 4 days waiting for the second volume to be delivered was testing my patience really hard. yAy It's fun and at times suprisingly dark (as in people die) and I really like the portrayal of the marsh, as a place, as a home. That was the one piece I missed a little in the second book, but otherwise I liked that one just as much. Can't go wrong with KJ Charles. :)

Running Close to the Wind (Alexandra Rowland): As it turns out, we started with the darkest and end with the funniest book. :'D This one is not exactly a series, but set in the same world and slightly connected to the events of the author's previous novel A Taste of Gold and Iron. This one took me by surprise. It's hugely different than its predecessor but so much fun! It's a comedy, really, and a smart one at that, despite it consisting 70% of dirty jokes. (There are no explicit scenes, though!) I enjoyed reading every second of it. It's just great. Good characters, smart writing and dialogue, adventure, absurdity. Highly recommended.

There's still 4 more books on my list but I just decided that I don't to need to talk about them much, so have one (or three) sentence(s) for each and then be done with it:

Snow Boys (Simon Doyle): Cute, contemporary story with coming out drama and family drama. Why does it change covers so often?

A Spark of Magic (Tari Riley): Self-published fantasy story with a budding romance between a teen witch and an accidental merboy, first book of a series, was pretty okay. The only thing that irked me was how they were constantly grabbing things (instead of taking them or picking them up or fetching them ...). :'D

Only Mostly Devastated prequel novella (Sophie Gonzales): Of course, I've already forgotten everything about the main story except the main points and that I enjoyed it, yet it was easy enough to get into the prequel.

The Cat Who Saved Books (Sosuke Natsukawa): I didn't like it, because it's not about the cat but the usual Japanese teenage manga protagonist, but because it's a novel instead of a manga suddenly it's great and serious? My ass. It makes some good points about our modern reading habits but is very simplified, and if you let me talk any further, I will only rage about every single point that annoyed me, so I stop. :)

#yaku reads #wrap up #books #queer books #queer lit #lgbtq books #running close to the wind #the doomsday books #the secret lives of country gentlemen #the prince's assassin #curse of the dark prince #radiance #the cat who saved books

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felikatze · 10 months ago

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thinks abt my many half baked ISAT FE AU stuff again....

siffrin is a manakete that is all good night

uhhh act 5 and twohats spoilers below

joking but. also yes. i was thinking a lot abt what FE classes the cast would have recently so.

Mirabelle is a lord. HOWEVER. she gets to be a fancy lord who also gets staff access. Like Hoshido Noble. could you imagine dragging around a scrublord who only gets good on promo but they had heal utility the whole time. isn't that a dream. imagine if Roy could heal and then still rips in endgame

Odile is very obviously a Sage. Like cmon. If i had to pick any specific sage outfit it would in fact be Awakening sages. But the thought of Odile in the outfit of Engage sages is enough to kill people I think. Though the banana mage gba era would be hilarious on her.

The trifecta of magic is also a nice reflection of her being able to use all types of craft :) esp tellius mechanics are dope for that (and integrated into my silly isat emblems stuff). It could also be very thematically appropriate to make her an Omnyoji instead.

Isabeau just has massive axe bro energy. Yknow how fighters are stereotyped as stupid but then Lot FE6, generic axe bro ever, plays chess and does philosophy? Yeah. From a gameplay standpoint it would also make sense to put him in armor knight cuz he will Protect His Friends. Also he has the highest hp in the cast anyways. He would also have rally skills.

If i had to pick one guy to make a beast unit, it would be him also. Tiger isabeau.

Bonnie is the Transporter. They cannot fight. They cannot die. Bonnie is Merlinus. We are not letting the child on the battlefield. Give Bonnie a caravan and convoy access, you know they gotta.

Sif is. hm.

Like the obvious call is Thief, right? In games that have em, daggers are exclusive to thieves (unless you're fates, and have butlers and ninjas). Dagger classes can also debuff (with engage thieves poisoning, and fates daggers inflicting debuffs) which would be a nice niche. However Siffrin isn't actually a criminal.

From a story standpoint mercenary would be the most appropriate since they're not really here for any particular reason but just bcuz he happened to be in the country when the curse struck.

HOWEVER.... engage has given us a very tantalizing third option. Wolf Knight. They're not associated with crime. They are speedy, dodgy, and use daggers.

Siffrin gets a pet wolf. Do you see it.

TO ELABORATE ON THE MANAKETES THING.... So, if you've seen me talk abt my fucking, fe6 isat au, i cast Idunn as Siffrin. And the idea of someone forgetting their own species is really funny, and also kinda terrifying. And the only other person like you is the guy you have to kill.

Also I think creechur siffrin AUs are great. And dragons in FE are associated heavily with two things. a) going insane. b) amnesia (just look at corrin, and grima, and alear).

Also also dragons love to take naps. WHO ELSE LOVES TO TAKE NAPS?? That's right. Siffrin.

Oh yeah also. Dragon Loop. Wouldn't that be epic. AND. act 5 boss fight siffrin turning into a full dragon.

And the development possibilites. As siffrin learns about the island, also uncovering myths about dragons. And the new strength siffrin is able to master more and more of each loop being bcuz. well. dragon. and growing aware of the ways he's different from the others not just in the growing chasm as they veiw the party more and more as actors, but also the paranoia in physically becoming a monster.

Do you see my fucking vision, here.

SPEAKING OF ENGAGE.... i forgot who. but SOMEBODY. suggested. Emblem Loop. wrgrhr.

and i've thought abt how this would work. And i think it does work, if like... the island (and the divine dragons) all got forgotten because of the emblem's miracle. That somebody thought it was too dangerous and wanted to seal it away forever and used the power of the emblems to make them forgotten. And so Wish Craft would be the emblems' power instead, which only dragons have access to - supposedly. Hey, if a whole country tries out a prayer incantation, would it work?

And. and. this would be really easy to do by. replacing the silver coin with a ring. Siffrin just has this random ring they've had forever. So when Loop wishes to get out, they become the emblem they've been using. You get recursive timeloop questions - who was the emblem that granted Loop's wish in the first place? Was it another Siffrin? Somebody else altogether? Who knows. But isn't the asking really fun.

And like, I mean, Emblem Byleth already exists, we all know what "rerolling missed attacks to hit instead" is. Emblem Byleth is still rewinding time you just can't see that he is.

Do you see my vision. ISAT fire emblem engage AU.

#feli speaks #isat spoilers #hhgkjnj do i tag this. sure. yeah. i do #in stars and time #WOW!! ANOTHER ISAT/FE CROSSOVER!! how many is that now #well i got the fe6 in isat crossver. i got the isat in fe6 crossover.#i got the isat chars as emblems stuff and now also this #so it's uhh. FOUR fe/isat crossover AUs #wow almost like. almost like one of those things #has the high honor of being the first thing i've officially called a special interest

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writingplotbunnies · 11 months ago

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Best Served Cold (Part 2/?)

Pairing: Jax Teller x OFC

Summary: Sophie begins her first day at the station, but a flat tire has her running late.

Word Count: ~2400

Warnings: angst, illegal activity, possessive behavior, sexual content, canon typical violence

A/N: This is my first SOA fic, so let me know what you think. This will be a multipart fic, so let me know if you want added to the taglist.

Driving over the uneven hard packed road just outside Lodi made Sofie realize she’d forgotten to take into consideration the simple fact that her beloved Charger didn’t have the same clearance as the Humvees she’d spent a lot of her time driving. The location of Sophie’s sniper nest was difficult to find, and uninviting to curious bypassers. As she felt the shocks in her car work extra hard, she realized she might need to increase the budget for car repairs. More of those small details in her plan coming back to bite her. Nothing about this mission was familiar. Depending on an unknown supply source for hardware, knowing she had zero backup when things went pear-shaped - and no matter what, things always went pear-shaped - having a personal target - changed everything.

She knew it would be a bad idea to go out to her place before beginning her first day at the station, but she couldn’t think straight when it came to this. It wasn’t as though she needed the reminder. The photos taped to the wall of the shed felt redundant because she’d never forget the way her sister’s face looked, the bruising, the blood. What haunted her dreams was the vacant, empty look on her face, the way her eyes clearly told everyone she’d allowed herself to escape somewhere else in her mind, protected herself from the horrors she’d experienced by retreating so far into herself that nothing and no one could reach her.

Maybe it was penance. A way of punishing herself for not being able to protect her. No matter how many times she’d heard people tell her it wasn’t her fault. She couldn't have known. She wasn’t even in the country. All true. And yet. Olivia was her sister, her best friend, her biggest supporter. Now she was a memory. A ghost who smiled sadly down at her because Sophie knew Olivia wouldn’t approve. She’d demand Sophie move on, grieve and forgive. She frowned. Sophie no longer felt capable of forgiveness. About a mile outside Charming, the car pulling to the left shook her back to the present. Pulling over, Sophie took a deep breath before getting out of her car to check the damage.

“Shit.”

She saw the silver of a screw or a nail lodged in her tire. It wasn’t entirely flat, and she just hoped it would get her into town. Showing up to work on her first day wasn’t the impression she wanted to make, but clearly the universe decided to do her exactly zero favors.

Pulling her phone from her pocket, Sophie called the station.

“Charming Police Department.”

“Hi, this is Sophie Cooper. Is Deputy Hale available?”

She waited for the phone to connect, and glared at the tire as though it was the inanimate object’s fault she was in this situation.

“Sophie, how are you?”

“A bit embarrassed. I ran an errand early this morning, and on my way back into town, I got a flat tire. It’s not totally flat yet, but it will be by the time I get into town. I wanted to let you know I’d be late, and also ask if you knew of a garage in town?”

She could hear David let out a deep breath and cursed.

“I know, I’m sorry. This isn’t the way I saw my first day going.”

“No, Sophie, I’m sorry, that’s not - there is a garage in town. It’s Teller-Morrow, but it’s owned by the local MC.”

Sophie smiled; maybe she’d get to see Jax again. “Oh, I met one of them outside the diner yesterday. His name was Jax, right? If they can fix my car, I don’t really care what they do on their off hours. Unless it’s a chop shop or something. I do want my car back with all its parts.”

It wasn’t the best joke she’d ever said, but she heard amusement in David’s voice when he responded.

“No, nothing like that. I just know you’re new in town, and SAMCRO has a way of sucking people in.”

“I just need them to fix my tire.”

“Of course.”

She wrote the address he gave her on the palm of her hand. “Thanks, Deputy.”

“David, please. Small town, Sophie.”

“Force of habit. Just be happy I didn’t call you ‘sir’, David.”

He laughed. “I’ll see you later. Let me know if you need a ride into the station once they’ve looked at your car.”

“See you soon, David.”

She kept the speed slow as she crawled into Charming, trying to salvage as much of the tire as she could, hoping they could patch it. Thankfully, David gave her excellent directions and she saw Teller-Morrow on the left. Pulling into the lot, she saw a long row of Harleys lined up along the far side, closest to the garage.

Climbing out of the car, she glanced around. She understood why David wouldn’t want someone new to town, someone working at the station coming to the shop unless they had to. In addition to being an auto shop, it was clearly the MC’s clubhouse. No business in a town the size of Charming needed the tall retractable fences, the barbed wire - the cameras. Anyone with a setup like this knew they had something to hide.

A woman came out of the office. She walked sure in the knowledge that she ruled everything. Sophie admired her instantly.

“Can I help you, sweetheart?”

“Yeah, ran over something sharp coming into town, and now I’ve got a flat tire.”

The woman walked up to her car, rounded the front and looked down at her tire. Sophie wanted to roll her eyes a bit. As though she’d lie about something like that?

“I’ve not seen you around. You new to town or just passing through?”

Sophie looked up, met her gaze. “Yeah, just moved here. I’m Sophie Cooper.”

“Gemma,” she said. “My husband owns the shop.”

“Nice to meet you, Gemma.”

Instead of answering, the woman straightened up, placed her hand on her hip and moved her eyes up and down Sophie’s body in a way that reminded her of inspections during boot camp. Her stance stated clearly that she’d have preferred if Sophie were in fact just driving through. As she’d expected, not everyone in Charming took kindly to having new, unknown, people moving in next door.

“Hey darlin’.”

Turning towards the voice, she saw Jax swaggering across the lot, wiping his hands on a rag he tucked into his back pocket. Grease was a good look on him. Sophie figured anything would look good on him. Or nothing. He offered her a thousand-megawatt smile as he came to stand next to her.

“Thought I was supposed to see you at the station.”

“Something tells me you’ll still have that opportunity.”

His answering grin was cheeky. “You know it.”

“You two know each other?” Gemma asked.

“Met her yesterday outside Lumpy’s. She was talking to Hale about her new job at the station.”

Gemma’s eyes widened, eyebrows to her hairline. “You a cop?”

“Ma!”

Sophie smiled. Seemed as though she’d met the gatekeeper. No one got to a member of the MC without the queen’s permission. If she had to guess, her husband - the owner of the shop - was the MCs president.

“Me? No, never had much use for them, but they needed a receptionist. Not a lot of job opportunities in a small, close-knit community like Charming. Girl’s gotta eat.”

Gemma’s lips pursed as she nodded her head slowly. Her eyes lingered on Sophie a moment too long to be friendly before her gaze cut to Jax.

“Get her fixed up. Friends and family discount.”

“Yeah, no problem.”

“I’ll see you around, Sophie.”

Sophie nodded. “I’m sure you will. Great meeting you, Gemma.”

Her answering grin wasn’t exactly friendly, but it wasn’t hostile, so Sophie figured it was a step in the right direction. She and Jax watched Gemma walk back to the office before turning to look back at her car.

Sophie watched Jax walk slowly around her car, saw the way his tongue poked out wetting his bottom lip. She followed him partway, stopping by the passenger door. Resting her hip against the front fender, she watched Jax admire her car, a smile tucked into the corner of her mouth.

“Nice cage.”

“I know,” she grinned. The Charger was her baby. The closest thing to a home she’d had since she’d been a kid. No matter where life took her, she knew the car would be there. She’d invested a lot of time and money into fixing it up, and maintaining it. She was no mechanic, not when it came to cars. But, she knew what she wanted, and was willing to pay to get the work done right.

“Other than the flat tire, she’s a dream. Think you can fix it up?”

Jax walked around the front of the car, fingers trailing along the hood. He moved in close to her, rested his hip next to hers on the fender. It’d been a while since a man had looked at her with the same heat she saw in Jax’s eyes. Of course, she knew he probably looked at everything in a skirt with that same smolder, but damn if she didn’t enjoy it. What girl didn’t enjoy being the recipient of undivided attention?

“Yeah, I’ll get one of the guys to have a look at it. Probably be able to have it back to you later today.”

Sophie nodded. “Know where I can rent a car?”

Jax’s cocked an eyebrow. “Somewhere you gotta be?”

She laughed. “Yeah, it’s my first day at the station. Off to a great start, aren’t I?”

Jax shoved his hands into his front pockets, rolled his shoulders forward, and leaned into her space a bit more. “Need a ride?”

That look in his eye - she knew exactly what he meant, what he was offering. Laroy had expressed interest in her, but this was different. Jax looked at her as though she already belonged to him, as though he had the right to claim her - as though he already had. Her mouth felt parched, her lips parted to say…something, but all she could do was stare at him with her mouth hanging open like an idiot. She could hear her father joking about her catching flies.

“What’s the hold-up, Jackie Boy?”

The Scottish brogue startled her from the staring match she’d entered into, and had been quickly losing. Pulling back from Jax, she caught sight of a middle-aged man walking towards them.

“Tire’s fucked,” Jax said. “Get Sack to fix it up for her.”

“Aren’t you gonna introduce me to your new lady friend?”

Jax rolled his eyes, but pointed at Sophie.

“Chibs, this is Sophie, she’s new to Charming.”

He came closer and held his hand out. Sophie took note of the distinctive scars on his face, but didn’t make any noticeable reaction to them - at least, she hoped she hadn’t. She’d seen, and caused, a fair number of scars in her life. If anything, his demonstrated a fierceness she could respect.

Stepping away from the car, she took his hand in hers and offered him a smile that made Jax stiffen beside her.

“Hi, I’m Sophie.”

Chibs brought her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to the back of it. “Pleasure to meet you, lassie.”

“Alright, you bastard,” Jax said, knocking Chib’s hand away from Sophie’s. “Don’t you have cars to fix?”

She could feel the heat of Jax’s body behind her, felt his hand curve around her hip. Chibs winked at her before over her shoulder at Jax. “Right, back to it then. See you around, love.”

Jax stepped around her, and she noticed the way Jax’s eyes watched Chibs walk all the way back to the garage. Noted the way he’d angled his body just enough to block her from full view. Glancing up, she saw Gemma standing in the office doorframe, arms crossed, hip leaning against the jam. From this distance, she couldn’t see the expression on her face.

“Come on,” Jax said as turned back to her, slinging his arm low across her back, fingers wrapping around her waist and pulling her closer to him. “Let’s get you to work. Can’t have you getting fired on your first day.”

Sophie nodded. She allowed Jax to lead her over to the bikes. Noticed that his Dyna parked second in the lineup, and while her interactions with MCs had been comparatively limited, she knew enough to realize that this blond-haired flirt was likely the prince of the castle. Her suspicions were confirmed when he pulled a leather kutte on, and the words “Vice President” stood proudly above the chest pocket. Filing that bit of information away for later, she took the helmet he held out to her and swung on behind him.

“Ever ridden before?”

Sophie threw her leg over, wrapped her arms around him, slid herself closer to his back and brought her lips to his ear. “Once or twice.”

His hand squeezed her thigh as he let out a low chuckle. “Hold on tight, darlin’.”

She did as he asked. Memories of happier times flooded her mind as they drove through the streets of Charming. On the occasions she’d been stateside long enough to come to visit Olivia, she’d enjoyed riding behind whoever Michael trusted enough to have her ride with. He’d shoot her a sly grin and tell her he didn’t trust any of the horny bastards. And, while they had in fact been a bunch of horny bastards, none dared treat her with anything other than respect. Sure, they flirted and teased, but none of them crossed the invisible line that had been drawn.

Jax squeezing her thigh pulled her from her thoughts. Blinking, she realized they had stopped in the station parking lot. She blushed as she noticed Jax staring at her with a slight furrow between his brows. Without thinking, she brought her hand up and gently smoothed the skin between his eyes. He smiled up at her.

“Everything okay?”

She nodded. Slipping from the back of the bike, she unhooked the helmet and passed it back to him. She watched him buckle it under his chin before revving the engine.

“Give me your phone.”

He held his hand out. Tilting her head, she stared at him. He moved his fingers in a “come on” motion. Rolling her eyes, she placed her phone in his hand. She watched him type in his number before passing the phone back to her.

“Call me when your shift is done. I’ll come pick you up. Bring you back to TM so you can pick up your car.”

“Thanks, Jax.”

Part 3

Master List

#jax teller x oc #sons of anarchy #sons of anarchy fanfic #sons of anarchy fanfiction #jax teller

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persephoneandherhades · 1 year ago

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My sister loves me.

I know that the love of family members is sometimes an abstract thing that you know is there but don't really think about but I have physical proof of it.

I half raised my two younger sisters from the time I was 12 and they were 8 and 9. My parents provided for us physically but I was the one cooking dinners and helping with homework. I was there for the break ups and bullying and the good days. I was far from perfect at this maternal role but I never asked for it but was thrust into it anyway. I still did my best to give them the things I wish I had. A shoulder to cry on. A hug when they're sad. An encouraging word. A shield between them and the constant fighting between my older brother and parents. I love them not just as my sisters but also sort of my kids.

I was not perfect. My sisters and I are neurodivergent in very different ways. Only some of this was diagnosed when we were kids. I did not have the tools or know how to help with everything. This is part of the reason my middle sister and I barely talk. She resents that I took on that maternal role and wasn't able to help her. I accept that I wasn't able to help her with many things and she has a right to be angry at me and my parents. But my baby sister loves me.

We always had an easier time getting along because we are neurodivergent in similar ways. We are very close to this day and share an apartment together.

I am in the process of healing from an emotionally abusive relationship and reconnecting with most of my family. I have lived on the other side of the country for the last 6 years and just got back. While unpacking our things into our new apartment my sister is showing me things and we are laughing at old memories. Then she starts pulling out things that I had almost forgotten about. She pulls out a scarf I knit her back in highschool. It was my first attempt at knitting and wasn't anything special but I gave it to her and she kept it. She pulls out a small pearl colored Buddha statue I got her from a natural history museum as a part of an inside joke back when I was 14. She pulls out my first attempt at quilting with all the uneven seams that I gave her once I finished it. She pulls out all these small insignificant things I've given her over the years. She kept all of them. I was crying. My autistic sister that struggles with words who I love like my own daughter showed me in 5 minutes more love than I ever got from anyone in my life. More love than my ex wife ever gave me or my emotionally unavailable parents ever showed. I was so blown away. She loves me and even thinking about it now has me crying. I can't describe how much it means to me that she kept all those things l. It's like proof that I did my best and one of my sisters loves me back the way I love her and that maybe I did a decent job making up for our mom. To her it is obvious that of course she kept those things but to me it's proof that my efforts were appreciated and noticed.

I have so many feelings going through me right now but ultimately it boils down to my sister loves me.

#personal #persephone speaks #parentified child #i have so many emotions and i dont know how to express them

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pacifymebby · 2 years ago

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t r o u b l e / chapter thirteen

Chapter list

Sonya

I started regretting my decision to go with Bonnie almost immediately, my stomach twisting with a growing discomfort as I followed him through the meadow towards the very edge of my brothers land.

I could see a small collection of caravans parked at the edge of the field next to a dirty track country lane. One of those thin winding lanes which snaked through the midlands and sewed all the little towns and villages together, made us look like a patchwork quilt from above.

"Why are you so close to the road?" I asked, my voice betraying my nerves, my uncertainty. My conviction that perhaps this had all been a mistake, that I'd been naive again, too trusting. That my brother had made a mistake in trusting the Golds...

"Cause," he shrugged, "it's good if the Italians know the house is watched, might make em think twice about any..." he trailed off, a look of uncertainty flickering in his own eyes as he shoved his hands back in his pockets and shrugged his shoulders.

"Any what?" I asked but he just flashed me a smile and shrugged his shoulders again.

"Cmon lass get a shift on eh I can smell me dads cookin," he said reaching for my arm, his hand resting on my lower back as he fell into step beside me.

But there were more men that just his dad hanging around that field and the closer we got the more uncomfortable I began to feel. It wasn't just that I looked like I'd been bawling my eyes out that had me feeling self concious, it was that I knew I would stick out like a sore thumb amid the gang of travellers Bonnie was walking me towards.

"Ah," said a man, his voice husky and melodic, all wind through the willows sort of hush. When he stood he smiled, at me and then, only when his gaze had held mine with a knowing kind of glow, did he look to Bonnie. "So this is the little lass my Bonnie's risking his life to keep safe eh?"

"Da!" groaned Bonnie then, his cheeks flushing a pale shade of pink, "ignore him lass am glad to do it... Really..." he said looking back at me trying to smile through his embarrassment, but his dad only laughed.

"Come on Bonnie boy, it was just a joke, I'm sure they still have those in London... Don't you lass, still have time for a wee laugh down south eh?" he asked me, my own humiliation catching me off guard as my cheeks warmed through and my mouth opened with nothing to say.

There was a second of silence before he carried on as if I had said something, smile relentless just like his son's.

"See," he grinned pushing his long whispy hair from his face, taking a hairband to scrunch it into a little bun at the nape of his neck. "Now, which ones this? The wannabe drug dealer or..."

"Da!" hissed Bonnie but it was me who really cut him off.

"You know about Sylvie?" I asked without thinking, giving my twin away in my sudden panic, but Bonnie's dad saw my concern and shook his head.

"I know about that miss, your brother Thomas does not..." he said, winking at me in a way that did little sooth my nerves. "Sylvia's secrets are safe with me... Though you might tell her to be a little more careful if she intends to carry on shifting gear on Solomons streets eh?"

"Gonna leave her be now da?" cut in Bonnie, his teeth gritted though he was trying his best to keep his soft smile for me. He hadn't forgotten the tears I'd been crying only fifteen minutes earlier and he wasn't sure how fragile I still was. He kept glancing at me, checking me over, like he thought this polite smile was an act, like he thought that any second now I would crumble all over again. That one wrong word from his wind up merchant father would see me inconsolable once again.

"A little joke," smiled his dad raising his hands in innocence, "the little Shelby knows I don't mean any harm by it..."

"Aye well," grumbled Bonnie, "she's only away here because she needed a little bit of peace... Hows she gonna get that with you teasin her all the time eh?"

"Alright," chuckled his dad, "Alright, no more teasin, alright... Its lovely to meet you young lady, the names Aberama... You make sure you don't go putting yourself in harms way eh? My boys got a big fight comin up the week, wouldn't want to see him battered and bruised before he's set foot in the... "

"Da!" groaned Bonnie again, pinching the bridge of his nose, eyes closed as he muttered something blasphemous under his breath.

Still, his fathers smile didnt falter and neither did Bonnie's, his still lingering when he'd nodded for me to follow him and he'd hidden his face in his hands, rubbed his palms over his red cheeks and turned to me with another apology.

"Am sorry lass he doesn't mean any harm by it..." he said shaking his head, "just doesn't know when to stop..."

"Its fine," I said softly, hugging my arms around myself as I walked in step with him towards the vardo I presumed belonged to him and his father. "You're a boxer?" I asked a little awkwardly, turning back over my shoulder to watch Aberama crouched over the open campfire. He was cooking something and Bonnie had been right about the smell. It did smell lovely.

"Oh yeah..." he said, his smile growing then, any kind of self consciousness from before dissipating as he made two fists and boxed the air in front of me with a cheeky little grin, "but don't worry about what me da said," he added, "I could go into that ring battered and blue an still knock out a horse," he said before adding quickly, smile a little sheepish, "not that I'd want to knock out a horse..."

I couldn't help but smile at that, at the sweet way he winced at his own thoughtless remark.

"That why my brothers got you lookin after me?" I asked my own smile self concious because I knew I must have looked a sorry state. There were still tears in my eyes and my voice still carried that sad thickness to it having been wasted crying for so long.

He sucked in his cheek for a moment looking up at the trees the other side of the dirt track road, and then he shrugged.

"Maybe aye," he said brushing the comment off too easily. As if for a moment he'd considered where he could or should tell me something else.

I had heard a little about the Golds over the years. And from what I'd heard I certainly hadn't been able to match the rumours up to the cheeky but seemingly harmless lad stood in front of me. So it was the rumours which made me wary.

"So.." he said distracting himself from the trees by turning back to me, "you wanna come in? It's not as big as your brothers place mind... I hope you're not claustrophobic," he said jumping up onto the step and reaching his hand down to me. He waited for me to take it and though for a second I hesitated, when I felt his fingers close around mine I settled a little. One final glance back over my shoulder at his father before I let him help me step up onto the 'porch' and inside.

"Oh," I breathed when I stopped just behind him, just over the threshold of the little caravan, "its gorgeous..." it wasn't that I hadn't expected such a pretty wagon to be beautiful outside and in, if was that I'd not set foot in a romani vardo as quaint or traditional as this one since I was a very small girl.

My mam and dad had given up on tradition when they'd found themselves with more wains than they could count on one hand and nowhere to put us all.

No, the first three years of my life had been spent crammed into a four berth bessacarr cameo that was only really big enough for mam, dad, finn, Sylvie and me, and only because the three of us bairns were so tiny. Once we'd started to grow a little mam had been forced to accept the reality of our situation. With no money for anymore beds, we had had to settle in Birmingham where dad and our older brothers could find work.

The only time I'd seen a vardo as pretty as this one was when we'd joined other travelling families or stopped for the fairs.

"Its small," he said taking two cups from hooks above a little sink, "sit down though lass, wherever you like, make yourself at home petal," he said only realising the affection in his words when it was already too late, saying nothing just glaring at his hands fumbling with two china cups as I stood just behind him blushing.

So Bonnie's little home took my breath away.

"Thanks," I said settling on the edge of a cushioned pew which ran along the opposite wall and was draped with green blankets.

"You want tea?" he asked flicking a kettle on, the buzz as it began to boil surprising me.

"Uh, um... Yes... Please," I managed though I couldn't hide my shock and he couldn't help but grin and shake his head.

"We're not living in the dark ages sweetheart, just think theres some traditions pretty enough to hold onto eh..."

"It is really pretty," I admitted flinching again when the door opened and someone poked there head in to say hello.

"Bon your da's askin if you're eatin with us or if you're... Oh," the girl who'd poked her head around the corner like a little sprite met my curious eyes with curious sparkling eyes of her own. "You're the ballerina! The famous girl our Bonnie..."

"Ahh geez peace Floss," Bonnie groaned turning on her with a broad smile, stopping her in the doorway before she could come in and get a closer look as if I was some museum exhibit, some curiosity on display.

She was watching me with one of those clever smiles and I was sure she was making her judgements of me as her eyes trailed over my strange little outfit and my red rimmed eyes, but she didn't say a word, giggling at Bonnie's rosy cheeks.

"When did you get here anyway thought you were meant to be stayin with our Esme?" said Bonnie leaning against the door one hand above his head, the sleeve of his tshirt falling up to his shoulder to reveal those lean but muscular arms. I wasn't sure why I hadn't worked it out before, but of course he was a boxer. With a light but toned frame like that he couldn't possibly have been anything else.

"Da said I could stay here 's'long as I stay outa trouble like..."

"Aye well titch, stay outa it then," he grinned ruffling her hair and closing the door on her, returning his attention to the two cups of tea he'd been making before she'd arrived.

"Me cousin," he said, "have to watch out for her, shes a wee rotter... Thinks she's one of the lads all the trouble she causes," he said shaking his head though his smile remained fond as he sat down at the opposite end of the pew and pulled his knees up to his chest.

I didn't know what to say to him. The longer I'd been sitting there, knowing that the girl had tried to get in to steal a peak at me, the more aware of my differences I was becoming. The more aware that despite my roots, I didn't really belong on that little vardo, or at their camp at all.

"Sorry though," he said holding his mug in both hands, leaning over so that the steam from his drink tickled his nose and made it scrunch like a rabbits, "brought you here so as y'could do your cryin in peace but all I've given yous an audience..."

"No really," I said with a small smile, blushing because it wasn't his fault his day was being disturbed like this, it was mine, "thanks for havin me, its cosy in here, I like it..."

"Aye," he said with a small smile, his eyes a little distant then as he blew on the steam from his tea, "its pretty for a little while ain't it.."

"What's that sposed to mean?" I asked looking around at the confined but homely space, it had such a natural feel to it, the wy the bed and the seats were all built into the frame, that it felt like the vardo was holding you. You weren't just sitting inside it, it had been built just for you. It felt like more of a sanctuary than anywhere I'd ever been before. It was hard to believe you could ever get fed up with it.

"Nothin lass," he said with a half hearted chuckle that didnt meet his eyes and told me he really was tiring of the place, "i just mean its hardly what you're used to is it..."

"No," I said, looking up at him from under my lashes, "do you think thats why I like it so much?"

"Actually I reckon you're just bein polite, hardly your brothers country estate is it, an a reckon that flat in London you've gots pretty posh too eh?"

"Yeah," I said, a whistful glimmer of a smile on my lips as my heart fell at the mention of london and all that I'd left behind, "but I'm not just being polite," I added quickly, "this really is lovely..."

"Well," he said, "I know which I'd choose every time..." he said and from the distantce in his eyes I realised he meant my brothers estate. It didn't sit right with me, dissapointed me a little though I shouldn't have been surprised.

If Bonnie was a blinder then of course he had to share the same driving force that all my brother's lads shared. That desire to have more, to be more. To be something bigger and better than everyone else. Of course I couldn't criticise them, I shared it too.

"If you're really as close to Tommy as I assume you must be for him to trust you with his 'baby' sister..." i said rolling my eyes at the words, "then you know as well as I do that house isn't worth any of it..."

"You think?" he asked shooting me a cheeky little smile so that I couldn't tell whether I was being teased or not.

"I know." I said a little more certainly than before, a flash of anger in my eyes which must have taken him by surprise because when he caught it his grin faltered and his eyes darted away so as to avoid wounding.

He looked down into his tea, fingers tapping the sides of the mug as he raised it to his lips. I had the feeling he was drinking to bide his time, to let him think of something clever to say. But when he swallowed and looked at me again he was earnest and his brown eyes had an essence of muddy water, all rain soaked into soil. So i knew when he spoke that he was being honest. That he wasn't teasing me at all, that he hadn't meant to upset me either.

"Nah," he shook his head, "ain't gonna make my money like that," he said, "gonna earn it aren't I, in the ring like..."

"Yeah?" I asked my smile widening at his apparent sweetness, something almost naive about his belief that you could earn my brother's life honestly, "that why you're working for Tommy eh? Or is this just a hobbie for you? Like killin people in your free time?" he saw the teasing flash of light in my eyes and though he smiled too, a little caught out, scratching the back of his neck as he chuckled and then shook his head slowly, I could tell I'd wounded him and I felt guilty. I wasn't sure I'd really meant to do that. I hadn't wanted to wipe the smile off his lips the way that I had.

"Aye, well..." he said shrugging his shoulders, taking another sip of his tea, "you know what they say... If you want somethin enough..."

"You'll slit some poor lads throat for it?"

I'd shocked myself, my cheeks flushing scarlet the second I heard the words leaving my lips. Now I knew for certain I hadn't meant to say that. Hadn't meant to be so cutting and unforgiving when actually I knew better than most exactly how Bonnie felt. I'd have done anything to put myself on that opera house stage and it was the only reason I'd almost made it.

But Bonnie didn't look hurt this time, he didn't look annoyed either. Instead he laughed, a louder laugh than before, one which came from the chest and really lingered. His grin remained even after he'd stopped shaking with amusement. I almost felt proud of myself for amusing him so much.

"You make me sound like some psycho," he chuckled standing up and returning his mug to the sink.

"Think thats my brother."

I looked down into my own cup, I'd barely taken a sip and suddenly I felt a little self concious. He turned around leaning with his palms on the counter, his soft eyes watching me. He looked like he was waiting for something but I wasn't sure what.

"So," he said, the smile on his lips still tugging at his dimple making me question whether he was really about to ask something serious of me or not. "You think you might like to apologise to me now eh Miss Gray?"

His use of my aunt Pollys name startled me and when he saw my eyes widen he grinned a little wider.

"Us 'pikeys' do have phones y'know lass, I'm not completely disconnected from the rest of the world..." he said mocking me, making me blush, making me stutter when I opened my mouth to speak so that my lips remained parted on the edge of saying absolutely nothing at all. And the sight of me looking up at him like that almost made him forget the joke he was playing on me.

He faltered, licking his lips, eyes fixed on mine but only for a second. In the next he was grinning again.

"Nah am only teasin you lass," he said with a small smile, leaning back against the counter, crossing one leg over the other.

"I wouldn't call you that," I said sucking my cheek in, "not even to piss Tommy off," now I was being earnest and Bonnie was smirking softly, his dimple still a ripple in his taciturn expression.

"Like I said," he said locking his hands together only to release them, scratch one through his dark curls, "only teasin ye," he said his eyes lingering on me for a moment before he got sidetracked again, turning back to the sink. He leant there for a moment and I got the sense that he was restless, either just that afternoon or perhaps all the time. The way he drummed his fingers on the wood worktop in a slow wave. The way his eyes seemed to wander the room almost in a daydream before he turned back around and looked to me once again.

"Whyd you do that?" he asked then, "go by gray?"

"Because nobody wants to hire a girl whose brothers are known for turning perfectly polite parties into bloodbaths and pub brawls.." I said, "and," I said swallowing my tea slowly, concentrating on not embarassing myself with more tears, "me own mam died when I was so little, Pols the mam I really remember... Which is evil to say I know..."

"Nah," Bonnie shook his head, "Don't reckon you've an evil bone in your body lass..." he said pushing away from the counter and returning to sit just opposite me on the little length of sofa cushion. He sat close enough that when he hugged his knees up to his chest and mirrored the way I sat, my toes were touching his toes and I felt as if we were both just children sitting together. Like the first day of school when you're young and just trying to make one friend.

"Only asked cause I can see the Gray in you..." he said, his voice so much quieter then, his eyes flickering over my features before locking with mine. I didn't know what to say, if I had known what to say I'm not sure I'd have had the voice to say a word.

And he didn't elaborate, in fact he almost appeared to change his mind. Rubbing one eye with the ball of his palm, looking away and then back to me, tone changed again, "I didn't mean to upset you either lass, not doin very good at this cheerin you up business eh?" he looked like he was waiting for my permission to laugh, a faint blush of genuine shame on his cheeks as if he really believed what he was saying.

"Well I'm not crying anymore am I so I'd say you're better at it than you think," I admitted quietly, remembering the frantic despair I'd felt when I'd fled from my brother earlier that day. Comparing it to how I felt now in the quiet of Bonnie's little home, it was difficult to believe it was still the same day. Difficult to believe I was the same girl. Even if I was still tinged with sorrow, I didn't feel so scared, so tragic. I didn't feel like my life was burning all around me and all I could do was watch.

Bonnie bit his lip, sucking his cheek in as he drummed his fingers on the cushion beside him, he spider walked them over the dip in the fabric towards me, up the wall and to the window where he began to fiddle with the latch. He seemed as if he were trying to think of something to say, a way of making conversation he hadn't already tried. He wasn't looking at me now, he was concentrating on the window latch, but every now and then he'd glance back at me, almost as if checking I was still there, almost as if checking whether or not I was looking at him.

And every time he caught my gaze I tore mine away from him, not even really sure why I was so shy to meet his eyes. I could feel the blush on my cheeks, soft and warm. I couldn't understand why it persisted.

And when he finally said something else I found myself feeling a little dissapointed by him. When he pushed himself up and left our nook.

"I'll get you a cloth for those eyes eh," and he did, disapearing and returning with a rag soaked in cold water, handing it to me. Fingers not even skimming mine.

He sat himself down angled away from me, his eyes firmly fixed on the opposite wall, watching the shadows of a tree bowing and shimmering on the wood.

"Thanks," I said pressing the cloth to my face, feeling the cool on my skin, hoping it would be enough to take the stain from my cheeks and my eyes. Deep down I knew that it wouldn't be. That I was the kind of girl who wore her emotions on her sleeve no matter how hard she tried not to. That the remnants of my sorrow could linger for days in my lashes. That if I was really feeling sorry enough for myself I'd remain heartbroken and forlorn for a week or more.

But when I stood to put the rag down by the sink saying thank you again, Bonnie looked back at me and cracked a contagious kind of grin that left me feeling brighter before he'd even said a word.

"Thats better," he smiled, catching himself out again, a little blush tinging his pale skin pink, "not that there was anythin to improve really..." he said a little quieter only meeting my gaze for a second before he'd sprung up again and headed for the door, "dya fancy a wee walk?" he didn't really give me the chance to say yes.

#peaky blinders fanfiction #Trouble #bonnie gold x reader #peaky blinders imagines #peaky blinders imagine

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italiangothicwriteblr · 1 year ago

Note

a prompt for you: a character learns something new, and it may not be something they want to learn

Happy Tiny Scene Sunday!

Hey! Thanks for the prompt!!

TW for death mentions

The first time, Enrico ascribed the behavior to paranoia.

There had been a fight. Words were exchanged, Feronia swung first, Nova hit back. No one was mortally wounded, only some stung pride. The king of thing that was gossip for a few hours before being forgotten.

But while Martino sewed her wounds, Nova was panicking about retribution.

Enrico tried to reassure her gently. He had gotten into a number of fights when he was her age, most of which he started. In his defense, Giacomo Gallo had a knack for earning himself a smack in the face. After a while, people mostly rolled their eyes when it happened, told him he should calm down, but he never got in real trouble. And he had been far more disliked.

It did briefly cross his mind that he had never been put in handcuffs, especially not ones that left angry red sores on his wrists.

The second time, he thought she was exaggerating.

They were just joking around. Talking secret tactics with Adrasteia led to discussion of what worked in the past. And talk of the past led to good-natured (he thought) ribbing about his war days.

“Imagine if I did that!” Nova laughed, leaning over to Adrasteia. “I’m pretty sure they just burn you at the stake right there, no trial!”

Nova must have meant that in the wake of Orsina’s betrayal, the king’s heir would be much more harshly watched, Enrico reasoned. Still, he couldn’t imagine even the worst offense getting such a harsh sentence.

—

The third time, he started to wonder.

He would happily admit to fighting against it when Nic had shown up with their old enemy, insisting on sanctuary. He felt like the only one with any common sense, arguing about taking in the only person more at fault for the war than him.

But he relented. Of course he did. If only for the chance to have some leverage over his old enemy.

They were sitting around after a run in with some of Nero’s faction when he heard it.

“I learned my lesson from last time,” Nova was saying, “I didn’t get into a fight with them. Those cuffs hurt.”

“Oh, absolutely. Just count yourself lucky you didn’t get the collar.” Giacomo said, with a relaxed air that didn’t seem to match his statement. “I got dragged into plenty of fights when I was your age.”

That’s what you got for teaming up with a madman, Enrico thought with a snicker. Though he was amazed that a king would punish his own second in command so harshly.

“Wasn’t there another purge right before the war?” Adrasteia asked from Giacomo’s other side.

“Yep. That’s what I grew up in. The Imperatrice at the time was…let’s just say, if you had lived under her you would understand why a country might want anything else.”

Enrico knew that, of course. He had known Marinella well, and while she was a brilliant woman, no one wept when Leonidas took her place on the throne.

“She and her court loved any excuse to bring out the tantalum. That’s how I met Basilio, actually, he got me out of it once! Anyway, I didn’t get the collar until a while later, when Basilio dragged me to Vinoseta with him for some negotiation. I got into a fight with one of the royal delegates, he threw a punch, and I couldn’t use magic for a week.”

Shit. Enrico remembered that trip. As often happened when they were in the same room, he and Giacomo had a screaming match. The other man said something particularly enraging and Enrico slapped him. They fought for a minute, they were pulled apart, and that was the end of it.

He stopped thinking about it before he could make the connection, between that memory and Nova’s constant reluctance to fight back against people like Feronia or Nero.

—

Despite that, it kept nagging at him until the fourth time.

Had he been the problem all those years? Was he no better than Feronia, using his influence against someone who couldn’t fight back?

Nova was in the middle of asking Livia and Adrasteia to go interrogate a Southern spy, which struck him as a bit odd. That was typically something she reveled in doing herself.

"I can't," she explained once they had left, "if I get anything out of them, they'll just accuse me of enchantment."

She laughed, but it was a more an annoyed chuckle.

“Would that hold up in court?” Enrico asked, confused.

Nova looked at him as if he had grown two heads.

“That’s what everyone does. Just say “bewitched” and get exonerated. You’ve never done it? No offense.”

“I knew people said it sometimes, but to this scale?”

“It’s what you’re expected to do, almost. You could have made your life a lot easier after the war, I’m surprised no one suggested it to you. You had a scapegoat and everything!”

Looking up from his conversation with Adrasteia, Giacomo gave them a mock salute.

“Even if they don’t say it, people will assume it if they hear you were there.” Giacomo said to Nova. “Trust me on this one, there’s only so attempted tantalum poisonings a person can survive.”

He and Nova laughed like they were sharing a private joke.

Suddenly, Enrico’s thoughts turned to a memory he had repressed.

No. No. No.

Soon after the war, a few of the dukes and counts had come to him, asking if they could have royal permission to punish those responsible. Enrico had smiled and agreed, just happy that they blamed someone other than him. He gave them his blessing to do whatever they wanted to the other side.

He didn’t know they were doing this.

Hundreds of memories were being reevaluated. For years he had sparred with an enemy, thinking himself the underdog, when he had every advantage. And he made use of them, without even thinking about it.

Everything he watched Nova suffer, all the times he had watched Adrasteia clean her wounds or reassured her after a nasty comment: This was happening behind the scenes of each of his battles with Giacomo. And Nova had a big group for support—all Giacomo had in terms of friendship was Basilio.

No wonder he hated Enrico so much.

No one seemed to notice him scurrying off, and going to the one person who could give him clarity.

“Hey.” he rapped on Martino’s door. “I have a question.”

Martino gave him a look which he had learned meant to continue.

“You were there, do you think…was I the problem? I never thought about it, but when me and Giacomo would fight…”

“You always started it.” Martino interrupted. “No sorcerer with a brain starts a physical fight, especially not with the king’s friend. But when you would beat the crap out of him, he hit back. I’ll never forget the week they brought out the collar.”

Enrico really didn’t want to know what the collar was

#ch: enrico accursio #ch: giacomo gallo #ch: novellia de rege

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