#like imagine what it feels like to lose your faith in something that was your WHOLE LIFE

[moonstruckme]

Hi Mae!! I really love your writing so much, could I request something with Spencer (maybe with intern reader) where he is helping her/teaching her something related to the BAU? Like close proximity and they’re all sweet and and awk maybe he’s even trying to be a lil flirty

Thank you!!!

Thanks angel!!

cw: HR violations? But like they're welcomed and really not inappropriate outside a professional context so

Spencer Reid x intern!reader ♡ 658 words

Spencer does this thing with his eyes. Usually they’re moving constantly, taking in every detail of your surroundings and analyzing body language and microexpressions while you’re talking to him, but occasionally they’ll lock on you with such focus it's disorienting. His eyes are a soft, warm brown. You don’t know how to handle Spencer Reid’s full attention. 

He’s saying something to you in that quiet voice he gets when you’re alone. Something you should definitely be paying attention to, something about your witness testimony next week. You can’t stop looking at him. 

“...good instincts, you can use them. Hotch wouldn’t have asked you if he didn’t think you were ready.” 

“But I,” you swallow, trying to focus, “I shouldn’t go off book, right? I should just review the profile?” 

Spencer’s lips twitch. You get the sense this is something he’s been over already. “You should use the profile,” he says, “but sometimes the defense’s questions go beyond what we talked about. You can draw conclusions based on the profile. We trust you.” 

“Big mistake,” you mumble, half humorously. 

Spencer smiles. You really could sink into his eyes, you think. It would be easy. 

“You’ve trained with us for a long time,” he reassures you. “You study hard. You can do this.”

You rub your lips together anxiously. Emboldened by his faith in you, terrified to lose it. Spencer doesn’t move his gaze. 

You clear your throat, swiveling around in your desk chair. “Could I go over my notes from the case with you? I’m worried I’ll miss something.” 

“Yeah, of course.” You hear his chair roll closer. 

You skim through your files, pretending not to feel the warmth of his body heat against your neck and back. Spencer would never intentionally push the boundaries of professionalism, but you think sometimes your closeness makes him forget them. Your team is a family. Spencer doesn’t really treat you very differently than he would Emily or JJ, can’t know that his hand on your elbow or his knee bumping yours means so much more to you than you imagine it does to them. He rolls his chair as close to yours as it can get to see your screen better, mindless to the way his chin brushes your shoulder as he leans in. 

He hums, the buzz of it so close you shiver. 

“It’s not very organized, sorry…” 

“That’s okay,” he murmurs, eyes on the screen. “They’re your notes. You should keep them however works for your brain.” 

He sets a hand on the back of your chair to reach for your mouse, scrolling. You catch yourself holding your breath. 

You force a slow, steady inhale. You can smell him. Laundry detergent and something vaguely coconutty. You wonder if it’s his soap or his shampoo. 

“You don’t have very much on the weapon choice,” says Spencer. “I know it seems obvious to us, but a jury won’t know about what that reveals. You sort of have to spell it out for them.” 

“Oh, thanks.” You reach the keyboard, tingles skittering up your arm where your elbow brushes his. You type in some additional notes. 

Spencer’s looking at you again. “You okay?” 

“Hm?” 

“I know it feels like a lot of pressure.” His voice is gentle, considerate. “But you don’t have to be nervous.” 

You finish typing and turn to face him. You watch his eyes widen momentarily as he realizes how close you are, too. Brown eyes, deep brown, deeper pupils pushing outward. He doesn’t move. 

“I think I’ll probably always be nervous,” you admit. 

Spencer smiles softly. “Maybe. You’ll always be capable, too.” 

You mirror him, your lips curving. “Thanks for thinking I’m good at my job.” 

“You are good at your job.”

“Well, thanks for helping me to be.” 

Spencer’s still smiling when he lowers his chin an inch, letting it rest on your shoulder. You hold your breath. That, you think, has to be intentional. 

“Anytime,” he promises.

[teunip]

Who am I without my armor?

Inspired from the song Loyal Brave True by Christina Aguilera. I thought it was perfect for Rian and the moment when he discards his castle guard armor.

[hope-for-the-planet]

Trans person in the US. Bust some of the doomerism for me? Tell me it's going to be okay?

Hi Anon

Usually, I have boundaries for myself about keeping this blog focused on environment-related issues, because there are limits to what I can speak knowledgeably about. But now doesn’t feel like the time for that.

Anon, I will tell you that I live in the US, I am queer, my spouse is trans, and we have two young children. I am sitting right there with you in the fear and grief and every day when I ask myself “is there still hope” I find reasons to say “yes”.

They want us—all of us, not just queer folks—to feel overwhelmed and hopeless, because despair is a tool that keeps people from realizing their power and taking action.

They want us to feel so afraid that we lose our faith in other people and withdraw from our communities, because we are easier to conquer alone.

Do not give them what they want.

Hope is most necessary in the bad times. The ability to imagine a future that is better than things are now is exactly what gives us the power to begin making things better. Our community has been through terrible things before, and they did not lose hope or give up—otherwise we would not be where we are today.

When you start to feel like all the light is being blotted out, turn off the news, put away your phone, and go get in touch with something you love. Go outside and look at the sky, talk to a friend, listen to music, do some small thing to make something better even if it’s just cleaning your kitchen or picking up some litter around the block or returning an extra stranded cart in the grocery store parking lot. Remind your brain that you have agency to make positive change in the world through your actions.

I know it is really hard to pull out of the darkness sometimes. I know there will be days that hope seems like a foolish, naive thing, that despair and distrust seem like the only rational options. But hope is what keeps us alive. Hope is what allows us to save each other.

I wish I could give you a specific article or other source to reassure you that everything is going to be ok, but things are still too in flux day by day. I can tell you that people are already fighting back, in big and little ways, all over this country and the world. These orders and bills are being pushed by a loud but small minority—this is not how the majority of the country feels about trans rights.

Make a plan for staying safe. Reach out to your community. Find music, activities, podcasts, movies, whatever helps you feel uplifted and take mental breaks from dwelling on the news. If you can, find ways to get involved in making things better in whatever big or small way feels doable for you--it may help push back on the doomerism more than you think. And my inbox is open if you need to talk.

I wish I could invite you over for dinner. I wish I could look into your eyes and tell you that things may get hard for the next few years but that does not mean that your life can't still be full of joy and beauty and fulfillment in spite of that.

I’m right there with you. Let’s make it through this together <3

[aledmorningstar]

╰┈➤Misunderstood

Summary: How the gang finds out about Sukuna's girlfriend in a misunderstanding.

Relationship: Ryomen Sukuna/Reader

Word count: 3.0k

Note: I'm a liar, I know I said this would go up yesterday, in my defense we set very optimistic goals. Please comment and feel free to send me anything to my inbox

-‘๑’-: No curses au, uni au, sfw, humor, fluff, bad english

The house of the twins Yuji and Ryomen seemed more lively than normal, as every weekend they had planned a movie afternoon, the meetings began early after leaving school, buying snacks, preparing comfortable clothes and choosing some games of table.

Yuji's face wrinkled into a displeased grimace at seeing his twin dressing casually to go out for a walk down the street, while he and his friends were already prepared wearing their comical pajamas, it wasn't fair. This time it was Yuji's turn to choose the movie so as not to let his brother get away with it.

“What are you doing?”

Sukuna turned to look for a second indifferently at his brother while he finished fastening the buttons of his dark shirt. How could he take seriously his brother who maintained an irritated pout while wearing those ridiculous tiger-themed full-body pajamas?

"I'm going out, tell mom I'll be late"

Yuji's moan of annoyance echoed throughout the house, drawing the attention of Nobara and Megumi who were stealthily trying to spy on the conversation by hiding behind a wall.

"You said you would watch Human Worm 4 with us today!"

The one with the caramel eyes began to complain about the injustice that was occurring, a perfect time for his faithful friends to take action.

“We already prepared everything, you can't leave us stranded for an afternoon of movies!”

Nobara grumbled as she tried to fix the sleeves of her raccoon pajamas.

"We made a pact, you must suffer with us"

Megumi was supposed to be the most mature of the group, perhaps Sukuna had overestimated him because he never imagined seeing him share the same neuron as his friends while also wearing ridiculous beige dog pajamas.

“It's a shame brats, it'll have to be another day.”

The older twin's hands didn't stop moving trying to find the car keys; he had somehow managed to look appropriately with a hint of elegance, but without losing that menacing aura, a pair of black pants held up by an expensive belt that he had stolen from his father, a dark gray shirt with the first few buttons open showing his collarbones and the sleeves perfectly arranged at his elbows showing his tattooed arms.

"You look like a criminal"

“Who said I'm not?”

Itadori's intentions to plant some blame on his brother for abandoning them on a seemingly important night were noticeable for miles.

"At least have the decency to tell me where the hell you're going."

Sukuna took a while to respond, his eyes straying suspiciously and the trio could see a slight nervousness on his face. Wait, nerves? Sukuna? Those words were naturally contrary, it even seemed strange to put them together in one sentence. Here was definitely another shoe that was taking a while to drop.

"Mind your own business, don't be nosy"

Itadori instantly stood between his brother and the front door, blocking his way, he would get to the bottom of this matter at any cost.

"Are you planning something bad? Mom will be angry if you get into trouble again"

"Yes, yes, yes. I plan to do many bad and illegal things, in fact in this mood I plan to strangle the first person in front of me"

Itadori, Nobara, and Megumi looked at each other before leaving the hallway clear, letting Sukuna walk.

"Behave badly, take good care of yourself and if they discover you, deny everything"

“See you”

Once the so-called evil twin left the house, the hallway was completely silent for a few seconds.

“Don't you feel...? Curiosity?"

An excited Nobara looked at her friends with bright, gossip-hungry eyes.

"No not really"

Megumi's voice was ignored as Itadori pushed the Fushiguro boy's face away with his hand.

"I was hoping you'd ask, Nobara! In fact, my brother has been acting strange lately."

Itadori put on a thoughtful expression as he remembered his brother's unusual behavior in recent weeks.

"What do you mean he's been acting strange?"

At that moment Nobara had taken on a detective attitude, while the previously disinterested Megumi began to listen attentively to his friends.

“He's been coming home late, more than usual.”

“That doesn't seem strange for someone like him.”

An exalted Itadori raises his hands dramatically as he defends his argument.

“But when he is usually late it is always because he is causing problems in the streets and he is not at all careful with his arrival, now it is different!”

Sharing a room with Itadori, Sukuna didn't care how scandalous he could be when he showed up at home after curfew. He didn't pay attention to the fact that the noise of his shoes being thrown to any side of the room or that the sound of his swear words every time he tripped over something could disturb his brother's sleep.

Lately, however, the nights that Sukuna had spent late away from home had become more frequent, and Itadori couldn't help but notice even in the dead of night how messy his twin's clothes were every time he returned with silent footsteps and he also did not overlook the large number of marks that stood out on Sukuna's neck.

“Also, he has been trying hard in all his school subjects, he has turned in all his homework and sometimes he goes out to the library to study. Did you hear what I said? He goes to the library to study!”

“That's definitely not the Sukuna we know, something is happening to him.”

The three teenagers headed to the living room to sit down to discuss more calmly and solve that mystery.

“Do you think someone is bullying him?”

Itadori looked worried for a split second at Nobara's statement until Megumi gave him a strange, brief sarcastic smile.

“Are you serious right now? Do you think Sukuna, the most feared man on campus, could be bothered by someone? Jesus Christ even earned the nickname “The King of Curses”

They didn't need much time to agree with Megumi, it was impossible to imagine Sukuna being submissive to anyone.

“True, it would make more sense for him to be the one who bothered someone… It can't be possible”

“I told him clearly not to get into trouble, but he never listens to me!”

“Wait, Yuji, calm down. Don't you think that if that's the case, he's spending too much time on that person?”

Itadori seemed to think about it for a second and his face transformed into one of much more dramatic horror than before.

"So he really hates that person! Maybe he's planning a murder? Your brother isn't exactly known for being patient"

Nobara's words were the little push Itadori needed to panic.

"Sukuna definitely can't go to the correctional facility again!... Mom was very sad back then..."

Nobara and Megumi looked into each other's eyes, unable to abandon their friend in such a situation.

"Fine! Our mission today is to prevent your brother from becoming a criminal.”

"Are we allowed to use force? I still have to get revenge for the books I lent him."

The brown-haired girl, Kugisaki, was the first to stand up and was followed by Fushiguro. It seemed like a scene worthy of a movie, this was the motivational part because both friends extended their hands to the boy in tiger pajamas.

“Wait, wait, wait… What happened to your books?”

“I'll ask your brother when I see him.”

It had been approximately 30 minutes since the trio of friends had located and followed Sukuna, a difficult mission that had begun with the friends running after the older twin's car. The fatigue was overcome by surprise when seeing the target enter a flower shop.

“We're late, he's already planning the funeral!”

“Wait, give him the benefit of the doubt, maybe… Maybe he's going to visit a friend?”

“Impossible, my brother has no friends”

Nobara and Yuji's brief talk was interrupted when they saw Sukuna leaving that flower shop with a huge and pretty bouquet of yellow carnations.

"You see it? Maybe your brother is not as bad as he seems” Nobara's voice tried to be optimistic, and it also seemed strange to her that a man would buy flowers for no apparent reason.

“Now I'm quite confused” Itadori, for his part, narrowed his eyes, staring at Sukuna, trying to read his brother's mind.

Megumi spoke with a stiff voice drawing the attention of his friends.

"Don't be so surprised, in the language of flowers, carnations of that color mean contempt"

"Is he turning his assassination attempt into a performance? He's getting creative"

"Hey, he's leaving. Hurry up"

The gang quickly got into a taxi and like every chase scene, Itadori and Nobara yelled at the driver to follow the car in front of them, Megumi had to apologize to the driver at the end of the ride.

Sukuna drove his car until he reached the darkest and most dangerous neighborhood that anyone could imagine, clearly that place had an invisible sign indicating that it was better not to be there, there were few passers-by and the streets were cold with graffiti everywhere.

The older twin got out of his car after having entered the area a little, he walked as if that place was his territory, as if he felt at home, he adjusted the sleeves of his shirt, raising them to his elbows, with a bored look he observed the time on his watch and then leaned his back against the wall waiting patiently. Meanwhile, the trio had remained hidden behind a pile of boxes and seemingly useless objects, thinking about Ryomen's intentions.

"There isn't a soul in this place, what is he planning to do?"

Itadori's question was answered when Megumi held his jaw making him look to his right, his eyes widened as he saw a girl with a small frame, transmitting an aura of delicacy and fragility, she was the complete stereotype of a little princess wearing a pink dress and white sneakers, light makeup and a flower crown adorning her hair, she looked out of context walking with a smile and humming a song in that horrible alley.

"It can't be her... There's no way Sukuna..."

Nobara's words were cut off when the red-eyed man put out his cigarette and walked over to where the girl was with a proud smile on his face.

The fear that this small, fragile woman could be hurt by his violent brother made Itadori quickly get up from his hiding place and stand in front of his brother.

"Sukuna! Stop right there, don't do it!"

The sudden entrance of his nosy brother surprised Sukuna who maintained a displeased scowl at his twin's actions.

"What the fuck? Get out of the way brat, I'm on something important right now"

"Don't you dare take another step, don't do something you'll regret!"

Itadori's voice took a drastic change, sounding too threatening compared to his usual cheerful tone.

"What the hell are you talking about? Leave me alone, I don't have time for this."

Sukuna looked at the horrified girl who was just a few meters away from him, he pushed his brother away with one hand with the intention of walking towards where she was, however he was stopped and subdued on the ground by Megumi.

“Don't even try it, you disgusting scoundrel.”

“Leave me alone, you fucking bastards!”

While the three men argued and fought among themselves, Nobara also came out of her hiding place and walked towards the frightened woman, being careful not to exalt her even more, Kugisaki placed his hands on her shoulders trying to calm her down.

"Are you okay? “Did he do something to you?”

The girl's hands remained covering her mouth, completely surprised by the situation. She instantly left Nobara and ran quickly to where Sukuna was lying on the ground.

"What are you doing?! Get your hands off him!"

Megumi and Itadori's movements stopped, still holding Sukuna on the ground, they turned to look completely surprised at the owner of that little voice, their minds went blank as they watched her approach, she put her hands on Fushiguro's chest. making an attempt to push him away from the red-eyed twin.

"What are you doing to my boyfriend?! Leave him alone!"

Still bewildered, Itadori was the first to move away and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder for him to do the same, allowing Sukuna to stand up a little dazed.

"I don't know what 'Kuna did to you, but what you are doing is not right, it is not right to intimidate others, problems are solved by talking"

You stood in front of your boyfriend trying to be the one to defend him this time, you used to be a little shy when talking to strangers, but you weren't going to let your lover be the victim of such an unfair situation.

"Honey, calm down. They are—"

"No, love! They were very mean to you, no matter who they are!"

You knew that Sukuna had a special weakness for you that made him want to protect you from any danger, everyone told you that, obviously he would also want to take control of this situation in his hands. No, this time it was your turn to protect him, to be his knight in shining armor.

On the other hand, there were also the three idiots who had tried to play detective, watching the situation in astonishment.

"She... just called him love"

“Yes, she really did”

"I can't believe it"

Ryomen had tried to calm his girlfriend's little anger by taking her hands and caressing them, it worked for a few seconds until that trio spoke again.

Upon hearing the incredulous voices of those strangers, you let go of Sukuna's hands and walked a few steps close to those you thought were criminals.

"Listen, my parents are very important people, I will make sure you are punished appropriately"

Your acute and sweet angry voice was silenced by Sukuna's lips, one of his large hands finding a place on your waist while the other caressed your soft cheek.

"It's okay, princess"

"No, it's not okay-"

You tried to reply to his deep voice, you would be lying if you said it didn't make you shiver, his voice was only directed at you, only for you to hear, that made you calm down and also lowered the tone of your voice.

"Pretty, this is my stupid brother and his friends."

"...Impossible, it can't be…, they were subduing you"

"Don't worry, I'm sure they have a good explanation for doing all this, right?"

The affectionate look that Sukuna had given his supposed girlfriend had changed drastically when he turned to look at his friends, removed his touch from his beloved and walked towards the frightened trio, cracking the fingers of his fists.

"Last words?"

Approximately 10 minutes had passed after that disastrous encounter, Sukuna had considered himself generous that day so he decided to take his brother and his friends to the house where they should have stayed from the beginning, very kind, it had nothing to do with his girlfriend will look at those three idiots like abandoned puppies.

"How were we supposed to know you were visiting your girlfriend?"

"What kind of dates are you taking her on?"

"Yeah, you looked like you were about to commit a crime!"

Of course Itadori, Megumi and Nobara tested their patience throughout the car ride, complaining from the back seats and trying to alleviate the pain caused by the car owner's blows. Your curious little eyes turned to look at the trio with intrigue.

"Why do you say that?"

None of them knew how to answer your question, the answer was so obvious that they thought you were stupid or blind, of course none of them said that thought out loud, not when they felt Sukuna's psychopathic gaze in the rearview mirror. However, that didn't stop Yuji from continuing the conversation either.

"You were alone in that horrible and dangerous place, it is the perfect opportunity for a madman"

"Oh, that..."

Your calm reaction to that comment only confused them more, you were too sweet to be in those places and even worse to be there with Sukuna for no good reason.

"Her parents are renowned people and they do not agree with our relationship, that is why we must meet in the most discreet places possible"

"Sometimes dad hires people to watch me, so our meeting point for dates is that place."

The older twin's words left the dynamic trio thinking, especially Itadori and Nobara, Megumi didn't really care much, your complementation made them imagine a current version of Romeo and Juliet. The explanations of your strange relationship had clarified most of his doubts regarding the strange day.

"Wait, what about the flowers?"

Nobara's comment made all the attention focus on Ryomen who wrinkled his face in confusion until he remembered the detail that his friend was talking about at the same time that he stopped the car in front of his house.

"What flowers?"

"Oh right, I brought you something"

Sukuna got out of the car and went to the back taking something out of the trunk, a nice big bouquet of flowers appeared in front of you held by your handsome boyfriend.

"Oh, honey, you shouldn't have bothered."

"It's no bother when I can make you happy"

You received the beautiful flowers in your small hands, allowing yourself to smell them, such a fresh smell while you lovingly observed your loved one and he returned the same look, absorbed in that cloying atmosphere.

Of course that beautiful moment was not the most comfortable for everyone present, much less for Yuji Itadori imitating his twin with a shrill and annoying voice, since he had never seen his brother in that silly state.

"It's no bother when I can make you happy"

“I'm going to kick your ass”

Megumi couldn't stay silent for long either, because something kept echoing in her mind.

"But the meaning of flowers..."

"Excuse me?"

You looked at him with a smile so sweet and innocent that he hesitated for a second on his next words.

“Those flowers have a negative meaning…”

"It's funny you think my 'Kuna knows the meaning of flowers"

"We should have assumed that"

⋆·˚ ༘ *🔭 master list is here

[ladyfocalors]

Trappola's Guide To Winning (Your Heart)

summary: Ace overhears that you have a crush on someone, and for whatever reason, it bothers him. His solution? Offering to "help" you impress your crush, all while acting like he doesn’t care. His advice is half-serious and half-sabotage, but as time goes on, you notice his mood shifting.

pairing: ace trappola x gn!reader

warnings: miscommunication(?).

word count: 2.3k

ace trappola time! he is such a lying liar and a big denier. writing him was a bit tricky so i went a bit with my gut here. i will just have keep writing/reading about him until i get it! also thank you so much for the love on the riddle fic. i promise i read all your replies and reblogs! they make my day <3

Ace Trappola wasn’t the type to get so hung up on things (that was debatable). So when he overheard you telling Deuce and Grim that you had a crush on someone, he should’ve just let it go.

But he didn't.

"You have a crush?" he had repeated, standing behind you with his arms crossed.

"Were you eavesdropping?" You had turned around, startled.

"Not my fault you were talking so loud," he had shot back, avoiding the question. "Who is it?"

You had pressed your lips together, glancing at Deuce and Grim for help. Grim just cackled and said, "Why do you care? You jealous or somethin', Ace?"

Great question. Why does he care? And no, he was not jealous. Imagine being jealous of an idiot you liked! (He actually didn't know why he cared. Maybe because he was curious. Yeah. That was it.)

"I don't," Ace lied immediately. "I'm just shocked, that's all. I mean, really, Prefect? I thought you had better taste."

You narrowed your eyes. "You don't even know who it is."

"Exactly!" Ace threw up his hands. "I'm already questioning your judgment. What’s so great about this mystery person anyway?"

A small smile tugged at your lips. "I don't know. They’re just… fun to be around, I guess. They always know how to make me laugh."

"Sounds like an idiot." Ace scoffed.

"I like idiots."

Ace scoffed but found himself momentarily stunned into silence. That was the kind of thing people said when they were absolutely down bad, wasn’t it? His stomach twisted uncomfortably. Gross.

"Prefect, you should just ignore him," Deuce advised, probably sensing trouble. "He's just messing with you."

Ace was messing with you, sure. But also, not really. Kind of. His stomach was twisting in an unfamiliar way, a strange discomfort settling into his chest. He didn’t like this. He didn’t like this one bit.

Why did you have to go have a crush? Most importantly, why did he feel like he was losing to someone?

But he was Ace Trappola, and Ace Trappola didn’t lose. Not even to some mystery crush of yours. So he grinned, masking whatever this weird feeling he didn't want to feel was, and said, "Well, whoever it is, you’re in luck. Because, out of the kindness of my heart, I’m willing to help you win them over."

You gave him a questioning look. "Kindness? You sound like the Headmage with that talk."

"That hurts, Prefect. Comparing me to Crowley of all people?" Ace looked very offended.

"Well, forgive me for not trusting your kindness."

"Wow. No faith in me at all, huh?"

"Yeah, ‘cause you're totally not up to something shady." Grim snickered.

Ace shot Grim a withering look before turning to you. "Listen, I'm a romantic genius. Who better to help than me?"

You gave him a flat look. "I can think of a hundred people off the top of my head."

"Wrong," Ace said, leaning in with a grin. "You won't find better advice anywhere else."

"Okay, fine. I will take your so-called advice." You said with a defeated sigh.

Ace had won. Well, sort of.

Winning would be getting you to drop this whole crush thing entirely—something he was starting to want more and more as each minute passed. But for now, he’d settle for the next best thing: being the one you turned to for help.

That meant he had the advantage. That meant he could steer this however he wanted.

(And definitely not in the direction of some other loser getting your attention.)

"Alright, first things first: you gotta get their attention." Ace said, laying on your couch as you busied yourself with assignments, while Deuce peeked at your notes and Grim laid flat on the bed. "Make them notice you. You know, stand out."

You frowned at his words. "I feel like I already stand out. I'm the only magicless student in the whole school."

Ace waved that off. "Yeah, but that’s not the right kind of standing out. Make them curious about you. And you make them jealous."

"What?"

"You heard me." Ace said, tilting his head smugly. "Nothing gets people to realize their feelings faster than a little jealousy. Trust me, works every time."

Deuce looked dubious. "That sounds kind of–"

"–like bad advice?" you finished.

Ace scoffed, sitting up on the couch now. "C’mon, it’s basic psychology. If they see you getting cosy with someone else, they’ll start thinking, ‘Oh no, I’m gonna lose them!’ and boom, feelings unlocked."

"And how’s the Prefect s’posed to do that, huh?" Grim asked.

Ace shrugged. "Dunno. Maybe flirt with someone cool and charming." His grin widened. "Like me, for example."

You felt uneasy. It was stupid. You knew it was stupid. Ace didn’t know he was your crush, which meant you had no right to be upset. Still, hearing him offer you advice even if it sounded terrible and also offer himself so casually made your stomach sink.

You forced a laugh. "How noble of you to volunteer."

"What can I say?" Ace grinned. "I’m a giver."

Deuce frowned. "I don’t think lying is the best way to-"

"Okay, okay, plan B then," Ace cut in. "You should act a little harder to get."

"Harder to get?" you repeated.

"Yeah. Make them work for it." Ace leaned forward with an amused glint in his eye. "I mean, you’re not easy, right?"

Grim made a noise of disgust, and Deuce turned pink. "Ace, that sounds–!"

"I mean personality-wise, you weirdos," Ace huffed, cutting Deuce off for the umpteenth time. "Jeez, get your mind out of the gutter."

Ace ignored him and then turned to you. "But yeah, you should be a little distant. Y’know, act like you don’t care too much."

Act like you don't care too much. The words echoed in your mind. If he liked you, he would be jealous and wouldn't try to help you. Right?

It was fine. You would just take his advice and use it on him. After all, he was your crush. And if he really didn’t feel the same way, then at least you’d have your answer.

For the next few days, you followed Ace’s advice to the dot.

And Ace didn’t catch on. At first.

You made sure to get his attention, like he had said. Not in an over-the-top way, which would be very weird for you, but just enough to throw him off. Like sitting next to Deuce more often during lunch. Smiling a little too enthusiastically at other people. Being just out of reach whenever Ace tried to tug you into whatever ridiculous scheme he had cooking up that day. When he complained, you shrugged and told him, "I’m busy, Ace."

"Oh, busy now, huh?" Ace had scoffed, but he didn’t seem too bothered. Not yet.

The jealousy part took a little more effort, mostly because you weren’t great at flirting and Grim had outright refused to help you with any ideas, calling the whole thing "a pathetic excuse for a love scheme." But you had to be committed to the bit, so you pushed on, casually dropping compliments around Ace—never to him but always near him.

"Deuce, your hair looks nice."

"Jack is really strong, don't you think?"

"Isn't Silver so pretty? He looks like a prince."

Ace didn’t think much of it at first.

Well, he thought about it, but not in the way that meant anything. It was just weird, that’s all. A little annoying. Maybe a tiny bit irritating. But not because it bothered him. No, he wasn’t one of those weirdos who got all jealous just because their best friend was paying attention to other people. That would be ridiculous.

It was just that… who even complimented Deuce’s hair? Deuce had the most normal hair. And Jack? Sure, the guy was strong, but you sounded way too impressed about it. And Silver? Pretty? Like a prince? Okay, maybe, but why did you have to say it out loud?

And why were you so out of reach?

It wasn’t a huge difference, not really. Just enough that made him confused. He’d reach for your sleeve to drag you somewhere, and you’d slip away with some excuse. He’d call your name, and sometimes you’d brush him off.

It didn't matter, he told himself. (He told himself a lot of things lately.)

Things didn't change until Deuce had to smack him (not physically) out of the denial phase.

"You’re so obvious."

Ace blinked out of his daydreams. "What?"

Deuce stared at him like he was the dumbest person alive, which Ace took immediate offense to. He was not dumb. He just… hadn’t figured out whatever Deuce was talking about yet. Which wasn’t his fault, obviously.

"You like them," Deuce said, as if that explained anything.

Ace scoffed. "Duh, I like them. The Prefect is my friend."

"How do you know I was talking about the Prefect?"

Oh… crap. When did Deuce get so smart?

"Because who else would you be talking about?" He tried to play it off, but the heat rising to his face betrayed him. "You’re making weird assumptions, Deuce."

"You like them," Deuce repeated.

Ace let out a sharp laugh, crossing his arms. "You're insane. I don't, I helped them. With their crush. You think I'd do that if I actually liked them?"

Deuce gave him a long, exasperated look, then exhaled through his nose. "Okay. Let’s say you don't like them. Then explain why you have been sulking so much and acting so bothered?"

"I am not!"

"You nearly bit my head off when they complimented my hair."

"Well, maybe I don’t like lying," Ace shot back. "Your hair is just hair, Deuce."

Deuce’s eye twitched.

"And anyway," Ace went on, louder, "you’re ignoring the important part here. The Prefect has a crush. Not on me. So whatever you’re implying is wrong."

"No."

"What do you mean no?" Ace burst out. "What happened to backing up your friends?"

"You’ve been helping them impress their crush, right?" Deuce asked. "Then why does all your advice sound like sabotage?"

"That’s not–" Ace began, then stopped. The words stuck to the roof of his mouth, unwilling to come out, because… well.

He liked you.

Ace felt the world shift uncomfortably. That gross twisting in his stomach he had been ignoring for days? The irrational irritation every time you looked at someone else for too long? The fact that he had been so convinced that you having a crush was some sort of personal loss?

Everything made sense now.

"This is bad." he stuffed his hand into his pocket, turned on his heel and left his dorm, setting off on a long, aimless walk. Maybe fresh air would clear his head. Maybe it would make this realization feel less like a punch.

You didn't like him. You never told him who you liked and he was so caught up in denial that he didn't even bothered you to ask.

No, no. That wasn't fair. He liked you and made you follow his terrible advice (you didn't have to but you did). He already came so far and he didn't want to pretend he didn't like you.

The least he could do was be honest with you.

And, Ace Trappola wasn't a coward.

(Okay, maybe he was. A little. But not about this. Not about you.)

So after what was possibly the longest walk of his life, he turned back toward Ramshackle, his heart thudding against his ribs.

Ace had already spent enough time being an idiot. He wasn’t going to waste another second.

You had just finished dealing with Grim’s latest round of whining about dinner when a knock at the door made you pause.

You weren’t expecting anyone. Grim was still sulking about his empty stomach, so with a sigh, you moved to open the door, only to be met with the last person you expected.

"Uh," you started. "Are you in trouble with Riddle–"

"I like you." The words left his mouth before he could stop them. He looked vaguely horrified, like he hadn’t planned on saying it so fast. But now that it was out there, he couldn’t take it back. "Like, really like you."

You froze at the admission.

Ace sighed but continued. "Look, I get it, okay? You like someone else, and I already dug my own grave, but I had to tell you. Because, because if I didn’t, I’d be lying, and it sucks, and–"

"Ace–"

"–I mean, I probably made things worse by trying to help you and made you follow bad advice, which is the dumbest thing I’ve ever done, and–"

"ACE!"

He finally shut up.

You exhaled, heartbeat loud in your ears. "You are my crush. I used your advice on you, idiot."

He stared at you, a dumbfounded expression on his face.

"Huh?" he said, very eloquently.

You rolled your eyes but smiled. You moved ahead to pull him in a hug. He immediately froze, standing stiff as a board. It took a few seconds for his brain to finally catch up to him and he returned your hug with a laugh.

"So all of that–"

"–was me following your advice." you finished his sentence, pulling back enough to look at his face. "You sabotaged yourself without realising it."

Ace groaned dramatically, letting his hands drop to his sides. "I played myself. I actually played myself!"

You laughed, shaking your head. "But at least now you know I like you back?"

Ace looked at you, then his usual cocky grin came back to his face. His hands settled awkwardly on your arms. "Yeah… yeah! Of course you like me. Who wouldn't fall me?"

You smacked his arms away. "Don't get too smug about it. Just be grateful I like idiots."

He could only smile at you, happy to have you back again.

He felt lighter, his heart fluttering with joy.

© ladyfocalors

[plutoasteroids]

PAC - What advice would the elderly you give the current you

PILE1 > PILE 2 (TOP 2 FROM LEFT TO RIGHT)

PILE 3 > PILE 4 (BOTTOM LEFT TO RIGHT)

My readings aare allegedly for entertainment purposes only! Anything said in my readings does not replace any professional advice from qualified and educated persons respectively!

Tarot readings are NOT a replacement for seeking professional guidance.

This reading MAY or MAY NOT contain triggering content - proceed with caution

This is a general reading if you want a specific one for you and YOUR energy you can get a paid reading! - PAID READINGS!

PILE 1

They are telling you to be kinder to yourself, you have a bad habit or this nature of taking yourself too seriously and being in a way cold to protect yourself. From a young age you have been weighed down by the world's problem and it definitely wasn't fair to you but even though the world wasn't gentle to you at least be kind and gentle to yourself for your own good and for the sake of your inner child. Embrace who you really are and love yourself through the good and the bad. There is still a lot for you to learn specifically finding peace within yourself, learning to let go and seeing the brighter side of life. Life isn't always so serious, find a balance.

PILE 2

The elderly you acknowledges that you are going through a tough time, and you are weighed down by expectations and honestly life has just been pretty heavy for you more so lately. You may have problem with finances, or you are in a situation you just don't want to be in completely. Don't lose hope, there is a lot top look forward to more than you know. It's hard to see the bright side of things when you feel like you are drowning and suffocated but trust me there is don't lose hope. Good things are coming for you this year (emphasis on this year)

PILE 3

for you guys, the elderly you wants to focus on your finances. Right now, you feel like you are going through a tough time right now, there is no steady financial flow. You aren't making the money you hoped to be making at this time or at a point in your career or finances that doesn't feel fulfilling to you. To you it may not feel like there is any improvement, but your guides and the universe are working hard to make the path a little easier for you. There is going to be a lot of improvement in your financial life and career, you are going to make more money, and it will flow in more consistently, your spark and thirst to life is going to come back 10-fold, life is going to get so much better for you!

PILE 4

You have been made to feel that there is this certain order or structure that you must follow, that you must follow the system to a T (being a slave to the system) when in reality you are worth much more than that you are here to do a lot more than you can imagine. You are going through a tough time, you failed at something important, or you are dealing with societal pressure but whatever this situation is proves to be necessary for your own growth and development. All you need is a little confidence and faith in yourself and the divine, things will work out in your favour!

[feyascorner]

“I love you.” The first time he says those simple three words, he doesn't mean it. Not really. And he knows you're aware of it too, with the stern glare you give him in response to his smug grin. He's teasing you—or, it looks that way anyway. In reality, he hopes that there's a glimmer, a sliver of your heart that welcomes his enticing and open arms. It’s routine. A habit. It feels more natural to lure you in with songs of promises than to simply tell you what he needs. He hopes you take his hand and ignore the sharp nails digging into your skin. He hopes you fall.

“I love you.” The second time is months later. He thinks he might genuinely mean it this time, considering how heavy his heart feels in his chest as the words leave his lips. But it’s hesitant. You can tell. And ever so patient, you only smile at him, taking his hand this time to squeeze it gently. Ah, that feels nice. Does he love you? Have you grown on his cold, dead heart? The fact that he doesn't want to recoil from your touch is enough if an answer..

“I love you.” The third time is at his grave. He’s confident now. Feeling. Wanting. He wishes he could hold your fingers against his skin forever. He doesn't want to even let go, because he fears you might vanish into thin air, like every other caring thing in his life. You're good. Understanding. Nothing like him. You deserve better than him. But he's always been a selfish man, and even though your presence urges him to be better, he remains selfish when it comes to you. He doesn't--no, he won’t lose you.

“I love you.” He’d feared he would never get to say the words again. He had faith in you of course, but an Elder Brain is no easy feat to defeat. But as he watches the brain sink into the darkest depths of the sea, the others cheering behind him, he feels the sun begin to prick at his skin again. It stings. Gods, does it sting. For a moment, he wonders if he should even run. He's had a taste for the sun kissed glow and he's not sure if he wants to part ways with it if it means he’ll rot away in the shadows forever. But when he feels you hurriedly toss a cloak over his shoulder, covering his face with the hood just enough for him to meet your eyes, you offer him something he doesn't want to ever imagine himself without again. Something he’s still in disbelief he has. Someone to worry for him.

I love you, I love you, I love you. As years pass, the words become more frequent, yet they never lose their weight, no matter how they're said or when. It’s funny, really, how he'd almost feared saying the same exact words just a few decades ago. To Astarion, they remind him that you're still here, allowing him the privilege to let him love you as much as he does.

“I love you.” The last time he says it, whether it be after an untimely death or simply from old age, he’s holding your hand again. He hates that instead of the adoration it’s supposed to convey, he hears more of the wobble in his voice as he realizes his time with you is up. Even though he's said it so many times, he finds that it still wasn't nearly enough. Open your eyes, he pleads to nobody in particular. He breathes. Why is he breathing? He doesn't need to. But the breaths become faster, and he realizes he’s crying too. Curses, how immature. Ah, your hand is so cold, almost like his own. He hates it. Don't be like him. And when he begs, he begs. Squeeze his hand again. Touch him again. Smile at him again. Live again.

Let him love you again.

[whocaresstillthelouvre]

Fifteen Weeks

Din Djarin x Cam Girl Reader AU

Rating: Explicit. 18+ (Minors DNI)  Summary: It's been fifteen weeks since Din Djarin first entered your life, now you can't imagine it without him. You take a leap of faith in your relationship and visit him at his farm. Warnings: Smut, loss of virginity, face sitting, premature ejaculation, unprotected p in v sex (reader is tested and has an IUD, protect yourselves IRL), mentions of sex work, anxiety, Din is bad at feelings, farmhouse emotions, goats!, yes I made Din Djarin a schnauzer owner don't judge me. Words: 5,050

A/N: Here it is folks, the follow up to Fifteen Minutes, which I originally wrote as a standalone. Thank you to @goodwithcheese for speaking so highly about Fifteen Minutes thus making me revisit this draft and finally finish it. I also want to thank @frannyzooey for taking a look at the bare bones of this months ago. I really love these two and I’m so glad they finally get to eat soup together.

Fifteen Masterlst Masterlist

___

“So, where ya’ headed?” the Uber driver asks, turning toward the departures terminal.

“Just to see a... friend."

“Hm. Must be a special friend to catch a flight this early.” 

“I guess he is,” you smile through a yawn.

___

Waiting to board. Can’t wait to finally see you! xxxx🙂

Hitting the send button, you shake your head still finding it hard to believe you’re traveling almost halfway across the country to meet a man. A man you’ve fallen head over heels for.

Can’t wait to see you too. See you soon.

His response arrives just in time. A nervous rush of excitement courses through your body before turning your phone off for departure. 

You wonder if your seatmate can feel your leg shake as the nerves tap out against the plane floor. Sure, you’re excited, you’re ready to meet Din in person but there still is trepidation twisting inside of you. You’ve never done anything like this at all. You’ve never met a client and now you’re on a plane headed to one. You’ve known him for only four months, but the connection the two of you share is something you’ve never believed to be something you’d find. You’ve dealt with enough men wearing wedding bands who tell you they love you, that you’re the most beautiful woman they’ve seen, that you’re their whole world. Love is a ridiculous concept when you charge ten dollars a minute. 

With Din, it’s different, it’s something that can be named, can be felt, can be solved, and yet so many questions about it remain. What do you call the quiet silence that exists between the two of you, happy to be on the phone keeping each other company every night? The small laugh and head shake he does whenever you tell him he’s cute? The random texts of his life that always brightens your day? The way he nods with zero judgment when he hears the ding of your new client alert? What do you call the decision that got you here on this plane? 

You read the same page over and over in your book. Will you sleep in his bed tonight? 

You give up on reading and stare forward at the little map on the seat screen. What does he smell like?

You look out the window and watch the clouds disintegrate around you. Is he just as nervous as you?

You turn the volume up and try to drown out your racing thoughts. Will this all be worth it?

Two hours left to find out. 

___

You step off the escalator, eyes scanning the crowded baggage claim area for the reason why you’ve taken a six hour flight halfway across the country. Your hands grip the backpack strap tighter trying to calm the nerves overtaking your heart and brain.

There, right there, leaning against a column alone in the shadows is Din and the brown eyes you’ve only dreamt of seeing in real life. He straightens when you make eye contact, but makes zero attempt to move, still frozen against the column. You lose the fight to hide your smile and excitement hurriedly shuffling over to him, he smiles as you get closer, the same shy half grin he gives when he says good night. His hands slip out of his pockets as you approach. Goodness, he’s so big and handsome, he could be a heartbreaker of all sorts to anybody he sets his sights on. The phone doesn’t do his beauty any justice.

“Hi,” you smile.

“H-hey, I can’t believe you’re… here,” his voice sounds even smoother and deeper in person.

“I am,” you shuffle on your feet. Hug me, kiss me, let me hug you, let me kiss you.

He tucks his hands back into his hoodie pocket, his silent rejection shoots a pang of longing through you. 

You thought it’d play out like a grand romantic movie, you’d jump into his outstretched arms and he’d never let go. Din’s rejection fills you with jealousy… screw all of the happy couples. You hate those movies now.

Touch me.

Of course he’s nervous, you’re nervous too, you’re just better at hiding it. He still leans against the column, shielded by the liminal space.

“Do you have luggage?” He’s right in front of you and yet you’re too scared to touch him, too anxious you’ll scare him away. 

“Nope, just my backpack and carry-on.” 

Hug me, kiss me, let me hug you, let me kiss you.

“Oh, okay, did you want to leave then?”

“I didn’t come here to see the airport Din,” you place a hand on his hoodie clad arm. He looks down and stares. 

Did you overstep? You couldn’t have, you just watched this same man orgasm for you last night while chanting how he couldn’t wait to paint you with his cum. 

“Din,” you snap him out of his stare, “come on, I’m ready to leave.” 

You know he’s not trying to reject you, but his nervous aloofness is overwhelming when all you want is for him to touch you… just once. 

“I—uh, here, let me take your bags,” he mumbles, reaching past you to grab your suitcase. “It’s really cold, do you have a heavier jacket?” 

“No, but I’ll be okay,” you reassure. The cold won’t sting nearly as much as Din’s seemingly innocent rejection.  

“Here,” he pulls the collar of his hoodie over his head. “I’m used to this cold. You aren’t.” 

You take the bundle of black fabric from his outstretched hand, not realizing just how cold you were until you put the hoodie warmed by his body heat on. It smells of him. Faint hints of campfire, wood, leather, citrus, and cinnamon. You wish you were wrapped up in Din himself, touching him, smelling him, tasting him. Hug me, kiss me, let me hug you, let me kiss you.

“Thank you,” you whisper. Whatever is happening inside of him seems to be bleeding over into your mind. You’re now second guessing every decision to come here. He was excited last night, he texted you this morning how he couldn’t wait to see you, is he disappointed? 

“Yeah, of course,” he nods and turns towards the door, walking away in quick strides leaving you alone in the dark corner near that damn column he’d rather touch than you. He has your suitcase and backpack, so either this is a really expensive way to get robbed or he has zero clue how his actions are affecting you. 

He turns back to you as he reaches the automatic doors, his eyes wide with guilt when he spots you still standing in the same place he left you. Well, at least he feels bad. 

You let a deep breath out to steel yourself and walk to him.

“I-I’m sorry, just not used to ever having to… you know…”

“I know, it’s okay Din,” you gently smile. What in the world have you gotten yourself into?

“I’m just—“

“Nervous. I know Din, it’s okay. I understand this is a lot.”

“It is, but just… know that how I’m acting is not how I’m feeling. I’m really happy to have you here. You’re so… beautiful and I—thank you for being here with me.”

There it is. Everything is worth it now. The early morning Uber to the airport, the neverending TSA line, the cramped airplane seat, the nervousness you feel. You’d do it all again to hear that sentence. 

“Of course, I know. You’re okay,” you take his hand. If he’s not going to do it, you’ll do it. “Come on, let’s go.” 

His eyes stay downcast staring at your hand wrapped around his.

You clear your throat to get his attention, his eyes snap up to yours. “Din, let’s go.”

“R-right. Of course. Right.” 

He leads you out the door, gripping your hand harder when the bitter wind lashes against your skin. 

The two of you weave your way through the parking lot until you reach a large silver truck. It’s clean with a few dents and scratches. Well taken care of but old. 

Din opens the creaky door and helps you step up. The black leather seat is smooth as you slide across it.

Din places your luggage in the back before opening his door and deftly stepping in. 

You hide a deep exhale when he starts the engine.

He clears his throat and you look over. “It’s–uh nice to see you in here.”

“I’m glad,” you smile, turning and reaching your hand out to touch his cheek. Your thumb finds the little heart patch on the side of his face, you’ve been thinking about how it’d feel since you first saw it. You can’t help yourself, he looks so delicate, as if he’s aching to be touched but too scared to ask for it. You’re holding a scared fawn in your hands. Don’t scare him, don’t move too quickly, let him figure things out on his own. 

His lips part as he inhales, deep brown eyes staring into yours, the nervousness radiating off his skin fills the truck cabin. You wish you could just throw caution to the wind and force him to tell you exactly how he’s feeling, to slide across the bench seat and beg him to take you right here in this airport parking lot. You don’t. You pull your hand away and put your seatbelt on.

“I can’t wait to see your home. I’ve never been to an actual farm before.”

___

You’ve seen glimpses of Din’s home in random pictures he’s texted you or your nightly FaceTime sessions, but you never imagined just how picturesque it could be. A large white two story farmhouse situated in the middle of a vast expanse of green grass, a small tin roofed barn sits to the side with a herd of goats happily grazing. Din’s life must be so peaceful here, very different compared to your townhouse in the middle of suburbia.

“It’s beautiful,” you muse as he pulls into the driveway. “I can understand why you never wanted to leave.” 

The truck stops in front of his home, a german shepherd and a little schnauzer run down the porch steps and head for Din’s truck.

“They’ll be fine with you, but let me get out so I can control them.” 

Din gets out of the truck, you chuckle to yourself as his clipped directions to the dogs are drowned out by excited barks. 

He opens your door and reaches his hand out.

“Grogu! Boba! Back!” Din shouts as he helps you step down. His raised voice makes your heart skip a beat. You didn’t know he could ever be this loud.

“It’s okay, I like your dogs, you know I think they’re cute,” you bend down and tap on your knees to beckon them over. “This must be Grogu,” you scratch his soft ears. “He does have big ears.”

“They’re not that used to other people.”

“Hmm,” you stand up and pat the top of Boba’s head, “sounds like someone I know.”

He chuckles as he walks up the porch steps and unlocks the front door. 

Warmth fills your body as you walk over the threshold. White walls, worn floorboards, antique furniture, all of it taken care of and clean. Tidy and well kept up, a lot like his truck, aged but in better shape and made to last; a far change from your newbuild townhouse and IKEA furniture. 

“Diiin,” you breathe, “it’s beautiful in here. Like… I knew you lived in a nice house, but wow, between this and the farm… when do you sleep?”

“I sleep enough. I’ll go get your bags, make yourself… at home.”

You take a seat on his couch, it’s perfect for him. Beige, simple lines, nothing fancy, not too comfortable, but probably the height of cozy after a long day working on a farm. Grogu jumps up and sits next to you, his little bearded face panting happily next to yours. You scratch his chest and praise him as he inches closer towards you. Boba stays near the entry, waiting for Din.

“Think he likes you,” Din says as he places your bags by the steps. “Don’t take Boba’s standoffishness personally he’s–”

“Like you. I know,” you smile.

“Did– what would you like to do?”

“Can I see the computer where you first talked to me?”

“Um, yeah,” he walks down the hallway leaving you behind yet again, “it’s just in here.”

You shake your head and rise off the couch to follow, obviously he’s not used to company.

You walk into a small office, everything has a place, efficient and tidy, perfectly Din. Paperwork stacked in neat stacks, a calendar with his sharp writing all over it hung on the wall, today’s date circled with your name written in the box. 

A black monitor sits on a mahogany desk. 

“This is the computer, huh?” you ask, running your hands across the black keyboard,

“It is.”

“So this is where it all began? You sat there, clicked on my picture, and now look. I remember when I first heard your voice,” you face him taking both of his hands in yours, “it was so deep and warm, it lit something inside of me.”

You guide his arms to wrap around you, his hands rest on your lower back.

“I couldn’t stop thinking about you after our first session ended. There was something so pure and mysterious about you, I knew you weren’t lying about wanting to know. It wasn’t some kink you had, I knew you needed help. I felt lucky to be the one to show you.” 

He sighs as you rest your head against his chest hearing the rhythm of his heart. “I closed that window so many times before finally agreeing and joining. I-I kept on thinking about how I could talk to someone as beautiful as you, all it would take is just a click. You were so pretty.” 

“Just a click,” you whisper, craning your neck up as Din lowers his head. His nose bumps against yours, his plush bottom lip is captured between your lips, another part of him you’ve wanted to touch since you first saw him. You finally kiss him, sweet and tender, his lips molding to yours perfectly. He pulls you in closer, his tongue hesitantly dipping into your mouth as you lick against him. The past fifteen weeks have finally led to this moment inside of this old farmhouse office in the middle of nowhere. Your Din and his soft lips, tense hands against your back, your soft coos mingling with his low groans, you could stay in this moment forever, if it wasn’t for Din’s phone beeping in his pocket. 

“I’m sorry,” he pulls away, a bashful smile adorns his face, “I need to go take care of the goats before sundown.”

“Of course.” 

He hugs you, planting a soft kiss against your forehead and inhaling your scent before leaving. He’s warming up…

___

Din loves soup. You know this by the nights you spend with him over the phone. The man eats soup almost every single night. Soup with bread, soup and a baked potato, soup and steak, soup, soup, soup. 

You can’t blame him, the stew and homemade rolls he serves you for dinner are delicious. He shyly tells you it’s his speciality when he places the porcelain bowl in front of you. 

You could get used to the farm life. A fire burns in the fireplace while the tv plays Din’s favorite movie he’s been wanting to show you, some film about a galaxy far far away and an unlikely hero. The man loves space. 

His arm slung across your shoulder lies heavily on you, warming you inside and out. Grogu sleeps on your lap, softly snoring as you pet his gray fur. Din occasionally sneaks a kiss against your hair, you don’t know if you’ve ever been more comfortable in your life. 

The movie ends, a grand symphonic score plays over the credits. 

“That was really good,” you smile towards Din. “I liked it.”

A grin slowly stretches across his face. “Yeah?” 

“Yeah, thank you for showing me it.”

“You’re welcome,” he gazes at you, the same look he smolders through the phone, like he can’t believe his luck that you’re talking to him. 

You attempt to fight a yawn and lose. Your eyes blink tiredly at Din when he reaches and rubs his thumb against your cheek. 

“Did you want to,” he clears his throat, “sleep in my room with me tonight?”

“Only if you want me to Din.”

“I, uh, I do.”

“Okay, I’d like that.”

___

The airplane and long day washes off and rinses down Din’s shower drain. You use his washcloth and think of his hands touching you. You smell his soap and think of inhaling the scent as he holds you close. You don’t know what’s about to happen once you leave this room. If you’re this nervous, how does he feel? 

Din looks up from the book he’s reading and watches you step out of the bathroom shyly padding over and getting into bed.

“What are you reading?” you whisper.

“Some book about a cowboy warrior in space…”

“Sounds interesting.”

“It’s good.”

“You know,” you look around the simple bedroom, “I see this room all the time, but only the wall behind your bed, hardly anything else. It’s been really nice seeing more of your life.”

He nods, blinking back to his book. 

The night can’t end like this. 

You grab the book from his hands and place it on the table.

“What are you thinking about Din? I never know what’s going on inside of you.”

“H-how pretty you look wearing that.” 

You look down at the pink silk tank top and shorts and swallow down a smile. You specifically wore it because you know how Din’s eyes light up whenever you put it on. “It’s my favorite because it’s so soft. Do you want to feel it?” 

He turns to you wide-eyed and gives you a solitary nod. 

“Go ahead Din.”

His tan hand splays across your stomach, golden toned skin rests against the blushy silk of your tank.

“S’soft,” he murmurs to himself.

“Here,” you place your hand over his and press down, “really feel it.”

His eyes angle down watching your hand navigate his around your stomach to just below your breasts. His mouth sits slightly agape, thick brows furrowing in concentration as you slip his hand underneath the fabric, his trembling calloused fingers making contact with your skin. 

“Am I soft here Din?”

“Y-Yes,” he stammers. 

“Touch me, as little or as much as you want. Wherever you’re comfortable doing, okay?” you remove your hand from his. “I came here for you… whatever you want… I want..”

“I want to,” he gulps, “I want to touch you all over.”

“I’m all yours baby.” 

His shoulders deflate with a groan, he trails his hand higher to cup one of your breasts. The tips of his fingers peek out of the top of your tank. Tan, well worked strong hands lay against your smooth skin. The sight makes you moan, your teeth gnawing at your lip, trying to qualm the temptation to touch him further. 

“Take it off Din.” His dark brown eyes beam up to yours. “Go ahead baby.” 

He grabs the hem of your tank top, softly bundling it in his hands and lifting it over your head leaving you bare chested. 

“Kiss me and touch me baby,” you gently will. 

His lips form over yours, his hands return to your skin, petting and caressing your breasts before you cover them, pushing them farther down your stomach. His breaths quicken against your mouth when you slip his hands underneath the band of your shorts. 

“Fuck,” he pants against your lips when his hand meets the wetness seeping from your pussy. “Fuuuuuck.” 

“You feel me baby? That’s how wet you always make me, ever since the first time we talked and all you were was a black square with a sexy voice. It’s like we were destined in the stars.” 

“God damnit, you’re so soft,” Din’s hips buck into the air, his head thuds against the headboard when his thick finger slips in between your folds. “I-I-I oh god, I’m– I think I’m going to cum. I’m sorr–” 

“It’s okay baby, I’m here, cum for me.” Your hand reaches down and grips his hard cock through his black sweatpants. “Cum for me Din.” 

You feel a warm wet spot spread against your hand, pulling a moan from you.. 

“I’m--agh– sorry,” his big eyes stare at you, a hint of shame rounds them. “You feel so amazing.” He pulls his hand out of your shorts.

“No,” you whimper at the loss of contact. “I like it baby, I like that you like me so much that happened. Please don't apologize. Keep touching me if you want to. Do you?” 

“God,” his eyes shrink in determination, “yes I do.” 

“Okay baby.”

You sit in between his stretched out legs, lifting your hips to take off your shorts, spreading your legs wide, much the same way you do for your clients. 

He stares at your exposed skin, eyes mapping every dip, curve and dimple of your body. 

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispers. “I can’t believe you’re here… for me.”

“Of course I am baby.” 

His fingers trace the plains of your legs, moving their way up to your thighs. His face set in a determinative scowl, eyes fixated on your core as he inches closer to it, now aching and soaked for him. 

“I-I’ve never done this.”

“I know baby, you remember our first call?” 

He nods.

“Remember what I told you what I liked?”

Another nod.

“Do that for me baby, touch me. Make me feel good.” A thick finger meets your lips, tracing a line up from your entrance to your clit before softly rubbing a circle around your sensitive nub. He remembered.

“You’re so wet for me,” he breathes out, his eyes staying planted staring at your pussy beguiled by his own actions.

“I am Din, only for you. I think about you every time. I-I,” you moan when he sticks a finger inside, slowly pumping it in and out, “I only want you.” 

“Only want you too, baby. C-can I taste you?”

“Ye–oh my god, yes Din, I’m yours, do whatever you want to me.” 

“I’m yours, anything you wa–”

“Sit on my face,” he growls. 

“O-of course.” 

You crawl towards him, leaving a chaste kiss on his lips before straddling his face, your dripping cunt hovers right over his mouth. He grips your ass and pulls you down, smothering himself with all of your slickness. You cover him like a mask, he worships your taste like a religion, moaning and groaning into your sweet pussy. Your praises about how good he’s doing and how amazing you feel incant out of your mouth as he takes you to paradise. Plush lips suck and savor you, your hands grip the bed frame like a precious artifact, his devotion to you and your pleasure pulls a melting orgasm from you. 

“Din, Din, Din,” you pray at his altar, knees bowed and quaking against his ears as he drinks your offering down. You’re shattered, everything you’ve ever believed in replaced by Din and his idolatry of you. 

You move your lust drunk body off and lay down next to Din. His face shines with a gloss of you, his tongue peeks out and licks his lips, before sending you a shy smile.

“You’re amazing,” he incredulously mutters. 

“You are too,” a doting grin lights your face before pulling him in for a kiss. You can taste yourself on him, a moan leaves your throat at the realization. 

Strong arms envelop you, pulling you closer to him, his hard cock juts against the soft skin of your thigh. 

“Already?” you pull back and tease. 

“C-can I feel you?” 

“Feel me?” 

“Yes, c-can I… can we….?”

A rush of anticipation thrums through your body at the implication of his nervousness.

“Yes Din, we can. Are you sure this is what you want tonight? We can wait.”

“N-no. I want you, I-I want this,” he moves his sweatpants down, kicking them off. 

“Okay baby, okay,” you kiss him, grabbing his face, petting the soft hair of his sparse beard.

He rolls on top of you, cradling your head between his strong forearms, a heated kiss licks into your mouth as his naked weight covers you. Your legs open in a silent offer for Din to take everything you have. You can just feel the heft of his cock ghosting against your entrance. 

He looks down at you, brown eyes wide, plush mouth parted, brows softened with adoration. 

You send him a silent nod and smile when his cock enters you, feeling a sense of honor that you’re the one Din has chosen for this. You wouldn’t have it any other way. The green accept button, the reserved man dressed in all black, the deep voice, the connection between two screens. Now, you’re here with Din, moaning and rolling your hips to accept the length of him.

His neck strains when he sheathes his cock fully inside of you, panting and groaning as he slowly rocks back and forth.

“You … feel … like … heaven… I love your pussy… I love your body…. I… love you.”

He freezes at the divulgence, body locked in shock at his slip. 

Your face lifts in a reassuring grin. “I love you too,” your hand grabs his chin, bringing his lips to yours. 

You love him, you’ve known it for so long, but here in this farmhouse bed you can hear it, you can feel it. 

Your bodies meld, hips meeting, lips locked, he gives you everything, you give him everything. Your pussy clenches around his slow, full strokes. This is making love. 

“Baby, I-I.. I’m going t–” he strains. 

“Go ahead Din, I got you.” Your hands trail up and down the expanse of his smooth back. He grunts, burying his head into the crook of your neck, fevered breaths hit your skin as his cum fills you.

He rolls off, pulling you to his side and kissing the top of your hair. 

“Wow… I.. are you okay?”

“What?” your head perks up.

“You didn’t… uh–”

“I did when you fucked me with your tongue Din, I’m very happy and satisfied.” 

“Oh, I just… I want to make sure you’re good.”

“Baby, I am very good. Trust me.” 

“I love you,” he breathes.

“I love you too Din…” you rest your head against his chest, the exhaustion of the day settling in, quickly lulling you to sleep. This is the way to go to bed.

___

The faint sound of running water gently rouses you from the most peaceful slumber you’ve had. The sun has barely peaked over the horizon, the room’s still shrouded in a lazy darkness. 

Din’s long sigh echoes against the tiles of the shower like a siren song. 

You pad out of bed toward the bathroom, pushing the door wide open. 

Your mouth drops at the sight ahead of you… Din’s muscular, toned golden body shines underneath a glistening sheen of water. He runs a gray wash rag across his stomach, the mop of dark, curly hair right underneath his hand beckons you to look farther down. You’ve seen him so many times before, almost every night, but this is the first time you’ve been able to see all of him in person. Din is a big man, his cock matches his stature. Just as long, just as broad, just as golden. God, he’s gorgeous. 

You knock on the doorframe catching his attention, surprise tensing across his whole body. 

“Good morning,” you purr, “can I join you?”

He nods, his cock grows visibly hard when you walk over and get in. The warm steam, Din’s naked body, and the smell of Din’s cedar body wash engulfs you, this is the way to wake up. 

“Mmm, the hot water feels good,” you sigh, leaning your head against his chest. Din’s cock rests heavily in between you, tempting you to touch it. “Want me to wash you?”

He groans a yes. 

“You can wash me too,” you propose, squeezing a dollop of body wash onto your palm, running it across your chest before leaving suds on your hands. “Go ahead Din.”

Drops of water land against your skin as his trembling hands slowly reach for your breasts. He massages and kneads, both palms laying against your tits, his touch turns more searing when your hands land on his chest, rubbing in the soap along the dusting of hair stretched across his broad body. 

Your nipples pebble under his nervous, firm touch and undivided attention. He hisses when your hands slink farther down, running across the damp curls of his happy trail leading you to his cock standing between his thighs, thick and dripping. You wrap a fist around his length, his knees weaken causing his body to smash against the wall, his face grimacing in pleasured agony.

“Fuck,” he pants, water rains down into his wide open mouth, splashing out with every exclamation of your name he repeats as he cums all over your stomach. 

Your tongue runs up the column of his neck to his mouth, swallowing his rapid breaths. 

“You feel so good against me,” he gasps against your lips. “I can’t believe you’re here.” 

“I am baby, I am,” you coo, wrapping your arms around him, wishing you could live in this tiny shower forever. This is the way to wake up.

___

Din settles on the porch swing next to you, pulling your blanket wrapped body close to him. 

“Is this what you do every morning?” 

“Just about,” he says before taking a drink of his coffee. 

“It’s nice,” you yawn, “early but nice.” 

He chuckles, “You get used to it.” “Mm,” you rest your head on his chest, smelling the fresh dew and hay on his flannel jacket. 

“I really like you being here,” he softly says.

“I really like being here too.”

“You know,” he gulps, “you can do your job here… with me.”

___

A/N: Thank you for reading! This ending makes me feel:

[starmocha]

Hi hello so im back again with a smaaaaaaallllll rant about Colonel Caleb and general's daughter. I just got the ideea and i had, once again, nowhere to rant about it.

Ahham. So....them having their own 'myth' lets say. They were lovers in their past lives(historical maybe the 1800 or the 1900)but couldn't be toghter since she was of lower status then Caleb, him being a Colonel in the army (i love Colonel Caleb so bear with me) and her being a commoner or someting and she dies in his arms and he swears to protect her in their next lives and faith makes sure to have them be of the same 'rank'??? so he could fullfill his promise FUCK MY MIND IS IN RUINS 😭😭😭😭😭😭

I hope i made myself clear if not blame my mind, thank you! Good night! 😭😂❤️❤️

MINA I AM DELIGHTED TO SEE YOU AND YOUR LOVELY AU AGAIN. <333 gosh I wanted to answer this immediately last night, but Caleb’s latest trailer had me losing my mind and things spiraled 😭😭😭

Giving you all of my attention, because EXCUSE ME. WHEELS ARE SPINNING.

Can we…can we just indulge on this a little more? 🥹 omg excuse the slightly heavy Moulin Rouge! influences sprinkled in here, but this is the vibe I am getting, especially for their “tragic” ending.

A Colonel and His Lover

Imagine Colonel Caleb is dragged to a brothel by his associates and superiors. He finds the whole thing disdainful, but is pressured by his own superiors to indulge in a little nightly fun and let loose and forget their duties for a bit.

He doesn’t plan to. He had planned on leaving the moment everyone finds their partners.

Until he sees you.

Literally lust love at first sight.

He’s captivated by your beauty, your wits, and he’s falling hard and fast before he realizes what is happening.

One night with you leaves him yearning for more. He has already remembered how you felt under him, the way you quivered and moaned for him.

He remembers the sweet nothings uttered between the two of you, and though a tiny part in his mind is telling him that you are just a whore who is good with her tongue, he wants to believe that there is something genuine blossoming between the two of you.

He starts going back to the whorehouse more often. Nightly, if he could. He still puts on an act that he was being pressured to tag along, but in reality, all he wants is to see you again. No matter what it takes, what the price, he wants you and only you.

In the beginning, he was just another client. One of those military brutes who only saw you as something that can be bought for and used until they were satisfied.

You did intentionally charm him in the beginning. A false smile, a few sweet words to prickle his male ego, but it soon becomes apparent to you that Caleb is not like all of your previous clients. When he sees you, there is genuine feelings in his eyes, he is truly looking at you for you and not just a body to be used.

You try to discourage your own feelings, reminding yourself of the different classes you belong to. This can never happen—could never happen.

A prestigious colonel on his way to greatness and a common whore? What a joke. It seems almost insulting to entertain such an idea that you could ever truly be his. You quiet those feelings, try to imagine him as any of those other bastards who drag you to bed.

Except you can’t.

Caleb won’t let you. He sees you for you. He wants to know you, the real you, who you have hidden away for years.

You no longer wait for him to come to you as a client. You begin to sneak around whenever you both could, having regular rendezvouses where he is no longer a client or you’re a whore, but two lovers meeting to be together.

After one afternoon delight, you lay with him in an inn bed, tangled in sheets and wrapped in his warmth, and he paints you a beautiful picture of the life you both could have together.

He would buy you all of the beautiful dresses for you to wear, show you off with pride, his equal at his side wherever he goes. Men may still lust after you, their wives green with envy, but to Caleb, he couldn’t care, because he knows you are his and his alone.

You would live in a beautiful house, your days filled with idle contentment and no longer have to worry about anything or want for anything. Caleb promises to provide you with everything you could want and more.

When you tell him, though, that he is all that you want, his cheeks tinge pink, but his smile is layered with joy and also…gratitude? He looks at you like you are his whole world, because that’s just how it is: you are his world now. He had never thought he could cherish someone as much as he cherishes you.

A beautiful life awaits you. He asks you to marry him.

For just a moment, you hesitate, and he is confused. He gently questions you, wondering if you have any doubts about his feelings.

“No! Never!” you tell him, and then reluctantly, you reveal that you could still feel that distance in classes between the two of you. You worry about his reputation, and Caleb seems surprised.

He reassures you there is nothing for you to worry about. He can handle whatever happens, and he promises to keep you safe.

You agree to marry him.

Life continues as normal as the two of you plan to run away and elope. He had promised you an extravagant wedding, but you want him now, already wanting to be his wife and he your husband.

This rosy life you are seeing turns grey in an instant, everything grinding to a halt when you start to display symptoms of an unknown illness. You start coughing up blood more often, your body weakened some days to the point you need to be bedridden. Secretly, you hid everything from Caleb, not wanting him to worry.

Caleb starts wising up, realizing something is wrong when you continue to evade his questions or even outrightly avoid meeting him again.

When a physician reveals to you that you only have less than five months to live, you realize that the dream life Caleb promised you would never come true. Not wanting him to bear the pain of seeing you dying, you start to drive a further wedge between the two of you, consciously doing things to make him hate you so he wouldn’t ever have to feel the pain of losing you.

It works.

You fight with him to the point that you’re both yelling and screaming at one another until he loses control of his anger and drives his fist into a wall, scaring you briefly, having never seen this side of him before. He doesn’t want you to see him like this either, so he leaves, leaving you with these bitter harsh words and some bills tossed at you in spite:

“I have paid for my whore. My debt is paid and she is nothing to me.”

When he is out of sight, you fall to the ground sobbing, angry at yourself for doing a good job of driving him away and making him hate your existence. The man you loved is gone, and though it hurts, you still wish he would find someone to replace you, because you still love him with your whole heart and never want him to be alone like this.

Caleb is angry and it shows. The Colonel has always been very disciplined and strict, but everyone has noticed his temper seemed even more short. There is no leniency with him. You mess up, he will make sure you learn from your mistakes. You talk back to him, and it will be your last words in his presence.

He starts to drink more often, wishing to numb his pain, to forget your fights, to forget you. There is no alcohol in the world strong enough to cure him of this heartache. In spite of everything, he still loves you. He replays the memories often, wondering when everything had gone wrong.

One night as he sits at the bar, on his fifth glass of scotch, he pulls out a ring box, opening it to look at the dainty little ring he had secretly chosen for you. It wasn’t a huge diamond, but still perfectly sized, and he knows it would look beautiful on your finger.

He downs his glass, pays his tab, and stumbles out of the bar. He staggers through the streets disoriented, not even thinking clearly of where he is going.

He finds himself at the brothel again, and he scoffs. He goes in, demanding to see you.

The madame there tries to turn him away. She knows who he is, and also knows of his secret relationship with one her girls. She knows what you two had planned, because you had revealed everything to her and begged her to never let him come near you again—for his sake. Always for his sake. Even as you are dying upstairs, each day, you breathing growing weaker, you still think of him.

Caleb doesn’t take “no” for an answer and in his current drunken state, he is more prone to violence than usual, slurring insults about you in spite. It isn’t until one of the other girls screams out that you were dying, that he freezes, sobering up instantly.

“What…did you say?”

His whole world had stopped. The colors drain from his face, his heart slowing as he replays her words in his mind. The dots start to connect as he remembers all of your final fights, realizing your expressions had always seemed off somehow.

His throat is dry, his limbs rigid as he tries to move. Suddenly, he runs off in a mad dash before anyone could stop him. He rushes up the stairs, passing several rooms, pushing anyone in his way to the side until he finds your room, the door bursting open and he freezes again, not recognizing the frail woman laying in bed under multiple covers as a nurse is tending to her.

Caleb doesn’t leave and rushes to your side, dropping to his knees as he reaches for your hand, begging you to look at him. He apologizes profusely, his eyes glistening with tears.

“Why didn’t you tell me?! Why did you lie to me?! Why, why…why…”

His large hands wrapped around yours, holding it close to his face as he sobs.

“Ca..leb…”

He looks up, seeing you smiling at him weakly.

“I’m here,” he assures you, “I’m here…I’m not leaving…Not again…”

Too weak to fight, too relieved to see him, you let him stay and you close your eyes.

He stays by your side for your remaining days, cherishing the little time you had left.

One afternoon as he watches you sleep, he sits on the edge of the bed, his fingers brushing aside your hair, his eyes heavy with sadness as he realizes how frail and pale you are now compared to who you were months earlier. Quietly, he pulls out the ring box, taking the ring out, and slipping it on your ring finger. It looks perfect on you, just like he had known it would.

When you wake that evening and see the ring, you start to protest, saying it’s wasted on you.

He silences you with a kiss, and once again, he reassures you that nothing he does for you is ever wasted effort. You are his only bride, and no one will ever take your place.

Time dwindles, and he watches you waste away each day, his heart heavy with remorse and anger that he is losing you before his very eyes and there is nothing that he can do to stop this. For all of his strength and glory, Caleb has never felt as weak and helpless as he does now.

He tries to fill your days with as much comfort and happiness as he could.

It was a spring afternoon when he lays in bed with you. He leans back against the headboard, your body resting against his, the cover up to your neck for warmth, but nothing felt more comforting than his own body heat against you.

He tells you stories again and as you listen to him, you wonder why his voice sounds more distant even though he is right here next to you.

Caleb watches, realizing, he has lost you, your body growing colder and unresponsive.

He breaks down crying as a warm spring breeze rustles into the room from the opened balcony door. He holds you close to him and just sobs and curses every deity in the world.

He promises in the next life, he will be a better man and give you what you deserve. In the next life, things will go right. The story of you and him will be rewritten, he swears on his life.

[mistyshane30]

You Were Never Mine to Lose (Chapter 6)

Synopsis: The other night was a lot, and now here you are, at an amusement park. It’s supposed to be a distraction, but you can’t help but feel like something’s just… waiting to happen. Just not yet.

Word count: 6k

Warnings: Subtle angst, Lingering tension, Unresolved emotions

A/N: Just wanted to say a big thanks for all the awesome comments on my fic! Your support really means a lot to me. I love hearing what you think! I can’t wait for you to see what’s coming next♡

The sharp chime of the doorbell jolts you awake. Groaning, you reach for your phone, squinting at the screen as your eyes adjust to the bright light. 

12:07 PM 

Your heart nearly stops. Noon?! 

Your notifications are a mess—17 missed calls from Jen, 10 from Wanda, and an explosion of texts from the group chat. A sinking realization hits you: you must have accidentally muted your phone last night. Not surprising, considering you tossed and turned until at least 3 AM overanalyzing every moment with Agatha yesterday. 

Another impatient ring of the doorbell makes you groan. You drag yourself out of bed, feeling dizzy and a little off from the lack of sleep. You’re moving in slow motion as you head for the front door. When you open it, your friends are standing there, looking less than impressed. 

Jen’s arms are crossed over her chest, a mix of concern and irritation on her face. Alice, Wanda, and Lilia are behind her, all looking like they’ve been up for hours while you’ve just barely dragged yourself out of bed. Your eyes immediately flick to Agatha, naturally.  

She stands there effortlessly put together in a camel brown structured sleeveless top, black well-tailored wide-leg trousers, chunky dad sneakers, a Loewe crossbody bag, and black shades. It’s criminal how good she looks in something so simple. Your gaze lingers longer than it should before you snap back to reality. 

Jen crosses her arms. “Seriously? You’re just waking up?” 

Wanda huffs. “We thought you were dead.” 

“You guys are so dramatic,” you mumble, stepping aside to let them in. “I accidentally muted my phone last night.” 

“And?” Jen presses, still unimpressed. 

You scratch the back of your head. “Overslept. I had to check work emails before bed, so I ended up sleeping late.” 

Technically not a lie—you did check your emails. But the real reason? You couldn’t stop thinking about Agatha. Her lingering gazes. The way her breath hitched at the beach. The way she looked at you across the table at Nobu. 

Agatha hums, arms crossed over her chest. “That’s cute. Imagine taking a vacation just to work and look like shit in the morning.” 

You scoff. “Imagine going on vacation just to go from a hot tub to a sauna like you’re trying to get heatstroke.” 

She smirks. “Maybe I just like being warm. Unlike you, who apparently enjoys hibernating.” 

Jen pinches the bridge of her nose. “Can we not do this first thing in the afternoon? Y/N, go get ready. Now. We’re going to Pacific Park, and you have five minutes.” 

You hold up a hand in surrender. “Alright, alright. Ten minutes.” 

“Seven.” 

“Deal.” You turn to head upstairs. “Try not to miss me while I’m gone.” 

Agatha mutters under her breath. “Not possible.” 

You pretend not to hear it. 

Fifteen minutes later, you finally head downstairs, fully dressed and ready to go. Okay, maybe you took a little longer than planned. Sue you. 

You opted for a white fitted cashmere tank top, Hermès brown tailored high-waist shorts, Dior sneakers, a YSL Lou camera bag, and a deep olive green cap. A perfect balance of casual and effortless chic. 

Jen checks her watch. “Not bad. I expected worse.” 

You grin. “You have so little faith in me.” 

Wanda looks you up and down. “I mean, you still look like you just woke up, but at least you’re dressed.” 

You roll your eyes. “Can I at least eat something before we go?” 

Lilia waves a dismissive hand. “We’ll hit the McDonald’s drive-thru on the way.” 

You sigh. “Fine. But if my McMuffin gets cold, someone’s paying.” 

Alice smirks. “We’ll send the bill to Agatha. She’s the one who called you a hibernating bear.” 

Agatha scoffs, tilting her head at you. “Only because it’s true.” 

You roll your eyes and grab your bag. “Let’s go before I actually commit a crime today.” 

As you step out of the villa, the sun warming your skin as you make your way to the main entrance of the resort. The van is parked just a little ahead, waiting for you and the others. You’re the first one to get inside, claiming the back seat behind the driver. You sit down and pull out your phone, scrolling through social media to distract yourself from the anticipation of what’s ahead. 

Agatha slides in beside you a few moments later, as effortlessly composed as ever. She flashes you a smile, one that’s way too confident for your liking. You return the smile, but there’s something about it that feels a little too forced. You quickly avert your gaze, focusing on your phone like it’s the most interesting thing in the world. 

Wanda sits down beside Agatha, followed by the others, and the van slowly pulls off. The hum of the road is calming at first, but you can still feel Agatha’s presence beside you like an electric current you’re trying to ignore. You scroll through your feed, hoping to lose yourself in the digital noise. 

After about 45 minutes, you start to spot the signs of the amusement park from the van window—ferris wheels, roller coasters, the blur of bright colors that instantly reminds you of childhood summers. The excitement in the air is palpable, and soon, the van pulls up to the entrance. You step out into the warm air, your stomach doing a little flip at the thought of all the rides. 

Jen heads straight for the ticket booth and returns with wristbands. She hands them out to everyone—Unlimited Ride Wristbands. You stare at the plastic band in your hand, already dreading the rides ahead. 

Jen claps her hands together. “Alright, let’s get a photo first! You guys need to remember this moment.” 

You all gather together, everyone flashing smiles as Jen takes the photo. You try to smile, but something about the whole thing feels a little off. Maybe it’s the weight of the rides you know are coming. 

Alice, always the one to jump into the action, suggests the West Coaster as the first ride. 

Your heart drops at the mention of it. “How about we start easy? There’s the Sig EV Alert. It’s a little more chill, right?” You try to sound casual, but your stomach churns at the thought of a big roller coaster. You know yourself, dizziness is your worst enemy. 

Agatha shoots you a sideways glance, her lips curling into a smirk. “Oh, come on. What’s the matter? Are you scared?” 

You roll your eyes, trying to brush off the feeling of nerves creeping up on you. “I’m not scared, Agatha. Just think it’s better to ease into things.” 

She leans back with a challenge in her eyes. “Really? A vote’s been called, then.” 

The group eagerly agrees to start with the West Coaster, and you immediately regret your attempt to steer them away from it. You tell yourself you can handle it, though—you’re fine, you repeat like a mantra, even though you know it’s a lie. 

As you approach the roller coaster, Wanda nudges your elbow gently. “Hey,” she says softly, leaning in close. “Are you sure you want to do this? You know you get dizzy easily.” 

You force a smile. “I’m fine, Wanda. Really.” 

She doesn’t look convinced, her brow furrowing. “You can sit this one out. No shame in that.” 

But you shake your head, refusing to back down. “No way. I’m not letting Agatha think I’m backing out. I can handle it.” 

Wanda sighs, her concern still clear. “Alright, but if you pass out halfway, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” 

You give her a small smile and step forward with the group. But just as you’re about to sit down, something happens—you realize Agatha is sitting right next to you. Your stomach twists again. 

Her smirk is almost too much to handle. “I’m gonna enjoy this,” she murmurs, low enough for only you to hear. 

You roll your eyes but try to play it cool. “We’ll see about that.” 

The ride begins its slow ascent, the familiar clicking noise echoing through the air. You feel every inch of the climb, your heart thumping in your chest as the coaster makes its way higher. For a brief moment, everything is calm. Too calm. It’s the kind of calm that makes you realize just how much you don’t want to be here. You grip the safety bar tightly, knuckles turning white, your palms sweating against the cool metal. 

Your stomach flips, and you feel the weight of the height sinking in. You glance over at Agatha, sitting beside you with her usual cool, confident demeanor. She seems completely unfazed, her eyes glinting with something like amusement. You swallow hard, trying to keep your cool. This was your idea, right? You had to prove you weren’t scared. 

Then, the coaster pauses at the peak—that peak—the one where it feels like you’re teetering on the edge of the world. Everything below looks so far away, a blur of colors and tiny dots that might be people, but you can’t focus on that. The world seems to hold its breath, and so do you. 

Then—BAM! 

The coaster shoots forward with sudden, brutal speed, your stomach dropping out from under you. You don’t even have time to prepare before the wind rushes through your hair, and the shrill scream that escapes your throat is one you didn’t even know you had in you. Your hands instinctively shoot out to grab onto anything, everything. 

Your fingers latch onto something warm, soft, and surprisingly firm. You don’t realize what you’ve done at first. Your brain is too busy trying to process the chaos around you, the twisting and jerking of the ride, the air rushing by in a constant scream of its own. Your eyes squeeze shut for a moment as the coaster dips and turns, the ride's movements jarring, sending your stomach into an endless loop of flips. 

Oh God, what have I done? Why did I agree to this? 

The twists and turns keep coming, faster, harsher, as the ride whips you through the air. Your scream isn’t just fun now; it’s a primal, terrified sound. It feels like you’re falling forever, your body jerking this way and that. You feel the pressure in your chest, your breath coming out in shallow bursts, but through it all, your hand is still clenched around whatever is in front of you. 

That “whatever” is Agatha’s hand. 

It’s only when the coaster starts to slow down that you realize what’s happened. Your hand, still gripping Agatha’s, is now nearly crushed in your panic. Your face flushes red as you snap your eyes open, trying to catch your breath, the noise of the ride dying down around you. You feel disoriented—nauseous, even—and your heart is still racing. 

The ride finally halts, and your body slumps against the backrest, drenched in sweat. You feel like you’ve just run a marathon, your skin clammy and cold, your breath coming in gasps. You’re still dazed, but you suddenly become acutely aware of the hand you’re holding. You jerk your hand away from Agatha’s, mortified, hoping no one noticed the unintentional closeness you shared. 

You glance around quickly. Everyone else is laughing and talking excitedly, their voices a blur. They didn’t notice. Thank God. 

Except Agatha. She saw. Of course, she did. 

Her lips curl into that sly smirk, the one that makes you want to crawl under a rock. She looks over at you, that gleam of recognition in her eyes. “You look a little green there, Y/N,” she teases, her voice dripping with amusement. “Roller coasters not your thing?” 

You want to disappear. The heat creeping up your neck is nearly unbearable. You manage to cough out a nonchalant response, your voice a little higher than normal. “It was fine. Totally fine.” But even you can hear the lie in it. 

You don’t meet her gaze. You can’t. The thought of her knowing what just happened—of her knowing you—it’s too much. 

The group continues to tease you, laughing and poking fun at your reaction. You try to laugh along, but it comes out flat, forced. You wish you could just blend into the background, escape the spotlight that feels like it’s shining just a little too bright on you. 

Wanda, however, seems to sense that something’s wrong. She quietly steps up beside you, her voice low and concerned. “Y/N, are you sure you’re okay?” She looks at you with an almost protective gaze. “Like, really okay?” 

You manage a weak smile, brushing off her worry like it’s nothing. “I’m great. Totally great. Really.” You try to sound convincing, but Wanda doesn’t look entirely convinced. 

She doesn’t push further, though. Instead, she just pats your shoulder lightly and nods, though you can see she’s not buying your act. The others are still bickering amongst themselves about the next ride, oblivious to your inner turmoil. 

You don’t know how you make it through the rest of the day. You feel like you’re walking in a fog, each ride making your stomach churn more than the last. You’re so dizzy you could swear you’re going to pass out. But you keep pushing through it, knowing Agatha’s eyes are always on you, even when you try not to meet her gaze. 

Finally, you find a little relief on the Sig EV Alert ride. It’s simple. Fun, even. It’s a bumper car ride, something you can do without fear of your stomach trying to escape your body. It’s a tiny break in the chaos, but as you steer your bumper car, you can’t stop yourself from looking at her, and just like that, she catches you. Her eyes twinkle with amusement as she leans forward in her seat, an eyebrow arched in challenge. “What’s the matter, Y/N? I didn’t think bumper cars were so interesting.” 

Your heart thuds in your chest again, and you force yourself to look away, cheeks flushed. “It’s not,” you reply, but the corner of your mouth betrays you with a tiny, involuntary smile. 

After all the rides, your group decides to grab something to eat at Smashie’s Burger. You take the chance to slip away to the bathroom, needing a moment to catch your breath after all the chaos. You wash your face, trying to shake off the dizziness from the rides. You’re not sure if you’re more worn out from the rides or from trying to act like everything's fine in front of everyone. 

When you come back to the table, everyone’s chatting and laughing, already a little more energized from the food. You slide in, a little quieter than usual, and take your seat. Your eyes drift to Agatha—she’s got her phone in hand, typing something, looking all serious. You wonder for a second if she’s texting Ralph or maybe dealing with some work stuff. Either way, you can’t help but watch her. It’s like she’s in a world of her own, and it pulls you in even though you’re trying to look away. 

You start eating, trying to pretend like everything’s normal. It’s harder than it should be, but you make yourself focus on the food, even as you keep stealing glances at her. Her phone goes down, and she finally takes a bite of her burger. There’s something about the way she eats—so casually, so effortlessly—that makes you feel like you're standing just a bit too close to something you’re not sure how to handle. 

Before long, Jen’s done with her fries and is already looking around with that excited energy of hers. “Okay, who’s ready for the next round?” she asks, clearly buzzing. 

Wanda’s practically bouncing in her seat. “I’m heading to the Cat Rack. I need to win a stuffed animal.” 

Alice’s grinning, not to be outdone. “I’m hitting the Ring Toss. I’m definitely gonna win this time.” 

The group starts breaking up, everyone heading off in different directions. You’re left with Agatha, and for a split second, the silence feels a little too loud between you two. You can’t tell if it’s awkward or just... weird, but you feel it. 

You clear your throat, trying to make the best of it. “So... where do you want to go?” 

And, of course, you both speak at the same time. “Where do you want to go?” 

You both freeze for a moment, then laugh, but it’s not the easiest laugh. It’s more like you're both trying to fill the space that’s been left hanging. You smile, trying to ease the tension. 

“Sorry, didn’t mean to—” 

Agatha shakes her head, cutting you off. “It’s fine. I was thinking Water Race. Let’s do that.” 

You give her a look. “Water Race? Really?” 

“Really,” she says with that grin you know is always a little too knowing. “I wanna see if you’re as good at this as you say you are.” 

You roll your eyes but can’t help the smirk that pulls at your lips. “Oh, I’m great at it. Just wait and see.” 

You pay for both of you, the two of you standing side by side, staring down at the game ahead. You tell yourself it’s just a game, but the competition is starting to feel a little more intense than it should. Agatha’s in the lane next to you, her water gun aimed perfectly, and you know this is it. Time to prove you’re better. 

The game starts, and the water blasts out from the guns, splashing against the targets. You’re both giving it your all, but after a few rounds, you realize it’s not just the two of you in this race. There are other players too. And none of you are winning. 

You try to stay casual, hiding the irritation that’s slowly creeping up on you. You keep buying new entries, trying to beat the other players, but every time, someone else wins. The frustration builds, and despite how much you want to pretend it doesn’t bother you, it does. It really does. 

Agatha notices. “You okay there?” she teases, her voice light but that hint of amusement in her eyes. 

You force a smile. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just warming up.” 

But after another round, when you lose again, you can’t hold back the annoyance anymore. You feel it in your chest, tight and heavy, and you can’t shake it. The other player keeps winning, and you just want to win something. Anything. 

Finally, after what feels like a hundred tries, it happens. You hit the target, and the bell rings, signaling that you’ve won. You almost can’t believe it, the rush of victory flooding you as you hold the water gun in triumph. Your heart’s pounding, but there’s something about it that feels better than all the other wins you’ve seen. 

The prize is a stuffed bunny. It’s not the biggest or most impressive thing, but to you, it’s everything. You hold it up in the air, your face lighting up in the purest, most unfiltered joy. 

Agatha’s standing next to you, eyes wide with surprise at how over the top your reaction is. “Really? That’s how excited you are about a stuffed bunny?” 

You can’t stop grinning, bouncing on your feet. “I won! I really won! This is the best thing ever!” 

You hold the bunny to your chest like it’s the greatest prize you’ve ever gotten. It’s ridiculous, but it feels like you’ve just won the lottery, and for once, you don’t care how silly it looks. 

Agatha snorts, clearly amused. “You’re kind of ridiculous, you know that?” 

You just shrug, still holding your prize. “I don’t care.” 

She shakes her head, smiling despite herself. “Alright, alright. You win. I won’t argue with you and your little bunny.” 

You stand there for a second, still buzzing from the win, when you glance at Agatha again. She’s looking at you in that quiet, knowing way, like she’s seeing you in a way she hasn’t before. For a brief moment, everything feels lighter, like maybe, just maybe, there’s something else here between you two. 

After your victory at the Water Race, you’re still holding your prize, that stupidly adorable bunny stuffed toy, when the mystery player who had kept winning approaches you. She has a confident smile on her face, and there’s something about her that catches your attention. Maybe it’s the way she walks up to you without hesitation, or how she looks like she knows exactly what she’s doing. 

“Hey,” she says, her voice smooth and warm. “That was some impressive shooting. No one’s ever beaten me at this game before.” 

You glance at her in surprise, a little thrown off by the compliment. “Thanks,” you reply, trying to keep your cool, but there’s a flutter of nerves in your stomach. 

She grins, her gaze lingering on you just a bit too long. “I’m Rio Vidal, by the way,” she adds, extending her hand. “Nice to meet you.” 

You shake her hand, still feeling a bit off balance. “I’m Y/N, and this is Agatha.” 

Agatha, standing nearby, doesn’t seem to react much, but you can feel her attention shift, just slightly. Rio doesn’t seem to notice. She’s too busy smiling at you, her eyes sparkling with something that feels... too intentional. 

“So,” Rio continues, her tone teasing, “What brings you to the Water Race? You definitely look like a woman who’s up for a challenge.” She leans a little closer, voice lowering in a way that makes you blink in surprise. “I like that.” 

You catch yourself before you do something weird, like laugh too loud or look confused. Instead, you go with it. “Well, I’m actually on a bachelorette vacation with my friends,” you say with a playful shrug. “It’s all about letting loose and having some fun.” 

Rio raises an eyebrow. “A bachelorette? That’s interesting... you’re clearly not shy about winning.” She holds out a business card. “If your friend is still looking for flowers for her wedding, I’m your girl. I’m a florist, you know. I’d be happy to help out.” 

You take the card from her, half-smiling. “I’ll let her know. Thanks, Rio.” 

She lingers a little longer, her eyes not leaving you. “No problem. It was nice meeting you... maybe I’ll see you around, yeah?” 

You’re pretty sure she means something more than just “seeing you around,” but you just smile and nod. “For sure. Take care.” 

As she walks away, you glance at Agatha, who’s giving you a look that’s almost... incredulous. “What the hell was that?” she asks, her voice thick with something you can’t quite pinpoint. 

You give her a confused look. “What do you mean?” 

Agatha huffs, crossing her arms, still staring at you. “That lady was literally flirting with you.” 

You shrug, trying to act like it’s no big deal, even though a little part of you feels flustered. “Nah. She’s just being friendly. Nothing more to it.” 

Before Agatha can respond, you quickly hold out the stuffed bunny toy you just won. You catch Agatha off guard with it, her eyes widening for a second as she stares at the toy in your hands. 

She looks at you, confused. “What’s this for?” 

You try to keep it casual, but your heart’s thumping in your chest. “You can have it,” you say, your voice casual even though the butterflies are going wild in your stomach. “I’m not really into stuffed toys. I just liked the idea of winning. You can take it home with you, though. Maybe give it to your kids after the trip.” 

Agatha blinks, clearly taken aback by your sudden generosity. “You... want me to take it?” 

You nod, trying not to let the heat on your cheeks show. “Yeah. I mean, I’m not really gonna keep it. And I figure you could use it.” 

She looks at the bunny again, then back at you. For a moment, there’s this unreadable look in her eyes, and for a second, you think she might turn it down. But then, she sighs and takes the bunny from your hands. 

“Thanks,” she says softly, her tone warmer than you expected. “I’ll... keep it safe.” 

You smile at her, feeling the rush of your little exchange with Rio slowly fade away, replaced by this new, quieter moment with Agatha. As much as you try to convince yourself it’s no big deal, something about the way she accepts the bunny... it feels a little more personal than it should. And for once, you’re okay with that. 

You and Agatha were lost in the competitive spirit of the games, going from Whac-A-Mole to Balloon Bust to Roll-A-Ball, each one more ridiculous than the last. Neither of you were willing to back down, constantly teasing each other over every small win and every tiny defeat. The laughter and playful banter between you two felt natural, easy... but it wasn’t until you realized the sun was starting to set that you looked around and noticed how dark it had gotten. 

"Whoa," you muttered, glancing at your phone. "It’s already six?" 

Agatha glanced up, eyebrow raised. "Guess we’ve been here longer than we thought." 

You shrugged, your competitive streak still burning. "Well, I’m not done yet." 

"Maybe I’m done." Agatha smirked, a mischievous glint in her eyes, but you could tell she wasn’t serious. 

"Alright, break time," you said, stretching your arms out. "Pretzels. I’m starving." 

You headed to Wetzel’s Pretzels, the smell of warm dough and salt filling the air. As you placed your order and grabbed the food, you got a text from the group chat. 

Jen: Meet us at the Pacific Wheel when you’re done! 

Taking the pretzel and frozen lemonade, you turned to look around for Agatha, but she wasn’t there. Confused, you glanced over the park, but she was nowhere to be found. You started walking around, trying to find her amidst the crowd. Finally, you spotted her in the quieter part of the park, her back turned toward you. She was on the phone, and her voice was sharp, like she was holding something back. 

Your steps slowed, and you stopped a few feet away, not wanting to intrude. But you heard it. The tension in her voice, the way it wavered when she spoke. 

“I can’t keep doing this, Ralph.” Her words were clipped, cold, and there was something raw underneath them that made you pause, your heart sinking. 

She didn’t notice you at first, so you lingered quietly, unsure if you should stay or leave. It didn’t feel right, intruding on whatever this was. From the bits and pieces of her conversation, you pieced together that whatever she was dealing with—whatever was going on between her and Ralph—was more serious than you expected. 

The call ended abruptly, and Agatha’s shoulders tensed, her hand slipping to her side as she hung up, visibly angry. She didn’t turn around right away, but when she did, her eyes met yours—frozen, wide, like a deer caught in headlights. 

You opened your mouth to speak, but before you could find the words, you cleared your throat awkwardly, pretending you hadn’t overheard anything. “The group is at the Pacific Wheel,” you said lightly, your voice casual, even though your heart was pounding. “Jen texted in the group chat.” 

Agatha stared at you for a beat longer than necessary, her lips pressed into a thin line, but she didn’t comment on the phone call. Instead, she sighed, walking toward you. You handed her the pretzel and frozen lemonade. She took them wordlessly, her fingers brushing yours for just a second. 

The two of you walked in silence, the air between you thick with unsaid things. You could feel the tension radiating from Agatha, the way her usual confidence had shrunk a little, replaced by something... quieter. You wanted to ask her if she was okay, but every time you opened your mouth, the words felt wrong. 

When you finally reached the group by the Pacific Wheel, they immediately teased you both, noticing the awkward atmosphere. 

"Look at you two," Jen grinned, winking at you. "Looks like you’re back to your old bickering." 

But you didn’t hear her. Agatha hadn’t smiled in hours, not since that phone call. She was quieter than usual, her sharp edges dulled by something you couldn’t touch, something heavy weighing her down. You could tell it wasn’t just the usual gruffness, this was something different. The way she seemed distant, as if she were carrying an invisible burden. It was the same look you’d seen before, back when she thought she could keep everything together, even if her world was on fire. 

You opened your mouth to say something, to ask if she was okay... but Jen beat you to it. 

“Alright, we all need to ride the Pacific Wheel now,” she announced, grinning. “It’s the last ride for tonight.” 

Agatha barely even glanced up. “Pass,” she said flatly, a tiredness in her tone that wasn’t usual for her. 

“You’re on vacation, Governor,” Lilia teased, emphasizing the title just to see her roll her eyes. “One last ride won’t kill you.” 

Jennifer caught on and nudged Agatha toward the line. “Yeah, come on. This’ll be the last ride of the night. Just do it for the fun of it.” 

Agatha didn’t have a choice anymore. She was trapped. 

The group made their way to the gondola, Jen and Wanda taking the first one. Then Agatha climbed into the second gondola, and without thinking, you sat beside her. She didn’t even try to protest—just gave you a look, her eyes soft and a little tired, but she didn’t say anything. You could feel the weight of her silence next to you. 

The gondola slowly began to ascend, the lights of the amusement park flickering below, casting a soft glow on the quiet faces around you. But the stillness between you and Agatha felt louder than the sounds of the park. 

The ferris wheel spun gently, and for a moment, you thought about reaching out to her—asking if she was okay, if she wanted to talk. But she was already looking ahead, her eyes fixed on the horizon. It was clear she wasn’t ready to talk. 

The quiet stretched on, thick and heavy, as you watched the city lights twinkle below. You couldn’t shake the feeling that whatever Agatha was dealing with... it was more than just a phone call. More than just a bad moment. But for now, all you could do was sit there beside her, the awkward silence wrapping around you both like a heavy cloak. 

The gondola rocks gently as the Pacific Wheel lifts you both higher, the amusement park shrinking below. Neon lights flicker across Agatha’s face, reflecting in her stormy blue eyes. The silence is thick, heavier than the humid air, but you’re the one who finally breaks it. 

"Wanna talk about it?" Your voice is quiet, unintrusive. You’re not pushing, but the door is open if she wants to walk through it. 

Agatha doesn’t respond right away. She exhales slowly, eyes fixed on the horizon, and when she finally speaks, her voice is measured. "How much did you hear?" 

"Enough." You don’t elaborate. You don’t need to. 

Another beat of silence. Agatha’s fingers drum against the metal bar in front of her, and when she finally looks at you, her expression is guarded, like she’s waiting for a hit to land. 

"You’re gonna scold me, aren’t you? Tease me? Tell me how I should’ve seen this coming? Go ahead, get it over with." 

It’s defensive, a preemptive strike. The kind of thing she says when she’s bracing for a fight. When she wants to keep you at arm’s length. But you don’t take the bait. 

Instead, you just look at her—really look at her. And when you speak, it’s only one word, "No." 

Agatha stills. Maybe she expected you to gloat, to mock, to treat this like another battle in your endless war of words. But you don’t. And that makes her pause. 

You soften, let your voice dip into something almost gentle. "I just think... you deserve better than this." 

Then, without thinking too much about it, you reach out, fingers brushing against hers. It’s not a grand gesture, just a quiet reassurance. But Agatha, who has spent years pretending she doesn’t need anyone, doesn’t pull away. 

She looks away instead, scoffing like she can deflect the weight of this moment. "God, you’re such a sap." 

But the bite isn’t there. And for the first time, you see it—that flicker of doubt, the crack in the foundation she’s built so carefully around herself. 

The Ferris wheel slows at the top, leaving you both suspended in midair. Agatha exhales, tipping her head back against the cool metal. 

"It’s Ralph," she admits finally. "He’s... not doing well. And I’m the one keeping everything together." Her voice is bitter, laced with exhaustion. "I work my ass off, and he just—he doesn’t even try anymore. And I don’t have time to fix him." 

You don’t say anything right away. You don’t mock. You don’t lecture. You just watch her carefully before offering something she doesn’t expect, "That sounds exhausting." 

Agatha tenses at first, then exhales shakily. No one has ever acknowledged that before. 

The Ferris wheel lurches, the descent beginning. 

You lean in slightly, tilting your head. "So... are you gonna keep pretending everything’s fine?" 

Agatha lets out a dry laugh, one that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. "Of course. It’s what I do." 

You shake your head, smirking a little. "Classic Agatha Harkness." 

There’s a beat. And then, unexpectedly, she teases back. The words are soft, almost... fond. 

"Shut up." 

You only grin, but there’s something lingering between you both now—something unspoken, something fragile. 

The Ferris wheel reaches the bottom. The moment is over. 

As you step off together, you murmur, "You should tell them. The others. They’d understand." 

Agatha scoffs, rolling her eyes. "You give them too much credit." 

You shrug. "Or maybe you don’t give them enough." 

That makes her pause. She turns to you fully then, studying you in a way that makes your chest feel tight. 

"And you?" Her voice is quieter now, layered with something deeper. "Do you understand?" 

You swallow. There’s something vulnerable beneath her usual sarcasm, something you’re not sure what to do with. 

"I’m trying to," you admit. 

For a second, it looks like she might say something else. But before she can, the moment is gone. 

Agatha exhales sharply, straightening like she’s shaking something off. Then, without another word, running a hand through her hair, then moves toward where the group has gathered. You follow, watching as she exhales and schools her face back into something neutral. 

Then she smirks, sliding back into her usual armor. "Well, if this was your way of trying to comfort me, you’re terrible at it." 

You roll your eyes, falling into step beside her. "And yet, you didn’t push me away." 

She glances at you from the corner of her eye. "Maybe I’m slipping." 

Maybe she was. 

Or maybe—just maybe—she was finally letting you in. 

The group gathers for a final photo of the night, all smiling. Just as the camera clicks, fireworks explode behind you, painting the sky in golds and blues. 

Agatha is standing beside you. And for the first time in forever, she feels a little lighter. 

You feel her gaze linger longer than it should. But when you glance her way, she looks away fast, pretending she wasn’t staring at all. 

You pretend you don’t notice. 

And then, just like that, the night is over. 

You all head back to the resort, splitting off into your separate villas. But even as you close the door behind you, the weight of the night lingers, something unspoken settling deep in your chest. 

Agatha Harkness is slipping. 

And maybe... so are you. 

Taglist:@6stolenangel9 @charlottelinlin1 @milflovers4 @claramelooo @loveshineslikethesky @kaymariesworld @marcelinaceciliarose @misskassycollins @greyella @theothersideofthescreen @whitelotus00 @agathaallalongg @psychickryptonitebouquet @sweetmidnights @angel-kitten-babygirl-u-choose @filmedbyharkness @brekker157 @rizzlesregal13 @starbucks-06

[moonveiltarot]

How Do You Intimidate Your Haters?

Okayyy let's go! As usual, pick the image you're drawn to for your reading. Only take what applies. This is not advice and I am not a professional. You can change anything by manifesting what you prefer. You are a beautiful soul. I use my unpublished bratz oracle deck. Entertainment only.

Profanity.

Minors do not interact or read.

˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　˚　.　　　　　 . ✦

This should be juicy!

Sorry for the het terms, it's just what naturally came out, please use the pronouns that fit if it resonates with you

"Bitches want you to compete with them so bad. Bitch it's YOU against YOU & you're still losing! LEAVE ME ALONE."

Songs: Miss Possessive - Tate McRae // Exes - Tate McRae

Cards: Monster. Victim. Power Couple. Femme Fatale. Innocent. Hometowns. The Intellectual. Daydreamer. Tattletale. The Moon. Leap of Faith.

The "leap of faith" card looks like it has been chewed up and spit out. Considering the other cards, I'm getting the vibe that someone misunderstood the assignment. While you, pile 1, understood it very well.

You are perfect at playing the role of an innocent bystander or a harmless person, but someone made a mistake and saw what you were capable of. You have your haters saying you a split personality because, whatever they did to push you over the edge was enough to make your nice girl facade disappear. Immediately, they saw the horrors that lurk within and do NOT want to experience it again.

Some of you may have been in a situation where you were innocent and acted like "bait" just to expose someone's true colors. It worked. Your haters are watching and waiting for you to slip up and show them your ugly side, but they will never see it. They are too scared to provoke you to that point.

Whatever the situation was, it made you stronger. You know how to play the role strategically and get your way, whatever that means.

You probably have an ex saying you're crazy and they may actually have gotten a new partner to believe you are crazy. The truth is, you are fucking crazy when you have to be. They could never get you out of character though.

In fact, you probably staged a situation so your ex would harm or abuse you in a way that you could finally record it or get them to do it in front of someone, so you would be believed. Even though you may have strategized to exploit this side to them, they had already been this way to you. You did what you had to. And that is incredibly badass, to be honest.

Now, their reputation is ruined and yours? Glowing! Because you are a venus fly trap, darling. So alluring, so easy to get one over on, but wait! You were two steps ahead the whole time? And now everyone who tried to set you up essentially failed and now everyone's looking at them crazy.

2. "The 'loser' in you is so loud."

Songs: The Boy Is Mine - Ariana Grande // Von Dutch - Charli XCX

Cards: Gifts. Self Care. Victim. F*ck-Boi. Saboteur. King of cups. 6 of Cups. Knight of Swords. 3 of Swords. 6 of Swords.

Oof. Somebody, a little pathetic player, tried to come between you and your boo. You have something solid already and they really thought they could steal your partner away?? Or steal you from your partner? If that's not the case, this is an ex who is comparing themself to your new relationship.

He knows this King of Cups is "big daddy" vibes because he can see that you are being treated the way you always should have been. Flowers, dates, romance, love. You're being cherished and valued. You are up-leveling yourself and have more offers.

This man-child is feeling like a real clown. They are embarrassed and feel like they aren't up to your standards anymore. This loser from the past is really plotting to or heavily fantasizing about home wrecking.

They are taking your boundaries personally (their problem). What a creep.

Your new person probably victimized them or bullied them in some way. Ngl, that made me laugh. Imagine your new partner bullying your toxic ex and just walking away. lmao

Anyway, you could also be victimizing them. It is breaking their heart, if you were wondering. They are crying all the time about it, but won't let you see. Unless they are one of those toxic, whiny crazy ones. Yikes.

Played the player, pile 2. Now that your energy is going to yourself, this op can't stand it.

3. "Why fight a b*tch when you're already beating her in life?"

Songs: American Beauty - Nessa Barrett

Cards: Queen of Swords. Ace of Cups. 6 of Swords. The Moon. Queen of Wands. 3 of Wands. Cheater, Cheater. Baddie. Blocked. Divine Couple. Trophy Wife. Rabbit hole.

You are incredibly gorgeous. Your haters don't trust their partners around you. They know their partners talk in the group chat about how hot you are. They know their partner would love to spend with you or talk to you. It's giving "fan / simp" energy. They know their partner doesn't simp for them like they do for you.

This is kind of sad … They have insecurities. They probably had to block you because of how beautiful you are. That or they had their man block you.

On the other hand, once you find out men in your DMs have someone you cut them off cold. This makes them feel a certain type of way.

They get obsessive and stalkerish, though mostly they just search for you online with no intent to harm you. The "cold cut-off" is what does it. They like that little bitchy side you have.

Your haters are the men who can't get you to cheat with them. You are the kind of woman bad boys want on their arm. You make them simp for you and meanwhile they are stringing along some "good girl" who has never been used like this before.

You are the woman every man wants. While you have a hood-side to you, you've got that under wraps.

You are polished, well put together, on top of your shit, could be an entrepreneur or witch (idk, don't ask me it just came through) and that badass side to you is simmering just beneath your carefully curated surface. You are polite and diplomatic.

Let's be honest here, you are the prize. Men view you as what they really want vs their current woman who is just a placeholder.

You may deal with guy friends blocking you out of nowhere. This is their women blocking you when they find out their man was in your DMs or was even your friend.

You're at the top of the "sexual desire" hierarchy. You are considered an accomplished person who looks very attractive. You literally could have your pick of anyone on the planet. Men / fans / simps / women / anyone who you attract can get a little delusional and sick about you.

They might spend hours and hours of their day just spaced out fantasizing about a real life with you. They could end up neglecting their own life because of how much they think about you.

This is their problem with you. You win. They literally can't fucking compete. Cheerleader, prom queen, pageant queen … you name it. You're considered gorgeous and accomplished by many.

To be honest, no one likes to feel that all of the love and nurturing they poured into someone will go out the window the moment they think they have a chance with you. Nobody.

The partners of these "fans" feel beneath you and it hurts them, it cuts deep, that if you chose to take their man they'd be helpless and have to sit there and watch their life walk away. The fact that you aren't evil makes it worse for them because then they have to sit on pins and wondering if you'd ever actually do it.

Their chest aches when they go to sleep, they cry themselves to sleep sometimes beside the same partner who waits until they think their girl is asleep then goes on their phone and looks at pics or vids of you.

You could have one ex who watched your come up from a distance and can't reach you now, but is longing for you despite having a family and maybe even kids.

They desire you, but do they even have what it takes to stand beside you? They just objectify you and it's sickening how they act. If they are blocked, good. If not, they can die mad just watching from the sidelines.

Some of these people / your ex (whichever scenario resonates) believe strongly you were supposed to be their wifey/hubby/partner for life. Their dream partner. Their partner in crime. They think they would gain the world if you were by their side. They want the lifestyle that comes with having a beautiful woman like you.

4. "People do weird sh*t, then go to a weirdo to get it validated."

Songs: Leah Kate - Get In Loser // F U Anthem - Leah Kate // Leaving This World Behind - Starset Cards: Spoiled Brat. Anger Issues. Hidden Enemy. Divine Feminine. Mentor. 2 of Pentacles. Page of Wands. 5 of Cups. 8 of Swords. Queen of Swords. The lovers.

I'm picking up a clown show. This isn't the kind of fuckery that makes me cringe or want to bully said "clowns." It's cute. It makes me giggle.

Anyway, because you are attractive, you have a "player" in his head. You confuse him. You're free spirited and just do your own thing. Like a manic pixie dream girl meets a meathead who is actually goofy and cute. He's kind of an asshole though.

He sees you living your life after he did something mean and is spiraling a bit. Good leave him there. You're not going to like what I have to say probably, but you're in love with each other. You both are "players," not quick to get attached or anything. Living your life just for you and having as much fun as possible.

This person is in their head. Why did their games not work on you? If they bullied you, why in the Hell did it not work on you?

Like, they literally asked someone if doing "insert their stupid action" was a good idea and that person was dismissive as fuck, but it went over your person's head. "Yeah…" was pretty much the response and for some reason that's the only validation your person needed.

They wanted to conform to something and did it, but saw that it had no effect on you. Sure their buddies might have laughed about it, but you? You just kept on going (at least it looked that way to them). Now they know you view them a certain way because your cute little self just kept on trucking and brushed it off like he was nothing.

Suddenly, out of no-fricking-where he has feelings for you. He tells himself he doesn't. He likes to be the impulsive one. But then you happened. He saw you just overcome that shit like it was nothing. Like he was nothing. He got to see a good person be done wrong because of him. He feels so stupid and embarrassed by his own actions. He'd never say it out loud.

You wouldn't either. You're a dreamer and a doer. You kind of like to go where the wind takes you. You can be impulsive too, which leads to really good times. But then the other person has withdrawals.

Your person casually did this to others and didn't give a fuck, but then they met you. Your vibrant, bright and fun energy was like medicine for their soul. Then you took it away. All the sparkles just disappeared. The magic was gone. You took it with you.

You two could be really great friends, like actual besties. Because you both give the "funny, cute oddball" couple energy (without the couple). You might currently view each other as enemies outwardly, but the truth is that you're both in love. The lovers was on the bottom of the deck and I almost didn't turn it over. When I did I felt incredibly relieved.

You could definitely end up together. Or this is someone who will play a key part in finding your someone somewhere. The truth is, they are just like you, but they crave the validation of others and conform way too easily.

They want to be respected and admired, they want to be a leader. They could do it, but they won't stop trying to win over others. They want fame, they want money. Their aim is to be one of those people others wish they were.

This is their divine path, but they have to overcome the fear of being judged by people who only use them and don't value them anyway. As long as they are surrounded by toxic people, they will absorb that shit.

You intimidate them because they secretly fucking wish you were their wifey. They want you. But they aren't ready yet to cut off the other people in their lives. You set a hard boundary and act like they don't exist. They may have psychic abilities too, but never talk about it because they don't want to be viewed as a "weirdo" which they have probably called you. For shamelessly being yourself and surviving what you've been through.

This person is as cute and sweet as you are in a "higher perspective" kind of way. I am seeing that now, you're so inspiring to them and made them realize they didn't want to go down this path anymore. They want to change, but their greed and materialism still has a strong hold on them. Something about parents, trauma and abandonment is coming through.

They were thrown into the world to navigate it on their own. They learned some tough lessons on the way, some of those leading to them having to shut off their emotions. They had to do toxic, sick things to get attention.

His past self is holding on for dear life, but eventually (not yet, as he's still gotta face some more consequences) he will learn and move out of this behavior. You will cross paths again in the future. For now, follow your bliss and do what brings you joy. One day you will be so happy with where your life leads you with them.

They are toxic, I know. Please don't ask me to judge them. You're both such cutie pies. I just can't… because I can see that there is a future here. They view you as an inspiration. You are who they wish to become. You are attractive, cool and loner. But you're not bitter or mean.

You are smart. You are strategic. You look like you just don't give af about others and their opinions and that you're happy-go-lucky all the time. The truth is, you've been through what they have and you still chose a brighter path. You chose those lessons and learned them. You're vibrant and strong. Your soul is fully present in your body.

He knows you deserve the whole entire world because you are pure. He knows you love him. You both know, don't you? And no one is saying anything. This is a little sad. He isn't ready or willing to give up his life yet. Whatever he did to you, there is one far worse who will do it to them. His journey isn't important right now though.

He's intimidated because you played the player, you turned the tables then left. Like poof and then he was left with his mind reeling. Like, you literally duped the meanest bully on the playground. He might feel a little vengeful, but the divine is stopping this shit if he tries it again. He already tried once and failed.

You're basically equals in opposite ways. If you're a clown it's because you know how to put on a good show and entertain everyone. His clown show would end in someone getting amputated.

He is so fucking baffled. Like why and how is he attracted to a "weirdo" like you? Little does he know, you're leading him. He wants to teach you some lessons too! But they're mean and he can go kick rocks. Or his clown friends.

He knows you're his counterpart and his mind is blown. Like to pieces. He also communicates with you telepathically.

5. "I can't tell if you btches hate me or want to live in my pssy."

Songs: Purple Lace Bra - Tate McRae // Dirty Little Secret - Nessa Barrett // Sports Car - Tate McRae

Cards: Spiritual Journey. Divine Masculine. Pacifist. Green Light. Unexpected Twist. Heartbroken. The Tower. The Devil. Ace of Pentacles. King of Pentacles. The World. Death.

You were set on a Divine Masculine's path. You were such a temptation to them that they would have left their current committed partner for you.

They are on their spiritual journey and it's his lesson. I'm seeing that you weren't scorned, but rather shut things down yourself because of this masculine's partner. He probably turned to you or tried to turn to you in his weakest moments because he is having problems at home. His partner / wife has done a return to sender on him.

You were caught up in this. You were sent to break this man's heart because he hurt hers. She chose not to physically harm anyone in the situation and let the chips fall where they may.

I'm feeling like you aren't heartbroken at all. This man did someone that pissed off the divine, something he knew would make him feel guilty and hurt his partner. Now they're both hurting!

You were the greatest temptation this man has ever met and now it's over forever. He really embarrassed himself because now people are talking about it.

He is being judged by the divine and the locals. Ouch.

When you entered his life you were such a shock to this person. He's intimidated because he's scared he will face divine judgement if he steps out on his wife with you. He's intimidated because he knows you are a lesson, but he wants you. He saw an opportunity and took it.

Oof. Oh well. A lesson he has to learn.

Toodles, loser~! Pile 5 is doing perfectly fine. It's over now. You learned whatever you needed to, got your coin and bounced. You don't even need him, haha!

He and his partner can pick up the pieces. This is literally over. He doesn't like that. The end was very shocking when you pulled away forever. He and current partner have to "endure" and get through this together. I would have left his stupid ass but anyway this ain't my reading

6. "One of the best feelings is when you finally say 'I deserve better' and the universe starts conspiring to prove you right."

Songs: Bitter - Fletcher, Kito // Cate's Brother - Maisie Peters

Cards: The Sun. 6 of Cups. Queen of Pentacles. The Hierophant. Strength. Judgement. Ace of Cups. Phoenix Rising. Seeking Revenge. Neurodiverse. Victim. Karmic Feminine. F*ck-boi.

You may have a crush on someone who is definitely crushing back. They have a girlfriend though, this person who has feelings for you. In fact, you may have been innocent in this.

Like completely innocent. You aren't malicious at all and you probably don't acknowledge social hierarchies.

Because this person didn't tell you they had a partner, you may have been labeled a boyfriend stealer.

After you found out, you probably hired someone to cast a breakup spell or did one yourself. If not, it's cool. You may have good astrology with this fuck boy. He was playing you and just wanted to use you.

Now, his ex-girlfriend is single, you left him in the dust. He's the one feeling intimidated.

The karmic feminine is still hating, but now the masculine is feeling incredibly guilty for what he did to you. You're still going through your transformation and he knows you're going to be out of his league.

You decided to stop letting him string you along. You have a strong sense of self and wanted better. You deserve better than whatever he was trying to do. He might have made you think he'd be in a relationship with you.

You had to make a difficult decision, but you did it. It hurt for a while, but now you're in your "I'm doing me" revenge era. Welcome to the dark side! You're still as sweet and lovable as before, but now you're more wise. You know what you deserve and you are taking it all for yourself with a vengeance.

The karmic feminine may have made her presence known or something. Especially after watching him toy with you. She may have even encouraged him to do it. That or she got tired of him cheating and broke up with him. Either way, this man is a joke and he's hating on you for knowing what you deserve. An immature ass-hat to be certain.

You could be into the craft and have done a protection or return-to-sender that bit them in the ass. You could have just prayed to the angels or the universe (or whatever protects you) and asked for them to help you move on and forget this fool. To make them see what they did. To watch you glow up and move on. To know how irrelevant they are.

Good job for doing better! You absolutely deserve it, beautiful. <3

7. "Bitches do NOT intimidate me at all. I'll sit right next a person who doesn't like me. Hey girl!"

Songs: Say It - Tori Lanez // Daisy - Ashnikko // Venom - Little Simz

Cards: Baby witch. Wounded Feminine. Wounded Masculine. Solitary witch. Wifey. Sadist. Seeking Revenge. Strength. 7 of Pentacles. The Lovers. Knight of Cups. 6 of Swords. Justice.

You found out someone wanted you to feel unwelcome or did some action against you. You somehow made it very well known that you don't take that shit sitting down.

You inserted yourself into this hater's personal space or got a little too close for their comfort.

They see you as competition and they were trying to trash you or sabotage you. If they didn't they want to. You somehow found out and stood up for yourself.

You interjected yourself into their space and let them know just where you stand with them.

You trigger a lot of insecurities in this person.

They don't have anything to say suddenly when you're around, but there is tense energy between you. And silence. You are the type to look them in the eye and dare them to lie on your name right in front of you.

Shortest pile, but to the point. This person is just beginning a path that you already know and can do alone. They are still learning and know you could help them or hurt them. So they tried to destroy you / your reputation / your relationship/s.

8. "You're a little too comfortable running your mouth because no one has checked your sh*t yet. Come over here and do it."

Songs: STFU - Pink Guy // One of Us - The Word alive // Lucifer - Eminem

Cards: 10 of Pentacles. 4 of Pentacles. 8 of Cups. 4 of Cups. The Sun. The Hierophant. Death. Seeking Revenge. Wounded Masculine. Protection. Divine Daughter. Spoiled Brat. Dark Feminine.

Your hater is intimidated by how chill and abundant you are. You have so much going for you and you have wisdom.

They may have said they would fight you and all that, but when you actually showed up, radio silence.

Now they know not to run their fucking mouth unless they want to say it to your face.

I'm feeling like this is a triggered ex that is running their mouth to trash you or ruin your reputation. The divine is protecting you from this.

The fact that you are protected from their schemes makes them feel very intimidated by you. You have so much, but it looks like it is just handed to you.

It makes them feel stolen from. It makes their sense of lack all the more obvious.

They think you just get things and are God's favorite while they have to suffer, slave and work hard for anything they get.

They also feel the need to assert their masculinity over you.

You just sit there unbothered as fuck and pleasant to interact with and it just triggers them. You are the favorite. It could even be a sibling who is competing with you.

You're obviously the favorite.

You use your dark feminine qualities to get what you want and they hate that about you. People like you and this person feels like they need to expose you.

Please don't steal! I hope it was good? I wish I could get more energy for this reading. <3

[galedekarios]

gale & karlach

i think out of all the dynamics between the companions, i've come to enjoy gale and karlach the most over my time with the game. karlach especially bc she's the only one who genuinely seems to care about and for gale.

she repeatedly checks in on him after the orb reveal and doesn't turn it into a joke about slurping carrots, or sipping wine, or wanting him to be gone entirely from the group.

not only does she advocate for him to stay three times, depending on which dialogue path you pick:

gale's background story reveal & the reveal about the netherese orb

Karlach: Come on. We all have our secrets - and our risks. If Gale leaves, we might as well disband completely. - Karlach: Absolutely. We're all risky in our own ways. We stick together anyway. Right? - Karlach: If having dangerous, otherworldly objects stuck in your skin is wrong, then Gale and I both have to go. We're not really splitting up, are we?

but she's also the only one who repeatedly asks him throughout the game how he is doing, to make sure how he's faring, both in general and with his debilitating condition:

act 2 - shadow-cursed lands banter

Karlach: Doing all right, Gale? Gale: Oh, you know... Still alive and kicking, despite being surrounded on all sides by an endless manifestation of darkness and decay... devnote: Almost with a sigh. That's just how things are - Grim humour to it. Karlach: I feel it too. Here if you need a pick-me-up.

act 3 - after mystra stabilised the orb

Karlach: How's the orb treating you, Gale? Gale: Oh, quite well as a matter of fact. Since it was stabilised, it's been humming along nicely. Gale: I have noticed one adverse side-effect. I seem to be losing hair in some, er, unexpected places. Karlach: I can only imagine.

i think it really bears repeating/stressing that no other companion does this. not one checks in on gale like karlach does, after his affliction has become known to his companions - with the exception of the protag potentially.

karlach also arguably has the strongest reaction in response to mystra's demands in act 2, showing again her care for gale, as well as her protective side:

Karlach: Aw, was that Gale's granddad? Player: That was Elminster Aumar - the most famous wizard in the realms. Karlach: Huh. Doesn't ring a bell. But all right! Must've had something important to say to Gale, if he came all this way. Good news, I hope. Player: I don't think it was. It turns out Gale has an explosive bomb in his chest - and Mystra has asked him to use it to blow up the heart of the Absolute. Karlach: Whoa, now. He's got a... well, I guess that would explain a little, but... Mystra... I mean, this is a lot to take in. Karlach: What's he going to do? - Player - Option 1: I think he's going to follow through with it. Karlach: Fuck me. There's devotion, and then there's stupidity. If the god of magic can't handle this without sacrificing Gale, she's no god at all. - Player - Option 2: I don't think he'd do that to himself, even if Mystra commanded it. Karlach: Good. I'm one hundred percent sure there's another way to bring down this cult. No true god would ask such a thing from her faithful. That's for certain. Karlach: Poor Gale. He must be in bits after hearing that. I'll distract him. Tell him I haven't read a book since secondary school, watch his face melt off. - Player - Option 3: I'm not sure. I think he's of several minds. Karlach: Well, tell him to pick the right one. Better yet, I'll do it. Fucking wizards, man! They always need help picking the simple, obvious option. Karlach: If Mystra can't think of another way to stop the Absolute than sacrificing Gale, she's no god worth worshipping. I'll say that to Gale - in, you know, gentle terms. - Player - Option 4: You know that bomb in Gale's chest? Mystra has asked him to use it to explode the heart of the Absolute. Karlach: She what?! Is she mad?! - Player - Option 5: Don't worry about it. Karlach: Karlach doesn't worry, she acts. So if Gale needs me, now's the time to tell me.

i particularly like that last response bc it really echoes throughout her relationship with gale ("karlach doesn't worry, she acts. so if gale needs me, now's the time to tell me.").

their banters are often playful, but also genuine. both karlach and gale tease each other, they joke with each other, showing how comfortable they are with each other despite their many differences, but there are also moments of understanding and care between them, allowing them to emphasise with each other:

Karlach: Man, it's good to be home. First round on who? Gale: She who thirsts buys drinks the first. devnote: Like it's a well-known saying Karlach: You won't pin me down with a rhyme, wizard! devnote: Jockeying with Gale (prob supposed to be Joking with Gale) Gale: She who declines gets the worst of the wines.

Karlach: Just when I was getting used to the sky again... Gale: Fear not, Karlach. Sun, moon and stars will still be there waiting for us. devnote: Reassuring Karlach: Meanwhile, this place is pretty spectacular, isn't it? Gale: No book or painting could ever do its strange beauty justice. But perhaps our stories might, when we return to the surface. devnote: Agreeing with Karlach, enjoying the sense of wonder as you explore

Gale: I've always felt flames to be a rather perfect expression of love, Karlach. Gale: Passionate, primal, capable of bestowing the most life-affirming comfort, or inflicting the profoundest damage. devnote: Listing the qualities of fire, Romantic, indulging in the poetry of the image Karlach: That's... pretty nice. Never thought about it like that. But now I will.

Karlach: Wouldn't mind a dancing axe of my own. Gale: A simple movement charm wouldn't be too hard to apply to such an object. I could conjure one up for you if you like? Karlach: Yes! I like! Gale: Very wel then. Once the city is saved, Karlach's Kinetic Cleaver will be first on my list.

Karlach: So, Gale - got any book recommendations for me?devnote: With concern Gale: You can read?! devnote: Taking the piss - knows full well Karlach can read, and that she's always claimed not to enjoy it Karlach: Very funny. Yes - I can read. School put me off big boring tomes. Sometimes I wonder what I'm missing. devnote: Friendly rather than flirtatious Gale: Say no more - I'll find the perfect book for you. I might even lend it to you from my library in Waterdeep. devnote: Jumping on the opportunity to give a book recommendation (a favourite hobby) Karlach: Ooh! Something with magic, please. And no devils.

even at his most vulnerable moments, karlach is there to support him:

before the stormshore tabernacle audience with mystra

Karlach: You can do this, Gale. And I'll be right here when you're done.

she allows herself to be protective of him and get angry on his behalf not after when it comes to mystra, but also when he is potentially kidnapped by orin:

karlach's reaction to gale being kidnapped

Karlach: That bloody freak won't get away with this. That's my wizard she took. And we're going to get him back.

once again, it's a good callback to her previous line: "karlach doesn't worry, she acts. so if gale needs me, now's the time to tell me."

she's willing to be needed by him - and he does need her. whether that is as a friend, or (if you chose to play so during an origin pt) as a romantic partner. it's a lovely dynamic either way.

[f1amour]

Hiya!! Can I pretty please request a blurb that’s both angsty and a lil fluffy?

🍮 Lewis Hamilton - “I’m scared of losing you”

❝ i’m scared of losing you ❞ — lewis hamilton

pairing | lewis hamilton x reader

content warnings | angst, comfort, age gap mentioned (not specified)

★ navigation | main masterlist

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“lewis is ready for this season to end” “lewis wants a fresh start and it’ll be with ferrari” “seems like hamilton just wants a a fresh start with life in general…does that include his girlfriend?”

the tweets did not stop rolling in and you couldn’t help but get lost in them. you couldn’t help but believe the words many were saying. maybe lewis was over this season, done with mercedes, and maybe he was over you too. he noticed the distance you had put up after the brazil gp. there was a two week break and you had spent it at home trying to relax but that was not possible with your constant checking in on twitter to see what people are saying about you.

you weren’t one to be on your phone so much at least when you had free time with lewis you guys tried your best to be in the moment. so when he came home from taking roscoe on a walk only to find you in the same spot you were in before he left almost two hours ago was concerning. it was concerning enough when you didn’t join them on the walk which you usually do, telling lewis you wanted to stay back and start on dinner. dinner was nowhere to be seen as you say on the barstool in the kitchen phone on in your hands with tears in your eyes.

lewis quickly lets roscoe off his leash and walks to you, “baby, what’s going?” his finger lifts your chin up to look him in the eyes but the tears in your eyes just make him frown. “please talk to me. i’m worried about you.” his soft voice fills your ears as you let him wrap his arms around you giving you a hug you didn’t know you needed until now.

your body shakes shading his as you let all your tears and frustrations out until you finally calm down his hands rub your back as you take deep breaths, “i…i’m scared, lewis. i’m scared of losing you,” you tell him what you’d been feeling for weeks now. lewis was not expecting those words to come out of your mouth. in fact, he felt that he was losing you due to this distance you’d been putting up.

his hands cup your face and gives you a smile that makes you believe your thoughts of losing him were just your imagination, “oh honey, now why would you think that? i can’t imagine my life without you. who told you something?” he asks, knowing damn well you’d never just start having these thoughts for no reason.

you look down at the countertop as you hand him your phone which had your twitter feed full of negativity, “lewis looks over this team and ready for a fresh start either ferrari he probably feels the same in his love life as well, lewis wants to focus on his 8th world championship not shopping for wedding rings for his young girlfriend who brings bad luck—,” lewis stops after the last tweet and looks over at you, your hands covering your face trying to avoid his gaze.

“look at me. plenty of people feel the opposite of these tweets. you got sucked into a thread that is all people who don’t actually support me. my fans, my true fans adore you. maybe even more than me. you’re only a few years younger than me and that isn’t an issue with me, love. i love you. you’ve brought the good luck for me. you bring faith every single race week especially this year where it’s been fucking hell most of the time. i can’t imaging my life without you, ever.” his words soothe your mind despite still feeling a bit anxious from those tweets you realize maybe listening to complete strangers rather than the love of your life wasn’t the best idea. however, lewis always validated your feelings and why you may have gotten lost in the dark side of the media where people aren’t always so accepting of your relationship.

“i’m sorry, lew. shouldn’t have listened to them i just…i don’t know how you deal with everything and still keep your head up. i’m exhausted,” you confess, you were never one to be on social media and read comments unless they were from friends or family. seeing how the last few races have been brutal for lewis you wanted to defend your boyfriend but ended up on the wrong side. “baby, you were with me for 2021. you are probably the only reason i didn’t quit and why i still haven’t. you’ve got faith in me, i hold that very dear to my heart. i’m with you till the end.” his last words make you cry some more but happy tears now as he chuckles at your smile, “there’s my girl. now, let’s take a break from the phone and cook some dinner together.”

he helps you off the stool and you grab his hand turning him back, “i love you too.” you pull him into a kiss and all lewis could think about is the engagement ring hiding under roscoe’s bed ready to make an appearance once the season is over.

[weneeya]

Hear me outttttttttt

the Gojo scene with Hanami.. but imagine him being that unhinged and pissed because someone touched you.. like 🥴 Please bless us with your work with this!! I’m begging

overprotective m.list | rules

pairing. gojo x reader

note. ur brain 🤝 my brain I've literally thought about this a thousand times omg thank u for requesting this

You were supposed to be alone on this mission. Everyone had faith in you and they were right to think that way: you were a strong sorcerer. But Satoru had a bad feeling about it. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe in you, in fact he was probably the one who believed in you the most ; but something was off and he couldn’t find what. 

He couldn’t just follow you there, because he knew it would hurt you. You were an overthinker and he didn’t want to put this weight on your mind. So he simply waited for you to come back to Jujutsu Tech, still worried that something could go wrong. 

The first thing that got him out of his mind was his phone ringing. When he saw your name, his heart skipped a beat. It was unusual from you to call him in the middle of a mission, especially as hard as this one. He didn’t hesitate before he picked up the phone. When he heard your trembling voice asking for help, the world stopped around him. Nothing else mattered or even existed right now, except you. 

He had never been this fast in his entire life before. He knew where you were for the mission, so he didn’t have to ask anyone else to come with him. He didn’t need anyone actually, because he was going to destroy the thing that touched you all by himself. 

When he finally arrived where you were, he really thought about going crazy. You were almost on the floor, as way too much blood was leaving your body. You were so pale, he could tell that you were just about to pass out. He reached your height in a second, carrying you to put you on the floor behind him, where you would be safe. He left a kiss on your forehead, sounding way too calm for it to be normal. 

“It’s okay, my love. Stay awake, it’s gonna be quick.” he sounded so soft to your ears, as you closed your eyes and finally breathed again. Everything was going to be fine now that he was here, you knew it. 

When Satoru stood up again, facing the creature that did that to you, a smile appeared on his lips. The last time he felt this angry, he was completely out of control. The only thing that was able to calm him down was when he was sure that his opponent had suffered twice more than what he had done. And this one, it hurted you ; so it needed to suffer even more. His piercing blue eyes were looking at the curse who soon rushed on the exorcist. 

Or at least it tried to. The curse was quickly stopped in his movement, not able to move at all. As it started to panic, trying to fight back, Satoru kind of appeared in front of it. His psycho smile was even more terrifying than before as he slowly tilted his head to the side. 

“Now, we can play,” was the last thing you heard before losing consciousness. The sight of Satoru being feral like this worried you a little, because you knew the man was unstoppable when he was like this. But at the same time, you knew that the mission was going to be handled just right. There was nothing to worry about anymore.

OMG FERAL GOJO he's really driving me crazy I don't even have the words anymore with this man

[powermakar]

This is me Trying - LS2

A/N: I feel so bad for Logan after what has happened. Please don't send any type of hate to Alex.

Summary: James tells Logan that he won't be racing on Sunday and everything goes down hill.

Logan Sergeant x female!reader

Warnings: panic attacks and some swearing

I just wanted you to know that this is me trying, at least I'm trying. 

“-so you won’t be able to drive this weekend” 

“What?” 

“Alex is going to be driving your car this weekend since his car is severely damaged.”

“Oh, okay,” Logan felt numb. He couldn’t feel his hands shaking, but he could see them physically shaking. 

“I know it’s a lot but the team really needs this Logan. Thank you for doing this,” James said before walking off. 

Logan began to feel himself lose touch with reality. It was a feeling he was beginning to feel comfortable with. I mean at this point it was happening every race weekend now, so he just HAD to get comfortable with it. At first, he didn’t know what it was, maybe he was just getting sick; but after a few times and some Google searches, he figured out what it was. 

Panic attacks. 

No one knew that he experienced them. Not James, not his trainer, not Oscar; hell, his own girlfriend did not know that he got them. He had to get out of there fast so no one found out. God, he couldn't even imagine what the media would do if it became public knowledge. 

Tears and ragged breaths while hidden in the corners of his driver’s room became his go-to when he didn’t know what else to do. This time it felt different though. The sobs were louder and his vision was blurrier, he felt weak. He felt stupid. How could someone fuck up so badly and he still would get punished. He knew life wasn’t fair and he knew that Formula 1 wasn’t fair either. 

But fuck, it wasn’t fair. At all. 

The knock on the door did not register the first time, nor the second or third. He only realized someone entered the room when he felt someone’s hand on his shoulder. 

You, the love of his life, was seeing him at the lowest he had ever been. Gasps in between sobs were loud and short, and Logan felt embarrassed. He felt shameful and afraid. He couldn’t breathe and he was scared for his future. 

“It’s not fair, it's not fair, it’s just not fucking fair. I'm trying. I’m trying so fucking hard. Can’t you see that? Can’t anyone see that,” he babbled out. 

“Logan I- I know that this is hard, you worked so hard. You deserve to be driving, you shouldn’t be placed on the back burner because someone made a mistake. You’ve worked so hard for so long and it kills me to see you like this. Have you thought about how Alex may-,” Logan cut you off before you could say anything else. 

“No, no. Do not even start with Alex. I know he’s better, I know I am a liability, but I know I can try to be better,” he got up suddenly. He felt lightheaded, he felt dizzy. Stumbling around his room trying to get away from you. “I finally out-performed him and it just gets ripped out from underneath me. Literally,” Logan laughs bitterly. He didn’t care what he looked like now, he probably looked like a madman, but who the hell cares anymore?

“Logan- please just listen to me. Alex probably feels like shit. Yes he crashed his car but it's not his fault the team gave him your car. It's the team,” she pauses “It’s- it’s James’ fault.” 

“I don’t care whose fault it is. I just care about the fact that this is probably going to be one of the last times I'm going to be in F1. My time is going to get cut short, no one has any faith in me anymore. I don’t blame them though, I’m failing and I'm terrified,” Logan says. He could finally breathe normally but he could still feel his heart pounding in his ears. 

He didn’t understand any of it. How could he be failing so badly at something he used to be so good at? He glanced back at you, ready to face the disappointment he knew you secretly hid. 

“Just tell me you can’t stand me anymore. Tell me that I embarrass you. Tell me that you hate me. Tell me that you are disappointed in me. Please just tell me, please.”

“Logan-,” you were in shock. You never knew that he felt like this, about himself. He hid it so well, almost to the point where it was impressive. “You know I could never say any of those things to you. I love you so, so much and I'm so proud of you,”

Both of you heard a knock on the door and one of William’s PR managers called out, “Media in 10, Logan!”

How they expected him to go out into the media pen and act like everything was fine was beyond you. Reaching up to cup his face in your hands, you quickly wipe away a stray tear that fell at your confession. Logan gently squeezed your wrist and smiled sadly. A silent, but meaningful conversation.

[aclockworkreader]

all my arcane thoughts because i’m feeling entirely normal about this show:

the storytelling!! the foreshadowing!! the parallels!! the pure artistry!! arcane is a masterpiece!!

it has everything: trauma, found family, the corruption of power, complex sibling dynamics, queer relationships (sapphic rep!!), more trauma, social and political commentary, beautiful animation, and even more trauma!! it reminds me so much of so many of my favorite animated shows (avatar: the last airbender, she-ra, fullmetal alchemist: brotherhood) all mixed into one.

the animation was actually something that originally kept me from watching the show because i’m not a big fan of most 3d animation. but my GOD was it beautiful!!! the way they were able to mix art styles and switch between 3d and 2d worked so well! it was incredibly creative and artistic and i’ve never seen anything like it. the fight sequences were STUNNING and easily some of the best moments in the show. every frame was truly a work of art, i’m obsessed.

from the characters to the plot, every element of this show is so well written, it’s restored my faith in modern tv writing.

would absolutely recommend if you’re prepared to have your heart torn from your chest 💔

spoilers below with all my in depth thoughts

okay please bear with me, my brain is all over the place:

- JINX!! MY PRECIOUS JINX!! YOU DESERVED SO MUCH MORE!!! 😭😭 oh i knew it was coming and yet i still cried so much!!! she’s easily my favorite character. i support her in all her rights and wrongs (of which there are none actually, she had every right to do everything she did). all that’s keeping me sane is knowing she’s alive and well in another timeline 🥲 with ekko 🥲 dancing freely and engineering to her hearts content

- i also loved vi so so much. the prideful eldest sibling overwhelmed by the responsibility she feels to her family….yeah that hit hard. these sisters, doomed by the narrative, have DESTROYED me. all the parallels of their relationship throughout the show, down to vi grabbing jinx before she falls in the first vs last episode!! it’s all too much, i’ll never recover 😭

- my biggest complaint is that we didn’t get to explore vi’s grief after losing jinx. i know they jumped forward in time, so it seemed like she just kinda moved on and we didn’t get to see the aftermath of arguably the most traumatic thing she’s ever experienced?? watching her sister die and her father die (again) would have changed her forever so it felt a bit rushed to just….gloss over that.

- and i’m so sorry to the caitlyn stans but…..she’s not my favorite 😬 i don’t even dislike vi/cait as a ship, i just feel like caitlyn as a character is the least developed out of everyone on the show. and also her dictator arc was…something. i feel like we moved on from it so quickly that we didn’t have time to fully explore and address everything there.

- my other favorite character (second only to jinx) is ekko!! a true hero!! every fight scene he’s in is my favorite fight scene—he’s just SO GOOD 🤍 and what he does for jinx??? yeah, that was pure love

- the jinx/vi/isha/vander dynamic was easily my favorite part of the whole show. them as a family hurt me and healed me and UGH i cried so much 😭 isha and jinx too my GOD their whole relationship was so beautiful and jinx getting to be the older sister she never had 😭 i’m still crying over it!

- and sevika???? LOVE her. imagine being that right all the time….she has to be a capricorn.

- also mel!! she took some time to grow on me but i especially loved her arc in season 2! her as a mage is iconic and i wish we could have seen her use her magic more!

- oh and silco?? the most unexpected favorite. i didn’t expect to side with him so often, but that’s what makes him such a great villain. and the tears i shed when he told jinx “i never would have given you to them. not for anything”??? oh i SOBBED

- while i did love the jayce/viktor relationship by the end, i just find jayce to be so….boring, i’m sorry!! maybe upon rewatch i’ll feel more attached to him but (especially compared to nearly every other character) he’s so uninteresting. but the show needed some normie representation, so i’ll let him be.

- but viktor though!! yeah he was an incredible character. i called the plot twist of him being the mage who helped jayce pretty early on, so that wasn’t a surprise. but i did not expect him to have a full on jesus arc?? that was wilddd and i feel like i need more watches to fully process it all.

those are most of my thoughts for now. i’m just in awe of how wonderful this show is and surprised by how much i enjoyed it. i definitely need more time and more rewatches to say for certain if it’s an all time favorite, but it’s definitely up there 💙🩷