#like when a big dog jumps at you and barrels you over

[waffletardis]

Okay I have to make a destiny post. I saw someone talking about how we never got to see an Ahamkara actually m o v e- but let me tell you this. I have s e e n. In the good ol days of glitching, back when you pressed circle while doing a finisher and went through walls. You could get back into the riven crystal room after the actual encounter started, what i did was manage to phase through partway to the door rivens head comes through. I saw her, moving and rearing up in that middle chamber, LEAPING at me and into the doorway like a cat KILLING ME INSTANTLY. It was amazing. Unfortunately i had already entered my menu in PlayStation so screen recording wasn’t possible but i wish i had that captured she was MOVING IN THERE. They are hiding movements from us!!

[yangcherie]

bathing.

𐀔 pairings: cast (astarion, gale, wyll, lae’zel, shadowheart, karlach, halsin) x female!tiefling!tav (reader).

𐀔 content warnings: suggestive, everybody is a little freak, non-consensual voyeurism, implied scent kink (gale), mentions of scars, afab anatomy. tiefling anatomy.

𐀔 sypnosis: what is a warrior to do when all their companions are peeping toms?

𐀔 author’s note: they are freaks and its been very long since i’ve written. please forgive a lady if what she’s written is unappealing.

“Can you keep it – fucking quiet?!”

Astarion whisper-yells at the entire party of people hiding within bushes and treelines, all fighting tooth and nail like rabid animals for a peek (and taste) of their ragtag, frustratingly attractive leader’s curves.

They didn’t even mean to stumble into eachother, each to their own blindly traversing through the thickets of the woods towards the nearest river. Tav simply mentioned having to retire early to take a bath (much to Gale’s dismay), and they all hungrily jumped towards the opportunity like dogs to a meatless bone, the one of the hopefully many chances they’ll see you naked, vulnerable, and shivering – even if it’s only due to the lack of warmth in the river’s streams.

It’s wrong, debauched, even. Hells, even literal devils, Karlach and Wyll, wear faces ridden with shame. Of course, they (namely Astarion and Lae’zel) poked at the others stalking as if they weren’t shamelessly doing the same.

The tension in the air was thick, each a barrel on the verge of explosion ready to wipe out the recently discovered possibility of rivalries and competition – but they couldn’t blame eachother; there was just something about you that made you so very enticing. They all thought it was incredibly silly to think only one person would want you.

“Well,” Astarion clicked his tongue in displeasure, having his private time foiled. Still, he smiled sardonically. “we’re all degenerates, it seems. We’re all looking forward to having a... fun time.”

A deep rumble came, and it surprisingly did not come from the forest ground. It was simply Halsin, all too polite and calm smiles. Astarion groaned; he was sick of this big fucking oaf with hearts for eyes and a log of wood for brains. “We are not depraved for simply yearning to admire our friend in a state of tranquil—”

“Oh, please! Don’t act like a saint in front of me!” The vampire spawn huffed, hands on his hips. “We’re all here for the same reason, we all want to see Tav fucking naked, no point in lying now!”

Tints of red and pink all rushed to everyone’s faces, and even Shadowheart was reduced to fiddling with her fingers together. Though awkward coughs ensued in the air, not a single word of denial was uttered.

Karlach is first to speak up, ever brazen. “It’s true!” She says with her signature sharp smile. “I wanted to see her tits!”

(Lae’zel and Astarion nodded approvingly to Karlach’s honesty. Halsin and Gale quietly shared their sentiments on their preference to your ass. Shadowheart and Wyll could not disagree to both.)

Amidst their busy conversation and debate regarding your body’s fine qualities, the alarmingly close and approaching noises of branches snapping and leaves crunching had rendered them silent, panicked shivers and goosebumps on their skin. With shared glances and only a few split seconds to react, the party floundered and flailed for whatever they could use to stay hidden.

“Settle down, you circus; Tav’s coming!” Wyll is the first amongst the party to silently and comically dive into a bush with Karlach, clutching their tails to avoid it rustling about in excitement. Halsin had thrown Gale and Astarion atop a tree’s thick branches before joining them. Lae’zel, disappointingly, camoflauges just well with the greenery, watching Shadowheart flounder about and settle for lying on the ground with grass over her face.

“All you filthy ska'keth.” Lae’zel hisses, letting everyone know of your now visible presence, the halting of your footsteps along the other edge of the river. “Enjoy the show.”

Across the distance, their focus had been shifted to you and now solely you.

You quietly groan, trudging towards the river you’ve been searching to no end, you set down your basket of fine oils, herbs and waxes as your armored limbs ache and practically cry for a dip in the clear stream. With no haste, you take in the cool night air, this little moment of peace, away from prying eyes you’ve fought long and hard to obtain. Sweat trickles down your throat, your tail swaying in contentment in the calm atmosphere.

Quickly deciding you’ve had enough of the crisp air, you reach towards your body to unclasp and unfasten the many buckles on your durable armor – starting with the iron top, quickly taking it off to reveal your bare, battle-worn chest and hastily discarding the metal on your legs, throwing them aside in favor of letting the cold air bite at your naked, scarred body before you go into the water; allowing your body a little moment of respite from the suffocation and heat of tight, bloody armor – even letting your tail sway around freely instead of being constricted to being stiff. A content smile creeps its way onto your face.

You lightly step your way from the sand to the edge of the water, continuing to walk until you’re trembling from the cold, until you’re hips-down in the water. A grateful sigh is pulled from your lips as you start to wade about, your hands subtly working to wash the dried blood, gore and grime off of your body and hair – using the oils and wax soaps of sweet woodruff and wine from your basket, even scrubbing your horns. A little part of you finds this normalcy almost unfamiliar, uncomfortable; it’s been quite a while you’ve taken care of yourself. Your thoughts start to drift; prior to your abduction by the Nautiloid ship, were you ever taken care of, like this? By other hands, even?

(You hope so.)

Another sigh is dragged out of you, though wearier as guilt treads within you. Just a little moment of peace, of indulgence before you go back to the dreadful task of keeping your companions and yourself alive and fighting. Just a little more time. You think you deserve it.

A silence was washed over the forest, and the party as they all beheld you and your battle-worn body. It felt almost sacred, like doing this would have them damned to the Hells and below but it was simply too captivating. Your bodice was a web and a product of war, and they were caught mesmerized – with only the dense forest and one another to witness their quickly unravelling need for you. But even then, they felt some semblance to pity. What they wouldn’t give to the gods right now to be by your side and give you some tending to.

The ridges down your back, the swaying base of your tail, the alluring image of your hips and ass teasingly disappearing into the water below, the silhouette of your horns – that untroubled smile on your lips – they all drink it in with their eyes in a fashion similar to Astarion’s throat would with your blood.

They savor it for as long as they can, before stepping out of the trance as Gale himself not-so-quietly attempted to clamber down from the rough-bark tree he was settled in, dropping down to the dirt and crushing the leaves loudly and ungracefully. Shadowheart gaped with mortification at him from the ground, everyone wishing to every god above you would have mistaken the sound as a particularly large animal, perhaps an owlbear and not a wizard along with an entire party intruding on your privacy.

“Gale! What in the Nine Hells are you doing?!”

Astarion had settled for whisper-yelling once again, pointing at him accusingly from his position atop the tree’s branches besides Halsin. Gale waved his hand, silently telling him to shut the fuck up, before urgently pointing at your discarded armor and clothing, then proceeding to give him a big smile and two thumbs up.

Surely enough to the mortification of the party, he quickly cast Misty Step over himself to travel to your area and hastily swiped (stole) anything soft – including your unattended bandages and undergarments, taking a small moment to put it to his nose and re-casting the spell to return below the tree within a few seconds. He wallowed in his pride before with a swift motion, tucked the newly acquired materia into the pockets of his robe much to the discomfort (and mild envy) of all of them.

“A man has to do and take what he can.” Gale reasoned to nobody in particular, nodding solemnly as if he just shared a piece of wisdom. He suppressed a yelp as Lae’zel then threw a rock at him, followed by another as Astarion thwacked a small branch straight to his forehead from above.

“Just leave it.” Wyll snidely commented, fighting with his life to tear away his eyes from your moonlit form, breaking out of a trance. “We should leave, go back to camp. It’d be suspicious if everyone just disappeared.”

“Ugh, you are such a killjoy, Wyll.” Astarion rolled his eyes but complied, scaling down the tree quietly, much unlike Gale earlier, who was still fiddling around his pockets with your intimates. “A party pooper, even.”

As repulsive the idea to leave you was, it was reasonable. Begrudingly, everyone quietly sat up or climbed down and quietly attempted to find their way through the dense, dark forest, sharing little observations and hushed chitchat along the way. And soon enough, the party found themselves in familiar territory, now gathering around and settling down near the campfire like they previously had before you announced your leave, as if they didn’t just claw their way through eachother earlier to see a scrap of your vulnerability.

The fire cast a warm glow over the party as they immersed in chitchat, a few (namely Shadowheart and Astarion) pestering and even offering a bargain to Gale for the underclothes he had nicked earlier. The wizard was not deterred; fair and square, he wagged his finger as if to say nuh-uh to the seething two. It was only shortly after, that you came stumbling back into camp like a lost fawn, hair and body language calm and loose but the armor remaining stiff on your body.

Karlach coughed to let the others know you had arrived from your personal time. “Soldier! You’re back!” You greeted her with a nod, before raising a brow and sweeping your eyes amongst them. Gale swallowed, placing a protective hand over the pocket that held your garments.

“You would not believe what happened.” You sighed in utter distress before plopping yourself down besides Halsin and Astarion on the log to let the fire embrace you with warmth, piquing everyone’s interest and attention with intense ease. “A wandering owlbear ate my clothes.”

They all collectively either guffawed or choked on their spit, Lae’zel scoffing and Astarion groaning amongst them. Right. Of course, you would have thought it was a fucking owlbear. Thieving owlbears that take normal, musky clothes instead of shiny armor.

“Ah, owlbears.” Gale tutted and sighed with faux sympathy, nervously chuckling and shifting to hide the lump in his pockets. “They’d eat almost anything, really.”

Astarion shot him a bewildered look, as if to ask, don’t you? You swallowed two of my books last night!

“You can borrow my clothes, for the night.” Shadowheart butted in, suddenly slotting herself behind you and setting a reassuring palm on your shoulder. You smiled at her, gazing up at her gratefully. “Thank you, Sha—”

“Well, you can have my clothes!” Karlach and Lae’zel shot up in unison.

“Sharing your old filth, I can sew them new clothes!” Astarion argued, until everyone started refuting eachother and proposing that you take theirs and whatnot.

You sighed with exasperated fondness, immensely troubled but somewhat used to it as you watch your companions pointlessly banter, having little doubt that by the end of the night, you’d have a fair share of everyone’s wardrobe into yours.

Still, you hope to the very bottom of your heart that the “owlbear” that stole your clothes had a full tummy, at least.

[hedgehog-moss]

I meant to do some greenhouse cleaning and tidying today because my mum is coming to visit and I don't want to be judged. It involved finally bringing myself to say goodbye to my moribund basil plants (by turning them into pesto) among other things—but my plans were derailed when I took down one of the aquaponics towers and heard a big splash. I thought I'd disturbed a fish that was napping amid the plant roots in the water, but no.... I looked into the fish tank and saw a big frog indignantly swimming away.

I went to get a little dip net and spent a solid half hour trying to fish the frog out—she swam so fast! And was really determined to stay in the fish tank, even when I told her I would put her outside somewhere watery and nice where she could meet frog friends. But I did catch her in the end.

I'd never seen a completely black frog before! When I googled for more info, all I found were photos of the (amazing) African rain frog, which one website compared to an angry avocado.

Back to my tank squatter—she was delicately placed on the edge of the barrel that collects spring water in the pasture and invited to start a new life here, and she morosely sat for quite a while, mulling over her options.

I'm not even lying to you, frog: I found a beautiful toad in the pasture some time ago... I'm moving you from a place of existential alienation (lone frog in fish tank) to a hot spot of batracian life.

I tried to film the moment when the frog accepted her fate and gracefully jumped into the barrel but of course I started filming just a second too late and she refused to come back for a second take. In the meantime, every pasture dweller had noticed that something interesting was happening, and converged towards me. When they found my hands and pockets empty of snacks their reactions ranged from sharp betrayal to distant melancholy.

Pirlouit looked so sad in the rain staring at the horizon, pondering the inherent unfairness of life, I ended up letting him sniff the dip net, like, did you actually WANT to eat a frog?

I know, but this one was too large for you.

Poldine was the only one who didn't resent me for visiting them with a frog and no snacks; she was just happy for the opportunity to kiss someone's cheek.

When I went home and looked at my frog pictures I realised there was an apple floating in the barrel ! which I hadn't seen since I was too focused on the frog. The apple tree has shed nearly all of its fruit by now, it must be one of the last apples of the year... And since entering the pasture with a poor slimy excuse for a snack in my dip net had clearly made a dent in my approval ratings, I decided to go back and offer llamas & donkey the apple along with some vegetable peelings.

Pandolf was intrigued when I fished an apple out of the barrel; he sat down in front of me the way he does to signal that he is a good dog and possibly deserving of good things; but UNLIKE SOME he wasn't disappointed with me when he realised the thing I was holding wasn't meant for him because the world doesn't revolve around him.

.... approval ratings skyrocketing 📈

Look at Pirlouit in the background, startled and horrified as he realises he left the scene to soon!

Look at him leaving a cloud of dust behind him as he rushes towards us!

Don't worry Pirou, I saved you a whole half courgette <3 You can drop the tragic misunderstood persecuted look now.

[anonymous-dentist]

Five weeks out of prison, and Cellbit is buying his sick son cough medicine from the haunted convenience store down the block. It's late at night- too late at night, probably, so it's just him and the two employees and an old lady in an old fur coat...

"I said, put your fucking hands in the air!"

...and the guy in the giant moth fursuit robbing the store.

The girl behind the counter chews her gum and slowly, boredly, raises her hands. The other employee has his AirPods in and either can't hear the villain or doesn't care. The old woman is deaf. And Cellbit... well.

Cellbit picks up a bottle of NyQuil and adds it to his basket. The villain hasn't noticed him yet, so he doesn't have anything to worry about.

Tonight's villain is a low-rank street thug going by 'Moth Man'. He can fly, but only at night, and he sounds like he smokes eight packs of cigarettes a day.

Spiders, Cellbit hears as he sneaks to the next aisle over. It makes sense. Moths, spiders, they aren't exactly friends in the wild.

Of course, Cellbit considers as he picks up a box of tissues and silently slips it in next to the medicine, Moth Man could be scared of a different spider. The different spider.

He watches, mostly unconcerned, as Moth Man waves his Moth Gun in the clerk's face.

"Check it out, guys," he sleezes, leaning in close and shoving his phone right next to the gun's barrel. "She's totally freaked right now."

Moth Man is also a vlogger. More specifically: he's a TikTok streamer, and he's a pretty popular one, too. Honestly, Cellbit's surprised that the Federation hasn't shut his account down yet. (But, really, that would require them actually doing something fucking useful for once.)

Censors, Cellbit hears, and that one makes a bit more sense. He grabs a big bottle of hand sanitizer and adds it to the basket. Algorithm failure, face reveal, doxxing, spiderspiderspiderspiders.

"Absolutely terrified," the clerk unconvincingly says. "Do you want me to empty the register out, or what?"

Dogs, Cellbit hears from her. Needles, knives.

Moth Man's cheap plastic antennae flop embarrassingly as he nods, all fake enthusiasm. He looks down at his phone and thanks someone for the donation, another for a rose.

"No, it's real," he tells his chat. "See?"

He raises his gun to the ceiling, and he fires.

Cellbit jumps, nearly dropping his basket. He swears under his breath and kinda maybe hopes that Moth Man doesn't have super hearing, too, because he needs to get home. His son is sick, he doesn't have time for wannabe-villains in cheap costumes.

Horrible costumes.

Moth Man's felt wings flutter behind him as he lowers his gun and points it back at the shaken clerk.

"See?" he sneers. "Now give me the money."

Terrible costumes.

Honestly, villains these days are just kind of stupid. Where's the anonymity when everyone knows your shadow? How are you supposed to sneak around causing problems and slitting throats when you have giant neon green felt moth wings sticking three feet out of you? And those goggles had better be night vision, or poor Moth Man is going to walk face-first into a lamppost the second he leaves the store.

Cellbit shakes his head and goes to find the soup. Back in his day...

"I was!" the clerk shouts. "Here!"

She opens the register, and then two things happen in quick succession:

1. Cellbit picks up a can of chicken noodle soup. He's not a huge fan himself, but Forever swears by it, and Richarlyson's cold is bad enough that Cellbit's willing to try anything. (He's only had this kid for five weeks, but he thinks he'd kill for him, and that's saying something.)

2. A brilliant flash of red and blue crashes through the store's front display window with a whoop.

Spiders! Cellbit hears. He smiles despite himself, licks his lips just briefly before catching himself and biting his tongue back into his mouth.

Spider-Man's poses are maybe one of the more badass things about him. He lands on the counter in a classic pose, crouched with one hand flat on the counter and the other pointed directly at Moth Man's face. His forehead is pressed against the gun's end, and he's probably smiling under his mask, the freak.

"S-Spider-Man!" Moth Man squeaks. "What are you doing here?"

Spider-Man tilts his head. "Uuuuuh, kicking your ass?"

And then he punches the fucker right in the nose.

Moth Man skitters backwards, crashing into a rack of newspapers. His finger slips and he fires his gun right into the register, sending the clerk screaming onto the floor. Good, she doesn't need to be involved.

"What the fuck what the fuck-" Moth Man breathes.

He jumps to his feet and points his phone's camera at Spider-Man, who doesn't so much as give him enough time to start narrating before slinging a web and stealing the phone right out of his hand.

Silently, Cellbit slips his own phone out of his pocket and starts recording. Just for himself, really. He'll add it to the Google Doc later.

Spider-Man turns Moth Man's phone over in his hands thoughtfully.

"Dude, is this an iPhone?" he asks. "Since when do you have iPhone money?"

"Fuck you, I have money!"

He fires his gun again, this time on purpose. Spider-Man easily dodges the bullet, not even looking up from the phone's web-covered screen.

"With that costume?" Spider-Man snorts and shakes his head. "No way, man."

"My costume is awesome!" Moth Man snaps. "Fuck you! Die, Spider-Man!"

He's terrified, Cellbit can smell the fear coming off of him in waves. It's sour and black and foul and gut-turning, but it could be stronger. This guy might be dumb, but he's also too stupid to realize he's in a fight he can't win. It's embarrassing.

But, really, it's none of Cellbit's business. He's just gonna sneak out as soon as he-

A screeching Moth Man flies past him, his bare hand grazing Cellbit's nose, crashing into the back row of freezers. Cellbit flinches back a step, fumbling with his phone. He gets it level just as Spider-Man pounces on the villain from above with a happy little cheer.

Inexplicably, Moth Man screams and curls into himself, dropping his gun and cowering and muttering to himself.

Whoops.

Spider-Man stands above him mid-kick, confused.

"Dude," says Spider-Man, "what the hell is wrong with you? Come on, get up!"

Cellbit starts sneaking his way out, slipping away as Spider-Man tries getting Moth Man to get up and finish their battle properly.

None of his business, he tells himself. It's none of his business. He got his footage, it's none of his business. One step at a time, tonight is not the night for an interview. He has a sick son to take care of. Investigating can wait.

...He stops in the doorway to take one last video, this one of Spider-Man chasing the poor terrified Moth Man around the store practically begging for him to stop being weird, what kind of fight is this supposed to be?

Camera off, slip out onto the streets and start the trip back home.

Forever's gonna be pissed about the shoplifting, but at least it isn't murder anymore. Cellbit is trying to set a good example.

-

Based off of THIS AU

[goldenamaranthe-blog]

Child Support part 2

Yang: (slicing a giant beef tenderloin into steaks, roasts, and stew meat)

Ember: Mow!

Yang: Just a minute, Ember.

Ember: (jumps up so his front paws are on Yang’s upper hip and paws needily). MOOOooooOOOOOW!!!

Yang: Okay! Okay! (Takes three pieces of beef strips and cuts them into smaller chunks before passing one to Ember) Here you go, big boy.

Ember: (grumbling happily as he chows down) GrOWwwwow!

*Ding-Dong*

Yang: (glances at the door) Em, did you invite someone over?

Ember: (swallows his beef piece and starts eyeing up the counter)

Yang: Uh-uh, I don't think so. (Tosses down the rest of the tiny beef chunks into Ember's food dish, washes her hands, and goes to the door)

Ember: (going to town on the meat happily growling)

Yang: (answers the door) Hello?

Blake: (dressed to the nines with her makeup done and holding a purple leash) Hi, Yang. Is this a bad time?

Shroud: (sitting at Blake’s feet wearing a purple harness that's clipped to the leash, her belly is barreled out more) Meow.

Yang: (jaw dropped, but she quickly tries to click it into place) Not at all! I was just prepping some meat I got at the butcher earlier. Come on in.

Blake: (enters the apartment) I wanted to let you know that Shroud had her first ultrasound today.

Yang: Oh? And how did that go?

Ember: (sneaking towards the counter to get more beef)

Yang: Ah! Ember! (Snaps her fingers) No! Tree!

Ember: (tail flicks in irritation but he goes over to a giant cat tree in the corner and jumps up to a hidey hole cave)

Blake: You have him trained like a dog?

Yang: When he's almost the size of a Cattle Dog, I have to or else people think he's going to be a nuisance. (Calls over her shoulder) Which he is!

Ember: Prrrrrrrrrrrr.

Yang: So! Ultrasound for the little lady. Do you want me to help cover the bill?

Blake: N-No! No, this should be fine. I just wanted to let you know that the vet saw about eight kittens.

Yang: Eight?! No wonder why she's a barrel this early in the pregnancy!

Blake: (groans) I know. I have no idea how I'm going to keep her weight up. The vet also said she's a bit underweight.

Yang: Have you tried giving her that kitten food I gave you? It's loaded with nutrients and necessary fats to keep her weight up.

Blake: Oh! I did not know that. I'll have to give that a try- (feels a Tug on the leash and looks at Shroud)

Shroud: (pulling an 8oz steak off the counter and chowing down)

Blake: Shroud!

Yang: (snorts into a bark of laughter) Hahahaha! No worries, I guess. Mama has to eat after all.

Ember: (stares in disbelief as Shroud inhales the steak like a pro and his jaw drops) Mow 💛

[sadhours]

Part two my queen my love my beautiful

Gotta do shower sex after basketball practice like… just need that tension and and Billy calling Steve a bitch idk need it badly

The longing… the vulnerability between the both of them…. Billy wondering how many of Steve’s buttons he can push because *surely* he’s not that easy???

Also

*slides 2 dollars over* *whispers* billy spitting on Steve’s face/mouth please….

I can’t say no to you 😩

part one

The next morning at school, Billy is kind of looking for Harrington. Not outright. He knows he’ll see him at practice but still, he finds himself craning his next over the crowds in the hallways in hopes that he’ll see some floppy brown hair. He’s actually in like, shock that it even happened last night. But Billy’s kind of obtained this skill, and maybe it’s not a morally good skill but he can pick up on vulnerabilities and use them to his advantage. He still thinks it was mostly fate that Wheeler decided to dump Steve at that exact moment. Because of Tommy, Billy was aware that they kind of had a rocky relationship anyways but he was anticipating playing the long run. Prod and poke at Harrington until he snapped. And then there he was, trying to rip that bottle of whiskey from Billy’s hands and his big, brown eyes just looked so sad. A kind of sad that lit a fire in Billy’s gut. It wasn’t news to him that he had a bit of kink for tears, he’d made girls cry before and he used to feel a bit of shame when it excited his dick. He hadn’t ever made a guy cry before. And he preferred them. So seeing those puppy dog eyes trying to convey dominance had him acting on impulse. It was really, so unreal that the events rolled out how they did.

As anticipated, he doesn’t see Harrington until he’s at practice. The lanky dude barrels through to his locker, which thanks to their last names, neighbors Billy’s. He pretty much expects Steve to avert his eyes, ignore him. Billy’s under the impression that Steve’s never even considered being with another guy. He’s not close enough to Tommy to ask if they’d done anything remotely gay in their deceased friendship. But those brown eyes look at him, look almost needy. His plush pink lips part and he’s about to say something, Billy’s leaning into it, so intrigued and desperate to know what he’s thinking but it’s interrupted. Hagan slaps the corner of their locker row and laughs, looking to Harrington who jumps and turns at the sound.

“Princess dump you, again?” Tommy preens, self satisfied grin spreading against his freckled cheeks, “it’s almost like, Carol and I were onto something!”

Steve’s body noticeably stiffens and his fingers move to the dial on his locker. Billy has to hold back his eye roll. Wants to tell Hagan to fuck off because god damnit, he really wanted to know what Harrington was about to say.

“She changed you, man,” Hagan prods on, shaking his head as he changes into his practice clothes. Billy and Steve busy themselves with filing through their lockers and if Billy isn’t mistaken, it’s like they’re waiting for Tommy to go away so they can shamelessly get an eyeful of the each other. Well, at least that’s what Billy’s waiting for.

Luckily, he gets what he’s hoping for. Tommy snorts, slams his locker shut and struts away. Billy sits on the bench and starts getting his boots off. He keeps his eyes on Steve’s legs as he does so, can see the bulge of his cock in his jeans and it brings back some vivid flashbacks of having said cock in his mouth last night. Harrington kicks his nikes off and his hands go to the waist of his jeans, he unbuttons them slowly and Billy glances up to meet those beautiful brown eyes he can’t stop thinking about. That neediness still shining in them. Okay, so Harrington wants him to watch. That’s a good sign. Billy sets his boots next to him and shrugs off his denim jacket, letting his eyes drag back down Steve’s body to his crotch. Harrington pushes the jeans down his thighs and then kicks them off his ankles. It takes quite a lot out of Billy to not shove his face against those white briefs. God, he wants to mouth at that outline of Harrington’s sizable yet flaccid cock.

Next Harrington is shedding off his polo, exposing a bit of chest hair that Billy isn’t expecting. His fingers itch to run through it. And he realizes if any of their teammates walk by, this is gonna look suspicious so he stands and starts undressing himself. And then they’re both standing there in their whitey tighties, eyes shamelessly raking over each others bodies.

“What were you gonna say?” Billy finds himself asking, voice barely above a whisper.

Steve’s face flushes and he curtly shakes his head, “Nothing. It’s… don’t worry about it.”

Like a switch, Steve’s quickly shucking his gym clothes on before shoving his feet in his Nikes. Closes his locker quietly and Billy watches as he trails away. Fuck. They were definitely just checking each other out. He’s not mistaken. What the hell was Steve gonna say?

First, they’ve got to run laps. It’s how every practice starts. Steve’s fast. He’s gained a lead on everyone with those long fucking legs of his. Running isn’t Billy’s strong suit. Actually, he absolutely hates cardio. Probably because he’s been smoking since he was twelve. But god damn, he’s determined to catch up to Harrington, even if it leaves his chest burning and his stomach churning. Once he does, Steve drops down to a jog and Billy does the same, turns so he’s jogging backwards and facing Harrington.

“I’m worried,” Billy informs him, frowning.

“About what?” Steve huffs, confusion clouding his puppy dog eyes.

“What you were gonna say.”

Steve smiles and goddamn those butterflies filling Billy’s gut have him extra worried. He was just trying to fuck the guy, not fall in love. Billy doesn’t do love. It’s not real. Sets you up for disappointment. People don’t stay so why the hell would you love them? But Jesus, that smile is pretty. Maybe even prettier than that pathetic sad look he had on his face last night.

“You really wanna know? It’s kinda stupid,” Steve is blushing. Whether it’s from Billy’s interest or the running, he can’t be sure.

“Yeah, well, you’re stupid,” Billy bites back, “But last night I…” he clears his throat, “What is it?”

Steve’s eyebrows bounce around and he purses his lip, chews on the insult thrown his way and tries to figure out how to feel about it. And god damnit he’s cute. Billy hates how cute this fucking dude is.

“It’s… I don’t know, man,” Steve sighs, “Just thanks, I guess.”

“Thanks?” Billy stops in his tracks, hands falling to his sides. “What?”

“Yeah! Thanks,” Steve pats his bicep and picks up his pace, sprinting around the corner of the track. It’s not often Billy’s surprised or left speechless. But here he is, dumbfounded as he watches his team catching up to them. Thanks? Thanks for what? Taking his ass virginity? Did… oh shit. Did Billy actually make Steve feel better? That’s a new feeling. He can’t decide how to process it. It’s alarming how badly he wants to kiss the asshole so it kind of forms into Billy wanting to punch the fuckers lights out and then transforms into him wanting to fuck Harrington again.

Once they make their way to the gym, the coach divides them up in teams. He gets picked first and subsequently Steve, to the other team. Which is gonna be fun. Gives Billy the excuse to crowd Steve on the court, get a bit of a feel without it being looked at sideways. Coach points to Billy’s team and announces, “Skins.”

Harrington’s eyes lock with his and he smirks, grabbing the hem of his grey Hawkins High gym shirt and pulls it over his head. He registers the way Harrington’s eyes fall to his chest as he chucks the shirt to the bench. God, it’s so obvious to him. And thanks? Steve wants more and Billy does too.

He wipes the court with the shirts, he’s competitive by nature and well, Steve’s his best competitor. He plays defense, crowds right against Steve’s back and the similarities of now and last night don’t fall short on him. Billy’s close to supporting a half chubbed cock right now. Especially the way Steve elbows him in the peck. Can’t help that his tits are sensitive. He grins, licks his lower lip and has to hold back from leaning forward and licking Steve’s cheek like he did the night before. He wants to consume Harrington in such an overwhelming way. But there’s unspoken rules to this shit.

They’d be lynched right here in this court if Billy did was he really wanted to do. His father would have a field day with the beating if he knew the thoughts he was thinking as he’s pressed against Steve. All he can do is steal the ball, dribble up the court and god damnit, try to impress Steve with this trick shot. He’s stunned himself he makes it and he turns, grinning wide as he looks to see Harrington bent over and panting, staring back at him.

“Steve?” Wheeler’s at the door of the gym and Billy’s blood boils at the way Harrington immediately follows her out.

What the hell does that Bitch want? Billy wishes he could follow the pair. Tell her what they’d done and that Steve didn’t need her anymore. But fuck, he’s got a game to play and who does he think he is? Steve’s boyfriend? Pathetic. Billy’s chasing after the ball before he can think to deeply about it.

Showers. Typically kind of a tough time for Billy because he digs looking at dicks, but he can’t. Still, he always feels eyes on his body in the showers and no one gets called out but he’s beyond worried he’ll get called out. And yeah, he’d heard the whispers about Harrington’s dick so it’s not a secret that the team is looking at each other. Harrington’s dick is kind of like an anomaly though. Like it’s okay to notice and talk about because of it’s size. But unlike the other dudes in this locker room, Billy’s had it in his mouth. Then again, he’s not sure anyone else here wants it in their mouth besides Tommy, though the guy won’t admit it. Billy can tell by the way he talks about him. Built Steve up like he was a literal King and not like the metaphorical one he is. Then, he saw Steve and well, he understood.

He watches Tommy’s eyes, they fall to his cock and then to Harrington’s. There’s a look on his face Billy can’t exactly place, perhaps jealously or something more… gay? He hasn’t quite fingered Tommy yet. They’ve just met. And honestly when he made the move on Steve, he was taking a huge risk that he ended with an even better payout. Tommy’s eyes fall to his own junk and well, he’s probably comparing. He did offer Carol up to Billy the second the three of them were alone but Billy shrugged it off like a joke.

“Good practice,” Billy lamely offers, snatching Steve’s soap from the shelf. There’s a hint of a smile from Steve when he does it. Which is a win, probably.

“Yeah, that trick shot was fucking killer,” Tommy praises, teeth shining. And yeah, Billy thinks he’s cute but his eyes are drawn back to Harrington.

“Thanks,” Billy offers, soaping his dick up before he puts the bar back. Steve snatches it quick and then soaps his own dick up. It’s an offering, of some kind. He’s eager to have their teammates vanish. Wants to be alone with Harrington and quick.

The two of them linger a little too long, hopeful they’re not being obvious. Coach left long ago, they shower quietly until the chatter in the locker room disappears. Fingertips and toes gone pruny. And then Billy makes his move, steps into the stream of Steve’s shower and their eyes meet.

“What did your girlfriend want?” Billy asks, ignoring the way his cocks filling out by the close proximity of Steve’s cock.

Steve swallow hard, averts his eyes but answers, “She wanted to know why I didn’t pick her up this morning.”

“Why didn’t you?” Billy wonders, blinking slowly at Steve.

“She dumped me,” he huffs with disdain.

“And the thanks? What was that for?”

“Last night… I… it helped me take my mind off her,” Steve mumbles, eyes dropping.

Billy grins, licks against his teeth as he hooks his fingers under Steve’s chin, pulls the boys face toward his own, “Told you I would make you feel better than she could.”

“But—“ Steve swallows, “You just left and I…”

“What? Wanted cuddles?” Billy laughs, “it was fun. And that’s what it will be. If we ya know, keep doing it. I’m not a chick and either are you, last time I checked.”

He looks down, seeing Harrington’s cock is also standing like his. “I don’t do feelings, Harrington. And maybe you shouldn’t either. Since you’re such a bitch for some average looking tail.”

“I love her,” Steve argues, eyebrows knitting in a way that has Billy jealous beyond belief.

Billy frown, full of condescension when he says, “And where the hell did that get you?”

Steve looks a little taken aback. Like Billy said something wise and not something basked in bitterness.

“We can make each other feel good. Why would we fuck it up with feelings?” Billy asks, looking up at Steve under thick lashes.

“Yeah,” Harrington breathes out and Billy’s reaching down to grab his cock. The brunette elicits the sweetest, softest yelp and Billy can’t help but break a rule he’s set for himself, crashing his lips into Harrington’s.

Because Billy loves kissing. Likes it filthy and sloppy. Makes his head swim when they lick against each other’s tongues between heady moans. Sex is sex. They’re here for a means, regardless of sexuality, they both just wanna get off. Because fuck, his heads going empty ‘cause he can feel Harrington’s cock twitch in his hand and there’s a shared desperation here when their eyes meet again. If Billy can offer a distraction from Wheeler, he’ll take it. Anything to get Steve Harrington making these sweet sounds and bucking into his fist.

“Be quiet,” Billy warns before he’s stepping closer to press his cock against Steve’s, adjusting his hand so he’s got them both in his grip, “You don’t wanna get caught, do you?”

Steve shakes his head, reaching his hands up to grab Billy’s shoulders. Billy catches Steve’s lower lip in his teeth while he jerks them off in his hand. It’s a desperate yet lazy kiss. Steve keeps whimpering into it and Billy’s a bit lovestruck. And Christ, he loves the way their cocks slide together easily, precum drooling from their tips. It’s all slippery and so good and Billy can’t stop licking every crevice of Steve’s mouth as they thrust into his fist. It’s so delicious, so filthy. It’s… slippery from the shower. His minds hazy enough to tell Harrington, “Holy shit, you’re so fucking hot.”

And he’s whiny when he says it, desperation dripping off his words because truly, he means it. Harrington looks like a god damn dream, glassy brown eyes and fuck, his lips parted and so pink. Looking at Billy likes he’s a veteran porn star, and he could be with the heat he’s packing and that look on his face. He’s begging for it, just with his eyes. And Billy wants nothing more than to give it to him.

Billy wants to die for Harrington. It’s a sick thought he can’t let himself dwell on. Daddy up and moved them for a reason. Another boy with floppy chestnut hair and sad eyes.

“Fucking hate you,” Billy mumbles, not sure if it’s meant towards Steve or the memory. He squeezes their cocks when he says it though. ‘Cause he does hate him and he does hate the way he aches for this. Hates the way his heads all wrong and hates how he needs to act on it.

Steve kisses him then, bruising like it’s punishment for telling Steve he hates him. Or a test? Billy can’t let the kiss go further, it’s too delicious and dangerous. So he pushes Steve back and spits on his parted lips. An assault, but he’s stunned when Steve’s tongue darts out to gather the saliva and bucks his hips up at Billy’s fist. The slide of their cocks is incredible and it’s so good that heat is pooling in his stomach rapidly, so he closes his eyes tight and bares his teeth because if he looks down at their cocks or up at Harrington’s face he’s gonna blow his load.

And then Harrington’s making this pathetic fucking sound and it’s even more wet and Billy has to open his eyes, has to look down and sees Harrington’s spilled and it’s all over his fist and the tip of his cock and Billy grunts, body heaving as he shoots his spunk next. He rests his head on Harrington’s shoulder for a beat. Then he rinses himself off and reaches for his towel. He wraps it around his waist and he’s about to walk off.

The softest words from Harrington have him turning around and asking, “Huh?”

Big, downturned brown eyes look to him and Steve says louder, “I fucking hate you, too.”

It warms Billy’s chest for some god awful reason, so he smiles, maybe even blushes a little, “Hate you more, King Steve.”

Wishes he could stick around longer, but Max has got to be out waiting by his Camaro by now. He doesn’t wanna risk coming home too late. And he’ll see Harrington tomorrow. Looks forward to it.

[wheredidhiseyebrowsgo]

Hi!! First of all thanks for doing god's work! This blog really helped me find some of my favorite fics <3

I was looking for fics where stiles is new to the town. I read Stilinski's Home for Wayward Wolves by owlpostagain and What I Did On My Summer Vacation by grimm and I'm kinda obsessed with it?

Thanks!

Hey @attentionzero! @kevaaronday found these for you.

Stilinski's Home for Wayward Wolves by owlpostagain

(1/1 I 35,197 I Teen I Sterek)

“At least your puppies knock first,” Stiles snorts. “Here I thought their alpha raised them to be well-mannered.” 



“There’s a sign,” Derek responds stiffly. 



Stiles, whose curiosity outweighs even his hardest of grudges, abandons his chilly façade of nonchalance in a heartbeat. He jumps right up and all but pushes Derek out of the way in his effort to get to the window, and sure enough when he leans outside there’s a laminated strip of cardstock duct taped to the vinyl siding: 



DON’T FORGET TO KNOCK Stiles gets cranky when we scare him

---

Or, in which Stiles Stilinski moves to Beacon Hills for his junior year of high school and accidentally adopts a pack of teenage werewolves.

What I Did On My Summer Vacation by grimm

(4/4 I 118,749 I Explicit I Sterek)

There's something weird about Beacon Hills that Stiles can't quite put his finger on. The way everyone in town knows his name the day he arrives. The way they insist the melancholic howling that echoes through the forest every night is just a dog. The way his dad denies getting a dog, even though Stiles comes home to find one sprawled across his bed, some big black thing whose eyes gleam red in the right light. The way that massive oak tree out in the woods vibrates under his touch, pulsing with sickly life.

There's something weird going on in this town, and Stiles is determined to get to the bottom of it.

***

A Teenage Love Story by HaleHathNoFury (26/26 | 155,834 | Explicit | Sterek)

Stiles is sick and tired of how much he fucks up. His dad is disappointed, his step-mom judges and his step-brother can do no wrong. It's not that he doesn't love them, he just gets so tired of being different. Now he's being moved lock, stock and barrel to Beacon Hills aka the town his mom grew up in so they can go live in his grandma's house and his father can get him back on the straight and narrow. 

It's going to suck.

487 by Finduilas (14/14 | 52,840 | Explicit | Sterek) Two years after graduating from the Police Academy, Stiles decides to transfer to the Beacon Hills Police Department, where his father is Chief. But when he gets assigned his new partner, Stiles isn't so sure if the transfer was a good idea. Derek 'Officer Grumpy Cat' Hale isn't exactly his first choice of partner. Then again, Stiles really isn't Derek's first choice either.

Northern Blues by kaistrex (12/12 | 40,682 | Explicit | Sterek) When Stiles steps into the room that the Hale house has conjured for him to stay in, the first thing he sees is a window already open, letting in a pleasant breeze. The second is a door in the right-hand wall.

Laura clears her throat, scratching at her nose. “That leads to Derek’s room.”

Stiles’ eyebrows shoot up and a laugh bursts out before he can stop it. Now he understands how the pack knew this room probably wouldn’t belong to his dad (which, gross).

He looks over his shoulder at Derek who’s glaring pointedly at everything except for Stiles with pink-tipped ears.

“Presumptuous. I like it,” he says to the house, patting one of the walls and throwing a wink at Derek hovering in the doorway.

_

When the Hale pack transitions to a new Alpha, Stiles is thrilled to be assigned to Beacon Hills to try out as their new Emissary. He and his dad are immediately enamoured with the idyllic little town, fitting right in with the rest of the Hales – except for Derek. The new Alpha shows no signs of welcome, but it will be hard for him to stay stubborn in the face of his family’s encouragement and a sentient house that has plans for the two of them whether Derek likes it or not.

The Wonderful Mess We Made by haleonwheels (12/12 | 34,619 | Explicit | Sterek) Derek is Scott's rude older brother. Scott is Stiles' new best friend. Stiles is in a really hard situation (in more ways than one).

Or the one where Stiles Stilinski moves to Beacon Hills from New York City and immediately befriends Scott McHale. Scott tells Stiles he's an only child--except he really, really isn't. So how was Stiles supposed to know Derek From The Jungle is actually Derek McHale, Scott's older brother that he kept secret for a reason?

Not Who You Think I Am by GrimReaperlover11 (17/? | 28,611 | Mature | Sterek) Stiles Stilinski is the new kid at Beacon HIlls HIgh. Derek Hale finds himself wanting to be friends with the new student. however, will these feelings change when Stiles reveals himself to not be exactly who he says he is?

Maidens, Mothers, and Crones, Oh My! By Panicitsamelon (14/? | 22,760 | Teen | Sterek) (aka)

Hunters, Wolves, and Sparks, Oh My!

(aka)

Psychos, Brooders, and Not-Quite-Damsels In Distress, Oh My!

(I could keep going, but I'm gonna stop before it gets worse.)

Stiles Argent lost his mother at a young age. He continued to live with his stepfather, Chris, and eventually stepmother, Victoria, and stepsister, Allison, as they traveled across the country for his stepparent's work. 

Everything is normal... until it isn't. 

When they move to Beacon Hills, Stiles discovers there are a lot of secrets his family has kept from him, especially about his mother. 

Or

Magic? Like more than herbs and manifestation... that shit's real, apparently and Stiles isn't exactly sure why, but his is leading him to people and places all over town. He's just a high school student trying to make friends (and maybe get laid) at his new school. He didn't plan for comatose uncles, scary-hot siblings, and people trying to kill him.

True Love’s Kiss Isn't Always The Cure by nicole135 (19/19 | 22,037 | Explicit | Sterek) Stiles isn't normal, well at least on the inside. He's a Spark, a trait he inherited from his late mother; it's something that has run in her family since before her Polish ancestors first inhabited America's soil when America was being colonized. Now when Stiles' father moved to Beacon Hills for the job opening of Sheriff, Stiles follows six months later after spending time learning from his Gran, only to dive head first into the towns deadly secret, one that has affected the town since it was first founded. It's a curse that affects the whole town, and when Stiles finds out, it's the same one his mother told him about in bedtime stories, one that has haunted every generation of his mother's family ever since the curse was cast.

Just A Moment Too Late by gremlins-came-and-got-me (7/7 | 13,164  | Mature | Sterek) Derek Hale is fourteen when he is murdered. Instead of that being the end of his story, he watches life go on for the people of Beacon Hills, until one day he sees a new family move in. Stiles Stilinski doesn't mind Beacon Hills. His dad is the new sheriff, so everyone treats him well. However, Stiles is a detective at heart, and Beacon Hills has a secret: Derek Hale's murder.

Of course, Stiles can't leave well enough alone. He's going to solve Derek's murder if it's the last thing he does.

It just might be.

How are you so bad at this? By thornconnelly (11/ | 6,242 | Gen | Sterek) Stiles moves to Beacon Hills at the start of senior year of high school. Before class even starts, he bumps into a very cute and flirty werewolf who happens to be in almost all of his classes, and who is seemingly TERRIBLE at hiding his werewolfy traits.

Moving to beacon Hills by hufflepuffbaby (1/1 | 1,453 | Gen) Stiles moves to Beacon Hills after his dad is offered the Sheriff's job. He's only been there three days, but he's pretty sure he's already found his best friend.

[xazse]

KinkTober Day 1

Gunplay! With Venti and male reader!

NSFW

Warning: Size difference! + no prep! + gun being used

The barrel is right in his face and he doesn’t even shiver, there’s not one sign of fear in this bastards eyes. You should really pull the trigger, you’ve given too many chances- too many for him to fix his act up but he continues to disobey orders and does whatever he wants.

“Hah..” he lets breath out, clearly tired from your fight just now.

“Venti, I feel as though I’ve been too easy with you” you whisper while pushing the gun towards his cheek.

“Sir..” he mewls out, you haven’t noticed but his face is flushed with red spinning outwards towards his ears, of course this pervert is using this as a chance to get off, you’d expect nothing less from him.

“One more chance sir- please” he pleads with you while spreading his legs forcing your crotch to get even more closer to his. You push your finger on the trigger and it simply clicks. Lucky him.

He exhales really loud, seemingly like he had been holding his breath, his face is even more redder than before. God you can’t deny how attracted you are to him, you’d definitely get in trouble if the higher ups had found out of his antics and how you’d spared him those plenty of times.

Your cock jumps when he slides his nimble fingers to rub at you through your pants, you close your eyes and relax your body while he keeps rubbing at that one spot but not letting go of the gun pushed against his face. Thin small fingers are unzipping you and is now rubbing at your cock through your under-ware.

You open your eyes to slide the gun towards his mouth, he opens up with no defiance in his actions, licking the muzzle with his entire tongue.

Your hand is shaking and faltering when he uses his thumb to rub at your tip, this damn..

“Fu..ck, right there” you groan out loud, the frown on your face quickly removed and showing your lust clear in your eyes. He lets go of your cock to slip out of his pants, his fingers cross to his hole but you quickly slap them away.

“I need to” he to say but you flip his small body over with not much effort, your towering over his back, thick cock ready and waiting. Well not that your cock has to wait long at all, no this bitch doesn’t need prep. He pieces two and two together and tries to push his back against your chest but your big hands are pushing at him to sit still. The gun still in your hand when you push that against the back of his head as well.

“Ah.. wa” you slide your cock to line up with his hole and push your way in.

“HaA- ple-“ he screams out in that sweet honey voice of his, that cool act of his has completely vanished, now what’s left is a scared boy in the face of someone much bigger than him, he’ll do nothing but take all of you. You still- at first giving him little time to get used to the pure size of you before you start moving. In a steady motion you attempt to push in and out only using your hips.

He hears the gun click again and shudders in your hold, you can hear slight whimpering but that’ll be ignored. You keep thrusting in and out of him at a steady pace, and he’s panting like a dog at this point.

“That act of yours gone so quick huh boy?” You try to hide the slight smirk on your face, not that he can see it.

[ridiasfangirlings]

Just woke up from a dream with wolf Yata, so... bunny Saru and wolf Yata? It'd be funny

Sarumi, Beastars version. Fushimi would be just the angriest bunny, he probably carries all these knives around to deal with any predators who even think about getting close to him. Imagine Niki used to tease him a lot about how rabbits are weak and easy prey (even though Niki was a rabbit himself but he was like a creepy one that no one wanted to eat because he’d probably give you a stomachache) and would pretend he was going to sell Fushimi to underground meat markets and stuff, or pay predators to jump out of the bushes and scare Fushimi on his way home from school. As a result Fushimi really hates all other animals in general, he thinks predators are just big dumb idiots and prey are weak and stupid. 

The school he goes to is a mix of both and Fushimi is getting bullied by like some bears or lions or something into giving them his wallet every day, even though they keep threatening to bite him Fushimi just has this flat look on his face and calls them idiots. One day though a wolf comes barreling into the bullies, scolding them for bullying a ‘weaker’ guy. Fushimi gets pissed at that and when they both end up getting beaten up he snaps at wolf Yata for trying to get his gratitude. Yata is stung by that but also imagine for Yata this is the first time any of the smaller, weaker animals have talked back to him, Yata always saw prey animals as beings in need of protection. 

When he and Fushimi eventually become friends that’s one of the reasons Yata thinks Fushimi is amazing, because he’s so strong and cool. At the same time I imagine Yata being even more protective of Fushimi all the time, like if any predator so much as looks at Saruhiko Yata’s already growling. Since Yata would probably be taller than Fushimi in this AU I imagine Fushimi always teasing him about being a ‘stupid dog’ and Yata’s always like fuck you I’m a wolf. Yata thinks it doesn’t matter that he and Fushimi are different species, all that matters is that they’re friends right, but I could see Fushimi having a constant internal crisis worrying that one day he won’t be strong enough and Yata will leave him for someone stronger. 

Imagine the jungle surprise party happens in this AU too and Fushimi does end up in a vulnerable prey position until he’s saved by lion Mikoto and this is like Fushimi’s worst nightmare, that Yata’s finally found someone else that’s more amazing than Fushimi and there’s literally nothing Fushimi can ever do to be stronger than Mikoto. Homra is full of carnivores too (and only one other prey animal, sheep Totsuka). Fushimi feels out of place and vulnerable, like now Yata will be able to see how weak he really is. Maybe S4 however is full of prey animals (oh oh imagine adorable bunny Munakata) and that’s how Fushimi gets lured over, a place where even weak animals like himself are seen as strong and useful. Of course he has to break things off in the worst way and maybe he doesn’t just want Yata to hate him in this AU he wants Yata to eventually become angry enough to eat him, so Fushimi will always be a part of him that Yata won’t ever forget.

[saywhatjessie]

Angels on Richmond Green

Day seven of the Advent calendar! Using this list. Day 6: Making snow angels. Fandom: Ted Lasso - Pairing: RoyJamie & TedTrent 1.2k[Ao3]

“I don’t know if it’s fair for Jamie to be out here doing all the work,” Ted said, frowning.

Roy snorted. “Nah. He needs this too. Trust me.”

They were on the fifth day of the heaviest snowfall Richmond had seen in decades. Business had closed, schools were shut down, and Nelson Road had kicked out all footballers and coaches, citing canceled matches and unsafe working conditions.

At first Jamie had been excited, bouncing around Roy’s kitchen.

“I never got snow days in Manchester,” he’d told Roy. “Everybody’s too used to the cold and shit, This is mint.”

That attitude had lasted exactly one day.

“Good Lord,” Trent said, fascinated, “I’m not sure if I ever had that much energy.”

Roy grunted. “Pretty sure the kids will flag before Jamie does.”

When Roy had found himself shut inside his house with a bored and whiny Jamie and an equally bored and whiny Phoebe – staying with them while her mother dealt with all the things that could go medically wrong in a fucking blizzard – he’d turned to the Diamond Dogs group chat in desperation, hoping maybe Higgins with all his fucking kids could find him some solution.

What he’d found instead was Ted and Trent, snowed in together at Ted’s, with an equally desolate Clara and Henry.

Ted had proposed they all meet up at the Richmond Green and let the kids get their sillies out. Roy had the better idea to let Jamie get their sillies out while the three actual adults sat nearby on a bench to kvetch.

Well, Roy and Trent were kvetching. Ted was just happy to be there.

The three of them watched Jamie run around in the snow, little Clara Crimm on his shoulders as the smallest of the three children as Phoebe and Henry chased Jamie around and tried to push him into a snow drift. Roy didn’t try to hide his smile as Jamie laughed. Ted and Trent were more embarrassing about each other than he could ever be about Jamie. Probably.

Clara shrieked and threw her arms wide, saying something the three older men couldn't hear, but marking the rest of them cheer with her, Jamie lifting her from his shoulders and placing her on the ground so she could barrel toward them with the other kids.

Phoebe got their first. “Uncle Roy! Uncle Roy we’re making snow angels!”

“Great,” Roy said. “Sounds fun.”

“No, we’re making snow angels,” Henry said, gesturing at all of them. “You guys, too!”

“Oh, are we?” Trent asked.

“Yes, Daddy!” Clara said, breathless from her little legs doing the run. “And Jamie will judge!”

“Wait, why doesn’t Jamie have to do it?” Roy asked, brows furrowed.

Jamie loped up, cocky grin on his face. “Wouldn’t be fair, would it? I’d win right off.”

“How you figure that?” Asked Ted, looking more amused than insulted.

Jamie snorted, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his jacket. He’d taken off his big heavy coat when he’d started running around. “S’all about muscle control, innit? You gotta be strong enough to move the snow but now flail around or you’ll ruin it. I got the best muscle control.”

Trent hummed. “There’s some truth to that.”

Roy pulled a hat out of his pocket and stuffed it on Jamie’s head. “Put your jacket back on, you muppet.”

Jamie grinned, grabbing Roy’s wrist before he could pull his hand away and kissed his palm. “Keep your hair on, grandad, I’ve got like four layers on. And you’re the one about to lay down in some snow.”

Roy growled, making the kids giggle.

“Well, no time like the present!” Ted said, brightly, and then hurled himself onto an untouched patch of snow.

“Dad, no fair!” Henry called, jumping after him. “You got the best spot!”

“Snooze you lose, mother goose!” Ted said, brushing his arms and legs back and forth. “Remember: Jamie said muscle control.”

Henry laughed, finding a smaller fresh patch near Ted’s head. Phoebe and Clara shrieked to go find their own snow spots.

Jamie grinned over at Roy and Trent. “You better find some good snow or your angels will be shit.”

Trent turned big sad eyes on both of them. “But my hair.”

Roy rolled his eyes, yanking Trent closer to him, making him stumble a bit. Roy steadied him before reaching around Trent for his hood and pulled it up over the beautiful hair Trent was so worried about. He tucked some wayward strands away, buttoning the neck to keep it closed and pulling on the strings to keep it secure. He ran his hand down the hood to check his work and gripped Trent lightly on the neck, affectionately.

“There,” He said, taking a step back in satisfaction. “Hair’s all tucked away.”

Trent was just staring at him with wide eyes before looking around him at Jamie. “He really does just do that, doesn’t he? How do you usually react?”

Roy turned and saw Jamie shrug. “Half a chub, usually. Sometimes butterflies or whatever. It’s kinda sweet in a daddy way.”

Roy growled and Trent laughed, a little disarmed.

“Excuse me for solving a fucking problem,” Roy grumbled. “I’m making my fucking snow angel over here.”

“Need help getting down, grandad?”

“Fuck you.”

Jamie did end up having to help Roy up. Not like it mattered: his shit knee didn’t give him the proper range to make a decent snow angel. He knew he’d lose.

“S’alright, babe,” Jamie said, reassuringly, his arm gripping Roy firmly around the middle. “The angel’s skirt is just asymmetrical, innit? That’s fashionable that is.”

“Fuck you,” Roy said, but he put his arm around Jamie’s back and held him closer, anyway.

All the kids had already bounced back to their feet and Ted was helping Trent to carefully step out of his own angel.

Ted was frowning at Tren’t hood. “I miss her.”

Trent patted his chest, comfortingly. “She’s there, darling, just didn’t want to pick ice out.”

Ted still pouted so Trent gave him a little peck.

Jamie made a loud buzzer sound. “That’s a point deduction. There’s no PDA in snow angels.”

“Oh? Then what’s this?” Trent asked, gesturing at Roy and Jamie’s walking snuggle.

“We’re clearly just bros, ain’t we Royo?”

Roy grunted, moving his hand to grope Jamie’s arse.

Jamie didn’t even jump, just smiled wider.

“Jamie, who wins?” Phoebe asked, giving her puppy eyes.

Jamie hummed, rubbing his hand over chin before nodding decisively.

“Ted.”

Ted whooped, pumping his fist while the kids all groan.

“But wait!” Trent said. “Doesn't the winner buy hot chocolate for everyone?”

“That they do, Trent Crimm!” Jamie grinned, and the kids all cheered.

“Well hot dog, all right. If that’s the price of victory.”

The price of victory, or hot chocolate for seven, couldn’t have been more than £40.

The nap that Jamie and Phoebe fell into when they got home, each curled into Roy’s sides on the couch, was definitely worth way more.

[restinslices]

Crows As Vampires

Idk why I chose that gif-. Anyway I have had no inspiration or motivation to do anything. The mental illness is hitting. I am on my knees begging y’all to let me have this😭. No one’s born a vampire cause I don’t think vampires should be able to reproduce and in this universe how you’re changed determines what kind of vampire you are. I’ll explain later.

Kaz Brekker 

Kaz has screwed over plenty of people in his life. That's how life is as a criminal and he was damn good at it. Almost an expert. 

Almost being the keyword 

Kaz screwed over the wrong person. Unbeknownst to him, this person was actually a witch. The witch cursed him to have these symptoms we would call “vampirism”

Immortality so he would watch everyone he loves die. A lust for blood since he was a leech that led others like a lamb to a slaughter. Burning in the sun so he could stay a rat in the shadows. Ect. Ect. 

This would've been terrible for anyone else, but this is Kaz Brekker we're talking about. 

Also this isn't how nature works. Things can't be only good or only bad so nature gave him a few perks. 

All it took was some practicing and getting used to then boom, he was living his best life. 

He doesn't need the cane anymore, but he keeps it to trick others. 

Genuinely thinks the witch that cursed him is the dumbest person ever because all the weaknesses he can get around. The sun? He doesn't go outside much and can have others do shit for him. Holy water? Does this man look like he goes to church? A wooden stake? What are the chances? Garlic? He prefers onion powder-

He's a traditional vampire so blood tastes good no matter what. I don't know if he'd go hunting himself though. He'd probably have another Crow bring him something, like bringing the homie Wendy's if you just got some. 

Best part of vampirism is probably the animal control. It's the perfect distraction and this man is nuts so he'd probably have a rat jump on somebody with a phobia. 

I'd say hypnosis but I feel like Kaz enjoys the thrill he gets from outsmarting everyone. Hypnosis would be so boring to him. It'd only be used if he absolutely needed to. 

I think the part of vampirism he'd struggle with the most would be the feeding though. Not out of guilt but too many dead bodies make people raise a brow and that would affect business. 

Kaz would prefer feeding on people who don't really have anyone. I know you're thinking “duh! That's so obvious! Who wouldn't?”. Jesper. More on him later though. 

Kaz wants to go after opponents but knows that'll stir too much shit up. 

I wanna say he refuses to feed on kids ‘cause it'd remind him of him and Jordie but this is the same man who threatened a little girl and said he'd kill all her dogs just to make sure she wouldn't snitch. And when Wylan was like “that's not ok” he was like “I could've killed her and made it look like an accident”, so idk. Man is deranged. 

Kaz has red eyes because… uhhh… I want him to. 

I think vampires should have another face when they feed and his gotta be the scariest. This is The Bastard of The Barrel we're talking about here. You gotta feel fear in your veins. 

Overall, he's enjoying vampirism. Big mistake giving this man powers. 

Inej Ghafa

Inej would get turned when she's at the Menagerie 

One of the regulars came in but he was off. He was way more jumpy and sensitive to things. Inej knocked something over and instead of annoyance, he seemed to be in pain. Like his ears hurt. 

She didn't say anything though. Tante Heleen would kill her. 

Suddenly the man attacked her and bit her. She screamed but he covered her mouth with his hand. Inej did the only thing she could think of and bit his hand hard, drawing blood. The man was in pain and after a short fight, he snapped her neck and killed her. 

Weirdly though, Inej woke up after some time. It made no sense to anyone. Not to the other girls, Tante Heleen, the doctor, anyone. Inej should've been dead. Instead all she did was crack her neck and describe the guy who did it. 

The next day Kaz Brekker came and she introduced herself. The day after that, she no longer worked for Tante Heleen. 

Turns out the vampire who attacked her was a newborn. He had some of the vampire strengths, like advanced speed and strength but he also still had human qualities. Like human skin, instead of the impenetrable skin older vampires have. Kaz was hunting him down because his uncontrolled killings were causing a ruckus, that's when he met Inej and noticed something was off about her. She smelt like death.  

Inej turned instead of dying because when she bit him, it drew blood and she ended up swallowing it. Drinking a vampire's blood then dying was another way to be turned. 

Because she was terrified when it all happened, as a vampire blood tastes better if it's from someone scared. The more scared they are, the better. If she drinks normal blood, it tastes fine but it doesn't make her as strong or taste as good as blood from someone frightened. 

Inej doesn't really like going out of her way to scare the shit outta someone. Don't get me wrong, Inej ain't no punk but she sees it as “I'm scaring people for my own benefit? No thanks”. 

During her newborn stage, Inej was not fucking with it at all. There were benefits but she hated the idea of murder. The only reason she started drinking is because she was starving and Kaz threw a random person in the room. When she snapped out of it, she was horrified and she was angry because Kaz knew what he was doing. 

So she attempted to run away but the problem was the hunger obviously didn't stop. One day she saw a man she knew frequented the Menagerie. A man who was extremely abusive and had cut and injured the girls plenty of times. Again, she got angry. So angry she stalked and killed him. 

A lightbulb went off. She didn't wanna scare innocent people but abusers? They weren't innocent. So that's who she targeted. Oh and obviously she returned to the Crow Club. 

Only problem with abusers is unfortunately they have money and people looking at them so she can't go after a lot of them which leaves her back to drinking regular human blood. Sometimes she drinks from animals or steals blood bags. 

Best part of vampirism is how nimble she is. Sure she was a great acrobat before but her speed and agility change is the best to her. She could do so much more without worrying about forever losing her legs in a stupid accident. 

She's called a spider for a reason. 

I don't even think she'd care for the other powers. Yeah they're there and she'll use them but she's not too concerned. 

Worst part I think is the feeding but not for the same reasons as Kaz. Inej has a guilty conscience and she's also religious. I think the fact that she has to take innocent lives (when she can't get to bad people) would make her feel cursed. Like the Saints were against her or didn't hear her prayers anymore. How could she claim her heart belonged to them when her heart didn't even beat anymore? She was sinning often. It's not like killing on a job, that's when your back's against the wall. She's literally killing for her own selfish needs. 

It'd take her a while to come to terms that she's killing for survival and she never asked to become a vampire in the first place. 

Once she comes to terms with that I honestly don't see her using her powers for straight nonsense. She uses them to get jobs done and feeds when she has to. She's probably the one bringing Kaz take out when he's too lazy. 

Idk why but I feel like she'd have purple eyes. I don't have a reason. Just roll with me. 

Overall, she'd have conflicting feelings. The first couple years would be rough but she'd learn to embrace it. 

Jesper Fahey

Jesper is my favorite Crow and my favorite in the entire show but my poor babe is not all the way there sometimes. He's not dumb by any means but ya know, sometimes he's in a silly goofy mood. 

Jesper was turned when he was in college. Keep in mind, my boy was only there for what? A WEEK?

He lost at a game of cards and instead of beating him they were like “there's this book that a dead witch supposedly wrote. There's a ritual and everything, you gotta do it or pay me”. 

Jesper was like “bet, I ain't no hoe” (probably not with those words) and did the stupid ritual which consisted of blood, rain water and some chanting and nothing happened, much to the disappointment of his college pals and him. The ritual was supposed to give him powers or something. Too bad. 

Something weird started happening. Jesper was a funny guy and liked socializing but he swore he started feeling more energy course through him when he made everyone laugh. And when he walked outside, the sun burned. It left a mark and everything. 

He started skipping classes to avoid the sun and the kids he knew were too busy to constantly visit him. Since he was alone for a couple days, he felt incredibly hungry. 

One late night he was walking to get food when a lady fell hard. Jesper, being nice, ran over to help. That's when he noticed the smell of blood and it smelt amazing. Long story short, he ended up attacking her. When he realized what happened, he took a closer look at that book. He realized they didn't inform him about the negative side effects. And sure, he somewhat got it. What were the chances of it working? But since they made him do that instead of paying up, they knew there could've been a possibility of everything going left. 

He had no idea what was happening and ended up leaving college. Not only was he out of money (that's why he was so glad he wouldn't have to pay) but he worried about who else he would attack. He ended up working for gangs and as we know, Kaz found him. 

They ended up finding out that Jesper was special. Jesper was always the main focus in a crowd so when he became a vampire, that ability turned him into an emotional vampire. He didn't have to hunt people down and feed the old fashioned way. He could feed on people by absorbing their emotions when they felt a strong emotion, such as happiness. It made him feel amazing but it made them feel drained and depending on how much he took, they could faint. 

Now he could always just bite people but absorbing emotions is bigger. 

Best part of vampirism is hypnosis. If he's well fed and feeling strong, he can just hypnotize his gambling opponent into letting him win. 

Worst part is probably the sunlight. Jesper likes nighttime, don't get me wrong, but the fact that he's limited to only moving around at night is nuts to him. Since he shouldn't be doing it, he wants to do it more.

Jesper has to be reeled in by Kaz when it comes to feeding cause Jesper honestly will go after anyone. The more challenging, the more fun. He has to constantly be reminded that the more challenging, the more chance of being caught.  

He also reminds him that he doesn't have to bite people to feed but Jesper sometimes just likes the rush. 

Probably makes a bunch of vampire puns and Kaz is tired of his shit. 

He'd be even more on edge when it comes to his dad. It'd be even more of a reason to never see him again. He would only think about it when he 100% had his hunger under control. 

Idk what eye color he'd have tbh

Overall likes being a vampire but the side effects are there. 

Nina Zenik

After Nina took Parem, things didn't look good. It was obvious to everyone that Nina was dying. 

Nina was in the know when it came to vampires. She honestly didn't care and didn't have any interest at first. But as she sat there slowly dying, she wondered what life would've been like if she asked to be bit. 

The Saints seem to be listening because Inej walked in and said she wanted to help her. Nina knew how she'd help. 

Inej was getting closer and Nina couldn't help but feel nervous. Suddenly though, she saw Matthias. Inej simply made her think she was Matthias, but Nina was so delirious that she actually thought it was him. She thought of their life together so far and what they could have in the future. Her thoughts started to slip towards something more lustful and that's when “Matthias” shoved “his” bloodied arm at her. She drank it then her neck was quickly broken. 

She awoke soon after, beginning her new life. 

Nina is a sexual vampire, meaning blood tastes the best when it's someone experiencing feelings of lust or orgasming. 

Matthias experiences lust for Nina and has said she can drink from him but she doesn't trust herself. She's worried she got him out of Hellgate only to kill him later on. 

Instead she flirts with unsuspecting men and women. No sex obviously and they don't taste as good as they could but just that little bit of lust adds something to their blood. 

Best part of vampirism would be immortality. She's living forever with her family and doesn't have to worry about getting sick or dying again. 

Immortality is also the worst part. Matthias has always said he has no interest in being a vampire and the thought of him dying makes her think she should've let herself die on the boat (until she changes him against his will but moving on-)

Probably targets men and women with low level jobs. Like the people who guard doors of some building, rich people go to. Or fishermen. People whose disappearance can just be chalked up to them being irresponsible. 

Being a vampire is kinda in the middle for her. Not great but not terrible. Sometimes she wants to go outside during the day and can't. Sometimes she wants to eat something like garlic bread and can't. Sometimes she wants to wear silver jewelry and can't. It can be a real pain. 

When Matthias is human she treats him like he's delicate, because compared to her, he is. They arm wrestle and he's down for the count. 

The stereotype is that vampires sleep in a coffin but with how big Matthias is? Yeah, no. They'll just sleep in a dark room. 

Nina doesn't exactly want kids, but with Matthias she wouldn't mind them. Now they can't have them at all though and that choice being taken away isn't fun. Honestly any choice now taken away rubs her the wrong way. 

I feel like her eyes would also be red like Kaz. 

Overall is half and half about vampirism. 

Matthias Helvar 

As we all know, Matthias ends up dying in Crooked Kingdom. He didn't want it to happen, but he accepted it. He knew this would be the end. 

Imagine his surprise when he woke up months later. 

Turns out Nina wanted to turn Matthias into a vampire but acted too late. She ended up finding a witch who was willing to do a ritual to return his spirit to his body. Side effects would be symptoms of vampirism. 

As you can imagine, Matthias was very unhappy. Nina didn't have the excuse of “oh I panicked”. No. She found a witch and instead of asking for her future to be told, she whipped out his corpse. 

As a vampire Matthias is a soul vampire. When he feeds it decreases the lifespan of his victim, sometimes even killing them. As he gets older he learns he doesn't even have to bite his victims, but he does have to be close to them. 

It'd probably take years before he forgave Nina. Matthias, like Inej, is religious and thinks Djel can't hear him anymore because of what's happened. 

For awhile he can't see a positive to this situation. When he comes around to it and starts accepting it though, I think he'd enjoy that he's strong enough to continuously help people. 

Negative is everything for a while. Especially the fact he can't be near any holy items. Also immortality. Human lives are supposed to end, now his can't end without it being extremely painful. 

Feeding wouldn't be easy for him either. Not biting them allows him to disconnect but he still knows what he's doing and that's hard for him.

He eventually would forgive Nina but would never forget what happened. 

His eyes would remain blue but it'd be a lighter and more glowy (?) blue

Doesn't wanna participate in any vampire stereotypes. No coffin, no dark colors, none of that. 

His feeding is the most discrete. Jesper's could be too but we know him. Matthias just kind of hangs around and feeds until he's full enough. 

Matthias also drinks the souls of animals. It doesn't feed him as quickly or make him as strong but he was already a big and strong guy. 

Overall is not having a good time. I think it would take years for him to accept his new life. After that, he's not exactly happy. He's just accepted it is what it is. 

Wylan Van Eck

Wylan had a terrible relationship with his father, we know that. What everyone didn't know was that the family was holding a huge secret; Jan Van Eck was a vampire. He was turned after Alys became pregnant and thought things were great. Now he could be an asshole forever 

Van Eck noticed how much better he felt so he thought if he bit Wylan, he'd be cursed of his dyslexia and could read. 

He was wrong. Dyslexia isn't a physical injury so nothing happened. This made him angry and ended up leading him to hire people to kill Wylan on the boat to Ketterdam. As we know, Wylan escaped. Van Eck was sure he'd die because of lack of food or be exposed and killed. Either was good to him. 

Wylan didn't die though. Wylan had only been a vampire for a month so his control over his thirst was terrible. He didn't wanna hurt people so he tried to stay away and hunt animals. 

Not hurting people was easier said than done though. Ketterdam is full of people and jobs require you being around people. As you can imagine, there were a few slip ups. 

Kaz recruited him not only to make bombs but also because Inej caught him feeding on someone. He just didn't notice she was there. 

Once Wylan has his thirst under control, he prefers blood bags instead of actually hunting and hurting people. 

He isn't sure what his favorite part of vampirism is since the things he loves doing (chemistry and music) don't require any vampire things. He likes telepathy once he knows how to block his own thoughts from people. It's efficient being able to “whisper” to other people and Wylan is a bit nosey. When you're gonna live forever, you're gonna wanna hear drama. 

I think his least favorite part wouldn't be a specific part of vampirism. He'd just hate how he used to be. Whenever he thinks about how little control he had, it'd scare him. It shows how much of a monster he can be and he doesn't want that. 

I wanna give everyone red eyes but I'll say his are orange or yellow. Why? Idk. 

The type of vampire that legit forgets he's a vampire. Inej is like “want me to bring you back something to eat?” and he's like “oh sure. I heard this new spot just opened-”. 

Probably was gonna walk outside for a casual walk and another Crow had to grab him by the collar and pull him inside. 

“What's wrong?” “Wylan. The sun.” “What about it?.... oh”

This isn't me saying he's dumb, he just genuinely forgets. His mind is on other stuff all the time. 

Vampires become his hyper fixation and he starts saying random ass myths about vampires at all hours 

“Did you know people used to believe that you could trick a vampire by throwing things like rice at it? Supposedly it'd be compelled to count them all” “It’s 2am Wylan. Enough is enough”

Overall I don't think he has a strong opinion on being a vampire. Having his little family makes enjoying this new life easier. 

idk why this in particular finally gave me inspiration, but FINALLY my mind isn’t completely blank.

[mariatesstruther]

maria miller facts that are 100% true because i said so - for @clickergossip because you’ve been feeding me so well

she was the copy editor of her high school yearbook AND a cheerleader AND captain of the debate team

she still does her stretches every couple of days even post-2003, so even in her 40s she can still do some flips, a backbend, the splits, and a pretty decent toe touch

tommy is a big fan of this 😏

she TOO used to smuggle and do some shady, morally dubious stuff when she was living in a QZ with her father, mostly to keep them both fed and safe and healthy. she never tells him, and he never finds out. the first time she admits this to anyone in jackson is to tommy after he tells her about his past with joel and tess

while the world ended she was at work all day, while kevin was at home with her husband. she never fully found out what happened to them; all she has is that, by the time she got home, the house was trashed and there was blood all over her floor and her walls. she tries her best not to think about this at all

she and dina’s older sister talia are best friends. after talia is killed, maria pledges to herself that she’ll watch out for dina as much as she possibly can, and she basically ends up being dina’s #1 supporter during the pregnancy and first year with JJ. she and dina trade stories about talia and promise to make sure JJ knows how amazing his auntie tal was

sometimes JJ reminds maria so much of kevin that she has to step out of the room

maria has a secret stash of weed that her and talia kept in a jar under a loose floorboard in her house. she rolls joints with rose petals 🌹

maria is lowkey extremely scared of horses, but she doesn’t tell anyone for the sake of keeping up her reputation. one day when she and tommy are cleaning out the stables, a snake startles one of the horses so bad it bucks and kicks over a metal barrel. maria jumps so high and screams so loud it startles tommy, too, and suddenly he and her and this fucking horse are all needing to take a deep goddamn breath together. when she finally admits it, he’s like: ??????? ive seen u ride and get on a horse like you were born on a farm????? what?????

still, from then on, tommy is almost always at maria’s side when she has to mount and dismount her horse. because he talked to a few certain people about a few certain things, she pretty much exclusively rides this calm, beautiful blonde thoroughbred named cleo

maria first recognizes joel in ep 1x06 by his accent and the cadence of his voice. it’s so close to tommy that it immediately throws her, and when he says he’s looking for his brother, well—she obviously needs to know his mf name right away

maria needs to move closer to joel on her horse in that scene because she is severely nearsighted. homegirl needs glasses BAD. she can’t see for shit

tommy searches for glasses for her on every patrol. it is his ultimate life’s goal to find his wife some mf corrective lenses

it takes maria three weeks to convince tommy she is okay to go out on patrols while pregnant. it’s not like he’s being controlling or anything, but her pregnancy is very triggering for him anxiety- and nightmare-wise, and she wants to wait until both of them are comfortable with the decision before she takes any risks. they both settle on the compromise that it feels safe enough for her to go out on patrols with larger groups, as long as they stick to areas that have already been cleared of infected and are accompanied by the dogs

maria is a cat person. she would take care of her neighborhood strays as a kid. by year 10 in jackson, there is a thriving colony of strays that basically live out of her and tommy’s tool-turned-cat-shed at the back of their house

along with tommy, the entirety of the jackson community is invested in making sure maria has a safe and peaceful pregnancy. people start going to tommy and joel with problems that used to come to her, and part of it really annoys her because she knows she’s just as capable as she’s always been. still, a larger deeper part of her is deathly terrified to have this baby, so she ultimately appreciates the extra help and rest

she doesn’t ever tell joel or ellie, but she has a Very Emotional Pregnancy-Brain Breakdown because she’s anxious that ellie will never like her and joel will never like her and then tommy will leave and she’ll be alone with a baby she id scared to have and then the baby will never like her, either. it takes tommy an hour to calm her down—by the end of it, he’s crying a little bit too. he hugs her and kisses her and promises that he’ll never, ever leave—that’s it’s in his dna, his blood, to love her, just as much as it’s in his blood to be joel’s brother—and that he’ll spend his life at her and their child’s side. she believes him

when he does leave in tlou 2, she goes into their bedroom and trashes it completely—rips all the clothes out the closet, pulls down the dressers and shelves, throws his stupid fucking knick-knacks at the walls until they break, strips their bed her bed and rips the sheets. she locks herself in her home and doesn’t speak to anyone for two days; it’s the longest in jackson history that maria goes without working, aside from the week baby miller was born. the members of jackson make sure to leave her alone

when tommy gets back, she continues to refuse to speak to him while simultaneously sitting at his beside in the infirmary for a week straight

seth and maria have had beef that literally stems from the very start of establishing jackson. he’s just a fucking ass. FUCK seth like i will make a whole post about her beef with seth

maria and joel have mutual hate for seth. we’ve discussed this already over here lmfao, they get together and drink and talk shit about him at least twice a week while tommy and ellie have mischief time

sometimes maria and ellie will hear joel or tommy say some southernism that’s so unfamiliar and twangy to them it’s ridiculous, and together they instantly break out into hyper-exaggerated accents to mock them. the miller boys rolls their eyes but they obviously find it to be pretty adorable and hilarious

maria and ellie are not allowed to be on the same team for board game night anymore because they win everything and it is no fun for tommy >:(

tommy does metalsmithing and makes trinkets and jewelry with charms for maria whenever she gets the chance. the first time he makes a loc charm for her, she cries

maria knows how to make those cool patterned woven bracelets out of string and yarn. she teaches ellie how to make some so that she can make valentine’s day bracelets for dina

she visits jackson’s preschool sometimes and it’s so fun because all the jackson littles absolutely LOVE her. at first they think she’s kinda scary because she’s the Serious Boss Lady everybody and their families talk to upon first entering jackson, but one day at the beginning of the schoolyear she comes in and shows the preschoolers that she can do a cartwheel—from then on they’re all absolutely obsessed

[derelictheretic]

Finally getting to this (a day before wednesday but shhh) I was most recently tagged by @clicheantagonist @detectivelokis @ishwaris @adelaidedrubman @socially-awkward-skeleton @kyber-infinitygems Thank you all <3

Sending tags out to @deputyash @wrathfulrook @trench-rot @florbelles @unholymilf @v0idbuggy @shallow-gravy @strangefable @bluemojave @trashcatsnark @megraen @wewillryesagain @henbased @jollybone @rejected-beater !!

FIRST a Lola wip that is technically apart of a long fic wip that is. Rough. It's going rough, need to slow down the pace by a hundred. Pray for me :">

Warning(s): Canon-typical violence, Lola saw the copter go down and chose violence, shoot first have rational thought later, tries to pull a bullet out of her shoulder but shit is slippery, no one is being niceys to her rn....

The bullet lands between his eyes, tearing skin and cracking through the thin layer of skull. Red blossoms like a flower on his face as he falls and Lola's eyes skitter away as shouts and rushed footsteps come from the buildings. Peggies flood out like roaches—and that's just what they are. Lola knows it, soulless, brainless, roaches with no direction and only one goal. And she was the exterminator, each bullet and each body that dropped another act of good service she'd be praised for when she and her friends were all safe and sound back in the sheriff's department. 

Staci would pat her on the shoulder and Joey would raise her bottle in cheers, Dean and James would lift her up on their shoulders and walk her around the office as everyone applauded her bravery and saving the day. That's how it would go down.

She smiles at the thought, as more bodies drop and her clip runs out. She races forward to one with a rifle, hitting the barrel upward and feeling the heat as it fired and she rammed her shoulder into the owners sternum. The woman grunts and falls back into the dirt, Lola steals the rifle from her hands and brings the butt of it down onto her cheek, hearing a brutal crack with the force before feeling a sharp sting in her shoulder. She hisses and whips around, rolling and falling onto her ass as she aims at the offender who held a gun aimed right between her eyes. She gets the shot off first and he falls in a mangled heap on the ground.

Reaching around Lola expects blood, and there was a lot of it, but a small bullet was poking out of her skin and she grunts as her fingers slip over it, trying to find purchase. She'd pull it out if she could only get a grip on it.

"Don't hit anywhere vital! The Father wants them all alive!" 

A disembodied voice shouts from within the chaos, distant as Lola's head becomes heavy and dizzy. She uses the rifle to push herself to her feet, shuffling to cover as more bullets whiz past her. She shakes her head and readies the rifle for another shot. She was the exterminator, a small bite wouldn't dissuade her from finishing the job. Even as her limbs begin to tingle, she rises from her hiding spot and fires off more shots, they were sloppier than before and only two bodies dropped from her four wayward bullets.

Her grey eyes drift at the sound of familiar voices and her body goes stiff at the sight of Joey and Staci. A gaggle of peggies hold onto them, dragging them kicking and screaming across the dirt. Dogs run past them, big and angry and headed straight for Lola. Those weren't roaches, she whines, eyes flickering between the animals and her friends. Joey's eyes meet hers, tearstained face an infuriating and painful sight and Lola can't tell if she screams for her to run or help. It had to be help, she had to be screaming for help.

Lola pushes her body forward again, her limbs uncoordinated as she forces herself into a run, jumping onto one of the ugly benches and jumping over the gnashing teeth of the dogs. Her boots hit the dirt and another sting of pain blooms but this time from her calf. She gasps but keeps going, raising the rifle and taking a shot at one of the men holding Joey's arm. She gets his shoulder, Joey elbows him in the face and she falls to the dirt. Lola grins and cheers weakly, happy she gave her friend an opening. But it's all short lived as a blunt force makes impact with the back of her head. 

And I've got a thousand art wips (on top of the comms i'm workin on lmao) so here's a peak at a Single Parent Crossover AU piece, the peggie dean wip, deputy squad short comic, anya illustration I fear will never be finished annnnnd a set of paintings of the Seeds I'm working on (Jacob's is already done, these are taking so long to do I may perish)

[bluestar22x]

Second Chance Life

Second Chances (Part 1): Second Chance Life

Summary: Marcus saves a stranger while off duty (aka Elena’s worst day ever) - Elena POV

Pairing: Marcus Moreno x OFC!Elena

Rating: 18+ series, 13+ rated chapter

Warnings: Foul language

Word Count: 1,144

Author’s Note: This flowed right out of me

xxx

Series Masterlist

xxx

Today couldn’t get any worst, you thought, pulling your right foot and the now sopping wet shoe attached to it out of the puddle you’d just stumbled into.

It was pouring rain out, it was cold, you’d forgotten your umbrella at home, and somehow that was just the tip of the iceberg of the worst day you could ever remember in your thirty-two long years.

You’d been forced to stay overtime. Getting out of the city middle school at six at night instead of your usual three o’clock sign out because of a last minute meeting all staff were forced to attend due to concerns over recent student behavior and new academic policies (you had no idea why you, the librarian, had to be there, but whatever).

Going back farther in the day, you’d been forced to confront a student trying to steal a priceless book that wasn’t supposed to leave the library (maybe that was why you were included in the meeting), and earlier still you’d been late to work because you’d forgotten to turn on your phone alarm. And to top that off, you’d stubbed your big toe when you had jumped out of bed in a rush. Hard.

It wasn’t like these events or similar hadn’t happened to you before, but it was dreadful that it had happened again, all at once, on the same freakin day. 

Thank God it’s Friday?

You stomped over to the nearest crosswalk and slammed down the button that let the pedestrian beacon know you were there and that you wanted to cross the street (one more block until home sweet home) and tapped your dry foot impatiently on the wet asphalt beneath you, anxious to recline back on your couch in dry clothes with your dog Ginger and watch the Halloween movie marathon on the Freeform channel. You didn’t watch it all month long since it got repetitive, but you were looking forward to watching Casper that night.

You didn’t get to.

When the signal changed from don’t walk to walk you eagerly stepped onto the crosswalk, charging across it, failing to notice that the driver of the black Suburban in the right lane had ran the red light (what a dick) and with the slippery road conditions wasn’t going to be able to stop the vehicle in time to avoid hitting you (he hadn’t thought of swerving, the dumbass).

At the last second you noticed the massive SUV barreling down on you, but you had no time to react. There was only a flash of fear. You couldn’t even brace yourself for impact.

And then there was a loud squeal of tires as the vehicle was redirected very forcibly over and onto the sidewalk, the back end clipping you, causing you to lose your footing and fall to the road.

For a few moments you sat there, dazed and confused, pain flaring in your right shoulder, but nothing so bad as to suggest anything was out of place or broken (thankfully). You figured you could be wrong though.

“Are you okay?”

The voice was rough but warm and kind, and you could hear an honestly concerned tone to it.

You glanced up to see the face of a man in his early forties kneeling next to you, ignoring the rainwater soaking through his dark blue jeans because of it.

Maybe you’d had your common sense knocked out of you because suddenly all you could focus on was him. His short medium brown hair that slightly curled along the sides of his head due to dampness, his soulful brown eyes hidden behind thick rimmed glasses, his strongly curved nose and equally strong jaw gentled by a closely trimmed beard, his broad shoulders, his narrow waist, and his surprisingly large hands, one of which reached out to your good shoulder to give it a light squeeze, snapping you out of your ogling (not the time for that).

“A colleague of mine is in contact with 911,” he informed you calmly. “The ambulance should be here within a few minutes. What’s your name?”

You shook, finding yourself coming down from the adrenaline rush you’d gotten by nearly being run over. “Elena.”

“Hello, Elena,” he greeted you with a wryly smile. “I’m Marcus. Wish we were meeting under better circumstances, but here we are.”

You couldn’t help but smile weakly back. You got the sense that Marcus’ smile was a wee bit contagious. Or maybe it was just you. You tended to be that way around handsome men.

You got it in your head that you wanted to kneel too, to get your ass out of the water if nothing else, but as soon as you put pressure on your limbs to push yourself into that position, you immediately regretted it, hissing at the ache blooming from your bruised muscles.

Marcus noticed the noise and the wince that followed. “Are you okay?” he repeated again.

“I think so,” you responded, a hitch in your voice. “I’m just really sore. I don’t think anything’s broken, but I’ve never broken anything, so how would I know, right?”

His expression remained serious, but his eyes revealed amusement over you rambling on about broken bones. 

You took a moment to glance around at the large crowd gathering, and at the Suburban that had nearly killed you. It had crashed into the nearest street lamp and the driver’s door was ajar. You surmised that the driver was probably long gone, not seeing anyone standing around like they owned the thing (Again, dumbass. Also, asshole.).

As if you’d been purposely blocking out all background noise, you could suddenly hear everything around you. The loudest noises being the people around you chatting amongst themselves and an ambulance that was fast approaching in the distance.

Something occurred to you as the sounds rushed back to you. You stared into Marcus’ eyes. “He wasn’t braking. He wasn’t swerving. How’d he avoid me?”

“He didn’t,” Marcus admitted. “I used my powers to redirect the SUV.”

You blinked up at him. He had powers? After that reveal, something started eating at you. You had the vague sense, the longer you studied him, that you knew him from somewhere.

When you figured it out, your eyes became saucers. “No way!” you exclaimed. Of all people to save you. “You’re a Heroic. Marcus Moreno, no? I’ve seen you on TV plenty. Almost didn’t recognize you with the glasses. Maybe Superman’s disguise isn’t so stupid after all, huh?”

He shrugged. “Unlike Superman I need mine.”

You wanted to ask him questions about his job, what the extent of his powers were, and most of all you wanted to thank him for saving your life, but then the paramedics arrived at your side in a rush and the next thing you knew he was gone.

It was kind of a bummer, but it was just that kind of day.

[batsyforyou]

I Fought Car Thieves and Lost

And no, this isn't fake, this literally happened to me today. And the only reason I'm even making this post is to hopefully make sure that no one else makes my mistake. I mean guys, I’m 20 years old soon to be 21, about 5 '4 and barely pushing 111 pounds. I’ve never been in a situation like this and I’ve never seen a situation like this. I wouldn't even be bringing this up if I didn't think it was important. So if you're like me and have never been taught what to do in situations like this this post is for you. And I mean yeah, this is common sense but I apparently lacked all common sense unfortunately. 

Disclaimer: I have made this post with every intention of helping people with warning them, writing advice, and I have so much respect for everyone involved it was not easy. 

Trigger warnings: I will be talking about blood, police, and I’ll be mentioning guns, knives, pepper spray but be made aware there were no weapons used okay? So, please if those things bother you, scroll away. For the rest of you let me give you the basics. 

So, me and my family just moved into a small town a few months back and we run a small family business involving huge machines. The building we bought was right on the main highway and there’s two alleys beside it. My Dad and I are out in the back of the building working in the car port and moving our CnC which is basically a big automated machine that is operated by computers. I only bring this up to tell you how loud it was. I had my headphones on and I heard a scream that I thought was, “Help!” I paused and took my headphones off and listened because I thought I was hearing things at first. And I heard it again the scream for help but my reaction was, wait-is that actually a cry for help? Is this real? And there it came again and yeah it was definitely a cry for help. I took off running and when I rounded the corner I froze again because I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. 

An elderly woman was being robbed by a younger woman and it looked like they were trying to steal her purse. 

Now, I was one of the first people on the scene, if not the very first. I think the only other person there was a guy and his dog. I would say he was behind the women but I actually don’t know. He didn't help until after which is when I became aware of him. So I don’t actually know if he was there when it started and to be honest I don’t think he was. I didn’t look around or take in any other details, I only saw the two ladies fighting. If I had taken the time to look I would have seen a huge medium sized man there as well. 

I rushed in between the two and I started to try and fight the younger woman back and it's at that point that I realized that the fight wasn’t over a purse, it was over the elderly woman's car keys. Another set of arms gets into the middle of all this but I don’t actually register it but I know it's a man. The younger woman gets away from me and rushes into the driver's seat, slams the door and tries to start the car. I rush after her and reach into the open driver's window and I try to take the keys back or at least stop her from starting the car. The other pair of arms from before comes back and an arm comes in on the side, gets in the window and shoves me back. I instead run around the car and I notice a red car pull up. I open the passenger side door. I almost get in but instead I fling the door out hoping that it’ll hit the car in front to slow them down. While I’m doing this the red car tries to block them from turning around towards town. But it didn’t work and the man, A.K.A. the other pair of arms, threw open the back door behind the driver’s seat and jumped in and they barrel out of there. The red car barely dodged them and then raced out after them. But since the car isn’t there anymore I turn around to the elderly women who’d collapsed onto the cement. Blood dripped from her mouth and it was almost everywhere. This is when the man and the dog come over saying something Idk. 

Despite the fact that I have always been told to call 911 in the event of an emergency, I still stood there and asked myself, what do I do? Do I call 911? And I turned around to look for my Dad because I didn't have my phone on me and I didn’t know what to do. Behind me my Dad comes over and says to call 911. I tell him about my lack of phone and he goes to call them with his phone and heads back to our building. I talk with the woman and I try to comfort her while I and the man with the dog listen to her ramble about things I couldn’t understand. From there a lot of other people come over and start to help. And the red car pulls back up and a woman comes out from the driver's seat and moves to help the elderly woman on the floor. As she tells us that she got the license plate and had followed them out until the prison before she turned around. I glanced in her car and in the front passenger seat was her Dad and her two young boys, 12-13 years old, in the backseat. My neighbor, another elderly woman, and her son came out because this all happened in front of her fence. And they start to help out and the police come and blah blah. 

I was so stupid. Instead of being shoved to the side by that guy he could have chosen to either grab me and attack me or put me in the car, or if he had a knife on him he could have stabbed me, and if he had a gun he could have shot me. I didn’t realize these things until after everything went down and I saw my sister freaking out about 30 minutes later. 

The lesson here is to never ever do what I did unless you are a trained professional with proper training or you have a weapon and you know for sure that they do not have a gun on them. But even then I wouldn’t ever recommend getting involved like that. And if you are the victim in this situation and are being robbed, don't fight them. Whether it be your car or your purse, let it go. Whatever they are taking from you is not worth your life. (The only exception that I can think of is if someone was trying to take your kid from you.) That elderly woman was so lucky she didn’t have a heart attack or break anything when she fell. Guys, she was on oxygen. Freaking Oxygen. And yeah she was brave for fighting back but she could have gotten incredibly hurt. Thankfully she only got a cut on the lip and had managed to bite the woman’s hand so she fought hard. But I still wouldn’t recommend it. And to the people who steal and pick on the elderly, pregnant women, childern or the disabled and whoever is at a extreme disadvantage you are a fucking coward and I hope you get what you deserve.  

And I mean I was so stupid it could have gone from car thief to kidnapping or I could be in the hospital or dead and this post wouldn’t be here. Please do not ever do what I did. And yeah, this might be a little dramatic but whatever I genuinely don’t care. 

The one thing that bugs me though is that I had pepper spray in the house with my phone and everytime I think about it, if I had that on me I could have resolved the fight much faster. I could have taken out the woman but I’d then have to deal with the man after so idk how much that “what if'' would have helped me. I'm just glad they didn’t choose violence while choosing violence if that makes sense. 

To my fellow writers. Let me give you the details. 

If you have a character who either encounters a situation like this or is put into a situation like this I hope this helps. 👍 

You don't really think. 

The first few details you lay eyes on are going to determine your reaction and you only see very few details. (I’m a civilian and I have no idea if that's the same for trained professionals. They probably see a lot more.) So when you write I recommend that you don’t really describe the surroundings much if at all. Only the first key details that the character first laid eyes on. For me, the details were lady, purse, elderly lady, fighting. I didn’t think I just reacted especially in the beginning but there is a point where you do think. Like when I reached into the car window I could hear a thought racing into my head that I didn’t need to get the keys, I just needed to stall her. And when I threw open the passenger door and almost jumped in but thought better of it because “what if I get trapped and they drive off?”  

You shake. 

After everything I was shaky, not extremely shaky but enough for me to notice and go “Oh, that's weird-anyway.” My breathing even seemed shaky for a little bit and my hands shook too. It was very weird. Like the shaking wasn’t even that noticeable and wasn’t even that big a deal but it was there. About an hour after (by this point it was resolved) I still felt shaky but I wasn’t shaky if that makes sense? Like I had this feeling in my chest that I was shaky. And after the cops showed up I just told the officer where to find me if they needed me and both me and my Dad just went back to work like nothing happened. And for the victim she was shaking quite a bit too. And she was asking me for an inhaler and as an asthmatic I had one but I hadn't used it in months and had no idea where it was. So I instead decided it would be a better idea to stay and keep her calm instead of looking for something for a long period of time and not know if I'll actually find it. Also, I should have my inhaler on my person anyway but I didn't so yeah.

Time 

When everything was said and done I could have sworn it was late afternoon almost evening but when I looked at the time it was in the early afternoon like 3:15 p.m. I was so shocked. So time has no meaning with these things. 

Energy 

 I was also extremely calm after and I felt like I had energy like nothing happened. And I was fine. I mean I felt a little sore in the arm where I got shoved but I only noticed that about an hour later when the police were wandering around and everything. I’m assuming I was in such a shock and adrenaline high that when I stopped working with the police and finished my work outside I sat down and I suddenly felt so exhausted. Like I had never felt so exhausted before it was like a mix between upset tired and tired because it was a long day tired. And I had sleepy tears in my eyes but they didn’t really do anything like there was no crying, they just sat there in my eyes like “you good?”

People come together. Like they're attracted to this stuff especially after the fighting. And I mean humans kind of are anyway. Like when we keep trying to take a look at a car wreck but can’t actually see it because we're in the middle of driving and other cars block it. 

I noticed that when the woman with the red car came back and everyone started to come together to tell each other what happened from their perspective. They were interrupting each other and telling each other what they did to contribute multiple times. I didn’t really get involved with the conversation. Mostly because I felt like a kid and when I did try to tell them my side of the story they very quickly interrupted me and talked over me. Which was fine, I didn't really want to talk anyways but I did want to make sure they knew a few key details. So that the people who were also calling 911 would have a better picture to give the person on the phone. Mostly because I didn't know if my Dad had managed to find his phone and call 911. Like at first they didn’t know that there was a guy in the car with the woman I had to tell them. So don’t be afraid to have characters circle back to and repeat things again and again. People actually do that. They want to tell their part. I think it's to help them process what happened and I also think it's to relive it but still. 

Side characters and patterns.

I actually had encountered the man and woman before today. I had encountered them when I had walked up the side of my building, two days ago, and she was sitting in my old beat up saturn. In the driver’s seat while the man was in the middle of the street. I, at first, didn’t do anything because I was like “Huh? What? Is that actually my car? Is there actually a woman sitting in my car?” And I raised my voice and said “Excuse me, what the hell are you doing?” She got out of the car and closed the door, clutched her purse and went “Oh, sorry. I mean I was sitting in your car but I’m sorry.” Said sorry one more time before I cocked my head and looked at them. And with attitude but also politely because that had never happened to me before and I was alone, I said “You're sorry?” And she was like “yeah.” With a little girl voice and then the dude was like come on let's go and they walked away and down the street but not before the woman looked into the driver side window of my Dad’s truck. Right in front of me. I shouted at them again about staying away from our vehicles and I had my building's door open at that time but I again didn’t have my phone on me. I usually have my phone on me and it's weird that the two times I decided to leave it because I’d be “right back” is so weird. Like everytime I needed my phone I didn’t have it on me. We had called the police then too and gave them a report and moved our vehicles. And by the way when dealing with side characters in these situations you’d be surprised how quickly everyone teams up. Strangers work together in perfect teams (sometimes). They all have their own parts to play in helping the victims which is usually their main priority. Cause most people who gather around like this tend to have good intentions (sometimes). And btw I would have lost that car if they had managed to turn it on. 

Setting 

The scene of the crime was literally so perfect and it wasn’t even planned (I think). When we were all sharing details and POVs I learned that the man and woman had asked the elderly woman if she’d drive them into town. She had said no and mentioned only to us later on that she didn’t even do a lot of driving anyway and that the car was under her daughter’s name. After the first no the woman asked “Not even if I give you gas money?” And after the second no the woman started to steal the keys and everything. I have no idea how the elderly woman got her mouth cut and I mean she did bite the lady but still. I have no idea. Anyway, I looked around and noticed that what the elderly woman had pulled over for was the garage sale that had a “everythings free” sign. And she said she was going to ask my neighbor if everything really was for free when she was attacked. But literally if you're standing back from everything looking in from the street you have a huge tree that sits at the corner of the alley. It's untrimmed and blocks most of the corner sidewalk and it also blocks my building. So you wouldn't have seen anything if you’d walked by and never walked down the sidewalk. You also have more plant life on this high fence that the garage sale was leaning against and the only thing from my neighbors property that could have allowed for a witness was one small empty window. And on the other side of the street a dude lives in a place with boarded up windows and isn’t even there 99% of the time and is the only building on that side of the street. At the far end of the sidewalk was another untrimmed plant and another alley and a building that had its windows covered. If the elderly woman hadn’t screamed for help no one would have known. I mean I wouldn’t have. I never look down that sidewalk ever. But now that I think about it probably was planned. And since we had moved in pretty recently in terms of months my family didn’t have security cameras up yet. Which sucked cause it would have been nice to have footage and everything but oh well.

The fight 

The elderly woman had been up against one of those white plastic tables at like fairs or something and was in a corner when it happened. And to be honest some of what happened during the fight or whatever I can’t even remember. Like I couldn’t tell you which side of the car I ran around. Was it the back or the front? Idk and in some of my memories I have no idea how I even got there or what I did but I know what I did if that makes sense? So, while I know a lot of what happened was pushing and grabbing no one actually threw hands at each other although I probably should have. So think about that when you write your scene not everyone thinks to punch each other in situations like this. And I think that's very interesting to think about. And apparently my dad had come up to see me rush to the side of the driver’s window to try and get the keys and get shoved and then watch me go for the passenger door. He says that he shouted at me to let go because he thought that I was gonna hold on to it but I didn’t hear him let alone know he was there until I went looking for him. I didn’t hear anything. Just the lady screaming to stop them and even I only heard that once despite the fact she said it repeatedly. I know this because again everyone likes to share their part. One thing I know is that what happened was very noisy but I didn’t hear any of it. When I think about what happened in my perspective, there is no sound. No car doors slamming, no shouting, nothing. Also, I don’t know if I mentioned this before but I didn't fight back against the shove because I saw it was a man and I assumed he was trying to help. Because I saw it was the same pair of muscular arms from before and thought “yeah, you do it your stronger anyway.” Idk why but I thought that as important to note.  Because I didn’t even realize until later that the dude was in on it. 

Your character 

Your character doesn’t have to be the hero. They could be the victim or the woman in the red car or a passenger in that red car. Imagine being in the backseat of your friend's car who then gets involved in stopping a crime and almost gets you T-boned when the culprit escapes. Imagine how that mom must have felt knowing her kids and her own Dad were in the car with her. Like whoever your character is, they don’t have to know everything while coming to help. Example. Your character could be my neighbor or my neighbor's son. Her son had called the police and asked the woman if she wanted a chair to sit on instead of the floor and my neighbor asked if she wanted a glass of water. Things I didn’t think about I mean I got her a towel for the bleeding but that's nothing. I mean there were chairs in the garage sale right behind me and I didn’t once think about getting her off the floor. And they still told their side of the story a few times as well and my neighbor's son had done most if not all the talking of collecting information from everyone and talking to the police. He came in and decided to take charge and lead everyone. And the dude with the dog went to find the woman’s address and went to tell her husband what happened. A ton of people came to see what was happening but so little did anything. Flight, fight, freeze. Most came and freezed others who came just left and I was the only one who acted during the act not just after. I helped during, after and with the police and others helped after if that makes sense? So when writing, think about what if things did go south? Did your character get stuffed in the car? Did your character get stabbed or shot? Or did your character get into the vehicle while it was leaving like I almost did and did they get shoved out the door of a moving vehicle or something else entirely? Or maybe they just watched and didn’t get involved? Idk that's up to you. 

Blood

It dripped from her mouth and she tried to stop it by putting her hands over it. And it dripped a little trail onto concrete and blood dripped onto her shoes and everything. In her hands, down her arms and off her elbows. She had been standing before she fell too.  Bloody mouth as well. And the tone of voice with which the elderly woman screamed is also important to note. My Dad said that he’s almost 70 years old and had never heard someone scream like she did so think about that as well. Oh, and everyone came after the third scream for help Idk why but I think that's important to note. 

I hope this helps people. Hopefully when you write you have this to kinda base your story’s events on. Like some kind of outline. And I hope people take this as a lesson on what not to do as well. I should put another disclaimer here but I am not a professional anything. And I actually don't know what advice is or isn't good. I'm just telling you what I think would have been the better thing to do for my situation.

Anyway, stay safe guys and God Bless. 💕

And don't be me.

[codenamehazard]

.:Embers in the Forge:.

Chapter 19: Embers in the Forge

Hey guys!

This was also a chapter that gave me some grief trying to write out and sound right, but hopefully it does and everything looks and sounds good! Big thanks to @rogueshadeaux for helping me get my head on straight! I was really overthinking it. Everyone go check out InFAMOUS: Erosion! Especially the latest chapter! It's really good and you won't regret it!

Let's jump in!

--------

I lean my back against the wall of the workshop, music fills the room as Kestrel pulls out the tools and the cart that I had put the pieces of the Amp on. I’m thankful that she gave me permission to be here a few days ago when I asked her to fix it… Not that I needed it. Permission or not, I’m not letting the Amp out of my sight, not until she’s fixed and back slinged onto my backpack, but the permission makes it easier on the both of us. Besides, if she has any questions or I remember something that could be useful, I’m here to help

I watch as the silvery snakes grow from the spot in the middle of her back, the seat of all Conduits’ power, coiling and writhing like living vines 2… 3… 4 of them, maybe more. It’s still so fascinating to see power expression like that, and now that Kestrel wasn’t panicking over some cancer-tumor monster barreling into town ready to turn everyone into lunch, she’s much more relaxed, more in her element. It shows in how she moves, everything just flowing more naturally, she can take her time. I ain’t gonna rush her, I’m willing to give her all the time in the world to make sure the Amp is back in her prime.

However…

My mind flicks back to that day and the nuclear meltdown that was Pangolin verbally tearing into Kestrel like a rabid dog over the goddamned prototype. I don’t know how stubborn or idiotic the brain-dead buckethead is, but I wouldn’t put it past him to try and pull something stupid. Showing up to harass Kestrel while she’s working and like hell I’m going to let that walking liability fuck up her concentration, putting the Amp at risk of being damaged more because the bastard can’t leave well enough alone. Hopefully that idiot will be smart enough to read the sign she left for him out front and leave her alone.

My keen ears pick up the sound of thudding footsteps and the opening of a door, speak of the devil and he shall appear. Guess he’s as big of an idiot as I’m thinking of him now.

Pangolin steps in, his eyes looking around as he peeks in. I can feel my energy surge from the spot on my own back into my arms as I go on high alert. Pango’s eyes widen in fear as he sees me, good. He knows I’m here. I curl my scarred lips into a snarl as I notice him look at Kestrel, who has just turned around. He better not be thinking about doing what I think he’s going to do. If that bastard starts giving Kes shit, I will not hesitate to drag him outside for a good “talking to.” He approaches the Gunsmith, I’m about to step in and she’s about to say something, but he speaks before anything can happen.

“Kestrel… I’m sorry.”

We both stare at him with a look of shock (and my mind lets out a sigh of slight relief) at the sound of that, but Kestrel’s surprise is short lived as she narrows her eyes, the once relaxed and lifeful shine turning to something hardened and cold, like the very steel she could mold and shape.

“What…?” The Gunsmith questions with venom in her voice.

“Look…” Pangolin starts. “I’m sorry for… Riding your ass as hard as I’ve been when I should have been cutting you some slack.” Kestrel just shakes her head.

“That’s it?” She snaps, the Brick Spartan looks at her with a confused expression. “You think that you’re going to waltz into my shop like you own the place, apologize and then everything’s gonna go back to normal?” I watch her tendrils start to take on a biomechanical look as they darken into a wrought iron color.

“I get it Kestrel, I get it!” The brickheaded idiot blabbers out. “I got a little to in my emotions and I got carried away!” Carried away?! Is that what they’re calling it now?? The tendrils quickly move away from the Amp before twitching and writhing like enraged serpents.

“If you had “got it,” you would have read the sign!” She snarls out.

“He’s here and he’s barged in before!” Pangolin gestures towards me and I am about to deck him before Kestrel interrupts.

“I gave Cole permission, I revoked yours!” She hisses out. “Just cut the crap, Pangolin. Why are you here?”

“To apologize to you for how I’ve been treating you lately!” He balks out. 

“No, that’s not why. Because if you were truly sorry, you would have taken the fucking hint and not have barged in here. So I have to question, are you really sorry for what you did or are you just saying it because you oh-so suddenly remembered who was the one making the weapons for everyone? Huh?! You just apologizing to get back in my good graces so you can get your toy privileges back, hm?”

The fucker had the audacity to look shocked at Kestrel doubting his authenticity; guess what jackass, people tend to do that when you treat them like shit and start questioning their authenticity over petty bullshit.

“Kes, I-” The idiot is quickly cut off with a loud screeching hiss from the Gunsmith.

“Don’t call me that.” She snaps. “And I don’t want to hear any of your excuses, not a single one. All the things you snarled at me, holding a mistake over my head, calling me a child when I was in the middle of a fucking breakdown, accusing me of things you know damn well I didn’t do, all of that? You can’t take that back. Those words won’t be easily forgotten. Those wounds will scar and my trust in you is fractured. A pitiful little “I’m sorry” isn’t going to fucking cut it.”

“How else am I supposed to show that I’m genuine?” He questions, I resist the urge to facepalm.

“You can start by getting out and leaving me alone!!” The Gunsmith damn near roars at Pangolin. He has the nerve to look hurt, but thankfully for him, he takes the hint and leaves, but not before giving me a questioning glance. Tch, whatever. Kestrel sighs, sounding exhausted, before turning around and back to her workstation.

I let out a breath before going back to leaning on the wall, uncrossing my arms and popping my knuckles before turning my head toward Kes. I frown when I notice there is a little bit of a… “Hitch in her giddyup” as my cousin would have put it. Her movements, they have become more timid, hesitant even, and her eyes glance back at the door from time to time.

“This is stupid…” She mutters to herself. “I should just forgive him and get it over with….” My eyebrows furrow at that, now I know what’s going on. Doubt is infecting her thoughts, harshing her focus. Just as I feared Pangolin’s presence would do. She continues to ramble and mutter, going on about forgiveness and its virtue, but also how she’s hurting inside and debating on if she should forgive him at all. Almost on instinct, I blurt out.

“Don’t question your choice, Kes.”

I hold back a small chuckle as I see the girl jump as she turns around to look at me, her tendrils gently placing the parts and tools back on the table.

“What?” She questions, looking confused. “What brought that up?”

“Your movements and mutterings.” I state simply as I gesture with my hand. “Sounds like you’re doubting yourself.” She lets out a defeated sigh and slumps a bit, the tendrils losing their shine and wilting like plants.

“It’s… A mix of doubt and guilt…” She admits, looking at the scrap of the damned weapon that started all this mess in the first place, sitting in a crucible to be melted down. “The logical part of me wants to forgive this mess. The quickest way to put it behind us and get things back on track and back to normal. After all, it’s pointless to hold grudges and they end up being a waste of energy in the long run… But… I’m still so hurt… That he said all that to me…” She glares at the crucible before a tendril grabs it and shoves it into the forge.

“So does that mean you want that brick idiot to keep treating you like shit?” I ask, she looks at me like I’m crazy and shakes her head. “I don’t know if all of this is normal or not, but from what I've been seeing, he appears to be a bit too comfortable with how he’s been treating you to be a one-off thing.” She shakes her head.

“No… Normally he’s even keeled… He’s never treated me this badly before… At least, not that I can remember… This is all recent and I have no idea what’s gotten into him.” The Gunsmith picks up a small piece of smooth metal and starts to rub her thumb over it, looking down at it. “I don’t… I just don’t understand… I do want him to stop and just… Let me breathe.” I sigh and walk over to the table, pulling up a box and propping my foot up onto it, allowing myself to rest my weight on my knee.

“Regardless if this is old or new behavior, the result is still the same.” I point out. “He treated you poorly, held something over your head even though we had all promised to let it go and blamed you for something you didn’t do all because of a malfunction you had no control over.”

The look in her eyes tells me she’s still fighting with herself, I sigh softly. Maybe a little life experience might help her, seeing as Pangolin is her friend and all.

“Look… Kestrel…” I start slowly, trying to find the right tone before taking a breath. “The one who made the Amp? Me and him had a… Falling out… If you will…. He hurt me real bad and I wanted nothing to do with him… Didn’t stop him from trying to make it right.”

The girl tilts her head at me, but she stays silent, just as she did the night I asked her to repair the weapon in question…. “She’s listening to me….” My thoughts whisper in my mind. Trying not to show my surprise, I take her silence as permission to continue.

“Point is… It took me a long time for me to forgive him after what he did. Granted, I treated him like shit and I still regret that to this day… But at the time, I wasn’t ready to forgive him. I still needed to heal.” I murmur softly, my eyes cast downwards as I remember those bitter memories. “Forgiveness is a privilege, not a right, It’s up to you to decide when the privilege is earned.”

I can see her eyes darting as she processes the information before looking towards me.

“Why are you telling me this?” She questions. I take a moment to think. It is a good question. Why am I doing this? All I can do is shrug.

“Guess I wanted to give you some food for thought… Or maybe to let you know I get where you’re coming from.”

She narrows her eyes a little, but she shrugs before taking a deep breath and sighing. I can see in her eyes there’s something still bothering her, but she seems to be putting a pin in it for now.

“ Thanks…” She whispers softly. “For having my back…”

“Mmm.” I hum in response before nodding my head. I watch her stretch her arms and tendrils out before going back to working on the Amp. The tension now more relaxed and loose. I watch her as she works her magic.

I can’t help but to think to myself what a sight this is to watch, granted I have seen it before with me barging in when she was working on the core of the brickzooka, but this… This is something else entirely.

The tendrils shine with a renewed splendor as they move gracefully around. Every piece of the Amp is picked up with gentlest of grasps, akin to handling the most delicate of jewelry. Every action deliberate and methodical, purposeful. Her hands ghost over the remains with a touch analytical, yet respectful. Both hand and tentacle working together to study the Amp down to the smallest of details, the tendrils would split into filaments to get into the nooks and crannies. It made me nervous, but it is clear what she was doing. She’s trying to get to know the weapon…

She’s trying to know it not only as I do, but as Zeke did. Down to the very components and materials used.

My mind starts to slip into the similar spell that it fell into the last time as I watch her fluid movements, now more flowy with her more relaxed mind, and I begin to notice something interesting. Her methodical actions flowed with the rhythm, like she’s part of the music. My ears can hear how the sounds of her tinkering and work synced with the melody, the whole thing almost like a performance. Everything just moving so smoothly and in time… It is… Quite the sight.

I close my eyes and just… Listen to the music. My head almost instinctively started to bob and sway to the beat. Everything is just… So soothing. When my mind figures out the rhythm of the song, I start to hum along. I don’t care if the Gunsmith could hear it. I guess one could say I’m getting into the zone right along with her.

I hate to admit it, I really do, but I’d be lying to myself if I said that I’m not enjoying the shared calm. Turns out that when Kestrel isn’t being an absolute pain in my ass and wanting to start trouble and provoke me, she’s… Not too bad to be around… Though it could be the isolation talking. Been alone for so long that the human need for comradery is latching onto any human who would be willing to give me the time of day.

Still… The fact that she’s even doing this despite all the shit we put each-other through? Speaks volumes of her character.

I can feel the ghost of a smile form on my face as I continue to hum, getting lost in the music and the company. I got so lost in it that I didn’t hear the door open and Mako walk inside. "Hey Kes!"