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calif0rnia-lovers · 4 years ago

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MBJ Alphabet | Choker.

twenty-six fluffy/smutty stories, long over-due. a mixture of reader/oc fics divided amongst mike & the characters he has played. based on the word suggestions received for each letter of the alphabet. updated out of order, based on your votes. can be tracked under mbj alphabet in my tags for mobile users. check out the prompts & submit your vote for what you’d like to see next. feedback always welcomed

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Pairing: Erik Stevens x Black!OC

Summary: It’s midterm season again at MIT. Cue copious amounts of coffee and group study sessions. Erik’s distraction comes from Jaz’s favorite accessory

Words: 1.8K

Erik doesn’t play when it comes to his grades, but that’s not the reason he’s in the library at nine-thirty on a Saturday night. Any other Saturday, you wouldn’t dare catch Erik in the library. By this time, he is typically done working over one of the many girls he has wrapped around his finger.

Speaking of "one of the many girls" -- that’s why Erik has interrupted his usual Saturday night routine with a trip to the library.

Jasmine Stewart.

She may be one of the many girls that have entered the orbit of Erik Stevens, but she is definitely not wrapped around his finger. If we consider the sole reason Erik is in the library, it might be the other way around.

Erik can’t remember the last time he actually studied. He’s never had to. He hears the information once, and he’s good. That’s why he received the sight of rolling eyes upon his arrival.

“What?”

Jaz bites her tongue as she watches Erik drop into the chair next to hers. When he chased her down, after class, with a smile and "you got one more spot on that list?" Jaz had extremely low expectations.

She has crossed paths with Erik for the last year and has never witnessed him step foot in the library or attend a single study session. This is why, as her eyes pass over his lack of-- well lack of anything -- Jaz shakes her head.

As she meets his playful eyes, she redirects her attention to the study guide before her.

“You’re late, Stevens.” She replies, raising her pencil to point towards the clock. “Twenty-seven minutes late to be exact, without a single book. Which is why we started without you.”

“You didn’t think I’d show up?”

“Can you blame me?” Disregarding the rolling of Erik's eyes, Jaz easily swipes his hand away preventing him from dragging her chair closer to his. Instead, he settles for moving his chair closer. “It’s Saturday night, and trust me, we all know what you do on Saturday nights.”

Jaz’s eyes roll as Erik's arm drapes along the back of her chair. She knows pushing it away is pointless. Primarily because the smile she had intended on suppressing, has already made its way across her face.

Now that her previous statement has had a chance to set in, Jaz's smile is gone. Erik's smile, however, has grown in size as he watches Jaz's gaze drop from his. It lingers on his lips for a brief moment before she pauses to clear her throat.

Blinking, Jaz redirects her attention to the stack of study guides before her.

"Um...I made these for everyone," she offers, blindly pushing a copy in his direction.

"Thanks."

Even after her focus has shifted, Jaz knows the remainder of the session will be useless. At least with Erik seated alongside her. He doesn't bother to read the study guide she spent hours creating. His gaze, instead, is preoccupied with regarding her.

The worst part about Erik's gaze is that it is unapologetic--shameless. It lingers on each of her features, somehow evoking vivid memories of how they felt beneath his lips.

An all too familiar heat that only rouses in his presence spreads across Jaz's skin as she attempts to concentrate on her notes. Shifting forward, she rests her elbows against the table, trying to increase the space separating their bodies. The feeble attempt does little to help her focus.

And he knows it.

The last time Erik was this close was a week ago. Jaz was pinned against the fridge in his apartment. And Erik's hand wasn’t rapping against the back of her seat. It was wrapped around Jaz's throat while he watched her come undone for the second time that morning.

The memories of last Saturday, that melded into Sunday morning, quickly flood her mind. The smile on Erik’s lips morphs into a grin as Jaz shifts in her seat, her legs uncrossing, fingers toying with the black lace around her neck.

It was a nervous tick. One Erik noticed she only seemed to display beneath his gaze. No matter how quick she was with her words, Jaz toyed with her necklaces when nervous. A tick that made it impossible for Erik not to think about kissing her neck each time he witnessed it.

Today’s distraction is Jaz's favorite black lace choker. With her long, dark locks pulled into a high ponytail, it’s easy for Erik to see that the evidence from their last encounter still marks her skin.

If it weren’t for the fading hickies meticulously placed along her skin, barely covered by the thin lace, Erik would’ve accepted he dreamed their encounter.

Because after he’d interrupted her making coffee for a round of half-sleep, lazy sex, Erik had stopped to take a shower. By the time he had found a towel and stepped back into the kitchen, Jaz was gone.

She hadn't even bothered to leave coffee in the pot for him. Once they saw each other in class that following Monday, Jaz was back to addressing Erik Stevens with the same amount of energy she had the past several months. Little to none.

When she came home with him that first night, Erik hadn’t initially planned on calling her the next day.

Relationships aren’t really his thing.

But he did at least anticipate a phone call -- shit, even a text.

They always come. No matter if Erik never bothers to respond half the time, they always come. Not from Jaz.

“Speaking of Saturday night,” Erik sighs. His eyes drop to follow the action of her fingers as they trace the lace against her skin. “You lose my number or something?”

This question is enough to raise her eyes from her notes. Erik earns a smile as Jaz’s eyes meet his.

"When you popped smoke-"

“Or something.” A light shrug accompanies Jaz's words. Putting her pen down, she shifts in her seat to find Erik's eyebrow raised, his lips turned up into a grin. “And I did not pop smoke. Especially when you're Mr. Can't Sleep With The Same Girl More Than Once."

"Okay," Erik chuckles. He runs his tongue across his lower lip, dragging Jaz's mind straight back to the last Saturday. “Last I checked, we definitely went more than once-”

Shaking her head, in a feeble attempt to clear it, Jaz ignores the smile she receives in response.

"So, what?" Jaz huffs, the sarcasm in her voice surprisingly strong. "Is this where you tell me that you showed up tonight to say I'm the exception to the rule, and you suddenly wanna take me out?"

"I didn’t say all that-"

"Good," she smiles as she pushes her chair back. Standing, she retrieves the sticky note from her notebook. “I don’t have time for a boyfriend, so you can save the whole I'm not emotionally available speech."

"And pick up with what comes after?" He chuckles as he falls into step alongside her.

She's not sure why the proposition throws her off, but Jaz glances in Erik's direction.

"No," she laughs. The sound does not sound nearly as convincing as she intends. "Did you get up to annoy me or help me?"

"I'll help you," Erik shrugs as she stops to double-check the author on the sticky note. "Just tell me what you need."

"You wanna help me out?" Jaz lifts the sticky note. She presses it firmly against his chest, stopping his hands from finding her waist. "Help me find this book."

Jaz may have had pure intentions when she stood up from the table. Erik, on the other hand, might not have.

In fact, if anyone in their study group could find the brainpower to look up from their notes, they would notice Erik is nowhere to be seen.

And has been M.I.A. for nearly ten minutes.

While his classmates stress over the quickly approaching midterms, Erik is deep in the stacks. His teeth cutting into her lip, catching the whimpers that spill from Jaz as his fingers stretch her open.

His thrusts are relentless and meticulous, melding into a torturous rhythm. Each time Jaz manages to regain control over her breathing, Erik's fingers move as fast as the stuttering of her heart. The second her fingers squeeze into his arm, her hips rolling forward to match his movements, Erik’s pace becomes teasingly slow. A chuckle is lost against her lips each time she whispers a protest.

Erik’s tongue passes over his lips at the beautiful sight before him.

Jaz’s head is tipped back, pressing into the books behind her. Her eyes gripped shut, chest heaving as she struggles to steady her breaths.

“We're in the library, babe," he teases. "You gotta be quiet."

It is the same taunt that comes each time he manages to pull a sound from her, and each time his pace slows.

Jaz would try and shoot back a snarky remark, but the fear of something much louder slipping out presses her teeth deeper into her lip.

They both knew the problem could easily be fixed.

All Erik has to do is lift his hand. Press it against her mouth, but that would be too easy. Instead of moving to muffle her voice, Erik's touch drags along the curve of her jaw. His lips follow its path, the brush of his tongue mixing in with heated kisses.

His grip tightens as it finds the base of her throat, his thumb tracing the pattern of the black lace against her skin. Pushing it up, he allows his breath to pass over the bruises on her skin. The shiver that passes over her spine, arches her body into his. Each brush and suck of his lips work to pull out a fresh bruise. Between the pressure from Erik's mouth and his fingers, Jaz's legs are trembling in a matter of seconds.

The wave of pleasure she has spent minutes chasing comes to an abrupt halt the moment “E-” passes her lips.

In an instance, Erik’s touch is gone. His chuckle muffles the gasp that escapes Jaz’s lungs.

“You should head back.” Jaz’s hooded eyes open. The deadly look in her eyes is enough to make Erik’s smile morph into a cheese-eating grin. “Wouldn’t want your group to start wondering where you went.”

“I’m going to kill you,” the promise in her voice earns Jaz a chaste kiss.

“You might need this,” Erik smiles.

Jaz's gaze falls from his sparkling eyes to the deep navy book in Erik’s hands. The slowly ebbing high has left her mind hazy, meaning it takes her a moment to realize it’s the book she had initially set out to find. Pressing it against his chest, Jaz tries her best to ignore the smug look on Erik’s face as he takes a step back.

“Use my number if you wanna finish later.”

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rosie-talks-a-lot · 4 years ago

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I suppose I’ll update Tumblr—

I quit my job as a legal secretary to become a full-time voiceover artist. This is something I’ve wanted to do since I was a little girl, and even though I’m undergoing some financial instability as I transition to a freelance lifestyle, I couldn’t be happier.

(I kept my part-time job to make sure the lights stay on.)

Most of my work so far has been in erotic audio, which I won’t link bc I know a lot of minors follow me, but I’ve been doing some public service announcements and educational series as well :)

My site is rosiepalmervoice.com if you’re curious! And yes, I took my stage surname from the character who’s served as my inspiration, Cecil Palmer. ❤️

(Oh yeah—and I dyed my hair bigtime!)

Obviously if you wanna kick me a lil encouragement $ my kofi link is pinned on @arcade-stannon i’m p sure but I’ve got a good client roster and some adequate savings. And hey—with more time in my schedule to create, I’m sure I’ll be back here more often. :)

#life update #voice acting

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self-proclaimed-chaotic-good · 4 years ago

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Science & Faith | Carlton Drake x Reader (4/?)

Words: 1860

A/N: I wish I could add links to this post, but I'm afraid of it not showing up in tags like it had done several times before. The masterlist for this story should be pinned on my blog and my full masterlist is in my bio.

Warning: This whole chapter is set in an AU until the end, which leads to the end of The Invisible River Part One.

The Invisible River Part Two

- Alternate Universe One -

At the end of the conference, Tony managed to find Carlton in the lobby. He turned and opened his mouth at the same time as Tony.

“No, you go first,” Tony insisted.

“Have you-”

“No, I go first,” he interrupted, ignoring Carlton’s glare, “Have you noticed that Rolling Pin and Doctopus aren't here?”

Carlton sighed, pushing his frustrations down to address the situation. “Yeah, they seemed to have left half way through the conference.”

“Honestly, why even bother coming if you’re just going to leave anyways? The beginning part is always pointless, who comes just for that?”

“Maybe he had an emergency,” Carlton suggested.

Tony cleared his throat, looking around to see if there were any more people lingering in the lobby before pulling Carlton on the side. He brought up his watch and projected a surveillance camera, showing Spider-man swinging towards a large building.

“Know which building that is?” Tony said, pointing at it, “That’s a laboratory built under Fisk’s name. What do you think Spandex-man is doing there?”

“Why are you coming to me with this? Aren’t you Iron-man?” Carlton asked, already on the move to leave.

Tony frowned at him, blocking his escape. “Dude, don’t you wanna check it out? Be a hero for once? I know that you were keeping tabs on ol’ Kingpin for a while.”

“I am far from being a hero, Stark,” Carlton said tiredly, pushing past him. Tony sighed, turning to fall into step with him.

“And yet, look at me. We don’t exactly fit the golden boy Captain America role, but it’s good intentions that count, right?”

“My so-called good intentions got my fiance killed, Stark. Look into it with your spider friend if you’re itching for action. I’m not looking for redemption.”

“And yet, you followed me to my car,” Tony said.

Carlton blinked, finding that he was unconsciously following Tony’s lead and was now standing next to his red shiny sports car. Tony pulled out his sunglasses and smirked, climbing in.

“Well, get in, loser, we’re going crime-stopping.”

On the way to Fisk’s labs, Tony contacted Spider-man about any updates on Fisk’s or Doctor Octavius’s movements. He confirmed that they were both in the labs for the past several hours. From the activities that he had observed, they seemed to be building a large machine deep within the labs with power sources leading underground.

“So, we’re just gonna go without backup?” Carlton asked in disbelief.

“No,” Tony scoffed, “We are the backup.”

Carlton sputtered, gesturing to himself. “And what am I supposed to do?”

Tony sighed, digging around the back of his car for a box, unceremoniously tossing a watch at Carlton. He caught it, inspecting it closely before putting it on.

“One button has a taser, the other a communicator. There’s also a little thing I added to check the cameras in the area, then there’s the iron-glove with the same functions of the ones on my suit. Oh, also, a flashlight. Can’t forget that. Plays music, too, if you want. You’re a fellow genius, Drake, you’ll figure it out.” Tony patted his back. “Watch, we’re going to be besties once this is all over.”

They waited until nightfall to start moving. Spider-man updated them on Fisk’s whereabouts, saying that his car was driving away from the building. They all met up and readily agreed that this didn’t have to be a big issue that reached the news. Secrecy wasn’t exactly Tony’s style, but he could take it seriously when he needed to.

Spider-man swiftly subdued the security guards on patrol while Tony hacked into the cameras. One guard had slipped away from his post to check on the others. Carlton quickly lifted his watch and pressed a button, hoping that it was a taser. Bright light blinded the man, making him shrink away. Carlton used this to press another button, successfully tasing him. Tony looked down at the guard and nodded over to Spider-man. He quickly lifted the man and placed him with the others that were wrapped in webbing.

“There’s an elevator near here that goes below ground level,” Tony whispered, “Or we could go through the warehouse. It’s currently empty.”

Tony waved a security guard’s keycard over the reader and Spider-man headed in first. The other two crouched in the corner and watched through the camera on the masked hero, hoping to find something. The way down to the labs below ground went smoothly and it made them feel uneasy. Each floor was brightly lit and suspiciously empty. As he reached the lowest floor, Spider-man paused in his tracks.

“Someone’s here,” he muttered.

Tony activated his iron glove and readied to go in, eyeing the camera through Carlton’s watch. Spider-man entered a narrow hallway leading towards a single metal door. His spider-senses were off the charts as he approached, turning the knob slowly. It was unlocked.

The camera suddenly blurred, followed by a loud smack. A woman in a lab coat, eyes covered by goggles, and four metal arms stretched out from her back, stood in front of him. She smirked, one arm reaching over out of the camera’s view, before pulling back and revealing Spider-man’s mask clutched in its metal claws.

“Ah, that’s a no-no,” he warned.

“Such a young man,” she cooed, an arm holding him yanking him away from the wall and slammed him into a large chair in the room. Metal clamps held his arms and legs in place, rendering him incapacitated as she casually dragged an office chair over. “I’m sure you’re curious about what we’re doing here.”

“It’d be nice if you told me,” Spider-man said.

“I’ve seen the technology you use, so I think you’d appreciate what I’m about to tell you,” she said, standing up and approaching the wide window facing a massive chamber, a large machine in the middle. “Oh, where are my manners? I'm Doctor Olivia Octavius. My friends call me Liv, but my enemies- ” Her metal arms wriggled about, one reaching over to Spider-man to touch his head “- They call me Doc Ock.”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Spider-man.”

“Young man with manners. You see, Kingpin commissioned what I call a Super Collider.”

“A Super Collider?” His eyes drift towards the chamber, landing on the panel on the ceiling. Must be where the power source is. If he could just get to it… “And what does this Super Collider do?”

Tony tapped Carlton on the shoulder and they began to make their way down. Halfway down to the chamber, they started to hear footsteps. The guards were resuming their patrols. Carlton activated his iron glove, metal pieces extending from the watch to perfectly wrap around his hand, and the two scientists continued on with caution.

Doc Ock smirked at this question, turning back to her capture. “Since you came all this way, why don’t I show you what it does? It makes a magnificent light show. I’m sure you will love it.”

A few guards got in the way of Tony and Carlton’s descent, but they were swiftly taken care of and hidden. Just as they reached the narrow hallway that they saw through the camera, a booming whirring resounded from the room. They shared a panic look and rushed towards the door with their iron gloves ready.

They were met with the sight of a man that looked to be in his late twenties with ruffled brown hair wearing Spider-man’s suit. He looked to have been beaten around since that last time they had checked his camera. Tony shot a glare at the woman as her fingers fluttered over the control panel, unphased by their entrance.

“Curiosity killed the cat, fellas,” she commented as the roaring from the collider grew stronger. An atmospheric meter lowers down, a tiny light blinking.

“Stop the machine, Octopus!” Tony warned, aiming his iron glove at her.

“Or what?” She raised an eyebrow, making eye contact with him as her finger lowered towards a blinking button. “If you shoot, who knows what that will do to the machine. Could be interesting…”

A metal arm shot out before his glove could charge. He staggered back and shot out a beam, redirecting the arm and causing it to crash through the glass. She glared, whipping around to check on her machine while Tony rushed over to the revealed Spider-man.

“How you doin’, kid?” Tony whispered, releasing his limbs from the chair.

“Been better,” Peter grunted. “Is this a good time to tell you that my name’s Peter?”

“Why are you doing this?” Carlton demanded as an energy beam shot to the middle of the chamber.

“Carlton Drake,” she scoffed, turning to him, “Don’t you wish you had another chance to make things right? The choices we’re given are paths that lead to an endless possible points in our lives. Each path we choose to walk down opens up to new paths to choose from. Thus, creating- “

“Alternate realities,” Carlton finished.

Doc Ock nodded. “What if you had chosen to listen to your dear (Y/n)- “

“Don’t you dare bring them up! I made my choice and I’m living with it.”

“But what if you have access to that other choice. You can go to another reality where you’re living happily with (Y/n).”

Carlton’s eyes narrowed. “Is this why Fisk wanted you to build this?”

She shrugged. “Well, it’s something I’ve always wanted to tap into, but to have a desperate millionaire fund my little project is always a treat.” She flinched and a metal arm shot out towards the door where Tony was escaping with Peter. “You’re gonna miss the show.”

The air in the chamber began to warp, gradually forming into a portal. Doc Ock moved to give the machine more power before being intercepted by a spider web shooting out from Peter. Chaos erupted in the room, a blur of spider webs, energy beams, and metal arms flying around. The lights began to flicker, drawing their attention back to the machine that was almost at maximum power. Carlton attempted to disengage from the fight to stop the machine when one of Doc Ock’s arms swung out and knocked him out of the window.

“No!” Peter shouted, jumping to catch Carlton as he got sucked into the growing portal.

“You’re not going anywhere!” Doc Ock growled, another arm grabbing Peter and slamming him through the door.

Carlton felt the Collider pull him in. It wasn’t like a vacuum, but more like being swept away by an invisible river. He aimed his iron glove towards the ceiling panel to shut it down, then froze as he risked a glance into the portal. He saw a flash of your face, alive and happy.

Suddenly, the portal grew rapidly in an unstable manner and he could just see Doc Ock through the shatter glass with a gleeful grin on her face, a fist gripping onto a lever as she increased the power to its maximum capacity, lights flickering and surging around her. An energy beam from Tony’s iron glove shot out towards the panel before the portal swallowed Carlton completely, his body feeling as if swept away by an invisible river.

#carlton drake x reader #carlton drake #venom #venom imagine #marvel imagine #science & faith series #riz ahmed imagine #into the spiderverse inspired #marvel #doctor carlton drake #dr carlton drake

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markedmage · 5 years ago

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And Maybe We’re Like Fire and Ice

Title: And Maybe We’re Like Fire and Ice

Pairing: Zutara, very slight Sukka

Rating: M (there is smut, you have been warned)

Summary: It's an easy kind of love, the way Zuko loves her, and the way she loves him. It's simple in the way a turtleduck needs a pond to swim, the way a dragon needs fire to breathe. How the airbenders rely on the wind to carry them to the highest turrets on the temples, how the blood in the human body needs the heart to live. It's simple in the way fire ignites the world, and water soothes the burn. Like yin and yang, push and pull, hot and cold, ice and fire.

Notes: Hi guys, I posted a link to this fic the other day but I realized that you all probably prefer reading this on tumblr (that’s why you’re here). I’m reposting the fic here so you guys can read it in it’s entirety without having to leave the site.

Update: I just realized that this fic kinda technically fits zutara month, day 29: home, so I’m gonna tag it now. Haha, that’s me, always late to the game

Here’s the link to AO3 though, if you’d like to read it there: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24365008

Katara is twenty three years old when she decides rice wine is her favorite. It's been a long three days at the annual trade summit in the Fire Nation, and Katara is spent. She hates musty politicians and stuck up noblemen, and if it weren't for the fact that she had Toph, Aang and Sokka by her side, equally suffering, she'd probably drench the throne room in a tsunami of her own sweat.

(Zuko would probably murder her, but then feel bad about it and probably cry himself to death and then go searching through the spirit world to redeem himself to her. The thought of spirit Zuko chasing her after death is enough to amuse her and get her through the remaining days, although she wants to tell ambassador Shen of Omashu to suck it.)

She, Zuko, Aang and Toph are currently in Zuko's study, splitting a case of rice wine. Katara and Zuko are on their second shared bottle, Aang has had two cups and declares he's seeing stars, and Toph's probably had at least four bottles herself, nursing what looks like a fifth. Sokka has long since departed, no doubt chasing Suki's tail, and Zuko sputters and spits out his wine when Toph eloquently states he should wash the bed sheets, of every room in the palace.

"Toph!" Zuko splutters, looking thoroughly scandalized. Toph doesn't even look abashed, and downs another mouthful of wine straight from the bottle. She cackles and elbows Aang, who goes flying into the nearest ornamental case with an audible crack.

"Oops," she says, and raises the bottle.

Zuko's eye twitches, and that's when Katara steps in, to save Toph's ass and probably Zuko's sanity. "Alright, enough. I think it's time we called it a night. I should probably get Aang to his room."

Aang is snoring.

Zuko turns his gaze on her, and she can't tell if the plea in his eyes is begging her to take Toph and Aang away, or for her to stay.

Toph makes the decision for her, clambering to her feet and dropping her bottle, now empty. "Nah, Sugar Queen," she says making her way over to Aang. "I got Twinkletoes over here. You hang out with Sparky before he dies from lack of attention."

Zuko whines, but Toph ignores him and reaches down to pick up a very unconscious avatar, slinging him over her shoulder with ease. The image before Katara, of a slight noblewoman hardly taller than her shoulder, with dirt caked under her fingernails and her hair in a messy bun, holding up a tall, lanky bald boy with nothing but her single hand, would make anyone break out into a fit of laughter. But Katara knows all too well the strength in Toph's pinky finger, and doesn't say a word.

She and Zuko bid Toph goodnight, and with a grumble about Aang's tolerance (or lack thereof), the greatest earthbender in the world takes her leave. Zuko is quiet for a moment, but then looks at her and picks up the half empty bottle of wine before him. "Wanna go somewhere more private?" He asks.

Katara snorts, but takes the hand he offers her. "You just want to go back to your room to make sure Sokka hasn't gotten to it."

Zuko has the decency to look affronted, before pulling her out of his study and down the hall to the royal apartments. "I'm trying hard to not think about that, thank you very much." They stop before the door to his room, disregarding the royal guards standing before it. He turns and looks at her. "He wouldn't, would he?"

Katara snorts, and pushes the door open, shoving her way past Zuko into his room. "The last thing I want to think about is my brother's love life, thank you very much, but no. Suki would never let him."

He laughs and follows her into his room, closing the door behind them. With a single snap, he lights the fire in the fireplace, illuminating the room in a soft glow.

Katara goes and sits by the fire, closing her eyes and savoring the warmth it gives off. She hears Zuko rummaging around. She opens one eye and finds him disrobing his outer layers, leaving him in a simple red tunic, much like the one he wore when they were still Team Avatar, young and foolish, just a bunch of kids trying to save the world.

He comes to sit next to her. “I can’t remember the last time I was here,” she muses, taking the bottle and sipping. “What was it, like three years ago?”

“Five,” Zuko says, taking the bottle from her. “It was five. We were sitting right here when you came up with the idea to travel throughout the kingdoms, creating hospitals for the impoverished and the wounded from the battlefronts.”

Oh.

Katara is quiet for a moment, and she takes this small second of silence to study Zuko. He’s always been a contrast of emotions, and right now he seems sad and happy mixed together all at once.

Five years, she thinks. She remembers now, sitting here with Zuko, brainstorming ideas to help out those who needed her. Traveling with Aang had been great until it hadn’t been- until she’d been reduced to nothing but the Avatar’s girlfriend. She’d needed something for herself, something that would be hers and hers alone, where she could be just Katara again, master waterbender.

Zuko had been the one to ignite the idea. Stories of impoverished villages scattered throughout the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom. I don’t know how to help them, Katara, he had said to her. So many villages suffer from hunger and sickness, so many people with too many scars and not enough doctors to help them.

Hospitals. That’s what the world needed. And Katara could procure them.

And so she had. She had traveled from kingdom to kingdom, raising hospitals everywhere she went. She never spent too much time in one place, often spending just enough time to train doctors and healers what she knew, aiding the most severe cases with her waterbending, before moving on to the next town that needed her help.

It felt good, helping people. Like she was always meant for it. The girl with blood on her hands and a healer’s touch. A warrior and a healer.

I will never, ever turn my back on people who need me.

But maybe, she thinks, in the process of finding myself, I may have lost a few people along the way.

Five years is a long time to miss someone.

“How long do you think you’ll stay this time?” Zuko asks, breaking the silence. He’s turned towards her now, leaning in, and she can see the little flecks of amber in his eyes, glinting in the fire light.

“I’m not sure,” she says, suddenly aware of the temperature in the room, the temperature settling in the core of her body, making her breath come quick and fast. “I’d like to stay longer, this time. My hospitals are all running smoothly, and now that trade with the Earth Kingdom has been renewed, we won’t be seeing a shortage of supplies any time soon.”

Zuko’s eyes darken, and he leans in further, their faces separated by only their breath and the whisper of smoke from the fire. “Then stay,” he whispers. His eyes burn, and Katara recognizes that look all too well.

Five years is a long time to love someone.

Their lips crash together, and Katara drops the bottle of wine, opting instead to wrap her arms around his neck. Zuko’s arms cage her in and pull her flush against her body, where she can feel the wild rhythm of his heart pounding in his chest, matching her own. She gasps into his mouth, their breath mingling, and Zuko growls her name.

Zuko’s warmth has Katara overwhelmed with heat and weak in the knees. As if sensing her, Zuko stands, pulling her up and stumbling backwards. Her knees hit the mattress and he pushes, sending back onto the mattress. She whines at the separation, but he’s back on her in an instant, a fiery passion as he pins her to the bed. She tastes the desperation and need on his tongue, and arches against him, feeling the hard length of him pressed against her belly.

Zuko pulls away, panting. There’s a fire burning in his eyes, and Katara runs her hands through his thick black locks, feeling him leaning into her touch. He leans in and Katara arches her neck, letting his tongue trace rivers down the length of her throat. She’s overcome by her need for this boy, and she scrabbles for his tunic, yanking it open and off his broad shoulders.

He grunts and throws it off, baring his torso to her. Reverently, like a painter tracing their way over a canvas, she runs her fingers down his chest, stopping at the starburst carved into his sternum. The boy from her past is gone, replaced with a young man- evident in his marbled muscles, the sharp angle of his hips, the trail of hair stopping at his waistband-

He groans as she palms him through his trousers. “Katara,” he grunts, taking her hand. “I don’t want to rush you-”

She kisses him again, and he relents. She touches him through the fabric, listening to the hisses and groans he gives off when she does something he likes. It’s thrilling- to hold a man in the palm of your hands and reduce him to a quivering mess. She continues to touch him, until he finally grabs her hand and pulls her away from him. She frowns, but he smiles and kisses her, before pulling away with a smirk on his face.

“My turn,” he says, and Katara shudders from the burning desire in his eyes. He makes short work of her tunic and leggings, leaving her in just her wrappings. His eyes run over her figure, hands dancing over her breasts, her waist, her thighs. “I don’t want to forget this.”

You look so good in my bed sheets.

Katara moans when he dips his head, placing light kisses on her breasts over her wraps. His hands come up, molding and massaging until she’s a panting mess, breasts peaked under her wrapping. He smiles and makes quick work of the fabric, deft fingers unwinding and baring her to his mercy. He stares for a moment and Katara holds her breath, heart pounding, before he dips his head and takes her nipple into her mouth.

“Oh,” she gasps, arching into his mouth. His other hand comes up and cups her other breast, thumbing her peak while his tongue works, and she’s a writhing, moaning mess. Katara feels her toes curl, and he abandons her breasts, kissing down her stomach. She raises her head, panting, as he makes quick work of her lower wrapping. She squirms under him, but he raises an arm and pins her down. He gingerly maneuvers his body in between her thighs, and Katara feels warmth pool in her core as he studies her.

A long moan is drawn from her as he runs a finger along her slit, gathering the wetness that has pooled there. He parts her folds with his hand, and Katara holds her breath-

He puts his mouth on her, and Katara’s world bursts into color. She’s submerged in a world of pleasure as he works his mouth on her, sending tingles of pleasure radiating out through her body. She moans, and he slides a finger into her wet heat, sending another wave of pleasure through her. The feel of him inside her and his tongue on her has her seeing stars, and it only takes a few moments before she cries out, arching against him as she comes. His name falls from her lips once, twice, thrice, before she falls back against the mattress, chest heaving and seeing stars.

Zuko crawls back up her body, kissing a lazy path across her skin. Katara twitches as his hands come up to cup her breasts again, and he finds her lips, kissing her with the same passion as before. She can taste herself on his lips and she gasps against him.

It only takes a few minutes before she’s arching against him again, using her feet and hands to loosen his trousers. He grumbles and bats the offending item away before falling back between her splayed legs, taking her hand in his.

“Are you sure?” he asks, eyes burning into hers as he takes her hand to his mouth, placing light open mouthed kisses to her fingers. She’s overwhelmed by her want for this boy- this young man who always asks, who always puts her first.

“Yes,” she gasps, reaching down and taking him in her hand. He groans, eyes squeezing shut while she strokes him. She leans up, kissing him and pulling him down to her as she lines him up. “Please.”

He mouths along her jaw and throat and pushes, and Katara’s breath hitches. It doesn’t hurt- just a tight, slick slide and a whimper, and he’s home. His head falls to her shoulder, and he whispers a mantra of Katara, Katara, Katara into her shoulder.

They fall into a steady rhythm. The stretch of him inside her is delicious, the press of his chest against her breasts, the way he laces his fingers through hers as he thrusts. She finds herself arching against his every thrust, pulling him deeper into her until she’s gasping his name and seeing stars. Sweat drips off of him, making him gleam in the firelight, and he moans into her shoulder. She pulls him back to her, his lips rough against hers as he desperately rolls his hips against her. Their breaths mingle, and Katara feels like this is an eclipse- like she is the moon and he is the sun, and in the moment they meet, it’s electric.

Zuko speeds up, and Katara moans into his mouth. Although she knows she won’t get there a second time, he’s still sending sparks of pleasure flying through her and igniting her bones. But she wants him to get there too, and so she wraps her legs around his hips and clenches, arching her body so that she is flush against him and her breasts rub against his skin. That seems to be it for Zuko, and his thrusts become erratic, pulling her hard against him two more times before he tenses, groaning into her ear. She feels the warm rush of him through her and pulls him tight.

They lay there panting, and Zuko peppers her shoulder with kisses while they come down from the high. Katara gingerly unwraps her legs from him and he slowly pulls out, hissing from the oversensitivity. Katara kisses him, then quickly removes the evidence from their bodies with a flick of her hand. Zuko chuckles, and cradles her to his chest.

They don’t speak for the longest time. She dozes off after a few minutes, to the press of Zuko’s lips on her temple and a rasp of I love you whispered in her hair. ________________________________________________________________

“And maybe we’re like fire and ice,” Zuko murmurs into her shoulder, lips pressing into her warm skin. Katara lolls her head back against him, letting him trace a map from her throat to collarbone, pressing featherlight kisses across her skin. She is rejuvenated from her impromptu nap and coils against him like a firelily panther.

“What do you mean?” she asks, stretching her body out next to his. It’s warm, tangled up in him under the sheets, but Katara has no intention to move from her spot. She refuses to relinquish the heat of him, the way her legs slot between his, how his angular hips press into hers, the feel of his rough, scarred skin sliding against her body. She can imagine how they look- light and dark molding together like a painting. Like the way the sun bleeds into the ocean as it sets.

Zuko pauses. “Well,” he begins, raising his arm and beginning to trace his finger over her back, tracing imaginary patterns into her skin. “Uncle always stressed about balance and harmony in the world. Light and dark, good and evil- he’s been to the Spirit World before, you know.”

“I did not.”

“It’s not the point. Anyway,” he continues. “Maybe that’s what we are- two people in perfect harmony with each other. If air and earth are complete opposites, that means fire and water are too. You and I, we make up two halves of the coin.”

“Balance,” Katara whispers, and Zuko lowers a kiss to the back of her neck.

“Yeah,” he says. His fingers continue to draw on her back, and Katara frowns when she realizes that he’s drawing the symbol of the Fire Nation across her skin. “Uncle told me that fire is the element of power. The people of the Fire Nation have desire and will, and the energy and drive to achieve what they want. We are proud and passionate.” He’s now drawing the Water Tribe symbol on her skin. “But water is the element of change. The people of the Water Tribes are capable of adapting to many things. They have a sense of community and love that holds them together through anything. Your people are compassionate and loyal.”

She rolls over to face him, and his arm drops heavily around her waist. She savors the weight of him against her, and places her hand over his scar. He sucks in a breath and closes his eyes, pressing against her palm. He is warm under her hand, and she runs her fingers slowly over the ridges of tough skin. His eyes open again, and he turns his head to press a kiss against her palm.

“What are you saying, Zuko?” she breathes.

He stares at her for a moment, and she memorizes the twin suns of his eyes, the wrinkles around them from when he smiles. There’s affection in his molten gaze, and he comes closer, rolling them over so that he’s propped above her. With one hand, he cups her cheek, and she leans into him, letting his rough, calloused fingers weave poems into her skin.

“I’m saying, I want you here, in the Fire Nation, with me,” Zuko says, and her heart sings with joy. “I know you love your work around the nations, and I know how much your hospitals need you. But I need you too, Katara. Together, you and I could make a difference here. I need you to help me change the world, to tell me when I'm wrong and soothe me when I'm angry. I want to be your drive to do good and change this country, to fuel your passion to heal. I want you, and you need a place to call home. I want yours to be here, with me.”

She stares at him. For so long, she’s been wandering the world untethered to any one person or place. Zuko’s right, she no longer has a home to call her own. The Southern Water Tribe is like a distant dream to her, and while she does visit occasionally, she can’t imagine calling the vast desert of snow and ice her home. Not anymore.

When she thinks about it, she’s not sure if she can call any physical place home at all. In fact, the only thing that stands out in her mind is Sokka, and Toph, and Aang. And Zuko. Her home is with the people she loves, the people she calls family. And when she thinks about it even more, the image of home behind her closed eyelids is the exact same image before her in this moment: Zuko, with sleep tousled hair and lips kissed by the moon, of warm silk sheets against her thighs and his fingers laced with hers.

“You really want me here?” she whispers. His eyes soften, and something within Katara’s soul lifts.

He leans down and kisses her, and Katara winds her arms around his neck, her legs pulling his hips down so that they are pressed together. He’s murmuring against her lips as he presses further into her, winding himself around her until she’s not sure where she begins and where he ends. The heat between them builds, and suddenly she wants nothing more but to have him again. The very thought of it makes the warmth bloom between her legs once more.

She spreads her legs and arches against him. He pulls away and looks at her, his mouth swollen and his eyes dark with desire. “Are you sure?” he asks, and she nods, arching against him again. He hisses and grinds himself against her, hard and thick against her thigh.

He pushes into her slowly and growls into her throat. The weight of him feels good against her, and she rolls her hips to the rhythm of his, pressing a constellation of kisses against his collarbone, her fingers coiling in the small of his back. He groans and holds onto her hips as they move, and moves to recapture her lips. Katara loves this- she loves him, and all that he symbolizes.

Maybe he's right- maybe he is her other half. Maybe he does ground her when her feet get too high off the ground, maybe he does ignite within her a passion to engulf the world in fire and water. Maybe she does allow him to soar, to make him feel loved when those around him would only see him burned.

Yin and Yang.

She meets his gaze and pulls him down to meet her. “Zuko,” she breaths, arching into him. “I love you.”

His eyes darken, and he leans down to capture her lips once more. Not much is spoken after that, and Zuko dims the firelight with a flick of his hand, so that only the moon is witness to what comes after.

________________________________________________________________

It’s still dark out, although Katara can tell that dawn is approaching, and Agni will once again rise to chase Tui out of the sky once more. Despite the lack of sleep, Katara feels strangely rested, but finding love after years of searching for it does seem to rejuvenate the spirit. Katara rolls over and looks at Zuko, meeting his gentle gaze, and leans in for a chaste kiss. He runs a hand through her hair, cupping her cheek, and whispers I love you against her lips. She smiles, and he pulls away, looking at her so fondly it makes her chest ache.

He gets up, and Katara pushes herself up to her elbows to watch him. He's beautiful, marble skin laid over a hard body. Sweat lies in a silver sheen over his skin, and the moonlight bathes him in a silver glow. With a flick of his fingers the candles in the room a light, and his skin turns golden. He shrugs a scarlet robe haphazardly over his shoulders, tying the knot lazily around his waist. He walks over to the large golden armour in the corner of the room, rummaging around and muttering to himself, before he straightens and comes back to her.

She sits up, holding the blankets around her chest as he settles next to her. With a smile, he takes her hand in one of his and covers it with the other. She feels something sharp and heavy in her hand, and looks down. His hand still covers hers, scarred and calloused.

"I don't expect your answer any time soon," he begins slowly, and she can hear the tremor in his voice. "Think of this more as a promise for the future." Then he pulls his hand away, and Katara's breath catches in her throat.

The headpiece is small enough to fit in her palm, and glows golden in the candlelight. The crescent moon of her people, the royal headpiece of the Fire Nation, rests in her palm. She raises her eyes, speechless, and meets Zuko's sheepish gaze. "A moon?" Is what finally falls from her lips.

Zuko chuckles and runs a hand through his hair. " Yes, I had it made for you. The blacksmith was a bit shocked at first, but I wanted it to be something special." His eyes soften, and he takes her free hand in his, fingers tracing the veins racing across her skin. "You're not Fire Nation, Katara, and you never will be. You're a woman of the Water Tribe, a master waterbender, a lady of the moon and ocean. If you do become Fire Lady, which, dear Agni I hope you do, I want to make sure the world remembers your heritage and where you come from. The waterbender of the Fire Nation."

Katara can feel the tears pooling in her eyes, but she furiously blinks them away. She will not cry because of the love this man has for her, who is willing to change the traditions passed down from his people for her. She smiles, wiping her eyes. "You know, Zuko," she begins lightly. "This is a bit big to fit around my neck."

He's quiet for a moment, and she watches his eyes slowly widen at her implication. "No! I, uh- see the thing is, I didn't want- I mean, I just-"

She laughs when his arms begin to flail, and pulls him down for a kiss. He starts against her lips, but after a moment he leans in, and they fall back down together onto the mattress. Katara laughs again once they separate, and Zuko nips her nose in response.

"I didn't want to replace your mother's necklace," he whispers, and Katara's hand goes to her throat. " I figured this was one Water Tribe tradition you wouldn't mind me skipping."

She smiles, and Zuko rolls to lay next to her. Katara lifts her hand and stares at the moon headpiece in her hand, admiring the smooth curve of it in her palm. "Thank you," she whispers, and rolls over to face him. He's watching her like she is the sun. "You're right, this is too soon, but I love it. And I want to be here, I really do. I want to be here with you."

He smiles and leans in close, resting his forehead against hers. " Thank you, Katara," he whispers.

It's an easy kind of love, the way Zuko loves her, and the way she loves him. It's simple in the way a turtleduck needs a pond to swim, the way a dragon needs fire to breathe. How the airbenders rely on the wind to carry them to the highest turrets on the temples, how the blood in the human body needs the heart to live. It's simple in the way fire ignites the world, and water soothes the burn. Like yin and yang, push and pull, hot and cold, ice and fire.

Zuko and Katara.

Notes: The lady of the moon idea was inspired from @zutarawasrobbed, as well as @kakarinlin who made the most beautiful artwork for the idea. Credits to these two lovely people for inspiring me.

I hope you guys liked it. Please let me know what you think (remember, I haven't written smut in a while so idk how good it is). I also have a tendency to write things in one sitting and publish it before it turns into a multichap monster, so don't hate me too much if it's got a weird flow to it

#zutara #zutara fanfiction #zuko #katara #my loves #zukoxkatara #wolfspirit44 on ff.net #zutara month 2020 #always late #that's me

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kihaku-gato · 4 years ago

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Random Webcomic Reccomendations

This post is dedicated to bringing to the spotlight several webcomics

(some would be considered webmanga but I’m counting them too since they are primarily presented on webcomic websites) which I’ve been enjoying that I hope can get more traction/fandom with this post. Due to my personal tastes I can say many/most have a sci fi or fantasy theming as well as some (definitely not all) have wlw as well.

Since this post will be quite extensive, I’ll first start with a “table of contents” for those who don’t want synopsises or ramblings, but instead just want titles and want to just check them out themselves.

Bybloemen

My Dragon Girlfriend

Sanguine

Straylight Tiger

Cariciphona

Amongst Us

Kiss It Goodbye

Mokepon

Seven Miles Down

UnDivine

Bybloemen

Hosted on its own website under hiveworkscomics

This is a historical semi-fantasy set during the infamous Tulip Mania period of Dutch/European history when people would pay an arm and a leg for even a single potentially valuable tulip bulb.

In this setting we follow two devils Basil and Ludwig and their avian familiars strut into the action, pretending to be foreign investors getting in on the tulip hype, probably to ensnare some desperate souls, all the while keeping man and beast alike from catching sus that they are not as human as they claim to be.

As of writing this the story is just starting up but is already making quite the unique statement. The distinct black and white artstyle is clearly holding homage to the historical “Woodcut” printmaking style in how it’s drawn, lined, and textured, which is a refreshing way to artistically state that the comic is “set in the past” w/o doing just grayscale or sepia tone that one is used to seeing for media set in historical times.

The interactions between the devils as well as the animals they can communicate with so far have been quite amusing.

If you don’t directly use hiveworkscomics for your usual webcomic browsing (so don’t get notified by it) they do have both a tumblr and twitter which frequently announce/link its updates. Bonus following their twitter/tumblr being you get to see occasionally “sketches” (I say that term very loosely) of the characters outside of the webcomic series if you’re into that.

My Dragon Girlfriend

Available on Webtoons and Twitter

Fantasy alongside modern era setting. It is primarily a wlw webcomic series about a human girl named Christy who is swept off her feet by a dragon girl named Dani, semi-magical/mythical wlw hijinks ensue. It’s hard for me to pin its identity entirely, cause while I wanna say it’s a “Slice of Life” the webcomic is at the point where Dani is fighting a werewolf tooth and nail so it’s hard to pin. It’s clearly romance genre, as even if Dani and Chirsty end up together lickity split (a blink of the eye compared to the slow-burn of most romance stories) there are other wlw subplots going on with secondary primary characters which you’ll be routing for.

It has its steamy moments and implies sex but not so far as to show full-on nudity of the main characters characters. Though there is some nudity of some of the monstergirls such as the fawn girls on the other hand it does not beat around the bush with, but luckily takes the nudity in a natural non-sexual way Correction as of writing this; only the Twitter version shows nudity, they had to censor with bras on Webtoons cause it got flagged.

If you want it hotter/steamier, sign up to the artist’s patreon. It’s definitely a nice softish wlw webomic if you’re craving a lil monstergirl flavour.

Sanguine

Available on Tapas and Webtoons

Full-on adventure fantasy setting set in a world where magic and mages have been persecuted to the point of going into secrecy.

It stars a cute red-riding-hood-like implied secret-royal (that was too much a mouthful) lady named Red, and a tall gorgeous beefy secretly mage lady named Morgan which Red has dragged into her shenanigans with.

It’s early to call this a wlw gem as of the current updates, but it is tagged as lgbt+ so take that with potential further wisdom.

This webcomic uses colour a fair bit to set its tone/mood, but otherwise has a very comfy/warm feeling about it somehow, like some of those old comics/webcomics/novels you would welcome to read while snuggled under blankets. Also the outfits are REALLY nicely designed, and I could definitely see some peeps having fun cosplaying many of these characters.

As the story slowly progresses I am holding with baited breath to how Red and Morgan’s interactions/relationship may or may not evolve, as I am totally an absolute sucker for “friendly/bubbly naïveish character dragging along the cool/grumpy don’t-get-involved character that has a hidden soft heart” trope.

Straylight Tiger

Available on Webtoons and Tapas

WARNING- while infrequent this one has some blood/gore that will shake you up, though it puts it where it would be most sensible to. Lucky for you most blood in this series is not the usual human-red blood which tones the edge down.

It may have lots of fantasy elements but this one definitely holds its identity as Sci Fi. Set in a futuristic cyberesque city full of both good and bad superhumans (one group being animal shapeshifters and the other being elemental casters), there is an extremist cult out to wreck havoc in the city, so a company responds by recruiting a handful of individuals from all 3 races to make a secret task force to eliminate the threat.

The main character in this story is a secretly-a-tiger shapeshifter named Angeline.

This is probably the most visually colourful of the webcomics in my list and is really using it to charge up its stylistic sci fi setting. Best way I could compare it to; you know those glow-in-the-dark cyber avatars you occasionally see in VRchat? Straylight Tiger matches that visual energy. Of listed so far this is also the most action-packed webcomic on the list. I could almost call it a Trigger-like comic but luckily unlike Studio Trigger it’s not into going nuts on fanservice.

If you’re craving your superhuman sci fi action, this one should at least be checked out. I want to say there’ll be wlw at some point, but it’s too early to call, and if it does I would not expect it to be a major arc when it has larger fish for plot points to deal with.

If you’re craving wlw of at least mc and her weapons-savvy human friend, I highly recommend you checking out the artist Flying Frappe’s twitter to get some sating for you wlw cravings for the two.

Caricophona

Available on webtoons as well as its own webcomic site

Tragic fantasy setting starring a supermagical woman named Veloice as she is hunted by an Assassin. I tag it as there is an undertone of death in some of the arcs, which give this colourfully magical world a more sombre tone. Among the webcomics on the list this one may be steepest when it comes to catching to speed of the world’s setting/rules/hierarchies but once you do you’ll hunger for this more.

I can’t entirely make a perfect comparison for it (Full Metal Alchemist is as close as I could compare and they are still as different to each other as apples and oranges) but it really has that rich nostalgic old manga style/world/tone to it, and its most welcome to as well.

The world building is rich, and Veloice is a mental/magical powerhouse even if at times she has a fragility about her. The fact she’s a Caricophona; magical beings which tend to either get persecuted or expire early at age from their own condition, definitely helps with giving her a almost “glass canon” energy about her.

While those points have definitely helped hook me in, the thing that tends to excite me the most in this webcomic is Veloice’s interactions with the assassin who’s been send to kill her, named Blackbird. The tension between them, the fact Blackbird both wants to toy with her, Blackbird’s somewhat flirtatious nature towards Veloice OMFG I EAT IT UP!!!! They have such a enemies to lovers feeling to them (though no, they are not lovers- we can dream though) which just gets you so excited.

I should also mention there are two other “primary characters” in the group. Two rich naïve kids ready to help Veloice however they can. You grow to like them (even if they hit tropes that may strike a nerve if you’re tired to their character type), but the mvp of this webcomic for character and interaction has to be Veloice and Blackbird.

Amongst Us

Available on webtoons and its own website

Say you like Veloice and Blackbird from the previous webcomic, but find the hefty fantasy setting a bit too much, and you’re more for the romance? What if I told you the artist was galaxy brained enough to make a chiller AU? That is what Amongst Us is; a music college-set slice of life with a slow burn romance between Veloice and Blackbird. They’re dorky, their cute, and seeing some of the characters you’re familiar with in Caricophona in a different setting is nice to see.

In some ways Veloice is less proactive in Amongst Us but still feels very in-character of her. The webcomic would end pretty quick if Veloice were to get-to-the-point with Blackbird after all (granted with how we see them in the future together at the start of the webcomic it’s not like they have to be in a hurry anyways).

Seeing a wlw / slice of life set in a college setting rather than a high school setting is extremely welcome. Please, more of this.

Kiss it Goodbye

Available on Webtoons

Slice of Life high-school beginnings of wlw romance. The artstyle is good, the characters are lovely. We know canonically that they end up together (as the webcomic starts with them in the future where they are a couple, as they begin to weave the story to their curious friends wanting to know how their romance came to be).

It’s not an unwelcome Slice of Life.

BONUS / HONORABLE MENTIONS

Mokepon

Available on h0lyhandgrenade’s website

I have honestly not read this one in a while and dropped it like, several years ago, but it was interesting and is still ongoing, so I had to mention it. Set in the Pokemon universe, it stars the main character who has been thrown into the pokemon trainer career while absolutely wanting nothing to do with it. Ends up becoming a rocket grunt which is an interesting change of perspective from many pokemon fancomics. It has old-nuzelocke energy though it is not a Nuzelocke. Be prepared for the brutality as you cry for the pokemon (especially his pikachu). The undying loyalty of his Charmander as he himself struggles with his position as a trainer/grunt is interesting. He is definitely not the usual pokemon trainer protag you’re used to.

Seven Miles Down

Available on Webtoons

A completed oneshot psychological horror where a girl takes her submarine to the deepest unventured oceanic trench in the world. Tragic end, but horrors can be like that. The psychological nature of the horror is an interesting angle. The rounded cute style may throw you off but it works.

UnDivine

Availabe on its own website via hiveworkscomics

This comic has since been cancelled from continuation, but is the webcomic to set me off in making this list, so it will still be mentioned in memory/tribute, and is the grand example of why you should interact with the webcomics you read as well as share them; there is a good chance they will not hold on their own without fan interaction and traction. Excuse me as I just use two full-on pages cause I’m wearing out on this list and browsing through tons and tons of pages for highlights wears a peep out.

Modern-set religious fantasy on an island where local their religion may be more than it seems. Stars a boy named Daniel, and Esther the Demon girl. From what can be gleaned the Demongirl knew the “god” of the island’s religion and was double crossed, so has a bone to pick with them and their “angelic” entourage now that she’s free when she got accidentally summoned by Daniel.

This webcomic loves its use of blood, but your grow used to it after a point. The setting is interesting, and its also cool to see how the “angels” are far from the usual “pretty human-like” in their true form and are instead more monstrous than you could say even the Demon Esther is.

A lot of what makes this comic interesting, outside of the “revenge against a god” main plot going on, is how messy the characters can be.

Daniel, Esther, and the one angel named Manual are all pretty interesting in how they interact with their roles that they’ve been put in and how they react to others, and are all very morally grey complex characters.

Daniel is an angst machine who tends to really wear himself out (though how he’s positioned/pressured by the world doesn’t help) and shoot himself in the foot a lot, and that’s even before Esther “turns” him into her lil monstrous pawn, not something you commonly see in main characters from the get-go.

Esther (the tall blondie) while being a Demon ready to get her vengeance on is in many ways naïve/childlike despite her powerful nature, and despite using Daniel as her pawn is shown to grow to have feelings/care for Daniel which is very interesting for “The Contracted Devil” position.

Manual…. We haven’t gotten to see a lot but it’s clear he’s meant to be the angelic hero position but its clear he does not like the position, and he also has a thing for a human woman named Rosamaria but we have not gotten to see why that’s the case.

This webcomic didn’t get the traction it needed to keep going, so was recently cancelled by the artist.

#webcomics #reccomendations #long post #wall of text #comics #manga #Bybloemen #Undivine #Straylight tiger #Cacicophona #Amongst Us #Mokepon #My Dragon girlfriend #Kiss It Goodbye #Sanguine #I probably missed a webcomic on the list to tag but I am very very tired atm

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doorbloggr · 3 years ago

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Monday 11/10/21 - Media Recommendations Interlude - What I've been up to instead

Yeah I know. Originally I scheduled myself to do these on Fridays and then after I got lazy with that routine, I promised myself at least on the weekend after, but here I am on a Monday. So today instead of a proper reccomendation, I'm just gonna brain dump what I've being doing instead. It's a problem with many parts, and yeah this is mostly just me making excuses, but at least I'm writing something.

Number 1, it's October now, and for me that means Linktober. Linktober is the Legend of Zelda flavour of Inktober challenges, where every day I am submitting a Zelda drawing from a list of prompts. I'm approaching Linktober art in a more simplistic style this year, so I can get through them quickly and have time for my other projects. (Not enough time for a Media Recommendation apparently but that's besides the point)

You can keep up with these posts either on my main @supereffectivemoonblast , or my art archive blog @supereffectiveartblog

Number 2, as some readers would've noticed, I've started a little mini series where I'm looking at different regions around the world and talking about the most famous or interesting dinosaur species of each. North America is the home of many of the most popular dinosaur species, so the aim of this series is a) to discuss dinosaurs you may not of heard of from different places, and b) to discuss dinosaurs you have heard of, and are surprised to find out aren't American. My plan is to do the North American regions last, since that'll be a nice conclusion. You can probably expect more work on that series sometime this week.

Australia/Antarctica and Asia have been the focus of part 1 and part 2 of this series

Number 3, I keep promising myself I'll write a blogpost about this, and I haven't gotten to it yet, but I've been hosting a D&D campaign. Since I'm writing an original story and not following an official source book, I've had to create my own world and write a series of events I want my players to follow. Probably close to a month ago now, I wrote 10 pages of story and events to follow this current arc, covering about 2-3 pages per session. And when I say arc, I mean events from inciting incident until the party find and defeat the major bad guy of this part of the story. Those 10 pages aren't strict in terms of execution, moreso guidelines, and I have been trying to push myself away from so called "railroading", but my players have said they're enjoying themselves so far. Either next week or the week after, the party will face their villain boss of the arc, and then I'll be taking a few weeks break from hosting until I can write up the next arc. Sometime either this or next week, I wanna write a blogpost about my experience DMing, but we'll see what I get up to.

I post updates and fanart for each session on my other blogs, best archived on @supereffectiveartblog

Lastly, and probably most importantly, since I've been doing all these other things, time spent actually consuming media to talk about has been limited. It's not like I don't have media to reccomend at all. I do keep a list of all anime and manga I consume in a note file on my phone and I've discussed maybe a quarter of that on this blog. Issue is I try to recommend stuff I've experienced fresh, so I am more well acquainted with the material I'm talking about. I have watched a couple episodes of a new series last week, so hopefully I watch enough of it this week that I can come back with a recommendation.

Combatants Will Be Dispatched will be a likely candidate for my next recommendation

So yeah thats my substitute for media reccomendations for the week. I'm not gonna number this entry since I didn't actually recommend anything. But I might link it on my pinned post anyway, more as a record for myself than anything. No promises, but hopefully I will be back with recommendations this weekend.

#blog #blogpost #media recommendations #brain dump

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undeservedfavor · 4 years ago

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Links to follow, like, heart, share, subscribe and bookmark for more updates:

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The Bucketlist

Mini-Series of Short Stories

St. Valentines Day: CHAPTER 1

"Number 5. Done! So much to do, so little time." The woman said.

Checking an item off her list.

She already got her things packed, ready to leave for the beach.

She rode a plane, a cab, and a train going to her destination.

"Plage Solitaire." Gisela mentioned the name of the beach.

Her vision turned from left to right.

She inhaled the fresh air and appreciated one of her best decisions in life.

The place looks private and isolated for there are only few people living at the sea-side.

"No pure white sand. Waters are not so clear. Lonely. Of all the Beaches, why here in this damn stinky hole? Well, 'can't blame ye, the morning and afternoon in this village is peaceful indeed." An old folk muttered with a western accent as he is mixing drinks at his so called 'BoozeBar' which the old rusty sign said.

She just smiled and looked at the man.

"Oh, where's my darn manners, the name's Old Man Larry. What's your name child?" She shook his hand and answered.

"Nice to meet you Larry. Gisela. I have just moved in, I wanna live here, this is one of my favorite places as my parents brought me here once... Way back, when they're still alive. Wouldn't exchange it for another. Even if it's the last place I go to." She said forcing a smile to the man who just nodded feeling sad by just listening to her tone and watching her facial expressions.

She must be going through something.

Not just something.

A lot.

Tons of things are running on this silent woman's mind.

"Grandpa, can I drink this juice?" His grandson asked Larry.

"That ain't no juice son. That's poison. By the way, Gisela, you're welcome drink's on me. Ye may join the party later. The Valentine's Night is the opposite. It's the only night apart from Christmas ye can consider a festival." He said as he handed her his own concoction, like it was derived from two known mocktails/ladies' drink, Mimosa and Sangria.

Then an old lady approached and greeted them.

She seemed tough but she went to them smiling.

"I'm the owner of this isolated place you called a stinky hole Larry, like you have no respect for your wife, goodness gracious! You should be helping me build this place up, not spread rubbish to tear this place down. Do that again and I'll burry an old man to the sand. Nice to meet you?" She did not finish the sentence.

"Gisela. Of the doomed." She said laughing a bit.

"Oh such a joker. I'm Olivia." The old lady introduced herself.

The old woman showed Gisela the directions to her beach house.

It was a tiny, cozy, bright-yellow colored wooden beach house.

It's so remarkable and outstanding that you would even recognize it from afar.

It outshined the other dull-colored houses.

Plus, the best part is that, it's the nearest one to the beach.

She was busy arranging her stuff... When she heard the loud music pumped and started at the beach, she peaked through the window and saw the lights that gave life to the dead atmosphere earlier.

She heard and saw the people mingle, laugh and started to gather round the campfire to dance, chat and have fun not being sober tonight.

She dressed up wearing my lace bikini under my beach dress.

She went out and hanged at the BoozeBar when a guy recently approached her.

"Why aren't you drinking yet beautiful?" The weird guy asked.

"I don't plan on drowning myself in hard-liquor tonight. I would rather just drown in my own thoughts. Alone. Thank you." Gisela answered.

"Just a sip. Please." He insisted.

"No thanks. Can you go and leave the goner now?" Gisela resisted.

***Phone Rings***

Gisela's phone rang, she just stared at the screen to see who's calling, thinking if she would answer or not.

As she was doing so, split-second, the man dropped something in her drink and left without a trace.

She took a while deciding whether to answer it or not but in the end, she chose to ignore and miss the call.

She sipped her glass and her favorite songs played.

She went near the waters and sat on the sand to get a feel of what she seeked for.

Freedom.

After a few hours of listening to music, her vision began to blur.

She panicked and immediately stood which was a bad idea for she felt more groggy... Like a bad case of vertigo.

She tried to walk passed the crowed, little did she know that there was a hungry hyena waiting for her at the other side.

The man she was with earlier was waiting for her to fall under his trap and sieze her, like a predator stalking his prey.

Well, I guess first impressions last, by the looks of it, he isn't really gonna do any good.

She walked, but she also felt so dizzy that she cannot even stand straight.

Her knees are trembling and it looked like her eyesight betrayed her for being inconsistent, it goes back to normal in a few seconds then intermittently goes back to being blurry again.

Her strength gave up on her and she lost her balance.

A man caught her from her back using his strong and firm arms.

A different man than the one from before.

"Are you alright Miss?" The man with a very deep voice asked.

Gisela gathered all of her strength to open her eyes wide to locate her house.

Well, it's literally just near the water, the BoozeBar and the party so she did not have a hard time pin-pointing the place even if it's just the outline and the color of the house that she can recognize as of the moment.

She lifted her arms and pointed her finger to that direction.

To make sure, the guy asked old man Larry where she lives...

"Well, it's that bright house over there. Take care of the lonely woman but don't try to do anything ungentlemanly or you'll end up in a dungeon..." The old man warned the handsome man and he just nodded.

It seemed that he got tired and carried the woman in his arms.

When they got to her place, he immediately looked for the sink and filled the kettle with water then he set it to boil.

He's now got a luke-warm water on the basin and wiped Gisela's face with a wet cloth.

It seemed that right after, Gisela went to life a bit and asked the man who he is...

"Are you sure you do not recognize me? I can't blame you, this place has no TV." He muttered his observation.

"I can't breathe! I might die from it! Why is it so damn hot in here?!" Gisela screamed and immediately slipped out of her dress and untied the knots of her bikini, exposing her bare skin in front of the stranger.

The man is also drunk but Gisela might have been drugged.

But the man was not aware of that, he just thought she had more than enough Booze because of her stench.

Technically, she drank but just little.

So that's what he smelled.

The man tried to dress her up again.

With the shown concern, Gisela got curious to get to know the man who's taking care or her.

She looked at his face carefully trying her best to recognize a feature of his face which might have been misinterpreted by the drunken man.

He thought that she was trying to kiss him and suddenly their faces went closely looking at each other...

It did not matter who broke and closed the space between them but their lips met, passionately kissing and wildly answering evey touch of the other person.

Leave it to one's imagination.

You name it...

They did it all the way that night.

Then, the rest were just hot history in the making.

Next morning, er, afternoon, with eyes still closed Gisela felt her aching body muscles and her 'you know what' is definitely sore but that was the best and the longest sleep she ever had especially for the passed couple of weeks that she has not been able to sleep properly due to insomnia.

Not remembering what happened last night, she moved a little to embrace the pillow beside her but she felt that the pillow turned rocky and it felt like a heat of another person's flesh.

Little did she know, that it really wasn't a pillow.

So she opened one of her eyes, trying not to be blinded by the light coming from the window.

She froze and opened both of her eyes widely.

Not because her body is aching from the strenious activity she did last night...

But because she saw a naked stranger sleeping beside her...

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Characters/Cast/Face Claims (But feel free to imagine😉):

Courtney Eaton as Gisela Valentine

Choi Seung-hyun as Dorian West

#Youtube #drama #feels #fiction #general fiction #general #gen fic #love #notyourtypicallovestory #random #random story #relationship #romance #series #short #short fiction #thebucketlist #undeservedfavor

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suitofvibraniumarmor · 4 years ago

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Yours Truly [Part Thirteen]

Summary: Chris, Sadie, and Layla go to visit Sadie’s family, and come back to an unpleasant surprise. Pairing: Chris Pratt x OFC, Chris Evans x OFC Word Count: 1795 Warnings: None. A/N: This fic was previously posted on my multi-fandom account; in honor of OC Appreciation Day, I figured I would queue it all up for your reading pleasure throughout the day! This was a collab with @captain-s-rogers , and I will link her chapters at the end of all of my posts! Some GIFs were difficult to find again, so if there’s no credit, they’re from Google Image Search or from the original post.

July 19

Caroline,

I got the job here in Lawrence! I’m so, so excited. I’ll be teaching one of the two kindergarten classes and can start setting up my room in a couple of weeks, once I get through all the new hire hoopla.

I also found a house to rent. It’s a little farmhouse, owned by an older couple who have sold off most of their land and just rent the house now; there’s a couple of bedrooms, so you’ll have somewhere to stay when you come visit! You know, in eight years when Mr. President has completed his terms.

We’re going to Wichita this weekend to pack up my storage unit and bring it all here. Chris and Layla will meet my family while we’re there, and if all goes well, Chris and I agreed it will be a good time to tell Layla that we’re together. I think she has some idea, but I’m looking forward to actually telling her.

Okay, I think I have rambled about myself for long enough. How are things in D.C.? I’m glad Chris didn’t let you step down — you have worked SO HARD for that job, and no one can do it better than you! Even with this weird media stuff. I’m guessing the Caroline-look-alike girlfriend was your idea? Seems to be working, anyway. I just hope you’re being true to yourself and heart through all of this, C.

Only another month and summer is over. How has the time gone so fast?

Yours truly,

Sadie

After a long couple of days of new-hire orientation, Sadie was ready to be back at the Pratt farm, moving her few boxes to the new house. The trio would take their time getting up and around the next morning before heading to Wichita, and she was ready to be back home for a while. Sadie had always been close with her family, and she was even more excited for them to meet Chris and Layla.

Before driving back to the farm, she stopped at the elementary school to check in on her new classroom. She wanted to know what size of the room she was going to have so she could be thinking of decor.

“Ms. Coleman?” someone said, catching her attention as she walked toward the kindergarten hall.

Sadie turned. “Yes?”

“Hi,” the woman greeted. “I’m Libby Anderson. I teach second grade.”

“Nice to meet you,” Sadie smiled. “Please, call me Sadie.”

Libby gave a tight smile. “I hear you’ve been working with Layla Pratt this summer. How is she?”

Sadie was puzzled at first, but chalked up Libby’s knowledge of her summer activities to small town talk. “She’s great. Such a smart little girl.”

Another tight smile. “And Chris?”

Sadie’s concerns about Libby’s inquiry grew, tensing her muscles. “Um, he’s great, too. Are you a family friend? I’m sorry, I’m still working on getting to know everyone.”

“Something like that,” Libby answered. “I have a meeting to get to, Sadie, but I’m sure I’ll see you around.”

“See you,” Sadie replied as the other woman walked away.

Suddenly, the size of her classroom seemed of little importance. She changed course for the parking lot, then hurried back to the farm.

“She’s Emily’s sister,” Chris informed Sadie once Layla was down for a nap and Sadie had a chance to ask about her interaction with Libby at the elementary school.

Sadie nodded. “Now it all makes sense.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t even think about that. The Andersons are just so far from my mind anymore. None of them have even tried to contact or see Layla since Emily left.”

“You don’t need to apologize. She should have been much more clear about who she is and how she’s related to you and Layla. I just hope it doesn’t cause problems at work.”

Chris shook his head. “I don’t see why it would. Why don’t you let me make you a glass of that peach iced tea? Ed’s coming by so we can talk about how things went while I was out of town, and I can tell him about a couple things I’m changing. You can just relax — well, till Layla wakes up, then I’m sure she’ll have other plans.”

Sadie chuckled. “You’re probably right about that. Thanks, Chris.”

She reinforced her gratitude with a kiss before heading off to her room. Until she was laying down, Sadie wasn’t even aware of how tired she felt; she was asleep before Chris brought in her glass of tea.

Both Sadie and Chris had expected for Layla to take a little time to warm up to Sadie’s family, but she took to them right away. She settled herself on Sadie’s father’s lap and immediately began telling him about the farm and about her birthday party and her trip to her grandparents’ farm in Minnesota. Justin listened intently, immediately enchanted by the little girl.

While Chris and Sadie got to packing things from storage into the trailer Chris had pulled behind the truck on the way down from Lawrence, Layla stayed with Sadie’s aunts. She was fascinated still about how they had taught Sadie to make a dress, and finally begged and pleaded long enough, Sadie’s aunt Marie got out the beginner sewing machine that Sadie and her cousin, Marie’s daughter Lizzy, had learned to sew on. When they returned to pick Layla up and head back to Sadie’s father’s house, Layla had successfully sewn a little pillow.

“I did it all by myself, Daddy!” she beamed. Aunt Marie was too kind to say any different.

Chris smiled. “I’m so proud of you, baby girl. Let’s get back to Justin’s house, okay? Daddy and Adie are gonna get cleaned up, then we’ll come back here for supper to meet more of Sadie’s family.”

“I don’t wanna go!” Layla said, crossing her arms over her chest and stomping her foot.

Sadie frowned. “Layla! Be nice, please.”

“I’m sorry,” she replied, not sounding sorry at all. “I like Justin, but Marie teached me how to make a pillow! I wanna make another one for Sadie for her new house!”

Marie spoke up, kindly. “I don’t mind if she stays here.”

“You need a nap,” Chris told Layla when she looked at him hopefully.

“Can I take a nap here?” Layla asked Marie.

Marie nodded. “But only if it’s okay with your dad. He’s the boss.”

Chris exchanged a glance with Sadie, who shrugged. “All right. But please, continue to be on your best behavior, and use your manners.”

“Yessir,” Layla promised, rushing off for the sewing machine.

“Nap before more sewing, young lady,” Sadie called after her.

Layla groaned but called back, “Yes ma’am!”

Sadie thanked Marie profusely for keeping Layla for longer before following Chris out of the house. She indeed needed to get cleaned up, and was looking forward to seeing the rest of her family that evening.

“Are you comfortable with me talking to your dad about what’s going on with us before we go back to Marie’s?” Chris asked. “I know it’s sort of an outdated practice, just seems like the right thing to do, still. I don’t mean asking permission, or anything, just – making my intentions known, I guess.”

Sadie reached across the truck seat and took his hand. “I think that would mean a lot to my dad – and to me.”

Chris squeezed her hand before pulling her closer, finishing out the trip back to Justin’s house with his arm draped over the back of the seat, and Sadie singing along with him to the radio.

On the way back to the family dinner at Marie’s house, Chris broached the subject of telling Layla that he and Sadie were a couple.

“I’d like to get you all moved in, then maybe we can have dinner in town and tell her?” Chris suggested. “I figure a place with neutral ground is probably the best venue. She’s been so encouraging to you when it comes to me, I don’t think she’ll have a problem with it, but I want to make it as easy for her as possible.”

“I agree,” Sadie nodded. “I think she’ll be just fine – probably excited, to be honest – but you’re right, it’s better to make it as easy on her as possible.”

The agreement gave them something to look forward to when they returned to Lawrence; the couple was so excited about it, they confirmed for the family members who asked that they had indeed started a relationship. Fortunately, all of Sadie’s family was completely for the idea, and they understood about keeping it quiet around Layla until Chris and Sadie were able to update her on what was happening.

There were no goodbyes with the trio left Wichita, only see-you-later’s and lots of hugs from Layla to Sadie’s family members. Chris told Sadie that it could have been because Layla was older, but he had never seen her that comfortable even with Emily’s family. Sadie’s heart could have burst with that news; she was so in love with Chris, though she had yet to tell him, and her love for Layla had only grown from the first day she met the girl. She was already dreaming of the day they would all become a family, and expand that family, but she kept those dreams to herself for the time being – which turned out to be a good thing, she discovered a few hours after their return to Lawrence.

The heavy furniture had been placed in the appropriate places in the rental house, and the boxes were all in the house wherever there was room. Sadie would have a busy few days ahead, settling the house, but Layla could come with her during the day and help or play, so another sitter wouldn’t be necessary.

She had one night left at the Pratt farm, and they had planned on going into town for pizza after resting a while. Chris and Sadie were both on pins and needles to finally include Layla in their relationship, but it was soon clear that even that would have to wait.

“Whose car is that, Daddy?” Layla asked, leaning forward from her booster seat as they approached the farm.

Chris didn’t answer; Sadie glanced over at him and received a tight smile and a mumbled apology in return. That was all she needed to know exactly who had shown up uninvited to the farm.

Sadie stayed back, helping Layla out of the truck while Chris got out of the driver’s side and approached the woman standing at the top of the stairs.

“Hey, Chris,” she greeted politely – too politely.

He cleared his throat as Sadie approached behind him, carrying Layla. “What are you doing here, Emily?”

Part Fourteen

#chris pratt #chris evans #fanfiction #collab #new to this blog

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the-zodiacs-written-in-the-stars · 5 years ago

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Chapter 16: Joss Parker

He pinned his hair tightly to a bun to have it out of the way. Sometimes, he liked to wear it open even when he was feeling rather male. The problem was that with the hair open, he was much more likely to be misgendered and it was just... easier. Also, he looked incredibly handsome with his hair in a bun. Some men just looked like hipsters with a bun. The ringing of the doorbell interrupted his morning routine. With a frown did he go to open the door.

“You're Gemini.”

Joss' eyebrows shot up as he regarded Elizabeth Liddell. The tall girl was practically looming over Joss as though she was trying to intimidate him into being honest. He smiled a bit amused.

“How did you figure that out?”, asked Joss, not denying anything as he stepped aside.

Lizzy huffed and walked into Joss' apartment, over into the small living room. “It's the new cuff-links. At first, I thought they're just... Roman numbers nonsense. But the II. It's not a two. It's the Zodiac symbol of Gemini. You are a Gemini, I know that.”

Joss reached down for her cuff-links, twirling them once. “I... didn't expect them to give anything away. I've been working in the shadows. And how... did you even know what to look for?”

Lizzy smiled brightly and pushed her thick curls aside, showing off her earring. Three orange pearls, the largest at the bottom then a middle-sized one and a small one on top. The largest of them had a stylized M enclosed inside. Joss furrowed his brows before his eyes widened.

“Virgo”, whispered Joss stunned. “You're Virgo.”

“The one and only. Well, the current one at least”, grinned Lizzy. “I was thinking, you and me, we could... we should meet up with my team.”

“I'm pretty content doing this solo”, grunted Joss before he stopped. “Wait. Your... team. Babara is Scorpio, isn't she? I'd recognize those boobs anywhere.”

“...Seriously?”, asked Lizzy flatly. “Like. Seriously?”

“Have you seen them?”, asked Joss very seriously, grabbing the air.

Lizzy muttered to herself and covered her face, missing how Joss cracked a grin. Though the next moment, Lizzy sobered up and turned to look at Joss seriously.

“Yesterday... the pub was attacked”, whispered Lizzy and sat down.

“...I... heard about that”, confirmed Joss with furrowed brows. “Angel said they're fine though. Told me Babs moved back in with her and Basty for now. What about... the others?”

“Jessie is crashing on my couch right now. Thank Ricky for being amazing and wonderful”, sighed Lizzy. “And... huh... Actually, Mike offered Jamie and the kids to stay with them.”

“Really?”, asked Joss surprised. “How did that happen?”

“Well, shortly after the attack ended, Matt and Mike came rushing in apparently and... since no one Jamie's close to has that much space... I know Mike's place – or rather Matt's place – is really huge. They have a whole attic that's mostly unused and like as big as my entire apartment. The kids and Jamie have been crashing there since yesterday. Today... we're... we're going to help them put things together to make it more... hospitable for them. You wanna come? Please? Even if you don't wanna join the team. I know you're not... the most social of creatures.”

Joss heaved a sigh. Liz was right; Joss didn't have the biggest circle of friends. Angelique Lamour was his best friend and Angel had kind of dragged Joss into all of this. Into meeting Jessie, Lizzy, Alina and Noxia. He... knew that his very extrovert best friend had been the best thing to happen to him because she pushed him and in the end, he was... glad. He was glad to have Lizzy, Noxia, Alina and Jessie in his life. He furrowed his brows as he nodded slowly.

“I'll come and help. Of course”, sighed Joss.

~*~

Alina and Noxia had been quite surprised to find Lizzy already at Joss' place. Normally, the two would come and get Joss and they'd lastly pick up Lizzy. They were easily distracted with the news about the burned-down pup and the drive was spent talking about that.

“Are you alright, honey?”

Joss frowned as he turned to look at his boss. Sonia Gold. She was... so much more than a friend. When Joss had started out as an assistant with Sonia, he had still exclusively tried to present as a girl, not wanting to rock the boat, not after the way his own parents had reacted. Sonia had been an encouraging and gentle force, despite her strict and serious appearance, she did truly have a heart of gold. Over the years, Joss had become so much more than just a simple assistant, he had helped her make many major decisions about the firm. Sonia trusted his judgment.

“Friends of mine had a... tragedy yesterday”, offered Joss reluctantly.

“What happened?”, asked Sonia, her brows furrowed in concern.

“Jessie, I think you might have seen her before. She and her brother own this pub and... it was attacked yesterday”, sighed Joss before sitting down on Sonia's couch. “They were unharmed, thankfully. But the apartment was destroyed and the pub took quite some damage.”

“Jessie. The Irish spitfire”, mused Sonia. “Oh. The Saint John's Pub? That's such a shame.”

Joss hummed in agreement. Granted, it was only part of what was on his mind right now – but it really was something that concerned him. He worried for Babs and Jessie, and of course also Jamie and the children even though he didn't really know them. He'd never wish homelessness upon anyone, still remembering how it had been for him back in the day.

“You want the day off, sugar?”, asked Sonia as she watched Joss closely. “If you're unfocused and would rather go and help your friends, you know you just have to say the word.”

That put a small smile on Joss' lips. “You're too kind. I wonder how you ever managed to raise this large business. No, I'm fine. They all found a place to stay already and Lizzy roped me into helping with the set-up after work. For now, I'm all yours.”

“Wonderful. Would you mind checking in with your friend Lizzy then? I'd like an update on the Chiron Training campaign. Last I heard there was a major set-back...?”, asked Sonia.

“Yeah. They... revamped the whole of Artemis”, sighed Joss. “You know Noxia. She thrives for perfection. And I do have to admit, the changes they made vastly improved the optics.”

“Good, good. Make sure Apollo isn't entirely revamped though. I'd like to somewhat stay on the schedule”, requested Sonia pointedly. “And then if you could get us lunch from that charming little café? I'll see you in... an hour? I believe I have some meeting I don't want to attend.”

Knocking on the door interrupted them and Sander poked his head in. “You do have a meeting and you are running late, Sonia. Ah. Good morning, Joss.”

Sander smiled at her, his dark eyes shining. Joss' throat felt tight and he felt a tiny bit dumb. Like words came harder to him and coordinating his own body became harder. That was... the usual effect Sander Hancock had on him. The tall handsome man with the kind eyes was his weakness. He had had a crush for Sander ever since he had started working as Sonia's assistant.

“Good... morning, Sander”, replied Joss after a beat.

“What day is today?”, inquired Sander, running his eyes over Joss.

“Today's a he-day”, offered Joss with a small smile.

“Mh”, grunted Sander with a nod. “I'll see you later then.”

Sander left and Joss sighed softly to himself. Sonia raised one eyebrow as she looked at him, making Joss duck his head a little bit. The embarrassing thing about his crush on Sander was the fact that Sander and Sonia were a package-deal. Had always been a package-deal.

They had both grown up in Kansas City, neighbors, best friends since pre-school. High school sweethearts, on and off again for as long as they knew what dating was. Sander had given Sonia the courage and support to open her business. There was no Sonia without Sander, no Sander without Sonia. There was no way there was room between them for Joss and he'd never want to get between them. Sander and Sonia were best friends, had a forty year history with each other. Joss had booked enough vacations for Sonia, and Sander, to go to Krakow, where Sander's extended family was living, because Sonia practically was part of that family.

Joss heaved a small sigh of unrequited love like he was in one of those obnoxious rom-com movies that Angel kept forcing him to watch. With a shake of his head did Joss continue on to check in on the girls, as requested. Sonia was right. This was their biggest project right now and it was a huge one at that – a dozen different posters, corresponding commercials, all for the biggest client they ever had and that was quite saying something. Then again, there were only few businesses in existence that were larger than Chiron Training – Amazon, Google, Disney, from the top of Joss' head, he really couldn't think of any more. What had started out as a small business selling shoes, sports-equipment and prosthesis, it expanded quickly to sports-wear and actually ground-breaking sports-equipment, soon followed by merchandise, energy bars, smoothies, protein supplements and today it was the top provider of prostheses. From what Joss had read online, a prosthesis was how all of this had started out for Matteo di Girasole, after his aunt lost her leg in a hiking accident and had troubles with the prosthesis she had gotten, being severely limited compared to her athletic past.

“Nox? How's it coming along?”, asked Joss as he entered the studio.

Three levels of the building was dedicated of the studios for their photographers and camera-teams for the advertisements. Noxia Black was one of their best photographers, she had the keenest eye of anyone Joss had ever met. Noxia turned around to glare fiercely at him before putting the camera down and making a dismissive gesture toward the models.

“Take five. The boss woman has send her lackey to spy on us”, grunted Noxia.

Joss rolled his eyes fondly as he approached her, seeing the grin she was spotting. Nox hopped onto the table she had put her camera down on and grabbed an energy drink. Joss narrowed his eyes at the various cans that already littered the place.

“It's eight in the morning. How many of those have you had?”, asked Joss sternly.

“Urgh, don't parent me”, grumbled Nox with an eye-roll. “You're only two years older than me. The creative juices have to flow and for that my brain has to be awake.”

“So, how is it going?”, sighed Joss, seeing that he lost this battle.

Nox tilted her head over at the two blondes. Angelique Lamour don up in browns and decent oranges (not bright and unnatural looking, but the tones that complimented the brown), leather-versions of the newest line from Chiron Training. Stylized. Clever take on that idea. She was holding a quiver, having the bow leaning next to her. On her other side stood Anthony Dubois, a very pretty blonde young man with heterochromic blue-brown eyes.

Sonia had discovered him herself. She had been out for lunch with Sander and Joss at Liddell's Sweets, their favorite place for lunch-break, the sweet, little bakery owned by Lizzy's older sister (which was how they had first learned about the establishment). Anthony was their waiter and Sonia, she looked at his smile and the way the sun sparkled in his eyes and she decided on the spot that she wanted him in her next ad, whatever it was. That was just the kind of person Sonia was. She saw someone and she saw their potential and she'd be damned not to work with them on it.

“Those two have insane chemistry with each other”, stated Noxia with a grin. “Not, you know, that kind of chemistry. Wouldn't want that, they're playing siblings after all – and hey, one of the few siblings in Greek mythology who didn't fuck.”

She gestured widely while Joss looked past her at the two blondes. Tony was wearing similar clothes as Angel, though the leather had a nearly golden quality to them, with dark-yellow accessories. On his head perched was a golden crown that looked reminiscent of the sun, while on Angel's head was a silver tiara with a half-moon on it. Artemis and Apollo, the two gods associated with archery, for their shoot showing off the archery-equipment and since Matteo di Girasole himself was a prized archer, he had insisted on having the archers as the faces of the campaign after Sonia had pitched it to him. Others, like Poseidon showing off the swim-wear and Hermes with the running shoes, Demeter with their line of food, were also in the campaign, but these two? They were the perfect faces for it. Joss had to admit, they were gorgeous like this.

“So, yeah. New costumes took a bit until they were done, but our models are being very well-behaved and cooperative”, assured Noxia. “I am pleased with the way things are turning out. This afternoon, we're having dress-rehearsals for Poseidon, then tomorrow is the casting for Hermes.”

“Mh. And the casting director knows that they're not supposed to cast any more white people, right?”, asked Joss carefully, side-eyeing Tony and Angel. “The blue-eyed, blonde twins are the only ones. Mister di Girasole made a very pointed note on wanting his campaign to be diverse – in all aspects. He wants his prostheses featured in them too.”

“Oh, yeah. We actually already cast the perfect one for Terpsichore, muse of dance. Veronica Saylor, she's a... childhood friend of Matt's and a professional ballet dancer”, assured Noxia. “And what I had in mind for Poseidon was tall, dark, handsome black man. Broad shouldered swimmer, dark skin that stands in perfect contrast to the light-blue color-scheme Lizzy has laid out. The shooting, I imagine, at the beach, with a cloud-free summer-sky and the shallow water around him-”

“Okay, okay. You don't need to describe the entire photo-shoot to me”, grinned Joss amused. “I'll take your word for it. It's looking good, but keep the schedule in mind.”

“Always, always”, said Noxia dismissively. “Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll go through the pictures while we take five anyway. Shoo. Go catch up with Angel or something.”

Rolling his eyes, Joss decided to leave Nox be and do as suggested. He could admit that he was working too hard and too much and not spending nearly enough time with his best friend. Angel's entire face brightened as Joss approached her and within moments, Joss found himself pulled into a tight hug by an enthusiastic blond. Tony just quirked an eyebrow at him and nodded.

“Good seeing you”, offered Tony in a thick but pleasant English accent.

“Likewise”, replied Joss with a cord nod of his own.

“We were just talking about what happened to the pub”, elaborated Tony.

“...Don't tell me you're one of Jamie's exes too?”, asked Joss carefully.

“Oh, no. No. Not my type. I like my men tall and strong”, grinned Tony impishly. “No, I just enjoy their drinks. And their food, actually. Also, my best friend has a bit of a crush on the waitress.”

“Tall... is really not an attribute I'd assign to him”, agreed Angel thoughtfully.

“It's a real tragedy though”, mused Tony with a frown. “And they're by far not the only ones, are they? This city's slowly getting torn to pieces. Honestly, my mom called me three times this week alone to ask me to move back to London.”

“I mean, she's not wrong”, offered Angel. “I wouldn't want to leave either, but... I understand where your mother is coming from. My parents are worried too. Los Angeles is the epicenter of an alien invasion. My ex-boyfriend's pub and apartment just got torn down by an alien.”

“...Fair point”, nodded Tony and looked at Joss. “Input?”

“I have to admit, as someone who grew up watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer and complaining about the idiots who kept living in Sunnydale even though everybody knew there were vampires and monsters...”, started Joss with furrowed brows. “Personally, I wouldn't even know where to go. My life and everyone I care about is in Los Angeles, so I'm here to stay.”

“That's fair”, agreed Angel thoughtfully. “And for now, the heroes do have it under control.”

“For the most part”, interjected Tony with a pointed look. “But yeah. Guess so. It's only been like... two months. But if it goes on for too long, or the destruction gets worse...”

“Then I'd consider returning to Paris too”, admitted Angel with a sigh.

Joss drew his eyebrows together at that. They were both right. Los Angeles was getting more dangerous by the day. And the heroes really needed to find a solution for it. Perhaps Lizzy was right and it would be beneficial for them all to work together. Including Joss.

~*~

“You got that pining look on your face again.”

Joss rolled his eyes at Kit. Katherine Renard, the only barista aside from Laureen and Tony working at Liddell's Sweets. The redhead grinned knowingly at Joss while preparing his orders for lunch.

“You always do that when you're giving me the order for the bagel with ham and cheese”, continued Kit, not minding the death-glare she was receiving. “Wonder who ham-and-cheese-bagel is.”

“You're a horrible barista”, stated Joss seriously. “Mind your own business.”

“Aw, but it's half my charm!”, exclaimed Kit with a catty grin.

“Is she teasing you again? I'm so sorry. I should look into better staff.”

Laureen approached them with a tablet filled with fresh bagels. Joss closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Freshly baked goods. That was just... such a good scent.

“It's fine”, sighed Joss. “I know how Kit is. It's... part of the café's charm.”

“See!”, exclaimed Kit and pointed at Joss with both hands. “I'm charming.”

“...That's a stretch”, stated Joss dryly.

“Okay, so, I was just trying to find out for whom the ham-and-cheese-bagel is”, explained Kit.

She looked at Laureen expectantly while Joss heaved a sigh. “Oh. Ham-and-cheese is... Mister Hancock, right? You still having a crush on him?”

There was something akin to pity in Laureen's eyes. That's what Joss got for getting lunch at the shop owned by her friend's older sister. Of course had Lizzy told Laureen all about that. And the thing was, Joss liked Laureen. It was a little odd for Joss, because he was just between the two sisters, age-wise. Lizzy was twenty-eight, Laureen was forty. Joss was awkwardly in the middle there with his thirty-three. Adult life was odd like that.

“If you have any advise for me, Laureen, share it with me”, sighed Joss. “I'm at my wit's end. Sure, Sonia and Sander broke up again last week, but that never lasts long. It's not like I stand a chance.”

“Okay”, nodded Laureen, putting the bagels down and resting her hands on her hips. “You need a distraction. Something light, fun. You need a date.”

“...What”, grunted Joss flatly.

“Oh. No, she's right!”, agreed Kit, nodding wildly. “You absolutely do! There's nothing better to get your mind off of a tragic romance than spending time with someone else, having fun, feeling seen. You need to be seen, Joss. You're fucking gorgeous. Get yourself someone who looks at you.”

Joss flustered a little at that, tucking a loose strand of hair behind his ear. “I don't have the time to go out and meet someone, get to know them and then arrange a date. That's... a whole, time-consuming process. I have so much work to do.”

Laureen narrowed her eyes thoughtfully for a moment. “Wednesday. You come here on Wednesday for lunch, the whole lunch hour. I'll have a date waiting for you.”

“...You're setting me up on a blind-date?”, asked Joss a bit mortified.

“Yes. You just said, you have too much work to do to go out and meet someone. No going out and meeting someone required here. And it costs you no time if it's a lunch-date. Also, perk of lunch-date is the time-limit. Even if the two of you don't hit it off, once the hour is up you gotta go anyway and don't need any excuse to leave early. If you do it hit off, you could set up a real date.”

“Are you telling me anything about them?”, asked Joss warily.

“Oh no. Where is the fun in that?”, asked Laureen with a smirk. “Just be there on time. No simply picking up a lunch-order and leaving again to work through your lunch-break.”

There was no getting out of this. Laureen had set her mind on it and Joss had been foolish enough to fall into it. A date. He couldn't remember the last time – no, wait he could. But... it couldn't have been that long ago, could it? 2011? That was... seven years ago. Oh.

“Okay”, sighed Joss at that realization.

“...That was easier than expected”, noted Laureen suspiciously. “I thought you'd need more convincing. I had arguments prepared in my head, young man.”

Joss smiled a little at that. “I just realized how long it's been since my last actual relationship.”

“How long is long?”, asked Kit interested. “Just, for the record?”

Joss stared her dead in the eye and grabbed the orders. “Have a good day, ladies.”

“That long, huh?”, asked Kit teasingly, smirking at Joss. “Damn.”

~*~

Joss took a deep breath as he climbed into the car with Lizzy. Rick had picked them up to go help with the move. Though he was still a bit unsure what exactly they were going to do today. He had just agreed because of Lizzy's large kitten-eyes. Joss was weak, he knew that.

“What is the plan for today?”, asked Joss once Lizzy and Rick finally stopped kissing.

Honestly, getting going with those two was near impossible. Lizzy smiled as she stole one last kiss from Rick before properly sitting down on her place again.

“Mikey and Matt, the great, generous Samaritans they are, offered to house Jamie and the kids, what with their current place being kinda... torn out”, stated Rick as he started driving. “Thing is, they don't really have the... room. You've never been at theirs, right? They got this huge house – like, really huge, old Victorian style. I love those houses. And they got like three bedrooms. But one, obviously theirs, and another is kinda Marcy's – uh, Marcy is Matt's little sister, total princess that one. So that's not really... it'd be a bit of a tight squeeze for both the kids. They do, however, also have this gigantic attic that's like... empty. It's two large rooms. So, the plan for today is put all the shit up there into one room, pull up a wall between the other, paint the walls, put up some furniture. Make it, you know, homey for the kids.”

“Sounds like a lot of work”, sighed Joss and closed his eyes.

He sighed and leaned back, wanting to rest at least a little bit. He was working way too hard lately, considering the nightshifts of patrolling the streets. It could ease his load if they'd just work as a team, taking shifts and such. Perhaps. Though he really wasn't much of a fan of team-play.

“And we're here”, announced Rick. “Time to wake up, Parker.”

Joss sighed and opened his eyes. And okay, the house was gorgeous. There were people standing outside already, seemingly planning what to do today. Joss braced himself for meeting a lot of people. Rick immediately went in for a hug with who Joss recognized as Mike, having met him a couple of times when doing something with Rick and Lizzy.

“Thanks so much for coming, dude”, sighed Mike relieved. “It's... a lot of work.”

“Of course!”, exclaimed Rick with a laugh. “This is gonna be fun.”

Lizzy grinned and wrapped an arm around Joss' shoulders. “Guys. My friend Joss, he agreed to help us out too. Joss, that's Mike's much better half Matt, Mike's sister Melanie, Matt's best friend Tanya. Damn, that's quite the turn-out. Wait, where's the green bean?”

Lizzy pointed at them one by one and Joss nodded. Aside from them, there were the Saint John siblings and, of course, the two children. Said children were currently sitting on the steps playing with a long-haired black cat. It made Joss smile a little bit.

“The green bean”, started Jessie pointedly. “Has a different, even more important mission.”

“What in the world could be that?”, asked Rick confused. “Shouldn't all of you having actual beds to sleep in be top priority right now? She's crashing with her cousin, right?”

“She is. And right now, she is yelling at our insurance company”, drawled Jamie with a mischievous grin. “Because you know, this shit's been going on for three months but insurance companies still haven't covered alien attacks. So we sicced our angry, short Austrian-girl at them to yell at them in German until they give in and pay for the damages. Seriously, that really has priority. The pub is our only income, I need the insurance money to start rebuilding it.”

Joss smiled bemused at the idea. Babara was a very gentle and kind woman, but making her angry made her vicious. The poor person on the other end of the line, though it might just help move things along. Joss knew their entire income depended on the pub – all three adults living above the pub worked at said pub. They were lucky to have people in their life who could take them in.

“I told you, I'd pay-”, started Matt, sounding mildly distressed.

“No”, grunted Jamie pointedly. “I... accepted your offer to live here for the time being because of the children. I am grateful for it, I really am. But I've been independent all my life. I can't take such a huge gift from you. Babs is going to sort this whole thing out for us and we'll get out of your hair in no time at all, I promise.”

Joss raised one eyebrow as he watched the way Matt looked at Jamie. Oh. He knew that look, had given it Sander a lot of times. How... complicated. He furrowed his brows at that.

“Okay. What's there to do?”, asked Joss impatiently.

“Rick, Mike and Jessie are going to pull up the wall, we already got the material for that this morning. I'm going with Jamie to... try and salvage things at the pub”, started Matt. “Uhm... Andy, Ally, you pick teams? Each pick two of the remaining adults out to go furniture shopping with.”

Andy and Ally furrowed their brows. Andy had the black cat on his arms as he approached them. Joss all the while watched how the others slowly formed groups. Jessie was wearing her tool-belt and looked extremely excited to get some actual work done as she approached Mike and Rick, already giving them instructions and showing who was boss in that group. Lizzy tugged Joss along and approached Andy, while Ally grabbed Melanie and Tanya by the hands.

“Let's go get you an actual bed, kiddo”, offered Lizzy.

Andy furrowed his brows as he looked at her. “I want a race-car bed. Dad said no because it's expensive, but Matt said he's paying and me and Ally should pick everything we want. So, I'm only going with you two if you side with the right authority here.”

“Right authority?”, whispered Joss before chuckling. “I like this kid.”

“We're siding with the one who pays”, declared Lizzy, holding a hand out. “By the way.”

“I don't have that much cash on me”, stated Matt pointedly. “I made arrangements. Called ahead to put everything on my tab, they know to expect you, Lizzy. Perks of being a billionaire.”

“Ye—es!”, exclaimed Andy and started jumping up and down.

“Yeah, kiddo, Ace is straying here though”, interjected Mike, motioning at the cat.

Said cat hissed a little at being shaken by the jumping. Andy apologetically put the cat down and let him run back into the house. Joss heaved a sigh. Going furniture shopping with a child he didn't even know, how had he allowed Lizzy to rope him into this...?

~*~

Andy was jumping from bed to bed, 'testing' them, while Lizzy and Joss sat on one bed and watched him from the distance. He looked like he was having fun, which was honestly already worth something. He couldn't imagine just how traumatic the attack could be for them.

“Now's as good a time as any to talk to me”, grunted Joss pointedly. “Your team.”

“Okay so I'm still new to the whole thing, to be honest. Me and Jessie only found our gems a few weeks ago – yeah, Jessie is Aries and yeah, she told me it's okay to tell you, wouldn't be spilling secrets without permission. Didn't tell them who I suspected to be Gemini either, you know”, started Lizzy. “We've barely started training and all. But it's the four of us – me, Aries, Leo and Scorpio – and the... I'm not even gonna say their official team-name... Sagittarius, Cancer, Taurus and Aquarius. We're eight already, right? With you, we'd be nine. Libra, by the way, bad guy. Gal. There's two... unaccounted for. Pisces and Capricorn, haven't shown up yet.”

Joss nodded slowly. “You're untrained, mh? You really only found them recently.”

“Ye—ep. You've been doing this solo-gig the whole time?”, asked Lizzy with a frown.

“I was out on a stroll during a meteoroid shower when something hit me in the back of my head. Back at home, an owl appeared outta the marble. Gave me a costume, a weapon, powers. Told me to do good with it. I started... walking the streets at night, in the shadows, protecting on a... smaller scale than the big, flashy heroes. I don't... like the big, flashy parts. But I suppose, now that more and more attacks are happening... we need to be big, mh?”

“I know you don't like flashy”, sighed Lizzy and nudged him. “But yeah. Basically.”

“Okay! I want this one!”, called Andy out loudly.

“Wonderful. Get one of the cards from it and let's move on to desks. We need the basics, right? Desk, chair, closet, book-shelf”, called Lizzy back. “Come on up, let's hurry this along.”

~*~

“Oh. Oh, that's a show”, sighed Lizzy softly, fanning herself.

Joss next to her chuckled a little though he had to agree that the show was nice. Mike, Rick and Jessie were all sweaty, Jessie's shirt unbuttoned and tied together below her breasts, Mike not wearing his shirt. The wall was up, they had already started putting together the kids' beds. After shopping, Melanie and Tanya left for the pub to help Jamie and Matt pick through the rubble, while Joss and Lizzy had been put to work at the house.

“You kids doing alright?”, asked Jessie, brushing her sweat-soaked curls out of her face.

“Yeah, this is fun, aunt Jessie”, replied Andy with a broad grin.

Him and Ally were putting together the book-shelf for Ally. There was a box with books and some other stuff from Ally that they had been able to safe standing at the entrance to the room.

“You guys going to be okay with these rooms?”, asked Mike concerned.

“Dude, you have a pool in the basement. There is a giant backyard where I can actually play. And this room is actually bigger than at the pub's”, countered Andy with his eyebrows raised. “This house is really awesome. You can adopt me if you want, you know.”

“Hey!”, chided Jessie with a stern glare.

Andy cracked a grin at that. “You can adopt me and keep Jamie too?”

Mike choked on air, prompting Joss to raise an eyebrow. That boy was really bad at hiding his obvious crush on Jamie St. John. This afternoon had taken quite the enlightening turn.

“We're back. We brought everything that didn't get completely destroyed!”

Jamie's voice came from somewhere downstairs, followed by laughter and chatter from Melanie and Tanya. Ally and Andy exchanged a look before dashing downstairs and checking. They didn't have much, Joss knew they used to live on the streets, all their belongings fitting into a backpack. Joss remembered what that felt like, he also remembered what it had felt like to get his own place and slowly start gathering material stuff again. To have it destroyed and taken away again so shortly after was a set-back. He really hoped enough of the kids' toys survived.

~*~

They were meeting up in costume, at the still sealed-off Saint John's Pub. Joss' costume was black and white, with a dark-gray cloak to hide behind in the shadows. He sat next to Lizzy in her orange get-up, all of them in a circle, Team Lionheart and Unicorn Princess Squad. Gemini sat on his shoulder, preening her black wing. Joss loved Gemini, a lot. She was clever but kind, an owl that was literally split in the middle, right half black, left white. Leo and the others had already rattled down all the information they had gathered and Joss was surprised by how little it was.

“They haven't told you why they're here, huh?”, asked Joss, one eyebrow raised.

“To help. Because of the attack”, stated Aries/Jessie, looking confused.

“No. I mean, why they're on Earth. Why they would come here, over and over again, to save Earth?”, asked Joss with a raised eyebrow. “Didn't you push about that? Because isn't it suspicious? If they have to stay hidden from us, why would they come here over and over again. Bad guys and good guys alike. I mean, what do they gain, what is the motivation? Why care about the backwater planet that they aren't allowed to interact with? Why they have that shady rule about not being allowed to share everything with us? What they're hiding from us?”

“...Okay no we weren't, but now I kind of am”, grunted Virgo/Lizzy suspiciously.

“Humans were never meant to be the dominant race on the planet”, stated Joss seriously and leaned forward. “See how none of the aliens we've encountered, including our companions, are humanoid? They are all... what we would see as animals. We're underdeveloped because we weren't supposed to rule the planet. Dinosaurs were. They were supposed to evolve to the same level of intelligence and capability as Gemini here and the others. But then Earth got attacked and invaded for the first time. The dinosaurs were wiped out when one of the warring forces decided our underdeveloped little planet could be used as a settlement, a place to train their forces, to be closer to their enemy and use to attack. A war-crime was committed on our planet. A genocide. That's why the alliance was formed, that's why there are special teams trained to come here and protect us. Out of guilt for what had been done to our planet before us.”

“...Oh”, whispered someone.

And wasn't that the only reaction. Joss had pushed and pushed for weeks, unraveled the truth. He had never bought it, the silly story of the good, generous aliens coming to protect them out of the goodness of their heart. And why should the bad guys repeatedly come here?

“The thing is, the reason why it's our planet being invaded over and over again, the big bad wants their territory back. Even after all this time. They still think they have a right to this planet because they once claimed it. And that is why they keep coming back here”, stated Joss.

“Serpentarius? But... I thought we established they were like Hades and stuff too, so... not even always bad? I don't get this”, asked Cancer with a confused look on his face.

“Not Serpentarius. They may be the acting head this time around, but... there is a driving force even higher than them”, pointed Joss out and shook his head. “Haven't gotten around to who it is yet, still looking for the right questions to ask. But... right now, Serpentarius is the lieutenant we're looking for, sent by the driving force who had claimed our planet as their territory.”

“That's... very helpful, actually. Thank you”, nodded Taurus honestly.

“So, what are we now?”, asked Aquarius pointedly. “Two teams and a solo gig who trade info?”

“I told you I can't know if I trust you yet”, growled Leo out tensely.

“Oh, you can't trust us. You were the ones we couldn't reach when we needed you!”, snarled Sagittarius, jerking forward some. “Two days ago, when we actually called upon you. You said we could call you and you would come, but you didn't!”

“We were... busy”, growled Leo back, also taking a step forward.

“Busy? We were busy! We were fighting a giant fucking attacker who was hurting those we care about! And you were busy sitting somewhere with your thumb up your-”, screamed Sagittarius.

“Oh, this is just ridiculous and I'm done with it”, declared Scorpio.

Joss huffed to himself, because yeah. This was ridiculous and it was exactly why he was against this whole team-thing. But then Scorpio did the unexpected. She started glowing purple and then her costume disappeared. Her dark-purple hair turned neon-green, waving in the wind.

“Hi, I'm Babara Burkhart and I'm Scorpio”, stated the green-haired woman. “And I'm tired of secrets, I'm tired of two teams tearing themselves apart when we should be one united front.”

Aquarius heaved a sigh and did the same. “Tanya Tarasova. Also tired of the secrets. And yes, this is how I communicated with Scorpio, because Scorpio is my ex-girlfriend.”

The next to turn back to their civilian form were Jessie and Lizzy, followed by Taurus who turned out to be... Melanie Maguire. Joss started to feel like everybody from yesterday was here now. He side-eyed Cancer and Sagittarius and... Yeah. Mike Maguire and Matteo di Girasole.

“So, did you hook your fiance up with one of those gems too?”, asked Joss pointedly at Lizzy.

“What? No. I mean, okay you're right this... this is the exact same line-up like yesterday, but plus Babs... huh”, grunted Lizzy surprised as she took everyone present in.

Leo was the last to turn, but at this point it wasn't really a surprise anymore. Okay, it hadn't been a surprise to Joss. It was, apparently, a surprise for Mike and Matt though, both looking like they had been slapped in the face. Wow. If they were this slow, there was no way those three were going to figure out a relationship within the next decade or so. That was a little sad.

“Does anyone else find that... suspicious though?”, inquired Tanya. “I do understand that they came down in the meteorite shower and they seemingly were headed here. As in, the pub.”

“...I was walking past it”, admitted Joss thoughtfully. “I had thought on Ryuu... my ex... and it kind of drew me here. That's an information I hadn't been able to gain yet. So they specifically headed for this pub? Why? And why were all of you there...?”

“Me? I was on a business dinner with Sonia Gold”, offered Matt.

“I drove him here. The marble must have landed in my pocket while I waited”, said Tanya.

“We live here”, chorused Jessie, Babs and Jamie.

“I was here to annoy Jessie at work”, was Lizzy's reason.

“I... was grading tests. I like to do that here, I find the pub oddly calming, even when it's busy”, explained Melanie. “I went outside when the shower started because it looked beautiful.”

“...I just stopped by quickly to see how Mattie was doing”, admitted Mike embarrassed. “He always looks so cute during business meetings? I just drove by and then went home.”

“So, Capricorn and Pisces must have been at the pub too then”, concluded Joss.

“That would narrow it down if I'd remember who was at the pub on that one night months ago”, snorted Jamie and rolled his eyes. “I'd rather like to know why the pub. What have I, specifically, done to the bad guys that they want to ruin my entire life?”

“Whoever Serpentarius is, they were there too that night. And that's why the Zodiacs landed there”, summarized Melanie thoughtfully. “That was the beacon that drove them here.”

“Great. So we have some... concerning... answers and... more questions”, sighed Matt.

“Dinosaurs”, muttered Mike beneath his breath. “Really?”

“Giant apex predators. Also, look at our companions”, requested Joss. “Did you expect crabs to be the dominant species on Mars...? Giant lizards... not that much of a stretch, considered.”

“Right”, nodded Mike. “Cancer's from Mars. Mars is... inhabited by crabs. Okay, you're right.”

“We humans only got the chance to rise because the dinosaurs were wiped out. Who knows what turns evolution would have taken if things had happened differently”, mused Matt. “Especially considering the... rest of our solar system, you're right there.”

“We need to keep an ear open for Pisces and Capricorn though. That should take priority for now. Who knows if they are on our side, or... not”, stated Jamie seriously, looking tense.

“True, true. Split up and keep our eyes open. Make a... group-chat for the... whole team?”, suggested Mike tentatively, staring at Jamie like a puppy-dog.

“...Yes”, agreed Jamie, looking away from Mike. “Okay.”

“Jamie...”, started Matt slowly, looking embarrassed. “I'm... sorry for screaming at you earlier. I...”

“You weren't screaming at me, you were screaming at Leo”, shrugged Jamie. “...About me...”

There was an awkward stretch of silence and the guys looking different shades of flustered. Joss heaved a sigh. What kind of soap opera had he signed up for there...?

~*~

By the time Wednesday rolled around, Joss felt oddly optimistic about her date. If there was one good thing to come from being dragged into that whole team-business, it was to see cringeworthy pining from the outside. No. No, Joss was not going to do that. She wasn't going to stand at the sidelines with sad eyes, staring after someone who didn't want her. She wore her hair open, white blouse and white pencil-skirt paired with flat shoes. With her, she carried a single white rose for whoever Laureen had set her up with. Laureen was smiling mischievously at her.

“Looking particularly gorgeous today”, teased Laureen. “It's rare to see you with your hair open when you're at work. Trying to charm her, mh?”

“Her?”, echoed Joss and perked up a little bit.

The first bit of information about the mysterious person Laureen had picked. Laureen laughed and led Joss over to a table. And oh. Joss blushed a little. She was beautiful. Very tall – Joss liked them tall – with dark, thick curls falling over her shoulders, soft, gentle eyes, her bow-shaped lips more prominent with pink lipstick. She was wearing scrubs, tugging on them displeased and not having noticed Joss and Laureen just yet. She was really very pretty.

“Sunny, meet Joss. Joss, Sunny”, introduced Laureen. “Your lunch will be ready in five.”

Sunny turned startled and then stared for a moment. “Damn it. You look gorgeous, all dressed up and I'm in my scrubs. I told Laureen that a date during lunch isn't-”

“You're beautiful”, blurted Joss out before blushing. “I mean. If you're this beautiful in scrubs, I don't think I could handle you actually dressed up for a date, so this is a good first date.”

Sunny looked surprised before she started laughing brightly, covering her mouth and ducking her head. “That's... really cute. And embarrassing. Hello, Joss. It's... a pleasure to meet you.”

“Likewise”, nodded Joss with a smile. “So, Sunny... before I assume wrongly, what do you do?”

Joss sat down while Sunny perked up some. “Doctor. That's how I know Laureen – I went to med school with her husband.”

“Doctor Sunny...”, started Joss, drawling it out a little.

“Korrapati”, offered Sunny after a moment. “Well, technically it's Savitri. Savitri Korrapati. Sunny is just a nickname. Started in med school, when no one could – or wanted to bother with – pronouncing my name and when it slipped once that Savitri actually means sun, that... stuck. They went 'oh, can we call you Sunny then? It's way easier to say than your name'... and I've been Sunny ever since. Don't get me wrong, I like the nickname. My friends say it does fit my sunny nature. I'm a happy person, you know. But... it's still frustrating, knowing that the majority of people who call me Sunny don't do it out of familiarity but because they want to avoid even trying to say my name.”

Sunny paused for a moment and looked mortified. “Wow. I really just said all of that, huh? I am so sorry. That was definitely oversharing. On the first date. I literally don't even know your last name yet, but you know half my life story. I'm sorry, I... talk when I'm nervous?”

“No, it's okay, it's really charming”, blurted Joss out and flushed. “It's Parker. My last name. Joss Parker. Got lucky with that. When my parents moved to San Diego from Seoul, they... left everything behind. Gave me a nice, proper English-sounding name, embraced being all American.”

They were interrupted as Laureen brought their food over in person. “And do you visit them often? Your parents, I mean. San Diego isn't far away.”

Joss made a face for a moment before sighing. “Considering you... overshared already, let's even out the playing field a little, mh? No, I'm not close to my parents. I came out to them as trans when I was sixteen and they kicked me out.”

“I'm... very sorry”, whispered Sunny softly, her eyebrows drawn together.

“I'm not”, stated Joss. “Sorry. And trans, that is. I'm... genderfluid. Took me a while to figure that out. Didn't know there was a word for it back when I was a teen. Figured I was trans, until I... figured out what was right for me. So I'm not sorry, because... this is who I am and... if they can't love their only child for who they are? I don't need them.”

Sunny smiled at her in a sad way, the one that conveyed that she knew those were empty words. And of course they were, but a first date was really not the time or place to dive into all of that. But being abandoned by her parents was a pain Joss would never get over. She could also never hate them, despite how much they had hurt her. There would always be that phantom pain where she had cut them out of her life. Clearing her throat, she grabbed her drink and took a slow sip from it.

“So, what kind of doctor are you, Savitri?”, asked Joss.

She felt very satisfied at the bright smile on Savitri's face upon something as simple as actually saying her name. It wasn't comparable, not by a long shot, but Joss knew what it felt like for people to disregard her chosen name or to misgender her because they couldn't be bothered to keep up with what gender she was feeling that day, so Joss would always make the effort for others, even if Savitri's issue was an entirely different one, one based on the inherent racism of this country. Which, probably also a can of worms not to be discussed on the first date. Try light.

“I'm a surgeon”, replied Savitri eagerly. “Trauma surgeon, actually. Most people... immediately put me into 'oh she must be a pediatrician, she's so bright and sweet'. But you should see me at an operating table. I'm good, you know.”

“Beautiful, confident and a doctor...”, muttered Joss softly. “Okay, what's the catch? What's fundamentally wrong with you that you're still single? Serial killer? Do you snore badly?”

That made Savitri sputter a little with laughter. “Not that I'm aware of? I just... I'm a workaholic. I tend to take double-shifts, maybe am more invested in my patients than I should be – checking up on them even after the surgery. I also tend a lot to the doctors in training, even after hours. It's... hard. It's hard enough with the job and being on call to keep a relationship, but I guess I'm just too invested in it and that chases people away. Well, the ones who weren't already chased away by a confident, independent woman who earned more money than them.”

“People can be idiots”, agreed Joss and took a bite from her sandwich.

“You definitely shouldn't be single”, declared Savitri and pointed an accusatory sandwich at Joss. “You're way too charming. What's your dark secret?”

For a moment Joss paused to contemplate. “Since we've played with all cards on the table so far... There's someone I like. Someone I've liked for... a while. I'm hung up on him. Friends suggested that I should find a date and try to move on.”

“Okay”, nodded Savitri slowly and leaned back in her chair. “That's fine. I mean, we all got a past. And if you actually want to move on, then okay. But... if you realize you're not ready to, don't... try to force something because I deserve better than that. Just be honest and upfront.”

“If that's okay by you, then yes”, nodded Joss, a bit surprised.

“I'm a catch, like you said”, shrugged Savitri. “I'll make you forget that guy's name.”

Maybe Joss looked a tiny bit smitten as she watched Savitri nod seriously at that. “So... What about you? Are you... close to your family? Since I shared my sob-story.”

“Oh, I have no sob-story, sorry. My parents came to San Francisco from Mumbai, I visit them regularly. They took my bisexuality better than me, actually? I had a huge freak-out about it, mama just smothered me and told me to calm down”, laughed Savitri. “I have an annoying older sister though. She sometimes visits to nag me. It's very exhausting.”

She made a dismissive gesture before grinning. Joss just nodded along, eating with not even half her focus as she found herself completely transfixed by everything Savitri said. An hour had never passed quicker than during that lunch-break.

Read here on AO3!

Previous Chapter <- || Masterpost || -> Next Chapter

#Story: Written in the Stars #Own Story #Project: Written in the Stars #Superheroes #Gemini: Joss Parker

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deans-baby-momma · 6 years ago

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The Padackles Link-Chapter 32

A/N: Look at me go! Three updates in one weekend.....I’m on a roll. LOL Be sure and leave me feedback here. We’ve had smut, fluff, and now it’s time for some good ole angst!!!

“Audrea Marie Murphy,” I look to the minister standing in front of me. “Do you take this man, Jensen Ross Ackles, to be your lawfully wedded husband? The have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, ‘til death do you part.”

I turn and look to my right and smile into those dazzling green eyes. “I do.”

The minister repeats his question, now looking to Jay. As I listen I can't help but notice how debonair Jay looks in his tuxedo. So distinguished, so handsome. I love him so much my heart feels like it's going to beat straight out my chest, like in the cartoons.

I hear Jay say, “I do" and the butterflies in my stomach take flight.

Is this really happening? Am I becoming Mrs. Jensen Ackles? Someone hands me a gold band and I take Jensen's left hand, sliding the ring on his finger and repeating the words supplied. The ring Jay slips onto my finger matches the one on his and is a perfect combination with the rock already on my hand. I smile, waiting for the minister to announce us husband and wife and tell Jensen to kiss his bride.

But before that happens, the doors at the back of the room swing open, catching my attention. I turn and watch as Danneel walks in. Well, more like waddles because she is very much pregnant. I wonder for a second who the poor bastard is she has her hooks in now.

As I watch her come down the aisle between the crowds of faceless people, she locks eyes with me and has a sinister smirk on her face.

“I object!” she announces when she gets to the front where we are. “He can't marry her.”

“And why not?” the minister asks, masking his confusion and discomfort well. His voice is monotone and shows no emotion.

“Because while she was planning this wedding, Jensen was impregnating me. With twins!”

I am horrified! How dare she try to steal Jensen back by trying to pin this pregnancy on him. God only knows who the father is. I look at Jensen and my heart breaks. He is looking at me with remorse and regret. The lies are true? He has been sleeping with her after proposing to me when I told him about our baby?! I grab my stomach and realize it's flat and smooth.

This isn't right, I think to myself. I should be showing by now but there isn't a bump, small or large. There aren't any flutters, letting me know that our little baby was moving around in there.

Danneel scoffs and rolls her eyes. “Drea, just stop! There is no baby, there never was. You got worried that you were going to lose him so you dreamed up a baby. You will never give birth to an Ackles child! But I will.”

“Drea? Drea, sweetie?” I hear someone calling my name but when I look around there is no one here. No one! The crowd is gone, the officiant has vanished, even Jensen and Dani are nowhere around.

“Drea! Wake up honey.” I hear the voice again and slowly the church fades away and I open my eyes to see the cabin of a plane. I focus and see Gen leaning over the armrest between us, looking concerned.

“Sweetie, it was just a dream.”

I breathe a sigh of relief and take the tissue she hands me, wiping my eyes and blowing my nose.

“Wanna talk about it?” she asks as I toss the used tissues into my purse to dispose of later.

I tell her about the dream and how it had felt so real, that Danneel being pregnant with Jay’s twins felt so certain. I told her about how Dani had accused me of making up my pregnancy to trap Jensen. Gen grabs my hand and holds it tightly in hers. “Drea, sweetie. Weird and bizarre dreams are a symptom of pregnancy. I had some doozies when I was first pregnant with Tom.”

“Really?”

“Oh yea. And they seemed so real,” Gen tells me. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“We were getting married,” I explain to her, smiling. “Right before the minister pronounced us husband wife, though, Dani came in and objected. She was pregnant with twins and claimed they were his.” “Oh honey,” Gen says, patting my hand. “That’s horrible. But I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”

“I know.” I say and then realize what she said. “Wait, why do you say that?”

“It’s nothing,” Gen says but I can tell she is lying.

“Tell me.”

“You don’t want to know. Trust me,” she says. “In your condition, it’s best to just leave it alone.”

I sit up and look Gen in the eye. “Genevieve Padalecki, tell me what you mean!”

“When the kids and I were hanging out with her and JJ a few weeks ago, she said some things about you, about Jay. And I think she is just done. Done with everything. I think she has a man but I’m not sure.”

“What did she say, Gen?” I demand. “And don’t hold anything back, I can take it. I need to know what she said!”

“She claims that you probably lied about losing your husband. That Chad either never existed, or hadn’t died. That you made the whole story up to get their sympathy and that you wanted Jay from the get-go. That you are lonely and no one else wants you. I brought up Josh and she said that he likely left you because he seen you were nothing but a homewrecker and was trying to get your paws on Jay so he got out while he still could. Said, and I quote, ‘She’s probably as bad at fucking as Jay is and the good doctor deserves better than a mediocre screw’.”

“What?” I am stunned and shocked at what Dani actually thinks of me. That I would lie about losing my husband. How immoral does she think I am? And that I wanted Jay all along? “I wasn’t the one pursuing him, it was the other way around,” I tell Gen as I look at her through the tears.

“I know honey,” she tells me and reaches out to wipe away the tears streaming down my face. “She’s just hurting and wants to hurt you. I told her she doesn’t need to be saying that shit because it would only blow up on her when the truth comes out and she just looks worse.”

“Thank you for defending me Gen. You didn’t have to.”

“Yes, I did!” Gen urges. “You are my friend. And I’m the one who told Jay to go for it with you. It’s my fault too.”

“Nah,” I chuckle and shake my head. “Ya didn’t twist his arm to sleep with me. Shit, that happened before the convention. Hmmm,” I tilt my head and look off into the distance, a thought coming to my head.

“What?” Gen asks.

“When Jay and I first had sex, she was away filming. Wonder if she screwed anyone then?”

“Probably, from what I understand, she’s always slept with someone when she’s been on a set. Before Jay and after. She’s nothing but a slut disguised as a decent human.”

“You are so right. She wants to call me the slut? I’ve been with two people my whole life! She probably can’t keep count of who she’s had between her legs.”

Gen and I laugh and I let the weird dream I’d had go. Maybe one day, Jay and I would get married, who knows. But one thing is for sure, Jay wouldn’t be impregnating her with twins, ever!

It had taken almost two months before Naomi could find someone to take my place for the few days I was asking for to make this trip to see Jay and tell him about our baby. In that time, I had noticed that my stomach had become a bit more extended and my boobs were getting rounder and more full. I knew that it wouldn’t take much for him to realize the changes, especially if he got close enough to embrace me so Gen had planned ahead and called Jared to tell him that I wanted to surprise Jay with a visit. He was going to goof off on set and make sure that they didn’t get back to the house until we had arrived and were set. The guys would get home and Jared and Gen would go out and leave Jay and I alone.

As the plane landed, I became more nervous but giddy about telling Jay he was going to be a dad again. The doubts swirled in my mind, but I tried to keep the happy thoughts at the forefront. Him being elated with the news. Him dropping to his knees and kissing my stomach. Him telling him/her how much he already loves it. Us making love in jubilee, both of us ecstatic and overjoyed at becoming parents.

Jared had secretly sent Clif to pick Gen and myself up and we quickly climbed into the SUV and he headed toward the house that the guys stayed in while filming. It was a modest one story ranch style house with a small yard divided by the walkway that led from the driveway to the front steps. Clif carried our bags and waited while Gen worked on unlocking the door and then followed us in.

“Thank you Clif,” Gen smiled at the big man with a numerous amount of tattoos on his arms. He looked intimidating, which was good since he was the bodyguard to two good-sized men themselves. But the smile on his face when he looked at us showed just how big a teddy bear the man was.

“It was no problem, Gen.”

“Now, don’t be letting on that you know we’re here. Jared knows, of course but this is more of a surprise for Jensen.”

“I know. My lips are sealed,” Clif said and motioned as if he zipped his lips and pocketed the key, causing both Gen and I to laugh.

Clif left and Gen showed me to which room was Jay’s and told me she was going to get settled in Jared and her room. I opened the door and was surprised at how clean it was. The king size bed stood in the middle of the room, a dark blue comforter covering it. The dresser and nightstand beside the bed were made of the same wood at the bed, a pretty natural-colored oak. I put my suitcase on the bed and unzipped it. Reaching into the pocket in the top I pulled out the test and the confirmation paper I had gotten from the doctor’s. I set them on the nightstand and got my clothes out to begin putting them away. On the top of the dresser were a couple of frames with pictures in them. One was of Jay and JJ at her first birthday party; the other one was a photo of me he had snapped one day while we were goofing off while packing for his return to filming. It was only a few weeks old but I could already see the changes. My face was a bit fuller and even my eyes seemed to be a more vibrant color than they were in the picture.

I looked back at the nightstand where the test laid and got an idea. I went on a search for what I would need and asked Gen to help. We found an empty photo frame in the office that the guys use and she showed me how to hook my phone up to print off the picture we had took. I would gift this to Jay after I told him my news so that he could look at it while he was lying in bed and could imagine me there with him.

It was a little after 8 before the guys walked in the door. Gen and I were in the kitchen when we heard the door open and Jay complaining about Jared’s pranks on set that caused filming to go over. He stopped as soon as I walked around the corner and just stared at me.

“Drea? Baby what are you doing here?”

Jared and Gen quietly left the room and it was just me and Jay left.

“I missed you babe.”

“Oh. I’ve missed you. More than you know,” he said as he stepped closer to me. In order for him not to hug me like I could see he wanted to, I held out my hand and asked him to follow me. I had changed out of the outfit I was in to take the picture earlier into a blank tank top and a pair of jeans that I could still zip and button. He took my hand and allowed me to lead him to the bedroom.

I closed the door and slipped by him when he tried to bring me into his arms again. I reached under the pillow where I had hid the pregnancy test and paper in an envelope and held it to him.

He took it and noticed the lump in it. “Well I don’t think this is a Dear John letter, is it?”

“No, Jay. Just open it.”

I watched as he tore the end of the envelope and held it up to let the test slide out. As soon as the stick hit his palm I stood sideways in front of him and lifted my tank. He stared at the test in his hand for a long time before he glanced up at me.

“Are you serious?” he asked. My breath caught because I couldn’t tell by his tone if he was happy or upset. So I timidly answered, “Yea.”

Jay looked down at my stomach and then up to my face and back down to the test in his hand.

“Drea, please tell me you’re not joking?”

“I’m not joking Jay. I’m pregnant. In about 7 months you’re gonna be a dad. Again.”

He put the test back in the envelope and placed it on top of the dresser near the picture of him and JJ. I watch as he walked over to me. A big smile grew on his face before he pulled me into his arms. “You’re having my baby?”

Yes, Jay. I’m having your baby.”

He picked me up and swung me around until we were both dizzy. “I love you so fucking much baby!”

“So, I guess you’re happy?”

“Are you kidding? I’m the happiest fucking man on this fucking planet right now!”

“Good.” I say as he sits me on my feet. “I got one more surprise for you.”

“Can’t be better than this,” he says as he lays his hand on my stomach. “My baby.”

I get the framed picture and hand it to him. He takes it and looks and somehow his smile got bigger. “Oh baby. This is going to help so much on those cold, lonely nights.”

“It’s just me in a long night dress, Jay.” I roll my eyes.

“But, look at that ass, those legs that I dream about wrapped around me. Those tits! God, Drea. You are so damn sexy!”

He sets the picture on the nightstand where I had figured it would be and then turns. “Can we tell them?” he asks and nods toward Jared’s room.

“Tell Jared. Gen already knows,” I tell him. “She’s the one that figured it out.”

“Of course!” Jay laughs and grabs my hand, pulling me out of the room.

“Padalecki, I’m catching up!” Jay yells down the hall and immediately the door to a room opens and Jared walks out.

“What?”

Jay puts his arm around me and his other hand on my stomach. “I said, I’m catching up.”

Jared’s eyes widen and then he rushed toward us. He picks me up and turns. “Congratulations!”

“Thanks,” I say laughing as he sits me back down beside Jay.

Jared and Gen and Jay and I were sitting around the kitchen table later that night. Three of them drinking a beer and I was drinking water.

I look at Jared and ask, “So what did you do after Gen told you that Jay and I were together and why?”

“I tell you, I was shocked! I felt like an idiot,” he said somberly then smiled. “Seriously, I missed all the hints apparently. I confronted Jay. He told me he fell in love with you and that you were in love with him too. Told me about Dani catching you two together. Then that she kicked him out and he moved in with you.”

“Yea,” I say. Now I know that Dani had, in fact, kicked him out. I had wondered but never questioned it because he was with me so it really didn’t matter.

“I went straight back to my trailer and called Gen. I had no idea all that had happened with Dani,” he says looking at Jay. “I didn’t know she was sleeping around still.”

“What do you mean still?” Jay asks, an odd tone to his voice.

Gen and I look at each other, shocked. We know Jared just stuck his foot in his mouth and there was nothing else to do but tell Jay what he knew. I grabbed hold of Jay’s hand to ground him as Jared runs his hand across the back of his neck.

“When you two started dating, that first time she came up to visit. You were still shooting your footage and she sort of propositioned me. Asked me if I was satisfied. This was while I was dating Sandy. I turned her down and she told me if I ever need anything to let her know. And the way she rubbed her hand down my chest as she said ‘anything’, I knew what she meant and she knew I understood because she winked.”

“What?!” Jay asks, his voice loud and a bit high. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want to upset you. I actually thought she was joking, until Gen told me about JJ’s paternity fiasco.”

“Jay, it’s in the past. We, you, know now what kind of person she is. Her true colors have come to light and there is nothing any of us can do about it. Just focus on JJ and this child you’re having with Drea,” Gen says, softly afraid Jay might go off on her.

Jay sat there, staring at Jared, breathing heavy for a few minutes before he sighed and then he swipes at a empty beer bottle on the table, causing it to fly to the floor crashing and shattering. I can’t help but jump at the sound. Jay stands up and runs his hand through his hair. “If you had’ve told me, I wouldn’t have married her. Hell, I would’ve ended it right then and there. That whore had baited me. Hook, line and sinker. Man, she had me fooled! I’m such an idiot! I thought this was a new development but apparently I’ve never been good enough for her!” By now he was yelling and I sat there, biting my bottom lip, tears burning my eyes. I hated seeing him so upset and hurt and knowing there was nothing I could do to help. Jay storms out of the room, not looking at any of us. We hear the bedroom door slam and I get up to go to him but Jared lays his hand on top of mine and simply says, “I’ll take care of it.”

I look to Gen and she just nods. She knows, as well as I do, that Jared was the one who would be able to calm Jay down and get him to talk. Those two were as much alike as actual brothers.

Later that night, after Jay had calmed down and came back into the front room, apologizing, we bid the Padalecki’s goodnight, the four of us retired to our respective rooms. Jensen and I celebrated the new life we had created the way I had imagined, Jay buried deep inside me.

Chapter 33

The Link Crew: @xxdragonagequeenxx @sunskittlex @carryonmywaywardcaptain @darlingpeanut @wayward-gypsy @sis-tafics @sea040561

#the padackles link #jensen ackles #danneel ackles #jared padalecki #genevieve padalecki #drea murphy #jensen x drea #jensen x ofc #angst #pregnancy #cheating

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mintchocolateleaves · 7 years ago

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Cost of Freedom (34/52)

Summary: In which Shinichi heads to Kyoto and Aoko heads off to find help.

Notes: A shorter update this time 2k, but important to the fics development. I hope you enjoy it!

[CoF Chapter List]

“What do you mean, the person who framed Shinichi?”

Saguru leans forward, raises a hand to make his point but shakes his head. He glances at the door, waits until Ran takes a step inside and closes it. There’s a jittery energy to him from his sleep deprivation and Ran doesn’t know whether to trust what he’s saying or to blame it on the lack of sleep.

No blind faith, she decides. She’ll just have to wait for the proof.

“Exactly that,” Hakuba says, stifling a yawn. “I found the person who did it. Well, a name anyway.”

Ran pauses, stands awkwardly by his door as Saguru makes his way towards the files pinned to his wall, untacks one of the pins as he grabs the paper. It’s rumpled as he brings it towards her, and places it on the wall temporarily to try and rub the creases out.

“Saguru-kun?”

“It’s fine,” Saguru says, turning back. He makes his way towards her, passes the paper over to her. “Look at this.”

It’s a list of names. One of the names is circled in red pen, an erratic circle that looks more like a scribble than an identifying mark.

“…Ogami Shukuzen? Isn’t he a famous detective?”

Saguru nods. He says, “I was looking at all the lists that could help us. There were three – one of the people who worked Kudo’s case originally. Another for those who knew about Kudo and Kuroba’s escape before it was leaked to the media – and the final one: those who knew Numabuchi was going to be moved the day he was murdered.”

Ran tilts her head, “isn’t there a chance that as a famous detective he could have been called in to help?”

Saguru takes a step backward, runs a hand through his hair and shakes his head. “No chance. He’s dead after all. Someone's using his name to get those lists.”

Well… that doesn’t exactly make much sense. Ran might not be as knowledgeable as Saguru or Shinichi on how police procedure works, but she does know that credentials are pulled from the system following a death. It had never been in the newspapers either…

“That’s not possible…” Ran mutters, because within all reason, it shouldn’t be. There’s a way these things work, and even though it’s been skewed in Shinichi’s case, there’s always some sort of system in place… right? “It would have made the news…”

Saguru crosses his arms. Shakes his head.

“No,” he says, “he’s definitely dead. Kudo and I were both invited to a gathering of detectives, and were present when he died. He was poisoned by one of the detectives present and we managed to catch her...”

“But the news.” Ran says, repeating the words to try and emphasise her points more. “Why wouldn’t they broadcast that?”

Saguru pauses, tilts his head. “The police asked us to stay quiet about the murder. So the detective present kept their silence, promised not to bring it up to the media or… Only a few people know about his death.”

Now it makes a little more sense – but who would be able to keep a murder like this from the police? Out of police files at least?

“It was someone who was there,” Ran says now, coming to such a conclusion. “Someone present at that crime scene covered it up and made sure it never reached the police station’s files.”

Saguru nods. “His file says that he’s alive, but Kudo and I know he’s not… This thing has been following him a lot longer than the serial murders, it predates it by at least two months…”

There’s a shiver at that. To think Shinichi had been a victim to whoever is playing the role of Ogami Shukuzen… it’s not a nice feeling at all. And to further think that that person has been watching over Shinichi far longer than they’d ever expected…

“We find the person who’s pretending to be Ogami Shukuzen and then we find our murderer.”

After spending so long musing over the same old files, it feels good to finally reach some headway. Except, looking at Saguru’s pallid demeanour, Ran can’t help but feel like they’ve taken a step back too.

Shinichi’s heart feels like it might give out.

Hattori drives him to the train station, so he can make his way to Kyoto, but the Osakan can’t stay long. He’s more popular in Osaka than Tokyo, people notice him, their eyes lingering on his form when he stands by his motorbike.

Just standing near Hattori is a risk. Shinichi knows that, so he tries to keep the goodbye short.

“You’ve got a phone,” Hattori says now, nodding his head. “And ya know my number so we don’t need t’ put it into th’ contacts list.”

Shinichi nods, pulls down on the cap he’s wearing and tightens the straps on his backpack. There’s enough money inside to supply a stay in Kyoto, and while he knows he’ll be back within a week – if everything goes well – he’s got enough for longer if necessary.

Kaito’s safe house had supplied enough cash for that.

“I know,” Shinichi says, lifts his hand up to dig fingernails into his neck. Hattori’s worried expression makes him freeze before he can, dropping his hand almost immediately. “I’ll send ongoing evidence to you, in case…”

In case this really is a trap.

Hattori winces, the words lingering between them. He says, “come back, or else I’ll have t’ drag ya back myself.”

They can’t go into anything more than that, Shinichi knows. There’s too big a risk – Kazuha had been right when she’d called him out for putting him in danger, he can’t do that again. It’s not fair. Not to Hattori, not to her…

Plus – isn’t seeing what happened to Kaito enough? Shouldn’t he know that it’s too dangerous to include Hattori in anything else?

Even sending the evidence towards the Osakan is too dangerous. And yet… it’s possibly the only way.

“I’ve got to go…” Shinichi mutters, turning away. He scratches at his wrist now, instead of his neck, attempts to rid himself of the unease building in his stomach. Not that he’ll be able to – the train ride to Kyoto will be an hour of hoping he doesn’t get noticed, hoping that no random coincidences will happen during the ride.

He really wishes Kaito were with him. At least his experience with KID would have helped him blend in. Instead, Shinichi is completely on his own.

“Promise you’ll be ok,” Hattori mutters, biting into his lip. There’s some underlying emotion there, something Shinichi doesn’t know how to read into. Can’t read into. “Kazuha an’ I don’t wanna have to patch you up again.”

His neck…

“I’ll be fine,” Shinichi lies. He turns away before Hattori can read into his emotions anymore. He forces his hands down, doesn’t raise them up; Up to the noose that has been coiled around his neck for months, woven to prick at his skin, tightened until he can’t breathe…

Shinichi wants it off.

“Got to buy a ticket,” he mutters, reminding himself the noose is just a hallucination, something that’s only there because of stress and sleep deprivation. “…to Kyoto.”

“I’m worried abou’ him.”

Kazuha looks up from math equations to see Heiji, hovering at the doorway to her room. He must have let himself in again with the spare key her parents have entrusted him with, his expression too raw to have been hidden away for anyone else to see.

“Of course ya are,” Kazuha mumbles, as she beckons him in, standing to close the door behind him. She can’t close it fully, not without her parents commenting and ordering her to keep the door completely open.

“I jus’,” Heiji shakes his head, collapses onto his bed. “I wish I could’ve gone with ‘im, ya know? But he’s on ‘is own and he’s blamin’ himself for everything and…”

Kazuha takes a seat next to Heiji, abandons her math equations for good, and rubs his arm. It’s a movement she’s always done to calm him when he’s started to worry, and while it doesn’t remove his worries, it eases them, slightly.

Heiji curls into her. Not much, but enough that it’s noticeable.

“He blames himself for th’ shootin’,” Heiji continues, “an’ for leavin’ Kuroba in th’ hospital. How’s he even copin’ with stuff like tha’ running around in his head?”

Kazuha thinks of nails nipping against skin and thinks that he’s not. There’s a lot to worry about in Shinichi’s case, and while she knows now that he’s not a risk to other people – not meaningfully – he is one to himself.

She wishes they could offer him help with that. Even though she doesn’t know the detective that much, Kazuha wants to help. His mental state…

No; she can’t go down that route. Kazuha needs to place her primary focus on Heiji, and think about Shinichi as and when she can. There’s zero point worrying about something she can’t change.

“We can look into stuff he can’t,” Kazuha says after a second, “when he sends information t’ us, we’ll write it down, and keep it safe.”

Heiji doesn’t look pleased by her answer.

But then again, he’s not looked anything but worried since Kuroba was shot – no, before that even. He’s been feeling bad since Numabuchi’s murder. The direct link between him helping Shinichi escape and the murder…

“I…” Heiji sighs, “how does he deal wit’ it Kazuha? It’s tearin’ me apart.”

Kazuha glances down, unable to meet his eyes for a second, because… she doesn’t know. How do they deal with things like this, being linked to murder, being involved in a takedown of a large organisation? Lying to everyone about the fact that they’re assisting a convicted killer who didn’t do it.

“It’s okay,” Kazuha whispers, lifting off one of her legs to wrap her arms around Heiji’s chest. “We’ll figure this out.”

Aoko has maybe two days to get Kaito out of prison before he’s moved. Three tops if the hospital decides he’s not stable enough to be moved.

So that’s how long she’s got to plan.

There’s not enough time to plan something by herself. Not if she wants to factor in every element to a correct standard.

Seeing as she can’t go to her father – he’s too busy standing guard and keeping watch over Kaito between the bursts of paperwork he’s got to fill in – Aoko will have to find someone else. None of her school friends will be good ideas, and seeing as she doesn’t know anyone devious enough to break out of a hospital other than Kaito himself, she’s going to have to go with people she’s not close to.

Jii – Kaito’s friend. The one who worked for Kaito’s father before he died.

From the rough explanation Kaito had given her about KID, she’s pretty sure Jii is the one who’s helped Kaito with heists requiring more than one person. Kaito hadn’t known him before KID had reappeared, had only taken Aoko to his bar afterwards to play pool following his own induction as KID…

So, Aoko’s going to take a leap and decide that Jii is the identity of Kaito’s mystery helper. It’s easy to figure out once she has Kaito’s side of the story, and while she might not have all of it… she’s got more than any others.

If he’ll help Kaito with a heist, then Aoko is certain Jii will help her with a heist of her own. Except, she won’t be stealing a gemstone, she’ll be stealing Kaito from police custody.

Taking a deep breath, she forces herself into the Blue Parrot, the doors of the bar heavy as she pushes through them. Her body feels tense, heavy as she glances at the bartender in front of her. Jii is drying a glass as she walks in, although he places it down as soon as he catches sight of her.

“The bar is currently closed,” Jii says, and then, recognising her. “Aoko-san. It’s been a while…”

Aoko glances around, tries to pull up the courage she’d previously had and stops just beside the bar. She bites her lip, offers the smallest smile and says, “Jii-san, you’ve heard about Kaito?”

Jii does not look happy as he nods.

“The young master was arrested again following a break out,” Jii says, “I don’t think there’s anyone in Japan who hasn’t heard.”

“He was shot,” Aoko continues, and while she’s certain Jii already knows, even if they’ve kept that much out of the media, he still looks faintly surprised. “And Kaito was only shot because he pushed me out of the way.”

“Why are you telling me this, Aoko-san?”

“Because,” she glances away for a second from the older man, bites into her lip. “I know you helped him with heists before. And I need you to help me with my own version of one.”

She looks back at Jii now, is greeted with shock.

“Kaito saved my life,” Aoko says, “and he’s… he wants to find that Pandora gemstone, right? So… I can’t let him go back to prison. So please… will you help me?”

Uncertainty.

As someone who’d brought up her hatred of KID hundreds of times, of course he’d be sceptical. It’d be foolish not to be.

Something to fool him – Aoko’s glad she’d thought this far ahead. She pulls the recently stolen Cullinan diamond from her bag, places it onto the counter for Jii to see.

“Is that?”

Aoko nods. She says, “Kaito placed it in my pocket when he pushed me out of the way. And… I haven’t given it back yet.”

Jii picks up the diamond, appraises it. He says, “it’s the real thing.”

“I know Kaito would want to check it when I got him out,” Aoko whispers, “to see if it’s Pandora.”

Jii glances at her now, and the readiness in his eyes shows that he’s ready to listen. Fully and without restraint.

“Please help me,” Aoko repeats, “I can’t plan these things as good as he can.”

Jii nods.

#I hope you all enjoy where the fic is going!!!#Kudo Shinichi #Hakuba Saguru #Mouri Ran #Hattori Heiji #Toyama Kazuha #Nakamori Aoko #Konosuke Jii #Kuroba Kaito #DCMK #Detective Conan #Magic Kaito #Fic: Cost of Freedom #mywriting

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suzanneshannon · 5 years ago

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The Thirteenth Fourth

Well boy howdy. The 13th birthday of CSS-Tricks has rolled around. A proper teenager now, howabouthat? I always take the opportunity to do a bit of a state of the union address at this time, so let’s get to it!

Design

Technically, we’re still on v17 of the site design. This was the first design that I hired first-class help to do, and I’m still loving it, so I haven’t had much of an itch to do massive changes to it. Although it is quite different¹ today than it was on launch day.

For example…

The search experience is totally different, as it is powered by Jetpack’s Instant Search now.

The Almanac pages (e.g. background-blend-mode) have an additional sidebar that helps you navigate between pages

I re-did the typography using Hoefler&Co. Sentinel and Ringside. The monospace font code snippets are in Operator Mono and the logo has long-been Gotham Rounded, so it feels like one big happy family of typefaces.

Maybe next year we’ll do something different again. My list is starting to grow for some behind-the-scenes tech stuff I wanna re-jigger, and sometimes that goes hand in hand with redesign work.

Closed Forums

The forums on this site have been a mental weight on me for literally years. Earlier this year I finally turned them off. They are still there, and probably always will be (so the URLs are maintained), but nobody can post new threads or replies.

It was a painful move. Even as I did it, there was still some regular daily activity there and I’m sure it didn’t feel good to those people to have a place they have invested time in shut down. Here’s why I did it:

Nobody here, including me, checked in on the forums with any regularity. Unmoderated public forums on the internet are not acceptable to me.

The spam volume was going up. There were periods where most posts, even after the automatic spam blocking I get from Akismet, where spam that required manual removal. Even if we had a dedicated forums employee, that’s no fun, and since we didn’t, it was just a random job for me and I don’t need a time sink like that.

The forums represent a certain level of technical debt. They need to be updated. Their design needs to be functional in the context of this site. At one point I ripped out all custom styles and left it be the default theme, which was a good step toward reducing technical debt, but in the end it wasn’t enough.

I can handle some work and some technical debt, of course. But when you combine those things with the fact that the forums don’t contribute much to what I consider to be the success of the site. They don’t exactly drive page views or advertising demand. There isn’t really money to hire help specifically for the forums. But that’s a small part of it. I want this site to help people. I think we can do that best if we focus on publishing with as little divided attention as possible. I think there are places on the internet that are better for forum-like discourse.

Now that they’ve been off a number of months, I can report that the lifting of the mental weight feels very good to me and there has been little if any major negatives.

Social

Here’s another mental weight I lifted: I stopped hand-managing the Twitter account (@css). I still think it’s good that we have a Twitter account (and that we have that cool handle), but I just don’t spend any time on it directly like I used to.

In the past, I’d queue up special articles with commentary and graphics and stuff and make sure the days were full with a spread of what I thought would be interesting tweets about web design and development. That’s fine and all, but it began to feel like a job without a paycheck.

We don’t get (or seem to drive) a lot of traffic from Twitter. Google Analytics shows social media accounts for less than 1% of our traffic. Investing time in “growing” Twitter just doesn’t have enough of an upside for me. Not to mention the obvious: Twitter can be terribly toxic and mentally draining.

So now, all our posts to Twitter are automated through the Jetpack social media connection (we really use Jetpack for tons of stuff). We hit publish on the site and the article is auto-tweeted. So if you use Twitter like an RSS feed of sorts (just show me the news!), you got it.

The result? Our follower count goes up at the same rate it always did. Engagement there is the same, or higher, than it ever was. What a relief. Do ten times less work for the same benefit.

When I have the urge to share a link with commentary I use the same system we’ve always had here: I write it up as a link blog post instead. Now we’re getting even more benefit: long-term content building, which is good for the thing that we actually have on our side: SEO.

Someday we could improve things by hand-writing the auto-tweet text with a bit more joie de vivre, crediting the author more clearly, and, #stretchgoal, a custom or fancy-generated social media graphic.

Opened Up Design Possibilities

One aspect of this site that I’ve been happy with is the opportunity to do custom design on content. Here are some examples of that infrastructure.

On any given blog post, we can pick a template. Some of those templates are very specific. For example, my essay The Great Divide is a template all to itself.

In the code base, I have a PHP template and a CSS file that are entirely dedicated to that post. I think that’s a fine way to handle a post you want to give extra attention to, although the existence of those two files is a bit of technical debt.

I learned something in the creation of that particular essay: what I really need to open up the art direction/design possibility on a post is a simple, stripped-down template to start from. So that’s what we call a “Fancy Post” now, another template choice for any particular post. Fancy Posts have a hero image and a centered column for the content of the post. From there, we can use custom CSS to style things right within WordPress itself.

For example, my recent post on DX is styled as a Fancy Post with Custom CSS applied right within the block editor.

The Block Editor itself is a huge deal for us. That was one of my goals for the year, and we’ve really exceeded how far we’d get with it. I think writing and editing posts in the block editor is a million miles ahead of the old editor.

The hardest challenge was (and still is really) getting the block transforms set up for legacy content. But once you have the power to build and customize blocks, that alone opens up a ton of design possibility within posts that is too big of a pain in the butt and too heavy on technical debt otherwise.

Another door we opened for design possibilities is a classic one: using categories. A sort of freebie you get in WordPress is the ability to create templates for all sorts of things that just sort of automatically work if they are named correctly. So for example I have a file called category-2019-end-of-year-thoughts.php and that fully gives me control over making landing pages for groups of posts, like our end-of-year thoughts homepage. Not to mention our “Guide Collection” pages which are another way to programmatically build collections of pages.

That’s a lot of tools to do custom work with, and I’m really happy with that. It feels like we’ve given ourselves lots of potential with these tools, and only started taking advantage of it.

Speaking of which, another aspect of custom design we have available is the new book format…

eCommerce

We’re using WooCommerce here on the site now again. I just got done singing the praises of the Block Editor and how useful that has been… WooCommerce is in the same boat. I feel like I’m getting all this powerful functionality with very little effort, at a low cost, and with little technical debt. It makes me very happy to have this site on WordPress and using so much of suite of functionality that offers.

So for one thing, I can sell products with it, and we have products now! Lynn Fisher designed a poster for our CSS Flexbox guide and designed a poster for our CSS Grid guide, which you can now buy and ship anywhere in the world for $25 each. Look, with the Block Editor I can put a block for a poster right here in this post:

CSS Flexbox Poster

Find yourself constantly looking up the properties and values for CSS flexbox? Why not pin this beautiful poster up to the wall of your office so you can just glance over at it?

$25.00

Shop now

Another thing we’re using WooCommerce for is to sell our new book, The Greatest CSS Tricks Vol. I. If we actually made it into a proper eBook format, WooCommerce could absolutely deliver those files digitally to you, but we haven’t done that yet. We’ve take another path, which is publishing the book as chapters here on the site behind a membership paywall we’re calling MVP supporters. The book is just one of the benefits of that.

WooCommerce helps:

Build a membership system and sell memberships. Membership can lock certain pages to members-only as has programmatic hooks I can use for things like removing ads.

Sell subscriptions to those memberships, with recurring billing.

Sell one-off products

And I’m just scratching the surface of course. WooCommerce can do anything eCommerce wise.

Analytics

They are fine. Ha! That’s how much I worry about our general site analytics. I like to check in on them from time to time to make sure we’re not tanking or anything scary, but we never are (knock on wood). We’re in the vicinity of 8m page views a month, and year-over-year traffic is a bit of a dance.