#love the handler/dog trope

[beloveds-embrace]

The “Shared wife” trope and you’re John Price’s darling little housewife. The light of his life. His precious angel. The home he keeps in his house.

You are truly the best thing that has happened to him; all soft smiles and sweet words, a warm embrace he can melt to and shed all of the sharp edges he must bear whenever he’s deployed and carries the weight of the world across his shoulders.

The same world outside your little home was a cruel one, one where John had made more enemies than he cared to count. Each mission, each order barked into a comms unit, and each bullet fired carried a price- one that weighed on him more heavily than the tactical vest he wore.

But there was you, and he’d do it all again if it means having you safe and sound.

His darling. His beloved. The soft warmth of your hands, the sweetness of your smile. You were his sanctuary, his reprieve from the shadows of his work. And because of that, he could not- would not- allow anything to take you from him.

It wasn’t just him anymore, though. They were always there, watching. Protecting- for you belonged to John, and so did they, but you weren’t sharpened like them and you didn’t have to be; they’d be sharp enough for you, too. Guard dogs, their leashes held by John.

Especially when John tugged on those leashes and had them stay with you while he was away on a different mission. As if he’d ever leave you alone, all by your lonesome.

Kyle was the easiest to adjust, his role almost seamless. He lingered in the background, watchful but not intrusive and never forceful in joining your space, his easy charm disarming to anyone who might venture too close. He’d follow John’s orders without hesitation, his voice steady over the phone and comms after Price sent him to patrol the property’s edges.

“It’s quiet out here,” he’d murmur, voice a low hum in the radio. “No sign of trouble. As it should be.”

Soap, of course, tugged harder on the leash. He had energy to spare, bounding about the property like an overzealous hound. But it wasn’t just his sharp instincts that made him invaluable; it was his ability to diffuse tension with a grin and a joke, to make you feel like the safest person in the world, and coax you back inside while distracting you from whatever lingered outside.

It shouldn’t be for you to worry. All you needed to do was stay your lovely, content self, curled up all warm and cozy in your favorite spots like a particularly cherished kitten.

“Dinnae worry, lass,” he’d say as he hefted a bag of groceries from your car, muscles flexing under his shirt. “Nothin’ gets past us. We’re like the bloody Buckingham Palace guards- but more handsome. What are you making for lunch? How about I show you a family recipe, eh?”

And then there was Simon.

Ghost was quiet, his presence as much a shadow as his name suggested. But you always knew when he was near, the subtle shift in the air around you as his dark eyes followed your every move. He was the one who lingered just a little longer after everyone else had gone to bed, his massive frame nearly invisible against the darkened walls and only showing himself just so you wouldn’t get frightened.

“You don’t have to do that.” You’d tell him softly, catching sight of him through the kitchen window as he circled the house, even though you were so sure John was overreacting and these men needed to calm down. “Si, please. It’s cold tonight, too.”

But he would only shake his head, low and unyielding. “It’s my job to keep you safe. Don’t worry about me. Let’s get you back inside, Price’ll have my head if you catch a cold.”

And John truly kept them in line, orders sharp and precise. It was a dynamic they understood instinctively, honed from years of serving under him. He was their captain, their leader, their handler, and when it came to you, his commands were absolute.

But you were the one who softened them.

It started small: a hand on Kyle’s shoulder when he seemed tense, massaging the knots out, a gentle laugh at one of Soap’s outrageous jokes with his hand on your lower back, a quiet “thank you” murmured to Ghost as he handed you something you hadn’t even asked for yet ended up needing. They responded to you as if they were attuned to you, sharp edges dulling in your presence until they were handing you the leashes themselves.

Soap once joked about it- how they were like a pack of loyal dogs, their ears pricking up whenever you entered the room.

“You’ve got us all wrapped around your little finger, love,” he’d teased, earning a gruff “Shut it, MacTavish” from Price. Because they stayed, even when John returned. Because they belonged.

But it was true.

They followed John’s orders without question, but when you asked something of them, it wasn’t obedience- it was devotion. Ask them for the world, and they will drag it to your doorstep bleeding and heaving. Ask them for the sun, and they will tear it out of the sky to present it to you on burnt palms.

“Simon, will you check the garden gate for me? I think the latch is loose again.” You’d say, and he’d rise without hesitation, broad shoulders brushing the doorway as he left. And then he’d return, and patiently wait until you’d kiss his cheek.

“Kyle, do you mind grabbing the mail? It’s pouring out there.”

“Anything for you, darling.” Gaz would reply, already pulling on his jacket, and when he’d return he’d make sure you wouldn’t get wet while he leaned down and stole a kiss on your forehead.

“Johnny, help me with this jar, will you?”

“Aye, lass, but only if you kiss me.” Soap would tease, though he’d already have the jar in hand, his grin softening when you rolled your eyes. Still, he’d obediently lower his head for you to peck.

And John watched it all with quiet pride. They were his men, and he trusted them with his life. Now, he trusted them with yours. Because they were his, and you were his, and all of you should have been together from the start anyways.

You were worth protecting. Worth loving. Worth the world itself, because you were one and the same to them.

The first time you teased him about it- about how he seemed to have the entire Task Force at his beck and call- he simply pulled you into his arms and kissed you until you were clinging to his shoulders, breathless and warm.

“They’d do anything for you,” he murmured against your hair, then. “Same as me. You’re ours to protect.”

It was possessive, yes, but not in a way that stifled you, not like shackles that bound you to a prison. It wasn’t a cage; it was a fortress, each of them a stone in the walls that kept you safe.

And you, their sweet, lovely little wife, were the center of it all. Safe, cherished, and loved beyond measure.

[driftingmoonmenace]

🤲Please rant to us about the Guard Dog AU

Well ok, if you say so, Anon! 👀💕

So this is me being very indulgent Menace once again, and I'm sure you'll notice a pattern with me when it comes to themes and tropes I lean towards. LMAO 😂(Also this is in the very early rough concept stage so things might get tweaked with time!)

BUT ANYWAYS, so very futuristic city!! I'm talkin' like Akira/Cyberpunk 2077/Ghost In The Shell/etc style where it's very dense, neon lights everywhere, hologram ads, advanced technology, the works.

FazCo. is in the entertainment industry, but not the kid-friendly kind. They've found that the creature pit fighting scene has been a big hit globally and wanted to cash in on the big profits. Lots of rich people like to host and sponsor these matches typically and attendees are able to place bets. So Fazco. started to develop several of their own homemade creatures to throw into the ring.

A lot of these creatures typically have one to two human handlers who represent them and are in charge of taking care of them, training them, escorting them within the venues, basically everything. It pays well enough, but there is also the very real danger of their assigned creature killing them so it's a high risk job.

These creatures vary in all shapes and sizes. (Though typically they're much, much bigger than humans.) Some are organically lab made, some are organic but have technological augmentations, others are purely robotic. As long as they're able to fight and entice a crowd, that's all that matters.

Sun and Moon are unique within this world. They're partially organic, but heavily augmented, (so kind of a cyborg type of thing) which is nothing new, but their 'brain' is completely robotic and allows them to switch between their duel A.I.s.

Fazco.'s idea for them was basically 'why not have a creature that can switch up their fighting style at a moments notice to keep the opponent on their toes?' without really thinking of the consequences of that. :) (And the only way you can tell which is which is their subtle eye change (and demeanor but eyes are the easiest). Double white for Sun, double red for Moon, and their ace up their sleeve, red and white for both aka Eclipse.)

Y/N decides to apply for the handler job. (The previous handlers all had unfortunate accidents but they don't have to know that.) They know what they're getting into and risks involved but really they're only in it for the money. They'd like to get out of their shithole of a neighborhood and being able to travel is a nice perk, so eh why not. They don't have any real self preservation so as long as they're enjoying the ride that's all that matters to them.

Cue them actually getting to know Sun and Moon over time and 'oops I've become attached and man...this life must suck for them...I'm gonna pull a Free Willy. :)' But not without numerous fights in between, lots of danger with the wrong people, near death situations, etc etc first. And Sun and Moon getting attached themselves with time and being a big ol' guard dog. (And maybe a little tiny bit of love between em cause that's the monster fucker in me talking. LMAO)😌

But yeah that's all I got!! I'm happy to see and hear y'all are so interested in this AU so far!! 💕

[sbdskate]

Laws of Attraction (Part 3) - DR x lawyer!fem!reader

Summary: McLaren is in breach of contract, dr3 hires a lawyer to deal with the aftermath. Tropes ensue. Slow burn. Enemies(kind of) -> Friends/colleagues -> Lovers

Pairing: lawyer!fem!reader x Daniel Ricciardo

Warnings: language, alcohol consumption, sexual themes, NSFW for a hot sec

Word Count: 2,604

A/N: It’s been a while! I’m sorry I’ve been MIA, work/life took over. Thank you everyone who read Parts 1 and 2, and thank you for your patience. I realize there is likely going to be a part 4, and given the ~significant~ break I apologize for the cliff hanger. Friendly reminder that this is still new to me, so I appreciate any and all feedback both positive and constructive. Enjoy!

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Epilogue 1

You were thankful for the two-week break, again hoping the distance would subdue your growing crush. Much to your dismay, you had inceptioned yourself. The seed of physical attraction developed into more despite every attempt to nip it in the bud. To make matters worse, he texted you twice a day every day while you were away: one work related and one miscellaneous – a cute dog he saw cross the street, a yummy meal he had, a song he thought you might like, other general statements of opinion. Eventually the latter turned into plans for the U.S. grand prix. You didn’t quite understand his fascination with the whole cowboy americana aesthetic, perhaps because you grew up in the states so you were disillusioned to it. But it made him happy which you found endearing. He had asked for your input when he was undecided on which boots to get, and excitedly texted you pictures of an American flag bomber jacket and ostentatious belt buckles. You shot him with a few pleasant but short responses, whatever sparks joy or love that journey for you. Two days before press day though, you received a message that made you question your entire career path.  

DR: Can I bring a horse to press day? You blinked a few times at your phone.

Y/N: To clarify, you want me to research FiA rules to see if you can bring a horse to the paddock and I will get paid for that time?

DR: Yes [insert horse emoji]

You swore this would be your last celebrity client. You couldn’t believe you went to law school for this.

Y/N: Yes, you can bring a horse. It just needs a badge pass like any other guest which you would need to submit 24 hrs in advance.

DR: What if you don’t know the horse’s name?

Y/N: Press day is in two days and you don’t actually have a horse?

This was by far the strangest client interaction you had ever had. First you were in disbelief from the initial question, and now here you were less than an hour later incredulous that your client didn’t actually have a horse lined up for his arrival to the circuit in forty-eight hours. Oh how the turn tables.  

DR: Well I just thought of the idea, so no.

Y/N: It’s a horse, Daniel. I’m pretty sure you can just make up a name, it’s not like it’s going to perjure itself.

So when you got there for press day in your pink suit, prepared for meetings with other teams to discuss reserve seats, it took everything in your power to keep a straight face as Daniel strode in on Horsey McHorseface, with handler and country singer in tow. As a human being with a soul, it was objectively hilarious and you loved that he gave zero fucks, understanding that this very well may be his farewell tour. As his attorney though, you wished he had gone something for a little more subtle. He tipped his cowboy hat and winked as he passed you. You crossed your arms and rolled your eyes, but your body was on fire. The whole stunt was absurdly corny, it shouldn’t have done anything for you and yet you were undeniably turned on.

You went about your respective days, yours’ filled with back-to-back team meetings. You should have been laser focused, but you struggled to maintain your composure as you fought off visions of Daniel’s mustache adorned face between your legs. You reconnected at the end of the day so the two of you could debrief to discuss your findings. You kept your eyes on your notes in the hopes that avoiding his gaze would keep fantasies of you riding him like a show pony at bay. Flashbacks of the gentle roll of his hips on the horse threatened your demeanor, but you pushed through. Thankful to have made it through the exchange with your dignity mostly intact, you made your way towards the door when you thought the meeting had ended. However, you realized Daniel wasn’t moving.

You waited in the doorway, turning to face him. “Are you coming?”

He paused. “I actually wanted to ask you something.”

You closed the door again, thinking he had more questions about Red Bull or Mercedes. “You can ask me anything. What’s up?”

He took a deep breath. “…Do you want to come to the race on Sunday?”

You chuckled, assuming he was simply nervous about the race. “You know I come to all your races, it’s good facetime with the other teams.” You gave him a reassuring smile. Could you sense nerves?

“I know! Which is great. But I meant… as a guest. I thought maybe you could leave the work at home for a day. Consider it a thank you for all your hard work.”

“Oh.” Your breath caught in your throat. Your mind went through every worst case scenario, trying to think of an out. You drew a blank.

“Oh what the heck. Twist my arm, I suppose I could swing it.” You did your best to suppress your eagerness, despite feeling the heat rise to your cheeks. He grinned, but not before your phone rang. “Ah shoot it’s Joe. I gotta go, but I’ll see you Sunday!”

You passed Lando on your way out who suggestively wriggled his eyebrows at you, seeing both you and Daniel with dumb smiles plastered on your faces. You jokingly flipped him off as you continued your conversation with your boss.

-

You decided to leave the suits at home since you technically weren’t in client meetings. The Texas heat was oppressive – you wanted to be comfortable but not scandalous. You didn’t think the denim short/cowboy boot combo would be appropriate, and it really wasn’t your thing anyways. Instead you settled on a flowy yellow midi sundress. You stared at your work tote longer than you should have. Rarely did you go anywhere without it, you were paid handsomely in part because you were available 24/7. Throwing caution to the wind, you grabbed a small crossbody bag instead.

You made your way over to Daniel when you arrived at the paddock. He looked concerned as his eyes traveled over the crowds.  

“Everything ok?”

“Oh, I was just looking for my lawyer, not sure if you’ve seen her. She’s about yay-tall, wearing a stuffy suit.”

You wrinkled your nose at his jab at your casual outfit, you lightly shoved him. “Very funny. I know it’s shocking but I do own and wear other clothes when I’m not working.”

“I wasn’t aware you didn’t work,” he jested.

“If we’re being technical about it…I can still get emails on my phone.”

In the midst of a comfortable chuckle, his hand found its way to the small of your back as he walked you to where you would be watching the race. You felt electricity course through you at the soft touch. You debated on whether to remove it, but decided it was an innocent enough gesture.

You both stopped when you got to Lando and his girlfriend. Realizing who you would be enjoying the day with, the optics of all of this began to dawn on you. It was too late to back out now.

“Well, this is where I leave you. You two behave yourselves.”

“No promises!” Luisinha called after the boys. You gave Daniel a small smile and wave as they walked away, your confidence shrinking. Luisinha, a literal model, was even more stunning in person. Internalized insecurities you thought you moved past long ago made themselves comfortable in your mind. You were proud of the person you had grown into, inside and out. You were all about women supporting women and you knew you shouldn’t compare yourself to her, nor did you have any reason to. All the same, you felt small and insignificant next to her. It also made you realize even if you were not his lawyer, there was no way in a million years you had a shot with The Daniel Riccardo, charming world renown Formula 1 driver who had his choice of any woman on the planet.  

It was a humbling realization, which ultimately boded well for you. In setting your delusions aside, you resolved to have a lovely day of racing with hopefully a new friend and nothing more. You felt a calm rush over you and relished in the freedom that came without the weight of expectations.

You turned to Luisinha with a warm grin. “Hi, I’m y/n.”

-

Unfortunately, the good company did not translate to a good race. You were happy for Lando who placed a strong 6th, but with all the hype leading up to it, Daniel had only finished 16th. You heart broke for him as you waited by while he gave his post race interviews, his signature smile notably absent. He excused himself after the last interview, and you silently followed him. When you caught up, you found him sitting on the floor in quiet corridor, his back against the wall and his head in his hands. Saying nothing, you sat down next to him. The two of you remained like that for a while, a quiet understanding silently exchanged.

Eventually you check the time. The beginning of the weekend had held the promise of potential, with big plans to hit the town to match. But in a death by a thousand cuts, today’s race delt a final blow to the driver’s confidence. You were sure at this point a party of any kind was the last thing Daniel wanted. You cautiously broke the silence.

“I’m sorry about the race. We don’t have to do anything you’re not up for.”

He briefly hesitated, but weakly smiled for the first time since that morning. “Are you joking? I’m not passing up a chance to go out in my favorite city. I can rally, promise.”

You gave him a knowing glance, understanding he was putting on a brave face. What for, you couldn’t tell.

“Well, you have six hours left of work-free y/n. I’m at your disposal.”

“What happens in six hours?”

“I turn into a pumpkin,” you quipped. You bumped shoulders and smiled. With that, he stood up first and offered his hand to pull you to your feet. Without letting go, he started walking.

“Excuse me, where are we going?”

He chimed back with a line you had heard before: “I know a place.”

-

You ended up in a dive bar with some of the other drivers and their significant others. It was the first time you had met a lot of the others aside from Lando. Perhaps it was because they weren’t your clients, but you found yourself somewhat starstruck. It’s not that you hadn’t seen them around the paddock, but it felt like the first time you were truly brushing elbows with them. You were sure Lewis couldn’t have such flawless skin up close, nor could Carlos’ hair be so voluptuous, yet there they were in the flesh right next to you. You needed a drink to loosen up, and the McLaren crew had had a rough day. Coming in hot, you ordered a round of pickle back shots.

Luisinha was equally fascinated and disgusted. “What is this again? And why are there two? And why is one… green?”

“First you do the shot of whiskey, and then you chase it with a shot of pickle juice. The pickle juice neutralizes the burn from the whiskey and it has electrolytes so it’s kind of healthy!” She hesitantly sniffed the pickle juice and grimaced. You laughed, “Don’t ask questions, just drink. You’ll love it!”

A few more shots and beers later, your inhibitions had dissipated and you were dancing sloppily with Luisinha, feeling the base from the live band through the soles of your shoes. Work, for the first time in months, was the furthest thing from your mind. As you twirled and jumped and sang off key to your heart’s content, you failed to notice the familiar presence of your client approaching.

“Is it ok if I join? I come bearing gifts,” Daniel asked as he shimmied his way into your circle, handing out another round of beers. You can’t help the ear-to-ear smile that makes its way to your face.

“Come dance with us!” you shout over the sound of the bar. Luisinha raises an eyebrow. You both got along swimmingly during the race, and in that time you had clearly conveyed to her that you were Daniel’s lawyer and nothing more. “I’d get on that if I were you,” she teased at the time. You had laughed it off and dismissed it immediately. But seeing the two of you now with your rosy cheeks and lazy smiles, she was fully invested in stirring the pot.

The night’s debauchery continued, Luisinha secretly observing your exchanges. So when Lando tried talking to Daniel about race things, she not-so-discreetly intercepted.

“Honey, why don’t we go grab some more drinks?” Lando, clearly confused, was not picking up what she was putting down.

“What? But I just got us another rou-“  

“Pleeeaaase, I’m so thirsty I need some water!” At this point she simply grabbed his wrist and dragged him away, but not before throwing a wink in your direction.

In your drunken stupor, you weren’t exactly picking up what she was putting down either. All you knew was that you were having a blast. So you decided to keep dancing with Daniel, ignorant to the fact that the crowd had begun to thin. It started with the two of you attempting and failing miserably at line dancing. Which led to you trying to teach him square dancing that you learned in the fifth grade. You lost track of how many times you stepped on each other’s feet and between fits of laughter, you didn’t realize how your hands were comfortably intertwined or the distance between your bodies decreasing.  

He spun you away and back in. As you twirled into him a final time, your chests crashed into each other and your hand landed on his shoulder while his found its way to your waist. It was only in that moment with your faces inches apart that you became suddenly aware of your proximity. Feeling his breath tickle your face, you felt like your heart was going to beat its way out of your chest. Your gaze lowers to his plump lips then back to his eyes, counting the freckles. Your laughter slowed, unsure of what was so funny a minute ago.

You broke eye contact to look at the hand resting on his shoulder. What happened next felt like an eternity, but likely only lasted a few seconds. In one moment, you were relishing the feeling of his strong muscles under your touch and the warmth emanating from him, taking note of the rise and fall of your chests in unison, your pulse extending to the furthest reaches of your fingertips. Then, in a quick turn for the worst, your eyes fell to your wrist. According to your watch, you should’ve turned into a pumpkin two hours ago. The haze of the day and the bar and the alcohol lifted, reality quickly setting back in. In a sobering moment, you met his eyes again desperately trying to telecommunicate what you couldn’t put into words. Was he aware of the delicate bubble you two had created for yourselves? Did he realize how fragile it was? Did he know it just burst?

You stepped away from him. “I’m sorry,” was all you could muster before you turned and left.   

[whumpsday]

Kane & Jim BBU AU #1: 100913

Kane & Jim AUs Masterlist / Next

content: bbu, pet whump, shock collar, broken dish trope

welcome to the Kane & Jim BBU AU! if you don't know what BBU is: in short, it's a shared pet whump universe a bunch of whump authors write in. more info here. as i feel it necessary to state up front to avoid confusion, everyone in this AU is human, no vampires.

@bbu-on-the-side BBU Community Days #3: Discipline

-

913 was a good enough pet.

He wasn't perfect, not by a long shot, but he was good at most of what he needed to do, his tasks. Cleaning wasn't hard. Neither was laundry, or dishes, or caring for plants.

Cooking was especially easy, that was 913's specialty. Not only that, but he enjoyed it, too. He didn't get to enjoy a lot of things at this place. Given it was his specialty, they would probably advertise him for that. Then he could cook every day for his owner and not have to worry about anything else.

However, while the chores came easy to him, the rest didn't. The pet stuff, the things everyone had to learn no matter what kind of pet they were. The positions, and how to talk all polite, that kind of shit. The respect crap, that was where he always messed up, and that was where he got his punishments. He wasn't trying to fuck up, it was just a lot to remember at once. He could never be a platonic.

913 rubbed at his collar. He hoped his owner would get him one without shocks. Even when it wasn't activated, the prongs dug into his neck all the time, and he hated it. Made him antsy.

But he didn't have time to worry about that right now. He grabbed his bucket to take to the other side of the room and continue his mopping.

"100913," Handler Schroeder called from behind as he stepped inside. 913 startled, dropping the water-filled bucket.

Fuck.

Handler Schroeder sighed, obviously irritated, which only made everything worse.

"I'm sorry, sir," 913 mumbled as the water spread over the floor. "Uh, you snuck up on me, so I just-"

913 cut himself off with a shriek as his collar activated, white-hot electricity arcing right into the side of his neck and setting his nerves alight. He fell to his knees, soaking his pants in the soapy water.

"Is that what you're going to do with your owner?" Handler Schroeder accused. "You mess up and blame it on them? Unbelievable. If that's the case, they'll return you right back here for refurbishing, you know. Maybe I should switch your program and make you a guard dog instead."

"I'm sorry, sir," 913 repeated, quieter this time, voice choked up with tears. His eyes bored down into the floor, too afraid to steal a glance at his handler. "Please- please- let me know how I can fix it. I wanna be better. Sir."

Handler Schroeder stomped over and grabbed him by the hair, rough fingers closing in his curls and yanking, forcing him to look up. "I will."

-

It had been a month since 913 got bought, and he was okay.

Master de Sang was miles better than the facility, it wasn't even close. Things were fine here. 913 had his own room, and he spent most of his time looking after the estate. Master liked the meals he cooked, the very thing he'd bought him for. It was fine.

It wasn't like they told him it would be, though. Master wasn't the loving owner he'd been promised. Master was strict. Master had a temper.

He was still better, far better than the handlers. He wasn't always bad. When he was in a good mood, Master could even be nice to be around, better than being alone. Master would play cards with him, or let him watch TV with him. 913 loved the TV, giving him a view into what a person's life was like.

But Master never replaced his collar, and the prongs still dug into his neck every second of every hour of every day, even though Master didn't use the shocks. Yet.

And when Master was irritated, which was almost all of the time, 913 couldn't help but get nervous.

Today was a good day so far, at least. He stole a moment to stand in front of the kitchen window, to feel the sun on his skin. He couldn't remember what it was like to be outside, but he knows he must have been outside at some point. Before. He wonders if the sun feels different when it's not filtered through the glass.

913 let himself have just a moment to bask in its warmth before he got back to cleaning up lunch, the water running over his wrist having no effect on the barcode and number permanently etched into his skin.

As he washed the dishes, he couldn't help but wince as he heard Master stomping around upstairs. He only did that when he was upset, and when he was upset...

He tried to shake it off. Master was just on the phone. That was all.

Master came downstairs just as 913 was finishing drying everything. "Welcome back, Master!" he said, chipper and friendly despite the dread building itself inside him.

Master just scowled at him, as though the greeting had made everything worse. 913 wanted to pull his hair out and scream. He wished he'd gotten a little training in what the platonics do, complex conversations with their owners besides the basic respect and obedience. Maybe he could help Master if he did. But better a domestic than either of the other two.

"Hi," Master said flatly. He leaned against the counter, tapping his fingers against it restlessly.

"Can I get you anything?" 913 asked.

"We just had lunch," Master pointed out. He wasn't looking at 913, but he wasn't sure if that was good or bad. He was staring off into space like he always did when he had family troubles.

He remembered talking to one of the platonics once back in training, 418512. 512 was talking about how they were trained to sometimes be a little more casual, something that might sometimes be interpreted as disrespect. How if they stayed fully respectful all the time, it could come off as cold. Maybe that was why Master was irritated with him.

913 was pretty sure he knew what Master was upset about. It was a risk, but he decided to go for it. He made his voice as soft and sympathetic as he could.

"Is it your father, Master?" he asked quietly.

The slap rang so hard across 913's face that his ears rang. He dropped the mug he was holding, the ceramic shattering against the floor.

Master grabbed 913 by the chin as pain bloomed over his cheek. "Don't you fucking talk about my father. Don't even mention him. Got it?"

"Yes, Master," 913 squeaked, trembling in his grip.

Master threw him to the floor over the jagged pieces. "Clean this up."

He stayed down, not moving from where he was tossed even as the edges cut into his palms. "Yes, Master."

913 stayed completely still until Master left in a huff. Once he could hear the sound of his footsteps fade away, he began picking shards out of his skin, failing not to cry.

-

expect two more of these :)

taglist in reblog

[lupi-usque-ad-finem]

@wolfislost here!

I see you mention your handlers relatively often. It's a concept i've been thinking about for a little over a year now. It would be super helpful if you could share what a handler is to you, what that relationship looks like, how it makes you feel, etc.

No pressure of course! And if you've already explained this somewhere, it would be really helpful if you could link me to that post

Thank you!!

Hiya!! Of course, I’d love to talk about it!!

So my handlers are my two human friends in my pack and this dynamic has been so for a good while. For me, having a handler(s) is having a safe space to explore and experience my therianthropy without judgement, having someone who knows they can rely on me as I rely on them, where i’m addressed correctly according to my theriotypes, and a place to express myself as I desire (i.e. wearing my gear, communicating how I want, being in a canine headspace/going full wolf brain mode, etc). I would say my handlers are called so specifically because they aren’t otherkin or alterhuman, but I’m sure there are otherkin handlers!

With wolves and dogs who have/need human handlers, it’s much like our dynamic. Some of those dogs were abused, too aggressive, too shy, left out, and/or have a difficult time trusting others. Their handler is the person(s) they trust, and this dynamic allows me to trust. Our relationship is built on mutual respect, love, and understanding. When I explained therianthropy to them neither of them bat an eye, just said “well obviously, you’ve always been our dog.” It was such a relief to have that, and the rest has just kinda fallen into place!

This dynamic also brings me a sense of responsibility that I really enjoy. I’ve always felt pride in protecting others, and they trust I will do so for them. They know I will be there to defend them, watch for danger, protect them, and they in turn give me the opportunity to exist how I feel most comfortable and accept me. They even address themselves as my handlers to people! It’s mostly as a funny ice breaker, but a few times it’s had to be used as a warning. Obviously I love the whole “you need to muzzle your dog” trope but I get to be THE DOG !!!!!!

If you feel comfortable enough with someone to take part in this dynamic, then do so! Talk it all out and find what you both want from the relationship. I had never had a handler before I met them, but having handlers has honestly helped me a ton with therianthropy and what it means to me. It’s an honour to know I have people who care for me and love me and it prides me to be their guard dog!

I’ve learned that even if it takes a while and no matter how sappy it sounds, that there are people out there who will accept you, and you in fact can exist in the way you feel most comfortable :)

[halfbaked00q]

This theme(/trope, motif, etc) shows up in a few diff fics but this is the one that's re-crossed my path lmao, so you get the quote from this fic.

But like., the theme of agents being trained/conditioned to respond to (obey) their handler's voice? and/or certain code phrases, distress words, etc. and like. lmao. Q taking advantage of it to Prove A Point lol

anyway here's the quote

But not inexperienced, and certainly not incompetent. Not even at this, so seemingly far out from Q's usual arena - Q wields the staff with ease, his body loose and fluid and James wants to take him through his paces, wants to put Q through a senior field agent’s obstacle course to see what else the man is hiding up his sleeves, to study how he compensates for his weaknesses. Q is not a field agent but James doesn’t doubt he’d be very, very good at disabling the obstructions set before him, that brilliant mind ever his greatest asset. “Status, Bond,” Q suddenly says, and James catches his eyes, their gazes locking; there’s a snap of command in Q’s voice, a tone pitched to draw attention and one agents are practically conditioned to listen to, except this time it’s accompanied by a lightning quick thrust of the staff aimed at James’ solar plexus.

Part 4 of Traceability, Observations in Three Steps by blackidyll

anyway I love it bc *gestures at the recurring motifs of this blog* well. you know me lmao. But also it speaks to that like. deep trust & rapport that Q & Bond have developed between them. literally this is working dog & his handler behavior. There's another fic I can't remember off the top of my head but it has a moment when Q is. trying to hack sth or other? And Bond wants them to leave. But Q tells him wait, and Bond pov narration has sth like about how Q is using that voice he on comms which means he's working with additional intel than Bond has so Bond has to trust his Quartermaster's judgment on this.

There's also another fic where they're doing like a carnival shooting game and they're p evenly matched, and then Q casually drops Bond's code word to mean danger which breaks Bond's focus on the game lol..

anyway I eat this shit right up

[karamina]

Theories on Will's Parents

Man I love making up theories and headcannons for media intended for children and preteens. Why might you ask? Because often they leave out details on things kids might not understand and only hint at darker themes, leaving ample space for older fans and parents watching with their kids to gather the pieces to make hypotheses on what may be happening off-screen. As a side note, this is why I love the HTTYD franchise in particular, but that is not the victim of today's crazy theory post.

This post is about Will Taggert from Horseland. For those who don't know, Horseland was a show produced in 2006-2008 for children aged 6-12 that follows the life lessons and social skills that Sarah, Molly, Alma, Chloe, Zoey, Bailey, Nani, and Will (to a certain extent) as well as their horses (Scarlett, Calypso, Button, Chilli, Pepper, Aztec, Sunburst, and Jimber) and the animals around the farm (Shep the dog, Teeny the pig, and Angora the cat) learn through episodic stories.

There is a mystery that many fans of this show have explained in various ways surrounding the character of Will. What is up with Will's parents? Why does he never mention them? Why does he live at Horseland with his aunt, uncle, and his cousin Bailey?

As usual let's first look at the evidence the show presents.

Episodic Evidence

In the episodes "Talk, Talk" and "No News is Good News", we can clearly see that Will lives on the Horseland property and has his own bedroom in the ranch house. He is a riding instructor, coach, and grounds maintenance man at Horseland and often takes on responsibilities at the ranch such as special events, organizing and facilitating activities (such as the camping trip in "Fire, Fire Burning Bright", the early morning ride in "No News is Good News", and the Twilight Trek in "Molly and Chilli"), and advising students on proper care for their horses.

Throughout the series, Will never once mentions having parents or having any other family besides Bailey and his aunt and uncle (unless you count his grandfather in the episode "The Secret", who I am 90% sure is dead based on Will's use of the past tense when talking about him).

Okay so not much to work with. There is no hard evidence for his parents being dead or not. Remember, no mention of parents does not mean they are dead, especially with Will being removed from the other MCs (he's older and has a different relationship to them based on his status as a teacher) and only appearing briefly in most episodes or not at all. All we can say with 100% certainty is that if his parents are still in his life, he doesn't live with them and instead lives with his aunt and uncle. This opens the door for fan theories. I will present both common fan theories and theories I have come up with on my own.

Theory 1: Will's parents died and he was adopted by his aunt and uncle

From what I have seen, this is the quintessential fan theory regarding Will's parents. In this theory, Will's parents died when he was young and he was adopted by his extended family, ala his aunt and uncle. From there, he grew up at Horseland with Bailey as his adoptive brother and became part of the family business. I've seen fanfiction where they died in a car accident, they died in a storm while trail riding, etc. I've even read some where Will has siblings that he was seperated from when his parents died and who were adopted by other extended family members. Regardless, his parents are dead, potential siblings live elsewhere, and Will is an honorary member of the Handler household.

Personally, I think this theory is as popular as it is within the Horseland fandom because it readily presents an opportunity for both emotional angst and whumpfic. In fact, Disney is quite partial to using the dead parents card as a tragic backstory for its main characters. Will is an easy character in this fandom to apply this trope to as he is the only main character in Horseland whose parents are not accounted for. (That is, besides Alma's mother; she only ever mentions her father and grandparents). Now that I think about it, alot of these same theories could also fit her as well, except maybe Theory 2 and with the addition of divorce as another possibility. However, this observation does not discredit any validity this theory holds.

Theory 2: Will lives with his aunt and uncle as a job requirement to work at Horseland

In this theory, Will's parents are alive and well. So why does Will live at Horseland? Simple really. Will works with his extended family as onsite staff. Maybe Will's parents (and potential siblings) live far enough away that it makes more sense for him to just live at Horseland. They may even live in another state.

This is even more plausible if you are like me and consider Will to be over 18 yrs old (see my post about Horseland character ages).

In this, Will mostly interacts with his parents and any siblings over the phone and visits them for holidays, special events such as birthdays, graduations, weddings or funerals, or just whenever he has a large chunk of time I suppose. Just infrequent and distanced interaction may be why they are never mentioned.

Theory 3: Will has an estranged relationship with his biological parents

It's unfortunate, but some people just really don't get along well with their immediate family or aren't safe living with their biological parents for one reason or another. It could be anything from something as simple as personality differences or irreconcilable moral beliefs to horrible situations such as child abuse, alcoholism, and/or drug abuse. This can lead to one of two things. The first is the case of a child under the age of 18. In this case, if the home environment of a child is deemed unsafe, any children in the household are removed from the home by Child Protective Services (CPS), parents lose custody and/or go to jail, and the children are placed in the care of another family member or into foster care. This can also happen if the parent(s) are incarcerated for a completely unrelated reason. The other case is estranged adult children. In this case, the child becomes an adult without ever having CPS and the foster care system intervening for whatever reason and moves out, limiting or completely cutting off contact with their parent(s). If either of these is the case leading to the relationship Will has with his parents, then this may be why he lives at Horseland with his aunt and uncle and never mentions his biological parents around his "students".

Conclusion

Because of how little the show actually tells us about the state of the relationship Will has with his parents and any potential siblings, all three of these theories are equally plausible and one can make an argument for any of them. I think all three of them could easily be used in fanfiction as interesting plot devices, and I would be overjoyed to read any of them (although theory 1 is already beating out 2 and 3 in that scope). So now I open the floor to y'all. Which theory do you think is the most plausible? Did I miss any other possible explanations for why Will lives at Horseland and his immediate family is never mentioned?

[mellowwhumps]

MELLO!!! in regards to what you said about haley being your favorite to put into Situations.

what are some of you favorite situations you put that skrunkly in?? i need to know more about him he so silly and special to me

HIII HELLOO i’m not very good at explaining it’s all in my head for the most part LMAOO,,, i’ll try though so long post ahead

for the most part i use haley to try out different tropes so it’s just anything tbh!!! both physical and emotional whump this guy gets it all... mainly i enjoy putting him in interactions and Situations with other characters because the main problem with this guy is that he simply cannot open up and is constantly being dealt a questionable hand in life (could even say he was born unlucky since fun fact! he’s from the destroyed city in twelve and verrill’s main storyline. though that’s not relevant)

so i think the best approach would be to further summarize his dynamics with some others!! because i think it would be more helpful to one day do a fully written work rather than summarizing the things i already want to write + i am indecisive and cannot pick favourites so why not. all

else, in which i get majorly sidetracked from your ask:

halcyon - essentially, they’re kinda like a really tense sort of brother-sister r/s because for one, haley did murder half her men in the war that broke out between their two homes. but!! while she’s trying her best to try and get closer to him and ask him to open up, he’s so conditioned to doing just the opposite and resisting. however, he does respect her as a person and they are both mutually beneficial minus the dubious mental health part !! she helps him, he helps her in return

another situation that kind of just. happens is one that occurs with her quote-on-quote girlfriend (nora) because my god would she absolutely disagree with him even if halcyon agrees, simply because she doesn’t believe haley should be forgiven for causing major injuries to halcyon, no matter how much halcyon just wants to reconcile and put the past over with. and then after that haley’s r/s with her ends up benefitting her and halcyon’s r/s in return

ria - something something he wants to give her a better childhood because he never experienced that… they are very much reliant on each other and are each other’s savior. ria, who admittedly has attachments to him much closer than he’d like, is constantly trying to help as much as she can while dealing with her generally rowdy and impulsive self, contrasting with haley’s closed-off persona. they both have that lingering fight-or-flight response but man do they subtly care so much about each other…theme of home is so strong on this one

elowen - while all the other dynamics previously mentioned are mutually beneficial, this one doesn’t particularly fall into that category!! not a math geek but they’re very much like a graph to the asymptote; they cannot fully understand each other. no matter how close haley gets to him, he always falls a little bit too far. one stagnant and stationary, the other trying too hard to ask questions. they love like a person’s reflection in the water, love like a dog to its owner; handler to weapon, father to son. but they do love each other. that will always be how it is <3

my story focuses on the after, so it’s mostly haley dealing with faded memories of that past with elowen as well as his feelings, because a “person” cannot possibly let go of something in a day or month. he has to deal with the actions that caused elowen to be deceased, because he caused it firsthand, he caused it and doesn’t regret it at all. that four letter word runs more deeper than it should, to reasons and all things human.

and of course, as a bonus, himself !!

he does not hate himself. he hates the things he’s done. he hates the things he could do. but the him of the present, he accepts because ‘this is how it is, this is how it is going to be’. the theme that is always present in any of his works is the theme of fate, the one thing he can neither fight off nor decline. because of this, he blames himself for not being able to change anything, just like he failed to stop the war, just like he failed to avoid injuries, just like he failed. he cannot see himself as a person because of his actions, despite his actions proving the exact otherwise. to be contradictory is to be human.

that’s it for the current canon relationships for the main universe he’s in! but unfortunately!! he has a ton of aus because there are too many ideas rotating in my head!! i love exploring dynamics with characters who have realistically never met so here i will once again focus on the main AU i write with my friend!!!! (his role in here is much different from the original, to clarify) 

twelve (AU-exclusive) - empathetic lil guy (gender neutral) and absolutely knows what’s up with him. haley enjoys their company a lot, and so do they, since first impressions are much more important than they seem. both of their themes include a longing to be normal, so then why not be abnormal together, yknow? i don’t have too much about them together (though i might develop on this) however, it’s their arrival that impacts haley’s relationships with others

verrill (AU-exclusive ) - platonic relationships ftw. friendly banter, annoyances and mutual support, but deep down they will always have issues neither are willing to talk about. this is very much doomed but for now they are very good friends. they get whumped together every once in a while. they also get whumped alone every once in a while. sure they can play pretend for a little longer

(silly little thing i did at some point) (it is not romantic!! there just aren’t platonic r/s sheets to fill that would describe them well…)

and twelve joins the both of them together because verrill is twelve’s caretaker as always, and also their translator!! i think they deserve credit too because previously 

1) haley and verrill had zero interest in each other 2)twelve Did Not Like verrill 3) twelve kinda screwed up haley’s relationship with certain other members before verrill took them in and 4) highly questionable backstories so!! all three of their dynamics are deeply interwined and if any one of them were to get into trouble the other two have no intention of giving up (such a shame! <3)

elowen (AU) - i think this too deserves an extra section because he is vastly different in here as i’ve mentioned before (and also alive i think that’s a very important fact and makes ALL the difference). to explain this i will not be talking about their relationship directly, but instead other dynamics that have led to such a relationship: (of course, all the dynamics below are AU-exclusive)

elowen & naeri - naeri is the catalyst of this story! without her absolutely nothing would have happened, they would have all gone about normally and elowen would be much more similar to the original universe. elowen overturns his old life to escape from the lab he works in simply because he got Attachments for her and it spiralled. and then, because there will obviously be something that goes wrong, he is unable to save her. so, he starts the syndicate all these characters work for and meets haley.

but he cannot let go. he cannot let go, because there is no medium for him to do so, nobody he can tell, because what he saw was nothing short of unbelievable nor does he have any decent relations with anyone else. when he looks at haley, long since matured under his care, he sees nothing but that child of his past, the one thing tethering him from moving forward. years pass, he lets go a little bit more. tiny bit. but when all that was buried away, enter:

elowen, to haley & caius - it repeats. of course it was going to repeat; an endless cycle. the place he escaped wasn’t gone, it never was. he didn’t manage to change anything there. doesn’t help that the one chasing after caius was the exact person he wanted to avoid. they’re coming for the place he played a part in and ruining everything he strived to work for. so no, of course he doesn’t support haley’s choice, has already seen the predetermined outcome with his own two eyes. 

it doesn’t happen.

the only way out is forward, into the light. secrets trail from his shadow; scattered truths appear. it’s a start, and he’s had enough of running from haley and anyone else he ever cared for, full stop.

alright!! elowen’s section is FINALLY finished thank god. here are some old works relating to them i suppose

the main syndicate members and twelve - final part!!! i originally wasn’t going to add this but i think this is a good conclusion and also an actual named scenario so i do answer your question semi-properly ksjhfdkjhfs

as i’ve mentioned, the decision to let twelve join was absolutely not easy in the slightest. so here it is in semi-decent detail !!!

verrill proposes making self-sacrifices (which is very much uncommon to someone like him) in order to accept twelve into the team. elowen is much too logical to accept something that would bring negligible advantage to the syndicate, and even though he suggested offers it was only the bare minimum of offering shelter. halcyon, though understanding both sides, opts to be the tiebreaker and chooses elowen’s side because she takes into consideration their current plight of lack of resources, no matter how guilty she feels. 

at this point in time, haley, who had originally chosen to abstain from voting, is the only one who doesn’t view twelve as an asset. twelve, who doesn’t understand anything that’s going on without a translator, is quite visibly conflicted, confused and panicked. he sees it. he points it out, and casts his own proposition to support everyone’s stand, and nora who previously abstained from voting agrees with him. he gets the support of the majority and twelve is let into the syndicate.

in the end, all four other members change their viewpoints. verrill treats twelve as a brother rather than something to be used, halcyon learns to choose from her heart once in a while, elowen understands that people have other uses other than simply being useful and nora recognizes that things don’t go differently if no action is taken. unlike the original universe that deals in fate, this story deals in destiny and the act of changing + moving forward, centering around none other than haley himself. but changing also causes problems, and now everyone’s a little more tense after the choice, and this tension carries over to the start of the AU’s main timeline.

so yes! character interactions are my favourite Situation

this was fun to do!!! thank uu for the ask i love talking about ocs they r also very silly and special to me💥 ask questions or smt if you need because i am very incomprehensible at times

[sentientcave]

Have some fruit, Charlie! 🥰

🍐, 🍇 and 🥝? (If you’ve answered them, sub or skip, your choice. ☺️)

Hi Gemma!! Thanks for stopping by I love you

🍐 Is there anything in canon that you absolutely hate and love to fix in fics? A wrong choice made, a fuck-up in characterization, a misunderstanding never cleared up, a conversation never shown onscreen, etc…

Soap's death!! I don't care for it. Not only from a narrative perspective (it should have been Price) but also because he's my little pookie. And I think it's more compelling from a fic perspective especially to put him through like, dealing with disability and rehabilitation and learning to be something other than a soldier again. I have a WIP that's set after Sparrow that centres on his injury and what comes next (and Morgan getting pregnant and coping with a similar loss of autonomy). I just find like, death can be a powerful tool in fiction, but I think living is much more interesting.

🍇 Is there a particular scene/episode/book/etc that you want to just write a million fics about, over and over? Which one?

Honestly this is probably going to sound self-centered, but my own continuum of connected fantasy novels. They're all separate and stand alone but share like a world so it's fun to like, add little references to them through mentions of history. Other than that, COD is the first fandom I've really made content for and I'm having fun but like, I probably don't have a million fics in me. Maybe a million words though. I've only been at this for like 4 months and I've written like 250k for COD we may crack the million given some time.

🥝 What’s your favorite trope/AO3 tag to write?

Love a why choose or Polyamory fic. Also like I mentioned in Sy's ask, marriage tropes. Forced proximity my beloved. Kidnapping? Love that. Daring rescues? Hell yeah. Also dog/handler dynamics. Maybe that's not so much a trope but I'm still into it. Also love instant attraction/obsession. If we aren't getting a little unhealthy with it what's the point?

Thanks for asking!!

[candyskiez]

Tropes I love a lot:

1. "No matter what you do, you will never stop being yourself. If you want to change, you need to nurture yourself instead of trying to destroy who you used to be." (Ex: MP100)

2. Clones/copies finding their own identity,bonus points if it's an allegory, double bonus points if the complicated relationship between them and who they were copied from is explored, triple bonus points if they get to have a rage breakdown over it. (Ex: Infinity Train. Please watch Infinity Train.)

3. Mindscapes/going into someone's head or memories and playing around with the many ways they can manifest, bonus points if there's an inner self of some kind

4. "You love me?" "Don't be an idiot. Of course I do." Or anything even remotely along those lines. Of course you matter to me. Why wouldn't you? Doesn't have to be romantic at all and honestly I prefer it as not.

5. Emotional powers, bonus points if it's an allegory (Ex: MP100)

6. Subversion of the "we're not so different you and I" trope. Whether it be instead of a cheap grab at a hero it's abuser to victim (ex: she ra) that's actually yk. Relevant to the themes of the show, hero to villain (ex: MP100), or just like. Actually making it relevant and interesting.

7. Yelling at the gods!!! Bonus points if it's an allegory!

8. Dog symbolism

9. Attack dog + handler. Bonus points if it delves into how it effects both of them

10. Character design changing to reflect character growth

11. Light as cold and dangerous and overwhelming, dark as hiding you from harm and being warm and comfortable.

12. Haunting the narrative (ESPECIALLY when it's related to the heart of the story and the themes and!! When the one haunting the narrative is the core of the message when the. When they. Hi.) (Ex: The Owl House)

13. Shapeshifting symbolism. Monstrous form that MEANS something. Bonus points if its not just "oh this character is evil." Bonus points if it's "this is how they view themselves" or smth. Get creative with it!!!

14. Bitter chosen ones

15. "Chosen" Ones that aren't actually chosen and were being lied to

16. "FUCK waiting for the chosen one, I'm doing it myself!"

17. "Actually this is why the idea of Chosen Ones are harmful and encourages the bystander effect and-"

18. Religious symbolism. Especially if it's done to show a character elevating someone they love to such an unhealthy height of love and devotion.

19. When a fallout between two friends is the heart of the narrative when the end or rekindling of a relationship is the heart of it I don't CARE if its cliche I love it so much

20. Comic relief slowly being revealed to be dealing with So Much Shit.

[fangirleaconmigo]

ok ok ok hi so i was just thinking about this and it's nothing new but as much as i love the 'attack dog and it's handler' dynamic, i adore the 'unwanted dog and it's owner'. its just. AUGH. like????

every day, you fill up my food and my water but you haven't looked at me in weeks. do you still love me? i barked yesterday and you yelled at me, is this affection? i can be a good dog, i can learn to sit, i can fetch. i can listen, i promise i can. i won't beg anymore, i won't cause problems. i can be a good dog, can't i?

it breaks my heart but it's so good aihbf (ok so i can't actually write up a good example, but trust me on this)

Hi Nonny!

Thanks for the ask. I am always up to talk tropes (or kinks). I'm afraid this one probably isn't my thing, as I tend towards more unrelenting fluff.

But publishing your asks because who knows? Maybe someone who follows me is down with it, and has fic recs or something.

Hope you're havin a good week!

[goldnhalos]

𝕀ℕ𝕋ℝ𝕆𝔻𝕌ℂ𝕀ℕ𝔾: 𝕊𝔸ℕ𝕋𝕀 𝔽𝕃𝕆ℝ𝔼𝕊.

hello everyone ! my name's fox, (she/they, 25, brt.) and i'm so excited to be here ! i haven't joined a group in... i want to say like a year and a half ? maybe two ? so pls be patient with me while i get my grind back lmao. this is santi, he's a mix and match of some old characters i have, i hope u all enjoy him ! i'll be posting a plotting call on the discord server soon but if you wanna hmu there and start plotting already, my handle is aslutforpainandsuffering

* ◟ : 〔 pedro pascal, cis man + he/him 〕 santiago flores , some say you’re a forty-five year old lost soul among the neon lights. known for being both gentle and guarded, one can’t help but think of riders on the storm by the doors when you walk by. are you still an active assassin for red eye, even with your reputation as the arcane? i think we’ll be seeing more of you and bruised knuckles. a pile of unread letters thrown across the floor. a broken whiskey bottle, although we can’t help but think of oliver marks ( if we were villains ) + matthew prior ( gallant ) + jackson healy ( the nice guys ) whenever we see you down these rainy streets.

tw: violence ; torture ; suicide ; drug / alcohol abuse ;

. * basics !

full name: santiago flores.

known as: santi ; mr. flores.

age + birthday: forty-five ; july 10th.

birthplace: unknown.

gender + pronouns: cis male ; he/him.

sexuality: bisexual.

occupation: assassin.

fc: pedro pascal.

spoken languages: english ; spanish.

tropes: bad liar, trauma conga line, unconscientious objector, butt-monkey.

phisical atributes: 5 ft 11" (1.80m); lean built ; no tattos ; several scars ; scraggily beard.

. * early days !

the only memory santiago has of his family is os his siblings running through a green pasture; he can remember the soft feeling of his mother's lap underneath his cheek, and the way her fingers ran through his hair. the sound of little children laughing haunts his dreams, but there's not a single face in sight. the people in his memory are nothing but blurred sillouettes, ghosts of people he once knew, of the child he once was. the orphanage, though, of that his memories are crystal clear: the beating, the fear, the hope that somebody would come and rescue him, and then the subsequently disapointment once he grew old enough to understand that nobody would. and then, nanuvut. the cold was somehow worse than the beatings, worse than the physical training that took and took and took from him until santi was nothing but a shell of the smiley kid he'd once been. killing is all that he knows, but santiago has never been at peace with it. he's familiar with death, has given it his entire life and soul, but it has never been something he enjoyed, something he got used to it. despite all the training, his handlers have never been able to supress his kind soul and gentle ways— nature vs. nurture, santiago being the living proof that there are some things nothing can ever truly change. all he wants is some peace and quiet, a life away from all of the decay and violence; a herb garden far away from the city, a sunlit kitchen and a big library to ruffle through. his dreams of tranquility have yet to come: when all you know is the underbelly of chaos, the rotten people and monsters, no other place feels like home.

. * recent years !

santiago tried leaving; at twenty-three, he tried to hang up his guns and become a regular, law-abiding citizen. and he didsurprisingly well. santiago went as far as graduating college, a major in psychology, and those were the best four years of his life. he partied, and he fell in love, and for the first time since he could remember, santi felt truly free. like he could finally be himself, like the blood on his hands had finally washed away. he settled down, and married a nice girl. his dreams of a suburbia life iwth white picket fences and a big slobbering dog were so close to become a reality he could barely believe it. a month after his marriage, another operative showed up. the operative -- probably a mercenary, santiago figured -- destroyed his home, tied his doe-eyed wife to a chair and ripped every single one of her nail before he got home from work. the message was clear: he was to return willingly to the red eye and fufill his purpose, or they would force his hand and the punishments for it would be devastating. his wife survived, but the trauma was too much. it ruined their marriage faster than anything else ever could, and santiago saw no other option but to return to his handlers with his tail between his legs. the corporeal punishments and risky missions were nothing compared to the feeling of falure, and santiago found solace in drowning himself in liquor, white lines and all sorts of chemicals that he could get his hands on. it started to affect his job, and santiago got slippery. more than once, the organization had to step in to prevent him from going to jail. considering his large death toll, santiago was giving a single chance: if he didn't get his act cleaned up, he could be terminated. as it turned out, santiago's destructive behavior was meant as self-sabotage, not as suicidal tendencies, and his self-preservation instincts took over. after a hellish period of going in and out of rehab, santiago has been somewhat clean; he hasn't exactly dropped the alcohol, though his black outs have stopped getting in the way of his work, and he's gone cold turkey on any narcotics. a functioning alcoholic, a friend called him once. it was good enough for the red eye, in the end.

. * wanted connections !

a best friend ; the only person in the world that santi trusts. he's not one to give himself lighty, but this person has proven time and time again that they're his ride or die. ( 0 / 1 )

an old friend ; someone that was in the orphanage with him. maybe they get along, maybe they hate each other, this dynamic can be played in any sort of way. ( 0 / ?? )

friends of all kinds ; santiago can be kind of closed off, but as it turns out he can be quite friendly once you push through that, so he probably gets along with this person pretty well. ( 0 / ?? )

an ex ; ever since his marriage, santi has big issues with commitment. in his life of work, he knows having a partner is a weaklink, something people can use against you. they cared for each other deeply, but once things got started to get serious, santiago jumped ship, probably in the worst way possible. ( 0 / 1 )

a protegé ; there's something about this person that just makes santiago's instincts bubble up. it's someone he'd kill and die to protect, and has been working on teaching them as many of his own skills as he possibly can. bonus points if this is someone that can handle their own better than he ever could, but he insists that they need help anyways. ( 0 / 1 )

the enemy ; santiago has made many enemies along the way ; he's quite blunt, and despite not enjoying violence, he does resort to it whenever needed. they've probably come blow to blow at some point before, and it doesn't get better. ( 0 / 1 )

the bad influence ; santiago's a very strict, logical person. he doesn't do things on whims, and certainly doesn't partake in reckless behavior very often. this is someone with whom santi's first instinct is to be “well, what the hell!” and he’ll do things he normally wouldn’t, be that go to a rave late at night, do the hard drugs he's supposedly given up years ago or just eat that greasy bacon cheeseburger that might give him a heart attack. ( 0 / 1 )

the protective friend ; there’s nothing santiago doest best than taking care of people. in return, no one really takes care of him. except for this person, who’s there for him when he breaks down, who would go head first into a bar fight to watch his six and just doesn’t fuck around when it comes to calling santiago out on his bullshit. ( 0 / 1 )

[cosmic-navel-gazin]

COSMIC!!! BLORBO BINGO- the thing dog 💕 -🍮

Dog-Thing aka MY BABY🐺🐾🦴👾

The Free Space is for all the delicious dog treats out there, they deserve them^^

(I love them but realistically I would have to end up plotting their demise and the only reason the *puts them in the wood chipper*-box isn't filled in, is because I think it would just make matters worse with me now having to deal with a billion tinny lil Things, so I opted for filling in the "plotting thier demise"-box. Pretty privilege extends to all of Dog-Thing's many forms of course. They're complex and well-written in Peter Watts retelling of the film but from Thing's pov called The Things)

I'm gonna try and restrict my love for Thing to just Dog-Thing in particular:

Love is stored in Dog-Thing's different ever changing designs, with multiple heads, deformed limbs, crab legs, muscular arms and tendrils! I just love the first on-screen transformation. The way Dog-Thing's head splits open and the skull falls off and its tongue starts dancing in the air *muah!* I love you seamless mixture of practical effects and puppetry and stop-motion and arghhhhh...

Speaking of many forms, I love that we never get to see Dog-Thing/Thing-in-general's original form! It's scarier that you don't know! It let's your mind conjure all sorts of fucked up images that are way scarier than anything they could have designed it's the best and I applaud the films restraint in that way!

I love that Dog-Thing spend 1h-1:30h alone with Clark and he didn't get assimilated, what's that about?!?!!? What does it mean and what does it say about Dog-Thing? I'm not sure you could read a lot into it I feel, but I do know one thing, and that is that Clark is the best dog handler there is!

I LOVE how Dog-Thing subverts the famous "dogs can sense evil" trope in horror movies! If this was any other film, you would have all the humans be unsuspecting while the huskies would be freaking out about Dog-Thing the second they set eyes on it BUT NO! When Dog-Thing enters the kennel all the other dogs are chill. Only when Dog-Thing starts changing and lifting its perfect disguise do they freak out. I love it I love it it's such a good way to show how perfect the imitation really is early on in the film without having to state it. All the dogs in the kennel are chilling and barely react to Dog-Thing's arrival, I love this detail so much:

(they're all just laying around!)

Speaking of kennel, I love seeing blind reactions to The Thing. And one of my favourite parts is watch people's shifting opinion on Dog-Thing. Movie begins with some lads on a helicopter shooting at a dog and almost always, everyone watching is pissed off they're shooting at it and they're yelling at the screen for the guy to stop! Then enter Jed the Wolf-Dog and his magnificent performance: the calculating stare, the composed demeanor, the calm and collected steps, and some people start thinking something's weird about the dog but most are still very loving towards Dog-Thing. Then comes kennel scene, where all the "asshole stop shooting at the dog" shouting suddenly turns into complete shock and horror, going "OH MY GOD OH MY GOD SHOOT IT FUCKING SHOOT IT RIGHT NOW" I love it. And you just know that this was the moment when, if you were a parent in the summer of '82 and were indecisive about which alien movie you wanted to take your kids to watch, this scene is where your mind is made up. I'm just imagining all the parents rushing out the doors to take their kids to watch E.T. during dog kennel scene lmao

LOOK AT JED/DOG-THING'S ACTING I LOVE THEM:

I love this quick moment. The lads are all watching the Thing-"corpse" Copper and MacReady brought from the Norwegian cam, and the camera suddenly cuts to Dog-Thing watching its own autopsy!!!!!!!!!!!! I WONDER ABOUT WHAT DOG-THING'S THINKING ABOUT SEEING ITS OWN CHARRED BODY SO BAAAAAAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JED YOU WERE SUCH A GOOD ACTOR , THIS STILL PIC DOES NOT DO YOU JUSTICE BUT HERE:

A lil treat from Peter Watts' The Things , this one is from the scene above, I love the ending where Thing is terrified and disgusted by the human brain calling it a tumorous lump, it's great:

Autopsy. MacReady and Copper had found part of me at the Norwegian camp: a rearguard offshoot, burned in the wake of my escape. They’d brought it back—charred, twisted, frozen in mid-transformation—and did not seem to know what it was. I was being Palmer then, and Norris, and dog. I gathered around with the other biomass and watched as Copper cut me open and pulled out my insides. I watched as he dislodged something from behind my eyes: an organ of some kind. It was malformed and incomplete, but its essentials were clear enough. It looked like a great wrinkled tumor, like cellular competition gone wild—as though the very processes that defined life had somehow turned against it instead. It was obscenely vascularised; it must have consumed oxygen and nutrients far out of proportion to its mass. I could not see how anything like that could even exist, how it could have reached that size without being outcompeted by more efficient morphologies. Nor could I imagine what it did. But then I began to look with new eyes at these offshoots, these biped shapes my own cells had so scrupulously and unthinkingly copied when they reshaped me for this world. Unused to inventory—why catalog body parts that only turn into other things at the slightest provocation?—I really saw, for the first time, that swollen structure atop each body. So much larger than it should be: a bony hemisphere into which a million ganglionic interfaces could fit with room to spare. Every offshoot had one. Each piece of biomass carried one of these huge twisted clots of tissue. I realized something else, too: the eyes, the ears of my dead skin had fed into this thing before Copper pulled it free. A massive bundle of fibers ran along the skin’s longitudinal axis, right up the middle of the endoskeleton, directly into the dark sticky cavity where the growth had rested. That misshapen structure had been wired into the whole skin, like some kind of somatocognitive interface but vastly more massive. It was almost as if . . . No. That was how it worked. That was how these empty skins moved of their own volition, why I’d found no other network to integrate. There it was: not distributed throughout the body but balled up into itself, dark and dense and encysted. I had found the ghost in these machines. I felt sick. I shared my flesh with thinking cancer.

and one more treat where Thing describes its time as a doggo:

I left that place in ruins. It was on the other side of the mountains—the Norwegian camp, it is called here—and I could never have crossed that distance in a biped skin. Fortunately there was another shape to choose from, smaller than the biped but better adapted to the local climate. I hid within it while the rest of me fought off the attack. I fled into the night on four legs, and let the rising flames cover my escape. I did not stop running until I arrived here. I walked among these new offshoots wearing the skin of a quadruped; and because they had not seen me take any other shape, they did not attack.

Dog-Thing and Thing is just an awesome concept with an even more incredible execution what's not to love!!!!!

[the-whispers-of-death]

mindless soldier reader is just so *clutches chest*

one of my favorite tropes is a "weapon" beeing freed from the people using them one way or another an learning how to live as a person. they live with another person (who they might see as a handler) and they're so skittish like an abused dog. flinching from affection, not knowing how to react to praise (or reacting too strongly), always waiting for orders. them being unused to softness and melting at the slightest hint of gentleness it's just so cute

I knowww! That's why Grim Reaper!Stone has my heart.

He has no idea how to be anything more than the weapon he was raised to be. He has known very little praise throughout his life and he has never known softness.

Let me use this as an opportunity to rave about Heartthrob x Grim Reaper!Stone here.

No one has ever smiled at Grim Reaper!Stone, at least not a genuine smile, until Heartthrob does so. Heartthrob honestly is such a good man, a kind man. He has a family who loves him, a life to go home to every deployment.

Everything Grim Reaper!Stone thinks he's not.

But Heartthrob sees the actual man beneath the years of being trained to be a weapon, the man that's trying to get out and be his own person. He sees not Bharat Junior, but a man who has yet to even name himself. A man who has yet to know what type of ice cream is his favorite, his favorite color, what type of music genre he likes to listen to, what books he'd like to read besides the ones he knows his father has read. He sees all of the potential Grim Reaper!Stone has, and he wants to help him reach it.

[simp-ly-writes]

CALL OF DUTY MASTERLIST

──────────────── · · SERIES:

RETURNING TO HOME BASE: You and Simon had been dating for four years now and you know in your heart that you truly loved this man; yet with all the deployment's he's been sent on recently; you begin to question it all, especially when he does not return. (Simon Riley x Reader) (pt.1) (pt.2, v.1) (pt.2, v.2) (completed) word count: 5300 words (19 pages)

A SHADOW COMPANY VISIT: One day the commander forgets his paperwork and you are forced to come to the headquarters; yet not everything is smooth sailing... (Philip Graves x Reader) (pt.1) (pt.2) (pt.3) (pt.4) (completed) word count: 5000 words (17 pages)

LASTING PICTURES: You had quit the military after an incident and have been working as a freelance photographer for many years and had built a platform for yourself. But when an offer comes knocking at your door, will you relive your past while trying not to get yourself killed in the process or choose to live a more reserved life to yourself? The decision you make is not an easy one- yet the people you meet along the way may sway the opinions you hold about your future and your relationships. (poly! 141 x Reader) Lasting Pictures Series Masterlist (completed) word count: 50,000 words (100 pages)

IN MY SHADOW: You and a few members of your former task force get recruited to work at Shadow Company; what will that entail for the future? (Philip Graves x Reader) (pt.1) (pt.2) (pt.3) (pt.4) (completed) word count: 4,500 words (10 pages)

SUITS, TIES, AND THUS SPIES: Task Force 141 gets temporarily recruited by MI6- the British Secret Intelligence Services for a mission since Laswell owed more than a few favours over the years from you and your team. (Platonic!Task Force 141 x Reader) Suits, Ties, and Thus Spy's Series Masterlist (Completed) word count: 27,000 words (47 Pages)

PROFESSIONALS: You are a MI6 spy with a secret mission different to what the CIA has requested you for; using your information gathering expertise, you pose as Russell Adlers wife as the both of you go undercover abroad, the catch? MI6 wants to know everything about your "husband" just as much as you do. (Russell Adler x F!Reader)

(Introduction) (pt.2: one bed trope) (on-hiatus) wordcount: n/a.

──────────────── · · STANDALONES:

SHORT FICS/DRABBLES:

Playtime: A sweet little family moment (John Price)

A Painting Realisation: While painting John's new space in your shared home, you realize something once again. (John Price x Reader)

A Drunk Night Turned Sober: You watch over a drunk Gaz. (Kyle Garrick x Reader)

Tricks & Sprinklers: It's relatively quiet in the middle of summer until John decides to bring a new dog home to join the household. (John Price x Reader)

──────────── · ·

LONGER FICS:

Sunday Mornings: It's Sunday morning soccer practice for your family yet John always makes the time to show how much he loves you. (John Price x Reader)

Time Stands Still: John is not one to change his accessories, yet after your wedding he seems to have a knack for it. (John Price x Reader)

A Suit Filled Surprise: its been awhile since you had last seen your husband; thankfully your coworkers are there to help. (Philip Graves x Reader)

On the Receiving End: It is John's first time being the other side; awaiting your arrival back home from a business conference while doing his best to manage the kids and home. (John Price x Reader)

Safehouse: When a mission goes south, the team is looking for a safehouse to keep their heads down but little do they know of the small family you keep hidden away from the world. (Platonic!Task Force 141 x Reader)

"Always, Sweetheart.": You were a handler of operators out in the field and Russell Adlers was your best and yet the biggest pain in your side with his constant flirting and desire to get under your skin. Yet as soon as someone else tries to annoy you or heaven forbid- flirt with you, it gets shutdown right away. (Russell Adler x F!Reader)

──────────────── · · MISCALLANEOUS:

Quote from Simon Riley (from RTHB series)

Quote from John Price (from RTHB series)

Price Building a Treehouse

[safehouse-if]

Safe house

There's a rumour about the mob family, ruling over a bustling port city. A five generation enterprise with loyal followers, deep pockets and enough hands and brainpower to rule the city from behind the veil of legality. 

Legality that is build on bribes, threats and politics going back decades. 

The next generation of Desoto family was getting ready to step into power, to rule as their right was, when there was a betrayal. A right hand of the oldest child of Desoto head, known only as Wraith on the streets, spilled their guts out to the law.

Became a little song bird, spilling secrets.

Now the old man Desoto is sitting behind bars, waiting trial and the family is for the first time having to face consequences of their actions. But why were they betrayed?

On the other side of the country, in a middle sized town, in a new suburb called Avalon Acres a new couple moves in. 

It’s not a surprise. Avalon Acres is everything a person could want. Outdoor activities, enough life to sustain multiple local businesses and actually four different seasons to enjoy. The modern white architectured houses built into the hills and woods certainly attract all manner of life.

Play as Wraith, an ex mobster turned informant hiding for their life

Choose your own gender/pronouns

Customise your appearance

Make a living in a quiet suburb or chafe against the boredom

Reflect on your life and the choices that made you jump on the side of the law

Learn a hobby

Find love? Or maybe just share a bed with someone 

Safe House is intended for 18+ audience as it follows an ex-mob enforcer’s life in protective custody and as such deals with trauma, ptsd, violence and sex. However violence will not be a prominent part of the story, nor told in great detail. This age limit is rather set for the writer’s comfort.

Ariana “Ari” / Arnaldo “Arno”  Holloway

Tall and athletic, they are the agent who brought you in and are now your fake partner as well as your handler while you wait for the trial. Calm and collected most of the time with penchant for comfortable clothes and intellectual challenges.

Tropes: enemies to friends to lovers, fake marriage

Roberta “Bob” Vernell

A nice young woman living next door, who loves all things geeky and is always smiling at you. If you don’t mind that she rarely goes out of her house and keeps suspiciously close eye on the neighborhood. As if she was the one hiding from the mob and not you.

tropes: nice girl from next door, protect at all cost

Eli Short

This guy keeps running by your house with his dog and inviting you for a barbie. Whatever that is. Apparently lives a couple doors down with his mother and works at the local fine dining restaurant. Keeps trying to feed you and get you to pet his dog.

tropes: nice boy from next door, himbo

Soline/Severin Desoto

Did you grow up together as friends or were you always just their puppet? The one who pulled Wraith’s strings for all that time. Sleek and preppy appearance hides a temper and penchant for the adrenaline rush behind good manners and old money. You will never go back. Right?

Trope: red flag relationship, pining 

Links:

Demo TBA Home

Ariana/Arnaldo

Roberta

Eli

Soline/Severin

Want to be part of the process? If interested I’d welcome help in writing/creating/editing/coding if this idea seems interesting to you.