#makes my son look GROWN

[vixlenxe]

400+ icons of Zero, yet I only use like 1/3 of them

Mostly these ones, because the artstyle is *chief’s kiss*

[beybuniki]

they should go on a fishing trip pt.1

[impulsive-fantasylander]

Thinking about an older C!Tommy, raising kids and being a good dad can be something so, healing. And fun and awesome

[fernvehx]

“I am no errand boy. I am a true soldier.”

[murmel-malt]

Would viserys cheat on daera? Could there be a bastard usurptation plot?

Given that there are five years between Hedaera and Viserys' wedding and Rhaenyra's birth where Daera simply wasn't capabale of bearing children yet and then Alysanne and Baelon buying a few more years after her flowering, there certainly was opportunity for Vizzy to outsource the meeting of particular need and maybe be a little careless.

And with the right support a bastard son could definitely become an issue 🤔

[britneyshakespeare]

10 words every girl wants to hear

"jared, you have been evicted from the big brother house."

[ywpd-translations]

Ride 719: The start of the Inter High qualifiers!!

Pag 5

1: Sorry for the wait, in fifteen minutes, at 10 o' clock, the qualifiers for the Inter High of the prefecture of Chiba, here at the gate before the beach of Kamogawa

2: will start!!

They're here!!

4: Yeah.... sorry, sorry

Pag 6

1: A ra-ra-race, so suddenly!? And what's more, the important qualifiers

Ah- ah- uhm, ah the helmet, the helmet, where is it, teh

Come on, come on, calm down- you're holding it in your left hand

2: I just heard the announcer saying “start”, Kinaka-kun

They're starting, seriously!?

Calm down, it's in fifteen minutes; now it's the tine to line up at the starting line

Let's go, Rokudai

That's why....

3: Sorry for the wait....

4: You seem to be in a hurry, so I brought these, here!!

5: Ka-Ka- Kanzaki-senpai!!

Aj- ah-yes!

Pag 7

1: Thank you so much!! -teh!!

To- to- today we'll work hard until the end of our strengths, thank you so much!!

Yeah... you're so impressive, first years

And.... so nervous

2: Ah- ah-

Ah-

She's my senpai as a “manager”.....

3: You said.... “brought”?

5: The jersey with your number bibs

Waa, waaa, thank you so much, teh

Waaaa

By the way, numbers bibs are are something that's meant to be put on by yourself!!

Pag 8

1: Th- thank you

Hurry, put it.... uhm....

3: Wear them, and run

5: They're the jerseys of the Sohoku's members

Pag 10

1: Hurry up, there's no time

I underestand that nervousness very well, too!!

2: Of course you're nervous, you're running in the qualifiers with the same jersey as them

3: The jersey I.... longed for....

My obejctive.....

4: I can wear it? Me!! Now!!

5: Excuse me!!

Pag 11

1: This.... I'll wear this, and.....

2: run together with Back-gate-slope-senpai....!!

3: I feel so honred.... and I might feel inadequate, but

4: I'll run in the race!!

5: Now, zip it up!!

The magic of that jersey is that it makes you nervous but it also gives you strength!!

Pag 12

1: They're here!!

3: It's Sohoku!!

Pag 13

1: Waaaaa!

It's last year's champions!

The two-times champions!!

They're here, Sohoku!!

Last year's winners, Sohoku High School, arrived at the start line!!

Amazing!

They're not just Chiba's two-times champions, they're national champions!

Incredible!

Sohoku! Sohoku!

Nice!!

2: Kakaka, they got all excited as soon as we get here!!

Thanks a lot, I'm Naruko Shoukichi!!

Naruko!

Redhead!!

3: Thanks a lot, I'll do great today, too!!

Look forward to my flashy running!

That redhead guy is fun!

4: I'm excited

Onodaa!!

Onoda-kun is so cute!!

5: Kashiwahigashi- well, do your best!

Makuhari- don't give up!

Don't just assume we're gonna lose!!

Pag 14

1: We have to breakthrough this race

Yeah

2: Sohokuuu!!

Win!

I mean, of course they'll take the top goal....

Honestly, aren't they unmatched?

Yeah

3:If we lose here, there'll be no Inter High

Winning for sure, no, we never know what's going to happen, that's road racing

4: Yes

Three years ago....

5: Sometimes I remember that day....

Pag 15

1: The qualifiers in Anesaki with Kinjou-san and the other third years

2: The first years are here

3: Finally in third place, Sohoku!!

What did the old man say in the end?

That.... they'll take the finish line, with a difference of one minute....

Can they really do something like that?

4: Catching up.... and even creating a difference of one minute..

Can they really do that?

If they really can....

5: It's overwhelming

6: Sohoku is the top!!

Sohokuu!!

Pag 16

2: Back then, we were first years, and they were so strong and overwhelming that we could only think that our senpais were incredible

3: But I get it now

5: To open such an overwhelming gap

6: They worked so hard to prepare for that

Pag 17

3: That's right!!

4: We spent so much time practicing and thinking about what could happen and preparing for it!!

5: And we also prepared so hard for this

6: Yeah!!

's right!!

Pag 18

1: Let's run with everything we have!!

2: Uh!!

Sohoku's presure got stronger!!

Waa

No, don't run with everything you have!!

3: Let's go!!

4: Yeah!!

Yeah!!

Pag 19

1: This road leads to the Inter High!!

Pag 20

1: The Kamogawa qualifiers for the road racing Inter High

Pag 21

1: Start!!

2: Under the clear blue sky, the ciclysts are all dashing on

There's also a lot of people cheering for our local high school in Kamogawa!!

Kamo..!!

Do your best!!

3: Kashiwahigashi, take it this year!!

Yeah, got it!!

Pag 22

2: Do your beest!

Thaaanks a lot!

There are so many bikes!

So colorful

3: Now, is the parade section over?

Sohoku's Naruko?

4: 'lright

5: Should we go now!!

6: Waaa Naruko jumped ahead at the start!

Sohoku's Naruko!! Isn't that bad news!?

Waaaaa

7: Hahaha, it's alright!!

Huh!?

Pag 23

1: “In road racing, you can't win alone”!! That's the theory!!

We have the numerical advantage! If he's left alone, he'll eventually get exhausted and fall!!

Kashiwahigashi Nomura-san!!

2: I'll show you

3: This is Naruko Shoukichi's flashi riding!!

Like this

Pag 24

1: I'll reach the goal!!

I'll away with the first attack and then win, and make a legend!!

2: No no no, Naruko is definitely bad news!

He'll get away and win on his own, that guy!

Catch him!

Chase him!!

4: Thanks to Naruko-kun, the first half will be easy

Yeah

While Naruko-kun is in the lead, we'll be protected from the wind

6: By the way

Pag 25

1: Kinaka and Rokudai.... until the last moment, they weren't at the start line with us

Ye-yeah

2: I- I'm sure they ran late while getting ready.... and are now hesitant to cut through everyone to come to the front

I guess they're starting from way behind us

3: I don't see them at all

4: Do we leave them behind?

You're so quick to make a decision!!

5: They were too flustered, chosing them was a mistake

Your humor is too dry, Imaizumi-kun!

6: Let's wait for them

We can't do that

Ehhh

7: No, seriously speaking

Pag 26

1: If they can't get here by themselves, then we don't need them

2: This race

3: also serves as the team members selection

Pag 27

3: I.... in the end we ended up at the very end of the line, teh

4: Is Imaizumi-san in the lead?

Pag 28

1: And there are so many people, the density is so different from that of middle school's races!!

Ngh!! I can't get used to this way of riding!!

2: I'm sorry, it's because I took too much time in getting ready, teh

And now you, Kinaka-kun-

3: Whataver, there's no use in talking about it now

Anyway, let's go up to where Onoda-san and the other are!!

4: If we can't get to them

5: Our race ends now!!

[jichanxo]

onnagata. boyhood, blood, etc. + followup

[brynn-lear]

Dear Brynlee,

With great detachment and shame I have just realized a moment ago that beside Dainsleif, I know not of any others that you may favour from the Genshin Universe. Lord Ayato, perhaps? I wouldn't be so sure about him; regardless I hope you would answer my question and forgive my impudence for having delayed this for so long.

With Love,

Chryseis Valois. [ik. this is only needed for anons. i just wanted a cool name😂]

Dearest Chryseis,

Please don't ask for forgiveness nor should you feel shame, especially since you do have it right. The only man I care most deeply in that universe was the boughkeeper.

He reminds me of His Majesty, King Dimitri. I've always entertained the notion that if the latter and I were born in a more equal societal footing, we might end up as partners in knighthood. I think somewhere out in that alternate realm, "Dainsleif" and my counterpart had committed to achieving that dream. In addition, he and I are currently working together on a project— and I believe Dainsleif does find my face familiar prior to our meeting.

Lord Kamisato? Well... He... literally sounds a lot like Dimitri. I've heard his voice. I had the privilege to talk to one of his versions several times when the soul was misplaced. I quite like him. As for finding a semblance of romantic attraction towards him, that's another complicated matter. I don't believe I am as fond of him as Dainsleif. But I can't be too sure...

I suppose if we're talking about admiration, "Duke" Wriothesley and architect Kaveh have their charms. The duke is quite the smooth talker and has the suaveness to pull it off. Meanwhile Kaveh has a certain "relatability" factor fellow artists would nod at. Do I find myself sparking a romantic attraction for either men? Unlikely.

This is likely such a disappointing answer. As much as I liked traversing Teyvat, I doubt I'd find my soulmate there. It's similar to looking at a restaurant's menu, appreciating its variety, but has no intent in placing an order. That... Probably sounds ridiculous.

All my love,

- Brynlee <3

[that-gt-and-vore-stuffs]

The turtles nomming Casey to comfort him, kid's been thru a lot

I HAVE TYPED THIS OUT THREE TIMES NOW TUMBLR SO HELP ME GOD-

Yes yes yes Anon I love how you think. I can totally see L/eo being the first one to offer, once he’s healed and all. So maybe he’s gained a soft spot for the kid. Sue him. From there it doesn’t take his brothers long at all to hop on the wagon, so to speak. Boom, 4 comfy sleeping bags for the boy

Poor poor Cas/ey, he’s just enjoying every moment he gets. You have to when it’s the only semblance of normal you have left. Definitely helps him handle the whole “my universe and family are gone forever” he’s dealing with. Someone hug this kid please

[basingstokemercury]

and now I want to rewatch A House Divided

which is only one of the heaviest episodes the climax of which had me in tears on my first adult rewatch

maybe it would not be a good idea

[writersdrug]

Simon "Ghost" Riley is the kind of man who:

In your shared home, always sits with his legs spread. Manspreading king. Adores it when you cross your arms and give him a disapproving look, saying there's no room for you. "Course there is, luv. Jus' sit between my thighs."

Refuses to let you do simple tasks around the house, like making tea, folding his underwear, or putting away the dishes. One might think it's a sweet, husbandly gesture - but he's just super picky. You made tea in the microwave once, and now you're banned from ever touching his tea stash. Likes his underwear folded in a specific way, and you don't understand the importance of it. He got tired of you stuffing his underwear in his drawer, so now he folds it himself. And the dishes? Couldn't stand how you put them away. "There's no rhyme or reason to 'em." "I didn't think there had to be, Si-" "Just gimme the damn bowl." Fewer chores? You aren't complaining.

Looks like he's always on edge - and he is, kinda. When he's out with you, he can't help but be alert and watchful, and extremely protective of you. You've tried to get him to loosen up - it's the supermarket, what could happen? - but have just come to accept it as his nature. Plus, you get that giddy feeling when you see other men look straight down at the floor, avoiding Simon's stare as the two of you pass.

Is the grumpiest, poutiest, and most indignant man ever when he gets sick. Doesn't want you doting on him in case you catch whatever he has. But, wait - where are you going? "Get your ass back in this bed - 'm cold." Grumbles like a child when you force him to let you get up to grab him soup, tea, or medicine. And no, he doesn't care how sick he is, he's not wearing that stupid, floppy ice pack hat.

Brings Johnny over unannounced, and you've grown used to it. The moment you hear that Scottish yapping out the front door as the key unlocks, you grab a third plate for dinner - he insists you don't need to feed him, but you always make extra for Simon's lunch the next day regardless, and the last time he'd said that, he ended up grabbing an extra fork and picking from Simon's plate. Which, of course, had Simon up at 1 am making instant ramen because he was still hungry, but didn't have the heart to ask you to make him a decent meal. So, yes, Johnny would be fed.

Loves spoiling you on your birthday. What is a man if not someone who spoils his partner rotten? Orders in food from your favorite bakery, sets all your presents neat and nice on the table (the excellent wrapping job done by yours truly, Gaz), flower petals sprinkled on the ground and the table top (also Gaz's idea), and a seat on his lap so for you while you open your presents. Loves watching your face light up, and each little "you remembered?!" fall from your lips as you open each gift. Scoffs and shifts in his seat. "I's not that much of a fuss, luv..." as you squeal excitedly, but you know he's biting back a proud smile. The blush, he can't even attempt to hide.

Is somehow a magnet for your young nephews. Every time he comes along to your sister's place, he's either making conversation with her husband in the living room, or he's interrogated and cornered by her two sons. And, lord help him, he doesn't understand it either. He'd always expected kids to look at him like a monster, but, especially with these two, that was never the case. They'd ask him for stories about "being in war" - half of the time, he'd make up some not-too-gory adventure, sparing them the details of real war. The rest of the time, he'd talk about "Soap, my mate who blows everything up." And they'd listen with wide eyes and jaws on the floor.

Has scared you unintentionally, more than too many times. He'd come home at three in the morning from a mission, and all he wanted was to quietly peel his dirty uniform off and slip into bed with you. His main intention was to avoid waking you up, because you'd force him to shower before joining you in bed - and he was too tired for that. However, you'd been rounding the corner, up for your 3 am glass of water - you screamed as you saw the hulking, dark figure by the front door, launching your phone at him. He'd caught it effortlessly and shoved it into his back pocket. "What've I told ya 'bout using the bat?" "I was just getting water!" "I coulda been anyone." "Well you're not." "Missed ya, luvie." "Missed you too- but you're grimy. Go take a-" "No." He grabbed you and threw you over his shoulder, ignoring your protests as he hauled you back to bed.

[sukunas-wife]

Being Sukuna’s Pregnant Wife and being worshipped as a diety because you were able to conceive the four armed hulking cursed child, you must have the blessing of fertility

Having a shrine erected in your name because barren women believed you’d bless them with fertility despite your legacy starting with the child of the curse that torments them all

Telling your hand maids “Don’t bring me my clothes, bring me one of the kings robes.” The hand maids flinching and wanting to protest out of fear of taking the King of Curses robes

The poor naive young hand maid that had grown a crush on the king excitedly rushing if it meant she could enter the private bed chambers,

Scoffing with a malicious smile to your loyal maids when they shook their heads with Sympathy, they learned long before at such a request it would be foolish to go alone, at least 2 or 3 of them would need to go in your name, preferably the ones your husband recognized to be by your side the longest. But you didn’t like this new girl, she was too enthusiastic to work at the palace only to have a complete change in character when she learned she was assigned to work for you

“It’ll serve that poor girl right” you looked away from the door when your loyal hand maids brought out a wooden box with one of Sukuna’s folded Kimono’s they helped you dress your swollen belly accentuated by the belt the kimono tailored to fit your husband left you with extra space and length, it was far more comfortable then the Kimono’s and robes you were, the lingering smell of your husband with comforting as your rubbed your belly hands barely peeking from the massive sleeves

“Let’s go see my husband.” Was all you said as you started your walk, the maids followed close as you made it to the bed chambers, the door was open, you looked in, Sukuna sneering down at the girl laying in a pool of blood, Uraume was making quick work of the mess

Sukuna’s snapped to you and his arm’s opening in an unusual display of affection, you walked around the mess to reach him, he pulled you into his left side, one hand on your waist the other making you face him, bring his right hand up he rested his hand on your stomach “Some of your maids need a lesson on how to speak to their king,” he looked away from your face to your stomach as he started to move his hands in circles “So swollen with my child, it’s no wonder you send your maids to steal my robes.”

You smack his shoulder with a playful smile and he chuckled “Don’t say it like that you make me feel bigger than i am.”

“Now,” he looked up at your face again, “why are you here.”

You tilted your head to the side, “I started contractions this morning, I’ve been in pain all day and I’m barely standing, my new maid wouldn’t stop speaking so highly of my husband accomplishing having a child when I was at my worst pain level getting ready to push out YOUR child that I HAD to carry. Anyhow I came to get you because he is ready to come.”

Sukuna stared down at you confused “How do you know it’s a boy?”

“I’m his mother,” he watched as you placed your hand over his stilling his rubbing of your stomach, “I knew he was a boy from the day your seed took.”

Sukuna smirked “Is that so? Then let’s see this boy.”

🖤❤️❤️❤️🖤❤️❤️❤️🖤❤️❤️❤️🖤❤️❤️❤️🖤

After an hour of fighting the doctor tending to your birth you gave birth to your lively son, born screaming without needing stimulation to cry form the doctor. Your husband couldn’t help but laugh when he saw his child in his full glory, he was a boy indeed.

The help immediately gave you your son and you cooed at him when he took to your breast, your husband taking blankets from the maids and covered your son also covering you in the process as you struggled a bit to pass what came next. Your son a spitting image of his father, your breathy laugh caught Sukuna’s attention as he came back to your bed side stroking your hair and rubbing your stomach the way the help had been doing.

“What amuses you?” He watched his son slowly close his eyes as you coddled him closer.

“I’m the one who had to carry him for so long, and the ingrate took nothing from me.” You smiled and shook your head before looking up at Sukuna.

Soon the doctor left after clearing you of any possible issues and checking your son. “His name?” You looked at Sukuna and he sighed “Yuji”

The look of adoration in your eyes was something Sukuna would’ve wanted to capture forever if he could express the sentiment. However for now he’d settle for memorizing every detail of today. His wife birthing his first heir, the name she had chosen he permitted.

Maybe just maybe this world wasn’t so bad

[fanaticalthings]

I want an AU where after Jason gets brought back to life, he channels his inner rage and turmoil into the academics instead of murder

Talia has like infinite money and a crap ton of influence, so she can absolutely get Jason the best tutors and can easily get him into the most prestigious schools if Jason wanted to (she doesn't need to do that though because Jason's just smart enough to get into them on his own)

The major he chooses? Med.

Why? Because Bruce dropped out of med school.

Jason practically flies through all the secondary education that he needs to catch up on and is already en route to earning his bachelor's AND his master's.

And it'd be so incredibly funny if the way Bruce and Jason reunite in this AU was purely by coincidence.

Bruce (as Brucie Wayne) offers to show up as a guest lecturer at Hudson University (the school Dick attended but dropped out of so double points for Jason), maybe to talk about future career paths and job positions at WE idk

So as Bruce is just wandering around the campus, he randomly bumps into a student and immediately puts on the Brucie act and is all "Oh my, I'm SO sorry, I'm just a klutz haha" only to stop dead silent when he makes eye contact with a very alive, very grown Jason Todd, who also stops dead in his tracks, mouth agape, staring at Bruce like the world's about to end

And before Bruce can get his thoughts straight, Jason just bolts out of there like his life depends on it, and Bruce is just in shambles for the rest of the day.

It doesn't help that the person giving Bruce the tour is all like "Oh yeah, that's Jason, he's one of the heads on our student council haha, anyways, this way, Mr. Wayne." and Bruce is just stood there bluescreening.

----

Alternatively, it'd be kinda funny if this all happened AFTER the events of UTRH where after the final encounter with Bruce and Joker and the whole explosion, Jason's just like "yk what, maybe I'm just gonna turn over a new leaf and pursue a higher education"

So while Gotham's still reeling from the aftermath of Jason's near takeover as the top crime lord and Bruce is still painstakingly trying to figure out where his son went, the whole time Jason's just been chilling on a school campus and Bruce just so happens to bump into his son (who, last time they met, tried to kill Bruce and blew up the building they were all in) and Jason's just all normal-looking with his textbooks and nerdy glasses and Bruce doesn't know whether to scream or cry.

[shuttershocky]

It is just as critically important for the Netflix DMC anime to properly portray Vergil (he's going to be there, of course he is) as it is to portray Dante. Their whole shtick is that one is cool by acting uncool and the other is uncool by repeatedly causing mass disasters in an effort to be seen as cool

Dante doesn't smoke. He exclusively eats pizza and ice cream. He gets stabbed twice a week. He unironically says "Woohoo! Yeeha! Watcha!" All the women in his life keep attacking him and then take all of his money, with the exception of Patty, who got rich and decorated Devil May Cry in balloons and ribbons and then stole Dante's ice cream anyway. His nephew kicked him into a statue and impaled him with his own sword when they first met.

Vergil is a grown-ass man running around with a katana cutting down everything but his mommy issues. He loses every fight. He uses hair gel despite not even living in human society. He attacked his dad's enemy to prove he was just as good and they kicked his ass. He made up his own overpowered self-insert devilsona because he kept losing to Dante and then it kicked his ass. His humansona looks like if Kylo Ren googled what emo was. He killed millions of people for a fruit that makes you stronger and then Dante kicked his ass. And then his son kicked his ass. He has never paid child support. He answered Dante's statement of "You cut off your own son's arm for this?" with "My son means nothing to me" and then gets surprised when told that Nero is his son, implying he's cut so many arms off that his son being Nero never even entered his mind. His own doppleganger summon occasionally dances outside of his control, making him die of cringe.

Meanwhile, Nero, left unsupported by both his father and his uncle for most of his life, got out of a cult, married his love, runs a soup kitchen, has a stable job, can actually hire a mechanic to help out, and owns a car, but somehow he's the loser in the family.

[ragingbookdragon]

It comes as somewhat a surprise when the others realize that something has obviously happened between their resident Lieutenant and Private, as she’s quick to fall silent whenever he appears, and even more so make herself scare when she can when he’s around. It’s only the third time that Soap sees it that he says something, because if he doesn’t no one else will, and where’s the fun in that?

He watches her duck her head and leave the break room, Gaz, Soap, Price, and Ghost sitting alone at the breakfast table conversing over soggy cereal and cooling tea; Soap pushes a piece of bacon on his plate and asks, “Trouble in paradise, Lt?” the corner of his mouth arches with a slight grin when he hears the warning grunt come from Ghost.

“No.”

“Seems like it,” he retorts, taking a sip of his coffee. “What’d ya do? Tell her ta fuck off?”

“Drop it, MacTavish,” Ghost warns darkly. “Nothing’s wrong.”

This time, Gaz jumps in. “C’mon, Lt., it’s obvious that something’s wrong. I mean, she won’t even look at you, let alone say anything unless you speak first.”

“An’ she’s callin’ ‘im ‘sir.’” Soap adds, pointing at him. “Christ, Lt., ya musta done a number on ‘er. Poor Puffin. So sweet and kind. Broke ‘er heart ya did.”

Price can tell that Ghost is close to snapping at the both of them but gets to it before he does. “Soap, Gaz, go catalogue our inventory for the mission next week.”

“Aw, but we already d—” Soap falls silent when Price shoots him a look and quietly grumbles to himself as he grabs his plate and cup, Gaz following in suit.

It’s only until the two soldiers are alone that Price asks, “What did happen, Simon?”

Ghost lets out a long sigh and rolls his head back, staring at the ceiling. “Pretty much told ‘er to fuck off.”

Price watches quietly as Ghost begins rattling to himself—he’s never really had to ask the man to explain himself. All he’s gotta do is prompt him to do so and Ghost does the rest.

“I just got mad. She’s always ‘round and practically up my arse, and I got caught up and instead of ‘andlin’ it properly, I shoved my fucking foot in my mouth and scalped her.” He rubs a hand over his face. “I meant to be gentler but once I started, I couldn’t stop. It just kept comin’ out. And now she fuckin’ hates me.”

He pulls his hand down and looks up at Price with a scowl—the man is smiling at him, but it’s that stupid smile that means more than Ghost wants to admit it does.

“Quit that.”

“You care about her,” Price murmurs, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, though his admonish is still harsh. “And instead of telling her how you felt like a grown adult, you took the ten-year-old way out and decided to be a cunt to her.”

“I didn’t mean to be such a cunt.”

“But the fact of the matter is that you did, and you’ve screwed up team fluidity and cohesion.” He looks at him. “You know a team divided—”

“Can’t stand,” Ghost finishes with an even worse scowl. “Yeah, yeah, I know.” He looks away. “I just don’t know how to even start tryin’ to fix it.”

“Well, apologizing might be a good start,” Price rumbles with a grin. “She’s a good kid, Simon. Her heart’s in the right place, even if it’s a bit much at times. Shows she cares. More than most do in our line of work. She’s a rare one.”

“I know,” he admits in a much, much softer tone. “I just don’t want her to lose that doin’ this.” His eyes meet Price’s, and they hold such a misery. “Look at us, Price,” he mutters, gesturing between them. “Middle age, unmarried, no kids, too fucked up for anything like that. She doesn’t…” he clenches his jaw. “She deserves a better path, a safer path, than this life. She deserves to go out and have a life where she comes home to a family.”

“That’s not your choice to make, son,” he replies gently, but there’s a firmness to it. “If this is what she wants to do, then she will. We can’t make her get out of service.”

Ghost growls low in his throat. “She has so much more potential than being cannon fodder. She could do somethin’ with her life. Somethin’ good. Somethin’ that won’t have her dying face down in the sand with a bullet wound in the back.”

Price simply watches him.

“But she’s so fuckin’ stupid. She wants to be here. She wants to spend whatever time she has dodgin’ bullets and wakin’ up every night in sweat ‘cause she can’t escape the dreams. No one wants to do this. We don’t want to do this. We do this because we have to. But her? She’s happy here.” He lowers his voice, it’s as if he’s in disbelief. “She’s happy here.” He looks at Price. “Why? Why is she so happy here?”

It's another long moment before Price speaks.

“You hear, son, but you don’t listen.” He moves the cup on the saucer. “She bounced around homes growing up, scraped by on the skin of her teeth. She has no one. But here, she has something. She has people who care for her, if nothing else, they won’t let her die alone.”

“Oh what? So, it’s found family bullshit?” Ghost spits. “If she dies, at least the team would mourn her?”

“Isn’t that what you’ve done too?” he replies, and Ghost falls silent. “People like Gaz, Soap, and myself are different than you and she are, Simon. We have homes. We’ve had families that have loved us, that do love us. But you two? Simon, you’ve made a home where you’ve had to. Made a family out of people you’ve bled for, would gladly bleed for. You’ve made something that’s yours. You made a family for yourself. And so did she. She’s made us her family. The one she never had the privilege to call her own.”

Price lets out a quiet hum, and pats his thighs, standing up and pushing his chair in.

“Think on what I’ve said, son. And if nothing else, apologize and leave it at that. Put the ball in her court and let her make the next move.”

As he walks off, he hears, “And if she doesn’t want it?”

He tosses a knowing look over his shoulder. “I’m sure she’ll take it.” His eyes twinkle as he adds, “Takes an awful strong woman to care about a man like you.”