#miracles constantly unfolding

[reaching-ruchnius]

So big things are finally finally actually coming together and it feels so right

We are taking big steps toward the lives our souls long for.

But we still have a long way to go.

[amourtoken]

Oh my god I've been talking to @as-above-so-below1000 about this but imagine your boyfriend being roommates with Matt and you end up moving in cause you're always over anyway. ALSO this isn't edited I did it at work forgive me I'll rewrite it to be even grosser asap

cw: cheating (deserved tbh), Matt's evil, raw sex, recording, oral (f receiving), breeding, overstimulation, daddy kink matt u know it, dacryphilia, praise (a miracle tbh), belly bulge, squirting, ect.

You thought moving in would mean your boyfriend would pay more attention to you but honestly it just feels like you're a glorified roommate even more now. You do your chores plus his, he spends more time out with other friends than he does at home and 99% of the time when he does get home he immediately goes to sleep so you've started to get restlessly lonely. During all these times, Matt's been quietly watching everything unfold. It irritates the shit out of him that not only is his roommate a lazy cunt but he's also not able to treat the girl WAY out of his league so much as slightly decent. He'd do so much fucking better and he knows it. At the very least, he'd make sure you didn't have to fake those moans he can hear across the apartment anymore, he could make you feel so much better.

Little does Matt know you're having the exact same thoughts! You feel bad about it deep down but fuck he treats you like a real person and at this point that's enough to get you on your knees. Matt constantly asks if you need help around the house, he shares his snacks with you, lounges on the couch and watches shitty reality TV without complaints. He also happily lets you come hang out in his room when you're feeling extra lonely, it started off with you just sitting at his desk or on the floor doing your own thing but didn't take long to evolve into full blown cuddling and sleepovers on his side of the apartment.

your boyfriend doesn't even clock that you've been walking around the house in Matt's oversized shirts and hoodies either, but it gets Matt so hard he gets fucking dizzy. I've said before this mf is territorial as hell and any way he can mark you as his, he's doing. He knows he could do so much more but he's saving it for when the time is right.

It's been a couple weeks since this whole arrangement started and you're still at least somewhat trying to be a decent girlfriend so you bit the bullet and planned a whole big date for your anniversary with your boyfriend. You got a dinner reservation, bought tickets to visit this huge aquarium you've raved about for months and begged to visit and you even bought the pretty little white sundress you have on while pacing your living room and sending text after text to your boyfriend asking where he is and when he'll be home. Matt nearly dropped dead when he saw you in that dress though, it hugs your curves just right and your hair and makeup are done so well too. You look stunning, the only thing marring up that pretty look is the stressed expression on your face.

When you looked up at him with those big teary puppy eyes he swears he's never been so mad in his life. You're explaining the entire ordeal and Matt is just seething, you're dolled up and gorgeous, even went through the trouble of planning this whole thing because your boyfriend wouldn't and this fucker can't even answer a call or show up for it? On your anniversary? Bullshit. You whined about how you should've just planned this date for you and Matt instead and that's when he decided he didn't wanna draw this plan out any longer, he was ending it today. You're not spending another second suffering.

Matt reaches up to try and wipe your tears away without messing up your makeup cause there's no way you're gonna be crying your pretty eyeliner off around him unless it's from him fucking you to tears.

"Please stop wasting your time on this fuck up and let me treat you right, sweetheart. You know I can make you feel so much better, stop lying to yourself."

He's right, you'd be lying if you truly said you thought anyone could treat you better than Matt who's become your best friend in just a few weeks. He does everything right and your boyfriend really did just ghost you on your anniversary, you should get back at him shouldn't you?

And you do. Matt doesn't waste any fucking time throwing you onto his bed and hiking that pretty little dress up your hips. He's wanted literally nothing more than this since you moved in and he's gonna enjoy every second of it. He has your legs over his shoulders and is lapping at your cunt until you're nearly in tears again right away. You can literally feel him smiling against your pussy, he's so fucking full of himself and he's just proving himself right in this moment cause you're pulling his hair and rolling your hips against his face while you're whining and begging for him to keep going. He's never heard you be so loud or genuine, so that's all the proof he needs. He's not satisfied until you're squeezing your thighs around his head like a vice and shaking like a leaf under him while he makes you cum on his tongue.

He's nowhere near done though, and had really planned on being gentle, but he hears your boyfriend pull up and his door close and decides right there that he'd save the softness for next time. Matt damn near folds you in half and is rubbing the tip of his cock right against your overly sensitive clit just to hear you whimper.

"Want this dick? I wanna hear you beg for it, baby. Tell daddy what you need"

Oh! Ofc he's into that. Not that it bugs you, your brain is so fuzzy you don't even think twice about begging for him to fuck you and dropping his name entirely in favor of calling him daddy. He happily "gives in" to your pleading and fills you entirely in a single thrust. The sound you made was nearly inhuman, the stretch made your insides ache but fuck you genuinely don't think you could feel any better. Matt sets a bruising pace immediately and is mouthing off the whole time.

"I know baby- never had dick this good before have you, huh? Taking me so fucking well- good girl"

"Told you I could treat you better, you belong to me. Don't wanna hear another word about that fucking lame ass boyfriend of yours. You're mine."

"Daddy's dick making you dumb, baby? It's okay. You don't need to think, I'll handle it for you."

"Gonna cum again? Fuck- wanna feel you cum around my cock princess, it's okay, cum for me baby-"

You're being so loud you don't even hear your front door open but Matt sure does and that's when he slows his pace, making sure he grinds himself as deep as he can get every time he fills you up and he leans down to suck dark hickeys in as many visible places on your neck as he can. You're in full blown tears at this point and it only gets worse when he pulls your hand to your lower stomach and presses his on top so you can feel how deep he is inside you.

"Bet he never filled you this good, did he?"

"Gonna fuckin' marry you I swear- you'd look so pretty full of my kids"

You can't even tell if he's serious but you hope he is, you'd marry him rn just for how good his dick feels. He hears your phone vibrate from the nightstand and picks it up while still grinding against yours. You finally got a response from your boyfriend, all it says is "where r u" and Matt seeing it before you did is the worst thing that could've happened cause rather than telling you, he just takes it upon himself to answer. He unlocks your phone and opens your camera, you didn't even realize he was recording until he held your face in his free hand and told you to "say hi" which you couldn't do, every time he thrust into you your voice broke off into a pathetic little whimper.

Matt made sure to get a good shot of himself filling you up, and used his free hand to abuse your clit until you were nearly screaming which was exactly what he wanted. He couldn't just end the video on a random note, he really wanted to get his point across. He picked up the pace of his thrusts and his fingers never slowed down until you were convulsing under him again and squirting on his cock. *still* not quite enough, but he pulls out right as he cums to watch it drip down your pussy and then he decides that's probably enough. He sends the video to your boyfriend without a second thought and nearly collapses on top of you, pressing extra kisses to your neck and chest. His door's locked, and he can fight, he doesn't give a shit about repercussions cause he finally has what he wants.

[nico-esoterica]

I've been manifesting that I receive money constantly and that it's in love with me. Different affirmations like that. That's been my mindset for months but I really locked in with that over the past two. When I see manifestation success stories, half the time people don't mention all the mental discipline they invested into changing their mindset over weeks, months, etc. That's where the 'overnight' materializations come from imo.

Little twitter threads giving tips on how to receive passive income have been showing up on my feed lately. My aff is that I get paid for doing nothing. First of all, if you've ever had a delayed flight, you need to visit the airlines site and get it refunded. A woman posted her receipt and got back 1k. My Chicago flight from August got delayed and I just got back $299. You have up to a year to fill it out.

If you're in the US, stay up to date on if you can get $$ owed to you from class action lawsuits. Another woman on twt posted that she got around 3k because of one from a vaping product and she advised to check if you qualify for any. It's such an 8H/12H (astro) coded way of receiving extra money from doing nothing. That's a manifestation. I'm in the process of filling out something for my car. A series of crazy events unfolded which point to me getting a huge lump sum. I'm excited. You never know WHAT is happening behind the scenes once you open yourself to miracles.

Life's been good and is about to be great forever for me. I'll keep you updated :) Just wanted to post some progress because this is an example of how money can squeeze out for you in unexpected ways once you're open to it~

[major-mads]

Chapter 5: The Dangerous Sky

John "Bucky" Egan x Ruth Morgan (OFC)

Series Masterlist

A/N: We've been planning this chapter for months now, and it's so exciting to finally post it! It's another long one lol! Please comment or reblog and tell us what you think!! Thanks for reading!! <3

Collab: On a Wing and a Prayer by @footprintsinthesxnd

Word Count: 12.7k

Monday, August 23, 1943: Thorpe Abbotts AAF Base, Norwich

Regensburg, Germany…the mission that earned the Hundredth its nickname was finally over.

Nine forts lost. 

Ninety men gone…just like that.

Ninety boys who would not return to their families. 

Among these ninety men was Curt. Buck and John were still in shock when their small group of officers tiredly pushed through the doors into their nissen hut. A few beds were made with fresh sheets, all remnants of their previous owners long gone.

The nightstands and walls that held the pictures Ruth had admired the week before were bare, a fresh slate for a fresh face that would be arriving soon. 

As he walked by Biddick’s bunk, Bucky couldn’t bear to look at it. The wound was still too fresh.

“Knowing Biddick,” he had told Buck in the Algerian desert,” He’s probably sipping on a bottle of schnapps right about now.”

Oh, how he wished he was right.

“Looks like you’ve got mail, Bucky,” Jack spoke up, pointing at the man’s bed that had a few letters thrown on the mattress.

Dropping off his bag with a thud, John sat on the edge of his bed and collected the letters silently, immediately recognizing the neat cursive handwriting on the front.

He let out a gentle sigh and smiled to himself, the corners of his lips curling just slightly. Flipping through the letters, he discovered that all three of them were from Ruth. 

August 17th, August 19th, and August 21st

John opened the first one, carefully unfolding the precious letter, and began to read.

John, Hope and I were barely able to sleep last night. Our worry for you both ate away at us, keeping us awake until the early hours of the morning. Based on what we’ve heard from Frank, that is around the time you were probably waking up in preparation for the mission. I pray for you constantly, John. I pray that God will look out for you, that He’ll protect you, and that He’ll allow you to come back to me. I also pray that Granny’s necklace does its job. Keep it close. I like to think that it’s a little piece of me with you. I don’t think I could imagine not seeing you again. My heart couldn’t take it. I’m afraid I have become very attached to you and your mustache, Major, so I am pushing this thought as far from my mind as I can. It has been difficult. As I sit writing this in the loud mess hall of our base, I can’t help but think back on the dance. That first night we shared with the buzzing crowd surrounding us…the way you calmed my nerves without a word, made me smile, made me laugh. You are unlike anyone I’ve ever known, John Egan, and I worry that you may never be rid of me if you continue to treat me so. I hold every second we’ve shared very near to my heart, and I can’t wait to see your handsome face again. If by some miracle you are back to base by the time this letter arrives, send me a response as soon as possible. I need to know you’re safe, Johnny. I’ll be waiting for you and your letter. Yours, Ruth Morgan

John could almost hear the nurse’s voice in his head reading her words, and his chest filled with warmth as he traced her name lightly with his finger. If he was being honest with himself, he was taken aback by her sincerity. No woman had ever expressed feelings like these to him before.

His relationships with women had always been about a night of pleasure, physical attraction with not much feeling behind it. 

But her words…

‘I worry that you may never be rid of me…’

Ruth was different in every way possible, and when he told her that first night, he had no idea just how much. Placing the letter onto his nightstand, he opened the second one from the 19th, his grin widening when he saw the first line.

Dear Hotshot, I wanted to be the first to inform you of the Yankees’ seven-to-five loss to the Indians today. Yes, I remember our truce, but seeing that you got one last jab on Monday before we parted, I decided that I had one left myself. This makes us even now. Now that that’s out of the way, I can revert to the loving sweetheart who is worried sick for your safe return. I really do mean it when I say you are always on my mind, John. I’ve managed to make it one singular day without seeing or writing to you before giving in and penning this letter. I simply need to get out my nerves and anxieties, thoughts and feelings, and this is the best way to do that. Hope and I went on an evacuation run yesterday, and as we were flying, we wondered if we were near the two of you. Did Buck tell you he proposed? Well, he didn’t technically, but he told Hope he wanted to marry her after the war. Needless to say, she’s been worried sick just as I have, maybe even more with Hugh gone as well (if that’s possible).

Eyes widening, John’s gaze rose from the letter and shot across the room to Gale, who was quietly talking with Hugh at his bunk as he unpacked his bag.

Why did he not tell him?

“Got any big news you wanna share with the class, Buck?” he asked, raising his eyebrows at him while holding up Ruth’s letter.

Gale confusedly looked over at him. “What?”

“You heard me.”

Rolling his eyes at Hugh, Buck sauntered over to John, standing over him with hands on his hips. “What are you talking about?”

“Mrs. Hope Cleven,” the older man grinned. “That’s what I’m talking about.”

A bashful smile appeared on Gale’s face. “I’ve got a ring and everything, now. It’ll be after all this is over.”

Standing to his feet, Bucky pulled him into a tight hug and lifted him off the ground. “Whenever it happens, I better be the best man! That’s all I’m sayin’.”

“Yeah, yeah, you will be,” Buck chuckled as John put him down, releasing him from his grip. “Just don’t tell Hugh that.”

“Hey, I heard that!” Hugh shouted across the officer's hut causing Gale to groan. 

“Well, it makes sense. I am Buck’s best friend,” John retorted, sending a sly smirk Hugh’s way which only riled the man up further.

“Yeah, and Hope’s my sister. I’m his future brother-in-law.” 

Gale stepped back as Hugh stomped over to them, coming chest to chest with John who just continued to playfully glare down at him. 

“So what? You're a St. Louis fan,” Bucky pointed at him, a grin tugging at his lips. “That instantly makes you not best man material.” 

Hugh snorted, rolling his eyes. “Yeah, and I suppose you being a great Yankees fan makes you the right choice, huh?” 

“Absolutely,” John replied matter of factly. “How can you cheer for a team who lost 11-3 to the Pirates? The Pirates.” 

“At least we didn’t get shut out by the Indians.”

Gale knew this wasn’t going to end well. No one could insult the Yankees to Johnny’s face and get away with it...except Ruth, of course. Before John could find a comeback, Gale stepped up, moving to stand between the two men.

“Now, now. I’m not having you two fighting over being my best man. If it’s that much of a problem, I’ll make Demarco my best man and Meatball can be the ring bearer.” 

Neither of the men seemed too pleased with that outcome. 

“Not Demarco!” 

“Yes, Demarco.” 

John groaned, pursing his lips, and Hugh remained silent, looking at the ground solemnly at their childish behavior. 

“You should choose whoever you want to be your best man, but-” John began with a nod before Hugh interrupted.

“Yeah pick who you want, Gale. Hope will probably want me to walk her down the aisle anyway so I’ll probably be in the bridal party instead.” 

John snickered with raised brows as he imagined Hugh in a bridesmaid’s dress, but he fell silent when Gale elbowed him in the ribs, shooting him a glare..

“Come here,” Bucky pulled Gale into another hug and slapped his friend’s back, “Congratulations, Buck! You’re a helluva guy.” 

“The best,” Hugh added. 

As they stood there celebrating Buck’s life-changing news, the trio couldn’t help but think of their close friend who wasn’t. Their group got even smaller…

“Curt…he would,” John cleared his throat and nodded, forcing down the emotion that threatened to creep up his throat. “He would be happy for you, Buck.”

Gale’s eyes met Bucky’s and they mirrored the same emotions…hurt, regret, sadness. The men who came back never talked about those who didn’t, and both of them knew this was the one time they would.

“Yeah, he would,” Buck breathed, one side of his lips barely turning up into a mournful smile.

Silence filled the air around them there for a few moments, all three stuck in their minds until Gale spoke up.

“That from Ruth?” Buck asked, gesturing to the letter in Johnny’s hand.

He nodded once and sat down on his bunk with a soft smile, suddenly remembering the last half of Ruth’s letter he still had to read. “I’ve got another one to read after this one. Then I’ve gotta write her back.”

As Gale looked down at his friend’s lovesick gaze, he smiled to himself and shook his head. If someone had asked him if John Egan would be rushing to read love letters and send a response to a woman, one woman, whom he’d been seeing over a month, Buck Cleven would’ve told them they were crazy. 

“Tell her I said hello,” Gale said quietly, patting Johnny’s shoulder before returning to his bunk.

He muttered, “Yeah, sure,” before his eyes found the paragraph he left off on. The major’s aching heart was soothed by her words as he continued to read them.

We have been busying ourselves around the base, finding things to keep our mind off the fact that we don’t know where you are…if you’re safe. I’d like to think I’d know in my heart if you were gone. I pray I don’t ever have to face that feeling. Take care of each other wherever you are, alright? I know you watch Buck’s back like he watches yours, Johnny. Keep an eye on Hugh, as well. We both know he can be a troublemaker…like someone else I know. He, however, doesn’t have someone to reel him back in when he gets a little too crazy like you do. I know I’m writing this like you will receive it where you are right now, and not when you return to base, but I’m doing so because it’s the closest thing I have to talking to you.  I miss you, John. Please write when you get this. Praying for your safe return, Your Ruthie 

Scooting onto his bunk more comfortably, Bucky leaned back against the wall and opened the last letter. It was dated just two days prior, so at her current rate, another would be sent before his could reach her. 

My Hotshot, Please come home soon. The past five days have been torture. I go to see if I’ve gotten mail every single day, and each time, I leave a little more disheartened than I came. I feel my heart can’t beat inside my chest until I know you’re safe. I know you’re doing your job…a job that has to be done…but it doesn’t make it any easier. I’m sorry, John, but I don’t have too much time to write. We’re about to leave on an evac run. I long to hear your voice and feel your warm touch. Don’t forget your promise, hon. Come back to me…sooner rather than later. I can’t handle two boyfriends, remember? Missing you, Your Girl

Johnny swallowed thickly, lowering the letter to his lap as his mind raced. He knew that it very easily could’ve been him that went down that fateful day over Regensburg…it was all luck. 

There was a bigger chance than he’d like to admit that he’d go down, that they’d all go down, and the thought of never seeing Ruth again brought a burning to his chest. Reaching up, he grasped the necklace around his neck beside his dog tags, feeling the coolness under his fingers. 

Her Granny’s necklace sure did its job.

John brought the cross to his lips, kissing it softly as he silently thanked Virginia Morgan up above for the good luck.

Once the letters were carefully stored in the growing bundle of her correspondences he kept in his nightstand, he pulled out a fresh sheet of paper and a pen. Using his book as a backer, he began to write.

Ruthie, Hey, sweetheart. I’m glad that you kept your promise about the letters, and I’m also glad to say that I’ve managed to come back to you in one piece. By now, you’ve probably read about the raid in the papers. It was a tough one, and reading your letters helped more than you’ll ever know. Thanks for telling me of Buck’s “proposal.” The chump hadn’t even told me about it! So much for a best friend, right?  He says ‘hello,’ by the way.  Hugh thinks he has a chance at best man, but we all know that’s not gonna happen. You’ll be the maid of honor and I’ll be the best man…I can see it now: Buck crying like a baby and you looking like the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. I’ve missed you, Ruthie. I still can’t believe that a wonderful woman like yourself would ever spare a poor sucker like me the time of day. Each time we part, I find myself replaying our every moment spent together. When we were stuck in the Algerian desert under the scorching sun, my thoughts always wandered back to you.  Your skin, your hair, your smile, your lips…the way you make me laugh. You are unlike any woman I’ve ever known, Ruth Morgan, and if I am never rid of you (as you wrote), I would consider myself the luckiest man in the world.  Stay safe up there on your runs for me. Your Hotshot, John Egan P.S. Tell your other boyfriend that I’m back and not willing to share.

Saturday, August 28, 1944: Thorpe Abbotts AAF Base

John, Gale, and Hugh were riding from their nissen huts to the mess hall when the familiar roar of a C-47 filled the air. The sound meant their girls were on base, and it filled them with excitement as they peddled faster towards the landing strip. 

“Did you know they were coming today?” Buck asked, quickly glancing over at Johnny and Hugh.

John shook his head, a lazy grin curving his lips. “No, Ruth didn’t mention it in her last letter.”

Gale nodded to himself but couldn’t shake the feeling deep down that something was wrong. As they approached the airstrip, Colonel Harding appeared, calling out to John.

“Bucky! I need to talk to you,” he yelled from the balcony of the nearby flight tower.

Holding in a groan, Johnny nodded at Hugh and turned his bike toward the tower. “Tell Ruth I’ll see her in a minute.”

It all happened so quickly.

The flight had been uneventful. 

All their patients were stable, and Frank and his fellow pilot were singing together in the cockpit. Hope and Ruth had taken their seats and were enjoying resting their legs for a while. 

That was until the Ack-Ack’s had started firing.

Hope hissed, resting her palm against her injured thigh as she slid out of the plane. The bloodied bandage did nothing to stem the steady flow of thick blood. It hadn't been gushing with a constant flow but seemed to increase as her heart pounded faster and faster in her chest. 

Memories of the shrapnel piercing her thigh, having pranged around the aircraft before embedding itself into her, flashed in her mind. Looking back, she shouldn’t have pulled it out, but despite Ruth’s protests, she was stubborn, and without the blonde’s quick thinking at applying pressure and a tourniquet, she wondered if this would have been a different situation. Hope hated feeling weak and not being in control, but her stubbornness could have cost her life. 

“You need to get that leg checked out, Hope,” Ruth glanced over, her usually soft features etched with fear and concern, but Hope, still being her stubborn self, shook her head. 

“Ruth’s right, Hope. It’s a bad wound and we’d all feel a lot better if you got it checked out,” Frank added, helping the blonde with getting a stretcher into the ambulance. 

“We need to tend to our patients first,” Hope shuffled over to the nearest man on a stretcher, quickly informing the stretcher-bearers of his condition before they carted him towards the ambulance. 

Glancing at his watch quickly, the pilot cursed under his breath. “I’ve gotta go radio the base and let them know what happened.” He pointed at Hope as he hurried off. “Get it checked.”

“Do you need that leg looked at, Miss?” One of the young men asked, “There’s room in the ambulance.” 

Hope shook her head, politely declining any assistance. That was until two familiar faces came rushing over, a mixture of fear, anger, and horror on their faces as they noticed the side of their C-47.

“What the hell happened, Girls?” Hugh asked, glancing between his sister, then Ruth, then back to Hope. “Shit! You’re bleeding.” He reached forward but Hope pulled away, shrugging him off.

“I'm fine, Hugh. It's just a scratch. I'll get it looked at later,” she dismissed him.

By now she could feel Gale’s eyes boring into her, his sharp blues missing nothing. He felt her discomfort as she hobbled along, trying to avoid resting her hand against the wound to draw attention to it. 

“That looks a hell of a lot more than a scratch, Hope,” Gale stepped forward to stand beside Hugh, his movements stiff and mechanical, as if he wasn’t quite sure how to act. “You’re covered in blood.” 

Hope looked down at her uniform, noticing that from her waist down both her legs were soaked in blood and she was beginning to feel lightheaded. “I said I'm fine,” Hope snapped, exasperated and in pain. 

She just wanted to do her job, why couldn't they understand that?

“What happened, Hope?” Gale’s eyes were dead serious as they watched her, clearly annoyed but wracked with concern. Hope just looked back at him, unable to move or speak for fear she might cry. 

“It was the Ack-Ack’s,” Ruth quietly spoke up, and the men turned to see her own blood-soaked uniform, her hands still shaking at her side. “The plane was hit by flak fire. A chunk of shrapnel went flying around… got Hope in the thigh,” Ruth sighed and let her gaze fall to the ground, knowing that Hope might not forgive her for the next part. “She pulled it out herself. We applied pressure and a dressing but she needs to see a doctor.” 

If looks could kill, Ruth would be six feet under the airbase by now. 

“YOU DID WHAT?” Gale cried out, his face white with horror but his sharp eyes burning in a way none of them had ever seen before. “Are you some sort of idiot? Everyone knows not to pull things out of a wound. You could have bled out.” Gale’s chest was heaving as he fought the anger that built up within him. His hands clenched in fists at his side as he continued. “Do you have any idea what you’re doing?” 

Hugh reached out to him, trying to cool the situation down but Hope intervened. 

“I had patients on board. I'm no good to them if I bleed out everywhere. I thought quickly and went with the best possible outcome.” 

Gale snorted, waving his hands out in front of him, “Of course you did. You thought of the best possible outcome for you. What about the rest of us, Hope? What would happen if you had died?” 

Hope sent him a hostile glare, jaw clenched and her lip curling slightly as she spoke, “Do you realize how selfish you sound?” 

Gale scoffed, “I’m selfish. Did you for one-second think of what we'd have done if you had died?” 

Despite being outside surrounded by wounded soldiers, you could have heard a pin drop. 

Hope’s eyes scanned over the group, looking into the faces of her friends and seeing the same hurt looks. Ruth’s face was still tilted toward the ground with closed eyes as she listened to the bickering. The fear, the explosions, and the sound of Hope’s pained scream replayed in the woman’s mind, and she felt like her heart was going to explode inside her chest. 

It was too much. It was all too much.

Ruth was vaguely aware of the rest of the group leaving the airfield, Buck trailing off after Hope as she stormed away, and Hugh marching off as well. She stood there silently, trying to keep herself from falling apart…

The second Bucky was dismissed by Colonel Harding, he jogged down the stairs to his bike outside. Pedaling to the airstrip, he could only think of Ruth’s smiling face that he would soon be seeing. The hum of engines reached his ears as he turned around the corner of a shortcut, and the sight of her familiar figure standing before the C-47 sparked even more excitement within him. A grin formed on his face and he pedaled faster, eager to greet her. 

As the plane came into better view, his smirk fell as he noticed a giant hole in its fuselage. Johnny’s gaze snapped back to Ruth, and when he looked closer, his initial excitement transformed into horror. The world seemed to blur when his eyes focused on the blood-soaked flight uniform that clung to her. Panic seized him, and without a second thought, he leaped off the still-moving bicycle, letting it clatter to the concrete behind him as he sprinted toward Ruth, his boots pounding against the hard ground.

“Ruth! Ruth, what happened?” he cried desperately, his voice echoing off the nearby buildings. 

Johnny reached her in a whirlwind, taking her face in his hands, his panicked blue eyes inspecting her face intensely, scanning for any sign of injury. He then moved to her torso, his hands running over her body frantically.

As his hands desperately searched Ruth’s uniform, his voice trembled with fear. “You hurt?”

For a moment, she didn’t respond, and then suddenly, her tear-filled eyes met his. The Major’s hands, once frantic in their search, were now pleading. "Ruthie, come on. Talk to me. I need to know you’re okay." 

She gently placed her hands over his, stopping him. “It’s not mine,” she finally whispered, her voice strained. “We flew into a flack field, and, uh, Hope. She got hit in the leg. Buck’s with her now.”

‘Ruth’s okay,’ John repeated in his frazzled mind. “She’s okay.

A relieved sigh escaped his lips and John wrapped his arms around her, pulling the woman into him tightly. Her head was tucked into his chest as uncontrollable tremors ran through her body. 

“You’re okay, doll. I’ve got you,” he murmured against her temple. “I’m here.”

His heart broke as he felt a sob rack through her body, her weak cries reaching his ears. “I-I was so scared, John. I thought we were gonna die.”

Bucky pulled back slightly and moved his hands to grasp her tear-streaked cheeks gently, her pain-filled blue eyes nearly tearing him apart. 

“Hey, hey, hey,” he whispered, leaning down to meet her gaze as he wiped her tears softly with the pad of his thumbs. “You didn’t, okay? It’s over now. You’re safe, Ruth. It’s over.”

She took a shaky deep breath, trying to calm herself, but another cry fought its way up her throat and the nurse let out a choked sob. With each breathless gasp that left her lips, Ruth’s heart pounded faster and she suddenly felt her chest tightening.

John knew what the startings of a panic attack looked like, and he tried to recall how Franny had taught him to calm Lena down all those years ago when they were teenagers. Seeing Ruth’s usually bright and loving personality in such a fearful and panicked state sent his mind into overdrive.

“Ruth,” he urged, his hands still cradling her face. “Look at me, sweetheart.”

Her watery gaze met his, her breaths coming out in short uneven gasps. 

“I need you to breathe.”

Taking a deep breath through his nose, John nodded at her with raised brows, worry etching his face. “With me, now.”

Ruth shook her head. “I-I can’t-”

“Yes, you can,” the Major asserted firmly, reaching for her hand and holding it against his chest. “Feel that? Breathe with me. In…” he breathed through his nose. “And out.”

After a moment, she shakily followed suit, her eyes never leaving his. The warmth of John’s hand enveloping hers and the steady rise and fall of his chest beneath her touch grounded her in the moment. Gradually, her breathing began to regulate, the erratic gasps giving way to steady inhales and exhales. Johnny watched her closely, his eyes searching for any signs that the attack might return.

“There you go,” he murmured. “Just keep breathing with me, doll.”

With each measured breath, Ruth felt the tightness of her chest gradually ease, the weight of her fear lifting. After a few minutes, her breath completely steadied, and the panic attack passed, leaving her drained but calmer.

Ruth leaned into John’s comforting embrace, her forehead moving to rest against his chest as she let out a shuddering sigh. 

“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice barely above a hoarse whisper. “I-I’m sorry you had to see me like this, covered in blood and…and a mess.”

John placed a soft kiss to her temple. “None of that. You’re okay. That’s all I care about.”

As she stepped back into his arms, her eyes welled up with tears once more. “But look at you,” she protested weakly, gesturing to the smears of blood that marred his brown button-up undershirt. “I’ve ruined your shirt.”

Bucky shook his head, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips. “This old thing? I’ve got a million of ‘em anyways, Ruthie. It’s just a shirt. Wasn’t even my Sunday’s best,” he reassured her gently. “I knew there was a reason I didn’t wear my lucky jacket today.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he nodded.  “Come on, let’s go get you cleaned up.”

He wrapped an arm around her waist and slowly led her toward the nearby operations building, still feeling her body shaking beneath his touch. As they turned the corner, they were met with Bubbles walking past a jeep. His face scrunched in concern and the usual smile fell from his lips at the sight of the bloodied woman. 

“Shit! What happened, Bucky?” he asked, quickly approaching them. “Do I need to go get Doc Stover?”

“No,” Ruth piped up, mustering the best smile she could. Even Bubbles could see straight through it.

John shook his head. “We’re alright, but I’ve gotta take your ride, Bubbles. Sorry.”

“Oh, that’s not mine. It’s Kidd’s.”

“Even better,” he smirked, opening the passenger door for Ruth before climbing behind the wheel. “Tell him I owe him one.”

Bubbles raised a brow with a barely concealed grin. “He’s gonna be pissed, sir.”

“Ehh, he’ll get over it.”

Nodding, the lieutenant turned to enter the building, but Bucky called out to him. “Oh! Bubbles, could you grab my bike? It’s somewhere near the ‘47 back there. Tell Jack it’s his for the day! Thanks!”

As the jeep roared to life, John tucked Ruth under his arm much like he did the night of the dance, and then they were off. She laid her head on his shoulder and her eyes slowly fluttered shut, sleep calling to her after the day’s events.

John peered down at her with a saddened smile as he took in her splotchy face and the blood that seemed to coat the bottom half of her uniform. Some of it even clung to her hair, the light blonde strands covered by the sticky, maroon substance. 

As he felt her finally relax in his hold, he let out a shaky breath, his heart finally beating regularly in his chest again. The Major knew how terrifying flack encounters were, and he was trained in how to handle it…well, he was used to it. Ruth, on the other hand, was not. It was her job to keep men alive while in the air, not worrying about being shot out of the sky by some German on an anti-aircraft gun.

Rage bubbled from within him at the thought. If the blast was just a little closer, there was a chance that he wouldn’t be holding her in his arms. If one more-

“I missed you,” she murmured, breaking Bucky from his thoughts as she nuzzled into his shoulder. “I was so worried about you, John.”

He took a steadying breath, pushing down his anger as he ran his hand along Ruth’s arm softly. “I missed you, too, doll. And I guess we’re even now, ‘cause I think I just lost ten years of my life back there.”

A tired laugh escaped her lips. “Imagine feeling that way for 9 days.”

Johnny could hear the exhaustion in her voice, and he squeezed her shoulder, leaning down and pressing a kiss to her hairline.

“Get some shut-eye, alright? We’ve got a stop to make before we go back to my hut.”

She nodded against him as her eyes fluttered closed again, sleep quickly overtaking her. 

As she slept soundly under his arm, he pulled up to a hut with a familiar figure smoking outside. “Miss Tatty,” John whisper-shouted, careful not to wake up Ruth. “Could you do me a favor?”

Raising a brow, she took a drag of her cigarette and approached the jeep, her smile falling when she saw the nurse’s bloody figure beside him. “She alright?”

“Flack hit her stick,” He sighed, running his free hand down his face. “She’s alright, but Hope got pinked in the thigh. Scared her half to death.”

“What can I do to help?”

“Could you find some extra clothes for her? She’s gonna need some fresh ones.”

Tatty nodded at him, a determined expression gracing her face. “I’ll get some now.”

It only took the woman a few minutes to emerge from the hut with a small bundle in her hand. “This should be enough,” she said, placing the bag into the back of the jeep. “But please stop by again if you need anything.”

“Thank you, Tatty. I owe ‘ya one.”

A tiny chuckle left her lips as she pointed her finger between Ruth and John. “Just don’t screw this one up, John, and we can call it even.”

“I don’t plan on it,” he grinned toothily, putting the jeep back in drive and starting down the road again. John’s hut was across the base, and he spent the short drive tapping the steering wheel to the tune of One O’Clock Jump while stealing glances at the sleeping woman in his arms. 

When the jeep rumbled to a stop outside the officer’s hut, Johnny rubbed Ruth’s shoulder. “Wake up, doll. We’re here,” he said gently, a soft smile playing at his lips as she lazily sat up, blinking away the sleep in her swollen eyes. “You need to get washed up.”

Ruth lazily looked around them and realized where they were.  “How long was I out?”

“Not long. Only about half an hour.”

Her eyes fell to her lap, the slick blood still staining the uniform. She was suddenly aware of how terrible she felt. It was everywhere. On her skin, in her hair…

“I feel disgusting,” she whispered, holding up her red-stained hands. 

“I know, doll. Here are some clothes you can change into after you shower.” Bucky reached back and grabbed the small bag that Tatty had given him, squeezing her shoulder before getting out of the jeep. “Let me go grab my kit for you and I’ll be right back.”

The second the door shut behind him, Ruth’s gaze fell back down to her hands, on the crusted blood under her nails, on Hope’s blood. At the thought, a strike of anxiety coursed through her, and the nurse could feel her heartbeat speed up. The shaking of the plane and the sound of the hot metal flying through the cabin rang in her ears as she closed her eyes tightly.

Among the chaos in her mind, she heard Johnny’s calming words. 

‘I need you to breathe…in and out.’

Following his voice, she took a deep breath in through her nose and out through her mouth, trying to calm her racing heart. Ruth repeated the action and ached for his comforting presence beside her. 

‘Breathe. In and out.’

Inside his hut, Johnny was strutting to his bunk when he heard a soft snore from his left. His eyes followed the sound to a bed across the room, a smile growing on his face when he realized it was Buck and Hope. Her dark hair was splayed on his chest, and Gale had an arm around her waist as the couple peacefully slept, their faces free from worry.

It was the most peaceful slumber Bucky had ever seen Gale have throughout their three-year friendship. 

He let out a chuckle under his breath and quietly gathered his shower pack, sparing them one last glance before closing the door behind him. As John emerged from the hut, Ruth’s eyes rose to his figure. His gaze locked with hers and he could once again see the worry in her blue eyes. He quickly approached the jeep but was stopped when someone called out to him. 

“Bucky?”

Johnny turned to his left, seeing Majors Dye and Veal jogging toward him with wide eyes.

“You good?” Dye asked, eyeing the smears of blood on his shirt. Bill just stared at him warily, the only emotion on his face visible by the slight crease in his brow.

 “I’m fine, boys,” Bucky replied with a smirk, his eyes floating to Ruth over their shoulder. “Thanks for the concern, but you’re not getting rid of me anytime soon.”

The pair followed his gaze, sharing a silent look when they saw Ruth in the jeep. 

“Wait,” Bill spoke up gravelly, nodding towards John’s shirt. “Is that her blood?”

Scratching his mustache, John glanced at Ruth before lowering his voice and leaning closer to them. “No, but it’s Hope’s. Buck’s in there with her. They’ve both had a real shitty day.”

Dye nodded and sent her a sympathetic smile which she shakily returned. “We’ll tell the guys to steer clear for a little while.”

John could tell Ruth was teetering again, and he clapped Glen’s back, throwing a quick ‘thanks’ over his shoulder as he walked back to the jeep, his attention completely on his girl. He rounded the bumper to lean against the passenger side, offering her his hand. “Come on, let’s go get you squeaky clean again, Ruthie.”

Nodding silently, she let him lead her to the bathhouse. Ruth stood in the corner while he turned on the shower, the hot steam already fogging up the mirrors when he stepped back and held his shower pack out to her. “I-uh don’t know how hot you like it, so I just-”

“I’m sure it’s perfect,” she replied softly, taking the pack. ”Thank you.”

He stared at her for a few moments and took in the pure exhaustion on her features, his hand instinctively reaching up to push some hair behind her ear as he spoke softly. “I’ll be right outside. Gotta make sure no one sneaks a peek of my girl.”

Leaning down, he placed a gentle kiss against her lips before backing toward the door. Just as he reached for the handle, her voice stopped him in his tracks.

“John?”

He turned. “Yeah?”

“Can, um, can you stay?” she asked nervously, her eyes trained on the floor. “I don’t want to be alone.”

As Ruth’s request hung in the air, John’s mind went into overdrive. He felt a rush of heat flood his cheeks and his heart pounded in his chest. Swallowing hard, he struggled to find the right words. 

“Yeah, I’ll stay,” he finally replied softly. 

Even as he spoke the words, his mind was in turmoil and his thoughts spiraled out of control. John was unable to tear his gaze from her as she slowly began to unzip her flight uniform, revealing her red-tinged tank top underneath. When Ruth caught his stare, her cheeks flushed.

“Um, John,” her voice broke through the silence, her tone hesitant. “Could you…could you look away please?”

“Right,” Bucky muttered, his voice barely audible over the sound of the running water as he snapped out of his trance and spun to face the door. “Sorry.”

As she continued to undress, John tried to focus on anything other than what was happening behind him. He stared at the cracked cement floor, willing himself to remain composed, to keep his thoughts in check. When he heard the rustle of the curtain opening and closing, he let out a shaky breath as relief flooded through him.

Despite his efforts to focus on anything else, his thoughts kept drifting back to the woman on the other side of the curtain, her presence a constant in his mind. Bucky knew he should respect her privacy and give her a moment to decompress after the day’s stressful events, but the temptation proved too strong and before he could stop himself, he found his gaze drifting back to the shower.

John stole a glance through the opaque shower curtain, his body heating up at the sight of Ruth's silhouette moving gracefully beneath the spray of water. But as quickly as the temptation came, a wave of shame washed over him, and he quickly averted his gaze, chastising himself for his lack of self-control.

He traced the outline of her body in his mind, and then the shame came rolling right back again. Bucky knew he had to take his mind off of the woman…or at least try to…so he began to sing under his breath.

“Never saw the sun shining so bright,

Never saw things looking so right.

Watching the days hurrying by,

When you’re in love, my how they fly,

Blue days, all of ‘em gone,

Nothin’ but blue skies from now on…”

Ruth stood beneath the warm spray of water, letting it cascade over her weary body, washing away the dirt and grime of the day. The hot water soothed her aching muscles and eased the tension that had settled deep within her bones. Closing her eyes, she let out a sigh of relief, allowing herself a moment of rest.

As John’s soft singing filled the air, Ruth couldn’t help but smile. His voice, though not the most melodic, calmed her frayed nerves and eased the knot of fear that had lodged itself in her chest. 

“John,” she called out over the sound of the water.

“Yeah?” Came his muffled reply.

“Could you sing a little louder?”

Bucky ducked his head with a grin and raised his voice, switching to a new song.

“And when I told them how beautiful you are,

They didn’t believe me. They didn’t believe me.

Your lips, your eyes, your curly hair,

Are in a class beyond compare,

You’re the loveliest girl that one could see…”

Ruth closed her eyes and let his deep voice wash over her, allowing herself to get lost in the rhythm of the song. 

“And when I tell them, 

And I’m cert’nly gonna tell them,

That I’m the man whose wife one day you’ll be.

They’ll never believe me. They’ll never believe me. 

That from this great big world you’ve chosen me!”

As she listened to him, she began to scrub the blood from her skin, feeling a wave of emotion course through her. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes as the memories of the day flooded her mind, but John’s voice calmed her, and she rapidly blinked them away. She knew that she wasn’t alone…that she had someone to stay by her side…someone to take care of her. 

It took her a few washes to get the dried blood from her hair, and she sighed in relief when she could run her fingers through the strands without getting caught in a tangle. The water turned off with a click, and she stuck her head out the curtain, making sure only her face was visible. 

“Could you pass me my towel?”

Johnny turned back towards her and quickly averted his gaze as reached for her towel hanging nearby. “Here,” he said, extending it towards her without making eye contact before facing the door once again.

“Thanks,” she replied, accepting the towel and beginning to dry herself off.

Ruth quickly got dressed, making a mental note to thank Tatty later, and ran the towel over her sopping wet hair. Once fully ready, she spoke up, her voice breaking the comfortable silence that had settled between them. “Okay, you can turn around now.”

Turning towards her slowly, John’s breath caught in his throat as he took her in. Her short blonde hair was slightly tousled from the shower, its natural waves making an appearance, and her cheeks flushed from the heat of the water. Ruth wore some navy pants that fit her perfectly with a dark, oversized wine colored sweater. Despite the exhaustion that lingered in her eyes, Johnny’d never seen something as beautiful in his 27 years.

“Wow,” John chuckled, approaching her slowly and cupping her cheek. “Would you look at that. Damn gorgeous.”

Her cheeks flushed even deeper at his words, a shy smile tugging the corners of her lips as she leaned into his touch. “You’re such a flirt,” she murmured.

Without hesitation, Johnny leaned in and pressed his lips to hers in a tender kiss, his hand weaving into her blonde waves. As they pulled apart, he rested his forehead against hers, their breaths mingling in the quiet of the bathhouse. 

As he slowly leaned back, Ruth’s eyes caught sight of the raised scabs on his nose, cheekbone, and forehead. She reached up tentatively, barely touching them as she inspected his face. 

“I’m sorry,” she said softly, her voice laced with concern. “I didn’t even notice before.”

John’s gaze softened as he met her worried eyes. “Just a few scratches, Ruthie. Nothing to worry about.”

She nodded, though she wasn’t entirely convinced. “Was it from Regensburg?”

The Major hesitated for a moment, the mental image of Curt’s plane exploding flashing in his mind before he could stop the thought. He nodded once and forced his face to remain neutral. “Yeah.”

Little did he know that the blonde could see the pain in his blue eyes.

Ruth shook her head, a frown tugging at her lips. “You’ve been taking care of me all day, and I-I should have noticed sooner. I’m sorry.”

He reached out, gently taking her hand. “Hey, it’s okay,” he reassured her, giving her hand a comforting squeeze. “I’m really fine, doll. Don’t beat yourself up over it.”

“Thank you. For everything.”

He forced all thoughts of the mission from his mind, focusing on the present.

“You’re lucky,” he smirked down at her, mischief floating in his eyes. “I don’t give free concerts to just anyone.”

Ruth couldn’t hold in a laugh at his remark and the soft sound echoed through the small room. “Well, lucky for you,” she teased back. “If you gave out tickets for free, nobody would show up anyway.”

John rolled his eyes playfully, his heart swelling with relief as he listened to Ruth’s laughter, even her small smile warming him from the inside out. It eased the tension and guilt in his chest and filled him with a sense of happiness that he couldn’t quite put into words. He leaned in to kiss her forehead gently, savoring the feeling of her soft skin against his lips.

“You feeling any better?”

“I feel clean,” Ruth sighed wistfully. “Tired but clean.”

Gathering all her used items from the bathroom, she threw them into the dirty bin in the corner of the room. Bucky took her hand and brought them to his hut’s door, holding a finger to his lips.

“What?” she yawned as he opened the door for her. “What are-”

She cut herself off when she spotted them. Buck and Hope were still sleeping in each other’s arms, and a wide smile formed on her face when she looked up at Johnny who was already peering down at her. 

‘Hope’s fine,’ she thought. ‘They must have made up.’

Ruth had to throw a hand over her mouth to keep in the excited giggle that threatened to escape her lips, and John shook his head, tugging her away from the couple to his bunk.

She sank into his bed and inhaled deeply. Ruth closed her eyes for a moment, taking in the scent of his pillow, a mixture of his cologne and the army-issue shampoo they all used. It was a comforting smell, one that made her feel at ease.

As Ruth settled onto the bed, John made his way to the footlocker at the foot of the bunk, rummaging around for a clean shirt. Turning onto her back, she stared up at him as his fingers loosened the knot of his tie, pulling it free from around his neck. He tossed it into his footlocker before moving on to the buttons of his brown uniform shirt, revealing the pink-splotched tank top beneath.

Ruth couldn’t tear her gaze away if she tried.

She watched in silence, her face burning as he shrugged off the shirt, exposing his broad shoulders and muscular arms. When he finally pulled off the tank top, leaving him shirtless, a lump formed in her throat and heat surged through her. 

‘Get it together, Ruth,’ she thought. 

John caught her gaze and smirked, raising an eyebrow as he placed his hands on his hips. “So you can look, but I can’t?”

Ruth sputtered for a moment, her cheeks turning an impossibly deeper shade of red, but John chuckled softly. “I’m just joking, doll. Look all you want.“

She couldn’t help but admire him openly, her eyes tracing the lines of his chest and the curve of his shoulders. He was undeniably handsome…she knew that. But seeing him like this took her attraction to a whole new level and her heart fluttered in her chest.

Ruth eyed the few things that dangled from his neck: his dog tags, a small Virgin Mary pendant, and her Granny’s cross. 

Ruth silently thanked her Grandmother for bringing him back to her. 

Grabbing a fresh shirt from his footlocker, John slipped it on and kicked off his shoes before settling onto the bed, sliding back to sit against the wall. Ruth shifted to make herself comfortable and rested her head on his lap as Johnny’s fingers brushed over her damp hair.

They talked quietly for a few minutes, their conversation meandering aimlessly as they both enjoyed the other’s company. Soon, Ruth’s eyelids grew heavy, and her words began to drift off mid-sentence. Bucky watched her fondly, a smile playing at the corners of his lips as she slipped into sleep, her warm breaths against his thigh.

Sighing, he carefully reached for his beat-up copy of Guys and Dolls on his nightstand and began to read, holding it up with one hand. His other hand rested on Ruth’s head as he absentmindedly stroked her hair as he read, only lifting it to flip the page. 

‘Only a rank sucker will think of taking two peeks at Dave the Dude’s doll, because while Dave may stand for the first peek, figuring it is a mistake, it is a sure thing he will get sored up at the second peek, and Dave the Dude is certainly not a man to have sored up on you. But this Waldo Winchester is one hundred percent sucker…’

The only sounds filling the room were each of the four’s quiet breaths, and John was able to read a few chapters before he heard rustling across from him. He lowered his book to see Buck sitting up slightly, rubbing his eyes with a yawn.

“Welcome back, sleeping beauty,” John grinned, his voice hushed.

Gale’s head lifted to get a look at his friend and a chuckle escaped him seeing Johnny with a wide-mouthed Ruth lying in his lap, her blonde hair covering his thighs. “Look at us.”

“Yeah. Who would’ve thought.”

Silence filled the air again as each thought of the woman beside them. A few moments later, John broke the stillness of the nissen hut. “How’s she doing?”

“She’s…She’s good,” Gale replied as he fought to keep a blush from his cheeks at the memory of their confession and what came after. “How’s Ruth?”

Johnny shook his head with a saddened sigh. “Real shaken up, Buck. You should’ve seen her earlier. I was…I was worried.”

“I know the feeling. She doin’ any better now?”

“Yeah,” he breathed. “Finally cracked a smile and seemed herself when she saw you two.”

A gentle smile tugged at Buck’s lips as his gaze drifted down to Hope who continued to sleep soundly. Her breathing was shallow and her nose wrinkled occasionally as she dreamed. At some point, she had moved her left hand to clutch onto his shirt and he could see the ring glisten in the dim light. “I popped the question.”

“So it’s official?”

“Yep. 

“Congratulations, Buck,” Johnny smiled, a brow raising a few seconds later. “I am gonna be your best man, right?”

With an eye roll, Gale nodded at him. “Of course, you are, lardass.”

“Good.”

“As if I could watch Hope walk down the aisle without you by my side.”

“Exactly. You'll be crying like a baby anyway. I’ll have to bring plenty of tissues,” John chuckled, pleased that a sleeping Hope was keeping Gale anchored to the bed. Otherwise, he thought something would have been thrown his way. 

“I can’t say you’re much better,” Gale pointed out, nodding his head toward them. “Look at you. Never thought I’d see the day that John Egan wrote love letters, much less something like this.”

John chuckled and thought about how different his life had been since that day in July. “Well, I finally found one worth writing to. Ruth…she’s uh, she-”

 As if she had heard her name, the blonde stirred on his lap, stretching and yawning loudly before her eyes made contact with Gale who smiled at her.

“Good morning, Gale greeted her, causing Ruth to blush. She hadn’t realized she had an audience watching her wake up and only hoped she hadn’t been snoring loudly. 

She rolled onto her back to face John and was met with a gentle smile and loving blue eyes gazing down at her. “Hey there. Feeling better?”

“Still tired,” Ruth sighed and sat up, rubbing away the sleepers that had accumulated in her swollen eyes. “But I don’t think I can sleep anymore.”

John had to hold in a laugh at the way her blonde waves stuck up in all different directions from where they had dried on his lap. “Well, your wish is my command, doll, so what do you wanna do?”

“What is there to do?”

“Have you seen the hard stands yet?” Gale spoke up. “Lemmons might even have Billy and Sammy over there.”

“Billy and Sammy?”

“Two little squirts that Kenny’s taken under his wing,” John answered with a nod.

At the mention of the kids, Ruth’s face lit up, and a wide grin grew on her lips. All evidence of sleep disappeared from her features as she excitedly clambered off the major’s lap and stood to her feet, brushing her fingers through her hair to tame the wild locks.

As he watched her, Johnny felt a pang of sadness at the sight of Ruth’s sudden enthusiasm. It hit him then, that she probably hadn’t seen many kids since becoming a nurse. As a teacher, she was surrounded by them every day, and now, their innocent faces were likely a distant memory in her mind.

“They’re a handful, those two,” Bucky chuckled, rising to his feet beside her. “But they’re good kids. Come on, let’s go see if Kenny’s putting em’ to work over at the hard stands.”

Walking out of the hut, the couple sent Buck a “thanks” as they walked by him. Ruth’s eyes fell on Hope’s still sleeping figure, her heart twinging at the memories of the morning, but she didn’t worry. Gale was there to take care of her.

John and Ruth spent the short ride to the hard stands talking about their weeks, and he almost let the news of Gale and Hope’s engagement slip a few times before they rumbled to a stop in front of Muggs’ hardstand. 

He was determined to keep his mouth shut for once. Bucky knew Hope should be the one to tell Ruth about her engagement, and he didn’t want to be the one to ruin the surprise.

Hopping out of the jeep, John’s eyes searched for Lemmons. “Kenny?”

Ruth glanced over at him skeptically. “He here?”

“Should be. He said he’d fix the old girl up today.”

They approached the fort, and Ruth was shocked by its sheer size. Yes, her C-47 was big, but the B-17 was different. Her plane carried supplies, people, almost anything…but this was a weapon. A weapon that took the fight to Hitler’s doorstep. 

It really did look like a fortress.

Ruth reached up and trailed her fingers along its yellow nose paint, the metal rivets cool from the chilly English air as she followed John to the small hatch just in front of the right wing. Before he could stick his head into the hatch, a small boy’s face appeared sideways out the hole. 

“Boo!” 

Both the adults jumped, Ruth more so than Bucky, and the man jokingly groaned. “Billy! I thought Lemmons was supposed to be keeping you out of trouble?”

“Did I scare you, Major?”

John raised an eyebrow at him. “What do you think?”

“Yes,” he giggled as another boy stuck his head out the hole.

Sammy.

“Whatcha think, Ruthie?” Bucky looked over at her with his hands on his hips. “They get me?”

She grimaced playfully and nodded. “He about jumped out of his boots, boys.”

They shared a shocked look, then broke out into cheers, their faces disappearing from the hatch. “Lemmons! We got him! We finally got him!”

 “They’ve been trying to scare me for weeks,” he explained, a fond grin tugging at his lips. “Finally got me.”

Before Ruth could respond, a pair of feet dangled from the hatch, and John helped each of the boys to the ground, setting them down in front of the couple. They went running off toward the tail, and then a few seconds later, a ground crewman hopped out of the hatch, his dark curls peeking out from under his beanie.

“So they finally got ya, huh, Bucky?” he asked.

“Looks like it,” he replied.

Ken’s eyes fell to Ruth beside John and he smiled, wiping his oily hands on a rag. “You must be Ruth! I’ve heard a lot about you.” He held out a hand, “I’m Ken Lemmons, but you can call me Kenny. I’m one of the ground crew chiefs.”

“Nice to meet you, Kenny. I hope you’ve heard good things,” Ruth answered, cheeks flushing at the notion that John had talked about her. She glanced up at him with narrowed eyes before shaking Ken’s hand. “There’s no telling what this one’s said.”

“Don’t worry,” Lemmons chuckled. “Only good things. I promise.”

Giggles sounded from the back of the plane, and Ruth leaned to see them, her gaze instantly drawn to the boys. Following her eyes, Ken called them over. “Come here! The Major’s got someone he wants y’all to meet!”

They bounded over, just noticing her presence even though she had spoken to them minutes before. 

John grinned and wrapped an arm around Ruth's shoulders as he introduced her to the boys. "Boys, this is Ruth. She's my girl."

The boys' eyes widened in disbelief, and Billy blurted out, "No way! You're way too pretty!"

Ruth busted out laughing at their innocence. "Ohhh, he’s not so bad once you get past the mustache…and the jacket…and the bad jokes…and-"

“Alright, alright. We get your point,” he groaned, pretending to be offended by dramatically clutching his heart. "Way to kick a man when he’s down. Besides, that’s a lie about the mustache."

She shrugged and ignored his question. “Nice to meet you, boys.”

They exchanged mischievous grins, clearly enjoying the banter. "Miss Ruth," Sammy said, using his hand to hide his words from John. "You’re way out of his league."

John still heard the comment and raised an eyebrow, playing along. "You think so? Well, I guess I'll just have to keep her around to make me look good."

Ruth nudged him playfully. "Smooth recovery, Major."

The boys shared another toothy and excited glance before launching into a barrage of questions. “Do you live on base? Are you a nurse? Do you fly planes? Have you ever shot down a Jerry plane?”

Ruth laughed at their enthusiasm, sparing John a blissful look as she felt almost at home in the kids' presence. “I’m a flight nurse, and no, I don’t live at Thorpe Abbotts. I fly in planes but leave the actual flying to the pilots. I just take care of my patients and leave the rest to them.”

Billy and Sammy listened intently, hanging on her every word. “Do you ever see any action?” Billy asked.

Ruth hesitated, the day’s events flashing in her mind, but a warm, reassuring hand on her back brought her back to the present. “Sometimes,” she replied carefully. “But most of the time, my friend Hope and I are too busy taking care of the wounded soldiers and getting them safely back home to notice.”

“Wow,” they marveled.

“So what do y’all do around here?”

Out of the blue, Sammy grabbed Ruth’s hand, tugging her from the men. “Come on, Miss Ruth! We have to show you the plane!”

“Yeah, you gotta see the tail gun up close!” Billy added eagerly, his toothy grin stretching ear to ear. “And the ball turret!”

Ruth glanced back at John before allowing herself to be led away by the boys. As he watched them go, he shook his head at how Ruth affected everyone she met…she was captivating.

Ken and Johnny began conversing about the Muggs’ repairs from the previous day, but the Major’s attention kept drifting back to Ruth. After the boys gave her a plane tour, the trio moved to a grassy patch nearby, plopping onto the ground with Ruth sandwiched between the two boys. They continued their animated conversation, and their laughter filled the air as she told a story of a soldier who got airsick and threw up on her shoes. 

As he watched them, a thought crossed John Egan’s mind. A thought so unexpected that it caught him off guard.

She’d make a great mom.

The realization startled him. He’d never entertained thoughts of a future like that before, never met a woman who made him long to settle down and raise a family. But there he was, watching Ruth with Billy and Sammy, and the idea didn’t seem as far-fetched as before.

Ken noticed Bucky’s distraction and nudged him gently. “She’s great with ‘em.”

“She is,” he breathed, grinning as the boys broke into another fit of giggles across the hard stand. “Ruth was a teacher before she became a nurse.”

“A teacher?”

“Yeah.”

Lemmons nodded. “Makes sense. What age?”

“Junior high.”

“Well, that’s how she can handle you, then,” Kenny laughed. “She’s used to wranglin’ 13-year-olds all day!”

John threw an arm over the younger man’s shoulders, jostling him lightly. “You know, you’re probably right,” he cackled, his eyebrows raised. “You’re wise beyond your years. Sometimes I forget you’re still a squirt yourself.”

Once Billy and Sammy had to go home for supper, the couple drove back to the Officer’s Hut to catch up with Gale and Hope. Later that evening, Hugh arrived with food for the two couples, Meatball following at his heels. The large husky made a beeline for Hope, greeting her at the side of the bed. 

“Hey, Meatball,” Hope mumbled, leaning as far as she could to ruffle the dog’s fur. Meatball groaned when she began scratching his ear, and he closed his eyes and tilted his head, expressing his enjoyment. “Who's a good boy?” Meatball hopped up on the bed, snuggling into Hope’s side. 

“You can keep him if you want. The damn thing keeps howling. It’s driving me insane,” Hugh complained, passing Hope a bowl of steaming soup. “When Demarco gets back, I’m giving him a piece of my mind, leaving me to watch his dog all afternoon.” 

Hope accepted the soup gratefully but could only manage a few mouthfuls until the wave of nausea washed over her once more, and she placed the bowl down. 

“Ugh, I feel so sick.” 

Gale was at her side in an instant, his hand resting on the small of her back as she bent over, head in her hands. Ruth looked anxiously at John from their seats on his bed and started to put down her bowl to help when Hope spoke up.

 “It’s okay, Gale, it’s just the morphine,” she reassured him, squeezing his hand, to which he pressed his lips to her shoulder blade. 

Hugh snickered, “He didn’t get you pregnant while I was away, did he?” 

“With us in here? Sounds like a nightmare,” John retorted, rolling his eyes at the same time Ruth grimaced from beside him. She knew a signature Hope Armstrong comeback was incoming.

Hope glared at her brother, ”The fact that you have so little knowledge on pregnancy concerns me for your future wife.” 

Hugh stuck his tongue out in response, “That’s not a no, though.” 

 The pillow from Gale’s bed was a near miss as it sailed past Hugh’s head, and he dodged it dramatically, glaring at his sister.

“Come on, with all the ‘Dear John’ letters Sparky gets, I’d be surprised if he ever settles down,” John joined in. 

“Look who’s talking, Bucky,” Hugh retorted, pointing at Ruth with his spoon. “At least I got letters. You didn’t get a single one before Ruth came along.”

“Really?” Ruth asked quietly, surprise etched on her face.

The Major nodded with pursed lips, pushing the vegetables around his bowl before looking over at her with a small smile. “There was no one worth writing to.”

The blonde’s cheeks heated at his words, and she got caught in his gaze.

From their position across the room, Gale and Hope watched the interaction with fond smiles, both happy to see their friends with someone who so clearly adored them. The moment was interrupted when Hugh burst out laughing. 

“Well, that didn’t stop you from-”

He was cut off when a pillow came sailing into the side of his face, knocking some of his soup onto his pants as the pillow fell to the bed. Hugh’s gaze flicked towards the cot the projectile came from, ready to yell at Hope, but he wasn’t expecting to see her wide eyes as she stared up at Buck in awe.

“Sorry, Charlie,” he shrugged. “It just slipped.” 

Ruth and Hope broke into chuckles, but John just sent Gale a thankful glance. Bucky then turned his attention to Hugh, and the two pilots glared at each other. John was frustrated about the cheap, low-blow comment, and Hugh was still clearly sour over the best man situation. They soon gave up and went back to their soup. John’s mind, however, got stuck on Hugh’s words.

Once they’d finished their supper, a knock sounded at the door. “Everyone decent in there? Girls?”

Frank.

“Uh, yeah,” John called, lifting an eyebrow at Ruth.

The door swung open, and the Captain walked in with his lips in a straight line. “Thought you two’d be in here,” he nodded before turning to Hope. “How’s the leg?”

“I’m okay. Still hurts like a bitch, though.”

“Did you get it checked?”

Her face shifted into a grimace at the question. “I took care of it.”

“You, Hope Armstrong,” he sighed. “Are the reason I drink.”

“You know you love us,” Ruth added, tilting her head with a grin.

Frank’s attention drifted to Ruth’s figure beside John. “And how are you, Ruthie?”

The blonde looked up at John, thinking of how he’d taken care of her throughout the day. “Better now.”

“Alright, enough of the lovey eyes, you two,” he called out to them, taking a deep breath and placing his hands on his hips. “The Angel’s out of commission, and the Grove can’t send anyone tonight with the blackout, so we’re stuck here for the night.”

Both couples perked up at the news, but Hugh just groaned.

“As much as I wish I could make you stay with the Red Cross girls, I know I can’t. So you two,” Frank pointed at Gale and John. “No funny business, okay? None.”

Johnny’s mouth twitched, almost quirking into a smirk, but he was able to hold it in as Buck replied with a “Yes sir.” 

“Zero funny business,” Bucky fake saluted from his bunk.

Running a hand down his tired face, Frank scratched his mustache. “Hugh, I’m counting on you to keep an eye on them.”

“Trust me, I will.”

“Alright. I’ll see you guys in the morning.”

The door closed behind him with a slam, and they all visibly relaxed. Hope moved to shuffle back onto the bed beside Gale, the wave of nausea having passed when the door flew open again. 

A cool breeze filled the hut as five men strolled into the hut, apparently oblivious of the girls until the one at the front of the column spoke up. 

“Would you look at that? Major ‘no girls in the hut’ Cleven has a girl on his bed,” he pointed at Hope before the man behind him tapped his shoulder, causing him to turn and notice Ruth. “And Egan, too. Shit, I’m surprised Charlie hasn’t joined in.” 

Gale sighed, standing up and placing his hand on Hope’s shoulder, “Hope, Ruth, these are the boys.” Buck took a breath to introduce them, but John beat him to it. 

“DEMARCOO!!” John hollered, causing Gale to groan at his friend’s childish antics. 

The man at the front just smiled. 

“Egan,” he greeted him before motioning towards Ruth, “How did you manage to snag yourself such an attractive broad?” 

Ruth’s cheeks flushed under the other man’s gaze but John just chuckled beside her, “Must be my endless charm.” 

“Sure thing, Major,” Demarco snorted, his voice lowering to a whisper as he glanced down at Ruth. “Blink twice if you need help.” 

With a shove from John, Benny laughed and turned his attention back to Hope and Gale while Bubbles moved over to greet Ruth.

“Hi again,” Bubbles waved at the blonde with a kind smile. “Glad to see you’re feelin’ better, ma’am.”

Ruth nodded from where she was tucked into John’s side. “Me too. And call me Ruth, please.”

“Oh, your bike’s outside, by the way,” Bubbles added, looking over at Bucky and pointing toward the door. A smirk appeared on the lieutenant’s face as he stepped closer to the couple with a hushed tone. “Kidd was, uh, not amused, to say the least.”

“Like I said, he’ll get over it,” John remarked, glancing over Bubbles’ shoulder at the Major in question who was conversing with Bill quietly. “Looks like he’s over it now. Jack!” 

“Wait-” Bubbles tried to stop him, but it was too late.

“Thanks for letting me borrow your jeep today.”

Jack scoffed bitterly and sent Johnny a sharp glare. “When you stole my jeep, you mean.”

“Come on, Jack,” John groaned. “I left you my bike.”

“A bike and a jeep are nowhere near the same thing,” Kidd argued, shaking his head with a sigh as his gaze fell on Ruth. “I know today was rough, and I’m glad you two are okay. I saw your skytrain, and you’re lucky it wasn’t worse.”

Ruth felt the familiar lump of anxiety growing in her throat, and she cleared it quietly, keeping her voice steady. “Thanks.”

“Just don’t do it again, Bucky,” Jack nodded.

“No promises.”

Kidd’s gaze shifted to Ruth with his brows drawn together. “How do you deal with him?”

“I have no idea,” she answered tightly, the anxiety still working its way up her throat. John inspected her face, noticing the way her eyes darted around the room.

“It’s a little stuffy in here, don’t you think?” he asked, meeting her anxious gaze.

Ruth nodded as Bucky waved bye at Jack and ushered her out the door. When the pair exited the hut, they were met by a beautiful sight. The sun was setting over the base and vibrant colors painted the sky above the runways. Silhouettes of B-17s lined the horizon, and the distant rumble of engines, with the occasional chatter of ground crewmen, filled the air. 

Ruth took a deep breath and crossed her arms over herself, the warm sunlight on her face helping to calm her racing heart. 

“Sorry, I know that was a lot of people,” he said quietly. 

“It’s not that. Today’s been a lot,” Ruth sighed, pushing her hair behind her ears as she continued to stare out at the English countryside. “I just needed a second.”

They both silently watched the sun slowly disappear behind fields of wheat as far as the eye could see, each of their minds stuck on the day.

As Johnny stood beside her with his hands on his hips, Hugh’s comment about his past replayed in his head. Before he met Ruth, everyone knew he wasn’t particular about who he spent his nights with or where he spent them, and these women didn’t seem to mind either. But all that changed when Ruth walked into his life. 

Despite his pickup lines and physical affection, John wanted to make sure Ruth knew she wasn’t just another of his “floozies” as Hope called them. She had to know that he felt something deeper beyond physical attraction, something real for her...as real as he’d ever felt. 

Mustering up his courage, John took a deep breath and broke the silence of the quiet sunset. 

“About what Hugh said earlier, or started to say,” Ruth turned to him. “It’s no secret I’ve been around,” he confessed, his eyes falling to the ground. “I’ve been with women-”

“You don’t have to say anything,” she interrupted, placing a hand on his arm.

“Yeah, I do,” he urged, moving a hand over hers. “I’ve done things I’m not too proud of. But I’ve been trying to do better…”

John acted like he wanted to say more, but stopped when a conflicted expression appeared on his face. Sensing his apprehension, Ruth squeezed his arm reassuringly. 

After a moment, he decided to keep going, his voice laced with nervousness. “You make me want to be better. You make me feel…something…everything. The other girls were…I don’t know. Distractions, maybe? Something to keep my mind off of what goes on up there.”

As Ruth watched him pour out his closely guarded heart, she saw a glimpse of a man who wasn’t as secure and confident as it seemed. She saw a man who longed to be held, taken care of, and loved but was unsure how to go about it.

“But I like this,” John gestured between them. “I like us…a lot. Today made me realize just how much. And I-I don’t want to mess this up.”

Biting her lip gently, she stepped closer, reducing the already small gap between them. “I like us, too. I meant what I said in my letter, you know. About you not being rid of me.”

“I meant what I said, too,” he replied softly, tilting his head towards her as he gently placed his hands on her hips. “You’re a unicorn, doll. One in a million, one of a kind…however you wanna say it.”

Ruth’s hands slid up John’s chest and looped around his neck, her lips slowly curving into a small grin despite the burning sensation within her stomach. “Yeah?” she whispered.

“Yeah,” John nodded as a line appeared between his brows. “I wanna do this right, and I’ve never-,” he paused, inhaling deeply. “I’ve never done this before…you know? Gone steady. But I care about you. So damn much. And I want that with you.”

“I want it too.”

They stared at each other for a few moments, the setting sun casting a golden hue on John’s face as he held her in his arms. 

“Good,” he finally sighed, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he smiled down at her. “Cause I didn’t have a plan B if you rejected me.”

Ruth chuckled under her breath and shook her head. “I could never reject you. I’ve been letting you kiss me for almost a month now, remember.”

“Well, you’d be surprised. It wouldn’t be the first time.”

She rolled her eyes, meeting his gaze again to find him searching her face for some answer to a silent question.

“So…what happens now?”

“Well,” Ruth whispered, her eyes flicking to his lips. “I was expecting you to kiss me, Major, but-”

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” he quickly replied, tugging her flush against him and landing his lips on hers. It was a gentle kiss that confirmed their deep attachment to the other, and their future together.

Pulling away, Ruth answered his question out of breath, her words coming out in shorts pants. “How about we take it slow and see where it goes?”

Shaking his head, John’s hands slid from her waist to her cheeks and gave her another chaste kiss. When he leaned back, he peered down at her blushing face with a wide, toothy grin. “Did you know the unicorn’s my favorite extinct animal?”

As they settled in for the night, John lounged under his covers with one arm behind his head and stared up at Ruth with a mischievous grin. “Looks like the floor’s all yours, doll,” he said, gesturing to the space beside his cot.

“Oh really?” Ruth arched an eyebrow, feigning deep thought as she glanced around the hut. “I'm sure someone else has some room if you’re kicking me out…”

Without missing a beat, Bucky quickly made room for her on the narrow bed, playfully pulling back the covers and throwing his arm out for her. “Oh wow, would you look at that? A vacancy just opened up.”

She rolled her eyes and accepted his invitation, slipping into the bed beside him, immediately feeling the comforting warmth of his body. John wrapped his arm around her, his touch gentle as he settled her close against him.

“Don’t you dare hog the blankets,” she teased, her voice soft as she nestled against his side, her hand finding its place on his chest.

Bucky squeezed her waist slightly, grinning up at the ceiling. “Don’t you worry about me. I don’t think I’ll have any problem staying warm tonight.”

Beside them, Bill grumbled in response, his voice muffled as he turned away. “Bucky, just shut up and go to sleep. Some of us are flying tomorrow.”

“Night, doll,” John whispered, chuckling under his breath before tenderly kissing Ruth’s hair.

Her eyes became heavy with the day’s exhaustion, and she lazily kissed his shoulder. “Sweet dreams.”

“Oh, they will be if-”

“John! Shut the hell up!” Jack hissed through the darkness.

Finally following their request, Bucky stopped talking and instead focused on how Ruth’s small figure fit perfectly into his bulky one like a missing puzzle piece. He let the steady rise and fall of her chest against him lull him into restful sleep that he’d been lacking since they touched down in Algeria.

Tag List: @xxluckystrike @precious-little-scoundrel @bcofl0ve @violetdaze25 @docroesmorphine @kmc1989 @gfofsadie @artlover8992 @karashaw99 @dustyjumpwjngs @camicanos-blog @storysimp @b00ks1ut @sunny747 @leopard-skin-pillbox-hat-ok @yoongiscxr @blueberry-ovaries @sidneysidney123 @p-polaroid @ginabaker1666 @yorkshirekiwi @barrykeoghussy @slowsweetlove @groovin2beats @imusicaddict

message or comment if you want to be added to the tag list!! <3

[iliveforyouilongforyouvesuvia]

The Arcana HCs: What the M6 need to hear

~ because sometimes, we want to help them feel safe and happy too. hope you all enjoy these! - brainrot ~

Julian:

It happened a few weeks after he opened his clinic next door, before you you two went on your month's voyage with Mazelinka

Setting up a business is never easy. While you had been settled into the rhythm of running your shop for years now, Julian was constantly finding himself in needs of things he had yet to stock

Not to mention the influx of new patients, the files he'd had to open for them, the work of developing an organizational system to keep track of them, and the scheduling - ugh, the scheduling

You were sitting across from him at your rickety kitchen table, ankles locked with his, going over your shop ledgers while he puzzled his way through sheets of notes and prescriptions

You put down your pencil just in time to hear him groan. When you look up, he's got his head in his hands, long fingers tangling through his fiery curls in frustration

"Julian? What's wrong?"

"Ah, nothing to worry about my dear. You should go on ahead to bed - I can take this downstairs to finish. It's going to be a while."

He's giving you a tired smile, leaning back as you stand from your seat. To his surprise, you pull your chair around next to his and sit back down beside him. "MC? I can do this on my own -"

You shoot him a quick smile, "I know," and then you turn to his papers and start trying to sort through them. "But this way I'm with you."

"You're -" you don't expect the way his voice dies in his throat, and when you look over to meet his gaze, his grey eyes are shining in wonder. "You're with me."

"Of course," you say, and now your voice is faltering as he brushes his fingertips down your cheek

He's looking at you like you're a miracle, and when he places a hesitant peck on your lips, his breath catches like he's surprised that you're still there. "You're with me," he breathes again

"Where else would I be?" you ask him, and it pulls a chuckle that sounds so finally at peace out of him that you wonder how long he's been waiting to hear that

"I don't know," he says, the lines of exhaustion shifting on his face until he looks sleepy instead of frazzled. "Will you stay?"

"Yes?" you're still not completely sure how to respond to his overdue realization. "I didn't plan on going to bed alone."

"Right," he laughs, sounding way too joyful for the late hour, "of course not."

He doesn't say much else, too motivated to finish his task. But you still notice the way he keeps glancing at your hands working next to his like he's watching history unfold

Asra

It's a quiet morning

You wake up even earlier than normal, and being wide awake, you decide to go ahead and get your day started before you open the shop. The steam from your tea swirls beautifully in the morning light

It's too quiet

Asra's an expressive sleeper. As peaceful and relaxed as they get, it's the soundtrack of your night to hear them sigh and stir and mumble and occasionally let out a tiny snore in their sleep

But you've been up for nearly an hour now, and he hasn't made a sound. When you glance over at your bed, he's lying faced away from you just as he was

And on closer inspection, all the lines of their back are pulled taut. Their breath is forcefully even and the muscle in their neck flinches when you whisper their name. "Asra?"

He doesn't move beyond that. You're worried that he might be having a nightmare, but when you climb onto the bed next to him his eyes are wide open and the sheets are clenched in his fist

"Asra?" you ask them again, hand hovering over their shoulder. "Are you alright?"

He lets out the breath he's been holding slowly, uncurling his fingers from the sheets and turning to look at you with a smile that doesn't reach his eyes. "There's nothing to worry about," he says

You settle down into the pillows next to them, trying to let them know you care without forcing them to talk. "Except you."

His dusky eyes flicker back and forth across your face, brows furrowing as he measures his words. "I don't want to fail you, MC."

"That's alright," you tell them, "I've got you."

You don't expect the way his eyes grow wide, the way he pulls your arms to hold him so hesitantly, like he's being given his first chance to fall and let someone else catch him

"Are you sure?" they ask you, staring at you like a deer in the headlights as they begin to lower their head to your chest. "It's a lot to handle."

You don't know how to interpret that last statement, so you just nod and link your arms around his shoulders. "I'm sure."

They gingerly bury their face in your chest, curling around you slowly while every muscle in their body stays tense

You're not sure how else to tell them that they can let go, so you pull him as close and tight as you can. "I've got you, Asra."

They go limp all at once, like a puppet cut from its strings, and now they're clinging to you while their body shudders with emotion

It'll take hours for him to talk, but he will. He knows he can lean on you, and now he knows it's okay to ask for that

Nadia

It was one of the first times Nadia was attending a family reunion in years, which she had only agreed to do if you came along

It's been an enjoyable few days so far. Her sisters and parents are all lovely people who seem to know exactly how to make you feel at home. Though you aren't always suited to their activities

Like this afternoon, for instance. The twins, Navra and Nahara, had suggested a friendly archery competition out on the manicured lawn to see who had stayed in practice the most

You had seen all of Nadia's guards go up as soon as the word "competition" was uttered, but to her credit, she had chosen her bow calmly and was now standing lined up with the rest of her sisters

They didn't take turns, instead cheerfully trash-talking each other and yelling when they made a good shot

And Nadia did not want to have to call for attention

It was easier for her to line up arrow after arrow, making the same calculated choice each time, steadily improving as her muscle memory returned

You could see hesitance begin to appear in her movements. She was slowly surpassing her sister's best shots, but somehow she kept getting lost in the chaos around her

You watched her finally turn around, slowly, subtly, glancing at her parents' eyes bouncing from one sister to the next and never to her

There was too much noise and excitement for anyone to pick out just one archer as they all aimed at and missed the ultimate target zig-zagging across the field

Her eyes flickered past you, and then she did a double take in surprise to see you focused on her. You held her gaze and beamed at her, somehow able to be heard despite not shouting over the din

"I see you, Nadia."

Her transformation was breathtaking

You watched as the guarded walls fell away, not to reveal an insecure child or an angry teenager, but to reveal the tall, strong, capable Countess you fell in love with

Her eyes lidded and her lips quirked up in a quiet smile. You could see the gears clicking in her brain from her seat as she analyzed the target in front of her, blocking out the ruckus

She moved so calmly that nobody else watched the strength in her shoulders when she drew the bow back, the surety in her fingers, or the steely glint in her piercing eyes

But everyone saw when the target they'd been arguing over came to an abrupt halt, a purple streamer waving from the arrow in it

The proud smile she gave you was unbridled, not a single hint of smugness in it as she accepted her family's praise

Muriel

You're never completely sure how Muriel will react when he receives an invitation

Scratch that, you do know how he'll react, you're just not sure what he's going to decide. He'll react like it's an annoying, insincere, trivial formality, and then he'll decide how he feels about it later

But you were so sure he'd be happy to see this one

It was a letter from Nadia inviting the two of you to tea by name. Not a large gathering, she wrote, just you and Muriel and her and Asra, for old time's sake. Safe. Tailored to his comfort

But he's almost reacting like he's hurt

"Muriel?" you ask him, holding the letter he refuses to look at, "do you not want to go? Don't you enjoy stuff like this?"

"I don't enjoy it," he mumbles over his shoulder, "I tolerate it."

"But you don't want to tolerate it this time?"

He sighs, fidgeting with the hems of his sleeves where his chains used to sit. "... It's better if I don't go."

He's not a ball of sunshine by any means, but you haven't seen him this downcast in a while. Certainly not by a gesture of friendship. "Why would it better if you didn't go?"

"They don't want me there."

You briefly cast about in your mind for any moment in the past few weeks that would have suggested such a thing to him, and find nothing. You know you can't speak for Nadia, so you speak for yourself instead

"I want you there."

"No they don - what?" He's halfway through contradicting the point you didn't make before what you said registers with him. It's been a while since you've seen him look this shocked. Does he not know?

"I said I want you." You see the flush rise on his cheeks at the implications and set the letter down to better explain yourself

"I want you with me, here. Or at the Palace. Or anywhere. I want you in my life. I want you."

It's been a while since you've seen him look so unsteady. A few seconds ago he was ready to bolt out the door, but now he's looking at you like you've set the world right-side-up. "... Me?"

"Yes, you." You'd roll your eyes if he seemed less serious. When he stays frozen in place you make your way across the room and take his big hands in yours

"You don't have to. But I want you to come to tea with me. Will you?"

He seems like he's still slightly in shock, but he nods without hesitating. There's a moment of silence, and then: "Do you want my hugs, too?"

"Yes," you laugh, leaning into his arms, "I always want your hugs."

Portia

To say Portia's been busy is an understatement. The last week was a drawn-out trip back to Vesuvia, stopping in different towns every day for discussions and plans and networking

And of course, as soon as you two got back, Portia was summoned to the Palace to brief Nadia on the state of Vesuvia's international standing while you check on the shop

And then when the two of you finally had the next morning to yourselves in the cottage, you discovered a bug infestation

She's been insistent that you continue with your own work. She knows how to handle this, she knows you have commitments to keep, she's got this. You do your thing

But by your third morning home, you can see how the exhaustion's caught up to her

You're not feeling so spry yourself, but she's got eye bags that rival her brother's and you can tell that she needs to rest. So you help

"What's on your schedule today, Portia?"

"Hm?" She's still groggy from sleep, hair sticking every which way and night shirt slipping from her shoulders as she waits at the table for you to finish brewing her tea. "Whassat?"

"Your schedule." You lift Pepi into her lap and start the toast. "Is it busy?"

"Mh," she grumbles, smacking her lips. "I have the morning off, so I'm going to take care of the garden. I should have done that sooner, I -" there's overwhelmed tears pooling at the corners of her eyes now. "I've just been so busy."

"Let me take care of the garden. I've helped you before, I know what needs to be done and how to take care of your babies."

"But what about - don't you have to - are you sure?" Her eyes are wide open, dumbstruck at the possibility of resting

"Of course. You need to rest, and my stuff can wait." You take a sip of your tea. "I'm here for you."

"You're here for - oh." Her chin trembles a little, and then she's ducking her head and hiding a relieved smile in Pepi's soft belly. "You're here for me."

"Partners in crime, right?" You hold off on pouring her a cup of tea, instead running your hand across her shoulders and pulling her into a hug. "I'll take care of it. You need to rest."

"Right." She nods, smiling as she wipes away her happy tears. "Right, partners." She pulls you into a fierce hug, relaxing halfway through into leaning her weight into you. "Thanks."

You don't know how deeply she slept after, but when she saw you again at lunch the spark in her eyes was somehow even brighter

Lucio

This is definitely one of the harder jobs you two have taken

The beast you two are tracking, while not particularly strong, has a habit of hiding out in caves. It's also rather gifted at intimidation

To be scared in this situation would be perfectly understandable. It's pitch-black, neither of you can use light without alerting it to your presence, and it keeps letting out inhuman wails

You have to split up and approach it from different sides. You're tasked with magically trapping it long enough for Lucio to lop off its claws and spines so it can't keep doing accidental damage to the nearby town

It goes as smoothly as you could expect for the most part, barring how terrifying the situation is

The spell works exactly how you need it to, Lucio's swordsmanship serves him well, and you hear his signal to release the beast in moments

Until said release allows it to move enough for Lucio to spot a spine that he missed

Which causes him to chase after it in a panic, cutting off the spike right before a stray tail slams him into the wall of the cave

The beast takes off, leaving you to check him over while he blinks the leftover stun from the hit out of his eyes. "MC? You there?"

"Yes," you tell him, "now hold still." You think he's okay, a quick wash of magic tells you he'll only have a few nasty bruises, but you don't think he should be trying to stand up yet

"I can't see you. Am I dead? Am I - did it get me?" He's panicking a bit now, and it's not helping.

"You're not dead. It was pretty scary though."

"Scared?" he huffs, "I'm not scared. Where are you? I can't see you!"

"Because it's dark." You fumble around the collar of his shirt, slipping your hand beneath it and pressing your palm to his fluttering heartbeat. "And you are scared. I can feel you."

"You -" You can feel him swallow under your fingertips, and you know his tone of voice enough to know that he's wearing that shocked, taken-aback face he does so well. "No I'm not."

"I can feel you, Lucio."

There's the swallow again, and then he's talking to you in a considerably smaller, more vulnerable voice. "I guess I can't be dead if you can feel me." There's another moment of charged silence while he rests his hand on your wrist. "Can I feel you too?"

You use your other hand to guide his palm to your heartbeat, feeling his own pulse begin to slow once his fingers are on your skin. He chuckles. "You're scared too."

The two of you make it out of the cave eventually, but he still loves to hear you say "I can feel you."

[fic-heaven]

The three fools

Random trope: You break up with them

Unedited/ mentions of homophobia/ cheating/ angst/ violence/ family drama

🐥I've watched too many reddit stories and needed to write sum succulent angst~😩

.

Gustavo Rodríguez (Gus)

-You broke up with Gustavo because he was more in love with his ambitions than he ever was with you.

-You had loved and supported him through everything his entire life, his passion for surf, his unbreakable love for his family, his silliness, his slight awkwardness on the first few dates you two had...

-But the day an eighteen year old Gus told you about this retired US Marine he met while giving surfing classes to some tourists, your whole relationship changed.

-You loved him and he loved you. But suddenly the idea of protecting Costa Rica at it's entirety from cartel and to later protecting the whole world... Made Gustavo's love for you lessen as his heart focused mainly on his new dream of saving lives. Or at least that's how you felt it...

-Seeing him daily on the beach turned into three days a week, later one single day a week and soon it became a miracle. Oh but that was only when he was a cop... Once he got the chance to become more, a higher ranked officer with more responsibilies in another city?

-Gus went home that day (you two lived together then because of an ugly fight about him barely being in your life anymore) he was eager to tell you all about this new job and the excitement he radiated brought a weak smile on your face. You loved his passionate spirit, but you dreaded his absence...

-He said you guys had to move cities for this job and you straight up said "no." After a very heated argument about his job, about the life and family you were leaving behind because of HIS ambitions... You told him he should feel free to leave.

-"There's no one I love more than you." You said.

-"Then come. Support me like you've always done! If I'm so important to you, mi amor... Why don't you please, PLEASE, come with me!? Cómo diablos is this going to work if I don't have you by my side!?"

- "I stopped being important to you the moment that American planted the seed of a new dream inside your brain, Gus... Now answer me. Would you chose your dream over our future together?"

-That wasn't fair. He went silent, his lower lip quivering under his moustache. He tried blinking the tears away, big hands flexing on the rails of your porch.

-The way Gus looks at you with betrayal and heartbreak written all over his glossy amber eyes will haunt you forever. And yet... You spent so many nights grieving his absence that breaking up with him now felt... Inevitable..."

-"I'll pack your stuff and send it to your mom's. Good luck on this new job, osito... I knew you could make it... I always have faith in you and I know you will do better for this country and wherever you go."

-"Pero yo te amo, princesa-" He choked out in a sob, he was trembling, legs giving up under his weight until he fell on his knees not caring if any neighbors saw you and the scene unfolding on your porch.

-"I want to marry you... I want to see the world with you... Have children..." Gus cried, voice cracking constantly in pain, his long lashes wet as fat tears ran across his face. It was such a heartbreaking sight you felt like you were dying.

-"Don't make this more difficult than it already is Gus..."

-And with that, you closed the door behind you leaving a broken man on your doorstep.

-Soon his father and sister came to collect Gustavo's things without saying a word to you, his dad did look at you in sorrow clearly saddened by how things had turned. And his sister? After collecting everything and before leaving she slapped you across the face and that was the last interaction you had with his family.

Enzo Reyes (Reyes)

-You left Reyes because he betrayed your heart.

-You two met when you were transfered from KorTac to SpecGru.

-You couldn't stand each other but eventually with much help from your two mutual friends and coworkers, Reyes relented on being an asshole and you actually started to enjoy his annoying self.

-A few months passed being friends until you confessed and to your surprise he voiced his reciprocation. Though you never felt like it was sincere enough.

-One year together and the fights you used to have at the beginning returned. It came as a surprise, how irritable this man had become from one day to the other... The mood swings worried you.

-So you did what you tried to avoid doing ever since the pointless fights begun. You gave Reyes an ultimatum, and he laughed like it was the funniest joke, like he didn't believe you had the courage to leave him over how irritable he had gotten.

-You felt like someone had kicked you in the gut, it suddenly hit you that perhaps you truly were at fault here. That perhaps he was right, that you were seeing too much Into things and were being unfair, that you had to accept how your lover was.

-Enzo didn't seem as tense after seeing you less reactive to his sudden bursts of anger and weeks later, the Canadian could feel nothing but pity for you and shame on himself.

-He told you this while being drunk as a Dane. Though he never really explained why, you thought he felt ashamed for treating you wrongly and that wasn't far from the truth.

-The reality was, Enzo started feeling bad about the affair he was hiding behind your back.

-Half a year into your relationship he had met this beautiful civilian girl who worked on a mall near the base and lived closer to his apartment. At first they just shared small talk as he was a regular at the coffee shop she ran, but soon he invited her to his apartment and many outings together (while you were off on missions too far to know what was happening) they begun having intercourse. It wasn't serious, just a quick fuck and she'd be gone.

-What Reyes realized when you celebrated your one year anniversary was that he had started craving her touch so often while you guys were working or at base together it made him lash out to you for the stupidest of reasons. That's why he felt shame. Not because he was cheating on you, but because he couldn't keep his composure.

-The fool thought he actually had enough reasons to cheat on you and promised himself that if you were to find out he'd straight up admit it and excuse himself. Because you'd understand, right?

-So one day you two sat on the old couch of the base, his arm wrapped around you while you scrolled through his gallery reminiscing in old memories Reyes had captured and held on lovingly on multiple albums on his phone. But something picked your attention.

-There was an album called "her". He didn't name it after you, that's weird...

-But when you pressed to open it he was too late to make you unsee what you saw. There were tons of nudes and videos of himself and some other woman you have never seen. You were silent thinking at first that perhaps this was his ex and these were old pictures he had forgotten to delete... But looking at Reyes... He was already explaining the cheating like he was talking about his gym routine.

-You stood up then and he took his phone from your hands with a quick snatch and a carefully put neutral expression.

-Enzo rolled his eyes thinking he'd have to endure your temper tantrum but thought it was fair since you always seemed to endure his.

-Instead, you whispered with a constricting throat: "I'm sure she's worth it, Reyes." You never called him by his last name and he didn't like this broken side of you one bit. "Good luck."

-"Sure. Call me when you stop crying so we can talk this like real adults, we could even go on dates the three of us together. Wouldn't that be nice?" He smirked and you were gone chosing to spare yourself from suffering more of this...

-Reyes though you'd be okay by the end of the week but he never saw you again.

-It's like the weight of the world got on his shoulders when one of the other operators casually mentioned that you had gotten transfered once more.

-After, he had broken things off with the civilian girl and begun his incessant search for you, eager to find where exactly you had been transfered to. He wasn't going to let you go that easily.

Nila Brown (Nova)

- You left Nova because of her family.

-Your relationship with Nova was perfect, she was sincere, loving, caring and protective of you.

-But her family never took your relationship seriously, often calling you her "little friend" and her "Rebellious phase." That was when you two were teenagers. But she was a thirty year old woman now and they kept calling you that.

-You two had a little apartment near her base, you worked in a flower shop while she was dealing with cartel, terrorists of any kind and any danger imaginable around the world. It was a very contrasting match but you two were just like jelly and butter.

-Due to her work, to say you were worried about your girlfriend was an understatement.

-You often spent most Fridays on her brother's house, her little nieces and nephews always loved to see you and spend time with you when her brother and his wife went out. Of course you did it for free, they never fully treated you like family but you'd get there! You were sure of it! Still, it stung that... Almost twelve years had passed and there wasn't even a picture of you on the wall of any of her relative's houses. But you weren't going to give up.

-You couldn't fathom on how many more years you had to spend with your loving girlfriend to call her your wife and be part of the family. Often thinking that perhaps when she proposes to you then her family will start looking at you with different eyes.

-You two had briefly talked about marriage before but it seemed a topic she wasn't comfortable on approaching. You were sure it was because of the "light" homophobic mentality of Nila's parents but wasn't your love worth fighting for?

-Then an idea popped up.

-Maybe you had to show her how truly in love with her you were, how after eleven years formally together you were more than ready and willing to step up and marry her.

-You had your mother's ring your father had given you years after her passing because he was convinced (and very right) that you'd love to propose to Nova with it.

-You knew it had to be now or never. So you spent weeks preparing a wonderful surprise for your girlfriend.

-When she came back from a long mission you had planned a beautiful dinner at your father's restaurant. He had placed a table on the garden you arranged yourself while the rest of the family hid behind some bushes.

-Nova was crying overjoyed by the beautiful date you had surprised her with totally clueless that her family had picked on your intentions of proposing when your father messaged them to come and support your union. They went bananas.

-When you finished dinner you had given Nova a beautiful speech of how lucky you felt for getting to spend so many years by her side and how you wished to make it official before you took your mother's ring and got on one knee in front of her.

-Her beautiful milky cheeks went red, eyes teary with so many emotions she struggled to keep her sobs low. She was nodding eagerly, her trembling hands reaching out your way so you'd slide the ring on her finger.

-Your family cheered you two, your father and aunt going so emotional they couldn't keep their cameras still so they could film the moment perfectly. Your father actually was a little upset that Nova's family was arriving late but he didn't voice it out as he thought they'd be on time for the celebration. Your family was clueless of how cruel and disgusting your girlfriend's family behaved around you two because you didn't have the gal to tell them.

-They found out pretty quickly though. Because as soon as your family approached you two, Nova's mother rushed with this crazed look on her eyes and snatched the ring off of her daughters finger, Nova was horrified, her father soon following after along with her brother picking up a fight with your confused father who tried to calm everyone down even though he was clueless of what the issue was.

-You were stupefied as Nova's family had the balls to put up a fight with anyone on their way because they couldn't stand her daughter saying yes to you. A woman. Her childhood best friend. Her "little secret" and her "personified rebellious stage."

-You cried as your supposed to be mother in law smacked you, scratched you and cursed you out in front of your family and girlfriend while you tried to take back the ring of your mother she had firmly tried to steal from you.

-Nova did absolutely nothing seemingly torn between her family's approval and the wellbeing of her fiance. The sight of you bloodied and in tears as you were attacked by the woman who raised her had broken something inside her, her heart beating so fast she could barely hear your pleas and cries for her to intervene. Nova knew then that any field of battle was far more preferred than the beautiful garden where your proposal had taken place filled with your families fighting for and against your union.

-Your aunt had pushed the old woman off of you and had taken you inside while Nova did nothing but feel guilty as her parents scolded her instead of following behind you. She was in shock, she couldn't react and that'd be a regret she'll carry for the rest of her life.

-As it turns out, your father had kicked Nova's family from the restaurant and promised to file a report to the police if they were to come back or try to touch you in any way.

- Nova's mother had stepped on your mother's ring before your aunt could help you, breaking the beautiful gemstone to pieces... You then decided to spend some time at your father's.

-You didn't hear a word from Nova until two weeks later. She tried to call you many times during those weeks but you didn't pick up until you decided to meet with her at your workplace with your aunt because you were afraid she'd show up with any of her relatives.

-Nova was a wreck, she had bags under her eyes, she looked more tired than usual, more tired than when she came back from any long mission. She teared up when she saw you arranging the cash register. You couldn't even look at her.

-When she begun talking to you, pleading to fix things and begging for your forgiveness you sighed still looking downwards.

-"I've known you for more than a decade. I had loved you unconditionally even when your family verbally attacked and humiliated me and you did nothing to stop them only making excuses after excuses." You were perplexed you could even say this without breaking down. Your girlfriend cried biting down her lip to contain her sobs. "But that night changed everything..."

-You were a husk. A shell of the woman she loves, like what happened had robbed you of your kind, cheerful spirit, like you were dead in life.

-"And I'm afraid... You can't do nothing to repair my broken heart."

-The moment your trembling fingers placed the broken ring of your mother on the counter Nila covered her mouth with her hand horrified at the sight letting out a soft "B-baby..." Falling from her quivering lips. She felt nauseous, like she was about to throw up and you actually had to rush to lay her on the floor because she was loosing balance.

-Your aunt had rushed in when she saw what was happening and your now ex lay passed out on the ground.

-You two drove to the apartment you two used to share, placed her on your bed and called her brother. Your aunt told you to leave, willing to put up with the uncomfortable encounter but you refused.

-To your surprise her brother showed up with a somber look. Almost like his sister's. He sat on the couch when Nova had woken up and tried to drink some water. He couldn't look at you and you couldn't look at none of them.

-"I'm sorry." He said. But you stayed silent.

-"I love you..." Nova blurted as soon as she spot you. You were standing up then, you gave her a short glance, took your aunt's hand and went to your door. "Goodbye Nils. I'll grab my things tomorrow."

[glittervame]

Why not?

(Just a short little blurb)

Mattheo x Fem!Reader

Mattheo and Y/n had been best friends for as long as they could remember, sharing secrets, laughter, and even tears. They had been through it all together, from the time they were just younglings, exploring the vast grounds of Hogwarts and getting into trouble for Apparating too close to the forbidden forest. As they grew older, their friendship only deepened, becoming a bond that was unbreakable and eternal.

Now, as they sat side by side in the great hall, the smell of roast chicken filling the air, they found themselves shooting dirty looks across the hall at the young whipper-snapper known as Harry Potter. They had always been protective of each other, and the trouble and attention that Harry seemed to be getting these days only served to irritate them. He was constantly getting others hurt and attracting trouble to their school.

Just as Mattheo was about to turn back to his meal, Y/n turned towards him, a mischievous glint in her eye. "I'm tired of adventures," she said with a sigh, her voice barely above a whisper. "How about we get married and stay home?"

Mattheo's mouth hung open in shock as the words echoed through the great hall, bouncing off the marble walls and settling into his heart like a dagger. His best friend, the girl he had loved for as long as he could remember, had just proposed to him. The world seemed to slow down as he struggled to find the words to respond, his heart racing and his cheeks burning red with embarrassment and surprise.

"I'm sorry, did you just fucking propose to me?" He chokes out, looking at her with wide eyes she laughs

"Why not?" she shrugs

"Y/n," he finally managed to croak, "are you serious?" She smiled at him, her eyes twinkling with mischief and love. "Well, I've always thought you were rather handsome, even with that messy hair and those crooked teeth," she teased, making him blush even harder. "And you are the only person who truly understands me. Why waste our lives chasing after adventures when we could have them together, right here?"

He couldn't believe she had just said that. He had been so sure that his feelings for her were one-sided, that she only saw him as a brother or a best friend. But here she was, offering herself to him, asking him to spend the rest of his life with her. His heart felt as if it was about to burst from happiness and disbelief.

Taking a deep breath, he reached out and took her hand in his, squeezing it gently. "Y/n," he began, his voice shaking with emotion, "I love you too. More than anything else in this world. And yes, I would love to spend the rest of my life with you."

With a smile that lit up the room, she leaned in and kissed him real quick on the lips. "You're so cheesy Matty." Around them, the students of Hogwarts continued to eat and laugh and live their lives, oblivious to the miracle that was unfolding before them.

Mattheo couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with emotion. He had never imagined this moment, never dared to dream that his best friend, the girl who knew him better than anyone, would actually want to spend the rest of her life with him. He glanced down at their intertwined hands, feeling the weight of their newfound commitment settle heavily into his heart.

"So," Y/n said, her voice a little more serious now, "when do you think we should do this?" She raised an eyebrow, and he could tell she was only half joking. "I mean, I'm not getting any younger, you know."

"Whenever you want Darling."

[satoshi-mochida]

EDEN.schemata(); launches in 2024, published by PLAYISM

Gematsu Source

PLAYISM will publish illuCalab-developed and WSS playground-produced science-fiction mystery adventure game EDEN.schemata(); when it launches for PC via Steam in 2024, the company announced. It will support English, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese language options.

Get the details below.

About

EDEN.schemata(); is a science-fiction mystery adventure game produced by WSS playground, also known for games such as Needy Streamer Overload. You start the game in a locked laboratory, where an android named Eve talks to you and you both notice the headless corpse called the “Professor” at your feet. You don’t remember anything, and Eve is the prime suspect for the murder, but you’ll have to work together to solve the case. The beginning sounds like any orthodox adventure game, but the more you play, the more you’ll learn about the truth, and the game’s user interface and game design changes as you progress, until you reach one of multiple endings.

The team behind this game consists of:

The developer EIKI’ from illuCalab., known for many other games such as GENSOU Skydrift, Living in the Ending World, and Takkoman.

The writer Van Madoy, known for the Revoir novel series and “Murder at Kogetsukan” (Fate/Grand Order).

The character designer and animator Yutaro, known for creating hand-drawn Touhou Project fan animations for over a decade.

The sound producer RD, known for “Sacrament” (Vatican Miracle Examiner ending theme) and Touhou Project arrangements.

PLAYISM will be cooperating with Why so serious to publish this title globally, and its release is scheduled for 2024. Please add EDEN.schemata(); to your Steam wishlist while you wait!

The Story

“Nice to meet you… again?” An android named Eve speaks to you, in front of a headless corpse apparently known as “the Professor.” Completely devoid of any sort of memory, you and Eve—an android and the Professor’s apparent killer—must uncover the truth of what really happened here. Use your powers of deduction to unravel the mystery of this locked laboratory, revealing one truth after another. We hope you enjoy this all-new type of mystery—the kind that’s only possible in a video game.

Ever-Changing User Interface Design

At first, it’s a simple point-and-click adventure game where you use keywords to progress the story, but the user interface and game design in general will actually change in accordance with your game progress. The story and user interface work together as the general game design gradually transforms, providing a brand new, almost magic trick-like game experience.

A Story that Unfolds through Multiple Playthroughs

This game has a “skip” function, but not a “save” function. The story loops and branches off constantly with every playthrough, and there are multiple endings for you to uncover.

Entirely Hand-Drawn Original Animation

The steampunk-style artwork and the character animations present throughout the game are entirely hand-drawn by a single animator, Yutaro. Simply observing the animations and watching Eve come to life is a breathtaking experience in of itself.

Word from the Developer

Even us developers are facing all sorts of new experiences and challenges every day making this game, but we’re having a lot of fun. Please wait a little longer until it’s finished!

Playable Demo at gamescom and PAX West 2023!

EDEN.schemata(); will be showcased at gamescom in Cologne, Germany (from August 23 to 28) and also at PAX West in Seattle, USA (from September 1 to 4). If you can, do stop by and try out the playable demo! Those who play the demo at these events will receive an original keychain

Watch a new trailer below. View a new set of screenshots at the gallery.

Publisher Announce Trailer

[adrianodiprato]

+ "Time and silence are the most luxurious things today." ~ Tom Ford

Sacred

There is a truth in those words by Tom Ford that feels almost unsettling. In a world driven by urgency, where every second is accounted for, the true luxury is found in what we often avoid—time, not filled but embraced; silence, not uncomfortable but sacred. These are not just fleeting indulgences but portals to something deeper, something necessary for the human spirit to flourish.

Silence isn’t just the absence of noise; it’s a presence. A sacred pause where the world slows down enough for you to feel it—to truly sense life unfolding around you. In the quiet, we meet ourselves without distraction. In that stillness, we are reminded that the rush toward something greater often pulls us further from what is most meaningful.

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven." (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

These ancient words remind us that time is sacred. Every moment, every pause has a purpose beyond our understanding. Time, in its essence, is not a commodity to be consumed, but a sacred rhythm woven into the fabric of our existence. There is a time for silence, a time for reflection, a time to simply be.

In this age of instant gratification, silence feels like rebellion. Time spent in contemplation can seem like a luxury we cannot afford. But what if the opposite were true? What if it is the noise that’s the distraction, and silence is where we begin to truly hear? What if it is in the unscheduled moments that we find the clarity to see beyond the illusion of success we chase?

Time, as we know it, is a construct—a human attempt to hold onto what is fleeting. But time, in its essence, is not something to be held. It cannot be bought or owned, only honoured. It’s not a metric for productivity but a space for possibility. And in that possibility, we find grace.

We often ask ourselves what we are doing with our time as if it’s a currency to spend. But perhaps the real question is, how are we being in our time? What are we allowing it to reveal? Because time, when left unforced, is the great revealer. It shows us the sacred pauses that carry the most meaning, the moments we too often overlook in our race toward some imagined destination.

There is a kind of courage required to sit in that silence, to not fill it with distractions or goals. To let time unfold as it will, and to trust that in the stillness, something profound is happening—something unseen, but deeply transformative.

The constant measuring of time, of life, of success, reduces us to mere consumers of moments, instead of participants in the miracle of them. Our fixation on control blinds us to the mystery of life unfolding right before us. Time, when treated as a commodity, becomes a burden. But when it is recognised as a gift, it becomes the space in which we truly live.

Imagine a world where we measure success not by the hours we fill but by the moments we allow ourselves to experience fully. A world where silence is not seen as emptiness but as fullness—the place where our deepest truths emerge, unbidden and unmeasured.

This is the grace of time. It is not for the taking, but for the receiving. And silence is the language it speaks in. The quiet moments, the sacred pauses—they are the heartbeats of our existence, whispering to us to slow down, to listen, to be.

What if, instead of constantly chasing after more, we began to honour what already is? What if we allowed ourselves to live in the rhythm of time, to be carried by its current instead of trying to outpace it?

There is a freedom in that surrender—a grace that fills the spaces we often rush through. In that surrender, we don’t lose time; we finally meet it. And it is in those moments of meeting, of embracing the luxury of time and silence, that we discover what is truly real.

Adriano Di Prato is a best-selling author, broadcaster, and the Campus Director at LCI Melbourne, a progressive art, design + entrepreneurship private institute of higher education.

[ohifonlyx33]

sorry i just had to get this out of my system

even though i've made a poste like this before, I am still struck by the depth and poetry of Ryan O'Neal's songs

Keep your chin up, as you untangle God From cold blood and bruises We are X-rays of something broken

Wrists get tired rewriting futures Our bodies beg us to be creatures of habit

-

"Fast-forward motion Will gracefully show The flickering story That all of our sketches unfold."

-

When we were young Our words were innocent Whiter than snow, Awkward and slow.

Now when we speak, We risk an avalanche. But that's not enough now To reroute our plans.

-

Change is slow, but I feel it taking shape Folding over us like waves On origami ocean tides, we sway Like blueprints constantly being rearranged

-

So we wrestle with it all The concept of grace And the faithful concrete As it breaks our fall.

Like firewood, Burning bright In the dead of winter, By only a flicker We cling to this life.

We study our story arcs: Inherently good, Or were we broken right from the start?

Our hesitant fingerprints Trace every mountain, Lace every valley Until we're convinced That we know it all by heart Every blade of grass Bears our mark, In the name of being brave, Though it's just another word for being afraid.

-

While collecting the stars, I connected the dots: I don't know who I am, but now I know who I'm not I'm just a curious speck that got caught up in orbit

-

No one can unring this bell Unsound this alarm, unbreak my heart new God knows, I am dissonance Waiting to be swiftly pulled into tune

-

We'll build new traditions in place of the old Cause life without revision will silence our souls

-

Stitch by stitch, I tear apart If brokenness is a form of art I must be a poster child prodigy

Thread by thread, I come apart If brokenness is a work of art Surely this must be my masterpiece

-

I had the most vivid dream My feet had left the ground I was floating to heaven But I could only look down My mind was heavy Running ragged With worst-case scenarios Emergency exits And the distance below I woke up so worried that the angels let go

-

Bodies fashioned out of dirt and dust For a moment, we get to be glorious Ice sculptures, adorned in light Sand castles built tall, in between the tides I'm stuck swimming in shadows down here It's been forever since I came up for air Flashlight in hand, determined to find Authenticity only poetry could even begin To try to describe

-

It is the calm water In the middle of an anxious sea Where heavy clouds part and the sunrise starts A fire in the deepest part of me So I let go and in this moment I can breathe

-

Where there is light, a shadow appears The cause and effect when life interferes The same rule applies to goodness and grief For in our great sorrow, we learn what joy means

-

It all spills out Reckless but honest words leave out my mouth Like kerosene on a flame of doubt I couldn't make it right Alarms will sound But it's too late for holy water now Sooner or later the fire dies down I'll open up my eyes again And I'll try and find the image of God In mountains made of ash and clouds of smoke

-

She drew in her first breath, I learned what love meant And my heart, reconciled all the darkness and light inside my chest

-

You begged and begged for some kind of change Maybe they'd wake up tomorrow and regret the pain That they've passed down to you like DNA But no luck, no luck It seems only by the hand of God or death Will they truly change their silhouettes For a miracle or a consequence You wait and wait

-

"You're alive, quit acting like you're dead" Like a mirror, it spoke so clear "Don't you recognize the reason why you're here? To be enchanted."

-

A bright sunrise through shattered glass A fountain of youth slipping through the cracks I drag my feet through perfect sand Toward a future I no longer understand

In the water, we remember That nothing, even death Lasts forever I want to swim, I want to swim, I want to try To trust in the mercy of the merciless tide My mother taught me all will be reconciled God, what a gift to be my mother's child

-

Just a little longer Everything will make sense Broken things will be remade But what about the meantime? How do I ignore the signs that one day Everything I love will fade? I'm too tired to fight In a civil war of faith

There's some kind of Heaven Just around the corner And all this pain will be replaced With unimaginable grace

-

I am the sail, the plank The mast that breaks and gets replaced I am remade, repaired, reshaped But somehow, still the same Even after every cell in my body changed I know my name

[parul206]

the only thing to say when

somebody tells you that

you’ve changed is:

“Thank you.”

over the past couple years

people have told me that they

miss the old me

~ the funny me

the less-serious poet me

~ the safe me

the ambitious me

~ the life-of-the-party me

the “easy to be around” me

I try to explain to them

that lately my favorite places

have become thresholds

I have about four new beginnings a week

I’ll try doing this and then

~ I’ll try being that and then

I’ll try this on and then

~ I’ll try a taste of that

I may write a poem today

I’ll take some photos tomorrow

and maybe I’ll tell some

jokes on stage next week

and a decade from

now I’ll be a painting sunflowers

and each thing will be the most

important thing I’ve ever done

I’m in perpetual state of transition

I keep leaving home

as who I was and

returning as who I

need to be next

~ it’s all such a skin-shedding

adventure of fresh starts and

unlimited resurrections

I don’t want to be the exact same

person that I was when you

last saw me yesterday

too much has happened since then;

I’ve seen too much beauty

I’ve cried too many tears

I’ve sat with too many ghosts

I’ve put my toes in too many rivers

I’ve had my heart broken too many times

I’ve felt too many kisses

I’ve heard the divine singing to me from too many treetops to not be transformed

I once met angel that was sunbathing

naked in a garden who told me that

heaven looks exactly like a thick thunderhead draping itself over a Rocky Mountain valley

heaven is always billowing

heaven is ever rolling

heaven is constantly churning

heaven is relentlessly changing forms

heaven is a endless rumble

heaven never looks the same

from one day to the next

heaven is constantly being reshaped by the hands of the great potter

because

it turns out that grace is a

whirling spectrum of colors

and heaven has to keep

changing its form in

order to keep up with it

heaven transforms

its camouflage of miracles

and magic every morning

and if that’s good

enough for heaven

then it’s good enough for me

there is so much creation

taking place around us

for us not too join in

on the fun

so many new opportunities

so many new people

so many galaxies being formed

so much ancient beauty being rediscovered

with all of that going on

how can we have a new

beginning every single

time we breathe?

I believe epiphanies aren’t

meant to randomly drip

like a broken faucet

they’re meant to flood

like a creating river

when somebody

accuses you of changing

take it as a compliment

and wonder

why they haven’t

if a nebula can be given

permission to change forms

so can you

besides ~ and

this is VERY important:

maybe we aren’t

changing anyway

maybe we are just becoming

who we were born to be

in the first place?

maybe we were born

to keep unfolding

like an endless map

and one last thing, my love,

don’t let any your seasons

become permanent

let them all pass through you

bloom red

change

bloom green

change

bloom rainbows

embrace each

one as the wonder

that they are

our souls are

made of moving

holy water

with bits of sunlight in it

we are all glowing ripples

passing through time

reflecting light off the surface

don’t fret, my love,

heaven is required to

reinvent itself daily

as are we

as are we

as are we

and I can’t wait to

see how beautiful

you look the next

time I see you

radiating like

cathedral stained glass

under the glow of your

raw ever-changing

and unashamed

authenticity

~ john roedel

(wondrous art by the incredible Kat Shaw Artist )

[random-xpressions]

Signs all around - for those who truly seek. You'll be blown away by the enormity of how the universe is sending you signs and signals, not just in quality but also quantity, not just when you're out there looking for something but even when you're least searching for it, as though this entire universe is trying to knock you out of your slumber and awaken in you what's buried deep underneath you. I'd call it as destiny paving its own way to you. It may be very honoured for us to assume the position of being the master architect of our own fate but it's the other way around - the divine decree by the sheer token of its grace is seeking us out, bringing us closer to what we are ultimately meant to become. How do I even tell you of the little miracles that happen in such subtle manner that we simply fail to notice them? How do I even explain that even when you're doing nothing, your story is unfolding? There's indeed a grand design building up in the rear and it will not reach to its fruition without your own story playing it's crucial part. Take every sign as a means to strengthen your certainty. This universe is highly symbolic and will speak to you constantly in numbers & manners that requires a little conscious effort from your end in comprehending them. Nothing crosses your path just like that - you're being led, guided and beautifully unfolded like a little flower that's budding out into a ripened fruit...

Random Xpressions

[seeingthroughsubs]

Slumdog Millionaire

I love unique stories. If you watch a lot of films it’s rare that you’ll watch a film and feel that you are seeing a story that you’ve truly never seen before. Slum Dog Millionaire is a truly unique film. The story of a poor orphaned boy trying to survive while holding onto his friends. A story of love, loss, struggle, betrayal, and triumph. It’s all wrapped up in this amazing framing device of telling a story both through the game show and the interrogation. Each seemingly random answer connects to a traffic event from Jamal's life. This film gives a unique view of how talent can grow from anywhere.  It shows how poverty limits people and holds them back.  These elements combine to form a gripping experience that brings you closer and closer to the edge of your seat as the story unfolds.

One thing I think the movie does a really good job of establishing early on is how smart Jamal is. Jamal never goes through any kind of formal education. He drops out of primary school after his mother is killed and never has the chance to go to any other form of schooling. Despite this, he is incredibly bright. Why is this? The answer is in the very premise of the movie. Every question Jamal gets asked relates back to one of his life experiences in some way. He is the embodiment of the idea of street smarts. Throughout the entire film, he is constantly finding clever ways to get by whether it’s scamming tourists or using his tech support job to find his friends. Despite how bright he is everyone looks down on him. At his job as a tea server, He’s shown to be just as talented if not more talented than the people with better positions. Despite this, he is constantly looked down on as nothing more than a tea server. When he goes on a historic streek in the game show the host and the police both assume he must be cheating. I think this film really shows how society refuses to acknowledge intelligence if it doesn’t come from institutions. So much potential is lost because people don’t have pieces of paper to justify their skills.

This problem of the poor not being accepted also plays into restricting their choices. Throughout the film, the characters are constantly forced into bad situations. Jamal and Salim are forced into a life of crime to survive. The other orphaned children are forced to live in an abusive environment or risk going hungry. Latika is forced into a life of prostitution. The kid's situations don’t get any better as adults either. Jamal is stuck in a dead-end job, Salim works for a crime boss, and Latika is in an abusive marriage. The film hits heavy on the theme of those being born into poverty being trapped in no-win situations. This is even echoed in the ending. It takes a miracle, in Jamal winning the gameshow, for just two of our protagonists to have a chance at a good life.

[faithisthekey-23]

Hi, I would love to share with you a poem I wrote today (11th May 2023). It's called ”Heaven's road”. In another post, I will share with you the Bible verses that I used while writing this poem. Enjoy the reading :)

Heaven's road

Walk in the righteousness with Almighty

Try, give it a chance — change your clothes into new garments

The garments that please God without any doubts

What does please God? Being obedient, having it in the heart of yours — forgiveness and love

That cannot be overcomed with the power of the Holy Spirit

Who constantly reminds us about the God Almighty's will

Do not judge so you won't be judged

Don't let yourself pay too much attention to your brothers' speck of sawdust

Instead, pay attention to the plank in your own eye

Then you will be able to help your brother with the issue he has

Ask the Lord to give you what you lack and you'll receive it

For He doesn't make the promises He doesn't keep

He said that if we ask, He will give it to us

He told us that if we seek, we will find it so don't have doubts

If we knock on the door, He will open them for you and me

All we need is faith as big as mustard seed to believe how Faithful He is

Be with God for if you're with our Creator you're not against Him

Be sure you not commit the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit

For whatever you do will be forgiven but not this one sin

Speaking against the Holy Spirit will stay as your sin for eternity

Listen to His words carefully and remember them

Don't let them be stolen from your mind by the enemy

Be just like the seed that fell on the good soil and produced a great crop

Be just like the sheep that knows the Good Shepherd's voice

Be obedient to the will of His and go wherever He wants you to go

Just trust Him that He will lead you to the Heaven's road

Ask Him for His grace to be born again in Christ

For He is the only One Who can give you that

Believe that He says Who He is and that every commandment of His is good

Leave everything at His Mighty Hands and say ”Lord, I surrender to You"

Put your faith and trust in Him for He knows what's needed the most for you

He will take care of everything, never leave nor forsake you

For He is the One that goes before you and always makes a way

Trust in Him and believe how the miracles unfold

Know that He's the Way, Truth and Life, He is the Lord of Lords

He deserves His throne for He's our King Who saved us from eternal punishment

For His Goodness, Peace and Love let's give Him praise

[mariailoveyou-guerin]

Im honestly so done with this fandom, and the show.

I’m constantly seeing ship wars and actual hate towards the actors - some more than others. The show itself is a mess, i was so eager for Polin season and it seems like they, especially Colin were sidelined in their own season and it was just a mess. I’ve also been so disheartened at the hate Luke has received for having a girlfriend [do they really expect him to be single & celibate] because let’s face it, if Antonia wasn’t in the picture and by a miracle Luke wanted something with me, I would jump at it in a heartbeat. I bet a lot of people would say something similar.

This is my rather long winded way of saying a 8 episode every 2 years which is broken into two parts just isn’t worth the hate. I’m not as eager for season 4, but I’ll still watch it and any future seasons to see the siblings story unfold. Hopefully a lot more Bridgerton sibling chaos scenes as I adore the chemistry the cast has.

I agree with you so much and heavy on the I’ll jump Luke too if given the chance 😂 but they didn’t want him to be single it’s the fact he ain’t dating their self insert lady Nicola that’s the problem and the cause of all the hate he receives from that particular fandom! it was the fact that his gf was younger and she wasn’t nic the end nothing more nothing less so they couldn’t see themselves in that girl as most of these people hating are 40+ which I personally think is just what? like that’s a cry for help how you that old and hating on man for not dating the girl they projected their persona on 😔

As for the Colin sidelined I agree so much but I don’t think polin got sidelined they got way more then any other ship I feel I haven’t seen s1 so can’t speak on it but they’ve gotten a lot more overall content it’s just the screen time that they haven’t gotten which is weird as they have gotten very amazing solo content as ship!

and I too am only watching s4 for Colin polin franjohn mondrichs and Sophie the end ofc for my core4 ladies too but as my main character/ship it’s them especially wanna see Sophie/micheala/John x Colin friendship and Colin x Francesca being best sibling duo scenes and overall Colin x family and especially violet scenes!

Be doing to much hate for a 8 ep show it’s funny really!

[rawidentity-nacole]

The Power of Patience

Patience is not just about waiting for something to happen; it's about how you wait. It's about maintaining a sense of calm and understanding while things unfold at their own pace. When you practice patience, you are able to approach challenges with a clear mind and a steady heart. You are less likely to react impulsively or make hasty decisions that you may later regret. Patience allows you to trust in the process and have faith that things will work out in the end.

### Timing is Everything

They say that timing is everything, and it couldn't be more true when it comes to practicing patience. Sometimes, the universe has a way of aligning things in the perfect order, but only if we are patient enough to let it happen. Rushing into things or trying to force outcomes before their time can lead to disappointment and frustration. By trusting in the timing of events, you allow space for miracles to unfold and for things to fall into place naturally.

### Embracing Uncertainty

One of the hardest parts of developing patience is learning to embrace uncertainty. Life is full of twists and turns, and we can't always predict what will happen next. But by cultivating patience, you can learn to surrender control and trust that everything will work out in the end. Embracing uncertainty can be liberating, as it allows you to let go of the need to constantly be in charge and instead go with the flow of life.

### Practicing Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a powerful tool for cultivating patience in your daily life. By staying present in the moment and focusing on what is happening right now, you can let go of worries about the future or regrets about the past. Mindfulness helps you to stay grounded and centered, even when things feel chaotic or uncertain. By practicing mindfulness, you can develop a sense of inner peace and resilience that will help you navigate life's challenges with grace and ease.

### Finding Joy in the Journey

Patience is not just about waiting for the end result; it's about finding joy in the journey. When you learn to appreciate the process of growth and transformation, you can find beauty and meaning in every step along the way. By savoring each moment and being fully present in your experiences, you can cultivate a sense of gratitude and fulfillment that will enrich your life in profound ways.

### Letting Go of Expectations

One of the biggest obstacles to developing patience is holding onto expectations about how things should be. When we cling to rigid ideas about how life should unfold, we set ourselves up for disappointment and frustration. By letting go of expectations and embracing the unknown, you can open yourself up to new possibilities and opportunities that you may have never imagined. Letting go of expectations allows you to be more flexible and adaptable, which can lead to greater peace and happiness in the long run.

### Cultivating Compassion

Patience is not just about waiting for things to happen; it's also about how you treat yourself and others along the way. Cultivating compassion is an essential part of developing patience, as it allows you to be kind and understanding towards yourself and those around you. When you approach challenges with a sense of empathy and compassion, you can create a more harmonious and supportive environment for growth and healing. By practicing patience and compassion, you can build stronger relationships and create a more peaceful world for yourself and others.

### The Ripple Effect of Patience

When you practice patience in your daily life, you not only benefit yourself but also those around you. Patience has a ripple effect that can spread positivity and harmony throughout your relationships and community. By modeling patience and understanding, you can inspire others to do the same and create a more compassionate and resilient world for all. The more you cultivate patience in your own life, the more you can contribute to a more peaceful and loving society for everyone.

### Embracing the Journey

In conclusion, developing patience is a lifelong journey that requires practice, dedication, and self-awareness. By embracing the art of patience, you can learn to trust in the timing of events, let go of expectations, and find joy in the journey. Patience is truly a virtue that can bring peace, clarity, and success into your life. So take a deep breath, slow down, and trust that everything will unfold in its own perfect time. Remember, the art of patience is not just about waiting; it's about how you wait.