#my family's gone and I'm never getting it back

[p1n-p0int]

Honest to gods, I'm working on that that hc, but hear me y' all...

I have a "Ghost who's too closed off due to his trauma, doesn't talk about his past nor his work (the details he's allowed to say), and a reader who is desperately trying to save him from drowning in his self-hatred, and everything seems fine between them til the day before Simon's countless employments where reader pokes the bear too hard and Ghost snaps at them before leaving for the base" agenda running free in my mind

Like man, he loves you but the constant betrayals he went through, both familial and work related, before making him unable to let you into his comfort zone properly. Don't get me wrong; this man loves you to death and could do anything and everything, illegal or not, for you at the drop of the hat, but the thought of you knowing about his past? It sends him spiralling.

Thus why he doesn't see any issue in keeping you at arm's length and out of his business 'til the night before he has to depart for a mission.

You randomly begin to talk about hypothetical marriage and children you two are going to have one day. A happy life together you wanted for yourself and Simon... He threw you a side-glance telling you to drop it, he told you twice when you insisted on interrogating him as to why a loving family he could come back to from employment sounds bad... He has never meant to verbally snap at you the way he did - you backing away from his reach zone and putting a heavy kitchen table between him and you as an additional barrier, your brain was terrified of the man you were seeing in front of you. But it was not your Simon that was speaking, it was some twisted, traumatized soldier? child? part of him peaking its sorrowful head out, that much you knew - triggered his traumas. He couldn't hold it in. You pushed way too many times and his glass-like wall broke under the pressure.

When he was done ranting off to the grimy image in his head and looked up at you, scared of him, he bolted, grabbing his things and running out of your shared flat, not able to face you and the look on your face that's going to haunt him for the rest of his days. Because, sworn with a hand to his heart, he thought he singlehandedly ended the relationship there and then.

I don't have detailed route options for this one, but definitely, just like for Price, I'm planning for:

that hits all the raw points and talks about all the important topics of mental health, PTSD, self-worth and trust issues, you name it basically. A bit darker, with Ghost literally going through it to make himself better for the reader and first and foremost himself. (Groveling on his knees, fix-it route)

Ghost coming back from the employment, determined to discuss the previous fight with them, explain his side of view... Only to find the reader long gone from their apartment. (Angst route)

[frownyalfred]

guys. GUYS. I look away for two hours and now I'm crying on the clock about pennywaynes 😭 I thought we were supposed to be horny! That's easier to hide from customers coming in than the emotional devastation wreaking havoc on my heart from these asks 😭

But also.... my mind always comes back to that scene in The Batman where Alfred gives Bruce his cufflinks he's wearing telling him he "has to keep up appearances. You're still a Wayne" and then Bruce looks at the cufflinks as Alfred is putting them on him and sees the stylized W and kinda mockingly says "What about you? Are you a Wayne?" And Alfred responds "your father gave them to me" (this of course occurs after the scene where Bruce tells Alfred that he's not his father. These scenes hurt my feelings both times I saw it in theaters)

So a pennywaynes where the only hold Martha and Thomas can have on Alfred are giving him things, so they try to mark him as family as best they can and what better way than essentially a family crest? And maybe Alfred does his best to refuse the more extravagant gifts he's given bc 'its not proper' and keeping up appearances is important (to Alfred at least) but this time is touched enough that for once he accepts it despite it being a bit too familiar of a gift for a member of staff and that's the only outward sign he ever gives that he belongs to them. Or maybe Alfred never feels bold enough to wear them while M&T are still alive. Only gives himself that indulgence of visibly marking himself as belonging to them once they're gone. And then gets this family claim on him mocked years later by his Martha and Thomas' child.....

Oh man. Cufflinks as the one small concession he makes to them, their symbol quietly worn on his person every day….yeah I’d lose my goddamn mind if Bruce said some shit to me about that.

[earthmoonz]

WIFEY. PT 2 | EP TWO (2.0)

start / previous / next [haven’t read part one?]

typically, it was lena’s preference to wake alone. the quiet dawn brought comfort, allowing her to exist only as herself instead of the product of what made her. today though, she’d  woken with a scowl. sleep had been restless which was somehow worse than none at all. if asked, she would blame the unfamiliarity of her surroundings, but in truth, her mood had soured from the moment she reached across the mattress and realised no one else was there.

it was midnight when she arrived at her mother’s home. san myshuno to copperdale was a three hour drive and while traffic had been merciful, lena remained tense. she'd never quite settled in the northern town. the family ran a decent operation up there but it was nothing compared to the speed and grandeur of san my.

[click for hq]

(continued prose + transcript below)

(cont.) for a time she’d been a gun for hire. the work was tedious but it blessed her with independence more importantly, forced her away from familial dysfunction. the early days of the scott’s exile from san myshuno had been brutal and sticking around would have made it far worse.

(Max): Hey. Did I wake you?

(Lena): Nah, I was gonna go for a run. Why are you up so early?

(Max): Ugh…I can’t sleep. Danielle's bed is way too soft.

(Lena): Poor baby. 

(Max): It’s fine, I can nap on the sofa when Simone’s gone to work. How was the drive last night?

(Lena): Okay, and decent. Traffic was alright for once. 

(Max): Good…do you know if your brother’s still there?

(Lena): I don’t. But it’s not like he’d be anywhere else.

(Max): Fair... How long are you staying again?

(Lena): I'm driving back tomorrow. Why, you missing me already?

(Max): Not if you’re gonna be a freak about it.

(Lena): You’re such a brat.

(Max): [feigned ignorance] I don’t know what you mean.

(Lena): See, if you were being good, I could’ve helped you get back to sleep.

(Max): …I'm being good now.

(Lena): Oh really? [a thud sounds from outside the door] for fuck sake. 

(Max): Huh?

(Lena): Sorry baby but I’ve gotta go. You’re still looking at flats later, right? Let me know how that goes, okay?

(Max): Yeah, okay b- [the call ends]

[***]

[Lena pulls open the door]

(Lena): Can I fucking help you?

(Lourdes): Don’t be like that. I just got here and mami said-

(Lena): [mocking] ‘Mami said’-oh fuck off, Lourdes.

(Lourdes): Lena, you can’t keep ignoring me. It's been weeks!

(Lena): Why don’t you go and bother Luis since your head lives up his arse these days. 

(Lourdes): You are…such a bitch.

[thanyatargaryen]

Mutual Agreement VI

It took me a while to return, but I was not in a good mental space. I was going up and down in my mood, crying and not really good... that's what happens when you have depression and anxiety. well, now that I'm here and I feel better, I'll give you the part you were waiting for.

Marcus x f!reader (Lucius older Sister)

Rater M (just in case)

Warning (age gap, mentions of death, mentions of possible abuse, 18+ ONLY)

Marcus x f!reader

Marcus knew that this was the last opportunity you both had to enjoy each other and for him to know your body and enjoy your essence. As he reaches for your hand, you both hear a wolf howling, and Marcus proceeds to kiss your knuckles as he pulls you towards his body and walks back from behind the changing area towards the bed, sitting on the edge while holding your hands and enjoying the sight of your body. He could see the light hitting your curves. You were full-bodied but not too big or too small. You had full hips and breasts that he was drooling and itching to touch while he was looking at your cheeks, completely flushed red, and your eyes closed. "Please, my love, open your eyes. I need to see them while I ravage you. I cannot do this if I cannot see your beautiful eyes looking at me."

At this point, you were utterly nervous as you opened your eyes and looked at Marcus, and his eyes fully dilated while looking at your body. You had never paid attention to yourself since you felt you were not in a state where he would look at you in such a way as to feel desired. "Your skin is so soft, Carissima, I cannot think why I did not give our relationship an opportunity. We would have enjoyed ourselves, and I repent of pushing you away." He whispers while pulling your body towards his, making you sit on his lap while he grabs your hand and kisses your neck. You can feel your body going lax on his hands, enjoying his touch. "I want to make you feel as good as possible so you do not miss me while I am away, and when I come back, we can start trying for a family." you look at him and kiss his cheeks while you smile.

"I... Do you really want to try for a family? You want a family with me?" you whisper while he hugs you and lays your body on the bed while he starts kissing down your neck and into your chest. "I do not want to try; I want a family with you, Carissima. I want this villa full of children running and screaming while we enjoy looking at them and making more siblings for them." He whispers into your breasts, and he starts teasing your nipples with one hand while kissing and sucking your other nipple. Your eyes were closed by now, enjoying and feeling your body going and growing more with goosebumps. Your legs were open for Marcus and grew wider as his hand grasped your tight and locked your leg on his side as his finger started teasing the bud in between your legs. You shivered as your hips buckled, and Marcus giggled as he switched from one breast to the other.

"Marcus, please, I cannot hold anymore, I feel so hot, and I can't breathe." you were so needy that your feelings were taking a toll on your body, making you feel hot and cold all at once. Your belly felt tighter by the second as Marcus kept teasing your entrance and switching between that and your bud while giggling as you gasped for air. "I need to make you drip for me, my love. I cannot make you uncomfortable when I want to make you feel loved and cherished under me." Marcus was so wrapped up in pleasing you that he forgot his new assignment and its possible consequences.

Your body was grounded, but you felt like your soul had come and gone from your body. The need to have Marcus closer was greater than what was to come. You knew he could come back or not due to the seriousness of the campaign. You wanted to get rid of the emperors sooner rather than later to feel at ease. His touch brings you back to the moment when he reaches his thumb onto your clit, and you cry out his name as your belly hets tighter while your walls clench around his fingers. "Cum for me, my lady. Let me taste you before I conquer your land," he whispered into your ear as if it were a chant. It made your body shiver and come undone around his fingers as your eyes closed and your body twisted as he drank from your folds.

Marcus lapped at your folds and core while you lay on top of the furs in your bed. He reached up and kissed your lips, pressing your body into his. He made space in between your legs, opening you up wider to accept him in between your tights. "You are the sweetest fruit on earth, Carissima, I won't be able to leave you after this... I want to always have you with me and enjoy you." Marcus started pulling his tunic off while holding your gaze and positioning his rigid member on your folds, taking your glistening from them to lubricate his length. "Marcus... please, I cannot; I need you," you whisper, and he looks at your squirming form as he grabs your hand and kisses your hands. "You need to know that it will hurt my love. It will be dull and quick, but I will stop for you to take in the feeling." He knew how much he needed to be inside her, but he wanted more than anything to make a good experience for you.

You nod, and you can feel how his member slowly enters your body, your slick, making it slightly easier on you not to feel the pain until it reaches your barrier. "I want you to take a deep breath, my love. It will hurt now, and it will be uncomfortable for a little while, and then I will make it as pleasurable for you as it was before with my fingers and mouth." He finishes his thrust, and you bite down your lips while a tear falls from your eye. Marcus kisses the tear as it rolls down the side of your face near your ear. "Let me know when I can move. It will be uncomfortable, but you need to relax, and I will make it feel better." He kisses your cheeks, lips, and eyes as he holds your hand. When you kiss him back, he moves slowly, holding your thigh up to his waist. Moving with slow thrusts, you feel his lips passing from your forehead to your cheeks, down into your throat, where he makes a slight bite. You feel your walls clench around his girth, making you moan as he hits a special place inside you. "Marcus, please... I...I...I, please," you whisper into the air as a gust of wind enters the room, and Marcus moves his hips faster into your core.

You can feel pressure on your lower abdomen as Marcus smiles and holds your hips slightly up while he fixes his legs under your ass, tilting your body as he hits your insides again. His grunts make your body full of goosebumps as his thumb reaches your pearl. He starts rubbing it, and your body shivers while you bite your hand down, and he goes for your hand to kiss it. "Do not deprive me of listening to your voice while I worship you, Carissima. I want your voice and sounds engraved to remember you when I leave. But when I return, I will care for you as much as I'm doing it now for days on end." He grabs your hand and kisses every finger. At the same time, you cry out as Marcus puts pressure on your lower abdomen as he thrusts deeper into your core, and your walls completely constrict his member. At the same time, you close your eyes and reach for his hand, and you cum around his member while he fills your walls entirely with his cum as he grunts and falls into your body while holding your hips up.

You lay lax into the bed while the furs and bedsheets are tossed near the end. Marcus kisses your cheeks and lips, calling your name into your ear as he moves his hips slowly in and out of your core. "My goddess, my heart, my soul, I will cherish you and care for you until the end of my life." He promises while you open your eyes and look at him. "I believe you, Marcus. I thank Juno and Mars for bringing you into my life." You smile and hold him in your chest as he lays back on your body and flips you over as he turns around while you now lay on his chest, still connected. Your body is getting tired as it is your mind, and adding to that the warmth of his body, you start falling into a deep slumber where you face Juno again.

Yet again, it took me a while to finish this, but I hope you all like it.

[ayrtonswnna]

helloo, author-chan! Me again hehe 😊😊

I love how you did my request abt Franco x Senna!reader. I really do, it really shows Ayrton's child-ish character (all thanks to the lord and savior, Gerhard Berger) Hehe.

Anyways, I wanna do another request.

It's for Ayrton himself, but the reader is his childhood friend who's goodbyes from him were like a form of betrayal for her accord and cut ties with him for good when she founds out he got married (which i think you know that his wife and him got divorced but then dated gfs here and there, you'll get my point). UNTIL, she was invited to the paddock in one of the races and she doesn't know he was a F1 driver.

Your plot is your own free will but make it STRAIGHT ANGST to Forgiving at the end, that is if you can ofc. No pressure 😊😊.

Good Luck, Author-chan 😘

ʚɞ a/n: more ayrton content yessss!!!! hey sweetheart, thank you very much!!!!! i am sorry for taking so long to finish your request, but here it is!!

i tried my best to embody your request (and take the challenge) and keep as much as i could of your ideas, added a lot for context and got a bit carried away, but i think it turned out great.

i'm head over heels for angst so here it is!!! hope you like it and thank you for your support!!!!

⠀⠀⠀⠀A LONG TIME COMING 〃 ayrton senna oneshot

ʚɞ ayrton senna x maria de oliveira. (female!oc)

ayrton sees his past right in front of him. a lot has changed.

warnings: ANGST. A LOT OF IT. story takes place in the late 80s/early 90s, it's up to you, author opened wikepedia and chose the first old man in power to be the villain, description of an abusive relationship, character physically and mentally hurt, ayrton saves the day, mention of non-active character death, author in need of therapy (she's picturing dead man as a savior)

Ayrton recognized her the moment he saw her. It wasn’t just her face—it was the memories she brought with her. Childhood afternoons spent running through São Paulo streets, teenage years filled with laughter and long conversations. All of it came rushing back in a heartbeat.

But she had changed.

The tight coils her mother used to braid into intricate hairstyles were now softer curls, looser and more subdued—maybe she straightened her hair sometimes. Gone were the colorful clothes and wide, carefree smiles. In their place were sharp heels, a tailored blazer, and muted tones. It was strange, seeing someone so familiar and yet so different. Could a person change so much and still remain the same?

"Do you know her?"

The question jolted Ayrton from his thoughts. The voice belonged to Jo Ramirez, McLaren’s team coordinator, who was sitting beside him and following his line of sight.

"Who?" Ayrton asked, though he already knew.

"Maria. My girlfriend."

The word hit him like a slap. Girlfriend?

"I—uh—yeah," Ayrton stammered, struggling to keep his tone casual. "Her mom’s Brazilian. Friends with my family. Something like that."

He hesitated before adding, "Isn’t she much younger? Like... twenty-five?"

Twenty-five. Ayrton knew her exact age, knew she’d turn twenty-six on November 3rd. He remembered everything. Her mom from Rio de Janeiro, her dad from England. Their parents’ business ties that had brought them together so often they practically grew up as siblings—until they weren’t anymore.

Until he left.

Jo chuckled, clearly finding the question amusing. "Yeah, something like that. But what’s it to you?"

Ayrton’s lips pressed into a thin line. Jo Ramirez was fifty. Fifty years old. Ayrton thought he knew Maria better than this, thought she’d never go down that road. A man twice her age, with a background so different from hers.

"I mean," Ayrton pressed, "she’s young enough to be your daughter. Don’t you... don’t you find it weird?"

Jo smirked, leaning back in his chair. "No, not at all. That’s the beauty of it. I can put her in her place. However I want to."

The words set off alarm bells in Ayrton’s head, a sinking feeling twisting in his gut. His face must have given him away because Jo laughed, clapping him on the shoulder.

"Relax, man. It’s not what you think. She’s not a kid. And besides," Jo added, his tone turning smug, "you don’t know her anymore. People change."

Ayrton’s gaze shifted back to Maria, standing at the edge of the garage, her expression unreadable. She seemed lost in her own thoughts, her body tense like she didn’t belong there.

Jo’s next words were like knives.

"These girls, man... they’re like having a personal doll. A private paradise. You do what you want, whenever you want. She doesn’t even complain anymore."

Ayrton snapped his head toward him. "What the fuck, Jo? Are you—are you hearing yourself? What the fuck are you even saying?"

Jo just laughed again, as if Ayrton’s reaction was a joke. "Chill out, mate. It’s my girlfriend. None of your business."

But Ayrton couldn’t shake the sick feeling in his stomach. His gaze flicked back to Maria, and for a fleeting moment, their eyes met.

Ayrton’s mind raced, trying to process Jo’s callous words. The jovial tone, the dismissive attitude — it all felt too wrong. He couldn't believe that the Maria he once knew, the vibrant and spirited girl who used to run through the streets of São Paulo with him, could be subjected to this kind of treatment.

The words "personal doll" and "private paradise" echoed in his head, making his stomach churn. They didn’t fit with the Maria he remembered. His Maria, full of life and laughter, had been an equal, not someone who could be reduced to such an object.

“I guess you’re right,” Ayrton said, forcing a casual tone, even as every fiber of his being screamed in protest. “People change.”

Jo laughed again, patting Ayrton on the shoulder. “Exactly. Don’t worry about it.”

As soon as Jo turned his attention elsewhere, Ayrton’s eyes found Maria’s once more. She was standing at the edge of the garage, her body tense, her eyes distant. The sight of her made his heart ache. What had happened to her?

Maria had always been so alive, so full of personality. This version of her seemed almost foreign, like a ghost of the woman he used to know.

It wasn’t just the physical changes. Sure, she had grown into herself, but it was more than that. It was in the way she moved, the way her eyes shifted, constantly looking around, searching for something or someone. She was no longer the carefree girl from their shared past.

Maria hadn’t come to the paddock for him, not really. She was here because of Jo, and she had no intention of rekindling old memories. Her posture was stiff, her eyes flicking nervously, never settling. Ayrton felt the weight of that discomfort in his chest. This wasn’t how he imagined seeing her again.

"An elder?" Jo’s voice broke through Ayrton’s thoughts, pulling him back to the moment. The tone was playful, but there was something off about it. He squeezed Maria's side, just like he had when they were teenagers, poking into her space with a familiarity that made Ayrton uncomfortable. "C’mon, Mariazinha, you’re better than that! I can't believe I'm seeing you again. What happened to your hair? You’ve changed so much!"

Maria’s eyes darkened, and her response was cold, detached. "Grew old, I guess."

Ayrton took a small step back, unsure of how to continue. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. There should have been more. More warmth, more recognition of the bond they once shared. But instead, there was this distance, this wall.

"Yes, could be it," Ayrton murmured. "How are you? How’s mamãe?" He used the term of endearment without thinking, but immediately regretted it. The word felt too intimate for the way things had turned out.

"Watching from above," Maria answered softly, her voice thick with an emotion Ayrton couldn’t place. She took a step away from him, eyes darting around as if looking for Jo.

Ayrton felt a pang of guilt. "I am so sorry," he said, reaching out to her but pulling back when he saw the way she flinched. "Was it... Was it recent? I passed by your house just last week."

Her eyes were cold now, and it stung. "Seven years ago."

Ayrton’s heart sank. He had missed so much. And Maria had been forced to pick up the pieces of a life that he had left behind.

"So, dad?" Ayrton asked, trying to change the subject, his mind reeling. "Bet you’re in England more these days, with Jo and everything."

Maria nodded, but her expression didn’t soften. "Yeah, I guess."

Ayrton noticed the tension in her shoulders, the way she couldn’t quite meet his eyes. There was something in the air between them, something thick and unresolved. "It’s weird, though," he said, trying to ease the situation. "I would’ve never guessed you’d grow into such a quiet adult. You were always so... vocal."

Maria's lips twitched. "I guess life has a way of changing things."

Her words stung, and Ayrton knew they were aimed at him. He had left her. He had walked away without a second thought. And now, all these years later, he was standing in front of a woman who had learned to live without him.

"You found a wife and left," she said, her voice tinged with bitterness. "It’s not like you stayed to know what I’d grow into."

Ayrton winced, his own guilt rising up to choke him. "Yeah, I... I deserve that." He ran a hand through his hair. "I made mistakes. But I’m really happy to see you again. Maybe we could catch up, catch up like old times?"

Maria didn't respond immediately, her gaze flicking toward Jo in the distance. She seemed to hesitate before shaking her head. "I don’t think so. You can’t just leave and come back when you feel like it. This is not how it works. I put my life together without you, and I don’t want to go through that again. It’s already too—" She paused, her throat tightening.

"Too what?" Ayrton pressed, his heart racing. "You put your life together with a fifty-year-old man who talks about you like you're a piece of meat? I don’t understand. I don’t think I’m the complicated part in this."

Maria stepped closer to him, her face flushed with frustration. "Aren’t you also fucking young blond women all around? Why is my life suddenly your business? Jo was here for me when you turned your back on me. I don’t care how he talks, or how complicated it is. He was the one who showed up for me when you didn’t."

Ayrton stood there, his mind racing, but all he could focus on was the bruise on her neck. It was dark, swollen, and fresh. Something inside him snapped.

"Maria... What the fuck?" He reached out to touch her, his hand trembling as he took in the full extent of the mark. "Is this ok? What the hell happened?"

Maria flinched as his fingers brushed the bruise, but she didn’t pull away. Instead, she tried to cover it up, pulling her blazer back in place and stepping further away from him.

"I’m fine, stop acting like you care," she said, trying to sound convincing. But it didn’t fool Ayrton.

He couldn’t just stand there and pretend everything was fine. He wasn’t blind to what was happening. He wasn’t going to let this go.

But before he could say anything else, Jo appeared, his voice dripping with possessiveness. "Maria, my love. Looks like you’re catching up with your old friend, huh? I bet he wasn’t all that when you met."

Maria didn’t even look at him as she pulled away, muttering a quiet goodbye. "I’m going back to the hotel, alright? Meet me there, baby."

Jo gave a lazy wave, clearly disinterested, before turning his focus back on Ayrton. "Don’t you dare try anything between me and my girlfriend. You’re my driver, and I call the shots. It’s best you keep your distance from her."

Ayrton didn’t say anything. There was no point. Jo had made his stance clear. He just nodded, but inside, his mind was on Maria and the danger she was in.

"Copy."

It's not like anyone is in control of the situation. It's not like Ayrton could just close his eyes and get to sleep. It's past ten, and there’s no sign of sleep.

Facing Maria after so many years brought a scary amount of new things to the table. Things he thought he had buried as time passed and could live with that way.

But no. Just like his first year alone in the UK, right after Lilian, his wife at the time, dropped him saying she couldn’t keep up with this whole career thing. Just like when he caught himself thinking about how things would have been so different with Maria.

They had history, a background. High school lovebirds and childhood inseparable duo.

Ayrton remembered their weekends together, the ones when she was not traveling to her dad's house. The way she was so bad at speaking Portuguese and would always ask him for translations once he learned English. They took classes together throughout their whole childhood. They used to do everything together.

Karting, beach days, countryside days, summer travels. Birds of a feather, inseparable duo. All the shared birthday parties, the shared beds, breakfasts, school rides. High school years, teenage experiences.

It all seems to come back now. The best and the worst.

Because now Maria is hurt. Physically hurt, probably emotionally too. The sweetest girl he once knew is now hidden in layers of clothing and sharp answers.

It's impossible not to think about the what-ifs.

What if he never left her? What if he had proposed she move to the UK with him and not Lilian? She had a family there, maybe it would have worked out. What if he didn’t kiss her in his parent's backyard for one last time?

These are the type of things that keep men up at night, awake enough to go down to the hotel lobby to maybe get some tea and tire themselves out before sleeping.

As Ayrton descended to the hotel lobby, the dim lighting and soft hum of quiet conversations brought a strange sense of calm. He wasn’t expecting anyone to be there, let alone her.

But there she was, sitting on a leather armchair near the bar, staring at a half-empty glass of wine like it held all the answers to her life.

His feet moved before his brain could stop him. "Maria?"

She startled slightly, her eyes snapping up to meet his. For a second, Ayrton saw the girl he used to know—soft, wide-eyed, and vulnerable. But it disappeared as quickly as it came, replaced by the guarded, distant woman she had become.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice low and tired.

"Couldn’t sleep," he admitted, sliding into the armchair beside her. "And you?"

She scoffed, swirling the wine in her glass. "Guess I couldn’t either."

The silence between them felt heavy, weighed down by years of unresolved feelings and the awkwardness of their earlier conversation. Ayrton couldn’t help but notice how she sat, her posture tense, as if ready to bolt at the first sign of trouble.

"Maria," he started softly, leaning forward, "I need to ask you something, and I need you to be honest with me."

She froze, her fingers tightening around the glass.

"Are you okay?"

"Why wouldn’t I be?"

"Coming from what I saw earlier..." he said carefully, his eyes never leaving hers. "And the way you flinched when I tried to touch you. Maria, you don’t have to pretend with me."

Her lips parted, but no words came out. Instead, she looked away, her gaze fixed on the floor. "It’s not what you think."

"It’s exactly what I think," Ayrton said, his tone firm but not unkind. "I’ve known you my whole life, Maria. You don’t have to say it, but I see it. And I know you don’t deserve it."

She laughed bitterly, shaking her head. "What do you know about what I deserve, Ayrton? You left. You walked away like I was nothing. You don’t get to come back now and act like you care."

"I never stopped caring," he said, his voice breaking slightly. "I was stupid, Maria. I made mistakes. But I swear to you, if I’d known—"

"You didn’t," she interrupted, her tone sharp. "You didn’t know because you didn’t stay."

He fell silent, his guilt weighing heavily on him. She had every right to be angry, and he had no defense. But he couldn’t walk away from her again, not now.

"Let me fix it," he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper. "Whatever it takes, Maria. Just let me help you."

She looked at him then, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "There's nothing to fix, Ayrton. You can’t undo what’s already been done."

"Maybe not," he admitted, "but I can give you a way out. You don’t have to stay with him. You don’t have to live like this."

Maria swallowed hard, her hands trembling as she set the glass down. "It’s not how it works, Ayrton, this is not-"

"It is," Ayrton insisted. "You just have to trust me."

A few days later, the team had planned an evening out—a casual dinner to celebrate a successful race weekend. Maria had reluctantly agreed to join, knowing Jo would insist on her presence. Ayrton was there too, his eyes never straying far from her.

Throughout the evening, Jo’s behavior was increasingly abrasive. He held her arm tightly when guiding her to their table, his fingers digging into her skin. He interrupted her when she spoke, belittling her opinions with condescending remarks. Ayrton watched it all, his jaw tightening with every interaction.

The breaking point came when Jo grabbed her wrist in the middle of a conversation, yanking her back toward him. "Stop wandering off," he snapped, his tone low but menacing.

Maria winced, her free hand instinctively moving to cover her wrist. That's not much of him—acting that way where everyone could see it. "Jo," she said evenly, her voice trying to stay calm but laced with a tiny sign of desperation. "Not now."

Promptly, her eyes darted to Ayrton, as if something inside knew he'd be looking. And there he was.

The thing is, Maria isn't the only one who noticed that.

Jo smirked, releasing her as if nothing had happened. "Relax, Ayrton. She’s fine."

But Ayrton wasn’t fooled. His eyes locked with Maria’s, silently communicating what words couldn’t. Later, when the group began to disperse, he caught her arm gently, steering her toward a quiet corner of the parking lot.

"You don’t have to go back with him," he said, his voice urgent. "Get in my car. I’ll take you somewhere safe."

She hesitated, her eyes darting around as if expecting Jo to appear out of nowhere. "I can’t just leave. He’ll—"

"I don’t care what he’ll do," Ayrton interrupted. "You’re not staying with him another night, Maria. I won’t let you."

Her lips trembled, tears spilling over as she whispered, "It's not like... It's not like I can just leave."

"It is," Ayrton said, his voice softening. He cupped her face gently, his thumbs brushing away her tears. "But you’re not alone. I’m here, Maria. I’ve got you."

For a moment, she just stared at him, the weight of her fear and pain threatening to consume her. But then she nodded, a small, shaky movement that sealed her decision.

"Okay," she whispered.

Without another word, Ayrton led her to his car, opening the passenger door for her. As they drove away, the city lights fading behind them, Maria felt a strange sense of relief. For the first time in years, she wasn’t running away—she was being saved.

The sound of the sea outside Ayrton’s beach house was a gentle hum, blending seamlessly with the rhythmic clink of a knife against a cutting board. Maria sat across from him in the kitchen, chopping fruit for a simple breakfast. Ayrton, leaning casually against the counter, pretended to be busy with a task, though his eyes kept drifting to her.

There’s no race this weekend, and he felt like they could use a break. She would never deny a good beach weekend, and it only took a flight.

"This is just like old times," she said softly, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Except now, you’re actually helping instead of sneaking bites every five minutes."

He grinned, playfully snatching a slice of mango from her plate. "Old habits die hard, don’t they?"

She swatted his hand away, laughing lightly, and for a moment, the heaviness that had lingered between them since that night at the hotel seemed to lift.

"So," he started, his tone deliberately casual, "how did you end up in... all of this? I mean, I know about your mom, but... Jo?"

Her smile faltered, and she set the knife down, her fingers idly tracing the edge of the cutting board. "I left Brazil not long after she passed. It was... too much. The house felt empty, and São Paulo didn’t feel like home anymore. I thought a fresh start would help. Then I moved in with Dad, in London."

Ayrton nodded, his expression softening. "Makes sense. You wanted to escape the memories."

Of course! Here's the complete passage, maintaining the original dialogues:

She looked up at him, her eyes glassy but steady. “Exactly. But I didn’t realize that running away wouldn’t fix anything. Jo came into my life when I was at my weakest. He knew what to say, how to act... At first, it felt like he was saving me. I didn’t see it for what it was until it was too late.”

His jaw tightened, and his hands clenched the edge of the counter. “You deserved so much more than that, Maria.”

She offered a sad smile. “I thought I did too. But by the time I realized who he really was, I didn’t know how to get out.”

There was a long pause, filled only by the distant crash of waves. Ayrton walked around the counter and sat beside her, his shoulder brushing hers. “You don’t have to go through that again,” he said quietly. “Not ever.”

Maria looked at him, her eyes searching his face. “You’ve always been like this, haven’t you? Saying just the right thing to make me feel... safe.”

He smirked, leaning in slightly. “It’s a gift. Though I recall you used to say I talked too much.”

She laughed, a genuine sound that made his chest tighten, in the best of ways. “You did. You still do.”

Their laughter faded, leaving a charged silence between them. Ayrton’s hand was on the table, so close to hers that their fingers nearly touched. For a fleeting moment, he thought about closing the gap, about leaning in, about finally—

Maria shifted, clearing her throat and breaking the spell. “We should finish this before the fruit turns to mush.”

Ayrton exhaled sharply, a mix of frustration and amusement. “Right. Breakfast. Very important.”

Later, the sun was dipping low over the horizon when they found themselves on the beach. Maria walked ahead of him, her bare feet sinking into the sand, until she reached the water’s edge. She sat where the waves kissed the shore, her knees pulled to her chest, her arms wrapped around them.

Ayrton stopped a few paces behind her, watching. She always used to do this — sit right where the ocean seemed to meet her. She used to say it made her feel small, but in a good way. Like her problems couldn’t possibly be bigger than the vast sea stretching out before her.

“You’re still doing that,” he said as he sat down beside her.

She glanced at him, her hair tousled by the breeze. “Doing what?”

“Sitting here like this. You’ve always loved the water.”

Maria shrugged, a small smile playing on her lips. “Some things don’t change, I guess.”

They sat in silence for a moment, the sound of the waves filling the space between them. Ayrton shifted closer, his shoulder brushing hers.

“You know,” he began, his voice low and steady, “I wasn’t there for you when I should’ve been. But I swear, Maria, I won’t let anything like Jo happen again. Not as long as I’m around.”

She turned to him, her eyes wide and shining with something he couldn’t quite name. “Ayrton...”

He reached up, tucking a stray curl behind her ear. The gesture was so simple, so natural, that it felt like slipping back into something they’d never really left behind. Slowly, he leaned in, their foreheads almost touching.

This time, Maria didn’t pull away. Their lips met in a kiss that was soft, hesitant, yet filled with unspoken promises. When they parted, Ayrton rested his forehead against hers, his hand still lingering near her face.

“Things can change,” he murmured. “We can change.”

Maria smiled, the first real, unguarded smile he’d seen from her in years. “Maybe they can.”

They stayed there, the waves crashing softly around them, as the sun sank below the horizon, painting the sky with hues of orange and pink.

ʚïɞ check my masterlist 〃 drop a request 〃 featuring ayrton! ʚïɞ ayrtonswnna, 2025

[rosewoodcafe]

But Daddy I Love Him

Sebastian Sallow has been my brothers best friend since their start at Hogwarts. Since that day Ominis brought him to the Gaunt Manor I have been irrevocably in love with him. Only recently I've found out that he loves me just as deeply. Would the Gaunt family relinquish their societal positions and views in the name of love?

Sebastian x Reader

[This was based off of the song But Daddy I Love Him by Taylor Swift]

I looked down the length of the Slytherin table, spotting my brother and his best friend. It was their seventh year, the last time I will be able to casually see the love of my life in my day to day life.

"Are you with us or too busy in your la la land." Imelda said as she waved her hand in my face. She was graduating after this year as well.  

"I am just thinking." I responded.

"About your future husband?" She laughed, picking some food up with her fork. "You know your family would never allow it."

"I know, but I can't help that I've loved him for years." I sighed, placing my head in my hands as I balanced my elbows on the table. "He'll never notice though, and I'll die if he ever dates anyone."

"It is a shock that he's never even asked anyone out. He's the finest guy in school, almost every girl has gone for him at some point."

"No need to remind me Imelda."

She laughed as she put more food in her mouth, my gaze focusing back down to the end of the table. Sebastian turned his head while talking with Ominis, looking directly at me. I moved my gaze away, staring at the food in front of me.

~

Classes ended later that day, the last of the summer air lingering before fall came in made it perfect to study outside while the quidditch tryouts happened. Ominis ended up joining me, stating that he couldn't have any of these Slytherin boys trying to win my affections in their sweaty uniforms. I neglected to inform him that one of them had already caught my eye.

I hardly focused on my homework that I had pulled out to work on. Ominis chatted next to me, about how he got accepted into the law school in America, how his girlfriend would be going with him. I loved his girlfriend, she was a pureblood but didn't share the same views as our parents, which made her a perfect addition to the family. Our parents were perfectly fine with Ominis marrying her, as she would fit the perfect Gaunt and produce Gaunt heirs that would be of their approval.

Would they think that about Sebastian? Approve of him and I? He was a half-blood, his mother being a muggleborn, but they didn't need to know that- did they? 

I focused back at the practice as a bludger came directly towards us, a panic rising in me as I feared Ominis and I would be slammed with it. Sebastian raced the ball, beating it to the punch and batting it away.

"IF YOU'RE GONNA HIT IT, DON'T KILL THE PEOPLE ROOTING FOR YOU!" He yelled out to the kid who was trying out to be the second Slytherin beater. Ominis laughed as if we couldn't have just died, and Sebastian flew a bit closer to us. "You two alright?"

"Of course Sebastian." Ominis said without a second difference. Sebastian's eyes lingered on me for a moment before he smiled.

"I'm- yes I'm okay." I said, trying to keep the red away from my cheeks.

"Good, I'll talk to you both after practice." Sebastian said, shooting a wink in my direction.

Oh.

My. 

Merlin.

I think I may have died and come back to life. In my shocked state Ominis simply leaned back into the stands.

Maybe my feelings aren't so unrequited as I thought before.

~

As the snow began to fall, ushering the end of the autumn season, I was seen with Ominis, Sebastian, and Ominis's girlfriend more often then not. At first I thought it was a one off thing, I so happened to be in Hogsmeade at the same time the three of them were, but then I was getting invited to join them whenever they wanted to get out of the castle. Ominis and Raven, Ominis's girlfriend were natural partners who clicked together like two puzzle pieces, and she understood him in a way nobody else could. Which left me and Sebastian to hang out with each other while they were off being love birds.

I grew to know him closely, figuring out that we honestly had so much more in common then I thought.

"So you've been friends with Ominis since you were eleven, right?" I asked one day as we walked the snowy village, trailing behind Raven who was leading Ominis about.

"You are correct. I met him on the train ride to Hogwarts, with my sister." His laughter filled the air, and filled my body with warmth. "He was like a small kitten, curled up close to a window in one of the compartments. He was timid as all hell, but he eventually warmed up to us."

"That's so sweet, I was worried for him when he left." I smiled toward my brother, who was smiling lovingly at Raven who hadn't seemed to notice yet. "I'm glad he found friends, and someone who loves him like he should be loved."

"And what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Have you found someone who loves you in the way you deserve?"

The question hit me like a train. Of course I have, and he happened to be standing right next to me, tall and lean, the absolute beauty of a man. I couldn't tell him that though.

"Well, no. I wouldn't say I have yet." I looked down to avoid eye contact, and avoid him seeing my red cheeks. "I guess I haven't found the right one yet."

"A shame," he paused, "you'd be a lovely girl to be with."

~

"SLYTHERIN CATCHES THE SNITCH, WINNING THEM THE GAME!"

The crowd burst into cheers, Ominis and I screaming with the crowd. Sebastian and Raven met in the middle of the field, high fiving with the snitch firmly in her grasp. I led Ominis and I down with the rest of Slytherin house, Raven slamming Ominis with a kiss, which he gladly accepted.

"WE DID IT!" I felt two hand pick me up by my waist and spin me. I laughed and met his eyes, those gorgeous brown doe eyes. He set me down and brought me closer to him, our faces mere inches apart. "Can I kiss you?"

"Wh-huh?!"

His lip pressed needily into my own. They were sweeter than anything at Honeydukes, soft and slightly cracked, his musk filling every portion of my head. He pulled away, looking directly into my eyes, the biggest smile on his face.

"You won the game!" I said stupidly, my eyes wide in shock of what just happened.

"This was a bigger win in my book." He grinned, pulling me in again.

Heaven couldn't get better then this.

"SEBASTIAN ARE YOU SNOGGING MY SISTER?"

~

"Father! Why don't you give him a chance!" I yelled, tears flooding my eyes as I walked about Gaunt Manor, trailing my father.

"He is a half-blood, and no daughter of mine will be with someone less then what the Gaunt name is worth." He spoke sternly.

"But I love him! Doesn't that mean anything to you!" I cried out. "Doesn't love mean anything to your cold heart?"

"This cold heart will not have this family be disgraced by your foolish idea of love." He yelled. "You will leave this boy at once!"

The door of his study slammed shut. I dropped to my knees, my sobs echoing the elegantly decorated home. Ominis found me later, a wreck of a girl, helping me up and trying to make me feel better.

~

Returning back after the break was hard. Attempting to be happy while knowing you were going to be forced to leave the one person you've loved I had barely spoken to Sebastian since we've all returned.

"Hey! Love, wait up!" Sebastian shouted as I walked quickly out the Slytherin common room. "Please I need to talk to you!"

"What Sebastian?!" I snapped. My coldness caused him to be a little shocked, which saddened me to do this to him.

"I need to talk to you." He said softly. "You've barely spoken a word to me since you've returned, and even Ominis won't tell me what's going on. He deemed it a conversation me and you should have alone. So please, tell me what happened?"

I felt tears well into my eyes, his arms immediately wrapping around me.

"My father won't allow it. He says that I cannot be with someone who tarnishes the Gaunt name." I cried into his chest, he squeezed me tighter. "He wants me to leave you, but I can't and I don't want too."

He didn't speak at first, only holding me tighter. Small whispers were passed about as people walked by, ones that were particularly loud enough for me to hear.

What a mess.

Over a Half-blood, a Gaunt should be better then that.

Sebastian Sallow is hardly a boy to cry over.

Would've been better if he stayed away from that Gaunt.

He pulled me away, dragging us into the boys dorm.

"Sebastian I can't be in here-"

"I don't care, listen to me love." He said, holding my face gently. My cheeks cupped in his large calloused hands. "I am not, letting you go. They will have to pry you away with dark magic, because I am not letting you go."

"Sebastian, they will hurt you."

"And I will take it all, as long as it means I get to spend every moment of me being alive with you in my arms."

That day we held each other, the sadness of the winter break washing away with each kiss he planted on me. Why would someone want to destroy such a happiness?

~

Their seventh year had come to pass, Ominis and Raven getting married that summer, and Ominis running away, just as he always wanted. I still received his letters, but it wasn't the same without him.

Sebastian rented a small home in Hogsmeade, being close enough that it wasn't suspicious when I visited him. He had gotten accepted into the Auror program, which took some convincing on my part to get him to sign up for. He was genuinely happy, and nothing could ruin what we had. As soon as I graduated I would run away, right into his arms, and never see the cruel Gaunt Manor again.

~

"By law of the Gaunt name, you will be married to Thomas Malfoy on June first of the year eighteen ninety-six." I read aloud the letter on my bed.

The feelings all came crashing down. Father had said I would be married, but I didn't think it would be so soon after graduation. I hoped it would be enough time that I could run, and not have to deal with the wrath of two angered families.

I held the letter, my tears soaking the signature of my father, and the family crest stamped below.

~

"My love, how I've missed you!" Sebastian said gleefully as he opened the door to his house. "What's wrong?"

"Seb- they... oh Sebastian!" I said as I wrapped my arms around his neck and cried. He wrapped his arms around me, holding me tight to his body. "I want you to have me! Before this foul loathsome boy can."

"Woah, what is going on my love? Why are you asking this of me?" He said softly, petting the back of my head as I cried.

"They want to marry me off," I took a breath between sobs, "to that Malfoy boy!"

"What!? You can't marry him! He's older then I am! Love we have to stop this!" Sebastian panicked.

"I can't do anything about it! My father has it planned right after school is over. I will be stuck in a loveless marriage."

"No you won't I-" He started. I held him down, looking up into the same doe eyes I fell for years ago. 

"Please, stay. If I only have this year left with you, I want to make the most of it." I said to him, placing my hand on his cheek. He leaned into my touch.

"You're my girl, forever." He said leaning down to meet my lips. "That will never change."

"Never?"

"Never."

Our lips collided in a passionate embrace, his sweet lips being my addiction for centuries.

~

With graduation passed the wedding preparations started, a white gown with lacy long sleeves. Something that would show off the riches of the Gaunt family. I felt empty, a shell of myself.

Ominis returned to see me, knowing that he would be the only other family I'd willingly want here.

"How are you doing?" He asked me as the house elves prepared my dress on my big day.

"You know it's bad luck to see the bride before she walks down the isle." I said sadly, trying to get a smile out of someone today.

"Lucky for everyone here, I can't see." Ominis smiled. His hand touched my hand, trailing up the sleeve up to my shoulder. "I can only imagine how beautiful you look. I'm sorry things are going this way."

"Thank you Ominis, I suppose not all of us can be lucky enough to run away before the Gaunt name eats you whole." I said to him, placing my hand over his. His own wedding band shinned brightly. Light piano music began to play as a knock on the door let me know that it has started. "Well, let's get this over with."

"Wait." Ominis said, he was listening intently. "I- never mind. Let's go."

He held out his hand, guiding me out into the hall. Flowers cascaded across every surface, the gardens in full bloom. The entire Gaunt family, and the families of the sacred twenty-eight were all here to witness the reunion of two powerful pureblood families. 

A house elf handed me my bouquet of flowers, which I held at my waist. My father held his elbow out for me, which I took reluctantly.  As I walked down the isle, I felt every pair of eyes on me, their own whispers accompanying them.

Such a good Gaunt.

Marrying into a good family that one.

So civilized and perfect.

She'll produce perfect Gaunt babies.

My father released me at the end of the alter. I stepped up to meet my future husband. Ominis was nowhere in sight, and neither was Raven. 

The officiant droned on while I was stuck in my own head, trying to hold myself together. My life was over, and this was the final straw. I would never see Sebastian again.

"Do you Thomas, take her to be your wife?" The officiant asked him.

"I do." He responded.

"And do you take Thomas to be your husband?"

I lingered for a moment, taking in my families gaze.

"I-"

"WAIT!" 

I turned my head to the house, where Sebastian stood. He had a white button down on, and his black slacks. He ran down the steps to the back of the isle, the crowd shocked and murmuring amongst each other. 

"Love I will be your husband and cherish you everyday!" Sebastian shouted. "If you love me, then run!"

I kicked off my heels, and picked up my dress, sprinting down the isle to him. The shocked shouts and gasps caused enough chaos for me to collide with Sebastian, hugging him close.

"Let's get out of here!" He said excitedly.

"I don't have anything packed?! I hav-"

"Raven and Ominis have everything covered, we are going to America with them." He smiled. "Now let's go!"

He took my hand and sprinted up the stairs as I heard my father scream. We reached the top step and I stopped for a moment.

"FATHER, HOPE YOU KNOW I'M PREGNANT WITH THIS HALF-BLOOD'S BABY!" I shouted out. He shot a curse out, which we avoided. Manically laughing we ran through the house, finding Raven and Ominis at a carriage out front.

"Hop in we don't have a lot of time!" Ominis said, ushering us both in. "We'll be right behind you, they'll take you all the way to London, where we will make our getaway. You have the money right Sebastian?"

"Right here." He responded, holding a small pouch up.

"Alight now get going!"Ominis yelled. The carriage took flight as we watched them apparate away. The crowd of people ushered out the front door, but we were to high to be stopped.

"Wait," Sebastian said breathlessly, "are you actually pregnant?"

"I had hoped it would be a more special way to find out." I smiled. His face dropped into shock, then a grin. He pulled me into his lap and kissed me deeply.

"I think finding out by giving your father a heart attack is the most memorably way you could have told me." Sebastian laughed against my lips.

~

"Do you Sebastian, in sickness, in health, in poverty, and in riches take her to be your wife?" Ominis asked. The cliffside below creating a beautifully scenery as Sebastian and I held each others hands. My dress silky and simple, how it was always meant to be. Raven stood as a witness, our baby girl in her arms.

"I do." Sebastian said, his doe eyes looking deep into my soul.

"And do you, dear sister, take this idiot to be your husband." Ominis said. "You can say no if you wish, I can always plan another escape."

"I do!" I laughed out. Ominis smiled at my acceptance.

"Then by the power invested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife." Ominis had a tear fall from his eye, which he quickly wiped away. "You may now kiss Mrs. Sallow."

Sebastian smiled as he cupped my face, leaning closer before pressing his lips into my own. The sweetest taste I've ever known. He pressed into me, lifting me up and spinning me, our lips still locked. We pulled away breathlessly.

"I love you Mrs. Sallow." He whispered, his stubble growing in slightly. The freckles I loved so deeply being so prominent as the sun started to set.

"I love you more Mr. Sallow." I whispered back. "Promise to never leave?"

"Never." He smiled.

"Never?"

"Never."

[Raven is actually based off of @ravenwind-75 who has been so supportive and kind to me as I've been writing on here. I just want to say that I appreciate you and everyone else who interacts with my content daily. I write for me, but it's nice to know other people get some joy from it too]

[Other account I want to thank is @shyamanuensis who has followed me since the start, and each time has always been there to show support, ily sm <3]

[lunapwrites]

Segment: Like the last one, but different lol

(edit: this is a mostly-duplicate of segment 4 that was posted accidentally but I'm keeping it for reasons.)

Looking back, James thinks some days should come with a warning label. Something to say: maybe stay in bed today. Try again tomorrow.

But that morning, he didn’t suspect a thing. Had no way of knowing.

He met with Lily first: their usual rendezvous point at the old bridge, legs dangling over the edge as they shared the last of his cherry PopTarts, the last of her cigarettes, the story of how the big news had gone over with their parents.

“Could have gone worse,” Lily said, sighing. Pursed her lips to wiggle her septum ring. “Mom cried a lot, Dad left the house, Petunia called me a slut… so, you know, normal Friday night.”

He winced. “If it helps, first thing my mom did was ask when you were moving in.”

Lily huffed out a laugh, flicking ash. “I love your mom. What’d your dad say?”

“Not much, really.” James shrugged. “He was happy for us, though.”

What his dad really had been was quietly disappointed, though he’d still offered to help out while they got their feet under them, offering them both jobs at the office because you can’t support a family on a musician’s salary, Jamie.

Which was currently true, yes, but it didn’t mean he didn’t have PLANS, okay?

Lily nudged him. “When’s the gig?”

“Uh, I think Pete said doors are at six? Sooo…”

“Five, got it.” She stood, brushing off her dark leggings. “Remus isn’t driving again is he?”

James suppressed a shudder; Remus was barely able to fit them and their gear in his beat-up Ford as it was, but adding in his habit of speeding and general disregard for traffic rules… "God, no. Pete's got the van back from his dad. No more TARDIS."

"Thank fuck."

They finished their cigarettes in companionable silence, stubbing the butts out in near unison. Lily held her hand out for his, tucking their discards into an old Altoids case she kept for just this reason, slipped back into the pocket of her hoodie. She stared down at her own body like she could memorize the shape, burn it into her brain.

James took her hand. "You gonna be alright playing tonight?"

"Yeah." She managed a brave smile. "I'll be fine."

She probably would be. Lily was tough like that — tougher than him at any rate.

He was about to ask if she wanted him to help her pack when something behind him caught her attention, green eyes widening in alarm.

She smacked his shoulder. "James, look." Pointed towards the other side of the bridge — or past it, rather, down to the riverbed below. "Do you see that?"

And yeah, he did.

Looking back, he's not sure what made him jump down there. A hunch, maybe. Instinct. But what he was sure of was the fact that when he reached the body that had washed up on the riverbed, legs still floating in the freezing water, that body was still somehow alive.

Lily called for an ambulance, put the dispatcher on speaker so he could walk James through CPR — just keep going till they get there — and he kept time by singing Another One Bites the Dust under his breath. Black humor if he'd ever heard it, protocol or not. He studied the boy's face, deathly pale as it was, framed by half-frozen ringlets of black hair, marred by a hellish bruise on his left cheekbone. A trio of tiny moles curved along his right. Familiar.

The paramedics came, got the boy stripped down and wrapped up in one of those little tinfoil blankets, looking more like a burrito than a maybe-corpse. But he was alive — for now at least. James hoped he'd make it.

The cops hung around, poked around the riverbed. Asked James and Lily for their statements, and no, never seen him before in my life.

It was Lily who voiced the thought nagging at the back of his brain, as he walked her home. "God, he looked just like Sirius, didn't he?"

-

They agreed not to talk about it for now — not because the cops had asked, but because it was bad enough half the band was involved to begin with. No need to freak everyone out over nothing. Because it was nothing. Probably.

Lily packed a few bags and passed them out the window to him, trying to get as much out as they could before her dad came home from work, and he squirreled them away in the spare bedroom across from his. Not because his parents had any puritan ideas about them sleeping in the same bed — no point now, anyway — but rather because he thought she'd like her own space, separate from his.

Pete picked them up at four, Sirius with his feet up on the dash, Remus half hanging out the window behind them like a lanky sheepdog with his stupid shaggy mullet and even stupider mustache that no one — literally no one — could pull off but him. He drummed his hands against the side of the door, grinning.

"Hurry the fuck up, Potter! Things to be, people to do—"

"I'll fucking bite you," James growled, staggering slightly under the weight of half his drum kit. Sirius jumped out of the front seat, coming round to take the cases out of his hands and shouting at Remus to get off his ass and help (which he did, swatting Sirius firmly on the ass as he passed.)

The gig was at some little dive bar in the city — one of those ones that actually had a stage in the back, not like the last time, Pete swore. They’d been stuck in a corner awkwardly for that one, like what the fuck is up Dennys kind of awkward, playing asses to elbows. They couldn’t play like that — Sirius, especially, needed room to breathe.

If you asked any one of them what they played, you’d get a different answer. Sirius would say what if jazz had teeth? Remus would give you about fifteen different subgenres no one’d ever heard of where one would suffice — like, seriously dude, what the fuck is Djent?. Lily would leave it at shit, I dunno, metal I guess. Peter called it progressive if people didn’t know genres, math rock if they did.

James just called it music.

They’d all been band nerds, and later jazz ensemble nerds, and most of them played five or six different instruments except for Remus, who played guitar. And anyone could be forgiven for thinking that made him the weak link of the band somehow — I mean the rest of them could all switch instruments at the drop of a hat, and did sometimes just for shits and giggles. But the truth of it was that they were all just dressing on the sides: Remus was the meat and potatoes. He worshipped at the altar of Tosin Abasi, studied John Petrucci til his fingers fucking bled. Sirius and Lily played guitar; Remus was a guitarist.

This wasn’t to say that they couldn’t keep up, of course. But no one was under any illusions. The crowds they’d been attracting came to watch Sirius and Lily because they played well and they were both insanely hot. But they came to watch Remus to see the face of God.

And sure, Remus could get a bit pretentious about music in general, but he never hogged the stage. Never tried to run away with songs, just kinda grooved in place and let Sirius live out his virtuosic wet dreams in the spotlight, let Lily prove that yes, bass does deserve to be heard, #justiceforjason. They were loud and brash and percussive and strangely symphonic. And James got to accompany them, got to sit there behind his kit and somewhere between the double bass and the high hats would find himself slipping into a rhythm with them as they just fucking jammed. For two hours.

The ride home was quiet, Lily dozing in the front seat with her head against the window. Sirius lay across the backseat, Remus standing in for his pillow, James his footrest. Neither of them minded.

"You've been quiet today," Sirius observed, eyes closed. James still knew it was directed at him.

"Yeah. Long day."

"Wanna talk about it?" he asked.

James caught Lily's gaze in the mirror. She sighed, leaning back against the headrest.

"I moved in with James today."

"I thought you wanted to get your own place first," Remus asked, frowning.

"I did," she allowed, "but I didn't really feel like growing a whole ass person by myself, so…"

The whole van went dead silent as three sets of eyes snapped to her face, Pete whipping around in his seat to gawk.

"Wait, what—?"

"Dude, eyes on the fucking road!" Remus shouted, kicking the back of the driver seat just in time for the rumble strip to prompt Peter back into the correct lane.

Sirius had taken the opportunity to sit up, pulling himself forward by the backs of both seats. "Hang on, are you really?" he asked her, wide-eyed, gasping as she nodded. He turned to look at James, beaming. "No shit?"

"Yeah," James said, suddenly feeling a bit shy.

Remus shot him a wicked grin. "Swim team captain, huh?"

James kicked him in the leg, earning a sharp jab himself, the two of them continuing to trade blows around a cackling Sirius until Pete let out a sharp whistle.

"Yo!" he snapped. "Keep that shit up and I'll turn this car around."

"We're on a bridge," Lily pointed out, laughing.

"Off the bridge then, I'm not fucking picky."

"Oooh, maybe we'll end up like that kid they fished out of the river earlier," Sirius said, stretching out on his back.

"Nah, he wouldn't kill us," drawled Remus, "right Petey?"

"Debatable."

"He wasn't dead," James muttered, shooting a dark look at his friends.

Sirius scoffed. "Yeah, okay. It was freezing this morning, no fucking way he survived."

No, he did," Lily agreed.

"How do you know?"

"Because James and I found him."

The questions came rapid-fire after that: when and why and what happened and yeah I guess you did have a long day, holy shit — you okay?

He didn't know, truth be told.

But he and Lily took turns telling the story, and James described the boy’s face, the way that, for a moment, he’d thought he’d dragged Sirius out of the river. And Sirius sat up straight at that, something fierce and hungry in his face that James didn’t recognize.

“Three moles along his cheekbone, like this,” he clarified, tracing a small triangle in the exact spot. “You’re sure?”

[theladygazingatemptiness]

legit forgot that it's my birthday tomorrow but. honestly what does it matter anymore lol

[chonideno]

is there something crueler than having to watch your loved ones grow older and older. it took me decades to understand you. it took my entire life for us to get to know each other as adults and enjoy our time together in this new, different way that I can't get enough of. this whole time the picture of you that I kept in my mind was frozen in time, but for some reason now time can't stop squeezing you - I will have to mourn you one day and it's sooner than either of us think and we're sitting here at lunch having frankly the best of times and every time I look away from you I can't help but think about it. all the love I have for you balls up in my throat and I know one day it'll turn into a black hole of grief that will destroy me and everything I've ever been and yet nothing in the world could convince me to feed this love less. I don't spend enough time with you. I should come home more often. I should cherish this more. I can't possibly cherish it more. love will kill me and it's all I'm made of.

[bidaryl]

Loved your time travel fix it synopsis(seriously I’ll probably be dwelling on it all day). I also realized Negan is ironically in the same boat as Maggie, he gets the love of his life back, but it costs him a child.

🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹 thanku so much omg 🤧 technically i have started writing it but it's like. a mess. but i do never stop thinking about it cfhdgdvdf

also yes!!!!! i think i put something about annie in my original tags but i was also trying to not Spiral so i kept it short and brief but like.

wanna think about a negan that has loved and lost lucille, who has carved himself out to be a saviour to his people, yet a monster to others, who has been through hell and back and has survived what should've been certain death, and came out the other side.

wanna think about how he met and found and learned to love again with annie, and how he got to exist and live as a person who had someone waiting for him at the end of each day, after each run, someone to care for, and someone who cared about him after every fight.

wanna think about him having a kid, and holding his child in his arms. naming them and loving them, creating a family he never dreamed he'd get.

then the world restarts, and he's waking up in a house he hasn't called home for years, and his wife–his lucille–is sick but alive, and his brains so fucking scrambled trying to catch up, but it's lucille.

he would do anything for her.

then the complexities of like. confessing to lucille everything he'd done and everything he became and all the things he'd done in her name, the bone deep grief over looking at his wife and wanting her more than anything, can not believe he gets a second chance with her–hell, a third chance even–yet sometimes when she holds his hand, all he can think about is how it doesn't feel the way he's used to anymore. her hands aren't warn and scared like annie's were, and that cuts him to the core.

the way he can sometimes hear a baby crying, just slightly out of his sight, but every time he opens his eyes, there's nothing there. but lucille is, and he knows things will never be the same again.

idk. theres LOTS to think about and i love absolutely every fucking second I LOVE TIME TRAVEL AU'S

[ahbutimavillain]

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[sputnikodin]

my little sister asked to play splatoon with me this weekend <3 and i watched some star trek on facetime with one of my moms last weekend and it was great ..... It's so crazy like wanting to spend time with my family and knowing how to initiate spending time with my family and doing it and enjoying it ..... having good and less-fraught relationships with everyone is still new and alien to me. i love it

[eggmeralda]

I may have lost all hope

[brawlqueen]

attempt was made ! all replies will be queued and i think anything holiday related won't expire for me unless you don't want the ask answered. like last month ! they'll just go under the 'seasonal / holiday' title on my asks because the brain fog is real / life amping up so ! also i think mi.zuki is the most smug santa .

also this was last year but still . love reindeer mi.zuki and san.ta a.iba. in my post-canon verse (which is divergent) they're still partners but shared also with d.ate obviously ! i think people should give them a chance since a.iba is a very very solid support system for mi.zuki and mi.zuki keeps aiba amused and can keep up with her in her own way, it's one of the few good things i liked about a.ini. oh well sometime i'll talk about how important a.iba is to her ! plus, the unlimited psyncs are hilarious and show their bond and they bounce off each other's wit and chaotic natures honestly. or rather they bring out the chaos in each other. different bonds but no less important imho ! but yeah i'll post this again later uh...closer to the holidays i guess ?

[burger-goblin]

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[leapinarmadillo]

OK ABOUT MICHAEL REFUSING TO SWEAR INTO ADULTHOOD. i wonder what that had to do with.... religion, maybe, partially. but what EYE think. as a youngest child. is that he was the baby and he never made a normal transition into adulthood. can happen to anyone for a lot of reasons, but everything was x100 for him. i still barely swear in front of my family bc idk i'm just the youngest. i wonder if that's partially the reason for michael too? (obligatory I Know he wasn't the YOUNGEST youngest. but, of the j5)