#not properly anyways. YES it’s canon

[ultimate-v3lvetfang]

EXACTLY. the first 3 seasons weren’t phenomenal (objectively, i still very much like them tho) but they were so promising as a start up for a series that was teased to be 7 seasons from the beginning, they promised all these plans and left all these hints and plotlines that they didn’t even go in depth with, i remember being there for that comicon panel with the whole diagram of Aaron Ehaz’s plans and the rename, “the dragon king,” the plan for zym to grow to A FULL ADULT (which didn’t happen, he didn’t even speak till that one random moment in the LAST episode of the series and it was played off as a joke?? how’d he even learn to speak?? and he jsut doesn’t talk again.)

s4 got iffy the SECOND i realized that they were so series about the book being your only form of context for why rayla left, and her coming back, no apology, no explanation, her and callums romance being treated like something to rekindle when Rayla didn’t even explain WHY she came back NOW and not earlier, my precious rayllum got toxic like bro what. WHAT HAPPENED.

and from then on it was like they kept wanting to gloss over a bunch of aspects, it just got progressively worse and worse until this last season that just looks like a big “beg me for more spinoffs/seasons” bait from the creators, it just franchise baiting.

idk it almost feels like they just. got lazy and gave up. every episode of s7 has scenes that last 2 minutes and skip to another scene that most times is just some unfunny joke or something that could’ve been added to the scene prior, they act like it costs money to write longer dialogue. i was left so underwhelmed at the end of each ep because it felt like they were always going nowhere, or took way too long to get somewhere, anywhere— im so sure s4-7 could’ve been condensed into 2 seasons, it’s almost like the plan was “make a long show that feels grandiose because the fans have been long awaiting this,” it’s all to fabricate hype.

i was sooo excited for this series but it was just so disappointing and i have so much to say but that’d have to be a whole other post cuz bro i had to sigh at least 5 times every episode

maybe i’m just so not enjoying myself this season, but Zym just spoke and it actually had me rolling bc that came out of NOWHERE

[cangrellesteponme]

happy pride month to the evil demon and the evil demon ONLY

[possamble]

Do you have any headcanons or thoughts about Falin having a crush on Marcille pre-canon? Especially during her later years at the school/the years she was with Laios.

Just full on "awkward and slightly gnc teenage lesbian has a massive crush on the touchy-feely girly girl straight best friend" tropes everywhere. Even better bc it's the "best friend is also the popular girl while lesbian is the slightly ostracized quiet one" dynamic in school. Falin gets so so so good at not having a heart attack every time Marcille gets in her personal space. But she's so resigned to never saying anything bc why would a girl as blinding as Marcille ever like her back. She also doesn't make an effort to get over it either, she's just content to be trapped in that stable dynamic of silently being in love with Marcille while getting to enjoy CLEARLY being Marcille's favourite person. She gets so used to it that it's almost just background noise most of the time-- it would have to be, unless she wanted to be freaking out 24/7 bc Marcille is so goddamn affectionate.

Her feelings also definitely change throughout the time that they're in school together-- at first it was this "whooaaah pretty older girl" puppy crush that you can clearly see developing in the flashbacks we get (I think she doesn't even like... realize her fixation on Marcille is romantic at all until years after it starts, when she's 12-14 ish and all the other girls around her are talking about crushes). But then they get closer, over the years Marcille starts getting really attached and letting down her guard, and Falin gets to see the ridiculous side of her. She gets to calm her down from her tantrums when experiments don't work out, or help her clean up when something explodes in her face. I feel like the progression of her feelings from "schoolgirl infatuation" to "unrequited love" probably almost exactly corresponds to how slowly Marcille goes from trying to keep Falin at a polite but friendly distance (like she does with everyone else) to her facade completely eroding as she becomes her cheerful and ridiculous self again for the first time since her father died.

That's probably the saddest part: Falin knows that she's clearly Marcille's favourite person on the surface level, but she doesn't quite fully grasp the enormity of what that means to Marcille. She doesn't get that she's the person who made the world colorful again for Marcille, that she is the first person outside of Marcille's family to really and truly make her laugh. She just thinks she's the beloved but dinky little short-lived sidekick, one of many that Marcille has had and will have.

Part of it is that, despite Marcille becoming such a clingy and affectionate best friend, I think her initial demeanour already did its damage. You see Falin being super adventurous and weird at first, bringing Marcille berries and other stuff, only to be rebuffed by Marcille exasperatedly saying she's working or looking kind of put off by it. And by the time you see her a little older, shes already quieter and better at masking -- and I'm not saying that that's entirely Marcille's fault (being the weird girl at an all girls academy for almost the entirety of her teenhood must have been brutal, my god) but she definitely learned that she's a potential nuisance to Marcille if she doesn't tone herself down. She learned that Marcille most likely sees her as a weird little kid following her around bc she has no other friends. And for the most part, she was never given any reason to unlearn any of that.

And that all very very smoothly transitions into Marcille being her "first love that was never meant to be anyway" when she leaves the academy. Chapter closed in her mind: she loved and pined from a distance and that was that. Every now and then she'll see another woman with Marcille's build or her shade of hair and be like ":( I miss her..." But then just kinda move on with her day. Same with when she's going through her own spellbook and finds a note that Marcille left her/correction that she made-- she'll smile fondly and reminisce about how much Marcille doted on her, and then move on.

Sometimes she thinks about contacting Marcille but convinces herself that it's too late (she spent too many months focusing on getting Laios healthy again and didn't mean to go no contact, but ah well). It's only when she has a practical reason to be reaching out that would also benefit Marcille ("Marcille is studying dungeons and we need a trustworthy mage to go with us to the dungeons") that she feels like she's allowed/that it wouldn't just be 100% a nuisance.

I almost think she didn't expect Marcille to reply at all, only to get a telegraph (or some in-universe equivalent of express mail, maybe magical pigeon carrier) that's like. EN ROUTE TO ISLAND. LETTER TO FOLLOW. and she freaks out like AAAA LAIOS SHE SAID YES WE HAVE TO CLEAN UP NOW.

I do think getting a response accidentally sparks a little hope in her, judging by the way she acts in the chp 57 flashback-- she's pouty that Marcille sees her as a kid, gets really worked up about being presentable, and then tries to play it cool when she actually meets Marcille (as if she didn't freak out and force Laios to shave while rambling a mile a minute about Marcille). She's an adult now, really and truly, and she's seen and survived things that her 18 yr old self would have never even imagined-- then all of a sudden, the person she was in love with since she was ten years old appears, and she's so desperate to be seen as mature and competent. She's trying soooo hard to impress Marcille with her newfound combat and dungeoneering experience...

Only to fall right back into their old dynamic. RIP. At least she gets the girl eventually, even if it takes dying twice and being the core catalyst behind an almost-apocalypse.

[miningroseakira]

ello, another doodle i made when i was drawing lifers in anticipation for wild life. have a jimmy

he's technically from my personal headcanon au if anyone wonders why he has the closed eye on his hand. but it's not super relevant, honestly i just wanted to draw a jimmy lol

btw my personal headcanon is that he got the canary wing symbol after 3L and it's unclear to everyone whether the canary curse is an actual curse the watchers put on him, thus the canary wing mark, or whether the mark is simply intended as a symbol to immortalize his failure in 3L and onwards directly on his skin and has no actual sway on whether he does or does not die first. fun times

[oceanwithouthermoon]

im still not over the fact that i posted about t*risai shippers glorifying sa and people got SO mad and denied it to high hell but like genuinely more than half the t*risai fanart i run into implies sa but treats it as casual or cute ??????????

[galaxy-fleur]

Warm comfort after a job well done

Some soft Aruna/Chris because they've been brewing on my mind lately. Nothing like a huge, burly man being a massive little spoon at heart.

Aruna info-post!

Additional one-shot bellow <3

Chris lets out a long, weary sigh as his legs drag him up a route he now knows by heart, smooth, automatic doors sliding open with quiet hum to let him through. His haggard appearance doesn't fit among the squeaky clean lab environment, making him stick out like a sore thumb. He never really did look appropriate in here, though. Even on a good day. He's far too big, too rough around the edges for this pristinely tidy place. And yet, against all glaring contradictions, this was also a place to call home.

It wasn't a surprise to find Aruna right where she usually is, her back turned to him, and her hands far too busy with whatever overcomplicated project that was on her plate this time around. In their own right, they were two workaholics through and through, both living their jobs rather than just going through the motions.

Perhaps that explains how they flowed together so well.

As soon as she looked over her shoulder at her visitor, a broad smile spread across her face. He's been out on an assignment for almost a full week now, and even though that was a tried and true routine for them at this point, it always filled his chest with pure relief whenever he came back to see her safe and sound in his time away. Or, well, mostly safe and sound. While Aruna wasn't deployed out in the field nearly as frequently since her primary responsibilities were mostly limited to the lab, that didn't mean she wouldn't get herself into all kinds of bizarre incidents. Whether it was her natural carelessness or her scientific inclination, he sure didn't like just how frequently she'd get another strangely shaped bruise or a charred hair here and there.

In any case, he was far too tired out of his mind to make any remarks on her being up late for work again. He'd be a major hypocrite if he did. Truth is, he was glad she was still on the job. That meant he could come up here and see her like this.

"-You're back! I figure the mission was a success?"

He virtually collapses into the nearest lab chair with a muffled grunt after dragging his body there. Fatigue is evident in his weary eyes, his shoulders slouching as he rests his hands on his knees. Despite his efforts to project a strong exterior, his typically stern and intense gaze looks even heavier and darker due to sheer tiredness pulling him down. In here, he wasn't a tough leader, carrying the responsibility to be everyone's strength, no matter how dire the situation is. In here, he was just Chris. And Chris was so, so tired.

"...Yeah. We got the job done," he replies with a sigh, his gruff and deep voice sounding rougher and hoarser than usual. He knows he comes off as a little curt, but that's mostly because he doesn't want to discuss the job at the moment. The job is all he thought about for days on end. He had to. He needs to rest his thoughts.

Aruna's smile softens into a more understanding one as she briefly scans his body from head to toe to determine what injuries she could already pinpoint without giving it a closer look. Chris was always plagued by injuries. A few new cuts and some sporadic burn are a familiar staple, and that's on a good day. Neither of them would make a big fuss about it. But that doesn't mean they didn't give a damn, either. There was simply no point in dwelling on something that is utterly inevitable in this line of work. Thankfully, aside from utter exhaustion and a pulling ache in his bruised shoulder, there wasn't anything major to worry about this time around. He's here in the first place in part because of that.

She sets her equipment aside, swiftly removing her gloves, and approaching him in a few quick strides. One of her hands rests on his shoulder, her voice soft as she tilts her head down at him: "...You need rest. Not to be rude, but... you look like hell. Did you even go to medical for a checkup before coming here, hm?"

She knows him too well.

He lets out a trembling breath, his tired eyelids fluttering shut, his body starting to relax at her presence. Chris leans against her touch slightly, responding to her, admittedly, very valid question with a slight, stubborn huff.

"I told the rest of the team to go to medical and get examined while I went straight here. I’ll go to medical later," he mutters out with a slight dismissive wave of his hand that felt as though it took half of his remaining energy to even lift his arm up.

Aruna just sighs in clear disapproval, giving him a light, playful nudge that makes him sway in his current seat in spite of all the muscle supposed to keep him steady. Although she's usually all for consideration and understanding - sometimes a bit too much for his liking - she is also well aware that he's not all that good at taking care of himself properly. Everyone needs rest, and she, unfortunately, knew better than to trust him solely on his word.

"Alright, fine, you can rest here. But you're going to medical later, even if I have to drag your hunky butt up there myself," she hums, beginning to comb through his untidy hair, brushing off some dirt and gunpowder that had become tangled in the short locks. Probably not the most appropriate thing to do in a laboratory of all places, but they could allow themselves to break the rules sometimes. They did that far too many times to count at this point, after all.

As he leans into Aruna's hand, silently savoring the sensation of her touch, he can't help but chuckle. She may grumble, but she's still as soft and caring as ever.

"Hunky, huh?" Chris raises an eyebrow at her, a small but playful smirk pulling at the corners of his lips as he eyes his fiancé. She rolls her eyes at that, grinning down at him knowingly. Slowly, he raises his better arm and wraps it around her middle, bringing her closer to him and into his lap. Aruna just follows his lead and settles against him without protesting or even teasing him on it as she usually would. He doesn't waste much time to bury his nose against her chest, nuzzling his face against her warm skin, and wrapping a muscular arm around her back to keep her close.

Even though he's now indoors, the cold he's had to endure these past several days still bites at his cheeks, and her body heat feels like a divine escape from it. With a tired and heavy exhale, he slumps against her, resting his body on hers, even as he keeps her in his lap. At this point, it almost feels like he's using her as a personal teddy bear because of the way he eases up against her smaller frame.

Her nails lightly stroke his scalp as her hand returns up to continue combing through his hair mindlessly.

"Hunky, handsome, ridiculously stubborn... Hey, that last one seems to be true even now. I'm kind of scared what you're gonna be like when you're sixty," she adds with a playful smile, her other hand resting upon his shoulder, her thumb rubbing small soothing circles into the fabric of his turtleneck. "I'm gonna be dealing with one stubborn old man."

A warm feeling of affection fills his chest as he grins at that. God, he missed her.

"Ah, but you still fell for me anyway," Chris responds with a tired but teasing tone that comes out sounding muffled against her chest, his warm breath rolling over her skin. His muscles gradually relax as he rests against her in silence for a few peaceful minutes, before letting out a small, tired groan. There is a clear difference between her soft and mostly clear skin, which is usually untouched by direct combat or violence, and his hard and calloused body, which has seen far too much action over the years. He sighs: "...I just want to enjoy your company a little longer. The others got it a lot worse than me. Hell one of ‘em got a bullet go straight through his shoulder so he definitely needs that care way more than I do."

Aruna's smile softens a bit as she continues to silently caress his head. Despite him probably being way too heavy on her like this, she doesn't protest or complain to him one bit, taking all of his - admittedly, rather hefty - weight like a true champ. If anything, it's a clear sign of his tiredness, as he is typically very protective and careful about not being too heavy on her.

"...You should rest," she murmurs quietly. "You really need it."

He leans into her touch with a low hum. Almost like a touchstarved tomcat would, practically melting at her simple caresses.

"I just... need you right now. I need you more than sleep… can I be selfish, just this once?" Chris mumbles out faintly, his voice coming out sounding gruff and vulnerable. He is more than aware that it is far from ideal to be covered in sweat, dirt, grime, and the faint remnants of dried blood, especially when he is holding on to his fiancée like this. He is also well aware that he should probably take a shower and go up to the medical to get examined out properly. But even though he's a filthy, unkempt mess, he's far too exhausted, and all he really wants right now is to just be near her, even if it's only for a minute or two. "…I promise I’ll shower after I get some rest, I just… I need to hold you first."

Aruna leans down and kisses the top of his head.

"You can be selfish as much as you want right now," she assured softly, her hand still stroking his hair. "Just rest. I'm not going anywhere."

He nearly melts into Aruna right then and there. He exhales again, his tense muscles unwinding, further relaxing against her. The adrenaline from the mission is gradually fading from his system now that he's at home and in his fiancé's company. He wraps his arms around her waist and buries his face in her chest again, his eyes fluttering closed and his voice dropping to a gravelly whisper.

"…I’m so damn tired." He lets out another trembling sigh, soothed by her presence and the sensation of her soft hands caressing him and petting his hair. The exhaustion seeps into his bones fully, both a relief and a curse in one. "Missed you."

She lets out a quiet 'mhm' in acknowledgement, silently running her fingers through the dried out locks. He guesses his hair is probably far from the softest variety right now. But Aruna didn't mind. She never did. She was always there for him whenever he returned, through the good and the bad, willing to provide any consolation and assistance she could. After all, she understood first hand the cost he had to bear to protect the rest of the world from the bloodshed of bioterrorism. She has never once asked him to stop, even though she was probably just as worried about his safety while he was away as he was about hers. Neither did he.

This was their life, their fight, their purpose. Regardless of how hard and exhausting it was at times, neither of them could see themselves in any other place.

"How about this, big guy… I’ll let you nap here for a bit, but you will be getting your butt up to medical after you wake up. I want you to be properly checked out and treated. And you'll change out of your gear. I’m sure as hell not letting you into our bed smelling like a war zone. You stink," the scientist says sternly, but the hint of a smile can still be heard in her soft tone.

As she relaxes against him, he sneaks in a small and weary smile onto his face. Despite his reluctance to leave her arms, he does admit that she is very much right. He is not willing to argue over something so silly.

"I guess you win. Again." All his senses are now completely relaxed as he holds her against his body, breathing in the scent of her perfume lingering on her skin. Lemon grass and geranium. He nuzzles his nose against her collarbone. "-You better shower with me after all of this is said and done then."

He hears her laugh at his muttered demand, making his smile widen against her.

"Uh-huh, alright, you got yourself a deal, Redfield. Shower together it is," she agrees, her words laced with light playfulness that was like a balm to his battered body. As she lowers herself down, she swiftly pecks his forehead. "Now rest, you big, stubborn idiot."

Another shiver of delight runs down his spine at the simple affection she was spoiling him with. Despite the tiredness and exhaustion he's feeling, the thought of having her warm body pressed against his own in the shower later makes him almost excited about the idea. That's certainly one thing to look forward to, at least.

"I’m your stubborn idiot." With a tired sigh of relief, he presses his face into the soft skin of her neck, practically burying it there, the stubble on his jawline scratching at her slightly, to which she giggles lightly. She can make him completely pliant and docile in her arms, even though he is known for being intense and gruff on the appearance. He whispers against her skin, his voice weary and gravelly: "I’m all yours."

He may have a tendency to appear tough and guarded, but in quiet moments like these, when his body is pliant and docile in her embrace, it became openly clear just how tired and weary he really was under his front of responsibility and leadership.

"You're mine alright," she replies, her fingers slowly massaging the back of his neck, slowly tracing small, soothing circles on his skin. "That means I get to protect you, too. Now rest. You're safe here."

That's all the words he needed to hear.

[marginal-notes]

Okay, so. No one needs to hear me out on this. I’m just saying. One day I’m going to crack and heave out all my biting commentary about Naruto gender and clan and lineage politics through the lens of an always-a-different-sex Kakashi fic or outline, and it’s just going to… exist… out there.

No one else gets changed, it’s just Kakashi, and it’s going to be a nightmare from start to finish that’s definitely also heavily tinged by my personal perspective on being agender aro ace.

[23sanguinity]

“We all see the way you look at her”

Reiner he’s like at most, looking vaguely in her direction. YOU on the other hand look like you want to kill him for…. Looking at a girl?

[loumauve]

Sable pic spam bc I'm ridiculously attached to this buggy game

[youremyonlyhope]

I forgot to watch Survivor tonight and instead watched a 60 minute long video essay called Martha Jones Deserved Better (And Other Correct Doctor Who Takes)

I regret nothing.

[10millionotters]

Shelter from the Rain

Rating: Mature

Characters: Simon "Ghost" Riley, Original female Character

Relationship: Simon "Ghost" Riley/Original female Character

Word Count: 3354

Additional information: First meeting, Mission Fic, Action/Adventure, Gunshot Wounds, Developing Relationship, Pre-Canon

“We should arrive at our destination right on time,” he had expected her to slow him down, but she didn’t.

She only nodded.

Had he scared her into silence?

He just didn’t like the stiffness of her tone, but maybe it was for the better if they stood quiet.

She quietly scaled up a ledge and extended a hand to Ghost, he didn’t deny her help.

Read it on AO3 or under the cut

“Lieutenant.”

The girl saluted him, her hand was shaking.

“Sergeant Rosales.”

How old was she even? 25?

He had read her file. Quite impressive.

Captain Price had a talent for picking up people like her.

“You can call me Sparrow.”

“Ghost.”

Cat got her tongue, huh?

There was a confused expression on her face, as if she wanted to say something but wasn’t sure how to formulate any coherent thought.

“So. Uh…”

Special forces medic for the SAS.

Ghost squinted as he fixated on the deep scar on her right cheek.

Did that happen in action?

Added a little something to her appearance at least. She was a pretty girl.

Such a shame she joined the military.

It wasn’t a place for people with futures.

“Captain Price told me you usually work alone, but I reckon given the current circumstances -“

Marie felt a little nervous. Did he even listen to anything she said?

“I was there for the briefing.”

Jesus.

She was just trying to make smalltalk.

He probably wasn’t one for it, of course he wasn’t. Given that they were somewhat forced together by Price.

She couldn’t blame the old man. His heart was way too soft when it came to his teams.

Normally, she would still be deployed with her own unit, but she had been moved as per Captain Price’s request.

Instead of feeling burning desert heat, they were now moving through deep thickets trying to find their target.

Somewhere deep in these woods was an old factory, long abandoned and probably overgrown.

It would have been a beautiful place under any circumstance, but now it was nothing but a hideout for a terrorist group.

Price hadn’t lost too many words. Apparently an exchange of important intel was bound to happen.

Intel on AQ that they desperately needed.

This could have been a one man job.

But no…

Ghost listened intently to the sound of Sparrow’s footsteps behind him. She had field practice.

This wasn’t meant to be him babysitting a newbie.

Sometimes - all the time - the thought processes that lead to Price’s decision making were a mystery to Ghost.

In all his time in service, Ghost had never needed backup in the field. It felt like Price was planning something.

“Can you keep up?”

“Yes Sir.”

God she was stiff.

He could hear her shudder, all he did was ask her a question. There was no need to be so formal.

… at least she was agile.

Every now and then Ghost turned around to check on her, she kept up with his pace, her firm gaze meeting his.

“We should arrive at our destination right on time,” he had expected her to slow him down, but she didn’t.

She only nodded.

Had he scared her into silence?

He just didn’t like the stiffness of her tone, but maybe it was for the better if they stood quiet.

She quietly scaled up a ledge and extended a hand to Ghost, he didn’t deny her help.

Sparrow had a firm grip, she was stronger than he anticipated.

Even some of the men at base struggled to support his weight at times. Then again, she was a medic. She was probably used to moving bodies heavier than his.

The awkward silence between them still wouldn’t lift, Sparrow now walking ahead of him.

There was no reason to tell her to stop being so stubborn. No soldier should get caught up in arbitrary feelings so easily.

That was something Sparrow had to learn sooner or later. The sooner the better.

It would save her life one day.

“We’re 3 clicks away.”

“Roger.”

Good eyes, huh?

Ghost felt the corners of his mouth twitch.

If it weren’t for this fake politeness, the stiffness in her voice and body, she might even be a good companion.

Price seemed to like her, appreciated her work but also enjoyed her company. The old man had lost a few words about the girl before, how she made her whole squad laugh at times.

That she played music for them.

Whoever that was, Ghost couldn’t see a trace of her in Sparrow.

This stiff, anxious, creature that froze up when he spoke.

Did his reputation precede him again?

It was useful at times but when he was supposed to work with someone it could spell out trouble.

They walked in silence.

This time Sparrow turned to check in on Ghost, her face didn’t betray any thought she had.

“It should be safe but we should check for …”

Sparrow stopped herself, her voice died down in her throat as she just shook her head and walked on without saying anything else.

Ghost quietly followed her.

She did check for tripwires and any form of trap.

She was attentive.

But Ghost found himself pulling her back.

“Piano wire, it’s hard to spot.”

For the first time in what felt like forever, he could feel her body relax under his touch.

“Fucking hell… I didn’t see that one.”

Oh? The little bird could swear?

Ghost let go of her arm and defused the trap.

“We should be good to go now.”

The medic nodded and continued on, a heavy feeling sinking in her stomach.

“Say… do you think this is normal? Just… there’s a few traps and all, but should their guards patrol this area if the exchange of intel is this important?”

She had a point.

“We’re still at a safe distance from the actual exchange, Sergeant,” but he felt himself grow a little agitated too.

This was new to most of them. They couldn’t read AQ’s movement patterns as well as they’d liked to.

It’s not that Price would let them run into an obvious ambush.

“Keep going, we will scout out the area when we get to the roof,” maybe the terrorists were ill prepared for operation in these parts.

But they had secured this area, there was no way they got reckless now.

Maybe they felt safe enough to make the exchange happen quietly.

Too many guards in these parts would draw negative attention.

An old abandoned factory should stay that way unless you were banking on someone finding you.

The sudden sound of footsteps and voices alerted the duo.

They were speaking normally at first but the defused traps alerted them to the presence of someone else.

Frantically, they began searching the premises for the intruders.

Sparrow grabbed her knife, a gun wouldn’t do her any good in this place, she waited.

Every now and then she looked over to Ghost, they couldn’t really coordinate their actions but he seemed to be pleased with her initiative to take up a knife.

They could meet them halfway, make sure that they didn’t call for backup, but if nobody would find anything…

… it was a gamble.

Lying in wait, the soldiers could hear a discussion ensue.

But it didn’t seem to deter the guards from approaching their location.

Sparrow bit her bottom lip.

It wasn’t the first time something like this had happened.

They should have guessed that much.

Did they arrive too early?

She trusted Price’s informants to be trustworthy. No. This was probably some oversight on her end.

… Ghost had only followed her, maybe he would have done things differently without her.

He wouldn’t have ended up in a situation like this.

The noise of footsteps grew louder.

There were two guards.

Ghost gestured to Sparrow to lay low until they were close enough to sneak up on them and take them out with their knives.

She nodded and felt her body relax.

Why in the world was she more relaxed now than she was meeting her superior for the first time?

Maybe killing came way too easily to her now.

There was something feline about her moments as she darted out of her hiding spot, knife in hand, slicing the unsuspecting man’s jugular.

She watched his body drop.

Ghost only watched her stare as the guard bled out.

“We need to get rid of the bodies before they are spotted.”

Her voice sounded hollow as it bounced off the walls.

“Time isn’t on our side.”

Their eyes met, she looked different.

“I know.”

But she still made a good point.

She wasn’t perfect by any means, she would be ranking higher if she was, but she could learn.

They watched the bodies vanish between a pair of empty containers and continued on their way up the empty building.

This time, they would make sure to take their time to assess their surroundings.

“We only have so much time before they’ll realise that their patrol is not responding, our best bet is that the exchange will happen before they notice their missing men,” Ghost waited for a response, she only nodded at him firmly before positioning her sniper rifle.

“… we can’t go in hot, they’d easily outnumber us, but we don’t have time to pick them off like this. Unless…”

Was she really in a position to make suggestions? After all, she was the reason this operation nearly went downhill.

“…”

No. She couldn’t keep doing that to herself, it would be up to Ghost to decide.

His gaze was fixed on her, waiting for her to speak.

“Cover me from up here, I will take down as many as I can below. I will try to get as close to the exchange without blowing the cover, once it is finished, it’s time to clean house.”

If anything happened to her, he wouldn’t be able to intervene quick enough.

“Does your throat microphone work?”

Ghost watched her remove her scarf, “If I turn it on I’m sure it will.”

Hearing her voice directly in his head, he noticed that she had gotten softer in tone. A lot more relaxed than she was before.

“Do you need directions?”

“I’m a big girl, I can handle myself.”

Ghost shook his head as he watched her sneak off.

Godspeed, soldier.

If anything would happen to her, he didn’t know how to explain it to Price.

For now, all he could do was trust in her skill and the confidence she had in it.

“I think I’m in your blind spot right now.”

“Check.”

“There are three guards ahead of me.”

“Wait for them to split up.”

“Roger.”

He heard the guards talk to each other, once the conversation ended he was on high alert.

Only one of them came in sight, that meant Sparrow was still left with two.

Ghost felt his finger twitch on the trigger, but he had to wait for her signal before he could pull it.

“Clear.”

The body dropped and he watched it being dragged off into his blind spot.

They gave her the wrong name, that was for sure.

That wasn’t a bird, especially not a little sparrow.

Ghost watched the catlike creature sneak up to a lonesome guard.

Where she had been clean before, she was meticulous now.

Never expected to see a medic go against their job description in such a way, but he didn’t mind.

“I got this.”

Another two down.

“That was impressive, Sir.”

“…”

Impressive wouldn’t save her ass in case the tide would turn against them.

“Two trucks approaching your position, either stay low or get out now. They’re 2 clicks out.”

She was brave, he had to give her that.

But bravery was the end of so many comrades before her.

Ghost was fixated on her as she darted across the open space between the buildings, hiding away behind a few crates again.

“I need you to be my eyes, Sir.”

“Roger. You should be safe. I’ll cover your position.”

For a few moments, he could have sworn he heard her breathing speed up, was she nervous?

“You’re safe.”

Silence.

Smart girl.

They could talk later.

Car engines came to a screeching halt.

Heavily armed guards excited the vehicle.

What kind of intel did they have to guard like this?

Ghost felt his stomach drop.

There was no way she would be able to handle this on her own, she was quietly waiting in her position; the guards began to split up.

They would find the bodies soon, no matter how well hidden they were.

It was do or die.

“I will try to take out as many of the armed guards as I can, keep your knife at the ready, aim for their knees and necks but only if they get close to you.”

Time wasn’t on their side.

No response.

He knew very well why as he watched the first body drop.

She was no longer safe in her position, no matter what Ghost said now, she would have to follow her own command if she wanted to live.

“They’re holding the exchange.”

“Stay low!”

Where the hell did she sneak off to -

Ghost cursed under his breath and continued to pick off every stray guard he could find.

His pulse was racing through his ears, that’s why he preferred to work alone.

25 wasn’t an age at which a life should be cut short.

If she would go hot he would have to interfere.

There were still too many guards for her to handle alone.

Her gear was meant to make navigation through the woods easier, not to protect her from heavy gunfire.

“Sparrow. How copy?”

No response.

Ghost took a deep breath, now it was on him to decide how to proceed.

If he would stay put for too long she might be compromised but if he intervened the entire operation could go belly up.

“Package secured. I need to get out before they spot the corpses, I’m going over the roof, cover me.”

“Roger.”

Did she have a deathwish?

The remaining guards began to move more frantically about the premises, the first corpse had been spotted, they might have to go hot.

Ghost was keeping close watch on the roofs, one of the old windows was lifted carefully as Sparrow snuck out.

Just as she lowered it the glass shattered in her hands, she tumbled back as she barely avoided the bullet.

“Run! Get out of there!”

The sound of her footsteps would easily give her away, but it didn’t matter. She was fast.

Ghost had to reevaluate the situation, he couldn’t cover her anymore. They had to go hot and most importantly - they had to get out there.

Alive.

In a haste, Ghost gathered his rifle and assessed the area. He needed to jump down on a few containers to get off the roof fast enough to reach Sparrow.

It would attract the enemy but they could either be fast or end up dead.

The noise the metal made as he crashed into it was deafening.

Voices began to frantically shout curses and directions. He would have loved to take one or more out but they had to keep moving.

A moving target was harder to hit..

“Sparrow!”

There was panic in her eyes, she knew that they had to stay separated so at least one of them would make it.

“Ghost take my backpack the intel -“

“I am not leaving without you!”

It was a split second.

She watched the bullet rip through Ghost’s mask, cracking the skull plate, she felt his hand pull on her arm as they fell to the ground.

He quickly rolled onto his back and began shooting the approaching enemies.

Sparrow desperalty kicked her feet in order to create distance before pulling her own gun.

How did she panic, why why why?

Why now of all times?

She didn’t react as a bullet dug into her arm, instead she kept shooting until the sound around them died down.

Little trickles began covering her face, her lashes.

Was she crying or was it rain?

“Ghost?”

“I’m here.”

It took them a moment to recollect.

This hadn’t just been close, it was a miracle they were still alive.

“We won’t be able to get out of this forest until the rain stops, Sparrow -“

“What?”

Wordlessly, Ghost lifted her up, she had no idea what was going on.

He looked at her worried, carrying her into a nearby building.

“We can’t stay here -“

“You’re bleeding.”

“What…?”

“Your arm.”

There was an emptiness to her eyes as she examined it.

Her backpack fell on the floor, so did she.

Wordlessly, she unpacked her gloves.

Sparrow didn’t flinch as she cleaned the wound as deep as she could go.

He watched her stuff cotton into the hole, tying up her arm. For a moment, she only stared at it.

“You didn’t feel it?”

“No…”

Ghost watched her intently.

There was a familiar feeling in the way she looked at the wound, it would scar.

After a few moments she snapped out of whatever state she had been in, her eyes now focused on Ghost.

“You’re bleeding -“

Her hands cupped his cheeks, he flinched. Not under her touch, but the pain in his cheek began to sting.

“I need to disinfect it, take off your mask.”

“No.”

“What do you mean, no?”

“I won’t take it off.”

“I can’t treat your wound if you don’t take that mask off.”

For a few moments they just stared at each other.

Ghost in unwavering defiance and Sparrow in growing agitation.

“You can’t be fucking serious, I risked my life to get the fucking intel and you can’t even take off that fucking mask so I can treat your bullet wound? Is this some weird ego trip you’re on or are you just -“

“Ugly?”

Sparrow pulled her hands back, they now rested on her thighs, “No… that’s… that’s not what I was insinuating.”

Ghost watched her intently.

So this is who she really was, huh?

“You know, I never do this, but I also want to know how badly they fucked up my mask.”

Rain gently tapped against the windows.

The faint smell of metal lingered in the air.

For a moment, Sparrow could have sworn that thunder struck.

Somewhere.

Deeper in the forest.

“If you keep looking at me like that you might end up falling in love,” Ghost wanted to laugh but he felt a fist bump into his arm.

“You’re not exactly Pedro Pascal, my friend. I’m not one for white British dudes.”

“That’s a shame.”

Her eyes widened before she started laughing, “You’re horrible.”

It was nice to watch her finally act more like a person around him.

“I can’t numb the area in case you’ll need stitches but let me check first,” she cupped his cheeks and gently moved his head towards the only source of light she could find.

His eyes were fixed on her while she went to work.

“I don’t want this to leave a scar.”

“How did you end up with yours? That’s a pretty bad one.”

Her hands were gentle, skilled. She cleaned out his wound while her voice began to shake.

“First time… in the field. During a hostage situation. I rushed in too fast, the kid was so scared they didn’t know who I was and attacked me,” a small chuckle escaped her, “I was bleeding all over the poor thing while I was treating them. There was no other medic around. I didn’t even realise half of my cheek was sliced open.”

“How old were they?”

“9.”

Ghost flinched as she applied an antiseptic to his wound, “I don’t trust anything out here not to infect your wound.”

“What about yours?”

For a moment the corners of her mouth twitched, nearly curling into a smile, “If I pass out, will you carry me back to base?”

“Shouldn’t I buy you dinner first?”

She laughed again, “I swear to God if you don’t stop that...”

But her smile died as quickly as it appeared, “I risked this operation and our lives by rushing in again today, Sir. I’m sorry.”

“We all make mistakes, Marie.”

How odd.

The rain had stopped but she could have sworn thunder struck again.

“Thank you.”

He pulled his mask back over his face, “We should be good to go.”

Ghost got up and extended his hand to the medic.

She grasped it firmly, maybe this wasn’t so bad after all.

[imperatrice21]

Does anyone have any fics like this? Scary evil parents with cute sunshine children are like one of my favorite tropes ever.

but imagine teen titans animated series slade with a soft spot for this rlly gentle mountain child and all the other villains are like "????" and the heroes are like "?????" too because next to trigon he's the scariest character on that show (arguably more so than trigon because the threat was built up over so long) because maybe robin knows jericho is slade's son but it wouldn't surprise me if he kept it from the rest of the team

slade’s soft fatherly side having a shock reveal is still my favourite thing to think about 

(he dropped by to give you a sweater, joey, your mom’s been worried you aren’t dressing warm enough in this cold weather)

[koushirouizumi]

Meanwhile with Steve & Frigimon {of series: D i g i m o n 02} #TheBeginningSpoilers

Frigimon (Yukidarumon); Steve calls it "Frigimon" when at home: So, "That" one says they made us - or more like, 'you' - a Chosen to "befriend" "that other one"... Steve, low laughing under breath: "It" may have "said" that, but it's definitely wrong. Frigimon: Oh? You seem to have a strong feeling about this... (but it's expected of my partner). Steve, voice returning to normal 'cheery' tone: The thing it doesn't know is that I initially messaged Koushiro of my own volition. Frigimon: But it claims it 'made' you all do that... Steve: And again, it's definitely wrong... because it also doesn't know - or even understand why - how Koushiro initially reacted to me, much less the others in our group. Frigimon: Oh?? (Curious) (Tell Me More, Steve) Steve, swivelling around in chair: Koushiro rambled and info-dumped about different types of systems and coding for a solid ten or so messages back-and-forth before I finally clued Koushiro in more deliberately that I knew about "you all". STEVE: AND, at the start, Koushiro was hesitant to actually talk more to us about it all, even though we made it clear we all mostly knew since "that battle". Frigimon: But Koushiro came around because you were persistent? Steve, laughing: It's not so much "persistence" as "something that naturally fell into place" once I got more of a 'feel' of what Koushiro was like. Koushiro sounds extremely analytical on the 'Net, but apparently is also super formal in person, just in ...different ways. Frigimon: So, you're saying you didn't "pursue" Koushiro but couldn't the "naturally falling into place" still mean-- Steve, shaking head: No, not that either. Steve: Because I also initially wasn't sure if Koushiro actually wanted to be my "friend". Frigimon: ... Steve, clasping hands: Even if it could do everything that 'new' Chosen said, it doesn't understand that these aren't things you can "force". And even if it could, I wouldn't acknowledge it, because it's not a part of my culture... So it's not relevant to me. Frigimon, hmmng: The other monsters "like that" must really dislike us, then. Steve, quirking eyebrow with a grin: "Us"? Frigimon: Well, I don't like those notions, either. I can't really imagine myself being partnered to anyone not you, nor for any other "reason". Steve: ... Steve, quietly: {Thanks.} Frigimon: ... (After all, it is us.)

[fulloflambing]

࣪ . ִֶָ๋ CAPITANO: husband headcanons ♡

pairing: capitano x afab!reader/you warnings: reader is addressed as 'wife', canon and modern!au cho's note: the kinich one did rlly good, so now lets try it with our big boi hehe. happy reads everyone! lmk if u guys want an nsfw ver. of either/both characters ;3

this man is the definition of YEARNING.

he wasnt comfortable with the label of him being your boyfriend. with all his eternal affection and love for you? to just be a mere boyfriend? absolutely not. he just HAD to be your husband. proposed the moment he realized he loved you.

definitely proposed with a big stone :p

wears his ring 24/7 and kisses it whenever your not around and he misses you dearly.

he abuses the power of his mask and never misses the chance to stare and just admire your beauty. underneath his mask his eyes are full of love and admiration for you.

discreetly clingy. if your going out somewhere he wants to go with you 'to keep you safe' or he 'needed to pass by that area later anyway'.

hates taking off his helmet, but never stops you from sliding it off of his head to shower him with praise.

his nicknames for you are my love, dear, darling, prince/princess

his love language for you is physical touch, and words of affirmation

his favorite spots to kiss you on is your forehead, lips, the palm of your hands and your knuckles.

engraved your initials into his sword, and because of that he makes sure he takes good care of it always.

his kisses are always slow and intimate.

he is a quick-kisses or pecks HATER. he has to kiss you for atleast 10 seconds. he doesn't care if hes late, if theres someone right infront of you— he kisses you like its the last time, everytime.

more of a listener than a speaker

he likes to go on dates or do activities with you where you both have to talk to eachother a lot. like fine dining dates, late night walks or driving!

very touchy in private. he likes to snake his arm around your waist, pull your hair to the side and kiss the back of your neck.. hes just addicted to praising and carressing your body.

ever since he married you, he absolutely despises overtime. he gets bossier and meaner to his subordinates when he realizes he might have to stay a little later to supervise them. sometimes he even leaves his job or his expeditions early just to get home to you.

frequently brings you gifts. a bouquet of rare flowers, a jewelry set with special ore customized just for you, lavish wine.. you name it.

never wants to argue with you. the second you tell him he's wrong, he just immediately agrees with you, spewing "yes ma'am." "your absolutely right. i didn't think of it properly.. apologies my love."

ever since he married you, he likes to subtly flex he has you as his wife.

"Sorry, i must end this conversation early. My wife is waiting on my presence." and you can just HEAR how cocky he is to say that.

writes you longgggg letters when he has to get away from business for awhile.

regarding his letters, he made you scribble/draw a design which he got custom made to become his wax seal for said letters :) a very keen man

got you a coat matching his own!

when your crying, he likes to hug you in silence, just letting you soak him in your tears. when you've calmed down, he tells you hes there to listen if you want to talk about your feelings, and theres no problem of yours hes not willing to help you solve. in his mind, your pain is his own, and he'll always be there to support you through any troubles.

very possessive. he wants people to know your his, and hes yours.

princess treatment on TOP. carries you easily when your tired of walking, idly massages your hands or feet when your both lounging together, regularly brings you flowers

during misunderstandings, he likes to take a minute of silence to compose himself and his thoughts to make sure he doesnt say anything he doesnt mean

likes to properly sit down with you to talk out problems between the both of you, and keeps an open mind. he doesnt rush you or cut you off when your talking about your feelings, and lets you know hes present and he cares about how you feel

takes extra time and effort after an argument to remind you he loves you.

overall, capitano is a very romantic lover despite his cold resolve, and honors your wishes with his life.

[milksnake-tea]

❀ ˎˊ- prompt: you've never told sunday you loved him, but you never had to. ❀ ˎˊ- sunday x gn!reader ❀ ˎˊ- wc: 787 ❀ ˎˊ- warnings: vague spoilers for 2.2, mild angst (sunday hates himself lmao) ❀ ˎˊ- a/n: i remembered some random hc that halovians are sensitive to emotions and i woke up in a cold sweat idk if its canon but i like it. anyways happy sunday guys <3 ❀ ˎˊ- img credits

Halovians are the prized jewels of the universe, beloved and admired by many for their elegance, beauty, and elusiveness. But as Sunday’s come to learn, being one of the revered beings isn’t what it’s made out to be.

His halo tingles, little buzzes of electricity shooting across the metal ring and flowing directly into his brain. Sunday flinches at the feeling, although it's hardly noticeable - just a little jump of the shoulders, surprise flashing over his face for a millisecond.

Then comes heat - scorching, smoldering heat that floods over him, embracing and smothering him in its intensity. Instinctively his wings move to cool him down, but the heat is all in his head - physically, he’s fine. But it’s the implication, the knowledge of just what this feeling is that sets his face ablaze.

Ever since he was but a young child, he’d discovered quickly that he could sense the emotions of those around him as if they were his own. Humans were always wearing false faces, putting up a front, but he could always see beyond the mask.

But it was overwhelming - to put it mildly - to be under this constant onslaught of clashing emotions, so eventually, he learned to tune them out, to ignore the waves that his halo received.

And yet, despite all of those years spent learning to block out the emotions of others, here he is, fighting with all his strength to not melt down into a flustered puddle as he walks by your side.

There’s no one else in the Dewlight Pavilion’s garden, so he has no doubt about it - it’s you who’s sending these… feelings his way, and that realization does little to help with his predicament - he’d even say it makes it worse. But Sunday wouldn’t be where he is if he wasn’t able to keep a straight face despite it all.

But he does wonder, how are you doing it? See, Sunday has the excuse of being trained and raised for his role in politics. But you? How could you act so casual, so unbothered, and treat him like any other despite how strongly you… love him?

It breaks a part of his mind just to admit it, but he doesn’t know what else to call it. The warmth that emits from you is the same as that that radiates off of the newly wed couples that come to Penacony for their honeymoon, except you don’t know whether or not your love is reciprocated, nor have you ever considered to ask.

A part of him wishes that you would.

“Sunday?”

He blinks back to reality. You’re smiling up at him, and the pure adoration that exudes from you has his knees weak and his heart jumping. He feels like he’s choking, his breath is caught in his throat and there’s a heavy weight on his chest - but he only smiles reassuringly at you.

“Yes?” he asks softly, taking great care to keep his voice even.

“Are you alright? You seem a little…” You trail off, not sure how to word it. “…off.”

The corner of Sunday’s lip twitches. “Off is… certainly a way to say it.”

Your brows crease further in worry, and he can’t help but laugh good-naturedly.

“Please, don’t worry yourself.” He waves his hand dismissively. “I am fine, but I’m grateful for your concern.”

“Are you sure?” you insist. Sunday smiles warmly.

He feels how much you care for him, how much you wish for him to be happy, to have the most wonderful things. But he can't help but wonder - why? Why him? The parts of you that you devote to him, someone such as himself does not deserve. Not when in his ideal dream, he is destined for a life alone in the sky.

You deserve to love someone else, someone who can properly appreciate what you give him.

Absent-mindedly, his gloved hand comes to brush a knuckle against your cheek. A pleased hum rumbles in his chest as he feels your skin warm and your heart skip a beat.

"Of course," he murmurs. "In fact, I'd say I've never been better."

“If you say so.” You don’t look convinced, but you don’t argue, instead opting to subtly lean into his hand.

Sunday’s eyes soften. Guilt gnaws at him for his indulgence. He should stop, pull away. Leading you on like this wasn’t right. He needed to wake up, and stop playing pretend. The Charmony Festival was almost here - he couldn’t afford to give himself false hope.

And yet, he lingers there, bathing in your affection for a little longer.

If this is his sweet dream, he doesn’t want to wake up just yet.

reblogs w comments are appreciated !!

tags: @sh0jun, @themoderatelyawesomeninja, @xphantasmagoriax, @rainswept, @lucensei,

@akutasoda, @naraven, @scribs-dibs, @apathicace

[linabirb]

"i probably shouldn't draw her in his outfit" so have i told you guys that linagram 2's theme is supposed to be truth and lies. yeah that was a lie

so sorry another oc post

greetings miki andou from a hit ocgram project called linagram. your main motivation as a character is to save your younger sibling from The Horrors and you do not care about what happens to you at all. honestly, if there was a way for you to sacrifice yourself for marito/asahi you most likely would. even though you really do have good intentions, your actions almost always have the worst consequences you can imagine, and even if you forgive people and choose to ignore their flaws, you only end up making them or the lives of other people worse. you're obsessed with saving everyone, guiding them, protecting them, controlling them, you will force other guards to forgive the prisoners you want to be saved if needed and maybe abusing the power you have really is the only way to save people sometimes. at least that's what you believe. prisoners either love you or hate you, some of them see you as their savior, some of them see you as extremely manipulative. you can be called "the goddess of milgram" even, honestly, you probably could become one, if it wasn't for the fact that milgram's real goddess is watching you right now.

now, may i ask you which character from a certain gacha game you kin. to be more specific, that gacha game has a turn-based combat system. to be even more specific, that game has the word "rail" in its title