#off road recovery near me

[towing-services-nashville]

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[abby-howard]

Some folks were asking for my boiled peanuts recipe (as they feature in our game, Scarlet Hollow, and we made a big batch this past weekend), but it's unfortunately a bit difficult for me to post with lightness in my heart right now because this past weekend the entirety of western North Carolina, where Scarlet Hollow takes place, was devastated by hurricane Helene.

Towns I have been to and have fond memories of have been described as "washed away." The region is almost entirely still out of power, the water is all contaminated with repair efforts expected to take weeks, and there are hundreds of people stranded, including my relatives, as roads have been totally destroyed. My uncle sent a photo of the road near his house, thankfully his home is okay but I have to image it's going to take a while for roads like this to see repairs:

I know this photo has been making the rounds, but it bears posting for those who haven't seen it-- the main strip of Chimney Rock, before and after:

Trees, cars, buildings, everything is gone. And now all that debris is just sitting in lakes and rivers. This is Lake Lure today:

Pictures from Swannanoa, an absolutely lovely town with so much character, where my sister went to folk music camp as a teen, where mobile home parks were hit hardest-- people's houses just floated away downriver:

And of course Asheville is the town most people will have heard of. A city of 95k, completely isolated in the days after the storm. The River Arts District was still underwater as of yesterday:

People throughout the entire region are without power and transport and fuel and water and food, they've lost their homes and their businesses, and people have had to resort to hiking to reach loved ones to see if they're safe or whether their homes were just wiped off the face of the earth-- hundreds are still missing because it's been so difficult to get in contact with people in these isolated, rural communities that are now nearly impossible to get to because roads were washed away or collapsed in landslides.

I honestly don't even know where to start when it comes to relief funds or ways that people can help. I've been listening to the local radio station and it sounds like the area is in shock, people are coming in to help pick up the pieces but there is so much recovery that will have to happen that it's hard to know where to start.

This article from the Citizen Times has a list of places that are currently helping with relief efforts.

It's absolutely unfathomable that a hurricane could hit the mountains. The effects of this are going to be felt in western NC for a long time, and my heart goes out to everyone who is currently stranded or trying to get in touch with people who are.

[space-blue]

It's horrible too if Jinx lives!!

OK, I guess we're doing this?

People keep coming at me for my post about Jinx dying being terrible writing and promoting suicide by heroics as a valid way out, and the argument is always "Actually, Jinx is alive because XYZ"

So let me makes myself clear : if Jinx lives, it's also terrible writing!!

Because for all intent and purposes, she DOES DIE! Even if she's alive and fucked off in that blimp, she's still dead to everyone who knew and loved her.

WORSE! Vi will go on thinking for the rest of her life that Jinx died because of her, or at the very least that she couldn't save her.

It's not for no reason that Vi has this scene in the cell with Caitlyn, where she says she always choses wrong. In the scene on the crumbling metal beam, Vi choses not to listen to Jinx!

People got in my comments saying I have no humanity for reproving Vi picking "Vander's corpse" over Jinx. But what we see happen is Jinx telling Vi multiple time to get away and how to get to safety, and Vi completely ignoring her to interact with Vander/WW, only for him to wake up, attack her, and force Jinx to risk her life to save Vi.

Vi made a choice, between more time with Vander and listening to Jinx, and the price paid in the end is Jinx dying.

What if she lived and escaped? Vi doesn't know that! Ekko doesn't know that! Or Sevika! Or anyone!

Thought exercise time: close your eyes and imagine a relative disappearing for your life after a lethal accident you're involved in. You never recover a body and never see them again. How do you feel about it? Mmh?

"Oh but Caitlyn sees the schematics that show a side tunnel…"

Firstly, Caitlyn was nowhere near the event, and she can't frame-by-frame the explosion as we do, so you can hardly claim she's looking for Jinx and not, for example, the arcane gem, or Warwick.

Vander/WW was shown to be entirely impervious to the bullets from Jinx's automatic gun. If anyone has a chance of surviving, it'd be him.

But do you know what? If Jinx is in that blimp, and Caitlyn then tells Vi, "From the schematic, I think your sister could have escaped" (ignoring entirely the fact that Jinx should be cut in half by WW's claws wrapped around her waist), then what would happen???

That would send Vi on a wild goose's chase!! How many years would she spend hunting through Zaun trying to find her sister? How many years until she starts resenting Caitlyn for giving her false hope? How many years until she's forced to accept Jinx isn't anywhere, and so must have died back then, and has to see herself as Jinx's killer all over again??

How is this good for Vi?

And Ekko? He pulled her out of suicide what? 5 times? Had some epic bonding with her painting all over each other, doing self-care and hair dyes and fixing a balloon so they could go on a big attack together.

Maybe he thought he could genuinely finally be close to his world's Powder. Silco just taught him the greatest thing he can do is forgive, and the girl he forgives fakes her death and runs away?

They're barely 20 ffs, Jinx would have plenty of time to struggle on the road to recovery, especially with his help. What if Ekko was ready to be there along the way with her? What about him?

How is it good if Jinx is NOT dead but has NOT told him? What difference does it make to him? She's dead for Ekko, and if he learns later on that she faked her death, all he'll know is that HE wasn't worth her staying. He wasn't even worth telling the truth to!!!

It's fucked! It's not healthy!! Jinx could have her ending removing herself from Zaun without having to fake her death.

But hang on, it gets worse!

Because it's straight up not good writing even on the meta level.

Arcane has millions of viewers. Nobody I know IRL thinks Jinx is alive. Plenty of people in my notes agree she's dead. Do you know what millions of people think? That she is dead!!! Because it's the TEXT OF THE SHOW.

Millions of fans will think Jinx was killed off, because they aren't willing to go frame by frame, extrapolating and make-believing their way into thinking she is alive. Most fans are normal people who aren't terminally online, theorycrafting all day long.

Most normal fans have moved on to watch Dune Prophecy or Sweetpea. And if Jinx comes out alive in another show, the "Somehow Palpatine Jinx returned" memes will abound.

Let's go over the common elements brought forth as arguments.

Jinx uses pink and blue in that bomb, and pink is how she gets away "quick".

No? The bomb she attached to Thieram in season 1 was pink and it was all for glitter and harassment. There is no strong canon association of meaning. If you watch frame by frame, there is a pink "light gleam" over the first blue detonation followed by a very large pink blast and ZERO smoke trails or anything indication someone getting away. Jinx uses the same bomb she used to kill herself very effectively earlier in the show, so we have no indication it wouldn't kill her here too.

We can see the inside of her bomb when she kills herself (with the two liquid vials) and it's the same she uses on Vander/WW and herself.

Besides, even if she used some part of the explosion to get away, WW's claws are around her like this:

She'd be bisected in half.

So some people say that means that Warwick is also alive and let her go! But no. That's make-believe. That's fanon, 100%. The TEXT of the show is that Vander is burnt away (we see the final image of himself burning up) and he has just attacked Vi, trying to kill her. We have no indication he'd want to spare Jinx here.

HOWEVER, he's literally bullet proof, so if there's anything we can conclude is that he's likely to be the one to have made it into a shaft and to safety.

Speaking of shafts: the next argument is that Caitlyn is looking at the tower's schematics to hint that she suspects Jinx lives.

Maybe, but you are reading a character's mind. We see her look at schematics while holding the monkey bomb head, yes, but you don't know what she's thinking, and if the show runners don't make it explicit, then Cait's thoughts about an explosion she hasn't even witnessed aren't worth much. She could think Warwick lived. OR she could think, despite not witnessing the fight, that Jinx lived. But she doesn't KNOW, she doesn't tell us, and so you are INVENTING the thoughts of a character to mean what you want it to mean.

This would be a lot more meaningful if it were Vi investigating this.

There's a blimp going away, it has blue smoke, and then it ends with a Jinx glitch.

No. There is a blimp going away, slowly, without any blue smoke. It's also THE EXACT SAME ONE that opens Season 1 act 1.

Instead of coming towards Piltover, it now is leaving over the sea. This can be fully interpreted as a sign that the hextech era is over. Blimps have to travel the old fashioned way again. It's also going away from Piltover/Zaun, symbolizing future stories taking place there.

Finally, the glitch is 3 frames long and spells "the End". IDK why the fact that it's a little Jinxy means anything to anyone. The end of credits for season 1 was Jinxy as well, and it could simply be about keeping the same visual identity and not a sign of Jinx being alive???

If I wanted to play subtext games, I could say "Wow Jinx writing "the end" would be appropriate if she were dead" and reverse the argument.

Finally, and the thing in most poor taste, IMO.

Jinx kills herself several times in the opening of the episode, and a sad emo song plays over it, with sad fucked up lyrics. Then Ekko comes and pulls her from this…

Only for that EXACT same song to be played while she and Vander/WW fall. They are both crying. Vi is crying and screaming while these lyrics are playing!!

If I could just lay my head down and rest. If there was nothing to fight or protect. Maybe then I could finally be free. Maybe death is like falling asleep. This world is a wasteland where nothing can grow. I used to have strength but I ran out of hope. I know it's my fault that I'm here all alone. This world is a wasteland. Please let me go. Go, go, go. Please let me go.

This is literally singing about suicide. When you say "Maybe death is like falling asleep" over the animation of a character pulling the pin, you are not dealing in subtext or metaphor of any kind.

One of the earlier shots literally has her framed in broken glass among shards that are WARWICK'S MAW. It's like a hint of her death being killed by him, furthering the parallel.

And I think it is in very bad taste to have suicide apologia music playing over characters screaming and bawling (Vi)

while others cry (Jinx and WW)

and a bomb goes off (with no hint of survival),

only for some of y'all to come around acting like Cait glowering at a blueprint and a recuring blimp all means Jinx is alive...

It would be grief porn on the part of the writers. It would mean slamming us in our feelings in a brutal way, in an ugly way, while playing a suicide song, only to turn around and say "Syke! didn't you get that Cait is suspicious about Jinx so it totally means it was all a fakeout?"

I don't want a fake-out at this point!! Why would I?? It's legit worse! Because then it means they couldn't spare 5min of animation time to have her rescued by Ekko and being on the mend with him. Even if she has a scene where she tells him "I need to leave. I can't stay in this city), at least it wouldn't be a cruel joke on the fans and the characters.

This entire ending means that either Jinx was better off dying taking out the mad monster made out of her dad with her (making her the ultimate dad killer, yay), or Jinx was better off removing herself from the equation SO THOROUGHLY that MOST fans believe it, everyone in world believe it, and the show offers no concrete textual clue for it.

It means Jinx didn't deserve/or wasn't able to get better. And so she has to die or do the exact-same-as-dying but kind of more fucked up somehow.

---

ULTIMATELY the message to impressionable viewers who struggle a lot with mental health and identified a lot with Jinx, are being told with soft sad music that yeah maybe dying is like going to sleep and your family should let you go, go, go, and that "leaving everything and everyone behind" is about the same.

It's fucked, and it saddens me that people are so focused on the "she lived" narrative that they miss out the fact that a hint she may be alive doesn't change the messaging.

And it saddens me knowing that if Viktor's arc ended with him being validated in feeling like his human body was "broken" and "inferior" and that his disability made him lesser as a human, people would have pitchforks and torches out.

Jinx's mental illness and struggles in interacting with the world were her disability, and she got fucking killed or wiped off the city incognito for it.

--

P.S: If you're warming up to post hate in comments or tags because you don't like my take and don't know how to politely disagree, please save us both time and block me. I'm open to polite discourse but the next person questioning my humanity over fandom wank will be nuked from orbit with prejudice.

[cupcakeslushie]

What condition does donnie have in EW?

Schizophrenia?

Well, it’s a mix of PTSD from his childhood trauma, and hallucinations from being slightly exposed to Empyrean. So, while it’s all partly a cause based off fantasy, I do try and do my research to keep it in the realm of something concrete. Donnie has audio/visual hallucinations, depersonalization/dissociation, memory blanks, etc…. Pile that all, on top of his genius brain fighting a chaotic, disorganized mind that’s constantly in fight or flight mode.

I’ve had a few people say they recognize certain aspects of themselves in my Donnie, and so I think it’s less about assigning a specific name to what Donnie has, and more about the story of how he and the people that love him, help him in figuring out how to live a good life, while handling all the trauma he’s been through!

I’m right there with you, and that’s probably one of those things I gave all the boys to some extent, because damn, if that wasn’t me when I was younger 😅. I’ve since moved on to using less harmful means of stress relief, but it remains something that I just instantly read as an anxious habit lol—it’s just the levels and ways each of the boys exhibit it that vary.

Leo is the one more likely to pick and scratch to harm, because unfortunately, he does his as a type of holdover, self-flagellating from even the tiniest of mistakes. Mikey gets distracted with thinking up ideas, and bites his nails, sometimes a little too deeply. To the point where he’s drawing blood—it also sucks because he loves painting his nails. Raph will chew on his palms and knuckles from anxiety, but his skin is so tough, that he rarely does actual damage. Donnie will pick and scratch at everything—his hands, his arms, his face—especially when he hits a frustrating road-block. It won’t even register that he’s broken skin—his pain tolerance is so fucked up.

Donnie’s worst near death experience was, of course, the vivisection. He didn’t follow any after-care instructions, and infection very nearly killed him. Most of the other stuff was, of course, physically and mentally scarring, but not life-threatening. Thanks to being spaced out, with time for recovery, where Draxum just flat out ignored Three’s existence. As far as testing his endurance in the sleep department. Draxum made Three create a smaller, more refined version of the collars he made for Big Mama. When Draxum was tired of dealing with Three, but still feeling slightly generous, he’d force him to wear the device, rather than just chaining him up to the table. The watch would track Three’s heart rate and keep his path confined to set rooms only. Any time the watch detected Three was falling asleep, or outside of his approved perimeter, it would, you guessed it—shock him!

[fairy-writes]

Kaiju No. 8 Oneshot Masterlist

Last Updated: 12/22/2024

*All oneshots are gender neutral unless specifically stated otherwise!*

Narumi Gen (he doesn't get a gif until they fix his anime design)

A Spectacular Day Off: Narumi Gen x Reader

Near Death Experience: Narumi Gen x Reader (HEADCANONS)

Running Away from What?: Narumi Gen x Female!Reader

Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night: Narumi Gen x Female!Reader (HEADCANONS)

Spending Time: Narumi Gen x Reader

Narumi Gen’s Ideal Date

A Long Road to Recovery: Narumi Gen x Reader

Come and Get Me: Narumi Gen x Reader

Open Your Eyes: Narumi Gen x Civilian!Reader

Don't Leave Me: Narumi Gen x Female!Defense Force!Reader

Stay: Narumi Gen x Reader

Later Never Comes: Narumi Gen x Reader

Fighting Tooth and Nail: Narumi Gen x Defense Force!Reader

Hibino Kafka

He Listens: Hibino Kafka x Reader

I Heard Goodbye: Hibino Kafka x Female!Pregnant!Reader

My Best Girl: Hibino Kafka x Female!Pregnant!Reader (PART TWO TO I HEARD GOODBYE)

Hoshina Soshiro

Near Death Experience: Hoshina Soshiro x Reader (HEADCANONS)

Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night: Hoshina Soshiro x Female!Reader (HEADCANONS)

Hoshina Soshiro's Ideal Date

One-Sided Conflict: Hoshina Soshiro x Female!Defense Force!Reader

Breathe with Me: Hoshina Soshiro x Defense Force!Reader

Siren Song: Hoshina Soshiro x Siren!Female!Reader

Young Prodigies: Hoshina Soshiro x Reader (HEADCANONS)

Object of Your Affection: Hoshina Soshiro x Female!Defense Force!Reader (HEADCANONS)

Fighting Tooth and Nail: Hoshina Soshiro x Defense Force!Reader (HEADCANONS)

Little Hands, Big Heart: Hoshina Soshiro x Reader (PART TWO TO YOUNG PRODIGIES)

Ichikawa Reno

Looking Back in Time: Ichikawa Reno x Civilian!Reader

Exhaustion: Ichikawa Reno x Sick!Reader

[floressokaap]

"What Was I Made For?"

Pairing: John Dory x Reader

Content Warning: none! Enjoy! :)

A/N: Hello! The majority of my fics will be AFAB w/pronouns unless specified/requested! Thank you!<3

Photo credit: etherealfeature on Instagram!

John Dory. You really didn't know exactly how to describe him. Many people describe him as somebody with narcissistic tendencies, and absolutely selfish. And, they were right. But what a lot of trolls didn't realize was the fact that you are in love with him, and he unfortunately stays trapped inside his mind for so long that he doesn't quite realize how good he has it right now.

After saving Floyd, everyone that parted ways started their recovery process due to their own talents getting slowly sucked out from them by ex superstars Velvet and Veneer. Floyd stayed with Branch in his underground bunker, Clay went back to the mini golf course with Viva to situate her reunion with King Peppy after the last Bergen attack, and Bruce went back to Vacay Island to be with his kids and Brandy. What did that leave you to do? The only thing you ever thought to do; To take care of John Dory and help him recover in Rhonda, wherever the roads took you both.

"JD, what are you doing?" Your ears perked at the sound of blankets rustling against the couch cushions. There was silence before a response was heard.

"I'm not doing anything, I'm resting like you're wanting me to."

You put a magazine down on the table and glanced over at him. He was slowly reaching for his jacket and goggles, and seemed restless. "We need food-" "JD, we already have food here for the both of us." He clenches his jaw slightly. He knew you were going to be hard to get through. "I need to check Rhonda's oil." He quickly sat up, and threw his fur coat on, slapping his goggles into position against his forehead. "You need to rest-" "I don't need to, I can't just NOT do anything, I'm the leader, I HAVE to be productive and do my part to make sure everything's perfect."

"John Dory, we're not doing this again."

He continued standing up and walking towards the side door. He looked down at the door handle, contemplating on your concerns before brushing them off his shoulders and walked out on you. You furrowed your brows and sighed in frustration.

You couldn't count how many times John Dory would have his perfection episodes, and pushed himself over the limits. Every time you call him out on those moments and try to calm him down, he refuses, and shuts himself out. You let him have about ten minutes of alone time outside before you eventually stood up from your seat and walked out Rhonda's side door. You expected him to be near her, but he was nowhere to be found. "C'mon JD.." you shook your head to yourself as you slowly walked around the forest where you were camping at. You started to worry before you found him sitting on a fallen tree log lying against the ground. He had his head lowered, and his forearms against his legs, staring at the earth beneath him.

You smiled in relief, because he didn't go very far as you knew deep down, and you slowly made your way to the seat right next to him. His shoulders fell more when he snapped out from his train of thought, and glanced over to look at you. You could see the pain in his eyes. His eyes were dry, and the crows feet near his eyes were more prominent and defined. "JD, are you.. alright?"

"Yeah, of course I'm alright!" He put on his photogenic leader and big brother smile on his face. Why couldn't he open up to you.

"JD, I know you're not alright, something is really bothering you. Why do you feel like you need to be perfect all the time? Even when your body doesn't even have the strength to begin with?" His jaw slacked a little at your forwardness, but he then clenched his jaw and darted his eyes away from yours. "Please, don't shut me out like this. You do this every time." He squeezed his eyes shut. He hated being confronted like that. He knew you, and he knew you would keep trying for an answer. He didn't have an escape from you. He let out a very shaky and slow sigh. There was no going back for him.

"My brothers, they all said I never changed. I mean, we almost didn't even save Floyd because of it." He shook his head disappointedly to himself and balled his hands into fists. "I'm the oldest brother, the leader, it was predetermined for me to be this way! And everybody has something to say about me! Why! They can't see the work I put into everything I do to be perfect! My brothers can't see that either." He frowned a lot, and his ears drooped downwards in disappointment, vulnerability, and freight. "I have to be this way, for everybody's sake. My own sake. This is what John Dory is. This is what I was made for. I was made to carry the responsibility. What else could I have been possibly brought here for?"

You immediately reached over and put your hand on top of his before he could even mutter another word out from his lips.

"JD, you.. you are so smart, strong, talented, and it kills me that you can't see that in yourself. So what if your brothers are right? There's nothing wrong with that. It's something different when you don't feel like you deserve that kind of commitment from people, even your own brothers, because you're too good for it. They say those things, and bring up a lot of the past because they care for you, and they really do love you. You can't change the choices you made when you were a teenager, but you can decide how that will build your character in this moment." John Dory stared at your hand slowly intertwining with his, you could see the tears in his glistening eyes. You could see the vulnerable, younger, and even current John Dory in his eyes. You could feel the fear, worry, responsibilities, and faults he made; and how much it absolutely eats him up and keeps him hostage in his own mind.

"(Y/N), where is this all coming from? Why?-"

"I've always felt this way, JD. When I got to know you and your brothers while we were journeying to Mount Rageous, I realized that.. nobody really hardly ever gives you enough credit for the things you deal with alone. Your brothers' own experiences with you are valid, but, I see the work you're putting into making sure you're still needed here, as a big brother, and.. as the man I'm in love with." You feel your heart shoot itself into your throat before sinking straight down to your stomach.

John Dory's eyes immediately widened, as his shoulders and back tensed up. You could sense the change of mood in him, and there was no way he was going to run away from his problems now like this. You tightened your grip on his hand and leaned towards him, putting your lips against his tense ones. It felt like time had completely frozen, but the world was still spinning as you felt John Dory's lips move and lean into the kiss more and his calloused gloved hand cup your cheek shakily. He then pulled you as close as he humanly possibly could with his arms wrapped around your waist. You could feel the passion behind his lips, and body language, along with the tears going down his tired cheeks. He pulled away from your lips slowly, and immediately slid his goggles off his face, tossing them aside to the ground and starts pressing his forehead against yours, letting the tears fall down from his cheeks.

"(Y/N).. thank you. Thank you so much."

"You don't need to thank me for that, JD. It's true. Everything that I said was and is true. I will stand behind it every single second of every day. I promise you that." His eyes stared at you lovingly as a soft smile spread across his face showing the slight wrinkles and crows feet that peek from his eyes and mouth.

"Oh, uh, here, you must be cold." He took off his fur coat and wrapped it around your figure. "We've been out here for a while now." You nodded and proceeded to stand up from the log, holding your hand out. "Let's go warm up inside Rhonda." John Dory nodded as he took your delicate hand in his rather large and tough hand. He smiled lovingly at you as he guided you back to Rhonda, who still kept her engine on and the inside very warm for you two.

You adjusted the couch cushions and made room for you and John Dory to spoon together, him being the little spoon tonight while you wrapped your arms around his torso.

"I love you, (Y/N)" You smiled lovingly to yourself as you squeezed him softly. "I've waited a long time to hear those words from you, John Dory." "Oops, sorry." He laughed playfully and nervously as he rubbed and massaged your knuckles with his thumb.

You pressed the side of your head against John Dory's shoulders, listening to the calmness and relaxation of his body. This may have been the only time he's ever been this way, for anybody, even himself.

But who knew that with the cards he was dealt with in life would be the turnaround point of his character, and even your own freshly started relationship with him; And you would be there every step of the way. That meant through the days he is the happiest with himself for being a good leader, and through the days where he would question his entire purpose with trying to maintain the perfect harmony, the perfect family and if that was really all there was in this world.

He knows now that's not true, and he can once in his life relax and be comfortable with himself, regardless of the past life he made.

He can finally start living his new life, with you and his real, true, full family.

[steddieas-shegoes]

🧁Congrats on 3k followers!🧁 You were the first steddie person I followed and I'm still so glad I did! 💕

For the sentence prompt, I'm picking a line from my favorite love song - Fair by The Amazing Devil:

"Darling, I was born to press my head between your shoulder blades at night when light is fading"

Me? The first?! That’s a huge honor and I am definitely not crying about it (lying). I hope you enjoy!

♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

Steve’s migraines were bad when it rained, even worse when he’d been outside all day. Nothing helped except sleeping it off.

And pressure in just the right spot on his forehead.

It was hard to get it right on his own, and Robin was always just a bit too harsh with her fingertips against his skin, pressing too much at once in too many places. Eddie managed to touch just right sometimes, but it was hit or miss.

It was so fucking frustrating.

Eddie was frustrated too, especially when the pain got to a point that Steve didn’t even want him near him. Every smell, sound, and accidental touch made him nauseous.

They had rain most of the day, and Steve’s work day had started with Keith berating him for not rewinding one tape before putting it back on the shelf. It ended with a customer trying to steal candy from the shelves and yelling at Steve when he got caught.

By the time he got home, he could barely feel his fingers from how hard he’d been clenching the steering wheel as he drove, doing his best to focus on the road ahead. He just had to get home, then he could wash his face and get in bed.

Eddie was playing music while he made dinner, and it was nearly impossible for Steve to do anything but rush past the kitchen to their bedroom. Eddie would figure it out quickly.

Within minutes, Steve was standing at the bathroom sink in only his underwear, hot water running over the washcloth he planned on holding on his face until he could breathe again.

“Stevie, you okay?” Eddie whispered when he walked into the room.

“Migraine.”

“I’ll get you some water and the ice pack.”

Steve lost track of time as he finished up in the bathroom and settled in bed. His head wasn’t pounding so much as exploding into new galaxies every time he blinked. Somehow, closing his eyes made it worse.

He managed to make himself as comfortable as possible, barely even moving when Eddie placed the ice pack on his forehead and eyes.

“10?” Eddie asked as softly as possible, keeping his distance, but staying close enough for Steve to touch him.

“Mhm.”

“You need me to sleep on the couch?”

“No.”

The bed shifted slightly as Eddie moved further under the covers on his side. “Okay. I’m right here, sweetheart.”

The spot on his forehead was pulsing and the ice pack wasn’t doing shit.

“Turn on your side,” Steve asked, voice shaking as he tried to bite back a whimper of pain.

He felt Eddie move, and when he reached a hand out to see if he’d understood what he asked, he couldn’t help his lip turning up at the corner in an attempt at a smile.

Sometimes he was convinced the bat bites had connected them in more ways than the soft camaraderie of recovery. Sometimes it felt like they were reading the other so well, they shared a brain.

Steve slowly moved forward, wincing when his body made contact with Eddie’s. Steve pulled the ice pack away.

“Sweetheart?”

“Just a sec,” he replied.

Eddie was as still as a statue, something so rare, he probably reserved it for these moments.

Another reason Steve was certain Eddie was better than he deserved.

Steve leaned his head forward, letting out a small groan when his forehead made contact with Eddie’s back, right between his shoulder blades.

He pressed his head forward, not able to relax until he found-

There.

He nearly moaned with relief.

“Found it, angel?” Eddie whispered, not wanting to ruin the moment of painless ecstasy Steve was experiencing.

“Mm.”

“Stay as long as you need,” Eddie added before focusing on slow breathing so he wouldn’t disrupt Steve’s resting place.

Steve sighed and let himself enjoy this moment for as long as possible. He closed his eyes.

♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

When Steve woke up, the light was almost gone between the curtains and Eddie’s breathing was slowed like he was asleep.

His head still ached, but the pounding had gone, and when he looked down at Eddie’s face, everything was clear.

He’d found a place to heal in Eddie. First, his arms, then his heart, and now, the place between his shoulders.

[legitalicat]

Too Sweet - Modern!Aegon Targaryen ii x reader

AN: Hello my beautiful people! I hope you enjoy this story. It started as a little love note to the song "Too Sweet" by Hozier because I feel it's very Aegon coded. It then became kind of an amalgamation of a few different stories. My own story and journey with alcoholism and recovery played a big part in this, and as I wrote it parts of my feelings about my older brother, who is in active addiction, came into play. Please know that this is not everyone's story. Recovery from addiction looks different for most everyone. I truly overcame my addiction through building community and connections. I know many people who have to work a program to succeed. I know a person who actually did get a degree after a near lifetime of addiction and now he does a lot of things to help our local community in treating addiction. So really, this is a love letter to people like me and my brother. There is hope and I believe in every one of you.

Link to the TED Talk mentioned.

TW: blatant talks of alcoholism and substance abuse, talks of rehab, family issues, abusive family subtext yet never explicitly stated, gonna say it's kinda angsty, FLUFF

Pairings: Aegon Targaryen ii x reader

Word count: almost 3k

The soft pads of her feet made barely any noise as she walked into his bedroom, carrying a mug in each hand and wearing nothing but his MCR tee-shirt. Technically, they should both be in a deep sleep by now. It was fast approaching four in the morning and neither of them had bothered to close their eyes once. It was all he could to not hold her close in bed and stare at her captivating beauty.

When Aegon first saw her, weeks ago, he was stunned. It was the first time he had gone to the new bar right down the road from his apartment and it just so happened it was karaoke night. He had been tempted to turn around when he heard a horrendous rendition of his favorite Hozier song. But then she took the mic from her drunken friend, and it was as if the heavens parted and the gods showed him the future Mrs. Aegon Targaryen.

“Your coffee, sir,” she said to him as she handed him a mug. “No worries, it’s as black as your soul,” she added with a teasing grin.

“Thank you, beautiful,” he said as he took the mug from her.

She was truly a lesson in divinity for him. Aegon didn’t truly believe she was the most gorgeous woman on the planet. There would be people who would think she was average looks, maybe even less than that, but he didn’t need her to be more beautiful than anyone else. He wanted her exactly as she was. Beautiful like a spring day, teeming with beauty in the most natural of ways. Like one would think of a cherry blossom tree, or their favorite flower. Simple and breathtaking, a reminder of life and truth on a fundamental level.

He knew it the moment they locked eyes in that bar. Her voice shook from nerves as she sang in front of the crowd of strangers. When she looked at him, and he at her, he felt joyful for the first time in years. All of the stupid shit with his family, the years of drowning his sorrows in whiskey and wine and any other drug, none of it mattered.

If he were honest, he couldn’t remember how he got so lucky. He knew he approached her once she was done singing and complimented her. By the end of the night she was nestled beside him in bed, and he’d be damned if he ever let her leave.

“Gods, you’re amazing,” he muttered as he watched her. He knew she was drinking hot chocolate, finding the taste of coffee much too bitter.

“What was that?” she asked him when she pulled the mug away from her face. She had a bit of whipped cream on her upper lip, making his heart feel like it was on the brim of exploding.

He leaned forward, just barely, and lifted his hand to wipe the cream away with his thumb. She gave him a cute little smile when it brushed against her lips, puckering them to press a kiss to his skin. When he pulled his hand away and sucked the cream off, he heard her giggle.

“This is why you’re so sweet. Where most people drink whiskey and coffee, you put sugar in your sugar and drink it until the sun comes up,” he told her. Of course, he was teasing her.

“Because unlike you, Mr. Listen to Sad Music Even When I’m Happy, I like to enjoy things. The good things. The sweet things, like whipped cream and hot chocolate and fruit loops in bed on Saturday mornings. I just think I live a better life than you,” she told him. She was grinning from ear to ear.

If Aegon wasn’t so afraid of rejection, he would tell her how he loved her. He loved that she wanted to eat sweets at all times. He loved that she teased him for listening to My Chemical Romance or Asking Alexandria, calling it all sad music, even when she would listen right alongside him. He loved that she would start crying at the Wonka movie near the end, unashamed about feeling overwhelmed by the backstory.

If he weren’t so afraid she didn’t love him, he would tell her. He knew it had only been a few weeks, that all logic points to love at first sight being nothing more than him just getting turned on by her appearance. But how could he not love her when she sat in bed with him like this after making him a cup of coffee before the sun had even risen? How could one resist the gentleness of her touch when they watched TV together and she insisted on holding his hand? How could he be expected to watch her hyper fixate on a book or a video game, talking about it for hours on end with so much passion she always ended up wound up and breathless?

“You’re too sweet for me,” he told her as he laid back against the head board. He gently pulled her into his side, wanting to have her as close as humanly possible.

His words were met with an amused chuckle. She didn’t fight his hold on her, instead melting into him as though it was where she had always been.

“Tell me about your family,” she said quietly. “I mean, I’ve not been further than ten feet from you for weeks and you haven’t said the first word about them.”

He could feel his jaw clench as she asked him. His family was a complicated and sensitive subject. Even though he wished he never had to speak to her about them, he knew he had to if he had any hopes of them becoming more than just a passion fueled fling.

“Not much to really say. Dad ran Draconic Industries. My older sister, Rhaenyra, is my dad’s daughter with his first wife. He made her next in line to take over the business. Me, my younger siblings, even my mom, we never really mattered much to dear old dad. He died when I was nineteen. I don’t really matter much to any of the rest of them,” he told her, tracing shapes on her bare thigh as he spoke.

“I’m sure that’s not true,” she said quickly.

“It is,” he told her without any uncertainty. “Helaena, my younger sister, hasn’t spoken to me in a few years either. I haven’t spoke to my youngest brother Daeron since we were kids. And my brother Aemond…he was the last to hold out hope for me and I burned that to the ground a long time ago. I think it’s been at least a year. My mom completely disowned me about four years ago, when I was around twenty-two, cause I refused to go to rehab again.”

She frowned softly but said nothing. He could only imagine what was going through her head at this point. If roles were reversed, he would probably be planning his exit strategy. All it felt like he told her was a sob story about a poor rich kid who can’t live off mommy and daddy anymore. He felt pathetic.

“What did you go to rehab for?” she asked him.

“Started partying when I was like twelve. Alcoholic by age fourteen. Lead to worse shit, as it does, and I overdosed when I was eighteen on some coke. My mom and grandfather checked me into rehab the following week. Have done two more stints since. Never really stuck, and I haven’t been sober for more than a few days since I was like fifteen.”

He was laying in all our there for her. He wanted her to know so she could decide if she thought he was worth the trouble. He couldn’t blame her if she ran away from him. Why would she stick around? All of his family had washed their hands of him and they were family. She was just someone he met in a bar a few weeks before.

She stayed quiet for a long time. Longer than he would’ve liked. The silence weighed on his heart like an elephant pressing against his chest. He wanted to beg her to say something, anything, just so he knew where her head was at.

Though, he noticed, she didn’t move away from him. She stayed right there, comfortable tucked into his side, occasionally sipping her hot chocolate. His own mug, still filled with coffee, had gone near forgotten in his hand. He was too focused on her.

“You know, the opposite of addiction is connection. Watched a TED Talk one time about it. They found when addicts are treated like people instead of criminals, integrating them into society instead of isolating them, they show less of a struggle with addictions. Allow their basic needs to be met, give them a community, and they thrive,” she said softly after several moments.

She sat up, her warmth leaving him. He felt lonely without her touching him even though she was still well within arm’s reach. She was all he wanted, all he needed.

“I’m not saying I can fix you. I’m not saying the cure to all your problems is me giving my heart to you. I am, however, telling you that I haven’t once seen you drunk or high or anything and we basically haven’t been apart in weeks. If you want to develop healthy connections, create a community, be a person, I am more than willing to be part of it,” she said.

His heart started beating rapidly against his chest. He knew she was right. Since being with her, he hadn’t really felt the need for anything. He had physical cravings, sure, but no mental desire. Aegon didn’t want a moment with her to be a hazy memory that he may be able to recall when he's older.

“Why?” he asked her.

“Because I love you,” she said.

The weeks and months following that night, Aegon really put in the work. Y/N had made it clear to him that she was not going to just give him everything. If he wanted this, it was on him. She was only helping him.

Together, they had found a group therapy program for him. It was ran by a man who had gotten his psychology degree a few years before, but had struggled with addiction for most of his life. That was the first step, a step Aegon felt proud he had taken once he realized he didn’t feel so alone anymore.

The next step, he decided on by himself. The group program was all well and good, but he felt a need to find a deeper explanation into himself. Once a week he found himself sitting in a therapist’s office, talking about everything and nothing all at once. They spoke about his family, his self imposed isolation from them and how that lead to them cutting off, his hopes and dreams for the future.

Through this, he found out about opportunities for volunteer work in the community. He realized he quite liked working at the local secondhand store that helped people in need. He even brought her with him on the Saturdays he worked a shift, turning it into something they enjoyed together.

Even at work, he began reaching out more. If the opposite of addiction was connection, then by the gods he was going to make connections. His coworkers were enough to give him a good laugh. All of them were extremely proud of the progress he made, always encouraging him. He found that little bit alone made it easier for him to be more himself. In the conversations he was able to have with his coworkers, he talked about shows, movies, and music he liked and became friends with a few of them.

It was with this progress, along with the support Y/N provided, that Aegon found himself at the door of his family’s estate. He hadn’t been here in years. He knew all of his younger siblings still lived here. Helaena’s bright yellow VW Beetle sat parked in the driveway, Aemond’s motorcycle probably laid in parts in the garage, and Daeron had always been more content taking a town car than actually driving himself anywhere.

“You don’t have to do this, you know,” Y/N told him as she held his hand tightly. He had asked her to come with him so she could at least meet them. They needed to see how he had changed.

“I do have to. If for no other reason than to show them I’m not who they remember me to be,” he told her.

“Did you talk to Dr. Wilson about this? I mean, I just, I don’t want you to,” she said, trying desperately to find the right words. He silenced her with a kiss to her forehead.

“And I love you for it,” he said to her, holding her hand as tightly as she held his. “I’m okay with whatever happens in there.”

He knocked hard on the door. It wasn’t long before his mother answered. The ever looming presence of Alicent Hightower, never Targaryen, filled the entire space of the door frame. Her auburn curls were tied neatly back into a bun, her brown eyes widened in surprise.

The woman before him, despite being in her forties, showed no true signs of aging. There were no gray hairs scattered around her head, no fine lines or wrinkles. The only indication of a less than flawless appearance were the almost invisible lines that came from the outer corners of her eyes, put there by the fact that just like Aegon, her eyes would always squint up whenever she smiled.

“Aegon,” she said quietly. She looked at him like she saw a ghost.

“Hi, mom. Can we come in?” he asked her, biting his lip. Y/N gave his hand a small squeeze as if to remind him she was with him. He had her support every step of the way.

Alicent nodded silently and stepped to the side, allowing them entrance. The house was the same as the last time he was here. All of the old family photos hung on the walls of the hallway to the living room. The air smelled of cedar wood and spiced apples, giving it the perpetual scent of fall. It was warm and inviting, the plush couch so comfortable beneath him it was almost indicative of how much money his mother spent on it.

In a lot of ways, the house felt like his family. It was the epitome of warmth and love on first glance. When you looked closer, you could see how some of the picture frames were void of glass, having been broken in one family argument or another. There was a coat the hung on the same rack, day in and day out, hiding the hole where his head went through the wall in a drunken stupor. The paint on the walls were beginning to chip away, revealing the yellowing walls that proved how much his dad had liked to smoke. It was haunted, irreversibly scarred by the past.

A maid came around and asked the three of them if they wanted a drink. Alicent requested a glass of wine. Aegon noticed how surprised she looked when he just asked for a soda, like Y/N was having. He also noticed how she kept looking at his hand that held Y/N’s.

“And who is this?” She asked, nodding her head to Y/N.

“This is the woman I’m going to marry, Y/N,” he said confidently.

They hadn’t spoken about it, there wasn’t a ring on her finger. But he had no doubt in his mind that he would marry her. He was certain that she was who he was made for. The gods had her in mind when they designed him, knowing how much he would love her. She truly was his soulmate.

“And so you came to show her how terrible we all are?” she asked him, eyebrow raised. “Or did you come for money? Because you’re not getting a dime.”

“Neither,” he said firmly. “I just wanted you to see me, mom. I wanted to see you.”

She was surprised at his words. The last time he had spoken to her, he had been begging for money. Crying, begging. When she refused, trying to help him in the best way she knew how, he screamed at her about all of her faults. The last words he spoke to her was how he could only hope that he had the courage to kill himself before he turned into her.

“I’m sorry for…for everything,” he told her. “It wasn’t fair of me to blame everything on you.” Y/N squeezed his hand again. He looked down at their hands and he knew he was okay. He would be okay. “I’m like, eight months sober from everything. Not a drop of booze, no drugs. I have a full time job, I volunteer on the weekends at a secondhand store. I’m doing good, mom.”

Tears flooded to her eyes as she looked at him. Her oldest son, the first person she ever truly loved in a selfless manner. She had thought he was completely lost to her. The vicious creature he had been when they last saw each other had melted away entirely.

“Do you want to stay for dinner?” she asked him. He could only wordlessly nod, allowing her the time to stand from her chair and walk over to him. She hugged him tighter than she ever had.

He looked over Alicent’s shoulder at Y/N. The woman he loved was watching him with tears of her own, a smile on his face. She was good, too good, for him. She had opened his eyes to a reality he had been scared to face. But she had never once made him face it alone.

And that made all the difference.

[wangxianficfinder]

Fic Finder

Apr 12th

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1. For the ficfinder: In the last "In the mood for", no 8 reminded me of a fic but I cant recall the one. Wwx is travelling by himself, writing letters to LZ, he stays in a town and it ends up cursed. LZ and the juniors arrive to solve the case. Wwx is acting weird and hides his letters. The juniors read the letters and find out wwx is angry and full of resentment about how he's been treated. They find out the curse resonates from him. They talk it out to resolve matters. It was written really well. Any idea? @kesterling

FOUND! i found it myself, it kept bugging me. The fic is sadly deleted but on the wayback machine: Dock of the Bay by Haysel.

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2. Hi! This is for Fic Finder. All I remember is the ending, where Yu Ziyuan had her arms cut off, and that there was a part that mentioned that this was punishment enough as she would have to live her life with no pride. Also, she had an affair with Jin Guangshan, and Jiang Cheng was his child, and she had to become his concubine, I think. Hope someone knows which fic this is!

FOUND? sounds like the deleted "OOC!" by A_flower_in_the_snow. It's avaiable on the wayback machine.

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3. Hi, once again.

I’m looking for a fic that I seriously can’t find, at all.

So it would really be a great help if you could.

Wwx was brought to cloud recesses for healing after madam yu had whipped him so bloody he couldn’t move and wa sin active danger of dying.

The disciples who brought him there did so on a donkey I think?

Anyway they asked LZ to please befriend Wwx.

The healers weren’t sure if Wwx would survive. He does.

And joins the lan, befriending LZ oh and he can’t fight with his sword anymore because of the damage and something about his heart having been weakened.

That is all I remember.

Have a nice day/night. @ravenwithwings

NOT FOUND!🔒🧡 rain falls and soaks into the earth series by RoseThorne (T, 57k, WangXian, WIP, Near Death Experience, Attempt Drowning, Madam Yu Bashing, Recovery, No war AU)

FOUND! 🧡 Company by WithBroomBefore (T, 29k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Pre-Relationship, Getting Together, POV LWJ, Fix-It, Pre-Canon, at least to start, WWX goes to Cloud Recesses, But Not In The Usual Way, fear of character death, Everybody Lives, Hurt/Comfort, Happy Ending, Light Angst, good teacher LQR, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, brief discussion of past minor character suicide, Kitten, Not YZY Friendly)

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4. Hi!! I'm looking for a fic I can't remember the name of, a modern AU, possibly set in the UK where lwj is part of some sort of anarchist/ community activist group and wwx joins. Most people in the group already know wwx and are reallly good friends with him but lwj is super skeptical about him. Also at some point I think wwx goes missing and lwj is super worried??? I can't remember anything else... thank you in advance🙏🙏🙏 @kavlobebeki

FOUND? now to begin the road by detectorist (E, 28k, WangXian, Modern AU, Pining, Miscommunication, Misunderstandings, Getting Together, Light Angst, Food as a Metaphor for Love, Activism, Politics, Rooftop Conversations)

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5. Hi, I'm wondering if anyone else remembers a fic similar to leading tone by silencemostofall, and pastel by antebunny, but that's set in the canon era while they're at Cloud Recesses? A few details I remember was that the coloured mark that indicated Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian's relationship started to fade, and that Jiang Cheng was allowed home to celebrate his birthday, while Wei Wuxian's was completely ignored by the Jiang Sect and so he spent it drinking and was caught by Lan Wangji. Apologies that I don't have more! @flaxenhairedsamurai

Hi, I was number 5 on the fic finder on April 12. Just letting you know I found the fic I was looking for! It was Mark Me With Your Devotion by an orphan account. Thank you, and I've bookmarked it so I don't lose it again!

FOUND! Mark me with your devotion by orphan_account (M, 18k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Soulmates, soulmate AU with a twist, The twist is not a curse though, I'm sorry but everyone is kind of toxic in this, Angst with a Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, A-Yuan is adorable, First Time, Canon-typical Sex, Cultivation Partners, Fluffy wangxian, Nothing else is all that fluffy, Night-hunting together, Their studies are different that's why they keep going on missions and not staying in Gusu much)

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6. There was this fic on ao3 I don't remember, much, but it had this part, where lwj refused to go near his child(/children??) Because when wwx was pregnant he slowly grew ill or I dunno I think there was some complications (?) and when it was finally the time of delivery, wwx fell into coma I think. And lxc was angry with lwj for not even looking at his child / children when both wc were so excited for the baby.

There is a similar wx comic on Twitter. Can you please find both of them? The ao3 fic and the Twitter comic too please?

FOUND? I don’t know the Ao3 but I do know the comic similar to the description which made by AlasseTassir in twitter and they post it on their pixiv.

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7. A while back I found and lost 😥 a fic where WangXian, I think, were smuggling Wen Ning (and probably Wen Qing) across a border somewhere and they put a fake mustache on one of the two and people kept complimenting them on how nice it looked. I think people even copied the mustache after that? Maybe even the bad Wens? That's literally all I can remember about it. I've tried every tag I can think of and haven't been able to find it. Hopefully someone will know. TIA! @lilyinthesnow

FOUND! Bloom where you are planted by luckymoonly (M, 44k wangxian, MM/WQ, Canon Divergence, Fix It, courting, Mpreg, Sunshot Campaign, Fluff, Happy Ending, getting together early, Romance, WWX giving birth in the middle of the war? Most likely than you think!, Yúnmèng Siblings Feels, Smut, Drama, Blood and Violence, Minor Character Death, There Is Only One Bed, No Fall of Lotus Pier, Crossdressing, Shotgun Wedding, Mention of miscarriage (not WWX), wangxian Have a Breeding Kink, Giving Birth, Soft granduncle LQR)

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8. hii i need help finding a fic. I remember it is ongoing it is a time travel one where wei ying travels back to the past decides not to join the jiang sect but to be rouge i remember he stole gold from the sects which made the economy go to shit the emperor got involved and disbanded the wen sect wei ying is now rich he is studying to pass some exams he has a nice house with a mini farm meets lan zhan and they fall in love and we find out from lan qiren that wei ying is a royal bc his father was a prince but he ran away to be a servant to the jiang sect and sometime near the last chapters the emperor gives permission to wangxian to marry and to take with him some princes and princesses to raise away from the palace. @wangxian4evermdzs

FOUND? Starting Over by SplitGirl28 (M, 69k, WIP, Time Travel Fix-It, Back to Childhood, Change his life, Different lifestyle, But WWX is still gifted genius, Unrestrained WWX, Living his ideal life)

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9. Hi all! 👋 I am so sorry to bother you if you’ve already found this fic but I’ve scoured across the internet all day and decided to go ahead and ask anyway! I’m looking for a fic that has Wei Ying being adopted into the Lan clan as a child, he was scared to be kicked out and became rather solemn and a perfect lan clan member, on the other hand Lan Zhan has grown to be shameless and flirts with Wei Ying every chance he gets. There’s also some Jiang Bashing, OCs, and maybe some time travel? Help🥹

FOUND? could be the deleted "Uno Reverse" by A_flower_in_the_snow. It's on the wayback machine.

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10. Hello!! I swear I just read it and now I can't find this fic- but it's supposed to be an AU where wwx stayed behind during Lotus Pier's attack and Madam Yu and JC escaped but wwx stayed to fight, and lwj heard wwx was missing and he rushes to help wwx and he runs in JC and JY also trying to save wwx? Thank you in advance!

FOUND? for as long as he will let me by RavenclawLoki (T, 8k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Hurt WWX, Love Confessions, Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, First Kiss, BAMF JYL, WangXian Get a Happy Ending)

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11. Hi, thanks so much for all your efforts!!

I’ve been looking for a fic and hope it hasn’t been deleted. Wei Ying, Jiang Cheng, and Jiang Yanli were mermaids but were also semi-amphibious? They could go on land for short periods and they helped fight the Wens during the Sunshot Campaign. Wei Ying is married off to Lan Zhan and he lives in the Cloud Recesses. Most of the story is centered around Wei Ying adjusting to his life on the surface amongst humans and navigating the relationship with his new husband.

FOUND? you’re a bird in the water / i’m a fish on the ground by plonk (Not Rated, 8k, WangXian, Merpeople, Canon Era)

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12. Hi, can you help me find a fic . The story goes somewhat like Lan Wangji was in a nighthunt and had taken shelter in an inn . There was a storm, and Wei Ying came to that inn seeking shelter with a few orphan kids . Those kids and Wei Ying were both from the same, and they escaped from being sold ? I think Wangji was a bit older than Wei Ying. Also, Wei Ying could use his cultivation powers without any medium like swords or instruments. 🙏

FOUND? ❤️ Seen and not heard by eatmyass (E, 51k, wangxian, case fic, no sunshot, kid fic, dadxian, strangers to lovers, found family, LWJ pov, pining, fake/pretend relationship, first time, falling in love)

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13. Helppp! looking for a fic I read awhile ago and it just wont leave my mind, So basically Wangxian had an age gap LWJ was like 16 or 17 and WWX in his 20's but like "the cloud recesses" is some sort of mansion and the lotus siblings visit them in cloud recesses. I think it was tagged E if that helps

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14. Hi! For Fic Finder. Thank you very much for your help. There’s a fic I thought I bookmarked but can no longer find.

The first fic is a dark Lans fic set during the Cloud Recesses arc. WWX and JC are betrothed in this universe. But LWJ and WWX fall in love. LWJ manipulates the environment and JCs insecurities to break them up. I believe it’s in a two part series.

Thank you!

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15. Story of Yanxi Palace based fic. WY is the empress/consort who hides in a box from Sizhui. LZ knows he's inside the box, and as a prank/punishment, he uses the box to play a boardgames with Sizhui

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16. Hi! I really am looking for this story in AO3 and still can't find it. It was about Wei Wuxian who got married to Wen Chao but Lan Zhan couldn't take it so he plans to take Wei Wuxian back by claiming Wei Wuxian each time he got (even in the wedding night of WWX and WC) and destroying the company of the Wens. As they (LWJ & WWX) continued the deed, WWX ended up pregnant and LWJ is more than determined to take WWX back. I do hope you can help me find this story. Thank you in advance!😘 @gegegeeee

FOUND? 姻緣 | this marriage was always predestinedby saccharinings (E, 43k, wangxian, Cheating, Infidelity, not between wangxian, WWX is married and LWJ persuades him to cheat on his husband with him, Dark LWJ, A/B/O, Feminizing Language, Exhibitionism, Size Difference, WagnXian Have a Breeding Kink, Stomach Bulge, Possessive LWJ, Manipulation, WWX Wears Lingerie, Rape/Non-con Elements, for one part, Hair-pulling Kink, Alpha LWJ, Omega WWX, Mirror Sex, Vibrators, Phone Sex, Rimming, Edgeplay, slight choking kink, Light Bondage, Inappropriate Use of Gūsū Lán Forehead Ribbon, LJY’s Big Fat Crush on Milfxian, Pregnant WWX, WangXian Endgame, Spanish Translation)

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17. I'm looking for this fic that's basically a bunch of drabbles in one. Each chapter title is one word and serves as the theme for that chapter. I remember it having quite a lot of chapters, but I only remember one titled "kneeling" where Wuxian kneeled before Wangji (if you need a better picture, imagine that one scene in CQL where Wuxian kneeled and put his head on Yanli's lap in that one episode) @mindaneacc

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18. Hey, I'm looking for a fic where LZ and WY are already married and living in Gusu. But they get separated from each other due to an illness/curse going through the Wen Sect, so LZ leaves to give medical aid. In the process, he ends up adopting Wen Yuan. There is a sweet connection between WY and Lan Qiren. But most importantly Wen Qing managed to assassinate Wen Ruohan. @mother-of-pigeons

I remember 18, though I can't find it either. The sickness/curse in question made people burn from the inside; it was contagious from breathing in the ashes of the people dying. There was a honestly touching scene with Wen Chao dying while Wen Ning kept him company. Wen Qing assassinated WRH because she was treating him for the illness, for which they'd finally found the cure, and he announced that he therefore would use it as a weapon against the other sects, by deliberately infecting them and holding the cure hostage. The only ones they'd allow to have the cure are the Lans, because they're the only ones who came to help. He also intended to marry WQ, as he'd lost both his sons and needed new ones. I think it might have been part of a series, with the first part showing how WangXian got together.

FOUND!🔒Distance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder by Titans_R_Us (T, 11k, WangXian, Arranged Marriage, Mutual Pining, Temporary Separation, BAMF WQ)

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19. Hello!! Here I am again looking for a wangxian fic. It's one that I read through here but never found again, anyway, the things I remember from the fic are: the sects transform into animals, being shapeshifters, the Lan are dragons like WWX, I also remember that the transfer of core occurred but the core has a mind of its own and it goes back to WWX's body, WWX faints and Wanji makes a soulmate connection... Those are the only things I remember!!

Note: I think Ao3 should have category filtering in our subscriptions, because I think I subscribed to the story but I already looked and couldn't find it... @sweettiebah

FOUND? sounds like "Revealed Truths Against Dragon's Fire" by Preludian_Staves. It's hidden on AO3 but avaiable on the waback machine.

~*~

20. Hi! I'm looking for a fic with a red string of fate au where wwx jumps off the cliff, but has a moment of weakness when he looks at lwj and end up tying himself to lwj before dying... And when he wakes up he discovers lwj kept the string bc when he wakes up as mxy he can see it connecting him to lwj. He flees and tries to put as much distance as he can between them but lwj still finds him at dafan mountain... It's a multi chapter (I think) with a happy ending. Help please? 🥺

FOUND? 💖 a trail of blood to find your way back home by blackelement7 (T, 19k, wangxian, JC & WWX, what if a soulmate string au, but without the soulmates aspect of it, a reflection on the nature of marriage, WWX is full of regrets, so is LWJ, Mutual Pining, Miscommunication, JC & WWX Reconciliation, JC is trying his best but words are hard and his brother is stupid, Siblings, Canonical Character Death, but it’s just WWX, accidental 3zun feels, WWX as the most unreliable of narrators)

~*~

[ajaxsbeloved]

not sure if requests are open, (still new to tumblr) but can u write childe x fem!reader with ed? i just need comfort, i fell of recovery again

-: the road to recovery is not always steady :-

feat. childe

genre. comfort

summary. childe helps you get back on your feet when you slip

warnings: triggering topics, mentions of food, crying

authors note. tysm for this ask, as someone with an eating disorder this was an honor to write and i’m so sorry for posting it so late. thank you anon, you are brave and you are loved 🤍

In and out, with lungs meekly expanding and contracting as you stumble upon the streets of Liyue. Feeling weak you find some steps to rest on, with a pounding head you close your eyes and feel the world around you. It’s a typical day in Liyue; the streets are bustling and buzzing with chatter, shoppers and tourists visiting from around Teyvat. Getting back up there’s a rush to your head causing you to wince as your legs drag you back home, today was long and the sun was harsh. The feeling of fog overwhelms you, with a cloudy head you can’t seem to find where you’re going. Reaching out your hands everything feels distant almost as if you’re underwater, suddenly all you can recognize is the feeling of falling.

“(y/n)? (y/n) wake up”

Your eyes never hurt so much, with a mixture of a torturous headache and blinding light you manage to open your eyes and look around without moving too much.

“Where am I?”

You gather your strength as you try to sit up but an arm wrapped in gray stops you and lightly guides you to lay back down.

“Don’t move. You’re at home, just take it easy.”

Turning your head you find Childe at the side of the bed, his usual battle attire off and his more casual gray button up adorning his body. His eyes soften as they meet yours, a warm smile curling up his lips.

“What happened?”

“You passed out, Zhongli called me.”

“Oh. I’m sorry, I didn't mean to inconvenience you.”

You sit up again, this time without his interference. Throwing your legs over the bed you hold your breath looking at them and feeling dull, throwing your feet onto the ground you nearly trip over your feet if not for grabbing onto Childe like your life depended on it.

“Get bad in bed (y/n)”

“It’s fine Jax I’m fine-”

“Get. Back in bed.”

You look down to see him holding onto your arm, feeling sick at the sight. With a heavy sigh and a few seconds of tension in the air you find it in yourself to get back in the bed, your body relaxing against the smooth sheets.

“I’ll be back, just stay here.”

Staring up at the ceiling you take in your surroundings. The sky outside looks muted and the lights are a little too bright, you’re cold. Despite the warm weather outside and fluffy blanket covering you, there’s a constant chill over your skin.

Childe comes back into the room after a few minutes, in his hands he holds a tray carrying your favorite food and drink, the sight alone is enough to make your blood pressure spike.

“Eat up” his face is relax and soft, he isn’t demanding nor is he asking

“I’m… I’m not hungry.”

“Come on (y/n), you just passed out you need to eat.”

“Ajax I told you I’m not hungry.”

“Have you eaten today?”

Silence, dead heavy silence. You chew on your cheek trying your best to come up with some sort of excuse, knowing it’ll never work on him anyway. You’re lack of a response says more than you can manage out your mouth.

“(y/n).... You haven’t eaten?”

“I was busy, you know how it is.”

“When was the last time you ate?”

“Umm… a few days ago I think.”

More silence, the tension was so thick and unbearable. Before you realized it your eyes welled up, maybe it was shame or embarrassment. Embarrassed to admit you hadn’t eaten, that it was intentional, that you hadn’t told him, that you were doing this to begin with.

“I’m sorry Jax.” your voice trembled, the tears slipped down your cheeks quietly and your breathing was no where near even.

He didn’t respond, you were scared to look at him. What would he think? Was he mad? Or disgusted? Or disappointed? You couldn’t bare the thought of any of it, it felt so scary. Before you knew it your head craned in his direction.

He… was also crying. His cheeks were stained with salty water that flowed from his eyes like a waterfall, without thinking you reach up to hold his face. He closes his eyes and leans into your hand letting out quiet sobs, and for the first time since meeting him you feel your heart break.

“Jax… I’m so sor-”

“Stop, don’t say it. Don’t be sorry, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for not noticing, for not paying enough attention to you, for letting you do this to yourself.”

He grabs your wrist and removes your hand from his face, letting go of your wrist he pulls you into a hug and kisses the top of your head. You feel his tears, his heartbeat, and for once you feel warm. The warmth is comforting, the way it all hits you like a truck you can’t stop yourself for sobbing in his arms. You feel safe, you feel loved, you feel like you’re supported.

“(y/n), I love you so much. I love you more than anything in this damned world, I can’t live without you. I can’t live knowing you’re hurting, and I know you are.” He pulls away and lowers himself so his eyes meet yours and now he’s the one holding your face.

“You’ll get better baby, I’ll help you.”

[leveloneandup]

Christen Press' transformative journey back from injury

Christen Press once believed she was indestructible, immune to the injuries that had sidelined teammates and ended careers. But in 2022, an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear shattered not only her knee but also the carefully constructed armor she had relied on throughout her career.

What followed wasn't just a physical struggle to return to the field but a profound journey of emotional recovery. Initially, Press saw rehabilitation as purely physical -- a means to heal her body. However, as setbacks kept her off the pitch and she explored new treatments, her perspective shifted.

The injury, the U.S. women's national team star realized, wasn't a curse but a gift, offering her an unexpected opportunity to confront long-buried grief and trauma.

"It wasn't painful," Press told ESPN in an exclusive interview. "It was more the realization that something was wrong with my body, and what that meant for my future."

In 2022, Press' future was tied to her hometown club, Angel City FC, after an 11-year professional career spanning America and Europe.

Incredibly, she had been available for every game except one, which she missed because of food poisoning. Her body had endured the physical demands of playing for both club and country. But in June of that year, during an NWSL match against Racing Louisville, she tracked back to help her team, committed to a challenge and crumpled to the ground following the contact.

Press had witnessed the ACL injury crisis in the women's game derail the careers of her peers, but she never imagined it would happen to her until it did, at the age of 33. By then, she was in the veteran stage of her career. An MRI confirmed the tear, and she underwent surgery soon after, beginning her recovery with a mix of apprehension and intrigue, expecting to return to competition within 9-12 months.

"I was sad, afraid and disappointed to miss the season," she recalled. "But part of me welcomed it because, as a professional athlete, pushing yourself is part of the process. I was confident I would gain something positive from the experience."

However, Press' body didn't respond well to rehabilitation. Significant challenges delayed her return to full fitness. Six months into her recovery, which had already included one revision surgery, Sarah Smith, Angel City's vice president of medical and performance, joined the club. With Angel City still developing its facilities, Press' rehabilitation took place off-site at the Meyer Institute of Sport, an elite rehabilitation and performance center.

Smith's team was in constant communication with the specialists, managing what became a complex injury. But soon, "career-altering problems" arose, causing the medical team "sleepless nights," Smith said.

"You think you're going to hit all the milestones and move smoothly through the continuum," she added. "But that's not always the case, and it's not reflective of the athlete's professionalism or the work they put in."

Every time Press neared a return to the field, another issue emerged. Devastatingly, this resulted in two more surgeries, making it four in total, testing her mental and physical resilience. She missed the 2023 Women's World Cup, and at times, it seemed her career was over.

"It was extremely confusing because every day I showed up with a smile on my face," Press said. "I never asked for a break, I never left early. I was very disciplined and extremely determined. I thought that would mean I'd have a linear path back, and it was challenging to accept it was out of my control."

Whenever she felt discomfort in her knee, she contacted her surgeon, desperate for some good news. But the diagnosis was always grim. "It was never just a bad day where the knee was actually fine. It was always, 'There's a cyclops lesion in your knee, and you can't play.'"

Running out of hope and options, Press started to explore alternative medicine.

"I have the best surgical team, the best physical therapy team, but that's not the only way to heal," she said. "I challenged myself to be around different types of healing."

What began as an attempt to fix her knee turned into an internal transformation, healing not just her injury but the trauma and grief she had been carrying.

"When I set out to heal my knee, I ended up healing my heart," Press reflected, referring to the pain she had harboured since the death of her mother in 2019. Her mother's death came as Press was preparing for the World Cup in France. The pursuit of ultimate glory became both an outlet and a distraction from her grief.

"Sport is so amazing in that it lets you process things differently -- getting all that adrenaline and sweat out of your body is detoxifying and balances your hormones, but it also masks a lot," she explained.

"It allows you to keep going and bury what's happened to you. When my mum passed in 2019, I missed one or two camps with the U.S. national team, then went back, and we won a World Cup.

"I was able to play for my mum, but it also left a lot of grief inside me that hadn't been addressed. That's the first thing I started to deal with in therapy.

"I did a lot of balancing my nervous system in acupuncture. I went to a homoeopathic doctor and he explained that in his opinion how the grief could have caused me to tear my ACL in the first place."

Away from her rehabilitation she remained in contact with the Angel City squad, attending game days and participating in meetings. Head coach Becki Tweed said Press requested a binder with set-piece tactics, to keep herself mentally engaged, while she was physically restricted.

The medical team remained cautious, taking a step-by-step approach to rebuild Press' capacity for movement, careful to avoid another major setback. Her rehabilitation work would often involve repeating movements 7-8 times more than a patient typically would, demonstrating the thoroughness required due to the complexity of her injury.

Throughout the monotonous rehab work and the frustration of watching her teammates train, the California native remained relentless in her quest to return to the field. Even when those closest to her wavered, she remained resolute.

"When you're told you need surgery for a fourth time, the people who love you start to ask, 'At what point is she going to wake up?'" said the two-time World Cup winner. "But it never even dawned on me to give up. That's just how I'm wired."

Her determination has left a lasting impression on the staff.

"You could see the discomfort in her knee during technical work," recalled Smith. "Watching her in pain, I wasn't sure more time or strength would help. It was hard to know that pushing through might not make it better.

"But she excelled throughout the two-year process, bringing optimism, hope, and joy to it all."

That perseverance has paid off. Although Press didn't make the 2024 Olympic squad, she is set to return for Angel City FC as the NWSL resumes this weekend. She's been training with the team for three months and made her return in early August, scoring a penalty in Angel City's shootout win over San Diego Wave in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup.

"I had a conversation with her before the game, and she said, 'I'm not afraid,'" Tweed said. "During the game, she took the contact of a tackle, got up, and smiled. She needed that moment.

"After that, she had two shots. That's what she brings -- smart movement and the ability to find dangerous spaces around the 18-yard box."

At 35, with 64 international goals ranking her ninth in USWNT history, there's not much left for Press to achieve. But she's not done yet, even if her outlook has shifted.

"There are mixed emotions about how I can have the greatest impact for my team while minimizing long-term consequences for my life," she said. "But I'm excited to continue making progress and have a bigger impact on Angel City FC."

Her injury, though devastating, became a transformative experience -- physically, mentally, and emotionally.

As she steps back onto the pitch, Press is stronger in ways she never anticipated, having learned one key lesson: "You are exactly where you're supposed to be."

And for Press, that's back on the field at BMO Stadium this Sunday, with the grass under her feet.

[wheredafandomat]

Shrink | P4 - The heart wants what it wants

Avenger! Loki x Therapist! Reader

18+ | same warnings. Please don’t take this too seriously, it’s just a little fun 😁

Previous Next

The following day, Loki was beyond excited for his date with Darcy considering that she was down to fun. He had a couple of small errands to run first including chasing up the forensic team who still hadn’t found any matches with the bullet. After speaking with Jane who was picking up Thor, she confirmed that Darcy would be meeting Loki at the compound and that she was excited. This excitement made Loki excited, barely able to contain his grin as he left the compound to pick up a bouquet of flowers for Darcy but not before asking if you wanted to go with him for the walk.

“Loki I-I don’t think that’d be appropriate.” You answered, almost frowning at him from your door.

“Of course not,” he tried to laugh, “my apologies.”

“No, don’t be sorry” you quickly spoke, not wanting him to feel guilty over the fact that his boyish charm and musky cologne were driving you insane and you were definitely not ovulating “the sooner I’m gone, the sooner we can return to our usual routine.” You smiled, knowing that things would return to normal once you weren’t practically living with him. This was just a temporary glitch, the chemicals in your body reacting positively to the man that saved your life.

“Yes.” He agreed, turning to leave.

“Loki wait” you called him back “enjoy your date.”

Loki replied with a curt nod and a small smile before continuing on his way to the florist where he picked up some flowers before heading back to the compound to wait for Darcy. Surprisingly, she was early.

“Loki.” She greeted sultrily, practically pushing him into his room.

“Hello Darcy” he replied, handing her the flowers “for you.”

“Thanks.” She answered, narrowing her gaze suspiciously at them for a moment before placing them on his dressing table and stepping towards him, a primal look in her eye as Loki stepped backwards, his demeanor nervous.

“There’s something I need you to know” he stopped, pausing her movements too “I’m down to fun as well.” He grinned, her brows knitting.

“What?”

“Message received, I’m down to fun too. I like fun.” He spoke gleefully.

“Loki, what do you mean? What message about fun?” She queried.

“You told Jane who told Thor you were DTF.” Loki explained.

“Thanks Jane, making me look like a damn whore” she spoke to herself, rolling her eyes “down to fuck Loki, yeah, I was, but only because Thor told Jane who told me you were too.”

“Oh.” Loki gulped, he wasn’t expecting this to be so straightforward. He was nearing the end of the road to recovery.

“Well, are you?” She asked, her sultry voice returning. Eyes wide like a deer in headlights, Loki nodded before Darcy pounced, pushing him down onto the bed as she straddled him. She pressed her lips to his, claiming them in a messy kiss that Loki returned. Grabbing his hands, she placed them against her hips as they continued to kiss before she lifted her top off. Pushing him further down so that he was laying now, she stood up, pulling her skirt down causing Loki to swallow thickly as she walked towards the door, ensuring it was locked. He watched her as she walked, it felt wrong. She was sexy, he couldn’t deny that but there was something missing. He found himself realising that he didn’t feel the same now, watching her walk as he felt before, before when he watched—you?

Almost choking at the realisation, Loki sat up as Darcy approached him again.

“What’s the matter baby?” She spoke against his lips.

“I’m sorry but I don’t think I” he cleared his throat, searching for the words to say “I don’t want this with you.”

“What?” She gasped, covering her chest.

“I’m sorry Darcy” he apologised, grabbing her top and handing it to her “it’s not you it’s me, you’re perfect” he rambled causing Darcy to scoff, same old excuses “I just—I’m going through something right now.” He finished causing realisation to flood Darcy as she turned to Loki.

“Loki” she began, placing her hand against his cheek “it’s okay.” She smiled.

“I’m so glad you understand—” he began happily before he was cut off.

“Want me to set you up with some hot guy friends?” She offered.

“Would they be interested in fun?”

“Ye—”

“Preferably poker or pranks.”

“GOODBYE LOKI!” Darcy yelled before storming out of Loki’s bedroom and bumping into you as you made your way to Natasha’s room after hearing she was back.

“Oh my god hunny, I heard what happened to you.” Natasha exclaimed, wrapping her arms around you as soon as you stepped into her room.

“Natasha” you spoke into the crook of her neck as she continued to squeeze you “there’s something strange happening to me.”

“What do you mean?” She asked worriedly, letting you go.

“Loki, he—he removed a spider from my office.” You answered anxiously.

“What do you mean?” Natasha snorted, confused before her eyes rounded, remembering the conversation you both previously had “OMG!”

“I knowww” you exasperated “I can’t stop thinking about him, I’m driving myself insane and I’m the one who told him he needs to get laid to try and relieve some of that tension he’s got and I’ve just seen a beautiful half naked woman leaving his room and I’m not sure howI feel. Half of me is proud, the professional side of me but the other side, the other fifty percent is burning Nat.” You sighed.

“When did this start?” She asked, sitting on her bed.

“I thought it was that day he saved me. He took out the spider and it instantly reminded me of our conversation and then he was on top of me and—”

“Spare me the details.” She interrupted.

“I think I’ve liked him for a while Nat” you exhaled hopelessly “which is awful because he’s my patient and I’m supposed to be helping him and—” you began to rant.

“Y/n, you can’t beat yourself up, the heart wants what it wants.” Natasha assured.

“Why does it have to want himmm?” You complained.

“Maybe it doesn’t want him, maybe it just wants a man and he’s the closest you’ve got to—”

“Do not therapize me, I’m the therapist.” You cut in playfully.

“Yeah, not a very good one.” She giggled.

“Nattt.”

“I’m telling you y/n, you can’t beat yourself up. You’re both two adults, maybe you should just tell him.” She suggested.

“WHAT?” You almost wheezed “casually tell my client that I want to sleep with him? Yeah Nat, not happening.”

“Then what are you going to do?” She sighed.

“I’m going to have to end this” you decided “but first, let me patch up that gash on your forehead.”

Who even knows what’s going on at this point 😂 at least this mess is drawing to a close

Next

Tags:

@lokisgoodgirl @thenotoriouserg @chantsdemarins @donaweasley @xorpsbane @mcufan72 @loz-3 @evelyn-kingsley @sailorholly @lovingchoices14 @lokiedokiee @noideakitten @mochie85 @mischief2sarawr @lokiprompts @lulubelle814 @fictive-sl0th @peaches1958 @gigglingtiggerv2 @tmilover1993 @lyds247 @dustychinchilla74 @lokis-dark-queen @november-rayne @12-pm-510 @vickie5546 @newtomofgods @eyesbluelikethetitanic @lokiestorch

[nijigasakilove]

Oh my God man Chinatsu’s aquarium fit has me in a CHOKEHOLD she’s beyond gorgeous, hoops, hard worker, exudes class, she’s damn near perfect I totally understand why Taiki down so bad for her lmao. Such a cute start to the episode.

It’s extremely adorable that all this time Chinatsu’s been thinking about that one passing comment she made to Taiki about him having more time to get to nationals. She’s such a genuinely thoughtful and caring person. I think seeing the girl he likes dressed up so pretty and enjoying herself at the aquarium was more than enough to make him feel better.

Also respect to Kyo for not lying or covering it up and letting Taiki know he was to thank for that date even happening lol. W best friend.

Like I said, It hurts because in ANY other series Hina would be best girl but she just happens to be competing against Chinatsu who’s a hooper with Mamba mentality. Very rough last 5-6 minutes or so. It was clear ever since Taiki went on the date that Hina was a little off, even if she didn’t know herself. She tried to give him a little boost with Chinatsu by talking about how cool he is, but she don’t realise she basically ended up explaining all the reasons she likes him and Chinatsu could tell lol.

It didn’t even dawn on me until I saw Chinatsu open the house gate that Hina didn’t know they lived together yet. I’m thinking “aw how sweet she’s giving the phone back” 😭 ended up being one of the saddest moments this week. This is gonna be the start of a long road to recovery and acceptance for her. Kinda worried this could mess her rhythm competition up

[melanieph321]

Ruben Dias x Reader - Fix You Part 8/10

Part 9 and 10 are out on my Patreon!

Summary - Reader is hired as Ruben's assistant nurse after receiving head trauma during a football game. He has fallen into a deep depression on his road to recovery and does not accept much help from Reader as she only reminds him of how incapable he is.

Enjoy!

Your eyes widened as you caught a glimpse of the massive sphere that was the Etihad stadium. You weren't the biggest football fan, nor did you root for any particular team. However, what Ruben did for a living was undoubtedly a cool job. He took you to the Etihad campus and showed you around the grounds where players, male, female, young and grown, were running across the green fields. Ruben must've understandably missed this place after being forced to stay away for so long.

"Well, well, look who's back from the dead."

You were met by a cluster of players on your way through campus, people who smiled at the sight of Ruben, stopping to say hello, asking him how he was holding up.

"Is it happening, are you fit to train with us again?" Said a man with a cheeky smile. You recognized him from Ruben's birthday party.

"Nah, sorry Jack. I'm just showing my girl around campus." Ruben grabbed a hold of your hand, ushering you to step forward.

The man eyed you up and down, a large grin on his lips. "Whatever you do love, don't let Ruben here lure you into the gym. He'll convince you to work out for three hours straight. Trust me, I've been fooled once."

"Noted." You smiled. Ruben, however, blushed in anger, giving his friend a stern look.

"What? It's true." Jack shrugged. "Don't you remember that time you made me...."

"Is Frank around?" Ruben coughed.

"I think he's out back with the rest of the team, why?"

Ruben looked to you before answering that question. "We just need to talk, that's all."

"Alright. It was nice seeing you Rub's, we miss you around here, captain."

"I'll see you around Jack."

You and Ruben continued towards the main building. Ruben explained that this is where the first team played. It seemed like serious business just entering their training grounds. Ruben had you wait for him in the stands overlooking the football field. He went down to talk to two men who were not as happy as Jack to see him.

"No, it's not possible, Ruben. I will not risk it."

"Coach please, hear me out."

"No. I refuse!"

Ruben carried himself more stiffly, speaking to the two men. He was arguing for a cause judging by his mannerism and the way he was gesticulating with his arms. Nevertheless, the two men did not seem to give him any sympathy, especially not the bald one. He seemingly put an end to the conversation with a dismissive gesture, resulting in Ruben storming off the field back towards the stands.

"We're done here, let's go." He muttered.

"But I thought you said you'd show me...."

"Next time Y/N, let's fucking go!"

You jumped out of sheer surprise. Ruben had snapped at you, the first time doing so. You trembled to grab the hand that he offered you, not because he wanted to have you near, but because he wanted your exit from campus to be as quick as possible. You returned to the campus parking lot, to Ruben's car, which he drove home in silence.

Read full chapter and more on my Patreon!

[izgnanik-a]

PlayDate Tea Party

cw: Trans!Gaz, trans pregnancy, parent fic blurb, both Gaz and John are single fathers at the whims of their children, endless flirting, fluff, and cuteness, Male x TMale

Don't like? Don't read.

When Kyle had planned to be pregnant, he tried to expect the unexpected. But as a first time parent, there was nothing he was ready for even if he'd read every pamphlet and book there was. His recovery process had been nothing easy, and he was thankful for the friends he had supporting him.

When he'd first laid his eyes on his little baby girl, he'd fallen in love with her all over again. From the moment she started kicking, and listening to him while she developed in his stomach, he was in love. But finally holding her in his arms, there wasn't a thing he wouldn't do for her.

There had been trials and errors to his parenting, relationship fails, and being alone with his daughter seemed the safest option. Five long years felt like two weeks, and she was growing into a whole other being.

"Daddy. I'm ready for the park." Kyle's daughter rushed up, bright yellow boonie on her head already, matching sundress, and sandals on her feet. On the wrong feet.

Kyle knelt down. "You look ready." He smiled, "But it looks like you've got your shoes on the wrong feet. How about we try and swap them so they're comfortable?"

So they sat together, swapping her sandals, and after sunscreen, they'd moved for the apartment door.

The neighborhood was still fairly new with newly constructed housing complexes, and flowers that haven't started budding yet, but it was a warm sunny afternoon. The earliest Kyle's ever been outside with his daughter.

"Hands." His daughter called, reaching the end of the crosswalk, extending her small palm towards him so they could cross.

"Thank you." Kyle beamed as they crossed the road and onto the next street towards the park.

Like the neighborhood, it was fairly new. The swings didn't squeak just yet, and the floor mats were still plush. There were plenty of bench seats, tables, and shade given by fruit bearing trees. There was a smaller fenced off section where they'd planned to build a water park, just three colorful spouts and sensors all over to spray water.

"Can you push me?" Kyle's daughter asked, pointing towards the nearly empty swings.

"I'll give you a big push, and you'll push yourself after."

Which was never the case. She loved the swings, and loved when he'd push her super high. Though he was careful, nothing was more precious than the rippling cackle that would leave her when she'd swing up.

So, Kyle pushed. And pushed. And pushed.

His eyes were trained on his surroundings to the parents, the park, the streets. There were a few parents by the pond at the center of the park, ones joining their kids while biking around, and stray parents at the park.

A young boy, around Kyle's daughter's age, ran up to the swing beside them, regardless of the other five swings available, and jumped into the high seat. He peered towards the playground with a squeal.

"Daddy!" He yelled, looking and looking until he'd been spotted.

Kyle and his daughter stared too, with the same curiosity and resemblance, seeing his father approach. And lord - Kyle felt himself blush.

The man approaching was a bit older, or maybe he was the same age as him, a full beard and a tiresome squint under the beaming sun as he neared. He shared a momentary stare with Kyle as he came beside him, nodding with a friendly, and heavy, "Hello."

Kyle smiled. "Hello."

"Daddy, push me real high." Said the young boy, glancing towards the watchful Garrick's.

"I'll try." He quipped, pulling the chains and pushing his son steadily higher.

"Daddy." Kyle's daughter tapped his leg as she swung back. "Higher."

It was a battle to get the highest swing, and before Kyle could help it, his daughter was giggling that rich laugh that had him giddy. His smile was splitting his face as he watched her tip her head back to peer at him.

Her laugh was so infective that he heard the gentle huff of a laugh beside him, the man smiling at her joy. His son watching in amusement.

With no end, the older man's son wanted off the swings and vanished back off into the jungle gym of ropes with his father following. Kyle watched him go, eyeing his wide shoulders and thick legs. He tore his eyes away to keep from looking like a pervy creep.

His daughter, surprisingly, wanted off after a big push, and he obliged. Watching her run for the slide, she was careful up the climbing rocks, and waited behind another kid before sliding down.

"Say excuse me if you want to go by."

Kyle heard the booming voice again, peering across the bridge he stood at, seeing that burly man across from him. His son was a little further up the playground, standing alongside another kid who just so happened to be blocking the path by sitting in the way.

Kyle watched him shake his head, and glance over to his curious gaze. He pressed another soft smile to his lips before feeling a hand tugging his belt loop.

He looked down to his daughter, thankfully. "Do you want to play tea shop?" She asked.

Kyle beamed. "I'd love to have some tea."

She guided him to the playset of stationary tables at kid's height, and sat on the erected stool. She collected a few sticks from the playground boundary, and returned. "We have biscuits for food."

"Do you have the soft ones?" Kyle asked.

"Only cookies." She placed them on the table before him.

"Can I have these warmed up, please?"

"Yes." She snatched them off the table, moving under the unoccupied bridge, and returned. "They're warm now."

"Do you have tea?"

"It's a tea shop. Duh."

Kyle stifled his urge to break a smile. "What kinds?"

"I don't know. What kinds are there?"

"There's black tea, green tea. If you want to sleep, you drink lavender or chamomile. If you're sick, you drink elderberry or ginger tea. There also other different flavors."

"It's too much." She fussed.

"I'll gave green tea then."

"I've got it!" She muttered, running to find something she could prop on the table as a placeholder for tea.

In her absence, Kyle watched the older, handsome man standing by the younger kid's playground. Everything was smaller, easily accessible for shorter kids. He had his hands tucked in his pockets, watching him jump from the second step onto the plush mat below, ducking for the bigger playset.

"I don't have green tea." Kyle's daughter came back with a small rock.

"Then what's this then?"

"Uh-" her eyes searched around. "A muffin."

"A biscuit and a muffin? I'll be so full now." Kyle stated, holding his stomach. "It's a tea shop. You've got no tea?"

"I'll go get some from the shop. That's right over there." She pointed towards the swings.

Kyle shook his head and chuckled as he watched her search, finding a few flowers along the fence border to bring back.

To Kyle's left, a kid came to the table closely to him, looking up at him with curious prying eyes. Too close for the comfort of a stranger. But Kyle was a parent first.

"Hello." He smiled.

It had been the same boy who'd joined their sides on the swing, the same son from that gorgeous gentleman. He was wearing a pair of short dungarees, a few stickers pressed into his pocket buttons. Kyle hadn't noticed the variety of permanent marker smudges into his palms before.

"Are you alright?" Kyle asked.

"Can I sit here?" He asked, pointing to the stool to Kyle's left.

"There's plenty of chairs you can sit in. Pick one." Kyle enthusiastically chimed.

Kyle's daughter returned, flowers bunched in her fist, and a few grass blades. She eyed the quiet boy as she sunk into her dad's side. "Who's that?" She whispered noisily into his neck.

"Why don't you ask? You can also ask if he wants to play Tea Shop with us." Kyle whispered back, a guiding hand on his daughter's back to bring her behind him.

She moved easily, standing between the two. "I'm Harper." She muttered. "Do you want to play Tea Shop with me and my dad?"

The little boy looked to her bunched hands and back to the sticks on the table. "Can I cook the food?"

Kyle's daughter gave an animated nod before holding out her fists, "This is for the tea. There's biscuits and muffins on the table already."

"Do you have sandwiches?"

"It's a Tea Shop." She said, with a straight tone, no funny business about it.

Kyle pressed his fingertips to his lips to hide his smirk.

"They have sandwiches too. My dad gets them." Said the boy. He stood regardless, "I'll make sandwiches." He ducked for the playground side.

"Do the shops sell sandwiches?" She asked Kyle.

"All kinds."

"Can we get one when we leave?"

"Yep. Why don't you play a bit more, then we'll leave in another twenty minutes?" He offered, gently nudging her along.

"Benjamin." Called the burly voice from behind Kyle. "Ben."

When Kyle turned to the knowing look of worry on the boy's father, he almost felt pity for him. He must be a new parent.

"Your boy is the one with the dungarees?" Kyle questioned.

The man looked down at him as if he'd almost missed him sitting at the table, knees bunched up under so he could be eye level with his girl. He looked so small on the little stool. "Yeah." Sighed the man.

"He's playing with my daughter." And pointing brought his attention to the two of them squatting by the swings, picking up pebbles and sticks for their imaginary tea shop.

It seemed to ease him.

He sighed, putting his hands on his hips, and gave a nervous chuckle. "He's faster than I can keep up with."

"They all are." Kyle smile, shielding the sun from his eyes with a hand over his brow to look up at him. "They're supposed to keep us spry."

The man tipped his head, "I don't know about spry." He put a hand on his lower back as if to make a further point.

Kyle smiled as his daughter was barreling back over, the boy in tow, and putting her collective things on the tabletop. "What's this?"

"Don't touch it yet. I've got to put it on to boil." She muttered, collecting a few pebbles together in a small metal lid she'd found in the dirt.

"Daddy," the boy pulled his father's hand, "We're playing shop. Sit."

Kyle shared a look with the nervous man.

"No, I don't think I'll fit in the chair." He insisted as his son was dragging him to the stool across from Kyle.

"We're playing Tea Shop. Do you want a cup of tea?" Kyle's daughter asked, putting sticks in front of him before he can even answer. "These are the biscuits."

"They look lovely." He commented, still being pulled to sit. "Ben, you know I'm too big for this table. My knees are gonna be knocking the whole thing."

He was at a loss against his little boy, and eventually he sat with a heavy grunt. His knees did bump against the table, but folding his legs at his ankles meant spreading into Kyle's space underneath.

"Do you want some sugar in your tea?" Kyle's daughter asked the man.

"I'll have just milk."

"We're all out." She blurted.

"Oh." He sighed in distraught.

Kyle covered his mouth with his hand.

He looked over Kyle's amused gaze and smiled himself.

"Do you want a sandwich, daddy?" Asked his boy.

"A sandwich?" The poor man had two children running circles around him, and Kyle found amusement in his confusion.

"The shop's have sandwiches." Kyle's daughter said.

"They do." Kyle chimed in.

"What do you have?" The man asked.

"Stick sandwich." His son said.

"Doesn't sound appetizing."

"How about rocks?"

"Do I get to keep my teeth?" He puckered his lips.

"No." His son giggled.

"Then, I'll stick to the tea just fine, thank you."

"It's coming up." Kyle's daughter said, propping the metal cup on the table after having dropped a few pebbles on the floor.

Kyle shared a poorly withheld smirk at the hopeless father as they were both served their "tea" and "biscuits".

"Move you eat it." Said Kyle's daughter, holding up a stick.

"Oh. I couldn't possibly. It looks too good to eat." Kyle said. "What tea did you bring me?"

"Flower tea." She said, peering into the cup.

"My favorite." Kyle held up the little tin, under his daughter's close inspection and took a sip of air. "Mmm."

His daughter laughed, clinging onto his arm. "You're not supposed to drink it, it's flowers."

"But it tastes so good." The more he sipped, the louder her cackle was. He wrapped an arm around her back to keep her from tipping back too far, and kissed her forehead softly. "Thank you."

"Can I go play up there?" She pointed to the bridge and playset for older kids.

"Yes, be careful."

"I will." She said, turning to the boy. "Do you want to race down the slide?"

With enthusiasm, the both of them rushed for various ways to get up to the slide the fastest, leaving their fathers to sit at the comically small table alone.

Kyle sighed, looking to the mess of a table. "I'll be mother and clean up." He joked, bunching the sticks in his fists and swiping off the pebbles and dirt.

"Allow me." Said the other, picking up the metal cup and rocks. "You've got a beautiful daughter, if you don't mind me saying." He glanced to his face and down, assuring no harm out of his words.

"Thank you." Kyle smiled. "Your son is very outgoing, and polite."

"He's working on it. He hasn't gotten the hang of being social." He huffed. "I'm trying to get him to make friends."

"It's not easy sometimes. But a little push gets them to move a long way."

He nodded before putting his hand up towards Kyle. "I'm John."

"Kyle." He shook his hand.

"My boy's Benjamin."

"How old?"

"Turning five soon. You?"

"Five."

John nodded. "Is she your first?"

"She is."

"Was it scary for you?"

"You don't have a clue." Kyle scoffed.

They stood by the bin, watching their kids race from a distance to the top of the playground to the bottom and back up again.

"Benjamin's my first, and it doesn't matter how much time has past, it still feels like I'm re-learning everything from scratch again every year he grows."

"It doesn't matter how many parent books you've read; you'll never be ready for the real thing." Kyle offered.

"You think so?"

Kyle nodded.

"Do you have any others?" John asked.

"She's my only."

"Really?"

Kyle nodded.

"Wow."

"Why?"

"I thought," he shrugged, "The way you approach things, you seem experienced. I'm sorry if that seems rude of me to assume-"

"No, no, it's an honor. Thank you." Kyle smiled. "I've read every book there was on parenting. And nothing compares to having her." He gestured to his girl zipping down the slide, waiting for Benjamin to get down before running up.

"Have you?" John gave an amused smirk. "Better prepared than I could have been. I feel like I'm always stepping on toys, and swearing, doing everything wrong. I don't want to stand over him, but I don't want to let him hurt himself to learn."

"I feel like I'm constantly trying to not hover over her, but she's doing just fine all on her own."

John nodded, watching her slow down to let his son catch up to her before running down the playground. "She's lovely."

"Thank you." Kyle beamed. "I don't mean to brag, but people say she's got the likes of me. I would hope so."

"I don't wish Benjamin to have anything about me." John joked. "He doesn't need this mean mug scaring people off."

"Didn't scare me off." Kyle words rendered the older man speechless.

John was used to people who'd laugh, agree with him calling himself ugly. He knew he wasn't an ugly guy, he just liked to bring people humor and joy. He averted Kyle's pointed and flirty eyes towards the playground.

Kyle looked back as well. He couldn't help the smile on his face, seeing the man before him blush. He was handsome, and it was delightful to be able to tell him and get such a positive reaction.

John cleared his throat. "Ben's got his mum's temperament and nose."

"Does he?" Kyle hummed. "Lucky kid."

John scoffed. "Yeah."

"I tried co-parenting." Kyle offered, unknowing of his situation, and why he was the only one at the park with his son. "It's just me and her now. It's an easier route."

"Falling out with the wife?" John joked.

"No. Anonymous donor." Kyle said, point blank.

The words slowly turned in John's head, Kyle could see it, and he waited for the moment of impact.

John furrowed his brow. "Oh." He said plainly, before it hit. "Oh." He pointed at Kyle, more towards his lower abdomen, tilted his head like a lost pup. "You."

Kyle pressed his lips together, smile crushed in between.

"That's lovely." John nodded. "I see. Well. She does have the likes of you."

"Thank you." Kyle beamed.

And John gave a nervous, inviting chuckle.

Kyle's daughter came down the slide with John's son following, both rushing up. Kyle clasped her back as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Can we go to the shop now?" She asked, peering up at him.

"Yes. We can." Kyle cupped her back.

"Can my new friend go?" She asked, looking to John's son.

Kyle looked to John with a look that was unsure and he shook his head. "I'm sure that they've got things they need to do."

"Not at all." John blurted.

Kyle looked back at him.

"We'd love to join you. If you'd let us." John stared at Kyle with a polite smile. "I'd like to talk some more over tea."

"Can we go? Please. Please." Kyle's daughter gripped his shirt, tugging down.

At a loss for words this time, Kyle was speechless. All he could utter was a soft and airy, "Sure."

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[shadowqueenjude]

Day 6 of @nestaarcheronweek

Learn to keep a secret --> Nessian, post-ACOWAR

What if instead of Cassian yelling at Nesta and getting angry at her rejection, we see Cassian trying to reach out in a softer manner?

Cassian paused before Nesta's front door, building his nerve.

Nesta had withdrawn from everyone, even her younger sister. She had flat out told Cassian that she wanted nothing to do with him, not long after she had laid her body over his, choosing death with him. After his confession. It stung, Cassian had to admit, but nothing hurt him more than watching her destroy herself.

He had gone with her a couple of times to the taverns. He hadn't interacted with her directly, of course, but he had observed her. She seemed to be drawn to sensory stimulation, things that drew her out of the darkness that was inside her. Like the music, the drinks, the dancing. So hopefully...his plan would work. It had to, otherwise...he didn't let himself think further.

He was perfectly aware of the fact that his high lord despised Nesta. If she continued on her self-destructive path, Rhysand would do something drastic; Cassian might have to take them both out of Night for the time being, or even permanently. He didn't want to have to do that, but he had to protect her in whatever way he could.

He swallowed the lump in his throat, took a deep breath, and knocked on the door, waiting.

No response.

"Nesta." Still nothing. Was she even here? Was this the wrong house, or was she already at the taverns?

"Nes, please." Cassian couldn't help the desperation that slipped out on that last syllable. He understood; he really did. Recovery couldn't be rushed. But it was killing him inside to see her like this.

A blast of warm air hit him as the door opened abruptly. His mate looked beautiful as ever, even though it seemed as if she hadn't been eating properly, a plain white nightgown emphasizing her bony shoulders. A shard of ice stabbed his heart.

"What do you want." Her low, cool voice always did unspeakable things to him, but he tamped down on his mating instincts, trying to speak to her normally. "You look hungry. Want a bite to eat?"

"I told you I want nothing to do with you, Cassian," Nesta answered shortly. She was about to slam the door in his face when he put a hand out. "Nes, please. I'm begging you. If you come out today, I'll convince Feyre to give triple your usual amount of money."

Nesta's silvery blue eyes focused all their relentless attention on him. Cassian spread his arms, letting her see it all. He'd given her everything that day she'd beheaded the king of Hybern anyway.

"Fine," she snapped. "Give me a moment to get dressed."

Cassian heaved a sigh of relief, slumping into the snow in front of her house. Part 1 was successful. The hardest part was done.

She came out in a magenta empire gown with black embroidery at the collar resembling the shape of teardrops. Her hair was up in its usual braided crown, and Cassian's heart stuttered in his chest. Even emaciated, she was so heartbreakingly gorgeous, every bit the cunning courtier who was far too good for him.

"This had better be quick," she muttered. Cassian offered her no such assurances, fully aware of the surprise they had in store.

He took her to a place off the main road, with simply, hearty meals, yet very tasty ones. "You should have their Palak," Cassian murmured as they walked inside. "It's delicious."

They took a table near the back, Nesta still saying nothing. A small little critter who seemed to be a ghost except for the long spiky black tail he had came up to them, notebook and pen in hand.

"Order?" Cassian looked at Nesta. Her call. She scrolled the menu on the table before answering, "Two Palaks, please." Cassian's eyes widened in surprise that Nesta had actually listened to him.

"Don't you dare," Nesta seethed.

"I wasn't going to say anything!" Cassian protested.

Nesta said nothing, but Cassian spoke. About how he was retraining his wings after they were shredded, how the Illyrians fared, what her sisters, Amren, and Lucien were up to. He wasn't sure how much she listened to, but she didn't seem inclined to wipe him to dust with her silver flames, at least.

After she wiped her plate clean, she shoved it away from her, standing up. "Can I go home now?"

"No!" Cassian shouted. Nesta raised a brow at him as other people turned to stare at them. "No, I mean, I don't think anyone has ever given you a proper tour of Velaris. Would you like one?"

"I've already seen all there is to see," Nesta replied drily. Cassian shook his head vigorously. "You've only lived here a few months. I've lived here centuries. Come on." Nesta still looked skeptical, but she took Cassian's arm and let him lead her out.

When they were well away from the building, Nesta spoke. "You're a terrible liar, you know. I know you have something planned."

Cassian blushed. "My strength is on the battlefield, not the courtroom."

"Clearly." Well, she sounded amused, at least. Another big sigh of relief.

They walked along in silence for a few minutes before Cassian blurted out, "Do you prefer being indoors or outdoors?"

Nesta raised a brow. "I suppose it depends."

"What about today?" Cassian mentally cursed himself. Subtlety was certainly not his strong suit.

Nesta squinted at him before she smirked. "Today is a nice day. We should be outside."

Move everything outside, Cassian shouted to Feyre mind to mind. Right now.

On it, Feyre replied before shutting off the connection.

"I like outside," Cassian said stupidly to cover for his slow response. Nesta's smirk widened. "I'd imagine so, considering you're a warrior and all."

"Yeah." Cassian was so bad at keeping secrets. His mind was screaming fit to burst, begging him to reveal the big surprise. Nesta only looked around, seeming more at peace than she had in months.

"Let's sit here," Cassian said, pointing to an outdoor table. Nesta obeyed, and the two of them settled onto the bench.

"So," Nesta said, "are you finally going to tell me what you've planned?"

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Feyre and Elain shrieked as they walked in, Feyre's arms laden with gifts while Elain held the prettiest chocolate cake Cassian had ever seen. Nesta didn't look remotely surprised, a small smile flitting across her face.

Feyre placed the bag on the table, pulling out all the gifts. "I baked this cake myself," Elain said, her face radiant as she placed it by Nesta's side. Feyre furrowed her brow in concentration, trying to sort out the gifts.

"Oh yeah, here! This is my gift: this lovely ring." Feyre slipped it on Nesta's hand. "It's not an ordinary gift; see the flame ornament? There's real magic in there. For a maximum of five uses, you can generate your own wings, so you don't have to rely on one of us to take you places!"

Nesta looked at Feyre in surprise. "That's...thoughtful of you."

"I also got you some nice jewelry, since I know you like sapphires so much." Feyre whipped out a stunning necklace with sparkling deep blue stones with sharp ends. Feyre winked. "It doubles as a knife." She turned one stone, and sure enough, a stunning knife appeared.

"Now my gift," Elain said enthusiastically. She pulled out a large patchwork, showing it to Nesta proudly.

"Er- what is it!"

"It's us!" Elain exclaimed. "This one," she pointed to a crimson lady sewn into the patchwork wearing a crown, "is you. She's chopping wood and wearing a crown, see? And this one..." she pointed to a blue one in the middle holding a bow, "is Feyre, because she was skilled with a bow and provided for us! And this one..." she pointed to a purple one holding a frying pan, "is me, because I did all the cooking!" She pointed to the center piece, featuring all three. "That's us sleeping on that small bed in the cottage." She smiled. "Anyway, I hope you like it. Now for Cassian's gifts."

Cassian stood up, clearing his throat nervously. "I...well....I got you some stuff." He pulled out the first gift; three books bound with ribbon. "I know you like romance novels, so, well...I asked around, and these are some of the most popular ones in Prythian, so I hope you like them." Then, he pulled out his second gift. He fiddled with the ball in his hands. "This is...a symphonia. It captures music in a ball so you can listen to it later. I...noticed you enjoy music."

Cassian turned the ball, activating it. One of the most popular songs at the tavern began to play. He sighed. "I know it isn't much, but-"

Nesta jumped into his arms.

"I love you all," she said in a muffled voice as she pulled away. She sniffed, wiping a tear out of the corner of her eye. "This is the best birthday ever." Feyre and Elain squealed, swinging their arms together in triumph, but Nesta only had eyes for him. "Dance with me," she whispered.

So Cassian offered a hand, and she took it; her slender, elegant hands were so small in his. She was an excellent dancer, and Cassian could by no means compete. But Nesta didn't seem to care, content to be there. She placed her head against his chest, looking for all the world completely joyful.

"You're such a silly boy," she murmured against him. Cassian stuttered. "What? I'll have you know- um, that is to say-"

"I figured out what this was about the moment we left that restaurant," Nesta interrupted, steering him into a spin. "And you're adorable, really, for arranging all this for me." She got on her tiptoes and whispered in his ear, "But you reallyyyy need to learn to keep a secret, Lord of Bloodshed."