#okay maybe you can tell but I want to be CLEAR

[pucksandpower]

A Royal Surprise

Max Verstappen x Princess of Wales!Reader

Summary: in which Max 1) forgot to tell his team that he has a girlfriend and 2) forgot to tell his team that the girlfriend in question is the future Queen of England … oops?

One of Red Bull Racing’s PR officers, Leslie, sits in the back of the conference room, her pen poised over her notepad as she listens to the team debrief. It’s a typical Thursday morning, with engineers and drivers discussing the upcoming race weekend. Leslie’s eyes flit between Max Verstappen and his teammate as they offer their insights on car performance and track conditions.

“The balance felt off in turn three during the sim,” Max says, leaning back in his chair. “We might need to adjust the downforce.”

Leslie jots this down, already planning how to phrase it for the press conference later that afternoon. Just another normal day at Red Bull Racing, she thinks.

But then, Max casually adds, “Oh, and by the way, you might see some extra security around this weekend. My girlfriend’s coming to watch the race.”

Leslie’s pen stills. There’s something in Max’s tone that makes her look up sharply.

“Girlfriend?” Christian Horner raises an eyebrow. “I didn’t know you were seeing anyone seriously.”

Max shrugs, a small smile playing on his lips. “Yeah, it’s been a few months now. We’ve been keeping it quiet.”

Leslie leans forward, her PR senses tingling. “Anyone we know?” She asks, trying to keep her voice casual.

Max’s grin widens. “You could say that. It’s Y/N.”

The room falls silent. Leslie blinks, sure she must have misheard. “I’m sorry, did you say Y/N? As in ...”

“The Princess of Wales, yeah,” Max confirms, as if he’s just mentioned dating a local girl from down the street.

Leslie’s notepad slips from her fingers, clattering to the floor. The sound seems to break the spell of silence that’s fallen over the room.

“Max,” Christian says slowly, “are you telling us that you’re dating the future Queen of England?”

Max nods, still looking far too relaxed for someone who’s just dropped a bombshell of international proportions. “That’s right.”

Leslie’s mind is spinning. Images of tabloid headlines and diplomatic incidents flash before her eyes. She stands up abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor. “I need to make some calls,” she says weakly.

But before she can escape, Christian holds up a hand. “Wait, Leslie. We need to handle this carefully. Max, how long has this been going on?”

“About six months,” Max replies. “We met at a charity event in London. Hit it off right away.”

Leslie sinks back into her chair, her head in her hands. “Six months,” she mutters. “You’ve been dating the Princess of Wales for six months, and we’re just finding out now?”

Max has the grace to look a bit sheepish. “We wanted to keep it private for as long as possible. You know how it is with the media.”

Oh, Leslie knows. She knows all too well. “Max,” she says, trying to keep her voice steady, “do you realize what this means? The security implications alone ...”

“It’s all been taken care of,” Max assures her. “The palace has been very discreet.”

Leslie laughs, a slightly hysterical edge to it. “The palace. Of course. Because now we’re dealing with actual palaces.”

Christian clears his throat. “Right. Well, this certainly changes things. Leslie, I think we’re going to need to reschedule the rest of this meeting. Can you get started on a press strategy?”

Leslie nods numbly, her mind already racing with potential scenarios and damage control plans.

As the room begins to clear, Max approaches her. “Leslie? Are you okay? You look a bit pale.”

Leslie takes a deep breath. “Max, I appreciate you telling us. But next time you decide to date royalty, maybe give us a heads up a bit sooner?”

Max chuckles. “Sorry about that. If it helps, you’re handling it better than your counterpart at the palace did when you found out.”

“Oh God,” Leslie groans. “I’m going to have to coordinate with the royal PR team, aren’t I?”

“They’re actually pretty cool,” Max says. “A bit stuffy at first, but they loosen up after a while.”

Leslie shakes her head in disbelief. “I can’t believe this is my life now. Okay, Max, I need you to tell me everything. How did you meet? How have you kept this secret? What are the security arrangements?”

For the next hour, Leslie grills Max on every detail of his relationship with you. She learns about secret rendezvous in Monaco, carefully orchestrated “chance” meetings at public events, and the challenges of dating someone whose every move is scrutinized by the world.

“And you’re sure about this?” Leslie asks finally. “Dating her ... it’s not exactly going to be easy for you.”

Max’s expression softens. “I know. But she’s worth it. We’re worth it.”

Despite her stress, Leslie feels a twinge of sympathy. It can’t be easy, trying to nurture a relationship under such intense pressure.

“Alright,” she sighs. “I’ll do everything I can to make this as smooth as possible. But Max, promise me one thing?”

“What’s that?”

“No more bombshells, okay? My heart can’t take it.”

Max grins. “Well, actually ...”

Leslie’s eyes widen in alarm. “What? What is it now?”

“Her father ... he’s a big F1 fan. He’s been hinting that he’d like to attend a race.”

The room starts to spin. The last thing Leslie hears before everything goes black is Max’s concerned voice saying, “Leslie? Leslie, are you okay?”

When Leslie comes to, she’s lying on the conference room couch, with Max and Christian hovering over her anxiously.

“Oh good, you’re awake,” Christian says, relief evident in his voice. “You gave us quite a scare there, Leslie.”

Leslie sits up slowly, her head still spinning. “Please tell me I dreamed all of that,” she mutters.

Max shakes his head, looking apologetic. “Sorry, it’s all real. Are you okay? Should we call a doctor?”

Leslie waves him off. “No, no, I’m fine. Just ... processing.” She takes a deep breath, her PR training kicking in despite her shock. “Okay. Let’s take this one step at a time. First, we need to draft a statement.”

Christian nods. “Good idea. What are you thinking?”

Leslie stands up, pacing as she thinks out loud. “We need to confirm the relationship without making too big a deal of it. Something like ... ‘Red Bull Racing confirms that driver Max Verstappen is in a relationship with Her Royal Highness, the Princess of Wales. We ask for privacy as they navigate this new chapter.’”

Max frowns. “Isn’t that a bit ... formal?”

Leslie sighs. “Max, you’re dating the future Queen of England. Everything’s going to be a bit formal from now on.”

“She hates that, you know,” Max says softly. “All the formality. It’s why she likes being with me. I treat her like a normal person.”

Leslie pauses in her pacing, struck by the vulnerability in Max’s voice. “You really care about her, don’t you?”

Max nods. “More than I’ve ever cared about anyone. She’s ... she’s amazing. Smart, funny, kind. When I’m with her, I forget about all the titles and protocol. She’s just ... her.”

Christian clears his throat, looking uncomfortable with the display of emotion. “That’s all well and good, but we need to think about the bigger picture here. This relationship could have major implications for the team, for Formula 1 as a whole.”

Leslie nods, her mind already racing ahead. “We’ll need to coordinate with the palace on all public appearances. Security will need to be completely overhauled. And the media ... oh God, the media is going to have a field day with this.”

“Hey,” Max says, placing a hand on Leslie’s shoulder. “We’ll figure it out. You’re the best in the business, Leslie. If anyone can handle this, it’s you.”

Despite her stress, Leslie feels a rush of affection for the young driver. “Thanks. I appreciate that. Now, let’s get back to work. We have a lot to do before this news breaks.”

As they settle back into planning mode, Leslie can’t help but shake her head in disbelief. A Formula 1 driver and a princess. It sounds like something out of a fairy tale or a cheesy romance novel. But as she watches Max’s face light up when he talks about you, she realizes that sometimes, reality is stranger — and more romantic — than fiction.

“Oh, and Leslie?” Max adds as they’re wrapping up. “About the King wanting to attend a race ...”

Leslie holds up a hand. “One crisis at a time, Max. Let’s get through announcing your relationship before we start planning any more royal visits to the paddock, okay?”

Max grins. “Fair enough. But just so you know, he’s particularly interested in the British Grand Prix. Says it would be ‘jolly good fun’ to present the trophies.”

Leslie closes her eyes, already imagining the logistical nightmare. “Max, I swear, if you’re joking ...”

“Would I joke about something like this?” Max asks innocently.

Leslie looks at him for a long moment, then turns to Christian. “I’m going to need a raise. And possibly a personal team of therapists.”

Christian chuckles. “I think that can be arranged. Welcome to the new era of Red Bull Racing. It’s going to be an interesting ride.”

As Leslie gathers her notes and prepares to face the whirlwind that’s about to engulf them all, she can’t help but smile slightly. It’s going to be challenging, stressful, and probably more than a little crazy. But as she watches Max’s eyes light up at the mention of your name, she realizes that maybe, just maybe, it might all be worth it in the end.

After all, who doesn’t love a good fairy tale?

[puckstories]

Boyfriend Headcannons | Quinn Hughes

Pairing; Quinn Hughes x Fem!Reader

Warning(s); Fluff, that's it I think. Edited only once.

Summary; What I think Quinn would be like as a boyfriend (:

Word Count; 3.1k

Author’s note; Enjoyed writing this so much, also considering writing a nsfw version if anyone would be interested. As per usual, any thoughts or reblogs are greatly appreciated (: -Honey

Boyfriend Quinn, who absolutely lives for affection.

He’s not always the most vocal about it, but the way he craves your touch, your kisses, your warmth—it’s in the little things he does. Quinn has this quiet, relaxed way of seeking affection that makes your heart swell every single time. He doesn’t always ask for it with words; most of the time, he doesn’t need to.

You’ve learned to recognize his silent cues by now. Whenever he wants a kiss, he won’t say anything. He doesn’t need to. Instead, he’ll simply stop whatever he’s doing and turn toward you, his soft hazel eyes locking onto yours, and then he’ll tilt his head ever so slightly, his lips gently pouting in that way that’s both completely endearing and impossible to resist. He’ll just look at you with that silent, expectant expression, waiting patiently for you to indulge him, because he knows you almost always do.

And how could you not?

Sometimes, he’ll be subtle about it—like when you’re both curled up on the couch, watching a movie. You’ll feel him shift beside you, and when you glance over, there he is, his lips pushed out just a little, eyes soft and hopeful, his attention fully on you. It’s a request, his gentle way of saying, "Come here, kiss me." You’ll roll your eyes playfully, but inside, your heart melts every time. You lean in, pressing your lips against his, and you can feel the contentment in the way his body relaxes, the way his hand automatically finds yours and squeezes, as if thanking you without a single word spoken.

Other times, he’s a bit more bold, more obvious—like when you’re cooking in the kitchen, busy chopping vegetables or stirring something on the stove. You’ll be focused on whatever task you have at hand, and you won’t even notice him sneaking up behind you. He’ll come up and wrap his arms around your waist, resting his chin on your shoulder, and before you even have a chance to say anything, you feel it. He presses his lips to your neck, soft and gentle, and then pulls away just enough to turn his face toward you, lips already slightly puckered, waiting. He doesn’t say a word, but his intentions are clear.

You’ll try to ignore him at first, teasing him, pretending you’re too busy with dinner to give in to his unspoken request. But he’s persistent. He’ll squeeze you a little tighter, nuzzle into your neck, maybe even let out a small, exaggerated sigh to get your attention. And when you finally turn your head, there he is again—pouty lips, soft eyes, silently waiting for the kiss he knows he’s going to get. You give in, every time. You can’t help it.

"Okay, okay," you’ll say with a laugh, turning your head to press your lips against his, giving him exactly what he wants. The way his lips curl into a smile against yours tells you just how satisfied he is.

It’s not just the way he asks for kisses, though. Quinn is equally generous when it comes to giving affection, and he loves surprising you with it at the most random times. You could be in the middle of reading a book or scrolling through your phone, completely absorbed, and suddenly, you’ll feel his presence beside you. He’ll lean in, wrapping his arms around you gently, his hands resting at your waist as he pulls you into a tight hug. No reason. No explanation. Just because he can. Just because he wants to.

And it’s those moments that catch you off guard the most—the way he showers you with love so effortlessly, so naturally. He never needs an excuse. For Quinn, giving you affection is as simple as breathing. It’s the way he expresses his love, the way he reminds you how much he adores you, even without saying a word.

It's in the way, he loves being close to you. He always finds a reason to touch you—whether it’s holding your hand, resting his head on your lap, or draping his arm over your shoulders when you’re sitting beside each other. He’s not clingy, but there’s a need for contact that’s just so Quinn—that gentle, understated craving for connection. And you’re always happy to give it to him, knowing that being close to you is where he feels most at home.

When he’s tired, he’s even more affectionate. After a long day of practice or a tough game, you’ll find him seeking you out the moment he steps through the door. He’ll drop his bag, kick off his shoes, and walk straight to you, wrapping you up in his arms without a word. He won’t even need to say he missed you, because the way he pulls you close, burying his face in your neck, says it all. And when he’s feeling particularly worn out, he’ll simply press his lips to your forehead or your cheek, a quiet sigh escaping him as he relaxes into your touch.

And then there are the nights when he’s lying next to you in bed, the room dark and quiet, both of you just on the edge of sleep. That’s when Quinn is at his softest. He’ll roll over, pulling you closer, his lips brushing over your temple or your shoulder, and you’ll feel his gentle pouting, his silent plea for one last kiss before he drifts off. You oblige him every time, pressing your lips to his in the soft glow of the moonlight filtering through the window, and he’ll hum contentedly, his body relaxing completely as sleep finally overtakes him.

Quinn never needs to say much when it comes to affection—his actions speak louder than words ever could. The way he seeks out your touch, the way he silently asks for your kisses, the way he gives so freely of himself—it’s all a testament to how deeply he loves you, how much he cares about you.

Boyfriend Quinn, who always does the little things for you.

It’s in the smallest, most thoughtful gestures that Quinn shows his love, the kinds of things that make your heart swell and remind you just how lucky you are to have him in your life.

Take winter, for example. As soon as the first snow starts to fall, Quinn’s mind is already on you—making sure you’re taken care of, even when it comes to something as simple as the driveway or your car. He hates the thought of you standing out in the freezing cold, shivering as you scrape ice off your windshield in the early morning before work. So, whenever he’s home and able to, Quinn is always up before you, dressed in his thick jacket and boots, quietly heading outside while you’re still bundled up in bed.

By the time you’re awake and getting ready for the day, the driveway is already clear, the snow neatly shoveled into piles, and your car’s windshield is free of snow and ice. It’s not something he ever makes a big deal about—he doesn’t even mention it, really. You’ll only realize what he’s done when you look out the window and see the work he’s put in, your breath fogging up the glass as you smile to yourself, heart warmed by his thoughtfulness.

You always try to thank him, but Quinn just waves it off like it’s no big deal. "I don’t mind," he’ll say with that soft smile of his. "I just want to make things a little easier for you." And that’s the essence of Quinn—he’s always thinking about how to make your life better, how to take even the smallest burdens off your shoulders, whether it’s clearing the snow or making sure you don’t have to start your day on the wrong foot.

Then, there are the flowers. Every week, without fail, Quinn makes sure to pick up your favorite flowers when he’s out. It’s not a grand gesture, not some big bouquet delivered to your door—just a simple bunch of fresh flowers that he knows will brighten your day. Sometimes, they’re the ones you’ve always loved: delicate peonies, bright sunflowers, or soft, fragrant roses, depending on the season. Other times, he surprises you with something different—wildflowers from the local market or a mix of colors that remind him of you.

The best part is always when he walks in with them, his face lighting up just as much as yours does when he sees your reaction. He loves the way your eyes widen and the way your lips curl into that smile he adores, the one that makes his whole day feel brighter. "You didn’t have to do that," you always say, even though you both know how much you love it when he does. And Quinn just shrugs, placing the flowers on the kitchen counter or the dining room table with an easy grin.

"I like seeing you smile," he says simply, as though that’s all the explanation he needs. And it is—because, to him, these little moments of joy he brings into your life are worth everything.

It’s the same when it comes to things like the dishes. Quinn is the type of boyfriend who doesn’t just pitch in around the house—he takes care of the things he knows you hate. Like dishes. You’ve always hated doing them. It’s that one chore that gets under your skin, and you’ve made it no secret that scrubbing pots and pans is not your idea of fun. Quinn knows this, and so even on nights when he’s the one who cooked dinner, he’ll always make sure to handle the cleanup, too.

"Go relax," he’ll say, waving you off when you try to help. "I’ve got this."

You’ll protest, of course—after all, he’s already done the cooking, and it doesn’t seem fair for him to do it all. But Quinn is stubborn in the best possible way. He’ll roll up his sleeves and start running the water, ignoring your half-hearted attempts to convince him otherwise.

"You hate doing dishes," he’ll remind you with a smile, "and I don’t mind them. Plus, you always do so much for me." And that’s Quinn—always thinking about balance, about making sure you’re taken care of. He knows how much you appreciate the little things, and to him, doing the dishes after dinner is just another way of showing he loves you.

And then, there are the texts. When Quinn’s away for away games, his schedule is packed, and the time zone differences don’t always work in your favor. But he never lets that stop him from staying connected with you. No matter how busy his day gets, no matter how late it is, he always makes sure to send you a good morning and goodnight text, without fail.

Sometimes they’re simple—“Good morning, baby. Hope you have a great day.”—just a little reminder that he���s thinking about you, even when he’s miles away. Other times, they’re more playful—“Wish I was in our bed, I miss your icicle feet”—a teasing note to keep things light even in the middle of a long road trip. And when he’s too tired to string together a full sentence, it’s just a quick “Miss you” with a heart emoji, but that’s all it takes to remind you how much he cares.

He’ll always send these texts right before he crashes into bed, no matter how late or how exhausted he is. And when you wake up in the morning, knowing he’s already thinking about you from wherever he is, it never fails to make your heart skip a beat. It’s the small things like this that mean the most—how, even in the chaos of his life, Quinn makes sure you know you’re never far from his mind.

Boyfriend Quinn, who loves taking you on dates.

Whenever he has an off day, the first thing that crosses his mind is you. He always makes sure to check in with you first, sending you a quick text during the day or giving you a call, gauging how your day is going and whether you’re feeling up for it.

"How's work today? Not too tired? Feel like going out later?"

You never have to guess if he's planning, because you know Quinn's always thinking about how to make the most of his time off with you. It’s his way of creating balance in his life, something steady and beautiful amidst the chaotic whirl of hockey schedules, travel, and games. And even if you’ve had a long day at work, the thought of spending the evening with him—of getting out of the house, hand-in-hand, with nowhere else to be but together—always gives you the energy to say yes.

Most of the time, the two of you keep things casual, finding comfort in the familiar. Your favorite go-to is a small diner just a short drive away, the kind of place that feels like a second home. The staff knows your names, and there’s always that corner booth waiting for you two, tucked away enough for a little privacy. It’s not fancy, but it’s yours. The menu is simple—burgers, fries, milkshakes—but it never fails to hit the spot after a long week. There’s something cozy about it, something that makes you both feel grounded. You’ll sit across from each other, sharing fries and talking about everything and nothing, laughing over inside jokes that no one else would get.

But occasionally, Quinn likes to change things up. There are times when, instead of texting you about grabbing dinner at the diner, he’ll tell you something a little different: “Dress fancy tonight. I’ve got a surprise for you.” You can almost hear the excitement in his voice, even over text.

When Quinn decides to take you somewhere nice, it’s an event. He puts thought into every detail, planning a reservation at a restaurant you both love but don’t visit often—maybe that elegant spot downtown with the candlelit tables and soft jazz playing in the background. He’s a romantic at heart, even if he doesn’t always show it in obvious ways. On those nights, he wants to make sure everything feels just a little more special.

One of the best parts is the little ritual the two of you have before your fancier dates. Even though you live together, Quinn always insists on getting ready in the guest bedroom, leaving you to get dressed in the room you share. It’s his way of adding an element of surprise, a way to keep things exciting. He loves the idea of seeing your outfit for the first time when you come downstairs, just like on your earlier dates, when everything was still new.

The guest bedroom becomes his own little prep space. He’ll spread out his suit jacket or freshly ironed button-down on the bed, taking his time to make sure everything looks just right. Quinn isn’t the type to obsess over his appearance, but on these nights, he pays a little extra attention to the details—whether it’s making sure his tie is perfectly knotted (though, he rarely wears one anymore) or his cologne is subtle but present. He knows how much you love when he dresses up, and honestly, he loves seeing that look in your eyes when you see him standing there, ready for the night.

Meanwhile, in your shared room, you’re just as focused, choosing the perfect dress and making sure your hair and makeup are done to perfection. There’s a thrill in getting ready separately, knowing that in just a few minutes, you’ll come downstairs and have that little moment of reveal. It’s a simple tradition, but it always makes the evening feel a bit more magical.

When you finally step out of the bedroom, your heart always flutters with anticipation. You make your way downstairs, and there he is—standing by the door, looking impossibly handsome in his suit or tailored shirt, his eyes brightening the moment they land on you. It’s like time stops for a second. Quinn’s not one to gush, but the way his lips part slightly and that small, slow smile spreads across his face says everything you need to know.

"Wow," he’ll say softly, his eyes taking you in as if he’s seeing you for the first time. "You look... amazing."

You can’t help but smile back, your cheeks warming at the compliment. "You clean up pretty well yourself," you’ll tease, though you can’t deny how much you love seeing him like this—dressed up, standing there with that look of admiration in his eyes.

He steps forward, closing the distance between you, and without a word, he’ll reach for your hand, bringing it to his lips for a quick kiss—just a little gesture to avoid messing up your lipstick, but one that makes your heart skip a beat every time. It’s these small, quiet moments of affection that make Quinn’s love feel so real, so genuine.

And then, off you go, stepping out into the evening together, hand in hand, as the world seems to fall away. The restaurant is just a short drive, and the conversation flows easily between you, filled with laughter and teasing. When you arrive, the ambiance of the restaurant is perfect—low lighting, the hum of quiet conversations around you, and the soft clink of glasses and silverware. But for you, the real magic of the evening isn’t just the atmosphere or the delicious food—it’s the fact that you’re with him, that Quinn has gone out of his way to make this night special for no reason other than wanting to spend time with you.

Throughout the meal, he’ll reach across the table, his fingers brushing against yours, or he’ll lean in to whisper something that makes you laugh, that private smile playing on his lips. He loves these moments—the ones where it’s just the two of you, away from the rush of life, enjoying each other’s company in a way that feels intimate and timeless.

And when the night is over and you’re both back home, the magic of the evening doesn’t fade. Quinn always makes sure to cap off the date in the sweetest way possible. He’ll pull you in close, his arms wrapping around you as he presses a kiss to your forehead, whispering something like, "I had fun tonight," in that casual, endearing way of his.

[wandascosmic]

just maybe (9)

wanda maximoff x fem!reader

part nine of 'you belong with me' series

summary: basically a wanda series inspired by jim and pam from the office

word count: 3193

tags: swearing, playful mention of sex, an office fire drill, best friends to lovers, idiots already in love to lovers, reader having an insane amount of self-control as always, jealousy jealousy from our favorite sokovian

taglist: @reginassweetheart @rroyale-109 @marvel-posts

part 1 part 2 part 3 part 4 part 5 part 6 part 7 part 8

“Shield Industries, this is Wanda,” Wanda introduces as she answers the receptionist's phone. Upon hearing the voice, Wanda furrows her brows. “Sure, can I ask who’s calling?” The person responds with their name. “Just a second.” Wanda turns to hit a button on the phone. 

Suddenly, your phone begins to ring. “Y/N L/N,” you state, picking up the call. You laugh, hearing that it was your current almost girlfriend. “What, how did you get this number?” You mock with a grin. “Stalker,” you shake your head. 

Wanda’s not sure how she feels as she watches the happy expression on your face from her desk. You seem content with Valkyrie, but something about her just made Wanda feel uneasy. She’s come to the conclusion that she’s probably just protective of you, since you’ve always been her best friend, and since knowing you she had never really seen you in any serious relationships. She simply cared for you, a lot. 

“So we’re still on for lunch?” you ask Valkyrie. “Are you meeting me here? Okay. Great. See you later. Bye,” you finish with a smile, hanging up. 

You were about to get back to work when Wanda calls out to you from across the room. “Hey,” she says, causing you to turn your head towards her, and gives you a small smile. “You can just give her your extension.” 

“Sure,” you nod, before returning to the papers on your desk. 

Wanda frowns. 

***

There was a deafening loud sound reverberating through the entire office. The smoke detector, of course. 

You sigh. You just wanted to get through the day uninterrupted, not including the lunch you had planned with Valkyrie. And, of course, spending as much time as you could with Wanda. Just one normal day, please.

And right on time, Sam begins to shout. “Okay, people, this is not at test! Everybody make your way to the exits!” He calls out. 

“Do not panic!” Tony yells alongside him. “Everyone, just get up from your desks, arms at your side!” 

“This is not a drill, move quickly, everyone, this is a paper company, come on!” Sam screams at the top of his lungs, rather dramatically. If you weren’t at a risk for being set on fire, you would’ve had a witty sarcastic remark ready on the tip of your tongue for him. “This whole place is a tinder box, it’s ready to blow!” 

You’re making your way out the exits, when suddenly Wanda immediately runs towards you and meets the rhythm of your stride, holding your hand. 

You give her a confused look. “Nat says we should have safety partners,” she responds with a shrug. 

“I didn’t hear that–” you begin to say.

“Clear out, stat!” Sam interrupts, sprinting past the two of you and clearly out of breath after screaming out fire safety laws for the past 10 minutes. 

Forgetting your previous statement, you turn to the brunette beside you once you’ve both made it safely to the parking lot outside. “Please tell me we can prank Sam after this,” you tell Wanda, bringing out a huge grin on her face.

“Oh, for sure,” she responds immediately. “In fact, I’m drafting up about 5 plans right now in my mind.” 

You laugh. “Of course you are, Maximoff.” Wanda squeezes your hand in return. 

***

“Okay, you know what?” you call out to the people around you. It had been ten minutes, and you were thoroughly bored of standing around. “I think Wanda and I are gonna set an agenda around here.” 

Wanda nods with a grin. 

Clapping your hands together lightly, you call towards the rest of the office staff. “Can everybody gather up, please? Important announcement.” You say. “I think this is a perfect opportunity for all of us to participate in some really intense,” you pause, “psychologically revealing conversations.” 

You give Wanda a look to finish the rest of your announcement. “So,” she turns to face the crowd. “We’re gonna be playing Desert Island…” 

“”Who Would You Do?” you continue, making Wanda snicker. 

“And, “Would You Rather?”�� Wanda finishes. 

“Would You Rather,” you agree. 

You’re about to start the first game, when suddenly, the fire trucks pull in and the firefighters run through the office crowd to get into the building. 

“What’s up, guys, long time no see,” you greet slightly, making Wanda smack you playfully on the arm. “What?” you laugh. 

She rolls her eyes in response. “You’re a dork.” 

You stick your tongue out at her in return, and turn back to the crowd once all the firefighters have made their way through. 

“Okay, so, first, three books on a desert island,” you look around, trying to pick the first person to go. “Nat,” you point. 

Nat squints her eyes suspiciously at the interaction in front of her first, before answering. “The Hunger Games, and a Russian dictionary, to make sure I’m not out of practice.” 

“Okay, you have one more book though,” you say. 

“Rather not,” Nat responds. 

“Okay,” you say with a shrug, and turning towards your best friend. “Wanda, next person?” 

Wanda nods, looking around to pick the right person. “Peter!” she says. 

“Oh,” Peter responds shyly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Um, Death by Black Hole, Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos, and one of the scientific journals I read a while ago but I can’t remember the name.” 

“Alright, that’s pretty cool,” you say. 

“No, it’s not,” Sam retorts immediately. “If he burned them, he would only be warm for like seven seconds. Question, is there firewood on the island?” 

“I guess,” you shrug. 

Sam scoffs. “Then I would bring an axe. No books.”

“That’s actually pretty practical, Mr. Sam,” Peter squeaks out. 

“Peter, you don’t need to agree with the guy,” you reassure. “I never do.” 

Peter nods, shifting his weight on his feet instead. 

You look at Sam once more. “You can’t bring an axe, Sam. Just books.” 

Sam narrows his eyes at you. “Fine, then. Physician’s Desk Reference.”

“Nice. Smart.” 

But unfortunately, Sam continues. “But hollowed out. Inside, waterproof matches, iodine tablets.” Wanda turns to you with an expression that tells you she’s trying not to laugh. You roll your eyes playfully in response. “Beet seeds, protein bars, NASA blanket, and, in case I get bored, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. No, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.” Wanda finally can’t help herself and lets out a small snicker. “Question, did my shoes come off in the plane crash?”

***

Unfortunately, the books don’t last very long since it appears that people don’t read too much in the Shield Industries office. However, you’re definitely remembering Wanda’s answer for her next birthday. 

“Okay, DVDs, five movies, what would you bring?” you ask the crowd. 

Bruce immediately raises his hand. 

“Yes, Bruce?” 

Bruce starts naming all of his guilty pleasure movies, and you and Wanda look at each other while struggling not to laugh. 

“Wow,” you whisper quietly to her as Bruce continues naming his choices. 

“Well, I kind of like–” Wanda whispers one of the movies to you through her quiet giggles. 

“Wanda, you’re misinterpreting this,” you tease gently. “These are desert island movies, you know? Not guilty pleasure movies. These are the movies you’re gonna be watching for the rest of your life! Forever!” 

“I take it back,” Wanda grins, facing you. 

“Unforgivable,” you shake your head. 

“I take it back!” Wanda wraps her arms around yours. 

***

“Wanda,” you turn to the brunette so she’s facing your front. “Your turn, five movies, go ahead.” 

Wanda groans, looking at you with a hopeful expression on her face. “Does it have to be movies? What about sitcoms?” she asks excitedly. 

You hum thoughtfully. “What do you guys think?” you turn to the rest of the staff.

“To be fair, I don’t think Maximoff has seen a single movie in her life, so for her, it should be allowed,” Nat says. 

“Hey!” Wanda says, slightly offended. “I’ll have you know, when I first came here, Y/N took me to see a bunch of your classic American movies.” 

“Oh, did she now?” Nat responds back sarcastically. 

“Okay, come on, guys,” you say past the slight blush in your cheeks. “No need to be hostile. Wanda, go ahead and name your top sitcoms you’d bring to the island.” 

Wanda immediately forgets about the interaction with Nat and starts naming her favorite shows. “Okay. The Dick Van Dyke Show, of course, I Love Lucy, Malcolm in the Middle, Bewitched, Family Ties…Wait, can I bring one more? I love–” 

“Sorry, Maximoff,” you cut off with a grin, causing her to frown. “Five per person, max.” 

“But-” she tries.

You shake your head. “Play by the rules, Wanda. Play by the rules.”

“I’m gonna get you back,” she says, narrowing her eyes and crossing her arms tightly. 

“Don’t doubt it,” you respond cheekily. “But, I’ll get you a donut later to make up for it. How about that?” 

Wanda nods, satisfied with your answer and moves to stand next to you once more. 

***

“All right, moving on to the main event, Who Would You Do?” you announce.

“Present company excluded?” Bucky asks. 

“Um, no,” you shake your head. “Not necessarily.” 

Suddenly, a chorus of “Wanda” is heard from the entire crowd, and you look at the recipient seeing how uncomfortable she looks. 

“Okay, um, how about I finish explaining the rules first? Let me explain first–” you try to ease Wanda’s embarrassment, but suddenly, you’re interrupted by something you could have never anticipated. 

Well, who could ever anticipate Sam’s…colorful personality. 

“Everybody Hurts” by REM has begun to blast from Sam’s car, and you look to see him slouching completely lifeless in his driver’s seat.

You try your best to continue past the music. “Yeah, so we’ll get right to— you know what? I’ll be right back. Steve, can you take over for me? Thanks.” 

You run off in the direction of Sam’s car, ready to confront him with Wanda trailing beside you. 

“Sam?” You ask through the open window. Sam simply turns up the music in response. “Sam! Come on, Sam, use words.” 

Sam turns off the music aggressively. “Why didn’t I go to business school?” he asks angrily. 

You furrow your brows in confusion. “Who goes to business school?” you ask, looking over at Wanda who shrugs at you in response. 

“The intern,” Sam says venomously. 

“Peter? He does?” 

“Yeah,” Sam responds scornfully. “It’s all him and Tony talk about now. Tony saw a stupid yellow business school book in his car, swiped him from your game, and now Tony’s completely obsessed with him.” 

Wanda looks at you before speaking, “you know, I bet Peter thinks to himself, “I wish I were a volunteer sheriff on the weekend.”” 

You bite your lip to hold back your laugh. 

“He doesn’t even know that I do that,” Sam rolls his eyes. 

“You should tell him,” Wanda says. 

“Oh, yeah, Wanda. Right. That’s gonna help things, just talk it out,” he scoffs. “I hope the war goes on forever and Peter gets drafted.” 

“Sam,” Wanda states gently.

“What?” you mouth to her through a smile.

She shakes her head at you with an equally amused grin. 

Sam puts his head into his hands. “Fine, I’m sorry I said that. I didn’t— just part of me meant it, okay? Besides, he’d end up being a hero, anyway.” 

You duck your head slightly to hold in the laugh that’s dying to come out. Wanda starts to smile too, looking away slightly to prevent being obvious. 

“You know what you should do,” you say past your grin, an equally amused expression on Wanda’s face. “You should quit.” You cover your mouth with the top of your fist slightly to hide your smile. “And then,” you turn to face Wanda, “that would stick it to both of them.” 

Wanda bites her lip tightly, trying her best to prevent from bursting out into laughter alongside you.

“No, Y/N, I’m not gonna quit,” Sam says completely monotone. “Then Peter wins.” 

“Yeah, you’re right,” you agree, facing Wanda who’s eyes are sparkling with amusement.

Sam puts his hand on top of both yours and Wanda’s, giving you both a grateful expression. “Thanks, you guys. I just need some alone time.” 

“Okay,” Wanda says softly, slowly backing away from the car. 

“Everybody Hurts” starts blasting again from the speakers, and Sam rolls up the window, slouching once more. 

You and Wanda slowly walk back to the group together, laughing loudly together as you finally release the pent-up hysterics you had both been trying to hold back. 

“God, he makes it so easy,” you exclaim. 

“I know,” Wanda grins. “But, we’re definitely still pranking him! I’m so looking forward to it, I have so many ideas I need to share with you. But, you know, after he gets over his breakup with Tony,” she starts giggling again. 

“I can’t wait, Maximoff,” you start snickering loudly alongside her once more.

But suddenly, your moment is cut short, as the source of your unhappiness makes its way in front of you two, and you both stop laughing slightly. 

“Hey, guys, what’s going on?” Vision asks, immediately slinging his heavy arm around Wanda’s shoulders.

“Nothing much,” you respond, shrugging as you put your hands in your pockets, feeling a bit out of place. 

“Hi, Vis,” Wanda says with a smile. 

“Can I hang with you guys for a bit?” Vision asks you both. “The warehouse guys can really be jackasses sometimes, you know?” 

You included, you think to yourself. 

But if he makes Wanda happy, then you’re happy.

***

Much to your secret dismay, you and Wanda have joined the group once more, along with her fiancé. 

“Come on, guys, you know the rules of the game, it’s called “Who Would You Do?”” Steve says in a bit of a frustrated tone. 

“Oh!” Tony claps his hands together. “Awesome, I play this game with my friends all the time. Where are we?” 

“Um–” Steve says. 

“Vision!” Tony points to the new company. “Who would you do?” 

“Oh, I got it!” Vision responds, and Wanda smiles lightly to herself. “What’s the name of that girl who’s always wearing black and has a huge bitch face? The red head?” 

Wanda’s face falls.

“My name’s Natasha,” Nat responds curtly, crossing her arms. 

Vision leans down to face Nat. “Hey, Natasha! I’m Vision, nice to meet you.” 

“You’re a dick,” Nat says simply, immediately leaving and making her way to her car.

Wanda looks down at her feet, feeling uncomfortable. 

“Hey?” you whisper to Wanda. 

Wanda hums in response. 

“Look at Sam,” you tell her, pointing to the figure in the red car, now going back and forth between banging his forehead onto his steering wheel, occasionally letting out honks, and banging his head agains the roof of his car. 

Wanda lets out a laugh, bringing her hand to her mouth in shock. She turns to look at you. “He’s gonna inflict brain damage or something.”

“Well, then he’ll have opened up a whole new world of pranks for us,” you shrug. 

Wanda grins, her spirits lifted from before. 

“Y/N!” Tony calls out. “You’re next. Who would you do?” 

“Um,” you pause. “Steve, hands down. You know, he’s got that cuddly thing going on, and because he’s prehistoric we could just watch bowling after.” 

The group laughs at your joke, Wanda included. 

***

The people playing the games had slightly splintered since Sam had run out of his car in an effort to find Tony’s phone, inside the burning office building, and in his words, simply to make him happy. A couple people got bored, and a few others decided to wait by the door of the building just to make sure Sam got out safely. 

Wanda was surrounded by a few of the female staff, who had decided to continue the game. 

“Definitely Y/N,” a bunch of them said simultaneously. “She’s really cute, and funny.” 

Wanda crossed her arms tightly across her body. 

“What about you, Wanda?” Jean asked. 

“Um,” Wanda looks around. “Probably Steve, too. For the same reasons as Y/N. He seems really nice.”

You’re on a phone call with Valkyrie, walking around the parking lot aimlessly. “Hey, where are you? Oh, good. Yeah, we’re just here, we’re playing Desert Island, five movies.” 

***

Sam had finally reconciled with Tony, after finding out the culprit of the fire, was unfortunately Peter’s cheese quesadilla. The boy looked horrified, and you tried to give him a reassuring look in an unfortunate situation. 

Suddenly, you were met with the sight of a silver car pulling into the parking lot, seeing it was Valkyrie through the windows. 

You walked up with a smile as she parked, rolling down the window to strike up a conversation. 

“Hey,” you greeted, smiling as you leant down to talk to her, her immediately grabbing your arm flirtatiously. “How are you?” 

“I’m good,” she answered, planting a kiss on your cheek. “It’s good to see you.” 

“It’s good to see you too,” you responded, smiling. 

“I’m hungry,” she says, referring to your lunch plans. 

“You know, I am too,” you agree. 

“Oh!” Valkyrie realizes, stepping out of the car. “I have been thinking, the whole way over, and I have my answers,” she shuts the door to the car. 

“What answers?” you ask. 

“For the desert island,” she says, leaning back against the car door. 

“Oh, right!” you say excitedly. “Come on.” You grab her hand and lead her over to the rest of the staff. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, gather ‘round, we have one more participant,” you announce. “Be polite,” you say, before turning to Valkyrie. “Desert island, five movies, go.” 

“Okay,” Valkyrie smirks. “First, Legally Blonde.” 

And suddenly, you’re met with the sound of Wanda’s laughter, as that was the guilty pleasure movie Wanda had told Y/N she liked when Bruce had announced it, only for you to tease her in response. 

Unfortunately, after Valkyrie has announced her movies, the crowd had mostly dissipated, and you turn to her apologetically. “Sorry, there was a bigger crowd last time, but you know, great movies,” you say, scratching the back of your neck slightly. 

“Don’t worry,” Valkyrie says, grabbing your arm and running her hand up and down your sleeve. “Wanna just go to lunch?” 

“Sure,” you agree. “Where are we going?” 

“I’m in the mood for Thai, does that work?” Valkyrie responds, getting into the driver’s seat. 

“Yeah, for sure,” you say, closing the door for her before making your way to the passenger’s seat. 

And Wanda narrows her eyes, ‘cause she knows you absolutely hate Thai food. 

Scoffing, she turns back to Vision, and grabs him by the collar before firmly connecting their lips.

You frown at the sight in front of you, and turn your head away.

“You okay?” Valkyrie asks, noticing your expression as you close the car door at your side. 

“Hm?” you respond. “Oh, oh, yeah, I’m fine. Don’t worry.” You reassure, giving her a small smile past the ache in your heart. 

“Okay,” Valkyrie agrees, giving you a small kiss on your cheek before driving off. 

[moonstruckme]

Hey Mae!!! I saw that the requests were open so I thought I would request something but if I misread it or something then please ignore this!

I was wondering if you could write something with reader not used to being taken care of? Like they have always taken care of others and have never had the opportunity to be taken care of so when someone else does they feel the need to do something for them in return? I was thinking of maybe Remus for this one? Or maybe a poly! Ship but you can write whoever you want!!

I understand if this is not a topic you would like to write about but I just love your writing and thought I would give it a try. Thank you for reading this anyway and I hope you have a wonderful day/night!

(Sorry it’s such a long request)

No you were right lovely! Thanks for your request :)

roommate!Remus x fem!reader ♡ 625 words

You pad into the kitchen, blanket around your shoulders and half-dissolved lozenge tucked into your cheek, to find the sink clear of dishes yet again. Guilt grows like winding vines around your ribcage. 

You put on the kettle. Stand over it as the steam starts to rise, breathing in the thick air and imagining you can feel the pressure in your sinuses lessening slightly. You make a cup of turmeric tea with honey for yourself, and English breakfast for Remus, stirring in a tiny bit of sugar the way he likes. You’re careful to keep it well away from you and your potential contagious-ness while you carry it upstairs. 

You knock softly in case, but Remus is awake, as you knew he’d be. 

“Morning,” he says, looking up from his book with a smile. The sight of him, sleep-rumpled and happy to see you, is almost too much. His eyes flicker down to the mugs you’re carrying, eyebrows lifting. “For me?” 

“Mhm.” You pass it to him, ignoring his soft tutting when you turn it in your grip so the handle is facing out towards him. 

“Thanks, sweetheart,” he says warmly. He blows steam off the top, honeyed eyes on yours. “I should be the one getting up to make you tea, really. How are you?” 

“I’m okay.” You shrug, taking a sip of your tea. The heat dissolves your lozenge faster, double soothing for your throat. “And you’ve done more than enough already. Sorry about the dishes.” 

Remus’ expression clouds with confusion for a moment before he realizes what you’re talking about. “Oh, I don’t mind. I wouldn’t be doing dishes if I was unwell, either.” 

“Thanks for doing them for me,” you say softly. Or you try to, but it ends in a rasp, your throat contracting against a cough that doesn’t form. You clear it embarrassedly. 

Your roommate’s brows bend with sympathy. “Don’t worry about it,” he tells you. “It’s really no problem. You don’t need to bring me tea just because I did a few of your dishes.” 

“I want to make it up to you.” 

His expression softens. “There’s nothing to make up, love. It’s not a debt that needs to be repaid.” 

You frown, chewing your lozenge. “At least let me make you breakfast. Is there anything you’re craving?” 

“No.” Remus smiles at you. Not quite confused, almost disbelieving. “You don’t need to make me anything. You should be resting.” 

“I’ve been resting.” You sniff, wincing at the pain it sends through your head. You’ve been either in bed or on the couch for days, and meanwhile Remus has been cleaning up your messes, keeping quiet so you can sleep, and bringing you soup from that place you like down the street. 

“It’s my turn to help now,” you say. 

“It’ll be your turn when I’m poorly and miserable.” Remus sets a hand to your forehead, humming disapprovingly. You use every scrap of willpower you have left not to melt into his bed. “Listen to me, alright? I don’t mind looking after you. It’s not transactional. I washed your dishes because they were there and I had the time, and—” He gives you a playful look. “—because I know that if I were up all night coughing, I wouldn’t want to worry about dishes. Okay?” 

His eyes hold yours. You feel perhaps the most out of it you have since this illness came on. Drunk, almost. “Okay,” you capitulate. 

Remus smiles. “Thank you. So you can stop trying to think up ways to get even.” He picks up his tea. “I can see that head of yours working. Leave it alone, it’s going through enough.” 

You smile back, caught. “Thanks for all your help.” 

“Don’t worry about it, love.”

[rhiannonsknife]

While rewatching yj i was thinking about what if Jackie became our friend while being stuck in wilderness.

She never talked to us before, maybe just a few times in practice or in class. But she literally has no one out there since everyone has turned their backs on her. So what if we start talking to her, make her do some chores to make her fit in and standing up for her when someone bashes her. And then you guys make fun of whatever cult-related thing that’s going on.

I feel like Jackie would cherish that and she really just needs someone to be girling with out there cuz she’s all lonely and i wanna hug her soo bad.

this reminds me of how no one came out to comfort jackie after her fight with shauna :((( guys i would’ve been out there instantly!!

jackie slams the cabin door behind her as she storms out into the cold, the sound reverberating through the otherwise quiet room. inside, the tension is palpable: shauna standing stiff, everyone else awkwardly pretending they’re not watching. no one says a word. no one goes after her.

no one except for you. the moment she disappears into the dark, you’re already grabbing your jacket.

you’ve been watching jackie unravel for weeks, her usual confident demeanor cracking under the weight of the wilderness, the isolation, and now the fight with shauna. the final straw in a series of events that broke her slowly.

jackie’s not perfect, far from it. but is anyone out here? besides, she’s been your friend, or as close to a friend as anyone can have in this hellscape.

you’ve seen how everyone’s turned on her, how she struggled to keep up and you’re not about to let her do it alone.

"where are you going?” shauna asks sharply as you put your jacket on.

“to get her,” you say simply.

“she’ll come back,” someone mutters. you don’t even bother turning to see who.

“yeah?” you snap, halfway out the door. “and what if she doesn’t?”

the cold hits you like a slap as you step outside and move toward where you think she’s gone, calling her name.

“jackie! jackie, come on, it’s freezing out here!”

at first, there’s no answer, just the wind howling through the trees around. there’s no snow yet, but judging by the constantly dropping temperature, there will be soon. you keep going, your breath puffing out in visible clouds as you search. when you finally spot jackie, it’s by a log at the edge of the clearing. her arms are wrapped around her knees, her head bowed, and she’s shivering violently already. she doesn’t look up until you’re right in front of her.

“what are you doing here?”

“looking for you,” you reply, crouching down beside her. “what the hell are you thinking, sitting out here? it’s freezing”

“go back inside,” jackie says, brushing hair from her face. “i’m fine”

“you’re not fine,” you counter. “jackie, you’ll freeze to death out here. come back inside!”

her jaw tightens, and she looks away, her breath hitching. “why do you care? clearly the others don’t”

“that’s not true, they’re just-” you pause, trying to find the right words. “it’s not you they’re mad at, not really. it’s this…place. what it’s doing to us!”

jackie lets out a bitter laugh. “that’s not how it feels”

you don’t know what to say to that, so instead, you shift closer, wrapping your arm around her shoulders. she tenses but doesn’t pull away.

“i care,” you say quietly. “and i’m not gonna let you freeze out here just because things are hard”

she turns to look at you then, her eyes glassy, her cheeks flushed from the cold. finally, she swallows hard. “i don’t want to go back in there. i can’t”

“yes, you can,” you tell her firmly, giving her shoulders a squeeze. “i’ll be right there with you, okay? if anyone says anything, i’ll handle it. you don’t have to do this alone!”

jackie hesitates, but when another gust of wind sweeps through, she shivers and nods. you stand first, holding out your hand.

“come on,” you say, your tone soft but insistent. she stares at your hand before taking it, her grip surprisingly tight as you help her to her feet. you keep your arm around her as you guide her back toward the cabin, the warmth of your body pressed against hers.

when you open the cabin door, the room instantly falls silent. all eyes are on jackie as she steps inside, her chin lifted just slightly, trying to hold on to whatever pride she has left.

you don’t leave her side.

[maraudering-times]

25 days of Jegumas - Day 22: Santa Claus - 907 words - @noblehouseofgay

Regulus is seriously regretting agreeing to take his niece and nephew to see Santa Claus. He doesn’t even like children. Except of course little Draco and little Luna. Those two? He’d do anything for them. Evidently including sitting through rush hour traffic to get to the mall just to wait in line for two hours all for them to sit on some creepy old guy’s lap for mere moments to give their Christmas wishes and get a photo. And evidently, maybe not actually anything. 

Regardless, here he was in line so these kids he loves with his whole heart can meet the man of the hour. Luna is excitedly bouncing on her feet while Draco tugs insistently at his hand, pointing at the animatronic reindeer lining the queue. 

“I see them, Draco.” Regulus tells the smaller boy. He reaches out and grabs Luna so she doesn’t duck under the rope to touch them. “Do you know what you’re gonna ask Santa for?” He asks the children.

“Uh-huh,” Luna nods, still bouncing but now holding his other hand. 

“Me too!” Draco exclaims.

“What’re you gonna ask for?” Regulus prompts. 

Luna and Draco both shake their heads. “Nope,” Luna says.

“Can’t tell you Uncle Reggie, or we won’t get it.” Draco tells him, pouting.

“You know that Santa Claus tells your parent’s what you ask for, right? They cooperate on gifts so you don’t get double. You can tell me.” Regulus presses.

“That’s a lie,” Draco pouts.

“We’re not telling you.” Luna lets go of his hand to cross her tiny little arms over her sweater. 

Regulus sighs but leaves them be. It’s not like he hasn’t bought them gifts already, he just wanted to make sure that everything they wished for for Christmas arrived on the day, he was just going to pass the information on to their collective parents.

The line shifts forward. 

“Are you going to ask Santa for a present, Uncle Reggie?” Luna asks, looking up at him with her big blue eyes.

“Oh,” Regulus looks around at the others in line with them. “This is just for the kids today, the adults go another time.” He tells her. 

She beams up at him and says, “okay,” and turns back to look at the decorations around the queue. 

Soon enough, it’s their turn. Draco and Luna barrel towards Santa Claus sitting in his big chair and happily strike a conversation up with him. Luna climbs into his lap first, Draco not far behind. They each take turns talking quietly in his ear and he nods very seriously at whatever they tell him. Santa then points to the camera and the three of them pose. Draco gets off his lap first and runs back up to Regulus. 

Luna says something else to Santa Claus before following her pseudo cousin. “Uncle Reggie, Santa says you can tell him your wish now since you’re here already!”

Regulus stammers at the two of them, lost for words. “Oh, I’m not sure, Luna Bear, I don’t want to hold up the line.”

Draco uses all his might to try and push Reg towards the red coated man. “Go on, Uncle Reggie. You don’t want to come all the way back here, do you.”

Regulus sighs, letting himself be pushed by two eight year olds and relents. “Okay, okay.” He approaches Santa and sheepishly looks at the costumed man. “Hello.”

“Hello there young man. I’m told your name is Regulus, yes?” Santa greets him in a deep timber.

“Yes.”

“You have to sit on his lap.” Draco points out. Regulus groans quietly causing Santa to laugh to himself in a much lighter voice than he uses with the children.

“Come along then, young Regulus.” Santa pats his lap invitingly.

Regulus mutters to him as he sits, “Don’t encourage them.”

“Where’s your Christmas cheer,” he whispers in his normal voice. A very young voice. 

“How fucking old are you?” Regulus snaps surprised. 

“Ah-ah-ah, no cussing in front of the kids.” Santa winks. He clears his throat then, adopting his persona again. “Now, what would you like for Christmas young man?” 

“To never have children of my own,” Regulus deadpans. 

Santa Claus stifles a laugh and nods seriously. “I’ll try my best. Now smile for the camera.”

“Over my dead body,” Regulus mutters but does as told, feigning an exuberant smile as the flash goes. Regulus gets off of his lap and turns to the man. “Thank you, Santa Claus.”

“You are very welcome, Regulus. Your photos can be picked up over there with the red headed elf.”

  Regulus nods and collects his charges, stopping by the elf to collect their photographs. The elf smiles sweetly at him and hands over two envelopes. One has two pictures of the children inside and the other one of him. Although, on his envelope is a sticky note with a phone number and name, James, scribbled on it. “What’s this?” He asks the elf.

“Oh nothing, just the direct number for Santa Claus here in case you have other Christmas wishes to be fulfilled.” She winks at him.

Regulus looks down at the sticky note then back at the man playing Santa. He gives them a parting wave paired with a secretive wink before he turns to the next child in line. Regulus thanks the elf and stuffs both envelopes into his pocket and takes his niece and nephew’s hand, leading them away from the crowd. 

[anotherjheastan]

Another Complicated Love Story

A Jey Uso x Rhea Ripley FanFic

Chapter 5 | Masterlist

CW none

Chapter 6: That’s What You Get

That’s what you get when you let your heart win

I drowned out all my sense with the sound of its beating

- That’s What You Get by Paramore

December 24, 2024

Rhea was gently shaken before the light was turned on. Rhea blinked her eyes. She gently rubbed them. They were a little puffy from crying the night before. She heard her best friend, Jessica clear her throat.

“From Adelaide, South Australia, your future Women’s World Champion, Rhea Bloody Ripley!!” Jessica announced.

Rhea sat up and smiled. “No announcing before coffee.”

“Well good thing the coffee’s done, mate. Now get up,” Jessica said.

Rhea followed Jessica into the kitchen. She looked at her phone. A lot of texts from Naomi. None from Jey. Fuck. Fucking Liv Morgan. Wasn’t she still with Dom? Why would she be pushing up on Jey? And what were they talking about anyway?

Jessica poured Rhea a mug from the pot. She sipped it and read through Naomi’s messages.

Jey said y’all are done? What happened?

Are you okay?

Just let me know you’re okay, Big Momma ❤️

Rhea sighed. “Naomi’s texting me.”

“I told her I’d make sure you’d text her this morning,” Jessica replied. “I told her you were alright.”

“You and Naomi talk?” Rhea asked, smiling.

“Yeah, we’ve been DMing since I’ve been planning to come see you. I’ve got her number now. We’re friends.”

Rhea shook her head. “Ok, let me text back.”

Hi Nae. I’m okay. Yeah we’re done. He was chatting up Liv Morgan. Did he tell you that?

Naomi: Liv Morgan?! I’m gonna get to the bottom of this

Rhea: There’s nothing to figure out. Thanks though.

“I think Naomi would agree with you about this all being a misunderstanding,” Rhea said, sitting on one of her bar stools.

Rhea had updated Jessica after she left medical. Damian went with her to the airport and he helped with getting her seat switched so she wouldn’t have to sit next to Jey. But he was flying to New York so he left for a different gate.

“I’m just saying I think you should hear him out,” Jessica said. “I don’t think he spent over a year pining for you to then go and chat up Liv Morgan. It doesn’t make sense.”

“Dom didn’t make sense either,” Rhea said.

“I know and if I ever see him backstage, you’ll have to stop me from kicking him in the dick,” Jessica said, rubbing Rhea’s back. Rhea laughed into her coffee. “But even on FaceTime I could see how smitten Jey is with you.”

Rhea’s smile faded.

“So if there’s something to figure out, let’s do it,” Jessica said.

“Can we figure out breakfast first, please?”

“Well you were supposed to be taking me to Waffle House. Is that off the table?” Jessica asked.

Rhea sighed. “No, let’s get ready and go.”

They finished their coffee, focusing their conversation on Jessica, her boyfriend Tony, and life back home in Australia. They showered and got dressed. Jessica pulled her long, brown hair into a ponytail. Rhea combed and brushed her hair, making sure it was straight.

“I think I’m ready for long hair again,” Rhea said, eyeing Jessica’s ponytail.

“You’ll get there soon enough.”

Before they headed out, Rhea saw another text from Naomi.

Naomi: Tell my girl Jessica I said what’s up. Y’all have fun today. Don’t forget I have gifts for you!

Rhea: Thanks girl. I’ll pick them up soon. I’ll bring your gift as well.

Naomi: For me?! You shouldn’t have!

Rhea smiled and put her phone down to drive.

Rhea and Jessica were enjoying their meal, snapping pics and posting on Instagram.

“I need to figure out a way to take some of these waffles back home,” Jessica said, tearing into her second chocolate chip waffle.

Rhea laughed. Her phone buzzed. A text from Naomi.

Naomi: Do you know what Jey and Liv were talking about? Do you want to know?

Rhea sighed. Did it matter? Maybe it did. Maybe that’s why Naomi was texting her. But would Jey tell the truth about what they were talking about anyway? What if he just lied to her? Rhea slid her phone over to Jessica. She read the message.

“Hell yeah we wanna know. Text her back!”

“I’m only responding ‘cause you wanna know.”

“Liar,” Jessica replied.

Rhea: What were they talking about?

Naomi: They were talking about Waffle House and Christmas plans. You know how enthusiastic he is about Waffle House. He would talk to any damn one about Waffle House.

Rhea laughed. Jey definitely would. If Waffle House had ambassadors, Jey Uso would be one. He was the reason they were at Waffle House now.

“But why didn’t he just say that?” Rhea asked.

“Based on the timeline of events you told me, you didn’t give him a chance to,” Jessica said. “You kicked him out of medical, went to the airport with Priest, switched seats on the plane. And he probably wanted to respect your space.”

All the color drained from Rhea’s face. She really hadn’t let him say anything. She rubbed her temples.

“I fucked up didn’t I?”

“Maybe a tiny bit,” Jessica said, smiling nervously.

Why hadn’t she trusted him? Given him the benefit of the doubt? Because she had trusted Dom. Because she had given Dom the benefit of the doubt and it blew up in her face. Because Dom hurt her. And now she had hurt Jey. She remembered his face in medical. Had caught glimpses of him at the airport when they landed back in Florida. She had been too angry. She had shut down.

“Fucking Dom,” Rhea sighed.

“Fucking Dom,” Jessica repeated.

Rhea: I fucked up didn’t I? There’s no fixing this, is there?

Naomi: He’s open to talking. I can be the mediator.

Rhea: Good to know. I’ll see you Thursday.

Naomi: Yeah we have to figure out this ride situation for the holiday show.

Shit. Rhea and Jessica were supposed to be riding with Naomi and Jey. She put a pin in that and went out to text Damian.

Rhea: Oh my God. Jey and Liv were talking about Waffle House.

Damian: I told you to go to therapy.

Rhea: I thought I was fine.

Damian: You’re always fine until you’re not. Do you need the number?

Rhea: No, I got it. I’ll make an appointment.

Damian: Don’t make me check on you

Rhea: lol I got it. And Jessica says hi.

Damian: Hi Jessica. I’m glad you’re there in person to help talk some sense into Rhea. Text me when she makes that appointment.

Rhea: Really? You’re just gonna text that like this isn’t my phone?

Damian: Well, don’t read it. I don’t know. I’ll talk to you later.

Rhea: lol love you.

Damian: love you too.

Thursday, December 26

Rhea parked her car on the road in front of Jimmy and Naomi’s house. They would be taking Jimmy’s SUV and she didn’t want to block the driveway. They were there a few minutes early. Rhea and Jey were meeting at 9 am to talk before getting on the road at 10. Naomi would keep Jessica company. She felt uneasy. She had tried to text Jey directly, but everything she started typing sounded dumb. Even Jessica tried to help, but it still wasn’t right. So she had just let Naomi do the talking. She would explain herself today. She gripped the steering wheel.

“Hey,” Jessica said gently. She reached out and touched Rhea’s hand. “No matter what, it’s gonna be okay. I know it doesn’t feel like it, but it will. He’s not Dom, but I’ll kick him in the dick too if it helps.”

Rhea laughed. “Thanks Jess. I’m sure Jey won’t need a kick in the dick though.”

“Okay then. Let’s go see if we still have a ride to this holiday show,” Jessica said.

“Okay that’s not helping,” Rhea said, opening her car door.

“My bad,” Jessica replied, opening her car door as well.

Rhea grabbed Naomi’s, Jimmy’s, and Jey’s gifts out the trunk. Rhea and Jessica rang the bell.

“Naomi!!!” Rhea exclaimed.

“Big Momma!” Naomi replied enthusiastically. .

“Naomi!!!” Jessica exclaimed.

“Jessica!!!” Naomi cheered.

Naomi hugged Rhea and Jessica. Rhea handed Naomi the gifts.

“Keep Jey’s. You’ll be able to give it to him yourself. He brought his gift for you. How are you doing?”

“Apart from feeling like a giant idiot, I’m great,” Rhea said.

“It’s gonna be okay, girl,” Naomi said. “Come in.”

Rhea and Jessica stepped inside. But what if it wasn’t okay? What if Jey never wanted to see her again? What if they were really done? An uneasy feeling settled in her stomach.

Please don’t throw up, she thought.

Jessica gave Rhea a hug before sitting on the couch. Naomi walked Rhea to the sunroom where Jey was waiting. Naomi opened the door. She stepped aside and Rhea walked in. Rhea’s breath caught. He looked so good even if he was just in a hoodie and sweatpants. He had on all black. He had a fresh haircut. And he looked…solemn. He wasn’t his smiling, silly self. Had she done that to him? She felt her eyes start to water, but she blinked back the tears. Rhea smiled, but Jey didn’t return it. She gripped the Christmas gift bag tighter in her hands.

“Can I leave you two alone?” Naomi asked.

“Yes,” they said simultaneously.

“Okay. I’ll be back at 10,” Naomi said. She shut the door behind her.

“Hi,” Rhea said, softly. She was still standing near the door.

“Hi,” Jey said matter-of-factly. He put his hands in the pockets of his black sweatpants.

He’s really mad, Rhea thought. Understandable.

“Can we sit down?” Rhea asked.

“Yeah,” Jey said, sitting down.

Rhea sat on the other side of the couch, leaving some space between them. She put her gift bag in between them and rubbed her hands on her thighs. Her hands were starting to sweat already. She quietly exhaled before looking at him.

“I’m sorry for how I acted on Monday,” Rhea said slowly. “You didn’t do anything wrong. It was me. I was wrong. I put my crap on you and I shouldn’t have. I’m starting therapy in January since I have unresolved emotions around…you know who. I don’t wanna put any more of my crap on you. You didn’t deserve that.”

Jey nodded. Rhea wanted the silence to be filled with anything. She couldn’t handle the quiet and hated how distant she felt from him.

“What happened…really hurt,” Jey started. “I care about you a lot. Trust is important to me. You have to trust me and I have to trust you. Right now, I don’t trust you.”

Rhea’s mouth twisted to the side. His words felt like a blow to the chest. She blinked a few times and looked away from him. Fuck, fuck, fuck, she thought. She took a deep breath and blew out a shaky breath. She looked at him.

“I understand. And I will do everything in my power to earn your trust back. If…if you let me,” Rhea’s voice cracked at the end and a tear fell from her eye. She quickly wiped it away.

“We’ll see,” Jey said.

What did that mean? She had gotten used to reading him, but this was really her first time dealing with upset Jey. She’d never seen him this upset and definitely not at her. But she messed up. She had to own it. And whatever happened, happened. Even if that meant losing him forever.

“Here’s your gift,” Rhea said, trying and failing to hold back more tears. She held out the bag to him. He took it, their hands brushing each other. Her heart stopped aching long enough for it to flutter. He handed her her gift.

Rhea stood up, wiping more tears away. “I’ll see you out there? Are we good for Jacksonville?”

Jey nodded. “We’re good.”

Rhea nodded and then quickly left. She walked to the couch and sat in between Jessica and Naomi. They wrapped their arms around her. Rhea let more tears fall.

“How did it go?” Jessica asked.

“Okay,” Rhea said quietly. “We can ride together.”

“So you two are good?” Naomi asked, uncertain.

“I don’t know. I think we’re okay for now,” Rhea said. “It’s a lot to work through.”

Naomi nodded. “That’s fair. You wanna open your gift?”

Rhea shrugged. “Why not?”

She reached in the bag and pulled out a black, rectangular box. She opened it and gasped. A beautiful Cuban link bracelet with diamonds. It was similar to the one Jey had. She smiled.

“Nice,” Jessica said, under her breath.

Rhea closed it and put it back in the bag. She opened up the card he had in there.

I’m used to you catching up to how I’m feeling. So I understand if you’re not ready to hear me say I love you, but I do. I love you. I shouldn’t write this in a note to you. I should say it to your beautiful face. But I don’t want to scare you off. But I’m pretty sure you love me too. It’s in your eyes, the way you stare at me sometimes. I know because I stare at you like that too. Things are getting serious for me. I hope you’re thinking like that too. I see a future for us forreal. Thank you for a wonderful time together so far. Months have felt like forever. I wonder what years will feel like. I can’t wait to find out.

Love, Jey

Tears streamed down Rhea’s face. He loved her! He loved her! Rhea had written her note for his gift a few days before the drama on Raw. But she left it there, full of hope. And it seems like Jey had left his note in there for her. So there was a chance. Maybe they weren’t completely done.

“Are you okay? What did he say?” Jessica asked.

Rhea nodded. “These are happy tears.”

“I’ll get you some tissue,” Naomi said.

Naomi returned and Rhea wiped her face.

“Thank you. He said he loves me. And I wrote in my note that I love him.”

“Y’all are so sickening,” Naomi said.

“Agreed,” Jessica said.

Rhea laughed. She held the note to her chest and sighed. She started crying again.

“Hey it’s 9:58,” Jey said, walking over to the girls. He stopped when he saw Rhea. “Are you okay?”

Rhea smiled and nodded. “Happy tears.”

Jey smiled for the first time at her. And Rhea wanted to collapse into a puddle on the floor. He held his hand out to her. She hesitated, putting the note down. He stuck out both hands and nodded. She took them and he pulled her into a hug. He smelled amazing. Rhea held him tight. He squeezed her too. They separated and he wiped some of her tears away. He looked from her eyes to her lips and Rhea’s heart pounded. He kissed her on the forehead. She was just happy to feel his lips on her again.

“While I’m glad y’all made up, y’all are gonna be late if you don’t get going,” Jimmy said.

“Ugh, really Jimmy? You can’t let them have a moment?” Naomi said.

Jimmy held up his hands. “I’m just saying.”

“Let’s go,” Jey said. “Bye Jim.”

“Bye Jey. Nice meeting you, Jessica. Bye Rhea,” Jimmy said, as Naomi walked up to him.

Naomi kissed Jimmy and told him to take it easy. “I love you.”

“I love you too. Be safe and have fun,” Jimmy replied.

Jessica and Rhea waved at Jimmy. Rhea grabbed her bag out of her car and tossed it in the SUV. Jessica and Rhea sat in the back. Naomi and Jey in front, Naomi in the driver’s seat. Naomi put on her playlist and they headed to Jacksonville.

[neiptune]

atsumu miya x will you be my new year's kiss?

Atsumu walks through the door with a few presents balanced in his arms, thick scarf covering his face up to his nose. The apartment is unusually quiet, the only details confirming your presence the colorful lights on the tree you decorated together the first day of december and a few pots left on the stove.

“Babe?”, he calls, confused. Maybe you’re getting ready for the party, which gives him enough time to take his coat off and sort all the boxes. He finally picked up the gifts he couldn’t give on christmas, Bokuto’s legendary new year's eve dinner celebration the perfect chance to check the remaining names off his list: Kiyoomi, Shoyo, Shugo, Rin, Shion. You helped him pick every gift but Atsumu refused to have his sense of creativity fully obscured by your good taste. He hopes Kiyoomi will enjoy his brand new, expensive antibacterial hand sanitizer.

As he walks upstairs, he calls for you again but once more there is no response. He finds you in your shared bedroom, head buried underneath a million blankets, a weak cough the only sign of life he gets.

“Baby? Are you okay?”, he rushes to your side, lifts the covers just enough to get a glimpse of your exhausted face.

“’Tsumu, you’re home”, you try to clear your throat but it still comes out in a hoarse whisper, “sorry, I think you’re gonna have to go to the party alone. I’m sick”.

“You’re sick? How did this happen? It was that asshole colleague of yours, wasn’t it? The one who always comes to the office with a fever, that jacka-”

“I just think going grocery shopping with my hair still wet wasn’t smart”, you chuckle from underneath che covers, “I’ll be fine, just wanna rest tonight. Tell everyone I said hi, ‘kay?”.

Atsumu frowns.

“What? No way I’m leaving ya alone, I’m not going”, he’s alrady taking off his tie by the time your half-lidded gaze emerges once more.

“No, ‘Tsumu! Please go and have fun, it’s new year’s eve!”.

“Nuh uh, I’m making ya soup and putting my pajamas on”.

“But-”

“Rest yer voice, pretty. D’you need any medicine? I can run to the nearest pharmacy”.

You weakly shake your head no.

“I’m fine, it’s just a cold. Some paracetamol will do”.

Atsumu feels your forehead with the back of his hand and smiles, dipping his head to gently press his lips to it afterwards. He murmurs some sweet reassurances into your skin, strokes your hair and tenderly puts out the last embers of your objections. It’s not a bother, his friends will understand, you didn’t ruin anything, he’s happy he gets to take care of his girl.  

Atsumu likes to party but he always says all he needs are those he loves, what he’s doing is hardly important. People make his moments and you happen to be his favorite person.

His new year’s eve is hardly ruined as he hums in your kitchen, puts together your favorite chicken noodle soup as you sniffle upstairs. He cuts fresh bread, makes lemon tea and fills your biggest cup with water, quick and efficient as the situation requires.

When he’s back by your side, tray in hand, you sit up with a deep groan and Atsumu gets comfortable on the side of the bed, insists on feeding you the best soup ever made. After every spoon, the question of whether you can feel all the love put in there makes you break into an exasperated smile.

“Did you eat?”, you take the medicine he hands, grateful, then melt against the pillows once more.

“Yes”, he lies.

“Go eat something”. Atsumu huffs at how easily you read him.

“Later, ’m not hungry”, he feels your temperature with his hand again, then boops your nose to make you laugh.

“I’m sorry”, you sigh, “this is so not how I wanted this night to go”.

“Stop apologizing or I’m gonna have to do it too next time I get sick”, he walks to the other side of the bed and lifts the covers, “and ya know how I feel about apologizing”.

“Go sleep in the guest room! I’ll make you s-”

“Ya talk too much”, once in bed, with a content sigh Atsumu wraps his arm around your body and pulls you in, “besides, I have a question”.

“What?”, you grumble, adjusting yourself to rest your head on his shoulder. He gently rubs your arm, turns his head just enough for his lips to graze your forehead as he speaks again.

“Will you be my new year’s kiss?”.

“Why do I feel like you won’t take no as an answer?”, despite the frustration in your tone, you chuckle.

“Damn right I won’t”, Atsumu smiles. Kissing you is worth getting sick. Kissing you is worth anything, really.

dear @heavenlyakin, a sweet secret santa dropped by to leave this gift for you! happy holidays 🎄

[kepler-station]

౨ৎ.𖥔˚ How do the Five Beasts fare with being "rejected" or "friendzoned"...?

— 𝜗𝜚 rq by @melluvsuu, thank you for requesting ! i can't write for characters without a clear personality in the canon of its game, series, or whatever, so here's how i characterized the two beasts who haven't been released yet/has no episodes in game :

— eternal sugar : the lazy beauty. the type to look drop dead gorgeous even while lazing off on her cloud. she's seductive and attractive, kinda like a worse and intensified version of kumiho. she can get what she wants just by whispering sweet nothings into the ears of those who she wants. so sweet, you don't hear the condescendingly cruel intention of hers. but to her, you're just another piece of jelly on her plate. another to use, another to discard. once you're consumed by your love for her, you'll be floating away on a cloud, lazy becomings getting better of you. and you fail to see her touch the heart of another.

— silent salt : a silent but protective cookie. he shows his affection not through empty words but deep rooted actions that come from deep in his heart. and yet, this comes with a strong sense of dismissal, carelessness, and even ignorance. you can't tell if he's listening or ignoring you, he's that silent. despite that, he's protective of those and the things he truly cares about. that being said, anyone who even gets a mile closer to his belongings gets sliced. it may be scary, getting isolated like that. but he's devoted. a slash of his sword, he'll cut down any cookie who dares even think of what he cares about...

— hopefully you like how i portrayed them ! this is just what my vivid imagination thought they'd be like once i saw them. kept it to myself for a while, and now i get to tell it to you mystics here.

— god, they're so evil... i love it.

𔓕 ⸝⸝ ꒱ sumi radio ; step back by GOT the beat

ᡣ𐭩 .𖥔˚ heads up ! — lovebombing. isolation. implied kidnapping...? a lot of bad things. also, you aren't a beast here.

₊˚⊹ ᰔ radiowaves reaching to humans... @esmelanaire

— shadow milk cookie 🎭 ᯓ★

— "You... YOU...!!!! NO, HOW DARE YOU...!!!" TRY TO REJECT ME— YOU..!!" ... "Oh, you silly goose! You didn't reject me, silly! You love me! You do!"

— at first, he's... silent. you weren't supposed to go off script like that, you were supposed to declare your love for him at this very moment! oh, but lookie here, because all the sudden you're dressed in blues and blacks, circus-like attire while declaring your undying love for the incredibly funny and self-proclaimingly incredibly-handsome cookie of deceit!

— with just a snap of his fingers, the entire environment turned from lush green and... beast-yeast stuff to blues and blacks, checkerboards with tightropes, dancing faeries in circus attire, burning coals to dance over and parkour courses complete with throwing knives for fun! of course, it wouldn't be complete without the love of his life, the darling apple of his eye, his little silly goose and so many other silly nicknames, you !!

— you're more than just friends, your lovers, silly! but seriously, of course you'd be having a lot of fun by his side, even if it's not truly you... hey now, you'll be okay! to avoid any other cookies trying to meddle with your mind, he places you at top of the spire of deceit and truth, of course all of your necessities are all there, and Shadow Milk can just appear there with you with a snap of his fingers, faster than you can blink and say "silly, vanilly"!

— which brings a lot of surprise and drama when pure vanilla eventually runs up that familiar blue tower. what sorts of drama coil up when truth finally catches your eye and hand down the blue tower? has your savior finally arrived?

— eternal sugar cookie 💘 ᯓ★

— beautiful, beautiful eternal sugar. how could you ever turn her down? stunning, gorgeous, attractive... looks like she didn't lovebomb you enough. or maybe she didn't spray enough love potions in the air for you to fully fall for her? well, there's truly no need to worry! you're feeling the effects already!

— truth be told, none of the beasts can handle rejection. of course, sugar is no different. her looks, whispers of sweet nothings and forbidden love magic are all she needs to get you to love her. sure, you did reject her, but you just don't know that your hers yet!

— she lovebombs you; constant invitations to her sugar paradise, isolating you from your friends and family upon a sugar cloud and some dark vines as you are consumed by your growing sloth, spoiling you, whispering words of affirmation and love in your ears until you get used to it and only it, inviting herself to things that include you, while ignoring your schedules, personal beliefs and your time because she wants you. she wants control over you, she wants to catch her prey.

— rejecting her further results in further isolation, of course after facing the wrath of a beast. as a... not a beast, you fear her in terms of power, so it's only a matter of time until you love her because you fear her. but that's besides the point, she loves you too much to see you suffer like that! during the black vines and isolation, of course the hearts in her eyes cannot be stopped. the lovebombing doesn't stop even when you are isolated from cookie society.

— consequently, everyone fears being around you because wherever you go, not a minute later the beast of sloth herself comes flying after you right then and there! with how feared the beasts are, they're just begging you to accept her love so she can go away...

— in the end you do end up loving her, in the same way she discards you as you fall into sloth upon your little cloud in the sugar paradise. after all, you are just another toy for her to play with and discard at will. another piece of food on her plate, another prey for to go to town on.

— (p.s. if you somehow got to stay friends with her for a short bit, she doesn't stop with her advances and trying to block her off doesnt work either, she will have you wrapped around her finger in less than it takes for her to snap her dainty fingers.)

— mystic flour cookie 🏯 ᯓ★

— how futile.

— what sort of meaning did you mean to her for her to go to such lengths only to be met with the same futility she drowned herself in a long time ago?

— in her world of white, you were a deep, vibrant shade of (whatever the main color in your cookie's color palette is). the one thing that mattered to her in a world which served no purpose chose to reject her perfect world of white just like that. the one thing that stopped her from turning the world from white chose to leave her out of their world... not in the way that she chose them to be the only rhing worthwhile in hers.

— so because her approach to you is more or less the same as the other cookies around you, she just pays attention to you and actually interacts with you, albeit a dry one, her reaction is very apathetic, hard to tell whether she cared or not.

— ah, what of it? the world will be consumed in apathy, and you will soon see the futility of turning her and her heart of white down. it wouldn't hurt to indulge a fair bit before she took the world into her hands.

— so before she enters her white spider-like cocoon, she abducted you and placed you in there with her. she wanted you to see the world of white she sees so, she wants you to be there with her and feel this same apathy, so you understand her.

— and for once, it wasn't futile as it actually worked. colors diluted in white, eyes glazed over, floury dough and all. you turned into a priest/priestess of the temple of hollow tears, and a personal servant to mystic flour.

— she made you see her world of white. your opinions do not matter. you will not harbor the same arrogance as the cookies who asked too much of her. you saw her perfect world of white, and you feel the same apathy that loathes within her at all times. with tears of hollow apathy, her hand caresses your cheek as you turn into flour under her loving gaze. you were the only thing that mattered to her heart, and nothing else mattered. in this moment where she had lost everything, she desired nothing more than to see you before you entered her world of white. her heart will never forget you, my dear. apathy will never outshine the love she has for you.

— burning spice cookie 🔥 ᯓ★

— ah, so you're a fighter, eh?

— burning spice cookie is a fiery, destructive cookie. i can see his own pride getting hurt by your destruction, and something similar to his wild-goose-chase with golden cheese would happen where you'd hide from him until you could escape or until he was defeated in some way.

— you rejecting his burning love for you hurt his pride. a lot. nutmeg tiger and the spices were shocked too, that you had the guts to do such a thing, knowing you're going up against a beast of such chaos as burning spice...

— ... which means it's another game of hide-and-seek between you and the beast within his own lands. from the kulfi hotsprings to the spice valleys, the spice tribes either helped you hide or ran away from you in fear of the beast. after all, you were the one he was looking for.

— perhaps he wants to prove himself to you. or perhaps he seeks to know whether you are truly worthy of his heart. i don't know, maybe he thinks his destructive stunts will win you over or maybe he wants to see your strength (but you must be strong if burning spice is interested in you), just that he wants to find you because of the rejection which led to something else.

— we've already been over the fact that the rejection hurt his pride deeply, but he's determined to win you over. perhaps he didn't do enough; in this sense he's more similar to eternal sugar but he doesn't love bomb you. in the end of it all, it climaxes to a fight, both to see your strength and to prove himself and win you over!

— he doubles down on competition as he's driven by a need to prove himself, which leads to reckless behavior as he pushes himself to the absolute limit, desperate to impress his crush. also, nutmeg tiger is also after you because burning spice ordered her to.

— the way this ends could be up to your interpretation because i can't see a definitive ending for burning spice getting rejected by his crush. it could end in a big fight where either one of you wins; you win and you leave beast-yeast and the land of rigid spices or whatever it's called, or burning spice wins and you have to be his lover. really, it's up to you from there, sorry.

— silent salt cookie ⚔️ ᯓ★

— the silence after you declare your rejection is so very loud it's almost deafening.

— in the past, you and salt started out as friends. of course, he was a capable leader and with that came being a great protector. little did you know, something that seems good turns out horribly annoying..

— it's not bad, of course, it feels nice knowing no evil or danger is coming your way since silent salt took his place by your side as your knight in literal shining armor, but it's just annoying. cutting down even harmless little critters who come close to you and yes, as a beasts no evil dares come near you but that means cookies also avoid you like the plague.

— isolation is depressing, and no contact is the same thing just as depressing. however, silent salt won't budge even in isolation. alone in your room? not anymore, silent salt is peering over you watching over you. want alone time? silent salt ignores you and stays by your side, stuck to you. that sort of clinginess is uncomfortable and annoying, i'm sure, esp. when they're someone who ignores you and stays silent all the time.

— and sure, it may be nice sometimes. in times where danger threats you, the beast next to you shuts it down immediately but when he cuts down your friends....

— and he ignores your pleas too.

— he ignores your rejection. that's it. he's always going to be by your side even if you declare that you don't love him. you'll never get rid of him, accept it.

— you aren't on his level of power, so you don't stand a chance against him. years and years pass as you crumble on your own (iykyk...). does he regret it? yes. yes he does. but he doesn't see why you did this.

— he thought you knew that he loved you, he cared for you, thats why he stood next to your side for so long... you knew, didn't you? why did you do this... why?

[4only1]

Feliz Navidad - Secret Santa Part 3 (King's Edition)

Featuring: Jichang Kwak, Taesoo Ma, Seongji Yuk, Gitae Kim, Gongseob Ji, Seokdu Wang, Jaegyeon Na

Masterlist -----------------------

Jichang Kwak

Unfortunately, when someone has a job, it leaves them very little time to participate in something as silly as secret santa. Unfortunately, Jichang, the man you wanted to so desperately participate in secret santa, had a job.

You sat on a bench, pouting your lips. You really wanted Jichang to participate so you could rig it and give him a gift. Why can’t the gods do you a favour for once and let you cause some mischief.

You heard the crunch of boots against snow to your side, but decided to ignore it, too sad. Atleast, until a familiar voice spoke.

“Does me not participating in secret santa really make you that sad? Well then, I suppose I’ll have to participate next year, no matter how busy I am.”

Sitting up straight, Jichang was standing in front of you, a cigarette between his lips. You stared, at a loss for words. It only took him 5 seconds to see what was wrong with you. You felt stupid now knowing that even when he was busy, he made the time to come and find you. And you were just complaining about not being able to surprise him.

“It’s okay to be upset with me. I wanted to participate, but they needed me to work more hours. Come over for Christmas dinner though. We could use someone who actually knows how to cook” Jichang said, placing a hand on your head, ruffling your hair.

As he walked away, a deep red blush appeared on your face. You curled into a ball, letting out a scream.

“Ahhhhhh, how can such a man exist”

----------------------- Taesoo Ma

Taesoo’s large hands were covering your eyes as he led you to who knows where. Well…he did, he just wouldn't tell you. You had almost tripped a dozen times by now, getting more impatient with each step.

Finally you both came to a stop. 

“Okay, you ready?” He grumbles out. His hands move away from your eyes and you stare in confusion.

In front of you was the wilderness, trees rustling with the wind. You stare up at Taesoo, waiting for an explanation on what was happening.

“You told me about how cool it is to own a mountain, so I got you your own.” He said, his voice dead serious.

Now that is not something you see everyday. You never thought this man would go out of his way to buy you something you had mentioned in passing a while ago. Your jaw was on the ground. In shock, at how much money this man actually had to buy multiple mountains.

Taesoo picks your jaw up, closing your mouth, before lecturing you a bit.

“Close your mouth or else you'll catch flies. Maybe I should have gifted you a smaller mountain.”

The mountain wasn't the problem.

----------------------- Seongji Yuk

You sat cross-legged, waiting for the treat Seongji had promised you. You know that he had limited money, so when he told you he got you anything at all, you were ecstatic.

A sweet smell lingered through the air, and a small crackle of sugar was heard. As Seongji handed you the finished product, he spoke, voice low yet clear.

“Wait for it to cool before you eat it. I don't wanna, or have the equipment, to deal with burns.”

The tanghulu was beautiful looking. The sugary syrup coated the fruit perfectly, not leaving a spot untouched. You waited patiently, both for it to cool, and for Seongji to join you.

“Sorry I couldn't give you anything else, I hope you enjoy this.” He said, sitting cross-legged next to you.

A smile crossed your face and you took the first bite, it was as good as it looked. Looking at Seongji, you spoke, excited, not thinking.

“Are you kidding me! What's better than a sweet treat with a sweet man”

You cringed at your words but he just smiled.

----------------------- Kim Gitae/Kitae

“Here”

It was one word but Gitae spoke it with authority, no room for arguments. He threw a package into your lap, causing you to fumble a bit. Picking it up, you examined it for a good minute before you asked what it was.

“Um…what is this?”

Curiosity tainted your tone as you continued to stare at the mysterious package. A small chuckle came from Gitae as he lit a cigarette. He took a puff before responding, amused at your reaction.

“Only the best of what I got. Use it or sell it, I really don't care, just don't go making a name for yourself with it.”

Oh…OH SHIT!

Your eyes widened at the new information. In what world did Gitae think drugs would make an amazing secret santa gift. Who even let him participate? Couldn't he have just bought you something with the drug money instead of making you work for it yourself?

“What the actual fuck Gitae! I’m dragging your ass down if I get caught with this” That earned you a hearty laugh.

----------------------- Gongseob Ji

Gongseob stood close to you, too close. Even when you side stepped, he followed, leaving almost no room between the two of you. Finally, you had enough and decided to ask what his deal was. 

“What do you want?” It came off harsh but he didn't care.

“I'm your secret santa, exciting right?” His tongue was sticking out as he spoke.

“I got you an amazing gift, one of a kind.” He kept yapping on, but you drowned him out.

Your attention was brought back when you heard the sound of a zipper being undone. Looking down, you were greeted with Gongseob, who had started to pull out Gongseob junior. Oh fuck no!

“What the hell!” You exclaimed. How did he think his dick was a gift? Cocky man! This gift SUCKED!!!

You moved automatically, your form would make even the best boxers swoon at how good it looked. With speed never seen before, not even by him, your fist swung swiftly, yet hard, landing right on his family jewels.

He fell to the ground, clutching his damaged merchandise, moaning in pain. You let out a sigh before shaking your fist out. A smile grew on your face as you let out a laugh

“I take it back, that was an amazing gift.”

----------------------- Seokdu Wang

Seokdu pulled out your seat, allowing you to sit down before pushing the chair in. For such an unassuming and rough looking man, he sure knew his manners.

The food was served as soon as he sat down. An assortment of dishes scattered across the large table. This was quite the luxurious gift, one you weren't expecting from him.

“Thank you for the meal, everything looks amazing”

Your words held only the truth. Everything looked yummy. Looking at his plate, you noticed a salad, just a salad. Confused, you decided to ask about it.

“So…what's with the salad, you look like the type to eat raw meat.”

“I'm vegan.”

Ah, there always was a catch. Something you would never have assumed by looking at him. You decided to change the subject, to a more pressing matter.

“I wish you had told me what the gift was beforehand. I would have dressed up better to fit the vibes of this place. I look like a rat.”

You didn't actual look like a rat, you looked like wet rat who survived a hurricane. You were wearing sweatpants that hadn't been washed in weeks, a baggy sweater and your hair was all over the place.

“Don't worry about others seeing you. I booked the whole restaurant.”

How are all the king's so rich???

----------------------- Jaegyeon Na

“I've driven a million kilometers on it and it's still good as new, I swear.” Jaegyeon spoke, placing the car keys in your hand.

You look at the car he was gifting you and well normally you would have been crying tears of joy at the gift, you just stared, annoyed. Initial N, as he called it, was the ugliest car you've ever seen. And that was before whatever happened to it 

Looking at it now, the front hood was smashed, and the roof was gone. It also smelled like piss, more so than usual. Did he think you were stupid.

“No” Is all you say, too insulted to speak otherwise. How dare this man try and give you an ugly car.

“What do you mean no? You can't say no to a gift, especially one as good as this one. Who else am I supposed to give this to?”

“Not my problem.” You tell the man, before walking away, done with the man and his ugly cars. You look back at the sound of crying. This man was hugging the car, telling it how special it was.

Well Jaegyeon was special, no doubt about that.

Part 1, Part 2

Welcome to part three of the secret santa series! We have one more part to go! I'll give you a spolier in that in contains 5/6 characters and it will be posted on the 24th. It will be the last part of the secret santa series.

If you don't see your favourite character in this part, go check out the others!

Easiest to write for: Gongseob Ji

Hardest to write for: Jichang Kwak

[colinzabelswife]

Glasses-Peter Maximoff

Peter Maximoff x reader

Warnings: nothing just fluff :)

You had always needed glasses, it was something you couldn’t avoid. You were little when it became clear that you needed them,so your parents set up an appointment to get them. At first it was only for reading, but when you refused to wear them because you thought they looked weird, it eventually became a problem.

After a few years of wearing glasses every so often, you just decided to get contacts. It would be a lot better than wearing those ugly things, you thought. Peter on the other hand thought you looked really cute in glasses. He would constantly remind you to wear them but you just protested saying that you could see without them and that they just made you look like a nerd.

“I just don’t understand why you want contacts instead of glasses.” Peter said confused, he knew that you didn’t wear them because of your insecurity. “I think you look cute in them.” You rolled your eyes at his statement. “What? I’m not wrong” Peter wasn’t lying and he didn’t like the fact that you didn’t believe him.

Two weeks later

It was currently 7:45am and you were running behind on getting ready. School started at 8 which meant you still had 15 minutes left to get ready. You were sitting at your vanity struggling to put your contacts in. “UGH! I can’t put them in!” You whine as Peter walked into the room. “Just wear your glasses” He says as he flops on the bed. You were already fed up and annoyed and his comment didn’t help so you glared at him. “Jeez sorry, I was just trying to help.” After about another two minutes of trying to put them in, you got so frustrated that there were tears in your eyes. Peter looked up at you and quickly noticed your frustration. He then got up and crouched down next to you and tried to calm you down. “Look, I know you don’t like wearing your glasses, but you’re already running behind and it doesn’t help when you’re frustrated with your contacts. So please…just wear your glasses.” Peter saw the look of determination of not wearing them, on your face. “I’m not lying when I say you look cute in them.” Eventually you caved and decided to wear your glasses.

Later that day, you could tell that wearing your glasses made a huge difference. You were able to see a lot better and everything was more clear. “Hey nerd”, you heard as you turned around to see Peter standing by your locker with a dopey smile on his face. “Shut up. I know I already look like one.” You say annoyed. “I’m just messing with ya”, Peter said pulling you into a kiss. “No I’m being serious. I woke up this morning and I’m breaking out all over my face and on top of that I have to wear these glasses”, you say upset. “Hey hey…look at me, calm down. Your acne isn’t that bad and the glasses don’t make it worse. I promise…so just calm down. You’re fine.” He said as he held you by your arms.

After a minute of standing there like that, Peter pulled away and looked in your eyes. “I know you’re feeling insecure but you shouldn’t. It’s normal to have acne and it’s not a big deal to wear glasses. They don’t make you look like a nerd, they help you see. And if people can’t see that, then that’s their issue.” After he said that, Peter pulled you into a hug. “Now I have to get going and so do you, so I’ll see you later. We can watch something together and get pizza okay?” You nod as the bell rang and walked to your next class.

Later that night like Peter promised, he ordered pizza and turned on a movie. You two were currently curled up on his bed watching a Christmas movie. “Maybe you were right about my glasses”, you say quietly. “Oh yeah, why’s that?” “Because I was able to see better and they were more comfortable to wear.” He then pulled you closer to him. “Well I’m glad that you are finally believing me.” You snuggled closer to him. “I’m going to sleep now, love you.” “Love you too babe. Sleep tight.”

Tags: @lacucarachapisser @bohnerrific69 @fear-is-truth @wcnderlnds @xrag-dollx @evansroses

Personal Rant

(This happened to me a few weeks ago except I didn’t have Peter 😔. I absolutely despise wearing my glasses because I feel like I look ugly in them and the day that I had to wear them because I couldn’t get my contacts in, my acne was horrible and I’ve never had any break outs like that before and when I put them on I felt like I looked like a nerd)

[swiftiethatlovesf1]

Unspoken Melody p.5

Hi guys, here's a new part of the story, if you've missed part 4 here it is :) If you want to read more of my stories, here's my masterlist.

Two drivers, one unforgettable concert, and a chance encounter with a pop sensation that leaves Oscar questioning everything he thought about music—and maybe even himself.

As the day at the paddock wound down, the energy and noise of the track were replaced by a peaceful calm as everyone began wrapping up. Lando had already left to attend to some media duties, leaving you to wander back toward the exit. Just as you were pulling your phone out to call for a car, Oscar appeared beside you, his hands shoved into the pockets of his McLaren jacket.

“Hey,” he said, his tone casual but his cheeks slightly pink. “Heading back to the hotel?”

“Yeah,” you replied, looking up from your phone. “It’s been a long day. But a great one.”

Oscar hesitated for a moment, then cleared his throat. “I could give you a lift. If, um, you’re okay with that. I think we’re staying at the same place.”

You tilted your head, pleasantly surprised by the offer. “Really? That’s nice of you. Are you sure it’s not out of your way?”

He shook his head quickly. “Not at all. I mean, I’m heading there anyway.”

“Alright,” you said, smiling. “Thanks, Oscar.”

The car hummed softly as Oscar drove, the streetlights casting a warm glow through the windows. After a few minutes of polite silence, you decided to break the ice.

“So, is this your usual post-practice routine? Chauffeuring pop stars back to their hotels?” you teased, shooting him a sideways glance.

Oscar chuckled, his hands gripping the steering wheel. “Not exactly. But, you know, gotta keep things interesting.”

You laughed, settling more comfortably into your seat. “Well, you’re doing a great job so far. Thanks again for this.”

“No problem,” he replied. “It’s not every day I get to talk to someone who’s not obsessed with cars.”

“Fair enough,” you said. “Though I’ll admit, I don’t know much about the sport. Lando’s trying to fix that.”

Oscar smirked. “He’s relentless when he wants to be, isn’t he?”

“Absolutely. But he means well,” you said, pausing. “You and Lando seem close. Do you guys hang out much off the track?”

“Sometimes,” Oscar said. “He’s great, but we’re pretty different personality-wise. He’s more… chaotic, I guess.”

“Yeah, I can see that,” you said, grinning. “So, what about you? What’s life like outside of F1?”

Oscar shrugged. “Not as exciting as yours, I’m sure. I’m kind of a homebody when I’m not racing. I like spending time with my family, though. I’ve got a lot of sisters, so it’s always lively when I’m home.”

Your eyebrows shot up. “A lot of sisters? That’s definitely a green flag.”

Oscar laughed, a slight blush creeping into his cheeks. “Is it?”

“Absolutely,” you said with a nod. “I’ve only got a younger brother, but with touring and everything, I hardly get to see him. I really miss my family when I’m away.”

“That must be tough,” Oscar said, his tone softening. “I’m lucky that my family is super supportive. My sisters freaked out when they found out I’d met you.”

You blinked in surprise, turning to look at him. “Wait, really?”

“Yeah,” he said, grinning. “They’re huge fans. When I told them you were at the paddock, they were sending me texts nonstop. I think they wanted me to get your autograph or something, but I wasn’t about to ask.”

You laughed, touched by the thought. “That’s so sweet. You should’ve said something! I would’ve loved to sign something for them or even record a little message.”

Oscar glanced at you, his eyes lighting up. “They’d lose their minds if you did that.”

“Well, let’s make it happen tomorrow,” you said, smiling. “It’s the least I can do for you after giving me a ride.”

Oscar’s blush deepened, and he cleared his throat. “That’s really nice of you. They’re going to be so jealous when I tell them we’ve been talking.”

“I’ll try not to steal their favorite brother,” you joked, and Oscar chuckled, the tension in the car easing even further.

By the time you pulled up at the hotel, the conversation felt natural, as if you’d known each other much longer than a day.

“Thanks for the ride, Oscar,” you said as you unbuckled your seatbelt.

“Anytime,” he replied, his tone warm. “Goodnight, YN.”

“Goodnight,” you said, stepping out of the car and into the quiet lobby.

Back in Your Room

Your suite was a welcome respite after the day’s whirlwind events. You dropped your bag on the chair, kicked off your shoes, and sank onto the edge of the bed, pulling out your phone. Scrolling through your contacts, you called Mark.

The line rang and rang until his voicemail picked up.

“Hey, it’s me,” you said, your voice soft. “Just wanted to tell you about my day. It was amazing—so much fun at the paddock, and the McLaren team was so welcoming. Call me when you can, okay? Love you.”

You ended the call, frowning slightly, and set your phone on the nightstand. A few minutes later, it buzzed with a text notification.

Mark: Out with the guys. Can’t talk.

You stared at the message for a moment, disappointment sinking in. Setting your phone aside, you changed into your pajamas and climbed into bed. The day had been full of new experiences, laughter, and connections, but the hollow feeling of not being able to share it with Mark lingered.

As you closed your eyes, Oscar’s shy smile flashed in your mind, followed by the thought of how easy it had been to talk to him. Shaking your head, you pushed the thought away and focused on the steady rhythm of your breathing, hoping for restful sleep.

[fandombymanynames]

some season 7 thoughts mostly focusing around the disaster that was Runaan's second trip to Katolis...

buckle up lads, it's gonna be a long one

First of all, do i think Ezran was wrong for locking up Runaan?

absolutely not

This kid just had his entire kingdom burn down and is now staring at the man who killed his dad seemingly but that's another matter. He's allowed to be pissed, and he's well within his rights to arrest Runaan. I was honestly shocked he was the ONLY one acting upset. I thought for sure the second Soren saw Runaan that he'd be drawing steel, since if I remember correctly (and i could totally be wrong, it's been a while since i watched it thru from the beginning, so have mercy), Soren actually fought Runaan while trying to defend Harrow??

So Ezran's actions are not what bother me about the whole plot point. What bothers me is that this is only happening now??? Like, I'm not even convinced Ezran fully knew who Runaan was other than the assassin that killed his dad. Did Rayla ever tell him that's her dad and I just forgot? Did Callum ever tell him 'hey we're trying to free Rayla's dad (the man that killed our dad) from his coin prison that Viren put him in, just a heads up so you can digest that'? That seems like a massive thing to just spring on a person when you've been planning it for several seasons at this point. Couldn't have written him a letter even... smh

And then on top of that...they bring Runaan to Katolis like absolute dumbasses. Like if you're not going to have the decency to warn your brother that you're planning to break Rayla's dad out of coin jail, the least you could do is just let Ezran keep his blissful ignorance and peace on the matter. It was just an objectively stupid move from all three of them (Callum, Rayla, and yes Runaan himself like wait outside my dude). As the saying goes, play stupid games win stupid prizes. Naturally you bring the guy who killed the king to the kingdom...he's gonna get thrown in jail, and it was all perfectly avoidable if they rubbed even two brain cells together.

okay maybe that was a little mean, but it was a stupid thing to do and i hope we can all agree on that.

but it's what happened so we move on to the next domino in this disaster: rayla breaking runaan out.

Was I all for it?

Yes. Let me be very clear, Runaan is my favorite and he and Ethari's reunion was literally the only thing i cared about this season

Was it ALSO a stupid as hell thing to do?

YES

Like you didn't even wait for night?! You're MOONSHADOW ELVES! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS IN BROAD DAYLIGHT????

I wanted to strangle someone.

The only good thing, imo, is that she did tell Callum ahead of time. That's growth! She knew what she felt she needed to do and let him know. And very critically, she did not want him involved because she knew this was going to hurt Ezran and didn't want to put Callum in a position to directly pick her over his brother. It is so clear that Ezran is in turmoil and he deserves to have his brother there with him. Callum SHOULD have stayed with his brother, but they had to be stupid and stage a prison break in broad daylight like absolute bafoons. I just...it's so dumb.

I get that the idea is to not keep Ethari waiting 'one minute longer' than needed, but come on guys. You can still race back to the Silvergrove while taking reasonable precautions to ensure you actually make it back to Ethari alive. I think he'd prefer that actually.

It just all felt contrived for drama, at the cost of characters acting reasonably intelligent especially my man Runaan who's a fully grown adult and should have known better than just walk into Katolis, ffs man critical thinking skills

What's my take away from this long mess? That this should have been a building conflict within our original trio starting from the moment Rayla got the coins and understood what they were. Ezran should have been involved in the discussions on freeing Rayla's parents, especially Runaan. If that's too much to ask for, we should have atleast seen some conflict out of Callum on the matter (Harrow was his dad too). It's a fumbled arc in my opinion, thru and thru

but hey that's just me, just needed to put some thoughts to paper as it were. hopefully this mess makes sense

[milla-frenchy]

Ughhhhh I cant' believe it's almost over, I'm gonna miss them dearly ❤️❤️❤️

Joel stayed for three nights. On the fourth night, Lily woke up cold, alone, the absence of his warmth like a missing limb ripped from her some time in the soft, orange morning. Panic seized her gut before she was fully awake, bouncing around, squeezing at her organs like a leech. She blinked manically, squeezing her eyes shut tight, eyelashes going spiky as she tried to clear her vision, as she tried to reach for the bulk of him only to come back empty.

Your writing is so vivid, I almost feel the emotions as if I were lily, how amazing is that? 🤌🤌

Lily tried not to think about it, tried not to think about his note, his silence, tried not to think about Caleb, how he was still out there, some part of him possibly still aware as that fungus ate away at him, forced him to do its bidding.

My god...

It took Joel five hours on horseback, weaving around the grounds outside of Jackson, to find those damn flowers. The idea had burrowed itself into his head last night, as he held a sleeping Lily, gently tracing the big, open flower tattooed on her shoulder. Those lilies, the ones he'd ripped out of the community garden years ago. He needed them back. 

omg he left to find some lilies??? 😍😍😍

Maybe it was a little silly, his sudden need to go get those flowers back, but it felt necessary, felt like some final piece falling into place. He'd ripped those flowers out once, because he couldn't bear the thought of her, couldn't even speak her name without falling apart. And now she was here, and he was trying, trying to be soft for her, gentle for her. If she was back, he needed the flowers back too.

Noooo it's not silly, it's amazing and I love it 😍😍

But before he could, Ellie was bursting, like she'd been holding the words in for just as long as she'd been ignoring him. "I was supposed to die in that hospital," she spat out, driving each word home with a slam of her hand against the top of the railing. "My life would have fucking mattered, but you took that from me." Joel wanted to tell her that her life did matter, mattered to him, mattered to her friends, should matter to her. Joel wanted to tell her that he loved her, but he couldn't, didn't know how. So, he said something else, something just as poignant, just as true, as he pushed himself off the railing to stand up straight and face her. "If somehow the lord gave me a second chance at that moment I would do it all over again." Silence fell between the two of them as Ellie searched his face, then turned to look back out across the yard, toward her house. "Yeah..." she whispered. "I just— I don't think I can ever forgive you for that—" And that stabbed into Joel like a hot knife, a choked breath shuddering out of him. "But I would like to try," she added, after a biting moment of silence. His heart slammed into his ribs, while something wet and trembling echoed from his lips. "I'd like that," he whispered, blinking hard to try to dissolve the tears in his eyes, something glimmering in his core now, something like hope. "Okay," Ellie said softly, pushing herself off the railing, "I'll see you around."

Ok, I need to express how much I LOVED how you added the game part. The EXACT game part. This is amazing. I played the game so many times, I love it so much, and your series fits in so perfectly it's so damn brilliant

"I missed you, Lily. Every day. I never stopped missin' you." He felt her tremble in his arms, her fingers twisting into his shirt as she slowly lifted her head, those bright glossy eyes searching his own. "And I'm— I'm sorry," he choked out, the words clawing their way out of him. "M'so sorry, baby, for lying to you, for bein' so horrible, I— I hate myself for it. I don't deserve your forgiveness and I'm not asking you for it." Lily opened her mouth, about to speak, those blue eyes gazing up at him, so soft, so bright he loathed himself for ever making her cry, for ever speaking such blasphemous, egregious things to her, even if he'd spoken them to keep her safe, to keep her away from him, the disgusting creature he'd become. "Let me finish," he said, before she could speak, reaching up to run his thumb across the soft skin beneath her eye, collecting a tear as he did. "When Sarah died," he exhaled the words, relief and agony swirling in marriage in his gut. "That first day. I— I didn't see any reason to keep goin'." His hand shook as he took her wrist in his hand, bringing her fingers up to that gnarled scar on his temple. She exhaled sharply as her fingers brushed against it, her hand trembling against him, those bright blue eyes going a little dark, glossing over with new tears that made him want to scream. "When I went to pull the trigger, I flinched, 'cause I heard your voice."

Oh boy. The confession about his feelings. The fact that he heard her voice????

"M'right here baby, you feel me? You're so full of me, little one," he purred, taking her hand from his shoulder and placing it on her lower belly, pressing his own hand over it so she could feel him inside of her, feel the thick shape of his cock hammering into her.

wow. So hot, so perfect

Joel dropped his head, trying to push the darkness he felt surging through him away, trying to cast it out so she would not fall victim to it, to him again. Never again. But then he felt it, her little hand spreading out over his cheek, and he trembled at the touch, a shudder working itself down his spine, and he let himself fall into it, into her, let himself be weak. "I killed them all," Joel muttered. "I saved her." Lily gently lifted his head, those blue eyes he'd been in search of his entire life gazing straight into his, without fear, without disgust, with something so warm he felt that black rottenness inside him completely melt away.

I love that he told her. And of course, of course, Lily's perfect, perfect words.

"Caleb," she choked out, when he was close enough to see, when she could make out the way his blue eyes had gone glossy and red, see the way his skin had gone discolored and scabbed. And he paused, the creature controlling him— or perhaps him, buried deep somewhere inside that vessel— paused at the sound of his name, cocking his head, twitching in place as he stared at her. It was almost like he knew, like he heard her somewhere in there, like the last remaining shred of his humanity was desperately trying to keep the creature controlling him from ripping her apart. She let out a sputtering cry, blinking rapidly, trying to keep her vision clear so she could see him one last time, even if this version of him was monstrous, even if the virus had eaten away all the life that had once brimmed in his eyes.

And here I am, sobbing again while I re read this chapter 🥺🥺🥺

"The Jeff Goldblum love." Something sprang open in Joel's chest at that, and he laughed, a full-bodied, thundering laugh as his head tilted back, and he heard Lily match it with a little giggle that made his stomach flutter. "You guys are fucking weird," Ellie breathed out, but when he glanced over at her, there was a smile tugging at her lips, and her eyes flickered to him for just a moment, but it was the first time she looked at him with anything but animosity in years. Joel had his girls, safe, warm, with him, for the first time in a lifetime.

I had to take off my glasses and wipe my eyes there, I was crying so much while rereading this.

Thank you SO MUCH for this series. I can't say it enough. One of my favorite series ever ❤️❤️❤️

Nights Like This One: XXV.

"He looked at her, and he loved her, loved her so much it burned, like something eternal, something that no amount of time, nor distance, nor the end of the world as they had known it, could kill off. He'd loved her, perhaps, since that first moment he saw her, looking hollow and bereft on the threshold of her mother's house. He loved her in every death, every birth, every reiteration of himself."

paring: joel miller x ofc rating: 18+ mdni word count: 9.5k a.n. this is the last full chapter. i'm so bereft knowing it's almost over. i don't know if i've ever been so emotionally invested in a story i've written before like i have this one. i literally cried writing the last few paragraphs. i hope you love it. i hope it mends you. i hope it balms the pain i've put you through over the past couple months. thank you so very much for reading. epilogue will be out soon. ily <3

Read on AO3

Fic playlist on Spotify

[obeymeow]

being neurodivergent is all fun and games until you remember those hourly quote bots on twitter and think well maybe I can't make a bot anymore but I could schedule a few quotes a day, that shouldn't be hard. it sounds fun to have a bunch of quotes of my favorite character Thirteen from hit mobile game Obey Me! and its sequel Obey Me! Nightbringer. and then you think about how arduous collecting the quotes is going to be but she's only been in the games for maybe a year and a half with little screentime and you love collecting things so you start but then you remember that you love collecting things so naturally you have ALL of her screentime in the game and suddenly you have 45k characters of quotes and are several lessons into season 4 (which is truly a trial in and of itself) but not nearly close enough to the end but you refuse to just stop collecting the quotes and make the account with the EXCESS of what you have already because you literally only have season 4 to get through and if you don't do it just seeing the bot (because now you've been informed you can make tumblr bots instead) will haunt you with that knowledge even if nobody else would ever know. this is a general anecdote of a situation that could easily happen to anyone though and not in any way related to my life

[barksbog]

if anyone wants to learn color theory i will teach you

are you ready?

make things look edible. invoke the desire for your art to be shoved in someone's mouth. it just works.