#or like even for like a church summer camp thing

[kat2107]

Since I keep seeing non-German confusion about Christmas markets being a Christian thing and no Muslims or non-Christians being there, a little primer:

Especially Americans seem to be confused about German Christianity and assume that we are kind of Christian like Americans are. That's wrong.

In daily German life, Christianity plays barely any role. At BEST you'll see some people go to church on Sunday because it's tradition. Many are nominally members of a church but not practicing.

Eastern Germany is even worse since it's a former communist area and has about 60% or more atheists. Many people there were never in their life at a church function, Sunday service or otherwise. No baptism no church funeral no Sunday school or summer camp.

In light of this, is a Christmas market a Christian event that is visited by Christians?

Hell no.

It's a winter faire. People go to have mulled wine or hot apple juice with cinnamon, there's cheesy music, expensive but sometimes good food, you eat roasted almonds, children go on merry-go-rounds, and all in all everybody has a good time freezing their asses off.

You'll find all religions, heritages, and ages at a Christmas market, like you would at any other faire. ( including so. Many. Tourists)

What Christmas markets ARE though, are symbols of a romanticized idea of Winter and Christmas. They're hallmark faires, basically. They are also places where a lot of people gather with very little space to move. No joke, these things are packed tight.

So, strong symbolism in German culture, and perfect opportunity for anyone who wants to do as much damage as possible.

Not directly connected to "Christianity", though.

[variationsonacloud]

price & mckinley were definitely in one of those mormon promotional videos AT LEAST once

[vampmilf]

walked into a church the other day and remembered a few church songs that i used to love singing and now my head is stuck on that specific cozy feeling again *sigh* gotta cope with writing some more of that lesbokris au i guess

[itsalwaysdark]

i will say it was a bit funny bc the text from my mom got cropped for the notif so the notif just said 'signed everybody up for church' and i was like ...??? interesting decision for our family. but then i clicked and went YIPPEEEEE

[pearlcigs]

⋆ maybe some faith would do me good

christian!virgin!reader x ellie williams

summary ⋆ ellie's forced to go to some church camp thing for the summer. maybe she'll actually enjoy it if she keeps seeing you around.

warnings ⋆ 2.78k ⋆ smut, non apocalyptic au, guys dont cancel me😅, mention of suicide (jokingly) , implied reader virginity loss, religious themes, alludes to what david did to ellie, friends to enemies to lovers kinda, dacryphilia, public sex, sex in church, public humiliation, cunnilingus and fingering (r!receiving), pet names (baby, pretty girl, good girl)

ellie tried to protest when joel proposed the idea of ellie spending her summer days at some camp for religious kids that one of the elders in jackson had volunteered to host, she really did. she didn't know what joel was trying to accomplish. maybe he thought in some twisted way this would help her get over that encounter. it didn't matter what the point was, it mattered that she was being woken up at 8 in the morning on the first day of summer to go to some stupid camp. joel told her she was being dramatic, it was only a 2 and half week program and then the rest of her summer was free.

she was still grumpy nevertheless, slumping her way to this church retreat. she'd only packed enough for a week, hoping that if she ran out of clothes they'd be forced to send her home. A friendly old woman greeted her, smiling and cheerful unlike ellie. The woman led ellie to a room, explaining that this was her room during the program. She fought every urge to roll her eyes, knowing the woman was just being nice but, god, who really had that much energy this early in the morning? The woman instructed her to leave her bag on one of the beds— great she had a roommate— and then make her way to the prayer room.

ellie groaned at the thought. prayer room? she might as well shoot herself now. she complied nevertheless. her feet dragging along the wooden floor, the planks creaking with every step she took. the halls were white, various pictures of religious symbolism decorating the otherwise plain walls. she couldn't deny that the hallway made her feel uneasy. she could only imagine what it looked like at night. ellie sighs as she comes across a door, half open and she can hear chatter from behind it. she worked up the courage to walk through the door, preparing herself for whatever bullshit she'll endure while she's here.

she takes a look around the room, eyes all the girls who seemed to all know each other. each girl with their own smile on their face. ellie rolled her eyes, closing the door behind her and before she could even process what was happening, she was approached by a girl. you. "i didn't think you'd be here." you smile at her, oblivious to the one sided feud you had with ellie. you were the pastor's daughter, probably the one responsible for this little get together. god, ellie hated you. the way you dressed, the way you talked, the stupid smile on your face, the even stupider bow in your hair and that little sundress that showed so much for someone like you.

truthfully, ellie didn't have a good reason to hate you. especially since you two grew up together, being raised to be built in friends. but hating you just to hate you seemed justified enough for her. "didn't have much of a choice." she barely keeps eye contact, keeping her response cold and dry. you frown at that. "oh. okay..." you look down to your shoes, it was obvious you picked up on the dismay in her tone. her mind wonders, just for a second, if she took it too far. but she shakes the thought. "yeah." she clears her throat, looking around the room once again. "well... um..." it was ridiculous how quickly your confidence was knocked down. all because of ellie.

ellie chuckles, finding some sick amusement in your reaction. you were going to speak again, probably to ask something like 'are you mad at me?' but you were dragged away by your friends. ellie sighed, watching you walk away. her eyes trailing from the back of your head all the way down to your— woah. why the hell did she look there?! god, but the damage was done. ellie wanted to look again, certain parts of her practically begging for just another glance. she refuses though, instead focusing on one of the stained glass windows. nothing fancy, just a red cross with a blue background. the funding for this particular chapel wasn't exactly the highest.

ellie could feel herself warm up, her mind jolting such crude thoughts about you. she groaned, running a hand through her hair. you had her mind so confused. she hated your guts. she really did. but all she could think about when she saw you was how much she wanted to bend you over and just yell at you. for what? she didn't know. for being too religious? too kind? too innocent? her mind wanders again, to a new thought she'd never had before. she wanted to ruin you, give it to you until you couldn't possibly take it any more. watching all the innocence leave your eyes while she filled you with sin. ellie snaps out of her thoughts, noticing that the woman from earlier had begun to speak about the quote unquote 'fun activities planned'.

through out the day, she tried to avoid you. even when you tried your very hardest to make amends for something you had no clue about. she participated in the church themed activities with little enthusiasm, being told more than once to at least act like she was having fun. the sun had begun to set, the chaperones calling out that dinner was ready. but ellie wasn't hungry. she managed to slip away from everyone else. wondering the semi creepy halls, just thinking to herself. she counted how many times the floor squeaked and creaked. she was content with just doing that until she counted a creak that she didn't make.

she turned around, her heart rate a little elevated only to find out it was just you. she sighed and rolled her eyes, returning to her initial path. "hey... they said dinner was ready." you were wary, nervous and shy even, and she couldn't blame you. "i know." her tone was less harsh this time. perhaps she was feeling guilty for her outburst earlier. "you're... um, you're going the wrong way." you were just trying to be helpful, but with every word you spoke, the more ellie got angry at you. "i know." she repeated. she heart your soft footsteps running up behind her to catch up. "so, why are you going this way?" your voice was so sweet, just like the honey ellie imagined licking off your body at least 30 times today.

she didn't answer, continuing to walk in the opposite direction of where she needed to be. and you just followed like a lost little puppy. "hey? i said—" she cuts you off. "i heard you." her cold tone was back. "oh." just like earlier, your gaze redirected to your shoes. "don't do that." she sighed, looking over at you. "huh? do what...?" you look up at her, frown evident on your face. "look like i just crushed your heart." ellie looked away from you again, examining the religious paraphilia on the walls. you didn't reply, looking away again but ellie didn't miss the hint of blush covering your face before you did. "oh? did i just crush your heart?" she jokes, weirdly seeming to warm up to you. once again, she's met to no reply. she rolls her eyes, turning the corner in the hall. she was met with a door and she wasn't sure if she should enter.

"it's the chapel." you explain, sensing her confusion and hesitation. ellie looks at you, a little annoyance on her face that you knew something she didn't. she pulls the handle on the door, gesturing for you to enter first. "ladies first." she remarks, not much amusement in her tone. you walk in and she follows after you. it was empty and though it shouldn't be creepy, ellie felt unnerved. "wait! don't let it close—" you try to warn, but the door had already been shut. you sigh, biting your lip in anxiousness. "what?" she utters, wondering why her closing the door was a bad thing. "it locks from the outside." you explain and ellie's face drops. "that's fucking great." ellie groans, running her hands over her face, walking down the isle and up the two steps to the alter. you follow.

"i tried to tell you..." you mutter. ellie wants to yell at you. say something along the lines of 'you should have tried harder' or whatever but before you can get the words out your head is in your hands and you're crying. ellie's shocked, not knowing what to do or say. she sighs. "don't cry, c'mon." she comforts, moving your hands away from your face and wiping your tears. it made you reminiscent to when you and ellie used to be friends. "i'm sorry." you sniffle as she dries your tears. "why're you crying, hm?" she tries to be gentle but just at the sight of your tears makes her want to fuck you over the alter. "'cause you're being mean and i got us locked in here." you vent your frustrations, revealing just what a hard day you had because of ellie.

she feels terrible now, hating that she made you feel so inadequate. god, why does she even care how you feel? ellie looks at you, watching as you wipe the tears that she missed. "i'm sorry for being so mean." she apologizes, deciding to cut the act. she didn't hate you. she could never hate you. "i just can't get you out of my mind." she admits. you look at her blankly for a moment, clearly not understanding. but ellie can see the exact moment when your eyes lighten up, realizing what she meant. "you mean it?" you ask, full of hope. "god." ellie rolls her eyes and your naivety. she leans closer to you, pressing her lips against yours, her hands cupping your face.

you pull back and ellie is now the one who frowns. did she misinterpret all your signs? "i'm not good at that." you admit while avoiding eye contact. ellie chuckles, pulling you closer by your waist. "i don't care." she mutters, kissing down your neck. you gasp, her warm tongue running over your cool skin. ellie's hands venture down, grabbing your ass over your dress. the ass that started this whole mess. "ellie!" you were startled. it felt like all the statues were suddenly watching you, judging you. but it just felt too good to care. but it weighed in the back of your mind as ellie kissed your jaw.

"i'm gonna fuck you so good." she mumbles, becoming drunk with lust. "i've never..." you trail off, your voice transitioning into a gasp when her hands begin to roam over your body. "i know. so pure, huh?" she teases with an eye roll, mocking how the church would call you pure. you don't reply. you couldn't. you words stuck in your throat, your eyes focused on her hands. watching them caress your waist slowly sliding up your body to cup your breasts. "el..." your whisper, you voice filled with breath. "i'm right here." she slides her right hand back down your body, reaching your thighs. she trails her fingers over the flesh before pressing her finger to your clothed cunt. you gasp, clutching onto her tighter.

"i know, baby. feels so good, doesn't it?" she mumbles in your ear, her fingers circling your clit so gently over your panties, which were becoming soaked. "el, el, ellie." you breathed out heavily, trying your best to keep as most decency as you could. after all, this was a chapel. "saying my name just like a prayer." ellie acknowledges, her fingers slowly working towards slipping into your underwear. your eyes rolled back when her cold fingers finally touch the place you needed her most. your legs were weak, wanting to give out on you. ellie notices, biting back a laugh at how blissed you already looked. she leaned you against the alter, her fingers working faster.

"so pretty." ellie mutter against your clammy skin. "so good. you're being such a good girl." her words made you feel so dirty but so... aroused at the same time. "keep... keep saying that." you barely managed to get out, you voice coming out in broken whimpers. "yeah? you like being my good girl?" she gently slides a finger into your dripping cunt. ellie can help but moan herself. "ellie." you whisper, feeling more pleasure than you've ever felt before. "i know. i know." she comforts, knowing exactly how you were feeling as she adds another finger. ellie was so aroused, drunk on the power of ruining you, being the one to help you commit the worst sin you've ever done.

your head lolled back, feeling something you've never felt before. "el." you choke out. "i know. you're almost there." ellie sinks to her knees, kneeling in front of you. "should i confess my sins to you." she whispers, kissing your thighs. you can't respond, finding the scene before you so arousing. ellie lifts up your dress to reveal your lacy underwear. "of course." she mutters under her breath. "hold this for me pretty girl." she looks up at you, and you shakily take hold of the dress that she flipped up. she gently slides your panties down your thighs, never breaking eye contact with you. she helps you step out of them, shoving them in her pocket so she didn't have to put them on the dirty ground.

her eyes flicker down to your pussy, biting her lip. "ellie." you can't even focus anymore, the loss of her fingers deep in your cunt making you want to cry. "i'm gonna make you feel so good. just be patient." she kisses your inner thighs, teasing you. you can't say anything, complain about how much you need her. but luckily, she doesn't torture too much, cause in a matter of seconds she's sucking on your clit, with her fingers returning to their job of fucking you. the sweat on your body makes you hot to touch, needing your release so badly. you push your hips forward instinctively, greedily wanting everything ellie could give you. before you could even process how good ellie was making feel, your orgasm approached.

ellie couldn't help but moan as your own moans got louder and your free hand tangled itself in her hair. "so close, baby." she mumbles into your pussy, feeling just as pleasured as you do. "el. oh my gosh, el! please!" you mutter, your words conjumbled and not making much sense. "good job, baby." she mumbles as she finally pushes you over the edge. your moans are loud and broken, filling the empty chapel with such sin. the cross necklace around your neck sticking to your skin. "ellie rubs your thighs, pressing small kisses on your pussy. "can't get enough of this pussy." she moaned, so drunk on you, on lust, on life. "ellie—" you whine and she moves away but not before she runs her tongue through your folds one last time.

"so good." she praises and lets your dress fall back into place. ellie kisses you, the taste of your arousal still in her lips. she pulls away, both of you out of breath. the sound of doors opening cause you both to pull apart. your hands going to fix your hair. "ms. heather wanted to know where you two went. you okay...?" a girl ellie recognized as one of your friends from earlier asked you. ellie began to make her way down the steps and down the isle, you quick to follow. "yes, yeah. we just got a little lost." you speak slowly, trying to maintain your thoughts.

your eyes scattered around to find your underwear. ellie smirked when she saw you looking around, knowing they were right in her pocket. she would give them back eventually but the thought of you walking around a few hours commando just made her feel things. catching glimpses of you around the night pulling down your dress, looking around to make sure no one can see anything. but of course in the morning she'll return them after using them all that night, after her roommate when home sick. but this is ellie we're talking about. she had to tease you just a little bit. so on day two when everyone wakes up to gather in the prayer room to see a pair of lace panties hanging from the cross, the kids and chaperones were most definitely shocked, and of course ellie earned some death glares from you in between your embarrassment. and ellie can't help but think maybe she'll hang out with you at church more often if that's the reward.

another christian!reader x ellie williams fic!

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for "using" a cucumber and putting it back in the fridge?

(🥒👌 to find later)

Please, I know it sounds nuts but hear me out. I feel awful and I need to know just how bad this is. Also, I intentionally left as much as possible vague as I am a minor and I do not want this to get removed for being too explicit. But the story will not make sense if I don't include certain things, please understand.

So I (16M) grew up in and currently still live in the bible belt, with extremely conservative evangelical parents. As a taste of what it's like, we have church 3 times a week, and church camp every summer. We are only allowed to access Netflix through a stupid content filter app and we can only use a restricted smart phone that is regularly checked at random by our parents. We get an hour and a half of computer usage every other day, and the internet on the computer is heavily filtered also. The only reason I have access to Tumblr and am able to post this now is because my best friend's older brother gave me his old android for my birthday a few years ago. His family is much more open minded, and I'm very close with them. I also think they have always felt a little bad for me with my family being the way they are.

I'm also gay. Obviously, my family does not know, and I intend to keep it that way. I won't go too deep into it, but it will suffice to say I struggled a lot when I was younger over this. The good thing is that in the last few years, I've been able to accept myself more and come to terms with what my own feelings about religion and faith really are. I came out to my best friend and his brother a little over a year ago, and they've been very supportive. I have yet to tell any of my other friends.

Recently, I've been trying out alcohol since my friends found a hookup. Something I have discovered is that I tend to get lewd feelings when I drink, which has nearly caused a few embarrassing moments around friends. Coincidentally, I have also been experimenting with... certain things. Being a minor, I obviously can't enter any of the adult stores around me, nor would I feel comfortable asking any of my friends to drive me there if I could. I also can't order anything online because my bank account is connected to my parents, and I don't have a shipping address I'm comfortable using for those items either. So instead, I use household objects that belong to me and can be sanitized easily. You might see where this is going.

Yesterday evening, I came home from best friend's house with a full bottle of wine in my backpack. We and a few other friends had already been sipping on a few beers that afternoon, and I still felt a little buzzed. After my family went to sleep, despite already having a little alcohol in my system, I proceeded to get wasted on this bottle of wine in my room. I don't have the clearest memory of all of this, but at some point, I got hungry and lewd-feeling. Went into the kitchen and, through some kind of thought process I can only imagine now, came back into my room with a cucumber. From the title of the post, you can hazard a guess as to what happened to this cucumber. Once I was done, I drukedly and quickly washed it in the bathroom sink and threw it back into the fridge. I went to sleep.

I started freaking out as soon as I woke up this morning. There were four cucumbers in the fridge, I was pretty positive at least two were going to be used for dinner tonight, and I had no idea which cucumber I did the deed with. To make matters worse, my mom was inviting the pastor of our church and his family over for dinner. I have practically no money currently, no license or vehicle, and no friends with vehicles free to pick up new cucumbers for me (and no reasonable explanation as to why I needed them to spot me for four cucumbers specifically). I also have no believable reason to give for why we shouldn't have cucumbers added in the salad mix. My mom knows I love them, and they haven't gone bad. Can't say I ate them because who the hell eats four raw cucumbers? And she'll interrogate both my brother and I until she gets a satisfying answer if I just throw them out. I didn't know what the hell to do about this and I was close to having a panic attack, so... I took a nap.

Evening came. Guests came over, dinner happened. We had porkchops with macaroni and side salads. Cucumbers were in the salad, and I along with pastor's family and my own, ate it like nothing was wrong. My parents, the pastor and his wife had an engaging conversation about politics, religion, and some mild church gossip after dinner. My little brother continued to read his book, and I had a very awkward and one-sided conversation about Young Sheldon with the pastor's daughter. Then they left. And I went to my room to mentally implode.

To say I'm horrified is a major understatement. I don't think anyone is going to get sick because I scrubbed all of the cucumbers with soap multiple times and cleaned the vegetable drawer with bleach when I woke up this morning. I guess I also don't know that the violated cucumber was one of the ones that was used for dinner tonight, but then it's only a matter of days until we have salad again, or if mom cuts one up for water. I've rattled my brain for any way I could get some new cucumbers without telling anyone the details of the event, but I have nothing. Don't even have the money, anyway. Gave up the last bit of cash I had for the damn wine yesterday, and I have $0.43 in total on my debit card.

Admittedly, there is a very small part of me that doesn't even really care if they have eaten or end up eating the damn thing. I can't stand my family. My parents are invasive, controlling and neurotic, and don't give a shit about how I'm doing in so far as it pertains to god and the church. I'm a little more sympathetic to my brother as he's been stuck in this hell with me, but at 13 he's already begun to regurgitate way more religious dogma than I ever did at his age. And I know for a fact that they would want nothing to do with me if they found out I was gay. They'd probably kick me out on the street and spit on me if I had to guess. But even still, this is only a small part of how I feel. What I did was still so gross, and no amount of animosity I have for them can change how mortifed I am. I do have at least a semblance of a conscience.

So...AITA for all of this? WIBTA if I did nothing about the other two cucumbers? Please help.

[lupinqs]

CHAPTER TWO ━━ Silence and Static

☆ ━ pairing: hopkins!paige x oc (dani callan)

☆ ━ word count: 4.5K

☆ ━ warnings: nothing really, paige is just kinda emo lol

☆ ━ links: my masterlist, take me to church masterlist

☆ ━ author’s note: sorry this is such a filler and it’s boring but it’s meant to serve as a basis for paige’s perspective after her and dani’s fall out

THE START of senior year has a bitter taste that Paige wasn’t prepared for. She’s envisioned this time in her life in so many different ways—dominating on the court, coasting through classes with Dani by her side, enjoying the final months before the world outside St. Louis Park opens up to them. But reality always has a way of shattering things, leaving Paige to pick up the pieces of what’s supposed to be the best year of her life.

The ache in Paige’s chest is a constant reminder of what she’s lost—or more accurately, what’s been torn away from her without any explanation. As she sits at the edge of her bed, staring at her phone, Paige’s fingers hover over the message icon, the urge to text Dani overwhelming. She doesn’t know what she’d say; she just wants to talk her. But the memory of her and Dani’s last conversation stops any true thought or idea of communicating with the brunette. She was so hostile, so cold, so different from Dani—who’s always been warm and kind and true. And now Paige stares at the last message she received from the girl and it hurts her eyes to even look at.

Dani ❤️‍🔥

i’m going to camp, won’t have my phone

sorry

It was sent in early June, and that was it. No further explanation, nothing to ease the anxiety that had gripped Paige the rest of the summer afterwards. And now, Dani and Paige are both back, and yet, the aforementioned is more distant than ever before. The silence between them has grown thick, suffocating, leaving Paige alone with her thoughts and the static of unanswered questions buzzing in her mind.

With a heavy sigh, Paige tosses her phone aside and forces herself to get up and get dressed. She goes through the motions: pulling on her favorite UConn hoodie, tying her shoes, grabbing her bag. But everything just feels off. The hoodie’s too heavy, her shoes too tight, and the backpack weighs down her shoulders more than it should. It’s as if the world has shifted slightly, leaving her out of sync with everything around her.

As Paige trudges down the stairs, she finds her dad and Drew in the kitchen, the two of them already busy with their morning routine. The smell of bacon and maple syrup fills the air, though it doesn’t bring its usual comfort to Paige.

“Senior year, P!” her dad, Bob, chirps, grinning sideways at his daughter as he packs Drew’s lunch box. “You excited?”

Paige forces a smile. “Yeah, sure.”

Bob’s brows furrow slightly at her tone, sensing the lie beneath the surface, but he doesn’t press. Instead, he just hands Paige a piece of bacon, which she gladly accepts. “I’m sure you’ll have a good time,” he replies, clearly trying to be reassuring.

Paige nods, sending him a short smile before making her way over to Drew. He sits at the table, eating his pancakes. She ruffles his hair a little, and then kisses it lightly, saying, “Have a good first day, ‘kay? Better tell me all about it when you get home.”

Drew will be in first grade and he’s been bustling with excitement to start back up in school since it ended, having had a wonderful kindergarten year. Paige adores her little brother’s innocence, his love for learning. It clenches at her heartstrings a little bit, though—it feels like he’s growing too fast.

Drew sends his older sister a grin, saying with his mouth full, “I will, Paigey!”

She smiles back, this one reaching her eyes a bit more, before mumbling her goodbyes, Amaya sending a text telling Paige she’s here. No, Paige does not have her license yet—no, she doesn’t want to talk about it. She heads out the door, the morning air crisp. It does little to clear her mind. She smiles a little at her sophomore friend as she gets into the passenger seat, greeting her. Amaya grins back, though she’s clearly unhappy with the fact summer’s over.

When they arrive, the parking lot is already half-full, students milling about in groups, laughing and talking and probably complaining about the fact that school’s back in session. Paige isn’t offended when Amaya leaves her side to go to her friends in her own grade, bounding over to them happily. Besides, the blonde has already spotted Thaliah Sommers and KK Adams near the entrance, the pair waving at her with tired smiles.

“Hey, P,” KK greets. “Senior year, yeah?”

“Seems like it,” Paige replies, glancing at the building, lips pulled into a tight line. She doesn’t even bother trying to fake another smile, expression brittle at this point. Her friends don’t seem to care; they both look more than exhausted, their summer sleep schedules most likely not mingling well with the early arrival time.

“Can’t believe I have a first period,” Thaliah grumbles, wiping at her eyes. Truthfully, the girl looks as if she’s just rolled out of bed—sporting a sweatshirt and sweatpants, face bare. It seems as though senior year has made them all careless.

“Yeah, but at least you get out after fourth,” Paige reasons, shaking her head as she thinks of her own schedule. “I have all these random free periods between my classes, so I gotta stay here all day. I’ll prolly just end up bothering Coach during ‘em.”

“I’d hate that,” Thaliah agrees, scrunching her face up as the three of them begin to walk into the building, recognizing that class starts in a few short minutes.

Inside, the familiar sights and sounds of the first day of school surrounds Paige. Lockers slamming shut, freshman looking lost, teachers already reprimanding students. To her disappointment, Paige doesn’t feel a single ounce of excitement as she takes in her surroundings, instead only feeling an unfamiliar sheen of anxiety graze over her skin. She knows why. Lately, everything that’s wrong with Paige has led back to the same thing. Dani has always been her constant; though, now, it’s in a far different way than it was before. Dani seems to be the source of all of Paige’s problems, all of her recent negative feelings, the new emotions she’s been experiencing. The absolute lack of Danielle Callan has rocked Paige’s world more than most would believe possible.

And Paige has no idea whether it helps or not that her first class of the day is AP Lit—the only class she and Dani will have together the whole school year. When they were signing up for classes last spring, it was Dani’s idea to take it together. Dani had always planned to take it, but when she found out that none of their friends had that same idea, she needed someone. And that someone—always—was Paige. The blonde was hesitant, because, truthfully, she’s only ever heard bad things about the class. The teacher’s good—Paige knows that, she had her for English her freshman year—but, according to some of Paige’s older friends that have since graduated, the class is apparently a shit ton of reading and too difficult for her own good. Yet, because it was Dani, Paige had agreed. And the thought of spending that hour with Dani every single day was enough to make the thought of tackling Shakespeare and Faulkner bearable (especially knowing that Dani would be there to help her). But now, as Paige steps into the typical flamboyant English type of classroom, the reality of what happened over the summer hits her like a tidal wave.

Dani’s already there, sitting in the middle row, her light brown hair pulled up into a messy bun. She looks tired, shoulders slightly hunched and dark circles under her eyes, gazing vacantly at her desk. Paige’s heart twists a little at the sight. It’s not as if Paige hasn’t seen Dani at all since their fight—she has. They live right next door to each other, of course she has. But it still hurts all the same. To be completely cut off with little to no explanation by your best friend who you also happen to be hopelessly in love with is fucking painful.

Paige hesitates in the doorway, her feet rooted to the ground as her eyes stay on Dani. She wants nothing more than to go to her, to sit beside her like they always have, to pretend that everything is okay, even if it’s not. But something in Dani’s posture, in the way she keeps her eyes downcast, warns Paige to stay back and keep her distance.

“Oh, Paige!” Mrs. Donovan, the AP Lit teacher, calls out in excitement as her eyes land on her student. She grins brightly—a bit too brightly for the early hour, Paige can’t help but think—and gestures to a desk. The one that’s— “You’re right behind Danielle!”

Dani doesn’t look up at the sound of her name, doesn’t bother to acknowledge Paige’s presence at all. The blonde swallows hard, forcing herself to move. She slides into the seat Mrs. Donovan gestured to, the one right behind Dani, her heart pounding against her rib cage. From this close, Paige can see the tension in Dani’s shoulders, the way her fingers tap anxiously against the surface of the desk. Paige can only imagine how Dani’s feeling—but, still, she’s usually mostly accurate. Dani’s always been more introverted, and new schedules, new routines, and new people tend to make her anxious. Paige can tell she’s feeling that way right now. Because, despite everything, Dani is still Dani. And Paige will always know Dani. The blonde wants to reach out, to say something—anything—but the words only stick in her throat.

As the bell rings and Mrs. Donovan starts the class, handing out syllabi and talking about what to expect for the year, Paige’s mind strays far from the discussion. Instead, she finds herself staring at the back of Dani’s head, thoughts and memories circling through her head with unwarranted clarity.

JULY 2013

THEY’RE ELEVEN years old, and the summer sun blazes over them as Paige and Dani sit on the swings at the park near their houses. It’s a place they’ve been coming to for years, one of their constants. In fact, it’s actually where they first met.

The air is thick with the scent of freshly cut grass, mingling with the sweet aroma of the cherry popsicles the girls devoured earlier. Paige’s legs pump the air lazily, the tips of her shoes grazing the ground, while Dani swings a bit higher, her hair flying out behind her like a banner in the wind. The worn-out metal creaks with each swing, a familiar sound that blends into the background of their laughter and chatter.

“Race you to the top!” Dani suddenly shouts, voice filled with a reckless enthusiasm that usually belongs in Paige’s instead. Without waiting for a response, Dani leaps off the swing, her feet hitting the ground with a soft thud, making a beeline for the jungle gym.

Paige’s laugh bursts out of her before she can help it, and she scrambles to follow, heart pounding with the thrill of the chase. “No fair, you started first!” she calls, her words trailing behind her as she races after her best friend.

They reach the platform that hovers above the slide, the same spot where Dani broke her arm years before. Paige remembers it vividly—how Dani had cried, the way her elbow was bent all weird, and how Paige had held her hand the entire car ride to the hospital. The spot is a little scarred now, but it doesn’t stop them from sitting side-by-side, legs dangling over the edge as they survey their world from above.

From this vantage point, Paige can see so much more. The neighborhood spreads out before them like a patchwork quilt, each house a different square, each tree a different shade of green. The sun casts long shadows, making the world below them seem like a dream, distant and hazy. There’s a stillness in the air, a peaceful quiet that Paige—for once—isn’t the one who breaks.

“P?” Dani asks, her voice quiet, almost hesitant.

Paige hums in question, keeping her gaze out before her instead of on the girl next to her. There’s something in Dani’s voice that makes her brain short circuit a little, a seriousness that doesn’t belong in the carefree world around them. “Yeah?” Paige asks, trying to sound light, though a small knot of worry forms in her stomach.

“Do you ever think about the future?” Dani’s words hang in the air between them, heavy and laden with thought.

Paige turns to look over at her now, eyebrows furrowed in surprise. Dani’s never been the type to dwell on what’s ahead—in fact, she says it scares her too much to even think about it. Instead, she usually submerges herself in now, living in the moment, seizing the day with both hands.

“What d’you mean?” Paige replies, voice soft, almost afraid to shatter whatever fragile thing Dani is holding onto.

Dani shrugs, her shoulders rising and falling with a casualness that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “Like… what we’ll be like when we’re older,” Dani elaborates, bottom lip pulled between her teeth. “We’re starting middle school now, and I always hear things about friends drifting apart. I just wonder if, when we’re older—like high school or something—if we’ll still be friends. Or if things will have changed.” Dani keeps her eyes out on the horizon, expression thoughtful as Paige gazes at her.

Paige feels an odd tension in her stomach at the thought of losing Dani, of the possibility of their friendship fading away. It’s too painful, too much that would be taken at once, to even consider. Dani is Paige’s constant, her anchor in a world that sometimes feels too big and too overwhelming for the eleven-year-old. The idea that they could ever grow apart feels like a betrayal of everything they’ve ever promised each other.

“We’ll always be friends,” she says with confidence. Because, in what world could they not be? “Nothing will ever be able to change that, ‘kay?”

Dani finally looks back at Paige now, her expression softening, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Slowly, the seriousness begins to seep out of her. “Promise?”

Paige doesn’t hesitate, reaching out to hook her pinky around Dani’s. It’s a childish gesture that fits the friendship between two young girls. But this time, it’s true—a vow that they’re both determined to keep.

“Promise,” Paige echoes, squeezing Dani’s pinky with her own.

As they sit there, side-by-side on the playground, the world feels small and manageable, just for a little while longer. And, here and now, Paige allows herself to believe that nothing with ever come between her and Dani—no matter what.

PAIGE BLINKS, the memory fading just as their promise did. It hurts all over to think about the fact that she was so sure that nothing would ever come between them, that their friendship was absolutely unbreakable. But now, here they are, strangers but not at all, bigger walls being built between them each and every day.

The weight of that lost connection presses down on Paige’s chest, making it hard to breathe. Her lungs flare in and out. She wants—needs—to do something, to find a way to bridge the gap between them. But she just doesn’t know how, the silence and static between them far too heavy. And the fear that she might never get the chance to again is almost enough to make Paige’s lungs go out completely.

Mrs. Donovan’s voice drones on in the background, but Paige can’t focus on the words. All she can see is the back of Dani’s head, the way her highlights illuminate her brown hair at certain angles, the way she shifts uncomfortable in her seat every now and then, probably feeling the weight of the blonde’s gaze tearing into her back. It’s almost as if an invisible barrier has been built between them, one that Paige can’t tear down no matter how hard she tries.

Finally, the bell rings, signaling the end of class. Paige watches as Dani gathers her things quickly, avoiding eye contact with the blonde as she hurries out of the room. Paige lingers there for a second, heart sinking slightly as she watches Dani slip out the door, her back rigid, her steps quick and purposeful.

Paige feels a mixture of relief, dread, and—oddly enough—excitement. Relief that first period is over, dread at the thought of facing Dani again. But, at the same time, excitement about seeing Dani again. Because if this is the only time Paige can see her, if AP Lit is truly all Paige will ever be able to get out of the brunette again, she’ll take it. As pathetic as it sounds, she’ll take as much—or as little, she supposes—of Dani as she can get.

THE FOOTBALL game is the first big event of the back to school season, and Paige stands there in the student section with Thaliah and Amaya. It’s not like Paige has any particular interest in football; of course, she’s always preferred basketball. But she’s been in need of a distraction, something big and exciting enough to pull her out of the unfamiliar melancholy that’s settled over her, and it seems like a high school football game under the lights is the perfect choice.

The student section is alive with energy, the kids screaming and chanting things that they probably shouldn’t be as the game kicks off. Paige does her best to lose herself in the excitement. She screams along with her friends, sweating slightly under the setting sun, grabbing a Hawaiian lei excitedly when KK offers her one. It’s beach theme tonight—Paige tried to fit into it, wearing sunglasses and some beach button up with a white crop top, the lei helping to add to it.

But as Paige’s eyes drift along the players, along the field, along the track—her eyes land on her and it’s almost as if any and all excitement that had settled inside of Paige is whisked away, just like that. Dani stands on the sidelines, between the line of football players and the cheerleaders, her camera clicking away. It’s not like this is a new thing—Dani did this last year, for yearbook, and Paige shouldn’t be surprised to see her doing it again this year.

The Callan girl has always been passionate about photography, and it’s one of the many things that Paige has learned to love about her through the years. Paige knows that Dani has a way of almost losing herself in the click of her camera, finding beauty in the smallest details, the most mundane moments captured and crafted into something beguiling. Dani used to show Paige all the photos she’d taken, scrolling through the storage on the camera. The two of them would huddle over the device, and Paige would help her best friend pick the best photos for whatever project she was working on in yearbook.

And then, of course, there’s the other memory card that Dani has—the one that Paige knows is labeled “P.” It’s simple—all of the scattered photos that Dani has taken of Paige over the years, all put together on one little storage device. Dani told Paige several times that it was her greatest piece of work, merely because Paige was the star of it. Yet, for a while, Dani didn’t let the blonde look into it, keeping the memory card hidden away. But, eventually, Paige’s curiosity got the better of her and she’d found the card and scrolled through the photos. There were some from when Dani first got into photography, when they were much younger, with chubbier cheeks and more crooked smiles. A good amount was the photos Dani got of Paige court-side, some for the yearbook, some just reserved for the two of them. And then there was the candid ones—Paige remembers scrolling through them, and the look in her own eyes that stared at Dani from behind the camera… God, she remembers thinking that it seems she was whipped from the very beginning.

Paige’s heart clenches at the thought of that memory card, and wishes she was a photographer so she could have one of Dani. She’s got a fair few—or, well, a lot—of photos of Dani on her phone, but it’s just not the same. Faintly, Paige wonders what Dani’s done with the “P” card. Maybe she threw it away, crushed it into tiny little pieces, tossing it into the trash like she did her and Paige’s friendship. Or maybe—maybe—she’s kept it. Paige hopes it’s the latter; she imagines Dani, late at night, thinking of Paige like Paige has been thinking of her, and then going through the photos of her, wishing she could take back everything she said.

Paige almost rolls her eyes at her own thoughts. She’s almost sure Dani threw it away.

And then, the blonde is pulled out of her own head by the sound of the crowd erupting into a series of cheers, the band beginning to play. She glances at the field, then at the scoreboard, realizing she’s just missed a touchdown. Thaliah and Amaya and all the students around Paige are jumping up and down, chanting for Hopkins. Paige joins in, trying to drown herself in it, doing her best to put her mind to rest and just have some fun—she’s always been so good at that; she wishes it wasn’t so hard to do recently.

When the final whistle blows, signaling the end of the game, Hopkins pulls through with a narrow win. The crowd is excited for their first victory of the season, screaming those “start the buses” and “who’s your daddy” chants that Paige has always found ridiculously hilarious. Eventually, everyone begins to disperse, and Paige stands with Thaliah and Amaya, the three of them following the rush of students leaving the bleachers.

Amaya quickly tells Paige and Thaliah that she has to go to the bathroom, rushing towards the building. The other two girls stand around patiently, people watching their peers. Unsurprisingly, it doesn’t take long until Paige’s eyes once again find Dani’s frame. The brunette is packing up her camera gear, hauling a small duffel on her shoulder.

Thaliah follows the blonde’s gaze, nudging her gently. “You should go talk to her,” she says encouragingly, nodding towards Dani.

Paige shakes her head, her voice barely above a whisper. “She doesn’t want to talk to me.” It’s true; she remembers their last conversation—the cold look in Dani’s eye, the forced indifference, the river she rushed to drown Paige away.

“You’ve been miserable,” Thaliah says, point-blank. Paige’s eyes shift to her left, where the tanned girl stands beside her, brows furrowing in almost offense. “Don’t side-eye me like that—you know you’ve been miserable. And I think you’ve got nothing to lose these days when it comes to Dani, so you might as well just try.”

Paige doesn’t answer, eyes merely locking back onto her best friend. Without thinking, almost like her legs are moving of their own accord, the blonde starts walking towards Dani. She doesn’t know what she’s going to say, doesn’t know if Dani will let even let a word slip out of her mouth. But Thaliah’s right: it’s worth a shot. Paige can’t leave without even trying.

As she approaches, she watches Dani glance up, eyes meeting Paige’s. It lasts for only the briefest of seconds before Dani plainly averts her gaze, eyes anywhere but on the blonde walking up to her. Paige feels her heart stutter against her rib cage, threatening to sink at the sight, but, nevertheless, she keeps going, only stopping when she’s a few feet away from the brunette.

“Dani,” Paige murmurs, her voice soft, almost pleading. It’s all she can say; she doesn’t know what else to say.

The basketball player watches as her best friend’s body goes rigid, her hands stilling on her camera bag. It takes a second, but eventually Dani looks up, meets Paige’s gaze, brown on blue. There’s an unnameable emotion swirling within the Callan girl’s irises, and Paige wants nothing more than to step closer, to look deeper in them, to decipher exactly what’s going on in her best friend’s head. But she doesn’t. Paige stays rooted in place. And, for one, stupid moment, she believes that Dani might actually say something, that maybe this could be the first step in their repair.

But it doesn’t last.

“Dani!” multiple voices echo the name from the pair’s right. Paige turns to see Beau Hudson, still clad in his football gear and eyeblack, grinning and waving at Dani—his girlfriend, the blonde thinks, sickly—beckoning her over. He seeps with the same overconfidence he’s had the twelve years that Paige has known him, and it makes her blood boil over slightly. By his side is Serena Corren—a cheerleader that also happens to be Beau’s best friend, who’s famously known for her sharp tongue and dismissive attitude—also grinning and waving. Serena and Beau stand with a group that’s more than excited and impatient for Dani to join them.

Paige’s stomach twists at the sight. It’s clear that her best friend has integrated herself into this new crowd, one that Paige has always found superficial and unkind.

“I have to go,” Dani mutters to Paige, not meeting the blonde’s eyes. She slings her bag over her shoulder before hurrying off to her new friends, leaving Paige standing there, aching all over.

Paige watches Dani go, feeling like the weight of the world is pressing on her shoulders, weighing her down. She wants to scream, to cry, to do something to make Dani see that they don’t have to be like this, that they can fix whatever has gone wrong. But she can’t. So, instead, she just stands there, staring, missing her best friend.

Yes, Paige misses her. God, she misses her so much that it fucking hurts—it hurts her insides, her outsides, her bones, her skin. It makes her feel all wrong. Every part of her aches with the absence of Dani Callan, the loss of everything they’ve had. She misses Dani’s smile, the gleam in her eyes when she’d look at Paige, the giggles she’d let out whenever the point guard made a stupid joke. She misses the way Dani used to make her feel—alive, whole, like she could do whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted, as long as Dani was by her side.

But now all of that’s just—gone. And that’s clear as day as Paige watches Beau Hudson wrap his arm around Dani before pressing a firm kiss to her mouth.

She’s going to be sick.

Paige feels a hand on her arm, a head resting on her shoulder. It grounds her a little. Thaliah mumbles, “It’s gonna be okay, P.”

Paige doesn’t have the heart to say it, but she knows that’s not true. There is nothing okay with the fact that Dani is slipping—or, she supposes, has already slipped—through her fingers. There is nothing okay with the loneliness and pain that comes with it.

Paige doesn’t really know if anything will ever be okay again.

[silaslich]

Could you plz write more Ghost x amab!reader (maybe some angst and internalised homophobia/catholic guilt?) I just read your recent fic and its so good!!??? Its so difficult finding any x male!reader stuff </3

Firstly- thank you for the love on the last ghostxm!reader fic! It was very therapeutic to write I can’t lie. Secondly- I hope I did this justice as I know it’s going to be sensitive and sorry that it’s so short for this reason! Ily <3

Tw - internalised homophobia, religious guilt, 18+, blowjob, homophobia [parental+peers]

There’s that everlasting fight between your head and your heart. Knowing how you feel but also knowing how others want you to feel.

Pretending had been easier when you were younger. There had been the absence of those awkward questions over the dinner table when family visited or the knowing looks people gave you when everyone was around for the holidays.

You had always thought you were so solid in your beliefs when you were a kid. Attending Sunday school and church summer camps; wearing a cross around your neck and never taking it off no matter how much your mum told you to because it would tarnish.

Every night you’d kneel at your bedside and place your hands together, muttering as you closed your eyes tightly. Praying for happiness and health for yourself and your family.

You’re kneeling by your bed still- but instead of being pressed together in prayer your hands are braced against Simon’s thighs, tears stinging your eyes as he fucks his cock into the wet-warmth of your mouth. You gag around the girth of him, listening as he slurs your name. Part of you feels the way your stomach blooms with need, a deep rooted craving to be ruined at the hands of this man; the other part of you recognises the shame that strums away in your chest- ever present.

He leans forward to brush his thumb over your cheek, feeling where his cock sits through your skin. You have to squeeze your eyes shut, not wanting to catch the look in his eyes. He hisses through his teeth when you press your tongue along the underside of him, taking him further into your throat. It’s a reoccurring thing - drawn into him only to wish the time away. If Simon’s noticed he hasn’t said a thing. You’re not sure that he would but either way you’re grateful of it.

Simon cums in your mouth and makes a show of watching you swallow it, you preen at his praise and he smothers his mouth to yours. You still in his hold when he tries to pull you into him, into your bed. His eyes dart across your face, reading your expression and his face falls; he lets go of you completely and you can’t even look at him anymore.

It often ends like this. Cut short for no apparent reason. Whether it’s wrong or right- you can’t help it. There’s no explaining it on your behalf, not really. Even if you know, you don’t want to admit it to yourself. That would make it real, it would prove everyone right and your pride couldn’t take that kind of hit.

It takes you back to being fourteen again. Wondering why something feels off. Confused as to why your friends are giddy and sheepish when they tell you about a girl they fancy. You’d never really thought about it. It takes another year before you finally understand. Watching as a boy in the year above you plays rugby out on the school field, covered in mud and sweat and looking different that he had done just yesterday. Thats the first time you’d understood your friends, but it was a real life horror when you learnt that it wasn’t normal to feel that same giddiness about a boy. You had been foolish to let it slip, to tell your friends about your crush when they were telling you about theirs. They’d laughed and laughed until tears sprung their eyes - and then they’d jumped you outside of the school gates as soon as it came to home time. You’d limped home with a cracked tooth and a swollen face, expecting your mother to clean your wounds and tell you it would all be okay- she didn’t. Instead she shut you out. Told you that you were no son of hers. She’d been in utter denial for years, as had your father. He’s confused. It’s a phase. He doesn’t know what he’s saying. He’s just trying to be defiant he’ll grow out of it. God will help cure him honey. Let’s pray.

You lay staring at the ceiling. Replaying their voices over and over again in your head. It’s all you can hear when you look at Simon. Their taunting voices about your confusion and your faith. They told you how God wouldn’t follow you down this path you were treading, that all you had to do is beg for his forgiveness and repent. Horseshit.

The cross laying on your chest feels as though it burns, despite it all, you hadn’t taken it off. Perhaps it’s because you still believe in God, even though you don’t pray or go to church you still believe in some divine power of some sort - even if it’s just a little bit. It’s that little bit of hope that you know you’re doing the right thing. That no matter who you’ve lost along the way, you’ve found yourself.

You suppose you can’t be mad at people for not understanding. Even if they’re the ones who should love you through anything and everything - you can’t be mad at them for trusting what they know more than what they’re afraid of. Because that’s what it is. They’re scared that you’ll go to hell, that your sexuality defines your worth and whether or not you’ll reach those pearly gates. The thought makes you scoff, because it sounds ridiculous, you suppose you think that because you’re not exactly a believer. How can you believe in a God that would abandon you for the simple reason of loving someone?

It sparks something in your chest. It spreads like wildfire until it crawls up your throat- suffocating you.

There’s suddenly rapid knocking at Simon’s door and it startles him awake, he’s a light sleeper as it is. Simon reaches the door quickly and before the door is even open fully you’re on him. Smothering your lips to his. He’s frigid for all of three seconds before his fingers are rooted in your flesh. Curling into your clothes and pulling you closer.

Beliefs and beloveds be damned. If God abandons you, there’s no chance that Simon Riley will.

[morganbritton132]

Can just picture Eddie posting videos from back in the 80’s and everyone going so wild thirsting for Steve that Eddie starts feeling some type of way even though that’s his husband lol

Eddie has never been insecure about his relationship.

Don’t get him wrong though.

It is annoying when you’re closeted in your hometown and have to watch girl after girl shoot their shot with your boyfriend. It is irritating when you take your boyfriend to his first gay club and every five minutes someone tries to interrupt you dancing with him to try to grind on your boyfriend. It is borderline rude when you’re married and on a date, and your waiter tries to slip your husband her phone number.

Eddie gets it – Steve is too hot for his own good – but he isn’t insecure.

He bagged Hawkins’ most eligible bachelor right after the worst week of his entire goddamn existence. Steve had a front row seat to a lot of his lowest of lows and still made out with him. Eddie had been happy to just fool around with his old high school crush but then Steve had to go pull the rug out front under him and get disowned for telling his parents that he was in love with him.

So, yeah.

There are always people thirsting after Steve but Steve Harrington wears his love so completely and openly in every ounce of his being that Eddie has never had any doubt who it’s directed towards. He is not insecure.

However.

Some of these people need to calm the fuck down.

Eddie posts a clip of Steve and Dustin bickering at each other from an old home video that he must’ve borrowed from Jonathan and forgot to give back. It from before Eddie’s time with the party.

The greater context of the video is that someone was throwing a going away party for Dustin before he left for summer camp, but it’s very clear that Steve did not know this when he walks into the house. He very clearly showed up post-workout.

In the clip, Steve is complaining about Dustin not telling him about the party and Dustin is telling him that he did tell him (“That’s not true. I told you to come here at six and bring me my flashlight. What else would I have meant?”). Eddie captioned it something like, “Some things never change.”

It’s a pretty innocuous video about two brothers giving each other a hard time but then if you read the comments, you will feel the need to go to church and repent. All the comments are about Steve’s spandex-y workout shorts. All the stitches are people trying to enhance screenshots of the video to see the outline of Steve’s dick, and really it’s – “Jesus H. Christ.”

Eddie ends up deleting the video because, “He’s seventeen in it, sickos.”

[the-ace-with-spades]

Bradley was a total loser in high school but in the way that he was still liked by everyone. He was all over the place, playing baseball, doing theater (mostly musicals...), and keeping up with all the 'nerds' in his year in maths and physics, a mathlete, all to make himself a good candidate for the USNA. He'd also go to youth military camps during summer and worked a part-time job since he was a sophomore.

Everyone at school knew of him, but he was so closed off that he was a mystery to many, which in turn made him have close to zero friends, but people liked him and he was never bullied. This was partially due to being too busy to have friends, partially due to him being afraid to bring friends home (because of Mav and Ice's secret relations...) and partially because Bradley had a hard time making friends in general — he's been moving around a lot as a kid and often had to swap schools mid-semester but also had more trauma and issues than your average kid.

And a lot of the kids who did try to befriend him were intimidated —Bradley was a chill, friendly, and nice guy on the surface, very talented as well, seemed not to care about other people's opinions and just did his thing, but then the minute you learned more about him, he was intense. He had his whole life planned already in a way most teenagers do not — chose his college, chose the job he wants, has been preparing for it for years already. Military camps, pilot licence, science on a level suitable for aerospace engineering, multiple side hobbies, all successful, deep knowledge of the military and political scene, all before he even finished high school. To the kids who learned more about him he was cool, but in the 'he seems like a future legend' way, almost too picture-perfect. It was very isolating for Bradley but also something he carried into adulthood out of haplessness — he can be the heart of the crowd, but he's never close with anyone, opposite of an open book, always trying to do his own thing while trying to not care about what others think (this has also been exaggerated by what Mav did to his USNA application...)

Jake was from the popular crowd but a lot of people only pretended to like him. He was the football star and had pretty good grades, took part in the debate club and also volunteered with their church — in their small town, he was the perfect golden child. Every parent wanted their kid to be like him. A lot of people only befriended him because they thought being friends with him would also put them on the same pedestal and were pretty fake, disliking him behind his back.

On the inside though, he was just the local farmers' boy who always gave all of himself to others, no matter what it was. His humility was genuine at the beginning but when everyone questioned him and called it fake, he started to have an attitude just to appease everyone's expectations and not be eaten alive. He didn't know what he wanted to do with his life but he tried to give his best whatever he wasn't doing — so a lot of the things he did were what he felt was expected of him. He's tall and athletic, their football team is good — he should join. His dad never finished high school and wanted his kids to have a good education — so he tried his best to make him proud. His mama ran the local book club and helped the church and their pastor almost every day — he should show that he inherited some of her leadership and good, god-lead heart. It even went to a point where he knew he wasn't interested in girls at all, but felt like he had to try because that's what teenage popular boys do — they date, they hook up, they have crushes.

Choosing to go USNA and deciding he wanted to be an aviator was the first thing he did for himself (after letting himself develop a fascination with flying and planes first) and so many people were disappointed with him — so many people said he was wasting his potential, a career in varsity football, any other potentially well-paying, respected jobs he could get if he went to a good college and not joined the military. Every single adult discouraged him from it, telling him how he's not going to do well and how he had more options than almost all of the kids in their town. Even his own parents were, well not unsupportive but also not very supportive. His dad who had been drafted, openly discouraged him from joining the military and often said he should not waste all his hard work.

(The above was brought to you by a fic idea: Bradley didn't go to his high school reunion but when Jake gets an invite for his, he feels like he needs to go to prove something to himself - that all the people who said he's wasting his potential and who pretended to like him to be in the right social circles were wrong and that he's happy and satisfied with his life.

He and Bradley are together at the time and he decides to take him as his plus one. This proves to be another challenge — taking his boyfriend to his small, kinda homophobic town, and trying to fight off the reality and judgment from all the people he's always wanted to please and prove something to.

Especially since Bradley doesn't completely understand why Jake wants to do it — he can see how badly it's affecting him and he just doesn't get the point of doing something or interacting with people who make Jake feel shitty about himself. He's conflicted between being supportive and calling Jake out on how self-destructive and pointless the whole reunion is for him.

Also: Jake's parents and Jake's ex-girlfriends. Disaster waiting to happen.)

[subskz]

CHURCHBOY AU???? I’M REVERTING BACK 🤩 gotta tie in our original role for him into this new, delicious ask.

overhearing that priest’s son hanji is becoming a councilor at the closest church camp for the summer…. well you just happen to also be a councilor there 😼 spending a summer of what should be spreading the gospel to young impressionable, guilt-ridden youth (i spent many summers at church camp, can you tell 😪), by pushing hanji into the lakehouse and jerking him off, whispering the most disgusting things in his ear, all while he bites down on his stupidly plush lips to keep quiet 😖

not even far into the summer having him begging for you to touch him, and giving in just to taunt him!! “you’re in such a holy place and all you can think about is sex? such a perv”

ugh…. i can’t handle this. now i’m gonna be thinking about the churchboy cinematic universe for the rest of the week 💔🔨 -🐾

suddenly it’s summer 2021 again 🙏 i had a feeling the churchboy au resonated w you from the times u brought it up heheh im very grateful u know what you’re talking abt bc im always kinda freestyling it w this au

camp counselor hanji…we are so back 😼 from day one you’ve got his full attention w lingering glances and “accidental” touches that get bolder and bolder the more time you spend together. you dont even have to tease him for long before he’s completely wrapped around your finger, bc poor hannie’s never been flirted w this much in his life and he doesn’t know how to handle it, esp when he’s supposed to be the shining example of purity. he’s like a lovesick puppy immediately, going from the charismatic leader teaching and entertaining the students, to a dumb, stuttering mess around you. but the way he gets so awkward around you, watching you w the most unfairly innocent eyes and the most obvious blush spreading across his face, makes him even more charming to you

getting him alone while everyone else is busy w camp activities and pushing him into the lakehouse ❤️‍🔥 the added risk of someone going looking for you only to find the priest’s son falling apart in the palm of your hand just turns him on more, and the guilt he feels for that is palpable. he thinks he might cum the instant you wrap your hands around him bc he’s wanted this so bad since the first day and he feels his whole body go hot w shame when you make him admit to touching himself to the thought of you every night. and taunting him for being such a hypocrite is the icing on the cake…degrading him for being so filthy in such a holy place and telling him he’s much better fit to be your personal toy than preaching abt religion <3

[gilverrwrites]

Hellooo, I hope ur doing well ;) Can I request Bruce Wayne/Batman for the headcanon meme ? I know this is a lot and I apologise in advance lol, but I’m genuinely so interested about your takes on Bruce 🫶🏼 Hi anon, I hope you don't mind but I'm posting this as a text post so I can add a read more to it. Thank you so much for the ask, I'm honored that you're curious my HCs. Again thank you, and have a super rest of your day! 💖💖💖

• what religion are they? how do they practice? Canonically, I believe he was raised catholic, and identifies as an atheist because if there was an all knowing God, why would he let Gotham exist as it is?

But I’ve always had trouble rationalising religion in comics. I’m also an atheist but if I’d met/knew Gods literally walked the Earth (Zeus for example) I would be having a crisis of faith. Pretty sure Superman once met the Christian God? Bruce clearly has a stronger sense of belief than I.  

So, practice wise; Growing up would be church on Sundays, grace before dinner. Nightly prayers. Once his parents had passed, while Bruce would be questioning his faith, I don’t think Alfred would have enforced such things if Bruce didn’t want to continue practicing.

• what holidays do they decorate for? For the longest time he didn’t decorate for any. Alfred decorated at least for Christmas every year, but Bruce stopped noticing once he became Batman.

It wasn’t until a young Dick mentioned he’d never been trick or treating that Bruce started to put the effort in. That year Dick had the best Robin Hood costume, Bruce dressed as Little John, and Alfred as Friar Tuck. Not only did Dick get to go trick or treating, but Bruce and Alfred decked out the front yard for any local kids too.

When thanksgiving rolled around, Alfred was delighted that Bruce seemed to care about it again, having gone out to buy new centre pieces. And that year was the first year since he was child that Bruce helped put up the Christmas decorations.

Every year he tried to one up the last, however, his presence on the day dwindles until Dick goes off to college and Bruce’s motivation to care about such frivolous things while Gotham needs him is gone. But this exact process repeats with every adopted child until there’s always somebody home, be they young and living with him or old and visiting.

• what clubs / sports were they involved in as a child / teenager When he dropped out of school, that also meant quitting any clubs and sports. The lack of team sports is probably a contributing factor to his inability to communicate well with others outside of strategy. However, prior to that he was a Cub Scout, as well as tennis and fencing (fuckin’ Rich kids).

Post homeschool (much like in the Gotham TV show) Alfred ensured Bruce was still doing outdoorsy activities; camping, hiking, learning survival skills. As well as Bruce insisting on multiple forms of combat training. He continued fencing.

• do they take any medications? No. That’s not to say he shouldn’t be on medication, he just doesn’t. Hard to speak to a professional when you can only tell them half of your life.

He does however take daily vitamins along with his protein, creatine etc. If he’s not taking supplements, Alfred is sneaking them into his food. He eats nothing but protein, gotta make sure he’s getting his nutrients somewhere.

• do they watch the olympics? do they prefer summer or winter Rarely has the time. But if and when he does sit down to watch I’d say his preferred watches are; tennis, fencing, boxing, and judo. Sports that mean something to him. For that reason he also prefers the summer games over winter.

• what are they like when they're sick? Nightmare. Alfred is a saint for putting up with it, honestly. That WFA comic where he’s trying desperately to get back to work whilest injured is 100% accurate to my imaginings. Even when he’s too sick to move, he’s still thinking up ways he can sneak out of bed, wondering if he should build a batlaptop for these sorts of occasions.

Crime is never sick; therefore Batman can’t be sick!

• what do they usually buy in a gift shop? It varies from place to place but typically:

Fridge magnet and/or some other small kitchen accessories for Alfred.

Stationary for Damian.

Preferably a cola drink, but if not a snack for Tim. He’s specifically looking for decorative packaging that can be saved. [See this Tim HC]

Pin badges for Babs.

Postcards for Dick.

An oversized hoodie for Cass. Black only.

An oversized hoodie for Steph. Tacky only.

Keying for Jason.

Puzzles or decorative decks of playing cards. (Duke is into tabletop card games, Bruce thinks they’re the same thing)

A coffee mug for himself.

• what color was their childhood bedroom? Blue, and it’s still blue but a lot of the furniture has changed. Can’t sleep in a kids bed forever.

Most of the new furniture is sleek, modern looking and black. He likes the gothic style, but this is where he often brings his dates/hook up, and the minimalist style suits his image better.

The old bed, desk, toy box etc haven’t been thrown out or anything, they’ve been used by most of his family as they’ve grown up and are currently in Damian’s room. Everyone who has used the desk (B included) has carved their their initials on the underside of it.

• what does a typical day off work look like for them? A day off? What’s that? Seriously, even if he’s not being Batman, he’s being Brucie, Mr Wayne, Matches, or Dad or even just working out.

On the rare, rare, rare occasions he’s not doing any of those things, the first thing he does is sleep in. He probably needs to sleep for 5 days straight, but he’ll only sleep until 10/11ish.

By now he’s missed breakfast (which is served from 8-9), so he’s latching onto the first person to pick up the phone and taking them out for brunch. By now he’s already itching to get back in the cave, and to thwart this he forces himself to stay in the city; go to a museum, walk in that park, visit a friend, go shopping for (another) new watch, anything but return home.

Will surprise Damian by picking him up from school. Damian, as he gets older externally complains and cringes more and more, but he loves it.

When they get home, he becomes a nuisance until dinner, offering help to everyone with anything to distract himself. It’s appreciated but nobody needs help with homework or housework.

After dinner is the home stretch, and the easiest part. He gathers as many people as he can in the family room for films or games, and by the time they’re done it’s bedtime.

He’s in the batcave at midnight.

• how many pillows do they sleep with? One. He has at least ten in the bed, every night she shifts all but his favourite to the floor, and every morning Alfred makes the bed and puts them all back and arranges them perfectly.

• what's their least favorite chore? He rarely does chores, but Alfred must have time off. The first time he took a week off since Bruce became Batman was the first time he realised the impracticality of having a CAVE! So much sweeping and dusting and everything smells damp, he has no idea how Alfred keeps it liveable because after 2 days Bruce was overwhelmed and ready to risk it all by moving everything upstairs.

• how often do they do their laundry? He doesn’t. If Alfred isn’t available, he’s been specifically instructed to take anything that needs cleaning to the dry cleaners. Not because he’s incapable of doing laundry, he’s not completely inept at doing normal things. He just thinks he can do it better. Which often results in the washer-dryer being ‘upgraded’ in ways that nobody ever needs, and Alfred hates it.

• what is their favorite wine / liquor? Prefers wine to spirits, specifically red. Or better yet, champagne.

When he does drink spirits he leans towards brandy, the same kind that his mother would drink.

• what is their favorite scent of candle? Citrusy, fresh scents. Something strong that pierced the musty smell of the Batcave or the damp of the city. Sage & citrus, lemon lime, maybe even mint cucumber.

• what's their guilty pleasure tv show? Again, he rarely watches TV. But I think at least once while on ordered bed rest he ‘accidentally’ watched every season of the Kardashian’s. He 'hated' every second.

He’s assigned all of his children a Kardashian and keeps up to date with every episode, just as a person who hates the show would do. He will never tell anyone else.

Tim knows. Bruce knows that Tim knows but they’ve never discussed it. Tim has never seen a single episode, but he’s seen memes, and will quote them in front of people to make Bruce sweat.

• have they ever done volunteer work? Bruce is a known philanthropist. The Wayne Foundation is a non-profit which primary cause is funding charities, hospitals, medical research, urban renewal, etc.

He puts a lot of money into The Wayne Hospital (or whatever its called dependant on the media). He also funds a lot of youth centres, and rehabilitation centres.

But as for actual hands-on charity work, no. It anything it would cause more harm than good.

Could you imagine being homeless, starving, at your lowest, and when you arrive there’s fucking media vans and photographers everywhere, cataloguing your worst? And then inside, the herald prince of the city that has screwed you over, billionaire Brucie Wayne is serving you ladles of dirt-cheap slop? You'd be mortified, pissed.

• do they listen to music or watch tv more often? Definitely music. TV is time consuming; music is easier to multi-task. I don't think he listens to much of anything other than classical and meditative music. Maybe some kind of classic rock workout playlist on Spotify that Babs occasionally hacks into and keeps adding back-to-back plays of Black Betty. Bruce gets so into his workouts that he doesn't notice until one day he realises he's done a 2-hour cardio session and Black Betty has been playing the entire time.

• do they watch the superbowl even if they aren't into football? Not into football and barely has the time. However, when it's football season, the men (and some women) in his social circles go crazy for it, so he keeps up with the matches through news reports and tries to watch the final, Batman missions permitting.

(Psst. I'm from the UK and know nothing about American football. I presume the Superbowl is preceded by a series of tournament matches like euro football (soccer) is?)

• do they collect anything? Children

Watches, and cars. Later in life, he's fixed on these things a lot more, because he's been collecting them for so long. But they started purely as a way to fit in with his high society peers. To make him appear more normal.

Imagine that scene in American Psycho where they're comparing busisness cards, but it's Gotham’s richest competing over who has the latest watch, the nicest vintage car etc. Now that he knows what he likes he's more focused in on those; he like vintage European watches and American cars.

I also love the idea that Dick once bought him an ugly novelty tie (completely earnestly) on like his second Christmas at the Manor, and that quickly became a tradition. Every year he gets a new tie, the most hideous the kids can find, and the following year, Bruce wears it during Christmas dinner.

• what hill are they willing to die on? Mint is the superior dessert flavour, milkshakes, ice cream, Oreos, coffee syrups. Dark chocolate and mint = peak.

[hundredandsix]

✩ camp counselor au? ✩

✩ So...what do we think about a camp counselor au with Ellie? Except let's make it a Christian camp because I need my religious trauma to be useful for something.

✩ Maybe she's about to graduate, but her program requires volunteer hours, so she signs up to be a counselor at the camp and is honestly really pissed about it. But then she gets paired with you. She thinks you're this stuck-up, church-obsessed girl, but she doesn't know that your parents made you go and you hate it just as much as her.

✩ I can totally imagine her unintentionally ruining one of those dumb purity demonstrations. Like the teacher has someone lick a cupcake and then asks everyone in the room if they would eat it. It's supposed to demonstrate how "unpure" things are "undesirable," but Ellie is just so bored and wasn't paying attention. So she volunteers to eat the cupcake and doesn't understand why everyone is so taken aback.

✩ Imagine her telling stories to the kids around the campfire. She doesn't think they're that scary, but she ends up facing your wrath after three kids wake you up in the middle of the night from nightmares.

✩ Maybe a kid is acting up, and instead of accepting the consequence she gave him, he says that "a demon must have been inside of him" to try and get out of it. Ellie just stares at him because none of the training she did prepared her for that response.

✩ Her coming up with the most creative ways to discourage PDA.

✩ And of course, sneaking around with her because the stakes are even higher at this camp. Will this just be a summer fling or will you stay in touch?

I might write something full-length for this. Any ideas?

[my-owl-baby]

Chapter one; The Lost Lady

Osferth x Modern f!reader

Summary: You woke up in the middle of nowhere, the last thing you remember is going camping with your best friend. Now your here with your belongings. Getting windup with a village of women and children taking care of them until something unexpected happens.

Warnings: killing, cursing, and hard language.

Word count: 2,787

you woke up sore, everywhere in your body ache as you sat up, removing the leaves in your hair. "Where am i?" You cough a bit feeling a bit cold from the air. Snowing already? It was just summer time. You sigh, getting a jacket out of your bag that was near you and putting it on.

"JON?" You yelled hoping your best friend wasn't far from here. You grab your things walking around to find Jon.

You guys were going camping for awhile since the loud city wasn't in the right mental state for the both of you. Now your here in the middle of nowhere, weather freezing cold.

"JON?!" You yelled once more looking around but only see a white landscape with tress around.

"This isn't funny!" You held yourself close not wanting to to freeze to death in the middle of the woods. Did you fall asleep a bit more longer then expected? Or kidnapped? No, they would have you in a room right?

Many questions wonder in your head wondering where you were or how you got here.

Your fingers felt like they were going numb, you saw people up ahead. You weren't sure if they were good or so. You took out your pocket knife keeping it in your back pocket if anything happens.

"Hello?" You yelled once more, seeing the two heads turn to you. You notice it was women which brought you a little hope to you.

"Do you know where I'm at?" You asked getting closer to see a better view of them.

"Stop right there" one of them said, taking a knife out, pointing it towards you.

You pause staying where you are, not making a move because she demanded. "I'm not a threat" you defended yourself, putting your hands up in the air so she can see you aren't one.

She whispered something to the lady, and ran off as she stayed watching me. "And what dose a Dane like you want?" She step closer, she wasn't a threat to you. But you needed her to trust you so you can leave the woods.

"Dane? I'm not Dane" you said calmly, she seem unsure with your response.

"Why do you dress like one" she responded to you, you looked at your outfit. You were your jacket, jeans and a long sleeve shirt.

"I don't understand what you mean miss" you tried to be respectful but she really is making you unpatient since you were freezing you ass off.

"Don't play stupid lady, your Dane...where are your friends?" She didn't believe your words, not one bit.

"Trust me, I'm not a Dane, I don't even know what that is" you kept defending yourself. She seem unsure once again.

You both stayed in silence until an arrow went through her head, causing her body to fall to the ground.

"What the hell" you turn seeing another arrow coming towards your, running to into the village. It was empty, they must be hiding.

"Where the fuck am i" you mumble under your breath trying to find a place to hide. It looked nothing like what Amish people do, or how they live.

You hid behind a blacksmith workshop, you fumble in your bag getting your gun for safety. You didn't know she was going to die, so it wasn't your fault that she died right?

You continued to convince yourself that it wasn't your fault until you heard men laughing out loud. "Find the other whore, and bring her to me" they were riding horses. Swords, arrows and wooden shield as protected.

Then it click you, you weren't home. You weren't in your timeline.

They started to search the place, seeing them near the church trying to open it but it wouldn't bugged.

"I can't use my gun" you mumble to yourself placing it down, seeing a sword and a bow and arrow there. You crawl not trying to make a sound to get your attention.

The sword was heavy and you did have your pocket knife which could be of use. You weren't going to let innocent people dying infront of you. Not like the other times.

Of the men were getting close to your area as the other men try to open the door. He got closer to you enough to grab him and slit his throat. And you did exactly that without anyone noticing.

The snow is painted red, with his blood and the rest of his people blood as well. You grab the arrows and bow getting somewhere high so they won't see you.

"I hate this, where are you jon" you mumble, you heart beat is fast from the adrenaline.

You climb on top of a tree, until you got a good enough view of the men. "Please keep me safe any God out there, that would be wonderful" you mumble once more getting ready to shot.

Leaving everything behind where you killed the man was a good idea? No it wasn't but you didn't want the heavy bag make you slow down.

You started to aim at the men who had arrows so they wouldn't be a threat. You shot your first one which made a commotion, they pick up their shield but not high enough to keep the safe.

You killed another and another after it, only leaving a couple 13 more men to go.

"FIND WHO DOING THIS" you heard one of them yell, as they scattered around the village.

You took a quick break, catching you breath it wasn't a camping trip you were hoping for. All you wanted was a quiet peaceful trip.

You ended up shotting at four more men, you were running out of arrows, only had four more left.

"IT MUST BE THE GODS PUNISHING US MI LORD" One yelled, getting on his knees mumbling to himself.

Another started to believe him and did the same actions as the other man.

"DON'T YOU DARE, ITS NOT THE GODS YOU FOUL" it was your cue to climb down from the tress, first person combat is your strong point. You shot the two men on the ground now colouring their blood with the snow.

You revealed yourself, the 'lord' they called saw you in disbelief. "A women, killed my man" his anger show without notice as he and the rest of his men started to dart at you.

You use you last two on two men who tried to come at you. You dodged them perfectly using your pocket knife to leave a cut on their ankle or wrist.

"How can a women kill my men!" He yelled coming towards you with a sword. You kicked his shield backing away only seeing three more men alive.

"A gun would be easier" you rolled your eyes, wiping the blood of your face with your jacket.

The leader came out you once more, with his sword, you dodge him running away to another man stabing his throat. The other one stumble on his horse yelling witch. Their lord once again tried to attack you pushing his shield towards you.

You fell on the ground, his legs were spread open and decided to hit him where it would hurt, his nuts.

He grunted holding his legs together tightly dropping his sword. "Always works" you said breathlessly, grabing his sword and sliding it through his throat.

You stood there, still hearing another man yelling, as he struggled to get on his horse.

"Really?, oh my god" you mumble grabing a used arrow and aimed it at the man who cried out for help ending his noise.

Now it was silent, the only thing you heard was your own heart beat and breath at the same time. You saw all the men lifeless on the ground, you didn't want to leave them there even though they did try to kill you, you wanted to at least have a proper rest.

You grab your gun placing it behind your jeans covering by your jacket and shirt. You place your bag near by where no one would get it as you started to grab a shovel to bury them.

Soon you notice people coming out the church looking at you, like you were their hero or some sort of monster. You didn't mind them, only trying to bury men you killed.

"You burn them instead of burying them" you heard a young voice said, you turn seeing a women about your age not to close to you.

"We thank you for saving us" she bow a bit before making eye contact with you.

"It's nothing, it's the least I can do for them killing your family member" you mumble not knowing the right words you stop shoveling.

"She was a nun here, for many years...we buried her not the Danes" she said, you nodded looking at the men you had piled in a line.

"So those are Danes, do you know where I am?" You glance at the group of men, then at the her. She nodded taking a deep breath, the children and women were watching you closely making sure you wouldn't hurt their nun.

"Umm, my lady your in the Wessex land" she looked away, playing with her fingers as she spoke.

"Wessex?" It didn't click you heard, until you thought about it more. England, so you either in the 5th-10th century, but you needed the right date.

"Um, do you need any help?" You snapped out of your thoughts, turning to the lady.

"What would be kind of you" you smiled, she nodded, as you both continued to talk to each other about this land or other people out there.

Two weeks had passed, and Uhtred came to the king, Alfred. Sitting down at the table eating along side with the kings wife, father Beocca and Haesten chatting about something.

"His name is Sigurd" Haesten said, eating his food at the same time. "His men call him bloodhair"

Aelswith spoke up "I don't not wish to know why something depraved, I'm sure" she slice her meat up.

"I have a man watching Bloodhair camp" Uhtred spoke, "but I'm curious...he didn't ask you to join him, Haesten?" He asked, taking a sip of his ale.

Alfred looked at Haesten, as he said he declined bloodhair offer. They started to bicker back and forth as the king watched. Uhtred didn't trust Haesten not one bit, and he had every right too.

"Uhtred, there came a report that in the near rivers in Wessex near north that someone killed seventeen Danes alone" he started getting the attention of everyone in his table.

"How can one man defeat seventeen Danes alone?" Father Beocca asked, Uhtred seem impressed, while Lady Aelswith praise the man for killing such evil men.

"I want you to bring that man to me, he would be of use" he said, Uhtred and the others agreed expect for Haesten himself, who stuff meat in his mouth.

Once the king left for air Haesten spoke "There's a lady that Bloodhair has...her name is Skade, she a seer of the devil father" looking at Beocca for a reaction, which he didn't give.

He left afterwards, leaving Uhtred and Father Beocca alone.

"Where are you going?" Beocca asked as Uhtred was walking away.

"Finding out the man who killed that many Danes and speaking to Bloodhair myself" Beocca said something else but Uhtred didn't pay no mind to it.

While those two weeks with you weren't bad, you were force to pray to be able to stay and take care of the women and children here.

It wasn't bad, peaceful then cramping. Jon haven't shown up, you wish he wasn't here but a the same time it would be wonderful to see a similar face here from time to time.

Some of the nuns didn't accept you so quickly as some did, the children grew found of you. You taught the lil boys to learn how to use a wooden sword. Even know you had no experience with a sword you did your best to teach them.

Even some of the girls wanted to learn as well, which you proudly did show them.

You help out as much as you could, chop wood, hunt, collect herds, help making better food and of course taking care of the children.

It was an everyday task for you, you didn't mind it since it was helping you a lot. You never knew how much peace you could taken. Almost like it's your new life now.

You were out in the woods looking for herds since you were already running out of some.

While you were gone in the woods a group of Danes came to the village. "DANES IN THE CHURCH NOW!" Anne yelled in worried helping the children get inside. They shut the door, pushing the table to door.

"Everyone stay calm" she held the kids as many as she could.

"Lady Y/n is out there she'll get hurt" one of the boys plead, she hush the boy holding him closer to her.

The banging on the door started, the rest of the nuns started to pray to their God. Hoping he will save them and keep them at peace more longer.

You began to walk back to the village seeing men there, Danes? You didn't know since they didn't dress like the last ones you met. "Do you need anything?" You spoke up, they didn't notice your presence so they were startle by your voice.

A man walked up to you with a smile "Yes, we are looking for the man, who defeated the seventeen Danes alone" you didn't give him a reaction, shrugging as you walked passes him knocking on the door.

"Anne, open the door" you said turning to the men, there was four of them.

"So your here for the man" you chuckled as you spoke the last word. The same one walked toward you standing by your side.

"We mean no harm, only coming for the kings order, I'm Uhtred" he held out a hand for you to shake.

You looked at him then at his hand before shaking "I'm Y/n" the door peak open, then finally fully open.

"Lady Y/n, you're safe!" The same little boy hugged your legs. A small smile appeared on your face patting his head.

"Yes, I am dear boy" he smile before running off with the other kids outside to play again.

They fix the table as you set the basket of herds on the table. "So this Anne the Abbess of the nunnery, speak to her" you said, not wanting to disappoint the men that you were the one that killed those Danes.

She gave you a worried look wondering why you would trust these Danes. But she trusted you enough to speak to them.

"Hello" she bowed her head a bit towards them.

"Hello, I'm Uhtred, these here are my men I trust" he started you made your way to the kitchen getting food ready for supper.

You could hear them talking with thin doors they have build in. "We came here for the man who killed those Danes a couple days ago" he started, you startrd to chop the fat off the meat.

"Oh, that wasn't no man" Anne laughed nervously, you smiled to yourself as you heard the conversation.

"Really? Was it a bear?" You heard another man's voice as he laughed, causing the two men laugh as well.

"Hah...no" she mumble started playing with her fingers looking at the kitchen door then at the men.

"Then who did it?" Uhtred interrupt her training thought. She smiled at them before she spoke up.

"It was lady Y/n...she saved us" she knew that these men wouldn't believe it, but Uhtred seem to surprise and at the same time believe the young nun.

While the three men, Osferth, Sithtric and Finan on the other hand were surprised that a women like yourself was able to kill that many men.

"May I ask how?" Finan asked Anne, they glance at the kitchen door still wondering how.

"I don't know how to explain it" she shook her head, she really didn't one second she saw you next you were gone while four men were dead on the ground.

"You can stay for supper and for the night, if you have any business with lady Y/n...it's between the five of you" she bow dismissed herself, to the kitchen helping you with food.

"We got ourselves a witch" Sithtric said, he was serious about his words. Osferth didn't want to believe it, you looked kind to even be a killer maybe it was a trick like how the devils are.

[aziraphales-library]

Hiii! First of all I wanted to thank you all for the amazing work that you do. Your suggestions are always on point. Now, for the question, I was wondering if you know any fics that are similar to secondhand smoke. Maybe about Catholic guilt and/or coming out? Thank you :))

Hello! We have a #religious guilt tag you might be interest in. Here are some religious conflict/coming out fics...

Cappucchino Readings - A "Good Omens" Univeristy AU by Jelly_Jenkins (T)

When Aziraphale took the job at the campus library, he didn't think anything of it. Of course he was excited to make some extra money and such, but he never expected to get out so much more.

The Day You Eat of It by K1ngB (E)

It all started as it will end... at a summer camp (with strangely religious undertones). In Aziraphale's mind, the best part of summer was those two weeks spent with the children. Just as eager to absorb new information and experiences as he was to teach the next generation same as he was at this same camp nearly ten years ago. A lot has changed since then, namely the amount of blatant proselytizing but some things always stay the same. In Crowley's mind, he gets to see the apple of his eye for two weeks every year, and he'll be damned if he doesn't make the most of it. He sustains himself on the discreet glances, the creeping blushes, and the inevitable banter of his favorite camp counselor. He is prepared for the long game and was nailing it if he was being honest... And then he got caught wanking in the showers and it's all downhill from there. or Summer Camp Counselor AU. Crowley is a sappy pining fool and Aziraphale has no idea what's going on.

search terms by Vagabond (M)

Aziraphale expects it to be a quiet night working in the university library when a flashy red haired, foul mouthed, panicking student needs to find credible sources for his paper and can't figure out how to use the search. Little does Aziraphale know that meeting Crowley will lead him on a path to self-discovery, and give him the family he didn't realize he needed. From a prompt on tumblr: College AU - You’re REALLY GOOD at using the right search terms for the academic databases and I’m on a deadline.

Opposites Attract by Pal456 (M)

The Eastgate family hated the Crowley family. Hated them so much, that their children were not to spend any time together. That never stopped Aziraphale and Crowley being drawn to one another time and time again even though their families would pull them apart. As years go by, Aziraphale tries to do right by his parents in order to take over the family business one day, but it seems like the Almighty might have a different, ineffable, plan that brings the two together every chance they get.

Out of Suffering Into Love by Slow_Burn_Sally (E)

Aziraphale is a sexually repressed man who grew up in a religious household. Crowley is an artist with a sordid past. Both of them are afraid to love and be loved.

One and the Same Fall by ElliottRook (E)

Aziraphale Fell is a UK student attending an American Catholic school on exchange, an escape from a strict, conservative family. Anthony Crowley is a juvenile delinquent on his last chance, sent to live with his uncle and attend a school that promises to shape him up. When they cross paths at St. Bernadette's, they nearly instantly become friends, and nobody likes it--not the teachers, not the old-money students, not Aziraphale's family--but it's the best thing that's ever happened to either of them. Hanging over their heads, though, is Crowley's plan to flee the moment he comes of age, and what will happen after they're no longer trapped in the same gilded cage.

And the one you mentioned...

secondhand smoke by PaintedVanilla (T)

you're second hand smoke, second hand smoke i breathe you in, but, honey, i don't know what you're doing to me mon chéri the year is 1990, and anthony crowley is looking for a church in london that might be tolerable. the one he winds up attending isn't exactly such, but he decides to stick around for one reason. said reason happens to own a bookshop that crowley begins to frequent, much to the surprise and delight of anathema device and newton pulsifer, who seem quite convinced that crowley could use something else to focus on besides gardening, their campaigns, and visits to tadfield.

- Mod D

[the-name-is-z]

SKELETONS | ch. 16

daryl dixon x f!oc

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Summary: Iris quickly recovers from her accident and has a brief discussion with Daryl. Rick decides the group needs to know a little more self-defence. Warnings/Information: AMC's The Walking Dead OC Insert | 18+ Advised | strangers to lovers; the slowest of slow burns; gore; angst; horror; humour; m/f; recovering from a car accident, daryl being sentimental (yes, deserving of a warning), discussion of surgery, training a kid to use knives, walker dismemberment

Chapter 16 - Recover

When they pulled in and Iris shambled off of the bike, she ignored Daryl as she staggered toward the camp. Andrea, Lori, Carl, Dale and T-Dog came rushing toward her. Shane was nowhere to be seen, and she was glad for it.

“Oh my god, are you alright? What happened?” Lori asked.

“Fuckin’ deer.” Iris mumbled, reaching up to touch her head wound and scratching off some of the blood. “I’m fine.”

“Come on, let’s make sure you’re alright.” Dale beckoned, pulling her into the house. Andrea handed her a glass of water.

“Thanks.” She mumbled. Carl came in quick, followed by an exasperated Lori.

“I’m so sorry, sweetie, I never meant for this—“ Lori began.

“It’s alright. Not your fault. I’m sorry I couldn’t bring them back.” Iris replied, her speech a little slurred. Lori shook her head.

“Shane went to find them.” She murmured. Iris nodded, running a hand over her face.

“I’m glad you’re okay.” Carl said, offering her a smile. Iris tried to reciprocate, flicking his large hat.

“Thanks, cowboy.” She replied.

Daryl peered through the window into the sitting room from sitting on top of his bike, messing with the rubber of the grips. 

-

Beth was still dehydrated and catatonic in the morning, and Iris was annoyed at the throbbing headache in her brain by the name of Daryl Dixon. Also, the real, painfully throbbing headache from her concussion. Just thinking about their conversation irritated her. Not because she was genuinely mad, because she wasn’t. But because an argument like that was so incredibly childish given the circumstances. It was petty and ridiculous, and had no real merit. She knew it, Daryl knew it, and yet it sort of felt good to just let off a little bit of steam. But not at the expense of a concussion.

Iris stepped into the bedroom of the farmhouse to see Maggie sitting beside her sister, stroking her hair. She had her hand clutched tightly around Beth’s, small tears in her eyes.

“How’s she doing?” Iris asked.

“Okay, as far as I can tell.” Maggie murmured.

“Do you need anything?” Iris asked, tilting her head. Maggie offered her a small smile.

“Nah, I just wish my dad was here.” She replied.

“She’s a strong kid.” Iris stated and Maggie nodded, more tears lining her eyes.

“I was just reminding her about— nevermind.” She murmured.

“About what? I’d love to hear…” Iris replied softly.

“My dad would die if he heard this.” Maggie grinned. “My first summer back from college, I drove home, dumped my stuff off, went straight out to the stable for a ride. My family comes back from church and Beth grabs my things and starts unpacking my stuff upstairs.”

“That’s sweet.”

“Yeah, until this one here starts rifling through my backpack. She finds this little plastic container with these pink and green candies inside.” Maggie continues. Iris smirked knowingly, nodding along. “She didn’t even know I was on the pill. She was so freaked out by the idea of me, boys and sex that she runs outside and chucks them in the duck pond. And I ride up, I see this, I’m screaming. She’s crying and Shawn runs outside, thinks one of us is drowning. 

Soon as he figures out what’s going on, the jerk busts out laughing so loud that my horse rears up and gets mud all over the three of us. My dad comes out, ‘what the heck is going on out here?!’ and she turns around, bats her eyelids and says, ‘we’re just swimming, daddy.’ In her Sunday dress, all covered in snot and mud.” She stopped, sniffing as a tear ran down her cheek.

“Rick, and Glenn, they'll get Hershel. They’ll be back soon and she’ll be up and at ‘em.” Iris consoled. Maggie nodded.

“Glenn’s a good guy.” She murmured.

“Yeah, he is.” Iris replied, offering a teasing grin. Maggie huffed at her expression, rolling her eyes playfully.

-

“You sure you wanna come?” Shane asked as he and Daryl loaded the back of the SUV with weapons. Daryl looked slightly out of place wearing a shirt with sleeves, his red bandana tied around his neck. He did have his angel-wing leather vest, however, which eerily reminded Iris of home.

“Bite me, Shane.” Iris replied sweetly, offering a smile as she double-checked all her knives. Daryl’s lips curled up at the corner and he looked up, seeing Iris turn away from him. Shane raised an eyebrow, exhaling through his nose as he slammed the trunk shut. T-Dog and Andrea walked over, bringing over some food for the road, just in case.

“Guys.” Andrea said, pointing to the road. A red chevy was driving toward the farm, rather quickly. They didn’t stop at the camp, instead pulling right up to the house. Carl and Lori came out right away, everyone at the camp jogging to meet them. Rick, Hershel and Glenn got out of the truck, present and accounted for, and seemingly unharmed.

“Dad!” Carl cried, leaping into his arms. Rick embraced him tightly, Lori joining quick. Maggie ran out and Hershel stepped forward, expecting to meet her, but she sidestepped him, hugging Glenn instead. Iris’ eyebrows shot up but she didn’t say anything as Hershel scoffed, walking toward Patricia.

“Patricia, prepare the shed for surgery.” He instructed sharply.

“Surgery?” Iris asked, frowning.

“Who the hell is that?” T-Dog asked, pointing to the unknown kid sitting in the backseat of the chevy. There was a strip of red fabric over his eyes like a blindfold, but he seemed either asleep or unconscious. His lips were pretty pale, and Iris suspected the kid was the one who was injured.

“That’s Randall.” Glenn answered, seemingly over-it. Daryl, Andrea, T-Dog and Dale approached him while Iris approached Rick with a few others, expecting an explanation.

“We couldn’t just leave him behind.” Rick offered once they all got reacquainted, gathering together in Hershel’s dining room. “He would’ve bled out, if he lived that long.”

“It’s gotten bad in town.” Glenn stated, shaking his head.

“What do we do with him?” Andrea asked.

-

“I repaired his calf muscle as best I can, but he’ll probably have nerve damage. Won’t be on his feet for at least a week.” Hershel announced, wiping his hands with a cloth as he walked into the room.

“Do we want him to be on his feet? We don’t know this kid.” Iris murmured.

“He’s just a kid.” Rick replied. “But once he’s up, we give him a canteen, take him out to the main road, send him on his way.”

“Isn’t that the same as leaving him for the walkers?” Andrea asked.

“Nope.” Iris said pointedly. 

“He’ll have a fighting chance.” Rick agreed, nodding.

“Just gonna let him go?” Shane asked with a scoff. “He knows where we are.”

“He was blindfolded the whole way here. He’s not a threat.” Rick retorted.

“Not a threat. How many of them were there? You killed three of their men, took one of them hostage, but they just ain’t gonna come looking?”

“They left him for dead. No one is looking.”

“We should still post a guard.” T-Dog murmured.

“He’s out cold right now, will be for hours.” Hershel explained.

“You know what? I’m gonna go get him some flowers and candy.” Shane spat. “Look at this, folks! We back in fantasyland.”

“You know, we haven’t even dealt with what you did at my barn yet.” Hershel said loudly, stepping toward Shane as he meant to leave. “Let me make this perfectly clear, once and for all— This is my farm. I wanted you gone. Rick talked me out of it, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. So do us both a favour— keep your mouth shut.” Iris grinned widely. Shane sucked on a tooth, sighing as he looked over everyone around the table. He spun on his heel and left. 

The group slowly dispersed, cooling off as they got back into their rounds of… as close to normalcy as they could get. Iris leaned her head back as she stood in the sun, letting her skin soak up some vitamins before she went to sit in the shade. She heard the tall grass crunching behind her and opened one eye, looking at Daryl as he stood, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“If it isn’t my hero.” She murmured. She wasn’t mad about it anymore, but she wouldn’t let everything go right away.

“Don’t call me that.” He replied softly. She opened one eye again, turning to face him. “I ain’t your hero, and you ain’t mine. But you saved my life, and I saved yours. We’re even.”

“Are we?” Iris replied, raising an eyebrow. Daryl paused, looking down at his feet before shaking his head.

“Nah.” He muttered, stepping closer. Iris froze, unsure of his actions before he grabbed her hand and placed his red bandana into it, closing her fingers before letting it drop. She held it up before looking to him.

“What’s this for?”

“’s so it’s an even trade.” He replied simply. For the one she’d ripped and given him, to staunch his bleeding. At least, if she needed this one to save her life, it was already red. Her face softened as she looked down at the bandana in her hands, and he was almost uncomfortable with how genuinely she looked at him next.

“Thank you.” She said softly. He said nothing in return, simply nodding before turning and making his way back toward his tent. Iris didn’t think he, or anyone, frankly, noticed how much that bandana meant to her. But over the past week or so, she had found herself reaching for it and finding it gone. Now, at least, she had this one. 

Daryl didn’t bother to mention that he had also asked Carol if she could help him remove the stains from her old one and try to sew it back together.

-

Dale let Iris know that he’d explained to Rick how he felt about Shane, and what Shane had said to them. Each threat, each choice, each part of Shane that made him a danger to the group. And Rick took Shane on a little drive to set it all straight. Well, to drop off Randall as well, but to set Shane straight was a big part of it. Iris understood how Rick thought he should do things, but Shane was as much of a ticking time bomb as the damn CDC. Except his actions weren’t triggered by the ramblings of a crazy doctor, it was all him. 

Iris… she didn’t think Shane was going to make it. He was going to blow, or he was going to get exiled by the group, or he was going to be killed, or die. He wouldn’t do any of it without a fight, but the way Shane did things was not what built a long term community. An army, maybe. A group of crazed survivalists, but not a community. Not what the world needed.

“Iris.” Rick called, stalking across the camp. The triumphant leader returns. 

“Yeah.” She called, looking up from her knife collection. 

“Shane and I spoke, and we agreed that we need to start using our knives more. To keep quiet and save ammunition. Take a page from your book.” He explained, gesturing vaguely to her weaponry. She nodded, tipping an invisible hat dramatically. Rick’s lips quirked upward and he took a breath. He took everything so seriously. “I was hoping you could give us some direction at some point. Best ways to take down a walker with a knife, face to face or from a distance.”

“I’m not opposed, for sure. But the throwing thing, that comes from years of pre-walker practice.” Iris explained, sitting back and looking up as he squatted down next to her. She picked up a throwing knife, aiming and letting it fly. About twenty feet away, T-Dog lurched to the left as the knife embedded itself in a target she’d carved. “Sorry!” She called. He made a face, waving her off. Rick chuckled.

“Alright then. Face to face it is.” He agreed. “Can you start with Carl?” He asked. Iris blinked, but that was the only surprise she would show.

“Of course.” She nodded, shaking his hand as he got up and walked off to his next leadership task. She turned to see him kicking rocks up and down the road. He looked rather bored. “Hey, cowboy!”

“Yeah?” He asked. Iris waved him over and he started running, meeting halfway.

“Your dad wants me to teach you some knife skills. You in?” She asked. He grinned.

-

“Okay, we’ll start with this one, alright?” They were a little ways in the forest and she handed him an average size knife. Long enough, sharp enough, small enough. Lori and Rick both knew where they were and Carol volunteered to come with, to watch and learn. “This is a pretty standard size, good for learning. You can keep that one, okay? But you take care of it like a chef, you hear me?”

“Yes ma’am.” He agreed, flashing a grin.

“Now you can grip it forward, or you can grip it backward, but however you grip you stick with it so you don’t drop the knife. This determines how you stab the walker.” She explained. “Now the method that works the best is to take it down first, especially because a lot of ‘em are gonna be taller than you till you grow, okay?”

“Okay.” He stood up, copying her stance and she smiled. She whistled sharply, and a single walker groaned as it started toward them in the forest.

“You wanna kick out their knee. So you can do this from the front or behind, whichever is safest in the moment. From the front, you can either kick it out to break it, and the walker falls pretty straight, or you pull, and they fall toward you. That’s a little more dangerous. From the back, you kick forward so they fall away from you.” She explained. Once the walker got close enough, she demonstrated, and the walker slumped to the ground without much fight.

“What happens if it doesn’t fall the right way?” Carl asked.

“What matters is it gets on the ground and that you feel in control. If you panic, it gets unsafe.” Iris replied. "Now once the walker is on the ground, you pin ‘em. If they fall on their front, put your foot right here at the base of their neck, between their shoulders. Pins their head and arms sort of at the same time.” She replied. “C’mere, put your foot up, see how hard you have to hold it?”

“It’s strong.” He grunted, the walker fighting against the ground. 

“Mhm. Don’t underestimate them, alright? They might be mindless but that means they’ll do whatever it takes to sink their teeth in.” Iris warned. Carl nodded. She took over again, finding it much easier with more practice. “Here, I’ll dismember squirmy here for our practice.” She reached down with a longer knife, cutting off the walker’s arms so he couldn’t reach for them. Iris tossed them somewhere in the woods.

“Gross.” Carl recoiled, covering his nose because of the smell.

“Get used to it, cowboy.” Iris grinned. “Now until you get stronger, it’s better to find the weaker places on the skull to stab them. That means eyes, under the chin, in the ear, or here.” She pointed to places on her own head. “You can feel on your own head for the soft parts versus the thick skull.”

“Like right here?” He asked, pointing to a particularly soft spot on his own head.

“Bingo, little man.” She agreed. “Now why would it be better to choose a soft spot?”

“Because its easier to stab?” He asked.

“That’s half of it. Wanna venture a guess, Carol?” Iris called, catching her attention. Carol shrugged.

“So it’s easier to pull out?” She asked. Iris put her fingertip to her nose.

“Exactly. You find yourself in a position where you need to fight off more than one, it’s a hell of a lot easier when your knife doesn’t get stuck because you chose to shove it through some thick bone. These guys might rot, but they rot slow. Now take your time, you can kill this one, okay?” 

She motioned to the armless walker she was holding down, and in one swift motion, Carl buried the knife in the base of it’s skull, and it stopped wriggling. He pulled the knife out in a second motion, rubbing the gore off on the walker’s clothes.

“You’re a pro!” She beamed, and Carl grinned back. “You wanna try one now? I think I hear another one coming.”

“I… I’m nervous.” Carl admitted, gripping the knife tight in it’s hand.

“You got this. You watched me, you know how. I’ll be right here, nothing’s gonna happen to you, cowboy.” Iris encouraged. She watched as the smaller walker approached, and Carl ran around to the other side, kicking it’s legs out. Iris smiled as he used both feet to pin it down, planting the knife into it’s skull.

“I did it!” He cried. Iris held up her hand and he gave a gnarly high-five. She half turned, smiling to her other student.

“Your turn, Carol.” She invited. Carol paled a little and cleared her throat.

“I’m okay just watching, for now.” She said quietly, smiling softly at Carl. Iris nodded.

“Alright, well let me know if you change your mind. Let’s go again, cowboy. Try a different direction.”

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