#or maybe 1-2 slightly bigger fish

[piierrote]

I've gotten very intensely into fish and now I desperately want a 10 gal tank,, for maybe a female betta and some schooling fish and some cherry shrimp I'm like going insane

[m0chaminx]

Coriolanus Snow | Roses Grow Thorns

*•.¸♡Request: Pls pls pls do a part 2 too the snow x reader fix it was so amazing and I want more of them 🙏🙏🙏🙏‼️‼️🩷

*•.¸♡Prompts: none

*•.¸♡Warnings: Coriolanus, Cori isn't insane (ish), Snow is slight ooc, jealousy, hurt comfort, fluff ending

*•.¸♡Paring: Coriolanus Snow x F!reader

*•.¸♡Summary: Coriolanus learns his favourite flower grows thorns

Or

You confront Coriolanus about his relationship with Lucy Gray

*•.¸♡Words: 2k

Part 1

People danced, swaying with their partners in a circle as you stood on stage, strumming your guitar and singing to the crowd. Lucy had just finished the first half of her set, so you took the stage to fill the silence. Coriolanus sat with Sejanus at a table across the room, large glasses of some sort of liquor. Coriolanus looked up at you and smiled.

If you like your coffee hot

Let me be your coffee pot

You call the shots, babe

I just wanna be yours

Your voice trailed off slightly as Lucy raced to Coriolanus and Sejanus, throwing her arm around his shoulder and leaning between them. You shook your head and continued to play, trying to ignore Lucy Gray practically hanging from Coriolanus’s arm.

Jealousy, an unwelcome guest, clawed at the edges of your heart, leaving an ache in your chest. No words had been exchanged, and no actions had passed between you two. It overtook the corners of your mind, urging you to believe that Lucy Gray should sense the unspoken connection threading its way between you and Coriolanus.

Each shared trip to the lake, every stolen moment when Coriolanus chose to spend his fleeting free hours with you — these fragments of time saved in your mind like photos in an old book. Yet, as you observed Lucy Gray standing there, a vision of radiant smiles and hushed confidences exchanged with Coriolanus, a wave of emotion surged. It was as if the world momentarily lost its colour, and the whispers of uncertainty left an indelible mark on your heart.

You clenched your hand, trying to ease the shaking in your hands.

Secrets I have held in my heart

Are harder to hide than I thought

Maybe I just wanna be yours

Every night for the past week following that evening, Coriolanus Snow would tap gently on the glass of your window. You would turn your head and he would smile, the same bright smile that made your stomach flip and fill with butterflies. You crept across the wood floors and opened the window, looking down at the blue-eyed boy. “Are you busy?”

You would simply laugh at him. You grabbed your coat and slipped out the window, Coriolanus gripping your waist to help you down properly. He would smile, slip a scarf under the window to close it without locking it and you would slip away unnoticed, descending into the velvety embrace of the night.

In those quiet moments, Coriolanus would slip your hand in his own, his warm hand covering yours as he laced your fingers together. He guided you through the dense labyrinth of woods, you knew these woods better than he did but through the nights as he led you to the lake, you questioned if you ever knew them at all. 

The Mokingjays sang into the night as if calling to the small fireflies to light the way. “I brought matches,” Cori said, looking back at you. He tugged on your hand bringing you closer and you couldn't help but think about Lucy Gray running her hand along his shoulders. “We can light a fire. Maybe catch some fish.” You nodded and Coriolanus smiled.

You reached the lake and Coriolanus set his bag down, quickly gathering everything to start a fire. You walked to the edge of the water, your mind running faster than you could even start to comprehend. “Think we’ll catch anything?” He asked, stopping to look up at you.

You looked back over the water, looking at the fish no bigger than your palm swimming just above the sea floor. You shook your head, keeping your eyes on the moonlight dancing on the waves of the water. “Nothing big enough to eat,” You said. Coriolanus nodded and turned back to the fire.

Once the fire was made you sat on the ground beside him, leaving enough space so your shoulders didn’t touch. You both sat in silence, Coriolanus’s knee bouncing softly. 

The flames danced and flickered, the golden glow flickering in Coriolanus’s blue eyes, you settled onto the ground beside him. You shifted slightly, making sure your shoulders didn't touch. The silence stretched between you, Coriolanus's fingers drumming against a stick he held in nervousness.

Coriolanus's knee bounced softly, mirroring the unsteady rhythm of both your hearts. The mere inches that separated you felt like an unbridgeable chasm, as long and confusing as his thoughts. “Did I do something?” His voice cut through the silence like a knife and you turned towards him, your eyebrows furrowed. “You seem distracted. You’re not talking like you usually do. You’re sitting far away.” You bit your lip and shrugged softly. “What’s wrong?”

“What did I sing tonight?” You turned to face Coriolanus. “Tonight. I sang, I wore the red dress so everyone could see the white rose you gave me. But what did I sing?” Coriolanus stammered. “You don’t spare a second glance at me during our shows, you talk to Sejanus when I do perform and you let Lucy Gray hang off your arm like she was yours.”

He spoke your name softly, trying to shuffle closer but you stood quickly. “Don’t do that Cori,” You pleaded. “I’m gonna go home, I’ll see you later.” You turned on your heel. Making your way back through the woods.

Coriolanus sighed, dropping his head into his hands as you walked from his view.

The next morning you stared at the ceiling, stretched out on your small bed. You twisted a small rose between your fingers, the thrones pricking your skin occasionally. The knock at the window made you jump. You turned your head to look at Coriolanus standing on the other side, smiling ever so slightly. You sighed and set the rose aside before walking to the window and pulling it open. “Corio-”

“Don’t talk,” he said quickly. “Don’t say anything, just follow me.” 

“Cori-”

“What did I just say?”

A frustrated huff escaped you as you forcefully closed the window, shutting out the annoying sounds of crickets. Pulling the blinds closed with a swift motion covering Coriolanus’s face, but you caught his smile dropping. You donned your jacket and stepped out the front door, stopping in front of Coriolanus just as you turned the corner. He extended his hand, a warm smile playing on his lips. Suppressing the annoyance that still simmered beneath the surface, you offered a muted response, "Just lead the way," your words carrying a hint of resignation.

Coriolanus nodded and started to lead you through the woods, the sun still yet to rise properly. “You sang I Wanna Be Yours,” Coriolanus muttered. “No, I didn't ask Lucy Gray. You wrote it after you met your old girlfriend but you haven't sung it since. That’s why it was so important to you. And why you wanted me to remember it.”

You hummed and tried to hide your smile. “So you were paying attention.”

Coriolanus spoke, low and earnest, his gaze fixed on you. "I always pay attention," he assured, a sincerity etched into his words. The weight of his gaze, coupled with the firmness in his tone, sought to reassure you. "And nothing is happening between Lucy Gray and me. She was helping me with something," he explained, his words carrying the weight of truth and an unspoken plea for understanding.

“Which is?”

Coryo smiled, “Keep following me.”

You followed Coriolanus, walking in silence until the sun rose completely. He stopped at a rock wall, a small dirt trail winding around it. He reached out, slipping his hand into yours and leading you down the track. “Roses don’t grow in 12, the ground is too hard,” Coriolanus started. “Lucy Gray told me just beyond the rock wall there is ground soft enough to grow flowers. Sejanus used his father's money to get some seed and…” Coriolanus stepped aside as you reached the bottom of the track.

You smiled, Coriolanus’s hand slipping from yours as you stepped further into the growing rose field. Dozens of rose bushes had started to grow, small red and white flowers sporting. Small raindrops covered the flowers, the sun reflecting off of them like diamonds. You crouched, smiling as you ran your hand along the rose petals. 

A soft smile played on your lips, and Coriolanus's hand tenderly released yours as you ventured deeper into the growing rose field. Rows of rose bushes, adorned with tiny red and white blossoms, unfold before you, blossoming like a garden from the Capitol. Small raindrops adorned the delicate petals, capturing the sunlight in a dance that shined like diamonds. Your heart swelled. You glanced back at Coriolanus who shared the same smile.

You carefully crouched down, your smile growing as you traced the velvet texture of the rose petals with your fingertips, each delicate touch slow and careful as if the rose would fall apart. Coriolanus smiled as he watched you, his stomach filling with butterflies as he waited for you to speak. 

"Wait..." The urgency in your voice sliced through the air as you stood, swiftly pivoting to face Coriolanus. His smile disappeared, replaced by a stark seriousness mirrored in your eyes. Your heart fell to your stomach as your voice shook, "You said Sejanus got the seeds from his father. If the Peacemakers find out, they'll take you away." The gravity of your words hung heavily in the charged atmosphere. “Cori, they’ll take you to the hanging tree-”

“They won’t,” Coriolanus said quickly. He stepped forward holding your face in his hands, his thumb tracing the lines of your cheekbones. “No one is going to take me away. No one is taking you. Or Sejanus, or Lucy Gray.” You raised your hand, settling it on top of his. “This place is ours, yours and mine. No one is going to take that.”

Yours and mine.

You smiled, laughing softly as you looked up at Coriolanus, his blue eyes meeting yours. “You got me roses?” You asked.

“You said you liked the Capitol flowers more,” Coriolanus remembered. “I can’t exactly take you to the Capitol, so I thought I’d bring the best part of the Capitol here.”

“Besides yourself.”

A warm smile graced his features as he leaned in, closing the distance until his forehead gently met yours. "Do people in the Capitol kiss differently than the districts?" His inquiry, spoken in a hushed tone, carried a hint of curiosity and a touch of playfulness.

“I think…” you leaned up slightly, bumping your nose against his, “you should find out.”

The brush of his fingertips against your jawline, tracing a delicate path along your skin, igniting a shiver that danced down your spine. As he cradled your face, your breath hitched in anticipation, your eyes staring at his chapped pink lips. Drawing you closer, the final shared breath seemed to linger, suspended in the charged atmosphere, before he sealed the connection with a kiss that felt like a spark that lit a fire. Your heart echoed the rhythm of the thousands of times you had dreamed of this moment and your hands instinctively wound around the back of his neck, the embrace pulling him closer.

Your stomach twirled, filling with butterflies as one of Coryo’s hands moved to wrap around your waist and pull you impossibly closer. He pulled away, his breath coming out in small pants, your breath in sync with his. You opened your eyes, looking up at his half-closed eyes tracing over every part of your face. “I love you, Coriolanus Snow.”

He whispered it back.

ﾟ°☆Page navigation

[our-happygirl500-fan]

A nice detail that I kind of noticed was that the Rise opening in season 2 is slightly different than it is in season 1

When we see inside the Turtle Tank when Leo lands on top of it, originally in season 1 only April & Donnie are in the Turtle Tank but in season 2 Splinter is with them as well.

Another interesting change between season 1 & 2 is that the group of villains that we see, changes between seasons. In season 1 we see Meat Sweats, Hypno, Warren, Repo, Big Mama & a bunch of Mutant Silver Fish.

However in season 2 we see that Meat Sweats & Big Mama have been replaced by Sloppy Joseph (the mutated sloppy joe that Draxum kept from the episode  Mystery Meat) & Harold (the botanical gardens grounds keeper/ security guard who mutated in the episode How to Make Enemies and Bend People to Your Will)

The Mutant Silver Fish also Disappear from the openings between seasons 1 & 2 (maybe to represent the Turtles dealing with bigger, more serious threats?)  however there are other additions  

Mrs Nubbins (Repo’s cat) now appears in the season 2 opening alongside Repo Mantis possibly representing how Mrs Nubbins got mutated at some point in the middle of season 1 as the cat actually appeared pre-mutation in the episode Repo Mantis.

Ghostbear: Peekaboo losers!

Mikey, Leo, April & Donnie: Ghost Bear!?

Raph: Oh! Love the new look! Oooh hey, can I get a quick selfie?

Ghostbear who has also been added to the season 2 opening as similar to Mrs Nubbins, Ghost Bear also mutated in the middle of season 1 when he mutated in the episode Snow Day.

Hypno: That’s my Warren! Oh, it’s good to have ya’ back roomie/ magical assistant/ friend. Doves! Let’s go make fun of game show contestants on TV.

Another change is that Warren has switched from sitting on Meat Sweat’s shoulder to sitting on Hypno’s shoulder which might represent relationship that developed between Warren & Hypno in season 1.

Casey/ Foot Recruit was also added to the season 2 opening possibly representing how Foot Recruit was kind of supposed to have a bigger role throughout season 2 as apparently it had been planned that April & Cassandra were supposed to have a rivalry throughout season 2 but unfortunately most of their episodes were cut & the only one we got was Always Be Brownies.

Though most of Casey’s episodes were cut from season two she still did have quite a journey with her ending up on the side of the Hamato Clan so it would have been interesting to see where she would have been in an opening had Rise gotten a season 3.

Especially since it seems as though in the time between the end of season 2 & the movie Cassandra has been placed firmly in the ‘friend’ category for the Hamato Clan according to April as she calls Cassandra ‘our friend’.

April: Whoa! Looks like our friend Cassandra here has been busy

Finally, the final change between the season 1 & 2 openings is that Draxum has been replaced by Shredder as the seasons ‘big bad’ which makes sense as Draxum has his redemption arc in season 2 starting in the episode Repairin’ the Barron

Draxum: I told you Carol I do not want to meet your daughter

Karai: Thank you my young Hamato’s, we will always be with you

Oroku Saki was freed from the Dark Armour at the end of season 2 & went off to be with the other Hamato spirits so if Rise had gotten a season 3 a new Big Bad would have ended up in the spot of Draxum & Shredder

The ‘Big Bad’ of season 3 could have possibly been one of the Krang or Big Mama as though the Krang were always meant to be the movie’s antagonists we do know that at least one Krang was left on earth at the end of the movie.

However Big Mama could also possibly be a contender for the ‘Big Bad’ of season 3 as we know that the original outline for the third season was meant to be the Turtles looking for the two missing Turtle siblings & with the fact that Big Mama’s Assistant has been implied by the Rise team to have been one of the two missing siblings it’s possible that the Hamato Clan could have come into more direct conflict with Big Mama in the third season.

In the movie Krang Prime’s throne was made out of a Triceraton skull meaning that Triceraton’s do most likely exist in the Rise universe so the ‘Big Bad’ of season 3 might very well possibly been a Triceraton invasion.

Leo: They wanted to wipe out their ancient enemy the Krang

In the 2012 series one of the reasons for the Triceraton’s invasion was due to the Krang’s presence on Earth. A lot of the people who worked on the 2012 series also worked on Rise as well & as such some similarities between the two shows can sometimes be seen (such as both iterations having April & Casey be teens). It’s possible that Rise could have another similarity to the 2012 series by having the Triceratons come to Earth as a response to the Krang’s own presence there.

If the Triceratons do come to earth due to the Krang’s presence there then the events of the movie could possibly set up the Krang as the series next big bad.

Anyway the differences between the season 1 opening and the season 2 opening include:

Splinter being added to the Turtle Tank with April & Donnie

New villains in the villain group shot

A different ‘Big Bad’ in the final scene

So it is possible if Rise had gotten a season 3 the season 3 opening might have had Casey in the Turtle Tank with Donnie, April & Splinter (maybe standing behind one of their seats?), a new villain group shot with possibly villains that were introduced in the middle of season 2 or villains that will be introduced in season 3 & a new ‘Big Bad’ in the final scene.

[oneatlatime]

Hiii!!! I’ve been binging through your blog for the past few weeks and I noticed how you talk about how Kataang(Katara x Aang) is portrayed in the show. Honestly yeah, I will admit I didn’t like it at first but now I just don’t really care for it. But I’d be interested hearing an in-depth opinion on the ship(unless you already did and I just never noticed or forgot 😭).

Another question, do you think you’re going to read the comics that came out the series? If you’re asking my opinion I’d say they’re a uuuh 7-8 out of 10 IG?

I do have thoughts on Kataang which I haven't shared yet. Part of me thinks I should wait to answer your ask until I've finished the series; it's obvious to me that these two are being set up to be the big finale couple, which means if I talk about them now I'm probably missing the pieces I need to have a full, well-rounded opinion. But you know what? I feel like talking about them now. So here goes.

Short answer: It peeves me that Aang comes from a culture that seemingly doesn't even have parents, yet he still manages to date his mother.

Long answer: they're both way too young. I'm a huge fan of letting the kids be kids for as long as possible. Especially with these kids, who have been prevented from being kids by the war. As Katara points out in the opening scene of the very first episode, she's been the mother since her own died (or at least she feels like she has had to be the mother). Call me crazy, but I'd rather Katara spend a few years after the war doing dumb childish stuff to recapture that lost childhood than jump straight into a relationship. Isn't the safety and space to do dumb childish stuff one of the things those who are trying to end the war are fighting for? Shouldn't she get to enjoy that? And Aang is just way too young no matter what way you look at it. He's 12 right? I think that would make him a grade 6 student. Back in my day (yells at cloud) Grade 6 students collected yugioh cards and feuded over who had the snazzier lunch box. I could picture a 12 year old having a crush on a slightly older girl that goes to the same school, but it would be short lived and unactionable. I guess Katara would be around 14? So, a grade 8 student. A grade 8 girl would not date a grade 6 boy. It would just never happen.

They've both got bigger fish to fry. Aang is the last Air Nomad AND the current Avatar. When he fully takes on both of those positions, what time will he have for a girlfriend? Katara is the only Southern Waterbender. Whether or not she wants the responsibility, it will be her duty to single-handedly reconstruct a huge portion of her nation's culture from the ground up once she returns south. Does she have the time to ping pong around the globe mothering her boyfriend as he rides giant animals or does Avatar stuff? Say she wants to: what will her family and the rest of her tribe think of the only person who can access such a huge part of their culture riding off into the sunset?

Their current relationship dynamic is still too mother/son. This is more obvious in season 1 than in season 2 (maybe that's growth?) but you can't depict a male/female pair as pieta and then expect me to ship. I think this could change somewhat, but I've already been disappointed in that. I thought that once Katara had mastered waterbending and therefore felt she had something other than mothering to contribute to the group, she would back off with the mothering. And she did, a little, but not enough for my tastes. Maybe as Aang fully steps into the Avatar role and the last Air Nomad role (sidenote: no idea what the latter would look like) he'll move on to a more equal relationship with Katara.

I think Katara is meant for better things than rebirthing a nation. Bending seems to be at least somewhat genetic. So if Aang wants Airbending in any form to survive after his death, he's going to need a billion kids. While I could definitely see Katara wanting children, I don't see her as the barefoot pregnant type.

I'm not convinced that Aang has a clear picture of Katara. She has flaws, which is good! Does Aang see them?

I get the feeling that, while they are helping each others' skills grow as they travel the globe, they are also preventing each others' personalities from growing. As long as Aang is around, Katara has someone to mother. As long as Katara is around, Aang has someone who prevents him from feeling the full weight of his responsibilities. Again, this is worse in season 1, but how often did Katara deny that Aang was to blame for something that was at least somewhat his fault? Aang will never become a fully rounded person until he can look at his flaws and mistakes dead on and say "my bad" without a Katara in the background going "no you're perfect!" Katara deserves to find out what kind of person she is outside of a nurturing role. Quick thought experiment: what if you pair Katara with someone who needs no nurturing, or better yet, nurtures her? And what if you pair Aang with someone as bluntly truthful as Toph? Katara and Aang might find both of those situations uncomfortable at first, but I think it would contribute to their growth.

Aang having a crush on an oblivious Katara would be a great single season arc. I think it would fit both of their characters well, and I think Aang growing past latching on to the first person he saw after the iceberg would be a good way to show that he's rooting himself in his time-displaced present, and fully committing to ending the war. And don't get me wrong, I love Aang and Katara both as a fighting team and as friends.

These kids are all fighting a war, and all kids. I don't mind the supporting characters having romances, because it's not like Sokka or Suki can end the war, no matter how hard they try/might want to. But I'm a big believer in doing one thing at a time, and I think if you're the only person in the whole world who can end a war, then ending the war should take precedence over dating. I'm aware that that's an unrealistic expectation and out of step with the show's theme of balance. In the real world, birth rates skyrocket during war time because people live for the moment and grab happiness (read boinking) wherever they see it. But both these kids are pre-boinking age so I'm going to be a cranky old fart about it.

Being the wife of the Avatar is a position that will often come with being relegated to second place, especially with the amount of work that undoing a century of war will take. Although she works well in a team, Katara is a naturally dominant personality. Katara did enough of putting herself in second place before the series started. I think Katara could very easily fall into the pattern of subjugating her own needs and desires and putting her husband's first, but I don't want that to happen. And one way to prevent that from happening is to prevent her from dating the single most politically important person in the universe. (To be clear, Aang would never deliberately squish a wife like that, I just think the workload of being Avatar and last air nomad would cause that to happen)

A lot of my objections to this pairing are very adult objections. I don't know what I would have thought about this pairing when I was the age of the show's target audience. It undoubtedly would have bothered me less, although I probably would have been put off by how twee it is. As an adult, all I can see are babies playing house.

As for the comics, I hadn't made any concrete plans to read them. I don't know where I'd get access to them. I'm not sure how canonical they are. I guess I should probably decide whether or not I want to read them after I've finished the whole series. I've been told that my girl Jin appears in one of them, so I definitely have some interest. I have also had the Avatar Kyoshi novels strenuously recommended to me. But so much of Avatar's charm, to me, is in the medium. And while comics are closer to animation than books are, they're still static. Avatar does movement so well.

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for giving away my sisters fish?

This is a dumb and very long story (i could probably shorten it somehow but I don't know how) and I know the title makes me look bad.

Ok so, one evening my mom and my little sister(let's call her Jess) brought home a container of four fish that mum said she saw a guy selling on the road for about 2 dollars (I'm not american so I just calculated and it comes out to around 2 dollars)

This was during the end of year break when Jess was home (usually we all go to boarding school) None of us had ever had pet fish before and we didn't know what kind of fish they were, they looked different from each other and their size difference was pretty big too(the largest was about the size of three nail clippers stacked on top of each other and the smallest was about the size of 1/2 of a car key). So we weren't sure of the species of any and bought the most nondescript pack of fish food we could find, they ate it so we thought things were ok.

About 1 month into the break though (the end of year break where I am is 2 months), 1 of the fish died for reasons we still don't know (we changed the water every 3 days) and two weeks later a second one just disappeared, it wasn't in the bowl, and no one knew what happened. So by the time school started there were 2 fish left (Jess was sad but we also have dogs so she wasn't too sad)

All of us go to different boarding schools but ive been going to a day-school this past year because I'm scheduled for a surgery, so when everyone went back it was just me with the fish.

My elder sister (let's call her Kat) came home from university for a while and she thought the fish were cool so she asked my mom if she could tell her where she got them so she could get some for her dorm. My mom told her she just got them from some guy on the road who didn't have a stall and probably wouldn't be there if she drove to the place she found him. So she went back to uni without any fish

Flash forward, 4 weeks into the term, my mom comes to get me from school and she says was passing the area she saw the guy and he was there with another container of fish this time with about 10 fish also of various muddy and sandy colours, about length of the diameter of a soda-bottle cap (my mom said they also cost her about 2 dollars). I said we could split the fish in half, keep 6 and give Kat 6 for her dorm.

So I'm sitting in the car, holding the container of fish my laps and my mom suddenly stops the car because a person walking on the sidewalks falls into the trenches on the sides of the road. The person is ok but the car stops so suddenly and I'm not holding the container securely so it falls from my laps.

The container has a lid so the car is ok but the guy added some small rocks and a fake plant to the container so they kind of bury the some of fish and 6 of them die. I look on like an idiot while mom tries to settle the rocks but another fish is buried when the rocks are settled.

By the time we get home and transfer all the living fish into the bowl we already have, we have 5 fish in total. We move them to a new, slightly bigger bowl and feed them but by the next morning when I'm going to school i see 3 fish left.

When I get home, I tell my mom that maybe we aren't ready for fish and we should give them to Kat whose dorm may be less of a safety hazard (during the end of year break we used to play with the fish a lot, trying to touch their tails etc so we're definitely the reason the first batch died anyway. We're also 8 kids and there are kids older and younger than me so it would be hard to stop EVERYONE from being rough with the fish). I also had exams coming up and I was starting to put of changing the water and cleaning bowl until i saw algae growing on sides.

Kat has a roommate who thinks the fish are cool too so incase one of them forgets maintaining the fish the other can do it. (I also kind of secretly hoped the all fish would just die a week or two into being with them so it wouldn't bother them anymore I feel bad about it)

Anyway, 3 weeks later when Kat came home she took the fish with her. It's around the middle of the first term so it was Visitation Day at Jess's school yesterday (I think the name is self explanatory) and the first thing she asked about was the fish. I didn't know what to say so I told her the truth and she was so SAD!!(I mean obviously she'd be sad but visitation day is supposed to be a good day) because we named the fish and everything(the first batch, not the second) . I tried to tell her how Kat and her roommate were nice and would give the new fish good name but she said that was dumb I knew that was dumb and I wish had just lied about the whole thing and asked my mom to buy new fish but I feel like Jess would know so said nothing else

My mom kind of cheered her up by saying that during the holidays they could go get a good tank and actual goldfish from a better place but she was mad at me because I suggested that the fish be given to Kat and I feel like she's right because it would be stupid to ask Kat to bring the fish wish her the next time she came home.

All my other siblings not just Jess also got attached to the fish so I'll just be breaking the news to everyone for the next three weeks (because all schools where I am schedule visitation day in the same month) and just generally ruining the mood.

What are these acronyms?

[rakubalka]

Victor Von Doom as Skull de Mort

(Another one of those Skull is actually someone else and badass)

Doom for some reason got transported into the khr world be it with his own body or reincarnated , aged down or whatever . Maybe he got reincarnated and got his memory after he awakened his flames

Either case Doom either starts planning how to take over Latveria (or this world equivalent of it) or start finding a way to his world to his Latveria while using being a stuntman as a cover to get more information and seeing how the technology in this world is faring against his own and how strong and knowledgeable magic users are here (he is disappointed by how old and weak both the tech and the magic users(if they even exist here) are)

Then he gets an invitation from Chekerface to the grattering of the world strongest and decided to go because 1 - he is amused that someone FINALLY noticed his presence 2 - he can't figure how someone got in to deliver the letter

He knows that someone got in , he knew when there was someone in his domain(his room) , he just doesn't know how that someone got in . He has put a heavy amount of protections on and in his suit , bike and domain because you never know when an old "acquaintance" may visit

He does however go

In his stage persona

Because he isn't an idiot Richard's

So he goes in and despite his expectations being low he still got underwhelmed by how ... childish they were

The so called "world best hitman" was a idiot with ego bigger that Richard squared on itself with none of Richard's accomplishments who will dismiss anyone he doesn't see as "strong" enough , fully forgetting that in his profession it's not the brawn but the brain and actor skill that is most important , and despite his boosting of being a genius in math he is barely at the level of first year math college student in Latveria

The "Wold Best Martial Artist" while having some skills is still only a big fish in a small pound in comparison to what an actual master of the martial arts is , at least he is of the quieter in comparison to the rest (but if he can't find his tea again they are going to have a long , long and thoughfull conversation of why you don't steal something of Doom's)

"world best sniper" his ass , the woman cannot stay quiet for a quarter of an hour unless she is asleep let alone hours if not days on end for a mission , not to mention how trigger happy she is and how ready she is to start a fight for no reason

Her stalker is only slightly better and that is almost fully because he keeps his distance but even then he is still too loud , seriously how he hasn't died yet because of how atrociously bad he is at hiding Doom doesn't know nor understand , even their untrained civilian camp from before Doom took over Latveria was better at hiding while having to source water , food and shelter for multiple people while simultaneously having to regularly outrun the army . He can hear him over the whole damn forest from how loud he was

The "second coming of Da Vinci" seems to be another fool calling himself a genius when only being slightly smarter than the rest of the populace , his robots are just clunky , slow and unintelegent pieces of metal with only the most basic of AI in them noting like his DoomBots . He also had the galls to make Doom change his seat from the (while ugly neon still better that the rest) green chair to ridiculous neon purple (he might have worn the purple for his stuntman cover , his hair might have changed its color to purple , but everyone from the smallest of ants to the strongest , oldest and biggest of gods knows that green is Doom's color . And Doom will have his revenge no matter what ! Mark Doom's words !)

The cloaked one is Doom's favourite . They don't make unnecessarily loud sounds , don't start fights for no reason , actually use their brain to stay on edge for unpredictable elements , are willing to sell information for the right price and understand the greatness that is cloaks .

Then there is that thing . He hates it the most out of not just this world , he HATES IT the most out of everything he has hated in all of his life . Every time it's even close it feels like it's trying to chain Doom down like some dog on its beck and call and NO ONE AND DOOM REPEATS NO ONE CHAINS DOOM DOWN LIKE A DOG !! He will personally make sure it dies in the most painful way possible after it has told everything Doom wants to know .

[maithefluffychicken]

Hazelnuts and blackberries, chocolate and lavender

Part 1 / Part 2

Omegaverse Steddie fanfiction, alpha Eddie Munson, omega Steve Harrington, strangers to friends to lovers, alpha beta omega dynamics.

Starcourt.

Small business owners complain about that hellish building that's going murder Hawkins' commercial economy. Or whatever.

Surely, it was going to murder Eddie's sanity, that's a fact. Since the mall opened its doors, the poor alpha’s life hasn’t been the same.

First, that awful morning when Eddie skipped his math class to buy a tape. Not just any tape but the ‘Marching Out’ by Yngwie Fucking Malmsteem, a tape that just released and it was already considered a worthwhile listen album. Eddie was ecstatic, a spring in his step, thinking about listening to his new tape for hours on end, just to find out that the little, cluttered tapes and vinyl store he loved - and where he used to spend a big part of his money - was closed.

Closed!

Eddie glared, gaping like a fish, at the closed door and blinded windows and the big cardboard placard with the word ‘closed’ in big, red letters. By its side, a note that said that the customers could still find whatever music they were looking for in the bigger and better record store at Starcourt Mall.

Since there were no other stupid stores to buy the tape - gas stations never had the new things - Eddie had to go to Starcourt.

Second, the stupid music store with a stupid cool name - Divinyl Madness Records - needed a stupid someone to hire as clerk.

Eddie was that stupid someone, it seemed. The owner of the store was nice, an older and intimidating alpha that sported a trimmed beard and a mane longer than Eddie’s; he saw the boy’s looks and his always present battle denim vest and, with a wolfish grin, as if he had found an equal, asked him a few things while Eddie was trying to buy the fucking tape! What kind of music he listened to (metal, mostly), if he played some instrument (guitar, d-uh!), if he minded talking with people (people usually minded to talk with him if he were being honest), and if he was interested to become part of Divinyl Records, as a clerk.

Eddie could save some money, help at home, and hopefully, Chief Hopper wouldn’t be such a present figure in his life if he worked there. That would be nice. He could always keep his other job - selling a few joints from time to time - but maybe he could start a new life. One that could let him out of here.

That day, Eddie came home with ‘Marching Out’ blasting from his van’s windows down and a new job.

Ok, all in all that had been a nice day after all. Sure, Eddie would miss the old store and his chaotic shelves and disarrayed style, and the owner's long stares at him, the beta glaring at Eddie for taking too much time deciding what to buy while waiting for new album releases. But at home that night, when he told his uncle Wayne about his new job, the man rewarded him with a proud glint in his eye and a pat on his shoulder, reassuring him that he didn't need to worry about their economics, that Eddie better save his money for his future, and made him promise to not go around skipping his classes again.

Third, and worse thing about Starcourt and working there, though, was Steve the King of the Jerks Harrington.

And if his persona wasn't bad enough, the real nightmare was the tight, small ridiculous sailor uniform he had to wear because the fallen ruler of Hawkin’s High worked in the silly ice cream parlor called Scoops Ahoy!

Divinyl Madness was situated right in front from Scoops Ahoy, Eddie had a perfect view of the former king's highlighted blonde mane ruined by the silly hat, his toned arms flexing every time he scooped ice cream. That alone could drive any alpha insane.

But his shorts. Oh boy.

The blue fabric clinged to his round ass perfectly, and left muscular, slightly hairy thighs on sight. And those long white socks that covered his calves.

Eddie maybe hated the guy, but fuck, he was hot. Really hot. Stupidly hot, ridiculously even, always has been, and the alpha hated the way his eyes lingered on the jock whenever he was nearby.

Eddie knew, because he had heard it at high school, that one of the reasons for Harrington's disgrace was the fact that he presented late and as omega. Captain of the swimming team, basketball star, and a bully jock turned into nothing just because of his secondary gender. Eddie couldn’t easily forgive the way Steve Harrington treated his people, the nerds, the outcasts and the misfits, but he never understood that hate towards male omegas or female alphas, as if they were less than nothing. Stupid old-fashioned social conventions.

Anyway. The real and only reason Eddie hated to work at the record store is that Steve Harrington was always there, too, in that small outfit, being hot.

Hot enough to distract Eddie from time to time, who started to stare at him when he wasn't busy and no clients were at the store.

Hot enough to start invading Eddie's dreams at night, and fuck it all, even his fantasies when he was wide awake at night and restless because Steve was a wet dream made flesh and bone and Eddie was just a guy. Just give him a rest. What if he had to knot his own fist, what else could he do about it?

Eddie was just a guy who ate a lot of ice cream that summer.

-

“Ahoy Ladies! Would you like to set sail on this ocean of flavor with me? I’ll be your captain, I’m Steve Harrington,” Steve’s cheerful and flirty greeting to every cute girl while he winked and used his sultriest voice was fucking unnerving to Eddie. Maybe an old habit from when he was expecting to present as an alpha.

Maybe Steve preferred other omegas, just because they were girls? Eddie frowns upon this and he feels suddenly sick. Every fucking time he comes for a stupid ice cream during his break the same thing, the same stupid line falling from these pink, flush lips and Eddie feels…

He fucking wants to growl and snarl at these other poor omegas girls that are unaware of his inner turmoil. He’s going insane, and he has been working at Divinyl Record for only three weeks.

The girls have their ice creams, ignoring the omega in his slutty sailor disguise but they all scrunch their noses when walking past Eddie, glaring at him and flushing themselves together, the way the omegas do to protect themselves against an alpha. Eddie, even enraptured by Steve, notices it and looks at them in confusion, until- fuck. His scent. Sour with jealousy and spicier with his own arousal, it’s a very distinctive and very alpha smell, no doubt the poor girls had felt the need to close their pack to protect themselves, leaving the establishment in a rush.

Fucking great, as if Eddie hadn’t enough in his plate already, now he smells like a predator. And it’s not like he can turn and say ‘hey babes, don’t you fret, you surely are all lovely and very enticing omegas, but I’m afraid my mind is set in this pretty sailor over here, I won’t represent any danger to any of you, and now I bid you farewell.’ Ha!

“Ahoy Lad-, oh Eddie, hi!” Steve greets him, a wide smile in those pink lips and Eddie can’t help but to think, it’s not fair. Why the fuck does Steve to smile at him like that, as if he’s happy to see him today, as if he’s happy to have Eddie coming for an ice cream every day since Eddie started working in the mall, right in front of Scoops Ahoy.

“What, no offer for me to sail this ocean of flavor, hm?” Eddie teases, he can’t help himself. “ You don’t want to be my captain, Harrington?”

Steve’s cheeks turn red and that’s such a good look on him. Eddie’s hindbrain yells mine and he has to shake his head, reminding himself he hates this guy and always will. People don’t change, Steve Harrington doesn't change, he’s still the same jerk, even if his scent is sweeter now and his hair is a bit longer, with blonde highlights…

“Pft, captain? Not even Private First Class, our dear Steve,” a chirpy voice says from the backstore, the blonde girl who works with Steve appearing and resting her arm on Steve’s shoulder, grinning wide while Steve frowns at her. “But he’s working hard. How are you, Eddie?”

“Hey, Robin,” Eddie smiles tensely at her, he doesn’t enjoy the way she treats the omega. From the record store, though, Eddie has seen that it’s just how their friendship is. He knows, he knows they’re friends, and Eddie is no one for them, for Steve. “Slow day at the store, I’m here for my daily dose of sugar.”

They’re not friends, Eddie has to remind himself, when Steve offers him a blinding smile, droopy eyes locking with his own when he asks if he wants a sample of their new flavor.

Fuck.

The thing is, and this is when Eddie realizes for real that he’s completely fucked - about this whole affair who involves Steve Harrington and his inner, loud alpha- the thing is, that Steve’s scent smells like hazelnuts and lavender. And since Eddie started working at the store and spending his money on ice cream, he has been asking for flavors that remind him of Steve’s scent. Almond and maple syrup, chocolate and peanuts - his favorite, since Eddie’s own scent is dark chocolate and blackberries, and -

He hasn’t noticed until now, until this exact moment when he shrugs and Steve offers him a disposable spoon with the new ice cream flavor: caramel and hazelnuts.

Eddie opens his mouth, inhaling the cold scent of the sample when Steve raises his hand, offering the spoon to him; the omega chuckles but shoves the spoon in Eddie’s mouth carefully. The omega’s own scent, warmer and even sweeter, the hint of lavender fills Eddie’s nostrils and makes his mouth water.

Fuck.

“It's good, right?” Steve asks him, eyes wide. Maybe ice cream is the ex-jock whole life, now. “Do you like it?”

Eddie nods, awestruck, forgetting where he is, wrapping his fingers around Steve’s wrist, gently. Steve flares his nostrils, inhaling deep too, and blushing right in front of Eddie’s eyes, who feels his blood boiling in his veins. The omega holds his gaze, his almond eyes bright and wide open, lips parted to taste whatever he’s smelling-

Robin clears her voice, “Steve, I think Eddie wants his ice cream so he can go back to work, and we have more clients waiting.”

The alpha almost snaps at her, turning his head to snarl, but her soft eyes and knowing smile are enough to keep his mouth closed. What the fuck is happening to him today?

“Yes, yeah, sure. What flavor do you want today, Eddie?”

Eddie comes back to the record store with two scoops in his cone, his usual chocolate and peanuts - the closest to hazelnuts until now - and… well, hazelnuts and caramel.

“Hey, pup, what’s wrong with you?” Joe, the alpha who owns the store looks at him and wrinkles his nose. “You smell like you fell into a chocolate fountain, like burnt sugar, you feeling ok, Munson?"

"I… I'm fine," Eddie lies, and the hours don't run fast enough.

When he reaches home, his uncle Wayne winces.

"Uf, son, your rut is early," he says, greeting him.

"Hng," Eddie agrees, flopping onto the couch, face first.

"Something triggered it?" His uncle asks, not unkindly, shuffling in their small kitchenette.

"What do you mean, Wayne?" He bristles, almost snarls, but his uncle simply laughs and puts a glass of water on the table for him.

"Do ya really want to go through the bees and the birds talk again, son?" Wayne asks, teases him, and Eddie grunts, hides his face against the plush, worn cushions that smell like him and his uncle. Their little pack. "Ya know what I mean, some pretty omega caught yer eyes?"

"Uncle Wayne," Eddie groans. Then, the younger alpha thinks about droopy, hazel eyes, about pink lips stretched in an open smile, and the smell of sweet hazelnuts. "Maybe."

-

His rut lasts three whole days, he spends them in his room, thrashing and growling and having half a mind to not destroy everything he has, his guitars, his amps, his books.

On the fourth day and feeling like shit, Eddie comes back to high school, to his band practice, and to Divinyl Records. At least his brain is not full of cotton anymore, even if his hindbrain is still louder in his mind.

Eddie apologizes to Joe for calling in sick for three whole days.

"It's ok, pup," the alpha pats his shoulder with such force that makes Eddie stumble. "It gets easier when you're older."

"Really?"

"Nah, not really," Joe laughs, putting a box full of records on Eddie's trembling arms and he picks another box, and points Eddie with his chin to follow him. "Just an omega, a good mate, it's the only thing that will make your ruts less miserable, pup. Find someone who sees that you’re so much more than a knothead and never let go."

Eddie snorts at these words, but during his shift, he can’t stop thinking about it. Fuck, he knows he’s far too young to think about finding a mate, and yet, something weird tugs at his gut when he glances sideways and sees Steve across the corridor, in his blue uniform and smiling to a kid. There’s this pup again, his curls under a cap, Eddie has seen him with Steve other times, they greet each other with a silly handshake that makes Eddie smile despite his best effort to keep his frown.

His hindbrain whines and Eddie reminds it, sulking, that they’re not friends, they’re no less than hereditary enemies. There’s no place in Steve’s life for someone like Eddie.

Eddie is focusing, organizing and reshelving some tapes behind the counter when a soft cough calls his attention and makes him turn around.

“Good ev- Harrington?”

Steve is in front of him, holding two cones in front of him, his blond hair is falling over his eyes but there’s no little white hat, and he’s smiling. Wide and beautiful. At Eddie.

“Hi, Eddie,” Steve greets him, his smile shy and tentative.

“What can I do for you, Captain Harrington?” Eddie teases, his eyes jumping from the ice creams to Steve’s eyes.

“You didn’t come for your ice cream today nor the last days, and I thought…” Steve blushes, his eyes leave Eddie’s. “I thought I could bring it to you, maybe we can have our breaks together?”

Eddie gapes like a fish, opening his mouth with nothing to say, and then closing it again. He manages to mumble something about letting his boss know and Steve’s smile widens.

Lavender and hazelnuts fill his nostrils suddenly when Steve’s scent peaks with joy, and Eddie feels far too weak after his rut, his mind wheeling before the alpha can look for his boss at the backstore.

When the older alpha appears, trailing behind Eddie, he looks at Steve and then at his employee, arching a brow. He doesn’t say a thing, but Eddie feels like Joe knows exactly who was the one triggering the rut that forced Eddie to miss three days of work.

Eddie clears his throat and takes the cone Steve is offering, leading him out the store to find some place where they can sit and eat their ice cream.

“It’s the hazelnut and caramel from last time,” Steve informs him, blushing. But if you'd rather have some other flavor…”

“Nope!” Eddie interrupts him, blushing fiercely but unable to stop his mouth. “I loved this one, honestly, my favorite one so far. Thank you.”

Too much information, too much honesty, but Steve gives him that sweet, flustered smile, and it’s worth it. Eddie stares at Steve licking his own scoop, the one Eddie used to order, chocolate and peanuts.

Eddie doesn’t want to hope.

-

Things change after that evening.

They start looking for each other to share their break time together. Sometimes, if Scoops Ahoy is empty, Robin lets Eddie spend his break with them, perched at the table in their backstore, the three of them eating ice cream. Eddie can’t help but to laugh at the weird friendship antics the young beta and Steve have developed.

Robin used to hate Steve Harrington The King, she confesses to Eddie one lazy evening, the summer is coming to an end and Scoops Ahoy has lesser clients, now. Steve is dealing with a pup that sounds terrifying, no doubt she’ll present as an alpha someday, and she’s demanding free samples for her and her pack of friends.

“And now you’re friends,” Eddie says.

“And now we’re best friends, Eddie,” she corrects. “He’s not like he used to be, I wonder if he ever was like that or if he was, you know, pretending, for survival.”

Robin looks at Eddie, expectant, as if she’s waiting for Eddie to understand some hidden meaning in her words.

“I don’t hate Steve,” Eddie feels the urge to say, and it feels weird to admit it out loud.

“I know,” Robin smirks, making Eddie frown at her. “You reek of sweet blackberries all the time when you’re here, Eddie, I know you don’t hate him.”

“I-... Well, we agree then, we don’t hate Steve Harrington anymore, isn’t that a sign for the Apocalypse that’s to come upon us?” Eddie decides to joke about it, not wanting to acknowledge his burning cheeks or how his belly churns at the mention of his scent when he’s around Steve. And definitely he doesn’t want to listen to his hindbrain and its constant longing for the omega.

“For the Apocalypse, then,” Robin raises her cone - strawberry - and Eddie does the same with his own, chocolate and peanuts and hazelnuts with caramel.

“For the Apocalypse.”

-

“Scoops Ahoy is going to close its doors, at least until next summer,” Steve informs Eddie.

“What?” Eddie asks, fear rising inside him.

Scoops Ahoy is what had transformed their relationship, from hate to an irresponsible crush (at least for the alpha) to a friendship that leaves Eddie breathless, filling him with longing and a burning desire inside and stupid thoughts about a kind of life Eddie had never wanted to think about before. But Steve is his friend now, Steve wants to spend time with him, even outside their working hours, just like they're doing now.

It’s Sunday and they’re both over the roof of Eddie’s van, watching the sun set, parked on the quarry. It’s quiet and still warm, even if they both have their hoodies ready, it’ll be cold at night.

“And what are you and Robin going to do, now?” Eddie asks. He doesn’t want to lose any of them, now that he thinks about it. Eddie realizes he doesn’t want to lose everything he has found this summer.

Steve and Robin, and the whole strange pack that comes with them. Dustin, the curly hair pup that is a total nerd and Eddie has met and discussed DnD with him and his friends. Lucas, Will and that stubborn pup called Mike. Max and El, the young teens like peas in a pod. And Erica, the strong pup that is Lucas’ little sister and the most terrifying person Eddie has ever met, always surrounded by her own group of friends, always leading them.

Eddie feels strangely overprotective towards them all, even if he met them just recently. It’s all because of Steve, he knows and he can’t stop it now. He wants to protect everything that makes Steve happy, even his underpaid job.

“Oh, don’t worry, Scoops Ahoy closes but Spoons Ahoy opens instead!” Steve half laughs, maybe because he’s witnessing Eddie spiraling on his behalf, because Eddie is looking at him with wide, panicked eyes. Steve’s hand rests on Eddie’s face, soothing him immediately, letting Eddie nuzzle his palm and inhaling deeply from Steve’s wrist glands.

“What the fuck is Spoons Ahoy,” Eddie mumbles, losing himself in Steve’s touch and scent.

“A coffee shop, Eds, they’re keeping our jobs, just as baristas now.”

“Hm, ok,” Eddie mumbles, feeling like he’s laying in a field of lavender and eating sweet, roasted hazelnuts, his body going pliant and weightless when Steve pulls him to rest his head on him, over the omega’s clothed chest.

Eddie inhales deeply, ignoring the last rays of sun to better nuzzle the omega’s preppy white and red polo, his arms wrapping around the omega’s thin waist. It’s good, so good, to just stay like this, knowing his omega is safe with him…

“Don’t wanna lose you,” Eddie whispers, not knowing he’s saying it out loud. His hindbrain swimming in a lavender field.

“You won’t, Eds, I promise,” Steve whispers back, his fingers playing with Eddie’s hair and lulling him to sleep.

-

It’s middle September when Spoons Ahoy opens its doors, Robin and Steve wearing matching sailor uniforms again, but long sleeves ones now. Eddie misses being able to see Steve’s pale skin covered in moles, even if the new, sinfully tight white slacks stretch deliciously against the omega’s round ass. The first time Eddie sees Steve’s uniform - at Steve’s house, because they’re friends who hang out almost daily, now -, the alpha wants to bite these clothes off until Steve is bare and underneath him, and Eddie has to force himself to laugh at the ridiculousness of the new uniform when Steve looks at him, expecting an answer to a question Eddie can only imagine by context.

He knows Steve can tell what is he thinking, the omega’s nostrils flaring everytime his scent peaks spicier and sweeter. Ripped blackberry and dark chocolate, as his own boss, Robin and his uncle Wayne had informed him, several times now. Even Gareth has told him about it, in a very Gareth way - that was basically shouting at him in the middle of a band rehearsal - to be an alpha and to start courting Steve already because, in Gareth words: ‘he’s sighing too much and it’s annoying’.

Everyone knows how he feels about Steve Harrington, former king of Hawkins’ High School and actual princess of Eddie’s heart.

Steve is just too kind to ignore it in favor of their friendship.

Anyway, Spoons Ahoy it’s a blast and during the first days Eddie can’t share his break with Steve. He waits in line until he can reach the counter and it’s Robin who’s free for him to take his order; Eddie loves the funny beta girl, but he wanted to see Steve. His deception must be obvious.

“Hey, Steve, this one is yours, actually,” she grins and winks at Eddie before he can even say his hellos. Instead, he mouths her a silent thank you that makes Robin shake her head, smiling softly at him.

“Eds!” Steve greets him with his sweetest smile, his scent peaking sweeter, and it’s like summer again and lavender fields. “I’m sorry, I can’t take my break now…”

“Don’t worry, big boy, just wanted to, you know, say hello,” Eddie mumbles, and knows that Steve is looking at his smitten expression, he can’t even disguise it nowadays, he can’t pull a straight face in front of Steve, not for dear life.

Steve chuckles, making Eddie’s chest puff, his hindbrain whispering the sweetest things in his mind. Perfect omega, so sweet and caring, so beautiful, so strong, perfect mate for me, laughing at my words, wanting me back.

But a beautiful dream, though, to have Steve loving him back.

Wait, what?

“I’ve been trying something new. Want to forgo your usual coffee and take a risk, Munson?” Steve asks him, his cheeks deliciously blushed. He seems shy, hopeful even, as if Eddie had told him no at anything during the last months.

“Aye aye, Captain,” Eddie smirks, making Steve snort at his antics. Fuck.

Eddie can’t stay once Steve hands him two steamy disposable cups, one for Eddie and the other for Joe. He rushes to leave the counter, wishing Steve a nice shift and hoping they could spend more time together. When Eddie retreats to the backstore after offering his boss the second coffee, he takes time to admire Steve’s handwriting in his cup. There’s a little heart instead of a dot over the i on his name.

The alpha smiles at it. Holding the cup with both hands, he inhales the warm aroma, expecting… not knowing what, exactly, but he’s rewarded with strong cocoa and roasted hazelnuts. Their scents mixed sweetly in this cup. It’s like holding scorching hot hope in his hands.

Eddie whines, rushing to give it a sip, burning his tongue in the process but ignoring it because Steve had given him hope and a silly, little heart in his name.

-

It’s Halloween.

Steve says his parents aren’t at home, and invites Eddie, Robin and the pups for a movie night. All the pups have been discussing what movie they should watch first, it’s all sci-fi and horror and Eddie sees an amused Steve, hands on hips and wearing a worn, well loved yellow sweater, playing mom with the pups.

It’s a sight that makes Eddie’s hindbrain go feral, providing him images he doesn’t even want to think right now because, well, he’s surrounded by pups and there’s no doubt they all would know exactly what Eddie is thinking about the omega.

“We can start with Jaws and Alien next and… Wait, who brought The Exorcist? You’re all too young for this movie.”

“Come on Steve, we’re not pups anymore!”

“You won’t be able to sleep later!”

“We’ll nest with you and Eddie, we’ll be fine!”

Steve looks at Eddie at this, blushing fiercely, and Eddie just shrugs. Yes, I want to nest with you and protect these pups that you love as if they were yours and maybe someday we’ll have our own pups in our own nest and… Yeah, yes, Eddie has been thinking about this, sue him - again.

The pups are all tucked on an improvised bed in front of the couch, where Eddie and Steve are sitting together. Robin has claimed the reclining chair for herself, a thick blanket covering from chin to toe, and smiling smugly when she reclines it and gets comfortable.

The movie starts and Eddie startles when Steve gets closer to him, a plush, giant blanket in hands, and smiles at him coyly, a silent question in his shy eyes.

Eddie smiles at him, heart hammering wildly in his chest, laying sideways on the couch and opening his arms for Steve to make himself a place between them.

“I don’t really enjoy horror movies,” Steve confesses in a whisper, covering their bodies with the blanket. “I mean, I’m ok with Jaws, I love Steven Spielberg’s movies, but, Alien?”

Steve wiggles and gets comfortable, taking Eddie’s arms to wrap himself with them, and the alpha has to suppress a purr, but oh, he flushes their bodies together without thinking. Hazelnuts and lavender surround Eddie and it’s summer again.

“Technically, Alien is sci-fi, sweetheart,” Eddie nuzzles Steve’s soft hair. “But I’m here and I’ll keep you safe, I promise.”

Steve lets out a happy chirp and one of their pups - because now they all are their pups - shush at them.

“Would you scent me if I’m scared?” Steve turns his head to whisper at Eddie, their lips brushing slightly. Eddie wants to growl and claim those lips.

“Always,” Eddie whispers back, no, promises him so earnestly it hurts him physically.

Steve pecks him on the tip of his nose and turns his head to watch the movie, seemingly unaffected by Eddie’s inner turmoil, and daring to intertwine their fingers togethers.

Eddie feels like he’s floating, his purr starts in his chest and it’s low enough that the pups wouldn’t hear it, but Steve can feel the rumble of it, pressed as they are back to chest.

A moment after, Steve’s purr starts too, lulling Eddie to a sated, safe state where even his hindbrain gets quiet. It’s the best Halloween of Eddie’s life..

-

It’s a rare occasion, Eddie and Wayne have the day off and they decide to drive to the city, see what’s new.

They take a look at the thrift shop, where Eddie spots a brand new denim jacket, in great conditions and so cheap, perfect for a new battle vest. He also finds a couple of t-shirts and brings them all to the counter where Wayne is waiting for him, his own bounty in his hands.

Eddie drops the clothes on the counter and it's when he sees it. Behind the glass, resting over blue velvet, there's a silver chain attached to a silver blackberry.

“It’s beautiful, right?” The girl at the other side of the counter says.

“It’s perfect for a courting gift,” his uncle Wayne agrees, nudging him with his elbow.

Eddie blushes, but he keeps his mouth closed. For now.

“You don’t strike me as the romantic type, Wayne,” Eddie teases, biting a chip dipped in ketchup.

“What’s yer real question, pup, spit it,” Wayne snorts, devouring his burger. “It’s about that Harrington boy?”

Eddie grunts, hides his face and makes some more grumbling noises his uncle takes as an affirmation.

“H-how do I court an omega?” Eddie asks with a trembling voice, muffled by his hands.

-

Eddie has a plan.

It’s a good plan, it’s a fucking perfect plan and he’s sure that Steve is going to say yes, he’s.. ok, he’s 90% sure that Steve is going to accept his courting gift. They’ve been getting closer and closer, Eddie has been dying to ask, but between their jobs and classes…

It’s an old as fuck tradition, the courting ritual, and nobody does that anymore, but Eddie is an idiot and a romantic and Steve Harrington deserves to be wooed, to be courted. Eddie just hopes Steve says yes. That this is not some kind of joke.

Eddie has the silver blackberry pendant, the one from the thrift store, in a neat, blue velvet box.

He just needs to wait two days. Two days and he’ll give Steve his courting gift on Christmas’ Eve day, during lunch, and he’s going to ask him if he accepts his courting.

No misunderstandings, not hey, I saw this and thought of you, or look! Early Christmas present! No.

A real proposition.

They’re working double shifts because of the holidays, and they have one whole hour for lunch. Eddie runs towards Spoons Ahoy, planning to ask Steve to spend their hour together - as they do now - and finds Steve holding to the counter for dear life, cheeks red and covered in fresh sweat. Thankfully, there are no clients at this hour.

“Stevie!” Eddie shouts and rushes behind the counter, Robin appearing at his screaming.

“Eddie? What… Steve?”

“Steve, sweetheart, are you ok?”

“It’s… too hot,” Steve sighs, tugging at the collar of his sailor uniform.

“Eddie?” Robin asks, scared and scrunching her nose covered in freckles. “Is he… Is he in heat?”

“Y-yeah, yes, smells like it,” Eddie says. Steve’s scent is sweeter than ever, dry lavender under august’s sun and roasted hazelnuts filling and dizzying Eddie’s mind, his own body reacting to his omega’s needs. “He can’t work like this.”

“Go with him, I’ll inform Joe, too.”

“Robin, I can’t… We’re not… He never…” Eddie doesn’t know how to say that he can’t go and betray Steve’s trust. Eddie can’t trust himself, not when Steve is so vulnerable. But Robin basically shoves them towards the exit, ignoring Eddie’s weak protests.

Ok, new plan. Eddie is good at improvising and he’s a firm believer that adaptability it’s a great skill. He has a new plan now.

The new plan is to leave Steve at his house, safe and sound, and then provide for whatever Steve could need.

“Eddie…,” the omega whispers, arching his back in the passenger seat of Eddie’s van. “Eddie, it’s too hot.”

“I know, baby, I know,” Eddie tries to soothe him. “It’s your heat, it’s starting now. I’m going to leave you at home, ok?” Eddie caresses the omega’s face, he’s burning as if in fever.

“Would you spend it with me?” Steve asks, whines hopefully and in pain. Fuck.

“I can’t, baby,” Eddie answers, swallowing around the lump in his throat and driving as carefully as he can while his hindbrain is howling. Steve is whimpering, so close to him, scenting his van. “I want to, you know… Fuck, Stevie, you know that I want to, but I can’t do this to you, not like this.”

“Like this?” Steve asks, frowning even if he keeps whimpering softly.

“You know…” Eddie makes a vague gesture with his hand. “Like this.” He repeats. “In heat, you’re like, hindbrain is in control and all that, right?”

Steve barks an angry, incredulous laugh at Eddie.

“Is that how a rut feels for you?” Steve asks.

The alpha looks at Steve sideways, blushing and feeling like the idiot he is. Nods sharply. All alphas are knotheads, after all, aren’t they?

“Eds… I’m in heat, not drugged,” Steve sighs, clearly annoyed and smelling Eddie’s scent, lips parted and nostrils flaring. “I know what I’m doing, and I’m asking you to spend my heat with me, if you want me.”

If you want me. If you want me.

Eddie growls at that, his hindbrain howling. He reaches to hold Steve’s hand, squeezes hard, the omega feels clammy and scorching hot because of the heat.

“I’ve wanted you for a long time, Stevie, baby.”

Eddie doesn’t remember how they made it to Steve’s house, only that he’s grateful that the Harringtons are always out of Hawkins, because Eddie can’t stop kissing Steve while the omega leads them to his room.

Steve breaks their kiss, their first kiss - not like Eddie had planned but he’s not complaining - and starts rummaging through his room, grabbing blankets and sheets and rearranging his bed. No, his nest.

“Fuck, fuck, I can’t get it right,” the omega sobs after a while, fighting against a pillow.

This is more what Eddie expected, if he’s honest. When the hindbrain takes control, logic goes away and instinct takes everything. Steve is now succumbing to it, groaning and snapping, and Eddie falls in love with him even more.

“Hey, hey, baby,” Eddie gets closer, calmly and with his hands raised up. “May I help you?”

Steve’s face is red, fat tears running down his cheeks. Eddie’s heart breaks a bit at the sight, the urge to fight against whatever it is that is making Steve unhappy too strong, his hindbrain too loud to ignore.

“I have nothing that smells like you,” Steve sobs again, wiping his tears with the sleeve of his uniform.

“We can take care of that, hm?” Eddie reassures and Steve looks at him. “I just, I need to… Can I get closer?”

Eddie’s body is reacting to Steve’s scent, to his heat, and when Steve flares his nostrils, lips parted to chase Eddie’s own scent, he knows the omega is tasting his own arousal. Eddie is already getting hard in his jeans, urgency tugging at him in a new, desperate way. There’s this sudden urge to close all the doors and windows, to make sure his omega is safe here. To make sure they have plenty of food and water and whatever Steve could need.

Steve’s heat is triggering the alpha’s deepest instincts, his own rut. Faster now that he’s with an omega in heat, more desperate if that’s possible, quicker the way his body reacts and his hindbrain shuts down his rational mind. If someone tried to enter the house now, Eddie knows he would fight them with teeth and nails.

The omega nods at him, offers Eddie his hand and the alpha rushes to take it in his, kneels in front of Steve and kisses his hand, nuzzles his warm, soft palm, noses Steve’s wrist glands. It’s so different from every other time, so intimate.

“Stevie, sweetheart, I want to give you whatever you could want,” Eddie whispers against the omega’s wrist, who gasps and thrashes, still fully clothed. His rut is overwhelming him and he needs to do something before he loses it completely. “I just want to know that this… that this is what you really want?”

Eddie’s speech is slurred, he can feel it, like he’s drunk but still thinking properly. Still in charge of himself but not for long, and hopes Steve is still in charge of himself, too.

No, of course they’re not drugged, as Steve said, and maybe it’s different for the omega. But Eddie? He knows he’s losing his mind, he needs to be sure. He needs to claim, the only way he can, now.

“Eddie, I told you, I know what I… oh.”

The alpha, who has been carrying the blue velvet box with him for weeks now, too anxious to leave it at home and yet patting it on his pocket every five minutes, is now holding it in front of Steve.

“Eds? Is this…?”

“Open it, please,” Eddie begs, his hips bucking, armpits stinging, his rut coming to him in waves of painful need. “You don’t have to say yes but fuck, I… I hope you say yes, Stevie, I just… I want to ask you… I’ve been wanting for a long time, actually, never sure if you… if you ever…”

He’s rambling, his hindbrain snarling inside him. If Steve rejects him, and still wants Eddie to stay, Eddie doesn’t know if he’ll survive that. If Steve wants him to leave, Eddie would leave the country, leave it for good and never look back.

Steve opens the box and his eyes widen, the light brown swallowed by the black of his pupils, his delicate fingertip caressing the simple pendant.

“A blackberry,” he whispers. “Eddie, is a silver blackberry.”

Steve is smiling when he looks at Eddie.

“It’s… a courting gift, Stevie,” Eddie reassures, his intentions clear, or so he hopes.

“You always smell like ripe blackberries and chocolate when we’re together,” Steve smiles, his eyes bright.

“Yeah,” Eddie agrees, breathless. “Do you accept it?”

Eddie finds himself with a lapful of happy, chirping omega who is peppering kisses all over his face. They fall to the ground, Steve stradling him, and Eddie hugging Steve back, laughing, feeling weightless and yet like he’s a supernova.

“I thought… Eddie, what took you this long?” Steve pouts before grinning again. “Of course I accept it, silly alpha, help me?”

They stand clumsily, clawing at the last moments of rational thinking to enjoy this moment. Eddie closes the chain around Steve’s neck, takes his chance to kiss at the moles right there in his jaw, the omega shivering under his touch.

After that, it’s all a blur. Steve undresses himself hastily, tossing the uniform somewhere, leaving only the new silver blackberry, and urges Eddie to do the same. The omega steals Eddie’s handkerchief and puts it on his nest, next goes Eddie’s t-shirt, faded and soft and comfortable, and the alpha knows Steve is going to keep his favorite t-shirt when he nuzzles it, pressing it against his face and inhaling deeply. He feels a deep rush of pride, smiling wolfishly, thinking: mine.

“Better?” Eddie manages to ask when Steve deems the nest good enough.

“No,” Steve answers, takes his hands and pulls at him until Eddie is on the nest, laughing, laying barenaked for Steve to touch and scent and enjoy. “Ok, now, perfect.”

They can’t keep talking after that, their needs far too urgent to deny them now that they’re together. Eddie is not a virgin, but he has never shared a nest with an omega in heat, nor has he spent his rut with someone, and it’s so intense, so overwhelming.

It’s so good. So fucking amazing, he’s not ready for something like this, and yet, he can’t believe he’s been living without this.

Steve’s skin is burning and dripping wet when Eddie gets his mouth on him, his little cocklet throbbing in his tongue under the alpha’s ministrations while his own cock is aching, leaking precum all over the nest.

“Alpha, alpha, I need you,” are the last coherent words Steve pronounces that night. Eddie has half a mind to grab one of the condoms Steve tossed into the nest.

Eddie kisses him while he breaches him, his cunt so wet and ready for him, swallowing him to the hilt, until he’s buried deep in the omega.

“Omega,” Eddie worships him, and knows he’ll always worship Steve.

The omega thrashes and bites him in his shoulders and arms, leaving the marks he can while avoiding his mating gland. Eddie hopes they can claim each other in the future.

They wail and whine, their moans and breath mingling, Eddie rolling his hips chasing Steve’s pleasure again and again, the feeling of his walls clenching around him making him believe in a higher power.

“Alpha, alpha, alpha,” Steve chants, and tugs at Eddie’s dark curls, making the alpha growl, his hips stuttering, the knot at his base swelling and catching at Steve’s entrance.

A powerful, earth-shattering orgasm hits Eddie and leaves him breathless, knotting them together. The alpha howls at the sensation, Steve all around him even if he’s still underneath the alpha. The omega is milking him, riding his own pleasure, and Eddie loses himself in their mixed scents and the overwhelming truth that is to admit at last that he actually is in love with Steve Harrington.

-

Eddie awakes to the sound of a rumbling, loud purr. His muscles are sore and he’s thirsty and hungry as never before, but he’s also sated and happy, his own purr starting happily when he remembers the night before.

“Morning, sleeping beauty,” Eddie whispers, kissing Steve’s rumbling chest, nuzzling him and feeling absurdly proud of their mingled scents, plus the mess of sweat and slick and overall smell of sex.

“Hngmng,” Steve mumbles, his fingers tangled in Eddie’s fingers and playing idly.

Eddie props over his elbows to look at the magnificent sight that is Steve Harrington, completely naked in the morning light, in the mess of a nest they made together last night. The alpha smiles, completely smitten.

“Is it still too hot, baby?” Eddie asks, and kisses Steve’s lips, softly.

“Hm, not now, but… soon,” Steve answers, biting his lower lip, his soft gaze locked in Eddie’s eyes. He touches his own chest, finds the silver blackberry, and a shiver runs down his spine, Eddie feels like shivering, too. “You meant it?”

“The courting gift? Of course, sweetheart.”

Steve nods, biting his lower lip. Eddie has the need to kiss him again.

“And that you want to give me everything I want? Would you scent me when I’m scared? All that, you meant it?”

“Yeah, omega, I meant it, I mean it… Do you still accept my courtship?” Eddie needs to know, needs to be sure. He’ll probably need to hear it often, still feeling like a dream.

“Yes, Eds,” Steve’s laugh sounds like a chirp, far too adorable. “Do you realize that I’ve been flirting with you since you started working at Divinyl Records, right?”

Eddie blinks once, twice. Wants to say that, yes, that he knew all this time, but the truth is that he’s still wondering if all this is really happening.

“I- Sure.”

Steve chuckles, wraps his legs around the alpha’s waist and pulls at him until they’re kissing again, the urgency rising slowly, letting them enjoy their kiss.

-

During their lunch on Christmas’ Eve day, Starcourt bursting with people doing last time shopping, Eddie and Steve sit closer than usual. The omega is almost sitting in Eddie’s lap, and the alpha can’t stop nuzzling at his boyfriend’s hair and neck. He feels invincible.

Steve shoves a black velvet box towards Eddie, and kisses him right in his scent gland under his ear, making the alpha growl in pleasure.

“What’s this?” Eddie asks, lips curling in a smile.

“Just open it, Eds,” Steve smiles.

Eddie obliges and opens the box to reveal a silver hazelnut.

“Yes, Eddie Munson,” Steve whispers in his ear. “I accept your courting.”

[pocketramblr]

Please, 5 headcanons for an AU where Yoichi and All for One survived alone on the streets as babies because they were something other than human.

You can pick any nonhuman creature but if you don't have ideas here are some suggestions:

-All for One was a manifestation of Yoichi's quirk like Dark Shadow. Yoichi unconsciously created him to keep himself safe.

-They were kitsunes (or some other Japanese mythological creature)

-They are half god (pantheon of your choice)

-They're aliens (based off the in-canon theory that quirks originated from an alien lifeform)

1- Gushima Satoyo was in her last semester of college when she was abducted by aliens. Satoyo didn't know it at the time: she was knocked out as the aliens- who are basically their planet's equivalent of grad students themselves- did a health scan. They realized she was a few weeks pregnant, but there was something unusual in their growth. A bit of research told them that this species could have multiple births, but it was rare and dangerous. Without their intervention, the smaller fetus wouldn't make it, and the bigger one only had slightly better odds. So they intervened, checked over the rest of her, tagged her arm so others would know she'd been seen and they could track her, then returned her where they got her.

2- except... It wasn't exactly where she'd been taken from. And it was weeks later. When Satoyo finally made it back home, she'd been assumed to have run away, she'd missed all her exams and been dropped from school, her boyfriend had moved on with her best friend and roommate, and her family had freaked out about her possible breakdown and or death. She was glad to be back home at first, but her family smothered her, still half grieving , and no one believed she didn't know what happened, had been terrified to wake up somewhere else. But her family would rather send her to a hospital than back to school, so, she actually does run away.

3- the tag on her arm are strange spikey bumps, but they don't really hurt and she can't afford a hospital, so Satoyo does what she needs to be able to afford a hotel most nights. It's tricky, to get a job without an address, even not taking into account the lack of degree or experience. Then, she realizes she's pregnant. She actually been pregnant for seven months, but the alien treatment has kept her from noticing any symptoms till now- and a month later she collapses, going into labor.

4- the tag wouldn't have mutated into a quirk in any species of beetle or most species of fish- so the aliens had little reason to expect an effect on humans. But the tag plus their treatment did- the babies are born with white hair and pupils, and one baby has inverted tag spikes in his palms, the other hidden inside his body, inside his bones. They don't require only milk, like normal humans do. They can hold their breath, have improved motor skills. The babies survive what they never should have been able to.

5- a year and a half before the glowing baby was born, the man that would be their father was kidnapped by a set of aliens too. In fact, a lot of early quirk users either were kidnapped themselves, or the children of people who were. AfO can steal the quirks of people born to the ex-lab rats, and anyone who was tagged by an alien group using the same brand of tags as what he got, but not anyone who was directly experimented on by aliens using another brand. Don't worry he gets around that by just killing those people, and soon there isn't a lot of people in that category anyway. Partly because how many he killed, but also partly because after a few alien authorities saw the tags were clearly messing up the life forms on earth, they told the students they couldn't use it anymore. But even though they left, quirks persist, a strange reaction to the alien tags, contagious and lingering in the genes... Not that anyone really knows that's how it happened. Maybe Nedzu suspects.

[rogerswifesblog]

- Chapter 2 -

Warnings: is it cannibalism when a mermaid eats fish?

Series Masterlist

Don’t forget to like, comment and reblog!

Leave some feedback, please<3

Chapter 1 [ previous chapter ]

After a long flight you finally arrived at the compound - other than your surprising transformation to a human, nothing happened. Well, besides the weird conversation about what sushi is, after Tony meant he was craving sushi. He got elbowed by Natasha and Steve glared at him, thinking it could be a very horrific thought, people eating fish - but after Steve explained what it was, you seemed excited and wanted to try it immediately.

And Steve had to admit your happiness and curiosity made his heart flutter. He really didn’t want to think about what HYDRA had done to you. To such a good and sweet soul.

The jet landed and Steve gently grabbed your hands while you slowly stood up. Natasha had given you a gown and helped you put it on, so your modesty was covered. You whined at first, not liking the feeling of fabric on your soft skin, but the team explained to you, why it was very important to wear clothes - of course, they didn’t let Tony say anything stupid. He did have that typical mischievous sparkle in his eyes though.

Your bare feet touched the cold floor, making you jump slightly. “No! No like” you said and sat down on the bed, pulling your legs closer to your body. Steve sighed. He couldn’t really argue with that, right? It’s not like he can drag you behind him along the cold floor. He’d rather do it himself - but he didn’t have to. His body was already mostly healed - at least physically. Mentally he felt… drained. Ha. Drained.

While you put your arms around his shoulders, Steve gently picked you up. His breath hitched having you this close to his body - especially when you cuddled closer into his neck. “Warm” he could hear your quiet voice against his skin. He exited the jet, Bucky walking right beside him. “And what do we do now? Should we bring her to Dr Cho? Because…from what I can tell, after escaping HYDRA, labs were the worst place to be in. Still are.” Bucky said, watching you from the side for a moment.

The former Winter Soldier knew how it felt to finally be free. HYDRA treated their experiments like… not even animals. Like a weapon. But he was pretty sure even their weapons were treated with more care, than the living beings they experimented on. He knew. He was one of them. HYDRA’s fist. Just a body part of a bigger organization.

While the two men thought about what to do next you slowly lifted your head up from your heated spot - Steve’s neck - and purred a quiet “food”. Steve laughed gently, nodding. “Yeah, food sounds good… but we should also shower and change our suits” he said, looking back at Bucky. He nodded, agreeing. They both couldn’t wait to put on some sweatpants.

“Is it okay if you stay with Natasha? Maybe she can give you something different to wear, so you don’t have to wear this gown?” Steve didn’t know if you’d like it when both him and Bucky would leave you but you couldn’t go into the shower with any of them. He really didn’t want to explain any more anatomy to you, after you had asked him, what the toes were or the little human fins, how you had called them.

It was actually pretty impressive how many words related to you and your mermaid anatomy, you knew. He assumed you heard the HYDRA doctors talk about your kind and remembered. You learned quickly, he noticed. Steve had also noticed your inhuman strength, after bending the metal frame of the bed.

What else was enhanced? Was your hearing also enhanced? Maybe your sense of smell too?

“Na’sha” you said, while looking around, as if the woman in question would appear.

They brought you to Natashas room after asking Friday to let her know. There Steve put you down on the couch which you immediately started bouncing on, visibly interested in the springiness. Quickly you lost your focus on that grabbing a fluffy pillow and petting it. Even Natashas mouth twitched to a soft smile.

“Maybe try to put her in some pants? And socks-she should put some socks on, her feet are cold” said Steve, while watching you for a moment longer before looking away, back to Natasha. She noticed his staring, smirked but didn’t mention it. “I’ll take care of her, you two go get changed.” With that she shoved them out of her room turning around to look at you.

You were still petting the different pillows with your feet on the couch, not liking the feeling of your bare feet on the cold floor.

Natasha grabbed some sweatpants for you and also a t-shirt. Since you don’t like having bare feet on the tiles, Natasha also started looking through the drawer with her underwear and socks, not noticing you sneaking up to her, on wobbly legs, but you adjusted quickly. It was weird. Walking. It felt weird to feel so much weight on your tail-no, feet. On your feet. You had legs now.

“Wha’s this” you pulled out a fuzzy sock, gasping quietly when you felt the soft material. “Wan’ it. Mine?” Natasha couldn’t stop herself from laughing when she watched you grab both of the fuzzy socks and put them on your hands like gloves. It seemed like you had no real ownership comprehension, not really understanding that just asking ‘mine’ didn’t mean something belonged to you. “You can have these socks, but you can’t just take peoples stuff” Natasha guided you back to the couch.

You rubbed your sock covered hands against your cheeks, looking up at her, while she put the clothes beside you on the armrest. “Now we will put on some pants, okay? And a shirt” with that she took the sweatpants. “Wha’ pants?” With that Natasha looked down at herself, at her own sweatpants. “These are pants. Clothes for your legs.” You watched her legs for a moment, grabbing her thigh to feel the material.

You didn’t want pants.

Shaking your head, you skidded away and huffed. “No pants.” She tried to come closer, but you pushed her away, still shaking your head. “No, no!” “Come on, you have to put on pants-we all wear pants” argued Natasha with you-and she felt like arguing with a two-year-old about putting on pants, screaming no pants, no.

Why did people cover their whole legs? It’s like they’re covering their tails, which would be stupid - who would cover their beautiful and characteristic feature? But then… legs weren’t that pretty. Your tail was prettier, the shiny green-ish scales, the fins, glistening in the dark light, breaking through the water surface. Most of the time, you spend a lot of time deeper in the ocean-often in the darkness, but you also loved seeing the sun. Or the…the moon. The moon, with the…little moons around him. You couldn’t remember the right name…but it started with s.

“Please put your pants on and we can go get some food” Natasha sighed-but as soon as food was mentioned, you stopped your tantrum. “Food! Pants. Want pants.” You let Natasha put the pants on your legs even though it felt weird. The sweatpants felt tight against your soft skin but you didn’t complain. Not if it meant you’d get some food.

She also helped you with the shirt - which was definitely easier to put on. It took a bit of convincing to take off the socks and put them on your feet but after that you two went to the kitchen. “Food? Room?” you asked, pointing at the kitchen in general. “Yes we have food in here. Kitchen. This is a kitchen.” You nodded, watching her open something. “Wha’s?” Natasha looked back at you, taking something to eat out of the fridge.

“It’s a fridge. To keep the food cold and fresh. What do you eat? What do mermaids eat?” asked the redhead. The answer came immediately. “Fish! Fish, fish!” grinning Natasha nodded, putting a can with fish on the table. You looked at the small metal box, raising your eyebrows. What was that? Natasha opened the can, slightly wincing at the smell. She didn’t really like the smelling fish but you seemed happy, immediately grabbing one of the sardines but Natasha stopped you, looking down at your hand.

“Are you - how did you do that?” you didn’t know what she was talking about - the only thing you were thinking about was food - but then you looked down at your hand. Your claws were back… and you haven’t even felt them change. Confused, you stared at your hand. “Want food, please?”

Natasha let go of you when your claws disappeared again, bringing another can, when you ate all the sardines of the first one. Clint would probably hate that you’re eating his food but that was the only fish in the fridge.

Tony walked into the kitchen, grinning at you and Natasha. “You think she’ll like pizza?” asked the man, already typing in their regular order with an added seafood pizza, even though he felt himself wincing thinking about it - but it would probably make it easier to convince you to eat it.

Besides, he was really curious if you’d like it.

After a while everyone came into the dining room, sitting at the big table. When Steve and Bucky came you gave a happy sound from your throat, which reminded slightly to the clicking sounds of a dolphin.

Steve couldn’t stop himself from laughing while he sat down next to you, Bucky next to him, making you pull your eyebrows together. “Becky here?” you pulled the chair next to you. Since he really didn’t want to argue with you, he sat down next to you. “It’s Bucky - not Becky, not with E.” The brunette explained and you nodded. “Okay, Bunky.”

He sighed. Great.

Bucky saw the wicked glimmer in Stark's eyes but before he could say anything, Friday announced the arrival of their food. Probably saving Bucky from some kind of stupid comment.

Clint and Natasha went to get the food while you watched the people around the table talk. There was one person you hadn’t got to know yet - everyone else had introduced themself on the flight, even though Tony always called Steve Cap or Capicle-no Capsicle.

“Who this?” You pointed a finger directly at a man sitting next to Tony. “This is Rhodes.” Answered Steve, making you scowl lightly. You were supposed to say this?

“R-oes….odes,” you shook your head lightly. Hearing his name - or at least the attempts - made him look at you. Tony had told him a few minutes ago who you were and how they found you but he wasn’t sure if he should’ve approached you. “You can call me James, if that’s easier for you” said the man - James. “James, nice meet you” you said proudly, making both super-soldiers next to you smile. It’s something they had already taught you during the flight.

The smell of something delicious filled your nostrils, making you purr, but not audible for anyone besides the people closest to you - Steve and Bucky. They both looked slightly curious at you, slowly starting to grin. “You like the smell?” asked Steve, which you answered with a quick nod.

When Natasha and Clint put the many pizza boxes down, you watched as everyone chose their food. Tony let one of the boxes slide in front of you and opened it. While he himself didn’t eat a lot of fish it seemed like you were incredibly excited seeing the seafood.

You didn’t know how to eat this, so you looked at the others to see how they did it. It seemed like they just ripped a piece of it apart and then ate. Okay, this was easy. You did the same as the others but some of the topping fell from your food making you scoff slightly.

“I’ve never seen someone look at a pizza this angry.” You heard Clint say to Natasha. They watched you for a moment while eating their slices.

Biting into the foreign food you didn’t even notice the others watching you - especially Steve and Bucky. They both leaned back in their seats and waited on any reactions.

A quiet moan escaped your lips as you bit another big chunk off your piece, happily eating. It was so different, the taste of…well pizza. The dough, the sauce, cheese and especially seafood on it. “Do you like it?” asked Bucky, making you snap your head to him, nodding immediately. “Good! Good, much good-” “Very good, you mean” he corrected you.

You thought for a moment. “And wha’s…yhm….good but…different?” This time Bucky couldn’t tell exactly what you meant so he was glad Steve took over this conversation. “Do you mean a different word for good? Another word with a close meaning, a synonym?” He wanted to try and talk in longer sentences - more complicated even, maybe it could help you learn the language quicker.

After you nodded, Steve smiled slightly. “Great or… excellent.” You didn’t answer anymore because you started once again munching your pizza.

While you were eating everyone glanced at you once in a while out of curiosity or because you were a loud eater, not really knowing human manners but nobody said anything - yet Steve knew it would be his or Bucky's responsibility to explain it to you.

Somehow he felt that Bucky and him were the closest to you. Hopefully, it would stay that way.

He really liked it.

His heart fluttered, making him blush slightly while he buried his face behind the lid of his Pizza box, not wanting anyone to notice his reaction.

Luckily Tony had ordered a lot of food, which they always did, having to feed two super-soldiers, often also a god and the rest of the team.

And as it turns out you ate as much as the soldiers, surprising everyone. You were currently impaling the last shrimp with your claw, eating the deliciously prepared food. Everything tasted so different, when you didn’t eat it raw. This was probably the best thing humans had to offer.

You turned around to look at Steve who also finished his food and waited for you. Bucky took the boxes, bringing them to the kitchen, while you leaned your head against Steve's shoulder, rubbing your full tummy. The last time you were this full, was…you couldn’t even remember.

“Let’s get you to a room, you should rest. Sleep, yeah?” Nodding, you stood up, a quiet whine escaping your lips, making Steve laugh quietly. He offered his hand to you not really thinking about it but you seemed content with this gesture and grabbed it. Your claws were long gone. Huh, interesting.

Leaving the dining room, you waved the others goodbye, before Steve brought you to one of the rooms on his floor - not to mention you needed a bit of convincing entering the elevator but he managed.

“Where Bunky?” you asked quietly, unsure why he wasn’t here. Steve and Bucky had been all this time you had met them together. It was weird for Bucky to not be here. “Don’t worry, he’ll come in a few minutes” he entered the room with you, guiding you to the bed and sitting down.

He pulled you a bit closer, grabbing both of your hands in his, studying your soft skin. “Can you control it, Mer?” “Control wha? Who Mer?” You asked, confused, tilting your head. Steve had to stop himself from grinning when he saw your big eyes looking him up and down. “You are Mer - short for Mermaid. You’re a mermaid. I’m human, I’m-” “I know you human” you interrupted him, your tone showing a bit of irritation but also reminding him of the time his mother had to explain something very simple to him.

“You boring human, have legs. No pretty tail” you said matter of fact, poking him in his meaty thigh. Steve was really surprised how you managed it to unknowingly insult him - again - with your limited vocabulary. He sighed quietly, but couldn’t stop the small smile spreading over his lips. “Yes, I’m a boring human and you are a beautiful mermaid, Mer” he took your hands from his thighs which you were still poking, interested in the hard muscles of his legs.

“Since we cleared this up now; I wanted to ask you something. Can you control the…well, the transformation? Your claws and teeth? Your tail?” Asked the man. After you asked what controlling was, Steve explained it to you and you nodded slowly. “So you knew you could do it?” This time you shook your head.

“We change, when with making little mermaids, but I not know I could do without mate too.” you explained, making Steve blush slightly. He hadn’t expected for this talk to turn into a birds and bees talk.

The last time he had to listen to this kind of talk he was a scrawny fifteen years old boy in Brooklyn, listening to his mother. He remembered how crimson red his face and even ears turned as soon as she started talking without a bit of embarrassment-she was a nurse, she had talked about this a lot with some inexperienced patients. After one of her shifts, she felt the need to explain to him that she didn’t want to be a grandmother yet.

Just like back then blood rushed to his cheeks, making him blush, thinking about your… mating process. But something in his mind caught the fact that you hadn’t known much about your transformation before - so you hadn’t done it before? Didn’t you have a… mate? He felt bad for the hope that filled his mind.

“So when you find a mate you leave the water and change? What do you do after?” Steve’s question made you gasp quietly. Didn’t Steve know what Mers in love do? Maybe it was different for humans? Steve realized how his question would have sounded, quickly shaking his head. “No I mean- not the- not the sex part but after. Do you go back into the water?”

Nodding you sat closer to him, putting your legs over his lap and grinning slightly. “Then we have little Mermaid in belly- but…yhm…not food?” Steve couldn’t stop himself from laughing quietly. Talking to you was so entertaining and yet interesting. “I know what you mean. Pregnant. Having a little mermaid - a baby - in your belly means being pregnant” Steve explained and you grunted a quiet ahha, nodding.

He picked your hand up, looking closely at your fingernails. “Can you do it?” Knowing what he was talking about you let your claws sharpen, just like they were in your full mermaid form. It wasn’t as painful as changing your tail so you didn’t even wince.

“Are you in pain?” Steve watched you slowly pull your hand back, looking down at it. You answered his question with a shake of your head. “That’s good, that’s very good..can I ask you something about…about the place you were trapped in? About the people who did this? And what they did to you?” As soon as Steve said these words, he regretted it. He could tell the thought about HYDRA made you uncomfortable.

Before the conversation could get any further, the door opened again and Bucky walked in, holding a white ball of something fluffy. Fuzzy socks?

Thinking Bucky brought you some of these amazing fluffy socks, you stood up and came closer wanting to pet the fuzzy socks- but they moved. A weird looking animal lifted its head, looking straight into your eyes. Both of you seemed to react immediately- with hissing at each other. Bucky had to hold back Alpine from scratching you- or him while Steve quietly grabbed your arms when you wanted to attack Bucky's cat too.

“Steve but danger!” You whined when he pulled you back. “Bunky in danger.” It kind of melted their hearts that you wanted to save Bucky from his own cat. He tried to calm down Alpine by giving her some of her favorite belly rubs. “I’m not in danger, sweetheart, it’s just my cat, Alpine. She's not dangerous…well, not when you feed her and keep up with her routine" he mumbled the rest more to himself, remembering the last time he forgot to feed her on time. He, a super-soldier, had to get stitches for his thumb when she bit him.

Even though the two men assured you that the cat was harmless you didn’t like this thing. “Whas cat? Food?” Bucky quickly shook his head. “No! Oh god, no. Alpine, cat, friend. Like we are your friends too. Alpine is our friend” he added, slowly approaching you.

You looked at the cat skeptically- and Steve could swear Alpine looked the same way at you. “You can hold out your hand to her, for her to sniff” he then took your hand while Bucky sat down next to you on the bed and let Alpine come a bit closer.

Steve felt how your hands were trembling and how much you leaned against him, seeking safeness? Comfort? He put his free arm around you while he slowly held out your hand for Alpine to sniff.

The cat seemed to be interested in you, slowly walking into your lap, making you whimper quietly. Looking up at the two men, you whined. “Cat friend?” You asked again while the cat scented you, licking your hands, rubbing her head on your arms and stomach, laying down and making itself comfortable.

Bucky felt pride, seeing this. Alpine wasn’t really open to meeting new people, always running away and hiding. Yet here she was, laying in your lap and showing you her tummy for you to scratch. “Yes, cat friend. Her name is Alpine. She likes you. She thinks you’re a friend too.” A small smile crept over your face as you gently stroked along the cat's fur just like Bucky had done it.

“Cat pretty, very pretty. And fluffy. Like fuzzy socks” you mumbled happily, apparently already having accepted the cat as a friend. It probably took Steve longer to get you in the elevator, than for you to like Bucky's cat. And Bucky seemed pretty smug about you giving his cat compliments. “Yeah, she’s very pretty.”

You looked up for a moment, watching Bucky, then Steve. The second one for a bit longer before your attention was back to Alpine. “You pretty humans too.” Steve felt himself blush while Bucky had to bite down on his bottom lip so he wouldn’t grin to himself.

After a while Alpine left your lap and the super-soldiers helped you lay down, trying to explain this was the place to sleep in.

Steve couldn’t stop himself from giving you a kiss on your head, tasting salty seawater on his lips which he surprisingly didn’t mind. After that you smiled, knowing this was the way people showed affection to each other. Then you looked at Bucky, waiting. He understood but seemed slightly surprised, looking for a moment at Steve. He only shrugged, why would Bucky even feel the need to ask him?

After Bucky also gave you a gentle kiss on the head they both said their good nights and left your room.

Even though it was a foreign place, you fell asleep quickly, surrounded by the warmth of blankets, how Steve had called them.

The two sat down in Steve’s room for a while just talking about the day. Not only about meeting you but also about what happened to Steve. Bucky knew his fear of drowning. He knew Steve needed some comfort, that’s why he hugged him quietly, pulling him closer against him. “Crazy day…” mumbled the former assassin in Steve’s blond hair.

“After so many years in this century I’d say nothing would even surprise me…but sirens? Mermaids? It’s crazy, Bucky.” He mumbled against Bucky, slowly closing his eyes.

Bucky asked Friday to turn on one of Steve’s comfort movies - Hercules, which Bucky made fun of Steve for a bit, not really meaning it. It’s more like he was teasing him about it.

Just as they decided to put another movie on, a piercing scream interrupted them mid-conversation. They immediately covered their ears. The glass on his bedside table shattered and he felt like his head would do the same any minute. “Friday, what was that!” Steve asked as soon as the sound quieted down.

“It seems like our guest screamed, Sir, but she also is asleep.” The AI answered. The soldiers looked at each other for a moment, having a quick nonverbal conversation and running into your room.

[ chapter 3 ]

Thanks for reading<3

Leave some feedback!

Don’t forget to reblog!💖

Taglist: @jamneuromain @buckystevelove @katzvelvet @feltonswifesworld87

[smowkie]

i finished my bingo card from @ficreadingchallenge! i've already requested a new card, because this was great fun, and it made me read things i otherwise wouldn't have. thank you for hosting this event 💗🥰

list of fics under the cut

1. de-aging/kid

Thunder Song by almaasi

Garashir, DS9, 10,776 w, rated gen

summary:

After crash-landing on a stormy L-Class planet, Garak and Bashir begin to de-age rapidly. Now a scrawny pre-augment Julian must take shelter with six-year-old Elim, a tentatively murderous but desperately lonely boy. Julian can barely speak – and without functioning translators, Elim’s words are useless. But what they can do… is sing.

2. gift giving

Thinking of You by stateofintegrity

Garashir, DS9, 788 w, rated teen

summary:

Garak receives tangible proof that Julian is always thinking of him.

3. bodyswap

when I looked to myself I was somebody else by mythicalqueen

Kiradax, DS9, 5,829 w, rated gen

summary:

She turned towards the noise, her eyes widening in shock when she saw her own body sitting up on a biobed. She looked for a reflective surface, her mouth falling slightly open when she found one. Or rather, Kira’s mouth. She reached up and touched her nose to confirm what she was seeing. “Julian, I'm not entirely sure what's going on, but I'm Jadzia.” Julian raised his eyebrows and Kira turned towards them. Confusion took over her features, followed by disbelief and then realization. She rolled her eyes. “So that's why it feels like there are seven other people in my head. There are.”

4. hurt/comfort

Cold and Comfort by GenuineSnoof

Barisi, SVU, 9,717 w, rated teen

summary:

Sequel to "The Horrible Past, all the Fish and The Deal". Rafael gets locked in a dark garage by accident for hours.

5. rec'd by a friend (@rieraclaelin)

in the burning light we see by elysiumwaits

Adoribull, DA, 1,009 w, rated teen

summary:

It's not only the snows of Emprise du Lion that have chilled Dorian to the bone.

6. under the influence

A Certain Vulnerability by AreYouReady

Lwaxana/Odo/Quark, DS9, 1,181, rated teen

summary:

Quark makes Lwaxana a Margarita. Odo makes an arrest.

7. road trip

Just Ourselves - and Immortality by archea2

Wincest, SPN, 4,119 w, rated teen

summary:

Turns out soon is Sam on a bridge, and that rare species of hug that lasts enough Mississipis to flood all of Wisconsin and Dean’s heart into the bargain. And it’s only the beginning, the wind promises, ruffling Sam’s hair over the back of his neck and Dean’s fingers. (Written as pre-Wincest, but can easily be read as Gencest.)

8. mythical creature AU

Draconids by anonymous

Garashir, DS9, 1,569 w, rated gen

9. new (to you) pairing

And A Time To Learn by rommunisms

Jake/Nog, DS9, 2,566 w, rated gen

summary:

Set after 1x11 "The Nagus". Jake has been teaching Nog to read; Nog wants to return the favour.

10. daring rescue

Odo's Hero by imnotokaywiththerunning

Quodo, DS9, 1,337 w, rated gen

summary:

In a change of circumstance, Odo relies on Quark to get him out of trouble. It goes about as well as Odo expects.

11. historical AU

The Solicitor and the Chauffeur by Robin Hood (kjack89)

Barisi, SVU, 7,080 w, rated teen

summary:

“Not a footman either,” Sonny told him, lifting the soup tureen and bringing it to the table. “I’m the new chauffeur.” “Are you indeed,” Rafael murmured as he carefully ladled soup into his bowl. “Then Carisi it is, though I should love to know your given name anyway.” Something about the way he said it — or maybe just the way he looked up at Sonny, his green eyes mischievous — made Sonny blush, and he hurried to return the tureen to its spot, less he accidentally drop it and make even bigger a fool of himself. “Oh, uh, it’s Dominick, m’lord, but everyone calls me Sonny.” “Sonny,” Rafael repeated, sounding amused once again. “Of course you would be.” Sonny frowned slightly but before he could ask what exactly he meant by that, Rafael continued, “And you needn’t call me ‘my lord’, I haven’t a peerage yet.” “Yet, my—I mean, uh, sir?” For some reason, the question caused Rafael’s smile to disappear. “Yes,” he said stiffly, stirring his soup with his spoon. “Truth be told, I’m engaged to be married to Lady Calhoun.”

12. domestic/curtain fic

the way you sound in the morning by CrimsonPetrichor

Winterfalcon, MCU, 828 w, rated gen

summary:

Bucky is on his second cup of coffee and three chapters into The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy when Sam finally stirs beside him. -- A slow morning with Sam and Bucky.

13. free space

14. happy ending

From the Dust by katiemariie

Garashir, DS9, 9,384 w, rated mature

summary:

When Sisko returns to linear existence, he tasks Julian with a special mission that takes him to Cardassia and Elim Garak.

15. angst

still by brewrosemilk

Buddie, 911, 9,368 w, rated teen

summary:

For the first time, Buck longs for a bullet wound to treat. Dirt to dig at. A door to break through. Something. There’s nothing. “Your guess was correct, Diaz,” the bomb technician tells them, as he gestures to the orange circle. “You’re standing on a large sensor plate, wired to a detonator. It’s incredibly important that you don’t move. Don’t shift. When you put your weight down, it was like cocking a gun - you take your weight off, this thing is powerful enough to take the entire house with it." Inspired by Castle, S05E22: Still

16. lyrics title - listen to the song too!

Where Everybody Knows Your Name by shinealightonme

Jake Sisko & Quark, DS9, 7,329 w, rated gen

summary:

Probably the best way to prove that Jake doesn't need everyone hovering over him is not to go into business with Quark. But at least Quark isn't going to make him talk about his feelings.

17. podfic

Are you... scared? by allandrogynouscreatures read by SweetPollyOliver

Quodo, DS9, ~3 min, rated gen

summary:

While Quark and Odo are arguing in Odo's office, the station's power goes out.

18. unfinished/in progress

Fairy Tales in Deep Space by airandangels

Garashir, DS9, 21,555 w, rated gen

summary:

An interesting anthropological experiment: tell Elim Garak human fairy-tales, and see what he thinks the morals are.

19. holiday fic

A Game of Secrets by AstroGold

Garashir, DS9, 4,764 w, rated teen

summary:

It's a universal truth: Secret Santa gifts can get really elaborate. For Star Trek Secret Santa 2019

20. gen fic

Soldiers Were Children Once by sixbeforelunch

Quark, DS9, 1,297 w, rated teen

summary:

Quark understands these Federation types better than most Ferengi. This hasn't gotten him a moon yet, but maybe someday it will make him enough for a large asteroid. Set during the Dominion War, no specific spoilers.

21. fic with no comments yet

Practice by Dirge

Odo & Quark, DS9, 309 w, rated gen

summary:

"Ah. You broke into my desk drawer again."

22. rarepair

Monuments to Self-Loathing: A Par'Mach Comedy by katiemariie

Worf/Quark, DS9, 14,142 w, rated teen

summary:

Set somewhere in season four, Worf struggles to adjust to life on the station, choosing to spend his off hours alone in his quarters. When Sisko gives him a gift that obliges him to remain in public, Worf opts to hang out at the bar where he becomes a better father, rescues the innocent townsfolk, and strikes up a relationship with one person on DS9 he somehow doesn't hate talking to: Quark.

23. fic written by someone who follows you

More Simple Than Plain by LadyDrace @ladydrace

Garashir, DS9, 2,887 w, rated teen

It's the "crashed on a planet" trope, with additional "aliens made them do it". Except no one does it, and the aliens are something in the air. In any case, Garak goes feral, and it's cuter than anyone expected.

24. secret identity

Tech Support by kenshincha

Stony, MCU, 9,018 w, rated gen

summary:

A series of stories where Steve mistakes Tony for tech support and Tony goes along with it.

25. didn't know they were dating

Nice by Writer_Lethogica

Winterfalcon, MCU, 3,069 w, rated teen

summary:

Based on the fanart piece "nice" by villanette, Bucky has a mostly uneventful night at the Wilson household as he waits for Sam to come home from a mission. EXCERPT: “You need sleep,” Bucky said. Because while Sam took the mantle of Captain America, Bucky took the title of Captain Obvious. Sam snorted. Nice. Sam’s head fell onto Bucky’s shoulder lightly. “Really? I was thinking about just hanging out down here all night. Maybe throw a party,” mumbled Sam into Bucky’s skin. “Go up. I’ll meet you up there,” murmured Bucky, glancing over at his open prosthesis.

[alittlextrathatway]

If you’re gonna kiss me, kiss me like you need it + bedroom.

I’m gonna cheat a little bit with the location on this one.

Also this is part 3 of the universe where Sylvie works at Firehouse 40. You can find part 1 and part 2 here and here.

***

Sylvie wakes up at 40 the next morning and starts counting down the hours, minutes, and seconds until her date with Matt. She has known him that long but the strength of their connection makes it feel as if it’s taken them forever to make it happen. It seems almost dying on that call yesterday was all the inspiration they needed to move heaven and earth to make it happen. For Sylvie that means issuing Shay an I.O.U. in exchange for her working first shift. Lila, their first shift PIC, still has a fever and hasn’t been cleared to come back to work. Until then they’re short handed on one shift.

Sylvie and Shay both have paperwork to turn into Boden to finalize the work exchange since Sylvie’s technically the one getting cover for her extra shift. She could turn her papers into Grainger, she supposes, since he’s the senior officer at 40 but for now that would still be horribly awkward.

Shay agrees to wait at 51 for her to finish up at 40 so they can get everything settled this morning. When she arrives, third shift is firmly settled in and eating breakfast. A member of third watch’s Squad, who’s she’s never seen before, tells her she can find Shay in the locker room and points her in the right direction.

Stepping into the bunkroom, she takes a moment to glance around and get her bearings. She can navigate 40 with her eyes closed, but 51 is bigger and more populated not to mention a little more twisty and connected. There’s a lot of doors in and out of each room in this place.

While sorting out the room and how to get around, her eyes land on the officer’s quarters. One of which still has someone in it -- hunched over a desk. She makes a quick pittstop, deciding Shay can wait just a moment more, and knocks on Matt’s door.

He glances up, blinking away his deep concentration, and beams at her. Hurriedly rising from his seat, he unlocks and opens the door to let her in.

“Hi,” he says, looking slightly confused. “Did I forget something? Were we supposed to meet up?”

She chuckles and shakes her head, waving the paperwork she’s holding at him to emphasize the reason she’s here. “No, no plans. Shay and I are working out the red tape so she can take 40’s first shift for me. Should be quick.”

“Alright, then I’ll go even slower on my paperwork. That way I’m still here when you’re done and I can walk you out,” he says, a mirthful grin on his face. “Shouldn't be hard. I hate these incident forms.”

“Deal,” she confirms, eagerly anticipating any meager amount of alone time with him. “I’ll swing by on my way out.”

As expected it takes maybe ten minutes to sort out the forms with Shay and walk them into Boden’s office. When she comes back through the bunk room, Matt is still there waiting for her like he promised he would be. She opens the door and lets herself in, since the door is cracked open an inch or two when she arrives, and then sits herself down on his cot.

“Let me just sign the bottom of these papers and then we’re good to go.”

“Take your time,” she encourages. “I have this date with this guy tonight but until then I’m free as a bird. I can wait.” She lets herself admire him while he writes. Not a lot of guys can really work a white Captain’s polo, but Matt Casey can. The red bugles on his collar suit him too. She’s never been one to lust after authority, but while she’s looking at Matt she can understand why someone would.

“Oh, yeah?” He asks. His tone is playful even though he doesn’t look up at her. “What’s he like?”

“Modest to a fault,��� she says, a cheeky grin pointed in his direction. “He would never fish for compliments.”

“I bet he would if those compliments came from the woman he’s trying to impress enough to get at least a second date out of her.”

She hums, watching him as he finishes signing and puts his pen down. “Hard to agree to a second or third date before a girl’s been kissed. Gotta find out what that’s like first. That’s what Cher says anyway.”

“Cher, huh?” She can tell he’s barely managing to hold in a laugh.

“For sure. I mean, she has a whole song about it. It must be true.”

He stands up, tucks his desk chair in, and then calmly and slowly sits down across from her on his bunk. “I think the bigger question is, do you care if that kiss happens before or after the first date?”

She unleashes a broad smile and then tries to tamp it down by gnawing on her bottom lip. After the way he held her close yesterday in an effort to protect her from the danger around them, she hasn’t been able to stop thinking about touching him. In ways that are less fraught with fear, of course. Kissing him is at the top of the list for most wanted type of content. “The sooner the better, I say.”

“Good to know,” he says as his eyes roam over her entire face before eventually stopping on her lips.

She knows where this conversation is heading. She can feel it in his stare and the way he shifts his body closer to hers. But no amount of understanding would have prepared her for the reality of his lips slanting over hers and his hands framing her face.

It’s like an electric shock to her system. A buzzy current sizzles over the tiny hairs on her arms and then seeps into her bloodstream. Her hands come up to encircle his wrists as he holds her face, gripping at him for dear life -- worried he might stop or completely disappear -- while she whimpers. He takes that as a sign to take the kiss a step further. She gasps when his tongue traces over her lip, parting her lips for him. He takes full advantage. What was a hesitant and exploratory kiss becomes a hungry one.

Matt Casey is a hell of a kisser. He kisses like he needs the air from her lungs to survive. Like a connection with her is essential to his very being. No man has ever kissed her this way before. And she has a feeling no man ever will again.

When they break apart, she has to rest her forehead against his while she catches her breath.

“How’d I do?” Matt asks, a wicked smirk appearing on his face.

She laughs but it’s a hoarse, wild laugh that she has absolutely no control over. “Oh, there will definitely be a second and third date. For sure. Wow.”

Truthfully, she’s not sure she would survive a make out session with this man -- that’s how hard and fast her heart is beating right now.

His eyes are warm and bright as he once again lets his gaze float over her whole face. “Come on, let me walk you to your car before I go in for round two and we draw an audience.”

“Yeah, good idea,” Sylvie agrees, taking a deep breath and forcing herself to lean away from him.

Getting up from the bed, he takes her hand and pulls her to her feet. “Besides, we still have tonight to look forward to. Wouldn’t want to spoil all the anticipation.”

“I don’t think that’s possible,” she admits, letting him thread their fingers together and drag her out of his quarters.

If anything, the butterflies in her stomach have gotten worse now that she knows what it feels like to kiss him. She’s in danger of getting ahead of herself. There’s a lot more to learn about each other and no certainty that dating him will lead to anything, but for the first time in a long time…she’s hopeful.

[angara-mfrp]

Hey otherworlders! We, the mod team, decided to do something fun and silly to conclude our first year in operation. Yes, it hasn't been a full year yet, but it sure has been eventful!

This is meant to be a fun and silly recap. If you and/or your muse haven't made it on here, it probably just means they're well-behaved! Or something. We love them, so please don't feel left out!

Without further ado, here is your ADZ Wrapped!

We've had an eventful year since muses started dropping in on 4/21! There are lots of colorful personalities, that's for sure. The largest Direction was North, with 30 muses! Center was just behind it with 27. The smallest Direction was West, with only 6 muses! Maybe they decided they would rather stay home instead of falling in a lake somewhere.

Everyone has to start somewhere, and many muses are proof of that. We have 38 muses at rank 0, though 27 have hit rank 1! 17 are at rank 2, and 4 have managed to reach rank 3. Rank 4 and 5 are tied, each with 3 muses!

ADZ muses tended toward adulthood, with 73 who were 18 or older, and a mere 11 under 18.

The Paths that people took were well-trodden, with Idealist being the most popular choice. 20 muses chose this Path. The least popular were Dissenter and Tormentor, both with 0. The Advocates thank you for that!

Many muses have been busy as well. The first muse to reach rank 5 was Alear, written by Katie! Divine Dragons are a busy sort, it seems. Of course, not everyone has had such a productive time. Zagreus, written by Birb, died more than anyone else, at a grand total of 7 times! That's not even counting all of the times he got tased by Safety Team for trying to leave the Cache at rank 0.

The quickest death, however, goes to Cinder Fall, written by Hannah! Cinder died twice on her first day in ADZ, the first occurring less than an hour after her arrival. Cinder also has the record for the most time spent in jail, at 7 days!

Love found a way in the fact of adversity, too. Alear and Alcryst, written by Katie and Arcade respectively, fell in love and got (emblem) engaged. Ezra Price and Felix Hugo Fraldarius, written by Addison and Sami respectively, also found love in their time away from the battlefield. Cinder Fall and Nathrae Aoi, written by Hannah and Crea respectively, became more than just partners in crime. Now, they're partners in crime who kiss! And who could forget about the Advocate romance of Ethan Keye and Susie Winters (again written by Sami and Addison respectively), because sometimes the childhood friends to lovers pipeline requires a stop at a cult compound first. Zenos yae Galvus and Valentyne Monnawesfv. written by Solomon and Candle respectively, don't quite know what they are, even if everyone else can see it. And Julian, written by Lizard...we've lost track of what the hell is going on with that guy! And of course, who could forget the dynamic IRL couple of Emberlyn and Angelica, who have written multiple ships and brought the PtN yuri agenda to our little group! We thank you for yuri service...I mean, your service!

Speaking of variety, our member base has a wide range of interests! As of publication, we have muses from a grand total of 40 franchises, and that doesn't include the illustrious and delightful OCs everyone has brought in, nor does it account for different entries in different IPs! At the time of writing, our biggest single fandom was Final Fantasy XIV, with a grand total of 10 muses! Non-fandom OCs are a slightly bigger group, with 14 muses in total.

IC shenanigans were plentiful as well. Rat-related incidents happened, as did street brawls between Death and Heavy Weapons Guy, written by Lizard and Fish respectively. Alear's run-in with a goat named Corn was immortalized in many children's drawings, and a great many muses - Greedling (Crow), Hobie Brown (Kyuu), Paralthax (Birb), Nathrae Aoi (Crea), and Hawks (Kidi) - could often be found chilling on roofs. Ronan Muir (Addison) was arguably the first muse to drive out his neighbors after Makiko Yuuki (Cruz) could no longer handle the awful din of the cymbal monkey in his front yard. Number Five Hargreeves (Kidi) also ran into some trouble due to some minor defacing of public property. He's fine! No need for therapy at all.

And how could we leave out NPCs and other locals? The mysterious old man, AKA the Desecrator, AKA Peepaw, AKA Gerald the weirdo (thanks Erin) always draws attention when he appears, but he made the biggest splash when he killed the hierophant, sneaking into the Cache to do so. Still no word on how he did it, or who "she" is! The Advocates received plenty of love this year too, something that warms our little mod hearts.

Let's not forget the delightful critters of ADZ. We had the recent pleasure of meeting Jerry the trash croc, a delightful and scaly fellow capable of human speech. Other notable animals include Henry the corella, Fuzzysmiles the quokka, Princess Fluffyclaws the koala, Elizabeth the frilled singing lizard, and Mortimer and Bella, Vera's cats. That's not even counting the myriad of pets brought by otherworlders, from cats and dogs to guardian spirits and chocobos! Those in attendance at Seven Nights of Fright will remember the chaos resulting from Fluffyclaws and Henry ending up in the maze!

And that about does it. We've loved getting to know you all throughout the past 8 months, and we hope to continue getting to know you. You are all together silly, creative, brilliant, fun, heartfelt, and bringers of joy.

We have big plans for this coming year, and we can't wait to share them. We hope above all that we've met your expectations, and we thank you for your patience and understanding as we've learned how to mod "on the job". Really and truly, thank you, and we look forward to many more adventures in CY1024!

To close out, some silly moments.

And most importantly...

[sl33py-g4m3r]

rambling about my new horizons island~~ 🏝️

just thinking about stuff at this point without a plan yet~~~

need to deforest my island and plant trees at the back or something so they’re out of the way and I don’t spend a good chunk of time shaking reees for nothing.

iirc the limit for money, items, and wasps was 17 trees, right?

I figure putting them in the back of the island cause I might want to terraform later ~~~

maybe I should have some semblance of an idea of what I want to do before I start that to actually get it done and like the island I made~~~ unlike when I flattened one and then deleted it after trying something that I didn’t like and didn’t work; simply because I didn’t want to flatten it again~~~

I never know what to go for at all tho~~~ got a lot of room for cliffs and a grand entrance tho this time~~ but I still don’t know what I want to do with it~~~

And it looks cool but I don’t think fish can spawn in that one pond in the back~~~ could be wrong but I never saw a fish in there myself and would need to dig more bait to see~~

also autofill gave me Mathilda, wasn’t big on the kangaroo villagers but I like Mathilda’s design. Autofill also gave me Rolf (sp?) ~~ black kangaroo and white tiger~~~ let’s go~~~~

Counting my pumpkin patch I wonder if I went a little bit nuts? Orange pumpkins take up a 6 by 12 plot, coloured pumpkins take up a 6 by 10, as do potatoes and wheat I just bought from Leif yesterday ~~~

got a farm kind of market aesthetic behind the houses I first placed in the beach, that’s also where I’m trying to breed blue roses at….

finally got purples and special whites lined up and need to get purples from them and test them w yellows to see if we get more yellows. Phase two let’s go~~~

wonder how much all my crops are going to sell for, and how many watering cans it’ll take to water everything if it’s not raining, lol.

I like the 6 by (whatever number you want vertically) cause it makes it easy to water cause the good watering can is a 2 by 3 grid~~

so many crops~~~~~ thinking about it I don’t think I can go that massive with any other crops there are in the game unless I want my entire main island just full of produce ~~~

still wondering where to put all the trees I need~~~ I’m doing nothing w the small island or the cliffs for now~~< so maybe leave some trees there and plant some hardwood ones? Don’t just want to have cedar trees at all cause variety is nice and rip acorns if I do that~~

also~~~ finally caught all of the fish that spawns this month~~~ including the stupid pier fish~~~~ both close together which is cool~~~ I almost caught them back to back~~~ but oh my god do I have problems telling size 5 and 6 fish apart~~~~ like how????

1 is itty bitty, two is slightly bigger, 3 is average, 4 is bigger still, ya get the point~~~

but I also have a hard time telling size 3 and 4 apart sometimes ~~~~

fishing got me thinking, like in the older animal crossing game, like the GameCube one, how far away do you have to go to get other creatures to spawn? Or does that only work on GameCube cause the acre system that game uses?

cause I ran back and forth between the river bridge and the dock scaring fish away and I don’t think it worked ~~~ rip. I did that for the golden trouts I found but don’t know if it’s better than bait or bait is just better? Probably faster that way~~~ honestly.

[writing-funsies]

OP characters with artist s/o P.4

p.1 | p.2 | p.3 | p.4 | p.5 | p.6

pairings: Usopp x reader, Nami x reader

warnings: none

Usopp

he's pretty talented himself when it comes to art

so you two might bond over competitions

which almost always ends in you letting him win

since he likes to make his own weapons

he'll ask you to help him paint his fake ones

the more real it looks the better!

(like the 4 ton and 10 ton paper mache hammers)

a ''master'' of deception

so pranks are a must

maybe switching out some fruit for fakes that you made

or painting one of Franky's inventions to look cute

(don't worry, it'll wash off so it's not ruined)

you like to draw him when he's concentrated

so while he's working

or fishing

or dancing around with Luffy and Chopper

the faces he makes are too good not to capture

and the happiness when he's just having a good time

nothing beats it

one of the worst people to have pose for you

he gets too anxious 

and always ends looking like he's in pain

you can see him slightly shaking from deciding to pose with his foot on the edge of the ship

also big on having you edit your compositions of him

make his hair less frizzy

his muscles are definitely bigger than that

and his nose isn't that long

you just giggle 

and kiss his cheek

why change what's already perfect?

might start crying 

but will look away with his fists on his hips

and claim that the Mighty Captain Usopp won't be swayed by your flattery

if you hug him and giggle

he'll deflate 

then give you the best hug you've ever received

one of the best people when it comes to your art blocks

Usopp loves to give you ideas

he has a written list for those times

if none of his ideas spark your creativity

he'll let you assist him with his own projects

which usually results in you finding some inspiration

probably in the weirdest ways too

like he accidentally blasted Sanji in the face with a smoke and tabasco star

and like lightning

you know what you're making next

he's a little confused

but he's happy to have helped

Nami

charges you a fee to draw her

10,000 berries per minute

might lessen that fee to 8,000 per minute

it's 20% off for you, babe

can't do much more than that

how is she supposed to make a living?

when she sees the art you made of her

she 'forgets' the fee

and hangs the picture in her room

Nami's your biggest supporter

she helps you see your worth

so don't try to undercharge for your art

she'll smack you across the back of your head 

and say the sweetest thing you've ever heard

will try to convince you to sell some of your art when you stop at an island

just think how much you can charge

if you don't want to

she won't push it

but if you do want to sell some of your projects

then she'll help you

she'll haggle with your customers

and you'll get double what you were going to charge them 

you have absolutely no idea how she managed to do that

but hey, now you have more than enough berries to buy more supplies

and to give Nami her cut of your profits

she did help, didn't she

if you create anything for your crewmates

best believe she'll come behind you and demand your fee

you always give the money back to your friends

Nami and you shop for materials together

while making Sanji carry the bags

and Robin joins you two

there is a little bit of overlap when it comes to your art supplies and Nami's navigational supplies

at least for the maps that she makes

she'll teach you how to accurately chart islands

(but now you have to take her out for a nice dinner) 

and she loves when you help her with them

it's nice to get some alone time with the person she loves most doing what she loves most

[laladellakang]

EN-O’CLOCK — four

enhypen 8th female member masterlist

wattpad | open requests / ask enhypen!

taglist! @hoonstrology​​ @jaetint​​ @afiaaaa19 @1-800-enhypenbibi​​ @studioreader​​ @woopetals​​ @sarang-wonie​​ @sleepyenhasasha​​ @ilyxion​​​ @toriluvsfics​​ @i90snoo​​ @fairydosii @danyxthirstae01​​ @seulgifted​​ @clar-iii​​

2021.12.20

(italics dialogue = english)

(bold + [] = video captions)

"Actually- Sunoo-ya, I can do it for you if you want," Della volunteered when Sunoo lost rock, paper, scissors. "I have a feeling that I'll be really bad later on so I want to be some sort of help."

[Baby volunteers]

"Are you sure?" Sunoo's hand grazed against Della's.

"Honestly, it might be faster if I do it anyway," Della teased.

[DELLA will replace SUNOO]

— • — • —

"Can someone help guide my hand please?" A blindfolded Della said sweetly.

"Yes, in here," Jungwon helped. "I'll guide you."

[Here? Here?]

"She looks so cute wearing the blindfold," Heeseung commented with a large smile.

[Our baby is so cute^^]

"Put your hand in," "More, more, more," "You have to go in more," the members were anticipating her reaction.

But she went straight for the bowl with no hesitation.

[Oh?! Fearlessly goes for it?]

"Oh?! Oh my God!" everyone watched her get the treasure (which was a key) within seconds.

"Is it a key?" Della asked calmly.

"It's a key?" Jungwon asked the staff.

[First treasure is a key?]

[Correct] [Succeeds in finding the treasure]

"Ah, that wasn't fun," Sunghoon complained. "You did it too easily."

"Yeah, that was so quick," Sunoo and Jungwon added.

"Okay fine, if you don't want the rod then-"

"No no no no!"

[DELLA's efforts secure them fishing rods]

✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄

"Woah! This is what shrimps look like when they're not cooked?" Della squatted down to look at the live shrimp.

[DELLA finds the bait amusing]

"Yeah, that's what they look like," Jake answered as he was helping Sunghoon with hooking up the shrimp.

"Is there a difference between shrimp and prawn?" she asked again.

[Curious curious]

"Uhh.. prawns are bigger I think and they're not as curved," Jake answered again.

"Shrimp lives in salt water, prawns live in fresh," Jay added.

"Ahh so they are different.. I thought it just depends on where you come from," Della nodded her head slightly.

— • — • —

"Waiting will bring you good fortune," Heeseung said after he started his fishing.

[Waiting will also bring you fish✩]

[And so, the waiting begins...]

"Wait-" Riki interrupted the silence and looked to his right in confusion. "Lala..?"

[...] [Where's DELLA...?]

"Oh my God! You're still here?!" Heeseung laughed, looking at Della who was still squatting down while staring at the shrimp.

[Baby really likes shrimps]

The rest of the members laughed at the situation while Della smiled sheepishly.

"They're so cool," she said with a small chuckle. "I'm so sorry little shrimpies."

"Lala come here! Let's fish together," Sunoo called to her.

✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄

"Wait! It's on the side of the wall! I wanna catch it!" Della said excitedly as Jake's octopus fell.

[DELLA also wants to use her hands]

"Oh my God, you and Niki.." Jungwon smiled widely as he watched Della reach in without hesitation.

"Catch it! Catch it!" Riki was excited as well.

[Tako-NIKI is happy to have another octopus]

"Nice!" Jungwon and Jay cheered when Della caught the mollusk.

[Successfully obtained octopus number 2]

✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄

"Please just one, just one," Sunoo kept repeating.

[Everyone has to catch one to succeed]

"Maybe I just don't have an eye for this," Sunoo, Sunghoon and Jungwon were the only three who haven't caught anything.

"I know right.." Della muttered.

[Grumble]

"At least you caught one with your hands," Sunoo pouted to her.

"Well I have been told that I'm pretty good with my-"

"Sunoo-hyung! Smack her arm for me!" Jungwon called out from afar.

✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄

"Am I the only one left?" Sunghoon looked at Jungwon who had finally caught a fish.

[Sparks SUNGHOON's competitive spirit]

"Nope, I haven't caught a fish with the rod too," Della was now just relaxing in her chair.

[Opposite of SUNGHOON] [DELLA is very relaxed]

"You're very chill though," Sunghoon pointed at her current state.

"A wise man once said, 'if you can't be the best, be the worst.'"

— • — • —

"Yay! I'm proud of you, oppa!" Della hugged Sunghoon after he put his fish down. "Ah!" she squealed a little when he lifted her up slightly.

[Ice royals celebrating the prince's catch]

✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄

"Wah! Wah!" Della's eyes widened when she felt a pull at her rod.

[Is it...?]

"Wah! Wah! Wah!" the members all paid attention to the girl.

[Did DELLA finally catch a fish?]

"Oh my God! It's so cute!" her eyes sparkled at the sight of the small fish.

[The tiniest catch of the day but at least baby's happy]

"It's so tiny, it's so cute," Heeseung and Jungwon giggled at the look of the fish.

"Eyy you caught one!" Sunghoon and Jake got close to rub her back and praise her.

"Congrats to you guys too," she grinned at the two.

[Jallahoon congratulating one another]

"Good job everyone!" Della applauded when the time was up.

✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄

"Oppa, I'll cut it and you cook it," Della told Jay as they were prepping to cook.

[Chefz are prepping the ham]

"I don't want you to cut yourself, it's sharp," Jay furrowed his eyebrows.

[Cutting with can lid]

"Aish oppa- okay then I'll cook it."

— • — • —

"You want gyoza, huh?" Della smiled endearingly at Riki. "I'll make you some at home," she ruffled his hair.

[I'll make you^^]

✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄

"I can't wait to tell my dad- I think he'll be really proud of me," Della covered the bottom half of her face as the food in her mouth has not fully gone away.

[TO: Dad]

"He always wanted a son but he got two daughters so he never got to take his kids fishing," she started getting sentimental. "I keep telling him that it's fine but he's like 'noo, let's just play badminton,'" she imitated the way her dad talks.

[Fishing made DELLA think of her dad]

"That's so cute," Jungwon smiled at her. "Actually- Maybe we can do a badminton episode. I want to see you play badminton."

"Should we do a badminton episode?!" Sunghoon asked loudly.

[Different episode ideas keep flowing] [Badminton O'CLOCK???]

— • — • —

"I'll feed you, unnie," Della told a PD when the cameras are off. It's now the staff's turn to eat.

"You know-" the PD smiled slightly. "I should've told you long ago but the boys keep stealing glances at you. I swear they like you," she whispered in Della's ear with a small giggle, making the latter let out a small scoff.

"Nah, that's impossible. Maybe they just find me attractive."

the way lala's eyes lit up and smol voice came out when she finally caught a fish, she's so cute

18:40 what were you about to say Della? 😳

I think Sulla feeding each other has become a tradition 🤗

PLS JUNGWON MUST BE SO DONE WITH DELLA'S INAPPROPRIATE JOKES GJAJHKALAHUYJ

Della and her shrimp 😂

why is no one talking about how brave della is? baby didn't hesitate in catching the octopus or putting her hand in the box

10:30 you're telling me that this tiny baby (who literally disappeared for a few minutes) is 171cm?

20:59 WAIT IS THE WISE MAN JUNKYU???? DELLA IS A TEUME??? MY TEUMENGENE HEART 😭😭

della seems like such a daddy's girl 🥺🥺

21:34 dehoon is making me so soft omg

27:14 Proof that Della is Niki's second mom

Lala is always taking care of her members so seeing Jake, Heeseung and Jay watch over and take care of her is the sweetest thing ever. They're literally like her protective older brothers

wml y’all i have to make a 1.5k word essay ☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️

[pancake-breakfast]

Hahahahaha, I remember the debates about "which came first?" back in the day around Alucard and Vash. But it was our babygirl!

I read what was out of the Hellsing manga back around the same time I initially read Trigun and the first few volumes of Maximum. I actually somehow ended up with Volume 2 of Hellsing and NO OTHER VOLUMES. (I blame the 2008 recession for that, TBH.) The two main things I remember from the manga are the author saying he didn't know where all the bullets came from, either, and him noting he wasn't sure what was going on with Seras's boobs, but they seemed to keep getting bigger and bigger.

Hellsing is edgy just to be edgy for sure! But I still find it fun now and then when I want a brain break. It's definitely a no-thinky show. And to this day, I adore Sir Integra. Like, what a great agender badass! I had a wall scroll of her that I used to put next to my door like a guardian spirit of some sort back when I had roommates.

Definitely agree about the art style. It's so dramatic and I love it, even if the story is... its own thing....

And you're right, Vash would absolutely lose his shit at Alucard, and Alucard wouldn't even slightly get it because that's just not how his moral structure's set up.

IIRC, the shonen/shojo, etc. labels really just tell you 1) if the story is being marketed more toward females or males, and 2) if it has the furigana over the kanji so younger audiences can better learn the language. The first is kind of irrelevant because good stories are good stories regardless of their target audience (and even moreso nowadays where all sorts of titles get shoved into shonen because shonen has a reputation for success and popularity). The second is mostly irrelevant to any audience beyond a Japanese-reading one.

Theoretically, one can still stereotype any of the groups to get a very basic feel for what they're gonna be reading if they pick up a certain title, but then you have titles like Banana Fish that are shojo and read more like seinen, and Attack on Titan that's shonen and reads more like a seinen deconstruction of shonen, and Romantic Killer which is shonen but it's a twist on the reverse harem and feels more like shojo than anything else.

But hey, non-Japanese people still pick their anime/manga based on those labels, so... IDK. Maybe I'll just hop on the trend and start calling everything "shonen" just because it increases the likelihood of people getting into it. It'll amuse me.

my twi: doshiart