#otp: shelter in the storm

[fishandships]

strong BF lift up slightly smaller SO to receive kisses and nuzzles UwU

i was lazy and didn't feel like putting in a bg ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[autumnslance]

Year of the OTP - August 2023 - Snowstorm

(Whoops, fell off with this thanks to Other Writing Projects, but let's get back into the swing with 2500 words of Heavensward pre-relationship and a draft I have sat on for years and am finally reworking and yeeting out here...Original prompt list here! Something of a sequel, or at least a similar situation, to Sandstorm.)

“This seems familiar,” Aeryn said as they shoved the old door closed against the howling winds.

“In some ways,” Thancred agreed, unable to stop his teeth from chattering. “Should we worry about heretics or creatures?”

“Durendaire cleared this hamlet recently,” Aeryn said. “I remember talking to Redwald about it, so figured it was safe enough for shelter.”

Thancred nodded and stamped his feet, following her from the foyer to the cramped sitting room of the abandoned house, one of many dotted across the icy countryside after the Calamity. The farmhouse wasn’t large, nor had it seen recent upkeep from weather such as the blizzard winding up outside.

It didn’t help that Thancred was soaked up to his thighs, having slid off an embankment and onto ice thinner than it had looked while they had fought their quarry for Clan Centurio, a rogue aevis of unusual size. It was a part of Nidhogg’s emboldened brood and had been terrorizing the supply lines from Falcon’s Nest to the Convictory and Tailfeather.

The dragon was dead—but they would be too, if they didn’t get a fire going soon. The temperature was noticeably dropping.

“Been awhile since we outpaced a storm like that,” Thancred said while they did their best to shut themselves into a single room. “Not sure if I wish to be in a sandstorm instead, though.”

“This is much too cold for my Thavnairian blood,” Aeryn sniffed. A quick check showed some remnant firewood made of broken furnishings. She got the fire going, using magic to speed the process.

“You’re half-Coerthan,” Thancred replied. “Surely that affords you some acclimation.”

“I left when this place still had proper seasons,” she countered. “You have to get those boots off.” She dug into her pack for blankets or anything else to help. Despite the spellwork making it capable of carrying quite a lot without burdening the wearer, Thancred knew what a crowded mess her bag was, and shuddered.

Or maybe that was just the cold.

“Working on it,” he replied, shrugging off the winter coat he had donned for this venture. He hung it over a nearby chair that yet survived, turning it to the fireplace to help dry the fabric, his gloves left on the seat. Then he sat heavily on the large, fuzzy rug—it was ragged, but at least in this cold there probably weren’t fleas or other vilekin—and began fumbling at the buckles and laces of his boots, fingers not as nimble as usual.

“Let me help,” Aeryn said, dropping a blanket next to him as she knelt on the rug.

“I’ve got—” He growled in frustration as his fingers slipped past a buckle again. Her hands caught his, pressing his fingers between her warm palms. “Fine, I don’t have it,” he admitted, breath caught at the feeling. At least there was a feeling.

“You’re colder than I thought,” Aeryn said, frowning. She let go of his hand, and it was an effort for him to not whimper at the loss. She quickly got his boots off, and the socks beneath them, pulling the wet fabric carefully. The feel of her fingers on his legs sent more shocks through him. “Um. Your pants are soaked, too,” she said.

“Then they’ll have to go,” he replied. “I can manage that, as entertaining the idea of you further undressing me is,” Thancred joked. He couldn’t help but grin at her expected blush.

“Well, you’re not so far gone as I’d feared,” she replied dryly. But she smiled in return, relieved he had the energy for his usual teasing demeanor.

“You’re not rid of me that easily,” he said. “And you should remove your own damp layers, Aeryn.”

She nodded in response, turning away from him as she removed her coat and boots. While she did, he managed to unlace and unbutton his pants and wriggle them off, dropping them aside while keeping the blanket over his lap for her sense of modesty more than his own. At least he had smalls on; while staying with the Vath, that hadn’t been an option. He pulled his sweat-damp top off while at it.

He distantly watched her hang up their gear to dry, over random old furnishings or even carefully off the mantle. She dug through his pack, too, for anything to help with the cold. He ought to help, but mostly wanted to sit and doze by the fire. She knelt by him again, and he thought the way the firelight framed her was rather pretty. “How are you feeling, Thancred?”

“Cold and tired, and my feet still feel number than I like.”

“May I?” At his nod, she pushed up the blanket and began examining and massaging his feet and calves to stimulate circulation, her skin warm and soft against his and gods. He swallowed hard and watched as her shoulders relaxed. “I don’t think you’re in danger of frostbite, just cold—”

“Could you keep massaging just a bit longer?” he blurted. “It’s helping.” He didn’t want to try to explain how much he didn’t want to lose the sensation of another’s skin on his, the simple touch of another person. He kept his eyes down as she studied him briefly, but then she nodded and continued for a few more minutes.

It was heavenly.

“It’s still getting colder,” she noted, finally moving away to look for more fuel for the fire; there wasn’t much left in the room. “We’ll have to strip down and sleep next to each other for warmth.”

He raised a brow, surprised she had been the one to suggest such. Then again, she had been living in Coerthas for moons now and had learned from her hosts. That was what he meant to say. What slipped out was an attempted jape: “Is that how things started with Lord Haurchefant?”

Aeryn’s face reddened as she fumbled with an old, broken set of shelves. “No!” she snapped, focusing on the fallen bits of wood to carry to the fire.

“I’m sorry, I’m not thinking clearly,” Thancred said, rubbing his arms. “I know his loss is still recent and naught to joke about. I do admit to a bit of confusion, as I recall you not caring for romantic matters and yet—”

“Stop.” Her tone was sharp, her back to him as she tried to busy herself by the fire. “Please,” she added after a moment.

He frowned at her back, more irate than he perhaps should have been. Probably just the cold.

“It wasn’t like that,” she finally said so quietly that he almost missed it. “I know about the gossip, and the godsdamned songs and poems the local bards have spun up since that day in the Vault, and since my return upon Midgardsormr.”

Which was how Thancred had first heard; he wouldn’t have given such the tavern bawds credence, however, if he hadn’t also spoken to the Fortemps servants about how besotted the young lord had been with their guest, and how she was so carefully interested in return, and wasn’t it all just so terribly tragic, she had been so aggrieved…

“If I could stop all those rumors, I would,” she practically growled. “Haurchefant was…a friend. That’s…that’s all.”

Thancred peered at her. She was still turned away, staring into the fire. “You’re still a bad liar,” he pointed out.

Aeryn did turn now, to scowl at him. She looked about to say something, then blinked, her irritation turning to concern. “Hells, Thancred, you’re freezing.”

“There is a blizzard out there.”

She shook her head, finishing removing her own clothes until she was just in her band and smalls, then dove under the blanket with him. He expected back to back, but she wrapped her limbs around him and was not only warm, but the close contact with another person again left him heady.

Thancred thought for a moment. How long had it been since he had touched, and been touched, by another person so intimately? Moons, certainly, even counting his brief tryst with Hilda on his first arriving in Ishgard. That had been...different, than this; more desperation than anything, sating an immediate need for carnal contact with willing company (and that wasn’t insectoid).

All right then; how long since he had experienced an innocently friendly, intimate touch with no other expectations? He really couldn’t say, as he wrapped his arms around Aeryn in return.

“I’d…tried to reciprocate his affections,” Aeryn said after a moment. Thancred frowned. Her head rested on his shoulder, dark strands of hair tickling his cheek while her breath was warm on his collarbone when she spoke. “He was my friend, and I cared for him as such—and realized, too late, that was how it was. He wanted something else. Then everything happened and I never got—never took—the chance to clear the air with him before…everything happened.”

“I’m sorry,” Thancred said, wincing. “For how that turned out, for that loss of a friend, and for my thoughtlessness and heeding of base rumors.”

He could imagine the little thinking crease between her brows as she took a long moment to respond. “Thank you,” she said eventually, not elaborating. Then she sighed. “Not the first time I’ve made such an error. I thought I’d grown past such, knew myself better. I hate feeling like I led the man on, or used him.”

“Knowing you, I doubt that’s what happened,” Thancred said. “Still, nice to know our Warrior of Light’s yet fallible,” he teased gently, jostling her.

She whined a little. “Keep that up and I’ll kick you all night.”

“Ah, is that the danger I face?”

“Only if you listen to my sisters. Or Yda. Or Y’shtola. Or—just go to sleep.”

He chuckled, watching the fire and listening to the wind howl outside. It was as cold as the Hell of Ice outside of their little nest of blankets. So stay put and don’t examine any other reason besides staying warm as to why that seemed like a nice idea.

Thancred shut the mental door firmly there. Aeryn was a friend and colleague, and they’d both been through too much hell in recent moons. His time of isolation had affected his mind and physical reactions when he was literally freezing and she only did what was necessary to keep him in good health, despite his acting like an ass. Had their positions been reversed, he’d have done the same with no thought of anything but her safety.

Well, he may still have made a few jokes, just to make her scoff and smile and snark back the way she usually did when he teased. He had truly missed that, and was truly sorry for causing distress by bringing up those rumors.

He merely wanted to look out for her interests and her own bruised heart. That was all.

—

He was alone. The plain was unending, empty but for the buzzing of insects and the distant roar of dragons. The wind howled, sounding like the shouts and screams of men in blue uniforms. Their ghosts sliced at his bare flesh as he ran, calling out the names of the Scions until he was hoarse while cold shadows blotted out his vision and Ultima burned through his veins as Lahabrea laughed…

—

“Thancred!” Aeryn’s voice jolted him awake. It was soon followed by the warmth of her hand on his face, checking his temperature. “Are you all right?”

“Bad dream,” he rasped, clearing his throat. “Apologies if my thrashing woke you.”

“More your clinging,” she said. She was one to talk, given how she had latched on like a barnacle. Aeryn started to remove her hand, but he caught it, holding it against his cheek, needing to keep that gentle touch, noting her scars and calluses, letting that reality ground him in time and place. “Thancred?”

“Apologies,” he said. “I simply…” Am acting a fool.

“You were alone for a while,” she said gently.

He smiled wanly, finally lifting his gaze to her. She was propped on her elbow, watching him. His eye covering had slipped off in his restless slumber; his left eye was beginning to throb from the aetherial underlay it showed, a result of the damage he had taken from the Flow before being spat into the Dravanian wilderness. He temporarily forgot the discomfort it caused as he finally looked at Aeryn with his eye uncovered. She glowed with bright aether, sparking across every ilm in shimmering blue, tracing her limbs, outlining each muscle, every scar, the well of brilliant strength within her possibly fathomless...

“The Vath are not the best company for a fleshling, unfortunately,” he admitted after too long spent staring. “I didn’t realize how lonely I had been until...well, until you all found me again.”

She pulled him close, letting him lean on her this time in a simple embrace. “You’re here,” she said quietly. “You’re all right.”

He let out a heavy sigh and listened to the steadiness of her heartbeat, breathed in the hint of her violas mixed with the tang of earlier activity sweat. “Do you ever tire of taking care of people?” he asked, only half joking.

“Sometimes,” she admitted, like it was a recent realization she was still parsing through. “But not right now.” Another pause, and a slight squeeze. “I’ve spent too long worried for all of you. Wanting to find everyone, and we still haven’t—“ She stopped.

“I’m glad you found me,” he said. “And with your good luck, it won’t be long until we find the others.” Until we find Minfilia.

He thought to wait until Aeryn was asleep again before adjusting to a more appropriate position— he was aware of exactly where her thigh was despite the innocence of their situation—but then her fingertips brushed his bare left cheek, startling him. “I just realized your bandana fell off.”

“It’s fine, didn’t mean to sleep with it on at all,” he muttered, reveling in the sensation of her fingers tracing along his cheekbone. Ever-caring, their Aeryn; she was simply helping him (again, a part of him hissed, a part he told to shut up) after so long on his own.

“No scarring; I thought you were injured?” she sounded like she wasn’t certain if she should be annoyed or not.

“Not physically, as such,” he answered. Her fingers ghosted over his eye, and there was an ever-so-slight bit of warmth and light; the only indication of magic used. He could no longer feel the shift in the aether, but he kept that annoying fact to himself.

“Aetheric damage,” she said, resting that hand on his shoulder.

“One does not traverse the Lifestream unscathed,” Thancred answered. “Even as a passenger.”

“Any pain?”

How to explain it? In the end, he simply said: “Not especially; eye strain headaches, hence keeping it covered most of the time. Nothing I can’t manage.”

“You try to manage much by yourself.”

He chuckled wryly at that. “But honestly, it’s mostly an inconvenience, I promise you.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” she replied.

“I don’t doubt that you shall.”

They faded off into sleep again, and this time there were no nightmares. Tomorrow they would dig themselves out and return to Ishgard, job done, and not speak of the details. Tonight, however, was friendly warmth and comfort while the storm raged outside.

[asteraceae-blue]

20 questions for writers

Tagged by @bourbon-ontherocks, thank you friend!! ✒️📜

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

26

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

466,050, who the hell lets me talk that much?!

3. What fandoms do you write for?

GLOW, Sherlock, Stranger Things has made it in there, I was also diving into the Jurassic World fandom but got derailed. Older fandoms over on FF.net included Castle, Bones, and Crossing Jordan way back in the day

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

The Pull of My Heart to Yours

Five

Paragon

Be Prepared (co-written with the lovely @mizjoely)

Silk

5. Do you respond to comments?

I try to answer everyone! Sometimes I'll get busy and forget to respond, but I do my best to at least say thank you to everyone who comments

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

The angstiest? Probably Watching the World Burn

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

I think most of my fics have overall happy endings, but the two that are borderline saccharine are That's Life and Golden Repair. I basically ended them with a joyful, romcom soundtrack 🤮

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I have had some, unfortunately. It used to get to me a lot more, because, you know, we all do this for fun and for free. Now I just delete the comments and move on with my day 🤙

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Oh yeah. Ohhhhhh yeah. Typically romantic, sometimes angsty, occasionally plot-what-plot explicit. I let the story tell me what it needs, if you will.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

Have not, but I still have a prompt in my Inbox for a GLOW/Sherlock crossover that I would like to get to at some point

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Sort of - years ago I had someone leave a comment on a fic telling me I was doing a bad job with a good idea, and then they took my idea and wrote their own fic (totally fine) and blasted me in the notes (not at all fine), so... that was fun.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Not yet!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Ooh yes, @mizjoely and I have collaborated on Be Prepared and Furo and we had a blast with both. There is a (maybe?) abandoned fic with @miabicicletta that I would still love to finish if the world allows us... 🥺

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

I like them all for different reasons, but I think Mulder and Scully will always be my OTP. And I haven't even written anything for them yet! I'm scared, they intimidate me 😬

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I would really really like to finish Shelter From the Storm at some point, even though the franchise is basically done! The idea I had for it was waaaaay different than what they ended up doing in the last movie, and much, much darker. Maybe someday.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Too many ideas in my head and the audacity to think that people want to hear about them 😁

I do a decent job with keeping things in character, and having a plan for where the story is going so I can actually set things up properly. I think I have a pretty good eye for detail as well.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

If I'm having a hard time getting from one plot point to another, I get lazy and things get stilted. I'll bullshit my way through boring bits to get to the bits I really want to write.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I try, guys. I really do. I do as much homework as I can with Google Translate, but I know it's not enough to get it right. I avoid other languages if I can.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

First ever ever? Hahaha Xena: Warrior Princess. First online published I think was Crossing Jordan

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

Oh geez, that's tough - I honestly think it's a tie between Paragon and That's Life. I had the most fun writing both of those.

Tagging @miabicicletta, @mizjoely, @jomiddlemarch, and anyone else who wants to jump on this

[quill-pen]

Scrooge Fanfiction Masterlist

One-shots (Start off as ScroogeXReader then changes to ScroogeXOC as the insert became hr own characters but the idea remains the same)

~Blessing SFW: Scrooge reassures his reader!wife of his love and adoration for her.

A Christmas Confession pt. 1 SFW: On their first Christmas as a married couple, Scrooge and Reader host a Christmas party and put the children to bed with dreams of Santa and sugarplums dancing through their heads.

A Christmas Confession pt. 2 SFW: Still on their first Christmas as a married couple, Reader finally comes to clean to Ebenezer about her feelings for him, despite how she fears his rejection. His response is incredible.

~Not Over Quickly NSFW: While sharing a passionate night with wife!reader, Ebenezer makes something happen that's never happened before.

Making TikToks with Ebenezer pt.? SFW: Modern AU--Ebenezer suggests making a TikTok with you and surprises you with what the subject is.

~Sexy, unnamed fic inspired by prompt 1 NSFW: A snuggly, bookish evening turns a little steamy because Bess just can't keep her hands off her handsome hubby.

Custard, Strawberries, and April Fools prompt inspired 2 SFW: Just a lovely spring picnic between a loving and sweet couple.

~Welcomes Home prompt inspired 3 SFW: Ebenezer returns home to find Bess away. Yet even in her absence, she manages to welcome him home.

Cute, untitled fic inspired by prompt 4 SFW: A sugary sweet moment between our OTP.

~Just so Punny NSFW: Scrooge really does not appreciate puns.

A Good Cowgirl NSFW: Bess is a very good cowgirl--just ask Ebenezer.

~Like George SFW: Some insight into Bess' relationships with some of the main men in her life.

Toddie vs. Ebeness NSFW-ish: Just a comparison of two of my favorite ships in my Scroogeverse.

~She-Wolf NSFW: Just a little passionate doggy-style between our wolfish soulmates.

A Good Man SFW: Ebenezer Scrooge is a good man; Bess just wishes he could see it as easily as she can.

~Somewhere Out There SFW: Bess goes through a rough break-up with her fiancé.

The Queen's Protector NSFW: Bess receives some unwanted attention from another man and Ebenezer comes to her aid.

~Storm Shelter SFW: Bess goes into a spiral after a suffering flashback from her childhood.

Fear the Big Bad Wolf SFW: Ebenezer comforts Bess and makes promises to her after she reveals threatening information.

~In Your Corner SFW: Bess has a rough morning and Ebenezer comforts her.

~Boss (continuation of 'In Your Corner') SFW: Bess finally lays down the law with her housekeeper.

A Father's Regret SFW: Jacob Marley pays another ghostly visit.

~Domesticity SFW: Bess finally makes Scrooge Manor her home.

Deep NSFW: Those hands are magical.

~ Bess SFW: A sorry attempt at poetry based on the moment Ebenezer meets Bess for the first time.

Forever SFW: A comparison of Bess' and Ebenezer's wedding and Bea's and Jacob's wedding. From both the women's and men's perspectives.

~Powder Room NSFW-ish: A short little drabble/thot about our minxy otp.😉

A Good Day to Die NSFW: Another short drabble about some spicy office lovin'.

~A Quiet Evening SFW: In the Sims Scrooge timeline, Bess and Ebenezar--also known as Wolf--share a romantic evening together.

The Wolf & The Moon SFW: Another sorry attempt at poetry.😬

~Tattoo SFW: A little ficlet about a conversation between modern!Bess and Ebenezer concerning scars and tattoos.

Goosebumps SFW: A little poem-ish drabble about our dear former miser through the eyes of his beloved wife.

~Red NSFW: A small drabble centering around a pair of lingerie and the color red. Featuring our beloved wolf-motifed couple.

Pearls SFW: Ethel Cratchit never liked pearls. But she still wanted them because of what they'd come to symbolize for her.

~Blue Moon SFW: Blue moons should be blue. And come in pairs.

Angel SFW: A poem by our favorite former miser as he slowly realizes his love for a freckle-faced, blue-eyed, black-haired American.

~My Bess NSFW: A steamy moment of passion between our favorite pair.

Meet the Scrooges pt. 1 SFW: In the Sims 4 Scroogeverse, Ebenezar--a.k.a. Wolf--finally takes his new wife, Bess, to meet her in-laws.

~ That's Why They're 'The Wolves' NSFW: A little thot set in the Timeless Scroogeverse concerning why our favorite couple are called "The Wolves".

Jealousy SFW (but littered with crude language and overall toxicity): Bess gets engaged. She is thrilled. Oliver and Abigail are not.

~My Big Sister by Millicent Sullivan-Scrooge SFW: A draft of a report Millie writes and reads in one of my fics.

The Declaration SFW: In the DND Scroogeverse, ex-warrior-priestess Bess puts herself between the werewolf she loves and those who would threaten him.

~Draped in Moonbeams NSFW: Ebenezer comes home to a rather lovely surprise awaiting him in the master bedroom.

Timeless Firsts with the Girls: Kisses--Addie SFW: In the Timeless Scroogeverse, Addie tells the girls her experience of being kissed by Tom Jenkins for the first time

~The Milkmaid Dress NSFW: In a modern Scroogeverse, Bess buys a dress and her beloved hubby takes it upon himself to leave a review.

A Red Sunrise: A Timeless Scroogeverse Tale SFW (unless you're squeamish about blood and menstrual issues): On Bess first official weekend staying over at her beau's, she has an unexpected visit from Aunt Flo.

[angels-and-demons]

Was just messing about on the otp prompt generator (link), and here are a few that I like.

Use them in your fanfics, use them for your fanart. Whatever.

Under the cut for length:

Nico tilting Toby's chin up to get a better look at his face and the evidence of the fight. Nico delicately thumbs away a streak of blood from Toby's mouth, saying nothing as they examine it. After a brief pause, Toby's heart skips a nervous beat as Nico looks him dead in the eyes. His voice is quiet and tense. His anger barely restrained.

"Who did this to you?"

-

Toby is normally the clingy one and the one that likes the attention. Well, one day, Nico comes home and is exhausted and proceeds to cuddle up onto Toby like a kitten. Nico puts their face into Toby's neck and Toby enjoys every minute of it as Nico is begging for kisses and cuddles and Toby is happy to supply.

-

Nico and Toby go to the bookstore and suddenly Toby runs away. When Toby comes back, he is holding a Yoda plushie. Toby then talks in a Yoda voice saying: "Run over bitch in my 2003 Toyota Prius I must" and Nico responds with howling laughter.

-

Toby and Nico throwing food for the ducks at the duck pond.

-

Nico and Toby are on a hammock together, the sun is setting, the air cools and Nico is asleep on Toby's chest while Toby has a foot on the ground, rocking the hammock in hopes of keeping Nico asleep.

-

Toby dancing around their home with headphones in, eyes closed, and singing as loudly as they please to their favorite song while Nico stands in the doorway, watching their oblivious partner dance and sing with a loving smile on their face.

-

Laying in bed, foreheads pressed together, just gazing into each other's eyes and taking it all in. Everything is silent.

And then, Toby suddenly sneezes and scares Nico so badly that they fall out of the bed, causing Toby to laugh.

-

 *Nico TEXTING Toby*

Nico: Toby, I'm sorry.

Nico: Please talk to me baby

Nico: Muffin?

Nico: Sweet pea?

Nico: The love of my life.

Nico: Beautiful cinammon roll who's too pure and precious for this world.

Toby: Sorry doesn't bring back my fucking Skittles, Nico.

-

Nico and Toby enjoying a night of stargazing. Things are going well, and romantic, they start to kiss/make out and a storm hits. But instead of seeking shelter from the rain they make love under the night sky not caring if they’re drenched.

They’re just caught up in the moment of passion itself, the heated air of summer only provides a good reason to enjoy it. 

Bonus: Either one or both get sick.

-

Toby wakes to find that it had snowed overnight and gets excited about playing in it. Nico gets excited because this means that when Toby comes inside, it will mean that they get to cuddle by the fire.

[accidental-rambler]

read in 2022 📖 Iron and Magic by Ilona Andrews

“You’re my husband, Hugh. We no longer walk alone. We are each other’s shelter in a storm. As long as you want to stay here, you’ll have a home. I’ll never abandon you.”

[mistresstrevelyan]

Miss Katie in the arms of her favourite outlaw <3

[lucaniisdellamorte]

Romance Month

Prompt: “I think I’m in love with you and I’m terrified.”

WC: 594

Fandom: Red Dead Redemption 2

Pairing: Charles Smith/OC (Sunny Marston)

“I think I'm in love with you and it terrifies me!” Sunny blurts out and instantly she wishes she could reach out and take her words back, swallow them down and pretend like this never happened. She hadn't expected Charles to find her out hunting in the mountains of West Elizabeth, hadn't expected him  to accuse her of avoiding him -even though that's exactly what she's been doing by spending as little time as possible in camp.

The urge to call Gambit and run -her fresh kill be damned- rises quickly and she turns away from him, eyes darting trying to find her horse through the trees.

“Sunny wait,” Charles says quickly, softly like he's trying not to spook her, and grabs her arm, not roughly but firm. “Why?”

“Why what?” She snaps, not really meaning to, and pulls away from him. He lets her go but she stays there, trying to fight down the panic. And it is real panic, panic like she hasn't felt since the night things went wrong in Blackwater.

“Why are you terrified?” He asks.

“We're outlaws, Charles,” she replies, voice breaking over his name. “Love isn't really in our cards." How many times has she seen a lover used as leverage or their death used as revenge, how many times has she seen a member of their gang mourn the loss of someone they thought was their true love? Being an outlaw, being on the run, they didn't get to have anything permanent. Even her and John shouldn't have lasted this long, they were just kids when Dutch picked them up and how many times had they come close to losing one another?

“Hey, it's going to take a lot to get rid of me,” he tries to reassure her, taking a step forward, but she knows better.

“All it takes is a bullet, just one or one misstep, one moment of bad luck and that's it,” she's still trying to keep her voice down but it doesn't hide the quiver in her voice. She's thought about it -despite how horrible of an idea it is, how could she not given recent events- and she doesn't know what she would do without him. All she knows is that if she lost him no one -not her brother, not Arthur, not Dutch, not even God Himself- could stop her from raining hell down on those responsible.

And that scares her too.

Charles holds out a hand to her and she takes it, lets him pull her close and buries her face in his chest. Despite making the choice to avoid him, she has missed him desperately.

"Sure but that's not gonna stop me from loving you," his voice rumbles low in his chest and there's a slight question in his voice. Is it going to stop you?

Sunny balls her hands into the back of his shirt, considering the options she has. Walking away would be the best thing to do, write it all off as a fun time but nothing more, ignoring the way her heart aches. A life -no matter how long or short- spent without him and then what when he does inevitably pass? There was a thought she hadn't considered before.

"I guess it's not going to stop me either," she replies with a deep sigh. "I love you Charles Smith and you're stuck with that." Sunny looks up to see him with a rare smile and he presses a kiss to her forehead and then her lips.

"And you're stuck with me Sunny Marston."

[ilovetheaffection]

Send me || @acquiescence-of-a-dream

alaric/harley

In your eyes - the weeknd

I tried to find love

In someone else too many times

But I hope you know I mean it (Mean it)

When I tell you you're the one that was on my mind, oh

Never really over - katy perry 

Two years, and just like that, my head still takes me back

Thought it was done, but I guess it's never really over

Oh, we were such a mess, but wasn't it the best?

Thought it was done, but I guess it's never really over

Body say - demi lovato 

You can touch me with slow hands

Speed it up, baby, make me sweat

Dreamland, take me there 'cause I want your sex

If my body had a say, I wouldn't turn away

Touch, make love, taste you

Hunger - ross copperman

Oh, love, let me see inside your heart

All the cracks and broken parts

The shadows in the light

There's no need to hide

Devil doesn’t bargain - alec benjamin 

The devil doesn't bargain

He'll only break your heart again

It isn't worth it, darling

As much as I want to say it’s any of the cute sexy ones, it’s probably the last one lmao.

[fishandships]

this was meant to just be a doodle but i got carried away 😅 originally a response to a very sweet ask i received!

[commanderbellrke]

Kara and Mon-El really need to stop downplaying they're feelings for each other

[youneedsomeprompts]

AUs you didn't know you needed - prompt list

Feel free to use and reblog!

#1 - post-breakup/exes AU

#2 - old married couple/grandparent AU

#3 - meet ugly AU

#4 - secret dating AU

#5 - switched roles AU

#6 - afraid to commit AU

#7 - ghost AU

#8 - everyone around them ships them, they just don't know yet they're destined to date AU

#9 - friends with benefits AU

#10 - assassin AU

#11 - trying to heal from past abuse while starting to date their OTP AU

#12 - domestic AU

#13 - medieval AU

#14 - blind wedding date AU

#15 - established relationship AU

#16 - god x worshipper AU

#17 - heist AU

#18 - opposites attract AU

#19 - sick AU

#20 - high school teachers AU

#21 - looking for shelter during a storm AU

#22 - spies AU

#23 - fake dating AU

#24 - disability AU

#25 - marriage of convenience AU

#26 - aromantic AU

#27 - haunted house AU

#28 - found family AU

#29 - reincarnation AU

#30 - just moved in next door AU

#31 - ballroom AU

#32 - third person's POV AU

#33 - christmas AU

#34 - ER AU

#35 - jealousy AU

#36 - forced sleepover AU

#37 - vacation AU

#38 - cuddling AU

#39 - hiding true identity AU

#40 - emotional support AU

[maddys]

Monsters lost amongst the stars, they call us | p.d

[duckprintspress]

Story Ideas: Sappy Spring Emoji Prompts!

Long time, no Sunday blog post, but we're back with a seasonal collection of the sappiest, sweetest, emoji-inspired prompts that we could think of! Just imagine your OTP...

🥀: the flowers in my yard had all wilted and I didn‘t know what to do; luckily, you see me looking sad in my garden and come over to help out with your awesome green thumb.

💐: you saw me buy a bunch of flowers and were sad because you thought they were for someone else—surprise, they‘re for you!

🌸: I had a bad day, but then you invite me to see the cherry blossoms together and I realize just how much I love you…so I spontaneously propose.

🌈: it‘s our wedding day and it‘s raining, this is the worst! But then you hold the umbrella over me and point out the rainbow arcing across the sky, and now I think this may be the best day of my life.

🌻: my sunflowers grew so tall that they leaned into your yard; I was worried you'd be upset but instead you say, "I like them there because they remind me of you."

🌞: I know you‘re a summer person, so I‘ve been waiting for the first really warm day of the year to take you out on a picnic and watch the emerging leaves with you—and today is the day!

☔️: we meet for the first time at the bus stop when I arrive drenched and you extend your nice umbrella over my head without even looking at me.

🪴: honestly, I didn't think you knew I existed, but when I got sick, you sent me a plant and a note asking me on a date when I got better. I still don't feel 100% but the plant on my bed stand cheers me up every day.

🌼: you know I love flowers, but we're broke and there's no way you can get them for me...except you came home today with a bouquet of wildflowers you picked from a field and I'm so happy I could cry.

💫: you invited me out to look at the stars through your telescope on the first clear night of spring, and I want to support you and share your enthusiasm but it's so cold I'm shivering...and so you pull me close, spread you coat wide so we can share it. Huddled wonderfully together, we can stargaze together.

🐚: the winter cold is lingering, but I'm thrilled because you've surprised me with plane tickets for a beach vacation!

🌬: the first big storm of spring catches me unprepared and everything on my porch flies away! I don‘t know what to do, but the next day it‘s all back on my porch with a note inviting me to dinner. You didn‘t have to go and hunt it all down just to ask me out for a date, I‘ve been fancying you for ages!

🐛: I've worried that you were going to break up with me at the end of the school year, but you just bought me a "watch these caterpillars grow into butterflies" kit and I know you'd never do that unless you planned to stick around to watch their metamorphosis with me.

🐣 : there are strange sounds coming from your apartment so one day I go to investigate and it turns out you? are? hatching? CHICKENS? in your one-bedroom apartment, what, why, OMG they‘re so cute??

🐇: I was kind of meh about this date but then it turns out your idea was to take me to an animal shelter to pet the bunnies. You tell me you love them and want to adopt one once you live in a bigger place, and you give me the most earnest, hopeful, vulnerable expression, and…okay, I think I may be falling for you kinda fast? Like, super fast?

(by @unforth and @alessariel)

[mistresstrevelyan]

[lucaniisdellamorte]

I promised myself I would never fall in love with you. But it was 4 am, and we were laughing way to hard, and I felt happy for the first time in a long time, and I knew I was screwed