#please don't hesitate to ask for clarification if you need it

[natsaffection]

I’m sorry if this is too much to ask

I recently went through a breakup with my girlfriend (recently as in last night) and I need some Natty fluff and comfort. For an idea reader and nat are bestfriends and have been through S.H.I.E.L.D for many years before Nat was promoted to an Avenger and reader was left behind as an agent.

Reader broke up with their relationship a day before Nat got home from a mission(clarification that nat n reader share apartments) injured and its just the two worrying about eachother to mindlessly cuddle and comfort eachother.

could add in soft sex for plot but ill let you decide the rest 😞✊

Held Together. | N.R

Warnings: friends brake up, injury

Word count: 2,3k

A/n: Hey you. I know this isn't going to help you much, and I definitely want to lend you my ear if you ever want to talk about things like this. I know how it feels, and I also know that saying it will get better doesn't exactly help. So please don't hesitate to write to me. 🩵

The first time you saw Natasha, you were both in the S.H.I.E.L.D. training facility, hidden deep within the confines of a classified location. The facility was stark, all concrete walls and fluorescent lighting, with the faint scent of sweat and determination lingering in the air. You were new, just another recruit with a mysterious past, handpicked for reasons that weren't fully explained to you. But then again, secrecy was the foundation of S.H.I.E.L.D., and you had learned quickly that questions were often better left unasked.

Natasha stood out immediately. Not just because of her striking red hair, which seemed to catch the light even in the dullest corners of the room, but because of the aura of quiet confidence she exuded. She moved with a precision that spoke of years of experience, each step deliberate, each movement economical. It was clear that she was in a league of her own. But it wasn’t her skill that drew you to her, it was the look in her eyes. Beneath the stoic mask, there was a flicker of something familiar, something you recognized in yourself. The guarded pain of someone who had seen too much, too soon. The training sessions were brutal. S.H.I.E.L.D. didn’t coddle its recruits, and you were pushed to your limits, physically and mentally. But every time you faltered, Natasha was there, a silent presence at your side, pushing you to keep going. She wasn’t the type to offer comforting words or a reassuring pat on the back, but her actions spoke louder than any words could. She trained with you, sparred with you, and when you were both covered in bruises and gasping for breath, she would sit with you in the quiet moments, a rare smile tugging at her lips.

Over time, what began as mutual respect grew into something deeper. You found yourself seeking her out, not just in training but outside of it. Late nights in the common room, nursing cups of coffee and talking about everything and nothing at all. You learned that Natasha wasn’t just a hardened spy. She was fiercely intelligent, with a dry wit that could cut through any tension. She had a past that she kept close to the vest, but in those quiet moments, she would let slip little pieces of herself, and you would do the same. It was during one of those late-night conversations that you both discovered just how much you had in common. You shared a dark sense of humor, born from lives that had demanded you grow up too fast. You both knew what it was like to be used as a tool, to have your choices stripped away, and to fight tooth and nail to reclaim some semblance of control.

The turning point in your friendship came during a mission in Prague. You had been sent in as backup for Natasha, who was deep undercover, trying to extract a high-value target from an enemy compound. The mission had gone south, bad intel, compromised routes, everything that could go wrong did. Natasha was pinned down, outgunned and outnumbered, and for a brief, heart-stopping moment, you thought you might lose her. But you didn’t hesitate. You stormed the compound, using every skill you had learned, every lesson drilled into you during those grueling training sessions. You fought your way to her, the two of you battling side by side, back to back, until you managed to extract the target and make your escape.

When you were safely back at the extraction point, covered in dust and blood, Natasha had turned to you, her eyes fierce with a mix of adrenaline and gratitude. She didn’t say anything, but the look she gave you was all you needed. From that moment on, you were partners in every sense of the word. There was an unspoken understanding between you..a bond forged in the heat of battle, one that neither of you questioned. Over the years, that bond only grew stronger. You became the team that everyone wanted on their mission, the pair that could get the job done no matter the odds. You were the calm to her storm, the steady hand that balanced her fierce determination. And she was your anchor, the one person you knew you could rely on, no matter what.

But it wasn’t all about the missions. There were moments of light in the darkness inside jokes that no one else understood, late-night movies when you both should have been sleeping, and the kind of trust that only came from knowing someone inside and out. You knew her favorite coffee order, the songs she hummed when she thought no one was listening, and the way she always checked her weapons twice before a mission, even when she didn’t need to. And she knew you, knew the nightmares that woke you in the middle of the night, the reason you kept your distance from most people, and the way you always carried that one memento from your past, a small token of a life you barely remembered. She never pushed, never pried, but her presence was a constant reassurance, a reminder that you weren’t alone in this world.

Then came the day when everything shifted. Natasha was summoned to Nick office a meeting that would change the course of both your lives. When she emerged, she looked different, as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, but there was something else too a distance, a sense of something slipping away. She told you about the Avengers, about the offer Fury had made. You could see the excitement in her eyes, the way her posture straightened as she spoke about it. And why wouldn’t she be excited? It was a chance to be part of something bigger, something that could change the world. You listened, nodded in all the right places, and when she asked what you thought, you plastered on a smile and told her how proud you were.

But inside, your heart ached. You knew that things would never be the same. You didn’t want to hold her back, didn’t want to be the reason she missed out on something extraordinary, but the thought of losing the connection you shared filled you with a dread you couldn’t shake. And slowly, that fear began to materialize.

As Natasha got more involved with the Avengers, the calls became less frequent, the visits even more so. You found yourself spending more time alone, throwing yourself into missions to drown out the loneliness. The once unbreakable bond you shared felt like it was fraying, the threads pulling apart one by one. The more you tried to reach out, the more distant she seemed, until one day, you realized that the Natasha you knew was almost a stranger to you now. She had new friends, new responsibilities, a new life. And where you once stood side by side, you were now watching from the sidelines, unsure of where you fit in her world anymore.

But the memories remained. Every time you walked past the training room, you could almost hear the echoes of your past conversations, the laughter that once filled the empty spaces. The ghost of what you had once had lingered, haunting you in the quiet moments. You didn’t know what the future held for you and Natasha, but one thing was certain: the bond you had shared was changing, evolving into something you couldn’t yet understand. And as much as it hurt, you knew that you had to find your place in this new reality, even if it meant doing it without her by your side.

The apartment felt too quiet, the silence oppressive as you sat on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the empty walls. Your things were mostly packed, boxes lining the hallway, and the last remnants of your life here waiting to be sealed up and carried away. You had made your decision the day before, the weight of it still sitting heavily in your chest.

You had ended it. Ended the friendship, the partnership, the life you had built with Natasha. The pain of watching her drift further away into her new life as an Avenger had become too much to bear. Every day had been a reminder of how much you were losing her, and it had finally reached a breaking point. You couldn’t stand being the one left behind anymore, always wondering when or if things would go back to the way they were. So, you had left a note on the kitchen table, explaining as best you could, trying to make her understand why you needed to leave, why you couldn’t keep living in the shadow of her new world. You couldn’t bring yourself to say it to her face, not after everything you’d been through together, so you had written the words, packed your things, and left the apartment.

But now, sitting in the empty space you once called home, the reality of what you’d done settled in, and it hurt more than you could have imagined. You didn’t want to leave, didn’t want to give up on what you had with Natasha, but you didn’t see any other way to protect your heart from breaking further. It was supposed to be simple. You would leave, and Natasha would come back to an empty apartment, read the note, and understand. She’d move on, and so would you. That was the plan.

Except plans never go the way you expect them to.

The sound of the front door creaking open jolted you from your thoughts. Your heart stopped as you heard footsteps heavy, uneven. Natasha was back. You weren’t supposed to be here. You were supposed to be gone, far away, already beginning the process of moving on. But you couldn’t bring yourself to leave. Not yet. You stood up, feeling your heart race as you heard Natasha’s familiar footsteps drawing closer. When she finally appeared in the doorway, your breath caught in your throat. She looked exhausted, her skin pale, and there was a grimace on her face that she couldn’t quite hide.

But what really terrified you was the blood on her jacket and the way she was cradling her side as if trying to hold herself together. “Natasha..” you whispered, the word barely audible as the shock of seeing her like this hit you. Her eyes flicked up to meet yours, and for a moment, she just stared, as if trying to process that you were really there. “Y/n..?”

“You’re hurt.” you said, your voice trembling as you took a closer look. "It’s not as bad as it looks..” she replied, trying to offer a reassuring smile, but it faltered as she winced in pain. “Stop pretending.” you snapped, though your voice was laced more with worry than anger. “Why didn’t you go to the medbay?”

Natasha shook her head, letting out a strained sigh “I just..needed to come home.” she said softly, her eyes flickering around the room, taking in the packed boxes, the half-empty closet. “I thought you would be gone..?” The words hung in the air between you, heavy and filled with the tension of everything that had happened, everything that hadn’t been said.

“I was supposed to be..” you admitted. “Come here, let me help you with that.” She didn’t resist as you guided her to the bed, her breaths coming in shallow gasps as she tried to stay composed. You carefully unzipped her jacket, wincing at the sight of the blood-soaked bandages underneath. It wasn’t the worst injury you’d seen her with, but it was bad enough to make your hands shake as you reached for the first aid kit. She winced as you peeled the blood-soaked fabric away, revealing a nasty gash along her side. It wasn’t life-threatening, but it was deep enough to require stitches.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were hurt?” you asked, your voice thick with emotion as you began to clean the wound, trying to keep your hands steady. “I didn’t want you to worry..” Natasha replied, her voice barely above a whisper. “But I guess that plan didn’t work out too well.”

“Damn it, Natasha..” you muttered, blinking back tears as you worked. “You can’t just..you can’t just keep doing this. Keeping things from me. Pushing me away.”

“I wasn’t trying to push you away.” she said, her voice breaking slightly. “I just..I didn’t know how to handle all of this. You, the Avengers, everything. I thought I could balance it all, but I was wrong.” You paused, your breath hitching as the weight of her words settled over you. “Nat-” you started, but she cut you off.

“I read your note.” she said, her eyes glistening as she looked down at you. “I know why you left, and I can’t blame you. I’ve been so caught up in everything else that I forgot about the one person who’s always been there for me. And now I’m scared I’ve lost you.” Tears slipped down your cheeks as you finished dressing her wound, your hands lingering on her skin for a moment longer than necessary. “You haven’t lost me.” you whispered, your voice shaking. “But I can’t keep living like this, Natasha. It’s tearing me apart..”

She reached out, her hand trembling as she cupped your cheek, her thumb brushing away your tears. “I’m so sorry,” she said, her voice breaking. “I never wanted to hurt you.” You leaned into her touch, closing your eyes as the warmth of her hand seeped into your skin. “I know.” you whispered. “But things have to change. We can’t keep going like this.”

Natasha nodded, her own tears spilling over as she pulled you into a gentle embrace, her arms wrapping around you as if she was afraid to let go. You buried your face in her shoulder, the scent of her familiar, comforting even through the layers of blood and sweat. You both held on to each other as if it was the only thing keeping you grounded, the only thing keeping you from falling apart. For a long time, neither of you spoke. The silence was filled with the sound of your combined breaths, the rise and fall of your chests in sync, the steady beat of her heart against your ear. “I don’t want to lose you..” you whispered, your voice trembling with the weight of everything you hadn’t said.

“You won’t.” she promised, her voice filled with quiet determination. “I won’t let you.” There was a moment of silence, thick with unspoken emotions, and then, before you could second-guess yourself, you leaned in, pressing your lips softly to hers. The kiss was tender, hesitant, as if you were both afraid to break the fragile connection between you. But the moment your lips met, it was like something inside you both clicked into place, the distance and the pain melting away, replaced by the familiar warmth of being with each other. Natasha kissed you back, her lips moving slowly, carefully, as if savoring the moment. When you finally pulled away, you rested your forehead against hers, your breaths mingling in the small space between you.

“I’m sorry..” you whispered, your voice barely audible. “Shh..” Natasha murmured, her hand moving to the back of your neck, pulling you closer. “We’ll figure it out.” You nodded, unable to speak as you felt the tears slipping down your cheeks. Natasha gently wiped them away, her touch so soft it made your heart ache. You didn’t know what the future held for you both, but in this moment, with her arms around you and her lips still tingling from the kiss, you felt a glimmer of hope.

Carefully, you helped her lie down on the bed, her head resting on the pillow as you pulled the blanket over her. But before you could move away, Natasha caught your hand, her grip surprisingly strong despite her exhaustion. “Stay with me.” she whispered, her eyes pleading. You nodded, your heart swelling with emotion as you crawled into bed beside her. Natasha immediately curled into you, her head resting on your chest, her arm draped over your waist. You wrapped your arms around her, holding her close, as if you were afraid she might slip away if you let go.

The two of you lay there in silence, the only sound the soft rhythm of your breathing and the steady beat of your hearts. The tension, the hurt, the fear..it all seemed to fade away as you held each other, the warmth of her body against yours a balm to the wounds that had been festering between you for so long. You pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head, your fingers gently stroking her hair as she sighed contentedly against you. “I love you, Nat..” you whispered, the words slipping out before you could stop them. “I love you too.” she murmured, her voice filled with so much tenderness it made your heart ache. You tightened your hold on her, burying your face in her hair as you let the weight of the day finally slip away. For the first time in a long time, you felt a sense of peace, a sense of hope that maybe, just maybe, you could find your way back to each other. And as you both drifted off to sleep, wrapped up in each other’s arms, you knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, you would face them together.

[thought--bubble]

In Need of an Heir Pt 6

Canon Aemond X (Baratheon! Reader)

Warnings Below

Word Count: 1,778

In Need of an Heir Masterlist

Canon Aemond Masterlist

Full Masterlist

Banners by @arcielee

Warnings:: Alcohol consumption, a lot of Dialogue.

You hesitate for a moment, trying to decide whether or not it was smart to dull your senses with wine when you were in such a precarious position.

"The wine is safe." He takes a sip and raises his eyebrow.

"Do you have parchment?" you ignore the wine cup he is extending toward you.

He furrows his brows. "I do"

"A quill? Ink?" You pass by him as he is still holding out the wine to you, moving toward the desk tucked in the corner of the room.

"Yes.....?" He watches your movements tipping his head to the side.

"We should start on that list we discussed before......." You start digging around the desk. "Before anything should happen...." You look toward the bedchamber "here. "

Aemond sighs. "We don't have to actually write anything down at the moment." he walks over to the chair before the fireplace, motioning for you to sit in the adjacent chair. "Let us discuss"

You huff briefly and then concede, plopping yourself into the chair and looking at him wearily.

"So list some things...." he waves his hand, trying to think of what to say next. "That will bring you joy"

This isn't going exactly how you pictured it. You were thinking this list would be more like a set of rules, while he seems to think this list is more of a shopping list.

"Honesty." You look him dead in the eye. "I do not wish to be lied to or made a fool of."

He clicks his tongue and nods his head. "I see"

"Is that something you can manage?" You tap your foot impatiently.

"Of course it is. Are you entirely sure that is what you want? The truth can be..... unpleasant. " he crosses his legs.

"Yes, well.... at least it's real, " You shift uncomfortably in your seat.

"Is there a specific event you are looking for clarification on? Or is this a general request?" He clenches his jaw tightly in annoyance.

"It is a general request. Although...... there are a few things that could use clarification" You look up toward the ceiling of the room, avoiding his gaze.

He clicks his tongue and grips the arms of the chair tightly. "Is that so? If there are things you wish to ask me, then ask. I shall be honest, though, I warn you that my answers may not please your delicate disposition"

You breathe deeply and bite your bottom lip. You have a feeling this won't end well, though you feel a gnawing need to know the truth on a selection of matters.

"Did you kill your nephew on purpose?" You pick at your fingernail beds and look down at your hands in your lap awaiting his response.

His tone is cold and lacking any empathy. "I did not. Although I did not regret it nor did I feel any remorse. I only felt regret for events that took place due to his death. Not his death itself"

"It wasn't regrettable to you that your nephew fell to your hand?" You look at him with disbelief. He couldn't possibly be this cold? Surely, he felt something for the death of his nephew. "You felt no emotions at all?"

"Relief, mayhaps surprise, but regret and remorse were not felt and still are not felt." He sips his wine nonchalantly as if this topic simply bored him.

You bite your cheek. This was not the answer you had hoped for. You thought if he felt regret that he would have a heart, a soul, instead he is cold and cruel. Just as you have imagined.

"Did you marry? That.... woman? Am I a second wife?"

His head snaps toward you as his voice darkens, "There is no shame in being a second wife" His words come out like venom, making you recoil slightly

"I did not say that there was, I just wish to know if I am"

"No. You are not. I did not marry her. " Now it is him who looks off to the side, avoiding eye contact.

"Yet you did bed her," you try to make sure you say this gently. Using an accusatory tone could close him off, and you were happy that he was actually speaking.

He sighs and clicks his tongue again, and nods. "Yes"

"Why? If you were already betrothed. Why embarrass me publicly with such shameful behavior?" You truly didn't care that he slept with this woman, you were not in love with him, neither him with you, yet he flaunted it about embarrassing you and your house and for that, you felt at the very least you deserved an explanation.

"Because I wanted to," He states this with conviction yet keeps his face angled from you. "I apologize that I do not have a better reason to offer you. You require honesty and that you shall receive. I was not thinking of the embarrassment you would suffer."

You swallow and scrunch your nose, fighting the look of anger that threatens to take over your face. "Did you love this woman?" You thought maybe if he loved her, then your embarrassment and shame would have been in the name of love, and that would perhaps be easier to forgive.

" I can not be sure. I cared for her, yes, yet I am not entirely sure if love in the sense of which you are questioning is something I am truly capable of" he swirls the wine in his cup around In a circular motion.

You feel a pang in your chest. How could he not know if he is capable of love?

"Did she love you?" Your voice is more gentle and soft, and this catches Aemond's attention as he turns his head to you, and his features soften minimally.

He answers with sadness. "She said she did. But it can't be disputed that she was under diress. When fighting to stay alive, one might say and do anything."

You sit in your chair and lean forward on your elbows, contemplating his words. The pain in his voice confused and surprised you, yet his answer frustrated you.

"So you are telling me that you will never love me? You will not love our children?" Your foot is tapping again. The thought of being stuck married to a man who couldn't even learn to love you eventually felt like a fate worse than death.

"I am telling you that I do not know. I hope to. That is the best I can offer. " He turns his head from you again.

" I would like some of that wine now." You look towards him a look of frustration on your face. You had gotten the truth, but it somehow made you feel worse. You had suspected he was cold and cruel yet it was an entirely different feeling to have him confirm it.

He gets up from his chair and brings you the cup of wine he had poured for you earlier. "I will remain loyal to you, and our children. That is something I can promise, I will protect you against all others. A courtesy my own father did not extend to me"

You take the cup from his hands and start to drink it quickly. After you finish the cup you stand up. "I wish to retire to my chambers" As you go to walk past him to exit the room he quickly wraps his hand around your wrist.

"Not yet." He keeps his head turned from you and his eye trained on the floor. "We have not performed our duty yet."

You cringe "Is that entirely necessary? Does it truly matter if it is done today or tomorrow?"

"My family is in need of an heir. That was the entire purpose of this rushed wedding, and the future of my house, our house, depends on this." He tugs you close to him by your wrist pulling you up against his chest.

You look up at his cold, stoic expression and directly into that lavender eye. You see his expression soften as he gazes down at you.

"I will be kind, I will be gentle, I will not harm you nor will I let others harm you." He pushes a lock of hair from your face and tucks it behind your ear. "You need not fear me, we alone, you and I, are responsible for the fate of House Targaryen"

He leans down and places a very gentle kiss on your lips, and your heart jumps. He brushes his thumb across your cheekbone and cradles your face in his hand.

"Come, let me show you I can be trusted." he takes your hand, leading you toward the bed chamber. Your feet seemed to float when earlier they felt like you were wearing iron shoes.

He sits on the edge of the bed and motions for you to sit beside him. You slowly lower yourself to sit beside him. Your back is rigid as you pick at your fingernails. He places his hand over yours.

"Don't do that."

You huff annoyed trying to pull your hands out from underneath his.

"I told you, I won't let anyone harm you. That includes yourself. " he gently rubs the tips of your fingers.

You both sit in silence, before he sighs loudly.

"I truly thought I was going to die"

You raise your eyebrows as he says this.

"What?"

He runs a hand down his face. "During the war, house Targaryen, we were dying one by one, i thought I would meet my end and would never have to stand in judgment for my sins." He lays back on the bed flat.

You turn to look at him lying down and then a small smile creeps onto your face as you lay back next to him, the two of you just staring up at the canopy above you.

"Me too"

He turns on his side and looks at you. "You thought you wouldn't survive the war?"

You giggle. "No. I thought YOU wouldn't survive the war"

He chuckles and lies on his back again. "My apologies"

You take his hand that is lying limply by his side and slide your fingers into his palm. He turns his head to the side, confused at this show of kindness. You just continue holding his hand and staring up at the canopy above you.

You giggle and turn your head so both of you are looking directly at each other.

"So we have to save house Targaryen, huh? Dragon needs a doe. " You smile to yourself.

He sighs and chuckles. "Dragon needs a doe"

Part 7

To be added to taglist click here

[cressidascowper]

hi, your latest edit for thgweek24 is absulutely stunning and i thought if i can ask if you can make a tutorial about the ripped gifs/paper effect? if not, that's okay! have a nice day <3

RIPPED PAPER EFFECT TUTORIAL

hi! thank u :D (thgweek set referenced)

below the cut are the steps that i took to create this effect. this tutorial is very screenshot heavy and assumes some basic knowledge of photoshop and giffing.

i do my best to try and explain my process so hopefully this is helpful! if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

STEP 1: Choose and arrange your two gifs

with this specific use of the ripped paper effect, there's one gif on the "outside" of the rip and one on the "inside." in this example, the outside is the b&w and the inside gif is the colored:

for me, the outside gif determined the positioning of the inside gif and the position/direction of the rip. as can be seen, outside gif has a lot of space on the left. therefore, i knew i was going to position the subject of the inside gif more on the right so i could create the rip without hiding too much of the b&w gif.

next, you want to arrange the inside gif on TOP of the outside gif. your layers panel should look like this:

STEP 2: Creating the ripped effect

here comes the fun part! in order to create this effect, you're going to need torn paper brushes. here and here are some packs you can download (w credit to owner).

next, create a layer mask on your inside gif. you're going to use the brush of your choosing as an ERASER. then, you can play around with the size and angle of the eraser to create the look you want. this is what the gif and the layers panel now look like:

STEP 3: Adding the paper

in order to add the paper around the edges of the inside gif (where the text goes), you now need to download a paper texture. i found mine on google by searching "paper texture png."

place the paper png IN BETWEEN your outside and your inside gif. this is what everything should look like:

now, similarly to what you did in the previous step with the inside gif, you are going to create a layer mask on the paper layer. using an torn paper brush as an eraser, you will erase the paper, creating the shape you want.

be sure to leave enough room for whatever text you want to be on the paper. also, i suggest making the rips of the paper different from the rips of the inside gif so it looks more organic.

here is what my gif looks like after erasing the paper:

optional: add a drop shadow on the paper layer (right click -> blending options... -> drop shadow)

STEP 4: Adding the text

first, you want to identify the space where you will have room to place your full quote within the paper. if there are no spaces, you can always use your brush/eraser to modify the layer masks.

next, add a layer on top of the paper layer (and below the inside gif). select the text tool and start typing your repeated text!

because you can see which text is hidden by the inside gif and what is on top of the paper, a shortcut i use is the "tab" button and only type words that will be seen.

type the repeated words around the quote you want highlighted:

now, in order to contain the text within the paper, convert the text layers into smart objects. then, create a clipping mask on both layers (right click –> create clipping mask). this is what your layer panels should look like:

with that, your gif should now look something like this, with the text contained inside the paper:

STEP 5: Highlighting the quote

as you can see, it just looked like a bunch of words. so, in order to highlight the quote you carved out in the previous step, add a new layer below the layer of the quote you want highlighted:

now, use a round brush (softness around 10-15% and opacity at 70-80%) with the color of your choice to highlight the words you want.

and there you have it!

i hope that this made sense and was helpful! if you have any questions or clarifications, please don't hesitate to ask :)

[cloudcountry]

I don't know if you still taking Fellow's rqs, buut-

fireworks awhile first kiss with Fellow Honest has been in my mind 🤓

SUMMARY: you and fellow talk things through under a fireworks show.

WARNINGS: none!!

COMMENTS: OUF I WENT HARD ON THIS ONE

unedited as always for i am eepy

TAGLIST: @yanderepuck

The lights are brighter and more beautiful than ever tonight. You hope it's not just you that notices.

Sparing a glance at Fellow, you notice that his gaze is more alive than usual. Maybe it’s the fireworks display. Maybe it’s your yearning. Maybe it’s your imagination, trying desperately to grasp at straws that could lead to the conclusion that he loves you back.

The conclusion is that he knows why you’ve stayed with him, even though he fears not being able to provide enough for you, enough for Gidel, enough for the three of you.

You don’t think he understands. You wish you had the courage to explain it to him.

“Do you like it?” he asks, finally breaking the silence between the two of you with some simple small talk.

It makes you squirm.

“The fireworks?” you ask, as if clarification is needed. It’s not like he asked if you like him. It’s not like you wish he did.

“Yes, the fireworks.” he answers, his words trailing off in a gentle sigh.

It must be hard to run this show.

You turn your gaze back up to the fireworks, gnawing at your lower lip. Silence falls between you two, and you wish it was anything but.

“Listen...” Fellow breaks it again, and in the corner of your eye you can see him sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck.

He says your name.

You turn to face him and he’s close, he’s too close, and your heart nearly pops out of your mouth.

“Listen. I know I don’t deserve you and I know I’m just some guy that going to mess up and everyone around you knows you deserve better, even Gidel does and he wants you to stay with us just as much as I do, but I—” he groans and digs his hands into his hair, resting his elbows on his knees as he avoids your gaze.

“Fellow?” you murmur tentatively, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder, “What is it?”

“Please don’t leave.” he jolts up, clasping your hands on his, “I don’t know what I’ll do if you leave. I can’t force you to stay because my heart won’t let me and that’s so confusing but I can’t help it.”

“I’m not planning on going anywhere! Where did this come from?!” you rip your hands out of his grasp and sandwich his face in your hands.

He stops talking immediately, eyes darting around the ground.

He doesn’t know. That much is obvious.

“Look, Fellow...I don’t want to leave. I want to be here with you and Gidel. I don’t care if you think I deserve better because I can make those decisions for myself. I would have walked out of here if I didn’t want what you have. So please don’t say those things, alright?”

He hesitates.

“Alright.” Fellow relents, a soft smile touching his lips, and you work up the nerve to do something you’d been wanting to do forever.

You grab his hands and press two kisses to his palms, curling his fingers into fists to protect your gift. He stands there, slack-jawed, cheeks burning pink.

“A...Anyway!” you push his hands back towards his body, whipping around to face the fireworks again, “I’m not leaving! So make sure you remember that, okay?”

“Can I...return the favor?” Fellow murmurs like he didn’t even hear what you said, like his mind has been wiped clean at the touch of your lips on his skin.

Your cheeks burn as you nod, and he descends upon you like he's also been waiting forever.

[treason-and-plot]

I can't remember if you have posts about your picture taking process but I'm really curious how did you get a lot like Prosper Room so crowded and look so lively. Do you pose everyone or do you just get them there and leave them be?

I would love it, if you have time and motivation of course, if you showed us your process for setting a scene and taking pics. I never did those in any sims game tbh and I always love seeing behind the scenes things.

Love you and your work to bits!! ❤️ ❤️

I don't think I have made any posts about my picture-making process because prior to today I don't think anybody has ever asked! But I really appreciate you sending me this ask and your lovely comments. Thank you so much!

For these particular scenes I have 16 Sims in the active family. (I did originally have 20 as stated here but my game kept freezing.) For anyone reading who may be unfamiliar with this process, I add the Sims to the household by clicking on my active Sim and then selecting NRaas>Master controller>Household> Add Sim. I then filter by age and gender so I have a decent cross section of Sims, and enable testing cheats so I can teleport each Sim to the active lot, in this case the Prosper Room. I have a decent gaming rig and can usually add 20 Sims to a lot before my game starts to protest, but as mentioned in an earlier post I had to reduce the number of household Sims in this case to 16, I suspect because the Prosper Room already contains a number of service Sims.

Once all the Sims have been teleported to the lot, I then set about dressing them. This can be a laborious process but I usually have a couple of Sims in the household who have a dozen outfits in their inventories for this very purpose. It is then a simple process using Nraas to transfer one of those outfits to another Sim in the household. I click on my active Sim and then choose NRaas>Master controller>Intermediate>Transfer clothing. A box will then appear as shown below asking for details of the 'Destination Sim' and I then choose 'current lot.'

A list of Sims will then appear of the same age and gender and I just choose the one I want to transfer the outfit to. You can also choose them all if you want!

Now, for my current Prosper Room scenes, I placed meals on all the tables using Nraas Debug enabler: Nraas> Debug enabler>Options sim> make food. (Again, quite a laborious process, because I like there to be a good variety of dishes!) I then instructed the majority of my Sims to sit at the tables and start eating the meals placed in front of them, as seen in the below pic.

Once they have finished eating, I can make them stay in their seats by having them converse with each other (which is probably the best way of making the scene 'lively') or by using Nraas animator: Nraas>Animator> Animation by category> Play Specific Idle>Seated Idles>a_chairdining_idle sigh_x. The wonderful thing about using Animator is that you can direct Sims where to look, too. (I know you can do that using pose player add-ons if you choose to pose your Sims instead, but if you use Animator the Sims continue looking until you cancel the animation).

I tried to illustrate my answer by using more screenshots but I kept getting warnings that I'd exceeded my character limit, so if anyone reading this needs more clarification of my process please don't hesitate to ask! Thanks again for the wonderful question @oasislandingresident!

[rkvibehundred]

A Connor Darkly

RK-Vibe Hundred Halloween Bingo 2024

Write/draw/create to win Bingo!

Participation open to all! No sign-ups, just pick a card---any card!

"Official" posting dates are October 1st to October 31st---but post next May, three years from now, or never! <3

Get a column, row, or diagonal of 4 squares in each Mirror on a single card to collect the Bingo!

The same square counts for each Mirror on the card.

You may combine squares together in one project for a Bingo, but it will not count for the other Mirror.

All ratings and ships are welcome.

The only thing that's a no-go is the same for the server content: NO EXPLICIT CHILD SEXUAL CONTENT IS ALLOWED.

Tag us @rkvibehundred or #rk-vibe hundred halloween bingo 2024

The AO3 Collection is: "RKVibeHundred_HalloweenBingo_2024"

Without further adieu, click "Keep reading" to view an example card, see the various Bingo Cards A-F, and get creating!

EXAMPLE

So let's say you do the top row of four squares in mirror #1.

Those same squares count for mirror #2, but you don't have a bingo in mirror #2 because the location of the squares are different.

Therefore, you have to do a separate line of 4 squares to complete mirror #2 and claim the bingo for the card.

HALLOWEEN BINGO CARDS

If you have any further questions or need clarification, please don't hesitate to ask! <3

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Okay, Connor may not have a mustache, but to make up for it, here is Glittery Mustache Nines, courtesy of server member @leelany-world. <3

https://www.tumblr.com/leelany-world/746035576846811136/once-upon-a-time-a-year-ago-through-happy

[halfratsalready]

The Great Wanderrose Doomsday Survival Celebration Exchange ✨

(I was gonna shorten the name but this felt funnier)

I’m very excited to say that signups are now open for the Wanderrose fic exchange! Signups will be open for an entire week and will close on Saturday, May 25th at 8:30pm EST. Matches will be made and assignments sent out shortly after that. Because signups are open for a week, you have time to think about what requests/offers you want to make, so you don't have to sign up immediately if you aren't quite sure yet what you want.

Please read the intro, FAQ, and rules before signing up, and make sure to read the instructions given on the signup form itself. If you have any questions that AREN'T answered in any of the aforementioned sections, feel free to reach out to me and ask. I tried to be detailed in my instructions on the signup form, and everything I included was included with the intention of making sure that this exchange runs as smoothly as possible for everyone.

Link to the challenge below the cut!

This is my first time running an AO3 gift exchange, so it's a learning process for me just as much as it might be for some of you as participants. Don't hesitate to let me know if you need further clarification on something or have a question that hasn't been answered. I'll add questions to the FAQ as I receive them, as well, to make the answers accessible to everyone.

I hope to see you guys there and can't wait for all of the amazing fics that we'll get out of this exchange!

[moonastroellie]

I'm going to put this out here just for clarification... I do not write transgender Ellie because I want to have sex with men, I write transgender Ellie because I have gender dysphoria and this is based on some of my life experiences- I've had gender dysphoria since I was really young and obviously it put a lot of stress on me and I was young and didn't understand what was going on. I figured out how bad my gender dysphoria was after having a trip and having severe dissociation and distortion.... I also do understand that a lot of the stuff I write is NSFW (18+) but I am in the making of series that aren't NSFW and are SFW, that could possibly help other people with similar problems. I also have a lot of transgender friends whether it be FTM or MTF, and they do like this stuff and that's totally fine... Obviously I do want to make this community as comfortable as possible with the stuff I write and obviously it's not for everyone, if it's not for you then that is fine, you can scroll or block me, but remember that some people DO like this stuff.

The majority of the stuff I have written has been based on requests I have gotten and not based purely on my own ideas, but yet again I am in the making of angst and fluff series, hc's and one shots- not everything I write is strictly to sex, but the majority of it is, and obviously I am still trying to write stuff that isn't purely around sex... As I have clarified in a lot of my writings is that I do NOT use offensive terms towards trans people such as "futa" or "femcel" this is to make other people comfortable and it's purely because I'm not a transphobic person.

Mentions of suicide below this!

Gender dysphoria is no joke, I drove myself insane with it and almost killed myself due to gender dysphoria and other mental health problems- and I do get where some people will feel uncomfortable with this stuff but it's much nicer to just ask instead of saying transgender writers want to have sex with men and this is the only reason I, me, myself as a person would want to write transgender Ellie, it's simply not... I obviously don't want to give out my entire life online, but it's not because I want dick, it's simply because I want one and I'd MUCH prefer to write it about a fictional character than real life people. There are very few transgender!Ellie, Abby and Dina writers in the last of us fandom so it's not particularly hard to know who you're aiming this at.

If anybody has any questions about it, or anything else please don't hesitate to DM me or go into the anons, I'm always happy to give out advice!

At this point, I have said what I needed to say and most likely won't be writing about it again but this is just so people understand I'm not doing it for some of the reasons that have been said

[obikinbb]

✨Authors✨

One day before your Final Check-In Begins!

We're really excited to see all the hard work you've been doing these past months! However, before we begin with that, we'd like to make a couple of clarifications regarding posting:

Your work must be posted in full on AO3 on the Obikin Big Bang 2024 Collection by the end of your posting day (We're still working on the schedule, so, if more than one team posts on the same day, you will be assigned time slots to publish your works). Do not use Tumblr for posting your full story. Before posting, share the link to your work with your artist so they can have it ready on their own post. (If you don't know how to post on a collection on AO3, please contact a moderator or check out or Tumblr page for Posting)

You are allowed to make small changes and edits to your story after you've send your work for final check-in. Just please remember that no major plot points should be changed and do not add a key tag or Archive Content Warning unless absolute necessary, and, if you do so, please contact a Moderator so the Masterpost we'll be revealing on your posting day can reflect the changes.

Before your work goes public, please contact the Moderators to confirm with us your Masterpost Information (which we will ask you during final check-in). Only one person on the team needs to contact the Moderators, but the Masterpost must include the following information:

Title: Author: [Name/Nickname] [main username] | [other usernames if desired] Artist: [Name/Nickname] [main username] | [other usernames if desired] (If Used) Beta/Cheer Reader: [Name/Nickname] [main username] | [other usernames if desired] Word Count: Rating: Content and Archive Warnings: Pairing(s): Key Tags: Summary: [Link to Fic] [Link to Art]

If, for whatever issue, we're unable to get in touch with you, your work won’t be revealed in the collection. Please get back to us as soon as you have a few minutes

The works won't be revealed in the collection without approval from a Moderator, so, when you're ready to post, please contact one of the Moderators (or both through Tumblr/Twitter DM) with the links to both art and fic ready to go.

We (the Moderators) will be available to help you out with any problem you may encounter throughout these two months of posting, from helping you how to post your work in the collection, to any unforeseen event that may cross your path and hinder your ability to post on your posting date. There may be days where only one Moderator will be available, but we won't leave you to fend for yourself, so don’t hesitate to send us a message or an ask on tumblr if you find yourself struggling during your posting day

[legend-of-morons-after-dark]

For requests: how do you think the boys would react to a fem!dom reader asking to peg them?

Ooooo good question! I'm adding First and Fierce as a Treat lol

Fierce

Stunned

You're probably the first to ask him

He's a literal god

But he also loves you and is willing to try things with you

So of course he agrees to try it

He's not nervous but a little confused when you guys start out mostly because you haven't done this with him before

He likes it, though!

Fierce ends up loving pegging

He'll ask you himself if you go too long without filling him

First

Turns as red as possible and sputters

"What?!"

He probably needs reassurance first.

Tell him you love him no matter what

But he will absolutely try it he's just worried he'll do bad, and you'll hate him (he's wrong, of course)

He adjusts after a minute or two and decides he really likes pegging

He won't brag about it, but if he were the bragging type... well.

He definitely wants to do it again

Four

He dosen’t feel particularly strong either way until you ask him.

The idea of YOU pegging him? Sign him the fuck up.

IF applicable He'll look into getting you a custom harness to peg him more comfortably

He adores being pegged.

He definitely asks you about incorporating this more often

Hyrule

He gets blushy and also probably has to ask for clarification on what pegging is

He's a little hesitant, mostly because he doesn't want to disappoint you.

But once you try it, he's Hooked. Capital H and all.

Definitely gets whiney for you

Legend

He's a brat and I love him

He agrees and teases you. "What, you need more control?"

Don't let him fool you, he's VERY on board

All it takes is one thrust to break his bratty attitude. It just flips him into full on subspace.

He'll probably ask you for more than one round too

Sky

He just smiles as he agrees

He went to Knight Academy, he definitely has a good knowledge of sex, kinks, and positions. Locker room talk took its toll.

He takes to pegging like a champ, but he gets squirmy because he just can't stay still

Sky 100% asks for this to happen again and again

IF you're okay with him bragging about you he tells people how good you are to him.

Time

He was probably trying to figure out how to ask you to be honest

He agrees readily and is ready to try it as soon as possible.

He's so good for you, tell him he's pretty and takes you so well

He'll happily bottom for you anytime

Twilight

He goes red but asks what you expect of him when you do peg him

He just wants to please

He doesn't think he'll enjoy it too much

He is WRONG

Twilight likes it more than he expected and even tells you so

Warriors

He was probably going to ask you

He just wants to be taken care of

He agrees happily and asks if you'd be willing to do this more often

He's so pretty for you

Wild

He hadn't considered it really but he'll try most things once

He's anxious but most because he hasn't been pegged before

Wild likes it, though, and definitely wants to add it to the rotation

[knbexchange]

KnB Valentine's Exchange 2024

What kind of gift can you ask for?

Fanfic or fanart, as long as it includes character(s) from KnB. It doesn’t have to be Valentine day's themed. White Day themed, or stories focused on romantic, platonic, or familial relationships are welcome.

Minimum requirements for making a gift?

Following our 2022 Holiday Exchange:

1k words for fanfic; or

lineart with some shading for fanart.

Schedule:

Jan 12: Sign ups for the exchange open. Tell us what you want to give and what you want to get. (And what you don't want to get!)

Jan 26: Sign ups close.

Jan 29: Gifter-giftee matches emailed out. A reply will be required to let us know you’ve received the exchange prompt. If you have a Tumblr, check that you have anonymous asks turned on in case your gifter wants to ask something about your prompt.

Feb 14: Check-in. Confirm that you are still participating in the exchange and are on track to complete your gift by the end of the posting period. A draft of your work thus far may be requested.

Mar 1-14: Posting period. Pinch hitters may request an extension past the posting deadline.

Rules

You must be 18+ to create or receive NSFW gifts

Let us know as soon as possible if you are unable to complete your gift so we can organise a pinch hitter

Use common sense with tags and warnings when posting your gift. If you have something NSFW, be prepared for tumblr’s censorship

When posting your gift, @ this blog (@knbexchange) and send us a link to your gift—especially if you aren't posting your gift on Tumblr. We’ll share a link or preview if you post the gift offsite

You need to be contactable around important dates

Make your best effort to give your giftee something they’d enjoy

Respect people's DNWs (=Do Not Want). If your giftee lists something as a DNW, don't include that in your gift.

If you need further clarification on your giftee's prompts you may contact them directly or through a mod.

Please follow the post formats and remember to use relevant tags so other people can find your post too

If posting on Ao3, don't forget to add your work to the exchange collection: KnB_Valentines_Exchange_2024

Art gifts:

@ your giftee and @ this blog. Include a message if you like. Please tag appropriately.

If posting outside Tumblr, send us a link to your post.

Fic gifts:

@ your giftee and @ this blog. Include a message if you like. Please also include the following information:

Title: Rating: Warnings: Characters & ships: Word count: Summary:

Link or read more for the fic

If you have any further questions, don't hesitate to contact us here on Tumblr or by email (knbexchange@gmail.com)

[pkmnirlevents]

Info/Mobile Directory

Hello everyone and welcome to pkmnirlevents! Our goal is for this blog to serve as a central hub for people who are planning events or searching for events to participate in! We also plan to be an archive for starting resources and other material folks might find useful when running their blogs.

Our community has been rapidly growing, which while exciting can make it difficult to network and know what's going on. The introduction of stakes tags have been a huge help, though folks still may become discouraged if they struggle to find out about events before they're truly happening. A lot of planning goes into these things behind the scenes!

This post will serve as the directory for mobile users, though on desktop we have a handy navigation page that should remain up to date! If any links are broken or outdated please don't hesitate to let us know!

Directory | Prompt Events | Current HS Tag | Current LS Tag | Current NS Tag | Starting Resources | Ask/Reblog Games | Promos | Reblogs | Our Tip Jar

For an explanation as to how our tagging system works and how to submit an event check the read more.

Tag Explanation:

Event tags are to follow the format of MonthYearStakes, meaning if for whatever reason we are having an issue with updating our tagging system on our various pages you can manually look up info about current, past, or future events if available!

Ex. June23HS would be our tag for High Stakes events in the month of June 2023

Stakes abbreviations*:

HS - High Stakes (The fate of a region or the world is at stake. Grievous and even fatal injuries may happen to people and Pokemon. These often have a great deal of planning going into them, so please keep that in mind when opting to participate.)

LS - Low Stakes (May also be referred to as Drama Stakes. Meant for higher stress events that are not necessarily life or death for participants or their Pokemon.)

NS - No Stakes (These events are meant to be relatively stress free! Conflict may still arise, but nothing intended to have a lasting negative effect on participants. All in good fun!)

*Subject to change as needed for organizational or clarification purposes

How to Submit an Event:

When submitting an event to us it's extremely important that you include a link to at least one blog involved with the event (preferably the "host") and the dates that the event will be taking place. We understand that sometimes these dates may move around, and if need be we are willing to adjust tags but it's important we know where to sort it to begin with.

Please also specify if your event will be High Stakes, Low Stakes, or No Stakes (you are free to clarify as much or as little as you want here as there are other types of tags our system doesn't include).

Finally, include a description of what your event is. You don't have to spoil major plot elements, but at least give people an idea of what they're getting into. The use of keywords may also help people manually searching through our blog!

We may eventually provide a template for event submissions to follow, depending on the general traffic this blog gets. As of right now we do not see that being necessary. However, if your event submission does not include at least these things we will not post it.

Remember that when it comes to crossover events communication with your RP partners is key! Be respectful and do not spring major plot elements on your fellow roleplayers. Try not to become discouraged and importantly have fun!

[mrghostrat]

Hello, I just finished chapter 5 of your most recent fic, I have to say I love it, really do, even tho english is not my first lenguage and sometimes it's hard to understand what's going on, but nothing a dicctionary won't help in.

Also, really liked the detail of the different sided opinions in the topic of what to do if we like someone. Crowley it's the most relatable one, at least for me, I would have given the same advice.

i'm delighted you took a chance on it!! please don't hesitate to ask if there's anything you need clarification on, and thank you for reading 💛

[onlyseokmins]

✨ ᴏɴʟʏꜱᴇᴏᴋᴍɪɴꜱ ᴏɴᴇ ʏᴇᴀʀ ᴄᴇʟᴇʙʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ 🥂

❥ I'm super excited to announce my one year celebration with this blog and combine it with a milestone event! The main goal is to celebrate the writers and fics in the kpop community, so I hope you'll join me in doing so. A gentle reminder that if anyone is interested in doing something like this, please send me a message! I spent a decent amount of time organizing this so it would be appreciated, thank you. And without a further ado - from June 5th to June 19th, you can submit a fic via this form, tell me what you liked about it, and as an optional bonus: receive a headcanon of your choosing written by me! ❤

❥ Please makes sure to thoroughly read the following rules below because a keyword is needed for EVERY proper submission. Don't hesitate to send me a message/ask for clarification, concerns, or anything else! ♡

𝓗𝓸𝔀 𝓭𝓸 𝓘 𝓹𝓪𝓻𝓽𝓲𝓬𝓲𝓹𝓪𝓽𝓮?

⌦ The idea is that you provide a link to a fic, tell me what you liked about it, and I will send it over as an ask to the writer!

⌦ All feedback sent to the writer will be anonymous unless you choose to add your URL to your written feedback. It will not be linked to you even if you choose to be tagged in your headcanon post. So, please feel free to be an avid secret (or not) admirer!

𝓦𝓱𝓪𝓽'𝓼 𝓲𝓷 𝓲𝓽 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓶𝓮?

⌦ You get to brighten a writer's day, let them know you love their fics, and help them feel like their hard work, time, and dedication is worth it! Whether you want to revisit some of your favorite fics/writers and gush over them or have simply been too shy to send any feedback before - I'm happy to provide a fun avenue to celebrate the writers in the community!

⌦ Though it's only optional, you may also submit a headcanon request for me to write. Further details laid out below.

𝓘𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓪 𝓼𝓾𝓫𝓶𝓲𝓼𝓼𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓵𝓲𝓶𝓲𝓽?

⌦ You can submit your responses to the form as many times as you want during the event period (June 5th - June 19th). This includes headcanon requests but you must submit a fic link and feedback for each request you send in.

⌦ Please do not abuse the system. Duplicate links/feedback for multiple requests will be deleted! There are a multitude of fics and writers to choose from, so go out and find some great fics! ❤

⌦ There is never a limit to sending writers love. Even after this event ends, consider still doing it on your own! If this is a success, I may also bring it back next year ♡

𝓦𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓯𝓮𝓮𝓭𝓫𝓪𝓬𝓴 𝓼𝓾𝓫𝓶𝓲𝓼𝓼𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓻𝓾𝓵𝓮𝓼?

⌦ Though it seems like a lot, it should be laid out in the form clearly and simply. These just serve as clarification/elaboration.

The writer MUST be aged 18+ or older. No exceptions. I will NOT be interacting with any known minors. Thank you.

Likewise, absolutely no minors are allowed to participate. Trusting y'all on this!

Please note if the writer is comfortable with NSFW content. This is just a head's up for me but not mandatory so it's fine if you don't know. I will handle it accordingly via interaction with my SFW writing blog.

All written content within the kpop community is fair game as are any adult writers. However, please note I reserve the right to make my own judgment whether I feel comfortable before engaging with any fics or blogs!

Do not weaponize or put down derogatory remarks. I also reserve the right to decide if the feedback you provide is respectful before sending it.

𝓦𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓬𝓪𝓷𝓸𝓷 𝓻𝓮𝓺𝓾𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝓻𝓾𝓵𝓮𝓼?

Feel free to take a look at my guidelines on what I won't write. Any questions, don't hesitate to send me an ask!

NSFW and SFW headcanons are welcome though any SFW requests will be posted at a later date and can all be found @userseokmins

Similar to the game I did when I first opened this blog, these will be kept short so I can focus on my multitude of WIPs. Completed posts will be no less than ~5 sentences but no more than 1k words.

Posting will be at will without a time frame to avoid me feeling pressured. Please search elsewhere for a writer accepting requests if you want a more reliable timely manner. I'm still working on other requests and WIPs simultaneously!

I reserve the right to not post anything I don't want to. [the keyword, all lowercase, is deekay btw!!]

𝓦𝓱𝔂 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓭𝓸𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼?

⌦ I've been thinking about this kind of event for a long time. I'm very excited to kick it off. Nothing gives me more joy than giving and sharing some to others!

⌦ I've also been looking to catch up on reading more fics, so please don't feel ashamed to promote yourself!

onlyseokmins: June 2023 ©

[pradnyesh1008]

I'm a bit confused why it's not possible to pick the same personality choice twice? You did mention a dual nature; is that what that's referencing? Is one of them intended to be a façade and one real?

I completely understand your confusion regarding the inability to pick the same personality choice twice. The concept of the dual nature does indeed reference the idea that characters can have multiple facets to their personality.

In the game, when you select a personality choice, both options you choose contribute to shaping your character's overall personality. There's no limitation on how many times you can choose a particular personality—it's entirely up to you.

If you wish to portray one personality as a facade and one as genuine, that's entirely within your control. The choices you make will influence how your character is perceived and how they interact with others in the game world.

Ultimately, it's all about crafting a character that feels authentic and true to your vision, so feel free to explore different combinations and see how they affect the story! If you have any further questions or need clarification, please don't hesitate to ask.

[mimisempai]

Tell me all your fears

Summary

Aziraphale wakes up in the middle of the night in an empty bed. He joins Crowley and together they once again discuss the demon's fears and the consequences of Aziraphale's decision to follow Metatron.

Notes

I've already broached the subject, but given what they've both been through, it's going to take more than one discussion. 

On Ao3

Rating G -  1343 words

Aziraphale awoke to a strange sensation. Something was not as usual.

It hadn't been that long since he'd gotten into the habit of sleeping, even if only for a few hours, but he always woke up in a tangle of arms and legs because Crowley had somehow wrapped himself around him. Whether at the beginning or in the middle of the night.

That was the strange feeling. No tangle.

He reached out behind him and found nothing but emptiness and cold. Which meant that Crowley had left the bed some time ago.

Aziraphale opened his eyes wide to see that it was still dark, and that was even stranger. Crowley must have been very discreet because Aziraphale was a light sleeper and hadn't noticed anything.

A little worried, he looked around and was relieved to see that Crowley's clothes were still there. Still, he decided to get up, and after grabbing his robe and putting on his slippers, he made his way down to the first floor of the shop.

When he reached downstairs, he saw that there was no light, then he immediately spotted the outline of the demon in front of the bookshop window, illuminated by the dim light of the street lamps. He was sitting in the red armchair, and despite the dim light, Aziraphale could see clearly from his posture that something was wrong.

He was hunched over, his arms around his knees, his head resting on them.

Aziraphale's concern grew as he approached the demon.

Not wanting to startle him, he murmured softly, "Crowley... my dear?"

The demon raised his head and turned his eyes toward him, and his expression was so sad that Aziraphale rushed over and knelt in front of him. Then he took Crowley's clenched hands and asked him in a worried voice, "Crowley, tell me. What's wrong?" 

But the demon shook his head, not answering.

Aziraphale insisted, "Please, tell me, there's no way I'm leaving you in this state. Unless you tell me you want to be alone."

"That would be better, yes."

Aziraphale froze, not sure if he'd heard right.

He murmured, "Do you want me to leave?"

Crowley didn't answer, just nodded.

Aziraphale swallowed, but even though the rejection was painful, he had to respect Crowley's wish, so with a heavy heart he started to get up. However, just as he was about to let go of the demon's hands that were still in his, they held him back and he heard Crowley faintly plead, "Stay..."

Wanting to be sure, he sought the demon's gaze and when he caught it, he said softly, "Crowley, dear, you need to be clear with me, and whatever your decision is, I will not hold it against you in any way. Do you want me to stay or do you want to be left alone?"

Crowley whispered again, this time looking at Aziraphale, "Stay."

The angel nodded and said quietly, "How about we make ourselves comfortable on the couch? I don't know how long my knees can take this treatment."

Crowley nodded, and together they sat down on the couch while Aziraphale turned on the small desk lamp.

Then he took Crowley's hand in his and asked gently, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Crowley seemed to hesitate for a few moments, as if struggling with himself, before saying softly, "Would you mind just holding me?"

No force in the world could have prevented Aziraphale from opening his arms, so vulnerable and fragile did the demon's request sound. He didn't answer, just opened his arms, welcoming the demon to his chest before closing them around him.

A few minutes passed before Crowley said quietly, "Would you really have left everything behind that day?"

Azirphale didn't need to ask for clarification; he knew what day and what the demon was talking about.

He took his time to think about how to answer. 

After a moment, he said gently, "Yes, I think so. At least I thought so until I changed my mind."

He felt Crowley hesitate again before the demon straightened up to look at him and asked, "What if it happened again? What if someone came again and told you that the price for saving Earth was your return to Heaven? What if..."

"Crowley! Stop!"

Aziraphale took him by the shoulders and said in a firm voice, "There is no 'what if.' Everything is different now. It's not me anymore. It's you and me. It's us. I know it's my fault that you have these kinds of fears. And I take full responsibility for the mistake I made that day. But I made a vow to you, on what I hold most dear, which happens to be you, that I would never make a decision like that on my own again, and I will. I just need you to keep trusting me."

Crowley shook his head and protested, "Angel, my trust has been unshaken for millennia, this is not about that."

Aziraphale asked, "Then what provoked this reaction?"

Crowley replied, "A nightmare. Just a nightmare. I went into the bookshop and there was no sign of you. When I woke up, it was all I could think about, the sensation was so real, like an echo of what I felt when I walked into the burning bookshop and realized you were gone. I couldn't sleep anymore, so instead of waking you, I went downstairs. Only it was worse because I was standing in the exact spot of my nightmare, which quickly sent me into a "spiral".

Aziraphale brushed back a red strand of hair that had fallen across the demon's forehead, and then, resting his hand on the demon's cheek, he said quietly, "There's one mistake you've made in everything you've just told me."

"What's that?" the demon asked, puzzled.

Aziraphale replied, "Not waking me."

"But I didn't want to bother you."

Aziraphale replied gently, "I think that's where it starts. Not wanting to bother the other person. I don't know about you, but I'd rather have you bother me than know you're down there alone, trying to cope on your own."

Crowley half smiled and replied, "I guess that's part of what we have to learn together.

Aziraphale replied, "Even after 6,000 years."

Crowley sneered back, "Especially after 6,000 years."

Then he leaned his head into the angel's hand and said more seriously, "I'm glad you woke up and came to me."

Aziraphale replied softly, "Me too, my dear," then leaned forward and pressed a lingering kiss to the demon's forehead.

When he pulled away, he asked, "What do you want to do? Go back to bed? Or something else?"

Crowley answered, "Just staying here for a while, I don't want to go to sleep and have the same nightmare all over again."

The angel replied quietly, "Whatever you want. Come on, let's get comfortable."

Aziraphale leaned back comfortably, then pulled Crowley over so he could lie on the sofa and rest his head on the angel's lap. He tucked the blanket over the demon and, burying his fingers in the red curls, began to stroke his head gently.

After a few moments of this treatment, the demon hummed contentedly and smiled, "You know, Angel, if you keep this up, I'm going to fall asleep."

Aziraphale asked quietly, "Would that be so bad?"

Crowley curled up a bit and replied, "Just don't want to have the nightmare again."

Aziraphale reached down and pressed a light kiss to the demon's forehead before saying softly, "What if I stay awake and wake you if you have a nightmare?"

"You'd do that for me?"

Aziraphale replied tenderly, "That and much more. So if you feel sleep coming on, don't fight it, I'm here."

He leaned forward and said softly into the Crowley's ear, "That's what we do, right? We watch over each other."

As he spoke, Aziraphale continued his light, hypnotic caresses, and Crowley, no longer struggling, gradually let sleep take him, trusting that his angel would be there to keep the nightmares at bay.

_________

Still not beta'd

Still not my native language

Still hoping you'll enjoy this story  🥰

Still thanking you for bearing with me 😝

Ineffable Growing Love series : here (After season 2)

Ineffable Husbands masterlist : here (Before season 2)