#really getting this in at the nick of time

[cherib3lla]

𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐄 ; 𝐂𝐇𝐑𝐈𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐎

warnings — not proofread :( pet names (baby), complete fluff !!

a/n — this is my first fluff fic/blurb so please give me feedback !! i’ve also seen many fics/blurbs like this so credit to the people who have made story’s like this <33 enjoy!

Chris and Matt had been streaming for more than three hours. Ever since Nick had gone on tour with Madison they've been streaming an insane amount. Not that anyone was complaining. The fans loved it.

They typically streamed until late at night. Starting around six or seven o'clock and not ending until at least ten. Even sometimes streaming twice in one night.

You streamed with them for an hour or two. Playing different games with them until you eventually get tired. That's what led you here, sleeping in Chris’ bed while he and Matt played Fortnite.

This was the second stream of the night. You had fallen asleep somewhere in between streams. Chris and Matt started playing Fortnite for the third time that night while you slept.

Everyone knew how mad that game made them. It was unavoidable. Screaming, banging, and chair throwing surrounded the house. To you, it was never that serious. Just a stupid game that they liked to play.

You were wrapped comfortably in Chris’ blankets. Head between two pillows to try and muffle the sound of everything around you. To be frank, it didn't work at all.

“WHAT THE FUCK MATT. GET OVER HERE.” Chris yelled at the screen. Matt yelled back, you could hear him from upstairs. “THIS IS ALL YOUR FUCKING FAULT CHRIS!”

You slowly open your eyes, accepting defeat. You are still in Chris’ bed, out of frame. You sit up with a huff, hair messy, and lips puffy. You wrap the blanket around yourself, get out of bed, and walk over to where Chris is sitting at his desk.

“MY FAULT? YOURE THE ONE WHO-” he gets cut off by your soft hand on his shoulder, tapping gently to get his attention.

“Chris, please come to bed it's almost — three am,” you state as you look in the bottom right corner of his computer. Unbeknownst to the two of you the chat was speeding by with ‘hi’s and ‘good morning’s directed to you.

“I'm sorry — did I wake you?” Chris replys. You wanted to make a snippy comment and say ‘Yeah no shit’, but you didn't. Too tired to really say anything anymore. But you did anyway.

“Yes, now can you please come to bed? It's almost three,” you repeat. “Of course baby — go lay back down I'll be there in a second!”

He leans up to peck your lips. You dodge it playfully and turn to walk back to his bed. His jaw drops. Ha couldn't believe you just did that in front of thousands of people.

‘Damn’ ‘LMAOOO CHRIS GOT REJECTED’ fills the chat. He turns back to the computer, saying bye to the stream and Matt. “Bye, guys! Love you all” he throws up a peace sign, logs off the discord, and turns off his computer.

He spins his chair around to see you under the blankets with your phone in hand. He walks over to you, gets under the covers, and pulls you against his chest. “I missed you baby,” he says through a yawn.

“Chris I was literally two fe-” he cuts you off with shushing noises.

“Shhhh — you're way too far away. Now go to sleep”

a/n — hiii, i hope you guys enjoyed!! this is super short but i hope it succeeded your expectations.

tag list — @sturniolos--girl-deactivated202 @m0r94n @lovesodakid @sweetreliever @emssturniolo @slxtformatt @prettylameusertbh @conspiracy-ash @probablyoutyappingorsomething @sturniolosandmoree @https-roman @hoeforchrizz @hvlplvss @idontcare4urmom @submattenthusiast

[chestersturniolo]

“Fine!”

Chris Sturniolo x collegestudent!reader

based on this request (warning; mentions of eating/sleeping habits)

*°:⋆ₓₒ

The coffee table is a disaster—papers scattered everywhere, books piled high in random heaps. You’re sitting cross-legged on the floor, hunched over your notes. Your back aching from hours in the same position as you try to cram more information into your exhausted brain. The exam is looming, and despite how tired you feel, there’s no time to stop.

You barely register the sound of Chris’s footsteps as he walks into the room. His voice is gentle as he crouches down beside you.

“Hey, babe-“ he says, placing a kiss on your cheek. “-Is there anything I can do to help?”

Without looking up from your textbook, you shake your head. “No, I’m fine” you mumble, eyes glued to the page. You flip to the next section with more force than necessary, frustrated by how little you feel is sticking.

Chris watches you for a moment, concerned. He tries again. “You sure? You’ve been at this for hours,,maybe you should take a break. I can get you something to eat, or we could—”

“Chris!” you snap, cutting him off

“I said I’m fine” The words come out harsher than you meant, but you can’t help it. You’re overwhelmed, and his hovering is only adding to your stress. You let out a sharp sigh “Yknow what, maybe I’ll be able to focus better someplace else, without you hounding me”

You don’t even look at him as you start packing up your stuff, shoving papers and notebooks into your bag with irritated movement.

Chris stares at you, hurt flickering across his face. “That’s not fair y/n-“ he says , taken aback. “-I’m not hounding you. I’m just trying to help”

You keep your head down, not meeting his eyes as you zip up your bag. You can hear the frustration building in his voice

“-I’ve been watching you study yourself into the ground for days. I don’t even remember the last time you ate or slept properly-“ he says, letting out a sigh. “-all I’ve been trying to do is help, but if you don’t want me to, fine”

You stand up, slinging your bag over your shoulder. “Fine!” you spit, brushing past him toward the door.

He steps aside as you leave, his voice softer this time, tinged with disappointment. “Fine”

~~

Days passed without a word from Chris. You were too consumed by your studying to dwell on the argument, burying yourself in books and notes until your mind feels numb. The exam day finally came, and when you walked out of the hall, there was a weight lifted off your shoulders. It went well, better than you expected.

But now, the following day, nothing is left to distract you. as your curled up on your couch, the argument with Chris floods back into your mind. It’s like a fog lifting, and you realize how badly you handled things. The stress, the pressure—it made you lash out, and now you regret it. You hated how quiet the space was around you, usually filled with Chris’ voice saying something either flirty, outrageous or hilarious.

Just as you’re lost in thought, there’s a knock at the door. You groan, dragging yourself off of the couch making your way to the door.

As you open it, your heart skips a beat. Chris is standing there, a mix of emotions on his face, holding a huge bouquet of your favorite flowers.

“Chris…” you whisper, placing a hand on your chest, overwhelmed by the gesture but also the regret bubbling up inside you.

He smiles softly, almost testing the waters.

“Hey, ma… I uh- heard your exam went really well” he says, holding out the flowers toward you.

You hesitate for a second before reaching out to take them, your fingers grazing the petals as you admire them. A small smile plays on your lips as you look at the flowers, then back up at him. “Nick told you, didn’t he?” you say with a small smile and playful roll of your eyes. Chris chuckles, nodding. “Yeah, he did”

His smile fades a little as he glances down, then back up at you, his expression turning serious. “I’m really proud of you, y’know-” he says quietly. “-and… I’m sorry. About everything. I just wanted to be there for you, and I guess I should’ve given you more space”

You shake your head quickly, guilt tugging at your heart. “No Chris, it’s not your fault. I shouldn’t have pushed you away. I was so stressed, and I took it out on you…I’m sorry”

He steps closer, his eyes softening as he reaches out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind your ear. “I get it. It’s been a rough time for you-“ He sighs, shaking his head slightly. “-I just hated seeing you so stressed. I just wanted to make it better”

You smile up at him, the tension between you melting away. “You always do” you whisper

He comes forward and pulls you into his chest. His familiar scent seeps into you, and for the first time in days, you feel at peace. After a moment, you pull back slightly, looking up at him with a soft smile

“Come inside?”

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

a/n; thankyou for the request anon!! lyly

- 𝑺𝒂𝒈𝒆 ♡

MASTERLIST

taglist: @sturnobsessedwh0re @nayveetbhh @phone4pills @demzzz @dripgodnay

@sturniooolos @monroesturnns @mattsbitchh @slutforsturnioloss @pvssychicken @tsturniolo4

@brianna-grace12 @blahbel668 @stvrlighht @witchofthehour @ilyttmatsa @asherrisrandom @l0ver-i @starstrucktyrantinfluencer @fratbrochrisgf @emely9274

[rennybu]

AAAAUHG.. so many things come to mind so i will start with... i like to imagine he and Fenris are the same height :') (5'11"). This got a bit long but i'm always happy to talk about this guy!!!!!!!!! @trebuchet151

he's got a big garnet signet ring with the Amell family crest carved in it, and that's about the only recognizable thing that denotes his lineage... he has always liked stamping wax seals on letters with it!!! he's a ring guy generally, he likes mixing and matching stones and metal.

his hands are very scarred and rough from reckless casting, and especially casting fire magic without a staff (in a pinch).

He has a heart tattooed on his ring finger for Fenris :') their wedding was very. Andraste as the witness, on the road, impulsive. Vows for themselves, nothing legally binding. Fenris has a plain gold band on a red cord somewhere on his person at all times.

his testosterone is taken via oral tincture, some kind of oil solution he takes drops of daily. like a mild and highly personalized potion recipe! it's the only reason he sometimes needs a home base or shop to set up in, to prepare a big batch. He stores it in little glass vials he collects from trinket shops. Malcolm found the recipe for him after he came out in his tweens.

Bethany is kind of sainted in his mind, when he's exasperated or stunned he might utter an "oh Bethany" (in the tone of "are you seeing this shit") rather than an "oh Maker"

He struggles a lot with empathy, in that he frequently can logically recognize when he should feel for another person's situation, and yet finds himself unmoved. He will deliberately go out of his way to care for others, sometimes more than is needed, to try to make up for what he perceives as a personal flaw. This is how he ended up like a wrung out mouldy rag, emotionally, by the end of DA2.

His spell class is fucking terrifying, he has a lot of mana and not much hp, but is really reckless about his reserves. He combines force magic with fire magic, trapping foes and incinerating them, and sometimes leaving himself winded in the wake of too much magical exertion at once.

he's pretty spry and strong but doesn't have a great constitution. He tires out quickly in fights, hence trying to end them explosively and quickly.

Was briefly stalked by a sloth demon, perhaps around Act 2, and passed a very "get off my doorstep" homebrew harrowing as a result. Burnt it out of his shadow and got some spring back in his step, around roughly the same time he recognized his feelings for Fenris, settled into his role as Hawke within Kirkwall, etc. He Killed Dysphoria, Forever!!!

His love for Merrill makes him very "blood magic is okay", he loves her worldview and wisdom about its use, but his upbringing prevents him from extending that grace to himself. He was forced to use blood magic in his duel against the Arishok in order to survive it!!! Angst. Hates himself quite badly for this. Until Merrill is like "why are you special" and he's like ooohh. I get it

We all kno Hawke goes thru hell but I love reflecting on Orson's arc from early family life to Now/post-DA:I, he found closure among his friends and family and was able to fully remove himself from a public leadership role and is doing much better for it. He's a bit of an anarchist i guess, jack of all trades with a pretty rigid set of personal morals that sometimes forces him to act outside the law. He's very grey market, hard to contact, arrive in the nick of time.

He and Fenris do not ever shut up around each other. Two dudes who talk about fuck all, very intelligently. If you see Fenris in the wild, Orson is probably around, too. They love hunting Venatori and only sometimes get in the way of other spy/subterfuge activities.

he smells like BRITTLE sun-baked wood, with a hint of oily herbal medicine.

[holdmytesseract]

hi friend! 👋

I have a cute and fluffy request for the Baby Fever AU! 💕Narfi's first steps, Loki and Ella are out on a daddy-daughter date (you can choose where they're going) while Narfi and reader are at home together.

While reader has her attention on other tasks, little Narfi takes his first steps towards reader. When Loki and Ella returns home, reader surprises them with Narfi walking towards them 🥹💚

Growing Up

☆ The Baby Fever AU ☆

Loki x Y/N feat. Narfi & Ella

Summary: Narfi takes his first steps, causing you and Loki to realise that he's not so tiny anymore...

Warnings: fluff, fluff and even more fluff!

Word Count: 1,7k

a/n: I know it took me quite some time, friend, and I'm truly sorry for it. 🥺 Also, I really hope that you like it and that I did your request justice. Thank you again for the amazing moodboards you made for me, @chennqingg ! 💖

Baby Fever Masterlist °☆• Loki Masterlist °☆• Masterlist

divider by @fictive-sl0th <3

Today felt like a pretty normal Thursday to you. Getting up at seven in the morning, making sure Ella got ready for school, while Loki prepared breakfast - bless him - and of course actually dropping your daughter off at school. Since you had 'Ella duty' this week, your husband tended to little Narfi and got the very young man dressed, fed and ready for the day. Sometimes, it was pretty chaotic and quite hectic. Especially on the days you were working as well - not full-time, though. You were still in maternity leave, but Nick allowed you to work two or even three days a week, if you needed a change of scenery or just a break. Just like today. Sure, Loki had to return to being an Avenger as well, but you always made it work. Besides, the others were happy to jump in as a babysitter as well.

After dropping Ella off at school, you drove straight to the SHIELD headquarters for work, leaving Narfi with Loki, who'd leave your son with auntie Nat for the rest of the morning, because Steve hated it, when Loki missed out the important briefings which concerned his 'development' as a resident of planet earth. Or in other words: Making sure he still behaved, didn't relapse and was a 'hero' and not a threat to humanity. In your eyes, it was ridiculous that he still had to 'prove himself' after all those years... After getting married and starting a family... After everything he had done for the Avengers, America and the whole world. But well... Who were you to speak up and change things? It was how it was.

Seven hours of going through reports and sorting files, you clocked out of work. Yes, it wasn't much you were doing, but it was something. Better than just staying at home. You loved being a mom, but sometimes you needed to see something different - and you were more than happy to rejoin your friends in hopefully near future and slip back inside your Avenger combat suit.

Instead of driving to school to pick up Ella, you drove back home. Loki had already done that; taking his princess out for a daddy-daughter date to the indoor swimming pool.

Arrived at the Avengers compound, you didn't even bother to drop your stuff first; instead heading immediately for Natasha's. Your motherly instincts were literally screaming at you by now to go see your baby son. So, you did.

Your best friend opened the door to her apartment for you with a huge smile and little Narfi on her arms; dressed in his white sweatpants and matching jumper. He looked like a baby smurf - which was probably one of the cutest things you had ever seen and would get certainly never tired of seeing again. "Mama!" Narfi squeaked happily from behind his pacifier as soon as his beautiful ruby eyes registered you; impatiently squirming in his auntie's arms. "Hiii, baby boy!" You smiled brightly and immediately took him into your arms. His adorable giggle urged to your ears; causing you to smooch his little cheek with kisses, and once you had thoroughly greeted your son, you turned your attention to the Black Widow leaning now against the door frame still with that smile on her lips.

"Hey, Nat." You shuffled closer to hug her, what the Russian beauty instantly reciprocated. "Hey, babes." "Thank you for looking after this little guy here," you said; pulling back from the hug and gently bouncing Narfi on your arm. Natasha shook her head. "No need to thank me. I love playing the cool auntie part." "I'll keep that in mind," you winked, causing your fellow Avenger to giggle.

"Alright. We'll be going then. Gotta do some chores... See you around, Nat." "Sure thing, babes."

You looked down at Narfi, who had snuggled against you; head buried in your neck. "Say bye bye to auntie Nat, Narfi." "Bye bye," babbled the little boy in a sweet, quiet voice; clearly on the verge of dozing off. Natasha smiled and waved at Narfi, "Bye bye, маленький смурф." who instantly lifted a small hand to wave back. Smiling and bidding your goodbye to the Black Widow as well, you pressed a kiss against your son's forehead and ran a hand through his black locks.

Back in the apartment, you put the toddler down for a nap on his beloved floor cushion - which he mostly preferred for a nap, instead of his bed. Now that your son was sleeping peacefully across the living room, you had the time to do some chores. On today's programme: folding laundry. So, you spread out on the sofa, switched on the TV - but kept the volume down, of course, and got to work.

From your position, you had the perfect view on Narfi as well; having an eye on him from time time. Unfortunately, that didn't always keep him from escaping your watchful gaze. Just like Ella, was he his father's child... Sneaky and definitely a tiny mischief maker. Not quite as much as his big sister, but nevertheless...

You could swear that you only didn't look at him for five minutes - and suddenly was the floor pillow empty.

Shit.

"Narfi?" You called through the living room; letting your eyes wander and already moved to stand up. He wasn't in this room anymore. You sighed and shook your head with a small smile. "Little rascal..." You mumbled under your breath and crossed the living room; aiming for the hallway.

The good thing was, that Narfi couldn't get far; not having learned how to walk just yet. The emphasis was on the word 'yet'.

You rounded the corner into the hallway, "Narfi?" and found your son standing - hands free - beside the clothes basket, which he had clearly used to pull himself on his feet. At the sound of his mama's voice, the toddler turned his head - which caused him to immediately lose balance and land on his small bum.

Your eyes widened. Was he about to take his first steps and you 'interrupted' him? "Baby, were you about to take your first step?" Narfi was already pulling himself up again; using the clothes basket as a help like before. A sweet huff left his small lips once he made it on his small feet; causing you to stifle a giggle.

"Try again, baby smurf, come on." Narfi turned on slightly wobbly legs towards you; hand gripping the basket for dear life. "Mama!" You smiled and walked quite a few steps closer, before you squatted down and opened your arms. "Yes, c'mere! Come to mama!" You tried to encourage Narfi; a bright smile on your lips.

The smile got even wider, when your son suddenly let go of his support - and took a very wobbly, unsteady step towards you. With you mouth agape, you giggled. "Yes! You did it, baby! C'mon! One more?" Your happiness infected Narfi and he smiled a bright, toothy smile. Giggling, he made another two fast and wobbly steps, before he lost his balance and more or less stumbled into your arms. You reached out and caught him, before he could hit the floor; sweeping him up in a hug.

"Yay!" You cheered and peppered his cerulean, chubby cheeks with kisses. "Mama is sooo proud of you, Narfi." The little boy just cooed and gurgled happily.

An idea crossed your mind.

"Let's surprise daddy and your big sister when they come home, huh? They'll be so happy to see you walk." Your toddler's eyes widened at your suggestion. "Supise dada lala?" Narfi couldn't say Ella yet, so he settled on 'Lala' - it was the cutest thing ever. You giggled; nodding. "Yes, baby smurf. Come on."

The laundry was long forgotten; deciding to play with Narfi instead and helping him practising to walk.

After a very successful daddy-daughter date at the indoor swimming pool, Loki and Ella returned back home in the evening to the Avengers compound. The little girl's hand was neatly tucked into her father's bigger one as they exited the elevator. Ella was definitely tired and worn out - just like it should be after such a day. That was most probably the reason why Loki was carrying not just his duffle bag in his free hand, but also Ella's pink Disney princesses rucksack on his back.

Together, they stepped down the hallway and into your family's apartment. "Darling?" Loki called out; taking off his shoes and helping his tired daughter to get out of her jacket. "Mommy? We're back!"

The pair heard a small voice along some shuffling, before you rounded the corner into the entrance area with Narfi walking in front of you; yet gripping tightly onto your pointer fingers. "Hey, you two," you greeted them happily. "The baby smurf and I have to show you something." Proudly, you let go of your son's small hands - and let him walk a few small, still wobbly step. Before he could topple over, you grabbed him quickly around his middle; holding him steady.

Both, Loki's and Ella's jaws were on the floor; not having anticipated this. Sure, Narfi had tried to walk now for days - probably weeks, but it looked like he needed some more time to learn... Apparently not.

"He is walking now!" A not-so tired anymore Ella squeaked and crawled forwards and clumsily, but lovingly hugged her little brother - who didn't quite understand why everyone was making such a big fuss. He just squeaked along happily.

Loki met your gaze; his beautiful blues shining with a few tears. "Darling, he... Our son is walking..." He whispered; visibly touched, but you heard him anyways. Ella was already helping Narfi back on his little feet; his hands in hers tightly as she helped him walk down the hallway. It gave you the opportunity to step over to your husband. With a smile, you slung your arms around his middle; invading his space. "I know, babe, I know." Loki laughed softly and tried to blink back the tears as he wrapped you up in a hug; strong arms keeping you locked against his tall, defined body.

"We have to watch out now, babe. Soon, he'll start to run," you stated with a giggle, causing Loki to shake his head. "By the Norns, please not. He's already growing up too fast..." You sighed; knew exactly how he felt - and he was right. You rested your head against his chest, giving your husband the opportunity to press a kiss on top of your head. "Mhm... Growing up too fast, just like Ella." You felt the god's chest vibrate with a hum. "Just like Ella..."

маленький смурф - little smurf

Baby Fever Crew: @muddyorbsblr @mochie85 @asgards-princess-of-mischief @jaidenhawke @multifandom-worlds @ijuststareatstuffhereok89 @jennyggggrrr @mishkatelwarriorgoddess @huntedmusicgardenn @fictive-sl0th @herdetectivetheorist @hisredheadedgoddess28 @chennqingg @princess-ofthe-pages @km-ffluv @brokenpoetliz @lokiforever @stupidthoughtsinwriting @loz-3 @jaguarthecat @icytrickster17 @eleniblue @yourfriendlyslytherinhc @mypainischronicbutmyassisiconic @kimanne723 @lou12346789 @smolvenger @isaidoop @lokisgoodgirl @cakesandtom (Continuing in the comments)

[l0vely-sturniolo]

TINTED WINDOWS

matt sturniolo x reader

tbh i didn’t know what to title this😭 but based off of matt’s story in todays car video and what it would be like to be his gf in the car with him when it all goes down :,).

——————————————————————————

me and matt were at the store, getting things that he needed for the house, and things that the triplets needed for future videos. it was just me and matt, chris was at home working on some stuff for his brand, and nick was home editing this weeks friday video. we finished shopping and checked out, making our way back to the car.

as we walked back to the car, the security guard from inside the store spoke up, “tints a little dark, buddy.” he said. did he watch us the entire time to know exactly what car we were going to? matt looked over his shoulder, “yeah, it’s a little dark,” matt responded, and we kept walking. we put the bags in the car, before getting in.

matt started the car, and there was a knock on my window. i looked over, and saw the same security guard. “what the fuck?” i said, and matt looked over, and rolled his window down. “what’s up? what’s going on?” matt asked him. “you don’t have an answer for me on why that tints so dark?” he asked. i looked over at matt, confused as to why this grocery store security guard was so worried about matt’s window tint.

“no, not really,” matt responded. “so are you a cc?” the guy asked. “what even is that?” i asked. “i have no idea what that is,” matt said. “are you a cc?” he asked again. “no i don’t think so, i don’t know what that is,” matt responded. “concealed carry,” the guy responded. “no sir, i don’t have a gun in here,” matt responded.

“do you have any outstanding warrants?” the guy asked. “are you kidding me? all of this over some tinted windows?” i asked. “if i have any warrants, they’re not outstanding,” matt replied. i looked over at matt and he was shaking, and i reached over and grabbed his hand.

“we’ll see about that,” the guy said. “do we have a problem? is there something i need to be concerned about?” matt asked him. “we’ll just see about that,” the guy said, walking away. “oh my god, i’m gonna get put in handcuffs,” matt said, and he was still shaking. “baby, no..” i turned to looked at him. “he’s not even a cop, he’s a security guard from the store, didn’t you see his shirt? he shouldn’t even of been asking you about your windows,” i told him, rubbing his hand.

matt rolled his window up, taking a few deep breaths, before he started driving. “it’s okay baby, you’re okay, everything’s okay,” i told him, giving his hand a squeeze. matt started driving out of the parking lot, and out of the rear view mirror, i saw the security guard following us. “are you fucking kidding me?” i said, and matt looked and saw the car. “oh my god,” matt said.

“hey, hey.. it’s okay, just keep driving, he can’t do anything,” i said. “i don’t know what’s going on,” matt said. “me either baby, but it’s gonna be okay,” i told him. “he has no authority over you baby, he’s not a cop, i promise you’re okay, you’re not in trouble, nothings gonna happen,” i said still rubbing his hand.

matt turned right, and he followed us still. matt took another right, and he was still following us, and then he took one last right, and the guy went straight. “oh my god,” matt let out a sigh as he saw the guy go straight. “i almost had a heart attack,” matt said pulling over for a second, still shaking.

i reached over, pulling him into a quick hug, “i know baby, but you handled that well, and i’m proud of you,” i told him. “let’s go home incase he decides to be an asshole and come back,” i said, pulling away and leaning back into my seat. matt gave me a quick kiss, before pulling back off into the road, and we drove back home, this time with no interruptions, or security guards.

——————————————————————————

tags:

@stayingstromboli

[callalillywrites]

Shooting His Shot Part 2

Here is the conclusion of Shooting His Shot, and I really hope you enjoy this little AU as much as I had in writing it.

Please let me know what you think and if you might want to see more of this universe with the other characters featured here. Seriously, it wouldn't take much to convince to create more. Also, would love some suggestions on a good name for this AU if you've got any.

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Reader

Other notable characters: Bucky Barnes, Jake Jensen, Sam Wilson, Ari Levinson, Natasha Romanoff, Peter Parker, and honorably mentioned Curtis Everett

Word Count: 3880

Summary: Steve owns a steakhouse that you used to frequent before your ex came into the picture. Now, your ex is gone, and you're ready to head back to the one place you've always felt welcome and wanted. What neither you nor Steve count on is his staff, led by Bucky, launching a full-one assault effort to get you two together. It's time the two of you realize your feelings for one another.

Warnings: abusive ex (Reader's), pining, so much pining, fluff, two ridiculous idiots in love, a whole bunch of matchmakers

A/N: This is a completely self-indulgent story made like one of those cheesy rom-com which is my bread and butter at this point. It's proofread, but any mistakes are my own.

I also do not give permission for my work to be copied or posted on other sites or fed into an AI machine.

*****

Coming into the room, Steve can’t help taking in the changes himself.

How they managed to clear out the old office and transform it into a decent private dining area is amazing. The amount of time should’ve been far greater than the natural lull between lunch and dinner service. Yet, his staff somehow pulled it off.

“Nick work,” he murmurs as he passes Jake and Peter on his way to the small table.

His words are enough to puff up both their chests and bring pleased grins.

They barely wait long enough for you and him to sit before they approach the table once more. In seconds, they have his and your drink orders before hurrying off.

“I hope they aren’t neglecting their other tables,” he can’t help mumbling though he knows them well enough.

Peter’s been so grateful for the promotion and has been working hard to prove himself. As much as Steve and Sam have continued to praise Peter and his skills, it doesn’t seem to have sunk in yet with the younger man. They’re not giving up as they’re sure he’ll eventually get there and realize they aren’t messing with him.

As for Jake, Steve’s never really had reason for concern. Jake can be a bit awkward, especially around the prettier clientele, but he’s always maintained his professionalism. That awkwardness has even worked in Jake’s favor a time or two from what Steve can tell. He’s certainly drawn in a few of their regulars between his professionalism and his natural ability to put others at ease.

Without Jake, Steve’s not so sure he would’ve met you or had you coming back.

Little does he know that it’s his kindness and his own awkward shyness that made you a regular.

“I have no doubt they’re handling them just fine. Sam and Nat would never let them live it down if they weren’t. You have a good team here.”

Hearing your praise, Steve can’t help but exhale a little. While he knows how good his team is, it’s nice to hear you defend them. Your opinion matters. Maybe more than it should, but then, you matter to him. Since that first day you walked in, you’ve mattered.

Not that he’s ever let himself show you for fear you might not be interested.

It’s why he’s let so many years of silence sit between you when he might’ve taken a chance. Sure, he can blame it on his honor of not hitting on customers. Then again, you haven’t really been considered a customer by him or his staff for the longest time now.

When you brought Brock into the steakhouse almost a year ago, Steve believed he lost his chance. The way you looked at Brock was the same look of love and adoration Steve wanted for himself. He couldn’t help disliking the guy though he’d done his best to remain professional while you and Brock dined.

You only came a few more weeks after that first dinner with Brock before you stopped.

At each of those meals, Steve couldn’t help noting how you said less and less. Your bright friendliness and warmth dimmed more and more though you never stopped being nice to the staff. It didn’t take a genius to see the cause of those changes within you.

Brock.

He’d grown more brash and rude after that first meal. No matter how much you tried to intervene and beg him to stop, Brock not only didn’t listen, but he tried to verbally annihilate you.

It was during that last meal that Steve had had enough. Not only had it been clear that Brock had taken away your confidence and your happiness, but he’d also taken away your ability to fight for yourself.

When you’d gone to the bathroom, Steve had stepped up to the table and asked Brock never to return to his steakhouse. He also made it known that such behavior towards his staff and towards you were not only unwanted but punishable.

As much as Steve wanted to deck Brock, it was one of the only times he’d kept calm. Because of you, he didn’t do what he’d done in the past. Brock got to walk away with his nose intact and his skin unblemished. There was a promise that if Brock ever returned, consequences would follow.  

What Steve hadn’t counted on was not seeing you again until all these months later.

Glancing at you across the table, he can see your quiet confidence and bubbliness has come back. The dark cloud looming over you is nowhere to be found. It makes him happy to see you hadn’t let Brock keep you down. That would be the real shame.

“Do I have something on my face or something?” you ask, breaking the brief silence.

Steve shakes himself before shaking his head. “No, you’re perfect, bijou.”

Butterflies erupt when you beam at him.

*****

Jake and Peter return with your drinks and a sampler platter that you didn’t order.

“Ari made you a fresh mocktail since Sam swept you away before you could finish the other one,” Jake says with a small wink, setting your drink in front of you. At least some of your training on flirting hasn’t left him since your absence. “Said not to worry about it, either. It’s on Sam.”

“Bucky also sent us out with this platter. Said he wanted your thoughts on a few new items he’s been considering for the menu.” This came from Peter who set the platter carefully next to the tiny vase of flowers. The platter contains several different foods from cheese sticks and poppers to some tiny ribs and wings.

You’re quite impressed by it all, yet you can’t help saying, “This all looks so wonderful, but I really hope you’re not going through a lot of trouble just for me.”

“No trouble, future Boss Lady.”

You hear Steve choke on the drink Jake just gave him though he recovers quickly enough.

“We’ll be back soon with your order,” Peter says, giving Jake an exasperated look. He shoves Jake from the room, muttering words too low for you to make out.

Neither notice when you call after them, “But we haven’t ordered yet.”

When they don’t come back, you turn to Steve with what has to be a comical expression as you ask, “Future Boss Lady? The free drink, the hugs, and everything I’ve gotten since I walked in. Are they…”

You pause in the hopes of Steve finishing the thought for you.

He sets his hand on the table, palm up and open in invitation.

There is no hesitation when you place your hand in his, relishing the warmth and the soft callouses that line his fingertips. Working man’s hands as your father used to call them. You have never appreciated the feel of another’s hand until that moment.

The soft smile you’ve grown to love over all the years you’ve known him peeks out as he finishes your question, “Trying to woo you for me? Yeah, I think they are. Well, that and they have genuinely missed you these last six months.”

That has your attention.

The answer isn’t something you expect because you’re still so sure that Steve isn’t interested in you. As if to prove your previous belief correct, you ask, “What about you? Did you miss me?”

A part of you wonders if he’ll even answer the question. You’ve never really been so straightforward with him before. This changes the little dance you two have done since that first meeting a few years back. You’re not even sure you’re ready to hear his answer.

Not that you’ve given yourself a choice.

He doesn’t keep you waiting long. His thumb runs over yours while his gaze meets yours. His voice is low, conspiratorial as he admits, “Mon bijou, the last 187 days have been the longest of my life.”

You suck in a breath as his words wash over you. It’s the first time he’s ever added ‘my’ to his nickname for you. Before, you were always ‘jewel’ and you liked it, but this is something else. It gives you the courage to press for more.  

“You’ve counted the days since my last time here?”

Pink tinges his cheeks while his other hand comes up to rub at his neck. Despite the embarrassment of his confession, he doesn’t seem all that upset about having admitted it. In fact, he nods.

An almost hysterical type of giggle escapes as you admit, “I counted them, too.”

New tears, happy ones, burn at your lash line and threaten to spill over.

His hand tightens on yours. “Please, don’t cry.”

“I’m not,” you say though your conviction is shaky to say the least. “So, if I were to ask you to join me for an art show next week, you would…”

“Love to go,” he finishes without hesitation.

“Ugh, Mr. Rogers, you’re supposed to ask her out, not the other way around,” Peter grouses from the doorway before Jake can cover his mouth.

The two grapple for a few seconds, earning them a raised brow from both you and Steve.

“Apologies, Boss Man,” Jake finally manages when he’s got Peter in a loose chokehold, his hand firmly over Peter’s mouth, “but he’s not necessarily wrong. Smooth finish though. Mentally noting that with all the training future Boss Lady’s given me.”

You turn your face away before your laughter escapes you. To help, you even cover your mouth to keep the giggles in. It’s taking all your ability to keep yourself from just losing it in the moment. Your love for this group of people is overflowing with how much they aren’t subtly trying to help you and Steve out.

When you finally regain your composure, you meet Steve’s equally amused expression as he asks, “Did you two need something? Forget something perhaps? What about your other tables?”

“Checked them. All good, Mr. Rogers. We did forget to take your orders earlier, but Mr. Barnes says he’s got it handled.”

“Of course, he does. Thank you, Peter. Why don’t you and Jake head back to your stations?” His gaze softens the longer he looks at you. “I think we’ll be okay here for a bit.”  

Heat suffuses your cheeks, but you nod, happy to have more time with Steve alone.

Peter and Jake hasten back to their stations, content they’ve done their parts for the moment. You can see their happiness in the way they smile at you before disappearing down the hall. Jake even sends you a pair of thumbs up and a wink.

“I apologize for them.”

You shake your head. “Oh, please, don’t. It’s nice they care so much about you. You’re a good boss. Maybe even the best out there from what I’ve learned over the years.”

“What have you learned?” He arches a brow as he leans forward. His hand still holds yours on the table; his thumb has taken to rubbing a steady path across yours.

With a sip of your new favorite mocktail, you offer him a smile before diving in. “Well, I know that you and Bucky have made it so everyone starts at a living wage. From your dishwashers to your managers and even yourselves, you pay each and every employee enough to live without having to necessarily fear paying their bills each month. I also know that you and Bucky aren’t greedy with your earnings, either. You two are never making more than five times what your lowest earners make. You’ve even lived on zero salaries during some of the leaner years, so you could keep all your employees.”

Rather than the challenge he’d given you earlier with one raised brow, both are now touching his hairline as you reveal all you know.

But you’re not done yet.

“You’re also generous with paid time off and sick days compared to almost any employer out there. While you do occasionally ask your employees to help cover each other, you don’t guilt them or make them feel bad if they can’t cover. You’re not above rolling up your sleeves and stepping in when necessary. Hard work doesn’t scare you from bussing tables to managing customer complaints. I don’t think anyone out there has a negative thing to say about you or Bucky. You have their respect and their devotion. It’s why your restaurant has the lowest turnover rate in the city.”

You take another sip of your mocktail, needing a moment to catch your breath.

“So many companies tout the whole idea of their employees being family to them, but they’re empty words. Used as a manipulation technique. That’s not the case here. You and Bucky really have created a family here. You celebrate your employees’ victories and help them through tough times. You care about them and their lives outside the restaurant. It’s not because you want to pull more work out of them, but because you actually care about their well-being. Do you know how rare and precious that is? Is it really any wonder that I have had the biggest crush on you since forever?”

It takes less than a second for you to realize what you’ve admitted.

Now, you just need the floor to open and swallow you whole.

*****

Steve’s heart leaps at your last few words.

You have a crush on him.

That’s something he thought not possible despite his ever-deepening feelings for you over the years.

Yet, that’s nothing compared to how much you’ve learned about him and the steakhouse. He’s not sure how you came by all this information, but he’s certain he doesn’t care. The fact that it’s enough to impress you with all he’s firmly believed in doing for his staff makes it that much easier to fall for you even harder.

“You really noticed all that?”

You nod, your gaze lowering to where he’s still holding your hand. “Yeah, mostly from Jake and Nat, but also reading what are supposed to be puff pieces about the place. I think I might be a little invested in the success of this place.”

He tightens his hold on your hand, needing to know you aren’t some figment of his imagination. No other woman he’s ever met or been interested in has ever been so deeply sincere as you’re being with him now. They certainly hadn’t cared about the vision he and Bucky had for their restaurant so much as what they could get out of it for themselves. You care about his staff almost as much as he and Bucky do, and he can’t help loving you even more for it.

“I know I should’ve done this ages ago,” he swallows, then pushes on, “but do you think you might have dinner with me?”

Your gaze bounces to his before you motion toward the table and the appetizer that’s still sitting between you.

He chuckles. “Not this dinner. I mean a real one. I pick you up, hold the door open for you, and woo you properly. No assistance or machinations from others. Say, Monday night?”

“If I say yes, does that mean this one has to end? I’ve really, really been looking forward to one of Bucky’s creations and seeing everyone here, especially you.”

“Nah, I don’t want this one to end, either. Besides, it looks like the others have gone to a lot of trouble to make this happen. Don’t want to let their hard work go to waste.”

That earns him a beaming smile, and he’s more than ready to make it happen as often as he can.

“We should probably eat this before it gets cold.”

Nodding, you pick up one of the cheese sticks and take a bite while he chooses one of the poppers.

Both of you have to bite back moans, but the food is worth every bit of praise that’s sure to pass through both your lips before the night is over.

Talk soon turns towards the food and how good it is. You even offer Steve a sip of Ari’s latest concoction since he hasn’t been allowed to try it until your return. He finds it delicious though maybe not as much as you do. Every sip you take, he notes the little happy wiggle you do. It’s another thing he’s missed seeing these last six months.

Your enjoyment of the food and drinks the steakhouse offers is nothing short of wondrous to watch. None of it is faked to spare hurt feelings. The rare occasions you don’t like something, you share your thoughts with great care, couching your criticisms with plenty of positive feedback and constructive notes.

When the food is gone, Steve glances to find you biting your lip before you seem to come to a decision. Your gaze meets his as you say, “I, uh, I know this is one of your usual nights off. As are Mondays. Can I ask why you’re here really? Is it really to catch up on paperwork and handle payroll? Seems like those would be handled as necessary during the few hours between lunch and dinner.”

Steve blows out a breath.

He wonders how long you’ve been holding onto that information and which of his staff might’ve revealed this little tidbit to you.

Knowing you’ve revealed something deeply held, it’s only fair he does the same. If he wants to prove he’s all in, then he needs to step up and do it.

Another breath, he admits softly, “This is the day you usually make a reservation. Your early victory for surviving another week. Has been since the day you graduated with honors from university. So, it’s become a tradition for you to come each week. Your chance to spoil yourself. Since meeting you, mon bijou, I’ve found myself not wanting to miss an opportunity to see you again. Even if it’s in snatches on Thursdays, I’ll take it. You’re the greatest highlight of my week.”

Your eyes widen at his confession, but then, he’s certain he did the same with yours.

Though, you seem to recover quick enough as you ask, “Does this mean we’ve been pining for each other this entire time? Are we really those idiots in love you see in those Hallmark movies?”

Steve chuckles and nods. “I think we might be.”

“Oh, you most definitely are, but we love you both anyway,” Nat says from the doorway, her signature smirk in place. “Dinner will be out shortly.”

She takes off then.

When his gaze meets yours, you both burst out laughing.

“Well, my fellow idiot, I have one more question before I finally answer yours.”

Steve grins. “Lay it on me.”

“Why do you call me ‘bijou’? I know it’s French, and it means jewel. I’m just not clear on the why.” You prop your chin on your free hand and lean across the table towards him. 

The desire to lean in, to close the distance between you, is overwhelming. He longs to learn how soft your lips are against his, but he swallows the desire. Maybe one day real soon, he’ll have earned the privilege. All bets will be off then because he has no doubts that he’ll never want to stop kissing you.

“I took French in high school. Second language requirement. I ended up really liking it. Still pretty decent at it though I don’t practice half as much as I should. Back then, I really wanted to see Paris and be in the City of Love, you know? I got that chance with the army. Spent about a week between tours there and got to see some of the sights, but I’ve always wanted to go back. To really see all the sights. Share it with someone I really care about.”

He stops then, needing the moment to gather himself. For what, he can’t really say. It’s not lost on him that his next words have the power to either woo you or send you running in the opposite direction. All he wants is to keep you as close as you’ll allow for as long as he can.

“When I first saw you, I thought you were an angel. You certainly looked like one that night, but you were also so precious, rare. You took your time that evening learning about Jake. The tip you left was more than generous, even by normal tipping standards. Not once did you ever make someone feel inferior to you. I saw the way you stood up for Peter when that customer tripped him. I’ve never been more impressed with someone who wanted to do what’s right and not for what they might get in return.”

Your hand tightens around his, temporarily stopping him. He sees you blink rapidly. Your attempts to stop the tears are unsuccessful.

Reaching across the table, he gently swipes at the corners of your eyes and offers a smile.

“I don’t think you know how much of an impression you made on all of us that night. You were the most precious jewel I’d ever seen, and I’ve seen the English Queen’s jewels on a brief layover in London once. You don’t know how much I fell for you that night and having been falling ever since.”

His fingers continue to try and stem the flow of your tears leaking freely down your cheeks at his confession. The sweet smile on your face is almost as wondrous as you nuzzling your cheek against his hand, seeking his touch.

With a sniffle, you ask, “Do we really have to wait until Monday for that date?”

“It’s my next day off,” he says with a soft laugh, happy you’re agreeing to go out with him, “but I promise to make it worth the wait.”

A loud round of applause and several whoops echoed through the room.

Steve’s head shot towards the doorway where his entire staff are watching. Bucky stands at the head of the group, two plates in his hands and a wide grin on his face.

“Bout time you finally shoot your shot, punk. Doll here is a real saint for waiting on you so long.”

Steve rolls his eyes, but he doesn’t refute Bucky’s assertion.

“Kiss her already, man,” Sam hollered from behind Nat and Jake.

Before they can start chanting because they would, Steve leans in close to you, whispering, “Is it alright if I kiss you? Not because of these fools, but because I want to.”

Your smile contains a hint of mischief even as you nod.

When he’s within a breath of your lips, you let him know exactly what’s on your mind, whispering, “You know I’m an interior decorator, who’s just gotten a promotion. I could do wonders with this room of yours.  Maybe make it a place to turn the tables on these matchmakers you seem to have.”

“Mon bijou, you can do anything you want as long as I can call you mine.”

His lips touch yours, and you both forget about everything but each other.

Well, at least until Bucky sets your plates down on the table and sends everyone back to work. He’s the first to congratulate you both with hugs and well wishes for your long and happy future together.

*****

Main Masterlist

[darksigns-exe]

here are some autumn-flavoured nicky thoughts <3

warnings: none, just soft cosy feelings

There’s a noticeable chill in the air when you wake up. The soft wind that billows into the room through the partially open window carries that autumn scent with it, formally announcing the beginning of your favourite time of year. 

Next to you, Nick shifts under the covers, burrowing himself deeper into their warm comfort. The little noise he makes tells you that he’s no longer sleeping, but by no means ready to be awake yet. He looks so pretty like this, all soft and rested. The skin of his cheeks is creased from where it was pressed against a fold in his pillow all night, and you can’t help but reach out to trace your fingers across it. His face wrinkles up adorably when you brush your fingers against his cheek. Nick grumbles out a little sound, shifting and turning until he settles on his side, facing you. His eyes remain closed for a moment longer before he reluctantly opens them. Without saying a word, he lifts his arm, allowing you to scoot closer into his space. 

There’s nothing on the agenda today, you’re free to stay here for as long as you want. And with your face buried against his chest you can’t really imagine yourself out and about. Your lips find his skin so easily. Nicks arms tighten around you, pulling you just a little bit closer against him. You’re so warm and comfortable – how could you possibly want to get up. 

Nick presses a kiss to the top of your head, before he rests his chin there. You love these slow mornings. The ones where absolutely nothing has to be done, and you can just enjoy your boyfriends' presence. Your days together are always numbered, there’s always another tour on the horizon. 

You spent a little more time cuddled up together, making quiet conversation before the need for breakfast overwhelms both of you. 

Nick suggests that you should go for a little walk, enjoy the nice weather and all that. Knowing him, you know that you’ll find your way to the just opened pumpkin patch. Expecting that, you’ve set up the slow cooker so that you’ll have something nice and warming to eat when you come back home. 

A little while later, you find yourself wandering around the little market stalls that line the area in front of the actual pumpkin patch. You’ve already brought a plethora of new scented candles, soap and hand-made bath bombs. 

The wind had picked up over the course of your little trip. Before you had left the house, you had told Nick to remember his scarf, which he had promptly ignored. You watch him shiver for a moment longer, before you tell him that you want to check out one of the other stalls while he waits in line at the one operated by a local bakery. While you had been browsing you’d spotted a booth with the cosiest looking wool scarves. Just the right thing for your Nicky. The one you settle on has a purple marbling throughout its black fabric. Once it’s paid for you make your way back to where Nick is just wrapping up his purchase. He notices you before you have the chance to be sneaky about it. 

“You looked a little chilly.” you explain as you wrap the scarf around his neck, tucking the ends into his jacket, “Can’t have my boy be cold.” 

Nick looks at you for a long moment, soft adoration playing across his features. He thanks you with the sweetest kiss. 

You make your way back home not long after that. The chill of the autumn air has properly settled into your bones by the time you step inside your shared home again. You’re welcomed by the warming smell of the soup you had started earlier and before long you find yourselves in your living room, sharing steaming bowls. 

You stay where you are for the rest of the evening, curled up under the soft blanket his mother had gifted you when you had first moved into this place. Once more, Labyrinth flickers across the TV screen, and you only pay very little attention to it. With Nick settled against your body, you can’t bring yourself to give your attention to anything else. Nick sighs heavily, relaxing even more against you. 

You think that you could spend the rest of your days like this, just you, your boy and the cats, all comfy and cosy without a thing to worry about.

[imthepunchlord]

What's a show you liked that was really good, but the network it was on screwed it over and got it canceled? For me, it's Thundercats 2011 and The Secret Saturdays.

Oh man there's a good few.

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Turtles comes to mind. Thus far, it was my favorite adaptation of the concept. Animation was good, the brothers felt like actual brothers, and they made changes I genuinely liked. It was planned for 3 seasons, but unfortunately, we got a season and a half, as Nick canceled it mid s2 development, and they had to hurry to try and wrap up Rise with half a season.

You actually get to hear of some of the plans that we didn't get to see like Mikey taking care of his brothers turned into tots, Mikey and Raph crashing Ice Bear's wedding, and getting to discover who Big Mama's assistance was, who was potentially a lost sister; and we probably would've gotten expanded Draxum and Cassandra redemption, maybe an ep to show the backstory of how April met the turtles, probably more April-Cassandra eps as those two are usually paired together; and to see their take of the Rat King, who was set up to be worse than the Krangs and man, I don't know how they would've topped the Krangs. I am both scared and intrigued what they had in mind. But chances are good I'll never get to see.

Owl House is another. It was also planned for 3 seasons, but Disney said no, let's do 3 specials for season 3. And of course, after they realized how popular Owl House was but too late. I will say, for what they had to work with, they did do a really good job.

Amphibia sorta feels like another, I'm not sure if it actually was, but the last season feels like two seasons combined into one.

Inside Job. It's one of the very few adult animated shows I did like, I usually don't click with them as they're focused on drugs and sex and a lot jokes don't click with me; but that one I did actually enjoy... It may be that it had some wholesomeness to it, as a lot adult animated shows, from what I've seen, are really mean spirited. But IJ did have some really wholesome, solid friendship moments, that made it very refreshing. So RIP IJ. You got screwed.

Oh! Infinity Train is an easy stand out. That is one of the most intriguing, most mature, most complex, and most human cartoons I've ever seen. And it went super dark in it's concepts. And there were so many interesting ideas that the creator had, and at this time, those are ideas we won't see. It's a big shame that it got the most attention after it got removed from Max. This is probably next to Rise in seeing more seasons of, if we get the chance to get more.

Um... maaaaybe AtLA? That show was an easy stand out to have 4 seasons, especially as the whole thing is tied to 4 elements and 4 nations. I don't know if Nick was like, you need to stop at s3, or if Bryke was the one who was like stop at s3. And I will say, for the latter half of s3, some of the writing and characterization just feels off, though I did hear there was a lot of conflict between Bryke and the head writers, and that Bryke got involved more often so maybe that was it?

I know one of the head writers wanted s4 and had plans for it. And I will say, there are things I do think about that I wish I got to see in the show, but it never came up. These potentially could have if we had gotten 4 seasons.

Zuko and Toph having their own adventure.

Zuko and Soka having the same teacher of the blade and having a match to test their capability.

Just, in general, more of Zuko working off the Gaang.

Katara working off Suki, her potential future sister-in-law.

A resolution on Toph with her parents or at least her mom.

Covering the origins of the Avatar (especially as I disliked Korra's answer of it, and I lean not counting it as LoK has a different idea of spirits vs AtLA; so I wonder what AtLA would've said about it).

I also would've loved to see more spirits in general, s3 was lacking of them.

There's Ursa and her whereabouts, what I hear comic wise I don't like; so I wonder what AtLA's take and plan was.

Zuko reuniting with his crew from s1 (did they even survive Zhao's invasion?).

Zuko ever coming across the 41st Division, which I think is another big emotional missed opportunity, as him standing up for them is what "costed" him his honor, but just imagine them bowing to him in thanks, validating his stance as honorable, that he was right; that could've been huge for Zuko emotionally. Which, this is something I'll give to the NAtLA, having Zuko's crew be the 41st I thought was a really good choice.

I know the head writer had an idea for an Azula redemption, which I would've been open and intrigued to see, especially as he revealed it was going to be darker and harder than Zuko's, and Zuko would've taken what he learned from Iroh to help her, and supposedly end up an Azula who apologies often and over shares her feelings (which could end up being very funny).

I'm also bummed we never got to see Kuzon or Lu Ten (outside a drawing).

Oh! And seeing Aang and Ty Lee work off each other, especially as there's a possibility that Ty Lee is an AN descendant, given that she has gray eyes, moves quickly, and has an airy personality.

Which, if she is, that is a missed opportunity for Aang's emotional healing, the realization that he's not as alone as he thought. That there's another who shares his heritage. That could've been huge, could've been a tear jerker.

This is about it. There's probably more, but these are the stand outs to me that I feel got screwed over (or potentially screwed over).

[rad-roche]

you never really see how nick's friend group sees gloria in the books but you have to understand how what happens comes across to, say, ellie or piper. her long-time friend ups and vanishes for six months and when he finally shows up again he's wandering around with a very troubled hot woman who's like a third his age and nick has just signed over half the business and gets really cagey about their whole thing whenever it's brought up because he is now covering for a double-murder and is uneasy about that. by the time he lands back in diamond city piper goes ohhhh god he's having a midlife crisis

[random-thot-generator]

Late Night Double Decker Delight

Ghost x reader

Thinking about being tipsy enough to get a little naughty with the big guy seated across from you on the bus.

It's a brainrot thot that turned into a smut purge. Just go with it .

tw- MDNI 18+ only - Smut below the cut. Explicit language, explicit sexual content, mutual masturbation.

divider by: @strangergraphics

You'd gone on a pub crawl with your mates for a girls' night out, so you're still a little tipsy when you board the bus hours later, ready to finally go home.

It's late enough that the bus isn't crowded, but you still climb to the upper deck and teeter down the aisle to the seats in the back. It's just always been your favorite spot on the bus, for whatever reason.

You pay no mind to the young couple snogging at the front of the bus or to the big bloke sitting across from you. All you care about is getting those bloody high-heeled sandals off, because they're killing your feet.

Turning, you kick your legs up on the seat beside you and start working at the tiny buckles and straps. You groan when you finally slip them off, wiggling your toes with a relieved sigh.

"Christ, that feels good," you mutter, dropping your shoes to the floor with your bag.

You lean back to rest your head on the cool glass of the window, eyes automatically focusing straight ahead. You smirk when you catch the big bloke across from you sneaking a peek.

Can't really blame him. Though it wasn't your intention, you've unknowingly been putting on quite a little show for him. With your legs up and knees bent, the hem of your short skirt has worked its way up. It's just barely covering your hips now, and the crotch of your lacy knickers is on full display.

He's trying not to look, bless him, trying to be a proper gent, but his dark eyes keep flicking in your direction, like he can't help himself. Feeling a little wicked, you smirk and let your knees drift apart just a wee bit more.

Soon enough, his eyes slip sideways again, then widen. His spine stiffens with a little jerk, sitting ramrod straight when he forces his eyes to face forward, no doubt feeling caught out. His hand curls into a fist on top of his thick thigh. Your smirk becomes a devilish little grin and you titter out a giggle.

He's not a bad looking bloke, now that you're looking at him. He's not handsome in the conventional sense, but there's still something arresting about him. To be honest, he looks like a bruiser. Broad, heavy brow, nose bent wrong from a bad break, a scar bisecting his eye brow, another that jags down from his high cheek bone to nick his upper lip. Hard, angular jaw, thick, corded neck, a cauliflower ear.

Yeah, definitely a bruiser.

And Jesus, the size of him. He's a big bastard. The hoodie and jeans don't hide the thickness of his body, the strong length of his limbs. He's no gym rat with sculpted muscles and zero body fat. He's got meat on his bones, but there's no mistaking the heavy muscle underneath.

You bite your lip. Blondes usually aren't your thing, but those dark eyes of his are really something. Lazy and heavy-lidded one second, intense and laser-focused the next. You decide you wouldn't mind having them focused back on you again. In fact, you'd prefer it.

Your knees spread just a little wider apart.

A muffled moan grabs your attention. You peek over the seat to see the couple up front are still snogging, going at it hot and heavy. Tongues dueling, hands groping, it looks like they're trying to devour each other. Heat floods your body, watching them go at it. Your hand resting on your thigh slides higher, fingers dipping towards your center. A lacquered nail brushes against lace. Your hips twitch. You do it, again, just barely grazing over the lacy material. You hum, pleasure vibrating in the back of your throat.

The sound draws his gaze back to you again, his head turned more in your direction this time. Oh yeah, he likes what he sees, and that only makes you want to show him more. Knee knocking into the back of the seat in front of you, you slide two fingers over your mons, stroke down your covered slit. It makes your clit tingle and God, does that feel good. Your eyes flutter shut, but his low groan has them snapping open again.

He's slouching in his seat, hips shifting forward to spread his legs wider. Head turned, he's now openly watching you pet your pussy, dark eyes smoldering. His hand slides off his thigh, up and over his crotch, palming at his cock through his jeans. He then gives the immense bulge a hard squeeze, and oh fuck is that hot. You increase the pressure of your hand, biting your lips together to muffle a moan as you cant your hips.

Your knickers are getting damp and sticky, the smell of your own musk hitting your nose. It triggers a pulse of arousal deep in your core, muscles contracting, channel clenching, and you can feel your slick ooze out of your folds. Fingers tense, you draw them up to rub circles on your swollen clit, a whimper escaping your parted lips.

The big bloke grunts, gripping himself hard, eyes unblinking as he stares at your hand working your hard little nub. His face is flushed, color riding high on his cheekbones and damp forehead. Fuck, you want to see him, want him to pull his cock out and stroke it for you with that big, rough hand of his.

"Take it out," you gasp at him from across the aisle, eyes locking with his. You nod in encouragement when he stares at you, uncertain. Your tongue darts out to wet your lips. "Wanna see you," you breathe out, eyes flickering back down to his crotch.

His head swivels to peer over the seat at the front of the bus. The young couple are oblivious to the two of you, the randy lad basically on top of her now, pressing her back against the window. They're too busy with their own little make-out sesh to notice what's happening in the back with the two of you.

Burning gaze shifting back, he hesitates then twists to face you, throwing a heavy leg up on the seat. Tugging up the bottom of his hoodie, he works with frantic fingers at his belt and fly, parting the denim to reveal a bit of pale skin dusted with golden hair above the waistband of his undershorts. Bracing his feet to lift his hips, he works his jeans down a little lower. He then shoves a hand into his skivvies, using the other to push the waistband down, hooking it under his heavy balls as he hauls his cock out in his fist.

"Oh, fuck," you breathe, hips bucking at the sight of him. Your hand speeds up.

He's bloody big. His cock is long and thick with a bulbous, fat head that's already slipped its foreskin. It's flushed a dark pink and shiny-wet with precum. Your tongue flicks out, swiping between your lips as you watch a bead form, the desire to lick it off strong.

His fist starts pumping, eyes zeroed in between your thighs. "Show me tha' pretty pussy, sweet'art," he mutters low and guttural, rumbling like distant thunder.

Christ, that gravelly voice. His accent is northern, working class, and you can imagine it uttering the most filthy things in your ear. Your eyes roll up at the thought. Barely slowing your circling fingers, you pull aside the soaked gusset of your knickers with your other hand. Cool air hits the swollen, hot lips of your sex and you whimper. God, you're a mess, slick smeared everywhere, droplets clinging in your pubes.

"Ah, fuck," he groans, hand stroking down to grip the base of his cock in a tight fist. "So fuckin' wet."

His shaft is flushed an angry red, his grip so tight it looks painful. More precum beads then breaks, slipping down the delicate tuck of his frenulum, and saliva floods your mouth.

The tip of your tongue curls up to press into the bow of your upper lip, your panting breaths now audible. You want to lick that drop away so bad, follow its trail back up to his glossy tip and probe its tiny slit for more, before you pop the fat head into your mouth and draw deep.

Your hips roll, fingertips gliding over your pulsing entrance. You circle it, feel it contract, squeezing out more slick. You let a finger dip inside, pull it back, plunge it in a little deeper.

"Fuck, tha's it, sweet girl," he mutters urgently, fist working his cock. "Lemme— nnh! Lemme see ya fuck tha' pretty pussy."

His voice sounds like sin panting out those filthy words. It makes your cunt clench around your finger, pulling it deeper. His words sound so fucking dirty, but it feels so-so fucking good. When you add another finger, it feels even better.

"Fuck yeah, jus' like tha'," he slurs, hips rutting as his hand pumps faster. His mouth falls open, tongue lolling out to swipe at his bottom lip. "Christ, wanna lick yer pussy." He grunts, his expression turning feral. "Bet it tastes s'fuckin' sweet," he snarls, baring his clenched teeth.

You whimper and pump your fingers faster, can hear sloppy, wet schlick of each quick thrust. They match the frantic fapping noises coming from across the aisle. You fixate on his pistoning hand, hear his choked grunts, and feel your pelvic muscles tighten, your core begin to pulse.

"I— oh fuck— I'm gonna come," you pant, shocked at how fast you got there.

Do it!" he demands, fist flying. "Come f'me." When he sees your thighs begin to tremble, his eyes suddenly go wide then snap shut. "Fuck— Fuck!" he strains out, his back curling forward, then his cock erupts.

Watching him come, your own orgasm hits you like a freight train. "Oh, God..." you gasp.

His head snaps up, watching as your climax crashes through you, your body seizing up and shaking with the force of it. A look of savage pride and satisfaction has him baring his teeth in a wolfish grin. God, that expression alone could make you come.

You stare at each other as you come down, breaths slowing, sweat cooling. When you glance down at the cum striping his lower abdomen, you experience a little puff of pride yourself. It gives you a deep sense of satisfaction knowing he came that hard that fast because of you. You figure he must feel the same way, because he did the same thing to you

Grabbing your bag from the floor, you dig out a packet of travel tissues and split them with him. It begins to get awkward as you both set about cleaning up and righting your clothes. To fill the stilted silence, you exchange names, try to joke about what just happened, but it's too embarrassing to keep the conversation going. Then you remember the other couple. Bloody hell, you forgot all about them.

Peeking over the seat, it's only then you realize they're gone. When did that happen? Frowning, you peer out the window and gasp. Christ, you're almost at your stop.

Hissing curses under your breath, you grab your shoes, fingers fumbling with the blasted tiny buckles as you hurry to strap them on again.

"Ya olright, sweet'art?" your big bloke— Simon; he said his name is Simon— asks you.

You peek up at him through your lashes, feeling bashful now that your buzz is gone. "Um, yeah. Just didn't realize we were so close to my stop."

He nods, looking chagrined. "Doan feel bad. I missed mine altogether."

You laugh, liking the wry, sheepish look on his face. "We were a bit, um... distracted."

He huffs, rubbing the back of his neck. "Heh... Yeah." Then a little smirk curls up the corner of his mouth. "Ain't about t'complain, though. Best bus ride of my bloody life," he murmurs lowly.

Now you're the one who's flustered, but feeling beyond chuffed. "Me, too," you confess with a shy grin. You tilt your head. "Sorry you missed your stop."

He shrugs. "Doan matter. I'll call an Uber after I walk ya home. 'S too late f'ya t'be out walkin' alone."

His concern makes you feel all warm inside. It's been a long time since you've met a decent bloke. You give him a considering look, then smile. "Want to come up to mine for a beer first? Least I can do, since you're walking me home."

He takes you up on that beer after walking you home.

But he didn't call for the Uber until after breakfast the next morning.

-

[apomaro-mellow]

Runaway Royalty 6

Part 5

Jeff leaned against a tree and crossed his arms where Eddie was whittling something by a tree. He was squatting and hunched over and completely immersed in his work but there was a nervous energy to it.

“So, I heard Rick tried to set you up with our new guy. Tried being the point he really wanted to get across.” 

“I appreciate the guy’s…helpfulness. But I don’t want to give Steve the wrong idea”, Eddie said.

“That means you’re not interested in him at all?”

“I’m not not interested. It’s just-I can’t-I can’t afford to be distracted. And Steve would be”, Eddie paused to watch the omega from afar, all he was doing was walking and yet Eddie was entranced.

“Incredibly distracting, noted”, Jeff said. “But, I feel as though you are making excuses.”

“Excuses for what? Not courting some random omega that I just met?”, Eddie hissed when his knife slipped and he nicked himself. “You’re making this a bigger to do than it is.”

“If you are sure”, Jeff said, ready to leave well enough alone.

“We’ve got more important things to discuss.” Eddie pocketed the knife and stood up, leaning in close to Jeff. His voice turned to a whisper. “Rick’s informant knew that I left months ago. And that you’re with me.”

Jeff’s expression turned worrisome. “How could he know all that?”

“He’s a fucking magician, I don’t know!”, Eddie spit out before whipping his head around. “But we’ve gotta be careful now. Keep a low profile.”

“You’re telling me that?”

“I know, you’ve got such a difficult time containing yourself, but try your best.”

Rick told the camp at large the intel he’d received and it was decided their best course of action was to go to the valet’s home and see if he knew anything about the prince’s disappearance.

“So Prince Edwin has been gone for months?”, Robin asked. “Why is his kingdom just now putting out a search?”

“They were probably searching for all those months”, Gareth said.

Steve’s brow furrowed. “But why go public with it now?”

“Perhaps it was the recent disappearance of Princess Robin and Prince Stephen”, Greenley surmised. “Rick’s guy didn’t have much to say on them, so I think it’s safe to say they haven’t been missing for months.

When the next day came, the camp packed up. Steve and Robin were given tasks to help out around. Eddie was tending to the horses and Steve watched from where he was, packing supplies into a bag. There was an odd calm in the air.

And then arrows whistled through that air.

“Raid!”, one voice shouted.

“Scatter!”, another yelled.

“Robin!”, Steve called out, searching her out.

He heard her call out his name and saw that she was already on a wagon, speeding away. Someone was holding her by the waist to keep her from jumping out. Where were they going? Was there some kind of rendezvous point? How long until he saw her agai-

“Get down!”, someone shouted as they tackled Steve over.

He wrestled until he realized it was Eddie. Eddie who smelled like campfire smoke and something earthy. When they got to their feet, Steve grabbed his wrist and they ran like hell from whoever was shooting at them and attacking the camp. Steve didn’t even know where they were going, just away from here.

He couldn’t let himself think about how Robin was going in the opposite direction. She could take care of herself. Suddenly Eddie jerked back, pulling his hand away from Steve.

“What is it? Why have you stopped?”

“I can’t run anymore, something feels weird. I think I’ve got a butt cramp”, Eddie said, hands going to his lower back.

“Are you serious? We’re being chas-there’s an arrow in your ass!”, Steve pointed, hand coming to his mouth.

“Oh…yeah…that’ll do it”, Eddie glanced and then quickly tore his gaze away, unable to look at it. 

“Well take it out, you’ve gotta take it out!”, Steve started to panic. 

Eddie put a hand against a tree and hunched over. “Would if I could. But it’s a little…beyond my reach.”

“Well what are we supposed to do?!”, Steve nearly shrieked, turning away when he couldn’t bare to look at it any longer.

“Someone’s over that way!”, a man’s voice called from a distance.

Eddie cursed and stood upright again. He grabbed Steve and brought him to crouch down behind a boulder, biting back a groan at the movement. Footsteps approached and Eddie looked around them. He grabbed a rock and tossed it in the opposite direction. It went a good few feet, but it only thudded on the ground, not providing enough of a distraction. Steve rolled his eyes and grabbed a smaller rock. 

He flung it and with a flick of his wrist, it ricocheted off two trees and made a slicing noise through the grass. The footsteps moved in that direction and they waited with held breaths for it to go silent again. Once they were sure, Eddie let out a sound from deep within his chest and fell over.

“You gotta take it out.”

“Take what out?”

“You know! The-

“Okay, okay! Just!-Don’t move”, Steve ordered. “Don’t move so I can…” His hands hovered over the arrow, lodged squarely in Eddie’s right butt cheek. “I can’t. I can’t do it. Maybe we can figure out a pulley system or something?”

“Just pretend I’m Robin. You’d pull it out without hesitation, right?”

Steve took a breath. “You both are built similar enough.”

“Now just what is that supposed to mEEEEEAN.” Eddie’s pitch went up when he felt something get ripped from him.

It wasn’t hard to pull out, but Steve was panting all the same as he dropped the arrow. “Alright. You need to drop your trousers.”

“I beg your pardon?!”

“Don’t be difficult. I pulled it out. Now let me tend to it.”

Eddie turned onto his side. “With what, may I ask? Leaves and twigs?”

Steve revealed the bag he’d been packing before the raid. He rifled through it. There wasn’t much but it would have to be enough until they either met back up with the others, or found a village. 

“I’ll take care of it. But I’m not disrobing you. Take care of that yourself.”

“Yes, because you doing it would make it improper”, Eddie rolled his eyes. But he shimmied out of his pants, just low enough to reveal the top of his cheek. 

Steve used a cloth to wash the blood. Luckily it wasn’t gushing out. Was that normal? How did arrow wounds compare to others? There wasn’t any gauze or anything to patch it up with, so Steve simply put another cloth on top, then stared.

“Is it…are you done?”, Eddie tilted his head.

“Hush up, I’m thinking!” Steve put his chin in his hand and then snapped his fingers. “Here”, he looked into the bag and thankfully found a sash. With it, he tied the cloth tightly to Eddie’s behind. It was still much more loose than a bandage would be, but at least he wouldn’t get blood on his clothes.

“Do much nursing at home?”

“Oh shut up”, Steve said, getting to his feet and turning so that Eddie could right his pants. “So, what do we do now? Everyone’s scattered.” Robin…

“They are”, Eddie agreed. “But the Bandit King has a secret hold. So we make our way there, we catch up to the others.”

“And how long will that take us?”, Steve asked.

“That all depends on you, sunshi-”, Eddie cut himself off with a groan as he tried to walk. 

“Sounds like it depends on you”, Steve chuckled.

“Alright, flesh wounds still hurt. We might be going at it a little slow.”

Steve looked at their surroundings. Deep forest, no way of telling exactly where they were. And it seemed dangerous to move while Eddie was hurt. His sister was an alpha and she had others with her. Right now her biggest worry was him. And if he returned to her with an injury, she’d never let him live it down. ‘Ever since we stopped sharing a room, it all went downhill for you.’ Said ‘room’ was how she referred to their mother’s womb.

“We’re staying here”, Steve said.

Eddie’s eyes got wide. “Here? Like right here?”

“Whoever those guys were, they’ve moved on by now. And I’m not carrying you when you collapse from that disease that makes alphas think they can carry on while bleeding.”

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re very comfortable giving orders?”

“I’ve been told something to that effect before, yes.”

Part 7 coming soon

[taraljc]

Rewatched the first three episodes of Agatha All Along and I am having a stupidly good time.

The more I think about it, the more I love a library card for the Darkhold being used as a toe tag in the morgue in the Mare of Easttown pastiche. It works on so many different levels, and showing Agatha's name before Wanda's was actually a better gag than the acronym spelling out Darkhold.

By reframing Wanda's actions in Doctor Strange through the Westview anomaly lens that leads to the blackened library books, you still get all of the plot information without actually needing to have seen the movie to know what's going on.

(If you have not watched the movie, do not watch the movie. It will hurt you. It is very bad. It is very very bad. Watch Spider-man: No Way Home again because that is the only good Doctor Strange movie.)

Also it makes sense that if the darkhold has been completely destroyed across the entire multiverse, then that probably freed Nick from whatever bargain his mother struck and that's why the Salem Seven are hunting her. also they still haven't said who what's his bucket from Prison Break is playing so I'm assuming if we are going to see Nicholas Scratch it's going to be either him playing Mephisto or him playing Scratch.

Unlike Screen Rant 'journalists' and a lot of YouTube theorists, I genuinely do not believe that Teen is Nicholas Scratch/possessed by Nicholas Scratch/being manipulated by Nicholas Scratch. Mostly because despite dropping Mephisto's name I don't think we're going to get the full comics backstory of the Maximoff twins because it makes no sense in the context of the actual MCU.

(then again, Pietro having super speed also makes no sense in the MCU universe since the only reason Wanda survived her encounter with the mind stone was because of her magic; unless she somehow was protecting Pietro the entire time subconsciously the same way she was when she stopped the stark industries missile from going off for 2 days.)

But if you strip it down to it's essential elements, Billy Maximoff being hidden by a geas (which for reasons I do not understand they're calling a sigil) as a cuckoo in another family's nest as Billy Kaplan (no time travel necessary since I'm presuming his entire backstory and family is just as fictional as WandaVision was) falls in line with the whole chaos magic/Nexus being stuff we've already seen.

And I've been assuming the whole time that what he is walking the road to find out who he really is (and presumably what happened to his twin who I assume won't show up until the Vision series).

[cerealboxlore]

WIP game

Rules: You will be given a word. Share one sentence/excerpt from your wip(s) that start with each letter of that word.

Thank you @wolfsbanesparks for the tag!

My word is LIGHT

L: "Like lambs to the slaughter, all of them." Billy's hollowed voice echoed through the empty halls of his school, with only but the faint glow of green behind his eyes illuminating the dark path before him. (From my fic, "Creepy and Crawley", where Billy's mind gets taken over by Mr. Mind, and his only hope lies in the hand of his strangest ally, The Creeper.)

I: In retrospect, Billy should have knew that the Monster Society of Evil wasn't going to be the only villainous team out to get him. (From my fic about the evil kid/teen villains of Fawcett teaming up to take down Captain Marvel)

G: Going around Fawcett for a swapped patrol was a piece of cake for the Green Lantern, he had no idea why the Captain ever complained about his rogues. (From my fic "A Day In Your Shoes", where Captain Marvel bets some of his fellow JL members that they wouldn't be able to handle Fawcett City)

H: "Hm. So, Mr. Adam, was it? Care to explain why you need my son for a mission across the universe? Seems a little early in the morning for saving the universe, doesn't it?" Nick Bromfield sipped his coffee and awaited the response from the King of Kahndaq, who was seated across his dining room table. (From my fic where Nick Bromfield intercepts an important call for his son in the early hours of the morning)

T: Thunder was different from lightning, it could strike anywhere, anytime it wanted, and right now there was thunder racing through Billy's heart threatening to shatter it. (From my fic where Billy teams up with Wonder Woman and Cassandra Sandsmark against Chain Lightning)

This was so cool! I've been in a writer's block for some time now, but this really pushed me into a good rhythm! Such a shame I could only do five, haha!

Tags: @shrugsinchinese @erinwantstowrite @kenandeliza @chaoticallyfluffy @im-not-buying-it-ether @that-one-gay-bitch and anyone else who sees this and wants to join in on the fun (or if you've already been tagged, here's another one to do)! Tag me so I can see y'all's WIPs, let's get the creative spark going!

I'm giving y'all the word: MARVEL

[links-in-time]

Gay for Clay

Okay, so I wrote this ages ago and apparently I completely forgot to post it. This cosy fic is inspired by the time my girlfriend and I went to an event called Gay for Clay organised by one of our local pride teams. It was a really fun evening and it just got me thinking about Link's relationship with pottery.

Anyway, I hope you guys like this short but sweet Ravioli fic. 💜🩷

"Come on Mr Hero, we'll be late!" Ravio announced cheerfully, as he entered the bedroom.

His hands laiden with a tray of breakfast for the two of them. Bowls of porridge with swirls of apple sauce. A pot of tea and a jug of apple juice for after. He'd even picked a bunch of daisies while waiting for the kettle to boil, and placed them in a small vase on the corner of the trey.

His fiance, or rather, the lump under the blanket Ravio knew to be his fiance, groaned.

"Don't be like that," Ravio admonished with a strained smile. "Come on, I made your favourite for breakfast. And I'm going to make pie for dinner tonight. You love my pies."

Ravio placed the tray down gently on the nightstand before sitting on the edge of the bed next to the lump.

"Mr Hero, don't make me make you get up!" Ravio warned, in what he hoped sounded like a serious tone.

From beneath the blankets Ravio heard the lump scoff a laugh.

"I'd like to see you try!" Came a muffled response.

A spark of mischief flared inside the Lorulian, and he dove sideways on top of the blankets. The man beneath him squealed and groaned at unwanted pressure in unpleasant places.

"... 'right, alright. G' off me Rav you loonatic!" Link moaned, waving about madly to release himself from his blanket prison. "I smell porridge and tea," he said blearily.

"Yes, you should eat it while it's still hot," Ravio remarked, picking up a bowl and spoon and shoving it towards his partner.

Link sat up a little straighter and accepted the bowl with a nod of thanks. The apple sauce was something Ravio made and had been a very welcome addition to Link's breakfasts. He swallowed several mouthfuls before he squinted at his partner.

"You're being extra nice this morning," Link said slowly, spoon half raised towards his lips.

"Am I?" Ravio replied, his eyes fixed on the teapot in his hands as he poured out a cup.

"Do you want something? Did you do something? Did Sheerow do something?"

Link listed off the usual questions. But he hesitated when Ravio didn't respond. Instead his lover just set about pouring another cup of tea. Link frowned.

"Did I do something?" He asked quietly.

"Oh Lorule No!" Ravio responded quickly, realising he'd made Link worry. "Sorry Bunny, you haven't done anything. Well, actually you have. But not to me, it's... Sorry I'm getting this all muddled up."

Link sat and stared at his fiancé, eyebrows raised as he watched the man struggle to string a sentence together. He found it funny that around strangers and customers Ravio could be the most smooth talking man you'd ever met. But face to face with his lover all alone, he could melt into a puddle of nonsense.

"Rav, what's going on? Why do I have to get up? Isn't the shop closed today?" Link asked, taking another spoon of porridge and reaching for his tea.

"Yes. So remember on your last adventure you found your way into the village pottery?"

"Ha, yeah, which time?" Link chuckled, savouring the tea and the memory.

He had no idea why, but Hylia, or perhaps it was fairies, decided to hide rupees and useful nick-nacks inside pots. It wasn't his fault that the most efficient way of extracting these items when one is in a hurry, is to simply smash them. Okay, maybe there were less destructive ways to open a pot. But hey, he was the hero of courage, not wisdom!

"Link," Ravio chided him.

Link knew he was in real trouble when Rav used that voice. They were in a very happy relationship. Complicated and strange, but happy. They hardly ever argued over anything other than Ravio's merchandise taking over the house. Never anything serious. But Ravio had just used his serious voice so Link snapped to attention.

"After the last incident the Potter complained to the princess. She decided to compensate the poor woman by decreeing that you had to help replace a portion of the pots you broke," Ravio reminded him, his voice softening.

"Oh. Yeah. I remember now. That's today?" Link replied begrudgingly.

"Yep!" Ravio was trying to stay upbeat, and not let Link spiral down into a bad mood.

"Urgh!" Link groaned.

So much for that hope.

***

Link decided not to wear his favorite red tunic and under-dress. Instead opting for one of his old green ones and a brown shirt. It meant he would have to wear trousers. But he'd rather that than ruin one of his nice skirts of dresses.

Ravio walked slightly ahead of Link as they made their way into town and meandered towards the Potters shop. Ravio waved at a few people as they passed by. It still felt a little strange for him to be out and about without his hood on. For Ravio, he often still felt like a stranger in Link's Hyrule. But after an episode where Ravio had collapsed due to heat stroke on one particularly hot day, his boyfriend had convinced him to leave the hood and scarf at home from then on.

Those who didn't know about their relationship often assumed they were brothers. Their near identical features often lead people to think they were twins. If not for their hair of course. But given that Link had changed his hair colour a few times, people didn't really think it odd that Ravio's was jet black.

As they neared the pottery the owner appeared at the door and caught sight of them. For a split second Link thought about turning and sprinting in the other direction. But when he saw the woman smiling and waving at them, he knew there was no point in trying to run. He'd have to do his duty and obey his sister's ruling. After all, he'd done that plenty of times with much more at stake than today.

"Good morning gentlemen," the potter greeted them.

She was a little younger than forty with dark brown, flyaway hair and eyes to match. A short woman with a warm smile. She wore a simple gray dress and a bright blue apron over the top.

"Morning Miss Rainna," Ravio smiled broadly. "Lovely day!"

"It is," she replied, trying to catch Link's eye.

Sheerow suddenly careened into her view and fluttered on to Rainna's shoulder.

"Oh, hello there little one. I didn't see you," she chuckled, giving Sheerow a little belly rub as he puffed out his chest. "Good morning to you too."

"Link, I'm glad to see you today. I was, perhaps a little worried you might not come," Rainna admitted, her gaze dropping to the ground.

"I'm sorry you thought so," Link replied. He brushed past Ravio to stand before the woman. His gaze was also downcast. "I'm also sorry for my behaviour. I have no excuse for destroying your property and, though I'm here at the behest of the Princess, I also wish to make amends. What is a hero if he cannot help the people he swears to protect?"

Ravio looked at his partner in silent amazement. It was at moments like this he thought Link really showed who he was born to be. Not the grouchy late riser who complained all the time because his adventures had worn him down. But the humble, loyal man who had fought for his homeland and it's people time and time again. The Link who was at heart, a good man.

"Thank you Link, and who knows, you might even enjoy yourself in my shop."

***

As Link sat at the strange machine in front of him, Ravio at a similar station to his left, Link eyed the pots and jugs around the room. The back room of Rainna's shop was her workshop, a room filled from floor to ceiling with shelves. Most of the shelves contained pots of varying sizes. But also plates, bowls, jugs and cups. Anything and everything that could be worked from clay could be found in Rainna's shop.

His heart raced at the thought of breaking open every single one of them to see what might be hiding inside.

"Right, I'll show you the basics," Rainna announced, settling herself at a station in front of the two boys. "Then perhaps you can help each other out after that?"

She began by forming a ball of fresh clay and throwing it onto the spinning disc in front of her. Link was surprised by the force with which she slapped it down into the center of the disc. As the wheel span and the ball of clay spun with it, Rainna used her hands to cup and shape the ball until it stretched out into a long thick-

Link blinked. A laugh caught in his throat. Beside him he could feel Ravio tense as they both watched the demonstration.

Rainna worked the long piece of stretched out clay back down into a ball, adding a splash of water from a nearby bucket to prevent it drying out. She pressed her thumbs into the ball and began to widen it out to form a hole in the center. Link swore he thought he heard Ravio whimper before he pressed his fist against his mouth, as though in deep focus. Link rolled his eyes. At least they were both thinking the same thing and he wasn't the only one with a dirty mind.

In what seemed like no time at all Rainna had formed a perfect pot with a narrow base which flared at the middle before narrowing again towards the opening at the top. She slid it carefully off of her wheel and carried it over to a shelf of similarly shaped pots waiting to be dried.

"And that's all there is to it," she sighed, as she turned back towards the two boys. "Any questions?"

Link and Ravio shook their heads in unison.

"Alright, I'll be around if you need help. I'll probably be in the shop or at the kiln out the back if you need me." Rainna assured them, before cleaning off her hands in the sink and disappearing back into the shop.

The workshop fell silent at Rainna's leaving. Link and Ravio turned to look at each other. At the sight of Ravio's smirk, Link couldn't hold it in any longer. A small chuckle quickly turned into a deep laugh. Link's joy was infectious and Ravio was soon laughing along with him.

"Do you think she realises?" Ravio hiccuped between fits of laughter.

"If she does, she can keep a straighter face than either of us Rav!" Link huffed, trying to rain in his amusement.

"Darling, neither of us has straight faces!" Ravio pointed out.

A moment of silence passed between them as his joke settled. But Legend was soon laughing again.

"You smug ass!" He chortled.

Ravio beamed as though to prove Legend's point. Then he let out a long sigh and turned to examine his pottery wheel.

"Well, it seems simple enough," Ravio said, looking over the sack of clay beside him.

"You know you don't have to be here Ravi, this is my punishment." Legend pointed out, as he scraped off a fistful of clay and began shaping it in his hands.

Luckily he'd taken off most of his rings for today. But he couldn't do without all of them. He'd just have to clean them thoroughly later.

"I know I didn't have to come too Bunny Butt, but I wanted to spend the day with you, and I thought this might actually be fun." Ravio said softly, focusing on copying what Rainna had shown them.

"That's actually pretty sweet of you Ravi. But call me Bunny Butt anywhere except our bedroom again and I'll turn you into a pot! Got it?!" Link warned, pointing his ball of clay in Ravio's direction.

"Got it!" Ravio replied, holding his hands up in mock surrender, causing Sheerow to hover above his shoulder before coming back down again.

***

Getting started was difficult. Ravio struggled to slap his clay into the middle of the wheel. Link kept having to shift it or throw the ball for him. Once that was done they both attempted to copy the movements Rainna had used to shape the ball into the long shape, then down again into a small centered ball.

Link wasn't usually a fan of textures that dried out his sensitive skin, but with plenty of water on his hands, he found working with the clay was quite satisfying. It was soft and slippery and caused his mind to wander back to more salacious thoughts. Link shook his head. Now was not the time or place.

He did his best to focus. Ignoring Ravio's one sided chatter with Sheerow. Link controlled the speed of the wheel with his foot pedal and worked at what he thought was a steady speed. He pulled out the sides of the pot and slowly shaped them into the bulb-like shape he was aiming for. After what seemed like hours, but was more like fifteen minutes, Link had something that looked a bit like Rainna's pot. It was a little lop-sided and the rim was probably a bit on the thin side. But for a very first try, Link thought he'd done pretty well.

As Link looked over at Ravio to see how he'd faired, he couldn't help but let out a bark of laughter. Ravio's arms and apron were covered in the wet slip from the clay. He had somehow reduced the amount of clay on his wheel and was struggling to keep it under control. Link watched in amusement while Ravio held onto the long wobbly object as it wiggled in his grip. His face focused in an expression of total concentration, with his tongue sticking out slightly. He looked ridiculous, and adorable.

Link stopped chuckling and just sat watching his struggling partner for a moment. Ravio had rolled up his sleeves, the water freely dripping off his elbows while he worked. The tip of his little pink tongue poking out between his lips, oh so invitingly. He was so, perfect in all of his little imperfections. Link sighed contentedly to himself, before awkwardly pushing himself to his feet without the use of his dirty hands.

Ravio looked up and slowed down his wheel as Link stood beside him.

"I know I'm making a mess of it, but..." Ravio began, but Link didn't let him finish.

Link bent down and pressed his lips to Ravio's. Ravio kissed back and closed his eyes, a soft moan sounding in his throat. As Link withdrew Ravio stayed head raised, eyes closed.

"Mmm, what was that for Bunny?"

"Because you're so darn cute. And I thought you might need cheering up," Link replied softly.

"Cheering up?" Ravio replied, opening his eyes and tilting his head in confusion.

"Yeah, because anyone who tries to make a pot and ends up with that!" Legend pointed to the floppy phallus on Ravio's potting wheel. "Would probably want to hide under a rock!"

Ravio chuckled, looking back down at his work, then glancing sideways at Link's.

"Yours looks brilliant! Are you sure you haven't done this before?" Ravio pouted.

"Never, but it's quite nice to work with actually. Perhaps after all these years of smashing pottery I learned something about how they're made?" He jested, tempted to clap his hand onto Ravio's shoulder.

"Hmm, I still say you're cheating somehow. No one's that good at doing something without practice," Ravio groaned, slumping a little in his seat.

"Well," Link said softly, as he bent down to whisper in Ravio's ear, "I was pretty good at doing you the first time!"

Ravio cleared his throat as a wave of pink flushed his face and ears. He kept his attention on his potting wheel however, and eventually Link followed his gaze.

"How about I help you fix that a bit?" He suggested, taking the teasing note out of his voice.

"I'm not sure it's salvageable," Ravio groaned.

"Well, I'm a sucker for a lost cause. Come on. You work the pedal and I'll try and shape it into something less offensive!" Link insisted.

In order to work together, Link ended up sitting on Ravio's lap, instructing the man beneath him on how fast to make the wheel spin. Link managed to wrangle Ravio's clay into a rounder shape and even sculpted it into a respectable looking bowl after a few minutes. However, there wasn't enough clay left to bring the sides up into a full pot. After Legend had finished off the rim of the bowl he asked Ravio to stop the wheel.

Carefully, Link slipped the bowl off the wheel and held it up for Ravio to see it better.

"Huh, it doesn't look half bad. It's not a pot but, considering how it started out!" Ravio exclaimed.

"It's like I keep telling you Ravi, sometimes you just have to take things slower and persist until you get something right," Link replied.

Link attempted to slowly dismount Ravio's lap while concentrating on not dropping their bowl. While Ravio remained as still as possible so he didn't knock Link over.

"You know," said Ravio, as he looked Link up and down for a moment. "I think that's the first thing we've ever made together."

"What d'you mean? We make things for each other all the time," Link replied with a small frown.

"Yes, for each other. We've never made anything with each other before. It feels kinda nice. Knowing we each had a hand in making something," Ravio explained, tilting his head as his eyes rested on their bowl.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

***

After Rainna had been called back in to give Ravio some more guidance, Link and Ravio set about their work with a little more focus. At the end of a long messy day, Link had produced what Rainna said was a satisfactory amount of work. And that Ravio had contributed. She thanked Link for coming to her aid, but he waved her off, telling her that he was only happy to fix problems of his own making.

That night Ravio made pie for dinner as promised and found he was just as ravenous as Link usually was after a day in the orchards.

"That's what hard work gets you Ravi, an appetite!" Link probed, elbowing Ravio softly in the arm.

***

It wasn't until about a week later that either of them thought about their day in the potters workshop again. The postman dropped off a package with Ravio at their front door. Link looked up from the sink as he placed another cup on the draining board.

"What is it?" He asked, mildly curious. "Something for your shop?"

"No, it's addressed to both of us," Ravio replied, examining the label as he placed the box on the kitchen table.

Link quickly dried his hands and stepped over to Ravio's side.

"Well open it then," he encouraged.

Ravio grabbed some scissors and cut the strings binding the box. He opened the lid to find it packed with straw, just as some of his more delicate objects were usually packed. Together they dug through the little box, laying the straw on the table until they found a paper wrapped object inside. It wasn't heavy, but it had a significant weight to it as Link picked it up out of the box. As he began unwrapping the object, Ravio noticed a note beneath it in the box and read it out loud.

"It says, 'Dear Link and Ravio. I wanted to thank you again for your help in replacing some of my stock. You left this in my workshop so I had it glazed and fired and have sent it to you as a gift and a memento of your experience. I hope it reaches you in one piece. All the best Rainna.'"

Link finished unwrapping their gift and couldn't help but smile at the bowl in his hands. Rainna had chosen a forest green glaze for the outside and a vibrant royal purple for the inside. The rim itself was painted gold and on the bottom she had inscribed the letters L R.

"I love it," Ravio declared, carefully taking the bowl from Link to take a closer look.

"It's a bit gaudy!" Link replied, eyebrows raised.

"Have you seen the two of us in our favourite colours?!" Ravio rebuffed with a smirk.

"Touche!"

"I'll have to find a special place to put it. Perhaps in the bedroom, it's not likely to get knocked over there."

"You don't want to use it?" Link asked.

"No, I think it's too special for that," Ravio replied, looking up from the bowl at his boyfriend.

"It's just a bowl Ravi," Link pointed out.

"Yeah but we made it together. And that makes it special to me," Ravio insisted. "Come on, help me choose a place for it. I know you'll only move it if you don't like where I put it!"

"Hey, I only moved a few of your things when you moved in!" Link retorted, as he followed Ravio out of the kitchen.

"All of my things Bunny, you moved all of my things."

[hlficlibrary]

✤ Girl Direction ✤

A series of posts with the top five fics of each category by kudos plus five more hidden gems from that category! Remember to leave kudos and a comment on the fics you enjoyed to show your appreciation! You can find our other recs here.

- Top 5 H/L Fics -

1️⃣ Who Run the World? (Girls!) by dolce_piccante {M, 11k}

A femslash take on the beginning of Relief Next To Me, complete with girl!Direction, lots of tongue action, and lots of hints to the original work.

2️⃣ Tell Me This Is Paradise by QuickedWeen / @becomeawendybird {E, 19k}

Harry Styles has been lucky in love but unlucky in the bedroom with all of her previous boyfriends. When her best friend Niall finds out that she's never had an orgasm, she knows just what Harry needs: Louis Tomlinson. Niall sets Harry up to get sorted out.

3️⃣ that good girl faith (and a tight little skirt) by ariadne_odair {E, 43k}

“What the fuck did you do to my shampoo?” Harry shouts, brandishing the offending bottle like it’s a vial of poison. “Is this fucking mud? Did you honestly replace my shampoo with mud?” “Not just your shampoo,” Louis says calmly, then cracks up when Harry visibly pales.  

Harry and Louis are camp counsellors. They hate each other. The amount of sex they have in the camp showers probably contradicts that.

4️⃣ I love your demons (like devils can) by ariadne_odair {E, 60k}

"I am right here," she says loudly, and she can almost hear the crack when Louis' head whips around to stare at her.

"Why?" Louis asks, and Harry feels her insides shrivel up and die.

Harry didn’t plan to join the football team. She didn’t plan to sleep with the captain of the football team. She definitely didn’t plan to sleep with the closeted captain of the football team, who promptly acted as if nothing happened and left Harry a pathetic, pining mess.

5️⃣ the wheel breaks the butterfly by embodied / @crossnecklace {E, 4k}

“Out with it, Styles,” Louis groans. Harry’s suddenly regretting this whole thing, and she’s sure she’s beet red now, so she just blurts it out so fast she’s not sure if Louis even understands her right away.   “I’ve never gotten head before.”

AU. harry and louis are roommates. girls' night ends a little differently than usual.

HIDDEN GEMS:

💎 You Make Lovin' Fun by @homosociallyyours {E, 109k}

Harry is a 28 year old travel writer at a gay magazine who gets the assignment to go a lesbian cruise. She figures it's a nice chance to have some fun in the sun, but she's not expecting much else-- even if her partner and best friend are both encouraging her to hook up with someone while she's there.

When she locks eyes with a gorgeous silver fox from across the room, she starts to think she could've been wrong. There are lots of things standing in the way of anything real happening with her and Louis, but that doesn't stop them from falling for one another. True love isn't always easy, but they do make lovin' fun.

💎 That Smile and That Midnight Laugh by yeah_alright / @uhoh-but-yeah-alright {T, 50k}

Harry’s never noticed how lovely Louis really is. Maybe it’s just that she’s usually so guarded – a little tense, a little irritated, a little put out. At least when she’s at school, and also usually when she’s around Nick, which are the only times Harry has really seen her. Until tonight. Tonight Harry’s seen her with her guard completely down. Too busy laughing and enjoying herself to remember to be prickly, maybe. She seems different.

It feels different.

A Ferris Bueller's Day Off AU that picks up right where the movie leaves off, and imagines what might happen if Ferris' girlfriend and sister become friends. And maybe something more, too.

💎 'tis the damn season by YesIsAWorld / @louandhazaf {E, 17k}

Harry returns to her small hometown over the holiday season and starts to think about the road not taken.

💎 bambi legs by @disgruntledkittenface {NR, 11k}

“Oh my god,” Zayn says, rolling her eyes and standing up. “You do know what this means, right?” 

“Yes?” Harry tries, looking up pathetically and hoping Zayn will take pity on her. 

“This means she doesn’t even need the fabric she buys from you every other week,” Zayn says slowly, as if speaking to a small child. “She doesn’t come here for the fabric. She comes here for you.” 

Harry works at her family’s fabric store sometimes and always sells the most interesting fabrics to Louis. Louis is the wannabe fashion designer who keeps buying fabric she doesn’t necessarily need just to find a way to talk to Harry.

💎 in my head we can love forever by @beardyboyzx {E, 1k}

It's official: this is creepy. She's creepy. It's not like anything is going to happen just because Louis is a lesbian too. Harry's got to stop touching herself while thinking about her roommate.

Except that she can't.

Or: Harry might be a bit in love with her roommate.

[blowjob-horseguy]

Steve opened his eyes and above him was a pale man with long curly hair. It fell like buoyant curtains of ringlets from either side of his head, obscuring their surroundings. The man frowned down at him with a fierceness that made Steve think for a second they had met in a tavern one night and Steve had done something to slight him.

Steve opened his mouth to speak and felt a sharp edge be pushed harder onto his throat. Steve's vocal cords froze. Whatever he did, it was really bad. Steve runs through a quick memory catalogue of all the men he's slighted recently and how, so he could know what to start apologizing profusely for.

Did he sleep with his woman? Did he sleep with his man? Did he win too much money from him? Did he lose too much money to him? None of those seemed right.

He considered briefly that he perhaps slept with the man himself but quickly dismissed the idea. If he had bedded anyone with hair like that and this passionate a disposition, he would not need to search for the memory.

He looked closer at his features. Hair so long it could easily be a maidens, and so dark it was almost blue. Thick, furrowed brows and lips thin and white, pressed tight together, sandwiched by dimpled cheeks. His skin was pale enough to look sickly and almost green in hue. Steve definitely would have remembered this face had he seen it before.

"You are awake" said the man.

His voice dragged like wood over coarse sand: like he wasn't used to speaking outloud. Steve got a glimpse of his teeth, Sharp and thin, unlike any other human teeth he had ever seen.

A chill ran down Steve's spine as he realized why.

This is no man; this is a Merrow!

Steve's mother had told him tales of these creatures.

When Steve answered the call to the sea, his mother warned him; beware of the sea maidens they may seem beautiful on the shore, but when they lure you to their home you see their true colors. Green skin and scaley behinds. Teeth sharp enough to tear through flesh, and claws the same.

The men are said to be even uglier, with the faces of hogs and catfish, and they drag sailors down to their dens to enslave them for eternity.

Steve has always been cautious about these monsters; avoiding the bright red cap that was the telltale sign of a merrow. The others on the ship have always ridiculed him for it, and now here he is in one of theirs's clutches.

and it's not... unattractive. Strangely.

"Speak" The merrow demanded

"Please let me go" Steve spoke, his voice breaking embarrassingly.

"Go where" the merrows eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Back to my ship."

"You will attack me."

"No, I won't I promise. I'm a peaceful man, very peaceful. Couldn't hurt a fly, me. Wouldn't even know where to start."

The jagged thing at Steve's neck pressed into his skin a little harder, Steve tried to lift his chin as far as it could go to get away, but he felt a small sting as the device broke his skin.

"All men lie."

"I'm not lying, I would never lie" Steve lied.

While far from the swashbuckling type, he has never shied away from a fight, especially when it comes to protecting his fellow crewmates. He's only been on the ship a few years, but he has improved his fighting form considerably from the naive nobleman's son he once was.

While he's not going to say it out loud, he probably would attack the thing, if given the opportunity.

The merrow didn't respond, just bored dark pools of black into Steve's soul. Steve silently pleaded back with his own eyes, just wanting to get out of this situation alive.

"Release me, I beg of you. I will cause you no trouble."

"I do not believe you, you will leave this place and call fleets of your men here to hunt me down." The merrow said panic evident in his voice now.

Steve's own panic subsided for a moment and he realized this creature did not seek to kill him for pleasure, but to avoid being killed itself.

Steve took a chance and lifted his hand to touch the pale arm that held the merrow aloft above him in a gesture he hoped conveyed comfort. He did so slowly, as not to startle, and gently so the merrow knew he had no intention to harm. The merrow eyed him wildly and with fear, but it allowed itself to be touched.

It's skin was cool to the touch and droplets fell from its skin as Steve wrapped his hand around its wiry forearm.

Steve tried to reach for his signature charm, the one his father swears he learned from him.

"I promise, I mean you no harm. I have no fleets of men. Half my fellows are so foolish they could not hunt down their own behinds" Steve said.

The merrow stared at him, eyes shifting about, looking him up and down for any hint of deception.

"I will not hurt or attack you, please just remove this device from my neck."

The Merrow seemed to steal it's resolve for a moment. then slowly the pressure was removed from Steve's neck. and the merrow slunk into water.

Steve sat up on the rocky shore. Without the creature's hair blocking out their surroundings, Steve saw he was in some sort of watery cave. Dark grey walls surrounded him as far as he could see, and a vast black lake stretched out in front of him. If only Steve could remember how he got here.

He looked back at the creature and saw the object that had been held to his neck was a jagged, broken shell that hadn't yet been worn smooth by the ocean. The merrow still held it nervously as it bobbed in the water at Steve's feet.

Even with half of it's body submerged, the merrow was nearly eye level with Steve. So either the water is shallow here, or the creature is of substantial size.

"Does this mean I'm free to leave?" Steve asked.

The merrow shook it's head. Black curls shaking out droplets of water with the motion.

"I cannot be sure that you won't return with weapons or more men" it said, "I searched your person while you were asleep, I took the dagger that hung around your middle, and the one on your leg."

How long had Steve been unconscious?

"Did you steal me away from my ship?" he had to ask.

The merrow looked offended at the suggestion.

"Steal you away? You intruded onto my home!" it said as it started rising out of the water. A jet black tail emerging slightly from the grey ocean.

Steve shrunk down and put his hands up in surrender.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know. I have no memory of arriving here."

The merrow was taken aback at that and shrunk down into the water again.

"You don't remember?" it asked

Steve shook his head.

"You washed up onto my shore. No man has ever seen my shore before. Your treasures wash up here when your ships crash in the sea outside, but no man has ever washed up with them before." it said, clearly at unease with the idea.

Steves heart fell. Does this mean his ship crashed? Is he the lone survivor? he doesn't think he can take the thought of being left without the friends he's made on that vessel.

"Did- did anything else wash up with me?" Steve asked.

The merrow shook its head.

"There hasn't been a wreck near here in months."

Steve felt his spirit lift. That could mean his crew mates are alive and well!

But then how did he end up here? Steve tries to remember. His head aches something fierce.

"Why does your face look like that?" The merrow asked.

Rude.

"My head hurts"

The creature cocked its head to one side.

"You creatures are strange and delicate. Have you hurt yourself?"

"Hurt myself? I only just woke up! It's more likely you hurt me, than I hurt myself!"

Steve clutched his head in one hand and gestured at the creature with the other. He feels rather helpless in this situation.

"I did not hurt you! I removed you from the water. You creatures are not supposed to be in there!" The thing pointed towards Steve with its shell, as if illustrating what 'creatures' it was talking about.

"Well then, however I got to be there is how I hurt my head" Steve explained, aggravated by this easily excitable monster he's found himself with.

The creature frowned at him for a moment and then faster than anything it dove under the water. It's tail following behind it in a lithe arc like a sea serpent.

Perhaps it is a sea serpent. A strange shrill sea serpent with very soft skin.

Almost as fast as it left, the thing burst back out of the water.

Steve flinched away from the splash.

"Hold out your hand" the merrow demanded.

Steve held both his hands closer to his body.

"Why?"

The merrow lunged forward and grabbed one of Steve's hands.

Steve yelled, startled, his feet scrambled at the stones beneath him trying to get away from the shockingly strong and clamy hand that held his arm tight, but his leather soles slipped on the wet rock and Steve stayed put.

And then something slimy and oddly coarse fell into his palm.

The merrow shoved Steve's own hand towards his face.

It was seaweed.

"Wh-"

"Eat it."

Steve's eyes shot up to meet the merrow's.

"Raw?!"

"It helps me when my head hurts. It will help you."

Steve grimaced at the yellowish-brown pile in his hand.

"Is it medicinal in some way?"

"It is food."

"Ah."

The merrow starred at him expectingly.

Steve starred right back.

"I'm not going to eat this."

"Then your head will continue to ache."

"I don't think the lack of edible gunk is the cause of my headache, I believe it to be the same thing that's causing my amnesia" Steve said shaking the offending object out of his hand, "I must have hit my head when I was washing up on your shore."

"Like I said; you are strange delicate creatures," the merrow reached out his unoccupied hand towards Steve, "come into the water."

Steve leaned as far away as he could manage.

"So you can drown me?"

The Merrow rolled his eyes. It looked remarkably human in that instance.

"So I can heal you"

He doesn't know if it's delirium or blood loss, but Steve grabbed the pale hand in front of him and slid gently into the water.

The creature wrapped one arm around his waist and pulled him closer to it. Steve felt the scales of it's tale press against his thighs through his trousers as he was held aloft in the freezing water. His feet dangled and he couldn't feel a bottom to the lake, nor to the creatures tail.

The merrow threw the shell that was in it's other hand away somewhere and grabbed a handful of the black water. It brought it's hands up, dripping the water onto Steves head. The cold shock seemed to ease his pain. Steve closed his eyes at the relief.

He felt an even pressure on the top of his head. A tingling sensation washed over him, trickling from the point of pressure down his neck and over his shoulders. It sent Steve's body shivering.

He opened his eyes and was met by two dark eyes staring back at him. The merrow was less than an inch from his face. one of it's hands was firmly planted between his shoulder blades, and the other was atop his head emitting the magical sensation.

"You had a bump on your head."

"Had?"

"I rid you of it."

Steve felt the hand trail down from the top of his head through his hair- still wet from whatever circumstances lead him here- and down his shoulder.

He does not understand why a monster would heal him of a headache, but as he is held steady in its strong arms and feels it's breath against his lips he doesn't think it wise to ask too many questions.

"Thank you." He said.

The merrow let go of him, and Steve pulled himself back up onto the shore.

He heard a wet thunk beside him and turned to see the merrow had joined him on the rock. Its body was facing Steve and it's tail was splayed out in front of it bent at the midpoint as if the thing had knees.

It's tail alone was twice the length of Steve's entire body and it tapered along its length until exploding out into 2 wide tail fins that had the jagged edges of burned parchment.

Suddenly the creature unbent it's tail, laying it across Steve's body and curling the end slightly around his waist. it was surprisingly heavy and the large scales had the texture of smooth river stones against his abdomen.

Steve looked bewildered at the creatures face, who had the same fierce and angry look as when Steve first woke up.

"So you will not run away." it explained.

"how many times do I have to tell you, I will bring no harm to you, even if I escape."

"I cannot take that chance."

"How long will you keep me here then?"

The tail wrapped halfway around Steve's waist constricted slightly, almost causing him lose his balance. The creature beside him leaned in menacingly.

"You will stay here until I can be sure you can be trusted." it said.

"And when will that be, hmm? What could possibly convince you?" Steve asked.

The creature looked down at itself for a moment, seemingly thinking of a solution.

"I- I don't know. I will. I will know it when I know it."

"Oh! You will know it when you know it. Thats fantastic." Steve spat.

"Well you have done nothing to prove your trustworthiness to me thus far" The creature spat back.

"Exactly! I have done nothing! I have not attacked you, I have not tried to escape, I have made no attempts on your life. I have been a model captive! Whereas you, foul creature that you are, have threatened my life, stolen my belongings, and tried to feed me muck from the bottom of the ocean!" Steve had snapped, pushed to far by this infernal creature and it's damp dank lair "And now I find you have no plan for my release. You know, my mother used to tell me tales about you creatures, but she neglected to mention just how stupid you are!"

The creature just looked at him, dumbstruck by his outburst.

It uncurled it's tale from around Steve's waist and moved it back into the water. It slid it's body so it was sitting beside Steve, instead of facing him.

"What is your name?" the merrow asked.

"What?" Steve replied

"What is your name?"

"Is this some kind of trick?"

"No. You say you have been a model captive; I wish to be a model captor. What is your name?" it looked at him with pleading eyes.

Steve sighed and ran a hand over his face. What has his life come to?

"Steve, my name is Steve." He said.

"And you do not eat seaweed, Steve."

"I-" Steve groaned, "I eat seaweed, of course I do, I live on a ship. I just don't eat it raw and fresh from the bottom of a pit is all."

"So how do you eat it." The creature asked.

"You let it dry and cure, you boil it over a flame. Do you know what flame is?" Steve asked.

The creature rolled its eyes again.

"Yes, I know what flame is. If I build you one will you eat?"

Steve was taken aback. The monster is worried about him eating?

"I- yes, I suppose" Steve stammered, "do you also have a pot to boil water in?"

"A bucket washed up last month, will that do?"

"Why yes that will do greatly" Steve said.

The creature quickly disappeared into the water.

Steve sat back on his hands; confused and... oddly touched by the gesture.

Despite the creature's constant suspicion, Steve hadn't even considered just swimming out of here. Mainly due to the fact that he has no idea where he is, if there is land near here, where his ship is, or even how to find the opening to this cave in such dark conditions.

He is tired and befuddled, his wet clothing is sticking to his skin uncomfortably, he is chilled by the air and sore from the hard rock, and now that he thinks about it, he is near starving. So, he truly does appreciate the Merrow's offer to build him a fire.

The merrow reappeared holding a rusty bucket aloft the water's surface. It handed the bucket to Steve, who found dry wood, flint, and a knife at the bottom of it.

Steve smiled.

"Where did you find all this stuff?" he asked

"Treasures wash up here after shipwrecks, I told you that before," The merrow said pulling itself back onto the rock, "now would you like to build the fire yourself, or shall I?"

.....

Steve started the fire, closer to the cave wall than to the edge of the water, and set the bucket, now full of water, carefully in the middle of the flames. It will take awhile before the water boils, but that just gives Steve time to lay his clothes out to dry.

He rid himself of his trousers first, the wet denim was the greatest offender to his skin, and his white linen shirt came after it. He laid them both flat in front of the fire.

He looked around, the creature was still gathering food. He's grateful, he feels oddly modest about being in the nude in front of the merrow.

Steve was crouched down warming his hands in front of the flames when he heard a telltale splash from behind him. He covered himself with his hands and whipped around to see the merrow had returned with 2 handfuls of seaweed and a small fish caught in its mouth.

It looked Steve up and down from its place in the water and then released the fish from its jaws onto the rock.

"Your clothes are gone," it pointed out.

Steve gestured with his chin to where they lay in front of the fire.

"I'm drying them."

"Ah," it said lifting itself by the elbows up onto the shore, "come take this stuff from me, I can't get over to you, it's difficult to move across land in this form."

Steve walked over to the merrow and grabbed the fish and seaweed from it.

"You say in this form; do you have another?" he asked

The merrow eyed him oddly.

"I thought your mother told you of us?" it asked.

"Well, yes, but she also told me the men of your species have the faces of hogs. As you clearly do not look like a hog, I figured she may have gotten some things wrong."

The edges of the merrows mouth twitched upward. It- it's smiling!

"I have a legged form as well. I could get my cap and join you for dinner?" It said.

So, she was right about the caps too. At least Steve hasn't been paranoid about nothing.

"Thats not necessary." Steve said, though he must admit he was curious.

Steve walked back to the fire and dumped the fish and seaweed into the water that had started to form small bubbles. They still had a while to go.

Steve turned back to the merrow, who was sitting on the rock, splayed out, scales and all, like some kind of ancient stone carving. It looked up at Steve, waiting for him to say something. Steve felt the need to cover himself again, the gaze of this creature is just so insistent, but he thought the act would just draw more attention to the area. Instead, he decided to ask something that had been nagging at him.

"Do you have a name?"

The merrow was taken aback for a moment before it answered.

"I was called Edward once."

"Once?"

"I was banished by my people to this cave, I haven't been called anything since then." it said, eyes going sad for a moment before snapping out of it.

"Edward the Banished" Steve mumbled.

"I suppose," Edward said squirming uncomfortably.

Steve hadn't expected him to hear that.

"I left my home to follow a friend onto a pirate ship that I quickly found was made up of novices who had never seen the inside of a ship before."

Edward raised his eyebrows at that.

"I see. 'can't hunt down their own behinds' indeed."

Steve breathed out a small laugh.

"I wasn't lying."

"Hmm..." the creature's mouth flattened into a thin line once more.

It doesn't believe him, not entirely.

No matter! Steve is just glad that it calmed down enough to allow him food and freedom of movement.

When the food was finished cooking Steve brought the bucket over to where Edward was sitting, or laying... where Edward was beached.

It frowned at him.

"You are sharing with me?"

"You caught it for me," Steve said taking a bit of meat from the fish.

It was saltier than he prefers it, but at least it was food. Which reminds him.

"Did I still have my water when I arrived here?" he asks.

"The bladder you had around your belt?"

Steve nodded.

"Yes, I took it along with your knives, I thought it had potential as a weapon," The merrow said, gnawing on seaweed.

"How long was I unconscious?"

The merrow frowned at his food.

"I'm not sure. The sun was just starting to set when I found you by the mouth of the cave, and it was fully dark when you awoke."

That means it could be as little as 5- 10 minutes.

"Do you need me to bring you your water?" Edward asked still gnawing.

"I would like that yes, but where is it that you go to fetch these things."

Edward looked him in the eye, squinting to see any hint of devious intentions on his face. Steve is getting tired of the scrutiny.

"I'm not going to tell you where your knives are, but I will bring you your water." the creature said slithering away into the depths once again.

Steve sat there, bare as the day he was born, and wondered what it would take to get this thing to trust him enough to let him go.

When the merrow came back with his bladder of water Steve tried not to drink it all in one gulp. It was so refreshing, and he was so thirsty, but he doesn't know how long he will have to be here, so he needs to ration.

"I have decided how you will earn my trust." Edward said out of the blue.

Steve nearly spilt his drink in his excitement. He put his water down and wiped his chin.

"What is it?" he asked.

"You will tell me more about your ship, and I will go out in search of it to see if the stories you tell are true." it said tapping its tale against the stone it sat on in no particular rhythm. it looked nervous about this plan.

"You'll find my ship?" Steve asked, amazed at his own luck.

"You will come with me so I know where you are, and I'm not giving you back your weapons, and I will keep tight hold of you, and if I find your ship and it is not the novices you said it was, I will leave you stranded on a sand bar," it said sternly.

"Okay! what do you want to know first?" Steve asked leaning forward, excited to get the process started.

"Tomorrow, you will tell me about your ship tomorrow. Now it is time to sleep" it said and then swam away.

It is a strange and confusing creature.

Still, Steve curled up on his clothes in front of the fire and eagerly laid down his head to rest. He at last sees hope of escape, and he can't wait until tomorrow.