#reenactment advice

[my-darling-boy]

Good morning, I hope you're doing well.

I just wanted to start by saying I deeply admire your work, and have found it beautiful, emotive and inspiring.

From what I know, you do reenactments in the UK and I've been wanting to get into reenactment myself for a looooong time, but I've always chickened out because I'm trans (ftm, pre T/medical transition).

It's super refreshing to find a trans person in this scene. I was wondering if you had any advice? Whether that's how to find safe groups, how to find costumes that fit, how to maybe start projects yourself. Any advice at all would be deeply appreciated.

The ww1/ww2 periods are really close to my heart and I would adore the opportunity to explore reenactments for these periods of history in a safe environment.

All the best,

🪖

Ah that’s awesome you’re interested in getting into reenactment, it’s a really fun hobby! Don’t think I’ve seen any advice posts for world war reenactors specifically in your situation; I think “modern” military reenactment with this in mind comes with special considerations, so I’ll do my best to give a loose Survival Guide below the cut if you’re wanting to start. This will be Long, but I’ve not seen another resource on this sort of thing from the trans angle so might as well be specific! These are just my own observations to hopefully give you a bit more perspective on whether or not it’s something you’re comfortable pursuing. That all being said…

★ In the case of being trans, especially without medical transition, I HIGHLY advise against doing this hobby completely stealth, it’s just not a good idea. For many events, you camp in the same tent/room with lads your age to men 60+ and may have to change in front of them. Even in the event there is space/bathroom to change, it’s sometimes only a single stall crawling with spiders as a lot of re-enactments are in a little village in the middle of nowhere. If it’s not your own group that could cause problems upon circumstantially finding out, it could be another reenactor or member of the public. If you bind or pack, you have to get the things on and off secretly around so many people you don’t know. Some events are in other countries. For a lot of events, there isn’t any cell service so in the off-chance something goes wrong and you have no one to help you…. You’re Cooked.

★ Transparency to some capacity is best. Whether it’s just a couple group members that know or the whole group knows, someone’s support is your greatest safety net. If you find a group you want to trial, I recommend first shooting an email rather than meeting face to face. Ask if they’re looking for new members, if they already are, that you would be interested in a trial. Add that you’re trans and you want to know if this is an issue, there’s really no other way to ask this. It’s complex, but really they’re not allowed to tell you no on grounds of discrimination, however you can gauge how accepting they are by their response. If they’re suddenly not looking for new members or they play email tag over weeks with no clear answer, pass. Being upfront about it if you’re pre-everything will save you wasting time on groups who don’t want to work with you.

★ Research local regiments/groups you want. Searching near your county may mean you won’t have to travel too far for events, but not always. And you don’t have to stay local, I find groups accept members from just about anywhere in the UK, even outside it sometimes! It’s also good to have some research done on the regiment/battalion you want.

★ Next, big, very important: World War re-enactment is a very Actual Military dominated hobby, and you’ll be exposed to all that entails. I say this to give you a heads up as to the social environment you’re entering into which not many trans people may consider. There’s no way to engage with this area of group reenactment that is completely divorced from the genus of the military as it exists today, even for historical education. The groups I’ve met as well as my own are comprised mostly of veterans, people currently serving, or those from military/first-responder families. In my own observation, world war groups feel more like off-shoot capillaries of the military as opposed to doing something like medieval reenactment or a Jacobite. They are run, funded, and supported in full or part by current/ex military members and organisations. Now obviously it’s not the real military, you’re not enlisted, you’re not going to get court-martialed if you do something wrong! However, these groups try to hold themselves to the same professionalism that you would get if you were actually in the forces cos you’re portraying someone in the military—albeit 1916–who would’ve held themselves to the same standards. There’s fun, there’s jokes, but you stand up so straight on inspection that it’s uncomfortable, eyes front, you never fool around with a weapon, you do what you’re told, and you try to help out every member as best you can cos you’re a unit. It’s a balance between being serious and fun. I know I’m silly outside it, but once I’m on site, it’s time for more discretion. You’re first and foremost an educational historical actor, and as such you’re required to conduct yourself in the public eye as a service member—someone’s ancestor—representing a real regiment that more than likely still exists. This is not a Ren Faire environment. A reenactment group does not exist in a vacuum and neither do the world wars. Not every group is as connected with the Real military as others, but this is just a Heads Up in case interacting with these entities contributes to making you feel “unsafe” in your position.

★ There is also that complicated grey area of how even the most progressive group still exists within a network of current systems which are traditional and affects the way that group must present itself to the public and their Real Military Counterparts they are inseparable from. World war reenacting is still deeply intertwined with current forces and old tradition because the wars and their decades are still within collective consciousness and still hot topics of discussion. Some people really take issue with trans people in the hobby, we all know this, so even as supportive as a group may be, many choose for safety to be on the DL when engaging with other hobbyists whom you don’t know (outside of your group). I personally don’t know any other trans men active in WW groups, though I know they’re out there. That alone should give you an idea as to how Quiet we keep it for safety, even if, bless them, our cis group mates would gladly tell someone off for being transphobic. Though having to be on the DL to anyone outside your group at events for someone who is pre-everything can be anxiety inducing. It’s why I say it’s for your own benefit that at least someone in your group 100% has your back.

★ Lads love teasing each other and will tease you, with love, but don’t be the doormat for anything transphobic. As is the case with the real military, jokes/teasing is an integral part of the camaraderie and as I said, lots of people doing WW reenacting are current/ex military. Short jokes @ me are common, they’re made with love, it’s not transphobic or malicious. While someone messing with you is common cis male bonding, don’t hesitate to tell someone steady on if they go over the line or they’re genuinely being malicious before you go to the sergeant with a formal complaint. It’s usually an immediate apology and then never doing it again. And as said, don’t let transphobic teasing slide. If there is any phobic joke that could fly under the radar to someone not privy, it would be jokes equating you with someone called “Bob” so if you ever hear that one—if you don’t already know what that means—definitely bring that up to someone!

★ A tip for cis male dominated spaces: self-confidence, optimism, and a general good nature will get you far. Being extremely, constantly awkward or aloof from dysphoria or fearing cis men will tend to get you “othered”. It can be hard to be more vocal or confident if you’re anxious not having had many dealings with cis male social groups, but my advice is to try to be as casual as possible, shaking hands with eye contact, going about your business, and Being Normal about guys walking around half naked in the mornings or accidentally catching sight of your mate’s bits. Generally, if you’re not Weird about them, no one’s Weird about you!

★ It’s also a mutual respect-based environment. As long as you’re mature, level, putting in the effort, are quick to learn, friendly, and doing your bit in the group, chances are you will get along with everyone fine and they will get along with you regardless of anyone’s politics or beliefs, which I think is most trans people’s fear for this hobby. Everyone is aware infighting and heated debates over anything can destroy a group or bring harm against yourself or your mates, which is why I’ve found if you simply say you don’t feel comfortable talking about something, people back off cos they respect that. Trans or not, if you’re abrasive or egotistical, just like any social situation, respect for you goes down.

★ People are more than happy to impart knowledge, there are lads who could easily talk for hours about one thing if you get them going so don’t be afraid to ask questions! If you’re nervous about asking someone for help with drill, kit, etc it’s less “How do you not know this?” and more “I’m SO glad you asked!” It’s sort of like having a group of brothers for the weekend, always teaching you something. I find reenactors can never pass up an opportunity to thoroughly explain something (myself included) and sometimes even unprompted will just point to something you’ve got and start telling a story about it. Everyone, even elder members, learn something new every event

★ In terms of clothing sizing, I’ve got stereotypical male proportions (bar my height) so I can’t speak much from personal struggle on this one. Most modern-made reenactment gear is quite amply sized, which is fine if you’re larger but is a pain if you’re smaller. Most groups will have spare kit in diff sizes you can borrow on trialling them, and there are good videos on YouTube to familiarise yourself with all the parts and how to care for them, and of course you can ask me here as well. If you want something yourself, everyone and their mums starts out with Soldier of Fortune these days, and owning your own trousers/tunic of course means you can tailor it if need be. You’re also looking at around at least £600 for a relatively complete kit, but tbh it’s easily over £1000 weapons and extras included.

★ On clothing, maybe it’s cos I’m short, but your grey flannel is your best friend if you have to get changed in front of someone and don’t want them to see your Downstairs. The greybacks are quite long I find, so as long as it’s on, you can change trousers and sometimes even undergarments without flashing anyone.

★ On getting changed: always try to be the first to get ready, it doesn’t look weird, you just look on top of things! Do a bit of recon when you can about changing spaces and the toilet situation cos you might be able to get creative where you change, including in your sleeping bag. It’s good to try to get at least an undershirt and bottom half on before the group wakes up, you easily put on tunic and boots and the rest alongside everyone else. You might even find you just end up sleeping in kit, sometimes we do that. Getting to the toilet first also means you not only avoid being late for inspection trying to sort yourself, but you’re not after the lad with the Least Desirable morning routine (and believe me, there will be at least one, if not more).

★ Though sleeping in the same space and getting ready around each other is usually expected, it’s not mandatory. For some multi-day events, it may be possible to go home and come back the next morning so you don’t have to sleep/change with the rest of the boys. It’s possible to show up to events already kitted and leave kitted so you don’t need to change at all. If you’re all staying in a hotel, you can get a separate room or if everyone is staying at camp, you can stay in a local inn if there is one. If you’re under canvas, you can always bring a separate tent and sleep by yourself. HOWEVER, because sleeping together (and drinking till 3 AM) and getting ready polishing brass or making breakfast is a Group Bonding Experience just be aware you’ll miss out on that bonding if you go off alone a lot or cut events short to go home/come back, if having more bonding is particularly important to you!

★ If you’re binding, it’s worth noting depending on what exactly you’re doing you carry anywhere between 20-50 extra pounds on your person. There is decent physical activity, you are with equipment on your feet for most of the day, and hobnail boots are not the most comfortable. Being in an entirely wool uniform on a baking, humid day in a binder would be absolutely bloody miserable. You would have to take the binder off after all that lest you hurt yourself. Also, if you join a Highland Regiment, it is not a good idea to pack. And I’m not talking about your kit bag. If your Swagger Stick falls out on a demo in front of hundreds of families, there is no coming back from that, there really is no room for Oopsy in that scenario, it’s not worth the embarrassment!

★ As for starting projects yourself… that’s a tricky one. If it’s like a little reenactment group, that’s a massive undertaking, I could write a novel about that alone and the money and insurance and complex social things that would involve. There are ways you can do solo reenactment for educational purposes, though this requires having a relationship with whatever venue is hiring you such as a museum. While doing a scout or medic would be easy enough, doing a fully kitted infantryman would be a bit harder. If you have weapons like a rifle or bayonet, you need a permit to carry them. Solo reenacting also requires you to know A TON of information, not just about the war, but the surrounding time period give or take 20 years, your entire kit, gear, and loads of other things.

★ In conclusion, as intimidating as this can seem to navigate around cis men as a trans man for (potentially) the first time in a very military, traditionally masc environment…. I think as long as you come into it with the same attitude as any young man would at the time, you’ve got pals to back you up, and you try to be cheery and do your bit, you’re likely to do just fine and have fun! I know reenactment can seem like the straight white old male phobic hardcore conservative hobby, but it is a really rewarding experience as long as you take some precautions, there are some genuinely lovely people in it, eager to pass on their knowledge. If you feel a group is not a good fit, you can always leave, and there will be other groups who will be more than happy to have you. While I can’t say I’ve met any trans men in my time doing it, I’ve at least met some other LGB reenactors who are really lovely and very supportive.

Hope something here puts your anxiety at ease, or at least doesn’t make anything worse! If it’s of any comfort, I think groups as a whole are becoming much more supportive of LGBT+ members. I think the coming generations that are starting to have more active involvement in this area of reenactment look to be making it better for LGBT+ people to participate in historical education and overall hobby engagement.

Cheers! x

[plunderherz]

Hey historic clothing tumblr! Does anyone here have experience with cleaning antique clothing? I have two new treasures, a blouse and a dress, both from 1890 & 1900, that have a very specific odour, unlike all my other clothes from the period.

Normally I have no problem wearing them with undergarments anyway, but these two are very...nasty. I don't dare to clean them by hand because the braid and lace are already very fragile. I also have a lot of sewing to do here...so if anyone has any tips on how to get 134-year-old sweat out of the fabric, I'd be grateful for any advice. 🙈

[mycological-mariner]

I’ve never done reenactment in my life. But suddenly my email about wondering if I could help out at all at the next event now includes a tent, what I need to bring in terms of plates, bed, cutlery, etc and I’m just like. I don’t object, but also. I have literally never been camping unless you count sleeping in the boot of a car when I was 11.

[fishing-lesbian-catgirl]

> make a post about how the mentally ill girls in my group chat rely on each other since we can’t listen to our own advice

> someone brings up the incredibly relevant allegory of the long spoons

> someone posts the Wikipedia article’s picture of 4 guys reenacting the allegory

> my post about me and my mentally ill tgirl friend group starts getting tagged things like “boys will be boys”

[kifkay]

Winx & Specialists Dynamics that are so Precious to me

it makes sense that in the show, winx and their non-boyfriend specialists don’t interact much. but!! i’m very insane about codependent found families, and I want them all to love each other. so here’s my take on some tet-a-tet dynamics:

rare pairings:

Musa & Timmy: childhood frenemies. they used to go to the same middle school on Melody, and as type-A tweens do, had an intense, “you’re the only person I match myself to” kind of rivalry. they lost contact after Timmy moved away, chilled out considerably, reconnected in Alfea and had a wonderful banter-filled friendship since. because of how fast they slotted back into a friendship, some of their classmates genuinely thought they were siblings.

Tecna & Riven: got up from a rough patch. from “I dislike you but we both love Musa, so we have to be civil” to “you have more depths to you than I expected” to “now that I understand you, I can’t help but admire certain things about you” to “bitch, you are the only person who is as weird and clueless as I am, ARE YOU READY TO GO TO THE ARCADE AND ANNIHILATE KIDS FOR SHITS AND GIGGLES”

Flora & Brandon: little sister, older brother vibes. of similar temperaments and views, they enjoy spending time over a cup of tea — talking about everything and nothing. it’s therapeutic, almost.

(no one in the group knew that Brandon and Flo were good friends. once, when the two had to team up during a mission, Bloom couldn’t even finish saying: “it would be a good opportunity for you to get to know each ot-“, before the specialist-fairy duo were re-creating the most complicated and choreographed hand shake ever. jaws were on the floor.)

Aisha & Brandon: they are sporties, and they like doing sport things together! they don’t talk aside from exchanging brief encouragements and advice while out, preferring to spend their time in companionable silence. sorta like those dads who never talk to their buddies, but somehow have the strongest and longest bonds ever?

Helia & Bloom: artist besties. Bloom drags Helia out on picnics, where they practice observational drawing (and tiktok trends that Bloom desperately wants to reenact but none of the winx are good at arts); Helia responds by taking her out to see art museums in Magix. it’s a fun dynamic of Bloom being the bubbly gold retriever, and Helia being her black cat.

Tecna & Sky: they didn’t have much of a relationship until year 4. somehow, they both got really, intensely into weaponsmithing and built a joint workshop. they found that they enjoy working alongside each other and value each other’s insights. sky goes to tecna when he needs frank, un-sugarcoated advice, and tecna accompanies sky on hikes and other spirited adventures, for “bonding activities” (because he told her she doesn’t get out of her comfort zone enough). it’s a relationship of deep mutual respect.

Sky & Stella: childhood friends. they knew each other as children and enjoyed playing together (which is how Stella also knew Brandon pre-Red Fountaine). at least, until Stella was unofficially banned from Eraklyon because shenanigans, and they lost contact. they still jokingly call each other “My Lady” and “My Lord”.

Stella & Nabu. Both are flirty and extroverted people, who enjoy the spirit of showmanship. They have a friendly rivalry going of who can fluster the villain of the week the fastest.

canon bf-gf dynamics (dating in canon, open to interpretation otherwise):

Bloom x Sky: liked each other since the first meeting; bonded over being the friend group moms. (on unrelated note: bloom gentle parents her friends, while sky goes all exasperated cig mom on his team and repeats things like: “you better go to sleep right now, or so help me Dragon I will take away your Owl pilot privileges-“)

they are not the most outwardly affectionate couple of the winx, yet they are so wordlessly devoted to each other. sky will follow bloom to the ends of all dimensions, when she gets a calling from powers as mystical as she. bloom will always believe in him and see him as his own man, unlike the many who see him only as his father’s son. they were entwined by fate, long before one had met the other; yet, there’s the trust, the respect, the faith so strong — that could have only come from friendship forged and tested by fire.

Stella and Brandon: the hottest power couple; sole reason behind 60% of all student fairies/specialists/witches queer awakening.

they banter all. the. goddamn. time. these dorks are speaking a whole different language.

they are also most comfortable in each other’s company, being able to be their genuine, less polished selves. stella and brandon are both performers bred and born, playing the roles of a noble princess and a knight. it’s nice, to have a safe reprieve from all that acting.

Aisha and Nabu. their love was one that sneaked up on them. their distance, set by a discomfort at the idea of an arranged marriage, bridged as they transitioned from being reluctant comrades to friendly rivals to unwilling friends to best friends to “if someday the moon calls you by your name, don’t be surprised — because every night I tell her about you”

Tecna and Timmy: partners in crime, ride or die, sunny faith in each other — even when the other person doesn’t believe in themself. I have a whole post about them, go read that ;)

Flora and Helia: they are so. they are. they-

icons. the most romantic couple, the one that sets the standards, the one that gives their friends advice. they are extremely attentive to each other’s needs and tender with each other’s feelings.

flora can recite helia’s poems in her sleep, and trace his drawings with her eyes closed. helia brings mielle presents every time he stops by. flora has tea with helia’s dad every other tuesday; she keeps note of every time helia and saladin are supposed to meet up, to be able to whisk helia away after and distract him from his troubles. helia knows how to care of flora’s plants, and sends her lovingly assorted gift baskets semi-regularly.

Musa and Riven. their relationship is push and pull, is joy then sorrow.

it’s all in a drag of a cigarette, in the vortex of a starless night, in the hoarse laughter. “of all the people in the world, why did it have to be you?” she’ll say and smile.

“ I’m afraid we’re doomed, lover,” he’ll reply, faux-casually, and smile back. both of them will know it’s the truth.

their relationship was not built to last, not for the lack of love or try. maybe they were too similar — both headstrong, unbending, bleeding hearts. maybe they were just different enough not to understand their hurts. nevertheless, it was not built to last — but neither of them would ever bring to regret it. love prevails, no matter in what form in comes, or something like that.

[destinygoldenstar]

”How do I write more natural sounding dialogue?”

Here’s a few tips that help me:

“Subtext”. Characters aren’t always going to explicitly explain what exactly their feelings are in a scene. There are other ways you can communicate their emotion, such as describing body language, using adverbs to explain how they’re saying the lines, and other characters asking questions regardless if they answer or not.

”Listen to how real life people talk” Go out in public, talk to friends, tune in on conversations and take mental notes on how people naturally talk.

”Pauses & stuttering aren’t bad” These kinds of things happen in speech all the time and are natural. I heard some advice say to not do these because they make the line less clear. My advice is to not listen to that. Not every character is gonna say everything clearly. Especially if they’re scared, angry, or confused.

And finally, when reviewing a script, you can pretend it’s a play. Reenact the scene yourself. If you say the lines yourself, you can figure out if anything is natural or not. If it doesn’t flow right or sounds wrong saying it yourself, then that’s a sign you should edit that line to make it sound more natural.

[rachetmath]

Seduction Strategy

Yang: Jaune, I need your help.

Jaune: With what?

Yang: You see a friend of mines was having trouble pleasing his partner last time. She wasn't-

Jaune: He or she?

Yang: Pardon?

Jaune: Like is this person a he or she? Is their partner a girl or boy? I mean you and this person are two different people so-

Yang: Okay. I-I need help. I need another way to please Blake in bed. I've tried everything but nothing works.

Jaune: Why me though? I’m not in a relationship.

Yang: Come on, what about your sisters’ advice?

Jaune: Have they ever worked though?

Yang: Okay, yeah, j-just guess. I’ll take anything.

Jaune: I mean what are Blake's interest.

Yang: Well. She likes fish. And reading books. And that's it.

Jaune: Okay does she have a favorite book?

Yang: Well, she does, and it is called “Ninja of Love.”

Jaune: So read the book and find some way to focus that into sex.

Yang: Hm. Really?

Jaune: I mean, “Ninja of Love”, doesn’t that scream sex?

Yang: ….

Afterwards Yang read the book and put her plan into motion. Blake was heading to their room to figure out what Yang wanted after she texted her. She walked inside and;

Blake: Yang. What did you- *gasp*

Blake was in shock. She saw her girlfriend was wearing a very sexy ninja outfit. Her hair was in a ponytail. She was wearing black but the skirt was short. And her top was tight, revealing her breast. Yang smiles as she saw her girlfriend blushing at her and decided to make a move. She walked towards the bed, swaying her hips as she slowly laid down, giving Blake a lot of the details.

Yang: Hi Blake. Care to learn the ways of the ninja.

Blake: Yang. Why are you-?

Yang: Oh. Sorry. I should probably mention I read one of your favorite books and I was wondering… would you like to reenact a few scenes with me?

Blake gave Yang her answer as she strips down naked. Afterwards Yang and Blake were going at each other for weeks. Then when Ren asked on how she did it, she replied to ask Jaune. Ren was confused at first but she said “Trust him.” Ren then goes to Jaune for advice.

Ren: Jaune. Yang told me how you helped her. Can you help me with Nora?

Jaune: Ren. Come on, you know me, I am not qualified to help with your relationship problems.

Ren: I mean so far you have been able to help everybody with their issues by talking to them and listening. How is this different?

Jaune: Look man., figure that out yourself.

Ren: Jaune, please?

Jaune: Fine. Um. Just wear an apron that states "Baked With Love" and say "I have a new pancake recipe for you to try." I guess.

Ren: Hm. Alright I’ll try.*leaves*

Jaune: Don’t blame me if it doesn’t work.

Later that night.

Nora: Ren. What do ne-e-eed… Oh my

Nora was stunted for words. She was looking at Ren completely naked with just an apron as she stared at his butt. Ren turned around revealing “Baked With Love” imprinted on the apron and said the words exactly as Jaune told him.

Ren: Hi Nora. Sorry to have called you so late. But, I made a new pancake I need you to try.

Nora: R-really? So where are the pancakes?

Ren: Oh don’t worry. *pulls up his apron* I have a special one made just for you.

Nora saw what Ren was doing and she liked it. Afterwards Nora was blowing Ren like no tomorrow. Both Ren and Yang were enjoying the results of Jaune’s guesses. However one thing they never accounted for is Oscar listening in on them. Oscar wanted the same result so he can finally score with Ruby, so he asked Jaune for help. However;

Oscar: Jaune, help me score with Ruby.

Jaune: Nope.

Oscar: Please?

Jaune: No!

Oscar: Please.

Jaune: No!!

Oscar: PLEASE!!

Jaune: NO!!!!

Oscar: Why not?!?

Jaune: First, Yang will kill me! Second, you’re too young, so I don’t know why you’re thinking about this, after everything you’ve been through. Third, Yang will kill me!

Oscar: I'll tell Winter you almost got Weiss killed.

Jaune: You little bastard, you wouldn’t.

Oscar: I would. And she could kill you faster than Yang can.

Jaune: Damn, you right. Fine. Um… go to the store. Buy some whip cream and gum drops. Get naked. And make yourself look like a gingerbread man.

Oscar: What? Why?

Jaune: Ruby loves cookies. And you almost look like a cookie.

Oscar: Jaune that isn’t going to w- oh yes!

Oscar was feeling the up most pleasure as Ruby was bouncing up and down from his pine tree in her team bedroom.

Ruby: Yes. Harder. Harder!! Make me your wife, Gingerbread Man!

Oscar: Yes ma’am.

Afterwards, Jaune, finally thinking he’s done, was relaxing. That was until Cinder Fall appeared out of nowhere. She was very angry too.

Cinder: Seriously?

Jaune: What?

Cinder: I mean, come on, you can help everyone get laid but not yourself. Pathetic.

Jaune: Okay. What’s your point? Why is this your business? Also how did you get in this house?

Cinder: Okay?! Look Arc, I'll show you pity for today. If you can get me to sleep then you get me as your reward. No attempts on your life at all.

Jaune: What if I say no?

Cinder: Why would you?

Jaune: I mean Pyrrha was better looking than you. So is Winter. And Penny.

Cinder: I am very capable.

Jaune: Really?

Cinder: Must I-

Cinder stops and thinks for a minute. Jaune knows she loves to prove how better she is than everyone else around her. She thought for a moment and realized Jaune was toying with her emotions and pride. She smiled, giving him some credit but a failed attempt was still a failed attempt.

Cinder: Ah. You almost had me. Try again.

Jaune: Okay. Hand please.

Cinder: Why?

Jaune: Give me your hand and find out.

Cinder grabs his hand. Jaune uses his semblance to amplify her powers. Cinder felt a surge of power flow in her body as her maiden power suddenly activated. She then stares at Jaune, with smug look on his face.

Cinder: Wha- what did you-?

Jaune: Liked that huh?

Cinder: Um… no.

Jaune pulls Cinder close where her back is towards his chest.

Jaune: You know Cinder, instead of having to track down maidens to gain power. How about I let you take a bit of mines?

Cinder: Um… well you see- Ah~.

Cinder can feel Jaune’s sword rubbing on her butt as she blushes. Jaune continues to smile as he sees her so flustered. To Jaune, Cinder look so cute. However, he wonders why she so was easily tempted. He thought about it and came to the conclusion that;

Jaune: Oh. Cinder Fall, is this your-

Cinder: S-shut up!

Jaune laugh sand gently places his hand on Cinder’s face, turning her towards his own. Cinder was amazed by the glow of his eyes. She was enjoying this. She could feel his power coursing to her veins. She want more so bad she was close to kissing him however-

Cinder: No. You fool. We can’t. We’re enemies.

Jaune: So what? I mean we don’t have to love each other to make a fire. So, are you going to make the first move and express your dominance? Or am I going to show you how strong I really am?

Cinder giggles and turns towards him with her chest to his.

Cinder: Is that a challenge?

Jaune: If that’s how you want it to be.

Cinder: Then don’t hold back.

Jaune: Same.

Jaune and Cinder, without hesitation, kissed and spent a whole night in a ‘hatred’. Cinder was screaming in pleasure as Jaune brutally ‘stabs’ her.

Cinder: I am so glad I killed Pyrrha! ~

[sforzesco]

Do you have any good resources/references/advice for drawing (late republican) Roman clothing? I want to draw a couple of historical figures but thinking about drawing a toga makes me feel like 😖😖😖...

-Costumes of the Greeks and Romans, Thomas Hope

-Greek and Roman Fashions, Tom Tierney

-The World of Roman Costume, ed. Judith Lynn Sebesta and Larissa Bonfante.

-Decorative Symbols and motifs for Artists and Craftsmen/Decorative Patterns of the Ancient World, Dover Publications

-photos & videos from reenactors and reenactment events

-build a screenshot reference library from movies and shows that have costume designs you like, that kind of thing. grab a blanket and wrap yourself up in it toga style and take a photo if you need a specific angle. etc. museums usually have a lot of their galleries online, and places like the met often shoot statues from multiple sides.

[manicrouge]

TASK FORCE: STALKER

Chapter One: Last Woman On Earth

(Keegan x F!Reader)

Word count: 8.5k

About: After an operation in which the Alpha Team has been instructed to distract the Federation troops goes wrong, Alpha 4 finds herself stranded in Caracas, Venezuela. U.S. The city floods and while seeking refuge, she runs into one of the members of Task Force: Stalker. 

TWs: Canon-typical violence, drowning, brief mention of religion, gore, blood, violence, mayhaps some typos here and there too

Note: This story follow the campaign of Cod: Ghosts. If you would like to be added to the tag list, leave a comment :D

‘Alpha team offloads here as discussed.’ 

A voice ringed in your headset as the helicopter slowly lowered. Staring past the head of one of the Bravo team, you spied the shrubbery of the Forest bending around the spinning propellors of the helicopter, raising to your feet as the door slowly opened. Holding your rifle close to you, you offered a short nod to every man you passed on your way out. 

Your boots hit the dirt, a stick snapping beneath your foot. The nerves you felt during your first deployment were lost to the world as soon as the stench of gun powder graced your nostrils. There’s no time to be nervous, you thought back to the words your father spoke while telling stories of his time in battle. He’d hold your dolls, speak with gruff voices as he reenacted stories you had begged to hear. Pulling up the arm of Cinderella, he’d state firmly,  you’re in the deep end now, soldier. To which, in your youth, you’d giggle and clap your hands to. Those words were akin to a Bible verse to you, something you repeated in your head, even when your squad leader was barking orders. It was an essential mission, you’d been briefed more times than you cared to consider which only ever meant one thing: do not fuck this up. 

‘Keep up, yeah?’ a voice said from beside you. 

You turned your head, spying Parker. A man who was in his late twenties, a tad bit older than you were. You'd often referred to him as your older brother, the others in your squad typically addressing the pair of you as siblings.

‘You should listen to your own advice,’ you retorted with a grin.

You set off on foot. Parker walked alongside you as the pair of you walked just behind the rest of the squad. In total, you counted ten men, then yourself and Parker. The noise of chatter was close. You were in the enemy land for sure, listening to the contempt in their voices, you felt adrenaline wash over you as you bent your knees, slowly stalking with the rest of your squad. 

‘Razor-1, all Alpha deployed. Moving to secondary HLZ.’ 

The sputtering of the choppers propellers left you staring in the air, peering through the trees as you watched as the black mass rose into the air, heading further into the District. Your eyes followed the helicopter as you headed further into the greenery, your eyes head not daring to dip. Something in you was aching at the sight of it growing further. The only sound, aside from the distant calls of the enemy, were the short breaths of the soldiers around you, alongside the creeping footsteps as you edge closer and closer. 

‘All Stations — Razor-1 is bracketed. We’re getting hit!’

You looked up, and the cries of the enemy just before you grow louder. And still, you persisted. You weren’t the one under fire, so why would you stop? You watch in the day time sky, witnessing the grey smoke billowing from the missiles fired, heading right for the helicopter, and still, you persist on your operation. 

‘Shit, that was a close one,’ Parker laughed to the right of you. 

Your eyes are still stuck on the helicopter, your lungs aching as you refused to breathe. Another missile was sent into the sky. The radio was muddled, however, the system managed to pick up a disgruntled string of curses before the announcement came. 

‘Razor-1— w- we’re going down!’ 

The sky was then painted with oranges and reds as a whirring filled the emptiness of nature. The helicopter expelled bouts of black smoke as it twisted and turned, falling out of the sky like a dead bird. It dropped graceless, unable to keep itself from its doom. 

‘Hold up,’ said your lieutenant, holding his hand up. 

You stopped, as did the rest of the men surrounding you. A shaky breath escaped you as the crash rumbled the ground you stood on, fire engulfing the wreckage while you stood, the breeze blowing through your hair. A part of you was selfishly thankful that your name had been absent from their list; their fate was far from appealing — and at that point, you didn’t even know if they were dead.

‘Bravo, how copy?’ your lieutenant whispered as you crouched behind him, stray sticks and rocks digging into your knees. You and Parker shared a look as the radio remained silent. ‘Bravo, what’s your status…?’ 

‘Alpha — Bravo compromised. Multiple wounded!’ 

Your grip on your gun tightened. 

‘We’re taking effective fire!’ 

‘Bravo, we’re advancing on the first camp, hold tight,’ called you lieutenant, briefly looking over his shoulder, before pressing onwards.

No one questioned his authority, and even though you couldn’t quite get the image of the helicopter falling out of your mind (the flames of which had seared into you retinas), when you hit the camp the first thing you did is bring your sight to your eye, marking the head of an enemy immediately. He was much too busy to see you, and when your lieutenant fired the first shot, you wasted no time in pulling your own trigger. 

Blood sprayed against the front of the tent the man was standing in front of, his limp body falling into the green canvas. It barely held his weight as his brains poured from the exit would at the back of his head, filling the dip like a swell of rain water would have. It took a few moments for the men standing beside him to react, as they simply stood and blinked at the carnage you had brought with the squeeze of a trigger. Screams exited the mouths of the troops, and you watched as they whipped their heads from side to side in an attempt to find where the bullets were coming from. Waving their guns in the air, you maintained your calmness in the midst of the calamity, not daring to break, even when you and one of the men standing beside the corpse locked eyes. 

From that moment, bullets reigned down hell and you intended to walk out alive. 

Advancing on the war zone was always done with caution and you did so gradually, shooting with key precision. Any missed shot was disregarded in the blink of an eye; you could recover steadily with as little as a hitch in your breath. You continued alongside a handful of your team, whilst the read of them went to the right hand side. The burning of fuel filled your nose, and when you peaked from behind the truck you were crouched behind, you caught sight of a thick cloud of smoke travelling upwards into the sky. 

‘Adams, Jones, flank left,’ demanded your lieutenant, before turning to you, ‘missy, you’re with me. We kill and we get to the Bravo team,’ he stated firmly.

‘Yes sir,’ you nodded, following behind him. You kept your scope upwards in the search for anyone who may have had him in their sights. In the matter of seconds you had advanced, sitting before a crate of ammunition. You watched as he pulled out his magazine, checking his ammo, before snapping it back into his gun. Maintaining a stark look on his face, he sucked on his bottom lip, looking at you. 

‘You got enough?’ 

‘Yeah,’ you hummed, ‘have you?’ 

He chuckled, ‘of course I do, ‘haven’t missed a shot.’ 

You narrowed your eyes at his remark.

Whilst subtle, you were quite sure it was intended to be a jab. However, whatever offence you had quickly shattered when a hand snaked around the corner of the ammunition.

In the blink of an eye, the smug expression on the man’s face quickly fell as chunks of his brains and skull exploded, covering you.

The sound of the gunshot left your ears ringing, a spray of your superiors blood covering your face. A gargled gasp escaped your throat, and you blinked rapidly in an attempt to rid the redness from your eyes. The man fell limp on the ground beside you, the barrel of the gun that had just killed him now aimed at you. You looked death in the eye, snatching your gun and squeezing the trigger as you scrambled to get out of the way of the bullet. 

You landed on your back, the man you’d shot at falling to the ground. A dull ache radiated in your shoulder and you hissed, lifting a shaking hand to assess the damage. Your gloved fingers sank into a bullet wound and you let out a shattered huff.

This entire thing seemed like an ambush — none of the planning made sense in the slightest.

It was a death trap, you swore so under your breath as you pushed yourself up off of your back, a strained grunt escaping you as you did so. It was a pain unlike anything you had felt, and still, it was the least of your concern in that moment. Peaking around the box, you gulped at the sight of your dead superior, using your hand to wipe his blood off of your face. Behind were the feet was a Fed soldier, squirming where he laid, holding his stomach as he screamed out bloody murder.

Maintaining your cover, you pushed up keeping a tight hold on your gun as leaned over him, grabbing the pistol he had shot you with, attaching it to your belt before pressing the barrel of your gun against his chest, lifting your throbbing arm up to the radio attached to your chest. 

‘This is Alpha 4, Lieutenant Williams is KIA.’ 

The shakiness of your tone was embarrassing and when you let go of your radio, you winced as you waited for a response. There were more gunshots, more screaming, yet the radio was silent. 

‘Does anybody copy?’ you asked, looking around, pressing your back against the ammunition station. 

‘It’s a fuckin’ blood bath!’ A voice exclaimed, ‘A- Alpha 2, and 6 are KIA.’ 

‘Parker?’ you asked. 

‘We gotta retreat,’ firmly said the man, ‘fall back to the landing zone and call med evac. We can’t fight all of these, we’re down a full team and three of our own.’ 

Everything in you was insisting on listening to the man; that ultimately seemed like the right call and you supposed you couldn’t exactly turn to your lieutenant for answers. However, when you peaked once again and spied to the crash site, something inside you urged you to persevere. There were people who were injured and as you looked downwards, you swallowed the last of your cowardice and shook your head.

‘No,’ you said through your radio, ‘people are hurt — I’m not going to leave them.’ 

‘Are you fuckin’ stupid?’ he asked, ‘fall back. You will die.’ 

You plotted a bath before yourself. You could rush into the tree line and use the trunks as cover, sneak around the outside of the camp and just a little further to where the helicopter had went down. With the noise from behind you, you were more than sure you could make a break for it; there would be a brief intermission in the fighting and you could slip away without alerting a single soul; for all they knew you had been shot alongside your lieutenant.

‘No, I’m not leaving without trying,’ you said, letting go of the radio. 

Grabbing the dead man’s shoulder, you turned him so he was on his back, taking hold of the dog tag around his neck and yanking it. It snapped off and you shoved it in your pocket before turning your full attention to the tree line.

With your gun in hand, you took one last breath before pushing forward, scurrying away from the position. There were more yells, and had they caught onto the fact that you were rushing away, you were unsure. No bullets were fired in your direction, and you remained crouched, even when you made it back into the shrubbery. 

Smoke continued to float up into the sky, and with your gun close to your chest, you pushed on with your heartbeat ringing in your ears. A voice rattled through your radio, one you recognised to be Parker, however, you disregarded his scolding as you turned it off fully, not daring to compromise yourself. Gunshots from the main camp continued as you creeped further and further to the crash site, stopping just behind a tree trunk when you heard the crackle of flames and the creaking of metal. There was a weeping, followed by a few stray gunshots, but aside from that, the yelling was distant. 

Advancing upwards, you approached the helicopter, finding the entirety of the back to be missing, creating an opening which allowed you to rush into. ‘Bravo team, how copy?’ you called, looking around the wreckage. 

‘Well ain’t you a sight for sore fuckin’ eyes,’ a voice called, and when you lifted your head, you spied a man with his back up against the wall. ‘Where’s the rest of Alpha?’ 

‘Three KIA including Williams,’ you said, rushing up to the mans side, ‘you?’ 

‘All KIA from what I know,’ he said, using the butt of his gun to push himself up off the ground, ‘one wounded if you’re countin’ me.’ 

‘Alpha 7 called for us to fall back — call med evac to get us out of here; the entire things been a fucking shit show.’ 

‘I’ll say,’ said the man, ‘you get hit?’ 

‘Only my shoulder,’ you uttered, ‘I’ll live… can you walk?’ 

‘Just about,’ he hummed, watching as you approached him, wrapping your arm around his shoulders. He leaned on you, however, you noted he was careful with ho much weight he put on you, as the pair of you hobbled to the entrance. It was quite the awkward journey counting that he was a few inches taller than you, luckily for him however, you never feigned in the face of a challenge. ‘Where’d he say he’s callin’ med evac?’ 

‘Original landing site.’ 

‘They won’t make it there,’ he said, ‘they know we’re here now, they’ll shoot that helo down just like the shot our one.’

Grabbing your radio, you tuned back into the channel. ‘Alpha 7, this is Alpha 4. All apart from one in Bravo have been KIA. How do you copy?’ 

‘Med evac is on the way, report back to the original landing site,’ Parker said, ‘we’ll recon here and then go further to get the fuck outta here.’ 

You turned to the man beside you. ’You think you’re gonna be able to make it there?’ 

‘Do I have a fuckin’ choice?’ he asked with a chuckle, ‘you’re basically askin’ if I wanna live or die, love.’

You rolled your eyes at his words. ‘We’ll keep to the outskirts of the camp. How much ammo you got?’ 

‘I’m low, about nine or ten more.’ 

‘Fuck,’ you sighed, ‘we’ll just have to keep a low profile.’ 

He hummed, ‘by the sounds of things they’re distracted enough for us to get around them.’ 

‘I hope so.’ 

Each step was agonising, and with the weight of the man on your shoulder, you found your arm was beginning to ache. At that point, the bullet wound in your shoulder had its own pulse and it was throbbing with a ferocious anger, leaving your eyes watering as the pair of you kept low and out of the way of the camp. Despite the burning in ever inch of your body, you refused to submit to the will of the enemy, and with each shout, you bowed your head further in the hopes to keep in the cover of the bushes around you. The man beside you was trying his best to keep quiet, gritting his teeth to stifle every single grunt that passed his lips. With an uneven ground, there was the occasional stumble which would result in the pair of you cursing under your breaths. 

‘Shit, sorry miss,’ grumbled the man, digging his blunt nails into the black sleeve of your shirt.

Biting back a hiss, you gulped back a curse. ‘I- It’s fine,’ you struggled out through gritted teeth in spite of the fact that you felt as though you were two steps away from collapsing. The wound in your arm was leaking, the blood pouring out of it soaking into your torn shit. It was sure to be a bitch when it eventually came to the removal of the bullet. Despite your doubts, gun fire was prolonged behind the pair of you, and the further you moved through enemy territory the more you found hope that more of your squad would make it out alive. 

‘Alpha 4?’ 

‘Parker?’ 

‘I got bad news,’ murmured the man through the radio, ‘radioed med evac and they said they can’t drop here; people know we’re here according to what’s been relayed to the team. If we want to evacuate, we have to push on into the city; apparently a task force is out there looking to assassinate General Almargo — we’ll get out with them.’ 

You paled at the news and both you and your new friend stopped in your tracks. 

‘Are you fuckin’ serious?’ 

‘Unfortunately,’ sighed the man, ‘it’s just me… no one else made it.’ 

‘Fuck,’ cursed the man beside you, looking at you, ‘miss, I can’t make it into the city with my fuckin’ leg, we’re five miles out.’ 

You gulped. ‘I have one of Bravo’s members, his leg is fucked—’

‘We meet up, rob a car and get the fuck out of here and meet up with the soldiers in the city. I’ll be in the roadside just North of the camp; there’s a road that will take us directly into the city.’ 

You kept your mouth shut in spite of your objections. ‘Okay,’ you said, ‘we’ll walk to the road but keep just in the clearing to make sure we’re not spotted.’ 

‘Roger that.’ 

The channel fell silent and you turned to the limping man beside you. ‘It’s the best we can do… I’m sorry.’ 

He sucked in a breath as though he was accepting something. ‘Not your fault, miss,’ he uttered, stumbling. The pair of you wobbled as a result of his misstep, a particularly loud crunch sounding. A strained whimper left his mouth as he fell forward, pulling you along with him. You attempted to catch your fall, turning to your side in the hopes of avoiding landing on your right shoulder. In spite of such, when you hit the ground, a pang of pain which caused goosebumps to form flooded the entirety of your body. Forcing your lips together, you rolled onto your back, immediately holding your arm, a trembling hand hovering over the wound. 

‘Fuck,’ you hissed, the world spinning momentarily. 

Much to you dismay, your fall was not as silent as you had hoped it to be as a whistle confirmed that the men who were hunting you almost heard it. Your pity party was brief as you pushed yourself off of the ground, staring down at the man who nursed his leg. It was only then that you truly assessed the damage done. His bone protruded from his skin, droplets of his blood leaking onto the dirt below the pair of you. 

‘We’ve gotta go,’ you willed, leaning over to grab hold of his wrist, ‘they know we’re here.’ 

‘I’m not going anywhere miss,’ he said through a groan, ‘I can’t walk in this.’ 

‘You can lean on me,’ you whispered, tugging on his arm all for him to raise his hand, prying your hand off him. ‘Come on.’ 

‘No,’ he huffed, dropping his hand to grab his dog tag from around his neck, pulling it off and holding his chain out to you, ‘take this and run.’ 

‘We can—’

‘No,’ he refuted harshly, lifting his head up as footsteps edged closer, ‘take this and get the fuck out of here.’ Pressing your lips together, you looked the man in the eyes. ‘You tried your hardest, but you can’t save everyone,’ he said, shaking the chain in his hand, ‘now take it and get out of here… for the both of us, yeah?’ 

With a sigh, you snatched his dog tag off of him, wasting little time as you swooped down, retrieving your gun from off of the ground. Your aching knees were thankful for the increase of pace and you didn’t care to look back at the certain slaughter of the man who had essentially given up his life for yours. Rather than tightening your hold on him, which you much rather would have, your hands clasped tightly around his chain as you proceeded North, uncaring for anything that might have stopped you in your tracks.

The entire thing was a disaster, so, when you eventually came across Parker hidden near the roadside, you couldn’t quite believe your luck. He’d grabbed your ankle as you were staggering, pulling you into him. Before you could yell out, he hushed you, his paw-like hand covering your mouth. 

‘Chill, it’s just me,’ he whispered. 

Despite knowing you were in safe hands, you drove your elbow into his stomach. His hold on you released immediately as he keeled over with a straight moan. 

‘Asshole,’ you exhaled breathlessly, turning to look at him, ‘you get hit?’ 

‘Not until this point,’ he struggled out, ‘you?’ 

‘Shoulder,’ you said, looking down at your arm, ‘hurts like fuck.’ 

‘I can imagine,’ he hummed, ‘where’s your friend?’ 

‘Didn’t make it,’ you said, your hands hovering over the pocket where you had safely tucked his dog tag away. ‘He had a broken leg, he gave up.’ 

‘Fuck,’ he cursed, ‘that entire thing was a shit show,’ he grumbled, ‘they said it would be easy… there were more than we were told.’ 

‘Tricks of the trade,’ you said, ‘how far are we from the city?’ 

‘Twenty five minutes,’ he said, ‘this road leads to the national park, but if we follow it south we’ll get to the city.’ 

‘Okay,’ you hummed, ‘any traffic in this area?’ 

‘Haven’t seen a car pass me and I’ve been here around twenty minutes — but best to keep out of the way, yeah?’ he asked, ‘how are you for ammo?’ 

‘Still got some.’ 

‘Good,’ he hummed, ‘c’mon, they’ll be gaining on us if we stay here for too long.’ 

The pair of you set off with a fierce hunger, not wanting to be captured by the enemy. Shifting to the other side of the road, you traversed through the dry forest, your hands shaking. Your eyes ached and your head throbbed as the pain in your shoulder worsened. Whilst anyone else would be fleeing from the city and turning around when they caught the sounds of gunshots, you found humour in the fact that the pair of you were charging into battle head on. Parker walked alongside you keeping an eager eye out, his gun poised and prepared to shoot. 

‘I can’t fuckin’ believe this,’ he huffed, ‘I got no fuckin’ intel — didn’t even know we were going in there to just die. Did you know about the other task force?’ 

‘No,’ you answered, ‘we were there to kill and find evidence; that’s what they told us at least.’ 

‘Yeah fuckin’ right,’ snorted the man, ‘more like sent us in there to die.’ 

You bowed your head, your face creasing. The dried blood of your lieutenant was sticky. ‘At least we’re still here,’ you mumbled. 

Parker chuckled, ‘of course we’re still here,’ he said, looking at you, ‘you really think we’d die like that? No; we know what we’re doing. When this task force sees us, they’re gonna be jumpin’ for fucking joy.’ 

You laughed at his enthusiasm. ‘Sure they are.’ 

‘They’ll sign the pair of us and we won’t have to deal with any of this bullshit.’ 

‘Or they’ll kill us on sight.’ 

‘I’d like to see them try,’ he snorted, ‘we’re gonna get there, help them execute that son of a bitch, and then ride out of here on a helicopter.’

‘Into the sunset?’ 

‘You bet,’ he hummed, ‘have a cocktail in hand too.’ 

Even though the pair of you were on the verge of a brutal death, you still had to quiet your laughter at his words. The images of what had happened moments prior were still very much present, and yet, you laughed. It was a strange feeling, for your head to be set alight with horrific images and to still be able to laugh about something ridiculous. Were you even still human for doing so? That, you were unsure of, although, you supposed morality meant nothing in this line of work.

After everything, the pair of you walked together as though you were two school friends walking home. With each step a second passed and you were conscious that the world still proceeded spinning, even though the hearts of many had stopped beating. It was a vindictive cycle — cruel, how everyone simply continued even when a life ended. You supposed, however, that you couldn’t address nature as a monster when you kept putting one foot in front of the other; you were just as bad as her. 

The city appeared on the horizon after what felt like an eternity, not helped by the dry humour of Parker. Much to your surprise, it seemed too easy to have found your way into the city and you raised your brows upwards as the pair of you rested against a wall of a house with shattered windows. It appeared to be a grounds keepers home, only, it was empty and the windows had been shattered. Inside, you spied graffiti across the breast of the living room wall, staining the yellow wallpaper. It was a shame to see such a quaint home in ruin. 

‘Alpha 7 to Home base. Myself and Alpha 4 have made it to the city, looking for exfil; both the rest of Alpha and Bravo are KIA.’ 

You stared at your feet, awaiting a response. ‘Alpha 7, this is home base. Task force Stalker are in the central area, exfil will be near the dam.’ 

‘Roger that,’ Parker said, allowing his hand to drop, ‘we should’ve robbed some of the uniforms from the dead troops; we’re gonna stick out.’ 

‘It’s either we get killed by them or our own men — which is worse?’ 

‘Both are bad,’ he said, ‘from where we are, we fifteen out from the dam,’ he said, pausing for a moment as gunshots echoed in the distance, ‘we’re probably going to walk into a battle.’ 

‘What’s one more?’ you asked, ‘we’re closer to getting home, that’s all that matters.’ 

He nodded his head at your words, ‘keep an eye out. If we see a guard, kill them quietly.’ 

You smiled. ‘Roger that.’ 

Without a word, the pair of you head through the city, ensuring to keep in the shadows in spite of every street the pair of you passed appearing to be that of a ghost town. War had most definitely destroyed the inners of the city; there was rubble in the streets and what were once family homes were shells of their former selves. It was a shame they met such a fate, an undeserved one and thankless all at the hands of corruption. You wondered if the families who lived there made it out alive or if they were forced into the military… or worse.

It was difficult to track the gunfire as with each street you walked past, the sound seemed to travel all the same. For all you knew, the pair of you could have been on the cusp on the battlefield and would have been none the wiser to it.

Either way, you were prepared.

You’d made it that far, you were not going to dare to fold at this point. You could hear yelling from the enemy, resonating off of the houses just like the gunfire did. 

‘You have any idea what they’re saying?’ you asked. 

‘Something about the dam,’ replied Parker. 

‘That’s where the task for is, right?’ 

‘Apparently so,’ he said, ‘whatever it is, it sounds like they’re panicking.’ 

You pursed your lips. ‘Maybe our guys are winning.’ 

The screeching of tires caught your attention and when a car whirled past the pair of you, Parker grabbed you by the forearm and pulled you into an alleyway. Only, there was no way the men in the car couldn’t have seen you, and yet, they didn’t stop. Instead, the sped away as though they were in a police chase, not caring for anything in their surroundings.

Your chest tightened when another car followed suit, and then another, and then another. The stench of burning rubber filled the streets and you watched each car speed past you. Something was not quite right and when you turned to face Parker, you found he felt the same. 

Opening your mouth, you went to question the strange behaviour all for the ground to rumble below the pair of you. Furrowing your brows, you held the wall behind you to steady yourself, all for another rumble to shake the ground again. What sounded like an explosion sounded, however, when you turned your eyes towards the sky, you found it was clear. 

‘What the fuck was that?’ you asked. 

‘It sounded like a bomb went off,’ he remarked, the pair of you moving away from the alleyway. ‘C’mon, we’ve gotta make it to the dam.’ 

Nodding your head, the pair of you cut through the alleyway, onto the main street. It was then you saw it. Very rarely were you surprised, the blood on the face was enough to prove that shock had very little effect on you. However, your burning legs were glued to the spot as your eyes widened at the sight before you.

A wave that must have been three stories was barely a mile out and it was charging with a vengeance with the intention of dragging you down for the life you took that day. A shaky sigh escaped you, and when you turned to Parker, you found the same horror on his face. Turning to look at the house behind you, you cursed under your breath finding that the apartments across the street would be much more suited; the buildings were taller. 

‘Parker, we gotta go,’ you said breathlessly, grabbing his wrist and pulling up. He awoke from his trance, breaking into a sprint. 

You chased after him, your hold on his wrist slipping as he marched forward. Your body was set alight, the last reserves of adrenaline you had within you powering you to make it to the door of the apartment block just as the water came crashing in. Parker was already half way up a flight of stairs, leaving you wading through waist high water which was only growing deeper and deeper. 

‘Parker!’ you yelled, holding your arms out to the side of yourself in an attempt to maintain balance. The current beneath the surface was reckless, pulling you side to side as you battled. No way in hell would you be able to swim your way out of this — especially not with a busted shoulder.

Gritting your teeth, you lunged forward, grabbing onto the bannister of the staircase, letting out a mangled cry as you pulled yourself upwards. Your right arm felt as though it was going to fall off, and the more pressure you put on yourself, the deeper the bullet lodged in your arm dug. A flash of hot pain seared as you continued to use the banister to keep yourself from sinking into the water.  

‘PARKER!’ You screamed, in the hopes of catching the mans attention. 

Your heart was thumping in your ears, your eyes were burning as the water grew higher and higher. Swallowing hard, you fought with all your might to break through the persistent current. It soaked your wound, pooling just above your chin. The sudden flush strained the muscles in your arm, your grip slipping. The building creaked and your arm was pulled behind your back. Blinded by your fury, you opened your mouth to scream the mans name once more, all for it to be a gargle as your hold on the bannister slipped completely and you were pulled into the water. 

The water was murky, hiding all enemies within it. 

You were subjected to travel with the current, forcing yourself to keep your eyes open in spite of how bad the stung. Looking around with each passing metre of water, you searched desperately for something to latch onto, waving your arms like a madman. You broke the water once or twice, gasping for air. Your lungs were flooded and you spluttered before being sucked back under. Your choking continued under water, being damned to a watery grave. Your head grew lighter and your lungs ached. 

This was it. This was how you were going to die. All because of a coward. 

Your vision began to darken, the void yearning for you to fall into her arms. Only your troubles were quelled when you spied a hand in the water. Without a single thought, you reached out to snatch it, choking out under water in agony as you were nearly pulled with the water. However, the hand on you turned into two and you were pulled up and out of the water.

The building you were pulled into was full of water too, only, it was still.

You took a few seconds to choke up the water you had swallowed, unable to thank your saviour — hell, for all you knew, it could have been the enemy. Wiping your eyes with your wet sleeve, you snivelled, lifting your head to see a man adorned in a green gear staring at you. He was masked in spite of the risk it posed to the water. A sniper sat on his back and he reached his hand out to take hold of your arm. You let him, wiping the snot on your upper lip with your gloved hand, blinking away the water. 

‘You American?’ he asked with a gruff tone, observing the patch on your arm. 

You nodded quickly, unable to think of the correct words. ‘Alpha 4,’ you rasped. ‘O- Our team was ambushed… helicopter went down.’ His eyes narrowed. ‘I got away,’ you confirmed, clearing your throat, ‘called for exfil a- and they told us to meet a task force here.’ 

‘Stalker?’ 

‘Yes,’ you nodded. He gave you a nod. ‘Are you with them?’ 

‘Yeah,’ he answered, keeping hold of your arm. ‘You the only survivor?’ 

‘I was with someone else,’ you said, ‘but he left me for dead. We got caught in the flood and he rushed ahead of me… I got swept under. I couldn’t keep hold of anything because of my shoulder.’ 

His eyes fell down, spotting the bloody bullet hole in your shoulder. 

‘He one of your squad mates?’ 

‘Yes,’ you confirmed. 

He shook his head. ‘You got a weapon?’ 

Patting the holster on your thigh, you took hold of the handle of the knife. Pulling it out of the water, you showed it to him. 

‘Good,’ he said, ‘you’re with me.’ 

‘O- Okay,’ you said, ‘where’s the rest of your squad?’ 

‘Watched them run into a warehouse,’ he said, ‘follow me and keep low,’ he instructed, moving through the water without another word. 

Following after him, you held the knife in your hand tightly. You were trembling so much you feared it would slip out of your hold, and then you really thought you might have been fucked. You supposed almost dying would do that, but the betrayal of the man you had thought to be a brother felt worse. It was a dull jab in your spleen and your head throbbed as your face grew hot at the thought. 

What a fucking coward.

‘What the fuck happened?’ you asked the stranger in front of you. 

‘Set off two missiles and blew the dam open.’ 

‘Why would they do that?’ you choked out, their action seeming senseless. 

‘Scorched earth.’ 

‘Oh,’ you mumbled. Your nose continued to run as you wiped away streams of snot. ‘Thank you,’ you blurted out. The man in front of you stopped, looking over his shoulder, appearing what you could only interpret as confused. ‘You could have left me to drown.’ 

He nodded in your direction, it was curt and reeked of professionalism. He turned his back to you again, moving further through the building, expecting you to follow after him — and you did. His quietness was peculiar, unlike the sorts you had seen, especially after living with such a rowdy squad for so many years. The contrast was as sharp as a dagger, and you almost felt offended by his dryness.

Opening his mouth for a ‘you’re welcome’ surely wouldn’t have killed him. Still, you didn’t know him and your grievances fell flat on their face. You couldn’t insult the man who had just saved your life, no. You’d save that anger for the man who left you to die. 

You traversed through the building, eyes darting, surveying each and every corner. 

‘To any calls signs on this frequency, please respond. This is Ghost Two-Two.’ 

The man in front of you stopped, pressing his fingers into his earpiece. ‘Clear, Merrick.’ 

‘Keegan?’ said the voice on the other end, ‘you have sights on Elias or Rorke?’ 

‘Negative.’ 

‘Shit,’ huffed the man, ‘we lost ‘em in the water… we’re heading towards the hotel to recon.’ 

‘Roger,’ said the man, ‘I’ll be on the look out for Rorke and Elias. On my way.’

‘Heard,’ said the man before the line fell dead. 

Keegan continued on without a word and you followed after him. He lurked like a shadow as the pair of you came to a set of shattered window. Pushing himself upwards, he hung over the edge, before pushing himself off of it, landing on a bus which had gotten lodged in the middle of the street, acting like a bridge to the other building.

You’d expected him to continue on without you as you pulled yourself out of the water with a wince, hanging off of the ledge. Using your feet, you pressed them against the concrete, propelling your jump. You fell freely for two seconds before landing a top the bus. It creaked with the pair of you standing upon it, urging the pair of you to continue onwards. You took the warning without a question, following after the man. 

Unlike when you followed your squad, you felt like a lost puppy following after the first person who had leant down to pet it. It was demeaning, patronising. But you didn’t change your demeanour, too conscious of upsetting the man who had saved your life. However, there was one burning question that caused your legs to move faster in order to catch up to him. 

‘What is your squad doing here?’ you asked, jumping back into waist-high water as the pair of you entered another building. You landed with a huff, lifting your arms slightly to keep them out of the water. ‘We weren’t informed of there being anyone else… that’s why I’m asking.’ 

He looked you up and down as though you were one of them. Thinking for a second longer, his shoulders raised slightly as his tilted his head to the side. ‘We’re here to neutralise General Almagro,’ he responded, ‘and that’s still the plan.’

His discomfort in confessing such was potent and you had believed that he would have much rather kept it to himself. It seemed as though he thought telling you was a compromise — a breach, despite knowing you and him were fighting the same battle. Granted, even if the pair of you did escape, you were quite sure you wouldn’t be able to look any one in the eye and recount the terrors that had happened in such a short span of time. 

You wondered if you still had blood on your face. 

Navigating the flooding buildings with him was oddly peaceful, contrasting the crashing waves and sirens blurring on the streets. Instead, you waded through the murky water, keeping your mind clear of what else could have been lurking in there with you. Goosebumps ran rampant on your flesh, and your bottom lip trembled as your teeth clattered. Despite the beaming sun outside, the water was ice cold, subzero even. It did, however, work to soothe your burning limbs. 

You travelled building to building, cautious when it came to crossing over to another one. Luckily the cars in the street worked well to be a good enough bridge to ensure your safety. Anyone else would have convinced the gun fire would have been quelled after such a catastrophe, but it raged on, seemingly with more of a vengeance. Not that you were naive enough to believe that an operation would have been abandoned, of course not. Your mind seemed to be escaping you, you concluded, conjuring thoughts you’d typically roll your eyes at. 

It was when you made it one of the last buildings in your pursuit that you stilled, the gun fire being much louder than any you had heard over the passing minutes. Keegan turned to you, motioning towards a set of stairs which, supposedly led to the roof of the building. Reaching in his belt, he retrieved a pistol, holding it out to you. 

‘You need that,’ you said, pushing his hand away whilst shaking his head. ‘I’m fine.’ 

He didn’t speak, rather taking hold of your wrist, forcing the pistol into your hand, leaving you with no time to give it back to you as he turned his back to you, stalking up to the stairs. 

The next few minutes play out in your hands.

The typical battle you have part-took in during your time in the military, only, you had more time (than you would have liked) to watch the man who had been so insistent of you taking his pistol. He moved like the men’s shadows, quiet, slick — it was so impressive that you had only managed to take down one of the men when there had been four; he dealt with the rest, using their own guns against them.

When their bodies were floating in the water, he let out a short breath from behind the mask, turning to look at you as you approached him. It was a wordless token of his appreciation, you supposed, not knowing fully what his look meant. His recovery time from battle was seamless and the pair of you carried on as though nothing had happened. 

‘Merrick, hold your fire, we’re approaching your six,’ Keegan called as the pair of you moved down from atop a building into the remnants of one that had originally been stationed beside it.

Below the pair of you as you climbed was a group of men wearing similar uniforms to the one Keegan was wearing. The tightness in your chest eased ever so slightly upon the sight of the group as, while you had seen Keegan in action and had your own capabilities, there was something about being surrounded by more soldiers which made you feel at home.

‘Happy you could make it,’ an unfamiliar voice called over the radio, ‘thought your luck had finally ran out.’

A man with a black cap approached the pair of you, holding out his hand to you while Keegan jumped down back into the water. While you furrowed your brows at his advanced, you opted to be polite and placed your hand in his, allowing him to help you down. He did so with ease, looking you up and down. His confusion was evident. ‘Who’s your friend?’ he asked, letting go of your hand to hold his gun again. 

‘Her team was ambushed,’ Keegan answered, ‘the groups sent to distract.'

‘Ah,’ breathed the man, ‘you the only one to survive?’ 

‘There was another,’ you responded, trying to swallow down your anger. What the fuck did he mean by distract? ‘Left me for dead to save his own ass.’ 

‘That’s the problem with people in those squads,’ said the man standing in front of you, ‘they never protect their own. But you don’t have to worry about that happening while you’re with us,’ he said, looking around at his group, pride swelling in his chest, ‘does she?’ 

There was a collective ‘negative’ that sounded from all the men standing around you, and you felt your lips twitch, yet bit back your smile. 

A crash alerted all of you as a pile up of cars formed on the street, building a makeshift path to the parking lot across from you akin to the path you and Keegan had taken whilst traversing the wasteland of a city. Water spills up and over the metal, however, it seems to keep steady despite the creaking of the vehicles. 

‘We gotta get across,’ said the man in the black cap. 

Turning to him, a bearded man furrowed his brows. ‘Any ideas?’ 

The man in front of you glanced to the pile up, nodding. ‘Yeah. Follow me!’ 

He pushed first, climbing over the disintegrating wall and jumping onto the side of the car that had gotten caught. You watched as he moved effortlessly, and one by one, the group followed after him. You waited patiently, not wanting to overstep, and when it was only you and Keegan left, you waited for him to move.

However, he didn’t, instead motioning for you to cross over. You did as you were told, your eyes trained on your feet to ensure you did not end up in the treacherous waters again. Keegan was quick behind you, and when you made it to the other side, you allowed yourself to breathe, not noticing you’d been holding your breath. 

Taking cover behind one of the cars, you caught sight of more men in the water before the group, holding the pistol you had been gifted in your hands.

No words are shared as you work on clearing out more enemies, the further you push giving you ample opportunity to tuck the pistol into your waistband as you take one of the dead men’s guns. Pulling the magazine out, you glance into it, ensuring there is more than one shot. You were pleased to see only a few shots had been fired, pushing it back into the gun. You spied dry land in the distance, and the two soldiers who were shooting were dropped quickly. The whirling of propellors was the thing which sparked conversation. 

‘Helo Inbound!’

‘They’re picking up Almagro. We gotta move!’ declared the man with the black cap. 

‘We gotta get through that building!’ 

As though sent into overdrive, the gun fire and rounds shot increased and their determination left your own heart raging. The prospect that you were fighting with one of the best teams dawned upon you and you felt inspired. The day had started so terribly, yet, you made it out alive and you were fighting with a Task Force. How twisted the universe could be — to take so much but still give so much more. 

It almost made the betrayal you suffered hurt a little less. 

‘Elias, Merrick, you’re with me!’ stated the man, ‘Ajax, Keegan, miss! Cover our six!’ 

You promptly nod, although slightly soured. He couldn’t have been blamed, however; neither of you had had the time to share formalities. You pushed up two flights of stairs, being met with a metal door. Both the (who you assume to be their leader) and the bearded man crouch either side of the double doors. 

‘Elias, the door!’ 

The man standing before the pair of them, charged the door and force it open, meanwhile, you, Keegan, and Ajax watch on. When the door is pulled open, a helicopter is right there. Without a second thought, the three men charge it.

The three of you approached their position, keeping your eye trained on the surrounding area to ensure no stray bullets could compromise the objective. You stood idle with your finger on the trigger, all for the sight of a helicopter propelling downwards to catch your attention. Gunshots echoed from the inners of it, as it near enough squealed as it nose-dived downwards. You watched in horror — three men were in that helo, and there was physically nothing anyone could do to help them aside from watch as they met the doom. 

A crash erupted, as it dipped from out of view and you stared wide eyed, looking at the two men standing beside you. Ajax shared your horror, rushing to the edge of the roof, peering over the edge. Meanwhile, Keegan kept his eye out for any possible threat. Following Ajax, you peered over the edge to see that the helicopter had crashed on a balcony below the roof, most of it dangling off of the side. It creaks as a fire rages. 

‘Is there anything we can do?’ you asked. 

‘Negative,’ Ajax said, shaking his head, ‘to go after them would be a death sentence — they didn’t fall far either. I doubt any of them are seriously injured.’ 

You pursed your lips, unsure whether or not his speculation was the truth. The helicopter began to shift, falling forward. Swallowing hard, your throat tightened at the sound of half of the helicopter falling into the water with a splash. 

‘Everyone good?’ a voice called from inside. 

You caught the relief on Ajax’s face. 

There was a mumbled voice, you didn’t quite catch what was said before there was another splash in the water below. 

‘Shit! Rorke! Somebody, grab him! The whole thing’s shifting!’ 

There was a grunt and the crunch of metal. 

‘It’s breaking apart! We gotta move, now!’ 

The remaining part of the helicopter began to teeter on the edge it was sitting on. The weight of the day you had crashed down on you, the adrenaline that had powered you and kept your mind away from the bullet in your shoulder wearing off in the blink of an eye. Your entire body was on fire and you were stuck in a state of peril. Too many people had died that day, and you were going to be forced to witness three more die too. 

‘We’re too heavy! You gotta let him go!’ 

The creaking continued before you heard a shrill yell, ‘ELIAS!’ 

You spotted a body falling into the water, the man condemned to his untimely death as a row of ladders kept him trapped. His yelling was quelled when he his the rushing stream, and just as the rest of the helo followed suit, you watched as two men climbed out, throwing themselves on the ground. The heaved out breaths, Elias forcing himself up off of the ground, peering over the ledge. You couldn’t see his face, but he was trembling. 

Behind him, Merrick grunted, looking up to the three of you on the ledge. 

‘Amalgro’s dead,’ he said breathlessly, pressing his fingers into his ear piece, ‘threat neutralised. Rorke’s MIA. Calling for exfil.’ 

Chapter Two

[the-merry-otter]

Sometimes I see people tagging my posts with stuff like “I wish I could do reenactment/join the SCA” and I have to fight the urge to pop into their inbox unsolicited going “YOU CAN MAKE THIS HAPPEN, DO YOU WANT HELP?”

Because I always feel like the iffy stranger in a long coat sidling up to a kid in an alley … “hey kid, you want a hobby?” xD

HOWEVER if anyone wants to start reenactment but you have Questions, please feel free to reach out to me!! I can’t always give you the best *local* advice, but I’m more than willing to talk you through clothing, activities, how to find and contact a group, what to expect, and all the other scary stuff about joining a group.

Plus, some of my favourite things to talk about is reenactment and the SCA - you’ll be doing me a favour i promise 😝

[lovenpeace-pkmn]

Doctors in Unova are required to report suspected abuse--is this the same in Kalos? If so, taking her to a doctor for humans and explaining the situation may be a valid next step. If her injuries are obvious then they should be willing to hear you out.

How to keep the younger sister of your wife safe? Internet! Please!

[callmekenya]

Mal

Practicing spells and experimenting with new magic.

Exploring the Forbidden Forest at night.

Attending Auradon Prep’s Halloween events.

Painting murals around Auradon.

Sneaking out to the Isle of the Lost for old times’ sake.

Designing and customizing battle outfits together.

Stargazing from the top of Auradon Castle.

Sharing secrets and life stories.

Engaging in friendly sparring matches.

Planning pranks on unsuspecting students.

Baking enchanted treats in the kitchen.

Watching classic villain movies.

Attending royal balls and events together.

Discussing future plans for Auradon.

Going on scavenger hunts in hidden parts of the castle.

Helping Mal with her royal duties and responsibilities.

Drawing and sketching each other’s portraits.

Singing duets in private.

Practicing self-defense techniques.

Watching the sunrise after a long night of adventure.

Evie

Designing and sewing outfits in her fashion studio.

Attending fashion shows in Auradon.

Having spa days with homemade facials.

Decorating the dorm room together.

Taking long walks through Auradon’s gardens.

Hosting tea parties for close friends.

Practicing different hairstyles on each other.

Doing makeovers for friends at Auradon Prep.

Creating DIY beauty products.

Baking cupcakes and decorating them creatively.

Shopping for the latest fashion trends.

Watching fashion-related movies and shows.

Planning and throwing themed parties.

Visiting Evie’s 4 Hearts boutique on the Isle.

Helping Evie with her royal responsibilities.

Going on treasure hunts around Auradon.

Sharing stories about their mothers’ legacies.

Having deep conversations about their futures.

Volunteering for charity events in Auradon.

Taking photography trips to capture Auradon’s beauty.

Jay

Playing competitive sports, especially Tourney.

Sneaking out for midnight adventures.

Organizing and participating in Auradon’s obstacle courses.

Exploring the Isle of the Lost together.

Attending and cheering for Auradon Prep’s games.

Practicing martial arts and combat training.

Pulling off harmless pranks on Carlos and others.

Hiking in the mountains around Auradon.

Riding motorcycles and going on road trips.

Competing in various physical challenges.

Playing video games in the dorm.

Setting up campfires and telling stories.

Training with swords and other weapons.

Engaging in treasure hunts on the Isle.

Visiting Jay’s favorite places in Auradon.

Attending Auradon’s sports tournaments.

Working out and staying in shape together.

Helping Jay with his duties as the future Sultan.

Repairing and customizing vehicles.

Watching action movies and reenacting the scenes.

Carlos

Inventing and testing new gadgets.

Going on adventures with Dude.

Playing video games and having friendly competitions.

Attending tech fairs and conventions.

Setting up movie marathons with friends.

Building and racing go-karts.

Visiting the Isle and fixing up old tech.

Creating DIY projects together.

Playing with and training Dude in new tricks.

Watching classic villain movies.

Sneaking into restricted areas for exploration.

Attending Auradon’s science fairs.

Riding hoverboards around campus.

Working on robotics projects.

Attending Carlos’s Tourney matches.

Visiting the Auradon tech lab.

Discussing theories about their parents’ legacies.

Setting up treasure hunts with tech clues.

Taking part in Auradon’s talent shows.

Going on dates with Carlos and helping with advice.

Uma

Planning and leading missions on the Isle.

Sailing together on the Lost Revenge.

Cooking and preparing seafood dishes.

Exploring hidden parts of the Isle.

Practicing pirate combat skills.

Planning elaborate heists and treasure hunts.

Singing sea shanties together.

Having secret meetings in Uma’s cabin.

Helping Uma with her leadership duties.

Organizing raids against rival pirate crews.

Engaging in sword fights and combat training.

Discussing strategies to take down enemies.

Hosting pirate parties on the ship.

Decorating Uma’s quarters with stolen treasures.

Going on secret night swims around the Isle.

Plotting ways to challenge Auradon’s authority.

Helping Uma recruit new crew members.

Discussing their shared disdain for Mal.

Listening to the ocean’s waves together.

Exploring the sea caves near the Isle.

Harry

Practicing sword fights on the Lost Revenge.

Playing pranks on fellow pirates.

Sailing the high seas and discovering new territories.

Engaging in pirate-themed games and challenges.

Sharing stories of past adventures.

Creating new pirate songs and shanties.

Attending pirate feasts and parties.

Decorating Harry’s quarters with stolen goods.

Engaging in intense training sessions.

Helping Harry with his loyalty to Uma.

Going on treasure hunts around the Isle.

Spending time at the docks watching the ships.

Exploring secret passages on the ship.

Plotting ways to challenge Auradon’s rule.

Attending secret pirate meetings.

Sharing a flask of rum (non-alcoholic for the sake of Auradon Prep’s rules).

Practicing stealth and sneaking into Auradon.

Discussing their mutual distrust of Mal.

Helping Harry maintain his signature look.

Protecting each other from rival pirate crews.

Ben

Attending royal events and functions together.

Exploring the vast gardens of Auradon Castle.

Planning and hosting charitable events.

Discussing plans for the future of Auradon.

Going on diplomatic missions to other kingdoms.

Attending Auradon Prep’s football games.

Practicing speeches and royal duties.

Taking long horseback rides through the kingdom.

Engaging in political debates and discussions.

Helping Ben with his kingly responsibilities.

Going on secret getaways to relax.

Volunteering for community service projects.

Attending music and cultural festivals.

Hosting movie nights at the castle.

Preparing for royal balls and events.

Playing chess and other strategy games.

Exploring ancient ruins around Auradon.

Discussing ways to unite Auradon and the Isle.

Practicing ballroom dancing for formal events.

Going on boat rides around the kingdom.

Audrey

Attending and planning Auradon’s royal balls.

Practicing ballet and other forms of dance.

Hosting and attending tea parties with the royals.

Shopping for the latest fashion trends.

Designing and planning new ball gowns.

Going on spa days and pampering sessions.

Practicing etiquette and royal protocols.

Hosting sleepovers with the royals.

Singing duets and practicing for royal performances.

Going on royal tours around Auradon.

Visiting art galleries and museums.

Discussing the history of Auradon’s royalty.

Attending fashion shows and events.

Preparing for royal banquets and feasts.

Exploring the royal archives and library.

Hosting charity events and fundraisers.

Practicing archery and other royal sports.

Attending outdoor picnics in Auradon’s gardens.

Going on shopping sprees in the kingdom.

Watching classic Disney princess movies together.

[theartofcollapse]

Baaaabe this time I'm not coming with a Olivia request 🤭

Could you write a fic Rollins x Reader where reader is a new solo mom getting back in the work field and find in Rollins a village 🥹 if you can, do it with a looooot of fluffy

a/n: thank you for your request summary:read it above pairing:Amanda Rollins x female reader warnings: none word count: 866

masterlist

A Village in You - Amanda Rollins

It was your first day back in the workforce after two years of being a stay-at-home mom. You’d taken time off to care for your daughter, Ellie, now an energetic two-year-old who loved dinosaurs, chocolate milk, and sleeping exclusively in your bed. You were nervous. Excited, sure, but mostly nervous. Finding the balance between motherhood and a demanding new job wasn’t something you’d mastered yet or even attempted.

Your first day at the 16th Precinct had been overwhelming in every way possible. Meeting new coworkers, learning the ropes, and reminding yourself not to accidentally call your boss “sweetie” like you did your toddler was enough to make your head spin. But what stood out the most was Amanda Rollins.

From the moment Amanda introduced herself, she made you feel at ease. There was something warm and approachable about her, like she instinctively understood how intimidating this transition was for you. Her Southern drawl softened her words, and her easy smile felt like a hand reaching out to steady you.

“You holding up okay, Y/N?” Amanda asked later that afternoon as the two of you walked out of the precinct. She’d noticed the slight sag in your shoulders and the faraway look you got when you checked your phone for updates from Ellie’s babysitter.

“Yeah, I think so. It’s just… a lot,” you admitted, adjusting the strap of your bag. “I haven’t done this in a while. I keep worrying I’ll mess something up at work or that Ellie will forget I’m her mom because I’m not with her 24/7 anymore.”

Amanda chuckled softly. “Trust me, I get it. I’ve got two kids myself. Balancing this job and being a mom? Not easy. But you’re doin’ great. And Ellie? She’s lucky to have a mom who cares this much.”

Her words were like balm to the self-doubt clawing at your chest. You hadn’t expected anyone to notice how much you were struggling, let alone reassure you.

“Thanks, Amanda. That… means a lot,” you said, offering a shy smile.

From that day on, Amanda became your unofficial support system.

Over the next few weeks, Amanda was always there, in ways big and small. She was the one who showed you the fastest way to get through the mountain of paperwork. She had a knack for stepping in when a suspect’s attitude made you feel out of your depth. And when you had to leave early because Ellie had a fever, Amanda waved off your apologies with a firm, “Family comes first, Y/N. Always.”

One evening, after a particularly grueling case, Amanda insisted on driving you home. You hesitated, not wanting to impose, but she was already opening the passenger door for you.

When you got to your apartment, Ellie toddled over to greet you with open arms and a chorus of giggles. Amanda’s face softened at the sight.

“This is Ellie,” you introduced, scooping her up. “Ellie, this is Amanda.”

“’Manda,” Ellie repeated, grinning at the new face.

Amanda’s heart melted. “Well, hey there, sweet pea. You’re even cuter than your mom said.”

Ellie giggled harder, clearly charmed, and Amanda stayed for dinner that night. It became the first of many nights where she would join you, sometimes bringing dessert or toys for Ellie, always bringing her warmth and calm presence.

As months passed, Amanda became part of your routine. She was there for daycare pickups when your shifts ran late, quick coffee runs that turned into life advice sessions, and the occasional impromptu movie night when Ellie demanded an audience for her dramatic reenactments of The Land Before Time.

One rainy Saturday afternoon, Amanda showed up at your door with a bag of groceries and an umbrella. “Figured you could use a little help,” she said casually, though the kindness in her eyes betrayed her words.

The three of you spent the afternoon baking cookies (well, you and Amanda baked while Ellie spilled flour everywhere) and playing board games. At some point, Ellie fell asleep on the couch, clutching Amanda’s hand.

“She adores you,” you said softly, watching the scene unfold.

Amanda looked at you, her expression tender. “The feelin’s mutual.”

You hesitated before speaking again, your heart pounding. “I don’t know how I would’ve done any of this without you, Amanda. I mean it. You’ve been… everything I didn’t know I needed.”

Amanda’s gaze held yours, her voice quiet but steady. “Y/N, you don’t have to do this alone. I’m here. For you and Ellie. Always.”

Her words settled over you like a promise, and for the first time in a long time, you felt like you weren’t just surviving, you were thriving, thanks to her.

It wasn’t long before Amanda was more than just a coworker, more than a friend. She became the one who reminded you that you didn’t have to carry it all alone. And in her, you found something you hadn’t expected. A partner, a confidant, and the love you’d always dreamed of.

As Ellie stirred awake that evening, blinking up at Amanda with sleepy eyes, you couldn’t help but smile. For the first time, your little family felt complete.

And it was all because of her.

[silly-sirenz]

could you do some Chaggie headcanons general daily stuff

Thank you for asking! 🖤

Of course!! I love these two.

Charlie × Vaggie Headcanons

● Charlie is a morning person, but that's only because of the 8 alarms Vaggie sets.

● They take turns to make each other breakfast.

● Vaggie sees Charlie as a bit of a style icon. When they first met she definitely took inspiration from Charlie to fit in in Hell.

● Vaggie's bow was a gift from Charlie, it's her favourite article of clothing.

●They'll often watch films together. Vaggie points out any inaccuracies, and Charlie listens dotingly.

● Charlie shows a lot of affection through acts of service and physical touch. She'll hum a tune for Vaggie whilst massaging her shoulders at the end of a long day.

●She has also made Vaggie several playlists on Hell's equivalent of Spotify.

● Vaggie is more about quality time, often being Charlie's emotional rock when things go south. She'll offer advice and generally be by her side. Vaggie knows how horrible it is to feel alone. She never wants Charlie to feel the same way that she did in Heaven.

●Vaggie often organises small suprise dates for Charlie. Some of their previous dates have included picnics on the rooftop, taking Charlie to a jazz bar and doing dramatic reenactments of Charlie's favourite books together.

● When they go to bed, Charlie is the big spoon. She is a very physically affectionate person, which usually Vaggie is not fond of. However, she enjoys being held when she's held by Charlie.

[moonybelgug]

૮︵⭒‿᧔☪︎᧓‿⋆︵౨

warnings: !MDNI! fem!reader, crossdressing, unfinished blowjob, idk what this is it came to me in a vision at five am yesterday, kaveh is pretty and attracts attention that is quickly dealt with by ⋆˙⟡ us ⋆˙⟡ kaveh’s alias is amira bc it means princess and it fits him, lowkey a self insert fic but i wanted to share this with the world so i made it reader friendly <3 wc: 1336

· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·

You could say that you and your boyfriend had a tradition… An unconventional one, but a fun one. When your schedules align, the two of you travel to some neighboring nation, Fontaine or Liyue most likely, and you give yourselves new names and new backgrounds, maybe you’ll throw on a wig and of course, new outfits. You’ll attend parties and gatherings with strangers, or maybe they’re not strangers, but they certainly don’t recognize you. It’s fun to talk to people without having to worry about an every day image to uphold, without worrying about how they’ll react to seeing you again, because after all, it’s only for a couple nights at most and then the two of you are gone again, your identities vanishing into thin air as you travel back to Sumeru to return to normality.

But there is a rule to this tradition, one that must be upheld or else all of it is meaningless to you.

You must go as the opposite gender.

How the idea came about, you’re unsure of. One of you may have tried on a clothing item of the opposite sex and the other must have enjoyed it and the idea spurred on from there. Either way, it was much too dear of an annual event to stop now, even if it’s a secret between the two of you.

This year, the coin landed on heads, meaning you were headed for Fontaine. And just in time for a festival being held in the main city.

Kaveh had many choices of dress from after so many years of collecting, you couldn’t help but admire him as he stood tall in such beautiful and ornate fabrics. The way he did his make up, the jewlery he decorated himself with, you could see his mother when you looked at him, he must’ve taken heavy inspiration from the photos he had of her.

As for you, it wasn’t hard to dress masculine. There are far less expectations of course, but where’s the fun in that? You dress lavishly, finding ways that hide your form, perhaps using your vision to help, but with some tips from Kaveh, you do well and you look very sharp. He grins when he sees the grand reveal, titillated by how you look thanks to his own advice but also seeing you dressed so handsomely. Sometimes it’s hard to get out the door of your Fontainian apartment.

The first big event would be the Opera Epiclese, where you watch shows of magic and dance, beautiful ballerinas and plays that reenact old trials from the past that were particularly interesting. Kaveh sits beside you, fanning himself idly. Even doing nothing but pretending to be someone else is exciting. You gaze at how entranced he is with the stage performers. How his eyes widen when something dramatic happens, or how his lips turn up when something comedic starts the crowd into a roll of laughter.

He sees you staring out of the corner of his eye and he turns to look back at you. You reach out to brush the strands of his long, blonde wig from his eyes and you tuck his hair behind his ear.

“You look stunning tonight, Amira,” you whisper to him, causing his cheeks to flush and his mouth to turn into a wobbly smile.

He quietly coos your chosen alias, leaning over to kiss the corner of your mouth, leaving soft red lip stain in his wake. You take his gloved hand and stand up, crouching as you pass through the aisle and lead Kaveh into one of the side rooms, toward the washrooms.

“Where are we going-?” He gasps as he stumbles after you, gathering his dress in his free hand so he can keep up with your determined pace. When you drag him into the washroom you turn him around and press him against the sink as your lips collide, your hands on his waist as you guide him to press against you.

“Should’ve known,” he mumbles amusedly as he wraps his own arm around your waist, the other hand coming up to caress your cheek as you kiss. You kiss his neck and tug his collar down as far as he’ll let you to kiss any hint of skin that you can reach. His moans cascade from his lips and fall into your ears when you nibble on the soft spot of his neck, making him instinctively grind his hips against yours. You feel a soft prodding from under all his skirts, alerting you of how much he’s enjoying this attention. Your fingers come up to caress his neck and ears, bringing more purrs of excitement from his chest. You guide him to sit on the sink, bunching up his skirts to reveal the bloomers underneath the Fontainian style dress. He went with a slim dress, one that doesn’t flare out as much, a modest but elegant piece. His erection is visible through the bloomers, and you wonder if you’ll make it through the night without making a scene. You look up at him and bite at the fabric, tugging them down to his knees with your teeth. Kaveh stares at this scene of sin, glancing at the door repeatedly.

“The door-“ he whispers, pressing his thighs together nervously, doing nothing to quell your hunger. You take a bite out of his thigh, mouthing at him as you suck a hickey into his soft skin. He covers his mouth with the back of his hand, whining into it and gasping when he feels your lips close around the tip of his cock. He feels so good in your mouth, sweet and salty, smooth and veiny. His hips press up as you take him in deeper, pulling up and sucking harshly on his tip again. You pull up and lean in to kiss his lips again, licking into his mouth and letting him taste himself as his cock weeps onto his bloomers. The door opens and a group of three young men step in, glancing briefly of the two of you before chuckling and moving on, taking out cigars from their coats. You move between Kaveh’s legs, protecting him from their sight and grin at his mortified expression. You pull the bloomers back up and around his waist, smooth out his dress and help him down from the counter, kissing his cheek as you help him gather himself. He gives you a gentle glare that says you’ll be compensating him later as you rub your palm over his crotch one last time.

Kaveh turns away, looking at you through the mirror, still glaring at the smug look on your face as he reapplies his lipstick. “We still have an after party to attend,” he says, pinching your cheek as he floats out of the wash room, as though nothing had happened. You sigh to yourself, and wash off the majority of the stains he had left your face, but decide to leave the half hidden on your neck before following him out.

When you step out, adjusting your cufflinks, you discover the show had ended and you follow the sound of chatter in the foyer as people talk amongst themselves while leaving. Big, ruffled dresses and large powdered wigs bob, the clacking of well waxed shoes and the sounds of jackets being retrieved resonate through the marble floors and walls. Kaveh waits patiently for his counterpart by the wall, fanning himself elegantly as a he is questioned by a man- a stranger. He makes eye contact with you across the room and bites his lip, annoyed and pestered.

You come behind this man and place your hand on his shoulder, gently guiding him away from your partner. “Amira, shall we leave?” You ask Kaveh, ignoring the stranger and offering your arm to your love.

The man begins to object, only to close his mouth when you flash him a look. Kaveh takes your arm and the two of you leave, grinning amongst yourselves.

· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·

[shradsmanifestt]

hi, im sorry for bothering u right now. ive been asking around for advice everywhere because i really need all the help i could use right now. my anxiety is flaring up like crazy because my results come out tomorrow and im so scared because if i mess this up then my future is ruined. my mental health has been horrible and that has severely affected my grades but in most asian countries they dgaf about that and basically think it's nonexistant for minors so ofc i'm still undiagnosed, and if i were to apply to a uni i wouldnt get any good chances anywhere. if i could just get 3 Bs in my AS levels it would be okay or else i'd have to retake it and it's super costly here.. i don't wanna put my family through that because they'll talk me down, degrade me, destroy my self esteem which i've managed to build back a little. they were like this since when i was the topper and thats what made me burnout. undiagnosed adhd, trauma, depression also contributed to it

im applying the law, but instead of the feeling of success that everyone else gets i feel panicked. the 'feeling' people usually get when they're in the wish fulfilled state, the feeling of accepting it and it being real—im not getting that. i dont see a clear picture when i visualize. every time i try to, i end up breaking down and feeling like a failure... but I'm still trying to go on because why is it that the people who hurt me and practically ruined my life get to live successfully, while i suffer? thats not fair... i promised myself that if i could just get 3 Bs, ill turn my life around and work really hard... but is it over for me? i want to win, im trying to, but im scared

im trying my best to visualize myself getting 3 Bs, reenacting my friends faces when i get the results, praying to God and thanking Him for blessing me and continuing to bless me, but there is this fear still lingering at the back of my mind... i feel like I'm not doing it right. i have like one day left and I'm so nervous. im going over posts, tweets, and every time I feel a little better, it all comes crashing down because of doubts. theres only one thing one my mind right now: 'how am I gonna turn it around in one day?' i know that the 3D does not matter and that everything is done in imagination, but here i feel like its not done in imagination either

right now nothings clicking in my head, whatever i read is getting scrambled in my mind, i feel so lost and empty. could u please tell me what to do in this specific situation? u can be as harsh as you want if that's what's needed to get the point across. im really sorry for the bother and id be really grateful if u could please help out, ive never been this desperate before... my life cant be over before it even started

Hey love,

I get you, I really do but trust me when I say this.

THIS SHIT IS REAL AF. Manifestation is real af. It's as real as the fact that you are a human being. All you have to do is trust yourself that it is already done. If good results is what you want then that is exactly what you'll get. You need to choose to stop having doubts because it is already done. That is the simplest answer I can give you. Persist on what you want.

I am glad to tell you this but I just got test results for a major exam held in my uni today and I got into the 95th percentile just by saying to myself that my super power is aptitude tests and that I already scored great. In my friends group only 3 of us were eligible and I have 70+ more marks then them as well. If I can do it, you can do it. You need to stop doubting yourself. Atleast stop doubting manifestation. Cause at this point you're only gonna manifest your doubts.

I'll give you a scenario - If you're worried about getting bad grades, Trust me when I say this you're gonna manifest exactly that coz you will manifest exactly what you assume. You can choose to stop that right here, RN. Choose to accept that you got great marks. I mean don't even like aim for B's go for A's. I don't care even if you left the paper blank coz if you assume you're the topper, that is exactly what's gonna happen.

If you do get bad marks and I'm gonna be harsh here - You're the only reason why! You're gonna manifest exactly what you assume to be true even if it's good or bad. Your sc mind don't differentiate btw what's good for you or what's bad for you. It only knows what you feed it.

You got this, TRUST ME

Love, Shrads.