#remember when we were waiting for s2 to come out and i was like ''i am going to break the world record for most impatient person''

[aliceinborderlandsquidgame]

One hell of a team | In-ho x Wife!Reader |

Summary: You will follow your husband anywhere.

Warnings: S2 Spoilers - Violence - Different back story for In-ho - Blood - Death - Use of (Y/N) - Reader gets called "love" -

The Frontman, the man with the most power within the island, to who the guards obey without question.

Was currently trembling under his wife pointed look.

"You want to enter the games?" You asked him, your tone cold and almost jugdmental.

In-ho calmed himself down. It was an idea that stayed with him after the death of the Chairman and even more with how player 456 had insisted the last two years in finding them. He had played before and won, he knew how terrible others could be, he had walked out like a new man, used the money for himself and you. Never really gave much thought on how many lives were lost.

But, for some reason he wanted to go again.

"Im going with you"

His glass of wishky fell onto the floor, the loud crash did nothing to bother you while you ate.

"No, thats not happening. I need you here to control the games and guards" In-ho started trying to get a valid reason to why you defenetly should not come.

"Oh, you need me to? Well I need you here. With me. With our family. How do you think I would do seeing you there ? I still remember how you got when you came back from these the first time"

"That was different" The Frontman said taking a deep breath "I wont be just one more player, it will be like when the Chairman went in"

"That still does not ease my mind" (Y/N) responded "Till death do us a part and follow you anywhere" you recited showing him your weeding ring. "Remember?"

In-ho felt his chest got thight at the sight and the memory of the small yet full of love weeding you two had back when life was more simple.

"Alright, you can come with me. Its not like you would wait for my approval" he responded smiling at the end "But no one must know that we are married, you understand that ?" He added now serious

"Of course, its what makes more sense, we will just casually meet there and see how it plays" You nodded to him "And please, better clean up that glass before someone steps on it"

"On it, love"

~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆~

For the most part pretending not to know each other was easier than expected. While you knew the guards knew who you two were you were still a bit scared. Specially during the green and red light, since both of you had got separated and now you were froze in your spot.

"You need to move" In-ho said from behind his arm playing along "Follow me in the next sing, alright? Just take my hand"

"Im scared, im sorry" You said feeling guilty over wanting to be there with him and starting to fail on the first game no less.

"I know, I was too. But im here, just follow me"

~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆~

You had to hide your smirk when he pressed the circle to go on with the games, you knew he would do it just to piss off Player 456 and make things more cahotic.

He went with the rest and stood besides you trying himself not to smile at you.

~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆

The first approach to Gi-huns team was tense to say the least. You two had voted circle and even worse In-ho had been the vote that ended the tie.

But with his own charisma and yours you two got to be on his good side.

Till In-ho decided to talk, really you sometimes forgot who sassy he could be.

"And some picked umbrella?" He asked faking suprise when he had seen it on first hand. "Most of them died I assume"

You could see the look on player 456 and decided to be more sensitive

"Hey, dont be like that. Im sure they went in blind and did not know what it was about" You said keeping a safe distance so no one would think you two were together or knew each other before the games.

In-ho was having too much fun.

~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆

That first night they both were in their respective beds. Still keeping their false relationship. However once (Y/N) was sure all were asleep she went towards In-ho who was awake like he knew she would be coming to him.

"Are you alright?" He asked in a whisper, worried that for her this would be too much.

"Im fine, I wanted to see if you were fine"

He nodded not saying a thing but taking her hand.

"Also, I saw you break that fight, really ? When did you even learn to do that ?" This made him smile and hold her hand thighter "Really! I only see you in your office all the time"

"You think I would come in here without knowing how to defend myself or you?"

She smiled at him, blushing in the dark. "No....I just thought all you did was be in your office and give orders"

In-ho rolled his eyes "Just wait till we are out of here, i will show you just how fit im"

~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆

The six legs game was both a chaos and funny. Honeslty you could not help yourself on hugging him and player 456 (who was slowly getting on your soft side) as you saw a team win.

However the shoots that came for these who did not survive were too much. You would swear In-ho gave the guards a cold stare because you would flinch sometimes.

"Hey, dont worry they wont shoot the ones who havent played" Player 456 reassured you with a calm tone

You nodded, knowing that even if you lost they wont shoot you or In-ho. It was still sweet to see him trying to calm you down.

~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆

"Not a word" He said during the night when you two were able to talk again.

"I was not going to say a thing, but you did in on purpose or were you really missing ?"

In-ho closed his eyes knowing you would later get the recording of him missing during the game and use it against him.

"It was all planned" he said trying to sound as convincing as he could.

"Whatever you say Honey"

~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆

The game of making pairs gave you nausea because of the carousel kept spinning around. And the rounds were stress again. The worse part was getting separated from In-ho who find you seeing how two players were dragging you so they could have the number they needed.

You havent see him get that angry in years, his protective self being on as he pulled one from the neck and punched the other one.

He kept punching almost forgetting there was a game you two were supposed to play.

"Leave him we still need two more" You urged only for a guard to shove two confused and scared players besides you and In-ho.

"We got them" He assured getting your hand and going to one room.

~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆

"In-ho!! (Y/N)!!" The worried screams of Gi-hun filled the place as he looked for both of you.

Even if he had promised to try and dont get attached to new players and survive he could not help but feel a connection with both of you.

"Gi-hun!" In-ho's voice called making him look over and see him coming towards the rest with you by hand something that made him curious but decided not to ask.

"Im glad to see you two alright" Gi-hun said seeing just a few bruises on you, and noticing blood on In-ho knuckles.

You catched his eyes and went to explain "He saved me" you told the rest looking at them then at In-ho who was looking back at you "I would have not made it otherwise"

The look of love you two shared was so genuine, some wonder if you two were together but trying to be discrete to protect yourselfs.

~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆

"They will most likely attack us tonight" Gi-hun explained as he showed the fork the guards had left when the food was given.

The idea only assented itself when the men returned from the bathroom, with blood on them. 

"And what do you propouse us to do?" In-ho asked all of the Xs were in a circle trying to listen to what Gi-hun had to say.

Gi-hun told the others his plan, honestly you thoguht it was nusts, it wont work. They were far suprassed on numbers but you had to shut yourself up.

You could tell your husband was both amazed by it and even kind of respecting it. Or at least that what he showed to him. He needed Gi-hun's trust after all.

~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆

"Hide well" In-ho said besides you in a low tone "We can trust the guards but till they get here we cant trust the others"

You nodded knowing that very well since this was a typical phase of the game for years.

"We will be safe" You said holding his shoulder. "Do what you have to do, dont worry about me" You tried to make him feel at ease but he could not. The only thing that scared him more than anything were the other players trying to get to you.

"Just hang in there" He responded his forehead against yours.

~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆

The fight was on its hot spot. The players were killing each other without a second thought.

Nothing like living it, even if you have seen this type of thing multiple times. Its was unnerving to see them just going at each others troath. The screams and cries were too much for a moment, the dark did nothing to help.

Thats when you felt it. Someone had dragged you out from under the bed and was now on top of you. You saw the player move their left hand ready to Strike at you. You tried to punch and defend yourself but the person on top was too strong.

A cold scream left your mouth as the fork pierced your shoulder.

You could not help it, the adrenaline and anxiety was getting on you.

"In-ho! In-ho help me please" You screamed for him, your husband the love of your life.

"Shut up, the next one will be your neck" The person said and for a moment you saw it. Dying in here and leaving In-ho.

Till you felt the person being pushed and the screams of them. You blinked trying to make sense.

It was In-ho, he had taken the fork from the player and was now piercing the neck of the player, not even leaving a chance for them to survive.

"GO HIDE NOW!!" In-ho ordered, he being scared himself and angry. He saw red when you were dragged and it was for the brutal grip Gi-hun had on his arm that he did not move faster.

You did as told getting under another bed and making sure no one could reach you.

"You fucking scum! How dare you lay hands on my wife" In-ho almost screamed too angry to see that the player was now dead. All his face and hands where covered in blood.

"Stop it!! They are dead, we need to continue the plan, the lights will be back soon" Gi-hun said taking him and pulling him away from the dead player.

"Get (Y/N), and be ready" Gi-hun told him trying to keep himself calm even when he was close to jump over and save you and In-ho. He wondered if he had hear it right, you were his wife?

In-ho did not waste time, searching for you in the dark till he noticed you. He went quick, pulling yourself out from the bed telling you its was him.

"Shh shh its me, its over dont cry Love" He said trying to make you feel better.

"In-ho?" He nodded and you cried harder "In-ho I was so scared"

"I know love I know, just a bit more alright? It will be over soon. Listen once the guards come in and we follow Gi-huns plan do not come. Someone will come and get you"

"Im going with you, im not leaving you in a bullet fight!"

"You know nothings gonna happen to me, I want you here, safe, alright?"

Finally you accepted.

"I love you In-ho"

"I love you too Love"

~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆

As In-ho had said when the guards got back after the fight one took you, Player 120 tried to protest but was put back in her place by other guard.

"You are under suspect of have been part of the riot. You are now eliminated from the games"

The guard said playing his role, starting to get you out of the room while you screamed following the act.

~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆~

"Apologies Madam, orders from the Front Man" The guard said bowing once you two were outside and out of reach from the others players.

Even if you were still breathing hard you nodded. "Dont worry, just take me to him". The guard nodded.

~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆~

He knew he was needed in the control room but refused to let you alone like that. He went to your share room, his heart broke at your image, bruises and blood over you. A guard was checking your shoulder but left after he order them to.

Silence fell over both of you as he went to you and hugged you careful not to hurt your shoulder.

He removed his mask to look at you properly.

"Im sorry, I should have never let you come, I should have stopped this sooner" He said with pain in his voice

"Dont blame yourself, I told you I was going in with you. This was not your fault In-ho" You reassured him feeling sad and worried over him.

"I cant not blame myself" He gently passed his hand over your cheeck "You are the best thing in my life and I almost lost you because of my own desires, never again"

You two kissed softly grounding yourselfs. You two were safe and together nothing else matters from now. Only the love and devotion you two had for each other.

~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆~

[divinedelusional]

how rafe would treat his gf on her period

rafe cameron x fem reader

word count: 796

warnings: menstruation, mentions of toxic relationship and period sex

a/n: yeah this is how rafe treats his girl on her period but also how he would be like in a relationship throughout the seasons? i got carried away, sorry not sorry

s1 rafe: sooo i feel like fratboy!rafe genuinely doesn't give a fuck, i don't even know if he would be capable of being in a relationship. i see him being involved with a girl but only for sex and he would only know she's on her period bc she would just text him that they can't meet today bc of it and he'd be like "uh huh cool" and would go jerk off

s2 rafe: here i think situation would be slightly different. i think our psycho bby could acc develop feelings for a girl, it would mostly be just sex but he could start falling for someone. so i think he'd fight a battle in his mind if he should come over to the girl's house and be there for her on her period or to completely neglect her. it's just he doesn't have a clue what to do and tbh he's occupied with other shit, he uses sex with her to forget. i think it's very similar to s1 rafe but with guilt and feelings creeping in (and obvious denial for this emotions)

s3 rafe: so okay we all know the shift from curtain bangs psycho rafey to buzz cut man of the house rafe who looked like he's getting his shit together. of course that means he's different when it comes to relationships. he still deals with a lot, but he finds you. and he kinda sees you as this light. a small light who he has to be very careful with so it won't go out. he is attentive to you. treats you right, but with some sort of distance and you don't blame him. he doesn't spend every day with you, he didn't even ask you to be his girlfriend yet, didn't make it official but he will and somehow you know it. when you're on your period you become quiet. you don't text him, but he finds out as he had a feeling that he should drop by your house. he finds you on your couch with a heating bag and cookies. you told him you weren't feeling well and he ordered you hot soup and made a quick run to pharmacy for some medicine. he still was clueless and thought you caught a cold. "rafe im not sick im just on my period" "oh" it's not like he avoids you, no. he visits you everday for the next four days but doesn't stay for long, always excusing himself with some meeting or business. you know he means the best for you but wish that he's going to be able to let you in soon. you're really patient with him, but start having doubts.

s4 rafe: is now fully committed to you. you talked to him how you really felt about this relationship. that you really cared and wanted to give him as much time as he needed, but also you couldn't waste it anymore waiting for him. and rafe realized that nobody else would have such patience for him. he was thinking about you a lot and he admitted to himself that you were the one. he made your relationship official and two months later you were living together. he was spoiling you, really. taking you on dates, buying you gifts and most importantly giving you his time. getting to know you, observing your daily habits, remembering stuff you said. your likes and dislikes. no wonder he became pussy whipped. and started to feel like he knows you better than yourself.

that's why when it's that time of the month you don't have to say anything. rafe knows. just by the way you whine when you wake up, he knows if you'd be able to get out of bed and get on with your day or you'd want to stay in bed cuddling, because he's your personal heater, makes back pain go away. gives you massages. cuddles with you all morning untill your stomach start to signal that it's time for some food. oh and he doesn't care about his schedule. he could clear it off, cancel the meetings, but he doesn't bother. his girl is the most important, his business associates don't even deserve a phone call on a day his girl is in pain. also he's not opposed to period sex at. all. orgasm is a great way to reduce cramps, so if that works for you and you want him to help you, he is the happiest to do so. if you're not comfortable with having sex these days he totally understands. wouldn't even thought of forcing you to do something, on your period or not. when he discovered that he has so much love in him, his only interest is to give it to you♡

dividers by: @bernardsbendystraws

tagging: @sugaraanddiesel @cherrylipglossss hope they'll enjoy it and @cameronsprincess bc maybe it will put a smile on her face♡

[lizbetlovesbyler]

ex milkvan ride-or-die shipper and i am convinced the majority of modern day milkvan shippers are people who didn’t watch the show until it became super popular in 2022 when s4 was coming out.

like, there is a difference between binging all four seasons of a show and having years of wait between each one.

the time between each one gives you time to reflect on what you might see next season. as a milkvan truther after watching the first 2 seasons of the show in 2018, i was super excited for season 3 because we could see mike and eleven finally be together after their sweet reunion in the s2 finale.

and then…they literally break up in the first 2 episodes 😭

all my expectations flew straight out the window. i remember sitting there like “oh…wait what?” not necessarily disappointed (probably idk i was like 13) but super confused. even when they kissed at the end i hated it because it was just such an awkward kiss omdsssss😑

fast forward 3 years then i’m 16 and in a lesbian relationship and milkvan is just not hitting any spots. can’t remember what my expectations were for them, but i hated their reunion and didn’t have high hopes for them after that. (high hopes looked at the “i love you” scene, laughed, and left forever)

it was after vol2 was out and marinated when i started to see byler for what it was, because much like milkvan itself, each new season broke down all the expectations i had for them whilst byler only thrived.

binging all four seasons completely in one go strips this kind of trial and error experience away from you, you’re less likely to have grown accustomed to the writing and predict what will happen next time. (not suggesting bingers who joined in 2022 and post cant have picked up on byler too, it’s just a bit more difficult for the average person so pat yourself on the back if that’s your experience)

hence why i see so many new milkvans claim s5 is gonna be the season where they’re finally the power couple we thought they’d be back in 2018…and they weren’t.

“they’re gonna get married and 🤫 and have superpowered babies!”…what in the muthr fokc?

the only power they ever had was the power of heteronormativity

still love their pairing, but they’d be so much more powerful as friends like they were in the beginning

[pleaktale]

Bleaky!! I'm just a girl asking for a request for our man Ekko where in episode 3 of s2 he brought you with heimerdinger and he's trying to protect you from the hexcore 'exploding' please and thank you!! 🥺👉👈 Muah 😘 take your time!!

-katy ❤️

it took a life of it's own but after I figured out the plot it went smoooooth 🤭 I'm sorry for the long wait though! I hope it's worth it Word count: 2k Warnings: death mention, swearing, time travel (?) Tags: Ekko x firelight!Reader, mention of Y/N, no description of Reader other than hair, CW alternate universes, CW death, gender neutral Reader, CW time travel (kinda), hurt/comfort Enjoy!

Maybe coming along wasn’t the best idea.

It’s what you think about when Jayce guides the group towards the hexgate core, a big room with glass floors and lights shining everywhere, a giant ball with runes and lights and intricate patterns standing in the middle of the room. It felt like you should be afraid of it, but you put on your brave mask.

Ekko insisted you should come along, saying you were his ‘right-hand’ and ‘his engineer partner’, Heimerdinger didn’t have much of a choice and brought you with them to the lab of Piltover.

At least it was a fun adventure to get there, with Heimer thinking you guys were in a secret spy mission of sorts, doing hand signs created on the spot and rolling over ducts. You and Ekko couldn’t help but chuckle at the scenes unfolding.

Once in the lab, and with Heimerdinger making the presentations, you remember to hold in a laugh at Ekko trying to appear taller when talking to Jayce, even though he was a good amount shorter than him. Nonetheless, he was still your short king. He just wouldn’t know.

Now in front of this… thing, both you and Ekko exchange glances, you could see the worry in his eyes that quickly were replaced with determination as he tugged you by the sleeve of your shirt to tag along. Closer, in preference.

“I thought this was underground,” Ekko noticed, looking around before landing eyes on Jayce. His tone started to grow stern.

“The mesh is, this is just a fell safe as we were not sure what would happen if the gates overloaded,” he explained, making you scoff at this brilliant idea.

“So it would explode on us?” You ask back, eyebrows furrowed together as, once again, Piltover proves to not care about Zaun’s safety. At all. “Pretty wise for a scholar genius.”

“These are far from the city, it wouldn’t explode on anyone,” Jayce is immediately on defensive mode, even though, deep down, he knows this wasn’t made thinking about the others. Ekko walked closer, also getting defensive at his tone at you.

“These are our utility ducts! The ones that carry our water and guide our ventilation,” this time, Ekko was the one to confront him, taking a few steps closer.

Ekko continued with his arguments, but a shift in light caught your attention, turning around to see Heimerdinger looking at something on the ground, you also took a step closer to see what he was doing.

“Heimer? What is that?” you asked, and as the professor touched it again, something clicked.

Everything turned white, there were no floors nor walls, just a completely blank space of nothing. Well, nothing except for a massive sphere of something you couldn’t quite pinpoint. But it had the same patterns as the leaves of the tree.

“A��� wild rune?” you ask, walking a little closer in awe, just to be held back by Ekko, his gloved hand keeping you from going further close.

Meanwhile, Jayce was right in front of it, almost completely mesmerized by it. Everyone in the room was, in a way, even Heimerdinger who also got close, but Ekko didn’t keep him from walking.

“Ekko…” you called, taking him out of some kind of trance as he shook his head lightly, looking back at you, his eyes wide and with slight confusion. “It’s alright,” he reassured you, or tried to, staring back at Jayce who seemed to be approaching even more the sphere.

“Jayce!” Ekko shouted, trying to get him to stop going further into touching that warping thing of organic patterns and fluid geometries, but his voice sounded like it was below water. He heard himself like some twisted and warped sound.

You feel a tingle in your spine, taking a few steps back as the sphere started to lash parts of itself as Jayce got closer, your hand reached for Ekko, but it felt like you were a ghost, touching on nothing and lacking any physical parts on you.

Panic starts to settle, and you’re frozen in place, Ekko watches as Jayce grabs ahold of his hammer, aiming it for the sphere who twisted and warped and angrily reacted to the environment, tendril-like shapes lashing and gushing out of the sphere.

You heard a faint sound that was twisted and too dense for your ears to fully comprehend, but you made out as Ekko trying to stop him.

Then the hammer went full force on it.

Jayce’s skin warped and twisted, creating shapes and geometries around him, something weirdly two dimensional, like a thin piece of paper that follows your eyes. You look back, a line of copies of you, endlessly repeating, constantly copying your every action. Like time ripples out of place and creates thousands and thousands of versions of the same moment in splashes of color and shapes.

A mismatched sound fills your ears, something familiar yet strange, you look back ahead, Ekko is staring at you with desperation in his eyes. You see Heimerdinger exploding in a kaleidoscope of colors and shapes, something akin to oil amidst water, his eyes multiplying, following the lines.

You feel out of breath, screaming for Ekko but your voice comes out like some reversed echo, warped in the chaos that’s happening in that room. You can make out a repeated “run” screamed from Ekko, who is also trying to run away from it.

He jumps in your direction, copies of him flashing around your eyes, he’s close yet far, you can’t make out the distance in this weird time space you’re locked in. You try to reach for him too, your hand doubling into a thousand others, pops of color lashing out of your skin.

Ekko makes it to you, his arms enveloping your form tightly, the first time you’ve felt weight like you’re supposed to, something unearthly heavier than it should. You both fall into some form of flooring, but it still was just a blank space, you try to make the fall easier but your head finds one of the screws in what would be the real world.

And things go from blank to black.

-

Time wraps itself around, twisting and tugging and moving in an all time high, like being tossed into some sort of infinite blender that you’ll never reach the blades. Ekko feels it on his body for a mere second, but it feels like forever.

But then it stills.

“And I…” he stops, hands holding yours, or was it you? You had a different hair, your smile seemed brighter, but still he felt unfamiliarity. He continues without even knowing he was talking.

“I think I love you,” Ekko smiles, eyes squinting from how big it is, his heart feels full, but something on the back of his mind itches. You’re almost tearing up, or was you? With a short nod, you whisper a soft ‘me too’ that almost doesn't reach his ears, your arms circling around him.

He feels full. And then it stills.

“… that day was fun, y’know?” Ekko says, eyes staring down at some flowers in a vase, above a grave. Your grave, your name beautifully displayed with carvings of fireflies and your favorite flower around it. Something’s amiss, but he can’t quite scratch that itch in the back of his mind.

“I miss you,” he whispers, feeling his eyes tear up. It felt weird, he thought he was past it on his grief. Guess not. Feeling his lungs with fresh air, Ekko leaves a shaky breath, smiling to himself despite the pain in his heart.

He feels empty. And then it stills.

“Y/N, do you accept Ekko as your spouse?” Scar says, keeping a small smile after looking towards you. Ekko swears he’d never seen you so beautiful before. Or were you? Is it you?

“I do,” you answer, smiling almost ear to ear, hands clasped together. You feel his hands get a little clammy after your reply.

“Ekko, do you accept Y/N as your spouse?” Scar continues, now looking back at Ekko, who smiles with eyes shiny from the unshed tears. You squint your eyes, waiting for his reply, your heart almost beating out of your chest despite knowing the answer.

“I do,” he replies, “absolutely do,” and then adds. He feels full seeing your smile, the way you’re also almost tearing up, despite the itch on the back of his mind. Ekko just takes you in.

He feels complete. And then it stills.

Over and over and over and over.

“Y/N! Come out! We’ll miss the opening!” Ekko calls, he feels younger, he is younger, he’s still a kid. You’re a kid too. You’re running to him, hair bouncing as you halt almost atop of him. Your hands on his arm, shaking him.

“C’mon! We can’t miss it!” You sound so happy, so full of life. Or were you?

“Stop shaking me and let’s go!” Ekko holds your wrist, running the two of you towards the bridge to watch the opening of the shops. Benzo tried to call you two to wait, but he was a bit late. Benzo. Another itch he can’t scratch.

Time stills once again.

“Hey, don’t run on the stairs!”

Your voice echoes through the tree house, watching closely on your kid. His kid too. Our kid. Ekko smiles to himself, taking his cup of coffee from the pot. “It’s the nerves, firefly, first day of school,” he says to you, sipping on his mug.

“I know! But safety-”

“-always comes first.” He continues your phrase, making you smile in amusement and annoyance. He feels his chest warm up with a chuckle.

“C’mon, loosen up a little, will you?” His arm circles your waist, pulling you closer while his mug with hot coffee is kept far from your body.

The way you roll your eyes and lean on him makes it all worth it. But that damn itch. This weird feeling.

Time doesn’t stop this time, though.

BOOM!

A groan of pain escapes his lips, his arms tightly holding onto you. His body hit something physical for once, the weird feeling was gone, the memories still there.

Despite himself, Ekko just lays there for a moment, half scared of what he’d encounter by opening his eyes. When the courage comes, he slowly shifts, feeling you first, leaning onto his elbows to get himself up. His eyes are greeted by your knocked out form, but you’re still breathing peacefully. Almost like you’re asleep.

“Hey,” he calls quietly, gently shaking you, your eyes fluttering up brings relief to his heart.

You’re still drowsy, a stinging pain on the back of your head. Sitting up, Ekko is still checking up on you, his hand gently touching your elbow. “What happened?” you ask, feeling like you’ve slept for way too long.

“I.. I’m not sure,” he replies, looking around and seeing Heimendinger on the floor and no trace of Jayce. The hexcore was dimmed, with no power coming from it. He turns back at you, seeing you scratch the back of your head.

“Are you okay?” he asks, voice gentle and low. Unlikely so.

“Yeah, I think I just hit my head when that thing.. exploded, I guess.” Sighing, you stop for a moment, sitting up on the floor with him. “Are you?”

Your question pulls him from the memories he’s still drowning himself into. He couldn’t quite tell what that was; alternate universes? Another kind of dream? Whole different dimensions? Daydream? Had he hit his head too? But it felt too real, your touch was too real, the smells were too real, the warmth of the sun on his skin were too real. But that itch on the back of his mind was also too real.

One thing he knew was that you were the constant on his equation. Despite the changes, you were his equivalent.

Taking your hand in his, fingers intertwining. A sigh leaves his lips, eyes briefly closing before looking back up to your own. A smile of relief on his face.

“I am.”

Ekko feels full. And time is back to the right place, with you.

THANK YOU FOR READINGGG <33 ngl I kinda went crazy with this one, writing the wraps of time was fun!!! ALSO THANK YOUUU @the-kr8tor for all the yap sessions about this <3

© pleaktale

[aziraphales-library]

Y’all are awesome and I appreciate the hell out of this account! Any fics that are an attempt at a season 3? Preferably comedic ones! Thank you so much and keep up the amazing work! ❤️

Hello. We have a #good omens s3 speculation tag, so check that out. Here are more to add that have some kind of humour tag...

a place to be by kaiyen (NR)

In which Crowley moves back into his flat, Aziraphale has problems at work, and the Second Coming of Christ is but a stone's throw away. In the end, Crowley makes it to rolling green hills, leant against a stubbornly yellow Bentley. He remembers the first morning. He had slithered out of the ground not long before dawn, the dirt damp even before the first rain, the grass cool and crisp against his scales. And the sun had risen, jewels spilling across the great blue sky, warm and golden from the East. Crowley – Crawly, then – had wanted to follow it, had felt a great pull Eastwards. He went, too, until he found the ripe red fruit nestled amongst the lush green leaves and knew what they were for. It was luck, then, that the humans had left in the direction of the sunrise. Luck, or– ineffable. The sun rises over the South Downs, and Crowley finally wants to stay.

The Ineffable Shades of Gray (Good Omens Season 3) by altsernative (T)

After returning to Heaven, Aziraphale learns the Metatron's true intentions, finds himself disillusioned, and regrets his choice to leave Crowley, who has been working in the Temptations department. They reunite, and find themselves stopping the final war between Heaven and Hell and learning God and Satan's true intentions for the world and each other.

Demons are Forever by in_a_pickle (T)

After finallly finding the courage to tell his best friend his feelings, Crowley's dreams are shattered when Aziraphale once again chooses Heaven over happiness together. With ‘Great Plans’ afoot upstairs, Aziraphale discovers that the starring role he accepted comes with some unforeseen duties and that Crowley’s kiss has become something of a distraction. Crowley meanwhile is trying to come to terms with a broken heart and is trying to fathom why Heaven is so keen to have Aziraphale back in the fold. A mini adventure with our favourite group of two, written in case I get hit by a bus and never get to find out what happened next.

The Intended Effect by Esme_Abner (E)

A post-S2 fic that begins with a very sad Crowley and a conflicted Aziraphale and a surprisingly not-awful Jesus. It's all building toward our boys reconciling, because like everyone else, my heart is broken and I need to pick up the pieces somehow. And they might try to like save the world again, too.

(I just can't wait for) Season 3 Good Omens! by RCReveal (T)

After Season 2, I really needed to find out how Aziraphale and Crowley could get their reunion: a real reunion & not 'pretendy real'. They both have so much growing to do with neither of them, yet, being able to even say 'I love you' clearly to each other. Angel, what's going on? What kind of doublethink are you doing to still think that Heaven is the Good side & that you can't even admit to being friends? But you'll do anything to protect the World. Crowley, always planning on running. Sorry, but that won't work. If you had run at Armageddon there'd be no here to be in. But somehow, still a little seed of optimism. And wow! what you two can do together! Especially with a little help from old and new friends. So here's a story about averting the Second Coming with that great ensemble cast of characters in Heaven, Hell, and Whickber ST. Long set up, but then starts to speed up, kinda a wild ride from chapter 42 onto the end. This story is at about the same level of cursing, violence (well, maybe a little more Gaiman-esque), humor (definitely much more Terry Pratchett-esque) and romance as that of the second season.

There's a Special Place on Earth for Beings Like You by Kipje (T)

Set two years after Aziraphale leaves to become Supreme Archangel. It’s the Second Coming. Aziraphale is tasked with finding parents for the new Christ and returns to earth. He needs Crowley’s help, but the two haven’t spoken since the break-up. Crowley doesn’t want to forgive the angel, nor does he want to help out with the baby, but he finds it incredibly hard not to get involved. OR Aziraphale and Crowley raise the new Christ together; a girl named Eden. While they try to sort out their feelings and avert the apocalypse. Excerpt: Crowley had always assumed Aziraphale would want to run away with him in order to be together. He had never bothered to ask if there was a version where they would be an ‘us’ on earth. What was Aziraphale supposed to do once they arrived in the Alpha Centauri system. How would that even work with his book collection? Sure, Aziraphale had fallen in love with the demon – and it had taken him a while to be able to admit that – but he had also fallen in love with humanity, with earth. He had never planned on leaving. He knew earth would be no fun without his favourite wily serpent, but that did not mean he would be fine anywhere as long as Crowley was there. He had standards.

- Mod D

[bluelikebruises]

cry of the dragon || aemond targaryen

Aemond Targaryen/TargaryenF!Reader summary: after aegon is crowned aemond helps you escape the red keep to ensure your safety in the coming war wc: 2.7k tw: implied incest, reader is aemond's half sister, angst

a/n: finals are killing me but anyways this was inspired by a drabble I wrote a while ago and by the s2 trailer omggg. I might iron this out and write a full fic, not entirely sure right now lol. also not proofread bc finals, okay enjoy :)

☆━━━━☆━━━━☆

“You fool!” shouted his grandfather, raising his hand to strike him. But Aemond caught his arm as it neared his face. “She was our bargaining chip, with her at our side the rest of the Houses would bend the knee” 

Aemond stares boredly at his Grandfather, “What does that matter now? Aegon is King”, he tossed his grandfather's arm. 

“Having a true Targaryen would have strengthened Aegon's claim” Alicent says, her eyes swollen as if to cry but no tears came out. 

Aemond knew what his mother meant by the word true. Having a daughter from King Viserys first marriage declare her support for Aegon would sway not only the small folk but many Houses as well. 

“She never would have supported Aegon”, Aemond said sitting.

His grandfather in a huff and puff crosses the room departing in anger, the wooden doors slam behind him. Once her father is out of the room Alicent sits next to Aemond but does not speak. 

“I should put you to the blade for this” Aegon speaks, “For letting the prisoner escape” 

Aemond shot up approaching his brother with deadly intentions, “Prisoner? She is my sister”

Aegon snickers, “Your sister is a traitor and so it seems are you” his eyes never left Aemond both staring at the other waiting for the other to act. Aemond’s hand hovered just above the hilt of his sword, tempted to pull it out. 

“Enough” Alicent said, “No one is a traitor, your sister was kidnapped. Taken by force against her will. A plot we discovered your uncle was behind. That is what we will tell the people. We will discredit Rhaenyra and Daemon before they can retaliate”

Aemond backed away from his brother, slowly stalking backwards towards where his mother sat. Aegon scoffed, rolling his eyes as he left the room.

“What did she tell you?” she reached for his hands, “What were the last words she uttered?’ she asked desperately. He looked at his mother, removing his hands from hers. He stared at the seat across from him for a moment, it was quiet he had almost forgotten his mother sat besides him.

“Aemond,” she pleads. He ignored her reaching for the cup of wine on the table in front of him.

He looked at his hold on the cup before responding, “To protect Helaena” he brought the cup to his lips. 

He sat wondering where exactly you were at that very moment. Were you still flying over Blackwater Bay? Or had you reached your destination? He had not asked you where you would go, he knew. A part of him hoped you had flown somewhere far away from King’s Landing and Dragonstone. But he knew better than that, he prided himself on knowing his favorite sister. His older sister who took him on his first dragon ride, who stayed by his side the night he lost his eye, who would storm into his room and tell him all about her travels. He laughed as he remembered her fierceness.

Alicent's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she watched her son laugh, “What could you find amusing at a time like this?” The dowager Queen did not expect an answer from her son, accustomed to his rash emotions and actions. But Aemond ignored her stern voice and simply stated your name. 

“When she shot your loyal watchdog right between his armor, piercing his shoulder”

Alicent half smiled, sadness filled her heart at the loss of her husband and now her daughter.

“He had made training unbearable that day, and she had seen all of it. She let her arrow fly upon hearing Aegon’s laugh, and when it hit Criston, his face became so serious. She stalked up to him, pulled the arrow and said, ‘You are to train both princes’ not favor one and ridicule the other’. After, when we were called to the small counsel fathers eyes beamed when he heard what she had done” 

Aemond pauses sipping on the wine, “Never had I seen pride encompass his face, he never looked at any of us like that. Not even the realms delight. She was his favorite—I understood why. She was my favorite too” 

In his silence Alicent tried reaching towards him, Aemond simply stood and exited the room. Left alone Alicent no longer could stop the tears that had built in her eyes, she wept silently. 

—

Unbeknownst to the Hightowers you flew above the back of your dragon over the Blackwater Bay. You had not known how long you had been flying for or if you were heading in the right direction. Tears were clouding your vision over what had transpired only some days ago.

You had been locked in your chambers for the past two days. Your only visitor had been your mother, though Alicent had not bore you she had raised you. You had been only a babe when your mother had died giving birth to Baelon. When the Queen had entered your chambers she had informed you of the death of your father. 

Through sobs she holds you, once your tears have dried she tells you for your safety you had to be kept in your room. Confused, you ask why but she does not respond, instead she hastily leaves your chambers. You chase after her but the doors slam in front of your face, fist meet the wooden doors, you’re shouting but to no avail. 

By the second day the Queen returns with your grandfather at her side informing you of Aegon’s coronation. You’re appalled, shaking your head in disbelief. Instantly you understand why you were kept in your room. They knew you would not have bent the knee. You would not have let them follow through with their seize. Despite how you felt about Alicent or Otto, you knew this had been planned long before your fathers death. The disdain Otto held for your sister and her family was no secret. 

Hours passed unbearably slow after the Queen leaves, you’re pacing your chambers trying to figure out what would come next. 

It had been the dead of night when Aemond came to your chambers rushing you out. He didn’t allow you any time to pack a satchel, simply and quickly stating you had to make haste. Buttoning your coat, Aemond wrapped a cloak around you. 

You knew the repercussions that would occur, the danger that he was putting himself in front of. Both Aegon and your grandfather would take his actions as treachery. Going against the family was the most unforgivable treason. 

And though you did not want to believe it you knew he had aided in crowning Aegon. Of course he would, Aemon was loyal to a fault to his mother, her word was law. Even when her words were Otto’s.

“You helped Aegon be crowned, so why are you doing this?” you asked. 

Aemond did not respond as he led you through the quiet halls of the Red Keep. He held your arm bringing you close whenever you passed a servant or guard. 

The air outside the palace hit your nose, the city smelled of ash and iron. All was quiet except for the drunks that stumbled throughout the streets. The silence of the city provided a great opportunity to think. But the only word that was alive in your mind was, ‘why’. Why would your brother risk his life helping you return to Dragonstone, to your sister? You were now by all accounts considered the enemy, for you would never bend the knee to Aegon.

Frustration with a lack of answers caused you to stop in your tracks, “Aemond, why are you helping me?” 

He turned to you, the moonlight illuminated the blue in his eye, it practically glowed. He paid no attention to your words simply grabbing your arm pulling you forward 

“We have to keep moving,” he said

You moved away from his grasp, “Why are you risking your life? This will only end in more disputes, more conflicts” 

“I will welcome disputes and conflicts for the rest of my life as long as you are safe”. His words rang in your head, as long as you are safe, he was doing this to protect you.  From what? From who? You had not felt your life threatened when you spoke to your mother or grandfather, but family means little to a power hungry man. 

“Aegon has been crowned and I know you will not submit to his rule. They’ll grow frustrated and I know not for how long I will be able to protect you”. Aemond knew there was nothing he would not do for you. He also knew that he would kill anyone who hurt you and that included his own brother Aegon.

You did not argue when Aemond pulled you forward a second time, your feet simply followed. Your heart sped up with questions of whether Aegon, your brother, was capable of ordering your death. Was your grandfather? Of course he would, you were not of his blood. A sorrow filled your chest, Otto was still by all means your grandfather, the man who told you all about the flowers in Old Town. Who brought you a single wilted flower when he returned to the palace. Yet now he posed a threat to you. 

Aemond stopped walking, you stopped with him. You turned to look back, the palace stood enwrapped in shadows; it was so far and yet so close. From the distance you knew where you stood the Dragonpit in front of you. You walked towards it half expecting Aemond to follow but he did not. 

You know the answer but still you ask, “You are not coming with me?” 

He laughed, “Our older sister and her husband do not take kindly to me” 

“I will change their minds,” you said, stepping forward towards him. There was pause from both of you as you moved. “Come with me” 

“They would never accept me—“ 

Without thinking you blurt out, “To the seven hells with Dragonstone, with Kings Landing. Come with me”, you reached for his hands holding them. “We could go anywhere, anywhere you want”

Aemond did not say a word, he simply studied your face. 

It was an offer you’re not sure you would be able to see through, but you would try anything to keep Aemond safe. You simply wanted him away from the bloodshed that was to come. The war that loomed over once your sister was informed of your fathers death and the usurpation. 

“We could see the world, chart new lands that have yet been seen. This is not our war, we do not have to die in it”. 

The truth was it was your war, a war that had been started the moment your mother had died in childbirth, a war that was set into motion the day your father married Alicent Hightower. And no one from either side would come out unscathed. 

His eye found the floor, he thought your words over as he examined the dirt and rocks. You could see he was thinking about your proposition. You squeezed his hands in a silent plea. 

“All you have to do is say the word and I will not go to Dragonstone” you smiled half heartedly already knowing his answer.

When his eye returns to yours he finally speaks, “You live in a fantasy land sister”, pulling his hands from yours. His voice was low and deathly serious, taking you by surprise. Aemond’s voice never dropped when he spoke to you, the words that would come next would be venomous. “You would mark us both as traitors and what of Helaena? Her children?”

“They would come with us” there was an urgency in your voice. Your hand raises to his face, placing your palms against his cheeks.You’re not sure who you’re trying to convince, him or yourself. There was no getting out of your situation, despite your best efforts to convince Aemond. Yet you tried, “I know of your love of Helaena, it is the same love your harbor for me. I would never leave her”. 

Aemond’s feelings towards you had never been a secret, especially from you. His adoration and fondness were clear as a spring day. Always casting away the rogue Lord who would try to win your favor. Placing gentle good night kisses against your cheeks. Afternoons spent reading shoulder to shoulder, and when you would look up his lips were a breath away. You would be lying if you said they weren’t reciprocated but it had never occurred to you to act upon them. There were always other things that preoccupied your mind than a love affair with Aemond. 

You're brought back to reality when you feel Aemond lean into your touch. But as quickly as he leaned towards it he removed your hands. 

“You know nothing, you would rid ourselves of our family? Of our honor? Of our duty?”

The sadness and urgency in your voice was replaced with growing anger. All you were trying to do was ensure his safety and yet he was insulting you. 

“Duty?” you laugh, “You think I do not know of duty?” you stepped back. Unsure who the brother that stood before you was. 

“I do not expect you to understand. You have never committed yourself to anything but your freedom. But not all get that luxury” he spat. His words pained you, filling your heart woe, you had always thought Aemond of all people understood your sense of travel. You had often though he even admired you for never staying in place. 

“I just want something good for you Aemond, for you to know happiness and peace . . . I see the way mother relies on you, you her confidant, you her son. How you clean Aegon’s messes, how you protect Helaena. None of that is your duty”. A lump formed at your throat and you fought to swallow it. You had always managed to hold yourself together, no emotion but joy ever shown on your face. No one but Rhaenyra had ever seen the extent of your emotions.

“Family is my duty!” he shouted. You don’t flinch, your eyes lowered filling with sadness and anger.

“Do you care so little of the people you love? How selfish can you be?” Aemond did not stop his verbal attack until he brought down the final blow, “Grandfather was right . . . all you care about is your own amusement, your own pleasure. You have no regard for others.”

His final blow broke the dam of tears you had been holding back. Though you did not cry out or sob, tears slid down your face. Aemond who you had loved ever since he was born was cutting into your skin with every word he spoke. He thought you selfish and uncaring, holding no love or loyalty for your family. 

Perhaps it was because you never dove into the politics of the Hightowers and the Targaryens. You never wanted to be caught in the web of hate and distrust. Yet you stood across Aemond both on opposite sides of the war. A war you had not chosen to participate in but were born into and now it was time to choose your allegiance. In doing so you would ensure the loss of your brother, your youngest sister and your mother. Half of your family would be lost, half of your heart would be gone.

You could continue to beg—to convince Aemond to go with you, or you could stay. Tell him you would return to the palace and forget the night happened. But that would mean bending the knee to Aegon and condemning Rhaenyra, and you would rather die than toss your beloved older sister aside. 

Words flooded your head, you wanted to form a sentence but no words came out. 

“Go before I change my mind and alert the Kingsguard” 

You step away from him, swallowing the lump in your throat. You form a coherent sentence, “Keep Helaena safe” before disappearing in the Dragonpit. 

As he watched you go Aemond did not believe a word he said. There was no truth in his words. The only thing he believed was that if you kept talking about leaving together he would have. And he could not have that. Breaking your heart was the easiest way to get you to leave, to get you to safety. 

[ambeauty]

Thoughts on Magic

As I’m sure many of my fellow Bearitos have pointed out one of the main themes this season was Legerdemain/Sleight of Hand/Magic Tricks.

Rewatching legacy made me think of how this show is a magic trick in and of itself. With all the discourse about whether or not the bear is a comedy. I realized that the bear as a television show is a magic trick. Although it was premiered to the world as a comedy. It has shown to be so much more. I still consider it comedic to an extent and in certain instances but I thought that was a pretty interesting idea. That’s not what this is about.

Then I looked up what The Prestige means. Being the Nolan girlie that I am I remember that being the final act of the magic trick. I need the prestige for the bear to be the final reveal that it was a love story all along.

There’s a quote in 309 about telling the viewer you have deceived them up front. So since the beginning cast and crew has told us no romance, no romance no romance. That’s the blatant deception because as we continue to watch we see romance EVERYWHERE. Back to my googling of the prestige. I came across an article about the 3 steps of magic:

Here’s what I think the steps of magic of the bear are. Think of Sydney as the dove and also as the symbol of a love interest. That’s not diminishing her but that’s just what she is especially for this essay lmao. This is great because doves symbolize peace and all that. Show starts with the dove being introduced (classic meet cute). Sydney’s introduction and even the final scene of s1 where she comes back makes her The Pledge.

The Turn: Sydney does something extraordinary. She practically builds the entire restaurant by herself in s2 while Carmy disappears. This also takes us into s3, where Sydney starts to disappear as well. This is not what we expected from her or him at this point. Some of us thought we were at the prestige. But this is when the show became a lot more blatantly romantic. There were definitive love interests introduced, but to me Claire is like the closet(or fridge) the magician puts the dove inside of. To hide the trick!!!!

I hope this shit is making sense 😭

Now we don’t know whether s4 is the final season or not. I’m going to go with the notion that it’s not. However we are nearing the time for The Prestige. I believe at some point in the final act it will be revealed that this show was centered around the building of the romantic relationship of Sydney and Carmy the entire time. There’s lot of meta and evidence for this. And it’s not an unusual occurrence in modern media at all to be deceived by productions all the time.

So I say all of this to say just sit back and relax, enjoy the magic of this television show and wait for the prestige 🤭

[toska-writes]

helloo! i love your writing so much and i wonder would you like to write commander cody with padawan reader, it's after order 66. and as we know in bad batch s2 he's gone to AWOL right? so what if he go to other planets anywhere and meet reader again (let's pretend he already removed his chip lol) imagine how he feels guilt meeting his little padawan after trying to kill her and her master (obi-wan) and how the reader react meeting him again especially looking at her cody sun armor become gray like shadow unlike him.

(sorry if my english kinda messed up, and have a great day!! <3)

Wow, just wow

“Sunshine”

Summary: after order 66 Cody jumps at only the chance to get at least one person from his old life back- no matter the cost

Paring: Cody x GN padawan Reader (it’s platonic!)

Warning: hurt/comfort nightmares ptsd let me know if I missed anything

Word count: 1822

Notes: I’m very proud of this one and I hope you enjoy! It’s also not proofread because I need some sleep

Cody’s head hurt again.

But it wasn’t like last time, he was in control now and always will be.

“How are you feeling Kotes?” Rex came around the tables and laid a hand on Cody’s shoulder.

To be honest Cody wasn’t sure what he was feeling, if anything. Nausea sat in the pit of his stomach but he feared that it wasn’t just from the procedure he went through.

A hand reached up to the side of his head, the fresh bandage felt course under his hand- the all to familiar feeling of before.

“I’m fine.” Cody’s voice was raspy and burned his throat- Rex picked up on this and quickly went to get him a drink of water.

There he sat alone.

He was alone for a while now, but nothing like this. If you went back a few week you would see the small spark of hope illuminating in his eyes.

Cody wasn’t sure of a lot of things since the war ended but maybe it was the illusion of hope that he and Crosshair could escape together.

“Good soldiers follow orders.”

Then Cody went AWOL. Finally it seemed that he got his mind right- the headaches and the dreams that plagued him however said otherwise.

Rex walked back in. Cody’s eyes were clouded in thought as he sat unmoving on the table.

Placing a ginger hand on his knee Rex has never seen is brother in such a state. But the way he felt in this moment- finally getting his free will totally returned to him was something he would never forget.

“Hey Kotes,” Rex helped him to his feet and lend him out into the halls. “We found something you might need to take a look at.”

Cody almost instantly snapped back to attention as the pair of brothers made their way back to the ship they arrived on.

“A few radars picked up on some chatter from the bounty hunters guild.” Rex returned to the Captain Cody knows and loves, things were going back to how they use to be.

“Why would your crew have any interest in the guilds?” Cody questioned, a little slow to connect the dots. “Your fighting an empire here.”

Rex stared at him for a moment, his try at a sarcastic tone clearly flew over Rex’s head.

It was one of the only times Cody has ever seen Rex so unsure about what he was about to say. “We picked up Y/N’s location. The bounty for Jedi are unbelievably high and I’m worried if one of us doesn’t get there in time it might go sour.”

Cody froze in his seat, the end of Rex’s sentence seemed to go blurry. The moment replayed every hour of the day, awake or asleep. He memorized the moment when he watched Obi-wan fall from that terrible hight.

He remembered the look you gave him as he turned to you, your lightsaber coming up in your shaky hands staring at him.

“Cody what’s going on?”

“I- they made it?” Cody looked at Rex, the dark thought that he was playing a terrible joke on him.

Rex only nodded his confirmation. Waiting for Cody to see just want he would do.

You wouldn’t want to see him. Cody didn’t even want to see himself. The terrors he’s created would never wash off no matter how hard he scrubbed.

The armor that surrounded him all his life was striped away, just like everything he has ever known. His sunshine was stripped away as well.

Taking a shaky breath in Cody whispered. “Take me to them.”

•••

Your head hurt again.

It was just like the last time, the moment you realized nobody was on your side anymore.

The purge left you stranded by yourself, unsure of what to do you fled as far as you could.

The outer rim served its purpose for now but the empire was expanding, and the hunters became bolder with their search.

Against your better judgment you tried to reach Ahsoka, Hunter even but it was no use.

Maybe now you were by yourself. Cutoff.

You sat up straight in your makeshift bed. The sheets bawled into your fist as your chest heaved and sweet ran down your back.

You weren’t safe even in your own mind.

You watched him fall. The scream you let out as you lost him over the edge. Everyone around you went off.

Cody. Your Cody turned to you next- all around you heard the all too familiar sound of blasters raising. Cody aimed for you as you brought your weapon up, the thought of hurting any of them never crossed your mind before.

“Cody.” You had tried. “Cody what’s going on?”

The blaster that was shot at you was the moment you woke this time. Other times you weren’t as lucky to be spared with the memory.

The sky was masked with the darkness of the night, your clock told you at you barely sleep 2 hours since you tried to go to sleep.

You gathered yourself as practically dragged yourself to the only window in your “home”

This wasn’t home. Nothing would come close to what the word use to mean to you, but it was soemthing keeping you mildly safe.

The sky above never really changed, it was the only constant you found after the end of the war. The only thing you could depend on that would never harm you.

Your head buzzed again, for a split second you turned to your hidden saber, the weapon you couldn’t pick up since you arrived on this rock. The crystal within buzzed constantly in your ear, begging to be picked up once again.

It use to be a background noise that grounded you, but things have changed.

You stared into the darkness for a moment, the lightsaber wasn’t it. Turning your attention back to the outside world the familiar feeling felt crooked in your chest.

It wasn’t really right, but it was something you recognized none the less.

A cloak that you threw around yourself countless times before made its way to your shoulders- masking you from others and you left closing your door silently behind you.

For a moment you thought maybe, just maybe it was your master heat to tell you everything would be ok, to help you just as he had countless times before.

But you couldn’t think like that, like you use too. Hope burned within you as you followed the force you tried desperately to get rid of.

•••

Cody tried the comm channel he used countless times before, he could practically put it in with his eyes closed.

But of course no answer.

He did try once before- the first night he ran from the empire, alone in the back of a transport ship he tried to reach the Jedi he grew fond of.

It was one of the only instants the commanders eyes watered slightly and his nose ran.

Rex was waiting near by with the ship as he walked the streets of this planet alone. His armor was covered with a poncho Rex lent him and frankly it was the best he could do.

He hoped that you weren’t here, the disgusting streets and inhabitants made him sick. But what if this was better than see him again?

Cody shook that last thought. His hand shook slightly at his side which was a nervous habit he picked up a long time ago.

His eyes scanned the dark scenery for any sign that you might have been here, a sign Cody hoped nobody else could pick up on.

On instinct he turned down an alley to his left, this was definitely not the place to be at this time.

His eyes squinted trying to pin point a figure towards the end. This was the only time he wished for his helmet that didn’t seem his own.

Something ate at the inside of him again. His breath was sparse wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him. If his mind was no longer his own.

The figure took a few steps from the shadows that engulfed them. The moon illuminated someone that haunted every minute of his life.

You held a blaster out in front of you, but this time you didn’t shake.

Cody didn’t dare take another step. His eyes were firmly planted on the ground as he kneeled down dropping his blaster in front of him.

“Cody?”

He could only nod, afraid that his voice would highlight just how vulnerable he felt in this very moment.

But he had to say something, he couldn’t leave you again.

“I’m- I’m so sorry kid.” His voice broke through his words. This uncertain feeling engulfed him like a flame showing no mercy. “Sorry, I’m sorry.”

You stared at him for a moment. Taking in the sight- clearly things were different. The sunshine was stripped from him. His eyes, though they tried to avoid you, seemed hollow.

You thought of two things in this moment.

You wanted to run, run from someone that could hurt you all over again, someone that you weren’t even sure you could trust.

Or

You could try to hang onto one of the only things that you so desperately needed. You needed someone.

The blaster clanked to the ground as you walked to Cody. Your guard was up but the tears betrayed what you were really hoping for.

You hoped that Cody was himself again.

Cody looked up, your familiar eyes caught his own. The tears that he dried so many times fell across your cheeks, and he only wished to dry them one more time.

“I’m sorry.” He didn’t know what else to say, his mind left him and he could only mutter the only words that went through his head, as if they could make everything better.

You kneeled down with him. For a second Cody thought this might be a dream of his own and this was the moment that he would loose you once again.

But you stayed.

Quickly you wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling him flushed against you.

Cody wasted no time crushing you into him. You cling to him as he continued to whisper small apologies into your hair.

Through the muffled sniffles you voiced. “I liked your other armor kot’ika.”

For the first time in a while Cody found himself giving an actual laugh.

He nodded as he griped you even tighter as if he was afraid that if he let go you would leave.

“I think I could use some help painting it again.” He spoke a little louder. The emotions still sounded in his voice.

It was your turn to nod into his chest. For the first time in a while You found yourself crying tears of relief that finally someone was here for you again.

This time you weren’t going to let him go again.

_____________________________________

Taglist: @arctrooper69 @thereforepizza @padawancat97

[ghostlygeto]

never going to be | geto suguru

pairing: geto suguru x fem!reader

warnings: hurt/no comfort, spoilers?? bc half based on the street scene from s2 ep5 but no gojo, talks of death + killing, i’ve never written jjk before sorry if it’s obvious. potential for part two, who knows wif me :3, proof read but it was 7am so i probably missed stuff!

wc: 1.4k

there were several people geto would have anticipated shoko calling after seeing him on the street. he assumed it to be gojo, knowing his best friend would show up and likely give him an ear full. he was ready for it, he had been preparing himself to see satoru since the second he made this choice.

he listened to shoko’s one sided conversation for a little while before she hung up and gave him a smile. “care to wait here with me? someone’s on their way, they want to see you.”

silence fell between the two, geto staring down at his shorter friend and she stared into the crowd, leaning against a pole behind her. he decided to stay, at least for a few minutes. to talk with her.

“you can ask about it,” geto closes his eyes and sighs, “i know you want to.”

“you wouldn’t have run away if it wasn’t true, we all know,” shoko responded, taking a drag of her cigarette, “he was devastated when he found out.”

geto shifted uncomfortably, “i knew he would be.” he waited a second, wondering if he should even ask his next question. “what about-”

“ask her yourself,” shoko threw the unfinished cigarette onto the concrete and stepped on it. “if you get the chance.”

confused could barely sum up how geto felt as his friend started walking away from him. still, he stayed silent, not calling out to her in fear that she’d say something he didn’t want to hear. geto understood the consequences of his actions, the moment he made up his mind he knew that he’d have to abandon everything. jujutsu tech, his friends, you.

it felt almost like a dream when you called out for him. for some reason you were the last person he had expected shoko to call when she found him. but there you were, standing a few feet away from him in your school uniform with tears in your eyes and breathing heavily. you had to have ran all the way here from the school.

“what’re you doing here?” geto tried to keep a straight face, pretend that his heart didn’t ache seeing you. as much as he didn’t want to admit it, you were the hardest part about the decision he made.

leaving you, his girlfriend that had been by his side for as long as he could remember, behind had to be the worst. the two of you had been together since close to the beginning of your first year, you had spent close to every day together since then.

you were his everything. and he was yours, you would do anything for him. you always had and swore you always would. you always tried to fix things for him, covering for him and lying when you didn’t need to to help keep him out of trouble where you could.

which was exactly why you were the last person shoko should’ve called.

“come back, suguru,” you tried to keep your voice stable, unwilling to let him see you cry. you were always so brave, yet another thing he admired about you. “i’ll talk to them, i’ll convince them it’s all just a misunderstan-”

“there is no misunderstanding, y/n,” you hated the way his voice sounded. cold, distant, unbothered. he was trying to shut you out, “the things they’ve said about me are true. i did those things, don’t you understand?”

geto wouldn’t even look at you, and you weren’t sure if it had been for your sake or his. if he looked at you now, he’d see your big eyes staring up at him, tears filled to the brim. and he’d break. he would have to hold you, apologize and beg for your forgiveness. but he didn’t deserve your forgiveness, deep down he hoped you knew that too.

“there has to be something else to it, something you’re not telling us,” you grab into the sleeve of his shirt, forcing him to keep still. he keeps trying to walk away from you. “just tell me the truth suguru, please.”

“what you heard is the truth, y/n. i killed the non-sorcerers. i want to create a world without cursed. the only way to do that is to kill everyone who can’t control it,” he wanted to tear his arm away from your grasp but he couldn’t. your fingers burned the skin on his hand that they had grazed against, so softly it almost hurt. “this is the path i’ve chosen.”

you weren’t sure what to to, or what to say. you didn’t want to accept the fact that he did this. your suguru could never, he was sweet and kind and gentle. but the man before you, that spoke to you in a harsh tone and wouldn’t even look you in the eyes, he somehow seemed to only be a shell. he was not geto suguru.

“take me with you, then. let me do this along side you.”

your words shook him to his core, causing him to finally look you in the eyes. “you’re insane. i could never let you throw everything away like that.” the look he was giving you felt like a combination of anger and disgust, one that almost made you cower in fear. “you’ve got too much going for you there. you’re not doing this with me.”

“and you don’t?” you raised your voice, feeling the lump in your throat grow larger, “you don’t have too much going for you there? you’re going to throw away everything. your friendships with shoko and gojo, your future. our future?”

“this is my future! can’t you see that!” geto surprised himself with how loud his voice came out, not intending to yell at you the way he was. but he couldn’t believe you would say something like that. “i’m creating a better future. for us, y/n. a world without non-sorcerers is a world without curses. a safer world for all of us.”

his words made you feel sick. you were born, chosen, to be a sorcerer to help the people who couldn’t control their cursed energy. how could he turn his back to them like that? how could he turn his back to you?

“if you won’t take me with you, i want you to kill me.” your voice shook, filled with uncertainty and heartbreak.

“what?”

“i don’t want to do this without you, suguru. i can’t. gojo and shoko will understand, i know they will. and you can’t get in trouble if i asked you to do it,” fat tears rolls down your cheeks as you moved your hands to try and wipe them away. though your efforts were worth nothing, because they were quickly replaced with more. “you are my everything.”

geto hesitated for a second. bringing you alongside him was off the table, in no world could he do that to you. the road ahead of him would be harsh and cruel, not something meant for someone as kind and gentle as you. you didn’t need nor deserve that. but to kill you? the only person he’s sure he will ever love?

but how could he deny you this one last thing?

“okay.” your heart freezes at his answer, though you’re almost relieved. “close your eyes. count to ten, don’t open them.”

you did as told, squeezing your eyes closed as you counted to ten in your head. with each number, you gripped the button from his school uniform tighter. gojo had given it to you, saying they found it at the remnants of his crime. muttering something about how “you should have it” before shoving it against your chest and leaving to his room.

when you reached the number ten and nothing happened, you opened one of your eyes. you half expected to see any number of his deadly curses right in front of you, begging to see the look of fear on your face before killing you. or to see him still standing there, to tell you that he’d changed his mind and he’d rather take you with him.

but instead you were met with emptiness. geto suguru nowhere in sight, leaving you alone in the middle of a now quiet street. not absorbed by darkness as you had wanted, but devastated by the idea that maybe geto was always destined to leave. he had now left everyone that cared for him, maybe leaving had been the only card he would ever be dealt. you may have loved him, but it wasn’t enough.

it was never going to be.

reblogs, comments, nd likes appreciated!! &lt;3

[sabulana]

Once again thinking about the Lost and Found department and the whole Afterlife stuff in Dead Boy Detectives.

It got a little long so...under the cut it goes.

So we know that Lost and Found deal with missing children, but who deals with adults? There must be a separate department for them, right? Why would there only be a department focusing on children when there are plenty adult ghosts hanging about as well?

Why is it called 'Lost and Found' when this usually refers to missing objects? Do the people working there see souls/children as objects? We know the Night Nurse has a certain way of thinking from the way she refers to the boys and how she acts (at least, prior to meeting Kashi) in that they must be 'naughty' or bad in some way because they refuse to cross over, without considering why that might be. She does show signs of beginning to change after meeting Kashi, (and I would have loved to see more of that in S2) but I wonder at everyone else in the department.

And for that matter, what roles are there in the department? We've seen the Night Nurse, the Notary, the assistants who follow the Night Nurse and the Principal (side note, would love to see if the boys and Crystal ever find out that she's Niko) but besides that, what actually goes on? Charles possessing Esther did set off an alert down there, but there must be other ways of tracking lost souls. They're not sitting on their hands, waiting for kids to possess the living, after all.

Also are there any men/male-shaped beings there? I only remember seeing women. And I say '-shaped beings' because we know the Night Nurse isn't human, she just looks like one. Is anyone there human or formerly human? Perhaps they're all trans-dimensional beings, who look human because that is the best way to have humans cooperate when they end up in their department. Kids aren't going to want to go with someone who looks like a monster, after all. And the Night Nurse is definitely a monster.

Also wondering if all the assistants/clerks have names or if they're referred to by role in the same way the Night Nurse etc are. I know the Night Nurse has been referred to as Asa in fics, but this is unconfirmed in canon, and is from the comics featuring the Nightmare Nurse. (I haven't seen Doom Patrol, but I know she was portrayed there, I just don't know specifics).

Next on my mind is the division of labour in L&F. The Night Nurse personally goes to collect the boys, but she's head of the department, right? Why not delegate? Does she go to collect every lost child that Death doesn't collect? Because there seems like there is probably a lot, tbh, given the world population.

How many people work in that department, and how is it all organised? Are there people tracking those that don't move on? If so, how come the Devlin family had to stay stuck in that loop for 30 years? Surely they would have been easy to find since they were in the same place the entire time.

And what about the suicide victims like Shelby, who walk the earth? Are they considered 'lost'? It seems kind of unfair that they have to just wander like that instead of getting an afterlife someplace else.

I have more thoughts but I'm typing this on mobile and gave myself a headache doing it. Anyway, the point of this is... I am about to make up a whole lot of shit about how the Afterlife works for my current WIP.

[murfpersonalblog]

IWTV S2 Ep1 Musings - LDPDL smdh

My daughter Claudia is NOT. PLAYING. AROUND.

I had to giggle here, cuz it just reminded me of what she said in S1:

Claudia will drag Lestat AND Louis each and every chance she gets, bless! 😂

Aaaaaaaand the racists. 😒 Eat ALL of these mofos, YAAAAAS~!

I am SCREAMING at the cinematic poetry--Louis is talking about not burning Lestat, as Lou & Claud can't get warm enough at a fire where they're burning the dead Soviets they just ate.

While Claudia sits there giving Lou the cold shoulder & the silent treatment, icing him out so Louis only talks to himself--I HOLLERED.

My daughter KNOWS!!! DRAG HIM, CLAUDIA!! ^0^

But then I cried, cuz WAIT. If Louis is talking to himself, is this also factoring into why he's seeing DreamStat? Cuz Lou's also desperate for connection, which he can't get from Claudia anymore either! 😭

Louis said DreamStat "came by invitation," as a colorful & vibrant "distraction" (read: comfort) from the dull monochromatic grey Eastern European land. But Lestat is bloodsplattered & filthy just like everyone else.

The question of his guilty conscience: what does Lestat feel/think about Louis? And what is Louis projecting?

That's all Louis wants to hear--that Les misses him and forgives him.

"I'm glad it was you...a la fin." We still need confirmation that Lou slit Les's throat, not Claudia. Cuz this will also point to how much Lou is lying to himself about how betrayed Lestat really felt--that his death would be better by Lou's hands than Claudia's. Is Lou making himself feel better by giving Les the coup de gras, and thinking Les is grateful to him for it?

Cuz he's clearly scared to death that WHEN--not IF--they reunite, Les will be pissed and hate/kill him.

Cuz Lestat's love was what kept Louis alive--Lestat loving Louis saved/damned Louis' life. (The Merrick of it all, istg.)

So it's WILD that Louis thinks this. That the split second Louis finds happiness, the boogeyman Lestat will come and kill him, or take it from him--or just be there as a hallucination constantly reminding Louis of what he left behind.

As an aside:

It was a BAT--that's cute! XD

Louis in denial as he tells himself choosing Claudia over Lestat was worth it. And Dream!Stat chanting "I do" like frikkin wedding vows, then choking on the words/vows as a vampire bat claws out of his throat--I CANNOT with this show anymore.

This is interesting--the 7000 people he killed in Eastern Europe were a necessary evil--Lou calls them "souls," when Les called them "the Meat" and Claudia called them "Kill Juice." And in Paris he only kills once every other day. They ALL feel like murder to Louis. But Louis KNOWS he never killed Lestat!

He put Lestat in the dump the same way Grace put his name on that tombstone--it's the DISTANCE that's killing them.

It's separation & absence, which they HOPE will make the heart grow colder--when we all know that's not how the saying actually goes.

So who are you REALLY fooling, Louis? Cuz it for sure ain't Claudia!

She said "you slow us down!" 💀 But Louis warned you: "I can barely speak French and English. I'd just hold you back.... You don't need me. You think you do, but you don't. You're smarter now. You see trouble coming a mile away." If only they'd've BOTH remembered that bit once they got to PARIS. 💀💀💀

This dude, I swear. No wonder he never joined the Theatre; he can't lie for ish! 😅

And I OOP! 👀

By the end of the episode we get Louis' BEAUTIFUL "You and Me" monologue to Claudia, and she finally accepts his apology and promise that he won't kill himself like Draciana did.

MERRICK COME THROUGH! 😭

Which nearly made me cry when you finally see DREAM!LESTAT SITTING RIGHT THERE. 😭 Who is Louis REALLY talking to!?

As he always does when in denial & running from his problems (all the way to effing Romania, ffs), alcoholic!Louis "runs to the bottle and to bad beds."

I REFUSE.

I CANNOT.

I SHAN'T.

Louis, if you don't stop right this moment ISTG! 😭😭

I love this effing show, omg what a great start to the season!

[kandisheek]

If you're part of the Put On The Suit 18+ Stony Discord Server, you may already know that we've been running a server-exclusive bingo for the past one and a half months. And today is the day when we can officially say:

✨ WE HAVE BLACKED OUT THE CARD!! ✨ Great job, team!

This was the first fandom event I've ever run, and I couldn't be happier with how many people participated and created beautiful fics and art for it. And to share the love, here is a masterpost of all the incredible works that people have made.

What's a Reverse Trope, you may ask? You simply take a common fanfic trope and flip it on its head. "There's Only One Bed" turns into "There's Too Many Beds" and so on.

A special thank you to @avengersnewb for her help with organizing everything, and let's get into the fan works!

S1: Good Doppelganger 🔃 Evil Doppelganger

Now this is a whole different birthday. by Lancelot_The_Dragon_Lord It's Tony's birthday coming up, and Steve doesn't know what to give him.

S2: Fast Burn 🔃 Slow Burn

Welcome to the 21st Century by EvilDime Phil Coulson wonders if he should have held back the information about queer rights a bit longer. Captain Rogers does not seem to be taking it well. How to make friends with new teammates by Girl_Back_There Tony didn’t mean for it to happen, but he can’t resist a hot guy in a Captain America suit. Especially when said guy is eye-fucking the Iron Man suit.

S3: Twice Serumed Steve 🔃 De-Serumed Steve

Perfection, Scientifically Speaking by EvilDime When Steve injected himself with the serum in a desperate bid to keep it out of A.I.M.'s hands, he had expected something familiar like more muscles, greater speed, further heightened durability. Or even no change at all, since the first dose had already been designed to make him perfect. Steve had been wholly unprepared for what he got instead.

S4: Fake Break-Up 🔃 Fake Relationship

The Inheritance by laiwrites Without waiting for an answer, Steve approached, laying the spread out on the polished oak desk and setting their places as if they were in the dining room. He was in the middle of drawing up a chair when Tony said, "Darling, I believe we must divorce." On accident, Steve scratched the chair legs against the expensive parquet flooring. "It is too early for this. If you must jest, Tony, could you at least wait until after I have eaten?"

S5: Can't Forget Anything 🔃 Amnesia

Remember (when your dreams have ended) BirtheV If Tony Stark were a better man, he would take responsibility for his actions. But since Tony is not even a good man, he's going to take the easy way out and forget Steve Rogers ever existed. Only then will he be able to live without this grief that's killing him. It turns out brains are rather fickle about what they remember and forget. Things can always get worse.

T1: Empty Nest Fic 🔃 Kid Fic

mirrors a still sky by laiwrites Four snapshots over several decades of Steve and Tony growing old together at their house on the lake. Based off of an AU where they make up and get married after Civil War.

T2: Too Hot To Cuddle 🔃 Huddling For Warmth

Beating the Heat by KandiSheek It's too hot to do anything but lie in bed together. Steve and Tony find ways to entertain themselves.

T3: Hate At First Sight 🔃 Love At First Sight

If You Tame Me by KandiSheek They've been together for barely a month when Steve gets a dog. Which would be all well and good if the dog didn't hate Tony on sight. How the hell is Tony supposed to make a dog like him anyway?

T4: Didn't Know They Weren't Dating 🔃 Didn't Know They Were Dating

Been There, Done That by EvilDime "Steve," Tony interrupts Steve's solicitous stream of concern. "Do we have a date this afternoon?" "Sorry, a what?" "A date," Tony repeats. "My calendar claims that I have a 'Coffee Date with Cap' at four o'clock." There's silence on the other end of the line. Then, hesitantly: "Like, a date-date?" "That's what the calendar says," Tony confirms. In which Tony and Steve lost only a week's worth of memories during a mission, but it turns out it was a somewhat important week.

T5: Lie Serum 🔃 Truth Serum

(No) Touching by Naivelittleprincess "I hate you," Steve whispered with a softness better suited to a different set of words. Tony only hummed and paused in the middle of his rant about pineapple on pizza to plant a quick kiss on his lips. "I hate you too, winghead. Now, listen—this is important and it makes my hot, Italian blood boil."

O1: Presumed Alive 🔃 Presumed Dead

Sanguinary Revelations by FestiveFerret Tony's pretty sure his brand new relationship with Steve is the best relationship he's ever been in. Until he learns something surprising about his new beau.

O2: There's Too Many Beds 🔃 There's Only One Bed

Sometimes, There's too many beds. by Lancelot_The_Dragon_Lord With the others Avengers moving way, Tony and Steve are left in the tower alone, with far to many empty beds. Tony falls back into bad habits, and Steve's just being Steve. This always end well, Right? Romcom Fantasies by starkparade Tony runs into Steve at the airport, and when the hotel Tony booked in Washington DC abruptly cancels his reservation, Steve offers him to stay the night at his place. It sounds like something straight out of Tony's romcom fantasies starring Steve, except Tony is convinced that Steve is in love with someone else. Situation Normal: All Fucked Up by KandiSheek Tony had a foolproof plan. Step 1: Get Steve into bed with him. Step 2: ? Step 3: Live happily ever after. Sure, it could use some work, but success was guaranteed. No one is more shocked than him when it doesn't work out quite like he planned.

O3: Free Space

Friends by EvilDime Shopping for a coffin is not where Steve expected to make a friend. And he almost doesn't.

O4: Ruin-It 🔃 Fix-It

Close It by starkparade Steve had to make the hard call to prevent the nuclear blast going off inside the wormhole from reaching the island of Manhattan. As a result, Tony Stark never made it back. Steve did what he had to, and yet his guilt is eating him alive and he can't figure out just why he is so affected.

O5: Too Much Communication 🔃 Miscommunication

The Opposite of You by KandiSheek Tony has a lot of opinions about the kind of person Steve should date. Steve doesn't quite know how to tell him he's already made up his mind.

N1: True Hate's Kiss 🔃 True Love's Kiss

What if.. Tony was where Rhodey was by Lancelot_The_Dragon_Lord Tony is following the Quinjet, and gets hit by a stray laser by Rhodey. He falls.

N2: Abstain or Die 🔃 Fuck or Die

Swingin' Party by Naivelittleprincess It’s his sister and his best friend’s wedding, and Tony is not allowed to have sex with his ex-husband.

N3: Divorce of Convenience 🔃 Marriage of Convenience

Fools Rush In by betheflame “So you’re getting a divorce of convenience to then get a marriage of convenience, but really nothing about your actual marriage has changed?” “Pretty much,” Tony affirmed. “You’re fucking nuts if you think this’ll work, pal,” Bucky said. "Fucking nuts."

N4: Found Foes 🔃 Found Family

This Meeting Could Have Been an E-mail by laiwrites In an alternate universe where Iron Man is one of Captain America's fiercest enemies, the two of them find themselves on opposite sides of a battlefield as usual. Only, this time Cap has a proposal.

N5: Lovers to Friends 🔃 Friends to Lovers

The sunrise over the cliff face by Lancelot_The_Dragon_Lord Steve is proposing to Tony. Or is he? It's Not You, It's Me by EvilDime “Tony,” Steve said slowly. “Is this the Talk I think it is?” Chewing on his lip did not make this any easier. Resigned, Tony slipped his lip back out from between his teeth and faced the music. “Not the way you’re thinking, Steve. But, basically? Yes.”

Y1: Everyone Has Powers AU 🔃 No Powers AU

Waiting On A Miracle by Naivelittleprincess [An AU inspired by Encanto, featuring Peggy as "Abuela", the team as her adopted foster children with special gifts and Tony as the odd ball without any powers.] "I don't know why you weren't given a gift, Tony," Peggy had raged. "But that does not mean you go around ruining everyone else's life!" "I wasn't. Steve wasn't happy with Sharon!" "And he won't be now. You've made sure of that. Howard was right! You are a miserable child! I should have never let you stay here."

Y2: Virgin Tony 🔃 Playboy Tony

Darling, don't be afraid. by Lancelot_The_Dragon_Lord Tony Stark is a virgin, always has been. It's not for the lack trying. He's just scared to be vulnerable.

Y3: Monstercuddling 🔃 Monsterfucking

All Wrapped Up by KandiSheek Tony gets caught by a tentacle monster, which sounds terrible but actually isn't. The creature just... holds him, for a while, before the rest of the Avengers show up and rescue him. Finding out just how depressingly touch-starved you are via wholesome tentacle kidnapping has to be the pinnacle of humiliation. Now Tony needs to figure out how he can repeat the experience with less tentacles and more actual human contact. And also why the hell Steve seems to be the only one on the team who isn't down for some casual Tony cuddling.

Y4: Undercover in a Straight Bar 🔃 Undercover in a Gay Bar

Fruit Punch by Naivelittleprincess Tony's days of being a playboy might be over, but that doesn't mean anything when he has to teach Steve a lesson.

Y5: Last Kiss 🔃 First Kiss

Forever the Name on My Lips by ralsbecket Tony jokes about how the final kiss they shared was all love and morning breath. A full grin spreads across his face as he confesses, “The only thing I regret in my life is not brushing my teeth that morning.” Don't Look, I Think We Made The Sun Cry by Naivelittleprincess As long as they are together, death is but the next adventure.

[markantonys]

My Mom Reacts To: wheel of time season 2 episodes 1-4 (season 1)

episode 1

"if i had to carry water all that way for a bath, i'd get a smaller bathtub" you know what? that is a very fair point. just get a smaller tub, moiraine!

mom, #1 Lan Stan: so, he doesn't have any powers, right? except cunning and strength and loyalty of course me: of course

mom: so liandrin wants nynaeve to become red because she........doesn't want her to have a warder? me doing a great aes sedai truth-telling: nynaeve is really powerful so liandrin wants to recruit her for her own team

my dad predicted moiraine was scamming bayle domon and loved it when it was revealed that she was. as always, not too much commentary from him because he remains silent and seems to not be paying attention for most of the time, only to randomly come out with a completely correct prediction or read on a scene.

"i don't think it's true that neat and tidy things can't be worthwhile 🙄" clearly my mom subscribes more to the Egwene School Of Thought than to the Alanna School Of Thought

lan to moiraine after she is Mean to him: make dinner yourself mom: GOOD FOR YOU

when lan brings her the plate later and puts it on top of the maps: "what if he gets greasy food all over her maps?"

"ugh i hate dark scenes where i can't see anything" [scary fade appears] "okay maybe it's good that i can't see"

episode 2

my mom got all confused about rand's dream of him killing his friends and wondered at first if it was real, please pray for her when tel'aran'rhiod is introduced later

"HE'S BALD??????" all of us when we first saw s2 rand's new look djkfgjh

"they must like him here if he gets free food" my boy, beloved wherever he goes :')

she wasn't particularly fond of mat last season, but he's gotten quite a few laughs so far this season! (notably the moment when we ALL fell in love with New Mat, when he was miming liandrin locking the door)

she gave an annoyed TUH! at elayne dissing egwene's room, but didn't comment further, possibly because i'd just told her 20 seconds earlier that elayne was my favorite character and she didn't want to offend me jdkfgh

she was like "wait, is she blue or green???" during a scene where alanna was wearing a slightly-darker-than-normal green outfit, so i think it was definitely a good call by the show to dress aes sedai in their ajah colors always. hard to keep track otherwise!

after moiraine had her hand on her knife when verin revealed she knew about the dragon: "what was she gonna do?? just stab her right in front of all the others??? that's ridiculous!" djkfjg points were made! poor moiraine just kinda panicked and lost all her braincells for a moment there.

my mom was a randgwene shipper last season so i thought she was gonna be pissed about rand hooking up with a strange new woman whilst egwene mourns his death, but she has not said a single word about that situation yet! i did once catch her reading lanfear's wiki article which she'd gotten onto after reading lan's because "i just want to know what happens to him and i'm not going to read all those books" so maybe she retained some info from lanfear's article that made her suspect something fishy with selene?

she recognized min from s1 right away and hastened to add her to her handwritten character list, when other characters needed a couple scenes to get that honor, and i remember she laughed a lot at min's lines last season and she did again today. guys, if my mom becomes a min stan, i may never recover lmao (i'm mostly kidding, show!min has done nothing wrong and is cool. MOSTLY kidding.)

re: the list, i told her she wasn't allowed to google and print out a list of characters because she would see spoilers, only to accidentally spoil her myself last season by instinctively writing liandrin's name down in the "bad guys" column and making her ask "wait, so she's ACTUALLY a villain, not just mean??", rip (but i played it off as "oh she's just unfriendly to moiraine so that's why i put her there" so we shall see whether or not she ends up being surprised by the black ajah reveal)

when min was saying how she sees glimpses of the pattern, my mom made a connection to perrin seeing the past earlier, which i thought was very interesting! (since we hadn't yet learned that what he saw was actually a sending from the wolves.) min's viewings and wolfbrothers are the two major magical powers that have nothing to do with the one power, and it always minorly bugged me that they don't Fit In to the rest of the magic system (despite my apparently-hypocritical mocking of people who get hung up on lore rules etc haha), so i just thought it was neat to think of them in conjunction with each other.

mom, shocked and dismayed: MAT'S GOING TO KILL RAND???????? me: [vibrating with glee over The Great Cauthor Stabbening]

when nynaeve is taken to the arches: "so is she getting a promotion?"

there was some line during the moiraine-lan divorce that got a big offended gasp from our #1 Lan Stan, but i forget which one it was (it wasn't "we were never equals" it was an earlier one)

my dad just laughed when they first showed suroth and her redonkulus getup jkjfg the correct reaction to the pomp and ceremony of seanchan high blood

episode 3

when the aes sedai were saying nynaeve was ready to take the test my mom was like "NO SHE ISN'T!!!!" and was pressed about them rushing her into it

during the bandit attack in the test: "boy, i wouldn't want to live in this world!"

when nynaeve left the tower my mom was like "is this what happens in the books?!" and i couldn't reveal yet that it was still part of the test so i just instinctively said "you'll see" which is my response to everything, and she was like "no i won't, i'm not reading all these books" lmao

my dad during the version of mashiara playing during the lanaeve reunion: why is "somewhere over the rainbow" playing

sheriam: she wasn't ready mom: THAT'S WHAT I SAID!!!!!!!!!!!

she was genuinely very upset for a moment because she thought nynaeve was dead, but i think she then guessed pretty quickly that It Ain't Over Yet

scene transition from nynaeve being left in the arches over to the seanchan: "we're going from bad to worse!"

i was dithering over uno's impending death because i didn't want to spoil them but i thought my mom might want a trigger warning, and thankfully my dad went "that horn looks like it's in a dangerous spot" when they first made uno kneel, so i was all clear to say "yeah this is about to get gory" lmao

my dad wondered if suroth was the dark one which fascinated me! i think everyday negroes had the same thought, iirc. i guess it IS the logical conclusion when you know that ishy is the dark one's right-hand man and in this scene we see him being suroth's right-hand man!

my mom thought elayne might be evil or a spy! how could she! i guess she isn't accustomed to wheel of time strangers just being friendly without an ulterior motive djkfg i didn't outright say her theory was wrong because i'm not about to be a booksplainer, but i'm sure i was so visibly baffled at the idea of elayne being evil that i shot down the theory nonetheless haha

when liandrin goes to visit mat again: "how does she have time for all this? she has her sick son, she has mat, and she has whatever else she does at the tower"

when liandrin blames mat for nynaeve's death: "this lady is CRAZY!!"

mat's "is that an 'i'm here to murder you' stare or a 'light i never realized how handsome you are' stare" line was a big hit! love to see my boy getting some appreciation in this house

...............which he promptly squandered when he a) initially left his cell without freeing min too, and b) did not go comfort egwene. but i pointed out that liandrin's been psychologically tormenting him for months into thinking his friends are better off without him, because i couldn't bear to see them judge my boy!

"it's like we're in 18th century france!" was the first thing out of my mom's mouth when they went to the cairhienin party, i'm sure the costume designers would be thrilled!

mom: how did this lady from the poor district get them into a fancy party? and how could she afford these clothes? 🤨 me: 🤷👀

when logain pours out the wine: "AFTER ALL RAND'S HARD WORK TO GET IT!!"

why did my dad laugh when the inn was on fire jdkfg maybe he just likes to see rand have a bad time

mom: jeez, maybe rand shouldn't stay in other people's houses anymore me: i'm sure rand's thinking the same thing

mom at the end of the test: it's so sad that they keep getting glimpses of the nice lives they could've had 😔

episode 4

mom 2 seconds before the camera reveals who the visitor is: is her little sister moiraine? [camera shows moiraine] mom: I GUESSED SOMETHING FOR ONCE

"it's pretty rude to show up to someone's house and then say 'i don't have time to hang out with you'!"

selene: the fire wasn't your fault rand mom: well it kinda was actually

there was some moment where my dad referred to "sneezing and burning down an inn, or whatever he did" and it killed me, i wish i could remember the context bc it was even funnier in context

"i speak with the amyrlin every time i open my mouth" was also a hit! as was perrin asking if he would turn into a wolf and elyas saying "don't be stupid"

mom when moiraine waltzes into the foregate dressed to the nines: i thought she wanted to keep a low profile

just earlier that day we'd been bemoaning the lack of pockets in women's clothing, as one does, so my mom was like "[delighted] now THAT'S a pocket!" when moiraine fit a whole-ass knife into the pocket of her fancy dress. WOT costumers understand the importance of giving girls pockets! lanfear's outfits have a lot too

my dad said "she seems like a bad guy" about selene during the mountaintop scene, he been knew! but he ended up falling asleep and missing the reveal that he was right

meanwhile, mom: "i'm just waiting for a monster to crawl up that cliff and get them"

when alanna & co go through lan's bags to get the poem: "aww, i thought they were his friends! 😔"

mom: too bad moiraine won't just ask her sister about rand, she talked to him at the party! anvaere: so if you want to know where that redheaded boy is, you'll have to ask me very nicely over tea mom: [just as smug as anvaere]

when ishy shows up at min's room: "how is he EVERYWHERE????"

she didn't seem TOO surprised when liandrin attacked the girls, and she clocked that liandrin was working for ishy after this scene with min (or rather, she asked me if that was the case and i said "you'll see")

she let out the fondest chuckle when rand was like "[choking back tears] i'm going to leave now, thank you" he is BABY YOUR HONOR!!!

as the Lanfear Reveal started my mom said "i just knew she was evil" so that must be why she was so silent on the relationship and so un-judgmental of rand, she must've clocked selene's Bad Vibes from the start! or else she retained something from reading lanfear's wiki article a while back lmao

even so, she went "OH MY GOSH!!!!" and clapped her hands over her mouth in shock when moiraine slit lanfear's throat, which i think is one of her biggest reactions to anything in either season so far! the initial stabbing, zero reaction, but the followup throat-slitting, freakout.

the "i'm a monster too" line + Undead Lanfear Moment has her CONVINCED that forsaken are some kind of creatures or zombies, i'm trying to explain they're just humans who are really powerful and evil haha

at the final shot of lanfear: "i'm going to have nightmares! i'll have to go read my murder mystery to calm down before bed." duality of woman

[punkascas]

okay, so i don't want to, like, Start Something or whatever so we're doing a barely-tagged, separate post. i also realise this is mostly pointless because others have already said what i'm going to say, and did it better, with far more grace, and sound less like an asshole than i do.

but jesus louise helen christ, the weird fucked up ideas people have around abuse and personal responsibility and the effect of trauma. like as an abuse and csa survivor, it genuinely alarms me to read posts that use arguments i remember my dad making. like, i'm assuming most of this rhetoric comes from gen z — maybe that's inaccurate; maybe that's unfair. but right now i'm very much Having A Moment Here that the kids aren't alright.

no 22-year-old should be repeating the same awful, manipulative, logically and morally bankrupt justifications for violence and torture my dad says. like literally what's in the first two episodes of ofmd s2 is torture.

i love ed; he's an amazing character. taika is hella wowza top marks acting him. but like.

like.

torture, my dude. physical and psychological. trauma. harassment. that we see the lasting effects of through s2.

just. i. what??

so here we go, okay. have too many, zealously highlighted screenshots so i can dig into details.

cut to save your dashes. content warning for discussions of abuse and trauma (if that wasn't obvious), as well as spoilers for ofmd s2.

re: ed knew what he was doing was wrong and felt guilty about it at the time:

we have no on-screen, textual examples of this. not in the dialogue; not in the acting; not in the blocking; not in the cinematography or music. nothing.

knowing the crew are overworked and kind of traumatised by all the violence, ed bribes them with cake. because, as we know, cake like tea fixes everything. only ed wasn't even with them to share in the eating of the cake. he made izzy responsible for that. he doesn't give the crew a break; he doesn't choose less ethically-fraught prizes to hunt. there is not one scene of ed talking directly to the crew — until he points a gun at each of them.

we see ed crying (and drinking, and rhino horn-ing [way to help further extinction, man]) but it's always paired with shots or flashbacks that reference stede. ed is still all up in his feelings about stede, and ed confirms this when he tells frenchie the myth about albatrosses never needing to return to land. ed cannot go back, does not want to go back, because he was rejected. (like, stede is literally landed gentry, come on!) all he wants to do instead is stay at sea committing to this unhinged version of unstable, sadistic piracy.

but okay, okay. say we ignore all of that. let's say ed does feel sorry and guilty and ashamed of his actions. he knows what he's doing is wrong and unfair and cruel. that it's harming others. that it's particularly harming the dude that ed has, for better or worse, basically spent his life with (izzy; i mean izzy). ed… still continues to do the things! how far off are we at this point from the definition of malicious? you know action x hurts person b and then you do it anyway. is that honestly a better, happier, more ethically defensible reading of the character?

re: the crew didn't mutiny because they love ed despite his violent, sadistic actions.

mutinies were a thing, yes. but both historically and in the world rules established by the show, mutiny is disincentivised through threats, distraction via extra work, and corporeal punishment. we see both ed and izzy use all three of these to try to prevent the crew from disobeying orders. they didn't wait until the storm and izzy shooting ed to mutiny because they understood or sympathised with ed; they took the chance to kill him then because that was the first real opportunity they'd had. the reward finally out-weighed the risk given that ed was going to kill them all that night anyway.

again, we have no scenes, no dialogue, no visual or audio cues to tell us that the crew understands or loves ed — excluding izzy, obviously. fang could also be on that list, if you take into account his personality and his behaviour both in s1 and later in s2 in the fishing boat scene. but in the first two episodes, we only see the crew show trauma responses around ed. they talk about him but almost never to him. and when they do have a direct conversation with ed, it is either confrontation or head down, submissive, "of course, blackbeard; anything you say" placating. i'm so baffled where the show points to any sign of love from the crew towards ed before his "death".

re: ed can't be held responsible because he was suicidal.

uhm. no. hard no. a harder no than stede's brazilian cherry wood mast. fucked up people do fucked up things but part of being an adult is owning your fucked-upped-ness and not fucking up others while you work on unfucking yourself. children, children are not fully responsible for the impact of their actions on others when they're deep in their feelings, especially if they're feeling their feelings as a trauma response. this is because literally their brain cannot do that kind of control. it doesn't have that software pack installed yet. ed does have all the adult updates installed, even if he isn't running them at that moment. he has no right to take out his feelings on other people: to maim them, to psychologically torture them, to abuse them, to work them to exhaustion. to kill them. he does not get a free pass to do suicide by abused employees. (like suicide by cop but more indirect and passive and harmful.) talk about passive aggressive.

secondly, ed is not just passively suicidal and happy to find new risks that might end his life. he is very purposefully taking izzy with him (see: literally removing the bits of izzy that would help let him walk away from ed; the fact that ed becomes actively suicidal only once he thinks izzy is dead; the whole keeping izzy's corpse in front of his and stede's beach shack i mean inn — the codependence, she runs deep). ed is also putting the crew through the same risks, the same isolation, the same danger. both stede and izzy agreed that ed had gone full scorched earth policy. you don't get forgiven for the murder part of a murder-suicide pact just because of the suicide part. not to mention that no one (once again, you could potentially argue izzy as an exception) was good on a murder-suicide pact with blackbeard.

and then to say the crew felt guilty? i assume i'm misreading that. the crew. felt guilty. for ed's actions. that is, if not victim blaming and if not darvo, a very close inbred cousin of them. like hapsburg jaw inbred close.

re: ed healing and his view of himself as a monster.

to heal means, in part, to accept responsibility for the harm you've caused, whether it was intentional or not. it means making amends. it means building or rebuilding relationships where possible. it means putting the other person or persons' feelings and boundaries and need for safety above your desire for absolution or forgiveness. it means working through your own guilt and shame and anger (or whatever drove you to act the way you did) in a separate space, not with the people you hurt, but someone who can be a step removed, more impersonal and objective to help you reflect and face hard truths as needed. i say this as both someone involved in activism and community reparations and as an abuse survivor who has done nearly 30 years of therapy learning this in order to not hurt people. it's not ed's fault he's fucked up just like it isn't my fault i am. but it is on me, like it is on anyone, to make sure i limited as much as possible the harm i can cause to others because i learned some awful but very effective tricks at a young age to survive.

ed does not really do any of the above. he doesn't say "sorry". he speaks in generalised language. he complains about the cat bell (which he seems to wear only for one day, given the implied timeline with lucius and pete's engagement). i have a model ship on a stand that says "this is a safe space ship" as a joke because i work for the government and have written press releases that sound just like ed's "apology". where you take no responsibility and encourage "the culture" to move on.

so, really, my question becomes: ed sees himself as a monster. in s1, we had enough balance between ed's current actions and his referenced past actions to see this belief as likely untrue. in s2 though — i mean, is it? is that an unfair or inaccurate belief? i can understand how carrying that belief can get in the way of ed's growth and eventual healing but like. from an outside perspective of ed-the-fictional-character. he's not a "good" person. he's capable of and has done and continued to do horrible, cruel things. ethically, can you argue with that statement about him?

re: ed trying to destroy relationships because of his self-worth issues and instead the consequences of his actions proving that he's loved.

this is the point that made me go: right, no, i need to respond. i need to say my piece about this. izzy and the crew suffering ed's violent tyranny and then sticking around on the revenge anyway afterwards is not a sign of love. it is not showing love to bear pain for someone. it not showing love to let someone mistreat you, threaten you, hurt you, maim you. their actions are selfish and done to give them feelings of power and control over you. lying back and thinking of england to get through it is not love. it is absolutely a survival technique. but it is not love when you do it at the expense of yourself or others.

i also disagree that ed was trying to push people away or break his relationships with others. we know from s1 that ed is fairly blasé about whether crew members die. again, we don't see any friendly or intimate exchanges between ed and any of the crew to imply any kind of relationship there beyond "tools who accomplish ed's goals". the one exception, as always, is izzy. and as previously stated, ed seems bound and determined, in a very conscious way, to bring izzy into death with him. ed does everything in his power to make izzy want to kill ed, or at least agree that it's best if ed dies, and to want to kill himself so ed doesn't have to die alone. that isn't ed breaking that relationship; it's making it permanent in a really fucked up shakespearian way. the only relationship we see ed waffle between wanting to keep and wanting to push away is stede. after his corporate "apology" and the fishing trip with fang, all of ed's dialogue is with stede and a little bit with zheng until izzy's death scene. the crew loving ed just isn't a thing, at least not one we're shown. not from either side. ed's relationships are with stede and kind of, sort of with izzy (because he does manage to, if not fully break, do some major damage to that).

love did not save ed. ed wanting to live, because stede came back, because he didn't want to jump off hornigold's cliff in the first place, saved ed. izzy saved everyone else.

so yeah: that's it; that's the post. the rhetoric that abuse is love or that abuse can be "cured" with love or that trauma isn't lasting and serious and has impacts on people's daily lives is just. wild. wild.

and terrifying.

my dad was born in the 40s. why is anyone born in the 80s or later still defending this mindset? it honestly, truly freaks me out.

guess it's good i have a fucking therapy appointment on monday.

[inawickedlittletown]

Just Let Me Adore You (BuckTommy) - 3/6

Summary: What if…instead of Chimney taking the role of interim Captain of the 118, Tommy is asked to take on the role.

Or, what happens when Buck meets Tommy in S2

Words: 3.4k

Notes: Title from Adore You by Harry Styles

Read on Ao3

Part One

Part Two

-

Part Three

There were more bombs. 

They were all on edge because of it, waiting to see if it might happen again. Buck could practically feel the tension all over the city anywhere he went. The incident at the school had at least turned out to be a false alarm. From what he’d heard from Maddie most of the reports coming in were false alarms which didn’t mean it wouldn’t happen again. 

The shifts without Eddie felt strange, as strange as it felt to be without Bobby. Somehow, though, Tommy made it better. He seemed to be trying to keep everyone’s spirits up and that made him even more intriguing. Attractive, if Buck were being honest. He tried not to think about it too much. But, he had kinda gotten caught up watching him the other day because he was wearing short sleeves and that left all the skin and sinewed muscle right there for Buck to look at. 

Following their first movie night, Buck found himself going over to Tommy’s after a shift because according to Tommy it was a travesty that Buck had never seen Back To The Future. So, Buck had gotten himself an invite back to Tommy’s again. 

He’d noted right away that Tommy had started working on his cabinets. 

“Hey, I could have helped you with those. I’m not kidding, I can help. And I’m pretty much free all the time these days.” 

“Oh, I had help,” Tommy said. “Eddie came over yesterday.” 

And that had sort of made him deflate a little. He tried to shake it off, but he didn’t like that his offer to help hadn’t been taken and that Tommy had gone one further and gotten Eddie to help him instead. 

“You should have told me,” Buck said. 

“I figured you wanted to rest after our last shift,” Tommy said. “And, Eddie needed to do something to get his mind off Shannon. Next time, Evan.” 

“How…how is Eddie?” 

Buck had reached out, but Eddie had been a bit busy dealing with his parents and it had been a very short conversation. 

“Coping. I think he’s dealing with it as best as he can right now.” 

The slight that he’d felt at not being included dissipated, replaced by how grateful he was that Tommy was helping Eddie. It wasn’t an exclusion of Buck, and it wasn’t like Tommy wasn’t making time to spend with Buck. By the time that he and Tommy had settled on Tommy’s couch, he’d pushed it aside. 

Buck was comfortable on Tommy’s couch and maybe they had moved closer and closer to each other all night. After the movie, he and Tommy even turned to each other and stayed just as close discussing the movie. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d ever felt as comfortable with someone as he did with Tommy. Maybe Abby? He hated thinking about her and the way that Buck was still getting over being left like that. 

“Time travel is not real,” Tommy said when Buck pointed out that the time travel bits didn’t make sense. 

“I know, but there’s theories right? Like it’s not possible but it wouldn’t work this way if it did.” Buck was feeling like he knew what he’d be reading up on the next time he had a spare moment. 

“This movie is from the 80s,” Tommy said, deadpan. 

Buck laughed and Tommy joined him. He looked so pretty when he laughed, it wasn’t fair. 

“Just wait until we watch the sequel,” Tommy said. 

“Right! That little tease at the end.” Buck asked. 

“And a threequel,” Tommy added. 

The prospect of at least two more movie nights with Tommy was exciting. He liked that Tommy seemed interested in watching the movies with him and it almost made him forget that he’d been bothered by finding out Eddie was who Tommy had turned to for help with his renovation when Buck was right there. 

At least, he had movie nights to look forward to and maybe Tommy would ask him to come help with the renovation now that Buck had offered a second time. It was more exciting than anything else that Buck had going for him outside of work. Looking for an apartment was not fun or easy and he had no idea what he was doing with his love life. 

It was as he was gathering his stuff to go home that he realized he’d missed a call from Ali an hour or so back. Was it bad that he wasn’t upset about missing it? Even if it meant that he might not get to talk to Ali for a few more days?

“What is it?” Tommy asked. 

“Ali called,” Buck said. 

“Ali is the girlfriend?” 

“I guess you could call her that,” Buck said and he sat down again. “I don’t even know anymore.”

“Long distance not working out for you?” 

Buck rolled his eyes. “It…well, it isn’t that, not that that is helping any. It’s more that the last time we talked she suggested we open up the relationship which…what does that even mean?” 

The look that Tommy gave him said that Tommy knew exactly what Buck thought it meant. What it always meant, that she probably already had someone in mind worth opening up her current relationship. 

“Is that something you want?” Tommy asked, serious. “If it isn’t, then you don’t have to just let this happen.” 

“Is it bad that I don’t even care? Not…not because I’m into being in an open relationship or whatever. It works for some people, you know, but shouldn’t it bother me a little?”

“It doesn’t?” 

“No…or, it does but not enough. I’m…okay, I’m a jealous person. But I’m not jealous, so…”

“So maybe you and Ali are the perfect people to have an open relationship?” Tommy asked, eyebrow cocked. 

Buck just leaned his head back with a groan. “I think I shouldn’t have started dating someone I met on a call. What about you, Tommy, how’s the single life?” 

Tommy didn’t say anything immediately. “Lonely,” he said eventually. “Any guy I meet…I told you they’re all just interested in sleeping with me.” 

Buck didn’t know what his expression was. He didn’t remember if it was something he’d already known. He didn’t think so…Chim or Hen would have definitely said something if they knew. Tommy dated guys. Tommy wasn’t straight and he was…he looked the way he looked and he was smart and funny and Buck…

“Evan?” 

Maybe Buck had never been with a guy before, but Tommy had and Buck found him fascinating. Buck had never been shy of trying new things and he wanted to try new things with Tommy. That…well, it was true. It was true and it sent his heart racing. 

“Evan?” 

Buck shook his head. Blinked a few times. He found Tommy watching him warily. Buck realized all at once that this had been Tommy coming out to him and that Buck had been stupidly staring at nothing instead of responding. 

“Look, I really—”

“Tommy, I, I’m so…thank you for telling me.” 

The frown that had begun to form on Tommy’s face faded, replaced with a small careful and nervous smile. Buck liked this smile too. He liked most things about Tommy. 

“I’m not in the closet,” Tommy said hurriedly. “I just…I wasn’t out when I was at the 118, and I didn’t mean to lie, but—”

“You didn’t lie,” Buck said. 

“It feels like it, sometimes,” Tommy admitted and the frown was back. 

Buck wanted it to go away, he wanted to reach over and smooth over his forehead. He didn’t know what he’d do if he touched Tommy, though, especially when he knew now that Tommy liked men. He might just never want to stop touching him. 

“I won’t say anything,” Buck said. 

There was something electric when their gazes met and it took everything in Buck not to just go for it. Kiss him. Would Tommy want that, though? And then there was…Ali. No matter that they had talked about opening up their relationship, it didn’t feel right to just go for it with someone else. Even Tommy. Maybe especially Tommy.

So, instead, he held himself back. Did that thing where he forced himself to do the right thing instead of giving into his impulses. If there was one thing he learned while being with Abby it was restraint. He wasn’t that kid that stole a ladder truck to have sex anymore. After everything Tommy had said about the kind of guys that he attracted, he didn’t need Buck to not be sure, but also for Buck to not be fully available. 

As it turned out, when he called Ali as soon as he’d made it home, Ali was back in LA. It was why she’d been calling. He had a shift in the morning and discouraged her from coming over, but agreed to meet up on his next day off even if Buck had had plans to look at a few apartments. Ali, with all her contacts, offered to join him. 

They texted all throughout Buck’s shift. It almost felt like normal. That was the problem with Ali, when she was around Buck felt good and he did like her and he did like spending time with her. It was just that then she’d take off and Buck was back to being on his own. Lonely. Left behind. Wondering if he was the only guy in her life. 

She did come in handy when it came to finding an apartment. Even better, she got him a great price. It was a loft apartment, open concept first floor and stairs that led up to what would become his bedroom. Ali seemed pleased with the place and Buck liked it too, enough that he signed a lease right away. She didn’t even seem to mind that they spent more time moving him in. Not that it took too long considering how little Buck actually owned. They probably spent more time going out to buy him stuff. 

Then they fell asleep without even taking their clothes off out of sheer exhaustion. Ali was gone by the time that Buck woke up and Buck realized they never talked about the whole open relationship thing or much of anything at all. 

If he dreamt about big hands and muscles and blue eyes no one needed to know about it. 

—

The blond skinny guy was not Tommy’s type, but he was looking at Tommy like Tommy was exactly his type. Smiling and trying to do something with his eyes that made him look like he had something caught in them rather than whatever the intent was. He didn’t seem even a little concerned about the girl they’d come out to help, far more focused on Tommy instead. It wasn’t exactly unusual, but that didn’t mean that Tommy knew how to deal with it.  

Hen and Chim were working on the reason they’d been called out. A woman had tripped right by the edge of the pool, tried to catch her balance, and knocked over another woman. Both of them had fallen into the pool. Had it been on the deep end they would probably have been fine, but it was the shallow end and so she’d hit her head. The other woman had gotten a nasty bruise on her arm among other minor bruising and scrapes. Eddie and Evan were taking care of her. It didn’t help that they were both more than a little drunk.

“So, what’s it like?” the guy asked. 

“Being a firefighter?” Tommy asked, keeping an eye on the scene. 

“I think she’s concussed,” Hen called out to him, her flashlight pointed at the woman’s eyes.

“No,” the guy said, ignoring that Tommy was in the middle of talking to his paramedic. “I mean, what’s it like being this hot?”

Tommy didn’t even know what to say, so he pretended he didn’t hear it. Hen and Chim got the woman on a backboard and then onto the gurney. The guy was looking at him expectantly. 

“I mean, you probably get that a lot. Are you on one of those calendars?” 

Tommy gave him a glance. “Excuse me,” he said and went around him. 

“Eddie? How is she?”

“Patched up, Cap. She says she feels alright and doesn’t want to go to the hospital.” 

Tommy stepped foward, looking at the woman who held a towel around her shoulders. 

“That’s your call,” Tommy said. “But if you start to not feel well, go to a hospital.” 

She nodded. 

“Get some rest, too,” Eddie added. “And ice on and off on those bruises.”

He watched as Eddie and Evan gathered their stuff. 

“Wait, can I have your number?” the guy asked. “As a thank you for saving my friend. But also because I’d like to get to know you better.” 

Before Tommy could respond, Evan was there. “Back off, man, can’t you tell he’s not interested?”

Tommy didn’t say anything, he just stared at Evan. 

“I think that’s his choice,” the guy said and since Evan had stepped between them, pushed Evan — or at least, he tried to push Evan. 

Evan looked affronted, which to be entirely clear, made him look like a puppy that had gotten hit on the nose with a newspaper. Except that of course even puppies had teeth. 

“Buckley, go on, keep it moving,” Tommy said. 

Evan’s eyes met Tommy’s for a split second before he lowered them. 

“So,” the guy said, “how about it? I’m sure there’s plenty we could do together.” Was that a wink?

Tommy glanced at the guy. He saw Evan gritting his teeth and then Eddie was pulling him away, almost as if he expected Evan to get himself in trouble if he wasn’t pulled away. He almost thought that Evan would fight Eddie off, but instead he just glared at the guy one last time. 

Eddie’s first day back had so far gone well. Eddie had brought in the paperwork showing he was cleared at the start of shift and even though Tommy personally thought that he could use more time away from the job, he hadn’t put up a fight. He mostly just hoped that Eddie would keep going to therapy. 

The last time he saw Eddie outside of work, Eddie had found Tommy’s home gym. Or well, the start of one. While telling Eddie about how he wanted to set up some mats for muay thai, he’d discovered how big a fan of MMA Eddie was. They had plans to go to Tommy’s gym and do some sparring. Eddie had told him it had been a while for him and Tommy was hoping it could become a good outlet for all the pain and grief that still lived in him. 

Tommy didn’t know the full story, but from Hen he’d gathered that when Eddie started a few months back he’d been a single father with an estranged wife. So for her to return and then die…it had to be rough. 

The blond guy had pulled his phone out. He looked expectantly at Tommy. With Evan gone, the guy stepped closer and he made a move to touch Tommy’s arm, but Tommy stepped back just out of reach. 

“No. Sorry. That is not a good idea.” 

“What? Why? Wait…was that other firefighter your boyfriend? Because okay that’s hot and can I be your third?”

Tommy pretended he didn’t hear that either. He couldn’t pretend that watching Evan step in the way he had wasn’t doing something for him, but it didn’t change that Evan was in a relationship — flimsy as it may be — and that Evan was not into men.

—

“What was that?” Eddie asked. 

“I don’t know,” Buck said and he wasn’t lying. 

Eddie gave him a look. “That sounded like you were marking your territory,” Eddie said. 

Buck turned when he heard Tommy making his way towards them. Tommy raised an eyebrow and Buck could feel his face warm up. Tommy didn’t say anything and Buck just went and climbed into the truck. 

The truth was that he’d seen the guy eyeing up Tommy from the moment they arrived and then he’d seen him go over to talk to Tommy, but he’d been more concerned with doing his job. It was when he and Eddie were done and that he’d actually heard how the guy was trying to get Tommy’s number that something had snapped and he’d felt the need to just put a stop to it. Maybe he’d overstepped. Maybe Tommy had liked the attention. Maybe Tommy had even given him his number as soon as Buck and Eddie walked away? Otherwise why send Buck away the way he had? 

All the way back to the station, Buck kept his gaze out the window. They weren’t back at the station for long before they had another call. In LA they took plenty of calls involving influencers. They always tended to get themselves in some kind of trouble. When Buck went back to grab her phone as they headed out, he took a quick glance. The whole thing had been live streamed and the comments were all about how attractive they all were. He and Eddie had garnered a few mentions. 

One said: ‘especially the Captain. Hot damn.’

They weren’t wrong, that’s for sure. Buck turned off the livestream and brought the phone out to the girl getting loaded onto the ambulance. He found Tommy talking to one of the roommates, a woman in her twenties that looked far more interested in looking at Tommy than in listening to what Tommy was telling her. 

“Buck, you’re kinda glaring at Cap right now,” Eddie said.

Buck turned away. 

“Seriously, what’s going on, man?” 

“I, uh, I don’t know,” Buck said. 

He remembered his talk with Tommy about Ali, about how jealous Buck tended to get and how it hadn’t come up with Ali even when she seemed to want to sleep with other people. Tommy getting flirted with shouldn’t have made him lose it, but he was and it didn’t make sense. 

It wasn’t as if Buck had any claim on Tommy in any way. They were friends, had hung out a few times, but that was all there was to it because Buck wasn’t into guys like that right? Except…except that for days all he’d been able to think about was how Tommy did like guys. And also, he really had wanted to kiss Tommy the other night and that was not behavior of a guy that was straight, so what did it all mean?

He pushed it out of his mind, focused on work and he kept his interactions with Tommy to a minimum and hoped that Tommy didn’t notice. He also did a little bit of googling. Took an online quiz, read up on bisexuality, and then considered asking Hen some personal questions about how she’d known she liked women. 

In the end, he didn’t. It felt too much like giving the questions he had about himself away. He did think that maybe it was possible that Buck wasn’t as straight as he’d always thought. How he had never realized that about himself was a mystery he wasn’t likely to solve. 

Then, they were back rushing back out to a call. Somehow, with all the spots taken in the back of the ladder truck, Buck wound up climbing up front. 

They heard Bobby calling through the radio. 

The driver was taking a turn at the intersection. 

Buck wouldn’t remember any of it properly later. Not through the explosion. Not through the haze of the pain. Not through the smoke and the fire and the weight that was crushing his leg and pinning him on the asphalt. He was pinned for a long time, the pain excruciating. His eyesight was hazy and nothing made sense. He tried to move and couldn’t…couldn’t…couldn’t. 

That kid that seemed to be the cause of the explosion looked strange among the smoke. 

Tommy’s voice. Buck strained to turn his face so he could see him. 

“Me. You want me. I’m the Captain,” Tommy announced. 

And…no. No. Tommy didn’t need to be the hero here. He didn’t need to offer himself up to this kid that had put an explosive in their ladder truck. Buck tried to verbalize that, but his words were gone. 

Then…Bobby. Bobby talking to the kid. Bobby, who the bomb had been meant for and then…then it was over and he heard the others rushing to his side. 

He heard Chim and Hen. Eddie. Tommy. 

It didn’t feel great being on the other side of the call. 

He did remember a hand grasping his and someone saying his name with other whispered words that didn’t quite make sense to him. The sound of so many sirens and his screams blending into the night. 

Pain. So much pain.

[wannabanauthor]

I need more fics of S1 Buck and S2 Tommy.

What if they hit it off and become really good friends fast, and Buck is getting laid all the time and convinces Tommy to let Buck be his wing man, but Buck doesn’t know that Tommy is firmly stuck in the closet.

So while they’re out at a bar, Buck brings over a woman that’s interested in Tommy, and once he introduces them to each other, the woman is like “can I have you both at the same time?”

And Buck is like “challenge accepted” while Tommy is like a deer in the headlights and is firmly against it.

And the woman says “maybe I’m not his type, maybe you’re more of his type” to Buck about Tommy, and Buck laughs her off because there’s no way, right?

And Tommy conveniently needs a refill of his beer so he walks away from them, and Buck follows him.

“Dude, it doesn’t have to be weird. We can Eiffel Tower it so we won’t accidentally touch,” Buck says because he is clueless.

“I don’t do threesomes,” Tommy says.

Buck shrugs it off. “Fine, suit yourself.”

Tommy watches Buck and the lady flirt out of the corner of his eye while he tries to tamp down the jealousy he feels.

He loses sight of them at some point and figures Buck already left.

Tommy goes out the back door for some fresh air and catches Buck and the woman fooling around in a back alley.

The woman is on her knees frantically trying to jerk Buck off while he leans against the building wall. He’s like half hard, and the woman is cursing under her breath.

Buck locks eyes with Tommy, and what do you know he springs to attention, much to the woman’s delight. Then she notices Tommy too, and is like “I think your friend wants to join as much as your dick wants him to”

Tommy can’t look away. He also now knows why Buck is called “Firehose”.

Buck gets embarrassed all of a sudden and pulls away from the woman, who frowns at him. “You should go,” he says and awkwardly tries to stuff himself back into his pants.

The woman gives an irritated huff and leaves, and Tommy and Buck are just staring at each other in the back alley.

Buck tries to break the silence and make a joke, but he’s tugging at his crotch which draws Tommy’s attention.

Tommy kisses him hard, pushing Buck up against the brick wall. Buck moans and kisses him back. Tommy undoes Buck’s belt and pants.

His tongue is in Buck’s mouth the same moment he first wraps his hand around Buck’s “firehose”. He gets him off quickly, with firm quick jerks of his hand.

Buck nearly choked when he comes, and when Tommy lets up, all they can do is stare at each other.

Tommy seems to remember who he is and where they are and just says “not a word to anybody” and leaves, wiping his hand on a napkin from his pocket.

Buck is stuck there, in total shock and afterglow, way more accepting of this newly realized attraction.

Tommy avoids him for like a week after even though Buck has left him dozens of texts and voicemails trying to tell him that it was okay and they didn’t need to necessarily talk about it.

So Buck gets Tommy’s address and shows up unannounced to apologize for whatever Tommy thinks he did wrong, and Tommy is like “nothing happened, it was a mistake”

And Buck responds “wait, which one is it? Because if nothing happened then nothing happened. But if it was a mistake, that means some part of you wanted it, and we could make more mistakes.”

“I’m not into men. I’m not gay,” Tommy says.

“I never said you were,” Buck counters. He walks closer to Tommy. “Listen, I’m an ally, so I don’t judge.”

Tommy says with a laugh, “Good.” And impulsively kisses Buck again.

To be continued…