#ridge x brooke

[tvshowscouples]

If you love Ridge&Brooke (Bold and the Beautiful) and you want reblog or like,this is the link of my reblog couples :)

thank you!

[userlaylivia]

for soap watchers!!

I still forgot some so there'll be a third part lol and don't give me crap about thope and lope being here or phick I've shipped them since day one and until recently I didn't ship thope only the last year or so and I've been a lope shipper from day one!!

@maya-matlin, @narcobarbies, @terrilynn88

[rosehathawhey]

THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL Season 36, Episode 210 | Aired July 25, 2023

[pricegouge]

the welly boot incident, a silly little meet cute inspired entirely by this post here cause i'm an absolute slut for the swamp thing look.

pricegaz x fem!reader one shot. A little bit of subspace as a treat but nothing explicit. Still mdni please

"Brassard, what the hell am I looking at?"

It's been a shit job from the start. Bad contractor, bad intel, bad campaign all around. John supposes he can only be happy that for once in his life, the quality of intel seems to be off in the 'right' direction - which is to say he'd rather be posted up in a field for hours with too much manpower than not enough. He's got Gaz on his right, deadly still and silent despite being hours past projected time of contact with no sign of the target. Price is spotting, growing more irritable by the minute. There's supposed to be a watch up on the south ridge to announce any incoming traffic - op related or otherwise - but the sudden arrival of one garishly dressed civilian meandering through the meadow toting a Hubble sized macro lens seems to suggest that while eight hours of fruitless vigilance may not test the most seasoned of soldiers, it is enough to beat the handlers hired to assist them. 

The silence on the comms grows long enough to get even Gaz squirming, a subtle rotation of his boot the first move he's made in hours. In his ghillie, the movement is swallowed by the shifting of grass in the wind.

"Brassard?" Price growls, inspecting this newcomer through his scope for potential threats. She certainly looks unassuming enough, as he's never known any faction of armed services to issue woven fuschia caps, long purple cardigans, or yellow welly boots. Still, confirmation on anything useful like 'where the fuck she came from,' 'was she driving a civilian car?', or 'should we take the fucking shot?' would be ideal.

"Cap?" Garrick's voice is low, smothered, cheek sealed against his rifle even after all these hours. Still lethal and ready to trust his captain's call.

John waits another beat, hoping for some forthcoming intel. Doesn't get any. "No."

"She's gonna blow our spot."

'Against who?' John wants to ask, but the question of where their overwatch disappeared to is a toss up, and while every hard-won instinct in his body tells him this whole mission is a bust and the man likely fell asleep, the paranoid option must always outweigh the most likely if one wants to see the next sunrise, and it's entirely possible the man was eliminated. 

"Well, shooting her won't make her any less hi-vis," Price sighs. Abandoning his lens, John raises his head enough to take in the whole scope of the meadow. They're posted on a small hill, sights trained down into the shallow basin where a derelict road ambles parallel a small brook, currently overflowing with springtime runoff. It's beautiful, really, dotted here and there with early blooms which nod in the gentle breeze. With the low ridge to the south simultaneously blocking most of the sun's glare and offering a great position for extra coverage, the area had presented itself first and foremost to him as a sniper's delight; but faced now with an artsy-type civilian wandering around and looking for all intents and purposes to be in her natural element, he supposes his assessment probably laid outside the norm.

"We could use her like dazzle camo," Gaz suggests instead and John's mustache twitches with a suppressed snort. It's almost tempting, except if the target does ever drive through, John doesn't trust him to simply be confused and gape at the spectacle uselessly.

John drums his fingers off the dirt irritably, returns to his scope to see if he can pick out where their backup is situated. "Shit," he hisses, taking in Brassard's limp form up on the ridge.

"Dead?" Gaz asks, voice returning to the low hum that tells Price he's slipping back into professionalism.

"Looks like," John confirms, disassembling his tripod. 

"We retreating?"

"'Course not. We're containing the civilian." Beginning to crawl forward, John spots Gaz break his scope seal for the first time since establishing it out of the corner of his eye. 

"How?"

"Physically."

***

You never even see them coming. One minute you're humming to yourself as you stage a close up of a bee and the next you're squawking and thrashing while being pulled to the ground by your ankle. Before you can even make sense of what's happened, a man settles his considerable weight onto you and clamps a hand over your mouth. "Easy," he murmurs into your ear as a mass of twigs and grease paint pulls up next to him. "Not gonna hurt ya, darlin'."

You only realize how hard you're shaking when the man next to you starts setting up a tripod and the kind of gun you've only ever seen in movies and your teeth rattle behind the calloused grip that covers them.

There's a hand on your head, palm flat and heavy as it pulls your hat off. The weight above you shifts, hips digging briefly into your ass as he moves to pocket your cap. It's slow, movements steady and calculated as the voice that continues in your ear. "I'm Captain John Price. This is my sergeant, Kyle Garrick, and unfortunately you've found yourself in a bit of a pickle."

Next to you, the man with the gun - Kyle - spares a small, commiserating smile. It does not calm you.

"If I take my hand off your mouth, you gonna stay quiet?"

You're nodding before you can even think it through, surprising yourself when your new found freedom only draws rapid pants from you instead of screams for help. 

"There's a good girl," John rumbles, lips still pressed close to your ear. His voice is low like oncoming thunder, and despite yourself, the next shudder that racks your body isn't entirely fear based. He's got a mustache of some sort, bristles soft where they press against the shell of your ear. You were set up for failure, really.

"Can you get off me?" You mean it to sound pricklier, blame it on all the hyperventilating when your voice comes out breathy.

John huffs, breath warm as it fans down your neck. He's wearing some sort of armored vest from the feel of it, but you can still feel the abs of his lower belly jump with his laughter. "What's your name, darlin'?" You don't answer him at first, still weighing whether or not you believe him. "How 'bout 'flower', hm? Look like one out here in all these colors."

"A buttercup, in those wellies," Kyle agrees and you side eye him, for the first time noticing how upsettingly handsome he is under all that grease paint. Full, pretty lips and the kind of big soft cow eyes that always turn you to putty. If you find out the man on top of you is also handsome, you're toast.

"Right, those bloody boots." John's weight shifts off you a bit and you try to scramble forward. You make it maybe an inch before he plants a wide palm on your back and pushes you back to the ground. "Hold still, flower," he rumbles and you're helpless but to comply as he kicks at your boots with his own. You ask why he's stripping you but he ignores the question, reaching back to snatch up your discarded shoes instead. "Clear?" he asks, and Kyle takes a minute to swing his scope around.

"Far as I can tell."

And then John tosses your boots into the nearby brook with an unceremonious plop.

"Hey!" you gripe, only to be silenced by John's hand clamped over your mouth again. 

His voice is sterner now when he speaks, the low murmuring from before replaced with a harsh grumble. "Hush now petal, we have to be quiet. Look at me, yeah?"

You regret it the second you do. Like Kyle, John's covered in leaves and debris and greasepaint. His eyes glint menacingly from the depths of the shadow cast by his low brim, his chops a thatch of hair only distinguishable from the mass of brush that covers him by the fact it's too well-kept. He looks like a swamp thing. He looks like the earth itself come to swallow you whole.

"I'm gonna take my hand away now, but you're going to be a good little flower and stay quiet, yeah?" You nod. His grip is so strong on your jaw that you drag his hand along with you. When he calls you a good girl this time, you can't help but melt into the grass beneath you. John seems to take your laxness for acceptance of your situation and he squeezes the nape of your neck when he pulls his hand away to set about erecting some sort of tiny telescope. He murmurs to you as he works, voice gone back to the quiet, calming rumble from before. 

"I can't get off you because you're not wearing appropriately camouflaged clothes. Even if I were to strip you of this fucking cardi, you'd still stand out like a sore thumb. That's why the wellies had to go in the stream. No good place to hide 'em." You frown back toward the brook, watch as one of your shoes goes bobbing along out of sight. The other probably sank already.

"My car's too far away to walk barefoot."

"I'll carry you," John suggests casually. He's got his little scope established now and when he lowers his eye to it, his cheek sits flush against yours. "This position is shite," he grumbles.

Kyle hums in agreement. When he speaks, his voice is teasing. "We could carry petal here back up on the hill."

"Watch it," John warns. Kyle doesn't so much as smirk. Their talk turns mostly technical after that, muttering about degrees and cardinal directions, calculating inclines. You let it wash over you in favor of contemplating your predicament. 

You trust they're military, at least. Kinda hard to fake the funk to this extent. That fact doesn't necessarily soothe you, but knowing this about them is at least better than knowing nothing about them. You suppose it doesn't matter either way though, as there's not a whole lot you can do to get yourself out of here if the way John bears down on you every time you try to wriggle out is any indication. Sometimes he breathes soothing words against your cheek. Most times, he just ignores you.

They slip into silence eventually, which makes the long, boring minutes drag even worse. You know enough to figure this is a sniper mission which means it's possible you'll be here a while, but that doesn't make you physically prepared for it. You check the positioning of the sun from time to time, but frown when you find it unchanged. You tell yourself it's only because you don't actually know how to gauge time like this.

You crack after what feels like an hour but is probably only fifteen minutes. "What are you guys supposed to be doing here, anyway?"

"Classified." John's eye is still glued to his scope, barely giving you the time of day. 

Should've figured. "Aren't I going to see it unfold anyway?"

"Might not." You're not quite sure what that means, but something about the tone makes you nervous.

"Are we gonna be here all day?"

"Hot date?" Kyle's also still glued to his scope, but something about his tone is less dismissive so you latch on.

"Yes, actually."

Finally, a break from contact as John pulls away from his scope to look at you. There's a spot of paint missing just above the trim line of his beard and your stomach flips in guilty excitement when you realize it might have transferred to your skin. Of course he ruins it, "In a fuschia cap?"

"I'll have you know I made that cap," you squawk and John only needs to twitch his mustache at you to get you to shut up. He may also raise a brow. Hard to tell under the low angle of his brim.

It's Kyle who apologizes. "It's a lovely hat, flower."

John grumbles while you thank his friend, returns to his scope as he mutters about it still not being good date attire.

"I was going to change first." You're not sure why you care what either of them think of your date outfit, but you do what the record to show you're capable of dressing sexy when needed.

"What you're wearing now looks nice." Kyle's cadence is complementary, but it's the same tone he had used to pick on John earlier so you know he's referring to the absence of one cap and a pair of silly wellies.

Well, you can be quippy, too. "Think I'm currently wearing your boss."

Both men laugh. Kyle takes his eye off the scope to take in the spectacle on his left for the first time since setting up. "Like I said, looks good on you," he winks.

"Eyes on the prize, Gaz."

"Were, sir." Kyle - Gaz?- cackles when you have at him, but ducks back to his scope and you huff, already bored again.

John notes your frustration and decides to make it worse. "Might not make your date, flower. At this rate we'll be here all night."

"'Course," you mutter, tucking a bit of bramble more thoroughly into the netting that adorns the sleeve in front of you. "First date I land in months, and then comes you lot."

"Sure he'll understand." John sounds distracted. When you glance at him, he's staring down at the way you're weaving into his equipment.

"He'll understand I got pinned under an army sniper?"

"Could tell him you got laid up with -."

"Shouldn't you be keeping quiet, sergeant?"

"Sorry, sir."

You glance between the two of them, but they're both resolute in their professional silence now. You sigh again, folding your arms under yourself to rest your head on. 

A moment passes. Another.

"Got a fox in my shot."

"Two o'clock?"

"There 'bouts, yeah."

"Saw 'im poking 'round a moment ago."

You nearly knock John's chin with how quickly you raise your head. "I wanna see."

"Hush," John instructs dismissively. 

You huff, and then remember you don't need him anyway. Wriggling your hips what little you can, you feel the hard cylinder of your lens press against your right thigh and you squirm around until you can feel it under your fingers.

"What're you doin?" John's lifted slightly off you, but you think it's a move probably rooted more in curiosity than an actual desire to make your task easier. Still, you'll take it.

Grinning triumphantly, you pull your camera up until it rests next to John's tripod and then frown, dejected, when you spot the snap halfway up the barrel. "Must've fell on it," you pout.

John is unsympathetic. His hand is big enough to encase the whole unit when he grabs it, flinging camera and all into the stream with another disheartening splash. 

Your cry dies in your throat this time, the fight gone out of you. When you slump back onto your arms dejectedly, John pats your elbow. "Material could've caught the light, flower. Had to be done."

You pout anyway. "Bloody expensive."

"I'll buy you a new one."

"You will, cap? Or will the service?"

"You will, if you don't shut up." 

"Wouldn't mind. Get 'er a real nice one. Anything you've had your sights on recently, buttercup?" 

"Don't have my sights on anything, currently," you snark and you can practically feel John roll his eyes. 

"Christ, here." He fiddles with the device a bit, then leans back enough he can guide your face up to the viewfinder. You keep a squeal of delight bottled in your throat when John's hand lingers over your jaw, reminding you how you need to keep quiet.

You watch the fox happily for a moment, content to let the boy's low conversation wash over you as you let this new amusement pass the time. Except then the fox wanders out of frame and when you move the scope in order to follow, you only seem to muck it up more. 

"Give me that," John grumbles, not unkindly. You slump back down anyway, like a child.

"Forearms, cap," Gaz drawls and you see John peel away from his scope long enough to look down at you. He grunts in acknowledgement, fiddles with his tripod, and then lowers himself even further onto you, wrapping one scraggy arm around your own to block you in completely.

It's so much worse. John runs hot, apparently, and without the breeze on your face at least, you're sweaty within minutes; or maybe hours, hard to tell. 

You've nothing better to do so you try synching your breathing with John's, thinking maybe that's the secret to his seemingly infinite patience. It's hard work, though, his breaths somehow both shallow and slow, and you wind up counting them instead to pass the time. 

Eight sets of one hundred later, Gaz breaks the silence with a low murmur which may as well be an explosion with how much it startles you out of your reverie. 

"Gotta piss." 

Your voice is floaty when you complain, head wobbling up to eye him. "Ew." 

John's stern chastising Kyle, calm when he brushes his lips against your ear. "Quiet, sergeant. Go back under, petal." You hum in agreement, duck into his arm, count his breaths again.

You lose track after another five hundred, content yourself to feel the warmth of him contrast with the cool damp of the soil underneath you. You remember the sight he makes above you, a rolling crest of greenery pulling you under. You blame your sleepy state when you begin to fantasize about it like some old myth; Hades collecting his dues. When he does speak again it's low enough you're not sure it actually comes from above you, half convinced you're hearing the movement of tectonic plates deep below instead. He sounds pissy though, despite his low, soothing tone, and you try to blink yourself into wakefulness, peering around to find Kyle unloading his gun with distractingly deft fingers.

"What's wrong?" You ask, dumbly, and John drops his hand from his radio back to your shoulder, rubbing at you with a heavy, steady hand. 

"Nothing, flower." To Gaz he adds, "Liked him better when he was dead,"

Gaz side eyes him, begins to load his gun back up. "Say the word, cap." His voice is so serious you only figure he's joking when John puffs a laugh across your cheek. 

You watch as John disassembles his own equipment, the weight of him almost fully pressing down on you now that both his arms are raised and busy. It's strange but you're almost sad it's over; it had been oddly relaxing, tucked away underneath him.

"You awake yet?"

"Wasn't asleep." He keeps pulling away from you, but the ground is cold so you get your hands underneath yourself and push up, following.

"Right. You ready to get up, then?"

John's movements are still slow and heavy. When you nod, he levers himself up to a kneeling position, wraps his hands around your tummy to bring you up as well. He sits there a minute while tucking various tools and things into his pockets and placing your cap back on your head. It takes you a moment to realize the way he's seated has him straddling your calves. He doesn't seem to mind how you lean back into his chest. 

"What time is it?" 

"Still hoping to make your date?" Gaz teases. He gets his equipment settled and holds out a hand to you to help you stand. When your feet catch on John's big boots, the captain steadies you with a hand on your back.

You'd nearly forgotten about the mousey little man who would likely be left waiting for you downtown. He doesn't hold much appeal anymore but you lie anyway and tell Gaz yes.

"More bad luck there, petal," John commiserates. His voice should be further away now that he's not laying on you, surely? When you turn you find him standing far too close, somehow seeming even larger now despite no longer crushing you into the ground. Gaz is tall too, you note, and between the two of them in their ghillies, you imagine you look like some illustration from a fairytale book: the barefoot maid and her two elements, maybe. It's silly, distracting, which is why you've already forgotten what he's talking about when John continues, "'fraid you still got debrief to sit through." 

"Huh?" You ask stupidly, and then yip when John throws you over his shoulder.

"Debrief. Could take all night," Gaz winks. "Looks like you're ours for the evening, flower."

"Oh. Well, you do still owe me a camera."

Gaz laughs, neat white teeth splitting his face in a handsome smile. "That's right, and cap here owes you some boots."

"Any color you want, flower," John agrees.

next>>

[cozage]

you wanna do continue the one you did where the s/o gets captured? Get them rescuuuued. please and thank you :D

A/N: I actually have two of these requests in my inbox, and these got really long because I’m insane and have to write every detail, so I’m going to break these up into three different posts so people aren’t stuck reading and scrolling through a 10k fic on tumblr. Ace and Law’s will be coming soon!

Characters: female reader x Luffy

Cw:  angst, drugging, near-death experience

Total word count: 2.3k

Summary: You've been captured by marines, and the Strawhats work to get you back. (Followup from this request)

Rescued by Pirates - Luffy

Luffy stood at the top of the cliff, staring down the Marine fleet in the bay. There were ten ships, and you were on one of them. Captured. Alone. He knew you were fighting, but there’s only so much you could do in a locked prison cell with sea prism cuffs. 

“I’m coming.” Luffy muttered, hoping the wind would carry his words to you. “Wait for me. Don’t stop fighting.”

“Luffy, get down!” Nami pulled the captain back over the ridge, keeping him out of sight from the scouts. “If a Marine sees you this whole stealth operation is over!”

Luffy groaned and slumped to the ground. “I don’t even know why this has to be a stealth operation! If we just start smashing everything-”

“They’ll kill her.” Sanji said, and Luffy grew quiet. “If they know we’re coming, they’ll execute her now and report it to the news coo after.”

“They probably have people waiting outside her cell to do it as soon as the call is made,” Franky admitted coldly. “They don’t want another repeat of…” he trails off, and everyone knows what he’s going to say. 

They don’t want another repeat of Ace. Luffy embarrassed the entire World Government when he broke into Impel Down, broke out of Impel Down, and then sailed to Marineford and freed Ace from his shackles. 

“It’s possible that’s why they’re still here.” Nami’s voice was worried as she spoke everyone’s thoughts. “They’re baiting us so they can kill her. They don’t want to transport her just to have Luffy embarrass them again.”

“It would make sense why they haven’t taken off yet,” Brook added. 

“Or they’re waiting for backup,” Sanji countered. “She’s a dangerous pirate, but the Navy always prefers public executions. Especially with the new leader having a personal vendetta against Luffy, he’ll want to kill her publicly if possible. I’m sure of it.”

“Then we have to go!” Luffy started to stand to his feet, frustrated with the lack of action, but Nami quickly pulled him back down. 

“Let Robin and Brook handle this first part! We have to find her first before you start smashing everything to bits!”

Luffy hated waiting. Especially when there's nothing he could do to pass the time. But finally, after about 30 minutes of silence, Robin opened her eyes. 

“She’s on the fourth ship in the back with the red and yellow tailwind sail. Under deck, in a prison cell. Shackles on her arms and legs, and a neck collar.”

Luffy’s eyes peeked over the cliffside to find the ship Robin was describing. He located it, and sprang forward to jump over the cliff, but strong arms held him back. 

“Zoro, let me go! We know where she is!” He struggled to break free from the swordsman's grasp. “We have to go get her!”

“Hang on Luffy, we need a plan before we just jump into action!”

--

The guard change comes early today, which you find odd. Normally the Marines are dragging their feet to stand guard over your cell, but then you spot green hair poking out from the marine cap, the man next to him with a very familiar scar across his cheek, and your heart begins to beat faster. 

“So, the keys?” Zoro holds his hand out to the Navy officer watching over you, who laughs in his face. 

“This must be your first time imprisoning a pirate, kid,” the old man says. “We don’t keep the keys anywhere near the prison. You know how easy it would be for someone to knock out a guard and take them? Let me show you the ropes, kid.”

The old man and his colleague turn to face you for the first time in hours, ushering Zoro and Luffy to look at you now. You can see Luffy is in visible pain just from looking at you. 

Your arms and legs were each shackled to the wall, and you had a contraption around your neck that looked strikingly similar to the ones the Celestial Dragons used on their slaves. Blood caked your hair and trickled down your face. Your body was littered in scratches and bruises, your clothes torn from whatever battle had happened that Luffy wasn’t there for. 

“Each one of those shackles has a different key, and that neck collar too, as well as the key to the jail cell itself. Each of those keys are on a different ship, and we’ve got instructions to throw the keys into the harbor if we catch a glimpse of a Strawhat approaching the ship. 

“The best part, though,” he continues, with a hungry malice in his eyes. He raises his hand to point a finger at your neck. “That collar has a fun little detonator. The Vice Admiral has the control button if it comes to that. And the collar itself administers a sedative every hour on the hour, and gives another dose if someone touches the bars.” 

He smacked the bars for good measure, and you flinched as you felt a pinch in your neck. 

“Honestly it’s a miracle she’s still awake. We like to hit the bars every now and then just to keep her calm. Don’t want her causing a scene now, do we?”

You were trying your hardest not to stare at Luffy. You can see the rage consuming his body as he realizes what an insurmountable task it is to save you. You squeeze your eyes shut and shake your head viciously to relay a simple message. Run. Don’t save me.

But you know he won’t listen. He never has. Not with Robin or Ace or Sanji or anyone else he’s saved against their will. And he certainly won’t do it with you either. 

“I see a pretty big flaw in this whole design,” Zoro said, staring at the cell you were in. You could see he was enraged as well, but he was hiding it better than Luffy. 

“Oh yeah? And what’s that, kid?”

“Can’t they just cut it?”

The old Marine let out a hardy laugh at his question. “Sea prism stone is the hardest substance in the world. Nobody can cut through that, I don't care if it’s Dracule Mihawk himself!”

“Oh, Mihawk can cut Sea Prism Stone.” The green-haired man gave a devilish smirk to the Marine.

You braced yourself. You knew what was coming. Zoro only had two swords with him, but it would be enough. 

You heard a whirlwind of air swirl around you, and you could feel the weight on your arms get lighter. There were several pinches in your neck, and you could feel yourself involuntarily slip into unconsciousness. 

--

Zoro had put just a bit too much power into his swings to free you, and the cuts ripped through the ship behind you. He then turned to the marines, wickedly smiling at them. 

“Told ya.” He smacked the younger one with the hilt of the sword and the marine crumpled to the ground, but the older marine was fast and dodged Zoro’s attack. The Marine locked Zoro into a battle of swords, occupying his ability to get the other chains off of you.

Luffy sprang into action, running to grab you. He screamed your name as he ran to you, jumping over sea prism stone rubble and other debris to reach you. He knew Zoro hadn’t hurt you, but you were slumped against the ship wall, and he couldn’t help but think about how fragile you looked. He shook you, desperately trying to wake you up. 

And then Luffy heard a beeping sound, coming from the collar around your neck. The same sound that he was helpless against in Sabaody. “ZORO!” He screamed, holding you tight. 

“Forgot to mention,” the older marine grinned back at the swordsman, keeping him locked in a battle. “Tamper with the chains too much and the collar will detonate, even without a push from the button.”

Zoro tightened his muscles in horror. “Luffy, get it off of her!”

“I hear she’s the weakness of Strawhat Luffy. Let’s watch and see, shall we? Perhaps he’ll have an even worse reaction than in Marineford.” The marine's gaze was on Luffy now, eager to see him snap. 

Luffy ignored the weight of what failure meant for you. He focused, letting his Haki flow through his body like he had seen Rayleigh do in Sabaody. He grabbed the collar from around your neck and squeezed, snapping it in half, and threw it away from you. In the same motion, Luffy turned and glared at the Marine, who instantly crumpled to the ground, knocked out by Luffy’s Conqueror's Haki. 

“Luffy, we have to go,” Zoro’s voice was urgent. There was commotion above them coming from the deck. It was clear the Navy was alerted to their presence. But Luffy was ignoring him, desperately trying to shake you awake. 

“Come on, Luffy,” Zoro insisted, stepping over the rubble. He quickly cut each of the shackles off your legs.  “She’ll be fine. I’ll carry her, you punch things. Let's go.”

Zoro put a sword between his teeth and picked you up into his arms. He saw the darkness in Luffy’s eyes, and stood back to let his captain destroy the people who had tried to take you away from him. 

Luffy spared no ship. Once he saw Zoro and you were safe on the beach, he unleashed his full might against the ten ships in the harbor. His crew could hear his screams of rage from the shoreline, his pent up fear of losing you spilling out into his attacks. 

When he was finally finished destroying the ships, he came back to the shore and sat silently among his crew. He pulled your unconscious body into his lap, stroking your hair softly. He stared down at you for a long time, just watching the rise and fall of your chest, his eyesight fuzzy from tears. 

As the sun was starting to sink over the horizon, Nami finally spoke up. “We should go.” Her voice was hoarse, and her cheeks were damp with tears. 

“Not until she wakes up.”

Sanji sighed, pulling out a few small rations of food to give the crew while they waited. Luffy didn’t eat, he just combed his fingers through your hair, willing you to wake up. 

Nightfall came, and you were still unconscious. The crew could see lights on the horizon. Marine ships that were supposed to lead you to Impel Down. 

“Luffy, we need to go,” Sanji insisted. Luffy refused to respond, his eyes only watching you. 

“She’ll be more comfortable on the ship, Luffy,” Chopper said, trying to coax the captain back to the Sunny. “She can sleep in a bed and we can monitor her more closely.”

“It’s better for her to be back on the ship,” Sanji agreed. “And we need to get moving.”

Luffy finally nodded, giving in to his crew's request. If it was better for you, then he wouldn’t be selfish. It was selfishness that got you in this position in the first place. If he hadn’t run off on his own, if he had just stayed with the group like Nami had told him too, this might’ve never happened.

He held you close to him and walked back to the ship with the rest of the crew, not speaking. When they got back to the ship, Luffy set you down in the infirmary and stood in the corner, letting Chopper take care of you.

“Let me know if anything changes in her status.” And with that, Chopper left the two of you alone in the infirmary. Luffy sat in the chair next to your bed, holding your hand and watching you sleep, waiting for you to come back to him. 

--

Before you open your eyes, you can hear the heart rate monitor beeping; you can feel the harsh light against the back of your eyelids. Beside you, you can hear soft, even breathing of someone who is sleeping. Luffy. You’d know the sound of his breathing anywhere. You feel relief wash over you, knowing you’re safe with your crew. 

The light is still too bright for your eyes, so your hand reaches out blindly, searching for Luffy. Your hand finds his head, and you pat him gently. You don’t intend to wake him, but he instantly stirs from his sleep. 

“Y/n?” His voice is groggy as his head lifts up. 

“Hi,” you whisper, your eyes still closed. “Can you turn off the-”

His body crashes into you, cutting off your question, and you wrap your arms around him in an embrace. You can hear his broken sobs of relief fill the air. “I was so scared,” he sobbed into your shoulder. “You weren’t waking up.”

“I’m okay, I’m okay,” you say soothingly, trying to calm him down. You crack your eyes open a bit, trying to adjust to the light in the room. “Thanks to you, captain.”

[fanaticsnail]

Perfection

Tobiuo Masterlist Here

Word Count: 2,200+

Synopsis: Several members of the Heart, Kid, and Straw Hat pirates engage in a game of Poker. When Shachi runs out of Berry, he decides to bet something a little more interesting: Tobiuo's kiss.

Themes: Heat x Tobiuo, Canon x OC, gambling, drinking, kissing, yearning, unrequited love, infatuation, fascination, supernova trio crews, first kiss, they're so sheepish, fluff, swearing.

Notes: I am learning how to draw on my phone because I want to do some digital art. Always starting with a kiss, I just wanted to know more about why they were kissing like that. Calls back to this comic I did a while ago. 3rd person POV.

“Alright, which one of your crewmates has the weirdest mouth?” Shachi’s nasally crackle shot through the air, his drunken stupor propelling those around to laugh with him, “I'm outta Berry, so I gotta bet somethin’.” Penguin clapped a hand over Shachi's shoulder, leaning his forehead against his upper arm and hissing out a snort of laughter into it.

Killer was contemplative, leaning back in his seat and thinking on it. Going through a list of names of his crewmen, he finally settled on, “Heat. I think Heat has the weirdest mouth. Guy breathes fire, and he's got the ridges from the scar marks. Robin?”

“I'd say Brook, just because he has no flesh, nor tongue, but can still taste and consume food,” she hums in deep thought, meandering through her cards and sorting them from weakest to strongest suit. Shachi stifled his laughter, using his hands in a rough flurry to call to his crewmate from across the bay.

“Ours is Tobiuo. You gotta see her tongue and teeth, man,” Shachi admitted to the table, all ignoring the shouts and petulant competitions going on between Law, Luffy and Kid. Tobiuo released several soft huffs of laughter, soundlessly expressing her glee while nodding in confirmation with her red-headed crewmate. Killer tilted his head, narrowing his eyes beneath the mask to get a better glimpse of the inside of the fishwoman's mouth.

Arching her brows at his inquisition, she slunk back in her seat, lazily hooking her right thigh over her left knee and slinging her arm around the back of Penguin’s chair. Eyeing the mask-wearing man cautiously, she drew her tankard up to her lips and took a large sip of the amber liquid within.

“Why all the curiosity about mouths and Berry, Shachi?” Robin asked, regaining the tables attention and peeling their eyes away from Tobiuo's lips.

“I'm gonna bet Tobiuo’s lips for my wager. You up for it, Iyo?” he slurred his speech, lulling his head to the side and looking over his pointed sunglasses at her, “Gonna kiss the winner?” Tobiuo moved her hands in a rushed flurry, her lips pulling back into a tight-lipped snarl.

“Am I meant to be offended, or-…?”

“-No, no! Of course not,” Shachi interrupted the gestures, “Look, we all know what your lips feel like. You're an excellent kisser. I'd say they're worth…” he trailed off, creating an opening for another voice to air their thoughts.

“...Three Million Berry.”

Tobiuo choked on her drink, snapping her head over to the quieter voice at the end of the table.

Hiding behind a hand of cards, the slouched and bashful shoulders of the Kid-Pirate Fire-Breather softly shot his sunken eyes over the margin of the stack of cards. Tobiuo tilted her head to the side, fluttering her webbed hands hastily before tapping Penguin's arm with the heel of her palm.

“She's wondering why so much,” Penguin raised his arms defeatedly before translating properly, “Her exact phrase: ‘for that price, you could hire an escort to mess around with. Why her’?” Tobiuo nodded, waiting for his reply. Killer sat back in his seat, smugly looking between Heat and the Heart Pirates’ chief of security.

Killer had been the target to Heat’s confessions regarding his attraction to the fishwoman, often the source of many a migraine. Finally having an opening for conversation, he felt a weight leave him as Heat continued.

“I-... I, uh-…” Heat fumbled, his fluster rising in his cheeks and blooming the warmth in his chest. Killer’s migraine returned, prompting him to take action and rearrange his cards.

“That settles it, then,” Shachi confessed, looking between his pile of Berry, Nami, Robin, Killer, Penguin, Tobiuo, Wire, and Heat, “Opening bid, three million Berry. Anyone gonna call?” Tobiuo moved her hands and furrowed her brows, her two crewmates ignoring her protests and chastising words.

Before Heat had the ability to test his hand against Shachi's, to win the opportunity of a kiss from the Fishwoman, the blonde Kid-Pirate spoke up.

“I'll call you on your bullshit, Shachi,” Killer spoke up with his warm tone full of playfulness and jest.

“Jokes on you, blondie,” Shachi’s nasally crackle cut through the air, “I got 3 pretty ladies in my hand. Got something better than a three of a kind?” Shachi’s cocky grin looked greedily down at the pile of Berry on the table and back up to Killer.

“Actually I do,” his grin widened beneath his mask, his smile heard in his soothing baritone, “I've got a straight flush.”

“No,” Shachi whined, chucking his cards on the table in defeat, “And it was all going so well! I actually had a good hand this time!” Rather than consoling her crewmates of his loss, Tobiuo narrowed her milky-gaze at the mask-wearing man and tilted her chin up to assess him.

“Bets a bet. Pay up, Buttercup,” Killer rose to his feet, prompting Tobiuo to do the same. In two broad strides, she stood in front of him and folder her arms into one another. Killer snuck a look at his crewmate, Heat, who placed his cards face up on the lengthy table in front of him. A royal flush, a hand that would've landed him in Killer’s place if he spoke up.

“Don't be shy,” Killer uttered, elevating his right hand up and returning his attention to the seven foot Fishwoman. “Let me see,” he extended up his fingers towards her chin. Tobiuo narrowed her eyes, at him and released a puff of air from her lips before pouting them.

“Don't get all huffy with me, Missy,” he giggled, his shrill laugh causing her to become more at ease. Unlacing her arms, she allowed him to place his thumb and index finger on her chin and draw himself into her space. Offering a small hum of approval, he gently coaxed her face towards him.

Killer took a moment to appreciate being dwarfed by her great height, sparing another glance at his fire-breathing crewmates before directing her closer to his mask.

“Now say ‘ah’ for me, Tobiuo,” Killer moved his thumb up and gingerly toyed with Tobiuo’s bottom lip. Rolling her eyes, she parted her lips and revealed a sharp set of teeth. Each tooth was whittled naturally down into a sharp peak, her stalactite-shaped canines protruding from her upper and lower lips.

“Ohh… Pretty,” Killer hummed in thought, examining how interesting her uniqueness was in comparison to human anatomy while drawing his thumb away from her lip and down to her chin once more, “Now the tongue?” Tobiuo’s smirk rose up on the left hand side of her darker lips, lulling her tongue over and revealing the organ to him.

“Bloody hell-!” Killer exclaimed, pulling his hand away in shock at the length of the morsel. Divots, ridges, and pliant barbs were elevated over her palate. The tip of her tongue tapered off in a pointed end, extending far further than regular capacity.

Heat sat quietly by, his eyes widening and heart beating rapidly against the shell of his ribcage. Just when he thought he couldn't get more enamored with Trafalgar Law’s barbaric fighter, he swoons at the new light being shone on her otherworldly anatomy.

“Gonna show me what a three million Berry kiss is?” Killer goaded, prompting Tobiuo to retract her tongue back into her mouth and lean in closer to Killer. Reaching her webbed hand up to his mask, he shook his head and recoiled against her touch.

“Not on your life, Missy,” he shook his head and stepped fully away from her, “I don't take this off for just anyone. Not even for such a pretty reward as your lips, honey.” Tobiuo tilted her head to the side, furrowing her brows while fluttering her hands. Killer watched the motions, not truly understanding and looking over to Shachi or Penguin for translation.

“She's asking where you want her to kiss you, in not very appropriate language, I might add,” Penguin chuckled, prompting Shachi to wheeze. Killer shot his attention past the two Heart-Pirates towards the fire-breathing commander and curled his finger twice towards him.

“We were talking about Heat earlier,” Killer informed the gathering of allied troops at the poker table, “Can’t kiss me, but you can kiss one of the other commanders on my behalf.” The corset-wearing commander stepped closer to both Killer and Tobiuo, his eyes avoiding the milky-gaze of the security officer as she assessed his form.

She hadn't really thought much about the blue-haired Kid-Pirate, not truly experiencing a closeness like this with him to truly admire his features. Heat trailed his eyes up to her chin, hovering briefly on her lips before meeting her gaze with his own.

Fluttering her hands at him, Shachi, Penguin and, surprisingly, Wire, all released a cackle at her flurry. Heat shook his head, his lips parting as he tilted his chin towards the gathering without departing his eyes from hers.

“What are you-?” Heat asked his hairless eyebrows knitting together curiously, “Are you making fun of me?” Tobiuo slunk away, smiling with her lips tightly shut and a deep, purple blush rising to flood her cheeks and webbed ears. Heat chuckled, stepping forward more boldly now.

“Oh, I think you are making fun of me, Tobiuo,” Heat uttered in a deep rumble, causing her to take a step back and buckle her knees on the back of the bar island to the side of the poker table, “And what are you saying, hm? What's got them all giggly?” Weaving his legs within hers, he rose his right hand to cup her neck and tilted her head back. Hovering his lips over hers, he whispered gently over her sensitive skin.

Tobiuo’s brows rose, her gaze darting down to his lips and back up to his eyes in shock. Heat's thumb gently caressed the dips and elevations of scales against her skin, prompting Tobiuo’s breath to hitch and shudder. Heat made to tease the security officer a little more, but his over-eagerness to brush his lips with hers stilled that thought in a heartbeat.

Surging forward on his toes, he dwarfed the Fishwoman by looming his frame over hers, immediately meeting his lips with hers in a soft kiss. Closing his eyes, the tattooed Fire-Breather hummed into her lips in a soft moan, enjoying the warmth of her lips on his. Tobiuo's eyes remained open, examining the commander as he pressed his lips on hers with more intent and meaning.

Tobiuo was not unaccustomed to kissing for fun, many of her crew often got a peck on the forehead, a raspberry blown in their necks from behind, or a platonic oscillation if she was feeling exceptionally generous. But this? This was something entirely different.

Heat's lips ignited something in her that she hadn't felt before. Heart fluttering in her chest, she finally closed her eyes and leaned into his kiss. Webbed hands finding his hips, she drew him further into her lap and tilted her chin up to brush with his. Changing the angle, she parted her lips and prompted him to do the same. Just as her thumbs brushed against his dermal tri-hip piercings, Heat’s fingertips raked and carded through her hair to add depth to the kiss.

As his tongue finally met with hers, a small whimper caught itself in his throat at the ridges and flexible barbs coarsely grinding against his. Drunk on the feeling, his boldness halts as his bottom lip gets nicked on her sharp teeth.

“Ow-! Ouch-!” Heat hisses, tugging his body away from her and drawing his hand up to his bleeding lip. Tobiuo’s eyes widened in horror, her hand raised in a c-shaped cup and waving it in front of her lips. Her lip quivered, sharp lips chattering as she truly depicted her apologies for the bite.

“She's sorry, she's sorry,” Penguin translated for her, watching the flurry manically fluttering from her hands with her lips moving soundlessly, “‘It was a mistake. I'm so sorry, pretty boy. So much for a three million Berry kiss’.” Heat’s eyes widened, shaking his head and releasing his lip from his fingers. The softest trickle of red dribbled down his chin, doing nothing to calm Tobiuo’s hasty apologies from flying from her hands.

“...Pretty boy?” Heat blushed, his cheeks tinting with the softest shade of pink. Tobiuo stilled her hands, the same purple hue dusting her scaled features. “Is… Is that what you called me? ‘Pretty boy’?” Tobiuo sucked her lips into her mouth to halt her rising smile, prompting Heat to step towards her once more.

“I-... I think you're really pretty too, love,” he confessed in a barely audible whisper.

Killer hummed, slouching in his seat and offering his clenched fist towards Wire. The taller man clenched his own fist and tapped it against the balled fist of the first mate. The blonde was feeling rather pleased with himself, finally having Heat’s longing and infatuation momentarily satiated by a soft kiss from the security officer of his dreams.

Tobiuo felt her heart soar at his confession. Although, compared to the women present on the three vessels, she didn't feel she was all that much to look at. When her eyes met with Heat’s once more, she felt like the most beautiful creature that had ever lived. Offering him a little more of a grin, Heat released a whimsy sigh.

“Perfection.”

[qubedesign]

Qubedesign is please to bring you The #Arbors, a neighbourhood of five unique family homes featuring the #coastal collection of #CC by @heyharrie. These lots are #basegame and specifically designed for Courtyard Lane in Willow Creek. 

The Brook Ridge model sits on a large 30 x 40 lot and offers a huge backyard for the growing family. This home features three bedrooms, 2 baths, a quiet library and three fireplaces. This lot is #equipped and #landscaped but #unfurnished. 

Download at Curseforge to include required dependencies: https://www.curseforge.com/sims4/rooms-lots/the-arbors-brook-ridge-model

Or download ad-free on SFS: http://www.simfileshare.net/download/4556181/

Photographed using my custom reshade preset: http://www.simfileshare.net/download/4264145/

CC by HeyHarrie:

https://www.curseforge.com/sims4/build-buy/the-coastal-collection-part-one

https://www.curseforge.com/sims4/build-buy/the-coastal-collection-part-two

https://www.curseforge.com/sims4/build-buy/the-coastal-collection-part-three

https://www.curseforge.com/sims4/build-buy/the-coastal-collection-part-four

https://www.curseforge.com/sims4/build-buy/coastal-collection-part-5

https://www.curseforge.com/sims4/build-buy/the-coastal-collection-part-6

https://www.curseforge.com/sims4/build-buy/the-coastal-collection-part-eight

[theonlyblackcanary]

The official WWE 2k23 roster!!!! @atiny-angel @swifteforeverandalways @sargentbarxes @imswitchbabemox @the-iridescent-phoenix @ozzypawsbone-princeofbarkness @askauradonprep @retro-rezz-the-est @nonbinarylovaticesposito @ava-valerie @mrragersrevenge96

AJ Styles

Akira Tozawa

Alba Fyre

Alexa Bliss

Aliyah

André the Giant

Angel Garza

Angelo Dawkins

Apollo Crews

Asuka

Austin Theory

Axiom

Batista

Bayley

Becky Lynch

Beth Phoenix

Bianca Belair

Big Boss Man

Big E

Bobby Lashley

Boogeyman

Booker T

Braun Strowman

Bret "The Hit Man" Hart

Brie Bella

British Bulldog

Brock Lesnar

Bron Breakker

Bruno Sammartino

Brutus Creed

Butch

Cactus Jack

Cameron Grimes

Carmella

Carmelo Hayes

Cedric Alexander

Chad Gable

Charlotte Flair

Chyna

Cody Rhodes

Commander Azeez

Cora Jade

Cruz Del Toro

Dakota Kai

Damian Priest

Dana Brooke

Dexter Lumis

Diesel

DOINK

Dolph Ziggler

Dominik Mysterio

Doudrop

Drew Gulak

Drew McIntyre

Eddie Guerrero

Edge

Elias

Eric Bischoff

Erik

Ezekiel

Faarooq

Giovanni Vinci

Finn Bálor

Gigi Dolin

Goldberg

Grayson Waller

Happy Corbin

Hollywood Hogan

Hulk Hogan

Humberto Carillo

The Hurricane

Ilja Dragunov

Indi Hartwell

IYO SKY

Ivar

Jacy Jayne

Jake “The Snake” Roberts

JD McDonagh

Jerry "The King" Lawler

Jey Uso

Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart

Jimmy Uso

Jinder Mahal

Joaquin Wilde

JBL

John Cena

Julius Creed

Kane

Karrion Kross

Katana Chance

Kayden Carter

Kevin Nash

Kevin Owens

Kofi Kingston

Kurt Angle

LA Knight

Lacey Evans

Liv Morgan

Lita

Logan Paul

Ludwig Kaiser

MACE

“Macho Man” Randy Savage

Madcap Moss

Mansoor

Matt Riddle

Maryse

Molly Holly

Montez Ford

Mr. McMahon

Mustafa Ali

MVP

Natalya

Nikki A.S.H.

Nikki Bella

Nikkita Lyons

Noam Dar

Omos

Otis

Queen Zelina

Randy Orton

Raquel Rodriguez

Razor Ramon

Reggie

Rey Mysterio

Rhea Ripley

Rick Boogs

Ricochet

Ridge Holland

Rikishi

Rob Van Dam

Robert Roode

Roman Reigns

Ronda Rousey

Rowdy Roddy Piper

Roxanne Perez

R-Truth

Sami Zayn

Santos Escobar

Scarlett

Scott Hall

Seth Rollins

Shane McMahon

Shanky

Shawn Michaels

Shayna Bazler

Sheamus

Shelton Benjamin

Shinsuke Nakamura

Shotzi

Solo Sikoa

Sonya Deville

Stacy Keibler

“Stone Cold” Steve Austin

Stephanie McMahon

Syxx

Tamina

T-BAR

Ted DiBiase

The Miz

The Rock

Titus O’Neil

Tommaso Ciampa

Triple H

Trish Stratus

Tyler Bate

Ultimate Warrior

Umaga

Undertaker

Vader

Veer Mahaan

GUNTHER

Wes Lee

Xavier Woods

Xia Li

X-Pac

Yokozuna

Zoey Stark

Johnny Gargano has been confirmed but was not on the roster reveal for some reason

Bad Bunny will be the pre order bonus and later his pack will be available for DLC for those who did not pre order

Bray Wyatt, Tegan Nox, Candice LeRae, Hit Row and many other are rumored for future DLC

[thebryanandsilvergarbage]

The 23rd Annual Bryan Awards - Acting Categories

Acting and Performance

Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: ABBOTT ELEMENTARY - Quinta Brunson as Janine Teagues (ABC) DEAD TO ME - Christina Applegate as Jen Harding (Netflix) MAISEL - Rachel Brosnahan as Miriam Maisel (Prime Video) ONLY MURDERS - Selena Gomez as Mabel Mora (Hulu) POKER FACE - Natasha Lyonne as Charlie (Peacock) 

Lead Actress in a Drama Series: BAD SISTERS - Sharon Horgan as Eva Garvey (Apple Plus) THE CROWN - Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II (Netflix) THE DIPLOMAT - Keri Russell as Kate Wyler (Netflix) THE HANDMAID’S TALE - Elisabeth Moss as June Osborne (Hulu) SUCCESSION - Sarah Snook as Shiv Roy (HBO) YELLOWJACKETS - Melanie Lynskey as Shauna Sadecki (Showtime) 

Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series/TV Movie: BEEF - Ali Wong as Amy Lau (Netflix) DAISY JONES & THE SIX - Riley Keough as Daisy Jones (Prime Video) FLEISHMAN IS IN TROUBLE - Lizzy Caplan as Libby Epstein (Hulu) GEORGE & TAMMY - Jessica Chastain as Tammy Wynette (Showtime) LOVE & DEATH - Elizabeth Olsen as Candy Montgomery (HBO) TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS - Kathryn Hahn as a Clare Pierce (Hulu)

Lead Actress in Daytime: THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL - Katherine Kelly Lang as Brooke Logan (CBS) THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL - Jacqueline MacInnes-Wood as Steffy Forrester (CBS) GENERAL HOSPITAL - Laura Wright as Carly Spencer (ABC) THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS - Melissa Claire Egan as Chelsea Newman (CBS) THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS - Michelle Stafford as Phyllis Summers (CBS)

Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: BARRY - Bill Hader as Barry (HBO) THE BEAR - Jeremy Allen White as Carmy Berzatto (Hulu) ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING - Steve Martin as Charles-Haden Savage (Hulu) ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING - Martin Short as Oliver Putnam (Hulu)

TED LASSO - Jason Sudeikis as Ted Lasso (Apple Plus)

Lead Actor in a Drama Series: BETTER CALL SAUL - Bob Odenkirk as Saul Goodman/Jimmy McGill (AMC) THE LAST OF US - Pedro Pascal as Joel (HBO) THE OLD MAN - Jeff Bridges as Dan Chase (F/X) SUCCESSION - Brian Cox as Logan Roy (HBO) SUCCESSION - Kieran Culkin as Roman Roy (HBO) SUCCESSION - Jeremy Strong as Kendall Roy (HBO)

Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series/TV Movie: BEEF - Steven Yeun as Danny Cho (Netflix) BLACK BIRD - Taron Egerton as James Keene (Apple Plus) GEORGE & TAMMY - Michael Shannon as George Jones (Showtime) MONSTER - Evan Peters as Jeffrey Dahmer (Netflix) WEIRD - Daniel Radcliffe as “Weird Al” Yankovic (Roku) WELCOME TO CHIPPENDALES - Kumail Nanjiani as Somen “Steve” Banerjee (Hulu) 

Lead Actor in Daytime: THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL - Thorsten Kaye as Ridge Forrester (CBS) DAYS OF OUR LIVES - Dan Feuerriegel as E.J. DiMera (NBC & Peacock) DAYS OF OUR LIVES - Billy Flynn as Chad DiMera (NBC & Peacock) GENERAL HOSPITAL - Maurice Benard as Sonny Corinthos (ABC) THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS - Jason Thompson as Billy Abbott (CBS)

Lead Performer in a New Series: THE BEAR - Jeremy Allen White as Carmen Berzatto (Hulu) THE DIPLOMAT - Keri Russell as Kate Wyler (Netflix) THE LAST OF US - Pedro Pascal as Joel (HBO) THE OLD MAN - Jeff Bridges as Dan Chase (F/X) SHRINKING - Jason Segel as Jimmy Laird (Apple Plus) SO HELP ME TODD - Marcia Gay Harden as Margaret (CBS) WEDNESDAY - Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams (Netflix)

Younger Performer in Daytime: THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL - Henry Samiri as Douglas Forrester (CBS) DAYS OF OUR LIVES - Christopher Cary as Thomas DiMera (NBC) GENERAL HOSPITAL - William Lipton as Cameron Webber (ABC) GENERAL HOSPITAL - Eden McCoy as Josslyn Jacks (ABC) GENERAL HOSPITAL - Avery Kristen Pohl as Esme Prince (ABC) 

Younger Performer in Primetime: FLEISHMAN IS IN TROUBLE - Meara Mahoney Gross as Hannah Fleishman (Hulu) THE LAST OF US - Belle Ramsay as Ellie (HBO) THE LAST OF US - Keivonn Montreal Woodard as Sam Burrell (HBO) THAT ‘90s SHOW - Callie Haverda as Leia Forman (Netflix) WEDNESDAY - Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams (Netflix) YOUNG SHELDON - Iain Armitage as Sheldon Cooper (CBS)

Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: ABBOTT ELEMENTARY - Janelle Jones as Ava Coleman (ABC) ABBOTT ELEMENTARY - Sheryl Lee Ralph as Barbara Howard (ABC) THE BEAR - Ayo Edebiri as Sydney Adamu (Hulu) MAISEL - Alex Borstein as Susie Myerson (Prime Video) THE OTHER TWO - Molly Shannon as Pat (HBO Max) SHRINKING - Jessica Williams as Gaby (Apple Plus) TED LASSO - Juno Temple as Keeley Jones (Apple Plus) TED LASSO - Hannah Waddingham as Rebecca Welton (Apple Plus)

Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: BETTER CALL SAUL - Carol Burnett at Marion (AMC) BETTER CALL SAUL - Rhea Seehorn as Kim Wexler (AMC) THE CROWN - Elizabeth Debicki as Diana, Princess of Wales (Netflix) SUCCESSION - J. Smith-Cameron as Gerri Kellman (HBO) THE WHITE LOTUS - Jennifer Coolidge as Tanya McQuoid-Hunt (HBO) THE WHITE LOTUS - Meghann Fahy as Daphne Sullivan (HBO) THE WHITE LOTUS - Aubrey Plaza as Harper Spiller (HBO) THE WHITE LOTUS - Simona Tabasco as Lucia (HBO)   

Supporting Actress in a Limited/Anthology Series or TV Movie: BEEF - Maria Bello as Jordana Forster (Netflix) FLEISHMAN IS IN TROUBLE - Claire Danes as Rachel Fleishman (Hulu) LOVE & DEATH - Lily Rabe as Betty Gore (HBO) MONSTER - Niecy Nash-Betts as Glenda Cleveland (Netflix) TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS - Merritt Wever as Frankie Pierce (Hulu) WELCOME TO CHIPPENDALES - Annaleigh Ashford as Irene Banerjee (Hulu) WELCOME TO CHIPPENDALES - Juliette Lewis as Denise (Hulu)

Supporting Actress in Daytime: THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL - Krista Allen as Taylor Hayes (CBS) DAYS OF OUR LIVES - Stacy Haiduk as Kristen DiMera (NBC & Peacock) GENERAL HOSPITAL - Sonya Eddy as Epiphany Johnson (ABC) GENERAL HOSPITAL - Brook Kerr as Dr. Portia Robinson (ABC) GENERAL HOSPITAL - Kelly Thiebaud as Dr. Britt Westbourne (ABC) THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS - Susan Walters as Diane Jenkins (CBS)

Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: ABBOTT ELEMENTARY - Tyler James Williams as Gregory Eddie (ABC) BARRY - Anthony Carrigan as NoHo Hank (HBO) BARRY - Henry Winkler as Gene Cousineau (HBO) THE BEAR - Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Richie Jerimovich (Hulu) JURY DUTY - James Marsden as Himself (FreeVee) SHRINKING - Harrison Ford as Dr. Paul Rhoades (Apple Plus) TED LASSO - Phil Dunster as Jamie Tartt (Apple Plus) TED LASSO - Brett Goldstein as Roy Kent (Apple Plus)

Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: BETTER CALL SAUL - Giancarlo Esposito as Gustavo Fring (AMC) SUCCESSION - Nicholas Braun as Greg Hirsch (HBO) SUCCESSION - Matthew Macfadyen as Tom Wambsgans (HBO) SUCCESSION - Alan Ruck as Connor Roy (HBO) SUCCESSION - Alexander Skarsgard as Matsson (HBO) THE WHITE LOTUS - F. Murray Abraham as Bert Di Grasso (HBO) THE WHITE LOTUS - Michael Imperioli as Dominic Di Grasso (HBO) THE WHITE LOTUS - Theo James as Cameron Sullivan (HBO) 

Supporting Actor in a Limited/Anthology Series or TV Movie: BEEF - Young Mazino as Paul Cho (Netflix) BLACK BIRD - Paul Walter Hauser as Larry Hall (Apple Plus) BLACK BIRD - Ray Liotta as Big Jim Keene (Apple Plus) FLEISHMAN IS IN TROUBLE - Adam Brody as Seth Morris (Hulu) LOVE & DEATH - Jesse Plemons as Allan Gore (HBO Max) MONSTER - Richard Jenkins as Lionel Dahmer (Netflix) WELCOME TO CHIPPENDALES - Murray Bartlett as Nick DeNoia (Hulu)

Supporting Actor in Daytime: THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL - Matthew Atkinson as Thomas Forrester (CBS) BEYOND SALEM/DAYS OF OUR LIVES - Steve Burton as Harris Michaels (Peacock) GENERAL HOSPITAL - Nicholas Chavez as Spencer Cassidine (ABC) GENERAL HOSPITAL - Chad Duell as Michael Corinthos (ABC) GENERAL HOSPITAL - Robert Gossett as Marshall Ashford (ABC) THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS - Bryton James as Devon Hamilton (CBS)

Supporting Performer in a New Series: BAD SISTERS - Eva Birthistle as Ursula Flynn (Apple Plus) THE BEAR - Ayo Edebiri as Sydney Adamu (Hulu) THE BEAR - Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Richard “Richie” Jerimovich (Hulu)

JURY DUTY - James Marsden as Himself (FreeVee) THE OLD MAN - John Lithgow as Harold Harper (F/X) SHRINKING - Harrison Ford as Dr. Paul Rhoades (Apple Plus) WEDNESDAY - Gwendoline Christie as Larissa Weems (Netflix)

Guest Actress in a Comedy Series: ABBOTT ELEMENTARY - Taraji P. Henson as Vanetta (ABC) ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING - Jane Lynch as Sazz Pataki (Hulu) POKER FACE - Judith Light as Irene Smothers (Peacock) SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE - Quinta Brunson as Host/Various Characters (NBC) TED LASSO - Becky Ann Baker as Dottie Lasso (Apple Plus) TED LASSO - Harriet Walter as Deborah (Apple Plus) 

Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: ABBOTT ELEMENTARY - Leslie Odom Jr. as Draemond (ABC) THE BEAR - Jon Bernthal as Mikey Berzatto (Hulu) THE BEAR - Oliver Platt as Pops (Hulu) MAISEL - Luke Kirby as Lenny Bruce (Prime Video) SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE - Steve Martin & Martin Short as Co-Hosts/Various Characters (NBC) TED LASSO - Sam Richardson as Edwin Akufo (Apple Plus) 

Guest Actress in a Drama Series: THE LAST OF US - Melanie Lynskey as Kathleen (HBO) THE LAST OF US - Storm Reid as Riley Abel (HBO) THE LAST OF US - Anna Torv as Theresa “Tess” Servopoulos (HBO) SUCCESSION - Hope Davis as Sandi Furness (HBO) SUCCESSION - Cherry Jones as Nan Pierce (HBO) SUCCESSION - Harriet Walter as Lady Caroline Collingwood (HBO) 

Guest Actor in a Drama Series: BETTER CALL SAUL - Mark Margolis as Hector ��Tio” Salamanca (AMC) THE LAST OF US - Murray Bartlett as Frank (HBO) THE LAST OF US - Lamar Johnson as Henry Burrell (HBO) THE LAST OF US - Nick Offerman as Bill (HBO) THE MANDALORIAN - Giancarlo Esposito as Moff Gideon (HBO) SUCCESSION - James Cromwell as Ewan Roy (HBO) 

Guest Performer in Daytime: GENERAL HOSPITAL - Denise Crosby as Dr. Carolyn Webber (ABC) GENERAL HOSPITAL - Alley Mills as Heather Webber (ABC) GENERAL HOSPITAL - Linda Purl as Peyton Honeycutt (ABC) THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS - Barbara Crampton as Leanna Love (CBS) THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS - James Hyde as Jeremy Stark (CBS) THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS - Robert Newman as Ashland Locke (CBS)

Guest Performer in a New Series: THE BEAR - Jon Bernthal as Mikey Berzatto (Hulu) THE BEAR - Oliver Platt as Pops (Hulu) THE LAST OF US - Murray Bartlett as Frank (HBO) THE LAST OF US - Melanie Lynskey as Kathleen (HBO) THE LAST OF US - Nick Offerman as Bill (HBO) WEDNESDAY - Catherine Zeta-Jones as Morticia Addams (Netflix) 

Performance by a Cast in a Comedy Series: Abbott Elementary (ABC) Barry (HBO) The Bear (F/X) The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Prime Video) Saturday Night Live (NBC) Ted Lasso (Apple Plus)

Performance by a Cast in a Drama Series: Bad Sisters (Apple Plus) Better Call Saul (AMC) The Crown (Netflix) The House of the Dragon (HBO) Succession (HBO) The White Lotus (HBO)

Performance by a Cast in a Limited/Anthology Series or TV Movie: Beef (Netflix) Daisy Jones and the Six (HBO) Five Days At Memorial (Apple Plus) Fleishman in Trouble (Hulu) Welcome to Chippendales (Hulu) The White House Plumbers (HBO) 

Performance by a Cast in Daytime: The Bay (Pop TV) Beyond Salem & Days of Our Lives (Peacock) The Bold and the Beautiful (CBS) General Hospital (ABC) The Young and the Restless (CBS)

Performance by a Cast in a New Series: Bad Sisters (Apple Plus) The Bear (F/X) The House of the Dragon (HBO) Jury Duty (FreeVee) So Help Me Todd (CBS) Wednesday (Netflix)

Screen Couples

Screen Duo or Trio in a Comedy or Variety Series: THE GREAT - Nicholas Hoult and Elle Fanning (Hulu) ONLY MURDER IN THE BUILDING - Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez (Hulu) SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE - Steve Martin and Martin Short (NBC) SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE - Michael Che and Colin Jost (NBC) SCHMIGADOON - Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key (Apple Plus)

Screen Duo or Trio in a Drama Series: BETTER CALL SAUL - Bob Odenkirk and Rhea Seehorn (AMC) THE CROWN - Dominic West and Elizabeth Debicki (Netflix) THE GOOD DOCTOR - Freddie Highmore and Paige Spara (ABC) THE LAST OF US - Murray Bartlett and Nick Offerman (HBO) SUCCESSION - Any two (or more) Roy Siblings (HBO) 

Screen Duo or Trio in a Limited/Anthology Series or TV Movie: BEEF - Steven Yeun and Ali Wong (Netflix) DAISY JONES AND THE SIX - Sam Claflin and Riley Keough (HBO) FLEISHMAN IS IN TROUBLE - Jesse Eisenberg, Lizzy Caplan, and Claire Danes (Hulu) GEORGE & TAMMY - Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain (Showtime) HOCUS POCUS 2 - Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy (Disney Plus) 

Screen Duo or Trio in Daytime: GENERAL HOSPITAL - Maurice Benard and Cynthia Watros (ABC) GENERAL HOSPITAL - Chad Duell and Katelyn MacMullen (ABC) GENERAL HOSPITAL - James Patrick Stuart and Finola Hughes (ABC) LIVE WITH KELLY AND MARK - Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos (ABC/Syndicated) THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS - Peter Bergman and Susan Walters (CBS)

Host Categories

Late Night Host: THE DAILY SHOW - Trevor Noah (Comedy Central) JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE - Jimmy Kimmel (ABC) LAST WEEK TONIGHT - John Oliver (HBO) THE LATE SHOW - Stephen Colbert (CBS) THE PROBLEM WITH - Jon Stewart (Apple Plus)

Daytime Talk Host: THE DREW BARRYMORE SHOW - Drew Barrymore (Syndicated) THE JENNIFER HUDSON SHOW - Jennifer Hudson (Syndicated) THE KELLY CLARKSON SHOW - Kelly Clarkson (NBC/Syndicated) LIVE WITH KELLY and MARK - Kelly Ripa & Mark Consuelos (ABC/Syndicated) THE TALK - The Hosts of The Talk (CBS)

Reality Host: BAKING IT - Amy Poehler & Maya Rudolph (Peacock) NAILED IT - Nicole Byer (Netflix) QUEER EYE - The Hosts of Queer Eye (Netflix) RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE - RuPaul Charles (VH1) SURVIVOR - Jeff Probst (CBS) TOP CHEF - Padma Lakshmi (Bravo)

Game Show Host: FAMILY FEUD - Steve Harvey (ABC/Syndicated) JEOPARDY - Mayim Bialik (ABC/Syndicated) JEOPARDY - Ken Jennings (ABC/Syndicated) LET’S MAKE A DEAL - Wayne Brady (CBS) PASSWORD - Keke Palmer (NBC) WHEEL OF FORTUNE - Pat Sajak (Syndicated)

[sentiendi]

Music Tag Game!

Rules: For each letter of your URL, a song.

I was tagged by the awesome @brasideios 😍

S: 'She Keeps Me Up' by Nickelback

E: 'Elvira' by The Oak Ridge Boys

N: 'Nothing's Gonna Stop Us' by Starship

T: 'Talk You Out Of It [Acoustic]' by Florida Georgia Line

I: 'I Don't Care' by Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber

E: 'Empty Threat' by CHVRCHES

N: 'Neon Moon' by Brooks & Dunn

D: 'Daddy's Little Girl' by The Shires

I: 'In Your Arms [Alan Walker Remix]' by ILLENIUM, X Ambassadors and Alan Walker

Tagging my lovely ladies @thesabrinicave, @hobbittchi, @rexosaurusrex, @ursulakats, @scifispirit-blog and @lavendah, as well as my fave Metalhead Cat Dad @emperorpartin 🥰

[jcmarchi]

WWE 2K24's Full Launch Roster Revealed

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/wwe-2k24s-full-launch-roster-revealed/

WWE 2K24's Full Launch Roster Revealed

WWE 2K24’s full roster has been revealed. This year offers a staggering line-up of Superstars hailing from Raw, Smackdown and NXT, as well as numerous Legends. 

Over 200 playable superstars will be available at launch, along with 8 managers. Check them out below. 

Raw

Akira Tozawa

Alexa Bliss

Becky Lynch

Bianca Belair

Big E

Braun Strowman

Bronson Reed

Candice LeRae

Carmella

Cedric Alexander

Chad Gable

Chelsea Green

Cody Rhodes

Damian Priest

Dexter Lumis

Dominik Mysterio

Drew McIntyre

Erik

Finn Bálor

Giovanni Vinci

Gunther

Indi Hartwell

Ivar

JD McDonagh

Jey Uso

Johnny Gargano

Kofi Kingston

Liv Morgan

Ludwig Kaiser

Maxxine Dupri

Natalya

Nikki Cross

Otis

Piper Niven

Raquel Rodriguez

Rhea Ripley

Ricochet

R-Truth

Sami Zayn

Seth “Freakin” Rollins

Shayna Baszler

Shinsuke Nakamura

Sonya Deville

Tegan Nox

The Miz

Tommaso Ciampa

Valhalla

Xavier Woods

Zoey Stark

Smackdown

AJ Styles

Alba Fyre

Angelo Dawkins

Ashante “Thee” Adonis

Asuka

Austin Theory

Bayley

Bobby Lashley

Butch

Cameron Grimes

Charlotte Flair

Cruz Del Toro

Dakota Kai

Elton Prince

Grayson Waller

Isla Dawn

Iyo Sky

Jimmy Uso

Joaquin Wilde

Karl Anderson

Karrion Kross

Katana Chance

Kayden Carter

Kevin Owens

Kit Wilson

LA Knight

Logan Paul

Luke Gallows

Michin Mia Yim

Montez Ford

MVP

Omos

Randy Orton

Rey Mysterio

Ridge Holland

Robert Roode

Roman Reigns

Santos Escobar

Scarlett

Sheamus

Shotzi

Solo Sikoa

Tamina

Xia Li

Zelina Vega

NXT

Andre Chase

Angel Garza

Apollo Crews

Axiom

Baron Corbin

Blair Davenport

Bron Breakker

Brooks Jensen

Brutus Creed

Carmelo Hayes

Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo

Cora Jade

Damon Kemp

Dijak

Drew Gulak

Duke Hudson

Fallon Henley

Gigi Dolin

Humberto

Ilja Dragunov

Ivy Nile

Jacy Jayne

Jinder Mahal

Joe Coffey

Joe Gacy

Josh Briggs

Julius Creed

Nathan Frazer

Nikkita Lyons

Noam Dar

Roxanne Perez

Sanga

Scrypts

Thea Hail

Tiffany Stratton

Tony D’Angelo

Trick Williams

Tyler Bate

Veer Mahaan

Wendy Choo

Wes Lee

Wolfgang

Legends/Alumni

Andre The Giant

Bad Bunny

Batista

Beth Phoenix

Big Boss Man

Boogeyman

Booker T

Bray Wyatt

Bret “Hitman” Hart

British Bulldog

Bruno Sammartino

Cactus Jack

Chyna

Diesel

Doink The Clown

Dude Love

Dusty Rhodes (Part of the Nightmare Family Pack)

Eddie Guerrero

Eric Bischoff

Eve Torres

Faarooq

The Fiend

George “The Animal” Steele

Harley Race

Hollywood Hogan

Hulk Hogan

The Hurricane

Jake “The Snake” Roberts

JBL

Jerry “The King” Lawler

Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart

John Cena

Kane

Ken Shamrock

Kevin Nash

Kurt Angle

Lita

“Macho Man” Randy Savage

Mankind

Maryse

Mighty Molly

Molly Holly

Muhammad Ali

“Ravishing” Rick Rude

Rick Steiner

Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat

Rikishi

Rob Van Dam

The Rock

Ronda Rousey

“Rowdy” Roddy Piper

Scott Hall

Scott Steiner

Shane McMahon

Shawn Michaels

Stacy Keibler

Stephanie McMahon

Stardust (Part of the Nightmare Family Pack)

“Stone Cold” Steve Austin

“Superstar” Billy Graham (Part of the Nightmare Family Pack)

Syxx

Ted DiBiase

Triple H

Trish Stratus

Tyler Breeze

Ultimate Warrior

Umaga

Uncle Howdy

The Undertaker

Vader

Wade Barrett

William Regal

X-Pac

Yokozuna

Managers

B-Fab

Bobby “The Brain” Heenan

Cathy Kelley

Mick Foley

Miss Elizabeth

Paul Bearer

Paul Heyman

Theodore Long

WWE 2K24 launches on March 8 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. You can read our in-deph hands-on preview here, watch us play a few matches in this episode of New Gameplay Today, or check out our gaming-focused interview with one of 2K24’s cover stars, Cody Rhodes. 

[ei-banana]

Fic master post (ongoing)

I’ve been meaning to make one of these for a while so that my fics are easier to find! (The following list is separated by fandom.)

———

Little Goody Two Shoes

lie with my brittle bones

freya x lebkuchen | sfw | 4k | one shot

Freya couldn’t remember a thing she’d said after that—could only remember the warmth in her chest, though the cold cut to the bone. She stared agog from beneath her fur-lined cowl, breathless even as Elise pivoted for another’s distant beckon. Even as the snow continued its heavenly fall.

Buried and trembling, her father at last found her, mittened palm pressed to her chittering lips. By the crash and tumble of brimful chance, Freya was smitten.

She had fallen in love.

Or, Freya lets go in time.

———

Baldur’s Gate 3

sing to me that motley gospel

shadowheart x tav | nsfw | 3.7k words | one shot

And fear did not sit idle. It grew hungered with neglect, burrowing out of its prison to feast upon her deeper marrow. A weed left sowed now ensnared her in vines too knotted to unravel, though Tav had remarkably defied those odds.

Or, Shadowheart had always been afraid of the dark, in truth.

in the shadow of the evening trees

shadowheart x tav | nsfw | 3.8k words | one shot

Most nights, Shadowheart dreamed of her mother’s eyes. Olive like her own, they tracked her steadily as she worked, sundering her parents to bloody heaps.

Or, Shadowheart remembers, she grieves, and Tav remains a loving tether throughout.

a call to flame

shadowlach | nsfw | 2.8k | one shot

By the light of the moon Shadowheart stood, refulgent at the verge of a babbling brook. Shirtless, wreathed in silver, thin fingers working through the twine of her braid—she was a siren of the dark and unseen. Her hair fluttered down past the small of her back, long and silky like skeins of pure starlight.

“Care to join me?”

Or, Karlach is touch starved and Shadowheart is depressed. They kiss about it.

———

Octopath Traveler II

absolve me before the dawn

castthrone | nsfw | 3.4k words | one shot

The bedside casement window let in faded moonlight, the lump atop her sheets awash silver and gray. Castti dropped the bucket by the bureau, toeing off her boots to search for a nearby chamberstick, bath long forgotten.

“Throné?” She had expected the other woman to turn up, though not quite so late. This thing between them— an understanding born of their mutual want for closeness, the looming shadow of loss at their backs— left them silently desperate, seeking out the other when the coming dawn posed too great a threat.

Or, both their pasts haunt them, but here, while the world sleeps, they have each other.

———

Fire Emblem Engage

among the flowers, something more

aleivy | mild nsfw | 4k words | one shot

“Have you been to Lookout Ridge yet?”

“I don’t suppose I have.”

Alear was already walking, dancing her fingers through the air as if to twine them in the flossy clouds. “You have to see the Somniel from higher up… the night comes alive,” she said quietly, voice gauzy with wonder. It struck Ivy then, just how new this world was to Alear too.

Or, their relationship blooms, and so too the flowers.

irascible daze

aleivy | nsfw | 5k words | one shot

 In her dozing mind’s eye, Alear held her close, pressing her into the sheets until the warmth of their cloister had Ivy sweating, panting, grappling for more…

The luring, amorous phantasms had been haunting her as of late, though she didn’t wish to impede Alear’s delve into erudition with her crazed want for closeness. Work posed the most vexing barrier; Alear hadn’t truly touched her in nearly a fortnight.

Or, Ivy wakes up alone and agitated, tearing through the castle just to find her salvation.

what had always been

aleivy | sfw | 5.9k words | one shot

Ivy squared her jaw, curling her numb fingers into fists. She hated that dress, she hated how the Lords and Ladies leered at her. She was half a decade of age, and Ivy already battled the court for Mother’s love.

Heartbreak had found its home in her, leaving her forlorn and resolute. It was better to be thrown to the wilds than to the gluttonous maw of the people, Ivy was certain.

Or, Ivy was born in the cold, and she spends her following years searching for warmth.

long may she reign

aleivy | mild nsfw | 5.4k words | one shot

“Marry me,” she spoke with slurred ardor, the words no louder than her clamorous heart.

“What?” Alear’s crystal clear astonishment silenced the whir in Ivy’s ears, sobering her so thusly that she stepped back with a gasp.

She didn’t have far to go before the door halted her escape, frigid fingers pressing to her own lips in self-admonishment. Ivy cursed her carelessness, her ill-timed slip of the tongue.

“I…” Silver tears of mortification clumped in her lower lashes; she couldn’t meet Alear’s awaiting stare. “Please, just forget I said anything.”

Or, Ivy ponders the prospect of marriage.

take my praise, take my heart too

aleivy | nsfw | 4k words | one shot

“I don’t understand.” She found her voice at last, already following after Alear’s sure gate. “Go where?”

“I’d like to be alone with you somewhere quieter, away from the bevy.” Alear stopped short in one of the western hallways, the life-size portrait of Lumera regarding them kindly from astride the floor to ceiling windows. “Is that alright?”

Ivy floundered in the face of her stately zeal. “Of course.”

Or, Ivy and Alear escape oppressive noble ramblings to find solace in one another.

———

Honkai Star Rail

my love is mine, all mine

kafstel | nsfw | 2.5k words | one-shot

“Would you marry me?” Stelle asked, her air of nonchalance almost comical.

“Marry you…” Kafka repeated, fingers twitching when Stelle pressed down on the tendons of her forearm. She worked at them a moment more, kneading her into pliancy it seemed.

“Me, yes.” As if Kafka would wed anyone else, and then: “I’m feeling just witless enough, aren’t you?”

Or, after a mission of little intrigue, Kafka and Stelle get married on a whim.

favored dance among fools

kafstel | nsfw | 4k words | one-shot

It was a harrowing thing to admit—that she wasn’t as omnipotent as she’d hoped, that their coalescence was relatively young. That they had yet to fully learn one another.

Had Kafka any choice in the matter, she’d have long since parsed and cataloged all branching facets of Stelle’s mind. But open communication would have to make for a modest substitute.

Or, should Stelle feel any doubt, Kafka is more than willing to reassure her.

fugue in b minor

kafstel | nsfw | 4.7k words | one-shot

“I need you to sweep me off my feet.” She inched higher, teeth rasping at the lobe of Stelle’s ear. “Show me how you move, press us closer until I just can’t stand it.” Their noses bumped, their rudimentary waltz slowing to that of an off tempo sway. “Tell me you love me—”

“I love you,” Stelle whispered, the scripted line settling between them a note too early. She seemed hardly lucid, eyeing Kafka’s parted lips like they might be the only thing keeping her grounded.

Or, it was hardly just for show—Kafka felt that rekindled wanting, down to the very pulse of her.

———

Genshin Impact

and other wonderful things

arlefuri | nsfw | multi-chapter, ongoing (1/?)

It was the inevitability of irrelevance that Furina ran from, and such a fruitless chase had left her a hollowed husk. She could hardly stumble her way through vocal warmups, much less scream her frustration.

So Furina drank, let the wine convince her in ways the others could not. A quarter past dusk, and Furina knew—she had to get away.

Or, Furina loses her voice. Within the mountain’s glacial enclave where a warming lodge dutifully stands, Arlecchino endeavors to help her find it.

personal cathedrals

arlefuri | nsfw | 4.7k words | one shot

They faced each other now before the figural crossroads—to waver or not to waver—and Furina clasped her hands before herself, breathless when she guided them down the untrodden path.

“Would you like to come inside?”

To be so daring at such a late hour was unexpected; Furina swayed, winded, made curious all the more by the responding incline of Arlecchino’s head.

Or, Arlecchino is but one temptation Furina cannot shake.

the devil is in the details

eisara | nsfw | multi-chapter, ongoing (8/?)

Sara—waylaid by heartbreak, disillusionment, and the fruity dregs of alcohol—summons a demon.

What happens after that is a blur.

Or, Sara is a medical student down on her luck, and Ei is a demon who yearns for company.

athyrium

kokoei | nsfw | 6.2k words | one shot (follow up for ‘beneath the roots’)

“If I didn’t know any better, Your Excellency,” Ei whispered to match the room’s lull, gaze falling to Kokomi’s lips, “I’d say you were courting me.”

Kokomi blinked, slow and cat-like. “It’s a good thing you know so much then, isn’t it?”

Or, Kokomi finally returns Ei’s letter.

and there is beauty yet unknown

furina-centric (gen) | sfw | 4k words | one shot

She hoped to feel a stirring deep within, a sprightly spark of hope like some grand pedagogy of the waters might lead her out of befuddlement. No such calling befell her, though the next rushing headwind brought with it the promise of snow.

Or, Furina finds a reason.

renaissance

furina-centric (gen) | sfw |3.5k words | one shot

How did one mourn the death of oneself? Furina wondered often, stared blankly up at the ceiling until her vision grew spotty, unsure whether to cry, or laugh, or shout her frustration.

Or, Furina mourns, she breaks, and, in time, she finds solace. 

behind this house, an orange tree grows

eisara | nsfw | 7.7k words | one shot (sequel to ‘of dividends and dubious hearts’)

Her fingers dipped into the waistline of Ei’s skirt, the fabric fluttering to the floor as she sank to her knees. Sara pressed her lips to the crosshatch imprint that remained, chasing after each errant freckle in her descent, mouth half open and searing by the time her words finally settled.

Ei blinked, dazed, shoving at Sara’s forehead as gently as her mounting thrill would allow. “You mean…”

“Yoimiya helped me with the last of my things.” Sara kissed the jut of her hip, the marked notch of her pelvis, etching her smile into the plush of Ei’s stomach. “I’m officially moved in, as of this afternoon.”

Or, their life in bloom, one summer later.

where the white jasmine grows

makomiko | sfw | 5.8k words | one shot (prequel to ‘beneath the roots and further still’)

She made a ghostly visage, though not so haunting. She was otherworldly, straightening with a huff, and shoving her half-rimmed glasses back up the bridge of her nose. Makoto tossed her hair over her shoulder— the cascade of it rippling like the grander waters against her back— and the swelling bud behind Miko’s breastbone burst open to bare its waxy petals.

She gasped at the initial jolt, a sharp pain that melted to ataractic warmth. “Mako?” she called out without thought, voice small and tremulous, barely louder than the patter of foot traffic just beyond the window.

Or, Miko loves her, like flora do the sun.

take me under the blue

ayasara | nsfw | 2k words | one shot

Ayaka sounded amused, lips sliding over the hinge of the general’s clenched jaw. Sara lay prone, agog.

“What do you think about?”

“Missing you.” Ayaka kissed the apple of Sara’s cheek, propping up on her elbows until their lips ghosted. “Wanting you.” She rolled her hips in punctuation, swooping her tongue past Sara’s parted lips before the general could register the throaty proclamation.

Or, Ayaka and Sara elect to stay in bed for the morning.

of dividends and dubious hearts

eisara | eventually nsfw | 43k words | multi-chapter, completed (4/4)

The woman across from Ei seemed awestruck by the mere sound of her voice. Her smile slackened, a nearly imperceptible slip before she responded, “Sara Kujou.” Kunikuzushi sniffled loudly, severing their prolonged contact; Sara stepped back, looking almost bashful when she bowed her head and laughed. “But the kids call me Ms. Kujou.”

“How strange,” Ei hummed, cocking her head just enough to catch a glimpse of the other woman’s sharpened jaw, observing with open-eyed blatancy. “I can’t recall seeing you in the school directory last year.”

Or, Sara is Kunikuzushi’s teacher, and Ei is a single mom doing her best.

come away with me

dehyarzad | sfw | 1.5k words | one shot

Her childhood home, her gilded prison— coming back here had only brought her greater pain. Father and Mother always feared her dreams, but that had never stopped her from running.

Or, Dunyarzad’s parents can be stifling, but Dehya is always a welcome reprieve.

in this palace in chains

dehyarzad | nsfw | 4k words | one shot

She wound her arms around Dehya’s neck, urging their lips to brush when she spoke, “if this is what you want, then I have no reservations with you taking.” Dunyarzad slid a hand down to the dip of the mercenary’s back, breath catching when their bare skin touched. “I want you to make me feel alive.”

Or, Dehya is there, blindingly brilliant, and Dunyarzad yearns despite it all.

over the garden wall

eisara | eventually nsfw | 13k words | multi-chapter, completed (2/2)

Sara despised nothing more than being akin to a caged oscine— trapped and pinned by monotony and over frugality— and so she fled. Battered car and tentative determination guided her to the coast, down the winding roads of town, and up the gravel path to the house of promise. She would start anew, beginning in the garden where revelation waited.

Or, Sara moves to a small town and meets a ghost who uproots her world (an eisara ghost au)

between the lines

kokoyae | nsfw | 3k words | one shot

Nothing pleased Kokomi more than a good book and titillating conversation— the Guuji Yae offering both in droves— and so she boarded the resistance branded transport vessel on the last day of each month, Narukami island bound and heart fluttering with the promise of fulfilling literary analysis.

Or, Yae tells Kokomi to keep reading, no matter how dizzying her touch.

beneath the roots and further still

yaesara | nsfw | 100k words | multi-chapter, complete (23/23)

Driven by the gripping force of erosion and grief, Ei flees Tenshukaku without a word. She traverses beyond the city with ease, leaving her beloved general and kitsune to give chase. Both Sara and Yae struggle to see eye to eye, but this much was clear: they must work together if they want to bring Ei back.

meet me beneath the old otogi tree

yaesara | sfw | 6k words | one shot

Spring gave way to summer, and though their hands joined with ease, Sara still floundered. There was no easy way to speak directly from the heart.

Or, Sara goes to Yoimiya for advice and spends a week trying to ask Yae on a date.

like chocolate (a taste that lingers)

eisara | nsfw | 6.8k words | one shot

Brisk winter air and chanced first meetings— Sara was certain the smell of chocolate had permeated the walls of her office by now, though she found she quite liked it.

Or, Ei and Sara run into each other in front of a coffee shop and never look back.

ode to evermore

eisara | nsfw | 6k words | one shot

When the fog of war and loss finally clears, the Almighty Shogun stands before her, hand outstretched; Sara grasps at her splendor, but the words never come.

Or, Ei asks Sara to marry her, and Sara doesn’t know what to say.

coalescence

eisara | sfw | 7.8k words | one shot

Sara had seen much of what Teyvat had to offer, very little was cause for surprise, but the way Ei looked at her now— open and fervent, dazzling— had the general positively reeling. What did it mean when she touched her like that?

Or, it's Ei and Sara, and the ways in which they come together.

is it alright if i call you mine

jeansara | nsfw | 5k words | one shot

Surely one drunken kiss isn’t enough to derail their day at the gym, never mind how good Jean looks when she sweats.

Or, showering with a friend is a surefire way to work through some tension.

sweetest devotion

yaesara (implied eimikosara) | nsfw | 4.8k words | one shot

A wrapped lunch and soft caress go a long way, though Sara wasn't expecting this. Maybe she was spurred on by the heat of the summer sun, but the general was desperate for it.

Or, Yae Miko takes a break from work, with Sara's help of course.

in my heart is a christmas tree farm

yaesara | eventually nsfw | 19k words | multi-chapter, complete

Miko Yae, foreman of Yae Publishing House, doesn’t have time in her busy schedule for the leisure that often comes with the holidays. When she begrudgingly agrees to spend Christmas up in the mountains with Saiguu, Makoto, and her ex, Ei, she doesn’t expect to meet Sara as well.

Or, a yaesara hallmark christmas movie au

the smell of sunny places

eisara (implied eimikosara) | sfw | 5k words | one shot

The Raiden Shogun is insistent that Sara join her on a tour of Inazuma's sparse villages to provide reparations following the war. Despite her apprehension, Sara follows as always, braced for the worst to come to pass.

Or, Ei and Sara have each other, and perhaps that is enough.

dig those claws into this fragile heart of mine

eimikosara | sfw | 4.6k words | one shot

Atop Madam Kujou's thighs was Yae Miko's throne, so why was it that her reserved spot was now taken?

Or, Sara gets a cat, and Yae is jealous

realize not too late (loved you always)

eisara (implied eimikosara) | eventually nsfw | 18.5k words | multi-chapter, completed (5/5)

Following La Signora’s defeat, Sara is left despondent as her livelihood— her ambition— is stripped from her. How ironic. Sara decides she needs to get away for a while.

———

The Legend of Zelda

follow you anywhere

zelda/malon | sfw | 3k words | one shot (sequel to ‘my summer song’)

Zelda is nearing the end of her stay in Gerudo Desert, and each day away from Malon makes her longing grow stronger and more oppressive. They meet for a picnic and the Princess gives into her selfish desires; she asks her to stay.

all that’s left unsaid

midzel | sfw | 3k words | one shot

The Mirror of Twilight remains intact, and Midna stays. She makes a promise to Zelda, and even as the boundless days pass them by… she keeps it.

my summer song

zelda/malon | sfw | 11k words | multi-chapter, completed (3/3)

Following the Hero of Time's victory over Ganondorf, Zelda travels Hyrule on a mission to rebuild where tragedy hit over the last seven years, beginning with Lon Lon Ranch. She encounters Malon and is immediately drawn to her, much to Zelda's growing frustrations.

Lastly, I have an ongoing ko-fi request series (fandoms are varied!) My ko-fi requests are generally always open unless stated otherwise; all request info is on my ko-fi!

[pricegouge]

WIP whenever

I was tagged by the extremely talented @stellewriites to post a current WIP and while I said I was gonna wait 'til Wednesday because I had just posted my biggest work for the week yesterday, this inspired me to finally sit down and put some words on the page for a stupid crack meet cute I've been brewing up for John x artist!fem reader, the crack part being that you don't meet in your civilian world, but in John's normally high stakes one. So thanks for the tag and the motivation and I hope you enjoy

"Watcher?" Price growls, inspecting this newcomer through his scope for potential threats. She certainly looks unassuming enough, as he's never known any faction of armed services to issue woven fuschia caps, long purple cardigans, or yellow welly boots. Still, confirmation on anything useful like 'where the fuck she came from,' 'was she driving a civilian car?', or 'should we take the fucking shot?' would be ideal.

"Cap?" Garrick's voice is low, smothered, cheek sealed against his rifle even after all these hours. Still lethal and ready to trust his captain's call.

John waits another beat, hoping for some forthcoming intel. Doesn't get any. "No."

"She's gonna blow our spot."

'Against who?' John wants to ask, but the question of where their overwatch disappeared to is a toss up, and while every hard-won instinct in his body tells him this whole mission is a bust and the man likely fell asleep, the paranoid option must always outweigh the most likely if you want to see the next sunrise, and it's entirely possible the man was eliminated. 

"Well, shooting her won't make her any less hi-vis," Price sighs. Abandoning his lens, John raises his head enough to take in the whole scope of the meadow. They're posted on a small hill, sights trained down into the shallow basin where a derelict road ambles parallel a small brook, currently overflowing with springtime runoff. It's beautiful, really, dotted here and there with early blooms which nod in the gentle breeze. With the low ridge to the south simultaneously blocking most of the sun's glare and offering a great position for extra coverage, the area had presented itself first and foremost to him as a sniper's delight; but faced now with an artsy-type civilian wandering around and looking for all intents and purposes to be in her natural element, he supposes his assessment probably laid outside the norm.

"We could use her like dazzle camo," Gaz suggests instead and John's mustache twitches with a suppressed snort.

I'll tag @evergreenfields @villainofmyownstory and @irl-simon-riley but no pressure :)

[system-to-the-madness]

There’s Still Time - Tomioka Giyū x Reader

Pairing: Tomioka Giyū x Reader (can be read as any gender) Genre: hurt/comfort, angst to fluff Word Count: 2 361 Warnings: injuries, blood, poison, almost death Summary: After Giyū got poisoned in a fight against a demon, you’re running out of time to save him Prompts: 2: "I just want to see the sun rise one more time." 5: "We still have time."

Cold air was stinging in your lungs, making each breath more painful than the last. Your knees were buckling under your weight and that of the half-unconscious man you were dragging along.

It had been a disaster.

The demon Tomioka and you had faced, had been incredibly strong, wounding your companion before you had beheaded the creature. At first the wound on Tomioka’s leg had not seemed too bad. Painful, yes, but nothing you could not patch up in the next village.

It had still been in the middle of the night, when you had started your way back out of the mountains, tracking through thick forest. At first you had not really noticed it, being tired and worn out from traveling and fighting yourself, but Tomioka had gotten slower and slower.

At a brook he had requested to take a break, and while you had washed your hands, and drunk a few sips of cold water, he had inspected his wound in the low light of the moon. His voice had been uncharacteristically weak when he had called your name, asking you to take a look at the injury he had sustained.

It was poison.

Black streaks were spreading from the wound all over his leg, dark and broad and angry. You had immediately washed out the wound, hoping to somehow get rid of the poison that had not yet entered his blood stream. You had ignored his protest and whimpers of pain. But both of you knew it was too late. The poison was spreading through his body, fast. So you had injected him with one of the concoctions Shinobu had given you for emergencies. It was an antidote for a wide variety of poisons, but you had no idea whether it would work against whatever was weakening Tomioka.

Ignoring the panic in your chest, you had encouraged him to continue walking. If you reached a street, you could find people who could get him to a doctor, who could bring him to the Butterfly estate.

But the way things looked right now, you would not make it in time. Tomioka’s arm was wrapped around your shoulder, one of your hands clutching onto it, the other wrapped around his waist. His feet had stopped moving a while ago, leaving you to drag the tall man up the next hill.

“Just a little further,” you encouraged him, earning a quiet groan in response. “Beyond that hilltop, and then it’s not far to the next street!”

Another groan was the answer you received, so you kept pushing yourself, ignoring the cold night air rasping down your throat, ignoring the burning of your thighs. You knew Tomioka was trying his best, knew he was doing everything his body was still capable off to help you. You would make it in time, you told yourself. The antidote would work, or you would find a doctor who could help. Tomioka would not die here, not tonight, not under your watch.

You stumbled onto the ridge of the hill, your legs aching under his weight. In the east, just ahead of you, the sky started lightening up, the stars grew dimmer. Soon the sun would rise.

You took a deep breath, and adjusted the Hashira at your side, before stepping forward again. But as if fate was against you, you lost your footing, stumbling to the ground, Tomioka alongside you. He hit the ground harder than you, and you gasped in shock, feeling guilty for having dropped him, even though he was so weak already. Quickly you scrambled back to where he had rolled to a stop a few feet away, and lifted his shoulders into your lap.

“Are you okay?”

Tomioka’s eyes were closed. Panic, more than before washed over you.

No, no no nonono. He couldn’t die. Not here. Not yet. There was still so much you had to tell him. You needed him. He wasn’t allowed to die.

You slapped him. Hard. His eyes shot open.

“Get a grip,” you hissed, ignoring the way his eyes flickered around before they focused on your face again. “Are you okay,” you repeated your previous question.

"I just want to see the sun rise one more time."

Not an answer, but okay.

“And you will, I promise you. You’ll see many more sunrises.”

“I don’t wanna die in the dark.”

“And you won’t, not today, at least. Wait with dying until you’re old and grey.”

You ignored the way your voice way shaking, the way your vision blurred with tears at his words. You knew your responses were lies. He knew too. It did not matter. You had to say something, something to keep you fighting.

“We both know I’m dying,” Tomioka whispered, his blue eyes gently scanning your face, so gently… nobody had ever looked at you like that.

“We’re all dying. Everyday a little,” you shook your head. “You won’t do it all in one day, I won’t allow it.”

“I was poisoned. I’m out of time.”

“No, no you’re not. There’s still time. Plenty. I’ll find you a doctor. And they’ll fix you up.”

You blinked the tears away, and took a deep breath. “And when you’re fine again, I’ll tell you a secret. So come on now!”

Your body felt heavy as lead, but you managed to get up from where you had been sitting on the forest floor. Tomioka did his best to support you in getting him upright again too, and once more you slung his arm over your shoulder.

The way down the hill was worse than the way up. There was no path you could follow, the terrain was steep, and the soil covered in old, dry leaves, making the ground slippery. With every step you feared to lose your balance again. It would have been challenging even without Tomioka weighting you down. Now you slipped more than you walked, stumbling down the hill, praying to the deities of the woods to let you reach the street as soon as possible. At least the sky started growing a little brighter, helping you with seeing in the dark.

You had lost all sense of time and space. All there was, were Tomioka and you, and the never ending hill you were climbing down, hoping to somehow reach the street at the end of your decent. The burning and aching and wobbling of your limbs had long been tuned out, and just when you wanted to tell Tomioka that the sun had to be really close to rising-

There had been some tension in his body before, his fingers weakly clawing into your haori, his feet stumbling along, trying to help you, but suddenly he went slack.

With the sudden increase of weight you stumbled, lost balance and slipped, rolling down the side of the hill a few meters, old, dry leaves, twigs and stones rolling along with Tomioka and you. You came to a stop in a small clearing, not caring about the bruises that probably would start forming on your body in the next minutes. You just scrambled to your feet, leaves and twigs in your hair, and stumbled over to where your fellow Demon Slayer was lying motionless on the ground.

“Giyū? Giyū-san?” Your voice was higher than usual, panic taking over your body. With quickening breath and shaking hands you lifted him up by the shoulders, placing him in your lap. “Giyū-san!”

You never used his given name, had never dared to. But it did not matter anymore what he thought of you. He just had to stay alive. You grabbed the front of his uniform and shook him gently, but there was no reaction.

“Giyū-san,” your pleas turned into sobs, as you pressed your fingers to the side of his neck, searching for a pulse. It was there. Faint, but there.

Fading.

“Don’t give up, Giyū-san,” you whispered, leaning down to press your forehead against his. His skin was cold from the chilly night air. “Don’t give up. Please keep fighting.”

Suddenly light, warm, golden light, flooded the clearing. It softly tickled your skin as if trying to make you believe everything would be alright. But that was a lie, wasn’t it?

You gave up on trying holding back the sobs that were clawing their way out of your chest and up your throat. Wrapping your arms around his shoulders, you leant down further and buried your face against his neck, his hair tickling against your face.

“Please, please don’t die,” you sobbed. “I can’t do this without you, Giyū. I need you. I love you. Please don’t leave me.”

Eventually your sobs drowned out your words.

For a while you just sat on the ground and cried, holding onto Giyū’s lip body. And once you had run out of tears, you just stayed there, your face buried against his neck, his back resting in your lap.

You were tired, so tired. Even though you had fought with everything you had, it had not been enough to save him. You had not kept checking his pulse anymore, not wanting to know the exact moment he passed.

“You smell like rain in spring.”

You froze, not daring to move. This was it, you thought, you had lost it, were going crazy. Giyū’s voice was soft and warm, right next to your ear.

“If you hold me any tighter, I’ll suffocate.”

Slowly you pulled away, strands of his black locks sticking to your tear-wet cheeks. Barely daring to look at him, your eyes flickered to Giyū’s face. Blue eyes met yours, gently; a soft smile on his lips. His chest was moving evenly up and down, and the still orange light of the sunrise painted long shadows on his face.

“You’re beautiful,” he whispered, reaching a hand up to your hair, and picking a few dry leaves out of it. “I always wanted to tell you. Seems like it takes almost dying to find the courage to do so.”

You knew he was joking, something that was so unlike him, knew he wanted to make you feel better, lighten the mood. But you could not deal with that, not right now. You had thought he had died, and now he was complimenting you, even though your face was swollen from crying, and brushing his hands over your hair.

In that moment you just stopped caring about what he might think of you. With your heart drumming in your ears you bent down, and pressed your lips to his, hard. You expected him to stiffen under your touch, expected him to push you away. But instead he slipped the hand with which he had played with your hair to the back of your head, and pulled you in closer, returning the kiss with still cool lips. You only pulled away when tears began choking you once more. Even when he tried to pull you back in, you sat up, trying to get a better look at him.

“I thought you died,” you cried, ignoring how hot your cheeks were as Tomioka carefully sat up from your lap, and reached out to brush your tears away.

“For a moment so did I,” he confessed. “Seems like the antidote worked.”

You looked at him then, at the way his black hair glowed almost golden in the soft light of the early morning, at the way there was a twig sticking out of his hair, as his deep blue eyes were watching you carefully. Your gaze flickered to his injured leg, and hastily you wiped the backs of your hands over your eyes.

“Let me take a look,” you demanded, and obediently Giyū pulled away the fabric of his ripped trousers.

The wound was still coated with dried blood, but the dark streaks that had once spread from it, had disappeared without a trace.

In that moment it felt as if all the weight had been taken off your shoulders, the exhaustion of the night hitting you all at once. The fear, the work of climbing up and down a mountain while half carrying Giyū, the fight with the demon before that, the pain of having thought you had lost him-

You slumped back, letting your back sink into the leaves on the forest ground. Immediately Giyū was by your side.

“(y/n)-san?”

He was using your given name, you realised.

“Let’s stay here, just for a little while longer,” you mumbled, closing your eyes, feeling the warm sunlight against your eyelids. “I’m so tired.”

Giyū moved besides you, and you felt him lay down next to you. A moment later he pushed his arm underneath your neck, and pulled your head to rest against on his chest. You willingly followed his invitation, tiredly shifting into a comfortable position by his side.

“Then let’s rest a little,” he pressed a kiss to the crown of your head. Wrapping his other arm around you as good as possible. “Also, you still owe me that secret you promised me.”

You let out a low, questioning hum.

“You promised me a secret when I get better,” he reminded you, nuzzling his nose into your hair.

“Oh, that,” you took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. “Haven’t you guessed?”

“If your secret was that you wanted to kiss me, it’s not a secret anymore.”

“Not just to kiss you,” you mumbled, wondering if your words even still made sense. You were so tired. “That I like you.”

“Hmm,” Giyū hummed into your hair thoughtfully, “then I’ll tell you a secret too. I’ve always thought you’re the loveliest, strongest, most beautiful and amazing person I have ever met, and I- I like you, too.”

You just hummed against his chest, nudging your nose against the fabric of his uniform, hoping he understood it at appreciation, contentment. Since he pressed another kiss to the crown of your head, you supposed he had understood.

And so you fell into a light sleep, hearing the wind rustle in the leaves above you, feeling the light breeze and the warm sun on your skin, the up and down of Giyū’s breath and the steady thrumming of his heart underneath you.

[rosella35]

Borrowed Courage: Prologue

Hi everyone! I’ve decided to start posting Borrowed Courage (my borrower fanfic featuring main characters Kaleb and Brooke) on Tumblr, seeing as not everyone uses Wattpad or Deviantart. Feel free to read ahead on the sites I mentioned but if this is your first time checking out the story, I hope you enjoy it! This is just my two cents to the G/T community ^_^

[Note that this story is nonsexual, however contains themes of prejudice, dehumanisation, bullying and mentioned/implied deaths]

________________________________________________________

USA TODAY

September 15th, 2011

IT’S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL

Leaked footage of ‘tiny person’ sparks media frenzy: do they really live among us?

Fairy tales and mythology have entertained the existence of miniature, humanoid creatures for centuries, however recent footage has revealed that there may be a level of truth to the myth.

Less than forty-eight hours ago, a video was posted on YouTube by an anonymous user, entitled SUBJECT #215 ‘GREY’ LEAKED FOOTAGE. The clip was recorded at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Tennessee over three months, and depicts a young man who is perceived to stand less than six inches tall undertaking a series of physiological and cognitive tests within laboratory conditions.  

Following its upload, the video surged across various media platforms and climbed to #3 on YouTube’s ‘Trending’ browser before being removed by ORNL officials due to confidentiality infringements. However, the footage has left a global mark, with one viewer describing the clip as ‘Extraordinary but haunting. If this wasn’t filmed from a federal government-watermarked facility, I wouldn’t have believed it at first.’

Six hours after it was taken down, the individual responsible for posting the video requested an interview with USA Today, and revealed that they were formerly part of the research team assigned to Subject #215. Employee X, who wishes to remain anonymous, described the case study in unsettling detail, explaining that the subject had underwent constant and often inhumane experimentation since being discovered in inner city Boston, Massachusetts late last year.  

“The subject prefers to be called Grey.” They said. “He appears to have a human-like level of intellect, and aside from a clear difference in proportion, his body structure and physiological features are also near identical.” When asked if Grey understood speech, X was quick to reply.

“Quite well. Since being in captivity, he has revealed little about himself, but it is evident in his dialogue that he may not be the only one of his kind in existence. Based on his choice of attire and mannerisms, we have reason to believe that Grey’s ‘species’ so to speak are well adapted to living within human settlements, albeit undetected. Further, the subject has been shown to have the same dietary needs as us, which suggests that he is accustomed to consuming human food.”

According to X, they partook in the initial course of experiments which studied Grey’s physiology, however abandoned the project due to ethical qualms. “When we were briefed on the study, I imagined we would be working with an exotic species of animal, but after interacting with Grey, and gaining insight into his perception of the situation, I, along with several other members of the team were convinced that he possessed the same advanced intelligence as a human. This was soon confirmed with anatomical evidence, after an EEG conducted on the subject revealed that his brain activity for cognitive tasks was identical to ours.”

“It wasn’t a question of science any longer.” X continued. “It was a question of ethics, and I, like many other ORNL staff, stand firmly against their method of research regarding subject Grey. The reason I posted this video was to both inform and enlighten the general public of the matter, and encourage my fellow scientists to consider their methods of research from an ethical standpoint should more members of Grey’s species be discovered.”

Following the interview, a thorough investigation into the famed laboratory in Tennessee is confirmed to be underway, however the current status and whereabouts of subject Grey remain undisclosed and consequently, we are left with more questions than answers. Is there really a race of ‘tiny people’ living among us and if so, for how long will they continue to exist unbeknownst to humanity?

Published by Pamela Cook

Chief Editor

****

Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tennessee, United States

September 14th, 2011

5:28PM

The sun crept low into the horizon, bordering on dusk, but the couple hundred people camped out around the perimeter of ORNL were hardly fazed. They’d arrived in clusters at a time over the course of forty-eight hours, locals and tourists alike. Most were waiting eagerly with phone cameras in hand, no doubt hoping to catch a glimpse of the mysterious ‘Subject Grey’ who had made his shocking internet debut not three days prior. The biggest mob had settled around a large white van emblazoned with the Channel Eighty-Five studio logo, where a cameraman, a female reporter and her associate made their final preparations for the evening news broadcast.

The reporter, a slim woman adorned in a white button up blouse and pencil skirt, waited impatiently for the signal. Her team had set up their base of operations just outside the main entrance to the Oak Ridge facility; chosen specifically so that during the program, she would address the viewers with a convincing backdrop of ORNL’s impressive chainmail fence and mob of curious onlookers. With less than a minute until they went live, her associate listened into the audio feed of the main news program and nodded to the cameraman. Then, at 5:30PM, the broadcast commenced.  

“This is Vanessa Clarke, reporting to you live from the site where it all began. I’m standing outside the main entrance of Oak Ridge National Laboratory where the controversial video that shocked the world was filmed. Leaked footage of  Subject #215 ‘Grey’, which has since been removed from all media platforms, was recorded by a former employee right here in this facility, where it is now believed that researchers are investigating the existence of a race of ‘tiny people’. The video and its followup article from USA Today have received a global media response, with thousands of related stories surfacing, along with further evidence of what people are claiming to be miniature people caught on film.”

While the news reporter talked, a young man broke land speed records on his old moped scooter as he tore down the highway towards the laboratory. James Peterson, a recent graduate in human ethics and ambassador for the entrepreneurial ‘Speak Up for Change’ foundation, hoped he’d make it in time.  

“Thanks, Todd, and to those watching, stay tuned. We’ll have more coverage of the facility coming up shortly here on Channel Eighty-Five.” The cameraman cut off the live feed and the Vanessa let out a sigh, stepping out of the frame. She accepted a water bottle handed her way by her associate and took a sip. “Do you really think this crackpot story’s gonna boost our ratings?” She laughed lightly, leaning against the news van with a look of unconcealed scepticism.

Her coworker shrugged. “Hey, it’s all that people are talking about lately. We might as well give them a bone to chew on.” He gestured to the fenced perimeter of the facility behind them where the crowd continued to gather, some holding up handmade posters with demanding messages like ‘FREE SUBJECT GREY’ or ‘WE WANT ANSWERS’. “Besides, if we wait around out here long enough, those big-shot scientists might just give us some answers.”

“Don’t tell me…” Vanessa took another swig of water to mask her surprise. “You actually believe this crap, Charlie.”

Charlie merely smirked. “Trust me Vanessa, I stopped believing in what I heard on the news the second I landed this job.”

The reporter chuckled, opening her mouth for a witty response, when an old moped scooter burst into the clearing. The people standing nearby exclaimed in shock as it’s rider—a gangly man no older than twenty-five and dressed in a coat, wrinkled business shirt and slacks—cried out breathlessly.

“Is the news team still here? I need to speak with the news team!”

As he approached, Vanessa righted herself and stifled a sigh. There was always one crazy local who’d show up wanting their face on TV, but this guy seemed particularly desperate. She supposed she’d give him the time of day.  

“My name is Vanessa Clarke, and I work for Channel Eighty-Five.” She addressed the man, who locked gazes immediately. “Can I help you?”

At her greeting, he practically collapsed with relief, quickly parking his scooter and closing the short distance between them. “Ah, y-yes! Thank god you’re still here.” He adjusted his wrinkled trench coat as he talked.  

Vanessa nodded pleasantly. “Yes, we’re in the middle of a three hour coverage of this facility; you know, after that Youtube video went up on Tuesday.” Her trained eyes flickered over his awkward demeanour and overall nerdy attire; a classic science fanatic if she ever saw one. “I assume you’ve heard of it.”

“R-Right! Yes! That’s actually why I’m here. I was wondering if I could have a minute of your time while you’re taking a break.” He swallowed, no doubt noticing her obvious disinterest. “I promise, it’ll be worth it.”  

Vanessa barely refrained from rolling her eyes. You’ve got to be kidding me. She shot Charlie a questioning look, to which he simply shrugged. It wasn’t like there was much else available to pass time before the next broadcast. With those thoughts in mind, the reporter sighed. “Alright, I’m listening. Just make it short, okay?” She said. “We go live again at six.”

At her choice of words, the man let out a snicker, but quickly smoothed his expression and held out a pasty hand. Vanessa shook it briskly. “Y-Yes, of course. My name is James Peterson, and I’m a representative of the Speak Up for Change foundation. We deal with several public relations issues, namely the portrayal of individuals and ethical misconduct in the media.”

I know where this is going. Vanessa inwardly groaned, ready to silence his critique with a well-rehearsed monologue. “Listen, Mr Peterson, if you’re here to file a complaint about our studio, I would recommend visiting the head office—”

“H-Hold on, I think you misunderstand where I’m getting at.” James held out his hands in a peaceful gesture. “Trust me, I’m not here to file any complaints.”

“Just hear the poor guy out, Vanessa.” Charlie cajoled her from the van, which earned him a withering look from his coworker.

She sighed. “Fine. You have my undivided attention.”

James nodded, clearing his throat. “As I was saying, the role of Speak Up for Change is to bring attention to and raise awareness towards those who have been wrongfully portrayed in the media. In particular, my latest client approached me wishing to voice his side of the story, following the Small World article publication yesterday.”

“I see…” Vanessa wasn’t sure where he was going with this. “Would you like to schedule an interview with our studio?”

James almost looked bemused. “That won’t be necessary. I’ve brought my client along with me, and we were hoping to meet with you in time for the six o’clock news broadcast.”

Vanessa frowned, his words becoming less and less clear by the second. “I’m not following.”

“With all due respect, Ms Clarke, I feel like it’ll be much easier to just show you.” He fumbled with the button of his coat breast pocket for a moment, and the reporter was about to turn away with a bored scowl when a flicker of movement caught her eye.

The entire news team watched in stunned silence as what could only be a tiny person pushed the flap of the pocket out of the way to reveal himself. He looked to be middle aged, most likely in his mid-thirties, with disheveled ash blonde hair, pale skin and haunting grey eyes. Everything about him seemed so human-like, aside from the fact that he couldn’t have stood more than six inches tall.

“Jesus Christ.” Charlie breathed.

“Actually, my name is Flint. Flint Oakland.” The impossibly small man corrected him in a soft, but clear voice. “Pardon my intrusion, Ms Clarke, but I was hoping to get a word in on your next broadcast. You’ll no doubt find what I have to say… enlightening.”

For almost half a minute, his words hung in the air as they were met with the collective shock of the news team. Vanessa made a valiant effort to control her emotions, but couldn’t stop her mouth from hanging open at the sudden turn of events. Honestly, what was the world coming to? It took her several more seconds of bewildered thought processing before she exchanged a glance with Charlie, who checked his wristwatch. Two minutes until they went live. Beside them, the cameraman could barely keep up with what the news hosts were saying past his lingering awe.

“You heard the man, get the cameras rolling.” Vanessa announced, before reaching for her mobile. “I’ll get the head exec on the line.”

If this didn’t get their ratings up, she wasn’t sure what would.

Not one minute later, James Peterson and his ‘client’ got their interview, and Flint Oakland—all five-and-a-half inches of him— made history on prime time TV.

“Thank you Todd. We’re reporting back to you live from outside the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where hundreds of people have gathered in the wake of the controversial video that shocked the world. Just two days ago, footage taken right here in this facility sparked a global media frenzy and left us with one pressing question that Oak Ridge representatives have ignored thus far: Is Subject Grey real?” She cleared her throat dramatically. “Well, to everyone watching at home, and to all of the people gathered here with me tonight, the man I’m about to introduce will finally give us some answers.”  

Falling into character, the cameraman panned across to the tiny figure, now standing in James Peterson’s upturned palm with a microphone larger than he was raised to his chest. As the unblinking lens of the camera zoomed in, he met its gaze with determined steely grey eyes. Despite herself, Vanessa felt her heart skip a beat.  

“My name is Flint Oakland, and I have a message for the people of America.” He began, and at that jaw-dropping moment, the entire world paused to listen.

“To everyone watching, congratulations. Yesterday’s news article has forced our hand, and after conversing with my fellow representatives, my people have agreed that, to ensure a successful future for our race and prevent any needless suffering, this is our only viable course of action.”

A crowd had gathered around the local news team to watch. Phone cameras flashed, and people openly stared. In the distance, several jet black vehicles could be seen exiting the research facility beyond its chainmail fence. Chaos was unfolding in the human world that Flint hadn’t been a part of until recently, but with a deep, shuddering breath, he continued. It was now or never.

“And so, I offer you my final confession.” The broadcast, which had started on a local program in the quiet city of Oak Ridge was now streaming across every news channel across the world. “My kind have lived among you since the beginning, existing in the darkness and silenced by fear and oppression.” Flint Oakland said. “Do not misunderstand; we may be smaller than humans, but like you, we have families and children, our own customs and art and culture. We are people, who, for centuries have kept ourselves hidden from you humans out of fear of an outcome such as the one you’ve witnessed over the last forty-eight hours. But, it is time for that to change, and we hope that in time, our races will come to understand one another as equals.”

The entire world held its breath as Flint Oakland uttered his final, monumental sentence.

“We are borrowers, and we will not hide any longer.”

[whatdoesshedotothem]

Monday 24 August 1835

6 ¾

11 40

no kiss hazy morning F64° at 7 25 - out ¼ hour - Holt not come - then read a few pages of Bakewell’s Geology then out again at 8 ¼ - went to Walker pit - on returning wrote and sent George with little note to Mr S. Washington and enclosing Turner’s estimate saying I had not Holt but was satisfied with the estimate and the sooner W- agreed with Turner and T- began carting stones for the culvert the better - breakfast at 9 ½ - Had Mr Jubb soon after 10 - Mr Washington came soon after - walked down with him and Turner and pointed out the line of culvert - then took W- to see the Mytholm fog (aftermath) and asked what he thought it worth - 15/. per D.W. I said I valued it at 20/. he could not in say anything against my valuation (John Bottomely had told me on Saturday fog used to be worth this price) but on hearing there were a few parches less than 4D.W. said I should take £3.10.0 for the whole - would be glad to buy it himself - I said a tenant had spoken for it but I should 1st ask if Aquilla Green wanted it - I walked up with W- to the entrance gate - mentioned about taking ground from the breadth of the road in front of the house - desired him to speak to the commoners about it - he thought the road ought to be left 11 yards wide - then seeing there would only be in places about a couple of yards to take said 10 yards breadth would be enough - I was long before I could get him to mention the turns he would think fair - at last, he said for me to pay 4d. per yard - no! said I 3d. will be quite enough - then Mark Town and his wife waiting for me at the gate - had them in - they are against paying £10 a year - think they can vamp up the place for £20 or £30 very well, said I, you had best do it your own way - the less is laid out, the less you will have to pay - and I said I would nothing to do but the levelling away the ground - if any old doors or windows at Northgate that would suit the place, Mark might have them there - Charles H- to see after this - to look at the cottage this afternoon - had Mawson for a few minutes out of doors - rain sent me in about 11-  a little while with A- then had Booth - brought plan and specification of new cottage at Barraclough Lane-head including cowhouse everything but moving the ground to be done for £100 - to alter his plan in just so much as to put the chimneys in the middle of the ridge-stones (rigging) and lengthen the building 1 yard so as to make the large room 6 yards x 5 instead of 5 yards into 5 yards would be done for £105 - good plan - gave B- £15 in a/c - he had had £70 before on a/c - brought his bill for Hopkins’ barn £60.10.0 and his bill for stopping Spiggs loose £12.0.0 - so that he has money in advance - took him to look at George’s room - he will find flags and labour and new flag it for 1/9 per yard including everything but digging out the 6in. of clay, and covering the bottom with 6inch deep of engine ashes as recommended by Mr Washington this morning - ordered  the thing to be done at 1/9 per yard - then came Charles H- who had seen Mark Town and been over the cottage - what CH- said determined me to let Mark do as he liked and leave him to himself – CH- agreed he would level away the stuff for less than I should get it done, so told George to tell Mawson to let it alone - rain again - a little while with my father and Marian - then out again till 6 10 - Mawson’s 3 men began this morning throwing up the good soil near the entrance gates - dinner at 6 ½ - had George Naylor and Abraham Hemingway - the latter came for a cart-shed said I would do it if he would pay percentage and not without - agreed that SW- is to set out and estimate and then I will determine - George N- wanted a shed doing up - would give him a pound or two and a larch or two and no more - paid his bill £14.16.6 for carting stones for Bairstow wall and for brook wearing and new cut - he wanted to know if I would let him Pickells’s upper field - no! could give him no hope of it but I had not yet determined what to do - should not forget Mark tho’ had promised nothing - another speak before Mark - then A- and I had coffee with my father and Marian and staid talking to Marian till 9 ½ - ¼ hour with my aunt till 10 5 then wrote the above of today - rain about 10 m and about 1 ½ pm and 4 and a little after dinner F65 ½° now at 10 ½ pm

A-gave me fifteen pounds tonight to pay George N- she is afraid she shall not have enough for herself I must manage as well as I can and not get much of hers   A- sent to inquire after Mr John Edwards - answer from Pynest ‘very well!!’