#she looks so normal on the left. what happened

[ceesimz]

Highs and Lows

Your past is your past, but your future is hers. (angst -> fluff)

After everything you’d been through in the past, you always thought you would end up alone. Every failed relationship was another sucker punch to your heart, causing cracks that allowed doubts and insecurities to leak through into your mind, forming iced walls to your soul no one could melt to get to you.

“Perdoni? Vinc a buscar el meu vestit.”

Her voice was so warm, so polite, when she first spoke. How her accent wrapped around her mother tongue was smooth and welcoming, like it didn’t matter that you were about to disappoint her upon first greeting. 

“I’m sorry, I don’t speak Catalan.” 

She met you with a forgiving smile, shaking her head and waving her hand to brush off your apology. 

“Está bien. Uh, my… my suit? I pick it up?” 

The suit wasn't ready for pickup at that time, a mixup between you and the owner of the small tailor shop you worked at who had seemingly gotten a bit too festive the night before and forgotten to do the schedule for the day. So she stayed and chatted with you as you did it, which was actually very helpful since she could try on her blazer that needed the most work doing, though it was more her asking you questions and you giving her curt responses than an actual, normal conversation. You couldn't help it, it had become second nature to you at this point. People had betrayed your trust in all kinds of ways before, and it was sure to happen again.

It was Christmas Eve when you met her, but it took some time before you really let her in.

“So, I ask you, will you be my Valentine?” 

That day, the thirteenth of February, when she'd come in with a dress that needed adjusting slightly for her sister, she was a woman on a mission. Alexia wasn't used to people shutting her down when she had her mind set on something, and since you were the first to tell her otherwise, she knew you were the one.

“How many times do I have to tell you I won't go on a date with you? I'm not looking for relationships or even friendships right now.” 

She was kind. Compassionate. Every time she spoke, you couldn’t help but hang on to every word she said. That didn’t mean you were falling for her tricks though. Your walls were up, and they were high. You didn’t know a thing about her, and her you, but she was like a dog with a bone. Sometimes, you feared she had bad intentions with it. That’s the kind of roads your mind took you on.

“Okay, no Valentine. But, coffee? Conmigo?”

Why was she so adamant to get to know you? Just some nobody that worked at a tailor shop, spending hours on the nights you couldn’t sleep drawing and designing all kinds of clothes that’d never see the light of day outside your notebook. Judging by how she dressed, she was definitely comfortable financially, at least. She had good taste, and dressed in a way that exemplified her mindset and who she wanted to be. With every smart coat and fresh out-of-the-box pair of trainers she wore, you felt like you got a peek inside her mind each time you saw her. Then there was you, dressed down and comfortable for a day sat in front of a sewing machine and a desk.

“I told you, I don’t want to.”

Alexia remembered vividly the day she first heard you laugh. The sound of it made her laugh too, not because she found it funny, but because she got such a burst of euphoria out of it that it was her body’s natural instinct to react like that. All day and every night, you were on her mind. And, something that was completely out of character for her, she found herself looking for excuses to come to the tailor shop just to see you.

“Hm. People do not say no to me. I will keep trying, lo prometo.” 

A tap on the counter, and she left after that. 

As you expected, she kept to her word; the next day, she brought the coffee to you. Four coffees, actually. One without milk, one with normal milk, one with almond milk, and one with oat milk, just so she could find out what was your favourite.

“I don’t drink coffee. Of any kind, with any milk.”

That was the day you laughed for the first time, you couldn’t help it, the way her face fell after you revealed your secret was way too funny to not laugh. She feigned disapproval when you went into the backroom, grabbed a sharpie and a square of cardboard, and wrote ‘free coffee with every pickup!’ on it to put on the counter.

Though, you came to a realisation that day, one that kept you up through the night. She was the first person in years that actually stayed true to their promise. So maybe you did crack a little then, and when she walked in the next day to collect what she’d left the previous morning, you handed her the cardboard with your number on the back. Hardly two minutes passed after she left before your phone pinged. 

For a few days, instead of her coming to you as you learned she was travelling for work, the pair of you exchanged texts. All day long. Sometimes, all night long too. There was just… something about her that pulled you in. You were tired of resisting that. 

“So I see you tomorrow? I will pick you up. With, with flowers! Hasta mañana, cariño!” 

The excitement that radiated off of her as she scurried out of the shop, late for work, after you caved and took her up on her offer for dinner together was addictive. Her smile was a beautiful one, you’d come to realise, and you wanted to see it everyday whenever you could. Someone hadn’t shown this amount of interest you in… ever. You had hoped it’d be different this time around- surely she wouldn’t disappoint you like everyone else, you’d think. 

There was a brightly coloured bouquet in her arms when she met out outside the shop when your shift had finished. By that point, you’d known her for a number of months now, and as you ate dinner and talked, laughed, smiled, with her that evening over some of the best tapas you’d ever had, you felt bad that she had to wait so long.

You decided, there and then, you were going to be more proactive about your feelings which had been there since the first day she walked in. Repressing them was only preventing you from exploring something that could be your whole future. 

“I… I really want to kiss you goodnight. Can I kiss you?”

Never did you think that the beautiful blonde woman who showed up on a cloudy Sunday morning would be the one to make you break all the rules you’d made for yourself. They weren’t rules, really. They were insecurities you told yourself were rules, because you believed them so wholeheartedly that you never thought they’d be snapped in half by someone like her. Someone that started buying oversized clothes, trousers that were too long or suits with sleeves too loose for her liking, just so she could see you.

“You can kiss me goodnight, Ale.”

Takes one small mistake for a good thing to be ruined. 

You didn’t know exactly what she did for work. You knew she worked in the sports industry, but that was it. You never really asked in detail what she did, you didn’t want to talk about your job so when she said the same thing, who were you to deny her of that?

So, imagine your surprise, when you’re at your friend’s house, only to see Alexia on the TV, bowing in a stadium of almost one hundred thousand spectators that chanted her name. Alexia, the slightly shy and quietly confident woman that took any excuse to meet up with you, was someone else entirely.

“My job… it’s not that important. There are more, ah, interesting topics to talk about.”

That wasn’t the truth. She had lied to you, about her job, about who she really was. 

Even in the four walls of your friend’s home, the sheer amount of people began to make you feel overwhelmed. You’d never seen that many people in your life, nevermind in one place. But Alexia? It was just any other day at work, obviously. For you, it was just another day where someone you trusted turned around and betrayed you.

The night before, she kissed you for the first time. It was something you couldn’t ever forget, and the resentment towards yourself began to set in as you sat there on the sofa, watching this stranger run up and down the grass pitch, you far from her mind. From the colours she wore that matched the ones by the winning team by the scoreline in the top corner, she was doing well. And you were happy for her. 

You didn’t know a thing about football, and that was yet another thing to add to the list of differences between you both. Alexia, confident, controlled in everything she does, determined. You, lost in your life, lost in yourself, and unmotivated. 

“Can’t be worse than mine, right?”

That night, after you went home, hands shaking and chest heaving with short, panicked breaths as you walked, you turned your phone off. You didn’t want to hear from her, and you knew she would text you before she went to sleep. 

When you got into bed, you didn’t feel a thing. You lay on your back, eyes unmoving from the ceiling above, and simply sighed. All those months ago, you knew you should have stuck to your rules. Getting close to her and letting her in was the reason why you were hurting now, it was all your fault that you were left like this.

Yet, you didn’t feel a thing, in the end, you were just… numb. 

“Why did it take you so long to go on a date with me?”

This was something you were used to now, a dance you knew every step to. The end result was different, however, because it had happened so often that it never surprised you anymore. It had just been a matter of time. 

No tears were shed, no anger was held, there was nothing but emptiness. Every second since that first meeting on Christmas Eve had been taken up by Alexia, whether that was her physical presence in front of you or the daydreams in your mind. Now, there was only regret, as you thought over every moment with her. The feel of how her hand felt in yours was substituted with coldness, the same chill that encased your heart again. The taste of her lips, how soft they felt against yours, was something you got to experience once. This aftermath was worth that. Nothing could ever compare to it.

“I… I have a past. I don’t want history to repeat itself. I guess I was just… scared.” 

It was foolish to have admitted that to her. You didn’t intend to, it was more a moment of weakness. Her arms were around you, your back to her chest as you lay together on her couch in the comfortable darkness of her living room only a few nights before she kissed you. The admission was out in the open before you could stop it, and you hated the fact she had heard you say that and still continued to lie to you. You had no idea how the woman you thought she was could whisper her next words whilst keeping her own secret locked away.

“You don’t have to be scared with me. I would never hurt you. Lo prometo.”

After a sleepless night that was entertained by memories of you and the stranger you were in love with passing through your mind like a slideshow, you returned to work like nothing happened. You showed up even earlier than normal, a whole hour earlier, the sun only just beginning to peek over the horizon. The bell rang as you opened the door to the little hole-in-the-wall shop, the same one that became the anthem to Alexia’s arrival and departure whenever she paid you a visit. 

There were countless visits, each one a memory you could describe in detail, though there wasn’t any point in doing that, seeing as they’d just led to another broken promise.

You were knee-deep in repairing a zipper on some old lady’s favourite jacket when the bell rang again. Of course, your mind immediately jumped to her, but in reality it was probably just the owner. It was still another half hour before the shop opened.

“Perdoni? Estic buscant la…” You knew that voice anywhere.

She trailed off when you rounded the corner, and you gave no reaction whereas her eyebrows shot up, before falling straight back down as she sighed in relief. 

“Gràcies a déu. You are here.” Just like the first time, the way she spoke was ineffably soft. Though, there was an allure to it, like she knew something was wrong and she desperately wanted to fix it. 

“What are you doing here?” You asked in what could only be described as an insecure whisper. 

She took two steps towards the counter, the only physical object that separated you both, nevermind the recent events. 

“You did not text or call last night. And you look…” She shook her head and frowned, taking another step. “You look tired. And upset.”

That was one thing that had transpired in the time you spent with her, she came to read you surprisingly well. 

“You wear your heart on your sleeve. I'm not sure if you know that.”

Nobody ever truly knew you well enough to identify that. But to her, it was obvious.

“I am tired. I'm okay though.” You nodded. Alexia saw right through you.

“No, you're not. Something is wrong. Please, tell me. I want to know and I want you to feel better. If… if I have done something, I want to fix it.” The blonde said definitively.

What else did you have to lose? You'd already made peace with her being your past, it wasn’t like she could make your future any worse.

“You… lied to me, Alexia.” You stated quietly, averting your gaze to the scratched wood of the counter in front of you. The shop was silent for a few moments, and you knew all was said and done in terms of this… whatever it was between you both.

“I did? A-about what?” She asked, a tremor in her voice that did little to calm your racing heartbeat.

“Your job. I saw you on TV last night. You were on TV.” 

All the anxiety you felt at the idea of confrontation tripled when you saw the corner of her mouth twitch the tiniest bit. She found this whole thing funny. 

“I don't want to do thi-”

“I never lied. I really didn't lie.” Another step closer, her waist an inch from the counter. Her hand reached for yours that rested on it, but you pulled it away and moved back a bit. 

It was then that she realised how serious this was for you. 

“I just don't want you to lie to me, ever. About anything. And we'll be fine.”

Refraining from talking about her job, the thing that everyone overlooks her for as a human who wanted normal things, instead of the player that got harassed for signatures that'd be on the market minutes after she put the lid on her pen or the player that was expected to be perfect all the time, had caused all this. In her eyes, it wasn't a lie, but the minute you voiced your hurt, she recognised how it would have come across for you. 

“You did! You can't keep something like that a secret and expect me to be okay with it. How could you do this?” You could never get angry like everyone else could, never feel it normally. You had to let it consume you, to the point of tears. The first of this whole ordeal.

“I said it wasn't important, I never lied to you. I see now it is important, but you never asked me about it and I was relieved about that because everybody sees me as my job and you are the first person outside my family to see me as something more.” She rushed out, taking a deep breath afterwards to try and gain her composure back. It cracked once more when she saw how you tried to hide the fact you had to wipe some tears away, but she remained strong. “Last night, the partit, I know it seemed like a lot. But that is all it is. Just football. And as much as I love it, it was nice to not have to talk about it all day every day with you. You are a normal person, a beautiful and unique person, but… ugh, I do not know how to word it. I do not want to hurt you with what I say because I can't find the right words.”

Despite her frustrations, you sort of knew what she was saying. Judging by the importance of the game you saw yesterday, you could imagine that she never really got to leave the intensity of that with the people she was surrounded by and the fans that followed. 

You had a normal job, a normal daily routine. From the sounds of it, her life was far from normal. So, despite the current distance between you both, you sort of understood where she was coming from. You just didn't know what to say.

“I can see now that it was wrong to not tell you about something so big in my life. I will tell you everything you want to know. Everything. You can ask so many questions, I will not hide a thing from you.” She looked and sounded desperate for you to forgive her. 

If anyone held a gun to your head in that moment, you couldn't tell them how you felt. As a result of your uncertainty, the silence stretched on and on, only causing more of a gap. With every passing second, Alexia was consumed by dread. 

She should have been more considerate, more aware of how you felt and what you needed from her. Instead, she'd gotten tunnel vision on who she could be around you, rather than who you wanted her to be. That revelation made her sick, because there was no one to blame but her if this was something that couldn't be repaired.

“Do you… do you want me to go?” The Catalan questioned. 

There was nothing else you thought to do, other than nod.

“Okay.” Alexia said, frowning as she actually processed what she had just said. You saw the gloss in her eyes shine when she turned towards the door, and it tore your heart in two to see her leave.

When the bell rang as the door closed behind her, you knew instantly that you had made a mistake. You were stuck to your spot for a couple seconds, frozen at the decision you decided you loathed. 

Seeing her walk out wasn't right. Asking her to go wasn't right. She belonged in your future, and though the thought terrified you, you had no choice but to push out your comfort zone and do something for yourself for once.

With the force you opened the door with, you wouldn't be surprised if the poor bell above it broke. But she was there, just about to round the corner, her head bowed as she tried to leave as quickly as possible. Until you called her name. She turned on the spot, her face pinched in confusion as tears raced down her cheeks. There were matching ones on your own, though you let them fall freely, considering there were more important things on your mind.

Cautiously, Alexia began heading back towards you, unsure if that's what you wanted her to do. Then she saw the way your hands fidgeted and how nervous you seemed, and she sped up a little. 

She stood before you, her eyes already red, and you floundered for a moment, wondering how on earth you could come back from telling her to go. Instead, you took one of her hands, waiting for her to nod her permission for you to do so, and led her back inside the shop. The bell rang, again, and it echoed off of the walls until the pair of you were left in silence once more.

Your anxiety mirrored hers, both your futures riding on this moment. It was in your hands to decide what happened next.

“I… panicked.” You started, exhaling sharply afterwards, the truthful words a weight off your chest and making it easier for you to continue. “I got scared, and told myself you betrayed me, as a habit. Which I know you don't want to hear, that's not what anyone wants to hear from someone they're seeing, but it's something I do. Because people do it to me all the time and I'm tired of it. I feel like I was maybe waiting for you to do it, I expected it to happen at some point. Not because of who you are but who I am and what I've been through. So at the first sign of… whatever, I blew it up and turned it into something that it wasn't. I'm sorry.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for.” Alexia told you when you finished, her free hand taking yours and squeezing them both. “You cannot help being scared of something. And especially if it is something that has happened before. You panicked. You let your mind take you somewhere and got stuck in it, that is normal. It has happened to me before, it happens to everybody. But, look, we are talking about it and we are fixing it. Together. Because I want to be with you, it does not matter to me what habits you have, I want to be here to remind you I still want to be with you. I do want to be with you. Really do.” 

Everything she said then was exactly why you knew it was right to go after her. Why you should have let her in after months of her trying. You wished you trusted her earlier and accepted her advances the first time she asked, but if you did that, you wouldn’t have this moment here, where she was showing exactly who she was.

This woman in front of you, she was more than the footballer you saw on TV, and she was so much more than you first gave her credit for. Getting hurt by her not telling you about that portion of her life was unnecessary, because the person on the screen was endlessly talented and extraordinary, sure, but the person in front of you was who she really was. She had many sides and personas, but none of them were on show around you. No, she was Alexia. She was the woman you loved, the gentle and caring soul you had the privilege of knowing for the past months. She was your future.

“I want to be with you too. I’m scared by that, I think it might take a while for my anxiety to go, if you… if you’re fine with that.” At that, she smiled. Her soft, forgiving, welcoming smile that drew you in in the first place.

“I am fine with that. I will do anything, tell you anything, to remind you that I will be here and to make those anxieties go quiet. We will go at your speed from here, whatever you want and need. I just want you. Just want to be yours.” For some reason, you found yourself giggling quietly when she finished speaking. And like the first time she heard you laugh, she joined in with you. “What? I mean it.”

“I know. I know you do. I can’t really believe I found someone like you. Everything in the past seems worth it now that… now that you’re here. And you’re mine.” She frowned, unhappy at one of the things you said.

“It might seem worth it now, but that doesn’t mean you deserved it, cariño.” Her arms wrapped around you, bringing you in gently for a much needed embrace that quelled your worries indefinitely.

“I know. But we don’t need to think about that. I don’t… want to think about any of that anymore.” You admitted, to which Alexia instantly agreed with.

“We can swap those memories with better ones. Of us.” She chose to say, not wanting to dwell on the past that she didn’t know much about, and honestly thought it was better that she didn’t. To know what you’d been through before her would surely break her heart.

“I can’t wait to make memories with you.” You whispered quietly. She hummed in acknowledgement.

A smile grew on your face, and one grew on hers. Both relieved this miscommunication over, happy to be with each other (finally), and excited for the future together.

—

other fic is still in progress, this is something quick fun and short i had the inspo to write before a very long story comes your way soon!! thanks for reading :)🧡

[wassup-its-e]

Wynncraft OC Masterpost : 𝐸𝓁𝒾𝒶𝓈 𝑀𝒶𝓍𝒾𝑒

First thing first hes a walking corpse of a soldier, hes is dead, LONG dead now. 🪦🥀

♰ He is a Wynncraft OC and if you know what happened in Wynn you know why hes dead, if you don't im so sorry that man went through alot to explain the entirety of WYNN in this chatbox, in Wynn end game you get a choice to trade your life for a memory wipe and you wont have to suffer in this cruel world anymore so he traded his eyes and his memory to live a normal life again only to be another wandering lost soul in the void that is Lutho Silent Expanse.

♰ He have Very Very Bad Religious Trauma [POV God made you "the chosen one" so he can puts you through so much and God doesnt care about you whatsoever AND HE KILLED YOUR WIFE] He lost his friends he lost his wife he lost his life.

 ♰ He shipped with Lari [THE BEST CHARACTER EVER.] , theyre platonically married.......... Lari met Elias, The Lone Soldier who had wandered into her forest looking to her for assistance... 

♰ after many difficult trials together, after every obstacles that come in their way, after everything that shouldve broken them apart, they stayed together...

⋅────────────⊱༺ ♰ ༻⊰────────────⋅

Till death do us part.

Lari have been missing since ████████ , Elias is nowhere to be found.

⋅────────────⊱༺ ♰ ༻⊰────────────⋅

Ok actual things that isnt about him being dead

Lutho wandering souls have lost their colors when they stay, that is why hes grayscale

He should be 30 by now, we say by now because hes been dead for a whileeee

He is an Arcanist a class in wynn that are the Death bringer and the uncontrollable forces of Chaos, thats why hes so traumatized

The golden bracelets "Double Vision" was a gift from Lari before she ████████, it is made from The Light so it negated all of the Silent's Expanse forces thats why its the only thing with color left.

He holds the staff that is called The Arcanist Tome it is a book binded into magical wood, if use the Tome too much the user will experience a wave of intense overwhelming sensory amplification that will actively harm the user mentally, a Mana Overflow.

He doesnt originally have a name, since the Frumans wipes all of your memory they wiped his name too, The name you see on the character is name Lari gave to him and his last name Maxie was his only real friend, hes a John Doe

⋅────────────⊱༺ ♰ ༻⊰────────────⋅

please ask me about my OC i'll explode

⋅────────────⊱༺ ♰ ༻⊰────────────⋅

[commander-gloryforge]

OKAY HERE WE GO! this year i've created 13 characters which is normal and not a lot (seriously i created more last year)

Here are all 13 new characters!

Starting with NA:

Wynn Steelmade, Norn Engineer. She once discovered an old iron legion blueprint for a prosthetic arm when she just so happened to need one. Followed said blueprint and created a brand new arm that happened to set free the spirit of the original creator of the blueprint. now she's got a cat ghost in her arm!

Noura Mirrorblade, Human(?) Mesmer. Kind of a fave design wise. A masterful spy working for.... well... who is she working for, actually? She has many forms to infiltrate different groups and governments, and her human form is... assumed to be the real one. But who knows.

Adelaide Blackstone, Human Warrior. Lady Blackstone, childhood friend of Demmi Beetlestone, a noble human girl with a cruel fate. She was sacrificed by her White Mantle husband. Oh rip! She died! Then she came back. Worse. You know, because of bloodstone.

Kassii Heartburn, Asura Necromancer. A knight with no master. She roams alone for now.

Corvid Pyrevoice, Asura Elementalist. Designated badboy of a famous boyband, lyricist of the worlds most heterosexual songs. He doesn't do "emotions" or "gentleness" or "love" or anything like that. Looks at his bandmember in longing ways sometimes.

Zia Promisebreaker, Human Revenant. Another character inspired by a kpop song :) Part of a small cult, meant to be a future leader, she then started a rebellion and managed to escape, leaving her home and her friends behind. Will she go back for the sake of her loved ones or will he pretend to live in freedom?

Chroma Stormstrike, Charr Elementalist. I forgot their exact story but they're a flame legion escapee. god damn thats what i get for making ocs with vague ass lore that i never work out again. She's really cool though.

Nona Blightsoul, Charr Necromancer. YOU KNOW HER BABY! The commander of the pact. Ash Trash, Commander of Death, minion Champion of Aurene. My perfect girl. I love her. MWAH MWAH mmmwwwahhh.

Candeyn "Candy", Sylvari Engineer. I haven't talked about him yet but he's a ... uh.... valuable asset to the inquest. For sure. They don't just keep him as a pet because he's kinda unkillable slash moans when tortured. Don't mind that. Also he loves halloween :3

Miyeon Nightshade, Human Ranger. A former noble woman inspired by the crimes of a certain bloodsucking criminal, stabbed her arranged husband and ran away to start killing cops. There's a lorepost somewhere I've been wanting to make for her.

NOW to the EU characters, of which there are only a few this year:

Israa The Lone, Largos Thief. The fish :) Deep Sea largos that ran away from her house "for good" one too many times- They came back one last time to see that noone was left.

Mistwarrior Hala, Norn Guardian. Wow another character inspired by an Ateez song! She's been leading the mist wars for a while, fighting for what she considers to be right. Again and again and over and over again.

Glen Spectresun, Norn Thief. Another new commander, who is co commanders with my dear friend oasis :) Norn raised by Asura, with a sibling who 100% absolutely also is a Norn dont worry about that. Died and came back worse and died again and died again and died again and died again and died again and

I did this last year and it was pretty fun. So let's do it again.

Not that you need a reason to talk about your characters, but I know some people can be a little bit shy about holding their kids up to the sun and going "Look what I made!". Reblog and show off any characters you made this year. Tell us their story, why you made em, where they fit in to your Tyria!

<3

[truths33k3r4]

(Warnings for this chapter are at the bottom of the page to keep from giving away spoilers.)

CHAPTER 9 - Dreams of the Haunted

Raphael watched as Lotus finally stilled in Leo’s arms, her stuttered breaths and sniffles slowly descending into silence. Her panicked words twisted and pulled at his mind, deepening his growing concern for her. Frustration began building in his heart as he watched someone so frail and scared fight a horrific, inner battle.

And all he could do was watch.

It brought him no comfort that he was the one that possibly sparked such awful memories in the frightened girl. How she looked at him… It was as if he was the ghost inhabiting all of her nightmares. As if it were him that caused her to flail out of bed in sporadic jolts, wearing beads of sweat on her trembling brow.

 The familiar, sticky tentacles of guilt quickly slithered around his heart, constricting the limited air in his lungs, and filling his mind with useless reprimands.

You shoulda just left her to Leo.

It’s your fault she’s afraid all the time.

She’s scared of you.

Raph shook his head in an attempt to focus back to the matter at hand.

The “matter” that now laid limp in his oldest brother’s arms, softly sighing and nustling into his plastron. The fiery brother watched in silent adoration as Leo stroked the young girl’s shell, successfully calming her enough to make her fall back to sleep. Raph remembered seeing Leo do the same calming motion when they were kids, using it to settle a frightened youngest brother surrounded by darkness, or steady a stressed nerd with too much homework, or simmer down a heated temper with nowhere to go but out.

Raph had used it once or twice as well. The faint memory passed through his mind like a soft breeze as he remembered Leo’s shuttering body hidden fully in his shell after another nightmare. However awkward that night had begun, Raph still recalled it with a warm endearment, remembering all of his brothers combining forces to bring comfort to their newly titled “leader”. Yeah, it was cramped and full of mushy feelings and tears; Three things Raph himself normally hated more than Math homework, but it was all worth it to be there for Leo. 

It was all worth it to bring comfort to their comforter.

As Lotus let out one final, heavy exhale, Leo skillfully weaved out of her embrace, laying her down gently onto the pillow and carefully draping the blanket over her. She didn’t stir the slightest, seemingly sinking deeper and deeper into the cushion of the mattress and the grounding weight of the blanket. Leo sighed as he looked down at her, his shoulders and body falling as if another weight had landed atop them. Tenderly, he reached out and wiped away the last of her tears speckling her cheeks. 

And he wonders why he was the best pick for Team Medic. Stinkin’ show off.

As Leo pushed himself off the floor with a winced grunt, he patted the dirt and grime off his knees and legs. Raph’s eyes involuntarily widened at the dark patches of dirt littering his oldest brother’s body. Normally the brothers kept their room a bit more tidy than that, but…

…a lot had happened. And some things carried more priority than household chores. 

“Raph, come on!” Leo shout-whispered, knocking the fiery brother’s train of thought clean off its tracks. “She’s asleep. Let’s go.” 

Raph gave a slight nod and followed his brother into the hallway, the two siblings being as silent and swift as wind sweeping across snow.

 They walked side by side in the hall, remaining quiet even after they were far past the brothers’ bedroom. Raph couldn’t help but subtly peer his eyes across to Leo, gauging what was going through the leader’s head. It wasn’t abnormal for the eldest to go silent, far from it in fact. Especially after something big happening, Leo would normally not speak as he contemplated the next best course of action. This had actually formed into a problem when they were younger, with Raph and Don’s impatience being stretched to their limits as they had to just wait for their leader to find a solution without a single conversation being had. That had sparked many unneeded forest fires of fury between the twins and their leader. 

Raph couldn’t help but snicker to himself as he remembered how ticked off Don had gotten, spouting off facts and insults in tandem when he wasn’t kept in the know-how. 

“Raph- What was that?” Leo asked suspiciously as he turned his gaze towards the fiery brother. “... Why… are you laughing??” He asked with a slight tint of incredulous confusion in his tone.

With Leo’s frosty irises now locked onto him, Raph found it a little hard to open his mouth and make words come out. 

“Uh… I was…”

Just speak, it ain’t that hard!!

“...Um…”

Leo’s Mom Glare™ suddenly shot up to a “should I be worried??” expression.

JUST. FRIGGIN. TALK.

Raph forcefully rolled his shoulders to release some of the energy building in his body.

“Heheh I was… rememberin’ how ticked off Don got when you went quiet on our missions. You remember the crazy insults he called you?”

Leo’s interrogative gaze flickered and dissipated as he turned his face to the ceiling and sighed with a smile.

“Ahhh yes…” The eldest huffed as his grin grew in nostalgic amusement. “Dad caught him swearing so many times so he just decided to make up new insults…Ah man, which one had you and me cracking up that one time?”

“Ooof, dude. How could ya pick? There’s too many good ones HA!”

“... Was it “Lint Licker”? Or maybe “Shiitake Mushroom head”, HAHA!!!”

Hearing the past substituted insults ignited a warm, soothing flame to ignite in Raph’s heart, leaving him clutching his stomach with how hard he was now laughing alongside his brother.

“WAIT WAIT- HAHAHEEE- Do you remember the time he called you a “Mother Clucker”?! BROOO I couldn’t even breathe I was laughin’ so hard!!!”

“OH DANG- HAHA!!! I can’t believe I forgot that one!!!” Leo was now clutching at his side too, leaning his shell against the wall of the hallway for support as he cackled and sniffed away tears from his eyes. “Don was so mad his face was as red as your mask!!!”

Now Raph could barely breathe with how hard he was laughing.

“Heee… He just sat there- HAHA- With his arms crossed holdin’ his breath- HAHAHA!!! You were afraid he was gonna pass out!!”

“He almost did!!! You had to catch him!!!” Leo’s voice cracked and broke with the laughter erupting out of his throat. Without meaning to, some of his words shot to an extremely high pitch, only worsening Raph’s guffaws to the point where he collapsed to the floor, splayed out and pressing down onto his torso.

There the two brothers were, one propped against a wall, the other laying flat on the ground, laughing.

Despite all that they had been through.

Here they were.

Laughing.

As their chuckles petered out to sniffs and snickers, Leo pushed himself off the wall and walked up to Raph’s prone body. The eldest reached out his hand with a big, real smile gracing every inch of his face. Raph couldn’t help but return Leo’s kindness with his own grin, gratefully accepting his big brother’s hand and allowing himself to be helped off the floor.

“Come on…” Leo laughed again, gasping for air, “Let’s go check on the Clean Up Crew.”

Raph nodded with a knowing smile as the two continued down to the living room.

“MIKEY!!! DON!!” Raph called out with his hand cupping the side of his face. “WHERE YOU GUYS AT??” 

After being answered with silence, Leo and Raph ventured into the kitchen. Walking past the doorway, the first thing Raph noticed was the “used” trash bin propped near the sink. The second thing he noticed, or rather was SMACKED ACROSS THE FACE WITH, was the pungent smell of lavender fumes filling up the entire room. Both his and Leo’s eyes immediately sprung up with more tears as they began to flap their arms to wave out some of the potent aroma. It didn’t do much, and unfortunately, living in the sewers, there were no windows to open and let out the powerful scent. So they just stood there for a bit, waving their arms, until finally both of them gave up in between hacks and coughs and simply retreated to the couch instead.

Comparatively, hacking and choking on fumes was apparently a much more effective way to beckon for their little brother instead of just casually calling to him. 

“What the shell happened to you guys??” Mikey yelled as he ran through the lair’s entrance into the living room. He was out of breath and wearing far-too-big gloves on his hands.

“Us?? *COUGH COUGH*- What- a-about you?? WHY were you *HACK* up top?!” Leo sputtered indignantly as he turned his head to look at his thirteen year old brother that was apparently alone in the big, scary world that towered above them.

Raph chuckled as he watched Mikey roll his eyes and tsk at the eldest’s obvious concern.

“Leooo I’m fineeee. I literally just took out the trash, CHILL.” Mikey grumbled as he pulled off the oversized gloves from his fingers.

“I will NOT CHILL.” Leo retorted right back, now wearing his patented Mom Glare™ and speaking as if he were Mikey’s parent rather than his oldest sibling, “You, young mutant, are thirteen. You aren’t allowed up top by yourself, you know that.”

“Yeah~ I’m fully aware, Mom-o-nardo. But Don was busy trying to hold in his lunch, so I took care of it.” Mikey sluggishly declared, his words dripping with nonconchalance. “You’re welcome~.” He flicked his hands with the dramatic flair of a magician, tossing the gloves onto a nearby side table, effectively making them ‘disappear’ from his person. 

Raph let out a silent “Ooooh~” as he turned to see how Leo would react. And as always, the eldest did not disappoint.

“Do I need to tell Master Splinter of your little solo errand?” Leo asked in a tone that was as cold and sharp as an icicle’s tip. 

The youngest’s face fell immediately as Leo played his highest card:

“I’M GONNA TELL DAD.”

Classic oldest sib move, Raph thought to himself. Game set match.

With an offended pout only a youngest sibling could pull off, Mikey growled and stomped his way into the kitchen.

 He quickly regretted his decision.

Raph and Leo couldn’t help the satisfied grins crawling up their faces as they heard Mikey begin to cough violently, clapping his hands over his snout and hightailing it back into the living room. He unceremoniously crumpled to the floor in a hacking heap.

Raph leaned further into the couch cushions and rested his head over his crossed arms, while he watched his little brother writhe dramatically on the floor. With a quick glance, he saw that Leo was subtly checking if Mikey was actually okay or if he was just being dramatic. He obviously came to the same conclusion Raph did as the two oldest siblings sat back and watched, the smiles on their faces never leaving for a second.

“Yeah… seems Don did one shell of a job “decontaminating” the trash bin, huh lil bro?”

Mikey’s head lifted from the ground long enough for him to spit out, “I BET ASTRONAUTS COULD SMELL THAT.”

Leo shook his head as he rolled his eyes, allowing a faint smile to grow on his face. Raph couldn’t help but ask himself how long it had been since so much laughter and smiles had graced the rooms of his home. 

In order to keep the bright composure he was carrying on his face, he pushed aside that thought and just sat as he watched his brothers just be kids again.

. . .

Images flashed past Raphael’s eyes as his body was forcefully shoved through a long, grey hallway. Echoes of horrified and pained screams blared into his skull. Shadows peeled from the walls and engulfed him, slithering their arms into tight bands around his biceps and ankles. Despite the fear penetrating every cell of his body, his mind remained completely hollow, as if he didn’t carry enough strength to create a simple thought. 

The only voice that could be heard in his mind wasn’t his own.

It promised safety and warmth; an easy way out of this trap. Its gravely whispers poked and scratched inside his head, trying to tangle and pull apart any chords of willpower he had left. He could sense the bristling flame of his determination and spirit continue to flicker into nothing. With each seductive, hushed word, a vital part of his identity was extinguished, replaced with an empty husk of compliance.

He wanted to scream, to run, to fight. He longed to beat the shell out of the siren that continued to whisper and enchant his body to bend to its will. 

His mouth stayed shut. 

His legs remained still.

His hands hung limp at his sides, bristling the tipped edges of his sais.

Now watching as if a spectator in his own body, Raph’s legs began to move. They pressed forward with an unnatural uniformity, pulling him closer to a pair of doors leading into a frighteningly familiar room. Raph watched as a pair of crimson-tipped fingers unlocked the door, beckoning him to continue on his way inside. No matter how much Raph’s spirit bit and snarled and yanked, his body complied with the voice’s wishes.

His form climbed into a cushioned chair surrounded by heavy machinery littering every surface. The haunting shine of scalpels and saws glistened on trays set up near his head. His wrists and ankles were slid into metal cuffs as his body unnaturally relaxed into the reclining chair. Lights began flashing as the machinery around him began to glow in a sickly neon green.

“LET ME GO!!!”

Raph’s spirit froze at the sound of the new voice screeching at the doorway. It was a voice he could never forget; A voice of someone who drove him crazy, and pushed him to always do his best in everything he ever did. A scratchy tone that would sometimes pop into a high-pitched crack, leaving him dying laughing on the floor and dodging random office supplies being hurled at him.

His best friend.

“I SAID LET ME GO!!! WHERE’S MY BROTHER?” Don snarled as he was dragged into the room by two hulking jerks, twisting and yanking at the freckled mutant’s chains. He winced as they threw him into the similar chair positioned beside Raph.

NO!! PLEASE NO!!!

Raph’s pleads and screams never left his body’s lips. He could only watch as his twin was forced down into the chair, the two men not being gentle in the slightest as they tugged Don’s limbs through the cuffs with a loud *CLANG*.

“RAPH!!” Don yelled to the hollow husk of his twin in both concern and relief at the same time,”RAPH WAKE UP!! WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE!!!”

The fiery brother couldn’t look away as Don’s face fell when his twin didn’t even acknowledge his existence, nevermind his words.

“...R-Raph?... What did they do to you?!- WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM!!!” Don ignited in a furious explosion of raw, protective instincts as masked doctors began filling the room.

Even with Don’s kicking and screaming, clawing and biting, and choice vocabulary that would send his father into a coma, the doctors still swiftly worked around him, preparing the machine that menacingly hovered above the two twins. Nurses began attaching small, metal nodes onto the sides of the brothers’ temples; Don’s on the left, and Raph’s on the right. The freckled brother didn’t stop squirming and fighting for one second, using all his energy to somehow escape his binds. But Raph remained still, his mind fully possessed by the siren that dwelled inside.

With a small *click* the machine began to operate. Raph watched as his twin began to scream, not in protest, but in pain. His body twisted and jolted as if he were being impaled by a lightning bolt. 

NO! 

Raphael’s spirit began to burn. 

NO…

His anger blazed in an uncontrollable pyre.

I… WILL NOT… 

His body’s hand twitched.

..LET…

His placid face began to sneer and snarl.

YOU…

His eyes burst open.

HURT HIM!!!!!

His spirit lunged through its prison, disintegrating the coils of control the siren once possessed. The chords of his identity and soul found their purchase in the core of his mind, planting themselves deeply, and never allowing such intrusion again. With the fury of a lion and the love of a protector he screamed,

“GET AWAY FROM HIM!”

Electricity sparked and stuttered through him in an instant, coursing through every muscle and fiber. It pulled his limbs taut, causing a deep ache to ignite in his bones. His skull rang with loud static, and his body twitched uncontrollably.

His body.

He fought against his binds, shattering the metal into pieces.

The lights on the machine flashed and popped, spraying the surrounding doctors with shards of glass. The panels of the contraption began to shake, as the device rapidly began to overload. 

The room was swallowed by the following explosion, bathed in an iridescent, blinding white.

Raphael and Donatello gasped simultaneously as they shot up, flinging their blankets off their chests.

Sweat beads trickled down Raph’s face as he shuddered and snatched onto his blanket. His fingers pressed deeply into the fibers, cushioning his nails instead of allowing them to penetrate skin. The thick, warm feel of the fabric pulled him back from fantasy, and planted him firmly in reality.

I’m home…

I’m safe…

I’m okay…

He chanted these words over and over in his mind until a cool, slurring voice broke his concentration.

“Raph?... You a’right, man?” Leo groggily whispered from his place on the spare mattress in the middle of the room. In the darkness the eldest’s frosty irises glowed as they locked onto Raph. 

Before the fiery brother could turn away from his sibling’s concerned gaze, Leo was already pulling away his sheets and blanket, tidily folding them over the edge of his bed, before silently crossing the room to Raph’s bedside.

CRUD CRUD CRUD-

NO- SHOO- GO AWAY- NOT NOW-

Raph immediately turned over, flopping to face the wall of his nook away from Leo.

“-I-I’m fine, Leo. Go back ta bed.” He subtly hissed through his fangs, hoping and praying that he was not about to get a big ol’ talk about feelings from the oldest. 

“Yeahhh, I’m not gonna buy that.” Leo yawned as he sat down on the floor beside Raph’s mattress. “A fighter you are. An actor you’re not. Now what’s going on?”

“I said I’m fine.” Raph curtly mumbled into his blanket.

“Still don’t believe you, try again.” Leo sighed as he rubbed at his eyes.

“I SAID I’M FINE.” Raph finally snapped a little too loudly, twisting his body to face his oldest brother. 

Leo winced at the volume of his brother’s expected outburst, then simply shook his head with an unimpressed frown. But before he could say another word, his expression changed as he noticed something about his fiery brother’s face. His mouth parted minisculely as he reached out his hand. 

Raph’s temper and pride demanded he swat it away, but his curiosity and love for his brother won out against his stubbornness. He remained still as Leo’s hand softly landed on the side of Raphael’s face, rubbing something wet off it.

Oh crap I’m crying.

DANG IT NOW HE’S NEVER GONNA LEAVE…

The concern over Leo’s face softened slightly, as he asked again, in a firmer “I am the oldest but I’m also your leader” tone, 

“What’s going on?”

Once again, Raph was completely trapped. Not by a psycho scientist, or by some evil, government organization, but by his perfectionistic, calm, and deeply concerned oldest brother.

There was no way he was going to get out of this one…

And that's it for this chapter! :) You all have been begging to see more of what happened to Don and Raph at the labs, so I present to you a nightmare~. This chapter was certainly tricky to figure out at first- with so many different scenes compiled together, it was hard to keep a steady flow for my reader, but I'm really happy with how it turned out! :) AAAAnd yes, I did say that I would only draw one panel for each chapter, but I COULDN'T HELP ITTTTTT!!!

Feel free to reblog and share this!

BIG THANK YOU to @poetique823 for helping me and encouraging me through this chapter!

@writer-in-wonder, @allyheart707, @oddartistl3, @risebabyx2, @joyjoygorl, @carrots-bear, @howtotrainyourdragonprince, @jasminegazer, @indieyuugure

If you want to be tagged in the next chapter, please comment down below! :)

To God be the glory!

~ Melissa

(CW- Nightmares, past medical trauma, being held down, and mind control!!)

MASTERPOST <- PRIOR CHAPTER NEXT CHAPTER ->

[aishangotome]

Azel Radwan: Chapter 6 His Side Story

Chapter 6

Thank you @passthechloroform for providing the video for this chapter!

♡———♡

I tied that woman down with debt as a warning to the Rhodolite Knights, but that "God's infatuation" bit was just something I said in the heat of the moment. It wasn't part of the plan.

If I play my cards right, I can use the current political instability as an excuse to keep sending the woman to that old geezer and drive him crazy.

I never thought I'd instantly regret such a simple whim.

Azel: Hey...didn't I tell you not to betray me?

Emma: ...Yes.

Azel: You also said, "Consider it done," didn't you?

Emma: ... ... ...Yes.

Azel: Then let me ask you...

Azel: ...what is the meaning of this?

Emma: That's what I want to ask!

The woman before me is kneeling on the ground, desperately trying to catch her breath.

The faintly sweet scent that reaches my nostrils makes my discomfort grow. Even though I know she's a victim, my gaze involuntarily turns cold.

(...I can't believe she was drugged with an aphrodisiac so soon.)

*flashback*

High Priest: Emma, please pray sincerely for peace in the heart of our Living God.

High Priest: And that his body may be blessed by the moon.

*flashback over*

(Damn...I should have finished her off back then.)

(I thought it would be fine since Izzet was watching her, but I guess I was naive.)

My downfall was not paying enough attention to the woman.

I didn't care what happened to her, but—now that she's here in front of me, my conscience is stinging.

Azel: Any idea what happened?

(First, I need to find out how the aphrodisiac was administered. Everyone involved will be punished.)

Emma: Come to think of it...

Emma: Before I left...the maids prepared some perfume oil for me. Maybe that was it?

(Such a classic trick...)

Azel: Perfume oil is aphrodisiac 101. How could you fall for such an obvious trap?

Emma: ...! I never thought it would be in the perfume oil!

Emma: To begin with, I've never even seen an aphrodisiac, so I don't know what it's like...

Azel: Huh? You've never seen one in your life?

Emma: Of course not!

Azel: There are people like that?

(I always thought they were commonplace...)

Judging by the woman's reaction, it seems there's a difference in our understanding.

Gods possess vast knowledge, but they don't live amongst us mortals. So, sometimes they're not aware of common sense.

(Isn't it normal for women who've taken aphrodisiacs to appear before you at every opportunity?)

(...That geezer...)

Perhaps sensing something from my expression, the woman seemed to forget about the aphrodisiac and lowered her eyebrows with a look of pity.

Azel: Don't look at me like that, don't pity me. It makes me want to cry.

Emma: I-I'm sorry...

Emma: Um, is there, like, an antidote for this?

Azel: No. We just have to wait for it to wear off.

Azel: But luckily, it doesn't seem to be that strong.

(Compared to the women I've seen before, her symptoms are mild.)

(...Actually, it's too mild.)

Unlike the women who readily succumb and shamelessly flaunt their lust, this foreign girl seemed to be desperately resisting the effects of the aphrodisiac.

Azel: It's rare to find a woman who remains so unalluring even after being drugged.

Emma: That's just unnecessary commentary.

Azel: How straightforward.

(There are actually women who don't cling to me.)

(...My guilt is growing.)

The woman's misfortune is not only being slathered in aphrodisiac but also being dressed in harem clothing.

Her breasts and stomach are exposed, her flushed skin practically screaming with desire.

(...)

(Why isn't she saying anything?)

She has every right to curse me, to blame it all on me, to demand I do something.

But the woman just clutches at her flimsy clothes, furrowing her brow as if trying to tighten her loosened tear ducts.

(Even under the influence of an aphrodisiac, how can you be so...)

Belle of Rhodolite is said to be the most beautiful woman in the small country.

I was skeptical until I actually met her, but seeing her now, shouldering everything herself without blaming others, it all makes sense.

(I underestimated her, thinking she was just a strong-willed woman.)

(...You're actually an exceptionally kind person.)

Azel: ––...I feel bad about this.

Emma: ...? Did you just say––

(I can't just leave her like this, can I?)

As I roughly lift the woman who seems unable to stand, my ears are suddenly filled with noise.

Emma: W-wait...what are you doing!?

Azel: You're going to be attacked if we stay here. I'll...

Emma: Huh!?

Azel: I'll teach you how to deal with being drugged with an aphrodisiac...for a fee.

Ignoring the woman's blushing face, I begin to coldly calculate in my head.

(She said the aphrodisiac was administered through a maid, right?)

(The maid is obviously guilty, but so is the merchant who supplied her with the oil.)

(I'll have to make an example of them... It's time for a thorough purge, the likes of which they haven't seen in a long time. It's the only way to ensure they never lay a finger on God's favorite again.)

As I enter the temple, I glance to the side and my eyes meet Kamal's, who was melting into the shadows.

With a single glance, she vanishes, acknowledging my silent command.

(I had a change of clothes prepared for emergencies, but I was hoping I wouldn't have to use them.)

(...It's been a while since I've felt this guilty.)

.

.

.

Chapter 7

If you’d like to support my translations, feel free to buy me a coffee here! :)

[sykesandskittles]

CHAPTER 6

Noah

SHE’S HERE. I know she is.

I have spies all over this campus, and three of them reported seeing Harlow arrive at the party a half hour ago. The rest of my guys were already planning to attend, so I just tagged along. Normally, I wouldn’t fucking bother. All these sorority parties are the same–cheap booze, and beer pong. But there’s something brewing on campus, and until I know what it is, I’m keeping Harlow in my sight. She’s a means to an end that I can’t afford to lose.

We’re welcomed to the party with a roar of excitement, like always, but I don’t even hear it. The second I step over the threshold, I’m looking for Harlow , my gaze darting from face to face. But I don’t see her.

As my crew disburses, I reach out and stop a passing chick. “Hey, where’s Harlow Anderson?”

She’s only been on campus a few days, but most people already know who she is. She can thank me for that— though her gratitude needs a little work. I get the feeling she’d rather curse me than thank me.

But even without my help, she stands out. Harlow is one of those naturally beautiful girls—the kind that doesn’t wear makeup, doesn't make an effort,

and doesn’t know they’re pretty. She’s curvy, and I’m sure she thinks that makes her lesser than—but it couldn’t be farther from the truth. She‘s curved in all the right places, and seeing her in person fills in a lot of blanks. It helps me understand why what happened a year ago happened.

The chick blanches a little. “Uh, yeah, I think she’s somewhere over by the kitchen.”

With a nod, I wend through the crowd, shrugging people off as they slap me on the shoulder in greeting. I’m pissed. Harlow said she wasn’t going out, and yet, she’s here, at this fucking party.

She’s not by the kitchen, though, and I curse under my breath. This isn’t fucking cool. I can’t be seen wandering around this house like a sick puppy, looking for a chick. Women come to me. That’s how this usually works. But I’m learning Harlow isn’t a typical chick. And I don’t really know how to deal with that.

I finally find her outside, sitting on the beach with some other dude. I know everyone on this campus, but it’s dark, and I can’t see his face. Just the fact that she’s out here with a guy is so fucking disrespectful, I want to shove my fist through his face.

Everyone knows Harlow is mine.

But if this guy has been living under a rock somewhere, then he’ll find out soon enough what’s what.

Harlow and the guy are facing away, toward the ocean, when I walk up. “Harlow ,” I say, and they both turn their heads toward me. Now that I can

see his face, I recognize the guy. His name is Nathan, and he’s a new member of the Burning Crown. He was friends with my brother before he moved up north, and he’s a bit nerdy, but whatever, he’s chill.

“Noah,” Nathan says, hopping up onto his feet. He brushes the sand off his ass. “I was uh, just watching her for you. Making sure no one else approaches her.”

“Watching me? What the fuck?” Harlow pops up onto her feet as well, disgust flashing in her moss-green eyes. Then she turns that disgust in my direction. “You have people babysitting me?”

I cuff Nathan on the shoulder. I have no doubt he spotted her here at the party and decided to keep her occupied until I arrived. He’s been trying to curry favor with me since freshman year when my brother left.

“I’ll take it from here,” I tell Nathan.

With one last look at Harlow , Nathan scurries off. I turn back to Harlow and notice she’s a little unsteady on her feet. I snatch the red solo cup out of her hand and smell the contents.

Cheap whiskey.

“Hey!” she squeaks, lunging for the cup. I pull it out of the way, and she misses by a mile. “That’s mine. Get your own.”

I pour the contents of the cup onto the sand. “I think you’ve had enough. You’re already wasted.”

She stares down at the sand, where I just dumped her drink. “What the fuck? I wasn’t done with that!”

I toss the cup aside. It’s a private beach, and someone will come around in the morning to pick it up. “I told you to text me if you were coming to the party.”

“And? Just because you said it, doesn’t mean I have to do it,” she scoffs, swaying slightly. “You have some serious control issues, you know that?”

She doesn’t know the fucking half of it. I learned from a very young age that control is power, and power is a certainty. You can make things happen when you have power. You can make your reality whatever the fuck you want it to be—almost. There are a few painful exceptions to the rule, one of which I’m in the process of correcting as we speak.

I raise a brow. “After last night, I’d think you’d be a little more careful about where you go, and who you hang out with.”

She pinches her brows together. “I am being careful. I came with my roommate, and Talia is here…somewhere. I’m fine. I didn’t need you to swoop in and save me.” She says the last with a flourish of her arms.

I gather her against me, her soft curves forming into my body. I capture her chin between my thumb and the crook of my forefinger. “You do need me,” I say, my mouth just inches from hers. I’ve never taken a woman while she’s intoxicated, but I’m tempted to now. Just to show her who is in control. “And you will listen to me, even when your stubborn-as-fuck-brain tells you not to.”

This girl is the reason my entire world fell apart. I should be disgusted by the air she breathes. I should recoil at the thought of touching her. But fuck, these curves–they’re meant to tempt, to lure, to fucking entrap. And they do exactly that. She feels so good when she’s pressed up against me that I can almost forget what a horrible person she is.

Almost.

She shakes her head, the movement over-exaggerated. “Nope. I’ve never been a good listener. ”

I release her chin and smooth my hand over the tight globe of her ass, squeezing. My cock immediately stirs to life. “I’m going to change that.”

She laughs, like what I said was funny. “Yeah, I bet you’d like someone completely submissive to you. I’d put money on the fact that total control turns you on. You seem twisted like that.”

I clench my jaw, a tic pulsing in my cheek. She has no fucking idea how much I want to break her. To make her completely submissive to me. To make her pay for what she’s done.

And if I’m being honest, her submission will end up being easier for us both, because the truth is, I’m going to get my fucking way no matter the cost. That’s just how I roll.

To her credit, she doesn’t back down. “You may have this entire campus wrapped around your finger, Noah Rush, but I’m not so easily impressed.” A hiccup jolts her entire body. “And I won’t be owned by you.”

I narrow my eyes at her. I can tell she means what she says, and it rocks me a little. Because of my family, and the power we have on this campus, I’m not used to getting pushback from anyone–let alone a chick. They’re usually falling at my feet, poised and ready to make me happy. This resistance I’m getting from Harlow is foreign as fuck, and I’m not sure what to do with it—except do what I’ve always done.

Dominate.

I brush my lips over hers. “It’s far too late for that, Little Rabbit,” I say. “You’re already mine, and I’m going to make you feel it in every-fucking- way possible.”

If she thinks I’m walking away from this, just because she’s being difficult, then she’s got another thing coming.

----

Hey everyone,

I just wanted to take a moment to thank you all for your incredible support and patience with my latest chapter. Writing Noah's POV was a real challenge for me. It was tough to truly capture his thoughts and emotions in a way that felt authentic and compelling. But your encouragement kept me going, and I’m so grateful for each and every one of you.

Your love and feedback mean the world to me. I couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you for being such an amazing community. I love you all.

-----

@collisionofyourkissmakesitsohard

[gabessquishytum]

So I just thought about a Dreamling Avatar The Last Airbender AU. Dream was born in a highranking fire nation family (maybe even the royal family) and lived a fairly normal if secluded life, and of course he's been trained to perfection when it comes to firebending. Only, on his 16th birthday it turns out he's also the Avatar.

Dream is not a fan of that. He already feels useless despite his status in the fire nation and now he's the one who's supposed to bring the world balance? He can't even balance his own feelings. Even the greatest Avatars could never bring peace to the world for more than a few years (at best a few decades) in a row, how is he supposed to do that? But he knows he has no choice and so he goes on his journey to learn the other elements. And while he learns the elements to perfection as well, his journey just proves what he already knew: He's a mess and unfit to bring balance to anyone.

As he learned air bending, he fell in love with his teacher - the nun Nada. Unfortunately, while she loved him back, she decided to remain a nun and to follow her duties to her people rather than running away with Dream. Dream was so upset about it that he unintentionally burned her and left the temple in shame, not even checking if she was okay in his haste to get away. He's still ashamed of what he did back then and hasn't visited an air temple since.

He promised himself that the same would not happen again - and yet, as he went to the water tribe to study his next element, he fell head over heels in love again. This time with the daughter of the chief, Calliope. Their relationship started so well, too - both of them understood each other, knowing what it was like to grow up protected and secluded, as well as with many (annoying) siblings. They even discover a shared love for creating ice sculptures, sometimes spending their entire time together just one-upping each other in who can make the prettiest one of all. Dream is so certain of his love that he even carves a betrothel necklace for Calliope, who gladly accepts it. However, seeing this, her father and sisters give her a stern talking to, warning her that she shouldn't go through with it, maybe even having heared what Dream did to poor Nada and fearing that he might do the same to her. Calliope is disappointed by her family's lack of support, and even considers just running away with Dream anyway. But in the end, her loyalty will always be to her family and her tribe and so she hands the necklace back to Dream.

Dream, utterly heartbroken, done with this world, and continuing simply because he knows he has to (and what else is there to do, anyway?), goes to the earth kingdom to learn his final element. He's so tired of his heartache. In an effort to prevent the inevitable, he decides to look for a teacher who's all alone. A man. With no daughters or sisters or cousins or whoever else to fall in love with. Someone who will teach Dream to bend earth as quickly as possible so he can finally be done with this, go back home, and wait for the world to (hopefully never) call for his help.

Luckily, he stumbles across Hob. Hob is an amazing earth bender, if not a formally trained one, and he spends his life wandering all across the world on his own. He uses his bending for banditry to get by and otherwise just wants to see the world. He doesn't really have a goal, though originally he just wanted to get as far away as possible from the woman (Eleanor) who broke his heart. It's really a miracle Dream found him at all.

Despite earth not being his naturally opposing element, it's the one Dream struggles the most with. He supposes it's because of the needed mindset. Earthbenders are known to be proud, and Dream feels he has no reason to be. To bend earth you have to face the element, and while Dream doesn't exactly run away, it's less in a I'm standing my grounds against it way and more in a I don't care if I get smothered to death by this boulder way. Hob knows that this is not a good attitude to have while bending earth (or any other element, he suspects), so he forced Dream to take a break from learning the elements and tries to teach him how to enjoy life instead. He manages to fascinate Dream with all his stories, to get him to look at the world (if not yet humanity) with awe, and Dream even opens up about some of his trauma, trusting that Hob will be there for him.

And one day, as Dream watches his earth bending master train, shirtless and sweating, his hair in a messy bun, Dream realizes he's in love. And he's scared. This is not good. He's done this before, twice even, and this is going to be a catastrophy. Damn it, he chose Hob specifically to prevent this! Why can't he ever be normal?

He spirals so hard that he accidentily enters the Avatar state for the first time in his life. He feels endless power flowing through him, uncontrolled, and he has only one throught: He can't hurt Hob. He needs to get away.

In his condition, this thought is all he needs to basically catapult himself away, flying through the air at an incredible speed, looking for somewhere to hide. He lands on top of a mountain, at the entrance of a cave and collapses. By the time he wakes up again, and remembers what happened, he decides it's not worth it to get up again. He's only gonna hurt someone or get hurt himself anyway. And so he remains, lying on the entry to that cave, not even properly shielded against wind or rain, just staying in the fetal position for days. And that's how Hob finds him.

This is such a great idea, and I love the way you've described each of Dream’s experiences in his training!!! I could really visualise each one. I am also going to link the art you made for it here, because it's magnificent and I am low-key obsessed with Earthbender Hob!!!!

I love the idea of Hob laboriously climbing the mountain in search of Dream, utterly relieved to finally find him. He scoops Dream up and hugs him so tight, and Dream is so exhausted and emotionally drained he just sinks into it and whimpers. He's ashamed of himself for being so weak. But Hob doesn't see it as weakness, not at all. He's just so incredibly, deeply relieved. He promises Dream that everything will be okay. He also tells Dream that he loves him. He has absolutely no idea if Dream loves him back (Hob is not the most observant Earthbender in the world). He just wants Dream to know that he IS loved. He'll gladly carry Dream down the mountain and take care of him until he feels better. Hob thought that he'd be happy to be alone for the rest of his life, but it's not true - he wants to be with Dream. As friends or allies or something more, whatever he can get. He wants to be with his forever.

It's a miracle that Dream doesn't go into the Avatar state all over again. Fortunately he's too drained and tired to do anything but wrap his arms around Hob’s shoulders. He has no idea what the future might hold, but the knowledge that he can have Hob forever... that makes it all a little easier to deal with. He suddenly feels quite willing to save the world. Because suddenly, the world really does feel worth saving.

[selineram3421]

🎀

You're Off-key

Part 3

Part 2

Reader X Gravity Falls

Warnings ⚠

⚠ everyone is aged up, cussing, American healthcare, Ford being weird, Italics= thoughts ⚠

Hours had passed and Mabel wanted to know everything about you, her "new friend."

You told her your favorite color, desserts, movies, and so on. She had questions about questions and even more questions. It was almost never ending.

Thankfully her twin distracted her by talking about the other board games that you might be able to play.

"Or we could play a card game?", Dipper suggests.

"I am willing but I will have you know that I am terrible at card games.", you say as the two help you to a spare room upstairs. "Is it good or bad that I'm feeling a little light headed as we go up?"

"Aaand we should sit you down. Soon.", one of the two panics.

Mabel thinks it's a little funny. "How does it feel? Like you're floating or like you're weightless?"

"What's the difference!?", her twin asks as they both get you to sit down in the extra room.

"There is a difference.", you confirm as you lean back on the chair. "Floating is like back and forth, you feel it in waves, while being weightless is like you're in a void, nothing is weighing you down."

"....", the two stare at you as they try to process how you know that.

"Did they have Smile Dip?"

You wake up somewhat early, that being the ass crack of dawn and see a glass of water on the table nearby.

Sitting up to take a sip from the glass, you find a weird headset on your head and follow the wires, only to find Ford holding a little calculator like monitor at the end of it.

"Don't mind me, just reading your vitals and brain waves."

"AAAAAAAH-!"

You knew that Ford had a few screws loose but he was taking things too far. Even Stan gave him a good whack after rushing up the stairs with a bat.

Though, you did know it would happen, it was still kinda creepy.

"Even though it is great to be curious and have the need for knowledge, Great Uncle Ford must be put in time out.", Marble declared during breakfast. "You crossed a lot of boundaries."

"What is the normal amount of boundaries that are allowed to be crossed?", Ford asked.

"None.", Dipper said.

"Look, I can understand that you wanted to check up on me but with such treatment, it feels more like I'm a test subject than a patient.", you speak up. "Also, maybe you want to wait till I'm conscious to do tests like that. You'll most likely get better results."

"Better results how?", the older man asks.

"I'm awake to answer questions is how.", you say. "Also, I need copies of whatever you got from that scan."

⯅

"I call driving to the clinic!", Mabel says.

You and Dipper glance at each other a little worriedly.

"Ten bucks says you can't make it without pointing out cute dogs on the way.", you bet suddenly.

"Twenty for cats.", Dipper adds in.

"I'll take that bet!", she says and grabs the keys. "To the golf cart!"

A quick drive, some disco music, and a quiet Mabel, you all make it to the little clinic and check yourself in.

While waiting (for whatever reason), you look around and find an opossum playing dead near the blue couch you were sitting on. Mabel was trying to pet it and Dipper was pushing her hand away.

"No, stop! We don't know if it has rabies!", he whispered.

"Opossums are actually least likely to have rabies.", you say while reading some magazine titles on the book rack to your left.

"Ha!", Mabel laughs and pets the opossum.

Someone calls out your name and you head over. A quick scan, a questionnaire, and the doc tells you to take it easy for a few days.

"So.. you're telling me something I already knew to do?", you say.

"Yes!"

With a deadpan stare, you walk out of the clinic upset.

"The American healthcare system!", you shout. "WHAT A JOKE!"

"What happened?", Dipper asked.

"Did you get magical powers!?", Mabel asks.

"No. I got common sense told back to me.", you say with a sigh. "Let's run so I don't have to pay anything."

"You got it!", Mabel says and tosses the keys to Dipper. "Shotgun!", she runs off.

Thanks to that, which was nothing, all of you made it back to the Mystery Shack and you went straight to Ford.

Who was downstairs in the bunker lab.

"Ok old man, I need to know what that scan said and how to take care of my injuries. Please."

Ford was doing...something and gestured at the papers on his desk.

"Of course, the papers are over there. Just give me a minute."

Picking up the scan from the desk, you saw a bunch of zigzag lines and some notes on the side. The writing was a little hard to read but you managed to make some stuff out.

"Can't understand the static? What the heck is this?", you keep reading the almost illegible notes. "I'm just going to take a nap.", you decide. "Or read a book."

I don't want to know. You thought tiredly.

As you left, you didn't notice that Ford hid the scan papers in a folder.

*hides* Now I shall sleep.

~Seline, the person.

Part 4

Taglist@

@diffidentphantom @sleep-7372 @boredwithlifeatthispoint @mspurpl3 @gxstiess @lynkolnevans @fries11 @paastaboi @the-monochrome-jester @staygold162 @geckodarla @klwrites @alias-sam @eddwardtheseventhspacewizard @agreatcheesecakestudentstuff @+?

GF List🏞 | YO-🎹

[merrybloomwrites]

It's Just a Game, But Really

Summary: When your brother starts dating Taylor Swift, you figure your wild dreams of dating Harry Styles are now definitely crushed. But some meddling from Jason, Travis, and Taylor may make some dreams come true after all.

Word Count: 3K

AN: This idea randomly popped into my head months ago and I couldn't get it out until I fully wrote it. I feel like this falls into the category of "Crack treated seriously" lol

Also, I understand this is niche, but as an Eagles fan (pls don't come for me) I've watched the entire Travis/Taylor relationship unfold and just thought this would be silly. Writing Jason and Travis was pretty fun too since I've been listening to their podcast for years and it was a cool challenge to write in their voices

Finally, I took creative liberty here and while I normally try to keep details as close to reality as possible, I've changed some things. So the Packers vs Eagles game that happened in Brazil now takes place in philly, and the Chiefs game on Christmas is now against Baltimore so it would be plausible to have the dinner scene in PA. None of this actually matters, this is fiction lol

Title from "So High School" by Taylor Swift

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

Growing up with two athletic brothers had been quite an experience. Hundreds of hours were spent at sporting events, often bundled up to watch them play ice hockey or attend the late season football games. In your family, it was important that everyone supported each other.

It went the other way as well. Your brothers attended every spring concert, theater performance, and dance recital you were in. They were your biggest fans, always cheering you on and bringing flowers to give you.

They also took time to learn about your interests. Instead of getting annoyed when Taylor Swift’s music would play through the house, they started listening.

Especially Travis.

He liked the music, and thought she seemed pretty cool. He didn’t admit it, but you guessed that maybe he had a bit of a celebrity crush on her.

Life continued to change as your brothers left for college, then moved to different cities when they got signed to two different NFL teams. You missed them, but it was great seeing them succeed.

Jason and Travis still made time for family, even when Jason got married and started a family of his own. You and Kylie became friends right away, and you immediately loved having another girl in the family. You couldn’t wait for it to be Travis’s turn to find someone. But preferably not through his dating show.

When Taylor Swift announced her Eras Tour, you desperately wanted to go. So you were highly disappointed when you weren’t able to get tickets.

And then Travis surprised you with tickets to her show in Kansas City. By this point you had moved in with Jason and Kylie near Philly, but Travis assured you that he’d take care of all the travel logistics to get you to the concert.

You flew in the night before, getting to spend the day with your brother before heading to the stadium. It was weird to be there for a concert, having attended numerous games there before. It was cool to see how it was transformed into something almost unrecognizable.

Being there with Travis meant getting to be seated with a great view in a cordoned off section. It also meant Chiefs fans coming close to the barrier to talk to him before the show. Watching your brother trade friendship bracelets with these people was a strange moment, one you never would have imagined happening.

Through all that, there was one bracelet he had that you noticed he wouldn’t trade. Taking a closer glance you see what’s written on it and give him a confused look.

“Travis, what in the world is this?” you ask.

“Friendship bracelet,” he answers simply, dodging your true question.

“Obviously. But why is your number on here? Who is this for?”

He laughs nervously but before you can press it further another fan comes up to say hi. You can’t help but wonder what his plan is for that bracelet, even though you have a pretty good idea who its intended recipient is.

The concert begins and you have a wonderful time, dancing and singing along, Travis just as excited beside you. As it ends, Travis speaks with one of the staff members, looking slightly disappointed but not too bothered. Once again you’re left wondering what that was all about.

It’s a couple weeks later and you’re listening to the latest episode of Travis and Jason’s podcast when they bring up Travis attending the concert. Sure enough, he confirms he was trying to get that bracelet with his number to Taylor, and you have to commend him on his creativity and optimism.

What you don’t expect is for Taylor to find out about that and get in touch with Travis. Now a year later, your brother is in a happy, committed relationship with Taylor Swift. She’s come to family dinners, you’ve been next to her during Chiefs games, and she’s made it so you could come to a number of concerts on her tour. You cannot believe that this has become your life. And you have to give your brother credit for his powers of manifestation.

One afternoon you’re hanging in the living room while Jason records the podcast in the basement. He calls out for you and you go down to see what’s going on.

He hands you a set of headphones so you can hear Travis as well, and fills you in on the topic.

“So,” Jason begins. “Fans are starting to give you credit for Travis and Taylor getting together. Do you think that’s fair to say?”

You laugh for a moment that this is why you’re called to speak on what should be a sports podcast, before answering, “I think that’s fair. I mean, he did the work but I would say my childhood Swiftie obsession planted the seed.”

Travis replies, “You don’t think I would have found out about her on my own?”

“Oh you totally would have. But I got the ball rolling ages ago. Timing is everything, what if you’d been too late?”

“Alright, I’ll give you that. We can say you had a hand in this.”

“So that means you owe me,” you say.

Jason chimes in, “Yea Trav, your turn to manifest for Y/N.”

“You want me to manifest a boyfriend for our little sister?” Travis questions.

“Oh, right, wait, don’t actually do that. I forgot, Y/N’s not allowed to date until she’s forty,” Jason says, leading you to roll your eyes at his overprotectiveness.

“Ok, but if I were to try, who would it be? Y/N, who’s your celebrity crush?” Travis asks.

There’s no way you’re answering that on camera, especially with who the answer actually is. You clench your teeth and lift your eyebrows before cheekily saying, “Oh, no, I cannot answer that on the pod. That’s uhm. That’d be messy.” You then shrug and laugh, trying to play all of this off as a bit.

While Travis tries to dig and get you to answer, it clicks for Jason and he says, “Wait, I think I know who it is. Is it, uhm-”

“Don’t you dare say anything!” you exclaim to shut him up.

“Alright, alright. I won’t spill your secrets.”

“Well at least tell it to me later,” Travis says, to which you reply, “Absolutely not. I’m afraid you may actually try to meddle.”

“Who, me? No way,” he replies only to be met with an unimpressed look from you.

The boys drop the subject and you head back upstairs as they finally talk about football again.

You assume that they’ve moved on, and you’re happy when they don’t bring up your celebrity crush again.

You’re even happier when Jason tells you he’s taking you to the season opener Eagles vs Packers game in Philly. You’re super excited to be able to experience an Eagles game alongside your brother. You’re also glad you can be there for him in case it’s hard for him to watch them play without him for the first time since his retirement.

What you’re unaware of is the plan that Jason and Travis had made behind your back.

“So now you’re on board with trying to set up our little sister?” Jason had questioned during a phone call a couple weeks prior.

“Yes. And I have a way of making it happen,” Travis had answered.

“And you want me to help Y/N meet and potentially date a popstar who happens to be your girlfriend's ex-boyfriend?”

“Yes.”

“And he’s a Packers fan?”

“Yea, that is the unfortunate part. And you’re not really helping them date. That’s all on them. But you could at least help her meet him at the game.”

“This is ridiculous,” Jason says. “But I’ll do it.”

And that’s how you find yourself walking through the tunnels of the Linc with Jason before the start of the game and bumping into Harry Styles.

“Hello, I’m Harry,” he says cheerfully, holding a hand out for you to shake.

Mustering up all of your chill, you smile in return while reaching out to clasp his hand and say, “I’m Y/N. It’s so nice to meet you, I’m a big fan.”

“Well, thank you for your support,” he says.

“You kids want a picture?” There are few times you want to kill your brother, but him butting in while you’re talking to Harry Styles is definitely one of them.

“That’s alright,” you say, trying not to impose on Harry too much. So you’re surprised when Harry says, “Of course, let’s get a photo!”

You stand next to him, and his arm wraps around your shoulder and you hope your expression doesn’t show how crazy fast your heart is beating while Jason takes the picture.

“It was so nice meeting you both, I’ll see you around!” Harry says as he walks away.

Before Jason can begin to tease you, you say, “Don’t even say a word.”

He listens to you and instead just laughs as you keep walking.

After some quick hellos to the stadium staff, you’re led up to a box.

“I thought we just had seats today?” You question.

“We did. But when I was talking to Mark he said we got upgraded.”

When you step into the box you’re once again surprised by the presence of Harry Styles.

“Okay, we are definitely in the wrong place,” you murmur to your brother.

“Oh good, you guys found us!” Harry says. You look to see who he’s talking to and get shocked to see it’s you and Jason. “There were some open spots so I asked if you two could join us,” he explains.

“Wow, thank you!” You manage to squeak out.

Suddenly you’re realizing what is about to happen. A four minute encounter in the hallway? Easy. An entire three hour football game? There’s no way you make it through without embarrassing yourself.

And yet, halftime comes and you’ve so far managed not to make a fool of yourself. In fact, you’re even impressed by your witty banter as the Eagles and Packers go back and forth taking the lead.

“So, I read about these botanical gardens nearby,” Harry says.

“Longwood?” You ask.

“Yea, have you ever been?”

“A couple times. I went with Jason, Kylie, and the kids earlier this summer. They’re really nice. If you’re thinking about going, I highly recommend.”

“I actually got a couple tickets for the fountain show tomorrow night. I was wondering if you’d like to go with me.”

Quickly processing that Harry is asking you to hang out with him, possibly go on a date with him, you reply, “I’d love to!”

“Fantastic! I can pick you up in the afternoon?”

“Sounds good to me, thank you.”

You exchange phone numbers and give Harry your address, still in disbelief that all of this is actually happening.

The game resumes, and as the Eagles make their comeback you can’t help but cheer and get wrapped up in the game. And even as Harry’s team starts losing, he still stays happy and continues to joke around with you.

When the game ends and the Eagles fans celebrate, you say to Harry, “I hope this doesn’t affect us hanging out tomorrow.”

“Not a chance, in fact I think that will cheer me up,” he says with a smile.

“Hey Y/N, I’ve gotta go talk to a couple people. You hanging here or coming with me?” Of course, there’s your brother interrupting again. And while you’d rather stay with Harry, you don't really want to be separated from Jason in the post-game chaos. So you say goodbye to Harry with the promise to see him the next day.

On your way back home you put up with the teasing from your brother.

You beg him to be on his best behavior when Harry picks you up the next day.

You know he won’t.

So it’s no surprise that he gives Harry “the talk”, telling him that if he hurts you at all then he’ll have to face two NFL players.

You’re hanging in the living room with Kylie and the kids while this happens, and when the two boys come back Kylie asks,”He wasn’t too scary, was he?”

“No,” Harry replies. “Just scary enough I’d say. Shall we get going?” He addresses this last question to you and you agree, more than happy to get out of the house before Jason takes his big brother role too seriously.

When Harry drives away he lets out a deep breath and you say, “You good?”

“Yea, just- Your brother is scary.”

You start to laugh at the fact that Jason managed to actually shake up Harry Styles. But you decide to help him out by saying, “He seems scary, but it’s mostly all talk. Unless you do something to hurt me. Then you should be scared.”

“Oh I feel so much better,” he says, laughing along now.

The two of you have a wonderful time together at the gardens, especially since Harry manages to somehow fly under the radar. The fountain show is fascinating, and you stand together, Harry’s arm around your waist sending butterflies through your belly.

It’s late when you get home, and he walks you to the door like a gentleman.

When he asks if he can kiss you, of course you say yes. He leans in for a soft kiss before saying goodnight, not leaving until you’ve made it safely inside.

Jason is waiting up for you, and as you tell him about your night you watch his gruff exterior fade away. He looks truly pleased by all you have to report and you’re glad that he seems to approve of Harry.

For the next couple of months, it all goes well. Your relationship with Harry flourishes. You get to see him more than expected since he starts working out of a studio in NYC, only two hours away from where you are.

There is one mild bump in the road, occurring on a Friday evening when Jason and Kylie are supposed to be out at a party with the girls.

You’d been planning on a quiet night home alone. But then Harry had surprised you by showing up at your front door, a bouquet of flowers in hand.

One thing led to another, and before you know it you’re both on the couch. You’re straddling his lap, his hands sliding under your shirt as the two of you make out.

As much as Harry had surprised you, Jason surprises you even more by suddenly coming home and walking right into the living room.

Harry notices him first, and in an effort to save this interaction he pushes you off of him, luckily managing to shift you to the open spot next to him on the couch.

There’s a moment of oppressively awkward silence as Jason stares at the two of you, speechless. Without saying a word he walks to the mud room and grabs the diaper bag that had clearly been left behind earlier.

As he passes through the room to leave he says, “You are adults. Just- don’t be stupid. There are enough kids in this house already.”

Without waiting for a reply he leaves the house. After another moment you and Harry break into nervous laughter.

The mood is pretty much ruined but you still have a nice night watching a movie together. Harry stays with you but has to leave at lunchtime the next day.

That afternoon Jason knocks on your bedroom door, asking if he can talk for a minute.

“Sure, what’s up?” You say, not expecting the conversation that follows.

“I just wanted to ask how things are going between you and Harry,” he says.

“Oh! Good! Yea, things are going well. I really like him,” you answer.

“And you’re being safe?”

“Oh my god, Jason! We are not having this conversation,” you say as your cheeks warm at the implication.

“Well you’re living in my house, I just, you know. I feel responsible for your well being.”

“I’m safe. Very safe. You don’t have to worry.” You hope your words will convince him to drop the topic.

“And you trust him? Cause I mean, he’s a big time Popstar. Bet he’s broken a fair number of hearts before.”

You find yourself needing to defend Harry and ask, “Have you had this conversation with Travis about Taylor?”

“Fair point,” he concedes. “I just don’t want you getting hurt. You’re sure about him?”

“I am.”

“Okay then. That’s what matters. I’m only looking out for you.”

“I know. But Harry and I are happy. I promise.”

With that smoothed over, the next few weeks continue drama free.

And then comes Christmas.

Due to scheduling, Harry had yet to meet Travis. You’ve talked to your brother about him, and you know Travis has talked about all of this with Taylor. So while you’ve been told that it’s no big deal that your boyfriend and your brother’s girlfriend are exes, you’re still a bit nervous for Christmas dinner.

It’s a late meal, since you have to wait for Travis to get there after the Chiefs vs Ravens game, and you spend the afternoon entertaining your nieces and helping prepare the food.

Finally Travis and Taylor arrive, and for a moment you can’t help but feel self conscious. The room is full of NFL players and international pop stars. You excuse yourself to the kitchen for a moment to collect yourself. When you walk back to the living room, Harry greets you with the biggest smile, and those feelings of self doubt melt away. Because those big accomplishments and accolades aren’t what matter to him. What he cares about is how kind you are, how fun and loving you are. He wraps an arm around your shoulders, pressing a kiss to your head and you blush knowing your whole family is watching.

But looking up at them you see nothing but support. Your mom is practically glowing seeing all her children with their significant others, and quickly organizes a family picture.

It takes some time to get all three of the little girls to cooperate, and by the time the photo is taken, dinner is ready.

There is something surreal at seeing Harry and Taylor pass the potatoes or bread basket, never having imagined this is how your life would turn out.

But that night, as you all agree to break the internet by posting the family picture, you know you wouldn’t want it any other way.

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

AN: I wrote the first half of this as the Eagles lost to the Commanders, thus breaking a 10 game win streak soooo that was a bummer.

I wrote the ending after watching the Eagles beat the Cowboys, so at least that turned back around!

I think this may be the silliest thing I’ve ever written.

[curlsblade]

Curly tossed and turned, his blanket tangled around his legs. His mind was alive with thoughts of Ponyboy. He had dreamed about him earlier—his soft laugh, the way he’d smiled when they made eye contact in church, that tiny smile that made Curly’s heart flutter in a way he couldn’t explain.

In the dream, they were in a park, just the two of them, sitting on the grass in the late afternoon sun. Ponyboy had his head leaning against Curly’s shoulder, his breath soft against the skin of his neck, and everything felt so… right. So normal. They didn’t have to hide anything, didn’t have to pretend they were anything other than what they were—just two people, existing in the same space, enjoying each other’s company.

Curly’s heart clenched in his chest as he thought about it. He had woken up just as he’d leaned in to kiss Ponyboy, and the feeling still lingered, like something between a memory and a dream.

It felt so real. So close.

But then, the sound of muffled voices from the hallway pulled him from his thoughts. He frowned, glancing toward the door. It wasn’t unusual for someone to be awake in the house—Tim, maybe, or one of his brothers. But these voices were different. He could hear Angela’s unmistakable voice, and it sounded like she was on the phone.

Curly groaned and rolled over in bed, but then Angela’s words filtered into his thoughts.

“Yeah, Ponyboy Curtis is so cute,” she was saying, her voice carrying through the thin walls. “He’s different, you know? He’s not like the other Greasers. He’s… he’s just so sweet. I think he might even like me. We talk sometimes at school.”

Curly’s chest tightened, and his heart started to race.

Ponyboy? Angela?

Curly clenched his fists under the covers, trying not to let his mind go to that place. He tried to push the thoughts away, tried to ignore how the idea of Ponyboy with Angela made him feel like something was twisting inside him. But no matter how hard he tried, it wouldn’t go away.

Angela kept talking, oblivious to the effect her words were having on Curly. “I mean, he might not know how I feel yet, but I think it’s kind of obvious. He’s been looking at me more lately. I don’t know… maybe he just hasn’t worked up the nerve to say anything, but I’ll wait for him to make the first move.”

Curly squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the thoughts of Ponyboy, smiling at Angela, his soft eyes lighting up the way they always did when he talked to someone.

The thought of Ponyboy with someone else made him feel… strange. He didn’t like it. He didn’t want it.

And yet, he had no right to be upset. He wasn’t dating Ponyboy. They hadn’t even had a real conversation about what was happening between them, let alone anything more. So why was it so hard to ignore the idea of Angela, with her perfect smile and her delicate hair, getting closer to the one person Curly was too scared to talk to?

He rolled over in bed again, burying his face in the pillow. He felt like an idiot. He’d been dreaming about Ponyboy all night, picturing him the way he always did, like they were something more than just two guys who crossed paths in a town full of misunderstandings.

But now, hearing Angela’s voice, it hit him. Maybe Ponyboy didn’t feel the same way. Maybe he was just being friendly, just being nice, and Curly had read it all wrong. Maybe Ponyboy never even thought about him the way Curly thought about him.

His chest tightened at the thought.

The sound of Angela’s voice faded as she hung up, and for a long moment, Curly lay there, staring up at the ceiling, unsure of what to do with all the thoughts swirling in his head.

Maybe the way he stared at Ponyboy, the way his heart had pounded when their eyes met, had made it clear that he cared more than he should.

But it wasn’t like he could just tell Ponyboy.

Not when they weren’t even really anything yet.

The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth, but as he finally drifted into an uneasy sleep, the image of Ponyboy smiling at him lingered in his mind. It was the one thing that kept him grounded, even as everything else felt like it was slipping out of his reach.

[suratan-zir]

Okay, you wanna hear a real horror story related to the blackouts? I wasn’t going to tell it, but it’s been a few months now, and my initial shock has passed.

Autumn. It was a dark evening, long blackouts, chilly in the room, with a candle as the only light source. We were watching a movie on the laptop, and we brought the rats with us onto the couch to keep them warmer. As my husband was taking them out of the cage, he left the lower cage door open. It’s a fairly large cage ("Savic Royal Suite") that opens fully on the front side.

I had recently put a big blanket in the lower half of the cage for them to play in and stay warm.

As the movie ended, my husband put the rats back into their cage, closed it, and we went to sleep, still in the darkness. In the night, through my sleep, I thought I heard some faint meowing, but our cats often meow for no reason, so it didn’t fully wake me up.

I didn’t have anywhere to be that morning, so I stayed in bed for a while. When I finally woke up, the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was my cat INSIDE the rat cage. It was only a second, but I had so many thoughts running through my mind, one scarier than the other. Nightmare.

I knew she probably wouldn’t be able to kill the rats, even if she wanted to - Remi is an older cat and a rescue, she has almost no teeth left. She’s also never wanted anything to do with the rats. What had happened was that she got into the cage through the open lower door to get warm, fell asleep in the blanket, and, as it was dark, was locked in there without us noticing.

Our cats never interact with the rats in any way, they aren’t even allowed to stand too close to the cage. They don’t look at it, sniff it, or anything. Naturally, rats are terrified of cats.

My biggest fear was that the rats would die of a heart attack from the stress. I jumped out of bed, got the cat out, and immediately looked for my boys. They were in different hides, stiff with fear, but alive and uninjured. It took them about two days and a lot of treats to be completely back to normal.

We never leave the door open again.

It breaks my heart to think that they had to sit there for hours, terrified - all because we didn’t see the cat in the darkness. I felt like the worst rat owner in the whole world, even though it technically wasn’t my fault.

Anyway, everything is fine now. There’s your scary story about the darkness, cold, and a cat in the rat blanket.

[strawberryshortcake1495]

Dipper and Mabel’s designs in Wild Pines AU :3 (+fun facts)

1: The first thing you’re probably wondering is what the hell happens to Bill??? Well the whole portal situation happens but somehow through strategic planning and the power of brotherhood Ford agreed to open the portal but he and Stan captured Bill in a small prism once he went through. As soon as he was captured, Stan wanted to kill the little bastard but Ford decided a better fate. The boys decided to use the triangle as a power source for the Stan O’ War, creating a complex set of machinery that would continuously drain Bill’s power to use for the ship until returning it to him at night in bursts of strength that quickly go away and the cycle starts all over again. So in short, little Billy isn’t having a good time. The grunkles keep Bill’s existence a secret from the twins + Soos and Wendy. Surely that won’t have any lasting consequences, right?

2: And what happened to Fiddleford? Well, this timeline is built off the Monster Hunter Pines AU by @/doctorsiren as a means of a backstory and there, Fidds used to work with the Pines brothers alongside his wife Emma-May who was a badass mom who loved her family. But the portal test still happens and everyone was wearing their APS (acronym for the power suits) and when Fidds went through the portal, the electricity in the suit intertwined with the interdimensional energy and the poor hillbilly got electrocuted and fucking died. After the incident, Emma-May left the monster hunter force with little Tate, forever hating Ford because he killed her husband. Now Fiddleford haunts the Stan O’ War as a ghost and is still mad that Stan and Ford didn’t immediately kill Bill as soon as he was captured.

3: Speaking of Emma-May, she takes the role of Paisley in this AU. Tate’s the butcher guy (I forgot his name), The Northwest family is Donita Donata, and I was originally planning for Bill to be Zach but I decided Gideon fitted the role better. He still has a crush on Mabel but she hates him for mistreating her anomaly friends. Emma-May and Tate both despise Gideon, Preston, and Priscilla but they hate Ford more so they’re willing to team up with them to achieve their goals. They don’t actually wanna hurt the anomalies but they still don’t really like them because it reminds them of Fiddleford. They also think quite fondly of the twins, it’s just Stan and Ford they don’t like (Ford because he obviously killed Fiddleford and Stan because he supposedly “defended” him which isn’t true at all).

4: Stan and Ford’s designs are basically them on the canon Stan O’ War (y’know with the beanie and all that) but Stan still has his mullet from 30 years ago (embarassiiiiiiing).

5: All the other kids are their Monster Falls forms in this AU. This includes Candy, Grenda, Robbie, and all the other teenagers. The Pines + Wendy, Soos, and Pacifica are the only normal people here.

6: Dipper doesn’t wear his hat in this AU because it kept falling off during missions and Stan got tired of having to buy new hats for him all the time.

7: The Stan O’ War is always traveling around the world looking for anomalies, but it always returns to Gravity Falls at the end of the day. The ship hovers over the forest, ready to fly away when Ford detects a new anomaly somewhere in the world. The only time the Stan O’ War has landed was when Dipper and Mabel first walked into it for the first time. They don’t have to worry about gas bc…well, y’know why.

8: Also Stan is a werewolf in this AU because he’s one in the Monster Hunter Pines AU and I wanna stay timeline-accurate. He only transforms at night and he’s already got used to his family’s faces so he’s totally docile but the first night the twins were living in the Stan O’ War…oh boy.

[heartsandstars46]

First Christmas

Bf tasm!Peter x fem reader

Reader is stuck spending the holiday with her family, until Peter comes along and creates a special place for their first Christmas.

Some angst (family drama/pressure, feelings of unworthiness and loneliness, parents being disappointing) + fluffy comfort from Peter 🩷

Word count: 1.2k

(Thank you to everyone who voted! 🩷 All of the poll choices ended up in this one lol.)

If you’d been allowed to choose, you would have stayed in the city and spent Christmas with Peter. It was, after all, your first Christmas dating. Instead, due to the unwritten rule that everyone needs to be miserable during the holidays, you were with your family. They didn’t even know Peter existed, and normally, you were fine with that. Once you moved into the city, you felt less and less inclined to open your life up to them.

But you were second-guessing that decision now that you were alone in your childhood bedroom on Christmas Eve. Peter wasn’t answering your texts, which wasn’t exactly unusual for 11:30 at night. He had planned to visit Aunt May and now was probably out saving someone’s life, or at least their holiday. You wished he would come and save you. You felt claustrophobic standing in this time capsule devoted to the girl you used to be, when you’d had no choice but to live in the shadow of your sisters.

You stretched out on your old twin bed and felt tears slipping down your cheeks. Maybe you’d get lucky and cry yourself to sleep. Then, all you’d have to do was get through Christmas and you could go back into the city… back to Peter. 

Your bed started buzzing and your heart leapt. You fumbled your phone out of your pocket.

“Oh, thank god!”

Peter was laughing on the other end of the phone. “Hi.” But his voice kind of echoed….

You crawled out of bed and rushed to the window, and there he was. You flung open the window and practically yanked him inside. 

“Oh my god, am I happy to see you!” You said, throwing your arms around him.

“I would have been here sooner, but I wanted to wait for Aunt May to go to bed. Hey, whoa, what’s wrong? Are you okay?”

You hugged him tight and pressed your cheek against his chest. “So much better now. Wait, so you were planning on showing up here this whole time?”

“That was my hope. One of the perks of the web shooters, baby,” he said, firing an imaginary web at you, like a dork. “Knowing you can get anywhere at any time. Not having to worry about train schedules and taxis and doorbells and unhappy parents who don’t want you showing up looking for their daughter at 11:30 at night.” He smiled. “The web shooters are really revolutionary. I mean, forget apprehending criminals and all that, they just make sneaking into your girlfriend’s room so much easier.” He grinned down at you, you giggled up at him.

“I have never loved dating a science nerd more than at this very moment.”

“Aww!” He kissed your forehead. “So what’s wrong? What happened?”

You sighed. “Nothing, really. Nothing I shouldn’t have seen coming. I’ll just never be as brilliant as my sister the doctor, or as accomplished as my other sister, the professor and mom. ‘When are you going to stop working at that little newspaper and get a real job, honey? You’re so full of potential.’ Oh wait, I’m sorry, ‘were.’ She said, ‘You ‘were’ so full of potential.’” You looked at Peter and then flung yourself on the bed. “That’s my mom—always the best leading actress in a drama.”

Then you bolted upright. “I’m sorry, wow, that was really insensitive. At least I have my parents, like, my god.“ 

Peter sat down next to you, and you touched his cheek apologetically.

“Yeah, but what good is having your parents if they talk shit about you?” Peter shook his head angrily. “So don’t be sorry. I never really considered that my parents would actively tear me down. I was too young to know that was a possibility when they left. They just loved me. Until they didn’t.”

You squeezed his hand. “I know when this has come up before, we’ve talked about them leaving to protect you, and that being a form of love.”

He sighed. “Yeah, I know.”

You looked him in the eye. “But fuck that. They missed out on knowing their amazing, kind, genius of a son, and that is their loss. They are worse off for it.”

He smiled and kissed your hand. “Well, I don’t know what your mom’s deal is, but I know that her daughter is brilliant and gorgeous and funny, and that my life has only gotten better since the day she walked into that ‘little’ newspaper office.”

Your heart did a little flip. “Oh, here.” You scooted over to almost the edge of the bed so he would have room to lie down too.

“Thank you. Tight squeeze, huh? So this is your childhood bedroom?”

“It sure is.”

He looked around and took in the various academic certificates, trophies, and medals. “You’ve got a lot of hardware in here, girl!”

You smiled sadly. “Yeah. It’s amazing what awards can do when you have no self-esteem on your own.” You snuggled up to him and he held you, intermittently kissing the top of your head. “I wish I had a secret hiding place we could go to, to get away from all this stuff, but we’ll never fit in my tiny closet.”

Peter stared at the ceiling, and a smile began to form on his lips. “How would you feel about a canopy?”

“A canopy?”

“Yeah. Can I try something?”

“Sure, go right ahead.”

He squinted at the ceiling above your bed like he was doing equations in his mind, and then he began firing webs until he’d created a web canopy over your bed.  You laughed in amazement and delight.

“Is that okay?”

“It’s the second best Christmas present I’ve gotten—after you showing up here, of course.” You rolled over so you could kiss him, and you lay your head on his chest. “This is the Christmas I wanted,” you whispered. “Just you and me. And, bonus, a protective shield to keep everyone else out!”

Peter laughed. “Well, good. So you gave your parents the Christmas they wanted by coming home, and now you get the Christmas you wanted.”

You sighed. “I can’t wait till the whole holiday gets to be ‘the Christmas I wanted.’”

“We’ll get there.”

“We will?”

“Well, yeah. I’ll make sure of it.” He smiled and kissed you. 

The grandfather clock in your living room started chiming, and you jumped slightly in Peter’s arms. 

“Yikes, I don’t miss that old thing!” You said. “But, on the plus side, it’s officially our first Christmas now.”

You shared several kisses, then Peter asked, “Heyyy, your family doesn’t get up at like 6 AM to open gifts, do they?”

“No, but I can’t make any promises about my niece and nephew.”

“Hmm. Well, even so, I could still stay here for a few hours, if you want.”

You smiled, pulling back the covers so you could both shimmy under them. “I would love that.”

You rolled onto your side, now facing away from Peter, and he wrapped his arms around you and nestled into your back. You loved being held by him so protectively, especially under your secret canopy. The fact that you didn’t have to be someone else or do anything special to become worthy of his love was a year-round gift.

The next morning, you had a hazy memory of being kissed and then rolling over onto Peter’s empty but warm side of the bed. You couldn’t wait to get back into the city that night and jump into his arms again.

[room-of-lies]

putting how i draw miley next to a more canon compliant drawing of her is so funny

[kyouka-supremacy]

(˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)

[pilonciillo]

lol didn’t think someone giving money would give me anxiety