#shes on the brink of a mental breakdown

[lollytea]

this is completely unprompted by anything specific but i just wanted to say i love how you characterize/interpret Willow. she's been my favourite character in TOH for a long time but i couldn't articulate exactly why and you just. GET IT. she's smart she's a silly billy she's kind she's full of anger she's full of love for the people in her life she's a jock she's fairycore she's learning to love herself she has a deranged crush on Hunter. i see your vision i understand you.

YIPPEEE

[widevibratobitch]

omw to play emotional support for my mom disguised as ✨fun family bonding time✨ for the rest of the week <3333 there's something so deeply wrong with me uwu teehee

[tryingmybestrogen]

Susan taxpayer

ur first and last recent emojis are ur gender now. mine is 🅱👨‍❤‍💋‍👨

[p0orbaby]

Parental Guidance

summary: you’re on the brink of a baby induced nervous breakdown and you need your wife to pull her finger out a little

warnings: just some postnatal tension, but it all works out

a/n: thank you for the request !

word count: 1.2k

-

You’re pretty sure you haven’t slept in three days. Or is it four? The baby’s a demon. This tiny, adorable, 8-pound entity that seems to thrive on your misery. His cries have melded into a never-ending soundtrack of despair, punctuated by your own hollow attempts at soothing him with a song that you made up on the spot about 48 hours ago and now can’t stop singing. It’s called “Please, for the Love of All That is Good and Holy, Sleep.”

You used to be a person. You had interests, hobbies. You read books that didn’t have the words “Goodnight” and “Moon” in the title. You once watched entire movies from start to finish without interruptions. You’re pretty sure you used to smile, and not the deranged, Joker-esque grin you’ve developed from trying to maintain your sanity while walking a screaming infant around the house at 2 a.m.

And where is your darling wife, Alexia, in all this? Nowhere to be found. Well, she’s at work, technically. Which, fine. Someone has to pay the bills, but wasn’t there some kind of brochure about shared responsibility? Maybe she’s left it in her locker, along with her soul. You barely remember what she looks like at this point. You could pass her in the hallway and just nod politely, like she’s the postman.

You’re doing your best. Really, you are. But the situation is like trying to fill a bath with a teaspoon. And maybe you’re filling the bath wrong. Maybe the bath is cursed. You’ve tried everything—rocking, singing, automatic bouncers, and some baby yoga thing that some well-meaning Instagram mum swore by but mostly just made you realise how tight your hamstrings are.

Last night, you were so desperate, you found yourself Googling “Can babies drink Nyquil?” You didn’t actually give it to him, of course, but the fact that you even considered it is telling. Your maternal instincts have been reduced to the level of a sleep-deprived zombie.

You call Alexia. She picks up after the third ring. You can hear the echo of her voice, so you know she’s in one of those soundproof meeting rooms, which would be useful for something other than work right now, like, say, your mental breakdown.

“How’s it going?” she asks, with a tone that implies she has absolutely no idea how it’s going.

“Oh, fine,” you say, with the kind of deadpan delivery that would get a standing ovation on a late-night comedy show. “The baby’s great. He’s taken up wailing as a full-time job. He’s really passionate about it, you know? Very dedicated. I think he’s trying to set a record”

You hear her exhale softly. “I’m sorry, bebè. It’s just i'm in the middle of some media stuff—”

“No, no,” you cut her off. “By all means, finish giving your opinions on that new stadium or whatever. I’m sure our baby will appreciate it when he’s, I don’t know, 18 and actually sleeping. Maybe he’ll get a job there. Or just stand outside and scream, since that seems to be his true calling”

There’s a pause on the other end. Not a comfortable pause. The kind of pause that suggests she’s realising you might not be entirely okay. The baby shrieks louder, and you realise you’re bouncing him up and down like he’s a basketball and you’re trying to make a buzzer-beater shot.

“I’ll be home soon,” Alexia says finally, her voice softer.

“Define ‘soon,’” you counter, adjusting your grip on the baby before he launches himself out of your arms and catapults into a new dimension where babies don’t need sleep. “Is it ‘soon’ like in 20 minutes, or ‘soon’ like in three hours when I’ve lost the will to live?”

Another pause, this one even worse. You’re pretty sure you can hear her wincing through the phone.

“An hour?” she offers weakly, and you let out a laugh that’s halfway between genuine and maniacal.

“Perfect,” you say. “I’ll just go cry in the airing cupboard until then. The baby and I have matching dark circles under our eyes now, so that’s fun. Maybe we’ll start a band”

You hang up before she can respond, not trusting yourself to say anything else. You’re exhausted, stretched thin, and the fact that your wife isn’t here to witness the madness is only making things worse. You know she’s working hard, that she’s doing her best, but in this moment, it feels like you’re on a sinking ship and she’s on shore, waving at you from a distance.

An hour later, when she finally walks through the door, you’re sitting in the middle of the living room floor, surrounded by a sea of baby toys, burp cloths, and what you think might be some sort of baby vomit, though at this point, who really knows?

You look up at her, and she looks back at you, and there’s a brief moment where you’re pretty sure she’s about to turn around and walk right back out the door.

Instead, she says, “I brought wine”

You blink at her, then at the bottle of wine in her hand. It’s a good bottle, too. The kind you used to drink before you had a baby and your definition of “good wine” became “whatever has the highest alcohol content and is closest to the till”

“Great,” you say, pushing yourself up off the floor with a grunt. “Let’s get the baby drunk”

She gives you a tired smile, but you can see the worry behind it. “Cariño…”

“No, it’s fine,” you say, holding up a hand. “It’s totally fine. I’m just saying, if we give him some wine, maybe he’ll sleep. Or at least pass out for a little bit. We can all get some rest. Or die. Either one sounds good at this point”

She sighs, setting the bottle down on the coffee table and coming over to you. She takes the baby from your arms, and you’re almost tempted to just collapse on the spot. Instead, you let yourself lean against her, just for a moment, just long enough to remember what it feels like to be supported by another human being.

“I’m sorry,” she says, and you can hear the guilt in her voice. “I know this is hard. I’ll try to be here more”

You nod, but you’re too tired to respond with words. Instead, you just rest your head on her shoulder and close your eyes, savouring the brief reprieve from the bedlam.

“Do you think he’s broken?” you mumble after a while. “Like, did we get a defective baby?”

Alexia chuckles softly, pressing a kiss to your temple. “No, he’s not broken. He’s just…expressive”

“Expressive,” you repeat, nodding slowly. “Right. So we got the model with all the extra emotions. Great”

“Extra emotions,” Alexia echoes, her tone lightening. “Maybe that means he’ll be a really good artist someday”

“Or he’ll just be really good at screaming,” you say, lifting your head to look at her. “You know, for someone who’s supposed to be on a team, you’ve been doing a lot of solo missions lately”

“I know,” she says softly, her eyes meeting yours. “I’m sorry. I’ll do better”

You let out a long breath, feeling the tension between you, and your shoulder, start to ease. “Okay. But if he screams one more time tonight, we’re selling him to the circus”

“Got it,” Alexia says with a smile, and for the first time in days, you feel like maybe, just maybe, you’re not going through this alone.

[lalunanymph]

MARRY THE TRAITOR ; gojo satoru

⟡ the day you met your demise is the same day you met gojo satoru, your betrothed from a world so different from yours—a cruel prince who is undoubtedly in love with someone else. as the stakes rise and you race against the clock to beat your brutal fate, can you make the ultimate choice between your heart or your happily ever after?

includes: mentions of food, mentions of murder, talks of death, predator/prey dynamic, sword to neck trope, reader gets restrained, mentions of injuries, arranged marriage, enemies to lovers, unrequited love, slow burn, yandere!gojo, prince!gojo, princess!reader, reader is referred to as 'cerena', princess cerena has pink hair and feminine features, reader is in cerena's body, isekai-ed reader

⟡ masterlist

ACT 1, SCENE 3: THE VILLAGE

Life at this little village offered you a gentle respite from the fears eating at your soul, putting the memory of Satoru's bloodthirsty desires momentarily out of your mind.

Whilst under Aeva’s care, you learned how to use an old fire stove, sweep the floors with a broom made of brambles, and prepare some of Northern Haleway’s most famous fare—pigeon mince pies. 

In return, she offered you the room in her attic, a quaint, cozy space that did not perturb you with its lack of size but instead, reminded you fondly of your own bedroom back in your real world. 

When you weren’t busy with chores and cooking, Aeva gave you free rein to roam about the village with the condition that you were to never reveal your true identity to the poor villagers. You took her worries in stride, always leaving her home with your hood and cloak on; Cerena’s signature pink hair plaited neatly and wrapped under the scratchy hood. 

The reason for your excursions to town were simple: you wanted to find out the truth about why you were here in the first place. 

You struck up conversations with various healers, visited the village shaman, and even spent an hour talking to the friendly barman on the merits of body swapping and waking up in a different life. 

But, your research barely yielded anything fruitful.

It only served to increase your worries, driving you to the brink of a mental breakdown at the fact that you may never go back to your real world again. 

That you may never see your mother or listen to her laugh as you both drank rice wine on a veranda; happy memories illuminated by the sun setting over the paddy fields. You may never roll your eyes at your best friend’s piss poor attempts at setting you up on blind dates, or enjoy your morning commute with a cup of turmeric latte.

Every single thought drew you deeper into a pit of despair.

But, you knew you had to be strong. 

This was a temporary setback and you have to believe that you will return home. You have to believe that life would not be so cruel as to leave you stranded here, in a place where you were despised and ridiculed. You had to keep the faith; had to hold onto the hope that you would make it home in one piece. 

There was no other option. 

-

Satoru slowed his horse to a trot once he arrived in the market square, the guards flanking his sides dispersing to find you at his terse nod. 

Those unyielding blue eyes swept across the square, noting the various sellers and stalls surrounding him. The smell of horse dung and rotten food scraps burned through his nose with the force of a thousand fires, and he made a face, wanting nothing more than to get this search party over, find you and take you back to the King. 

For a man used to the trenches of war, peasant life will always astound him with its stink and squalor. Children with dirt-packed faces and blackened hands chase after each other. A skinny, malnourished dog feebly lifts its head when his horse trots by and a heavily pregnant woman with scars running down her arms gives him a scrutinizing look while she hangs up her linens to dry. 

Satoru intended to keep this visit brief, and he is no more looking forward to the reality of finding you than he is at the thought of how you would react.

It was obvious that this was one of your usual tantrums in retaliation for not getting what you want; an act of rebellion made to paint him in a bad light.

His jaw ticks and his mood darkens at the thought of what he would do if he ever saw you again.

First things first, Satoru wouldn’t hesitate to threaten you by sword point to return back to the castle. Then, he will interrogate you on where you had been, who you spoke to, how you escaped in the first place so he can put anyone and everyone who aided you in this resistance to the sword.

Those flinty cerulean eyes shift across the market square, hoping to find a glimpse of the hooded and cloaked figure Miri had informed him about. But, all his gaze does is meet more exhausted faces; the villager’s blackened, fatigued air drawing his lips downward into a grimace. 

He was close to redirecting the search party into the forest where he believed you would be hiding, when he sees the figure of his hunt.

A waifish, hooded and cloaked woman made her way past the fruit stalls, stopping to purchase an apple.

Satoru doesn’t spare another second. He threw his horse into a gallop, reaching for his sword and drawing it out of the scabbard.

The hooded woman seemed to sense his murderous intent for her all the way across the square and lifted her head.

Satoru’s eyes widened when he noticed the familiar slope of your nose; the parting of your cherubic lips frozen in a silent scream. 

“Cerena!” 

The blasted woman takes off, running as fast as she could straight to the forest’s edge. Satoru doesn’t know what compelled him to disembark off his horse, hastily tying the reins around an apple tree and tearing after you with his longer, stronger legs.

Your terrified expression seared through his brain when you turn around to flash him a pleading look. Satoru gritted his teeth, his larger lung capacity and fitter body making it easier for him to sweep past the trees, darting under the brushes and jumping over fallen logs to chase after you.

There is nothing but the thought of escape in your mind. 

As you weaved through the trees, bounding across brooks and fell logs, your breath came out in icy pants, crystalizing right in front of your face. 

You wanted to turn around and plead and beg with him to spare you, the sight of the broadsword in his hand pumping your veins full of adrenaline and the need to escape. Like a hounded prey, the predator behind you was closing in, near enough that you could hear his jagged breaths.

“Cerena—stop running!” 

You pushed yourself harder, ignoring his words, forcing your legs to bring you towards a gnarly apple tree. Using muscles you haven’t utilized since you were four when you were wildly swinging from jungle bars, you expertly swung your body up the tree, clambering the thick trunk and using the spruces as your support—trying to get off the ground and hide in the foliage so he would give up and leave you alone.

But, luck was never on your side, especially when it came head-to-head with Satoru’s determination.

He circled the tree you were hiding in, those frantic blue eyes darting through the thick leaves, trying to get a glimpse of you.

“Cerena, stop this madness at once and come back home!” Satoru bellowed, cheeks splotched red with anger and frustration. “You mad woman! Get down and face your repercussions, dammit!” 

A slight movement from the corner of your eye catches your attention, and you rush to unleash your dagger, cutting through the stem of the hornet’s nest just a few inches from you.

Sensing danger, they hummed, digging their stingers into your vulnerable hand, but you paid the bites of pain no mind—focused completely on evading Satoru.

The prince’s keen ears catch a rustle, like the sound of something being sawed and he looks up into the trees, jaw clenched and icy blue eyes wild.

“Cerena! What are you doing up there? Come down, dammit!” 

Without warning, a lump of something brown and scraggly falls right at his feet.

Satoru barely had time to react before he’s surrounded by a swarm of nasty wasps, stinger-triggered and ready to attack him. The sight of him swinging his broadsword to ward off the wasps would’ve been hilarious, if you didn’t use this as an opportunity to scamper down the apple tree and take off like your life depended on it. 

“—Cerena!” 

Your stomach sank to your feet as you quickly whipped your head back to catch him speeding up to you, the mottled flesh of his face from the wasp stings and those raging blue eyes shocking you through the core with pure, unadulterated fear. 

“Please!” 

You screamed, needing to run back to Aeva’s hut. She will protect you; she has to. 

Sliding into the clearing, you’re almost to the home run when you feel a hard tug around your neck. Your head jerks back and you go crashing to the ground, Satoru’s bigger body enveloping yours. 

“No—no!”

The shine of his sword nicks your neck, and you’re both breathing hard. 

Satoru’s fiery icy azure eyes bore right into you with such potent hatred, you throw your hands to your face, bracing for the blade to slice through your neck hotly. 

One second turned into two. His heavy breathing becomes a grunt, and he yanks you unceremoniously to your feet. 

His arm tightened around your trembling body, face a few inches from yours as he sneered. 

“You will pay for what you did to me.” Those reddened lesions from the wasps littering his neck and cheeks strike terror into your numbed heart. 

“If only you hadn’t ran away from me,” he clicked his tongue as if in disappointment, and to your mortification, brought out a coil of rope from his jacket. “Then, your punishment would not be so severe.” 

A hushed sob slips from between your gritted teeth as he lashed your hands together with the rope, tying it tightly enough so you wouldn’t think of running away from him again.

“Please,” you started to cry. “Please, do not hurt me. Do not harm me.”

He grunted, looping the tie into a double knot. “What in the devil are you blubbering about, woman? I have no intention of hurting you.”

Your tears trickled your cheeks like fragments of icy shards, slipping down your neck as you attempted to resist, pressing your bound palms to his broad chest and trying to push him away.

Satoru growled: “Cerena! Behave.” 

The flash of disgust and anger in his eyes instantly brought to mind how he had held the sword to your bare neck—how he had wanted to kill you. 

Terror seized your lungs, your scream shattering the calm quiet of the forest.

“Help me! Somebody help me! Please!” 

You sobbed loudly and with full abandonment, balking whenever he tried to reach out for you, batting your useless hands against his chest and neck to try and buy yourself some time for someone to help.

In the midst of the struggle with Satoru, you missed a wizened figure stepping out of the hut, her bow and arrow pointed right at the crowned prince.

Gojo, noticing the intruder in this scene, raised his eyes, sneering at the lowly woman who dared believe she can take him on with a flimsy weapon.

“You dare point that at me? The crowned prince of the region?” 

Aeva steadied her aim, the tip of the arrow quivering. The expression on her face was of fierce protectiveness, surging from seeing you being manhandled like a sack of potatoes by a man who was supposed to honor you as his fiancé.

For a brief moment, you felt a shining sense of hope—that you were going to be safe. 

But, he does not yield. Despite not saying a word, his frigid glare is all the loathing he needs to dissuade Aeva from releasing the arrow. Her rheumy eyes shifted from your tear-streaked face to his furious glare and to your dismay, she slowly lowered the weapon, letting it dangle by her side.

Your gasp rang with betrayal and alarm. “Aeva… please…”

Smug that he was let off without much of a fight, Gojo used his raw strength to lift you over his shoulder, your bound hands dangling across his back, your slippered feet kicking in mid-air.

“Please! Don’t let him harm me! Aeva! Aeva—” you choke off a broken sob, unable to bear her devastated expression through your tears. 

With every jarring step he took, you get further and further away from the safe house; from finding your answers and plotting your return back to your world.

Satoru didn't just tear your hopes of returning home from your hands, he also stomped them to the ground with the impending dread of his promise to Miri.

The promise to kill you should he see you again.

Crippling agony washed over you, enough to make you bitterly wail, your cries weaving through the trees as fearful images of your mangled body flashed through your mind, the end of your life brought about by this cruel prince's hand. 

“Enough with the dramatics,” Satoru muttered frostily as he trudged through the thick snow, reaching his behemoth of a stallion. With barely an iota of effort, he heaped you onto the saddle, giving your thigh a hard squeeze in warning not to do anything funny. 

Mounting behind you, he used his sturdier build to keep you caged in between his arms. Gripping the reins and snapping it once, his great white horse whinnies, moving to a trot as the forest and the safe house you spent these three blissful days in disappeared from your view. 

You never thought your fate would end up like this: bound atop a horse like fresh game being brought back after a hunt, while a sadistic man who wants nothing more than your demise sat behind you, stoic and silent despite your hushed cries.

Anguish welled deep in your soul, manifesting as endless tears streaming down your face which you tried desperately to hide from him. 

His voice broke through your frantic thoughts as a low, baritone warning. 

“I told you I will force you take accountability for your actions,” Satoru muttered darkly, slowing his horse to a cant.

Without any warning, he grasped your chin and tugged hard, eliciting a gasp of fear from you, forcing your teary eyes to meet his enraged ones. 

“And your punishment has only just begun, Princess.”

mtt fun fact: minced pigeon pies were brought to northern haleway by merchants from the south who introduced this alternative meat source during one of the country's harshest famines

dawn says: what kind of 'punishment' do you think satoru meant? 👀

!! reblogs and feedback and asks about this series are so beloved and appreciated and will motivate me to update and write faster <3

©️ all rights reserve to lalunanymph. do not copy elements of my story, repost or claim as your own.

[candykatz]

I like how all of Alison’s pranks on the other ghosts are comparatively low key and unserious, and then with Thomas she goes right for the jugular and drives him to the brink of a mental breakdown.

[harleehazbinfics]

‌ For the Dreaming

Lucifer Morningstar x devout!reader

devout series

Word Count: 920+

A/N: word puke basically. y'all i was writing this on my phone notes, takes me back to my highschool days writing on wattpad 😭 also also i need to work on a poster for this series hngshd *update: i got the poster >:]]

You finally got around to having lessons with Lucifer on flying. Husk could've helped you, but he couldn't be bothered. While all he did was just doze around the bar and barely does anything, you respected his decision and left him to himself. Leading you at Lucifer's door.

‌ As you softly knock folding hands to yourself as you wait with a small smile as you greet him much to his pleasant surprise.

"Hey, (y/n)! Come in, come in! What can I do for you?" He asked letting you in his room.

"I wanted to ask you for your help," you chirped adorably making the former angel smile, "I wanted to learn how to fly. I can get by with walking but it could be helpful when I'm trying to get away from one of Vaggie and Angel's fights."

‌ He smiles at your joke, and nods, agreeing to your request. So he takes you to the hotel's roof and teaches you how to flap your wings on the ground. Then takes you to the air teaching you how to glide and practice how and when to flap your wings.

‌ Your sessions would go on for a couple weeks until you could confidently fly by yourself, and even take Lucifer on some races that you'd naturally lose to. The man knew how to fly before the Earth was even created and he had 3 pairs of wings, so what chances would you have had to win against him.

‌ However, that doesn't mean that he isn't proud of you all the same. He was enamored by how gracefully you flew, the elegant tuck of your wings when you dove under obstacles, how your body moves along your movements like a captivating dance and most importantly, how your wings flutter subconsciously as you talked and joked with him.

‌ It didn't take a genius to realize that this duck-loving King of Hell was definitely having feelings towards you. Oof.

‌ He noticed that despite your conservative behavior you normally show around others, when you let your walls down, he realizes that you enjoyed jokes a lot despite how corny they would be and enjoyed sharing the same type of humor to him. He learnt that you were just naturally kind to others, being their shoulder to cry on, being so generous and helpful to others without expecting anything in return. Which was such a fresh breath of air in this damned place, that only takes from one another.

‌ When he asks what your dreams were, you smiled distantly. You explained that you never had dreams for yourself, as a servant of God, you have wished the best for people hoping blessings will find their way and enlighten them in their time of need. But you never pursued any of your time towards any hobbies. Not because you didn't have time, but because you were content in the role that you played and seeing such happy faces that you've helped.

‌ Lucifer knew you were such a kind soul, but he never knew that it was to this extent. But he wanted to help you realize your interests, so he starts picking out what you enjoyed doing aside from your missionary work. You shared that you normally journaled and read bibles and various genres of books.

‌ Both of you divulged and shared your interest that never realized that you were gone for 3 days away from the hotel, away in Lucifer's castle messing around and playing Lucifer's duck inventions and papers sprawled out on the floor, until Charlie called her dad worriedly.

‌ Both of you raced to the hotel and explained what happened to Charlie to calm her when she was on the brink of a mental breakdown.

‌ To assure her daughter, he summons yours and his work on the waiting lounge that barely anyone used and continued working with you there in Charlie's sights.

‌ When the princess of hell finally calms down with Vaggie comforting her, she immediately notices how bright her father's eyes had gotten. No longer the disassociated look that seemed to drown out his problems by working and working until he stopped thinking about anything else.

‌ She liked the new look on his dad's face when he clearly enjoyed creating inventions that had a purpose and a face full of wonder. And she definitely knew it was because of you and she couldn't be more grateful to you for it.

‌ You reminded him what it's like to dream, to show wondrous and wonderful things with the world. Things that could change and even help the world. Something that he long buried deep within himself with shame and embarrassment.

‌ He loved the smile on your face when you shared some fact that he probably already knew about or how your eyes shined when he showed you all the tricks his ducks could do.

‌ He most especially loved the way you called his nickname though. It was just the first 2 syllables of his name, but his heart would've flown out his chest when you called him so tenderly.

‌ He knew it came from a place that condemned his name being spoken so brazenly, that you had opted to call out his name as "Luci." He never minded it though, he knew of how much they hated him that it became numbed to him, unfortunately. Besides, he adored how your lips curled to a smile when you called him, so it was nothing under his skin. He loved you all the same.

Wait... Did he just say loved??? ... shit..

[spadesolace]

the good and the bad: hwang yeji x aespa! reader

as the leader of itzy, sometimes you see how mentally exhausting it is for yeji to handle the responsibilities alone. all you could do is let her cope, not forcing her into telling you anything, isn’t that what makes a relationship healthy?

being idols within a competitive industry is already a challenge, with the additional responsibility as a leader - yeji was on the verge of breaking down within closed doors. you understand the struggles of being an idol, the cameras on you 24/7, little to no privacy, and having to maintain an image for everyone to love and criticise.

 it had been quite late when you received the call, hoping it was your girlfriend who had promised you ahead of time that you’ll keep her company virtually as you write the lyrics for your own comeback. lia had contacted you ahead of time about how yeji was crying after recording for their comeback. that’s where you stand right now, in front of the itzy dormitories while waiting for someone to open the door for you. a part of you was prepared for this type of scenario, especially with your own members who had mental breakdowns due to the company’s unrealistic demands.

as the door opens, you’re greeted by ryujin with her hair tied and a face mask placed perfectly as she smiles at you. noticing the plastic bags that you’re carrying, a very familiar snack visible - yeji’s favorite.

“she’s in her room.” you follow ryujin as you both walk inside their dorm; chaeryeong and yuna on the couch talking amongst themselves but waving at you as you enter the area, while lia is standing in front of yeji’s room.

“lover girl to the rescue.” despite the situation, lia still managed to joke around with you. she’s your best friend and the one that introduced you to yeji. “yeji, you have a visitor.”

you couldn’t hear much from the other side of the door, aside from the faint sniffles and heavy breathing - yeji still didn’t budge. until you knocked on her door.

“yeddeong, could you open the door for me?”

the faint “y/n?” was the first thing you heard clearly, her voice a bit raspy followed by fast footsteps and the door being opened harshly by her. she moved fast as she hugged you tightly and cried harder than you had expected when lia called you.

it had been 30 minutes since yeji pulled you into her room and shut everyone out. she had been cuddling you and had not said a word regarding what had happened during the recording for their comeback – you learned not to rush her when it comes to these things. so, you laid there in silence, hearing yeji’s faint sobs as you caressed her back and held her tight.

yeji has different ways of coping. one is going out and driving to a park where she could walk around and enjoy the scenery, then there’s one that involves you. comfortability is the first thing yeji looks for in her partner and right away you give her comfort and the feeling of safety – her rock when times are tough. she isn’t one to speak about her feelings right away, more on letting her rationality take charge, which makes her a great leader and a great idol. that’s why you fell for her as well. she has such a charm that could make anyone fall for her. with every good thing that has happened between you two, there’s always the bad side of things.

she’s not one to let her emotions get the best of her, bottling those feelings up until she feels erupting like a volcano. for someone who is mentally strong, comes the emotional side of things that she refuses to let anyone see. despite from the start of your relationship where yeji pushed you away when she goes into hermit mode and avoiding any sort of contact for days until she feels better, you stayed. even if you push her away when you fall into those toxic mechanisms that you’d developed as a trainee, yeji was there for you.

the least you could do is stay and wait for her to open up. whether her rants are about being a leader or how their company is overworking them to the brink of exhaustion. in the comforts of her bed where yeji lays her head on top of your chest listening to your steady heartbeat as her mind is racing, in need of someone to keep her grounded.

“sleep for now, i’ll still be here when you wake up.”

yeji knew she could trust you as she let her walls down and sleep for the night, knowing that you’ll be in her arms when she wakes up.

[eunseoksimp]

masterlist

"love can be the most exquisite form of agony"

Osaki Shotaro

Golden Boy | nsfw

shotaro is everyone’s favourite person. extremely lovable and kind to those around him, but there’s only so much he can take, especially when you keep pushing his limits.

Hopeless Romantic | sfw

in the quiet corners of your heart, a one-sided yearning blooms—a hopeless romantic lost in dreams of unrequited love. every glance, every fleeting touch, fuels a fire of longing that dances in the shadows, a tender ache that whispers of what could be but never was.

CPR | sfw

amidst the depths of heartbreak and endless gray, where every step felt heavy, you stumbled upon shotaro osaki. his quiet compassion and warmth cut through the cold, offering solace and his gentle presence beginning to mend your shattered heart. with his presence, he pulled you back from the brink, making you believe in the possibility of healing and reminding you what it feels like to be truly alive again.

. ݁ ˖ ࣪ . ⋆ * .♡ *:･ﾟ. ݁ ˖ ࣪ . ⋆ * .♡ *:･ﾟ. ݁ ˖ ࣪ .

Song Eunseok

He loves me, he loves me not | slight nsfw

all her life, han yumi was used to those around her making her feel unloved. desperate to fill the want of being desired, she finds love in a place she probably shouldn’t.

He loves me, he loves me not 2 | slight nsfw

eunseok, increasingly obsessed with yumi despite his steady and improving relationship with his girlfriend, begins dedicating all his time to his partner. this shift leaves yumi feeling insecure, hurt, and utterly heartbroken. in response, she starts distancing herself from him, a move that triggers euneok's mental breakdown as he grapples with the consequences of his divided heart.

Between the lines | sfw

the importance of communication and understanding, and the consequences that can arise when those elements are lacking. a relationship in turmoil, leading to frustration and distance between the two individuals.

Care For You | sfw

in the quiet of a fading evening, two souls meet where it all began. emotions simmer beneath the surface, caught between what was and what could be. in the silence, a fragile hope lingers.

. ݁ ˖ ࣪ . ⋆ * .♡ *:･ﾟ. ݁ ˖ ࣪ . ⋆ * .♡ *:･ﾟ. ݁ ˖ ࣪ .

Jung Sungchan

Poison | nsfw

the pain and heartache that can come from being involved with someone who is emotionally manipulative, deceitful, and simply not right for you. capturing the essence of the rollercoaster of emotions that one experiences when caught in the grips of a toxic love affair.

Poison 2 | nsfw

in this tumultuous love affair, you were the puppeteer, pulling the strings of sungchan's heart with a cruel precision. the pain and heartache he experienced were the price he paid for the moments of connection you allowed, a constant reminder of the toxic grip you held over him. as the days turned into nights, the line between love and manipulation blurred, leaving you searching for a connection beyond lust.

Coming Down | nsfw

explores the theme of addiction and it’s effects on relationships. the internal conflict of a man caught between the allure of a hedonistic lifestyle, and the genuine love he has for his girlfriend.

Jealousy | nsfw

caught in the throes of a jealous obsession, your feelings for sungchan have grown dangerously intense. relying on him for emotional support, you crave his attention and validation in everything you do. the news of his love for another girl shatters your world, igniting a desperate desire to do anything to keep him by your side.

Hilarious | sfw

sungchan being the asshole ex who doesn’t realise what he’s lost until it’s gone. based off of the song hilarious by charlie puth.

Entangled | sfw

the relationship between you and sungchan is a tumultuous storm, a volatile mix of passion and pain, bound by an intense love that is as toxic as it is profound. sungchan, an underground fighter, using the ring as an outlet for his inner demons and you, clinging to him as you seek solace from your own unhealed wounds. two broken pieces clinging to each other in a toxic dance of dependency and desperation.

Same Mistake | sfw

trapped in a cycle of love and heartbreak, you and sungchan navigate the complexities of a tumultuous relationship. as emotions flare and unspoken truths linger, both of you struggle to break free from the patterns that keep pulling you apart.

. ݁ ˖ ࣪ . ⋆ * .♡ *:･ﾟ. ݁ ˖ ࣪ . ⋆ * .♡ *:･ﾟ. ݁ ˖ ࣪ .

Park Wonbin

Infatuation | nsfw

an exploration of secrecy, infidelity, and the complex emotions that arise from these actions. a woman who is in a painful relationship with a man who she loves, but is seen as nothing more than the object of his desires. an unfortunate tale of a woman making a God out of a mortal.

Infatuation 2 | sfw

in the wake of the collapse of your turbulent relationship with wonbin, the arrival of the enigmatic donghyuck offers a glimmer of hope. you seek solace in his genuine compassion, but in return wonbin’s obsessive desperation takes a darker turn. consumed by jealousy and fear of losing you, he resorts to cunning manipulation, exploiting every secret and weakness to reclaim you.

Infatuation 3 | slight nsfw

you finally take wonbin back, hoping to rekindle the love that once burned so brightly. but the pieces of your relationship, shattered by past betrayals, no longer fit together as they once did. as you navigate the fragile threads of a love that has been tarnished, you find yourself spiraling deeper into a web of confusion and pain. a poignant journey through the anguish of clinging to the past, and the inevitable realization that some things, once broken, can never be fully repaired.

West Coast | nsfw

caught in the chaos of fame and forbidden longing, you’re the guitarist in a rising band, battling intense feelings for park wonbin—charismatic, untouchable, and completely unaware of the storm he’s stirred within you. despite the deep adoration you pour into your music, he remains distant, leaving you to grapple with a passion that he’ll never truly return.

. ݁ ˖ ࣪ . ⋆ * .♡ *:･ﾟ. ݁ ˖ ࣪ . ⋆ * .♡ *:･ﾟ. ݁ ˖ ࣪ .

Hong Seunghan

Sandstorm | slight nsfw

The complexities of a turbulent relationship between two people who love each other but struggle to see eye to eye. They attempt to compromise and reconcile but realise that with each other, they are like a violent sandstorm.

. ݁ ˖ ࣪ . ⋆ * .♡ *:･ﾟ. ݁ ˖ ࣪ . ⋆ * .♡ *:･ﾟ. ݁ ˖ ࣪ .

Lee Sohee

Solace | sfw

the struggles of trying to connect with someone who is deeply guarded and emotionally unavailable.

Wish you Roses | sfw

in a tranquil garden filled with blooming roses, two former lovers, you and sohee, sit together for the first time since the peaceful breakup. surrounded by the fragrant air and golden light, there’s no bitterness, only a quiet understanding that love doesn’t always need to end with pain. instead, like the roses shedding their petals, you release each other with grace, celebrating what was while embracing what will be.

. ݁ ˖ ࣪ . ⋆ * .♡ *:･ﾟ. ݁ ˖ ࣪ . ⋆ * .♡ *:･ﾟ. ݁ ˖ ࣪ .

Lee Anton

Stargirl | sfw

anton had passed by many eyes but he seemed to only get lost in yours. the bass guitarist for a popular college band, the supposed opposite of him, taking your position in the light whilst he lurked in the shadows. and yet all he cares about is seeing you shine, his favourite stargirl.

Pleasure is all mine | nsfw

anton finally gives into his hedonistic sexual desires and you just can’t pass up the opportunity.

Siren | sfw

at seonghwa academy, you reign like a queen—flawless, untouchable, and cold as ice. your beauty is your weapon, used to control and manipulate those who fall under your spell. but when you catch the eye of anton, a brooding athlete with a quiet intensity, you meet your match. beneath his silence lies a dark obsession, a twisted desire that mirrors your own. as you engage in a dangerous dance of power and control, the line between.

[froggywritesstuff]

like i love you | yandere!amber freeman

ship/pairing: yandere!amber freeman x male!reader

fandom: scream

request: anon: pls more yandere amber freeman i am not normal ab her 🙏🙏 male reader:)

warnings: yandere themes, death threats (not to the reader), swearing, pet names (reader gets called baby, good boy, and gets compared to a puppy), mentions of blood, manipulation, knives, gas lighting, crying, reader gets knocked unconscious, light sadism, not proofread

word count: 875

A/N: i do not in any way support yandere behaviour, please know that this writing is purely fictional, and should not ever be reenacted in real life

You're finally gonna do it. There's no way she can stop you. You're done with her. You're done with her lies, you're done with her controlling your life. You're ending this today, you're confident in that. You just wish your hand would stop shaking so much.

"Now what are you gonna do with that, baby?" Amber asks, tilting her head to the side, a wicked grin on her face.

You readjust your grip on the knife, momentarily pausing the shakiness, "I'm gonna kill you Amber. I'm gonna fucking kill you." your voice is anything but confident, and fear courses through your body as Amber's smile widens.

"Oh really?" she asks. You nod. "Alright then. Do it.” she sneers, an amused look in her eyes, “Slit my throat, slit my fucking throat, watch me bleed out in front of you, look into my eyes while you take my life. I want you to know what you’re doing, I want you to know that when you kill me, no one- fucking no one will love you like I love you.”

Your face falters, but only for a second before regaining the cold facade, “I don’t want your love, I never wanted your love.”

Her lips turn up into a smile, “No, no, you need my love. No matter how much you try to suppress it, you know you can’t survive without me. I’ve made sure of it. You can lie to yourself, but you can’t lie to me. And the fact is Y/N, that without me you’d be completely lost.”

You shake your head weakly, “No.”

Her smile only widens, “Yes, Y/N. God, when I’m not around you you’re like a lost little puppy. You wouldn't know what to do with yourself without me. So I’d suggest you put the knife down, before you do something really stupid.” she says, all with a sweet smile on her face.

You shake your head, readjusting your grip on the knife, “No, Amber, I’m not gonna let you do this to me, I-I’m done letting you control me.”

She laughs slightly, “Oh that’s adorable. You really think you have any say in this?" she takes a step towards you.

"Ge-get the fuck away from me!" you yell, backing away from her, beads of sweat dripping from your forehead.

A low chuckle leaves her lips, "You're really scared aren't you?"

"Shut the fuck up." you shout, attempting to convince her you had an ounce of confidence in you.

"That's ok, baby, I know you are. You're shaking, sweating, and I can practically hear your heartbeat." she notes with a smirk.

"Stop." you mutter weakly.

She shakes her head, a kind smile on her face that makes your heart race, "I don't think so. Now if you be a good boy and give me the knife right now, I won't be as mad at you." She steps your way, making you back up until your back hits the wall.

You shake, feeling utterly and completely trapped, "Ju-just stop, please."

She laughs. You're on the brink of a mental breakdown and she laughs. "Tell me how you're the one with the knife, yet I’m the one backing you up against the wall." she hums, "You're doing all the work for me, it's adorable."

You open your mouth to speak, but the words die on your tongue. You're losing hope. You don't think you can kill her. You know you can't kill her. As long as she's alive, your life is in her control. And there's nothing you can do about that.

Tears prick your eyes and you feel a tight pain in your jaw as you try not to cry.

"Give it to me." she says, leaving no room for argument. You loosen your grip on the knife, hands shaking as you hold it closer to her, and Amber takes it from your hand. "There you go," she smiles condescendingly, placing the tip of the knife underneath your chin. "Was that so hard?" she lifts your head up slightly, forcing you to meet her cold eyes.

Unable to fight anymore, tears stream from your eyes and down your cheeks as you break into a fit of sobs. Through the tears you can see Amber's smirk widening.

"I-I'm sorry Amber, I'm so sorry." you say in between sobs. You're aware of how pathetic you sound. You're counting on it to keep you from getting stabbed.

"Aw baby, you're sorry?" she coos, tossing the knife to the side and pulling you into a tight hug. You almost find yourself relaxing in her arms, her hands gently caressing your back and calming your sobs. "It's a bit late for apologies, Y/N." she whispers, sending chills down your spine. Before you can beg for mercy, she readjusts her grip on you, grabbing you by the hair and slamming your head into the wall. You collapse to the floor, your vision getting blurrier by the second. You're able to hear your breathing, coming out heavy and slowly, but everything else sounds like you're listening underwater. Amber's voice sounds in your ear. You can't make out a word she says, but you know it can't be good. You know you're in for a world of pain.

[rooksblvd]

thatcherlyra moments that make me lose my sanity

thatcher calling lyra DARLING PHANTOM???? #$%##$@$#adjsdk!*(@&%^$#&

lyra calling thatcher ANGEL????@#$$@#!@!#@$!^*&*%^

lyra was thatcher's muse in their own hauntingly beautiful way

thatcher putting coins on the eyes of phoebe's corpse so she crosses river styx and goes soundly into the afterlife (mind you, he was a CHILD, conditioned by a monster to believe that he was also one)

lyra's first kill being so as to protect thatch

little miss prim and proper diva pierson cussing only when he's around lyra

lyra jumping off of a cliff just to evade falling out of her deal with thatch of being tutored in the art of killing

thatcher finally agreeing to tutor lyra and picking thursday for their sessions just because she has chess games with silas every thursday

"She's so exquisite she makes me palpably ill,"

thatch calling lyra scarlett on rare occasions

their first time being intimate in the mausoleum, which in hindsight was very poetic actually

thatch having a full-on mental breakdown after the mausoleum in true aaron warner fashion

thatch almost breaking his carefully fabricated routine when he was about to kill player #1 for the whole circus stunt with lyra

this switch:

“I’m not a dog.” I bite out, even though I did what he asked. “You’re not?” He purrs, the edges of his lips tugging up. “Could’ve fooled me.” A strangled laugh comes from the back of my throat, pain tingling my side from what I assume is a fractured rib. “Did you just make a joke?” “If that will make you feel better about what I said, then sure. I made a joke.” The smile on my face is hard to remove, because he’s smirking and not in a wicked way. In this funny, happy sorta way. “Drop the towel.” He orders, kneeling on the ground in front of me

thatcher cleaning up lyra's wounds and being absolutely enamored with the freckles on her belly he discovered in the process

No, I won't explain myself for the following one

When my eyes open, fluttering in this state of bliss, I find him looking down at his lap. My brows tugging together in concern as I lean forward. My limbs feel impossibly heavy, exhaustion and pain slamming back into me with vengeance. “Thatch,” I murmur, looking down at his lap finding a dark spot on the center of his jeans, my jaw going slack. “Did I—Did you?” “It would appear,” he says, clearing his throat, but the haze of lust still heavy on his tongue. “My cock enjoys the way you taste as well, pet."

thatcher scaring tf outta a diner manager for being condescending towards his bug queen

lyra about to crack and out their little secret of screwing around in the background when she finds out about the threats thatcher has been receiving

Scarlett Lyra Abbott, I'm so gay for you rahhhh:

“If you die, it won’t just ruin me, Thatcher. It will be the reason behind the slaughter of this entire town.” I grind my teeth, knowing my grief at losing him would leave no one safe. “Do not shove me away, then allow yourself to be killed and blame me for what kind of monster is born in my mourning.”

calm down little miss cuntress:

If the Halo comes for me, like they promised, I’ll take it as a compliment.   But her?   If they figure out what she is to me. If they come for her?   I’ll paint the town red.

lyra not giving up on thatcher once during their exchange at her old home, her pushing herself to the brink to make thatcher see all that they were, and all they deserved, pop off queen!

them being each other's firsts

lyra- the girl known for being laid back and gentle- turning into this nasty bittersweet person in the aftermath of thatch's disappearance

thatcher having to abandon his meticulously placed plan again following lyra killing player #2 (colin)

despite her early throws of anger at thatcher pushing her away and being cold when he came back, lyra was quick to realise the whys of him putting her at a distance, that he was afraid of losing her

aksjjaksjkajkjkdhfjdfh, naur shes so sassy for this i love her sm man:

It does what it wants. It takes what it needs, and it doesn’t care what it does when it leaves. “Maybe I’d die for you, Thatcher Pierson,” I mumble. “But death is inevitable for us all. It’s what you’d do for me that matters.” His eyebrow arches in question. “You’d disappear again, just like you did when you were a little boy, just to keep me safe.” I push off the doorframe, turning to walk down the hallway with his eyes still on my back. “And I didn’t even ask you to.”

the iconic:

"I don’t want to share my space with you either, Thatcher. But it’s all you’ve got.” “No.” She lets out a little sigh, rolling her eyes. “Jail it is, then. Rot for all I care.” “I—” “Did something happen between you two?” Briar interrupts me, calling Lyra out for the false narrative she is painting. Looking at me and spewing words she thinks will affect me. Pretending that little heart inside her pale chest isn’t beating for me. Like my ghost doesn’t exist just for me. Like she doesn’t bleed for me. However, the rest of the people in this room don’t need to know that. “Yeah, like fucking?” Rook adds.

COMMUNICATING THROUGH ANNOTATIONS. BYE. I'M SO UNWELL.

thatcher learning deeply about lyra through her home and falling a little more with every childhood picture of hers and every taxidermized collection

thatcher stabbing conner's tongue for forcing himself on lyra. in the school. WHEN HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AT THE CABIN, OUT OF SIGHT.

thatcher cooking for her, and asking her about her mom. especially significant because from this moment on, he had waved a massive fuck-you to the consequences and circumstances and had known deep within himself that he was always hers, as she always his

thatcher gifting lyra a taxidermized spider collection she'd secretly wanted for months

lyra killing conner for good

thatcher cleaning her mess up with the boys

oh they make me so sickkk:

"Death is trivial. He can't keep you from me. I'll follow you to the grave everytime and follow you in each life after."

[buckychristwrites]

When The Rain Gathers | Chapter Two | j.t.

↳  Pairing: Jamie Tartt x f!reader

↳ Word Count: 3.7k

↳  Summary: Pain hits like a downpour, but when a heartbreak from your past is what greets you at your new job at Nelson Road Stadium, it's more like a catastrophic tsunami.

↳  Warnings: Enemies to lovers, Discussion of parental abuse, fluff and angst.

Series Masterlist | Masterlist | Main Blog

“Fuck. Focus.”

Jamie paced outside of the door of your new office. The door was open, but the inside was completely bare save a desk, three chairs and a laptop. Due to the impending doom in his brain and the never-ending racing heart in his chest, he hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before. So, instead of waltzing into the changing room just moments before training was due to start, as he normally would, he was there an hour early, waiting for your arrival.

Hesitantly, he made his way into the empty office. Wherever he waited, he would feel like a shithead, so might as well feel like a shithead with his arse in a seat. It didn’t have any signs of you in it just yet, which made sitting there alone much easier to swallow. It wouldn’t be the same in the future, once the room was covered with your fingerprints and homey touches. He took the seat closest to the window. Heavy rain hit the glass and rooftop, making sure to echo throughout the entire building. It made him think of the drive in front of his mum’s house back home, and a little red car packed with luggage.

Blinking, he looked away.

“Jamie?”

He turned to find Dr. Fieldstone at the doorway. Her hand was on the frame as she stared at him.

“You alright, Doc?” He asked, shifting so he could comfortably face her. She took a glance around the room in obvious confusion.

“What are you doing here?” She asked. He took a glance around himself, realising how silly this must’ve looked. 

“Got an appointment this mornin’,” He said. It was a lie. But him feigning confusion was the only sort of explanation he could come up with. Sharon shook her head.

“Your appointment would be with me, but I don’t have you on my schedule.”

This made Jamie scrunch his face up in confusion.

“I thought…” He pointed to the desk. “I thought she…” Before he could continue with his thought, Sharon shook her head. It was like she read his mind. 

“Your appointments will continue with me,” She explained. “I was informed there’s a… conflict of interest.” She tilted her head to the side thoughtfully. 

He wondered how much you had told Sharon. Did she know everything? Did you tell her what he did? The kindness on her face suggested that she didn’t have a clue, but then again, it’s her job to pretend to be nice to him, wasn’t it?

He brought a hand to his face, running it across his forehead. Of course Sharon wasn’t being nice because it’s her job. That was just his mind running away from him. 

“Don’t get yourself worked up, Jamie,” She assured him. “We’re not allowed to treat people we know. It’s just not ethical. Nothing more than that.” He released his held breath. Giving him a knowing look, she leaned forward into the room, lowering her voice. “You can tell me why you think it’s about more than that at your appointment… tomorrow.” 

Oh man. She is good.

Dr. Fieldstone did not loiter, just gave him a final look before walking back to her office. Jamie remained seated as he ran a hand down his face. 

He tried to think of literally anything else, but when he looked outside at the rain again, all it did was bring back more memories of you. 

Every second that he was awake since the revelation yesterday, which had been a lot more time than he would’ve liked, he was on the brink of a complete mental breakdown. At this moment in your office, he found himself preemptively doing his grounding techniques. 

“I see and feel this desk,” He muttered to himself. He placed his other hand on the chair. “I feel this chair. I see a white wall. I see the…the rain…” 

What am I going to do without you?

“God dammit.” Resisting the urge to punch something, he ran his fingers through his hair. Maybe he should just go down to the changing room and get ready for training. Did this conversation really have to happen right now, this early morning? Maybe it could wait, at least until after training.

But it couldn’t. Jamie knew that well enough. It was already affecting him at home, keeping him up at night. Lord only knows how it would hurt him during training, if he didn’t get it out of the way. And if he fucked up on the pitch, Roy Kent would have his balls.

He knew the only way to move on was to open the door to communicate, and the only person to do it had to be the one who closed that door in the first place. Him.  

“Thank god me appointment is tomorrow,” Jamie muttered to himself as he grabbed his phone from his pocket, opening Instagram to pass the time.

“No, mum, I don’t have any appointments today,” You said into your phone speaker as you drove down the road. “It’s my first day. I think I’ll just be signing paperwork and going over policies. All that general stuff.” Behind you came a loud giggle, and when you glanced in the rearview, you caught Ivy hitting her hand against the window. She had always loved the rain, which she couldn’t have learned from you. The rain was your worst enemy.

“Did ya see Jamie Tartt?” Your mum asked, trying to sound casual. You stared out the windscreen, wondering why she would do this right now. All it did was force you to revisit the anger you had felt all of last night that she didn’t warn you of his place on the team. 

“Yes, I saw Jamie,” You sighed. 

“Did you kick him in the fuckin’ balls for me?”

This made you laugh. “No, unfortunately, my new boss who’s kind of scary was right there.” From the other side of the phone, you could hear her mutter something incoherent before she responded.

“Please do, when you get the chance, love.”

As you pulled into the car park of Nelson Road Stadium, Ivy let out another laugh. You could see the car of your babysitter waiting for you. 

“Alright, mum, I gotta go,” You said as you turned the car off. “Love you. I’ll phone later.”

“Love you, darlin’,” She said. “Give Ives a kissie from her nan.” 

“Will do.” Ending the call, you stuffed the phone in your pocket before grabbing your bag and climbing out of the car. When you opened the door to the backseat, Ivy was focused on the stuffed teddy on her lap. “Alright, love. Are you ready to go with the babysitter?” 

Ivy furiously shook her head. 

“No, please.”

You knew it would be hard. She had loved her babysitter back in the United States. Ivy wasn’t the type to become accustomed to strangers quickly, and you worried about the young girl behind you, who was climbing out of her car just as you undid Ivy’s seatbelts. 

“Thank you for meetin’ me here!” Shannon called to you as she shut the car door and made her way over. “My mum needed help with somethin’, and it was faster to meet you than to race home.” 

You glanced over towards her car, spotting the car seat that was similar to Ivy’s. A sigh of relief fell from your chest. At least you didn’t have to transfer the car seat over to her car.

“I should be thanking you,” You said as Ivy curled into your shoulder. “I know it’s last minute but I needed someone fast.” Shannon leaned her head towards Ivy, sending a wave her way. Though the toddler didn’t completely hide her face, she didn’t reciprocate the gesture, either. 

“Hello, Ivy,” She said delicately.

You set your daughter down on the cement. She pressed herself into your legs before looking up at the sky. For a moment, she seemed to forget the fear, her little hands reaching up as she smiled at the clouds. It was hard not to watch when she got like this. You had never seen any toddler behave like this about anything, so of course it would be yours who would have such a delightful, intense love for something.

“She loves the rain,” You explained to Shannon, who was looking at her in awe and confusion. “I’ve never met a toddler more obsessed.” 

Shannon kneeled down to Ivy’s level, her eyes warm and friendly. “I like the rain too. Would you like to be friends, Miss Ivy?” Ivy clearly was debating this, looking up at you for reassurance. You gave her a little nudge with a smile.

“I like Shannon,” You told her. “I think you’ll like her too. But you do have to go with her.” 

Ivy’s gaze found Shannon again as you guided her to the young girl. With all of the hesitation in the world, when Shannon offered her hand, Ivy took it but not before throwing you an unsure glance. 

“Maybe we can jump through puddles for a little bit before going back to the house!” Shannon suggested excitedly. “Would you like that?” Ivy’s eyes seemed to glaze over, and then she was jumping up and down in excitement. You sighed in relief as you kneeled down to say goodbye to your daughter. 

“I love you, babe,” You said to her, giving her a kiss and hug, which she lovingly returned. “Mummy’ll pick you up after work, okay?”

“Love you, mummy!” She shouted as you stood up. 

As Ivy turned to face Shannon, you grabbed a box of belongings for your office out of the backseat of your car. From what you could tell, as far as first meetings go, Ivy was doing incredibly well. Better than you had expected, considering the stress of the move and the new environment. Although, leaving her with babysitters never got any easier. You wished it were possible to just bring her to work with you. Having an adorable, therapy toddler would be perfect for the players.

Well. Except the one you wanted nowhere near her.

You gave them a quick wave before making your way inside. When you threw one last look over your shoulder, you found that Ivy had already found the largest puddle she could, jumping into it and sending water scattering. The anxiety in your chest was replaced with ease. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad, after all.

The security guard waved you through without looking up from his computer. It was livelier this morning than it had been the previous day, with people shuffling down the hallways in packs. As you quickly walked in the direction that Rebecca had shown you to get to your office, you kept your head down. The first day jitters were hitting you hard at this moment. Sounds seemed to fade as you made your way up the stairway towards your office. The idea of being alone for even a moment before you started working with Sharon sounded just heavenly.

 You froze at the top of the steps, your eyes quickly spotting the presence waiting for you.

He was wearing a hat that boldly said I,COG. The brim covered his face as he looked down at his phone, but you knew it was him. You inhaled sharply before taking another step forward.

“Well, this isn’t quite the welcome wagon I had wanted.”

Jamie jumped out of the seat, his phone clattering to the floor. Without looking at him, you crossed into the room and rounded the desk, so you were on the opposite side as him. His eyes followed you the whole way, your chest burning in anxiety. This was the last thing you had expected, let alone wanted, to happen when you walked into Nelson Road Stadium that morning. You set the box of your things on your desk before letting your hands rest on your hips. 

“Fuck,” He muttered as he snatched his phone off the floor. The red in his cheeks and the disgruntled look on his face told you everything you needed to know. He was dreading this conversation just as much as you were. 

“What can I do for you?” Your voice was professional as you tried to put a wall up between yourself and him. Jamie stared at you before shoving his hands in the pockets of his jacket.

“I just…Well…” He sighed. “I thought we should… talk.” 

You let out a prolonged “Oh…” with the corners of your mouth ticking upwards in a smile, but it wasn’t a kind one. The professionalism you had been forcing was quickly melting away. 

“A bit late for this talk,” You said, your eyes staring at the ceiling in thought. “Let’s see… about three years! Yeah, three years too late.” It was hard to keep your anger level down, as it was already boiling over in your chest. The heat that rose up your neck and into your cheeks was intense.

Jamie shook his head. “You have every right to be angry-“

“Well, thank fuck that I have your permission to be angry. No idea what I would do without it.”

Jamie’s hands gripped at the strap of his bag like he was holding on for dear life. You could see his nails were down to the nubs. You couldn’t help but wonder; When did he start biting them again? Pushing the thought away, you scolded yourself for caring.

Part of you felt bad for the sarcasm, but you couldn’t help it. Before starting this line of work, you were the most sarcastic person there was, and seeing Jamie brought out parts of you that you hadn’t visited in a long time. 

It felt like you had jumped into one of your daydreams. The dreams of finally getting to tell Jamie off for the turmoil he caused. In some of them, you were angrier, throwing things and screaming in his face. In others, you were indifferent to him, examining your nails as he begged for forgiveness at your feet. Now that the moment was here, the reality was it felt like it was a combination of a lot of things. The biggest emotion you felt, however, was just pain. Simply looking at him caused your chest to ache. 

For Jamie, however, all he felt was guilt, and waves and waves of devastation. Simply looking at you reminded him of his past failures, of the man his father had turned him into. The man he had been working so hard to stop being. When he would dream of this moment, he never imagined you’d forgive him, so at least you were following the script.

“Can I just explain-“

“I don’t want an explanation,” You said firmly, waving your hand. “I just want to come in, do my job, and leave. I didn’t ask for any of this.” He glanced around the room as he carefully considered his next words. 

“Did- did ya know? That I play here?” He asked slowly. You had begun pulling papers out of the box when he spoke, and you dropped a pad of paper down quite loudly on top of the desk, causing Jamie to flinch. 

“Yeah, Jamie,” You said, rubbing one of your eyes with a fist. “I not only continued to follow your career after you fucking dropped off the face of my world, but I decided to uproot my entire life and move back here from the other side of the Earth and take a job at this football club specifically just because you play here. And I did all of that because I’m still hopelessly in love with you, and am trying to win you back.” 

Jamie cocked a head as he stared at you. Though he should've been focusing on your words, regardless of how malicious they were, he was trying to pinpoint what was so different about you. A long moment passed before he spoke again. 

“Your accent is different.” 

He could tell the statement caught you off guard, as your breath hitched in your throat. 

“The Americans got to me.” It sounded rehearsed, and he wondered how your proud Mancunian mum handled hearing you talk these days. 

The two of you stared at each other in stunned silence. His eyes wandered until something in the box on the desk caught his eye. A small figure with deep brown hair and familiar looking eyes. Taking a step forward, he reached for a picture frame that was on top. 

“Who’s-“

You snap the lid shut, almost catching the tips of his fingers.

“What right do you have to know?” You asked, your voice cold. “What right do you have to know anything about me anymore?” 

He heard it. The quiver in your voice. The falter in your hard exterior. It was disarming. This felt so much different than any other anger you had ever directed towards him. In all of the years he had known you, you had never shut him out like this before. He didn’t know how to take it.

He conceded. “I guess I don’t.” 

“Great,” You said with reformed confidence. “Glad we agree. Now get the fuck out of my office.” Without wasting another second, you turned away from him, as if your heart wasn’t drowning in devastation. Instead, you kept pretending that it was fire in your chest. 

He hovered as you began to unpack the box once more. When you set out the picture frame he had reached for, you had angled it so he couldn’t see who was in the photo. Briefly, he considered trying to look at it again, now that it was out in the open, but he didn’t. The last thing he wanted to do was make you angrier than you already were. Instead, he turned, and made his way out the door and down the stairs. 

The changing room was well and alive when Jamie entered. Laughter and conversation greeted him like an old friend. He made his way to his locker with his head down. Though some hellos were tossed his way, he didn’t return them. His head was spinning too much to speak.

“Oi.”

Jamie turned to find Roy Kent making his way towards him. He sat down on the bench next to where Jamie had set his bag down.

“Did you talk to her?” He kept his voice low to avoid the nosey teammates from overhearing. Jamie scratched his nose.

“Erm yeah. We talked.”

“And how did it go?” Roy sounded surprisingly curious, and, though anyone knew he would never admit it, concerned. 

Jamie shook his head before saying, “Fuckin’ awful, mate.” 

“I think it went as well as expected,” You said into your phone. In the heat of the moment after Jamie had left the room, you did the first thing you could think of to clear your head: Call your mum.

“Did ya…” She hesitated, and you knew whatever she was about to say next wouldn’t be something you liked. “Did ya tell him? About Ivy?” I sigh heavily, the breath forcing its way out of my chest.

“Of course not.”

“He needs to know, love,” Your mum said softly. “Is he a right prick? Of course. But he deserves to know that he’s her-“

“Don’t say it, please.” With your free hand, you rub one of your eyes. You smack it down against the wooden desk before speaking again. “I’ll tell him when I’m ready.” You heard her laugh softly, making you wonder if she was trying to hide it from you. 

“The longer ya wait, the harder it will be, d’ya know what I mean?” 

“Yes, mum.” There was a long pause on the other end of the line, and then you heard a sigh come through the phone.

“You need to call me more so you can start talkin’ like a Mancunian again,” She scolded. “Can’t stand this new pseudo-American accent on you.” You shook your head in annoyance.

“Okay, bye mum,” You said, hanging up before she could say anything else. The phone made a loud noise when you tossed it across your desk. Resting your head in your hands, you let out a loud sigh. The day was not starting how you would’ve liked. 

A gentle knock at the door forced you to look up. Sharon walked into the room with a laptop and a giant binder. Across the spine read “Policies and Procedures.” She was eyeing you, but you couldn’t read her expression. As easy as it was to read everyone else, you clocked Sharon as the type who could hide herself away very well.

“You ready to get started?” She asked, sitting down in the chair that Jamie had previously been sitting in. Inhaling deeply in an effort to appear calm, you nod. 

“Of course.”

Out of the binder, Sharon pulls a stack of papers. 

“These are just the standard tax forms and policy agreements.” 

Without audibly responding, you take the stack and begin to flip through them. The room was silent besides the rain that continued to fall. It was hard to focus, as Jamie’s face kept appearing in your mind. Rope in the fact that you were being watched by someone who could professionally read people, and the struggle was intensely real.

“So…” Sharon started in a casual voice. “You and Jamie Tartt.” 

You glanced up in surprise. It was entirely unexpected for her to bring up. Sharon had a knowing smile on her face, the epitome of innocence. She didn’t wait for you to respond before speaking again. 

“What’s the story there?”

You think about her question. To say something. To not say something. Without meaning to, your eyes fall on the photo of Ivy that now sat on your desk. Out of the corner of your eye, you could see Sharon following your gaze to the frame, though she couldn’t see who was pictured on the other side. 

“It’s a long one,” You tell her as your eyes fall back to the paperwork. She leans back in the seat. 

“Well, I’d love to hear it sometime,” She said in her gentle tone, a hint of curiosity. “If the look on Jamie’s face this morning, or your demeanour right now are any indicator, I’d say it’s certainly an interesting one.”

~

TAGS

@oncasette, @shiptheship, @ajkdjdnkekemfxj, @breepboopbap, @sssatorus, @jelleeyfish, @puckyou-forpuckssake, @ricciardhoe3, @buckybarnex, @loveslide, @hopefulromances, @sokkigarden, @optimisticsandwichgladiator, @hanybunch, @skewedcherries, @pythagothug

[frogwithgun]

I'm backkkkkk!

Mental health has been at an all time low! Yay!

But we thug it out fr 💪🏻

Anyways he's some satosugu!

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

Geto stares at his phone in excitement. Rare where the days when Gojo could have days off. Even rarer were the days when they could spend those days off alone together.

So he was ecstatic when Gojo decided to take him on a date.

Even more so when he realized what he was doing.

Recreating their first date.

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

2006

A younger Geto and Gojo are talking to each other happily. With Gojo being still for once. And Geto who could not stop fidigiting. God he felt so, different. Usually it was Gojo who was constantly moving. But he found himself playing with his bangs over and over.

Fixing his selves. Fixing his pants. God he couldn't stop. And meanwhile Gojo was preventing himself from making any dumb jokes.

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

Present day

"You remember this theater? God those workers were so done with us." Gojo laughed and Geto nodded. A happy smile on his face. He could almost see a ghost version of the both of them. Both bright red and smiling at each other.

"Yeah. I'm pretty sure she just wanted to go home." Geto said. Gojo smiled and kissed him on the check. "She just couldn't handle being so single and seeing us so happy."

Geto rolled his eyes and Gojo gave a small lovestruck smile.

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

2006

"Ok so she was definitely judging us, right?" Gojo asked. Geto nodded and moved his bangs out of the way. "Oh for sure. I mean, just because she's unhappy doesn't mean we should be." Gojo cackled and nodded. "Exactly."

Hand in hand they walked to get some popcorn. And an obscene amount of candy. Courtesy of Gojo and his sweet tooth.

Geto may have been silently judging him for not getting any sour candies.

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

Present day

Geto sighed and crossed his arms. "Really Satoru?" The white haired man looked down at his arms full of multiple kinds of candy. "You're right." Geto smiled thinking he was going to put it away. "I should get more!" "No."

Geto swears that sometimes it's like dating a child. But he loves the man nonetheless. So he just smiles and rolls his eyes as Gojo pouts and attempts to convince him. "Still no, Satoru." He groans loudly and puts the candies back.

"Just say you want a divorce at this point." He mutters. "What was that?" "Nothing!"

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

2006

As the date went on they got more comfortable. To the dismay of everyone else.

They were sat in the dark theater eyes glued to the screen and watching the movie with fascination. At least, Geto was. Gojo was to busy staring at Geto to even care about the movie.

"You're so pretty Suguru." Geto looked over at Gojo with a look of slight surprise. Then he smiled and looked away. "Noooo." Whined Gojo. "I want to see your eyes." Geto blushed and looked back at him. And Gojo happily smiled.

And everyone else in the theater didn't dare say anything. Not wanting to deal with the arrogant teen.

Besides they already tried. Gojo just ignored them.

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

Present day

The movie was almost exactly as Geto remembered it. He just couldn't remember if that plot twist had really happened the first time. Gojo on th other had didn't remember the movie at all. Still to focused on Geto to remember.

Geto sighed and looked at Gojo. Just like the first time. He thought to himself. But he didn't mind. He rather liked it. "Pay attention to the movie Satoru." He whispered. Gojo smiled and shrugged. "Nah, I think I'm good."

Some things just never change. No matter how many years pass.

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

Ok! I am so sorry it took me so long to get another story out. I have really been on the brink of mental breakdowns tbh. But it's ok! We are back baby!

Hope you enjoy this while I keep on revising part three of that modern AU

As always love you guys! 💚

[superluigiglitchy]

Multi Meggy Mayhem (Get to Know Your AU Meggy)

I’m a vein similar to Into the Marioverse, someone is going around, kidnapping and subsequently brainwashing the multiverses Meggy’a and it’s up to the Splatsquad to save the universe from its biggest threat- thousands of armed and dangerous brain washed Meggys

And now here YOU yes you get to meet the various Meggy’s we meet in this silly adventure

Triple Dose - A Meggy who has been hypnoshaded then sanitised and a few years into her recovery feom said sanitisation was fuzzified, shes taller than most Meggy’s (about Tari’s height) but suffers from severe back pain and needs to wear a brace as a result, currently recovering from amnesia and sometimes slips into a feral like state

Paper Jam - A Meggy from the paper jam verse, she is currently Captain of the Squidbeak Splatoon and got adopted by Cuttlefish, adoptive guardian of Veronika and currently dating Saiko, Tari and Desti in an open relationship, because of the sanitization her right eye is blind due to its light sensitivity, leaving aher needing to wear an eyepatch to avoid strain and had also been coaching a Team Blue from the Splatoon Manga and has also been present for the events of the Manga she doesn’t like others thinking they’re better than everyone else and sometimes gives such people a taste of humble pie (in the case of Wireglasses) if they go too far, she also dislikes the mindset of “The Strong rule the weak” since everyone needed to start from somewhere even the strongest Turfer used to be one of the weak you know, has emotionally adopted Team Blue and is now a single mom that works two jobs something something survivor

Soldier 30 - A Meggy who was made for super soldier program and was essentially a child soldier for most of her life it wasn’t until she was 14 and she ran into Mario (and tried to kill him and SMG4 on multiple occasions) that she began to learn that not is all as it seems and began to slowly but surely question her commanders orders, it wasn’t until she was 16 did she defect and that was during the anime arc, unlike canon Meggy who has green and purple eyes Soldier 30 has red and green eyes and also a list of war crimes

What-If Fuzz - Set in the what-if universe version of Squid Meme, this Meggy’s corpse was used as essential Subject 0 for Mr. Grizz’s Fuzzy Ooze for 4 years because of this she was extremely more fucked up than other more recently fuzzified subjects being a very tall cat bear like creature, it wasn’t until she ran into the NSS who were investigating Alterna whilst on her 333th escape attempt and got partially domesticated due to her immediate attachment to the Captain (who happened to be her younger sibling, Paige) did she begin to regain her suppressed memories that were sealed because of the combined trauma of getting stabbed, coming back from the dead and the countless experiments performed by Grizz, nowadays she has since regained her memories and is trying to live life the best she can whilst being a fucked up mutant cat bear thing, she’s also quite tall being about Saiko’s height and suffers from body aches from the bones she has

Italian Squid - This Meggy was taken in by Mario and Luigi after she was abandoned by her parents on the side of a road when she was a baby as a result she has an even stronger sibling bond than most Meggy’s with her Mario and Luigi and ended up learning a few tricks from them as well, now being able to Jump around like a bro and to swing around a hammer like a pro, she also has a minor italian accent, don’t worry Red and Lou still took her to Inkadia to exprience her heritage and culture, her best friends are Sam, Heavy Squid and Kenji and she’s been on her own Mario branded adventures like her brothers

Meggy and the Music Box - This Meggy has seen more horrors and is on the brink of a mental breakdown and going mas with the only thing keeping her sane is her determination to save both of her brothers from the clutches of the Mario Mansion, she is currently on her 40th loop and always has bruises around her neck from escaping a possessed Mario who was trying to strangle her

Wolf Squid - Before meeting Mario, this Meggy got bitten by a wolf on a camping trip with her friends as a result she now carries lycanthropy, doesn’t really change many things yet causes massive changes, shes a feral little shit who just wants pets

SuperBowserGlitchy - With Bowser being the Avatar instead of Mario, things are bound to change to fit this new Narrative as such this Meggy instead of being like a little sister to Bowser is straight up his adoptive daughter, Bowser ended up adopting Meggy and now she’s the General of his Army (and also has her own mini biker faction of the koopa army called the Killer Splatz) and honestly she makes them work like the damn Navy, she has a whole biker aesthetic going on with her owning a motorbike with a mini side car and instead of wearing a Plumber hat to replace her headgear she wears a Bowser sanctified Koopa baseball cap hat (it’s basically a baseball hat worth bowsers hair and horns) and is practically Bowser Jr. and the Koopalings cool older sister who they hide behind whenever things look grim, due to a magic accident that almost cause Meggy to suffer what was essentially ego death, she is now part koopa along with her being a human and inkling amalgamation (which in itself is a complicated thing), she’s somewhat fire resistant as a result and also carries around a shield of a spiked koopa shell (which may have been bowsers great grandpa but who the fuck knows at this point) which she carrie’s on her back

Puzzle Pieces stained in Orange - This Meggy was childhood friends with Puzzles (key word on the was) and was there to bare witness to his downward mental spiral into insanity and saw first hand the after math of cutting his face off and relplacing it with a television set, now she’s just trying to live her life peacefully after ditching puzzles

Love in the Cold - This Meggy is married to her universes Shiver after a series of misadventures and messes and has 3 kids with said Splatlandian, she also is a bit older than other Meggy’s being about 25 (basically she’s a girl dad with a loving family

There are Many Benefits to being a Mersquid - A Meggy from a world where pirates and high magic are common place, shes a mersquid and not just any mersquid but one blessed by the sea god Ollyseus and is the current de facto King of Inkadia due to winning the Turf War Crowning Tournament and “slaying” the corrupted Sea Demon King One-Shot Wren

[indeliblemarking]

abuse / trauma obviously isn’t an excuse for behavior and we see that notion applied (rightfully so most of the time) in fandom but i feel like in catra’s case you really can’t remove her suffering when analyzing why her redemption is written the way it is. she’s abused interpersonally and systematically as a child soldier from toddler age and it warps her perception of every relationship in her life to the point where she isolates herself to extreme degrees to the point that she’s consistently on the brink of a mental breakdown. yes she treats people like garbage yes she makes horrible decisions but her case is like…very extreme. and that’s not to necessarily play trauma olympics with characters in other pieces of media but i feel like people kind of downplay how that factors into her reasoning and also sort of forget how young she is throughout her entire story, flashbacks and all. so obviously the show is gonna have the good guys extend sympathy and not have her prove her worth. (which is one of the main ideas that messed her up in the first place) her arc needed more time but I think it’s unnecessary to devalue it just because the characters aren’t mad at her for as long as you want them to be, they offer her love and support as she exists but still don’t excuse or enable poor behavior and don’t allow her to be in their lives and make morally corrupt decisions. anyway ik it’s 2024 but that’s something I’ve thought for a while

[fandomfics]

Memories Are All We Have

Pairing: Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel x fem reader

Masterlist

Description: you've lost your memory, but you run into someone you have an undeniable pull to, you just know that you can trust them. Can they help you get your memory back?

Word count: 6.4k

⚠️Warnings⚠️

Au, Canon typical violence, death, mentions of suicide, suicide attempt, memory loss, abandonment, fluff, angst, dialog from some tertiary characters pulled from and/or heavily inspired by quotes from comics and movies.

A/N: the end got a lot heavier than I originally intended, but it just felt right. It is up for interpretation though.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The dark cloudless sky above you shines bright with a billion tiny points of light surrounding a full moon. A beautiful sight cut by the grittiness of the sandy dirt that seeps into the crevasses of your tactical suit, easing you into an overstimulating discomfort that nearly brings you to the brink of a mental breakdown. You lay in the remains of a spacecraft with no recollection of how you came to be amidst the wreckage.

You strain to remember yourself, but nothing appears. You desperately search for something, anything, to tell you the simplest information about yourself but nothing manifests other than a dull ache behind your eyes.

Something bright like a ball of fire appears above you in the sky, growing larger as the seconds pass, you realize it's coming straight towards you. You scramble to your feet and break into a run, looking behind you to see if you're at a safe distance you realize the object has changed course and is still on its way to you. In your haste your foot makes contact with a small boulder and you careen forward flat on your face.

When you turn onto your back you see a figure standing over you. She looks familiar, but the only thing you know is that you can trust her. A feeling deep in your gut says that you know this woman, it's all you have to go on as she stalks forward with a searing anger plastered to her face.

"Please...help me?" You say unmoving.

She briefly hesitates and confusion flashes in her eyes momentarily before she speaks. "Don't play games with me."

She reaches out and grabs your wrist, pulling you to your feet before restraining both your hands behind you.

"I don't know what youre talking about. I- I cant remember anything. Do you know me?"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Shuri, I don't know. Seems a little convenient." Carol Danvers is not convinced that your memories are completely wiped out.

"My scans all show that she's telling the truth. Her memories have disappeared from her brain entirely and so have any powers she had. It's like they never existed in the first place."

"The ship she crashed came from the collector, I'm gonna go gather some Intel. Something tells me this could be more dire than a little memory loss."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A seedy bar with seedier patrons bustles with lively music as Carol waits for her contact. She doesn't know how he gets his information, but he's never been wrong before.

"Hey there hot stuff" he sits next to her as she rolls her eyes hard.

"What do you have for me?" She cuts straight to the point.

"What, no foreplay?" He tried to flash a charming smile but she keeps her face stern until he caves. "Uh, anyway... The collector acquired this new device. It's meant to collect memories in criminal trials to be stored and replayed, but the one he got was modified. It permanently collects them from the subject, typically leaving them a little...dead."

"Shit. Thanks." She hands over his payment and immediately leaves the bar, returning to her ship.

She presses a few buttons on a console and the holographic image of Shuri flickers to life. "What did you find Carol?"

"Its worse than we could have imagined."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

You spend days in Shuri's lab as she runs test after test with Carol looking on. Your poked and proded by various instruments and needles until you're on the brink of madness. Neither woman speaks to you much unless it's a requirement of the current test. Instead they speak to each other as if you're not even there.

"The only way for the memories to return is with the device." She concludes.

"You're positive?" The skepticism clear in Carol's eyes.

"Absolutely."

Finally she speaks directly to you, "The plan is simple, the collector wants you back, there's a bounty on your head and I'm going pretend to collect. Once we have access to the building we can use the device and restore your memories before destroying it."

"I don't know how to fight. I'll be useless when we get inside."

Carol rolls her eyes before speaking, "it's a long trip, I'll train you on the way."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The ship is dark and quiet, you're meant to be sleeping, but all you're trying to do is wrack your brain, understand what's happening.

Suddenly there's a blade at your throat. You were so lost in thought you failed to notice Carol creep up on you.

"You're dead." She pulls the knife away from your throat, "how the hell am I supposed to train you? It's like you have no survival instincts whatsoever."

"Well excuse me for having an existential crisis because I know absolutely nothing about myself." You snap.

A frown tugs at your lips as she stalks away in a huff. She is cold, demanding, and ruthless. You know she hates you, but you don't know why. You try to be as nice as possible but it seems to irritate her even more, and she won't tell you anything about yourself, insisting that you'll learn when they get your memories back from the collector.

Day after day for a week your hours are filled with combat training. She doesn't let up no matter how exhausted you are. She punctuates every move to overpower you with a growled "Dead. Again."

Finally you break, "Why do you even care anyway? Huh? You clearly hate me. Why are you even helping me?"

"I don't hate you." You almost believe her. It's clear that it's complicated, not as easy as just hatred. It's deep and complex. Sometimes when she looks at you, her eyes sparkle for a fraction of a second as if she's remembering something good before morphing to disdain.

"Please, just tell me..." You plead, "I know we mean something to each other. I can feel it."

"We don't." She is short with you, but you're determined to get something out of her. Anything.

"Then at least tell me why you're helping me." You say as you follow her closely through the ship.

She sees that you're not going to give up and gives you the smallest bit she can in hopes of satiating your curiosity until you get to your destination. "It's for a friend I made a promise to a long time ago." She softens a bit at the thought. "When she was taken from me by a mad titan, I vowed to avenge her. With your help, your memories, I can."

Training is easier now that you have a sense of purpose and you understand Carol a tiny bit better. Not only are you doing this for yourself, you're doing it for Carol and the friend she lost. It feels like you're finding yourself even if she won't tell you anything.

"Can you tell me more about your friend?" You ask after a long sparring session a few weeks later as you lay across a chair exhausted.

She pauses for a moment, you think she's going to tell you it's none of your business but she starts to speak softly. "She was incredible. Her passion was unmatched. When she found something she thought was worth fighting for, worth believing in, she was all in." You see tears welling in her eyes as she stares down at the weapon she's polishing, "We fought together for so long until one day, she couldn't do it anymore."

She heads to the helm of the ship, signaling the end of the conversation. You mull her words over, try and think of anything you can say to ease her pain, but nothing you come up with feels right.

Her attitude has toward you hasn't changed, but you're hopeful that as soon as your memories are returned to you, you can mend relationship that you must have previously had.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

You run over the plan in your head again and again as you approach the massive celestial severed head known as knowhere. It seems familiar but you gawk at the sight nonetheless, the juxtaposition of the skeletonized head among an interstellar cloud of gas, plasma, and dust amalgamating in a beautiful range of yellows, greens, and blues is breath taking.

The approach seems to take an eternity as nerves settle in your stomach. Carol is dressed in a disguise of sorts and you are cuffed. She places a key in your pocket to use later and you exit the ship. She puts on a show of shoving you forward towards the guard at the entrance of the collection causing you to stumble forward.

"Here for a bounty." She says curtly as she looks up at the towering being before her.

He speaks into a device on his wrist and the door opens, he nods and you make your way inside. The amount of items that surround you is staggering. Relics, Knick knacks, beings... You have a hard time picking just one thing to look at, you could spend years wandering the building and still not see everything.

Carol ignores the surrounding objects and heads straight for the lift. She doesn't speak to you the entire journey up until she notices you shifting from foot to foot and fiddling with your hands.

"Relax."

"I don't know if I'm -" your words are cut short by the doors opening. A man with a shock of white hair and heavy unblinking eyes stands before you. A small smile curls at the corner of his lips when he sees you.

"As agreed upon." He hands Carol payment and she returns to the lift. You stare back at her, mouth agape. This was not the plan. This was not a back up plan. She left you. Tears prick the corners of your eyes as you try to subtly search your pocket for the cuff keys, but it's gone.

"You poor thing. You think she was going to follow through with whatever half baked scheme she used to lure you in? Bounty hunters can be awfully manipulative." He circles you, inspecting your body in the way one would with any number of the relics in his collection. "Bet she promised to help you get your life back." He says with a tap of his index finger to your temple.

The tears fall freely. You feel used. Anger builds in your chest until it bursts forth in a primal scream that threatens to rip your vocal cords to shreds as the collector chuckles behind you. He stands close behind you, you feel his hot breath on the shell of your ear.

"I can give those memories back," his voice is low, "work with me and you'll have your memories and anything else you could ever want."

"You took my them from me in the first place, why would you give them back?" You turn in place quickly to face him.

"You left before we could finish the job." He uncuffs you, "you see, you came to me. You wanted some of your memories removed." His hands cup your cheeks, "the machine malfunctioned and you ran away before we could do anything. Even without your powers you are strong." He presses his lips gently to yours and you recoil at his touch.

"You'll remember me soon enough."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Your eyes are held open by the machine, you feel it probe the pathways of your brain until it reaches its destination.

"We have to sort through some things my dear." You hear the voice of Taneleer Tivan echo in your head as flashes of images play in your mind.

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"That one looks like a cat!" You look to your left and see a young blonde girl beside you where you lay in a field of tall grass. Her arm is outstretched to the sky as she points to a particular cloud.

"I think it looks more like a goose!" You fall into a fit of giggles and the girl beside you joins in.

"Carol! Time for dinner!" She gets up with an overly dramatic sigh.

"Guess I gotta go, I'll see you tomorrow!"

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"Definitely don't need that one." Tivan's voice rings clearly as the memory fades to nothing.

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"What if they don't like me?" The same girl sits next to you on a bench outside your favorite ice cream shop. She's several years older, mid teens maybe, but it's unmistakably her.

"Impossible. They'd have to be stupid to not see how cool you are." She licks around the edges of the waffle cone as the icy treat starts to melt.

"I'm serious." You cast your eyes down.

Carol places a hand on yours and you feel your stomach flip as you look up at her, "They're gonna love you." Her words are soft, "Plus, maybe one day you can be one of the X-Men! Living in a mansion is also an added bonus." She laughs and your heart lightens. You're still nervous, but she's taken the edge off.

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"Useless."

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A flicker of several memories of Charles Xavier teaching you to hone your abilities fill your vision. He had a particular interest in you as you both share the same sorts of power, your time in the x-mansion was often spent with him.

"When an individual acquires great power, the use or misuse of that power is everything. Do not squander it. It is our birthright... Perhaps, our burden. With that power comes responsibility -- and also accountability." You're walking the grounds around the mansion with the professor, enjoying the beautiful weather. "This is only the first step on a long and difficult journey. Throughout your life, there is going to be a lot of people telling you not to be you. Don't let them tear you down. Don't compromise. You have the chance to become part of something much bigger than yourself. Right now you are in control of your destiny. You remember that."

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"I have a good feeling about those"

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"I'm so glad you came!" you greet Carol with a hug. You feel like it's been ages since you saw your best friend. You've only been away a few months since moving into the mansion, but not seeing her every day has been difficult.

You stand on a pier surrounded by carnival games and rides, the sea breeze tousles her hair around her face as the smell of funnel cake and popcorn invades your nostrils. You take her hand and run to the end of the pier where the sea lions lounge on the platforms below. You comment back and forth on the behavior of an especially rambunctious pup whose antics have left you both in a fit of giggles.

You've missed her smile, her laugh, everything about her. You feel the fluttering of butterflies in your stomach as you watch her lean her elbows on the wooden rails and smile down at the mammals below. The realization of what she truly means to you hits you like a freight train.

You are in love with your best friend.

"Promise me something Carol."

"Anything." Her eyes are bright as they look up to you.

"Best friends forever. No matter what. We'll always be there for each other." You hold your pinky out to solidify the pact and she wraps her pinky around yours.

"Always and forever."

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"Guess she lied. Let's get rid of that."

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Years later you are visiting home, It's your 18th birthday and you and Carol have spent the day celebrating with friends and family.

"I know the perfect way to end the day." She says as the last guest leaves. "Come on, let's go."

The pair of you hop in her truck and drive until you've hit a secluded hilltop away from the light pollution. You climb out and she hoists herself into the bed of the truck, extending her hand to help you do the same. As you climb in you step onto a mattress and Carol begins to pull pillows and blankets out of a duffle bag. Once the bed is all cozy you both lay down and look up at the stars.

"Happy birthday." She whispers as her hand grabs yours, intertwining your fingers together.

You feel a tingle of adoration spread through your body, a smile stretches across your lips. "Thank you."

Comfortable silence fills a chunk of time before Carol's voice finally breaks it. "I want you to read my mind."

The shock on your face is apparent, you've always made it a point to ensure that you don't invade the privacy of people's minds unless it's dire or they've given you permission, and Carol has never given you permission before. "Why now?"

"Just look, please." Her eyes show a mixture of fear and anticipation. Your eyes close and gently you probe her mind, she opens up to you and you feel love envelope you in a warm embrace, you feel the squeeze of her hand as her voice rings clear in your head. "I always thought what I had was just a childhood crush, but it never went away. I've been in love with you for as long as I can remember."

Your eyes snap open and you look to Carol, before you can register what's happening, tears fall from your eyes. It wasn't just you. She felt it too.

"Please say something." Her brow furrows with worry and you rush to answer her.

"Me too." You reach your free hand to cup her face, turning your body to face her, "Can I kiss you?" She nods and you lean into her. Your lips brush against hers softly before deepening the kiss. This is the happiest moment of your life.

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"Don't need this one."

You feel the machine trying to rip the memory back from your mind and you hold tight. Not this one. You want at least one reminder of the good before you see how things ended.

The machine doesn't seem to alert Tivan of the failure to remove it and he continues forward.

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Flashes of the next six years invade your mind, little moments spent with Carol when the two of you got any chance to. She had moved closer to you, but between your training to become a full member of the X-Men and her joining the air force to become a pilot you weren't able to spend as much time together as you would have liked.

You spoke on the phone nearly every day, a lot of happy meet ups and conversations took place, but the distance and time brought up plenty of arguments as well.

"We need to figure something out Carol. I love you more than anything, but we can't keep this up. We need to figure out where our lives are heading." You say exasperatedly over the phone.

"I know baby, but I need time to figure it out."

"We've had six years to figure it out, and every time I try and talk to you about how we can build a home for ourselves and be together, truly together, rather than this bullshit, you push it off. It's never the right time. Maybe it never will be..." You feel defeated.

"What are you saying?"

"I don't know. I just can't keep waiting like this." You hang up the phone and sob. Did you just break up with her or give her an ultimatum? You aren't sure. Your mind is swimming, you go to bed and toss and turn all night thinking about the implications of the conversation.

The next few days you don't receive your usual call, but you don't worry. She's probably giving you space to cool off before you try and talk through it, maybe this time will be different.

On the fourth day one of your housemates calls you to the phone. Your nervous to hear what Carol has to say. You hope she's finally come up with some sort of plan, a timeline.

"Hello?"

The person on the other end confirms your identity before relaying the worst news of your life. She's gone. Killed in a test flight.

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"She spent years jerking you around and them poof, gone. We can keep this one."

He spends the next several hours sifting through the next ten years of your life. Becoming part of the X-Men and a teacher, dedicating your life to the kids you taught, nearly being killed, your slow decent into depression and fading of your faith in yourself, leaving the school to move back to your hometown only to work as a librarian.

He kept the memories he deemed necessary and removed everything else. You constantly felt like something was being ripped from your mind but you couldn't remember what.

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"I'd like to check this out." The voice is a familiar echo of your past as a book slams on the desk in front of you, you look up to see Carol, your lost love, not having aged at all. There's only one explanation.

"Mystique, I haven't worked with Charles in years, I don't have anything you want." You stare into her eyes coldly.

"What? It's me, really. Carol."

"You aren't very convincing, she's been dead for ten years. You should have picked someone else." You wave your hand in dismissal as you move towards your return cart.

"Look into my mind." She brings herself back into your sight around the desk.

You reach out and find that she's pushing forward her recollection of times you had spent with her in private, loving little moments, then the events of the last ten years, displaying them for you, trying to get you to understand what happened.

"Why did you wait 4 years after you found yourself again?" The pain in your voice as you stumbled through the words was clear.

"I was afraid. I spent days after our last conversation being mad until I realized I wasn't being fair to you. I planned to call you after the test flight... Then when I came back I saw that you were happy at the school and I didn't want to ruin that again."

"What were you going to say? After the flight." Your eyes fill with tears as old wounds reopen and tear at your insides.

"I wasn't sure at first." She whispers, "I was going to tell you to leave me, that I couldn't give you what you wanted or needed, but then when I thought about that as I took off on that flight. The world was a little dimmer, I couldn't see the beauty I usually saw from the cockpit. My dreams of flying didn't matter if I didn't have you."

You both stand still, eyes connected as tears trail down your faces. Her hand reaches for yours and you allow her to take it.

"I'm sorry. For everything. I just wanted you to know that, and maybe give you some sort of closure if you needed it." She drops your hand and turns to leave.

She's almost to the door when you call out to her. "Carol, wait!" Your body acts on its own and you run and jump into her arms, wrapping your legs around her hips as her hands land under your thighs to support you and you smash your lips against her in a frenzied kiss. Your love for Carol never faded, it was always there, this was like settling back into your own bed after a long trip away from home. A comforting warm embrace that felt safe.

You're both left panting when the kiss breaks and you rest your forehead against hers.

"Can I take you out?" Her smile beams wide and you nod.

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"Ah, this is a moment you told me about. When you look back on it you feel like a fool. You definitely don't want this."

It feels wrong, you fight to keep this too, but it slips through your grasp until you have no idea what it was you were trying to save.

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Another flood of memories, years of happiness at Carol's side as you fight against the evils of the universe. You have fights and disagreements just like before, but this time you're together through it all. It's not perfect, but you work through your problems together, until you can't.

In your time among the stars you start to feel jaded, the looming threat of the mad titan Thanos begins to weigh heavily on you. You watch as countless beings fall fighting beside you and Carol in the name of what's right.

"This universe is finite, its resources finite. If life is left unchecked, life will cease to exist. It needs correction. I know what it's like to lose. To feel so desperately that you're right, yet to fail nonetheless. It’s frightening." Thanos stands over the body of another friend he has slain in the name of his purpose as he speaks to you. "Help me end the suffering that plagues this place. Help me restore balance to the universe, a quest truly worthy of your talents."

He extends a hand to you, an open invitation to join his cause. You think back on every poverty stricken community you've encountered, every starving child, every avoidable tragedy, and you take his hand.

Carol finally catches up to you in this moment, you look back and see her face fall in confusion, "I'm sorry, I can't keep fighting the inevitable."

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The remainder of your memories that involve Carol are bitter, full of anguish. She treats you like any other enemy she's ever had, stoking the fire of your hatred for her.

Then something comes loose, a memory that was wiped before you met Tivan. Guilt shreds your insides as the image flashes through your mind. Years spent in service of Thanos to wipe out half the universe, killing in the name of his quest. It was never your intention.

You had just lost another friend in a battle to find Thanos. You lay on your back amidst the rubble and chaos after having defeated the last wave of Chitari, and you made a decision, you were done fighting a loosing battle, you had to do something to end this.

You formulated a plan then and there. The next time you met Thanos face to face you would get close enough to rip him apart with your mind, spread every molecule of his being across space and time until they are consumed by the heat of the stars and lost in black holes. This effort would certainly kill you, but you couldn't fight anymore. Not when people were dying left and right and there was seemingly no end in sight. You didn't tell Carol, you knew she would try and stop you. You didn't tell anyone. This was your burden to bear.

The thing you hadn't anticipated was the mind stone. You were so wrapped in grief and guilt you were short sighted. The second he touched your hand with the gauntlet your memory of the plan was gone. You were fully in his hold, a servant.

The machine begins to shake beneath you. Your eyes go white and you are no longer in control of your body. The straps and instruments that hold you down seem to disobey gravity as they disassemble themselves and float away. Your body rises in the air and a burst of energy flows from you, atomizing the machine beneath you and releasing every memory back to you.

The air crackles with telepathic energy as your mind searches for the collector, but he's no longer there. How long were you out of control? You reach out again to whoever is around, you sense a familiar presence, Carol.

Your eyes return to normal and you land with your feet firm on the floor, you are full of determination. You feel the suffering of countless beings in the building. Floor by floor you release them, taking out any guards or threats on your way. When you're halfway through you finally find Carol slumped over in a clear case amid other heroes that have gone missing across the universe. You release the others one by one and ask to probe their minds before unlocking the abilities that the collector had somehow managed to dampen.

When you make it to Carol's case you sit on the ground next to her and pull her into your lap, gently you push the hair from her face. She barely stirs before her hands are around your neck, she's weak but you don't fight when she pushes into you, your back pressed against the ground as she straddles you.

"It's okay. I deserve it." You choke out through tears. You reach into her mind and unlock her powers without probing further.

"What are you doing?" She screams in frustration.

"You need your abilities to rescue everyone else. Please Carol, just do it." You sob, you don't fight her in the slightest. "I can't live with what I've done, I don't want to."

The pressure at your throat increases until your vision darkens around the edges.

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"It's too dangerous Carol!" You hear Shuri's voice in the distance.

"I need to know more. I need to understand what the hell happened in there. She wanted me to kill her." She whisper shouts.

"You were supposed to make sure she didn't get anything back, she's dangerous. You know that better than anyone else."

Carol sighs heavily, "That's why I'm taking her to a deserted planet. Once we have our feet on the ground I'll send the ship back into orbit. If something happens to me, at least she won't be able to hurt anyone else."

You don't hear the rest of the conversation as the crushing weight of your reality bares down on your chest until you struggle to breathe. Your eyes are fixed to the ceiling above you, but you see nothing. Your mind fogs up until your eyes loose focus and your thoughts vacate your mind.

You feel the ship land and Carol snaps you out of your trance, guiding you out of the ship before you watch it rise back into the air and disappear from sight.

You're in the middle of a field of tall grass, much like the one you and Carol played in as kids, this would be a good place to go. You sink to your knees before the love of your life and wait for her to speak.

"What happened to you?" She whispers, her voice full of emotion.

"I just wanted everything to stop. I didn't want to keep watching our friends and family suffering needlessly in a war that we were loosing in." Your eyes latch onto hers, "I was going to kill him myself, even if it meant I would die in the process. I didn't want to tell you, I knew you'd try and stop me."

You could see a shift in her gaze, understanding blooms in her features and you know she believes you, but the anger is still there.

"You killed for him."

"I was so wrapped up in my plan that I didn't think about the mind stone." You hang your head in shame. "I fucked up. I don't deserve mercy, I don't deserve to live. I let my emotions drive me to the point of endangering countless lives."

When you look up, she's gone. Her silhouette disappearing into the purple sky. You fall back into the grass and watch the sky change with the fading light of the sun as it dips below the horizon. You lay unmoving until exhaustion overtakes you and your eyes close.

Your sleep is fitful, nightmares of everything you'd done since joining Thanos plagues your vision. The face of every person you ever hurt flips through your mind like a photo album. You know you were manipulated, but the pain of your actions consumes you. The gnawing guilt is more than you can take, you don't want to wait for Carol to possibly return to put you out of your misery.

You rise from the ground and take flight into the dawn, you want to see something beautiful. You fly over the surface of the planet taking in its lush beauty. You make it to the Mountains taller than you've ever seen, dense forests with trees of colors you can't begin to describe, a bright sea with beaches of white sands.

When you're finally ready you shoot through the atmosphere as fast as your abilities will carry you. Your breathing becomes laboured as you break through the last layer, the icy chill of space envelopes you and your last thought of Carol's face.

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They say your life flashes before your eyes before you die, but this memory is only vaguely familiar to you. You lay in the recovery room in the X-mansion, but you can't place when. Your eyes adjust to the brightness of the room and next to you a figure sits with her head in her hands.

"Carol." Your voice is weak, barely a whisper.

Her head shoots up, tears in her eyes as one of her hands desperately clasps onto yours and the other clasps your cheek.

"There you are."