#sincerely happy for him and his now partner. i consider him (and always have) my best friend. (among others but he's definitely Up There..

[k0ff1n]

Skully headcanons (both general and relationship stuff)

The parts with the reader are gender neutral, also there is a point that could be considered nsfw I think but it's really just general stuff so nothing much really.

-English isn't my first language so sorry if there are errors and other stuff that simply ain't right and I hope you enjoy :)

+So first of all we know that he isn't from the world that hosts Halloween town, meaning he doesn't dress like that... probably. Personality wise I'd say that he only has energy when he is 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 excited about something, usually a topic that he really likes, but other than that he'd probably be kind of laid back. Like the Kaworu Nagisa type of laid back, he talks and stuff, nods and smiles but doesn't really express emotions in a really... 𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘺 (this phrase makes sense in my head please bare with me).

+Now I fully believe that he probably dresses in two ways, no in between. We can have the fancy version of him, probably on those days where he feels motivated enough to wear something nice, and those are the only times where he wears some type of goth outfit, then we have the 𝘶𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭 version of him, the one where he's probably wearing a random cardigan with the most hideous Halloween design anyone's ever seen in their entire live. You know those 90s cardigans, the hand knitted ones with the different patterns randomly sprinkled on the base, yeah, those beauties.

+Now let's be sincere, he's probably autistic. He seems to not really understand "standard" social cues, like when he kisses everyone's hand and they are basically disgusted, also when in Halloween town he hugs grim and Epel(?) just because of how excited he is and they are 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 dying inside but he doesn't even seem to notice lol. Now the most noticeable part is also the one where he only talks about Jack and the related festivity, it literally feels like a special interest, the kind that sticks with you for all your life and you can't really get out of your sistem. Also we know that no one really likes him or talks to him in his real world, which is unfortunately the reality of many neurodivergent people, often considered weird or annoying by others. I mean all the neurodivergent people I've met always had similar experiences, me included so yeah, I mean he also basically states that so.

+With this said I imagine him to be the type of person that tries to keep his interests to himself but fails horribly every time someone gets close enough and he thinks he can finally open himself up. Now we all know how that would end (not in a nice way) , meaning that he probably hides himself in the realities from different books and movies he likes. I firmly believe that the reason he was so happy to finally be in Halloween town was because he imagined so many times to live there without the trouble of other negative people that he felt as if he actually belonged somewhere for once.

+Now since this is getting depressing I'd say that if he had a partner he would probably need someone that either shares the same type of interests as him or simply has enough time to listen to him rant about his hyperfixations. I'd say that the first one would probably still be better because he'd feel as if someone finally understands him and gets why he likes certain things so much.

+Probably collects weird and creepy things, could be old stuff he found in a thrift shop or taxidermies he made himself or bought from some shop on Etsy lol. I see him as the type of guy to yes, love Halloween, but only a certain types of decorations, I mean the old/vintage type would be perfect but if you ever try to get him close to a basic plastic pumpkin (like the basket kind for trick or treat) he would probably start talking in an annoyed and frustrated way about how society ruined the original version of the holiday and stuff like that.

+Type of guy to listen to those long ass YouTube videos with the low quality image as thumbnail that last for more than two hours but include old songs that no one ever listened to, probably including the ones that 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘦𝘥 those songs.

+If he actually had a partner he would probably be clingy af, not in an annoying way but like a cat that's always around you way. I don't think that in public he would display that much affection, probably afraid of other people seeing him and judging once again, but when in private he would probably be constantly near you or touching you somehow, be it hugging you when watching a scary movie on the couch or if he's helping cooking something and suddenly you feel him speak in you ear, scaring the shit out of you because he somehow doesn't make any noise when walking.

+Has the worst eye bags you've ever seen in your life, the type that even if you put a red base and then the green and concealer or whatever they 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 fade away. They would probably only make him look good considering that be surely (to me at least so sshhh) wears at least a little eyeliner or eyeshadow. I dont think he was dry lips, even if the og image gives that impression I have a feeling that it's like those cracked type of lipsticks that you put on in layers and stuff.

+One again, if you share interests he would probably sing various tunes with you, be it the songs form the nightmare before Christmas or things like confrontation form the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde musical. I can see him dramatically move around his room while singing a certain part and then looking at you like you hung the starts in the sky when you start singing the next part, even if you suck it doesn't matter really.

+I don't think that he's asexual but at the same time I don't think he'd be really interest in sex stuff anyway, like maybe sometime but more like vanilla things, he doesn't even look like he has the energy to keep up any fancy type of performance let's be fr. Would kiss you and whatever, sometimes make out if you have the time and actually feel like doing something like that, but generally I don't think that he would care much about there things.

+Probably has a pet, not sure which one but the possibilities are: a cat, more cats, rats (named Jack and Sally obvs) or some type of ferret. Not really a dog type of person even if he likes Zero. He probably doesn't have the energy to keep up with an animal like that even if he wants to.

[freesia-writes]

Ch 25: Surrender and Dread

Master List ~~ Previous Chapter ~~ WC: 2.4k

Song: Eleanor Collides - Lifeboats (Official Lyric Video) (youtube.com)

.

The water crashed over the rocks with a steady, soothing roar as Luci reclined beside the river, lifting her water bottle to her lips before tossing it aside and stretching out luxuriously where they’d strewn their towels over the flat stones on the bank. Hunter gazed at the waters, swirling in blue and green hues, then allowed his eyes to drift over her. She folded her arms over her face to block the sun, peeking out at him with one squinty eye.

“It’s not fair that you can get into shape so fast,” she said with a smile, letting out a low whistle as Hunter took his shirt off and rested with his hands behind him. “I mean, are you kidding me? Look at you.” He glanced down, noticing that his soldier physique had indeed returned at a rapid rate, although this was no surprise to him, considering his engineering. The various workouts that they had enjoyed together had challenged him in new ways, allowing him to develop not only his strength and stamina, but his agility, flexibility, and stability as well. It helped that they were always outdoors, too, so his rich brown skin was a deeper tone than it ever had been during the years spent wearing blacks every waking moment. 

“Sorry,” he said, as unapologetically as he could. She laughed, shaking her head and burying it further beneath her arms. “It’s all your fault anyway,” he continued, grinning as she swatted blindly at him. 

“I regret nothing,” she grumbled, lifting one toned leg and flexing her foot back and forth. She’d worn nothing but a swimsuit for their hike, leaving him speechless at her free-spirited comfort in virtually any situation. “But I also have earned a good, solid ‘I told you so’ about the dancing. It took, what, like six lessons and you’ve got all kinds of lustful eyes on you now?” Hunter groaned, rolling his eyes in thorough disbelief, but she continued with a mockingly insistent look on her face, “You might not see it, but I do. But don’t worry, I’ll fight em off. I told you I was scrappy.”

“Thank you.” His sincerity was laced with sarcasm, and she loved every minute of it, lowering her leg back down and touching his foot with hers on the way. 

“You gonna help me with the next series of dance classes?”

“It didn’t sound like you needed a partner for those…” Hunter said, voice constricting a little. 

“Not at the studio,” she said with a smirk. “But maybe I can practice on you at home so I can get the best choreography for the students… Somethin real spicy.” 

“You didn’t get enough practice in your traveling dance troupe? That sounded… similar…”

“Oh it was,” Luci agreed, biting her lip at the thought. “You wouldn’t believe some of the politicians I entertained… It’s amazing how so many people, all wildly different on the outside, can be reduced to most of the same basic urges.”

“You love toying with people, don’t you…”

“Not toying with them,” she corrected quickly, a tinge of indignation in her soft, light voice. “That sounds mean. I love people in all their shapes and sizes. It’s just fun that, at the simplest level, we’re pretty much all the same.” She paused, considering her own philosophy. “But the differences add all the color and flavor! So being able to see both in each person – the common humanity as well as the amazing diversity – makes life a really interesting ride! No pun intended,” she added with a wink. “But yeah, my… insight… did get me a lot of tips and repeat customers. So everyone was happy.”

“Well that’s good.”

“Did I tell you about my Holonet correspondent job?” she asked, sitting up to face him more fully and adjusting her swimsuit top. 

“I don’t think so…” he murmured, furrowing his brow. She’d told him a lot, to be honest, and there were so many stories of random career endeavors and impulsive adventures that he was starting to feel lost in it all. She had a number of tattoos, each with its own tale of meaning (or debauchery), and she’d been across the galaxy almost as much as he had, it seemed, although under very different circumstances. There were more people in her life than he could remember, all referred to with fondness and specific names that he promptly forgot. And she seemed to have more luck than the average individual, having skirted some very precarious situations a number of times. It was getting to the point where he was fairly certain he couldn’t be surprised by anything from her anymore, and somehow that was comforting in itself.

“Okay, so I’m a journalist for the Galactic News Network, based out of Coruscant… I actually still have my apartment there, because it’s such a fun place to visit, and I might take that up again someday cause it was crazy money and lots of weird, awesome people. Anyway, I’m covering this underground Sabacc ring that was increasingly connected with a few crime lords in the area, and I have to go in disguise to try to get chummy with the right people. I get all set with a hidden recorder, some tracking beacons, and a killer outfit, and there I am, in the middle of it all. I thought I was pretty decent at Sabacc… until then… So I lost all my credits immediately, which was how I was supposed to get to the right table… But I had to pivot and use my people skills instead.” She leaned back on her hands, mimicking his position and turning her chin toward the sun, closing her eyes to soak up its warm beams as she continued a colorful tale of flirtation, deception, and drunken confessions that blew up into an entire scandal. “...and I got to write it all!” she finished cheerily. “So that was a fun one. But anyway – we’ve been sitting far too long. Dare you to jump?”

Hunter followed her pointed finger to the waterfall, which was not terribly high but poured into a churning pool below. He couldn’t decide if he felt lazy or just content, but when he caught the inquisitive sparkle in her eye, he was surprised at how willing he felt all of a sudden. Next thing they knew, they were standing on a relatively thin ledge, pressed up against the face of the rock wall with the water tumbling down beside them, and Luci reached a hand out to him, entwining her fingers with his before leaping into the water below and pulling him along. 

They crashed into the pool, tumbling beneath the sheer force of water cascading from above, and after a few strong strokes, they each burst out of the water, gasping for air. Hunter flung his hair back from his forehead, although some tousled chunks still fell across his eyes in the most gloriously attractive and viscerally satisfying manner, and Luci giggled as she swam to where he had waded into a waist-deep eddy where the water was much calmer. He rubbed his face with both hands, turning to smile at her as she stood up beside him, repositioning her swimsuit and dipping in the water one more time to make her hair lay perfectly smooth down her back. 

“Let’s try a flip next time,” she snickered, teasing the water droplets across his chest with a few playful fingers. 

“I think I’m good,” Hunter shook his head, looping an arm around her waist with seemingly lighthearted ease, but his heart was pounding in his chest. She sidled a little closer, straightening the dainty gold chains around her neck before resting her hands on his chest again. Her body pressed against his, wet and warm, and the sensation had a disproportionate impact on him as he pulled her close. 

“You are good,” Luci teased, nestling into his embrace and studying his face with soft eyes. She slowly lifted a hand, cupping the side of his face and brushing a thumb along the curve of his tattooed cheekbone, then lowered her gaze to his lips, flickering back up to his eyes with an unspoken question. Tingles raced through his veins, combined with an exhilaration that goaded him on, and he tilted his head slightly, watching her closely. She touched the tip of his nose with her own, cheeks curving into that disarming smile he’d come to enjoy so much, and then she leaned in a little closer, pressing her lips to his with a feather-light care that made his knees weak. 

How long had it been since he’d been kissed? He had no idea. Cadet shenanigans at 79s, probably. It felt like a different life. And yet here he was, arms wrapped around a beautiful, smart, fun woman whose mouth was gently caressing his own as her long lashes closed in blissful surrender. He could feel every inch of her melted against him as her hand slowly wove its way up the back of his neck, and his eyes fluttered shut as she sighed quietly against his lips. She pulled away for a moment, looking at him with the same delight and surprise that he had on his own face, then she came back for more, tipping her own head to kiss him more passionately this time. 

His nose pressed into her cheek, his fingers splayed across the middle of her back as his arms flexed around her, and his breaths were shallow and irregular as their lips met again and again. A fire was growing in his core, spreading out to his limbs, and as she idly slid one hand down his ribs and stomach, it burst into a full flame. When they finally separated, Hunter had to gasp for air, earning a giggle from Luci as she pinched his cheek fondly. She opened her mouth with a snarky remark, but then closed it, shaking her head minutely to herself and instead beaming at his flushed face. The myriad of emotions in his dark eyes were impossible to sort through, but she forgot them all when he suddenly moved forward more confidently now, cupping her face in both hands and doing his best to avoid being sloppy despite the wave of hunger that washed over him. 

His lips fit around hers, pressing together and coming apart with quiet sounds as her fingernails raked up his back. He pulled back for a breath, then carefully kissed her cheek, her jaw, beneath her ear, the side of her neck. Her skin was so soft, flecked with a few remaining water droplets, and the hint of her perfume was so sweet that his mind was reeling. His heart flipped in his chest, relishing the feeling of her pulse against his lips. She leaned her head to the side, exhaling in utter contentment, and he stopped himself suddenly with a ragged gasp, catching her attention as she looked at him quizzically. 

“Sorry,” he said, his voice far more husky than he’d have hoped as he dropped his hands to his sides and took a step back. “I didn’t mean to–” She put a finger on his lips, a starstruck smile on her face, and shook her head. 

“Nothing to be sorry for, except for stopping,” she said playfully, then surprised him by turning to slowly walk out of the river, flashing a glance back at him over her swaying hips. “But I’m gonna give you a minute to cool off; you look like you need it,” she winked, climbing to their towels with a giggle. 

Hunter stood in the water for a moment longer, rubbing his face again before folding both hands atop his head, staring into the distance in a dreamlike state. He took a deep breath, blowing it out slowly through pursed lips, then followed after her. 

The hike back to town was punctuated with lighthearted conversation and playfulness, and Hunter felt as though he were walking on a cloud. He could still feel her soft, full lips and the curve of her body against his own. It was utterly distracting, causing him to trip a few times, earning gleeful snickers from Luci. When it came time to part ways, she grabbed his hand again, pulling him in close and melting him with those large green eyes that were absolutely full of adoration. His heart leapt into his chest as she gave him a farewell kiss, lingering just a moment longer to give his stomach time to join the internal acrobatics. Then, with a wave and a wink, she was gone.

He continued walking home slowly, taking in the scenery as though seeing it anew. The birds were singing as they dipped and soared on the gentle breeze that rustled through the trees. The salty air carried rich scents of cooking and agriculture from the cozy homes and farms nearby. The soft grass beneath his feet carried on across the swells of the meadows until they gave way to the lush forest, and the walls of his cabin appearing in the clearing ahead was a welcome sight.

Only when he dropped his bag on the table in the entryway, causing a few of the contents to tumble out, did he notice the flashing light on his comm. 

Freezing in his tracks, he felt an icy grip in his chest, followed immediately by waves of anger, confusion, and indignation that washed away the blissful warmth he’d been floating in.

He picked it up and clicked a single button, watching the small light flash a certain pattern of colors, and he didn’t realize he’d clenched his jaw until his teeth ground together, sending a shiver down his spine.

It could just be an animal… Or a friend… But the indoor sensors had been triggered as well… So unless it was the first occasion of breaking and entering that the island had ever seen…

He sighed, dropping the device back to the table as though it were repulsive to him, then headed for his room, fists tight at his sides.

.

Previous Chapter ~ Master List ~ Next Chapter

Join the tag list by commenting for the discord server link or filling out my form.

@lightwise @littlemissmanga @dystopicjumpsuit @523rdrebel

@solstraalaa @skellymom @photogirl894 @youreababboon @anything-forourmoony

@reader6898 @moonstrider9904 @hipwell @lamiliani @catoo

@ilarria @padawancat97 @yve-barr @lucyysthings @flowered-bicycles

@maddiedrmr @techhasmjolnir @arctrooper69 @spicy-clones @ezras-left-thumb

@cw80831 @dreamie411 @meagmcc12 @waytoooldforthis78 @hunter-lvr

@baddest-batchers @yunggoblin @sweeticedtea @imperfectxprincess @ivyyyyy

@callsign-denmark @leotawrites @carlislecullensadilf @ivyyyyy

@thetechturn @burningnerdchild @galaxyofthoughts99 @salaminus @goldy-lots

@littlefeatherr @thiswitchloves9904 @subbing-for-clones @heidnspeak @serretta

[spiritedscorpio]

When they find out that you're jealous (Bungo Stray Dogs)

Warning: Slight smut

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

Atsushi:

Honestly, for the most part the two of you have a pretty healthy relationship, you both wanted nothing else but to make each other happy and he often told you how much he appreciated everything you did-- regardless of how small it may have been

However, his extremely friendly nature occasionally posed problems. You normally were pretty good at not thinking anything of it and while you knew he'd never do anything to hurt you, it sometimes came off in a different way, especially when it came to his friendship with Lucy

You noticed she had feelings for him but the fact that Atsushi either was oblivious to them or just wasn't entertaining them removed most of your worries-- until today when she asked him to help her strengthen her ability

Atsushi being eager to help people as always agreed, clearly thinking the offer was innocent but to you it was clear that she was considering it a date. You weren't sure whether he agreed because he was interested or because he had no idea, leaving you fairly distant the rest of the day. Whenever he initiated physical contact you didn't return it leaving him concerned however he decided to bring it up when you two were alone

When you reluctantly told him what was wrong, he initially was shocked to hear about Lucy's feelings but was quick to reassure you that nothing was going on

He says something like: "Oh, I'm so sorry I worried you, if you want I can tell her I'm busy"

The sincerity in his tone completely washes away your worries and you tell him you're okay with him going

Even though you say you're fine now, he makes a point to spend as much time with you as possible and tells you how much he loves you even more than before ❤️

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

Kunikida:

His ideals both benefited and hindered your relationship, some of his actions seemed to be forced as it was what "a proper boyfriend would do" but he also constantly told you that being insincere about his feelings isn't something that an ideal boyfriend or even man would do

Normally this kept your relationship in balance-- that is until you found him and Yosano drunk in her office. Kunikida didn't drink much so you figured it was her idea but that didn't excuse what you saw

As you walked by her office, you saw her on top of him, in a position that made it look like they were kissing-- at the very least. You left without drawing attention to yourself and waited at home for him to explain himself

He came home many hours later, looking exhausted. "Sorry I'm late y/n, I got drunk and passed out at the office" Your expression remained stern and uninterested. After explaining why you were angry he was clueless for a second before remembering what happened

He told you that after getting drunk Yosano went on a rant about his hair and how he should change his haircut. He further explained that she ended up sitting on him and pretending to cut the areas of hair she felt should be altered but nothing actually happened

After apologizing he says: "What kind of scum would I be if I cheated on my loyal partner?" He tiredly rants about how morally wrong that would be and promises to make it up to you

The next day he surprises you with a huge bouquet of flowers on your desk❤️

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

Dazai:

While he overall treated you well, his very promiscuous past often left you worrying and insecure. Also, with his looks, it wasn't uncommon for women to approach him. While he never accepted these women's offers, his response somewhat bothered you

He would often say something like: "While I'm very flattered, I am seeing someone currently so I have to decline" You understood that he was likely just trying to them let down easily but you couldn't help but see it as him being slightly disappointed that he had to turn them down

Later that week you, Dazai, and Ranpo were investigating a case and the guilty one turned out to be the ex-wife of the victim. She had long black hair, blue eyes, and was fairly thin but curvy. In attempts to get out of her punishment, she began flirting and getting all touchy with Dazai as he was the one who was attempting to handcuff her

"My, aren't you a flatterer? But..." He managed to get the handcuffs around her second wrist. "That's not getting you out of this" You, being quite fed up with him acting this way, stormed off leaving a smirk on his face. He was enjoying your reaction and made a point to tease you later for it.

He later burst into your office, trying to be affectionate but you ignored him entirely until bringing up what happened earlier. "Aren't you grumpy today! I truly hope it isn't because of that woman, after all, I didn't initiate anything"

You tried to remain unfazed but he kept poking at you. "Hmm, I wonder what it was about her that bothered you. Did you feel inadequate next to her? Or is it that you don't want another woman to lay her hands on me?"

You glared back at him "And what if I don't?"

"I never said there was anything wrong with that" He sat on your desk. "But that is oddly possessive of you, I like it" He makes sure to prove that you're the only one he has eyes for later

In the bedroom.

He says something like: "See y/n? Do you think I'd be fucking some random woman this well? You think I'd be telling anyone but you how pretty they look as they take my cock while I spread them open? While his words were somewhat reassuring, it wasn't like you could form complete sentences anyways-- the only word that left your mouth was his name

A smirk formed on his face. "That's right, you're mine" His expression slightly softened "Just like I'm yours"❤️

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

A/n: I really enjoyed writing this so let me know if you have any scenario suggestions!

[the-girl-wh0-cries-w0lf]

I love your fic “When the cat's away...”! ♥️💙 Now I really wanna know how they got together after Spider man into the spider verse

Masterlist

Requests open - here

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Here's the fic which you should probs read first When the cat's away...

Soooooooo.

In the comics Spiderman and the black cat have a very flirty relationship and always end up hanging out when they're both on duty, the difference being Cat is more of a vigilante and anti-hero. They also have an on/off relationship with Cat being the main instigator.

After him and MJ got divorced, he started using his Spiderman persona more because he felt his real self was too pathetic. So he starts going off on more jobs and stakeouts. He actually finds himself looking for Cat and following her to find out more about her (ik this sounds creepy but hey ho). And he finds himself falling for her.

*skip the portal opening up and him finding Miles*

When he's talking to Miles he finds himself asking about Cat...

"So in this universe, do you have a black cat?"

"There's one that lives on the roof I think--"

"no no. The Black Cat. The vigilante."

"No? Is that someone I should look out for? Am I gonna get my own?"

"Yeah, just when you meet them...have fun." (I'm using 'them' because Peter B. wouldn't know what gender Black Cat will show up as in Miles' universe.)

*Aunt May's house*

When Aunt May sees Peter B. she immediately goes to the door and brings out a letter addressed to this universe's Peter that he didn't get a chance to open before he died. The envelope has 3 distinct claw marks slightly scratched into it. He smirks knowing it was you, well this universe's you.

He opens the letter and reads...

"Hi Peter. I'm sorry it's been a while but I thought MJ wouldn't appreciate you always hanging out with me, so I took myself out of the equation. I'm truly happy you found someone and that you like your life with her. But because I don't plan on seeing you again I have to tell you. I love you. I'm in love with you. That's all. Have a great life. And remember, you promised to name your child my suggestion:............Y/n Y/l/n (meow) xoxo"

His eyes well up when reading. How did he never know? You'd always been flirty and you'd both kissed a little (more like a lot), but this was love. Maybe it was something about seeing your name for the first time or seeing you speak sincerely without the need for flirtatious teasing. But something changed inside of him.

*talking to the other spider-people*

"so do any of you guys know a y/n y/l/n?"

"The Black Cat?" "Black cat?" "The cat?" "cat?"

"Wow. So who are they to you?"

There's a pause whilst the spider-people consider.

"She's my partner in crime. I'd be lost without her on my side." Noir goes first.

"He's my best friend. I love that guy!" Porker chimes in.

"I never got to tell them how I felt." Peni solemnly whispers.

They all look to Gwen waiting for her. She takes a moment. Then she looks up at Peter B.

"She's the love of my life." Gwen begins to smile. "And I didn't realise that until I was here. And she wasn't."

*coming out of the Portal*

Peter B. is dumped unceremoniously back into his New York. Despite the free-fall and his sore limbs and ass (juicy) from when he fell, he feels good. And he smiles, genuinely for the first time in years.

He jumps back up and swings throughout New York city, trying to spot the familiar icy locks and black catsuit (God he's thought about her in that catsuit a lot).

He meets her on a rooftop, high above the city.

"Hey spidey! You've not been around a lot? Did you go grovelling back to MJ on your knees like a kicked puppy?"

"No, actually. Believe it or not I was in another universe. And do you know what I found out about those other universes."

"What? I'm all earssss." you hiss into his mask covered ear.

"That you love me." You panic and try to swing away. But he grabs you first and holds you in his arms.

He takes off his mask revealing his scruffy beard and salt and peppered locks.

"My name is Peter. But can you still call me spidey cause it makes me sound super-cool, like a super-cool biker." You giggle even though tears are streaming down your face. You'd dreamed of this and actually the face under the mask was more beautiful than you ever imagined.

He leans into your face. "Peter, what are you doing?"

"A leap of faith."

You join together in a passionate kiss. When you eventually pull away you hug him tight and bury your face in his chest whilst tears are still streaming down your face. He whispers in your ear "Honey, I'm home."

*after the birth of their first child*

"She's so beautiful."

"I don't think I've ever seen anything as perfect as her. I never want to let her go."

"Honey, you do have to let me hold her sometime." you hold out your waiting arms.

"No. Did not agree to that."

"Anyways what should we name her?"

"How about Mayday?"

"I love it! Where did that come from?"

"Just from this thing I once read." He winks at his baby Mayday. Knowing one day he'll tell her all about the letter, the multiverse, Miles, and how he realised her mum was the one.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

[reunionatdawn]

My Analysis of the Best Paired Endings in 3H (Part 20: Non-AM Ingrid/Ashe)

Felix: If I were to die here, would you say something like you did when it was my brother? "That's the true end for a knight."

First things first, I personally think Rodrigue's comment came off substantially worse in Japanese than it did in the localization. In English, his reaction came off more as passive acceptance. Like, "well at least he died so honorably". In Japanese, I don't think it was quite as passive. The part "だ" at the end of the sentence implied the expectation or ideal of what a knight's end should be.

Dimitri: …And you would hold up such a painful end as an ideal? Ingrid: Painful end…? Even if it's Your Highness speaking, I cannot let that pass. Glenn gave his life for you. Yet, to put it that way…! Dimitri: You didn't witness his final moments. …That's why you can say that. Ingrid: …No matter what Your Highness says, he will forever be the ideal knight to me, the person to aspire to.

That was also what Ingrid thought of as the ideal death. It's how she hoped to die, when the time came. And at the very least, that probably seemed better to her than dying as a bored and lonely housewife to some nobleman she had to marry for financial reasons.

Ingrid: Now that I have parted ways with my father, there is nothing to hinder my dream. However, even if I become a knight in the future, deep inside my heart… I feel like something will always remain blocked. As someone born not as a knight but as a noble, I wonder if there was a role for me to fulfill…

In VW, Ingrid runs away from home to pursue her dream of becoming a knight. The Japanese word she used in her A-Support with Byleth was "つ��える" (tsukaeru). It means "to be blocked" or "to be obstructed." In this context, it conveys the idea of being unable to move forward emotionally or mentally. She says this no matter what route you choose. Even in AM, she had doubts about knighthood.

I believe AM!Ingrid is probably pretty happy. The Kingdom doesn't collapse, Dimitri survives to become a righteous king, she stays on good terms with her father, she can pursue her own goals instead of just getting married, and her childhood friends Felix and Sylvain are alive and well (unless you let them die in Classic Mode, I guess).

However, I also know that her non-AM endings—where she doesn't become a knight—are very popular and many consider them better than her AM endings. I completely understand why, and I actually agree with that notion very strongly. I don't think Ingrid becoming a knight after the war is necessarily terrible, especially if she has a life partner. I just think she probably experiences more positive character development and personal growth in Verdant Wind than Azure Moon.

Ingrid: ...Your Highness. I will not throw away my life for someone else's sake. ...However, would you permit me to live for someone's sake, Your Highness? Not in the sense of throwing away my life — I want to dedicate my life to you. Dimitri: ...Wait. How should I interpret that? Ingrid: ...? However you like, Your Highness.

In Ingrid's A-Support with Dimitri, you learn that her dream of becoming a knight was probably influenced heavily by her feelings for him. She probably had a crush on him ever since they were kids and she fantasized about being the Kyphon to his Loog. She probably thought that if she pledged her life a knight, she could be by his side, almost like a wife. And she sincerely thought that she wouldn't mind dying for him, either. It'd just be dying for the person she loved.

Dimitri: Ingrid. Once this battle is over, I want you to… ………………。...As a knight, I want you to support me. … I've been thinking of saying that for a while. We get along well, don't we? Ingrid: … As a knight? Um, well, no! It's nothing! Of course, even without being told, I intend to fight for Your Highness… I mean, for our country.

In her A-Support, she told Dimitri that she was finally able to move on from Glenn's death now because of him. And she basically proposed to him. But he turned her down, only asking her to be his knight, not his wife. She was disappointed, but still accepted. And she serves as a knight to House Blaiddyd in most of her AM paired endings.

Ingrid: Whatever the path, I will fight for my lord and believe in him. ……!

In VW, Dimitri was going down a dark path, and he was willing to sacrifice all of his childhood friends just to satisfy his personal grudge against Edelgard. An unrecruited Ingrid still clung to her dream and chose to go along with whatever path her lord chose. And it's definitely portrayed as negative development for her.

Ingrid: I apologize, Your Highness… I am not… like that person… Dimitri: Ingrid…….

I don't know why the localization changed Ingrid's VW death quote so much. But in Japanese, it gives off a completely different meaning than in English. She was, of course, referring to Glenn. It implies that she didn't feel like she could live up to being the ideal knight. When it truly came down to it, she realized that ideal wasn't what she aspired to, and she really wasn't content to lay down her life for Dimitri.

Felix: Those who want to die, step forward. …I'll cut you all down at once.

VW was absolutely NOT Felix's ideal death. His ideal death was to spend his life with Sylvain and grow old and die peacefully alongside him. Sylvain is actually the only partner Felix can't end up with in VW because he feels too guilty about living for himself. But left unrecruited, Felix will fight very hard to survive.

Felix: Gasping for air…… This place ……My place to die…… Dimitri: ……Felix.

Felix's VW death quote is very interesting in Japanese. The first time he used the word "place" he used "ところ" (tokoro) and the second time he used the word "場所" (basho). "Basho" primarily refers to a physical location. "Tokoro" is more flexible and versatile. It is often used in expressions related to time or states of being.

Sylvain: Finally… I can go to the place where they are…

Sylvain also used "tokoro" when he died in CF. This is the way I interpreted Felix's Japanese VW death quote. He was having a vision of being someplace else. Like an afterlife place. And he realized that the physical place he was in was where he was going to die.

Sylvain: Well… this is fate for you. Sorry, but… quietly accept it.

Sylvain's VW battle dialogue is a bit colder in Japanese. He tells the enemy to just accept their fate, the way he thought he had to when it came to his arranged marriage. He realized it's kill or be killed. And he didn't want to die. He apologized with the word "悪い" (warui). Specifically, the word translates to "bad" or "evil." But it can also describe moral judgments or expressions of regret. Like "my bad".

Sylvain: Hey, Your Highness… enough…let's put an end to the bad dream, yeah……?

Sylvain's unrecruited death quote in VW is completely different in Japanese. In English, they just reused his Classic Mode death quote for some reason I can't understand. But in Japanese, it's interesting because the standard word for "nightmare" is "悪夢" (akumu). It is the common way to refer to a frightening or distressing dream during sleep. But Sylvain used "悪い夢" (warui yume).

While grammatically correct, it's not frequently used to describe nightmares that way in everyday language. Sylvain's dream was to die alongside Felix. But not THIS way. And in Japanese, he could only cope by telling himself that it was all just a bad dream.

Dimitri: ………………。

There are many ways to interpret Dimitri's response to Sylvain's death. Unlike with Felix and Ingrid, he didn't say his name out loud. But I don't think it was because he felt less emotion when Sylvain died. Because he also just says "……." for Mercedes. But with Sylvain, it's a much longer ellipsis. Personally, I think that Sylvain's dying words were so disturbing that he was just rendered speechless.

Felix: …I've known that boar prince since before birth. Before I knew it, he was always by my side… Maybe he was even my close friend. Byleth: Maybe? Felix: …I didn't understand his hatred or his agony toward the Empire at all. If it were me… Could I have saved him? Could I have stopped him?

After Dimitri's death, Felix used the term "親友" (shinyuu). It means "close friend" or "best friend." The localization chose "best friend". But in this context, I personally believe he was using it to mean "close friend". "Shinyuu" implies a close friendship, but it doesn't necessarily mean that they are your single closest friend like "best friend" does. Felix was saying that he used to consider himself to be close to Dimitri. But in hindsight, maybe they were never really as close as he thought they were, because he never truly understood his feelings.

Sylvain: There's nothing left after he wields his lance. It's like being hit by a great storm. …What drives him to that extent is probably his hatred toward the Empire, after all. Byleth: Wasn't he different before? Sylvain: Yeah... Maybe it's just that we didn't know him back then.

Sylvain has a similar line in CF where he admits that maybe they didn't really know Dimitri that well, after all. He used "we", so he was definitely including Felix and Ingrid along with himself.

Ingrid: I have known His Highness since childhood, but… I have never seen him like that before. The person we have known until now seems completely different…

And after the Holy Tomb, Ingrid admitted that she'd never seen that side of Dimitri before. She may have thought she was in love him, but she was in love with an idealized image of him based on who she knew as a kid. Not the person he really was as an adult.

Ingrid: Among the soldiers we captured in the previous battle, there were quite a few who served His Highness. One of them told me that the Empire was involved in the "Tragedy of Duscur." If that's true, then perhaps I should have fought alongside His Highness in the army as well… (Option 1) Byleth: Why? Ingrid: I also… lost the person who was most important to me in that incident.

After the battle at Gronder in VW, Ingrid made it clear that Glenn was the most important person in the world to her. He was the reason she felt guilty about not fighting alongside Dimitri with the Kingdom.

(Option 2) Byleth: Do you regret it? Ingrid: No, not now. I actually think it's better that I'm part of this army. We will carry on the wishes of those who perished. We won't let the Empire's atrocities happen again.

You gain Support points if you ask her if she regrets her decision. And she doesn't. She's glad that she survived. She spent so long idealizing a knight's death. But when it came down to it, she was glad that she didn't die mindlessly following the orders of her king. This is especially poignant if you didn't recruit her childhood friends Felix and Sylvain, who did die painfully, never fulfilling their own dreams.

Ingrid: What will happen to Faerghus… to Fódlan, once this battle is over? Byleth: There will be peace. Ingrid: Peace… you say. I don't wish for such grand things. But… I just want a world where people are no longer dragged into conflict and schemes, where there is no suffering, no loss of life. No… I believe it's our duty as survivors to create such a world.

Ingrid experiences very positive character growth when she lets go of her childhood dream to become a knight and finds a new purpose.

王道 (Ōdō): -王 (Ō) means "king" or "monarch," while 道 (dō) means "way" or "path." -王道 generally refers to the "right" or "proper" way of doing things, often associated with traditional or conventional norms, values, and principles. -It can also refer to the "path of the king" or the ideal path of leadership that embodies virtues such as wisdom, benevolence, and justice. -王道 emphasizes legitimacy, morality, and adherence to established rules and traditions in governance or leadership.

The developers said the CF represented 覇道 (Hadō) and AM represented 王道 (Ōdō). In that case, VW would be somewhere in-between. 王道 emphasizes moral, legitimate, and traditional leadership principles, whereas 覇道 suggests a more aggressive pursuit of dominance, often without regard for moral or ethical considerations. The positive side of AM is that Dimitri eventually does become a benevolent monarch.

Dimitri: Ashe, what do you think a knight is? Ashe: Huh? Someone who risks their life to protect the people, the king, and ultimately, the country…? Dimitri: Indeed… Many say that's what a knight should be… But the reality isn't so beautiful. Ultimately, a knight is someone who kills. The chivalric code preaches loyalty only to control knights and prevent them from betraying their liege.

But the downside is perhaps that it ends too conventionally. AM overall sticks to the "proper" and traditional way of doing things, which Claude was opposed to. And I would say that Claude was opposed to those traditions for good reason.

Ingrid & Ashe (Non-AM) Ingrid pleaded for the survival of the confiscated Galatea territory and was appointed its new lord. To support her, Ashe headed to Galatea territory. There, he faced the cold gaze of the people directed towards Ingrid, who had once fled from the Galatea family. Ashe supported Ingrid devotedly and worked hand in hand to reform the territory and improve agricultural techniques. Gradually, as people witnessed their efforts, the attitude of the residents softened. Eventually, the two, who had come to love each other, received a grand blessing from the residents and held a simple yet lively wedding ceremony.

I still think that Ashe is a fantastic partner for Ingrid in VW. And from an objective standpoint, I do think that this is a better ending than their AM counterpart. I think that helping Galatea become more fertile would be more fulfilling for both Ingrid and Ashe than becoming knights. But in VW, Ingrid's childhood friend group is pretty much decimated, which is a high price for her to pay.

[aetherstories]

💭 + parenthood ( for any muse that tickles your fancy with this !)

𝓗𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓬𝓪𝓷𝓸𝓷𝓼 ��� send 💭 + a topic to receive a headcanon about said topic. || Accepting

Am I really supposed to choose with a topic where I have so much to say? Nope. Let's talk parenthood, and all my muses :3

Lahabrea is one of my two muses that are canonically a parent, and I headcanon that he has been a father more than once, both before the Sundering in our verse (considering Venat his child as well) and after, with Mae... but also during Allagan times. He was one of the many Emperors of Allag, and raised children with a purpose, yes, but he was unable not to grow attached to them. Not to be their father, not to mourn them when they passed. It was why Emet-Selch was the one who took that role, in Garlemald: they all feared Lahabrea could not handle that anymore. And they would have been right.

Fourchenault is my other muse with canonical children, and despite the way he goes about it, he sincerely loves his children, and wants nothing more than their safety and happiness, for all he has put the former before the latter some times, and that's caused its fair share of friction. He was already an Ascian when the twins were born, and if he had not already been willing to do anything to keep Sharlayan and his family safe, holding them for the first time would have solidified that conviction. And when they were sent to the first, Fourchenault did check on them, from a distance, and as much as he could afford without Emet-Selch noticing... which wasn't much.

Of my remaining muses, the least likely to have children would be Astraeus, the fallen Azem: They did not have the interest just yet, in Ancient times, and now they are too consumed by their mission. They would, moreover, not see themselves as parent material, being too aware of their wanderlust but also believing a child needs some stability to thrive.

Y'rhika Tia, on the other hand, is someone who, as a lesser Ascian, could not have children naturally, but would like to adopt them at some point. He was adopted by two women, a Hyur and a Roegadyn, and his was a happy childhood, so he would like the chance to offer that to someone else, if he has a partner and/or enough stability to properly raise a child or two.

Regarding Cassius and Esseia, well... Esseia, as a Voidsent, cannot have children, but she has bonded for life with Cassius and would very much look over any children of his, blood or not, and perhaps bond to them at some point, once Cassius' age -despite him being a Viera- means he retires.

Cassius, on the other hand, can and for a long time he expected to have children, at some point: he was the right hand man of the Prince of the Garlean Empire, and so he did expect to someday marry, for his mixed heritage would not matter as much when he was a Legatus, and marriage would of course involve children. And as much as he hoped of liking or even loving his hypothetical wife, he expected the marriage to be political, and for his role as a father to be mostly of a provider and teacher at some point. Now, however, Cassius' outlook in children is a shade different: he does not really expect to marry, and is not sure if he wants children himself, but after all he has seen and done, at some point he'd like to retire and become a schoolteacher. He believes children are the future, and he has always enjoyed interacting with them, and would like to help guide the next generations so they don't make the mistakes of his.

[caffeineinducedbeing]

the rest of our lives

The sun cast a warm glow over the Redmont courtyard as Alyss and Will walked hand in hand through the gardens. The soft summer breeze carrying the scent of blooming flowers. It had been a few months since Will had proposed, and now they were knee-deep in wedding planning.

They strolled over to a quiet corner of the courtyard, where they sat comfortably on a bench.

Alyss's eyes twinkled with a mix of emotions, from excitement to a touch of nervousness. She turned to Will, her fingers lacing with his. "I never thought I'd be the one planning a wedding. It's like something out of a dream."

Will chuckled softly, his gaze fixed on her. "Well, it's a dream I'm more than happy to be a part of. And it's a lot less daunting when I know I'll be marrying my best friend."

Alyss shook her head, a warm smile tugging at her lips. "You charmer"

He shrugged playfully. "Just speaking the truth my love," Then he leaned over and gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

Alyss giggled, her eyes shining with happiness. "Definitely exciting. But also a bit overwhelming. There's so much to figure out and arrange."

Will chuckled, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. "Tell me about it. Who knew there were so many details to consider? The colors, the flowers, the guest list..."

"Exactly," Alyss agreed. "And don't even get me started on the seating chart. It's like a puzzle trying to figure out where everyone should sit."

They both shared a laugh, the shared challenges of wedding planning being nearly comedic in the face of all they'd been through together already. Will leaned in, placing a gentle kiss on her temple. "We'll figure it out, the important thing is that at the end of the day, we're married."

She smiled, her heart full of affection for the man beside her. "Yeah, as long as we end up married, the day will be a success, everything will fall into place."

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment. Then, Will spoke up again. "Have you thought about the vows?"

Alyss looked thoughtful for a moment, "I have. I want them to be personal, meaningful."

Will nodded, "meaningful, I guess I can do that."

Alyss nodded in turn and said jokingly, "You're probably going to have to throw in that you'll promise to love me for better or worse."

I'll make sure to fit it in somewhere"

Alyss chuckled softly, leaning her head against his shoulder. "You better. And I'll promise not to laugh too hard when you start tearing up during the vows."

Will feigned offense, placing a hand over his heart. "Hey, I can't help it if I'm emotional."

She grinned, playfully hitting his side. "I know, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

They didn't speak for a moment, they sat peacefully basking in the others presence.

Then Will said sincerely, "And I'll promise you that I'll always support you, that I'll be your partner in every adventure, and that I'll love you with everything that I am everyday of our lives."

Alyss froze, feeling an overwhelming amount of love pass between them, she looked up at him, drew a breath to speak, then stopped, her head plopping back on his shoulder with an annoyed thud.

"I can't top that" she said in feigned grumpiness.

Will laughed, "you're not supposed to"

Their eyes met, a shared understanding passing between them.

Alyss curled further into Will's side, feeling a sense of calm wash over her. "I can't wait to be your wife"

He wrapped his other arm around her, pulling her close. "And I can't wait to call you my wife. It feels like we've been ready for this for a long time, now that it's finally happening...."

Alyss finished the sentence for him, "It does feel that way, doesn't it? Like our lives have been leading us to this point somehow."

She felt him nod a few times, then press a kiss to the top of her head once more. "I'm just grateful that I get to spend the rest of my life with you, Alyss."

She looked up at him, her eyes shining with affection. "The rest of our lives are starting pretty soon aren't they?"

"In about 2 months, yes they are"

She kissed him long and slow, a promise that transcended words.

"I can't wait" she whispered

[felicitysmoaksx]

Happy Monday everyone! Hope this update finds you well! After this, we only have one more chapter and that isn't coming out till Friday or Saturday! As always thanks for the kudos and comments and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

My song recs for this chapter are Call It What You Want by Taylor Swift and At Least by Jessica Biao

Rating: Explicit (Minors DNI 18+)

Summary:  Blue eyes flicked down to his lover asleep once more. Her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm. There was not a doubt in his mind that he knew Sarah. At least where it counted. He knew what kind of person she was. He knew her heart. But he didn’t know the stories of what made her heart the way that he knew it.  

Word Count: 5.6k

Warnings: Sexual Content, Depictions of parental abandonment, depictions of violence, inaccurate medical procedures, and implied/references a canonical character death.

Read On AO3 | Fic Playlist | Want to be tagged when I post a Rheese story?

Hold On, I Still Want You Ch. 4

Sarah was transferred to the ICU after her surgery. Voight’s son was already up there because they couldn’t find any bullet in him. Connor breathed a sigh of relief when she was wheeled into the small room. Even if it was intensive care. 

He was texting Lindsay about her transfer when Ava walked into the room. “I’ve been in contact with Detective Lindsay.” 

At Connor’s look of confusion, the blonde woman continued, “She’s Sarah's emergency contact. She also has medical power of attorney. She has told me, I can share information with you about Sarah’s case.” 

“So how bad was it?” He asked, seeing her face and bracing for the worst. But to his relief, his partner in the field of sorts, held up her hands with the beginnings of a smile on her face.

“She did really well, all things considered. We had to give her three more units of blood and one plasma. She got lucky, with the way the bullets went in, she might’ve been paralyzed or it could’ve hit her esophagus. We pulled out two bullets, but they never perforated her spine or went through her esophagus. It’s almost as if she had a shield in front of her.”

Connor sighed heavily in relief and turned back to look at his lover. Though she was still pale, a little color had returned to her so her skin no longer looked translucent. She wore a neck brace, but that was just so she didn’t move her neck in her sleep if she became restless. Then his trauma surgeon's brain caught something. Last time he saw Sarah she was bagged and being attached to a ventilator. But now…He turned back to Ava, “You extubated her. She’s breathing on her own.”

“I took a chance in recovery. She passed the breathing tests with flying colors, was protecting her airway, and her oxygen levels and CO2 stats were good so I took her breathing tube out.” The blonde explained with a shrug. 

“Thank you,” Connor exhaled audibly and said in a sincere tone, “I know you really don’t care for trauma. But you helped her when I couldn’t.”

The blonde smirked at him, “We both know that you would’ve. If I hadn’t been there. Or at least tried.” 

Connor looked sheepish as he rubbed the back of his neck. He would’ve, but they both know it would’ve been dangerous for him and Sarah both.  

Ava graced him with one of her rare genuine smiles. Her gaze flicked to her friend and patient that lay asleep in the bed. “Besides, I did it as much for her as I did for you. When I first came to Med, you know Reese was the first person to reach out to me?”

“No,”

Her gaze flicked back to Connor as she chuckled, “She told me she knew how it felt to be the new girl. Said it’d just take time for people to warm up. Asked me how I was settling in and when I said I was struggling a little with putting a few furniture pieces together, she texted me the next day asking if I was still having trouble with my furniture and if I wanted help with them before asking for my address. She showed up with Dr. Halstead’s brother, Atwater, and Ruzek in tow. My remaining furniture pieces got put together that day. She was also the one who told me you weren’t that bad and that I should give you a chance.” 

“She did?” The double-certified surgeon glanced behind him, half expecting his lover to confirm or deny what the other woman was saying. But to his slight dismay, even though he knew it wasn’t going to happen, his lover remained still, with her eyes closed.

“Yeah, she said you were a good guy. Said you were a little rough around the edges, but you really cared about your patients and tried to do your best to help them. Just that you also had a lot going on at the time because of Robin.”

“She never mentioned that…” Sarah never mentioned a lot, he was learning as the day went on. 

[LINE BREAK]  [LINE BREAK] [LINE BREAK] [LINE BREAK] [LINE BREAK]

Throughout the day, his lover had a revolving door of visitors, though she never knew it. Everyone from the ED, even Doris. (who Sarah thought didn’t particularly like her) Goodwin came in not long after Ava had left him alone. She stayed for a few minutes before Dr. Choi sent her an urgent page. 

And to Connor’s shock, Dr. Latham made an appearance. 

“Dr. Latham,” Connor started as he stood up to address his attending doctor, “I know I have that teachable bypass today-”

But his mentor held up a hand, “It has been taken care of. Dr. Bekker informed me of what happened and volunteered to lead the surgery. I'm sorry about Dr. Reese. She has always been kind to me when others have not.”

Latham struggled with emotions and his bedside manner was a little lacking conventionally.  The dark-haired surgeon knew that, but he had also worked with his mentor long enough to know that his coldness didn’t mean he didn’t care-that he wasn’t sincere. 

“Thank you, Dr. Latham.” He said to his mentor as he sat back down. He grabbed Sarah’s hand once more. 

“I hope Dr. Reese has a fast recovery and you take as much time as you need to be with her. Dr. Bekker and I have your patients,”

Connor’s mentor left a few minutes later and when they were alone again, Connor leaned up and pressed a kiss to Sarah’s forehead. He lingered a little, needing to feel her skin against his for a moment. Then he whispered, “Did you hear that, Sarah? I don’t have to leave you for a long while. You’re stuck with me. You just have to open those brown eyes that I’m such a damn sucker for.” 

Dr. Charles and his family (his wife, Robin, and her husband, Marcus) came by a little after Dr. Latham left. By way of greeting the older man said, “Sharon told us what happened.”

“Dr. Bekker said she’s responding well. The surgery went as well as expected, but she will be looking at a pretty good recovery time, but she should pull through.” Connor answered the unasked question Dr. Charles was asking. 

Sarah’s boss nodded. The double-certified surgeon half expected him to say something in that shrink voice of his. 

(“Don’t call it a shrink voice Connor! Shrink has bad connotations to it.” Sarah’s voice echoed in his head.)  

But a little to his surprise it was his ex-girlfriend that spoke up. Not that should’ve surprised him, he knew Robin held Sarah in very high regard after Sarah treated her. She always said Sarah didn’t make her feel like she was going crazy. Even when her tumor was making it so, “Good. She’s too much of an excellent doctor to lose.”

Caroline Charles broke away from her husband’s side and shuffled closer to the hospital bed. 

“Poor girl,” she said quietly as she reached down and squeezed Sarah’s hand, noticing the bruises and marks on both of her wrists.

“What happened here? Sharon didn’t mention this. Daniel, come and look at her wrists.”

Connor ran a hand through his hair. His blue eyes had pointedly chosen not to look at her wrists if he didn’t have to because every time he did, the already agitated monster in his chest, at Sarah being shot, would roar at the sight of her wrists. And he’d have to resist the urge to storm out and find the guy, and strangle him with his bare hands himself. 

“Her wrists and the other victim’s wrists were bound together with barbed wire when they were brought in,” his lover’s hand spasmed in his. Connor knew it was just a reflex, but it was almost as if Sarah knew they were talking about her. 

Marcus hissed, “My buddy is a corrections officer. He says that’s what prisoners do when they want the message across that something is personal.”

The hand that wasn’t holding Sarah’s, curled into a tight fist. The monster raged and roared in his chest. 

“Voight’s son right? That’s who the other victim is?” Dr. Charles questioned. Connor nodded. The older man sighed heavily as he took off his glasses to clean them. 

“I don’t envy the conversation Sharon is on her way to have with Hank right now. Last I heard, Sam Abrams is in the process of legally declaring his son brain dead. Dr. Choi called him for a consult because they found damaged brain tissue.” 

“Is he brain dead? They can’t repair the damage done to the brain tissue?” Caroline asked, and her husband shook his head. He explained, “In a way. The bullet that he was hit with went right through his brain tissue and that doesn’t regenerate like skin tissue will. Brain tissue doesn’t come back at all and there is no procedure we have that can repair tissue like that yet. He won’t wake up again. Ever.”

“And it went right through him because Ava pulled two bullets out of Sarah. But scans showed no bullets in him and we know Dr. Choi was thorough.” Connor said, “The running theory is that he saved her life because Ava said with where the bullets were, her injuries should’ve been a lot worse. Torn esophagus, and possibly being paralyzed from the waist but miraculously, they’re not. Almost as if she had a shield in front of her.”

“Or someone acting as one in front of her,” Dr. Charles said grimly. 

The Charles family left soon after. Caroline had a check-up for the clinical trial, after her heart valve surgery. Before Robin and her new husband left, she reached out and squeezed Connor’s shoulder. “I know this probably feels like déjà vu to you. But she’ll wake up, Connor. She’ll be okay. You and Dad keep me updated on her okay? And when she’s up for it, I’ll expect to catch up with you and her, alright?” 

“When she’s feeling better,” Marcus spoke quietly, “When she’s up for it we can go on a do-over double date. I’d like to thank her for what she’s done for my wife.”

“I hope everything works out for Cece and the clinical trial.” The surgeon glanced up at his ex-girlfriend and her husband before he nodded at them. Then his gaze returned to Sarah. He was alone with his lover once more. 

[LINE BREAK]  [LINE BREAK] [LINE BREAK] [LINE BREAK] [LINE BREAK]

He had been in the middle of telling Sarah a story from his childhood when there was a soft tapping at the door. Looking up, he raised a hand to acknowledge Justin’s wife, who stood there looking more lost than even he felt. 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt. I just…didn’t know where else to go. Hank’s here and I wanted to give him some alone time with Justin. We’ve decided to…pull him off of life sup-port...” She mumbled as soon as she opened the door, her voice breaking at the end. She rubbed at her eyes which looked red and puffy like she had been crying. She probably had been. 

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Connor told her sympathetically and she nodded mutely. Then she moved to Sarah’s other side.

“Hank asked her to talk to him. That’s why she was there with him.” Olive broke the silence as she moved to fuss over the curly-haired brunette’s blanket. “Justin has-had a pretty rough past with getting into trouble. Hank worried he was falling into old habits, but he wouldn’t talk about it with his dad. So Hank asked Sarah to talk to him.”

“Was he? Falling back into old habits?” He asked and two fat tears rolled down Olive’s cheeks. It made Connor feel bad having to ask. But he needed to know that Sarah wasn’t shot over a stupid mistake. “No, just the opposite. He was trying to help a friend’s widow get out of that life after her ex-boyfriend roped her back into it. But he didn’t want Hank to get involved because he didn’t want to get her in trouble.”

“What happened to her? The lady he was trying to help?” Connor questioned. 

“Dead. They found her late last night. The same way they found Justin and Sarah. In the trunk of her car. But I didn’t know that until Hank told me ten minutes ago. I don’t think Justin knew either. He always said Hank never liked to bring work home.”

Meaning that today never should’ve happened because everything Justin Voight had done was for nothing and Sarah had just been caught in the crossfire of it all. The monster in his chest roared at the thought. To subdue the creature, Connor cradled her open palm in his and pressed her hand to his cheek. To serve as a reminder to him that she was still here; she wasn't going anywhere. They were just waiting for her to wake up.

He pressed a kiss to her palm just as another knock rattled against the window pane softly. Hank Voight stood on the other side of the door.

“Olive, they’re fixing to…” the older man trailed off when he slid the door open, “I thought you might want to be there when-when it happens.” 

Olive looked like she might cry again and Connor felt a swell of sympathy run through him. Still, the woman put on a brave face and nodded. She had started to make her out of the room, pausing only when she noticed Hank wasn’t following her. 

“Hank?”

“You go on ahead. I’ll be there in a minute.” The police sergeant promised her. When she was gone, back across the ICU, the older man moved more into the room. 

“Hey Kid,” Voight’s voice was low and gentle as he addressed Sarah, approaching her bedside. He laid a gentle hand on her forehead, “You know how I’ve always said I’m with you till the world blows up? Well, right now my world is pretty much blown to bits. So do me a favor, if you can, and keep fighting. I can’t imagine losing one kid right now. Let alone two.” 

Voight was Sarah’s dad? But before the question could take root in his mind, the man himself addressed Connor. 

“Thank you for staying with her.” 

“No place I’d rather be,” he told the police sergeant, “Just do me a favor and get this guy.”

“You can count on it,” Voight told him. His tone was lethal sounding. Connor eyed the other man. He didn’t know Hank Voight well, but he knew of the man’s reputation. Working in Chicago Med for the last three and half years had seen to that. Despite this being one of the very few conversations he had ever had with him, he believed Hank Voight when he said something. 

“Then I’ll be here till she asks me to leave,” Connor nodded to the woman sleeping in the bed. The older man nodded at him then with one last glance at Sarah and a squeeze to her free hand, he walked out of the room as quietly as he came in. 

Erin arrived not too long after that, holding a very worn-looking teddy bear under her arm. She stopped when she saw him sitting there. Her question came with an air of being stunned. “You really have been here the whole time, haven’t you?”  

“I told you I would be and I didn’t l want her to wake up alone. She doesn't deserve that,” he said while Sarah mumbled something in her sleep. 

“No one does,” the woman agreed, setting the bear down at the foot of the bed and watching as Connor shushed and soothed her pseudo-sister. 

He wasn’t who Erin pictured for Sarah. He was too brash and seemed a little too overconfident for her liking. Sarah needed someone who was patient with her. Someone a little soft. But then again, the other woman’s type mostly consisted of jerks that disguised themselves as nice guys first. Like Joey. Ugh. The manipulative, passive-aggressive asshole, who tried to make Sarah bad when she didn’t choose pathology. Besides the way the dark-haired man in front of Erin looked at Sarah…it was like he was in love with her. 

But that also prompted a question in Erin’s head.

“How long exactly have you and Sarah been together?” She asked, giving the question in her head a voice.

“Give or take about six months,” he answered, then he spied the worn stuffed animal, “You know the gift shop has a pretty good selection of bears to choose from.”

Six months and Erin hadn’t realized something was up till just two months ago? How? She thought to herself as she told him, “The bear has seen better days, I know. But I’ve known Sarah a long time and she’s had it for as long as I can remember. She’s sentimental about it. I stopped by her apartment to get it before coming here. I thought it might help if she had it. Some kind of luck, I guess.”

“No one has said they’re worried about her not making it through this. In fact, her doctor is very optimistic about her recovery. They even took out her breathing tube after they took the bullets out.” Connor interrupted the detective, even though she hadn’t asked. But the way she had said her last sentence had triggered something in him. 

Though Goodwin, Ava, and Abrams had stopped by to perform an unusual brain activity test in Connor’s opinion, because she was protecting her airway, and breathing on her own, and Ava hadn’t voiced any concerns about Sarah’s brain activity before the test. 

But it might’ve had to do with the tragedy of Justin Voight and that it was one of their own doctors that had the head of the hospital airing on the side of extra caution.  Erin Lindsay nodded at the information before asking, “What have you been doing here for hours?”

The surgeon shrugged, “Talking to her mostly. I’ve made all these kinds of promises to her when she wakes up.”

Erin’s lips twitched upward a little. Maybe there was a soft side to the brooding Connor Rhodes after all.

He gave another shrug, “They say comatose patients can hear everything you say. And even though she’s not in a coma and just heavily sedated, I thought the same principles might apply here.”

 He paused, the ghost of a smile appearing on his face as he gestured to Sarah, still fast asleep in the hospital bed. “I'm a sucker for brown eyes. But especially hers. All she has to do is bat them at me and I’m wrapped around her little finger and she knows it.”

“I bet she uses it to her advantage too.” The detective nodded with a snorted watery chuckle. Then she moved to face the girl in the bed; her tone was gentle, almost teasing as she said, “Hey, Sarah. Do you know Teddy is coming down from New York? I told him you were going to be fine. But he said he was still coming to see for himself and you know how much he hates coming to Chicago. Do you feel special yet?”

Then she grabbed Sarah’s hand and squeezed it softly as she explained to Connor, “My little brother. Teddy. I called him and told him what happened. He’s close to Sarah too. He’s coming from New York. But won’t be here till tomorrow.”

There was a lull and then…

“Have you found who did this yet?” Connor asked quietly as Erin looked down at Sarah. The detective looked back up and shook her head sadly, “We have a name and we can link him back to two other crimes and a good chance of linking him back to this one, but now it’s a matter of finding him. I just wanted to check on her before we start running down our leads.” 

“Thank you for staying with her.” She said after another beat of silence. He nodded but told her, “You don’t have to thank me, Detective Lindsay. I’m just sitting with her.”

“Dr. Rhodes, you are giving me peace of mind that the woman I’ve considered a sister for…I don’t even know how long, is not alone throughout all this. And with that peace of mind, I can catch this bastard that did this to them because I know that if she wakes up confused and scared, she’s not by herself.”

“Connor,” he said. 

“Huh?” 

“Call me Connor. Dr. Rhodes feels too formal for the situation. Especially when we have a person in common now.”

 “Then call me Erin.” 

[LINE BREAK]  [LINE BREAK] [LINE BREAK] [LINE BREAK] [LINE BREAK]

Ava came by to check on her one more time before she left for the night. “Rhodes, I’ll have my phone and pager on me all night. If something changes or happens, you call me. I don’t care about the hour of the night.” 

When she was leaving, April and Maggie showed up a second time before they also went home for the night. They exchanged a few words and tight smiles between the three women. But when the charge nurse saw him, she sighed and folded her arms. “Okay. You’ve been here all day. According to Sandra,”

She gestured to the ICU charge nurse, “The only time she or any of the other nurses have seen you leave is to use the restroom. You are going to go get you something to eat and shower. April and I will stay with her while you’re gone.” 

“Maggie, I’m-”

“When was the last time you ate Connor? Got something to drink? Or got some fresh air? It’ll take an hour at best. You’ll be back before you know it and like I said, April and I will be here with her in case she wakes up.”

It didn’t help that his stomach chose that moment to grumble, announcing that it was running on empty. He sighed and glanced at his lover. Leaning down to kiss her forehead, he whispered: “I’ll be right back baby. I promise.”

With a heavy sigh, Connor stood and looked at the two nurses. He conceded, “An hour.”

The two nurses nodded back with smiles that were equally encouraging as they were sympathetic. 

“We’ll be here,” April reassured him smoothly as she sidestepped him to take the seat he had been occupying.

“Hey Sarah, how are you holding up?” He heard her ask his lover. When the charge nurse saw him trying to linger, she shooed him once more. 

“Go, Connor. We got her.” He sighed and turned, forcing his legs to carry him away from Sarah’s room and to the cafeteria first. 

[LINE BREAK]  [LINE BREAK] [LINE BREAK] [LINE BREAK] [LINE BREAK]

Thirty minutes later, Connor was back with his hair damp, in a change of clothes, and his messenger bag slung over his shoulder. Maggie raised an eyebrow when she looked up and saw him. 

“I ate. You can ask Mary in the cafeteria, she served me. And I took a shower, those were your two main requirements. You never actually said how long it had to take…Speaking of, how long has he been here and trying to stare a hole through her?” 

Neither nurse asked who the double-certified was referring to. But April hesitated with her answer before she shrugged, “A few minutes after you left. Word around the hospital is that he’s pissed.” 

“Pissed? What the hell does he have to be pissed about?” 

“Nothing from everyone else’s perspective. But from his…how much has Sarah told you about her relationship with Joey?” 

“Not much.” Nothing at all in fact. All Connor knew was that he hit Sarah up a few times a month looking for a booty call that she never answered because she was with Connor. But the lab tech was persistent. Until she finally blocked him after a particular lewd message. And that he looked at her as if she was a piece of meat.

“Joey tends to have a type. Med students in rotation at this hospital. The rules dictate that residents and above doctors in departments can’t date med students in rotation. However, the basement never gets any med students for rotation so he found a loophole in that rule because of that. He just moves from one med student to the next. I didn’t know about it till Reese started dating him. Everyone thought maybe she was the one to break his running streak because they continued dating after her rotation.” April explained and Connor folded his arms. 

Because what April was describing…Sure Connor himself had dated a few of his co-workers, and was dating one now technically. He wasn’t faulting anyone for that. But his three serious-ish relationships compared to the ratio of the revolving door to who knows how many medical students? It was disgusting on Joey’s part. But Connor wasn’t seeing how this came back to Sarah. 

“And he’s pissed because?” 

“Because he thought she was still upset over their breakup and liked that because he thought she was still going to be there when he broke up with whatever med student he was seeing.” Which explained him hitting her up a few times a month. Connor thought with a clenched jaw but didn’t say it aloud because April was still talking. 

 “When in reality she had moved on…and from an objective point of view, she didn’t move on, she upgraded guys. A double-certified surgeon who looks like you and is more than likely someone who treats a woman right is a huge step up from a manipulative, passive-aggressive lab technician, who had a tantrum when his ex-girlfriend didn’t go into the field he thought she should. That’s what Sarah told me broke the camel’s back in their relationship. The tantrum.”

Connor felt himself stiffen. Now he was starting to understand about Sarah’s hesitancy to trust him, if this was what her last relationship was like.

“Will you do me a favor when you leave?” Connor asked in a mask of calm, but in reality, he was anything but.

“Sure,” 

“Tell him to leave me and Sarah alone, because if he doesn’t, I’ve been itching to hit something all day, and I wouldn’t mind breaking his jaw or nose right about now. Also, loophole be damned, if he so much as looks at another med student inappropriately, I’ll go file the complaint with Goodwin myself.” 

The two nurses looked at each other before they looked back at him and nodded. “We’ll take care of it.”

Then Maggie looked back at Sarah, “We’ve got to get going, Sarah. Early shift tomorrow, You know how it is, but we’ll be back to check on you sometime tomorrow okay?” 

April made a noise in agreement and squeezed Sarah’s hand before she stood up. They both patted Connor’s shoulder as they passed by him to get out of the room. He turned and watched them leave and saw both nurses stop by where Joey was sitting. 

The lab tech looked at the two women before he turned back and glared at him as April and Maggie walked away. But the surgeon folded his arms and remained steady. Daring him to try something even though he had promised Sarah, after Joey’s last text, that he wouldn’t get involved and let her handle him.  Sarah also wasn’t awake right now to stop him and the surgeon also wasn’t one to make idle or empty threats. If he said something, Connor usually meant it. 

Thankfully, Joey just sneered at him one last time before he got up from where he was sitting and walked off. He wouldn’t have to break a promise to Sarah. Sighing, Connor returned to the seat he had been occupying before. 

“Hi baby, I’m back.” He said reaching to grab her hand again. A yawn fell from his lips as he pressed his lips to her skin. He had only worked half his shift and it wasn’t even that late, but it had felt as if he had worked three shifts back to back. 

He didn’t remember falling asleep but one moment he had been talking to Sarah and he could see the moon through the window; the next someone was shaking him awake with the sun shining in his eyes. Jerking up, Connor looked around and saw Maggie was back with a blonde-haired man in tow behind her. He wore make-up and had manicured hands with a pair of jeans and a hoodie; he was also white as a sheet and his eyes were wide as he gazed at Sarah. 

“Sorry, Connor. I didn’t want to wake you up.” The nurse apologized, making her way back to the doorway where the other man stood. “But this is Teddy Courtney. He says he’s here to visit Sarah.” 

At her introduction, the dark-haired man stood up. Still fighting off sleep, he offered Teddy his hand. 

“Erin’s brother right? She told me you were coming. I’m Connor Rhodes, Sarah’s…Sarah’s boyfriend.” His hesitance at the label had nothing to do with the relationship itself, but this was the first time he had introduced himself as such and it felt so wrong to do so without her.

Teddy glanced down to look at Connor’s hand, then took it with his fishnet-gloved one. But like his sister yesterday when she left the hospital for the first time, Connor didn’t think the other man was actually seeing him because his eyes hadn’t left Sarah’s sleeping form and the more he looked, the more he seemed lost. 

“Thanks for bringing him up Maggie,” he said quietly as Teddy walked deeper into the room, “I’ll take it from here.” 

But the charge nurse looked reluctant to leave. It’s moments like this that Connor was reminded how starkly they felt the same need to help people and make them feel better. That’s why Maggie took the arrest when he refused to do that blood draw on that kid. They just handled the need in different ways. Connor focused on the physical body while Maggie handled everything else.

“You sure? I know you’ve been up here all night.” 

“Sandra tell you that?” He quipped at her before he glanced at the other man. Then the dark-haired man nodded, “I’m sure. Just page Ava and let her know that we might need her to explain a few things when she has a chance.”

“Copy,” 

[LINE BREAK]  [LINE BREAK] [LINE BREAK] [LINE BREAK] [LINE BREAK]

“What happened?” Teddy asked, but it felt as if he wasn’t talking to Connor because he continued before the other man could answer. He watched the other man pick up the worn teddy bear and hold it tight to his chest. “Everyone said that Justin had gone straight. He even said he had gone straight since he joined the Marines. But even before that, Sarah, you told me that when you were growing up, Justin kept you and that kind of life very separated. So what the hell happened yesterday?”

Then as if he was remembering Connor was there, he turned and sighed, dropping his head. The other man was just finishing off a text to Lindsay to let her know that Teddy was there. 

“Sorry,” he muttered 

“No, I’ve been asking myself…her that very same question since yesterday.” 

“She’s going to be okay right? Like they aren’t worried about her?” 

Connor shook his head, “Her doctor is confident she’ll make a full recovery. So confident that they removed her breathing tube right after surgery because she is breathing on her own. They wouldn’t have done that if they were worried about her.” 

Teddy nodded, squeezing the bear even tighter to his chest. He swiped at his watering eyes and shook his head, “I don’t even know why I’m crying. You just said she’s going to be okay.”

“Relief?” Connor mused, trying to make the other man feel better. He took his seat by Sarah’s side once more while he explained, “I’ve seen a lot of my patients' loved ones cry when they find out the patient is going to be okay. It’s more normal than you think. And if it’ll help, I had the nurse that brought you up, page Sarah’s doctor and put her on standby in case you want a more thorough explanation on how she’s going to be okay. But in the meantime, I can answer any questions you have.”

Teddy bobbed his head. Then he took the seat on the other side of Sarah’s head, setting the bear down on her stomach so it could be close to her. “You know, I’m here now.”

 Connor raised an eyebrow at his words, so the blond cleared his throat and explained, “Erin told me about you too. She said you had been staying up here so if Sarah woke up, she wasn’t by herself. And I’m not trying to kick you out, but I heard the nurse too. She said you’d been here all night. So if you want to take a break for a while, go get some sleep or something? And you’re a doctor here too right? If you need to get back to work…I’m not going anywhere. She won’t be by herself when she wakes up..”

“I’m okay. I’d still like to stay, if that's okay with you. I’m just… not ready to leave her right now.” The surgeon told him. Sarah was okay now and he knew she was going to be fine. She was going to wake up. She was just sedated because of her pain medication. But still the thought of leaving her? Even with Lindsay’s little brother here, the thought left him feeling a little anxious. Like if he left something bad would happen.

From the look the other man gave him, he understood what Connor was feeling. Teddy exhaled softly, “Okay.” 

“Okay,” 

Then it was back to the waiting game as they watched her sleeping form, hoping she’d wake up soon. 

(It’d be another three hours before then under the sedation of her medication.)

[markcampbells]

As ever, I am both nosy and greedy, so: 💫🌿🕯️🎀

Em, I'm so sorry, I saw you of all people sent me asks for this and my brain shorted out like my Playstation in a recent thunderstorm. 😂 (The Playstation is fine! My brain is debatable.)

💫what is your favorite kind of comment/feedback?

I really, really appreciate when people call out specific lines or moments they liked! It helps me understand what it is about the stuff I write that resonates with people, and it's just always nice to know what people liked about something I created. I also appreciate the comments I get occasionally where people tell me I helped them view a character differently or consider something they hadn't before! It always feels funny and gratifying to get people thinking differently about something we both know really well.

🌿how does creating make you feel?

Is there any other answer than "like a merciless god?" No, in all sincerity, great. Writing has been my main creative hobby (reading book buying is probably my main hobby in general) since I was ten years old, and nothing has really come close to it in terms of me having an outlet and a way to do something that's, by and large, for myself. I do work with partners, I go in and out of writing fanfiction (we are in an "in" phase at the moment), but I have my own original stuff that I pretty much write for myself because I don't aim to publish, and it feels nice to be able to do what I want and write what I want to see in the world. I've sometimes considered writing something longer I would submit to an independent press or something (I usually get this urge each year after the Brooklyn Book Festival, aka The Day Trai's Wallet Cries, because you spend the day talking to all these folks from indie presses and seeing authors like "yeah! I want to do that!!!"), but for right now, I'm happy making my own little worlds and characters who owe their existence to me.

🕯️was there a fic that was really hard on you to write, or took you to a place you didn't think it would take you?

pack up the life that's left is probably the hardest thing I've written for McKirk, and in some ways, in general. My dad died when I was young, and in a few ways, that's why McKirk resonates for me so strongly as a character dynamic--AOS Jim's entire life is shaped by his father's death, and even if TOS McCoy's loss of his own father was sort of a last-minute retcon of his character in some ways, it's so wrenchingly acted by DeForest Kelly (and, I think rightfully, called one of the best Trek scenes ever by people who know what they're talking about) that you can't help but accept it as the major moment it is, so when you combine those two characterizations together into one ship where these characters can share those emotions with each other... it's a lot. And it's a kind of relationship I have personal experience with, because my high school best friend lost his father when we were teens, and we've been each other's confidants and consolation in that regard for at least fifteen years. Jim never knew his dad, while I knew mine to a certain extent, but the thing we have in common is that grieving as an adult hits somewhat differently. For myself, I had a period of a few years in my late twenties where I kind of had to reprocess all my grief and think, fuck, I'm a whole person my dad never got to know. And in a lot of ways, I'll never really know my dad beyond what my family and his friends can tell me. I wanted to explore some of those same feelings for Jim--what would it make him feel to learn that his mother had kept a tangible connection to his father from him? And once he's processed that new connection, what will he do with it? While I don't personally observe any faith, my parents had an interfaith marriage, and I grew up most connected to my father's Jewish family. My mom, after his passing, made sure to observe certain customs, including marking my dad and his parents' passing with a yahrzeit candle each year. Because I work with the fanon that Jim is Jewish, with my personal spin on that being that Jim feels somewhat alienated from his faith on the whole post-Frank but is trying to regain it, I knew I wanted to include that in the fic, and so did the best I could to represent that tradition. I have to admit that the most gratifying and touching thing about getting this fic out into the world was the people who took the time to comment by sharing their own stories about loss, and what it meant to them to see a Jewish mourning custom reflected in fic. I really was not expecting that kind of response and it made the effort it took to pull the story together so worth it.

🎀 give yourself a compliment about your own writing

I try as hard as I possibly can to get the emotional side of my work right, and sometimes that gets really difficult when I'm writing about something I haven't personally experienced. I think, in that regard, the thing I'm proudest of is the second chapter of your hands can heal.... I have, honestly, been deeply fortunate to never experience severe mental illness or emotional abuse, and both things figure heavily in Bones' background in that chapter, conveyed to my readers by some fairly sparse flashbacks. I knew I had done my best to write the work in a way that felt true to me, but I wasn't really going to be sure if I had gotten it right until I heard from readers, and the comments I've gotten in response over the years about getting those aspects right have meant more to me than practically any other feedback I've ever gotten.

[trashbaget]

[iheartgarrus]

N7 Month Day 5: Interview

(AO3 Link - Double header! Longest one yet, so the cut is because of that, not any steaminess [sorry 😉]. I've had this idea in my head for months, so the prompt was a happy coincidence. Enjoy some Shakarian family content!)

"Lighting looks good," Allers said as she adjusted the settings on her camera drone. "You ready, Shepard?"

"I did ask for this," Shepard replied with a quirk to her mouth. She tucked her hair back - it was at her shoulders nowadays, its natural jet black, save for a few silver strands one had to look closely to find. Her face was made up for the occasion, similar to the way she had worn it during the war with her eyes framed by sleek black liner and her lips stained a deep shade of berry. While her body may have been through some changes over the past three years, she was no less recognizable as The Commander Shepard. Which was the point.

"And I still can't wait to find out why," Allers mused, taking a seat in the chair next to Shepard. "Alright, we're rolling in 5... 4..."

~~~

"Welcome to The Battlespace. I'm Diana Allers, here with a rare, exclusive interview with none other than Commander Viola Shepard." The camera cuts from a close-up to a view of the reporter and her subject seated at an angle next to one another. They are in the living area of Commander Shepard's apartment on the Citadel, and a well-appointed kitchen is visible in the background. "Commander, thank you for joining me today."

Shepard smiles, all teeth. "Happy to be here, Diana. I wouldn't talk to anyone else."

"It's true," Allers says with a nod, "You haven't been keen on interviews or public appearances since the end of the Reaper War over three years ago. I have to admit, I was a bit surprised when you actually called me back this time."

"I know people have a lot of questions," Shepard replies cryptically.

"Yes! You've been in the news again lately. You and your partner, Advisor Garrus Vakarian, recently began fostering a child. Can you talk about how that came about?"

"Sure, Diana." She folds her hands in her lap. "Your turian viewers are probably familiar with the Family Reunification Service, but for everyone else, it's a Hierarchy initiative to connect children who were orphaned in the war with their relatives. Without getting too bogged down in the details, they make an effort to place children with their closest living relatives. It's a great program and tens of thousands of turian children have found caring homes because of it. Garrus's family was contacted by the FRS a few months ago about a little girl on Invictus, a distant cousin of his, and he and I made the decision to welcome her into our family."

"That's incredible, Commander! What an amazing program. Do you two plan to adopt?" Allers leans a touch closer, seeming eager.

"Nothing is set in stone yet. The FRS doesn't consider adoptions until 6 months after the initial placement in order to make sure everyone in the home is happy. But we're getting to know her, and she's getting to know us. We're making every effort to make her feel welcome."

"Of course you are," Allers says sincerely. "Now, I know you've always valued your privacy, but can you tell us any more about her? What's her name?"

Behind the pair, in the apartment's kitchen, Advisor Vakarian enters and sets a long case on the counter. He doesn't acknowledge the camera, and neither Allers nor Shepard seem to notice him.

The Commander's expression hardens almost imperceptibly. "We aren't disclosing that at this time, nor are we releasing any photos."

Vakarian opens the case and takes out a sniper rifle scope along with a rag. He begins cleaning the scope.

Allers nods, not seeming surprised by this answer. "And I respect that. I appreciate you sharing what you have with us, and I hope that this will inspire more people all across the galaxy to consider welcoming one of these children into their homes."

"I hope so, too."

"Well, Shepard, I've learned not to press my luck when it comes to getting you to spill the beans," she says with a smile. "But is there anything else you'd like to share with our viewers?"

"There is," Shepard replies. Behind her, Vakarian has lifted a rifle out of the case and begun cleaning that as well. "I want to make one thing clear about this... new development. Our foster child will be starting school here on the Citadel soon." She turns to face the camera directly. "It's important that every reporter, photographer, blogger, whatever, understands that if anyone shows up at her school or approaches her or follows her trying to get a photo or a scoop..." She leans slightly to the side, allowing the camera a clearer view of Vakarian, still cleaning the rifle. "We will find you."

Allers's eyes are wide with mild panic - she does not seem to have been expecting this. "Shepard," she says with a cough. "Is that a threat?"

The Commander looks back at Allers, smiling that toothy smile again. "Of course not, Diana. Just a little joke."

Vakarian pauses and looks at the camera for the first time - he may have just barely shaken his head, but it's unclear.

"Well," Allers says with a nervous laugh. "Thank you so much, Commander Shepard. It was great to chat with you again, and best of luck with this new adventure!"

"Pleasure was all mine, Diana."

Allers looks into the camera once more. "Thanks for watching, everyone. We'll see you next time on The Battlespace."

~~~

As soon as the drone stopped recording, Allers spun on her. "Shepard!"

Shepard bit her lip. "What? You knew I wasn't going to give you personal details."

"That's not what I mean, and you know it!"

She chuckled. "Yeah, I know. But if I'd told you beforehand, you would've stopped me."

The reporter sighed. "Normally I'd say I'll have to edit this, but that's not going to fly, is it?"

"Nope." Shepard shook her head. "You know you'll never get another interview out of me if you do."

"My producer is going to kill me. Well, I just hope your little stunt is effective." She softened a little. "You know I really do respect your privacy, right?"

She patted Allers's shoulder. "I know, and that's why I picked you. Now run my little PSA, would you? Exactly as it is."

Resigned, Allers gave a sloppy salute. "Aye-aye, Commander."

[solemnly-mischievous]

rivalry (d.m. x reader)

You and Draco Malfoy have a rocky relationship, at best. It'd be better to describe it as a rivalry. But all it takes is a bit of fire from your end to finally make him snap.

(AKA: I just really wanted to write an enemies-to-lovers trope for my first fic.)

A/N: Hi! First fic. Hope you like it. :)

Contains: Degradation, slight edging, d/s elements, slight dub-con (but not really; full consent is clearly given), light humiliation

Word count: 3.9K

-----

Normally, Defense Against the Dark Arts would be your favorite class. The spells you learn are fun and useful; Professor Lupin is always a plus, and most importantly, you’re good at the subject—so bloody good, you’ve bested even Hermione and Harry multiple times.

But lately, you’ve been finding yourself dreading the lessons. So much, in fact, that you were half-considering asking Hermione to hex you just to get out of your afternoon class.

Why? It’s a pretty easy answer when you got down to it.

Draco Malfoy.

You’d had an ongoing rivalry with the git since third grade. He’s been terrorizing you and your friends, mostly because of Harry, but along the way the two of you had begun building a personal vendetta.

(He probably hasn’t quite yet forgiven you for hexing him so badly he’d had to stay in the Infirmary for weeks, and you certainly haven’t forgiven him for causing your friends so much grief over the years.)

This year, you’d thought you could try your best to avoid him, with your upcoming N.E.W.T.s and all. But DADA had other plans.

Professor Lupin had begun experimenting with mixing up partners for class—it was, after all, a very hands-on class—and had apparently decided that cross-house interaction would build bonds and skill. His exact words were, “If they’re your friend, you’re gonna go easier on them. In the real world, you never know who you’re fighting with—or against.”

So he’d randomized the name list. You, being Gryffindor, knew immediately you wouldn’t be with any of your closest friends—but you hoped that perhaps you’d be paired with Cedric, or Luna, or anyone but—

“Your partner is Draco Malfoy,” Professor Lupin informed you when he got to your name, and you immediately make to protest.

“Her?” a voice came just as you complained “Not him”, and the students parted to reveal Draco himself, glaring daggers at you and Lupin.

“Yes, her,” Lupin replied, unruffled. “Now, pair up, everyone. We’re practicing Stunning today.”

That day, you’d fucking limped out of the classroom. Not to say Draco had gotten it easier—he could barely stand after you Disarmed, Stunned, and hit him with a nasty stinger hex just for the sake of it. (You’d gotten detention, but it was worth it.)

Today’s your second class with Malfoy, and you’ve never wanted more to be able to commit violent actions in your life.

“Please,” you whisper to Hermione as your group enter the DADA classroom. “Just one hex. I won’t even go to Pomfrey. No witnesses. You could just Petrify me, if that’s more to your liking.”

She sighs. “I’m not going to Petrify you.”

“’Mione,” you say, scandalized. “I thought we were friends.”

“Pair up, everyone,” Lupin calls out. Your friends shuffle away and you close your eyes, already getting a headache from the thought of—

“Well, well.” That fucking smarmy voice. “If it isn’t Potter’s little friend.”

“If it isn’t Daddy’s boy,” you snap, opening your eyes and glaring at Malfoy, who already has his wand out. “Bugger off, Malfoy.”

“Afraid I can’t do that.” Draco’s eyes narrow. Clearly, he’s as displeased with the situation as you are. “What are we doing today, then? Can’t wait to knock you down a few notches. Star of the class, my—”

“Patronuses!” Professor Lupin announces from across the room, and your heart soars—Patronuses, you could do that. Harry, months earlier, had taught you how to perfect a corporeal form in exchange for tips on his Astronomy essay. He isn’t here today—maybe you could be the only one in the class to do it.

Lupin continues, “Yes, the Patronus—an essential in the world of Defense magic. We’ll be starting with just the simple basics of it. A strong flick of the wand, and the words ‘Expecto Patronum!’. Say it with me, everyone.”

You chorus the words obediently along with the class, Malfoy’s snort of derision not going unnoticed.

“Good. Good, good, now—the key to the Patronus is to think of a happy memory. It has to be strong. Remember, Dementors feed on misery—it’s the only way to keep them away. Now, go practice. I’ll be walking around to see if there’s any problems.”

“Expecto Patronom,” Malfoy repeats in a mocking voice once the classroom starts filling with the chants of fellow students. “Doesn’t Potter know how to do that one? Heard he can do a deer. Pretty weak animal if you ask me—”

“A stag,” you correct. “And it’s Patronum, not Patronom.”

He glares at you again. “Think you’re so smart, don’t you?”

“Certainly smarter than you are.” You glance at him. “Though that’s not saying much, is it?”

You give Fred Weasley, who’d circled around to hear the conversation, a not-discreet fist-bump.

“Alright then.” Malfoy spits out your last name, trying to provoke you. “Let’s see you do it.”

“You try,” you suggest, hiding your smirk. “Unless you’re too scared.”

Draco grits his teeth. Unwilling to back down from a challenge, he brandishes his wand. “Expecto Patronum!”

A thin, wispy light appears at the end of his wand—weak, but clearly visible. Classmates around you murmur as they notice it, and Professor Lupin beams as he sees Draco’s doing. “Very good, Draco! A fantastic start.”

Draco flicks his wand smugly and the Patronus charm dissipates. He smirks, shooting you an expectant look.

You take out your wand, feeling its familiar grip, and you close your eyes. You recall the memory of a weekend in Hogsmeade with your friends, drinking Butterbeer as you stroll through the snowy village, pointing out the shops and people. Unconsciously, you smile.

“Expecto Patronum!”

Light blazes so bright you can see it under closed eyes, and you open them to find a glowing golden retriever prancing out the end of your wand. It bounds around in the air joyfully, leaving a trail of light where it leaps, and circles the classroom, eventually coming back to you and wagging its tail.

Professor Lupin is grinning, utterly delighted as he takes in your Patronus. Calling your name, he exclaims, “That is phenomenal—you’ve learned fast. Very impressive job!”

You smile back, and your Patronus glows lighter in response. You quickly call it off, the light being a bit too much, and the rest of the class passes by in a haze of awed murmurs and classmates asking your advice on their spellwork. You become so preoccupied, you don’t even notice Draco’s unrelenting stare on your back.

The class ends fast, the bell tolling to signify the start of what would be a study period for you. As students trail out of the classroom, chattering happily, Professor Lupin calls you over.

“Listen, I want you to know that what you did today was truly impressive,” he says, seriously. “I assume Harry laid out the groundwork, yes?”

You nod. He smiles. “You and Harry both are very accomplished students, then. But truly—I doubt many Aurors could’ve managed what you did today.”

“Thank you, Professor.” Your words are sincere.

“My pleasure.” Professor Lupin shoots you an apologetic look. “Now, I’m terribly sorry, but I have off-grounds business to attend to—would you mind setting the classroom to rights? I’m afraid I had to push the desks and chairs back for our class, but I don’t have time to put them back. I’ll write you a note, if you—”

“Oh, no, Professor, don’t worry, it’s a study period. I’d be glad to help.”

“Thank you,” he says, relieved, already heading out the door. “Thank you. I’ll see you tomorrow, then. I’ll bring chocolate to compensate!”

“Goodbye, Professor!” you call, and he echoes it, and then he’s gone. You look around the classroom, seeing all the desks in the back, and you crack your knuckles. Time to get to work.

“Well. Quite the teacher’s pet, aren’t we?”

Merlin’s fucking beard.

“Bloody hell, Malfoy,” you mutter, turning around to find him leaning against the classroom doorframe. His blond hair glints silver in the sunlight, and his entire outline—his uniform, his stance, his dark gaze—is just… honestly, unfairly attractive.

So maybe your first impression of Draco Malfoy, years ago, wasn’t that he was a self-entitled git. Maybe, just maybe, you’d thought he was the prettiest boy you’d ever seen.

And maybe that feeling never went away.

Not that you’d let him know that.

“What are you doing here?”

“Study period.” He starts walking towards you, shutting the door behind him. “Couldn’t help but be curious as to what Lupin wanted with you.”

“What’s it to you?” you snap. Malfoy doesn’t reply.

“Why do you insist on being so difficult?” he asks instead, and you blink.

“Me?” you splutter. “Difficult? Fat lot of sense that makes, with you fucking insulting me at every move I make—”

“As I recall, our first interaction was you hexing me in third-year.” Malfoy sounds amused.

“You pushed Harry into the lake,” you snap at him. “You bloody well deserved it.”

Draco laughs. “Good times.”

“Malfoy, what the bloody hell are you doing here?”

“You’ve got quite a mouth.”

“My mouth is also capable of jinxing you three ways to Friday, so I suggest you leave me alone, yeah?” Your fingers twitch towards your wand in preparation, and he only looks on with derision.

“I’m just frightened,” Malfoy sneers. You barely notice him slipping off his rings, pocketing them. “Potter taught you that Patronus charm, didn’t he?”

“What’s it to you?”

“Nothin’. Just wondering what else he taught you.” A vengeful mood seems to have taken Draco. “You seem to hang out with him an awful lot.”

“It’s called having friends,” you snap right back. He looks as though he’s about to retort, but you push on. “Unfamiliar with the concept? Wouldn’t be surprised. Crabbe and Goyle don’t seem like the best conversationalists, are they? Just a couple of goons. Wonder why you don’t have better friends. Friends you can actually talk to who operate with more than one braincell.”

“Shut—”

“Maybe it’s because no one wants to be near you,” you continue, years of pent up frustration spilling out in a vitriolic spiel. “Because you’re a miserable bastard who doesn’t know how to be happy, aren’t you? You drive everyone away and then you go after more because you’re lonely and sad and fucking pathetic—”

“Shut up,” Malfoy repeats with a vehemence.

“—and it’s too fucking late to repair the damage you’ve done—”

“Shut up,” Malfoy snarls, and you stare into his narrowed eyes.

“Fucking make me,” you snap back, and he lunges.

You’re pinned against the wall of the classroom, Malfoy’s wand to your throat and a hand fisting your robes to render you immobile. Draco flicks his wand, ever-so-slightly, and you hear the classroom door lock with a wordless spell.

“Malfoy,” you whisper, but he cuts you off.

“Shut the fuck up or I swear you’ll bloody regret it,” he hisses.

“Draco,” you begin, and he curses.

“Fuck it.”

Gripping your robes, he leans in and kisses you.

It’s rough and demanding and you think he’s trying to hurt you, with how much his teeth scrape against your bottom lip and bite down gently, but you’re not pulling away, he’s not pulling away, and you find yourself leaning into the kiss, arching up to meet him—

He breaks away and looks at you, smirking.

“If I’d known that’s what it would take for you to shut your bloody mouth, I’d have done it years ago.”

“Let me go, Malfoy,” you say shakily, but even as he loosens his grip slightly, you show no sign of moving.

“If you’d wanted to leave you’d have Stunned me long ago,” he states, truthfully. Your wand is fully in reach. You know how to do wordless spells. And yet you let him kiss you.

“Shut up,” you grumble, still not moving.

“I think, perhaps,” Draco murmurs, glancing down at your body, “you’re enjoying this.”

“No,” you argue, and his wand digs into your neck—not enough to hurt but enough to register.

“Shh,” Draco hushes, almost condescendingly. “Be quiet, now. That’s a good girl.”

Involuntarily, you shudder at his words. They made your legs weak, and you fight off the urge to audibly whimper—what the hell’s gotten into you?

Maybe he won’t notice. Maybe he hasn’t noticed.

Of fucking course he notices.

“Oh?” The shit-eating smirk on his face is enough to make you glare absolute daggers at him. “Don’t give me that. You shivered. You liked it.”

“Shut up,” you say again, with no real strength.

“Don’t you want to be my good girl, sweetheart?” he teases cruelly, and you have to close your eyes to fight off the blush. It doesn’t work, and your face grows hot with embarrassment and arousal.

“Dear me,” Draco says mockingly. “What happened to the spitfire from minutes ago, hm? Still feeling like saying those words to me? Still feeling like being bad?”

Inadvertently, you shake your head.

“Who’s pathetic now?” he mocks, grinning, letting his wand trail a cold path down your neck, over your collarbone, until it rests on the top button of your uniform. “May I?”

The question sounds mocking, but he meets your gaze and you know he’s honestly asking for permission. And you give it to him, nodding, even as your blush deepens. Draco undoes your buttons, one by one, with tiny flicks of his wand, until your shirt is fully unbuttoned and you’re exposed to his gaze.

Draco shoves his wand into his belt and pushes your bra out of the way with an almost laughable urgency, getting a full, appreciative look at your breasts. “So fucking pretty,” he murmurs. “Shame they belong to such a fucking headache, hm?”

You grumble some sort of an insult, and Draco pinches a nipple, which shuts you up effectively. “That’s what I thought.”

His hands trail down to your skirt, and instead of undoing the button he leans down and scoops the fabric up. “Here, be good and useful and hold this for me.”

The indifferent praise and the degradation combined has you obeying immediately, hoisting your skirt up and baring yourself to him, which only adds to an eddying swirl of shame and arousal pooling in your gut. Draco looks at you, stares, really, and it’s with a predatory grin that he reaches over to caress you through your panties.

“Soaked,” he observes, sounding both amused and satisfied. “You always get off this much to being treated like a right slut, then?”

“Draco,” you whine, bucking your hips up into his almost phantom touch. “Come on.”

“Is that how we ask nicely?” Oh, this bloody git. You’ll never be able to look at him again—he’s going to be so fucking smug around you.

When you don’t answer, he withdraws his touch completely, and you make a sound of protest. “No, no, please.”

“Go on.”

“Please touch me,” you try, but it’s hard to focus when you’re so goddamn wet you’re soaking through your panties.

“Not quite,” Draco muses. He’s palming himself through his trousers, and the sight turns you on impossibly more. “Come on, then—convince me.”

“Draco, please touch me,” you beg. One of your hands drift down to your panties but he slaps it away immediately, shooting you a warning look. “Please!”

“Touch you where?” He wants you to say it.

“Touch my cunt, please, Draco, fuck, I’m so wet it hurts,” you beg, and it’s true—you’re aching with arousal, and if he doesn’t touch you within the next few seconds you think you really just might combust. “Please, please touch me, I’ll be good, I’ll do whatever you want, just touch me.”

“If only the school could see you now,” he sneers, but even he seems to break his self-control and he tugs your panties down harshly, all but ripping them off. “Baring yourself to me and begging to be touched like a whore.”

“I’m not—oh,” you gasp, his fingers pressing into your cunt immediately and his thumb working on your clit, sending waves of pleasure so potent you almost double over. His fingers are long and thin, which is why he can press two in without preamble, and the stretch is barely noticeable.

“You’re not what? A whore?” Draco laughs. “Please. Look at yourself.”

“’m not,” you insist, but you clench around his fingers at his words and he raises an eyebrow.

“I think you’re lying.” He presses a third finger in and you whine, little sounds of pleasure escaping your lips as he works you open. “Quieter, now, or I’ll have to gag you.”

You bite your lip, and Draco thumbs your clit as a reward and incentive. “Now, tell me what you are. Be truthful, or I won’t fuck you. I’ll leave, leave you here with your shirt hanging open and your skirt up, the doors wide open. Maybe the next bloke who stumbles in might help you.”

Your eyes widen—he wouldn’t. But his gaze is dead serious. “Say it.”

“I’m a whore,” you breathe, and he thrusts his fingers into you, hitting that right spot. “Draco!”

“Say it louder,” he orders, angling his fingers and curling them.

“I’m a whore,” you moan out, bucking your hips upwards—you’re close, you’re so close. “Draco, I—”

He stops moving, and his other hand pinches your clit harshly. “No.”

You let out a gasp of shock and hurt, reeling from the denial and pleasure. “But—”

“You’re not fucking coming until I say so,” Draco hisses, undoing his belt and pushing his trousers down. “And I’m not saying so until I properly fuck you into a bloody wreck.”

His cock is already hard, and he positions himself right at your entrance. You can feel him, his tip pressed against your wetness, but not pushing in. “Draco—”

“I think,” he muses, and you want to scream, “one day I’ll drag you into a broom closet. Fuck your throat so hard you won’t be able to talk for the day. You’ll look pretty, don’t you think?”

“Please—”

“Or I’ll bring you back to my dorm, so I can fuck you until you’re screaming yourself hoarse,” Draco says thoughtfully. “Your dorm works. So long as I can ruin you.”

“Malfoy—”

“Because it’s just so—” and he pushes into you in one swift movement, fucking into you immediately with a fast and rough rhythm, “—fucking nice to see you being a slut for me.”

“Fuck!” You grind your hips along with his rhythm, feeling the tightness of your cunt around his cock, and you clench as he hits your sweet spot with the right angle, almost shaking with the pleasure that it gives you.

Draco groans your name, fucking you brutally as he chases his own release, already pent-up from the teasing and the sight of your wrecked state. “’m gonna come on your tits, would you like that? Get it all fucking messy, maybe get some into your mouth, get you fucking ruined?”

“Please, please, fuck, please let me come,” you plead him, feeling your impending orgasm barrel towards you—you couldn’t last, you can’t fucking last—

“Fucking hold it,” Draco snaps. “Hold it like a good fucking girl, you understand?”

You let out a mournful sound, but you nod—yes, I’ll be good, I’ll be good, please—

“Salazar, I’m fucking close,” Malfoy breathes into your ear, his voice rough and strained. “You feel so good, love, so bloody tight.”

“Please,” you whimper, not even sure what you’re pleading for at this point. Draco exhales shakily and curses, pulling out and pushing you to your knees with such a force that you drop down, your skirt being the only padding.

“Wh—?” you try to ask, but Draco is already pumping his cock and then he’s coming all over your face, some of it dripping down to paint your breasts as he’d promised. Draco leans down to gather some release on a finger and pushes it into your mouth, eyes darkening as you suck and swallow around it.

“Good girl,” he praises, and you almost come right there.

“Draco, please,” you beg, still on your knees and still absolutely fucking desperate for release that he’s been denying you for the past half hour. “Please let me—”

“Alright, spread your legs, c’mon,” Draco guides, and you obey and then he’s there, thumb rubbing steady circles around your clit and two fingers pushing inside you once more. You whine and grind into his fingers, his touch, hips following his movement as he pushes you closer—closer—

“Fuck!” you sob as he senses your impending orgasm and stills his hand. “No—no, why?”

You sound like a petulant child and Draco laughs at you, and it’s an unfair move and a mean sound but it somehow turns you on even more. “I’m just messing, sweetheart.”

Fuck you, you badly want to say, but somehow you feel like that won’t get you what you want.

Draco starts moving again, his fingers gaining speed, and the sound of them pumping in and out of your soaked cunt sounds delightfully dirty. You’re quickly pushed to the edge again, and amidst your pleasure you eye Draco distrustfully.

“Please,” you whisper, and he smirks at you.

“Well, since you asked so nicely.”

And he thumbs your clit and you’re coming, gasping with the pleasure and shaking as he eases you through it. His fingers don’t stop moving, even after your orgasm has faded, and you squirm in discomfort as he overstimulates you.

“Stop—please—”

“Promise me you won’t be a bloody pain again,” Draco levels at you, and you want to glare back but his fingers curl inside of you and you yelp with pleasure and pain. “Promise me, or I’ll keep going.”

“I—I won’t be a pain,” you mumble, trying to squeeze your thighs together to get rid of his touch, but he perseveres, flicking your clit mercilessly.

“Say you’ll be good.”

“I’ll be good,” you manage, so close to sobbing from the frustration. “Please, Draco, I’ll be good, be good for you, please stop.”

He relents and you feel him draw his hand back. You close your eyes and you hear him tug his trousers back on, buckling his belt. You feel strangely empty without him—without his fingers, his cock, his touch.

Draco produces a handkerchief from his pocket and wipes the sweat, drool, and cum off your face, helping you button your shirt back up as well. “You alright?”

“Never better,” you reply, opening your eyes to see him staring at you in concern, all traces of the cruel tease earlier gone. Outside, the sun is setting, casting orange hues into the classroom, and you suddenly remember. “I—oh, bloody hell, I have to arrange the desks for Lupin—”

“I’ll do it. Stay here.”

Draco stands up and takes out his wand, flicking it twice in quick succession. A wordless spell. As you watch, the desks and chairs slide back to where they used to be, neatly arranging themselves in rows.

You’re impressed as he comes back. “What spell is—hey!”

He’s flicked his wand once more and torn your panties clean off your legs.

“Draco—what in Merlin—”

“A souvenir.” Malfoy smirks, stuffing your soaked panties into the pocket of his trousers. “And payment for the desks.”

“You’re a bloody prick,” you say, leaning your head back against the wall.

“Careful now, love. Remember what you promised.” Draco’s tone is playful, but warning. “I’m a man of my word, so you should choose yours carefully. Next time I won’t be as gentle.”

Caught off-guard, you can only nod obediently, which seems to please him. But you can’t promise you won’t slip back into old habits the very next day. Whatever the case, one thing was clear—there would almost certainly be a next time.

------

Requests & asks are open! Here is the guide on requests, if you'd like to check that out first. Hope you enjoyed!

[tsukishumai]

pairing: ushijima wakatoshi x f!reader wc; 900+ genre; fluff a/n; prompt request for @luvnami <33 hope you like it!

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 　　 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

The ‘U’ in Ushijima must stand for uncertainty, you’ve come to realize.

You suppose you could say the two of you were ‘dating’ — by a far stretch of the word. That is, if you could consider nightlong FaceTime calls and cheering him on at volleyball games dating.

You hadn’t even realized he was interested in you until Tendou pointed out that no, in fact, it was not normal for the Shiratorizawa ace to be following someone around campus like some love sick puppy,  and no, Tendou has never seen his partner smile, let alone smile at another person.

You had always thought Ushijima was always just… there. But now, he was making his presence known, and suddenly your vision was filled with nothing but him.

And maybe there was something charming about how he always seemed to find you. And you’ve discovered that Ushijima speaks exactly what was on his mind — it comforts you to know that he means what he says, and he says what he means.

And yet, it is exactly this bluntness that’s become the source of your confusion in the first place.

“So, are you guys going out?” Tendou had dared to ask one sunny afternoon during lunch time, picking at his food and staring at the two of you from above his chopsticks.

“Yes,” Ushijima answers instantly, wiping at the corner of his mouth with a napkin. Your heart beats faster at the certainty of his words, sharing a surprised glance with Tendou.

That is, until Ushijima says, “Y/N has P.E. after lunch, so I will have to walk her outside.”

You physically had to stop yourself from banging your head on the table.

Tendou was not one to give up so easily though, opting for a more direct approach.

“No, Wakatoshi-kun,” Tendou sighs out exasperatedly, “I mean, are you guys together?”

You held your breath, wanting to know the answer just as much as the middle blocker did.

“Yes, we are together,” Ushijima says with his usual monotonous voice, though you don’t let yourself get too excited.

“We are eating our lunch together, Satori. Can’t you see?”

The school bell had rung as Tendou began his third attempt, and promptly the conversation had been swept away amongst the crowds of students trying to get back to class.

The memory replays in your head as you wait for Ushijima to finish practice, leaning against the walls as you contemplate your standing with the Ace.

“Thank you for waiting,” he greets you politely, leaving the locker room with his items in hand.

You give him a strained smile, one that hadn’t gone unnoticed as he slows to a stop just two feet in front of you, tilting his head in confusion.

“What’s wrong?”

The look of surprise in your face was automatic, and you were taken aback by how easily you were read. Since when has he known you so well?

It was unexplainable, the feeling that seeped out from your chest at such a simple question from a simple man. You found yourself wanting to be able to read him, too. You wanted to know what made him happy, and what made him sad. You wanted to know how it feels to be held by him, and to be the one that holds him, too.

The uncertainty holds on to your spirit, and you wonder if you were the only one falling into this hole.

Before you could answer his question, Ushijima had been summoned into the office by the assistant coach.

He silently nods in acknowledgment before turning back to you.

“Could you hold my things for a bit? Saito-sensei needs me,” Ushijima asks, handing you his phone and his sports bag.

You hurriedly take his items from him, and he shoots you a grateful smile as he jogs into the direction of the gym.

As you walk to find a bench to wait on, you feel a vibration in the palm of your hand.

A quick peek shows that Ushijima’s phone had been ringing, Tendou’s name scrawled across the screen. You make a mental note to let Ushijima know of his missed call when he comes back, letting it go to voicemail.

But just before you the screen turns black, the picture in the background catches your eye.

You click the button on the side to illuminate the screen once more, and your stomach nearly dissolves into butterflies.

“I’m back,” Ushijima’s voice makes you jump nearly ten feet in the air, and he looks at his phone curiously in your hand, “What are you doing?”

“Am I your lock screen?”

The silence was deafening, and you fought the smile on your lips as a candid photo of you laughing was displayed for both of you to see.

Anyone else might have thought Ushijima was unfazed. But the slight reddening of the tips of his ears tells you he’s embarrassed as he quickly grabs his things from your hand.

“You weren’t supposed to see that…”

You laughed at his innocence, reaching forward to pinch his cheeks.

“Where did you even get that picture?”

Ushijima shrugged, “I took one of you while we were having lunch the other day. You looked… really…”

You smiled, nodding for him to continue. Ushijima coughed into his fist.

“You always look pretty,” he says sincerely, making the heat rush to your head. He holds his hand out for you to take.

“Let’s get dinner?”

And it was in this moment, any doubt for Ushijima’s feelings for you begin to fade away.

“I want sushi.”

He smiles. “Then let’s get sushi.”

[breadqueen95]

Dress - Bucky Barnes

bucky barnes x fem!reader

wc: 5k

plot: bucky and y/n’s relationship is new, and they don’t want to share with their friends just yet. but something as simple as a dress can change anyone’s mind, even the winter soldier. 

content warnings: kissing. physical affection. flirting. allusions to sex. drinking. being drunk. language. bucky being a flirt. 

a/n: this is for @natasha-romancff and her taylor swift writing challenge! it took me awhile, but i’ve had a ton of fun writing this. so many bucky fics are angsty, and rightly so the man has some TRAUMA. but for my first bucky fic, based on dress by taylor swift, i wanted something happier for him 

***

Damn. That was a lot of leg.

“I don’t know,” you muttered as you stared into the mirror, “aren’t these things…a little classier than this?”

“Uh…have you met Tony Stark?” Natasha grumbled as she continued to scroll through her phone. “The man has never been classy a day in his life.”

“Well I know he isn’t, but fancy people show up to these things. I just don’t want to embarrass myself.” You were currently standing in front of the full-length mirror in Wanda’s room, staring at the reflection of a woman who didn’t quite look like you.

But it was you, wasn’t it? It was just…that you was wearing a very short, very sexy red cocktail dress. The sweetheart neckline was a nice touch, but the back was completely open. And that hemline? Definitely hiked way up past your knees.

“Y/n, relax,” Wanda reassured in her lilting accent, “sure, the dress is a little…spicier…than you’re used to, but it’s in a good way.”

“I’m pretty sure every single person would be able to tell I spend my days in tactical gear. God, I’m not sure I even know how to walk in heels this high!”

Heaving a dramatic sigh, Natasha threw her phone down and looked at you in the mirror. Her eyebrows were raised, and she was giving you her usual ‘don’t give me that shit’ look. It nearly had you shaking in your very strappy black heels.

“Are you kidding me, y/n? I’ve seen you strut in enough fancy parties during undercover missions to know that you’ve got this.”

“Yeah,” Wanda scoffed as she took a sip of red wine from her glass, “all she’s nervous about is what Bucky will think.”

Rolling your eyes, you tried to hide how much that sentence affected you.

“C’mon, Wanda. You know Bucky and I are just friends.”

“Do friends undress each other with their eyes whenever they’re in the same room?”

Damn it. Damn Wanda and her stupid perceptiveness.

“You’re reading too much into it, Wanda.” She just laughed at you, acting like she knew so much better.

What you knew and wasn’t ready to admit to your two best friends, was that she was right on the money.

Bucky Barnes, the infamous Winter Soldier, your favorite person in the entire world, was now your boyfriend. He had been for a few weeks now. The two of you were insanely private people. Hell, it had been years before the two of you had finally learned everything about each other. Once you had gotten past the walls the other had so carefully crafted, well…

At that point you were in love.

But the others didn’t need to know that, not yet at least. The Avengers were a family, your family. They were really the only true family you’d ever had. But Bucky…Bucky was finally yours. And you were his. You didn’t think it was crazy to just want to enjoy that, just the two of you, without everyone else sharing their jokes and opinions just yet. They did it out of love, you both knew that, but you just wanted him all to yourself.

As you looked back at your reflection in the mirror, you took a minute to really consider what Bucky’s reaction might be. He had the best poker face in the room no matter who he was with, but you knew him well enough to know how he was feeling just based on his eyes. He’d always said how much he loved red on you, and he adored every and any excuse to touch your skin. Those steel blue eyes of his would absolutely burn once he saw you in this dress.

And fuck, that was something you really wanted to see.

“Well, if you aren’t going to wear that dress, you better pick something else,” Nat said, jerking you from your fantasies, “we need to be there in twenty minutes, and we all need to touch up our makeup.”

“Actually…I think I’ll wear it,” you said confidently, trying to hide your grin as you ran your hands down the silky fabric.

What you didn’t see was Natasha and Wanda sharing a secret smirk behind you, like they’d known what you’d do the whole time.

***

Six weeks ago, everything had changed for you and Bucky.

You’d known how you felt for a long time. Bucky Barnes, despite his past, was the kind of man anyone could fall in love with. He was sincere, kind, generous, witty…everything you’d ever wanted in a partner. He had been your best friend for even longer.

It had been a long time before you could even admit your feelings to yourself, let alone to him. After everything the two of you had been through, who had the time and mental capacity for romance? It just didn’t seem important. You just chalked up your feelings to being such close friends. All you wanted was to be near him, even if you just sat in silence doing different things. Just being in the same room as Bucky brought you a sort of peace you’d never had before. Whenever he touched you, even if it was just a brief hug or brushing your back to get past you, your skin erupted into goosebumps. But that was just because physical touch was still foreign to you, right?

And his smile. God, his wonderful smile…

Bucky didn’t smile much. He hid behind a mask of stoicism, a remnant from the trauma of his horrible history as the Winter Soldier. Showing any sort of emotion, especially happiness, was hard for him. But when he finally let himself smile? It was the most beautiful thing you’d ever see.        

It took several sleepless nights wrestling with those confusing feelings to figure it out. You didn’t just see Bucky as your best friend. You had it bad. Not just “oh my god he’s so handsome” bad, like the “I would take a bullet for you I’m so in love” bad. That revelation? It left you euphoric. It also left you scared.

Because you were so sure Bucky didn’t feel the same. And that thought was like a knife to the heart every time it flashed through your mind.

So you kept it to yourself. You tried to keep things as normal as possible, but your heart kept fluttering whenever he walked into a room. Being so close to Bucky meant you confided in each other about pretty much everything, and he knew you well enough to know you were hiding something.

It all exploded on a Tuesday night in the compound.

Tuesdays were your movie nights. Bucky had a lot of pop culture to catch up on, so on this night every week he would come by your room to watch a movie. It was a weekly tradition that kind of started by accident. You were shocked he still hadn’t made time to watch Lord of the Rings, so you forced him onto your couch with popcorn and The Fellowship of the Ring. He loved it so much, and immediately asked if you guys could watch The Two Towers the next week. How could you say no to him?

Tonight, you were watching 13 Going on 30. It was your all-time favorite romcom, and you figured you could both use a break from all the action and fantasy movies you’d been cycling through. Something with a happy ending was worth indulging in.

“Does that Matt guy look like Banner to you? Or is it just me?” Bucky asked through a mouthful of popcorn.

“Heh, maybe a little,” you said, “Give or take a few years.” He laughed at that, and you forced yourself to laugh quietly. You wanted to blurt out your feelings every time you looked at Bucky, so you’d gotten quieter and quieter every time you spent time with him. It was an awful reaction, and you knew he noticed. But it was better than losing his friendship, right?

After that awful and painfully obvious forced laugh, Bucky let out a huge sigh and paused the movie. He set the bowl of popcorn down on the coffee table in front of the couch, then turned to face you. Exasperation and hurt glimmered in his eyes.

“Y/n, what the fuck is going on with you?”

“W-what do you mean?”

“Oh come on, don’t give me that,” he said sharply, “I know you better than anyone, and I know for a fact there’s something you’re not telling me. Is it me? Did I do something wrong?”

“What? No, god no!” You exclaimed.

“Well it must be something I did, because you’ve never been this quiet around me and it keeps getting worse. I hate it, and I want to know what I did so I can fix it.”

“Bucky, I’m serious, it’s nothing you did—”

“Then why? Why are you shutting me out?” He cut you off angrily, arms thrown wide. “You’re my best friend, I just don’t get why—”

“I don’t want you like a best friend, Bucky!” Your eyes went wide as the words flew from your lips. In the most comical way, you clapped your hand over your mouth as if you could stop the words that had already been said. Bucky’s eyes narrowed in confusion.

Oh fuck. He didn’t get it. Curse him and his old man ways.

“What does that even mean, Y/n? Are you saying you don’t want me around anymore?”

“Bucky, of course not. God, I would never want that. Never in a million years.”

“Then you better explain, because if you haven’t noticed, I’m over 100 years old. I need a little help here.”

“It means, uh…um,” you stuttered, wringing your hands together. “Is there any chance we can just forget I said that?”

“Nope, not a chance.”

“It means…it means that I care about you. As more than a friend.”

His entire face seemed to crinkle as he processed that. If you weren’t freaking out, you’d be obsessing over how damn cute it made him look. Then his eyes got wide as he began to make the connection. Your stomach nearly fell out of your ass as his eyes lifted again to meet yours.

“I…I think I know what you’re saying,” he nearly whispered, “I just need you to get real specific real fast, because I’m not about to say anything until I know exactly what you mean.”

“It means I’m in love with you, okay?” You burst out. Even through your mortification, there was a sudden sense of relief. A secret as big as that had definitely been weighing you down. Now that it was out there, that was one less thing you had to worry about.

His eyes grew even wider. How that was possible, you didn’t even know. That beautiful mouth of his began to turn up into a small smile as he gazed softly at you.

“You’re in love with me?” He asked, his smile getting wider with each passing second.

“What, you need it carved into stone or something?” You couldn’t help but sass him. Did you fucking stutter?

“No, it’s just…I never thought you’d feel that way about me.”

“Well, clearly I do. So you – wait, you mean you’ve thought about this before?”

“Of course I have,” he said as he shrugged, “I’ve been in love with you for two years now, how could I not think about it?”

You were instantly filled with warmth and pure bliss. In all your obsessing over your own feelings, you’d never allowed yourself to consider that he might feel the same about you. It just didn’t seem possible.

“I’m sorry,” you burst out, holding a hand up, “you’re telling me you’ve been into me for two years and didn’t say anything?”

“Why didn’t you?” He shot back, inching closer to you.

“Because you’re my best friend. I didn’t want to lose you because of stupid feelings I have.”

“But…I have those same ‘stupid feelings’ for you. So can we just cut the whole act and get on with it?” Bucky brought a hand up to cup your cheek, his thumb brushing along your skin so gently.

“Uh…um…get on with what?”

“Well I’d kinda like to kiss you, if you’re cool with it.”

“Bucky Barnes did you just use current slang to ask if you could kiss me?” You didn’t move an inch as his face moved right in front of yours, breath intermingling as you gazed into each other’s eyes. God, was this really happening?

“Yeah, guess your lessons worked,” he murmured.

“Well you better kiss me, then.”

As soon as your lips met, it was like coming home.

***

That memory, your favorite memory, replayed in your head as the three of you stepped into the elevator. Nat and Wanda were happily chatting about who would be there, what kind of antics Tony would cook up tonight, if there would be music we could actually dance to. You know, normal party things.

All you could think about was how long you had to stay until you could sneak off with your boyfriend.

You were so happy Wanda and Natasha had convinced you to wear this dress. When you’d first put it on, the difference from your normal look was so jarring that it took you a few minutes to get used to it. But now that you had, now that you felt the silky fabric shifting against your skin as you moved, now that you saw how dangerously long your legs looked in these heels…

Damn, you felt sexy.

And that sexy feeling? It made you want Bucky’s hands all over you.

But this was a party. A party thrown by Tony Stark, one of the most perceptive and observant people you’d ever met. If you left too soon, if he thought you weren’t “having enough fun”, he’d be more than a little upset. So you had to stay, drink, mingle, maybe dance a little…and then, maybe later, you could go do what you actually wanted.

The elevator pinged, indicating you had reached the topmost floor of the compound. This floor was home to a huge communal space, often used for just hanging out with the team. But on nights like tonight, Tony went all out and turned the space into something that resembled…a club?

The three of you stepped out into the massive room, upbeat music already blasting from the speakers. Typical Tony – he never really outgrew his love for dancing and parties. The bass thrummed through your body, making you want to move to the music. The lights were dim, but you could still tell who was around. It looked like you were some of the last members of the team to arrive. There was a huge bar off to the side, and Natasha headed that way right away. You turned to ask Wanda if she wanted to follow Nat, but she was already making a beeline for Vision. Smiling, you just turned right back around to follow Natasha. A drink sounded pretty good right now.

As you made your way to the bar, you felt more than a few pairs of eyes on you as you walked. You sneakily looked around as you went, noticing men and women watching you with admiration, and dare you say it, longing. As someone whose job was to blend in with the background all the time, this was a different and slightly addictive feeling. You leaned on the bar next to Nat right as the bartender slid her drink over to her.

“Straight whiskey tonight? Damn, going hard.” You quipped.

“Hey now, you know I can handle my liquor. It’s you we need to watch out for, you lightweight.”

Laughing, you scanned the party guests, looking for the one person you wanted to see. Tony had had arm around Pepper’s waist, both laughing at something Rhodey had said. Bruce lingered around them, drink in hand and looking a little nervous, but still happy to be included. Wanda and Vision were sitting quietly on one of the couches, both looking absolutely smitten with each other. Scott Lang, one of the newest additions, was busting some moves, while Peter Parker laughed as he watched. Thor, who was visiting from Asgard, laughed boisterously as he watched various guests try to lift his hammer. You couldn’t help the smile growing on your face. You loved these people so much.

Then, you saw him.

Bucky was with Sam and Steve, as usual. But even as Sam and Steve were talking animatedly next to him, those gorgeous blue eyes of his were glued to you. There was a kind of intensity in them you hadn’t seen before. Your breath whooshed from you body as he grinned at you. Trying to maintain the suggestive image your dress gave you, you managed to send a flirtatious smile his way, then turned back around to face the bar. Leaning against the counter, you knew he’d get an eyeful of your bare back. God, this was fun.

The bartender finally made his way over to you, and you ordered two tequila shots.

Nat turned to you, one eyebrow arched in surprise as she asked, “And you say I’m going hard? You can’t just down two shots right away, babe.”

“I’m not doing two shots; you think I’m stupid?” The bartender slid the shots over to you along with two lime wedges. “One is clearly for you.”

Unable to hold back a laugh, Natasha put her arm around your shoulders and pulled you into her side as she said, “Why the fuck not, let’s do it.” The two of you went through the process: salt, shot, lime. You couldn’t help but wince as you downed the harsh liquor. Of all the shots in the world, tequila probably tasted the worst. The only reason you kept going for it was the warmth it traced down your body, and you felt your muscles begin to loosen up.

“Two more,” you called over to the bartender.

“Uh, no,” Natasha shot at you, grabbing her whiskey, and pushing off the bar, “I’m good with my top shelf shit, you keep going after that gasoline if you want but I’m out.”

“C’mon, Nat,” you called out, “what am I gonna do with two shots?”

“I’m sure you’ll find someone else, babe.” She said with a wave over her shoulder.

Sighing, you turned back to the ridiculously pretty bar (seriously, how much had Tony paid for this thing?). Who else would help you look cool and sexy at a bar for your secret boyfriend?

Okay, that was the cringiest thought you’d ever had. Gross.

As the bartender slid the tequila in front of you, you steeled yourself for the nastiness that was about to happen.

“Fuck, I didn’t think this through,” you mumbled.

“Yeah, you tend to do that,” a deep voice answered on your right. Instead of being the slightest bit surprised, you couldn’t help but smile. You’d know that voice anywhere.

“Something I can do for you, Barnes?” You looked up at him from under your lashes.

“Well, it looks like you’ve got an extra shot there. Thought I could bail you out.”

“Is that all?”

Bucky shifted so that your arms were just barely touching. His hand was right next to yours, and you reached out with your pinky to lightly brush his.

“Doll, you have the gall to show up in that dress and ask what I want as if you don’t already know?”

“Sorry Buck, I’m a little slow, must be the tequila. You should probably be a little clearer.”

Putting on quite the show of reaching for one of the shots, his mouth somehow ended up right next to your ear.

“I want you.”

It was lucky everyone was so distracted and couldn’t see how you shuddered at his words. Trying to maintain brain function, you managed to take the shot with him. You were now fully facing each other. He was wearing the cockiest smirk you’d ever seen, one that would put Tony Stark to shame. You couldn’t help but respond with that same energy despite the jitteriness his three little words had reduced you to.

“Well why don’t you—”

“Hello, my friends!” A booming voice sounded between you as Thor threw a huge arm over each of you. Bucky, with his stupid super soldier strength, didn’t really have a reaction to it. You, on the other hand, stumbled a little under the weight and force of it. “It’s so good to be back with you tiny humans.”

Was…was he slurring his words?

“Thor…are you drunk right now?”

He simply laughed in response. Well, that answered that.

“Of course I am, tiny person! It can’t be a party without good Asgardian wine.”

“Wait…you have literal god wine?” Bucky, who had a look of vague irritation on his face up to this point, now looked interested. Maybe even a little excited?

“Of course, metal appendage.”

“Dude, you can’t just call Bucky ‘metal appendage’—”

“He can if he lets me have some,” Bucky interrupted.

“We have a bargain!” Thor slapped Bucky on the back before scurrying back over to where he had come from, probably to get the wine he had promised.

“Bucky, you can’t even get drunk,” you hissed, “what exactly is the point of this?”

“Since everything happened, I haven’t found any alcohol strong enough to get me drunk. I figure god wine is worth a shot.”

“Bucky—”

“When I kiss you against a wall later, I wanna be a little tipsy,” he whispered in your ear, “that cool with you?”

Unable to keep yourself from smiling again, you nodded as Thor sauntered back over. Ever since that moment a few weeks ago, right before he kissed you for the first time, asking “is that cool with you?” had become your thing.

And the idea of Bucky kissing you against a wall? Yeah, that sounded pretty good.

***

As it turns out, Asgardian wine is just as potent as Thor had promised.

For the first time in over seventy years, Bucky Barnes was certifiably drunk. It made him feel like the Bucky from all those years ago, and it was the most incredible thing. Here he was, over 100 years old, partying, and all his favorite people were here.

Including his ridiculously hot girlfriend.

Even as they both flitted around the party, Bucky and y/n still found each other’s eyes, even from across the room. They would send winks, smiles, even funny faces. All he wanted to do was be right next to her, talk and dance with her all night…

But they had agreed. They wanted to keep their relationship a secret for now, keep the attention off of them for a bit while they got to know each other in this new way.

But god damn, that dress.

Y/n in red was…indescribable. It didn’t matter what she wore, she was always the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. But in red? In this dress?

She was breathtaking.

“Buck, you breathing?”

A hand waved in front of his face, snapping Bucky’s attention back to the people around him from Y/n’s back. He had been imagining putting his hands all over that back later and had gotten more than a little mesmerized. He managed to get his eyes to refocus, finding a drunk Sam smirking right next to him and an even drunker Steve dancing next to him. But what Steve was doing couldn’t really be called ‘dancing’ per say…more like an aggressive wiggle.

“Why wouldn’t I be breathing?” Of all the things he could’ve said to get Sam’s attention off of him, that wasn’t it.

“Uh, probably because the girl you’re in love with decided to show up and show off tonight? Pretty sure you’re drooling, man.”

Despite himself, Bucky slapped a hand across his mouth, only reducing Sam to wheezing laughter. Knowing he had been caught, he rolled his eyes and grimaced a little. Of all the people to catch him, he wished it hadn’t been Sam.

“I wasn’t…staring… at y/n, I just never see her dressed up is all.”

“I never said anything about the girl being y/n.”

“…fuck.”

“LANGUAGE,” Steve yelled out, pointing a finger at his two friends before returning to his shimmying.

Turning back to him, Sam added, “Just go be with her, Buck. You’re not fooling anyone, and neither is she.”

“We’re that obvious?”

“A few weeks ago you’d at least try to hide it. Now I’m surprised you’re not jumping each other’s bones right here right now.”

“Point taken,” Bucky said, lightly slapping Sam’s shoulder before power walking over to his girl.

***

“Nat, if you don’t stop asking about Bucky and I’s relationship, I’m going to kick you,” you called over the music before taking another swig from your glass. It was no Asgardian wine, but the human stuff wasn’t half bad in your opinion. It wasn’t like you could drink the god shit, anyway. If you had even one sip, you’d be swinging from the ceiling like Miley fucking Cyrus. You were pretty drunk as it was.

“Okay, fine,” she said with a shrug as she took a sip of her whiskey, still as calm and collected as ever. “You’re almost as drunk as he is, you’ll be talking soon enough.”

“Oh? Is that your spy master plan?”

Natasha was still looking as unbothered as ever, but as she looked across the room over your shoulder, her face split into a savage grin.

“It was, but it looks like I might not need it.”

“What do you me—”

Your words were cut off as a large, warm hand enclosed around yours. Whirling around, you were suddenly face to face with the man himself. Bucky was clearly having a good time. His mouth was relaxed into the cutest smile you’d ever seen him wear, and he moved without his normal stiffness and intensity. He threaded your fingers together, smiling down at you with so much love it was a wonder Nat hadn’t said anything yet.

Looking back in front of you, ready to explain yourself, you only found empty air. Guess she’d seen all she needed to, but honestly, you really didn’t care. All you’d wanted the whole night was to be exactly where you were right now; hand in hand with the man you loved.

“We’re just kidding ourselves, doll,” Bucky called next to your ear, “Sam said we’ve been pretty obvious.”

“Nat said the same,” you answered with a sheepish smile, “kind of hard to keep my face under control when you’ve got that leather jacket on.”

“You’re blaming me?” He asked with mock indignation. “You’re the one who looks,” he gestured wildly to your whole body, “like that!”

Trying ignore the heat spreading over your cheeks, you shot back, “Like what?”

“Like the most…” he screwed his face up in the most adorable way as he searched for words, “like the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.” As the last few words tumbled out of his mouth, he gazed at you with such a softness you almost melted right into the floor.

“Wanna get out of here?” You asked, finally giving up the game. It was pointless, really. Now, all you wanted to do was for your boyfriend to keep his promise and kiss you against a wall.

Wrapping an arm around your waist, he answered, “Absolutely.” Without looking at a single soul, the two of you began walking as quickly as you could for the exit. You and Bucky were both leaning on each other a bit, but you wouldn’t have it any other way.

Stepping out into the light of the hallway, you blinked as your eyes adjusted after the dark room you’d spent the last few hours in. Bucky led you until you were right in front of the elevator, and he lazily pressed the button to go up. There was tension in the air between you, like a thread that was being pulled. Biting your lip, you stared at the doors in front of you. You knew if you so much as looked at the man next to you, you’d jump him right then and there.

The shining doors slid open, and the pair of you walked in, his strong arm still around your waist. His grip wasn’t loose in any sense of the word. Bucky kept you right next to him, even as your legs wanted to drift all over the place. You pressed the button for the residential floor.

As soon as those doors slid shut, that thread of tension snapped.

Bucky whirled you to face him, then walked you backward until you were pressed against the wall of the elevator.

“I promised I’d kiss you against the wall, didn’t I?”

He didn’t even wait for a response. His mouth was on yours in an instant, lips moving together like a dance. The kiss was slow and unhurried. You tried to bring him closer, linking your hands behind his neck and pressing yourself to him. Instead of responding in kind, he unwound your arms from around him and pinned them above your head.

Oh damn.

Okay.

No complaints here.

“You’ve been teasin’ me all night just by wearing that dress, sweetheart,” he murmured in between the kisses he trailed down your jaw, “I think it’s my turn.”

“Would it change your mind knowing I only wore this dress so you could take it off?”

The heat that bloomed in those blue eyes of his was unmistakable. As the doors opened on your floor, he swept you up into his arms and began to walk purposefully to his apartment. All the while, he kept that signature cocky smirk of his you’d come to adore.

“Bucky?” You asked once he’d walked into his unit.

“That sentence was the single most attractive thing you’ve ever said,” he murmured as he set you down. Even still, he kept you pressed against him. “But nah, I’m a patient guy. I think I’ll take my time.” He followed this by resuming his slow and sensual kisses, and you couldn’t help but melt into them.

“I love you,” you whispered against his lips.

“I’ll never get tired of hearing that, doll. I love you too.”

***

[danielxricciardo]

for the song prompt list #38 with max please 🥺

Summary: One sided love with Max Verstappen

Warnings: angst, swearing

Word count: 2.7k

38. “You wouldn’t know love if it crushed your fucking chest.”

One-sided love is like waiting for something that is never going to happen. It is like looking into those eyes that will never look back into yours. It is like having someone in your heart but not in your arms. It is suffocating. It starts eating you from inside.

It starts from the moment you meet them. The eye contact that chills your spine, the butterflies somersaulting in your stomach, just the mere thought of them sends goosebumps all over your skin. Your eyes wander and you can't concentrate whenever they're around; despite feeling a little embarrassed for approaching them, you do so anyway and exchange numbers in the hope that at least a friendship will develop. I mean, they're cool, you're cool, you should hang out or something. Or whatever.

It becomes harder to remain nonchalant. Your moderate interest in this person turns into the non-stop checking of your phone to see if they've contacted you... absolute elation when they do, and utter, utter despair when they don't. But you keep telling yourself that it's cool, you don't even know them that well, and they probably don't even want to know you (otherwise they would be making an effort by now, right?).

They text you something vague and impersonal every once in a while, and this is enough to send your heart soaring into the sky. You respond straight away, and they don't. And as this continues, your self-esteem begins to drop, and you question everything.

Why aren't they contacting me? I expect they're just busy. Or is it me? Are three texts in a row too much? I don't wanna seem stalkerish... but I don't want to look like I don't care about them. Am I too fat? Would they prefer me if I lost weight, or had a car, or my own place? Probably. Why am I thinking about them? They'd never think about me like this.

It hurts, from the pit of your stomach to the backs of your eyes. You can't concentrate on anything. You forego activities with friends and family, to keep yourself available for this person just in case they want to meet up with you. You feel sick every day, your appetite drops, your enthusiasm for everything decreases, and you are left with the most bitter, raging emptiness you've ever felt in your whole life. And it's all your fault.

Despite the pain it causes you, you carry on quietly pursuing this person. You silently scream to yourself 'THEY'RE OUT OF MY LEAGUE! THEY WILL NEVER EVER WANT TO BE WITH ME! DON'T THINK ABOUT THEM!' but it's so overwhelming to hear yourself saying it that you try and ignore the voice of reason inside your head. Because right now, your heart is taking control, and there's nothing you can do about it.

You wish they were a part of you, that they could give you a chance, to let you be the best partner that you could possibly be. You wish you could hold them, and talk to them, and kiss them, and sleep beside them, and protect them... but you can't.

The reason you put yourself through all this pain, is a simple fact that you love this person so, so much. And even though the rational side of you is telling you to give up, a small, pathetic part of you says 'They might care about you one day...'

It hurts. Hurts real bad.

True Love doesn’t hurt. Expectations, possessiveness, insecurity, jealousy, and emotions do.

Memories don't hurt. Love doesn't hurt. It is the attachment that hurts. It is the expectation that hurts. It is the imagined future that is now broken that hurts.

Unrequited love hurts the most. You will love someone no matter what they have done to you and that someone may not love you back no matter what you do. That hurts. Those expectations hurt.

To love is always selfless and that feeling is always unconditional. Love is always unconditional. It may sting seeing him with someone else, but you will be happy for him for their happiness is more important to you when you truly love them.

When we lose someone that we love so truly and they walk out of your life for some reason, it hurts. This doesn't mean memories will haunt us. It is the collapsed future that hurts us. Living in the past with the ones we love brings us tears, not because that is lost, but because there was something that could have been forever, but it isn't now. That hurts. That stings and we tend to associate it with good memories. Sometimes we love people more than the memories they gave us. We fall for the person, not just for the memories. We love, we live life to create beautiful memories for us and the loved ones around us.

Expectations hurt in proportion to the emotional investment. Whenever we are too much attached to someone or something, we grow attachment and that attachment leads to expectations. These expectations when fulfilled are an awesome experience. But when we are too much emotionally invested and when those dreams aren't coming true, it stings and hurts and kills from within.

Getting over it is by forgiving and moving on with life accepting that you will never get over that true love. Forgiveness is your trait. It solely depends on you and not on the other person. You want to forgive them because you want peace of mind and don't want to hold grudges against anyone in your life.

Feelings and emotions are real. If you truly love a person, you will love them forever, even though they can't see you that way. That's why love is always unconditional. You love that person because you want to, not because you have that hope that someday he will love you back. If you just hope for being loved back, that's not love, to begin with, it is just some business deal. You love him because your feelings for him are real, deep, and true.

You met Max a long time ago. You were both in Formula 3 in 2014 and got along really well. You started to see each other outside of racing and after a while, you could call yourself friends. But you had feelings for him. Even before you get to know each other properly. You tried so hard to show him that you were interested in him, but nothing. Either he was oblivious or he was not interested in you. Either way, you were hurt, and that was seen in the way you competed. You lost your ambition, there were some days when you cried before the race because you didn't feel able to compete, and Max had no idea you were feeling that way because you wouldn't let him see you when you were at your lowest point.

You gave up racing and Max ended up competing in Formula 1. You weren't jealous of him, you knew you never had a chance to get there, but he deserved it, and all the hard work he put in helped him. You were with him, you encouraged him every time, on the phone, if you could not travel, or in person when he asked you to be with him.

'I need my best friend, Y/N, please. Can you come to the race on the weekend?'

And no matter how much it hurt you to hear that he considered you just his best friend, you wouldn't let your tears fall on your cheeks and tell him you'd be there for the weekend. Every time. It doesn't matter that you had something else planned, you never refused him.

"Oh my God, thank you so much for coming!" you heard Max. You look up and see your best friend coming towards you, ready to hug you. You instantly smiled. No matter how you would feel when you see him you can't help but smile.

"Of course I came. I wouldn't be anywhere else," you say and you are taken by surprise by the sincerity with which you uttered those words.

He takes you to meet some people and you were happy because he seemed well, he seemed delighted with his place there.

"Do you miss it?" you heard Daniel asking you, but you had no idea what he was talking about. "The racing," he continued as if he had read your thoughts and knew you had no idea what he was talking about.

"Oh," you shrug nonchalantly. "I mean, yeah, sometimes, but it's fine."

"Is it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Clearly your mind is somewhere else. I thought it was because you were here and that brought back some racing memories, but it's different, isn't it?"

"Okay, Daniel, I appreciate the free therapy session, but I'm fine, seriously. I'm just happy to be here to encourage Max."

"Talking about me? Man, I'm feeling like a superstar," your best friend says coming between you. "I don't know about you guys but I want to get drunk."

"Are you even allowed to get drunk? It's Wednesday, don't you have press conferences tomorrow?"

"I'm in!" Daniel says and you roll your eyes. Of course he is.

Getting drunk with two boys you swear have ADHD was not a good idea.

Technically speaking, you weren't drunk, you drank a bottle of beer all night so you could take care of the two boys. Drunk Daniel was ok. He was not very agitated, he was even calmer than usual. He was sitting on the couch, laughing louder than usual, but it wasn't a cause of concern for you. Max on the other hand was a different story. Being drunk, he seemed very attracted to the balcony and that stressed you a lot. You tried to explain to him that it is dangerous on the balcony and that it is much more fun inside. You hardly convinced him.

"You're not funny at all, Y/N!"

"I'd rather know you're alive, Max."

Daniel went to bed at about 11:30 PM, but Max showed no signs of being tired. No matter how much you told him about tomorrow's busy schedule, he didn't seem to care.

You were lying on the couch, staring at the TV, and Max was on the floor, quietly for once. You wanted to ask him if he was feeling well, but he spoke before you could say something.

"Do you believe in love?"

Those five words knocked the air out of your lungs. Love? What made him ask you about love?

"Yes, I do," you answer and hope that he'll be satisfied with what you said.

"What is love anyway?"

"That depends, Max. Love is different for everybody."

"Well," he said and turns to look at you. "What is love for you?"

You sighed. What was love for you? Max. But you can't say that.

"Love is a broad term, Max. It can have different meanings for different people and can vary according to the context. At times love is synonymous with respect. At others, it is all about caring and sharing. At still others, it is a trail of concern, affection, and connection."

You didn't know you started to cry until Max kindly wiped off the tears on your face. Who would have thought that talking about love in front of the person you loved the most in this world would have made you cry? You whisper a 'thank you' to Max and get up to take a napkin from the kitchen.

"We're best friends, right?" you hear him coming towards you and he sits down on the kitchen chair.

"Sure," you answer, wiping away your tears.

"What you described. About love... I think I feel that for someone."

You heard something break and you were sure it was your heart. What you felt in that moment was what? Jealousy? This is human behavior. We, people, have the tendency to imagine ourselves with the person on whom we develop our crush. And this is totally normal, everyone does that.

Initially, it's all roses and unicorns. We start to imagine how our life would be with the other person, how we would treat them, what gifts we would give them, how we will take their pain away and how we will happily live after.

But life doesn’t work how we want it to work, does it? Then comes the second phase where we start to realize the differences between you and your crush, but still we hold on to it because in our minds that person is just too perfect to be wrong.

And then comes the thirds phase where we see our crush getting into a relationship with someone else. We even think that our crush doesn’t deserve that person, my crush deserves me! I’m better than that person. But that’s how it works, things fall apart. They break. That’s life. And at that moment, it broke your heart and you knew you want to know nothing about that other person. But you were hurt. He was drunk, yes, but you still had a crush on him, even if your feelings for him couldn't be reciprocal.

"That's... That's great, Max," you bit your lip to stop your tears from falling. "Let's go to bed."

"I think I always loved this girl but I never told her. Maybe I should," he giggles and you feel your blood boiling in your veins.

“You wouldn’t know love if it crushed your fucking chest,” you yell at him and you were sure Daniel was now wide awake. Max was watching you with wide eyes. "Stop talking about things you have no idea about," you shoot a glance at the clock. 12:25 AM. Looks like a lovely time to go for a walk in a foreign country you've never been to before. You collect your phone and wallet and march to the door.

"Where are you going?"

"I need fresh air. Go to bed."

"I'm coming with you, Y/N!"

You opened the door and left, not letting Max come after you. You started to run and in front of the hotel, you stopped. Where to now? You have no idea where you are or what is near the hotel, and you desperately needed to put some distance between you and Max.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? Running like that? Are you crazy?" you hear a pissed Max behind you. You tried to wipe the tears in a desperate attempt to look like you haven't been bawling your eyes out. "What happened inside?"

"Nothing, Max."

"Let's talk about it. Please."

"Talk about it? Fine. Let's do it! What should I start with? The fact that I've had a crush on you for three years or should I give you some love advice for the girl you like?"

"Say that one more time," Max said, walking towards you.

"Say what one more time?"

"You liked me for the past three years?" he was now in front of you, feeling his hot breaths on your face, and you could smell the alcohol.

"That is not relevant."

"Why not? I should know if someone has feelings for me, no? At least that's what I deserve, I think."

"Stop being so fucking cocky, Verstappen. This is not a joke," you puffed. "Forget I said a damn thing," you started to walk back into the hotel.

"Well, if I have to forget what you said that means I'm not allowed to tell you that I've liked you too for the past three years, right?"

You stoped. He said what? You were dreaming. Maybe you were the one that drank a lot. You were drunk, that's the reason why you just heard Max confessing his feelings for you. Or maybe you were both drunk.

"Max, let's go to bed. You've had a lot to drink, maybe we'll talk in the morning if you remember anything."

He came to you and hugged you from behind.

"I know what I said. Sure, I've had a few beers to drink, but I know that what I'm telling you now it's the truth."

[pot-of-terv]

Goodness I almost didn’t finish this in time, I got a horrible migraine yesterday and today the time got away from me because I spent the day with a friend... But here it is!! I wanted to draw more but the writing took longer than I thought and now it’s so late that I should’ve been in bed over an hour ago :_D 

THEY FINALLY TALK... a little. But it’s a good beginning.

PuzzleJune 2021, Week Three: Dimension (Rules, Impossible)

It's a comfortable silence. Atem would be content to just stay there, feeling warm and loved, lodged between Yuugi's arms. Perhaps he could even doze off.

But he knows what he said, and he knows Yuugi is now waiting for them to talk. Their mental link through the Puzzle might be gone but maybe there's some kind of a residual connection left, because the feeling of expectation in the air is almost palpable.

"We're both going to get cricks in our backs if we don't move soon," Yuugi interrupts his thoughts. He sounds sleepy and some part of that guilt Atem felt before raises its ugly head.

"I– yeah," Atem mumbles and with obvious reluctance, lets go of Yuugi's waist and sits up. Something must show on his face because Yuugi peers at him curiously.

“I’m sorry for waking you, aibou,” he sighs and offers an apologetic smile. “I know you would’ve liked to sleep longer.”

Yuugi lets out a startled laugh and shakes his head.

“Uh-huh, but you’re way more important than that. You should know that, right?”

Atem is taken aback by the blatant sincerity of those words. It tends to happen a lot around Yuugi, and he’s not sure if he’s ever going to get used to it. On some level though... It feels nice. He chuckles and smiles at Yuugi, this time honestly.

“I guess I should.” He pauses. “Thank you, Yuugi.”

This time it’s his partner’s turn to look surprised. A slight blush climbs onto his cheeks which Atem notes, amused. Even now it’s not exactly a regular occurrence for him to call Yuugi by his name (it feels odd on his tongue – it’s hard to shake the memories of being called with that same name) and he resorts to ‘partner’ more often than not but he has been trying. He has his name now – no reason for him to withhold Yuugi’s own from him.

“I-it’s fine, other me,” Yuugi says and looks away, breaking their eye contact. He looks happy, though, so Atem doesn’t worry about it too much. What he does worry about is the conversation they’re about to have.

He stretches, probably more theatrically than necessary, then shuffles backwards on the bed to lean his back against the wall and snags Yuugi’s pillow to hold under his arms. He feels awkward and clumsy despite his mind having cleared up and he feels that he needs the extra comfort. Yuugi pulls his legs onto the bed and leans against the headrest.

They fall into another silence, yet this is a pondering one. Still not awkward, still not bad – Atem is pretty sure they’re not even able to have awkward silences. It’s a comforting thought and he hugs the pillow in his lap closer to his chest to cover his inappropriately goofy smile.

“We really don’t do this, huh,” Yuugi snickers after a while, breaking the stillness that had fallen over the room like a blanket.

Atem tilts his head on the side to look at him, leaning his cheek on the pillow.

“We really, really don’t,” he answers with an easy grin. Yuugi smiles back and there’s such fondness in his eyes that Atem could very well just drown in those purple depths. He sobers quickly though and his grin falters before vanishing, leaving his mouth in a tight line. He looks into Yuugi’s eyes with a new sharpness and the other boy mirrors his expression as if it’s his second nature (it probably is, considering). This is it.

“I’m so sorry for everything I put you through,” the pharaoh blurts out before he can overthink it. Yuugi looks almost shocked so he barrels on, “I know how greatly you suffered during those weeks leading up to the ceremonial duel. Those feelings were never a secret from me and I’m so, so sorry for not making it right… before it was already too late.”

There’s the familiar feeling of a lump in his throat and he fights to keep his eyes locked into Yuugi’s. He deserves honesty and Atem can’t allow himself to turn away. A shadow casts over Yuugi’s face and he's silent for a moment before speaking.

“I kind of knew. That you knew. I’m not too sure how it made me feel, though,” he says quietly. “Not very good at least, if I’m honest.”

Atem nods. He had presumed as much.

“I thought… I thought you just really wanted to leave. And I couldn’t blame you for it, I mean… you were dead, and the dead deserve their rest. And on top of it, that’s your family and friends you would’ve gotten to see in the Afterlife. Of course, it still hurt me,” Yuugi smiles sadly and lifts his knees to tuck his chin against them. “But I can’t blame you for that.”

“Why not?” Atem asks sharply and sits up straight. He squeezes the pillow against his stomach. “You have every right.”

All of a sudden Yuugi looks a little exasperated and he runs a hand through his hair, breaking their eye contact.

“Because… I don’t work that way?” he offers with a wince.

“Nah, you do,” Atem counters slyly. “You just don’t want to make me feel bad.”

Yuugi’s eyes snap back to his and the answer is written clear as day on his face.

“Well, that’s–! That’s!” he struggles to find the words before he just sighs and his shoulders slump. “Yeah. Okay. I want to blame you for it! But I can’t!”

Atem’s eyebrows rise toward his hairline as he stares at Yuugi in surprise. He opens his mouth to say something but Yuugi is faster.

“I love you too much to be able to.” His cheeks flush crimson and he slaps his hands over his face. “Don’t look at me,” he mutters, “I know that goes without saying but you just had to make me say it!”

Atem is completely speechless. Every direction he thought that this conversation could take them, this one was not what he had expected. Talk about dimensions, he thinks, perhaps a little dazed. Of course, it’s– it’s a given that they love each other–

“No,” Atem interrupts his own thoughts and throwing the pillow to the side, he crawls to Yuugi and kneels next to him. He takes a gentle hold of Yuugi’s right wrist but doesn’t pry the hand away from his face.

“It shouldn’t go without saying. Because we went with things without saying anything, you – and I – got hurt. And that should never happen again.” He takes a deep breath and feels himself smile.

“I love you, Yuugi, and that’s why I thought I had to leave. I thought you’d be happier. I couldn’t let myself be the reason you never got to live your life to the fullest, because if I stayed with you as we were, that’s what would have happened. I thought I knew the rules up until the last second.

“Turns out, I didn’t. I had another choice, a third one… I would have been a fool not to take it because that’s what I had always wanted in the deep recesses of my heart. You remember, right?” He tugs softly on Yuugi’s wrist to try to get him to look at him. “That night you asked me who I was. I told you I wanted to stay with you forever. Those feelings never changed.”

Yuugi lets his hands fall from his face but his eyes are closed tight. There are tears there, forming in the corners, and Atem wants to kiss them away. He doesn’t.

“I–,” Yuugi chokes on his words at first but keeps going, “I remember. I always remembered, but… I guess I stopped believing in it along the way. I didn’t want to hold you back, either. I never wanted to lose you but if it meant that you’d be happy, I’d do anything.”

He finally looks at Atem, eyes wet and shimmering, and laughs, voice thick with emotion.

“We’re such dummies.”

Atem holds out his hand and brushes a single tear off Yuugi’s cheek as it falls, his chest tight and heart fluttering somewhere in between his throat and ribcage. He almost doesn’t dare to talk in fear of his voice breaking... but what would that matter? They’re already laying out their hearts in front of each other, revealing the feelings that they had tried to keep private for reasons that don’t make much sense anymore – if they ever did.

“We are,” the pharaoh smiles and if his lip wobbles then be it. “Aibou… can you promise not to do anything like that anymore, to not… to not keep your feelings concealed for my sake?”

Yuugi takes his hand and squeezes. It makes warmth bloom in Atem’s chest.

“Only if you promise me the same.”

They just look at each other then, searching the other’s eyes. Would they be able to keep such a promise? After all those months of keeping things locked away, of always thinking about what they thought was the best for the other, of never talking things through? They both know it has to change, so… why not start now? They’re finally on the same page and moving forward, they need to keep it that way. Never rushing ahead or falling behind.

Simultaneously they both break into wide smiles and as Atem reaches for Yuugi’s other hand, they speak.

“I promise,” they say at the same time and it surprises neither. They laugh together, free and unburdened, and Atem leans forward to press his forehead against Yuugi’s. Yuugi meets him halfway and seeing the happiness in his eyes that close, Atem feels the prickle of tears in his own. They’re too close to look at each other for long but as they lean away they’re still smiling, still holding hands, tears now on both of their cheeks, and all is right in the world.

Despite everything, they still have each other, and their hearts are lighter. They’re aware that there’s a lot more where that came from but this is a better start than either of them could have hoped for.

They have each other, they have time, and nothing is impossible.