#so now they also share so much and know each other so well

[william-t-sickofyourshit]

“Othello would never ask Isa to give up her career. He knows how important it is to her.” William mentioned. He knew Othello the longest, since they were from the same town, so he definitely could reassure Sebastian’s parents. But it seemed he didn’t even have to tell them that Othello is a great guy, they knew that already. They were thrilled about the engagement, but for now the wedding for a plan for a more distant future. 

“And well… I know that according to church’s teaching a couple shouldn’t share intimate life before they get married, but I personally think living together and getting to know each other first is crucial.” William added. 

“Especially since they are pretty much long-distance now.” Albert said, taking a seat in an armchair. “It will be good for them to see how it is to be together 24/7. I also think they shouldn’t rush the wedding.” He nodded. 

For I have sinned...

The principal cleared his throat, eyes scanning the notes that he had wrote down before this meeting. It already lasted an hour, and the teachers gathered in the faculty room were becoming restless and bored. But indeed there were some things to discuss, with the concert that the senior class was supposed to perform at the end of the semester, and with recent staff changes. 

William glanced down at his watch, sighing softly. His class was starting in 15 minutes, so at least, whether the meeting will be done soon or not, he will get to excuse himself. He looked out of the window, his mind wandering. Principal’s voice turned into white noise in the background. It was a pleasant day, late summer. But William was looking forward to a slightly cooler weather. Wearing all black could really be bothersome at times. 

“And lastly, I am pleased to announce that we have finally found replacement for the violin teacher. Dear Mr Tanaka, may he rest in peace, was with us for so many years that I’ve been concerned we won’t be able to find someone as good as to fill this position.” the principal spoke. “But Mr… Michaelis, was highly recommended to me, and he indeed has impressive references. He will be starting this week, so please welcome him warmly once he will arrive. Ah yes… about that. He will arrive today at noon, I need someone to pick him up from the train station and bring over for the tour around the school. Any volunteers?” 

William was barely listening, and definitely not paying much attention. He glanced at his watch again, and saw that it was time to leave, as his class was about to start. He raised his hand to excuse himself, and little did he know, he just volunteered.

“Father William! Excellent!” the principal exclaimed. “Just don’t be late, the train arrives at noon.”

“Train…?” William questioned, raising his brow. He had a feeling he was missing something…

***

Right after the meeting, William had to run for the class, so he had little time to clarify what exactly he had volunteered for. He was a piano teacher in this Music Academy, but also he served as a priest in local church. Well respected, and rather liked. So when he later found out it was about the new violin teacher, he didn’t refuse. Who, other than himself, would be a better choice to introduce a newcome to their community?

So even though he raised his hand by accident, he accepted this fate.

After classes, at noon, William took a taxi and drove to the train station, to pick up their new teacher. Wearing black trousers, and a black shirt with a thin tie, was absolutely dreadful in this weather, so William quickly found shelter under the roof of the station platform, that provided some shade.

The train had just arrived. William had no idea how Mr Michaelis looked like, but he figured he will just look for someone carrying a violin case with them. 

He was in for a bit surprise.

@crazyvik97

[layla4567]

Wrapped around your finger

pairing: Bob!Floyd x Fem!reader

fandom: Top gun Maverick

summary: You and Bob had known each other since kindergarten and elementary school, friends since early childhood. When you least expected it, time and fate brought you back together.

warning: fluff, friends to lovers, cheesy love, mention of child Bob and child reader, mention that the reader was a stutterer as a child (Sorry if this isn't an accurate representation of people who stutter, I wrote it with no intention of offending anyone), slightly mention of bullying, Jake being a dick, beta read, first time writing for this fandom, a slightly specific description about the reader's body, swearing

Bob Floyd, that reserved and introverted child who stuck to you like gum during recess. The shy guy with glasses and you the stuttering girl with braces were the perfect targets for bullying and teasing. Maybe that's why they became so close; they shared the same misfortune but still supported each other.

"We floated together"

That was your motto.

a secret pact you made one afternoon in a park while playing on the swings, where you both promised to stay till the end of the line. You were so happy to have Bob by your side. He helped you with your homework and shared his lunch with you. And he was also so lucky that you were his friend, his only friend, really. You comforted him when he was sad. Sometimes, you even plucked up your courage and tried to defend him against his unfair classmates, like that time...

You had just left the bathroom and headed to the schoolyard looking for Bob to play hide-and-seek when you saw a group of older children gathered in a circle. You noticed a younger boy in the center of the circle. It was Bob.

The other kids circled your poor friend like carrion vultures. The closer you got, the more you could hear what those bullies were saying.

"Come on, four eyes, catch it if you can," laughed a blond boy as he held up your friend's glasses.

Bob tried to jump up and grab his glasses from his hands, but the boy was much taller. You watched with pity as your friend became desperate and on the verge of tears, while the others pushed him further into the center of the circle and made mocking gestures.

With your fists clenched and your heart racing, you ran towards them, eager to stop them.

"Hey!!"

Everyone turned to look at you, even Bob, although he had to squint because he couldn't really notice your figure, but he recognized you by your voice. The blond boy who had grabbed your friend's glasses got dangerously close to you.

"Look at Bob's savior," he turned to look at him. "Bobby is going to let a girl save him? Is he that cowardly and weak?" He laughed loudly, followed by his companions.

"L-le-let h-him g-g-go" you said nervously

That boy saw you again and imitated your condition with mockery and malice "Bu-bu-but what if I don't want to? What will you do? Cry? You don't even know how to speak well."

You felt your eyes start to water, but you gritted your teeth, holding them back. You wiped your eyes with your uniform sleeve and closed the distance between you and him, ready to get Bob out of the crowd. But you couldn't get too close because the bully grabbed you tightly by the arms and held you in place with an arm around your neck. Scared, Bob tried to go to your aid, but another kid pushed him away.

"You can't escape now, you toothy piece of junk" the blonde child said to you

But you'd already reached your limit. You opened your mouth and bit down hard on his hand, eliciting a squeal of pain from him. The wire from your braces had dug into his skin, causing him to bleed slightly. He immediately let you go, growling and squeezing his hand. In that moment of distraction, the bully's friends had let their guard down and were no longer paying attention to Bob. You took advantage of that.

"R-RUN BOB!!"

You quickly grabbed your friend's glasses from the ground and gave them to him as he ran past you. It took the other kids a few seconds to react, but screaming furiously, they chased him at full speed. You watched them from a distance, hoping with all your might that Bob would lose sight of them. You stared until they were just a blur on the horizon.

A few hours later, when all the students were supposed to return to class, the teacher asked you to look for Bob since he was nowhere to be seen. After scouring the entire playground, you found him sitting behind a bush, clutching his knees. He was shaking all over, and his glasses were crooked and fogged up with tears. You crouched down next to him and, without saying anything, hugged him. You felt the tears on your shoulder, and you let them flow.

"..Thanks..." he said softly

When you returned to the classroom, Bob still felt a little in shock from the adrenaline, so you sat with him throughout the class, not caring if the others made fun of them as a couple of lovebirds. You held his hand the whole time with a smile that he returned, more relaxed.

Years later, you unfortunately had to move, which would mean going to different high schools and separating from your youngest friend. Of course, you could still keep in touch through emails or arrange to meet up somewhere nearby since you weren't leaving the country, but it still wouldn't be the same. Deep down, you knew that with so much homework, you wouldn't be able to be as close as before. You remember that day like it was yesterday. Bob came to your house to say goodbye. Before you got into the moving truck, you hugged him tightly while crying uncontrollably. Even your mother had to pull on your arm because you had clung to him like a tick. As you climbed into the back of the truck, they had left the door open so you could see your friend as you left. As you waved, Bob watched the truck drive away with a sad expression, the corners of his lips turned down.

But back to the present, life has smiled on you despite everything. You finished high school with honors and had earned a training certificate. It's true that you never heard from your childhood friend again, but that's how life was; everyone went their separate ways and continued with their lives as best they could. You had also recently landed a job as a military trainer at the famous Top Gun, where the aviators trained.

You were happy for this opportunity; you had worked hard for it and hoped it would become your new stable job. Upon arriving, Captain Maverick greeted you with a handshake and a smile.

"Miss Y/L, right? Welcome to the military aviation headquarters. I hope you feel at home."

"Thank you very much, sir. It's an honor to be part of this."

"I trust you won't disappoint us, but please come and see the facilities."

The man guided you on a tour of the entire place from the training rooms to the bathrooms.

"Now a pilot will come to show you where you will work" and then he gave you a file with papers "these are your schedules and the list of all the Top Gun pilots"

You were about to look at the list curiously when Maverick's voice interrupted you. "Ah just in time, Y/n, he'll guide you to the training room."

The man's finger was pointing at someone behind you, and when you turned around, you saw a fairly tall, blond man with a white-toothed smile approaching the two of you. You didn't know why his face seemed familiar until he was close enough for something in your mind to click. But of course, that man was the damn bully who tormented Bob throughout your childhood. The same smile, the nose, even that way of walking, so haughty and pretentious. You couldn't help but wrinkle your nose slightly at the memory.

Maverick made the introductions for you "Y/N this is Jake Seresin, Jake she is the new coach Y/n Y/L"

The blond man, upon hearing your first and last name, blinked for a few seconds, staring at you fixedly but not really paying attention, as if his mind were wandering among the sea of ​​memories and its mysterious and treacherous waves. Suddenly, something in him flinched, and now he looked at you with a wide smile. He had recognized you.

"Wait.. is that you? Y/n? From elementary school?"

You nodded uncomfortably, pressing your lips into a forced smile. Jake laughed delightedly.

"Wow I almost don't recognize you, you've changed a lot" and whistling he ran his eyes up and down your silhouette like a piece of meat at a deli "I remember when you had braces and now... wow, how time flies"

"Uh, I see you already knew each other..." your boss interrupted, confused.

Jake and you looked at him nodding, he smiled while you made a face that was meant to be friendly

"In that case, you'll have a lot to talk about, I'll leave you alone."

"Uh not really...-"

"Yes, thank you captain, see you later!"

They both spoke in unison, but Jake's voice sounded a little louder and above yours. When Maverick left, the blond pulled you towards him, wrapping an arm around your shoulders. You stiffened at his touch, wanting to have him as far away from you as possible.

"So, I hope you don't hold a grudge against me, you know, we were immature children, but let's not talk about the past, tell me, what brought you here?"

With some discomfort, you told him about your studies and your life, and he didn't mind brazenly strutting about himself. Despite the years, you noticed that he was still the same narcissistic and annoying person he had been as a child. The worst part was that you realized that now he conveniently tried to flirt with you or make advances. Of course, he had thought that without braces and without stuttering, you looked prettier. Poor fool, he only saw beauty in superficiality.

"You know, they call me Hangman here. We all have code names. Maybe you'll even have your own in time. What do you think of "Doll"?"

Hangman. Pfft, that name was well placed

Thankfully, they reached the large room where the other pilots would soon be training. There were several mats stacked side by side and several punching bags.

"Well, we're here. This is where testosterone is abundant, girl. You're not scared of seeing naked, sweaty torsos, are you?" he said, laughing flirtatiously, with one arm strategically placed on a table, which made his biceps stand out.

You simply rolled your eyes and decided to look at the list once and for all. There were several men and women alike. Bradley, Penelope, Mickey. Your gaze quickly went down each name without really showing interest. Until a single male name froze your blood. Near the end of the list, it read: Robert "Bob" Floyd. Your hands clenched the notebook until your knuckles turned white. Bob. My God, your childhood best friend worked there?! You swallowed loudly, unable to organize your thoughts or emotions. Jake, seeing you in that state, approached you, looking at the paper in your hands, and read the name that had impacted you so much.

"Oh yeah... the little Bob. The world is a small place, don't you think?" He snorted in a laugh

Your hand trembled slightly as you tucked a strand of hair behind your ear. You had so many questions. What had become of his life? Had it changed much? Did he still remember you? The blond man exclaimed, as if he'd read your mind.

"You wouldn't believe how much Bob is still the same, as shy as ever. At least he changed the frame of his glasses"

Pretending you didn't care that much, you casually asked, "So, uhm, how is he? I mean, is he a good pilot?"

He looked at you raising an eyebrow and smiling "Well yeah, everyone says he's the best actually. But I still think he's still green"

Before you could ask anything else, a cacophony of voices and laughter filled the entrance to the room as a platoon of men almost pushed their way in. Your gaze quickly scanned the group, searching for him until you saw him in the back row, a little apart from the rest but with his back straight. The men didn't seem to have noticed your presence, so you cleared your throat loudly. In that instant, everything went silent, and you felt like dozens of eyes were turning to look at you.

You suddenly felt self-conscious but you tried hard to make your voice clear and crisp. "Hi... uh, I don't know if Maverick has already told you, but I'll be your new coach, I'm..."

All those faces made you nervous so Jake said for you "Y/n, this is y/n y/l"

"Yeah, that. Thank you"

He winked at you. Looking at all the pilots, you noticed that Floyd had sat up even more and his eyes widened. Memories of that stuttering girl who used to defend him when he needed it most, his best friend, flooded his mind. The girl he'd slowly and without thinking about it had fallen madly in love with. And how could he not? She was the only woman in his life who paid attention to him and cared for him, aside from his mother, of course.

And now he saw her standing there in front of him, working at Top Gun as a trainer. She looked so different, yet so the same. He had always thought of her as beautiful, but now her figure looked toned, and something about her exuded greater confidence and assurance. Ah, but those eyes, which saw everything with delicacy, were still the same. Even without the braces, her smile still spread joy every time he saw her.

"Okay, let's start with some little warm-ups." Your voice brought him out of his thoughts

One by one, you approached the pilots to check that they were doing the exercises correctly. As you passed your friend who was doing push-ups, you greeted him sweetly.

"Hi Bob"

He looked at your shoes and then looked up to meet your warm eyes and your honest smile that almost made him dizzy, you were truly stunning but not just on the outside

"Oh h-hi!"

Without saying anything else you continued passing in front of the others, controlling them while the companions next to Bob looked at him with curiosity as if asking for explanations, he blushed and said nothing, he simply continued doing push-ups

After class, everyone grabbed towels to dry off their sweat before heading to the showers. They looked tired, but they still waited in line for you to say goodbye.

"You did very well, I'll see you tomorrow at the same time, okay?"

Everyone felt and headed to the locker room, talking loudly. Before everyone left, you approached Bob, touching his exposed bicep. He quickly turned to look at you.

"Hey, I'd like to talk to you later, can I?"

He nodded several times with a polite smile "Of course"

While you waited for Bob outside the training room, you tried to rehearse in your head what you were going to say. You didn't know how to start; you didn't want everything to become awkward. He was your damn best friend, but so many years had passed that you felt the conversation wouldn't flow. Would it still feel the same despite all this time? You didn't have time to think about anything else because your friend was coming out of the locker room in his khaki uniform. It fit him like a glove, and his slicked-back hair looked good on him. Even those aviator sunglasses were more attractive than the black-framed ones he used to wear when he was ten.

He walked toward you with a slow but steady step, his face kind and a shy but tender smile on his lips. As he stood in front of you, you noticed he was a head taller than you.

"It's funny, it seems the roles have been reversed. Now you're taller than me" you laughed as you stood on your tiptoes and raised an arm measuring both of their heads.

He laughed amusedly remembering how as children you were the one who was a few centimeters taller than him.

"It's been a while, huh?" He said softly as always

"yeah..." you said with a tone of nostalgia and melancholy

"But tell me what you wanted to talk about."

"Well, I just wanted to know what's going on with you. I've missed you, you know?"

You couldn't help but say it sweetly and lovingly, and he noticed, but honestly, he had missed you so much too.

"Me too, actually"

And so they continued talking, he told you things about his life since they separated until now. And it was as if time had never passed. They began to reminisce about funny anecdotes and laughed heartily, feeling the tension ease. Your laughter was always therapeutic for Bob, so joyful and resounding. He stared at you for a few seconds longer than he should have, wanting to treasure that moment forever. God, he'd missed you so much, more than he'd like to admit.

"Speaking of old times... Jake, uh?"

"Oh yeah...him" Bob's smile faded a little

You noticed that the man still made your friend a little uncomfortable. You took his hand and immediately felt it warm up.

"Listen, they say people change, but I don't think that applies to him. If he ever bothers you, I'm here for you. We floated together, remember?"

A pretty pink blush crept up her cheeks. "You haven't forgotten." He smiled.

You laughed in surprise. "How could I forget? Some things don't change..." you finished sweetly.

Unable to say anything, he simply nodded, still staring at you. Yes, you were still the same sweet, helpful girl, and he was thankful for that. He didn't know who he should thank for bringing you into his life. Speechless and completely hooked on you, Bob watched you walk down the hall. The days ahead will definitely be interesting if you're there with him.

* * * *

Your life at Top Gun had already become a pleasant routine; you practically lived there. You entered the training room at the same time, and after a few hours of training the pilots, you said goodbye with a smile, hoping to see them again. And as expected, you and Bob grew closer. Every time he trained on the punching bag, you approached him with the excuse of correcting his position, even though he was actually doing well. And when everyone left the room, you held him a little longer, hoping to continue chatting. Even when everyone else went out to fly, you would sneak away to see him alone, even though it wasn't your work schedule. You watched him soar through the sky with your heart in your hand, wishing him luck in a whisper that drifted off into the wind.

Bob's colleagues weren't blind or stupid; they had clearly realized that the trainer and he had known each other before. Often in the lecture hall where they learned about aircraft components, the other aviators would approach him with their chairs and surround him with questions, hoping for an answer.

"So? What are you and the sexy trainer up to?"

"Come on Bob, don't leave us hanging!"

"I bet you've already kissed more than three times in the bathroom"

Bob didn't say anything, just babbled and blushed up to his ears, although deep down he liked the idea that they thought there was something going on between you and him. Jake wasn't so happy. Envious as he always was, now that he saw you closer to Bob, he bothered him more than before. He had just approached the group to sarcastically mock them.

"Kissing? C'mon guys, we know that Bob has never touched a woman in his life, right Bobby?"

He looked at him, his jaw clenched, but said nothing. The teasing continued and only increased over the days. Bob was now an adult, but his introversion prevented him from defending himself properly; he simply contented himself with ignoring him maturely or responding with any banal response. The less attention he paid to him, the faster he would lose interest. Unfortunately, he was wrong.

The final straw had been one afternoon in the training room. You had been delayed a few minutes when everyone else was already there. They were waiting for you, trying to kill time by chatting. When Jake brought up a topic Bob didn't want to talk about.

"Hey Rooster, did you know Bob went to the same elementary school as me?" he said loudly, allowing everyone to understand. Bob was simply concentrating on tying his sneakers.

"You mentioned it at least a hundred times..." Rooster sighed without interest.

"Oh yeah? and did I also mention that y/n were friends and in the same class?"

Bob's jaw tightened as everyone now turned to pay attention to Hangman, the only one who still didn't want to look at him was Floyd.

"Well now you know where they met, the sad thing about this whole story is that so many years have passed and Bob still hasn't confessed to her" he said mockingly.

Bob clenched his fists and frowned as he walked over to the mat and sat down to stretch. Meanwhile, Hangman continued to mock him mercilessly.

"I'm not really surprised. Has Bob ever told us about a girlfriend from his past? I bet he's still a virgin."

"Okay Jake, we understand, shut up now," said FranBoy, tired of hearing him

"Why? I'm just telling the truth. And you know what else I'll tell you? That y/n is going to run at my feet, I already have her in the bag" he laughed narcissistically

Hearing your name, Bob pricked up his ears.

"Although poor thing, she was so ugly when she was little, with those braces and that stutter..-"

That's it. Something in Bob ignited. He jumped up from the mat and approached Hangman, visibly irritated. "Stop it, don't talk about her like that. You want to upset me? Fine, do it. But leave her out of this."

Bob rarely got angry enough to explode, and this was one of them. The satisfaction of having angered him was evident on Jake's face. He approached Bob until he was face to face, towering over him by a few inches, which made him seem even more intimidating. However, Floyd wasn't easily intimidated, not anymore.

"Or what?" Jake laughed, remembering something. "This reminds me so much of our elementary school days, when you used to run scared next to the teacher. Where will you run now, Bobby?"

Bob's jaw tightened as he brought his face closer to him. "Nowhere."

The tension was palpable in the air, enough to cut it with a knife. His friends were all around, alert to any false move, ready to defend him. Hangman noticed that Bob was letting his guard down and getting angrier when he talked about you, so he decided to attack from that angle.

"Speaking of Y/N, I wonder why she hasn't slept with you yet? She seems a bit slut-".

Before he could finish his sentence, Hangman received a strong push that almost made him fall backward. Bob's face was red with rage and his glasses were slightly crooked from the impact. The others ran to stop them just as Jake lunged at him again like a wild dog. Before the fight escalated, they managed to calm them down, just as you walked through the door.

"Sorry for being late, too much trafic!-... Is everything ok?"

Your cheerful voice faded slightly as you saw everyone's serious looks and Bob and Jake's slightly excited looks. A slight suspicion formed in your mind.

"Yeah we are all good" Rooster said

But you noticed how Hangman and your friend glared at each other. You stared at Bob as if you wanted to make sure everything was really okay, but he avoided your gaze, staring at the floor. You decided you'd fix this, your way.

"Alright, we'll start with push-ups adding weight, yeah?"

Everyone was already in position, waiting for your orders. You paced up and down like a soldier, analyzing their reactions, and finally said, "We'll do the following: one by one, I'll sit on your backs and you'll do a series of 10 push-ups." Everyone attended, smiling, overconfident.

"I see that it seems easy to you, I warn you that I am not as fragile as I look" you said with a giggle

The test began, one by one you sat like a Buddha on the pilots' backs and they soon discovered that your small body was heavy-boned, your toned muscles from so much training had gained weight and more than one could not complete the ten repetitions. When you sat on Bob's back you could feel how flushed and slightly nervous he was but you were very delicate and kind with him.

"Very good Bob, keep going. Just two more push-ups"

He'd done it perfectly. The last one left in line was Jake. With an innocent smile, you decided to laugh at him a little as revenge. Before sitting on him, you grabbed a dumbbell and your cell phone. Everyone looked at you intrigued. Without saying anything, you sat comfortably with your legs crossed on his back and began to look at your cell phone while with the other hand you exercised with the dumbbell. Jake didn't say anything but made great efforts to keep up, although he seemed annoyed.

"Come on Hangman, weren't you the one who boasted of being the strongest? Prove it now."

The others' stifled giggles filled the room as Bob watched the scene with an amused smile. The laughter grew louder as you dropped your phone between your legs to yawn theatrically or look at your nails in feigned boredom. Jake, who hated being the butt of ridicule, swore under his breath.

"Sorry, what was that? I didn't hear you." You placed a hand near your ear to hear better. "Oh, he probably said something like not having problem doing 10 more push-ups, since it's apparently not an impediment for someone as strong as you...'"

Now the laughter was evident; everyone was happy that someone had finally put that idiot in his place. For his part, Hangman's neck was red from exertion, and his veins were prominent as he growled like an animal. When he finally finished all the push-ups, you moved away from him, and he collapsed on the mat, breathing heavily.

"Alright, take a break Beachboy. See? It wasn't that hard."

Everyone was laughing with amusement except for poor Hangman. You said goodbye to everyone as usual, and on the way out, you ran into Bob, who looked at you in admiration and gratitude, as if he were seeing his guardian angel. He wanted to open his mouth to say something, but you silenced him.

"Listen I don't know what happened in there between you and that asshole, but I already told you, I'll be here to defend you."

"You've always done it," Bob said, full of love.

"Yeah... and I will continue to do so"

He smiled tenderly, he knew you would. "Well, I was just going to thank you. For everything, not just this, for always being by my side when I needed it most."

You were about to answer him something when you saw Jake behind him walking down the hall like an angry gorilla "Hey Floyd, this isn't over" he shouted angrily

"Oh, I think it is." You whispered menacingly, while with one arm you placed Bob behind you. When Hangman was close enough, he tried in vain to reach Bob, but you blocked his way.

"Move, this is none of your business"

"It's none of my business, you say? If you mess with Bob, you mess with me. Or are you afraid of a girl beating you? Wasn't that enough for you in the training room? I already humiliated you in there, I could do it anywhere."

Bob behind you swallowed saliva but a smile wanted to appear on his lips, Jake looked at you as if he was seeing you for the first time

"I repeat, Hangman, stay away from him before this gets ugly for you, because next time I won't be so reasonable"

Jake looked at Bob before turning back to you with a frown, wanting to say something but your determined look stopped him and he decided to walk away growling. You put Bob in front of you again, turning his back to the hallway where Hangman was walking away.

"Are you ok?"

"Y-yeah I mean, that was... wow, thanks again" he let out a nervous, airy laugh

If that had made him nervous, then your friend didn't know what was in store for him. You raised a finger as if asking him to wait. You placed your hands on his broad shoulders and raised your head to look over his shoulders where the blond man was leaving.

"HEY HANGMAN!" you called him

He turned around angrily, asking what you wanted. Without wasting any time, you grabbed Bob's face and kissed him. At first, your friend let out a gasp between your lips, but it was only for a few seconds before he slid his hands down your waist, pulling you closer to him. You opened your eyes to see Jake's reaction and raised your middle finger over Bob's shoulders so that the dickhead could get a good look. Jake snorted, hurt in his pride, while you closed your eyes, smiling happily against Bob's lips, deepening the kiss.

He moved away just a few inches enough to speak and clear his mind "You don't know how much I've wanted to do this..." he said almost in a whisper with his voice breaking, drunk with love

"Then don't stop..." you smiled flirty

It was already a given that you two would be inseparable until the end of time. Floating together

[barblaz-arts]

What do you think about MaoMao x Shisui?

What do I think about ShiMao? Bro...

They're all I've been thinking about for the past week 😭😭😭 I even changed my phone wallpaper to a shimao official art, which says a lot because until now my wallpaper was this one Chaggie fanart for a year and a half lmao

Ngl I did NOT expect their ship to be this good and have such good canon foundation(NOT confirmation mkay). I've been seeing clips of this show for a while, and people say it's good, but all I knew about it were the j*nmao stuff, which isn't terrible, but wasn't really my thing. So i didn't have plans to watch it, but then I saw gif sets of this scene, and I caved 💀

So my thought process was like, "The het romance probably isn't gonna be for me, but I'd probably like the female character and her friendships might be cute enough for some delusional shipping"

But y'all. Shipping Shimao doesn't even feel delusional...

J*nmao can be cute and I actually grew to like it in season 1, but when Shisui came into the picture in season 2, I couldn't see myself rooting for anything else.

Like I said in one of the screenshots I shared, I really love that Maomao and Shisui are essentially freak4freak, except both of them think each other is weirder which is so funny. They both have their own quirks and unladylike habits. Like when Maomao scolded Shisui for spitting and eating insects meanwhile Maomao has lifted up women's skirts and uses herself as a lab rat. Something something pots and kettles.

Then there's their dynamic.

Shisui is the first person Maomao got to interact with on equal footing in so many ways. They're the same age, so they don't have the same relationship Maomao has with Xiaolan, who is like a younger sister to Maomao, or with the Jade pavilion girlies and Verdigris girlies, who are like her older sisters. Maomao is comfortable teasing Shisui without the threat of looking disrespectful because she's younger or of lower status(to her knowledge), so we got to see a side of Maomao that we don't usually see. Maomao, freakiest in all of the rear palace, getting weirded out by the peppy bug girl but growing fond of her was so wonderful to see.

Shisui plays off so well with Maomao too, and that's probably because they're also on equal footing when it comes to their intellect. They each have their own specialties, but what they both have in common is their general cleverness. Shisui is smart enough to know how to deal with Maomao and is even one of the few people who is constantly one step ahead of Maomao. Only other person is probably Suirei, which is ironic. Catching Maomao off guard is proof enough that they're sisters lol.

It also says a lot that Shisui is the first person to make Maomao look so, idk, desperate to hold on to a person. That isn't very like her. Maomao goes with the flow and greets misfortune and loss with bitter and resigned acceptance. But when she realized Shisui is about to do something that would get her executed, Maomao tried to convince Shisui to do otherwise TWICE. Maomao, who has a strong sense of justice and knew Shisui had a hand in J*nshi's near death, told Shisui to forget about her responsibility with the Shi Clan and taking accountability for her crimes and just run away and survive. The angst in the final episodes was so damn painful, but it pulled at my heartstrings to see Maomao express how much their bond has meant to her through this conflict. And it was painful to see Shisui for one short second struggle to not take Maomao's hand.

Anyways. They're great. Shisui's gonna be one of my favorite fictional characters ever and I hope Maomao gets to see her again someday. Xiaolan is a child of divorce now and it breaks my heart that the series ends with them all parting ways.

[peascrabbles]

Evermore Vows: Call Transcripts

Here are the transcripts for all the LI's phone calls for Evermore Vows. I love listening to their voices as much as the next person, this is more to serve as a quick reference for any art/fic/whatever purposes!

Spoilers for the calls beneath the cut.

Zayne

Hello. I'm at the restaurant where we saw each other again.

Today is an important day. I'm happy even as I wait for your answer.

Sitting in this familiar seat, I can sense familiar midsummer sunlight and the scent of plants, and I'll think of you.

After I started med school, I constantly moved between laboratories and operating rooms. And through every methodically planned day, whenever I confronted a problem, I would make a little snowman. It'd keep me company.

It also served as a reminder: if I just kept going, a chance for us to meet again would present itself.

What about you?

Did you also look forward to our reunion? (A little huff-laugh.)

You don't need to immediately answer that question. Take your time.

I'll see you in Linkon City later. I want to ask you an important question in person today.

I gave it a lot of thought. I can't wait to hear your answer.

I hope it'll be, "yes, I will."

Rafayel

(BG SFX: Ocean waves.) Do you hear that? It's the ocean, cutie. It's whispering its longing. Its fate.

Today will be a very important day. A joyous day, in fact.

I've been wondering if your answer will be the one I'm hoping for. I'm not even sure when it started.

Going to exhibits alone. Walking along the beach by myself. I'm not used to it for some reason.

Whenever I visit a new city, I find myself searching for interesting things to share with you.

Take this pretty trochus, for example. It must've floated across the ocean before it washed ashore. It glistened under the sun. I placed the sound of the tide and my longing for you inside this seashell.

When you travel to a faraway place, you can take it with you. It'll be like I'm right there with you. It doesn't matter where you go.

You're returning to Linkon City today, right?

I have an important question I want to ask, in person. But I'll keep it a secret for now.

I'm hoping you'll say: I do.

Xavier

(A soft chuckle.) Today is the most important, happiest day of my life. I visited the place where we first met while waiting for your answer.

At the time, I had just defeated a Wanderer and wanted to rest. I didn't think a kind-hearted Hunter would try to wake me up. Especially since she was passing by.

I wonder what would've happened if you didn't find me that day. Maybe we would've bumped into each other when I left the warehouse. Or while I was tracking down other Wanderers.

We wouldn't just be passing by. We would've found a way to connect.

It's possible I could never be content with being a passerby in your life. I would've been instinctively drawn to you.

Fate guided our timelines, and they converged. They'll never part again.

And right now, I miss you. Terribly so.

What about you?

You... always stood by my side.

Let's meet up in Linkon City today. I have a very important question, and I hope your answer is yes.

Caleb

Today is an important day for me, and... I haven't stopped thinking about you.

I was wondering if you've been eating properly. If you got hurt during your missions. But there's still so much more that I wanna learn about you.

People get greedier over time. They never know when enough is enough. When we're apart, I realise that being together is enough for me. Once the distance between us shrinks, I hope the chasm between our hearts will disappear as well.

It's like a drop of rain landing on the parched earth. The closer I am to you, the more I yearn for you.

I'm heading back now. (BG SFX: Clicking, tapping noises.) The red dot marking my destination is glowing on the dashboard, and the number on the distance counter is decreasing. The hyperspace jump will be completed in ten seconds. (BG SFX: Electronic beeping.) The signal's gonna be disconnected temporarily.

I don't have a lot of time to tell you how much I miss you, but that's okay. There's something more important I wanna ask you about in person.

I've been preparing for this for a long time. You can tell me then if you want it or not.

Let's meet up in Linkon, okay?

Sylus

I don't often assign a special meaning to a particular day, but today's an exception.

Its importance far exceeds any deal or negotiation I've done.

Mephisto has been unusually excited since this morning. He pecked several of my guns and now they're nothing more than scrap metal. (Mephisto: Caw! Caw!) It's because of you, so I'm holding you responsible. Of course.

Mephisto isn't the only one who misses you.

In this world, only one person knows the passcode to my armory. Visited each and every one of my safe houses. Can freely enter the N109 Zone. Loves to argue with Mephisto. Dares to go toe to toe with me. And even loses her temper with me.

Do I really need to spell out who this unique individual is?

Yes. I miss you.

I miss you... very much.

Is there a problem?

After we met, every separation has tested my patience. But because it's you and only you, I'm willing to wait.

I'll see you in Linkon tonight. I have... something very important to tell you in person.

I believe you'll like what I have to say. And I'm certain your answer will be, "of course."

[croquis-el]

Subtleties of Friendship Designation

Since it's Narumitsu week now, it would be a shame not to talk about them within the framework of my blog, namely, to dig into how they formally designate each other.

For each person, the concept of friendship is different and for each friend there is a different level of trust. The only thing we can rely on is how one person treats another, their personal ideas. The one you consider your best friend may treat you without interest, and so on. This is a complex topic, you understand, I will not go into detail.

Let's return to our stars today.

What "degree of friendship" is inherent in Naruhodō and Mitsurugi. It's a bit awkward, but I don't even know what else to call it.

Initially, we learn that Naruhodō's attitude towards Mitsurugi is rather cool, I would even say there is a bit of hostility (there was already a post about this - Naruhodō's Loyalty). They don't understand each other at all and create the impression of real opponents.

Mitsurugi's brief dossier tells us this directly.

検事局きっての天才検事。

有罪判決のためなら手段を選ばない、冷酷な男。

The most brilliant prosecutor in the Prosecutor's Office.

A ruthless man who will stop at nothing to secure a guilty verdict.

Later, when they find common ground, they begin to try to understand the reasons for each other's behavior and themselves. And when one realizes their own crisis, and the other prefers to close their eyes to it (as usual), their paths diverge again for a while. Naruhodō doesn't even want to hear about that person and mentions him only once (and then, forcedly). In the end, both understand that they are better at working together than trying to move a mountain on their own, and are now ready to define their roles in life.

Let's turn again to the dossier, or literally to their thoughts about each other. This is case 3-5, which is rich in their interactions.

検事局ナンバー1の実力を誇る、ぼくの古い友人。

諸外国の法廷を研究中。

My old friend who prides himself on being number one in his abilities in the prosecutor's office

Currently researching courts in various countries.

古い [furui] - old, ancient, long, since long ago, time-honored

Well, that is, literally

友人 [yujin] friend is a fairly standard, neutral or even slightly formal/bookish word for friend. It is not used as a direct address to a friend in everyday speech.

As native speakers wrote:

"I use 友人 to mention my friend while talking to my teacher, boss etc."

Note that this address is written in the dossier (formally - an official document). Once again shows us Naruhodo's pedantry and that he uses polite speech.

(Fun fact: ナンバー1 is literally read namba-wan)

If we show the dossier about Mitsurugi to Bikini, the following dialogue will occur:

いやー、いいセンパイを持って

シアワセねぇ、アンタ。

Oh man, you're lucky to have such a great senpai.

････センパイ? コイツ、友だちですけど……

... Senpai? This guy is my friend...

I think many people know the word センパイ [senpai], but if not, it's literally senior.

In a personal, everyday conversation with someone, but in an informal setting (in this case, with Bikini), he uses 友達 (友だち) [tomodachi].

If Naruhodo said "yūjin" in a normal conversation, it would sound a little strange, too bookish or even pompous, as if he was distancing himself or trying to be overly polite where it was not necessary. Therefore, the use of the word 友達 [tomodachi]- friend, here is appropriate.

Another dossier that we have available - from parts 5 and 6 (they are almost identical).

検事局長。かつて検事として 法廷で戦った相手。

ぼくの幼なじみでもある。

Head of the Public Prosecutor's Office. An opponent who once fought in court as a public prosecutor. He is also my childhood friend.

幼なじみ [osananajimi]: "childhood friend". Another meaning is "friend since infancy". The word comes from 幼な [osana] (little, young) and じみ [najimi] (familiar, familiar).

幼なじみ [osananajimi] is also a subcategory of "friends", indicating a very specific and often deep, long-term bond based on shared childhood.

So if you call someone your osananajimi, it indicates a much closer and longer-lasting relationship than just tomodachi.

(Someone is incredibly shy about calling someone a friend in front of other people.)

Now let's turn to Mitsurugi. And his dossier on Naruhodo.

小学校のころからの親友。

おぼろ橋から転落して現在、入院中。

My best friend since elementary school.

He fell off the Oboro Bridge and is currently hospitalized.

親友 [shin'yū]

This word means "close friend" or "best friend". It implies deep affection, trust, and often a long history of relationships.

Contains the kanji 親 [shin/oya], which means intimacy, closeness, friendliness, close relative.

Now, let me remind you again that this is his personal file on Naruhodō. His thoughts. So who says that Mitsurugi is one of those who have forgotten what emotions are? His face may not show anything, but inside he will be squealing loudly with delight.

御剣さまは････、あの方のお友だち、なのですか?

Mitsurugi-sama is his friend, isn't he?

････かけがえのない友人です。

... [he is] an irreplaceable friend.

Now let me explain a little about this tricky point and why the sentences seem disconnected. (I spent hours reading about this myself because I didn't understand who we were talking about). If I made a mistake, please let me know!

If we break down Ayame's question word by word, we get the following (I didn't take into account the first word - the appeal to Mitsurugi):

When [は (wa)] follows a name being addressed (for this example - Mitsurugi), it often intensifies the topic or asks a question directly to that person.

あの方 [ano kata]: This is a very polite way of saying "that person" or "he/she". It's used when you're talking about someone you respect or don't know very well. It's more polite than "あの人 [ano hito]".

の [no] possessive particle ["him/her"].

お友だち [o-tomodachi]: "Friend".

お [o-] prefix here is a polite mark.

なのですか [na no desu ka]: This is a question mark that gives the question an explanatory, clarifying, or confirming tone, as if asking "That's true, isn't it?" or "Does that mean...?"

In this dialogue, especially with the particle [は (wa)] and the question mark [なのですか (nano desu ka)], the purpose of the question is not just to get a "yes/no", but to clarify or get an explanation of the situation/connection that has become the topic of conversation.

That's why when Ayame(Iris) formally asks if he and Naruhodō are friends, he doesn't answer about himself. If you dig into the context of his answer: "How could it be otherwise?"

This is where the very pathos and distancing we talked about earlier comes to the fore. He feels awkward and uncomfortable in front of a girl who is obviously well acquainted with Naruhodō. But he, as it were, indicates his not the last role in his life, that he is also important, that he is literally his confidant (and we remember that he stood behind the lawyer's desk only because Naruhodo asked him to. Even if it was risky.)

That he is not just a tomodachi (as Ayame asked), but specifically kakegae no nai yūjindesu.

Localization, by the way, did a good job of simplifying the understanding of the question that Ayame asked here.

What can I say about this - think for yourself, decide for yourself :)

And finally: you can call your 親友 [shin'yū] the word 友人 [yūjin], but not always the other way around.

A person who is your 友人 [yūjin] is not necessarily your 親友 [shin'yū].

You can call your 親友 [shin'yū] the word 友達 [tomodachi], but not the other way around.

Someone who is just 友達 [tomodachi] to you is unlikely to be your 親友 [shin'yū] or be called 友人 [yūjin] in a formal context unless there is a specific reason.

I hope I haven't confused you too much, or maybe I've helped someone else better understand their relationship.

[wrting-w-luv]

Mattheodore x reader Dating Headcannons my loves

-I love this poly idea more than life itself, but I want to get one thing straight. THE BOYS KISS!! I see so many Fics and its just Theo and Mattheo liking reader. Nooo Theo and Mattheo have kissed for ‘practice’ before and they LIKED IT, but they were very very confused as to why.

-Now how did you get in this situation cause many different scenarios could lead to this relationship.

Theo and Mattheo had taken a lot of time and hits to the ego and realized that they did like each other. A while into their little secret relationship they express liking you also. They most likely already sleep with women, so they didn't seem ‘strange’ to others, but this was different. They liked you and it took a lot of their own types of flirting, even if it was confusing why they had so much more attention on you. But most likely they ask you when you're alone after they explain the relationship. In this you say yes YIPPEE!!!

You and whichever boy is together, and you both talk and both understand that you like the other boy. And it pretty much ends up talking in their dorm wondering if the boy would agree. And just your luck he does YIPPEE!

-Now you're in a relationship with Theodore Nott and Mattheo. Congratulations, get ready to be spoiled and have so much secondhand smoke it will hurt. That's a joke since they deliberately make sure to never blow smoke in your face, well Mattheo will as a joke unless you express you don't like it. Theodore would never since he doesn't want to hurt your pretty little lungs. If you already smoke then who cares and you all share a cig together, but Theo is a hypocrite and will make a slide at that fact.

-Affection is never short in this relationship and both boys would be different in the poly relationship then they would be with one person. I personally see Mattheo as such a brat in any relationship, but when he can annoy Theo it gets 5x worse. When you're in public not much affection is shown, I mean to everyone else it looks like the boys have favoritism towards you, but they don't actually put a public label even if there is gossip. But in public or in any private space that distance is closed. Literally.

-Mattheo is the worst about it always laying on you or Theo just wanting to feel safe being close to the people he trusts and with Theo added to the mix it's just another person he deeply trusts. Thats makes the relationship much better and healthier. Well as healthy as they can be with the amount of trauma those bastards have.

-Now Theo is much more chill and suave he shows both0 f you love and deals with Mattheo's bursts of anger and Mattheo deals with Theos unless your good with that sort of thing. But on a quick side part Theo is much less quick to anger than Mattheo. On a bad day someone can look at him wrong and all he'll is let loose, and blood is on someone's knuckles and detention is delt for the 100th time that month. It's truly impressive and the teachers (McGonigal's and snape) have a bet going to see how many fights Mattheo and Theo can get into a month. Theo's highest was 5 and Mattheo's was 15. But your always there to clean them up… unless you fight then you're getting pushed out of the way so the two can deal with it

-Theodores love is again very stoic and with the two of you it's very chilled and mellowed out. Casually watching as you and Mattheo argue about something stupid, most likely poking at you both trying to get you started up again. Which if you're usually a shy, soft-spoken person then they definitely find it hot. But that's for another day my friends.

-Now Theodore I would take is very smart and academically intelligent even if the language barrier sometimes stumps him. But this is where you come in, he knows Mattheo with ruthlessly dog on him for not remembering a work on the spot, but you will to. Then help him figure out the word which he appreciates. And OfCourse he helps you with schoolwork and then you both have to help Mattheo actually sit down and do work. I believe Mattheo knows what he's doing but he is too restless to sit down and focus.

-Also nicknames! There's a hundred of him used between everyone in the group.

- For Theodore: Theo, Teddy, Cucciolo, My love, sexy, lovely

-For Mattheo: once again Cucciolo, Pretty Boy, Pain in my ass, baby, babes

-For You: (insert most basic Italian nicknames), Baby, Sweetheart, Sweetie, Pretty girl, My love

-Dates are confusing for most but all the three of you have to do is hang out or go for a walk. A kiss here and there that you all three share.

-And I must stress Mattheo and Theodore kiss to! I'm tired of seeing mattheodore x reader and the two arnt being gay together! It's the whole point of the ship!

-how they kiss will defiantly be in the NSFW version of this -Wink- -Wink-

<Its truly a loving and entertaining relationship and you love it other very much>

Bottom divider Cred: @cursed-carmine

Author's note: Thank you so much for the support on my first fic! Im gonna try and post every now and then cause i actually really enjoy this, and i enjoy seeing people like my takes on these characters! Also should i do NSFW for the charcters I do?

Love you all <3

[feefivefoe]

living for sahsrau, I offer crumbs that you can expand upon if you want to (no pressure)

I feel like phainon would see the creator as his escape from the cycle on amphoreus. you are the beginning after all, bro would be obsessed with you and figuring out your powers so you guys can live happily ever after. with all the other heirs obv but you’ll always have snowy at your hip

mydeiiiiii, my booooooyyy. might be the only person who treats you semi normally. kinda like welt where you can have convos with him and he just shoves his feelings for you off to the side. the only way you’ll tell he can feel anything is from how he… scowls at you??? he’s actually so entranced by you, making a mental note of everything you say. while you’re probably thinking the prince of kremnos is abt to punt you to the next star system

mr anaxa is at a bit of a crossroads, you’re a god (more like THE god) from beyond the sky. he’s intrigued by you, itching to learn what makes you tick.

not many thoughts for him because he confuses me :( love if you could expand on these and maybe talk abt aglaea and castorice too <33

Full disclosure I have not done most of the amphoreus quests yet, I just know about the major beats. I also have half the current Chrysos Heirs, so I feel alright answering this.

○○○

There is a thin line between love and hate, and Phainon is using it like a jump rope. He starts the cycle absolutely enamored with you, especially upon your identity being withheld from even them. Only Aglaea seems to know anything about you, and it has her thrown for a loop. So mysterious! You, on the other hand, can't help but feel your blood turn to ice when he's in your vicinity. His presence isn't as strong as Phantilia's was, stretched across the Lufou. But it's the same chill.

As the journey advances, each fallen comrade makes that thread tighten. If you're truly such a special individual, enough to be valued over the Coreflames themselves, shouldn't you have the power to help? Shouldn't you be doing more than just protesting as your shared friends insist you stay in Okhema? You'd let the people who give everything for this planet die before letting your precious fucKING SILKEN SKIN GET-

He wonders if the Destruction would mourn you. If fate had finally given him a gift. If not a way to end his cycle, a way to harm the one responsible for his suffering. Why else would he have been gifted the god of gods, bound to mortal flesh?

He can't imagine Nanook wouldn't mourn you. Who wouldn't? You are perfection, given physical form. The most incredible thing he has ever seen in his many, many lives. You have to die because he can not live without you. Nobody can. He needs you now more than ever, so he must destroy you.

What loyalty does he owe you, after all? The one who tried to help despite their powerlessness refused to rise above, how he did.

○○○

Mydei is much kinder, thankfully. He deems you weak and not worth much notice, at first. But while he isn't fully invested in their mutual quest, he does respect Aglaea and Tribios greatly. Their unending awe and adoration of you causes him to reconsider. As he grows to respect the Trailblazers and Dan Heng, this is further solidified. Everyone in Castum Kremnos was a warrior. But his culture appears to be the outlier in that respect. Some people have roles outside of the battlefield, and contribute there more than they ever would with a sword in their hand.

He does treat you entirely normally. As normal as somebody as blunt as him can, anyways. For the sole reason of that's what you clearly want. For somebody to see you as a person, rather than some divine entity beyond mortal understanding. Well, he isn't technically mortal anymore, is he? He can make the attempt, if nothing else.

Most of the time his expression is blank, but every now and again he just glares at you, like you've insulted his dead mother. When all you did was yawn?

Mydei is upset because he understands it now, damn it. Why those three were willing to fight the city itself if it was decided you would be taken from them. Why they go from allies to foes whenever anybody even hints at taking you near the battlefield.

He thinks he might do the same. You are rather dangerous, actually. He's glad he didn't notice before falling victim to your pull.

○○○

Anaxagoras isn't sure if you entirely contradict his opinion on the gods, or if you enforce it. Because the gods and prophecy are clearly bullshit if there's a being so far beyond them. But if that being exists, then the existence of gods and prophecies is correct?

But you also can't be all bad, because the dromas swarm you to such an extent that they'll deviate from their duties if they catch sight of you. He's even seen them abandon their feeding troughs when you approach. Asinine.

Against his better judgement, for a man that is all judgement, his opinion of you softens rather quickly. If he wants you to use his full name, you will ("What am I gonna do, tell you you're wrong about your name?"). You ask him questions about their world ("If I knew the answer, I wouldn't be asking.").

He's hardly the type to bow and scrape at your feet, assuming you'll assist them in saving their world. But you make working with that woman a bit more bearable. Even more so when he gets the opportunity to keep you by his side, rather than hers. It's rather satisfying to watch her brow twitch, clearly trying to not seem angry in front of you.

○○○

Aglaea hasn't regretted many things in her life. She'd give anything to reach the finish line she's been vying for her entire life. And yet.

She finds herself wishing she knew what you looked like. The golden threads can give her an idea. A shape. But even that is difficult, because you're everywhere. The threads exist within you. Every vein in your body is spun of pure silken gold, turning your circulatory system into the most beautiful tapestry she's ever come across.

But that isn't enough for her. She wants to know the color of your hair, your eyes. Your preferred style of dress. She wants to take in your smile and laughter with every sense available to humanity. She wonders if this is how the titan beating in her chest felt about her own lover. Did this adoration turn Romance into such a lovestruck fool?

Do not leave the holy city.

That is a desperate plea an order she gives not even considering the asset you could prove to be. But rather that she doesn't know how she would function if such a beautiful creature appeared and vanished from her life so soon.

To you, she is a staunch ally. You know how she pulls strings for the prophecy, how everybody is disposable to her if the need arises. You do not know she will do worse for you.

Balancing things with the council is necessary for the Flame Chase Journey. But if they touch you, she will smile. Sitting next to you in the private baths, knowing her dear allies have thrown them to the black tide. Okhema would be heartbreaking to lose. But you aren't even an option.

She is heartless because she loves so deeply. Remember that.

○○○

Death permeates Castorice's life, preventing her from human connection for so long. Forcing her to keep a distance from the rest of the world. Even admist demigods.

She thinks your friends might kill her, when your hand falls on her shoulder after Okhema is attacked. It's clear they adore you. They will take your loss hard.

Then you falter. You sway. You stumble. But you do not die.

And Castorice falls in love with you immediately.

You too, are surrounded by death you cannot prevent. People who treat you like glass, ready to turn and shatter those who approach you. Who you are lucky if you can stop in time.

She tries so very hard not to join them. Because life is a sacred thing. You agree. There are few people you personally want dead.

Death wants you so very badly. Of course it does. Everybody does. She can't bring herself to let it, even if it would mean being able to keep you for herself. You're so full of life. You are life itself. The foundation of everything that has happened and will happen.

And that makes her all the more happy when you choose to seek her out. When you seek her calm, content smile over the ones so desperate to please.

She too, is desperate to have you in her grasp. But she's even more desperate to have you come willingly. Happily. Because who else would willingly approach Death?

Please don't leave her alone.

[eternallyordinary]

"The Exception" - Part 3

‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ . ₊ ⊹ .₊๋‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ . ₊ ⊹ .₊๋‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ . ₊ ⊹ .₊๋⁺˚⋆｡

Summary: Somewhere behind the curtain, a choice is made… and your fate begins to twist in ways you’ll never see coming.

Warnings: violence, death, kidnapping, power imbalance, possessiveness, manipulation, emotional tension, stalking, implied violence, murder planning, toxic relationship dynamics, yandere

‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ . ₊ ⊹ .₊๋‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ . ₊ ⊹ .₊๋‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ . ₊ ⊹ .₊๋⁺˚⋆｡

Him

“She might be safer in the game, than she’ll ever be with you.”

The words echo now, low and steady, like the tick of a timer that only he can hear.

Safer in the game.

The audacity.

As if leaving you with these fucking losers is the merciful option.

Pathetic, drooling degenerates playing at desperation. Fighting each other like animals for a second chance they’ll only waste again. Scraping the floor for crumbs of hope they don’t deserve.

You don’t belong with them.

The thought of you sleeping next to those sniveling cowards in shared bunks, eating their slop, getting shoved in lines and stared at like you're just another body—it makes his jaw clench.

But he’s not stupid.

He knows himself too well.

He knows what’s lurking behind the sudden urge to “save” you. Knows that it’s not pure.

No, this rescue is not about pity. Don’t mistake it for that.

The moment he saw you on that screen—beautiful in that raw, wounded way—he stopped being a spectator.

You became his problem. His fascination.

His possession.

Deep down, he knows pulling you out of the game won’t be a second chance at life. It’ll be a different kind of prison.

One with quiet walls, soft sheets, and his eyes on you.

Always.

But you’ll be safer with him.

Someplace quiet. Hidden.

A home, maybe. Remote. Untraceable. With thick curtains and a lock only he knows the code to. A kitchen with tea always ready. A bed with your favorite sheets—once he figures out what you like. He will, eventually.

He pays attention. Always has.

You’ll wake up and he’ll be there, waiting. Watching. Loving you in silence before you ever speak a word.

You'll be much happier than whatever life you had before. He can already tell.

He sees the way your eyes scan the corners of the room, like you’re waiting for something to go wrong. The way you freeze when someone looks at you. The way your body curls inward, instinctively, like it’s trying to disappear.

That’s not just fear. That’s history.

That’s someone who’s been through things they don’t talk about. Someone who’s learned not to expect kindness.

But with him, there will be no more disappointments. No more people walking away. No more being ignored or forgotten or used.

Fuck, he's going to worship you.

He’ll bring you gifts. Soft clothes. Expensive jewelry. Flowers he grows just for you.

He’ll give you everything, as long as you're a good girl.

You won't need to work. Hell, you won't even need to think.

You’ll only need to smile, let him hold you. Say thank you when he brings you dinner and ask for more when he makes you cum.

It’s not a prison. It’s safety.

It’s love.

And sure, maybe you’ll cry at first. Maybe you’ll fight. That’s normal.

He’s patient. He understands trauma.

He’ll wait.

He’ll be so gentle when you finally give in. He’ll wipe your tears and say, “See? Isn’t this better, baby?”

He'll do anything for you.

Anything.

Even if it means breaking you to do it.

And while he'll feed you, clothe you, protect you...

He’ll also keep you. Not because you asked. But because he wants to.

And maybe that’s what the Front Man meant. That his kind of hurt is slower. Cleaner. Wrapped in obsession in the illusion of care, a silk rope around your throat slowly draining the life out of you.

He breathes out.

Fuck.

Fuck fuck fuck.

Safer in the game.

Maybe it’s true.

But it doesn't matter anymore. There are no other options.

He’s not going to watch you get passed around like some toy for deranged amusement.

If you’re going to be anyone’s toy…

You’re going to be his.

Handled gently, or broken completely.

He's not sure which one yet.

✧˚⋆

The Front Man lifts his walkie, slow and casual, like he's adjusting his glove.

Then, with a voice meant only for the inner circle, he speaks:

"Shut the feeds down. Say there’s a signal issue."

Your protector watches from the back of the room, jaw tense, knuckles white where they curl behind his back. He doesn’t blink. Doesn’t speak.

He’s focusing on the one who brought you here.

The one who threw you into the game like you were nothing but a joke, grinning through his mask like it’s all so funny. He strolls to the side lounge like nothing’s happened. Still laughing. Still loose in his movements, like he’s not even slightly worried about what he’s done.

Not noticing the way eyes follow as he pours himself another drink.

The ice clinks.

Laughter behind him grows louder.

This man has signed his own death warrant, and he doesn’t even know it yet.

The Recruiter follows him into the lounge in silence. No footsteps, no warning. A quiet shadow with death under his skin. He clicks the door shut behind them like a trigger being pulled.

The VIP hums to himself as he uncorks the bottle, still smirking — until the silence settles.

The Recruiter stands motionless by the door, back straight, hands behind him like a soldier. His eyes gleam, calm and glassy, but the air around him is vibrating with something hotter. Darker. Rage, buried so deep it’s nearly surgical.

He doesn’t speak. Doesn’t raise his voice. Instead, he lifts his tablet. One flick. He turns the screen around.

A video begins to play.

Sunlight. A quiet kitchen.

A woman — elegant, gentle, unaware — humming as she brushes the long, honey-blonde hair of a little girl seated on a stool.

The child giggles. The mother smiles.

Suburbia. Safety.

What fragile little lies.

“Does she know what you do in your free time?”

The man doesn’t respond. He’s not laughing anymore.

His eyes flick to the tablet. Back to the door. He starts to speak, but nothing comes out.

The Recruiter takes a step forward. One step only. No need to rush.

“You have two options,” he says, voice smooth as glass. “You either kill yourself.”

A pause.

“Or I kill them.”

The words aren’t shouted, they’re not dramatic. They’re simply final.

The VIP stares like he’s looking at something not human. There’s a silence in the room now that feels like the moment before a wire snaps.

It's not fear. It's inevitability.

This isn’t a negotiation. It’s a promise.

The man breathes like a cornered animal. Shallow. Panicked. His fingers twitch against the edge of the bar, searching for something — an excuse, an escape, anything.

His eyes flick to the screen one last time.

The little girl leans into her mother’s chest, laughing.

Then—

"Not me! Them-" he chokes out. "Just don't let them suffer. Please!"

A whisper. Weak. Almost like he’s asking for permission.

Not defiant. Not brave. Just pathetic.

The Recruiter doesn’t blink. He stares at the man for a long moment, silent. Then, finally—he tilts his head, like a teacher disappointed in a slow student.

“Wrong choice.”

The VIP’s lips part in confusion. “Wait—wait, no, I meant—”

One shot.

Close range.

Muffled. Precise.

The sound barely echoes in the velvet-lined lounge, but the impact is thunderous. Blood splatters across the crystal decanters. It paints the bar in a spray of red and ruin. The man’s body crumples to the floor, still twitching.

The Recruiter exhales, steady and calm. He sets the gun down beside the corpse, neatly. He reaches for the man’s silk robe — now soaked with the consequences of cowardice — and wipes his hands clean.

First the palms, then the fingertips. Meticulous. Like this is just another part of the job.

He checks his cuffs. Straightens his jacket.

And leaves.

Let the cleanup crew handle it.

Let the Front Man rage.

Let the VIPs whisper.

Let the consequences come.

Fuck it.

Fuck them all.

‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ . ₊ ⊹ .₊๋‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ . ₊ ⊹ .₊๋‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ . ₊ ⊹ .₊๋⁺˚⋆｡

PART 4

tag list: @dalunaa420

[focusontheheart]

Under the cut, please find the complete ending guide to reach the romantic ending in Kotallo's route, including descriptions from route writers behind the decision. Please note that during gameplay, answers may appear in a different order than indicated.

We wanted to capture Aloy being more open, right from the start. She’s always quick to assist almost anyone, but she’s offering an opening to Kotallo to ask her for help, even if, maybe, it’s not entirely needed.

This was simply about honesty. The conversations they’ve had since they met have been sometimes difficult, but generally quite honest. She could deflect, but she knows she can trust Kotallo, be open with him, as he’s been with her.

Again, about honesty but also finding common ground. Their experiences aren’t identical, but there’s familiarity and allows for understanding and opening up. Aloy is learning she needs to offer a bit of herself as well and this is a chance to do so.

What’s the point in having shared history if you can’t tease each other about it? It’s really about Aloy taking a moment to slow down, to enjoy and share the memory and joke about possibilities, specifically with Kotallo.

Aloy is used to leading, to always being in charge. But Aloy has also learned that it’s ok to trust others, to know they are capable. In this moment, Kotallo has more knowledge, and she wants to show she respects that, and him.

Aloy needed to be honest, and it was important to acknowledge Seyka and the part she played in helping Aloy grow. But, also to have Aloy thinking about what is ahead of her, now that she’s opening up—and what she might want going forward.

There’s a time Aloy would have been dismissive of the Tenakth culture, or not really bothered to understand. But she’s learned a lot in her time with everyone at the Base and is beginning to understand what is being offered to her, so it’s important to acknowledge that and what it means to her.

Aloy’s reached a point where she realises that sometimes it’s not about what she might say, but being there, offering support. This isn’t something platitudes can help, but having someone beside you can be enough.

While helping him with his paint seems obvious, Aloy has grown enough to realise this isn’t something she should assume. She needs to respect his choices as much as he respects hers. Part of setting up a balance between them.

This was about Aloy noticing Kotallo, and the changes he’s gone through. It allows them both to acknowledge that, and the part she played in this. And what it means to her to see the person he’s become.

After all they’ve been through, talked about and shared during their trip, it was simply about Aloy trusting in Kotallo and letting him closer, opening up a bit more. It’s also an indicator that a romantically-inclined Aloy is more open to physical touch, and even wants it.

We hope you enjoyed your journey through the romantic Kotallo route! Now that you know how to best get a smooch, try the other options to get different endings as well! If you reached the romantic epilogue, we encourage you to give it another look, and really… Focus.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Hiiii I just finished reading the tale of the cursed raven and wanted to share a few of my thoughts because it's haunting my mind <3

First of all, I really love how much the writing fits in the canon narrative!! It is very similar that it is immersive, I can really tell how much you understand the world and the characters (which is kind of a given because everyone uses you like twst yahoo answers but still /lh). Turning the fates into idols? The whole beauty and the beast part of the plot? Everything just fits so smoothly

Speaking of the characters, I really adored every single one of them!! Kon my boy <3 I think it was such a creative way to use the npcs and show how they are still people with their own stories. Also Crowley being a fail dad 😭😭😭 he made me laugh many times thorough the series but also enjoy his bond with Raven. And this applies in general for every time you write him but I really love Idia's appearances!! He's not even one of my favorites but i always find him and his misery very entertaining (sorry Idia). And not Azul and Floyd eavesdropping and playing matchmakers LMAO I really imagined them with their ears flat against the wall listening

It was overall a very enjoyable read!! now, if I might be so bold to ask... (Hold your quill and papers please) Since you said Leona has taken Rook's place in your favorites, how would you have included him in the narrative? That's all, thank you so much for reading my yapping

[ Referencing this series! ]

ndahakzbaAbag 🧍‍♂️I wanted to have Raven develop over the course of the main story so I included references to the events happening around her whole she’s going about her life. This, along with the mob students being shown to have lives of their own, was meant to contribute to the idea of everyone being connected in the story. They are all components of each other’s stories. For Miss Raven, who struggles so much to define her own identity and to have confidence in who she is (not to mention the existentialism), this is something vital she has to recognize before she can become a better version of herself. I wanted it to all connect!!

I wrote the series over the course of a few years so 😅 I think my understanding and depiction of the world + characters actually isn’t super accurate (especially in the earliest years, when we had the least amount of lore on the cast). It improved over time with the more info we got, but there are definitely spots I would rewrite if given the chance. Weirdly enough, even if the writing is imperfect, I think this adds to the charm. While Miss Raven is growing and becoming more confident of a writer, the writing (which you could interpret as her penning her own tale) unintentionally also becomes more refined.

I can’t take credit for the Fates being idols; that’s actually canon to Twst—they’re stated to be Idia’s favorite group. I only take credit for my interpretation of the Fates and now I wait for Twst to formally introduce them to us and thus shatter my version of canon/j ^^ I love incorporating other fairy tales, myths, and folklore into my writing and drawing parallels between those classics and the current events. I find it creates a fuzzy “I just woke up and I’m not sure if I’m remembering all the details in my dream correctly” mood. That’s my writing style’s signature, I guess www

I unironically wrote Kon as a one-off character but I became endeared to him and thought he fit well in the story I wanted to tell!! So I made him a recurring character who is viewing Raven’s story from a limited perspective. I think it helps to enhance the idea that we may not always totally understand what someone may be going through, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still get along or support one another. Everyone is a NPC to others, but they’re also the main character of their own stories just going about their days and seeing the world through the only POV they know—their own. You can see how it both limits you (Kon cannot see Raven’s POV) but also helps you (Kon has access to knowledge Raven doesn’t).

Crowley was really fun to write as a failing girldad… I think a lot of his appeal comes from being pathetic and sort of lazy, so I wanted to remain authentic to that when writing him raising a child. At the same time. Crowley does mean well and worries for the kids under his care. He was the silliest but also the most heartwarming to write, easily being able to pull off both. I really love him and Raven trying to do their utmost together. I’m glad that you feel the same way!!

xhaksnskxvksN I barely remember what Idia did and/or said in the series… I just recall cringing a little when I wrote his dialogue because I had to offload a lot of gamer or otaku lingo every time. And yes dnsvwhjw Azul and Floyd constantly looming and sticking their noses where they don’t belong always made me giggle too. Board Game Club built different— In hindsight, it’s funny how I made the dorm leaders like Idia super minor supporting characters or comic relief (like Azul). It just goes to show that framing and perspective are super important for how a story is presented!!

Thank you so much for the detailed and glowing review 😭 You’re a star, seriously 🌟

Now, for your question 👀 prepare for another long-winded ramble—

Leona’s relationship with Raven is like an inreverse of Jade’s. Around the time when Raven learns of Jade’s betrayal (Feburaryish) is also when her originally lowkey hostile relationship with Leona improves to a tentative friendship. (More details on that here!) In fact, book 5’s culture festival is when Raven and Leona finally “hang out” for the first time as (kind of) friends.

Assuming that Leona is the one who finds Raven crying after learning about The Truth 🙂‍↕️ I’d see him trying to console her but in a sort of… gruff and callous way?? Like the way he communicates it gives the impression he is annoyed by having to give advice, but deep down he does care. Maybe he’d pull a Hades-coded line like “I can’t believe you’re getting so worked up about some guy” “Men ain’t shit”/j and tell her to pick herself up/stop wallowing and get over it already because she “doesn’t need him (Jade)” and “can’t let him get in her head like this”. bdjsvsjskenHE SOUNDS LIKE A TOUGH ONEESAN bESTIE THAT CHERrS YOU UP AfTER -a BAD bTEAKUP…

Leona would keep an eye on her after that incident, albeit not in a super obvious way since he’s concerned about maintaining his reputation. Just kinda observing and occasionally asking what Raven’s been doing whenever she drops by to grab him for class or right after a dorm leaders’ meeting (she’s present to take notes). He’ll always claim he doesn’t care but he’s also the first to encourage her to rebel against an unfair system/world that seeks to control her and simply do her own thing he’s a bad influence/j. Leona would thus serve a similar role as Rook did in the original, watching from afar and providing support when needed. The key difference is that Rook provides unconditional love and positivity, whereas Leona’s more grounded and cynical.

I don’t see Leona going out of his way to do favors for Raven or to treat her extra nice, nor would he outright threaten Jade to keep his distance. Leona knows when he isn’t needed too—he doesn’t want to do extra work or to insert himself and act like he knows what’s best for his… gal pal (?). He’s still sorting out his own feelings at this time too. It’s not until post book 6 (which ends a few days after book 5) that Leona figures it all out. Then, of course, he’s left with the uncertainty of what to do next because he knows his friend is still hurting and doesn’t want to make this about himself + disrupt the relationship they currently have.

Towards the last quarter of the saga, I can imagine Leona and Jade butting heads or having more direct confrontations, with each boy representing a different path or ideology Raven could go down. Jade is what Raven already knows, the past, traditionalism and security. Leona is what she is just discovering, the future unknown, and recklessness or rising up.

The ending would probably be more ambiguous. I think I’d still keep in Raven’s reconciliation with Jade, but then add a scene where she’s catching up with Leona and he points out she seems a little different than usual. “What’s up with that? Something happen to ya lately?” And then maybe Raven could say something like she feels like a weight has been lifted off her shoulders. That way, the story ends with the idea that she’s liberated to make her own choices + feels like we’re progressing since she started off with Jade (in an artificial or constructed relationship) but is concluding in a scenario where she had actively made a new connection on her own. And, of course, it still leaves the door open for the shipping to go either way.

[crows-heart]

Together

To us - part one

whoah hey this is crazy i wrote a part two actually bonkers

Has it been a solid couple of months? yes. Did i write half of this thing today? also yes!

Im free for the summer now so i decided to finish this instead of letting it take up space in my brain and HOPEFULLY I'll free another oneshot idea thats been brewing about lately

still on ao3!!

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

It’s been an… odd process for the two of you

To start off, Simon’s recovery is starting off well. Sure, he’s not used to being off of his feet (from what you’ve heard, he’s something of a workaholic), and, sure, it’s only been a couple of days that you’ve spent with him, but at least he listens when you tell him to sit down and rest. Not without a couple of complaints, obviously.

You don't share a room. Yeah, it's a bummer, but you two hardly know each other, so you came up with an agreement that until you know each other better, and get more comfortable with one another, you wouldn’t force yourselves to share a bed.

You’ve been spending most of your time with him. It's not like you really know anyone on base, though occasionally you do talk with John from time to time -- Price, as the others call him, or “Captain” from the recruits. Most of your conversations are check-ins or are used to work out specifics about what's going to happen from now on. What that means isn’t currently entirely fleshed out, but you’re working on it. Your conversations with Simon, however, range quite a bit. You haven’t touched upon sensitive information just yet -- it isn’t hard to tell that he’s got quite a lot of trauma he's been holding to himself all of these years -- but there's been improvements. You two have been over small details -- your favorite things, family members, those basic first date kind of questions. Sometimes, you just sit in silence together. It gives the both of you a moment of rest from the expectation of conversations.

The problem is that you don't know where his boundaries lie. He hasn’t gotten visibly uncomfortable when you prod a little for more personal information, but he always manages to switch the topic around or change it entirely. Pushing him too hard isn't a good idea in case you lose the building trust, but you also don't want to be stepping on eggshells around him. It doesn't help that he's one of -- if not the most -- emotionally constipated people you’ve ever met, so getting him to open up on his own is going to take quite a while.

A quiet breath leaves you as you exit your room and head to the barrack’s kitchen. Unsurprisingly, it was empty. Most of the soldiers preferred eating at the mess hall, where the food was bearable enough to not complain about. There were too many people and it was a bit too much noise, so you tend to stick to the communal kitchen, which is usually stocked enough to make something simple.

You turn towards the cabinets and look through them, though you’re interrupted not long after by the sound of footsteps approaching.

“Aye, so y’r the bonnie thing tied tae the Lt’s pinky?”

Looking over your shoulder, you’re greeted with the sight of one of the soldiers who had been there when you first saw Simon. Your head dips down to stare at the mentioned string. It was looking better nowadays, still a little frayed but not worryingly so, and was taut, still trying to pull you to Simon.

You look back up at the soldier, turning so your body faced him.

“I am.” You peek behind at the cabinets again. Making yourself something to eat will have to wait, you suppose. “You’re… Johnny, right?”

He nods.

“Y’can call me Soap. Whatever's easier.” He shrugs, a subtle movement. It's quiet between the two of you for a moment. You grab a glass and fill it with water, taking a small sip as Johnny speaks up again.

“Does he keep the mask on during sex?”

You try not to choke on the water.

Carefully, you set it down on the counter before giving the soldier a harsh glare. He holds his hands up in mock surrender.

“Cannae a man get curious?” There’s a teasing lilt to his voice, a small smirk making the corner of his mouth lift. All he gets in response is a sigh, so he asks, “How’s it been, anyways? Ah’ve hardly seen him.”

You fidget with the string tied around your pinky, trying to figure out how to phrase what you want to say.

“It's been… slow. It's hard for either of us to open up, really.” A small, awkward laugh follows your remark.

Johnny nods. From what you know, he's the closest one to Simon on base, if not altogether. The two have shared a lot of tense moments together and have that sort of brotherly bond so frequently described between soldiers.

“Y’gotta give him some time. He dinnae ken how tae be vulnerable, ‘specially not with someone he just met.” A pause, then he tacks on a quick, “No offense.”

You take another sip of water, thinking it over. A small silence follows as you wonder what to say.

“Do you know of anything that could help? Or anything that can help him at least get a bit more comfortable?” He thinks about it for a moment.

“Taking y’r time. He may not be patient but he needs someone patient. Cannae find a lot of that ‘round here, ‘specially not with the recruits he has tae train.” A cheeky smile makes its way onto Johnny’s face, though he quickly gets serious again. “Don't let him push you away. He might try but y’gotta be persistent. Persistent and patient.”

You think about his words for a moment longer, before responding with a “thank you,” and a slight smile.

“‘Course. Wouldnae want you tae deal with him all alone. He’s a wee bit bad at emotions.”

“Just a bit?” The quick remark gets a small laugh in response. There’s a twinkle in his eye and a smirk on his face.

“Send him mah regards, and tell him I cannae handle the recruits alone anymore.” With a curt nod, he passes me and leaves the kitchen, heading to somewhere else on base. You stand there alone for a moment longer, staring at where he stood.

‘Persistent and patient.’

You could try.

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

You head to Simon’s room a little while later, a freshly brewed cup of earl grey tea in one hand, using the other to support it so it doesn't splash around as you walk. You stop in front of his door, raising your free hand to knock, but the door opens before you do.

Simon stands behind the doorway, his eyes immediately meeting yours.

“I made some tea.” His eyes drift to the subtle movement of you bringing the cup closer to him.

He shuffles so the doorway is no longer blocked, silently giving you permission to step inside. As you walk in and place the cup on the nightstand, Simon shuts the door and sits down on the edge of the bed, grunting quietly once the pain radiating in his body alleviates slightly. He adjusts himself to sit comfortably, making sure to face you where you were standing. 

“It’s still a little hot, so wait a bit for it to cool down.” Simon nods, reaching up to take off his mask.

He’s been making an effort to try and keep the mask off while the two of you were spending time together. He confessed that it's not solely an issue with showing his face that makes him uncomfortable, but it's about having the balaclava off. He wears it so often that taking it off makes him feel uncomfortable on an entirely different level.

Simon holds the mask in his hands, looking down at it with slightly furrowed brows. He sighs, lifting his head again to look back at you.

“Love, I… appreciate y’bein’ here f’r me.” He speaks up, causing your focus to go from the mask to him. It was rare for him to initiate conversation, and even more so to start one with this tone.

“If m’being honest, never thought I’d get… this.” He motions between the two of you. “Didn’t believe there was someone in this world tha’ I was meant to be with, not growin’ up ‘nd ‘specially not now.”

You frown, walking over to sit on the edge of the bed with him. It dips slightly under your weight as you lean back on one hand, the other just subtly extended towards Simon.

“You don't deserve not being loved just because of what you’ve gone through.” You start quietly, your gaze drifting down to his hands fidgeting with a couple of frayed ends of the balaclava. “If anything, I think you deserve it more.”

After a moment of silence, Simon puts the mask down and reaches for your hand, taking it in one of his. Slowly, like he was waiting for you to pull away, he brings your hand to his cheek, his eyes drifting shut. His head leans softly into your palm, his hand tentatively holding it in place. He lets out a deep breath and his body relaxes, shoulders falling forward similar to how they did when you first talked to him.

The string tying you two together fixes itself a little bit more once again. Not only was Simon physically healing, albeit slowly, but he was emotionally healing bit by bit as well, only helping to strengthen the bond.

“Dunno wha’ I would do without y’here. You’ve been near me s’much recently, don’t think I can handle you leavin’ to go back home.” He mumbles, opening up his eyes again to look at you through his blond lashes.

“I didn’t really prepare to stay here for much longer than a week, Simon. I’m gonna have to leave sooner or later and I'm not sure when I’m going to be able to come back.” He pouts a little at that, looking almost like a kicked puppy at the news that you can’t stay with him forever. He’s quiet for a moment before speaking up again.

“Wha’ if you moved here? Doesn’t have t’be with me, but I can find a flat nearby or somethin’ f’you.”

“What about my job, and my home? Even then, there’s so much paperwork to do that it’ll be a while before I can move regardless-”

“I can pull a few strings, jus’… please.” Simon cuts you off with a small plea, sitting up again, wincing when the movement causes his bandages to pull on his injuries. He holds your hand in both of his now, a certain sincerity in his deep brown eyes.

“I’ll still need to get my stuff from home, y’know…” A smile replaces the frown from earlier as you watch Simon breathe out a dramatic sigh.

“It’s like y’wanna kill me.” He groans, rolling his eyes playfully. 

But the playful mood drops when he lets go of your hand, getting serious once more.

“M’not kidding about you moving here, ’ve got a flat not too far from here if you’re comfortable with tha’.” The look in his eyes silently begs you to agree and move in with him. Considering he hasn’t gotten tired of you yet, and also the fact that you’re literally his soulmate, it’s clear that he’s thought this out and wants this more than anything else.

“If moving in with you means that you’ll finally take a proper break, then yes, Simon, I would love to.” The smile on his face heals a part of you that you didn’t know needed healing.

“‘M taking a break righ’ now, aye?”

“When the doctor said get some rest, they meant at home, not still on base.” You turn in your spot, reaching behind you to the nightstand for the tea you had brought in earlier. You turn back and hand it to Simon, who takes it carefully from your grasp.

“Thank you, love.” He takes a sip before bringing the cup down, leaning forward to knock his forehead gently against yours. 

The two of you sit together like that for a little while longer later, soaking in each other's presence.

The string gets stronger every day you’re together.

[cheschesterpossum]

(I'm baaaack! This is the Anon that has been possessed by brain worms that whisper sweet nothings about a sibling au, and I have finished the vast majority of it now! This is the everything from the actual separation to their reunion, and it is very long so I apologize in advance. I do have more in the works though, so if you want more don't you worry about a thing. Also, I don't know if I should give myself a name or not. I kinda like Brain Worms Anon, but if you have any ideas feel free to share!)

Because I want the love SG and OG Rung have for their parent to be completely reciprocated, (I like happy endings, ok?) I'm gonna add some drama. Y/N didn't want to leave their sons; they'd fully meant to keep their promise. At the start of Project: Primus, the political sphere almost fully supported the idea of creating such powerful weapons to assert their dominance across the world. (Y/N, in my eyes, was far more interested in the ’crafting a sister species’ aspect, but interpret it as you will) Over time, however, the sphere shifted. As Y/N started making the worlds for OG, SG, and their Primes, Y/N saw the government's support for the project wane as new people with different goals were put in positions of power. So Y/N tried their best to sway their minds, keep Project: Primus afloat. It seemed like they were succeeding, and they didn't want to worry their sons, so Y/N tried to shield them from the whole thing. Soon enough, the two worlds were finished, each with a connection to Earth alongside a separate bridge connecting the two to each other. They were just sent to their worlds when an extremist group broke into the facility. Y/N had heard of them before; they were very vocal protesters of the Project, and saw every Cybertronian - especially SG Rung - as a threat to humanity that needed to be extinguished. Said extremists had been getting very antsy, and they'd gotten tired of the government postponing what they thought needed to be done. Y/N knew that group would kill their kids if given the chance, so they permanently severed the worlds’ link to Earth to keep them safe. Even if it meant that they'd never see their family again, it also meant the group couldn't hurt the cybertronians or their worlds. Let's just say the extremists didn't like that very much. They tried to convince, to bribe, to threaten, (maybe even beat) Y/N into complying with their demands, but Y/N refused. They wouldn't reconnect the worlds to Earth, told them they couldn't. That it was impossible. And, to be fair, they thought it was. The extremist group, as well as some scientists they got to comply through various methods, all tried to re-establish the connection, but nothing worked. Eventually, the group gave up and left or the police finally showed up and detained them for breaking into a private government facility as well as damaging equipment and employees. The government might have made a half-hearted attempt to fix the connection as well, but they weren't all that interested in keeping Project: Primus around anymore, especially not with how much most of the public had grown to fear and hate it. Y/N moved on to another job in the government, they weren't punished harshly, if at all. They did, in a sense, get rid of the problem for them, and it's always useful to have a capable scientist like them on hand. Internally, Y/N is a mess, but there was nothing they could do. After two and a half years, they ended up dating someone again.

Meanwhile, back with our boys, they ended up waiting for someone that was unable to come. SG and OG didn't know what happened, and when they met up with each other only to discover that it was the same for both of them, they tried to go to Earth themselves. Only, it didn't work. They worked round the clock to try and fix it at first, but the Primes needed them, and one of the last things you asked before sending them off on their own was to take care of the Primes as best they could. SG and OG Rung were not perfect parents by a long shot, but they tried their best. Three years passed on Earth, but I'm gonna say anything from three hundred to three million passed on their end. I'm probably going to go with the lower end in my head because I like some angst but I don't want them to suffer for THAT long. Anyways, as the Primes grew, SG and OG came to two entirely different conclusions.

OG Rung assumed the worst, and tried to accept that you were dead and gone. He tried to keep it together for the Primes, but he basically embodied the depression stage of grief. He reached this conclusion because he knew that you'd never abandon them of your own free will, and thought that death was the only reasonable explanation. OG became very sentimental towards anything that reminded him of his parent. SG Rung tried to keep his older brother from drowning in grief, which he convinced himself was because ‘all the wallowing was pathetic’, but really it was because he couldn't stand to lose anyone else.

SG Rung came to think that you abandoned them, that the bridge broke down and when it became too much trouble to fix it, you gave up. He didn't try all that hard to hide his resentment, and basically embodied the anger stage of grief. He came to that conclusion because he absolutely refused to consider the idea that you were dead. Just hardcore denial. SG Rung hated anything that reminded him of his parent, and basically either destroyed it or shoved it onto OG Rung. OG Rung tried to keep his younger brother from being swallowed whole by rage, with the belief that he'd eventually ‘accept reality’.

I want to think that despite his growing hatred, SG Rung cared about the Primes too much to simply abandon them. He replaced the idea that he needed to keep his promise with a drive to be ‘better than Y/N was’. To prove to himself that he was different than them. Maybe OG Rung helped convince him, who knows. I don't really know if I want the two to have a falling out or not, but their relationship would definitely be tested. With such different views of their parent, both would think the other is in denial of the truth. OG Rung would get a bit defensive over SG Rung accusing/insulting Y/N, and SG Rung would get angry/disgusted over OG Rung singing Y/N’s praises and trying to honor their memory.

Both Rungs did work on the side to open their bridges to Earth again; they wanted closure at the very least. They wanted to prove to each other that they were right. After the Primes were all grown and off doing their own things, the brothers went full throttle into repairing the connection to Earth. They used whatever spare time they had to fix it, and eventually, they did. SG and OG went through, and saw the place they grew up completely abandoned. They accessed the computers left in the place, and were extremely confused when they found every clock saying that only three years had passed. (Maybe they access the cameras and see what the extremists did to Y/N? I don't imagine they'd take seeing their parent being interrogated and slapped around very well, but I'm undecided on whether they find that out now or later. Think of the Dad Lore™ moment they could have if it was later. I'm gonna write that at some point, even if it's not about that specifically.) The Rungs tracked Y/N down, and soon broke into their house. The moment Y/N sees them, they start giggling, laughing, and then sobbing within the span of like, 5 seconds before saying something about how they’re honestly surprised it took this long for them to go crazy. It takes a bit for SG and OG to convince Y/N that they aren't hallucinations, but in the end Y/N and OG Rung are hugging and bawling their eyes out while SG Rung is standing in the corner rolling his own eyes at their ‘theatrics’. That is until Y/N goes up to SG Rung and says something like ‘Oh my baby, I'm so sorry I couldn't be there for you then, but I hope I can be here for you now’ and hugs him tightly, cradling the back of his head. Then SG Rung SUDDENLY can't keep his composure and starts crying SO hard while hugging them back. It's all emotional and heartfelt until SG Rung notices OG Rung looking all smug in the background because look who's bawling their eyes out NOW, huh? Thought you were above getting hit with your emotions like a freight train? You were wrong! SG Rung glares at him for a bit, but as much as he hates it OG Rung isn't wrong so SG just kinda huffs and hugs their parent tighter.

After everyone calms down, they start exchanging stories. Y/N explains what happened, sugar-coating how the extremist group treated them so their sons wouldn't worry, and asks them how on Earth (pun intended) they managed to fix the connection between worlds. At some point, Y/N’s new partner walks in, and I feel that this would be the perfect time to introduce: Mama Bear Y/N™. They have the lowest of low standards for partners (at least for themselves), don't get me wrong, just awful taste, but the MOMENT anyone they are interested in says something rude or harmful about/to the Rungs or the little ones (they call the primes little ones), it is ON SIGHT. They LOVE their children and grandchildren, and they WILL fight you. That person is not only immediately getting dumped, they're getting the ‘hurt my family in any way, shape, or form and you'll be picking up your teeth with broken fingers’ treatment. Maybe SG and OG get a taste of it when that first partner becomes an ex, but Y/N was restraining themselves because they knew that if they went too far, they'd get fired and never be able to see their Rungs or their little ones again. Along with the fact that Y/N doesn't rely on their job to be able to see their sons anymore, the separation made that protective streak get a lot stronger. When OG and SG Rung finally get to see Mama Bear Y/N™ in action after they're reunited, they are very surprised, a little scared, and incredibly touched.

Something around the lines of-

Y/N, gesturing towards their new partner: Hey kids, there's someone I’d like you to meet! This is my new partner, AwfulPerson!

SG and OG Rung sharing a look™ and putting on their best fake smiles: Of course! We'd LOVE to meet the person who stole your heart.

AwfulPerson: Oh c’mon babe, you don't need to pretend these tin cans are your kids! If you wanted to spice things up, you just needed to tell me!

Y/N, quickly and quietly, looking at their soon to be ex-partner with pure homicidal intent in their eyes: What did you just say?

AwfulPerson, putting their arm around Y/N: I’m sure they'll be real fun in the-

Y/N, grabbing this fool by the arm and throwing him onto the ground, hard: SHUT YOUR MOUTH YOU FILTHY PIG. APOLOGIZE TO THEM, NOW, OR THERE'S GONNA BE TWO KINDS OF HEADS IN MY GARDEN.

AwfulPerson, incredibly pale and very afraid: O-of course! I’m s-so sorry you two!

Y/N: That's better. Now, GET OUT OF MY HOUSE! And I BETTER not see your ugly mug around them EVER AGAIN or I'm gonna BITE OFF YOUR FINGERS, SHOVE THEM DOWN YOUR THROAT, AND SEW YOUR MOUTH SHUT!

As AwfulPerson runs out the door, Y/N cups OG and SG Rung’s cheeks: I'm sorry you had to hear that drivel. You're not ‘things’, and you're certainly not THAT. You are my babies through and through, I love both of you so much, and I don't care what that MONSTER has to say!

OG and SG Rung: :0 :°0… :D :°D

(You made it to the end! Good job! :) Again, I'm sorry it was so long! Have a nice day!)

HURT AND COMFORT AGHHHHH

the Sire Lore™ is crazy. Y/n is going to drop the bomb in the middle of lunch with their kids in the most casual voice

*Rungs eating and fighting eachother over the last piece of energon goody.*

Y/n: a group of extremist nearly pour acid down my throat once

*OG and SG stop to look at their creators unable to process the all too sudden information. Both still with fuel shoved in their mouth.*

SG Runf, omgn</3. He came to the conclusion their creators abandoned them because the thought of you being dead hurt him more😭😭😭

OG Rung's depression would affect the process of raising the Primes greatly when he keep wallowing in grief. We all know SG care about his brother more than he let on

🧠🪱anon, amazing ask!!! (Im so sorry I mistake you for perchance anon, idk why I did that)

[wow-bleh]

How did you watch TOS and not come out of it a spirk shipper? Genuinely, show me your ways

Great question, get ready for a long answer! Keep in mind while reading this that I only took into account TOS while writing. I haven’t seen anything other than TOS and I don’t plan to (although, I have seen a bit of the original films, but I don’t like what I saw and I see it as separate from the series). Now! On to what is practically an essay at this point!

I’m a huge shipper normally and started watching Star Trek with the expectation that I’d ship them, so this truly is an impressive feat on my part! I also think it’s one of the best ships ever… so the fact that I don’t ship them is odd to say the least.

So I suppose I’d say, I love Star Trek too much to ship them. I love every aspect of the canon of TOS, to ship them would be me saying that I prefer them in a romantic relationship over their canon one, and I respect the canon too much to do that.

Kirk loves Spock his dear friend, he loves his ship and the people on it, he would choose those things over anything… and yet… he longs for a woman, for a romance. He would choose Spock and his ship over a woman 100 times out of 100, but still he feels lonely at times. To ship him and Spock means I prefer a romance between them to the canon of TOS and to do that is to disregard this part of Kirk’s character. I don’t want to do that. Now I do believe that he is closer to Spock than he could ever be with anyone else, but I think only mentally. Mentally he is as close to Spock as is possible, closer than he’s ever been with anyone, but physically he needs more than that.

Now as for what part of Spock’s character I would be disregarding… there isn’t one I can think of… more on this later. It’s quite interesting.

Another aspect of it is that I genuinely believe that they are better as friends than they would be as partners, and them being friends is more interesting than them as lovers. They are as close as two people could possibly be and yet they are not together… how interesting!!

For example they canonically love each other deeply, but Kirk is straight and Spock is alien who has different sexual desires than humans. And that’s it. That’s the reason they aren’t together. They love each other enough to be, but aren’t able to be attracted to each other romantically. In fandom we disregard sexuality constantly because in the face of a good ship it doesn’t matter, but in this case I think it does, because it is quite literally the only thing keeping them apart. That’s so interesting, they love each other so so strongly and yet there is no attraction involved.

In a shippy point of view let’s have their first meeting shall we, Kirk finds Spock attractive and Spock thinks the same. Love at first sight! I’ve read that a few times in fanfiction. It’s all in good fun and I quite like it, but I feel as if it devalues their bond somewhat. For in canon while we don’t know how they met we do know that they grew to love each other for their minds, a deep deep love and affection that went beyond physicality.

Another thing that interests me is McCoy. He is an integral part of the main trio of Star Trek. Putting Kirk and Spock together puts him in a separate category from them. We’d have Kirk and Spock who are in a relationship and McCoy who is their friend. Canon is far more interesting than that. For canon is this: we have Kirk, Spock and McCoy who are friends.

“Why is that more interesting? It’s just a category. It means nothing.”

Ah, but it does. For Kirk and Spock do love each other in a very special way. Because of that the fandom often forgets that McCoy is quite important as well. Amok Time. Spock called his friends down to the planet to be by his side. Not just Kirk, McCoy as well. However the only one he spoke to about his affliction was Kirk. This is so interesting, the only person he is close enough to for him to share this information is Kirk, and yet when McCoy figured it out Spock also wished for him to be by his side. If Kirk and Spock were together then this is so different. Rather than a complex web of love and friendship that is so different and yet so similar between all of them, they are pushed into these separate categories. Spock tells Kirk the truth- because he is his lover. Spock has McCoy come with- cause he might as well have a friend be with them for his and Kirk’s wedding am I right?

I understand that while it is a trio Kirk and Spock are the main duo of the show. However, this is a nitpick of mine. To be frank if I absolutely had to ship something it’d likely be McSpirk simply because it is closest to the canon.

Now let’s get back to what I brought up earlier… I stated why it is wrong to Kirk’s character to put him and Spock together despite them loving each other. But what about Spock? Is it damaging to his character? Well frankly it depends on your interpretation… If we’re talking about a fanfic of Spock being aroused by Kirk and kissing him on the captains chair then yeah, as fun a concept as that is- he would never do that. But that’s not because he doesn’t love Kirk, that’s not because of a conflict in his character where he yearns for something else, it’s simply because he doesn’t experience attraction like that. Ok let’s go, fun time, an analysis of Spock his relationship with romance and why his closeness to Kirk might very well be as close as he could ever be with someone not only mentally but also physically.

*ahem* So we all know that whenever there’s an episode where an attractive women is about all the men are frothing at the mouth over her except for Spock, for he is a Vulcan and far too dignified for something like that. It’s said and shown in many episodes that he is proud of his ability to be unaffected by such things, that he does not fully understand such things, and that he is incapable of such things, they are truly foreign to him.

“Wait a minute?? What about This Side of Paradise? Obviously there it’s revealed that he is capable of it!!”

No. You are mistaken.

This Side of Paradise is a wonderful episode. But it is not quite like that. When Spock is influenced by the spores it is quite against his will. He struggles and it hurts him, she says that it shouldn’t hurt for it didn’t for them, he says that he is not like them. That matters a lot. Against his will this was forced upon him. Under the influence he is able to experience human joy and human love, he loves her, he is capable of it now. It is then taken away as he loses the spores. At this moment he is obviously devastated.

“He is devastated, doesn’t that prove he wanted to be with her”

He did not want to have the spores, but because of them he experienced human joy and human love. Now it has been taken away. His devastation is more than reasonable. He can’t be with her now, but just moments ago he wanted to be.

This episode ends with Spock saying that for the first time in his life he was happy. That line stuck with me for much of the show. It is meaningful and filled with sorrow (I thought),and yet something about it didn’t make sense. He prefers the ship I know that. He chose to leave her. He has been happy before although in his own way… Despite my misgivings I took it at face value, Spock was happy for the first time on that planet and he wishes he could be again. Until I read an autobiography.

Within it an interview with Leonard Nimoy. The interviewer said just as I was thinking, poor Spock. Mr. Nimoy said he was wrong. Mr. Nimoy said that Spock is merely stating a fact, he experienced human happiness for the first time. Like if he had gone to a specific planet for the first time or eaten a specific dish for the first time. Now isn’t that interesting? That makes so much more sense. Of course he was sad at the end of that episode, but he still chose the ship he chose himself as he is.

Look I know this is long, and if you’re this far you’ll probably read any length, but as much as I want to go into each and every episode where Spock has a romance… I believe that what I’ve done will suffice for now.

Let’s get back to the main topic: I think that Spock’s closeness to Kirk is as close as he could be to anyone. I’ve already proven that romance does not come naturally to Spock. Now let’s get into the rest.

He touches Kirk more than he touches anyone else, he gazes at Kirk, he expresses himself only for Kirk, he looks to Kirk to see his reaction to anything and everything. He loves him. In Requiem for Methuselah that scene at the end is quite literally him saying to Kirk I love you. And if that seems like a reach to you.. it is not only my interpretation, I read it in the novel on Star Trek: Star Trek Lives! from 1975. So quite an official source wouldn’t you say? Yes that lovely scene did mean to convey such love.

When Kirk gets with a woman in front of Spock the camera always cuts to Spock looking dejected. He always has a valid reason. The captain has kept something from him, or something is wrong with Kirk, or this isn’t the time or place for such behavior, etc. Still, it is frequent. Fans like to say Spock’s jealous and he wishes to be kissed. I don’t think so. I do however think that Spock while tolerating and understanding of such behavior on Kirk’s part doesn’t quite like it. Because of love.

In Elaan of Troyius (one of the few episodes I can say was rather subpar), Kirk is forced to fall in love with a woman he does not love. When McCoy and Spock find out about this they have very different reactions. McCoy’s I find quite reasonable. He sounds upset, he’s exasperated, Kirk got into this mess he doesn’t know if he can cure, he’s got to find an antidote now and he’s annoyed and worried and Kirk’s always getting into these messes and- Spock is different. In perhaps the most devastated voice he’s ever used he says “It is true than Captain?” So… he loves his captain. I don’t have an explanation. I don’t think he wants the captain to kiss him instead, I don’t think he should be as worried as he sounds, no… actually, I believe I do know. I think that it truly pains him to see Kirk’s failed loves pan out in front of him, in Requiem for Methuselah it is the same, he doesn’t want to watch Kirk suffer so. In Elaan of Troyius he is pained to see Kirk be forced to love, to yearn for her. It is a unique thing though, he obviously does not enjoy the captains suffering in any sense, but in love it is particularly bad, he also doesn’t much like to see that captain with women even if he is understanding.

After this long long talk on Spock’s canon feelings regarding romance tell me… can you picture Spock falling in love and kissing and having a romantic affair? I can’t. Can you imagine him being as close as he is to the captain with anyone else? I can’t.

I think that Kirk is as close to Spock mentally as he could be with anyone, but I think he yearns for a women to be with to share mind and body with.

I think that Spock is as close to Kirk as he could be with anyone mentally and physically, and I don’t think he yearns for romance like Kirk does.

I think that these canon facts and their canon relationship is superior to simply disregarding all this complexity and placing them in a romance. That is why despite thinking it is perhaps the greatest ship to ever exist I do not ship them.

I wrote this for over 2 hours. I had a great time, if you can’t tell I’ve been thinking of this for a while! Despite how long this is, frankly, I think I only scratched the surface of what I have to say on their relationship, but damn despite the fun, this has gone on long enough! If you read all of this, please let me know your thoughts my dear anonymous asker, and of course anyone else who happens upon this. I finished rather late at night so I’m sure there are some errors, but damn I’m pretty proud, this is good shit for shippers and non shippers alike, enjoy folks

Edit: omfg guys I just checked and this is 2261 words?!? Man… and I could add more too

Edit2: so when I was writing it this is fr as short as I could get it, but now that I’ve got all these thoughts out of my head I was finally able to think of a way to say it simply:

I like canon. In canon they are friends. That’s that.

But y’know my fancy analysis still stands and frankly needs to be expanded upon, just thought I’d give y’all the simple version of it. (Purposely didn’t say tldr cause u guys gotta read the long stuff to earn the simple version)

[pen136]

ao3's down and i am depressed so heres some trucoop headcanons i guess?

harry:

horrible relationship with his father

catholic raised (internalized homophobia)

fell desperately in love with coop the moment he met him

smokes (doesnt like to admit it)

secretly enjoys light and sweet coffee

reads a lot, especially before bed (has stress-enduced nightmares and reading is the only thing that calms him, adores tolkien)

adorer of cereal, especially chocolate cereal

rarely lets himself cry (really needs to)

has struggled with depression and anxiety disorders for his whole life, thought everyone did until hawk told him it was alarming (hawk literally knows everything about harry, including the feelings for cooper)

loved josie, just not in the way he thought he was supposed to

gay

cooper:

good parents, now both passed away

raised to love himself

comfortable relationship with his own bisexuality

immediately felt love for harry, although it was not as soul crushing as harry's was

also smokes (on occasion)

loves boston cream donuts

enjoys crossword puzzles and intelligence based games, as they let his mind focus without tiring it out

allows himself to cry, just often doesnt need to

very affectionate with most people, but is self conscious about it because most people get weirded out (withholds himself from touching harry after the feelings are comprehended)

autistic, with ptsd regarding windom earle, probably general anxiety disorder (minimal panic attacks, which he usually works through independently)

knows how to deal with his mental health problems, helps teach harry how to do so as well

the worst nightmares ever, the second he loves someone they show up dead in his dreams (has called harry on numerous occasions to make sure hes still alive)

he and albert are a broken up situationship, one that ended because they ultimately loved each other as friends

bisexual

relationship <3

when cooper wakes up from nightmares, harry reads to him until he falls asleep again

both are cuddly and unmoving sleepers, so they are very very hard to wake up

harry confessed first, cooper then initiated most of the milestones (first kiss, first i love you, etc.)

they think theyre so sneaky about their relationship (hawk picked up on the feelings immediately, lucy saw them kissing in the office and pretended she didnt, andy thought they were married the whole time)

cooper loves to just stare at harry to embarrass him and then act all oblivious

they work through all their issues with minimal conflict, unless one of them is so agitated and exhausted that they just yell (usually harry, dale is much more level headed), and even then they talk it through after

both have awful morning breath

both normally taste of coffee and smell of pine

share clothes probably before they were even dating

harry starts to open up and cry more as their relationship progresses, and dale is extremely patient and kind about it (because ofc he is)

love each other more than anything ever forever

[deadliestpieceontheboard]

The Lofts

Since Nora posted the floorplan for Jean, Cat and Laila's new apartment I've been DYING to recreate it on The Sims. I also found the virtual tour of the place online to use as a reference :)

I also built the Columbia house and Abby's

By the end of TGR they have basically nothing yet, so I decorated here as if they're well into the season and had time to make it homey.

The shared area is definitely my favourite, making the kitchen look ready to be used by Cat and Jean, setting up a new papasan chair for Laila and giving a shelf for Jeremy to display his old Exy trophies. The little shelf near Jean's door also has a plate and, uhm, pot from their ceramics class. I wonder who made each...

The balcony also looks super nice, even if they wouldn't have such a view. Jean has space for his little garden and Jabber can play around.

The bedrooms i kept somewhat sparse, since it's said the furniture was bought mostly to fill their immediate need, but I think between pictures and the incentive of the Floozies even Jean gets a little bit of decor in. We also don't know yet if Jean got one or two beds for the room so... both options here. (I personally hc that Jabber would spend so much time with Jean that they have to get him a little bed by his desk)

It's not a big place, so here are the other rooms. The third bedroom is so tiny that only one desk fits inside, so I gave it to Cat's gaming setup and Laila will study in the kitchen. Also, Jean now has an emotional support bath rubber duck :)

[thenexusofsouls]

Xenos' head tilted and he stared at Wanda for a moment. "Amazing? Me? No..." he said, surprised that she would describe him that way. "Very c-common... in... my own... w-world. Not... anything... amazing." Of course he didn't realize that, at the present time and likely for the foreseeable future, he was the only human-incorporeal merged being in existence in the world. Despite how human he looked, though, Xenos still always thought of himself as his true self, as that bodiless being from a shadow dimension.

Nevertheless, he nodded at the rest of her sentiment. "Yes... en-... enthralled," he confirmed, his little grin so shy as he struggled to keep eye contact with her. Not because it was difficult or uncomfortable to do so, but because he was so very bashful over how he felt about Wanda. He didn't know why he felt that way, but he supposed it might be another relic of his human body. A reaction its previous owner used to have to females, perhaps?

"Mys...terious..." he repeated, his smile remaining as she described him with both his hood on and off. Xenos didn't think of the face he wore as his own, really. It belonged to someone else, a human that had passed on long ago, but as Wanda said his face was handsome, he supposed that it was his face now. It certainly wasn't anyone else's. And just like his blackened and altered extremities, changed by the influence of his true self housed within that physical body, Xenos supposed the face, too, had been changed in small ways the more he wore it and he moved it. It had earned some lines here and there in the skin, formed by expressions he commonly made, and it had become slightly cool to the touch, just like the rest of his body had, save for the very core of him. Did that not make it his own? "Thank you," he said, still wishing he could see himself the way she did.

Then again, Wanda didn't see herself the way Xenos did either. His brow furrowed a bit in disagreement as she said that she wasn't special. "Sp-... special... to me," he insisted. Did others really fear her? How could they? She wasn't cruel or irrational, so what did it matter that she was powerful? Power shouldn't be feared simply for its existence, he thought, but hadn't be been on the receiving end of that exact same fear? Humans, it seemed, were always fearing him for both his power and appearance. "Understand..." he commiserated. "Also feared," he shared, "but not... by you."

He loved the way she was rubbing his back. That was certainly an area he want used to anyone touching, but he liked it. "Feels nice..." he said contentedly, and his eyes kept closing slowly and opening again in an only half-lidded fashion, and might a contented cat when being pet.

- - - - -

"Yeah..." Tony mused. "I dunno, maybe it's nothing, or maybe it's something and he didn't even realize he was doing anything wrong. Or maybe he did. I really don't know, but I think we should just... not approach this completely naively. Strange might be going a bit overboard, but we don't have to overcompensate for him by not following up at all, you know? Let's at least do our due diligence on our end." After a second, he added. "But not... get too much in Fury's way. That man is scary when he's annoyed."

"To be fair, sometimes I am," he said cheekily. "But I get it. I do. Pepper tells me that all the time. 'Tony, your mouth is acting independent of your brain again.' And she's right. You're both right." There was perhaps a twinge of self-chastisement in his tone as he looked away for a moment. He recovered quickly, though. He always did.

- - - - -

Tony felt the nudge from Steve, looking over to see his friend with that... seriously, Tony? look on his face. "What? Well did you expect to find them all up in each other's business? 'Cause I sure didn't. Alright, I'll..." he trailed off, putting up his hands in defeat as he dropped the subject entirely.

Xenos was... so confused. What was wrong with embracing? Didn't humans do this all the time? He didn't, but that was only because he was so unused to the sensation of being touched that it tended to frighten or overwhelm him. That wasn't their problem, though. He didn't understand the reason for the surprise and awkwardness. "Okay..." he said softly to reassure Wanda as he noticed her positioning herself differently, protectively. "It is... alright. Shh..." he whispered, still rubbing her arm.

His gaze moved to Wanda's when she spoke, with him looking down at her from under his hood. She liked to see his face, she'd said, so he didn't want to hide it from her view. "Yes. Would... like that," he agreed. Honestly, he was surprised the humans were giving him a room to stay in at all, but it was... nice of them? As long as there wasn't an ulterior motive. If he was being honest with himself, Xenos was a bit afraid that the room was actually a trap of some kind, as though the moment he crossed the threshold he'd find himself trapped within it. But if Wanda went with him, maybe she would be able to tell if there were any traps before he entered.

He slowly rose to his feet, bringing Wanda along with him with a gentle arm around her, even as his other still rested on her arm. But then he reached up underneath his hood and, after a pause to prepare for the sound again, he removed his ear buds and held them out to Tony. "Thank you," he said, assuming he wanted them back.

"Oh, uh... No, it's-... You keep 'em. It's fine. I've got others," Tony said, politely waving them away while trying not to gawk at the very strange looking hand Xenos had extended to him.

Xenos looked down at them in his hand for a moment and then back up at Tony, having not expected to be permitted to keep the little devices which dampened sound so well for him. He nodded, almost dipping into a little bow, one hand laying briefly over his heart in gratitude, and slipped the buds back into his ears.

His hood moved to face Steve now as he spoke. Oh? They wanted to know more about him? Xenos was a bit nervous about that, but if they said it was nothing bad, maybe they were telling the truth? He really wished he could better discern when humans were lying and when they were not. That ability would really help him a lot. Nodding in answer to the first question, Xenos then looked around a bit at their surroundings. It appeared to only be the four of them, whereas inside that big building, there might be a lot of people around. "Here... is fine," he said with a slight shrug. He was willing to answer some questions, just as long as they were polite and weren't asked for the purpose of using the answers against him.

"Okay, well..." Tony began, glancing at Steve before he continued, "...we were... kindof..." -be nice, don't be a smart ass, "...wondering about that dome you created in the city. You... made it to block out the sound? Correct?"

Xenos nodded. "Sound. People. Chaos," he explained in his own way. "Needed... to calm... m-myself."

"People too," Tony keyed in on. "Because we noticed... that there seemed to be no people at all inside the dome. It wasn't like you just plopped it down, and wherever it fell, it fell, and it trapped people inside it with you."

"No," Xenos said. "Moved them."

"Oh so you did," Tony said. "We were wondering if you meant to do that, or..."

"M-meant to," Xenos confirmed. "Did not... need... them... there. Would... have b-been... scared."

"You would have been scared of them?" Tony asked.

"Of me. Sc-... scared... of me," Xenos said.

"They would've been scared of you. So you moved them outside... to... help them? Keep them safe?" Tony asked.

"Yes," Xenos said, happy the human was understanding him because his command of speech was most definitely lacking.

"Outside, though. So they're... okay now. You didn't... like make them disappear or wink them out of existence or anything, you just moved them," Tony asked for clarification.

"Yes. Outside. Just... moved. Sh-should... b-be fine. Did not... want... to hurt. No need... to be... cr-... cruel," Xenos said. Did they think he would just unmake the humans? He couldn't even do that, he didn't think. He could kill humans, and physically move them, but unmake them? He'd never tried, and frankly he didn't want to. And why were they asking him this, anyway? Wait... "Hurt?" he asked with some amount of guilty urgency. "I... hurt someone?" Was that why they were asking? Did one of the humans he moved get hurt in some way? "Un-... unin-...tentional," he pleaded, hoping they would believe him.

what are you afraid of? (Xenos)

Xenos should never have come this close to this developed of a human city. Even wandering the suburbs of New York City had been a trial for him, with car horns blaring, people yelling, and a sense of too many things moving around him all at once. But once he'd reached deep into the city, he knew he'd made a mistake. There was a stark lack of awareness from the people walking around him. Some bumped into him without warning while others simply seemed to have no spatial awareness whatsoever. There were even more car horns, and more yelling, and Xenos felt his chest tightening from the stress of it all.

Soon, he couldn't breathe, and try as he might to get out of there, it seemed the more he walked, the deeper into the city he embedded himself. "Back!" Xenos shouted to someone who had bumped into him hard, pushing him away with one of his hands.

"Hey man, screw you!" the human said to him as he kept on walking.

He hadn't realized that he'd wandered into a roadway until he was almost hit by a car. It screeched to a halt and Xenos lifted his hands to cover his ears as the sound of the car's horn blared so loudly he thought he would die. "Get away!" he yelled, and it happened. His magic lashed out, creating a dome of isolation around him, encompassing the entire block. Everything went silent, for he'd removed all the humans from within the dome, leaving them outside its invisible border. Inside, he left the animals and insects for they did not bother him, but the cars, trucks and buses were now uninhabited, turned off, still.

The silence was wonderful, and he felt the tension begin to release him. The dome's barrier kept out the sounds of the surrounding city, as well as those of the angry and confused humans who had been moved from their vehicles, or who could no longer pass down the street because of the invisible barrier. While Xenos paced back and forth in the middle of the street, slowly calming himself, people outside the dome where already calling emergency services and police, angry and scared by what had occurred.

The Avengers were called in.

Xenos moved inside a building, where it was dim and peaceful, taking deep breaths as he slowly wandered around. This was better. Much better. He didn't care or even realize the disruption he'd just caused within a major human city.

Outside, people were telling tales of a strange man who had somehow made invisible walls in the city, not fully understanding what all had happened. When the Avengers arrived, they were met with a large block of New York City that looked... empty, uninhabited. Cars left abandoned, doors to buildings left open. It looked like something out of a zombie apocalypse... but where were the zombies?

Steve couldn't punch through the wall. Tony's repulsors couldn't penetrate it either. They couldn't even see what it was they were trying to knock down. But not all members of the team were as hindered by the magical barrier as the rest...

Xenos knew the moment someone had entered the dome, and he twitched with the sensation of his magic being disturbed. Perplexed, for this had never happened before, he walked to the door of the building and peered out. A human was there... but how? No human should be able to defy his magic. None ever had before. He watched her from afar for a bit, until it seemed that she was, either intentionally or inadvertently, headed right for him. Did she know he was there? No, no, she could not. Humans lacked such senses, he knew, especially in this time. The sorcerers of old were all but gone from the world now, or... or at least Xenos hadn't encountered any for a very long time.

Slowly, he stepped out of the building and onto the sidewalk, his body tilting awkwardly to the right as his head did the same, as though he was trying to size her up and see her better. When she spoke to him, he recoiled suddenly from the sound of her voice. He didn't take steps back from her, but rather only leaned back, his head snapping backward a bit as a dog or cat might do if they were startled while curiously trying to get the scent of something. He thought about her words for some time before responding.

"Not afraid," he said, but his voice was barely there. He couldn't remember the last time he'd spoken to anyone to any real capacity, and his voice suffered from a lack of use. He didn't think it was loud enough for communication purposes, so he tried again. "Not... afraid." Xenos put up his hand almost as if he was making a wait a minute motion with it, but moved it up and down, as though pressing some imaginary buzzer in the air, his fingers outstretched. He was merely thinking of the right word, his head turning this way and that like the word might suddenly be floating in the air somewhere he could see. "Overwhelmed," he finally decided upon. "The city is... too much." His hands found his head and he swayed a bit, as thought he was in pain. "So I have expelled it... from this space." He then made a pushing away motion with both his hands, moving them out from his body.

But then Xenos' head tilted again, his face obscured by the draping hood of his long coat. "How...?" he asked, pointing back in the direction she came. "How... did you enter?"