#soar shifty

[another-lost-mc]

a/n: a continuation of this AU because there's no way they're letting lucifer & co have all the fun.

protecting what matters most | the dateables [the demon brothers]

1.4k words | sfw | gn!Reader

content/warnings: family dynamics and slice of life. fluff and angst, mention of character death and passage of time, mentions of raising children, platonic relationships with the demon brothers and dateables.

— Diavolo considers the pros and cons of allowing Lucifer and his brothers to continue visiting you in the human world after the exchange program ends. You helped lay the foundation for long-lasting peace between the realms, after all. Relations with the Celestial Realm aren't as chilly as they were previously, thanks to the glowing praise and endorsement of Simeon and Luke.

— Diavolo decides that maintaining a positive relationship with you can't do any harm. He also knows that Lucifer asking for permission for his family to visit you is only a formality. He knows they'll find ways to sneak out of the Devildom to see you whether he gives them permission or not.

— Diavolo misses you too, if he's being honest with himself. He remembers you fondly when Barbatos serves him a blend of tea from the human world, or when he scrolls through the gallery on his D.D.D. and comes across photos of you from various parties you attended at his castle. He denies those feelings at first but they're impossible to ignore when Lucifer and his siblings start seeing you on a regular basis. They return to RAD after a short weekend trip to see you and their moods are soaring. They share stories and pictures and videos with him, but it's not the same. They explore the human world with you and get to be part of your short but fulfilling life—who wouldn't be jealous?

— Diavolo contacts you personally and suggests catching up somewhere, just the three of you (of course, Barbatos will be there too). He brings up the possibility of visiting you too, when his busy schedule allows it. He ignores the shifty side-eye that Barbatos shoots him, and you accept his offer eagerly but you're worried about distracting him from his duties. His warm laughter makes you smile, and he reaches for your hand across the table and pats it gently with his own. You didn't think he'd let the brothers keep you all to themselves forever, did you?

— Uncle Dia likes to surprise your children with impromptu visits at seemingly random times. Sometimes Barbatos contacts you in advance to schedule play dates for your family and the Young Master. Diavolo holds your children's hands as he leads them through whatever amusement park or family-friendly outing he's planned. You mention casually that your children are better behaved than Diavolo is at times, and Barbatos nods in silent agreement. There are times when Diavolo arrives on his own, looking a little guilty when he explains he found a fun excursion he thinks your kids would enjoy. Barbatos shows up a few minutes later looking very annoyed that the prince managed to escape his paperwork again. It's too late for Barbatos to drag him away now; even he's not capable of refusing the sad, pleading eyes of your children begging for Uncle Dia to play with them for a little while longer.

— (Diavolo is generous with his gifts for your family. Too generous, despite your protests. Hotel Corvo suites are always available for you to use, all expenses paid for, because it pleases him to know that your family is safe and comfortable when you travel together. He collects a small amount of human world vacation properties that are also available for your family to use whenever you'd like. The demon brothers conveniently plan their own holiday to visit you when you go on vacation. Diavolo joins as well if he can convince Barbatos that they all deserve a break.)

— Your children flock to Uncle Barb (or Bah-Bah when they're very young) like little chicks. He is surprisingly gentle and mild-mannered with all of them, confident in his ability to care for them and infinitely patient with their wide-eyed wonder and innocent curiosity. When they're toddlers, he sits at a child's sized table with them and sips water from a plastic tea cup. He teaches them how to brew tea properly when they're old enough to enjoy it. Some of your favourite photographs are of him and your children baking together in the kitchen, and your youngest braiding dandelions into his hair. To Barbatos, watching your children grow up is like watching the young prince grow up all over again. Being in your family's presence is soothing for his old, weary heart.

— (You tell Barbatos early on that you don't want him to ever tell you about the future. You're not sure what he already knows and you don't want to know. He honours your request to a certain extent. There are rare instances when he shows up unannounced, usually in the late evening or early morning hours. He anticipates your heartache and sleepless nights following the tragedy or misfortune he hoped wouldn't come to pass. He makes tea and sits with you, offering you his company in silent apology for not being able to spare you that pain.)

— Uncle Sol is a menace. He is a somewhat regular visitor at your home and is always eager to lend a hand with the most mundane tasks. He insists that he likes babysitting your children if you need him to, and he's your children's second-favourite babysitter if Uncle Levi can't come over. Yours is the family Solomon will never have, and he considers any opportunity to spend time with you a blessing. He insists on helping you in the kitchen too. You try to ban him from cooking, but your empty threats fall on deaf ears. Sometimes you wake up to the smell of something wafting from the kitchen. He has the decency to look a little guilty when you find him at the stove with one of your children sitting on the counter next to him. It surprises and horrifies you that one of your children loves his cooking. (You don't know now, but each generation of your descendants will have one resilient soul who also loves his food.) Your children learn from a young age one very important rule: if a stranger is in trouble, call the police; if you or your family is in trouble, call Uncle Solomon. For all the headaches and mischief he causes, he never fails to show up when he's needed most.

— (Solomon considers your happiness and safety one of his priorities. You learn after your wedding that nearly every demon gave your spouse some version of the shovel talk, but you’re surprised to learn that Solomon did too—and apparently his was the scariest. You don’t know about all the sneaky ways he helps your family over the years, but he agreed to your one stipulation: no violence in front of the children.)

— Uncle Simmy and Uncle Luke are the best! You're genuinely shocked when they invite you to the café they opened together, located conveniently in your family's hometown. Simeon teaches your children how to cook properly when he visits, and he tells them fantastical stories loosely based on your own adventures in the Devildom. Luke helps your children make sock puppets to act out little plays they all come up with; if Simeon finds a way to include them in his newest volume of TSL, it's his little secret. You don't see the angels as often as the demons. Sometimes they invite your family to enjoy brunch at the café before it opens, or they stop by after a long day to join you for dinner. Luke takes lots of pictures and videos (since Simeon still can't figure that out himself). He shares them with Barbatos who posts them in the special group chat the demons all share for that sole purpose.

— Luke introduces Michael to your family one morning when he happens to be visiting the café the same time that you are. Your children don't hesitate to crowd around his chair and ask him rapid-fire questions about his hair and his pretty clothes and the yummy cake on the table in front of him. He looks between you and your children awkwardly, but he asks Simeon for extra forks so they can have some too. He offers a hesitant smile when he leaves the café nearly an hour later. Starting the year you meet him for the first time, your children receive holiday and birthday gifts from Uncles Simmy, Luke, and Mikey.

— (Each generation passes down old and new photos of the demons, angels and the whimsical sorcerer who cherish and protect your family. Your distant relations point to old photos of Luke, with his cherubic face and small stature, and coo about how cute he was back then. Luke, grown up now and dedicated to his guardianship of your family, blushes and smiles fondly at so many wonderful memories. The moment is short-lived and he grumbles when Simeon ruffles his hair affectionately like he used to.)

[sonjalikestodraw]

Slay the Princess Ask Game! :] 1. (Explore) What's your favorite Chapter?

2. (Explore) If you have a least favorite Chapter, then how would you go about changing it?

25. (Explore) What’s a moment in the game that emotionally destroyed you?

@ultranova75 asked: "Whats your favorite chapter? (Haven't seen anyone do the slay the princess ask game to you so I'll do it myself >:3)"

(asks from this) 1. The Wild, hands down. I have played most, but not all, variations in Pristine Cut, and I'm still processing those, so they're hard to rank. But Wild, she is the heart of the game to me. This chapter brings out all the best in each Voice and deepens all characters present. The way she embodies the longterm relationship metaphor and how many different ways you can end this codependency for something more earnest, or soar high into unity, always fire-forged by strife and love, is so deliciously open to all interpretions. Playing this feels different every time, in a good way.

And! Networked's ending made me trust Shifty even more in hindsight, because of that peek into absolute reality not being a fluke, but proven to be present throughout the game's reality.

2. I can't think of one right now, tbh. They're all satisfying in their own way. Some just cater more to my taste than others.

25. Many did, but off the top of my head: The Sleeping Mound's response to "You have been kinder to me than anyone else I've met. Why?/Thank you."

"Why wouldn't I be kind to you? You are the only thing I know that isn't me."

Every time, man. Every time, I tear up or cry out. The way the singing swells in Movement 3, the way she gently challenges my distrust and grim expectations, the way she heightens my faith in humanity.... I was stunned into a long silence the first time I experienced it in my first playthrough and I never stop wanting to hear her say that ever since.

If only people could operate from this assumption, all the time. If only. If only I could afford to be this soft, as I would like to be, all the time.

[pink-november]

Question 23! Specifically about The Fury.

23. (Explore) Any first impressions regarding [Character]? How about now?

Fury!!! My angy waifu getting all that yummy updates to her made her soar high in my personal princess tierlist!!! I don't have much to say about her pre-pristine cut other than she's tall and wears her flesh as a dress and she unwounds us and Shifty takes her away. But NOW! She is fucking awesome! She gets to have all this cool variants of her route with so many of our voices! Her character arc really got fleshed out and she had become more sympathetic and overall really cool and beautiful.

[edosianorchids901]

Soar Like the Wind

Ace Omens Hugfest prompt - "jumping into the other's arms hug"

“Angel. Angel. Angel.”

With a huff, Aziraphale put down the pretty rock he’d been examining. He turned, looking up. “What?”

Crawley waved at him from atop one of the nearby mud brick houses. “Hi.”

“Hello,” Aziraphale said cautiously. “What are you doing?”

“Well, I was napping.”

“On top of someone else’s house?”

“Yeah,” Crawley said as if that was normal. He came a bit closer to the edge, swaying slightly. “Anyway, they took the ladder away, guess they didn’t know I was up here. So I’m gonna jump down, and you can catch me.”

“That’s a terrible idea!” Aziraphale rushed over, waving his hands in a likely vain attempt to deter his adversary. “Weren’t you just telling me yesterday that your legs don’t work properly? That they have a tendency to give out? Do you not see a problem with jumping off a roof?”

“Not really?” Crawley frowned a little, inching closer to the edge. “I mean, that absolutely would be an issue if I was just gonna hop off—legs would definitely not like that, especially after sleeping on bricks—but you’ll catch me. So it’s fine.”

Aziraphale pursed his lips. “And what if I say no? We are on Opposite Sides, after all. I think Heaven would be much happier if I simply left you stranded atop the roof, where you couldn’t get in any trouble.”

“Nnnh, probably. But if you really think about it, Heaven would be happiest if you, I dunno…” Crawley thrust a hand up in the air, pointing to the perfectly blue sky. “Called down bolts of lighting to destroy me! But I don’t see you doing that.”

“That’s because there aren’t any clouds.”

“There were plenty of clouds in Eden.” Crawley smiled, and this time it was an awfully soft smile rather than a mischievous one. “But you didn’t smite me. You sheltered me. So, for my money, if I jump off this roof—”

He did not so much jump as slip, hurtling over the edge mid-sentence with a yelp of alarm. Aziraphale yelped too, hurtling forward to catch him.

Crawley slammed into Aziraphale hard enough to have knocked anyone else off their feet. Aziraphale, though, had planted himself firmly, a Principality rooted in place. He caught Crawley easily, both arms wrapping around his waist.

“Whoops.” Crawley clutched at him, eyes wide but a bright grin on his face. “Hadn’t planned to jump quite that soon. But see? You caught me.”

“I think that was much more of a fall than a jump.” Heart pounding, Aziraphale tightened his arms around Crawley. If confronted on whether this was a hug, he would have denied it. But after that fright, he couldn’t bring himself to let go just yet. “Please do not do that again, Crawley. I’m afraid you would have hurt yourself quite badly if I’d let you down.”

“You wouldn’t,” Crawley said with a truly unsettling amount of faith. “Er. You can probably put me down now, though.”

“Oh.” Cheeks hot, Aziraphale carefully set Crawley down in the sand. He caught the demon’s slender arm, steadying him as he swayed. “There. Now, um… I suppose I ought to escort you to the tavern.”

The mischievous grin was back on Crawley’s face at once. “Oh?”

“Yes. Certainly.” Aziraphale gulped. “You see, this sand is awfully shifty and loose, and I wouldn’t like you to fall again when I’ve only just saved you from catastrophe. And besides, if I escort you, I can keep you from committing any more crimes like sleeping on someone else’s roof.”

“Yeah, all right.” Crawley winced a little, bent over, and picked up the pretty rock. He pressed it into Aziraphale’s hand. “In that case… can I tempt you to join me in some beer? Hot day out.”

Aziraphale stared at the pretty rock for a moment, taken aback. He’d forgotten about it in the chaos of tumbling demons. But Crawley hadn’t forgotten. Perhaps it was his way of saying thank you.

“Oy.”

“Yes! Yes.” Aziraphale blinked away a few tears, touched by the gesture. Crawley lifted an eyebrow in inquiry. “Yes, it is quite a hot day out. And beer sounds lovely.”

Grinning again, Crawley set off with his usual odd saunter. “Terrific. Come on, angel.”

Aziraphale fell in step beside him. Yes, he would thwart Crawley’s wiles as much as he could. But in truth, he suspected it might prove more important to thwart Crawley’s creative plans for getting himself out of trouble.

[hesbuckcompton-baby]

Band of Brothers as Hozier songs - Part 2

Part 1 is here

Tags: @xxluckystrike @dcyllom @lewis-winters @hellofanidea

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

David Webster - Almost (Sweet Music)

The very thought of you, and am I blue? / A love supreme, seems far removed / I get along without you very well / Some other nights

Babe Heffron - Nobody

I'd be appalled if I saw you ever try to be a saint / I couldn't fall for someone I thought couldn't misbehave / But I want you to know that / I've had no love like your love

George Luz - Damage Gets Done

You and I had nothing to show / But the best of the world in the palm of our hands, and darling / I haven't felt it since then / I don't know how the feeling ended / But I know being reckless and young / Is not how the damage gets done

Donald Malarkey - I, Carrion (Icarian)

I do not have wings, love, I never will / Soaring over the world you are carrying / If these heights should bring my fall / Let me be your own / Icarian carrion / If the wind turns, if I hit a squall / Allow the ground to find its brutal way to me

Joseph Liebgott - No Plan

There's no plan, there's no race to be run / The harder the rain, honey, the sweeter the sun / There's no plan, there's no kingdom to come / But I'll be your man if you've got love to get done

Bill Guarnere - First Light

Your eyes open, at first a thousand miles away / But turning, shoot a silver bullet point-blank range / And I can scarce believe what I'm believing in / Could this be how every day begins?

Floyd Talbert - Someone New

Would things be easier if there was a right way? / Honey there is no right way / So I fall in love just a little ol' little bit / Every day with someone new

Shifty Powers - Wasteland, Baby!

All the things yet to come are the things that have passed / Like the holding of hands, like the breaking of glass / Like the bonfire that burns / At all worth, in the fight fell too / Wasteland, baby / I'm in love, I'm in love with you

Renee Lemaire - Would That I

With each love I cut loose, I was never the same / Watching still living roots be consumed by the flame / I was fixed on your hand of gold / Laying waste to my loving long ago

[theunexplainable]

“Come one, come all, and get your free goldfish here! Just win the game and gain a fish!” The carnival game manager shouted at Kratos as the buff man walked past.

“Oh! Can we get a fish father?” Atreus asked, eyes gleaming with excitement as he looked up at his dad.

Kratos grunted in response, gazing down at his son and then looking back at the carnival game. The game had a toy bow and multiple plastic targets, it would be easy for Atreus to win seeing as he was very skilled with the bow he had at home. Kratos nodded, and let Atreus lead him to the game.

“Do you know how to use a bow kiddo?” The game manager asked, leaning downward from his seat to get a foot or so from Atreus’s face. The boy nodded vigorously, picking up the plastic bow and turning it over to get a good look at it.

“Five arrows for a buck.”

Kratos grunted, and reluctantly handed the shifty guy a dollar from his pocket. The game manager in turn handed Atreus five arrows, the boy took them easily, and knocked one into the bow string. He pulled the arrow back, the bow string tensing as it was pulled with, he then let the arrow go, it soared quickly through the air, and landed smack dab onto the center of a target.

“Nice shot, the next ones might not be so lucky!” The game manager laughed, “you do need five of them to get a fish after all.”

Atreus once again picked up an arrow, slotting it onto the bow and firing, quickly picking up another and firing again. Each arrow he shot hit its mark with speed, each one of them a bullseye.

“I hit all the targets, can I have my fish now?” Atreus asked innocently, looking up at the man who sat gapping at him.

“Sure, whatever, take the fucking fish!” He shouted, throwing his hands up and hopping off his stool, continuously shouting angrily, something about how the game was supposed to be hard.

The duo went home after that, and together, with the help of Mimir, they set up a fish tank for the small fish, putting the small fish in it once it was acclimated to the temperature of the tank. The tank had a sand floor, with pieces of driftwood and plants scattered throughout. It was a small tank but it was large enough to fit more fish, and it was decided that tomorrow they would get more fish so that the goldfish wouldn't be alone.

“Now Jormungander will have a friend!” Atreus declared excitedly, leaning over and looking into the snakes tank, the snake in turn lifted its head to look at him.

“Indeed lad,” Mimir agreed, pulling the young boy slightly away from the tank so that the snake could have some peace. “Now, what would you like to have for dinner?”

_______________________________________________________________________

I'll have more coming soon! Hope ya like this one! This was inspired by a writing idea I got from a coworker!

[bo-bo-bean]

Chapter Two: A Swing and A Miss

Flaky stared with wide eyes. Nausea was bubbling like lava in her stomach. Flippy, on the other hand, was feeling cold, as if he had just dunked himself in an ice bath.

“So, I thought it would be a great idea!” Giggles finished up a conversation not heard by the bear and porcupine.

“... this?” Flippy asked with a nervous smile. Flaky giggled in a hysteric, desperate manner. She often laughed when really nervous. Here, in front of her… was her worst nightmare. The bear tried to offer some etiquette, showing his open hand. She flinched at it.

“Uh… hey, Flaky…! Good to… see you again,” he grinned as best as he could. Trapped in a social snare, she timidly took his hand and shook it once before snatching it back.

“Awww see? Already, this is going great!” Cuddles chimed in, his arm wrapped around Giggles. Flippy gave a glare to the rabbit before Toothy saved the day.

“This is gonna be great! You’ll see! Just relax and have fun!”

Flippy opened his mouth to seemingly object to either one part or the whole situation, but it didn’t get out before Cuddles wrapped his other arm around Toothy and then looked at Petunia.

“Well, it’s about time we get going!”

“G-going!?” the nervous quilled friend seemingly yelped out. Terror had her by the throat.

“Yep! We got other things to do! But you two have fun!”

“Ah, wait wait,” Flippy reached out. “What do we do…!?”

“Up to you!” Giggles tittered. Before anything else was asked, they all left the two in the middle of downtown. Flaky felt herself panicking. There was no way she could hang out with a monster…! Just seeing his crest and three arrows kept dragging the thought of him being insane in her head, flooding her vision.

“I don’t get where their intentions lie…” the bear sighed. He looked at Flaky for input, but saw she was about to fall to the snow. “Flaky…!”

He went in front of her, holding her hands and giving them a squeeze. “Hey, hey it’s alright…! Can you hear me?”

She feebly nodded, trying to match his gaze. When her eyes couldn’t stay in the same place, Flippy picked up on it. “No no just worry about hearing me. We’re going to do box breathing.”

“B-box…” she muttered.

“Breathe in, as much as you can,” he instructed. “Let your stomach expand, let your shoulders reach your ears, just breathe in. Visualize a… balloon.”

“W-won’t it pop!?”

“Okay okay! Not a balloon! A uh… imagine the ocean…!”

“I-it’s dangerous…! Th-the creatures and-and drowning…!”

“Well what are you NOT scared of?”

She already felt like she was being a hassle, a bother, a waste of time… but Flippy didn’t seem impatient. Rather, quite the opposite. She could tell he was giving a gentle smile.

“B-... base… ball…” she wheezed.

“Okay, that’s good! Imagine, uh, winding up to hit the ball…! You’re stretching your arms back all the way. See yourself doing that and breathe until you can’t stretch anymore.”

With a nod, she did so. Despite the snow falling, she already could feel the sunny, dry day and the clear sky. The sun behind her, friends cheering from the bleachers, even Flippy! He always did come to her games. No matter what, even if she lost, he brought her a drink or a snack, say good game and give a smile. He once pat her back but when she flinched away, he stopped and did what was comfortable to her. “Aaaand now you’re the baseball,” his voice spoke through her thoughts. She almost imagined the Flippy in her head saying it to her. “You get hit and you’re soaring through the sky…! Until you hit the ground, until your belly deflates and shoulders are slack? Breathe out.”

The breath she held was slowly released. She imagined the baseball catching the perfect light, no distractions of wind or players scurrying to catch it.

“Go Flaky!!” Flippy screamed from the bleachers.

Flaky, in her jersey, looked at Flippy as her knees were stuck together like glue. Her legs were shaking up a storm.

“She won’t do it…!” Shifty scoffed. “Who wants to bet she gets scared, eh? Let’s start a betting round!”

“She can…!” Flippy squinted. “You can! Just focus on the ball!”

She glanced at Flippy for what seemed like an eternity before giving a smile. He always was there to root her on, whether she scraped herself or won, he believed in her. Well… maybe he didn’t. Maybe he knew just as well under pressure, she was horrible. But… hearing him cheer her on over and over at every game? It helped her so much. He didn’t even know what it did for her, but she knew it did everything.

The windup, the pitch, a curveball…! She could handle fastballs, sluggers even, but oh, how she dreaded the curve! Still, she did as Flippy said. Focus… Focus…

She closed her eyes and swung, hearing the familiar crack on her bat.

“Yes!! Go Flaky! Go!!” he screamed out with absolute joy. She opened her eyes, seeing the ball soaring through the sky like nothing! She did that!? She did!?

Without wasting time, she flung the bat away and sprinted. Going, going, almost gone! The ball bounced off the fence and then to the grass in front of it.

“Grab it!” Cuddles shouted. As Toothy scurried over to the fence, Flaky made it past first base. Itching the adrenaline and seeing the ball wasn’t retrieved yet, she made her way to second, sliding in until her toe hit it, rolled and back to running to third! Flippy was hollering with joy, she could tell at that moment he did believe in her. He always had!

A hop on third and finally on her way to home. She was going to make it! She would make Shifty eat those words! She would show everyone this scardey-pine was more than just dandruff and quills! She would be in the front page of newspapers! “Flaky, professional athlete scores a homerun for Happy Tree Town!” She would read that over and over, relishing in-

“Out!”

The word made her stop, realizing Toothy had the ball and tagged her arm, wheezing.

“I got it!” he cheered. One point for the opposing team and they had won.

Toothy’s team ran over and lifted him up in the air, chanting his name. Shifty, collecting heaps of cash from swindling on the bet, gave a sneer to her. “Thanks for the free cash!” he called.

Feeling like garbage, her once shaken knees now finally gave out on to the dirt. Her eyes became hot, welling up with tears before she saw a green hand in view.

“Hey, don’t beat yourself up…!” Flippy told her. Sniffling, she took the hand and lifted herself up, wiping her eyes. “That was incredible!”

“N-no it wasn’t…” she kicked at the dirt, hands tied in knots behind her back. “I beefed it…”

“Nah, I couldn’t tell.”

She looked up with a curious expresssion, meeting his own proud face. “I’ve never seen you that determined in your life…! You hit the ball to the fence! You ran faster than Cuddles across that field and you didn’t give up…! Even if you lost, you didn’t lose.”

“Why’s… Why’s that…?”

“Well… do you want to stop?”

“S-stop baseball?” She was flabbtergasted at such a question. “N-no…! I love baseball!”

“Then you didn’t lose,” she shook his head. “A loser would give up. You still won…! You don’t lose unless you let one thing stop what you love.”

Hesitantly, he put a hand on her shoulder and gave it a pat. “I admire that, really I do. So… come on, winner,” he pointed in a direction. “I’m getting you an ice cream!”

“Y-... you’re sure?” She no longer felt upset. Honestly… she felt touched. If it wasn’t evident he believed in her, it was now.

“Yeah! You did astonishing today!”

With a small smile, she nodded and walked beside him.

“... thank you,” she spoke out. “For… um… showing up…”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he told her. “You’re a great player.”

“Flaky…!”

She gasped, opening her eyes. There was Flippy, in front of her, covered in snow. “You okay?”

“... I… think so,” she told herself to be sure before nodding. “Yeah, I think so.”

“Phew…” he put his paw over his chest. “I thought I lost you… You just weren’t really talking.”

“I-I wasn’t? S-sorry…! I didn’t mean to-to…” she trailed off. “... sorry…”

“It’s okay, really it is…!” he chuckled, his shoulders bouncing along. “Come on, I thought of a great idea for us to do.” This caught her interest, peering up at him, then following his pointed finger to a cafe. “Hot chocolate sounds delightful, doesn’t it?”

A blink, then a smile and another nod.

“Y-yeah it um… it IS cold, yeah,” she thought out loud.

“Plus, who would turn down some?” he joked. They both wandered into the doors, embracing the warm air and the smell of baked goods and coffee, along with the seasonal scent of peppermint. “We could get some and maybe wander around and look at the lights. Nothing too extreme, would be a nice start, right?”

“Oh…! Y-yeah, I like that…!”

They went up to the counter to Lammy.

“Hi Flippy! Hi Flaky!” she waved eagerly. “Happy to see friendly faces!”

“Same to you…!” Flippy started the conversation, knowing Flaky wouldn’t be able to. “We’re just hoping to get some hot chocolate.”

He opened his jacket to pull out his wallet, but Lammy held up a hand.

“Oh, it’s already paid for!”

“Huh?” the two questioned almost in sync.

“Who… would?” Flaky wondered.

“... Christmas miracle?” he chuckled a little.

As they ordered, Petunia from a far table looked up from the menu she was hiding behind.

“How much did you put down, Toothy?” she asked to her left.

“Uh… like… ten… maybe… fifty?”

“Fifty!?” Giggled gasped. Cuddles tried to quiet her down, but knew doing so would enrage her even more. “Why fifty!?”

“I thought they would get a meal, alright…!?” he threw his hands up. “I try to do something nice…!”

“Better be expensive cocoas then,” the skunk tisked.

“Just cocoas? Nothing else?” the rabbit inquired.

“Well, let’s hope they at least get something to eat. Food is always a good bonding moment!” Giggles settled with a smile. “I know my Cuddly Bunny and me would never have our six month anniversary if he didn’t see how I would demolish a hamburger…!” She hugged his arm as he reminenced.

“It was like a lion,” he admitted with a big smile, leaning on her head. “It’s why I fell in love with her…”

“Oh oh! They have their drinks…! We gotta go…!” Toothy pointed.

“Wait, well now I’m hungry for hamburgers…!” Cuddles whined. “Can’t we at least get fries?”

“Now!” Petunia yanked his arm and followed the two out as they laughed together, to go cups filled with whipped cream.

“I didn’t think they would be literal on the extra whipped cream…!” Flippy snorted. He tried licking any spillage that fell over the rim, but it just got all over his fur. “Awwuugh…!”

“Pssheeheehee! I got nahahapkins!”

“Thank god you’re so cautious,” he gratefully told her, grabbing one and wiping his hands. She giggled again, blew at her drink a few times before sipping it and looking at the falling snow. “So, feel a little better?”

“Ah, yeah,” she nodded. “Breathing really helped…”

“I’m glad…!” he beamed. “We used that trick a lot in… erm…” A side glance as he trailed off, but quickly reeled back. “Well just a trick I learned.”

“I’m glad you did,” she nodded. The two set off towards the light display, sipping on their drinks gingerly and laughing as Flippy continued to clumsily drink his own, with hopefully unseen guests following.

[softguarnere]

Like A Girl (Like A Man)

Shifty Powers x OFC

Chapter 16: Adalonige

Summary: Zenie blinks, stunned. A few feet behind her, the Dutch are smiling and kissing the Americans. Yet here, they’re humiliating some of their own.

A/N: Everyone say "thank you Tumblr" for finally letting me upload the moodboard 🙏🏼Chapter title is the Cherokee word for "orange"

Warnings: mentions of the boarding school era, war, death

Taglist: @liebgotts-lovergirl @latibvles @ithinkabouttzu @lieutenant-speirs @mrs-murder-daddy

Holland, 1944

The jump into Holland isn’t at all like the jump into France.

For veterans of Normandy, there’s no need to be nervous as they wait outside the planes. Those who are nervous do nothing for themselves but reveal their newness; they give themselves away as replacements, which is still a sore subject. Zenie’s already unworried mood soars when someone slaps her on the back and greets her with a friendly, “Howdy, Tommy!” If Popeye’s return lifts the spirits of Easy, then Sobel’s return humbles them once again. At least their old captain won’t be leading them into battle. 

The jump itself is almost casual. Been there, done that. Instead of the anxiety that so easily crept in with the darkness back on that fateful June night, the bright blue sky and sunny weather remind Zenie of the training jumps back at Camp Mackall. It’s like jumping into an ocean of the deepest blue – peaceful.

She lands easily in the Drop Zone with the rest of her company and platoon. And instead of being greeted by a hostile German soldier, she and the others find themselves being welcomed by a Dutch population who seem happy with their arrival. So happy, in fact, that grateful women grab them and kiss them as they try to weave through the crowd that is clogging the town.

Not the first time that she’s been kissed after making a jump. But instead of Shifty she finds herself being pulled in by a very enthusiastic woman with perfume that smells like flowers after a spring rain.

“Blonde!” Skinny smiles from nearby, using one hand to point to the woman who has taken immense interest in Zenie, and using his other to caress a tall woman with glossy hair.

For her part, Zenie offers the woman a kind smile and then nimbly removes herself from her embrace as politely as she can. The woman is beautiful, yes, but Zenie has had only one person on her mind since they left that pub after Lipton announced that they were moving out.

There was no chance to talk to Shifty before they jumped. As they maneuver through the crowd, she catches glimpses of him. He’s always just out of reach. Did he feel this way when Zenie was avoiding him?

“Sign, sign!” An older woman insists. She thrusts a small book and a pen into Luz’s hands.

“These people sure do like us,” he remarks as he scribbles Clark Gable into the lady’s book. “I think I like them a lot more than the French.”

“Well, they’ve been occupied for five years,” Bill reminds him. He uses his neat script to sign a fake name in the little book before he tosses it to Zenie.

She catches it, followed by the pen, then freezes with the tip hovering over the page, Tommy Driver ready to be written. Something stops her. Instead, she uses the signature that she hasn’t used in years, and Zena McGlamery appears on one of the pages in the book. Marilyn had spent hours teaching Zenie to make a good, neat, loopy signature when she was thirteen, her older sister determined that she should have a good signature despite Zenie’s left-handedness. She’s always thought that had too many loops and took up too much space, but now, seeing the neat loops take up a whole page, Zenie can’t help but smile. Marilyn would agree that her name has never looked better. She snaps the book shut and hands it back to the woman before anyone can see what she wrote.

“We have to keep moving!” The command has been yelled over the noise of the celebratory crowd over and over again. It’s the first time that Zenie hears it. She tries to follow her company, only for their progress to be slowed as enthusiastic Dutch people swarm forward to hug them and shake their hands.

“Keep moving! Go! Go! Go!”

The crowd gives way very suddenly to a small clearing, like she’s just sailed off the edge of the world. Zenie finds herself at the crowd’s edge and takes a deep breath as she reorients herself. On one side of her, the happy crowd continues celebrating among the cheerful swirls of orange banners. She’s standing in a sort of channel that angry looking Dutchmen occasionally cross, leading scared looking women roughly by the arm. She watches them, only to find that on her other side, a much smaller, more aggressive crowd has formed. Words that Zenie doesn’t understand are chanted over and over. What really grabs her attention, though, is that coming from the center of the crowd, there are loud wails.

She somehow ends up among the chanting Dutch. They part for her, allowing her into their midst so she can watch the display happening in the center of their circle.

It reminds her of illustrations that she’s seen in history textbooks of prisoners fighting in the Roman Colosseum. The loud wailing is coming from women who have been forced into the center. People tear their clothes and force them to their knees. The women cry as their fellow Dutchmen step forward with scissors and shears and begin roughly hacking away at their hair.

Zenie blinks, stunned. A few feet behind her, the Dutch are smiling and kissing the Americans. Yet here, they’re humiliating some of their own.

“They’re hurting them!” Zenie turns to a tall man standing next to her. “What are they doing to them?”

The man gives her a blank look. Someone taps her on her shoulder from the other side. A girl about her own age gestures toward the crying women.

“They slept with the Germans.” She says it matter-of-factly, like it explains everything.

“Why are they – “ There are so many things to ask. She settles on, “ – doing this to them?”

Once, and only once, Zenie remembers her mother telling her about arriving at boarding school as a child and how she and some of the younger children had cried when their hair had been cut. Maybe hair is also important to the Dutch. Maybe, like those children, this is about taking away their memories and their strength.

The girl offers her a simpler answer instead.

“To mark them. So that everyone knows what they did. They will be recognized in an instant for what they have done.”

One of the women in the middle of the circle cries out, her voice much louder than the other sobs. It distracts the girl beside her, who turns her attention back to the public shaming. Zenie has more questions, but the girl is engrossed in the scene. Before she can ask anything else, a hand grabs her shoulder.

Eugene keeps his eyes on Zenie when he jerks his head toward some of the other men from Easy who are standing behind him. “Let’s go.”

She doesn’t protest when he leads her away from the crowd.

A lieutenant gets shot and it’s really all downhill from there.

Sergeant Randleman keeps everyone moving. Those who have known him since Toccoa are ready to follow his orders before he even finishes them. Shocked replacements have to be dragged along as they charge out of the ditches and into the town.

Zenie wasn’t at Brecourt Manor. Carentan had been bad, yes, but now, as she crouches behind the mazes of low walls and hedgerows, she wonders if this is what her friends felt like as they ran through the trenches, hunched over and high on the adrenaline of first-time combat.

Tiger tanks emerge from seemingly everywhere. Haystacks mobilize to fire at them from along the fields. Windmills sputter to life as bullets fly from the tops of them. A few Dutch families lean from their windows and shout. Whether they’re trying to help the Americans or banish them before more damage can be done to their neighborhoods is anyone’s guess.

What have the British dragged them into?

“I don’t think the Dutch are gonna like us very much after all this,” Bill says as they run from one house to another.

From the tops of buildings, artillery fire rains down on the walls that have provided some cover, destroying what few routes they could safely travel on. Zenie falls into a pattern of running between buildings when she thinks the coast is clear, then using the walls for cover as she tries to shoot at rooftops that she thinks the Germans are targeting them from. Then she runs to the next building before they can zero her in. Her rifle probably isn’t doing her any good at such a distance, but at least she’s doing something – unlike the small clump of replacements that she can feel trapsing behind her.

“Are you gonna help or not?!” She demands as she stops behind a small shed.

The little band of replacements gape at her.

Zenie jerks her head toward the shed, trying to indicate one of the large, stately houses that sits across a lawn from them. “That’s where they’re firing from. We gotta avoid letting them zero us in.”

Bang! Bang! She fires, then ducks and runs, the replacements hot on her heels. Wherever he is, she hopes that Babe isn’t blundering around like this. He seems like he has a good head on his shoulders. Hopefully he knows how to fend for himself in combat.

Just as she thinks of Babe, she hears a gruesome grunt behind her. One of the replacements falls to the ground, dead. The others stop to stare at him with open mouths. Right there, out in the open.

“Come on!” Zenie urges them. “We have to – “

“Fall back!” The order cuts her off. One that she never imagined being pleased to hear.

“Thank God,” she mutters as she tightens her grip on her rifle and runs.

A few feet ahead of her, Bill and some others are hauling Compton on a door to drag him out of combat. Other men file past them, dropping down into ditches for cover as they flee the destroyed buildings and the artillery fire behind them. Zenie drops down and then quickly slides out of the way as the replacements file in behind her.

“Van Klinken!” Someone exclaims. “He’s still back there. He’s alive!”

Eugene springs into action, running in a crouched position to go find the wounded man. A few others list of men who were lost. Most of them are names that Zenie doesn’t recognize; almost all are named by replacements. Instead, Zenie searches the faces of everyone else in the ditch, looking for those she does know.

She does the same when they load the trucks. Which is a challenge, as men hunch over on themselves, burying their heads in their hands with disappointment and grief. Still, Zenie catches sight of Babe’s bright hair, a somber looking George with his radio, and Joe all covered in sweat.

“I don’t know where The Bull is,” Bill says to Johnny Martin just as the trucks start to pull out.

Zenie looks around as they move, trying to find others. McClung has his head buried in his hands. She hears someone say Popeye’s name.

“Aye, sit down!” Bill reaches across several people and tugs on Zenie’s arm to lower her back into her seat when she stands, looking around at all the trucks, trying to find him.

Her words tumble out before she can stop them – before she even realizes what she’s saying. “But I can’t find him!”

“Who?”

“Shifty!”

“Shifty?” A few seats over, McClung lifts his head. His eyes look so sad that whatever he’s about to say can’t be good.

Zenie’s mouth goes dry. “Yes.”

McClung nods. “He loaded into the truck in front of us.” Then, like he knows what she’s thinking, “I saw him. Looked fine.”

They hold eye contact for a minute. Zenie searches Earl’s eyes for any sign that he might just be saying this to pacify her. He’s searching hers for God knows what. Whatever he’s looking for, he must find it, because he nods, satisfied.

Zenie mirrors his motion. She sits back, sighing as the wind whips her face.

All is not lost.

[bridgertonbabe]

In your HP AU does William ever turn his siblings/cousins/father into a weasel by accident (or at least William will say it’s an accident but his mother sees right through his cheeky grin)

Oh I don't doubt that William would be inspired after hearing about the time his uncle transformed his father into a weasel.

One day when the kids are all home from Hogwarts Sophie realises things are quiet - too quiet. She sets off to investigate and while she finds Violet keeping Benedict company in his studio, the only one of her sons she is able to locate is William.

Immediately she knows he's up to something from the cheeky grin brimming on his face and the shifty way he's acting and when she asks where his brothers are he shrugs and says he thinks they went for a walk. A second later William lets out a cry and whips his hand out of the pocket of his hoodie and frantically tries throwing off the tiny weasel biting into his hand.

Sophie can barely comprehend what's going on when William shrieks again and seconds later a second weasel emerges from the collar of his hood. William manages to free himself of the weasel biting him, sending the little creature soaring through the air.

Instinctively, without even thinking, Sophie darts a hand out and catches the weasel. When she gently examines the creature it lets out a squeal and brings a paw to her face, as if trying to tell her something.

Meanwhile the second weasel scrabbles onto William's shoulder, leaps onto a nearby desk and from there launches itself onto Sophie's arm before scurrying into her other hand and once she brings him closer to her face he also squeals frantically at her.

Sophie can barely fathom the bizarre situation and can't help but be reminded of the time Colin turned Benedict into a weasel - and it's only then that something suddenly clicks. Her jaw drops open as the two little weasels she's holding gaze at her desperately and then she catches a look at the shit-eating yet guilt-ridden grin on William's face.

"YOU TURNED YOUR BROTHERS INTO WEASELS?!?!"

After hearing his wife's rage-filled scream, Benedict bursts into the room, wanting to know what was going on. He never could have guessed the scene he walked in on as Sophie waved her wand at two little weasels situated on the rug and in the flash of an orange light, the pair of tiny creatures were replaced by a thoroughly peeved Charlie and Alex.

Benedict opened his mouth to ask what on earth his wife was doing transforming their sons into animals and back again when in an instant he suddenly put two and two together and snapped his head into the direction of his youngest and most mischievous son, his eyes narrowing in the face of William's rather entertained facial expression.

It's safe to say that for the rest of the holidays William is grounded, he is left to go without any desserts, and he is met by utter contempt and distrust by his older brothers.

[artdecosupernova-writing]

OC Kiss Week Day 1: Greeting

WIP: Darkspace Portent series Pairing: I’m…not sure how to answer this. Timeline: Between M31 and M33 CW: heavy kissing Rating: T idk lol Words: 1,456

***

Warren stared, flabbergasted, at Commander Sig Libra sitting on the other side of Thrive down the bar. They poised their bottle of sparkling water at their grinning lips, watching Thrive's reaction though they'd just addressed Warren not a moment ago.

"You want me to what?" Warren exclaimed, the register of his voice practically soaring above the casual commotion of the establishment.

Sig tipped the neck of their water toward Thrive. "Provided he gives consent."

Thrive turned his head to Warren, an indecipherable expression curtaining his true feelings on the matter. "I do. Though I feel the need to point out that Guetry harbors a particular attachment to Warren that may be cruelly exacerbated by this."

Warren scooted his glass of bourbon aside to jab a finger onto the bar top. "Uh, excuse me…Thrive gets a consent check over me? I'm the one you dared to kiss Guetry as soon as he got here."

Sig shrugged. "You can say no. I wouldn't worry too much about him, though. After the shock wears off he'll think it's funny."

Eyeing the door of the bar somewhat hesitantly, Warren frowned. "I get the feeling this won't go the way you think it will, Sigmet."

"His instincts have merit," Thrive said to Sig after swallowing the remainder of his rosé. "I think, ultimately, the decision is yours, Warren. If you truly feel that what is intended to be a harmless prank will result in disaster, no one is going to force you into it."

Warren watched a drop of water roll down the outside of Sig's bottle. Part of him wanted to go through with it just to see the look on Guetry's face when he acted like nothing happened after the fact, and that was the part of him that was convinced that Sig had a point. Warren may have been Guetry's best friend, but Sig was a partner, someone who saw every facet and flaw, and there was no reason not to trust them up to that point.

"What would Mercury say?" Warren finally asked.

"He'd be in hysterics," Sig said. "Trust me. I wouldn't suggest any of this if I thought it would hurt Guetry in any way."

"That's true, too." Warren rotated his tumbler between idle fingers and gave Thrive a final peek. "You sure you're okay with this?"

Thrive folded his hands. "I have reservations, but none of them involve the idea of you kissing someone else." He impressed on Warren another cryptic look, and as Sig busied themself with talking to the bartender, a wordless exchange passed that was as loud as anything they could've audibly said to each other.

Warren read it loud and clear. "Right." He downed his bourbon and pushed away from the bar, suddenly needing a restroom. "If he comes in when I'm gone, I'll do it when I get back."

He rolled over the prank in his mind well into washing his hands, during which the bathroom door opened and Guetry popped in, presenting himself with no makeup, just an oversized t-shirt and ripped jeans—unusually downplayed for an outing on the Node.

He gave Warren a playfully shifty glance. "…Cougar."

Warren sighed, opting for paper towels as he didn't trust the sonic drying technology quite yet. "Okay, Christ. I wasn't supposed to see you yet. Sig's got something planned. They insist you'll be okay with it, and I trust them, but I don't know, man. Something's fucky about the whole thing."

"How fucky?"

"They dared me to kiss you as you came up to the bar. Unprompted, full-on make-out. They said you'd find it funny."

Guetry narrowed his eyes. "That's pretty fucky."

"See! The fact that you're not on board with this does not sit well with me at all. Even Thrive was uncomfortable with the whole thing. I could've said no, but like I said, I didn't have a reason to think they'd make things uncomfortable for you on purpose."

"No, look," Guetry aimed a placating hand in Warren's direction. "Sig's great, you know that. They just…they don't get it. If it was anyone else, I would've thought it was funny, but because it's you...this was well-intentioned but poorly thought-out." He passed a hand over his chin. "But…I think there's a way to get them back. I'll just need you and your boy to be cool with it."

—

"He here yet?"

Sig shook their head, working through a serving of mixed appetizers. "Not yet."

Warren resumed his seat, picking a small onion ring from the plate and noting the empty barstool between them. "Where'd Thrive go?"

"He said something about needing to leave for an emergency meeting. But he had a weird look on his face when he checked his comm, like he was being told an inside joke. Love the guy, but he's an enigma."

"Ah, dang it," Warren grumbled. He chewed with a solemn scowl. "It was supposed to be his night off. Ah, well. I don't mind being the third wheel. Guetry should be here soon, yeah?"

Sig's eyes darted over Warren's shoulder. "Actually, he's here now…" They watched, confused, as Guetry slunk stealthily through the crowd and out the front door again. "Where's he going?"

"I dunno." Warren ran his slats card over the reader in the bar top and shoved it back into his pocket. "Should we go after him?"

"Might be a good idea. Last time he acted like that, he blew himself up with his electric whip a couple minutes later."

"Oh. Uh. Yeah, we should go after him."

Warren trailed behind Sig and moved past bystanders to the front, the mild din becoming a barely noticeable murmur when the doors slid shut behind them.

"Where'd he go?" Sig asked, craning their neck to see around each corner leading into a different corridor.

Scratching the back of his neck, Warren threw a noncommittal point in the direction of the door to the maintenance tunnel directly to their left. He cleared his throat. "I dunno…yo, uh, you see that door just close?"

They made it through the door and around the dark bend before Sig slowed to a stop and heaved a world-weary sigh.

Guetry had been pinned to the bulkhead with his chin firmly in Thrive's hand, engaged in a very lascivious, very intense kiss. It was almost enthralling to see—they went at it like they'd been doing so together their whole lives. Thrive pulled out all the stops, all the techniques he'd found Warren appreciated the most, pressing tight against him and nipping at his bottom lip. But when he gripped Guetry's hair and tipped his head back, moving his mouth down to his throat, Guetry caught sight of Sig.

"Oh hey there."

Sig rolled their eyes.

"Okay, Thrive," Warren laughed. "Thanks."

Thrive stepped back and smirked, brushing away a spot of wetness from the corner of Guetry's reddened lips with his thumb before winking at him and moving to stand beside Warren.

"Real cute," Sig said. "Alright, fine, I get the point."

"Do you, dumbass?" Guetry fanned his face and the breathless grin was only half genuine. "Warren's off-limits. Learn it, know it, remember it."

"Well…okay. If I knew that it really bothered His Majesty so much, I wouldn't have suggested—"

"It doesn't bother him, Commander, it bothers me."

A pause settled in the maintenance tunnel, and Warren watched the comprehension dawn on Sig's face as the levity further fell from Guetry's.

Sig nodded, sheepish. "Needless to say, I apologize," they said, holding their palms together. "I…don't think I fully understood."

"That said," Guetry interjected, "if the obhelian's down to clown at any point—"

"Absolutely fucking not," Warren said.

"Sounded like a 'maybe.'"

As Sig and Guetry moved closer to talk, Warren addressed Thrive, mildly exasperated. "I want to forget this ever happened. And onion rings."

Thrive held out a hand. "I believe I can provide at least one of those services."

"What was that like for you?" Warren asked, curling an arm around Thrive's waist as the other one looped Thrive's arm around his shoulders. They strolled out of the maintenance tunnel and into the artificial sunlight of the Node. "Was it weird?"

"No. Human displays of affection only serve one purpose as far as I'm concerned, and that's making you and you alone feel everything you want to feel from me. Otherwise, they're meaningless."

Warren bit his lip. "What'd you pick up from him?"

Thrive tipped his head as if he wasn't sure he should answer. "…He was definitely more invested in the plan than I."

"I'm sure you didn't need to make physical contact to find that out," Warren snickered.

"Sadly, I didn't."

Warren made a noise of combined disappointment and disgust and they re-entered the bar.

[theonepager]

Woes of the Unsung

The sun began to rise, bringing life back to the gorgeous landscape surrounding the cottage. Glimmers of light danced around the gentle waves of the water, and birds soared as their days started anew.

Outside, gravel and dirt made way for a hefty truck as it descended down a shifty slope toward the driveway. The engine’s loud roaring settled into a faint rumble as the ignition was turned off.

A young man stepped out of the truck and walked toward the navy blue doorway, his forehead coated with beads of sweat. He clenched a hand unsteadily, reluctantly lifting it toward the door to knock. It creaked open before his hand could reach.

“Mornin’ “ said the old man behind the door, with a gruff and rich voice.

“Up early still these days?” asked George.

“Nothin’ ain’t changed.”

Their chests felt a weight as they walked in, keeping an uncomfortable foot or two between each other. They made themselves cozy in the living space, two chairs beside a small table, a pair of cups with steam rising from both of them. The scent of rich coffee filled the family area.

“Any news?” asked the older man, sipping from his cup while emptily gazing at his past accomplishments.

“Can we talk, Al?” asked George.

“Bout what?”

“The whole reason why I came up here in the first place” the young man said.

“Ain’t nothing to talk about.”

George took a deep sigh, and out came bitter words for the man sitting by him. The two began to ruminate, and argue. Between their exchanges, George sniffled and the old man scoffed while looking over his old medals from his time in service. George firmly set his cup down, and made his way to the window, looking out as he held back tears and words of frustration.

“Mom and I missed you.”

George looked back after a minute to see his old man in tears, with red in his reminiscing eyes. He slowly picked himself up and walked towards George.

“I was too ashamed son… of who I became.” he said with a saddened voice as they held each other for the first time in a long time.

—

If you made it this far thank you for reading. It means a lot. The story above, and future ones may lack refinement as I’m just posting for the sake of getting it out there so please let me know what you think! 🤍

Given some personal experience revolving around trauma and regret I thought I’d share a short story that illustrates those themes. A wishful thought of what is possible when two people aim toward mutual reconciliation in spite of their regrets.

[lsole-shoes]

https://www.lsole.in/blog/how-to-buy-boots-can-help-you-improve-your-health

What fashion magazines consider "right" shoes can be completely wrong for our feet. Ankles and toes suffer from soaring heels, pointy toes, and support-less sandals. The wear and tear on our feet can cause permanent damage if we wear them all day long. It makes us less mobile and less likely to exercise if our feet hurt.

It's the same difference between walking barefoot or in shoes whether you walk on shifty sand or hard cement. This evidence suggests that your ideal footwear is the one you were born with-or at least a minimal shoe. Traditional shoes can also be good for your feet.

[feralfreaks]

The guardians of ga’hoole ost always puts me in a shifty mood. Makes me just wanna spread my wings and soar

[masonicon]

interaction between U29 with HTFs, Mobians, Equestrians, and Mushroom Kingdomites as well any Warhammer 40k faction

Imperium of Man people in General: executes Starfire, Donald, and Goofy(maybe Beast Boy and Raven too) for Heresy(to be fair, they also executes Happy Tree Friends, Mobians, and Equestrians as well Yoshi for Heresy too)

Adeptus Mechanicus: can turns Sora, Riku, Kairi, Donald, Goofy, Ash, Misty, Tracey, Melody, Robin, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, Taichi, Yamato, Sora, Mimi, Koshiro, Joe, Takeru, Hikari, Recca, Domon, Fuko, Mikagami, Koganei, Isami, Soshi, and Toshi into Servitors. and Koshiro can read their minds by hacking their bionics with his powers

chaos followers: depends on their gods

Craftworld Aeldari: farseer read the minds of Sora, Riku, Kairi, Donald, Goofy, Ash, Misty, Tracey, Melody, Robin, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, Taichi, Yamato, Sora, Mimi, Koshiro, Joe, Takeru, Hikari, Recca, Domon, Fuko, Mikagami, Koganei, Isami, Soshi, and Toshi where Ash, Raven and/or Hikari telepathically communicating with Farseer as well Starfire can kiss any Aeldari to learn Eldar Lexicon

Drukhari: tortures Sora, Riku, Kairi, Donald, Goofy, Ash, Misty, Tracey, Melody, Robin, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, Taichi, Yamato, Sora, Mimi, Koshiro, Joe, Takeru, Hikari, Recca, Domon, Fuko, Mikagami, Koganei, Isami, Soshi, and Toshi in a fate worse than death

Orks: they sees Sora, Riku, Kairi, Donald, Goofy, Ash, Misty, Tracey, Melody, Robin, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, Taichi, Yamato, Sora, Mimi, Koshiro, Joe, Takeru, Hikari, Recca, Domon, Fuko, Mikagami, Koganei, Isami, Soshi, and Toshi as their favorite rivals as well Mimi can biohack orkoids with her powers for either using them as puppets as well read their minds

Tau Empire: Sora, Riku, Kairi, Donald, Goofy, Ash, Misty, Tracey, Melody, Robin, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, Taichi, Yamato, Sora, Mimi, Koshiro, Joe, Takeru, Hikari, Recca, Domon, Fuko, Mikagami, Koganei, Isami, Soshi, and Toshi tries Greater Good and Starfire can kiss any Tau to learn their language

Necrons: either Sora, Riku, Kairi, Donald, Goofy, Ash, Misty, Tracey, Melody, Robin, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, Taichi, Yamato, Sora, Mimi, Koshiro, Joe, Takeru, Hikari, Recca, Domon, Fuko, Mikagami, Koganei, Isami, Soshi, and Toshi got killed off(if they're unlucky) or Koshiro hacks Necrons' nanotechnology with his powers

Tyranids: Sora, Riku, Kairi, Donald, Goofy, Ash, Misty, Tracey, Melody, Robin, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, Taichi, Yamato, Sora, Mimi, Koshiro, Joe, Takeru, Hikari, Recca, Domon, Fuko, Mikagami, Koganei, Isami, Soshi, and Toshi vainly and suicidally pets them

Cuddles: he admires Sora, Riku, Kairi, Donald, Goofy, Ash, Misty, Tracey, Melody, Robin, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, Taichi, Yamato, Sora, Mimi, Koshiro, Joe, Takeru, Hikari, Recca, Domon, Fuko, Mikagami, Koganei, Isami, Soshi, and Toshi

Giggles: ships Sorikai(sometimes with Donald or/and Goofy thrown in), Pokeshipping, Revelationshipping, RobStar, BBRae, Takari, Taiorato, and Jyoumishiro as well DomonxFuko

Toothy: Asks Sora, Riku, Kairi, Donald, Goofy, Ash, Misty, Tracey, Melody, Robin, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, Taichi, Yamato, Sora, Mimi, Koshiro, Joe, Takeru, Hikari, Recca, Domon, Fuko, Mikagami, Koganei, Isami, Soshi, and Toshi to sign their autographs for himself

Petunia: Hikari and Raven can help her over her mysophobia

Flaky: Beast Boy can prank her by turning into baby chickens

Nutty: Hikari and/or Raven may therapy nutty

Sniffles: asks Sora, Riku, Kairi, Donald, Goofy, Ash, Misty, Tracey, Melody, Robin, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, Taichi, Yamato, Sora, Mimi, Koshiro, Joe, Takeru, Hikari, Recca, Domon, Fuko, Mikagami, Koganei, Isami, Soshi, and Toshi to volunteers on his experiments as well Sniffles studying the weapons of some of U29 members

Lumpy: as they're more capable of surviving accidents, Sora, Riku, Kairi, Donald, Goofy, Ash, Misty, Tracey, Melody, Robin, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, Taichi, Yamato, Sora, Mimi, Koshiro, Joe, Takeru, Hikari, Recca, Domon, Fuko, Mikagami, Koganei, Isami, Soshi, and Toshi volunteering Lumpy schtick

Handy: Sora, Ash, Hikari, and Raven's empathics caught his attention

the Mole: he see them in Radar sense

Lifty and Shifty: stole Domon, Fuko, Mikagami, Koganei, Isami, Toshi, and Soshi as well Sora, Riku, Kairi, Donald, and Goofy weapons

Flippy: admits Ash's aura powers as well Hikari and Raven psychic powers neutralizes his stealth abilities as well their telepathy can work on his PTSD

Splendid: he boasts his Superpowers more overpowered than entire U29 powers combined

Buddhist Monkey: meditates with Sora, Riku, Kairi, Donald, Goofy, Ash, Misty, Tracey, Melody, Robin, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, Taichi, Yamato, Sora, Mimi, Koshiro, Joe, Takeru, Hikari, Recca, Domon, Fuko, Mikagami, Koganei, Isami, Soshi, and Toshi together

Russell: works with Joe on cooking seafoods

Disco Bear: fell in love with Kairi, Misty, Melody, Starfire, Raven, Sora, Mimi, Hikari, Fuko, and Isami only to be accused for P*do

Pop: asks Raven or Hikari to resurrect his wife

Mime: Raven/Hikari and Ash read his minds to communicates with him(in an attempt)

Lammy: Mimi neutralizes Mr Pickles with her powers while Hikari read her minds

Sonic: racing together with U29's resident speedster until finds out Takeru cheats with his chronokinesis

Tails: working with Koshiro

Knuckles: challenge Domon, Taichi, Yamato, Starfire, Goofy, and Ash to fistfight in a friendly manner

Amy Rose: like pink

Cream the Rabbit: U29 finds Cream cute

Shadow the Hedgehog: challenges Takeru and Sora(Kingdom Hearts) in a time-stopping challenge

Rouge the Bat: wants Hokage's madogu

Silver the Hedgehog: telepathically communicate with Hikari

Blaze the Cat: practicing Pyrokinesis with Taichi and Recca together

Mario: shooting fireballs alongside Taichi

Luigi: shooting lightning alongside Koshiro

Peach: cast assorted elemental powers alongside Sora and Melody

Daisy: Hammering alongside Ash(with his Hammer-shaped Aura construct)

Yoshi: Beast Boy probably become Yoshi

Twilight Sparkle: practicing magic with Raven and Donald Duck

Spike: wants to eat Madogus as well breathing fire alongside Recca and Taichi

Rainbow Dash: racing with Sora(Digimon), Takeru, Starfire, Koshiro(with his grav-boots)

Applejack: challenges Domon

Rarity: wants Madogus

Fluttershy: try Vegetarian foods that Beast Boy cooks

Pinkie Pie: like Pink

[samdeancass]

Join My Pack

Requested on Wattpad

Pairing: Theo Raeken x witch!fem!reader (platonic)

Genre: Angst

Characters: Theo, Y/N, Stiles, Scott, Derek

A/N: Mentions of violence.

Description: Y/N has caught the attention of Theo and he wants them to join his chimera pack.

You knew that it was risky being a witch and being best friends with a bunch of werewolves but you took that risk and you had never regretted it. That was until a certain Theo Raeken rolled into town and decided to wade a war against the werewolves with his own pack of chimeras.

Ever since his first day in Beacon Hills Theo had taken a shine to you, much to your dismay. He thought you were the most amazing person he had ever met whereas you thought he was quite smarmy and up to no good. As the next few months passed, your suspicions of him only grew as his sneaky movements became more prominant. You and Stiles both thought the same thing about him and decided to tell the pack about your suspicions.

“There is no way he is up to something. He only turned up a few months ago. Just last week, he asked if he could join the pack. Does that sound like something a shifty person would do?” Scott looked between the two of you with questioning look.

“There’s just something about him, Scott. Something that isn’t right. I don’t know what it is, but I will find out.”

_________________________________

A few weeks later, Theo had cornered you in the school hallway and pulled you into a closet. 

“What in the hell do you think you’re doing?!” You reached back and went to grab the door handle but Theo was quicker and locked the door. “I just want to talk.” You stood back and gestured around the closet. “This doesn’t look like ‘just talking’, Theo! This looks as if you’re trying to kidnap me or something!” 

He held his hands up and gave a soft smile. “No it’s nothing like that, I promise. I know better than to try and get one over on you, Y/N.” You smiled at the last bit, your defensive facade slowly melting away. 

“Well, I would feel better if you unlocked the door.” He chuckled and reached behind him, turning the lock until a click was heard. “Better?” You nodded. “Good, now, let’s talk. I want you to join my pack.”

Your demeanor toughened again as you realised what he wanted from you. “You want me to what?!” “Join my pack. I know it’ll be hard for you at first but I’m sure that it’ll work out in the long run.” You stepped back and shook your head.

“No, there is no way that I’m doing that! Fighting against my best friends with a nobody who’s just walked into town? You’ve got no chance. Now let me out before I force myself out.” Theo held his head down, defeated, as he stepped out of the way. You walked past and went to open the door when you felt a sting at the side of your neck. 

You looked back sharply and widened your eyes as you seen Theo holding a syringe. Your vision began to falter as your balance wavered, falling to the floor. The last thing you seen was Theo standing over you with a smirk on his face.

____________________________________

You groaned as you began to stir, a pounding at the side of your head. “What happened?” You tried to touch your head but found that your hands were bound to a metal chair with cuffs. At first you struggled to get out of them, pulling with all your might but they didn’t budge. You then swapped tactics and tried to use your magic to get out but somehow, that seemed to hurt you.

Agonizing pain soared through your body as your magic tried to undo the cuffs. Tears streamed down your cheeks as the pain subsided. A low chuckle sounded from across the room,causing you to sit up straight. A bright light switched on as the door to the room opened, revealing a rather smarmy Theo leaning against the doorway.

“What’s the matter, Y/N? Can’t use your magic? Struggling to get out?” He walked towards you as you struggled once more to get out. “What have you done to me, Theo? Why does my magic hurt me?” He knelt down in front of you and tapped the cuffs. “These are specially made just for you. Whenever you use your magic against them, they push it back inside your body causing you unimaginable pain.”

You let out a low growl before kicking your leg out, causing Theo to fall to the floor. “You bitch!” He jumped up and stormed back over, landing a smack to your cheek, the force turning your head to the side. 

“What did you expect me to do?! Say thank you for locking me up in this room because I wouldn’t join you and your pack? How do you think this is going to end Theo? You know that Scott and the rest of the pack are going to be coming for me and when they get here, they’re going to kick your ass. You’ve made a grave mistake coming after me, Theo. Just you wait.”

He narrowed his eyes at you before leaning back in right up to your face. “No one is going to find you out here, Y/N. We’re in the middle of nowhere. And even if they do, there’s an army of chimeras waiting for them. Ready to tear them to pieces. But all of this can be avoided if you just join my pack.” 

You spat in his face. “Not a chance in hell.” He wiped the saliva from his face and grabbed the neck of your shirt, bringing you closer to his face. “You’re gonna regret that.” Theo’s fist swung back and hit you right in the face. Your cheek bone cracked as his fist connected, swelling up immediately. He shoved you back in the chair and walked back out of the room, leaving you in darkness once again.

_______________________________

A commotion outside of the door woke you from your sleep. Your cheek was throbbing and your wrists were beginning to chafe at your struggling. The light switched on and Theo stormed through the door, unlocking your cuffs and dragging you back out of the room. He attached another pair of cuffs to your wrists and tied a cloth around your mouth. “Lets go and see those friends of yours shall we?”

He pushed you down the corridor until you reached two large doors that looked as though they led to the entrance to the building. He kicked them open and shoved you in front, causing you to fall to your knees. You looked around and your eyes widened at the sight you seen before you. 

Stiles and Derek were kneeling on the floor in front of you, a chimera standing behind them with their claws out, threatening to kill them if needs be. “Isn’t this what I told you would happen, Y/N? If you had just joined my pack when I first asked, this wouldn’t have happened. None of your friends would be in danger right now.”

Tears began to flow down your cheeks as you took a slow look at your friends, defeated. You locked eyes with Stiles who was giving you a small smile, trying to tell you it’ll be alright, but you knew that he was just as scared as you. However as you looked over at Stiles and Derek, you noticed that Scott was missing.  A sudden surge of hope ran through your body and you secretly hoped that Theo hadn’t noticed, until he motioned for two of your friends to be brought forward.

“Now, who shall we kill first Y/N? Your best friend, Stiles, or your surrogate brother, Derek?” They were both shoved at your feet and you could tell that Stiles was scared but Derek didn’t bat an eye. “I swear, Theo, when I get out of these, I’m going to rip your throat out.” Theo walked round you and knelt down to his level. “Are you so sure about that? Because it doesn’t look as if your in the situation to make threats like that.” He tapped his face before turning his attention to Stiles.

“Mr. Stiles Stilinski. The thorn in my side. I should have gotten rid of you when I had the chance.” Stiles narrowed his eyes at Theo. “Oh yeah? Why didn’t you?” Theo smirked and knelt down to his eye level. “Because I knew that I’d need you in my plan and it looks like I was right.” He stood back up and stood behind both of them.

“So, Y/N, who’s it going to be?” Before anything else could happen, a figure sped across the room and knocked Theo into the wall, knocking him off guard. “No-one, Theo.” 

You smiled behind your gag as Scott stood in front of you, facing the other chimeras. Derek ripped off his bindings and attacked the chimera behind him. Soon enough, the whole room had erupted into a battle. Claws and bats flying everywhere. But in all the commotion, no one had noticed that Theo had stood back up and ran back over to you, holding his claws to your throat.

“Stop, right now or I’ll rip her throat out.” Stiles held his hands up and dropped his bat, leaving the chimera beside him on the floor. Scott and Derek, however, let out low growls and leaped towards Theo, catching him off guard. The keys to the cuffs dropped out of his pocket and Stiles ran over to grab them, uncuffing you. 

He gently took the gag out of your mouth as you rubbed your wrists. “Are you alright, Y/N? Your cheek looks pretty bad.” You stood up, your hands turning a bright blue as your magic flowed through you once again. “I will be once this fucker is dealt with.” You walked towards Theo, who was being held down by Scott and Derek. 

“All of this, Theo, because I wouldn’t join your stupid pack? You should have known that I would never betray my friends. They’re my family and nothing will ever make me stray from them, no matter how much pain I go through. Remember that for when you decide to come after one of us.” You blasted him with your magic, knocking him unconscious before walking away and out of the building.

You waited for everyone in the back of Stiles’s jeep, arms crossed over your chest. You replayed everything over in your head as your eyes welled up. If Scott hadn’t have been there and hid from everyone or if Theo had decided to act differently, the whole situation could have ended up much worse. 

Derek clambered in the truck next to you as Scott and Stiles got in the front. Derek wrapped his arm around you and you were engulfed in his warm and safe embrace. You leaned on his chest and looked in front of you at the two boys, who smiled sadly at you. “Please don’t look at me like that, I’m alright, I promise. I just want you all to know that there was no way I was going to join his side. You all mean too much to me to go against you all.”

Stiles reached over and grabbed your hand, giving it a squeeze before turning back and starting the engine. Scott nodded his head and smiled wider as Derek kissed the top of your head in acknowledgement.

As the jeep rolled out onto the road, you closed your eyes and let the movement of the vehicle and the warmth of Derek lull you into much needed sleep.

Teen Wolf Tag List:

 @bxoken-heartss @hellomyweirdos​ @redcoatgirl​ 

[auroralightsthesky]

HBO War Boys and their Patronuses Part 1

So this idea’s been sitting on the stove for a little while now but, I do have to say, a big thanks to @onlyyouexisthere for refreshing the idea. I might have to do a two to three parter for this but it can and will be done. 

Dick WInters- Stag (yep Dick’s is definitely a stag) 

Lewis Nixon- Doe (”After all this time?”......”Always”) 

Harry Welsh- Ram (headstrong, devoted, virility) 

Carwood Lipton- Bear (nurturer, protector, quiet strength) 

Ronald Speirs- Raven (intimidating, wise teacher) 

Joe Liebgott- Meerkat (brave warrior, loyal friend) 

David Webster- Hammerhead Shark (ancestor, sharp instincts)

Buck Compton- Timberwolf (loyalty to the pack, incredible leader) 

Johnny Martin- Rhino (bull headed, will attack if provoked)

Ed Tipper- Seahorse (patience, always full of surprises) 

Edward “Babe” Heffron- Robin (comfort in dark places, hope) 

Eugene Roe- Snow Leopard (spirit, patience, calm, healing) 

Joe Toye- Badger (Stubbornness, determination) 

Bill Guarnere- Sparrowhawk (committed, tenacious) 

Denver “Bull” Randleman- American Bison (Native American spirit, selflessness)

Donald Malarkey- Arabian Horse (free spirit, can-do attitude)

George Luz- Blue Jay (teasing, prankster, light hearted) 

Shifty Powers- Eagle (good eyes, freedom to soar)

Warren “Skip” Muck- Raccoon (mischief, teasing tendancies) 

Alex Penkala- Squirrel (quickness, fast thinking) 

Floyd Talbert- Dove (loving spirit, connection to Aphrodite) 

Chuck Grant- Flying fox bat (compassion, quiet, reserved) 

Frank Perconte- Quetzal Bird (Aztec spirit, light in the dark, small but big)

Kitty Grogan- Peacock (inner beauty, vibrant, self worth)

Frannie Peca Guarnere- Cheetah (agility, protection, sight)

Faye Tanner- Ragdoll Cat (sweetness, joy, caring)