#sorry for the belatedness!

[dennislumbersrp]

@softhunteromega

"Hmm- it's true. Though a wolf with ice powers? I do wonder if every time they went into heat the rest of us would be all chilly-" Dennis said thoughtfully.

Though he didn't read much, he'd heard all the old fairy tales and stories in his parents household and was thus considered fairly well read since he'd retained most of them. There had been a lot of cautionary tales and then, after puberty, more pointed ones about making sure a good wolf stayed in their place.

He particularly liked the Little Red Hen though and her quest for vengeance after her lazy friends didn't help her make a cake. If he ever had a female pup, he'd likely to name her Red or Hen for just the reason.

"Mmm. I have with a couple other omegas. It can be nice but it's still a little frustrating because my heat really can't go away unless I'm knotted. I've had some heats that just ended in frustration. And in rope burns since I usually need to be tied down during mine-" he said as though that was an incredibly normal thing to experience.

Dennis smirked. "Well, we'd all be in trouble if there were evil twins of yours running around. You'd overtake the village in a week-" he said, plucking an errant pinecone as they walked and tossing it up and down a little to himself.

@softhunteromega

"Well-" Dennis said. "I don't know! It's not a perfect system. I know they keep the meat fresh and cold but also we eat it pretty quickly. I wish there was a way to keep things cold like right in a frosty morning. Sometimes those early strawberries are ice solid. Wouldn't it be neat to do that year round?" Dennis mused. It sounded absolutely insane but then- it was fun to be fanciful every now and then.

Dennis nodded and grinned sheepishly. "You're welcome. After all, when we're in heat- we have to be there for each other. I mean- you know- not in that way but you know what I mean."

He let out a little pained awoo at the question, playful of course. "Now that's just not fair. That's like asking me to choose between rabbit and duck!" He hummed and hawwed for a second. "There'll always be more squirrels. But there's only one you-" he said, putting his arm around Sethan's shoulder as they walked.

He wondered if he'd ever feel like Sethan one day. He wasn't getting any younger. Would he ever have a pup of his own? Or would he ever even want that for himself? It was hard to say.

Makani seemed to think it would happen but who ever knew for sure?

[stonelions]

I'm moving soon - could you draw me a little creature to accompany me into my new home? Thank you so much!!

ahhh if you've not yet moved, i hope it goes well, and if you have, i'm sorry for the belatedness of this creature... but either way, here is a little stellars jay monitor beastie to keep you company in your new home! i suspect they very much like peanuts and also eggs

[groupieculture]

CAROLIN MY DARLING HAPPY BIRTHDAY 🥂💕🎀🎂🪩✨ i hope your 26th year is full of joy and love and good music and many new wonderful memories 🫶🫶 meeting you will forever be a highlight of 2023 & i'm so glad we were able to make it happen & hopefully we will see each other again soon 😽🫂 p.s. sorry for my belatedness i was sleeping all day yesterday after my flight lol

EMILIAAA ❤️❤️💞💓💓 you are so so sweet thank u so muchhhh. My heart is soaring, I loved seeing you and yes we will see each other once again very soon I know that much💝🦀🦀 thank u<33333

[partyinthemysterymachine]

i need to get back to replying to new comments on goomt but oh my god i'm still recovering from moving LMAO, so to anyone here who happened 2 comment on the latest chapter of GOOMT or otherwise: i love u and i see u and i'm so sorry for my belatedness, i DO have wurds (to make a day) for u (lololol) and I LOVE U ALL SO MUH-HUUH-HUUUCCHHHHHH and thank u SO MUCH MORE!! for ur patience, i'll get right to them as soon as i can, for reals ilusm and i'm chewing your arms <3 <3 <3

(also to erry1 else who is awaiting replies in DMs or asks or some other form or matter, i'm so sry for being slow, i'm not ignoring u i promis, brain just still dead. TBC 💖💖💖💖💖💖)

[fleet-off]

Current top 5 songs

Tagged by @sunshinesanctuary and @chessasinchessire to share my top five songs at the moment—thank you, m’dears, and sorry for my belatedness! We are working from a no-extraneous-sounds household and I have only recently picked up a new pair of dirt-cheap headphones. (Also fair warning I pick up songs like a li’l decorator crab picks up bits of seaweed and anemone to camouflage its carapace. My tastes are not cohesive.)

Тема Воланда

My favorite song to do chores by! I’ve been reading The Master and Margarita to my mom since her stroke, as reading has become somewhat less accessible to her and she’s very picky about audiobooks. It’s perhaps my favorite book in the world, and the miniseries has a very fun soundtrack.

2. คืนนี้ไม่เหมือนคืนนั้น

Working on my Thai via the lyrics of p’Bird lately, because why not?

3. I’ll Be Your Mirror

Back in high school when I was struggling pretty badly, a dear friend made me a CD playlist that included a long Sharpie essay about I’ll Be Your Mirror. The essay took up most of the CD’s surface and wrapped carefully around the other song titles. I listen to the full album pretty regularly but this song is my special soft spot. ^^

4. Mon coeur est léger

A Léo Marjane bop.

5. To France (Blind Guardian cover)

The nearest thing to metal I can play on these tinny-ass new headphones.

This was fun, thank you for tagging me! ❤ Tagging anyone who hasn't done this one yet--gimme more trinkets for my carapace!

[royaliste]

              ;   @threeswordstyle​

🐏 》 ❝ I-- I can defend myself! Really! ❞ Albeit poorly with no more than her trowel at hand, seeing him attack with such ferocity using a kitchen knife invalidates her excuses! Alas, willpower without strength is still insufficient; her attempt to deflect the beast fails, and she even manages to get him hurt in the process. ( How, she’s quite uncertain,but it surely happened during her tussle onto the ground. Did he end up compensating for her failure? )

          ❝ ...! Just hold on a moment, I’ll patch you up right away! ❞ Without Mi’Lady at full power, the power of these ‘sages’ can be quite handy. Hopefully he’ll let her tend to that scratch on his arm.  ❝ ...I’m sorry. ❞

[sins-of-the-sea]

"Alcohol!! We can use alcohol to knock them out!! And Phi and Gio aren't exactly heavyweights!"

"We just have to make sure it's strong enough to knock Phi out fully, or else we're going to be growing out extra digits in places we don't-"

"Alcohol you say? I believe this calls for the best of my stash, does it not?" Rashid slams a giant crate bearing assorted liquors.

"Whoa!! Are you sure you want to share your best shit, Rashid??"

"Why not? You two are doing a great job at making sure we don't chicken out on (belated, shutup) Valentine's. Especially given the fact that the two of you are currently dateless for the time being."

"Do you have to remind us?"

"I can have Helen with me anytime, fuck you!!"

"Right right. To a good holiday." He pours some of his drink into three glasses.

"To a good- wait a minute, is that arak??"

"That it is."

"Aren't you supposed to dilute it first with water?"

"You are correct. Typically you put five parts water to one part arak. But I can handle a single glass with much less water. Or if I must....

"Drink it straight. Like a man."

"I'll bet I can drink it straight!!"

"Me too!!"

"Oh, really? Well, then.

"Prove it."

[phantasmagoricreverie]

Could I request the bullied shy saniwa, but with Yasusada, Honebami, and Namazuo? plz

Thanks forsending this in and for waiting so long for me to complete this…! Previous askis here.

Also I neverknow what to shorten Yamatonokami’s name to… Yamato? Yasusada? Yasu? Yamyams???

Yamatonokami Yasusada

He’s a bitdisinterested in you when he first comes to the citadel, trying to avoid thekind of attachment he had to Okita, especially since things didn’t end well forhis previous master. He reasons that if he doesn’t get attached, he won’t behurt should anything happen to you

Even with thedetermination to avoiding getting close, he’s able to pick up on the way youtry and do everything yourself and try to avoid burdening others, and thatyou’re adamant about taking care of things yourself despite how timid youusually are

Yourstubbornness to do everything alone reminds him a bit of Okita, and the way heinsisted on fighting to the very end

Thisconnection fills him with complicated feelings, and it takes him a while tosort through them and figure out what it is he wants to do

Once he makes theconnection of how similar you and Okita are, he can’t really keep as muchdistance as he’s insisted on keeping up to that point

Even when he’sstill sorting his feelings out, Yamato finds himself taking notice of you more,being a bit more attentive and trying to subtly help you out  

He’ll approachyou one day saying that you’re working too hard and it’s okay to rely on othersfor help. He’s a bit worried for you since you seem determined to manage theaffairs of the citadel, the affairs of your swords, and your personal affairsall by your lonesome

Because what if you end up like Okita?

It’s one daywhen Yamato offhandedly wonders why you’re so hell-bent on doing everything onyour own that the truth comes out. You give a watered down account as to howyour past has resulted in the person you are now, with your voice softer andquiet than it usually is

Once he’spatiently heard you out, he places a hand on your head and reiterates that youcan rely on the swords, or at the very least, on him.

He doesn’treally think about offering you comfort; it just comes to him naturally, andthat’s when he realizes that you’ve become important to him and that he’sanxious that he might lose you in a similar way to Okita

Regardless ofwhether you rely on others or carry on as you always have, Yamato does his bestto help you to try and ease your burden, even if you protest.

He justhonestly wants to help and is afraid of losing you

Honebami Toushirou

Since Honebamiis a bit distant, it can take him some time to notice anything remiss with you,namely because he doesn’t pay you much mind. Once he does pay some degree ofattention to you, he does click on that something isn’t right

Of course,this is Honebami though so he doesn’t really act on it. Doesn’t really thinkmuch about it and remains as distant and cold as he usually is

As for yourcircumstances, he finds out accidentally, hearing you mutter about how uselessyou are, how you aren’t even necessary, and other such things under yourbreath.

Initially hejust thinks you’re having an off day; it’s not really his place to intervene sohe just leaves it at that and pretends to not have noticed, trying to respectyour privacy  

After that, henotices how you mutter such terrible things about yourself frequently, andrealizes that it’s normal for you to think so little of yourself. Honebamihimself doesn’t notice it (not until it’s brought to his attention at least),but he’s less cold to you and treats you a bit more gently

Ordinarily, heisn’t the type to interfere, but his younger brothers have been concerned foryou, saying things like how you feel “further away” more recently. The words ofhis brothers, in combination with how utterly distraught you look one day,prompts him to ask if you’re doing all right

He definitelythinks there are others more suited for this than he is; he has no memories andthus has very little experience to reference to try and help you. He also thinks,personality wise, someone else (maybe someone like Namazuo) would be able tohelp you more  

The wakizashilistens quietly as you come undone as the weight of your experiences bear downon you. He does his best to offer comfort, saying that it isn’t your fault thatthose things happened, that you didn’t deserve it

From anyone elsethose words may have seemed to be meaningless platitudes, but it’s clear thewakizashi is being sincere, especially considering his typically distantdemeanor  

Even if youinsist that it’s your fault for being weak or for being an easy target or someother self-deprecating comment, Honebami will tell you that that’s not the caseand not to blame yourself

He’ll calmlyrefute the things he knows not to be true, citing various incidents around thatcitadel that you’ve helped resolve, claiming that you’re a capable leader

He perhapsrelies on logic a bit too much, but all the evidence comes from hisobservations, or things he’s heard others say about you. That alone is enoughto prove that he does care and has been watching out for you, even if from afarwhile maintaining his own distance

Not much abouthow he treats you changes after the incident, but that in its own way iscomforting, as it means that the way he thinks about you hasn’t changed—hedoesn’t think any less of you and believes you to be capable of handling things

That said,Honebami will still assist you (especially if you seek him out for help) andwill prompt his siblings to go and cheer you up when you’re feeling down

Namazuo Toushirou

Namazuo is oneof the swords comfortable vying for your affection, so he’s often close by,either trying to get your attention in some way or another, or trying to assistyou on his own in his own way

He does try tobe more subtle about things once he realizes that you’re quite shy and can beeasily spooked, but his eagerness gets the best of him. He can be a bit clumsyin that regard, but you can tell that he’s trying his best and being sincere intrying to reign in his enthusiasm for your comfort

He’s a bit dense,so it takes him a while to put two and two together and it’s likely he doesn’tnotice anything amiss on his own. He either overhears a conversation betweenswords concerned for you or it’s brought to his attention by someone else, buthe learns that there’s more to you than what you let on

But once itcomes to his attention, he notices the little things. Granted, he doesn’t pickupon such things all the time, but he notices more and more little things that addup and support the idea that maybe the others are right in saying that you’reputting up a front

Namazuo feelslike with how close to you he is, that he should have noticed such thingssooner. Things like when your smile doesn’t reach your eyes, when yourexpression falters and you quickly cover it up with a smile, or the way youtake in deep, shuddering breaths like you’re bracing yourself for something

It’s notsomething he really questions, knowing that you can be a bit skittish and that aconfrontation might result in you withdrawing from the swords rather thanputting on an act instead 

Once the truthcomes to light, his usually cheerful demeanor falters, just for a moment. He’sseen how you try and keep yourself together, the way you’ve put on a cheerfulfront for the sake of others. (Maybe it’s easy for him to see because he alsoputs up a front for your sake.)

Namazuo issure to tell you that it isn’t your fault and assures you that you didn’tdeserve to be treated that way. He also cheerfully says that he’ll definitelyprotect you.

If that doesn’treassure you, he’ll also say that along with his brothers, they’ll definitelybe able to protect you, which naturally includes protecting your happiness aswell

The deliveryof his comfort is a bit clumsy, but sincere. You’ve put in so much effort tomake the citadel a pleasant place and ensuring that all the swords are happyand have their needs met. He thinks it’s time you let them return the favor foryou

Even if youdemur and insist that things are fine as they are, he also insists that you’reallowed to be happy too, that you don’t have to hide behind a mask, and thatyou should be yourself, at least with him

All he wantsis for you to be genuine and not try so hard to hide everything for the sake ofothers

Hisplan for doing so often involves trying to rope you into the shenanigans of theother Toushirou blades, to try to help you make some more pleasant memories to takethe place of the unpleasant ones, even if you personally find it hard to letyour guard down entirely

[yagentoushirouu]

☄️

Yagen has a tendency to be really aloof, maybe even cold to others he’s not familiar with, even with other swords. It’s just because he can’t afford to put his emotions above his work and also doesn’t want to seem weak to the other larger swords as well. His past can be a sensitive topic for him so he doesn’t open up easily, but if you come close enough he becomes a really loyal friend. 

[critai]

i don't know what exactly is going on but i read your tags and i hope you're alright! ;;

i’m doing alright anon !! but thank you so much for your concern aa ;v; my health has been very rough lately but other than that everything is okay!

[mikexx2]

OMG Happy Birthday!! Hope it's awesome! 🎂 🎂 🎂

omg @galactictides52 (ugh, can't tag you either wtf tumblr), dumblr never notified me in any way of this message, so sorry for the belatedness and thank you so much!

[raionmimi]

Happy Belated Birthday, sorry for the belatedness

No worries! I never announced it to begin with until the day of, so it’s not like anyone would’ve known ahead of time! Thank you regardless of the time, I still appreciate it

[partyinthemysterymachine]

hey mates!! i hope you all have been doing well!! :3c!

so there has been a small update!! a couple weeks ago or so (and i'm SO very sorry for the belatedness of this), a couple of mutuals had informed me that rezi had uploaded an original song with art onto her youtube channel! so THAT is immensely good news, and i'm SO glad!!

but as for direct communication, there's been nothing yet; and it seems that for right now, that might be what she prefers, so due respect is absolutely given.

so thank you so much to EVERYONE and all for your love, your support for her, and your sharing of this post. i appreciate and adore every single one of you to the ends of the earth, and i hope that rezi has at least caught wind of how much she's adored and missed, through all your concern and love.

as for now, i think it's okay. i'll be sure to update again if i hear anything else.

cheers, mates; stay healthy, happy, and safe, and don't forget to tell your loved ones you love them.

i love you.

ATTN: SILENT HILL FANDOM

has anyone heard from radrezi/heather-garland? she's deleted her blogs and ao3 and i'm VERY concerned.

[skeptycats]

Vicky Archives #7

LONG SHADOWS - The power of a single scene

Vicky Holmes, the former editor of the Warriors series, has been doing short extract readings on Facebook since the start of the UK lockdown back in March. There’s some really cool anecdotes hidden within some of these videos, so I decided to begin penning them down for posterity and easy reference.

I won’t be transcribing filler, hedging and false starts but I’m including some amount of preamble just to be comprehensive.

#1 Into the Wild | #2 Forest of Secrets | #3 The Darkest Hour | #4 Code of the Clans | #5 Firestars’ Quest | #6 Twilight | #7 Long Shadows | #8 Leafpool’s Wish

---

[Again, there seems to have been some talking before Vicky went live]

-- but we may be deafened by birdsong today. I hope it doesn’t interfere too much with the sound.

So today I’m going to read from Long Shadows, Power of Three book five. Although this was the fifth book in the Power of Three, it contains a scene that inspired the whole arc. When I was coming to Power of Three, I wanted to have a sense of obviously what I was going to write about, where the six books were going. We already knew at the end of The New Prophecy that there were some kits that were supposedly Squirrelflight’s, but they weren’t, they weren’t Squirrelflight’s. They were her sister’s, Leafpool’s, and she was raising them in secret. I dropped hints throughout The New Prophecy that Leafpool was pregnant, and Squirrelflight noticed she was looking a bit plump! If you read New Prophecy again you’ll notice there are little clues there that Leafpool is expecting. Of course they’re Crowfeather’s kits, from the brief moment that she ran away with him.

So I knew that I wanted to have a big reveal in the next book, in the Power of Three, and before I even started the arc, this scene came to me. The scene of Squirrelflight on a cliff, surrounded by flames, forced to reveal the truth, but in a way that would just cause nothing but pain. The scene is, this chapter was from Hollyleaf’s viewpoint, although the next one is from Jayfeather’s viewpoint. Lightning has struck the forest, and there is a great fire around the hollow where the cats live. The forest is burning, and Squirrelflight has rescued the three cats Holly, Lion and Jay, by showing them a secret way to the top of the cliff. They have no idea that Squirrelflight is not their mother, of course, their mum is rescuing and that’s natural to them. 

And Ashfur appears through the fog and the fire and the smoke, and they’re trapped, and they need Ashfur to hold steady a bridge, a tree, that they can run along. And there’s something in Ashfur’s expression that Hollyleaf doesn’t like.

Desperately she tried to step onto the end of the branch. At once Ashfur rounded on her, fully conscious again, his teeth bared in a snarl.

“Stay there!” Turning to face Squirrelflight but keeping one paw on the branch, he hissed, “I can’t believe you didn’t know how much you hurt me. You are the blind one, not Jayfeather. Who do you think sent Firestar the message to go down to the lake, where the fox trap was? I wanted him to die, to take your father away so you’d know the real meaning of pain.”

Hollyleaf’s shocked gaze met Lionblaze’s. “He tried to kill Firestar?” she gasped. “He’s mad!”

Determination glittered in Lionblaze’s eyes, and he bunched his muscles for a giant leap. “I’m going to fight him.”

“No!” Hollyleaf fastened her teeth in his shoulder fur. “You can’t!” Her words were muffled now. “He’ll just push you into the fire.”

“Brambleclaw saved Firestar then,” Ashfur went on to Squirrelflight. “But he’s not here now. He’s not here—but your kits are.”

Squirrelflight’s eyes blazed. For a heartbeat Hollyleaf thought she was going to pounce on the gray warrior, but she knew that exhausted and in pain, her mother would have no chance. Squirrelflight seemed to realize it, too. She drew herself up, head high; she was trembling, but her voice was clear and brave.

“Enough, Ashfur. Your quarrel is with me. These young cats have done nothing to hurt you. Do what you like with me, but let them out of the fire.”

“You don’t understand.” Ashfur looked at her as if he was seeing her for the first time; his voice was puzzled and petulant. “This is the only way to make you feel the same pain that you caused me. You tore my heart out when you chose Brambleclaw over me. Anything I did to you would never hurt as much. But your kits . . .” He looked through the flames at Hollyleaf and her brothers, his eyes narrowing to dark blue slits. “If you watch them die, then you’ll know the pain I felt.”

The flames crackled threateningly closer; Hollyleaf felt as if the heat was about to sear her pelt into ashes. She edged backward, only to feel the edge of the hollow give way under her hind paws. The three of them were pressed tightly together, so close that if one of them lost their balance, all three would be dragged off the cliff. Hollyleaf couldn’t control the trembling that shook her whole body as her glance flickered between the cliff and the fire.

Jayfeather was crouched close to the ground, looking tinier than ever with his pelt slicked f lat by the rain. Lionblaze’s claws were unsheathed, glinting as the lightning flashed out again, but the tension in his haunches didn’t come from preparing to leap at Ashfur; it came from the effort of keeping himself on the top of the cliff.

Squirrelflight raised her head, her gaze locked on Ashfur’s crazed eyes. “Kill them, then,” she meowed. “You won’t hurt me that way.”

Ashfur opened his jaws to reply, but said nothing. Hollyleaf and her brothers stared at their mother. What was Squirrelflight saying?

Squirrelflight took a step away from them, and glanced carelessly over her shoulder. Her green eyes were fiercer than Hollyleaf had ever seen them, with an expression she couldn’t read.

“If you really want to hurt me, you’ll have to find a better way than that,” Squirrelflight snarled. “They are not my kits.”

The noise of the storm and the fire faded and the only sound Jayfeather could hear was the blood roaring in his ears. He shookhis head, straining to hear what Squirrelflight and Ashfur said next, cursing the blindness that hid their expressions from him.

“You’re lying.” Ashfur’s voice was choked with disbelief.

“No, I’m not.” Squirrelflight spoke softly, but her intensity pierced through the crackle of the f lames. “Did you see me give birth? Did I nurse them? Stay in the nursery until they were apprenticed? No.”

“But—I” Ashfur began, then fell silent. Jayfeather could almost hear the paws of memory racing through his mind.

“I fooled all of you, even Brambleclaw,” Squirrelflight went on scornfully. “They are not mine.”

THE WORST TRUTH

[I’m just expecting the belateded going live at this point]

-- to give it a bit of welly. So that’s the scene that shaped the whole arc of the Power of Three - was that Squirrelflight was going to reveal the terrible secret she’d been carrying, in the worst possible way. [the audio breaks up slightly] I’m not sure this started very well, sorry. 

As I said briefly before, this scene came to me before I shaped the whole of the Power of Three. I knew that the truth about the kits would have to come out, but I wanted it to be dramatic, and I wanted it to be the worst possible thing for both Squirrelflight and the kits and Leafpool. And if you remember back in the first arc, I first learned about the challenge of not meeting people’s expectations when someone else - a fellow editor called Matt - suggested to me that Firestar didn’t kill Tigerstar, that in fact it should be Scourge who kills Tigerstar and we would all just feel horrifically upset by it, including Firestar.

So again I wanted to do something that would confound expectations. I wanted to show the length that Squirrelflight would go to to protect these kits. She loves them as much as if she’d given birth to them. She had raised them, after all. That is something very powerful. It is nurture over nature. It’s a cause very close to my heart, the idea of raising a child that is not your own, and I absolutely believe that you do not have to give birth to someone to be willing to give up your heart to them in a moment. 

I wanted to demonstrate that Squirrelflight felt the same way, but ironically the way she can do this, the way she can save their lives when Ashfur is threatening to let them all fall off the cliff or burn to death, is by disowning them. I just had this incredibly powerful vision, an image in my head, of a cat standing on a cliff surrounded by fire, saying ‘kill them now. They mean nothing to me because they are not mine’. And by disassociating herself from them, by telling Ashfur that she didn’t care what happened to them, it would be the only way to save these cats’ lives. She would have to denounce them. Not only in front of Ashfur, revealing this secret knowing that it could destroy everything, but in front of the kits themselves. It must have just been horrific. I know it’s only a book, I know it’s a story, I know these cats aren’t real. But in this moment, Squirrelflight is real to me. 

When I was coming up with storylines, often I would dream that I was a cat in the forest running alongside them. And I’m sure it’s no secret now to know how much of me is in these books, and this scene, this scene does what I wanted it to do. This scene shows Squirrelflight so desperate to save the lives of these kittens, these kits, that she risks losing their love, their respect, their affection, everything, in order to save them. And of course they won’t analyse that, they never realise that. You know, it sows the seeds for an awful lot of drama, and it destroys Hollyleaf - as we know, she goes on to do something really, really dreadful because she cannot cope with the enormity of this moment. But it is essential that Squirrelflight does it. It is the only way she can halt Ashfur and get them off this burning cliff. 

There are a lot of things in Warriors that I am proud of. Lot of things I’m not proud of, as well, because you after all are the best at pointing out my mistakes. But this scene does what I wanted it to do. And I’m very grateful to it, and of course to Cherith for bringing it to life so beautifully. 

It might not have escaped your attention that I seem to have missed out The New Prophecy, I haven’t done a reading from that. However, I’m writing an article for the Warriors Hub at the moment which will be about The New Prophecy so obviously I’ll post a link to that when it’s ready. Don’t feel that I’m missing out. But if there is a scene that you would really like me to read and talk about it, please do post in the comments and I’ll see what I can do. I’m happy to do requests. We seem to be in lockdown for a lot longer. It’ll be an absolute joy perhaps to read and talk about some of your favourites as well. Take care, stay safe, bye!

[essieeeeeeeee]

Hello friend! Taking you up on your offer to write something for my bday. What about a scene in an A/B/O Au, where Alpha Luke is just discovering that Deckard is an omega? I always love the reveal 💕 Thank you so much friend!!

hey omni! sorry for the belatedness of this!

so, I apologize in advance, because this is not actually the reveal part, but I swear that’ll come. I just suck at having motivation to keep typing shit unless I post it in bits. so here’s bit #1.

————————–

Hobbs wouldn’t really consider himself genderist.

Sure, he’s an alpha–and he’s not particularly shy about it, either. He doesn’t really mind walking the stereotypical path of having the size and the brawn and the swaggering intensity to back up his orientation, doesn’t shy away from playing the part. He enjoys it. The dominance that comes with that territory feels second nature, and it works for him.

But he’s well aware that’s not always the case.

Hobbs doesn’t subscribe to the bullshit; the rhetoric that says a person’s orientation dictates their behavior, that spouts nonsense about betas walking so alphas can run, about omegas needing protection and pampering above all others for their delicate constitutions. Partly because he’s not an asshole, and partly because he’d been smacked upside the head as a posturing teenager one too many times by his very omega mother to ever really believe she needed anything along the lines of protection.

He’s a liberal guy. Pays his taxes without complaint, votes in favor of cleaner air and military gender desegregation. Even dated another alpha or two, through the years. 

He’s a single alpha dad with a nine year old omega daughter, and he knows better than to let bias steer his judgement.

But the thing is–Hobbs had always assumed Shaw was a beta.

***

Well. Maybe not at first.

The first time he meets Deckard Shaw, when they’re throwing each other through walls and tables and desks and everything in between, demolishing the office space around them, squaring up and prowling around each other like a couple of bristling predators–beta isn’t the impression Hobbs gets.

It’s pure, unadulterated alpha.

Hobbs senses it the instant his gaze lands on Shaw, feels it in the way the other man holds himself: tightly coiled, like a tiger looking for the moment to spring. There’s wildfire in his eyes when he turns towards Hobbs.

And as their eyes lock, Hobbs’ own alpha rises up to meet it, interest piqued.

It likes the tension in the air. Likes the way Shaw’s brimming with the kind of righteous fury that could burn the world down around him, and fuck the consequences. From the second Shaw turns away from the computer screen and looks at him, hatred etched into the lines of his face, Hobbs knows this is a man who’s come to prove something.

And Hobbs gets it. He understands what Shaw’s doing here, the way any alpha would. In that split second he even comes close to feeling–not sorry for Shaw, but regretful, maybe, because he’s seen the medical reports. They’re tucked into a file labeled O. S. in the corner cabinet of his office, with pictures of the damage Hobbs and Toretto and the rest of them had played their parts in inflicting.

Vivid images of Owen Shaw’s face charred to unholy hell, half of it nearly unrecognizable.

They’re jarring, and not something Hobbs is particularly proud of. He can’t imagine how Deckard Shaw felt, seeing that kind of shit up close and personal on the face of his baby brother.

Thing is, nine times out of ten Hobbs prefers bringing in his targets over putting ‘em down. For the sake of his own conscience if nothing else. He doesn’t want to bring that kind of damage home, to Sam and the rest of his life. Doesn’t like the way the blood on his hands lingers. Hobbs isn’t that kind of alpha, the one that enjoys the hunt and the kill, the way a few of the other agents he’s had the displeasure of working with over the years could be. So Owen Shaw may have brought his own fate down on himself with his schemes and his games, but it didn’t mean the outcome was the one Hobbs was looking for when he started that chase.

And part of him, some strange impulse in the back of his head, wants to tell Shaw that. Tell him that yeah–he gets it.

Because if word came that someone’d put down one of his brothers like that, wrecked them so badly they were breathing through a tube and dead to the world for months on end, he’d–he’d probably do the same.

Let the primal part of his instincts take over. Bulldoze his way through the world until the culprit was a fine paste beneath his boot.

It’s an alpha’s job, isn’t it? Vengeance.

And it’s one Shaw seems to take seriously, going by the way he launches Hobbs’ own desk into his gut, and launches himself right after it.

He comes quicker than Hobbs can predict. There’s no time to brace himself for the impact; he takes the kick to the face, and goes down harder from it than expected. He rolls to his feet, still pulling his senses back into place, and takes another two fast hits to the jaw before wrapping his arms around Shaw and throwing him bodily through the next two glass partitions.

Hobbs can feel his blood rushing, the sweet buzz of adrenaline on his skin, and he huffs out a breath of excitement as his opponent comes wheeling back for more.

Shaw, he finds, fights like a goddamn devil.

The man’s strong. Not as strong as Hobbs, maybe, but he makes up for it in everything else. He’s quick, and wiley, and can take a right hook to the face like nobody’s business, and it’s a damn shame that he’s the bad guy here, because Hobbs can’t help but enjoy this. It’s been a long time since someone’s challenged him like this, and his alpha’s snarling almost gleefully in the back of his head over it.

This is what he’d been missing earlier in the day, when his target had rolled over like a dog. Elena had pinned him as disappointed, and she’d been right, goddamnit, because the way Hobbs’ heart is pounding in his chest feels like the rush only a drug can give. He can’t get enough of it. Wants more.

It’s a bit distracting. Hobbs blames that for the way Shaw lands a one-two-three series of hits on him, shoving his foot into Hobbs’ gut with a punishing kick, before throwing his entire body forward and sending them both flying down into the desk below them.

Jesus, he thinks, and it’s less an expletive and more a praise.

Hobbs can’t tell if his alpha’s furious or turned the fuck on when he crashes through the table and to the floor beneath it, Shaw still wrapped around him like a snarling wildcat, but he’s betting it’s somewhere in between.

There’s not much time to appreciate the feeling, though, between the burst of pain up his back and Shaw dragging him up to his feet for more. Hobbs meets him with a knee to the gut for the trouble.

From there it’s a dance. Shaw lashes out with a punch, blocks Hobbs’ own, meets him with a kick to the knee and an elbow to the face. Hobbs stumbles back, then surges forward, puts in a few hits of his own, crashes his head against Shaw’s in a move that has him tasting blood on his own tongue. And then, with a roar of self-assured triumph, he wraps an arm around Shaw’s neck and lifts him in the air. Shaw kick out, eyes widening in realization, but it does’t save him from Hobbs heaving him forcefully down into the glass tabletop below.

It shatters. Shaw crashes through it and hits the ground with a crunching thud, Hobbs following from above.

The move must’ve done the trick, because afterwards, for the first time since the fight began, it’s quiet. The whirlwind of fists and kicks and rage settles.

Shaw lays still, a dazed look in his eyes.

Hobbs’ heart is still hammering, excitement and aggression clouding his mind. And before he can stop to think, to take the brief reprieve where Shaw’s lying winded underneath him to regroup and get the upper hand, his instincts surge to the foreground with an intensity that overwhelms every shred of common sense.

He turns his face to Shaw’s neck, drags his nose against the stubble at his throat, and inhales.

Shaw grunts, but Hobbs ignores it, because the desire to get a whiff of the man’s scent is almost maddening. Hobbs’ alpha is eager for it, clawing forward, craving the heady fight-or-flight smell of adrenaline and anger and blood that it just knows that Shaw’s putting off, practically knocking the doors down for just a second to lunge forward and breathe him in– 

But nothing meets him.

No rusty hint of blood. No tang of adrenaline.

No scent.

Just the faint smell of plain soap, with a sharp underlying hint of chemicals.

Scent blockers, Hobbs thinks, disappointment flooding through him.

His hand slides up to the base of Shaw’s throat and rests there for just a second, twitching, and the insane urge to stay down, stay close hits him. He wants to pin Shaw’s hands to the ground. Wants to wrap his fingers around Shaw’s neck and press. Squeeze just enough until the man’s whining with it.

He wants to dominate him. Show Shaw who the real alpha was, here.

It’s that thought that snaps Hobbs out of it, though, and has him jerking up and away in surprise, because what the fuck is he doing?

He reels back up onto his knees and stares down at Shaw, wide-eyed.

This ain’t him. He needs to get his head on straight, because his instincts are flying off the rails into overdrive. Hobbs hasn’t been this out of his own mind over a fight in years, not since he was a punk kid in basic training and picking battles with anyone who’d give it to him, and it’s unsettling.

It feels animalistic, almost. He’s a bit ashamed of himself for the lack of control. 

Hobbs pushes himself up, and pulls his hand away from Shaw’s neck as though burned.

“Goddamn I.T. guys,” he mutters, mostly to distract himself from the fact that his eyes instinctively dart down to admire the way Shaw’s sprawled beneath him, head tipped back, bearing the line of his throat.

Jesus Christ, Hobbs, he thinks, swallowing dryly, working desperately to get his shit together. The man’s come to outright murder him, and he’s salivating over it like a dog.

Pathetic.

He pulls himself up and tears his eyes away instead, glancing towards the nearby cabinet where he knows for a fact one of the junior officers keeps a spare set of cuffs–

And immediately stumbles when a sharp, blinding pain rockets up from his thighs as broken glass slices mercilessly through each of them.

Christ on a fucking cracker, but that hurt.

Hobbs doesn’t know how Shaw manages to move quick enough, but in the next moment a light fixture slams into his skull, and he’s falling back, tripping over the sofa and sliding beneath the table behind. He blinks the stars out of his eyes, before his gaze fixes onto the upper corner of the desk above him.

A gun. Hobbs could kiss whatever bastard ignored basic safety protocols by leaving their firearm unprotected at their desk, because he’s taking full advantage of it now.

He grabs the weapon, swings around to aim, and doesn’t have an ounce of regret as he pulls the trigger on Shaw, because this bullshit’s gone far enough.

Everything goes downhill from there.

There’s Elena, and the bomb, and the explosion, and falling, and then pain–

It all gets a bit blurry, after that.

[pinksweatergettingbetter]

Happy Halloween!

“Hey, Happy Halloween, anonymous! Sorry for the belatedness,” Phoenix stifles a yawn, “Me n’ Trucy were marathoning spooky movies -spoovies- yesterday.”