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call-me-strega · 1 year ago

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How to Become a Step-Dad in 5 Easy Steps: part 2 (chapter 1/?)

Here is part 1, lore

Edit: ao3 link now here

They do go to a library in this chapter so there are a lot of references to books in this chapter. I've read some but not all of them so I can say anything about their quality more than as things that I thought sounded interesting in theory. A lot of the stuff at the library was inspired by my own experiences with public libraries.

~~~

Step 2: Get to know them

Within the next 4 months Jason ran into Danny several more times. Each time becoming more and more enamored with the young man. It was hard not to when he saw how kind and hard-working he was.

The first time he ran into Danny after their first meeting he actually ran into Ellie first. Well, technically she ran into him but that's beside the point. But if you were gonna get technical about it he heard her little giggles before he saw her.

He had been at the library during some of his downtime to peruse some books and relax. The life of a vigilante crime lord isn't a very peaceful one, go figure. That's why Jason liked taking some time to himself every once in a while whether it was to have tea with Alfred, hang with one of his friends or siblings, or in this case visit Gotham Public Library.

Sure he could've gone to the Manor Library or gotten something online but the Manor was pretty far from the Alley and preferred having physical copies of his books rather than a computer or tablet. Electronics just didn't have that nostalgic book smell or the soft touch of a well-loved page.

Going to the library also came with its own perks. For one, he got to visit Barbie at work. It was always nice to see her as they had this unspoken solidarity between them. The atmosphere was also a plus. There was just something special about being able to be completely solitary yet still have this special connection to the other patrons. Seeing the old man enjoying a novel with his wife, the book club that met on Sundays, the haggard office worker winding down on the weekend with a graphic novel, the young woman teaching herself sign language, the teens goofing off while they were supposed to be studying, a mom reading The Kissing Hand to her kids, all of the various people here for various reasons; all of it made Jason feel like he was a part of something bigger.

He was currently browsing a display of LGBT+ books for young adults that the library had put up for Pride Month. '"Cemetery Boys", "Aristotle and Dante", "You Should See Me in a Crown", "Six of Crows", "Boyfriend Material", "Red, White, and Royal Blue", "Carry On", Oh- "The Song of Achilles" that sounds interesting?'

That’s when he felt a small chill pass behind him. He initially dismissed it as a draft from the air conditioner, but soon after he heard the sound of excited giggles nearby. He didn't think too much of it assuming it was another kid on their way out of the children's section. However, something niggled in the back of his head that this particular giggle was one he was familiar with.

That's when he felt something collide with his leg. He looked down to see a small child with a head of glossy black hair in a red beanie glomping his leg. Suddenly, the child looked up and beamed at him. Jason's eyes lit up with recognition and he laughed.

" Hey there munchkin, how are you?"

Ellie continued to smile, releasing her hold on his leg.

" I'm doing really good Mr. Jason! Daddy told me he didn't have any work today and he said we could go anywhere we wanted! First, we went to the bodega a got these really big breakfast sandwiches! Like really really big! Like the size of my face and we shared! And then Daddy took me to the park and it was really fun! I saw a squirrel there but it ran away before I could pet it! And then we came here and Daddy said we'd make me a library card so I could get whichever books I wanted. He read Oh The Places You Will Go and Where the Wild Things Are to me and then they were gonna have story time and Daddy looked tired from the park so I told him to read one of his space books and rest while I went to story time like a big girl! When story time was over I looked around and saw you so I came over to say hi and thank you for the cookies and food because daddy says we should always say thank you when people give us gifts!"

Damn, the girl sure had one hell of a motor mouth on her. It seemed she and Danny were in the middle of a father-daughter day. It brought a smile to his face to see that she was well taken care of, but based on her very informative rambles, it seemed they were taking care of each other.

" Why don't we go say hi to your dad, huh Elle?"

The young girl gasped, "That's a great idea! Then Daddy can say thank you too! And then you can read with us and come to our house for dinner! Daddy kept saying how he wanted to make something for you too since you made us the-, the- uuh... luz-on-ya and cookies!"

" Whoa there munchkin, how about we just start with hi?"

Ellie nodded with a determined look on her face, she wrapped her little hand around his pointer finger and pulled him along to the semi-secluded corner of the children's section. Sitting there in an armchair next to a small pile of books was Danny, who seemed to be out cold, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy slipping from his fingers.

'Aah he must be tired from moving in and probably from working too' Jason thought to himself. A smaller voice in the back of his chimed in with its own two cents. ' He still made time for her. He took her out and is spending the whole day with her even though he's tired. He's a good dad.' That's when he made up his mind not to disrupt Danny's nap and let him get some rest before he had to tackle the rest of his father-daughter day with his hyperactive six-year-old. He placed a hand on Ellie's shoulder, stopping her as she was about to shake Danny awake, and leaned down to whisper in her ear.

" It looks like you were right about your dad being tired. How about we let him rest for now and I'll say hi another time? Besides I wouldn't want to interrupt your daddy-daughter day now would I?" He started to guide her to a different portion of the library quickly forming a plan, "Hows' bout we do something I think you'll like? Did you know sometimes they bring puppies and kitties into the library?"

The young girl gasped, " REALLY!"

" Yeah, sometimes puppies and kitties can help people who are feeling sad or nervous feel better. They also help teach kids how to act nicely and quietly so that they don't scare animals by letting them read to a puppy or kitty. I can help you sign up to read to a puppy or kitty today if you want? Then afterward, you can go tell your dad and he'll be really proud of you."

The young girl seemed so excited by the prospect that Jason worried for a second that she might explode.

" That's a great idea Mr. Jason! He'll be so proud of me and he'll bring me again! And I'll get so good at not scaring animals that the squirrels in the park will let me pet them! Then, Daddy will be so impressed that he'll let us get our own puppy and Cujo can come live with us!"

Jason winced, perhaps his plan had been a tad too effective. Single parents had a hard enough time keep themselves afloat while looking after their kids, a pet was extra expenses and another commitment to devote time and effort to. Pets were usually out of budget and out of question for anyone living in or near the Alley.

Well, he'd cross that bridge if he ever got to it. For now, he focused on getting Ellie signed up to read to Charlie, the old St. Bernard that was at the library this today. He and the trainer, he squinted reading her name tag, Amanda, supervised the session. Jason would be lying if he wasn't endeared by the sight of a young girl reading Dragons Love Tacos very enthusiastically to a dog nearly twice her size.

" It's nice to see a young father spending time with his daughter."

'I agree' Jason thought before realizing Amanda thought he was Ellie's dad.

" Oh- ah no I'm her -," Jason quickly made up his mind on the least creepy excuse he could find, " -babysitter. Although, her father does make a lot of effort spend time with her."

The dog trainer flushed and apologized for her mistake but Jason waved her off saying it was no big deal. Silently, he wondered how often Danny got time to himself. When he realized what he was thinking he raised an eyebrow at himself before dismissing it as worry for a young parent and wondering how he divided his time to be able to take such good care of his daughter.

Ellie was saying her final goodbyes to Charlie when he got a text from Alfred reminding him he had promised to meet him for tea and some chitchat. Once Ellie returned to his side he let her know that he had had fun seeing her today but that he had to go spend some time with his granddad and that he'd have to say hi to her dad another time. She accepted this with a surprising amount of maturity for a 6-year-old but made him pinky-promise that he'd definitely spend some time with the both of them next time they saw each other. Jason happily accepted and sent her back off to her dad before heading over to the tea shop he and Alfred liked to meet at.

" It is so nice to see you again Master Jason. I'm happy to see arrive in one piece. Usually when you are delayed it is due to some rather -ah, unfortunate hold-ups," Alfred greeted him. He returned the smile, sinking into his seat across from Alfred, ready to unload.

" Not this time Alfie, though it is a bit of a story."

" One I'm sure you'll be pleased to tell me all about," he challenged, raising an eyebrow. Jason just shook his head and chuckled.

" Sure thing Alfie."

The next time he ran into Danny and Ellie he was at the grocery store.

Jason had been examining a piece of zucchini when he felt a light, cool breeze quickly followed by the sensation of someone walking past him. A lean figure came and stood nearby inspecting the squash. Jason glanced up, having registered a new presence, before doing a double take. A small grin graced his lips as he spoke,

" Well hey there neighbor, didn't expect to see you today."

Danny looked up, slightly startled before he saw that it was Jason. He smiled back and returned his greeting in a warm tone.

" Hey neighbor, I didn't expect to see you either. Honestly, I was hoping we wouldn't meet till I had made a batch of my family's signature fudge to give you as a thank you when we returned your dishes for the food and for looking after Ellie that day in the library."

" Ah~ the little munchkin told you bout that did she?"

" She was pleased to inform me about how she was learning not to scare animals and how Mr. Jason was sooo nice and even pinky promised to spend some more time with her." he teased.

Jason flushed slightly, his hand coming up to the back of his neck,

" Oh yeah, I hope I didn't overstep my bounds there. She just seemed so excited."

" Yeah, that sounds like my little spitfire!" he chuckled fondly. He took a deep breath and continued. " Well if you don't have anything else going on tonight I'd love to have you over. Ellie has really been looking forward to seeing you again and I can whip up some fudge that you can take home with you if you stay for dinner?" Danny seemed to flush at his own forwardness before rushing to continue, " I mean- not that you have to, especially if you're busy! I just- thought it might be nice to get to know my neighbor, especially since Ellie seems to like you so much! But-"

Jason, who had just finished processing the dinner invite, interrupted before Danny spiraled deeper into his nervous rambles. He place a hand on Danny's shoulder to get his attention and spoke,

" Sure. I'd love to come over Danny." He smiled, puffing up his chest, “ Besides, I have a pinky promise to fulfill.”

Danny returned his smile with a laugh, giving Jason's shoulder an embarrassed shove. Jason grinned at having successfully made the other laugh. The two stared at each other for a beat, coming down from their high of making each other laugh, before flushing and looking away. A look of realization passed over Danny's face and he turned to speak to Jason again.

" You probably have your own groceries to finish and put away. How about you come over around 7:30? I can have the fudge cooling in the fridge while we eat, oh which reminds me, you’re not allergic to anything are you?"

Jason smiled back. "7:30 sounds great Danny and no, no allergies as far as I’m aware, though I’m not particularly fond of most shellfish."

“Well alrighty then I’ll see you at 7:30,” Danny confirmed with a smile and rushed off to continue his own shopping.

And that’s how Jason found himself standing outside the Nightingale residence in a casual maroon 3/4 sleeve tee, a dark denim jacket, and some of his nicer trousers with a bouquet of flowers he put a frankly embarrassing amount of thought into. He figured bringing more food wouldn’t be appropriate since he was a dinner guest, dessert wouldn’t fly either as Danny had claimed he’d be making fudge, and wine didn’t seem appropriate with a 6-year-old also in attendance.

‘Come on Jason, it’s just a casual dinner with your neighbors! Normal human interaction, nothing to be nervous about! You can do this!’

Jason took a breath and knocked on the door. He heard a pitched squee followed by a “it’s him daddy!” come from behind the door. Unconsciously, Jason smiled as he heard the door unlocking. As it opened he was met with a cool breeze from within the apartment and the sight of his two neighbors. Danny was in a pale, moss green apron, smudged with what appeared to be powdered sugar, over a pale blue button up with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and cuffed jeans. Ellie was dressed in an interesting combo of pink crocs, neon green leggings, a sparkly, powder blue tutu, a white shirt with glittery black script declaring her “Daddy’s little princess”, a denim jacket embroidered with flowers and vines on the back and sleeves, and a plastic tiara with a big purple gem in the middle fixed atop her signature red beanie.

“Hi,” Danny greeted a bit breathlessly. His young daughter stood in front of him beaming up at Jason.

“ Mr. Jason you came!” She bounced excitedly on her heels before launching forward to hug his leg. She tugged at his jacket before pointing to her own, “Look! We match!”

With a smile, Jason got down on one knee and offered the flowers to her, “ And what an honor it is to match with such a beautiful princess! Please, accept these flowers as a token of my goodwill m’lady!”

“Thank you!” The girl giggled, accepting the bouquet and scurrying back into the apartment. Jason watched her go with a smile. He then turned his gaze to look up at Danny who watched the whole interaction with a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. He met Jason’s gaze and smiled.

“Why don’t you come in too my good sir,” he teased, holding out his hand to help Jason up. Jason smirked at the opportunity Danny had unknowingly presented him. He took Danny’s hand but made no move to get up. Instead, he ran his thumb over the other man’s knuckles and slowly brought the hand closer to his face. He glanced up once more, teal eyes connecting to icy blue ones.

“Of course my dear king,” he whispered. His breath dancing over Danny’s hand, his lips ghosting over his knuckles. Maintaining eye contact, the kneeling man placed a gentle kiss on his knuckles, watching a beautiful red flush bloom upon the young man’s face.

‘His hand is cold. His fingers have the beginnings of callouses on them. It feels like his hand was made to fit in mine. This feels right’

Jason is snapped out of his reverie when Danny clears his throat. He coughs into his other hand while trying to hide his blush, averting his eyes in embarrassment. He doesn't withdraw his hand however, allowing Jason to continue to hold it. Jason took that as his sign to get up before this got too awkward.

He rose from the ground still not letting go of the other's hand. The pair stood there for a moment with their hands intertwined, as if a message was being passed through their tingling palms. A charge filled the air with an exhilarating tension. The kind you feel before trying something unfamiliar and new that, unbeknownst to you, will become your favorite.

“So, uh, let’s head in then?” Danny said, slowly withdrawing his hand from Jason’s, almost as if he was reluctant to do so.

“Let’s,” Jason replied and the two turned into the apartment.

Danny had Ellie show Jason to the bathroom so he could wash up as he set the table. He had made grilled squash, a macaroni and beef hotdish, and some Greek salad on the side. The three of them sat at the table making some small talk ( how are they liking it in Gotham, how did the rest of daddy-daughter day go, does Jason have restaurant/activity recommendations, would he like to see Ellie’s favorite model airplane, etc.) and laughing with each other over horrible dad jokes and Ellie’s antics.

Jason could feel his chest fill with an almost unbearable warmth. He would’ve sworn it’d have melted him from the inside out if it hadn’t been accompanied by an overwhelming feeling of joy and desire. The traitorous little whisper in his head returned to comment on how much he’d love to be a part of the Nightingale’s family.

Soon enough it was time for Ellie to head to bed and Jason to head out, lest he be late for patrol.

“Here, I can clear off the table while you put her to bed.”

Danny rushed to stop him despite the young child koala wrapped over his torso. “Oh, you really don’t have to do that. I can-”

“Relax your highness, let me take care of this while you put the princess to bed.” He gave Danny a kind look, hefting up the dirty dishes. Danny returned it with a grateful look and turned to go put his daughter to bed. Over his shoulder, Ellie looked up sleepily and weakly waved one last time saying “Goodnight Mr.Jason” in a small voice.

Jason smiled gently at her and replied, “Goodnight princess.”

He then turned back to his task of clearing the table. Moving the dirty dishes to the sink and the serving dishes to the counter. He figured he’d get started on the dishes while he waited for Danny to return. He let his mind wander as he covered a plate with soapy suds. Danny and Ellie seemed like a good pair of neighbors. He doubted they’d cause him any trouble and if they ever unintentionally did, Jason found himself thinking he’d find it rather easy to forgive them. The two were both so welcoming and full of life. They made Jason feel so happy and peaceful tonight. They welcomed him into their home and made him feel as if they enjoyed his company and wanted him around for more than just a cursory “return the favor” dinner. ‘As If he belongs there. With them.’ The little voice returned, prompting Jason to reel in his thoughts. He’s only known them for what? Two weeks? These weren’t the type of thoughts he should be having at this point. He tried to rationalize it telling himself he just missed the domesticity of family dinners like he had when Catherine was in a good stretch or like he had with Bruce, Dick, and Alfred as kid when they were all getting along. He made up his mind to attend one of the bi-weekly family dinners at the manor coming up. It’d be nice to see the little demon brat, big bird, and nerd bird again now that they were getting along like actual brothers.

“Oh! Jason you didn’t have to do that!” His train of thought broken by Danny rushing over to protest him doing dishes. “You’re a guest! You really didn’t have to-”

“It’s okay Danny, I wanted to,” he reassured the fussing young man who pulled him away from the sink. The young man responded by pushing him out of the kitchen and telling him to grab his jacket before turning back to grab something from the fridge.

And there he stood in the doorway, 20 minutes after he had intended to leave, still saying goodbye. Danny pushed a familiar Tupperware container into his hands, which recognized as the one he had given them lasagna in, now full of dark squares of fudge sprinkled with a bit of white and green on top.

Danny smiled as he handed him the sweets. “A family recipe with my own little twist on it,” he winked. Jason gratefully accepted, wishing the young man well and agreeing that he hoped to see the other again soon. And with that, Jason rushed off hoping that he wouldn’t be late for patrol.

~ Later that night Jason returned to his apartment, exhausted. He chucked his helmet off onto the bed and stumbled to his kitchen. He pulled open the fridge in search of something to eat when his eyes landed on the fudge his neighbor had given him. He pulled it out and grabbed a square, giving it a sniff before biting in. His eyes widened at the taste.

The fudge was, well fudgy, but not overly sweet. It had a richness of dark chocolate and a sweeter note from the white chocolate chips mixed in. There were also candied orange peels mixed into it which gave the fudge a bit of chew and acidity to break up the richness. The fudge was topped with pistachios adding a nutty, earthy flavor to the experience. He’s sure that if Martian Manhunter ever tried these he’d accuse Jason of giving him hard drugs. But what Jason liked most of all was the quality only homemade food and family recipes passed down over generations have. He could practically taste the amount of love and thought that went into this fudge.

Jason smiled to himself finishing off his square and decided the save the rest for later. He headed off to bed with a peaceful smile on his face and a warm, full, feeling in his chest.

~~~

I tried very hard to balance out the dialogue and description as well as to not make it too long winded and keep the story moving so please let me know what you guys think. I love receiving feedback so if there is anything you want to see more or less of let me know. I’m also open to suggestions of where Jason should run into our father-daughter pair next.

If anyone's interested here is what the bouquet was comprised of: apple blossom- preference, basil- good wishes, white camellia- you're adorable, goldenrod- encouragement/good fortune, violets- watchfulness/modesty/faithfulness

I actually looked up a real fudge recipe so that I'd have and easier time describing it. You can find it here: https://www.midwestliving.com/recipe/candy/creamy-rich-pistachio-tangerine-fudge

#long post #like Long long #dead on main #jason todd x danny fenton #dc x dp #How To Become a Step-Dad in 5 Easy Steps #How to Become a Step-Dad #hbsd #romance #fluff #domestic fluff #falling in love #single dad!danny fenton #de-aged!dani #books & libraries #family dinner #jason todd #danielle fenton #danny fenton

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forlorn-crows · 9 months ago

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𝒎𝒖𝒔𝒉𝒚 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒅𝒂𝒚 5: 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒔

words: 911 pairing(s): mountain + hank the raccoon/juniper the cat catch up on the hank lore [here] and [here] and [here]

✿

A thumbtack. An acorn. A loose ribbon. A big lilypad snatched from the lake. Pebbles, flowers, and petrified chips. Even a lost earring without its twin, the worn gold star glinting from where it’s buried in the pile of random trash and trinkets.

Mountain stares. The only reason he noticed it at all was because he had to scoot out the storage cabinet to get to the stone planters. He sets down the tower of pots he was shuffling from one end of the greenhouse to the other and wipes his hands on his apron. Curiosity reels him in; he squats down to inspect the squirreled-away pile of things at closer proximity.

The little stash is actually quite unique. Hardly any duplicate objects besides the pebbles—even the dried blooms differ from each other. Mountain pokes around some of the objects with his finger, rummaging for the more buried items. A broken plastic bubble wand. A scrunchie. Part of a grucifix. A cork. Even a guitar pick. And . . . are those . . ?

“My glasses?!” Mountain frees them from the pile and stares at everything open-mouthed. He’s been looking for them for weeks; swore he left them in here, just on the bench, but when he had come back the next day they were gone. He had come to terms with having to get a new pair (though he quite liked these ones)—and yet, here they are.

There’s a rustling behind him, and when a round little body toddles up to him, the puzzle pieces click into place.

“Hank,” the earth ghoul accuses. He dangles the pair of readers in front of the raccoon’s twitching nose. “Why’d you steal my glasses, dude?”

Hank chitters and whips his fluffy tail back and forth, ears pinning back to his head.

Mountain sighs and offers him a scritch under the chin. Too cute to stay mad. “I’ve been blindly potting flowers for many days, little one,” he scolds, albeit with a kinder tone.

The animal squawks and pushes past Mountain’s legs to his trinket stash. He whines when he sees the state of it, all scattered about and disorganized.

“Well you can’t blame me for wanting to look,” the earth ghoul defends himself. “You’re not stealing from other people, are you?”

Hank screeches at the accusation.

“Sorry, sorry. Just me then, hm?” He gets screeched at again and bapped in the shin with Hank’s tail.

Lucifer give him strength, he’s arguing with a raccoon. “Okay, let’s just say you found them, then.”

Hank is pleased with this answer. He chirps and begins to re-arrange his items.

“Why do you have all this anyway? I mean, I’m a lover of a good trinket myself, but you aren’t exactly the collecting type of species . . . also I’m not sure that all of these things count as trinkets.”

The animal gives him the best side-eye a raccoon can muster.

“Hank, there’s a dead bumblebee in here.”

If a raccoon could roll its eyes and lift its chin indignantly, Hank would do that. Instead, he chitters what can only be a string of small mammalian passive aggressive statements.

“There’s no need for such language.”

Hiss. Chirp chirp.

Mountain rubs at the bridge of his nose. “I’m not saying you can’t—listen. Little one. My darling. Little. Creature.” He emphasizes each word with a sigh, chopping his pressed-together palms down as punctuation. Hank stops fussing with his objects and looks at the earth ghoul with those black little orbs. “Could we, perhaps, just find a better place for them? Put them somewhere I’m not going to accidentally crush them with an old armoire, yeah?”

The animal screes happily, bouncing over to the earth ghoul and standing up with his little hands outstretched. Mountain snorts and picks him up, rising back up to his feet and flipping him over to rub his belly.

“Why do you have to be so cute?” he asks, playfully pinching under Hank’s chin. The raccoon only kicks up a scratchy purr in response, swatting at Mountain’s wrists weakly. Mountain bounces him like a baby for a few moments before setting him down again, glancing around for something to use for his friend’s treasures.

“Hm. I think there’s an old basket or . . . something around here,” he mumbles. He taps his hands on his apron as he scans the rows of tables and shelves. No . . . no . . . no. Suddenly, Mountain stops. Scrunches his face up and turns back towards Hank fully confused.

“Why are you hoarding things anyway?”

As if to answer his question, Juniper squeezes her way through the back door. Mountain had put a kitty door in it for her and Hank—though, Hank still prefers to force himself through the gap in the opposite corner of the green house where the windows have bowed out throughout the years.

The white cat offers a mrrow in greeting, striding up to the both of them with an unbothered, graceful aire. Hank chitters excitedly and bounds over to his pile of trinkets, quickly selecting a mystery bauble between his thin little paws. He shoves it in his mouth and runs over to her side, chirping in greeting and dropping the object at her feet.

A close-to-fresh dandelion. Juniper mrrp’s at the gift and leans down to inspect it, the buttercup yellow petals tickling her nose. She seems pleased with the gift and rubs her cheek affectionately against Hank's with a purr. Two little unlikely lovebirds.

“Ah. Should have guessed that’s who those were for . . .”

𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒃𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒈 ✿

#mushy may 2024 #crow writes #mountain ghoul #hank the raccoon #juniper the cat #the band ghost #ficlet #mushy may #i love my round lil guy #and my round lil guy loves his sleek fluffy white princess and gives her gifts hehe

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dragonomatopoeia · 1 year ago

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Air's End-of-Year Youtube Video Rec-List Round-Up

In light of recent events and also because I wanted to, I have put together a rec list of various (mostly longform) videos that I've enjoyed this year. Not all of these videos were released this year, however-- I just happened to see them for the first time in 2023. For readability and quality of life purposes, I have put this list under a readmore and divided the videos up by category, then creator, which means that some youtube channels might appear in multiple categories

I reserve the right to edit this later as I remember more videos, but I feel comfortable publishing it as is, considering it has almost 100 videos on it at this point

Cooking

Get Curried Chili Garlic Rosemary Chicken Recipe | How to Make Chili Garlic Rosemary Chicken at Home | Prateek Anardana Chicken Recipe | Delicious Himachal Style Anardana Chicken Recipe at Home | Chef Prateek Old Delhi Style Tangdi Kebab | How to Make Indian Starter Tangdi Kebab Recipe | Chef Prateek Dhawan

How to Cook That The $10 Million dollar lie (Betty Crocker) Debunking the Pink Sauce Controversy | How To Cook That Ann Reardon Top 7 Best Easy Lemon Recipes 🍋 | How To Cook That Ann Reardon Toxic Foods promoted on TikTok! | How To Cook That Ann Reardon Why is Pyrex exploding? | How To Cook That Ann Reardon

Library of Congress' Youtube Channel El Camino del Mole a New Orleans El Camino del Pan a Baltimore

Immaculate Bites LEMON BUNDT CAKE FIRECRACKER SHRIMP

Simply Mamá Cooks 3 EASY Beef Pot Roast Recipes perfect for the cold weather EASY Chicken Tamales Recipe | How To Make Tamales Easy NO-KNEAD Soft Dinner Rolls + FLUFFY From Scratch Milk Rolls Recipe Zuppa Toscana Recipe EASY | Olive Garden Potato Sausage Soup Recipe

Fraud, Grifts, and Scams

FoldingIdeas Contrepreneurs: The Mikkelsen Twins The Future is a Dead Mall - Decentraland and the Metaverse In Search Of A Flat Earth This is Financial Advice

Maggie Mae Fish Is the "Off-Grid" Lifestyle a Lie??

Münecat I Debunked Every "Body Language Expert" on Youtube The Problem with Tony Robbins (Deep-Dive - Pt.1) The Problem with Tony Robbins (Deep-Dive - Pt. 2)

Super Eyepatch Wolf The Bizarre World of Fake Martial Arts The Bizarre World of Fake Psychics, Faith Healers, and Mediums Influencer Courses are Garbage: The Dark Side of Content Creation Tom Nicholas Griftonomics: Why Scams are Everywhere Now

We're In Hell A History of Spam on the Internet Hustling America: I Can't Believe This Show Is Real The Problem with Voluntourism WE Charity & the Nonprofit Industrial Complex

Gaming

Hbomberguy Halcyon Dreams: The Legacy of Dragon's Lair

Jacob Geller Games that Aren't Games How Can We Bear to Throw Anything Away?

Li Speaks An Exploration of the Avata Star Sue-niverse It's Time For You To Play Flash Games Again The Strange Case of Kissing and Flirting Games Untangling the Lore of Devilish Hairdresser

Mandaloregaming The Mystery of the Druids: A Bizarre Adventure Game

People Make Games The Games Industry Must Not Stay Silent on Palestine Investigation: Who’s Telling the Truth about Disco Elysium? Working at Valve: 'A Fearless Adventure' or 'Lord of the Flies'?

PowerPak Dead Space 3 Is Worse Than I Thought King's Quest - The First Adventure Game King's Quest 2 - A Bridge Too Far... MyHouse.WAD - Inside Doom's Most Terrifying Mod Squirrel Stapler is Absolutely Nuts Tunic is Deceptively Brilliant

Super Bunnyhop Perusing Pentiment's Boisterous Bibliography

History

BobbyBroccoli The image you can't submit to journals anymore

Cambrian Chronicles Wikipedia's King who Doesn't Exist

Defunctland Journey to EPCOT Center: A Symphonic History

Elliot Sang How Tea Became European McMindfulness: When Capitalism Goes Buddhist

Intelexual Media Creating The Conservative New Right In The 1970s A Buffet of Black Food History

Kaz Rowe A Deep Dive into the Deadly World of Victorian Patent Medicine Why Have So Many People Seen Ghost Ships? Why the Myth of the Library of Alexandria Is Wrong

Kendra Gaylord 500 years of dollhouses and what it meant to teach girls Alice Austen, the 1880s photographer: her house, her photos, her love life What happened to cheap food? Diners, Automats, and affordable eating

Nerdsync Bonkers origins of superhero memes The Scandalous REAL Origin of Superman's Lois Lane Superman's Uncomfortable History with Nuclear Weapons

Premodernist Advice for time traveling to medieval Europe

Stepback History How The Vietnam War Birthed a Generation of White Terrorists OK Fine I’ll Talk About Ancient Apocalypse

Tantacrul Notation Must Die: The Battle For How We Read Music

Film and Television

Be Kind Rewind How Breakfast at Tiffany's Turned into a Totally Different Movie | Adapting a Classic Casting the Women of Valley of the Dolls | PT 1 The Making of Valley of the Dolls | PT 2 How the "Old Ladies N' Hijinks" Subgenre Became a Thing How a "Sacrilegious" Film Changed Hollywood Forever... So I watched BLONDE... Why Tallulah Bankhead Never Became a Movie Star

Big Joel The Song That Broke West Side Story

Cherrybepsi Can We Kill the Final Girl Trope Already?

Hazel weird & kinda scary tokusatsu girls

Jane Mulcahy The Lunacy of Teen Wolf (Part 1) What is the 'psycho biddy' genre?

Maggie Mae Fish BLACK CHRISTMAS Before & After "Me Too" The War on "Woke" Hollywood: A History of Blacklists and Strikes Why is Clint Eastwood

Princess Weekes Black Trauma vs. Black Horror Why Are There So Many Confederate Vampires? Why Don't Worry Darling Doesn't Work ...

Shanspeare EUPHORIA: Sam Levinson’s Unfulfilled Fantasy The Girlboss-ification of the Horror Genre TikTok Femininity Coaching and Aestheticizing Racism

Science and Technology

BobbyBroccoli The $21,000,000,000 hole in Texas The man who faked human cloning How to catch a criminal cloner

Eastman Museum's Youtube Channel Photographic Processes Series

Technology Connections What's the deal with the popcorn button?

Practical Engineering How Flood Tunnels Work What's the Difference Between Paint and Coatings? Why Is Desalination So Difficult? Why Railroads Don't Need Expansion Joints

#rec list #youtube video rec list

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ohshy · 1 month ago

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Personal PO ranking list?

Here's mine, based on how much I like them !! Explanations under the cut. If u guys want me to rank how hot they are too, dont hesitate sending me an ask >:P

ANYWAY ONWARD: (warning, this is a long one, you've *super macho man voice* RELEASED THE AUTISM BEAST, ANON!)

King Hippo

in case if you aren't aware of how obsessed i am with king hippo i have: 1. made a sona to selfship with him 2. drafted a slowburn between said sona and hippo, its still a work in progress. 3. made concepts of hippo island, including its island shape, culture, nature, species and more 4. made concepts of a petroglyphic hippoan language 5. made hippo parents. No he's not adopted in my hc :P 6. Gave hippo an entire past that im still writing out.

Hippo is endlessly fascinating to me because of how many possibilties there are for character expansion. We get little about him, and yet there's still enough to supply the appetite (or i might just be autistic.) He underestimates Little Mac initially, and when he does, he doesn't even seem mad he lost, just to name an example.

OUTSIDE OF ALL THAT THOUGH... i just have a weakness for characters that get characterized not through dialoque but through other means. Ofc hippo is not the ultimate example of this (his entire lore is just. Guy who eats a lot and puts a manhole cover on his stomach), but still !! It's not often you get nonverbal characters in media. Aside from that, he just has the most outstanding design in the entire game. Scary to most, but my cute little hip hip to meee :3

Von Kaiser

SIGMUND THE FRAULEIN PULLER MY BELOVEDDDD... He's traumatized, he's got a hot voice, he's got the cutest lil moles, he's great with children, He's a MAMIE'S BOY... ok that last one is more of a hc, but let's be real, why else are we all here ?? :P Either way, he just has so much history to him, or at least as much as a punch out character can have. Similarly to Hippo, there's so many directions his character can be pulled. Why is the man the way he is ?? I need to study him under a microscope STAT.

did i mention hes really cute because he rocks back and forth on his heels n tip toes, this man is literally so autism AuHGAHJD moving on.

Aran Ryan

goddd i love his brogue n his maniacial laughing n grunting (man every punch out fan is so down bad arent they /lh) ANYWAY... what else i love about this man is similar to kaiser; i just wanna study him under a microscope. disect his brain even. why is this man so insane. does he even have a nice side ?? i think he does, but it's covered up by excessive feral behavior. and beneath THAT nice layer is just more beastly untamed MAN. I like him bc i want to see him get worse. He's so ugly and unhinged in a cute way. (not surprising coming from the resident hippo liker- ANYWAY x2)

Super Macho Man

Yes i know castle aka my sona is portrayed as hating macho, but this couldnt be further from the truth. i LOVE THIS MAN. i LOVE TO HATE HIM. He's literally such a gd cocky bastard who's constantly spouting the funniest gd lines in the game. I'll never be macho bc I can't afford lines that good.

Also the intepretations that he's lying about his age which is why his hair is silver are so funny to me. All in all, hilarious character, definitely THE funniest one. 1000% deserves the top meme status.

Bear Hugger

OH MAN THIS SWEETHEART AUGHHH... where do i even beginn... i cant be the only one who like. wonders if this man has some rage that he keeps hidden? Like looking at how nice and jolly he is, in contrast to his TD cutscene where he is angry with mac... plus, when mac accidentally punches his squirrel away, n hugger cries afterward ?? who's to say he wouldn't be Pissed after a while.. either way, hes similarly also rly funny. imagine threatening a teenage boy in the goofiest way (NORTHERN LIGHTS, EH??), laughing and then immediately napping. Peak character interaction ghgh.

In short, he's just really sweet, funny, i love that hes an animal lover, i love his bushy beard, they knew what they were doing calling him bear hugger bc YES i wanna hug him plz n thank u

Disco Kid

ANOTHER SWEETHEART HAS HIT THE RING. i just LOVE this guy's energy. He's another boxer, like king hippo, who's not mad at all at mac when he loses to him. Additionally, his friendly teasing is just so gd adorable, how can you not love this guy tbh...

Lastly, I love music based boxers so much. I think what could've elevated disco to an even higher level, is if he had like a move that u had to avoid on the beat of the music or something. Other than that, he's GREAT i wanna give him a platonic smoochie. He just seems like the type of guy who'd make friends with everyone and wants to try everything, even if he sucks at it, like Pippi Longstocking

Glass Joe

Many have said it more eloquently than I can, so I'll keep it brief (HA); he never gives up despite his horrendous win/lose ratio. He's a goofy, charming guy w/ an attractive voice (fr, you wouldn't expect a guy like him to have THAT deep a voice, at least I wouldn't.)

While yes, he is hilariously patriotic, he also breaks some stereotypes of his people, which i find a rly funny aspect of his character (i.e he's shown to be a nice guy while the french r stereotyped as rude, he doesn't surrender etc). Finally, I love his stupid emo hair. That is all, thank you thank you. ily joey.

Don Flamenco

DONNIE BOY !!!!! Ik i sound like a broken record but. attractive voice, funny cartoony shenanigans, i LOVE his KO animation so much. Also, a layer to his personality that I simply adore, is how, despite how cocky he is, he still compliments mac when he avoids his punches (saying "bien viesta" or "bien hecho"). He's got his sense of fair play !

Also, i think we can all agree that his transformation from an overly confident spanish flag colored guy to a sourpuss all black emo is peak comedy. I know the Wii game is nothing but bangers in the comedy department but this has got to be up there with macho jiggling his ass in the camera.

Bald Bull

He's so sillyyy, everyone always forgets this. he does a fucken chicken dance when he wins in contender mode. Aside from that, he's just a very intruiging character. He's obviously stressed n angered from the paparazzi hounding him 24/7, but outside of them, he isn't a very angry person at all. He even isn't mad that he lost to mac either, instead training harder to combat his weakness.

Plus ! I feel like the creators of the Wii game very cleverly made the decision to make him hounded by paparazzi, bc that also ties in perfectly with his secret Mask X persona. In short, Bull is awesome.

Soda Popinski

i LOVE how delightfully strange this man is, and how adorable he is despite being a man who. does have his fair share of anger issues. Like Bull, it's just so cute how he dances when he wins, and even juggles in TD, all while bubbles appear around his head ! I wanna edit him to some hard bass music tbh, he'd be perfect for it.

At the same time, I can't help but fire the Angst Beam at him bc like. what r those scientists doing to him... It just makes me Wonder if he has a choice in the matter at all... BUT ending on a lighthearted note, he has a rly funny, pitiful reaction to being star punched in contender mode, and i like his stache. hes like a kitty. To Me.

Piston Hondo

Hondo is one of those characters who has that perfect blend of seriousness and goofiness. He can outrun a bullet train. he reads sailor moon in the ring. he (if you intepret him that way) gives mac advice during intermissions by referencing ancient Japanese proverbs. he calls out for sushi when he gets knocked down.

Another reason why Hondo is great is bc his win to lose ratio is literally 26-1 before he fights mac, meaning he has only ONE loss before mac beats him. It really gives you the vibe this guy is in his prime and the real deal, despite "only" being in the lower major circuit. It really gives you the vibe he'll climb in the ranks, which i think is an awesome, subtle piece of characterization.

Gabby Jay

LISTEN OK... Hes probably my favorite SPO character, mainly bc of how little info we have of him, and yet how much is implied with said little info. Like. He's gotta be a little insane in the noggin right. He literally gave up his job as a café waiter to become a boxer at middle age. As the poster describes it "something snapped." Imo this implies he just got so tired of dealing w/ unreasonable costumers that he channeled all his anger into boxing. In short, I think he's mad interesting despite how little we know about him.

Plus! He says an old man who says YAY as a taunt... doesn't get any better than that. He's adorable.

Mad Clown

First of all, this man is an enigma. what do you MEAN he was an opera singer, has had a mental breakdown, joined the circus and then quit to take up boxing, AND HES ONLY 27 ????

Secondly, and yes this is once again very hc based, I think this man, since hes a palette swap of bear hugger, would have a circus bear as a coach, and that his bear is one of his only friends, which probably adds to his tragic character. Thirdly, eventhough I wish his outfit was more orthodox, it is VERY cool having a clown boxer in the lineup (spoken like a true clown liker), esp one with such a colorful past, befitting his outfit. He's just so sillaayyyy.

Great Tiger

This guy is literally SO much fun, it's a shame i don't rotate him in my mind often enough. I feel like he'd b great to have at parties. He has a nice voice as well, I feel like he'd do well as a radio presentor or smth.

WHICH REMINDS ME !! the wii commercials !! "send word to my mother; i am in jail" showstopping, peak comedy, life changing. Also the idea that he is just. blisfully unaware of his own weaknesses or maybe even his faults is an interesting character trait that i feel like people should explore more, its interesting !! Lastly, i LOVE how his own clones talk to eachother, that reminds me sm of my own stimming as an autistic person. I like your funny words, magic man.

Dragon Chan

Initally, i didn't rly get the hype for him, but recently I've gotten it more now !! I rly like his hair and his gimmick is funny as hell. Plus, I like to think since's based on both bruce lee and jackie chan, that hes an actor !! Think about it; what if he choreographed the fights, directed the movies n wrote them ?? it adds a whole new dimension to his character !! Anyway, Dragon is cool asf.

Hoy Quarlow

The fact he calls you sonny is so gd funny to me. I love mischivious old people characters, they're always so hilarious. Also, someone please take this man out of the boxing ring, who even put him there. He barely resembles a boxer outside of his boxing gloves. Im pretty sure the guy isn't even an actual boxer n just decided to enter the ring to fuck w/ people. The man's gotta do smth on his retirement age !!

Either way, he's p unique to me as the oldest boxer w/ no palette swap, even if hes also rly unfitting for the game.

Bob Charlie

His name is goofy as hell first of all, and secondly, again, i love the idea of music boxers. u cant tell me bobby n disco wouldnt be friends.

Also, I know it's just a reused sound bite from gabby jay, but the fact he goes "yay!" when he wins by KO is so cute to me ghgh. In general, he has a rly funny voice, despite how limited it is. Charles Martinet is the king fr. Also I like that he has purple n red in his palette, it's a nice combo.

Mr. Sandman

He has a cool voice, some great lines, and is, despite his looming figure, kind of a goofball (him going "BOO!") in the ring. Despite that though... I just don't find him as interesting as say, my faves, because he isn't as cartoony as them. I know they wanted to make him more serious as to make him a more threatening final boss, but even then he's just.. kinda dull imo. He's higher on this tier cause he has more going for him than the last two, but eh idk. just wish he was a bit more interesting.

Piston Hurricane

I think his gimmick is really cool, i love the idea of elemental boxers. the execution is rather dull, however. I do like his haircut n colorscheme tho !!! As u might know, i've also made a redesign of him, wherein i give him swirly corn rows, which i thought was a cool nod to his wind element. Don't have much else to say. He's just missed potential.

Narcis Prince

Look... I can see the hype for him. hes a very funny, attractive (I GUESS... i just find him basic looking) character, but hes just not for me at all. the outfit is what mostly throws me off, he looks like a basketball player who dressed himself in the dark 😭😭😭in general SPO has a huge probem w/ overdesigning their characters and Not Really making them look like boxers, but man he has got to be one of the most egrerious examples... That said, he is funny at least so he's got that going for him. I love his asshole laugh, but thats ab it. if he had appeared in Wii n received more characterization, im sure he would b up there w/ aran in joe in levels of popularity.

"I dont feel strongly about you"

Basically what it says on the tin. I don't really have any strong feelings on them to have fully formed opinions. At least w/ pizza pasta i did give him some characterization in my Uppercut to Übersetzung fic, but what we have for him in canon? its basically nothing ghgh. I do think you can have some fun w/ him tho, plenty to work with.

as for the others? ehhh idrc ab them soz. Masked Muscle has a funny lose quote, but his gimmick is rly gross. Heike is ok i guess but doesnt rly stand out to me. Rick n Nick r interchangeable to me. n thats everyo- oh wait yeah kid quick. hes just weird looking, like a pug.

"mike tyson and mr not mike tyson"

real man and not real man. what else is there to say?? I do really love what the fandoms done to mr dream tho, ive seen some cool concepts float around :3

but yeah. hes not a character i particularly think about.

#dw ill save you all from tagging every single character #i literally did not proofread this btw so if theres any mistakes dont roast me </3 #its 11 pm cut me some slack #punch out #punch out wii #super punch out #tiermaker #monkey brain typing

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gatalentan · 2 years ago

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can u actually go over the significance of the sunflowers on the work wives’ table again? I think I missed it the first time and it sounds interesting

You have activated my trap card. Here is my thesis on the Work Wives Sunflowers.

Ok, I want to preface this by saying this is totally just a little bit of fun, and I am not totally deluded as to think this is A Thing. I have no expectations about this ship being canon, or there being Secret Meanings. It's more spotting a pattern and running with it. However, similarly - there is symbolism in this show in terms of costuming and set design, such as Janine's "love" necklace appearing and disappearing during story beats, writing on the teachers' boards being plot-relevant, etc, so it's not me being totally outlandish! For nearly 30 consecutive there hasn't been any decorations on the table, only practical items like salt, pepper, a basket of leaflets/condiments, a napkin holder etc (with the exception of Pilot, where the tables were in a different configuration, the WW are at a different table and all the tables have a little plant). For eg, here is all of S1:

In Fire, the table was damaged during a lapse of Barbara's mental health, where she became very insular with her own internal pain and didn't reach out to Melissa about it. It goes without saying that in the WW lore this table is basically a second home. The only time either of them sits anywhere else is when they fight, when Melissa ends up "sleeping on the couch" (other tables). This table getting damaged was a huge deal to Barbara and an inciting incident in her finally telling Melissa about Gerald's health problems and how it was upsetting her.

The table obviously had to be replaced after the fire damage, and was. In Teacher Conference, there is a new table, and a little bouquet has appeared, which stays through the next episode Mural Arts, squirreled away behind all the dinner paraphernalia.

But in Teacher Appreciation, the sunflowers appeared, huge and bright, two of them, a centrepiece, right there from the cold open.

An episode which, as we know, was a massive turning point in their relationship, where they fought, traded some really, really low blows that cut deep, but this time apologised on screen and reconciled - and one in which Barbara is wearing bright yellow when they do.

Immediately my squirrelly little brain started making connections about this, because they're SO bright and LARGE and PROMINENT and there wasn't any prominent decoration on the table before. My initial thought was oh, it's teacher appreciation day, this can be dismissed easily as just a gift from one of the kids. But we saw a lot of gifts being given to them all in this ep, and the flowers aren't among them. It was @cdyssey who made the stitch for me that this is probably Barbara christening/homecoming the table/the physical manifestation of their friendship/relationship after her lapse damaged it in an episode which re-cements their connection after the events of Fire, and in an episode where their bond is tested. Flowers are her thing. It has to be Barbara.

We also haven't seen any other gift that was given become a recurring feature. They are always facing the wide-angle camera, two bright faces for the two of them in the configuration they always sit in, side by side. Barbara Howard, who loves flowers, no doubt has read up on flower language before. Sunflowers are representative of "silent love, loyalty, admiration, arrogance and unspoken love". This was, without a doubt, a deliberate choice, and so, so thematically relevant for not only the unspoken but incredibly strong bonds of their relationship (platonic, romantic or otherwise), but also the arrogance for which Barbara (and Melissa) took their relationship (and the symbolism of their shared table) for granted in the episode where they appeared, and in Fire where she didn't open up to Melissa and share her pain.

The sunflowers are a physical manifestation of what Barbara feels about her relationship with Melissa, and the sanctuary that is their second home: the table. A safety and enduring loyalty that has lasted decades and seen countless other colleagues and friendships and even Melissa's marriage come and go. For each other, they are a reliable, ever-present constant, a beam of sunlight no matter what they are weathering together. The sunflowers stayed on the table for the following episode, disappeared 2x20 when Melissa was sat at the table alone (and was stressed and unmoored the whole episode), and the reappeared in 2x21, when the WW returned to the table again. And not only reappearing, but reappearing in a yellow outfit.

This cements to me that this is Barbara bringing them in each Monday - when she doesn't come into the lounge, the flowers aren't there.

As an addendum, I haven't re-checked the full series proper, but another time sunflowers have appeared in relation to WW is during another turning-point scene in 1x06, the "maybe this is it for me" scene with Barbara, Melissa & Gerald eating lunch that leads to Barbara encouraging Melissa to date again... but which also contains this look, where Barbara's mask nearly, fully slips one of the most significant times in the whole series and is a foundational moment in WW ship lore. Again, there are two sunflowers in this scene.

Yes, this whole thing is me being a delulu girl. Yes, it's me making tenuous connections for a non-canon ship and making a meal out of scraps. Yes, I fully enjoy this little theory and subscribe to it, and welcome anyone else to play around in the mud with me, too. If you wanna take this idea for fic etc, GO GO GO!

Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

#work wives #melissa x barbara #barlissa #chatalentan

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thecreelhouse · 27 days ago

Text

if you know love, you best prepare to grieve

Paring: Steve Harrington x Francesca “Frankie” Amato

This is part of the accident prone AU— please be warned there are spoilers in these mini fics if you have yet to read the main series! This post-series fic and more can be found here -> accident prone - the blurb sides

Summary: Steve offers to go with Frankie to visit her mother’s grave.

WC: 4.2k+

Includes: grief. this is a grief fic (want to make that one clear), language, angst, hurt/comfort, discussion of toxic positivity, some Amato family lore, brief alcohol induced angst, unconventional means of mourning, brighter ending.

A/N: wanted to touch more on Frankie’s loss of her mother, and the complex feelings it brings from being so young when it happened. So this fic is more Frankie-centric, but I do have more Steve-centric ones planned and in progress! Tysm to anyone who has read AP, or even gives this little collection of (not) blurbs the time of day— I appreciate you!! <3 [title is from leave it alone - hayley williams]

The first Sunday of every month, Frankie’s family got together for dinner. A few months into her relationship with Steve, her family constantly bugged her to finally meet him— sure enough, she caved.

Right away, the Amato family welcomed Steve the way any stereotypical Italian-American family would: with open arms and love in the form of constantly offering homemade food. He learned quickly that her grandmother— who she affectionately called Nonna— was notorious for making sure no one went hungry, not even for a minute. He’d barely have one foot through the door when she’d already ask “You kids hungry? Come, sit!”

Some Sundays were louder than others, depending on how many family members could attend, and damn, did Frankie have a huge family. He’s lost count of all her cousins he’s met so far, near and far in ages apart. He discovered her father had several sisters, so growing up she always had a motherly presence around with her doting zias. Above all, her grandmother made the biggest impact in her femininity, unconditionally loving her as if Frankie were her own daughter.

This time, Frankie’s father brought out some photo albums after dinner, proudly showing Steve memories of his daughter over the years.

“Wait, I gotta show you this one. This kid was a menace.”

Steve turns to Frankie’s father, eyes wide with curiosity as he’s handed another baby photo of his girlfriend. Frankie’s face grows red, flinging her hand over Steve’s shoulder to steal the picture.

“Oh my god, no—“

“Nothing was safe around this little terror,” Her dad chuckles, nodding to his daughter.

“Are you—“

“Look, I was two—“

“When people talk ‘bout the terrible twos, they certainly never mention your kid tearing the garden apart.”

The photograph shows a tiny, two year old Frankie, with the cutest round, freckled cheeks. Her wild, frizzy waves falling in her face, escaping from a loose ponytail. Best part of all— she’s covered in garden soil, tomatoes in each hand; she’s biting into the tomato like it’s an apple.

Steve has no time to hide the affectionate, hearty laugh before it bursts out of him.

“If it weren’t the squirrels chewing on ‘em, it was baby Francesca that was the tomato thief,” her grandmother chimes in from her chair, side eyeing Frankie. “She didn’t even bite them half the time, just squished ‘em to make a mess! I never got to can those for sauce that year.”

“I didn’t ruin all of the tomatoes,” Frankie’s still embarrassed, but laughing with everyone. “I put some back!”

“Yeah, after you would pretend to eat them, get baby spit all over them, then put them on the ground in the garden like no one would notice,” her dad clarifies, then turns to Steve, “We noticed.”

“Hey, nonno was the one who always let me run wild in the plants,” Frankie counters, glaring playfully at her grandmother. “Your husband was the real culprit, I was just a pawn in his game.”

“You sure were, cattivella,” her nonna lightly quips, attention turning to Steve. “When I was two, I was sent out into the garden all the time by my nonna to pick what was ripe, and everything was returned safely each time.”

“Yeah, yeah, we get it, you also marched uphill in the snow ten miles every day to get to school.”

Mila, one of the only aunts that could show up today, cracks up from her spot on a couch across the room. Her cheeks are rosy red from having a bit too much wine, but she’s cheerful.

“Ma, she’s right, you’re just from a different time.”

“You’re spoiled by your zia,” her grandmother shakes her head, poorly hiding her smile. She gets up, shuffling out of the room with an added comment, “Actually, you’re spoiled by all of ‘em.”

Steve has a hard time remembering who is who among her aunts, since Frankie loves to call them all zia, never using their names with the title. Mila, however, seemed to be Frankie’s favorite, the one she’s closest with; she’s kind but bold, something that’s rubbed off on her niece from an early age.

“If the worst of my crimes were spitting on tomatoes, I ain’t that much trouble,” Frankie shrugs. Her smile wavers as a photo catches her eye among the pile on the coffee table; one of her and her mother, from a memory that feels like it never belonged to her to begin with.

In the photo, baby Frankie’s giggling, pudgy hands clapping together, while sitting on her mother’s lap. Her mother’s reading to her from a children’s book, facial expression animated as she reads aloud to her daughter. She looks far too young to know what’s going on, but in that very moment, Frankie and her mother are happy.

“I wish I could remember this,” she murmurs, more to herself than anyone else in the room. Glancing up at her dad, she asks, “Are you visiting her tomorrow?”

He sighs, “Might not be until super late, unless I can leave early before work tomorrow, and stop by on the way, but I know you said you’ve been having a hard time sleeping—“

“It’s okay, I can go.”

“Kid, your mom would want you to rest. You need it.” He looks over to his sister, “Mila, are you free tomorrow?”

“No, work’s been crazy, otherwise I’d go with ya’, Francesca. I’m sorry.”

“No worries, zia, I’ll figure something out.”

Steve’s worried he’ll overstep by asking, but offers anyway, “I can go with you… i- if you want.”

Frankie stares at him, surprised, “Really? I can’t imagine it’d be very fun for you.”

“I can give you space when we get there, too. But it’s clearly important to you to visit her for—“ Steve pauses, hoping brain fog didn’t cause him to misplace an important detail. “Her…”

She snorts, “Sorry, didn’t mention it.” Glad I’m not that out of it today, he thinks. “My mom’s birthday is tomorrow. I try visiting every year for that, at least.” Her gaze falls to the photo with her mother, still in her hands. “I’d really appreciate that. You could even come with me— if you want, I mean. I don’t wanna pressure you—“

“It’s cute that you’re so respectful of one another, but you gotta stop doubting yourselves,” Mila pipes up, as if she’s cracked the code to overthinking. “All that tip-toeing shit is unnecessary.”

Frankie’s dad warns, “Mila—“

“Am I wrong?” She leaves the couch, shuffling past the remaining trio. “I say that with love, of course.”

“I’m, uh, gonna see if nonna needs help with dishes,” Frankie mumbles, throwing a thumb over her shoulder to the doorway. She spins her wheelchair quickly, rolling into the next room.

“Hey, Steve, I’m sorry about what Mila said, she really does mean well—“

A shrill, repetitive beeping echoes through the room. Frankie’s dad sighs, pulling a beeper out of his pocket. “Ah, shit, I gotta make a call. I’m sorry, I’ll be right back.”

While Steve sits alone in the living room, peeking through pictures, heart melting over every over-expressive version of Frankie growing up, he overhears a quiet conversation in the kitchen.

“Your zia is a goof when she’s tipsy, you know that. She means well, but she didn’t need to make that comment,” her grandmother’s voice floats out of the kitchen clearly; they’re definitely not washing dishes. “You and Steve are just very sensitive, and that’s not a bad thing. If anything, the world could use more kids like you two.”

“I know… but I don’t want Steve to feel like he has to come with me, just because we’re dating.” Frankie’s voice wavers in the way it usually does when she staves off tears; Steve recognizes those little things about her so well now, especially with how emotional the last few months have been. “Hanging out at your mom’s grave sure isn’t an ideal date night.”

Does she really think I’m offering because I feel obligated? Steve’s a little stung by his partner’s insecurity, but he shakes it off. This can’t be an easy topic to discuss in any relationship; maybe opening up in the past about her loss had been a breaking point for an ex long ago. Maybe not. Steve doesn’t know the reason, but he knows something got into her head to make her believe otherwise.

Whoever made ‘Key feel bad for her loss is a piece of shit.

“Oh, fiorellina, he’s the one who offered to begin with. You know why? That boy loves you to pieces. Looks at you like you’ve hung the damn moon.” Steve knows it’s wrong to listen to their delicate conversation, but he knows moving out of the living room would give him away, too. He didn’t want to interrupt their moment. “You know, your mammina would be so proud of you for letting love in again, and more importantly, staying true to yourself.”

Again?

“Not sure there’s much to be proud of,” Frankie murmurs, giving a short laugh. “Not like I’ve done anything spectacular with my life, except be sick.”

“I’d say surviving is pretty spectacular, Francesca. That, while building a life you love, even among the pain, both are no easy feat.” Her grandmother pauses, and Steve can hear faint, muffled crying; he wonders if she’s trying to keep quiet, not to alarm anyone. “You’re a fighter, just like your mamma. And what, running a record store, making new friends, and falling in love ain’t worth being proud of? All while you’re in treatment? You deserve that kindness you give everyone else.”

“I’m just scared everyone will leave— n- not that they’re like that… nonna, they’re all so sweet, and funny, and accepting… but I can’t shake that stupid fear.”

There’s a pang in Steve’s heart overhearing that; he refrains from rushing into the next room over to hold her close, reassure her no one’s leaving.

“You were hurt badly, so f’course that fear is hard to shake. But it’s sure as hell not stupid. Why don’t you bring ‘em around one of these Sundays? It’d be nice to put faces to their names.”

“Okay...” Frankie hiccups, “I don’t know where I’d be without you guys, and Steve, too.”

“You’d still be here, I wouldn’t doubt that. But I can see how much Steve has influenced your life for the better during this rough patch.” She laughs softly, “He’s a good one, Francesca. Reminds me of your nonno, with a heart that big. Cherish him for as long as life allows.”

Steve’s thoughts float away, heart torn over Frankie’s valid fears and feelings, while in awe to hear her grandmother speak so kindly about him. He still struggles to believe he’s a decent person sometimes; looking back at his past, there’s a wave of regret and shame that washes over him each time an old memory resurfaces. It only all motivates him to continue being the best person he can be, for himself and others.

Especially those he loves.

“Stevie?” Frankie’s fragile voice ushers him out of his deep thoughts, appearing in the doorway. “Are you alright?”

“Huh? Me? I’m fine,” his brows furrow, confused. “Are you okay?”

“Um… yeah,” she murmurs, sliding the sleeves of her sweater over her hands, balling up the knitted garment in her fists.

Steve sighs, knowing that’s far from the truth. “Try again, honey.”

Rolling up to the couch, she slides out of her wheelchair, settling in next to him. While she curls into his side, he throws an arm around her shoulders, hooking her in closer.

“You heard everything, huh?”

Again, he sighs heavily, nodding. “Wasn’t trying to be sneaky or nosy, but I didn’t want to ruin the moment you had with your nonna.”

“S’okay. I’m sorry you heard any of that.”

“What? Why?” Steve’s fingers gently caress up and down her arm, glancing down at her. “I- I mean, not that I was trying to, really, I mean that… but I know you wouldn’t have told me that fear on your own. You know you can always come to me about anything, right?”

“Yeah, I do. My brain likes to tell me otherwise— there’s a lot I’m unlearning and reshaping the longer we’re together. A few shitty relationships and experiences still cause me to second guess myself.”

“I’m sorry, ‘Key, but whoever made you feel that way about your emotions, and your health, and your appearance— everything— they’re assholes, and they’re wrong about you.” She shivers against him, so he drapes a throw blanket over the two of them, laying back on the pillows. “If you’re comfortable with it, I’d really love to go with you to visit your mom. Like I said, I’ll give you space if you’d like, or visit her with you, but your nonna’s right; I want to go with you ‘cause I love you.”

“She’s right about a lot, y’know.” She gives a soft, short giggle, burying her face into his shoulder as she snuggles up with him. “You’ve got a big heart, Stevie.” Her breaths slow steadily as she finds comfort in his arms. “M’gonna just rest my eyes quick, m’so sleepy…”

Steve holds back a teasing comment about the dad remark of “resting her eyes”, knowing her fatigue is intense from more treatment than usual the week before. The heightened emotions are draining on their own, so the combination must be dragging her into slumber.

“Take all the time y’need, babe.” He kisses her forehead, since a warm, knitted hat blocks off the top of her bare head. “Might nap with you.”

Keeping his word, Steve’s able to fall asleep quickly. The tuckered out pair weren’t even aware of Frankie’s nonna snapping a Polaroid of the serene scene.

Gingerly, the eldest Amato slides the square photograph into Frankie’s bag, sneaking away to leave the two to their peaceful nap.

—————

“M’gonna learn how to knit, or crochet, or something, just to make you stuff to keep you warm.” It’s meant to be a playful comment, but saying it out loud, Steve finds the idea of picking up a new hobby intriguing for a moment, then pushes it aside. “Are you sure you don’t want my jacket?”

“I said I’m okay, I mean it,” Frankie tries to downplay how chilled to the bone she is, but her chattering teeth give her away, as usual. Steve shrugs his jacket off, draping it over her shoulders despite her grumbled protests; he doesn’t miss her tiny, thankful smile, though.

The walk from the main path to Frankie’s mother’s grave isn’t too far, but it’s certainly not easy navigating with a wheelchair. She’s encountered plenty of inaccessible locations with her chair in the past, but the ground blanketed in a thick layer of fallen leaves makes it frustrating to roll over, at best.

It takes longer than it would have on foot, but once they arrive, Steve glances over at Frankie, wordlessly asking one more time if she’d like him to stay, or give her space. She squeezes his hand with a nod.

She unrolls a picnic blanket, Steve takes the other end, laying it out, nice and neat. Crouching down to pull an end, straightening it out, the grave’s etched details catch his attention.

Giulia Amato

Beloved mother, wife, daughter

A flower plucked from this world far too soon, forever blooming in our hearts.

Nov. 16th 1941 - Dec. 19th 1966

Intricate floral designs are carved into the marble’s edges, with little memorial trinkets placed on the base of the tombstone.

Steve reads the date again, feeling his throat tighten; he never realized exactly how young Frankie was when her mom passed away. Nor did he know it was so close to the holidays.

He turns to find Frankie already out of her chair, situated on the blanket while gingerly unwrapping a small bouquet of lavender and daisies from their paper shelter. She was thrilled the local floral shop still had some left, though out of season by now.

“Hi, mammina, happy birthday,” Frankie sets the bundle of flowers on the stone, voice barely above a whisper.

Steve sits back, allows her the space she needs; he still worries he’s invading on a personal moment, but curiously watches as she pulls out a small, plain, birthday candle to light. Her hand tremors make the first few tries difficult to light it, but once it’s lit, she sets it next to the flowers.

“M’sorry I didn’t visit sooner, this year’s been… a lot.” She shivers, hands slipping into the sleeves of Steve’s jacket for warmth. “A lot of bad, but more good than anything. There’s always more good, and papá makes sure to remind me all the damn time that you believed in that.” He can hear the eye roll in her little laugh. “I think I say it every year, but I wish I got to know you the way you knew me. It’s probably silly I miss you as much as I do, ‘cause I don’t remember a damn thing.”

She shakes her head with another laugh, but Steve can hear her sniffling, too.

“Anyway, I want you to meet someone very special to me. This is Steve,” Frankie glances back at Steve with a wobbling smile. Turning back to the gravestone, she adds, “He’s even got nonna’s approval— that’s big.”

Steve’s not one to sit at someone’s grave and speak to the dead, so he awkwardly waves, while pushing down the smile her last comment brings him. He moves closer to hug her from the side, gently kissing her temple. Frankie sighs, relaxing under his touch.

“I’m pissed, you know? Like I’m jealous I never got to know this person that everyone else praises to be amazing and kind. It’s not fair. That’s— it’s my mother, for fucks sake. Why didn’t I get those memories with her?”

Steve isn’t sure what to say, isn’t sure if there’s anything to say that’d help to begin with. When Frankie swipes her tears away with her sweater-covered hands, she sighs loudly, trying to shake it off.

“Sorry. I’m good. It’s all good.”

He grabs her hand, bringing her attention his way. “You’re not good.”

When Steve started to see right through Frankie averting her own needs, physical and emotional, she first hated that she couldn’t hide it from him. She’d be stubborn, argue with him that she was truly fine, until realizing he wouldn’t give up on helping her. Frankie’s stubbornness met its match in the same trait Steve held, and it’s difficult for her to feel like she’s worthy of being seen and heard with her emotional pain.

So when she’s scrunching her eyes shut, tears squeezing between her lids, tumbling down her face, it throws Steve off when she shakes her head, too.

“M’not. I’m really not good,” she whimpers, clapping a hand over her mouth before a sob slips out.

“C’mere,” Steve’s winding his embrace around her, holding her tight while she grips onto the front of his sweater, sobbing into him. “It’s okay, y’know? To not be okay.”

“But it’s so fucking…. So annoying, to hear to this day shit like ‘everything happens for a reason’, ‘cause what’s the reason, huh? I’ve gone twenty-five years waiting for a reason to finally appear, and it doesn’t exist.” It’s unclear which will take over, her sorrow or her rage, but both are rightfully valid in her deep rooted grief. “How the fuck do you tell a kid that shit? The reason that you never really got to know and love your own mom is ‘cause of some … some higher force with a plan unknown to anyone yet— it’s all bullshit!”

Frankie startles herself over her own outburst, quiet for a moment, before babbling a tangled string of apologies into Steve’s shoulder.

“God… I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked you to come with me,” she hiccups, arms trembling as her hold tightens on him, in need of some kind of grounding. “You shouldn’t have to see this part of me.”

Steve kisses the crown of her head, one hand cradling the back of her beanie-covered head, the other wound securely around her waist; at some point, she must’ve slid onto his lap, because the hug’s not awkward anymore.

“I want to see every part of you, even the ones that are hard to show.” He doesn’t expect his voice to warble, throat tightening while choking back tears. “It’s not fair. None of this is fair, and you’re right, it’s bullshit for anyone to say losing your mom so young was for a reason. Your grief is valid, too, even if you only have secondhand memories of her.”

“I’m grateful my family took so many photos and videos of us when she was still here. At least I have those.”

“And you can tell how much she loved you in those,” Steve adds, causing Frankie to give a curious, tear-stained look up at him. “Your dad showed me other home movies, and it’s just… so obvious she adored you. Maybe you don’t remember your short time with her, but she remembered every second of that time spent with you.” He glances over at the gravestone, and the candle Frankie lit, halfway melted down now. “It doesn’t make it fair, but maybe there’s a little bit of comfort knowing you made her last months so special, even when everything else was falling to shit.”

Jesus, quit word vomiting.

“I’ve never looked at it like that,” she mutters, pout trembling. “I just wish she never had to suffer.”

“I know, ‘Key. M’so sorry.”

Frankie takes a few deep breaths, shuddering in between as she calms herself down. “Thanks for not trying to sugarcoat it like everyone else does. It helps to just be heard, rather than hear shitty advice on how to hurt.”

“Anytime you need to talk about this, you can.” Steve runs his hand over her back gently in a soothing motion. “I want you to talk about this shit, if you want to, and if it helps. There’s no pressure either way, but you deserve the space to grieve when you need to.”

Squeezing him one more time, Frankie shudders out a sigh, burying her face into the crook of his neck. “Thank you. I love you.”

“Thanks for letting me tag along, I know that’s not easy. I love you, too.” Steve’s eyes land on the candle, nearing its end. He softly pushes Frankie off of him, “The candle’s almost out.”

“It’s— oh, shit— I forgot! I gotta make a wish.” She clumsily scrambles off his lap, crossing her fingers in both hands as her eyes flutter shut, silently making her wish. She glances back at Steve, “You should make one too, it’s tradition, I do this every year.”

“Me? Is that— I don’t want to overstep—“

“Steve, just make a wish.” She grabs his hand, pushing past the remnants of her crying with her signature warm smile. “I want you to, and from what I’ve learned about her, I think she’d want you to make one, too.”

Eyes closing, he crosses his fingers, silently making his own wish. He makes it once, twice, three times, hoping the repetition adds to its chances of coming true. “Okay,” his eyes slowly open, “done.”

Frankie leans down to the candle, softly blowing out the flame. Though she murmurs it more to herself, and to the spirit of her mother, wherever she may be, Steve can clearly hear her. “Mamma, if you ever got a say in those wishes coming true, pick Steve’s first. He deserves it.”

When asked to make a wish, he didn’t make it on himself; all these years later, Steve still puts others before himself, so naturally, his wish went to Frankie, instead.

So yeah, maybe this wish he deserves, as long as it means it comes true for Frankie’s sake. He almost feels a little naive, banking on a wish in honor of her late mother’s birthday, but… stranger things have happened.

‘Ti voglio bene, mamma.” Frankie kisses the tips of her pointer, middle, and ring fingers, before gingerly pressing them against the cool, smooth stone. “See you soon.”

With everything packed up, the couple make their way back to the main cemetery road, ready to head home for a cozy, warm remainder of the day inside.

“So, when are you gonna teach me how to speak Italian?” Steve cracks the comfortable silence first, earning a snort from his partner.

“Never. I am terrible aside from the few phrases I remember,” she waves her hands in tandem with her shaking head, while he continues to push her chair over the leaf-covered terrain. “But, if you ask Nonna, she’d be thrilled to teach you some curses. It’d earn you some brownie points with her, too.”

“Next Sunday, I’m asking her the moment we walk through the door.”

“If you do that, she’ll probably rope you into making dinner with her somehow,” Frankie teasingly warns. Her curious stare wanders up to his as she tilts her head back. “Hey… what’d you wish for?”

Steve scoffs, “Can’t tell you, or it won’t come true. C’mon, ‘Key, that’s like, the first rule of making wishes.”

“Eugh,” she groans. “I wish you weren’t such a stickler for rules sometimes. Be a rebel, Steve.”

“Let’s just say, if it happens, you’ll know,” he leans down to kiss her knit beanie-covered head, murmuring, “And I’m not fucking up any chance of this coming true.”

“Alright, fine,” Frankie gives up, attention elsewhere while rummaging through her bag. She pauses, pulling out a Polaroid photo, studying it for a moment before breaking out into giggles. “Oh my god, Steve, look—“

“Wh— who took that?” He chuckles, leaning down and over her shoulder for a closer look.

It’s the snapshot Frankie’s grandmother took while they were napping.

“Who do you think?” She admires the picture, laughter dying down. “Nonna’s a sneaky lady when she wants to be.”

“Hey, we’re kinda cute all… squished up together like that while napping.” Steve can’t take his eyes away from the photograph— there’s something so simple, yet meaningful, in a tiny domestic moment like this, frozen in time. He wants this love for as long as he can possibly have and live in it.

The words Steve overheard from Frankie’s grandmother repeat in his head: “Cherish him for as long as life allows.”

He’s got no clue if a wish like the one he made could come true, but even if it never came to be, Steve would still cherish Frankie for as long as life allows, too.

#steve harrington x oc #steve harrington x original character #steve harrington x francesca ‘frankie’ amato #accident prone #accident prone: the blurb sides #my fics

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islandtarochips · 10 months ago

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WELCOME TO MY BLOG!

Talofa everyone! I am IslandTaroChips or you can just call me Taro or Chips! I'm just scrolling around Tumblr for any inspirations for me to make any kind of Fanfic story that I'm very interested in (Which it's mostly COD). Let me tell you more about myself before you went on ahead of looking at the rest of my blog here!

Introduction: General:

· I am 23-years-old who loves any fandoms that I'm interested in · Creating OCs in writing is what I do (I can't draw but I'm learning to) · Writing fanfic or a short story about my OCs or any other people's OCs (For I know we all wanted to have comfort characters in our life or we wanted to comfort them) ·I am currently working at the moment and trying to help my family. So please don't expect me to get things done from here. ·I'm Samoan who was born from America and lived the rest of my life down in the Island (Doesn't know ALL of the Samoan language T-T) ·I really do love making OCs on any fandoms that is base with the Polynesian sides (Mostly the Samoan ones) and would love to share my culture with you guys here ·can write Y/n x Canon characters ·I'm a sucker for angst, fluff and romance

Fandom/Interests that I'm into:

- Call of Duty (Only the Modern Warfare that I know about but didn't play :D)

- Genshin Impact

- Honkai Star Rail

- Resident Evil

- The Last of Us

Some things I’m not Interested in:

·Not into writing NSFW ·Not into writing MLM or FLF ·Not into writing Spice either ·Not into writing a threesome or more kind of relationship

DISCLAIMER:

·You can interact with me if you would like but please be nice and kind before doing so ·If you are not and you decided to say something negative towards me. I will have to respectfully to ask you not to interact with me but if you don't respect that than I have no choice but to block you. ·If you would like to request of me writing a short story with your OCs x Canon or a Y/n x Canon. I would GLADLY accept it! But there will be boundaries for me not to do it. ·Letting you guys know that there will be some swearing words in the story ·JUST because I said that I'm not into writing MLM or FLF DOESN'T mean I'm disrespecting of who they are. For I am a Christian but I don't push my religion on here. For I only wanted to do some fun writing in here and expressing of what I'm passionate of.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 OCs: (No Drawings I'm Afraid :,( I'm sorry...)

What is the Warriors Task Force?

Tiala "Malie" Toa 🦈📄 Captain Kanoa Toa 🇦🇸📄 Nigel "Squirrel" Harrison 🐿️📄 Agnes "Blast" Falagi 💥📄 Dr. Aelan Kalani ⛑️📄 General Alana Kalani 🎖️📄

Las Almas OC: Camila “Rosa” Flores 🌹📄

Shadow Company OC: Callie "Snipe" Graves 🇺🇸📄 Kapo Taumoepeau 🇹🇴📄

Samoan Tattoo Ideas for my OC

Samoan Tattoo Ideas for my OC #2

Knowing the Toa Siblings (Oldest Edition)

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War OC:

Koa “Hunter” Nikau 🔪📄

Aroha Arehe Nikau 📄

VAMPYR OC:

Diana Lune 🧛🏻‍♀️📄

Here are the story that I did so far if you're interested of reading it:

Opt In/Out: If you want to be tagged for the stories that I'm creating. Either Canon x Reader or OC x Canon or some of my OCs lore backstory or other story related post. Then you may pressed up there if you want to be part of it. If not then that's ok! Thank you!

Farm AU (141 x Reader):

Farmer!Price x Farmer!Female!Reader 🚬📝

Farmer!Ghost x Farmer!Female!Reader 💀📝

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COD Characters x Reader

Obsessed!Makarov x Female!Reader

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My OCs Stories:

The Blame (Kanoa's Angst Story)

Operation Red Tide

Chapter One

A Wedding Date (Gaz x Tiala Fic)

Part 1

Ok! That’s about it! Thank you for reading this far! Love ya!😘❤️

#introductory post #intro post #my ocs #welcome to my blog #about me #pinned post #my work

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safetycgreen · 2 months ago

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Decided to do some lore fleshing for my 3 sonas!

Safety C. (icon) now a second split from the Safety in the icon. This one's a strong She/her while looking mostly the same (just some body language changes and more prominent blue eyelids) (might wear breast forms occasionally, but not often) definitely more open and sexually active (power switch x////x) She's fully ok with operating under male titles like prince, duke, fireman, ect. and sometimes prefers it! Very confident but with a few words, all of it will melt away; leaving a very forward cuddle bug. not mean (as a basis), might strongly tease if the situation is right for it. mostly wants everyone to be having a good time in the end but can be a little needs deaf (completely unintentionally, knows this) and would like you to be a clear communicator nwn! still the same weird mushroom zooid as og Safety, just overshadowed by all of her Her. tall! just under 7'2" not counting ears. Hugs you hugs you hugs you hugs you hugs you hugs y-. definitely pet able uwu, won't open ask but will always accept and appreciate! like to pin and rest her arms on shorter people, will let you do the same if you're above her or she's on the ground! mild bug interest. can sort of draw!

Fisher Cat! Now has a government name! Henry Lentil! not a FURSONA fursona, but like a close family friend fursona. casual he/him

Creature: now a specific one of his race while still being generally representative. given a nickname by Fisher! "Ol'd Tom" referring to the fact that he's lost a lot of his furry(human) fear and Fisher thinks he's randy for a Creature, hence Tom like tomcat. also, a he/him in a nature documentary way. Firmly feral but can be given comedically appropriate/genre appropriate/harkness-test-if-desired intelligence in a one off way. ooc it's not a horny oc but I wouldn't want anyone getting bent out of shape over it getting hornied so I'm giving it a build-in blank cheque. Likes to grab things. likes to chew things. likes to investigate things. will eat a bug/fish/bunny/berry/root/plant/whatever else. *steals from u because property is a loose concept* *it's his den tho* *also his fish* comfortable enough in others presence to perform calls(LOUD) and do tail displays (this is why Fisher thinks he's randy). gets into places like a raccoon or squirrel does. might snuggle if you seem like a friend(stranger). WILL snuggle if he thinks you're his friend(close). might still nibble/bite if he's being an ass <3.

#fursona #oc #safetyc

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stormysprite · 4 months ago

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Hi there!

Like the header says, this is my space to ramble about almost anything and post some of my writing. You can call me Storm, Stormy, Sprite, StormySprite, Hey You, whatever works. DMs are always closed, but I love asks, they get my creative juices flowing! Come screech at me. Couple guidelines if you do:

-No NSFW content. If you wouldn’t show it to your grandma, it doesn’t belong here.

-Same goes for swearing/profanity. Even if I love the ask or the asker, I won’t answer or post anything that includes objectionable language. (Same also goes for comments on my ao3 work)

-This is a fun, family-friendly space. Please keep your asks as such (no politics please and thank you).

My main tags:

my writing: #stormy writes

cute animals (normally ones I work with): #stormy’s critters and #stormy pats things she shouldn’t

weird life stories from me/my family: #stormy’s life lore

general rambling: #stormy’s scribbles

I love asks! Not sure what to screech at me about? I put some random things about me under the cut to spark your brain (or I’m happy to rate any incoherent screeching you send me, will never be less than a 9/10)

-My MBTI is INFJ-T, but I’m as pure of an ambivert as you’ll ever meet

-I’m a Gryffindor! (Yes, I took the Pottermore test) I have strong Hufflepuff traits, too

-I’m an author! That’s my day job. I write fanfics to warm up/cool down creatively before/after work. My first book comes out in a couple years (because the publishing world is SO. SLOW.)

-I love adventures and exploring

-food fascinates me

-I have an inconsistent accent

-my family and I have a lot of weird lore. Any story I tell about me or them 100% happened, even if you think there’s no way I mummified a frozen chicken

-I can and will cuddle and love any animal you put in my path. One of my favorite hobbies is volunteering at my local aquarium, where I wrangle everything from pythons to murder birds penguins

-that being said, I have a blood feud against squirrels and salamanders (they started it)

-I love video games and am on team Nintendo all the way

-I listen to music almost constantly during the week while I’m working or doing chores. Instrumental epic music is my favorite, I love recs and asks for recs!

-I am a grown woman who watches cartoons before bed. The only exceptions to this rule are animal videos, sketch comedy, and White Collar reruns

#that’s all folks #first post #guidelines #stormy’s scribbles #pinned post

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lostxndbroken · 9 months ago

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FULL NAME: Dean Winchester NICKNAME/ALIASES: Deano, Deej, Squirrel FACE-CLAIM: Jensen Ackles GENDER: Male AGE: In his 30’s (depends on the storyline as well) BIRTHDATE: 24th of January ZODIAC: Aquarius RACE: Human MORALS: Depends on the thread, mostly Chaotic Good SPOKEN LANGUAGES: English

HEIGHT: 5 feet 10 WEIGHT: 186 lbs BODY TYPE: Fit SKIN TONE: Light skin tone POSTURE: Depends on the situation. Resilient, readiness, capable. EYE COLOR: Green HAIR COLOR: Dark brown BIRTHMARKS: - TATTOOS: Anti-possession tattoo on the upper left part of his chest PIERCINGS: None SCARS: He has plenty of scars

LIKES: Classic rock music. Cars, especially his black 1967 Chevrolet Impala who he refers to as 'Baby' and once belonged to his father. Junk food, and food in general. Hunting the supernatural. Weapons, firearms. Pop culture. Beer and stronger stuff. Classic horror movies. Cowboy movies. Impersonating and pulling pranks. Protecting his family and those he care about. DISLIKES: Demons. Angels (most of them anyway). Losing loved ones, he wears a lot of emotional scars of the losses he endured through his life. Being vulnerable, he doesn't like to show weakness or emotional fragility, he prefers to maintain a tough exterior. Being controlled and manipulated, especially by supernatural entities or powerful beings. Breaking promises and betraying the trust of those close to him. Reckless behavior, even when he is reckless and impulsive at times, he doesn't like it when others put themselves in unnecessary dangers. Being idle and waiting. Letting others down. Losing control. HOBBIES: Working on his car, or cars in general. Listening to music. Watching movies and shows, and sometimes porn... Playing pool. Cooking, even if his meals are not much different than the fast food he gets outside of the kitchen. Reading lore and research. Playing guitar. Exploring local bars and diners. Hunting and fishing. Metalworks. Fixing and modifying. Collecting weapons. HABITS: Eating junk food. Quoting movies and tv shows. Tinkering with gadgets. Protecting his impala. Maintaining weapons. Keeping personal items. Being protective of family and friends. Using humor as coping mechanism. Being resourceful and adaptable. Drinking alcohol. Sleeping with a weapon nearby. Making sacrifices for family and friends. Seeking justice, even if it costs him his morality at times. MOTIVATION: Family legacy. Protecting others. Personal experience. Sense of justice. Identity and purpose. Responsibility. Overall, Dean's motivations for hunting the supernatural are deeply ingrained in his upbringing, personal experiences, and sense of duty to protect others. DISCOURAGEMENT: Loss and grief. Failure and setbacks. Betrayal and loss of trust. Moral dilemmas. Personal demons and guilt. Lack of control. Existential threats. Recurring trauma. Facing mortality. Struggles with self-worth. Burdens of leadership. CONFIDENT LEVEL: Dean exhibits a high level of confidence in his abilities as a hunter and protector, but this confidence can be tempered by moments of self-doubt and insecurity. GREATEST FEAR/PHOBIA: Loss of family. Abandonment and isolation. Failure to protect others. Facing personal demons. Unforeseen consequences of his actions. Losing control. Death and mortality.

PARENTS: John Winchester / Mary Campbell-Winchester SIBLINGS: Samuel Winchester, Adam Milligan (half-brother) OTHER RELATIVES: Samuel Campbell (grandfather) PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT: John was harsh on his sons and even more on Dean for being the firstborn. From a young age he took Dean along with his revenge plan to kill the demon that took his wife. It formed Dean's own motivations and sense of purpose as a hunter. Mary was a loving mother who quit hunting for her family but tragedy drew her to make a decision that cost her her life. When she was returned to earth by Amara, she was a mother to her boys again, with struggles. Trying to find herself in the new year, new technology.

OCCUPATION: A hunter CLOSE FRIENDS: Sam, Bobby , Castiel, Charlie, Jody, Donna, Eileen, Jack, Kevin and even Crowley and Rowena at some point. RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Single SEXUAL ORIENTATION: Pan-Sexual ROMANTIC ORIENTATION: Pan-Romantic PREFERRED EMOTIONAL/SEXUAL ROLE: It depends on his partner really. He does like beefy, big muscle guys, so preferable bottom, but he'd top for the right guy as well. TURN ON’S: He likes dirty talk, but not degrading. A bit of roughness. Teasing and playfulness. In a sexual matter, being controlled is a turn on but he wouldn't admit it. TURN OFF’S: Humiliation and degrading. Deep talk during play. LOVE LANGUAGE: Dean Winchester's love language in romantic relationships is a combination of physical touch, acts of service, words of affirmation, quality time, and occasional gift-giving, reflecting his deep commitment, affection, and desire for connection with his partner. RELATIONSHIP TENDENCIES: -

STRENGTHS: Combat skills. Tactical thinking. Lore knowledge. Emotional resilience. Protective instincts. Resourcefulness. Charisma and leadership. Determination. Versatility. Mechanical aptitude. Survival Skills. Quick thinking. Sense of humor. Empathy and compassion. Respect for tradition. WEAKNESSES: Emotional guardedness. Self-doubt. Guilt and regret. Stubbornness. Tendency to self-sacrifice. Impulsiveness. Difficulty trusting others. Sense of responsibility. Trauma and PSTD. Struggles with self-worth. Addiction, particularly to alcohol. Difficulty processing loss, he often carries the weight of grief and unresolved trauma. Codependency, Dean has a tendency to become emotionally dependent on his relationship with others, particularly family and romantic partners. Communication issues, especially in a healthy way, he avoids difficult conversations of deflect with humor. Difficulty asking for help. Fear of abandonment. PHYSICAL HEALTH: Great, even with the amount of junk and alcohol he consumes. MENTAL HEALTH: Very poor due to; PTSD, guilt and self-blame, depression and anxiety, emotional guardedness, his way of coping with trauma and loss often leading to self-destructive behavior.

Dean Winchester is a fiercely loyal and protective hunter with a quick wit and a strong sense of duty. He is brave, resourceful, and deeply committed to his family and friends, often putting their needs above his own. Despite his tough exterior, Dean carries deep emotional scars from his traumatic past, including feelings of guilt and self-doubt. He masks his vulnerability with humor and sarcasm but possesses a compassionate heart and an unwavering determination to fight against supernatural evil.

#〘 dean winchester 〙#〘 head canon: dean winchester 〙#〘 verses & au's: dean winchester 〙

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ao3feed-hashimada · 2 years ago

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ao3feed-hashimada

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/Sg5d8AU

by Anonymous

Hashirama and Madara are fathers to a little kid who has the same care and maintenance requirements for the demon oak sleeping at the side of their house. Said tree is growing into their family home, bending the roof inwards under the weight of the juvenile tree grown by Hashirama ("I can handle it," Madara says warmly, the weather is good as ever).

The kid finds more trouble than either expect when he comes back with a fish floating after him and other assortments of 'friends' show up.

"Chichi! Tousan! Meet Sakabanbasupisu!" Masayoshi holds up his hands and a floating, definitely real fish is looking into Madara's eyes with a perpetual triangular smile. The fish stares.

"Awe, my son has a new friend!" Madara happily coos over Masayoshi, gesturing for his son and the fish to come in. The fish stares into his soul, smiling. Again.

Hashirama screams. "AHHHHH!!! So cute!!"

Words: 104, Chapters: 1/31, Language: English

Series: Part 10 of flying squirrels that glide

Fandoms: Naruto

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: Gen, M/M

Characters: Uchiha Madara, Senju Hashirama, Original Character(s) - Character, Sakabanbasupisu

Relationships: Senju Hashirama/Uchiha Madara, Uchiha Madara & Original Character(s), Senju Hashirama & Original Character(s), Sakabanbasupisu & Original Character(s), Senju Hashirama & Sakabanbasupisu, Uchiha Madara & Sakabanbasupisu

Additional Tags: Wholesome, Silly, Comfort, Shinto, Buddhism, Senju Hashirama is a Ray of Sunshine, Uchiha Madara Has Issues, Demons, Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Sakabanbasupisu is a Good Fish, Light Angst, Sketches, Fan Comics, Crack, Dead Uchiha Izuna, Madara "my kid is so normal" Uchiha, Horror, Mild Horror, Ghosts, explaining zero lore, the fancomic

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/Sg5d8AU

#IFTTT #ao3feed #fanfic #hashimada #hashirama x madara #hashirama senju x madara uchiha

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ao3feed-drstrange · 29 days ago

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Marvel Rivals - Lore -

by BooksOfMischief Credits: ©2024 MARVEL ©1997-2024 NetEase,Inc. All Rights Reserved Words: 70184, Chapters: 34/34, Language: English Fandoms: Marvel, Marvel Rivals (Video Game) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Characters: Adam Warlock, Black Panther, Black Widow, Captain America - Character, cloak & dagger - Character, Doctor Strange, Groot, Hawkeye, Hela, Hulk, Iron Fist, Iron Man, Jeff the Land Shark (Marvel), Loki (Marvel), Seol Hee | Luna Snow (Marvel), Magik, Magneto, Mantis, Moon Knight, Namor, Peni Parker, Psylocke, Rocket Raccoon, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Man, Squirrel Girl, Star-Lord - Character, Storm, the punisher - Character, Thor, Venom, Winter Soldier, Wolverine via https://ift.tt/u1ZPROo

#IFTTT #stephen strange #dr strange #marvel #sorcerer supreme #the avengers #ao3 #ao3feed

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viridihat · 2 months ago

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Random lore I've made up for giants in my (mostly) homebrew dnd world to make them more interesting than just "bigass dudes" (with a decent bit of inspiration from Pointy Hat's video about Giants)

"Giants are... Curious creatures. They're older than dragons, yet have little similarities with them. In fact, they seem to hate each other whenever they're within proximity of the other. Weird..." -Marsha Quinn, Writer of "Planeswalker's Guide to Beasts and Buddies", on Giants and the Legend of Epinoia.

Before the ages of man and... Not man, there was nothing. Nothing except the gods that have shaped the multiverse as mortals know today. One of these gods, the God of Knowledge and Magic, Epinoia, felt that the world was empty and decided to build it from the ground up. Epinoia began creating planets and stars one by one, but quickly became tired. Epinoia needed help populating the multiverse, and so she created what would become her primary worshippers; Giants. At first there were only 6. These 6 each had a place in the process of creation. However, as these 6 towering beasts grew old and parts of them withered away, they created new giants. And they would create more giants as time went on. These lesser giants soon made new giant-like creatures such as Ogres, Trolls, and Goliaths. However, many giants stayed as what most call "True Giants", each with their own small piece of Epinoia living inside them.

True Giants typically appear as large, humanoid shaped beings. However, rather than their exterior being skin, it appears as a hard, rocky exoskeleton. This acts as both natural armor for the giant, but also helps them blend in with nature as mountains, hills, volcanoes, and other massive natural structures. This exoskeleton looks quite different depending on the giant. For example, fire giants are shorter and wider than other True Giants, with their exoskeleton typically looking like volcanic rock or natural ores. Meanwhile, stone giants are taller and lankier with an exoskeleton that looks like ancient mountains or even architectural structures if that stone giant has integrated into the society of other creatures, such as Nefum, the stone giant that lives alongside a colony of architecturally savvy gnomes on the planet Crasvag.

Giants usually treat smaller creatures like Humans, Elves, or Dwarves as we would treat something like a squirrel. Giants assume most creatures would run away from them, and are okay with that. However, if a creature begins interacting with the giant, most giants would be more than glad to take a second to marvel at what they do. Unlike many other creatures, Giants cannot speak. Instead, Giants communicate with etchings of the Giant Language that form on their exoskeleton. The only creatures Giants are inherently hostile against are Dragons, as Giants recognize as creatures of destruction made by the God of Death, Va'al. However, if a Dragon has pure intentions, Giants are more than willing to negotiate with the dragon.

I might draw some concept art of my new Giants sometime soon but I hope y'all like this little lore dump and I'd love to hear what y'all think of it

I might make more in the future too idk lol

#dnd #oc lore #lore #dnd lore #homebrew dnd #lore dump

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gothicmama · 1 year ago

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"Their Beginning"

Phrixia, daughter of Nyx and Erebus, gets into a bit of trouble. She's rescued by someone claiming to be the god, Pan. This is how their first meeting went.

This is one story set in my "The False Nymph" universe I've been working on for a few years. I guess it's time I post some of my original work, right? Note, all dialogue is in Greek, as these are Greek characters. There is one line where English is used, it's two words and they're italicized because technically they're the different language in this instance. This doesn't really serve any purpose within the story itself, nor will it in any other story, but it's just a little tidbit I like to add.

Link to it on AO3 : Their Beginning - GothicMama - Ancient Greek Religion & Lore [Archive of Our Own]

The forest was quiet, calm, as those who called it home went about their day like they usually did. Birds flew about, to and from the nests they’d built high up in the trees, chirping and calling out to each other. Squirrels raced from tree to tree across their interwoven branches and chittered angrily as they fought over nuts. Deer grazed from the grass covering the ground and stood up on their hind legs to reach the leaves from the lower branches. The ground was just as active, as rabbits, mice, and moles popped out of their burrows and hurried back into them just as fast. And in other parts of the forest, other creatures called it their home, Satyrs and nymphs mostly, but others could be found as well, harpies, sirens, and even a couple centaurs. All lived their lives alongside and with each other, and despite that, the forest was peaceful.

That peace was shattered when someone literally fell from the air and hit the ground. Everyone scattered, deer disappeared into the trees, smaller creatures hid immediately, and the birds took flight or let out frightened warnings. The pale figure landed on her knees, hunched over so her long black hair hid her face. She raised her head slightly and her hair parted, revealing shining silver eyes, a thin, slightly upturned nose, and full, black lips. On either side of her head, a pointed ear stuck out from the soft strands, their pale color seemed to shine when surrounded by her dark hair. She looked all around without moving her head and quickly inspected her surroundings, an action that took less than a second. And then without any warning, she was on her feet and moving.

With her enhanced speed, she weaved through the trees in a black blur. She couldn't take the chance someone had somehow managed to follow her. She wasn't ready to return home yet but her guards this time around weren’t as lenient as her other ones. They were determined to follow her father’s orders to the letter and bring her back as soon as they could. She couldn’t blame them for it as Erebus was intimidating and those who angered him tended to suffer in horrible ways. But despite her understanding of their situation, she wasn’t going to sacrifice what little freedom she had just to spare them.

She kept that pace for several minutes, changing directions randomly and just barely dodging trees, bushes, and rocks in her haste. Branches caught her loose clothes and long hair and scratched her face and body. When she inevitably began to tire and had to slow down, she looked like a mess with her clothes torn in some places and her exposed skin marred by dirt and blood. Her mind was screaming at her to keep going, that she couldn’t slow down and give them a chance to catch up, but she knew if she ran herself ragged, she would just be easier to catch. Slowing down to a steady jog, she settled for running in one direction and finally started looking at her surroundings.

It was a forest, that much was clear, but it wasn’t one she recognized. It was an old one she thought, judging by how big many of the trees were. She didn't see more than a few that she could wrap her arms around, and most of them she couldn't even reach halfway. She came to a complete stop after several minutes of jogging and found herself standing next to a particularly large tree, an old oak that towered over the others nearby. Panting, she cautiously placed her palm against the trunk. You never knew when a tree was really a tree, or something else entirely. When nothing happened, she carefully rubbed up and down it a few times, relishing the feeling of the rough bark against her smooth skin. It had been decades since she first ventured out of the Underworld, and while there were trees down there, there were only a few different species that could survive the environment, with Persephone’s help, and none of them were like their Earthly counterparts. She still hadn't lost her fascination with the trees on the mortal realm.

She put her other hand on the tree as well and moved closer to it, close enough that she could breathe in the scent of the bark. She had never been able to explain why she was drawn to things of nature, she supposed it was just her wanderlust and curiosity, and maybe it was just the appeal of the stark contrast from the environment she’d grown up in. She didn't talk about it to many others, not even her family, because they didn't understand. Her friends, who she trusted enough to confide in, barely understood. She was a nymph of the Underworld, daughter of Nyx and Erebus, literally born from the night and raised in the shadows. Nature and sunlight shouldn't call out to her. But it did, and that was why she still visited Earth. She couldn't stay away, no matter what her family wanted.

She leaned her forehead against the trunk and moved her head slightly just to feel the grooves in the bark scraping across her skin. She stayed like that as she caught her breath, taking comfort in the scents surrounding her. The trees, the fresh air, even the dirt. She breathed it all in until her heart had calmed. Then, she lifted her head and looked up the tree. The lowest branch hung just a few feet above her head. Looking up at it, she had a random idea pop into her head. She looked between the ground and the branch as she backed up from the tree, mentally calculating the distance. It only took her thirty seconds for the decision to be made in her mind.

She tied her loose skirt up around her waist, so it was out of the way, and rolled her long sleeves up her arms. Then, she inhaled and exhaled slowly, took a few running steps, and launched herself at the tree. She caught the branch with both hands and then with that momentum she swung her legs up to the closest one next to it. Releasing the first one, she let herself hang upside down for a moment before she pulled herself up, until she was sitting upright. She let out a triumphant, “Yes!” and a proud grin spread across her face. She looked down at the ground and swung her legs a few times. She laughed softly as the air swooshed around her bare legs. Then she looked up for the next available branch, eager to keep climbing.

She grabbed a branch directly above her head and pulled on it, testing its strength. Once assured it could hold her, she pulled her legs up and under her, so she was crouched on the branch, balanced on the balls of her feet. Then, she slowly stood up, wobbling slightly until she found her balance again. She hopped and pulled herself up on to the branch, and then immediately reached for the next one. She continued up the tree steadily, going from branch to branch all around the trunk. At times her skirt caught a branch, despite being tied up, but she managed to free herself without any mishaps. And then finally, after over five minutes of climbing, she couldn't go any higher.

She sat, crouched, on the thin branch, her feet just barely fitting on it. It creaked under her, and she knew she would likely need to get down soon. But first, she wanted to try something. She stood up slowly, cautiously, pausing every few seconds and holding her breath. She was ready for the branch to give under her, prepared to teleport herself to safety. But then she was standing upright and the branch was holding her. She let out a surprised laugh then a sigh, relaxing slightly. The fear of falling faded away quickly and the reason she had climbed the tree to begin with came back to her. Throwing away caution completely, she reached out and moved the leaves blocking her view aside. She gasped as she got her first real view of the forest.

She hadn't realized how high up she was until then. She was literally in the canopy, only a few feet from the very top of the oak. She could see the forest spread out in front of her, reaching out in all directions. It was much more beautiful and expansive than it had first appeared when she was on the ground. The leaves created a kaleidoscope of colors, from the varying shades of green to some yellows and reds, and each one shone brightly in the sunlight. Birds filled and danced through the air with chirps and squawks, darting in and out of the canopy. Awed and distracted by the forest’s beauty, she forgot that she was on borrowed time. She moved more leaves out of the way to see more and gasped when she uncovered a nest, gently cradling four tiny eggs. She leaned forward, shifting her feet slightly, and the branch creaked dangerously under her feet. She didn’t notice and continued leaning towards the nest. And then there was another creak and a snap.

Phrixia had less than a second to register the sound. Then she was falling. Nymphs were hardy and could withstand injuries humans couldn't, and they healed from things faster. But falling from a great height, hitting several branches and the tree trunk with both her body and head multiple times despite attempts to protect it could still do damage to a nymph. She might have been alright with all that though, might have been able to walk it off, literally, and get back home. She might have, had she not landed awkwardly, body twisted, and limbs trapped under her weight, and hit a large rock, catching the edge just right with her forehead. That was just too much for her and she knew instantly she was in trouble.

She weakly rolled away from the rock and sprawled out on her back. She was still awake, staring up at the branches she had just fallen from, but she could feel herself losing consciousness. Blinking rapidly as her vision dimmed, she fought dizziness and nausea. She had to stay awake. She didn't know where she was, or who else was in this forest. She could be in danger if she passed out. Groaning, she rolled onto her side. But that small move set off the nausea and she had to stop and press her hand to her mouth as she struggled not to vomit. As soon as the moment passed, she rolled again, onto her stomach this time.

Another bout of nausea had to be fought back before she could try to push herself up. She managed it, just barely, but she couldn't see clearly, and she knew she was almost out of time. She had to get home. Head hanging, she closed her eyes and tried to focus. It was pointless though. Less than a minute after she pushed herself up to her hands and knees, her shaky arms gave out. She fell on her stomach, setting off the nausea again. Groaning, she managed to roll back over onto her back and focused solely on staying awake. But that didn't last long.

Just as she was about to pass out finally, she heard steps approaching, heavy steps that made the ground tremble. Her instincts immediately screamed at her that she was in danger, she needed to get up and run. She forced her eyes open and tried to lift her head. She only got it up a couple inches before she had to drop it again. Knowing she only had seconds before the being was right on her, she cracked her eyes open and tried to see who it was. But all she saw before her eyes slipped closed and stayed closed, was a pair of large hooves. But even with them closed, she was still awake to feel hands touching her. Her first instinct was to fight, not that she really could. Until whoever it was leaned down and spoke to her.

"Calm yourself, little one," The voice murmured above her, the English words heavy compared to the smooth, rumbling Greek endearment.

She was sure she had never heard the voice before. But it calmed her immediately. She relaxed slowly as the hands turned her over, ran over her with a gentleness their size contradicted. They never strayed or touched her inappropriately as they checked her for injuries. At least that's what she assumed they were doing, though they did also straighten her clothing and brush her hair out of her face. Once the inspection was over, she felt them slip under her. Then she was slowly, carefully, picked up.

She must have made some sound, likely a groan, because the voice murmured to her again. She turned towards it as she was raised into the air, then held against a large body. Not fully aware of what she was doing, she nuzzled the chest her head was resting on. The one holding her went still for a moment. And then she felt a beard brush against her hair. Right before lips kissed her forehead, right on the bump quickly forming. The touch was warm and soft, and surprisingly didn’t cause any pain. She leaned into the touch, right before she finally gave in and lost consciousness completely.

When she awoke, she found herself staring at a cave ceiling. Confused, she blinked a few times to clear her eyes, but the ceiling remained. That was weird. The last thing she remembered was.... She frowned. She was in a forest. After running away from the guards chasing her, trying to catch her and bring her home, she had somehow teleported to a forest she’d never been to before. Had they managed to follow and catch up to her, and brought her back home?

As her mind raced with questions and she tried to remember what had happened after she landed in the forest, she slowly moved her body to see if she was injured anywhere. Everything moved alright, nothing was broken, and she didn't smell any blood, old or fresh. It wasn't until she moved her head that she realized she likely had a concussion. She turned it to the side and groaned, her eyes shutting tight. That didn't feel good.

She stayed still and waited for the pain to pass. Then, moving much slower, she turned onto her side. Now that she was waking up, she could feel the pain clearly. It was a constant pain, pounding through her head and originating from one spot in particular. But if she didn't move too fast, it wouldn't explode through her head again. She raised her hand and felt along her head, until she found a bump, right by her temple. She sighed, seeing it was just a bump and nothing else. She still didn't remember yet what had caused it, but she was slowly getting her memory back. She could remember running through the forest at least. She cautiously pushed herself up further until she was sitting up. Groaning softly, she leaned over and put her head in her hands, elbows planted on her thighs. After a moment, she wondered aloud, "What happened to me?"

"You fell out of a tree."

Phrixia, shocked by the response, jumped. An instant later she was moving, ignoring the pain and dizziness as she scrambled to her feet. She turned to see who had spoken and froze. Whatever she had been expecting, it wasn't what she was facing.

A tall satyr stood in front of her. At least, she thought it was a satyr. The curved, ridged horns that sat on either side of his head said satyr, but the unbuttoned shirt and jean clad human legs said otherwise. Likewise, his face was fully human and conventionally attractive, with strong, masculine features that were framed by the thick fall of his light blonde hair that fell past his shoulders in waves. A half breed then, or he was using part of a glamour. Putting that aside, she finished inspecting him and finally met his gaze. Bright green eyes locked with silvery grey ones. And they simultaneously froze, sucking in their breaths. Neither spoke or moved, too confused and overwhelmed by their sudden breathlessness to do anything.

The moment only lasted a few seconds, before she broke free first. Phrixia tore her gaze away and looked around, clearing her throat. She raised her hand to her head again and asked, "Where am I?"

"You're safe," The satyr replied in a soft, rumbling voice. He had his hands raised towards her and was watching her closely, clearly ready to catch her. "I tended your wounds and cleaned you up and brought you back to the Underworld."

Unease settled in Phrixia at the thought of someone touching her, even innocently, while she was unconscious. But then the last part of his sentence registered in her mind. "The Underworld?" She repeated. She dropped her hand slowly as she turned in place. The cave wasn't big, just big enough for them to stand up straight and with enough space for her to lay on the floor comfortably. But now that she was awake and aware, she could sense that she was home, despite the pain in her head. She spun back to face the satyr, grey eyes glaring, and stepped towards him. "If I wanted to come back here, I would've come back myself! Why did you bring me here?”

The satyr stepped back, looking shocked by her outburst. He dropped his hands and scoffed. "Excuse me? I was saving your life!”

"From what, I was just fine!" She shot back, anger overriding the pain in her head and the fact that she knew she was lying. She remembered it now, as his words had sparked something within her and brought her memory back to her instantly. She’d fallen out of the tree, and she’d been unable to get home. He was right, he most likely had saved her life, she’d been completely vulnerable and defenseless. Anything could have happened to her. But that only made her angrier, at herself instead of at him, but he was an easy target in the moment.

"You fell out of a tree and passed out!" He said, stepping back towards her. He crossed his arms over his chest and straightened up, putting him a few extra inches over her five feet and ten inches. "You could have been found by anyone! You're lucky you were in my forest where it's safe!"

Phrixia started to snap out a response, but paused as his words broke through her angry fog. "Your forest?"

Glaring down at her, the satyr nodded. "My forest. My home. And the home of my people."

"Your people?" She mumbled, her face twisting up. Confusion was quickly replacing her anger and spreading across her face. "Who the hell are you?"

He snorted softly and then spread his arms and bowed, giving her a smug grin when he straightened up. "My name is Pan. Perhaps you've heard of me."

She stared at him for a long moment, dumbfounded. Before bursting out laughing. Which brought the pain in her head back with a vengeance. Holding her hand over the bump on her forehead, she leaned against the cave wall as she shook with laughter. The satyr, supposedly Pan, scowled at her and crossed his arms again. He stomped the ground, a habit he had when he had satyr legs that didn't have the same impact when he had his human legs.

After a minute, Pan reached the end of his patience with her. But her laughter died before he could tell her to stop. He was still glaring at her when she met his gaze again. Slumped against the wall, she coughed and cleared her throat, then shook her head. "I've heard of Pan. God of the wild, insatiable lust, fertility god, basically king of the satyrs. And you're nothing like him."

"Oh, really?" Pan muttered. "What have you heard of him that makes you so sure I'm not him?"

She snorted and pushed off the wall. "For one thing, he's a god. Not a half breed with an," She looked at his horns for a moment, openly admiring them, before shaking her head. "admittedly impressive set of horns. And for another, the stories say he's big, rough, brutish. And you're, you're not."

He nodded slowly his scowl turned into a look of consideration. Then, he rushed at her, giving her no chance to move aside. She stepped back against the wall with a gasp as his arms caged her in. She stared up at him, breath trembling, but neither of them knew if it was fear or from something else. He looked her up and down, impressed to see she wasn't cowering. Instead, she seemed to be readying herself for a fight, if her raised hands glowing with magic meant anything.

He paused for a second, visibly shocked, before he chuckled. Impressed with her fearless response, he lowered his head to her hair. He slowly moved his head around hers, his nose just brushing her hair. When he got to her ear, he murmured, "Looks can be deceiving, little girl." Ignoring her shiver, he raised his head and backed away from her.

She let out the breath she had been holding and lowered her hands. Swallowing, she ran her hand over her hair where his nose had touched. She didn’t know if she was trying to wipe the feeling away or hold it closer. She cleared her throat and composed herself before replying, "I know that all too well."

"Then perhaps you should choose your words more carefully in the future," He replied, voice soft but the reprimand strong. "You wouldn't want to offend the wrong individual, would you?"

She fought back a glare and nodded twice. Then, because she had been raised right despite her rude behavior, she lowered her head and bowed slightly. "You're right. I'm sorry for my disrespect. Whether you really are Pan or not, it was unnecessary."

He waited for her to straighten up before he bowed his head in return, his face softening. "You're forgiven. I don't really blame you. Anyone would be out of sorts after the knock you had. And I'm not very.... godly in this form, am I? But I didn't want to frighten you when you woke up, hence the human legs earlier.” He chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. " How are you feeling, now that you’re awake?"

"My head's pounding. My body is sore, but the bruises are healing already." She touched the bump on her head again. "Did you see me fall?"

"No, one of my satyrs saw you running through the forest and alerted me." He loosely crossed his arms, drawing her attention to his thick arms and chest before she dragged her gaze away. "It took me a bit to track and find you, so I got to you just after you fell. I saw what was left of the branches you broke on the way down, and the rock that you hit your head on. I’m surprised you didn’t suffer more, or worse, injuries. You fell far and landed hard.”

She nodded and lowered her hand. "I heal fast, so I should be fine in a couple more hours." She paused, crossing her arms. "Thank you, for, saving me, I guess."

"You're welcome, beautiful." She flushed at the endearment, bringing a small smile to his face. "Though, nothing would have happened to you. My forest is a safe place, its borders fiercely guarded and all those within are protected."

"Still. Being unconscious in a place I've never been before isn't my idea of a party." She joked, chuckling a bit.

“But climbing trees is?” he joked back, chuckling with her.

“Not usually, no,” She ducked her head to hide her sheepish grin but raised it up seconds later as she excitedly said, “I’m glad I did though! The view from up there is beautiful. I could see so much!” Her face lit up with her joy and her eyes shined as she remembered the forest as she’d seen it, just before she fell.

His gaze softened in response to her obvious excitement and his chest filled with a strange warmth, something other than the pride he took in his forest. Pushing the feeling away, he replied, “Maybe you could see it like that again, from a much safer place.”

“Really?” The grin she gave him in response was so sincere, that it made that feeling in his chest surge forward again. Afraid of what his voice would do should he try, he chose not to speak and instead replied with a nod. Her grin grew for a moment before it slipped away as a thought suddenly occurred to her. His own face fell with hers, but before he could speak, she asked, "How did I find your forest when I've never been there?"

Pan thought for a moment, brows furrowed, before he shrugged. "If you teleported in, it could just be a random thing. Or you were thinking of a place nearby. Teleportation isn't always an exact thing, it's easy to wind up where you shouldn't be if you're in a rush.” He tilted his head to the side as he looked at her, his gaze suddenly intense. “Which, I'm guessing you were, since you were running through the forest like something was chasing you. That's why my satyr ran to get me instead of approaching you himself. He was worried you were leading something dangerous into our forest."

“Oh. Sorry if I worried anyone.” She cringed and ducked her head. Rubbing her arms, she explained, "I was running from something, but not from anything dangerous, you don’t have to worry.”

He narrowed his eyes. Her reluctance and clear embarrassment set off alarms in his head. He’d seen that kind of behavior from people who were in bad, or dangerous, situations. "From what then?"

She didn't answer and instead looked down at the stone floor. She didn't want to tell him about her family issues, even though he had saved her and proven himself to be nothing but trustworthy, he was still a stranger to her. Clearing her throat, she turned completely away from him and changed the subject. "Did I say anything before I passed out?"

Pan studied her for a moment, the alarm bells still ringing. When the silence began to grow awkward, he went with the subject change. He shook his head as he replied, "No, you didn't say anything, before or after you passed out."

"Then, how did you know to bring me here?" She glanced back at him, giving him a glimpse of her relief, before she returned to studying the cave wall.

"It was just a lucky guess, really. There are only three options, here, earth, or Olympus. The Underworld just felt right for you, I guess." Silence settled in the cave after he finished speaking. Phrixia turned around, meeting his gaze. They shared the look for a moment, neither feeling the need to break the silence. But to both their dismay and annoyance, it was broken for them.

A shout came from somewhere far off, echoing through the tunnel connected to the cave. They blinked and turned their heads towards the entrance, coming out of their moment together. The shout came again, louder this time, and she realized whoever it was, they were shouting for her. She gasped and hurried over to the entrance. She leaned through it and shouted back, "I'm here! I'm here, I'm okay!"

The shouting stopped for a moment and then she heard, "You're dead when I get to you, Phrixia!"

"Phrixia?" Pan chuckled behind her. She spun around to see him smiling at her. "Is that your name?" Her cheeks blushed, against her will, as she nodded. His smile grew and he repeated her name softly to himself. He bowed his head to her and sincerely said, "It's been a pleasure to meet you, Phrixia." Then, he raised his head, shot her a wink and disappeared.

Phrixia gasped, staring at the spot he had just been standing in. A few seconds later, someone slammed into her from behind. She stumbled forwards and turned around, finding herself facing one of her best friends, Daiera. The pink haired nymph was glaring at her, her sharp pink eyes glowing, but she could see concern underneath the anger. She gave her an apologetic smile and opened her arms. Daiera continued to glare at her for several seconds. Then she suddenly threw herself into Phrixia's arms.

Phrixia caught her and squeezed her tight, burying her face in Daiera's neck. She felt her friend shake in her arms, felt the tears hit her skin as Daiera cried. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry anyone."

"One of them returned without you, said you'd teleported away. We tried to track you up top, but we couldn't find you anywhere." Daiera said into her hair, her voice shaky with her tears. "We thought the worst."

"How did you find me here?" Phrixia asked, lifting her head. She pulled back from Daiera, squeezing her hands before she raised them up. She cupped her friend’s face and wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"While others searched for you on earth, Ilo and I have been searching down here," Daiera explained, sniffing softly. She put her hands on Phrixia’s. "We figured maybe you were down here cooling off after the failed attempt to bring you back. I’ve been searching these tunnels for you for hours."

Phrixia opened her mouth to correct her, but then stopped. For some reason that she couldn’t explain, the thought of telling someone about Pan, if he really was Pan, felt wrong to her. Instead, she came up with a quick half-truth. "I came here to rest. I teleported away from my guards and landed wrong, tripped. Hit my head on a rock." She pointed to the bump on her head and smiled sheepishly. "I came back here to lay down without being lectured."

Daiera stretched up to study the bump closely and hissed. "If that's how it looks now, it must have been nasty before. Come on, Ilo can heal you fully, so no one has to know. It'll be our little secret that you tripped over your feet." As she teased her, Daiera wrapped her arm around Phrixia's shoulders. Chuckling, Phrixia leaned against her and let her friend lead her out of the cave.

#the false nymph #original character #pan #based on greek mythology #original story

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