#that don't fully suit them. but when they're a few years in they're allowed to grow out of that and show more of their actual personality

[sacha-bug]

Written in the Stars

Arcane Characters × Gn! Reader Astrology Headcanons | SFW | 1.7k | Part 1/3 *Reposted from an old blog of mine!

- What Signs are they most likely to date? - How long do they stay together? - What are their relationships like? Featuring: Vi , Jinx , and Ekko

VI ⋆ Aries , Cancer , Capricorn , Aquarius

Vi was born December 19th! Thus, she's a Sagittarius! The fire element truly suits her personality-- brave, bold, and sometimes a little too hot to handle. A few of her traits align very well with her sign, too! She's free-spirited and yet grounded in her sense of duty. She struggles in relationships that feel too clingy or walled-in, though in her heart's heart, Vi dreams of a partner that will remain by her side no matter the adventure.

ARIES ⋆ Fiery & Genuine ⋆ 8 Months - 2 Years

Fire for fire, heart for heart. Vi's relationship with an Aries would come on hard and fast-- and is likely a relationship of circumstance. With two strong personalities, Vi and her Aries are sure to get a lot done together regarding their personal goals.

However, when trouble comes, it comes on just as harshly. Split goals can be the thing to crumble their connection, as Vi needs someone who can stay on her page, and unfortunately, lacks a lot of give when conflict hits. If you want to be the Aries to conquer that 2-year mark... You'll have to be ready for hellfire, and ready to promise her that you'll still be there, even when she is being a bit unreasonable.

CANCER ⋆ Loyal & Intuitive ⋆ 2 Months - 5 Years

The road to heaven is a rocky one. Unlike the whirlwind romance of Vi and Aries, Vi and Cancer take time to develop. Though a Cancer with a sharp eye can decode Vi with a few spare moments and an eyeglass-- Vi struggles a lot more to bond fully with her Cancer. They're intuitive, and deep, but tend to keep that vulnerability composed when they're just getting to know someone. That can be very frustrating for Vi, who struggles with more poetic relationships.

But once Vi's Cancer learns to let her in, Vi is an apt learner. She may not say it aloud, but Vi remembers every single inch of her Cancer, from their favorite color, to their favorite cut of shirt. That's when a Cancer can really dive into Vi's vulnerability, too, leading to many late-night talks about things Vi hasn't told anyone else.

CAPRICORN ⋆ Responsible & Balancing ⋆ 1 Year - Forever

Stability starts with trust. Vi's relationship with a Capricorn very likely starts as friendship. Before Vi can love her Capricorn, she has to learn to appreciate how balanced she feels, by the earth sign. While Vi is a very fiery, active Sagittarius, her Capricorn can give that fire a stage to burn on without getting out of control.

Once Vi learns stability with her Capricorn, the only way to lose her is by never showing her your own need for stability, as well. While Vi loves having a pillar of confidence at her side, she begins to doubt herself if you don't show her that you, too, need her. If Vi's Capricorn can let their walls down and allow Vi to take the wheel-- they're bound to be together forever.

AQUARIUS ⋆ Independent & Thoughtful ⋆ 6 Months - 7 Years

United under the same cause. Vi and her Aquarius are another case of circumstance-- united under their same desire for equity. Aquarius can frequently pose as the planner behind Vi's action, and many may not know it. Until stated aloud, many may not even realize Vi and her Aquarius are a couple, because they're so driven to the work they do together.

Things become much more intimate in the later years, if an Aquarius makes it so far. Things begin to take shape when Vi begins to learn to let herself be vulnerable in front of them-- leading to a very fulfilling sense of mutual understanding. Overall, very fulfilling and sweet-- but you may have to push for additional affection, if you desire it.

JINX ⋆ Taurus , Gemini , Leo , Pisces

Jinx is an October baby! The tenth, specifically-- making her a Libra! I find her Libra-ness to be so interestingly contradictory! Not to say she isn't like a libra... But that it's so clear that she is one, although terribly wounded away from the diplomatic, social nature they're known for. Due to her struggles, it shows through primarily in her grudge-holding ability, and in how much she hurts when she's stuck by herself. Jinx needs a loving hand-- and one that will not waver.

TAURUS ⋆ Patient & Devoted ⋆ 1 Month - Forever

Survive the storm, then smooth sailing! Jinx inherently struggles with forming real, true relationships. A Taurus is genuinely the perfect match for her-- to supply the stability and empathy Jinx so deeply desires. At first, Jinx will self-sabotage, testing her Taurus just to see how far they can be pushed before they jump ship. No one would fault the Taurus for leaving-- but a real stubborn bull can bring her home.

Once she realizes that there's no amount of fighting, crying, kicking or screaming she could do to chase you off, the storm clouds fade. Jinx still has her bad days, and will need extra assurance then. But rest assured, once Jinx knows you would never abandon her, she'd do just about anything to keep you. Expect many, many, many handmade gifts.

GEMINI ⋆ Affectionate & Gentle ⋆ 3 Months - 5 Years

Not forever, but never forgotten. I don't think Jinx would find her life partner in a Gemini. However, I do think Jinx would learn so much about loving herself and others from one. Gemini marks the gentle hand of her first sweetheart, and reminds her that it's okay to be gentle and sweet, as she once was.

Jinx and her Gemini teach each other so much about the good and the bad of love, and they do it all together. Though Jinx is a holder of grudges, she will never forget the whirlwind of flower petals her Gemini lovers always flurry her way.

LEO ⋆ Passionate & Cozy ⋆ Never or Forever

The truest match. All I'm saying is, if Jinx finds a Leo, the other signs don't stand a chance. Chances of Jinx dating a Leo are very, very low... But if she gets even a little too captured by the passionate, yet adoring nature of a Leo, she's going to be smitten for eternity! Jinx and her Leo understand perfectly both the softness, and the insanity, of each other. A mutual understanding leads to a lot in common!

Leos can provide for Jinx the passionate crazy of a fire sign, but with a handful of the security and devotion she's attracted to in earth signs. This leads to a relationship that challenges her and her ideals, while also providing her with a feeling of safety and security.

PISCES ⋆ Compassionate & Intuitive ⋆ 2 Years - 3 Years

Weigh your consequences, and you'll make it! The selfless nature of a Pisces makes it relatively easy to make it into Jinx's circle, but beware! Jinx's desire to succeed in her plans makes her more likely to not see you as a partner, but an aid. She doesn't have bad intent, but she's greedy when it comes to her intentions-- and they may just be bigger than the two of you combined.

If you're able to draw a line between doing Jinx's bidding and helping her when she needs it, she'll learn to only call upon you when she needs you. Fruitfully, her needs become less of a reliance, and more of a desire for your kind, flowing energy in her space.

EKKO ⋆ Libra , Scorpio , Sagittarius , Virgo

Ekko was born May 28th, making him an adaptable, quick-witted Gemini. Though Ekko puts on his tough, determined face when fighting for freedom with the Firelights, that little kid is still alive and well within! This just means he's chock-full of passion, and also plenty of silliness he may only show around those he loves most.

LIBRA ⋆ Cooperative & Peaceful ⋆ 3 Months to 1 Year

Collaborators... And more. Ekko's bond with a Libra is precious. It reminds him of his youth, and makes him feel free. His Libra works with him at his side, to reach common goals. You seldom fight (Dear Libra, your habit of leaving minor issues unspoken can poison Ekko rotten), and often fill nights with long-winded conversations about your ideas and beliefs.

Libra, though, is very committed. Ekko is not ready to settle down, and while that doesn't mean he plans on screwing around, he simply isn't ready to commit to a forever partner. This can dishearten his infatuated Libra, and may even be the final unspoken disagreement that ends their relationship.

SCORPIO ⋆ Powerful & Assertive ⋆ 8 Months to 6 Years

Honesty, always. The bond between Ekko and his Scorpio will never be tarnished by lies or lack of communication. Their shared practicality leads to easily shared goals and aspirations, making Scorpios the most common of Ekko's date choices.

I do think they conflict a little, in the common Scorpio desire for physical affections. Ekko prioritizes time spent together, and can sometimes forget that bed isn't just for falling into, exhausted, and ending the night. Remind him that you need that physical assurance, and things will retain nicely.

SAGITTARIUS ⋆ Generous & Intellectual ⋆ 1 Month to 6 Months

Short lived, but passionate. Ekko's relationships with his Sagittarius tends to be one of shared ideals and interests, but little deep emotional bond. The two enjoy being together, working together, and chatting-- but the two find it hard to bond on a deeper level. The free-spirited Sagittarius is predisposed to getting bored of this lacking bond.

If you're the special case he decides to let his walls down for, though, it can be very fulfilling. Ekko and his Sagittarius challenge each other in every way-- opinions, intelligence, and all. It's an incredibly energetic relationship, with lots of gentle teasing and prodding.

VIRGO ⋆ Loyal & Stable ⋆ 4 Months to Forever

Two sides of the same coin. Typical of an earth sign, Ekko's Virgo offers a sense of security and stability in routine and presence. They bounce off of each other very well, learning that maybe being a little less this and a little more that can round them both out very well! Ekko can bring a quiet Virgo out of their shell and into the spotlight, while the Virgo can teach him that sometimes, it's okay to step back and watch the big picture as it comes into light.

However, Ekko and Virgos both share a similar issue-- Unending aspiration. Ekko's priorities can make things inconsistent, while Virgos tend to prioritize their goals in a way that leads to comfortable change and strict ritual. Ekko can't promise those rituals will always be around, and it poses a serious risk for the both of them.

[phoenixcatch7]

The Wayne doll house

Have some haunted doll au, since it's been bubbling away in my mind.

The bat cave is large and sprawling, many layers and tunnels and hollowed out cracks in the walls. It takes many years to fully reinforce to prevent stray kids from tripping into stagnant waters or fall down crags as he once did. The doll cave, as it becomes known, is in one of the deepest, darkest corners, one where the lights of the furnished caverns above don't reach.

It's one late night sitting at the computer when it suddenly occurs to Bruce that his first encounter with a doll was at the well entrance, many levels above.

There was nothing there when he went back.

-

The justice league stared at the subaru. The subaru, having no eyes, did not stare back.

The seven of them had just finished a very long, arduous mission, and narrowly escaped government censure after the base they'd been raiding had turned out to belong to some corrupt official. With the alert up, they couldn't escape through city airspace, or even in their hero suits.

So civilian it was.

Batman had hotwired some bloke's car while the rest of them ducked into alleys and shop bathrooms, but the problem remained. There was seven of them. And five seats.

"I can shift into something more suitable for being carried," suggested j'onn, "but I believe one of us might have to hide."

"Foot well?" Hal tried, and everyone looked around at the tall, bulky, broad heroes.

"Think they'd have to go in the boot," Barry finally said. Everyone immediately turned to him. "No."

Batman spoke up before the discussion could devolve.

"I think.... I would be best for that."

The team stared.

"Batsy?"

Having no lungs meant he could not drag in the tired sigh he wished, but whatever force allowed this body to talk was capable of approximating something suitably resigned.

"As I am, I am... incapable of fully passing as human. It would be best if I remained out of sight."

"So just? Go change? I swear we won't be weird about whoever you are under the mask. Even if you're like, bald."

"Thank you, Wally, but I'm afraid I'm being serious." Reaching for the mask in broad daylight was unpleasant, but the glue and wires held as he gave it a few thorough tugs. "It doesn't detach."

Everyone stared. Clark reached out as if he wanted to check, but withdrew.

"Do you even have a civilian identity??" Oliver eventually asked. "Because at this point I'm genuinely not sure."

Wayne Enterprises and Queen Industries had a meeting that same evening. "Hn."

"Can we go back to the 'incapable of passing as human' part?!"

"We can discuss it in the car," he snapped, stalking past Barry and popping the boot. "In case you haven't forgotten, we're on a time limit."

For once, that seemed to encourage them, and batman, with great dignity, folded his joints and cape into the small space, ignoring Hal's mutter of 'what kind of contortionist -' as he slammed the lid. With a little shuffling he managed to activate his comms.

"I will inform the watchtower of our delay."

"Batman, they're tapping all outgoing signals, you can't -"

"It won't trigger," he interrupted, before he twisted his consciousness and sent it spiralling across the country.

Bruce awoke with a groan, stretching his limbs and taking a moment to marinate in his annoyance before he reached for the comm and voice modulator on the beside table.

"Batman to watchtower, we've encountered delays. If the Texan state government calls we haven't entered the state in six weeks. Batman out."

-

"Alien?"

"No."

"Reanimated corpse?"

"No."

"Uh... Demon?"

"Hm. No."

"You're not just a meta human, are you?"

"No."

"Vampire?"

"No."

"Robot??"

"No."

"Batsy, please, someone's got to win the bet eventually. How do we even know you're not lying?!"

"You don't," Batman said, not looking up from his paperwork and Flash groaned, letting his sticky notes fall to the floor as he buried his head in his arms.

"One day," he bemoaned to the keyboard, "one day we'll figure it out."

"Until then please keep your eyes on the monitors."

Flash groaned again.

-

Robin ducked under superman's arm as he scuttled down the corridor, laden with the night's haul of snacks. The real problem wasn't getting them - stopping league members from raiding the kitchen would be extremely counterproductive - but keeping them until he could return home to his human body to eat them. Batman had started searching him each time they left and it was really cutting into his daily sugar intake. Unfair! Just because he didn't actually use energy to stay up my night to fight crime, it felt like he did!!

'Oh, you're broken, Robin, oh, don't go out until the glue has fully set, Robin' his arm was fine! It wasn't like there was much crime to be fought on the watchtower anyway! At least not physically.

So he was pretty pleased with himself until he went to set the snacks down and found that the tar like glue they used had soaked through the sleeve and gotten all over his chocolates.

With his other hand, he tried to pry them off, wincing as the wrappers tore and stuck. He tried to shake it, ignoring the way his elbow rattled in the joint.

"Come on, come on - aw, cheezits."

The arm fell off. Robin stared despondently at the limb, surrounded by torn wrappers and dripping black glue where it connected to the elbow. The sour stink of formaldehyde filled the air.

He was going to be in such trouble with Bruce.

The click of the door jerked his head up.

Flash stood in the doorway, wide eyed. Robin stared back.

Flash screamed.

Oh yeah @dehydratedmockingbird have a thing

[hogwartslegacyreactions2]

Hello! Sorry if you have already done something like this but I would love the professors' (whichever ones you feel comfortable writing) reactions to mc struggling in class due to being so stressed/tired/overwhelmed from the chaos that is their fifth year. I would love some parental vibes

Thank you! :)

A/N: Hogwarts professors deserve all the love 💕

HL PROFESSORS REACT TO MC STRUGGLING IN CLASS

ELEAZAR FIG: He gets a pit in his stomach from guilt. MC's circumstances aren't entirely in his control, but he feels responsible for them. The first thing he does is get them to take a break. Full stop on everything. Take a few days to decompress and refocus. Afterwards, he'll be right next to them to help them catch up on their studies. They'll pass their O.W.Ls with flying colors if he has anything to say about it.

MATILDA WEASLEY: This doesn't entirely surprise her given the rumored extracurricular activities MC has been up to. She has a heart-to-heart with them in her office. She wants the full story. No more deflection or bullshit. Tell her the truth. She takes the whole ancient magic thing pretty well, even if she doesn't fully understand. With their powers being so heavily tied to the goblin threat, suppose certain school assignments will have to be postponed. She can make arrangements.

CHIYO KOGAWA: She sees the heavy bags under MC's eyes when they come to tell her they completed another one of her assignments. They could barely focus on the wand movements necessary for the new spell. She has them sit and she pours a cup of tea. "Imported from my hometown in Japan. Just got it today. Have some. Might help you feel better; along with some decent sleep."

AESOP SHARP: He pulls them aside after class. "If you keep falling asleep standing up, you're going to wake up face first in your brew." His tone wasn't accusatory, but it made MC cry anyway. He's taken aback for a moment but he's seen this behavior before. They're exhausted. Likely pushing themselves too hard and not getting enough sleep. He holds out a handkerchief to them and then a small sleeping draught. "I have a new assignment for you. Go to your dorm, get comfortable and take this. Don't come back until you've caught up on sleep."

ABRAHAM RONEN: He sees MC fall asleep in his class again. No matter how much Natty prods them, they can't seem to stay awake. He doesn't allow Natty to bother them further, even when class ends. He lets them sleep until they wake up on their own and he has a tall cold glass of pumpkin juice poured for them. He sits next to them, pouring a glass for himself. "Don't panic. You didn't miss anything important. But, I am worried for you. Why are you falling asleep in class?"

MIRABEL GARLICK: She asks MC to stay behind after a lesson and asks what's been going on, they don't seem themselves. "Your engagement in class has fallen really low. Why is that, my dear?" As MC starts pouring their heart out and tearing up, she pulls them into a warm hug. This makes MC cry more but she just gently shushes them and rubs their back. "Let it all out, dearie."

MUDIWA ONAI: She's a master at reading body language. She can tell just by looking at them that MC has been running themselves ragged. She puts a hand on their shoulder and looks them in the eye. "Even the sun must rest, MC. You are powerful, full of potential, but without rest, you are as well suited for life as a dehydrated toad." MC laughs a little and nods understandably. She pulls MC close and gives them a forehead kiss. "Take better care of yourself."

BAI HOWIN: If there was one class MC could slack off in, it was beasts. She found them asleep in the hay multiple times and she doesn't bother them. She does get curious after a while if her class is just nap time for them or if there's something else going on. If they come clean that they've been overworking themselves, She doesn't give them more assignments from her class other than the necessities.

DINAH HECAT: "Enemies are going to catch you on your back foot at this rate." She comments as MC sluggishly packs up after class. "Perhaps You should limit your extracurricular activities for a while. Studying for your O.W.Ls seems to have you busy enough." But then MC sits down hard on the bench and MC lets it all out. They tell her everything. She sits and listens calmly. "I see...let me talk to Professor Weasely on your behalf. Perhaps we can work something out."

CUTHBERT BINNS: His class is where most catch up on sleep anyway. He's not overly concerned, but if MC asks for more review material he is happy to provide.

SATYAVATI SHAH: "Wake. Up." Her sharp voice can snap anyone out of sleep. "That's the third time this week. You're falling behind. Do I need to start deducting house points to make you care about your studies?" MC doesn't even look at her, they just shake their head. She feels a pang of guilt for going hard on them, they seem to genuinely be struggling, but life's a struggle. They'll figure it out or fail.

PHINEAS NIGELLUS BLACK: This doesn't seem like his problem.

[le-panda-chocovore]

"Say" Karma asks with his eternal strawberry milk in hand "are you a cat person or a dog person ?"

Gakushuu doesn't even bother to look at him. It's been month now that Akabane daily hangs around him, starts absurd conversation just for the love of it, and jumps on every single occasion to compete with him. Gakushuu is kinda used to it now, but he has yet developed a skill to fully ignore the boy.

"I'm a cat person myself, you know. I think cats suit you too."

Gakushuu doesn't answer, even if he knows that he eventually will have to. Akabane never gives up with his weird questions. He's only putting things off.

"Well I guess dogs are more convenient to you, since you love giving orders and everything. I mean, you're a leader, you want loyalty, dogs are great with that."

Gakushuu sighs. He's only trying to eat his bento in peace, but peace is a complicated things to reach when Akabane Karma is in your life.

"Are you going to write an essay about wether dogs or cats are more suits to me ?"

"Well I would if you don't answer, I have to make my own conclusion. So, dogs or cats ?"

".... Neither."

Karma rolls his eyes and puts his drink down on Asano's desk. Because of course he was sitting in front of him, he specifically came to disturb Gakushuu during the lunch break. It began a month after the start of the school year. At first it was one day every two weeks, then one per week, then three, then every day. The whole class was also used to it now, the weird rivalry-friendship-flirtous relation they have. Gakushuu still finds that annoying.

"You can't say that ! If you have to choose between a dog or a cat, what would you take ?"

"I don't know. Does it matter? I don't have a preference."

"Of course it matters !! How can you say something so stupid ?! It means everything ! It kinda define your personality but go off I guess !"

As usual, Akabane is dramatic. Gakushuu sighs again. Why such a fuss about a simple question ?

"I have never had a pet." He doesn't even know why he tries to explain himself. Isn't he allowed to just not have a preference? "I don't know what they're like."

"What ? How could you nev- Oh. Yeah. I guess your dad isn't the type to offer you a cat for Christmas."

"No, he really isn't." But the mental image makes him smile. Internally, of course. Can't be seen showing emotions when Akabane's looking.

"Well you don't need to actually have a pet to know which one you prefer. Imagine, a few years in the future, you live in your own apartment and you have a good job and enough money. You can do whatever you want, even adopt a pet. What would you choose then ?"

Asano thinks about it, he even stops eating to visualize the picture. What would he choose, if he can have anything ?

"I don't know."

"Asano."

"What ? I really don't ! Why should I like one better than the other ?"

Abakane seemed genuinely exasperated, he couldn't believe what he heard. How can a person not have a preference! It's a crime ! He should put the strawberry blonde under arrest, but he isn't a cop, and Gakushuu would probably be out in a matter of hours. He's way too perfect to stay in jail.

"Look at that" Karma shows him his phone, "and tell me that does nothing to you !"

It's a picture of a black and white cat stretching. Gakushuu looks unimpressed, which only increases Akabane's outrage. The red-haired boy keeps scrolling his phone to shows pictures and video of cats and kittens, trying to get a reaction from Asano. But the only thing Gakushuu does, beside frowning, is commenting a simple "okay I guess."

"YOU HEARTLESS BASTARD, THE FUCK YOU MEAN 'OKAY I GUESS' ????"

"Don't yell and don't swear."

He realized then that the whole class -more precisely the remaining students who don't eat at the cafeteria- were listening, and now looking at them. Hell he hates when Akabane makes a scene like this.

"Those are the most beautiful and cute and perfect creatures that have ever existed, and you DARE to say that they're only okay ???? What kind of psychopath are you !?"

"It's a pet Akabane. Besides, between us, you're the psycho one."

"A pet- A PET HE SAID. CATS ARE FUCKING GODS AN-"

"Oh my god, shut up, will you ? I didn't said I don't like cats, I just... I don't know."

It's Karma's turn to sigh. The boy is looking at him as if he was an alien inable to communicate with a human language. Gakushuu stares back. He isn't the weird one, he convinces himself, there's no problem in not liking pets.

"So dogs it is then ?"

"Well, uh... Not really. I don't particularly like dogs either."

That's when Ren joined the conversation. He hands his own phone which shows the Instagram page of one of his friend. A girl and her dog running in the snow. It was a pretty cute picture.

"Here, what do you think about it ?" Ren asks with a fake innocentsmile. He is clearly up to something and Asano doesn't like that. He feels like they're making an alliance against him. Akabane lean toward them to see the picture and Asano's reaction.

"Hm" said Gakushuu after looking at the screen for 5 long seconds. Ren laughed, Gakushuu frowns, and Karma protests.

"The FUCK you mean-"

"Stop swearing I said. You're insufferable."

"And you're fucking weird. How can you not react ? Do you have a heart ?"

Asano shrugs. He takes his bento and starts eating again, ignoring the look everyone is giving to him. Honestly, he's kinda satisfied to see the annoying human nuisance sighs. Karma seems desperate and the fact that the roles are reversed is extremely funny to him.

"You cannot not love pets." Karma groans.

"Well, obviously I can."

Ren gets closer with his chair and puts his own food on Asano's desk.

"You're neither a cat or a dog person but there must be a pet you like." He assumes with a thoughtful face.

"What are you doing ?" Gakushuu stares with murderous eyes. His childhood friend laughed it off nervously.

"I'm just curious ! I never got to know your favourite animal, that's all."

"Maybe I don't have one."

"That's sad" points out Akabane. "Or maybe you love hamster but you're ashamed of it."

This time Gakushuu sighs again. He sighs often when Akabane is around, and that means everyday since the beginning of the year.

"Well a little mouse maybe ?"

"No" Asano deadpans.

"Ew" Sakakibara comments.

"They're cute tho," Karma protests. "Wait I'm showing you a picture."

"My sister has an hamster." claims Koyama while handing his own phone.

Asano looks at it but doesn't say anything, fully aware that everyone was waiting for him to react. It's not that he dislikes being when people stares at him, they always do, but he isn't the kind of person who talk about themself. His father always reminds him to give private information carefully because we never know what people might do with that. And, well, he's father is not the best role model, but it's the only one he has.

However, the main problem right know is that Asano really doesn't know what pet he likes. Cats and hamsters and dogs may indeed be cute if you take the definition of the word, he can see that, but he doesn't feel any particular affection toward them by looking at those pictures.

"Well ?" asks Karma, staring at him curiously as if he's trying to read his soul -and he probably is.

"What ?" Asano really has nothing to say, and it shows. "Well, it's alive."

"Gods can you hear yourself ? You're the worst human alive." Karma takes back his strawberry milk and starts drinking obnoxiously.

"We should try mice then" Akira proposes. "You said you'd show a picture Akabane."

The cat lover looks up to him but before he could answer, another students appeared next to Asano's desk. Apparently, their classmates, who listened to the entire conversation since the beginning, took the Virtuosos' intervention as an autorization to join the debate as well. The most brave of them, a blonde girl with round glasses, gives her phone to Asano to show him a picture of three little mice.

"Th-their names are Iku, Aki and Uka" she mumbles.

"Oh. Well... Okay ?"

Akabane slams his drink against the desk.

"That fucking 'okay' again, is that the only word you know ?"

"I don't know what you're expecting from me !!" Gakushuu finally snaps.

"A fucking human reaction ! Is that too much to ask ?? When I look at cats, I'm like 'awwwwwww so cute I want to adopt them and cuddle them and feed them' but YOU don't give a shit about those little fluffy angels and I don't know how you can be so heartless !! Do you ever feel anything ? Are you a robot ?"

"I do feel things, thanks" Asano grunts. "I'm just not a pet person."

"All pets are differents, there's plenty races of cats and dogs. Maybe you could like one." Sakakibara fully ignores the deathly glare Asano has and keeps going. "Like a golden retriever and a bulldog are nothing alike."

After those words, in a matter of three minutes, the whole class gather around the poor student representative to show every pictures of their pets. There are plenty of cats and dogs from all races and age and Asano quickly lose control of the situation (not like he ever had it in the first place). He doesn't know where to look at, he's fully surrounded and is forced to stop eating again.

Despite that, he still doesn't really react to what he sees, and Akabane is know completly convinced that his rival is a future serial killer. Asano tries to reach his bestfriend for help, but Sakakibara is too busy trying to not laugh to hard to do anything. Betrayed by his right hand man, Asano turns toward the other Virtuosis, but they're no help either.

And that is the moment when the teacher comes back to class, only to see his students all gathered around Gakushuu's desk with their phones out.

Gakushuu is of course the first one to notice, and immediately stands up to greet him and to tell everyone to go back to their place. They groan but obey. Except, of course, Akabane.

"What happened here ?" Asks the teacher out of curiosity.

"Asano said he never had a pet before so we're trying to guess what he could like."

Gakushuu glares at Karma, who shrugs with a smile.

"He said he's neither a cat or dog person" Karma continues, "but he must be something."

Asano expected the teacher to dismiss the boy for starting irrelevant conversation, and to remind the class to stay serious about the work and everything. He certainly didn't expected him to hum with an amused smile and to answer "I knew someone once who had a bird pet. Do you like feathers Asano-kun ?"

He really doesn't expect that. What was he even supposed to answer ? And why was the teacher joining the circus ?

"I... Don't think so ? Birds are louds." Gakushuu explains finally, but he doesn't seem really sure about that. Karma notices and grins when he gets up to go back to his own desk.

"I guess they are." The teacher opens his binder to the lesson he prepared. "Well, you guys should talk about this outside of class hours. Let's continue where we stopped..."

Gakushuu is clearly relieved to go back to a serious subject appropriate for school. Little does he know that Akabane has no intention to stop this debate.

[satellite-blossom]

NEW ART !? It's more likely than you think !

I've redesigned Léa's Magical form again, but this time around I've actually colored (& shaded) the whole thing ; I'll share more of my process under the read more.

Feel free to reblog this (but it's ok if you don't) !

(Léa use they/them pronouns and are agender)

So this is Léa's old Magical form, or at least the last art of it I had completed before the 2024 version :

I was going for a fancy, somewhat ouji inspired outfit that'd still be comfortable to wear, as Léa Acorn's style is all about being cute yet comfy. Their body saw no change from their regular form.

I think I was already not fully satisfied with this design by the end of 2021, but as time went on my list of grievances kept growing longer. I started to dislike how much of the design was pure white ; it's not really something I like on Magical Girl designs but for some reason I included it here, probably because I was trying to branch out and take inspiration from series like Lolirock & Pretty Cure for once. I also ended up finding the jacket kinda dumb, or at least the way it fit on top of the shirt seemed off. I had no idea how to color the shoes when I drew this design and it was bugging me more and more over time.

But while I fell out of love with the outfit, my main grievance was the staff-paintbrush-scythe hybrid, which was not only drawn poorly but also pretty boring. I couldn't help but try to redesign it just a month or two after completing the new ref, but I didn't want to redo the whole thing as back then I still made my refs in Microsoft Publisher with the help of Photofiltre, which was a slow and painful process I dreaded.

(Léa's Mobian forms 2021 ref, for... Reference)

So between my laziness, art block and the general state of my life I wasn't able to complete any new design before this year (2024). Let's break down this new design, shall we ?

This was my main inspo board this time around :

As you can see I kept the lolita/ouji influence but added some streetwear elements to it. I felt like the previous design didn't do a great job showcasing the mix of preppy prince & comfy fashion Léa are supposed to encapsulate, so I brought up pictures of a character that had only influenced their story and personality so far : Sora from Kingdom Hearts !

It's not something I bring up a lot anymore, but I used to be well-versed in Kingdom Hearts lore and Léa's story was heavily influenced by it ; they were even supposed to fight with a keyblade at one point ! Design-wise, I borrowed the length of Sora's shorts/jumpsuit for Léa's bloomers, and replaced their cropped suit jacket by a short-sleeved hoodie (which also mirrors some of their Sonic.exe world designs). I mixed these elements with lolita items for a cuter look.

Léa share my love of ties, so I've replaced their bow tie by a regular one ; it's somewhat short to showcase their shirt, which is a revamped version of the old one.

For the legwear I took inspiration from some long flowy legwarmers I saw in a few fairy kei coords, and also the shoes from this CocoPPaDolls screenshot I've taken years ago, back when the game was still up :

(I miss this game every day)

And of course I needed the shoes to be velcro LED shoes, because that's just the Léa Acorn way.

The rounded pink heart-shaped gems throughout the outfit were somewhat inspired by Amulet Heart from Shugo Chara.

Talking about gems, time to talk about the staff ! It was inspired by Amulet Spade's paintbrush, some Lolirock items, and a bunch of bootleg Magical Girl wands. Why reference bootleg wands, you might ask ? Well, since they're already off compared to the real deals, they allow me to not design wands that are too similar to ones from well-known properties.

I've been meaning to make Léa's eyes pink in their magical form for years but didn't actually follow through for a while. I ended up making their eyes brownish pink to not make their eyes too light, as I felt like it'd remove some of their charm (I already felt guilty for not keeping their eyes brown in this form). And of course, I had to bedazzle their eyes to hell and back.

Actually all this shininess and sparkling was inspired by the original drawing of Léa's Magical Form drawn all the way back in 2017 and redrawn in 2018 :

For some reason I took a lot of inspiration from Sailor Moon for these despite Léa's role being inspired by Card Captor Sakura (and Kingdom Hearts). Also Wish Gems used to be called "Magical Chaos Emeralds" and look just like the regular Chaos Emeralds, which was kinda dumb. But I loved the energy of these pieces so I've tried to recapture the "sparkly pink magical transformation void" vibes they had ; I hope I've succeeded on that front.

Anyway, thank you for reading this all the way through ! I hope this was an interesting read, somewhat.

[femmefatalevibe]

any tips for someone coming off as "too mean"? through your posts and a few years of self confidence building, i feel comfortable in myself, my looks, my abilities, my intelligence, ect. ive only had a boyfriend or two (im only fifteen to be fair)

and while im not looking for sex or anything, my friends have told me that i might be too outspoken and thats the reason i don't attract boys my age. to be fair, i am a very blunt person and im not afraid to say what im thinking which sometimes comes off as rude. is there something im doing wrong or need to improve?

Hi love! Well, as someone who has been called an "ice queen" since I was around your age and probably for the last time most recently last week (as someone whose a couple of months shy of age 25), I'll share my perspective on the difference between being "too mean" and assertive.

Being assertive, speaking your truth, and displaying confidence at a younger age is very intimidating to some people (especially in young women/teenage girls, especially when it comes to guys). Firstly, you have plenty of time to worry about sex, dating, and flirting with guys. If you find someone you have chemistry with over the next few months or couple of years, pursue that relationship if it feels right to you. Otherwise, don't worry about timelines – there's no rush.

If you think you're being "too mean," consider the differences between being assertive, people-pleasing, and being tactless/aggressive.

Assertive: Standing your ground, saying what you mean and meaning what you say in a collected, confident manner, upholding your boundaries, interacting with tact and respect for the other person's emotions while not allowing the other person's opinions or desires to persuade you to sacrifice your needs, goals, or desires.

People Pleasing: Doing everything in your power, modifying your speech and behavior, and putting others' needs above your own to ensure others are happy and not upset with you. People pleasing prioritizes others' desires and goals above your own and conditions you to forgo your sense of self/identity for approval. If you're a people pleaser, you tend to make decisions based on how they're perceived by others rather than allowing yourself to be guided by your personal preferences and comfortability.

Aggressive: Callous behavior that lacks empathy or awareness that others have needs, just like yourself. Being aggressive sets the expectation that you expect others to sacrifice their needs to satisfy your own. While you should put your needs first when making decisions for yourself, it is important to expect and honor others' desire to do the same. Respect their decisions and boundaries with grace. Leave if your needs aren't being met with the understanding that some people are not compatible with you in life and have different needs, preferences, or desires of their own (or lack this skill of differentiation – the acknowledgment of where your personhood and identity end the other person's identity begins in ant aspect of the relationship).

While being heartless and overly self-involved are not attractive qualities, I will tell you that, as women/girls, we are socialized to suit patriarchial norms and believe that minimizing our voices and needs are virtuous traits. It is very common for teenage girls/younger women to feel conditioned to perform these submissive, self-sacrificing roles at the expense of their own needs, goals, and identities. When women/girls don't conform to these patriarchal standards or, even choose to fully rebel against them (guilty, lol), there are a lot of women/girls who will shame you due to their own social conditioning and/or internalized misogyny.

A lot of younger boys/men will objectify you more openly for being an attractive, confident, and assertive young woman. I will warn you. Dating people your own age can be difficult (a grade year ahead or two might be more compatible, honestly). If you're interested in boys for male attention or validation, don't waste your energy (even if that's easier said than done given peer pressure and our social conditioning). Allow these relationships and interactions to come into your life organically. Focus on yourself, your goals, your studies, your friends, your hobbies. Learning how to interact in relationships is important and it's totally acceptable to satisfy any sexual frustration in some form or another, but centralizing boys is never a fruitful pursuit.

Hope this helps xx

[icharchivist]

do you have any theory regarding the entity behind the boundary?

it seems like some stereotypical satan analogue who tries to tempt people away from god? then again god is already established to be a bit of a dick

i have genuinely no idea about the entity behind the boundary it's fucking me up

but i don't believe it's a Satan analogue, at least as of now.

Reviewing what we know:

There was once one Omnipotent God, who once started to have a disagreement with itself, and it split in two: the god of the sky, and the god of the stars. The boundary is something linked to the power of the Omnipotent, but not specifically of either gods.

I don't really think they're going for a christian retelling of godhood or anything there so i'd be really surprised if it was supposed to be Satan. Especially since, if anything, it's the Crimson Horizon and the Otherworld that has been associated more to the evil presence of the world, compared to Hell multiple times. (and the fact wmtsb's characters are lifted from Paradise Lost also support this because we have stuff like how Lucifer used to battle the Otherworld, or how Beelzebub fell there and fought his place into becoming the king of it.) To me it's much more Hell-adjacent. and i don't think the Boundary is linked to the Otherworld.

Personally i admit i'm. Heavily biased because i genuinely have the DGM logic in my mind.

If you would bear with me, i swear it's relevant:

In DGM there is at least one character that is identified as such: He Once Was One Person, Adam, but inside of him was activated the memory of a past being. This memory was full of hatred toward God for what it had done to him and his family, and this hatred overwhelmed Adam until he became one with that memory. He became what the memory's power gave him, he became the Millenium Earl, fated to destroy the world. But the world kept changing, Adam had a family out of people just like him that he kept losing and losing, and eventually, he was driven to despair, until he met a human woman. He felt so much at peace when with her that he wanted to do something to be with her, and to do so, he split in two. He became two children, two twins, left abandoned into his Earl's outfit near the tree for the woman to take care of.

The woman took the two twins in, and for a while, the two kids were happy. They lived a normal human life. Until their respective, shared Memory started to activate, filling them with the same hatred Adam used to have.

And more than that, they both started to be haunted by the Suit. An empty shell who still bore the power the Full Earl used to have. The Suit eventually started to attach itself to the oldest of the two twins, making him the Millennium Earl, while the second twin was left in the dust.

The Earl had the power to create new beings, new lives. The Other Twin had the power to absorb power, life. This Other Twin resented the plan the Suit had for his brother, so, he went on a rampage, tried to kill everyone, and The New Earl was called on by the Suit to Absorb his twin back inside of him, to become one again.

He did it, for the most part, held back only by his actual emotions for his brother, and holding back was enough for the twin to transfer what was left of his soul in the body of someone else, who one day, will allow him to come back fully.

But the Earl was left with what he had become, and the voice of the Memory in the mirror kept telling him to move on with his plan, to find where the Twin had hidden the soul and finish the job.

Pushed to despair instead, the Earl blew his face up to separate himself from the Suit, became the Eldest son again, and for a few years, was on the run, trying to find his Twin again.

And for those few years, the suit, the memory, had been chasing him to merge with him again when time was to come. Once it happened, to keep the boy from rebelling again, the memory erased his memories, but the boy still remembered how driven he was to find his brother again.

As such one of the major conflict of the story is set in between both the twins, who love each other, and this third entity, that is there because the two twins where one that became two, is trying to reunite them in a way that would bring both of them to ruin.

This whole story was motivated by the author's own exitence as a twin (the word she uses for "twins" is one in Japanese that'd translate as "two pieces of the same whole" rather than the more usual alternative) and how they were planned to be triplets, but the two sisters had absorbed the third one in the womb, and they have spent their lives wondering if this third being was still living through them, seeing through them, wanting a life for themselves. and it's especially visible with this one character but i should mention that everything in dgm works in pair with a third secret thing linking them together, with others characters who are going through similar "secret being inside of them" experiences that steam directly from this.

And i keep thinking about it when i hear of the split God in gbf. I keep thinking about this specific feeling about being split in two, broken in two, but still bond together by a third element you can't exactly put into words. A secret, a being that holds you two together. Of One Piece who then Become Three And Then Who Were Two. Were did the third one go? what does it mean for the One they used to be?

I keep thinking back to it. about a secret third thing that holds the two of you back together. The fact that there is a word in Japanese to refer to twins splitting as two pieces of a whole makes me wonder if there a cultural aspect to it gbf could be using as they approach the Omnipotent.

That's why a while back when i tried to explain what i thought was the Boundary to a friend, i represented it like this:

If anything i would think the Boundary is a Third Element that happened the moment the gods split. Maybe an element who wants the two Gods to be reunited somewhat. Like a cordon holding a child back to its mother. A being who's not clear cut, not half and half, but in between spaces, a being who is holding everything back together.

And it's really hard to be thinking about anything else for me, especially when they hit me with calling Seofon an "apostle of the Boundary" as if apostle wasn't also the term used by DGM in many similar situations. I keep going back to it.

And, like i said. I have no idea. Because i struggle to conceive this is what the gbf writers had in mind. But it's all that make sense to me because i legit just look at this and go "i've seen that before. I've discussed about that exact type of story before." and it gives me a very specific bias that is impossible to get rid of.

I have no idea.

I'm sharing with you the way my brain is working right now, and hopefully it makes some type of sense that you can understand why at least i struggle to believe it's a simple dichotomy thing. I feel like the Boundary is something else entirely. I just don't trust myself with being objective about it.

Hope at least it can give some ideas to feed on?

take care!

[lesbiancarat]

sometimes i randomly remember that instead of 'cute, innocent, funny guy' jun's fandom-assigned archetype used to be 'narcissistic fuckboy' back until like 2018ish 🧍‍♀️

[cositapreciosa]

i'm sure this comes as a surprise to NO ONE but uh Eduardo Sandoval plers <3 <3 - here's some quote options: "you're an idiot" (affectionate) - "never say that again" - "don't let them get in your head" - "I won't let you down" "you never have" - "I thought you were dead" & here's some idea/flavor options: love triangle w/ Carrillo or Javi - international diplomacy - late night argument - ties as bondage - hurt/comfort - kissing in the rain......hopefully one of these is good! thank you so much <3

Rain season

Eduardo Sandoval x gn!reader, 1236 words

With '' don’t let them get in your head '' hurt/comfort - kissing in the rain

a/n : ok so they're not kissing in the rain, but it's raining, so also first Eduardo fic, this is so exciting send me moree

Rain season in Colombia had always been your favorite. How the temperature would drop a few degrees, the slight wind, and the cold rain. It turns the city into a different town. The only thing that never changed was your job, no matter the season, no matter how strong it rained, clock in, manage crisis after crisis, the once in a while near-death experience, clock out. As you sit on the steps outside the presidential palace, the soft splash of the rain against the pavement grounds you. You’re here. Breathe.

The end of the cigarette warms your fingers, in a few minutes it will most likely burn the skin, but you can’t seem to care. People rush past you to get inside, covering their heads with their suits or their briefcases while you welcome the drops on your shoes. You can’t allow yourself to fully stand in the rain. You could do it out of spite. Just to see those old men turn angry red. Just to dare them to say one more time, you're not fit for the job.

‘’ You’re gonna burn your fingers if you don’t put it out. ‘’

You turn your head towards him, his voice is softer than what he usually allows himself in the office. Eduardo stands tall behind you, hands in his pocket, eyes surveying the plaza. The place is empty now, employees went back in after lunch, fleeting from the weather. You scoff as you inhale the last drag, blowing the smoke through your nose. The red tip burns your fingers when you crush it against the pavement, spreading ashes around the bud,

‘’ You can just tell me how it is, Eduardo. No need to walk around it. If they’re so mad they can just fire me for all I care. ‘’

A small laugh escapes his lips as he unbuttons his suit, bending his knees and taking place on the step. With a groan, he stretches his legs out, his feet stopping next to yours,

‘’ They won’t fire you. What you said was true and it scared them. Their campaign would fall apart if they tried to replace you. ‘’

You hmm absently, you know he is right, that cornered animals bite and scratch when feeling attacked. You can’t stop looking at his shoes. Heavy drops of rain falling on the brown leather, on his bright grey socks, the cuff of his pants. You are itching for another smoke, pondering whether or not to take another one. You know if you do he will tell you about all those new studies coming out about tobacco, how it is bad for your health. Your fingers pull on the thread near your pocket as you nod at his feet,

‘’ You’re going to get your pants all wet. ‘’

The smile he gives you warms up your insides,

‘’ Oh, this old thing? No te preoccupes. ‘’

You know it’s a lie, a smile of your own tugging at your lips, his being too contagious for you to stop it before it comes out. You know it’s a lie because you were there two weeks ago when he bought them, not the cheap ones, the good kind, those that fit and take years to wear out. The top of your shoe pushes slightly against his, again and again, playfully waiting for him to say something and make you stop, but he doesn’t, he just lets you. You sigh,

‘’ They never listen to me, Eduardo. They never do and then they get mad when what I told them would happen happens. ‘’

The rain is falling harder now, giving the illusion of a white sheet across the plaza. Your shoes are soaked, his socks now a deeper shade of grey,

‘’ Don’t let them get in your head, cariño. ‘’

You nod softly, your teeth pulling at your lip, he is right, he always is. Your eyes fall on his hand next to yours, pressed flat against the pavement, pale from the pressure, and you can’t help yourself but slowly feel the skin with your fingertips, watching the small hairs around his wrist rise,

‘’ I won’t,‘’ you reassured.

You know he’s not the public affection type of guy, and frankly, neither are you, but he lets you run your finger against the back of his hand, and as the rain keeps falling around you and the wind picks up, it feels like it’s only the two of you in the whole palace. When you look up at him, his eyes are already on you, affectionate eyes meeting your hurt ones,

‘’ Can I kiss you? ‘’, he whispers.

His blue eyes gaze down to your lips. The wind is cold on your face, but the warm feeling in your chest, the heat on your cheeks almost makes it negligible. There is no one around, you think, there’s no harm in this, right?

You lean in quickly as if you’re scared he would change his mind. Thoughts are fighting in your head : what if, what if, but the second you feel his nose brush against yours, slowly tracing it for a moment, they are gone. Your heart races in your chest, butterflies erupt in your stomach. Your fingers reach for his collar as his fingers close gently around your bicep, holding tightly, bringing you closer, and when his lips finally touch yours, you’re not sure if it’s the rain pouring harder, or if your ears are buzzing.

The kiss is soft, brief, his warm lips leaving yours almost as soon as they touched. The wind feels cold again, and you watch as his chest slowly goes up and down, catching his breath,

‘’ I have a fresh pair of socks in my office if you wanna change out of your shoes. They’re for Gaviria, but I know he won’t mind, I can- ‘’

‘’ Eduardo, ‘’ your hand travels from his neck to cup his cheek, softly rubbing the skin with your thumb, ‘’ I’ll be fine, they’ll dry off. ‘’

Your fingers are lightly pressing on his neck and you have to hold yourself back from pulling him to you once more when, for a quick second, his eyes fall to your lips again. He takes a deep breath and clears his throat,

‘’ I have to go, I’ll see you after work, yeah? ‘’

You nod, ‘’ Yeah. ‘’

‘’ Good, ‘’ he exhales. Your hand falls from his cheek as he rises, following his arm, his side, until you can’t touch him anymore. His fingers struggle with the buttons of his jacket for a moment before letting go and putting his hands in his pockets instead. He looks down at his shoes, a smile pulling at his lips, ‘’ Maybe I should take Gaviria’s socks. ‘’

And just like that, he’s gone as quickly as he appeared.

.

Your shoes squeak when you walk into the palace. The moisture trapped in the soles seeps between your toes every time you put pressure on them. It doesn’t bother you that they can hear you coming from a mile away, how their heads turn when you walk into the conference room,

‘’ Señores, let’s get this day over as fast as possible, shall we? ‘’

You can’t wait to clock out.

[watermelonlovershigh]

Day in the Life of a Single Dad with a 2 Yr Old

This was requested by this anon.

AN: let me know if you guys like fluff fics & i'll try to write them as frequent as my smut & sicfics. also couldn't come up with a better title so... yeah the title is a lil iffy.

Things to help you understand this story better:

(Harry is a single parent/Harry is 25/Harry is a healthy eater/Loves his daughter so much)

Harry is peacefully sleeping in his bed alone. Covers to his chin, curled up on his side. That is until his beautiful two year old daughter comes barging in there to wake her daddy up. He shouldn't be asleep she thinks. It's too late. In reality its only 7 am on a Saturday, but to an early riser like her, he should be awake and playing with her. Or making her breakfast.

Her little feet pad over to her daddy's side of the bed. She can barley reach him due to the height of his bed, but manages to stretch her little arms up and taps on Harrys face. "Daddy, wake up." she speaks in her little British accent. Harry slowly opens his eyes and immediately squeezes them shut because of the sunlight coming from the window blinding him. "Daddy!!" his daughter says a little louder.

If his daughter was any older, Harry might tell her to wait a few minutes or go back to bed because it's too early, but he knows she's only 2. So he forces his eyes open again and reaches down to hook his hands in her tiny arm pits to lift her on the bed. "Why are you awake so early babe." he asks in a gravely voice, while placing her on his bare chest.

"I hungry." her tiny voice replies.

"Mhmm what would you like?" Harry mumbles sleepily.

"Sweets." she says innocently.

"I don't think so love. We don't eat sweets for breakfast. It will give you a tummy ache. What about a healthy fruit salad. We have some Watermelon and Strawberries in the fridge." he replies to his daughter who's straddling his chest.

"NO, I WANT SWEETS! I WANT SWEETS!" she yells back with angry tears threatening to escape.

"D/n, we do not yell!" her father speaks firmly. "We can't have sweets but we can have something other than a fruit salad if you want. Lets go down and see what we have." With a tight grip on his upset daughter, Harry gets out of bed and makes his way down the spiral staircase and into the kitchen.

This wasn't something new to him. Ever since his daughter turned 2 in August, she's been acting up a lot more than previously. You could say it was the terrible twos everyone talks about. Harry tries his hardest to teach her the proper ways to behave but it's been proven to be a lot more difficult than anticipated. Especially hard when he's busy all the time and isn't with her 24/7 like stay-at-home mums are or stay-at-home dads were. He's a musician. Not a so called musician that gets excited to book a Friday night at the local pub. No, Harry is a international pop star.

When he ended up getting a one-night stand pregnant, he told them they could do what they wanted as far keeping the baby or not. Harry has always been one to agree that its a women's choice. But his one-night stand wanted to have the baby. Honestly, you'd think Harry would get angry that she decided to keep it, but he wasn't. Maybe it wasn't the ideal situation to have a baby from a one-night stand that he had on tour, but he being the loving Harry everyone seems to know and love, of course tried to look at it as a positive thing. But when his daughter was born, his one-night stand got her minute of fame by saying she had Harry Styles baby and left. Abandoned her own blood. Harry had to get full custody of his daughter and ever since then she's been living with her daddy.

It was really hard the first few months of her life. A baby needs their mothers comfort and warmth and she had none of that. She never got the opportunity to breast feed or feel the love of her mother, and Harry feels sick just thinking about it. So Harry put his career on hold for a few months to take care of his daughter and show her that someone cares for her. He never wanted her to feel unloved. It was his biggest fear. That's why every day since the day she was born, he tells her how much he loves her. Shows her how much he loves her.

He did all her nightly feedings with warmed up formula in bottles. He changed her diapers at all hours of the day. He gave her baths every day to make sure she smelled nice and clean. And when she turned 1 years old and was getting more active, he took her to the studio with him and let her play her toys.

Just because Harry is a single parent doesn't mean he doesn't have help or support. He has a lot of help when it comes to taking care of his daughter. His sister Gemma babysits all the time for him when he's got something very important to do at the studio where he'd prefer if his daughter wasn't there. Harry's mum watches his daughter frequently when he has a interview he needs to attend. Even some of Harry's friends watch or take care of her when needed. Especially some of his ex bandmates that have kids of their own now. Harry's daughter has playdates with Bear, Liam's son about once a month. They're about the same age and their dads are friends so it works out great. His daughter has even played with Freddie, Louis's son. Not as much because Freddie lives in America but when he comes to England to spend time with his father they hang out. Freddie and Harry's daughter are quite similar. They were both created due to a one-night stand. The only difference is Freddie's mum wanted him. Didn't abandon him. So he has a relationship with both parents. Needless to say, besides all the things a mother can give to their child, his daughter has a good life. People love her, and once again that's all Harry could ask for. People and himself to love his daughter.

After fighting with his daughter about what to eat for breakfast, she finally settles for some Strawberry pancakes as long as they have chocolate syrup on top. Harry gives in and allows a little chocolate for her to have with breakfast. She sits in her high chair munching on the pancakes while Harry cleans the mess from cooking. Like washing the pan and wiping the stove off. When he's finished cleaning, he notices his daughter has stopped eating and is just making a mess with her food at this point.

Walking up to her high chair, Harry bends down and lifts her sticky body up and says, "Alright, time to give you a bath little one."

"No bath daddy! Me no want a bath!" she yells and attempts to kick her fathers legs but Harry grabs ahold of them in his big hand and stops her movements which makes her small body more angry. She screams very loud in his ear and pounds her baby fist in his shoulders, expressing her anger. Harry really wants to get upset. But what he's read in parenting books is that if you ignore their behavior and act like you don't see their tantrums, it will make it better and they'll give up on trying so hard to show their anger.  Because most toddlers have tantrums to try and get attention from their parent(s). By ignoring it, you're not feeding into it.

"I'm sorry but you have chocolate all over you love. Need to get you clean because I need to take you to the studio for a few hours with me today. How does that sound?" trying to make bath time and going to the studio sound fun.

After fighting with Darcy to get in the bath, Harry finally got her in the tub. He struggled to wash her curly hair due to the fact she wouldn't sit still, even after he gave her a rubber ducky to play with. Once he's washed her hair and chocolate covered body, Harry picks her up and wraps her in a big fluffy towel, then takes her to her room to get changed. He manages to get a pull up on her, (still trying to potty train), and puts a lovely red track suit on her with some Gucci shoes. Then he carries her in front of the bathroom mirror to brush her hair.

"Be good for daddy and let me brush your hair." Harry tells his daughter in a gentle manner.

As soon as he passes the brush in her hair, his daughter screams, "Owww, it hurts daddy!"

10 minutes later, Harry has brushed her locks and put her hair into some cute pigtails. With his 2 year old crying in the process. He's pretty good at doing hair because he used to have longer hair himself. Then he picks her up off the counter and places her on the ground, walking her to his bedroom.

"Can you lay in my bed while I get ready? I'll put on your favorite show." he questions calmly.

"Peppa Pig, Peppa Pig, Peppa Pig!" is daughter chants.

"Alright, alright." He picks up his baby girl and sets her in the middle of his bed. Then he grabs the remote to turn his wall mounted tv on. He scrolls on Netflix and finds Peppa Pig to keep her occupied. Then goes to his bathroom to get dressed and ready to head to the studio.

When he exits his bathroom fully dressed and ready to leave, he finds a sleeping toddler on his bed, snuggled into his pillow. Her perfectly outlined lips slightly parted. Harry can't help but smile. He loves his baby girl with his entirety and seeing her peaceful like this makes him so happy. He turns the tv off and carefully picks her up into his arms and heads down the stairs to his car in the garage. But not before stopping by her room to pick up her mini backpack that holds extra pullups and a sippy cup full of juice, with some of her toys as well. Her tiny face is stuffed into her daddy's neck and Harry can feel light puffs of air hitting his skin. He puts his daughter in her car seat and buckles her up properly. Then gets in himself to drive to the studio.

About 5 minutes away from the studio, Darcy wakes up from her late morning nap and whines out, "Me wanna go home and play with you!"

"I'm sorry but I have to work for a little bit. I'll play with you when we get home later. How does that sound Hmm?" She was not satisfied with her fathers answer and starts wailing. Hot salty tears run down her little cheeks and she makes exaggerated sounds to emphasize her crying. She kicks at the seat in front of her and balls her fist up as if she's going to hit something but unfortunately to her, she can't reach a single thing due to her seat belt. Once again, Harry just ignores her cries of anger and turns the radio on loud to block it out.

By the time they arrive at the studio, Harry's daughter has calmed down. She's still upset but at least she isn't crying and that's progress in Harry's eyes. He parks his car in a secluded area to hide from potential paparazzi and unbuckles her. Then shields her face form potential cameras and make their way into the music studio. Harry has to record some audio for his newest album so that's why he needed to come in today. They enter the studio where the rest of his solo band is. He prefers to record the instruments live instead of manufactured drums and guitars.

At some point when he was getting ready in his home bathroom, Harry had called his assistant and told her he needed to bring his daughter in to the studio with him so she could watch her while he's busy. She agreed but being Harry Styles assistant, it wasn't really an option. Not that Harry would force her but she's an assistant for a reason. To do jobs Harry assigns her. In this case babysit his toddler while he records a song. He doesn't have anyone else today and unfortunately can't leave her at home with a mummy like many other fathers can. He's just happy his job allows his daughter to be somewhat a part of it. Not in the spotlight because he keeps his daughters identity a secret from the public for her protection, but as far as her going to the studio with him or when she gets older, she can come on tour with him.

Harry's assistant takes his toddler and her mini backpack full of her essentials. They hang out in the open area, out of the way from his band and he himself so he can get what he needs to get done so they can wrap everything up for the album. Harry's daughter actually loves his assistant. They have grown quite close over the 2 years of her life. But because she's going through her terrible twos, the toddler didn't want to behave for anyone today.

About an hour into Harry's work, he's interrupted with a frantic assistant that has a screaming toddler in her arms. "I'm sorry Harry but she's been crying for about 30 minutes and I've done everything I know to do to get her to calm down." Harry isn't upset his assistant came to him for help with his baby. That's not the type of guy he is.

Harry takes off his headphones and walks over to them. He picks his little girl up into his tattooed arms and questions, "Love, why are you upset for? If you keep crying, you'll end up with a tummy ache."

She just hugs around her fathers neck with her little arms and says, "Want you daddy." Those words almost breaks his heart. Harry doesn't know where this sudden want for him has came from.

"You can have me all you want when I'm finished working, alright. I'll be done shortly." He struggles to pass her back over to his assistant, but finally manages. "Maybe she's hungry. I'll give you a few pounds to take her through drive thru at McDonalds. Would you like McDonalds d/n?" She just nods her pigtailed head. He would suggest for them to go inside, but the public knows what his assistant looks like so they'd know that was his daughter. The daughter that has her identity secret for now. His assistant takes the toddler to the McDonalds drive thru and orders her some chicken nuggets. Even through Harrys pescatarian, he still allows his daughter to eat meats. Then Harry goes back to work in the studio.

Around 2 in the afternoon, Harry and the two year old make it back home. The rest of the evening was a little hectic with a few tantrums here and there. Harry cooked them a nice meal for dinner at about 6 and played dolls with her in the short period of time she wasn't upset. Then comes the dreaded bedtime.

Harry changes her into some pjs and helps her brush her teeth. Then when he went to put her in bed, she started crying for the 100th time today. "Me sleep with you daddy." she cries out. There's a part of him that wants to say yes and cave in, but the parent part of him is saying no. She needs to learn to be a big girl. Harry really doesn't understand why she wants to sleep with him all the sudden. She normally has no problem sleeping by herself.

"No baby. You need to be a big girl and sleep in your bed sweetheart. I'm right next door if you need me though okay." His daughter clings to his body and cries fat tears. Harry decides to stay in her room until she falls asleep. So that's what he does. When she subsumes to sleep, he lays her down in her bed and pulls the covers up over her frail body. Then exits her room quietly.

Harry changes into some comfier clothes himself and goes down stairs to get himself a glass of wine. Then he sits on the sofa and turns a series on to watch before bed. Times like now is when  he wishes he had a wife. He'd even take a girlfriend. Just someone to hold him late at night and cuddle with him. Even have some type of intimacy. Ever since he found out about his daughter, Harrys game of sleeping around stopped. He didn't want to keep sleeping with random girls when he was becoming a dad. He was raised better than that. So needless to say he was lonely. In every way possible. Mentally, and physically.

Whilst in the middle of the show he's watching, Harry is brought back to reality when he hears a blood-curdling scream from up the stairs. He rushes to set his wine down on the coffee table and runs to his daughters room. When he walks in there, his heart sinks. The toddler is crying so hard she's gasping for air. It's a different cry that he's seen through-out the day. Unlike her terrible twos tantrums, this cry sounds like she's scared. Harry runs to her and picks her up. "Hey what's wrong my love? Tell daddy what's wrong." he asks of his child, soothing her to his chest.

As her tears slow down in the comfort of her daddy's arms, she mumbles, "You left me." Once again Harrys confused because she never acts like this.

Harry walks out her bedroom and goes to sit with her on the sofa downstairs. Then he turns her around on his lap to look at her face more clearly. "Baby, you need to tell daddy why you got scared or why you want me all the sudden."

The little 2 year old takes a deep breath and speaks in her little accent, "On Peppa Pig, they...they said kids like me are supposed to have a mummy AND a daddy. They said daddies can't love their babies like mummy's can. Me was scared you don't love me anymore." Her voice cracked saying the last bit with fresh tears running down her face and Harry has glossy eyes looking down at his distressed but beautiful mini twin. That's right. They look almost exactly alike. He thanks God every day for that because he doesn't want to look at his daughter and be reminded of a one-night stand that's a piece of shit of a mother.

"Look at me d/n. I love you so so so much. I will NEVER stop loving you." at this point he has to take a deep breath so compose his emotions, "And not all kids have mummies. There are a lot of kids who just have a daddy or some just have a mummy. But it doesn't mean I love you any less. Okay?! Don't listen to what they said in Peppa Pig. They were wrong." Finishing his speech, Harry pulls her tiny body forward and hugs her to his warm chest. He has silent tears running down his face. Both hands spread over her boney back. He thinks tonight is appropriate enough to allow her to sleep with him. She needs comfort. "Would you still like to sleep with me?" he asks in a whisper.

"Pleaseee." she responds while crying. Harry stands form the couch, turning the television off and abandoning his barley touched wine glass, and goes to his bedroom. The turns the overhead light off and walks over to the bed. Peeling the covers back, Harry and his daughter, whose on his chest, slide under the warm blankets together. Now she has just about stopped crying. Just little whimpers leaving her body, along with a few hiccups. Harry reaches over to turn the lamp off, leaving the room completely dark. He shushes his baby until her eyes slowly close and she falls asleep with her face burred in his neck and arms around his neck. Her short legs lay limp over his stomach.

Harry has a difficult time falling asleep that night. He feels sorry for his baby girl because he worries that movies and shows with two parents will make her sad and left out because she doesn't have a mummy. He just prays she will see all she'll ever need is her daddy to protect her and love her for the rest of eternity.

MASTERLIST & My Favorite Harry Styles Fics MASTERLIST

[differentkettleoffishalltogether]

I’m On Fire [Chapter 2]

With her sister’s wedding fast approaching and her Mom hounding her about finding a date, Y/N makes a terrible decision that lands her and her least favorite genius in a confusing situation.

Chapter Summary: Y/N and Spencer start to put a plan together.

A/N:  I’ve got a head cold at the mo’ but I had to get a covid test just in case so I’m not allowed leave my room till I get the results! So enjoy a bonus chapter while I wallow on my own for like 36 hours :( On a positive note, thank you guys all so much for the response to chapter 1 I really didn’t see that coming! I’ve tagged everyone who asked, let me know if you wanna be added

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Fem Reader

Category: Fake Dating, Enemies to Lovers, (Eventual) Smut, Fluff, Angst, it’s a Slow Burn Baby

Warnings: Cursing, some NSFW language/themes

Word Count: 6.1k

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Masterlist 

"Are you coming up or what?"

The question was still ringing in my ears. It caught me completely off guard. 'Up' as in up to Spencer's apartment? Where he lived? I knew he lived somewhere in theory, just like I knew deep down that he wasn't made in a test tube. 

Without noticing I've undone my seatbelt and I'm hopping out of the car, following him around to the front door. I guess I am coming up.

Spencer's apartment is more cosy than I thought it was going to be. It's warm and lived in. It's not big, but I think that might be what makes it homely. Something about the way he behaves had me thinking it would be fully decked out in stainless steel or glass or something. But it wasn't pristine, it was messy. 

There were books bursting from the shelves that lined the walls of the apartment, along with books laid open over nearly every surface in the place, it looked like he was in the middle of reading all of them, and honestly, I didn't doubt it. Maybe I'd misjudged him. He even had some photos of what looked like his family, and maybe friends, even some of the BAU, lining his walls or propped up on his mantle. He had little trinkets and souvenirs on his shelves too, evidence that he'd been around the country for reasons other than a case. I would never admit it to him but there was a real charm to the place.

Once we got inside he took off his bag and suit jacket, tossing them on the desk just inside of the door. I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do, and he seemed to pick up on my awkward energy.

"You can make yourself at home" he said, his confident streak remaining. I had no idea what to do with that. What would even make me comfortable in Spencer Reid's apartment? I took a seat on his sofa and just sat with my hands resting in my lap. Really not even sure where I should look without feeling like I was invading his privacy. Even though I wanted to. I think it was morbid curiosity, looking for clues on who this man might actually be outside of the BAU. What I really wanted to do was stand up and walk around, soaking in every bit if this place as if it would help me decipher our messy relationship.

He returned to the living room a few moments later, two mismatched mugs in his hands. He places one in front of me on the coffee table. I pick it up and take a sip. It's lemon and ginger, how did he know what kind of tea I liked? I held the mug in my hands inhaling the steam in an effort to relax. When I look up he's watching me, arms folded across his chest.

"So, how does this thing work. What's the game plan?" I honestly have no real idea. This evening really got away from me, I was still expecting to snap out of it and wake up in my bed at any moment.

"Well I can't say I've ever been in a Sandra Bullock movie before either so this is uncharted territory for me too" I say with a chuckle, trying to ease the tension. Even a little. I can see him crack a small smile but hides it almost instantly, his face hardening again.

"My sister, Margot, she's getting married in like 4 months." I can feel myself tense and I shake out my shoulders, I have to remind myself that he's agreed to this already, "Fuck it, I'm just going to be honest with you. My Mom's mostly freaked out that I'm too attached to this job and that I'll just never find someone again." I shouldn't have said again, fuck. I hope he didn't pick up on that. Who am I kidding. "Even though, I'm not sure I care if I do or don't?" he doesn't say anything, like he's waiting for me to continue. I know I've shared a little too much already but I keep going.

"Margot's 2 years younger than me, I introduced her to her fiancé Philip, we met in college, he's a sweetheart. But since they've gotten engaged Mom's gotten exponentially weirder. I think she's convinced I'm fully going to die alone, as if that would be the worst thing that could ever happen? Anyway, she's been trying to auction me off to all these guys, using this wedding as an excuse. I'm not sure how much of that phone call you actually heard earlier but Mom was trying to sell me on this guy, David, and I just… snapped." I look up at Spencer and he unfolds his arms, leaning in ever so slightly coaxing the story out of me.

"David, he uh, he worked for my father for a while back in high school, filing documents and stuff, busy work mostly. He used to make out with me when he was at our house after school, but then he'd ignore me in the halls the next morning. I know it's because I was a pariah back then or something but I didn't want to think about it today and I just got worked up. I shouldn't have let on that you were my date, I was just going to ask if I could bring Garcia or something, and I'm sorry." I cover my face in my hands, "I'm insane, you can back out if you want to."

I can hear him move from his spot on the opposite side of the sofa, he takes my wrists and gently pulls my hands from my face. He looks into my eyes, "I'm in this now Y/N, what do you need me to do?" he asks, and there's a genuine earnest in his voice that I think I've only ever heard a handful of times. And it's never been directed at me.

"Okay, well we've got a few months before you ha–, wait, fuck!" I throw my head back, there's already a complication, "shit" I curse under my breath. His eyebrows knit together, sitting upright.

"What's the matter?" he asks.

"I forgot about my Mom's 50th, it's next month. They've got this whole huge party planned back home in upstate New York. I've gotta go and they'll probably want to meet you, or they're gonna have a load of questions for me at least. I can try and get you out of it I'm sure"

He gets that cocky look again, he shakes his head "I don't know, I've always liked a bit of competition" he reclines back into his corner of the sofa, taking a satisfied sip from his own mug before speaking again. "You know, if I've got to learn enough to pass as your boyfriend in a month, surely that means you've got to learn enough to pass as my girlfriend within the month, no?"

Oh god. What have I done, why didn't I think this far ahead. "I mean, yeah I guess you're right." I had to remember he was doing me a favor. I had to get over myself. "Okay, if you're sure you're up for that?" I ask, and he nods, and I think he looks excited, or maybe he just finds the whole situation funny.

"If anyone's up for the competition it's you" he says, and I'm not sure if that's a compliment or a dig but I nod in agreement.

He takes another sip of his tea, collected and relaxed. I can't help but notice how at ease he is when he's in his own surroundings. I'm so used to seeing him sitting at a desk surrounded by paperwork, or combing through file after file in the make-shift office in a small-town police station, usually flustered or anxious, or antagonizing me whenever he wasn’t. This was a different Spencer. Completely in control, at ease.

"Alright, shall we get started then, we can't really afford to waste any time can we?" he was actually sort of right, so I nodded. It was only now occurring to me that I'd have to share parts of my personal life with him if I wanted this plan to work. We already knew the basics about each other, I'd read his file when I started at the BAU, I'd read everyones. And I feel like it was safe to presume he'd done the same.

His eyes bore directly into mine as he leaned forward, I think he was enjoying how uncomfortable I must've looked.

"How about I ask you some rapid-fire questions and you have to answer 'em?" he asks, and it's as good of a plan as any, and I can't think of any other suggestions, so I nod.

"Okay, shoot." I say, unsure and nervous, so I brace myself. I'm just grateful that he's making my life easier rather than harder for what feels like the first time since I met him.

I really should've known better.

He leans in, "So Y/N, first question, when did you lose your virginity?"

I almost choke on the mouthful of tea I just took, that can't be what he just asked, and he looks like he's savoring my shocked expression.

"I uh, I don't think you need to know that?" is all I can get out.

"Really? You think that's something your boyfriend wouldn't know about you?" he's right, but I didn't want to admit it outright.

"I feel like I sort of already hinted. It was that same guy David, I was 18, he was 19. We had sex on the couch while my parents went out one evening. I kept my bra on the whole time, he came, I didn't. It was all very standard stuff." I wasn't sure what compelled me to add that last part. I think I was giving in to the open honestly thing. "So what about you Doc?" I challenged.

He didn't seem embarrassed, or even shy. "I must've bloomed little later than you" he admits with a soft chuckle, "Vivian Stewart, I was 21, she was too. It was the last semester of my last PhD and I figured I must be missing out on something. And I sure was" he smirks to himself. "I came, she did too, 3 times. I did a lot of research ahead of time" he mirrored my story and I rolled my eyes. It was hard not to feel a little impressed but I tried with everything I had to stifle it so he couldn't tell. I wish it didn't make me feel something but it did. I gulp down the mouthful of tea that's been sitting in my throat.

I have to shake myself back to reality. I can't give him the satisfaction of throwing me. "My turn." I command, "When was your last relationship Dr. Reid?" I ask, "I mean like, serious one, not like hook-up" I clarify before he can ask. He thinks on it for a moment.

"I'm not sure what you classify as fully serious, but I guess it was this girl, Rebecca, we dated for a while when I first joined the BAU but it didn't work out. What about you?" he flips it back.

"So that was what, like 6-ish years ago?" I ask, he just nods.

"Mine was like 3 years ago now I think. I met this guy Nathan on my first week of college, we dated for like 4 years. He moved here for me when I got accepted by the BAU." I had to stop myself from delving into the detail. It was a long time ago now but it still hurt. "Long story short, the hours were demanding and they got in the way more than I would've liked. We ended up splitting a couple months after I got the job." I tried to play it off like it wasn't one of the more devastating things to happen in my life. But something told me he’d registered that, so he didn't push.

His energy picks up and he looks at me with a grin, but there's something a little sinister behind it. "I've got a more fun question for you." he leans in closer to me, "Y/N, when was the last time you got laid?" I just looked at him in shock. 

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me, I can go first if you really need me to?" his voice didn't waver,

"Fuck you Reid, I know when it was!" I snapped back at him. I did have to think back a little farther than I'd like to pull up the memory.

"Met this guy in a bar when I was out with Pen one night, we went back to his place and hooked up." I say as deadpan as I can make it.

"Well that's not very exciting is it?" he jokes, "Did you at least cum that time?" I know he's just trying to rile me up, but I answer anyway.

"As a matter of fact I did" I earn back a little of my confidence.

"I'm so happy for you, but you did manage to avoid my initial question" fuck "when was this exciting night of yours Y/N?" he probes, like I really, really wished he wouldn't. I could lie, but I'm sure he'd be able to tell. I cringe before I can say it.

"About 8 months ago" I mutter, just low enough for him to hear.

"Sorry, did you just say 8 months ago?" He nearly shouts in disbelief, he seems to find it funny.

"Hey fuck you Spencer!" I go on the defensive, "When was the last time you even got laid?"

"Like two and half weeks ago" he says, confident, and still laughing, "Wait wait, when was the last time you got yourself off? I know you're not waiting 8 months!" he giggles and I think I could kill him. I know I kept giving him outs but was it too late for me to just get up and leave?

"I'm not doing this with you if you're just gonna make fun of me Reid, I get enough of that at work" I get out, my voice is serious but I'm trying to hide how awkward all of this is making me feel, and I don't know that I'm doing a very good job.

I can tell that's gotten to him, he relaxes and eases up on the giggling. "Look okay wait Y/N. I'll stop, I'm not actually trying to make fun of you. I was being serious, I think stuff like this is important if we're gonna have to be comfortable around each other enough to seem like a real couple. Plus, it'll just help break the ice?" he shrugs. "But you don't have to answer if you don't want to."

I soften, because I agree, even thought I hate that he's right. "Fine" I collect my thoughts, "2 nights ago I'm pretty sure." I regret it almost instantly, but breaking the ice is supposed to feel awkward.

"Same here actually," he chuckles, "what'd you do?" I'm so startled by the question I almost forget how to answer.

"I, uh, my, my vibrator? I just felt like uh, I watched some..." I still can't force out a whole sentence. It's not like I was always awkward about sex or anything, I could talk to Garcia, or honestly probably any of the other team members about it. But with Spencer it didn't feel as comfortable. He still sat calmly, smiling just a little.

"Same here, 2 nights back, but with my hands I guess. I wonder if we were doing it at the same time?" he mutters the last part gently and my head goes a bit fuzzy. My eyes drift away from his face and settle on his hands, the mug he's holding looks so tiny with his fingers wrapped around it, I wondered how they'd look wrapped around my-

"Okay I think that's enough for one night, don't you think?" I jump up off the sofa and turn, mostly so that he doesn't catch the blush thats creeping from my neck up to my cheeks. And because I don't know what I'll say, or regret saying, if this conversations continues on its current trajectory.

"Sure," he says, standing up next to me, and I want to move further away instantly, "you're probably right, and it's getting a little late now anyway" he glances at his watch. Ushering me back towards his front door and opening it up. Before I can walk out he lightly touches my shoulder to turn me back to face him, and I wonder if he can feel the heat radiating from every part of me.

"So are you free next Friday after work?" he asks, and I'm so flustered I almost forget why, I just nod. "Perfect, how about we come here again and we can dive into preparing? You could also make a start on getting these onto a hard drive?" he gestures to the antique looking hardbacks adorning the shelves.

'Sounds great!" I perk up, feigning enthusiasm, "See you then!"

"Well, see you Monday morning actually Y/N" he smirks as I walk out the door. Fuck, he was right.

I really hadn't thought this through.

——

The weekend was a bit of a blur. I decided to try and put some useful information into a document for Spencer. It felt strange to try and condense my life into as few pages as possible. I knew Reid had an eidetic memory, and nothing would necessarily overwhelm him. But I also knew that he was someone that the team relied on to fill in a lot of the gaps in the rest of the our knowledge. So I felt bad about dumping a load of information on him, especially considering it was a favor he was doing for me.

I'd complied the majority of my life into a 15 page document and printed it out. Hopefully that would address most of what my family could guerrilla attack him with. There was also something unsettling about the imbalance. I was going to give him so many of the intricate details of my life in a little file, whereas all I really knew about Spencer was what I'd taken it upon myself to learn about him throughout the past few years.

I'd read all of his work while I was in college, given how he was the gold standard of getting into the BAU at a young age, I wanted to know who this guy was. I think I'd pictured something different. And I couldn't deny there was something enticing about finally getting to know him after all of these years of working together. Maybe this could actually be fun, or interesting at least.

----

I arrived early on Monday morning. I thought I was first into the office as usual but Garcia was sitting in my desk chair waiting for me. The second she saw me walk in she tensed, she must've known we were the only people in this early.

"What happened! You've been avoiding me all weekend?" she asked, and she was right. I'd drafted enough texts to her, trying to explain what the plan was, mostly without wanting to admit that she was right. Maybe I was stubborn.

"Alright okay, I drove Reid home." I admitted, dropping my bag by my desk. She rolls her eyes at me, dramatic as always.

"Well I knew that already Y/N damn! What happened next?"

"Fine, we went into his apartment and talked for a while. Trying to sort out the details, get a handle on things I guess?" I said, unsure of how much I should actually give away about our conversation.

"What things!?" She shouts, standing up from my desk,

"I don't know Pen, like logistics and stuff, I still haven't decided how I feel about that little stunt you pulled on Friday night!" I let my frustration get the better of me, and maybe that's why I haven't talked to her. It could also be because I know she's able to read me like a book and I'm not even sure how I feel about this whole situation.

"I call bullshit." She counters, "I know you were relived as hell when I sorted that whole thing out. You would've had anxiety tummy all weekend if I hadn't called Spencer!" I just go silent, she was right. I'd gotten so caught up in the whole, 'how to have a fake boyfriend' that I'd almost forgotten about how stressed I was about Spencer hearing my call in the first place.

"Okay, shit" I sigh. "Maybe you were right Pen. We're actually meeting up again this Friday after work to make a plan for the next while, so I guess that's progress?" I shrug, trying to play it off like this whole situation doesn't make my stomach flip.

"Ohhhhh! So like a date?" She probes, her enthusiasm rising drastically.

"Oh my God Pen no! Like an appointment at best" I diffuse the situation

"Ugh that's no fun" she says, not even trying to disguise her disappointment.

As if on cue Dr. Reid walks through the double doors into the bullpen. Both Garcia and I wave, overall awkwardly, but making an attempt pretend like things were completely normal and like nothing had changed since the last time we were all in the office together.

Penelope heads to her office as the bullpen starts to fill up quickly. Less than an hour later though Garcia's back at my desk and there's a new case that needs the teams attention in Boston. I follow her into the conference room and wait for the rest of the team to join. Spencer follows a moment later with 2 cups of coffee in his hands. I can see my mug in his hand and my automatic response is that he's messing with me. But he places my mug in front of me in the circular table before taking the seat next to me, listening to Garcia's briefing. I don't know if he's ever sat next to me in this conference room, at least not by choice.

I barely had any time to finish my coffee before I have to say goodbye to Garcia and hop on the jet to Boston.

----

The case was grueling. More so than usual. It was wrapped up late on Thursday night and the team decided to fly back home first thing on Friday morning. I was exhausted. Even if there was enough time to get sleep each night it wasn't like I got any. Whenever a case got on top of me like this it made it hard to rest, or get it off my mind at all until it was wrapped up. So even though it was over, that didn't mean I wasn't exhausted.

Hotch gave the team the rest of the day off, given that we have until submit our paperwork by Monday. I wasn't sure if Spencer's invitation from the following week still stood. I didn't want to ask, partly because I was so tired, but also because I was scared. I wasn't about to show up at his house in an effort to have a heart to heart, or hand him a condensed version of my life story on a manilla envelope if he was as drained as I was.

Standing by my desk I packed up everything I'd need to get my paperwork done over the weekend, I was just about finished when Spencer snuck up behind me, perching himself on the edge of my desk. "So, you almost ready to go?" he asks, like it's the most obvious question in the world. I couldn't really hide my surprise.

"Oh yeah. That's fine, I mean, if you're still cool with that?" I ask, and I hate how flustered I sound, like he makes me nervous.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" He chuckles, standing up straight.

"Cool, gimme a sec and I'll be good to go."

I pack up the rest of my stuff quickly and we make our way out. There's something that feels a little eerie about the two of us being in an elevator together alone again. It was a different kind of awkward to how it felt a week before hand. It almost felt like a kind of tension rather than a hatred or a rivalry. Either way we rode down in silence.

Once we got to the basement Spencer walks out of the elevator and walks straight to my car without having to ask. I unlock it and he hops into the passenger seat. Like this is a natural interaction. Something we do all the time. And I don't hate it as much as I thought I would.

"So," he says, buckling up his seat belt and breaking the silence, "do you know how to get to my place from here or do you need directions again?"

"Well I've got to turn on the engine first" I tease, hoping he picks up on the reference to our last car ride, he chuckles like he does.

"Are you hungry?" he asks

"Starving."

The delivery guy get's to Spencer's apartment at almost the same time we do.

---

Once the food's been demolished the two of us finally sit on his sofa, the same sides as the week before. "So, shall we get back into this?" He asks, sitting forward slightly to pull a notebook out of his satchel on the floor. It's small and lavender, and it's got a pen clipped into the spine. He cracks it open and flips to a specific page.

"Sorry, what's that?" I ask, pointing to the book, he looks confused,

"They're my notes?" he says, like it should be obvious

"Your notes?" I ask,

"My notes on you." he smirks, again like I'm silly for even asking.

He had notes on me? He had a whole notebook on me? What was even in that thing?

"You've got notes on me?" I ask, my hands reaching out to grab it, but he retreats faster than I can catch him. "What have you got in there that's so serious?"

"Nothing." and his tone's a bit too stern and I don't really want to push it when he's being so uncharacteristically nice to me.

"I've actually got this ready for you" I pull the file out of my own bag and toss it to him. "I'm not sure exactly what you need to know but that should be the majority of it at least."

He opens it up and glances over the the pages. It takes him all of 2 minutes to get through the whole thing. It feels unsettling that he's taking in a boiled down version of my life while I'm just sitting on the opposite side of the sofa. Trying to avoid the attention I pipe up.

"Um, hey, maybe it would be a good time for you to show me where to make a start digitizing your books over here?" I stand up and make my way to the shelf. He jumps up off the sofa and walks toward me, visibly excited.

"That's actually a great idea, I thought that the theses from my degrees could be a good place to start, since I'm pretty sure they're not backed up anywhere." he guides me to a section of the book case by the window. There's a series of leather bound hardbacks, the same gold font embossed on the spines. I recognize all of them, pulling out the first one.

"This is my favorite" I say without thinking about it and he does a double take, clearly thrown.

"You've, uh, you read my work?" he asks, completely puzzled. I'm sort of proud that I've managed to make him this awkward, and I nod.

"Mmhm, back before I joined the BAU actually. Before I really knew you" I regret saying the last part, it comes out a little meaner than I really wanted it to so I back track. "Spencer, I read all of your work while I was in college, you were like the gold standard. I don't think I slept more than 2 hours a night throughout my PHD because I was just trying to get as much done as you." and his face softens at the admission. But it takes him a moment before he responds. Leaving the two of us in silence a little too long.

"I had no idea" is all he says.

"I think this one was best" I say propping up the one in my hand, "you get a bit cockier as you move on” His eyebrows shoot up in surprise, "but I'll start with all of these I guess" I grab the matching books and stack them in my arms. Walking over to his desk and setting up. Glancing at the clock it was only 7pm so I decided to just make a start.

Spencer didn't contest. Letting me just get settled at his desk, I pull out my laptop and begin work on transcribing the first volume. After a few minutes he silently places a cup of tea down beside me and goes to sit on the sofa. The time rolls in quickly after that, each time I look up at Spencer he's carefully combing through the file I'd given him. Re-reading it and making little markings in his lavender notebook. I'm not really sure what I put in there that was worth making a note on but clearly he was reading between the lines on some things. That little notebook was like a profile of me.

When he seemed like he'd finished writing he pulls out his phone, scrolling through it aimlessly like I'd never seen him do before. It made him look so normal. His eyebrows knit together as he's looking at something on his screen and he stands up. Making his way over to me at the desk and shows me what he was looking at.

"Who's this?" he asks, "This guy you're with?"

I recognize the photo instantly. It's from a few years earlier, Nathan and I on the beach, my head resting on his chest. He'd taken it while we were on vacation celebrating our anniversary. That was about a month before I got into the BAU, I had no idea that was going to be our last anniversary. I gulp down the emotions that it stirs. I'm mostly over the whole thing by now, but looking at old photos like that, photos of happier times, it can still sting.

"That's uh, the boyfriend I was telling you about last week. Nathan, we broke up not long after I joined the BAU?" he nods, but he's smart, and I kind of figure he already knew that.

"Ah alright" he takes out the hardback and jots another note down. Maybe he's trying to get a read on me.

"What are you doing?" I gesture to the phone,

"It's research, do you not think that if you and I were really dating that stalking your social media profiles would be on my agenda?" he's smug, and he's right. But I guess I just didn't expect it from him.

"Well that's not really fair now is it? I can't reciprocate, you've got no social media presence whatsoever!" he finds that funny, letting out a deep chuckle and tucking his phone away in his back pocket.

"Maybe so, but that imbalance is hardly my fault. Besides, you've read all my dissertations apparently..."

"Bastard" I joke, slamming my laptop shut and throwing a pen from his desk at him so that it lightly bounces off the top of his head.

"Hey, there's no need for violence Y/N!" he rubs the spot beneath his curls, "Maybe it's time you took a break actually?" he says, sitting himself back down on the sofa.

I was reluctant to admit it but he was right. My eyes were starting to go a little fuzzy after looking at the screen for so long. I stand up and stretch my arms out above my head, feeling my spine stretch out after sitting for so long, letting out a low groan. Spencer waves me over to the sofa and I join him.

"How about we go back to basics?" Spencer asks with a small grin, and I can't help but let out a long sigh.

"I thought I was taking a break, no more questions" he just laughs at me,

"Relax, you're not that interesting, it's just a simple question." he states, and I'm not sure if I'm supposed to find it funny or offensive

"Ugh, fine, shoot"

"Well, actually it's two questions" he corrects, "what's your favorite movie, and what's your favorite snack?"

I'm confused mostly by the fact that it actually is a simple question, I was expecting something a lot more contentious, but also because he looks eager to know the answer.

"I'm not really sure what my favorite movie is to be honest, one of them is Night of the Living Dead?"

He nods to himself, and jots it down in the notebook again, "Alright, I can make that work" he stands up off the sofa before turning back to me, "and snack?"

"Peanut butter cups I guess?" I respond and he grins ear to ear, which is a completely new sight, and I like it way more than I thought I would.

"Perfect, gimme 2 minutes!" he leaves the living room and wanders towards the kitchen.

Spencer returns a few minutes later with a DVD, a packet of peanut butter cups , and a thick knitted blanket gathered in his arms. He drapes the blanket over me and gently places the peanut butter cups on top of it before popping the DVD into the player and sitting down beside me. I'm not really sure how to process any of the situation. Am I about to watch a movie on Spencer Reid's sofa? Sitting next to Spencer Reid?

"I... I, uh, thought you were just asking for your notes?" I ask, pointing at the notebook resting in his lap. He picks it up and throws it onto the coffee table.

"Sometimes I find experience is the best teacher, don't you?" he asks before pressing play, “And besides, it should keep you quiet for a whole 96 minutes” of course.

I can only nod in agreement, I'm not really sure what I'll say if I try to speak. I get myself cosy under the warm blanket and we watch the movie in near silence.

Once the credits roll Spencer finally speaks up, "I actually went to see a screening of this last month downtown, there was this little old horror movie fest-" I cut him off without really realizing, I'm just strangely excited that we've genuinely got something in common.

"Holy shit, I was there!" I say, more enthusiastic than the situation calls for.

He laughs at my excitement, "Well, I guess we have more overlap than I thought, that should probably help with the whole charade." he stretches his arms up over his head and let's out a small, gentle yawn. I'd been enjoying myself more than I thought I would, or would ever tell Spencer, that I'd almost forgotten that we'd both been on a case for almost every waking moment of the past week. I really should feel a lot more drained than I do.

I was just after midnight when I suggested that I head back home. I offered to take some of the books home to work on throughout the weekend but Spencer insisted that I just work on them whenever I came over again. I sort of felt like I should thank him for the evening when I was on my way out the door, or give him a quick hug, no that felt wrong. In the end all I could really muster was a lousy, "goodnight" and a meek wave on my way out the door before I drove home. And couldn't get to sleep.

— —

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[patchun]

KIRBY STAR ALLIES: UNNECESSARILY DETAILED DEFINITIVE ARENA VIABILITY TIER LIST

After reading the title you may have a few questions. The first of which may be: why should I care what you think? Haha, well, reader who has likely never even played this game...

I have invested just a little bit of time into this game. More, lately, as I recently spent about 30 hours playing this game to decide once and for all who the strongest and weakest characters are. Now, you say, patchun... you invested 30 hours into a game that's like four years old, wasn't that well reviewed, and has completely faded from relevance... all so you could make a tier list no one will care about? And I tell you. Yes. Yes I fucking did. With that out of the way, let's dive in.

The criterion I used to determine viability were damage output, safety, and versatility. Some characters, when played skillfully, can have crazy unexpected DPS. Some characters have fantastic air dodges or blocks that drastically increase their safety. Some characters absolutely destroy Whispy Woods, but then struggle against literally anyone else. All of this has been taken into account to make the following tier list.

Before we start I want to make a few notes: if playing with friends, a few positions change. When playing with friends, Rock, Gooey, and Painter move up to SSS tier. Painting rocks is legit one of the most fun and strongest ways to clear the true arena. Also, Meta Knight, when playing with friends, is in S tier. He has some very high damage output if he is safe, but can struggle to stay safe. I will be using the terms "decent, good, great, and insane" very deliberately.

In order of goodness in all rows.

F Tier:

Those in F tier have pretty much nothing going for them.

Suplex is weak and constantly makes itself vulnerable.

Kirby is arguably the most skillful character in the game, but has decent damage when played well.

Fighter just has no good moves, its kit is a weak disaster.

Painter is slow and the minions it creates are weak and not versatile. Statue (down up B) is its best move by far, but the slow startup and inability to move during really hinders the move.

Bird has great mobility and lots of i-frames, but super low damage. I-frames don't matter when you're fighting the bosses for hours.

ESP, in order to do any good damage whatsoever, needs to charge it's ball of energy to max, and then manage to hit the enemy without touching anything else first. If you can do that, it's solid. But it's pretty rare that you can do that, and you're very vulnerable while charging.

Chef honestly should have gone at the top of F tier. It's dash midair B is strong and so is its spatula, though a bit boring. However, Chef has a large hurtbox and you can't play as Kirby instead.

D Tier:

D Tier clears are manageable but require almost perfect play. These characters have something going for them, but it usually isn't much and they're heavily outclassed in some way by other characters.

Beam is strong, but struggles due to lack of mobility. All of its attacks are good, but just good.

Staff is held back by the fact that its dash attack is immobile and has very few i-frames. Down-up B and Pole Vault into B are both good, but are outclassed.

Water has a strong attack in its down-up B, which creates a rainbow and does good damage. It also has a projectile that it can stay relatively safe while using. However, the projectile falls to the ground, meaning Water really struggles against enemies that stay high in the air. Anything out of reach of its rainbow attack will be quite a hassle to kill.

Sweep - I somehow cleared true arena with solo sweep, so maybe it's better than I was able to figure out? I tried for a while. It's hold and release B move, which sweeps and then flicks the broom, does good damage. Additionally, its dash attack is decent.

Fire has one decent move - its midair down B, which causes it to roll into an invincible ball of fire. If you use this near the ground, you'll then roll. If used on a big enemy, it can do good damage, but most of the time you won't be doing much damage at all. Barely makes D tier.

C Tier:

These characters are okay. They generally require a very patient and careful playstyle, but can do decent damage.

Rock can do damage. It has invincibility. It even has an up B in this game that is strong! But... well, unless you're playing with friends, you are going to be waiting around in rock form A LOT while playing this character. Waiting as two Bugsys hover around you, waiting for that perfect opportunity... to unrock, and then rock right back up. It's boring. But you can win with it.

Beetle can be strong, but it needs to be very careful about the opportunities it takes to attack, as many leave it vulnerable in end lag.

Hammer is the only copy ability here where you're better off playing as Kirby. Bonkers' hurtbox is big, why not just use Dedede?

Yoyo is like a better Bird. It has lots of mobility and i-frames, but only does decent damage (rather than Bird who does none). Its down up B is good damage on large enemies, but leaves it vulnerable.

B Tier:

Clearing the true arena with these characters will be a challenge, but keep at it and you can succeed for sure! These characters have at least something that is actually GOOD, without drawbacks.

Bomb is safe and does a surprising amount of damage. Simple, but effective, and you can aim which is a perk. Wind and ice weapons are great on this one.

Whip is what Yoyo and Staff want to be. Though it's dash B isn't as mobile as Yoyo's, it does a lot of damage, and has much more i-frames than Staff's. Its down up move does great damage and does not leave it uncomfortably airborne like Yoyo. And like Yoyo, it can grab and throw stars and enemies.

Spider is very safe and fun. All of its moves do good damage, and you can kite enemies and spam your dashing midair B. Webbed enemies that you hit into others will do a lot of damage, and jumping off of webs is a great way to deal with airborne bosses such as Kracko and Void. Spider works well as a teammate when playing with friends for this reason, as your webs can basically function as shields against some attacks. Also particularly noteworthy is that spider has a damage-immune shield (damage-immune shields can still be sucked, blown, and tornado'd) that can be used midair.

Parasol does insane damage with its down B attack, which also grants i-frames. This can be spammed to absolutely decimate health bars, and you can move during it to reposition. Parasol also has great mobility in it's dash B, midair dash B, and midair down B, all three giving i-frames - as well as a decently powerful throw. Parasol struggles most against Hyness, who rarely goes to the ground and as such does not present many opportunities to down B.

Sword has a good dash attack, and a great up B down B combo that can really put in work against larger bosses. It is vulnerable, however, at the end of the combo, and is not great at dealing with midbosses and smaller enemies. It's midair dash B is also good, but not nearly as good as a certain other character. Wind can help Sword by increasing it's mobility.

Plasma is a great ability so long as you don't mind destroying your thumbs! For those who don't know, Plasma in this game works like this: as you move the joystick, Plasma will build up static electricity. This has three levels, and when it's fully charged, it can be fired out as a powerful circular bolt. Until it is used, the static buildup also functions as a shield, and will allow Plasma to warp instead of dodge up to three times. Plasma is good at dealing with Kracko, Void, and Hyness thanks to it's up B, which sends the circular bolt upwards, and is safe against other enemies. But yeah, you have to kill your thumbs. Mine hurt right now.

Cutter is good, but not as good as bomb.

Gooey is just slightly better rock. Most of Gooey's moves don't do much damage. Gooey's rock can be painted. Gooey also has a damage-immune shield, but it doesn't really matter because you might as well rock up.

A Tier

These characters are legitimately good, but there is a lot of variety in exactly how the characters in this category are good. It is organized by how likely you are to be able to clear with them. Now that I'm getting into good characters: I played every character in this category with every single element to deduce which element goes best with each one. I technically have them all tiered, too, but I figured that was too much for anyone to read.

Adeleine's down B's minions do a surprising amount of damage (great), and are quite versatile, even being able to hit airborne enemies such as Kracko and Void. She also has the best shield in the game, completey invincible and unable to be hit by anything to my knowledge (possibly Morpho Knight tornado), and a good air attack option thanks to Ribbon. She doesn't have any i-frames, so she may require a bit of waiting - like Rock, but that's only if you put yourself in that situation.

Susie (Ice) has shots that drop large balls of ice at the end. She easily destroys most bosses with these. Business Suit has i-frames at the beginning of its spin and a very powerful midair down B, also reducing damage and preventing negative status effects. Susie will likely get hit because of her massive hurtbox in Business Suit mode, but it won't matter as much thanks to the damage reduction.

Dark Meta Knight (Fire) has two great moves in his charge Bs. Fire was chosen as the best element for him because it expands the radius of his charge B. His dash and aerial attacks are great, especially if you can land his dash combo. Dark Meta Knight also has a damage-immune shield.

Chilly is surprising in its placement, but its midair B does insane damage and it has a solid kit to boot. Instead of normal dash B, Chilly needs to use dash down B for an briefly invincible and mobile ice ball. Chilly also has a damage-immune shield.

Daroach has a lot of options and all of them are great. Fire bombs destroy Whispy and Kracko, Ice Laser easily clears midbosses and does great damage to everyone else, Squeaks are second only to Adeleine's minions in their effectiveness, and the Triple Star is a great tool for staying safe while dealing good damage. Daroach doesn't have a special shield, but he does have a three-use, chainable warp as opposed to an air dodge, which if used correctly should be able to save you from any bad situation.

Bandana Dee (Ice) is stronger than any other Bandana Dee variant (you may notice a pattern like that...). Bandana Dee's dashing midair b can be spammed and does great damage, like a machine gun, but is held back by the fact that you inevitably touch the ground after 4-6 spears. Bandana Dee's strongest move is probably its down B, which can also serve nicely as a dash attack, as it has great mobility and i-frames. Bandana Dee (Wind) has a good charge B, but wonky throwing spears and lackluster damage output when compared to Ice overall.

Ninja (Ice) has potentially the most DPS in the game. By being near an enemy and pressing and holding B briefly, you do a double slashing move that creates an ice pillar that constantly damages an enemy. You can beat Whispy with this in under 20 seconds! Shurikens are good for hitting faraway enemies, and Ninja is also able to use Substitute Jutsu if it block before getting hit. The reason Ninja is not S tier is because it struggles against airborne enemies and is not able to utilize its full potential unless it catches an enemy standing still. High skill cap, but high reward.

Meta Knight has insane DPS with his dashing midair B spam. Ice and Wind are best, depending on who you're struggling with. Meta Knight can struggle to do damage while also keeping himself safe, and for that reason is best when playing with friends. His down up B, condor dive, grants i-frames and is usable in the air. His counter also does great damage.

Dedede (Shock) has great damage in his kit and a lot of i-frames, including his dash B and iconic down up B. However, he is hindered by his slow movement and large hurtbox.

S Tier

These characters will have no problem clearing if you play them right, but are they broken? Considering what is to come... nahhhh.

Marx (Ice, Wind, Water) has two great moves in his black hole which can do insane damage and is invincible, and his dive which can do great damage and is invincible. Marx pretty much always wants to stay in the air, and his midair B has a lot of variety depending on your element, but it is most notably a very safe move. Marx has a one time warp in the air that can be chained but has to be timed perfectly in order to retain invincibility, and his main drawback is that all of his powerful, i-frame granting moves tend to be pretty vulnerable with end lag. For that reason, Marx needs to be played patiently.

Rick & Kine & Coo have the best dash attacks in the game, both midair and grounded. Rick (grounded) will turn into a mobile rock, completely invincible, dealing a lot of damage, and also able to move, while Kine (midair) has a long spin attack with plenty of i-frames. Rick conveniently also bounces off the top of the heads of enemies, Kine has a projectile that can travel a fair distance but is weak, Rick can melt ice with his fire, Coo can cleanse dirty food with his flop. These guys also have a damage-immune shield.

Taranza is a case where all of his moves are great, but none of them are insane. Put them together, though, and you'll clear bosses safely. Taranza can kind of do several things at once, and I'd recommend down up B + dash B + up B. Utilizing all of this damage at once will destroy bosses quickly. When you don't feel you're safe as Taranza, midair up B and midair down B can give you control and hit from a distance.

SS Tier

Magolor's down up B is insane. He summons a giant sword that takes up the entire screen, then slashes it and hits everything for insane damage while being invincible, then can cancel that sword into itself. He has an invincible dash move, by far the best air dodge in the game, a black hole that he can summon just like Marx, and a powerful fire projectile that can melt ice. And that's not even everything - so how is this not the most broken character in the game?

SSS Tier

Somehow, dear reader, you have made it this far. The best character in Star Allies, even better than Magalor, are the Three Mage Sisters is ZAN MOTHERFUCKING PARTIZANNE. Zan does not care what you can throw at her, she has something to handle it, and chances are she doesn't need to use it. Because Zan's down up B is a giant piercing laser that covers the entire screen, grants i-frames, can be cancelled into itself, does insane damage, and can be moved during. There are just no enemies that can even pose a challenge to this character. There are no enemies that can even damage her. My highest score in Star Allies was me goofing around and playing solo Three Mage Sisters and just repeatedly spamming this move over and over again! The funny thing is, her other moves are good too, and so are her sisters to an extent! But Zan is great because she also has really fast movement as well as a warp similar to Marx and Daroach's. In a pinch she can relocate incredibly quickly, and she has no need for a shield because her warp, when you're used to it, is probably the easiest to chain into itself.

So yeah this was my Star Allies tier list. If you've read this far I'm actually amazed. Thanks. Star Allies is at its most fun, I feel, when playing with friends. If you'd like me to talk in more detail (but not as much as this post) about some friend strategies and which ones are best, such as painting rocks, let me know, I guess.

[eryiss]

Ship: Freed x Laxus

Rating: Teen

Prompt: Two Bros Chilling in A Hot Tub/Lightning Struck

Summary: Freed knew he had a lot to learn about being a professional wizard, and when he was paired up with Laxus for a mission he expected to learn a lot. He didn't expect to spend a day with him in a hot tub, and he certainly didn't expect to get an entirely unrelated education about life and about love.

Notes: Hello everyone, happy Fraxus Week. For the two bonus days, I've murged the prmopts together to make a two-shot. The second chapter will be uploaded on July the 22nd. I hope you all enjoy it, and head over to @fuckyeahfraxus to see all the other content for the event.

Links: Chapter Two ||| Event Masterlist ||| Archive of Our Own, Fanfiction

Chapter One

Year: X782

Location: Magnolia, Fiore

Professional Wizardry was still new to Freed. He hadn't wandered into the profession without the expectation that he'd be forced to do things that previously would have been unthinkable, or that his life wouldn't change entirely the moment he had joined a guild, but he felt like he was learning a new aspect to his profession every day. His expectations of the job and the reality of the job was almost entirely different, and Freed found himself enjoying the challenge.

He'd thought he'd be on missions near constantly. He'd go to some place in Fiore, use his magic to fight off a monster or dark wizard, and get paid for it. He hadn't expected there to be a community attached to it, that they'd be such a rigid tier system of missions, and how missions could be anything from finding a lost item, to being on a team attempting to disband a cult. There was so much more, and it was all fascinating.

After his eighteenth birthday three months prior, the jobs that he was allowed to accept had greatly opened up. They were more difficult, presented him with a greater threat to his life, and he was relishing the challenge. He could have gone on those missions earlier, but he much preferred working alone. While he was accepting that being in Fairy Tail meant there was a certain level of comradery with fellow guildmates, and that with that comradery there also came obligations, he didn't see the point in splitting his finances with others while he was powerful enough to perform these missions on his own and take home all the money himself.

The exception to this was Laxus Dreyar.

Master Makarov had approached Freed on his birthday with a proposition. He was worried for his grandson, wanted someone to look after him, and wondered if Freed would mind occasionally attending missions with him. He claimed that, while officially the money would be split between them, Makarov himself would make up the difference for Freed so that he would be paid in full. Freed had agreed, and that had been that.

Up until that afternoon, Freed had not gone on any missions with Laxus. They'd hardly spoken, even with Makarov's assurances that they'd get along. Freed would only be on certain missions and that afternoon's mission was apparently one of them. Makarov told Laxus Freed needed training in more advanced missions, and that he should be the one to do it. Laxus hadn't argued.

Somehow, while attending to a supposedly A-Class mission, they found themselves in Magnolia's hot spring and spa resort.

It was surveillance, so the mission stated. The Rune Army themselves had place the job, stating that they believed that members of a potential dark guild were using the site to host meetings and plan attacks. The resort had been trying to get rid of the suspects but couldn't do so without putting their staff in danger, and having an army presence suddenly appearing would tip the dark guild off and give them time to hide all evidence. The Rune Army wanted mages from Magnolia who could plausibly be in the spa for leisure time, but could also defend themselves from attack, to watch them for suspicious activity. Freed had a feeling that Laxus had taken the job to have a day relaxing in a spa, rather than because he felt the Rune Army needed the help.

None of this would have been a problem for Freed – he'd long since accepted that what constituted a job was a wide array of things – if it weren't for the elephant in the room. Or to be more precise, the Adonis wearing nothing but swimming trunks in the room.

Freed was a professional, but he was also eighteen years old and in the presence of an undeniably handsome man. Nobody, no matter their opinions on Laxus, would state that he was anything but sexy. Tall, blonde, square jawed, barrel chested with a scar over his eye and a tattoo over his pecs. His abs looked to be cut from steel and his legs comparable to tree trunks and, well, Freed was only human. Laxus was distracting.

"So," Laxus suddenly spoke as he slung a towel over his shoulder. "I don't exactly know what Gramps wants you to learn from this, but I'll try and teach ya some shit. Surveillance rule number one: fit in with yer surroundings. You seem pretty good at that."

It was only a moment, but Laxus' assessing gaze over Freed's body was exhilarating. But unprofessional.

Laxus didn't seem to notice, and instead started to walk out of the locker room they'd both changed in, and towards the area where they were meant to be watching. Freed followed, making sure to look straight ahead, rather than give into temptation to check out the man's back and his ass, and it wasn't a difficult task. While Freed had no qualms admitting his attraction to the blonde, he knew where his focus needed to be put. The mission was important, not his hormonal desire for his guildmate.

"That's the door we need to watch," Laxus said as he tilted his head to the door. Freed knew that of course, but Laxus was speaking again before he could say anything. "Pretty open room, lots of vantage points. Where should we go?"

Ah, it was a test then. Good, a worthy distraction and hopefully it would nip any ideas that Freed was in some way Laxus' inferior in the bud. Freed looked around the room quickly, glanced towards the door that they needed to keep in their sights, and quickly made a plan of how the rest of the day would go. Strategy was his strong suit.

"The hot tub," He said firmly. "At least for now."

"Why only for now?" Laxus asked. There was no condensation in his tone, he was simply asking for Freed's reasoning.

"Staying in the same place throughout the afternoon would be suspicious. We know who the suspects are, but that doesn't mean they're the only people involved, so we need to look like regular customers constantly," Freed explained, speaking quietly as they walked further into the room. "As we've only just got here, it makes sense for us to use a facility instantly. Going to sit by the pool or at the juice bar would be odd, at least for now. The massage tables and spa treatments are too distracting, but the hot tub allows us to sit and watch without anyone questioning it. It'll give us the lay of the land without drawing any attention on us."

"And we both have to do it?" Laxus probed. "Wouldn't it make more sense to split up and cover more ground.

"Later," Freed dismissed. "We came in together; we'll need to do things at the same time at least once in a while. As I said, the treatments are distracting and as such we should do them one at a time rather than simultaneously. If we spend the whole day apart after we've arrived together, it'll raise suspicion. The hot tub is a good vantage point, and so a good way to be seen together while not losing an advantage."

Laxus thought for a moment, before nodding, clasping Freed on the bare shoulder, and giving him the smallest of grins. "Yer good at this."

"Of course I am," Freed retorted, and that seemed to make Laxus grin wider.

They walked towards the hot tub, which was at the back wall, attached to the main pool. As it was a Tuesday afternoon, only a few people were loitering around the resort and the hot tub was empty. Freed placed his towel on the handle provided and walked into the hot tub, soaking his entire body sans his head in the hot, bubbling water. His muscles relaxed instantly, and he felt himself slinking down ever so slightly.

"You ain't here to relax," Laxus said in a voice almost teasing as he climbed the stairs into the tub. "Eyes on the mission, remember."

Freed went to point out that, given Laxus was looking at him rather than at the door, he was just as distracted. But Laxus chose that moment to sit down, submerging his chest in water and spreading his arms wide. His left hand was close to Freed's shoulder, and Freed felt that it was an act of great resilience that he didn't give into base urges and watch Laxus as he adjusted to his relaxed, wet – very very wet – state.

"I will if you will," Freed eventually said back, looking towards the door. He missed how Laxus' gaze lingered on his body just a little too long.

They fell into silence, and Freed made a genuine effort to keep his gaze away from the man who shared the hot tub with him. He truly hadn't thought this through. He hadn't realised that, as good as Laxus looked from afar, he looked better up-close. Maybe he should have denied the request to join the mission. And maybe he should have worn a looser swimsuit…

"So," Laxus said after a while, looking up at the ceiling for a moment to crack his neck. "How much is the old man paying you to spy on me?"

Freed halted, and removed his eyes from the door and looked towards Laxus. His face only, of course. "Excuse me."

"Rule two, you gotta trust the guys you're working with. So don't bullshit yer team members," Laxus said with a little grin. "Answer the question."

"For every mission that I do with you, he'll cover all the money you take from it, so I'm fully paid," Freed explained. He saw no point in lying.

"Guess we're gonna be doing some well-paying missions together then, if we wanna bleed the old bastard dry," Laxus smirked, and it was an oddly alluring look on the man. Freed looked away from it, and towards the door again. "You gonna tell him that I'm onto him?"

"I'd rather keep the deal up, I can get good money doing this," Freed shrugged, and he saw Laxus grinning a little from the corner of his eye. He tried not to pay attention to the expression, and instead focused on a man who could fit the description of a suspect. The man walked past the door, but that didn't mean he wasn't who they were looking for. "Why did you agree to this if you knew your grandfather wants reports on you?"

"Because it's gonna happen anyway, might as well accept it," Laxus shrugged. "I knew he was gonna get someone to do it, kinda glad that it's you."

"Why?"

"Because yer interesting," Laxus said, looking up at the ceiling again and closing his eyes as he lowered himself deeper into the water. Freed's gaze flickered low on the man's abs for a moment before looking to the door again. "We get a hell of a lot of mages joining Fairy Tail. Lots of people who think they're tough shit and wanna become the next powerhouse. Yer the only person I think whose got a chance of actually doing it."

The compliment was flattering. Laxus had something of a reputation for being generally rude and selfish, and either they were exaggerated or Laxus was making an exception. Freed felt it was a combination of both, but he accepted the compliment without complaint.

"You know my magic?" He asked.

"I've been keeping tabs on you since you came here, yer interesting," Laxus nodded, wading a hand through the water absently and sending ripples through the bubbles. "People give the darker magics a lot of shit. They're idiots. You can kick ass, and you're not bad to be around. Pretty much the opposite of a Fairy Tail mage right now."

"Does that opinion extend to you?"

"What d'you think?" Laxus asked with a cocky expression that Freed found himself enjoying.

"I wouldn't be here if I thought you weak."

"Good."

They fell into a silence, with the bubbling water warming Freed and making his muscles loose and relaxed. He kept a steady gaze on the door, making sure to avert his eyes when someone walked into the room, so his staring wasn't too obvious. It was a worthy distraction, and one well needed now that Laxus had apparently been watching him for all of eight months. That, combined with the fact that Laxus was wearing swimming trunks and was less than five feet away, could all become rather an issue if Freed didn't focus on anything else.

"Okay, your turn to relax now," Laxus said, cutting through Freed's thoughts. His voice was a little more relaxed. "You can't stay lookin' at the door all day. You'll get a crick in the neck."

"I'll be fine," Freed dismissed.

"Doesn't matter," Laxus stated, shifting slightly to get closer to Freed. It was to get a better view of the door, but the body heat that rivalled the warmth of the water was a noticeable feeling and Freed tensed. "Rule Three: lean on yer teammates. Sometimes you'll need to slack off, that ain't something to fight against. So long as someone in the team is on full alert it isn't too bad a problem. So sit back, close yer eyes, and let me take over for a while."

Freed was hesitant, but Laxus was clearly taking over keeping his gaze on the door, and Freed eventually found himself sliding down to further cover his body in water, and closed his eyes as relaxation flowed through him.

When his mind began to slip, Freed found himself thinking that Laxus was actually rather helpful. Freed wasn't quite so arrogant to think he knew everything about wizarding work, and an S-Class mage would have things to teach. Laxus especially would be useful to learn from, given their apparently similarities in working styles. Freed would need to learn how to work in a team, even if it wasn't fond of the idea, and Laxus might know how to offer actual advice rather than pointless mantras like 'your team should be your family' and other nonsense he'd heard from Fairy Tail. Without lying about why he was there, his team-ups with Laxus might be mutually beneficial.

Perhaps relaxing wasn't too bad an idea, either. Freed's mind had been somewhat consumed by his work. Finding a place to live as a seventeen-year-old had been difficult, and he'd put in a lot of effort in getting rent on time. But now he got better paying jobs, that urgency could fall away a little.

With a bit of effort, he tried to push the fact he was on a job to the back of his mind.

Once this whole thing was dealt with, maybe he would invest in a pass for the resort. In his preliminary research for the mission, he'd heard good things about the facilities, and even though he'd only been in the hot tub as of yet, he felt inclined to agree.

Though perhaps Laxus' company was partially to blame for his mood.

Fairy Tail had sometimes felt like a lonely place. Their focus on friendship, family and their revoltingly sentimental ideas about goodness were nice in principle, but when you were on the outside looking in it could get under your skin. Freed knew he was at fault for his lack of relationships with his guildmates, but perhaps Laxus might be a good starting point. Ironic, given that nearly everyone had told him Laxus was off-putting and rude.

The bubbles sent a pleasant chill over him, and Freed felt his tenseness ebbing away. When he got a pass for the resort, he'd have to explore the idea of a massage. He'd never thought it appealing, but perhaps he could be convinced.

There wouldn't be much convincing needed if Laxus were the one massaging him.

"Shit," Laxus hissed, and Freed's eyes whipped open. A rush of panic filled him that somehow he might have said that aloud, but the idea was ridiculous. He looked to Laxus to see worry flickering over him. "The suspect saw me looking, I think he went to get backup."

"Are you sure?" Freed asked, mind suddenly back on focus again.

"No, but we made eye contact. He's suspicious of me," Laxus was clenching his teeth, seemingly annoyed at himself. "We can't fuck it up, the Rune Army don't take shit like this lightly. We need a distraction or to get out."

"A distraction will be easier," Freed concluded. "Does he know for sure that we're looking out for him?"

"I wasn't being careful. I was watching him for about a full minute without being subtle. Pretty sure he knows it's not a passing glance."

"But that doesn't mean you know what he's doing, it just means you were looking at him," Freed mused aloud. "What if we throw him off the scent, give him another reason for why you were so focused on him."

"The hell would that be?" Laxus growled a little, and Freed scanned the room. They were the only two people in there now.

"Maybe you wanted him gone," Freed thought, plans forming in his head. Many of them he had to dismiss outright. "Perhaps if he sees something he wasn't meant to see, he'll think you were looking at him because you wanted him to leave."

"What the hell would I wanna do that I wouldn't want him seeing?" Laxus snapped, agitation rising. An idea came to Freed. It was good, it would get them out of the situation no doubt, but it might have a few repercussions in the future. Many arguments both for and against it flung through his mind, and his indecision must have been obvious, as Laxus continued talking a moment later. "Rule four, if a mission's going to shit and you think you can salvage it, you do it. So if you've got any ideas, I'd love to hear them."

Freed went to open his mouth to explain his idea, but he heard movement from across the room and glanced towards the door. It was opening, and two more suspects were walking through it, stone-faced and angry.

Before he could second guess himself, he launched himself onto Laxus and began to kiss him.

It was a sloppy, energetic, and passionate kiss. Laxus was frozen for a few moments, but Freed forced himself to push on in the hope that Laxus was trying to understand what was happening. Laxus quickly started to kiss back, and a hand ran down Freed's back, pulling him close. Freed began to mess his hands through Laxus' hair, heart pounding and a ringing in his ears cutting through his panic. He couldn't think of how bad an idea this was, about how there were probably hundreds of other ways to deal with this, because rumours stated that the dark mages were powerful, and he didn't want to get into a fight he could avoid.

Kissing wasn't enough for his plan. People kissed all the time. They needed to get… intimate. Freed began to run his hands over Laxus' torso – damn was he strong – and he felt large hands groping at his ass in return. He gasped into the kiss, and forced himself to remember that it was just for the mission.

The sound of a door closing snapped him back to reality, and he glanced to the side without breaking the kiss to see the suspects had left. He pulled himself off of Laxus, to find he'd been dragged so he was straddling the man's thigh at some point, and turned away with a blush, panting quietly.

"Good plan," Laxus said, voice also breathless. "Think it threw them off."

"Yes," Freed agreed. He couldn't look towards Laxus now. He simply couldn't. "I'm sorry for doing-"

"Don't, you did what you had to do," Laxus cut him off, voice somewhat stern, which wasn't helping the situation. "I would've done the same if I thought of it, and you fixed my fuck up. So no complaints."

"Okay," Freed didn't feel any better. He stood up and reached for his towel, still not looking at Laxus. "I think I should sit at the juice bar for a while, we've been together for long enough."

"Wait," Laxus began, shifting slightly but Freed was climbing from the hot tub before he could reach for him. "This ain't- you don't have to leave on my account."

"I'm not," Freed lied. Because of course he was. Laxus might be straight, he might not like Freed, and he might not appreciate being kissed like that at random. "If we spend all out time in the hot tub, it'll look odd. It was overdue, more so now they've seen us."

Laxus looked ready to argue, but sighed and nodded. Freed walked towards the juice bar, fighting the urge to touch his lips. Electricity danced over them.

Kissing Laxus… it felt like being struck by lightning.

[strangertheory]

"anti-Mileven"

I know you submitted this as a message and not an Ask, but I hope you don't mind if I answer your question with a longer post because this is a topic that is important to me but is complicated. I've meant to do a post about this, but kept putting it off because it is a very layered topic for me and my thoughts about Mileven are probably not what a lot of fans want to hear.

I respect that everyone develops an attachment to their preferred couples in stories for personal reasons, and as such any criticism of the dynamic between two characters that are dating can feel like a very personal criticism. I respect everyone's head-canons and favorite ships as sacred ground: I don't want to tell anyone how they should or should not relate to a story. That's unique to each of us as fans, and we will all enjoy Stranger Things for different reasons.

However: I do have some thoughts regarding the way that the narrative has established the dynamic between Mike and El. And I personally do not find their dynamic *as it currently is* to be one that is ideal for either of them yet.

I really care about Eleven and I really care about Mike. They are two of my favorite characters in the story.

To say that I'm "anti-Mileven" is a huge oversimplification of how I feel about Mike and El's dynamic.

I am very much anti:

overlooking the fact El has been treated as a lab rat and abused and isolated from society for the majority of her existence and her ignorance of her own identity and her own desires is repeatedly reinforced canonically. ("How do I know what I like?") El has spent only a few months out in the world beyond her cell at the lab and beyond Hopper's cabin, she knows very little about the world yet, and she is being taught much of what she now knows by her boyfriend who also happens to be one of the few people she interacts with in her daily life. The power difference and social difference between them is huge currently regardless of whether Mike is a nice kid with good intentions or not, and they are both fourteen years olds.

overlooking that it is superficial and not representative of a "deep" relationship to only kiss and make out with a significant other and not do other meaningful activities that establish a real day-to-day relationship (like hanging out with friends and other loved ones as a couple.) There's a popular misconception that the act of two people kissing is inherently romantic and a sign of emotional closeness. But kissing becomes romantic psychologically when two people share a deep affection for one another that is based on shared experiences and emotional and psychological connectedness. If two characters can be shown to care about one another without ever physically touching, they have the potential for a deep connection that is based on more than the thrill of physical affection. Give me a well-developed relationship first, and then kissing will seem romantic to me. Without an established psychological and emotional connection between characters, kissing is merely a superficial representation of the idea of intimacy between characters without any actual substance underneath. Sure that's what kids do when they're figuring out how dating and feelings and physical intimacy work and it's not harmful in itself provided that they are both comfortable with it, but keep this in mind within the context of the other concerns I list here.

trivializing Mike's dishonesty and blaming Hopper for Mike's lying when the truth is Mike could have easily explained to El that Hopper didn't want them spending as much time together and having some space would be better. El is well aware of Hopper's dislike for their time spent together. This should have been a very easy conversation. As Lucas rightfully asks as Mike is ranting about the situation he got himself into: "Why lie?" Good question, Lucas. Good question. El asks Mike this again later at the mall. "Why do you lie?" Mike stares back at her with an awkward expression, and does NOT answer her. Why is this answer not an easy one? Why has Mike still not addressed things with El? I think there is more going on here than just Hopper's threats.

I am very in favor of:

El learning more about who she is and what she wants to do with her life outside of the desires and expectations of other people.

Mike figuring out how to effectively express his thoughts and feelings honestly. He is clearly struggling to do this throughout season 3, and it is uncharacteristic of the kid who defiantly said and did what he wanted frequently in seasons 1 and 2. Clearly Mike is not comfortable and is nervous, which is understandable for someone exploring new emotionally vulnerable territory like dating for the first time, but he needs to learn to be honest and tell people how he is thinking and feeling or else he is also putting himself and his feelings and needs at risk and potentially establishing an unhealthy relationship that will hurt him and hurt others even if he doesn't mean to. Mike's nervousness is STILL present in the final goodbye scene in which Mike and El talk, and El tells him she loves him and kisses him. He is still stumbling over his words and anxious, and he seems notably confused after El kisses him. These small details are not trivial, they are clearly intentional.

Recognizing that Mike is the first person her age that was kind to El when she escaped the lab, and given that she has only known pain and abuse her entire life and has never known friendship let alone romance that her psychological readiness for understanding a romantic relationship is NOT the same as an ordinary 14 year old's and this cannot be stated enough.

Recognizing that societal pressures and personal insecurities might be a huge factor in how Mike clings to El's attention and affection for him, and that there is evidence in the story that supports this interpretation. We know that Mike is bullied frequently, and that there is a layer of homophobia often involved. (Even if James and Troy were speaking rudely about Will, they were still directly confronting Mike. The implication is there.) We know that Lucas yelled at Mike "No Mike. You're blind. Blind because you like that a girl's not grossed out by you!" This reveals that Lucas knows that Mike is insecure and wants validation. Just because Mike has a desperate desire to be loved and liked by a girl does not mean that his appreciation of El's attention is based on his genuine romantic affection for her. Mike might be dating El because he enjoys the attention, he likes being liked, and he likes how having a girlfriend makes him feel more accepted and normal.

Recognizing that every moment that Mike has tried to share something that he is passionate about with El (the Yoda figurine, the dinosaurs) she has been completely disinterested. Since El has no cultural connection to the pop culture stories Mike loves and she lived in the Lab her entire life, it makes perfect sense that she will have no interest in these toys. Her lack of interest in what Mike is passionate about, however, is worth noting: not because it's a bad thing, but because it's just one of many reasons they are "not even from the same planet" and cannot bond and connect easily. El has lived an incredibly different life from Mike, has suffered through so much, and is still learning about the outside world and about herself. She is severely behind in social and personal development. She needs time to learn and to grow and to heal so she can live her best life and recover from what she has been through. (She doesn't really care about your Star Wars toys, Michael, because she just learned what a phone is and is processing a lot of other things right now.)

*I want to credit @kaypeace21 for pointing out many of these particular observations listed above: you can read her very detailed and extensive analysis in her post here: El is Not in Love with Mike.

These are just a few of many thoughts I have regarding Mike and El's dynamic together, and why I find the romanticization and idealization of their dating relationship to be more suited to fan-canon and fanfiction. For El to have a relationship with Mike that I would personally enjoy and appreciate, the story would need to convincingly allow her to establish a notably better understanding of who she is and what she wants, and have time to heal from her trauma and learn a lot more about the outside world. While I suspect that the Byers moving away will be very difficult for Will, in many ways I think it will benefit El tremendously and I hope that she is given more opportunities to learn and to grow.

I also agree with @hawkinsschoolcounselor 's hypothesis that Mike is projecting his feelings for Will onto El. It's impossible for me to see Mike's dynamic with El as entirely separate from Mike's relationship with Will because El was found in the woods when they were looking for Will in season 1, El helped everyone find Will in the Upside Down and saved his life, and El reappears at the end if season 2 and saves Will from the Mindflayer. Until season 3, El's appearance in Mike's life has been directly tied to Will's survival and safety. I do not think this is a trivial aspect of El's narrative. El's importance within the larger story being told is repeatedly tied back to what Will is dealing with. The reason that El and Will's narratives are so deeply intertwined has not been revealed in the story yet, but I suspect that there are some important aspects of El and Will's stories that haven't been fully revealed yet that will bring all of these seemingly isolated plot threads together. The creators of Stranger Things repeatedly tie El and Will together visually and narratively (re: @kaypeace21), and I believe there is a very specific reason for this.

I look forward to seeing what happens in season 4. Whether my interpretation of El and Mike's dynamic is fair or not, I trust the writers have a compelling next chapter in their story for us all to enjoy.

[lancetuckershairgel]

Warnings: language, angst :)

Tag List: (on my phone so sorry if I miss anyone) @southernbell91 @godofplumsandthunder @jamesbarnesappreciationclub @book-dragon-13 @brat-in-a-teacup @mycupoffanfiction @msruchita @anxiousamandapanda @jobean12-blog @bonkybarnes107

"Griffin!"

Lucy looked up from her spot in the floor of the common room when the guard called her name. She clutched the teddy bear close to her as she stood up.

"I didn't do anything" She said defensively

"Not why I'm here. Transport is pulling in, you've got court."

"What? My court date isn't for another month. I haven't even gotten placement yet."

The guard just shrugged and lead her into the processing area. Two county police officers entered the center and one looked at the bear in her hands. 

"Sorry Miss, the bear has to stay here."

"Oh."

Lucy reluctantly handed over Mr Snow to the guard. She wanted to argue but defying a guards orders meant having points taken off and privileges removed. She gave a longing look to Mr. Snow as the cop handcuffed her. Mr Snow, a proper name for any white bear, hadn't left Lucy's side since Chris gave him to her. He was comforting at night and  was a reminder that there was life outside of the jail walls, and that there were people who cared about her. She didn't care that the other girls called her a baby for carrying him around. 

"I'll put it on your bunk" the guard promised 

During the drive Lucy looked out the window, mostly admiring the scenes of the outside but also wondering what the court hearing was about. The officers driving her didn't have any answers so she just had to wait. Lucy hated waiting. 

When they walked into the courtroom Lucy first saw Chris sitting at the table with a man in a suit. Erin and the social worker were behind him. 

"Lucy!"

A high pitched squeal turned Lucy's attention to the other table where she saw the Michaels' and her sister. 

"Lily?!" 

Lily struggled out of her foster mother's grasp and began to run toward Lucy but Chris stepped in and scooped her up, quietly explaining that she couldn't be with Lucy yet. Lily pouted and refused to go back to the foster family.  The officers lead Lucy over to the bench behind the Michaels as the bailiff walked in. 

"All rise!"

Everyone stood as the judge entered the courtroom. Lucy lowered her head, remembering the last time she was in front of him. 

"We're here today regarding custody of Lucy and Lily Griffin. Jeff and Samantha Michaels wish to adopt Lily Griffin and Chris Haven is requesting custody of both girls. Is this correct?" The judge asked both lawyers 

"Custody?! Chris?" Lucy thought to herself as she looked wide eyed over at Chris who turned to wink at her 

"The girls father abandoned them a month ago, and all attempts to contact him have been futile." Chris' lawyer began his statement "My client has known Lucy for a year now, having grown close to her during his time at her school. He then worked closely with Lily. Both girls are close to Mr Haven and respect him."

Lucy raised her eyebrows but kept quiet. 

"I see. Mr Haven, are you aware of the responsibility that taking on these girls will bring? You are a single male, why exactly do you want this task?"

Chris stood and chuckled as Lily clung to him so he lifted her and adjusted her against his hip. She buried her face shyly into his shoulder. 

 "I'm aware of what it takes, and while I don't doubt it will take some adjusting, I am fully prepared and ready for this. I feel that it's important for the girls to stay together, and they need a stable, loving household which I am prepared to provide for them." 

"Would the girls have a safe living space inside your home?".

"Yes, they would each have their own bedrooms. I have several ideas for furniture and design but I wanted to have their input, and custody, before I bought anything."

"Understood." 

The judge then turned to the other side of the room and the lawyer for the Michaels' stood to present her case. 

"Your honor, Lily has only been with the family for a few weeks but has already made great strides in recovering."

"Recovering from what?" Lucy muttered bitterly but was shushed by one of the officers 

"She is in counseling and has been going to therapy for her speech and learning disabilities. Her academics have been improving and her teachers are pleased with her progress. We feel that the Michaels are a great fit for Lily."

Lucy rolled her eyes as the judge nodded and made some notes on his pad. 

"Now, for Lucy Griffin. She is currently staying in the Denton center for young girls for" the judge paused and looked over the notes "Leaving the group home and attempted kidnapping." 

"Hers didn't kidnap me! I ran away!" Lily said loudly to everyone's surprise and Chris tried to quiet her but the judge raised his hand before smiling softly at her

"You ran away?" He asked "Why?"

"Uh huh. I don't want to be with them." Lily pointed to her foster family and Lucy couldn't help but snicker as Samantha looked hurt.

"You don't? Do you not like Mr and Mrs Michales?"

"They're ok. They're nice but they ain't my sister."

The judge just nodded and made another note. 

After more questions and back and forth between the two lawyers and the judge, the meeting was adjourned without a decision being made. The judge set another court date for three days away and left the room. Chris and his lawyer talked quietly to the Michaels for a moment before they left with a crying Lily. The police allowed Chris a moment with Lucy. 

"You want us?" Lucy asked, her eyes still wide 

"I told you I was going to fix this. I want you and Lily to be together and I want you both to rebuild and be happy." 

"Do you think those people are really gonna get Lily?"

"They've got a strong case and a lot more experience than I do, but don't give up ok?" 

Chris nudged her chin with his knuckle and bid farewell to his fellow officers. They escorted Lucy out of the courtroom and back to the cruiser. 

During the ride Lucy thought about what it would be like to live with Chris.  To have freedom, but rules. To be with Lily again and to have a father. She tried to push the hopes and excitement away, telling herself that something would happen and she would end up disappointed. 

"He'll just leave us like everyone else." She thought to herself 

Back at the detention center, Lucy was hoping to be able to tell Julie about the news but she stopped short when she entered the bunks. On her bed was the scattered remains of Mr Snow. His head had been ripped from his body and white stuffing was spread out across the flat mattress. With a shaking hand Lucy picked up the piece of paper laying next to the dismembered head. 

"Cry about it, baby bitch."

"Who fucking did this?!" Lucy screeched, making several girls and guards jump "WHO?!"

Lucy's eyes angrily scanned the room until they landed on Valencia, the toughest girl in the center. Valencia was one of the "popular" girls. Everyone followed her around and wanted to be her friend, mostly because they were scared of her. Not Lucy. She didn't like Valencia's attitude, nor anything about her really. A rumor was going around amongst the girls that she was in for attempted murder. 

Lucy's hands clenched into fists and before any of the guards could move fast enough to stop her, she pounced on the girl, taking her to the floor. When two guards finally managed to pull Lucy away, Valencia laid against the concrete, blood pouring from her lips, nose, and a gash above her eyebrow. 

"I'll fucking kill you!" Lucy screamed as she was hauled away 

"Sit down." The guard huffed as he pushed Lucy into the isolation cell. "This is going to cost you big time."

Lucy sat against the wall and began to sob and shake with rage as she was plunged into complete darkness.  

[shawtygonemad]

What Is This Feeling: Chapter 10

Fem!9th Doctor x Male!Rose Tyler

WITF Masterlist

"I still can't believe you brought us to a couple's retreat," Ross smirked staring out at the blue sea ahead of them.

It shimmered and shined in the afternoon's sunlight. The pair decided to take shore leave to Bora Bora in the thirty first century. It was a nice vacationing spot for both humans and aliens alike. They were currently relaxing on the beach, enjoying the breathtaking sight underneath their sun umbrella.

"S' not a couple retreat! There are families here as well," she took a sip of her banana daiquiri. "Besides, you're the one who said we needed a 'vacation'. Isn't everyday a vacation for us?"

"I meant a vacation from all the running and heroics. Don't get me wrong, I love it. I do! 'S just that my ankle still isn't fully healed from when I injured it during the witch hunt that was chasing us. S' still sore to run on," Ross explained.

"I told you that I have technology that could heal it instantly..."

"I know, but it should heal properly on its own. S' not like its life threatening. It'll be right as rain after a few days. 'Sides, I'm sure all this sun could be good for us. We're as pale as ghosts!" Ross laughed.

The Doctor smiled. She didn't mind this all too much. They've only been here for a day. A few more couldn't hurt, especially if it made her little human happy. And if she got to see that much of Ross's skin. He was currently leaning back in the lawn chair, one hand behind his head while the other rested against his bare stomach. He was beautiful.

"I'm just surprised you're not wearing your usual leather. That bathing suit is a nice change though," Ross smiled at her.

The Doctor turned her head away, hoping to hide her blush under her sunglasses. She didn't want Ross to see how much he affects her with any of his words. Her bathing suit was a black one piece with a pair of shorts on top. It was fairly modest compared to most of the other bathing suits they've seen on the beach that day.

"S' not like I had much of a choice between you and the TARDIS conspiring together against me! Sometimes I wonder if she likes you more than me some days," The Doctor shook her head. Ross just laughed.

After that they sat in comfortable silence. Until Ross slurped his drink indicating that it was empty. He began to sit up, and go to the bar to get another. The Time Lord gestured for him to stay.

"Allow me," She said as she got up. The Doctor grabbed his empty glass. "You need to stay off that ankle as much as possible if we want to be running around saving the world in a few days. Just relax. Doctor's orders," She gave him a wink before turning away and heading towards the bar.

Once she approached the bar she noticed the creature working behind it. They were a Junite from the planet Junifer. She was tall with purple skin that had Navy freckle- like spots peppering her body. Her eyes were intense. They were black with a bright yellow iris. They're species were so beautiful! They also knew how to throw one hell of a flower festival. Ross and her still needed to attend sometime.

The Junite was too busy addressing a worried human woman to pay any attention to her. This peaked the Doctor's interest due to the hysteria in the woman's voice.

"What should I do? Where should I go?! This resort isn't that big! Something must have happened to him," the woman explained.

"Ma'am, this would be a job for the security. If you go to the front desk and explain what happened then they will be able to help you," the bartender replied.

The human was on the verge of hyperventilating. The Doctor decided to step in.

"Sorry to intrude, but I'm the Doctor. I might be able to help. You just need to take a few deep breaths first," the Time Lord spoke.

The human followed her lead, took a few deep breaths, and began to calm down. "Very good. Right, now can you explain to me what has you so distraught," the Doctor asked.

"My son. He's disappeared. My husband, myself, our eldest daughter, and our son were all watching one of the beach performances that was going on. My eyes were off him for two minutes, tops! I looked back over to him and he was gone! He's old enough to know he's not supposed to take off alone. Someone must have taken him! We've search all over to no avail!" Tears began to run down her cheeks as she handed a photo of a boy maybe eight years old to the Doctor.

"Was there anything strange that happened before you realized his disappearance," she asked.

"Everything was normal. We were all having so much fun. I just want my little boy back," the human cried.

"What's your name," the Doctor asked.

"Suzette. Suzette Rinsky."

"Suzette Rinsky, I will do whatever I can to help you find your boy. However, you should still go and report this to the manager so we can have more than one person on the lookout," she gave the woman a reassuring smile. The Doctor was always a softie when it came to children. Maybe it was because of how many were on Gallifrey that day…

Suzette thanked her and began to retreat towards the main building.

"That was very kind of you," the Junite commented.

"I do try my best," the Doctor smiled.

"It's such a heartbreaking situation. He's the third one to go missing in the past two weeks," she said as she grabbed Ross's empty glass. "Would you like another?"

"Yes, thank you." The Doctor leaned forward against the bar. "What do you mean, the third one in the past two weeks?"

"I mean exactly as I say, miss. A couple went missing last week, and have yet to be found. They thought to have perhaps checked out early, however all of their items were still left in their room. No one has seen them since."

The Doctor nodded her head, trying to figure this weird coincidence out. "When was their disappearance noticed?"

"The morning after the bonfire celebration we held. I was working cocktail at that party, and specifically remember serving them at one point. They were thought to have left in the middle of the festivities."

"Where was this celebration held," she asked curiously.

"Right here on Pier beach," the Junite answered and passed the fresh drink to the Time Lord.

"If you notice anything else, let me know… what's your name?" the Doctor asked.

"Zamora," the Junite answered.

"Right then, Zamora. Let me know if you can remember anything else," the Doctor said quickly before grabbing the drink, and turning back to return to her companion.

This was no coincidence that both disappearance happened on this beach during some sort of busy festivity. Now the next question was where they went, and what could have taken them. The Doctor handed Ross his drink once she returned. She needed to make an excuse for her to sneak away and have a look around. She wanted Ross to relax and not stress out. Three missing people didn't seem too hard for her to solve on her own. Besides, Bora Bora couldn't be that large for them to hide.

"Did you get lost," he joked.

"Of course not. I was just informed that there was a problem with our room reservation, so I need to go to the main building and get things straightened out." Ross began to get up once more, but the Time Lord laid a hand on his naked shoulder. "No need to get up. I can handle this. You just stay here, soak up that vitamin D and drink your fruity drink I got you." The Doctor began to walk off, but turned around quickly. "Oh, and don't forget to keep reapplying your lotion. I don't want you burnt to a crisp by the time I get back." She tossed him a bottle of suntan lotion from her bigger on the inside pockets.

"I want you home by midnight, young lady! Do you hear me?" Ross teased her.

The Doctor smirked as she walked away. She decided to head back to their room to change into something more comfortable, and less revealing. She had a feeling that there was going to be some running involved on this adventure, so she needed her combat boots. Once she was changed, the Gallifreyan went off to scout the resort scanning everyone and everything with her sonic on the way.

She received a weird energy reading near an inclined forested area. She began her hike up while following the energy source that was on her sonic. The signal led her all the way up towards a cliff that over looked what seemed to be a secret waterfall draining into a large body of water. There was nothing out of the ordinary to her. Unless…

'Oh, I hope I'm right,' she thought as she back up a few feet before sprinting forward and jumping off the cliff. She free fell for a few seconds before plunging into the waters below. It took a few moments for the bubbles to clear, so she could get a good look at what was below the water.

'Maybe I should have kept that daft suit on if I was going to get this wet.'

Once the bubbles cleared she was able to see what was hiding under the water. Just as she had suspected, there was a rather large ship that reminded her of something you'd see on Star Trek. She swam down deeper to get a better look at the ship, and search for a way in. Under the belly of the ship was a hatch that must be how these creatures were able to get in and out with those missing people. The Doctor realized that she would need air soon, so she quickly took out her sonic and unlocked the hatch. She quickly climbed through and shut it after her. The water was quickly drained from the chamber.

The Doctor walked over to the door and soniced it open. She quickly started to sneak through the corridors looking for any clues as to who might own this ship, and where those missing people were. Just as she was rounding a corner the doors at the end of the corridor slid open and two Junite guards exited the room. The Time Lord quickly hid in a doorway around the corner that she had previously rounded. She waited until the two guards were out of sight to return to way she was going. She was definitely going to check out the room they had just exited. The Doctor slinked up towards the door and instantly unlocked it with her sonic.

'Clearly this is a Junite ship. Now the question is why is it hiding under water in Bora Bora and not on Junifer.' She thought to herself as she entered the room.

The lights instantly flicked on as her stepped inside. She was completely shocked at what she saw. There were rows and rows of holding cells that held all different kinds of species behind glass walls. As she walked along the corridor she saw that each cell was labeled with what species and planet they were from. Except these weren't holding cells. These were exhibits. This was a zoo! The Doctor walked on in disgust. How could the Junite's do this! They were usually a peaceful and reasonable people. They worshiped flowers for Rassilon sake!

The Doctor stopped as soon as she came across the human exhibit. "A normal human family from Earth" it read. Inside was the missing little boy, and what she assumed were to be the missing couple. She placed a hand on the glass encasement.

"I'm going to get you out. All of you," She said determined.

"I'm afraid that won't be happening, Doctor."

The Time Lord turned to see Zamora stand there with guards at her sides.

"What have you done? This is sick and inhumane! I thought your people were all about peace and flower power," The Doctor held up the peace sign to emphasize her point.

"Humans used to do this with animals on their own planet. They preserved them, and kept them in top shape to be viewed by the world. Now they can be viewed by the universe," Zamora explained.

"But why," The Doctor questioned.

"As of recent, our flowers have not been blooming. The ones that do bloom aren't as vibrant and lively as they used to be. Our festival has diminished, and no one comes to visit or celebrate anymore. We must find a new way to bring the people back. What better way than an exotic zoo? However, Doctor, we are no longer taking applications for female humans of your age. So, we won't be needing your services." She grabbed a golden headband tiara from a nearby solider. "We don't need you getting in our way."

Two guards grabbed her arms and held her as she struggled against them.

"We're just going to distract you until we've gotten our final specimen. Think of it like this… now you'll finally get to enjoy this 'couple's retreat' your companion often spoke of."

"What is that?" The Doctor raised her voice as Zamora approached her with the gold band. "No! Stop!"

The Doctor was knocked unconscious as soon as the band was placed tightly on her head. It wouldn't be coming off anytime soon.