#the Strain just gets to enjoy being very healthy for a while

[waataah]

Jealous/Possesive Sanji plagues my mind<3

✧ sanji vinsmoke x fem!reader ✧

｡･ﾟﾟ･ (nsfw, fem!reader, 18+ only, mdni, 3rd pov) ･ﾟﾟ･｡

content/cw: NSFW, heavy-petting, light-petting, kissing, praise, worship, jealousy, rough play, first-time and sexual themes.

summary: Sanji is quite the gentleman when he needs to be, especially around y/n. But once he sees you having a drink with Zoro can he contain the jealousy within him? Or will the gentleman's act come to an end?

word count: ~2041 words

・❥・Your body is all mine.

“So you and the chef have been dating for a while huh? Never thought that idiot would be able to maintain a relationship with anyone let alone a woman” the green-haired swordsman scoffed.

“Yeah I never thought I would date that perv either… but he grew on me what can I say?” she laughed in response to the other's words.

The two raised a toast and drank their problems away, because even in a perfectly healthy relationship, who doesn't have their own issues? The two gulp down their booze and laugh a bit over the pervy cook.

“You know Zoro I can tell he’s grown on you too y’know? You act like you hate him but everyone knows you're both friends” she laughs. 

“Shut up! Who would be friends with a loser like that idiot?” the green-haired man scoffed.

Y/n didn’t exactly enjoy her boyfriend being talked about like that by her friend but she usually overlooked it since she knew Zoro was typically like that.

While the two continued to chat and drink at the kitchen table, Sanji stood at the door that was slightly ajar. He lit his cigarette and listened to each word his girlfriend and the moss head would say. He felt a pang in his chest and knew he was jealous of the two of them laughing and having a drink with one another. He understood that y/n was his girlfriend but just the sight of his lover and the person he gets along with the least having a laugh still made his blood boil. 

After he heard y/n get up she said, “Well I have to get back for night watch, so same time tomorrow swordsman?”. Sanji quickly left upon hearing those words.

Zoro lifted his glass towards the girl and continued to drink the night away scoffing at the nickname you and the chef loved to call him. However, he did appreciate you occasionally taking over the night watch duty since he's the one who does it often. 

Y/n usually didn’t mind taking up night duty, the Thousand Sunny’s lookout tower was very secluded perfect for when she wanted alone time since she always shared a room with Robin and Nami. The look tower was a perfect place to have silence. But not tonight. 

Once in the tower, the hatch and ladder were closed and locked behind y/n with a cross-armed Sanji standing between her and the entrance.

“Hello, my dear~”.

“Sanji? What are you doing up weren't you asleep?” y/n was a bit shocked by the blonde waiting in the tower.

Sanji paced around the room and looked at all the workout equipment that Zoro had thrown about. He looked upset but y/n really didn’t understand why.

“Well I wanted to get a cup of tea and bring it over to my sweet y/n before heading to bed but it seemed the kitchen was occupied” he looked over with a strained smile. He took a drag from his cigarette and put it out, tossing it to the side not caring where it landed since it was “zoro’s space” after all.

It finally clicked with y/n, Sanji's tone of voice, and him seeing her with Zoro. He was jealous, though she doubted he would admit it. Y/n decided to stand still and wait for her lover to calm himself down. Eventually, he sighed and threw himself back onto the seats that lined the wall of the tower and gritted his teeth together.

“So… would you rather date that swordsman than a perv like me? You even take up guard duty for him every once in awhile…” he said with his head hanging low, he was pretty upset over the conversation he had heard. Sanji could feel his heart squish with pain, he hated being jealous. But he knew that just meant he did love y/n.

Y/n sighed and walked over to her lover, she tilted his chin up and gently placed a kiss on the blonde's lips. Sanji’s body shivered in response, his hand quickly making its way over to y/n’s waist and gripping onto it not wanting to ever let her go. 

“I think I like my pervy cook much more than anybody else” she giggled softly against his lips.

Sanji looked at her and pulled her by the waist to sit on his lap, y/n happily obliged. 

“Why do you take his guard duties?”.

“So I could have some alone time and let the poor guy rest”.

“Why do you drink with him every night?”.

“He’s the only other MAN who would give me slightly more serious life advice than any of the other guys here” y/n sighed. 

“Sure I could ask Robin and Nami but they tease me much more than Zoro, he usually only makes fun of you rather than my problems” y/n laughed.

Sanji let out a small sigh of relief and rubbed y/n’s hips gently with his thumb, it gently making it’s way into her shirt to touch her skin.

“And you swear you prefer me over that moss head?”.

“Whose lap am I sitting on right now?”.

Sanji felt a switch inside of him, the two of you were alone. Everyone was asleep, Zoro probably fell asleep the moment y/n walked out of the kitchen. The two of them hardly ever got alone time, the ship was always busy. Whenever the two of them were alone to share an intimate moment it would always be ruined by Luffy, Franky, and Ussop. But this time it was different, the lights were off and everything was quiet. Just y/n and Sanji’s breath silently echoing throughout the small room.

More of Sanji’s fingers slid up y/n’s shirt earning a small gasp from the woman, Sanji’s eyes never leaving hers. “May I my dear?”.

His words were slightly desperate but calmer, this would be the first time the two could share this type of moment so y/n quickly nodded a ‘yes’ in response. Sanji swiftly pulled his hands up to remove her bra only to find she was not wearing one. 

He halted in his tracks and looked up at y/n, “You were with Zoro… braless…?”.

Y/n laughed nervously and looked anywhere but at the chef, “H-he wasn’t looking… if a-anything he's not interested in-”.

Her little excuse was quickly halted by the blonde as he swiftly took off her top and used his tie to wrap her hands together with no easy way to make them come undone. Sanji’s jealous pangs riled up inside him more causing him to lose all sense of treating their first time sweet and perfect. He had always had an image in his mind of his first time with y/n. Candles, flowers a nice comfy bed and take her sweetly, passionately, and gently. But right now he wasn’t thinking straight. He would take her here in Zoro's gross sweaty gym watch tower and he didn’t mind treating her a bit rough.

It’s not as though he had never seen y/n naked before, some times before breakfast there were times to have some quickies, so he had definitely memorized y/n’s perfect delectable body. Sanji took one of her soft breasts and cupped it in his palm, the other hand keeping a firm grip on the tie restraining her arms.

Sanji let out a small laugh and pulled her by the arms closer to his body, “I would love to praise and cherish your body princess…but knowing that another man could have easily done this to you makes me a bit…upset”.

“So I might just have to leave proof that your body is all mine”.

Y/n was a bit shocked at this new Sanji, she knew that he would get jealous from time to time and start yelling at any other man who laid eyes on her, but this was different.

It was actually kind of hot. 

Y/n blushed at his words but didn’t dare to retaliate, “Go ahead… I won’t stop you”.

This sent Sanji soaring, he let go of Y/n’s tied arms and left gentle kisses against her exposed chest and left his mark all over, easily visible marks that wouldn’t leave much room to wonder. His hands explored her body and gently grasped onto her breast. His head leaned forward and he swirled his tongue around her hard nipples, taking in her sweet flavor. Causing her to moan sweet melodies to his ears.

“Fuck… y/n you are intoxicating my love” he mumbled against her breast.

Her face turned a light shade of red before muttering some words that he wouldn’t even hear. Sanji just made muffled sounds before setting her down on the seat and quickly tugging off her shorts and panties to the side, tossing them somewhere in the room. He left trails of kisses down her thighs and left more marks scattered towards her heat. Once he reached the top he eagerly started to eat at her wetness as she held back her moans of pleasure. He let his free hand wander back up to her breasts and fondled them while pinching her nipples. The muffled screams and moans held back by her lips were only making his cock twitch with anticipation.

“I need you, my love…” it sounded like a statement but he looked up at y/n as if he was asking for permission. She giggled and nodded to him.

After licking up all the juices he could, savoring every last drop he began to tug at his belt and pant button as he finished up his tongue's work. He let a few moments pass before finally setting his pants off to the side and stroking himself while prying away from y/n’s slick wetness. He pumped himself a few times before looking at her once again, but the thoughts of jealousy once again plagued his mind. He without warning thrust into her entrance causing her to gasp out from his length.

She always knew that Sanji was rather large, though it didn’t hit her till he filled up her insides entirely. 

“S-Shit S-Sanji” she muttered out between her moans which she couldn't keep back anymore. Each thrust was harder than the last, Sanji had previously teased her with his long slender fingers telling her she would have to ease into his size one day, but he was relentless. Sanji let out low guttural groans, though he wanted to take his time and admire y/n’s beautiful body, he wanted to make sure no one else could even think of touching his woman. He had to make her his.

Sanji could feel his high ready to come, he gripped onto y/n’s hips with one hand and untied the tie from around her wrist. Y/n felt herself clench tightly around his length and once let free she wrapped her arms around Sanji’s neck and pulled him down into a kiss. The two moaned into each other's mouths, making the kiss sloppy but passionate. Sanji came first, his release was hard and went deep inside y/n’s body, he then pressed his fingers against y/n’s clit rubbing it in circles while she screamed his name. 

“S-Sanji! I’m gonna- I’m gonna cum”.

“Do it, my gorgeous girl… cum on my cock”.

His words tipped her over the edge, she squeezed around him once more and felt her body pulsate and shiver from the pleasures. Y/n panted hardly able to catch her own breath. Sanji sighed in contentment, looking down at the mess he made of y/n. He pulled out of her and watched as his cum dripped from her hole with a sly smile on his face. Hickeys and sweat littered her body, and Sanji admired his work. He gently pulled her back over to him and took off his suit jacket and placed it around her shoulders. The two of them cuddled up, y/n looked down at herself embarrassed, and covered her body with his jacket. 

"There's no way I can hide all of this with my clothes...".

“Now I can say you are officially mine~”.

[hells-wasabii]

Hi Wasabi! I hope you’re doing good!

Could I perhaps request Sera/reader (GN) dating headcanons? Or anything you wanna write for her? I feel like she gets zero love. 😭🫶🏻

Tsym!!

A/N: Hello! So far Sera has been a joy to write for! I’m seriously looking forward to writing more for her!

Character: Sera

Type: Headcanons (Sera x reader, Fluff, Angst)

When Sera initially realized that she had feelings for you, because believe me when I say it takes her a while, she was admittedly hesitant. As stated before Heaven-born angels, especially seraphim, will mate for life, so she wanted to be sure that the both of you were on the same page. It was honestly painful to watch, often being a will-they-won’t-they topic amongst the more gossipy angels. Emily would have to jump in and play matchmaker if it goes on for too long.

She’s admittedly one to beat around the bush, as well. When she flirts, it’s more disguised as compliments and conversation than anything, On the other hand, if you’re the more forward type, you should know that she’s relatively easy to fluster. Sure, she’ll recompose herself, but you can easily tell by the flush on her cheeks if you were.

Being the head seraphim, it’s very important to Sera how she composes herself. She’s an angel that many others look up to, someone in a leadership position. That being said Sera is very reserved when it comes to PDA outside of dates. That isn’t to say that she doesn’t enjoy affection, she just prefers to keep that private.

Sera’s got a pretty busy schedule but she’s still sure to set time aside for the two of you. It’s up to you to help her slow down and relax from time to time. Sure, it can be difficult when it comes to relationships that operate around busy schedules, but so long as the two of you communicate, everything will be okay.

Now admittedly, at the start of the relationship, Sera has a bad habit of keeping something secret if she thinks that it’s too much for you to handle or that something might hurt you. She’ll view it as her burden to bear. You’ll need to reassure her that this is NOT the case. As a couple you need to communicate, and keeping secrets like that isn’t particularly healthy. Eventually, it will get to the point where there are no secrets between the two of you.

I had touched on how Sera would have confided in you about the exterminations, but let’s expand on it. To say that the knowledge of the exterminations put a strain on your relationship would be the understatement of the century. That initial conversation did not go well at all. And the ones that followed weren’t any easier either. The only real saving grace was that 1. It hadn’t even been her idea, it had been Adam’s, and 2. She quite honestly disliked them, the fact that she had signed off on it in the first place was a large source of guilt. But what’s done is done and she can’t take back that decision, not without exposing the exterminations to the rest of heaven.

After that, it took a while to get back to where you had been, but your relationship does eventually recover. From that point on, expect all the stops to be pulled. No more secrets. She’ll lay everything out in the open, confiding in you her deepest fears and regrets.

[cheapshrimpysheep]

No Kisses - Side Characters

SUMMARY: After tasting a Solomon's dish, your lips got infected. It's nothing serious, but it's contagious. So you decide not to kiss anyone until your lips heal. How do they react to the wait?

CHARACTERS: Side Characters [Diavolo; Barbatos; Luke (platonic); Simeon & Solomon]

TAGS: Fluf; GN Reader; Kissing

WORD COUNT: An average of 300 words per character.

COMMENTS: I finally thought of something to write with the Obey Me! characters! Recently I got angular cheilitis. My lips are very dry. Nothing too serious, but that's what gave me the idea to write this.

I hope you enjoy. ;)

P.S.: Here's the version with the Brother: No Kisses - Demon Brothers

CONTEXT: You couldn't get rid of tasting Solomon's new dish. He looked so proud and happy about it. And it didn't look as... deadly as the others. It was salty, but not too bad. The problem came later, your lips became drier than usual and small cuts formed on them. He was worried and apologized profusely.

The doctor told you it was nothing serious and gave you an ointment to put on your lips. But what you had was contagious through kissing. So you decide not to kiss anyone until your lips are completely healed.

Diavolo gets very worried about you. But after knowing that it's nothing too serious, he's more relieved. When you tell him about not kissing anyone, he completely understands and admires your thoughtfulness.

He still considers using his magic to heal you, but since Solomon's food is involved, he doesn't know if his magic could unintentionally make your infection worse. So he'll just be patient and remind you to follow the doctor's directions.

He will ask Barbatos to cook for you. His butler will cook and cut the ingredients so as not to strain the poor elasticity of your lips. So that it doesn't hurt when you eat.

Although you can’t kiss him, he’ll still kiss you on the cheeks and forehead. Maybe even more than usual. Even though he knows his kisses won't heal you, they might help you feel better.

If you sleep together, he'll look at your lips while you're sleeping. He doesn't show it when you're awake, he's very good at hiding it. But he is very sad. Not only because he can't kiss you, but also because it's hurting you. He doesn't like feeling helpless, but he has no way of knowing if his magic will heal you or make it worse. He'll just be patient.

When you are sure that your lips are healed and you tell him so, he’s so happy for you! He's so glad that you feel well again. You kiss his cheek to thank him for the concern and care. He caresses your cheek, looking at your beautiful healthy lips. “I'm so glad for you, my dear. Will you allow me to celebrate with a longing kiss?”

Barbatos gets very worried about you. And even after knowing that it's nothing very serious, he continues to worry about you because you still have a lip infection. The same way he would take care of his young master, he will take care of you. You’ll feel like a new member of royalty that he will take care of.

Of course he will cook for you! Not that you can't cook for yourself, but mainly speaking of Devildom ingredients, he is more knowledgeable about them. And even he can even know ingredients that ease the possible pain of your lips. He will take care of you.

Being protective of the people he cares about, he will be attentive and remind you to put on the ointment the doctor prescribed for you, like an alarm clock. Maybe even go so far as to buy a second one if you forget yours or don't have it with you at the moment. Better safe than sorry.

He was never the type to give kisses. Or at least not as much as the other men you know at the Devildom. And he won't give you any while you're healing. It wouldn't be fair to give you a kiss that you can't return. He likes it better when you reciprocate them.

If you sleep together, he'll look at your dry, cut lips while you're sleeping. And remembering all the reasons why he doesn't like Solomon. Luckily it's nothing serious. Lucky for you and for him. Because if something serious had happened to you and it was his fault, Barbatos would make sure he paid for it, one way or another, even with their pact.

When you are sure that your lips are healed and you tell him so: “Ah, yes. Right on time. That's wonderful.” He’ll say “Time for what, you're asking? Oh, for us to try out the new Demonus that just arrived for us. You will join me, I believe.” He smiles.

Oh No! You're sick?! What did Solomon do? He can't do this to you! And you have to be more careful! Luke will be your caregiver! You can't even smile tasting his sweets anymore. This is horrible! He will be your caregiver! Your guard dog! He probably imagined himself as a St. Bernard Rescue Dog. But maybe you imagine a Chihuahua with that same little barrel around his neck that he can't carry because it's the same size as the dog.

He won't admit that he's going to miss the kisses on the cheek you give him when you think he's cute. NEVER! Okay, maybe if your sad about the situation with your lips.

He will learn to make sweets that won't hurt your lips. And always looking at you a little worried, seeing if you make a face that shows that your lips hurt when you eat. If you don't, he will be very happy that you managed to eat without felling pain. If you do, Simeon will have to help you calm Luke down and say it's not his fault.

He will ask you every day how you are feeling. If your lips are healing. If the ointment really works. Do not forget to apply the ointment. And be careful when eating, your lips can hurt you if you're not careful.

When you are sure that your lips are healed and you tell him so, YAY! He’s so happy that you’re feeling well again. He was so sweet to you, and he's being so sweet now. Your caregiver deserves those kisses on the cheek that he so wants to hide that he likes.

Simeon doesn't show how worried about you he is at first. He just shows the relief of hearing that it's nothing too serious. He will always see the bright side. Don't worry, it will pass. And he will always be ready to comfort you when your lips hurt.

Of course he will cook for you! he already loves to do it on a normal day. He is so skilled that not only does his cooking not hurt your lips, it also seems to comfort and help them heal as much as the ointment. How was that possible?

Although you can’t kiss him, he’ll still kiss you on the cheeks and forehead. He doesn't care that you can't reciprocate, he doesn't kiss you for that. He kisses you because he wants give you affection. Angels give without expecting to receive. Being kissed by you again is just an wonderful gift.

If you sleep together, he'll look at your dry, cut lips while you're sleeping. Since you aren't seeing him, he lets his smile fade. No one likes to see the person they love sick, even if it's not something that serious. He will caress your cheek, being careful not to wake you up.

When you are sure that your lips are healed and you tell him so, he's so glad! He saw that you were getting better, so he knew it would only be a matter of time before your lips were fully healed. Like I said, he doesn't give expecting something in return. But he'll be over the moon if the first person you want to kiss is him. He missed your kisses so much.

Luckily it's nothing serious, but Solomon knows it's still his fault. Would you be allergic to any ingredients he used? Would you know you were allergic? Was there anything he could do to heal you faster? And redeem himself?

You and/or the doctor warn him NOT TO DO ANYTHING! He is confused and sad that he cannot help. Can he at least cook for you? Sorry Solomon but NO! So what can he do for you? Um... what if he does other things for you? Like, I don't know, a butler?

If you tell Barbatos about this, he'll be delighted to see it front row. Would you like him to give Solomon some kind of intensive training? After all, it's going to take some time for your lips to heal, right?

He will still kiss you on the cheek and forehead. Maybe even more than usual. After all, you don't let him cook for you or try to heal you with magic. He wants to help you cook. He promises to follow what you tell him to do. Seriously, he promises. If you still refuse his help, he'll hug you from behind and rest his chin on your shoulder while you cook, continuing to promise that he'll just follow your instructions and ask you to let him help.

If you sleep together, he'll look at your lips while you're sleeping. When you're awake, you see him always smiling or making puppy eyes for you to let him help you cook. But like this, when you don't see him, his smile fades. And he'll caress your cheek, being careful not to wake you up. It's his fault, and his punishment is to be without your kisses.

When you are sure that your lips are healed and you tell him so, he'll hug you while saying he is glad. Then he'll place his hands on your cheeks, look you in your eyes and say: “Now, will you let me show you how much I'm sorry? And how much I missed your kisses?”

If you would like to read more from me, you can find it in my pinned post: INDEX

[amethystfairy1]

Okay, fic is over (I think-) so checking my predictions!

Honestly.... major oversight on my part is that I miiiight have completely forgotten the collars were a thing lol. My bad for forgetting a huge part of the story building was even there, I don't even have an excuse I'd been rereading like stars around my scars and the entire accidental order saga while I waited for updates so that's just a my bad lmao but out of 17ish predictions, 9 came true despite my oversight so I'd say that's pretty good! I was more focused on the fact that in my mind the only way for a relationship to be established would be through a Ren confession, and there was no way that could be verified, since Martyn is really bad at telling when Ren is acting (even when he does pick up on his tells, like his laugh being wrong or just blatantly lying). I really should learn to stop doubting Amethyst by now loll

Anyway here's the predictions that came true:

Martyn POV chapter 3

C3 is the aftermath of C2

Martyn doesn't believe Ren's feelings are genuine

Martyn blames himself for Literally Everything that's happening in the relationship because he "forced this" on Ren and he IS just as bad as the others

Martyn breaks down and apologizes for his intrusive thoughts, thus confessing to them (he's under the impression Ren already knew) causing

a meta-ish conversation about those unwanted feelings not defining someone esp since Martyn is actively disgusted by them

Martyn confession

An actually healthy conversation occurs

We get treebark by the end of the fic!

And side note some honorable mentions:

Martyn runs away again and/or throws up again or something after the kiss because intrusive thoughts just EXPLODED in his mind {this prediction actively didn't come true for the exact reasoning I thought it would, as Martyn himself says, running off would not be great for the situation and would only cause problems}

Flower husbands give relationship advice (they are very unqualified) {I still stand by the fact that these two are the exact type of person who would give unsolicited advice and have no doubts it would only be like 30% helpful}

Martyn breaks down and apologizes for his intrusive thoughts, thus confessing to them (he's under the impression Ren already knew) causing more angsty relationship strain before the resolution {this kinda happened but also not really}

Yeah! I really really loved the fic (my bsf has been hearing me rant about your writing since last year now [haha funny new years joke] and is probably sick of it and my endless predictions and conspiracy theories so I've come to brother you with relentless long asks apparently. Sorry for the consistently space-consuming asks btw I promise I'm not trying to fill up ur inbox, just have a lot to say lol. Good luck with the ask backlog, I look forward to seeing what you've got in store for the TTSBC crew!

I'm so glad you enjoyed the fic!!! I LOVE the long asks and predictions and ideas, I'm just sorry it usually takes me longer to answer them because I wanna take my time and respond to them fully 😭

I'm so glad you enjoyed the fic!! Awhh heck I'm glad you have confidence in me, I try to make sure things are planned out That's why the collar comes into play here, because unfortunately, messed up at this all is, Martyn wouldn't have believed Ren's confession any other way. That's just how it be, sadly. But hey, worked out for them!

I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you thank you!

[uunromanticized]

Hi can I please request some poly relationship hc’s for a female reader dating both Nathaniel and Luka please :)

Feel free to ignore if you don’t do poly ships thanks :)

hiii!! im completely fine with poly ships dw i love them :3 im poly myself hehe. this was definitely a new one & ive never written for nathaniel before so im so sorry if he’s kinda ooc 💔💔 i hope you enjoy regardless!!

life as both luka and nathaniels lover

𝒊 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒊𝒕’𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒊 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆

- for the most part you are a very healthy relationship! luka is very much an open communicator while nathaniel is more likely to keep things to himself which can cause some strain

- whenever nathaniel doesn’t speak about his problems though it can be a little frustrating but luka always acts as a mediator for the most part, trying to figure out the root of the problem, and conflicts are very quickly resolved due to this

- you all enjoy just spending time together doing your own things. just being together is enough for you

- but you’re also just silly sometimes. nathaniel holds little “art classes” for you and luka

- luka tries to draw all three of you together but it literally looks like all of your proportions got inverted…. how silly. then he sticks to drawing little sketches based on bands he likes 😭

- nathaniel guides both of your hands like he’s obligated to but really this is just his one chance to hold your hands without getting shy

- luka does the same for you two but with his guitar and nathaniel actually catches on quick because he has good muscle memory

- if you’re bad at it luka is actually really patient with you and a good teacher (uses kisses as leverage when you get a chord right)

- actually they would definitely do the cutest thing ever for your anniversary. nathaniel draws you three and luka adds some stuff around the borders of the page. luka also teaches nathaniel a simple song on the guitar and they perform it for you <333

- luka always prefers to be on the outside of cuddling. you and nathaniel switch around in the middle but it’s mostly you

- luka or you are the ones who mainly talk to people when there’s an issue.. nathaniel sticks in the back. you guys are like “excuse me he SAID no pickles 😠”

- nathaniel is more easily jealous while luka is not a jealous guy

- whenever you guys go out together andré starts giving you three scoops

- im a firm believer in domestic nathaniel. he cooks for you guys idc. keeps track of what flavors you and luka prefer, and if they’re contrasting he tries to combine them in a way that you all enjoy

- sometimes you guys coordinate outfits. they’re all lowkey because nathaniel doesn’t like sticking out too much but they’re still coordinated

- you guys love eachother so so much

[laylainalaska]

How about Hawkeye Pierce/Charles Winchester for the ask game?

Oh, nice choice! And I do ship it.

What made you ship it?

That is actually tough to figure out! I think it's partly the bickering/bantering dynamic with a clear strain of underlying affection and respect, and also the way that they are really tuned into each other, where they seem to notice little things about each other, notice when the other one is a bit "off", and immediately tune in on each other whenever they're in the same room, in a way that clicks into the shipping part of my brain.

(At the same time, I think this is a ship where it's hard for me to see them getting together in a healthy way during canon, just because of all of the Everything about their situation, including the fact that they are both in a place they hate and stuck in a military hierarchy where they would have to hide any kind of relationship. I could much more easily see them slipping into something comfortable and mutually supportive post-canon. So I also like it simply as a friendship dynamic, but I do feel ship feelings about it.)

What are your favorite things about the ship?

Well, there's the "tuned in on each other" thing I mentioned earlier, that sense of connection. And I love that they both care what the other one thinks in a way that I feel is somewhat unusual for the people they are in general. Charles is clearly affected by Hawkeye's opinions on him as early as the first few episodes of season six; he seems to start leaning into Hawkeye as a kind of moral center very early on, and it's clear that it bothers him when Hawkeye is mad at him, even when he's still doubling down on hating the 4077 and everything about it and would never dream of admitting that he cares about the opinion of anyone here.

On Hawkeye's end, I feel like he ends up being able to lean on Charles in a way that he really can't on anyone else in camp, because Charles is his surgical equal - so his opinion in the OR carries a lot of weight - and also because he doesn't quite have the same dynamic with Charles as with the other medical staff, who look up to him, whereas he and Charles just don't really have that kind of relationship. When he's off balance, Charles can steady him in the OR in a way that he really doesn't have with anyone else - with a look, or a joke, or more rarely, a quietly supportive comment (as in "Follies" or "Sons & Bowlers").

I definitely don't want to downplay the importance of Hawkeye's other friends to him, especially BJ and Margaret - they are very important, very integral to his life, and BJ is the person he explicitly describes as his best friend. But I feel like Charles is the only person in his circle who is emotionally "soft" under the surface prickliness in the same way that Hawkeye is, like they're both not "guy guys", they're more emotional guys who don't really enjoy typical guy things and enjoy books and opera and stuff like that. (Hawkeye performatively downplays that side of himself, but it's definitely there - e.g. the episode where he talks about going to all the musical theater shows while he was doing his residency in Boston.) So, if they were able to get past the rivalry and one-upsmanship that the MASH situation brings out in them, I think that I could very easily see them bonding over that kind of thing and always having something to do together that's fun for them, with that frisson of tension and tendency to argue about it because they're always going to have that.

Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship?

THEY ARE FRIENDS, DAMMIT. (At least by season seven.) I know that the later seasons of the show were all over the place with them, but I felt like seasons 6-8 had a very consistent growing arc of respect and obvious affection - which then went completely sideways in seasons 9-11, where it was wildly inconsistent whether you'd get an episode where they were visibly close or barely seemed to tolerate each other. But they are friends and I will die on this hill.

[defn0tonyourleft]

Sunflower - Post Malone |Fluff|

Description: Straight fluff. Bucky being insecure about his arm, dear friend of Bucky who had a knack for art, helps to try and ease the insecurities.

Words: 5.4K ish?

TW: (tbh I wrote this so long ago so forgive me if anything’s missing) swearing, insecurities, trauma, distaste for physical touch, ermmm can’t think of anything else! enjoy 💗

She had been a member of the Avengers since the very beginning. Persuading Tony to join the Avengers while trying to keep his relationship with Pepper afloat. Those were the days when everything was simple.

Then the Avengers came together, and Ultron happened... Woah, Stark Tower. Then they upgraded to Stark Compounds, where they're at now.

She had always found Tony's work impressive and even studied and emulated it when she had the chance. But she was no Tony Stark. She was into the medical field, which prompted her studies to combine Tony's work with her medical knowledge.

That progressed into her becoming a bit of a lab rat for S.H.I.E.L.D. Super soldier DNA mixed with her own. But- it hadn't gone exactly according to plan. She'd get waves of dizziness, among a plethora of other things.

Then, while she tried to deal with that on her own, Bucky came around. She'd been best friends with him and Steve back in the day. They had been introduced by Peggy Carter, and just... Clicked ever since. It had been interesting for them to wake up over seventy years later- to... All of the new technology. But she quickly adapted. Though, both she and Steve dearly missed Bucky.

And finally, the present. Bucky wasn't dead? It was all a blur really.

But now that Tony was... Relatively fine with Bucky; he was allowed on Stark Compounds. Anywhere, really. His name was cleared. Now, present day. Most of the team had their own living quarters on the compound.

Turning around at the sound of Steve's voice, she was met with the faces of Tony, Steve, Natasha, and Sam. None of them besides Steve really knew how deep their friendship ran. She was working tirelessly in her lab.

"Do you guys need me for something?"

She asked, as she continued to keep her eyes on her project in front of her. It was starting to get relatively late, which mildly surprised her that all of them were in here.

As the time ticked by, she spent hours in her office, mindlessly working away. Continuing her work, sitting at her desk, she heard soft footsteps trailing towards her office door. Looking up, she quickly saw the old pal of hers, Steve Rogers. Steve stepped forward, his blue eyes filled with concern as he looked at y/n's, frame hunched over the lab table. He knew her work was important, perhaps even vital to the future of the Avengers, but he couldn't help feeling a twinge of worry seeing her push herself so hard, especially with her recent... complications.

"Hey, y/n, we were just checking in on you. It's getting late and we didn't want you burning the midnight oil alone in here." He said gently, his deep voice echoing slightly in the sterile lab.

Tony, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed, rolled his eyes good-naturedly.

"Come on, Cap, leave the poor girl alone. She knows what she's doing. Besides, I thought you, of all people, would appreciate the value of a good work ethic."

He quipped, a smirk playing on his lips.

Natasha, who had been quietly observing the exchange, now spoke up.

"Actually, I agree with Steve on this one, Stark. You've been pushing yourself too hard lately. I've seen the hours you keep, and it's not healthy."

Her green eyes narrowed as she studied y/n's face, searching for any sign of exhaustion or strain.

Sam, who had been looking at his phone, glanced up and added his two cents.

"I mean, we're all here for you, y/n. If you need a hand with anything, don't hesitate to ask. That's what teamwork is all about."

He flashed a warm, encouraging smile before looking back at his screen.

Of course, none of them knew the full extent of her medical situation or the secret experiments she had undergone. They couldn't see the way her head swam occasionally or feel the odd sensation in her body. But they could see the dedication and determination etched on her face as she worked tirelessly to unravel the mysteries of her own DNA.

Steve took a step closer to her, his voice lowering to a more intimate tone.

"Hey... if there's anything you want to talk about, anything at all... you know you can come to me, right? I'm here for you, y/n. Always."

He reached out and gently squeezed her shoulder, a gesture of support and camaraderie that spoke volumes about the deep bond they shared.

She sighed, knowing this was coming. As they spoke up, she packed up her things, rubbing her eyes a bit. It was the same thing almost every night. She's working too hard, no she's not, she needs a break, no she doesn't.

The entire team seemed to argue on the topic, which mildly bothered her. But she truly was tired right now, which did make things a bit worse. She never had a good nights sleep. Even before... Everything.

Standing up from her desk, she closed one of the drawers a bit forcefully as she crossed her arms.

"I appreciate the concerns, but I'm fine. I'm just tired, that's all."

She said, looking between all of them. "Nothing to talk about, nothing I need to disclose. I just simply need sleep."

Her tone was soft, though she was a bit annoyed by their persistence on the topic. On several occasions, she had told them to drop it, because she was fine. Which she was, for the most part.

"You all need to go to sleep. You're getting on me about my health, yet it's late, and you guys aren't asleep either."

She said as she started making her way out of the room, walking past all of them.

Steve frowned slightly at y/n's dismissive response, sensing her annoyance and exhaustion. He knew pushing the issue further would only lead to more resistance from her. So, he decided to let it go for now but made a mental note to check in on her again later when she might be more open to talking.

"You're right. It's late, and we should all get some rest." He conceded, stepping aside to let her pass.

"Just... be careful going to your quarters. And if you need anything at all, don't hesitate to reach out."

He added, his voice laced with concern.

Tony, ever the observant one, noticed the slight unsteadiness in y/n's step as she walked by. His brow furrowed, and he opened his mouth to say something, but a sharp elbow from Natasha in his ribs made him think twice. He closed his mouth, a look of contemplation on his face as he watched y/n exit the lab.

Natasha shook her head slightly at Tony, giving him a warning look. She knew y/n well enough to sense when she needed space, and this was one of those times.

"Let her go, Stark." She murmured softly.

Sam, ever the peacemaker, chimed in with a gentle smile. "Goodnight, y/n. Sleep well." He called after her retreating form, hoping his words might bring her some measure of peace and rest.

As y/n made her way through the dimly lit corridors of the Stark Compound, she couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled over her like a heavy cloak. It was just the exhaustion or the lingering effects of her experiments - though those were certainly contributing factors to the growing feeling.

She paused for a moment outside her quarters, her hand hovering over the biometric scanner. A flicker of uncertainty crossed her face, and she bit her lower lip, a habit she'd developed whenever she was deep in thought. She knew she should go inside, try to rest, to forget about everything for a while. But a part of her wanted to keep working, to push through the fatigue and frustration until she found the answers she so desperately needed.

With a sigh, she placed her hand on the scanner, the door sliding open with a soft click, as she walked into her room. With a sigh, she ended up walking over to her bed, crashing down on it with a thud.

She ended up changing into some sweats and a T-Shirt, and trying to go to sleep. But of course, to no surprise of her own, she couldn't sleep. For hours she tossed and turned, unable to go to sleep.

She turned the fan on and off, cranked the A/C, but nothing. She didn't know why she even bothered anymore, she knew it was an impossible task. Whether it be nightmares, uncomfortablility, or another unknown factor, she never slept for more than ten or fifteen minutes at a time.

After a while of her tossing and turning, she decided she was tired and annoyed enough to get up to get some food.

Lazily making herself a sandwich, she sat down on the couch in the common room, feeling almost more... At ease than her room. By the time she was done, she was a whole new form of exhaustion.

So she decided to kick her feet up and relax. The couch was wide enough for at least two people to lie down, so she did just that.

Laying down, she propped up a few pillows, going to shut her eyes. She actually thought for a moment she might be able to sleep. Until she heard footsteps. Raising a brow, she opened up one of her eyes to try and locate the source of the sound.

As she opened her eyes, she was met with the sight of Bucky looking rather tired himself, and overall just... Done. Which she could relate to in a few days. Sitting up with a groan, she spoke up, the tiredness and exhaustion in her tone evident.

"Bucky...? Why are you up? And why are you out here? Can't sleep?"

Bucky paused for a moment, surprised to see his old friend sitting awake and lounging on the couch in the common room at this late hour. He was about to turn back and retreat to his own quarters, not wanting to disturb her, but her question made him linger.

He stepped further into the room, his tired eyes meeting hers in the dim light. The exhaustion was evident on his face, etched into the lines around his eyes and the slump of his shoulders. He was wearing a simple t-shirt and sweatpants, his prosthetic arm resting at his side.

"Couldn't sleep either, huh?" He replied, a hint of a weary smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "I thought I was the only one still awake. It's been a long day." He said, rubbing his temple with his organic hand.

Bucky hesitated for a moment before moving closer, taking a seat on the opposite end of the couch from her. He leaned back against the cushions, letting out a soft sigh. "I've been having trouble sleeping lately. Too much on my mind, I guess." He admitted, glancing over at her.

He knew all too well the struggles she faced when it came to sleep. They had talked about it in passing before, bonding over their shared insomnia and the toll it took on them both mentally and physically. It was one of the reasons he considered her a friend. Bucky's gaze drifted to the clock on the wall, noting the late hour.

"What about you? Usually you're dead to the world by now."

He commented with a slight chuckle, hoping to inject a bit of levity into the conversation.

"Everything okay?"

He asked, a note of genuine concern in his voice.

He sat up a bit more as she slid farther over to the side closest to the couch. Though she wouldn't say anything, she made room if he had gotten the incredibly subtle hint that she was fine with him coming over to sit with her.

"Just the normal. You know I can never sleep. Tonight's not an exception. And trust me, I know how it is. It sucks."

She said, rolling her eyes. Even though she was tired, she still picked up on the small things. Her eyes went to his arms before realizing he was wearing a T-shirt. Usually, it was always long-sleeve. She couldn't tell whether it was more comfortable for him or he just didn't like showing his... Different arm.

But she wouldn't get it. He wore gloves, too. So it would make sense. But- except other. She always thought his arm was cool. Or maybe she was reading into it too much. But her tired brain spewed out the question going through her head anyway.

"You know... That's one of the first times I've seen you wear a short-sleeve shirt. You really weren't planning on seeing anyone out here, were you?"

She said rather rhetorically, knowing his answer.

"Well..." She said, flipping on her side and looking over at him with a tired look in her eyes, but still no rest. Sighing, she nuzzled her head into the few pillows she had as she tried to get comfortable.

"If it's any help- If I'm not reading into this too much, that is... But I like the arm. It's apart of you, and it's pretty cool. So I wouldn't try and hide it. It's unquiely you."

Bucky's eyebrows raised slightly in surprise at y/n's comment, not expecting her to bring up his arm. He glanced down at his prosthetic, a flicker of something - discomfort, maybe even a hint of shame - flashing across his face before he quickly masked it. It was a subject he didn't often discuss, preferring to leave his past, and the circumstances surrounding his injury, in the past.

He met her gaze, seeing the sincerity in her tired eyes. Her words struck a chord with him, and he felt a warmth bloom in his chest at her acceptance, her lack of revulsion at the sight of his mechanical limb. It wasn't often that people, especially those close to him, spoke so openly about it.

Bucky let out a soft, almost surprised laugh, shaking his head slightly.

"I... I'm not used to people being so blunt about it. Most people either stare or look away, not wanting to offend me by bringing it up."

He admitted, a note of vulnerability in his voice, though he masked it with a small laugh.

He looked down at his arm again, turning it over slightly as if seeing it through new eyes. The metal gleamed in the low light, a testament to the cutting-edge technology that had allowed him to regain some semblance of a normal life.

Bucky's gaze drifted back to y/n, a small, genuine smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

"You know, I've never really thought about it like that. I guess I just... I don't know. I've always felt like it was a part of me, but not in a good way."

"It's still a part of who I am, scars and all."

He leaned back against the couch cushions, getting more comfortable as he turned to face her more fully.

"Thanks... That means a lot, actually. It's nice to talk about it. Without everyone dancing around it, hell- that just makes it worse. But even then, still. It's nice to be... This sounds corny, but it's nice to be seen. Not just the arm, but me."

He said softly, trying not to wake any others, though he knew that he wouldn't. With their little group, you either got no sleep or took every possible method of a sleep aid that you could, and prayed that you wouldn't wake up.

Bucky's eyes drifted to the clock, noting the late hour, before he shrugged and settled in, seeming to relax more in y/n's presence.

"Since we're both up anyway, want to watch a movie or something?" He said, his voice almost a bit shy. Which did make her smile a tiny bit.

"Sure, why not?"

She said, shrugging, as she crossed her arms. Sitting up to an upright position, she made no effort to grab the remote to turn on the T.V. She just looked at him for a moment in the dim lighting. Speaking up, she questioned, trying to trad lightly around the question, or come off too strong.

"Well- Why don't you like it? I mean I'm not trying to come after you or anything. I'm just genuinely curious."

"Like... In my eyes at least, it's pretty badass. And I see the way you try and hide it. I very rarely see you without gloves, a jacket, long sleeve shirt, something like that. And I know you get stares, trust me. Even I get stares. But- Why care?"

"Sure, you've done some shit. We all have. But that doesn't take away from everything good you've done."

"And like I was saying, it's pretty badass. And I'm sure I'm not the only person on the planet who could think that. I can almost guarantee you that at least a few of those stares, are people being genuinely curious. Or intrigued, at the very least. Because I know I'd be."

She said, leaning into the couch a bit, getting a wave of exhaustion wash over her.

"I don't know... I just- remember when we used to be young, all the way back then. You were this- womanizer."

Chuckling, she carried on, a look in her eyes.

"You were all confident. Overconfident- if anything. Cocky, really. I just guess... I kinda miss everything before-, all of this. You know? Me being the third wheel when you and Steve went on double dates. Even if it did suck. But not that much compared to what's going on."

Bucky was silent for a moment, considering her question. It was a subject he rarely delved into, preferring to leave his past, and the circumstances surrounding his injury, in the past. He took a deep breath, seeming to steel himself before he spoke.

When he finally did, his voice was low and thoughtful. "I guess... I guess I've always seen it as a reminder. A constant reminder of everything I've lost, everything I've done. It's not just a piece of metal and wires, it's a testament to the violence, the death, the pain I've caused."

He paused, his gaze distant as if lost in memories of his past.

"When I first woke up, after HYDRA... I didn't know who I was. I was just a weapon, a tool for them to use. And when I finally broke free, when Steve found me... I thought I could just go back to being the man I used to be. But I couldn't. I am the Winter Soldier, y/n. I've done things, terrible things, and this..."

He held up his prosthetic arm, a grim expression on his face. "This is a reminder of that. A constant, physical reminder."

Bucky's gaze drifted back to her, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "But you're right, I have done good things too. I've tried to make amends, to be a better man. And maybe, just maybe, you're right about the arm. Maybe it is a part of who I am now, scars and all."

He chuckled softly at y/n's mention of his womanizing past, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips.

"Yeah, I was a real Casanova back then, wasn't I? I thought I was invincible, untouchable. I didn't realize how much I was hurting people, myself included. But I was young and stupid, and I thought I had all the time in the world to figure it out."

Bucky's expression sobered, a hint of sadness in his eyes.

"I miss those days too. I miss the simplicity of it all, the camaraderie, the sense of purpose. But I can't go back to being that man. I'm not him anymore."

As he spoke about his arm, she suddenly got a great idea. Grinning, she stood up from where she sat, with a bit of a smirk on her face.

"I'll be right back."

She said before quickly making her way out of the room. As she hurried back, she held a few markers in her hand that she had in her room. She always had a thing for drawing. It was one of the few normal things she actually had time to enjoy.

Turning on one of the lights in the room, she was suddenly very thankful Tony installed dimming lights. Instantly she closed her eyes, as she accidently turned the light on the brightest setting.

"Jesus Chris- Sorry." She said, turning it down.

Once it was at a manageable setting, she walked back over to the couch, she sat next to Bucky, on his left. She kept a distance, knowing he liked his space.

Chuckling a bit, she shook her head at her stupid idea. Reaching out carefully, she looked to Bucky, not touching him quite yet.

"Can I?" She said, referencing his metal arm.

Bucky looked at y/n with a mix of surprise and curiosity as she rushed out and returned with markers. He raised an eyebrow as she sat down next to him, maintaining a respectful distance as he had come to expect from her.

When she asked for permission to touch his arm, Bucky hesitated for a moment, not entirely sure what she had in mind. But seeing the playful grin on her face and the mischievous glint in her eye, he found himself smiling back at her.

Shrugging lightly, he extended his metal arm towards her, the mechanical joints whirring softly.

"Sure, why not? But I warns you, if you draw a dick... So help me, I might have to kick your ass." He teased, his tone light and joking.

Despite the playful words, there was an underlying vulnerability in his eyes, a hesitation that spoke of years of self-consciousness and discomfort with his prosthetic limb. It was a rare moment of unguarded honesty from the stoic soldier, a glimpse into the man beneath the jokes and the bravado.

Still, he held his arm out to her, allowing her to take the markers and begin her impromptu art project. It was a small gesture, but a significant one nonetheless. A sign of trust, of acceptance, of a growing bond between them.

She rolled her eyes as she began doodling stars, moons, and all the random things she could think of.

"Like you could kick my ass." She said, rolling her eyes again with a chuckle. Yes, she was more than sure he'd stand a pretty good chance against her, but still.

Afterwards, she fell silent, just drawing on his arm. She was surprised he wasn't saying anything. But now and then, she'd look up just to find him watching her draw on his arm. Honestly, she couldn't help but find it a bit cute, prompting a few chuckles from her.

After a while, she used her other hand to hold his arm in place as she drew, honestly getting lost in her own thoughts as she drew. She was completely lighting his arm up with graffiti-like drawings.

Once she finished, she leaned back, her hand gently on his wrist to keep it in place. She admired her work for a moment. She had drawn his last name up the side of his arm, making it look like spray paint was used. She signed her name underneath it with a heart as she finished up.

"So...? What'dya think?"

Bucky watched in fascination as she lost herself in her art, her brow furrowed in concentration as she doodled and scribbled on his metallic arm. He found her focused intensity oddly endearing, a stark contrast to the carefree, teasing demeanor she usually portrayed.

As she worked, Bucky couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder at the transformation of his cold, lifeless prosthetic into a vibrant canvas of color and creativity. It was a strange sensation, to feel something so deeply personal and once so source of shame, now becoming a vessel for someone else's passion.

When she finally leaned back to admire her handiwork, Bucky followed her gaze to his arm, now adorned with a stunning graffiti-inspired display of his last name, complete with a signed heart courtesy of y/n. He had to admit, it looked damn good. Edgy, bold, and unapologetically unique, much like the woman who had created it.

Bucky looked up at her, a slow grin spreading across his face as he took in her expectant expression. He chuckled softly, shaking his head in amazement. "You know, when you first mentioned this crazy idea, I thought you were just being your usual sarcastic self. But this..." He held up his arm, admiring the intricate details and vibrant colors.

"This is actually really fucking cool."

His eyes met hers, a warmth and sincerity in their blue depths that was rare to see.

"Thank you. This is... I- This is really fucking cool."

He said softly, chuckling a bit, his voice tinged with genuine appreciation and a hint of emotion.

In that moment, Bucky felt a flicker of something he had long thought lost - a sense of self-acceptance, of pride in who he was, scars and all. And he had y/n to thank for it.

She grinned, her hand still on his arm as she looked at him. Smiling a bit, she looked from his arm to his eyes, chuckling.

"Really fucking cool, huh? Since when does the old man use profanity?"

She said with a grin, as her hand subconsciously lingered on his arm.

"You know, I really have cut back on swearing as much because of Steve. Well, at least when Steve's around. I don't know whether it's funny, sad, or... Both."

Looking back down to his arm, she turned a bit, getting a better look at it herself.

"By the way, this should come off in the shower, just with water. Though, if you want me to... One day I can make it more permanent. Use something behind markers."

She said with a bit of a chuckle, as she looked back up at his eyes.

"What time is it anyway? I'm- tired to say the least."

She commented with a chuckle, though she was telling the truth.

Bucky barked out a laugh at y/n's teasing comment about his language, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Old man? I'm not that old, you little whippersnapper."

He retorted playfully, his eyes sparkling with mirth. "Besides, I've been around long enough to pick up a few choice words here and there. Steve might be a saint, but I'm no saint."

He winked at her, enjoying their easy banter.

"Ew- Don't wink at me-." She said with a laugh, almost instantaneously.

As y/n mentioned the possibility of making his temporary tattoo permanent, Bucky felt a strange sense of hesitation. On one hand, the idea of having a permanent reminder of this moment, of y/n's unique artistry and acceptance of him, was oddly appealing. But on the other hand, the thought of marking his skin, his body, with something that couldn't be washed away... it stirred up old fears and insecurities.

Bucky looked down at the colorful designs adorning his arm, tracing his fingers over the raised lines of the marker. He took a deep breath, pushing down the sudden surge of anxiety.

"I might take you up on that offer someday. For now, though, I think I'll appreciate the temporary nature of it. Kinda like our little secret, you know?"

He said softly, glancing up at her with a small, enigmatic smile.

At the mention of the time and her weariness, Bucky's expression softened with concern. He glanced at his watch, noting the late hour.

"It's getting late; you're right. You should probably head to bed, doll. I don't want you keeling over from exhaustion on my watch."

He teased gently, his hand instinctively moving to cover hers on his arm, giving it a light, comforting squeeze.

Her smile tilted as she heard the old pet name; the memories of when she first heard it came back to her like it was yesterday.

Despite the playful words, there was an underlying note of sincerity in Bucky's voice. He had grown fond of y/n's company, of her unfiltered honesty and zest for life. Having her around had brought a much-needed breath of fresh air into his often dark and haunted existence.

"Sweet dreams." He said softly, his thumb brushing lightly over her knuckles before he reluctantly pulled his hand away, allowing her to stand and retire for the night.

As he spoke, she could see the hint of anxiety behind his eyes at the thought of making something permanent. As he continued, she just gave him a small smile in hopes of trying to ease his nerves.

Her eyes went to their hands. To be frank, she wasn't exactly one for much physical touch either. But this wasn't horrible. It helped that Steve, Sam, or anyone else was around, for that matter, to make some annoying comment like they always did.

As he pulled his hand back, her eyes went back up to his. For some reason, she felt bad suggesting anything more than what she already did. She knew he was self-conscious. Anyone with any people skills could see that. She was surprised he didn't go and put on a sweatshirt or something.

Even after knowing each other practically their entire lives, he was still wary around her. Which, in his defense, was completely reasonable. It did kind of hurt a bit to see the cheerful, happy man she once knew to be so... gloomy. But, everyone just needed time. She hoped.

However, she couldn't help the growing guilt as all of these thoughts built in her head. After a moment, after he had said goodnight, she leaned over carefully, wrapping her arms around him as best as she could.

She was already sitting a bit far away, so the position they were in wasn't exactly preferable. But she did it anyway. Carefully resting her head on his chest, she just fell silent, still having a loose grip on him just in case he wanted to pull back.

Bucky stiffened slightly as y/n suddenly wrapped her arms around him, his body instinctively tensing at the unexpected contact. It had been so long since he'd allowed himself to be touched with genuine affection, and his scarred, broken soul recoiled from the foreign sensation. His breath hitched in his throat, and for a moment, he teetered on the edge of pushing her away, of retreating back into the icy, isolated fortress he'd built around his heart.

But as he stood there, feeling the warmth of her embrace seeping into his chilled skin, he felt something shift inside him. A faint, flickering ember of the man he used to be, the man who had once found comfort and joy in simple acts of kindness and connection. That tiny spark of his former self urged him to relax, to allow this moment of tenderness.

Slowly, hesitantly, Bucky's arms came up to encircle her frame. He held her gently, almost tentatively, as if he were afraid he might break her if he held too tightly. His calloused hands, hands that had known only violence and destruction, now cradled her with a softness that belied their strength.

Bucky's gaze drifted down to the top of y/n's head, her curly hair tickling his chin. He inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of her shampoo, the faint aroma of marker ink that now clung to her skin from their creative session. A shuddering sigh escaped his lips as he felt the last of the tension drain from his body.

In that moment, as he held her close, Bucky felt a profound sense of gratitude. He felt gratitude for her unwavering acceptance, for her ability to see past the broken, scarred exterior to the man he still was beneath it all. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes as he tightened his embrace slightly, pulling her a bit closer.

He couldn't find the words to express the depth of emotion he was feeling, so he simply held her, letting his actions convey the thanks and appreciation he couldn't voice. He knew he couldn't stay like this forever, couldn't hide away from the world in her gentle arms. But for now, in this stolen moment, he allowed himself to simply be held, to be seen, and to be accepted.

After a long, peaceful moment, Bucky finally spoke, his voice a low, rough murmur against the top of y/n's head.

"Thank you, y/n." he whispered, his words thick with emotion.

"For... for everything."

He knew he couldn't stay like this forever, couldn't hide away in her gentle arms and expect the world to leave him be. But for now, in this moment, he allowed himself to simply be held, to be seen, and to feel a glimmer of hope that perhaps he could still be a man worthy of someone as kind and patient as herself.

Slowly, reluctantly, Bucky loosened his embrace and took a step back, his hands hovering uncertainly at her elbows as if not quite sure what to do with them. He looked down at her, his blue eyes searching hers, a faint blush coloring his cheeks beneath the scars.

"I should... I should go try and get some sleep." He said softly, already missing the warmth of her closeness.

"But I... I'm glad we did this. I'm glad we got to... Talk."

Bucky took a deep, shuddering breath, his gaze never leaving y/n's face.

"Night,"

He whispered with a smile before turning and walking away, his steps slower and more measured than before.

"Sleep well."

[jinxpantsu]

hello!! I hope you're having a lovely day 💗💗 i've been a bit shy to request this but i was wondering if you could do MC who is orthorexic with a bulimic subtype for brothers and barbatos. ive been diagnosed with this and i rarely see anything for eating disorers that arent anorexia 😓 its a very draining illness and itd be comforting to read something that one of my favorite tumblr artists wrote!! anyways that is all i have for you, i hope youre doing well and thank u 🙏🙏

Wow hello this is such an old ask!

I'm going back through my ask box as a wave goodbye to this part of my life on this tumblr blog... That being said: I had no idea that orthorexic bulimia was a thing. I did a bit of research on it but from what I read this is a strange one. No offense obviously.

I don't personally think there's much to add for each of the brothers (that or I'm incredibly rusty on my characterization of them "canonically") and all characterization of the side characters have since left me unfortunately. So I'll be doing this in a way that I haven't in the past, and with much regret without Barbatos as input outside of typical behaviors of a well informed demon.

Content warning for the obvious: eating disorders

Whether they understand initially or not, it becomes obvious that your fixation on healthy foods has put a strain on your relationship with the brothers. Beelzebub understands it purely because he too enjoys a healthy snack to help with his gains. But your repulsion to eating anything native to the Devildom as well as your inability to eat much of anything with sugar or too many fats is making it difficult for him to take you to Madam Screams. You try not to impress upon him that his eating habits aren't good either, and it's purely because he's capable of downing anything he wants without any trouble. Satan on the other hand completely understands your need to eat, but balancing it with exercise is a bit tricky. It doesn't need to just be a healthy diet... shenanigans likely ensues when he comes up with creative ideas on how to make you exercise instead of just letting you eat foods ethically grown and raised on local farms.

Leviathan though is tricky. You want to be able to convince him to check the nutrition facts on each package he picks up... if these were actually real foods in the first place. His diet is sullied with rotten factory-ridden chemical laced garbage and the idea of eating anything he packs away during his gaming sessions makes you physically ill. Don't even get started on the way he offers you his "fruit juice". Concentrated hellberries? Really? Why not... just pick real hellberries and squeeze those? What ever happened to 'when life gives you lemons'? Regardless, it's something he tries to take to with you, and his efforts do not go unnoticed. It's just not something he can keep up with for very long. Asmodeus is a bit easier to manage though. His diet is typically healthier than most, and while his products he puts on his skin aren't the most ethically pure, what he eats is easy to tweak. Barely indulging in snacks to keep a pretty and slim waist, it only takes one quick look at the spread of food he eats for you to make the necessary adjustments. It's only a touch bit annoying to him how strict you are about this, and cheat days are no fun when you "cheat" by eating oats and raisins with yogurt or some other fresh fruit picked straight from a nearby farm, but it's not all bad. Easily one of the most reliable and understanding, though he does not pick up a book on the matter.

Provided your medical records from Diavolo (HIPPA laws? What are those!) Lucifer looks around online for the condition. He must say it's a bit... of a hassle. But adjustments for your "strange" diets are met. Once he gets used to the changes you make to the diet pyramid he put together for you, and the meal prep chart he has specifically for you as well, its smooth sailing. Aside from Asmo, Lucifer is the most organized at making sure your health is at its peak and everything you eat is pure and clean. Rice is washed, vegetables rinsed, proper exact portions of whole milk, and eggs are not to be bought from the store. The yellow yolk means they've sat out for too long, and thus have aged. While they're still "fine" to eat, it's not it's most healthy unless its fresh from the chicken coop.

[zmrzeltm]

𝒊 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒇𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒍𝒄𝒐𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒄 𝒕𝒊𝒍’ 𝒏𝒐𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒚 𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒂𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄 . . . ᥫ᭡.

. . . “please don’t burn yourself out.”

the wave off was inevitable. “i won’t, mom. i’m fine.” the words were met with a heavy sigh. if there was anyone that could call syd’s bullshit from the other end of the world, it was her mother. understandable, she’d dealt with it her entire life. headstrong from a young age, showing sheer inability at numerous times in her life to show emotion, regardless of how much she truly felt. call it mothers instinct, but the older woman on the other end of the call had tried for years to convince her daughter that showing vulnerability was healthy — not that she took the advice aboard. at least, not openly. in the comfort of her own company, then sure . . but that definitely didn’t offer the help she perhaps needed in those moments.

“okay, i gotta go . . give patch a kiss from me and enjoy lake tahoe . . i’m very jealous.” a strained chuckle climbed out the pit of her throat. “i love you.” seconds after the call ended, the blonde was brought back to reality like a train coming to an emergency stop. dainty hands set her phone on the side table — glossy hues scanning the surroundings of her hotel room like she was attempting to find a distraction from the silence; which felt so heavy. you would think after two and a bit solid years of consistent travelling she would be used to this. the ‘come down’ they would call it. rockstars would talk about it, too . . going from performing in front of thousands, spending entire days talking to fans, taking pictures, getting complimented, feeling important . . to coming back to an empty hotel room and realizing you’re just human. you’re alone and you’re in a shit ton of pain.

being by herself was never a productive time for sydney — reflection on her part never drifted towards anything positive . . flashbacks of some of the most traumatic events in her life were guaranteed. especially after talking with her mother, whom was also subject to a lot of these agonising times. the sole reason she wanted to succeed in this business? . . give her something to be proud of. no matter how much her mother would reiterate the fact that her success isn’t a measure of her love or how proud she is, it was the only way sydney knew how to express herself. it had to be tangible. a classic ‘if i can prove myself in this line of work, it’s a testament to how you raised me’. alas, her career and the successes that came with it, weren’t necessarily exactly where she wanted them to be. seemingly never satisfied. feeling like she should always be doing more.

there simply weren’t enough hours in the day. if they needed a standby for a show? she was there. if they needed someone to do media? she would clear the schedule. charity work? absolutely. making content for social media? say less. all the while, a good five hours of her day was dedicated to updating her online store, chatting with manufacturers and doing crazy amounts of promotional work. it was no wonder she was lucky to get three hours of rest at night. enter, her unspoken kryptonite. a glass of wine, just to take the edge off. except, it was never just one . . and it never just took the edge off. it ended in an undeniable buzz that certainly didn’t help her chronic case of insomnia.

yet, here she found herself, shuffling bare feet towards the minibar at the other end of the room. complimentary drinks somehow came with the gig — not ideal if it was something you found yourself beginning to rely on a little too much, but at this moment, she was more thankful than anything. bottle of château in hand, glass held in the other . . the blood tinted beverage ascended to the rim; which absolutely wasn’t the recommended serving on the bottle, but who was here to judge? exactly. no one. one glass, turned to a second . . which conveniently led to a third. hard to believe such a tiny female could put away that amount, huh? nevertheless, the buzz she seek’d turned into an incoherent mess submerged inside the depth of bubbly water in her bathtub. one hand still clinging to a glass of wine, the other scrolling through social media, liking all of her friends pictures like it was her job, hype girl was absolutely her third occupation in life; one she felt she was actually good at.

at least the alcohol succeeded in one thing, the aches and pains in her body from both training and the unexpectedly rough winter games were all but numbed entirely . . except the cost of that came in the form of a sudden bout of nausea. hardly surprising after tanking a whole bottle of wine. however, the attempt to get herself safely out of the tub ended in disaster — unaware of her footing and how slippery the flooring beneath was, the 5’9 came crashing down onto the hard marble. no bathmat and a sheer lack of balance played their part as the blondes head bounced harshly against the floor. the ringing in her ears distracted her from the initial pain that came with the impact which was akin to the gnarliest bump a wrestler could take . . vision blurry, doubled at times as she attempted to open her eyes. was she knocked out? is that blood on the floor? unaware if it was from the previous injury sustained at the games, or a brand new to suit . . all she did know? was no one could ever find out about this.

ever.

[fandom-nursery]

Steven agere headcanons

Regresses between ages 0-8

Starts regressing pretty frequently during the events of steven Universe future 

It was very confusing and scary when it started happening because it was just another thing happening to his body that he didn't understand. Once he knows what is going on 

His regression was mostly involuntary for a long time but Steven is slowly learning methods to manage his age regression and does have times when he voluntarily regresses now as well 

Steven can physically regress his form to that of a child fitting whatever age headspace he is in

Depending on if he’s regressed to an age where he can speak he is very talkative 

When regressed Steven really lets himself cut loose and relax and be the child he didn’t really get to be growing up. His personality is still the same but he’s more relaxed and able to focus more on his own needs rather than other peoples 

Even in older headspaces he will nap as its one of the times he can usually sleep without nightmares 

He loves to be picked up. Being around the gems made him pretty used to being lifted and tossed around and he finds it comforting and fun to be in someone else’s arms 

He loves creative activities like art projects or baking or building sand castles on the beach. He also really loves getting to do the things he didn't get to do as a child. 

Going to Connies house and having her take care of him all day like he was any normal human child is really nice for him 

Steven has always eaten a lot of junk food and pre-prepared meals like pizza and he does still crave those foods on occasion while regressed however he as well as his therapist have decided that having more consistent homemade and healthy meals would be good for him. He does in fact really enjoy meatloaf.

He is very good at trying new things while regressed and has discovered a lot of new favorite foods that he continues to enjoy while out of headspace 

He pretty much always needs his face and hands wiped down after eating even is someone else is feeding him 

Steven is spoiled rotten for toys while regressed. His dad, connie, and the gems all love bringing him new plushies and games and figurines in audition to the ones he still has 

His favorite are his army of stuffed animals that he has created complex family structures for and displayed carefully around and in his bed 

He always packs his cheeseburger backpack with possible items he might need for any age. He brings it with him whenever he regresses voluntarily and keeps it handy just in case he regresses involuntarily. Having it helps him feel prepared 

He’s not particularly picky about clothing when small however since he does physically change sizes when regressed he does have several sizes of clothing on hand 

He does use a paci especially in his younger headspaces  

On the occasion that Steven regresses to under the age of two he does usually need diapers. He maintains a little more control over himself than a regular baby would due to having all his memories but physically he is a baby  

The gems (including lapis, peridot, and bismuth) know about his regression. His dad and Connie also do and, by extension, so do Connie's parents. They are all very supportive 

Steven did not want the diamonds to know about his regression at all unfortunately they found out by accident when they visited while he was regressed. They continuously bothered him about wanting to be there to take care of him until he had a breakdown and Connie and the gems stepped up to get them to back off. It’s still a bit of a strained topic with them though   

Steven honestly could almost do with less caregivers. Connie is who watches him the most followed by Greg. If he is in an older headspace then the gems are allowed to watch him since they helped raise him and know a bit about what to do. Lapis, peridot, and bismuth are only allowed to babysit and only if at least one other caregiver is present because they do not know how human children work at all 

Steven calls Connie by her name and calls Greg dad. He uses the gems names (or as close to their names as he’s able to say) most of the time however there have been one or two times when he’s slipped up and called both pearl and garnet some version of mom. They had a really long talk when he was out of headspace and he also discussed it with his therapist. He confided that he does see the gems as mothers in some ways but feels like fully calling them mom usually brings up too many complicated feelings about Rose for him and everyone else. 

Discipline was something he requested since it wasn't something he really had before. Connie modeled to the gems and Greg what an effective time out should be and that's what happens now when he breaks a rule. He rarely does but the structure is good for him and he likes knowing exactly what's going to happen if he does mess up

[bellestarot]

Jeno's Reading

September 02, 2024

Right Now

He's really sad and upset right now; he feels betrayed. He believes people aren't trustworthy and seems pretty determined to cut some people out of his life at this point.

He feels like he doesn't have anyone he can rely on and is trying to take care of himself without needing certain people around to feel okay.

He’s also not telling people that he's struggling to get his work done and having a hard time attending meetings he needs to be at. He might feel tired or even burnt out from work, but he knows that if he doesn't put in the effort, he won't see the rewards in the end.

Love Life

He's not in a relationship right now, but I think he had the chance to be with someone or have a relationship, and it didn’t work out. He feels like maybe the effort he put in wasn't enough to make it work with this person. I also think that both he and this person were very materialistic, or maybe this person had a strong desire to be spoiled, was very focused on money and possessions, and that contributed to the end of what could have been something serious.

He feels that they had a good connection, they were similar, but he's really frustrated that things didn't work out between them. However, I see someone else coming into his life. Someone who has feelings for him, and he's also developing feelings for this person or might already have them. They have a good physical connection, a strong attraction, but he's still holding on to that person from the past.

Career

He's feeling very anxious, even though a lot of good things are happening. He’s struggling to enjoy these positive moments because he’s going through a lot of anxiety right now. I also think there are two younger people around him at work with whom he’s been having conflicts.

The first person he has issues with because he feels like they aren't fair, don’t stick to schedules, and don’t put in their best effort at work. This has caused some tension between him and this person. The other person, he feels, isn’t living the right way; maybe they’re involved in something questionable or have bad habits.

This person also seems pretty disconnected from the work environment.

But overall, he has good relationships with people at work. I think there’s a balance with many people, and he’s able to build strong connections, almost like a family in a way.

Family

It seems like he has some issues with his mother. Their relationship appears to be a bit strained, which sometimes makes him lose hope that they could have something healthy together.

However, he is very close to the women in his family overall. While I’m not sure if he has sisters, he does seem to have many women in his family, and he is very close to them. He trusts them a lot, talks to them often, and his family is currently starting their own business.

I see that he is supporting them in this endeavor because it’s being led by someone in the family whom he believes deserves this success. This person has worked hard and manifested this project for many years, and now it’s finally coming to fruition.

Friendships

Actually, he was hurt by many of his so-called friends. I’ve noticed he’s ended many friendships recently. He feels judged by these people and believes they were never really there for him. Looking back, he can see all the signs that these people weren't true friends and didn't have good intentions.

Many of them just wanted something from him, something related to money or materialism.

He also had this behavior. With other friends, he was involved out of interest as well.

He kind of wishes for genuine and healthy friendships in his life. I think the universe will eventually send that his way, but it might take some time. Right now, he feels very alone and seems to only have one person to rely on—a female friend who has been helping him overcome this and showing him that he can meet new people and trust others too.

Future

He will get an amazing opportunity at work that will bring him a lot of fulfillment. It’s something he’s wished for, so seeing it happen and succeed will bring him great happiness. In terms of his career, it could be a solo project, a drama, or something he’s wanted to do for a long time.

Unfortunately, his mother’s relationship will continue to cause him a lot of stress. I think he’ll try to balance things in their relationship, but it will be somewhat difficult and stressful.

I think he will go through a challenging time in his life, possibly emotionally. Something psychological will deeply affect him, making him feel very hurt, painful, and hopeless. I can’t pinpoint exactly what it will be, but it seems to be something very intense that will really shake him up.

However, I also see good things ahead.

I believe he will enter into a very positive and healthy relationship, fulfilling all his desires and dreams. He will be completely in love with this person, and I see them creating their own family, possibly even entering into the relationship quite quickly.

[cherry-valentine]

Winter 2024 Anime Season

I didn’t do write ups for the Fall 2023 season because I was only watching two shows and they were just new seasons of shows I’ve written about multiple times before (Dr. Stone and Spy x Family) so I didn’t feel the need. Both were great. I’ll just leave it at that.

Mr. Villain’s Day Off is one of my favorites this season. Following a stereotypical Tokusatsu villain on his not so typical days off from villain work, the show is a tender hearted comedy without a single mean bone in its body. The humor here is more subtle and situational than the usual fast paced slapstick we often see in anime. As a result, the story actually has a heart. The main character, usually just called Shogun (reflecting his status in the villainous organization), spends his days at “work” fighting a team of Power Ranger-like heroes (each of whom actually get some decent characterization and cute moments, especially the perpetually lost Red) and plotting the destruction of humanity so that his race of aliens can take over the planet. But he spends his days off visiting the zoo to see the animals he’s come to adore: pandas. The charm of this extremely charming show is primarily in the contrast between the violent villain who wants to wipe out humanity and the quiet, good natured man who loves pandas and is genuinely enjoying learning about earth and human customs. The art is very nice, nothing too fancy but it serves the story well. The music is soothing. Overall it’s a very sweet and comforting series that wisely avoids going over the top with the comedy and never really drains its primary joke (villain who loves pandas) too much. Recommended (though you’ll definitely get more enjoyment out of this show if you’re at least vaguely familiar with Tokusatsu tropes).

A Sign of Affection is an incredibly sweet and gentle shoujo romance about a young deaf woman named Yuki and the relationship she forms with Itsuomi, a handsome guy from her college who knows several languages and decides to learn sign language after meeting her. There’s been a bit of a trend lately that I’m totally here for: shoujo romances that are wholesome and healthy. Though I definitely enjoy the drama of more spicy shows, it’s also very nice to relax and watch something that’s not going to piss me off. A Sign of Affection is very careful with its romance. Characters behave in more natural, mature ways. There are fewer misunderstandings and the ones we get are completely understandable. It’s just nice to see healthy, equal, consensual relationships. Because those are the ones I want to root for. Yuki’s disability is handled with delicacy and tact. We see her limitations and struggles but we also see her living a full and happy life. The art style is very typical for high quality shoujo. Lots of pastels and gentle, natural designs. The animation is fluid enough for a show like this, and the music fits it well. Recommended if you like romance.

Cherry Magic is a BL (Boys Love) series that continues the fairly recent trend of non toxic BL anime (that started with shows like Given and Sasaki and Miyano). Cherry Magic centers on Adachi, a shy man who discovers he has magical powers after hitting age 30 while still being a virgin. The power? To read the mind of anyone he touches. Out of curiosity he touches his handsome, popular coworker Kurosawa and finds out Kurosawa is in love with him. Once upon a time, nearly every BL anime that came out was full of toxic relationships and, I’ll call it a “strained relationship with consent”. There’s been a lot of discussion over the years about why that was and how people felt about it, but I for one (a straight cis woman, so take my opinion with a grain of salt) always found those aspects to be uncomfortable. Thankfully, like with shoujo romance, modern series have been moving away from abusive relationships with (very) dubious consent. Cherry Magic is refreshing, mainly in that the two leads are 30 and they actually form a very sweet and equal relationship. It’s a very slow burn romance, but it works well here. The art isn’t anything amazing. The character designs are rather generic and the animation quality dips noticeably after the first episode. But the music is nice and the writing is strong enough to carry the show. Recommended.

High Card season two is, so far, a bit of a letdown. Following a group of people using magic playing cards to give them special powers as they try to gather all the cards, the first season was a blast. The characters were fun and the plot, while occasionally getting a little dark, was overall upbeat and energetic. Season two is fine. I’m enjoying it and it’s had a few great episodes, but the pacing just feels off. Some episodes feel disjointed, and just when it seems like the plot is getting tense and urgent, things come to a screeching halt to have backstory or even side story episodes. To be clear, it’s still a very good anime, but so far the second season is failing to live up to the first. The art and animation are still great and the music is too (though the opening and ending themes just don’t compare to the absolute bangers of season one). Definitely still worth watching for the colorful, lively characters alone.

The Demon Prince of Momochi House is a very pretty supernatural shoujo series about an orphaned girl named Himari inheriting a house from a family she never knew, only to find it already occupied by a trio of handsome young men, two of whom are not actually human. It turns out Himari’s new house sits on the border between worlds, and one of the young men, Aoi, is tasked with guarding that border. The plot is fairly episodic, and the show’s main weakness is that it feels very familiar and predictable. The basic setup of “bright cheerful girl with no family moves in with supernatural hot guys” is not new. But it’s a common setup for a reason: it’s charming and fun. The art and design are very pretty. The music is a high point, with my favorite opening theme of the season. It’s a cute show. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it’s still a fun ride.

Sengoku Youko is a fantasy action series focusing a pair of traveling “siblings” (not related by blood) consisting of Tama (a fox spirit) and Jinka (a human who hates other humans and wants to become a spirit creature). Traveling with them is a young human man named Shinsuke who wants to be a swordsman. The plot is fairly episodic, with the siblings mostly wandering into dangerous situations involving spirit creatures. There’s an overarching plot about a human religious sect that’s been doing experiments to combine humans with spirit creatures, but that’s usually in the background of the other adventures and serves to provide villains. The characters are overall interesting and fun, and a few of them even avoid falling into the usual fantasy anime tropes, or flip those tropes around enough to be interesting. The fights are exciting, even if the powers and abilities aren’t always made clear. It’s nice that there are plenty of powerful lady characters as well. The art and animation are nice, and the music is great. The ending theme is hauntingly beautiful, and my favorite of the season by far.

[alliminoobers]

Oops, I'm here once again with more of my baby Rook. Template by @otherpigeon-moved here

and then cuz I'm a nerd, I also did @pinkhallaclub 's questionnaire inspired by @cassieuncaged's BG3 Character Development Questions but for Rook instead!

1: Where in Thedas is your Rook from?

They are from Minrathous, it is unknown if she was born there or not as she was found as an orphan and adopted by the Mercar family.

2: What is your character's alignment?

They are a mix between chaotic neutral and chaotic good, heavily leaning towards the former. Sometimes they tend to act before thinking, especially when it comes to slavers and Venatori. Because of this, they easily get into trouble with authority. 

3: Race and subclass?

Shirevas is an Elven Evoker Mage, they have always been good with specifically ice based magic. 

4: If your Rook was a companion, where would they be found?

Either in the streets of Dock Town, The Cobbled Swan or at the Shadow Dragon hideout. There is also a possible location of the catacombs.

5: What emotion did they usually pick?

A healthy dose of both the affable and sarcastic ones. They prefer being optimistic and helpful, but can be quite annoyed with authoritative figures. They do choose the stoic option more with certain people, or the sarcastic one. If they are speaking with any of the ones they are close to, then it is affable with a bit of the sarcastic one. It almost always depends on the situation.

6: What companion are you platonically close with?

Davrin but they are equally close with most of the companions! The entire team is like a found family, but Davrin became somewhat of a brother figure for them along the way.  Lucanis is a close second here as well (despite the whole saving Minrathous instead of Treviso deal...)

7: Romantically close with?

The Darling of Dock Town herself, Neve Gallus!

8: Who are they suspicious of?

They aren’t suspicious of any of the companions, although in the beginning, they were a bit more suspicious towards Lucanis due to the ‘Demon of Vyrantium’ moniker. They warmed up to Lucanis quite quickly though. (Totally not because he made amazing food.)

9: Does your Rook get along with their chosen Faction?

Yes! They hold the Shadow Dragons close to their heart. Their relationship with Tarquin specifically is one reminiscent of a sibling one with Shirevas being the annoying younger sibling. 

10: Are they proficient in playing any instruments?

Nope. Shirevas attempted to learn piano and guitar at some point but found that they only got distracted by various other things. It also put some strain on their fingers, so they just gave up on that. They do have a good singing voice but they do not like letting other people hear said singing.

11: Weapon of choice?

Mageknife and orb. They have a staff as well but they prefer being up close when fighting, more of a melee fighter than a ranged. So even without magic they are quite proficient with hand-to-hand combat. This also gives them an advantage as the enemy tends to underestimate them when they find out they’re a mage and try and get close which is when Shirevas switch to their mageknife.

12: What is their orientation?

They are very much pansexual and panromantic as well, with a heavy preference towards women.

13: What are their thoughts on killing? Is it a necessary evil or do they enjoy it?

They are neutral around it. They neither enjoy it or hate it, it is more a necessary thing to be able to survive in general. 

14: What hobbies does your Rook have?

Sketching. It is something they began to do when on stakeouts as they found they couldn’t be still for too long, so sketching became an activity they did to pass the time while keeping an eye on any slavers or venatori. The subjects were most of the time the city buildings and the stray cats that sometimes accompanied them on the rooftops. 

15: What NPCs do they like? Which one's do they dislike?

Shirevas does like most of their fellow Shadow Dragons, while their dislike list involves pretty much any of their enemies that they fight. They also dislike Solas, mostly out of annoyance at having him in their head.

16: Do they have a favorite creature in the Thedas?

Cats. With there being so many alley cats in Dock Town, it became a familiar sight for them. A feeling akin to coming home for them. 

17: Do they enjoy life as an adventurer?

At first, they didn't like it, feeling peeved they had to get out of Tevinter for some time. They didn't regret their actions but they were not used to being outside of Tevinter so it was a clear adjustment for them. At some point, they started to enjoy that life, feeling a different sense of freedom in being in all those different places.

18: What would your Rook be doing if they weren't recruited by Varric?

They would do their best to lay low since the whole fiasco in Nessus was still a thing that happened. So they would be with their family instead. They would not be able to handle being alone and try to navigate the world outside Tevinter.

19: How do you think they'll meet their end?

Either they grow old or get a bit too reckless in a fight. Or the more dumb way of messing up a jump and thus plummet to the ground. 

20: Would they side with Solas or fight him?

They would fight him. Solas’ arrogance pisses them off to no end so any valid points he may have had would be completely ignored. The whole “elven god stuck in their head” kinda trumps everything else.

21: What is your Rook's favorite ability?

Any of their magical abilities that are capable of freezing their enemies so they can close the distance and get rid of the other easily. Also, watching the ice shatter can be quite amusing.

22: What languages is your character fluent in?

Common, but they do speak a bit of Tevene and a little bit of Elvhen.

23: What do they do after an absolute crisis?

It can go 2 different ways. They either shut off completely, distancing themselves from the others. Or they launch themselves into work and the next plan without regard to the need to rest. They do not handle failure in a sane way, inclined to blame themselves 9 out of 10 times.

24: Does your character believe in the afterlife?

They are a bit iffy on this, they like the thought of an afterlife but when they have seen so much suffering and pain, they don't see the point of an afterlife nor do they care.

25: What specialization best represents your Rook?

Despite being an Evoker, the better representing one would be Spellblade as they much more prefer getting up and personal with the enemy, and they are also quick on their feet.

26: What animal best represents your Rook?

A dog. Fiercely loyal and protective, but also exceedingly sweet with people in general.

27: What was their life like before the events of Veilguard?

It was…decent but tough. Growing up as an elf in Tevinter is not the easiest, granted, their adopted family did care for them but they were often mistaken for a servant when out and about which was always a topic that irked them endlessly, and you would think finding out you’re a mage would improve your life but it didn’t for Shirevas because then there were more eyes on them and they couldn’t simply stay in the shadows as much despite being an elf. Which is how they were drawn to joining the Shadow Dragons, along with feeling a strong need to rescue slaves. For a long time, they did resent being an mage but they slowly grew into begrudgingly accepting it.

28: Is your character the de facto leader of the party? Or do they consider someone else to be the leader?

Shirevas did not see themselves as being capable of being a good leader despite everyone turning to them for the answers. They always saw Neve and Harding as far more capable of leading than them. Heck, anyone else in their team would be far more suited as a leader. 

29: If you could choose a different faction for your Rook, which one would they have joined and why?

The Lords of Fortune. The whole treasure hunting aspect was appealing to Shirevas, there was also a form of freedom to see in Rivain and it was something that they really liked to see and feel. They also seemed to have a more decent view on mages than some other places.

30: What's your favorite thing about your Rook?

They wear their heart on their sleeve, they are very loud with their affection, but also their anger. Only thing they hide is their pain.

And fun fact: A cute habit of theirs is to sleep in the weirdest spots possible, especially in all the other rooms excluding their own room.

[marsbar17]

would u mind doing cryptane (octane x crypto) headcanons? specifically in a long term (perhaps even secret due to their different affiliations) relationship? and if u do any nsfw, trans octane please, mwah. teehee ty!

This is kinda long and I got goofy with it and the nsfw part is short but shhhhhhhhh feast, my child

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

《SFW》

• A lot of effort, time, and feelings went into their relationship, leading to a healthy and stable situation

• All the legends knew they were dating, it was hard not to with Octane's inability to shut up sometimes dhdhdjkaja

• Also the fact that Octane would kiss the other all the time during the games

• Super cool kraber shot? Smooch

• Downed someone in one mag? Smooch

• Kill leader? Smooch, baby

• Win the game? Extra big smooch, maybe with some tongue too (ooh la la)

• Octane wasn't super helpful when it came to Crypto's hate against the syndicate, but he was one hell of a hype man

• He's all like "I don't blame you for hating ol' 'Duardo, I hate him too haha."

• Yeah well, that changed, octane went back to papa duardo and now he's working for the syndicate yaaayyyy

• They didn't talk about it, not communicating and just continuing being romantic and loving while also avoiding the whole subject

• They'd cuddle, turn on the TV only to quickly turn it back off when Octane's face shows up next to his dad's at some big event

• This continued for a while, until Octane figured out that Crypto was helping Lifeline, Loba, and the others with trying to get information on Eduardo

• I mean, he thought about it, but he didn't want to accept that it could be happening, and then he saw it himself with the information on Crypto's computer

• Crypto tells him that Octane can make his own decisions, and that while helping his dad isn't one he agrees with, he's not going to stop loving Octane

• Octane is still a bit hurt that his boyfriend and his best friend are working against him, but fuck it man, Crypto's just too sexy to let go over something so dumb

• So they go back to not talking about it, but they also stop being affectionate in public

• No more smooches :(

• Crypto doesn't really care about what the others feel, but Octane is afraid that Lifeline will get mad that he's talking with Crypto but not her yknow

• When they're alone it's very nice tho, cuddles and watching TV with snacks

• Weird headcannon but Octane has seen all of Grey's Anatomy, and made Crypto watch it aswell

• LIKE, I JUST FEEL LIKE HED GET A KICK OUT OF MAKING FUN OF SHOWS LIKE THAT YKNOW??

• (I haven't seen grey's anatomy I just get clips on tik tok and assume I understand)

• Crypto pretends to hate it but secretly he enjoys the cornyness of it

• The communication ain't very good but it's fiiiinnnneee

• Their relationship is strained, but it's still holding on by like, a couple threads

• One of those threads is probably the sex 👍

《NSFW》

• You can't tell me you look and Crypto and don't think "yeah that man fucks"

• Either that or he has never seen pussy in his life but yknow, that's fun too

• And god is Octane's pussy GOOD

• Octane fucks

• I am an avid enjoyer of the thought that Octane just has casual sex with his friends for fun, no strings attached

• Will do anything to ride Crypto, he's too impatient to let Crypto fuck him

• "Come on perrito~ You've gotta try harder than that to get me off~"

• It doesn't matter if Crypto's on top or bottom, Octane is telling him what to do

• Harder, faster, deeper

• Octane is always begging for quickies at inconvenient times

• Man's gonna get dick when he wants it, bitch

• Crypto's always spent by the end of it, while Octane's like "come on old man, your cum is leaking out of me and I need aftercare STAT."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm realizing how long this is dhdhdnsj WELL

[chaoticevilbean]

A "Short" List of Empires S2 HC's (mostly about goblins)

I added the quotes around short bc I think my concept is skewed

Goblins have white blood. Bc of this, they blush pale green

Goblins define "adult" as having to be dual-held - AKA if you can hold onto someone and they don't need to use their own hands to keep you up, you are "child"

Goblins do not get fevers. Instead, they get so cold that they can freeze water and make breath turn to fog

Goblins have the ability to stretch their mouths incredibly wide. Think a chipmunk or squirrel, then make it bigger. Fwhip can easily store several blocks of gold, a stack of rocks, and a bundle in his mouth, with room still for him to eat pork.

Goblins Do Not have a Danger Sense. They see things and only know they're Dangerous bc someone tells them. This is because Wardens = Friends, creepers and zombies and such that spawn underground have learned to be neutral towards goblins, and it's basic understanding that if you do not want to burn, do not touch the Lava.

Fwhip met a creeper aboveground for the first time and it didn't blow up bc he ran up to it and asked for directions. All other rulers are free game, but Fwhip is too nice.

(A side HC is that Lizzie was raised by the goblins and that's why she founds Animalia so close to Gobland. Hence, she has all of the behaviors of a goblin, and all the perks that go with being one)

Gobland has the best alcohol. No one knows what it is, since there isn't any wheat or crops in general in the caves, but it tastes good... until the second one, where you start to have some fuzzy memories.

Goblins have incredbly sensitive hearing. This means that even w/lots of machines and people, the caves are eerily quiet. Upworlders think they're scared of the deep dark bc of this.

Goblins have really good sense in general. Eyesight? They can see in any light for quite a while and pretty far. Just don't have them looking at in bright light for too long. It can strain them. (Fwhip really likes the sunglasses Gem gives him. No more headaches.)

Goblins run, climb, jump, dash, etc, a lot due to the nature of caves. Aboveground, they'll use trees, bushes, animals, people, etc. Joel is considered prime Perching material, so he doesn't even flinch when Fwhip just leaps onto his shoulders and sits there like a very strange cat.

Fwhip is 3'1". He is tall for a goblin. The average height of a goblin is 2'4" (1'9" -> 2'7")

Ginger hair = very powerful, so people tend to defer to Fwhip before he's even the leader

Goblins genuinely enjoy having many names and many outfits. THey share outfits + easily identify "costumes" (disguises), but they also respect "play" (pretending, acting, or lying to an Upworlder).

Lizzie is considered to be "playing". She is aware of this. Fwhip and her like to joke about it, since he really sees "human Lizzie" as a different person than "Lizzie" bc that's what you do to respect "play"

Lizzie eats raw food. Fwhip eats literally everything. What it is or the state it's in does not matter. They both are considered to be eating healthy regardless.

Fwhip does not like flying things, but deals w/most of them - he'll eat phantom meat, but Lizzie eats any chicken he manages to get. Or any chicken near him. The guy doesn't like the pests. It's the principle of the matter!

Lizzie is 4'3". She feels v short until Fwhip assures her she's tall. Catfolk and goblins are both reasonably sized people, unlike everyone else. A little tallness is okay for them.

Goblins have v sharp teeth. Fwhip especially, arguably bc he's constantly in danger as he does his projects + expands Gobland.

Fwhip's teeth smtms stick out when he's upset, concentrating, or holding back a big expression. Not much, but if someone pays attention, there's these little pokes coming out.

Earrings are common amongst goblins. And jewellry. They like to be shiny and feel pretty... or so Upworlders think. In reality, it helps w/visibility, as a reflective thing is easier to see in the caves, esp for eyes trained to find shiny ores + crystals.

Goblins have a natural sense of direction. They have no concept of cardinal directions.

Goblins have fast pupil adjustment. Turn the light on, off, on doesn't rlly affect them unless it happens for too long. It can seem a bit... to the left to Upworlders, as a goblin's pupils contract and dilate so fast you can't even see it.

Goblins are extremely strong. Upworlders say it's disproportionate, despite goblins insisting it's perfectly normal. Even Fwhip is unaware that the strength to size ration is much different from the other rulers.

Give a goblin something, they can make anything out of it. Just make sure to be specific. Asking for "food" or "building materials" might end up with green pork or sculk blocks.

Raw gold is "the Sun" of Gobland. It was given to them by the Ancients so they could still see the Sun, despite the cave.

"Stealing", "borrowing", "selling", "trading", "sun", "moon", "stars", "please", "money", "today", "day", "night", and all related terms have no direct translations in Goblish.

Goblins don't have the idea of "property" - they take what they need + try to help everyone have what they need. The closest thing to "property" is a word translated to "held dear", like keepsakes.

There is a great deal of communication + Upworlders think goblins are telepathic, a hive mind, have a squeaky yet guttural language (bc of how fast they can speak Goblish), etc. This comes from goblins nearly constantly talking to one another to figure out what they need to do.

Sun, moon, stars are not underground, so the closest words are translated to "raw gold" "glow lichen" and "sculk"

They rely on communication for timekeeping - cooks keep time bc they know when to make meals, miners come back to sleep as a group, etc.

"Please" is not necessary, though "thank you" roughly becomes "I'm glad you carried this with me"

Translations for colors are, roughly:

"redstone" for red

"lava" for orange

"green/blue crystal" (meaning emeralds + diamonds) for blue + green (it's one word for each, but they are derived from the word for "crystal"

"gold" for yellow

"dirt" for brown

so many shades of grey, black, + white, which makes Fwhip incredibly frustrated that there aren't any words for them in Common + he can't let them know what he's seeing

"Protector" = warden

"hide veins" = sculk

No words for seasons, upworld land features (such as mountain), etc

Goblins have retractable claws + tails to facilitate movement in caves. Part of why they get along with catfolk is these shared features. Tails are often wrapped around one's waist to act as belts when around Upfolk

Fwhip's Names, Who Gave Them, + Why:

Skelly - the cooks; it's slang for someone who's too thin, + Fwhip is considered too thin for forgetting to eat + being bigger

Protector-can't-stop - by smiths; meaning unstoppable force bc of how many projects he has + he doesn't even realize he's one of the best at smithing bc of it (he just wants netherite to stay safe)

Bright Light - by butchers; they all love pigs, so his positivity helps them feel better when they are killing the Hoglins

Juvenile - by clerics; meaning curious bc of how many questions he asks/asked

Prismatic - farmers; he brings things from the Upworld to have in Gobland, bringing lots of color into the caves

Bersagliere - fletchers; he is a sharpshooter, bc smtms you need to shoot a creeper or phantom very suddenly

Dexterous - leatherworkers; he's good w/the softer materials most goblins struggle with

Literacy - librarians; most goblins don't know how to write, even if they usually can read enough Common to get by

Pebble - masons; so he feels better when he's upset at being tall

Raw Gold - goblins in general; to show their respect for their leader

Chosen - by Protectors; old slang for "Fated" bc LORE

Fwhip - by Lizzie; he "fwhipped" out of nowhere to greet her, so her first impression was the sound. It means friendship to him, so he's confused why people who insist they aren't his friends use the name?

Child - older folk; mostly bc he's "an orphan"

Miscellaneous Names: Gobby, Goblin, Gremlin, Green Man, Deputy, etc

Salmon - Joel; Lizzie only ate Cod when he gave it to her, so she's Cod, Joel is Puffer, and Fwhip is Salmon.

Goblins can smell everything. Ea person has a unique scent, so identifying who's been w/who, etc, is pretty easy for them. Wither roses smell like memories + souls. Blocks + items have different smells, so traps are easy to find + disable. Every species smells different, + magic is no different.

The #1 Priority is Safety!... But it's Gobland. It's built w/the idea that 4ft is high, so Upworlders... struggle.

Fwhip started as an explorer of the deep dark. Then he was braver than any others in centuries + ventured to... the Upworld.

He is not "ruler". More accurate would be "pioneer" or "chosen" meaning he is fated to be the Guardian of Goblins (who gives them space + safety to grow).

He isn't afraid of heights, bc he's a goblin. He's scared of wide open spaces. If he's hanging from the ceiling of the cavern by one claw, whatever. If he's in a meadow, get him out.

Making things for someone = v pos relation in goblin culture. Anticipating what is needed + providing before asked = v post relation. Romance is communicated by giving colorful things that will be enjoyed.

Goblins do not have labels for relationships. They love as they will + who they will, only caring that all parties are comfortable. Which means that either they don't realize that they're not in a romantic relationship w/Upworlders, or they are overly cautious about presuming as such.

Going by Goblin standards, Fwhip is romantic partners w/Shelby, Joel, Jimmy, Scott, and Sausage. He is, in fact, unaware of Upworld customs beyond "marriage = guaranteed forever relationship", and he gets that from Lizzie + Joel being married.

Goblins don't care how many or few relationships someone has, though they are very community based and tend towards an average of four romantic partners.

Due to goblins having befriended basically everything underground, the Drip offers a plethora of special drinks. They can provide for: Protectors, goblins, zombies, creepers, skeletons, pigs + boars, spiders, axolotls, bats, glow squid, endermen, iron golems, blazes, drowned, endermites, silverfish, ghasts, magma cubes, slimes, shulkers, wither skeletons, allays, cats, squid, striders, and goats. Humans, elves, fairies, and dwarves could be provided for, but it's... it's a little iffy.

Goblins purr, growl, hiss, squeak, chirp, bleat, roar, crow, and occasionally howl. These are considered to add to conversation, along the same lines as body language, and often more important if you're in different tunnels. Fwhip + Lizzie often add noises like this into their conversations, but are both a bit nervous about their friends finding out since it's not normal like it is w/goblins.

Goblins have 2 ways they can be "born":

Ore-spawn. They are born of rocks, mined up like one might with ores. Veins typically contain about 20-30 goblin babies. They all look roughly the same, with mild variations based on what they were near. (ie. a baby that was right next to the deep dark is going to be slightly different than one surrounded by other babies)

Pod-made. Instead of reproducing as Upworlders do, goblins create pods that look like boulders (to them, so actually rather small). These pods are placed in the deep dark, where Protectors watch over them. Anyone can make a goblin pod, as long as they know what they're doing + they are placed in the care of the Protectors. The person/people who make the pod affect the appearance of the goblin. The materials can be next to everything so long as, again, it is considered a goblin pod in the care of Protectors.

Ore-spawns take about 3 decades to form, though are not considered "ripe" until 6 decades.

Pods take 5 years to have properly formed babies. Bc of this, Gobland operates on pod-cycles instead of years. There are abt 2-5 pods ready to open ea year. Hatching involves the babies beginning to mimic shriekers + the adults rushing to break through the outer layer to pull them out.

Lizzie + Joel are the only people who know how to translate days/months/years into pod-cycles. (1/12 of a pod-cycle for months, 1/365 of a pod-cycle, etc)

Fwhip's pod randomly appeared amongst the others, + hatched about 5 days later than the others. It was made of raw gold + some strange sculk/quartz/crying obsidian material.

On an absolutely completely unrelated note, he's had strange occurrences his whole life, may or may not have encountered absurdly friendly fae, and is more comfortable in the deep dark than even his fellow goblins.

Fwhip is the leader bc of being "fated/chosen" which means he's basically in charge of everything as soon as he became an adult. He doesn't really know how to explain to Upworlders that he's not "the Chosen One" so much as just being supremely weird + odd in every way, so he sticks w/ "I'm the tallest" as the reason.

None of his friends besides Lizzie are aware that this is a technical lie (him being tall is part of the reason, since it's weird to be so tall). Each of them (even Jimmy as a villain) are incredibly worried that one day a goblin will outgrow Fwhip + he'll just vanish bc he only seems to come up bc he's the leader. Each of them, bc of this, are committed to preventing any goblin from being taller than Fwhip. Fwhip is unaware of this. Lizzie never figured out how to tell them that they're wrong.

Wardens do not attack Lizzie if she's a cat, but will attack "Lizzie the Human"

Fwhip helped build the first Animalia buildings, but left once villagers arrived so Lizzie could start her reign as "Mayor Lizzie, the Completely Human Mayor of Animalia"

As the only goblin exploring the Upworld, Fwhip's the only one to encounter nearly all types of mobs. He has discovered that all mobs can be befriended EXCEPT guardians, elder guardians, and phantoms. These three are added to the only Nether mob that can't be befriended: the hoglin.

Goblins remember more history than Upworlders. Their average lifespan is 360 years, so the 1000 y since S1 is a lot less for them (abt 8 gen instead of 38)

Fwhip actually knows a lot of history, for his project inspo + bc he likes to hang w/the Elders every now + then. He has no idea how to inform Pix that some of his "facts" are... woefully incorrect.

Goblins hang in the Nether often. They share a love of gold w/piglins + are very friendly w/them, so no goblin has to worry about getting attacked by them. (The gold jewellry is for other reasons)

Goblins only need to drink every 2 weeks, eat every month, sleep every 2 months. They don't need to breathe much (as in can hold their breath for hours) + can shut off both sides of their throats. It's useful if they fall in water or encounter "bad air".

Neither goblins or Upworlders are aware of this difference in biology. Lizzie knows, but she's Lizzie + is aware of a lot of things abt goblins that no one else is, and she doesn't ever think to tell everyone else.

Goblins know where anything can be hidden. UPSIDE: They know where smth can be found if stolen or lost, easily hide important items, etc. DOWNSIDE: things are randomly found bc a goblin put it there, finding smth a goblin took is near impossible, etc

Goblins view eating sculk like eating dirt: Non-harmful, children do it, but why? Just ask for some food!

Goblins will adopt. The random child they found is an orphan? Theirs. They feel unsafe at home? Theirs. They've gotten lost? The goblin is going to find their caretaker to give them a piece of their mind.

Goblins therefore have folklore that says they "steal" children.

Goblins community-raise children. Every person is expected to contribute in some way. Sometimes that way is to teach the child a random skill. Sometimes it's helping build another building to provide room for the children.

Goblin boars are like giant forest hogs, as in massive. They are 6'7" at the shoulder on average, + abt 700 lbs. they carry loads through tunnels, usually loads of food or materials for stabilizing, before tracks are put down.

Snort, Sniff, + Boris are the only Goboars to go aboveground (besides the Gobville boar, Borus), purely bc they are proportionate to Fwhip (by goblin standards. Snort is 8'11", ~ 950 lbs; Sniff is 8'10", ~940 lbs; Boris 8'8", ~ 920 lbs.

Fwhip gets amazing deals from wandering traders bc he trades so often w/them to get things the caves don't have. He knows nearly all of them by name.

Joel met Lizzie + Fwhip when he was still human. Both shorter beings are his partners, but not with each other bc they're like siblings

Goblins can see tracks on stone + other rock, though Upworlders + even other cave-dwellers can't even tell that easily w/dust

Fwhip has trained himself to smile carefully to prevent his friends from seeing how strange his teeth are, or worse, scaring them.

Lizzie knows the most about goblins out of non-goblins. Joel knows second-most bc he's been close friends w/both cat + gremlin for decades. Oli also knows a decent amount, bc he was stuck in the cage for weeks.

Oli, unbeknownst to himself or anyone else, is considered a goblin. The reason? He's "actively contributing to his people", which is why his lack of paying more of his debt meant his land became part of Gobland. Fwhip really wants Oli to keep his goblin status.

Goblins use iron to help w/teething, like gum.

Baby goblins are often covered in rocks for protection while their watchers are in the mines, exploring, etc. Upworlders may mistake this for ore-spawning children.

Inchlings, known as "blues" to goblins, are roughly 3 inches tall + live in mutualistic symbiosis w/goblins. (I got this from someone saying goblin Fwhip + smurf Fwhip should meet)

Gobland's entrance is a little too short for most Upworlders, so many of them will hit their heads at some point, and concussions are somewhat commonplace. Goblins have a slightly skewed idea of how Upworlders act bc of this.

A goblin baby is a pebble + a group of pebbles is a cluster. (This is blatantly taken from another person's post, but I don't remember who it was. Someone else came up with this one.) Blues use the same terminology. Pigs/boars/piglins/hoglins are called bunches of stones.

Goblins don't mind rawness or blood, so they'll hunt in the Upworld if they feel the need to, + are willing to eat it right then. Fwhip is careful he doesn't get seen doing it bc it's... a Sight, + he + Lizzie check ea other for blood in their teeth. Blood on clothes can be explained away, but in teeth is decidedly harder.

Goblin Anatomy + Growth! (yes this is massively overthought, but no one can judge me in this fae realm)

Until ~ 42y (what they gain/have in this time) : ~ 1'10"; first row of teeth, which look like a human's; first claws, ~ 2x the length of a human's, but sharp + v hard; tail to knees, w/small tuft; can't hop yet; pupils dilate/contract involuntarily; eat ~ every 3 days, drink every 1, + sleep every week; carried on torso via them clinging monkey-style

~ 49y Growth Spurt (what they get) : 1-2"; second row of teeth, grinders for rocks behind the first; claws now have "sharp" retractable (meaning the sharp tips are "retracted" to have rounded ends); tail to calves

~ 54y GS : tuft fluffs slightly; now able to hop; eat ~ every 5 days

~ 60y GS : drink ~ every 3 days, sleep ~ every 11 days (essentially just a bodily efficiency growth spurt, smth strange to everyone but goblins)

~ 67y GS : 1-3"; third row of teeth, needle-like, in front of first set; second claws, from first knuckle, used to secure hold in rock, v big (1-2" past fingertip); tail to ankles; eat every 11 days; carried on torso via dual-grip

~ 78y GS : 1-2"; tuft now v fluffy; tail (if straightened) at feet/ground plus 1"; pupils dilate/contract voluntarily; drink every 5 days, sleep every 3 weeks

~ 87y GS : 1-3"; tail + 2"; 3rd claws, from 2nd knuckles for extra security in rock; eat every 3 weeks, drink every week

~ 100y GS : 1-2"; tail + 1-3"; eat every month, drink every 2 weeks, sleep every 2 months

Extra (possible) GS : markings, extra claws, fluffs along tail, extra rows of teeth

For average goblin, tails grow 6" past feet max

Tufts change to be brighter + fluffier (darker, slimmer fluffs blend in better w/rocks)

Claws are on both hands + feet, + are v strong. They're meant to help hold onto rocks. Goblins can hang by one set of claws, one-handed, from the ceiling, + can use their feet like hands. V useful for moving around where there is little concept of up + down

Ears ~ 5" long

Irises may glow in the dark; pupils are cat-like

Fwhip is considered odd anatomy wise

He has a tail 1'11" past feet, which looks a bit like a braided belt when he wraps it around his waist.

He weighs ~ 40 lbs, w/lift ~ 800 lbs (at least), which is perfectly reasonable to a goblin (if a little heavy to compensate for height). To his friends, he weighs maybe as much as wolf, + can lift at least a small ravager.

Ears are abt 1'2". This makes him seem much more expressive, since ears are a part of goblin body language.

He has extra claws from his 3rd knuckles + just under his hand + feet heels.

He requires less than most, too, eating a full meal abt every 2 months, drinking abt a gallon every month, sleeping 8 hours abt every 3.5 months

He has small, spaced fluffs down his tail.

He has markings that are called (in Goblish) lava, sculk, gold, + a few others. (Goblins have names for types of markings, + most who have them have at couple types)

His eyes change color depending on various factors + he can somewhat control it. This is a rarer trait, but still found in a few people.

He has needle teeth in the back of his throat, a few hard nubs on the roof of his mouth, + some tusk-fang-teeth that are right in front of his first set + sometimes stick out.

Goblins, having no sense of property, often just take things from places. This is why communication is so prominent, so if someone wants something that another has taken, it can be figured out who needs it/wants it more or if it's viable to trade tools, etc.

This also means that, due to the culture clash w/Upworlders, if someone claims that a goblin has "stolen", they will try to trade/sell the thing back, bc it's the basic knowledge they have of property.

Fwhip has made several magical artifacts that have ended up in the Overworld, though he doesn't realize they're special, since many goblins make similar items.

The skull that took Scott's eye is Skeletron's skull. It has magic that means that Skeletron is alive so long as the person the eye belongs to is still alive. So, to get rid of Skeletron, both eyes have to be destroyed (like switching the eyes w/two sheep's eyes + killing both) to destroy the skull. Fwhip is the one who made it, before it was stolen by the evil wizard, who then accidentally caused one of the original jewels to fall out. This jewel became Scott's replacement eye. The other jewel switched w/Pirate Joe's old captain's eye, before one of the connected entities died + the skull was put in the crypt for safekeeping.

Fwhip's badge is a keepsake, which means that Jimmy asking for it back is asking for every good memory of the Sheriff to disappear.

Goblins have scent glands on their palms to help track things (where they've gone, what they interacted w/, the same for their fellow goblins, etc)

Fwhip imprisoned Oli bc he decided the trade for Oli having "stolen" (bc humans are clearly Upworlders, panda hat or not) is that Oli is now a goblin. That is also why he is only given pork (a staple food), is up high (have to be used to ravines + such), + right above the deep dark (to get used to their neighbors).

Birthdays are not a thing to goblins. Joel does not have a birthday as he does not remember when it is. Joey also doesn't know his birthday, bc he is an orphan.

Scar + Tango are part goblin. Impulse is a full goblin, though he doesn't know, so he calls himself a dwarf. Fwhip doesn't correct anybody bc if they all want to play as different species, whatever.

Goblins sleep in piles bc of being community raised. Scott goes out w/the boys so he can get away from the Owen Situation, especially how Owen stands over him while he sleeps. He wakes up to a goblin on his chest, a Sausage on one side, a Jimmy that was pushed by Oli into his other side, + Joey having flopped on top of every bc he thought it was what they were doing. Joel is technically in the pile, but it's just Sausage holding his leg. Scott regrets everything, esp bc he moves his bed farther away the next night + Goblin Brain went "sick community member" so Fwhip was doing the cat thing where they sit right on your neck.

Goblin babies do not break easily. Ore-spawns will dig underground v v fast, leaving only a trail of pebbles, if yeeted. Pod-made just sit there, wondering why they've been yeeted.

The wardens spared Scar bc he's part goblin, but were very grumpy after the confrontation.

As @fantasykiri5 says, Fwhip plays the accordion. Oli helped him learn bc he realized that Fwhip was trying to make him a goblin.

Goblins seem to have no boundaries, bc they don't care too much abt the things Upworlders consider "standard", + they can hear practically everything. Once you hear a bit too much, why care abt... well, a lot?

Protectors are the iron golems of goblins. Instead of iron, it's sculk, + instead of the pumpkin, it's a copper block. Fwhip giving everyone Protectors is essentially his way of trying to protect those he cares about.

Fwhip doesn't call himself king. The other rulers do, though he's never really around to hear it.

Hermits average 4 ft, Catfolk average 4.5 ft, + Timmy was 1 ft while toy-size

Goblins can speak to/hear/understand rocks + sculk, which enables them to direct the spreading of sculk + know what places to not step bc the rocks say it’s brittle. They don't know that other people can't hear this, + it smtms means they think that people are malicious that are just unaware that the sculk is telling them to go the other way, they are TOO CLOSE to an vein of ore-spawn forming in that direction.

Fwhip's handwriting is actually immaculate. He can do the blocky text that you can color in if you want, he can do cursive, he can do tiny, he can do giant. The reason? Goblin brains are well suited for calculations, as this is need to stabilize tunnels, smelt differnet materials, and jump across ravines, amongst other things. Fwhip, however, thinks that the best style of writing is wonky bc it reminds him of the jaggedness of the caves. He finds Scott's writing particularly atrocious, but really likes Jimmy's chicken scratch

Fwhip used to pounce on Jimmy's shoulders. After their falling out, Fwhip does it mostly to annoy the other. He stops when Jimmy becomes small bc it means that he now tackles the other. Jimmy doesn't know how to feel about the change, but resolutely ignores he feels anything.

Other reactions of rulers to being used as a Perch are:

Sausage is delighted. He is a very small tree for a very large cat.

Gem has carefully instructed Fwhip on where he should jump, meaning that he jumps onto the same spot on her shoulders every time. This also means that she hardly notices him there, + will smtms go to visit someone only to realize that Fwhip is still there. (Yes, she has gone to visit Sausage like this. Yes, he thought it was normal yet the best thing ever. Yes, she only realized when Sausage addressed Fwhip.)

Katherine uses the goblin as a lookout while she monster-slays. She can also use him as a creeper deterrent. He only requests one piece of raw gold every few times, which is a good deal to not have to keep an eye out for mossy-explosives.

False doesn't mind. It's a bit odd, but ultimately not the weirdest thing she's encountered around here.

Oli is fine with it. It's a classic Fwhip move.

Pix originally did not mind, but then decided it was preferred to randomly finding the goblin somewhere. Honestly, anything is better than going down to The Machine and finding his friend eating the sculk. (It doesn't help that it's dark down there + he basically just saw a Creature dripping sculk from its mouth)

*see first mention for Joel

Lizzie has to give piggy-back rides bc she's too small

Shelby thinks it's funny, + smtms has Fwhip hide under her hat. A good way to startle her friends a second time if they've already realized Tortoise sits under there most days.

Pirate Joe decides that if he's annoyed at his parrots, he can threaten to ask Fwhip to be his shoulder buddy instead.

Scott is terrified of mentioning anything, + goes about his day in a state of fear that he'll upset Fwhip.

Owen thinks it's normal.

Fwhip, Lizzie, + Joel bonded over abandonment issues. (Fwhip was stolen when a baby, only to be dropped when the person ran after triggering a shrieker. He spent long enough waiting to remember it vividly. Lizzie was abandoned by her guardians when small(er). Joel doesn't know what happened to him that he can't remember his past well, but he presumes that he was left behind.)

Goblins have strong beliefs in spirits of various sorts. This goes from auras to ghosts to reincarnation to everything in between. If asked if they believe in one afterlife or another, they will respond w/ "Yes".

Fwhip's dress is highly representative of two things: his exploration of the Upworld, via the red color from the first flower he brought them that was promptly turned into dye, and of his... relations w/the other rulers.

Fwhip is asexual, and does not understand gender, sex, or anything similar. It's just Not something goblins have. He uses he/him pronouns solely bc Joel said he looked masculine way back when they first met, so hey, why not?

The jacket that Jimmy gave Fwhip for Lawyer is meant for an adult human, but the belt is meant for a child. This leads to Fwhip having to squeeze himself into the belt, but that jacket is... dragging like a wedding veil. Joel asks abt it later + Fwhip just groans + comments that humans suck at making proper outfits for "play".

Goblins fall asleep everywhere/anywhere. This is bc it is both easier to just sleep where one is than go all the way back + sleeping in a bed doesn't matter for a species that never encounters phantoms. Also bc of this, goblins retain their positions while sleeping. IE if a goblin falls asleep hanging from the ceiling by a single claw, you're more likely to see them wake up than fall down while sleeping.

Fwhip is not an exception. If he falls asleep, you could sooner move a mountain than move him from his place. It's worse than having a cat. You don't just feel bad, you fail.

Y'know how cats chase laser pointers? Goblins are, again, worse. Sausage starts using his shield to make a beam of light when he realizes Fwhip is paying very close attention. Ten seconds in, the goblin pauses, considers the beam, + LEAPS at Sausage's face. Bc he calculated where the beam was coming from + decided to catch the beam at the source. Every other ruler follows (except Lizzie).

Goblins do enjoy munching on rocks, which helps make their bones strong. They are surrounded by rocks, + a bite here and there does more help than harm. However, a goblin who is hungry or bored enough can eat an entire gatehouse by themself + still eat some pork after.

Gem + Fwhip, despite distance, are very good friends. Oh, the bard has fallen into a pit? Well, Fwhip has said that she saw nothing, so she saw nothing. Yes, the same Fwhip that dyed all her sheep grey and probably took bites out of her gatehouse.

Hermes considers the rulers his aunts/uncles. Lizzie + Fwhip are the cool ones. Gem gives the best snacks. Katherine is the amusement park aunt. Pix is the wine aunt. Oli, Shelby, + Joey ask that Hermes not say anything about their time w/them. Jimmy only just started being allowed around the kid. False doesn't know how to handle kids, but does decently well. Scott keeps trying to drop Hermes off with Fwhip, bc if someone is getting in trouble for giving the kid too much sugar, it's not gonna be him!

Scott is so confused during the Hermit x Empires crossover bc he's recovering from the equivalent of a magical flash grenade thrown directly into his eye.

Scott creates emerald-ore scented perfume specifically to fully clear his tracks + name. Pix loves it + asks if he can buy the man more. Within a week, every other ruler has asked for some for various reasons. He's making emeralds, but his stress has never been higher.

Scott used to have long hair, but cut it when he settled down bc he kept overheating while working in the sun. His fedora used to keep the heat off him, so he's glad to get it back.

Shelby is very good at making potions, even early on. Unfortunately, she never knows what the potions are going to do until after they're used.

The Gobland Courthouse is considered one of the best. Judge Pixlriffs is one of the reasons. The other is that trial by combat is not offered, so it's one of the most peaceful courthouses.

Eddie is the flirtatious one, as a well-put together harengon. Oli is a disaster, no matter what his sexuality.

It's an on-going joke that Pix is a grave-robber.

Shelby found out she was hanging with Evil Sausage when Sausage heard about the prank and came to warn her. Fwhip, however, only found out after the Merging, despite also being involved. His reaction is to pretend he knew the entire time. Shelby knows, but she's going to play along bc it's how they Friend.

Joel + Fwhip trade gold for raw gold bc they both value different types of gold.

The common method of goblins to deal with Upworlders acting weirdly is to try to get them to sleep. This is bc goblins don't understand how Upworlders + sleep work, and think that sleep is like a cure-all / best bet.

Joey can write, but not spell + barely read.

Joey + Shelby are actually really good friends at any point they aren't fighting over Katherine. Katherine is not rejecting either, but trying to get them to notice each other bc it's a lot easier if they will just confess. (Seriously, why do they have to be just like her parents?)

Katherine constantly fights with her parents over various things. Monster hunting, being friends w/anyone who's not "normal", rumors of her dating a pirate AND a witch, etc.

Fwhip and Joey are like Roger Rabbit: Fwhip can get into anywhere + do anything if its creature/gremlinly, and Joey can get into anywhere + do anything if he's stealing.

Joey is terrified of caves, but hides it well. He's also "mildly" terrified of Fwhip (+ all goblins) bc how do they live down there?!

If you give Fwhip a baby animal, he will treat it like his own child out of Pure Goblin Instinct. Sausage guards this as one of his greatest secrets + tools. A goblin w/a child is very calm.

Goblins are very open w/their emotions bc they see no point in hiding them. Fwhip trains himself not to, but can and will burst into tears if he so wishes, as a fun side effect.

Languages in their world include:

Goblish - Goblins

Piglion - Piglins

Common

Hermitian - Hermits

Enderspeak - Endermen

Spanish - Sanctuary people + wherever Sausage comes from

Netherish - Netherfolk

Gnomish - Gnomes

Elvish - Elves

Dwarvish - Dwarves

Chromish* - Chromians

Gearly - Cogsmeaders

Moorish* - Evermoorians

Piratespeak* - Pirates

Glimmering - Glimmer Grovians

Oli* - Oli

Stratos - Stratos

Dryspeak* - Tumble Tooners

Animal - Animals

Pix* - Pix

Ancient Common - previous residents of the Ancient Capital

French - Gem's old village

Dawn - Dawnels

*essentially just Common w/heavy use of accent and/or slang to the point of need a translator anyways

List of rulers who will hang upside down from your arm like a bat, if able: Fwhip, Lizzie, Oli, Pix, Joey, False or Katherine if you promise candy, Sausage if you ask

Pix is upset at Jimmy for letting the Mezalean King just walk out. Jimmy still doesn't know what Pix expected of him, and Pix refuses to say, but it remains unresolved.

Scott spent a week trying to shut off Oli's musical statue. He still, to this day, forgets to not walk close to the Goblin Cart of Pain.

Fwhip spent a week making an obsidian bracelet for Tango, who cried upon seeing it. Jimmy was not happy, but it made Tango happy, so...

Goblins made the Machine to help expand the deep dark, which is considered much safer (mobs didn't spawn, back when they were hostile to goblins). Fwhip, bc of this, likes to wait for Pix by the Machine, happily munching on sculk. Pix is always startled by the sudden appearance.

Goblins tend to compliment a lot more. Over everything. Many Upworlders have no idea how to handle 2 ft tall beings calling them 'pretty' and 'Tol' and other things said in the most casual yet positive voices.

Lizzie always lands on her feet... but even cats will die from a fall a little too high. She starts putting beds in her mines. Most think that it's so she can sleep when she's busy working. Mostly, it's so she can soften the too tall landings.

Sausage makes the best meals if you want something filling.

Scott has the best travel foods.

False has the best snacks, but Gem has the best sweets.

Jimmy can fry or smoke things.

Katherine can only cook using a campfire bc of one too many adventures.

Joel cannot cook to save his life.

Lizzie chooses not to cook, but can.

Fwhip is a great cook, if you remember to emphasize what is and is not in your diet.

Joey and Shelby cannot cook, but can stomach eating everything.

Oli is a 50/50 chance - either the best meal in days or the worst thing you've ever tasted.

Do not ask Pix to cook.

Scott is actually terrified of Fwhip in general, for a multitude of reasons. However, he abides to the "don't show fear, don't show weakness, and you're fine." Of course, this is the advice he gives absolutely everyone.

Joel, who distinctly remembers having a Lizzie on one shoulder + a Fwhip on the other arguing about whether they should skin a rabbit first or just eat it then before Lizzie fell off in a dramatic collapse after Fwhip called her a "stupid fluff-butt", thinks Scott is justified, but also incredibly silly. If Fwhip wished any of them ill, they wouldn't have a chance to prepare. He regularly teases his neighbor about being scared of "the tiny green man".

On a completely unrelated note, Scott has a bunker in his attic made of obsidian. He also has several tripwires to warn him if someone's nearby.

Every situation where Fwhip dies to a warden is explained as him having spent the night w/one of his fellow rulers, so they smell someone else, get confused, + attack him. Though every goblin agrees that it's better to happen to the respawner than anyone else.

Respawners are considered very powerful, no matter how young or old. Getting every advancement = becoming an adult. They technically speak a different language, but they don't notice it. They only switch when they're engrossed in conversation w/each other.

Fwhip, Lizzie, + Scott genuinely enjoy pickle juice. False, Sausage, + Joey are not opposed to it. Shelby, Jimmy, + Oli will lie about how good it tastes. Joel, Pix, + Gem will gauge how well the person might take it and respond accordingly. Katherine has not tried it. She thinks that she'll like it, but that it'll be weird, so she doesn't. She'll try it when the curse is gone.

Fwhip chews on sticks. Lizzie will do it if her teeth feel dull. Sausage tries it + declares it is a Good Thing To Do. Oli tries it, + makes "mmm, yummy" noises at an expectant trio.

Eddie repeatedly tries to either flirt w/or parent the rulers, to varying degrees of consistency + effectiveness.

Joel is, in fact, the tallest of the gods, bc he is the Mezalean-king-turned-god + that was really important to him so it carried over. Some people joke bc it's funny, some people genuinely don't know/can't tell (Lizzie, Hermes, other shorter peeps), + some people think he's the shortest god so they call him short (Fwhip, specifically). The second tallest god is exactly one inch shorter.

Fwhip sits on railroads. He hears minecarts long before they reach him, + knows exactly when to move + where to be out of the way. It terrifies other people, especially when he moves under the rails.

At some point, every ruler has attempted to do two things: trade jewels w/Fwhip + try to trade Sausage wood for other wood. Fwhip only trades jewels for smaller things, + immediately eats them, and Sausage....

Joel once declared that he was going to give his small partners neighbors a makeover. He used purple ribbons + amethyst to make Lizzie both Sparkle and Jingle. He used gold thread + braided Fwhip's hair (think Hiccup in HTTYD2). Both refused to take it all off for days.

The Bonnk Stick is as long as Fwhip's tail + 1 ft, as per standard schematics... or 4.5 ft, roughly. It is taller than pretty much all of the Hermits + also Lizzie. It's disconcerting for some of the less experienced, given a goblin has pulled out a weapon bigger than he is.

If he feels threatened, Oli does not take out a weapon and barely raises his lute in defense. Instead, he starts calling for help. In under a minute, one of three things happens: a goblin comes to take care of the issue before disappearing immediately after, an enormous animal rampages over the issue, or Oli is teleported to Dawn.

Goblins love clutter. They've got plenty of space, but not that much stuff, so when their Upworld Explorer starts bringing back STUFF- let's just say that he gets several lists from several people of what to look for (new flowers or materials or such).

Withering does not affect goblins due to their close relationship w/the Nether. Therefore, wither roses are a common sight in some of the Elders' windows, as a way of symbolizing age + memory.

Jimmy had no idea that goblins have cat-like pupils until he asked for Fwhip's badge (keepsake) back. Once he saw the goblin again, he was startled that Fwhip's pupils were oddly oval-shaped... Oh, no, that's slits. If Jimmy asks for the badge, the eyes are slitted.

The Deep Dark Adventure Trio still get together to go do shenanigans. Sausage is the distraction/frontline, Katherine is the force/common sense, + Fwhip is the grabby hands/scout

Goblins have three tongues: one like a human, used for speaking; one like a lizard, meant for moving things in the mouth; one like a butterfly - which is to say a straw to suck liquids out of places hard to reach

In the world of Empires, villagers view princesses as incredibly brave and strong. This is bc of two things:

Princess Gem of Dawn coming back from mining w/the Sheriff saying "Yeah, we met a warden, but look at all the stuff I got!"

and Princess Katherine of Glimmer Grave coming back from a trip w/a cut on her cheek saying "Oh, my goblin buddy needed help down in his ancient city so I lent him a hand w/the wool" + everyone reading btwn the lines (the cut is bc she tripped on the way back)

Sheriffs are viewed as slightly lesser than princesses, gods are viewed as from an entirely different dimension (maybe the End?) and therefore on a different scale, and goblins are small and scary and it is a testament to the bravery of both the aforementioned princesses that they are friends w/a goblin... and also that strange mayor who somehow rules over animals.

People seeing Snort from a distance: "what a strange horse" Snort: *runs towards them bc PEOPLE* People: *Panik* Meanwhile People seeing Fwhip from a distance: "what a strange cat" Fwhip: *runs towards them bc PEOPLE* People: *internally* "Don't call it cute. It will bite you"

Goat horns are actual forms of communication for the rulers. Sausage + Gem share one type. Joel + Sausage have one. Joey, Shelby, + Katherine have one (which was just Katherine's until the other two decided to pick that specific type). Lizzie + Fwhip have theirs, + also share one w/Oli + Scott, who both didn't realize until they had two tiny creatures blowing for aid. Jimmy does not have one, nor does False. Pix has every type. There is an unspoken rule that if you here your type of horn, you need to speak to the person who has it.

This rule has led to quick trades, help in emergencies, + the accidental acquisition of illager allies.

Related note, respawners don't look different from villagers + illagers. Usually, illagers wear different styles, villagers have different styles based on profession/location, + the tell-tale sign of a respawner (to a non-respawner bc nametags are visible to other respawners) is that they'll suddenly speak Spawnlang to each other, or they have something slightly to the left of a normal person.

Or individual tell-tale signs, that are just enough to go "oh, respawner".

Stare at False too long + you hear the sounds of a portal or clinking gears. Hand her raw iron or copper + don't blink, or there'll be more than you thought you gave her.

Gem seems normal, if a bit quirky. But the butterfly wings on her back move in non-existent breezes, and sometimes the ribbons that hold her crown in place as she flies twist as though alive. She doesn't seem to eat or drink anything besides honey.

Jimmy is a normal Sheriff, completely regular + is truly believed to be a normal human. But he is adamant he is nothing besides that, in a way that suggests he's insecure about it. Why would a human be insecure- unless the human in question is a bit off...

A pirate crew of different species doesn't heed the terms "normal" or "strange" very much. But sometimes you are sure that your captain's new kid isn't exactly a kid. Sometimes a person grows up and doesn't seem to change all that much - in places they definitely should've. Joey's always been good at being confident, which helps to convince people to not look closer

A god is always going to be different. But some gods are a little too mortal. They can't be killed, or don't stay dead, but there's a look in someone's eyes when they understand considering death, understand it in the way of someone who's certain they won't come back. Joel doesn't know he looks like that, only that when he holds the hand of a sick child, or of an elder who doesn't want to be alone when it happens, he remembers being small, and seeing a zombie bearing down on him.

Sausage bounces a bit to high. Watch him move + there's a moment when he seems to teleport a few blocks ahead of where he should be.

Katherine isn't cursed. But people like to blame it on a person when their world gets weird. And the princess is weird! She knows languages that no one else has spoken, + speaks randomly (that one might learn w/access to a chat of beings who know those languages, + not knowing to not respond aloud).

No one knows where Pixlriffs came from, only that he lives in ruins + studies the old world. Of course he's distracted by things, + looks to the side while speaking to people. He's not exactly down-to-earth... + he's just awkward, right? That's all.

Oli is always strange. Perhaps it's his references of things that haven't happened, or he couldn't have been around for. Perhaps it's when he comes in knowing what's happening, but not enough time has passed for him to have heard of it.

A magic eye will pierce your soul. But which of Scott's eyes is the magic one? His colorwork is amazing, which is how he's managed to get so far. But you're certain that it used to be colored leather, or a basic design, not what you're wearing.

Shelby's hands are always cold. She claims that the swamp is a cold place, but shouldn't her hands be warm? She smiles if you ask, + then you forget you ever did. All you have is a vague memory of the smell of mushroom stew + the feel of blaze powder on your fingers.

Lizzie smells of fish, + it's a little too pungent. She hates the water, so why does she always smell of the ocean? She hates the Sheriff on her friend's behalf, so why does she seem to have terracotta on her clothes, until you look closer + she doesn't?

Fwhip is strange. A pod w/out a maker, a few days late being "born". A need to go Up, to explore deeper, to visit places no one else goes. Yet he's also a bit too... not there. He sometimes stands + stares at nothing, like he's seeing something that no one else can see, w/out ever moving his eyes. He peers + it's like he's got a spyglass, seeing further than even goblin vision should go.

Owen definitely finds it strange that he can someone open a lot of writing on the side of his vision, which doesn't exist for anyone else. He doesn't even know what he's doing! And why does everyone have nametags- well, not everyone, but definitely Scott!

False is pretty chill w/whatever. Esp in regards to her fellow rulers. She thinks that so long as they are nice, she doesn't really care. Nice ranges from kindly informing her that they are going to steal all her iron when she next leaves to providing her w/a totem of undying immediately after a recent... series of a certain event on repeat.

Do The Rulers Drink Coffee Or Not?

False: Averages two cups to wake up, + another each hour

Gem: Averages a cup a day

Jimmy: A cup in the morning, another w/lunch

Joey: He does not drink coffee initially. He comes over to visit 'his princess' in the morning, starts pestering her, + goes "what're you drinking" before just drinking straight from the pot. Cue his discovery of the Amazingly Awful Zoom Juice + The Ultimate Amusement of Other Rulers

Joel: Sometimes, when needs a pick-me-up

Sausage: ...yeah, he's made it clear.

Katherine: Drinks lots. She is exhausted every day due to her monster-slaying, + has to keep it a secret so she's gotta be awake during the day. It's part of her pep, being constantly caffeinated as a form of energy

Pixlriffs: He carries large quantities of it on his person at all times

Oli: If he can get it, he has some, but he doesn't drink it all too often. Surprisingly, he's just like that

Scott: Yes. He drinks coffee to wake himself up, at mealtimes, every hour, when he blinks, when he has to interact with a llama, or just feels like it

Shelby: She is the Empires equivalent of a college student

Lizzie: No. She is proper cat, taking adequate time for sleeping

Fwhip: He doesn't know what coffee is either! He finds out when he goes to visit the Sheriff + recognizes the drink in Jimmy's hand as what Pix always has. He stares for exactly how long it takes for Jimmy to notice before he swipes + downs the whole thing. Jimmy, knowing that banning Fwhip from drinking it won't work, bans everyone from giving him coffee. The haunted look guarantees even Joel + Scott listen

Do The Rulers Drink Tea Or Not?

False: Maybe. Depends on her mood bc there's a bit more effort in making tea

Gem: Absolutely and often

Jimmy: Nope. He lives in the mesa + doesn't appreciate the taste of "leaf-water"

Joey: He thinks tea is putting random leaves into boiling water + waiting until it's cooled off. He has had some "fun" experiences

Joel: If he's sitting down for a while, probably, but otherwise, he's too busy building

Sausage: Sure!

Katherine: She actually hates it, bc her parents always pushed it as "proper"

Pixlriffs: He loves to!... when he has time + energy to actually make it into his kitchen instead of exploring (or passing out on the floor)

Oli: Yep. Easy to acquire, he can put a kettle on while he's tuning, drink some as he sings, help him warm up, etc

Scott: Yes, but not often for similar reasons to Pix

Shelby: Yes! She's actually adopted Joey's style of making tea, + hasn't (exactly) regretted it

Lizzie: She likes it when Joel makes it

Fwhip: Definitely. He drinks it almost as much as Scott + Pix drink coffee, esp since he can no longer drink both coffee + tea

Do The Rulers Sleep?

YES, + try to get at least one other to: Gem, Jimmy, Sausage, Scott, Shelby, Lizzie

YES, + don't particularly care if others do: Joey, Oli

NO: False, Joel, Katherine, Pixlriffs, Fwhip

Scott helps paint Fwhip's nails. It only took once to get over the sudden appearance of an extra 3/4 sets of what he now knows are actually dulled claws.

Scott cries when Lizzie asks for hers, bc (1) she trusts him, (2) he doesn't know if he should, since the polish might hurt her when she retracts, and (3) he did this to himself, so he can't blame anyone.

Making their own gunpowder/rockets is no longer just bc Jimmy doesn't have gunpowder. The new citizens that Lizzie found now work in the factory, providing Animalia w/economic stability, while Gobland uses the explosives for mining, aiding in keeping up w/any increased population growth (such as ore-spawns) or gathering materials for export. The Smol Duo actually don't understand why he's upset, since both Animalia + Gobland (+ Stratos) aren't selling, + the trade deal w/Joey means Jimmy could feasibly make the same by just. Stocking Joey's. Stratos is the only place that was paying for gunpowder, + they usually chose to instead go through Gobland, which was under the ground. Plus, both Lizzie + Fwhip have loose/unclear definitions of "legal"

Fwhip + Lizzie smtms decorate their tails, but rarely let others touch them, bc they are v sensitive (look up how sensitive a feline/canine's is + you'll know what I'm thinking)

Jimmy was a toy, but a Faerie made him human. As long as (1) person believes he's human, he's a human. Technically, the Faerie will always believe he's human (bc he is, now), and they thought it would be the same failsafe w/him, but instead it's Fwhip, who knows the Faerie. The two smtms go on adventures together, so Fwhip doesn't know it's Jimmy, not at first, but knows it's a person. Somewhere.

The "Revealing Potion" is actually a shrinking potion that Joel asked Fwhip to make bc he hadn't met Shelby yet. The same goes for the "Apple of Lying" (aka a growth-magic-infused apple). Joel gets approached by Shelby after, wondering who got him the magic. He then stares for a minute, doesn't answer, and says he'll come to her bc he didn't know where the witch that Fwhip went to was.

The shrinking potion will turn a 5-6 ft person into a 1 ft person, a 4-5 ft person into a 6 inch person, and any person ~3 ft or below into a 3 inch person. Aka, a human into a toy, a hermit/catfolk into a plush, and a goblin into an inchling. The growth apple will turn a human into a giant/god, a hermit/catfolk into a tall person, and a goblin into a human.

After Jimmy's initial attempt to fire Fwhip, he suddenly found a bunch of feathers on his bed. It was not a threat or a prank. Fwhip thought that giving him "a feather bed" would make him feel better abt "losing" his Protector.

Fwhip has a pair of goggles he uses for forging that once belonged to an Upworlder a few (goblin) generations back.

Goblins have beans.

The tallest Hermit is 4'5". It's Pearl. Doc is exactly 1 mm shorter than her. The shortest is 3'5". It's Bdubs. Impulse is exactly 1 mm taller than him.

At some point, Fwhip makes and eats an Apple of Lying so he's taller than Bdubs.

Fwhip's boots have holes in them. This is to allow his claws out. Given only Lizzie + Joel know (Lizzie knows Fwhip, + Joel has three guesses as to who left scratches in his sofa), there becomes a collective effort from the other rulers to "fix" his boots (thinking he doesn't know how or doesn't care enough to do so). Oli receives the same treatment over. Well, just about everything he's got.

The collective effort is this: (1) trick person into handing over damaged items, (2) give items to someone to fix, (3) keep person away from the one doing the fixing, (4) give back in least suspicious way possible.

Fwhip wonders why every time Jimmy tells him to take his shoes off at the door, they disappear for a few hours, then reappear all broken! His holes are gone! How is he supposed to go mining like this?! (He doesn't say anything to Jimmy, bc Jimmy's boots also disappear + come back w/the holes gone)

Oli is quite happy abt the pixies that are apparently living in the beehives have decided to help him out! It's okay, it's not charity from Gem, which he refuses out of pride, as he is humble enough to admit.

Pix smtms has strange dreams of a different David, a different outfit as he tinkers + moves his copper...

Gem treats Fwhip like a brother immediately upon seeing him. He doesn't remember they're the roseblings, but he's never opposed to friends/siblings. (The two words in Common are the same word when translated to Goblish)

Gem lived in a village that was destroyed by illagers. She respawned far away, eventually making her way to the coast, where she joined another village. Eventually, due to her bravery, skills, and kindness, the villagers started to call her their princess. W/in five years, she has become the leader of the princessdom of Dawn.

Goblins have scruffs, aka places on the backs of their necks that one can grab + pick them up by w/out causing pain. However, for a goblin, it freezes them in place, which means instead of going relatively limp, if they were trying to hit someone w/a bonnk stick, then they remain w/their weapon raised, essentially frozen in place. Pix thinks it's the epitome of what is different about goblins vs humans. Scott thinks it's creepy, how is Joel so calm abt preventing the green man from eating a cow whole? ("He was just going to store it in his mouth." "That doesn't make it better!")

Unbeknownst to... well, anyone, animals kept in the deep dark (on sculk vs other materials) will change to match the environment.

Sheep have black or cyan wool

Pigs become dark blue w/white eyes + hooves

Cows turn cyan w/black spots + hooves

Cats have a sculk pattern across them

Chickens have everything besides their feathers turn cyan or dark blue, including the whites of their eyes

Donkeys, horses, + mules turn varying patterns of cyan, dark blue, light blue, + black

Dogs turn light blue

Llamas turn jarringly bright cyan blue, w/pure black eyes

Fwhip teases Joel abt being weak, since the proportions are off. Is Fwhip disproportionately strong or is Joel disproportionately weak? No one outside can tell, but both will claim that the other is the disproportionate one bc they're petty

Traveling from Hermitcraft to Empires removes technology. Traveling from Empires to Hermitcraft removes magic.

All the rulers have tattoos, though some are more private abt them, for various reasons. Lizzie, bc she has to show her back, which has fur, Katherine to avoid her parents finding out, + Hermes (he counts as a future ruler) bc he wants to surprise his dads that his Uncle Fwhip let him get a cloud + lightning bolt crossed w/a sunflower.

Fwhip nearly has a panic attack the first time someone sneaks up on him in Hermitcraft. He's no longer a goblin, which means that he can't hear as much, so Scott comes over + says 'hi' only to have the goblin man jump, screech, + start breathing heavily. Turns out, everyone else is used to not being able to sneak up on him, so they don't even consider announcing their presence. It gets passed around to announce your presence the moment you can so he doesn't actually panic after being startled.

Sausage is vegetarian as in he doesn't kill animals. He will eat it if it's provided for him, such as any time he asks Fwhip + half the times he asks Lizzie, tho he doesn't ask them often

Goblins are okay with nudity

False met everyone at a meeting at spawn, where they accepted her w/out question or hesitance.

Gem met Jimmy when she wanted to go mining in an unexplored cave. She met Joey when Sausage was giving him a tour after he had stranded. Joel came to give her bees, w/no explanation (which was shortly before she learned that most respawners greatly abide to the rules of export-claims). She met Sausage when Sausage had just found the land, + she helped supply him w/vegetarian options so he could get started on his own land. Katherine came over to ask for help in making Glimmer Grove's undead side not so ugly, having heard the Dawn Princess to be great w/that sort of thing. Pix showed up bc he heard abt an ancient city in the caves, + promptly disappeared down for a week before coming back w/things to pay Gem w/+ artifacts. Scott came over to trade dye for food bc he was sick of eating bread. She met Shelby when she needed some potions of fire resistance for her first Nether trip. Lizzie came over to ask for some honey, though she never said why; Gem was actually surprised when she came back. Fwhip was first spotted when he dyed her sheep.

Jimmy met Joey when Katherine brought him over to return the TNT. He met Joel when he was first made sheriff + he decided to drop random stuff on his head, before also dropping an invite for tea. Sausage decided to give him a pair of elytra, randomly, w/out explanation, + w/proper Sanctuary greeting! Katherine came over to get some terracotta, which alerted Jimmy to the bandit activity in his area. Pix came over bc of the rumor that the Sheriff unknowingly vandalized a piece of history (which was forgiven when Jimmy assured he had no idea it was so important). Scott came over to flirt w/the Law, to which Jimmy was oblivious. He met Shelby when he went to go + hear her side of the story on why he received several warnings to not engage w/the witch in the swamp (which she claimed where just prissy people). Lizzie actually screamed upon seeing him, bc she was still jittery abt being a catfolk amongst humans. He met Fwhip when a green thing came up behind him while he was building his creeper farm + he screamed as loudly as Lizzie had.

Joey met Joel when the god decided to clap his cheeks for quite a while while he was visiting Sausage, which just so happened to only be over Eversea, and just so happened to be a week after Joel found out abt the Stratosphere Thief (Joey confronted him, which led to nothing). He met Sausage when he first made his way to the coast after being stranded. Katherine regrets him finding Glimmer Grove, bc the first meeting, he declared to win her love. Pix came over to provide froglights + other supplies for the castaway. He met Scott at the festival, mostly bc he heard that Scott is another thief, which means he has to avoid him to avoid stepping on the toys of a peer. Shelby gained his respect when he came out + demanded to know if her allegiance was w/skeletons. Lizzie put a bunch of birch leaves in his base to "add life", + was promptly informed that that was not what it meant by a peeved pirate. Fwhip trades raw gold for smelted gold.

Joel met Sausage at a party in Lower Stratos, which was just before Hermes was born. He met Katherine at a royal party, where they both griped abt stupid standards that limit social freedom. He met Pix at a rave. He met Scott when the man moved in, bc the sudden appearance of a house was interesting. Shelby met him when she asked abt the "Revealing Potion". Lizzie used to act like an actual cat when she encountered him, so he would give her fish, until he was injured in the mines (before godhood, before being able to fly), when she revealed herself bc she + Fwhip scared all the mobs off. He basically woke up w/a concussion, the revelation that the cat is actually a catfolk, + there are goblins that live under Stratos.

Sausage met Katherine when he went to Glimmer Grove to browse the markets, + needed an emergency babysitter since Joel needed assistance but Hermes would be in danger if he was brought along. Pix called any respawner to come help him when he got stuck in a hole w/out an elytra or pickaxe or enough blocks, + Sausage was the first one there. Scott came by to pick up some wood, + finally met the Wood Master, which quickly became him flirting. He met Shelby when he needed to cure some villagers. He met Lizzie when she came by to also help Pix. He met Fwhip when they first traded rocks + wood - or, rather, when Sausage found the person who had been leaving a stack of whatever rock he'd been complaining abt not having for a few stacks of wood.

Katherine met Pix when he decided to drop off a few historically used wards against curses. She met Scott when he provided her w/dyes for her wool. She met Shelby when she got the order for the witch hat. Lizzie came by to get some wool, only to fall in the water + need assistance + comfort. Fwhip enlisted her help for helping calm down a warden, which Sausage came to help w/bc he was there + is too much of a follower to say no.

Pix met Scott when he punched the man to prevent him from getting away after stealing an artifact from an excavation site (which knocked the other out). He met Shelby when needing invisibility potions for shenanigans. He met Lizzie when she shoved him in a hole (different from when he met Sausage) to prevent him from accessing a cave she knew held charged creepers (she Paniked). He met Fwhip when the goblin asked if he wanted to go mining out of the blue.

Scott met Shelby when he got lost in the swamp. He met Lizzie when she came to trade + called him a lonely man. He met Fwhip when the goblin showed up to trade + started a long run of Scott being frightened by the goblin.

Shelby met Lizzie when she brought Hermes over the first time. She met Fwhip when he needed help w/curing villagers who had wandered down from the Upworld.

Lizzie + Fwhip have always known each other.

Technically, since most Upworlders classify people as adults when they stop growing, + Fwhip has a few more growth spurts, he's a teenager by most Upworlders' standards. He does not know this, + the other rulers (besides Lizzie) have to take a breath to not immediately Panik that they've been... well, some have adult intentions, + some are just worried abt him. Thankfully, no one treats him as a teenager instead of adult, but it's still a weird thought.

The Hermits are amazed at how everyone has different wings that aren't just banners. And all other magicky stuff, bc they have tech, not magic.

[ali-annals]

sparks fly (like a fireworks show)

Pairing: Jason Todd x Marinette Dupain-Cheng

Rating: T | Masterlist | Main Masterlist | Ao3 | WC: 1.8k

TW: Mentioned kidnapping, mentioned sacrifice to summon a god.

A/N: This is part of a series called The Eras Tour (Jasonette's Version), a collection of Jasonette-centric fics I wrote for the Maribat discord server Maribat? Get In!'s 2024 Civil War event. Not beta'd.

Summary: Kidnapped to be sacrificed to a weather god, Marinette wishes she'd been a little bit braver in her relationship with her best friend.

July 14–Bastille Day

Paris, Right Bank of Paris

Her wrists were burning, rubbed raw from the rough fibres of the rope tying her to the pillar, but Marinette kept wiggling anyways. What was a rope burn or two compared to almost certain death if she stayed tied to the pillar as a sacrifice to the weather gods?

The rope loosened a bit, bolstering the small flame of hope in her heart. It had flickered more than normal when she woke up from the unplanned nap she’d taken on her way back from the fabric store. She was stripped to her underwear and tied very thoroughly to the cold stone pillar at her back. As Marinette, and near-naked, there was nothing she could do except hope for help.

Help that was unlikely to come. Paris’s heroes had all retired after Hawkmoth’s defeat, burnt out from being forced into heroism as children. She, as Guardian and therefore unable to retire, had up and left, eventually joining Justice League Dark as a reserve magician.

However, even with her League connection, there was only a slim chance one of them would come save her. She was in Paris as a civilian, simply to visit her parents over the holidays, and 

hadn’t taken her League communicator with her, seeing no need for it when she was taking time off from heroing. She supposed it just went to show that you might take the girl out of heroing, but you’ll never take heroing out of the girl. Or however it went. She had better things to do than parsing English idioms, like escaping to save a city.

The rope loosened a teeny bit more. Marinette yanked harder, hearing faint cheers from outside the building she was in as revellers enjoyed their time off. They didn’t know that if she didn’t get loose in time, they were all going to die like her, unwilling victims of the god of thunder.

Of course it was just her luck that she was kidnapped, decided to be a perfect sacrifice to hail Taranis, the god the cult that kidnapped her worshiped. She wiggled her thumb a little more, desperate to free herself and break the summoning circle. 

The cheering outside grew louder as an announcer counted down the minutes until the firework show. It was past sunset. She only had a few more minutes. Marinette redoubled her efforts, straining against the rope with all her weight.

“Marinette!”

“Marinette!”

She looked around at the second call of her name, thinking she had hallucinated the first one. If someone was looking for her…Squashing her instinct to call for help from around her gag, she bit her tongue and pulled her wrist free a little further. 

“Marinette!”

She looked up in defeat, knowing nothing she did would make her dearest friend leave while she was like that. Still, the thought that he could do something, that she was not alone, raised the flame of hope inside her.

He took in the circle of runes, drawn in blood on the marble floor of the bank they were in, glancing between her and the portal. “How much time?”

Her muffled “five minutes” got through to him and he nodded at her, rolling his sleeves up and dropping to his knees. With a muttered spell, he had a small jar of something obviously magical in his hands, which he used to write what Marinette made out to be neutralizing spells around the most potent, dangerous summoning runes. 

The cheering increased, but all Marinette could hear was the rush of blood in her ears and the thump of her heart far too high in her chest to be healthy as she watched him work. 

He jumped up with a satisfied sigh and headed towards her, slicing her free from the ropes with the knife he always kept on him and sweeping her into his arms. He darted out the way he came in, a small side door, heading for a nearby fire escape to rest under and check on her. 

He pulled the gag around her head free, handing her a water bottle to cure her desert-dry mouth. 

She drank most of it in one gulp, then remembered it was better to take smaller sips. 

“Jason, why are you here?” She hadn’t gotten very far running from him before he came after her.

He grinned at her, that dear, cocky-yet-soft smile she’d been sure she’d never see again. “I’m a Bat, Pix, we stalk people. I came to impose on you and eat your parents out of house and home, but when I met your parents, they said you’d been gone for ages. So I came looking, found your trail, and got you. Why were you there?”

“I got knocked out and kidnapped on my way home. Some cult of this god of thunder thought I was a good appetizer sacrifice to summon him. What did you do to that circle, by the way?”

“Neutralizing runes. The bank will survive, you won’t. It was quicker and had a higher chance of success than completely breaking the circle. There should just be a storm in a few seconds.”

Almost as soon as he finished speaking, the noise of a small explosion sounded from inside the building, covered by the cheers and pops of fireworks going off all over the city. 

Jason picked her up in his arms again. “I’ll take you home.”

She settled against his chest, inhaling his comforting smell as they headed towards the bakery.

~~~

The sky had clouded over on the way home, grey clouds punctuated with bright flashes of sheet lightning and colourful constellations of fireworks. A drop of rain hit Marinette’s nose.

Jason set her down outside the bakery door, taking a step back. “I’m glad you’re safe, Marinette.”

She knew he was right, that they weren’t a good idea, but it still hurt for him to set that distance between them. “Thank you for coming after me, Jay.”

“I always will,” he told her. 

She bit her lip, uncaring of the rain now steadily dripping down. She’d survived, the rain was a beautiful gift that showed she was still alive. Slowly, she reached out, smoothing his dark hair back from his forehead so she could look into his burning green eyes. 

“You’re a bad idea, but I can’t remember that right now,” she whispered, drawing closer until the gap was sealed with a kiss. 

July 9–Marinette’s 23rd birthday

Washington, D.C.,Hall of Justice

“Happy birthday!”

Marinette jumped a little, surprised by the several members of JLD and JL lying in wait for her in the Hall of Justice’s kitchen. 

“I didn’t know you remembered when my birthday was! That’s so nice of you, thank you!”

Timothy Hunter pushed someone forward so she could see them. “It’s all thanks to your friend over here, he made us all collaborate on this.”

Jason smiled down at her bashfully, a homemade cake in his hands. “Happy birthday, Pix.”

The group surrounded her, singing the birthday song and setting off colourful sparks to go alongside the fizzing sparklers. She blew out the candles with one blow, laughing happily at her friends’ antics.

It was getting late when Marinette finally had time to be alone with Jason. They ducked into the hallway, leaving the noise and merriment of the kitchen behind for a moment. “This was really thoughtful, Jay. Thank you for organizing this.”

“It was my pleasure…even if some of your teammates aren’t a pleasure to get in touch with.”

Marinette laughed, leaning against the wall to support her upper body. “I’m truly impressed that you managed to corral so many of them into one room and there haven’t been any murders or major mishaps yet.”

“It’s all worth it for you.”

She glanced up into his eyes. When had he gotten so close? He leaned in slowly, his fingers tangling with hers. Her eyes closed–

“Hey, don’t think that you’re getting out of clean-up duty just ‘cause you’re her favourite,” shouted Timothy from the doorway, breaking the moment like a bubble.

They jumped away, hand to themselves and eyes on the wall, floor, lockers…anywhere else but the other. 

“Yeah, yeah, comin’,” he shouted back. “We’ll talk more later, ‘kay?”

“Sure.”

They never talked more later. Marinette saw him run into Batman, exchanging a quick friendly chat as they passed in the hallway. Batman went on his way to his JL meeting, and Jason headed towards their usual rendezvous spot. 

She could see the happiness on his face and the lightness in his posture, and she knew then that it wouldn’t work. So she slipped into the shadows and left before he saw her. 

The next day, she sent in her vacation notice to the JLD and the day after that, flew to Paris.

~~~

July 14th–Bastillle Day

Paris, Tom & Sabine Boulangerie

The kiss was everything she had dreamed, turning her flame of hope into an inferno, combusting and sending out sparks that danced among the raindrops. He finally pulled away, looking thoroughly discombobulated, but kept her close with his hands on her shoulders. 

“Marinette, why? I thought you left because–”

“I left because I saw you talk to Batman and you were so happy, and I’ve seen how happy you get when you’re telling me about your relationship with him and how it’s improving. He’s suspicious and distrustful of magic users and won’t let them in Gotham, and I won’t make you choose between him or me when you’ve finally gotten yourselves semi-functional!”

She felt him soften at her words, a small smile overtaking his features. “Pixie, I don’t care what B thinks about you and me or just you. If something like this, that he can have no valid argument about, drives him away again, then it’s for the best. Please, Pix, will you date me?”

“Yes!” She kissed him again, too happy to put it into words. She could scarcely believe that her ears hadn’t played a trick on her, the tapering-off rain muddling his words and twisting them into a figment of her wildest dreams. 

He picked her up and carried her in, heading up the stairs so they could dry off. 

A colourful burst of sparks appeared on the skyline, reminding Marinette of her birthday party. “Look, Jay. I love the look of the world after a rainstorm. It makes the fireworks so much more vivid; it’s beautiful.”

“If you don’t mind, I’d rather look at you. You’re far more captivating than a firework show.”

She blushed, leaning over to peck his cheek. “You’ve got the girl, you don’t need to be such a flatterer.”

“Nay, I must increase the flattery to make sure she stays.” He put her down, pulling her towel off the rack to absorb the rainwater in her hair. “You should probably shower, and then I’ll take a look at those rope burns you got.”

She saluted with a love-addled grin on her face, skipping into her bathroom. He grinned back at her, looking happier than she’d ever seen him before. The fireworks were ending, only a few going off now, but their story was just beginning…and she bet it’d be plenty sparky.