#the details in them both growing older/stronger

[caesar-luver]

caesar & koba over time

[theemporium]

[1.8k] when both hughes brothers think the pretty girl at the bar is way too out of quinn's league, not realising she is very much his girlfriend they were about to meet.

not totally convinced i like this but it's the first quinn piece so who knows

.

“There’s no fucking way, dude.” 

“Mhm.” 

“She’s out of your league, just drop it.” 

“I don’t know, I think I could pull it off.” 

Jack raised his brows at his older brother, examining his face like he was trying to work out if he was being serious or not. However, when Quinn showed no signs of joking around—not even a hint of a smile—the boy was inclined to snort and shake his head. Luke, sitting on the other side of his oldest brother, could only join in. 

“I love you, but you’re fucking delusional,” Luke told him before his eyes glanced back over to where you were sat at the bar. “Not to be funny, dude, but she looks like she’d walk all over you.” 

Quinn just lifted his bottle of beer to his lips, trying to hide the grin that was threatening to break out. 

With the chaos of the hockey season and the summer months spent at the lake house, it was rare for his brothers to find a chance to come up to Vancouver. They flew up just as often as he came down to Jersey, which wasn’t enough by any of their likings but it was the unfortunate way things worked.

Unless they were playing a game—like they were in a few days. 

With no games or pre-planned duties beforehand, it was easy for Jack and Luke to come up a little earlier than the rest of the team to spend a few days with Quinn. And he was glad to have them up in Vancouver. 

Sometimes, it was hard not to feel a little isolated during the season when both his brothers played for the same team and he was left by himself. He wouldn’t change playing for the Canucks, and he adored his team. But he also adored his brothers and maybe, just sometimes, he missed having them be the biggest pain in his ass. Only every once in a while though, not that he would ever admit that to their faces. 

But the distance between them and the chaos of the hockey season meant that sometimes it was hard to keep up to date with each other’s lives beyond the messages and odd phone calls they could slip in here or there. 

And, to his brothers’ defence, he probably should have told them about you before they arrived in Vancouver.

But the thing between you and Quinn started as a small experiment, no real labels and just a lot of fucking chemistry that both of you were willing to explore during the pre-season training. It didn’t seem like a big deal, or something worth telling his brothers about. 

Yet, the weeks went on and the relationship between you two grew stronger and, yeah, it took him a little bit longer than he cared to admit to grow the balls to ask you out. But he got to call you his now so he wasn’t all that bothered with the details.

But you being his girlfriend should have been a detail he shared with his brothers, along with the fact the night out to grab a drink at the local bar near his apartment wasn’t just a random decision but an opportunity to introduce you to them. 

And that really was the plan. 

However the second they walked into the bar, Jack and Luke had nabbed a table and didn’t give Quinn a chance to explain himself as they waited for his ‘friend’ to show up (not that Quinn used that word, once again, his brothers were just idiots who made assumptions). And Quinn was left staring helplessly at where you sat at the bar, sipping your drink as you probably waited for them to arrive. 

And just when Quinn was about to open his mouth again, his brothers picked up on his staring at the pretty girl by the bar and did what brothers do best—rip the absolute shit out of Quinn for thinking he even had a chance. 

And Quinn did what oldest brothers do best—he let them continue to embarrass themselves before he proved them both wrong after he had his fun with the situation. 

“Let’s make a bet,” Quinn said casually, knowing full well he was about to exploit the competitiveness that ran through all three of them.

Jack’s eyes glimmered in interest. “Go on.”

“I get her number and you both have to give me a hundred bucks,” he said as he glanced between his two brothers.

Luke’s brows furrowed together. “And if she rejects you?”

“I’ll give you both two hundred each,” Quinn stated. “And you get bragging rights that you were correct.”

“Deal,” Jack said without even thinking twice.

“Wait, wait,” Luke quickly spoke up, giving the boy an exasperated look before turning back to Quinn. “You can’t tell her anything about the bet though, that’s cheating.”

Quinn raised his brows. “You don’t think I’m a good sport?”

Luke just shrugged. “Just covering all our bases.”

“Now, go on and embarrass yourself!” Jack grinned as he slapped his older brother on the back in a faux comforting gesture. “We will totally not be recording you from way back here.”

Quinn rolled his eyes. “You’re on.” 

The oldest Hughes said nothing more as he chugged the last dregs of his beer before stepping away from the table. His lips were pressed together to try and repress his grin as he walked away from his brothers and towards your spot at the bar. 

Something in his chest eased a little as he closed the distance between you, his fingers itching to just reach out and hold you close after barely seeing you over the last two days since his brothers arrived. The messages were not enough, not when he was selfish and spoiled having you around him almost every day since the spark between you two started.

“Hello, gorgeous.” 

Your head snapped around at the familiar voice, and instantly a smile broke out on your face when you saw your boyfriend sliding into the spot beside you. 

His fingers skimmed along the small of your back, the touch small and subtle before his warm palm was pressed against you. It was a comfort you grew to enjoy around Quinn, the fact he always needed to be touching you in some way, shape or form—even if he didn’t realise he was doing. Whether it was his knuckles skimming down your arm, or a hand resting on your ankle when you threw your feet on his lap during movie night, Quinn Hughes always liked the comfort of knowing you were there with him.

And after two days of not seeing you, the palm on the small of your back was almost like a reassurance you were actually sitting next to him and you were not running off again any time soon.

“Hey, baby,” you grinned as you turned on your stool, spreading your legs slightly so the boy could easily stand between them. “Where’s your brothers?”

“They grabbed a table by the back,” he said, his fingers fiddling with the hem of your shirt as it rode up slightly, exposing a small slit of skin along your back just above the waistband of your jeans. “You excited to meet them?”

“So excited I almost threw up on the way here,” you told him with a sheepish smile.

“They’re gonna love you,” Quinn reassured you. 

“Aren’t you meant to be better at giving pep talks?” You murmured as your hand itched to reach for his, to intertwine your fingers and hold onto him.

“Nah, that’s the captain’s job,” he murmured with a small grin before he nodded vaguely towards the table his brothers were at. “C’mon, gorgeous, you know I’m not gonna let anything happen to you.”

“My knight in shining armour,” you deadpanned before straightening your spine. “Okay, let’s do this.”

“You ready?” He asked, his brows raised slightly.

“Absolutely not,” you breathed out with a shaky smile. “But that’s what the two margaritas I had before you got here were for.”

Quinn’s lips twitched upwards as he lifted his hand from your back, raising it to gently hold your face in both his palms instead. “It’ll be fine, baby, I promise.”

You leaned in before you overthought it, enjoying the first kiss you were able to get from him after over forty-eight hours of nothing. You sunk into his embrace, your fingers looped into the belt hoops of his jeans as you tugged him closer, a needy noise sounding from the back of your throat that had him smiling against your lips.

“Easy, tiger,” he murmured, his nose playfully nudging yours. 

“It was for confidence,” you said shamelessly as you pulled back, an innocent expression on his face.

Quinn huffed out a laugh. “Sure.”

The defenceman let you intertwine your hands together before he began to lead you through the bustling crowd at the bar, his hand squeezing yours to reassure you were behind him. But, his attention was momentarily drawn away from you as he noticed his brothers’ table a few feet away—and more importantly, the absolutely gobsmacked and baffled expressions both his younger brothers were wearing. 

Their jaws were hitting the table by the time Quinn stood on the other side, pulling you forward until his arm was wound around your waist to hold you close to his side.

“Guys, meet my girlfriend.”

Luke blinked, his face absolutely blank.

However, Jack’s reaction was a lot more animated.

“Girlfriend?!” Jack spluttered out before shaking his head, a noise mixed between a scoff and a laugh leaving his lips as he pointed between the two of you. “This is cheating! You were in cahoots!”

Your brows furrowed together in confusion. “Cahoots?”

“Cahoots!” Jack repeated passionately.

Quinn only shrugged, glancing at you before he glanced back towards his brothers. “Say what you want but I’m pretty sure I won the bet.” 

“The bet?” You questioned.

“They didn’t think you were in my league,” Quinn mused, a glint of mischief in his eyes that told you more than enough. It took mere seconds to put together what the boy had just pulled off, and you could only snort in response.

“You’re evil,” you murmured with a shake of your head.

“I agree with your girlfriend!” Jack huffed out as he crossed his arms over his chest. 

Quinn rolled his eyes. “Stop being dramatic, Rowdy.”

“You’re a cheat!” Jack shot back.

“Luke doesn’t seem to think so,” Quinn retorted, and all eyes turned to the youngest Hughes who looked up from his phone, a blush painted across his cheeks.

“Oh no, I think you’re a dirty cheat,” he said, his lips pressed together. “I was just messaging the family group chat so we don’t have to pay.”

Quinn’s eyes narrowed. “Dick.”

“Be nice,” you playfully scolded with a shake of your head. “You were the one that tricked them.”

“Their fault for being stupid enough to fall for it,” Quinn shrugged.

“You never told us you had a girlfriend!”

“All I’m hearing is excuses.”

“That’s it, I’m calling mom.”

.

[meazalykov]

getting what she wants

lena oberdorf x oc x USWNT!reader

part one of five

summary: lena knows she gets what she wants

warnings: cheating, angst, 18+ (smut? not too detailed and mostly suggestive)

oc description here

you and your girlfriend had always been complicated—never simple, never easy. 

it started back in 2021 when you and sloan played at psg. the chemistry on the field between you two was undeniable, but off the field, it was a different story. 

the beginning wasn’t so bad, though. she caught feelings for you shortly after she went through a breakup, but you didn’t think much of it. you were happy that someone was interested in you, someone as gorgeous as sloan. 

if you were to tell anyone about it now, you'd say it wasn’t the worst relationship, but it definitely wasn’t the best either.

sloan was magnetic, and in those early days, you were drawn to her like everyone else was drawn to her. the older woman was a fierce defender in paris, while you were a threatening midfielder that scared the defenders on the opposite team. 

the woman would pull you in, wrap you up in her intensity, and you’d get lost in the way she’d look at you, the way she’d run up to you if you took a hit on the pitch– it was like you were her whole world. and for a while, it felt like you were.

savannah was always there, in the background, but you didn’t mind. you played with both of them on the united states national team, and savannah never seemed like a threat.

she was just part of the past with sloan—something you didn't think twice about. you had bigger things to worry about, like football, your career. you weren’t the type to get jealous over old exs that your girlfriend had.

things shifted in 2022 when you left for bayern munich, after you spent three seasons with PSG. 

the move was huge for you. it was a chance to grow, to focus on your game in another league, and push yourself to new heights. 

sloan went back to the states, joining portland thorns. her contract didn’t expire with PSG but she didn’t want to stay if you weren’t there.

the long distance was rough, but you both promised to make it work. you'd have late-night calls, texting between training sessions, and sending each other pictures of your day, trying to stay connected despite the time zone difference.

but then, overtime, you started noticing things. 

small, subtle shifts. the first time sloan told you that her and savannah texting again. at first, you were alarmed until sloan told you that savannah, who played for louisville, was going to go up against the thorns in the NWSL that week. 

you told yourself it was nothing. they’d known each other forever; of course, they'd stay in touch. your mind brushed it off, telling yourself that your trust in sloan was stronger than whatever history she had with savannah.

but it didn’t take long for sophia, your friend on the national team who played at the same club as sloan, to notice. 

during one of your national team camps, the ones against china in florida, she pulled you aside, a concerned look on her face.

“have you talked to sloan recently?” she asked, her tone light but her eyes searching.

“yeah, of course,” you replied, a little confused by her question.

“why?”

sloan was still recovering from an ACL injury, so her club and national team agreed to have the 26 year old play for only portland games for now. she wasn’t called up for the national team so you couldn’t see her this time in the states.

sophia sighs in hesitation,

“i don’t want to stir anything up, but sloan was showing me some tiktok on her phone unaware that um...well,, i saw some messages. between her and savannah. they seemed kinda... i don’t know, close?”

you felt your stomach drop, but you forced a laugh. 

“it’s nothing. they’re just friends.” you convinced yourself. 

“just be careful, okay?” sophia didn’t look convinced. 

you nodded, but that seed of doubt had already been planted. 

later that night, you couldn’t stop thinking about it. the way sloan’s messages had become more distant, the way she’d brush off your questions with a quick “i’m just busy babe” or “practice has been rough.” you tried to push it down, telling yourself it was all in your head.

until one day, you couldn’t anymore.

a few weeks later, you were scrolling through your phone after a long training session in germany when you saw it. videos. 

they were everywhere—sloan and savannah, out at some club in portland, laughing, dancing, and way too close for comfort. the headlines were brutal, and your stomach twisted into knots as you scrolled through the comments, people speculating about what was going on between them.

you couldn’t breathe.

immediately, you dialed sloan’s number, your fingers shaking as you waited for her to pick up.

you had to run into your living room, since lea and georgia were staying over your house and were sleeping in the guest room beside your bedroom. there was no way that you would wake them up, even in this condition.

“hey, babe,” she answered casually, as if nothing had happened.

“what the FUCK, sloan?” your voice cracked, the anger and hurt pouring out all at once. 

there was a pause on the other end, just long enough to make you feel even worse.

“it’s not what it looks like,” she finally said, her voice too calm, too rehearsed.

“it sure as hell doesn’t look good,” you shot back. 

“you’re out partying with savannah? after you told me there was nothing going on?”

sloan sighed. 

“i told you, it’s nothing. we just went out for drinks with our teams. it’s not a big deal.”

“not a big deal?” you couldn’t believe what you were hearing. 

“sloan, everyone’s talking about it. you’re all over the news. do you even realize how this makes me look? do you know how this makes YOU look?”

you hated how much you still cared about her and her image. of course everyone on the internet was dragging sloan’s name through the filth for your defense. 

“you’re overreacting. savannah’s just a friend who happens to be my ex too. you need to stop letting other people get into your head.” sloan said, annoyed. 

but you couldn’t calm down. how could you? not when the entire world had just seen your girlfriend getting close with her ex like it was nothing. 

your heart ached, torn between the love you still had for sloan and the anger bubbling inside you.

“i can’t believe you,” you whispered, tears stinging your eyes. 

“i trusted you!”

“and i haven’t done anything to break that trust,” sloan shot back, her voice harder now. 

“look, if you don’t trust me, that’s on you. i can’t control how people perceive things.”

you hung up the phone without another word, your chest heavy, the pain sinking deeper with every passing second.

as you collapsed onto the ground, you felt a pair of arms catch you. the vanilla scent of the person’s chest told you that it was lea schuller hugging you as you cried. 

weeks afterwards– you threw yourself into training, trying to ignore the hurt, the betrayal. but it lingered, gnawing at you, distracting you during every practice, every match. no matter how hard you tried to focus, your mind kept wandering back to sloan, to those videos, to the lies.

you couldn’t go to the states to confront her, and that only made it worse. you were stuck, miles away, helpless.

many months later, it's July 1st 2024. despite everything—the distance, the arguments, the emotional drain—you and sloan were still together. 

maybe it was the comfort of it all, the familiarity. you’d been with her for so long that the thought of letting go felt impossible. breaking up seemed like more effort than just sticking it out. 

even if things weren’t great, they weren’t unbearable. or at least, that’s what you kept telling yourself.

sloan wasn’t seen with her ex again. in fact, she never mentioned savannah again, and you didn’t ask. but the tension hung between you like a fog, thick and ever-present. every time you checked social media, every time her name came up in conversation, your stomach would knot up, the unease always lingering. but nothing ever changed.

after each conversation with sloan, you felt empty. like a weight had been lifted, but at the same time, it left a hollow space inside you. the next few days passed in a blur. 

you threw yourself into training, desperate to block out the pain, but even football wasn’t the escape it usually was.

that’s when lena oberdorf started showing up in your life. she’d recently moved to bayern from wolfsburg, and though you’d played against her plenty of times, you never really knew her well. she was fierce on the pitch, strong and confident. 

in fact, you had a perception of her since you fell victim to her side tackles on many, many occasions. but you started to notice lena’s behavior around you after training, she was different—softer, a little shy even.

it started with small things. lena would linger after practice, making conversation, asking how you were doing. 

at first, you chalked it up to her being friendly, trying to settle into her new team and make friends outside of the ones she knew from the national team.

a week later, before the national break that will lead into the olympics– training was going well. your focus was locked in on the drills as the team worked through possession exercises. 

everything felt sharp, crisp. your legs were taking you towards the goal until georgia came in hard, a tackle from the side catching your leg at an awkward angle. you hit the ground hard, a sharp pain shooting through your ankle.

“y/n!” you heard georgia’s voice above the ringing in your ears as she stands up from the ground. 

“shit shit shit!!! i’m so sorry. i didn’t mean to—”

before she could finish, lena was already by your side, practically sprinting over from the other side of the field. 

she dropped to her knees next to you, her hands immediately on your shoulders.

“are you okay? where does it hurt?” lena’s voice was frantic, her eyes wide with concern as she looked you over, clearly scanning for any sign of serious injury.

“i’m fine, lena,” you muttered, trying to sit up. 

“just... give me a sec.” the pain wasn’t as bad as you first thought. it was more of a shock than anything.

lena wasn’t having it. 

“you don’t look fine,” she insisted, gently pushing you back down as you tried to get up.

“you should stay down for a bit. what if it’s worse than you think?”

georgia hovered nearby, an apologetic look on her face. “i didn’t mean to go in that hard. really, i’m sorry, y/n.”

“what the hell, georgia? you didn’t have to go in on her like that—it’s training, not a match!” lena shot her a glare, her protective streak kicking in immediately.

“i know, i know,” georgia said, holding up her hands in surrender. 

“i was just going for the ball, i didn’t mean to hurt her.”

you could see the tension building between the two of them, 

lena getting more worked up than necessary. it wasn’t the first time lena had gotten overprotective over you, but this was definitely one of the more intense moments. you placed a hand on her arm, trying to calm her down.

“lena, seriously, i’m fine. it’s not a big deal.”

but she wasn’t having it. “no, it is a big deal. she should’ve been more careful.”

georgia rolled her eyes but kept her distance, clearly not wanting to escalate things. the rest of the team had started to gather around, watching the scene unfold with a mixture of concern and amusement.

“she’s tough, lena,” georgia said with a small smile, trying to diffuse the situation. 

“she’s not made of glass.” you wanted to giggle after georgia said that, but you didn’t want to piss off a protective lena. 

“maybe, but that doesn’t mean you can just throw her to the ground,” lena snapped back, still kneeling beside you, her hands hovering protectively around you like she was scared you might fall apart any second.

"you're one to talk about putting people on the ground!" georgia says before laughing at lena's smirk, a smirk she tried to hide knowing that georgia is right.

the team, noticing the bickering, started exchanging looks. 

a few stifled laughs could be heard, and you knew exactly what was coming.

“uh, lena?” tuva called out from behind you, a teasing grin on her face. “y/n is okay.”

tuva pulls lena, gently, away from you as you stand up. your ankle is sore but not painful. you were okay.

“you do realize y/n’s taken, right?” lea whispered to lena, but you still heard it.

you groaned inwardly, knowing exactly where this was headed.

“yeah, lena, i don’t think her girlfriend would be too happy about all this... care you’re giving y/n,” giulia added, her voice dripping with amusement.

lena flushed, her cheeks turning a shade of red you hadn’t seen before. she quickly stood up, brushing off her shorts, though she still hovered close to you, as if she wasn’t quite ready to leave your side.

“i’m just making sure she’s okay,” lena muttered, avoiding everyone’s eyes.

you couldn’t help but laugh a little despite the situation. “lena, seriously, i’m fine. you don’t need to go full paramedic on me. besides guys, you don’t have to mention her while we are here”

“oh!” sydney says, laughing. 

the teasing continued, the team now fully enjoying the spectacle. 

“she’s going full-on protective mode, isn’t she?” pernille chuckled, giving lena a nudge. 

“you’ve got it bad, oberdorf.” madga joins. 

“it’s just concern,” lena muttered, clearly embarrassed now, trying to avoid the teasing looks being thrown her way.

you finally managed to walk, rolling your ankle a bit to check for any real damage. again, it was sore, but nothing too serious. you were fine—like you’d been saying all along. 

“see? i told you. i’m okay.”

“well, that’s a relief,” lena mumbled, though the look of worry in her eyes hadn’t completely disappeared. she stood a little closer than necessary, and the team noticed.

they noticed how you let her stay close to you too.

“yeah, ‘relief,’” georgia echoed, shaking her head in amusement. 

“seriously though, y/n’s fine. no need to be so protective, lena—- i’m sorry y/n.”

the teasing continued as the team dispersed, but lena stayed near you, still looking a little flustered. 

“i just didn’t want her to be hurt,” she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

you gave her a soft smile, appreciating her concern, even if it was a little overboard. 

“i know. but it’s okay. i’m tougher than i look.”

lena saw lea’s smile turn into a quick frown at that, she makes a mental note to question her best friend about that later. 

after that morning in training, you began to notice the way lena looked at you. there was something more in her eyes, something you hadn’t picked up on before.

the next day, after a tough session, you were sitting on the sidelines, catching your breath, when lena plopped down beside you.

���you okay?” she asked, her voice gentle, her eyes scanning your face.

you nodded, forcing a smile. “yeah, just tired.”

but lena wasn’t convinced. “i’ve noticed you’ve been... off lately. is it sloan?”

lena asked lea why you seemed off. lea told her the backstory about your relationship with the portland thorn’s defender. she did her own research afterwards, realizing how bad it really was.

the mention of sloan’s name made your stomach twist. you didn’t want to talk about her, not now, not ever. 

“it’s complicated.”

lena hesitated for a moment, then quietly said, 

“you don’t deserve what she is putting you through, y/n. you deserve someone who’s going to put you first.”

you glanced at her, surprised by the intensity in her words. there was something in the way she said it, the quiet conviction, that made you pause.

“it’s not that simple,” you mumbled, looking down at the ground.

“we’ve been together for so long, and— i don’t know.”

“maybe that’s the problem,” lena said, her voice soft but firm. 

“maybe you’ve been holding on to something that’s already gone.”

you didn’t respond. you couldn’t, because deep down, you knew she was right. sloan wasn’t fighting for you anymore, and maybe she never had.

lena stayed by your side for the rest of the day, offering silent support. 

and as the days went on, her presence became something you looked forward to—her quiet smiles, her easy laughter, the way she’d stick around just to make sure you were okay.

it wasn’t long before you started noticing the little things she did for you. bringing you coffee before training, giving you rides home, offering to help with your recovery sessions after each training. 

it was subtle, but there was a certain care in everything she did, something you hadn’t felt from sloan in a long time.

one afternoon, the last training before the national break for the olympics, lena comes up to you after the showers. 

“hey, you want to grab dinner?” she asked casually, but there was something in her tone that made your heart race a little faster.

“uh, yeah, sure,” you replied, caught off guard.

you ended up at a quiet restaurant, tucked away from the usual chaos. 

over dinner, lena was different. more open, more confident. she asked about your life, your interests outside of football, and for the first time in a while, you found yourself genuinely enjoying someone’s company.

halfway through the meal, she leaned back in her chair, her eyes locking onto yours. 

“y/n, can i be honest with you?”

your heart skipped a beat. “of course.”

“I've been attracted to you for a long time,” she admitted, her cheeks flushing slightly. 

“since before you moved to bayern. but i didn’t want to say anything because... well, i knew you were with sloan.”

you blinked, taken aback by her confession. “you... have?”

she nodded, her gaze unwavering. “yeah. but i’ve been watching how things have been going with you two, and... i just want you to know that you deserve someone who’s going to treat you better. someone who has respect for you.”

you stared at her, not sure how to respond. it wasn’t that you hadn’t noticed lena’s growing presence in your life, but hearing her say it out loud, admitting her feelings so openly, was something you hadn’t expected.

“lena, i...” you started, but the words got stuck in your throat. you didn’t know what to say. part of you was still reeling from sloan, from the hurt and confusion that came with it. 

but another part of you—a part you hadn’t allowed yourself to acknowledge—felt something for lena too. something more.

she must’ve sensed your hesitation because she quickly added, “i’m not trying to pressure you or anything. i just wanted you to know how i feel. whatever happens, i’m here for you liebe. no matter what.”

her words hung in the air, heavy with meaning, and for the first time in weeks, you felt a glimmer of hope. maybe lena was right. maybe you did deserve more.

as the night went on, you found yourself relaxing in her presence, the tension from your relationship with sloan slowly easing away. 

it was different with lena—easier, lighter. and when she walked you back to your apartment later that night, there was a moment where she hesitated, standing on the doorstep, her eyes flicking to your lips.

you could’ve kissed her. part of you wanted to. 

“thanks for tonight,” you whispered, your voice soft.

lena smiled, her expression gentle. “anytime, y/n. i’m always here for you.”

something in the air had shifted after she said that, leaving only the quiet between you two. 

lena was standing just a little too close, her gaze a little too intense, and you could feel the weight of everything unsaid hanging in the space between you.

her eyes flickered down to your lips again, and for a moment, she seemed to freeze. your heart pounded in your chest as the silence stretched on, each second amplifying the tension between you both. 

you couldn’t tear your gaze away from her, drawn in by the way she was looking at you, the unspoken desire clear in her eyes.

the way she cares for you, the way you’ve been burying your attraction for her. It was too much. you wanted her.

your mind was racing—everything with sloan, the mess of your relationship, how complicated it all was. 

but in that moment, none of it mattered. not with lena looking at you like that.

you made the first move, your body acting on instinct before your brain could catch up. 

leaning in slowly, tentatively, you closed the gap between you, your lips barely brushing hers at first. 

you paused, just for a second, giving her the chance to pull away if she wanted to. but she didn’t.

the second lena kissed you back, everything else melted away. her lips met yours with a sudden intensity, all the built-up tension finally spilling over. 

her hands were on you in an instant, one sliding to the back of your neck, the other finding your waist, pulling you closer as the kiss deepened.

it wasn’t gentle—not by any means. there was an urgency in the way she kissed you, and the way you kissed her. she’d been holding back for far too long, and now that the floodgates were open, there was no going back. 

you responded in kind, your hands gripping the front of her hoodie, pulling her even closer as you kissed her harder, your body pressing against hers.

lena’s hand slipped under the hem of your shirt, her fingers warm against your skin as they traced the curve of your waist, making you shiver. 

the feeling of her touch sent a jolt of electricity through you, your heart racing even faster. your lips moved against hers in sync, the kiss growing more heated by the second, both of you caught up in the intensity of the moment.

you broke apart for a brief second, both of you gasping for air, but the space between you barely lasted a heartbeat before lena’s lips were on yours again, even more desperate than before. her body pressed into yours, pushing you gently against the door, and you welcomed the pressure, your hands finding their way into her hair, tugging just enough to earn a quiet groan from her.

“lena,” you breathed against her lips, not even sure what you were trying to say, if anything at all. her name came out like a plea, like you were drowning in her and needed more, but didn’t know how to ask for it.

“y/n,” she murmured back, her voice low and husky, her breath hot against your skin as she kissed along your jaw, trailing down to your neck. 

the sensation sent a shiver down your spine, your knees going weak as you clung to her, desperate to stay grounded in the overwhelming rush of feelings.

her hand gripped your waist tighter, holding you against her as her lips moved across your skin, finding every sensitive spot that made you gasp, your fingers tightening in her hair as you struggled to keep up with the intensity of it all.

you weren’t thinking about sloan anymore, or the complications that would come from this. all that mattered was the way lena was making you feel—the way her lips felt on yours, the way her touch set your skin on fire.

and when lena pulled back just enough to look at you, her eyes dark and filled with something raw, something intense, you knew there was no going back. 

you reached your left hand behind your body, keeping your right on lena’s waist, as you unlocked the door. 

pulling the taller woman inside, you didn’t think twice before taking her into your bedroom.

the sex was amazing. its been nearly 18 months since you last tine you’ve did anything, thanks to your long distance relationship.

the girl back in portland didn’t come across your mind once. just the moment between you, the girl who's sleeping in your arms, and the fact that you’ll have a flight back to the states for national duty in the morning. 

part two here

[ticcitobysbf]

little kid nina n adult nina

+ a BIG ramble about jeff and ninas relationship

Oookay starting off strong nina was just 11 when jeff burned her. The fire kind off just reached the right side of her chest and some spots on her scalp.

Yes, it made some of her hair strands black, but it didn't change her genetics at all so she just grew it off.

When she was 12 she just wandered around with her backpack and hiding from the authorities. Taking her food mainly from the trash and some leftovers from the little restaurant across the road (which it made her appetite grow stronger when she got older).

When she turned 13 she found jeff (im lazy so i wont explain much) while he was murdering someone on the spot. Jeff remembered her cuz he literally burned nina...

And nina was STARTRUCK. She DREAMED of finding jeff again and dis was her opportunity to ask shit and become his ally!

Jeff did not gaf lmao. He left while she was rambling about everything she has done to get to him to his dirty ahh cabin on da woods.

So uhm yeah!! She follows him and he gets annoyed at her. He argues with her but she dgaf at all she's too busy looking at the stuff in the cabin.

It sort of naturally happens but she starts to sorta live with him. Jeff just accepted it lol.

Their relationship when great ig. He would bring food for both of them sometimes out of pity for nina since she would just sit on the old couch in the room and get her head stuck in her journal for HOURS.

He saw nina as a "sister",,in a way.... And nina saw him as her prince charming that would rescue her when she needed. Of course he never saw nina as nothing else than a crazy fan that tried to be him.

He would also bring her to a lot of parties that took place in abandoned buildings. There would be alcohol, drugs and a lot more explicit shit. CLEARLY not a good environment for a 14yo, which only made her mental health worse.

Jeff also took 14yo nina to get a nose piercing from a shady stranger, taught her how to smoke, shoplift and just how to always get her way in general.

Nina was a little slow kid and this made jeffs rage outbursts WORSE. He would yell at her often because of this and she would just take it. Nina would develop a fear to doing shit wrong and would be a little more attentive on the stuff she did.

When she turned 15 she sewed her mouth back together since it started hurting more whenever she smiled or laughed. She'd also start having a little bit more independence over herself and would start doing her own killings. Jeff made it seem so easy, so what could go wrong?

Holy shit it was horrible haha ya but im not getting into detail on that for now.

Yeah everything went "normal" until she was freshly 17, she gained her own experience and thoughts and she even had to cut open and sew her hoodie again cuz it didn't fit her anymore! (She refuses to take it away lmao)

She was still VERY conflicted with her feelings towards jeff so she TRIED to avoid him by making new friends n stuff

And yeah dats all i got to tell

With reboot nina going in the game I feel like their relationship went from "I want jeff" to "I wanna be jeff".

And they're quite literally Dave and Bro Strider LMAAOO

Kthxbai

[rascalentertainments]

Wish Granted Magic System ✨✨✨

Given that we're two chapters away from the halfway point of the story, its about to time I delve into the magic system of this AU.

So magic in this AU is powered through emotion. The more a person feels a certain emotion, the more it affects the magic they use daily. Let's start off with...

Magnifico and Amaya's Magic: 🐺🐍✨

Both of them have studied magic for years, together and apart. However, they still developed their own techniques to use it.

• Magnifico's magic is fueled by negativity and hate. (its a bit obvious, lol) He's been searching for a way to have ultimate power for years. And each time he's failed, that disappointment has fueled him. The angrier he is towards somebody or someone, the stronger it is. He learned to harness and control magic since his early 20's, and while it was substantial for the time, his desire to have more kept growing and growing until it became impossible to ignore. So much so that when he destroys his own home by accident, he's completely blind to his own destruction and blames the books for not giving him enough information. So he turns to dark magic.

•Dark magic gave Mags the boost he needed, but its still not enough. The more he becomes paranoid losing his power, and the more he gained power, he became more spiteful towards non-magic users. As Magnifico got older, his powers were solely used selfishly, under the guise of it helping others to get whatcha wants. Mags' magic is incredibly destructive when its not controlled, which is why Amaya keeps him in check. He could easily kill anyone with a snap of his fingers, or crushing a person's wish. He completely ignores the face that its slowly making him sick as well.

•Mags' magic specifically works well in deception, especially when it comes to stealing people's wishes, which is the polar opposite of Star's magic. And Star's magic terrifies him in a way. Mags uses magic on these performances during the Wish ceremonies to deceive people into thinking giving their wishes to him is a great thing. Its kind of like a parlor trick to hide the truth. However, mo matter how much he magic uses, its nothing compared to a star's. In fact, when Asha's father details his perceived connection to the stars, and how he feels they give him the power and inspiration to help others in his life, that's when the king got the idea to catch the magic of a star itself. He could finally achieve ultimate power! But he had to get rid of that damn philosopher first and make it look like an accident....

•Amaya's magic works with manipulation, both mental and physical. While she doesn't use her powers to the extent of her husband, she does aid him through the use of her potions. As a shout-out to Yzma, she keeps a collection of various potions in a large cabinet, and uses them when creating concoctions to give him the power boost to take a star from the skies. The other kinds deal with changing one living thing into another. Most of them were also animal experimentations, either to change unsavoury animals into ones she desired, or even changing their natural habits an entirely animal's, making said animal like other creatures.

• The Queen has always used her words of persuasion to get what she wanted. In most cases, she used her magic to make her words influence the minds of others. Amaya uses this to put the people at ease when they asked too many questions or started to worry about their wishes. She even used this on visiting royals from other countries, so that they didn't see or hear anything connected to the people's misfortune or rumors of the two being evil. This is why she was able to get into Star's head in chapter 6. She paid close attention to the pair's behavior around each other, and seeing part of herself and Magnifico in the two wanting to protect each other, she turned it against him. Adding a little bit of magic to it, he was completely influenced by her words.

•Amaya has used magic on Sabor, but not to harm him. (Sometimes she did heal him if he was sick or injured) Only so she could use him as a sort of watchdog, keeping an eye on any suspicious activity or possible traitors. (Which Sabor fully accepted) She created the "Sight Beyond Sight" type of spell so she could see what Sabor sees when he returns. This is how she trusted him to find the Hamlet without raising suspicion.

Star/Cosmo's magic 🌟😁

This fun ball of energy is indeed powerful, just as Magnifico feared, but he can't exactly do everything he wants. He has limits, which is mostly by his own imagination and a dash of classic Disney magic.

• Star's magic is fueled by all his emotions, but mostly joy. It can change depending on his emotions. When he's happy, all his magic reflects it. Joyful magic works on Disney classic energy, so talking animals, moving furniture, shape shifting into various creatures and even his human form are all homages to the past films. He can't turn into different people, so this form he usually is in is it. Mostly because he's had a wish to be a human on Earth for so long, he just took his astral look and applied human characteristics to it. Its also rear unusual for a star nomad to get attached to one place instead moving from place to place. As for other emotions, he feels them like the fairies from Peter Pan: one at a time. When he's sad, he's miserable. When he's angry, its absolute fury. But the longer he stays on Earth, they start to get more complex dealing with humans, since we can feel several emotions at once. Which is also why its a slow process for him to realize his love for Asha is different from his love for Earth.

•Like the rest of the star nomads, he has flight and its powered by thinking happy thoughts. That's incredibly easy for him, so it's why he can fly so high and quickly. However, he starts to slow down after Magnifico stabs him and takes a little of his power in chapter 7. He's only just a little faster than a human, and it kind of bothers him not being able to move as quickly. And he starts getting used to walking, which is unusual for a star nomad to do instead of flying.

• Star's shapeshifting can be done as long as he can clearly think of the animal he wants. He's seen animals from all over the world, but the catch is that he can't perfectly replicate one. He's always yellow with a white tuft of hair so he doesn't blend in with other animals. Plus Star can add or exaggerate different features as well. He can't turn into extinct animals like dinosaurs because he's never seen them.

There will be another post explaining more about the star nomads and how their different from "royal stars". It'll also come up later to explain why Star isn't a prince like most other Disney male leads. Its really the only insecurity he has.

And more art is coming, plus the Royal redesigns! Then I'll get started on chapter 9. 😉

Thanks for reading!

@oh-shtars @signed-sapphire @chillwildwave @your-ne1ghbor

@tumblingdownthefoxden @ishadow246 @annymation @kenihewa

@natsuki208 @uva124 @cocoapowderpictures @emptyblog7

@lazytitans-world

[kivino]

MORE ROOMMATE!SOAP PRETTY PLEASEEE!!!!!

ROOMMATE!SOAP HEADCANONS

my masterlist

Word counter - ~900 words

Tags/Warnings - pure fluff!

A/n - ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE ANON <33 i can't really post a complete fic rn because i'm working on another midterm essay so here y'all go! I also have another fic with Roommate!Soap planned out, so stay tuned sdkflskdfjs

You two met through his sister, you, being her college friend, visited her and her family during breaks many times, and that’s where you met Soap. You two were on pretty good terms, and he would sometimes call you when he or his family were not able to get ahold of his sister when she would go out to parties (usually accompanied by you). However, the two of you became roommates only later in the future, when he decided that he didn’t want to live with his family anymore, but leaving an apartment all empty for months on end would just be foolish. So that’s when he decided he needed someone to co-exist with, and you casually made your way into his life.

Whole Task Force 141 plus Laswell know about you, because of how homesick he gets sometimes! And you don't always respond to messages, you have your own life after all (plus, Soap knows you're not good with texting back, so he tries not to pressure you). However, unintentionally he starts to remember or mention you in unrelated conversations. And that's how everyone around him knows that it's time for him to go on his leave.

Not a lot of people are allowed to call him Johnny. He still gives his older sisters shit for calling him that sometimes. You and Ghost, however, are both allowed to do it. Not like his discontent would’ve stopped you though.

More often than not talks about you in a way that makes it appear like the two of you are together, with how he’s all smiles during these conversations. Describes you like he’s an infatuated teenager and then gets confused when someone assumes Soap is talking about his significant other. It's not that he is oblivious to his feelings, or a dumbass, of course not, it's that his feelings lasted for so long that it's very much normal to him and he doesn’t see anything out of the ordinary with it.

The love language that you both share is bullying and insulting each other relentlessly. Soap is less harsh with his words, but you’re just merciless. Sometimes it also grows into play fights and roughhousing between you. Soap tries to be careful, because he knows that he’s stronger (he’s in the military, duh), but he still won’t go down without a fight. So he goes easy on you.

We know that Soap has a whole sketchbook, filled to the brim with many drawings of various quality, his thoughts, and different garbage he picks up when he has the opportunity. A pretty leaf? Snatch. A random receipt from when you got groceries with him together? Snatch. A note you scribbled for him to finally wash his damn dishes? Sad snatch. When he's on leave he takes the opportunity to sketch you as much as possible, so he remembers every single detail of your face, the expressions you make, or the way you position your body. Soap does it to be able to replicate it when you’re not around him. He has millions of sketches where you’re napping on the couch.

When he’s absentmindedly doodling something during the briefings and meetings he draws small figures that resemble Task Force and you. One time he bought some colored pens so he’s not bored out of his mind on base, and the assigned color to draw you was blue, while he drew himself with a red pen. Gaz got green and Ghost he draws using a black pen, both Laswell and Price share the fact that Johnny draws them with a pencil.

One of the small traditions that you have when he’s on leave, is cooking something for each other while some show you’re not paying attention to plays in the background. The kitchen in the apartment is pretty modest, so two people cooking and moving around at the same time is a bit too much for such a small amount of space. When you get too into the process of mixing or cutting something and Soap needs to squeeze past you, he gently puts a hand on your lower back and you instantly know what he wants, because of how much he does it. It’s never arrogant or invasive, instead, it’s gentle and a bit playful.

Johnny’s very sociable and likes going out to drink frequently. You, however, prefer to not get involved in his escapades as often, so you stay home, instead telling him to call whenever he needs you to pick him up. On multiple separate occasions, when he came back home a bit tipsy, he would stumble into your room and fall on your bed, getting knocked out almost in a second. Soap’s snoring is pretty loud when he’s drunk or has a stuffy nose. Plus, he’s as heavy as a damn rock and you can’t move him because of it, so instead you sleep on the couch, sacrificing the health of your back for Soap’s sweet dreams.

Johnny is pretty good with his hands. If anything broken needs fixing, or anything heavy needs lifting he’s always happy to help. He’s also a decent cook, so if you’re not feeling like cooking dinner after you’re back home from work he’s ready to throw something together for you no problem. Partially because he knows that you’d do the same for him if he asked. And, well, he just cares about you. He’s ready to cook dinner for you for the next decade if it means you’ll feel better.

Your texts with him are filled to the brim with stupid videos and photos you send each other. If Johnny sees something that reminds him of you, what you like, or some random inside joke – you best believe he’s already snapping a photo and sending it to you.

check out my masterlist for more fics or send me a request/comment!

[spider-jaysart]

Okay soooo fun mash up idea that I've created recently, which is DC crosses over with The last of us part 1! (But the game version though with some parts of the show included)

So it would be like this:

Joel: Bruce (for many obvious reasons, like for example being the old grumpy, cold man who grows into the Father figure role once warming up to the kid that changes a part of his life, causing him to become more of a softy)

Tommy: Dick (the one who eventually became tired of Bruce's bull and went his own ways in the future, but reconciled after reuniting with him in their next meeting)

Sarah: Kid!Jason (the innocent kid who didn't deserve to die)

Ellie: Damian (has her attitude, stubbornness, fearless determination, shameless cussing, loyalty, humorous side but in his own way, artistic side, and stabbing skills, so he fits perfectly well. It would also be interesting that him and Bruce have no idea they're related to eachother at all, so they don't bond because of known shared blood, only because of the many things they've been through together that brang them closer overtime to being like a Father and Son, and then they find out this secret about themselves much, much later after the end of their very long journey)

Riley: Maya (not a love interest like in the game and show, but just the first good friend and a trusted sister figure to Damian who knew things well)

Tess: Diana (A well trusted and respected partner for Bruce in work)

Maria: Starfire as Dick's wife

Sam: Jon (shares that innocent vibe with Sam and just like him with Ellie, he'd be quick to want to befriend Damian and see him as the cool older kid he'd like to impress)

Henry: Kon (is young just like him and is just trying his best to keep his baby bro safe the way he believes is best, since he is the only one who can now)

Marlene: Amal (Talia's only known friend in comics, so she fits as Marlene who used to be close friends with Ellie's Mom and made the promise to always watch over Ellie for her, so here she does that for Talia with Damian)

David: Joker (both a total weird, creep that can secretly hide who they truly are whenever they felt like it for their own benefits and then reveal their horrible sides and true intentions by surprise)

Bill: Lucious Fox (because he makes Bruce's gadgets and vehicles in canon and since Bill has a skill of doing just that for himself and gives Joel a new gadget and also a needed car, he is fitted enough for the role in this way)

And then for some small details and also additional things that help make the au stand out a little more differently:

Chris will be included with Jon and Kon here just to have all the Superbros together

Mar'i and Jake exist here but are really young twins (6 years old)

When things were still normal, Bruce was married to Talia here and they both were raising Kid!Jason together. They both got separated during the event of the outbreak and never found eachother again after that

Instead of 20 years of the apocalypse, it's 14 years here instead, because Talia was already pregnant with Damian when things began going wild

Damian will be immune just like Ellie (well obviously loll), but just for a little bit of play, it's cause it actually has to do with mixed Lazarus blood in his body that saved him, which comes from a small, strange part of his brain that keeps creating and pumping it out into his veins. This was naturally passed down from Ra's always over using the pits so much for years, causing the body inside to develop and grow in becoming much stronger and different in unique ways. And Lazarus pits are gone now, so Damian is like the only source that holds it in him as the possibe cure of the world

Unlike Ellie's Mom, Talia survived the birth of Damian and lived until he was 7 after saving him from an attack in a herd of infected that they were both trying to outrun. Damian stayed always feeling heavily guilty about it ever since and blames himself, even though how it happened wasn't actually his fault (still kind of debating on this one just a little bit for small reasons though)

Jon won't be 8 like Sam from the show, he will be around his canon age from the game instead. He will also be Damian's first love instead in this au and they will both have crushes on eachother

Instead of the games original cities and other places as settings, things are set in Gotham and other known DC cities Instead

Instead of a switchblade, Damian was left with a dagger from Talia, and all collected comics in his backpack from his adventure are mangas. He also carries around old special photos of Talia and him to remember and cherishes them very much, since that's all he has left of her besides her dagger

All characters wear their own versions of the tlou outfits to fit their style better instead of just using the existing ones

One of the things Damian would never want is to get killed by a bloater the most, because they actually just kill kids with only a slap instead of tearing up their jaws like the adults, so he would feel SO humiliated if it ever happened to him too (based on how this actually happens to Ellie in the game whenever she gets caught by them because she's underage loll, which makes the bloaters look like a bully to children)

Despite killing in this au having to be done against all kinds of enemies in order to survive, Bruce never feels comfortable with it, but he does what he has to. He also has sympathy for all the infected people, usually seeing them more as victims who didn't ask to become what they are now instead of just harmful, angry creatures, but knows he can't be pity them too much, cause at the end of the day it's either him or them during encounters. He also tries taking the pacifist route whenever he sees he has the chance to in a situation where confrontations aren't actually nesscarry, allowing him to flee without notice instead, and during stealth he will choke human enemies in a way that he knows will only make them pass out and not die

Annnd I think that's probably it for now!

I also have a lot of drawings from this au that I really wanna make and also put out soon heheh and I'm also working on Damian outfits that replaces all of Ellie's, which I'm almost done with!! And if anyone maybe has questions for the au btw, feel free to ask anything!

@pin-crusher2000 @camo-wolf @paladin-of-nerd-fandom65 @dunkinsthings

[kingcrow01]

DC/Marvel Pool Noodle Party 2024

Week 1 | “The Big Three,” Aliens, Androids Archers, & (Tech) Wizards

Clint Barton/Dick Grayson, 17 fics

@dc-marvel-crossovers

Here’s the outline of the event for those interested. TLDR, This event celebrates relationship tags that have less than 30 works on ao3, both platonic and romantic. The rarest of rarepairs!

This is Clint and Dick in Chapter 6: 16/17 for @acornsontheground's wonderful fic Winter Quarters. The feeling of this piece was Clint’s life going down a darker path, both of them helpless as they’re ripped away from each other. That's all I'm going to say, because I don't want to spoil too much for anyone who hasn't read it!

I used the details of Clint having blue-green eyes, freckles across his nose, and growing much taller and stronger when he was 16. Clint is wearing the dark purple sweater Dick’s mom made for him in chapter 4 when he was 15, and it’s gotten tighter on him as he’s gotten older! I used orange behind their hands, their only point of contact, because of the role the orange groves had in strengthening their bond. It also had the added bonus of looking like a beautiful pink sunset, which I’m not complaining about.

There was almost a Captain America logo on Dick's shirt, since Clint gifted him a comic run in chapter 4, but I didn't want to detract attention from their hands and the general gloominess of the piece. I still don't know why Dick's arm turned out more vibrant than his face, but this happens a lot; is it the camera angle? The lighting? Still something to learn.

[chuckeroo777]

Frieren Liveblog- Chapters 1-4

Welcome back! Today we start reading Frieren! Unlike my Dungeon Meshi liveblog, this one will be blind!

To start, let's go over what I do know.

-Frieren is an immortal elf mage of some renown.

-She lost a human companion she cared a lot about, but unlike Marcille, she's chill about it.

-The mimic scene.

-There's a guy with blue hair, and a demon(?) lady.

-I think they adventure in dungeons to get stronger?

Yeah, I think that's about all I know. Let's see what happens!

And here we have our intrepid heroes! Apparently they already beat the demon lord, so that's nice.

Wait, Himmel? Oh no. I'm pretty sure that's the dude Frieren misses. Alas, it was nice to meet you. Guess the character class "Brave" doesn't save you from death flags. Suddenly not feeling confident Heiter or Eisen will be sticking around either.

Oh no! She's tiny! I love her. LOTR did irreparable damage to fantasy by insisting elves have to be tall.

Well, that was quick. I guess other than Himmel's imminent demise, all my spoilers have already shown up.

Frieren's a high INT low WIS kinda character, isn't she? At this rate, his tragic death is literally going to be old age. No, seriously. I think that's what's about to happen.

This is gonna be a recurring problem, isn't it.

Saw that coming from a mile away. I wonder about the other two companions. Are they longer lived races? Or are they old and wrinkled too?

It's your own fault for being of optimal head pat height. Heiter looks a little older, but not too bad. I can't tell if Eisen is different. With the manga format, for all I know, he's gone grey.

Ah. Perhaps not as chill about it as I assumed. Also, I went ahead and switched over to a better translation. Maybe the other was more accurate, but good lord was it stiff as hell.

Who's this cutie? I'd hope she is a major character, but with 70 years having passed since the manga started, I'm worried about getting attached to anyone but Frieren.

Phooey.

This can only end well.

Now what exactly does that mean? I'm sensing some deeper motivations for studying magic for both of them. (Also, I'm not retracting my Phooey until I confirm Fern doesn't die of old age at the end of the chapter.)

Oh dear. I thought I got enough of this from The Monster who Wants to Eat Me, but I guess we're doing this here too.

Best case scenario really.

Yessss! New companion! Also, this is really sweet, even if it only worked because Frieren didn't care about wasting six whole years.

Telekinesis may not be flashy, but the raw utility it can provide is nuts.

The adventurer's creed. As long as the loot is magic, you want it. Guess who has a collection of hundreds of scrolls and potions in BG3 despite having used, maybe 5 total. No, I can't store them in camp. What if I need them later!

Yep, they're adventurers alright. I am rather happy to see that despite her stoic facade, Frieren is in fact, a goober.

Where's the lie?

Keep telling yourself that.

Oh god, please tell me this Manga isn't a cycle of new companions joining, growing old, and dying.

Please stop vagueblogging at your apprentice.

No one told me this was a sad manga.

Good for you, but don't forget to retrieve the lady's seeds before you leave.

This isn't giving hope that this mange isn't on a centuries spanning timescale.

Oh no. It's only been four chapters, but I already adore her.

Is candy a euphemism for something?

This is sadly rather relatable.

Oh my god Frieren, stop staring at Fern's bobs.

Ok, so, before I finish tonight's session, I decided to take a little peek ahead to assuage my fears. This is from chapter 107, so it looks like I don't have to worry about Frieren repeatedly outliving her friends in this story. At least with old age. They could still die the old fashioned way. The only other detail I accidentally spoiled is that Fern is still with her, so reverse death flag, I guess.

And that's the first session! Very different vibes from what I was expecting. It's very somber, while being funny in a rather low-key way. Frieren is already a delight, and I'm interested to learn more about Fern. So far she seems to mostly be the straight-man, but I'm sure she has some fun quirks.

Also, glad to see basically everything I was spoiled on was in chapter 1. I went into Dungeon Meshi knowing about the cool monster Marcille is in lesbians with.

[artstar1997]

Here are the older trolls as monsters for my monster au. It’s kinda fancier and more complicated to finish them because their designs have lots of details.

Peppy is a former alpha of his pack, now that one of the twins, Poppy ends up taking over the position while Viva, the other twin formed her own. He was Bastion’s best wolf buddy ever since they prowled in their 100’s. Being very close to the vampire prince, Peppy became the best wolf in his wedding and vice versa when he got married to his mate. He hasn’t seen the vampire couple for so long until they finally reunite and had to band together to fight the evil horde that is trying to invade the monster world.

Prince Bastion of the Nevermore Clan is one of the few vampires who tolerated werewolves since he’s best friends with Peppy. They were inseparable like bats in the ceiling ever since they met as a batling and wolf pup respectively. Alongside Dr. Moonbloom, Mags Gumdrop, and Sky Toronto, they loved prowling in the woods and scaring anyone in their way. When Bastion ends up marrying Jasmine Dracula, he and everybody else were attacked by a mob of angry humans and they fought their way out to the shadows for their safety. When they had Rose, they had no choice but to keep her safe by giving her up to his mother, Queen Celestia so that she can grow up safely and prepared to become the next vampire queen. They make sure their other children, Linden, Aurora, and Twilight are prepared for their roles in fighting the divine republic while watching over Rose in a distance. He was later reunited with her and Peppy after years on being on a lookout and he joins forces with the other monsters to fight their common enemy. His vampire gift is the ability to detect lies. As the younger sister of the infamous Count Dracula, Jasmine’s vampire gift is darkness manipulation, which is one hundred percent stronger since she is a part of the vampire king’s family.

Queen Celestia is the queen of the vampires. She was a former consort of the late vampire king and the mother of six children, having five daughters and one son, Bastion. As a proud grandmother, Celestia had lived thousands of years and still haven’t aged since vampires are ageless. She is also very close to Rose, whom she have raised to become next in line to the throne and to fulfill her destiny, even though she has to sacrifice herself to protect her beloved family. Her vampire gift is the siren song.

Quincy and Essence are plant monsters who were born from the seeds of different plants, with Quincy’s being formed from an unspecified tree while Essence came from a rare corpse flower. They lead their own monster community while raising their sons, Cooper and Darnell but they have to move to a settlement near the Nevermore Castle because of the monster hunter. Now, they welcome two more plant monsters to their family, Jussy, and Emi, who both became the love interests of their sons.

Trollzart is a harpy who is the leader of his own flock and one of the monster communities. Not much was known about him but he is a ferocious attacker and hunter if any human or rogue attack any monster under his wing.

Delta Dawn is a deerling who leads her own monster community and the Wildhoof tribe. She looks friendly at first glance and she was initially sympathetic but she can be protective of all the monsters from humans, whom she harbors resentment because of ecological destruction and the persecution of humans. She has a sassy attitude and love for all "Southern" things, as well as being as smart as a whip, but she is also in a zing with Dickory.

Thrash is a former alpha of his pack, which is now lead by his daughter, Barb. He is absent-minded, but he dotes his daughter a lot and was a skilled hunter and warrior who showed no mercy on the Gileadeans that he tore apart for years. Despite his senility, he is willing to accept other monsters, including innocent humans.

The next one will be a pawful so be prepared, ghouls and mansters.

[aeternallis]

Porsche & Chay's Brotherhood in KinnPorsche the Series

Brotherhood and familial relationships are one of the most prominent themes in KP, as we all know.

And personally, I think one of the most fascinating and important deviations that BOC had chosen to take with their adaptation of the novel is having Porsche and Chay drift apart by the end of the story (despite that ending shot of them both hugging their Mama). By having them drift apart, their respective love stories with Kinn and Kim stands on a firmer note. They basically pulled a P&P 2005, which—although a disheartening thing to see—is one that I think was definitely a good choice, as it fits appropriately with KP’s narrative as a whole.

To provide some context, in the novel, Porsche is aware for the most part of Kim and Chay’s growing bond once it's introduced in the story. He doesn’t know the details, and neither Kim nor Chay are really forthcoming about their relationship to their older brothers (which BOC does keep somewhat in the show), but there is some awareness of it in the latter’s part. For Kinn specifically, it’s even a point of contention once or twice, since in being aware of Kim and Chay’s relationship (and knowing his brother’s personality), inevitably he worries about how their relationship would affect his relationship with Porsche. Like in the show, Porsche is understandably protective of Chay, and doesn’t want him getting involved any more than he has to.

Because of Porsche's awareness from the beginning, this allows for them to grow even closer as brothers near the finale of the story, since they both sympathize with each other’s frustrations of what it's like to be romantically involved with a Theerapanyakul, as well as how their respective relationships are perceived by outsiders.

For example, this exchange (Porsche’s POV) between Athee and the brothers when they run into him in their old house:

It’s made a point in the novel that Porsche and Chay’s relationship with their respective Theerapanyakul both follow the same trajectory (with a few differences, ofc), besides the fact that pretty much Kinn and Kim fell for the same personality traits and characteristics that the Kittisawasd brothers share. Lol

But in all seriousness, because they have a better understanding of each other due to how their respective romantic relationships have influenced them, they’re more in sync with how they make decisions together regarding their own family.

There’s a scene in the book (Porsche's POV) where Porsche accidentally cuts himself on his foot when he confronts Kinn in anger, once he finds out about Korn’s involvement in his parents’ deaths. He marches straight into Kim’s room and intends to take Chay away, but not before Chay helps him bandage up the cut and calms him down.

They share this poignant conversation, specifically about Chay’s relationship to Kim:

It's a very heartfelt exchange, because Porsche understands he has to take into account his own brother's relationship with Kim, that his actions and decisions also affects his little brother, besides the fact that Chay genuinely looks up to Porsche and sees him as his hero. In doing so, he also acknowledges Chay's maturity, and respects him in that regard, thus allowing for them to become a stronger unit together as brothers, one that's infinitely stronger than what the Theerapanyakul brothers have.

But the show—while keeping loyal to the same character dynamics for both relationships—turns this on its head entirely, and makes it so that Porsche is completely unaware of Chay's relationship to Kim. In making it so that Porsche is unaware, not only is he blindsided by how he protects and parents Chay (case in point: episode 14, bar fight scene), Porchay himself deliberately keeps him in the dark.

In turn, you get a somewhat heartbreaking exchange between the two of them, like this scene in episode 12 when Porsche tells Chay that he no longer has to go back to the compound (yknow, like a liar XD):

At first, Chay's line is supposed to come off as comforting for his older brother, but what goes unsaid rings just as loudly if not more than what he actually says to Porsche: "I don't need to know everything, right?" Just as you don't have to know everything and what I've been through recently.

Which brings me back to my original thesis: Porsche and Chay drift apart by the end of the show; BOC sacrifices their strong brotherly bond from the beginning, but in turn elevates both brothers’ romantic relationships to stand stronger within the narrative. We won’t ever get to know how well KimChay’s love story could have stood out against the other two had it followed a similar trajectory to KinnPorsche, but I will say that I’m of the firm opinion that KimChay’s original storyline in the show heavily contributed to Jeff and Barcode’s chemistry with each other.

In the show, Chay’s maturity is highlighted in the fact that perhaps for the first time in his life, he deliberately chooses not to involve Porsche in an aspect of his life, a big part of which no doubt, he probably wouldn’t want or know how to explain to his older brother in the first place. This is further compounded by the fact that it was partly due to Porsche’s absence that Chay had latched onto Kim as he did. Chay is a character who has a deep sense of self, and choosing not to involve Porsche in trying to figure out what to do with Kim superbly demonstrates the emotional complexity of his character, despite his young age.

It’s why it makes perfect sense that in the final episode, these two scenes are back-to-back, highlighting the rift between both brothers: we're shown how Chay is conflicted and sobbing about his feelings in light of Kim sending him the song, yet right after, the audience sees how Porsche has no hesitation in pledging his life to Kinn ("My entire life is all yours"), thereby effectively leaving Chay wide open and ready for the taking to the wolf (Kim).

It's almost sinister, to be quite frank, how BOC really did take that step in breaking the Kittisawasd brothers apart. Welp~

Chay is all too aware of the inevitability of change that will come in his life, including his relationship with his brother, as a result of Porsche's choices to join the mafia. Porsche too is very much aware deep down, hence his subsequent actions of downplaying his reasons and trying to maintain the status quo, aka falling back into the genuine affection he has for Chay, like he does in these two scenes, rather than properly explaining himself:

In both of these scenes, Porsche struggles to maintain eye contact with Chay, because he knows somewhere inside of himself that falling back and reiterating his love for Chay won't change the fact that his choice to stay in the mafia was as entirely selfish as it was selfless. Chay calls him out on the hypocrisy of his behavior, and he questions Porsche directly: "Was it really all for me? If it was really all for me, then why didn't you consider how I feel?"

After the kidnapping incident, both Porsche and Kim have a desire to maintain the status quo with Chay. This is shown by how Porsche falls back to voicing his love out loud to Chay as a way to avoid having to explain himself, and Kim by not sticking around outside the warehouse after he got Chay out, so he also wouldn't have to explain himself.

But whereas Porsche gets to successfully keep that illusion because his younger brother allowed it and gives it to him, Kim doesn't get to have the same. Chay doesn't give Kim the same consideration as he does with his brother, understandably so. Thus, the uncomplicated, free-of-misgivings sort of perception Chay had towards Kim quickly crumbles.

As a direct consequence, in the show, the one whom witnesses Chay's struggles of coming into his own as a result of being dragged into the world of the mafia is not Porsche, but Kim; it's Kim who finds out that Chay bailed on his interview at university, it's Kim who sees Chay rebel and partying and drinking, it's Kim who realizes how much danger Chay is still in, despite being away from the compound and the coup by the minor family.

And finally, per my thesis with my deep dive of the bar fight scene in episode 14, in the end it's Kim who's further drawing Chay in towards the world of the mafia and the underbelly of Bangkok.

Because Kim is the witness to all of these things in regards to Chay's character and his actions post!kidnapping, not only does he learn more about the boy he's fallen in love with, he has a deeper understanding of who Chay is that Porsche doesn't have. That in turn makes their love story much stronger in the show, as opposed to the book, despite their bittersweet ending.

Although deviating away from that crucial point of Porsche and Chay's relationship in the book, it nonetheless fulfills the same aspect in the book that by the end of the first KP story, Chay has somewhat matured due to his relationship with Kim, as well as the trust placed on him by his older brother (careless the trust though may be in the show).

Having Porsche and Chay drift apart by the end of the show illustrates one of KP's strongest, most important themes: Falling in love is a very humbling experience. Having said that, love itself is also a very selfish, self-serving emotion.

[bloodyquillink-blog]

Merrick Who…

A/N🪶: Starts out mildly depressing, slowly gets better. I was feeling some Merrick appreciation. Includes both canon and non-canon stuff because yeah. Also, I love imagining that Merrick grows to see the Walker brothers as his sons since Elias has passed even though they’re grown. Enjoy!

Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Merrick is sad, David is sad, Everyone is sad, Mentions of the “suicide mission” the Walker brothers attempted, David blaming himself and punching things to try to release his emotions, lemme know if I missed any.

Word Count: I don’t know, I didn’t bother.

- Merrick who is more than ecstatic to hear David’s voice after the brothers killed Rorke, thinking he had lost his best friends children too.

- Merrick who finds a passed out David with a gunshot wound among other injuries with Logan nowhere to be seen.

- Merrick who wants to be angry at David, thinking their suicide mission was his idea.

- Merrick who finds a letter written by both of the brothers detailing their plan.

- Merrick who is there for David when he wakes up in the hospital screaming about Rorke taking Logan.

- Merrick who finds David in the gym late at night using the punching bag despite his bloodied and broken knuckles.

- Merrick who pulls David away and just holds him as the older brother cries in his arms like the young boy he used to be.

- Merrick who doesn’t let David blame himself despite the guilt.

- Merrick who makes sure David gets stronger and healthier.

- Merrick who becomes another father figure to David so he doesn’t lose himself in his trauma.

- Merrick who works unending hours while everyone else sleeps, looking for evidence on Logan’s whereabouts.

- Merrick who doesn’t let David come with to rescue Logan because he can’t afford to let another Walker be killed, assuming Logan is even alive still.

- David who learns to listen to his captain, because if Logan is still alive, he needs his brother to be there for him when he returns.

- Merrick who beats and batters his way through enemy lines with a strength previously unknown to him.

- Merrick who manages to corner Rorke while Keegan and Kick get Logan.

- Merrick who shoots the bastard in the name of his brothers, and sons, in arms.

- Merrick who carries Logan into the infirmary himself despite how tired he is.

- Merrick who makes sure David is the first to see Logan when the doctors and nurses allow visitors.

- Merrick who brings David food and water because the Walker refuses to leave his only family alone.

- Merrick who David trusts to watch Logan when he finally decides to sleep in his own bed one night.

- Merrick who noticed Logan twitch slowly and immediately calls David in.

- Merrick who watches the brothers from a distance as they hug each other like they thought the other died.

- Merrick who comes closer and holds them both like they’re his sons now, because maybe they are.

- Merrick who finally lets himself cry when he goes back to his own room.

- Merrick who goes out with the boys to celebrate.

- Merrick who smiles when he finally feels comfortable enough to talk about his personal life with his coworkers.

- Merrick who does everything in his power to make sure his comrades are safe.

- Merrick who gets to watch the world be put back together.

- Merrick who finds someone who loves him.

- Merrick who slips the ring onto their finger.

- Merrick who cries at his own wedding seeing his partner walk down the aisle.

- Merrick who gives all of his love to them.

- Merrick who retires happily.

- Merrick who gets to live a life he thought he could only imagine.

- Merrick who keeps in contact with the other soldiers.

- Merrick who feels proud of himself despite all the heartache it took to get here.

Big guy needs more love, that’s all.

[wexhappyxfew]

shannon!!! hi!!!! i’d LOVE a director’s cut of your annie x brady one shot ‘home is an anchor’. that piece is sooooo intimate and emotional and their connection is so palpable. i’m a big annie x brady fan but i think that’s my fav of your writing on them so far. their connection!!! i could shout about it for days. so what stuck out to you about them as characters or their relationship in that one shot? did they say/do/think anything that surprised you? did it influence stuff you wrote for them after in a way you didn’t expect? i’d love to hear any and all thoughts!!! i’m just an annie x brady girlie at heart ❤️

HI ISSIE!!!!!!! thank you so much for the kindness towards that piece!!! 'home is an anchor' was by far one of my favorite pieces that i wrote because i remember i had a section of it written but didn't know where to go with it. and then all the sudden it HIT me where to actually go with it and then my fingers were practically flying over the keyboard to finish writing it. SO!!! thank you SO MUCH!!!! <3 'an annie x brady girlie at heart' - issie my friend it is an HONOR!!! so PLEASE LET ME INDULGE YOU!!! under the cut is my train of thought and dissection of this piece and all the fixings! please enjoy and thank you again seriously! annie x brady have been one of my favorites to write and one of my first to develop and so i'm glad their connection means a ton, so, please enjoy!!! :D

if anyone wishes to get another look into a specific prompt/one-shot, please feel free to send it in! <3

One of the main goals I wanted to pull across with this piece was a deeper look into Annie's background - a sort of explanation as to why 'Annie Bradshaw' is the way she is. Because there's so many factors that make up, at least to me, why someone becomes the person they are - namely, their background and upbringing. Annie's upbringing is one that forces her both to grow up fast and mature, along with lose her youth and childhood at the exact same time. She spent a majority of it caring for her younger siblings. Meanwhile, she was the oldest daughter with an older brother, Roy, who went off to work and make money, along with her father, who was trying to keep the Bradshaw family alive.

At the same time, her mother was drinking daily, not taking care of things at home, and leaving Annie to step up into the role. This is some things I didn't get into right here but: before the Depression hit, the Bradshaw's had a farm that worked fairly efficiently, the family was profitable and happy, but then once 1929 hit, things started really going downhill. Annie wasn't able to go to school much anymore because of the fact she had to care for the farm and her siblings, while her father and brother went to what jobs they could work at. So, at night, she'd usually stay up late, alongside Roy and he'd help her catch up in her studies, which led to her love for math and science. This is incredibly fundamental for her because it led to where she is now. But having this background really cemented her reasons WHY she is here.

Annie mentions that she gets a letter from her father, detailing that her mother's health is failing (because of the drinking/smoking/etc), and how Annie still holds onto guilt because she left her family to do what she could for herself. And THIS is where John Brady comes in as a main player for this storyline - and why he is so important to any in so many different aspects. Because for once, someone is stepping in and caring for her (not like she didn't have her little siblings, her father and Roy), but there's that bare spot where her mother's love should've been. And in a way, Brady fills that for her.

I think it is also an attribute to Annie's strength as both a woman and a pilot for the USAAF. She clearly has been through a lot that has made her stronger because of it and it comes off evidently as she leads as pilot for Silver Bullets. But it also allows her to know that it's okay to have a bit of a breakdown sometimes, to feel those hurt emotions that she's experiencing. It gives her a nice well-rounded balance, and a fun character to write!

SO -- for me, these are the things that mainly stuck out (1) about their characters. You have Annie who is evidently going through a rollercoaster of emotions from her past, this torment of guilt and coming into this era of doing things for herself and Brady, who is stepping in to be her sort of 'safe haven' - an anchor. Hence, why I've tilted it 'Home is an Anchor' because her home is slowly no longer back in Mankato, Minnesota - it's here in Thorpe Abbotts. It's John Brady. I feel this also applies to their relationship - as someone who is a fan of slowburns, I am stretching this out as far as I can, so by this point, I'd say we are near episodes 3/4. Meaning, Annie and Brady have known each other for some time, and are slowly developing these feelings and these emotions towards each other that they're having trouble forgetting. I would highly consider this the 'turning' point in their connection, too, in their time of knowing one another. Sharing an intimate moment that heavily emphasizes their importance towards one another in a somewhat subtle way, too.

(2) I'll be honest, writing Annie and Brady is ALWAYS a surprise for me (enter: Brady and Annie in his A2 jacket...like THAT was a surprise!). But genuinely, writing them is always me just typing away and then this idea/line hits me and I just have to do something with it. SO -- for this, Brady telling Annie that - now that they're up-close in this intimate hold they have on each other - he is now noticing her freckles and that they're cute, was by far the moment in the one shot that made me SCREAMMMM. I really wanted to take into account the fact that they're up-close to really try to bring forward this idea that, they've crossed this threshold and will recognize new things about the other - and one of those things is her freckles. A first step in a new direction!

(3) And with THAT, I would absolutely say it was influential, because then I started writing Annie and Brady in a more intimate way after that specific moment. Because we do have Annie sort of coming to the realization about her feelings - where she mentions the only thing on her mind and then trails off (that thing is in fact a Mr. John Brady, but she won't admit that). And I sort of play into that idea a bit with the entrance of Francis Montez, the co-pilot, into the scene, where she teases Annie a bit for it all (in good-fun of course). But it leaves Annie thinking. And so with that in following one-shots, I really played into that idea of 'everyone knows but them' sort of situation, which is a TREAT i must say haha!

This specific one-shot just really allowed me to explore multiple areas of Annie and Brady that was enjoyable - Annie's background, the importance of Brady to Annie and vice versa, what it means to go pass this 'friendship' (I say friendship in a very light ton lmfao) and into something else. To show that these two people both are important to one another and that they think equally very highly of one another as well - a sense of mutual respect that goes both ways.

And also, as I mentioned, I got to play around with Francis Montez's character as well. She is a pivotal person in the Silver Bullets crew, not only as the co-pilot, but as someone who watched their previous command pilot pass on, that being Captain Faulkner. Francis I will be exploring in an upcoming prompt or two (and another writing piece I have an idea for because co-pilots and their dynamic with the pilot fascinate me so....) and I'll be excited to build her character more!!!

This equally is one of my favorite pieces for these two, and I'm so glad you enjoyed it as well :) Annie x Brady will always mean the world to me, and to write them is a joy. So thank YOU Issie for indulging me!!! <333333 I appreciate it so so much and thank you again for the love and support!! :D

[den-kunn]

Worries.

Characters: Raiden, Den "Raycoon".

Pairing: Chaos Storm - Rai/Den.

CW: none.

Rain slowly poured down as the wind carried the chimes, the gentle sounds are what drove Den out of his trance. The scent of the soil getting wet invades his nose, humming in response. The blue mechanical pencil is left hanging on his hand while his eyes look away from the paper towards the open doors.

He didn't notice the day has gotten gray while he was sketching bodies. Leaving his spot and the pencil, Den approaches the engawa as he runs his hands on his arms at the slight temperature change. The scent grows stronger as soft drops fall in front of him, he could swear the rustling leaves could deaf him and he would be okay with it.

Den glances at the distance and spots a blue figure near a tree, taking a few seconds to focus on the shape of the man sitting under it. The chaos man considers ignoring him as to not disturb him yet he feels drawn to him. Barefeet, he takes the first step on the wet grass before making his way to the tree, his hair and clothes get soaked while more drops fall on his face, blinking a few times to not lose the target out of sight.

The distinct hat protects the older man's face as he sits with his legs crossed, his back straight while his arms rest on his knees. Den can't help but admire the image, the calmness and peacefulness the god radiates is intoxicating, his aspect almost ethereal combined with his firm stance makes the chaos man get lost in thought.

"Is something the matter?"

Words ground him to reality, frowning slightly once his sight can form the details of Raiden's hat with clarity.

"No, no. I was just- no. Did I interrupt you?"

A light blue sparkle appeared under the hat for a moment, his head soon shifts to face Den.

"I was meditating, but I can make time for you."

In silence, the chaos man sits right next to the god, leaving a small amount of space as to not disturb him more than he already is. Glowing eyes glare at the small mortal next to him.

"You're underdressed, you will catch a cold with the storm."

"I don't get sick so easily," Den answers back, not measuring his tone. "But- uh... thanks for caring."

Raiden snorts at the comment. "I used to think I was incapable of getting sick as well, do not overestimate your own immune system."

"Yeah- yeah... wai-" Den immediately shifts towards Raiden. "Gods can catch colds?"

"You would be surprised how often Fujin gets sick of his own windstorms."

"So that applies to you too."

"Oh no, I don't get sick so easily."

Both stared at each other for mere seconds and chuckle. Loose leaves fall from the trees close to the pair, what once was the deafening music of the wind chimes is no longer audible. It was just them and the storm.

Den's glare lingers as he takes a very needed deep breath.

"The day feels so..." He blinked, pupils dilatating, as the word finally comes to mind, "Monotone."

Raiden frowns, thinking he caused Den some sort of distress. A thunder roared behind them making the chaos man become aware of his poor choice of words. The younger man rests the side of his head on the god's arm, almost as if he was protecting his left ear.

"Not in a bad way."

Raiden glances at the chaosrealmer with a puzzled look.

"It's... how I like it. When the sky gets cloudy, it feels like a movie, a melancholic one. I like it. It's also... a good inspiration."

"How so?" Raiden asks.

"I don't really know how to explain it, but when the day is like this, I feel more relaxed, more free to explore what's on my mind. I daydream often and this... it helps the mood."

Raiden dwells on the thought as both men feel the cold wind hit them from the front, causing Den to separate from the contact. The soft rain gained strength as the minutes go by, the petrichor on the air which was once present back in the temple completely fades away once all grass is covered in a thin layer of water.

They sat in silence to enjoy the scenery the younger one pointed out. The thunder god usually chooses this particular spot to connect with nature and gain wisdom through self reflection, the storms that cover the sacred grounds are of his mental turmoil looking for answers for the betterment of Earthrealm. Knowing someone else could enjoy his tempest to create art makes Raiden feel content.

"I still have not heard why you wanted to see me."

A nervous chuckle comes from Den, "What- I need a reason to see my favorite man?"

Raiden's eyebrow raises at the question, intrigued by the nervousness.

"I-" The mortal clears his throat with a small hit to his chest, "I eh..."

The older man was amused by the reaction, the sudden shift from cockiness to awkwardness was something he has seen previously when his apprentices and the chaosrealmer chatted, but he didn't expect to cause it without saying a word.

However, Raiden soon realized the change of mood wasn't due to a playful matter as Den began fidgeting while his back was growing tense.

"Whatever is in your mind, you can confide it to me," Raiden reassured.

A long pause was present while Den's mind kept rearranging his thoughts, rereading the imaginary sentences to make sense out of them, the time passing felt like an eternity before the younger man was able to speak.

"What am I going to do once this is all over?"

That exact question was what worried Raiden as well. Before any word could come out of his mouth, Den gripped his sweater.

"I can't go back to how I used to be, I can't return to the life I once lived." His voice was slower than usual, almost unsure if what he's expressing was correct. Raiden stayed quiet.

"I am a different me. I don't recognize who's in the mirror. I don't feel this is me. I don't know what me is anymore. I don't feel my body nor my soul. I feel... like a floating consciousness, with thoughts and feelings, but I can't process I am a living being with a different living body."

His eyes begin to sting, feeling uncomfortably hot as he continues, "I can't think of myself as a person. I'm an extra in other people's lives. I act when they are near me until they're gone. I feel numb when I'm alone."

Once a shaky sigh left Den's lips, Raiden finally asked.

"Is that why you don't want to be alone?"

The smaller man's hands gestured almost as if to not lose track of his words. "I'm scared of feeling numb forever. Being around people makes me feel real emotions, they make me feel like I am a real human being."

"Do you feel real when you're with me?"

"I feel alive."

Raiden moves closer until their arms touch, pulling Den towards him for a hug. Den's head rests on his companion, his burning eyes release tears that mix with the raindrops, which cool his tired eyelids. His heart is beating so painfully tight against his chest, almost as if it wanted to get out of the prison that is his body. An arm slowly envelops around Raiden, his shaky fingertips holding onto any piece of clothing he could grasp on while his breathing sharpens.

He never felt so vulnerable near someone before.

"I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to apologize for."

"I'm a burden."

"You are not. You never were."

"You know we're only here talking because of what I became."

"And I couldn't be more glad we get to do it."

"Why?"

"You just want to be heard and cared for."

"Lies."

"Are they though?"

"... No."

"I will not leave you alone. I will not let you feel you are not real."

"Why?"

"I like it when you are you."

"You don't know me."

"I have all the time in the world to do so, if you allow me."

"I will make you worse."

"Then I will be worse with you."

"Cheesy."

"You enjoy it."

"I do."

"And I do too."

Both men close their eyes, feeling each other's presence as the rain pours down on them, lightning striking far away in the mountains that flash for mere seconds, the rumbling somewhat relaxes the younger man. At peace, his eyes draw a path to the horizon as his concerns disappear with the wind.

"I'm scared."

"Of what?"

"Tomorrow. The examination."

"What troubles you about it?"

"I overhead the scientists talk about experimenting with my head."

"Are you afraid your power will not help you?"

"I never tried to actually... harm myself like that. I never managed to pull it out or break something to heal it. What if..."

"It could kill you?"

"Yeah."

"I know some native chaos citizens were capable of reattaching their heads the same way they did their other limbs. I cannot say I have seen someone regenerate it though."

"I'm anxious they could harm me permanently."

"Your hearing," Raiden realizes.

"It's sensitive. It always has been. Their machines are loud and... invasive. This translator thing has been bothering me for some time, it feels like a bug trying to get in my ear... I'm terrified they will insert needles or something," Den finally confesses.

"It is a common fear but I assure you they will try no such thing."

"How can you be so sure?" Den asks bluntly.

"I will go with you to reassure you there is nothing to be scared of."

"What- you're gonna protect me or something?" The chaos man awkwardly laughed.

"From any danger that might harm you."

"Aren't you busy during my little appointments?"

"I will always make time."

"Wow- you are cheesy."

"Does it embarrass you?"

"No- no," He clarifies. "It's just... you're very sweet," a shy smile forms at the suggested idea.

"Then it's settled," The god's hand holds Den firmly, rubbing his thumb as he soothes his companion.

[pocketvenuslux]

I'm reviewing a discontinued classic today - the extremely popular Fifi set from Agent Provocateur. It's a sentimental set for me because it's the first AP set I bought but it's also quite special because of certain details you don't find in the classic AP sets anymore.

Fifi was first created in 2003 when Sarah Shotton was a junior designer. Apparently the set was influenced by Liz Taylor as Cleopatra - though I do find the vibe more naughty and thrill seeking than the imperious presence of Taylor, there are a number of costumes featuring the pleating that makes Fifi so distinct.

The French Chantilly lace by Sophie Hallett is quite pretty - Hallett laces have been used by many designers like Alexander McQueen, Dolce & Gabbana, Maison Margiela and other luxury lingerie brands. The lace here is sewn in a way that drapes not only upwards over your cleavage, but again over the bra cups. It is also ruffled on the garter. Using this much lace feels both extravagant but also extra frilly and frivolous. The pleated tulle, repeated in all three pieces, is also quite unique and spares no expense, adding texture and interest to this monochrome set and giving you the impression of something quite delicate, even though the set itself is sturdy. Everything is also finished with suitably dainty picot edging and I love how the thong features a grossgrain ribbon not at the top of the front, but midway down the design which strikes me as very cheeky.

In terms of fit, Fifi provides fantastic lift while the unique suspender flares over the hips, giving a stronger impression of an hourglass shape - which is precisely what Shotton was designing for.

Fifi was among the sets eventually chosen for AP's Classics line along with other discontinued favourites like Nikita, Lacy, Gloria, and Amelea. The Classics were not seasonal though they came in different seasonal colour ways (which was not as common for AP as it is today). This was also when AP was moving into differentiating its products into higher and lower tier products (Soiree, which had reflective gold tags) and the diffusion AP brand (which were sold on a separate website). As you can see above, the Classics had their own, black tags.

Fifi didn't remain static over the years. In addition to a white colour way pictured above, I can recall a classic red, forest green and pale pink and black combination which really made the lace pop and echoed AP's pink and black branding.

As well, at around this time, cost-cutting resulted in a different design for the suspender, the first piece of the set to be designed. Those diaphanous layers were eventually cut down from three generous tiers to one tier - and the lace is not ruffled. It's still cute and flirty but nowhere near as expensive to make as the original design. Of the original, Shotton has said, "The suspender, because it's skirty, takes it somewhere else. You could get the knicker and bra and it would like quite Bridget Bardot, '60s - something you wear as an everyday set. Then, you put the suspender on in the evening and you're like a different woman, a little bit milkmaid but a little bit naughty."

Eventually, Fifi was phased out along with Nikita and other sets I used to think of as defining the AP brand. Overall, I really love these older AP sets and without them, AP just doesn't feel the same to me. Some newer designs are still creative and beautiful but I have noticed a growing reliance on reusing patterns, as well as far less silk and expensive laces used in designs. I can't imagine the AP of today creating a set like this at its "regular" tier anymore.

Fabric: 57% polyester, 31% polyamide, 125 elastane

Made in Morocco

Photos: AP; mine; depop

[axel-silverly]

Hello! It's me again!! And as I promised, here it is!

Aglas (my mc) and Minhyeok's relationship details

- According to the plot, they have known each other ever since kindergarden and they are also neighbors, but in my version I added that Aglas's and Minhyeok's moms went to highschool together and were very good friends, so it was only natural they wanted their sons to befriend each other

- Aglas was such a big crybaby when he was little, he would owe Minhyeok a huge ammount of money if he had to pay back all the ice creams he buought him to calm him down so their parents wouldn't worry. He toughened up after his parent's death, because he felt like he had to learn how to be strong in order to take care of himself after they were gone, but his child self plays a huge role in why Minhyeok is so protective of Aglas, he can't help but still see him as the frail, sensitive little kid he once was.

- Speaking of protecting... Fun fact! I have this little headcanon that they took martial arts classes together! So now they both can defend themself decently well (of course, not against angels or demons as they are physically much stronger than them and, you know, mystical powers.)

- Honestly Aglas can lust pretty much after everyone, but he really, really can't bring himself to see Minhyeok that way, because they have known each other pretty much all their life so he can't help but seeing him as the older brother he never had

(After this it gets really long and specific so I'll put it under the cut not to clog the tag)

- On the other hand, in my headcanon Minhyeok fell for him sometime when they were around 15-16, Aglas was sleeping over at Minhyeok's house as he had done many times before, however there was a problem with the folding bed he had always used so they had to resort to sleeping on the same bed.

Aglas had fallen asleep much earlier than Minhyeok, who for some reason wasn't tired at all, he was feeling restless and a bit... Uncomfortable? But it didn't make sense, they had been best friends all their life, so why couldn't he be at ease right now? He started looking at Aglas's face, noticing how much he had grown and how attractive he had become... Then his eyes zoomed on his lips, slowly trailing to his collarbone and his pectorals which peeked from the neckline of his pajamas' shirt, all the while thinking how good he felt when they were together, how much he wanted to protect that smile that lit up his days whenever he saw it and...

...

He quickly sat up on his bed, his cheeks flushing.

Shit.

- Yeah.. anyway, because Aglas sees him as a brother but Minhyeok sees Aglas in a different light, this has led to a lot of near heart attacks for him

A: "Hey can I borrow your shirt?"

Mi: "Again? I mean, it's fine for you to sleep over but at least bring your cloth- WHY ARE YOU NAKED?!"

A: "Huh? I just took a bath. You knew that Min, I told you before I-"

Mi: "DON'T JUST STAND THERE! GO PUT SOME CLOTHES ON!!!"

A: "I want to but I don't have any clean ones, which is why I was asking you for a shirt in the first place. Anyway, what are you acting so flustered for? Aw, Is Min-Min shy~? Come now, It's not like we haven't taken baths together before~"

Mi: "W-we were five- Don't change the subject! Go get dressed already!! *throws a pillow at him*"

A: "Ugh! Okay, okay, geez... You're no fun."

- But I know what you're all wondering, actually maybe you aren't but I'm going to tell you anyway: What about their childhood promise? Honestly I like to immagine it as the kind of situation where they didn't really understand what marriage entailed, but they heard that you have to get along and spend a lot of time with the one you will marry, and they checked both of those boxes, so they promised to marry each other once they got older. Growing up, Minhyeok started to take that promise seriously, while Aglas thinks about it as an embarassing thing he did when he was little.

Here's how would have reacted in the story when Ppyong brought that up:

A: "Huh? What do you mean, 'married couples'? We're not- Wait. Oh. Ooohh. *snorts* Ahahah! Oh, geez. I can't believe he brought that up!"

Satan: "Brought what up?"

A: "Oh, it's actually a bit embarassing, but I kinda told Min-Min I would marry him when I was little. I didn't know what I was talking about and none of us really meant it, but he always brings it up to tease me, that guy~"

Ppyong thinking: "Poor Minhyeok... Mr. Aglas is so oblivious to his feelings..."

- Quick extra scene!

Losing his parents at such a young age was not easy both from a psychological and economical point of view, he has a few part-time jobs but they don't pay a lot, so he's really desperate for money, which has led to the following conversation many times:

A: "Ugh... Why do I always have barely any money left after I finish paying rent and... Ugh... Taxes... Why?!"

Mi: "That's just how the world works, I guess. It's not your fault your job doesn't pay much.. And you know I don't mind making food for you if you can't afford it, you can always count on me if you need anything.."

A: "Ahh.. That's really sweet of you Min-Min but technically speaking I have the money for eating..."

Mi: "Then?"

A: "I was talking about spending money, you know? I just... *sigh* You always have to pay for me everytime we go to the movies and stuff..."

Mi: "Oh, is that it? Ahah you know I don't mind it Aglas."

A: "I know, I know. Still, I would like to be a bit more indipendent every once in a while... You know what? I could sell my body for a quick buck. I mean, I'm attractive and I like sex. So it would be all gain, really."

Mi: "NO- I mean- *cough* I'm pretty sure that's illegal... So..."

A: "True, I always forget about that... Oh! Then you know what I could do? Get a Sugar Daddy! It's not illegal and it would be a stable income! Ahah! I'm a genius!!"

Mi: "Wait- No way! Don't!!"

A: "Why not? If I'm lucky I might land one who's on the younger side, you know, like 40-50 years old. Besides, silver foxes have their own charm to them, don't you think?"

Mi: "That would still be an 18 years age gap at minimum! And also, I don't want an older man to take advantage of you..."

A: "Pffft Ahahah! I know, I know Min, I'm just kidding... for now~"

Mi: "Aglas!!"

A: "Sorry, sorry!

And... Yeah! That's it for now! Thank you for reading and I hope you like it! I'm planning on doing the kings next, I just need to decide which one to do first, See ya ~🖤🔮