#this all lead to me loving vegetables from a very early age and not really caring at all about candy because it was never off limits to me

[ifyouarefictionaliwillpunchyou]

my parents raised me with a healthy relationship around food I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN #1 VEGETABLE LOVER TEN THOUSAND IN THE WORLD.

once you hit adulthood a day will come when you’re suddenly like VEGETABLES 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 and it never goes away

[gotnofucks]

Choose

Written for @darkficsyouneveraskedfor Halloween Challenge! This is my first time posting here, so be kind 😊

 Character pairing: dark!Steve x Reader

Summary: Steve realizes he can’t let you go when you’re stuck in a safe house with him.

Quote: I was never really insane except upon occasions when my heart was touched

Words: 4.1k

Warnings: Non-con (implied), non-con touching, blackmail, coercion, 18+ only. Please don’t read if you don’t like.

MASTERLIST

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 The rain was falling in torrents and how you made your way through it you would never know. It was only September, but the rain made it much colder and you were so glad that you were in a car with heating on. Steve was driving almost blind and if it were someone else, you would be scared, but it was him and so you let yourself sink into the seat and relax.

 “Take my jacket, you look cold” He said as he shot your slightly shivering form a sharp look.

 You nod and reach behind to take his jacket and wrap it around your body. You do it without hesitation and with no question. Always so trusting and obedient, at least, when it came to him. You were small, in fact positively diminutive when it came to the super soldier sitting beside you and seemed to drown in his jacket. He smiled when he saw you, and you smile back at his cheeky look.

 “How long until we get to the safe house? I am hungry.” You asked, wiggling in your seat.

 “Not long. It’s right in the middle of this clearing. Maybe 10 more minutes”, He answered, reaching over to pat your knee in assurance.

 “You’ve been there before?”

 “Twice. Nat and I set it up just after we took down Shield and then later crashed here with Sam and Buck around 2 years ago. It’s safe and cozy.”

 You hum and played with your fingers. It was only going to be the two of you this time. It didn’t bother you all that much. You would rather it be him than anyone else. Well, maybe Tony, but after him you liked Steve the best. You were one of the younger avengers, having been recruited only two years ago by Clint Barton. You used to work for a covert government organization IMF where Clint was undercover for a few years and seeing your talent with a gun and a computer, he had once asked your help in one of his Avengers missions where you met Tony Stark who immediately took a liking to you and trained you under him.

 You worked as Tony’s tech girl, helping mostly with recon missions for a few months. Then Natasha started training you for field missions and low and behold, you were kicking ass with them for nearly 6 months now. You haven’t done very difficult missions yet, and not a single solo. Mostly you’re paired with Nat and Clint or, as this time, with Steve. Tony assured you he’ll let you do a solo soon, but always lamented that ever since you got outside, he missed his lab buddy.

 You loved these small missions with Steve. He was always patient with you and taught you the drills but didn’t hold back. He would let you take the lead at times and was always proud of even the smallest achievement. At first when you had met, you had been kind if intimidated of his aloofness, but it didn’t take long for you both to bond over cheesy 40s music and your mutual love for art.

 “Y/n, we’re here” Steve announced and got out of the car. You followed, grabbing your small bag and ran through the rain to the porch. It was like a getaway cabin and you were so glad you didn’t have to stay in some dingy hole. You wanted warmth, food, and a comfortable place to sleep.

 Steve shut the door behind you and took off his wet shoes, putting them upside down near the door. You take off his jacket and your shoes too, grateful to be away from the squelching soles.

 “There’s no fireplace” You observe with a pout, and Steve chuckled.

 “Y/n, it’s a safe house. The smoke would let people know someone is living here. We don’t want that now, do we?” He gave you an indulgent smile and walked through to the kitchen, starting to unpack the supplies and food.

 “But I am cold!” You whine, and for that moment Steve realized your age gap. He gestured for you to come to him while he put the water to boil and you slowly approached him with small steps. Once you are in front of him, he looked at your damp hair and clothes, thankful that his jacket had prevented you from getting too wet.

 “You cold, huh?” He asked, hooking a hang around your waist to pull you against his chest. You stumble and steady yourself with both hands against his massive shoulders, your head a couple inches below his shoulder.

 “Yeah” You moan, wrapping your arms around his body. “How the hell are you always warm, eh?”

 Steve chuckles again and continues to cook while hugging you with an arm around your body. This closeness isn’t new. He would never admit it, but Captain Steve Rogers is a serial cuddler and you are his favourite cuddle buddy. He would cuddle you on the couch during movie nights, he would cuddle you after returning from a tough mission and he would cuddle you when you get your period. Steve Rogers was your best friend, and you felt safe with him. But you didn’t know Steve Rogers wanted to be more than just your friend. He wanted you with him when he went to sleep and when he woke up, he wanted you when he cooked and when he took a shower. No, you had no idea that the National treasure of America was in love with you.

 It wasn’t like he was hiding his feelings. He just never came out and said them out loud. Steve often believed that actions spoke louder than words and so he tried to tell you his feelings by doing little somethings for you. He learnt to make your coffee exactly the way you liked, he watched the movies you liked and read the books you read. He learnt to cook vegetarian dishes since you despised any kind of meat. More than anything, he tried to get along with Tony. Tony was your protective big brother/father, and he loved you enough to scare off every man who ever looked at your way. You were the only one in the team to have rooms on the same floor as Tony and you both shared a kitchen. Steve knew that if he wanted you to himself, he needed to get on Tony’s good side. So, he bit his tongue when he wanted to snap and gave his go ahead to things he deeply disapproved of, just to have to build back the old trust. It worked out, since Steve was one of the only people who were allowed a mission with you.

 “Will there be hot water for a shower?” You asked, body being warmed by Steve. He looked down at your face, full of childish innocence and stripped off every hardness after a tired mission.

 “Maybe, but definitely not enough for both of us” Steve commented. The vegetable stew needed to simmer for a while, so he sat you both down on the worn couch in the living room, your head on his shoulder and his arm still around you. He had hoped you would pick up on his feelings, since having you this close did things to him. Your soft body fit so perfectly into his large one that he never wished to part from you. Maybe tonight would be that night.

 “I’ll call Tony and eat. You take that shower and save me some hot water if you can.” You said and took out your phone to let Tony know you were safe and would leave for compound in the morning as planned. Steve looked at you walk away, speaking softly to Tony and wished more than ever that the rain outside would turn into a storm just to prolong your stay. He didn’t get to have you alone a lot at the compound. There were always other people around, always Wanda wanting female company or Peter following you around asking how you impressed Tony. He liked it here in this little cabin, cooking a meal for you after a hard day of work.

 “Tony says to leave early tomorrow so we can reach home by lunch. He wants to take me to meet Stephen Strange” You say suddenly, breaking out Steve from his domestic fantasy.

 “Stephen Strange? Why?”, he asked, frowning.

 “Tony and him and doing some weird wizard-avenger collab in that Nepal place- what is it called, Kamartaj- for a few weeks”, you answer.

 “What’s that got to do with you?” Steve asked, slightly irritated and hands curing into fists.

 “He’s taking me along. Says he doesn’t want me away for so long. Also, this wiz, Dr. Strange, he’s apparently some kind of genius. Tony says I can learn a lot from him. But I think it’s just a ruse. I’m pretty sure they are dating, and he just wants me to meet him”, You say with a fond smile. Steve doesn’t smile or say anything.

 Weeks? You’d be gone for weeks? That too in another country without him. He didn’t like that. He didn’t like that at all.

 “You wanna go?” He asked in what he hoped was a normal voice. He wanted you to say no, wanted to see that hesitation in your eyes as you thing of being away from him for weeks, maybe months.

 “Sure, I think it would be fun. I wanna see the Himalayas and maybe I’ll visit India too. I’ve got a pen friend there who I’d love to meet.” Your reply was so nonchalant that for a moment Steve just stares, and then he is angry. Here was a perfect chance for you and him to spend time away from the overbearing presence of Tony Stark, but you would rather see snow covered mountains and meet a pen friend in India? He’d only thought you were being a little oblivious of his feelings, maybe deliberately trying not to acknowledge them as you wanted to take it slow. But it seems like you…it seems like you felt nothing beyond friendship for him at all. After all those months spent hugging and laughing together, and yet you would rather choose Tony over him. A rage settled over him and he needed to clench his jaw and curl his arm tight around the back of the couch to stop himself from grabbing you and…and doing things he had rather not do.

 “Take that shower. Leave your wet clothes outside, I’ll see what I can do with them” Steve said suddenly.

 “You sure you don’t want a shower too? We’ve got layers of grim from crawling through that tunnel.” You asked.

 Steve looked at you for a minute, eyes rowing over your small face. He took in the little acne scars you were so self-conscious about, your slightly chapped lips and those beautiful eyes that reared him in. He nodded.

 “Yeah, you go on. I’ll see if I need one” He said and went to the kitchen while you left for the bedroom with the connected bathroom.

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 The bathroom was nicer than you had hoped, probably Nat’s doing if the products where anything to go by. You’d removed your wet clothes outside and stood naked under the stream of warm water, sighing with relief. It was a small mission but brutal on your body. It would have been heaven to have a tub in here, but safe houses were meant to be quick and effective, and this one was way better than others, so you didn’t complain. You were just going to wash your hair when the bathroom door opened, and Steve entered.

 “Steve!” You shouted, hands covering your breast and turning so your back was to him. You looked at him with wide eyes, expecting him to sputter and leave but he stayed, eyes lingering on your ass a bit before meeting your eyes.

 “Got any of that hot water left or have you finished all of it?” He asked, taking off his t-shirt and leaving his chest bare.

 Your mouth opened in surprise as your backed yourself into the corner, trying to make sense of what was happening. Your best friend had just barged into your bathroom while you were showering and showed no signs of leaving.

 “W-what are you doing, Steve?” You asked in a small voice, still covering yourself with your hands the best you could.

 “Taking a shower. I told you we didn’t have enough water for two, so I thought I’d join you. You were right anyway, we are grimy.” He said and fumbling a bit, dropped his pants down too. You panicked, not understanding what was happening as Steve stood in his boxers, taking steps towards you.

 “No. No no no no” You almost chanted that as a mantra, eyes going here and there, not knowing what to do. Steve reached your small body crowded into the corner and slowly, very slowly raised a hand to wipe away the dirty on your cheek. You started at his touch and quickly sidestepped, running towards the door. You didn’t know what had gotten into Steve, but you needed to get out of here. Now.

 You’d taken only two steps before a hand wrapped around your waist and brought you back screeching to a hard chest, back against front.

 “Stop. Steve, let me go. Please.” You said, your tears mingling with the water on your skin, one hand across your chest and other on his wrist trying to pry it off.

 “No sweetheart, you need to take this shower. You’re dirty and tired. Come.” You hated his voice for being soft and soothing still, showing no indication of what he was doing to you. His voice was still your Stevie’s voice, calm, cool, a little commanding and full of affection for you.

 “I- Steve, I don’t want a shower. Not like this, please.” You tried to break away, wiggling and crying but Steve didn’t listen and dragged you back and turned on the water again. You both were bombarded with hot water and stood under it for a minute before Steve turned it off again.

 “Gimme that shampoo, I’ll do your hair.” He said, releasing you from his hold. But it wasn’t any good as you were blocked by the wall on your back and Steve at your front. You hadn’t turned around yet, but now you did. Sobbing, with thighs squeezed tight to hide you down there and hands inefficiently covering your breasts, you looked at him with betrayed eyes. You didn’t try running again. You knew his strength; you have trained with him. He could take you down in seconds.

 “Why are you doing this? What is happening?” Your voice was small and broken, sending a pang through Steve’s heart. He loved you and didn’t want to hurt you, but you needed to see his feelings for you. He couldn’t risk you going away for months. He just couldn’t. His eyes slowly moved down from your face, taking in every inch of your body exposed, not touching, only looking.

 “We’re taking a shower after which we will eat our food while we watch some stupid movie on that laptop of yours. Then, we’ll cuddle and sleep with you on my chest and tomorrow morning you will call Tony and tell him you won’t join him for his trip to Nepal.”

 He was mad. He was insane, you were sure of it. Face burning with humiliation under his gaze, fire began sparking in your eyes. How dare this tall buff blond muffin think it okay to invade your space and demand such things from you? Just who the fuck did he think he was.

 “No. I don’t know what the hell is wrong with you, but you need to stop. Get out, or if you want to shower, let me go out. I’m done with whatever game you are playing.” You sneered at him. Steve had to smile at this, his little spitfire. He didn’t really expect you to give in easily, that’s not the girl he knew and trained. You were with the avengers because you could handle stuff others would wet themselves with. You were strong and he knew that. But he was stronger.

 “What’s gotten into me?” He asked, closing the distance between you so you were against the wall and caged by his arms on either side. His face was inches away and your breathing sped up. He looked cruel and menacing, the blue eyes you loved so much taking on a much darker hue. “You have gotten in me. You got under my skin and in my thoughts and in my heart. Now I want you under me.”

 He bent down and you were sure he was going to force a kiss on your mouth but he surprised you by pressing his lips softly on your forehead like he did when you had nightmares or right before a mission. It was a kiss of reassurance and love, and somehow, that just scared you more. Whatever Steve thought he was doing, he believed it was driven by love. And when Steve loved someone, he loved them without abandon. If he went against everyone to save his friend, what would he do to have you?

 “Steve…please…” You didn’t know what to say or what to do. You wanted to get away from him and cover yourself up to get some control back. You wanted to talk to him and forget this ever happened and get back your best friend.

 “You have two options. First, we both take a bath right now. I won’t touch you where you don’t want me to, we eat, and sleep and you go back with me to the compound like a good girl and tell everyone we are together. Or..” His eyes narrowed here, “Or, I could take you right here, right now and make you mine with little option. I could rail you deep and hard so you will feel me deep inside you for days on end. I know you’re not on birth control and I have no condoms with me, so if you get pregnant, you best believe I’ll have you tied down to myself with a ring on that finger by the end of the month. The choice is yours.”

 Your heart sank. You looked into his eyes, your whole body shaking and knees ready to give up. He was serious! He was absolutely serious, and you had no idea what the fuck happened. Just an hour ago you were sure he was the person who made you feel the safest, but now that sanctuary had been torn apart and some possessive stranger had taken its place.

 “You’re insane. You’ve lost it!” You cry, sliding down the wall as your knees collapsed, folding your knees to hide your nakedness. Steve followed you down and wrapped his arms around your small form.

 “I was never really insane except upon occasions when my heart was touched. You own me, my heart and soul. And soon, I’ll have you too. How that happens is your choice. Choose.” His tone bore no argument. You had just one card to play.

 “Tony would never stand for it. He’ll find out, I’ll tell him and then you’ll be done.” You made your tone harsh and full of venom. You don’t know what you expected him to do, but it definitely wasn’t laugh. It was an amused chuckle, like a daddy who was indulging his silly daughter, full of patronizing hilarity.

 “Sweetheart, you don’t think I have a plan for that? Even if I spend months bringing you flowers and singing love ballads from your window, he wouldn’t exactly be convinced. He isn’t exactly fond of me, is he? I had a plan in place for months. I didn’t want to have to use it honestly, I wanted you to come to me of your own violation. But I just thought as a back up plan…” You screamed as he suddenly scooped you up in his arms, still wet and naked and carried you out to the bedroom. He deposited you on the bed and gave you a towel that you hastily covered yourself with. You looked behind you and the door was locked. It wasn’t any use anyway; he could outrun you in his sleep.

 Steve got his phone out and showed you the screen, making your heart drop. There were numerous pictures of you with your family and friends from the past two years. Not just those, pictures of you with your previous team, the IMF, Ethan Hunt, and others. How Steve got these pictures you didn’t know, but it scared you.

 “Everyone, every single person in these pictures has a target on their backs. I have had a sniper after all of them for over a year, mostly just to keep an eye on you and to make sure you are safe. But don’t think for one second that I will hesitate to take them out. There is nothing in this world I wouldn’t do to keep you with me.” He sat beside you on the bed and putting a finger under your chin turned your face towards him. “It doesn’t need to be nasty, sweetheart. I don’t want to be the bad guy. I have never been one and you can keep me from doing anything drastic. All you need to do is convince Tony that you are the one who wants me. You are the only person he actually trusts, so you need to make it believable. He has denied you nothing, and if you come to him yourself and tell him you want me…well…no one has to die, do they.”

 This was a nightmare. Everything that has happened to you today is a nightmare. You didn’t want to believe Steve would hurt anyone, but then you didn’t think him capable of forcing him on you either. If there was even the tiniest bit of chance that he could harm anyone of your friends and family…no. You couldn’t let that happen.

 “Option one”, You whispered softly, eyes downcast and lips trembling.

 “What was that?” Steve asked, turning your face up again so he could look in your eyes.

 “I choose option one. We- We eat and sleep and I call Tony I won’t go with him. Then we can tell everyone we are together.”

 Steve grinned, his happy grin that everyone said only you brought out in him. It unnerved you that a man you loved and respected so much was doing this.

 “My good girl” He praised, and then he leaned down and pressed his mouth on yours. The kiss was gentle and soft, his mouth lazily moving against yours. If it were happening any other way, you would have enjoyed it. He broke away and looked at you with eyes that sparkled. “You’ll love me too, one day. I am yours, and you are mine.”

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 True to his word, you guys ate your dinner and watched a movie as you cuddled like you usually did at movie nights. Steve held you close, sometimes brushing his nose against the side of your neck or rubbing his hand along your sides. Afterwards, he laid down beside you, spooning your small body and holding it snug against his. He was warm, and you didn’t have anymore fight in you for today. The day was too fast and weird for you to process. You vowed to sleep now and to think of a way to get to Tony without arousing Steve’s suspicion. You weren’t ready to give up now.

 You’d been asleep for only a couple hours before you felt cold air around your body. You woke up with a start and found yourself on your back, your t-shirt removed and Steve hovering over you, placing open mouth kisses along your bare chest.

 “Steve! Steve stop!” You screamed, pushing against his chest. He looked at you with eyes blown wide with lust and taking your hands in one of his, he held them up while he tweaked your nipple with his other making you squirm. He bent down and swallowed your protests with a deep kiss, his tongue forcing its way inside your mouth and tasting you while he moaned.

“Steve please,” You were sobbing now, and trashing your legs which he held down with a strong thigh. “You…you promised. You said I get to choose. I chose option one”

 Steve looked at you for a moment then kissed your cheek softly. Moving his hand between your thighs he murmured in your ear, “I’ve changed my mind. I can’t wait anymore”

[narutogwriting]

A Kunai is Not a Knife

⋇✦ Pairing

Kakashi Hatake x Reader

⋇✦ Genre

fluff; one shot

⋇✦ CW

none

⋇✦ Length

1.6k

⋇✦ Request by @kakashiswilloffire : can I request kakashi or shikamaru trying and failing to cook dinner for a gn!reader? like never used a knife that wasn't a kunai but wants to do something nice for their partner?

Kakashi was a more than capable shinobi. Son of the white fang, he was a legend in his own right. Being one of the youngest ninja to graduate the academy at age five, he went on to become a chunin at just age six. By the time of the third ninja war, Kakashi was a jonin, trusted to lead his own team.

He was Kakashi of the Sharingan, the copy cat ninja. Kakashi joined the ANBU, was the third Hokage’s right hand man for a time, and feared across the nations.

He was strong, he was intelligent, he was good with a kunai.

But for the life of him, Kakashi could not use a food knife.

“Shit shit shit,” he cursed, shoving his now bleeding thumb in his mouth, tasting the metallic on his tongue.

With his free hand, he grabbed the remote, pausing the cooking show he was watching that was attempting to teach him how to make dinner. It was a little out of his league as a person that survived mostly on takeout, but Kakashi had been optimistic and confident in his abilities.

Because really, how hard could cooking be?

And yes, okay, he absolutely could activate his sharingan, watch the cooking show--memorizing every meticulous movement of the chef on the television--and prepare the most decadent meal you’d ever tasted all from the comfort of your home.

But at this point, it was a matter of pride.

Kakashi was a grown man. He could cook dinner for his girlfriend. It really shouldn’t be this hard.

That’s what he told himself as he sucked on his stinging thumb. He’d tried to chop the vegetables as quickly and diligently as the chef had done and subsequently cut into his finger. Luckily it was a superficial injury, something he would forget about in the next ten minutes, but the point stood that there was no reason he should be so *bad at this.

It was a knife for god’s sake; Kakashi was basically born holding one. Given they were different tools for very different purposes, but when it came down to it, a knife was a knife. Or so he thought.

Sighing, Kakashi glanced at the clock. You’d be off your shift soon and then heading home. It was your ninth consecutive shift at the hospital. A small factory fire left many injured--thankfully not fatally--and so you had been putting in overtime to make sure the patients were taken care of and your coworkers were not left stranded without help.

You took your work very seriously, and Kakashi loved and appreciated that about you. You were such a hard worker, and it made Kakashi proud to call you his. But as such, you’d been obviously exhausted, spending all your time home asleep, and Kakashi was sure you weren’t taking adequate enough breaks to nourish yourself properly.

He just wanted to do something nice for you. Coming home to a nice home cooked meal and a warm bath waiting seemed like the perfect way to kick off the four days off you had coming your way.

“Alright, Kakashi. You can do this…” He muttered in an attempt to hype himself up. He picked up the aforementioned tool from hell, taking it to the sink to sanitize it of his blood.

He turned back to the onions then, pressing play on the tv and trying to dice them into tiny pieces just like the chef was doing so easily. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get them into small enough pieces. He knew you loved the taste onions provided, but didn’t like the sensation of chewing them.

It was a weird thing you were particular about, something so small it would be easy to pass over and forget about, but Kakashi knew everything about you, noticed every small quirk and committed it to memory.

Like the way you would read a book, and if a character winked, you winked instinctively as well. If someone came up and startled you, you would yell “ow” even though you weren’t hurt. You had a dimple only in your left cheek, and the only time it was visible was when you were especially happy, and when you were anxious, you’d swipe your fingers over your lips.

Kakashi noticed and loved everything about you.

Which was why he needed this damn onions to just *get smaller.* They were too big, you’d definitely taste them, and it would ruin the whole meal! He was determined to get them just tiny enough to taste without having to chew them.

“Could I juice them…?” Kakashi wondered to himself as he tossed the horrid knife on the counter in annoyance. Maybe squeezing the onions really tightly over the meal would add enough flavor.

Deciding he’d get back to those later, he grabbed another knife and pulled a pomegranate from the fridge. Kakashi never actually had a pomegranate before, and he’d only seen you eat one once or twice.

You had a thing about pomegranates; they were your favorite fruits, but you would only eat them on special occasions as a way to reward yourself--just another one of your little quirks.

So Kakashi was going to cut one open and get all the juicy seeds in a bowl for you as a special treat.

Unfortunately, because Kakshi didn’t eat pomegranates on his own and didn’t see you eat them often enough, he had no idea just how messy they could really be.

*Screw the knife,* Kakashi decided to himself. *I’m a shinobi. I can do this without that stupid thing.*

So Kakashi, in all his *genius, pulled his Kunai from his leg strap. They used to play games like this in the academy; they called it fruit ninja. The goal was to slice a fruit in the air with your kunai as concisely as possible.

Kakashi always won.

He tossed the pomegranate high in the air, ready to dice the fruit and have it up for serving. Quick as a flash of lightning, the Kunai struck through the juicy pomegranate, promptly causing it to *explode--juices and seeds and all.

And what was also unfortunate was Kakashi was moving so quickly, already prepared to slice the fruit, that his hand moved faster than his brain, and he sliced at the pomegranate three more times before he could stop himself.

Juices and seeds splattered the entire kitchen covering the counters, the cupboards, the floors, and Kakashi.

You walked in at that moment, greeted with what appeared to be a murder scene with a defeated Kakashi standing in the middle of it.

You stared in quiet shock for a moment as you took in Kakashi’s expression. You’d never seen him look so forlorn in your life. His arms were hanging idly at his side, the kunai slipping from his grasp as it clanked against the floor.

You couldn’t help it; you laughed.

Kakashi startled, eye’s flickering to you in a panic.

“Y-you’re home!” He stuttered out. “You’re early! I thought you’d be another hour or so… I was just…” He looked helplessly around the disastrous kitchen. “Just trying to make you dinner.” Kakashi sighed, closing his eyes and shaking his head, disappointed with himself.

When you laughed again, he peeked one eye open, shooting a small glare in your direction. “I’m so glad you’re taking pleasure in my suffering…” He muttered dramatically.

Rolling your eyes, you sauntered over to Kakashi, throwing your arms around his neck as you grinned up at him. “You know, I’m a little relieved,” you teased him with a smile. “I thought that you were good at *everything. It’s nice to know you have your flaws, too.”

Behind his mask, you could practically see Kakashi’s pout.

Placing a kiss on his cheek, you pulled back to survey the damage. “I’m sorry; I have to ask… I know pomegranates are messy, but what the hell happened here?”

With a groan, Kakashi shook his head, finally moving to grab a rag. “I… I played fruit ninja with the pomegranate.”

“You… what?”

“I played fruit ninja. With the pomegranate.”

“What does that mean?”

“I threw the pomegranate.”

“You threw the pomegranate?”

“I threw the pomegranate. Then I sliced it.”

“With your kunai?”

“With my kunai.”

“You threw the pomegranate and then you sliced it with your kunai?”

“That’s correct.”

You once again burst into laughter. You couldn’t help it! The whole idea was so ridiculous and especially coming from Kakashi.

He groaned again before you wrapped your arms around him. Reluctantly, he returned the gesture. “That’s the sweetest thing anyone’s ever tried to do for me.” You giggled. “Now… Can you teach me how to play?”

And so that’s how the rest of your night went. It wasn’t the way Kakashi had planned for the night to go, but it was one to remember just the same. Instead of a romantic dinner and relaxing bath, the two of you made an even bigger mess in the kitchen, slicing all the fruit you could manage.

You did your best to teach Kakashi to slice and season food with a regular knife. Boiling the water was about the only thing he *didn’t mess up, but it was endearing.

Later, bellies full, laying in bed, leaving the kitchen to be cleaned tomorrow, you cuddled comfortably into Kakashi’s side, placing light kisses on his shoulder as you drifted off to sleep. Kakashi held you tightly in his arms, content. He was a capable shinobi, a legend in his own right. His accomplishments listed on and on. He couldn’t cook for shit, but he made up for it by loving you.

[miraculouswolf99]

Field Trip To Greece

My own take on the Field Trip salt stories that usually are crossovers with Batman and have Damienette. But this is my version with them going to Greece and involves my OCs Lyon and Vallia Garden.

*****

“Mari, Mari, MARI,” Adrien basically yelled into his friend’s ear.

Marinette woke up with a jolt in her bus seat.

“What,” she groaned, never being much of a morning person.

“We’re almost at the sanctuary, so I figured to wake you up,” Adrien smiled at his friend.

“Thanks and curse how fast this bus is,” Marinette said.

“And curse Hawkmoth for late night akumas,” Adrien suggested.

“That to,” Marinette agreed. “Even in Greece, he still finds a way to annoy us in Paris.”

“Well, you brought the horse miraculous for a reason,” Adrien said.

“How are you not tired,” Marinette questioned him.

“I’ve always been a morning person,” Adrien shrugged. “Blame my father for a lot of early morning photoshoots.”

“I’d slap your father if it did not mean risking my future as a fashion designer in the process,” Marinette says.

After revealing themselves to each other after Miracle Queen, the two had developed a more brother-sister relationship. They both thought that it would be better for them to know each other after having all their allies exposed to Hawkmoth and Mayura. They joked around, teased each other, and also always had each others backs.

Having each other’s backs certainly helped them when Lila’s lies got worse. After Chloe had willingly helped Hawkmoth, she had been sent to a private reformatory school in Sweden. Lila took the opportunity to tell more of her lies, saying that she had been telling her “best friend” Ladybug to keep the Bee miraculous away from Chloe for months. And just like everything else Lila ever said, their class ate it up like it was their last meal.

Adrien had joined Marinette almost immediately after he made his “deal with the devil” in order to get her back into school. He threw himself off the “high road” the moment that Marinette told him that Lila threatened her. But even with him backing up Marinette every time she caught inconsistencies in Lila’s tales, there were still few that actually believed them. Some even went as far as scolding Marinette for her “brainwashing Adrien” into thinking that Lila was a liar.

Kim, Juleka, and Nathaniel were the only ones that stayed loyal to their friends. Especially since Marinette had done so much for them in the past. Like curing Juleka of her photo curse, helping Nathaniel get together with Marc, and Kim had been her friend since they were in diapers. With their group was also Kagami, Luka, Marc, Aurore, and Mireille. The rest of Bustier’s class was pretty much made up of Lila’s attack dogs.

What annoyed Adrien the most was how his so-called best friend. Nino may be siding with his girlfriend, Alya being Lila’s biggest supporter/attack dog, but that also meant he was part of the problem. He certainly never helped Adrien when Lila would constantly hold onto his arm no matter how many times he told her to let go. It was driving Adrien crazy and he was very close to taking Plagg up on his offer to Cataclysm the liar.

“I bet the garden is going to be beautiful,” Juleka says, her seat next to the two heroes.

She was sitting next to Nathaniel while Kim was in the seat in front of Adrien and Marinette. They were all in the seats at the back of the bus.

“I heard that the Garden Family Sanctuary is ranked as an unofficial wonder of the world,” Nathaniel said.

“Anyone else find it odd that a nature sanctuary is run by a family with Garden as their last name,” Kim asked.

“I think this is one of those ‘don’t think about it too much’ times,” Marinette shrugged.

“I haven’t been here in years,” Adrien was glad to be back.

“You’ve been here before,” Juleka asked.

“There was a charity fashion show here about a year before my mother disappeared,” Adrien explained. “I was here with my parents for it.”

“Did you meet any of the animals here,” Kim looked excited. “I heard that they let any animals here roam free even when they have events or tours here.”

“The animals do roam around the sanctuary as they wish,” Adrien says. “But the Garden family and all their employees work hard to tame all their animals privately to make sure that even the predators do not harm anyone. They spend months to years taming them before releasing them into the main part of the sanctuary.”

“It really sounds like an amazing place,” Marinette said.

“I can’t wait to draw some of the animals,” Nathaniel already had out his sketchpad. “Marc requested I draw him the most amazing animal that I see. No pressure. Haha.”

Juleka patted his shoulder, but her obviously hiding her laughter made her attempt to comfort him fail. 

But, as usual, their good moods had to be ruined by the Italian that never seemed to go five minutes without hearing the sound of her own voice. And, also as usual, she was spouting her nonsense. They were very close to throwing her out the back of the bus if she did not stop talking.

“Of course I know the Garden family,” Lila brags, lying through her teeth. “They are basically family to me.”

“Here we go again,” the five friends groaned.

“The mother and her two daughters mostly handle the plants,” Lila continues. “The father and their son handle the animals. It’s only natural since they are the only ones that can stomach having to put down the more dangerous animals.”

“Tell us more, Lila,” Alya was recording the entire time.

Adrien growled. “There has never been a case of an animal being put down at the sanctuary. The closest that comes to that is when an animal gets sick and there is nothing they can do to help it.”

“They have to put it out of its misery, don’t they,” Marinette asked.

Adrien nodded. “The youngest two Gardens speak fluent French, so I was able to spend some time with kids my own age during the fashion show. They told me that while it breaks their hearts, it is better than letting the animal suffer.”

“I can see where they come from for that,” Juleka says. “They love, take care of, and train all the animals. So it’s only natural that they form a bond with them.”

“I know I am not the brightest person in class, but how can they believe such crap,” Kim shook his head. “Whenever anyone even slightly mentions someone famous, she instantly says she is either best friends with them or somehow related to them. It’s impossible.”

“Tell that to the sheep that follow her around like she’s god’s gift to the world,” Marinette rolled her eyes.

“Makes you wonder if we really are the only ones in class with braincells,” Nathaniel, of all people, said.

The bus doors opened as it came to a full stop at the sanctuary. Bustier was the first out and the class followed her. They all first went into the sanctuary. And even from what little they could see from where they were, it already was one of the most beautiful places any of them have ever seen.

Trees, flowers, and even fruit and vegetable plants were growing as far as their eyes could see. The entire sanctuary also seemed to be covered by a glass dome, making an environment similar to a greenhouse. It made sense since there were probably plants in certain areas that needed to be grown in certain temperatures.

But today the dome’s windows were open, letting in the natural light of the sun, even if it looked like squares on the ground because of the dome’s window linings.

As Bustier lead them to a stop, two teen their age approached the group. Adrien recognized his two penpals. The ones he met in Greece when he was there for the fashion show. Lyon and Vallia Garden.

Vallia was quite beautiful and had a grace and elegance to her style. She had long blond hair braided with roses and butterflies and had pink streaks. Her eyes were a stunning silver that you could see, if you were close enough, had specks of blue in them. Her style was a red, pink, and purple dawn colored dress with gold flats. On her wrists were diamond rose cuff bracelets, a butterfly on the one on her right wrist.

Lyon gave off a very icy exterior that also screamed honor and loyalty that only a knight would have. A tall boy with hair that was black with streaks of white and blue in it, coming to the length of Adrien's. His eyes were the opposite of the girl's, blue with silver specks. His outfit of choice was a sky blue t-shirt under a white jean vest, matching the blue pants with white boots. On his hands were white fingerless gloves. Around his neck was a sword and shield pendant as well as a white cloak only going down to his knees.

They all also saw that the two did have crystal medallions on their foreheads. Vallia’s was a rose quartz butterfly and Lyon’s was a sapphire wolf.

“Your pen pals are hot, Adrien,” Marinette smirked as she saw her honorary brother staring at Lyon.

“Shut up,” Adrien grumbled, making Marinette giggle.

Bustier turns to the class. “These two are going to be our guides through the sanctuary. Please show them the proper amount of respect since they are the ones that work here.”

Lyon and Vallia gave the teacher the side-eye. While they technically did work there, their family owned the sanctuary and it was like Bustier had completely forgot about that and thought that they were just employees of the sanctuary.

“Shouldn’t we be guided by adults,” Mylene asked, trying not to sound offensive to the two teens.

“We’re your tour guides because we are the only ones here fluent in French,” Lyon told the class, his French flawless.

Adrien hid that he was chuckling behind his hand. He knew the twins were fluent, but the looks on his classmate’s faces when Lyon spoke in French was just so funny.

“Before we begin, let us introduce ourselves,” Vallia said, also switching to French. “My name is Vallia and this is my twin brother, Lyon.”

“Please also take note of a few rules of the sanctuary,” Lyon says. “While the animals here have been tamed, do not touch or interact with them without permission. Certain movements or actions could cause them to badly react. They are all also on specific diets, so do not feed them unless we give you food to give them.”

“The plants should also all remain untouched,” Vallia added. “There are certain plants here that are not native to the area and survive here only because we created the right environments for them. Especially the ghost orchid. There are barely even 2000 ghost orchid plants left in the world and they need to remain here so that they do not go extinct.”

Most of the class nodded, understanding the rules. Lila hid how annoyed she was at not being able to take whatever beautiful plant she wants or touch any cute animal that she sees.

The tour than began, the class following the twins deeper into the sanctuary. Already they were starting to see a ton of the animals that lived there. There were some animals of Greek origins. Such as brown bears, red deer, lynxes, rock lizards, weasels, and wild boar. There were also more international animals. Like white-tailed deer from North America, jaguars from South America, pandas from China, African panthers and lions, Indian tigers, horses from Canada, even komodo dragons from Indonesia. And that was just the beginning.

“The Garden Family Sanctuary was founded almost a hundred years ago by siblings Apollo and Persephone Garden,” Lyon says. “Having been named after the god of the healing and the goddess of flowers, they had always loved helping nature and animals.”

“They started out with an animal shelter that took in any and all animals,” Vallia continued for her brother. “They had a very clear rule about being a no-kill shelter. The more popular they became, the more room they needed. And since they already came from a rich family, they bought more land. And over the years, it grew into the sanctuary you see today.”

“With the amount of animals and plants coming, there has been chat about buying land on another island to expand the sanctuary,” Lyon said. “Which means more area to protect from smugglers and poachers.”

“Your French is very good,” Marinette compliments them.

“Thank you, we’ve had years of practice,” Vallia says.

“It helped when we hosted a few French fashion designers here a few years ago for a charity fashion show,” Lyon said.

Adrien caught the smirk that Lyon sent his way. It made the blond blush.

The group continued walking through the sanctuary. A few of the animals curiously looked at the group, but chose not to get near them. There were a few did cuddle up to the twins, who happily petted them before sending them away with a treat in their mouth.

But even as the twins tried to talk about the sanctuary, Lila was still telling her lies as the classmates not under her spell surrounded her. They listened to her more than they did their actual tour guides.

“Yeah, poachers and smugglers try to get in all the time,” she was saying. “The first time I was here, I saw one and tried to tell the employees and they didn’t believe me. They certainly did after I single-handedly stopped him from taking a rare blue tiger.”

“That is so cool, Lila,” Rose unknowingly encouraged more lying. 

“They should make you a partner here if you caught a poacher that they did not even know was there,” Alya said.

“They wanted to, but my mother said I was too young to be part of a business,” Lila says.

Adrien saw the twins look at each other as they hear what is being said. He knew that while the two were mostly quiet around those they do not know, other than when they gave tours, they would definitely not take liars sitting down. They were extremely protective of their family, which was why Lyon practiced archery while Vallia is an expert with the bo-staff.

“The Garden family would never offer someone outside of the family a part of the sanctuary,” Lyon stated, making the class look at him.

“We would appreciate you not tell such tall tales about such a charitable family,” Vallia crossed her arms. “They are well-respected by all of Greece and do not deserve to have such lies told about them.”

The class looked very insulted at the accusation of Lila being a liar, which happened whenever anyone said that. It happened more than you think since Bustier’s class was the only one in the entire school that actually believed her. Everyone else knew that Lila was nothing but a liar.

“Something tells me that things are about to get interesting,” Juleka whispered to the rest of their group.

“You’re the one that knows them, Adrien,” Marinette says. “What do you think they’ll do?”

“I’ve been in contact with them for years,” Adrien said. “And from all I know about them, it’s a slight miracle that Lyon hasn’t already threatened to shoot her with an arrow.”

“Does he do that often,” Nathaniel raised an eyebrow.

“Only to those that really anger him, really annoy him, or threaten his family,” Adrien said. “But that last part also includes the sanctuary and all of the animals kept here.”

“Guess we should be thankful that he doesn’t have them on him right now,” Kim says. “Even if he could get rid of our liar problem with a single shot.”

“Lyon was actually scouted by the coach of the Greek Olympian archery team,” Adrien tells them. “But Lyon doesn’t like competition. He says that they are nothing but barbaric events meant to to do nothing but enlarge egos and decrease braincells.”

“Can are class even lose what they don’t have,” Marinette smirked.

All of them laughed at her joke. When Marinette got sassy and sarcastic, it was hilarious. She could sass-talk like nobody’s business.

“Haw dare you,” Lila put a hand over her heart and then started up the crocodile tears again. “How could you be so mean to me?”

That was when her sheep glared at the twins.

“Lila is not a liar,” Alya was her main supporter as usual. “You’re nothing but simple employees. I bet you do not even know the Garden family. Lila, on the other hand, is basically an honorary member of their family.”

Both twins crossed their arms this time, staring down the class.

“Let us fully introduce ourselves,” Lyon narrowed his eyes at them. “My name is Lyon Garden and this is my twin sister, Vallia Garden. Our family owns this sanctuary and neither of us nor the rest of their family have ever met this girl.”

Adrien was seriously smirking at this point. He had seen this coming and was very glad that it had finally was. Especially since Lila did not even get the number of family members right. There were two Garden parents, but the children were another story. Lyon and Vallia were the youngest of the family, but Vallia was the only girl and they had two older brothers.

“You’re probably just lying to make Lila look bad because you’re jealous,” Alix glared at the twins. “She’s connected to the Gardens while you are not.”

“Don’t believe us, we don’t care, but we do have a friend in your class that knows who we are,” Vallia giggled. “Isn’t that right, Adrien?”

The sheep looked at the model. He only smirked as he joined Lyon and Vallia’s side.

“You two certainly know how to make an impression,” Adrien tells them, chuckling.

“If we really wanted to make an impression, I would have started at my favorite wolf den,” Lyon snickered. “But I would have been too tempted to order my wolves to eat them.”

Adrien laughed at the looks of horror on his classmates’ faces.

“If you guys haven’t figured it out, it was my family that the twins were talking about before,” Adrien says. “We were the ones that came here for the charity fashion show. It was great to meet the two youngest members of the Garden family.”

“So these are the sheep that follow that liar like lost puppies,” Vallia looked at Adrien. “The liar that doesn’t know how to take ‘no’ for an answer?”

“Got it in one, Vallia,” Adrien says. “And she’s been telling lies about your family since this field trip started. She even said that your family was three girls and two boys.”

The twins rolled their eyes.

“Wow,” Lyon shook his head. “Vallia might wish she had a sister, it’s just us and our two older brothers with our parents.”

Vallia playfully slapped her brother’s shoulder.

While Adrien took his two friends over to the rest of his group to introduce them, the rest of the class finally seemed to get that Lila did indeed lie to them. They turned on her like lions on an antelope and started yelling at her for lying to them.

The twins made mental notes to contact their parents about needing to sue a girl for slander and defamation. 

[stufftippywrote]

perfect

Cicadas sing a sharp song in the trees. The heat blisters the pavement. It’s a miserable summer afternoon for most people, which is why Wei Ying loves it. It’s nothing compared to sticky, swampy Yunmeng summers. In dry heat like this, the sun feels good and the trees are brilliant green and Wei Ying loves being alive.

He doesn’t love being in class, but at least everyone is miserable along with him in this heat. Lots of mopping brows, lots of unsatisfied murmurs. Is there any relief to be found in Gusu on such a day? Some have heard there’s a lake a bit further up in the mountains, big enough for swimming. But they’re not allowed to go up there; it’s off limits to everyone but Lan inner disciples. Only Wei Ying knows for a fact that it’s there; that’s because he’s been sneaking off up there every night since summer school started.

Lan Qiren enters and the room falls silent. The frantic wiping of sweat of brows continues, a current of activity in the quiet classroom. Lan Qiren surveys them silently and frowns. He’s sweating, too.

“Due to the excessive heat,” he says, coughing, “the upper grounds of Cloud Recesses will be opened to students for the duration of the day. That includes the lake. The back hills and the waterfall are still off limits.” Nobody picks up this last bit, because the minute Lan Qiren says “lake,” the room starts to buzz with whispers.

Not even Lan Qiren can quell them; there’s a torrent of nervous energy in this room, and it won’t survive an entire lesson. Sure enough, about twenty minutes before the end of the class students start gathering their things as though they’re ready to bolt. Wei Ying knows they’re only waiting for one of them to take the lead, and they’ll all start filing out with or without Lan Qiren’s say-so. Well, that’s a position he’s always happy to fill. He stretches out, grabs his backpack, and leaves the room without a word or a look back.

He heads up the stone stairs carved into the mountain, backpack slung loosely over one arm, whistling to himself. The other students will have some time catching up to him; he knows the way to the lake, and they don’t; besides, they have to go change, and Wei Ying always keeps his swimsuit in his backpack, just in case. So he climbs the stairs solo and pushes through the line of vegetation that lies between the path and the lake.

He’s about to emerge from the trees when a splash draws his attention. Quickly, he hides and peers over at the lake.

Someone’s already there and swimming. Wei Ying sees dark hair, pulled into a neat topknot, and the lines of what looks like a fairly strong body, blurred by the moving water. Some student has beat him to it. Which is a little surprising, because Wei Ying’s the only one with the chutzpah to sneak off in this direction when they’re supposed to be somewhere else. He watches in kind of dumb fascination as the swimmer moves to the near edge of the pond and surfaces.

Oh. Oh, that explains it.

It’s Lan Qiren’s annoyingly perfect nephew, Lan Zhan. Lan Zhan, who is too good to attend classes with students his own age. Lan Zhan who, rather than making friends with such students, serves as a sort of disciplinarian, regularly snapping unruly students back into line with nothing more than a cold glance from his admittedly perfect face. Lan Zhan, who Wei Ying had to learn to avoid early in the summer, because he kept catching him trying to sneak out or tiptoe into forbidden places. That Lan Zhan.

Wei Ying steels himself to be utterly annoyed by whatever happens next.

Lan Zhan lingers for a time, head and shoulders above water. Then he approaches a large rock where his things sit in a neat white bundle. In one fluid movement, he lifts himself up with both hands on the rock and swings into a sitting position, his toes in the water.

It all happens like slow motion. Wei Ying’s brain sputters, then lurches, then goes completely on the fritz.

He’s—he’s—he’s actually perfect.

Wei Ying knew he was perfect, but that was an annoyance like everything. The beauty of his face was a mockery of everything Wei Ying stands for. He could find words to speak when faced with that stern face, but his words have dried up now, because Lan Zhan’s body is – Lan Zhan’s muscles are –

He has no idea Wei Ying is watching him. His face is serene, his body relaxed, and the sun beats on him like a spotlight, turning the edges of his skin to gold. Wei Ying is gobsmacked. How dare he. How dare he sit there with that expression, not knowing that he’s turning Wei Ying’s insides into molten lava just by being there … with thighs like that .. and a bare chest like a sculpted statue … and good god his arms, and his shoulders, and he already has an annoyingly perfect face, only now it’s matched up with that --- that body, and Wei Ying has never wanted to close his mouth around a drop of water the way he does now, as water trickles down Lan Zhan’s chest.

Oh, and he’s wearing a fucking Speedo.

It’s common knowledge that a Speedo looks stupid on like 95 percent of guys, and yet Lan Zhan looks as though it was created solely to fit him. And nothing is left to the imagination. Holy fuck, that knowledge is going to burn though him until he’s cinders. He struggles to concentrate on something – anything but that.

It’s going to be a very different experience the next time Lan Zhan disciplines him.

Oh. Oh, now his mind is up and running again, but the direction it’s going is dangerous. Lan Zhan angry with him, Lan Zhan throwing him against a wall, Lan Zhan tossing him to the grass. Standing over him. Kneeling over him. Those powerful thighs and well-muscled arms. A hard hand on his wrists, unyielding no matter how much Wei Ying resists. Lan Zhan forcing Wei Ying to his knees. Lan Zhan between Wei Ying’s legs, edging forward, pinning him down as…

“Fuck,” he swears, suddenly and far too loudly. Lan Zhan looks up. Eyes suddenly sharp, he leaps to his feet and scans the tree line. Wei Ying has no choice. He just hopes Lan Zhan doesn’t glance between his legs when he shows himself.

He steps forward from the trees, waving a halfhearted hand. “Hi, Lan Zhan,” he says with a grin. “Fancy meeting you here.”

Lan Zhan’s brows knit. “You’re not supposed to be here.”

“Oh, but I am!” Wei Ying keeps moving forward, despite his best intentions. Lan Zhan’s body is like a gravity well, drawing him closer. “They lifted the restriction so we could all come up and swim today. It’s brutal out,” he says, squinting and raising against the sun although he’s actually perfectly comfortable.

“Oh.” Lan Zhan looks at him warily. “So others are coming?”

He says it evenly, but Wei Ying wonders if there isn’t some trepidation there. He’s perturbed enough that Wei Ying’s entered his space; what are twenty-some classmates going to do to him? “They’re changing,” he says. “They’ll be here in a few minutes.” He grins. “Just you and me for the time being.”

He thinks the look in Lan Zhan’s eyes is anger, but he doesn’t know for sure. “How do you know this place?” he asks, sounding unsure and not at all like his usual gentlemanly self.

“Oh, your uncle explained how to get here when he gave us the notice this morning,” Wei Ying lies. “I just didn’t have to go back and change like the others, so I got here faster.” He taps his backpack. “Swimsuit’s in here.”

Lan Zhan’s eyes widen. “You’re going to change … here?”

“Why not? Ain’t nobody here but us boys,” Wei Ying says, and winks. He’s suddenly terrified of showing Lan Zhan his naked skin, but he can’t afford to show it. He strips off his T-shirt.

Lan Zhan turns as though offended by the sight. Well, sure he would be, since no one else can measure up to him, Wei Ying thinks. “Hey Lan Zhan, is this what you do while the rest of us are suffering in class?” he asks breezily, stripping off his shorts and boxers. Lan Zhan’s back remains resolutely turned. “Just swimming out here like a fish all day long? I bet I could beat you in a race.”

“There’s not … room here to race,” Lan Zhan says. He still won’t look.

“We’ll go down to Biling Lake next time,” Wei Ying challenges. “You can look at me now. The swimsuit’s on. I won’t offend your sensibilities.”

“I’m not offend—” Lan Zhan turns, and then something clips the edge of his word. He stares at Wei Ying like he’s got three heads.

“Oh, well, glad to hear, then.” Wei Ying sits down on the rock where Lan Zhan had been. “So. Mind if I take a dip?”

The coolness returns to Lan Zhan’s voice. “Suit yourself.” But he’s still staring at Wei Ying.

For just one moment, Wei Ying remembers all those earlier fantasies. That’s exactly the look he imagined on Lan Zhan’s face in those moments. The look where he can’t quite keep his anger in check. The look that says Wei Ying’s getting to him. Wei Ying has no idea how he is gettingto Lan Zhan in this moment, just sitting on a rock. Unless…

Nah, couldn’t be.

The next moment, Lan Zhan’s diving into the water. His body is an arc of movement, a single curved line, and Wei Ying loses his breath again. Apparently he needed to be reminded that Lan Zhan’s body is a flawless machine. His brain is pinging madly and he wants with all his heart to just drop into the water and swim for Lan Zhan like a shark. That would probably be a bad idea. He knows he probably has an advantage in an underwater tussle, but somehow, he doesn’t really want to win anymore.

Lan Zhan has emerged, in a shallow portion of the lake, his head and half his chest visible above the water line. He has eyes on Wei Ying. “Well?” he asks, something curiously hesitant in his voice.

“Well, what?” Wei Ying feels like he should be holding his breath. He’s careful to keep his voice casual.

Lan Zhan looks down, then to the side, then to him again. It’s a very un-Lan-like action. After a short silence, he ventures in what is almost – not quite -- a tentative voice, “Are you coming in?”

Wei Ying stares down at him. The silence that follows is pregnant with possibility.

“Wei-xiong!”

Nie Huaisang bursts first through the treeline, then, following him, the rest of the students in noisy gaggles. “Wei-xiong, how did you find this place so quickly? We all got turned around looking for it—”

Splashes sound here and there as the students find their way into the lake. Soon, the whole place is echoing with the sound of laughter and chatter. Wei Ying’s gaze finds Lan Zhan, through an increasingly dense thicket of people. Lan Zhan is looking at him with eyes that are almost sad. A moment later, he turns away.

It’s disappointing. Wei Ying had thought – perhaps imagined? – that there was something starting to happen there, something thawing in the relationship between them. He considers giving chase. But Lan Zhan is striding through the trees and disappearing before he can say a thing. So much for that.

Still, Wei Ying has an image he didn’t have before. Lan Zhan, dipped in gold, his body bare and his chin uplifted toward the sun. It’s printed in indelible ink on his mind now, along with a memory of Lan Zhan’s gaze, softer perhaps than Wei Ying has ever seen it. He closes his eyes and savors both the picture and the memory for a moment. Then, grinning, he rejoins his friends.

[ulubionywuja]

tw: eating disorderd, eating  and weight - if you don’t wanna read this, don’t worry, I’m fine :)

Also I will not recommend reading this to people looking for any type of inspo - the chance of it all ending actually well is very very tiny. My mental health seems to be very very strong and it ended well for me - not sure if it will for you.

So this the story of my weight loss journey. A very crazy weight loss journey, 2012 to 2014. I NEVER had an eating disorder but definitely had a lifestyle similar to many people with ed. Well, less miserable. Much much less.

So it all started in spring 2012, when my mum took me to the dietician. I was very very happy about it - even at the age of 12 I knew that slow weight loss based on professional tips and recipes is the best option. I was weighted, proportions of fat, muscle, bone, water etc in my body were measured and after the visit they gave me a small book with recipes. I had to weigh my food, count carbs, protein, etc - pretty normal. The goal was to lose 2-3 kgs in a month.

(This is a good time to say this - I’m definitely a pro body positivity person - no one should follow beauty standards just because of it. If you have some extra kgs but it doesn’t affect your life and you feel happy - no need to lose weight! But I also think glorifying obesity is not ok - it can seriously lead to much more serious illnesses. I’m always against fat shaming -  It’s NEVER ok to shame people based on their bodies, especially now, when McDonalds is cheaper than vegetables in some places and some people don’t have many more choices.)

I started my journey very successfuly - I wasn’t hungry, everything went fine, I lost 2-3 kgs (of fat - I was in training to become a professional swimmer and as we know, muscles are heavier than fat. My body components were measured sepparately) per month. Aaaand summer fucked up all of my progress. I broke many rules of my diet because of summer fruits, especially watermelon - yes, I know it’s low in calories, but has way too much sugar, my diet wasn’t curated for that. I gained a bit, but surprisingly, my reaction was very mature - now 12, I was like “eh, my fault, I’ll just fix this, the world won’t end”. So I did. I was back on track.

In autumn 2012, precisely November 24th (I keep journals), I realised I basically became goth. I loved gothic lolita the most, victorian and romantic goth interested me too - but it was the early 2010s, how could you possibly wear alternative fashion and be overweight? (Note: yes you can do than, you don’t need to be thin to be goth! But that was my mindset at the time...) In early spring I became very determined to lose all of my excess weight - so determined in fact, I ditched the healthy diet curated by a doctor and took matters into my own hands - from around 1300 kcal per day I went to 500. I was totally looking at thinspo - mainly skinny gothic lolitas, skipping meals etc. No dairy, no fruits and no fats at all - please don’t do what I did, especially fats are important. I was also excercising 40 minutes every day + swimming trainings on Wednesdays and Saturdays - sadly my muscles became way too weak and after a while I had to quit the team - and I was the best swimmer of them all back in the day. That’s the saddest part for me, especially because my cousin was a multi medalist in swimming and her husband is in Poland’s volleyball team (he was in Tokyo Olimpics in 2021 for example). But ok, whatever - now I’m and oldie and honestly... Looking at my cousin’s hubby and his lifestyle as a professional sportsman - no thank you. Fuck that. But! The weight was dropping and that’s what I cared about. I felt kinda tired - obviously - but all of my goth / jfashion interests made my life really interesting. When reading my journals from that time, I almost never see anything about weight loss - it’s all pretty teacups, frilly dresses and oh no where do I buy cool goth clothes for summer? If I was bummed about anything, it was school - I was a good student, but good students have to study, and I hated that. Same goes for a facebook group I created with my friends - I only posted about music, tea (tea was a big one - not because of “drinking tea and that’s my lunch”, I was just way too into Kuroshitsuji), clothes and cool antiques I bought. I was never too mentally invested.

In August I was just as skinny as I wanted to be - all I’m gonna say is, I went from size XL to XS. Summer vacation was ending and I was so ready to go back to school and show everyone how good I looked. And let me tell you they noticed. Especially my PE teacher. I was getting a lot of compliments - from people that hated me too! And I hated them. But now I was the cool goth girl, and they looked... eh. (Not because of their weight, just bad fashion choices).

I was happy with myself, very happy, so now it was time to stop dieting - I did that gradually and didn’t gain a single kilogram. After that my weight changed a bit in 2016, but I liked the change - my figure is quite hourgalss-ish and around two new kgs looked good. Since then, no changes.

I know this is probably a controversial story - an unhealthy, very restrictive diet actually paid off and to this day I’m happy that I did what I did. If you have an ed and think, yes that’s some egospo for me - no mate. If you have an ed, that’s a mental illness - I wasn’t mentally ill. I learned a bit about eds from Of Herbs and Altars youtube channel (he has a history with ed and makes many videos on the topic), and from what I understand - goal weight doesn’t feel great if you’re anorexic or bulimic. And going back to normal is not a simple decision that you just make in math calss. Ffs I never had a goal weight! I just looked in the mirror - ok lookin good - that was it. I’m probably screaming into the void saying this, but don’t do what I did. Well, you can do what I did at the beginning and go to a dietician.

But yeah, that’s my story, I just wanted to toss it into the internet.

[stiltonbasket]

but ALSO okay so first of all thank you so much for the ficlets so far they are Adorable and i love them so much. second of all i am so glad you opened prompts again bcuz. i have. smth ive been wanting to read for a WHILE. so. prompt: junior generation post-canon, they all have super high standards for romantic partners cuz they spend time with Super Lovey Dovey WangXian. not like jiang cheng's List but smth a la Tenille Arts's Somebody Like That iykwim

i hope its not too late to insert a detail to my prompt!!! (i ran outta chara space in the og prompt message and then forgot ^^" ) but theres just one thing!! i really wanna see!!!! in the wangxian spoiling each other bit!!!!! (and the juniors being all That is Love Why Should We Settle For Less) -- i want lan zhan walkin around at one point with his hair in a braid and flowers braided in!!! and if asked he gets all soft and looks at it and is like "wei ying did it" ahhh i love the image <3

can anybody find me (somebody to love)

by stiltonbasket

“Wei-qianbei, we’re getting old enough to go courting now,” Jingyi says eagerly; but he’s a horrible liar who lies, because he and Sizhui are only nineteen, and Jin Ling doesn’t come of age until early winter. “What do you think we should put on our list of requirements?” 

(Or, the one where Jin Rulan visits the Cloud Recesses, contemplates his love life, and gets a new point of view on the Lan sect's taxation policy.)

Jin Ling is seventeen the year his dajiu marries Hanguang-jun, and finally gives Jin Ling the right to call Lan Sizhui his cousin. Sizhui’s always been his cousin, of course—they’ve been cousins since Jin Ling was born, even if neither of them knew it—but he couldn’t say so, because that would mean telling everyone that Sizhui was born a Wen. And telling everyone that Sizhui was a Wen would lead to terrible things, so Jin Ling keeps his mouth shut until after his dajiu’s wedding.

“You could just say that he was born to us during the Sunshot Campaign!” Wei Wuxian laughed, when he finally heard why Jin Ling wanted him to hurry up and take his three bows with Hanguang-jun. “Half the cultivation world already thinks he’s ours, anyway.”

But regardless of whether he could call Sizhui his biao-ge in public, Sizhui is first and foremost a very dear friend; and so are Lan Jingyi and A-Qing and Ouyang Zizhen, though Jin Ling’s best friend is probably Zizhen, just like Sizhui’s is Jingyi. He visits them in Gusu as often as he can, since all of them save Zizhen live there, and even Zizhen hangs around the Cloud Recesses more often than not. 

“Don’t you have a clan of your own?” Jin Ling frowns, when he visits his dajiu around midsummer to find the younger boy eating xiaolongbao in the jingshi’s new kitchen. “How come you’re still here, A-Zhen? The lectures ended weeks ago!”

“I’m almost sixteen,” Zizhen yawns, reaching for a shallow dish of black vinegar and soaking a salted mushroom in it. “Father says I’m old enough to go where I like, and Lan-xiansheng said I could keep studying with the Lan disciples as long as I stayed.”

“You’re just here for the food,” grumbles Jin Ling. His dajiu is a good cook when he doesn’t cover everything in chili peppers, and Jiujiu once told him in confidence that Wei-dajiu’s food was the closest Jin Ling would ever get to having his mother’s. But a steaming plate of xiaolongbao lands in front of Jin Ling before he can really start thinking about that, and then his baby cousin crawls into his lap and steals one of the soup dumplings.

“Ling-gege pays taxes,” three-year-old Lan Yu says serenely, poking a hole in the xiaolongbao and sucking out the broth. “Xiao-Yu can have one more?”

“Taxes?” Jin Ling stares at him. “What in the world does he mean?”

Wei Wuxian laughs and comes back over to give him another succulent soup dumpling to replace the one Xiao-Yu stole. “He’s pretending to be the sect leader,” he explains, ruffling Jin Ling’s hair on his way back to the stove. “And he found out about tax management this morning, since Lan Zhan and Xichen-ge are thinking about lifting the luxury tax on goods from some of the minor sects. But A-Yu thinks taxes are presents for the sect leader, so…”

“One more bao tax for xiao-Lan-zongzhu!” Xiao-Yu says imperiously, holding out his chubby hands. “Ling-gege give, please?”

“That is not polite, Xiao-Yu,” Hanguang-jun scolds, sweeping into the kitchen with A-Yuan and Jingyi behind him and A-Qing bringing up the rear. He lifts Xiao-Yu into his arms and sits him down on the bench next to Zizhen, and then he reaches up for a stack of patterned bowls and passes them around to the others. 

Jin Ling still hasn’t gotten used to eating at the Chief Cultivator’s table, even if Hanguang-jun is technically his uncle now. Sometimes Hanguang-jun even does the cooking, and feeds Wei-dajiu with his own chopsticks while everyone else watches, and then Jin Ling tries to choke himself to death on the bamboo shoots in his yan du xian before deciding that Lanling can’t afford to lose the first decent zongzhu it’s had since his great-grandfather’s time. 

“I wish I was married,” Ouyang Zizhen sighs dreamily, resting his cheek on his hand as Xiao-Yu tries to steal his dumplings next. On his other side, A-Qing’s cheeks flush crimson, and she stares resolutely down at her hands while Hanguang-jun offers her a plate of savory vegetables. “It looks so nice, Wei-qianbei.”

“It is nice,” Wei-dajiui winks—and oh, gross, because Hanguang-jun is blushing now, and staring at Wei Wuxian as if he’s the most amazing thing in the world. “Marrying Lan Zhan is the best thing that ever happened to me.”

“Mm,” Hanguang-jun says quietly, putting a heaping spoonful of potato congee into his husband’s bowl. “Wei Ying is the best thing that happened to me, too.”

Ouyang Zizhen wails. 

“Wei-qianbei, we’re getting old enough to go courting now,” Jingyi says eagerly; but he’s a horrible liar who lies, because he and Sizhui are only nineteen, and Jin Ling doesn’t come of age until early winter. “What do you think we should put on our list of requirements?”

“What, you want an arranged marriage?” Wei-dajiu frowns. “ I never went through the process myself—” and Hanguang-jun reaches out and squeezes Wei-dajiu’s waist, as if even thinking about Wei-dajiu seeing a matchmaker was too much— “and I don’t really know anyone who did, since Yunmeng’s a lot freer about these things. Are you sure, Jingyi?”

“I’m not asking for a matchmaker,” Jingyi says, tossing his long ponytail over his shoulder. “I want to know what to look for if my love of a lifetime comes along. So what were you looking for?”

“Nothing when I was your age, A-Yi. I thought I would spend my whole life at Lotus Pier, and marry one of the shijies or shimeis who liked me. But then I met Lan Zhan, and…”

And then his ideal became Hanguang-jun, Jin Ling finishes, chewing on a mouthful of mustard greens. Everyone knows that, Jingyi!

Unfortunately, the conversation doesn’t end there. It goes on for the better part of an hour, and all through the course of coconut pudding Hanguang-jun made for dessert, and Jin Ling can’t even leave because that would be rude, and the food is too good to pass up even if Ouyang Zizhen wants to ask about kissing now.

“How old is old enough to have your first kiss?” he inquires, while Lan Sizhui giggles into his hands and elbows Zizhen to make him stop. “I’m sixteen, so is that too young?”

“I was thirty-eight when I first kissed Wei Ying,” Hanguang-jun says dryly. “I would advise patience, unless Ouyang-gongzi already has a beloved one in mind.”

Jin Ling wants to die. Why is his extended family like this?

“Pudding tax,” Xiao-Yu announces from his lap. “Ling-gege, can A-Yu have a bite?”

“I’m Sect Leader Jin, though. I don’t have to pay you taxes.”

Xiao-Yu gives him a serious little nod before turning to Sizhui. “Yuan-gege, pay pudding taxes.”

“You’ve had enough pudding,” Sizhui scolds; and indeed, the dishes are mostly empty now, except for the serving bowls in the middle of the table. “Come on, A-Yu. Let’s go visit the rabbits.”

They end up at the rabbit field about ten minutes later, after Jingyi and Sizhui help Hanguang-jun with the dishes. Jin Ling thinks it must make a very strange picture: after all, one doesn’t often see three Lan juniors, one Ouyang sect heir, one Jin sect leader, and one Lan baby lying in the grass with bunnies climbing over them. But the peace and quiet is beautifully welcome after the political unrest in Lanling and the dog food in Wei-dajiu’s tiny kitchen, so Jin Ling closes his eyes and settles down for a nap with a small white rabbit on his chest. 

“I think Shufu was right,” he hears A-Qing say. “There’s no point in having a list of requirements. Look at what happened to Jiang-zongzhu.”

“His first list was terrible, though,” Zizhen objects. “And he’s going to be married by next spring, so it worked for him in the end. After he fixed his requirements, I mean.”

“Gossipping is forbidden in the Cloud Recesses,” Sizhui says tranquilly. “And what Father meant was that having a list means you might miss your fated one when they come along, so it’s best to think about what you want, instead of what your beloved should be.”

“I’d like it if my wife liked to eat my cooking,” sighs Zizhen—he’s an excellent cook, too, and Jin Ling knows for a fact that A-Qing’s favorite food is the shrimp and water spinach Zizhen’s mother taught him to make. “Then I could cook, and she could wash our children’s hands and bring them to the kitchen when I was done, and we would all eat together.”

“I think I’d like a husband who knew how to do my hair,” A-Qing says, not even trying to be subtle. Jin Ling has seen the combs Zizhen keeps giving her, even if they’re far too young for a courtship, and Zizhen is always the first to offer assistance whenever A-Qing’s hair falls out of its bun. “Even a plain bun is too hard for me, since my hair’s so bushy.”

Zizhen nearly drops his rabbit. “Oh,” he whispers, blushing so hard that his neck turns red. “That’s good!”

Jin Ling wants to die. He can’t stand visiting Lotus Pier because his jiujiu is obviously courting, even if he won’t say he is, and now he’s going to have to watch A-Qing and Zizhen flirt until Zewu-jun and Ouyang-zongzhu give them permission to get married. 

“What about you, Jingyi?”

“Huh? Oh, I want to marry someone who won’t mind how loud I am,” Jingyi shrugs. “Or someone even louder than me, so we can make trouble together. A-Yuan?”

“I haven’t really thought about it, actually,” Sizhui sighs. “I’m Zewu-jun’s heir, so I have to get married, but I’m not sure if I want to.”

A moment of silence. 

“Then you won’t have to,” Jin Ling says. Everyone stares at him. “Zewu-jun didn’t get married, and Hanguang-jun wouldn’t have if Wei-dajiu didn’t come back to life. You can just choose an heir born to one of your cousins, since Jingyi was going to inherit the sect before Hanguang-jun adopted you.”

The others swoop in to assure Sizhui that no one’s going to make him get married, and Jin Ling folds his arms behind his head and wonders if his biao-ge could possibly be like Zewu-jun: a yi xin yi shen, whole in heart and body, who eschewed marriage in favor of cultivation. It would explain a lot, Jin Ling thinks, because even he knows what it feels like when someone makes his heart beat fast and his face turn pink, and Sizhui’s never felt that way. 

(Jin Ling tries not to think of Nie-zongzhu’s hot-tempered archivist, who knocked him into the dust with her saber the last time he visited Qinghe and then told him he had pretty eyes. Nie Shiyong is a few years older than him, and he usually ends up nursing several new bruises each time he meets her, but Jin Ling is man enough to admit to himself that he likes her. Maybe.)

“Xiao-Yu is sleepy,” little A-Yu says, interrupting his embarrassing train of thought before it can go any further. “Yuan-gege, I have a nap?”

“You can just sleep here,” Jingyi suggests. “The grass is soft enough, right? And you can use one of us for a pillow.”

“Jingyi,” Sizhui chides, and Jin Ling hears the long grass rustling as his cousin gets to his feet. “Come on, A-Yu. I’ll take you home to A-Niang.”

“No need,” someone else says; and that’s Hanguang-jun’s voice, coming up the hill from the direction of the jingshi. “I am here. A-Yu, come.”

Jin Ling scrambles up to greet his uncle by marriage (sect leader or not, jiujiu would kill him if he greeted the Chief Cultivator from the ground) and then he reels back and blinks in surprise, because Hanguang-jun’s hair is up in a loose braid instead of a half-topknot, and somebody seems to have decorated the braid with a row of half-bloomed lotus flowers. 

“Wei Ying did it,” Hanguang-jun says, with a small, soft smile that makes Sizhui and the others gasp. “He will do the same for your hair, too, if you ask.”

And then he lifts Xiao-Yu up into his arms and carries him away, leaving Jin Ling still frozen mid-bow with Jingyi and Zizhen gaping behind him.

“I think what Hanguang-jun meant is that the first requirement for marriage is love,” Lan Sizhui remarks, when Jin Ling finally snaps his mouth shut. “And that no matter what we want, or think we want, we shouldn’t settle for less.”

(Jin Ling is the first of his friends to marry, and he never forgets his biao-ge’s advice until the end of his days.)

[passionate-reply]

This week on Great Albums: one of very few albums that I think is truly perfect. John Foxx’s second solo LP, The Garden, is a masterpiece of Medieval mysticism, romantic longing, and modern electronics. Transcript below the break!

Welcome to Passionate Reply, and welcome to Great Albums! In this installment, I’ll be looking at a classic sophomore album, and one which epitomizes the principle of taking one’s sound in a different direction the second time around: The Garden by John Foxx, first released in 1981.

While The Garden was Foxx’s second release as a solo artist, it’s also his fifth LP overall, as he had spent the late 1970s fronting the original incarnation of Ultravox. Foxx’s Ultravox was an eclectic mix of influences from glam, punk, and, of course, electronic pioneers like Kraftwerk, but it would be the latter of these ideas that dominated Foxx’s solo career. His 1980 solo debut, Metamatic, is some of the purest, starkest, and harshest minimal synth around, and remains one of the most iconic early works of the subgenre.

Music: “Underpass”

If you want more like Metamatic from Foxx, you’ll want to skip ahead to the 1990s, because he turned his back on this thin and aggressively inorganic sound remarkably quickly. While he would produce several more LPs in the 1980s, the group of them seems to grow progressively lighter and softer, with less blistering analogue synth, and more radio-friendly love themes. But while Foxx’s third and fourth efforts are often panned, The Garden has actually won nearly as many fans over the years as Metamatic, proving itself to be powerful in its own ways, despite its radically different aesthetic. Where Metamatic dealt in brutalist city blocks and Ballardian psycho-sexuality, The Garden takes place in moldering cathedrals, embracing Gothic splendour and (imagined) Medieval emotionality.

Music: “Europe After the Rain”

“Europe After the Rain” opens the album, and also served as its lead single, becoming a relatively minor hit in the charts. As we hear it, we immediately become aware that Foxx has abandoned the instrumental palette of Metamatic, made almost exclusively with an ARP 2600 synthesiser, in favour of something more lush. On “Europe After the Rain,” traditional instruments like acoustic guitar and piano are impossible to ignore, though the constant bass synth ensures we never forget Foxx’s roots either. It also seems to be a major thematic leap away from Metamatic, with its tender and romantic feel. Still, that may not necessarily be all there is to it--the song is presumably named after a famous painting of the same title, by the Surrealist Max Ernst, executed in the early 1940s as World War II was first beginning. Ernst’s painting is a sort of apocalyptic vision, in which crumbling structures are overtaken by vegetation, and two figures wander through it, seemingly passing by one another. Perhaps Foxx’s “Europe After the Rain” is also a theme for a devastated landscape, its lovers meeting again the last survivors of some nuclear holocaust? Maybe it isn’t too far away from the themes of crushing modernity employed on Metamatic after all.

Note, as well, the emphasis on “Europe,” conceptually--The Garden is, at least partially, a sort of search for a new European cultural identity. The Garden fuses electronics, and hence Europe’s characteristic technological achievements, with a love of more traditional European cultural ideals, namely, the aesthetics of Medieval Christianity. For evidence of that idea, look no further than its most obvious apotheosis, the track “Pater Noster.”

Music: “Pater Noster”

“Pater Noster” is, of course, a setting of the Latin-language translation of the so-called “Our Father” or Lord’s Prayer, one of the most popular and well-known texts in Christianity. “Pater Noster” is the album’s most obvious love letter to the Middle Ages, but an informed listen will show that it has little to do with actual music from that era--I actually could forgive the synthesisers, which might be analogized to the role of church organs, but the percussion-propelled nature of the track is what really makes it feel ahistorical to me. Despite the religious themes of The Garden, Foxx always averred not being any sort of authentic believer in religion or God, and maintained that he was interested in the traditions of the Church purely on aesthetic grounds. Whether you think this sort of appropriation is appropriate and respectful or not, it’s certainly one of the album’s prominent themes, and part of what makes it feel as unique as it does. While I’ve emphasized the themes of romanticism and religiosity, it’s also worth noting that The Garden is not a complete break from Foxx’s earlier works, and in its return to a more guitar-driven sound, it often winds up riffing on something not unlike punk.

Music: “Systems of Romance”

Astute followers of Foxx will have already noticed that the track “Systems of Romance” shares its title with the third and final LP he released with Ultravox, in 1979. Apparently, it was written that much earlier, though it wouldn’t be seen to completion until several years later. Combining a hard-driving guitar, played by Foxx’s Ultravox bandmate Robin Simon, with the inscrutable, sensual, elemental lyricism Foxx employs throughout his mid-80s oeuvre, the track “Systems of Romance” really feels like a bridge between 70s art rock and 80s avant-synth-pop, moreso than anything else on the album. Much as “Systems of Romance” extracts a certain prettiness from punk, so does the aesthetically-oriented “Night Suit,” which plays with appearance, deception, and masculinity.

Music: “Night Suit”

“Night Suit” is the track on The Garden that I feel is the most exemplary of its own time period, a mysterious ode to a mystical garment that could almost feel at home on an album by Visage. The Garden is interested in “romantic” themes, but “Night Suit” truly feels at peace among the New Romantics. It’s got some of the most “believable” rock influences, with a prominent guitar riff from Simon, and yet its emphasis on the power of fashion and appearances, destructive, and perhaps even supernatural, is hard to imagine in a genuine punk context. As it implores us to “be someone” or “be no-one,” it’s easy to fit “Night Suit” into one of the major themes throughout Foxx’s career: the tranquility and liberation of personal anonymity. Why is the “Night Suit” a suit in the first place? The song wouldn’t make sense if it didn’t deal with a garment that is also a non-garment, something to wear that feels default, neutral, and unassuming--not to mention classically masculine.

On the cover of The Garden, the main thing we see is, well, a garden. Despite Foxx’s more obvious personal presence on the albums before and after The Garden, it’s easy to miss him here, dwarfed by the scale of nature that surrounds him. It’s almost like the album is more meant to be about this place, and the concept of “the garden,” than it is Foxx as a person, or any particular perspective of his.

While the actual capital-R Romantics were deeply interested in the “sublime,” and the scenes and moments in which mankind faces its vulnerability and insignificance when compared to the natural world, it’s also worth remembering that a “garden,” by definition, is really not a natural space at all, but rather one which is arranged by human hands. Even if this composition resembles those of Romantic painters, I think it’s worth looking earlier in the European past to interpret this one. Gardens were one of the most prominent symbols in Medieval literature, and scholars have suggested that they serve as symbols for sensuality, romance, and the yoni itself. Through the association with the Garden of Eden, gardens often represent a sort of lost, but longed-for paradise, and a return to innocence which is as tantalizing as it is impossible. In particular, “Europe After the Rain,” with its theme of lovers meeting again after the passage of some time, seems to connect with this idea.

In hindsight, The Garden really stands alone in Foxx’s career, a masterpiece whose precise style he would never attempt again. We might say it became that Garden of Eden, to which the artist could never return. While Foxx’s interest in Medieval spirituality would return on ambient works like Cathedral Oceans, and he would occasionally return to love songs with an electronic backing, the precise combination of lovelorn bardistry with a flair for the baroque that appears on The Garden remains totally singular. Foxx’s follow-up to this album, 1983’s The Golden Section, narrows its thematic focus towards poppy love songs, and its instrumental focus, likewise, is that of a fairly unremarkable mid-80s synth-pop record. But at the same time, I like to think that tracks like “The Hidden Man” manage to maintain a sense of the mystical.

Music: “The Hidden Man”

My favourite track on The Garden is “Walk Away.” While it lacks the severe and tragic grandeur of the album’s title track, which closes the album on a lofty note, “Walk Away” shares some of its delicate qualities, reviving the soft piano that we heard on “Europe After the Rain.” Thematically, “Walk Away” seems to deal with fragility and transience, and the grave significance that a brief, passing moment may have--which makes that “delicateness” feel all the more poignant in context. Its call-and-response outro, featuring one of Foxx’s most anguished vocal performances, really makes it a stand-out. That’s everything for today--as always, thanks for listening!

Music: “Walk Away”

[reaperlight]

Do you have any lawryght headcanons?

@greenpactbosmer Thanks for the ask!

Headcanons... ooh boy, well...

(Oh and I saw you had another ask there too but I think I may have misunderstood the prompt/what was being asked? In any case I should probablt edit the paragraphs of brain vomit that came out of that but until then here's more paragraphs of brain vomit, uh... sorry 😔)

Anyway...

Headcanons for lawryght can vary greatly from fic verse to fic verse but let's see curtent HC generally...

These three getting together in a canon-like universe...

The RyukxLight will either be established relationship or at the very least Ryuk is more helpful to Light and his plans than in canon to the point Light feels secure enough in his position so he can give L a chance and not feel like he has to kill him immediately so a relationship could actually develop between Light and L beyond "oh no, he's hot... I still have to kill him." (Also expect Light to be even more arrogant and insufferable because he thinks he's immortal and has the power of deathgod and anime on his side.)

Ryuk and Light getting together: And then they were roommates (oh my they were roommates) and there was only one bed--Shinigami don't really need to sleep but Light doesn't know that and the bed is comfy so Ryuk doesn't fell the need to tell him.

They are both extremely bored. Ryuk is absolutely fascinated with this human--he may not be on Light's side (or so he claims) but the entertainment value is beyond his wildest dreams. He is smitten, even if he doesn't admit it. If Light is curious about something hell try at least once... Or Light may be trying to get free Shinigami eyes out of him and they catch feelings.

L enters the picture... Ryuk doesn't mind sharing 1. Hes immortal and bored and... two interesting humans! This is so cool! 2. Shinigami don't have the same ideas about monogamy. 3. Headcanons about Ryuk vary depending on if rule 36 valid up to this point in the ficverse. (I.e. Chad!Ryuk vs. Virgin!Ryuk)

L and Ryuk--L is very disturbed to learn that his case actually has a supernatural component and is more leery of Ryuk than of Light at first. This lasts for all of the moment it takes to remember that Light is Kira and Ryuk is afraid of tennis balls.

After 5 minutes of soul searching, L can admit to himself he has a thing for monsters--both internal and external.

Assuming they are all alive and this takes place in early canon this shippable version of L is probably more interested in having fun then bringing Kira to justice. Either that or he has become disillusioned with the status quo or hurt and and wants revenge to the point that he's willing to entertain Light's way of doing things.

If its post series, maybe Ryuk is bored so goes looking for Light in Mu and ends up pulling both Light and L out of Mu because their souls are intertwined and once restored as humans or Shinigami or something shippable in the afterlife then it's just learning to rely on each other as they forge a new arrangement in the Shinigami realm.

Top/bottom it's not assigned seating Regardless of bedroom positions or what arrangement they have out of the bedroom Light is the dom/one in charge of this arrangement in bed... but subs L and Ryuk unionize and gang up on him. Light is a dom in bed but not always a top. L as a sub but not always bottom. Ryuk as a service top or power bottom. Ryuk doesn't really feel pain like humans do and will go with whatever he and his partners find interesting.

Contrary to rumor Light and L aren't always fighting over who gets to top. Fighting is for chess matches, clashes of ideology, and the last chocolate eclaire--not the bedroom. Consent, safe words, and mutual respect are all very important.

(The safe word is vegetables)

Light is very dom. In every relationship before or since. Except there's Ryuk, looming over him. Making him feel kinda excited and confused and then theres that stupid sexy voice of his... But ryuk is the exception. (But he might let L fuck him if he asks nicely and submits to Kira's reign.)

When they sleep together Ryuk likes to keep them both wrapped in his wings. He likes being the little spoon sometimes though...

L gets Ryuk addicted to apple desserts.

Light frequently ends up cleaning up after the other two. Ryuk helps when he remembers but typically L is a brat.

Light: How can you stand to live like this?

Ryuk: I was formed in a dustbowl.

Light: Yes, it shows.

L [throwing candy wrappers on the ground]: Why are you doing that, that's what Watari is for?

Others who might potentially join the polycule under the right set of circumstances: B, Mikami, Aiber, Matsuda...

Some very noncanon AU ideas...

Superhero aus (current wips)

Winning and ruling the world(s) au (current wips)

Light gets in trouble (of either a mundane or supernatural variety) and Ryuk goes to L to ask for his help because he's the only human he can think of who would be clever enough to help Light and because of supernatural restrictions Ryuk can't save Light by himself. L is annoyed to have his fun ruined by having it confirmed that Light is Kira in this way, pissed that Light could get himself into a situation like this, and also pissed at himself that Ryuk doesn't even need to threaten him to want to risk everything to save him. After they save Light, L decides there's no point in continuing the kira case because it no longer interests him. He returns INTERPOLs money and after Light recovers from his ordeal the three go on vacation looking for something interesting but less hazardous than their previous ordeal. L becomes fascinated with the supernatural and wants to go ghost and cryptid hunting, seeking out ancient mysteries and Ryuk has plenty of leads in that. Light is still more interested in becoming god of the new world but "fine, if you guys insist..." (he doesn't want to admit he's having fun too). They drive around in L's pink crepe van huntjng ghosts, solving mysteries. Light occasionally writes the names of murderous jerks and people who are assholes to L thst they meet along the way while Ryuk laughs and L scowls in a mildly disapproving way but never really discourages him.

Au inverting the dynamics so its established relationship of lawlight first and then Ryuk joins the polycule: AU where Light and L are the same age and are childhood friends and when Light finds the Death Note they become Kira together. Ryuk is fascinated by them both and slowburn they realize their feelings for each other.

Or... Human!Ryuk and mundane college AU Ryuk is in a metal band and is probably studying art and helps rival law students Ligtt and L to chill... at least until Ryuk gets in trouble for drug possession and then Light and L compete to be his better defense counsel.

Monster AU werewolf or vampire au that's canon adjacent--Ryuk bites Light, Light goes on to monster better than Ryuk does then Light bites L, the monster hunter who falls for him...

7. Haunted house au

8. The quarantine au--Light is annoyed because now killing as Kira feels rather pointless. L is annoyed because this is boring. Ryuk is having a blast because they're playing with him a whole lot more. If L and Light doesn't just use the L screen, Ryuk is always in the background, having floating, juggling apples photobomb the zoom calls.

And suddenly Ryuk is important.

Ryuk runs errand for them because he has no danger of catching the plague. They play video games, watch movies, bitch at each other, and get into pointless arguments over stupid things.

Also L makes them custom masks modeled after Ryuk's fangs just because.

Other ideas:

Wammys house and lawryght

Option 1: Wammy's house tooth rotting fluff, adopting all the orphans

Option 2: Wammy's house evil, B was right. It's really just about being raised as a weapon. It's like the stormtrooper program for genius orphans that may not have actually been orphans before the institute took an interest in them.

Option 3: Wammy's house complicated. The institute really is trying to do better, is the best place for the kids and while not perfect its closest thing to home/family they have.

Lawryght and Morality

These 3 can be awful enablers of each other's worst qualities. Then again...

Light: Huh, Ryuk thinks we're going too far. Maybe we should rethink this.

L [already has the prisoner tied up and being forced to listen to polka music on repeat]: But where's the fun in that?

Finding a home together

With Kira and a Shinigami as his boyfriend L feels secure enough to do more normal things he's been denied all his life.

With Ryuks help, Light finds the names of all of L's major enemies and gets to writing in the Death Note.

Light: Be mad if you want. I'm not sorry.

L tries to be mad, and fails. He can't help but feel relieved that they're gone.

He might even entertain the thought of having a permanent address.

He still enjoys traveling though.

Also L gets a kitten

The cat loves chasing Ryuk's feathers.

The cat likes Light's lap the best because Light went out of his way not to look at the cat.

....

Ah, that was probably way too long. But thanks for letting me ramble! 😆

[dansnaturepictures]

14/06/2021: Part 2 of 2-The wildlife photos and experiences at Lakeside and home 

On a scorching day I enjoyed a lot around the home before I went for my Lakeside walk, including the lovely rose on a bush in the back garden seen from my bedroom window which looked nice I took the first picture in this photoset of this. I was then thrilled in another productive photo session in the front garden to see some poor man’s weather-glass aka scarlet pimpernal (the latter probably the  most common name for it, but I found it using the PlantNet app when I was first getting into flowers last year as the former when I first got into flowers in the late summer a time I look back on fondly seeing this on the green out the front and then at Cley and Salthouse Marshes in Norfolk). This was a flower I really loved learning last year one I find so addictive, sweet, small and colourful to see so I was thrilled to see this looking so nice. I took the second picture in this photoset of these. Alongside speedwell, daisy and some willowherb a nice tiny contingent of flowers making it to our stony front garden lately which is great these did look scrumptious and bright red in the sun. The cuckoo spit on the lavender flowers was still present after I noticed it on Friday and I couldn’t resist a macro photo of it gleaming in the sun the third in this photoset. 

After taking in stunning views and noticing a lovely bright purple mallow on the grass by Lakeside which I tweeted a picture of tonight on Dans_Pictures another flower I loved learning last summer I reached Lakeside and was thrilled to spot a Swift gliding effortlessly through the bright blue sky on arrival. Low enough with my big lens on at this point to try for a photo not the easiest one to photograph they are of course so fast, but I just about managed a couple including the fourth picture in this photoset of this. 

I reached beach lake the westernmost one and set about looking for one of my targets the Black-tailed Skimmer a lovely dragonfly that my Mum had seen here yesterday and I had for the first time of the year in 2020 on the 1st June that year. No sooner had I started taking in the wonderful views over this lake especially which I mentioned in my previous post about today than one of these excellently marked and bright coloured dragonflies danced over the grass in front of me leading me to a little reedbed area at the base of the lake where I confirmed it was this favourite dragonfly species of mine. I loved looking at it and taking it in for a little while being so in aw of it. I took the fifth picture in this photoset of it. This sparked a memorable and packed few minutes when as I caught a sight of some Mallards with ducklings in the northern edge of beach lake I saw in my binoculars with them was a beautiful burgundy Little Grebe. This was fantastic to see, I obviously see Great Crested Grebes so well here so often but this was only the second time I’d ever seen its smaller cousin here after last November. It was completely unexpected today and another amazing bird moment lately I loved watching it for a little while. Walking north of the lake a bit I couldn’t quite get a clear shot closer through the reeds and trees but I did see some nice heath spotted-orchid along the fringes of the path and I loved seeing these and yellow iris mixing together well and dominated the edges of the lakes which made for stunning views which I captured and tweeted photos of both star flowers recently. I did manage the sixth picture in this photoset of the Little Grebe with my big lens on for this and the dragonfly. Noticeable behind the grebe was a damselfly or it may have been a dragonfly 

I then took some landscape photos and put my normal lens on. The lens I discovered the Saturday before last is a great option for dragonfly pictures with one of a Broad-bodied Chaser I was quite pleased with. I couldn’t have written it better then when the only seen fairly fair away in reeds and zipping past before during my lunch time walk today Black-tailed Skimmer or a Black-tailed Skimmer settled right next to me well within range for my 70-300mm lens I lapped up chances for photos of this tweeting the photo I took forward from this set. It was a utopian late spring/early summer afternoon as I watched the skimmer one of my favourite dragonflies three of them I believe which I didn’t really realise was at Lakeside having seen them at other locations before working from home patrol the bright blue lake. 

I liked seeing damselflies around this lake and Swifts fly over and skim the lake here too. I also liked seeing the baby birds again; Canada Goose and goslings like the one in the seventh picture in this photoset, Coot chick like the one in the eighth picture in this photoset and Greylag goslings along with the ducklings. It was nice to enjoy all of this again. In the searing hear I went towards Concorde Lake through a very well grown up path here and almost brushed up against a lovely Banded Demoiselle here and I also spotted a bright Red Admiral flying around the vegetation which I was very pleased to see so well one of my favourite butterflies. 

Going home past the visitor centre and looking over the southern fenced off nature reserve area where I hoped to see Meadow Browns and other insects on this route the Meadow Brown my Mum also saw at Lakeside yesterday on this stretch. Walking along here I was captivated by a great light coloured dragonfly prominently flying around. I watched it landed for ages trying to get a picture from the other side of the fence with my big lens I didn’t succeed. I worked out it was a female Common Darter thought another star of Lakeside last year which I found brilliant to see. It was my earliest ever sighting of a Common Darter in a year how many times did I say that about butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies including here a lot last year in the early progressing spring this year slower so it was nice to, to really show how in hot weather in June anything can happen. My previous earliest was 18th June at Bolderwood in the New Forest in 2017 for me.

What made the special Common Darter fly off was a butterfly flying into it and that was my target the Meadow Brown! I enjoyed a fantastic time watching this bright and warm looking butterfly on an oxeye daisy which I took the ninth picture in this photoset of. I was so happy I’d seen it, one of my next targets and my 25th butterfly species this year a figure I am thrilled with. But the Meadow Brown is often one of my most important butterfly sightings in a year as so often as it was this year (its only usually the Large Skipper that is the other one) its the first of the summer butterflies I see in a year. With the weather like this and now two key sights I see as summer rather than spring and signpost when the season transitions for me, this and foxglvoes on road verges on Saturday it feels very summery! I saw another Meadow Brown on the way out and enjoyed the meadows carpeted in bright oxeye daisies which I just loved seeing and taking in such beautiful scenes. I enjoyed at the flower patch in the estate on the way back the glorious poppies again one looking enormous and I took a photo I was happy with of that. There was something I found out in our personal life today which was something very sad about an important person in my life, but I felt at lunch time I did what I do best and let nature uplift me which was much needed being able to see these targets locally and it felt great to sneak them in before our holiday next week. 

I did take a second Lakeside walk this evening with other things on including a day off an an organised walk we are going on tomorrow happening and preparation for holiday as the week goes on this the last evening walk with a camera and binoculars I’ll do before going on holiday. I loved taking in some beautiful scenes in the meadows of Lakeside to the east the area that would be my commute when working in the office, especially with the grass looking very long and some nice sky scenes formed at this time too. A lovely Kestrel flew over which I got a great view of near the kissing gate entrance where the Swift had darted over at lunch time. This evening it was great to enjoy Woodpigeon and Collared Dove on the roof visible from my room in the lowering sunlight, moth in the house again and a Lesser Black-backed Gull out the front which I took the tenth and final picture in this photoset of. I hope you have all had a nice day. 

Wildlife Sightings Summary: My first Meadow Brown, Black-tailed Skimmer and Common Darter of the year, one of my favourite butterflies the Red Admiral, Common Blue Damselfly, Banded Demoiselle, Lesser Black-backed Gull at Lakeside and home, Black-headed Gull, Mallard, Coot, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Little Grebe, Swift, Kestrel, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw including some on the green out the front where the Starlings and gulls have been spending a lot of times in the evenings lately adding to this well, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Starling, some lovely Long-tailed Tits at Lakeisde a great view, House Sparrow and Goldfinch. 

[timeforelfnonsense]

Unconventional

Astarion x Dafni || G || Previous Story Chronologically (not necessary but might fill in some gaps) || Ao3 || Sunshine & Starlight: My on going bg3 series  

The low fire crackled and popped as it consumed more of its kindling into ash. Dafni idly ran her finger along the chipped rim of the ceramic mug clasped firmly in her hand. She prodded the slice of venison on her plate with her two-pronged fork, translucent red juices trickling out from the small puncture. A frown tugged at her mouth, as her mother’s voice rang in her ears.

Don’t play with your food dear, it’s impolite.

Dafni sighed, popping a portion of the meat into her mouth. She found the rich, earthy taste of deer flesh pleasant enough. There was a gameyness to wild-caught meat she’d missed in the city. It lent itself well to the simplicity of rosemary and salt Gale had prepared it in.

“This is very good Gale,” she said between bites, “Deer can be a difficult meat.”

The wizard grinned bowing his head ever so slightly in thanks, “That’s kind of you, Dafni. I’ve always enjoyed cooking! Though, I have to admit my skills are more suited for a kitchen than a campfire.”

Dafni rather liked Gale. He was the sort of man who might have visited her mother’s tower seeking knowledge. If she closed her eyes she could picture him on the steps of Laurel chatting with Leto and Theia as the younger of Thesmia’s daughter hid away in an alcove tittering and blushing like little roses over his handsome face and magical skill. Polymnia in particular would have been taken with Gale. The lovely alseid had a soft spot for human men. Especially those with a quick wit and keen mind. Perhaps she’d introduce them when this was all over?

As the thought crossed her mind, it occurred to Dafni that Gale might not be on the market. She hadn’t thought to ask him- or any of her new friends for that matter if they had anyone who might be consumed with lovelorn worry by their disappearances.

Normally the romantic entanglements of those around here were among her favorite topics of discussion. She had always enjoyed listening to the trials and joys of her patients’ courtships in the city. When she’d lived among her own people, the wood elves too for that matter- love and sex had been discussed free and open. She’d found that city folk were, all too often, needlessly sheepish when it came to such topics.

“So, do you have loves waiting for you once this is all over?” Astarion asked in an airy, casual voice. A mirthful glimmer in his red eyes as he tossed his untouched serving of venison to Scratch. Dafni wondered if perhaps her own thoughts had bled into his head via their tadpoles or if Astarion was simply as curious as she was.

“You know what -” Gale responded, his brows stitching, “that is not the easiest of questions for me to answer.”

Drat!

So much for setting him up with Poly.

“You mean just waiting, like a love-sick puppy?” Shadowheart let out a judgmental huff, her pale gray-green eyes rolling as she spoke, “Short-term amusements are much less hassle. Do you have someone waiting for you in Baldur’s Gate, Astarion? A sweetheart perhaps?”

Dafni’s hands went clammy the moment Shadowheart’s words fell from her lips. Dafni had the unfortunate habit of finding herself enraptured with all sorts of eye-catching creatures, and mysterious, cheeky Astarion’s almost kiss had cast firmly him in the role of the leading lord in her girlish daydreams.

Bracing herself for what felt like an inevitable bruise- not only to her ego but her tender heart, she risked a quick peek at him through the little plume of steam forming above her cup. His long legs were casually outstretched, his elbow propped on the fallen tree behind him as if he were draped across a fine chaise lounge rather than earth and vegetation. He ran his hand through that perfect coif of soft, ivory curls. The cool, silvery light of the moon almost shimmered across his fair complexion. He had truly been blessed with the aloof, dreamy, beauty of Sehanine Moonbow. An incandescent majesty demanding admiration and awe.

“Not one in particular.” Astarion said with a coy shrug of his shoulders, “The city is a veritable feast of sweethearts.”

Dafni hadn’t realized she had been holding her breath until the lungs full of relief came whooshing out of her. While she was, in part, pleased to know there was no one of romantic significance in his life for her to contend with, his response had still left her a bit disheartened.

If he took such little issue with rake-ish behavior, why pull away from her kiss?

Dafni worried the fraying edge of her sleeve as she nibbled her lower lip. She felt a familiar tenderness in her chest. The same ache she’d felt as she watched each of her sisters be asked for dances of turns about the garden by the lords and ladies of the Summer Court during countless Seelie Soirées. Despite her outgoing nature and sunny disposition, those around her had always seemed determined to exile her to wallflowerdome.

“You must be eager to get back then. Slimmer pickings out in this wilderness.”

I think the pickings are just fine, thank you very much!

Dafni’s nose crinkled, a sour, resentful glare taking form across her face. She  knew  Shadowheart’s comment wasn’t intended as a dig but it felt like one nonetheless.

She’d always felt babyish compared to her beautiful older sisters. They were the kind of poised and lovely women folk expected the elves and nymphs of Faerie to be. Tall, slender ladies with a wild fey beauty that was nearly impossible to resist. In contrast, Dafni was petite in stature and plump in shape. She’d stopped aging physically sometime in her early 20s leaving her heart-shaped face with a trimming of eternal baby fat.

While she’d come into her own by no small measure whilst living among the wandering wood elves of Lylarth Forest. She could tease and tempt with the best of them and she’d had her share of dalliances in the last half-century. Even so, the ghost of the girl, sat pouting in the corner while her lovelier, more worldly sisters made merry lingered.

“How about you, dear?” Astarion asked tilting his gaze towards Dafni’s sulky figure, “Is there anyone waiting for you back in the city?”  

“Not really, I’d only been in the city for a few months,” Dafni explained. She kept her eyes fixed far away in hopes he wouldn’t see the fluster looming in them. “I don’t know many people in Baldur’s Gate aside from those who frequent my clinic and it wouldn’t be appropriate to pursue any of them. I think the people in my neighborhood found me a bit too… Unconventional for their tastes at any rate.” She tried her best not to sound bitter but there was still a bite to her words. While she’d been practically invisible to her fancies in the feywilds, in Baldur’s Gate she stuck out like a sore thumb. Most of the inhabitants of the lower city had never met a wood elf let alone an eladrin. They simply didn’t know what to make of her otherworldly countenance. Moreover, her own ineptitude when it came to understanding customs and niceties outside of the wilds had solidified her reputation as an eccentric outsider.

“To the hells with being conventional, darling.” Astarion scoffed, “Conventional is just a word tedious, uninteresting people use to justify their own mediocrity.”

His voice had an indignant edge to it. As if he was offended that the rabble of Eastway hadn’t been falling at her feet every time she crossed over her threshold. Dafni tried to fight the rush of heat that crept across the bridge of her nose and full cheeks. It felt good to be seen by someone so dazzling. And Gods, It was endearing to see him so ruffled on her behalf. If only he’d been at all those dreadful parties.

Perhaps he might have asked her for a dance...

Stop that! He’s only being polite, Dafni!  She scolded herself,  Don’t do this! He just admitted to being a heartbreaker, you silly, starry-eyed, ninny!

She tried to banish the cacophonous thumping in her chest. To herd the whimsical yearning into submission. It was no use. With every passing moment, she felt her attraction to him solidify into a full-on fancy. With luck, the feelings would fade in time, as they had with countless conquests before him. Their time together was far from over, so she’d just have to pray disinterest would take hold before she did something  too  embarrassing in an attempt to win him over.

“I’m inclined to echo that sentiment.” Gale’s voice felt like mercy. He had spared her from having to stammer out a reply of her own, “I think you’d be hard-pressed to label any of our number as conventional and I’d wager our chances of surviving these parasites are better for it.”

Gale was right, as usual. Dafni cast a glance across the faces of her new friends. Gale’s intelligence, Criella’s ingenuity, Wyll’s courage, Shaowheart’s wit, Lae’zel’s metal, Astarion’s charm. Each of them outlandish and remarkable in their own way. Their quirks and eccentricities made them the people they were. Despite the squabbling, despite the clashing personalities, she was glad to have them.

[derryjay]

Double experience

It wasn't my first time meeting women while tending my garden, but it was my first time with two.

Becky and Susan were two curious teens that would often stop to talk about gardening in general. Both young ladies were seniors in high school and were both involved in the FFA in school. The pair would stop by my yard regularly to view my vegetable plants and see how they were progressing. They always told me the latest info on the newest diseases working their way around as well as possible cures.

Both of the leggy teens seemed timid at first but friendly. Being somewhat tall for women, they were probably ostracized by their peers due to their height. However, both girls were cute in their way. Becky was a freckled face redhead while Susan was, I assumed, a true blonde. Her alabaster skin and pale blue eyes made me feel that way. She looked almost like an albino.

Over time it seemed that their sociability with me didn't transfer to others their own age. An example of that was when they were visiting the garden one day, another teenager passed by, and they completely ignored his attempted contact. Finally, after several visits, they let me in on the fact that most of the kids in school thought they were 'weirdo lesbians,' as they put it. Since they opened that door, I offered, "You do know that there is nothing wrong with that, don't you?"

"Yeah," they mumbled in stereo before making up excuses to finish some homework and headed home. I finished my weeding for the day and went inside, hoping that I hadn't offended them.  

It was about four days later that they once again appeared as I was tending to my vegetables. The girls seemed even friendlier than usual and not at all bothered by my comment from before. It wasn't until they entered the garden and began helping me that I noticed their scant attire. Both were wearing tank tops, leaving their midsections exposed, as well as short-shorts that barely covered their pert little buttocks.

These two were not your slutty dressing type of teenagers, and I was a bit surprised until Becky spoke. "First off, we wanted to apologize for our behavior on our previous visit. We reacted to your comment as if you were teasing us as the kids do, but then after talking it over, we realized that you weren't."

Susan added, a bit quieter, "We have played a little together and do enjoy it, but we'd really like to try a guy together. We've heard our mothers talk about you over the last couple of years and were intrigued. That is why we initially started to talk to you, but after seeing your love for plants, we kinda left that idea behind."

"However, since we are both going away to college in a month, we would love for you to teach us about man-on-woman sex," Becky blurted out.

'What my little horn-dog friend is saying is would you be interested in teaching a couple of know-nothing eighteen-year-olds about copulating with the opposite sex? We know that you have helped more than a few women out with their sexual frustrations, whatever they may be. But, we also know that we're young and not all that attractive..."

"Wait," I stepped in. "You two are very attractive, but it's not about that or you being legal so much as whether I think you can handle the emotional aspect of sexual intercourse. Even the smartest of us has mistaken sex for love and ruined their life over it. Why do you think I'm still single?" We all had a good laugh at my last comment before I added, "I want you ladies to think about this for a few days while I do the same, then we'll reconvene here Saturday morning. Does that sound fair?"

They both nodded their heads affirmatively before we went back to tending the garden as they thought things over. Then, with the weeds pulled and the veggies harvested, I handed them their take for helping, as usual, and they left for the evening. Becky turned back and smiled before saying, "We'll see you Saturday, about ten a.m.?"

"That's perfect!" I replied while watching those long legs disappear up the street. I, too, thought about the ramifications of having sex with a couple of teenage girls and the possible emotional baggage that it would bring. Even with them being of legal age, I was concerned that I'd have to tape the sessions to protect myself if there was blowback. But, of course, I would get their consent and, it would be nice for a later review. I mean, who would ever believe that I had two pretty teenage girls at the same time.

At thirty-five, I was twice their age, which wouldn't look good if things went awry. This would be a tough decision, but not one for tonight.

I took care of myself that night to ease myself into sleep. There was something to be said for a good orgasm to bring on a deep and restful sleep. The following morning, I thought through things with a clearer head. I decided that the taping was a bad idea even with their consent. If I were going to do this, I would have to trust them, and they trust me.

The week went by, and I found myself awake at six a.m. Saturday morning with some serious wood. Rather than pleasure myself, I headed for some coffee while slipping on some loose shorts sans underwear. With my coffee in hand, I headed for the greenhouse to do a little housekeeping. After planting season, it became a bit of a junkyard, and it was time to do some cleanup.  

Raising plants from seed and then cleaning up the mess took a lot of time and effort but kept the stress monster off of my back. There was just something so relaxing and revitalizing about the whole process. Of course, the weed pulling was the best for stress reduction. Yanking those stubborn and annoying suckers from the ground released the pressures of the workday in waves.

I'd finished throwing away the cracking and busted pots along with the assorted trash. After sweeping up, I headed to get some hot soapy water for scrubbing the dirty pots. There was quite a stack, and I knew that it would take a couple of hours. I heard some voices as I emerged from the basement with a five-gallon bucket of hot water laden with soap and a touch of bleach.

It was only seven-thirty, so I assumed that it was a couple of walkers passing by. Then, coming from the backyard, I noticed someone in the greenhouse through the frosted panels. "Hello there," I offered as I neared the sliding doors.

"Oh, hi Dennis!" I heard in cheerful stereo from my two teenage helpers.

"What are you two doing up and out so early on a Saturday?" I questioned as my eyes roamed their skimpy clothing.

"Well, we thought things over and talked about it all like you suggested," Susan replied.

"And?" I inquired.

"We understand why you wanted us to think about things. You're worried that you'll be accused of taking advantage of us or worse. So, we figured that we should tape our experience using all three of our phones. That way, we all have a copy and can add our oral consent at the beginning," Becky added.

"You're correct about part of it, but the other part is that you two are entrusting me with your first time, and that is a monumental obligation from my perspective. It's not that I haven't taken another's virginity before. But, still, at the time, I was of similar age to the one I deflowered. Plus, I thought I was in love."

"We did consider that too, but I honestly don't think that will be a problem since we'll be leaving the area in a month," Susan stated.

"Although, we may want to do it over and over until then if it's really good," Becky added with a sly little smile before asking. "So, when can we start?"

"Well, I was going to wash some pots, but I think spending time with the two of you in bed sounds much more exciting. So why don't we head inside now?"

Becky sprinted toward the back door with Susan and I following close behind. Once inside, she headed up the stairs and found my bedroom. Once inside, we all paused as they took in the furnishings. The king-sized bed drew Susan's attention immediately, and she slithered across it before rolling back and forth.

Becky was still looking around when Susan implored, "Come kiss me Becky, and lick my titties," as she slipped her tank-top over her head. "You too, Dennis," she added while kicking off her flip-flops. I guess it's true what they say about the quiet ones. As Becky and I each took a pert little nipple in our mouths, Susan pushed off her short skirt and panties. Then, with her entire lithe form exposed, Susan put a hand on each of our heads, holding us tightly to her a-cup breasts.

I moved a hand down her torso, lightly drawing circles on the taut abdomen. Goose-bumps rose as I crossed the top of her pelvic mound and tickled her sparse blonde hair. Smiling to myself about her true-blonde status, I continued down her thigh. The bumps followed my fingers as they continued tracing across her inner thigh. Finally, I softly pulled her leg outward to open her flower for full display when I reached her knee.  

Becky followed my lead, but not so leisurely. As I moved my fingers delicately back up Susan's thigh, Becky was in quick pursuit and reached Susan's lips before me. As Becky's fingers traced Susan's outer labia, Susan cooed faintly. When my fingers reached Susan's sex, I too began to stimulate her outer regions.

With my digits on autopilot, I turned to face Becky. We'd been in close proximity for a few minutes now but hadn't really acknowledged each other. Then, as if sensing my stare, Becky looked at me, and we quickly moved together for a kiss as our fingers tangled at Susan's damp opening. The kiss moved from tentative to full-on face sucking rather quickly.

We simultaneously began to increase our provocation of Susan's splayed puss. My finger went for her little nub while Becky's slipped inside. Susan's cooing turned to loud sighs as she lifted her ass off the bed to spur us on. I moved up Susan's chest with Becky's lips in tow, and we licked and nibbled her neck while heading to share her mouth. With the three-way kissing in full bloom, Susan's legs began to shudder as she neared her first climax. She growled into our mouths before going rigid. As her crest passed its peak, Susan dropped to the bed and panted.  

Upon catching her breath, Susan stammered, "Oh my God. That was one of the best orgasms that I've ever had."

She kissed us both ardently as we continued to play with her leaking box. Pulling my face away, I asked, "So, what have you two done together so far?"

No longer shy now that my finger was circling her stiff clit, Susan answered, "Just what we're doing right now."

"So neither of you has gone down on the other?" I inquired.

"I tried to do it to Susan, but she was too embarrassed to let me," Becky almost whispered.

"There's no need to be shy now, Becky. You have two of your fingers buried in your best friend's pussy, and it's making her feel fantastic. Isn't it, Susan?" I asked.

"Fuck, yes!" Susan yelled between gasps for air.

"Why don't we head down to her leaking puss together and get a little taste of Susan?" I suggested.

"That sounds yummy," Becky replied as we did just that.

Kissing our way down her neck and chest, Becky and I both paused to enjoy Susan's firm nipples for a minute or two. Susan was relishing our mutual attention as she panted and moaned emphatically. Then, with them both pink and stiff, we moved down her belly while kissing and nibbling. Susan's cries softened but never stopped as we neared her drooling slit.

Becky let me take the lead as we were centimeters from Susan's sex. I paused and blew gently as Becky removed her fingers. A vibrant, "Mmmmmm," escaped Susan's lips as goosebumps rose across her pelvic flesh. I did it a few more times as I drew closer. Finally, the last breath was into her small gape left from Becky's intruding digits.

The first touch of my tongue came at the base of Susan's vaginal opening. She jumped a little as I moved up her inner labia.

"Oh, it's so warm and gentle. I could get used to... oh, fuck!" Susan shrieked as I flattened my tongue and swiped across her entire puss. Her pelvis jumped up, and her thighs attempted to squeeze shut. With the next pass, I pushed my tongue in just a little before another full swipe. Susan seemed to be enjoying her first pussy licking. Her nectar was sweet, and while I was enjoying myself thoroughly, I knew that it was time to share.

As I pulled back, Becky moved in hesitantly. I whispered in her ear, "Just enjoy her and pay attention to her sounds and movements. You'll quickly figure out what she likes best." After a few tentative licks, Becky began to devour Susan like an animal. Locking her arms around both of Susan's thighs, Becky went at her like she was starving. Susan's hands gripped Becky's hair and pulled her in even tighter as they did their dance.

I sat up and watched their entanglement and noticed how Becky began to grind her crotch into my bedspread. She was still dressed in her skirt, tank-top, and sneakers, so I moved behind her to remove them. The sneakers slipped off easily but gave away my intentions.

"Yes, please!" Becky garbled as her face barely left Susan's puss long enough to speak.

I let my hands move up her legs ever so subtly toward her inner thighs as Becky eagerly spread them. Once I reached the top of her thighs, I tickled her puss through her white cotton panties. She squirmed like a worm in your hand as I licked and nibbled my way up her legs. Upon reaching the bottom of her panties, I pressed my face into her crotch and buttocks. I let my nose dig in between her firm little cheeks as my tongue lapped at her soaked and covered crotch.

I could still hear Susan's cries of excitement even though my ears were well covered by Becky's clamping legs. Having gotten a good sample of Becky's flavor, I decided it was time to dig in and removed her skirt and undies in one quick pull. Once they were on the floor, I grabbed her feet to suck on her toes. Becky seemed very ticklish at first, but the more I licked, the more excited she seemed to get. She quickly neared climax as I began scraping them lightly with my teeth.

Becky began flopping on the bed as her orgasm seized her young body. The howls and screeches she released echoed throughout my house. As her movement eased, I slid up quickly, opening her thighs along the way. Then, nearing her buttocks, I grasped both cheeks and spread them wide. My tongue swiped upward from her quivering puss across her taint and ending at her little pink pucker.

Again the echoes filled the room as both girls were in a state of bliss. Then, wanting to give Becky a little more, I slipped first one, then two fingers into her slippery snatch. As I fingered her willing hole, my tongue flicked at her little star, intent on prying it open. Becky squeezed my head sternly as my tongue began to penetrate her anal ring. Her constrictions only made me press harder into her while adding a third finger to her loosening cunt.

Her climax hit her hard, and I held on tight as she squirmed about, causing Susan to have another also. Then, with them both a bit exhausted, I removed my face from Becky's back door and slid up the bed alongside Susan. We kissed tenderly for a while as Becky continued to pleasure her puss gingerly.

Pulling her head away momentarily, Susan asked, "So, what did you do to her, but just as important, when do we get to the actual fucking?"

"Do you dislike having Becky's tongue between your legs?" I responded in question.

"Not at all. In fact, I wish that I'd allowed her to do that when she first tried. But, I would so like to feel your hard cock filling me up over and over again."

"Well, why don't you try giving Becky a little oral, and if you can make her cum then I'll fuck you first. How's that sound?" I queried.

Whispering, Susan asked, "But what if I don't like it?"

"Well, you won't know until you try, but I'm pretty sure that you'll love it as much as she does. So, why don't you two switch positions, and I'll help you get started."

Susan's hands went to Becky's head and raised it from her sodden crotch. "Come on up here, Baby. I want to kiss you before I taste your pussy."

Becky moved up quickly as I backed away to watch two people who were obviously in love entwine. The kiss was soft and loving, and it was as if I wasn't even there. Becky slipped a thigh between Susan's as they mashed their pelvises against each other. Nothing was urgent in their lovemaking while they were face to face. Instead, it was gentle, slow, and all-encompassing.

I sat back and watched for a few minutes, just letting them do their thing. I figured that it was probably difficult for them to get together and be so placid in their lovemaking, given that they both still lived at home and had siblings to contend with. Then, at one point, they both turned to me, and Susan ordered, "Hey you! You've got a couple of hot young women playing naked in your bed. You need to be naked too."

"Yes, Ma'am," I replied like a smartass while standing and doing a slow strip for my sexy audience. I teased them by removing my t-shirt rather slowly. However, when it came to my shorts, I whipped them down quickly, exposing my pulsing hard-on to my two lovely's. Susan reached out first, but I swatted her hand away. "I believe you have something else just as enticing to attend to first."

As soon as I said that, Susan rolled Becky onto her back, pinned her hands down, and began to nibble on her small breasts. Moving from one to the other, she managed, "Join me," with a quick stare at my cock.

I moved in and took over one tit while Susan lavished the other with her mouth. It seemed from watching Susan's work that Becky liked it rough, so I, too, brought my teeth to the game. Once I got going, Susan breathed, "You take over here." I watched as she quickly moved down Becky's torso and covered her pussy with her open mouth. Up until now, Becky's eyes had been mostly closed. But when she felt a mouth on her crotch, she opened them to see Susan worshipping her vagina, and she sighed.

As Susan's tongue swirled in Becky's leaking puss, she pulled away for a second, saying, "Okay, you both were right. She is delicious!" before diving back in. I swapped back and forth between Becky's rigid nipples as her legs slowly encompassed Susan's head and back. Finally, Becky's entire body began to shiver, and her ankles crossed behind Susan's head, pressing her even harder into her open cunt.  

As she ground onto Susan's face, Becky mumbled, "Bite it... bite my clit... gaaahhhddd!"  

Her grunt/howl exploded from her like the orgasm that wrenched her body into a twisted display. Becky's pelvis turned to her left while her torso heaved to the right. Her hands grabbed my head and jerked my face to hers while her thighs consumed Susan's head. I was briefly concerned with Susan's ability to breathe before my own breath was compromised as well.

Becky's lip-lock was compelling, to say the least, as our tongues danced and twirled inside each other's mouths. With our mouths entwined, my engorged penis was resting on her hip. The pre-cum oozing from its tip coated it as our kissing intensified. My fingers continued to work her nipples as her peak seemed endless. I didn't know what Susan was doing down there, but it was working.

After another hip-bucking surge, Becky pulled her lips from mine and begged, "No more! Both of you stop. Please."

Becky spread her legs to release Susan's head as I released her nipples. Becky panted furiously while Susan again took notice of my raging hardon. Susan's mouth moved eagerly from Becky's crimson puss to my plum pecker. She lapped at the tip, and when she'd taken in all the semen on my pole, she started licking it off of Becky's hip. When that was gone, Susan pushed me onto my back and moved between my legs. Then, up on all fours, Susan took me into her mouth to lick and suck.

A few minutes into Susan's first blowjob, Becky had calmed a little and moved onto her side, facing me. Initially, she just watched as I did. But as the spectacle of her girlfriend sucking me ensued, her own excitement increased. Rolling her chest onto mine, Becky began sucking my face again while tweaking my nipples. I was starting to feel really good but didn't want to waste my load on just one of them. So, I suggested to Becky, "Why don't you join Susan, and I'll show you what a male orgasm looks like up close?"

Once they worked in tandem, I pointed out the more sensitive areas to lick, including my scrotum. With a few pointers here and there, the girls were on their way to having their faces coated in warm cum. "Alright, my little blowjob pros, you are about to see a male orgasm up close and personal. Here it comes... Yesss!"

The first ejaculation hit Susan in the back of her mouth. Pulling back quickly, the second shot went into the air before landing on my chest. I watched Becky move up and take me in her mouth for the third and fourth spurts. Then, as she backed off a little, the two of them shared the last dribbles by licking either side of my shaft as I continued to shake.

I only softened a little in the aftermath due to their constant sucking and lapping of my penis. However, by the time they were done cleaning and sucking, I was at full mast again.  

"Okay, ladies, are you ready for more?"

Becky burst out with, "Are you ready to fuck us now?"

"Only if you are ready."

"Who goes first?" Susan inquired.

"It doesn't matter to me. In fact, if neither of you is ready, then we can wait for another day."

"Oh, hell no!" Becky yelled. "We both came here to learn about sexual intercourse from you. I'd love to go first unless Susan really wants to."

"While you two decide, I'm going to grab some condoms."

"Why are you getting condoms? We are both on the pill in preparation for playing at college." Susan asked.

"It's good to hear that you lovely ladies took the initiative to protect yourselves from pregnancy. But, as you know, there are many sexually transmitted diseases out there that cause a lot of problems."

"Do you have any of them" Becky inquired.

"No, but you should have some experience with the use of condoms and should always insist on them being used whenever you're with someone new. If you want to do this again at a later date, then we'll talk about me going bareback. But, just remember that no form of birth control is one hundred percent effective."

"We know all of that, and we knew that you would remind us of that too. So why do you think we came to you in the first place?" Susan countered.

"Because I'm a hot middle-aged guy?" I joked.

"Yes, that too. But also because you treat women very well by all that we've heard and experienced so far," Becky answered with a sly little grin.

While I headed to the bathroom to grab a couple of condoms, I heard the whispers flying back and forth between my young paramours. In order to give them another minute to work out their decision, I pretended to have misplaced the willy wrappers. When at last all was quiet, I headed back in to gaze upon my two naked beauties. "So, who goes first," I queried.

Susan started, "Since we both want to go first, we decided on a contest." Becky continued, "We are going to get into a sixty-nine, and whoever cums first loses. What do you think?"

"I think that's a win, win, win. You two get to pleasure each other, and I get to watch it all."

As they settled into a side-by-side, I sat on the bedside to enjoy their mutual indulgence. My initial view was of Susan's head between Becky's legs. Her tongue glided from Becky's clit to her pucker and back again. After only thirty seconds or so, I saw Susan's eyes turn to slits and her head shiver as she stopped. Then, moving around the bed to Becky's face in Susan's crotch, I noticed Becky was fingering Susan's ass rather aggressively. I had a feeling that Becky was going to be the winner very soon.

As I was moving back around to see the look on Susan's face, I saw that she was near climax. Then out of nowhere, Becky suddenly screamed into Susan's crotch. Sly little Susan began gnawing on her Becky's clit like a piece of chewing gum. Becky convulsed wildly, and her scream continued while she soaked Susan's face.

As they parted in the afterglow of Susan's win, I offered Becky this thought, "You may have lost this round. But because of coming here today, you got your girlfriend to eat your pussy for the first time. And, she's made you cum at least twice from doing that. So, I ask you, are there any real losers today?"

"Not in the least. Feeling her tongue and teeth in and on my pussy was the best. I'll enjoy watching you take her virginity as I relish the thought of her mouth on my sex," Becky replied.

Susan moved her face to Becky's and kissed her hard before offering this, "From now on, I'll lick you whenever you ask. I love the taste of you, Becks!"  

Moving onto her back, Susan gleefully said, "Fuck me, Dennis!"

To be continued...

[idreamofplaid]

Fallen - Chapter 3

Summary: Sam thought he had found happiness, but now his past is back to haunt him. Lucifer has claimed the throne of heaven, and it is his intention that Sam should finally fulfill his destiny as King of Hell.

Characters: Sam x Reader; Dean, Cas, Lucifer

Word Count: 2706

A/N: This a series I started a couple of years ago. I’m finishing it now. Each chapter is inspired by a song. For Chapter 2 it is “All the King’s Horses” by Karmina. 

I KNOCK THE ICE FROM MY BONES, TRY NOT TO FEEL THE COLD

“Sam?” There was nothing, not a sound, not a movement. Sam’s hand still felt strong, but he didn’t close his fingers around yours or brush his thumb across your knuckles the way he once did. His chest was barely rising and falling as he breathed.

You let go of his hand and climbed into the bed to lay down next to him then rested your head on his shoulder and lay your palm flat against his chest. From the moment you first knew you loved him, your life had changed. Most of your friends had dreamed about weddings and having babies. You’d been witness to your parents’ unhappy marriage and had decided at an early age you wanted no part of that. Sam changed your mind without knowing he’d done it. He made you want those things. 

There was so much you wanted and needed to say to him. You talked out loud, telling him things he might not know, giving him a reason to fight his way back. “Sam I won’t give up on you. Ever. We can get through this. I don’t know why I thought you would betray me; you wouldn’t, not if you had a choice. I was just so scared about what was happening. I’d forgive you if I needed to, but I don’t.”

You stopped talking long enough to kiss his neck, the very spot that had always made him moan and bury his hand in your hair. Your lips touched him there tenderly in a plea for him to open his eyes; you watched for a few seconds waiting for something that didn’t happen. Then you lay down next to him again with your head over his heart. “It’s okay, Sam. Just get better. Get better for our baby.” 

The sound of Sam’s heart beating under your ear offered some comfort and hope while memories drifted through your mind, one after the other, in a constant stream of special moments and simple everyday routines that hadn’t seemed special, but they had been. You had fallen in love with Sam during the hours you’d spent with him sitting at a table in the library making your way through lore books together.

CAUGHT IN THE THOUGHT OF THAT TIME 

One Year Ago

Sam put a blue mug down on the library table next to you and surveyed the stacks of books. “I made coffee; looks like we’ll be here awhile.”

The weight and warmth of the mug was comforting. “Thanks.” You had been pouring over the same book for hours, then your eyes fell on something you hadn’t noticed before, and you sat up straighter. “I think I found it.” Sam finished his sip of coffee and put his cup down on the table. Then he reached for the book you were sliding across the table. You told him excitedly, “I think it’s a harpy. In Ancient Greece, they removed people from the earth as punishment for wrongdoing. Everyone who’s disappeared hasn’t exactly been guiltless.”

Sam read the open page and nodded. “Okay. Harpy. How do you kill it?”

“Silver dagger. Tell Dean he might want to let Cas take the lead on this one; they fly.”

Sam ended the call with Dean and put his cell phone back in his pocket. You watched the way he moved. He wore the hunter’s uniform well. The cuffs of his red plaid shirt were rolled up revealing his forearms, and the black t-shirt he wore underneath hugged his body. Sam fascinated you. He was damn good at being a hunter, but there was something else about him. You contemplated him a moment before asking, “Sam, did you always know you’d do this?”

He leaned forward and picked up the book you’d given him absentmindedly stacking it on top of the one he’d been reading. “No.” He paused before continuing and sighed. “I ran from this. Over and over I ran from it.” He told you about Jessica and Amelia. Sam talked about love, how he’d been scared to love anyone again after Jessica died and how with Amelia he’d chased after something that wasn’t real.

You listened and told him you’d been in love twice. The first time you loved him as much as your eighteen year old self could which it turned out wasn’t really lasting. The second time you were much more ready for love, but he wasn’t. When you finished talking, Sam eased his fingers over the back of your hand. His eyes were deep green sprinkled with gold, and he looked at you intently. “A guy would be lucky to have you.”

He pulled his hand back, and you felt butterflies explode in your stomach. You knew everything had just changed. The air felt charged; then he lightened his tone. “You hungry?”

WHEN EVERYTHING WAS FINE, WHEN EVERYTHING WAS MINE 

It wasn’t your first dinner with Sam, but it was a changing point. He made grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup, proud of what he’d done and joking that he could cook. You tore off a piece of your sandwich and put the warm, buttery bite in your mouth. You swallowed and smiled at the chef. “It’s perfect, Sam, melted just right.” After a few bites of soup, you found the voice to ask him questions you’d always wondered about.

“Sam, when did you start hunting?”

 He put down his spoon and got a faraway look in his eyes. “My first hunt I was so scared I stayed in the car.” Sam let out a little laugh with a small shake of his head. “Dad and Dean finally left me there. I didn’t want to kill monsters. I didn’t want the blood. I didn’t want the ugliness and fear, but it was what I was born to. It was expected of me; I was trained for it. I was taught to be a hunter.”

Sam studied your face for a second and asked quietly,“What did you want to do?”

You lifted your napkin from your lap and wiped your fingers. A nostalgic smile crossed your face.  “I wanted to be a fashion designer, live the glamorous life, travel to exotic places, experience things no one in my life ever had. Turns out I wasn’t really meant for that, just not that glamorous.”

“You’re good at what you do, Y/N. Sometimes a life chooses you.” Sam’s eyes moved down your face to your chin and back up again. His eyes lingered on yours before he glanced away. “It’s late. I’ll get the dishes in the morning.”

Sam walked you down the hall to your room. He stopped by your door. He was so close you could feel the heat from his body. The first touch of his mouth on yours was feather light. He moved his lips over yours in a kiss that was intense, consuming, soft, and gentle. Sam lay his hand against the small of your back and held you against him. You reached for his neck, sliding your fingers under his hair. When he pulled away with a final lingering kiss, his eyes stayed on yours. “Good night, Y/N.”

 ALL THE KING’S HORSES AND ALL THE KING’S MEN COULDN’T PUT ME BACK TOGETHER AGAIN 

You raised yourself up so you could look down at Sam’s face. You bent to touch your lips to his remembering how they felt during that first kiss. You whispered, “I love you, Sam,” but this wasn’t a fairytale. He didn’t wake up. You wrapped your arms around yourself trying to control the grief that threatened to bubble up and flood out of you uncontrollably. You pulled the chair close to the side of the bed and sat down. You traced your fingertips lightly up and down his arm.  “Sam, if it’s a girl, I’m going to watch while she ties ribbons in your hair.” The thought of that made you smile even as tears filled your eyes again.

The next morning Dean found you still sitting in the chair with your head down on Sam’s stomach. You stirred when you heard the door. He’d brought you breakfast. “Thanks, Dean. Put it down on the desk. I’m not hungry.” You glanced at the food. Dean had been cooking. It was an omelet that, from the looks of it, was filled with vegetables and fresh fruit on the side.

Dean walked across the room and stood next to you resting his hand on your shoulder. “I know you don’t want to eat, but you should try.” Feeling the comfort of Dean’s hand and hearing his caring words, you burst into tears. Everything you’d been trying to hold back came pouring right out. “Hey. Y/N.” He knelt down beside you; and you fell into his arms. 

“He’s not waking up, Dean. He isn’t waking up.” Dean held his hand firmly at the back of your head. “He did this for me. He went with that evil thing to protect me. He may never wake up because of me.” The sobs were racking your body now.

“He’d do it again, Y/N. That’s how he loves. Don’t blame yourself for a decision Sam would make every time.”

You lifted your tear streaked face from Dean’s shoulder. “There has to be something. Cas. Can’t Cas help him?”

“I already tried that, Sweetheart. His powers won’t work because heaven considers what Sam did to be...an abomination.

You sat back and looked at Sam. “He tries so hard to do the right thing. I told him I didn’t know who he was.” You ran your fingers over Sam’s hair. “He’s full of good.”

ALL THE KING’S HORSES AND ALL THE KING’S MEN COULDN’T PUT ME BACK TOGETHER AGAIN 

Sam’s POV

I could hear you. You sounded far away, but I could hear you. You were calling my name. I tried to answer, but my mouth wouldn’t move. I had to let you know I was there. You needed me. “Y/N?” My mouth was so dry. I blinked my eyes open. Your hair was spread over my chest; you raised your head to look at me. Your beautiful eyes were filled with tears. My arm was heavy and weak when I tried to lift it. “D...don’t cry, Y/N. I won’t let anything hurt you.”

I heard you yell for Dean, and I remember seeing him run into the room before I drifted back to sleep. When I woke up again, you were smiling this time. I tried to sit up, but you stopped me. “Not yet. How do you feel?”

I brushed my hand through my hair. “My head hurts.” 

You straightened the covers around my waist. “Don’t move. I’m going to get you something to eat. It might make you feel better.” You were close to me and smiling; I already felt better.

You came back with a bowl of broth and set it down on the bedside table. I had a hard time getting the pillows propped behind my back, so you helped me then sat and dipped a spoon into the bowl. I reached for the spoon. “I can feed myself.”

You avoided my effort to get the spoon and brought it to my mouth. “Let me take care of you, Sam.” When I had eaten almost all the soup, you looked happy. “Take the last bite.” I opened my mouth, drank the last bit from the spoon, and swallowed. “You’re going to need your strength because you’re going to be a daddy.”

My mind was all focused on you and the incredible feeling of having you again, so it took me a few seconds to process what you’d said. “I’m what?” My eyes went to your stomach.

You laughed, and it was a beautiful sound. “I’m pregnant, Sam.”

That night you stayed with me. I fell asleep holding you close with the side of my face in your hair. For awhile, I understood real happiness. 

“Sammy boy!!” I jerked awake. My eyes darted around the mostly dark room, and I tightened my hold on you trying to block out the sound of Lucifer’s voice still echoing in my head. “She’s a pretty one, and she still wants you. Go figure.” I heard him, but there was nothing there. I was having hallucinations of Lucifer again.

RUN WITH MY HANDS ON MY EYES; BLIND, BUT I’M STILL ALIVE

Two days later we moved back into my room. As soon as we were under the blankets, I took you in my arms. You slipped your leg between mine and kissed me. I kissed back slowly, not rushing a minute of what I’d waited for what seemed like forever to have again. My tongue circled around yours, and you moaned softly. You eased your hands under my shirt and rubbed them up my back. 

It felt so good for you to be touching me this way again. I broke the kiss long enough to pull my shirt over my head and toss it on the bed somewhere. I wanted your hands on me. I wanted to kiss you. I wanted you to know how much I love you. We kissed each other for a long time. I trailed kisses across your cheek to that spot just below your ear and back to your mouth. I brought your hand to my lips and kissed your fingertips one by one. Those kisses were complete. 

Tonight was about starting over. It felt innocent in a way, like the past was washed clean. I didn’t push for anything else, just kissed you and held you. I was holding you when you fell asleep.

Everything was perfect, but still the nightmare came back. The voice. “You can’t get rid of me, ol’ buddy. We’re bonded together. Just no escaping it.” I opened my eyes. Lucifer was standing at the end of our bed. His expression was cold. “She’s a problem, Sam. Don’t make me take care of that problem.”

BUT IS IT STILL A HOME WHEN YOU’RE ALL ALONE 

I watched you sleep trying to memorize the way you looked, the way your hair fell across your cheek, the slight hint of a smile on your face. I struggled with what I felt and who I am. Morning came too soon. I eased out of the bed, my mind made up.  I walked away from where you were sleeping and kept my back toward you so you couldn’t see the tears; then, I called your name. “Y/N.” 

I heard you start to move, and I heard the smile in your voice. “Sam.” It felt like a fist was squeezing the life right out of my heart. 

I didn’t turn around. “Y/N, this isn’t a good idea.” What happened after that is a blur. I muttered some senseless crap about not knowing how I felt and needing space, which everything I’d done the night before proved was a lie. But you believed me. Crying and begging me to tell you why, you believed me. 

THERE IS A REASON I’M STILL STANDING 

Seven Months Later

I could hear you screaming down the hall, screaming to bring our baby into the world. I bent my head over almost to my knees and laced my hands behind my neck. I wanted to go to you so badly it was tearing at me with a physical pain I could feel in my chest and down into my stomach. It had gotten to a point where we passed each other in the bunker without saying a word. I’d been so afraid you’d catch me looking at you, and then you’d know the truth. You screamed again; I bit into my bottom lip, and then you screamed my name.

I WILL RUN FAST, OUTLAST

 I tore into the room; Cas was by your side, and Dean was at the bottom of the bed looking under a sheet draped over your legs. When Cas saw me, he stepped back. I took your hand in mine forgetting all about the act I was supposed to make you believe. You looked at me like you thought maybe I wasn’t real. “Sam?”

“I’m here, Y/N. I’m here. You’re not going to do this alone.” When Dean said it was time to push, I gave you all the encouragement I could. At times it felt like you were going to break every bone in my hand, and I didn’t care. All that mattered was you and the baby. The love I felt for you burned hot inside me. It raged with all the intensity I had spent every waking moment trying to control since I the morning I lied to you about what we have. 

You’ve never been more beautiful than when you were lying there exhausted looking into the face of our baby. You looked at me with pure forgiveness like you had forgotten the way I’d pulled away from you. “Sam, do you want to hold him?”

He was tiny, perfect, and the most amazing thing I had ever seen. I didn’t know there was such a thing as the love that went through me then. I started to move my hand to touch his sweet head. Then I stopped. Lucifer would hurt you. Lucifer would hurt him. Lucifer was worse than Ruby. I took one last look at your happiness. “I can’t.”

ALL THE KING’S HORSES AND ALL THE KING’S MEN COULDN’T PUT ME BACK TOGETHER AGAIN 

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Sam/Jared Love: @girl-next-door-writes @stunudo @feelmyroarrrr @theychosefamily @winchesterxfamilybusiness @idabbleincrazy @evansrogerskitten @focusonspn @i-joined-social-media-finally @wingledsam @autumninavonlea @spnxbsessed @durinsbride @deansyahtzee @wendibird @fantasy-shadows @team-free-will-you-idjiot​ @waywardnerd67​ @neii3n​ @fullmooner​ @supernatural-took-me-over​ @julesthequirky​ 

Fallen: @stephaniecanfield96us​ @petitgateau911​ 

[ofanya]

STATS / PINTEREST / CONNECTIONS / CLASSES

⌠ NATALIA DYER, 21, CISFEMALE, SHE/HER ⌡ welcome back to gallagher academy, ANYA CASIRAGHI! according to their records, they’re a SECOND year, specializing in AWARENESS TRAINING, BREATH CONTROL, HAND TO HAND COMBAT + RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT; and they DID NOT go to a spy prep high school. when i see them walking around in the halls, i usually see a flash of (embroidery on lace, waking up early to catch the sunset, the scent of fresh strawberries, perfect balance on tiptoes). when it’s the (libra)’s birthday on 9/24/99, they always request their ARANCINI DI RISO from the school’s chefs. looks like they’re well on their way to graduation. ⌿ kati, 24, she/her, est ⍀ @gallagherintro

INSPIRATION.

cho chang – harry potter 

grace blood – skins

esme cullen – twilight 

yue – avatar the last airbender

lexi howard – euphoria

laurel castillo – how to get away with murder

jane bennett – pride and predjudice 

ann perkins – parks & rec

kwon sun-hwa – lost

BACKGROUND + CLICK FOR BIO.

anya is the third-born casiraghi child after salvatore (oldest) and nico (second-oldest) and the first girl. she’s labeled extremely bright from a young age, but she doesn’t start speaking until she’s almost five years old. the casiraghi parents aren’t even concerned, they don’t think speech is an important quality for a girl. 

the first thing she ever says is a full sentence: “i want to go out with the boys.” it’s almost as if she could have spoken this whole time, she’d just been waiting. but of course, she’s told no, and she wants to be part of the lives that nico and salvatore lead but she’s pushed the side and told to be something else, something more ornamental. 

goes to ballet and etiquette classes instead ( the casiraghis are taught in their own home, much too good for even the best of private schools ) and often feels like she has to make up or carry things in lieu of the behavior of her younger sister. cecilia is reckless and insolent, does what she likes, and anya is jealous, but not jealous enough to do the same. anya is held to a higher standard as she’s meant to set an example and there’s a bit of bitterness that grows in her because of that. 

anya teaches herself as much about finance and business as salvatore and nico, but instead of her business or career prospects, her parents talk only of marriage proposals and future prospects. the education in espionage is a placeholder, she learns things so she’ll be able to make intelligent small talk at dinner parties or be a good companion for a man someday, not because she can run an empire. it’s very frustrating, but she takes this quietly, as always.

(DRUG ABUSE/OPIOIDS TW) anya breaks her ankle in dance practice when she’s 16, a compound fracture. it’ll heal, but she will never be able to dance in the same way again. there’s a numbness inside of her that only seems to be assuaged by the pills prescribed by her doctor that are intended to ease the pain. the pills ease the tightness in your chest every time she sits at the dinner table and long after her ankle heals, anya continues to use the pills like a crutch.

(OVERDOSE TW) she overdoses at 17 and is sent to a rehab facility. the entire ordeal is done very quietly, made to seem like a pleasant vacation – a dirty secret, something to be ashamed of, and it’s emphasized that anya should be so grateful to her family for taking care of her when she’s such a disappointment. she spends the summer at the best facility that money can by, and she returns clean, determined not to be such a disappointment, but the numbness doesn’t seem to quite fade. 

she heads to gallagher academy at 19, following her brother nico to school in america. she has no idea of the legal proceedings going on under her nose because she’s just so excited to get out of the house, unaware why her parents are so quick to send her away. nico hates it, finds it unpleasant and uncouth and a lot of the students are slovenly, but anya loves it, thrives under the guise of freedom and the ability to speak in a classroom where her voice matters.

naturally, the casiraghi family loses everything, as you might recall. her parents say that anya’s lucky she’s pretty because she could still marry nicely, and if it’s soon then the casiraghi name might still mean something. they remind anya of how much she owes them, how good they were to her when she attempted to sour the family name.

PERSONALITY.

DIPLOMATIC. is really good at choosing her words in a way that keeps the peace and is very intentional about the language that she chooses to use. she believes a lot in 'fairness’ and everyone getting a fair chance at things, so on, and she’s good at controlling difficult situations without upsetting ppl. 

NURTURING. has a very caring personality and always wants to look after others. she’s this way with plants and animals as well, and i think she’s really good at encouraging people to achieve their goals or advocate for themselves, she just can’t...do that for herself. but she will take care of u and smother u but in a loving way. 

RELIABLE. will show up at your doorstep in the rain with an umbrella, the first person to complete everything in the group project, if she makes you a promise she will follow through and then some. u can say some shit about anya, but she is fucking dependable and will come through for you whenever you need her most or you don’t think you need her at all, she’s still there. 

NON-CONFRONTATIONAL. will go out of her way to avoid a fight or try to keep the peace, she will also do this with others, putting herself in the middle of things to keep other people from fighting – she just will do ANYTHING to avoid a confrontation. annoying tbh. 

NAIVE. she really doesn’t know much about the world at large and will always find herself believing the best in people or hoping for the best case scenario when it isn’t always true. this could be seen as a good thing, but i think pretty much anyone has the ability to take advantage of her, it’s not hard. 

TIMID. anya has always had trouble advocating for herself and what she really wants, she has a lack of courage when it comes to fighting for her own passions and will easily take a backseat for others to take the spotlight. one direction vc: u don’t know ur beautiful

HEADCANONS.

idk why my brain was like . try to make this char into modern commentary on the 50s housewife but here we are 

i had no idea what i was doing with her late-talking thing except trying to somehow manifest how oppressive her home was, but rowan sent me some article about einstein syndrome and how late talkers like anya are highly analytical thinkers so we’re going with that ! 

was jumped on by a very big dog when she was very small and her face got scratched, so she has a bit of a fear of large dogs...it’s not that she doesn’t like them in theory, they just scare her and she hasn’t seemed to outgrow it. 

still loves to dance even though she’s well aware that she could never really do it professionally or on stage because of the way her ankle won’t bend, but you can usually catch her...somewhere on gallagher’s campus where she could practice privately ? 

also does a lot of yoga to center herself, she loves early mornings and generally her routine is to get up, make a cup of tea, watch the sunrise and then do a little bit of yoga. routine makes her feel in control so she has a habit of sticking to it.

loves to bake and is really good at it ! happy to binge great british bakeoff with anyone but then she will want to try all of the recipes and challenges herself. she likes the exact science of it and it’s another one of her hobbies that helps her feel like she maintains a sort of balance within herself. if you do it right, it all works out – baking makes sense.

she’s had one certain relationship when she was pretty young and definitely is not a person for one night stands, so...she’s a virgin ! 

in general she is baby but she is also mom. 

does not like most green vegetables but especially brussel sprouts. 

will wince when other people curse, has a tendency to speak very proper herself because of the way that she was raised. has extremely good manners, table or otherwise.  

gets really easily overwhelmed at big parties or functions with crowds of people and will generally find some excuse in order to, well, excuse herself. she just feels like she has to be ON all the time and it’s very exhausting to her, would much rather curl up and watch movies or something. 

is very straight edge, doesn’t drink/smoke/etc as a result of her past, she stays away from anything that could increase temptation and make her fall back into past habits. 

had/has a cat at home named gio, technically the family cat but it always felt the most like anya’s and it would sleep with her and everything however since the house was seized, no one has been able to find gio </3

WANTED CONNECTIONS.

best friend – i know, it’s hard to just plot this, but ! i would love someone who maybe was her roommate last year, the first person that anya met on campus and they just clicked right away and made anya feel really at home. i would love if this character was a foil for anya’s nurturing, softspoken nature, so a girl who is a bit louder and more confident. 

childhood crush – idk someone who could have known the casiraghi family for years or operated in that scene, maybe from a wealthy family and anya has a long-time unrequited crush on them. anya’s really kind, but she probably acts a bit standoffish or rude toward this character, so they probably think she hates them.  

bad influence – a character who’s a bit on the wild side who’s turned anya into their project – they want to get her out of her shell, help anya let loose and get out more, but maybe this is also some bad temptation for her since she has some...old bad habits. 

good influence (on) – anya is PEAK mom friend, so i’m looking for a connection that really displays that, someone she looks after. she’s the first person they call when they’re too fucked up and she’s always texting them the homework (and maybe the answers too).

ex-family friends – maybe your character’s family testified against the casiraghi family in the court case and helped send anya’s parents to prison. so, anya and your character used to be close friends but now she avoids your character out of familial obligation. 

fake dating? anya’s parents would like to pressure her into an engagement or see her with someone well-off, so if your character is from a rich asf family, perhaps they’ve done anya a solid. they’re not actually fake dating around campus or lying to their friends, but they’re close friends with anya and might go home with her to perpetrate the lie on a holiday when she goes to see sal and maybe they have taken a few cute selfies together for anya to send home – it would probably be YOUR character that suggests this to anya and encourages her to have a bit of freedom, so i imagine our chars would be friends. 

first love/ex – someone that anya might have known or met when she was younger, probably through family connections. they would’ve been around 15 at the time, so a genuine first relationship (like probably first kiss for her), but at this age her mental health was really bad and they probably broke up as a result of going to rehab. perhaps they feel guilty about not being more supportive or perhaps they did all they could but it was too heavy? we can discuss, but either way, super angsty.

protector – idk i would just love if someone saw how much of herself she puts into taking care of others and wanted to take care of her/look out for her instead and they’re just that friend who is really protective of her and reminds her to look after herself too

crush – i just want her to have a little bit of a crush/affinity for a girl that helps her realize that she’s not straight because she’s too repressed and never considered anything except heterosexuality til this point idk i just like when girls.

enemy – probably an ex-friend or something like that. maybe anya trusted them with a secret and they betrayed her or they tried to throw her under the bus to gain something. or maybe anya just got on your character’s bad side by being too much of a goody-two-shoes.

idk give me someone that relentlessly flirts with her because they think it’s hilarious that she gets so shy and doesn’t really know what to do about it, and she really does not know what to do about it ! 

also am down to brainstorm since i know the casiraghis already have a bit of a reputation so...i’m blessed taking a sibling connection and perhaps we can just bounce off of things you’ve already plotted with deanna and/or kit ( cecilia & n*co ) !

[make-me-imagine]

congrats on 5.5k!! you're insanely talented and I'm so happy you're getting the recognition you deserve 🥺🥺 could i join in the ship requests too?

I'm a rather small sized (like, 154cm & ~40kg kind of small) Asian female from a South East Asia country and i prefer men, especially men who are taller and Age Gaps™ 🥴 I'm not sure how much you know about/believe in astrology but I'm a Libra sun, Taurus rising and Capricorn moon so you can do what you want with that 😂

I'm an INTP/INFP (I've gotten both an equal number of times from sites OTHER than 16 personality, tho I personally vibe with INTP just a teeny smidge more) if you do MBTI ✌🏼 I LOVE to read, especially fanfiction lmao, and i also write! I really love listening to music + watching shows/movies too! My favourite shows are all mystery/crime based LOL and I am working towards becoming a criminal psychologist/forensic pathologist/forensic scientist in future! (heavily inspired by Criminal Minds, Sherlock, Detective Conan and the like so 😂) I have a really vivid and good imagination please i can spend DAYS just daydreaming and imagining scenarios that I never finish writing about & generally this is how all my work is never finished loll

I'm the eldest sibling at home, and my parents haven't always been around so I've been rather used to stepping up and taking care of myself (+ my sibling, like helping them with homework and all). Some people say I'm a natural born leader? idk bc I often step up to be the leader in group work & I'll often be the one to initiate things & all. I'm a rather big procrastinator though LOLL so you'll often catch me rushing my assignments & final projects & rushing my revision for exams + finals like, 2 days before the actual exam 💀 which often leads to me becoming more stressed out & breaking down more often than i actually should so 🥲 I'm trying to quit this bad habit though

I love cuddles and hugs please I will KILL for cuddles and hugs from my back by a tall character pls it just feels so safe and comforting to be spooned too 🥺🥺 sometimes when I'm too absorbed in work or something (which happens too often for it to be healthy) I might just forget to eat/sleep entirely AND also my sleep routine isn't the best. like i will literally fall asleep at 9pm, wake up in the middle of the night on my own at like, 1am, then usually I'll be rushing homework at this time, then maybe sleep again for a short while from 4ish? till when i have to get up for school/work at 5:30/6am 💀 there's been days where i literally looked so sick from the lack of sleep where my tutor once stopped the class to ask me if I was okay and if i was going to faint LMAO 😔 i feel like I'm a night owl??? but then also i have no problem getting up super early in the morning so?? but i really feel most at home and really enjoy the 3am nights 😌

i am also the class clown lol but it's bc i just make sarcastic comments and all and my friends think they're funny???? but also i enjoy making people laugh bc sometimes i find it interesting to try and see what kind of things make my friends laugh so it's lowkey an experiment? or like something i want to achieve? at this point. I'm fluent in English and Chinese/Mandarin and I'm learning Italian so I roughly know some basics, and I really enjoyed History, which I took last year but dropped this year. (I'm taking English Literature with Biology + Chemistry this year and they're all great, except I'm literally dying from the workload aaahhh 💀)

I'm kinda clumsy and Not Good™ at most sports, maybe passably okay for badminton but I'm really not that athletic and really not very keen on exercising either 😔 I'm quite creative and good with public speaking/creative writing/impromptu performance/speech though I'd say! I'm also in my school's drama club 😎 though I'm more of a backstage lights & sounds kind of person. I'm right handed (with a really neat handwriting, as I've been told many, many, many times) and I wear thin frame spectacles which I sometimes will fall asleep in & I'm so clumsy/careless that I'm actually really afraid I'd break them (it's happened before 😭)

I'm a really good planner? like i can do up a great and detailed schedule/plan for revision and all but i will NOT stick to what i plan 😭😭 i love to snack!!!! on chips + gummies especially, and my diet is quite unhealthy lmao i literally don't eat vegetables At All™ & i don't really eat meat that much too?? lmaoo please i can go for days without having a single proper meal & just survive on snacking on potato chips + soft drinks 💀 i am a very picky eater though so really me not finding food i like/am able to stomach is also really kind of my fault 🤡

while i really vibe with and love the dark academia aesthetic, i also do video/MOBA games, like i play games like Mobile Legends & all. I'm someone who knows most, if not all the lastest trends (like tiktok, memes etc) but i won't actively participate in them? i just kind of like to know things, like Knowledge is Power you know (I'm a Slytherin, in case you're wondering, though I've gotten Ravenclaw so often it's a close tie sometimes)

okay i feel like that's enough details about me? feels like I've told you nothing that's useful oh well LOL... I'd really love a ship for Criminal Minds and Marvel? if that's possible please? in case you missed it, i prefer men! (I'm a questioning bi, with a strong preference for men) for the hc prompt "what you do on your first date" or maybe "how you met + first impressions"?

thank you so much for being so kind and willing to do this ship requests thing!! I'm sure you're spending TONS of time and effort on this and aahhh i feel bad for typing so long paragraphs now (as you may have noticed i have a tendency to ramble on if not stopped because i am just really Socially Awkward ™ sometimes 💀 and have really bad (social) anxiety too) and i really think you're super amazing for doing this??? I'm so sorry if this took up too much of your time aaahhhhh thank you so so so much 🥺😭😭 really the biggest of congratulations to you for your 5.5k??? you really do deserve every single follower & i am SO insanely happy for you 🤩❤️

- 🌙🏒 anon

Don’t worry, you definitely provided enough information lmao. 

And thank you for your kind words, I appreciate it. 

I hope you like the ships I made for you

They are under the cut: 

Criminal Minds: 

I ship you with Hotch. 

You get the age-gap here lol. He would be a bit hesitant due to the age gap at first, but he would get over it because he can not resist. He does not seem like the type of cuddles, and especially does not take part in PDA. But when you are alone he would love holding you and spooning, especially after a long day of work. Aaron would be attracted to your uniqueness as well as your intelligence and aesthetic, finding it to be very “you”. 

How you met + his first impressions: 

You met when you were transferred to the BAU as the new Forensic Pathologist.

Hotch thought you were very interesting when you first met and was definitely intrigued by you. 

He thought you fit in fairly well and would get along with the others (which you do). 

He appreciates a sarcastic sense of humor, so he would dig that as well.

Hotch could tell you had a form of anxiety and wold be patient around you when you first met so that you could open up to him at your own pace.

What you do on your first date:

He takes you to a hockey game. 

He is not the sportiest person but he has had an interest in hockey for a while, sometimes watching it on tv. 

When he learned that you liked it, he decided that this would be the perfect opportunity to invite you on a date as well as to see his first game. 

After the game, you walked around town for a bit, getting some late night food and talking or a long time. 

This allowed you to open up to him quite a bit and you grew more comfortable around him as well, which he is very happy about. 

Best Friend: 

Your best friend is JJ. She thinks you are really cool and unique and nice. She has the type of personality that is easy t get along with and open up too, so you bonded with her quicker than the others. I also feel like she is into hockey as well, so she appreciates your love for it as well. 

-

Marvel: 

I ship you with Sam. 

I think Sam is a good fit for you. He is into sports, and digs your aesthetic. He is easy to get along with and very funny. He thinks your line of work is very interesting and loves to listen to you talk about it. Sam also really enjoys crime shows ans thrillers so he is always excited to meet someone who enjoys them as well. 

How you met + his first impressions:

You met through Nat, who you had met through SHIELD years before. 

You happened to be at the compound with Nat when Sam was there and she introduced you. 

He immediately thought you were pretty and very interesting.

Sam could tell you were shy, but that did not stop him from flirting.

Though he also made some jokes and was easy going as to not scare you off. 

He made sure to ask Nat about you once you left and managed to convince her to give him your contact info. 

What you did on your first date: 

He took you to the movies first, to watch the most recent crime thriller that came out. 

After the movie you went to a nearby park and walked around, talking about the movie and other crime/horror related stuff. 

You got food at a food truck and sat by the fountain together. 

He was appalled when you told him that you didn’t eat that often (if came a part of your relationship later on that he would try to cook you meals that you’d like just so you WOULD EAT). 

You ended up spending hours together, and it felt like no time at all.

So you were definitely up for another date with him, which he of course asked you about.  

Best-Friend: 

Natasha. She was the first one you met, and slowly introduced you to the others. She thought you were really cool when you first met and was surprised at how well you go along. That is sometimes hard for her to do, so once you became friends she never took that for granted. She and Sam would gang up on you when you weren’t eating btw. 

xxaaron

[thirsty-x1]

Sunrise | Lee Hangyul

Request:

uhm so the bio says open so here goes my pitch✨ babysitter hangyul taking care of toddler dohyon for one night and you caught him teaching dohyon how to dance and just you guys taking care of dohyon and getting him to sleep in cute pajamas uwu

↬ Pairing: Hangyul x gn!reader.

↬ Genre: Fluff.

↬ Warnings: none, but toddler!Dohyon is adorable.

↬ Word Count: 1.6k

↬ Song Recommendation: “Sunrise” by GOT7 (Jaebeom solo)

Your heartbeat got quicker when you received Hangyul’s message, the screen illuminating and allowing you to read “I have a surprise for you.” Uncertainty filled you, not knowing what to expect since the outcome to those words was always different: sometimes, it included a mess he had made while practicing his newest hobby, others a nice dinner, and once Hangyul completely naked on the couch, all three of them leading to you having to clean something up. The sound of the keys in your fingers broke the silence as you opened the door, hoping that you didn’t need to any chores, your eyes opening wide at the scene developing in front of you.

Music loud, the broad back of your boyfriend covering the TV as he copied the moves displaying in the screen at a slower pace so that the tiny person beside him tried to catch up. A smile started to spread on your face before you could even close the door, both of them turning to you when you squealed, Dohyon running to your arms and asking to be picked up incessantly.

“My favorite boy is back~” You pressed your cheek against his, ignoring the slight sweat on his skin and proceeding to give him a soft kiss while holding him close, and he didn’t quite complain, his gaze fixed on Hangyul.

“He has been torturing me!” The accusative tone in his voice added to his small finger pointing at your boyfriend tightened up your chest, trying to hold back your laugh while asking why he said that. “Hyung doesn’t want to feed me.”

At Dohyon’s slight pout, the other came up to defend himself. “I said that I would cook you something if you danced with me to a few songs!”

This always happened whenever Hangyul had to babysit Dohyon: the toddler wanted to eat, the other wanted to make exercise, and you always found yourself in front of two kids fighting thanks to both having the same mental age. With a small sigh, you put down Dohyon, changing the video that was playing to another one with a way more simpler choreography than the one your boyfriend had chosen and with the kind of music that the little one seemed to enjoy. Turning around with a big grin, they seemed to have the same idea as you, getting up and dancing without paying much attention to the moves and simply laughing at each other, Dohyon’s high pitched giggles filling the room when Hangyul nearly fell.

Since it was still pretty early to have dinner, you tried to come up with different plans to keep Dohyon distracted, and that’s how you ended up having a karaoke competition. It was cute whenever the younger would mess up a few words, although his diction was extremely good considering he was so little and just by sharing a look with Hangyul you knew what he was thinking: pure talent. Both of you had talked about it multiple times too. Dohyon seemed to have a deep fondness for music and that always showed in the seriousness in his face whenever he listened to songs and how he paid attention whenever Seungyoun would teach him how to handle any machinery to compose songs. It was certainly adorable when he excitedly brought his notebook filled with wavering letters for you to give him feedback, and not even once you were disappointed by it, the huge smile on his face always making you feel warm.

As the last song faded, you could hear not one but two stomachs grumbling and giving the perfect ending to the performance, making you laugh out loud as you got up.

“I guess you’re hungry?” Both of them nodded at your question. “Then I’ll start cooking.”

Dohyon placed his small hands on your knees and jumped a few times. “Can I help? I like cooking…”

“What a liar, you just want to taste everything before it is ready.” Hangyul exposed him cruelly, sticking out his tongue when Dohyon rolled his eyes and went back to looking at you pleadingly.

Sometimes it felt like the only adult in the house was you, and it wasn’t very far from reality. As you went with Dohyon to the bathroom and washed your hands together, Hangyul started cleaning up the living room and clearing a bit of space in the kitchen, setting up a chair near the counter so that Dohyon could reach the table and help out.

You opened the fridge, scanning what your boyfriend had in there without focusing on the vegetables thanks to the smaller’s disgusted look when he saw them. Finally, you settled up for something simple (not like the few products were going to allow you to make something more elaborated): omelet and some bits of steak. You cracked the eggs and added the seasoning, letting Dohyon mix everything together to later pass it back to you so you would prepare and give the final form to it while Hangyul was in charge of cooking the meat.

In just a few minutes, everything was ready, the toddler hurrying to settle the table, his tiny hands carrying everything that was necessary and sitting up to wait for you to serve everything. The way his eyes shined as you placed the plate in front of him made you smile, and seeing him stuff his cheeks with the food while making the most delighted expression had Hangyul feeling proud.

Sharing these kind of moments made you think about the future, your mind wandering as you saw your boyfriend leaning across the table to clean the corner of Dohyon’s lips. Your eyes were fixed on him, your heart beating a bit fast at the thought of how it would be to form a family with him and seeing him as a father, but when his stare met yours it quickly pulled you out of your thoughts. It wasn’t the first time he caught you looking at him like that, and the jokes that followed those moments would chase you indefinitely, but this time he said nothing. Instead, he simply raised an eyebrow, pointing out at Dohyon with his chin and then wiggling his eyebrows again. Whatever he was trying to say with that gesture, it was impossible to understand, so you simply ignored it and continued with your meal.

As soon as everyone finished, Hangyul stood up to wash the dishes while telling you to go and change Dohyon into his green pajamas with a “D” sewed on the chest. His eyes looked tired, yawning a few times and stretching, whining a bit when his hyung entered the room with a loud cheer.

“How about we watch a movie, hm?” Your proposal was accepted without much resistance.

You sat on the bed, making space so that Dohyon would be comfortable in your lap while Hangyul hugged you from behind, the three of you sitting in a vertical line right in front of the TV. Your boyfriend had picked the movie, but it wasn’t long until you felt the weight of Dohyon’s head on your arm, his eyes closed and his breathing steady, and somehow his tiredness washed over you as well.

It was only the soft, distant noise of the actors speaking what filled the room now, although Hangyul wasn’t paying attention to them at all. Instead, he was looking at you, the way you slept placidly refuging in his arms, and the way that Dohyon was curled up against you too, his arms being wide enough to hold you both close to his body. He wasn’t prone to show it, but you were his biggest weakness and strength at the same time, especially when it came to moments like these. Taking care of Dohyon was more of an usual thing now rather than an occasional favor for his parents, he was even excited waiting for their call. Sure, he really liked the feeling of having a younger sibling, but he also liked seeing the way you took care of the kid, the small interactions between you two, and you were oblivious to it but he had the exact same thoughts that you did during dinner.

His body focused on the warmth that yours irradiated, the way your hand held his tightly even while being unconscious while the other was wrapped around Dohyon. There was something about the scenario that made him feel warm, his fingers tracing silly figures on your arm and then softly pocking one of the child’s chubby cheeks. He wasn’t tired, not really, and anyway it was much more entertaining to see how you two slept so profoundly. It was hard for him to express what he felt when he had you like that, but it was close to saying he felt safe and also trusted, slightly honored at the fact that you were so vulnerable with him.

Your scent surrounded him, his eyes fluttering shut for a second and at the other, he could feel the warm rays of sunshine on his skin, his eyes suddenly intoxicated with the way the light danced on you and Dohyon. He was quick to cover both of you, protecting your eyes from the intrusive sun that threatened to disturb your peacefulness, but the low snores indicated that wasn’t happening any time soon. Hangyul let out a light giggle at that, careful to not wake you up, and instead rested his head against the pillows behind him, finally letting the tiredness wash him over now that he made sure you two were safe.

He knew that whatever happened was fine as long as you were with him.

This made me a bit soft because I love domestic interactions :(:((( I hope it’s good;;; not writing in such a long time has been hard so I feel like I’m a little bit stiff lol

~Nani

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