#this can very well shape up to somewhere over the 2k mark too which is. insane

[hecatesbroom]

i have energy today and, as a permanently exhausted person, this is incredibly confusing

[holykillercake]

Piña Coladas 

pairing: Marco x Reader

word count: 2k

summary:  You are loyal to your captain and your team, so you would do everything to win. Even shoot your boyfriend. 

highlight: ¨I don´t like when your tattoo is covered.¨

warning: implied smut

notes: Guys, I really want to thank each and every one of you for the love and support <3 Also, picture this as a crossover between laser tag and paintball!

𝕷𝖊𝖆𝖛𝖊 𝖈𝖔𝖒𝖒𝖊𝖓𝖙𝖘, 𝖗𝖊𝖖𝖚𝖊𝖘𝖙𝖘, 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖑𝖔𝖛𝖊!

¨Ok, assholes, listen up!¨ your freckled captain uttered loudly due to the music blasting outside of your headquarter. ¨They have Haruta and Speed Jiru, those sneaky bastards, so we´re gonna have to be careful here, ok? They also have an extra person compared to us! So focus the fuck up!¨

The Whitebeard Pirates made a strategic stop at the Sabaody Archipelago for provisions, which meant that it was time for the Division Commanders and Whitebeard´s left-hand and only daughter, you, to engage in your periodic Bubble Laser Tag battle. 

The teams were sorted out, and one would always have an extra member. The team captains were for the first time, Ace and Marco. And despite loving the First Division Commander, you were obliged to take a vow to serve and honor your team and your captain as long as the game ran. 

¨Y/N you´re the faster one here and the smallest, so I´m counting on you.¨ you saluted him ¨Izo, you´re the best sniper we have, so place your freckled butt in a strategic place and shoot the fuck out of those motherf-¨

¨OI, OI, OI, OI!¨ all of you shouted at Ace.

¨Calm down, cowboy! Don´t you think you´re taking this far too seriously?¨ 

¨No! Do you know when was the last time I was captain?! And do you know how many losses in a row I have?! This is my pride, Y/N! You´re with me or against me?!¨

You couldn´t face him without laughing, he was just so stupid sometimes. But you made sure to let him know that you were on his side - not that you had a choice, though. 

The teams were called The Bird Brains and The Freckled Butts. Yes, the captains chose each other´s team's name, and naturally, nothing good could come out of it. The worst part was having to run around with a tag that said ¨Freckled Butt¨ on your gear. 

In Ace´s team, you had, well, you, Thatch, Izo, Fossa, Namur, Blamenco, and Kingdew, and in Marco´s team were Vista, Haruta, Speed Jiru, Atmos, Curiel, Jozu, Blenheim, and Rakuyo. 

¨They will definitely use Jozu and Atmos as sacrificial lambs to get to us.¨ Thatch pointed out. 

¨Ok, so we´re leaving them to you, Izo.¨ Ace spoke.

¨I´m guessing Haruta and Jiru will be doing the same as Izo, hiding somewhere and making surprise attacks.¨

The rules were pretty simple:

1) No Devil Fruit ability could be used. Not after Ace almost burned the entire place to the ground once. 

2) You didn´t have to stay on the ground. You could use whatever you had at your disposal to climb the walls or even the ceiling. 

3) If the captain is out, the team is out. 

¨Ok. So, Thatch, you´ll cover for me; Namur will cover for Blamenco, and Kingdew will cover for Fossa. Izo and Y/N will go solo.¨ you furrowed your eyebrows.

¨Wait, I´m not covering Izo?¨

¨No, Y/N. You are our special pawn.¨ he said in a devilish and malicious tone. ¨I said I want a glorious victory this time. Your job will be to end this game as soon as possible.¨

¨Still not following, Fire-Fist.¨

¨We´ll make sure no one gets to you while you go find your birdie and end him!¨ he burst in a maniac laugh. 

¨You really think Marco is that stupid?!¨

¨No, but he´s a man, Y/N.¨ you gasped, outraged. 

You faced your crewmates, all of them smirking at you.

¨What are you now, a pimp?! Izo, say something, defend my honor!¨ 

¨I would Y/N, but not only he´s my captain today... he´s kinda right.¨

¨Besides, we´re all very familiar with you guys getting business done.¨ Thatch rested his arm on your shoulders. At this point, internal bleeding caused by severe embarrassment was killing you not so softly.

¨You know what? I think I´ll kill you all first!¨ you threatened the commanders.

The entire arena turned red, and a loud 10 seconds countdown began. You put your goggles down and tightened your grip on the gun, comrades doing the same.

¨We´re counting on you, Y/N. Put your freckled butt to work!¨ Ace said and stormed out before you could beat him. 

Still analyzing his request and your options available, you decided to stay hidden in the shadows. Head down, and powder dry - or paint wet. 

The music was so intense you could feel your lungs vibrating with every beat, sometimes knocking the oxygen out. The whole place was dark with colorful light beams flashing in every direction. 

After 5 minutes of resting in the shadows, you opted for what you thought would be the best thing to do, plus you had the benefit of being smaller than those brutes, so you fit in places they didn´t. 

And you just had found yourself the perfect spot right behind the stage lights at the top of the arena. Getting up there was a little tricky, the light rays almost blinded you - plus the risk of you being caught - and you were not sure you could hide there. Technically it was not against the rules.

¨If I were a hot birdie piña colada, where would I be?¨ you tried to channel into your lover´s brain.

That was actually a good hideout, you spot many of the commanders running around the field. You loved how they took it seriously as if their lives depended on it.  

A loud buzz played every time someone was eliminated, although they didn´t say from which team unless it was the captain. You´ve heard zero buzzes so far, showing how inspired and determined they were. 

You finally decided to follow your captain´s order when 10 minutes passed, and no one had gotten eliminated. Your stomach craved for food and you were really bored. 

You´d always choose the biggest arena since guys like Kingdew and Jozu wouldn´t fit in the normal one. So this one was larger, taller, and had more obstacles. Bubbles in all shapes and sizes, picturesque barricades, and tricky mirrors. Finding Marco was going to be tough... if you didn´t have a card in your sleeve. 

Again, it was not against the rules, and you wanted to eat something. Besides, this victory was more meaningful to Ace than to Marco. So you took your lover´s vivre card from your pocket and placed it on your palm, waiting for it to guide you. 

¨Bingo!¨ you spot a fluffy pineapple crown not so far from you. The problem was to reach him before he moved again. 

Your plan was not to shoot him from the distance, you knew better than that. You were going to approach, engage naturally and eliminate the target. Based on the field, the track he took so far, and his usual train of thought, you had a good guess of what he was planning to do.

The path he was taking led you to believe that he was advancing towards a barricade, a good place to hide, but that would offer him no visibility of his opponents. Was he planning to lay low while the rest of you killed each other? That didn´t sound like him. 

 The job that had been entrusted to you within the Whitebeard Pirates was to analyze each mission´s goal, come up with several different plans of approach - or attack - and predict the possible failures or setbacks. And you did all of that alongside Whitebeard himself, and all sixteen commanders. So, to guess the strategy Marco was going for would be easier than steal a child's candy.

Well, actually, you were able to guess his final destination, not his strategy. 

Without losing any more time, you ran and hid behind the barricade, waiting for your boyfriend to arrive. 

¨Whatever.¨ you thought.

¨Don´t shoot!¨ you squealed and threw both hands in the air.

¨Really, Y/N? This is how you play?¨ Marco asked, putting his gun down.

¨When I am hungry, yes!¨ you bent slightly, faking an exhausted state. 

¨What are you doing here, yoi?¨

¨Looking for Izo, I was supposed to cover for him.¨ you struggled with the weird sensation of lying to Marco. 

He hummed and leaned against the wall, wiping a bit of sweat off his forehead. The lightning was awful, but it was enough for you to see his messy hair and those lazy eyes that made you almost forget the mission. 

¨Why are you staring, yoi?¨ he gave you a smirk and a quick nod. 

¨Nothing. Uhm...¨ you bit your lip as the butterflies started to go insane inside of you ¨...it´s so rare to see you carrying a gun...¨

The first commander watched you with a raised eyebrow and a playful grin ¨Yeah, so?¨

The two of you entered a parallel universe, the lights changed according to the muffled beat of the music. And it was hot. Flaming hot, burning hot.

 Your breath was slow but heavy, and your mouth ran dry with adrenaline on your veins. Not because of a stupid plan or stupid game but because he made you lose whatever control you had over your body and mind. 

You let go of the gun and raised your hand until your fingers touched the skin of his face, tracing a slow path to his parted lips. He watched you like you were a rare creature, an angel forgiving his sins or a siren taking his life. His large hand held yours, and he placed kisses on your fingers, the same fingers that would pull the trigger by the end of this. You wondered if he already knew. 

Marco hooked his finger on the belt holders of your jeans and turned you, making you hit the wall, and oxygen left your lungs in a puff. Didn´t take long until he attacked your neck, tasting your salty skin. Your fingers pulled his hair as your body arched involuntarily, cold shivers reaching every part of you. 

His eyes were soaked in lust when he stopped marking your neck and stared at you like a hungry predator. Your teary eyes traveled to his chest looking for his tattoo, but it was covered by the stupid gear. 

¨I don´t like when your tattoo is covered.¨ you spoke. 

He leaned to your ears and said in a whisper ¨Then uncover it.¨

He was teasing you, he knew what you were supposed to do and was torturing you. 

¨I-I can´t...¨ your voice came out weak ¨I... I have to-¨

¨What, yoi?¨ his grin was malicious.

¨I have to shoot you.¨ 

Marco leaned again, getting really close to your lips but never touching them. Instead, he took your paint gun and put it in your hand. You laughed, asking yourself if you truly believed you would be able to fool him. He gave a quick kiss before stepping back so you could end your mission. 

¨You really don´t mind letting Ace win?¨ 

¨Ace can have the victory.¨  he shrugged ¨I have something better, yoi¨

You blushed with his comment, and fireworks exploded in your chest.

¨I love you, bird brain.¨

¨I love you... freckled butt.¨ he laughed, probably embarrassed for the name he chose.

¨This is going to hurt me more than it will hurt you.¨ you raised the gun to his gear. 

¨I hope so, yoi.¨

¨Ready?¨

¨You know I´ll make you pay for this later, right, yoi?¨

¨I´d be disappointed if you weren´t planning to.¨

[kyber-queen]

Cold Feet (Din Djarin x F!reader)

Summary: Reader is a badass medic/bounty hunter who happens to be hopelessly in love with her stoic, metal-clad shipmate. Lil bit of jealous Din, some good old bed sharing, and a little bit of fluff :)

Rating: Everyone

Word Count: 2k ope

Warnings: mentions of food and drink, brief mentions of surgery, mentions of alcohol

Author’s Note: Hi guys!! This is my first fic so I’d really appreciate it if you gave it a read and some feedback. I might be writing a part two to this but we’ll see. Enjoy!!

*************************************************************************

You had only been on this ice planet for two rotations, but the chill had already crept its way into your insides. Your bones ached and your joints creaked, and you wondered how the little green child you had been tasked with managing seemed entirely unaffected by the unforgiving cold. You and the kid had holed up quite nicely for the past two days, bundling yourselves in blankets and tucking the child away into its pod, which had been outfitted with a temperature regulation system. Lucky bastard. While it slept peacefully inside its cradle, you had used up nearly all of the water reserve on the Crest. You’d been taking hour-long trips to the refresher, the scalding water providing little relief from the dull, cold ache that gnawed at your shivering limbs. Mando previously explained that successfully catching this bounty would take four rotations, give or take, and you had been too exhausted to ask questions or remember to replenish your food and water reserve. Now, your supplies were running low and you were dreading the mile-long walk into town to restock.

You strapped traction spikes onto your sturdiest boots and wrapped yourself in your warmest layers, stealing one of Mando’s old cloaks for good measure. Once you checked to make sure the child was asleep and comfortable in its pod, you set off across the frozen landscape. Ice rose like a parted sea to your left and right, and in the distance, you saw the gentle flicker of a lantern in the window of a dome-shaped structure. You picked up the pace as you walked; dusk was upon you and although you knew you could take care of yourself, you feared what could be hiding inside the many caves that marked the surrounding ice-walls.

You were an herbalist by trade, first catching Mando’s eye with your skill in preparing poisons. You had taken out two trandoshans with two quick, well-aimed throws of a dart tipped with your poison of choice—it was fast acting and non-lethal, and Mando in his curiosity and awe was just distracted enough for the third trandoshan to slip a dagger through the gap in his beskar. You finished off the third trandoshan easily enough, and Mando quickly became acquainted with your second skill set. You dragged him back to his ship, prepared a hemostatic tincture, stripped him of his beskar chest plate, and stitched up a two-inch laceration to his spleen. You insisted on staying with him until you could confirm that his wound had healed, but it had been three months and the two of you had reached a sort of mutual understanding. You cared for the child and assisted on bounties, and he gave you free room and board and an overly generous 30% of the bounty profit. Somewhere between bandaging his wounds, assisting him on bounties, and caring for his child, you had noticed a certain tightness in your chest whenever your hand brushed his. You would find yourself seeking out his company more and more, relishing in quiet conversation as he piloted you through the stars. You were falling. Hard. And you knew even on the off chance that he returned a fraction of the feelings you were developing for him, it could never happen. You’d never see his face or know his name. It was stupid, really. You were business partners, together purely out of convenience. You needed to get this silly crush out of your system before you managed to screw up the tentative friendship the two of you had grown.

Once you haggled for rations and water, you made up your mind that you would go to the nearest cantina and spend the rest of your credits on forgetting your troubles for a while. Although your plodding pace didn’t seem to carry you any further towards the lantern in the window, you were now only a few yards away from the village outpost. You quickened your stride, rushing into the hemispherical stone building and relishing in the warmth that overwhelmed you as the door slammed shut against the cold. You had been so lost in your thoughts you had nearly forgotten to shiver. You leaned casually over the counter to begin your haggling, the man behind it matching your sorry attempt at negotiating lower prices stride for stride. He was handsome, with an easy smile and a voice that rumbled deep from within his chest.

“I’ll do thirty portions, at three quarters of a credit each, but that’s the highest I can go,” you stated confidently. You fiddled with the ring on your right hand, hoping he couldn’t tell just how little experience you had at this.

The man, Linor, grinned. “I think we can arrange that—but only if you join me for a drink after this. I’ll throw in the water rations on the house.”

A drink couldn’t hurt, right? You were planning on headed to the bar anyways.

“It’s a deal, then,” you smiled, reaching out to shake his hand.

“It’s a deal,”.

**********************

You were four drinks in, and you were finally feeling warm. Your laughs bubbled in your throat, and the raucous atmosphere of the cantina dulled the cold ache that had settled in your bones. The room had taken on a soft, undulating glow, and your cheeks were flushed and gleaming. Linor was an excellent conversationalist, but the pair of you had been at the cantina for three hours, and you could tell he was itching to take you back to his ship. His hand had migrated from the top of your knee to your upper thigh, and when you laughed his eyes lingered on your parted lips for just a moment too long. You crossed your legs, effectively removing his hand from your thigh, and cleared your throat.

“What time is it? I promised my friend I’d be home by midnight,” a white lie, of course, but Linor didn’t need to know that.

“It’s quarter to eleven—comm them, let ‘em know you’ll be late. You’re coming to my place, right?” You didn’t like the sound of Linor’s tone, it was too confident, too demanding. His hand was back on your upper thigh as well, this time a rough squeeze jarring you fully back to reality. The more aware you became of your situation, the more you mentally kicked yourself for letting yourself end up in the cantina in the first place. You had left the baby in its pod, for maker’s sake. What if someone raided the ship, or the pod shut off, or the child got sick, or—

“Actually, she was just leaving,” a rough voice explained from behind you. A familiar voice. Mando.

You turned quickly to face him, and nearly wobbled off your stool. Maybe you had more to drink than you thought. You gave him a lazy once-over, letting your gaze linger on his armored form, and aptly assessed that he didn’t have the bounty with him.

“Didja get the bounty?”

“He’s in the carbonite freezer on the ship, the baby’s asleep. Let’s go,” He sounded pissed.

You stood from your stool, and promptly tripped face-first into his beskar chest-plate. You definitely had more to drink than you thought. You issued an insincere apology to Linor, who was making some very intense eye contact with the wood grain of the bar. As much as you hated to say it, you loved the effect Mando had on people. Tall, confident Linor wouldn’t even look him in the eye. Mando could be downright scary, and the best part was that he didn’t even seem to realize it. You enjoyed your little train of thought for a moment, until you circled back to the fact that his scary-bounty-hunter-tone was directed at you. His visor had not left your face the entire time you were lost in thought. You wobbled again, against your will.

“You’re drunk,”. His head tilted, the black t of his helmet fixating on your flushed face. He sighed, muttered something about talking about this in the morning, and scooped one arm under your knees and another at the small of your back. He carried you back out into the cold and you shuddered involuntarily as he dumped you onto the cold metal of the speeder. He shuffled in behind you on the speeder, his armored thighs bracketing yours. You lost your balance yet again, and as you steadied yourself against Mando’s chest you were suddenly very grateful that he had seated you in front of him rather than behind. He fired up the engine, and the two of you flew across the frozen landscape back to the ship.

If you thought you were cold before, now you were freezing. The wind bit at your exposed face, and despite bundling yourself in Mando’s old cloak, the icy air slipped in between the grain of the fabric and sapped the residual warmth from your limbs. You shifted further back into Mando’s chest, fixating on the rumble of the engine as you approached the Crest. The speeder skidded to a stop, and Mando slid off and fiddled with his vambrace for a moment before giving you a quiet, “C’mere,” and carrying you through the cold into the Crest. He carried you right past your little blanket pile and set you down in a corner of the ship. He punched a few more buttons on his vambrace, and a door opened behind you, revealing a small room with a bed and—was that a heated blanket?

“It’s warmer in here, I’ll take the cot,” Mando explained.

“Hey, no. Wait, is this your room? I’m not gonna steal your bed,” you crossed your arms defiantly, leaning back on the wall for support.

“I’m asking you to,” his voice betrayed a hint of exasperation, and you remembered the long, exhausting day he most definitely had. “Look, you’re shivering. If you freeze to death in that cot the kid’ll never forgive me,”.

You sensed you were fighting a losing battle.

“But if you freeze to death in that cot, the kid’ll never forgive me,” you mentally patted yourself on the back for that excellent stroke of logic.

“I’ll be fine, just go—”

“Why don’t we just share? Body heat, right?” Did you really just say that? You were sober enough to know that you definitely should have kept your mouth shut. You probably just made him uncomfortable, what if it was against his creed? You were mentally kicking yourself for the second time tonight.

Mando paused a moment before responding.

“Alright—the helmet stays on, though,” He was already stripping himself of his beskar, but his mechanical movements betrayed his exhaustion.

“Wouldn’t expect anything less,” You made your way over to the bed, shucking off your shoes and quickly slipping under the covers. The thin mattress was softer than the cot, but barely. Was being comfortable against the Way?

You were still trying to wrap your head around the fact that tipsy you would be sharing a bed with the man you’d been crushing on for months. With your luck, you’d probably drool on him in your sleep. Mando hit the lights, and moments later you felt a depression on the other side of the mattress, and Mando’s warm, solid body against your back. You scooted further back against him, and as if on instinct, he draped his arm around your waist. You were finally comfortable—you felt warmer than you had at the cantina. You were quickly drifting off to sleep, and by the sound of Mando’s modulated breathing, he was out like a light. A slight snore from under the helmet confirmed your suspicions. The man was like a generator. He practically radiated heat, and you suddenly felt less guilty that you hadn’t taken the cot like you had originally insisted on. You bent your knees, slipping your cold toes in between his calves.

CLANG

His helmet hit the durasteel wall, and you felt his entire body jolt.

“Why the fuck are your feet so cold?”

[epicstuckyficrecs]

Weekly recap | July 29th-August 4th

Here’s what I read in the last week! 💙 

You can find my other Weekly Recaps here!

~

Complete

This Has Already Happened by Mollyamory (Molly), Speranza/ @cesperanza (canon divergence | 8K | Not rated): "There are absolutely no circumstances in which I give the Time Stone to you," the Wizard gasps. "None. Nada. Zip. Choke on that, you sonofabitch."

Not Broken, Just Bent by amethystkrystal/ @amethystkrystal, goodmanperfectsoldier (ABO AU | 3K | Teen): Steve teaches a prenatal yoga class, and though he has a soft spot for all his students, he can't help being especially drawn to Bucky Barnes, the soft-spoken — and unmated — omega who just joined the studio.

💙 Ill With Want by thedoubteriswise/ @thedoubteriswise��(Pre-war | 27K | Mature): Bucky pretends to be asleep when Steve crawls into bed, too tired to feel guilty over the quivery pleasure that settles in his belly when Steve’s arm brushes his. Bucky doesn’t move him. He drifts to sleep in a comfortable haze and tries not to wonder where this feeling was two hours ago when he had Marie in his lap.

💙 you are the future (series) by greyhavensking/ @greyhavensking (canon divergent, post-Avengers | 6 works, series marked not complete | 33K | Teen): Sweat trickles down from his hairline into his eyes and he irritably swipes it away, a little convinced that the gesture will also serve to wipe away what he’s seeing. But no, that’s definitely a man -- at least judging by the breadth of his shoulders and general body shape -- single-handedly facing off against a trio of enraged aliens.

It's possible that he wants you too by belovedmuerto/ @belovedmuerto (Post-WS | 4K | Teen): “Bucky kissed me this morning,” Steve says, not quite believing the words even as they’re coming out of his mouth. “Wait,” Sam replies. “Back up.”

14-Inch Cock and a Few Hundred Bimbos by verzacefatale/ @verzacefatale (PWP | 3K | Explicit): There are some things in life, Steve muses as he stares down at his crotch, that nothing can prepare you for. Sure, becoming a super soldier was, at the time, the most wild thing he could think of, and sure, his tolerance for ridiculous, catastrophic and immeasurably weird situations has very much grown since then, but this? His dick suddenly growing six inches in length and another two in girth, just because he opened a box in a Hydra dug out that maybe he should have read the instructions on before he did? How was he to know it was literally magic that would make his cock grow huge? 

Hic sunt dracones by stevergrsno (noxlunate)/ @stevergrsno (Medieval Fantasy, Dragon Steve | 5K | Teen): There are stories: Stories of knights and the dragons they slayed. Stories of princes who conquered the great fire-breathing beasts terrorizing their kingdoms. Stories of how they saved their lands and won the hand of fair princesses in battle. This is not one of those stories. At least not in the strictest sense.

To Eat from the Tree by AidaRonan (30′s AU | 6K | Explicit): There is a story they tell in Collinwood, NY. A story of two priests-in-training who fell off the path of righteousness and into each other.

💙 As long as I have a face, you'll always have somewhere to sit by Avaaricious (Modern AU, meet-cute | 5K | Mature): AKA the "My friends bet that I couldn't pick up someone using the worst lines I know, but I actually like you and don't want to screw up" AU

Proud by dixons_mama (TFA | 2K | Teen): While trapped in Azzano, Bucky accidentally confesses to Steve that he loves him. Bucky is sure this will be the end of their friendship.

WIP

Solitary by exclamation/ @jessicameats (Canon divergent | 35/? | 87K | Mature): The Winter Soldier has been a prisoner of SHIELD for about a year and a half, placed in solitary confinement under strict security when it was clear he wasn’t going to respond to the best interrogators and deprogrammers SHIELD had available. When Fury asks a newly awakened Steve Rogers to assist, Steve is hesitant. He doesn’t understand why Fury thinks he would have a better chance of getting through to this guy than all the people who have tried and failed.

💙 This Side of the Blue by notlucy/ @notlucy (Mermaid AU | 23/44 | 83K | Explicit): Tucked against a set of crumbling, stone steps was a tank made of metal and glass, filled to the brim with greenish water, distorted sunlight filtering through and casting strange shadows. Playing tricks on the eye. A trick was the only explanation for what Steve saw floating there. This figment of his childhood. This myth. This legend. Within the tank, the siren bared its teeth.

💙 Latte Art and Slow Dancing in the Dark by deadonarrival (Modern AU with powers, Daddy kink | 15/20 | 77K | Explicit): Bucky is a somewhat well-adjusted former army sniper that got his shoulder blown out. He took his discharge and went home to finish school and is working on his international relations masters. His best friends and roommates (Nat & Clint) are CIA agents and tip him off that their local Sbux is hiring. He gets a job there and meets none other than the hottest guy on earth. So how does one get a date in the most top secret government location in the US? What happens when that guy is more than just a hot dorito and wants to give Bucky everything he wants? Bucky is going to have to figure out his shit and fast. 

💙 Like Real People Do by 2bestfriends (Shrunkyclunks, canon divergent post-Avengers | 31K | 5/10 | Explicit): Seven years into an isolated retirement after the Battle of New York, Steve has carved out a place for himself in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains. He has a best friend (his dog, Lady), a frenemy (a local black bear named Rufus), and a cabin in the middle of the woods, an hour’s drive from the nearest town. As November comes to a close, he heads into town to pick up supplies and ends up with a stowaway.

💙 Cakes & Balances by mambo/ @whtaft (POTUS Steve | 14K | 7/? | Teen): It’s kind of hard to date the cute baker from down the street when you’re the President of the United States of America. But Steve Rogers will make it work.

Bucky Barnes and the Embarrassment of Spidermen by AggressiveWhenStartled (Multiverse, Peter-centric(ish) | 4/5 | 15K | Mature): “Peter,” Steve said into the table. “Please tell me you didn’t bring home someone from Tony’s alternate dimension.” “Of course I didn’t,” Peter said, looking indignant. “I wouldn’t do that. I brought him to your place.”

Re-read

💙 All's fair in [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] (series) by redcigar (canon-divergent, post-WS | 3 works, series marked not complete | 10K | Mature): AU wherein Bucky Barnes and Steve Rogers never met, Steve somehow manages to rescue the Winter Soldier anyway, and Avengers Tower ends up with the world’s angriest duckling and a whole new brand of entertainment.

💙 honey don't feed it, it will come back by ellebeesknees (umetnica), thedoubteriswise/ @thedoubteriswise (canon compliant, TFA | 18K | Mature): He lets out a long sigh and watches Bucky. Back home he was always too vain to let more than a day’s worth of stubble build up, but now he’s got about three days of scruff on his chin. He shouldn’t look handsome like this. His eyes are shut, but Steve can tell by his breathing that he’s still awake. The cat is curled up on his stomach and purring like an idling motor.

Learning To Say Hello by heartsdesire456/ @heartsdesire456 (Post-WS, Clint POV | 11K | Mature): In which Hawkeye befriends the Winter Soldier and discovers the Epic Love Story of Steve and Bucky nobody knows about)

Howl Home (Shift for Me) by Menatiera/ @menatiera (canon divergent, wolf Steve, Bucky Cap | 13K | Teen): As Captain America, Bucky Barnes rescued a hyper-intelligent wolf from HYDRA during the war. He makes a good fit with the Howling Commandos - and later, with the Avengers.

💙 The Sweetest Spark by deadto27 (Modern AU, age difference | 73K | Explicit): Steve Rogers runs a successful business. He has great friends and a great life. It seems like he has it all. So why is he sitting in a diner on a Friday night alone? Maybe he's just a little lonely. Maybe Bucky Barnes can help with that.

[dat-town]

Waiting for spring to come

A sequel to Waiting for autumn to pass, it probably makes more sense if you read that one first.

Characters: autumn spirit!Young K & spring spirit!You

Setting: fantasy au

Genre: angsty fluff

Summary: The wind of change is in the air. Is it good? Is it bad? You are not sure but spring and autumn has never been so close before.

Words: 2.2k

For those you liked the original drabble, I hope you will enjoy this one too! ♥

Seasons are a part of the cycle of nature. Eternal, ongoing, always unseen. Seasons are sassy, it’s a known fact. Sometimes summers are cold and winters don't have snow at all. Sometimes they are unpredictable but never like this.

"We have to wake up Spring," the spirit of winter rasps fussily as soon as she leaves the doorstep behind. Her presence itself is a blinding brightness with her beautiful silver locks, ice blue eyes and pale skin. She’s like white frost flowers on windows, pioneers of the cold season creeping into the hearts of humans. A sight to behold.

Younghyun slowly looks up from his so-called throne that’s just one of the four around the round, gilded table in the meeting room designed for their trimestrial encounters. There are never more than two of them present but they all have a chair assigned just for them, bearing their marks and symbols, made by a tree so uniquely theirs. It’s a reminder that no matter what, the four of them rule together in this area and when one goes down, another one comes up.

Now, the chilly September wind being the messenger, it’s Younghyun’s turn. The smell of sweet rain and pumpkin pies is already in the air, the leaves are losing their green colour and the flowers are leaving their colourful petals on the dead ground. He’s in the prime of his life, stronger than ever just like he’s supposed to be in the beginning of the autumn season that took everybody by storm after the days of summer officially ran out.

"Why? What's happening?" he asks confused, brows furrowed but can’t help his heart that’s beating furiously of the thought of you. Of better days of spring and flower crowns withering away under your careful gaze and soft smile.

He harshly grabs onto his wooden chair made out of oak tree and overgrown by grape leaves. Normally, he should be discussing important matters with the winter spirit who just woke up and sent Summer into sleep. He should definitely not talk about such blatant nonsense like waking up another season before their time. There's still three more lunar months until you are supposed to be up and Tingyan knows this very well too. Then what the hell is she talking about?

"Don't you feel it? The change?" she quirks an eyebrow at him and even though she usually hides her feelings pretty well, Younghyun can tell she’s pissed, probably thinking about how she ended up with such fools around her.

Of course, he feels the change, the weather getting warmer and more chaotic each year, but he has been sensing this for decades now and he got used to the uneasiness.

“But the rules...” he’s mumbling, hanging onto the only thing he believed to be as certain as writings set in stone.

"The rules change, too. Taeyang can’t fall asleep,” the winter spirit explains and a sun-kissed boy with wide smile steps into the meeting room on cue. “Before, when this idiot accidently touched me, icebergs melt. Now? Flowers bloom from ice.”

“Hey, folks, I’m here too and I take full offense for that degrading comment,” Taeyang snickers like he always does with Tingyan.

Winter and summer are total opposites and their spirits’ personalities are quite different too, so maybe that’s why they never really got along. They didn’t even need to due to the fact they only met twice a year. But now that both of them are up and Summer really doesn’t look sleepy at all, it makes Younghyun mull over the odds of impossible in fear. Their job was to keep the balance. Does that mean they failed?

Yet, here he is recklessly hoping that it means that he can see you soon.

“But how is this possible?” he furrows his brows, fingers twitching as he gulps down his nervousness.

“Ask Mother Earth,” the winter spirit shrugs while Taeyang shoots finger guns at him instead of answering the question.

“Come on, Autumn, bring Spring into the party! You have to be the one to wake her up, otherwise it would confuse her a lot and we don't want any more unnecessary changes or do we?” he raises an eyebrow clearly as a joke. However, Tingyan doesn’t appreciate his funny side and smacks him on the arm that makes him let out a yelp.

Younghyun doesn’t pay attention to their dispute, he’s too immersed in the thought of meeting you so early. Such an unexpected turn of events! He steps towards the direction of your suite almost blindly, pulled by invisible strings and a magnetic power stronger than gravity.

The golden doorknob is cold under his touch and he’s shivering even though he’s not capable of feeling neither warm, nor cold. At least, not in that sense humans feel them; it’s more like an emotion for him, something stirring deep in his heart. His breath hitches as the door opens so easily and the immerse dose of flower scent is already suffocating him. He chokes on his own saliva but it doesn’t break his determination as he marches towards your baldachin bed thoroughly hinted with fresh flower petals. Where in the midst of roses, lilies, jasmines and even more exotic kinds Younghyun doesn’t even recognize, there’s you, the prettiest flower of all.

You are like an angel sleeping in your rosy coloured dress with your long, dark hair sprawled on the white sheets. You have flowers among your locks, like always, and this time they are midnight blue forget-me-nots. Like he could ever forget you! Your heart-shaped face and glossy lips are imprinted in his mind making him crave something he shouldn’t. Because there’s a bridgeless abyss between something you simply won’t have and can’t have. Still, it’s not about owning, about such filial want for physical things but also the longing for a life in which you are with him and not only for one day. But forever.

What can he do though? Autumn and spring is half a year apart, yet you are here, so close, so mesmerizingly beautiful and peaceful while he’s choking on the pollens that are scratching his throat. He absolutely adores this irreplaceable sweetness of yours but the realm of Spring is killing him. He has to act soon or else, his recklessness will be his undoing for being here too long.

He sits down on the edge of your soft bed, the mattress dampening under him as he can’t take his eyes off of you. He’s certain of how he feels, how pathetically autumn is in love with spring, yet he never dares to act on those feelings. Not even when he has seen the same yearning in your eyes because he would hate himself to bring chaos down onto the two of you.

Maybe it’s the change in the air or maybe it’s something completely different but now he feels daring, desperate enough to lean closer until he cannot process anything else but your light breaths on his face and the flutters of your eyelashes. Without further delay, he dives in and presses his lips gently onto your forehead. But as if you burnt him, he pulls back almost immediately, wiping his still tingling mouth with the back of his hands not believing what he just did. Silly, silly deity, has nobody taught you that this mundane thing called love is such a dangerous thing to do?

A heartbeat later, when you blink once, twice and then slowly open your eyes drowsily, he’s there with the softest smile despite being terrified of the possible consequences of his own actions.

“Hey...” he greets you and no matter the centuries that went by, you still get flustered by the way he looks at you so fondly.

“Is it time already?” you ask suddenly wide awake and sitting up in your bed hastily. Did you sleep in? Why did he come into your room when he always waits outside for you?

“Well, about that…” Younghyun gulps and his gaze drops somewhere between your bodies on the flower-made bed. When he looks up, his eyes are autumn days you dreamed about, the warm but windy ones when you wish somebody would hold your hand. But the boy next to you doesn’t do that, no, he rather brushes a stray lock out of your eyes and tucks it behind your ear carefully not to touch your skin. “Everybody is required to be at this year’s autumnal equinox.”

You can only gape at him in awe. This has never happened before.

“What… what does it mean?”

“We are not sure.”

Nobody is. The Seasons’s Council is more crowded this year than ever before and of course, a lot louder too. You stay close to Younghyun as the spirits from all over the globe arrive and start discussing the issue at hand. You don’t understand much of it but you are fascinated by all the new faces you see.

“Is she a rain season? I have never seen one before,” you point at a girl whose hair is like waves and she moves so fluidly as if she was made of slippery water.

“Yeah, she is from the East,” Younghyun nods and introduces you to some other spirits he knows from other areas where only two season spirits exists. You find the monsoon seasons particularly funny so you enjoy yourself despite the seriousness of the situation. Thought, it’s mostly because your beloved autumn spirit is by your side. He’s the calm river in a thundery forest and whenever you feel him getting closer signalled by that dizziness that rushes over you, you are reminded that everything will be okay.

Even if the meeting goes by fruitless and the seasons leave even more fidgety than before, you don’t mind it. Not if it means you can stay and watch autumn unfold in front of your eyes, if you can spend more time with the spirit who stole your heart from bits to bits over the last millennium.

“What happens now?” you speak up when the two of you step out to the balcony of the building. You don’t have to say your fears out loud explicitly for Younghyun to understand what you mean by that: what if you die like humans?

“Now we are here to see every season until we can,” he reassures you with your favourite kind of smile, that genuine one that warms and melts your insides. It takes your breath for a moment and you don’t have any more self-restraint to keep yourself from asking what you’ve wanted to since he woke you up.

“Do you think I can touch you without causing havoc?”

“I- Maybe,” the forever young man blurts out nervous like a teenager in love, clearly taken aback by your direct question but he doesn’t move an inch when you lift your hand to his face.

You hesitate. You’re afraid you will wake up from this dream if you touch him, or you might ruin him just like how spring conquers winter every year. The what ifs horrify you and Younghyun sees your wobbliness in your eyes and shaky fingers. So he gently takes your hand slotting his fingers between yours as he presses your palm flatly on his cheek.

Wow. You let out a relieved sigh.

“You are warm,” you whisper being lost for words. It’s not his ageless face or the touch itself, but the warmth that’s coming from the heart and feels like home.

“You fault,” the spirit of the current season says cheekily and you chuckle in embarrassment. Why is he so cheesy?

“Liar,” you shake your head in disbelief and step back. You need a breather because your lungs are on fire and you’re sure it’s because of the incompatibility between your seasons’ nature. It would be dangerous to prolong the moment more. So you turn towards the jaw-dropping scenery and smile tenderly at no one in particular. “I can’t believe I can see autumn. It’s beautiful.”

Younghyun’s breath hitches as he watches you marvelling at the colours he created and just like an artist presenting his masterpiece, he can’t help but feel proud that you like his work. Oh how he wished so many times you were there to see the beauty of fall.

“I have always known though. I saw it in your eyes,” you keep rambling, confessing in your own innocent way but oh boy, he knows you too well to let it slip through his fingers like that.

“So is it spring I see in your eyes?” he looks straight in your eyes with a look so serious you don’t know what to expect but still, your heart is beating rapidly like the clopping of wild horses on the run.

“I don’t know. What do you see?”

“Something I would be willing to bloom and wither for.”

It’s the softest kiss, a silent I love you and a promise. It takes your breath away and your heart skips a beat as he kisses you shortly. You both know it won’t be easy but you believe it’s worth it, especially because for the first time since forever you are waiting for spring to come with him by your side.

[underimagines]

anything that is beautiful...

“people want to break.” - Ugly, Nicole Dollanganger

Summary: “You're supposed to be excited. This is a happy occasion. But instead you can't stop doubting yourself. All because of how you look. And what you don't understand, is just how beautiful he thinks you really are. Good thing he's got just the trick up his sleeve to prove those ugly little thoughts otherwise.”

2K One-Shot Commission - Underfell!Mettaton/Reader: First Kiss Scenario

read it on ao3 / buy me a coffee

                                                          ❤ ❤ ❤

You really hated how you looked.

It wasn’t the healthiest mindset, but damn if you just. Hated looking in the mirror sometimes. Of course, you knew you weren’t the only one with this problem—there were people all over the world who had the same whole “weight issue” thing. Sometimes it helped to ease your worries a little bit. Sometimes it just made the sting a whole lot worse.

Right now, you were somewhere in the middle.

What kind of outfit was this anyway? There was way too much lace and glitter, you looked more like a couture model than someone going to a simple party. Okay, maybe it wasn’t as simple a party as you wanted to think it was. More like a retirement party than anything else, from what Mettaton and Alphys had explained to you. That just made you even more nervous. How did you handle that, gracefully? You’d never been to one before, but from what you’d heard of or seen on TV, they were always extremely dry, unpleasant experiences (minus the comedic hijinks the various sitcoms tried in vain to work in).

Sure, you’d already gone through the trouble of getting your boyfriend a present. Just to kinda…”fit the mood” of the whole shin-dig. It wasn’t a watch, thank god.

It was a mixtape his cousin Napstablook and friend Shyren had made. They’d shoved it at you out of the blue one day, asking that you “hype it up” for them or something like that, then left without another word. And being the musical wizard that you were (not that you were bragging or anything), you’d worked it into something you knew he’d love. Remixes always were his jam.

You only considered it a gift from you to him because you had yet to hear back from the duo about actually “getting” the mixtape back. Like they knew how short notice this whole thing was for you (Because. It was. Very short notice. Thanks Metta.) and were kind of giving you a metaphorical hand. Which is funny, because neither of them had hands. Well, Napstablook had like, weird little ghostly stubs and Shyren had her fins, but neither of them had like, fingers, so they didn’t really count in your mind.

Still, of course, they did have some part in it—a big part, actually—so you made a mental note to mention it when you slipped him the gift later that evening.

With a sigh, you turned from the mirror to look at the gift-basket you’d put together for him. A few bottles of (MTT-Brand) champagne, a few bouquets of flowers, a bottle of (MTT-Brand) cologne, some metal polish and the mix tape, all wrapped together neatly with a beautiful, glittering red bow. A nice little ensemble for what you hoped would be a nice little get-together. Knowing Monsterkind, though, you doubted it. They’d party (or riot) over just about every miniscule thing you could think of. It all seemed ridiculous to you at first, but then you remembered that humans were similar, in a sense.

The real shame here was that a damn gift-basket looked better than you did.

You’d tried so many outfits on this evening. No matter what you did with your hair, it looked like a bird’s nest. And you didn’t even want to think about what your face looked like right now. You were probably a mess. Just one big, terrible, ribbonless mess. So, what was even the point?

Who would really miss you if you didn’t show up? You could easily just ask Alphys to deliver the gift-basket in your place. Or just give it back to Napstablook, since it was theirs originally and all.

But then there was Mettaton. He was expecting to bring you there personally. Not to mention there was hardly any time left to call and back-track. If you cancelled now…it’d break his heart.

The very thought alone steeled your nerves.

You locked eyes with your mirror-self, gritting your teeth. So, you might not look like the cat’s meow, or the bee’s knees, or whatever other stupid, cute things you could think of. But you looked decent enough.

…God, you really didn’t want to go.

And it was all your own fault, too. Just because of these damn—damn curves! You knew some monsters were curvy, and some were nothing but curves. But in human standards you were just. Not perfect. You didn’t understand it, how Monsters could express attraction so freely, despite shape or size, but maybe that was just a “them” thing. They didn’t care about looks in the way that humans did.

You tried your best to focus on that, instead of the little voice whispering otherwise in the back of your head. Of course he liked you. At least, that’s what Alphys had said when you’d brought your concerns up to her. All she’d done was roll her eyes. “Are you really that stupid? If he didn’t find you attractive, he wouldn’t have anything to do with you.”

Your first instinct was to reply with “Well, so much for personality,” but she’d already changed the subject before the words were out of your mouth. Still, while it was a while ago, it was a boost of sorts. And that, combined with your determination to make this night a good one for your boyfriend (because stars above did he need it), was enough to solidify your decision.

You could do this.

You could do this.

You looked…okay. And you could do this.

Man, your hands sure were shaking. Those were some shaky fingers you had there, as you stroked your hair into place and tried to force a smile. It didn’t quite reach your eyes, and you groaned, pressing your face into your palms to suppress the noise.

And then your front door opened.

If there was anything Mettaton had, it was style (or at least, his attempt at it). Your nearest hallway was immediately flooded with glittery smoke, and you could see his silhouette vogueing from somewhere in the mist. A deep, bass-y dance tune blared from an unseen source. You coughed and waved the smoke away, completely deadpan to his dramatics at this point.

“Hey, Metta.”

“Helloooo, darling~!” Without warning a leg came flying out of the smoke, slamming atop your vanity with such force that it made you jump. The red stiletto boot currently grinding into the counter was going to leave a mark, that much you knew. Good thing you’d just restocked on wood polish.

The rest of him followed shortly after, as he towered over you, a rose clenched between his teeth as he beamed. He smelled strongly of florals, trailing (and raining) glitter with every movement he made. So, he’d decided to use that form for this whole thing, huh? Alphys must have given him an extra boost, or else you knew he wouldn’t normally be this energetic. He seemed happy.

And why not? This was his day after all.

“Are you ready to party, dearest? Oh, who am I kidding, of course you are! It’s my party after all.” He struck a dramatic pose, throwing his head back, the other sweeping out with the rose pinched between his fingers. A beat passed, before he leaned in close again, smile soft and nervous. “You are ready to go, right? If you need a little extra time—”

Your stomach twisted, a pit growing hard and uncomfortable. But you didn’t have a chance to respond before he gasped, “Oh, sweetheart, you look…gorgeous! Well, I mean. You always look gorgeous. There’s never a day when I don’t think you look—ah, but anywho! That’s not what I was on about in the first place.”

With a tiny flourish, he tucked the rose behind your ear. “There. Perfection.”

“Metta—” You tried softly, feeling your eyes begin to water. Oh no. Not here. Not now.

“Oh, darling, I can’t express how excited I am! This is finally it, my chance to shine. Sure, it’ll be a final performance, a last goodbye, but it’s all I’ve ever wanted! And then Blooky! Oh, they’ll be so happy to get the chance to take the lead as a producer, I know it. They’re so talented I—,” He paused for a moment, resting his palm atop the glass case where the tiny SOUL inside bounced and trembled. “I’m so happy for them. That I could finally give them this chance.”

“Metta—” Your voice broke. A tear slipped free before you could stop it, and you were too slow to catch it before he saw.

“Darling. Darling, what’s the matter?” He was quick to reach your side, grasping your hands as you tried to fight back the sobs you could feel building in your throat. “Aren’t you…happy? We’re going to be free. Finally, no more concerts. No more shows. We can spend all our time together, no more nasty messages or hate-mail! Don’t you,” his brow furrowed in confusion as he stroked the tears away, “Don’t you want that?”

You nodded wordlessly, unable to keep the tears from falling. Of course you wanted this. His happiness, his chance to finally relax. The chance for both of you, really. It was just as he’d said, no more shows. No more interview, no more paparazzi. It’d be peace for you both, and you’d finally get a chance to spend more time together. You looked forward to that the most.

“I’m sorry, Mettaton. I’m! I’m happy I promise I just. I’m not feeling…I’m not—” A sob broke free, and you melted into his waiting arms, clutching him to you as tightly as you could. “How?”

“How…?” He stroked your hair.

You hated the bitterness the words left on your tongue. “How can you love someone who looks like me? I’m not like all those beautiful models you dance with, or the people who interview you, or the actors you work with. I’m…I’m just…”

“Different, darling.” He pulled back, tilting your chin up and forcing you to meet his eyes. The gold and crimson rings within pulsed rhythmically, syncing with the frantic beating of your heart. The longer you stared, the slower they became, and the easier it became to breathe. “You’re merely different. As is everyone. Is it these you’re worried about?”

As he spoke, his fingers trailed down your sides, and you nodded, breath hitching as he moved closer. You’d never seen him this…focused before. It stirred something warm in you, where you were sure your SOUL would be.

“I love you for you, darling. Size, shape, angle. None of that matters to me. I love you so much—because you love me. Do you know how wonderful that feels, to be loved so deeply?” Slowly, he leaned up again, keeping one hand under your chin so that your gaze followed him.

The moment before he closed the distance between your lips, you swore you heard him mumble, “Because you should.”

You never thought this would be how your first kiss would go: you crying a waterfall, with him caging you against the countertop of your vanity. His lips moved against your slowly, deepening the kiss bit by bit. You reached up, letting a hand move to tangle in his hair, as his came up to comb through yours. The squeeze of his palm against your side made you gasp a bit. You could feel his smirk through your kisses, one after another. Until he finally drew back, letting you take a breath.

His eyes sparkled, pupils flickering between stars and hearts as he grinned. “How do you feel now?”

“Loved,” you mumbled back gripping his shoulders with a rush of playful confidence, “but maybe…we should try that again. Just to make sure it sinks in.”

He chuckled, a deep resounding sound that made your heart leap, before leaning in again. “We’re going to be late for the party, aren’t we?”

Probably. But right now, you were too preoccupied to really care.

                                                         ❤ ❤ ❤

Thank you so much for the commission, darling! I hope you enjoy it !! ❤