#this is run-of-the-mill confusion posting

[reflectionsofgalaxies]

having a normal one over here

[messenger-of-babel]

Voicemails

Summary: When complications arise on his mission, all he has is one phone call back to you. (Death Island! Leon x reader)

Word Count: 2.1K

Notes: It really does end here, huh? 🥹 This is the last post for this month. We have officially finished Angstober 2024. Thank you to everyone who liked, commented, reblogged, followed, and sent me things to my inbox. It's going to be weird not writing for you all every day, but you'll still see me around. I'm going to take a small break and write in the background, get through requests and stuff. I'm moving house and graduating at the same time so I might not post a whole lot till I'm settled again, but then you can count on me for more than angst!

General warnings for language use, spoilers for Death Island if you haven't seen it (you should it's quite funny), and a mildly OOC Leon but we can all be saps sometimes. Warping the events of the movie to my own benefit.

Enjoy our last post of this month, sweethearts~

RiRi xx

━━━━━━━━━━━━━༻❁༺━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"You wanna make a call?" Chris grunts, looking down at him. Leon looks up at him, vision blurry and pain radiating through his body. His neck stings from where the microdrone bit him, and he can no longer feel anything from his thighs down, just a numb tingle. He has to consciously remind himself to breathe, in through the nose and out through the mouth.

"You got- you got a way?" he rasps back, eyes scrunching in confusion. Chris nods, the bigger man bucking slightly against the cell wall he's leaning against.

"Left- left pocket." he grits out. "Claire got the signal through before we got bit. It's only strong enough for one call, then Dylan's framework will probably patch it."

Leon sighs, head hitting the rusted bars of Alcatraz. This had been another run of the mill mission, find the missing scientist selling government secrets, pack him up and ship him back to the government to be trialled at court. In the true fashion of his 'run of the mill missions', nothing went according to that plan and veered off into a clusterfuck as usual. The BSAA had been involved chasing their own leads, and he had run into Jill in the sewers running from zombies. the plague that seemed to follow him like a shadow ever since he left Raccoon as a young and very traumatised cop.

He was supposed to get in and out, wrap it up so he could come home to you like he promised. As he sat there writhing, he wondered what the look on your face would be if he wasn't able to make it to the cruise that you had both planned. You had lobbied both him and the DSO for a holiday, and after many angry letters and snatching the phone out of his hand to yell at his supervisor, you had succeeded in getting him two months off. Without hesitation you had booked the both of you on a cruise, shushing him every time he had tried to protest.

If he was being honest, just sleeping at home would have been enough. He could barely remember the last time that he had sat down or stopped for a moment. The days that he was at the office or on a mission blurred together so often that he was beginning to forget what colour you had both decided to paint the kitchen, making him falter when coworkers made small talk with him in the staff room. Which side of the bed you preferred to sleep on, what bills needed to be paid first, whether the spare bedroom was being turned into an office or a workshop or not. It was when his forgetfulness led him to forget what month it was and being blindsided to your own anniversary that he finally snapped out of it.

You had been sitting on the porch steps dressed in your finery, watery eyes looking up at him as he pulled into the driveway, your knees pulled to your chest. He had jumped from the car like you were shot, the realisation of what he had done thrumming hard in his chest. "I'm so sorry" he had murmured into your hair, holding you tight. "I am so so sorry."

You had just sniffled in response and eventually gave him a weak hug back, and he clung to that like a lifeline. He swore that he would never fuck up like that again, and he intended to keep that promise.

So, he had relented to the cruise vacation, telling himself that he would be able to relax and unwind on the seas and out of service of work. They could call another agent for once, he wanted to focus on nothing but the smile you wore as you got to carry out the couple things he felt he had denied you your entire relationship. Getting to use the swim up bar, taking photos together, dressing in matching clothes for the cheesy cruise quiz nights. If that was what you wanted, that is what he was going to give you. Besides, it gave him a chance to relish in you again.

You, who had cancelled the wedding of your dreams to get married at the courthouse with him when he got called away suddenly and you weren't sure if you would see him again. You had been married within hours with the rings he had picked and you in the finest you could find on such short notice. He had thought you looked stunning, even if the lighting was the harsh LED of the courthouse and not candles like you had wanted.

You, who had put up with months of him being gone, not knowing if he was dead or alive. Who had to stay up late tracking the news for crumbs of his whereabouts, only able to make guesses to where he might have been assigned. Every death, every bioterrorist attack overseas carrying the possibility that Leon's body was among those being pulled from the carnage.

You, who he was calling right now with the jacked cell phone from Chris's pocket, dial tone droning on.

Leon had been stung last, used as nothing more than an example to show off the latest weapon in the bioterror market. Yet he was losing feeling fast, much faster than Chris or even Claire struggling in the other cell. It was like his atoms were screaming at him, writhing in him at a molecular level. Breathing felt like it was through a damp cloth, lungs having to work twice as hard to suck oxygen into his lungs. His eyelids were struggling to stay awake and fight off the black curtains that floated in the corners. he could see the way that the others looked at him, with pity and with concern. As soon as he had caught the eye of Chris, saw the flicker of fear cross the usually confident man's face, he knew that he was reacting worse than all of them.

So here he was, heart in his throat as he prepared to tell you the words he hadn't been expecting to say when he left that morning. When the line doesn't pick up he curses, waiting for the tone. He wasn’t going to waste his chance.

"Hi! If I haven't picked up, I can't come to the phone right now. If you leave a message, I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Please wait for the beep, thank you!"

He smiles to himself at the chipper tone of your voice, sounding heaven sent even through the phone. When he hears the tone he takes a deep breath, as big as he can and puts a fake smile on his face. He hopes that it makes his tone come out just a little sweeter for you, even though he knows that you'll be worried regardless.

"Hey, Sweetheart." he starts, voice raspy. "I'm sorry to be calling you like this. I just wanted to call to hear your voice. I-I missed you. I know you didn’t pick up, so you're probably busy. Now don't call me back immediately, I... won’t be able to pick up for a while. I just...damnit I wanted to just hear you." He grits out, head falling against the bars as he loses strength in his neck. He catches eyes with Chris, the older man's eyes misting over as he looks down at him before he turns his head away, the most privacy he can give him in the situation.

"I just wanted to call to let you know that I love you...and I miss you." he begins again. With his eyes closed the words come easier, the image of you flitting into his mind's eye. You look at him in his spectral vision with a smile, encouraging him to go on. He feels his chest ease, like he's actually talking to you, and the both of you are the only ones in the room. "I know you're going to worry. I know this doesn't sound good-" he grits his teeth against another hot flash of pain. "And... it’s not." he finishes. "I want to tell you…that I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I don't think I'm gonna make it home tonight, baby. I... I might not make it back from this." he tries to chuckle, but the sound is dry, and the effort hurts his chest. "Things got bad here, and it's not looking good. I think- I think it ends here, honey. If I don't make it just...just, please look after yourself."

He takes a shaky breath, and the silence of everyone around him is deafening. The scene is oddly private and uncomfortable for the others in the vicinity, while the usually ever-energetic man known as Leon delivers his verbal will. "I know you won’t want to go, but go on that cruise. You worked hard for it, and you were so excited. I wanted to go swimming with you, fall asleep by the pool and pretend it was the honeymoon I owe you. So, I want you to still go on it. Even if I don't come back...I'll ask the big man above to let me hang around long enough to do it with you, even if you won't be able to see me. I made a promise remember? No more missing big things." he whispers into the phone.

His throat is beginning to hurt, like speaking around a sharp lump every time he formed a word. "And the house is yours, it should go into your name. The car, everything, you'll have it all. I just...I just wish it could have been different, you know?" he says into the receiver, that has begun to waver by his cheek. "But it is what it is, and I guess it finally caught up to me. I'm sorry I was such a shitty husband." he says, a light tremor in his voice. "I wish I had come home to you more, not left the bed cold. I wish I could have made you more dinners and more breakfasts in bed, just to show you how much I loved you. I love you. I love you so much it hurts. I never told it to you enough, or managed to even put into actions just how much you mean to me, but I do. You mean everything, sweetheart." he chokes into the phone, a small smile on his face. "I love you more than anything, so...so don't think anything else, okay? This isn't your fault. It never was. You were the best thing that ever happened to me, you hear me? So you pick yourself up when I'm gone," he gasps out, hand beginning to waver. "You put yourself back in that saddle, and you show the world just how strong you are. Show them the person I fell in love with." he says with a smile, before breaking into a fit of painful coughs.

"Don't stay up, sweetheart. Get to bed early. I miss you, more than you'll ever know." he coughs out into the receiver before his body can't hold him up anymore and he slides down the bars until his cheek is pressing into the concrete, hand falling to his side and phone clattering against the stone. He can hear the tone end, and the automated whoosh sound as the voicemail sends. With bleary eyes he can make out the turned head of Claire, looking down at him with wobbling lips and tear-filled eyes.

"Look after 'em, hey?" he rasps out, pain in his chest stabbing as the black curtains begin to slide across his vision. Claire nods, and he can hear Chris grunt in the background. Leon falls into an unconsciousness shortly after, the smiling image of you the last thing he holds close to him as the blackness swallows him completely. As his body stills, a small smile is frozen on his face, the arrogant half tilted smirk he so loved to give you.

─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───

Typing away at your computer, you work till your eyes go square from the computer screen. You wipe a hand over your face as you review the spreadsheet that you're working on, leaning back to take a sip of your coffee. Your music blasts in your headphones, and for a quick break you pull up the checklist you've made for your upcoming holiday.

You're so engrossed in your work that you're unaware as your phone screen glows to life beside you, message popping across your notification bar.

You have (1) new voicemails.

[pedriache]

hey queen! Could you do a angst of Pau cubarsi? Pau and reader having an argument before going to his family gathering. Pau’s sister noticed that reader is quite upset and talks with Pau about it. When they return home, they’ll talk about it and everything! 🫶🏼

Coming clean — Pau Cubarsí.

Pairing: Pau Cubarsí x Fem!Reader

Summary: An unresolved argument with Pau had ruined your whole night. Luckily for you, Irene is right there to help you get Pau to come clean.

Word count: 1.17k

Disclaimer/s: arguing , angst to resolved ending.

A/N: it’s 3:45 am and i can’t sleep so here is this! + hi Bea! how about you try to end a fucking post w out it ending in a kiss???🤦‍♀️

The car ride to Pau’s parent’s house was silent. No music, no talking, just pure and tense, silence. The lingering anger from the argument that had only happened ten minutes ago was still fresh.

Even when you arrived, at least a foot apart, you still hadn’t talked. You separated from each other instantly; Pau finding his cousins and you wandering around aimlessly.

Irene watched as you arrived, she could sense that something was off when instead of finding her or her parents, you milled around the food table.

She pushed off the counter she was leaning against and made her way towards you. When Irene called out your name, you plopped a grape into your mouth before turning to face her with a forced smile.

“Irene! Hi!” Your expression falters when you see the way she was looking at you—pity. “What?”

“Let’s go take a walk, yeah?”

Your eyes dart to Pau, who was busy conversing with his cousins. “Okay, yeah. Where to?”

Looking around, the girl points to the back door. “My mom’s flowers started to bloom, want to take a look?” Subtle. Very, very subtle, Irene.

Lips pulling into a thin line, you nod. Irene spins on her heels and marches her way towards the door. You pass Pau, but he doesn’t bother looking in your direction, though you knew he saw you by the tick of his jaw.

Trying not to scoff, you take a deep breath and follow Irene out the door. The spring air hits you comfortingly and the view of Mrs.Cubarsí’s flower garden brings a genuine smile to your face.

“It’s really improved since the last time I was here.” You comment, bending down to sniff one of the vibrant flowers.

Irene hums in agreement. “So, what happened with you and Pau?” When your head snaps in her direction, she chuckles. “Sorry, I just noticed you two were unusually distant and you looked upset.”

You let out a quiet, “oh!” Before you continue. “We argued. It’s a communication problem.” You wave your hand as if to dismiss the problem, but a butter taste lingers on your tongue.

“Okay… tell me about it? Pau is usually an open book, or at least, he used to be.”

You snort at the last part. “Used to be, yeah. Not anymore. For some reason, he’s been holding things back recently, and oh! Yesterday, I went to hold his hand and he—well, he pushed his hand back into his pocket.” You point at the house, though not directly to wherever Pau probably was. “Him avoiding affection? Not normal.”

Irene’s forehead creases in confusion. Pau had never, not once, refused to show you affection. In fact, he was always seeking it out. “Okay, yeah, weird. What did he say when you tried to talk to him?”

You couldn’t help but scoff, “he said that I was ‘reading too much into things’ and that I was, ‘being dramatic’. I’m staring to think—“ Your mouth clamps shut, you couldn’t say that.

Giving you a look, Irene urges you to continue. “Think..?”

“That he’s..” You run your hand over your mouth, “that maybe he’s falling out of love. It’s stupid, I know, but I can’t help but assume, y’know?”

Frowning, Irene nods in understanding. “He loves you, i’m sure of it. He’s just being difficult. Maybe you two should leave early, talk it out?” She pauses, “or I can give him a talking to.”

Your eyes widen, “no! No. Do not talk to him, i’ll figure it out. Just.. need to figure out what to say first.”

“Let’s go back to the party and you contemplate while we stuff our faces, perhaps?”

“That sounds like a brilliant idea.”

When the gathering was over and Pau was driving you back home, you play with the hem of your skirt. “Pau?” You speak quietly, not sparing him a glance.

Pau turns in your direction momentarily, offering you a short, “hm?”

“Can we talk.. please?”

No matter how upset, or annoyed Pau maybe be, he couldn’t resist the pleading tone in your voice. “I guess.” He answers, “what do you want to talk about?”

“Why you’re upset with me. I mean, before our argument. Clearly I did something to hurt you, or maybe you just..” Your voice fades into nothing, scared to speak.

“Just what?” He doesn’t comment on the parts before that, so you know you definitely did something wrong.

You pick at the lace harder, “I know it’s probably me reaching, but, I just thought that maybe you are like—“ You were tripping over words, too embarrassed to speak them out loud. Forcing yourself to come clean, you take a breath, “maybe you were falling out of love.”

The car lurches to a halt, right at a red light. Pau’s head whips in your direction, “what? No! Jesus, baby, no! Not that! I love you, I do.”

His words of reassurance made you feel a sense of relief, but still, your theories about upsetting him were only becoming easier to believe. “I love you too, but, my question still stands. What did I do to upset you, and how do I make it right?”

As Pau begins to drive again, he sighs. “The other day, when we were having dinner with the guys and their girlfriends, why did you lean away from me when I tried to kiss you?”

You did that?

Genuine surprise takes over your face. ���Wait, what did I do? Shit, Pau, I didn’t even realize.”

His bottom lip tugs between his teeth as he turns into your driveway. “Are you sure? Because it felt intentional.” His words had bite to them, whether he meant to or not.

“Seriously, I would’ve never done that intentionally. Is that why you’ve been so withdrawn?” You frown, leaning your head back against the headrest and unbuckling while Pau parks.

He nods shamefully, “sorry, I just got upset. I was being a dick when I should have just talked to you about it. I’m sorry.” He couldn’t meet your eyes, to annoyed with himself to face you.

“Pau.” You sigh out, “look at me.”

He does just that, meeting your eyes with a pained look. “I’m sorry.”

“I know. You can’t do this again, though.” You give him a warning tone, “and you owe me, big time.”

Nodding, Pau grabs your hand, giving it a tight squeeze. “After my next game, we should go on a date. Anywhere you want to go, i’ll take you.”

Tapping your chin, you ponder the idea. “How about a movie night? I want alone time, and you will be watching every movie I chose, got it? Oh, and please bring snacks.”

A smile forms on Pau’s lips, causing one to grown on yours. “Anything you want. Make a list, i’ll stop by the store on the way here.”

Sitting up and gathering your things, you nod. “Will do! Goodnight, I love you.”

“Goodnight, I love you.” Pau leans over, meeting your lips in a soft kiss.

likes , comments , and reblog’s are all appreciated. lmk if you’d like to be tagged in future pau posts.

DTS , @halfwayhearted @ar4ujos @sakashq @joaoflms @hrts4havertz @spidybaby @unx100to !

[etherealstar-writes]

I WANNA BE YOURS | LIONESSES X READER | PT 9

pairings: lionesses x reader

summary: in which you're accidentally added to a random group chat, not knowing they're all actually famous footballers, and obliviously end up having many of them competing for your love and attention.

part: nine

part one here

✦ ——— ✦ ——— ✦

You were seated on the couch with your best friend, Dani, in her apartment with bowls of snacks stacked in front of you guys. Dani was the one currently obsessed with the women football since England was hosting the Euros, and would be the one spamming you with edits.

She'd begged you to come tonight to watch the quarter finals with her with England versing Spain. And you'd finally given in, hoping to finally get cultured and then flex off to the group chat that you finally knew the names of more players other than just Lucy Bronze.

And so here you were, your eyes glued on the tv screen as the National Anthem had ended and the match was about to start. Your eyebrows had furrowed in confusion when the line-ups had been displayed for a few seconds before the kick-off whistle was blown. The last names of the Lionesses were somehow familiar, but before you could dwell on it more, it went away.

"Okay so," Dani began, pointing to the different players as the match began. "The blonde one with the number 8 on her back is Leah Williamson, my personal fav, and the captain of the team."

You nodded along.

Leah Williamson. Seems familiar.

"And then the one in goals is Mary Earps. There's Lucy Bronze with the number 2 on her back and Mille Bright next to Leah with number 6. Over there running is Keira Walsh and she has 4 on her back."

Your eyebrows furrowed again when you heard the name Earps and Bright, but decided to ignore it.

"Right there is Lauren Hemp with 11 next to Fran Kirby who's 14, and that one is Rachel Daly with number 3 on her back."

Nahhh, it couldn't be a coincidence, could it? Leah, Earps, Bright, Kie, Lauren, and now Daly?

"Oh, and that's Stanway with the ball. She just passed it to Meado!"

Hold on.

Your eyes widened. "Meado?"

"Yeah, Beth Mead. We call her Meado." Dani nodded, glancing at you and saw that you had a shocked look on your face. "You good?"

"Wait, so would Stanway's first name be Georgia by any chance?" You questioned.

"Yeah, you guessed it right!" Dani laughed. "It looks like my edits are helping."

You forced a smile on your face and nodded along, but internally you were screaming. You grabbed your phone and googled all the players on the football squad including the subs, noticing the resemblance to all the names on the group chat.

Leah Williamson. Georgia Stanway. Ella Toone. Alessia Russo. Beth Mead. Lotte Wubben-Moy. Niamh Charles. Lucy Bronze. Mary Earps. And it went on. Some had only spoken once but you had seen their name.

While Dani was focused on the game, you were lost in your own thoughts. It all seemed like a big joke right now.

The times they'd be in the gym and would be training together. The photos they would send on the chat where they were in what you now realised were their football kits, and the football games they would pass off as a bit of fun. And the fact that Lucy Bronze had commented your post.

It all made sense when you thought about it.

These past few months you'd been chatting with them, you'd thought you had gotten to "know" them better, but really you knew practically nothing because they'd continued to hide about who they were and would change the topic when you did try to bring it up, all while knowing basically everything about you.

And suddenly, you felt very stupid and very played, as well as kinda betrayed.

✦ ——— ✦ ——— ✦

liked by danisterling and 140 others

yourusername: me raiding all of dani's snacks while trying to understand football. england national football team or national diving team? who knows 🤷‍♀️ is it coming home lionesses?

danisterling: it's coming homeeeee ↳ yourusername: let's hope so

laniangelo: maybe you'll get lucky and another of them will see this post and you can finally become a wag ↳ yourusername: new fear: unlocked

chasejackson: looking flawless l/n 😩 ↳ yourusername i know 😌

✦ ——— ✦ ——— ✦

THE NATIONAL DIVING TEAM

the imposter well done on the match girls! you guys played great loved the goals toone and stanway

elton

thank you so much y/n!

stairway ahh thank you y/n really appreciate it wait .... HOW DID YOU KNOW THAT ITS US

neev oh no

the imposter have fun messing around with someone else and hiding your identities from them! xx

the imposter left

meado what were you guys expecting? you were literally going to be on tv playing football she was bound to see and find out soon you should've told her sooner

stairway we messed up didn't we?

willybum yeah

neev we gotta fix this

the REAL karate kid how she probably hates us

elton i got an idea

✦ ——— ✦ ——— ✦

leahwilliamsonn started following yourusername alessiarusso99 started following yourusername ellatoone started following yourusername stanwaygeorgia started following yourusername niamhcharles17 started following yourusername lottewubbenmoy started following yourusername lucybronze started following yourusername 1maryearps started following yourusername and more started following yourusername

✦ ——— ✦ ——— ✦

part ten here

[antiquarianfics]

Shower

Sometimes it's all you can do to breathe. Sometimes you need a little help--even with the basics. Bucky's happy to help.

A/N: This is a completely self-indulgent comfort fic. Genre: Fluff / Rating: PG Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Fem!Reader Warnings: Themes of mental illness, nudity. Note: I do not own the character Bucky Barnes or any other Marvel affiliated characters.

You do not have permission to copy or repost my work; however, feel free to like, comment, and reblog.

---

If you were being perfectly honest with yourself, you knew this was pathetic: lying on the bathroom floor, nibbling on a half eaten pop tart, and listening to the shower run.

“Not only am I gross,” you think, “I’m wasting perfectly good water.”

You sigh, willing yourself to stand up, to shower, to not eat on the bathroom floor. But you can’t.

Depression is weird like that, taking seemingly simple, inconsequential tasks and turning them into battles. You certainly didn’t lie on the bathroom floor, eating pop tarts, while listening to the shower run when you were mentally well.

The truth was: You just got back from a mission. A run of the mill recon mission. You were in, you were out. You did your job. But now you were sweaty, and sore, and unable to do anything for the benefit of yourself. Helping other people? No problem? Helping yourself? Mission: Impossible.

You groan, pulling your towel under your head for minimal neck support as you stare at the ceiling. You can see where condensation slowly develops and drips from the fan, and if you turn your head, you can see the fogged up mirror.

“I’ve been here a while,” you note.

You pull out your phone, checking the time. 9:04 PM. You don’t know when you got back, when you turned on the shower, when you dropped to the floor. The time tells you nothing.

You groan again, throwing your arm across your eyes. You’re tired, and you’re positive you could fall asleep here on the bathroom floor. You know you shouldn’t, but you could… and you haven’t been sleeping in your bed… and you let yourself drift off.

Banging. You wake to banging. No—knocking. You wake to knocking. As you come to, you realize someone is knocking on the bathroom door. You don’t have it in you to stand and open it. You never undressed anyway, lying on the floor in your tac suit, so you call out “unlocked!” and watch as the doorknob twists and the door is cautiously opened.

“Y/N?” The intruder calls softly with concern lacing each syllable of your name.

You groan in response, letting your arm fall from your face as your eyes flutter open. You look up to be met with the ever so concerned blue eyes of your best friend: Bucky Barnes. As he makes eye contact with you on the floor, eyes drawn downward at your groan, eyebrows scrunched in confusion, he opens his mouth to say something before seeming to think better of it.

“Can I come in?” He asks cautiously after a moment.

You nod and he slips into the bathroom, gently closing the door behind him. He lets himself sink to the floor beside you, pulling your head into his lap both to accommodate his large size in your small bathroom and in an attempt to comfort you. He lets his hand fall to your hair, quietly playing with it. You hum contentedly, eyes fluttering closed again, and you’re grateful he hasn’t begun interrogating you even though you know he’s confused.

Maybe 5 minutes pass in silence. Your mind is finally somewhat at ease from the comfort Bucky brings you, but you know he deserves an explanation as to why he’s on your bathroom floor holding you while the shower runs.

“I…” you start, trailing off before clearing your throat nervously and trying again. “I know this is weird. I can explain.”

Bucky shakes his head, raising an eyebrow. “You don’t have to, Doll. Lord knows I don’t always explain to you the weird things I do when I…” have an episode, he was going to say. He doesn’t want to call this an episode, though. He’s still not sure what this is. “We all deal with post-mission stress differently,” he says instead.

You huff. “I wish I was doing this because of mission stress.”

Bucky doesn’t respond, just watches patiently as he continues to run his fingers through your hair. He refuses to force anything out of you you’re not ready to share; after all, you never force him to spit his feelings out.

“Bucky, I… I’m not doing well.”

The admittance takes you off guard. You hadn’t even acknowledged to yourself that you weren’t doing well. You’d been avoiding that simple truth, that small detail.

“Yeah. Healthy people don’t generally run up the water bill while they snack on the floor,” Bucky teases gently. You are aware there’s no malice behind his words; he’s just trying to lighten the mood. You cringe, though, when you realize he had noticed the pop tart wrapper and the clear lack of pop tart. Bucky notices you cringe, though, and his light smile drops.

“How can I help, Doll?”

You shake your head. “You don’t have-”

“I want to,” he cuts you off.

You swallow nervously, but nod. You’ll let him help you.

“I, uh. Can you…” you scrunch your eyes, grounding yourself despite your embarrassment. “Can you help me shower?” You choke out the words, hoping he maybe missed them and will leave you on the bathroom floor to sulk.

Bucky smiles encouragingly, not showing any signs that he is bothered or uncomfortable with the request. Instead of running and leaving you to your self-destructive tendencies, he helps you sit up before standing himself, grabbing your hand and pulling you to your own feet. Gently he helps you out of your tac suit that clings to your body uncomfortably from sweat both from the mission and the steamy bathroom. Once your suit is removed, he helps you pull off your sports bra and shimmy out of your underwear. It’s intimate, yes, but it’s not at all sexual. You can’t help but curse yourself for letting the first time he saw you like this be under these circumstances. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. You bite your lip anxiously, closing your eyes as you wrap your arms around yourself in a self conscious hug.

Bucky’s gaze is 100% respectful. He keeps his eyes on your face, or the back of your head when you’re turned around, only letting his gaze drop to help you out of your constricted clothing.

He finally helps you step into the shower, pulling the curtain closed as you step in. You let yourself stand under the water, staring at the wall in front of you. Your thoughts are running a million miles an hour and are also nonexistent at the same time. You wish you knew how you could think about everything and nothing at the same time.

You hear a soft clinking sound that you’re sure is Bucky unbuckling his belt. Then you hear the sliding of his jeans down his legs, and the gentle grunt he lets out while he takes off his shirt. You’re not sure because you can’t see, but you’re pretty sure you hear him fold his clothes and yours to set neatly on the counter. Finally, he pulls the shower curtain back a little to step in himself.

He smiles reassuringly at you, keeping his eyes on yours. You force a small smile onto your own lips in response.

He’s still in his boxers, protecting his modesty for your sake. You can’t help but feel a little disappointed but you shake your head, chasing those thoughts out of your mind. He’s just your friend—your best friend—and he’s only doing you a favor. As a friend. Not his girlfriend.

Bucky’s eyebrows scrunch together in concern as he watches you shake your head, obviously distraught.

“Hey, hey. Sweetheart, look at me,” he says, resting his palm on your cheek. You look at him. “Are you alright?” He asks, searching your eyes for any indication that you’re not.

You only nod. He eyes you suspiciously but drops the subject. Instead, he reaches behind you for your shampoo, squirting some into his hand, before letting his hands fall into your hair, slowly massaging the shampoo into your scalp.

Bucky quietly washes you, stepping back only to let you wash your more intimate parts. His hands on your body are intoxicating. His right is calloused and rough from decades of use and his left is smooth and and warmed from the water, but they’re both so gentle as they run along your body. When he finishes bathing you, he lets his arms drop to his side, and you immediately miss his touch. He looks anxious and unsure of himself for the first time since entering your bathroom, and you realize it’s because he suddenly isn’t sure what to do with himself. Without thinking much about it, you give him a new task.

You step forward into him, wrapping your arms around his torso and resting your cheek against his chest. The action surprises him, but he almost immediately wraps his own arms around you, holding you close. He plants a soft kiss to the top of your head.

“I’ve got ‘ya, sweetheart,” he assures. “I’ve got you.”

[c-schroed]

Why Not Watch Some Movies Set in 2025?

Another new year has just begun, and I love to start it with a look back to how some people years ago envisioned this specific year to be (just like last year). So, I'll share with you my list of movies set in the year of 2025, based on this gorgeous Wikipedia list.

Of course, some of the movies listed there don't provide much of a vision, because they're set just a few years in the future. So, I'll focus on movies that are at least ten years old, reducing my Get Ready For '25 watchlist to 11 entries. Future me will edit this post, adding a quick review to each film after I've watched it. So, let's have a look at the movies, after the cut.

Endgame (Original title: Bronx Lotta Finale). The oldest entry in the list comes from 1983, and it shows us a run-of-the-mill post-apocalyptic New York. Seemingly, some nuclear war has happened (around 1990, as a clever Wikipedia writer deduces based on the technology shown in the film), leaving a wasteland filled with scavengers and telepathic mutants. Oh, and hunters and gladiators who fight to death for a TV show called Endgame. A Boy And His Dog meets The Running Man, as it seems. One could start worse, I guess, though the writer/director worked under a pseudonym for this, which I admit is not the best of omens. PS: I usually look at places like Youtube and Dailymotion if someone uploaded some of the older flicks, and on this lil quest I among others found a German dubbed version with Hungarian voice-over of this originally Italian flick. So if you happen to understand Hungarian (I don't), have fun with this truly pan-european edition! Wow. I admit that this flick was a better start than I anticipated. It's still not great, but the first third is very entertaining, with some nicely choreographed fights. Very wrestling-esque, very sweet. However, then all of a sudden the whole gladiator fight TV show stuff ends, and instead we get some "Bring these guys to this place" plot instead. Entertaining The Running Man ripoff becomes less entertaining Mad Max 2 ripoff. 5 out of 10 points. Oh, and I solved the riddle of the director's pseudonym: He usually made smut films, so I guess he did not want to confuse his smut film fans by putting his smut film persona into the credits of this relatively non-smut production.

Future Hunters. A movie from 1986, and yet another post-apocalyptic world. Some rebel group search for the Spear of Destiny, which allows them to travel back in time. So, I'm afraid most of the film will not happen in 2025, but 39 years earlier, where the Spear has to be reunited with its shaft (the Shaft of Destiny, I guess?) to break its curse. Or so. Raiders of the Lost Ark seems to meet Terminator, here. And we even have Robert Patrick in one of his first leading roles, five years before becoming a real Terminator. I am indeed disappointed by how little a role the year 2025 plays. The Guy From The Future even dies within the first ten minutes, and afterwards it's The Adventures of I-Wanna-Be-an-Anthropologist-One-Day And Her Boyfriend Who Will Later Play The T-1000. Poor female protagonist hardly passes the Sexy Lamp Test – The plot needs her exactly one (1) time, and this is in fact the number an actual lamp is needed for the plot, too! I admit, though, that the final third of this wild ride is a bit entertaining. Still, a movie that makes you rethink your new year's traditions. 3 out of 10 points.

Futuresport. This one is from 1998, and it was made directly for TV. The eponymous sport of the year 2025 is a mix of basketball, baseball and hockey that uses hoverboards and rollerblades, and it is used as a less lethal alternative for gang warfare. Specifically, this sport shall be used to decide who will rule over the Hawaiian Islands. When looking at this synopsis, I can't stop thinking about one of my favourite movies, the 1975 sci-fi classic Rollerball. Rollerball is set in the year of 2018, so maybe I can spin me some head canon that has Futuresport developing from Rollerball. We'll see. Nevermind that head canon dream of mine, this has nothing in common with Rollerball. It's quite entertaining, though, I'll give it that. Of the 2025 visions so far, this one is the first to show a bit of imagination, with Borg camera operators and President Chelsea. Nice. And even a Beyond Belief moment. I liked movies for less. 6 out of 10 points.

Timecop 2: The Berlin Decision. A 2003 direct-to-video sequel to the Jean-Claude Van Damme flick of 1994. Timecop part one was set in 2004, and 21 years later, in the sequel, some guy is sent to Berlin of the past. To kill Hitler. Oh my. This could be quite the ride. I think I watched part one when I was young, but I can't remember much. So maybe this year is a good opportunity for a rewatch of this Van Damme flick - though I don't think it will be needed to understand part two. The double feature DVD box is cheap to get, so we'll see. Part one is indeed not needed to understand part two. But one scene in part one makes part two quite hilarious, so I don't regret watching both. Due to quite some mangling with the timeline, however, there's not much to learn about the year of 2025. Except that we have tazers that can fry someone's brain. And that Tesla Cybertrucks kinda exist for more than 20 years already. Quite the dystopia. Oh, and at one point they indicate that all the time crimes have their court hearings and judgements before a Time Cop is sent back in time to in fact arrest the convict. Which makes sense. They're time travelers, they can get back and grab the guy whenever they want. Why not get all the the paperwork done beforehand? It still is at best a mildly entertaining flick, that most of the time looks like an okay-ish TV episode. 5 out of 10 points.

Negadon, the Monster from Mars. A 2005 animated kaiju short film from Japan, wherein a mars mission brings some monster back to earth. Which of course has to be fought with some huge robot. Sounds okay, and we're talking about 25 minutes to spend. So why not. Aww. That one was quite lovely. I mean, the character animations were straight from the Uncanny Valley, and the story was pure cliché. But it has these clumsy indie production vibes that you don't get to see very often these days. Plus, we learn that in this version of 2025 we went to the mars to start terraforming it. With nuclear weapons that melt the poles. Get nuked, Mars! 6 out of 10 points.

Repo Men. A 2010 film that shows us a 2025 where bio-mechanical organs are rented to people in need. If they can't afford the organs any more, well, the repossession is quite bloody. So basically it's 2008's Repo! The Genetic Opera, but without the cool singing. I watched this movie when it was in cinemas, and it was okayish. So, time for a rewatch. Well. Obviously the story is a bit too optimistic regarding the 2025 state of bioengineering. On the other hand, a huge and expensive organ retrieval system is so stupid that any current supermarket's self-service checkout would easily outsmart it. Oh. And I totally forgot that this flick copies not only Repo! The Genetic Opera, but also Terry Gilliam's marvellous Brazil. If this is done deliberately, though, then it's not done well, unfortunately. Which is a terrible pity. And it's even more of a pity how Repo Men starts as a razor-sharp satire that takes cutthroat capitalism word for word and has at least one (1) indeed hilarious scene, and ends as a run of-the-mill action flick whose ending betrays the biting social commentary of the exposition. 6 out of 10 points. Well, at least the Repo Men DVD has some nice extras.

Zebraman 2: Attack on Zebra City. Some Japanese superhero flick from 2010, of course it's a sequel to a film called Zebraman, from 2004, wherein a teacher starts to fight crime in the costume of his childhood TV hero. The sequel is set 15 years after part one (so yes, Zebraman 2 is produced in the year that Zebraman 1 is set in), and Tokyo is renamed to Zebra City and now has a "Zebra Time", a daily period of five minutes where all crime is legal, but presumed criminals will be attacked by the "Zebra Police". This could be hilarious, The Purge on speed (before the first part of The Purge even existed!), but I'll keep my expectations low. And I'll try to watch part one first, because Zebraman 2 seems to use a lot of its characters.

Pacific Rim. A 2013 instant classic. In 2025, giant kaijus must be fought with giant mechas (just as in Negadon; see above). Gosh, I love this one, but spouse hasn't seen it yet. And is highly sceptical. But when if not this year should one give this a try, right?

Hot Tub Time Machine 2. Four guys are sent ten years into the future by the eponymous bathing device, to find someone who tried to kill one of them. I absolutely did not like the first part, so I really feel tempted to skip this.

Mountains May Depart. A 2015 Chinese drama spanning a time from 1999 to 2025. The synopsis is full of love-triangles and family drama, so I don't suspect much of a vision of the future. Plus, it seems to be rather hard to get, so maybe I'll skip this one, too.

Ten Years. Also from 2015, this movie from Hong Kong speculates about what the semi-autonomous Hong Kong will be in ten years from then, with human rights and freedoms gradually diminishing as the influence of the Chinese government increases. I'm very curious about this one!

[sluttysnowangel666]

Chapters 7, 8, & 9 of The Song of Blackwoods & Brackens

This story is written BY ME and I do not consent or give permission to it being posted or translated anywhere else. thank you for supporting your writers <3

Chapter Master List

cw: fem kissing, mention of smut but none yet, cursing and violence

Chapter 7: The Wars to Come

𐂃 𐂃 𐂃 𐂃

I did not return to the court yard after Benjicot's words.

They had stricken me, hurt me. I was drawn to his presence, and yet he thought of me as a fool.

It had been 3 days since our fight, and approximately 4 days since my brother had left for King's Landing. He likely would have caught up with uncle by this point, but they would still have a ways to go. My uncle would be furious to know I was still here, but he could not refuse the words of the King, and he could not leave Stone Henge unattended. I was his only option.

As Benjicot Blackwood was also mine.

———

Ignoring Benjicot's advice, I returned to the court yard. My body had started to recover from the aches and pains, but my heart hadn't. It ached from his sharp words.

I should not have been getting upset by them. He wasn't truly talking to me. He was talking to Aeron. I tried to remember that.

I was shocked to arrive at the court yard and see him a few meters away, waiting at the boundary stones.

He notices me and arises, making his way over to me. "Lord Bracken."

"Why do you keep saying Lord like that? It feels insulting."

"Trust me that it is." He says, smirking. I sigh. "I was starting to think you wouldn't come back."

"Well... You told me not to."

"I did," He says, "And you didn't listen. You didn't take my advice. So, here we are. Ready to spar again."

"Spar? Is that what you call it?"

"You're right, I apologize. It was me besting you, and you running home with your little Bracken tail tucked between your legs." He laughs.

"You are a miserable man." I say.

"And you act like no man at all. Grow up, Bracken. Learn to stop bloody crying. Stand up after a fight. How can you possibly be the heir to Stone Henge?"

"I wonder that myself." I say, defeated for the final time. I turn and toss my sword on the ground.

"Stop." He says, and I do. "I'll help you, Bracken."

I turn to him, "What?"

His face holds an emotion that I can't interpret properly. It almost looks sympathetic, sorry even. "I will help train you. You'll need to learn to carry a sword if you are to defend your house in the wars to come."

"Do... Do you mean it, Lord Blackwood?"

He sighs, "Unfortunately, yes. I do."

I can't hide the small smile that appears across my face, whilst his stiffens as if it's taking all his strength not to smile back.

"Are you ready to begin, little Bracken?"

Gods, I wish I could hide the blush on my cheeks when he calls me that.

~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 8: The Weirwood

A day later, 24 days before the Battle of the Burning Mill

𐂃 𐂃 𐂃 𐂃

"First of all, your bloody problem is your sword is 3 times your body weight." Benjicot says, taking it from me and tossing it aside. "I have something you can borrow until one of your blacksmiths can forge you something closer to your size."

I scoff, "As if they'd ever do that for me."

He's confused, "Well, why not? You're the heir. You need a sword to fight."

Bloody fool I am.

"Oh, I just meant... my uncle wants me to keep on using the one I have now."

"Alright, well just keep this one then and use it for practice."

"Wow, really? Are you sure?"

"Uh, yes? It's just a pretty standard steel sword. Not too hard to come by." He says, grabbing a satchel and his sword before trudging down the boundary stones.

"Where are we going?" I ask.

"We're gonna get you some proper training where not everyone is gonna see you knocked on your ass. Not that I care, but if you plan to be the heir, you need to earn a good reputation."

"A good reputation? You mean like yours, Bloody Ben?" I say

He stops in his tracks, and I run directly into his back. "Exactly." He continues walking.

——

"This should suffice." Benjicot says, setting down his belongings.

"Well, I should bloody hope so! That was an hour's walk!" I say, resting my hands on my knees and panting.

"It was. You don't want us to get caught now, do you?"

"Caught? We're not doing anything wrong."

"Perhaps not, but we are doing something queer. You ever seen a Blackwood and a Bracken stand more than 5 feet apart without brawling?"

"I suppose not."

"Exactly. Now shut up and unsheathe your sword."

I do as he says, and our training begins.

It's hours and hours of grueling, painful training. By the time he's ready for us to break, I could no longer hardly breathe.

"Don't be so dramatic." He says, as I chug water from the river. I scoop it into my hands and let it run over my head and face. Benjicot's eyes linger on my wet tunic, specifically my chest.

"You want a bloody kiss do ya, Blackwood?"

"You're disgusting." He retorts.

He sits beside me at the river, mimicking what I did with the water. I let my eyes linger on him farther than I should.

"What, do you want a bloody kiss or something, Bracken? Quit staring at me."

"Sorry." I say, quickly, averting my gaze.

"Don't be so apologetic. Learn to be a brute back sometimes." He says and I nod.

We sit together, passing an apple back and forth while staring at the rotted weirwood tree.

"You know why it's rotted, right?" He asks me.

"I've heard the rumor." I say.

"It's not a rumor. You Brackens are insufferable. Can never just admit to your mistake. Maybe then our houses wouldn't be at war."

"Good Gods, can you shut up? You're boring me." I say. He snatches the apple from me and throws it in the river. "You are such a bloody cunt, Blackwood!"

"Well, you would know about bloody cunts, wouldn't you?!"

"What the hell are you implying, you fool?" I ask, trying to hide the tremble in my voice, worried he may be onto me.

He jabs his finger in my chest, "I'm implying that you, Aeron Bracken, are a pussy."

Although I am not Aeron Bracken, those words ignited a fire in me.

I spit in his face and he stills. He wipes the spit, yet he is eerily calm for a few moments.

He smiles, "I am going to kill you."

He lunges at me, wrapping his hands around my throat.

He straddles me, "I shouldn't have even helped you, you bastard Bracken." His fingers are tight around my throat, and I claw at his hands.

I wiggle my knee out, and jam it right into his crotch. He immediately groans and releases me, moving his hands to his crotch and falling on his knees, resting his forehead on the forest floor. For a moment, I think he's crying, but he's panting. Short and shallow breaths.

"How shameful. Your uncle raised you with no morals, bastard." He says, finally catching his breath.

"My uncle didn't raise me at all."

After regaining himself, Benjicot gathers his things in silence. The walk back is long and silent, and we arrive by nightfall.

"I apologize... for today's events, Lord Blackwood. Will I see you tomorrow, same place?" I ask, worried he will no longer train me after today's events.

"Who says the night is over?"

~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 9: The Brothel

𐂃 𐂃 𐂃 𐂃

"Lord Blackwood, I must admit I am slightly unsure of this."

"Have you truly never been to the brothel, Bracken? It's a rite of passage. Trust me, this will help you finally man the hell up. No great swordsman has never gotten died without getting his cock sucked by a pretty whore." Benjicot says, my face twitches at his words, offended at his crudeness... and upset at his honesty.

"You shouldn't speak of ladies like that." I say.

"They're not ladies, they're whores. Your sister is a lady. Learn the difference." My face twitches again, he's unbearably insufferable at times.

We arrival at the brothel, both of us wearing large dark cloaks. "I'll be right back, I'm going to grab us a flagon."

"No, please, Blackwood-" But my words are useless, and he's gone in the maze of people.

And I'm left alone. A lady, in a brothel, pretending to be her brother.

I find a dark booth in a corner and take my sitting. If I was fortunate, any of the women would avoid me and just think of me as another brothel creep. If I was more, Benjicot would find me too. If he didn't, I'd likely never move from this spot again out of fear of being caught.

Luck would fortunately be on my side today, as Benjicot found me only minutes later. "Gods, did you have to pick such a dank spot?"

I sigh, "Just give me the bloody.." I trail off, snatching the wine from his hands. I pour some into our glasses and set the flagon back down.

We sit in silence. I don't know what to say, and truthfully he seems unsure too. His face displays nervousness, as if he's regretting coming here.

A woman appears and breaks our awkward silence.

"You two..." A glance at me, "gentlemen seem rather lonely back here. May I join you?"

Before either of us can answer she slides her way into the booth. "What brings you boys here?" She asks, flashing a gleaming smile at me.

"Drinking." Benjicot answers, flatly.

"Is your friend always so reserved, milord?" She turns to me with that smile again.

"No, normally he never shuts up." I say, staring at Benjicot. The woman laughs, smacking my arm playfully, and I swear the corner of Benjicot's mouth turns up into a small smirk.

"What about you, milord? Are you a proper gentleman?" She asks, a curious smile on her lips. She twirls her fingers up my arm, then begins weaving them through my hair.

My cheeks flush, "Oh, I... I'm unsure... I.." I cast a look to Benjicot, silently pleading for help.

And boy, does he.

"This one's never been with a lady before." He says, a devious smile on his face. The woman gasps at his words.

"Well, that's no good is it?" She tosses her leg over my lap and straddles me, "Let me be your first."

"Oh, no, my lady, I-" She cuts me off, pressing her delicate lips to mine. I gasp into the kiss and a shiver runs down my spine. My heart feels as though it will beat out of my chest.

I glance at Benjicot, and his eyes are already on mine. His expression is curious, and shocked, his mouth slightly agape.

"My lady-" I try to speak, but she continues the kiss, pushing her tongue in my mouth and swirling it with mine. I close my eyes and allow her to kiss me.

Not that I don't particularly enjoy the feeling, but it is so foreign and new. Her mouth tastes of sweet wine, and I can smell her sweat and skin.

She grabs one of my hands and rests it upon her breast. I allow it to rest there, but I make no attempts to massage it.

This is where it all went awry.

Her hands slide up my tunic, rubbing her slender fingers along my stomach. She pushes further to my chest, and moves her hand slightly to the right onto my breast before immediately stopping.

"What the hell? Are you-" I shove her off me before she can continue her sentence.

She falls beside me onto the chair, shock and a hint of anger on her face, "I'm so sorry, my lady. You're lovely. I... I-I'm so sorry."

I don't even look to see Benjicot's reaction. Instead I throw up my hood, and I run all the way to Stone Henge without stopping once.

[woman-respecter]

Been seeing a lot of queer/trans men scapegoating "cishet women" and it always rings my misogyny alarm bells. Especially gay trans guys, they are so ready to excuse and defend cis men because they want to fuck them, so they act like women are actually super evil and oppressive and all their posts are about how mean and homophobic and transphobic women are. Meanwhile you go to any right wing space and it's 80% white men saying that trans men are confused women who cut their tits off and trans women are predators who should be shot in the street.

I fucking hate terfs but I always think it's interesting how terfs get way more attention than your run of the mill transphobic conservative guy, and non-feminist transphobes will get labeled as terfs like that acronym doesn't mean something specific.

yes! SO many such cases of trans guys acting like “cishet” women are the ultimate evil. and it just is not in tune with reality.

[munsons-melody]

starchild’s competition

18+ Minors, DNI.

summary: dustin’s noticed your odd behavior and takes it upon himself to figure out what’s going on. little does he know, you’ve fallen in love with the dungeon master of his dnd club.

pairing: eddie munson x female!henderson!reader

cw: almost smut? implications of sex, kissing, etc. bit of fluff / bit of smut

word count: 5.1 k

a/n: this is one of my favorite things i’ve ever written, definitely thinking of making a pt. 2… also apologies for the spacing on this one, it didn’t like me pasting my writing from wattpad to tumblr lol

masterlist

i do not consent to having any of my works republished, translated, or posted to any other site except here. if you see my works anywhere but tumblr, it has been republished without my knowledge, consent, or permission.

—

dustin henderson never snooped... okay that was a lie, he only snooped when he knew he needed to, like today

you and dustin had grown up as close siblings. without your dad in the picture, moving to hawkins when you were 14 and he was 9, and living with your single mom, you knew you had to take care of each other

obviously, you two had run-of-the-mill spats with each other as every sibling has with one another, but you two still loved each other very much

even the times when he's tackled you in order to get the last pop tart, in which you would snatch it back from him, just for him to say 'no collarbones' to tug on your heartstrings and you'd end up giving it to him anyways

but these past few weeks had been very different, you were different

you were always out late, and if you weren't already out late, you were pretending to go to bed early just to sneak out of your window to be out late

you were never really in the house anymore, and when you were, there would be an odd smell coming from your room

dustin was became confused on why you never had much time to drive him to hellfire or bother steve together at family video anymore, and he was confused on why you would always finish dinner quickly then go straight to your room or why you'd always have some metal song playing in your walkman (a genre he didn't even know you owned cassettes of)

but little did he know the reason why was because you had accidentally fallen in love with one of his best friends and the dungeon master of his dnd club... eddie munson

and truth be told it was an accident.

you and eddie had always inconspicuously flirted with one another. it occurred whenever you would drop off dustin at hellfire, or when eddie would come up to the kitchen during one of the campaign's breaks to see you before the rest of the party would come up from the basement of your house

the two of you would talk, laugh, make jokes, and much to dustins knowledge, he knew that neither of you would try anything, i mean you couldn't right?

wrong. after a few weeks, eddie formally asked you out. it was for a nice romantic picnic out by lovers lake. you said yes, seeing as the cute metalhead in front of you already had you wrapped around his finger, and one date couldn't hurt...

but more dates did occur- watching corroded coffin play at the hideout, sneaking out to smoke at his house, making out in the back of his van with music blaring in the background, and having him over to study since you two "had the same history class and were made partners by your teacher" - which is what you always told dustin

you couldn't help it, the two of you just naturally gravitated toward each other, but you still didn't tell dustin, or really anyone for that matter. you loved your little bubble that you built together over the past couple months and the fear of scrutiny from other party members, especially your little brother, would burst it

but nonetheless, dustin grew suspicious of his sister, suddenly acting secretive and dodgy

you had left to go to the mall with nancy and robin earlier in the evening and it gave dustin his opportunity. he quietly walked out of his room and into yours

he closed your door quietly behind him, and he scanned your room. he didn't find anything out of the ordinary at first, till he noticed some cassettes and a piece of paper on your dresser

intrigued, he walked over and picked them up. there were four cassettes you had sitting there, metallica's ride the lighting, dynasty and love gun by kiss, and heaven and hell by black sabbath

he picked up the piece of paper that looked a little crumpled and opened it up to read

here's a couple of my favorites, i hope you love them too... p.s., I'm dedicating track no. 1 on dynasty to you -starchild's competition

"starchild's competition? what the fuck does that even mean?" he said out loud to himself

out of curiosity, he took the dynasty cassette and decided to play track number one, seeing as it was dedicated to his sister by a random guy competing with someone named starchild

little did he know, it was a stupid inside joke between you and eddie

you two were smoking in his room and you had briefly mentioned your huge crush on paul stanley from kiss to eddie, to which he decided to tease you with, saying he was in competition with the huge star for your love and affection

at the time you didn't realized he signed the note with that, being a little too busy as you were high out of your mind, and he shoved the note and his cassettes into your bag for a cute surprise when you got home

dustin heard the familiar tune of 'i was made for loving you' ring through your room and he gagged

who is dedicating songs to her? he thought

continued to look around your room, finding a photo album peaking out from the side of your desk, hiding under a couple of school books

but his actions were soon interrupted as your door opened, and you spotted him

"what are you doing in my room" you asked with an annoyed tone

"oh uh... your stereo turned on and i was going to turn it off for you... good song choice by the way" he said stiffly as he awkwardly shuffled out of your room and into his

you shook your head at his weirdness and shut your door. you tossed the shopping bags you had onto your bed and shimmed off your jacket, tossing it onto your desk

you caught a glimpse of yourself in the mirror, a few hickies on your chest were showing that your jacket covered earlier

that was a byproduct of going over to eddies a few days beforehand. the two of you were going to try and do some homework but that soon turned into you on eddie's lap as the two of you feverishly made out

but it was soon interrupted by wayne who wanted to make sure the two of you had a proper dinner to "keep your studying energy up" so the two of you had to pull yourselves together and go eat the dinner wayne graciously made before he left for work

but, you were a little grateful for the interruption since it gave you an opportunity to buy a new and exciting piece of lingerie to surprise eddie with

-

the next night, you did your usual eat dinner fast then run back to your room routine, which you did in order to call eddie and talk to him

you two surprisingly never ran out of topics to talk about, and he never failed to make you laugh, which would end up with him wanting to see your "beautiful smile in person" and you would arrange for him to sneak into your room after your mom went to bed

the two of you were well into your honeymoon phase but neither of you minded

this particular evening, dustin and your mom were watching some movie and eating some ice cream for dessert when he heard a loud giggle from your room

"i'm going to go see if y/n wants some ice cream" dustin said, setting his bowl down and walking down the hallway

his steps were slow and quiet, your voice getting only slightly louder as he got closer to your door

"no baby i cannot tell you the surprise, you're gonna have to wait" he heard you giggle causing him to make a disgusted look on his face

okay, she clearly has a secret boyfriend which is why she's been acting so weird, he thought to himself, but he wondered who could it be for her to not tell anyone about

you're usually open about boys you like, especially the celebrity crushes you had which seemed to change every other week, so what's so special about this guy that she can't talk about him?

"mhm, yeah try and see if that works this time, cause it worked sooo great last time" you said with a sarcastic laugh

dustins ear pressed a little too close to the door causing it to creak open a little bit, catching your attention

he stood up straight and cleared his throat, knocking lightly to make it look like he had just got to your door. you muttered a "hold on" and lightly pressed the bottom half of your phone to your chest

"yes?" you questioned, and dustin blinked his wide eyes

"oh uh do you want ice cream for dessert?" he said and you smiled "sure, I'll be out in a sec, don't eat the rest of the chocolate please" you told him

he responded with a smile and nod, and closed the door to the way it was before and he heard you say a "it's my favorite flavor! it's not boring!" followed by another giggle

-

the next night was friday night

your mom had some PTA meeting and dinner meaning she would be out till late and dustin said he was going with lucas and mike to the arcade and then to mike's for a sleepover

you invited eddie over while the two of you were standing next to your locker

"yeah and my mom will be out all night at some PTA meeting and dustin's going to sleepover at mike's house, so it'll just be me... all alone... in an empty old house," you dragged the last part out causing a smirk to arise on eddie's face

"oh we can't have that now, can we?" eddie responded, taking his pointer finger and hooking it gently under your chin to pull you in for a kiss

"get a room you two" robin said arriving next to you

"its already booked" you rebutted back with a chuckle

you stayed there near your locker for a good few minutes, continuing to talk to robin who was just about to leave to catch her evening shift at the store. eventually the two of you said goodbye to her, walking out into the parking lot from the school

you drove home separately from eddie, telling him to come over at 5 and to park down the street not to draw attention and he gladly agreed

the clock was ticking down to 5 pm when your mom headed out the door

"i won't be back till late, bye sweeties!" she said as the door closed. now all who was left was dustin, standing next to you waving goodbye

"don't you have a sleepover at mikes or something?" you questioned

"yeah but i'm in no hurry to get there, i'll leave in a few minutes" he said when you noticed eddie's van drive past your house in order to park down the street causing your heart to drop

"you sure? didn't you guys want to go to the arcade too?" you asked, wanting him to leave already

"we're going but lucas can't meet us there till 5:15 so i have some time" he shrugged, sitting down on the couch causing you to mentally groan

your eyes widened as you saw eddie start to walk up your drive way

shit shit shit you said to yourself as he knocked on the door

dustin sat up "bet you 5 dollars mom forgot something" he joked, going towards the door before you even stepped your foot out

he quickly opened the door to reveal a very handsome eddie munson standing there with his dio t shirt and usual black jeans

"eddie? what are you doing here?" he asked. eddie looked like a deer caught in headlights. he quickly looked to you then back to dustin

"oh i uh just came by to uh... borrow your sisters history book... uh.. i lost my copy and we're partners for the class so..." he stammered out

dustin seemed to buy it as he let eddie into the house, and eddie gave you a smile

"well since you're here and i don't have to leave for a few minutes, can i ask your opinion on my new campaign?" dustin asked sweetly. eddie shrugged and muttered a sure before he was motioned to go down the hall to dustins room

you gave a sympathetic smile to him, and decided to head to the kitchen to get some water while you waited

you heard talking from the two of them down the hall, a few laughs here and there, when eventually the two of them emerged from dustins room, the clock reading 5:25

"oh shit I gotta go- hey since you're just here for a book and you're probably about to leave anyways, could you drop me off at the arcade? my bike should fit in the back of your van" he questioned and you could see the mental groan in eddie's eyes

"uh yeah sure" he said, looking to you. you giggled and walked past the boys, grabbing a random book from your desk and walking back to the living room, handing it to eddie

"thanks" he said. you could tell he was annoyed dustin was cockblocking him, and you tried not to laugh

"c'mon eddie i'm already late" dustin exclaimed, swinging a bag over his shoulder

"coming" he grumbled, looking at you once more before walking out the door, book in hand

you saw the two conversing as they walked down the street to where eddie's van was parked, dustin walking his bike next to him. you saw this as a chance to go change into your outfit for eddie's return.

you happily skipped into your room, shutting the door behind you. you went over to your underwear drawer where you stashed your new lingerie set, the red lacy fabric soft in your hands

you normally wouldn't wear a bright color such as this cherry red, opting for blacks since its what you felt most comfortable in, but you figured it'd be a nice change and such a surprise for your boyfriend

you quickly changed into the lingerie, taking a look at yourself in the mirror

"damn" you muttered out, feeling a new sense of confidence wash over you. you touched up the little bit of makeup you were wearing, and decided to fix your hair down, your hair cascading to your shoulders.

slight waves in your hair emerged from the bun you had it in earlier but you didn't mind since it added some life to your hair. you applied some of your favorite perfume to your wrists and behind your ears, and once you were satisfied with your look, you threw back on your sweatshirt and shorts.

you heard knocking at the front door, signaling eddie was back from driving dustin

you walked out of your room and opened the door to reveal an annoyed eddie. "that little fucker" he mumbled, walking in past you

"well hello to you too" you said jokingly. eddie turned to face you.

"hey sweetheart" he breathed out, before continuing his little rant

"he kept asking why i was parked so far from the house, so i told him it was cause i didn't want to block your driveway, then he asked why i had an English textbook if we were doing a history project together," he continued, handing you back the book you had previously handed him

"then he was annoyed when i said i was busy tonight and couldn't come to the arcade with him and his friends and he just kept on questioning everything i-" you cut him off by kissing him, catching him by surprise

"eds, calm down, he's gone now, its just the two of us, and it's not his fault he doesn't know what's really going on" you soothed, trying to calm your amped-up boyfriend

"you're right I'm sorry, it's just i wanted to be here with you like an hour ago but that little cockblock-" you cut him off by kissing him again, this time actually shutting him up

the book you had in your hand dropped to the seat behind you causing a thud. you wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling him closer. his hands slid under your shirt and up the sides of your torso, his rings were cold against your warm skin causing you to gasp, and eddie took this an opportunity to sneak his tongue into your mouth

you moaned in to the kiss causing him to smirk, when he started trailing his lips from yours down to your neck sucking on that sweet spot behind your ear

"eds" you breathed out, "yeah?" he mumbled, continuing to leave his mark on your neck

"my room" you stuttered out and he pulled away

"lead the way princess" he said with a smile, extending his hand for you to walk past him. you giggled, still stuck in a little bit of a haze, lacing his hand with yours in the process of walking past him

"did you bring it?" you asked as you entered your room. "condoms or weed?" he asked, shutting the door behind him and leaning against it

you giggled, "the weed but good to know about the condoms as well," you said with a wink

the two of you got into your usual positions, eddie sitting at your desk rolling a couple of joints while you lit some incense to cover the smell in case your mom came home early

once situated, you laid on your bed, side by side, passing the joint. you watched as eddie brought it up to his lips, and carefully sucked on it, lighting up the end, and breathing out the smoke

you watched his plush pink lips form in to an 'o' shape as the smoke blew, and you were mesmerized

and you stayed like that, smoking, staring at eddie, talking, but eventually by the end of the second joint, you didn't need anymore

"eddie" you whined, sitting on his lap, rolling your hips in attempts to get some friction for the heat pooling in your pants

eddie knew you had levels of being high, it would go from chill to giggly to horny to sleepy, and right now, he knew that all you cared about was him fucking you senseless

"yes baby?" he purred, hands gripping onto your thighs, your faces almost touching

"i need you" you whine again, starting to kiss his neck, and you moved your hands up the sides of his torso, lightly tugging on his shirt to get him to take it off

he loved taking his time with you while you were in this state, taking it as an opportunity to tease you. he loved making you a whining, moaning mess, hungry for his cock

he slowly moved your head from his neck so his lips met yours, kissing you with passion, his tongue fighting with yours

you broke apart for a second, taking off your shirt and tossing it across the room

"jesus christ y/n" he breathed out, absolutely enamored with the sight in front of him

"oh i forgot about that" you giggle, "you want to see the rest?" you ask in a sultry tone

he nods furiously and then gulps as you manage to wiggle off his lap

he watched intently as you flicked on the stereo, 'lick it up' by kiss blaring through your speakers as you moved your hips along to the beat of the song

"holy shit" eddie said, his eyes widening

you continued to move to the beat, flipping your hair and turning around, moving your body around in the most sexual way you know how

you dropped the shorts, tossing them beside you, and he smirked at the full sight of you

he sat up a bit as you started to slowly crawl onto your bed towards him, and he bit his lip in anticipation

you laid down next to him, and he took his opportunity to kiss down your neck and onto your collarbone, taking his time to leave his mark all over your chest and your neck

his hands traveled down your thigh, gripping your your backside as you grinded again his hard bulge

"i think you're wearing too many clothes" you said, lips almost touching

"yes m'am" he said with a light laugh and kissed you before he got up from the bed

the song had changed a couple times from the one you put on, and your speaker was blaring the chords of 'all hell's breakin' loose'

eddie tried to move his hips around in the way you did, but failing miserably causing you to laugh

he whipped off his t shirt, tossing it in your direction, and you watched intently as your boyfriend tried to give you a lap dance

he undid his belt, tossing it to his left side, and slowly undid his zipper

he looked at you, as you were holding back giggles as he was purposefully trying to be bad at this

he finally pulled down his pants and stepped out of them and kicked them over before jumping on to the bed next to you

"maybe we should stick to you performing on the stage and me performing in the bedroom" you giggled as he scooted closer

"yeah maybe that's for the best" he laughed, pulling you in to a deep kiss

he was on top of you and you were a moaning mess underneath him until you finally found the strength to flip the two of you over, wanting your turn to leave a few love bites down his neck

you knew everyone would see you together, see the hickies, and put two and two together but in this moment, you honestly couldn't care

you grinded down on his lap as you kissed the sweet spot behind his ear, causing a delicious moan to emit from those beautiful pink lips

——

"shit!" dustin yelled in an annoyed tone. he was in mike's basement with lucas, mike being upstairs grabbing a couple of snacks.

"what?" lucas asked towards the frantic curly haired boy

"i forgot my toothbrush" he said, grabbing his jacket

"where are you going?" mike asked walked down the stairs, arms full of junk food that would soon cease to exist, at the threat of being in front of three hungry teenage boys

"i need my toothbrush" dustin said, putting on his shoes

"just skip tonight, it's not a big deal" mike shrugged and dustin shook his head

"not a big deal? i just got these pearls and you expect me to not take care of them?" he held a hand up to his chest in offense

"just let him go, it'll only take him like 20 minutes tops" lucas said, opening a can of coke

"whatever but we're starting the star wars marathon without you" mike said and dustin looked at him with annoyance

"oh damn! it's not like i haven't seen the beginning of a new hope like 50 times" he said sarcastically before running up the stairs

he briefly told mrs. wheeler where he was going and that he was going to be back, and out the door he went, grabbing his bike

he started on his way to his house which wasn't too far from mike's, enjoying the cool breeze on the oddly warm spring night

he finally made it to his driveway, hearing the crickets outside and music coming from inside the house

dustin made his way up the stairs and opened the door which he found unusual since whenever you were home alone, you always made sure to lock everything up as you knew the only people who should be entering would have a key

the music traveled from your room and down the hall and he shrugged, assuming you were just listening to music loudly but then he smelled that oddly familiar smell wafting from your room

he went to the bathroom, grabbed his toothbrush and toothpaste and shut the door when he figured he should at least ask you about it

-

"oh fucking hell, you are so perfect" eddie muttered out as you licked the spot on his neck you had finished working on, proud of your accomplishment

one of your hands traveled down his hips and to the waist band of his boxers, starting to palm his rock hard bulge and he moaned, his fingers digging into your ass and thighs

your lips met his once more as you went to pull down his waist band, and you were so drunk on him, you couldn't focus on anything else

"hey y/n what's the- JESUS CHRIST" you heard a scream from your door way, causing you and eddie to jump apart

"dustin what the fuck are you doing here?!" you yell, grabbing your sheets to cover yourself up, eddie attempting to do the same

"what the fuck are you doing??" he screamed again

"what's it look like? now get out!" eddie yelled, throwing a pillow at him causing him to immediately step back and shut the door

your heart was pounding and your breathing was unsteady

"oh god" you groaned, leaning into eddie's chest

"well at least now he knows?" eddie said with a laugh

—

dustin, horrified at the sight, ran out of the house, toothbrush in hand and ran to his bike

he believed it was a record for how fast it took him to get back to mike's house from his

out of breath, he stumbled down into mikes basement seeing both mike and lucas staring intently at the movie

"why are you so out of breath?" lucas asked with concern

"i just saw my sister having sex with eddie" he managed to get out, still trying to catch his breath

"what?" mike asked

"I JUST SAW MY SISTER HAVING SEX WITH EDDIE" dustin screamed, repeating himself

"what the fuck?" mike asked again

"wait what so what did you even see?" lucas asked dustin

"i went to get my toothbrush and i heard music from her room and there was some smell so i decided to ask her what the smell was and i knocked- a few times, and she didn't answer so i assumed her music was too loud so i opened her door and i saw them half naked kissing on her bed!" dustin said with disgust

"jesus that's rough" lucas agreed

—

you finished putting back on your shorts, sitting on the edge of your bed with a gnawing feeling in your stomach

after what just happened, neither wanted to continue your plans for the evening so the two of you calmly got dressed and turned off the music.

"you okay?" eddie asked, sitting next to you and you shrugged

"i feel bad for having dustin find out about us that way" you said, playing with the hem of your shorts

"i know but now that it's out in the open you can always actually talk to him about everything tomorrow" he said and you nodded

"yeah i guess, plus i hate the fact that my surprise was wasted" you said, and he wrapped an arm around you as you leaned your head on his shoulder

"i wouldn't say it went to waste because jesus it definitely surprised me" he lifted your head gently to make eye contact with you

"i love you y/n and we'll have plenty of more opportunities for you to show me that, i already forgot all about it, you were wearing something blue right?" he joked and you laughed

"i love you too eddie" you said, wrapping your arms around him. you cuddled into each other, enjoying each others company. you also felt an insane amount of sleepiness wash over you and eddie could sense that

"you seem tired, so i should probably get going" he said with a sigh and you shook your head, pulling away from the hug but keeping your bodies pressed close

"no please, i want you to stay" you said to him and he nodded, tucking a piece of hair behind your ear

"what about your mom?" he questioned and you smiled

"i'll just lock my door and if you'd be so kind, sneak out my window in the morning and come round to the front door, tell my mom you're taking me to breakfast" you suggested and he smiled

"god you're smart" eddie responded, kissing you softly

"and i have some extra clothes of yours from a few weeks ago for tomorrow" you said, getting up to the dresser and pulling them out

you had washed and dried them for him, planning to return them soon but thanking yourself you didn't

"thanks baby" he said, getting up and wrapping his arms around you

"you know i was actually wondering where this shirt went" he said and you giggled

the two of you decided to change out of your clothes, you sleeping in another one of eddie's shirts you had 'borrowed' and him changing into his clean boxers from the dresser

the two of you brushed your teeth in the bathroom, smiling at each other with toothpaste filled smiles. eddie left the bathroom back to your room, and you finished up washing your face and applying some moisturizer

once you made it back to your room, you admired the sight in front of you

eddie was laying on top of the sheets, legs spread and one arm on top of his head, showing off his tattoos

"take a picture it'll last longer" eddie smirked when he noticed you standing by the door

"might have to, you're too pretty" you said, shutting the door and locking it behind you

you walked over to your bed, crawling in, the only light emitting was from your lamp, the other lights eddie turned off for you

you snuggled close to him, his arms wrapping around you right and he reached up and turned off the light

"i love you y/n" eddie whispered, kissing your neck lightly and you smiled, rubbing his arms lightly

"i love you too eds" you said, falling asleep in his arms

fin.

[frownyalfred]

I finished re-reading your Borderline fic! I can’t get enough of it lol 😍 I had some questions, if that’s alright!

What are ur hc for the batfam/jl interactions post everything? Who gets to find out? Chap 9&10 are my fav bc of how protective Bruce’s kids are of him during the whole thing, esp when Jason tells Oliver to back off 😮‍💨 are there anymore interactions like that? Also, just thinking about the outside POV’s of that whole sequence always makes me laugh lol post meeting gossip must have sent the rumor mill on fire

I really really love how you write the protectiveness/possessiveness/attentive the kids are of Bruce. Like the silent running fic? One of my absolute favorites of yours!! Jason being protective about Bruce just isn’t done a lot by the rest of the fandom, or I just haven’t been able to find any of it. I wish there were more 😫 Jason’s ability to hate/glaze Bruce is honestly commendable lmao

Anyways, just wanted to get ur thoughts on it! Hope you have a good night 😊

Thank you so much!! That was one of my favorite scenes to write in that fic, I think for exactly the reason you identified — seeing Jason do a 180 on being angry with Bruce and suddenly turning on anyone who dares to get near his father. The strangeness of seeing Red Hood himself playing bodyguard to the Bat. Nightwing on his other side, doing the same thing — all of those things, all at once in one JL meeting.

I think the sequel to borderline will be full of more of those interactions as Bruce’s promises to the JL come into conflict with his bond and his children. I hope to show more of those awkward moments as the bond turns inwards and those left outside are lost and confused. Worried. And maybe even a little jealous.

I agree that rumors spread like wildfire through the JL and most people will know something is wrong. But the biggest one in my mind is Clark — feeling betrayed by his best friend who didn’t tell him a word about this while it was going on right in front of him.

J’onn gave Bruce the chance to tell Clark himself, but I suspect that time will run out quickly. In my mind, J’onn respects the sanctity of those mental bonds and wants to give Bruce time, but the risk it poses to the JL isn’t something he can ignore forever. A handful of people have access to the JL’s mastermind and strategist’s brain and body at all times…

[mareliini]

Happy webcomic day........ PLANT is your run-of-the-mill story of human and fae meeting each others and going forward from there. But it's also about bread making, and short finnish summers, and grief, desperately preserving things you've lost.

Warnings in general will center on topics of death, loss, and genocide. There is also finn-typical nudity. These aren’t tagged, you have to go into the story with an understanding that it’s heavy at times.

It's also non-linear, a little puzzle for the reader! A treat! You're welcome to start reading at any chapter, the confusion lessens with time, I've heard. Posted&hosted organically in tumblr <- this is a link

[season40]

Welcome to ALNST Season 40!

hello! i’m june, the admin of this account! my main blog is @junebluues. here’s some organizational tags i will be using on this blog:

#! round matchups -> for anything regarding the round brackets!

#! round [number] -> this is going to be for easier searching, mostly

#! official round -> for the real rounds that aren't for the silly (canon)

#! unofficial round -> for the rounds that are for the silly (not canon)

#! asks

#! reblog

#! announcements -> announcements can be made at any time! please send me an ask at any time if your oc will be escaping before their round so i can make a proper announcement at the time of your choosing. if there are any other things you’d like me to announce, you can send those over as well!

#! juneposting -> basically things related to me running this blog but not related to any of the rounds or announcements. think of this as me going ooc, in a way? i can't explain it til it happens 😭

(this is subject to change as the season goes on)

i'm not alone in running s40, by the way! i'm only running the blog. so far, zen ( @zerostyrant ) and plip ( @pwippy ) have both offered their help!

here is the masterdoc for all the characters (s39 to some of 41):

participating S40 ocs:

innamorati / @alien-til-i-stage

toki / @eventseraphim ( @zerostyrant )

clove / ^

yumi / @imperfectnothing ( @rockwgooglyeyes )

asuka / ^

dante / ^^

sebastian / @sotogalmo

eeta / ^

naz / @lookatmysillies ( @bluemoonscape )

yael / ^

monica / @nottoonedin

isla / ^

yvonne / @thorny-chaparral ( @aakaneeee )

eliana / ^

atlas / ^^

aamon / ^^^

zero / @myworld-collapsing ( @apriciticreveries )

asahi / ^

ciaran / @starry-skiez

yuna / ^

eri / ^^

casimir / ^^^

jiu / @severedscales

kioku / ^

numa / my oc!

xael / ^

sirius / ^^

brandon / @neverforgetyou ( @tsukacchako )

willow / ^

mentha / @rosedeleca

ambrosia / ^

mill / @waterydream ( @amuseables )

wren / @ivanttakethis

juliet / @yunoftheclouds

gaia / @subzeromoron

leto / @paradisedisconcert

can / ^

clementine / @chevalperd

maya / @cloverandstuff

ava / @tinypaperstar

if anyone needs me to update this list, please tell me!

other:

please try and send me round songs in advance! if not, i completely understand!

hello,, creators of the s40 announcers... would you like me to use them in announcements in the season? i'm rather confused of their roles in this all, please tell me what you'd like me to do with them.

if there is any lore you need me to know in advance, please don't be afraid to tell me!

don't be afraid to spam notifs on here. the season can get hectic, and i don't mind waking up to people freaking out over rounds

i will sometimes need breaks, please understand! i'll let everyone know when i'll be taking a leave. i think i'll still implement the 1 week breaks between rows. we will still be taking 1 day breaks in between rounds like season 39.

be patient with me! i might sometimes release rounds late. i'm sorry if that happens!

please send me your oc's icons, or any art you'd like to use as their round profile! it would be very helpful!

zen is doing the season bracket, not me! please thank zem for zeir hard work <3 more information on this is in this post!

please enjoy season 40! i'm going to try and see when this should start after s39, and i really want to give everyone enough time to get stuff done. thank you!

OFFICIAL ROUND MATCHUP LIST

(this post may update in the future.)

[daryascurse]

𝙲𝙰𝚅𝙴𝙰𝚃 𝙴𝙼𝙿𝚃𝙾𝚁

── Part III: Sui Juris

He thought of this in abstract as the water drummed over his ears, in pictures and memories more than an internal monologue – the weight of the graduation cloak under the beating sun, the sweat gathering above the upper lips of the sea of faces before him, the warm perfume he smelled more than tasted when his tongue pressed and split her in the classroom – “Fuck,” he said. The word bounced amongst the tiles.

chapter pov : 3rd person coryo, AFAB reader, feminine pronouns ❀ tags: masτurbation, fantasizing ❀ word count: ~3.6k ❀ ao3 ❀playlist

I have a very strict adult-only interaction policy. Ageless, blank, and clearly minor-run blogs that interact will be blocked. If you have questions about what that means, please read the byf in my pinned post.

See header "Caveat Emptor" link for table of contents/ chapter 1.

He was shaking as he stormed from the classroom. The once-bustling halls of the morning had settled from the seething churn of activity, trickled into a stream of the last few graduates and their families milling around. They came dangerously close to knocking into his shoulders as he barreled through the campus.

“Hey, Cor-”

The sounds of acquaintances greeting him fell into the rhythm of his feet pounding on the marble. Coriolanus had to clench his hands into fists. He let the strain curling through his palms be what drew his focus as he walked. It couldn’t be that he thought of the interrupted fullness that ached and throbbed there with each step. It couldn’t be that he instead thought of the ring box rocking into his calf, of the secret bruise he was sure to find tonight that was probably swelling already. He ground his teeth, muscles convulsing in his throat. Even Coriolanus’ jaw felt misaligned, the clenched bite sliding in a way that felt wrong, wrong, as wrong as the day had turned.

How he hated her!

How he must hate her, to have her strangle at his thoughts so!

Coriolanus exhaled, sharp, through his nose, and strode towards the main gates. He hated her. And acknowledging this fury that burned in his veins made him feel a little more comfortable. It was more familiar to wallow in hatred. Better than to spend time in the disarray, in the confusion, the unsettled dust with which she left his mind.

Her name burst from the speakers, another droning reminder to collect her diploma, and Coriolanus fought the urge to box his hands over his ears. The fury, so close to ebbing away, refused to settle in his curled fists, as if he might only be satisfied by beating himself half-senseless. Coriolanus was familiar in his strength enough for it.

Breathe, damn it.

So Coriolanus clenched his fists harder, then flexed them with a push, fingers splaying as if to wrap around a throat. He would refuse to think of her. He would simply refuse to open up the graduation program, to find her name again; there was no reason to flip to the back pages, to see if her plans were published in the same ink that let the school boast that alumnus Coriolanus Snow was off to become Head Gamemaker. Even if he could do that so easily. Again, the better choice – to forget her.

Yes, Coriolanus would forget her. He hated her for the disruption, but he would get that plan back on track, to create the perfect public image that he was painfully close to completing. He gave a curt nod to a waving student who clearly recognized him better than he did them, and made his way to the car still waiting. As he rode to the restaurant, Coriolanus kneaded his knuckles in his lap. The hot summer day roared past the windows, and he closed his eyes. He managed to bid her from his mind, allowing more important thoughts – of work, of the Games – to take their rightful priority.

Livia Cardew was the only one who made a comment when he made his way to his seat at the square marble table, her eyes oily and sharp. Like a rat. “Something kept you, Coriolanus?”

He shed the graduation robe and handed it to one of the restaurant’s white suited Avoxes. “I ran into Professor Waterford in the hall and it was hard to get away,” he said, adjusting the collar of his shirt and leaning around the centerpiece to shake Lucio Cardew’s hand before sitting. “My sincere apologies for making you wait, Livia. Mr. Cardew, Mrs. Cardew.”

Livia and her mother Antonia took mirrored sips of champagne on his left and right, the former’s gaze still narrowed over the lip of the flute.

“Lucio, please, Coriolanus,” came a mild, oft-repeated grunt soon railroaded by the sound of his wife.

“Nonsense,” Mrs. Cardew said as she put her glass down. “That man always prattles on and on. I’m sure everyone else wanted to say their last words and well wishes, too. I’m thrilled we could even get a chance to congratulate you getting off stage.”

“It was certainly crowded,” Mr. Cardew said. He sniffed as an Avox came to place Coriolanus’ first course. “You’d think they’d have things better organized.”

“Well,” Coriolanus demurred cautiously.

“The administration’s always a mess,” Livia said, spinning her knife between her fingers. She drew an imaginary line over her poached egg with the tip of the blade before slicing through and spilling a river of gold across her plate.

“Darling, you won’t have to deal with them anymore now,” Mrs. Cardew said in a voice as smooth and rich as the sauce pooling into Livia’s eggs.

“Absolutely,” Coriolanus said, nodding.

Livia wrinkled her nose. “I certainly hope not. Mother, the bank’s much more well run than that stuffy old place, isn’t it?”

Coriolanus watched the gelatinous wobble of food on her fork and prayed she would eat it soon.

“Of course. And you’ll be training in my department, so you know if you come across any trouble, come right to me.”

Livia’s sound of satisfaction was muffled by the forkful of yellow.

“So, Coriolanus,” Mrs. Cardew continued.

“Yes?” He turned his head, grateful for the distraction.

“When do you formally take the keys to the kingdom from Dr. Gaul?”

She had picked up her knife as well, preparing to saw into her eggs just as her daughter was doing.

“Tomorrow morning,” Coriolanus said. “It’s a workday for the Gamemakers same as most of Panem, isn’t it?”

“What?” snapped Livia.

“No vacation time for you, eh?” Mr. Cardew said into the depths of his goblet.

“I thought we had plans,” Livia whined. “I wasn’t set on starting at the bank for another week.”

Coriolanus wrapped his fingers around the stem of his water glass. It seemed it would take little strength to snap it. Livia wasn’t likely upset at the loss of quality time, but rather, quality access to the Plinth fortune that she would otherwise try to squeeze out of him in such a time. Her shrewd, wealth-hoarding mother had taught her well, which was why the eventual union of the dynasties would be so beneficial to all.

“No, sorry,” he said. “My dear,” he added, and couldn’t restrain his lip from curling at the taste of it. It had made Mrs. Cardew smirk, her thick eyelashes raising to flicker at her daughter across the table, but it felt wrong. Too easily wrapped in sarcasm; and if Livia were to catch on to it over the coming years, it would be much more trouble than it was worth. He needed a different term of endearment, one less easy to spit from between his teeth. “I would have liked to do something special, but some last minute plans fell through.”

The ring box, somewhere buried in a cloak room now, sandwiched in his graduation  gown pocket against tens of other coats and jackets, still sat like a phantom weight against his leg. And with the reminder of the weight came the reminder of why he had forgotten. The reason he hadn’t proposed to Livia on that stage. He shifted in his seat.

An Avox whisked away his still-untouched plate to replace it with a second course, and Mrs. Cardew made a sound in her throat that implied she had more to say on the matter. Coriolanus barely heard her, watching the shadow shift across the back of his knuckles as the plate moved down above him.

He had no appetite.

Livia excused herself then. Coriolanus picked up his spoon and turned it listlessly in the lobster bisque.

“You know, Coriolanus,” Mrs. Cardew said in a meticulously measured tone. “After being with Livia for several years now, and speaking only as her mother who wants the best for her…”

She paused.

“Yes, I understand,” he jumped into the momentary breath, and cast a glowing smile her way even as soup slid back into the bowl. His fingers were tensing on the spoon. “I am truly sorry to disappoint any expectations, Mrs. Cardew.”

“Antonia,” she said, singing the turn of vowels over her tongue. Mr. Cardew made a mild sound of agreeance.

“Well,” she said after another pause, the time in which Coriolanus almost thought himself free of this line of conversation, “I must say, as old-fashioned as I may be in this, there certainly are specific expectations her father and I have in mind.”

“Yes, Antonia.”

He shifted his foot under the table, but no amount of fidgeting relieved the tension. He almost wished he could stand up and walk right out the door.

“As much as we’ve welcomed you into our family, a family indeed acts in mutual support, doesn’t It? Well, dear,” she added in a clearly exaggerated haste, “of course you would barely know, no fault of your own – but of course, we’ve raised Livia to understand these expectations as well.”

The rage frothing under Coriolanus’ skin was palpable, itching, consuming all of his senses and spoiling any last trace of an appetite. He’d known this was coming. He’d known that marrying was necessary, and that marrying Livia Cardew was strategically best. He’d committed himself to this plan. He’d played this game in the years since stepping out of the zoo enclosure, carefully and reluctantly coating the saccharine candy shell as the last necessary theatrics before he could take a genteel bow and retire to a watchful eye backstage. And as advantageous as the Cardew family bank connections would be, he’d known it would come with strings, with veiled condescension, with the last remnants of old money snobbery who may be impressed with his ability to claw his way back up with the Snow name, but would never forget that it fell in the first place.

And yet, even though he knew Snow would fall on top, being told how it must be done filled him with anger.

“What did I miss?” Livia said as she slid back into her chair. The tone of her voice did nothing to spur his attitude on, even as the lobster bisque steamed in savory aroma on the table.

When they bid her parents a cordial adieu and gratitude for the brunch – in which the grand tableau of Coriolanus attempting to pay for the bill was more forcedly demure than usual – Coriolanus felt the weight of the ring box almost drag his steps off-center. He knew Mrs. Cardew was right, loathe as he was to admit it, loathe as he was to put it off further in response. But it wouldn’t even be a smug rubbing in their face to reveal that he’d had a ring all along, throughout the double-tongued lecture at the table. There would be whining about how this wasn’t proper, this wasn’t the proposal Livia deserved. And what could he say? That he’d meant to do it on stage in front of everyone? That he’d had a plan? That some whore distracted him?

The anger was consuming him, each delicate clink of cutlery and humming tone of his tablemates conversation only serving as irritants he couldn’t flee from. It was worse, worse than he could have imagined, as the self-discipline he’d believed himself to have. She had genuinely rattled his resolve.

Despite himself, he was thinking of her again. And he needed to think of her alone.

He was thinking of her when he took a different car back to the penthouse, claiming that he’d promised to join Festus Creed and his family for a drink and knowing she would turn her nose up at the invitation to join. Coriolanus instead took the car to the cobbler, thinking of her as he purchased a pair of satin pink slippers with genuine mother-of-pearl soles. At least, that’s what the salesman said as he peddled the most insensible shoes Coriolanus had ever seen, but he wasn’t thinking of the practicality of the gaudy gift that was just an expensive bribe for some free time. He was thinking of her, thinking of her still when he returned home and watched Livia pluck the ribbon to shreds in greedy haste to open the box. It may not have been what the Cardew family expected him to mark the occasion with, but he was able to pretend it had not been a hasty purchase and rather something wrapped and hidden away for this very moment. It was good enough to please her, for her eyes to soften ever so slightly.

“Maybe you could wear them out with the girls to drinks tonight,” Coriolanus said, knowing that he was speaking too on-the-nose but hoping she wouldn’t be shrewd enough to notice.

He was right.

“Darling, these might just have to be house shoes,” Livia said in her patronizing way as she turned them in her hand, running her finger over the sleek iridescence of the soles. Coriolanus had a flash of fear in his stomach for a moment, realizing for the first time that this gift could confine her to the apartment rather than heed his words to coax her away. “But I was thinking of it, you know, going out with Victoire and Davina tonight. Maybe Carina.”

“Oh, were you?” Coriolanus couldn’t care to think of whose faces matched the names she was throwing out.

“Well yes,” Livia said. “Carina and Davina are sisters, so I have to ask them both if I ask one.”

Coriolanus couldn’t care less, so long as she and Carina and Davina and any other well-educated graduate now seeking an early retirement with a ring on their finger would be out of his house. He was thinking of her incessantly now, unable to shake the memories of the morning, like cobwebs knotted high out of reach in the archway. He got his wish with a few more subliminal nudges of approval throughout the evening – of course she should go out and be with her friends. She should take her valise of powders and lipsticks and get ready with Vittoria or Victoria or whoever lived closest to their favorite oyster bar, with pounds of seafood arriving fresh from District Four thrice daily now. They should proceed to the rooftop for cocktails afterward. In fact, she should take her favorite sleeping mask in case they all spend the night. It’s past dinnertime now, she should call the car soon.

She blew a kiss at him out the door in her haste, and Coriolanus didn’t even pretend to catch it.

Instead, he latched the door. He moved without thinking, heeding a primal instinct he hadn’t indulged since his early teen years. Coriolanus turned about, not even waiting to hear the muffled groan of a departing elevator before he unzipped his pants. He didn’t even try to walk to the couch. He moved his hand in a firm grip, back and forth, and came quickly, down the close of his fist to spatter down the front of his nice slacks. It was messy. But the release for a moment made him feel the cluster in his head relaxed enough to think clearly. Coriolanus moved methodically in the aftermath, carefully stepping out of his pants and balling the fabric together. He shed his clothes like snakeskin and wrapped them together to discard in the laundry.

Coriolanus took a shower next, feeling his heartrate slow at last under the cool streams of water. He washed away the burning humiliation of the morning stumbles, the painful brunch with the Cardews. The June night was settling in to be a hot one. He thought of this in abstract as the water drummed over his ears, in pictures and memories more than an internal monologue – the weight of the graduation cloak under the beating sun, the sweat gathering above the upper lips of the sea of faces before him, the warm perfume he smelled more than tasted when his tongue pressed and split her in the classroom –

“Fuck,” he said. The word bounced amongst the tiles.

He needed her, and in his bedroom, he toweled off his wet hair with a vigor that rubbed his scalp near raw. Coriolanus remembered being in primary school, for a moment, the last classes he had taken in rows of carved mahogany desks before the effects of war in the Capitol tore formal schooling asunder. There’d been only a handful of students left that day in geology, when the teacher was explaining earthquakes – the natural ones, not the way the floor shook and buildings swayed as bombs fell.

“It’s easy to imagine that small earthquakes can release pressure among the plates and prevent something bigger,” the teacher had said, tapping the diagram on the chalkboard. “But those little ones aren’t enough to relieve the fault lines of the energy strain. The tension stored on the fault still needs an intense release of energy. A big earthquake.”

The release in the foyer had soothed his mind from the tempest of the morning, but it was far from enough. All the blood in his body was still pumping downwards, the aching weight of the morning still too much to ignore. Coriolanus shoved the comforter down on his side of the bed, droplets still dappled across his shoulders, and took his cock in his hand again. Vague, comforting images flitted across his mind automatically before he thought of her.

She was behind his eyelids, the shape of her face against an unknown background. First, she stood in the classroom, then, she was lying back in the chair in that strip club basement. He opened his eyes, and he could imagine her there in his bed for a moment. He squeezed his fist hard, harder than he’d done before, as if he could pretend it was her hand, her mouth, her cunt.

“Fuck,” Coriolanus let out again in a grunt.

He needed her. He needed to fuck her. He needed to brace his hands against her ankles, feel his fingers wrap around her legs, inhale her scent of sunlight. He would raise them over his shoulders, pushing a faint moan out of her. It would break from her perfectly shaped lips, her breath sighing high into the room.

He would push into her then, watch his cock get slowly swallowed by the wet tightness of her cunt. Coriolanus groaned, adjusted his fingers, tensing his thighs at the memory of how it had felt, at the knowledge that a memory was far from enough. He needed to fuck her, drive deeper and deeper, the back of her thighs hammering against his chest. He needed to be holding them, the plush of her flesh between the spread of his fingers, not his own cock. Each rock of his hips would thrust down into her, not the mindless clenches of muscle and hips jerking feebly upward into bed.

The comforter at his feet was growing too hot of a cover, but even in irritable awareness of this, Coriolanus couldn’t stop and throw it off of him.

He would feel her clench around him, his grip on her thighs tightening in return. He would feel her along his length, every bit of him sucked into her. Her hands would be weak, falling across her chest – no, Coriolanus changed the image without too much thought to take him out of this fevered fantasy – he would bind her hands. She would be held up against the headboard, unable to move beyond how he maneuvered her. She would cling in agony to the fine iron vines, pushing her voice higher and louder in frustration and relish.

“Please,” she would say, as he’d heard her beg, and the thought of it made him groan again as if he could respond to her now. “Please, please.”

He needed to fuck her. He needed to fuck her hard. She would throb around him when he sank deep and held still for a moment, and she would make another plaintive wail when he let her shaking legs down and braced himself over her. He would have to pull out, but he would kiss her, capture her lips and taste the beading sweat. He would hold himself over her when he entered once more and when she cried out again, begging again, he would come. She would be dripping him when he pulled out, and Coriolanus came now at the thought of it, of seeing the milky ooze from the folding petals of her cunt as he filled her.

Coriolanus opened his eyes and exhaled hard enough to banish the ghost of her from the room. His fingers were sticky, the sheets spattered with stains turning dark in the evening light from the window. He couldn’t even think of cleaning them, which he should do whether or not Livia gave the extra reassurance that she wouldn’t be coming home.

He thought, dimly, with the last strings of coherent thought he had, of her. Coriolanus had been a fool to think he could forget her, and he could almost admit that to himself. She intoxicated his senses, his very thoughts. He needed her. He needed her, just as vitally and indispensably as he needed Livia Cardew, but in a wholly different way.

He closed his eyes and, in a rare moment, allowed himself to think of another young woman – the one other “her” to plague him. In the concrete jungle of the Capitol he was free, far, from the wild crossings of brambles and branches seeking to trap him beneath an everblue sky with the screaming echoes of her sounds. He’d shot down the filthy birds, maybe shot her down as well, and cast the cursed singing far from his ears. Only she had made his blood run like this. Only she had haunted him so pervasively, so continuously. Until now.

He had tracked down a wild thing like her before. He could hunt again.

Part IV: Cui Bono Fuerit

[spirograffe]

respectfully, please let trans men name our own experiences, transphobia we experience is often specifically in relation to our manhood. we are ‘confused little girls’ and ‘predatory groomers looking to influence your children’ all at the same time to transphobes, terfs hate us because they see us as gender traitors, you cannot separate our trans experience from our manhood. we get turned away from gynaecologists because we ID as men, despite needing them. the moral panic against testosterone, many SA crisis centres and helplines are not open to men, the idea of ‘rapid onset gender dysphoria’ was created to target trans men. please I’m begging you to educate yourself instead of coming onto a post made by a trans man and claiming you know more about our own experiences than we do.

all of these experiences are real!!! they happen to trans men all the time! i agree! but those are all just regular run of the mill transphobia or misdirected misogyny <3

[tmntfixationxreader]

♡Happy (early) Valentines day!♡

I will be posting some romantic one-shots for each of the turtles! Some may not be out on Valentine's day, but throughout this week :)

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

♡Leo's grand gesture♡

♡Valentines day special♡

Warnings: Fluff, slightly kissing.

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

When you heard knocking at your door, your heart threatened to leap out of your chest. You knew it was Leo. He had invited you out for Valentine's day, telling you to wear your nicest outfit, and be ready for a big surprise.

You had just finished getting dressed in your fanciest outfit as he requested, and your hair was done just how you liked it.

When you opened the door, you were greeted by Leo, who had a huge grin on his face. He was in a smooth deep blue suit, his tie matching his mask. He smelled like his fruity perfume, and you more than likely would smell like it by the end of the day.

“Happy Valentine's day Y/n!” Leo beamed, smiling like a kid in a candy store. He moved his hand from behind his back, making a small bow as he offered you two dozen bright red roses, tied together in a beautiful bouquet.

You blushed, grinning. “Leo!” You said excitedly, taking the flowers slowly, smelling them. “These are beautiful!”

He smiled, blushing at your reaction. “Not as beautiful as you, mi amor…”

Leo stepped into the door, gently lifting your chin with a delicate hand, giving you a small kiss. It was slow, soft, and way too short for your liking. He pulled back slowly, watching your face with an expression somewhere between a delighted grin and a mischievous smirk.

You blushed even more, grinning. You chuckled, taking one of the roses and tucking it in his lapel. It matched the red crescents around his eyes perfectly.

“So where are we going?” You ask, smiling excitedly up at him, holding the roses close to your chest.

Leo smiled. “It's a surprise! Trust me, you’ll love it…”

He took your hand and held it gently. You could tell he was excited.

“You may want to leave those roses here, though…”

“Run of the Mill Pizza?” You ask, looking at him curiously. You loved this pizza place, but it seemed like the two of you were way over dressed for it.

Leo nodded. “You’ll see!” he offered his arm, and you held it as you walked in.

Huaso met you two at the door, his usual expression plastered on his face… But even he smiled slightly when he saw the two of you together.

“Senior Huaso! El especial please,” Leo grinned, giving Huaso a wink.

Huaso nodded, and began walking, leading you to… somewhere.

“Right this way, señor and señora,” He said, waving his hand.

You were confused, but went along with it anyway.

Huaso led you two all the way to the back of the restaurant, into a back room that you didn’t recall seeing there earlier.

Huaso stood in front of the door momentarily, before opening it with a small dramatic bow.

The whole room was set up like a ballroom. Candles on the tables creating an ambiance or warmth and glow, shadows casting on the walls. It smelled like flowers, several bouquets of red roses sat on the tables, and rose petals scattered the outsides of the floor. Music was playing, a Spanish slow dance mix.

The whole thing was something out of a fantasy novel- something fitting for a prince or princess.

Leo stepped into the room first, holding out his hand to you, bowing slightly.

“May I have this dance…?” He asked, smiling up at you, blushing.

You smiled and nodded, eyes aglow with excitement as you set your hand onto his. “Yes…”

Leo smiled, lifting your hand and lowering his head slightly, kissing the back of your hand gently without breaking eye contact.

You grinned, giggling. This was just too perfect…

Huaso shut the door, and left you two alone in the picture perfect ballroom.

Leo led you by the hand into the middle of the room, grinning like crazy. His perfume mixed with the smell of roses, creating a lovely floral scent.

He held your hand in one of his, then another one of his hands going to your hip.

Your hand rested gently on his shoulder, giving his hand a squeeze.

Wordlessly he took a small step backwards, leading the way into a slow dance.

You grinned at him, and he grinned at you.

Leo held you close, only a few inches between the two of you as you danced together.

“Leo… This is incredible,” You say, voice just above a whisper to keep from breaking the atmosphere.

Leo smiled. “I’m glad you like it, mi amor… Only the best for mi hermosa amor…”

You blushed.

So many feelings raced through your head. The butterflies in your gut, the warm glow of the room, the slow dance music, Leo’s hand in yours and the other on your hip…

It was beautiful.

“Leo…?” You say, looking down before looking back up into his eyes. His eyes were aglow with excitement, and his face reflected the candles around the room.

“Yes, mi hermosa?” Leo smiled, blushing on his cheeks.

So many thoughts- so many ways to say it- but the butterflies told you to say it only one way…

“I love you…”

Leo’s smile grew brighter- full of love and excitement. He pulled you closer to him.

“I love you too, Y/n…” Leo whispered.

You smiled brightly, blushing. You stepped slightly closer, your chin over his shoulder as you leaned your head against him, completely against him.

Leo smiled, blushing, 1000 butterflies overtaking his gut.

He leaned against you too, his hand moving from your hip to put his arm around the small of your back. He felt so happy- like all of the stress of the world was just lifted away.

Like it was only you two, slow dancing the night away.

You two swayed to the slow beat of the music for a long time, just enjoying the closeness.

You pulled back a little, just enough to be face to face with him, he smiled at you, seeming like he was in a complete dream.

He glanced down at your lips once, just as you did the same. Slowly you leaned in, pressing your lips gently against his.

It was slow. Soft. And the two of you barely moved until Leo came back to his senses a little more.

He used his arm around your back to pull you even closer, and he used his other hand to caress your cheek slowly.

It felt like a daydream. Magical, amazing, and something the two of you would remember for years and years to come…

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

Hope you like it! Happy Valentine's day!! ^v^

~Other Valentine's day specials~

Mikey- Donnie- Raph Coming soon

♡Bye bye butterflies!♡

[odyssean-flower]

The Winding Path of Fate Chapter 6 - End of Spring: When a Planted Seed Sprouts

Masterpost

Pairing: Neuvillette x Female Reader Summary: You and Neuvillette hash things out. Warnings: None except for restrictive gender roles, also for some reason Fontaine’s regency england (sort of) now? Note: I update this story on AO3 first so please subscribe to the fic there if you’d like to read it faster Note 2: If you want to be on the taglist for this fic, please make a reply to this post, send a message or send a private ask

Have a pic of Neuvillette standing in Enkanomiya (they should really set another event here)

Previous | Next

“Monsieur Neuvillette should be back around this time…”

You were sitting in the kitchen, working on your embroidery again. Normally, you would be doing this in the garden, but there was a trial this morning, which meant rain was coming.

The sky was already covered in gray, low-hanging clouds. It looked like there would be quite a storm today.

“Pardon me, Madame?” Marie said. She was cleaning the countertops.

“I was just saying that Monsieur Neuvillette should have been home an hour ago. I wonder if something happened.”

Marie turned around and looked at you. “Are you worried about him?”

“Well, not exactly worried, but he’s usually home around this time when there’s a morning trial.”

Maybe it had gone on longer than expected, but from what you read in the papers, today’s trial was a run-of-the-mill thievery case, so it shouldn’t have taken very long.

When you explained your reasoning to Marie, she stared at you thoughtfully for a few moments.

“What is it?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. I was just thinking how similar the two of you are,” she said, smiling. “Unexpected things tend to happen in his line of work, but if you are concerned, why not go and see him?”

“Go see him? Is that…okay?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Well…” you couldn’t think of a good answer. “I’m not sure if he’d be happy to see me.”

“And how would you know that, Madame? Personally, I think seeing a familiar face after an arduous day at work would lift anyone’s spirits.”

You thought about arguing that you and Neuvillette had barely had a conversation since you moved in and that it might do more harm than good if you went to receive him, but Marie was already shooing you to the door and bringing you your coat and umbrella. It looked like you had no choice.

“One last thing, Madame. I’ve worked for Monsieur Neuvillette for many years, and I can tell you a few things about him. For one thing, if you don’t make the first move, he will not do anything either.”

You stared at her in confusion. “…Okay?”

“Go to him,” Marie repeated, then opened the front door for you.

And just how am I meant to do that when I don’t even know the way? You thought as you wandered the streets of Fontaine.

You knew that Neuvillette went to the Opera in a private vessel, but you had no idea where the docks were.

Just as you passed by the Café Lucerne, a familiar-looking Melusine in a Marechausee Phantom uniform greeted you. “Good afternoon, Madame! Out for a walk?”

“Good afternoon, Officer…uh…”

“It’s Menthe, Madame.”

“My apologies, Officer Menthe. I’m looking for the docks where Monsieur Neuvillette’s boat would land.”

“Oh, then allow me to take you there! I believe Monsieur Neuvillette will be arriving there shortly.”

“Thank you, Officer.”

As you followed Menthe, who was skipping ahead of you, you felt raindrops land in your hair and opened your umbrella.

Truth be told, you had no idea what you were going to do once you got there.

Things between you and Neuvillette were as awkward as ever, and though you tried to convince yourself that things were fine the way they were, a feeling of dissatisfaction and frustration grew day by day.

I would like to be on friendly terms with him.

Maybe it was from all the covert observation you were doing, or just from the fact that you lived in such close proximity with him, but you found yourself becoming more interested in him as a person.

It's impolite, the voice of reason in your head said. You shouldn’t get too curious. It’ll only end in him pushing you away.

You thought of your debutante days, when you would try to learn more about the young gentlemen who interested you. Eventually, you stopped trying after so many failures and heartbreaks.

But with Neuvillette…somehow, you wanted things to be different. Perhaps it was because he had chosen you of all women to be his wife, even if it was partly because you were in a desperate bind. And, embarrassingly, it was also probably because he was the first man to take an interest in you.

What’s more, a part of you suspected that he wanted you to approach him as well. There were times when you would catch him looking at you out of the corner of your eye like he wanted to speak with you. And sometimes, when you were still awake in bed after he returned home, you could hear heavy footsteps stop in front of your door before turning to the other side of the second floor.

You couldn’t prove anything. But what if?

This relationship had a predestined end. Your paths were only intersecting briefly before their inevitable separation. But until then, why not turn this into a pleasant memory you could smile back on?

You were chosen for this role, as vague as it might be. You should fulfill it by doing things the right, proper way.

You walked down the brick-paved streets with resolve in your heart.

Menthe led you to the private docks. There was already a vessel stopped there, and a tall blue figure was disembarking.

“There he is!” Menthe shouted suddenly. “Monsieur Neuvillette! Madame is here for you!”

The blue figure stopped and turned in your direction.

Then, she turned to you and said, “I must return to my station now, Madame. Good luck!”

“Hold on a minute!” you said, but the Melusine was already skipping away, leaving you all alone.

Taking in a deep breath, you turned around and found Neuvillette standing a short distance away. You couldn’t read the expression in his eyes.

“Um…hello there, Monsieur Neuvillette,” you said. As if on cue, it began to rain. Great.

“Did Marie send you here?” he asked. His voice was quiet, almost blending in with the rain.

Your heart sank a little. You really messed up. But hopefully, it could still be saved.

“No,” you shook your head vigorously. “I came here because I wanted to see you, sir.”

The rain, strangely, seemed to intensify at that moment.

“You need not force yourself to go out in this weather,” Neuvillette said. “It’s better to stay home than to risk illness for my sake.”

“Well, in this season, if you’re going to stay home because of a little rain, then you shouldn’t go outside at all,” you said. “Besides, I’ve never walked in the rain before. It’s such a novel experience. I can see why you like it so much.”

Neuvillette didn’t say anything, but you could detect bafflement in his gaze. You couldn’t blame him. You would feel the same way if someone who had been avoiding you for weeks suddenly started acting friendly with you.

“Are you going to the Palais, sir, or back home?”

“Home,” he said. He was even less talkative than usual. Presiding over trials probably took a lot of energy out of him. Maybe being in the rain was a way for him to recharge.

“Very well, then,” you said. “Shall we be off?”

The two of you walked in silence. You noticed that Neuvillette chose the more secluded roads with fewer people before he looked down at you.

“My apologies, we should be taking the quickest way home.”

He then proceeded to double back the way you came before stopping again.

“Or perhaps we should travel more discreetly…” he murmured to himself.

All around you, people were either running for shelter or clustered under awnings.

“Where did this storm come from?” you heard a man complain.

“My laundry’s still outside!” a woman moaned.

Neuvillette looked around at all the commotion, then closed his eyes, as though resigned.

“The shorter way back, then,” he said, walking faster.

You hurried to catch up with him. No one had noticed the two of you yet, but they would soon.

“Is there a reason why you prefer more secluded roads, sir?” you asked, even though you could somewhat guess the reason.

You didn’t really expect an answer, but Neuvillette said, “I simply find it tiresome to refuse the umbrellas people would offer me whenever I decide to take a stroll in the rain. I don’t know what’s so strange about the sight of it.”

The genuine confusion and annoyance in his voice made you giggle a little. Marie was right after all. Who knew even someone like him would be affected by the opinions of others? It was endearing, in a way.

“What is it?” he asked when he heard you laugh.

“It’s nothing,” you said. “Oh, here’s an idea. Why don’t you hold my umbrella for me? That way, people would say, ‘Look at the Chief Justice being such a gentleman, holding an umbrella for that homely-looking woman,’ and no one would think anything of you being in the rain.”

“You are not homely,” he said, but for the first time, the ghost of a smile appeared on his lips. He took your umbrella and held it over your head.

The two of you continued walking in silence. Not exactly like the awkward kind of silence that was often between you two at home, but something more hopeful, like you both knew what the other was going to say and were waiting for the other to voice it.

You decided to take the first step.

“Might I guess what is on your mind, sir?”

“Please, go ahead.”

“Well, perhaps I am being too presumptuous, but I would wager a guess that my current strange behavior is one of the things bothering you?”

It was a daring guess, but you were seemingly proven right when Neuvillette didn’t say anything and turned his head.

“You must be wondering if I’m being possessed right now, or if I had eaten something strange.”

Neuvillette still didn’t say anything, but you caught the corner of his lips turning up again.

“I am a bit baffled by you,” he confessed. “You present yourself like you wish to have as little contact with me as possible, but then you would do things that seem contrary to that behavior, almost as though you’re interested in me. I am still lacking in terms of understanding human emotions, or how to make myself approachable, it seems.”

“No, sir, you've done nothing wrong!” you said, the words coming out louder than you meant it. “I’m the one who should be apologizing. Would…would you care to listen to my explanation?”

Neuvillette nodded.

You took in a deep breath. “You see, sir, I know you said that there’s no need for us to act like a couple, but it felt wrong for me to not learn anything about you, so I decided to do some, um, covert observation.”

“So that was why you…”

“Yes, that was why I’ve been watching and avoiding you at the same time. I didn’t want you to find me a bother, or to dislike me. But that clearly was the wrong choice. I deeply apologize for that. It must have been very discomforting for you.”

Neuvillette said nothing. He stepped over a large puddle, and then helped you over it. His legs are very long, you thought idly, then caught yourself staring.

“I can relate to the covert observation part,” he said after a while. “Although I must confess, it is perhaps for the best that you have not chosen to pursue the profession of detective.”

He’s making a joke? Maybe you should have been offended, but all you felt was relief. “You were probably expecting me to be a more sensible, mature person when you chose me as your wife, didn’t you?”

And you were those things. But when it came to Neuvillette, for whatever reason, you acted completely unlike yourself.

Neuvillette stayed silent for a moment before saying, “…it’s not always unpleasant to discover new sides of a person one finds interesting.”

You weren’t sure how to respond to that. “…I suppose?”

“This does explain why you were staring at my mouth during dinner that one time.”

You felt your cheeks turn red. Honestly, you were surprised that Neuvillette hadn’t thrown you out of his house because of your weird behavior. “Please don’t talk about that.”

“I thought I had something stuck in my teeth.”

Sorry, sorry! “Can we just pretend the past month never happened and start with a clean slate?”

A small chuckle escaped from Neuvillette’s lips. “I would love nothing more than that.”

You let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you, sir.”

Your heart felt lighter than it had ever been in the past weeks. As though mirroring this feeling, the steady drumming of raindrops let up a little, and you could see rays of sunlight shining through gaps in the dark clouds.

“I’m curious, sir, what did you think of me while I was doing all those things?”

Neuvillette put his hand on his chin. “I thought I had scared you in some way, which was why you always left the rooms I entered and watch me with that cautious look in your eyes.”

All you could do was force out awkward laughter and stare at your feet. You were so lucky that Neuvillette’s heart was as broad as the sea itself.

“And also,” he added after a pause. “You always call me ‘sir’ and ‘Monsieur Neuvillette,’ even though we are married.”

“Is there something wrong with that?”

“No, but...” Neuvillette cleared his throat. “Never mind.”

You felt bad that Neuvillette seemed a bit disappointed, but you just couldn’t bring yourself to call him by only his name (which was also your last name now, albeit temporarily).

You two continued to walk in silence. You were near the house now. The rain seemed to have stopped completely now, but Neuvillette was still holding your umbrella over your head.

“Also,” he suddenly said, quietly. “I could never dislike you.”

Your heart skipped a beat. “...I see. Um, thank you, sir. I’ll try my best to be worthy of it.”

"And do you...dislike me?” Neuvillette stopped, looking right into your eyes.

You blinked. This man, you realized, could be clueless about some things sometimes. But on the other hand, wasn’t it good to have verbal confirmation of things, instead of constantly guessing and hoping?

“If I disliked you, sir,” you said, meeting his gaze. “I would not be coming out into the rain to talk with you like this.”

A full smile appeared on Neuvillette’s face this time. A light seemed to radiate from within him. You never knew that someone’s face could change so much from a simple change of expression. It took your breath away.

“I hope that I am worthy of that as well.”

“You know, I’ve always been curious about that favorite drink of yours. What is it?”

After getting home and drying off, you sat in the parlor with Neuvillette. His silver goblet was sitting on the small table, filled with that mysterious liquid like always.

“Would you like to try it?”

You hesitated a moment before nodding. You could hold your drink pretty well, and you doubted that Neuvillette would let you drink anything dangerous for you.

“Very well then, I shall get another cup for you,” Neuvillette said, before leaving for the kitchen. If you had to describe his gait with a literary expression, then he would be walking “with a spring in his step.”

He quickly returned with another silver cup and placed it in front of you. You peered into it. It contained that same clear, odorless liquid.

“Shall we make a toast?” Neuvillette said, sitting back down.

“To what?”

“To our new friendship, of course.”

Friendship. You weren’t strangers, but neither did you have romantic feelings for each other, despite being married. But there was something warm there. Friendship was a perfectly adequate, broad term to describe what you two wordlessly wanted with each other.

He raised his cup to yours, and you clinked yours with his. You took a sip of the drink. It’s surprisingly flavorless. Refreshing, but flavorless, just like water. Wait a minute, this is water!

“How is it?” Neuvillette asked, watching you.

“This is just water!” you said. “I thought it was some kind of fancy alcohol, but it’s really just water. No wonder I didn’t...”

You were about to say “Smell anything back then,” but decided to keep it to yourself. Some things should remain unknown.

“Just water?” Neuvillette raised an eyebrow. “This is pure water from the springs of Mondstadt. It’s an exquisite delicacy. Is it not so very different from the waters of Fontaine.”

You racked your brain, trying to recall the taste of Fontaine tap water. “I can’t tell the difference, really.”

“I see.” Neuvillette said and looked down. He sounded vaguely disappointed.

“Demonstrate it to me, then,” you found yourself saying. “I want to understand what you like, since we’re friends after all.”

Neuvillette looked at you then, his eyes widened imperceptibly. “Of course. Stay here, I’ll be right back.”

When he returned with several carafes full of identical-looking liquid, you thought to yourself, What have I gotten myself into? But somehow, as you listened to his voice, more animated than you’d ever heard it, you couldn’t bring yourself to feel too annoyed.

Previous | Next

Taglist:@just-simping-over-genshin, @xalphafox, @jqnehr, @favficdump, @thetwinkims