#understand everything has no thought behind it

[wordsandrobots]

It's been said many times at this point but people in favour of 'generative AI' (which is neither of those things) want art without artistry, without thought, without visible labour. They want art as a noun, not as a verb, even on their own part.

The very act of focusing on it as a 'product' exposes this, not because it isn't necessarily an appropriate term, but because the meaning that term carries in this discussion is 'ownable asset', rather than 'the result of a process'.

The crudest, most derivative advertising is the result of a multitude of decisions about every aspect of what it should look like. There is intention, meaning and implication to be traced, and worth in doing the tracing, to unpick what is *actually* being said. This is entirely absent from the output of tools designed simply to aggregate patterns and return the most likely fit under defined conditions. There is nothing to unpick, expect perhaps which bits of sausage meat came out of the blender. So nobody has to worry about what anything means; they're safe to enjoy the pretty colours, trouble-free.

Not everybody gets art. It takes an effort to learn how to read the patterns on display. Not having the time or inclination to study how something is done is normal and OK.

What isn't is trying to obliterate everything behind the top layer of immediate aesthetic impact. Partly because this requires a judgement call on what aesthetics hold value to be baked in at the design level, and nobody involved wants to take responsibility for that choice. But mostly because it is an act of unbridled arrogance to say everything you don't understand -- everything you don't care to understand -- is an easily-divested and unnecessary expense.

Your comments about AI users being talentless tells me you don't really understand art. It's about the product, not the tools. You can waste your life learning how to use a thousand of brushes and programs and you'll be easily outshone by someone who uses AI to draw what they want. The 'talentless' usually crow on about techniques and tools and miss the point of making art.

"You can waste your life learning how to use a thousand brushes and programs" And there, this is the attitude of the non-artists-AI-lovers in a nutshell. You see, drawing artists like using brushes. "Someone who uses AI to draw what they want."

No. If you instruct the AI to do something, you aren't 'drawing' anything. "The talentless" The 'talentless' is you. Telling an AI what image you want to be drawn doesn't require any talent.

[psin314]

rook questions and some templates for those who want to know more about murat!!

fifty questions for rook

How old is Rook? - 40-41.

How did Rook get the nickname? What do they think of it? - idk about the nickname. varric started to call him like that and he was like… okay. he quickly got used to it.

What was Rook’s life before their faction? - before the faction? well he was happily living with his mom and dad. then his father died, his mother became an alcoholic (the sad one) and gave him to the crows (he was 6 years old).

Which faction did they join, and why? How long has it been? - he was a crow from the age of 6 to 30 (he was falsely accused of treason), and then returned to the crows at the age 39\40. join the crows? really? murat says if you genuinely want to join the crows, then you are either an idiot or a bloodthirsty maniac. his mother could no longer take care of him. he would have starved to death with her, so with a heavy heart she decided to do…this.

What was life like for Rook before joining the Veilguard? - after almost ten years of a poor and alcohol-filled life, returning to the crows was both pleasant and hard. he hated the crows because he didn't have a choice. but loved them anyway because it's the only family he has. he had no friends there. expect viago. so he was always around him, annoying him. then he befriended teia and now she's his №1 bestie.

What was the reason that brought Rook to Minrathous? - idk the crowish reason??

Why does Rook agree to join the Veilguard? - he thought it would be just a job.

What makes Rook a good leader? - he is reasonable, knows how to listen, knows how to think, even has some kind of strategic thinking. he prefers to obey more haha. but if he was asked to be a leader then okay he will try his best.

What is Rook like on the battlefield? - he's a professional assassin. he did not drink away his knowledge, but perhaps a little skill, which he regained during his travels. he's no worse than lucanis and can even teach him something.

Does Rook know their history? Do they know of the HoF, Hawke, the Inquisitor? - murat remembers his life very well, except for his childhood up to the age of 12. he knows about hof superficially, varric was constantly talking about hawke, and he had heard about the inquisitor and thought that he was a decent good man who could be looked up to until he met him. (inq trevelyan is a fucking idiot. murat's words.)

Does Rook keep up with current events? (How aware of the situation are they at the start of the game?) - his awareness is above average. in comparison, inq trevelyan didn't understand what was going on at all.

Does Rook have any family? Do they keep in touch? - he doesn't know anything about his parents. he thinks they are dead.

Did Rook bring any trinkets/sentimental items to The Lighthouse? - he brought a bunch of crow stuff to the lighthouse.

What does Rook see when they look in the mirror? - a pathetic man whose life was ruined cus he was blindly in love, but he decided to ruin it even more. well done. proud of yourself huh. now you have a chance to fix everything. don't fuck it up.

What’s the first thing people notice when Rook enters a room? - his height, tits and blonde hair contrasting with tanned skin.

Got any tattoos? What’s the story behind them? - on the ankle there is a small funny tattoo of a crow. i've never drawn it. i know that crows have tattoos of their houses, but i'm so fucking lazy.

How’d Rook get those scars? - almost all the scars on his face are from cats, on his cheek from his mentor. on his arms also from cats, there is a very deep long scar on his forearm, as if he cut his veins, but that was also a cat. all the rest were obtained either in battle or in training with his mentor, again.

Their fondest childhood memory? - even though his mentor beat him up sometimes, he remembers fondly how he took him to the roof at night to look at treviso from above and told him a bunch of funny stories, half of which were apparently fiction, but he always listened to these stories very attentively and enthusiastically.

What is Rook’s love language? What love languages do they respond best to? - he loves to flirt, give compliments, gift flowers, food, trinkets, read poetry, sing songs, can even dance, and is always interested in his partner's life. in short, he does everything. no one has loved murat for more than a decade; he can burst into tears from any love language.

What’s it like to see them smile? Their laugh? - he smiles very kindly. laugh… its sexy okay.

What does Rook’s voice sound like? One of the voice options available, or do they have a different accent/voicecast? - he has british masculine voice. in my canon, he would have antivan accent… banderas’ voice for sure………….

Most embarrassing memory as a teenager? - definitely some kind of unsuccessful first kiss.

What does Rook wear in the off hours? Do they like dressing up? - he walks around in old clothes. his pants are worn out, at least he’s wearing a new crow shirt, and soft slippers instead of boots at the lighthouse.

Does Rook have any nightly rituals before bed? - to drink tea, preferably green or any other herbal tea, to help him fall asleep.

How does Rook like to spend their free time? - reads books, solves crossword puzzles, works out, cooks and eats his questionable food all alone.

Rook is in charge of the grocery list. What’s on it? - he won’t be on charge okay. for your own good. he will buy whatever lucanis tells him to buy.

When was the last time they cried? - well… yesterday?? before sleep???? as usual.

Does Rook have any pets/animal companions? - no, but he really wants to get a cat or at least a dog. but he doesn't have his own house as such. plus he's constantly busy, but he'd like to have a kitten to lie on his tummy and warm him up.

Any vices? - idk… well, he has alcoholism in remission. will that do?

What is Rook’s class? Did they choose it? - a rogue. did he even have a choice?

What specialization does Rook pursue? What called them to it? - murat's specialty is large targets, such as qunari or armored people. he knows how to use poisons, but he is not a fan of it. no defense, he survives on dodges alone, kills clearly and quickly, sometimes gets his face dirty in the splashing arterial blood from his victims, but overall he works carefully.

How would a desire demon tempt Rook? - to lead the crows to success, solve all their internal problems with betrayals, so that the shit that happened to him never happens to anyone else. he is obsessed with this faction, i'm telling you.

What do fear demons look like to Rook? - like ghosts. but they don't look like regular ghosts but like just a clot of darkness and silence. which makes you very anxious. plus they look like something familiar but so far away.

How does Rook begin their day? - exercises and black tea, 3 mugs.

Ultimate comfort food meal? - pasta with cheese.

What would Rook say are their flaws? - he would say he has no flaws. but sometimes he hates himself so much.

Does Rook ascribe to a faith? - he’s very andrastian. doesn't commit kms just because it's a sin.

Did Rook have any relationships before Veilguard? - he had many gfs, since his teenage years, but none of them were special, the relationships lasted a couple of months max. layla de riva became special. well, that's what he thought…

What is their room at The Lighthouse like? - it would be like lucanis'. he spent his entire childhood sleeping in the pantry.

Describe Rook’s bed? - folding bed with a blanket made of druffalo skin.

What’s on their nightstand? - cups\mugs of tea. a lot.

Something Rook regrets? - that he started drinking. he took the easy way.

Is Rook the type to gossip? - he loves it!!!!

What is Rook really good at? - killing people.

Who was Rook’s closest friend before joining the Veilguard? - he had friends before he was kicked out of the crows, but they all forgot about him. murat is still upset that when he returned, the most he got from his former friends was a hello how are you and a forced smile. you could say viago was his best friend. and indeed they spend a lot of time together. but they were never emotionally close. viago never asked what was bothering murat all the time. and murat didn’t want to talk about his feelings (because he was not allowed to do so before). this is what brought them together.

What does it take to earn Rook’s trust? - you just need to talk, chat with him. if you are attractive to him, he may trust you very quickly. (a mistake)

What’s Rook’s temper like? - he tries to restrain himself and keep the aggression inside. because when he was drinking, he simply attacked people for their “wrong” glances at him, now he is trying to be more calm and reasonable. preferably without violence.

A color, flower, animal, and weather to describe Rook? - green brown blue. roses. a stray dog who begs you for food with sad wet eyes. cloudy weather with light rain.

What will always make them laugh? - stupid dad puns that he himself likes to joke.

Are they a mystery, or an open book? - he looks like an open book but he will never tell what really bothers him.

+1 What does Rook smell like? - spite: a wet dog! grass. heavy… it’s heavy. and…ew coffee!! 🤢🤢🤢🤢

his bio

[hoe4sports]

The ballerina mouse

-A part of the musli universe

A/N: At last, a new piece of the musli universe. You can find the series here. There will be a new piece of "without you" very soon.

Summary: This is a piece with a shorter timespan, more so of a situation. This is just to bring some background information to the story.

-

“But, I don’t understand” you whisperss with furrowed brows, confused as to why things haven’t worked out like Leah and Alessia told you it was supposed to. You had marked it down on the little calendar with little cats drawn on it that Leah got you for Christmas last year. Everything was supposed to be okay by now, settled and signed. You were supposed to belong with Leah and Alessia. Like a real family. Have your name on the mailbox next to theirs. But once again, things hadn’t worked out like it was supposed to.

Your feet dangled from your bed as you watched the floor between your two moms, or what was supposed to be your moms by now.

“Sweetheart, i know it’s hard to understand the process. We thought it would be done by now, but the decision will take a little longer than what we expected.” Alessia pleaded as she tucked a piece of your hair behind your ear.

You nodded as you sighed quietly enough for only you to hear. Maybe this whole adoption thing was too good to be true, you think in a whisper way to yourself as if you feel scared that someone might read your thoughts.

It has been 2 years since you came to Alessia and Leah after being shuffled around between homes unfit for kids. A year since they started the process of making you a forever part of their home. The social worker had explained that in your situations it normally took no longer than a year, so you added that to your equation of chaos.

“Could you maybe explain it again?” You sniffled out, wiping your nose on the sleeve of your soft pink fleece. You want to understand what she’s was saying, you really do; but it’s like your brain can’t comprehend it. Like there aren’t enough words in the English language for you to understand. Why can’t you just be there forever? You don’t know anyone else anymore. When you were young, your mommy and daddy never had siblings or parents. You have grandparents now, even uncles and aunts, and very soon, you’ll have a fifth cousin.

Leah and Alessia shares a sad look between them before Leah squats down to your level. Her gaze tries to meet yours, but your eyes are glued to your feet. It feels like looking into Leah’s eyes will make the sky come crashing down. Or worse, it might cause you to cry. You still don’t like crying in-front of Leah and Alessia. You don’t know that yet, but the habit is something that will stick with you for the rest of your life. You believe that if you cry, then perhaps they’ll change their minds about adopting you, and besides losing your guardian angel pocket mouse; that’s just about the worst thing that could happen.

“When someone wants to make a child a part of their forever family, there are social workers that need to make sure that everything is done right. Sometimes, that takes a little longer time than usual.” Leah explains softly while you nod. You sort of understand it, but you don’t want to realise the consequences of what would happen if someone were to want you back. You don’t understand why anyone would want to have you back, not after leaving you to fend for yourself for this long.

“Does that mean that someone can take me away, again?” You whisper, a single tear rolling down your chin before catching it with your tumb.

Leah and Alessia don’t know what to say. They have agreed between themselves to not keep secrets and to avoid lying to you. Lying causes trust to break, that’s what the social workers have said anyway. But it hurts Leah and Alessia to have to explain the legal battle that they are having to go through. Alessia doesn’t think it’s appropriate for a child your age to know all of these things; but Leah has her heart set on honesty. Age appropriate honesty anyway.

“It’s not that easy, baby” Alessia whispers out. You take notice of the puzzled look on her face, and it makes you feel insecure. Her face looks sad, and you just about now notice the redness under her eyes. She doesn’t have the answers because nobody does. Not even the social worker that tried to explain this to you earlier this morning.

You look over at Musli, your favourite ragdoll cat with what you assume is the softest fur in the world. He looks over at you before standing up into a deep stretch and walking over to you. His little act brings a small smile to your face. His little head bonks your leg. Your hand reaches down to pet him, and he instantly purrs as he bounces up into your lap.

“But, are you gonna not be my mommies until they have made up their minds about what to do with me?” You mumble. A part of you doesn’t want any answers. It makes you feel like you are a bag of trash that needs to be taken care of. If you could stay in foster care forever then maybe that would be the best. Nobody could take you away because there wouldn’t be an adoption and you would only belong with Leah and Alessia on pretend. Maybe you only belong until you are big enough to get a job or maybe until they decide to have a real child. The thought of them having a real child scares you; what if it is a girl? Then you’ll no longer be their little girl anymore. You just wanna stay here with Leah, Alessia and Musli. The dissociation makes you shut out Leah’s talking, and you nod along as she explains. You don’t realize that they have left the room until Musli hops down from your lap.

It’s been a while since you arrived, their first placement. A traumatized 3 year old turned into a somewhat hopeful 5 year old. By now, you had lived more with your new mommies than your real parents. It felt strange, how your family was torn apart once. Then again and again and again. Your attachment issues becoming worse with every new placement until you ended up with Leah and Alessia in what was just crumbles of a 3 year old. They took the time to pick up all the pieces of you that had been spread around like broken porcelain and glued you back together piece by piece until you were close to whole. The only issue with that, is that just like broken porcelain that gets glued together will have cracks, so will you.

-

The next morning, you wake up early. The birds can be heard chirping through the window, and you could swear that the sun is about to peek through your window. Your house is quiet, that means that Leah and Alessia are still fast asleep. That is one of the things you like about not having siblings. Nobody wakes up before you on weekends. Only you and your trusty companion, Musli, is awake. He lies in the corner, in the soft bed next to your guardian angel house. It’s a big pink play house from Maileg. You had wished for the guardian angel mouse as soon as you saw it; it was the same mouse you got from your mom. It was your most prized possesion before your last foster home decided that you had to share it with their daughter, who eventually lost it. You cried for months when it disappeared.

Your feet settles into the big rug on the floor and you shuffle over to the play house. It’s nicely decorated, Leah had splurged on the house and the furniture. She even purchased all the accessories money could buy. Maileg isn't cheap, it was a ridiculously expensive Danish brand. Leah remembers Alessia’s face when she told her that she spent 25 £ on just the tiny wooden loveseat for the dollhouse. But Leah didn’t care about prices or costs, she only cared about how she had a little girl to spoil. If that mean spending thousands of pounds, she would happily swipe her card.

The mother mouse is sitting in the kitchen, with a news paper and a pink metal cup with gold details. The mama mouse is sitting in the living room watching tv while having a plate of cookies in front of her. Then, there is the little ballerina mouse. She’s a small mouse, just a child; but she’s a ballerina with a soft pink tutu. She’s in her bedroom, all by herself; tucked away where she feels the safest. Her door is open, a reminder of how she’s allowed out of her room at any time of the day. You sigh when you see it because you remember what Leah said about keeping your door close. So, you get up from the floor and you grab the handle of the door before slightly pulling the door open. The door was meant to act as a gentle reminder that you are welcome to play downstairs or come into their bedroom in the mornings; but even after close to three years, you still don’t feel comfortable.

Muesli sits down next to you once again return to the floor. He purrs loudly before stretching himself out next to you. Ragdolls tend to be big, some even as big as 15 kg. But Muesli is only 7kg, even though he is almost as long as your carpet. You pick up the mommy mouse before placing it next to Muesli, you even place it in his fur making sure that he dosent feel left out of the roleplay.

"Here you go, musli" you whisper, earning a bonk on your hand from the furry friend. For a split second, you imagine what it would be like if you had a sibling instead of Musli. But, that would mean that you could be replaced. That their real child would come first, and you'd hopefully come second. It wouldn't be an issue for you, you like to play with other kids and in many of the foster families you have been through; you had siblings. It's not the sibling itself you had issues with, it was the parents and how they seemed to favoritize their real child meaning you would get the blame for anything, and you´d be the one that gets left behind.

You remember how once a family told you that they would be going to Paris for a weekend, and oblivious little you believed that they would bring you too. So when the departure day came, and you stood ready all excited with your little backpack all ready; they told you that there were crackers and peaches in the kitchen, and that you could take pizza from the counter. That day, you stood in the doorway squatted down to watch through the cat door as the family left you behind. You don't realize it yet, but one day; people will be cheering your name as you secure victory after victory across the biggest stages in the world.

You reach for the special guardian angel mouse that's hiding in the closet of the ballerina mouse’s room. She pretends to cross the room to head downstairs where she grabs some bread and cheese. The food gets brought back up to the ballerina mouse’s room, but not before checking to make sure that nobody can see her. She hands the food over to the little ballerina mouse who accepts the food before hiding behind her desk to eat it. She dosent want to be a burden, she only wants to do good, she only wants to act good. To be a good little mouse. So that perhaps, one day; someone might want her.

In the middel of the play, you hear a door squeal. You instantly freeze up, the mouse falling from your hand onto the carper. Musli instantly gets up, and bonks himself on your shoulder as he purrs. His purrs is enough to make you decompress. Your gaze is glued to the floor, and you sit completely still, to the point of not breathing. As the anxiety sets in, you decide to shut your eyes. Hiding in your closet isn't at option, as you feel frozen to the ground.

"Y/N? Are you up already?" A voice speaks. The voice seems to be similar to Leah´s, but you are not sure. You remember how your fosters told you that when people are talking to you, your ears can lie and make you believe that you heard something different than what actually was said. So if your foster dad said that you were useless, he might've said that you were kind instead. At least, that is what they wanted you to believe.

"Y/N?" The voice speaks softly, a little closer this time. You feel a hand on your shoulder, and you open your eyes to see Leah. Your shoulders instantly relaxes, and the coldness you have carried around this morning suddenly feels warm and toasty. "Are you playing with you mice?" Leah asks, sitting down next to you. You smile and nod your head eagerly.

"I like my mice" you say softly, picking up the mama mouse. "This is you" you said holding it towards Leah, she accepts it and smiles. "And this is Alessia" you say, holding up the mommy mouse. "And who is this?" Leah asks, pointing towards the little ballerina mouse. You look over at the mouse, and starts to fiddle with your pink pyjamas.

After gathering courage for a minute, you point to yourself. "Is it you?" Leah asks, picking it up from behind the bed where it has been hiding. You don't say anything, but you let out a small hmm. "Did she have a sleepover?" Leah asks, looking at you with a soft smile.

"No" you speak, your voice low. "Hmmm, did she fall behind her bed when she slept?" she asks, tucking a piece of hair behind your ear. "no" you say, still unsure about whether to explain to her why your favorite mouse was hiding.

"It is scared" you say, picking up a baby mouse before fiddling with its tail. "Oh? It's scared huh? Well, does it want to tell the Leah mouse why?" she asks curiously, placing the ballerina mouse in her bed. "maybe" you whisper, having Leah in the corner of your eye.

Leah pulls out her pretending voice out and walks the Leah mouse into the ballerina mouse´s room. "oh no, my little ballerina mouse, what's wrong?" she says, hopping over to the bed before sitting down on the floor in the ballerina mouse´s room.

Your hand reaches for the little ballerina mouse, and you make the mouse hide her head in her tiny arms. "Oh no, does my little ballerina mouse need a mama hug?" Leah urges, tapping the ballerina mouse on her shoulder. The ballerina mouse nods, and the mama mouse wraps her tiny mouse arms around the ballerina. Leah leans towards you before pulling you into her arms, you relax your shoulders; it feel safe. Leah makes you feel safe.

"What's on your mind, my little mouse?" Leah asks as you listen to her steady heartbeat. "Im scared" you whisper out, and for a second you cannot believe that you just said that. But you remember that your mommy always said that you could trust people that are trusted by animals. And so you do. You pour your heart out, about how you are scared that they won't go through with the adoption. That this is an excuse for not wanting to deal with you anymore. That this somehow sends you back to one of your old fosterfamilies. And Leah? She listens, she dosent argue or talk back or tell you to shut up, she listens until you stop rambling.

"We would never send you back, ever. You are a part of our family now. I can't promise that you will never have siblings, but I can promise that you will never be considered anything less than another baby. And if you feel sad in your heart, then I really wish that you can talk to me or Less about it, okay? " Leah offered, looking out in the room.

You nod.

"Im thankful for that you spoke up about it, I love you so much" Leah says, folding her arms tighter around you and you hug her back. "How about some pancakes for breakfast, hm?" your eyes widen and you nod eagerly before jumping up from Leah´s lap and sprinting downstairs, your giggles spreading around the house.

"The last person to the kitchen is a rotten mouse!"

[snowysosturn]

Fire & Desire - Matt Sturniolo Part 18

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18

Pairing: Y/n x Matt Sturniolo

Summary: Y/n has always clashed with Matt. Despite working for Chris’s clothing brand and being close with Nick, her relationship with Matt has always been tense at best. While being forced to be around each other more, their animosity turns into something deeper. Can they overcome their differences, or will their fiery emotions tear them apart?

Warnings: angst, tension, smut, p in v, unprotected sex (dont be silly), mentions of drinking

It was hours that I was tossing and turning in my bed, trying to succumb to a nap but failing. I roll onto my side and grab my phone, staring at my screen as my fingers hover over the keyboard. My body feels heavy with exhaustion, but my mind refuses to slow down. All I can think about is Matt, his voice, the way he looked at me on our walk, the warmth of his hand in mine, the conversations we had.

I sigh, rubbing my eyes before glancing at the time. It’s nearly 9pm, but I know he’s still here. It’s just the two of us in the villa right now, the rest of them out for the night. The thought lingers in my mind, making my heart pick up slightly.

I hesitate for a second before finally typing out a message.

Me: You awake?

The message sends, and I stare at the screen, waiting. I tell myself if he doesn’t answer in a minute, I’ll roll over and force myself to sleep.

But my phone buzzes almost immediately.

Matt: Yeah. Can’t sleep.

I bite my lip. My fingers twitch over the keyboard before I type out my next message.

Me: Wanna keep me company?

There’s a pause. Then..

Matt: Absolutely.

My stomach flips. I quickly smooth out my blanket, suddenly feeling nervous now that I’ve actually done it. I sit up, tucking my legs under me as I turn on my bedside lamp. My heart racing just a little faster when I hear the soft patter of footsteps down the hall.

My door opens slowly, and Matt steps inside, his hair slightly messy, his Fresh Love hoodie hanging loosely over his frame. His eyes meet mine in the dim light of my bedside lamp, and and I instantly feel the tension between us.

“Couldn’t sleep either?” he murmurs.

I shake my head. “Too much on my mind.”

He nods like he understands, then closes the door behind him. “Yeah” he says, his voice quieter now. “Me too.”

Matt crosses the room and hesitates for a second, then sits down at the edge of my bed next to me.

"Hope you don’t mind" he says, his voice softer now that we’re alone.

I shake my head, pulling my blanket over my lap. "Not at all."

For a moment, we sit in comfortable silence. The villa is eerily quiet without the others here, just the sound of crickets outside. I lean back against my pillows, hugging one to my chest as I glance over at Matt.

“So” he says eventually, shifting to get more comfortable. “What was keeping you up?”

I exhale a quiet laugh. "You, mostly."

His eyebrows lift in surprise, but a small smirk tugs at the corner of his lips. "Oh yeah?"

I roll my eyes, nudging his knee lightly with my foot. "Not in that way. My mind's just been running in circles. About earlier, about this trip.. about everything, really."

He nods, leaning back against the headboard beside me. His shoulder brushes mine, and it sends a small shiver through me.

"Yeah I get that.." he says, tilting his head back slightly. "My brain hasn’t shut up all night."

I turn to look at him. "About what?"

He pauses, his jaw tightening slightly, like he’s debating how much to say. Then he exhales. "Just.. things. Life. Us." He glances at me briefly before looking away again. "I meant what I said last night, you know."

I swallow. "About what?"

"About why I acted the way I did" he says, his voice quieter now. "I just- I've never been good at this.. At knowing what to do when I actually care about someone."

His words settle into my chest, warm and heavy. Yet, I don’t know what to say to that, so I look down at my hands. After a second, I feel his fingers graze against mine, barely there, like he’s testing the waters. I don’t pull away.

For a while, we just sit there. There’s something intimate about it, the talking, just existing together in the quiet. No pressure, no expectations. Just us.

I shift slightly, turning to face Matt more directly. His shoulder is still brushing mine, a constant, quiet warmth between us. I have questions I want answers to, and I feel like now is a perfect opportunity to get them.

"When did you realize you had feelings for me?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

Matt's fingers twitch where they rest on the blanket, his eyes flickering away for a moment before settling back on mine. "Since I met you" he admits. "Two years ago."

That makes me pause. My brow lifts slightly, processing his words. Two years? My mind spins back to all the times he was distant and cold. The back and forth, the mixed signals. And yet, all this time..

"Two years?" I repeat, needing to hear it again.

He nods once, his lips pressing together like he’s bracing for my reaction.

I tilt my head slightly, studying him. "And how exactly did you deal with pushing those feelings down for that long?"

Matt lets out a quiet chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. "Not well, apparently."

I scoff lightly, nudging him with my knee. "Clearly."

He sighs, shaking his head. "I don’t know. I told myself it was nothing. That it would go away. But then I’d see you with Nick or Chris, and how well you all got on.. I don't know, I’d get in my own head about it. I convinced myself there wasn’t space for me in your life like that, like I had an expectation to meet.."

I frown slightly, my heart slightly breaking at the thought. "Matt.."

He shrugs, offering me a small, almost sheepish smile. "It was easier to keep my distance than admit the feelings  I had. Or worse..get my hopes up."

His honesty knocks the air from my lungs. I stare at him, really taking in the weight of what he’s saying.

"That must’ve been exhausting" I say after a brief moment of silence.

Matt huffs out a quiet laugh, shaking his head. "You have no idea."

I chew on the inside of my cheek, trying to imagine what it must have been like for him. Watching, wanting, but never allowing himself to take that step.

"You didn’t have to do that.." I murmur. "Push it all down."

Matt looks at me hard. His blue eyes are softer than I’ve ever seen them, the usual guardedness nowhere to be found.

"Yeah" he says, voice low. "I know that now."

I smirk, tilting my head as I look at him. "So, it must’ve been absolute hell on earth for you when I moved in then, huh?"

Matt huffs a quiet laugh, shaking his head. "You have no idea."

I shift slightly, pulling my knees up to my chest as I look at him. "You know.. when I moved in, that’s when you really started blowing hot and cold with me." I pause, searching his face. "It was confusing because you only ever been cold with me. Then it completely switched. One minute, you’d be normal, even nice, and then the next, you’d act like I barely existed."

Matt sighs, dragging a hand through his hair. "I know.. I'm sorry"

I shake my head. "I started catching feelings for you, but you-" I exhale sharply. "You could be so mean sometimes. It messed with my head."

Matt looks genuinely guilty, his jaw tightening. "I never meant to be.. I was an idiot."

I raise a teasing eyebrow. "Couldn’t have been that bad living with me, though. You were still capable of bringing that girl over."

His face falters for a second, and I can tell I caught him off guard. He shifts slightly, rubbing a hand over his jaw like he’s trying to figure out the best way to respond.

"That wasn’t-" He stops, exhales sharply, then looks at me. "That was me being stupid."

I fold my arms, leaning back against the pillows. "Oh? Do tell."

Matt groans, throwing his head back against the headboard. "You’re really gonna make me spell it out, aren’t you?"

I grin, shrugging. "You brought it on yourself."

He lets out a dramatic sigh, then looks at me, a little more serious now. "I thought if I forced myself to be around someone else, it would help. That maybe if I tried to move on, I could get you out of my system." He pauses, eyes flickering over my face. "It didn’t work."

Something in my chest tightens at his words, at the honesty in them. My teasing smirk softens slightly.

"So, what? You just gave up on the idea of us entirely?" I ask, my voice quieter now.

Matt shakes his head. "No" he says simply. "I just told myself you’d never see me that way."

I open my mouth, about to respond, but nothing comes out at first. Because what do you say to that? To someone who’s spent two years thinking they never had a chance with you?

Matt exhales, his fingers nervously picking at the hem of his hoodie. “Look, I know I messed up a lot with you. And I get why you’d think.. after everything, that I didn’t care.” He pauses, then glances at me. “But I haven’t been with anyone since that night in the house.”

I blink, caught off guard. “What?”

He nods, his expression serious. “Yeah. Not since then.”

I tilt my head, trying to process that. “Why?”

Matt lets out a breathy laugh, but there’s no humor in it. “Because everything with us was already so up and down, Y/n. Hot and cold, like you said. I didn’t want to make it worse.”

I laughed lightly. “And yet, you still managed to.” I say teasingly.

“I know” he says, rubbing a hand down his face. “Trust me, I know.”

I watch him, my mind running back to all the moments I had questioned him, doubted what I felt, wondered if I was just some game to him. And yet, here he was, admitting that even in all the chaos, he had been just as stuck as I was.

The room is quiet, the only sound is our soft breaths. I watch Matt, his eyes fixed on mine, the weight of his words still settling between us.

“You really had me thinking you were heartless sometimes” I murmur softly.

He exhales, shaking his head slightly. “I never was. Not when it came to you.”

The tension between us is electric. The air thickens, and I feel my pulse quicken as Matt’s gaze drops briefly to my lips before flickering back to my eyes. I know that look. I’ve seen it before, but this time, it’s different.

Neither of us speaks. We don’t need to.

Then, almost instinctively, as if drawn together by some invisible force, we move at the same time. His hand finds my jaw, his thumb grazing my cheek as he leans in. My breath catches, my heart stuttering in anticipation.

And then, his lips are on mine.

The kiss is slow at first, like we’re both trying to savor the moment, to commit it to memory. But then something snaps, maybe it’s the tension that’s been building for months, maybe it’s the years of unspoken feelings, and suddenly, we’re pulling each other closer.

Matt deepens the kiss, his other hand sliding to my waist as I press against him, my fingers tangling in the fabric of his hoodie. There’s a hunger in the way he kisses me, like he’s making up for lost time, like he’s afraid to let go.

I don’t want to let go either.

His grip tightens, and I can feel his heart hammering against mine, matching my own erratic rhythm. We’re completely lost in each other.

I climbed onto his lap, straddling him as our lips continued to move together, the heat between us growing. Matt’s hands found their way to my back, holding me close as if he didn’t want to let go. The sensation of finally being so close to him, of feeling his heartbeat against mine, was overwhelming in the best possible way.

We pulled apart slightly and I looked into Matt's eyes, seeing the same mix of vulnerability and fear that mirrored my own feelings.

“Are you okay with this?” I asked, wanting to make sure that this was the right time.

"This feels right." He whispered, his voice barely above a breath.

I nodded with a soft smile. "It does."

Matt drags me into him again for another kiss and flips me over, now laying with my back against the mattress. His hands move to my hips, hooking his fingers around my fabric shorts before sliding them down.

“Fuck you’re not real” Matt says looking at me in awe. I blush at his words, and he comes back down for another kiss, his hands tracing up and down my body. I grab onto the sides of his hoodie and pull it over his head, wanting us to be as close together as possible.

I stared up at him with innocent eyes as he began to pull down his short and boxers in one go.

My face says it all when I see his dick.

“What?” Matt laughs.

“Nothing.. I.. didn’t say a word.” I say stunned, trying to play it off.

“You didn't have to use your words, your face said it all” He laughs while diving into my neck to lace it with kisses.

That is the biggest dick I’ve seen in my life. 

I get wetter as I replay the image of it in my head while he kisses me.

And I need it now.

“Please fuck me Matt, I need you now.” I whisper in his ear.

“Are you sure?” Matt whispered back.

I nodded as I spread my legs apart. Matt stood off the bed, while grabbing under my legs and dragging me toward the edge of the bed. He lined himself up with my entrance and looked up at me, our eyes meeting each other. Matt held that look as he pushed into me. My back arched as I broke our eye contact, opening my mouth from the feeling of Matt in me. 

“Oh my god” I cried.

He leaned over and gave me a smug smile before kissing me again, pushing his tongue into my mouth. I could barely kiss him back as I couldn’t stop myself from moaning. 

Matt thrusted into me slowly, allowing me to get used to his size. 

“Fuck your dick is s-so big in me Matt” I whimper as his hips knock back and forth into me, slowly picking up pace as time goes on.

“You’re so wet holy shit” Matt mutters as he continues to fuck me, his hands now holding on to mine.

“Y-you feel soo goood Matt” I whimpered, my body buckling with the multiple sensations I was feeling. “I dont know if I’m gonna last longer Matt oh my god”

I feel his right hand break loose from mine, as he moves his touch to my clit, I feel my core start to clench as he swirls his thumb in circles on my sensitive bud.

“Fuck Y/n you’re so pretty” Matt groans, shaking his head slightly like he can’t believe what he’s seeing right now. 

“Oh my god Matt I’m gonna cum! Faster please!” I whimper, clenching around his dick, Matt picks up his pace as I climax, my body shaking underneath him. 

“Shiiiit” Matt groans as he pulls out, stroking his dick so he can finish. Upon instinct, I sit up, and shift towards Matt, taking his dick in my mouth allowing him to finish there.

Matt gives me a curious look, almost to say he didn’t know I had that side to me.

“What? It saves the mess” I laugh to myself.

“That was really sexy” He says, still staring me down.

I plant a kiss on his lips before grabbing my shorts off the ground and taking myself to the bathroom to brush my teeth.

When I come back into my room, Matt is fully clothed again, dozing off in my bed but forces himself awake when he hears me return, pulling back the covers for me to get under.

I let out a small laugh, still slightly breathless from sex, as I climb into bed with him. I cuddle up to him, feeling extremely comfortable in the moment. “I really enjoyed that” Matt says softly. 

“So did I, I like being close to you” I respond, wanting to have a nice moment, but instead my stomach betrays me with a soft grumble. I groan, leaning my head against Matt’s shoulder.

“Oh someones hungry!” Matt laughs.

"Yeah honestly I kinda am.." I admit, my voice muffled against the fabric of his hoodie.

Matt chuckles, the sound low and warm. "We could go down to the strip, there's this place that sells pizza slices. Best late night food, trust me."

I roll my eyes, but I can’t fight the smile tugging at my lips. The idea of being out just the two of us, getting food in the middle of the night, feels.. fun. 

"Alright, let’s go" I say, pushing myself off the bed. "But if this pizza isn’t amazing, I’m holding it against you forever."

Matt stands up, putting his hoodie back on. "I like those odds" he grins. "Come on, let’s go get you fed."

We leave the villa and make our way onto the strip, the neon signs flickering against the dark sky. It’s late, but the place is only coming alive with music spills from bars, groups of people weaving through the sidewalks, and the scent of food lingering in the air.

Matt walks beside me, his hands tucked into the pockets of his hoodie, while I hug my arms around myself, still feeling the ghost of emotions from earlier. My heart is still racing, my lips still tingling.

The pizza place is tucked between a surf shop and a tattoo parlor, with a glowing red sign that simply says PIZZA. The scent of fresh dough and melted cheese pulls us in, and Matt heads straight to the counter like he’s been here a hundred times.

"Two pepperoni slices" he tells the guy behind the counter, then looks at me.

I shake my head, smiling.

Within minutes, we have our slices in hand, the cheese perfectly stringy and the crust crispy. We take a seat at one of the outdoor tables, the sounds of music from bars around us. I take a bite and groan.

"Okay, fine. This is amazing."

Matt smirks, watching me. "Told you."

We sit in comfortable silence for a moment, just enjoying the food and the atmosphere. Every so often, I catch Matt sneaking glances at me, like he’s still trying to process everything between us. I feel it too, what just happened between us has changed everything.

But right now, it’s just us, sharing pizza at midnight. And for once, that’s enough.

Matt leans back in his chair, finishing off the last bite of his pizza before wiping his hands on a napkin. He looks over at me, eyes flickering with something playful.

"You know" he starts, tilting his head toward the strip, "there's a place a couple doors down that does pretty good cocktails. We could grab one before heading back?"

I raise an eyebrow, smirking. "Oh? Are you trying to get me drunk, Matthew?"

He scoffs, shaking his head with a laugh. "Please. If I wanted to get you drunk, I’d have suggested shots."

I roll my eyes but can’t help the small smile tugging at my lips. The night feels easy, like we’re existing in our own little world.

"Alright" I say, standing up and brushing the crumbs off my lap. "One drink."

Matt grins as he stands, tossing our napkins into the bin before leading me down the strip. The bar he was talking about is a small, open air place with string lights draped across the ceiling and a music blasting. A few people sit at the bar, laughing and sipping colorful drinks.

We slide onto two stools at the bar, and Matt waves over the bartender. "Two Mai Tais."

I glance at him, amused. "You decided for me?"

He shrugs. "You’ll like it. Trust me."

When the drinks arrive, they’re vibrant orange with a hint of red at the bottom, with pineapple slices and tiny umbrellas as decoration. I take a sip and hum in appreciation. "Okay, not bad."

Matt watches me, his fingers lazily stirring his straw through the drink. "Told you" he murmurs.

One drink might turn into two. And I don’t think I’d mind.

Just as I take another sip of my drink, I hear the unmistakable sound of voices calling out.

"No way! Look who it is!"

I freeze mid sip, my eyes widening as I recognize the voices immediately. Matt hears it too, his body tensing beside me as we slowly turn toward the sound.

a/n : i sacrificed my after work nap so i could finish this part and post it lol

taglist : @mattybearnard @sturn-33 @ncm9696 @yourfavsturniologirl @crazy4jewel @sodakid1234 @stupendoustreewinner @lovealwayssturniolos @matthewsturniolosss @m4ttsmunch @loveexxx @ilusa @starkeyszn @wonnieeluvvr @dylnblue @valxrieq @maggot3647 @cigarettecemetary @ribread03 @chrisstvrns @bandasaruswrx @noplaceissafeanymore @amexiass @witchofthehour @mattssgf @jetaimevous @v33angel  @ivysturnss @urmom69lol @ashlishes @watercolorskyy @sturnioloshottiekay @amelia-sturniolo3 @imjusthereforthesturniolosmut @pvssychicken @alizestvrnss @chrisstxrnsaxe @sophand4n4 @vickytaa @marrykisskilled @bxtchboy69 @yourfavsturniologirl @julisturn @sydneyylainn @sophia-77n @trevorsgodmother @sturnslutz @yourmother29 @girl24cherry @astronea @pinkdyit

[e-hibiscus]

Pairing: Aglaea x reader

Author’s Note: A little suggestive, hand holding, established relationship,

Somehow, Aglaea always knows whenever you stare. It’s difficult not to, her beauty is breathtaking, a goddess in the flesh. From Aglaea’s golden locks to her immaculately manicured nails, she’s the epiphany of beauty. She’s perfect—graceful in everything facet of her being. From combat, negotiations, and even mere paperwork, it doesn’t matter what she’s doing.

You never think about how Aglaea is able to do that. You know she could “see”, but to what extent you never knew. You’re more enamored by her beauty and that she chose you to be her partner; her lover of all things.

Like many other afternoons, your focus for the past few minutes has been her thighs, daydreaming about how comfortable it looks to either rest your head between them or sit on them. Even as Aglaea is doing nothing more than sitting back and working, you can’t help how your mind then drifts to her hands and then her fingers.

They’re beautiful in their own right. They’re long and slender… painted gold, like her threads. Her nails were cut short and filed. It’s as if she was prepared for—.

“What is on your mind, my dear?” Her words pull you from your thoughts. your very… impure thoughts.

Aglaea’s voice alone can get you flustered, but this has you going red in embarrassment, arms waving about as you spew out gibberish in an attempt to form words. Even if Aglaea isn’t exactly looking at you, it doesn’t stop your face from heating up nor does it stop you from grabbing the book in your lap to cover your face.

“Be honest and clear what you want.” Her soothing tone pulls your attention from behind the barrier of pages you shielded yourself with. Peeking over, Aglaea’s eyes gaze patiently at you— so warmly in the way that has you feeling all warm and fuzzy in your chest. “There’s no reason to be shy.”

You don’t wish to come off as too eager for her attention, Aglaea is your spouse but she still bears responsibilities as a Chrysos Heir. However, those thoughts fall away when her hand pulls your book down onto the table. She traces along your palm before interlacing her fingers with yours.

Aglaea’s touch is light, yet grounding, as if she’s tethering you to her with the simplest of gestures. Her fingers fit so naturally between yours, a delicate and perfect match, as though they were always meant to intertwine this way. She gives your hand a soft squeeze, a silent promise of patience, of understanding.

"Tell me," she coaxes, her voice warm as honey, her golden eyes holding yours captive. "What is it that you desire?"

Your heart stutters. There is no judgment in her gaze, only love. You swallow hard, but the words still feel heavy on your tongue. She smiles, as if she already knows, as if she always knows what goes on in that head of yours when the two of you are together like this.

Instead of answering, you lift her hand to your lips, pressing a kiss against her knuckles, reverent and slow. She lets out the faintest hum of approval, shifting closer until her is pressed against yours.

"If you wanted my touch, my love," Aglaea murmurs, tilting your chin up so you’re looking at her once more, "you need only ask."

There’s no teasing in her tone, just the absolute certainty that she would give you anything you wanted—because she is yours, as much as you are hers.

With your forehead resting against hers, your breaths mingling in the space between, you whisper the truth against her lips.

"I just want to be close to you."

Aglaea smiles, and then she kisses you—soft, slow, and impossibly tender, like a vow spoken in silence. The paper in her hands slides it back onto the surface of the small table. Work can wait for now, after all it’s 1:00pm so it’s time for a break anyway.

“Why don’t we take a break?” She breathes out, pulling away, whispering by your ear sends. This sends a shiver down your spine. “Why don’t we take a bath together, hmm?”

[peace-hunter]

Hey! How’s it going?

I was just wondering what are the dynamics between Optimus and his thirteen ghostie siblings individually?

haunted au

oh boi.

i'm gonna warn you, there's some dynamics i've given more thought to than others and it shows. sorry about that.

also this got very, very long so i'm gonna put it under a read more.

okay here we go:

1- zeta is the strict older brother trying to keep OP alive at almost any cost. he still feels guilty for leading his siblings to their deaths and is maybe trying to atone for it by doing everything he can to get OP through a war. this mostly means pushing him harder than the rest of their siblings, because he wants OP to handle anything that comes his way.

and OP really wants to make zeta proud. he's low-key still in shock at receiving the Matrix and terrified of messing up in a way he can't fix, so he's really glad he has zeta to guide him through his stumbling even if more often than not he ends up self-conscious with the corrections he gets. he can't help comparing himself to zeta and feel like he's failing to measure up to him.

they have the hardest time out of everyone to reach a balance on how much zeta can influence optimus' decisions without it just being him dictating what should be done.

2- prima is a bit of a mother-hen and OP doesn't mind nearly as much as he probably should. seeing as zeta took the more strict role, prima found himself taking on a more supportive, almost care-taking one. he's the one that nags OP the most about taking care of himself and whether or not he's pushing himself too hard trying to be the Prime everyone expects him to be.

and OP feels like he should mind more than he actually does but it's just. it's nice. to be taken care of. he feels like he has to be strong for everyone else around him but prima makes him feel like it's okay if he's not sometimes. carrying the Matrix makes him feel so much older than he actually is most of the time, but sometimes prima treats him like a sparkling and it's. it's kinda nice.

prima is almost definitely the one optimus is closest to. partially because receiving prima's cog made them develop a bond that makes it easier for them to feel what the other is feeling which in turn makes their communication pretty open. but also because while with the others OP had to slowly lose his hero worship and learn to love them as just people, it's really hard to be star-struck by someone who is constantly nagging you about whether you're sleeping enough or not (/▽＼)

3- vector is pretty strict and a bit of rule stickler which does mean he and OP don't always agree on what's the best thing to do. they get along fine enough, they just... have a hard time vibing with each other.

OP spent his whole life chaffing against an unfair system and unjust rules, before finding out the horrible reason of why they existed, which makes him inherently suspicious of any kind of protocol he doesn't understand or doesn't see the point of.

vector loves protocol and rules and thinks they're there for a reason even if you don't always see it at first.

they struggle to find a balance until vector understands that OP doesn't just hate rules for the sake of hating them, he needs to understand why they're there and what purpose they serve before he acquiesces to follow them. once he gets where OP is coming from, it's a lot less frustrating to have to explain why certain protocols and rules exist.

and OP starts liking vector a lot more once he stops feeling like vector is trying to force him to follow useless directives that serve no purpose. once he sees vector is willing to sit down and explain to him why certain things are done the way they are, it's easier for him to not instinctively reject rules or protocols he doesn't immediately understand. he learns to trust that there's probably a reason behind everything and it's not always malicious. even if he ends up deciding he still doesn't agree with it, at least he's willing to learn more about it first.

4- alpha trion and orion have a mutual soft spot for the other and they enjoy spending time with one another very much!

AT was the only one that got to see Orion as a cogless miner trying so hard to make things right even when he had almost no power in his hands to do it. he was the one that saw a spark in him that could light up their world again. he saw the little bot that refused to stand down in the face of a giant injustice. and he will always love orion for that. for the hope he gave him in a time where everything seemed hopeless.

but he was also the one that set him and his friends in a path that led them to so much pain. he cannot regret it, revealing sentinel's lies was far too important and there was too little time to hesitate, but he does feel guilty for the part he played in what happened after. and it's that guilt that leads to him being more patient, more sympathetic to OP's weakness when it comes to megatron.

and to OP alpha trion will always feel a little larger to life, even after their size difference isn't as big as it was before. to him alpha trion will forever be the person who took the blindfold off his eyes. the one that confirmed that orion wasn't crazy for thinking things weren't right. that not only told him he, and everyone else, deserved the right to choose what they wanted to be, but also enabled them to make that choice.

he lowkey imprinted on alpha trion back in that cave lol

and on a more lighthearted note they both really enjoy spending time in the archives! they bond over a shared love for history and the importance of accurate records. and orion spent a lot of time listening to alpha trion's voice back when he used to sneak into the archives. he can barely believe he now gets to listen to the real thing and not just a recording!

he can't help but think that maybe in another world, in a better life, if he was very lucky, he could've worked in the archives under alpha trion's tutelage. he knows it's only a fantasy. but it's a nice one.

5- solus and optimus get along pretty well! she doesn't give him as much grief about megatron as the others do, not because she doesn't think it's a bad idea, but because she's kinda curious about it. she's very much a "let's see where this goes" kinda gal, even if she's relatively sure the results will go badly. so while she will let optimus know exactly what she thinks of megatron, she also lowkey doesn't discourage him from his attempts at reconnecting with him. she can respect the hustle of trying to fix something everyone else has deemed irreparable.

and optimus appreciates this! not quite enough to let solus take control of him so she can mess around in wheeljack's lab, but enough that he will hang around and act as translator so those two can bounce ideas off each other for far longer than he would otherwise lol

6- micronus shares OP's distaste for rules he doesn't understand or agree with so the two of them (and amalgamous) will team up against vector when they feel he's being particularly overbearing. the bond that rebelling against authority (an older sibling) creates between two people cannot be understated. their relationship is a simple one but very close nonetheless. micronus is one of the most affectionate of the group and he made OP feel very welcome into the family very quickly. he's also one of the most lighthearted about their situation. he thinks that as long as they're all together, not even the pits could be such a bad place to be in. his good attitude is contagious and OP gravitates towards him whenever he starts feeling a little too down.

7- alchemist is a more gentle, even tempered and lowkey presence. so while he and optimus don't spent a lot of time one-on-one, the time they do spend together is pretty nice for both of them. sometimes OP needs just a nice, simple conversation that won't touch of heavier topis and alchemist offers that. he tells optimus stories that weave science and mysticism so tightly it makes OP wonder how anyone can think they're irreconcilable with one another. he does give optimus high grade recipes he's pretty sure could kill someone if not prepared carefully enough tho lol

8- nexus on the other hand is loud, wildly creative and unpredictable. there is a reason he's the first one that discovered how to levitate in ghost form. the fact he couldn't turn if off afterwards is irrelevant. he's full of good humor, loves pranks and always has a joke on the tip of his tongue. OP loves him very much but he does find him a bit... grating at times. he understands why nexus tries to make all of them smile and laugh as much as he can but... he can't help but wish he wouldn't try so hard all the time. he's certain that as orion he would've not only taken it in stride, but even joined in. but as optimus he just... he no longer finds smiling as easy as he used to. nexus attempts at making him smile only emphasize how much more effort it takes nowadays.

9- onyx was a little bit intimidating to optimus at first, but once he got over his awe at the slightly mystic prime, he found himself enjoying his company pretty easily. onyx has a different perspective on many things, much more spiritual than the rest of his siblings, and while optimus doesn't always get what he means, he enjoys listening to him anyway. and the way he describes flying almost makes OP wish he had wings too.

10- amalgamous and optimus get along pretty well thanks to amalgamous' gentle but free-spirited temper and their relationship only strengthens upon the discovery that both of them have a natural irreverence for authority figures. the bond that being rebellious together creates is a strong one. the fact they're also authority figures does not escape their notice, but they're firm believers of the "i am not excluded from 'fuck'em' when relevant" mentality so it's fine.

amalgamous is also one of the firsts that starts pushing back the moment he feels zeta and vector are putting too much pressure on OP or imposing their opinions on him too much. while prima will speak up on behalf of optimus' well-being more often, it is amalgamous that defends optimus' independence most fiercely.

11- quintus is another quiet presence that doesn't make a lot of waves except when he feels compelled to speak up against the more ruthless approaches their siblings suggest. but otherwise he doesn't stand out as much as the others do. optimus' gets the feeling it wasn't always like that, the stories the others tell him of better times before the war hinting at a wild creativity and idealism he can't quite see in the quintus he knows. but the way even those hints vanish entirely once they start speaking of the war makes him wonder if they're related.

12-liege maximo is maybe the closest any of the primes get to being optimus' brother in every sense of the word. they're all family, they're all siblings, they all love each other but it is liege that makes optimus understand what the cain instinct means.

liege teases OP constantly and is delighted at the fact optimus is not afraid to give back as good as he gets. everyone else is a bit too over-protective of the kid in his opinion and it is his duty as fellow younger sibling to keep the baby of the family humble.

and OP is glad he gets one person he can be a little glitch with. as Prime there's an unspoken... decorum or property everyone around expects from him and he's... not like that. he misses being able to joke and mess around with his friends, he misses being able to be a little immature and even rude and not worry about whether it'll cause a political or social scandal.

and it's not like he's not close to or relaxed around the other primes, but there's still a little part of him that can't forget he used to hero-worship all of them and that part of him still screeches any time he's kinda rude to them. he's working on it.

but liege manages to get under his plates like no one else, he gets to the irreverent little glitch remnants of orion that optimus buries deep down inside himself most of the time and it's fantastic. the fact he can see liege visibly enjoys their little spats also helps.

on a gentler note, sometimes when OP is struggling to fall asleep, liege will tell him stories to pass the time. after all, storytelling is lying adjacent and liege is a very good liar. they both enjoy it more than they'd like to admit.

13-megatronus' relationship with optimus is... complicated. but maybe not exactly the way people expect it to be.

yes, at first the mere sight of him made him want to violently sob but like. what didn't make him want to cry those first few days. yes megatronus was a reminder of Dee, a painful one even, but so was literally everything else. dee was so ingrained into every single aspect of orion's life, it would've been easier to name the ones he wasn't.

when he couldn't even do vital tasks, like eating or sleeping, without it being a struggle to not crumble under the devastating guilt and heartbreak festering inside his chest, seeing megatronus is like. not even in the top ten of his list of issues tbh.

and afterwards, by the time when every day is a little easier to get through, he already got to know megatronus enough to see him more as person and less as dee's idol. of course it's not right away, not completely painless, you don't erase years of memories of someone you used to hold dearest to your heart just like that, but it's. it's a start.

he gets to make his own relationship with megatronus, his own memories with him, untainted by the pain of losing dee.

and their relationship in itself it's pretty nice. megatronus is a little overprotective of optimus (why the fuck is he so tiny???) but he doesn't really get the chance to be overbearing with it because. well. what can he really do. so instead it manifests into teaching optimus how to defend himself the best he can. the kid has pretty good instincts already but megatronus wasn't the greatest warrior who ever lived for nothing. he still has a lot he can teach OP.

and OP loves learning from him. he doesn't enjoy fighting, but he loves learning new things and the rush of getting a new move right is addicting. he also knows that if he gets through his training fast enough they're ahead of schedule he can get megatronus to tell him first hand stories of events he has read about hundreds of times.

no one is as good as alpha trion in telling stories, but megatronus is a close second.

their main point of contention is, of course, megatron.

megatronus is very bitter over what megatron has done with his name, his t-cog and his legacy. there is no hiding that, not even if he wanted to. and he doesn't. he's the most outspoken in his disdain for his actions and, after a while, the mech himself. at first he tried to be comprehensive and not push optimus too much, because he knows how much dee meant to him, but there's a point when he's just. done. with the topic. he believes there's only one solution to the war is and he wants optimus to understand it before he has to pay too high a price for his hesitation.

and optimus... cannot accept that.

logically, he knows megatronus is probably right. he knows that there'll be a line megatron will cross and won't be able to come back from.

he knows it will be then his duty to stop megatron no matter what it takes.

but... not yet. please. not yet.

and megatronus won't say it doesn't disappoint him. he just knows that optimus' reluctance to kill megatron will blow up on his face one day. but it's fine. what's family for if not to say "i told you so" while helping to get you out of trouble.

[hillbillyhubby]

What about me?

I talk a lot around here about my beloved wifey, what she does, what she says, her expectations and rules, etc. I should, she is important! But what about me!? What is my roll like in our Domestic Discipline relationship? We aren’t actually in this to get her to fulfill my longstanding needs, we are building up a strong and lasting relationship.

So what am I supposed to be doing when I’m not getting tugged over her knee?

* Behaving!

I’m genuinely, really trying to follow the rules she has set for us. I need the strict guidance her discipline provides, I will admit that. But that should lead me to want to do the things required of me, because they matter for our family and our marriage. I never set out to be punished, as that is completely against the point of all this. We are living this… I want to be a Good boy!

* Communicating.

Oddly enough, being open about how my behavior and her nurturing effects us has made it seem more important to be open with each other about more. My emotions and worries, my thoughts on our efforts, hopes and dreams, all of that can be discussed. It is a little silly to be shy and hiding your feelings and getting all repressed and grumpy when she just paddled your little hiney last night…haha!

* Paying Attention

It is remarkable how focused this has made me. I have a thousand distractions and concerns buzzing around in my head all the time, but with the support of my wife in our DD relationship, I’m becoming clearer. I try ardently to pay attention to her, stay on top of her “needs done” list, and generally be more attentive to her. Yes, in all ways. It’s always something I can improve on, and rest assured I’ll be trying.

* Having Fun!

Isn’t it ironic how the possibility of having my wife call out my nonsense directly, tan my behind, or put my nose in a corner can be so incredibly freeing!? I don’t have to worry what every little action will cause. Will she be mad? Will this upset her plans? What if I mess up? I don’t need to worry. I can be more like my bold, fun loving, mischievous self. If I get too goofy… she will let me know, in a way that I respect, understand, and makes me feel loved.

* Being loved.

I know she knows, but I like to remind my dear wife how incredibly loved and cared about this side of our relationship makes me feel. I feel like she is invested in me and my well being, and we are working together. When I have had to be disciplined, whether young or adult, I have always known it is for my own good, and came from love. This is how I need to be nurtured, and I am careful to be grateful for it. Every single day.

We say often, this has changed everything, and I know that we can handle anything life brings. Together.

HH!

[melanchoire]

G!p Pham hanni red flag and ex girlfriend

cw: dubcon, deepthroat, throat–fucking.

i know hanni is seen as a sweet girl but the image of a charming and sweet girl gives me vibes of a mega possessive and toxic girlfriend who has an eye on you at all times but only to make sure she takes care of you, even from the shadows ❤️

when you were dating, she was more than a sweetheart! calling you “darling” or “honey”, composing songs for you and singing while playing her guitar, cooking delicious meals for you and even baking desserts, making you fall asleep by hugging you against her chest and massaging your back while humming a song, and waking up with soft kisses on your face and a mega loving one on your forehead

it was unusual for you that even after you two broke up, she was still just as sweet… she even dared to tell you that you two were on good terms and she would love to be able to keep in touch with you and be friends, and you agreed because you thought she was just being the sweet hanni you fell in love with, idiot!!

it seems like a coincidence that wherever you go she is there too. that she is in the same university classes as you is understandable, but when you go to the library she’s there, when you go to the park she’s there, when you go to the store she’s there, she’s everywhere you go! and she is always all correct and well mannered, surprised to see you and greeting you happily, managing to start a conversation with you where she ends up asking you several personal things, like what you are doing and managing to get information from throughout the course of your week

and her friends try to warn you. you think that you are in the situation where your ex–partner’s friends hate you and do not tolerate you, so they treat you in the worst way or try to make you fall into the trap, but you always had a good friendship with minji during your relationship with hanni

“i’m not joking. stay away from hanni.” minji would tell you. she wouldn’t answer when you asked her why she wants you to stop associating with hanni. actually, you couldn’t even call what you two have a bond, just the girl who used to be your girlfriend and now becomes your ex is like a close acquaintance. minji would just make sure you do what she asks, and you get upset by her attitude! she wasn’t giving you any context, so why listen to her when she was being like that with you? you were foolish when you thought that she was just trying to get you away from hanni because maybe she had a crush on her

but you don’t know that hanni is the ex that can’t get over and becomes an obsessive stalker with you. checking your Instagram profile every night and writing down in a notebook each of the usernames of your followers or followed, only to go back in the next day to check your profile with her notebook in hand and checking if you have a new follower or if you dared to follow someone else 💀 also the type that has fake accounts that pretend to be real because their profile looked pretty credible!! she would respond to your stories with compliments, almost smashing her phone against the wall when you respond in the sweetest way to a girl or boy you don’t know, not knowing that she is behind the screen

one day she invites you to a study date at a coffee shop since you had an exam around the corner and she suggested that it would be a better idea to study as a team. of course, hanni was the one who invited you, she was the one who paid for absolutely everything and she didn’t even let you put in a small part of the money, just saying that you order whatever you want from the menu and don’t worry about the price

maybe the waitress was a whote who was always flirting with the customers or maybe hanni was seeing things that weren’t happening, but she was more than sure that the waitress was flirting with you while she left the order on the table!! she was so angry because this woman was blatantly trying to touch something that was hers

throwing an arm across the table, hanni throws everything that was on the table onto the floor, one of the coffee cups splashing the waitress and dirtying her apron, the rest of the plates and trays falling to the floor and breaking into pieces, along with the baked desserts scattered across the tiles

she doesn’t even let you process what happened because she grabs your wrist and drags you into the bathroom of the place

mean dom hanni forcing you to get on your knees, making your back against the wall so you have no escape from her. she would pull down her pants, removing her cock from her boxers and looking down at you with an mad expression and fire in her eyes

omg she would slap you with her dick too 😳 getting annoyed as you try to stand up, having to roughly grab a handful of your hair with one of her hands and using the other to hold her cock, smackig the head against your cheek and grinning as she watches the pre–cum stain your skin

she fucks your mouth and doesn’t care if you’re choking or having trouble breathing, she just focuses on holding your head with both hands with a painful grip on your hair while forcing her cock into your mouth

and has the audacity to degrade you as if you were the one who wanted this, saying “you missed being on your knees, didn’t you? i knew you were a whore. i always knew that.” “always coming back to my cock, don’t you darling? you’re pathetic, (y/n).”

and enjoy when after cumming and staying inside your mouth to make sure you swallowed every last drop of her seed, and as she pulls away from your mouth a thick thread of the combined saliva and cum connects from the head of hee cock to your swollen lips, using two fingers to scoop up the mixture and forcing her digits to make you swallow it because she doesn’t want you to waste anything

and it would be a surprise to everyone when a few weeks later you get back with your ex girlfriend as if nothing happened

[ayyy-pee]

mmmmokay can i request maybe a hashira!reader x sanemi where during the hashira meeting with lady amane following the swordsmith village arc, reader also takes her leave with tomioka and sanemi is piiiissssed and confronts her about it at her estate afterward (obv angrily). but then eventually she breaks and tells him that she wants to give him the future he deserves, to live happily married together with as many children as he wants (…perhaps… she could already be pregananant?). but she can’t bear the thought of leaving a child orphaned if they both manifest the curse mark (im sure he understands)

thanks love <3 ur my fav btw

hello nonnie!! am i barely answering your October request now in February? yes! somethings don't change sldkfjsdk. i hope you enjoy it because i love sanemi so much and could totally see him itching to kill somebody over you until he gets THE NEWSSS ohhhh. SANEMI CALL ME PLEASEEEE MY PHONE NUMBER IS 1-888-FCK-MEEE!!!

anyway - here it is

Discord 18+ - Twitter

Pairing: Sanemi Shinazugawa x Female Reader

Summary: With the imminent threat of Muzan approaching, the Hashira are given their new assignments. And Sanemi is none too happy about yours.

A/N: nothing crazy going on here tbh. just some jealous lovesick sanemi. i didn't proofread because i'm lazy lmfaooooo

There’s a rage simmering in Sanemi’s chest, hot and threatening to boil over at any moment if he doesn’t find a way to calm down and quickly. Even with anger being Sanemi’s baseline emotion most days, he’s not sure he’s ever felt this incensed in his life. And try as he might, he just can’t seem to quell it.

The root cause shouldn’t be as big of a deal as it is, and yet it feels like it’s the end of the world. Like his world has just shifted and he has no control over what may happen next.

And it’s been this way since the Hashira gathering with the Mast- …Lady Amane, where he’d received probably the worst orders of his life. Since then, it’s taken everything in Sanemi to not blow the roof off of every single building on the estate.

-

“You’ll be dispatched to your assigned territories in pairs,” Lady Amane had spoken earlier in the evening. “This is for not only the protection of Nezuko, but for your own safety. Muzan is likely to go to extreme measures to get to the demon who has now conquered the sun. We have a better chance of success defeating Upper Moons if you are together.”

Sanemi disagreed. He didn’t need to be paired with anyone in order to do his job. He was a Hashira for fucks sake! If anything, they’d just be in his way. Why did he need to be paired with another Hashira on the off chance they ran until an Upper Moon? An insult, but if the Master deemed it necessary, there could be no argument.

“Understood,” Himejima spoke on everyone’s behalf. “Who is to be paired with whom, Lady Amane?”

“Please understand that these pairings are not given based on strength,” the small black-haired child beside Lady Amane began. “Shinobu will remain on estate grounds. Her tasks lie outside of combat.”

From Sanemi’s peripheral, he sees Shinobu nod.

“Himejima will also remain at the estate, tasked with guarding the Master’s quarters.”

The soft rattle of Himejima’s prayer beads sound throughout the space. And Sanemi imagines he must feel honored to be given such a heavy order. He’s jealous, but the idea of an Upper Moon coming from the depths to try and make their way to the Master, only to be met with Sanemi’s blade thrills him in ways he’s can’t explain.

“Now, to the pairings,” the child continues. “Muichiro and Shinazugawa.”

Sanemi and the child prodigy. He supposes he can’t be too upset, though Muichiro wouldn’t have been his preferred choice. The kid is strong, probably stronger than him, though Sanemi will never admit that aloud. No, he’s not mad at this pairing at all.

“Mitsuri and Obanai.”

The two share exchanged looks, Mitsuri red-faced, Obanai slinking further behind his mask if possible. Sanemi tries not to laugh. He’s certain Obanai is reeling from being paired up with the woman of his dreams. Once this meeting is over, he’ll have to give him all kinds of shit.

But now, Sanemi realizes with hardly concealed dread, that that leaves one particular dick head –

“Giyuu and –”

You.

The woman of Sanemi’s dreams.

Now that is a pairing that Sanemi can be mad about. His eyes cut sharply across the room, where you sit stiffly behind Muichiro, hands curled into fists on your thighs. You and Tomioka? Paired to be stationed somewhere far, far away from here? Together? Alone?

Tomioka, who Sanemi is 99.999% certain has feelings for you. Tomioka, who deems himself “not like the rest of them”, like he’s above you all somehow. Tomioka, despite not bothering to speak to any of the other Hashira, found himself to be rather close with you. Even with Sanemi’s clearly voiced disdain for him, you remain friends. Tomioka, who makes Sanemi’s anger intensify when he sees him glance over to you discreetly, and you glance back and fucking smile at him!

It’s small. So tiny, that if Sanemi wasn’t already so well-versed in every little mannerism you possess, he’d for sure have missed it.

But unfortunately for you and Tomioka, Sanemi is well-versed in every little mannerism you possess, every move, and every single sound you’re capable of making. He knows you in ways Tomioka fucking wishes he could know you. In ways that Tomioka will never fucking know you if Sanemi has any say in it.

But so much can happen in such a short time. Who’s to say that you won’t find yourself falling for the Water Hashira in an unlikely way? The same unlikely way you found yourself falling for the Wind Hashira, and him for you. It’s enough to make Sanemi’s entire body tense.

Violet eyes pierce repeatedly into the back of the Water Hashira’s head, Sanemi wishing he’d fall dead in front of his eyes, and stop fucking staring at you. His mind races with a million different ways to kill Tomioka. The thoughts are fleeting, really so brief, the temptation to lunge for Mitsuri’s sword and wrap it around Tomioka’s neck, ending Sanemi’s misery right then and there. But would it be worth all the trouble?

Unlikely…

Which is why Sanemi instead settles for staring hard daggers into the side of your skull. Poking and prodding, hoping you feel the immense weight of his gaze and stop looking at goddamned Tomioka and look at him!

“Look at me!” Sanemi screams internally. “Turn. Just turn this way! Turn your head and look over here! Stop fucking smiling at him! LOOK AT ME!!”

You don’t look at him, though, don’t dare meet his gaze.

And that has Sanemi seething.

But he doesn’t have time to dwell, because Lady Amane speaks and her tone demands everyone’s attention.

“Muichiro, Sanemi. You will leave in three days’ time. Mitsuri and Obanai. You will leave in two days’ time.”

A staggered dispatching of the Hashira. Sanemi has a bad feeling about this.

“Tomioka and ___. You will leave tonight.”

This just keeps getting worse.

-

Sanemi’s been glued to his spot among the Hashira since, sitting with his legs folded, eyes closed and arms crossed for ages in an attempt to meditate and shove the fury down as deep as it can go until it’s no longer affecting him. It’s pointless, it seems. Even the darkness he’s staring into behind his eyelids is starting to piss him off.

The reasonable part of Sanemi is telling him that there’s no reason to be upset. This is work! It’s not like you requested this partnership. It’s not as though you asked the Master if you and Tomioka could go on this mission together for God knows how long, doing God knows what in your down time together. It’s work for God’s sakes! You’re not running off to the beach and frollicking through the market with your fingers laced together. You’ll be potentially fighting for your fucking lives out there.

That’s it. Work. Nothing more.

But the unreasonable part of Sanemi is telling him he has every right to be pissed! He’s observed Tomioka’s behavior around you – annoyingly desperate for your attention, quickly yearning from across the room. It’s pathetic. Worse, Sanemi’s observed your behavior around Tomioka as well. Far too kind, far too friendly for Sanemi’s liking. And you know how he feels! 

Even with your reassurance that you harbor no romantic feelings for Tomioka, Sanemi just cannot stand the thought of you two traveling shoulder to shoulder together. It can’t happen! 

Riding the train and sitting beside each other while you take in and discuss the beautiful views? Unacceptable! 

Sharing meals together, waking up and greeting each other first thing in the morning. Telling each other goodnight before climbing into bed?

Sanemi wants to rip his hair straight from his scalp at the thought of how domestic it all seems.

His reasonable side calls to him again, tries to calm him.

‘They’ll be far too busy patrolling for demons and potentially fighting Upper Moons to care about any of that.’

And somehow, that makes it all worse for him.

Sanemi would love nothing more than to lay down his life in front of you, for you if needed while facing an Upper Moon. He’d relish in standing back-to-back with you while raising your blades and bringing them down on any demon who stands in your way – together. You and him. You and Sanemi. Not you and Tomioka Giyuu.

With a sigh, Sanemi’s eyes open. All of the Hashira remain gathered in a circle, discussing the details of today’s meeting. Himejima drones on about whatever. Who really gives a fuck? Sanemi can’t be bothered. Not when you still haven’t taken even a second to look his way. 

And the rage continues to burn hot. He’s not getting any less angry.

‘Or jealous,’ his mind mocks.

The softness of the sunset peeks through the room’s windows, and it’s only a reminder that soon you’ll be on your way with Tomioka. And if things wind up going left, it could be the last time Sanemi ever sees you. It’s a thought that has Sanemi grinding his teeth, hard and loud enough that he’s grabbed Obanai’s attention, his elbow digging into Sanemi’s ribs.

The loud hiss that comes from Sanemi’s lips grabs Himejima’s attention, pausing his spiel.

“Hmm,” the monk hums. “Perhaps here is a fine place to stop. We will resume discussions at the next meeting.”

The Hashira stand, and Sanemi watches as each pairing finds each other. He’s grateful that Muichiro isn’t the small talk type because he simply murmurs that he will meet Sanemi at the destination and takes his leave. Obanai has found Mitsuri and he lets her do what she does best – talk his ear off. Himejima and Shinobu are both speaking quietly away from the rest of the group.

And you…Sanemi’s eyes find you, staring back at him finally. Your eyes are sad, a small smile holding an apology on your lips. Is it because you’ll be gone in the morning and will likely not have a moment to see him? Maybe. But there’s something else in your gaze, though Sanemi can’t quite place it. 

Then there’s Tomioka, who without fail, is heading towards you. You don’t see him, your eyes locked on to Sanemi’s. And he can’t imagine not having at least one last conversation before you go your separate ways for what could be the final time. He can’t have that.

Tomioka gets closer, and it makes Sanemi move, makes him remember that the clock is ticking. It won’t wait for him, and the more he stands here brooding, the closer you are to being out of his reach.

His feet carry him across the room, fast and long strides quickly closing the distance. Your eyes widen when you see him approaching, still not aware that Tomioka is also closing the gap, and when you finally do it’s too late.

Your name falls from Tomioka’s lips. The sound makes Sanemi’s jaw clench tight.

“I was hoping we could –”

Sanemi snatches your wrist, the yelp you let out cutting off the Water Hashira. Blue eyes take in the sight before him; you wide eyed and surprised. Sanemi, wide eyed and murderous.

“Fuck off, Tomioka,” Sanemi snarls, the venom dripping from every word. “We’re talking.”

His stupid, nonchalant demeanor drives Sanemi insane. He’s not the least bit affected by Sanemi’s tone.

“Yes, but–”

“No buts. I said fuck…” Sanemi’s voice lowers into a menacing whisper. “Off…”

You quickly shift between the two men, your hand coming up to land on Tomioka’s shoulder and Sanemi is really about ready to lose his shit. “I’ll meet you at the gates in a few hours, okay? I’ll send my crow for you.”

Tomioka’s eyes drift down to your hands where Sanemi still grips onto your wrist. Then they slide up to his face, where Sanemi’s lip curls up into a snarl. But you seem calm, unaffected even. So Tomioka simply tells you he will see you soon, and takes his leave.

The other Hashira still linger, pissing Sanemi off with their presence.

“Come with me,” he demands, and you nod.

“Not here, though.”

-

There’s hardly any sun left when you lead Sanemi to the small alleyway beside the building. It’s dark and quiet enough for you two to speak without interruption. Once alone, Sanemi pins your wrist to the wall, his face so close you can feel his breaths fanning against your face.

“What’s wrong with you?” He wastes no time getting to the point. “You get assigned to a mission with Tomioka and suddenly I’m invisible…”

You roll your eyes, because as always, you find him to be dramatic. And maybe he is being dramatic, but he can’t seem to find a fuck to give when you’re so close to leaving. 

“Oh, so you want to be out there with Tomioka, then?”

“Sanemi…” you whisper calmly.

He shakes his head. “No, don’t Sanemiiii me. I saw you at the meeting earlier, smiling at Tomioka when you found out you’d be sent off halfway across the country to do who knows what,” Sanemi hisses. “No objections from you?”

You scoff, snatching your hand from his hold. “We’re going halfway across the country to work, Sanemi.” Your hands settle on his bare chest and Sanemi has to stop his eyes from fluttering shut. “What should I have done? Refusing Lady Amane’s orders would be the same as refusing the Masters. I am not doing that just because you’re throwing a jealous fit over Giyuu. As always.”

“I am not…” he grumbles, “throwing a fit.”

At this, you snort, and the sound makes Sanemi soften. Only by a fraction.

“I just…” He pauses, hands coming to rest on your hips and his anger melts away finally, because that’s how it always is with you. The moment he’s able to touch you, feel you the way he desires, all turmoil disappears. 

“...hate Giyuu?” You finish his sentence for him, and Sanemi rolls his eyes, sighing.

“Not as much as I fucking hate you calling him by his first name like that,” he grumbles, leaning forward so that his face is nuzzled against your shoulder.

“I call everyone by their first name, you dummy.”

It’s true. But it only annoys Sanemi when it’s his name falling from your lips.

“He wants you, you know?  Potential life or death mission with a beautiful woman?” His voice lowers, grip on your hips squeezing hard, but not enough to hurt. “Probably thinks this is his perfect chance to make a move, that fucker.”

You shake your head, lips pursing together. “He doesn’t. And he wouldn’t.”

“He does. And he would. I mean, I would. I did.”

“That’s different!” You chuckle softly. “Giyuu…He–” you stop yourself, hands coming up to rub at your temples. “Why am I even arguing with you about this?!”

Because Sanemi hates that you’re leaving and that you’re leaving with Tomioka! And he hates that you and Tomioka are friends, that you call him by his first name with such affection it makes Sanemi’s skin crawl. He hates that you can’t see what Sanemi does when Tomioka looks at you. And he hates the idea of you potentially coming back in love with Tomioka and tossing Sanemi aside!

It seems so stupid when he spells it out in his head like this, but it’s how he feels. He’s not going to apologize for it.

“I don’t like it,” He mutters. “He has some weird secret crush on you and I hate seeing the way he looks at you. Like if you let him, he’ll ask you to marry him on the spot.” You chuckle at this, and Sanemi’s lips turn down with a scowl. “It’s not funny! Tomioka would love nothing more than to build you a pretty little house and have babies and shit. Fucking freak probably dreams about it. I can tell because–”

Because Sanemi would love nothing more than to do those exact things.

He feels the tension radiating off of you in an instant, his eyes falling onto your hands that are now rubbing absentmindedly along his scars. There’s a strange change in your demeanor. Like you’re nervous about something. Is just the mention of marriage and a house with kids so off putting? Perhaps you’re not interested. Or maybe you are interested, and you’re interested in having that with…

With Tomioka, is what Sanemi wants to add. But he thinks it better not to when he sees the look on your face. Quiet, thoughtful, maybe even a little sad.

“Sanemi…we need to talk.”

You feel his lips against your skin, turning down into a scowl. Then he’s pulling away to look at your face. “Not loving the sound of that.”

Your eyes find his, adjusting to the slow darkness creeping into the space. It’s only for a second before you’re looking away again.

“I–” Your voice trembles. “I feel like I need to tell you something.”

Fuck.

You do want that…and with Tomioka?! He should have known. The signs were right there in front of him

“I fucking knew it…”

“Knew what?”

He chuckles, dryly and with absolutely no humor. “That you want Tomioka. Or, excuse me, Giyuu.” He spits the Water Hashira’s name out like it’s bitter. He knows he sure is. “That’s why you were so fucking smiley when you got your orders, right?”

Sanemi steps back, just out of your reach and begins pacing, truly trying not to take it upon himself to bring the Hashira count down by one. Really, who’d miss Tomioka anyway? He sure fucking wouldn’t.

“Stop, that’s not it at all!”

“Oh, then what is it?!” He barks, then inhales deeply to try and calm himself, though he knows it will be pointless. Still, he lowers his voice. “You two have been making eyes at each other all goddamn day. You couldn’t even look at me after you got your orders.” He stares you down now, feet rooted in place.

“I’m trying to tell you that–”

“That you’re done with this? That why Tomioka’s over there shooting you encouraging smiles? Rushing over to you after the meeting?”

“No, he’s–”

“Because you need the pep talk to give you the courage to break this off, huh? Didn’t expect such a cowardly move from you.”

Sanemi can’t see it, but your hands ball into fists at your side, about two seconds from strangling him.

“Sanemi…” Your tone is a warning that he chooses to ignore.

“Oh, I bet you can’t fucking wait to run off into the sunset with that fucking wet rag.”

“I’m trying to –”

“And Tomioka, oh I just know he’s at home packing and imagining this amazing future you two are obviously planning to build together. It’s so –”

“Will you shut up?!” Your voice screeches, cutting through Sanemi’s rant like a sharp blade. “For the love of God! I’m trying to tell you that I was paired with Giyuu for a reason! It’s not because we’re planning to run away together. It’s not because I love him…well, I love him, but only as a friend –”

Sanemi’s lips open to speak, surely to argue about the love part but you hold up a finger and he quickly shuts his mouth. You pick up where you left off, voice shakily trying to get this out.

“The Master paired me up with Giyuu for this mission that could very well be my last because not only am I fucking terrified of what the future holds…” You inhale deeply, steeling yourself. “...but I’m also pregnant, Sanemi.”

Your wide eyes stare at him, the fear loud and clear in your dilated pupils. And his expression matches yours.

There’s silence. Long, drawn out. Loud.

What can he say? This was definitely not how he was expecting this conversation to go.

“You’re…” Sanemi’s rough voice shatters the quiet between you. His feet drag him forward, bring him closer until he’s standing chest to chest with you again.

You swallow hard, watery eyes locked onto the man before you. “...pregnant.”

He drops to his knees, not caring about the way the gravel digs painfully into his flesh, not caring how pathetic he may look to any passerby, not caring about anything except you. You and… 

His strong arms loop around your waist, pulling you to him until his cheek is pressed to your belly. You can feel his breath, ragged and quick against the fabric of your uniform, and you let that be the only sound for who knows how long until Sanemi speaks again.

“You’re with child…my…child?” His head tilts back, cheek still resting against your abdomen until his eyes meet yours. And you see it.

Fear. Raw, unfiltered fear.

It’s such a strange emotion to see on the face of the Wind Hashira. Known for facing any and all challenges head on without hesitation and coming out on top, you now see a look that is unfamiliar to you. Even when it’s just the two of you, you don’t know Sanemi to fear anything. But you do what you know to do when he needs comfort. Your fingers find his hair, slipping into the surprisingly soft tresses where you comb through soothingly. His eyes drift shut and he leans into your touch.

“Yes.” It’s a whisper. So soft, you’re not sure Sanemi’s heard. But when he inhales sharply, you know he has. “That’s why I’ve been given this pairing and station.”

Sanemi shakes his head, confused. He doesn’t understand what the pairing with Tomioka has to do with anything. Just that you heading to the front lines is out of the question. He mutters your name softly, then peers up at you with pleading eyes. “You…you can’t go into battle with child.”

“This is why I didn’t want to tell you. I didn’t want you to worry,” you answer, as though you can read his mind. Your voice trembles, and Sanemi can feel the splash of fallen tears against his cheek. Not his own.

He rises to his feet, his rough hands cupping your face and swiping away the moisture on your cheeks. Your hands hold onto his forearms, and he bends to press a soft kiss to your wrists. He sees your lip quivering, hears your quiet sniffles and his lips find yours. The kisses are feather light, but just the touch of his mouth against yours opens the floodgates, and you’re soon sobbing into Sanemi’s mouth.

He holds you while your body shakes with sobs, lets you press your hands against his chest again, dig your nails painfully into his skin until he’s gritting his teeth. Sanemi cannot imagine what you feel.

“We can speak to the Master. Or…Lady Amane,” Sanemi suggests quietly, holding you closer if possible.

“We can’t. These are orders from the Master himself.”

“He can’t do this,” he insists softly, quietly. Even he is a little afraid that someone will hear what he’s suggesting. To go against the Master…well, it’s highly frowned upon. 

“He’s doing what’s right…for now. Even Giyuu is kind enough to be escorting me away from the fight that’s sure to come.” You seem to have calmed down, voice a bit steadier now as you pull away from Sanemi to peer up at him. 

“I’m scared, Sanemi. I want…you. I want a life that’s not tainted by fear. And to do that, I have to fight. But if I fight and develop the mark, or if you die, we will be leaving this baby as an orphan.” 

Right. A condition of the mark – certain death. One that Sanemi, under no circumstance is willing to let you or your child suffer through.

“Not to mention,” you continue. “If I die in battle in my current condition, we…” You take Sanemi’s hand in yours, press it to your belly. “We will die…”

Another scenario Sanemi is not willing to let happen.

“I want to defeat Muzan so that we can finally have peace. So that we can be together without worrying constantly over what’s lurking in the darkness. Or if our child will be able to have a normal childhood and life. I want to live with you. I want to fall asleep and wake up in your arms. I want to spend our days as a family and…” You wipe at your eyes, tears threatening to spill again. “Everything is so uncertain now and I just–”

Your words die on your tongue when Sanemi’s lips crash into yours. He kisses you hungrily, swallowing every sob and whimper you have to offer. Partly because he wants to kiss away any pain, and partly because he’s damn near ready to cry himself.

It’s not fair.

This world is not fair.

“I don’t want you to worry about this, anymore,” Sanemi orders. “Take your leave. Protect yourself.” He kisses you again, tenderly this time, though his next words don’t match his actions. “And don’t die.”

Yes, everything is uncertain right now. Yes, there’s no way to know what the future holds for either of you or your unborn child. Yes, life is terrifying. There is much to be scared about. But Sanemi knows one thing for certain.

You must live. He must live. That child must live.

And Kibutsuji Muzan…whether he knows it or not, has just had his fate sealed.

Because Sanemi will do everything in his power to make sure that by the time this child comes to be, Muzan is long dead.

[dontmakemechooseanli]

Zayne works hard for a better world. He fights everyday to save every person he comes across. It is ingrained in his every breath, every movement, every thought. Everyday.

But some days he wants to slow down time. He wants to covet time itself.

Here is this girl he left behind 15 years ago smiling up at him with such joy that he feels a certain selfishness creep in. She had drawn the two of them together- him emotionless and her smiling widely- and drew a heart between them. It took everything in him to not break then and there (instead he filled in the heart with a read colored pencil, his own silent admission). To keep the distance that he instinctually knew he needed to. The fear that kept him withdrawn snuck in when she turned her back to lead him away.

But now she's smiling at him again- nearly bouncing out of her skin in happiness telling the stories of the children he cared for. The children she has apparently been spending time with (could she be anymore made for him?) she tells him the children find his smile as bright as the sun. How can his whole body not come alight at that?

How is he meant to restrain himself?

Zayne does not understand certain things about himself- things that he feels like he should understand (the dreams, the draw to this sunshine woman, the times his evol spins out of control, all of it. Every step to understanding reveals a million locked doors).

But sitting here in the sun as spring comes to light around him- he finds that he believes her when she trusts him.

He has been so closed off to this storm of feelings he's had for 15 years that the thought of facing them feels like free falling-

But if his sun is there to shine down on him- to guide him?

Maybe it won't be so bad after all.

Maybe everything will be okay.

Maybe he can accept this sunshine woman and all her free- spirited liveliness.

And if he has to create a world where they can be at peace, where they can lounge under the sun and watch the children run, where he can take care of her?

He will. Certainly he will.

a/n: listening to this cemented the black cat boyfriend golden retriever girlfriend dynamic that early Zayne and MC have. The allusions to MC being his sun start early huh.

I hurt.

[mikkomacko]

how do you think a situation would play out in the "him and i" universe where nico has to go to switzerland or somewhere else internationally but the reader is hesitant due to what happened with lena 🤔

maybe the reader and nico fight about it and he leaves while she stays with luke, alex, and johnny

nico is upset that the reader doesn't trust him to keep her safe but ultimately understands the fear in being another unknown country given her past

“What do you mean you don’t want to go?”

It comes out harsher than he intends for it to, curiosity getting lost in translation and turning into offense. He’s always had a hard time communicating hard feelings in ways other than anger or silence.

“It’ll be easier,” you shrug, like it’s no big deal. Like you didn’t just tell him you want to spend a week away from him. “We won’t have to worry about Moose or the house. And I’ll have the boys stay here with me.”

Nico doesn’t even know what to say. The more you speak, the more an ugly feeling creeps into his belly. And you won’t even look at him, going about your bedtime routine with a practiced patience he can’t fathom having right now.

You don’t want to go with him to Sweden. It’s no tropical vacation or anything, but Jesper has some family stuff he needs to handle and wanted backup. Nico thought it’d be fun, a little trip for you two, a do over from the last shit trip to Europe he took you on.

“You don’t need me for a business trip, right?”

Nico wants to rip his hair out. He wants to rip his hair out and bang his head against the wall and maybe fall down the stairs where he’ll lay in a heap on the wood floors for the rest of his life.

You’ve never rejected him before.

And the worst part is, you’re really sweet about it. All pretty with your hair tied back and moisturizer half rubbed into your cheek, wearing just his shirt and speaking to him all soft like that. Comforting.

“I need you for everything,” he scoffs, crossing his arms over his chest like an angry child “more importantly, I want you there.”

You still avoid his gaze after drying your hands off, eyes shifting to look from just above his eyes to his mouth and then his chest. Anywhere but him.

“I just…” you hesitate, wincing uncomfortably and that ugly feeling in his stomach throbs.

“Tell me,” he urges, “the truth. Not some excuse.”

“I don’t really want to go.”

Silence. Nico blinks, taken aback. Obviously he could tell you didn’t want to go so you did technically tell him the truth, but still not everything.

You don’t want to go with him. You want to be away from him.

Nico opens his mouth, closes it. Now that he thinks about it, he can’t stand here and make you tell him that you don’t want him right now. He thinks he’d go into cardiac arrest having to hear it out loud. So he just nods, turning on his heel and heading into the bedroom.

Quietly, you follow behind him, the air in the room heavy and cold as he tugs off his shirt and gets into bed. As close to his side of the mattress as possible. You want space from him, want a whole ocean between you two, but he can’t do that just yet so this will have to suffice for now.

Nico stares up at the ceiling, heart thumping sadly in his chest as you shut off the bedside lamp and climb under the covers. You don’t say anything and neither does he, both of you laid out on opposite sides of the bed. It’s not as comfortable, he thinks, without you pressed into his ribs.

He hasn’t slept without you in his arms in years.

Bitterly, Nico shuts his eyes and rolls to his side, ordering himself to just go to bed. It only takes about two minutes for you to huff under your breath, mattress dipping as you shuffle over to his side of the bed.

He doesn’t move but that doesn’t stop you from curling into his back, a gentle hand on his ribs and then he drifts off, thinking maybe you are lying to him.

If you want a break from him, why are you chasing him across the bed?

~~~~

Nico practically runs from you the next morning. Up and out of the bed before you can wake up, showered and out of the house before the sheets have even turned cold.

He ignores your texts too, unsure of what to say after you ask him if everything is ok. What’s he supposed to tell you? Yeah things are ok, you just don’t want to be around him?

He’s grumpy and in a mood all day to the point that everyone steers clear of him. The air is awkward in every room he steps into and he ends up banished to the office of Sötis to work on delivery scheduling for product.

That’s where you find him an hour after he usually comes home, having ignored the text he sent saying he was working late.

It was bullshit. He knew it. You knew it. And you were willing to call him on it.

“Next time you don’t answer your phone for five hours I’m taking the boys and we’re turning over every inch of Jersey.”

Internally, he winces. He should’ve known to give you some response hours ago when you first messaged him. At least to let you know he was alive. But his pettiness got the best of him and all he wanted to do was spare his poor heart.

Which is why he still sounds like an asshole when he ignores your gaze, shifting through papers with a dismissive, “didn’t think you’d care.”

“Nico what are you talking about?” You ask, an edge creeping into your tone. “I care about where you are every second of every day. I worry about where you are from the moment you pull out of the drive until the moment you’re back home, safe.”

His heart skips, endeared by the sincerity in your tone but all he can hear are your words from last night. I don’t really want to go.

Ugh, brutal.

“You don’t care about where I’ll be in Europe, why would you care about it here?”

He’s not getting any work done anymore and yet he still reads over the same lines, tries his best to pretend he’s actually being productive.

“That’s what this is about?” You implore after a moment, and Nico shrugs. “You think I don’t care that you’ll be so far away? The furthest we’ve ever been apart?”

You move further into the room, coming around the desk to stand by his side and even though he doesn’t want to look at you, his body takes over for him and he pushes the chair back, thighs parting to let you step between them.

At his silence, you hesitate, paused between his legs. Carefully, like you’re scared you’ll spook him, you run your fingers through his hair.

“I’m sorry,” you whisper, voice cracking and Nico’s head snaps up to look at you, concerned and panicked at the same time. Why are you crying? What’s going on?

“I didn’t want to say it out loud because it’s stupid.”

His hands move on their own accord, grabbing at your hips and urging you to sit on his thigh. You go easily, slipping an arm around his neck and staring down at his hand on your thigh. Your fingers rest on top of it, rubbing over his knuckles soothingly and he has to fight back his smile. He loves when you do that.

“What’s stupid? You not wanting to go with me?”

“Of course I want to go with you!” You whine, dramatic and borderline hysterical and Nico winces. “I always want to be with you.”

He takes a deep breath, forces himself to say his words in his head before speaking them because the last thing he wants is to sound angry. Obviously something is tearing you up and he doesn’t want to add to it.

“You said you didn’t want to go.”

Your fingers pinch at his knuckle, not enough to hurt but enough to jolt him and he watches, worried, as you gnaw at the inside of your cheek.

“I don’t want to. But I don’t want you to go either. I just…”

Knowingly, Nico grabs the back of your neck with his other hand, holding you tightly. A steady touch to keep you grounded, to make you feel safe, and just like it was intended, you ease up at gesture.

“I don’t want to go to Europe because the last time I went I almost didn’t come back.”

It comes out in a rushed, mumble of words but he hears them clear enough. You’re scared. After everything with his family and Switzerland, with Lena, you’re scared to go so far from home. Even if he’s with you, you’re scared.

“Baby,” Nico whispers, his own heart breaking at the thought. You don’t feel safe enough with him to go. “I wouldn’t let that happen again. You know that right? You have to know that-“

“I do,” you interject, glassy eyes staring at your hand over his still. “I know I’d be safe anywhere with you but I don’t want to be a distraction or a tag-along on work because I don’t trust myself to be there without you.”

“What do you mean?”

Sighing heavily, you slump into his shoulder, hiding in his chest. “I freaked out last time and I did something stupid, and I don’t trust myself to not do it again so I just shouldn’t go right?

“It’s better for you guys too. You won’t have to be constantly watching me and I’m safe here with Moose and the boys, and…”

You still won’t blame him for Switzerland. Everything got messed up in the first place because he didn’t communicate with you and when you panicked and reacted and something went wrong, it should’ve been his fault. It is his fault.

Yet here you are, still punishing yourself for it.

“No, it’s not like that.” Nico swears, wrapping an arm around you and squeezing you into his chest like he’s trying to get you to absorb his words. “Switzerland wasn’t your fault baby, and it wouldn’t happen again. I know better now and so do you.”

Struggling in his hold, you shrug.

“It’s just easier, Nico. And then I’m not scared.”

It’s incredible to hear, to be reminded that you could never be scared in the home he built with you, in the city he gave you. But it still hurts to know that something out there scares you and he can’t really do anything about it.

It’ll just take time, he reminds himself. You were scared after Philly, and he helped you through that. You’ll get through this too, eventually. And that’s what makes the decision for him.

“M’not going without you, then.” He says, “I’ll send timo in my place and stay here with you.”

“Nico don’t cancel because of me-“

“I was only going to go with you. I want to show you the world and take you to amazing places and get to love you in every city on earth. And if I need to wait to do that, I’m going to.

“Sweden will always be there. Europe will always be there so I’m staying here to be with you.”

It’s a done deal after that. You cling to him, accepting his words with silent thanks and Nico mentally promises himself that one day, he’ll take you back to Europe, where you’ll get to enjoy the continent with all your heart.

[forestdeath1]

Well i wanted to make a post, but then I saw this addition, so here we go. Not to argue!

I can see Sirius as a sub, but with James, and the one I can’t see as submissive is actually James. I mean I kinda get your points and I thought the same, but when I put them in context, I was like “oh wow, ok guys…”. That was unexpected haha

Even though I’m always like “being a dom/sub doesn’t correlate with your character” (tho it kinda does, just not in the “if someone is dominant and assertive irl, they must be a dom in bed” way), I was still drawn to that idea of Sirius being a dom BECAUSE I see him as way more independent and therefore, more dominant in relationships than any of them. Even though we all know real cases of people being more on the dom side irl (ew that sounds weird haha) but loving to be dominated in bed, I was still like “NOOOO WAY! Sirius is a dom. And a top”. But then I changed my mind when I put the characters in context.

My main points are:

1)I’m not going to extrapolate this onto a 24/7 d/s dynamic. I just can’t see that working for any of them. If someone wants to do that with them, I’m not judging at all!!!!! You do you. But I just don’t see Sirius wanting a lifestyle dynamic in any form, so I can’t see Sirius either being on a leash or putting one on someone outside of a short scene

2) I genuinely don’t think they’d be that bdsm-ish in general. Tbh I see all of them as more on the vanilla side than on the power exchange side. (I kinda have my own perspective on “vanilla”, def not in an offensive way, to me everything without power exchange leans towards “vanilla”).

3) And that’s where everything else comes from:

Sirius is super independent, almost to an extreme, and kinda assertive — but not exactly dominant in the sense of taking control in people’s lives — he actually deeply respects others freedom of choice and autonomy. BUT at the same that’s exactly what makes him come across as dominant. Yet deep down, as Ive always said, he has this insecurity, this feeling of not being enough, of not being worthy of love. He doesn’t really care what people think about him, but when he loves someone, he (esp in tough moments) always feels like he’s not enough and needs to be useful to be loved.

I think it’s easier for him to be a dom and a top with people he doesn’t have strong feelings for. At the very least, he knows a lot of people expect a good dom and a good top (tbh I don’t think he’d be all that kinky on his own). He understands what people want and he can be a good dom.

And I can totally see him in that service “top” position with Bella. I see Bella as a dom with strong submissive kinks (dominant “bottom” and dom masochist) but she can’t and doesn’t want to give up control.

At the same time, I just can’t see him as a sub with just anyone. He simply can’t let himself go. He barely trusts anyone completely. Truly giving up control for people like him isnt just about kink — it’s also about having that immense trust in their dom and the deepest respect for them.

But James? Completely different story. James feels a little rigid in how he sees things. And even though I think he’d be more easygoing and even a little “submissive” in a relationship (he wouldn’t mind, even enjoy it), I can absolutely see him taking control in bed. Maybe not right away, but that’s his thing and he’s good at it. He enjoys it , especially seeing someone he deeply respects, someone who doesn’t submit to anyone, actually submit to him. And Sirius? Maybe he’d get off on discovering that feeling of submission with James

So yeah, I don’t see this as some core part of Sirius or something he always knew about himself. More like something that could develop over time or something the right dom could bring out in him

Once again — I’m not here to judge anyone’s headcanons, and I see the reasoning behind the “100% dom/100% sub” Sirius takes, I’m just sharing my perspective on him. More vanilla in general, a top and dom with everyone, a service top w Bella and a bottom sub w James

sorry but i don't see sirius as being submissive in bed. we will have to politely agree to disagree. he's not the obedient dog. do not put a collar on that dog. bc even if he were being submissive ~sexily~ (which i doubt he would), his partner would be like, 'ok if i'm the dom here, why does it still feel like he's telling me exactly what to do?'

[emmitaaa4]

People will really look at a character who was raised to be a doll—a pretty face to dress up, her dreams dismissed to gardens and pretty clothes, and an asset on the marriage market only if her beauty held—who was groomed to accept that her future would be determined by others’ maneuverings rather than her own, and still say:

“Ahh yes, it must be that the future of this character will indeed be defined by her looks in a black dress and by the unbreakable™ bond that was imposed upon her. 😍."

“… Matter of fact, the author was soo clever in making it so that others' superficial assessments of her character hold more weight in the narrative than her own declaration of belonging… its obviously meant to show us that everyone (but her) knows what's best for her; she does belong elsewhere. (Guys… what about someplace subtle, like Spring because flowers? Or Day because flowers need the sun?!)”

“The poor girl just doesn’t know any better: she’s exactly like her far-more-independent-and-headstrong sister who was wasting away in a Court where she was deprived of social interactio—wait, wdym she has a job, friends, is hinted at scheming behind the scenes, and calls the place a home... ? Sure, whatever, it’s clear that it's not significant, she's in denial; plus she can’t have a unique arc full of exploration & adventure unless she skedaddles away from the obstacles I dislike and never returns! Skedaddle to where, you ask? Easy: her mate’s court with her mate’s friends & her mate’s family, where she'll become her mate's High Lady... just like *drum roll* her sister! Notice how we don't question whether her mate's relationships are genuine and whether the life he's built (also ‘off-page’) matters?”

“Speaking of that MATE of hers, she is bound to come around eventually and realize that she was placed where she should be. I mean, he’s so hot, so she’s def super attracted to him and trying not to jump hi—what? You’re saying her body language shows otherwise? I mean how can you know, maybe she’s just hidin—oh... she' shown visible signs of attraction to another male? Enough signs that literally all characters, bar the oblivious one, noticed? Well then, it’s clearly because she’s projecting her longings for her mate onto the bloke; the bond means more than her pesky little rebellious feelings (Elain, we see you girl, no need to be stubborn!)."

“Btw, I cant believe you guys missed the memo, but the thing she had with that other dude? You know, the one the author gave her significant moments with and who did casual things like lending her his most prized possession & following the sound of her laugh & making his nightstand an altar in her effigy? Yea, it’s all a red herring. Turns out the author couldn't decide whether Mr. Distraction would be an incel or a fickle fuckboy, so she just went with both. Entitled, lustful prick—love him though! But SJM really fooled yall, it was all made so that readers (somehow) forget that she has a MATE who she is MATED to because there's this real MATING bond that she 100% cant break and that tells us that her MATE is the endgam—"

"...What are you saying? Are you really suggesting that the label of mates being all it took for many readers to overlook the on-page development of a romantic relationship between her & Mr. not-her-mate, in favour of said label, makes the bond more likely to be the red herring? Well, you're delusional... plus I thought that these two characters shared a brother/sister relationship up until it abruptly turned into "just lust" out of nowhere... right? Right. You probably just think it's a red herring cause her mate is red-haired. Ha!

You people need to understand that MATES are always the answer, period. They mean everything—why would you want a lesser love for your fav? It’s not like the author has put into question the nature of the mating bond & whether it indicates true paired souls, or like she spoke about how interesting she found the idea of bond rejections in her most recent interview—oh... damn. She did? But what about mates and the allegedly un-rejectable bond that could induce insanity by alleged cosmic blue balls?? Surely SJM wouldn't make a blanket statement reinforcing the status-quo of Prythian's patriarchal society just to have one of her heroines redefine it! I mean, let's be real, is Feyre becoming a High Lady despite there having been "no such thing" for millennia, or Nesta reinstating a female warrior force and winning the Illyrian-male-exclusive Blood Rite alongside an Illyrian woman and a ¼-nymph priestess, really THAT important? Why would the 3rd sister follow the pattern and subvert the status quo, when she could just make it easier for everyone & reinforce it by fulfilling the destiny she was groomed into?"

-----⊱ end scene ⊰-----

“Elain is pleasant to look at,’ her mother once said, ‘but she has no ambition. She will be an asset on the marriage market for us one day, if that beauty holds, but it will be our own maneuverings, Nesta, not hers, that win us an advantageous match."

Yet, here we are, expecting her story to be about fulfilling that prophecy rather than shattering it.

Elain’s story isn’t about conforming to the expectations placed on her—it’s about breaking free from them. And if you think a mating bond and a pretty dress are enough to define her or her arc, you’ve missed the point entirely.

[bullet-prooflove]

What's In A Name: Endeavour Morse x Reader (NSFW)

Tagging: @kmc1989 @caffeinatedwoman @lieutenantcrosby @to-grow-in-and-to-love @gwyn73

Companion piece to:

Next Time - Morse doesn't expect to meet his soulmate on the lawn at Oxford.

La Petit Mort - Morse and you share your first kiss in the rain.

California Dreaming - Morse turns up at your classroom to discuss the night you spent together.

The Detective & The Professor - You and Morse turn heads at a university event.

Morse won’t tell you his real name. It becomes a game between the two of you, you trying to guess and him rewarding each wrong answer with a little nip on the underside of your throat, in that special place that makes your hips arch and your breath hitch.

“Everett, Emmanuel, Egerton…” You guess as his mouth moves lower and he smiles against your flushed skin as you tip your head back and moan, losing track of your list.

He manages to keep it up for a month until you decide you’ve had enough. Things are starting to change, become more serious, at least they are for you. For him, you really can’t tell.

“I’m not crying out Morse when I’m fucking you.” You inform him, your fingers entwined with his as you pin his hands to the mattress. He whines, his breathing stilted, an apricot blush chasing across his cheeks. “If you want to come you have to be a good boy and tell me what it is.”

You tighten around him, gripping him so hard that he can taste nirvana on his tongue as he hangs there at the pinnacle of release.

“Endeavour.” He bites out through ground teeth. “It’s Endeavour! Please I just need…”

You start to move then, fast, hard and Morse, he loses his bloody mind, bellowing out your name so loudly that the neighbours in the flat next door start banging on the wall because they can’t hear the TV over the sound of your love making.

“My mother chose it.” He tells you in the aftermath, his lips brushing over your forehead. “She was a Quaker and she believed she saw that in me, she thought I was going to achieve something…”

He trails off because he’s never lived up to his name. He flunked out of Oxford before taking his exams, he left the Signal Corps before being promoted, his only achievement is his foray into CID and even that’s on thin ice.

“The Oxford lads used to call me Pagan because I told them I didn’t have a Christian name. Endeavour doesn’t have good connotations for me, it makes me feel…” He searches for the words as he stares up at the ceiling. “... Inadequate.”

“Well...” You drawl shifting between his legs so that you can prop your chin up on his chest. The weight of your body comes to rests against his, something he finds both intimate and reassuring. “We both know you are the furthest thing from inadequate on this God given earth so why don’t we come up with a compromise, something just between the two of us.”

“So you’re still adverse to calling me Morse in bed.” He sighs, tucking an arrant strand of hair back behind your ear. “I don’t see what the issue is. Everyone else has.”

And that he realises is exactly the problem. You aren’t everybody else. The relationship between the two of you, it’s not like anything he’s experienced. It’s playful, it’s fun and above everything else it’s tender. When you look into his eyes, he sees how much you care about him, he feels it in the depths of his soul.

“Look.” You say, your lips brushing over the Orion’s belt of freckles just underneath his collarbone. “If you want an impersonal rough fucking, I’ll use Morse. If you want to make love it needs to be more…”

This, he thinks, this is your line in the sand. The division between the physical and emotional. If he wants something with longevity he has to give you a little something in return, a part of himself that no one else has . He understands in that moment that you’re starting to fall in love with him, that his answer now is the difference between spending the night with you or watching you walk out the door when you’ve finished with him.

“Alright.” He murmurs, this thumb ghosting over the apple of your cheek. “A compromise, when we’re together I’m not Morse, I’m…” He fumbles, seeking out the right term of endearment. Everything feels too used, too cloying. When he’s with you, he wants to belong to you and usually that comes with a name.

“How about Ed?” You say finally and the edges of his mouth tip up into a smile as he imagines you riding his cock, head thrown back in the heat of passion, the word tearing from your throat.

“Ed.” He echoes as he leans forward, his mouth ghosting over yours once more. “Let’s go with Ed.”

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[liaoakenshield]

Star Wars x F1

[prosenna]

"I think I saw you that day." Ayrton said as he set aside his helmet.

"That day?" He answers, not quite understanding what he's referring to.

"That day, when you faced the Sarlacc."

Alain takes a moment to remember that, his face filling with realization as he realizes he's speaking.

"You... were there? How...?"

Ayrton smiles noncommittally but that leaves more questions. Alain remembers that day, but that happened when he was still a padawan, barely older than a child. How could Ayrton have been there?

How long have they really known each other?

So, an F1 Au!SW, jumping eras depending on the stages of history.

Their story is set in the time of the clone wars. Alain is a Jedi general who runs into Ayrton, a Mandalorian from one of the great clans of Mandalore (let's assume that this thing about peaceful Mandalorians from TCW doesn't happen here).

Their relationship is going well until it doesn't go well, in the years of the war both face each other on several occasions but they realize how similar they are.

Alain didn't want to participate in the war because he thought he wasn't worthy of the Jedi. Ayrton could only see how the war was undermining the Mandalorians' trust in their government as well as the separatist incursions into their politics.

For the last months of the war, both have joined together, they have spoken many times on intercoms (secretly from their sides). Both would like to leave everything behind but duty comes first.

When the war ends, Mandalore has ceased to exist as a free planet, along with the galaxy.

And Ayrton is gone too.

Long live the empire.

---

... But well, there would be other minor plots. Like Gilles and Didier as Jedi, or Alesi being Alain's Padawan.

Berger and Piquet give me more Mandalorian vibes.

Or Niki as a Jedi who befriends (after a little fight) a "Young" heir to a great fortune in Corellia named James Hunt. Lots of Han Solo vibes there.

Any other ideas there?

Among the newer pilots, I imagine Max as an Imperial pilot who, realizing the horror around him, decides to escape the empire and meets a certain sheriff named Sergio from a forgotten planet.

Maybe between the two of them they'll manage to get tangled up with the rebels. It's something that sounds like it happens in SW stories.

Or perhaps a more dramatic story with Lewis and Nico as padawans at the time of the fall of the Republic but seeing the horrors of war, Lewis decides that the Jedi must do what they must do while Nico refuses and leaves the order.

Only for them to meet many years later while Lewis is part of the rebels and Nico acts as the governor of a planet in the outer rim hiding that he is a force sensitive (albeit for good reasons, as he is in the fulcrum network to help hide other force sensitive children).

[pyract0]

Random thoughts with MHA men!

☁︎Lowkey just a heap of stupid ideas I had for different characters I thought were funny/ cute. Might extend on a few of these into longer fics if I find the time :) ☁︎Going back to finishing some requests after this! Sometimes read and can't process what I just read so might take a while to finish them all! Feel free to request but might be a bit slow at the moment, but I'll get through them when I can! ☁︎Not really any warnings other than swearing (Tried to keep it to a minimum but habit when I can't think of a fitting word)! Gn/ unspecified reader :))

╰┈➤ Katsuki Bakugo who follows a strict routine he set for himself to get the most out of the day, in bed by exactly 8:30. Yet he coincidently always happens to be awake when you try to sneak in and cuddle under the covers with him. Gets annoyed at you for "interfering" with his schedule, but he never lets himself fall asleep if he knows your planning to visit, even if at ridiculous hours of the night. ╰┈➤ Shoto Todoroki who lacks certain aspects of understanding when it comes to social cues, specifically the idea of personal space after you start dating. Will stand behind you breathing down your neck just wanting to be near you, not realising how odd it appears to anyone passing by. Similarly, will practically sit ON you instead of beside you, squeezing between you and anyone/anything so he can sit right beside you.

╰┈➤ Izuku Midoriya who often forgets or simply doesn't realise when his habit of rambling starts, sometimes scaring the shit out of you when he suddenly breaks the silence. Will need you to sometimes cover his mouth when out in public before he says something that would accidently make any sane person uncomfortable. Talked about murder out of context at least a few times and got y'all kicked out of somewhere </3

╰┈➤ Tenya Iida who understands the concept of money and it's overall value, but frankly doesn't care when it comes to you. Buys you awfully expensive items that reminds him of you/ thinks you'll like, hiding just how much he actually spent so you don't reject it (you know, you just don't have the heart to tell him.) Will gift you like it's only something small and beat himself up for not getting you something better (It cost more than what you make in 3 months). Prides himself on responsibility but it all falls out the window when about his decisions around you.

╰┈➤ Eijiro Kirishima who shows you off like some sort of deity, constantly praising anything and everything you do. Accidently degrades himself while praising you, saying how he doesn't deserve you (he's literally an angel :(( ). Will do anything for you, if you ask him or not, choosing to show just how much he loves you through his actions not just words. Tells you he loves you at least 5 times a day <3

╰┈➤ Neito Monoma who respects you even if you're in class 1a, never speaking poorly of you even when shitting on your class. Stops whenever you're nearby and starts acting all sweet like he wasn't badmouthing each of your classmates to their faces minutes prior. Another one who worships your every movement and the ground you walk on, but instead of degrading himself puts everyone else but the both of you down. (My favourite little menace)

╰┈➤ Hitoshi Shinsou who without fail whenever you're alone hands you some random ass cat inspired thing that reminded him of you. First it was a small succulent pot, next some really doped out looking cat plushie, then a little keychain of a black cat with a witches hat.. it just kept going. Gets you wondering how he manages to keep finding these objects, and how he always manages to have one when you see each other unplanned (He has a little hidden pocket where he stores the little strange trinkets) ╰┈➤ Rody Soul who sometimes activates his quirk, summoning Pino, at the most random hours of night. Will get woken up by your sudden screams, thinking you had a nightmare only for it to have been Pino scaring the shit out of you by sitting on your chest in the middle of the night and scrutinizing your very being (lovingly). Has been forced as a result to spend the next day begging for forgiveness for Pino's actions (He had a dream of you and she was just admiring you with the same level of affection as him, just hers a bit more creepy..)

╰┈➤ Mirio togata who even after years of practice with his quirk, happens to forget what activating it in normal clothes does. Has tried to phase through the ground to surprise you with his sudden appearance just to end up flashing you, both of you now sitting in embarrassment while your struggling to breathe through your laughter. Apologises before joining you in going along with your everyday life (It will happen again)

╰┈➤ Tamaki Amajiki who uses you as a form of protection, not from physical danger but from people trying to communicate with you both. Will hold your hand in his and stand right against your back, head often against yours or on your shoulder while he lets you talk for him as well as yourself. As soon as you finish, will drag you away to a more secluded area and embrace you with more confidence as a way of showing his appreciation for never complaining about his shying away from socialising.

╰┈➤ Giulio Gandini who chooses to not wear his eyepatch when you're both alone, trusting you in his most vulnerable form. Who is able to use his robotic eye as a camera, recording your interactions to preserve the memory. Often pulls up these moments on the screen of his prosthetic arm when you're apart, watching through them when he misses you. Moves certain ones to a USB and prints out photos to give you (some in lockets, some just as a copy to frame) leaving you confused on how he managed to get them. (I love him so much :(( lowkey the main reason I liked the 4th movie sm)

╰┈➤ Touya Todoroki/ Dabi who will only let you help when it comes to dyeing his hair (aka forces you when the black is washing out to help fix it up). Will sit on a random chair he dragged in or the edge of the bathtub while you touch up his roots, probably moves constantly unless you hold his head in place. Gets you to join him in the shower to help wash through it, being a little shit about it and smudging the dye on you so it'll stain.

╰┈➤ Tomura Shigaraki who refuses to touch you with all 5 of his fingers, even after he's confident in his abilities to control his quirk. Will always have a finger lifted from your body while he holds you in his embrace, wearing artist gloves when sleeping beside you just to be safe. Holds your hand constantly when alone like the touch starved person he is but never has a proper grasp, loosely intertwining your fingers while he leaves his pinkie away from your hand.

╰┈➤ Shota Aizawa who similar to his son has a habit of handing you random stuff when he returns home, though his are more concerning. If you had a nickel for every time he came home to hand you a kitten he found in an alley, you would have two but it was very strange it happened twice. Came home after his long shift one night and handed you a cat like it was just another causal Wednesday. So anyways you guys have 2 cats now :))

╰┈➤ Keigo Takami who likes to use his feathers to tickle you at the least expected times, often resulting in a fresh bruise the next day. Will each and every time forget you like to swing when his feathers are tickling at your sides, with your first or leg accidently colliding with some part of his body. One time was his face, another his calf, or the time you accidently hit him where the sun don't shine. He learnt to move back after that one..