#who was brave enough to even try let alone succeed

[owl-bones]

someone mentioned strike in a muzzle in my discord and i just had to draw it

[kaiijo]

BLUE LOCK PLAYERS AS DEMIGODS (i) — [BLUE LOCK]

characters: shidou ryusei, oliver aiku, itoshi sae content: gn! reader (reader is called “sunshine” once in shidou’s) slightly suggestive humor, set at camp half-blood (or some random camp for demigods lol) but you don’t need to have read percy jackson to read this notes: references this post

⋆｡° child of ares! shidou x child of apollo! you

it’s unsurprising to all of your siblings that shidou ryusei is in and out of the infirmary a lot because he gets into A LOT of fights (“typical ares kid” your siblings say while rolling their eyes)

the first time he came to the infirmary, you were the only one brave enough to patch him up given that, not only is shidou known for picking random fights but also for being kind of batshit crazy. after that, you were the only one he even let touch him without lowkey growling at them…

“shidou’s here again,” otoya, one of your half-brothers, informed you one day. you sighed heavily and found shidou in the waiting room, beckoning him back to an exam room

“take your shirt off,” you told him and he grinned some wild smile at you and said, “ooh, already trying to get me naked? at least take me to dinner, sunshine”

you snorted and when he did, your eyes widened at the giant, purpling bruise forming on his side. “what happened this time? “underlashes junior got really into sparring”

ah, that made sense - this wasn’t the first time shidou got into a physical altercation with itoshi rin 

“leave the kid alone,” you said as you grabbed an ice pack from the freezer and threw it at him

he caught it and asked, “not gonna hold it against me yourself?” “why would i do that” “well you were so eager to get my shirt off” “you’re insufferable”

shidou licked his teeth, still looking at you with that shit-eating grin. “yeah but you like that”

what was the most annoying this about that statement: you couldn’t exactly say it’s a total lie

⋆｡° child of poseidon! oliver aiku x child of athena! you

oliver aiku had a bit of a reputation as a womanizer and, to be fair, it’s not undeserved. he was charming and hot, it’s not like it’s just random, and he probably flirted with nearly every person within a ten mile radius of camp

he first noticed you at a game of capture the flag. not to brag or anything, but oliver was known as the best defender at camp but somehow, the opposing team managed to outmaneuver him and his team and steal the flag and carry it to their side

shocked and impressed, oliver inquired as to who was the mastermind behind this strategy and the answer was simple: you, a child of athena 

he found you in the armory, hanging your sword back up and, leaning against the doorway, he said, “hey”

you glanced over your shoulder. “hey?” 

“so you’re the master strategist?” “yeah” “i don’t think we’ve met, im oliver.” “yeah i know” and with that, you resumed taking off the rest of your armor

well, that was new

“you know,” oliver said, strolling over to stand beside you as he took off his own armor, “i’d love to get to know you better. not every day someone manages to pull one over on me. wanna grab some lunch”

you gave him a side eye and said, “sorry, i’ve got something else to do” and then you brushed past him and out of the armory

oliver watched your retreating form and it was from that day on that he decided his just had to make you his 

(spoiler: he eventually succeeds after many, many, many times asking you out (read: groveling, begging on his knees, etc.))

⋆｡° child of zeus! itoshi sae x child of hermes! you

you get sent on a quest with itoshi sae and you were forewarned by multiple different people that you should brace yourself for a quick but absolutely miserable experience

“sae’s super powerful but gods, his attitude is absolute shit”

honestly, all the things people told you should have worried you more but you ignored them. it wasn’t fair to listen to hearsay about someone in your opinion and besides, it just made you want to step up to the challenge and befriend him even more

as the two of you set off, you asked him a bajillion questions about him, his life outside of camp, his life at camp, his brother rin (which earned you the most acidic glare and the meanest answer ever), and whatever else you could think of

“do you ever stop talking?”

“not really” sae gave you another withering look

you ran into tons of monsters and it was honestly incredible to witness the full power of a child of a big three god - sae’s battle prowess coupled with his control over lightning had you feeling just a little unnecessary but you also assisted well (sae wouldn’t admit it but he was pretty surprised by your quick thinking and reflexes and your skill with your weapon)

finding that you weren’t completely useless was when sae began not being so short with you and actually made some effort at conversation and you two lowkey started bonding over the next few days

one might even say sae began to develop some semblance of fondness 

you had a major breakthrough with him when you essentially sacrificed yourself and threw yourself in front of whatever mythical beast you were sent to defeat

sae never disposed of an enemy quicker than he had in that moment and he got you two back to camp even faster

you’re passed out for three days in the infirmary and when you woke up, sae’s asleep in the chair besides your bed

“oh good, you’re awake!” one of the apollo kids who works at the infirmary entered the room. “how are you feeling?”

“a little sore” you glanced over at sae and the apollo kid said, “not sure how you managed it but sae’s refused to leave the infirmary since he brought you back. must make you pretty special.”

[studentinpursuitofclouds]

hello! 👋🥺. I have massive Qi brainrot and your headcanons for him are like a drug (in a good way!). Was wondering in you have anything for Mr Qi when he has a sort of soft spot for the farmer. Maybe it’s a crush. But the farmer is like… aroace so it wouldn’t work so much? He wants to see them succeed and be happy tho ☺️ He wants that smile on their face be because of him. Indirectly or not idk.

Hewwo :3

Thank you so much for the kind words, dear anon! 💕 (I didn't think my headcanon would be compared to a drug, heh 😁). Hope you enjoy this headcanon too (I got a little carried away and it turned out more than I thought it would, lol). Have a good day 🫰

_________________________________________

In all the time that Mr. Qi could remember, he had never met a person as determined, brave and intelligent as Farmer. Whatever puzzle he gave them, no matter how difficult the quest, the young talent passed every trial with honour, a smile on their face and fire in their eyes.

But it doesn't stop at special missions alone. Farmer with their drive to achieve perfection not only for their own good, but also for the good of others, impressed the mysterious blue man. In the Valley itself and beyond, rumours and news of a chaotic but kind young farmer who helped a small community blossom like a flower bud can sometimes be heard.

And all this is just the tip of the iceberg, for there are many feats that are not visible to the mere eye. But Qi sees everything. And he is delighted.

At times, Qi had to go out of his way to come up with more challenging and more interesting tasks for the young hero, because they managed all the others. Unusual, breaking logic, but with a very worthy reward - a challenge that would definitely get Farmer's attention. But at some points Qi stopped himself because.... Wouldn't it be too dangerous, even for Farmer? Aren't there too many mummies for one mission, or too limited conditions of fulfilment? What if they fail? Then they'll try again. But what if they get hurt-

...Mr. Qi had definitely never thought about that, with his previous warriors. Then... Why the Farmer?

He must confess - hardly anyone will dislike the Farmer and their personality, because they are like a bright sun that shines and warms, and people are drawn to this warmth. They always support you in trouble and difficulties, always treat you with fresh fruit and berries, always listen to you and help you with advice and deeds. Qi himself did not immediately notice that he began to reach out closer to this sun, first out of pure curiosity, and later because of something more. More than simple concern for them, even more than friendship.

But he knew it was only a pipe dream. There is something in the world that even the incredible and mysterious Mr. Qi can't have.

It's not Farmer's fault, no way, Qi wouldn't dare himself to blame Farmer for them not feeling romantic feelings for him. They are who they are, and they have already done enough for people and for Qi also. Much less would he allow himself to stoop to the lowliness of using special elixirs and other magical things for that.

And believe me, if he has even the slightest inkling that someone else is trying to do that, or harm Farmer in any way.... Let's just say that person will either be added to the list of missing people, or will truly know the wrath of Mr Qi.

In the meantime - Mr. Qi will watch the next exploits of the youth, and in case of emergencies - protect them if they can't cope themselves. Most often - without showing themselves to Farmer, otherwise they will relax and think that in any case Qi will be there for them. Can't have Farmer getting lazy, right?

Their smile reminded of that very sincere smile of his good old friend. Qi is sure that Grampa is proud to see what a wonderful person his grandchild has become.

[shinobus-unbreakable-spirit]

Hi there! I heard you wanted requests. How about if Tengen's or Kyojuro's(or maybe Shinobu, your preference)S/O got captured by a demon they had been tracking? 👀 How do you think that would pan out?

Hello, anon! I want requests indeed, so I appreciate you sending one in!

Ooooh. Very interesting scenario. You said Tengen or Kyojuro or Shinobu, but what about option D: all three? Let's do it!

Well, Tengen already had this happen to him once, but let's say it happened again with a S/O he aspired to make his fourth partner (it can be you if you're into Tengen!) Upon first finding out, I think he would be struck with memories of what happened at the entertainment district and the trauma would cause him to have an emotional breakdown. He would be absolutely struck with PTSD from the same thing happening to him yet again. Angry, he would punch a hole in the wall and then collapse to the ground, shaking.

Minutes later, he would look in the mirror and give himself a pep talk, "Snap out of this, Tengen! A reaction like this is so unflashy of you... You're a hashira! Think of Kyojuro, what would he focus on? Or Gyomei? Or Shinobu? Or Mitsuri? What would they focus on? That's right, saving others... You have to be a flashy hashira about this!" From that point on, he would put his emotions aside and focus on one thing only: saving his S/O.

Tengen is a very strategic man, so I believe the first thing he'd do is figure out an intelligent way to save his S/O. He wouldn't involve any of the other hashira, as he believes that it's his responsibility alone to slaughter the demon that captured his S/O. Even if it's an upper moon, Tengen doesn't care, he'll stop at nothing to save his S/O.

He would go into the mission with death in mind. He knows there's a good chance he'll die to this demon, but maybe, just maybe, he can save his S/O first. That's his only goal, as he feels somewhat at fault for them being dragged into this mess to begin with.

Kyojuro would have an optimistic outlook from the beginning. Upon finding out his S/O was captured, he would smile, surprising everyone nearby, and say something along the lines of: "No matter. We will just get <their name> back!" In his mind, there is no doubt whatsoever that he will save his S/O. Thus, there's no point in being afraid, he will handle this mission like usual and things will end as they always do, with 0 innocent casualties. The only ones dying will be demons.

Kyojuro's confidence and nobility would inspire multiple other demon slayers to want to take up arms and help him, but he would refuse to let any lower ranked demon slayers join him on such a dangerous venture. However, he would happily let other hashira accompany him, but only those fast enough to keep up, as you best believe he will move like a flash to reach the demon holding his S/O captive. Thus, Shinobu, Obanai, Mitsuri, and Giyu would be the ones joining him.

During the mission, the other hashira would notice an intensity in Kyojuro they had never seen before. He would be slaying each demon as quick as possible, as each one is a mere stepping stone to get closer to his S/O. In his eyes, there would be a burning determination as he marches closer and closer to his lover.

Despite not expressing any discontent on the surface, deep inside he would be extremely angry towards the demon who had taken his S/O. However, Kyojuro is a man with strong emotional discipline who recognizes that he must reserve all of his anger for the demon in question. Thus, around his peers, he would wear a brave face and hide how mad he really is.

Then, when the group finally reaches the demon in question, Kyojuro would fight spirited and with no smiles at all. He would neglect all dialogue with the demon, no matter how much it tried to talk to him. He would simply try to dispatch with it as quick as he possibly could. Inevitably, he would succeed, and it'd all be because of the fiery love he has for his S/O.

In Shinobu's case, I'm going to go a different route and say that she actually witnessed her S/O being captured, but was simply unable to stop it at the time. Perhaps she was busy fighting another demon when it happened. At first, she would give her all to catch up to the demon that has her S/O, but upon realizing that the demon was already too far away, she would stop, collapse to the ground, and yell out.

Her feelings of inferiority would flare up: Why am I so weak? Why was I given such a weak and frail body, which can't even stop the demon taking my beloved? Why can't I be better? She would fall into an emotional pit, leaving her feeling too incompetent to do anything more to save her S/O. The trauma of all the loved ones she had lost before would lead her to believe that this one would inevitably be lost too.

Years and years of rage towards demons would culminate at this very moment. They took her parents, her beloved sister, her tsuguko, and now her S/O. A little like Tengen, she would break down in anger, except she'd take much longer to come out of it. She would seethe in rage and go on a killing spree of every demon nearby, slaughtering them all and forcing them down until the sun rose, unless they could tell her something about where her S/O was being taken.

It would take Gyomei to snap her out of this fit of rage. He would find her the next day, on her knees, covered in demon blood, with a furious look on her face. Then, she would see him and those kind eyes, and begin to cry. He would embrace her, softly, and say, "It's okay, my child..." He would console her as she sobbed.

After Gyomei calmed her down, she would finally be able to tell him what happened and that one of the demons she killed throughout the night confessed to her where her S/O was being taken. She would ask, desperately, if he would help her save her S/O. He would agree, and the two of them would head off, doing their best to save <their name> and at least avenge them if they're already gone.

Shinobu would fight with ferocity and passion at this point, doing everything she can to try and get her S/O back. To finally save one person important to her, and to prove to herself that she isn't inferior; that she is a hashira for a reason.

And, Shinobu would succeed. Showing incredible bravery and fighting spirit, the love she has inside would drive her to the demon that had her S/O captured and she would kill it with a brutal dose of poison before Gyomei even has the chance to help. He would cry, amazed by the incredible woman Shinobu had grown up to be. Then, Shinobu's S/O would be saved. She would sob as she held them close, so happy to see them still alive, saved from that despicable demon.

----

Whew that was so much fun to write! I really hope you enjoyed, anon! ^^

[juniperss]

Band of brothers medieval au ,that's just a thought...

anon, your mind….lets take this a step further if you don’t mind me doing so:

knights of the round table au. Now I’ll be honest and admit that my knowledge on King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is entirely sourced from BBC’s Merlin so you’ll have to bear with me BUTTTTTTTTTT

“We would fight a thousand armies with our bare hands for you. We are never alone. We stand together." -Elyan to Arthur

In this AU I clearly picture Richard as Arthur. Just as in Band of Brothers, we see how quickly Easy Company (led by Lipton and so on) admit they would rather be transferred (or even killed) than to have to serve under Sobel. It’s clear from the beginning who the loyalty of the Company belongs to and that is Winters.

Now there aren't enough Knights of the Round Table to have each member of Easy Company, so I'm going to divide Easy into the Archetypes of each Knight that they most reflect in either all or most aspects (in my opinion!) -Sir Gwaine Archetype: "I think we have no chance. But I wouldn't miss it for the world." Bold, seeing the best in others, flirtatious, confident, fiercely loyal, humorous, throw hands first and ask questions later, and believed that people should be defined by what they did rather than who they were [Guarnere, Toye, Speirs, Talbert] - Sir Lancelot Archetype: "It is not just his deeds that we'll never forget. It is his courage. It is his compassion. His unselfish heart." Kindhearted, compassionate, courageous, humble, loyal and self sacrificing. [Lipton, Roe, Malarkey] -The Sir Elyan Archetype: "He's [Elyan] just one of those types of people, never settles down, never thinks about the future. Just follows his heart wherever it takes him." Affectionate, adventurous, loyal, brave, kind to others, cunning and quick on their feet, giving. [Muck, Skip, Nixon, Liebgott, Luz] -The Sir Leon (THATS MY MAN!) Archetype: "I have fought alongside you [Arthur] so many times, there is no one else I would rather die for." Steadfast, loyal, sensible, knew the difference between courage and foolishness, outspoken, humorous, good natured, self sacrificing for the greater good [Martin, Buck, also Lipton] -The Sir Percival Archetype: "Your enemies are my enemies" Quiet, man of few words, skilled, brave, gentle and softhearted, decisive, mischievous in the right company. [Shifty, Bull, Babe, Skinny]

Prince Richard presents his plan to stop an evil that has grown so powerful and destructive that he isn't sure he can actually succeed but he vows that he will try anyway. He doesn't ask his friends for help, but one by one they pledge their aid to him.

The Knights that Richard chooses aren’t all nobility nor are they approved by the King. They are simply men who have shown unwavering loyalty and love to him, they are men he trusts. And they are there when he has no one else, and they commit themselves to his cause knowing full well that they might not survive. Their numbers aren't many (only 5 Knights with any skill in battle and 3 honorary members) but they are steadfast and skilled.

After Richard establishes the Knights of the Round table, he would later abolish The First Code of Camelot that states that only men of noble blood can be Knights. After all, blood does not make the man. It's his actions and loyalty that do.

I do absolutely adore the idea of the Knights (Easy) wearing red cloaks and armor like the Knights do in Merlin. It's so dramatic and I think it should be allowed *bangs gavel*

Something something the Knights were so deeply loyal to one another that it bordered on something more than platonic something something the dedication to one another that after the death of their leader there was too much grief to continue on something something.....

While the Knights are meant to be a symbol of the realm and its power, I also see them as representative of the common people, especially in the BBC Merlin version after the Round Table is established. These are men who have come from varied backgrounds and experiences and there's not a way that they wouldn't be seen as what could be for the future.

watch this video and tell me i'm wrong (pls don't tell me i'm wrong)

[ask--eggman]

hey, im sorry if this is a sensitive topic but i cant stop thinking about it, do you recal your attempted suicide bombing in station square? do you recall what drove you to suicide? it must have been somthing awful if it pushed somone as brave and as strong as you to take your own life.. did anyone at all try to reach out? i doubt any of those so-called "herros" tryed to offer suport to somone undergoing sutch agony, again, you dont have to respond if you dont want to, but i truly want to know, and im shure the whole empire will suport you in whatever you were or are going through :)

I'm never one to lose hope and determination and give into defeat but that was just a time when it all got to me. I work so hard to accomplish my goals and put so much time, effort and passion into my plans but something comes along and ruins it, again and again. On that particular day, I'd finally reached my capacity for the disappointment, anger and stress. Not just for that day but for my entire lifetime.

Anyone else inferior and weaker than me would be broken down by failure much more often and much sooner, than the one time it pushed me too far. It wasn't really a conscious decision more than something that hit me in the spur of the moment. At first I just thought I'd at least blow Station Square up if nothing else. There would be some catharsis in that blue pest still not succeeding in saving their pathetic lives.

Oh but then of course the missile had to be a dud. Of course even that couldn't go right. So I just thought "Oh, fuck it all", and went to detonate it by hand. I knew I was going to die and I was going to happily take the whole city with me. Once I'd made my mind up, I felt happy, I had a blast trying to race Tails to that missile. I found myself begging for him to wait for me when he was ahead.

It was something to be determined to accomplish again, one I was sure nobody could ruin this time. One last glimmer of hope to succeed in something, one last thrill racing across the city in my Egg Mobile onward to destruction, then I'd be free from ever having to experience failure again. I'd go out having accomplished one part my plan of destroying Station Square, even if I didn't get to build the empire I always dreamed of.

I was tired of being the one who it all ended in destruction for, I wanted others to experience that devastation. For once, I wanted it to end with their destruction and my success and it seemed like the only way. But I obviously lost that race because here I am today. Well, that snapped me out of it and so I went back to trying to kill the little pest Tails who stopped me, since he's the one that actually deserves death really.

Nobody reached out to me and I didn't expect them to. They're used to breaking down everything I build and waiting for the next time I get back up to try to bring me down again and the cycle repeats. It's always just me alone to pick myself up and keep fighting in the end. But I don't need anyone else. I know if I keep at it, I'll succeed. So I try my hardest to fight to accomplish my dreams and not let my mind slip back into that place.

Anyway, enough about that.

The way I still came back from that and have only become stronger and more successful and determined over time just further proves my power! It's another of the many reasons why I deserve to have all of your support, admiration and praise and be your mighty emperor! So that's to be expected, you wouldn't have a choice either way, hehe~

[parragone]

ALSO kapglaz but this is something I abandoned because I don't feel like it reads very well, but also it's kinda cute. I'll recycle it later but

Context is that Kapkan, Tachanka, and Fuze agreed to approach Glaz individually, and Kapkan was the first to try

It was SUPPOSED to lead into smut, but oh well, it's not even edited

Be aware there is a v brief mention of Beslan, and also, it's clunky writing

It was a nice bar with a nice atmosphere and, most importantly, a lack of civilians. 

The bar on base had a strict rule against civilian entry, and for a good reason. While Spetsnaz worked to protect the public, many unit operators were prone to dark humor and unfortunate stories. The fact that at least one of the men who had bought him a drink had made a joke about land mines and how high someone’s leg could go and that Timur had laughed about it was proof enough that no civilian should be at a party, let alone a bar, on the base.

Tonight was slow. Only a handful of people were present, and while many were recognizable, none had been brave enough to approach him. As such, Timur had resigned himself to a night of drinking alone.

His assumption was quickly proven very, very wrong.

The man who sat next to him was someone he did, in fact, recognize; the notable scar on the arch of his nose angled just slightly down to the left was a dead giveaway, though the minute scars on his lips from decades of an anxious tell were something the sniper was fairly sure only he had noticed. He was slightly taller than Timur and slightly broader, with a preference for hand-to-hand that had given the sniper more bruises than he would ever admit. Not that they were ever unwelcome.

“Maxim Basuda,” Timur sighed into his drink. “Brave man.”

“On occasion,” the hunter replied. “I thought I could buy you a drink, Glazkov.”

The sniper turned in his seat and leaned on his arm, his impulsive smile far too visible for his liking. Maxim was dressed as casually as one could be, even if seeing him in jeans and a coat was startling when he was used to fatigues. “How many men have you seen buy me a drink in the last week?”

“No less than seventeen, yet you’ve gone home with none of them, Timur,” Maxim replied, as if he were simply reporting his ammunition. “I admit I was surprised when you refused Taras.”

“Unfortunately, all his skills are breaching, not socializing.” Timur sipped his drink as he gave the man a once over. “You think you can win me over when so many have failed?”

“I think if you give me five minutes and a chance to talk to you, you’ll be saying yes.” 

“Confidence, a slow and insidious killer,” the sniper put his drink down as he spoke. “Are you looking at trying to get me into a long-term affair?”

“It is my goal, yes.” The hunter held up a hand as Timur started to say something. “I know you are polyamorous and have no issue with it.”

“Study your prey, do you?” Timur shrugged. “Fine, so be it. You have five minutes from right now. If you succeed, you may order me a drink.”

Soon enough, Maxim had settled in properly and ordered himself a drink; a whiskey drink, which made Timur feel slightly better about his gin and tonic . The conversation started as many did, with a short discussion of recent events in each other’s lives. The fact that Maxim apparently had not one, but three brothers did not go unnoticed. The equally intriguing fact that he was apparently the eldest of these brothers was tucked away in the back of Timur's mind as he swirled his glass and raised a hand. 

"So," he asked pointedly, "I hear you're a hunter."

"Ah, yes," Maxim laughed as his demeanor shifted. His eyes got softer, and his shoulders relaxed. "Only twice a year."

"Still impressive. What do you hunt?"

"Deer, primarily. I hunt two to three each year in August, and once I've butchered and preserved them properly, my brothers do not need to purchase meat until the next year." He shrugged. "At times, the brass lets me bring the meat back to base with me, so long as it is a reasonable amount."

"You said primarily," the sniper replied. "You've hunted for other things?"

"Per the request of rangers, I have brought down two particular bears. The first was too aggressive towards people, and the second appeared to have some form of brain injury that had made it…." The hunter paused as if the right word eluded him. "It had lost whatever made it a conscious being. I believe the term is "mercy kill," and I happened to be heading toward the beast when the rangers caught up with me."

"Poor thing."

"It happens to the best of us," Maxim sighed. “I keep no trophies, or I would show you. You, however, could show me your hobby with little more than a trip home.”

“Oh? And what makes you so confident?”

There was a glimmer of pride in the man’s eyes as he gave a smug smile and sipped his own drink. "I know you are a painter." 

"Oh, you know, do you?” Timur raised an eyebrow as he set his drink down. “What gave it away?”

“You may not notice, but you have paint under your fingernails during some hand-to-hand drills,” Maxim replied with a small gesture towards the sniper’s hands. “Also, you sometimes smell of what I have figured out to be varnish.”

“Details,” Timur muuttered. “You got me.”

“Yet I have never seen your work.”

“I tend not to display it,” Timur sighed with a wave of his hand. “It is the sort of work that I feel would attract more questions than anything else.”

“May I ask why?”

“It is not what is expected of someone in the military, I suppose.” The sniper shrugged after a moment. “It is not combat or gruesome. I prefer more serene things, moments in time that cannot be found anywhere but my memory.”

“Such as?”

Timur smiled as he lifted his drink to his lips again, eyes trained on Maxim’s face and the glimmer of genuine curiosity in his eyes. It was almost odd to be confronted with someone who truly wanted to know more about him, rather than putting up with half-hearted conversation meant to butter him up for a casual encounter. He thought for a moment before he nodded slightly to the side and set his glass down.

“The one I am working on now is the Russky Bridge, or rather what I remember of it,” he explained. “When I was twelve, my father took me to a place along the riverbank where one could see the construction work in progress. He told me that such things were a matter of pride for politicians, but more of a bragging right than anything else. ‘We are a city of fishermen and sailors’, he told me, ‘what use do we have for a bridge when our boats do the job just fine?’”

"To make it easier for travelers, right? It was built in preparation for a summit, if I recall," Maxim replied as he tapped his jaw. 

"Yes, it was. And it was a pain in the ass to locals," the sniper grumbled. "Did not make me go to the military, but definitely contributed."

"What brought you to the military, exactly?" The hunter tilted his head in a sideways nod. "You seem like more of an artist than a killer."

"The Beslan siege," Timur replied bluntly. The demeanor of his partner changed slightly, and so the sniper gave a small gesture with his hand to try and both help himself explain and dismiss the anxiety that jumped into his throat. "The deaths unsettled me. The children most of all, but the whole affair was… I could not see myself standing idly by if I had the choice, so I transferred to the Cadet Corps and later was selected as a sniper due to my marksmanship and temperament. I hope the answer is not... too much."

"It is not," Maxim assured him as he shifted forward and hesitantly placed a hand on Timur's forearm, a comforting touch which the sniper did not reject. "I mean that. It is simply odd to hear the Beslan siege as someone's reason for joining when I myself served in it."

"You did?" How had he missed that? 

"I did, and several of my friends did as well," the hunter confirmed. "It was… difficult to serve in, and many of those I knew resigned after the fact." 

"I hope I did not make you uncomfortable-"

"Far from it," Maxim laughed. "I am glad you chose to take action on your feelings rather than spouting forth empty promises. It shows conviction that many lack. Some action is better than none, and you have clearly gone above and beyond in that sense. I have dealt with most of the trauma, and what is left is most certainly not yours to bear."

Timur felt his shoulders relax and let go of a breath he didn't realize he had held. Maxim's hand moved from his arm to his shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze. The sniper rubbed his face with one hand and gave his fellow soldier a sympathetic look, one which was returned with genuine kindness. 

"And here I thought I had ruined my chance at a drink," Timur sighed with a sheepish smile. 

"Oh, I've won you over, have I?" Maxim moved his hand away and leaned on the bar, a smug grin on his face as he seemed to puff up like a bird. "I told you I could."

"Yes, but it took you fifteen minutes, not five," Timur countered. "So really, you should owe me three drinks. One tonight, two more at a later date."

Maxim paused for a moment and narrowed his eyes as his smile grew. "Are you saying I've won a second date?" 

"I am saying that I hope you intended for more than two." 

"Well," Maxim sighed, "I will have to ensure I do not step on Senaviev's toes, but I would love to take you out for another drink."

"Step on-"

Timur was interrupted by the bartender's last call and immediately sighed. He shook his head as he went to stand, his conversation partner right behind him with an equally sour expression as the bar's patrons began to collectively gather their things to leave. He found himself right behind Maxim as they shuffled out into the night air, the chill just enough for him to pull his hood up as they stepped out of the small crowd of soldiers. 

They made their way down the road in the general direction of base housing, neither breaking the silence for a short while. It was at the cusp of winter, not cold enough to snow yet not warm enough to frequently rain, and so they were caught in an early fog that would have made Timur want to rip his hair out if he were deployed. Instead, he found himself rather fond of the man next to him and the fact the fog gave him an excuse to be so close. 

"Step on toes, you said?" 

"Aha," Maxim replied with an awkward laugh. "Do not tell him that I told you, but myself, Senaviev, and Kessikbayev made a deal to come to you individually. We realized you flirted with all three of us and none of us were terribly keen on the idea of fighting each other if you had affection for each of us. Turns out, sharing is easy when you know who you are sharing with." 

"Oh, you've discussed this!" Timur feigned offense as he placed a hand over his chest, a smile destroying any chance he had of fooling Maxim. "Without me even there, for shame."

"Well, we considered dragging you into a conversation about it," Maxim admitted. "But we decided there were better ways. Are we going to continue this conversation in my quarters, or…?"

"We could, if you would like. On the condition you tell me everything," the sniper said with a wave of his hand. "I want to know."

"Ah, fine. If it means I can have you in my room tonight." The hunter shrugged as he continued walking and fished in his pockets. "We realized a month ago that we were being flirted with. It was Kessikbayev who suggested you may be polyamorous, and Senaviev was the one who asked you as indirectly as he could-"

"That's why he was so curious about my love life," Timur muttered. 

"- and when we realized he was right, we decided that we could share you if you wanted to be shared. Admittedly, I was keen on the idea because I find them as attractive as I find you." He shrugged as he finished and pulled out his keys, the electronic pass attached to them giving the two men access to the barracks. "We just did not want to overwhelm you, so we agreed on individual meetings and dates before we suggested multiples."

"I cannot tell if I am flattered you three are so willing or disappointed I was not there to see it," Timur confessed with a laugh as he followed Maxim to the stairwell. "Most men would be incredibly unhappy with such an arrangement."

"Most men are insecure at best, and controlling at worst. As long as I know who you’ve gone off with, I for one am far too happy to share you." The hunter tilted his head as he walked. “Must be why you’ve been single since I met you.”

"Mhm." The sniper paused on the stairs for a moment. "What are you expecting tonight?" 

"Expecting?" Maxim stopped on the landing, his hands in his pockets as he turned to look at Timur. "I expect nothing, Timur, I am happy with whatever you give me."

"Ah." After a moment of hesitation, Timur began to follow the man once again, his hands in his pockets. "You are allowed to call me Tima, you know, outside of operations." 

"Tima," Maxim repeated as he opened the door to the floor he lived on and motioned with one hand. Timur followed him down the hallway as the hunter got to his door and let them in. “I didn’t take you to have a preference for sweet names.”

“You’ll learn quite a bit about me the more you talk to me.” 

The sniper noticed that while the room was tidy, it was by no means a bland living area. He had successfully made his room reflect himself without breaking regulation; his shelves held survivalist books and field manuals, while his closet seemed to have practical clothes hidden behind his uniforms. His bed was well-made and, unfortunately, the only place to sit that didn’t have something tossed on it, be it a coat or a . Timur surmised he didn't have visitors very often as he sat on the edge of the bed and watched his host excuse himself to the kitchenette.

“I do not have anything worth a damn, but if you are still in the mood to drink,” Maxim said as he returned from the fridge to hand Timur a can. “This won’t count against the drinks I owe you.”

“Isn’t alcohol banned in base housing?” 

“It’s American. It shouldn’t legally count as alcohol,” the hunter replied. “I have to admit surprise. I thought you would be more reluctant to come home with me.”

“You and I both know that if you did anything, I could easily hurt you,” Timur replied with a shrug as he opened the can. “And even if I didn’t do so now, I’m an excellent marksman. Although, I would like to know what you want tonight.”

“I told you, I expect-”

“I didn’t ask for expectations,” Timur corrected gently as he took a sip of his drink. “I asked for wants.”

 The hunter raised his brows as he took a seat on the foot of the bed and tilted his can to the side. “Well. Do you want me to be honest, or do you want me to be polite?”

“Oh, honest. It's more fun that way."

“Well, honesty means I want to get both of us off before the end of the night and see under your clothing,” Maxim confessed. “And if not that, then I’d most certainly like to kiss you until one or both of us feels stupid.”

A moment of consideration was all Timur really needed before he gave his host an almost mischievous look. “Well, the latter can lead into the former. Just be aware that I do not typically take anything off on the first date.”

[lostgirl677]

Welcome to the Hellfire

This is an AU Pirate!Eddie Munson x Fem!Reader

Masterlist

(This picture is entirely handmade, sorry for the quality. It didn’t turn out the way I wanted 😅)

A runaway, that’s what you are. A runaway that left everything behind her because of a forced marriage. You can’t stand the simple idea of being married to that jerk of Lord Hargrove’s son, William. Number of girls would kill just for one of his glance, but you are not like them. You know that your family needs their money, but you won’t let them decide for you. How you had to fight at the ceremony to escape from his grasp.

Flashback

They just finished helping you put on your nuptial gown. You fight so hard to keep your tears from falling. 

‘You have to be brave, darling. Think about us, about everything that we’ve been through and to finally find a solution that suits everyone’ says your mother.

‘Yes, everyone but me..’

 ‘Y/N? don’t start again with this. It’s been discussed for months. Now, it's the big day. Don’t ruin our chances, be the daughter I raised you to be.’

 ‘The emotionless puppet who’s supposed to obey her master and to satisfy everyone but herself ? Well, it seems like the puppet grew a heart and a brain’ she’s about to explode but decided to leave you.

 ‘I’ll see you at the ceremony’ she says coldly

Now that you are alone, you try to think of a way to escape from this place without being noticed. You were quickly interrupted by your ‘soon to be husband’.

 ‘You look gorgeous my dear’ William says, nearly drooling and his eyes full of lust. 

‘You are not supposed to be here. Get out’ you say flatly. 

‘Well, well it’s not a way to talk to your future husband’ he smirks. He closes the space between you and grabs your waist. You try to throw him a punch but he grabs your hand.

‘I promise to teach you some manners, love’ he says murmuring in your ear. Enough is enough, you knee him in his secret parts and escape from his embrace. He falls to the ground.

‘Little bitch !’ he growls and tries to catch a piece of your dress.Your struggle causes a torn in it and makes you fall on your butt. He grabs your ankle but you kick him in the face with your other foot. He growls again in pain.

‘I will end you ! Who are you to say no to me ?’

 When he tries to get up, you take a lamp in your hands and shatter it on his head. He falls unconscious on the floor. It’s your call to escape. You manage to open the window and jump. Thankfully it wasn’t that high. Once outside, you run. You don’t know where, you just run. Wherever you go on this land, you know that they’ll find you. Suddenly, an idea crossed your mind. You weren’t far from the beach. So you run to the beach and luckily find an abandoned tiny boat on the sand. 

‘Time to cut the strings little puppet’ you say while pushing the tiny boat on the ocean.

End of Flashback

Here you are now, alone on the ocean. You don’t even know if you are going to make it out alive but you’d rather die free than live with someone like William. It feels like days have passed but maybe it was just hours. You are tired but you can’t sleep. You relive the last events in your mind again and again. But your thoughts are cut short when the waves start to grow bigger and bigger with each passing second. You try to steady the boat but it rattle way too much for you to succeed. Without a warning, it sways and makes you fall. You knock your head and lose consciousness

Eddie’s POV.

It’s a boring day but he tries to keep his mind busy by planning their next adventure. Will they try to find the legendary Sea Witch’s treasure or find the Kraken ? His crew is more than willing when it comes to go and find lost treasures and fight creatures. But again, today is a boring day, even Jeff stopped playing music outside.

‘A girl ! A girl !’

It’s Gareth from the crow nest. Eddie practically ran out of his cabin to see for himself and so all the crew. Indeed, there was an unconscious girl on a tiny boat. She is sickly pale and looks almost dead. Her dress looks like a wedding dress.

‘I’ll go get her’ Eddie says. Once in the boat, he tries to get close to her to check her pulse.

‘She’s alive’ he screams to his crew. 

‘ Hello ? Miss, can you hear me ?’ No answers but he could swear that he saw her fingers move a little but he’s not quite sure nonetheless.

‘Prepare something to eat for her.’ he says while picking her up and getting back on the ship.

He lay her delicately on his bed. She’s the most gorgeous girl he ever laid eyes on. Her (h/c) hair is a bit tangled and her “wedding” dress is torn in some places. He really wonders who she is and what happened to her. Before he could let his thoughts wander a bit more about the stranger he hears someone knock on the door.

‘Come in’ he says without tearing his eyes off her. 

‘I bring the food you asked for, Captain’ 

‘Thanks Grant’

‘How is she ?’

‘I don’t know. Now that she is in a safe and warm place, she seems a little better. Let’s hope that she’ll wake up soon’ 

Grant leaves the cabin. Maybe he should go back to his plans.

Y/N’s POV

The first things you register while waking are the soft mattress under you and that it gently cradles you. Then you open your eyes. There is a ceiling. That’s weird because the last thing you remember is being on a boat in the middle of a storm. Was it a dream ? And you turn your head and see a man seated behind his desk. You gasp.

He turns his head towards you and smiles kindly.

‘Hey ! Glad to see you’re awake. How are you feeling ?’ He asks and gently walks towards you so as to not scare you.

He seems nice but you are wary. He has long brown curly hair, a bandana with skulls printed on it under his hat, plenty of rings, a necklace and  has brown eyes with eyeliner. He also has tattoos. He wears a white shirt, a black pants, black boots and a long black leather jacket. He is more than probably a pirate.

‘Where am I ? Who are you ?’ you ask

‘On a ship. I am Captain Eddie ‘The Freak’ Munson. At your service.’  He says bowing to you while taking his hat off. ‘Now my turn to ask questions. Who are you and why were you dressed in a wedding dress and alone in a boat in the middle of the ocean ?’

You are completely at his mercy, so it wouldn’t change a thing if you tell him a lie. So you tell him the truth.

‘My name is Y/N  Y/L/N and I ran away because I was forced to marry someone I hate’

He seems genuinely interested in your story and asks you for more details. So you tell him all the details.

‘You are a feisty one, M’Lady. Should I be careful around you ?’ he asks playfully. You feel at ease with him

‘Definitely’ you say smiling.

‘Oh ! I asked my crew to prepare you a meal. I thought that you may be hungry after all of this adventure.’ he says after a moment of silence and pointing at a plate.

‘Thank you’ you said.

‘If you need me, I’ll be on the deck. If you want, I can find you something to wear other than this dress.’

‘Thank you, it’s really nice of you’. He leaves the cabin. You ate everything on the plate and decided to take a look around the cabin. There were loads of different kinds of guitars and other instruments. You also spot a box full of tobacco and a pile of doodles. After this, you decide to wander outside.

The sky was a bit gray but the sun still shines through the clouds.You notice the flag and realize that it wasn’t the classic Jolly Roger flag but a demon head surrounded by two different weapons.

The crew members are busy with the chores and Eddie is at the helm. He spots you and leaves it to walk in your direction while the crew waves at you.

‘Welcome to the Hellfire, Miss Y/L/N’  he says, kissing your hand. You try not to blush at his actions.

‘You can call me Y/N’

‘Well Y/N, it’s a pleasure to have you here. I found you new clothes and since you are sadly stuck here for a bit I’ll show you around after you change.’ 

There was a burgundy dress, a plain shirt with a pair of pants and boots. You take the shirt with the pants and the boots, arrange your hair and go outside the cabin to begin the visit.

 By the time  the visit is over, it is time for dinner. Eddie is really a charming person and is very funny. He makes you forget all the bad things that pushed you to live your past life with your parents and the terrible wedding.

‘It would give me great pleasure if you'd join me for dinner, Y/N’

You accepted. You take the burgundy dress this time and join him.

The dinner was great and you decided to ask him about his story.

‘I wasn’t always the great and sexy pirate you have before your very eyes.’ he says, smirking. ‘I used to live with my uncle in a country far away from here. I was always one to cause mischief and people there hated me but I had a few friends I could count on so it didn’t matter.They all said that I am exactly like my father, which is the worst insult I’ve been targeted with, that I’ll never be someone. Just the local freak. But you know, being harassed and shunned is a routine, you get used to it at some point. Everyday, people insulted me and accused me for every single wrong in their life.But one day, something terrible happened to a girl I knew. She was murdered in the most awful way before my eyes. I couldn’t do anything to prevent that and I was accused. They were going to put me on trial and execute me for something I didn’t do. So I ran away and became a very charismatic pirate. It’s still haunting me. But I guess the local freak wanted to get international, you know’ he said with a wink but you see the sadness in his eyes and notice that his voice was about to shatter when he mentioned that girl.

You can’t help but feel sorry for him. You motion to take his hand and look him in the eyes. You can feel the coolness of his rings under your palm.

‘I’m really sorry for you. If they couldn’t appreciate you, their loss’ he smiles at your kind words. 

When he gets up, you finally notice a weird metal sound.

‘What is this noise ?’ you aks

He seems confused and then understands what you meant.

‘Oh, it’s nothing, just chains’

‘Chains ? I thought that you escaped the authorities’

‘Yeah, I did but I wear them to remind me that I should have done something to help her. So it’s a form of punishment I put on myself’ he says with the same haunted look on his eyes but he regains his composure and before you could react he practically ran like a maniac on the deck to ask his crew to play music.

‘ Gentlemen ! This lady needs a distraction so I expect you to play like virtuosos to honor her and your Captain. Make me proud, you bunch of scoundrels !’

Eddie’s POV

It was the only way for him to not crumble in front of everyone. He shouldn’t have burdened her his depressing story but it was like he always knew her. Call it fate or whatever, but he was sure that the seas brought her to him for a reason. To reward him for something, he doesn’t know what but she must be a reward from the gods. And now that he sees her dancing and laughing with the crew, it makes him like she has always been there by his side. He joined her and they danced until dawn.

When everyone was exhausted, he gave her his cabin and headed to the crew dorm when she grabbed his hand and told him that he could stay.

One month later

 You roamed the seas with Eddie and the Hellfire crew and you couldn’t be happier. You explored many islands, discovered lost treasures and even fought creatures. The only thing is that you also made an enemy: the terrible Captain Henry Creel a.k.a Vecna. But Eddie always finds a way to save everyone, right ?

Should I make a part 2 ?

[shoceted]

i reeeeeeally don't want to be frustrated by other people not enjoying a thing i like lmao but good god seeing people hate on yanase for... so many things? after this past episode, on viki and on r/boyslove and mdl... and i just truly wonder, like, have these people never experienced impostor syndrome or creative burnout? does that not happen to other people? can anyone else see this or am i just weird????? (under the cut i have a lot of words and feelings about yanase jun you can read them, or don't)

i'm almost reminded of some reactions to cherimaho post episode like... 6-ish? there were all these comments about how adachi doesn't deserve kurosawa and the like — and it was just like... like he has anxiety. have you ever had anxiety. sometimes it makes it hard to accept compliments, let alone love! and similarly — you can be yanase jun, gifted, award-winning, world famous, probably has a wikipedia page, incredibly handsome and successful... and still think you're not good enough. anyone can feel those things. you can have all that and still think lowly of yourself. you can have none of that and still be burnt out and in the throes of self loathing.

him going back to vancouver is literally the opposite of cowardly. he's taking a huge risk here — he could stay in japan, comfortable, doing mediocre work on smaller jobs, safe, not creatively fulfilled at all but safe. or he goes to vancouver and does the dangerous thing — doing bigger jobs and having more opportunities, maybe to fail, but maybe to succeed, too. the yanase of this episode isn't taking risks or doing anything brave and he sure as hell isn't standing up for himself as an artist.

but kaneda is. he's the one who's explaining to benji all the reasons that the temple cgi has to be wood & asking yanase if he can help w/ the market cgi because he knows yanase doesn't actually want to compromise quality for time. and yanase used to be willing to fight like kaneda is, but he's so disillusioned by the industry (how different does this hit btw w/ the news of how marvel's vfx artists are treated?) at this point in the episode that, while it would be brave to fight, yanase doesn't think it's worth it.

but by going to vancouver — yanase has a chance to at least stop being cowardly, and maybe he'll even find his passion again too. kaneda is brave (heh heh get it. because kamen rider. anyway), so yanase is going to try to be brave too — even if it means being away from the person he loves and cares about so much for a year. like that's gonna hurt him like hell. i do not doubt that it is going to hurt him like hell. but overcoming that hurt so that he can be someone he thinks is worthy to be by kaneda's side is just such an act of love that i truly don't get why other people don't see it.

full disclosure as to maybe why i feel so angry about people not understanding this: i have an ex who, when i broke up with them, told me that you don't have to run away to grow. (i was pretty much in yanase's position — burnt out, self-hating, not feeling worthy of their affection, extremely creatively stifled.) and i mean, sometimes, that's true; sometimes running away is the worst thing you can do. but it's pretty damn clear that in the environment of max pictures in japan, yanase jun is being stepped on. if he wants to change and be someone he deems worthy of kaneda yuki, he needs a place where he can grow. so that's where he's headed.

so yeah in conclusion i would literally die for yanase jun, everything he's done in this god damn show makes perfect sense and i am truly tired of pretending otherwise! if you don't like sepakoi it's fine it's whatever just. please. please think a little bit about why characters act the way they do use your brain cells i know you got em, r/boyslove/viki/mdl users. please.

[minshookie]

Pillow Fight.

Pairing |Bully!Jungkook x reader

Genre | smut, angst.

Summary | “Another day spent babysitting your bully’s little sister...you should really quit but the pay is just too good.”

!warnings! | 18+ mature language, bullying, mentioned sexual acts, mentions of past bullying, NON-CON,financial struggle, Jungkook is a really shitty big brother.

| this is not in anyway shape or form a true depiction or representation of BTS, this is a work of fiction and is not to be taken seriously. For entertainment purposes only.|

(this is my work, please don’t repost or steal)

Requested [open for request] words: 1k.

A/N: I rewrote this so many times! Lmfaoo! Buuut get ready because some of requests yall sent in are 🥵🥵.

“Orange is your best color.” Aera chirped dragging the paint drowned brush along your pinky nail. “I think you’re just saying that because it’s your favorite.” The young girl giggles continuing to color your fingertips. “Uhm are you staying all night miss y/n?” Nodding you brushed back her wild strands of hair softly with your free hand. “Soooo like a sleep over?!” She squeals closing the bottle of nail polish, her eyes glittering as she gazes into yours intent for answers. “Yeah!” You matching her energy only made her more excited, “yay! And-and can Jungkookie Oppa come?!” She bounced on her knees smiling ear to ear, fumbling over her words.

“Oh...Jungkook huh... Hmm what about no boys aloud?” You planted the idea praying she’d take the bait as you started cleaning her toy makeup, giving her a chance to think it over.

“What? Jungkook isn’t a boy, he’s my brother!” Giggling she pounced from the couch striding towards his room. At this point all you could do is laugh at her innocent lack of logic. She looks so happy who are you to burst her little bubble, for all you know Jungkook might want nothing to do with the both of you and your little mock slumber party.

Closing the toy purse you hid it back away in the large toy chest she pulled from her room, leaving it open you cleared the floor of the multicolored blocks and dolls. A whisper of a laugh escapes your lips as you overhear Aera’s begs and pleas mixed with Jungkook’s refusals....but finally the door creaks.

Please no. “Y/n, guess what?!” She drags your name out as her small foot steps pitter the floor, Jungkook’s thudding. She comes down the hall pulling Jungkook by his middle finger. “As if you weren’t undesirable enough, neon nails really helped it out.” Grumbling he throws himself on the couch you just tidied up. “Nice to see you again too Kook.”Aera bounced on her toes watching us have confrontation, unaware of the negative connotations.

Truth is you hadn’t seen Jungkook since you left for college and you hadn’t planned on seeing him ever again...that is until relationships fell apart, your roommate left and things got hard to pay for, and you were two bills away from being homeless. the job up at university paid $9.50 an hour while the busy Jeons still offered $12.00 the choice was clear. Take a little break, live with family, get back on your feet, and try again. But little did you know Jungkook decided to stay local with his schooling.All this aside the work was easy since Aera had grown a bit, but the thought of dealing with the person that made your life hell for four years made you want to quit daily.

“Can I do your nails Too?!” “No Aera, now be cute and get me something to drink.” He orders putting his feet on the coffee table eyeing you up and down,disgustingly. “No Aera I’ll get it.” You grabbed her shoulder. “No y/n! I’ll do it, I’ll do it quickly!” Setting free she bolted for the kitchen.

“So, you went to college got broke and came back sniveling to my rich parents?” You rolled your eyes, looking in the direction of the kitchen for any sign of Aera. “I thought you would’ve out grown your asshole phase, that’s very high school of you Kook.” He scoffed defensively, “and you using babysitting as your main income is high school of you, what happened your little rapper boyfriend leave you high and dry?” “You shut the fuck up.” You snapped back my reflex. He held his hands up in defense, “Suga blew up and left you in the shit show not my fault.” We argued in hushed tones as Aera ran back into sight.

“Here you go kookie!” She handed Jungkook the can of Coke, heaving for air. “Aera this is warm, cold...I want something cold, go try again.” He handed her the can, “oh okay Oppa sorry!” And off she was back down the hall. He turned back to me, “why’d he leave you...couldn’t make him bust?” you tried to hide it but his words stung, you’d been avoiding anything to do with Yoongi since he’d ghosted you weeks before you left for college. Bigger things waited for him in the world of fame, and you weren’t in the blueprint.

“Fuck you Jungkook.” “Come try it bitch.” Smirking he was satisfied with himself as you stood almost defeated. “Oh I forgot you’re scared of sex.” “Leave the high school rumors behind...ran out a material? Maybe you should get out more.” He rolled his eyes scoffing, “shut up before I make you.” “You like to pretend I’m still afraid you...make me, little boy...since you insist on being one.”

Jungkook’s come back was cut short by the thumping of Aera’s feet. “Kookie!Kookie! Ice! I got it all by myself!” She gave the cup of ice to Jungkook and then the Coke. “Good job, now pour it.” He handed them back and you took it from her small clutches much to Jungkook’s disliking. You poured him the drink, pushing his feet off the small table and placing the glass. “She’s not your little slave Jungkook.” He kept eye contact picking up the glass, “you’re right she’s not, you...go get me a coaster now or you’re fired.” His eyebrow arched cockily, his free hand waving you away. “As if! You can’t fire me Jungkook.” He got Aera sitting her on the couch beside him as she caught her breath. “Is that so? Try me, my parents might have hired you but you work for us...now work.” His gaze alone told you he wasn’t playing with you anymore.

Angered you stormed to kitchen pulling a coaster from the table before swiftly Turing on your heels, almost jumping out of you skin as you met face to face with Jungkook. “What the fuck do you want now?” “You said some shit I didn’t like.” You threw the coaster back on the marbled table, “I wish you’d grow up already.” You atempt to go past him but his muscular arm halts your plans. “I have to go do my job-” “I put on her show she’ll be good for the next hour.”

You don’t remember Jungkook being so brooding he looked down at you, his new tall posture slightly off putting yet attractive. “What now, you wanna talk it out?” You walked away siting at the island, “I’ll leave you be if you leave me to do my job Kook.” He came behind you, trapping you in his arms. Tattoos, he’d change a lot but not enough to leave you alone.

“I see you came and got the coaster, scared of me now?” What an ass, “no I need this job.” He hummed from behind you, no sign of him letting you go. “You know y/n, you’ve grown quite a bit.” You became more and more uncomfortable by the second, his breathing became deeper. “I’m aware, so have you.” Rudely he became handsy, groping your breast earning a shocked reaction. “Jungkook please-” “scared of me?” He squeezed you with a little too much force making you give a Yelp, he had you trapped, you were nothing but a game to him. “Shhh shh don’t want to startle my baby sister while she rests...that wouldn’t be very babysitter like of you now would it?”

Silent what could you even say? He had you trapped, your position less than hopeless he’d made you feel small and that’s exactly what he wanted. He’s always wanted that ever since you’d met him, and he always succeeds. He intruded under your top, skating his chilled hand over your skin leaving cold bumps in his wake he held your bra covered breast.

You griped his unexposed wrist trying at escape, knowing fully how downhill this could get. “Oh is the brave girl afraid?” “N-no your hands are cold as Ice Jungkook...please stop.” You lied continuing to push his muscular arm. “Oh? Let me warm them for you.” He removed his hand from the island almost causing you to topple over. Reaching down he found himself with his hand now between your legs fiddling with the pant button. “Jungkook! Please no!” His hand along your chest he pulled you back into his sculpted figure.

“You must not value your job as much as you say, scream again and you’ll be broke and fucked over and to think I actually liked you a bit.” He came to your ear, sniffing your hair eerily. “Little did I know how much of a bitch you were, I loved you when you were shy.” He finally got through your button, getting to your panties he gave you a two fingered massage along your core, you strained not to react to the unwanted pleasure. “Look at you pathetic and wet I bet you’re so needy I could make you cum right here.” He began to focus his nimble fingers on your aching clit. “Fucking stop it.” You could only whimper. “Why should I, we’re old enough now and you’re sopping through your panties I know you want it.”

He invaded under your bra, fondling your hardening bud. “I loved you when you were weak and innocent...I know she’s hiding deep inside of you, the little girl that would cry over me-”

“Miss y/n! I’m tired!” Her voice softly called from the living room. Saved by an angel, finally Jungkook stoped his assault backing off of you with a groan. “You’ll meet me in my room when she’s in bed, or else.” He grumbled leaving you behind to collect yourself, how could bad get so much worse?

[sur-un-fil]

Ink demonth 2022 - Price

What did Joey really have to pay for his dream?

Chapter 2: 1964

There were nights when Joey was unable to lie still in the darkness and silence. The memories, the failures, the missing people were too noisy. So he would get up, but never go near the ink machine or the door. He stayed in the bathroom, anxiously looking over his shoulder at the slightest noise. Daylight could not come quickly enough.

There were more and more nights like this.

The first had been the night after the summoning. At the time, he hadn't worried about the consequences of what he'd just done, or the price he'd had to pay. But the night... He had tossed and turned in his sweaty sheets, unable to sleep. The next morning, in the reassuring light of the sun, he had been ashamed to have let himself be overcome by fear. He knew there was a price to pay for everything. For a smile, for help, for the best. How many capricious women had he had to offer things he couldn't afford, how many sons of bitches had he had to charm even if he wanted to beat them up, how many naive people had he made promises to that he had no intention of keeping? Yes, everything had to be paid for and he hadn't been surprised when the demon had told him what he wanted. He had signed with his blood, convinced that he was getting a good deal. How could he have felt the lack of something he couldn't see and which was of no use to him?

But despite the contract they had drawn up and Connor's ingenuity, nothing had turned what he had wanted.

There was no way he was going to give up his dream: he would bring his cartoon characters to life. No one else had done it, and he, Joey Drew, would become the most famous man in America. So he went from strength to strength. Nothing was too expensive to succeed, nothing was valuable enough not to be sacrificed. The demon remained silent, but the Book guided him in his experiments, and the few who assisted him were as passionate and ruthless as he. They came to kill. It was awful, yes, but also surprisingly easy. And so useful that they did not hesitate to do it again.

The sleepless nights had multiplied.

He knew it would happen. He might be brave, but he was human. Of course he felt remorse and sadness. But that was the price he had to pay. He thought he would always manage not to let guilt consume him. It was not like him.

But time had passed... And the enthusiasm of the beginning had turned into desperate determination. He couldn't have done all this in vain! He couldn't have paid so much for... To end up losing the Studio, his reputation, his money, his hard-earned place in society and even all his "friends" who suddenly stopped picking up the phone and couldn't find the time to call back. It didn't matter! He would carry on, almost alone. Because he was tougher than that. But above all because he had lost the right to try something else. He couldn't. He had paid.

Today, he is over sixty years old and he knows he will never make it. Daily life is dull, frustrating but above all painful because of the lack of sleep. He is worn down by old age. He can no longer keep his fears at bay and the ghosts become more and more vindictive. The nights have become terrifying, because he can only think of death, but especially of what awaits him afterwards. Strangely enough, he sometimes forgets why he feels so desperate. When he does, he gets up, ready to leave this place he now loathes to start again somewhere else... and then his eyes fall on the Book. It seems to be in every room he walks through, like a black eye watching him. Joey sits back down, a little more hunched than before, to start waiting again. He can only wait, and hope that his latest trick works.

He'd thought he'd given his soul to satisfy his need for recognition. In the end, it had cost him his time, his money, his energy and all his hopes, but also the chance to have a family and leave something behind. And above all... peace.

That was the real prize.

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[justauthoring]

You’re Stuck With Me Now

Prompt: He’d never leave you again.

A/N: is my return to writing (after a short break) oikawa? yes it is. honestly, i just love this boy so much and ive been rewatching haikyu and i can't... my heart.

ALSO HAPPY BIRTHDAY OIKAWA TOORU <3

Warnings: past implied abuse

Pairing: Oikawa Tooru x F!Reader Please don’t plagiarize my work!

“Come on, Y/N-Chan, it’ll be fun.”

With a quirked brow and look of disbelief up at your boyfriend, you roll your eyes. “You know I don’t really like parties, Tooru,” you mumble, taking a bite out of your lunch just as Oikawa lets out a whine of disappointment.

He’d already spent a majority of your lunch break, which the two of you were lucky to have together, begging you to come out tonight with him to Mattsun’s party. He’d spent the entire weeks’ lunches trying to convince you to come with him, to no avail everyday, and now, the day of; he was even more desperate for a yes.

“But it won’t be any fun without you.”

And his pout is almost convincing enough, eyes droopy at the edges with a certain puppy-dog look. The corner of his lips are flipped downwards, but he looks positively adorable (as he usually does - his group of fangirls aren’t for nothing). But, you’ve held restraint all week to this point, and by now, this really isn’t anything new.

“You say that every time, babe,” you counter, pointing your chopsticks at him with a quirked brow. “And every time I come with you, you end up leaving me to mingle off with Hajime.”

His shoulders slump.

“Is Hajime coming tonight?”

“...Yes.”

“Then,” you nod, satisfied, “you won’t be alone.”

“Bu-But!” He all but whines, and before you know it he’s suddenly sidled up behind you, arms curling around your waist firmly to press you flush against his chest. You let out a squeak in response, whining yourself when your delicious lunch is suddenly before you and tauntingly not within arms reach. 

Oikawa is fast to pull your attention on him.

“He won’t be there till later!”

“So I’m just entertainment until he gets there?”

“Of course not!”

Oikawa looks positively betrayed at your assumption, and the look on his face is enough to have you giggling. Shifting in his grasp, you move so you’re facing him, brushing back a few strands of his unruly hair that no matter how hard you try is never ever neat, before meeting his eyes with a soft smile. “Honestly, Tooru,” you whisper gently, “why do you want me to go so bad? You usually don’t care this much.”

“Because,” he shrugs, “I like having you with me.”

And that, unfortunately, is the zinger.

His words all but melt your heart and with a heavy sigh, you realize there’s no possible way that you can say no when he goes ahead saying something so sweet like that.

“I’ll go.”

The way his eyes practically glow is enough to make you smile though.

“Really? Yes!”

However, now that you’re here, cramped in a house of drunk, loud teenagers, you’re suddenly wishing you’d had a bit more self restraint when it came to your boyfriend. As per usual, an hour into the party, Iwaizumi arrived and now even further convinced your boyfriend is more in love with his best friend then you -- you’re completely alone.

“’I’ll be right back’ my ass,” you mutter to yourself, taking a drink from the cup in your hands, instantly regretting it at the bitter taste that goes down your throat.

It wasn’t that you didn’t have any friends, you just weren’t entirely comfortable in social situations. It’s a wonder how you got along with Oikawa so well, but the two of you seemed to just mesh really well together. And of course, he’d been there for you in a time no one else had, and had helped fix you from the person who made you so nervous and skittish around others in the first place. It’s because of him that you’re even able to stand in a room so crowded, even if you’re not really socializing. 

It would’ve been nice to have him to talk with, though. Iwaizumi too.

Pulling out your phone, you send a quick text to Oikawa, hoping that he’ll see it and at least drag you along for whatever Iwaizumi and him got up to in parties like these. It’s because of this that you don’t notice the shadow that falls next to you, not until a hand swipes your phone right out of your own and a voice you’d hoped you’d never hear again speaks;

“Oikawa Tooru, huh?”

Your heart practically drops.

“Figures you’d find someone in volleyball again, you did always love it.”

“H-Haru...”

He smirks down at you, and your lips part when he pockets your phone without a care in the world, his grip moving to your wrist where he tugs you towards himself. “Never thought I’d be able to find you again, Y/N, after you so abruptly moved schools. In your third year no less.”

You pull back on the grip he has on you, trying, to no avail, to get away. “What are you even doing here?”

“I play volleyball, remember?” He quirks a brow, speaking to you like you’re a child. “I know some of the boys here.”

How unlucky can I get...

Digging the heels of your feet down, you use all your strength to fight back the pull Haru tugs on your wrist. It’s clear he’s trying to get you to go somewhere with him, maybe even leave and that's the absolute last thing you can let happen. Haru still has such a pull over you, as much as you hate to admit it, and if you’re alone with him, there’s no telling what would happen.

And you’re terrified to find out.

“Let me go,” you hiss, “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“It seems you’ve forgotten your place, Y/N,” he growls down at you, grip turning bruising as you let out a cry in response, unable to stop yourself. “I’ll give you credit, it was brave of you to think you could get away from me, and finding you was hard. But now that I have you, I plan to remind you just exactly why you’re with me.”

Eyes widening, it suddenly feels like you can’t breathe.

“I mean, after all,” and his eyes gleam, turning dark, “you can’t live without me, remember?”

Your frozen state allows him to gain the control. Before you know it, you’re being dragged through the familiar halls of Mattsun’s house that feel like a blur and unfamiliar in your panic. You don’t even notice where you are, and barely hear when Haru suddenly announces “this’ll do” and then you’re being shoved into a room and the door is slammed behind you.

You fall to the ground with a loud cry, Haru shoving you.

When you turn to face him, staring up at him, he’s blocking the door, staring down at you expectedly. 

“What are you waiting for?” He huffs, “take off your shirt.”

Hands shaking, you push yourself up into a sitting position with shaky muscles, not trusting yourself to stand in that moment as you stare up at him. Everything had moved so fast, and your heart feels as if it’ll break when you realize despite how much better you thought you’d been getting -- none of it meant a damn thing when faced with Haru himself.

You were scared, terrified, and it felt like back then all again. You had no control. You had no strength.

A harsh kick in the stomach has you doubling over, and clutching your sides, Haru crouches down before. “No one’s coming to save you, Y/N. Not even your boyfriend,” he taunts, smirking at you. “I’m pretty sure I saw the infamous Captain shoving his tongue down another girls throat.”

Eyes widening, you stare at your lap. “No,” you mumble, voice breathless, croaky. “Tooru wouldn’t--”

“It’s true. He’s not here, is he?”

Swallowing thickly, you meet Haru’s gaze.

“So, see, at the end of it all, all you have is me, right?”

And you hate the way his hand against your cheek feels like comfort compared to all the pain.

Shaky fingers reach for the hem of your shirt, just as the door slams open.

It’s Iwaizumi.

His eyes widen at the sight of you, flickering to Haru before focusing back on you. “Oikawa!” He calls, voice booming, tone dark, and it’s then you see how angry he looks. “I found her!”

In the next second, Oikawa is bursting pass Iwaizumi. He stills at the sight of you, tear-stricken, face pale, eyes wide with fear, and then Haru, crouched before you, look positively smug about the entire situation. And there’s a moment of pause where nothing happens, and Haru moves to stand, lips parting; “sorry, but it looks like Y/N--”

But he never gets to finish before Oikawa’s punching him straight across the cheek so hard he falls to the ground with a loud thud. 

In the next second, he’s in front of you.

“Shit, Y/N. I’m so sorry,” and you don’t miss the way your name lacks ‘chan’, meaning Oikawa’s serious. “I didn’t mean to leave that long. Fuck. Are you okay? Where did he hurt you? Show me, and I’ll--”

But your hand is grabbing his own frantic ones and when Oikawa meets your gaze, he’s shocked at the soft smile on your lips.

“Y/N-Chan?”

“You came,” you whisper, voice soft with astonishment and adoration. “You came for me.”

And, shoulders easing, Oikawa nods. 

“Of course I did.”

Squeezing his hand, to the point Oikawa is blinking in response, lips parting in worry. You stare into his eyes, imploring; “please don’t leave me like that again.”

And guilt settles deep within his chest, hating himself for what happened, blaming himself for it as well. But he knows that’s not what you mean, nor what you think; you just want a guarantee he’s there for you. And if there’s one thing Oikawa can promise, it’s that.

“You’re stuck with me now, yeah?” 

He grins, trying to make you smile, make you laugh and everything ease when he succeeds, that giggle of yours he loves filling the silence of the room.

“I’m good with that.”

[thedragonnerd]

Rayaari headcanon - let's get magical with a Hogwarts AU

(suggested by the lovely @tigerlillyruiz !)

As a diplomat, Benja's new job posting brings him and Raya to the UK. She's frustrated by the move, trying to persuade him that she can continue to live at home, and simply portkey in to see him on the weekends rather than go to a British boarding school. But he insists she is too young to be living in a different country, and so she must accompany him.

Therefore, Raya attends Hogwarts with great reluctance and annoyance. She's the only new sixth year, and watches in horror as the House 'sorting process' takes place in front of the entire school. Once the tiny first years and small handful of second to fifth years have had their turn, she hears a prim voice call out her name, and shuffles slowly up to the stool.

Once the hat is dropped unceremoniously onto her head, she hears a small voice in her ear. 'I can see a lot of potential here...you would thrive in any of the Houses. Loyal to your loved ones, an eagerness for knowledge, ambitious in your success, brave in your heart.'

Raya thinks fondly of the few times she's gotten into scraps with boys her age who had dared insult her friends, and thinks that bravery could suit her quite well. 'That's not quite the bravery I was referring to,' says the voice in an amused voice. 'But very well, you will find yourself in...GRYFFINDOR!'

Raya finds both her new Housemates and the rest of the people in her year agreeable enough, but it is difficult to fit in, when most people have literally grown up together. However, several Gryffindors do manage to include her in some 'back to school' illicit parties.

A week into being at Hogwarts, Raya walks into the library, and her gaze ends up falling across a table in the far corner. 'Oh wow,' she thinks, observing one of the prettiest girls she's ever seen sitting there. And then: 'oh shit.' Raya ends up demonstrating just how brave her heart can be by walking up to the table, clearing her throat awkwardly, and then introducing herself to this mysterious girl.

Namaari turns out to be a Ravenclaw from the same year; they even share some classes on the timetable, although Namaari admits to sitting at the back of the class, so Raya's never managed to notice her before. She's surprised to find Namaari's mother Virana is a diplomat also, although Namaari has been at Hogwarts for so many years that she speaks English with a well-practiced accent.

They become close friends instantly. Raya likes to send little charmed messages during class, with funny doodles on them. Sometimes they succeed in eliciting a chuckle from Namaari, who will then duck her head to hide from the teacher.

Raya eventually has a wider group of friends made up of students from all the houses, and occasionally they sneak around the castle after dark, mainly because they're wanting to hang out in each other's common rooms. Namaari is one of Ravenclaw's prefects, and Raya's friends quickly learn to push Raya to the front of the group whenever she catches them in the corridors after curfew. Namaari can't help but let them off with a warning whenever she sees Raya's puppy eyes.

Raya's favourite subject is Defence Against the Dark Arts, although she also enjoys Potions - she's done years of helping her Ba with his brewing hobby. Namaari loves Transfiguration, the technicality and preciseness of the subject suiting her well; her favourite however is Care of Magical Creatures, since she absolutely adores every animal she meets.

Raya was one of the star athletes in Quidditch at her old school. Everyone assumes she would play seeker, being petite in build and fast at moving. But she is an excellent beater, finding it a thrill to move aggressively, and cathartic to be able to hit the bludgers as hard as possible. She tries for the Gryffindor team, and they are happy to accept her.

Namaari has no interest in sports, but will be in the stands at every one of Raya's games, cheering her on even if she's battling Ravenclaw.

Whenever Raya finds herself in the infirmary from a Quidditch injury, Namaari will join her for meals, for homework, and for any other spare time. She even sneaks in after hours sometimes, to nap next to Raya, knowing her friend hates to sleep alone.

When Namaari finds herself in the infirmary from an injury during her extracurricular work with magical creatures, Raya freaks out, unused to being on the other side. Instead of sneaking in, she's allowed to just remain, causing too much of a headache for the nurse otherwise.

In seventh year, Raya lives up to her brave heart, and confesses to Namaari that she likes her more than just as a friend. Namaari is relieved - she's been trying to drop hints for weeks, to see if Raya felt the same.

When they graduate, Namaari goes to work at a prestigious dragon sanctuary in Vietnam. Raya follows her there, refusing to be separated by portkey, and joins one of the top Quidditch teams.

After fifteen years of being at the peak of her career as a beater, she retires (to Namaari's relief, considering the number of injuries she's had), and focuses on training the next generation.

The young children are already in awe at being mentored by a world-famous Quidditch player; they are even more impressed when they see Coach Raya's dragon-expert wife turn up, her arms muscled and covered in scars.

Raya avoids telling them that most of the scars are from Namaari's bad habit of being accidentally injured whenever she gets too close and affectionate with injured dragons.

[joachimnapoleon]

Doomed to Be Our Bane - Excerpt [Murat's POV]

(NaNoWriMo 2021 - Day 16)

(Today we have the immediate aftermath of Murat's failed attempt to take Sicily in September 1810.)

***

"The Sicilian expedition is adjourned. The aim which the Emperor had proposed in threatening this island is fulfilled. You will return to your winter quarters. And you as well, brave sailors, you will see your families again: you have done more than your duty, you have undertaken, with a courage above all praise, more than fifty combats against forces three times as big as your own. The success which you constantly obtained attests to what you might have if the forces had been equal. You have above all resolved a big problem, you have proven that the enemy fleets cannot prevent the passage of the straits by simple fishing boats and that Sicily will be conquered when it is wished seriously to conquer it."

He lowered the draft of the proclamation. "Well, what do you think, Pépé?"

The Neapolitan gave a smile so obviously forced that Joachim nearly laughed aloud.

"It's... well. How can I say this without offending Your Majesty?"

Joachim grinned. "This is why I keep you near me. You're one of the only Neapolitan generals I have who doesn't lie to me shamelessly."

Pépé gave a short bow. "If Your Majesty wants the honest truth then, I must tell him that the proclamation is--"

"A complete pile of horse-shit," Joachim finished flatly.

Pépé stared. "Well. I... might've phrased it somewhat more delicately, Sire."

"No need. That's exactly what it is. And I'm certain it will anger the Emperor. But His Majesty has done his best to prevent us from succeeding here, so let him be angry. We've wasted nearly five months, obscene amounts of money, and nearly a thousand men. All for nothing." He stroked the long mustaches he had spent the past few months growing out. "No, not for nothing. For show. A spectacle for the English, to keep these troops distracted here so they're not reinforcing those in Spain."

"Does Your Majesty think we might try again some day?"

"I very much doubt it, Pépé. Especially now that I've seen the type of support--if you can call it that--that we can expect from the Emperor. And Naples cannot afford this kind of expense multiple times over." And I can only bear so much humiliation.

He handed the proclamation to the general.

"Have it printed and distributed to be read to each regiment."

"Yes, Sire." Pépé took the paper, bowed, and exited the king's tent.

Alone now, he slumped slightly over the table, resting his head in his hands.

What a shambles.

It had been so very close. All it would have taken was the cooperation of his French generals. The weather had finally turned in their favor. Cavaignac's Corsicans had made an uncontested crossing, landed on the shores of Sicily, and began making their way inland. With the full invasion force behind them, he might have overrun the English in no time, and driven Ferdinand into the sea.

But the main force never set sail as Joachim had ordered. Grenier had refused to obey him, acting, he said, with the authorization of Napoleon, who had given him sole command of the French forces taking part in the expedition.

He had known then that Napoleon had never intended for him to succeed in this endeavor. The Emperor had set him up to fail, to make a fool of himself. All the kings of Europe would know of his humiliation soon enough. He would be a laughingstock. He could not even begin to unravel the source of such malice on the part of his brother-in-law.

Now, he must prepare for his return to Naples. His impending reunion with Caroline was sure to be an unhappy one. The campaign had, up until this point, helped to distract him from the agonizing news of her miscarriage. The thought that he would soon be holding a new baby in his arms, that he would have a new little princess or prince to watch grow up, a tiny new hand to hold, had sustained him during his travails of the past several months. Now the magnitude of the loss began to settle in all at once, and the weight of it, combined with the failure of his campaign and Napoleon's role in it, bore down on him like a cascade of boulders from Vesuvius itself.

[ibijau]

Futures Past pt12 / on AO3

Lan Xichen gives Nie Huaisang a music lesson

Everything was perfectly laid out on the low table when Lan Xichen finished his preparations. There was a guqin, of course. Not his personal one, since it would have been unwise to let a complete beginner touch an instrument that valuable, but a very good one nonetheless, borrowed among those Gusu Lan used to teach its newest disciples. Along with the guqin Lan Xichen had also taken a manual detailing the different hand positions, how to play different types of notes, and how to care for an instrument. In case Nie Huaisang took a liking to playing music, as Lan Xichen so hoped he would, permission had even been obtained on his behalf to keep both the instrument and the manual for the duration of his stay in the Cloud Recesses.

With how unpredictable Nie Huaisang was, there was a real chance he wouldn’t want to learn after all, or that he’d be as unfocused with this as he was with most things at this point of his life. But if Lan Xichen’s plan worked, if Nie Huaisang took to music…

It was unlikely at this point that Meng Yao would ever work for Nie Mingjue, or for Jin Guangshan. Just that morning, Lan Xichen had received a letter from Jiang Cheng who had wanted to give news about Yunmeng Jiang’s newest recruit, stating that Meng Yao seemed to get along with everyone so far. Only Madam Yu had reservations, having predictably guessed that Meng Yao was one of Jin Guangshan’s many bastards, but his good manners and respect for authority apparently pleased her, leading Jiang Cheng to believe that his mother would eventually warm up to this new disciple. Lan Xichen fervently hoped it would be so, and intended to answer that letter to thank Jiang Cheng for letting him know everything was going well, and for taking good care of Meng Yao.

If Meng Yao settled well in Yunmeng, then Jin Guangshan would find it much harder to conduct a plot against Nie Mingjue’s life. The man had treated his bastard son like dirt, never realising Meng Yao was the best thing that had ever happened to his sect, never seeing his true potential. Without his son, Jin Guangshan would hardly be a threat to anyone.

Still, there were hard times coming in the near future. Even without the Jin conspiring against him, Lan Xichen had suspected in that other future that Nie Mingjue’s temper and inner balance had been hit hard by the pressure of the Sunshot Campaign, and so Lan Xichen had now inherited his future self's fears on that subject. There was a good chance that the Jins had only precipitated a death that would have happened too soon even without their interventions.

But if there were someone in Nie Mingjue’s entourage who could play Cleansing for him, properly play it, someone as determined as Lan Xichen to keep Nie Mingjue in good health, but with the advantage of proximity and availability…

Cleansing was not an easy song. Even among Gusu Lan disciples, there were many who could not play it well, and they were not considered inferior cultivators for that failure. Teaching such a complex piece of music to a stranger, untrained in the ways of Gusu Lan, would be a gamble, one Lan Xichen had lost in another life.

He would not fail again to protect Nie Mingjue.

A knock on the door called Lan Xichen back to the present. He was not surprised to find Nie Huaisang there, whom he invited to come in. Nie Huaisang appeared to be in a good enough mood, and bore almost no more trace of his fight with Jin Zixun. It seemed to Lan Xichen that the other boy’s nose used to be a little straighter, but he couldn’t be quite sure. It was nothing horrible to look at, anyway. In fact, it might even have added something to Nie Huaisang’s face, giving his face a certain charm he wouldn’t otherwise have developed until well into his twenties, around the time his brother died. 

Or perhaps it was just that Lan Xichen had never paid attention this early into their other lives. Not his worst mistake perhaps, but a mistake nonetheless because it had allowed Nie Huaisang to turn into a cold, lonely, and cruel man, one who haunted Lan Xichen’s nightmares in this life. But maybe this Nie Huaisang, with his slightly crooked nose proving a brave heart, with a loyal friend to count on, would turn out differently. 

Lan Xichen must have stared too obviously, because as soon as he was done removing his shoes, Nie Huaisang covered his face with his hand.

“It’s really noticeable, isn’t it?” he whined. “Everyone says it’s just like before, but I know it’s not. I’m disfigured!”

“You’re certainly not disfigured,” Lan Xichen assured him. “I don’t think anyone who hasn’t met you before would even realise the shape isn’t natural.”

“I will have to hide my face behind a mask for the rest of my life,” Nie Huaisang insisted, going to sit without waiting to be invited to do so. He picked the side furthest from the guqin, which Lan Xichen thought didn’t bode well for his plan. “Good, honest folks shouldn’t have to ever see something so horrific. I will have to go into hiding! I will live and die alone, having never kissed anyone because I missed my chance when I was handsome.”

“You’re still quite handsome.”

“I’m not! Lan gongzi, there’s no need to lie, there’s no need to pity me. My life is ruined. With a face like that, what do I have left to attract others to me?”

Lan Xichen didn’t know whether to laugh or be annoyed. It wasn’t the first time he was comforted to realise that not all of Nie Huaisang’s behaviour in that future that wouldn’t be had been a comedy aimed at distracting Lan Xichen from his true intentions. It also wouldn’t be the last time he found such comfort in those antics either. Still, Nie Huaisang really was too dramatic, and Lan Xichen wasn’t sure how to deal with it.

“Nie gongzi has many other qualities that might attract a cultivation partner.”

“I do not. Really, I don’t!”

“Then let’s teach you some new skills,” Lan Xichen offered, calmly gesturing at the guqin. “The history of Gusu Lan is filled with musicians who wooed their true love through their talent, surely Nie gongzi might find success that way as well.”

Nie Huaisang pouted, and glared at the instrument as if it had insulted his parents.

"I really don't know if there's a point," he said. "I won't have any talent for it." 

"I've heard that before," Lan Xichen said, opening the manual to its first page. "From people who in the end proved very good at playing, once they got over their worries and just started. Wangji was absolutely terrified he would disappoint us all, and look at him now." 

In fact, Lan Wangji had cried his entire first lesson. And the second. The awkward timing of it, soon after their mother's death, hadn't helped. Lan Xichen and Lan Qiren had needed to reassure him they would still love him and keep him in the family even if he turned out to be the worst guqin player in the world before he would touch the instrument. 

And then he'd enjoyed it so much that within a year he'd caught up to Lan Xichen's level, before promptly surpassing him. 

Brat. 

"Oh you can't compare me to Lan Wangji," Nie Huaisang complained, but he still leaned over the table to better look at the manual, peeking inside with some curiosity. "He and I are of a different sort. Everything your brother sets out to do, he succeeds at. I'm just a normal person." 

Lan Xichen's hands clenched. He remembered too well the respective failures and successes of Lan Wangji and Nie Huaisang in that future he hoped they would avoid. Though thinking about it, Lan Wangji did usually get what he wanted. He'd even gotten Wei Wuxian, though it had taken him a while. All Nie Huaisang had gotten was bloody revenge, at the cost of everything else.

"Ah, sorry, I shouldn't speak like that of your brother," Nie Huaisang quickly mumbled. "I guess I spend too much time with… it's just that people in your sect tend to be unfairly compared to him, when he's a natural prodigy." 

"I suppose I cannot blame Su She for finding it tiring," Lan Xichen generously conceded. "Though he has qualities of his own, and should take pride in those. Although your punishment is now over, I hope you won't mind if I keep stealing him from you here and there to help copy texts."

Nie Huaisang gasped in horror. 

“Wait so it’s your fault if Su-xiong hasn’t been around lately?”

“I thought it would be better to keep him away from Jin gongzi,” Lan Xichen quickly explained. "And even though I told this to him on your first day of punishment, I still caught him trying to come and see you again the second day, so this seemed a good way to prevent problems." 

“I’m really so relieved that’s the reason Su-xiong wasn’t around,” Nie Huaisang said, looking more relaxed indeed. “I was so scared he didn’t want to hang out anymore, or that he was upset about getting scolded because of me…”

“Nie gongzi should have a little more faith in others,” Lan Xichen gently scolded. “Especially in your friends.”

Nie Huaisang nodded, looking at Lan Xichen with some surprise.

“It sounds like you almost don’t hate him anymore.”

“I am currently reconsidering my opinion of him,” Lan Xichen admitted. “I thank you for encouraging me to do that. You were right in accusing me of unfairness.”

It had been with great reluctance that Lan Xichen had involved Su She in his project to prevent their sect's library. He'd only given him some texts of minor importance, which Su She could not put to use if he still broke out from the Lan sect in the future. And even those texts were only given to him for Nie Huaisang's sake, because Lan Xichen realised he wouldn't get Huaisang’s trust without making concessions toward Su She. 

Much to his surprise, Su She had acquitted himself of that task with diligence and skill, producing an excellent copy of the text given to him, without a single wrong stroke on any character. Lan Xichen had praised him for his work and, since there had been two days left to Nie Huaisang's punishment, had given Su She another text to copy. 

Since then, he had become curious about Su She, something he'd never done in his other life. 

Lan Xichen had trusted his sect to be fair in that other future, both as a youth and as a sect leader. Because the rules ordered fair treatment and respect towards everyone, he had believed that things were so. If anyone was unhappy, they would have reported their trouble to an elder, or directly to him. Indeed such things had been brought to his attention sometimes once he was sect leader, which he had investigated and set right again, proving to himself that the system worked. And if the system worked, then someone like Su She who had betrayed his sect in such a despicable manner could only be a villain.

Nie Huaisang’s surprising attachment to Su She had forced Lan Xichen to pay more attention to him. He hadn’t liked what he’d seen so far, but not for the reason he would have expected.

Su She was not only skilled in cultivation, something Lan Xichen had always reluctantly been forced to admit in that other future, but he was also dedicated to playing by the rules of Gusu Lan, bending to every rule even though the sect’s way of living clearly went against his entire personality, obeying his elders, working hard to please his teachers. And yet in spite of those efforts, Lan Xichen heard from some teachers that Su She was considered lazy and difficult. If pressed, those same teachers might say that Su She’s background meant he didn’t value hard work as a peasant’s son might have, that he lacked the education in classics he might have acquired in a family of scholars, and that he just didn’t have any refinement of manner as befitted a cultivator.

Su She didn’t belong, the same way Meng Yao didn’t belong.

Lan Xichen had a feeling that in that other future, his adult self had often been puzzled by the friendship between Jin Guangyao and Su She. Even when they had been revealed to be partners in crime rather than merely friends, Lan Xichen still hadn’t understood what might have brought those two to become so close.

It was starting to make sense now.

And this meant, also, that Gusu Lan had betrayed Su She no less than he had betrayed them.

“I’m glad as well, if you’re changing your opinion about him,” Nie Huaisang said with a happy smile. “He’s really a good person. Maybe he doesn’t always have the best of tempers, but neither does da-ge and you like him, so…”

Lan Xichen, however willing he was to give Su She a chance to prove himself in this new life, still shivered at hearing him mentioned at the same time as Nie Mingjue, whose death he’d probably helped in the other future. Jin Guangyao was very skilled, but it was doubtful he’d have mixed Cleansing and that other piece of music without a little help.

But that wouldn’t happen again. Meng Yao wouldn’t grow to hate Nie Mingjue, nor would he go to serve his despicable father. Not this time.

“Now that you’ve been reassured about your friend’s loyalty, how about starting the lesson?” Lan Xichen offered. “I do fear you’ll have to come sit on my side.”

Nie Huaisang grimaced and threw the guqin a worried look, but made no movement to get up.

“I really don’t know if it’s a good idea,” he said. “I’m such a bad student… I always get distracted and bored...”

“I think only because people usually try to teach you things you don’t enjoy,” Lan Xichen replied. “Come sit here, and let’s start. If really you don’t like it, then I’ll let you go and we’ll just forget about this, it’s fine. But you can’t give up without at least trying once.”

“You sound like my brother,” Nie Huaisang complained, but at last he stood up and walked around the table to sit closer to Lan Xichen. “Always saying I won’t know unless I try… and then when I try things and I don’t like them, he gets all upset and we fight. But… fine. Fine, let’s try this, I’m here already, anyway.”

With Nie Huaisang in such a mood, Lan Xichen thought that the whole endeavour was doomed to fail before it had even started. His uncle often said that it was near impossible to teach someone who didn’t want to be taught, and seeing Nie Huaisang like this made Lan Xichen understand what he meant.

Still Lan Xichen started his lesson as if nothing was wrong, explaining the very basics of how to play a guqin, demonstrating hand positions, pausing sometimes to play a few notes so Nie Huaisang would better understand what he was explaining. At first Nie Huaisang’s posture was closed off, his expression as reluctant as if he were listening to one of Lan Qiren’s lectures. 

But as the lesson progressed Nie Huaisang's attitude changed. He looked more focused, and started imitating the different hand positions Lan Xichen was explaining even before being invited to do so. When invited to try playing a note or two, Nie Huaisang seemed to immediately know when the note was wrong, and dutifully listened as Lan Xichen corrected the movement of his fingers or their positions on the string, his expression one of intense concentration. He would then replay the note until he got it right, showing a determination that Lan Xichen wouldn’t have thought him capable of, not at this point of his life anyway.

Maybe it wasn’t just that the death of Nie Mingjue had changed him, or the lonely decade that followed, Lan Xichen realised. Maybe Nie Huaisang had always been that stubborn, but only about things that mattered to him… and because the things that mattered to him didn’t matter much to Lan Xichen, nor indeed to most people who met Nie Huaisang, they assumed he was easy going and unwilling to make effort,even perhaps a little stupid, just as he often claimed to be.

After a while though, Nie Huaisang appeared to hit his limit. It had taken longer than Lan Xichen would have expected, and indeed the lesson had gone on longer than he’d initially planned, but he’d allowed it to drag on, fascinated by Nie Huaisang’s unexpected determination. It was only when Nie Huaisang started failing to play a new note several times in a row that Lan Xichen finally suggested they stop for the day.

“I told you I wouldn’t be much good,” Nie Huaisang sighed, flexing his fingers to stretch their muscles. “I just couldn’t do it, in the end.”

“On the contrary, you’ve proven yourself an excellent student,” Lan Xichen replied. “Better than many I’ve had to help, and more serious as well.”

“But…”

“It’s only your very first lesson, Huaisang,” Lan Xichen said, “and we have gone much further with it than I expected. You have real skill for it, I believe, and far more importantly it seems to me that you have a taste for it. Am I wrong?”

Still flexing and rubbing his hand, Nie Huaisang nodded quickly, a shy smile on his face.

“It was… it was really fun,” he admitted. “Lan gongzi is a good teacher.”

“Nie gongzi is a good student, when the subject pleases him. Do you wish to continue learning?”

Lan Xichen would have expected Nie Huaisang to take a moment to consider the question. Even if he liked music, it seemed to him that Nie Huaisang had little affection for Lan Xichen, something he might have deserved.

It was a pleasant surprised when Nie Huaisang immediately nodded.

“I think I do want to learn, if Lan gongzi can spare the time.”

It would be complicated to organise. Just this one lesson had taken a lot of rescheduling. Lan Xichen had a lot to do, between helping teach the juniors, his own lessons, his uncle trying to involve him in the ruling of the sect, and of course the copying of books from their library. But becoming closer to Nie Huaisang was essential to ensure this new life would turn out better than the old one.

It might also be pleasant, Lan Xichen realised with some surprise, thinking how quickly time had passed while teaching Nie Huaisang, and how pleasant it had been to have such an eager student. If Nie Huaisang's interest in music remained, if he learned enough to have conversations on the subject, if his understanding increased enough to have debates even...

Lan Xichen's plan upon gaining knowledge of the future had been to gain Nie Huaisang’s trust rather than his friendship, seeing no value in the latter. A mistake on his part, he was starting to realise, and he hoped now to get both trust and friendship as a result of his efforts.

[plus-size-reader]

Wounded Pt.2

Eric Coulter x Plus size!reader

Word Count: 1638 words

Warnings: none 

Summary: Eric comes to terms with the way he feels for the reader, even if he doesn’t really want to.

Part 1 

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All Eric was concerned with when he left the infirmary was your healing. He gave no attention to the soft, grateful glow in your eyes as you thanked thing or the warmth in the pit of his stomach when your skin met his own.

He certainly didn't give a second thought to how relieved he'd been when they told him that you would be okay.

All of that was behind him, derived from the stress of an initiate being harmed on his watch. It was nothing more than that.

He couldn't let it be anything more than that.

You were one of his initiates and feeling for you in any way was inappropriate, at least in his mind. There technically weren't any rules against that kind of relationship but Eric tried to keep away from things described as 'technically not bad'

He had a few strange feelings for you but that was it. There was nothing saying that would be the case tomorrow.

You'd been stabbed today, and the result was shockingly emotional for Eric and he would admit that. However, that was about as much as he was willing to admit.

You had caught him off guard, but it was never going to happen again.

Right?

In fact, as Eric got ready for bed that night, he made a vow to himself that no matter what happened, he wasn't going to visit you in the morning. Waiting for you to wake up was one thing, after your stitches and all that, but a morning check in seemed too personal.

Eric was your leader, and that was all. He had to keep reminding himself of that. With that, he went to sleep, forcing all thoughts of you from his mind.

~

The sun came and went as it always did, and just as it had melted away from the sky the night before, the sun came up and Eric reminded himself of his vow.

He repeated it as he got dressed and left his room. He repeated it as he walked down the hall, and he repeated it even as he entered the infirmary where you had stayed all night.

Eric was sure that you would still be in bed and even though he was kicking himself for even coming here, what really shocked him was the fact that you weren't. You weren't in bed.

You had been stabbed fewer than twelve hours ago, and yet when he came into the room, you practically met him at the door. "Good morning Eric. I hope I'm not too late for training" you greeted, giving him a smile from where you were sitting.

A soft grimace fell from your lips as you bent down to try and lace your boots. You had tried to get up in time so that you wouldn't hold up your progress or anyone else's day. However, it was taking you a bit longer to get ready even as you tried.

Eric didn't say anything at first, really taken aback by the fact that you weren't sleeping it off.

Though, once he'd finished coming to terms with what was happening, he immediately kneeled down to help you lace your boots up. It was strange for both of you, but you were quick to let him take over.

You knew better than to argue and frankly, you were glad for the help. You were putting on a bit of a brave face for his benefit but this position wasn't exactly comfortable considering the fresh stitches in your side.

"You really should be in bed" Eric commented, his eyes staying at your feet, though it was clear he wanted to have a conversation. In general, the interactions you were having weren't comfortable for either of you but it wasn't entirely unwelcome either.

It was just new.

You weren't really sure what to say to that at first. It didn't make any sense, as you didn't think Eric cared about you or anyone else, at all. However, it was clear to you that he did.

No one else had even been here since you'd been admitted to the infirmary, not even the guy who threw the knife in the first place, but Eric had been here multiple times.

No one else would do that unless they cared, at least a little.

"I didn't want to risk falling anymore on the board" you allowed. It probably wasn't a good idea to push your body so aggressively without letting it heal but you didn't have a choice.

You weren't going to miss out on the life you wanted without putting up a fight. You didn't leave behind your family and everything you had before this to just end up factionless and alone.

That wasn't going to happen.

"You aren't going to, I wouldn't let that happen" Eric decided, once again avoiding your gaze though he knew that you were looking down at him. He could practically feel your eyes on him, as if asking for some kind of explanation.

It was clear that there was more in his head, something he wasn't telling you, but you weren't exactly in a position to ask him to explain himself. Instead, you decided to settle for just waiting on him.

At some point, you hoped, he would open up and tell you what he was thinking.

"There isn't really much you can do. This is something I have to do on my own" you sighed, standing without much care for what he was going to do. You both knew that this was far from over, whatever it was that was happening between you, but you couldn't think about that right now.

You had things to do today, and so did Eric. Not only did you have to be in the training room for sparing in less than twenty minutes but it wouldn't be much without the leader.

Besides, you shuddered at the thought of what Peter would have to say if the two of you showed up at the same time, late. He tormented you relentlessly anyway, and this would give him even more material.

"Be careful today, and let me know if you need a break, okay? Don't be stupid"

Those words went as quickly as they came from Eric, who took his leave from the room before anything else could be said. He wouldn't have you getting any more hurt than you already had been.

There was a difference between participating enough to succeed and overdoing it and causing yourself bodily harm that was entirely unnecessary. All Eric could do though was hope that you did as he asked.

The last thing he needed was for you to get hurt again.

"Wait! That's it?" you called, snapping out of how shocking his leaving was just in time to catch up to him in the hallway. You had no idea what he was doing or why he was being so strange but you weren't going to let that be the end of the conversation.

Something had changed between the two of you since that knife lodged itself in your side, and you weren't just going to let him shove it all away without explanation.

He couldn't do that to you.

"Yeah. You said it yourself, this is something you have to do yourself" he grumbled back, not even bothering to look at you, even though you were clearly exerting yourself to try and keep up with his long strides, just to keep having this conversation.

It was a stark difference from the way he'd been before, when he was clearly concerned with your wellbeing. Now, he was being almost cold to you, like he'd been to the rest of the initiates since you'd gotten here.

You didn't like it.

It didn't make any sense and you knew that. Eric didn't owe you anything and you knew that there was no reason he should have to explain himself to you but you just felt differently. You felt like he was angry with you, but it was worse than that with him.

He wasn't angry like you'd expected he would be, but just shutting you out. Rather than tell you what he was feeling and what was going on in his head, he was just keeping it all to himself and to you, that was worse than a fight.

"Would you stop for a second? I didn't mean anything by it. I just meant that you couldn't help me not fall below the line, that isn't your job" you explained, grabbing the man by the bicep, giving it everything you had to stop him.

It worked, but not by your own doing.

You couldn't have stopped Eric with your own strength alone, but it wasn't your strength that stopped him. What stopped the man in his tracks was your courage, that pesky trait of yours that just kept popping up.

"I want to make it my job! I want you to let me help" he muttered, shocking you with how honest he was. You weren't even sure if you'd heard him right at first, but there was no ignoring the truth.

This was a different side of Eric than you'd ever seen, one that you weren't even sure existed until today, but that also wasn't a bad thing. Just as the events of the last few hours had shown you, the relationship you and Eric shared was uncomfortable and new, but it wasn't bad.

"I have to do it on my own-" you repeated, knowing that there was no way for Eric to actual do what he was suggesting but just as he was about to turn away and leave again, you stopped him.

"But that doesn't mean you can't be there while I do"

There was a softness in your voice, something Eric had never heard before but more than he could focus on that, he found himself paying more attention to what your words meant. It meant that he wasn't the only one who'd been feeling what he had.

He wasn't alone in that.