#wordcount: 415

[ofdusk]

✧.* i blew up my mom and all i got was this lousy sword ( shadow yato drabble )

This sword had always had a purpose far greater than her own. 

To end a great war, to lead its siblings to victory alongside it. The Yato was forged to slay dragons, to save humanity. 

And yet it had landed in her still trembling hands, been granted to her only yards away from where her mother’s body grew cold. It had chosen her to be its warrior, to do once more what had been done so long ago -- to end a great war.

She had felt it when first her fingers had found its gilded hilt -- that voice, that life; a power meant for something far more than she had ever known -- and again when it had met Leo’s Brynhildr or Xander’s Siegfried. 

That thrall when she had faced Ryoma, when she stared down the sharp end of Takumi’s arrow. Her blade had reached, had tried to extend limbs that it did not possess, had yearned. 

To be reunited with all it had lost, to be whole. 

Strange, how similarly she had felt -- how sometimes she still does feel. For there will always be something missing, always a part of herself that she would have to mourn. Her mother, her brothers, her dearest Lilith, Azura... 

Lives lost to pay the price of peace, gaps left in her heart, in the blade of her sword. There was no path without sacrifice, no war without loss, and yet on days those empty places ached greater than any wound. Each its own pain, each more fresh than the last. 

And no matter how long spent mourning, those holes would never be filled. 

She wonders if her sword grieves too, wonders if it feels those losses just the same as she does. How many years had it spent apart from its brothers, how many centuries deep was the distance forged between it and its own? 

Did it feel enough to resent her for keeping them away, for being the cause of those losses? Or did it perhaps understand what had to have been done? It was the byproduct of war, the harbinger of its end. Surely if it knew to hurt it could know what hurt must be sanctioned for good.

Silently still she wonders after what might have been, what another life may have permitted her to keep. There were no choices that came without a cost, no trail that did not require a sacrifice to follow, but had the one that she chose truly been the cleanest?

[katyaromanoffpetrova]

What if...they met in college? (1)

Instead of being forced into espionage, Kat and Nat grew up in society like normal kids. But fate always forces them together. As roommates in college this time. One popular girl and one nerdy girl.

• Natasha Romanoff x Fem!OC • Wordcount: 4.7k • Warnings: none • A/N: HAPPY BIRTHDAY @nataliasquote !!! This one is for you. The college AU you are so obsessed with. More parts to follow :) Masterlist

Do not repost my work as your own or translate my work!!

Katya

The hallways of the campus' dormitories were chaos. Bags, suitcases, instruments, and people, lots of people, blocked Katya's way as she tried to navigate her way to room 415. They bumped into her left and right, and screamed things in her ear as she parkoured over their stuff, yanking on the handle of her suitcase aggressively whenever it got stuck. 

Move-in day was busy, really busy. She meant to avoid rush hour by arriving early, but she'd gotten stuck in traffic. For two hours. Now her roommate had gotten to their room before she did and undoubtedly claimed the good side, probably leaving her with very little space and very possibly decorating the floor with the world's ugliest rug. 

Katya stopped halfway down the hall to catch her breath, dropping her heavy sports bag to the floor to give her poor, aching shoulder a break. With the back of her hand, she pushed her glasses up her nose and brushed some hair from her forehead. It would have been great to have some help. At the end of the hall, a girl had a whole team to help her move in. Parents, sister or friend, boyfriend or brother. But Katya didn't have anyone, so she had to take three roundtrips to the parking lot by herself.

With a sigh, she hoisted the bag up again and watched the room numbers climb the further she walked down the hall. The girls in room 410 had their door open, a song from fifteen years ago blasting from a portable speaker on their desks. They must know each other, because both their sides of the room were in coordinating colors. One of them caught Katya's nosy eye and gave her an awkward smile.

411, 412, 413, 414…

The door to room 415 was open. Katya stopped and took one last, deep breath before stepping into the doorway. 

She was right. Her roommate had already decorated her part of the room. Her eye immediately fell on the large rug between the beds. A fluffy, really soft looking beige one that looked very tempting for a nap. It suited the rest of the surprisingly calm decorations. 

White bed sheets with various neutral colored pillows on top, the subtle black and white prints on the wall, the beige colored plant pots, the fairylights that emitted a soft yellow glow, and the beige curtains that Katya also wasn't mad about. The only thing that held some color were the pictures on the corkboard above her headboard.

Whoever this girl was, she had good taste.

Katya dumped her suitcase by the unoccupied bed and threw her duffel bag on top, careful to avoid the rug with her shoes. The knot in her stomach unraveled a little bit. Maybe her worries about her roommate had been invalid. She had definitely been overthinking too much. It even smelled nice in here, like her roommate had lit a vanilla scented candle.

''Oh, you're here!'' A cheerful voice came from behind Katya. ''I went to pick up two muffins from downstairs because I was hungry and I figured you would be too.'' 

Katya turned around… and was met with the most stunning woman she'd ever seen in her entire life. 

The same height as her, lean build, fair skin—but that wasn't what Katya's gaze was drawn to. A pair of full, pink lips framed a beautiful wide smile that reached all the way up to her even more beautiful, sparkling green eyes. Her eyelashes were so long they nearly touched her perfectly defined eyebrows, and when she blinked, they brushed over her sharp cheekbones. Her nose wasn't small or pointy, and had a little bump that would make most people self-conscious, but fit her face so well that everyone would be jealous of it anyway.

But somehow, like that wasn't already enough to turn heads, this all paled in comparison to the long, slightly curly hair that fell down her shoulders. It was that kind of bright, deep red that non-redheads tried to achieve but never could. The kind that naturally looked darker in the winter and lit up slightly orange in the summer sun. Everchanging and unique, and part of the reason why Katya's heart was hammering in her chest. 

''I'm Natasha.''

Oh. My. God. 

Katya could not form a single thought. Her mouth was as dry as the Sahara desert in the middle of the summer. She could only stare. Stare at her roommate while she tried to fight off the gay panic that reduced her to a completely useless human being. 

This could not be happening. The girl she had to live with for a year could not be this excruciatingly attractive. Freshman year would be her end. 

Awkwardly, she cleared her throat when she saw that Natasha was waiting for a response, an amused eyebrow quirked up on her forehead. God, she was already making a fool of herself. ''Katya Petrova,'' she said shortly, her smile filled with embarrassment as she accepted the blueberry muffin Natasha kindly got her. Get yourself together, or she's gonna get tired of your weirdness quickly.

It wasn't physically possible, but Natasha's perfect eyes lit up even more. ''Russian?''

''Yeah.''

Her smile turned into a mysterious smirk that sent tingles down Katya's spine. ''Then we're gonna get along just fine,'' she said, and Katya couldn't help but feel like there was some sort of double meaning she was missing. Natasha looked at her like she was a meal, and her nerves intensified.

''Uh, thank you for the muffin,'' she blurted out.

''You're welcome,'' Natasha mused, totally cool as she leaned back against her desk. It was unfair, how she turned Katya into a complete mess while she remained confident and calm. But it was so attractive. Katya shivered as Natasha's green eyes slowly looked her up and down. ''I think I picked right. You look like a blueberry muffin girl.''

An awkward chuckle slipped past Katya's lips. She wanted to get away from that piercing gaze desperately, anything to think clearly again, but it wouldn't let her move. ''What does that mean?''

''I don't know.'' With a smirk—and intense eye contact—Natasha brought her ring finger to her lips and sucked the muffin crumbs off. Casually, she repeated the motion with her other fingers, her entire thumb disappearing in her mouth.

Katya felt her eyes widen, more gay panic flushing her veins until her heart thudded loudly in her chest. Images, ones she would never say out loud, filled her mind. Her lower stomach turned into knots while a blush covered her cheeks. She turned away, pretending to be really busy with unpacking. She swore she heard a soft chuckle behind her.

''I hope you don't mind the rug and the curtains. I took the liberty to decorate.''

''That's okay," Katya answered, having trouble remembering what the curtains even looked like. They were the very last thing on her mind as she rummaged aimlessly through her bag, hoping Natasha didn't notice that she wasn't doing anything.

''Is that all your stuff?''

Katya shook her head, risking a glance over her shoulder. She was relieved to see that Natasha's flirty expression had turned into something more puzzled. ''No, the rest is in my car.''

It wasn't hard to put two and two together. Natasha's eyes visibly softened. ''Are you here alone?''

''Yes," Katya answered casually, ignoring the stab in her heart.

It stayed quiet a moment longer than normal, painfully so. These silences were nothing new. She'd started to expect them. On Mother's day, on Father's day, on Christmas, on Thanksgiving, but also moments like these, where she didn't know she would be missing parents until she was in the moment. 

''Does your family live far away?'' Natasha asked carefully.

''Sort of.''

She put her muffin down and uncrossed her arms. ''Let me help you carry the rest up. I can't possibly let you walk back and forth countless times while I take a nap,'' she joked lightheartedly.

''Oh, no, it's okay. Really. You don't have to help me," Katya refused, not in the mood for pity. But Natasha stood up straight and tied her beautiful hair into a perfect messy bun.

''Well, I want to," she said with a tone so definitive that Katya lost all her will to protest. "And I'm not taking no for an answer.'' She looked ready to tackle a big job. Hands on her Lululemon shorts-clad hips, sports shoes on her feet. And those lean arms…they could surely carry a few boxes.

Katya considered it for a moment, and then nodded. It would be nice to have some help. ''Okay then.'' Natasha flashed her a big smile.

Somehow, she faced none of the struggles from before—having to parkour her way through the halls. People seemed to get out of their way for Natasha, driven by some invisible force that must have been her confident aura.

Katya felt entirely unworthy to be walking next to her. They attracted lots of eyes, and the reason they looked at them certainly wasn't her red, sweaty face. Nobody noticed a dull brunette next to a redheaded goddess in gym shorts and a crop top. 

Natasha didn't seem to notice anything. She kept talking to Katya, completely comfortable yapping to someone she'd only met five minutes ago, while Katya tried not to let her gay panic turn into real, uncontrollable panic. She only heard half of what her roommate was saying.

''Hey, Nat!''

They were in the quad, a huge field of grass between the main campus buildings. Today, the main path was lined with stalls full of information and help. If someone couldn't find their dorm or there was another problem, they could visit here. 

A guy, looking older than her, had called Natasha's name from one of the stands, his hand in the air to grab her attention. Katya's first instinct was; football player. He had the build for it.

''Jason!" She smiled, not stopping to talk to him. "How are you?''

He was the fourth guy to greet her like that. Like he knew her. They all looked vastly different—though good-looking—and they all looked older. Some closer to twenty-four than eighteen. It was odd. Where did she know all of them from? Katya was starting to gain suspicions that her roommate may be more well-known around here than she thought.

"So, what's your thing?" Natasha asked suddenly. Katya had been brooding over her roommate's popularity so hard that she didn't realize she'd fallen silent. Or that they were close to the parking lot. 

"I'm not sure what you mean."

"What are you here for?" Natasha clarified, smiling when she still saw the confusion on Katya's face. "Law and dance, that's my thing. Studying law, and I'll be trying out for the dance team."

Katya didn't find this surprising at all. Natasha looked like that kind of person who could do it both. Arts and literature. Body and brains. Someone good at absolutely everything. It also explained her subtle muscles and lean figure. Of course, the gorgeous, popular girl was a dancer. What were the chances she was a cheerleader in high school?

"Of course, you are." Katya paled when she realized the words had escaped her.

Natasha smirked amusedly. "What does that mean?"

"Nothing," Katya said quickly. Her roommate's need to fluster her all the time was starting to get on her nerves. She fiddled with her car keys, smiling nervously. "I'm not as interesting as you, I'm afraid."

Natasha tilted her head, her eyes sparkling with something flirty. "You interest me."

Heat rose on Katya's cheeks once more. She kept getting caught off guard by Natasha's simple yet effective smooth-talking. Everything she said seemed to have some sort of double meaning. Her body could not keep up with its reactions.

"History is my thing. History and literature. But the literature is just a hobby," she said awkwardly, trying to hide her red cheeks. Her studies and hobbies always sounded boring to begin with, but next to Natasha's they looked even worse. Katya grimaced. "I told you it's boring."

"No, it's not!" Natasha rushed to reassure her. "I've always envied people who could quote Hemmingway off the top of their heads. Are you one of those people?"

"Kind of." Katya smiled shyly when she realized that Natasha was being genuine. 

"That's cool." The redhead smiled. "Everyone has their own interests, don't be embarrassed of yours."

Katya wasn't used to the conversation going this way. It was a breath of fresh air. "Most people think it's lame," she said as she popped the trunk of her terribly plain and old Honda Civic.

Natasha shrugged, picking up the first box she saw. "People will always have opinions, so you are better off just doing what you like."

"Can't disagree." Katya smiled at her. Would things finally be different? Would she finally fit in somewhere? The day started off with lots of frustration but now the future looked very hopeful. Maybe she would finally feel at home somewhere.

It took the both of them three trips to get everything upstairs, after which Katya bought Natasha an iced coffee to thank her. She was drinking that as she scrolled on her phone and absentmindedly talked to Katya while Katya unpacked her stuff. 

Everything she had was in these boxes, her whole life. She had no family to store anything with, so all of it had to fit within the four walls of this room. There was some odd stuff in some of these boxes. But Natasha didn't ask her about anything. Overall, she had been nothing but considerate and an amazing roommate.

"This campus is full of disgusting boys."

Katya jumped. She had her back turned to the door, and with the business in the hallway hadn't heard someone stop in their doorway. It was a small blonde with her hands in her pockets. She looked annoyed, bored and disgusted all at the same time, like a moody teenager. Questionably, Katya looked at Natasha.

The woman sighed and put her phone down. "Kat, meet my little sister, Yelena. Yelena, this is Katya, my roommate."

As if she was only now realizing there was another person in the room, the blonde—Yelena—looked at Katya. Then she let out the loudest gasp. "Oh my god, they put you with a nerd." She laughed.

Katya blushed and looked away. That's not the first time she's heard that. In fact, people all throughout her life had taken the liberty of calling her that. It wasn't her looks per se—she didn't wear braces, outdated clothes, or thick-rimmed glasses. She was a normal kid, in normal clothes, with a delicate, modern-looking pair of glasses balancing on her nose. And, if Katya might say so herself, she wasn't ugly.

No, it was the things she did and liked that put a sticker on her. First of all, her introvertness and her shyness. It had gotten a lot better with age. She didn't stutter or stumble over her words as much anymore, but her shy nature stayed. It made that she never quite fit in with anyone. She didn't have big friend groups or hang around the popular kids. She usually had one good friend who she could sit in peaceful silence with.

Then there were the books, the literature, the movies she watched. Katya realized very young that she was different from the other girls in her class. She preferred the works of writers long gone, liked her movies black and white, and would rather spend her Friday afternoon reading than going to parties. They bullied her for having her lunch break in the library, reading alone, for getting an A on every test. Her interest lay with history, not with the latest Hollywood gossip. 

It shouldn't get to her, but in their cores, everyone wanted to belong, to be liked. She couldn't simply turn off her human instinct.

Natasha's hands curled into fists, and it looked like she was going to explode on her sister, until an older woman stepped into the room. Her hair was so dark brown it nearly looked black, and her face held a stern expression. She was also incredibly gorgeous. "Yelena Belova! That is not how I raised you!"

Yelena cringed. "Sorry, Mama," she muttered.

The woman's scowl disappeared as she turned to Katya, a warm, motherly smile appearing on her face instead. "Hello, my dear. I'm Melina, Natasha's mother. Please excuse my rude daughter. I promise I raised them both better than that."

A warm feeling flushed through Katya's body. "It's okay, ma'am. Natasha helped me carry the rest of my stuff up from my car."

"Good girl." Melina smiled proudly at her daughter. Natasha rolled her eyes, clearly not at ease with her family around a stranger. "If you don't need us anymore, Yelena and I will be leaving."

"Yes, please take her out of here." 

Anger flashed across Yelena's face. "I sacrificed my free day for you, you ungrateful—"

"Girls!" Melina sighed, shaking her head. With pity, she looked at Katya. "I wish you luck with her, my dear—"

"What does that mean?" Natasha exclaimed.

"---and be nice to each other. Natasha, if you need me, I'm just a call away."

"And just a town away." She rolled her green eyes again. "No need for emotional goodbyes."

"Well, I am gonna miss you."

"I'm not," Yelena mumbled under her breath, smiling innocently when her mother glared at her.

Natasha sighed and started to walk them out the door. Like a dog herding sheep. Katya tried not to laugh as Melina and Yelena stumbled over each other into the hallway. "Mhm, goodbye now. Thank you for helping me today." Natasha closed the door in their faces, locking it for good measure. A pleasant silence filled the room. "I'm sorry about her."

"It's alright." Katya shrugged, though her brain was still trying to process what just happened. "I'm used to being called a nerd. It's not an insult."

"She meant it as one. She's a dick." Natasha chewed on her lip, clearly ashamed and embarrassed of her sister's behavior. It meant a lot to Katya that it mattered so much to her.

"It's okay, Natasha, really." 

The redhead smiled carefully. "Melina is probably yelling at her now, though."

Katya laughed. "Their faces as you pushed them out the door..."

"If I hadn't, they would still be standing here, arguing." Natasha returned to her bed, falling back into the same position as before they were rudely interrupted. It already felt so domestic, so comfortable. They could exist together and do their own thing without bothering the other.

"Your sister is completely different from you, isn't she?" Katya asked as she continued her unpacking.

"Yes and no. She's more moody, sassy, rude." Katya chuckled when Natasha rolled her eyes. "But she's driven, hard working, and incredibly loyal to the people she loves. She will fight someone for you... Literally… She loves punching people."

Katya laughed. "She sounds like a good sister to have."

"She'll do." Natasha suddenly perked up, like someone flipped the switch of focus in her brain. Smirking, she studied the boxes on Katya's side of the room. "So, in which one of those is your lingerie?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Orientation had broken Katya's brain. She'd gotten so much information at once that she literally had a headache. A bad one. Add that to a bad night of sleep—only four hours in total because of her new surroundings and anxiety—and she was ready to crash.

She unlocked her door and stumbled into the room, not surprised to see it empty. Natasha's shoes were gone and her bed was made. From what Katya learned yesterday, she seemed to know a lot of people, so she was undoubtedly chatting with every person she ran into. Maybe she wouldn't even return until late. At least Katya had her number.

She took advantage of Natasha's absence to take a long shower. Then she drew the curtains closed and laid down for a nap, her headache already subsiding after chugging two glasses of water. Her eyelids were so heavy, sleep tugged on her brain… 

When her phone rang. 

Katya let out the loudest groan, hurting her head in the process. Who dared to interrupt her nap? Ideally, she would have ignored it, but it could be Natasha or somebody else important. Blindly, she felt around until her fingers wrapped around her phone, her eyes squinting against the bright light to read the name on the screen. 

Tony.

Yep, that made sense. That man always had the worst timing. 

"What?" Katya snapped.

"What a way to greet me. Are you busy?" He gasped dramatically, then lowered his voice. "Wait, are you finally getting laid?"

Katya sighed, the tips of her ears burning. Ever since he stopped seeing her as a kid, he was trying to get her laid. Unsuccessfully. "No."

"Then you got time for me. Did you get settled in?" 

"If you were actually here to help me, you would have known," she said accusingly. "But you're too busy slutting yourself out in Miami."

"Going on holidays is important," Tony said casually. Katya rolled her eyes. He wasn't vacationing, he was partying and drinking. Club music boomed in the background of the call. His classes didn't start for another week. "You know what's also important? If your roommate is hot."

Katya groaned, reaching for the curtain to tug it open. She was so glad this was not a FaceTime call, or he would have seen how red her face was. "I'm not entertaining you with an answer."

"So she is." His stupid grin could be heard in his voice. She wanted to slap him. "What's her name?"

Katya hesitated. Whenever she told him about her crushes, Tony would go and mingle. It wouldn't be the first time he scared one away, but if she didn't tell him now, he would show up next week on her doorstep. Even worse. "Natasha," she answered reluctantly. "You wouldn't like her, she's ginger."

"Wait. A Natasha with red hair? Does she have big tits and a great ass?"

As much as Katya wanted to yell at him for objectifying women, she couldn't help but blush. Of course, her gay ass had not been able to resist taking a look at Natasha's body. Subtly and respectfully, of course. Her thoughts had not been subtle or respectful though, but they were safely inside her head so it was okay. She wasn't that kind of person.

"She looks great, yes."

Exactly at that moment, Natasha freaking Romanoff herself burst through the door, looking incredible as always. Denim shorts, tank top, messy ponytail—Katya's heart skipped a beat. Nobody should look that good after a full day of walking around in the late summer heat. God, she was a mess for her. 

"Who looks great?" Natasha smirked, dropping her bag to the ground. "Some girl at orientation already grabbed your attention?"

"Uh—I…no. There's nobody," Katya stammered, watching wide-eyed as Natasha took the hair tie out her hair and shook all those gorgeous curls loose. Her biceps flexed subtly when she fluffed it up.

"Uhu. Better give me a chance too before you set your sights on someone," Natasha teased.

Katya's breath caught in her throat. Was she dreaming? "Y-You?"

"Yeah. Unless you're not into girls." Natasha smiled smugly when she glanced at Katya's stunned expression. "I thought so. Me too."

If this were a cartoon, Katya's eyeballs would have bulged out of her head. Surely, she was dreaming now. There was no way this was reality. "You're gay?"

Natasha shrugged, grabbing a towel from the cabinet. "I'm a little bit of everything. As long as it's hot and kissable, I'm kissing it." She smirked, and then she closed the bathroom door behind her like she hadn't just turned Katya's whole world upside down.

There was an error in her brain. Her brain had flatlined. Open-mouthed, Katya stared at the door her roommate had disappeared through. She was sweating. Did Natasha seriously just say that she is into girls and she wants a shot with her? Was her headache actually a stroke and was she hallucinating? 

"Shut the fuck up. Your roommate is Natasha Romanoff?" 

Katya jumped. She'd completely forgotten that she was on the phone with Tony, and that he just heard everything. Her heart was racing in her chest. "Is that supposed to mean anything to me?"

He sighed. "You're hopeless. You need to get out more. She has a reputation for crashing college parties since she was 15. She's basically a legend."

It all made sense now. The guys who knew her, her popularity, why she knew her way around campus so well. She cuddled up with college guys while she was still in high school. 

How in the world did Katya, a nerd, get matched up with someone like what? Some funny forces were at play here. Someone up there must be laughing very hard.

"Okay, bye now." She just caught the start of Tony's protests when she cut off the call. She loved him, but she needed a moment to process these developments, and his endless yapping in her ear did not let her think clearly. 

He came into her life at a time where she needed someone the most. Orphaned since birth, Katya grew up in orphanages across the country. The last one she lived in, from age thirteen to literally last week, she met him. He'd protected her on the first day, when some older guys bullied her, and from there, he'd become her big brother. She saw him as that, too; family. Did he know Natasha personally?

Katya panicked when the shower turned off in the other room. Like, had a full-on silent panic attack. Not enough time had passed to process anything or to calm down. She couldn't face Natasha again. Not yet. What if she continued the conversation where it left off?

Quickly, she dived for her laptop and headphones, and put on the first TV show she could find. When Natasha came out of the bathroom, she didn't even spare her a glance. It was possibly the best performance of her life, pretending she was interested in her show and her heart wasn't pounding in her ears.

But Katya looked at her from the corner of her eye whenever she could, trying to figure out what the hell she was doing. Natasha seemed to be getting ready for something. She did her makeup and spent at least ten minutes in front of her closet, trying to figure out what to wear. Katya's eyes widened when she came out of the bathroom in a short, tight party dress later. There were curves and skin everywhere.

Frowning, Katya slid her headphones off. "Are you going somewhere?"

Natasha smiled over her shoulder, slipping her earrings in. Her eyes looked incredibly bright with the dark eyeshadow around it. Mesmerizing. "There's a welcome-back party in the Kappa Delta Psi house." 

"Aren't those for older students?"

Amusement flickered across the redhead's face. "I have a fake ID." She grabbed a pair of heels from under her bed and slipped those on too. They made her toned legs look incredible, miles long. Katya tried not to drool. "You should come."

Katya quickly shook her head, her anxiety surging at the thought of a college party. "Oh, no, thank you. Parties are not really my thing."

Natasha chuckled, a beautiful sound that sent the butterflies in Katya's stomach into a frenzy. "Alright. I'll be back late. Don't wait up." She swung her small purse over her shoulder and set out for the door. Her beautiful hair swung left and right over her exposed back, her pale skin glowing in the light of the setting sun. She looked ethereal. Katya called her name before she decided to.

"Nat?"

With her hand hovering above the doorknob, Natasha looked back. "Yes?"

Katya wanted to tell her that she looked beautiful. That her hair was amazing, that her makeup was flawless, that the dress fit her perfectly. That she was the most beautiful woman she'd ever seen. But the moment she opened her mouth, she chickened out. "Have fun."

A bright smile curled on her dark red lips. "Thanks."

[honoriotsusuki]

𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐬

Diluc x fem!reader (fluff)

WARNINGS: Diluc is described as being injured, tbh this one is pretty tame

Diluc sighed as he walked through the front door. All the maids had retired back to their own homes. He hung up his coat and began to walk up the stairs. They creaked under his boots as he trudged up the wooden boards. As he arrived at his room, he sighed in relief, ready to get into bed and have a peaceful night with his wife.

However, as soon as Diluc entered the room, he was shocked that his wife wasn't in bed, before he could even start to speculate on why, a small light illuminated up from the corner of the room. There Y/N was, sitting in a chair with a lamp beside her. She glared at Diluc with her arms crossed. “Care to explain where you've been?” She asked, pinching the bridge of her nose. Diluc sighed and walked over to her.

He picked up Y/N as if she was a ragdoll, “I was worried about you y’know.�� Y/N sighed lovingly, looking into Dilucs eyes as she brushed her hand against his cheek. “Im sorry for worrying you, dear.” Diluc sighed, resting her back on her own two feet. Y/N slung her arms around his shoulders, looking up at him with a pout, “Can you just put this Dark knight stuff to rest?” Y/N sighed as she moved her head to rest on his shoulder. Diluc rubbed her back in a circular motion as they stood in the middle of the room together, “You know I cant…” Diluc sighed sadly, cupping her cheek and looking her in the eyes. Y/N sighed and hugged him tight, “Then at least try to minimize your injuries. Im not sure how many more stab wounds I can patch up before I start to grow gray hairs.” Y/N dismayed leaning into her husband.

Diluc chuckled and lifted her into his arms, carrying her just like he had on their wedding day. “Il try to get stabbed less, my love.” He chuckled, kissing her nose, Y/N giggled and snuggled into his chest, Diluc set her on the bed as they both tucked themselves under the covers, “Luc?” Y/N yawned, looking over to her lover, “What is it dear?” He asked tiredly, Y/N grappled onto his chest and yawned, “Love you…” She mumbled as she fell asleep on his chest, He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her, “Love you too.” He quietly spoke as they both drifted off to sleep. After all, it was a ‘dark knight’ ;)

WORDCOUNT:415

[devils-dares]

hi! happy 700 :) can i req 11 and 17 of childhood bsf to lovers with matt murdock, m or gn reader? love your work, have a great day/night ❤️

#11 - having a crush on them for years but being too afraid to ruin the friendship

#17 - using terms of endearment

wordcount: 415

-----

“Hey.” He announces himself, entering your apartment with his key.

“Hi, hun.” You grab a beer out of the fridge, condensation chilling your fingers as you hand it to him once he’s stepped out of his shoes and dropped his coat. The two of you head to the kitchen to grab snacks.

“How was work?” You ask, and he sighs before being brutally honest about the financial situation of his firm. You nod and share your sympathies and he asks how your week went.

“And the date? How was he?” He prods.

“It- he- y’know, sometimes it just doesn’t work out with someone and you can tell, right? Like you just don’t click?”

“Mhm.”

“Yeah, so I thought I told him that, but instead he got the idea that I wanted another date.”

“So?”

“Thursday night, the fancy bar uptown.”

“You… didn’t say no?”

“Matthew, sweetheart, I physically cannot say no to people. Why do you think I’m still friends with you?”

“Ouch.”

“It’s true!”

“Why don’t you just come up with an excuse?”

“That would be lying.” He sighs at your response.

“Altruistic.” He says. You laugh.

“I’m not joking!” He says, “you’re too nice for your own good, love.”

“I try, I try.”

“Why don’t you try dating someone who actually cares about how you feel?”

“That would narrow it down to two people,” you share, “and I’m best friends with both.”

“Would that be so bad?” He asks, his hand coming up to stroke your cheek, “If you gave into your feelings?” You feel yourself get a touch warmer with the feeling of his hand on your skin.

“It…” you start, “it couldn’t be that bad.” You step closer to him, putting your beer down on the counter. Placing a hand on his chest, you lift your chin, your lips mere centimeters away now.

“Would this be so bad?” You ask.

“I don’t- I don’t want…” He trails off and you step away quickly.

“Matt, I am so sorry, I shouldn’t have come up on you like that.” He shakes his head and grins.

“When will you learn that you’re allowed to take things you want?” His hand rests on your hip, calloused thumb rubbing soothing circles, “What I was trying to say was that I didn’t want to ruin what we had already, I didn’t want to pressure you into anything.”

“I want this.” You state simply, and he drops his head in a chuckle.

“Then come here and take it.”

[flurrys-creativity]

02.43am

Pairing: Lee Jihoon/Woozi (Seventeen) x GN!Reader; Genre: established relationship, fluff, humour; Rating: sfw, NC-17; Warnings: watching true crime, discussing true crime, language, having a somewhat macabre and/or dark viewpoint on stupidity; Wordcount:  415

Summary: While Jihoon worked on the lyrics of his newest song, you silently watched some crime shows in the back of the room - until your annoyance with the show burst out and caught the attention of your boyfriend.

A/N: Someone said not to write for him. Guess whose spite kicked in! Exactly. Mine. I wrote for him now! AND I'D DO IT AGAIN! Also Happy birthday Woozi!!!! Please enjoy!

Jihoon sat at his desk, completely focused on the computer screen in front of him. While he heard the quiet voices coming from the tv on the other side of the room, he simply blocked them out in favour of his working process.

That was until you couldn’t help yourself but blurt out: “Deserved! You deserved to get a prison sentence!”

Jihoon silently turned in his chair, an amused grin on his lips when he saw you hurled underneath blankets on the small couch. Your eyes were trained on the tv screen and Jihoon followed suit, watching the pictures on the flat surface and actually listening to the voices commenting.

“It’s logical this person got sent to prison for murder”, he said after a while, catching your attention.

“Noooooo”, you dragged the sound, exasperated with the whole situation. “She deserves to go to prison because she’s fucking stupid! Who in the world sets up a robbery but hides the murder weapon inside their apartment?!” You turned to look at Jihoon with wide eyes, expecting him to agree with you. “Especially WITHOUT wiping of potential fingerprints and DNA!”

Jihoon snorted and shook his head. He pushed himself from the chair and walked over to you on the couch, sitting down and pulling your form into his lap. “That truly is stupid”, he agreed and nuzzled his nose against your neck. “Why did she do it?”

“‘Cause she’s a greedy bitch. Which is another stupid reason!” You grumbled and snuggled deeper into Jihoon’s embrace. “If she had at least a good reason”, you stopped momentarily, “- no, even with a valid reason the execution was so incredibly bad I can’t look past that. She still deserves prison.”

“Would your execution be better?” Jihoon asked with a low snicker.

“After years of watching Detective Conan and learning how to not do it? Yeah! Yeah, I’d definitely be better at this!”

Jihoon kissed your cheek, unable to wipe the prominent grin off of his lips. “Let’s check the next case and you’ll tell me what would have been a better choice.” 

“Aren’t you worried I could prove it with you one day?”

As you turned in his arms to look at him with a quizzical expression, he simply pecked the tip of your nose. “If you ever decide to go against me, darling, I’m sure I deserved it.” He snickered quietly, seeing how you contemplated his words before agreeing with him and turning back around to watch the next case.

© all rights reserved

Taglist: @xavi-in-kpopland

[cupcakefactory]

Mystictober DAY 5

Wordcount: 415

Original list by @/dailysaeran

“This is nice..”

She muttered, leaning back into his arms with a gentle sigh. It was so peaceful, there was no noise around them except for the gentle whistle of the wind or the occasional quack from a passing duck. They’d picked this park because it was so quiet - their relationship was now public meaning they rarely got ny time together without the harassment from ZENS fans or the paparazzi desperate to get some scoop from them.

He wrapped an arm around her before taking a swig from the can in his other hand, he didn’t feel a need to reply to her comment - she knew he felt the exact same way she did. It was nice to spend time one on one with his love. It was nice to not have to think on anything for once and be able to enjoy the scenery. 

“Who knew life would be like this when we meet”

He joked, his chuckle causing his chest to vibrate. Rolling her eyes she nodded a little bit - when they had met Athena hadn’t liked ZEN much. He seemed to big for his boots, lost in his own world where he knew no bad and to someone whos life had never seen any good she hated his happy go lucky attitude - it was only when he was accused of sexual assault and couldn’t return home safely; forcing him to move in with the only member who had a spare room (and no cats) had she learnt the true ZEN, and slowly fell for him.

“I don’t think i really hated you.. I think i was just jealous you seemed so happy”

He hummed a little, rubbing his hand up and down her arm in a calming motion, he knew how hard talking about this was for her.

“I assumed so.. I have a question though, why did you let me move in with you.. After all i was accused of.. It could have been true for all you knew”

“Because i knew you’d never do that”

Her reply was quick, so quick his eyes widened a little as he looked down at her. She was staring into the distance, but he words hung in the air for him. Even though back then it felt like her heart was full of hate for him; she cared enough to know he’d never hurt someone on purpose. Leaning down he pressed a kiss to her forehead

“I love you”

“I love you too”

[scribe-of-stories]

Five's Second Day

Wordcount: 415 Genre: Urban Fantasy Setting: Amber Hill Summery: Punk Sheriff Complains about their job For: @flashfictionfridayofficial

Sometimes the sun doesn't set on Amber Hill. Always predictable when it would happen, but it was never the same times as last year. Second Days they're called, when a second sun rises as the now first sets, bathing our little town in Golden Light.

Even worse was that it was considered a local holiday. As a kid I loved it because it meant I could stay up as late as I want and continue to hide in my basement. Now, as the Lawman of Amber Hill, it's just another excuse for practioners to do something stupid.

First it was a group of college students who were convinced they were the 'Cult of the Second Dawn'. A drugged up punch bowl and intentions to break the one cardinal rule of Second Day: don't fall asleep under the Golden Light. It was easy enough to convince a salamander to counter the drugs, and far more annoying to catch the fae who set up this 'practical joke'. I let them go with a fine of three Serpents and community service.

The white coats of course spent the day poking and prodding at their 'noosphere' research. The telescope and thamuel thermometer were fine, but I drew the line at sending up a cherubim drone. It wasn't exactly a 'law' but several of my predecessors underlined ”Don't gain the attention of the Second Sun“ as a suggestion in their journals. I thought it best to not find out why, especially considering those were several of the Lawmen who's names were lost.

And then there was the Mylium family, a father daughter pair of local alchemists. They had been condensing the Golden Light down into threads of sugar and making cotton candy with it. As such, now a fair amount of the populace were speaking in a tongue that predates Babel's tower. The Chaplin assured me it would only last an hour, and Caspia was a friend of sorts; so I let them off with a fine of one Dove and confiscated their sugary light.

Caspia caught up to me when I went on a smoke break afterwards.

”Thanks for, you know, not arresting my father,” it took her at least five more seconds to say it all than was necessary.

I sighed out smoke and looked up to the sky “I don't arrest people,” and pointed up at the second sun, “Though I have half a mind to get a warrant for whoever keeps setting the moon on fire.”

[dawnslight-aegis]

2023 FFXIVWrite Masterpost

super late getting this done but finally, here it is!

envoy (1384 words): fluff, Aymeric and Kaede steal a romantic moment en route to Gridania. set shortly before SB. tumblr | ao3

bark (446 words): gen/flashback, Marz and her mother gather plum bark. set pre-1.0. tumblr | ao3

extra credit - beach (454 words): fluff, Aymeric, friends, and the Eorzea Nimble Warrior Course. set post-EW. tumblr | ao3

off the hook (551 words): humor, Estinien gets needled about his love life by Kaede. set shortly before EW. tumblr | ao3

barbarous (416 words): angst/introspection, Kaede compares her father's racism against her own experience. set mid-EW. tumblr | ao3

ring (1005 words): fluff/humor, Aymeric recounts the story of how he acquired Kaede's engagement ring. set post-Ultima Thule. tumblr | ao3

noisome (387 words): horror, Kaede and the Tower of Zot. set early EW. tumblr | ao3

shed (487 words): gen, Kaede and Marz deal with au ra scale molt while stuck in Ishgard. set early HW. tumblr | ao3

fair (181 words): angst, Alisaie rages and Kaede endures. set mid-Ultima Thule. tumblr | ao3

extra credit - exodus (1056 words): angst, New Sharlayan evacuates and Kaede's father makes a choice. set pre-1.0. tumblr | ao3

once bitten, twice shy (620 words): angst/introspection, Esteem attempts to talk some sense into Kaede. set post-SB, between DRK 68 and 70. tumblr | ao3

dowdy (301 words): gen/humor, Kaede and Marz go shopping in Ishgard. set in early HW. tumblr | ao3

check (415 words): gen, Kaede and Aymeric play chess and discuss strategy, both in the game and out. set post-SB. tumblr | ao3

clear (304 words): gen/romance, Thancred's words upend Kaede's entire life. set in patch 3.2. tumblr | ao3

portentous (754 words): angst, Thordan is slain but victory is cut short when Nidhogg claims Estinien. set in late HW. tumblr | ao3

jerk (672 words): gen, Kaede and Thancred have a chat about his treatment of Ryne. set mid-ShB. tumblr | ao3

extra credit - temper (336 words): gen, Kaede forges a blade for an Ishgardian baronness and in doing, helps temper her into a knight. set mid-HW, around BSM 60. tumblr | ao3

fish out of water (273 words): gen/introspection, Marz arrives in Limsa Lominsa. set in early ARR. tumblr | ao3

weal (1219 words): angst/hurt/comfort, Kaede tends to Aymeric's wounds in the aftermath of the Vault. set mid-HW. tumblr | ao3

hamper (385 words): humor, Marz decides to bother Aymeric for a bit in Kaede's stead. set post-EW. tumblr | ao3

grave (1272 words): angst, Marz and Estinien go shopping in Kugane and honor Marz's fallen family. set shortly pre-EW. tumblr | ao3

fulsome (528 words): fluff, the night of the dinner date finally arrives, and Aymeric is nervous. set in patch 3.4. tumblr | ao3

suit (594 words): fluff, Estinien gives Aymeric a pep talk in the hours before his wedding. set post-EW. tumblr | ao3

extra credit - confluence (250 words): gen, the Lifestream works in mysterious ways. set pre-1.0. tumblr | ao3

call it a day (460 words): gen, Alisaie and Kaede discuss retirement and the future. set pre-EW. tumblr | ao3

last (249 words): gen, Kaede thinks on Emet-Selch's last words. All of them. set post-EW. tumblr | ao3

sole (389 words): gen, Elpis is strange enough without terrible footwear. set mid-EW. tumblr | ao3

blunt (606 words): gen, Alphinaud thinks about healing, and the differences between the people he protects. set in Lapis Manalis, tumblr | ao3

contravention (635 words): gen, Aymeric is confronted by church officials about the dark knight activity in Ishgard. set after patch 3.1. tumblr | ao3

amity (336 words): gen, Aymeric meets Vrtra and thinks about the differences between Ishgard and Radz-at-Han. set post-EW. tumblr | ao3

Total wordcount: 16965

Average per day wordcount: 547

Longest: envoy (1334)

Shortest: fair (181)

Personal favorites: once bitten twice shy, jerk, weal, grave, contravention

[bardic-tales]

Across a Field

Novel: Pre Cold As Ice Wordcount: 415 Warnings: wound description. blood description Premise: Wounded, Vaene Arturis is left to die in a vineyard. Things seem dire as a woman lends her aid.

One-Shot Stories Tag List

@asomeoneperson @jessica-writes22 @athenswrites @elijahrichardwriteshrichardwrites @whimsyqueen @arrthurpendragon @blind-the-winds, @fearofahumanplanet, @365runesofpassion @midnight-and-his-melodiverse @bookish-galaxy @lord-fallen @perasperaadastrawriting

If you would like to be on my tag list for notifications on any drabbles, snippets, or short stories I might post to my Tumblr, check out this post here. If you wish to be taken off this taglist, feel free to tell me!

Additional Tags: @flashfictionfridayofficial

1.

The wind wafted through the wine vineyard, blowing his wheat-colored locks along his shoulder and back. Blood spread out from the wound to his gut. The sanguine fluid wet his purple waistcoat. He tried to move, hissing as pain flared in his midsection, and hold in his ropy, grey intestines.

Vaene tried to remember how he got there, but darkness shadowed his recollection. He lifted his head and stared down the grape rows of the field. Bits of blood dried upon his lips. This was how he was going to die. All his plans for the future were futile.

A brief glimpse of a woman in white sparked hope within him. He tried to call out to her, but all he managed was a slight squeak — the sound no louder than a mouse. He throat was much too dry. Once more, he wondered how long he had been lying there as his life bled out.

His worry was for nothing. She must have saw him lying face first in the dirt, as she was upon him. It awed him that she could make out his prone form. The gods must have sent her to aid him.

“You’re injured!” she exclaimed, not quite knowing that Vaene couldn’t answer her. The woman didn’t give her his name or where she was from. She only stared at him with a gentle look. That look comforted him.

The next moments occurred in a haze for Vaene. Sweat slicked his skin beneath his tunic. If she had happened upon him a few moments later, he may have passed on. His gaze never left her emerald orbs, even when they glowed and a powdered-blue miasma swirled around her eyes and curled up to her forehead.

He would never forget the color of her eyes or her blond hair. Her angelic visage etched itself into his memory. In the future, this vision would become muddied for Vaene, but the woman would still feel familiar.

As she turned him over, she placed a slim, delicate hand upon his stomach. His blood coated his skin. This did not deter her. Warmth spread from her palm into his wound and stomach. Slowly and painfully, the wound began to pull together.

She was an angel, one of three woman who imprinted upon him. He knew that he could face the future and those who attempted to murder him with her by his side. If only he could remember why he was there in the first place.

[angelinaheartshapedbox]

A Slapshot To The Heart

eren yeager x gn!reader <3

college au/smau. hockey player eren<333. musician/dancer reader.

summary: y/n l/n is a sophomore at paradis university with a scholarship in music. while taking a necessary technology course to complete their major, they meet the infamous hockey player, eren jeager. y/n does their best to avoid him, but their efforts fail as they continue to run into him everywhere. they soon find that eren isn't the douche bag every depicts him as, and grows very fond of his company.

WARNINGS: swearing, lower case intended, reader uses they/them pronouns, reader is attracted to all genders, eren is a huge himbo dork, any major trigger warnings will be given before each chapter.

this series is entirely sfw. mild suggestive themes, but nothing explicit.

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

point ten!

"yeehaw"

wordcount: 415

chapter tws: very VERY slight vomit mention

i could get up right now. i could talk to him. i could. i could go make up with jean right now. he's just across the hall. the hockey game's tonight, i have to talk to him today.

i take the deepest breath i've ever taken, gather my thoughts, and open my door to find myself in front of jean's bedroom door.

i knock softly, "are you decent?" i ask.

"sure, come in" he replied.

i turn the knob, and push the door open. i discover that my friend is a dirty, rotten liar. jean is standing in front of his bed with his pants still unbuttoned, pulling a shirt over his head.

"what's up? need a ride? or is "'ren" gonna come get you," he sarcastically says, "again."

my jaw locks at his words, he's such an ass. i roll my eyes, and sit on his bed. he walks across the room to grab something. he's not even pay attention to me.

"no. i do wanna talk about him, though" i start, he shoots me an annoyed look, "i just want you to know that your attitude is really upsetting me, and if you care about me at all you'll drop it."

jean turns towards me, "huh?"

"oh, my god, jean. eren's not going away soon, okay? i want to be happy, and i'm not gonna be if you two can't settle your weird fight."

"okay…" he moves towards the bed, sitting next to me, "i don't want you upset, obviously. and i especially don't want you to be upset because of me, so… i guess i can tolerate him."

i can't help but smile, "i literally love you, dude." i throw my arms around him. i've been mad at him for a few days, and i missed him so much.

"yeah, yeah. love you too," he murmurs, "you fucking jaeger kisser."

"jaeger kisser?!"

jean bought my breakfast after that, it was his way of apologizing i think. my first class of the day was calculus, i only took that course because my roommates insisted on it. i honestly didn't pay attention at all, which was definitely going to cause problems for me. i could only think about going to that hockey game.

eren could not have been happier. he was texting me all day about it, telling me all sorts of hockey things that i barely understood. jean talked about it all day too. it's so cute how excited they get over hockey.

previous next

masterlist!

a/n: hi!! sorry i haven't posted in a while i had a breakdown LMAO. but i bought new clothes and got my hair done to yk that pretty much fixed everything. anyway thanks for readin<3

character info! y/n thinks men deserve flowers too. they give jean and connie flowers for special occasions all the time (connie cries).

[readerstories]

Bright - Will Graham x gn!reader

If you see any typos, please tell me. (AO3)

Warnings/tags: fluff, no plot

Wordcount: 415

Request: Will Graham X gender neutral reader. Reader is incredibly positive and at times thier convresations can be like the song life is fun by boyinaband and theodd1sout just a big back and forth of positive and negative. They are so bright and positive the reader ends up dyeing thier hair bright pink or something.

Opposites attract is a fairly common saying, and in many ways, it would be a good descriptor of you and Will’s relationship.

Him, a serious FBI agent who sees the horror of the world, you a bubbly kindergarten teacher who loves bring smiles and fun to the world.

Him, a realist and a pessimist, you and optimist trough and trough. People sometimes comment on how uncommon it is to see two people like you together, but both you and Will know it works, and it works well, which is all that matters.

He reminds you that sometimes the world needs to betakes a little seriously, and you remind him that sometimes it’s okay to take a break and just have some fun for a little while.

Something Will is reminded of when he comes home one day and finds you on the couch, reading something on your laptop with a very different hair color that you had when he left this morning.

Bright pink. Neon pink. It almost lights up the room with how vivid it is.

You look up from your laptop when the front door opens, smiling as Will hurries inside, quick to close the door behind him as he is swarmed by dogs. When he spots your hair he freezes for a few seconds before his attention is stolen by dogs demanding pets and attention.

“Hey.” You say as he makes his way over to the couch. You close and put away your laptop just as he sits down.

“Hey.” He eyes your hair. “That’s...new.”

“I said I was going to the hairdresser this morning, remember?” He nods. “You like it.”

“It’s different.” A beat. “Very loud, very you.” You smile.

“Thank you! The kids will love it when they see me on Monday.” Will’s smile is soft, which is rare to see, so you try to savour it as he looks over your hair once more.

“I’m sure they will.” You sit in comfortable silence for a few moments before you move so you can lean against his shoulder. His arm comes up to hold around you as you lean into his side.

“You think the bureau would let you do it?”

“Let me what?”

“Let you color your hair pink like mine.” Will snorts, clearly holding back laughter.

“Don’t think they will. Might get me deemed ‘unprofessional’ looking.” You huff, blowing on a loose strand of hair.

“Boring.”

“Mhm.” Will agrees as he kisses the side of your head.

[asukaskerian]

monthly + yearly wordcounts

DECEMBER : TOTAL: 8 157 POSTED: nuthin'! (posted this month but written earlier: Days on a wire, sequel to cherry wine, madara/tobirama/izuna ABO chapter 1.) WORK IN PROGRESS: -Naruto: Days on a wire chapter 3 (5 029 words) (madatobiizu ABO) (some of which i might not keep because i'm rearranging the chapters, but most of it is pretty solid. yeee.) -Bleach: GrimmIchiHimeNel suburban OT3 (471 words) (yet another attempt at the same stuck sceeeene why this is an adorable silly romance why is it stuck aaaa) -Bleach: Grimmichi psychic wolves AU chapter 6 (2 657 words) (gotta get it postable for lupercalia! NEXT MONTH AHHHH gogogogogogogo) This wasn't a horrible month! still not great but i manaed more than piecemeal snippets here and there, i managed to get out whole scenes at once and it feels kinda great. plus i had a scene idea for bloodpsort. ahhh come ON brain you can do it.

--

YEARLY WORD COUNTS

jan: 6 606 feb: 6 654 mar: 13 699 apr: 11 266 may: 14 132 jun: 12 415 jul: 9 421 aug: 7 496 sep: 4 737 oct: 6 037 nov: 5 171 dec: 8 157 TOTAL: 105 791. AVERAGE: 8 816. all the over 10k months were naruto ABO-heavy months. hm. 2010: 136 235, average: 11 353/month. ... :X :X :X 2011: 167 675, average: 13 973/month. :X 2012: 332 396, average: 27 700/month. eeeeeeee. 2013: 396 917, average: 33 076/month !!!!!!!! 2014: 315 332, average: 26 276/month ... :X 2015: 206 403, average: 17 200/month. 2016: 127 495, average: 10 625/month. >:( 2017: 80 828, average: 6 736/month. .__. 2018: 128 033, avergage: 10 669/month. FUCK YOU 2017. 2019: 159 609, average: 13 300/month. huh! 2020: 105 791, average: 8 816/month. ... hhghhrhhhhhhhhhhhhhh flops. so i'm seeing the adhd specialist in like two weeks. i stg if it doesn't help i'm gonna blow a gasket. this isn't my worst year but it's the second worst and i can't even blame it on the corona because i actually like working part-time from home and it means less time on the bus. if also less time in sports, which is bad for my health generally but should have given me another four or so more hours in the week and i did jack shit with them apparently.

--

December teasers:

-- MadaTobiIzu ABO -- "By a debut, would you happen to mean a hunt?" Tobirama enquired, voice still calm, almost pleasant. Mimaki-sama grinned widely, looking charming and relaxed. "Not a full marriage hunt, of course, but a courting hunt?" ... That asshole. Courting hunts weren't binding, more of a teenager's game ending in stolen kisses, but they sure as hell were used as an excuse to test things out -- strength, supposedly, and interest and desirability, and your ability to catch your intended for sure, but. Sometimes those hunts were also used to father children the sires would never have to acknowledge. Since it wasn't supposed to be serious enough to allow the unwilling to defend themselves as vigorously as a real one-- "Mimaki-sama honors this lowly omega with his suggestion," Tobirama replied, and smiled. "This lowly omega does not wish to return his generosity by agreeing to less than a full, traditional hunt." Silence cut through the titters and whispers of the hall as the watchers suddenly remembered that traditionally, in a marriage hunt where the omega and their set did not wish to be married, they were entirely allowed to murder their suitors out of hand. Madara choked, heard Izuna choke as well, his fan spread open to hide almost his entire face as he turned away. A beat, two, and Ikume-sama burst out laughing. Her brother made a face, and then chuckled along gamely. Izuna let loose, as silently as he could under the tide of relieved cackles and entirely fake chuckles. "Aah, entirely uninterested in husbands that could not best you in combat, are you." "Ikume-sama is wise," Tobirama replied, still smiling in that terrifying way. -- bleach suburban ot4 -- So far their best option is to play model guests and pray. "Worst thing is I like them," Nelliel can't help admitting. They're so damn sweet. It'd be easier if she had to put it on, if she didn't have to care that they're going to run out of pity at some point. She's expecting a snappy retort, or an eyeroll, or a "I really don't", but Grimmjow doesn't say anything, just stands all at once and goes looking for a fresher shirt. Her chest squeezes with -- something unpleasant, frustrated and off-balance, like she's being ignored. Abandoned. "Grim--" "I know that." His voice is so rough, it feels like it must hurt his throat. "I'm fucking trying, alright? Ain't gonna ruin this for you." He's not looking at her, just digging into his suitcase with every muscle tight, twitchy movements like a leashed beast. -- Psychic woooooolves - bleach -- "We don't want you to betray a confidence," Rukia started, a bit quieter. "But I called Captain Ukitake earlier, and -- Ichigo, I didn't like it. The only thing he said was to stick with you and wait for a squad to come. That... Doesn't sound good. You know it doesn't." Ichigo gave a begrudging grunt. "I know. It's not great from the inside either." "So you see why--" Renji elbowed Rukia; Rukia elbowed him back. Ichigo frowned at them. Okay, now they were definitely speaking in the pack sense, and it was an argument. He could feel the edges of it -- Renji wanted her to use some tact, please, and Rukia thought she was being extremely tactful already as it was. "Just say it," he grumbled, resting his head heavily in his hand. His skin was tacky with sweat and dust and things, he itched everywhere, and no matter how hot Grimmjow was he wished he could evict him from the shower a tiny little bit more than he wished he could join him inside it. The stall was too small for two men and he was rapidly approaching a point where he did not care quite as much about being chivalrous and hospitable as he should have. "Listen, buddy, I'm sure he's a cool guy, but maybe he's--" "You're being led around by your dick!" Ichigo gave a very slow blink. Rukia puffed up her cheeks and leaned further over the table. Renji groaned. "He's hot! He's mysterious! It was your first time knowing the overwhelming fervency of lupine passion! Of course you like him! But maybe he's the danger you need protected from." Ichigo groaned back and folded in two, pressing his red face against the cool tabletop. Renji stretched his arm across to pat his shoulder. "I wouldn't have said it like that, but let's be honest, he doesn't even have to mean trouble to be trouble, and you're... Well, you're a magnet for it, pal." "Uuuugh, shut up." He's not wrong. "You shut up too." You have a strong soul and a strong drive to fix/straighten/herd. It's to be expected. "Oh, no, you are not putting this on me. You were the one they noticed!" The old man gave him a long, subtly amused look. Ichigo thought vengeful thoughts about little bows and braided manes of hair. Hmm. Being combed does not feel bad. I will accept the bows. "Shuuuuut up. Jerk." He pushed himself back up, scowling to discourage his human guests from asking. "Anyway, Grimmjow's leaving soon anyway, so I guess that trouble is gonna take care of itself." "Are you going to pine?" Rukia asked with clinical curiosity. Ichigo glowered. "He's going to pine," Renji confirmed with a heaving sigh. "There, there, we'll have movie marathons and ice cream and things. Maybe you can come up to the Court next holiday, that'll distract you." "I am not going to pine for a guy I slept with once!" "Only once?" "... I'm counting a single night as once. Rukia I swear to God if you--" Feeble stamina, Shirayuki mused, sending waves of sorry-that-sucks at Old Man Zangetsu.

[yunseoxfmd]

« SELF PARA ➸ Q3 SCHEDULE »

wordcount : 415

summary : suwei poses for the cosmopolitan shoot. 

since debuting andromeda has been given a couple of magazine cover opportunities. for the time being it was the only major project on their schedule. promotions for red sun ( 021 ) finished up last month. dimensions hasn’t made any mention of a comeback for the rest of the year. photoshoots kept her busy. and they were always something she enjoyed doing. to be on the cover of any magazine was a big deal. and she was happy andromeda was going to be on the cover of cosmopolitan. 

she wasn’t a model, but she was photogenic. she just isn’t sure she’d be able to strut on a catwalk. which meant modeling wasn’t a career choice she’d choose. and while yes she loves posing for magazine photoshoots she just doesn’t know if she could make a career out of it. she was pretty but there were idols out there who would always outshine her. to survive based purely on her looks seemed far fetched. she knew her self worth but she was also reasonable.

the dressing room of all the magazine studios were the same. if you’ve seen one of them you’ve basically seen them all. she was currently slipping into the outfit she was to wear for her solo shot. she stood in front of the mirror taking it in. she was wearing a pink knit crop top, a pink jacket, and snake skin pants. she was curious who picked her outfit out. it seemed as if it didn’t match. an assortment of clothing pieces that would look better with something else. despite this she couldn't help but think it looked good. somehow the pieces worked together. she put on the hat over her long brown hair that the makeup artist kept down to finish the look and walked out of the dressing room.

she followed a staff member to the studio and stood in front of the tarp. it was actually whole she was getting her makeup done that they informed her she was given one solo shot.

she took her spot in the center of the room with the photographer correcting her position as needed. when he instructed her to pose she positioned her arms to the side and smiled. smiling came natural to her doing shoots. lucky for her she enjoyed photoshoots. after one or two poses that the editors would choose from she bowed to the cameraman and walked away. she walked toward the dressing room to get dressed for the next shot.

[thelawsofdaylight]

Kat’s Fanfic Reviews | 1/? | Evergreen by lyres

Title: Evergreen Author: lyres ( @lesamis ) Wordcount: 160 415 Link: http://archiveofourown.org/works/3437582

“Hey, you weren't saving this one, were you?” Grantaire says, pointing vaguely to his seat and turning towards his left-hand neighbour. The neighbour looks at him, and Grantaire's breath hitches in his throat. Oh, no. Holy shit.

(Slightly coming-of-age-y college AU that will likely involve R walking into the wrong class in his first week, les Amis as editors of the student paper, an eventual nightly arrest, and a trip to Paris.)

Okay so let me start off by saying that this was one of the first Enjoltaire fics I ever read and probably the reason why I ship them as much as I do. To this day it remains my favourite fic- the character and plot development is spot on and it perfectly balances serious topics with moments of light heartedness and humour. (Also, the best characterisation of Enjolras I’ve ever read.)

Every little detail in this fic feels incredibly well thought out; from the character’s clothing choices to the little snippets about their lives (the fact that Cosette works in Lush and studies psychology; Combeferre, Joly, and Jehan being utter and complete space nerds; everything about the student paper- I could go on.) I love how we see multiple sides of every character- despite the focus on Grantaire’s development as a character and his relationship with Enjolras, by the end of the fic every character has undergone significant development. I got a really good sense of the individual personalities of each of les amis during the course of the fic, which is sometimes hard to do as there are so many of them to consider.

Overall, Evergreen is beautifully written and set out- the plot is captivating, the character development is the stuff of dreams, and the style of writing is everything I aspire to someday achieve. 

I’m not kidding when I say I think about this fic almost constantly and I’ve re-read it (either in it’s entirety or just certain moments) more times than I can count. I feel like everyone has a fic which they’ll always be able to return to time and time again and for me it’s this one. 

[souliloquyyy]

Thursday, February 27th, 2020

Writing sessions today: 4

Total hours: 3.5 (all drafting)

Total wordcount: 1,452

Words per hour: ~415

[ao3feed-mythology]

To the Max!

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2LwqiHR

by Darkrealmist

Sumeragi Daichi is about to learn the first rule of challenging incumbent champion Kinomiya Takao: Never come between Mizuhara Max and his Bey-by!

Words: 415, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Bakuten Shoot Beyblade, Beyblade, Chinese Mythology, Japanese Mythology

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Characters: Kinomiya Takao | Tyson Granger, Mizuhara Max | Max Tate, Sumeragi Daichi, Hiwatari Kai, Mizuhara Taro | Taro Tate, Dragoon (Beyblade), Draciel, Gaia Dragoon | Strata Dragoon

Relationships: Kinomiya Takao/Mizuhara Max | Tyson Granger/Max Tate

Additional Tags: Action, Anime, Battle, Competition, Episode Related, Established Relationship, Friendship, Games, Hobbies, Interracial Relationship, Japanese-American Character, Love Stories, Marshmallows, Rivalry, Romance, Shounen-ai, Slash, Sports, Team Feels, Tournaments, Toys, Wordcount: 100-500, Wordcount: 100-1.000, Wordcount: Under 10.000

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2LwqiHR