#you gotta be friendly and personable and kind in real life I am kind and personable but WAY more introverted

[planetsallalign]

Woke up at 3am with a migraine that made me puke. Made it through the day, luckily I can clean teeth on auto pilot, I just wasn’t my normal bubbly self. (My work self is way different than my real self and self I am here) It’s 6:30pm and I think I may just go to bed and call it a day.

[sagesolsticewrites]

Hi! I’d like to request a John “Bucky” Egan fic where he tries several times to flirt with the reader, but the reader is super oblivious about it and just thinks he’s being nice. It becomes something everyone on base talks about and gets invested in. Maybe other people set up a scheme to get them together or make the reader realize how he feels. Idk, just something funny and cute like that ig 😁

Thank you so much for requesting, Nonnie, I’ve been having so much fun with these Masters of the Air requests! I loved getting to write for our best boy Bucky 🥰 Shoutout to @blurredcolour’s Trust fic (an absolute masterpiece, check it out y’all!) for helping with the writers block on this one 😅 (Reminder that requests are open! Feel free to check out some of my favorite prompt lists in my pinned post 😊)

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction based off the portrayal by the actors in the Apple TV+ series. I hold nothing but respect for the real life individuals referenced within.

Oblivious

“There’s my favorite nurse!”

You rolled your eyes at the phrase that announced John “Bucky” Egan’s every visit to sickbay.

“Hello, Major,” you said, turning to greet him with a mock-exasperated smile.

Bucky clutched a hand to his heart as if wounded, a hurt expression on his face. “How many times do I gotta tell you to call me Bucky, sweetheart?”

“At least a few more times, Major,” you reply, unable to hide a smile at the usual volley of friendly banter.

Major John Egan had been unusually friendly to you since the first moment he’d sauntered in to introduce himself to the medical staff as Air Exec. Your colleagues had blushed afterward and playfully insisted that he had paid you more attention than the others, but you just laughed and shook your head, insisting that he was just being nice.

This visit was simply another instance of Bucky being friendly to you; well, that and Harry Crosby’s airsickness had gotten the better of him again and he was checking up on the navigator.

You stepped aside as Bucky approached Harry’s cot, ready to update him on the goings-on since the last mission had returned.

He threw you a kind smile before perching on the stool next to Harry.

“How’s my girl treatin’ you, Crosby?”

Harry happily told him how the base had gotten a new shipment of airsickness pills and you had slipped him a spare box for his own personal use, and Bucky’s smile grew wider and wider.

You were glad to see how happy he was at the news that his friend was feeling better, and you quietly excused yourself to tend to the other patients.

Bucky sighed as you walked away.

“She still hasn’t picked up on it, huh?”

“No, Croz, she hasn’t.” sighed Bucky, “She thinks I’m just bein’… nice or friendly or something. Which I am!” He added hurriedly, “But I just…I like her so much. I wish she’d notice.”

“She will, buddy,” Harry replied, with a comforting pat on his friend’s hand, “She will.”

Bucky headed out after a few more minutes of conversation, giving you a wink and a smile as he walked past your station.

“Bucky visited again, huh?” Rebecca, one of your fellow nurses, sidled up next to you with a teasing grin.

“Yes, Major Egan came by to visit Lieutenant Crosby,” you replied, putting emphasis on their ranks.

“You’re sure that’s all he was here for? Somehow he never shows up here without an excuse to see you…”

“He’s just being nice, Becca,” you insisted, “You know how these soldier boys are.”

“But he’s always—”

“Becca,” you cut her off as gently as you can, “I really don’t wanna talk about this anymore.”

“Alright, alright,” she held her hands up in surrender, “Bucky is an off-limits topic, gotcha.”

The conversation turned to the current hot gossip, and you idly chimed in when it seemed appropriate, losing yourself in your routine tasks.

Rebecca broke off to check on Harry again, narrowing her eyes as she noticed Harry watching you.

“Something Nurse L/N can help you with, Crosby?”

He jumped, gaze darting to Rebecca as she approached.

“No ma’am, I just…”

He scrambled to think of some excuse, but all he could come up with was: “I’m trying to think of some way to get Y/N to notice Bucky!”

Rebecca blinked in surprise, then plopped down onto the stool next to his bed, leaning in conspiratorially.

“Oh thank goodness it’s not just me! He’s been at it for months but the poor girl’s just so oblivious…”

“I keep telling him to just talk to her like a normal person, but he insists on dancing around it!” Harry instantly agreed, glad to have someone besides Jean to talk to about this. “He’s been so distracted lately. If he doesn’t do something soon, I’m worried it might start to affect his flying.”

Rebecca pressed her lips into a thin line, twisting a strand of hair worriedly.

After a few moments of quiet, she spoke up again, green eyes sparkling with mischief.

“I’ve got an idea.”

———

“Hey Bucky,” Harry said at breakfast the next morning, “I’m gonna pop down to the infirmary to visit Winks, wanna come with?”

Bucky quickly agreed— he’d been meaning to check on Winks yesterday as well as Croz, but got caught up in… well, you.

As they entered, Bucky made a beeline for Winks while Harry caught Rebecca’s eye and gave a subtle nod, which she returned, signaling her part of the plan was complete.

She had removed the step stool you always used from one of the supply closets, now hidden under one of the cots nearby. When you weren’t able to reach something on one of the higher shelves, well…

Good thing Bucky was so tall.

“Y/N, would you mind grabbing some more bandages for me? My station’s running low.”

“Sure thing, Becca!” You called, stepping away from your current station to check the supply closet.

“Becca…” your confused voice called from the closet, “Do you know where the stepstool went?”

“It’s not there?” She called back, sounding equally confused. “Let’s see, um…”

She scanned the room, putting on a good show of looking for someone who could help.

“Oh, Bucky! Would you mind helping Nurse L/N grab something from the supply closet for me?”

“No problem, Becca,” came his reply, accompanied with his trademark winning smile as he nodded to Winks and made his way over to the supply closet.

It was much smaller than he’d anticipated, and barely half a foot was all that separated you as he asked, “Alright, what do ya need, sweethea—”

The pet name was cut off by the sound of the supply closet door closing.

And locking.

You lunged for the handle as Bucky reached up to turn on the single lightbulb, both of you calling out in confusion.

“Becca! What?”

“C’mon, guys, this isn’t funny!”

Harry’s voice came through the door, clear and determined.

“Just tell her how you feel, Bucky! Your tactic clearly isn’t working!”

“I— what?” You turned to Bucky, hoping he knew what in the world they were talking about.

Bucky hesitated, but seeing as it seemed he had no choice…

“Well this isn’t… exactly how I wanted to do it, but…” He took a deep breath, twisting his fingers together in an uncharacteristic display of anxiety, “I really like you, doll. I’ve liked you since I first laid eyes on you. And I’ve tried every way I know how to tell you, but nothin’ worked, so…” He gestured around at the supply closet, “I guess it came to this? Which wasn’t my idea, by the way. Just for the record. I would never…”

His voice faltered, and you realized just how close you were to him. You didn’t remember moving forward. You were just suddenly there, so close the two of you were almost breathing each other’s air.

“You… you like me?”

Bucky couldn’t help but laugh at that.

“Doll, you think I call every pretty girl workin’ here my favorite nurse?”

You flushed at the compliment.

“I thought you were just being nice, I didn’t…”

“I mean, I was bein’ nice,” He said with a shrug, grinning, “Just not quite in the way you were thinking.”

Bucky’s eyes flicked down to your mouth, and being this close to you, he couldn’t hide the bob of his throat as he swallowed nervously.

“I’d, uh. I’d really like to kiss you right now, if that’s alright with you, sweetheart.”

You nodded slowly, “I think I’d really like that, Major Egan.”

“It’s Bucky, sweetheart,” he murmured softly as he leaned in, capturing your lips.

You may or may not have spent more than a few lonely nights in your bunk imagining what it would be like to kiss Major John Egan.

Your imaginings were nothing compared to reality.

This was magic unlike anything you could have dreamed.

Your arms wound around his neck as his wrapped around your waist, pulling you flush against him. You toyed with the dark curls at the nape of his neck as he slanted his mouth against yours, deepening the kiss. Needing to be closer, you tried to step towards him, but merely succeeded in pressing him back against the shelves.

Ordinarily you would apologize, but something like a thrill ran up your spine when you felt him grin into the kiss as his back hit the shelves, knocking rolls of bandages and boxes of gauze onto the floor.

His right hand moved to cup your cheek, keeping your lips connected as his other hand splayed across your back, pulling you impossibly closer as you arched into him.

You could still feel him grinning as he murmured against your lips, “Knew you were feisty under that good girl act.”

“Bucky,” you whined softly as he pulled away from you, chest heaving.

“Oh, now she uses my name,” he teased breathlessly, bumping his nose playfully against yours.

The two of you flinched as sunlight spilled into the dim closet, a harsh change from the dingy yellow lightbulb you had become accustomed to.

Harry and Rebecca stood in the doorway, wearing twin smug grins.

“Looks like our work here is done,” Becca said, shooting you a wink as she bid farewell to Harry with a two-fingered salute, “Pleasure working with you, Lieutenant Crosby.”

“Same to you, Nurse Carter,” Harry replied, and he turned back to the two of you, a genuine smile on his face.

“About time, Bucky.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Bucky waved off his friend’s I told you so, “You gonna congratulate me or what?”

“Congratulations,” came Harry’s mock-put-out reply, accompanied by a genuinely congratulatory clap on his arm. “You got a good one. And it only took months of unsuccessful flirting—”

“Hey, I got her in the end, didn’t I?” He squeezed you closer, grinning down at you.

Your lipstick was all over his mouth, and you’re sure the Victory Red on your own lips was in no better shape.

You couldn’t bring yourself to care, however, as he pulled you in for a tender kiss.

Which you broke for a moment to point out, “He isn’t wrong, you know, it was months of unsuccessful—”

Your teasing was promptly cut off with a “shush” mumbled against your lips as Bucky silenced you with a kiss.

[nerdygoth77]

Some of my favorite Porter Gage lines!

“Keep your irradiated ASS away from me” 

“Boss”  

“Piss me off and I’ll still kick your ass from here to the Atlantic.” 

“Sure was fun! Huh Boss?” 

“I ain’t got the brains for mazes” 

“How's it go? “This town ain't big enough for you and me?” Awh nevermind :(“ 

“Ain't no way people paid for this shit, I refuse to believe it.” 

“Who the hell's idea of fun was this shit?”

“Ever feel the tiniest bit hurt that the institute hasn’t tried to replace you with a synth? I mean c’mon! I’m important. I-I’m worth replacing......” 

“Think about it…. If beer is still good after two hundred years.. Is it really something worth drinking?” 

“Personally, wouldn’t ever trust anyone to knock me out with gas or whatever, even if they claimed they were going to help.” 

“Can you imagine… having so much extra shit you’d need someplace to store it all” 

“Not paying ATTENTION-” (I fuck up a lot and trigger traps LOL)

“Not a big fan of being underground, so the sooner we wrap this up the better.” 

“Once upon a time, I suppose folks had nothing better to do than sit around outside”

“Greeaaat, because I ain’t seen enough trees and grass.” 

“Like I hadn’t already seen enough glowing shit to last a lifetime.” 

“Believe it or not, this is more civilized than some places i've lived”

"One of these bugs ever takes me down you tell people I died from trippin’ over my gun, fallin’ off a cliff, anything! It would be less embarrassing.” 

“Places like this….Makes me realize life was mostly shit before the bombs fell” 

“God…. Being in here is soul sucking.” 

“I hope you know where you’re going, I forgot my map.” 

“Least we ain't gotta worry about being hit by a train…..Right?”

“No question that shit was made to last…Maybe the wrong shit but still.”

“Me? I like night time. Something about it just feels right.” 

“You’re a real stunner, ya know that?”

“Are you shittin’ me” 

“Ever seen a dust angel? Bettin’ I could make one.” 

“Shiiiiitt I hate getting weeettt” 

“I’ve got a strong stomach, but ewwugh.” 

“You’re my kind of crazy boss.” 

“Boy do I love watching you work.” 

“Anyone ever tell you….your ass looks great in that vault suit.” 

“Don’t know about you, but I can’t see in the dark.” 

“You’ll always be the overboss of my heart- Hehehehe I couldn’t do it, I couldn’t keep a straight face.”

“Blamo” 

“Sheeeeeettt” 

“Don't mind me, just throwing up a bit in my mouth here.” 

“Damn, I hate insects. Like I needed something else to wipe off my fucking shoes” 

“VerMIN”

Everything. Just everything he says is wonderful. His voice is so fucking sexy.

"I'm not that big of a dick"

"Bullshit. Without me I'd be scraping your guts off the floor"

"Before you start pissing all over the plan, why don't you take a minute to hear me out."

"You ready to listen?"

"You're one ruthless son of a bitch aren't ya?"

"Awwwhh C'mon :("

"Just give this a chance, you might even have a little fun."

"Tell yuh whut."

"Everything all peachy with our friendly neighborhood psychopaths?"

"Welcome home, boss."

"I knew you had it in you."

"Next, the fun stuff."

"You look like shit."

He refers to getting high as "Getting blitz." LOL

"Well that oughta make things more interesting"

"hehehe OOPS."

"The fun we can have in this thing!"

"That one have pictures in it?"

"I like a good haul as much as the next guy-"

"You sure you got everything? There's a few more rocks you haven't picked up."

"I never had the hands for that kind of shit. Glad you do."

"You got some nimble fingers there huh?"

"You okay?" (When he shows concern?? UGH)

"Well now, would you look at that."

"Oh for the love of-"

"You gonna build me something nice?"

"Lookin good, Boss."

"oooh, gutsy."

"Pretty tough mutt you got there." (Any dialogue about Dogmeat is great)

"Aww, look at how nice and clean this is, and I here am, dirtying the place up." (one of my favorites)

There's so so many more but I didn't want this to get crazy long

[chiriwritesstuff]

The Impossible Man ✨ 3. The Storybook Lady ✨

Modern-Day Detective! Din Djarin x Witchy! Reader (Soulmates! AU)

Previous Chapter │ Series Masterlist

Chapter Summary: Din (or is it Mando?), Grogu, and Starshine spend a day together.

Chapter Rating: M

Chapter Warnings: Magical Realism, Mentions of (Attempted) Suicide, Mention of (minor) character death, Jealousy between coworkers, not beta-ed

A/N: Hello, I am SO SORRY for the delay of this chapter! I really have no excuse except that I was burnt out, so I took a few weeks to catch up on several fics I've been writing and developing and decided to split the intended last chapter into two parts. I am not sure when the next chapter will be coming out, but it is in the works! Thank you for being patient with me!

Word Count: 3.7K

Dividers by @saradika

Ten years ago.

"So, anyone special in your life, Djarin?" Ben flips through paperwork, feet on the desk, files everywhere.

"No," Din replies calmly.

Ben scoffs, "Oh come on, there's gotta be someone," he pointedly looks at him above the files he's holding, his eyes full of doubt.

Din shrugs. "Not really."

His partner frowns. "Spill it. What's Detective Din Djarin's type?" He air-quotes "type" for emphasis, a teasing look on his partner's face.

"Not talking about it, Solo. It's none of your business."

"Thought we were bonding. You're too serious, Djarin. Wake up, Gym, Work, Eat, Jerk off, Sleep, Repeat. Where's the fun in that?"

"If I had time for someone," Din grumbles, "She wouldn't talk much. She would be someone patient, someone kind. I don't dwell on it much. Our line of work makes relationships tricky, you know that."

"I think that's the most generic answer you can ever give someone," Ben chides, rolling his eyes. "What a fucking cop-out, Djarin. I expected better from you since you got that whole..." he motions his hands in front of him frantically, "... dark and mysterious schtick going on."

Din snorts, shaking his head incredulously. "Please, Solo. Spare me. What do you want me to say? That I want someone who has the brightest eyes, a smile that can knock me off my ass, someone that can charm the living shit out of me with just one look? Someone who can take my breath away? Come on! How is that shit even real? How about this? Maybe I want someone who loves Cinnamon Chai, with a hint of nutmeg. Is that sufficient enough for you?"  

Ben flips him off. "Now that's the fucking spirit, Djarin."

Desperate to change the topic, Din asks, "So when do I get to meet this lucky lady?"

"Who? Starshine?"

"Yes! Your wife, Starshine? The woman you can't stop talking about?! I swear you talk about her so much I know more about her than I do you, and that's fucking saying something, Solo."

"Not sure if I'm up for that," his partner says, pausing with a hint of uncertainty. Ben takes a moment as if thinking carefully. When he looks at Din, there's a quick intense gaze—a curious glare that catches Din's attention. Then, it turns into a friendly smile, as if Ben just noticed they're still facing each other. Din feels a change in the atmosphere, a mysterious vibe in their talk. Weird, Din thinks to himself.

"Why not? She's your wife. Nothing's going to happen. What are you so afraid of?!" He teases, a slight smirk on his face. "What? do you think Starshine would fall for my whole 'dark and mysterious schtick?"

After a moment of awkward silence, Ben snaps back to reality, shaking his head. "That woman you just described? She's my wife, Djarin. Exactly your type. That's what I'm afraid of." Ben frustratedly drops his files, surprising Din as he watches his partner quickly exits the bullpen. Din is left there, bewildered.

What just happened?!

Present Day.

A strange man is staring at you.  

A devastatingly handsome man, but, still. Strange.  

"Oh, Mando!" Vi hands you a cup of cinnamon chai as she greets this intriguing, yet mysterious... person. "...thought I heard Grogu come in! The usual today?"

He looks hesitant. "Uh, sure," he nods, the baritone of his voice sending shivers down your spine. Deep, like Ben, but also distinct. Ben's deep was soft and slow and a bit drawled out, whereas the stranger's voice was deep in a... smooth, bedroom voice kind of way. Did you just say he had a nice, bedroom voice? you think to yourself as you try to play it cool under the scrutiny of his gaze.

Because he's still looking at you, this strange, perplexing, devastatingly handsome man.  Dark and mysterious, just how you like it.

His eyes are intense. Dark - deep brown eyes, pillowy-soft lips, tan skin. His hair is wavy and tousled perfectly, in an 'I woke up like this' kind of way. Tall - not tall in the way that Ben was tall - all 6'-3" of him - but tall in a sense of being just right - just right for me, your traitorous mind thinks. Broad - So very, very broad.  Fuck. You bite your lip, not wanting to be too obvious in your sudden interest. You must look like some desperate, unhinged woman, you muse.

You glance at him again.

It's unnerving, the staring.

But why can't I look away?

"Here we go! A Starshine, just the way you like it," Vi says with a wink as she hands the peculiar stranger a cinnamon chai, the same one that you are drinking, smelling the subtle hint of nutmeg - the way you exactly take it - when the weight of your sister's words finally hit you. The stranger - Mando? - smiles wide, an amused quirk at the corner of his lips as you finally realize it.

You choke on your coffee. "What?!"

"Speaking of," Vi motions to you as if she were giving a sales pitch on QVC. "Mando, meet Starshine, only 10 years late."

You quirk your eyebrows at the stranger as you extend out your hand. "Ten years late? What does that even mean? Did we have an outstanding appointment that I managed to stand you up for ten years ago?" you chide as you observe him, a tell-tell hint of a blush slowly forming on his neck. You frown. "Honestly though - you seem familiar. Have we met before?" you quirk your head in question. "Did I really stand you up for something? Shit," you exclaim to yourself silently, looking up to him somewhat pleadingly - "I'm sorry if I did, just know, it wasn't you."

He looks at you nervously, his Adam's apple bobbing. "No, I don't think so," he replies, slightly shaking his head. "I came in 10 years ago on a friend's recommendation. It's truly a charming place. Vi has spoken a lot about you throughout the years," he glances at Vi, who nods in agreement. 

"All good things, I hope?"

"Well, maybe I keep coming back every Saturday hoping that I'll finally make your acquaintance," he retorts smoothly, a smirk forming at the corner of his lips. "So, you've been in New York all this time? Vi mentioned it to me the first time I visited. You're a writer? I didn't realize it. I tried looking for your stuff, but Vi was sworn by secrecy to not tell anyone your pen name," he replies, an earnest look on his face. It's endearing, you think to yourself.

"... Something like that," you reply, a sad faraway look on your face. "My husband passed away, and I went to Montauk to settle his affairs. One thing led to another, and I ended up staying in the city to write. Only my family and maybe the CIA know my pen name. Are you the CIA?" you tease.

"No. I am... I'm sorry about that," He says, taking a sip of his chai. "I heard about your husband's passing through Vi. It must have been really hard for you, being all alone up there. Ten years is a long time, surely there isn't..."

"There isn't anyone in the picture," you quickly reply. "...not since Ben." You wave your hands in front of you as you try to explain yourself. "I didn't get out much, and didn't feel the need to... meet other people, you know?"

He nods, as if in agreement. "I know exactly what you mean. There's not much room for commitment in my line of work, you know?"

"Oh? What do you do for work? if you're not in the CIA, you must be in the... FBI? Bounty Hunter?"

"I'm a... consultant," he says carefully, "I work with the state," he follows up quickly, clearing his throat.  

"So, Grogu..." you motion to his son, desperately wanting to change the subject, feeling uncomfortable. "It's just the two of you?" you ask nonchalantly, trying to hide the tiny bit of curiosity about whether or not this handsome stranger was single or not.

Mando smiles at that. "Grogu is my adopted son." he replies, "He was in a bad situation, and I decided to adopt him a few years ago. He would have been placed into the system if I hadn't intervened, and it's harder for someone on the spectrum," he gives Grogu a look, sighing, "... to get placed."

"That's pretty amazing, Mando," you say as you place your hand on his shoulder, grasping it slightly, his muscle tensing from your sudden touch. You give him a reassuring smile. "Seriously. Not just anyone would be that selfless."

Suddenly feeling a strong urge to keep his attention, at least for a little bit longer, an idea formulates in your mind. "Since Grogu is so fond of the storybook lady, would you like to help me out with the story today?"

"Help you out? how?" he asks, scratching the back of his neck. "I... don't know about that," he replies, obviously uncomfortable with the prospect of reading in front of a bunch of children. "I don't do well with kids, besides my own, that is."

"Oh come on, it'll be fun," you say. "I'll make it worth your while, I promise."

"How about a deal? I help out today, and in return, you spend the day with Grogu and me," he suggests, a hopeful glint in his eyes. "You can rediscover the city and share some quality time with your biggest little fan," he adds, nodding toward Grogu, who's eagerly waving amidst a group of kids waiting for the Storybook Lady.

"And, well, since you kept me waiting for a good ten years," he playfully admits, lowering his head toward yours. His warm breath grazes your neck as he takes a deliberate breath. "I think it's only fair you grant your most loyal supporter a day to feel appreciated," he whispers in your ear, a sweet mix of sincerity and charm.

You shoot him a satisfied grin and nod in agreement. His eyes casually trace the journey from your eyes to your lips, and you playfully bite your lower lip under the easy yet intense gaze he's giving you.

You slip your hand into his, fingers weaving together effortlessly. "Okay, Prince Charming, time for a grand adventure!" you tease, a playful grin lighting up your face in sync with his. Guiding him to the Storybook Lady's seat, Grogu catches on, his face lighting up with a mix of amusement and anticipation, realizing there's a cute plot twist in the works.

"Daddy's helping the Storybook lady today! That's my daddy!" Grogu excitedly motions towards him, and Mando, clearly embarrassed, grabs the first thing he can find to sit on, not realizing what it was until...

"Daddy's riding the horsey backward!" Grogu suddenly exclaims amid the sea of children. All eyes turn to his father, whose towering figure looms over the pint-sized toy pony. Vi, in the distance, gasps dramatically, shooting you a knowing look and winking, clearly amused by the comical sight. The vision of Mando perched on a toy pony in reverse tugs at your heartstrings a bit. In that moment, the memories of childhood dreams of an unattainable, deep love suddenly feel within reach, as if it has been right in front of you all along.

"So, what's the plan for this afternoon?" you ask Mando, watching as he eases into the driver's seat of his Ford Bronco, Grogu comfortably strapped in the back.

"I'm thinking we grab a bite and head down to Gasworks," he suggests. "It's a gorgeous day, right?" He shoots you a smile as he merges onto the street.

"I wanna see the troll, Daddy!" Grogu pipes up enthusiastically. "Troll first, then food!"

"Troll? Is he talking about the Fremont Troll?" you chuckle, glancing back to see Grogu nodding in agreement. "Troll! Troll first, Daddy!" he exclaims, his arms flailing with excitement.

Mando rolls his eyes. "That's the one. He loves the troll so much that we visit it at least once a month," he mentions, stealing a glance at you as he drives toward Fremont.

"Ad'ika," Mando addresses his son through the rear-view window. "How about this? We'll each pick out one place we want to go today. Sound fun?"

"Yes! Fun! But can we go see the Troll first? Please?"

"... What does ad'ika mean?" you ask.

Mando smiles broadly as if you've uncovered a secret. "Have you ever watched 'Star Wars'?" He nods approvingly when you confirm that you have. "Remember Boba Fett and the Mandalorians? It's kind of nerdy, but it's Mandalorian for 'little one.' I wanted to call him something unique."

"That's... incredibly niche," you laugh. "You might be the least predictable person I've ever met."

"... thank you?"

He finds a good parking spot a few blocks away from the Fremont Troll, Grogu bouncing with excitement as his father unbuckles his car seat. "Starshine," Grogu asks, clinging to his father like a baby koala, "Do you like the troll? I used to think it was scary, but Daddy told me that I'm a big boy now and that nothing should scare me. The troll is my friend now. He can be your friend too!"

"Well, my mommy and daddy used to take Aunt Vi and me to the troll all the time when we were little! We had scavenger hunts and pretended we were princesses running away from the dragon," you share, smiling earnestly. "It was one of my favorite memories growing up."

"Really? If I play the dragon, and you play princess, can Daddy be the prince who saves you?" Grogu asks as you look at Mando from behind, trying to hide a blush. "Grogu..." he stutters, clearly embarrassed.

"Only if the Prince kisses the Princess once he saves her," you reply boldly, winking at him. Mando beams at that, shakily running a hand through his hair. He clears his throat. "I think that can be arranged," winking at you as he suddenly charges towards the both of you, Grogu shrieks in excitement as Mando grabs him from behind, perching his tiny form on his shoulders. "Are you ready, Dragon?" he asks his son, grinning brightly at you, "let's go save us a princess!"

After an hour of playing Princess and the Dragon with the Djarin boys, you spend another 30 minutes trying to convince Grogu to move on to the next item on your agenda for the day. 

"Wait, Daddy!" He whines as his father slings him over his shoulder. "You forgot to kiss the princess after you saved her!"

Mando turns towards you, his eyes darkening as his son wiggles in his grasp. He slowly approaches you, a smirk forming on the corner of his lips. He licks them, causing you to clench your thighs, gasping in surprise at his sudden boldness. His lips hover over yours. "Silly me," he whispers, smiling as he notices your mouth opening slightly in anticipation. "Shame on Daddy, right?" he smiles, his eyes locking you in place.  

"Right," you murmur, trembling. 

"Is this okay?" he asks, suddenly shy.

"More than okay," you beam.  

Without hesitation, his lips gently meet yours. His touch is tender, and you feel yourself becoming enveloped in the warmth of the moment – the softness of his lips, the sincerity of his kiss. In that instance, it's as if the stars themselves have aligned, and the entire universe conspired to bring you both together. If fate or destiny were ever tangible, it would be in this shared space, affirming that you were destined to be right here, in this perfect moment.

"Hey, can you put me down, Daddy? my head's getting all tingly!"

"I don't want this day to end," you say with a hint of sadness, "I haven't felt this alive in the last ten years," grabbing ahold of Mando's hands. He smiles, gently pushing a stray hair behind your ear. "Thank you for this, Mando. I've never felt this happy in such a long time; I didn't think it would ever be possible for me to feel like this again."

"Then let's not end it. Come home with us," he replies. "Let Grogu and me cook you dinner, and we can watch a movie. 'Netflix and Chill'? Is that what they're saying nowadays?"

"I'm pretty sure that's a euphemism for sex?"

A smirk forms on his face. "Is it now?" he replies. "Maybe that's what I meant," he winks, pressing a kiss on your temple.

"Hey Grogu, want to see a magic trick?" you ask him as he helps you set the dining table.

"A magic trick? Yes!" he nods eagerly, handing you a plate. Mando turns his head towards both of you as he continues cooking dinner. He had gently pushed you out of the kitchen earlier after you offered to help him, asking you to keep an eye on Grogu, reminding you that you're his guest and that he will be cooking for you, Mesh'la - Beautiful, you've come to realize - in Mando'a. 

You lean towards the candle set in the middle of the table, gently blowing on it, the flame igniting on the wick. You wink at him as he gasps and claps in excitement. "Wow!" he exclaims. "How did you learn how to do that?"

"My mommy taught me when I was about your age," you reply sweetly, ruffling his wavy hair.

"Can you teach me?" he asks you with a shy smile. "I love magic tricks."

"It's been a long time for me," you whisper, sitting on the sofa, 'Practical Magic' playing on the TV in the background as Mando hands you a glass of wine, Grogu already fast asleep in his room. "I haven't... entertained the possibility of being with someone after Ben died." 

"You must have loved him very much."

You nod. "Honestly, I never meant to get married, let alone fall in love," you sigh as you sip on your wine, smiling to yourself. "My mother... she died because of a broken heart when Vi and I were kids, she couldn't... imagine a life without my father, the loss changed something in her. It broke her. I made a promise to myself all those years ago to not go down that road and..." you gasp, stifling a sob. Mando grabs your hand, his thumb drawing circles on your skin, soothing you. "The night I found out, I ran to the edge of the aunt's property, along Puget Sound. I screamed for the waves to swallow me whole. I was ready, I couldn't... imagine my life without Ben."

"What made you stop yourself from doing... that?" he wipes your tears, grabbing your glass and setting it on the coffee table, grabbing ahold of both of your hands, giving you his undivided attention.

"I heard his voice in my head."

"His voice?"

"I know how crazy this might sound," you chuckle, shaking your head. "I've just met you, and here I am, pouring my heart out to the first person I've allowed myself to open up to in the last ten years."

"Don't worry, I feel it too," he says, looking at you earnestly. "It's like... I've always put up a wall between my desires and what I thought was the right thing to do, you know? I lost my parents at a young age, too. They were... killed," he confesses, a lone tear running down his face. "... and I became so consumed with seeking justice, you know? I worked my ass off to put their killer behind bars. I denied myself the chance to be loved because I didn't want to be the cause of someone else's pain, no matter how damn lonely it got. I get it, you know? I understand where you're coming from." Now, he's crying, the tears he tried so hard to hold back now flowing like rivers down his face. "I used to let myself believe, there is someone out there who knows, who understands the kind of pain that I've been through. I would wish..."

"What did you wish for?"

"I wished for someone like you," he softly confesses, his hand tenderly caressing your cheek. "I wished for you; I swear I dreamed you up. No one has ever made me feel the way I do when I'm with you. I know this sounds crazy, and it doesn't make any sense, but from the moment I laid eyes on you, Starshine, it was like everything aligned for me. Grogu, who also lost his family, and you—after everything, I told myself that if fate ever threw me a bone, I would take it. I have with my son, who adores you, but with you, it feels like you were meant for me and me alone. Everything that has happened, it all leads me to you."

"Mando, you don't mean that. You barely even know me."

"But it feels like I do know you, baby. I know... I know that you feel this, too."

It's as if a bucket of cold water has been poured over you, the enchantment of the day shattering with the sudden weight of reality. It all feels overwhelming, you realize in an instant. Your thoughts rush to Ben, the curse, and the consequences of letting go, which resulted in losing your husband and suddenly becoming a widow. For the past decade, you've carried the weight of guilt, hesitant to let someone else bear the burden of your twisted destiny. I can't let history repeat itself, not with Mando, no matter how much my heart longs for him.

"I... I feel it too," you admit quietly, "but I can't, not again."

"Why, why can't you see what's in front of you? Wouldn't you think that Ben would want you to be happy? To find love again? What's stopping you?" he pleads, taking you into his arms, resting his head on your shoulder as he holds you tight, as if he thinks you're ready to run away.  

"Mando..." you quietly sob, "It's me, I'm the reason why Ben is dead."

Series Taglist: @strawberri-blonde @survivingandenduring

[uselessgay10101]

Just A Simple Question

Summary | Riley Brooks admits her true feelings to Drake over some Drinks

Warnings | discussions of feelings, unrequited love, gay for those who care??

W/C | 1145

Pairing | Hana Lee x Riley Brooks, Drake Walkex x Riley Brooks (Unrequited), Liam Rys x Riley Brooks (mentioned, unrequired)

A/N | This is my first writing so be nice?? A decent human being. This is my interpretation of how the events happen bc i have to imagine a whole ass diffrent book , ok? Nothing more than a headcanon of a story I like, OK?

AO3 Link | idk man I gotta wait apparently lmafo

Disclaimer | * none of the characters are mine … obviously. The characters were all created by Pixelberry Studios in their book “The Royal Romance” on the app called “Choices: Stories You Play” … idk go see it there ig *

Johnnie Walker Blue Label. Rittenhouse Rye. Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Bowmore 15. Alll of the “Real drinks” by Drake Walker’s definition. 4 bottles into the castle's personal collection they sat on an open field.

Riley, with that stupid overconfidence of hers, challenged drink master Drake Walker to a friendly drinking competition. Of course, she got ahead of herself like she always does and definitely drank more than she could handle.

Riley Brooks was now knocked out cold, leaning against Drake's shoulder as he tiredly sipped his drink. At least that's what he thought. He jumped slightly as he heard her voice, slurred by her drunken and sleepy state.

“Do you like someone?” Her voice almost whispered on his shoulder.

“I—” Of course he did. How could he not? Riley, whom he wanted to hate more than anything, somehow managed to claw her way into his heart. The way she defended him from anyone who dared say he didn't belong. The way her smile always seemed to light up his heart. The way her eyes looked when she got passionate about something. The way—

“I do.” Her whispered response to her own question interrupted his thoughts. “... They are amazing, y’know? They are talented, kind, so beautiful, caring. How could I not like them? How ethereal they look when the sun hits them just right. How the mere thought of them makes me smile.” Her words were as clear as the bright moon in front of them. As if she weren't drunk and what she was saying was the most true and clear thing to her.

Drake hummed in that manly way men do. On the outside, he seemed completely unbothered as his friend laid out her feelings for him to hear. And yet, with each word of adoration that came out of her mouth, the more he despised himself for hating his friend's true feelings. Why couldn't it have been him instead of—

“She reminds me of Princess Draupadi.”

She? It clicked immediately. Hana. How could it not? Of course… of course. How could he have been so blind? Here he had a full romantic relationship unfold before his very eyes and he didn't see. Every accidental touch that always seemed to happen too often. Every glance they shared every time they thought no one was looking. Every greeting that never lacked bright eyes, a toothy grin nor a hug that looked like they could die happy if it were their last day on earth.

With every revelation he found, he felt both heartbroken that these words weren't for him and foolish for thinking Riley could never love him back. And yet, he couldn't bring himself to hate either of them. Truth be told, he saw Hana as his little sister, and Riley was… Riley is everything. He—

He was interrupted again by a watery, weak laugh as Riley wiped her eyes. “Forget I said anything. It's stupid anyways. I mean— I AM here for Liam, right? So it doesn't matter—”

“No.” He immediately pushed away his feelings to realign his focus on protecting Riley’s and Hana’s. That’s what “real” men do, right? Protect the women in his life he adores?

“No. No, they do matter.” Drake took Riley’s hand into his, giving it a supportive squeeze. “Truth be told, Brooks? Liam wants you to be happy. Whether that's with him or someone else. He isn't the type to hold grudges. Especially not with you...”

Riley looked at him with an expression of pure confusion. “You… you're not mad?”

“Mad? Why would I be mad?”

Riley looked down in shame. “Because I'm lying. Both to myself and to your best friend. I'm lying to everyone. I'm just dragging everyone down with me..” She hugged her knees close as tears fell.

Drake let out a long sigh. “... I'm no one to judge, Brooks. Are you human?” She was… confused but nodded.

"Then chances are the reasons you fell for her were out of your control. You didn't fall because you could, but because you did.”

Riley looked up at him in fascination. “...I”

Drake looked down at her with eyes brimming with emotion. With the eyes of a man who was willing to forget his own desires just to see the woman he loves happy.

“Why did you wait so long to say something?”

Riley’s eyes widened before she looked down in shame again. “I thought… I could go through with this. At first, I wanted to win Liam. I really did. Then I met Hana. And she just… changed everything.” She laughed joylessly as she leaned back on her hands, looking at the endless sky.

“Meeting Hana was like… seeing the true beauty of the galaxy after only seeing the stars and moon. I thought it was simple fascination at first, but I quickly realized she was as, if not more, beautiful inside as she was outside. I tried to stop myself. I promise I did but I—... I think I just fell for her harder.”

At those words, she covered her red face as she fell back on the cool ground, kicking her feet in the air while she screamed. Drake only looked down at her with a reminiscent smile.

He remembered how he felt when he admitted to himself that he was madly in love with the New York girl who was beautiful as she was quick-witted. It wasn't all too different from his current sight… minus the kicking feet, of course.

“So… what are you going to do? The Coronation Ball is next week.”

Riley let her arms fall on the grass as she looked up at the sky. Her eyes scanned the beautiful star-filled sky as if a Celestial God would appear and offer her a clear answer for her problems. However unfortunate for her, this was real life, so, after several seconds, she responded.

“I... I don't know. Maybe… maybe I can tell Maxwell? Tell him that … I may be falling for someone and … maybe he'll understand.”

“Tomorrow we'll be riding a lot… maybe try to mention it then?”

Riley nodded almost absentmindedly before letting out a loud groaned cry of both frustration and anger as she roughly wiped her still wet eyes. “When did this get so fucking complicated?! I just came here for the possibility of earning me a hot prince! I didn’t ask for all of this shit!”

Drake let out a loud, chest-filled laugh at the unexpected prophecy of the New Yorker. “I get you, Brooks.”

After staying quiet for a moment, he clapped his hand on Riley’s knee comfortingly. “It's alright, Brooks. It will all work out in the end… the story isn't over and all that, right?”

Riley laughed but nodded as Drake soon laid back on the cool ground, just as Riley was doing.

That's how they spent the night—stargazing and naming random constellations in the night sky.

[convxction]

SHIPPING INFO. answer the following for your muse(s) so people know how shipping works on your blog.

what’s your OTP for your muse(s)?

self love. jk. tbh i love all possible spouses for c.hrom because each of them is unique and adds to his personality and life. away from canons, i love my friends' ocs who are in relationship with him Rebecca, Takako, Lacie, Robin and Eira. My precious <3

what are you willing to RP when it comes to shipping?

Almost everything? I don't mind exploring any situation and plotline. I love exploring things, especially if it makes things semi realistic, as possible, not the uwu boy meets girl and now kiss~ nah fam.

how large does the age gap have to be to make it uncomfortable?

This is kind of question that gets you roll eyes no matter what you answer lmao. Personally, between 10 or 12 years as long as one of the parties are in the 20+. tbh i find some age gaps like 20 are cool to explore if the other is "old" and tired of life and suddenly upbeat and lively person be like hewo do you want to love life again? thats kind of cute the vibe of giving someone's life colors again. anyway yeah. as long as things make sense and legal lol

are you selective when shipping?

Honhon yeah. i no longer entertain everyone because I used to think everyone is fun and willing to write fun things and explore ideas and not just the 'imma book this muse ehe~' and bail out on me haha. we gotta have that telepathy moment lol. so yeah i want the good time not just booking muses so i can have their names in my relationship page like some sort of badge or achievement. dont get me wrong i understand what burnt out means. i dont want to control my partners' lives lmao. just be ...my friend too??? not just oh i lost interest in my muse, i will now proceed to ignore you. and yes it happened. a lot. and it is very annoying. ANYway, communication then communication then communication then just having fun. thats the key, yes.

how far do steamy moments have to go before they’re considered NSFW?

asking the person who sucks at writing it but uuuuuuuuh. when someone starts sliding dem fingers down the other's clothes and proceed to undress them. yep.

does one have to ask to ship with you?

I mean thats the way? unless you can say all the dwarven rules lmao then ask permission haha. jk. or is it? yeah i think of myself as friendly as a moogle. you are welcome to state your wish and we'll see if things can work out or not~

how often do you like to ship?

idk what to say 'how often'??? whenever a spark happens im not gonna shy away from trying out the ship. if it works then yey if it doesnt then thats a new exp for the both of us. and lets be real sometimes they can become the best of friends and it warms my heart to see we can still make out something in the end. HEY! even if they turn out to be rivals or heck enemies! thats kiss chef too dont think i dont support these relationships. i looooooooooove them.

are you multiship?

I guess so. I tried one time to make it a single blog and it was a painful experience when you pour all your heart into this ship that you missed potentially fun and interesting ships because you want to be loyal and then you get abandoned on a drop of a hat ahahahaaha. But yeah, I am not though I want to keep it single ship per muse portrayal. I won't ship with the same muse UNLESS all parties are ok but first and foremost your portrayal is different and gives new meaning for their relationship. i'm not here to horde everyone. been there saw that happened i dont want to do the same to others. its not nice feeling.

are you ship obsessed or ship more-or-less?

im here begging on my knees for people to befriend chr.om and not just ship wise but any sort of relationship. i dont want my blog to be ship centric anymore. i want FUN AND INTERESTING AND ANGSTY AND FLUFFY AND MIND BLOWING THINGS TO HAPPEN IN HERE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

what is your favorite ship in your current fandom?

a couple years ago id yell c.hrobinnnnn! now im too old for this war so forever and always ... Chrom and Shepherd pie. ask alm about it. jk. currently?? i dont have a preferred ship over the other; as i said above, i love them all. they each add something interesting about chr.om. tho in general i'd say ultimate ship is krumb and becca <3 we have built a lot over the years so basically it is kind of main ship at this point haha. rebecca my beloved <3

finally, how does one ship with you?

100 PUSH UP, 100 KILOMETER RUN GO GO GO. talk to me, really. i dont read minds. if you want to try something go ahead come and say yo what do you think? and i'll tell you lets go. lets see where this can go. but sometimes i know it does not work right from the get go so don't be sad or dejected if i said nah fam it wont work. sankyu kupopopo

tagged by: @gamenu [sankyuuuuuuu <3]

tagging: @isaaccecilbryant , @wayward-sword , @pieman1112 , @toestalucia +akira and anyone else if you wanna rant mwah <3, @psychcdelica (your pick), @dcviated (your pick), @coolrpblog , and you ! i tag you!

[pantsaretherealheroes]

for fuck-it friday and the others (again i am slack but i've been writing a lot with my spare time!) thanks so much for your continued tags @cal-daisies-and-briars @jeeyuns :DD

for this one i'm doing two snippets from both of my current projects to make up for all the tags i've missed

under a cut for dash purposes:

snippet one is from the bosh fic, are we still friends, can we be friends?

“I thought you didn’t get on so well with him at dispatch?” Hen asks, shrewdly.  “That was early on,” Eddie protests. “We’re good now. Friendly, even.”  “Hmm.” Hen pops her eyebrows. “What?”  Hen shrugs. “If you say you’re fine, you’re fine. But you can tell me if you’re not.”  Eddie bites his lip and looks around. Buck is still helping Chim clean the truck downstairs. “Ok fine, I’m not super looking forward to it. But that’s more because I don’t really have a good track record here. I mean neither of us have ever really hung out with the person each of us was dating. It’s awkward.”  Hen nods. “No one’s asking you to be best friends. I don’t hang out with just Chim and Maddie that often, but she’s fun to hang out with. And I’ve become pretty good friends with Jordan, Karen’s best friend from college. You just gotta find your commonalities.”  Eddie sighs. “Yeah, Josh and I have things in common. It’ll be…fine.”  “Well, you have one pretty important thing in common,” Hen tells him, and for a moment, he thinks he sees something in her eyes. Those x-ray eyes.  He must look confused, because she continues. “Buck, obviously.”  “Oh, yeah,” he says. Obviously.

and snippet two, from the forthcoming stranger than fiction au (if i can ever finish it!)

Evan Buckley opens his mouth almost incredulously. “Not great, actually. I’m being audited.” Eddie’s not sure what to say to that. It’s not like anyone should enjoy being audited. “By a real dick, too,” Evan Buckley continues, and that feels pointed. And fair. It’s not professional at all to leer at your auditee’s body. “I feel like I owe you an apology,” Eddie offers. “They don’t really value tact or good manners at the IRS, but my Abuela would smack me round the head if she knew how I acted the other day. I’m – I’m sorry.” He doesn’t usually stammer. He puts it down to the weirdness of this week. Evan Buckley’s expression softens at this. He almost smiles. “Apology accepted,” he says. “But only because you stammered.” Eddie tries not to smile too obviously. “So,” he says, trying to think of something to say. “You, uh, catch the bus often?” “Not if I can help it,” Evan Buckley snorts. “But my Jeep’s in the shop, and I have somewhere I need to be.” Eddie’s not sure why he says the next thing. Maybe he’s just feeling confident. “Got some hungry anarchists to feed?” Evan Buckley smiles, the same mischievous kind from the other day. He almost seems curious, even. He leans forward on the separator in front of him, crossing his ams and leaning them on it. He’s really the kind of man that likes to lean in close, Eddie’s starting to realise, if that’s anything that can be realised. “I’m bringing them to my weekly evil conspiracy and needlepoint group,” he says, in a stage whisper, smirking. Something sparkles in his eyes. “You wanna come?” Eddie isn’t sure this is at all a real offer. But even if it was, an auditor can’t hang out with their auditee. No matter how much, in the moment, they’d love it to be a genuine offer. To put off everything in their life that needs their attention – for an hour or two and follow their auditee somewhere new. He smiles, apologetically. “I would but, I, uh, left my socialist reading material and crochet needles at home.”

thanks guys this is fun to do <3

[jabberingdragon]

So, this past January, I was down in Florida. For the first time in my life on earth for 26 years, I was able to encounter the ocean.

Her beauty left me absolutely thunderstruck. The first time I stood at the sandy shore, I was agasht of the fine grain of softness the sand was on my feet. I'm used to sand be coarse and harsh, but not here. The sandy beach traced the emerald green shoreline as far as I could see, such a pure ivory white that glowed beneath the sun, yet somehow, was soft on the eyes, unlike snow when it reflects sunlight. I watched the ocean roll, observed the absolute vastness of it, I listened to it, took in the smell of the air. Yankee candle has tried to capture the smell of ocean air in the past, but it pales in comparison to the real thing. Aromatic, pleasantly salty, with a note of sweet. Someone may call me crazy, but I swear the fragrance was a pleasant savory aroma, not one that induces hunger, but melts away your worries. Just by taking a deep breath, you can tell the air is alive. A candle company can never replicate the air itself, for they miss one key ingredient: Life. the first time, I allowed the sultry waves to overwash my bare feet, it connected me to a special kind of energy that surged over me and took me to a state of mind I've never felt before, at least, not to this degree. I remember feeling my eyes begin to swell and tears fighting to drip over my widened eyes as the waves crashed like thunder and rolled gently over my feet. I could never imagine how beautiful my first time was, and I am glad to have experienced it.

As the week went by, I encountered some lovely creatures, chatted with some friendly locals, and even met an internet friend who was just as lovely as they always are when we converse.

May I add, I adore how cheeky pelicans are. They're hilarious looking, and surprisingly large in person, but this particular fella I photographed was pretty used to people, of course did a light hiss and polite beak-snap if he felt you were too close, and to my surprise, he was quite intelligent. He definitely impressed me when he was using his long beak to point us to the food dispenser machine to feed him, but sadly, it was broken. He may not have gotten his free lunch, but he did win my heart. Nothing like the hardcore Canada Geese encounter, who will definitely not hesitate to shank me in the deepest darkest alleyways if I so much as look at them funny. Don't worry, I still love my foul fowls.

As for the cat? This lovely lady is Atticus, and she's a beloved Pier Cat that frequents the restaurant I happened to be by. She was stunning, and extremely friendly!

Now swimming in the ocean? I didn't get to do until near the end, as the riptide was rough during the week. The surf was a touch rough, but I didn't mind. I gotta admit, it was definitely intimidating. The ocean is absolutely nothing like the great lakes. There's a power to it that makes the ocean terrifyingly beautiful. What really left me speechless was the absolute vastness. No matter how far you look out into the sea underwater, you're staring down towards an infinite space that holds so many secrets that man has yet to even discover, let alone fathom. It's terrifying, but humbling. It made me realize how small my problems are....and understand and appreciate my roots as a multicellular organism, thinking about how far I have come to be into the existence I live in now VS my long since dead single-celled, archiac ancestors that lived in the primordial sea billions of years prior to me. In a way, it makes me proud of how far I've come in life, and reminds me of how little my problems are, because there is greater, more magnificent things out there that are worth my time and energy to ponder and engage with.

As much as I regret never experiencing the ocean at a young age, I am glad I did now as a fledged adult, because I wouldn't be able to string together words to perfectly illustrate to you my first hand experience, and how it made me feel.

[aestheticvoyage2023]

Day 31: Tuesday January 31, 2023 - “Mel Robbins Podcast”

One of the best new parts of my day in the new year has been ingesting the Mel Robbins Podcast regularly, and even getting my Mom into listening with me so that we can share ideas back and forth as I work to make sense of anxiety and mental health.  In that arena, Mel is my new super hero. A super hero I didnt know I needed.  And that easy listening friendly feeling accent she wields? North Muskegon.  Hang on, and ride.  Life is real, anxiety is real, and its not personal. Doing the work right now includes listening in to someone also doing the work; a lot of work and I am grateful to live in a time when these resources are so available to me.  I’ve re-thought who I follow on social media, the kind of content I consume in hopes that these small incremental changes and habits build to something healthy and useful for me and my family.  This work isn’t just for my children, and for my Grand-children and my grand-children’s children.

Song: Nahko & Medicine For The People - The Wolve Have Returned (ft. Leah Song)

Quote: “Life is school, you can enjoy-you can hate it, but you gotta attend it.  Thats the deal.  There are lessons every day.  And the biggest lessons are in the biggest moments of friction and the highest moments of joy. If you get serious about paying attention to the lessons and you get serious about your own bologna excuses, and you get serious about just taking actions and inching forward every day, and you embrace this notion ‘change isnt easy, but its worth it, and I am capable of it’ - you my friend, will feel the happiness you deserve.  You’ll level up. You will enjoy it. Imagine enjoying it.  ~ Mel Robbins 

[honeyfallen]

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 ( gimme five. from not via )

omg hi not via im ur biggest fan, ,, these are just for u tho u better be sleeping <333

this isnt something ive seen a whole lot as of a late but sometimes its very easy to see when ppl dont consider others on here like, , , Real Actual people and thats !! strange!! just bc u met someone on the internet and they are not Face to Face with you doesn’t mean u can just treat them how u please bc there arent like “real life” repercussions for u

kind of going off that but it can be really exhausting to always be reaching out to people only to get limited or cut off responses that just make it feel like someone is Uninterested . like i can be guilty of this!! 100% i am not going to sit here and say that i haven’t been on the other end of things and im trying to get better about it too!! but when ur constantly the person messaging someone to talk or check in or plot or Whatever, ur gonna get tired and like do that less and less and it’s really disheartening! like again, we all have lots of other stuff going on, im not saying u need to make urself available to someone when u dont have the time or mental capacity, but just one message here and there can make a difference, fuck knows im depressed as shit and have my moments of isolation too, its just hard if u feel like ur the only one making an effort

idk if this is unpopular or anything but i find it a lot easier to like,, write with ppl if im like,,, friends or just friendly with someone? i totally understand that not everyone here is looking for Friends or anything, sometimes ur just here to write and that’s fine and i’m like, not going to Not write with you bc ur not talking to me ooc all the time, but idk, it’s just nice to learn about y’all outside of ur muses and ur writing and it makes me a tiny bit more ,, comfortable? to approach ur writing and stuff? 

cliques are annoying, they can be offputting, but people writing more with their friends than with ppl they dont know isnt always a bad thing kjfdngfdgf i like to branch out and meet new people but i also have people that im just generally more comfortable with and that replies come to more easily for that! i promise im not here to make anyone feel left out, we’re all like,, mostly mentally ill and sometimes u gotta curate that space

darby already kind of said this but the way ppl pay female ocs dust sometimes, , ,,,,,,, i know i like,, mainly write a Man,,,,,,, but not that long after i first made elijahs blog i made a solo one for a lesbian oc i had and yknow what,,, yeah!! its the like specifically women that cant be shipped with Men that often dont get as much going on and u dont!! need to have a romantic ship to establish some fun and interesting dynamics between people!! elijah as a character is terrible abt distinguishing between platonic and romantic affection bt some of my favorite dynamics for him are ones that are strictly platonic or familial, theyre really fucking fun to write and should!! also be considered, just bc u cant ship ur character with another doesnt mean u cant find some fun shit to write / plot

[exculis]

Maybe writing it out will make me less insane. Suicide mention obviously.

I'm not going to do anything. I feel the need to preface this. Do not call the cops on me or any mentally ill person. That will just make shit 20x worse.

I already have so little going on i feel like legitimately my only 2 reasons to live are to experience good food and to do my yarn crafts. My family members keep going out and interacting with people and exposing me to covid secondhand and if i lose my sense of taste there goes 50% of my will to live.

My sister keeps staying the night at her dumbass boyfriend's house and he's got bedbugs. When she inevitably brings those home and doesn't tell anyone for weeks and weeks and we don't discover them until its an infestation then ill have to toss out basically every scrap of fiber i own. Not just the yarn but the things ive already made too. There goes the other 50%

I guess i need more reasons to live but i don't know where to get them. I wondered briefly if maybe itd be better to just quit while I'm ahead instead of waiting for circumstances largely out of my control to cause my world to crash down around me.

Even beyond killing myself, I've gotta fight the very strong urge to just shut myself in my room forever to minimize risk. I have a wonderful concoction of mental illnesses that primes me for being an agoraphobic shut in. I can't let that happen or it'll never stop

Mental health care isn't an option. I've already been rejected by every therapist that was an option. I don't blame them. I can't talk to mental health professionals ever since my high school guidance counselors set off some kind of mental breakdown senior year. Id always had social anxiety but that was my first real run in with having nonverbal episodes. Talking to A therapist wont work when you can't talk. Even if there was A therapist to talk to. And there isn't.

Still having 2 reasons to live keeps me going well enough. But even if I lose both of them i doubt I'm even strong enough to let the misery guide my hand. I'm too much of a coward for that. People that say suicide is the easy way out have clearly never been suicidal. What would happen to my knitting machine. What would happen to my family. What would happen to me. Its even scarier when you're a closeted trans person. I have to wonder if id be memorialized with the wrong name. The wrong pronouns. But it would feel wrong to them to use a name they only found out after i died wouldn't it.

And its not like coming out of the closet while i am alive would do much by way of improving my mental health. It would, if anything, take away one of the reasons i haven't killed myself. And i don't think that's a good thing when i already have so few reasons to stay alive. Which is really what im doing. Im not living. Im staying alive. Even if coming out went spectacularly. I get on T within weeks (not likely. I have to beg my dad to make medically necessary appointments for me) and i start medically transitioning. Great. I've given myself another reason to become a shut in.

I don't live in the worst area for sure but its also not exactly a trans friendly area. I see more trump bumper stickers than anything else. Thin blue line flags is a close second. Nobody even has fun ones anymore. Just the worst political stances you've ever seen in your life. Can't we get a little whimsy.

If i started transitioning id just end up too afraid to leave my house and risk transphobic violence. I guess its a little hypocritical to want to die but be afraid of being killed. But i think its also human nature. Also, i have always been kind of a hypocrite.

Some of this would be easier if i had my own place. Sure. But i can't get a place with no job. I cant get a job due to the aforementioned untreated concoction of mental illnesses. And even if i could i would just be putting myself at risk of covid even more, and burn me out within months.

There's really no solution here. Just absolutely nothing i can do to meaningfully improve my situation. Even if there was, i have let the fear control me for so long that i wouldn't even know how to do it. But even if i wasn't afraid, or if i was capable of doing it scared, what would there even be to do? There's nothing. There's nothing for me.

All ive got is a knitting machine to maintain and a family i don't want having to carry around the burden of a dead relative.

Maybe now that that's out of my system i can go the fuck back to sleep. I don't even know why i woke up in the first place.

You ever wake up at 6 am utterly devoid of hope and unable to fall back asleep

[cloudninetonine]

A past that still haunts me

A/N: Hey guys, it's me (ya boi) I'm back with my still current hyper fixation Genshin Impact and a vent fic because I've been really stressed and well, it's hard living in my house :) It's a hurt/comfort fic because they always get to me and I needed to make something for myself

I am willing to do aftermath where the boys confront the abuser or do scenario but with different characters

Synopsis: You’re not a damsel in distress, you never have been and you never will be, but, well, sometimes you need a hero to rely on and that’s okay

Characters: Diluc, Kaeya, Zhongli and Childe

Warnings: Hints to past abuse, confrontation of abuser, violence, mentions of blood, threats, foul language

It had meant to be like any other menial day of an adventurer: sign in with Katheryne, complete your commissions, sign out with Katheryne with your payments - done and dusted.

But that wasn’t how it went, no, far from it - archons, so damn far from it.

“Thank you once again, (Name)” Katheryne’s smile was kind like usual, holding that familiar feeling of gratitude as she handed over your remission within a marked package, hand returning to the desk’s polished surface once you had taken it graciously, sending her a beaming grin back. “The Guild really appreciates your work ethic when it comes to the Ruin machines, it’s hard to come across adventurers who want to handle them anymore”

You sent her a shrug as you placed away the box “Can’t blame them really, they’re a hard bunch to handle- I was terrified of them when I first started too, but I had my vision to help me out, a lot of these folk only use there pure determination to eradicate them, gotta admire that!”

She laughed along with you politely “Have a good evening, (Name), I’ll see you again tomorrow?”

“Of course you will!” You backpedalled away from the guild reception, throwing the woman a polite double fingered salute as you did “Ad astra abyssoque as they say, my fair lady!”

She parrotted back her usual phrase before disappearing into the building, you walking further down the path of the city for your final activity for that day.

Of course, you didn’t reach that far, after all, it wasn’t that menial day you had expected, that you had wanted. Life was cruel sometimes, so incredibly cruel for no justified reason just for the sake of it all and you wished, archons, you wished you could rewind the clock and stop yourself from bumping into the body, to save yourself from all the repressed trauma bursting forth like a flurry of butterflies, well, more like moths, disgusting, ungodly, monster moths that aimed straight for the face.

“Sorry!” You yelped, too preoccupied with gathering your pocketwatch you had dropped in the stumble to see who it had been, after all, you were on a schedule and you didn’t want to be-

“(Name)?”

...late.

All of a sudden, time didn’t seem to exist, or maybe it was moving way too slowly from that horrid spike of adrenaline that shot into your bloodstream as soon as the voice registered.

You hoped to the Archons that it wasn’t, that it couldn’t, but did the gods hear your prayers?

“Oh Archons, it is you! It’s been such a long time!”

Of course, they did, they just didn’t care to listen. Ignoring the cries of your people were in fashion to them these days.

They stood there with a smile so excited it almost seemed to tear their face in half, with eyes sparkling with recognition after so many years away from them, they opened their arms welcoming you into their embrace like it was something just so normal for the two of you like you would come bounding to them like a lost puppy who had finally found their master.

The fear of your abuser dwarfed in comparison the pure feral rage and loathing to think that they even deserved to be breathing in the same space as you.

People were looking, of course, they were looking, you knew what they were doing, being bright and jovial, bringing others attention towards you both so that whatever scene you caused would be your fault like you were the bad guy. It was old tactics, of course, you wouldn’t dare do anything when you were younger, you’d just push through it, but this wasn’t old times, this wasn’t younger you, scared, smaller you afraid them, this was you now, a warrior, unwavering in battle, a person who smiled in the face of danger, who laughed at the pitiful fights that 2- no- 4 abyss mages brought to you!

To hell what other people thought, you’d stomp their head into the cobblestone if they had so much as poked you.

“Come here and give me a-”

You took a step back, mustering the deadliest face you could, but you wavered, it was only natural, no matter how much you could try to hype yourself up, this person was your first true experience of real-life nightmares, the first person to bring you true pain, no matter how many ruin guards, hunters, millachurls, mages- anything you faced, nothing could prepare you to face your first fear:

The fear of your older sibling.

“If you fucking touch me I’ll stab you-” The growl cracked nearing the end, you were always an angry crier but you were not about to fall back to this- this monster. “In front of all these people, I won’t hesitate”

Their face dropped followed by your stomach, though, the food you had for lunch sure did feel its way up your gullet.

“What’s with your language? We haven’t seen each other in four years and this is how you treat me? Your older sibling?” They laughed in disbelief because onlookers would think they were shocked, I mean, how could you speak to family like that? But they didn’t know, they didn’t know the words they had told you, the insults, the threats, those tight grabs, those beatings- they didn’t know, so they obviously didn’t know that the shock came from the fact that you had stood up to them.

You licked your lips to get rid of the dryness, but the problem you faced was that your mouth had dried out along with them, as did your throat.

Don’t let them turn this on you, don’t let them get the upper hand, you were better than them, so much better.

“You’re not my fucking sibling” You spat, feeling the air vibrate around you, a sudden shine from your cloak hinted you to the cause “You haven’t been for a long time, don’t fucking try that shit with me”

There it was, that familiar enraged spark, that look of hatred on their face, the thing that warned you about what you said had been the right thing to set them off, that they were just as easily triggered by the smallest act of rebellion just like when you were kids.

Of course, they hadn’t changed.

Evil never did.

They took a step forward but you didn’t back off, just hardened your resolve as they leaned in menacingly, as though their stupid little intimidation tactic still worked after all these years.

You told yourself it didn’t but you knew deep down that wasn’t completely true.

“Don’t speak to me like that, (Name)” Facade gone, they showed you what they really were, what they were really like after all, “Don’t you ever speak to me like that, you show me fucking respect”

Respect?

RESPECT!?

Oh Archons, you were angry, no, seething from the thought that they ever deserved respect.

That pathetic piece of shit, that gruelling pleb, mere gum on the bottom of your damn shoe-

You’d kill them, right here, right now.

You felt the familiar materialisation begin to form in your hand when another voice called out, a familiar loving one that nearly made your throat swell from relief.

“(Name)?”

Diluc

He could sense the tension. Of course, he could sense the tension, Diluc had faced this tension so many times before, he was practically the one that owned such a vibe anytime Kaeya even breathed near him for a second longer than necessary.

But being the one to witness it, to see you, the usual awkward, goofy sweetheart stare at another with such overbearing malice made him uneasy, caused his stomach to churn in ways he didn’t like, set him off in a way that was only reserved for the most chilling on moments.

Diluc wondered what exactly this stranger had done to warrant such a reaction from you.

“(Name)?” The redhead called, glancing around the many citizens of Mondstadt that watched the exchange with intrigue, guard and worry, eyes focused on the scene of this foreign stranger and fuming you, hand poised by your side with weapon particles dancing on your palm.

When Diluc finally made it over, his form seemed to curl protectively around you, hand landing on the small of your back delicately while keeping face with the person, eyes narrowed dangerously but still holding an air of civilness.

A true gentleman, even when you were close to merking some rando.

“Is there a problem?”

The stranger straightened immediately, backing up a few steps with their hands up in defence, sending Diluc a charming smile that the man could see through crystal clear.

“No problem, no problem at all” They glanced back at you, seemingly friendly despite his partner’s obvious ill intent that radiated off you in waves “Isn’t that right, (Name)?”

Diluc saw you tense up once again, the buzz from your Vision rising in volume with your obvious anger as you tightened your first, ready to just screw your weapon and go for the throat.

“If that is the case” The noble’s hand softly pressed against your back, gently but coaxing, knowing that conflict in the middle of the town centre would just bring the knights to meddle in affairs that they had no business attending “Then we shall be going”

“There’s no need to leave, after all, my sibling and I were just chatting”

He paused, shouldering a questioning glance your way but at the sight of your unruly expression, he pushed down his enquiries and once again began coaxing you away from the scene. Angel’s Share had already been open for a while, meaning the usual folk would already be settled in, but the storage room was sure to be a good place to chat and to calm you down, all he needed to do was get you away.

“We already had plans” The side glance had the stranger- your sibling, biting their tongue, brows furrowing in a known annoyance as the two of you began your way towards the pub, you still vibrating in anger. “Good day to you”

The two of you had made it a few feet when they called out once again “Don’t worry, (Name), I’ll see you again real soon”

Diluc’s arm tightened around you faster than you could react, tugging you away quickly “Diluc-”

“No, (Name)”

“Stay out-”

“Not here” Sharing a look, he softened at the shine in your eyes. “You’ll just attract the knights' attention”

You didn’t care, no, not one bit. If the knights had dared to interfere at that moment, they too would have been caught up in your blinded revenge, thrown aside or slashed down without single care just to finally eradicate the bane of your existence and you didn’t care about what consequences you brought about, you just didn’t and you made sure to tell Diluc that, as soon as you had the privacy of Angel’s Share’s storeroom, pacing up and down while he stood off to the side against the wall, watching silently.

“You had no right to get in my way!” You snapped, voice shaking from the pure emotions you were releasing “I finally had my chance, I was finally going to do it! They deserve to end by my hand, by my decision, after the years of torture they put me through! They deserved it! And you got in my way! How could you get in my way! I-”

Pushing off the wall, he slowly advanced towards you, carefully, hands out like he was approaching a wounded animal.

“I understand you’re upset-”

“I’m not upset!” You cried at him, stopping mid-step before dropping your head and tightly, grabbing your hair in your hands “I’m not upset! I’m angry! I’m so fucking angry! And I deserve to be fucking angry! I-”

The sob ripped through your throat despite you trying to hold it back, tears finally gathering in your eyes and rapidly falling down your cheeks “You should have let me kill them! I should have had the chance to rid the world of their evil! It’s not fair! It’s not- it’s not fair, I-”

You didn’t bother to fight him when his arms finally wrapped around you, just fell against him as you wept. The pent up rage, fear and sadness from years of repression taking its toll as you cried, your partner whispering sweet words as he raked his hand through your hair gently and leaned his head against yours.

“I’m sorry” His hand held your cheek fondly, ruby red staring back into your own eyes with a softness that made you melt “I didn’t know this meant so much to you, but if you’re willing to tell me, I’ll listen. I’ll always listen”

With another choked sob, you leaned into his hold “Please just hold me for now”

And he did just that.

Kaeya

The captain had promised to meet you at his office, a simple task really but with the lingering presence of Jean and the words ‘There’s so much work that needs to be done’ leaving her lips he bolted, hoping to catch you by the Guild and drag you to Angel Share for your date. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to help her, it was just he had already promised you this night and Eula could have always taken his place with paperwork, her threat of “vengeance” as she liked to call it could wait for another day.

It was also due to the fact he had no intentions of filing any paperwork for as long as he could avoid it, but that was his secret to be kept.

Being the perspective man he was, he could tell straight away he had walked into something tense, surveying the surrounding people of Mondstadt who looked on in concern, the unbridled rage upon your face, the obviously intimidating lean that the stranger held over you- something was wrong and he knew he had to put a stop to it.

“(Name)?” You glanced for a single moment before your furious glare had returned to the stranger, another flag waving right in his face as he approached, “My dear? Who might this be?”

Before you could snap, lip curling in disgust, the stranger stood back to their full height, switching quickly with a fake charming smile that practically mirrored his own, holding out their hand towards him “(S/N) (Last), (Name)’s older sibling. it’s nice to meet you”

Kaeya’s smile widened and despite the glare from you that was now focused on him, he shook your sibling's hand in-kind “Kaeya Alberich, (Name)’s partner-”

He made sure to tighten his grip with his last words “And Cavalry Captain of the Knights of Favonius”

Successfully, as he always was, Kaeya held back the smug, mocking grin that itched to climb onto his face when the neck of your sibling bobbed nervously, forehead reflecting the afternoon light as sweat gathered on their brow.

The man hadn’t obviously threatened them, surely, Kaeya was smarter than that, but then again, he could still present himself as a threat, a good one and well, his title was a menacing one when it came to the right moment. ‘Try anything and not only do I have the authority to kick your arse but the power to put you in a place many didn’t dare even step’ shortened into an innocent sentence with only 8 words.

“Cavalry Captain? That’s quite impressive” They laughed off, tugging away their hand awkwardly when Kaeya continued to keep a firm grip, his present eye focused solely on your siblings face. They glanced over to you “Quite an achievement for you, aye (Name)?”

You growled, “I’ll show you an achievement-”

Kaeya’s arm had wrapped around your waist not a second later, tugging you tighter to his side as the two of you turned, the man throwing your sibling a smile over his shoulder.

“As nice as it was to meet you, (S/B), we must be going”

And then without another word Kaeya dragged you away, heading in the direction of your home instead of Angel Share tavern, feeling your pure, unfiltered anger the whole way along with the citizens as they parted ways, rushing off from your rage.

It was only when you had returned to the sanctuary of your abode did you snap, jerking away from your boyfriend with angered strides and beginning your seething lecture towards him, moving up and down through the living room while he ventured off into the kitchen, grabbing 2 glasses and a bottle of wine.

“How dare you Kaeya! How fucking dare you! Do you have any idea what you were doing back there!? What was even happening back there!? So much for being the most observant man in Mondstadt because you seemed pretty dense to me the whole fucking time!” Your hands raked through your hair as you yelled, trying so hard to hold back the tears “I didn’t need your damn help, Kaeya! Nor did I fucking want it! Know to stay out of someone's business when it isn’t wanted!”

Logically you knew what he had done, you were smart like that and you knew Kaeya long enough to know what he was doing but your rage, fear and sadness blocked out everything in that moment, made you blind to reality, made you only think irrationally and Kaeya didn’t blame you for that. He could never blame you for that.

Though, it did hurt him to see you in this state.

“Wine?”

You gawked at him for a moment, staring at him with shock and confusion as he held out a wine glass towards you, another held in his other hand and a sweet smile plastered on his face, before your moment morphed into rage, grabbing the drink from his hand and tossing it towards the wall, the red wine splattering over the wallpaper and glass shards falling to the floor.

“Well, that was a waste-”

“Do you think I’m an idiot, Kaeya!?” You cried, not even bothering to hold back anymore as the tears fell and your voice cracked, hand pointing accusingly in his face “Is this some kind of joke to you!? Huh!? Am I a fool in your eyes!? Some sort of blubbering idiot!? Why must you- why do you-”

The second glass was placed on the dresser by you both, Kaeya’s hand coming to hold your cheek fondly while the other came to grab your hand that dangled in the air, still poised at him “I don’t think you're either of those, my dear, in fact, I think you’re one of the brightest in the whole of Teyvat, nevermind Mondstadt”

You hiccuped “Then why-”

Brushing away the wetness from your cheek, he brought your hand to his mouth to place a fond kiss on your palm “Because you mustn’t cry, (Name), don’t waste your tears on someone like them”

“I’m not crying, I’m-”

He shushed you gently and you finally relaxed, falling into his embrace with a heavy heart “-I’m not, I swear-”

Within the familiarity of your home, you wept in his arms, exhausted from the whirlwind of emotions and the scenes that had transpired that day, ready to just curl into yourself and try to block the flooding memories of history. Although, having Kaeya at that moment helped more than he could ever know, having him to rely on made it all so much easier to cope with that day.

“Tell me what ails you and I’ll listen” Brushing back some hair, he pressed a kiss to your head.

“Can..can we just stay like this for a while?”

“Of course, my dear”

Zhongli

He had sensed the incoming danger like it had been revealed in some sort of premonition. Maybe it had been a skill he had acquired after his long, eventful life, maybe it was his connection to Liyue and his citizens, but for some reason, as he sat before Iron Tongue Tian as the man recalled his tales of ancient Liyue like usual, Zhongli knew that the crowd that was forming around Wamin Restaurant had something that he need urgently attend, especially when even Tian paused his story to glance around the corner of the restaurant building to see the commotion.

When the archon had finally borne witness to the scene, he paused within the crowd, surveying the surroundings carefully. You were the centre of attention, along with another stranger, both glaring at one another with anger and disgust, though your own anger seemed to double compared to the other’s, seeing as your weapon was slowly materialising in your grip. Zhongli could also see Guild Master Lan making her way down the steps leading to the Guild reception, a worried expression on her face glancing between you and the approaching Millelith.

Zhongli made his decision, politely pushing through the crowd until he had finally made it by your side, hand being placed gently on your arm “(Name)?”

Both you and the stranger glanced at him, but he paid no mind to them, only held eye contact with you when Lan appeared by your other side, glaring at the stranger with a hardened gaze.

“Are you harassing my guild member?”

Before the stranger could respond, the Millelith had also popped in, glancing between you and them “Is there a problem?”

Zhongli had taken up your view when Lan began her take, she had borne witness for much longer than he had of course and he was certain that you were in no state to talk to the guards. Your eyes were glazed with hatred, pupils pinpricks in a sea of (E/C) and your hands were shaking, balled into fists.

If anything, he needed to try and calm you down first.

“Get the hell out of my way, Zhongli” Your teeth ground together, words shaking with anger “Don’t push yourself into my business”

“I’m sorry, my love, but I can’t do that” He tried brushing your cheek but you jerked away, glaring at his hand before glaring back at him, in no mood to be coddled “I don’t want you to do something you’d regret”

“Trust me, I won’t regret this one bit”

Zhongli held his tongue for the question that almost rolled out, knowing now wasn’t the time for inquiries when the stranger’s voice rang out, condescending and snarky as they addressed you.

“Still need people to protect you, aye (Name)? Of course, you’re still the same pathetic bitch from years ago”

You were lucky for your reputation around Liyue, for the picture of the kind and caring adventurer that had swept through the town from your years of living here because had it not been for that, you pushing aside your boyfriend and materialising your weapon to aim it at your sibling’s throat would have had you in cuffs that instant.

Lan grabbed you, tugging you away as you screamed “I’ll show you pathetic you fucker! Let me go!”

The Millelith didn’t wait to drag your sibling away, much to their cries of dismay, one sending Lan a nod while you continued to fight against her, crying out in frustration.

“Kid, you have to calm down-”

“Calm down!? No! Get the hell off me!”

Zhongli watched as you finally broke away, huffing and puffing up a storm before glancing amongst the crowd, staring at their worried and concerned faces, your own eyes tearing up before you looked away pushing past the crowd to find somewhere to be alone.

When Lan went to call out for you, Zhongli raised his hand, the two sharing a look before the archon made his way after you, his longer legs keeping a steady pace to which he could catch up to you, just beyond the bridge that led into Liyue Harbour. There were no people where you stood, just the lush green plants and great mountains of nature, a perfect place for you to let out your frustration without the prying eyes of the citizens.

“(Name)-”

“Leave me alone!” You cried, curling into yourself with your back turned to him “I don’t want you here, Zhongli! Nor did I want you back there! I didn’t need your or anyone else's help!”

You knew he was here from a place of concern, and deep down you begged that your words didn’t harm him in any way, but currently, you didn’t care, you didn’t want to care, you just wanted to be numb, numb to the flashbacks of your horrid past and numb to the feelings that were dragged along with them.

“My love, please, return with me to our home, I will brew some calming tea-”

“Tea? Tea!? Does it look like I want any fucking tea?! I couldn’t care any less about some fucking tea, Zhongli!” Spinning around on your heels, you scowled at him, not bothering to hide your rushing tears “Don’t you get it!? I want to be left alone, I-”

Two gloved hands gently encased your face, your angered expression morphing into one of shock as your partner stared down at you with glowing eyes filled with a deep-rooted love, affection, worry and so much more that you couldn’t put into mere mortal words. At that moment, everything felt as if it had melted away, only you and him were in this world, nothing else, just the two of you.

And you felt as though your heart had been lifted from the pressures of this life.

“I do not think it is best for you to be left alone” His baritone voice was always so calming, so serene and in your sane moment, you finally felt its effects “I wish to stay with you, so please, let me stay”

With a whimper, you grabbed onto his forearms and leaned your face into his hands, tears continuing to fall as your eyes fluttered shut “Okay…”

“They have hurt you deeply, haven’t they?”

Hesitantly, you nodded.

“Would you be so kind as to tell me the details?”

“I-...” Sharing eye contact once again, you whispered “Can- can you just...hold me for now? Please”

Moving his hands from your face, he engulfed you in his arms, leaning his head against yours “Of course”

Childe

The Harbinger had just left the Northland Bank, hell, he was just about to make his way down the spiral staircase but when hearing the commotion, he paused, something in his gut telling him to check just before and he was glad he did.

Glancing over the elevated walkway, he felt a fiery pit roar in the depths of his stomach, eyes narrowing dangerously at the scene; you were snarling in some other person’s face, their own face nothing short of disgust and a crowd that only seemed to grow by the minute.

Who the hell did this person think they were? Did they even know who you were? To stand so close to you, with a look of threat on their face like you weren’t about to kick their arse? Like he wasn’t about to kick their arse? How did this insignificant speck of dross not know your connections with him, the 11th Harbinger? Or did he know and was just trying his luck?

“Seems like someone has a death wish” And a death wish they had indeed.

Ignoring the perplexed glance from his subordinate stationed outside the building's entrance, Childe made his way down the steps, murderous look stitched on the whole way to the circle of civilians, the mass parting ways for the man that was Tartaglia and continuing to watch the moment in silence.

“Who the hell are you-” You both turned towards him, you in shock while the stranger stared in confusion until Childe’s hand wrapped around their collar, tugging them closer to look down at them with a deep-rooted disgust “-And why the hell are you harassing my partner?”

They fought against him, obviously, they did, but the surprise came when you saddled up next to him, grabbing his arm “Stay out of this, Tartaglia”

What? It hadn't been your request, no, you were always one to finish your whole fights you weren't "A damsel in distress after all!" no, you were so much more, so much greater but that look on your face, murderous and downright cruel- he just couldn't believe his ears.

Childe stared at you in shock while the stranger struggled, throwing him a dirty look in their attempts “Yeah, this is between my sibling and I”

Childe straightened in surprise, feeling embarrassment flood his system. Had he seriously just grabbed and threatened his lover’s family member? Oh, Archons, his judgement had been clouded by anger at the look of the scene, I mean, why would your sibling look at you that way-

“But it’s really no surprise that you still need to be babied, (Name), how shameful”

His eyes widened but not a moment later had you tackled your sibling, the crowd crying out in alarm as you threw back your fist and crushed their nose under the weight of your punch. “I’ll show you fucking shameful, bastard!”

There was shouting and a glance showed the oncoming Millelith marching towards the circle.

Being Fatui always did garner the attention of the guards nowadays, especially for him, who had tried to lure out the attention of their Archon by summoning an ancient god that nearly drowned the entirety of the harbour, so it was no surprise that they seemed to hurry in the pursuit when they noticed his appearance at the scene. However, lucky for him, your reputation as a great adventurer preceded you and throughout Liyue you were seen as a trusted and well-liked individual, meaning whatever trouble you got in, containing his meddling or not, was usually waved away due to the trust of the people.

So, without another thought, Childe tugged you off of your bloodied sibling and held you close, even as you thrashed violently, shouting at him to let you go.

“What is going on here?” A guard called, slamming the hilt of his polearm into the ground as he surveyed the area, eyes landing on the sibling before following the small trail of blood to you, still fighting against your boyfriend with threats falling from your lips “Was there a reason for this brawl? Who started it?”

As your sibling raised themselves on their forearms, they scowled and opened their mouth to respond, only for Childe to put in. “It was them, sir, they were the one that started it, (Name) was merely acting in self-defence”

The Millelith scowled at him, raising a brow and once again looking you over “Is that so?”

He addressed the crowd soon after “Is this what happened?”

And as expected, they all glanced over the sibling, then to you and piped up in agreement. It paid to be a hero, it seemed, the whole harbour returning the favour of years of helping out the community.

“If that’s the case, please come with us” The sibling cried out, anger and fear laced into their voice, trying to argue for their innocence only for the guards to grab them, hauling them away to archons know where while Childe did the same with you, slowly dragging you away from the scene and back into the bank, you screaming and cursing the whole way until you had made it to his office, finally managing to push him off and storming to the opposite side of the room practically seething.

“Who the hell do you think you are, Tartaglia!?” You cried, throwing out your arms in exaggeration “I didn’t need your fucking help! And why the fuck would you pull me off them!? I had them right where I wanted them and you fucking did that! Are you a moron!?”

“You had a sibling” He breathed, watching as you began to pace, muttering in an angered state “And you didn’t tell me”

“-after all these years I finally had the chance to end their pathetic excuse of a life and you just got in my fucking way! I’d waited too long for this moment and you fucking ruined it! How dare you, how fucking dare you-”

“(Name), why didn’t you tell me you had a sibling!?” He cried, walking up to you and grabbing your wrist to stop you “I was ready to kill them right there! And why are you talking about them like this!? They’re your family aren’t they-”

“They are not my fucking family!”

The scream echoed through the room, chilling Childe to the core as you ripped your arm from his grasp, running your hands through your hair before gripping it so tightly it felt close to being ripped from your head. But you didn’t care, no, you couldn’t, you were so angry and you needed something to keep you grounded, to keep yourself from losing yourself and getting lost in those haunting past memories.

The Harbinger felt his chest squeeze painfully as the tears fell down your face, red rimming your eyes and cheeks wet as you sobbed, chest heaving from trying to breathe “Family takes care of you! Family thinks of you in the highest light possible! They love you for who you are and they love you no matter what! That bastard hurt me, made me feel worthless and they refuse to believe they could do no wrong and I hate them! They are the bane of my existence! They are not my fucking family! I hate them, I hate them, I hate them, I-”

Arms were around you instantly, Childe’s face pressed into your hair as you wept, grasping onto the lapels of his suit and shoving your face into his chest to muffle your cries.

“I’m sorry” He whispered, his own eyes shining slightly “I’m sorry, I was being insensitive. Please, don’t cry”

“No, I’m not crying, I promised myself I wouldn’t-” You hiccuped “I wouldn’t waste any more tears on them-”

Then you broke off into more wails, your boyfriend holding you close and letting you continue to cry in his arms, warm and comforting until you were finally reduced to whimpers, leaning into him heavily as the remaining adrenaline in your body began to wear thin when he pressed a kiss to your forehead.

“Will...will you tell me about it?”

You sniffed “Later...just hold me for now, please, Ajax...”

His arms tightened protectively “Anything for you, my love”

[thefanficmonster]

Bouquet

Corpse Husband x Reader (Female)

Warnings: None

Genre: FLUFF, RPF (Real Person Fic)

Summary: Having come clean about being single for a very long time now and considering herself completely out of the dating scene, Y/N’s confession is taken and responded to with a ton of kindness, especially from a special someone...

Requested by Anon. Hi hun! Thank you so much for your lovely request, it was such a joy to write! I’m so sorry for the long wait you had to go through but the fic is finally here and I hope you enjoy reading it! Love, Vy ❤

I roll out of bed with little to no desire to start my day. We haven’t got a scheduled stream for today and the clouds glooming in the sky seem to be promising rain so really what do I have to get up for except that it’s a rule society installed?

Just kidding, I’m basically stalling and that’s all.

So what happened was the streamer gang and I were playing Among Us last night and our conversation during the pause between rounds somehow swerved into relationship territory. I stayed quiet the majority of if not all the time because I had no valid input to offer. 

If you know me you know I’m not one of the performers on the dating scene. I have never really confirmed it with my fans - well, until last night, that is - but I bet they have picked up on that fact considering I’ve been on YouTube for around a decade and have never had a partner. That being said, I’d have to also mention that I have in fact dated but someone but it was before my YouTube era started. Me choosing this career path, which back then was just a hobby, had nothing to do with the relationship ending but it still motivated me to not to actively look for a relationship while I’m still focused on my career. It’s too much work, too much stress and requires a lot of balance I most certainly either don’t have or I don’t have the energy to put in balancing my romantic and professional lives. Luckily, no one’s ever pressured me into finding a significant other, not yet at least, so no societal pressure for me!

But I gotta admit I felt real awkward admitting all this last night.

“Hey Y/N what do you think? You’ve been awfully quiet?“ Rae asks, causing me to jolt in my seat from where I’ve been reading my chat for the past five minutes, my mic muted.

I quickly unmute to reply, blushing ever so slightly, “Um, sorry I was reading my chat. What do I think about what?”

“The gesture of giving flowers to your significant other, is it romantic or a waste of money and plant murder?“ Rae explains, still managing to catch me off-guard with her question.

I ponder what my response should be for a little bit before deciding to level it to a neutral level where I almost sound indifferent, “It is in fact plant murder basically and artificial flowers would definitely be a better gift - plus they’ll last longer.”

“Mhmm yeah that’s true.“ Poki agrees with me, “But there’s still the question of whether it’s a romantic gesture or not. I personally don’t think it’s overrated or cheesy, I actually quite like it. What about you, Y/N?“

And now she’s got me in a real trap that I can’t wiggle out of without speaking my truth. I don’t know where this sudden anxiety around the subject came from but it now resides within me rent free and makes me feel self-conscious and embarrassed of the confession I’m inevitably make.

“Um, I wouldn’t know for certain, I’ve never received flowers myself...“ I say sheepishly, cringing at the sound of my own voice, “It’s not like I’ve dated plenty of people and the one guy I did date wasn’t really romantic or anything, I mean - we were teenagers, after all. But when I think about it in theory I think I’d like the gesture: it’s thoughtful, plus you get a temporary but beautiful piece of décor out of it.“

I’m gonna hope I didn’t sound too pitiful or desperate. Of course I’m not gonna check afterward on the stream cause I’d rather live in the illusion of having sounded humorous rather than be given the confirmation that I didn’t.

“Wait, wait, wait, did you date your last boyfriend like a decade ago?“ Corpse is now the one talking and that makes me feel even more anxious. This is not the impression one would want to give to their crush, is it? Oh well, no turning back now.

“Correct.“ I reply with a laugh that I hope didn’t sound as nervous as it was.

“And you’ve never, like in your whole life, received flowers from someone?“ He sounds astonished which sort of makes me want to shrink up in my shell like a turtle. Too bad I don’t have a shell though. I’m genuinely thinking of the option to rip the router out of the outlet right now to save me the troubles but I’m not that immature. I’m surprised I’m even reacting this way - this topic doesn’t usually bother me at all but now for some reason I’m red as a tomato and shrinking in my chair. 

I know what the obvious answer is but I’d rather die than admit to it.

“Yeah, yeah, I know it sounds bad but I really don’t care.“ I make an attempt at changing the subject, swerving it back to the main topic rather than my lack of a love life, “I do, in fact, find the gesture sweet - it adds vibrancy to the relationship just like the flowers would add vibrancy and color to the space they’re put in.“

“Oh my gosh, that’s such a cool analogy!“ Rae gushes, “You’re totally right, it might be an old trick, but it’s aged like fine wine.“

Phew, God bless you Rae.

“Exactly, exactly.“ Corpse agrees as well but I don’t think he’s fully heard what Rae said since he sounds to have fallen in deep thought.

At least I got away with it with only making a SLIGHT nervous wreck of myself.

Yikes, was that horrible, though I don’t people will remember it for long. Sure, my fans have sent me thousands of lovely messages and pictures of bouquets and will maybe continue sending them for another day or two - which I highly appreciate, don’t get me wrong. I’m severely touched by this gesture of theirs and it almost makes me glad I finally ‘came clean’ about my romance-less life - however, it’ll fade overtime. I mean, who the heck cares if I’m single or not?

As I pour the milk over my cheerios which I’ve been snacking on dry for the past half hour as I rifled through the many notifications clogging up my lock screen, I hear the doorbell ring. I’m understandably puzzled by this, seeing as how I never get visitors so that doorbell rings only when I’ve ordered something, be it takeout or a random item off Amazon. However, I can’t remember ordering anything, at least not anything that should be arriving at the moment or even anytime soon - that glow-in-the dark curtain isn’t supposed to arrive until next week.  I make my way to the door, unbothered by the fact I’m still in my pajamas, and take a look through the peephole.

It’s a delivery guy...and he happens to be holding a huge-ass bouquet.

“What the...“ I mutter to myself as I unlock and swing open the door in the blink of an eye, “Hi?“

“Hi there, are you Y/N L/N?“ The delivery guy, who I’ve seen many times before and who I’m on pretty friendly terms with, asks me jokingly, sending a wink my way.

“I sure am.“ I reply, my gaze fixated on the breathtaking flowers he’s holding, “But those can’t be for me, that’s for sure.“

He fishes looks at his clipboard one more time, nodding before he looks back at me, “I double and triple checked, Y/N, they’re for you. Here, have a look if you don’t believe me.” He turns the clipboard  for me to see and he is actually telling the truth. I mean, I doubt he’d have any reason to lie to me but mix-ups happen all the time.

“Um, ok thanks. Sorry for the halt, it’s just...I’d hate to be the recipient of the flowers meant for another girl.” I apologize as I take the bouquet for him, still in awe of the fact I’m the one it was made and meant for and sent to.

I say a quick ‘bye’ to the delivery guy before practically running inside to inspect this bouquet for a card from the sender. I have my guesses: it has to be someone who was present during the stream last night and someone who knows my address. Hopefully it’s someone from my friend group and not a fan who watched the stream and just happens to know my address. I’d still appreciate the gesture, but I’d also install security cameras if that was the case.

Something about the color scheme of the flowers - pink and black - gives me Rae vibes since she constantly teases me about my aesthetics contradicting each other. But then again, Poki does it too so it could be her as well....

Oh...OH GOD IT’S NEITHER OF THEM

                                                               ~ ~ ~

I’ve been sitting here, keeping myself a safe distance from my phone so I’m not the first one to send her a text. So I don’t ask if she got what I sent her. So I don’t ask what she thought of it, how the bouquet looks in her living room, how it smells, how it makes her feel. I have so many questions so that phone is best off at a major distance from me. I’m the one who’s better off with such a huge distance between me and the device, to be perfectly honest.

Was it a bad idea? Should I have slept on it - or just thought about it longer cause sleep and I don’t get along? Should I have at least waited a day or two? Should I-

My phone vibrates with a notification and I practically fly to it from across the room, grabbing it and unlocking it asap. My heart sinks and takes off like a rocket simultaneously when I see I’ve been tagged in Y/N’s Instagram story. I nervously tap the notification that sends me to the picture of the bouquet I sent her with some text written over it.

“Thank you, Romeo ;)“

Somehow that one sentence answers all those aforementioned questions.

Is this what people refer to as butterflies in one’s stomach? Cause it feels significantly more like a crush...oh wait.

@maat-the-prescriptive  @simonsbluee  @save-the-sky  @itsminniekat  @hacker-ghost  @bi-andready-tocry  @imtiredaffff  @jazzkaurtheglorious  @hereforbeebo  @fandomgirl17  @chrysanthykios  @maehemscorpyus  @loraleiix  @letsloveimagines  @annshit  @i-cant-choose-a-username-help  @enigmaticmaze  @divine-artemis  @waterlilypat  @idontknowwhatthisisfam  @evi-ka  @classyandfabulous00  @redperson58  @lilysdaydreams @solowheein  @mythicalamphitrite  @axen-gers  @luckygirl144  @nj01  @buddyemily   @the-albino-lioness  @stardream14  @gdhdkfnn  @nomadicgypsyy  @preciousskye  @fluffysuicideunicornsworld  @o-kaelin  @manacharlotte  @awkward-youtube-trash  @lolalee24  @bonky-beerns  @meme-lord-and-savior-sebastian  @strawbrinkofdeath  @teenloves  @tams0527  @browneyespinkhair  @starstruckllamapuppy  @daisychains012  @y0ulooked  @tinytacosuitcaseflap @supernatural-is-my-only-life  @jula-pauline  @melodykitty  @just-that-bi-girl  @crazybutconfidentaf  @lowellshade @alphakees  @bellero  @weallneednamjesus  @starryhanji  @boiled-onionrings  @husherstan  @fockingwhore  @melaningoddessthings  @prettypastelpetals  @haleypearce  @godwhyamiawkward  @y-napotat  @daisychainyoonmin  @little-miss-rebel3  @free-wheelin-bi-sexual  @redmoon261 @darkacademic2  @wiseflamingoqueen  @into-the-end  @namikhai-i  @nastiablr  @thelittleplantlover  @mirktuan  @dont-hyuck @jjk-bunny  @vintagegothlover  @easygoingtheatre  @itsrandombooklover  @miiaivi  @emmybaybee  @befourgolden  @jjk-is-my-shit  @eternalteaaars  @spacebadgerx  @princesslunalight  @acequinn14  @samm48  @misselsbells06 @simp-lykawa  @fo-love  @marishimomura-blog  @therealglenncoco  @cinnamonbun332  @killtherandomness  @sanshinexxxsan  @fee-btheweeb  @press-lay  @cathleenpotgieter16  @jazzydoesstuff  @moonlxghtbay  @forestrain2000  @hyunjinhugs  @blood-of-fandoms  @lovellylies  @ukiyolixx  @simpforhpcharacters  @chrisdylan17  @parkerjisung  @pedernille  @theodonyous  @wineandionysus  @malfoystilinskii05  @morbid-x  @coryisagee  @jessewa26  @scoobydooluver97 @mindintheskies365  @raeanneinwonderland  @indecisive-empanada  @gluttonypalace  @loriane2503  @btsiguess-kpop  @khaoticbunny  @lucidlycactus  @smiithys  @rottenroyalebooks  @kpopgirlbtssvt  @fangirl-tc27  @fr0z3n-1  @notmesimpingfortechno  @shotarosleftpinky  @kunoi-chan  @idk-whats-wrong-with-me  @yikeroonie  @goldenstarofthunderclan  @poetry-and-tea  @ama-do-writing-stuff  @wishbonewolf  @emeraldxhope  @t0xick1tty  @kusuinko  @speakyourselfloveyourself  @sophia902103  @lo-manburg  @classsykittykat  @dmgama  @depressedpuppythatneedscoffee  @btsiguess-kpop  @akaashi-baby  @gun-jong-simp  @geschichtenfee  @yerapotato-wp  @browneyedgirl365  @thysagclub  @sparklycloudnight  @helloatomicshadow  @queentorresstuff @vtte @val-gal  @lucy-bunny17  @aaliyahh0  @katluckybear  @boyleanti  @straybids  @franchesca-791  @cosmicstorm19  @averyisbackinthetrashcan  @aomi-nabi  @xlanawriter  @allensimpsforcorpse  @sunnyrae-cessh  @ladykxxx08  @meowiemari  @renupf  @booklover76

[drabbles-mc]

One of Them Girls

Angel Reyes x Reader

Request by @lakamaa12: I have a request.. if you don't want to do it, no worries (or it's been done by another blog and I missed it).I was wondering if you would consider writing something with Angel based around the song One of Them Girls by Lee Brice?

(Part 2 can be found Here)

Warnings: language, alcohol, Angel being the cutie we know he is

Word Count: 3.5k

A/N: To the best of my knowledge, no one else has written an Angel fic for this song yet! If you have and I didn’t see it, my bad! But real talk I’ve been obsessed with this song lately and I wanted to write a fic for it so I’m super glad you sent this my way. Hope you enjoy! xo

Angel Taglist: @mayans-sauce @helli4nthus @angelreyesgirl @starrynite7114 @queenbeered @sincerelyasomebody @sadeyesgf @thesandbeneathmytoes @appropriate-writers-name @tomhardydallasstarsgirl @multiyfandomgirl40 @sillygoose6969 @beardburnsupersoldiers @louisianalady @gemini0410 @paintballkid711 @chibsytelford @yourwonkywriter @sesamepancakes @behindmyeyes-insidemyhead @plentyoffandoms @georgiaaintnopeach @twistnet @amandinesblogofstuff @garbinge @bucky-iss-bae @enjoy-the-destruction @encounterthepast @lilacyennefer @everyhowlmarksthedead @rosieposie0624 @mylittlelonelyappreciationtoo @mijop​ @xladymacbethx​ (If you want to be tagged let me know! xo)

Your roommate had been trying for months to get you to go to one of the MC parties with her. She knew them from working at Vicki’s and she swore that you would have a good time if you just came to the clubhouse with her.

“Just for a couple hours,” she pleaded as she stood in the doorway to your room, “and if you’re really not having a good time, we can leave and I’ll never bother you about it again. Promise.”

You sighed, leaning your head back against your headboard, “Fine. Just so you won’t bother me about it anymore.”

She beamed, “Yes! Oh this is gonna be so fun,” you could practically see the thoughts racing through her head, “Wear those skinny jeans that make your butt look good.”

You groaned, “You’re gonna dress me, too?”

She laughed, “It’s just a friendly suggestion.”

It was a suggestion that you begrudgingly took her up on. She really wasn’t that pushy about what to wear, but she knew that she was able to nudge you out of your comfort zone a little bit sometimes. You’d ended up with a simple, low-cut black tank top, the jeans she had suggested, and a pair of black boots. You weren’t going to risk snapping your ankle in a pair of heels when you didn’t know what you’d be walking into.

Elena may have been persistent, but she was a woman of her word. She stayed by you when you first arrived, knowing the scene was a little overwhelming when you first walk into it. You weren’t quite sure what you had been expecting, but this wasn’t quite what you had pictured in your mind. It was a little tamer, a little less chaotic than your brain had been telling you it would be.

“C’mon,” she tugged you towards the bar, “I’ll get you a beer.”

“Elena, who are all these people?” you asked quietly as you scanned the room.

She started pointing out the members of the MC one by one, telling you their names and a few fun facts about each. Some of the facts were a little more information than you cared to know, but she got you to laugh. Some of the girls you recognized because they’d come over and hang out at your apartment sometimes, and it was nice to know that you knew more than just one person at the party. They said there was power in numbers, right?

“Hey, querida,” a voice piped up from behind the two of you.

Elena turned, a smile instantly spreading across her face as she walked up to the man who had been speaking to her and letting him scoop her up in a hug, “Angel, hey!”

He set her down and his eyes found their way over to you. You felt small under the weight of his gaze but you tried not to let it show. He glanced back to Elena, “You brought a friend?”

She laughed, nodding, “Angel, this is my roommate, and best friend, Y/N. Y/N, this is Angel, the biggest pain in the ass in the MC.”

He placed a hand over his chest, an exaggeratedly pained expression on his face, “Right to my heart.”

The three of you laughed and you shook your head slightly, the nerves beginning to dissipate a little bit. You weren’t expecting him to plop down on the stool next to yours, but he did. You looked over to Elena, as if to ask if you should be worried about anything. She flashed you a smile as she sat down on the other side of you, giving your arm a light, reassuring squeeze as she reached for her drink.

“So what questionable decisions led you here tonight?” he asked with a laugh as he took a swig of his beer.

You laughed, shaking your head, “Just throwing Elena a bone. She’s been wanting me to come here with her for a while.”

“Didn’t want to be hanging out with a bunch of degenerates?” there was a playful smirk on his face.

You smiled, “More like I didn’t want to be hanging out with a bunch of people in general,” you laughed, “I’m a bit of a homebody.”

“I’m working on that,” Elena piped in with a smile.

The three of you sat at the bar and talked for a little while. You could tell that Angel was trying to get a read on you, the new girl. You couldn’t be mad because you were doing the same thing to him. He was smooth, flirtatious, but not overbearingly so. That was a game you’d be willing to play for the night while you pacified your friend. If you were going to be forced to socialize, there were worse people to look at while doing it.

Elena must’ve gotten the vibe from you, because she politely excused herself from the conversation, letting you know that she wouldn’t be far if you decided that you wanted to bail and go home. You saw the smirk tugging at her lips as she walked away though, knowing that you were having a much better time there than you’d ever admit.

“So I gotta know,” Angel asked as he idly toyed with the beer bottle in his hands, “how does a homebody like you end up rooming with Miss “Life of the Party” Elena?”

You laughed, trying not to stare at the way his ringed fingers traced and curled around the neck of his beer bottle, “We actually had a few classes together our first year in college,” you shook your head, “Nothing bonds two people together like suffering through statistics classes together.”

He chuckled, “Fuck that.”

“That was exactly how we felt.”

The longer the two of you talked, the more he tested his boundaries. He wasn’t pushy, or inappropriate, but he was definitely trying to figure out what made you tick. You weren’t going to give him that kind of satisfaction so quickly, though. You bantered back and forth with him, and you couldn’t remember the last time a guy had you laughing so hard.

Angel was in the middle of an incredibly cheesy pickup line that he swore has worked for him before when the song coming through the speakers changed. You couldn’t help but to perk up a little bit at the familiar beat and Angel noticed the shift immediately. He watched you for a moment as he tried to feel out the situation.

“Wanna dance?”

You shook your head no with zero hesitation, “No thank you.”

He laughed, “C’mon, why not? Live a little.”

You smiled but didn’t move to get up from your stool, “I’m sure there are plenty of women here tonight that would love to dance with you, Angel.”

He didn’t push the topic any further. You were smiling but he could see the flash of emotion in your eyes and he knew that there was something there that you weren’t ready to tap into yet with him. So, instead, he got you another beer and delved back into his cheesy pickup line story. When you realized that he was going to move past what you just said and not make it awkward, the tension immediately melted out of your body. You gladly took the beer bottle from him as you listened him ramble into another story.

“Yo, Angel,” Coco called from the pool table, “get over here. Bring your friend, we need two more.”

“You play pool?” Angel asked you, curious to your answer.

You shrugged as you hopped off the stool, “I mean I know how to.”

He laughed as he followed you across the clubhouse, “That’s not a super reassuring answer, querida.”

“Man, fuck him. You can be on my team,” Coco said with a laugh, “He and Gilly can fend for themselves.”

There was something reassuring and welcoming about the way that Coco spoke to you—like he had known you for years. He handed you your pool stick, smile still plastered onto his face. This wasn’t how you had originally pictured your night going, but you weren’t upset about it.

About halfway through the game, Angel was pissed that he didn’t try to team up with you. You and Coco were on a hot-streak and he really didn’t expect that from you. He shook his head as you sank another shot, and you had to laugh at the way that Coco was able to effectively gloat with just a simple look thrown Angel’s way.

“I mean I know how to,” Angel mocked you with a laugh as he shook his head, watching you line up to take another shot, “Can’t believe you fuckin’ hustled me.”

You laughed, “I don’t think you can call it hustling if there’s no money involved. You’re just mad because we’re about to whoop your ass.”

He chuckled and glanced over at Coco, “Don’t look so smug, Coco. She’s fuckin’ carrying you right now.”

The game wrapped up quickly with you and Coco both doing so well. Gilly had been more than content to sit back and watch it all happen, reveling in the fact that someone, and someone new at that, was kicking Angel’s ass at pool. Angel was shaking his head as he set his stick aside, still trying to figure out how all of that just happened. For someone who claimed that they didn’t like going out and doing things, you seemed to be full of surprises.

“Since I am a gracious winner,” you said with a laugh as you let Coco put your stick away, “I’ll buy you all a drink.”

Angel went to protest, not wanting you to be buying anything for any of them, but Gilly slapped his chest to stop him. The look on Gilly’s face made it very evident that no matter how cute the girl was, none of them were about to be turning down free drinks. Angel laughed, holding his hands up in mock surrender.

As the night wore on, slowly but surely people began to trickle out of the clubhouse. You hadn’t really talked to Elena since you got wrapped up playing pool with the guys, but the two of you kept an eye on one another. Every now and then she’d shoot you a look, one that asked if you needed to get out, and you would just shake your head. She’d smile, sometimes throw you a wink, before getting wrapped back up into whatever she was doing. You knew that she was just glad to get you out of the house and socializing with people.

You and Angel were sitting next to each other on the couch talking, keeping your conversation low in the midst of music and noise still filling the clubhouse. You were shaking your head at him as he told you about some of the scrapes he’d gotten into with his brother, someone that you knew you’d also love to sit and have a conversation with eventually.

Elena walked up and gave you a nudge, smiling when you turned to her, “Not trying to rush you, but I think a couple of the girls and I are gonna head out. You want me to bring you home before I go with them?”

Truthfully, you didn’t want to leave. But she was your ride, so it wasn’t like you were going to have much of a choice. Just as you were about to speak up and say you’d get ready to leave, Angel interrupted, “I can take you home if you want.”

You glanced back at him, arching one eyebrow, “Oh?”

“Yea,” he shrugged, smiling, “I don’t mind.”

Elena bit at her bottom lip, trying to fight back a smile, “You good with that, Y/N?”

You nodded, “Yea, I think so,” you laughed, “Worst case scenario I have pepper spray in my bag.”

“Jesus,” Angel laughed.

Elena shook her head with a grin as she leaned down to kiss your cheek, “Text me when you’re home. Love you.”

“Love you too. Text when you get to wherever the hell you guys are all going,” you chuckled.

“Will do,” she turned and hugged Angel, “Get her home safe, or I’ll beat your ass.”

He nodded, trying hard not to laugh because he knew that she was serious, “Yes ma’am.”

When she was gone and it was just the two of you again, things felt a little different. You suddenly became very aware of the way that his arm was draped over the back of the couch, his fingers almost brushing against your shoulder. Despite the number of people that were still in the clubhouse, it felt like it was just you two left. Everything else felt farther away.

“Can I ask where you’re from?” he leaned in a little closer to you and took a sip of his beer, “Because I feel like you’re not from around here.”

You smiled, shaking your head, “I’m not. I’m from the East Coast—came out this way for college,” you laughed, “Very cliché, I know.”

“Ah, you’re one of them girls, huh?”

“Who are them girls?” you chuckled.

“Had to get the hell outta dodge?”

You smiled and nodded, not really wanting to get into the details of your decisions, “Something like that.”

“You musta broke a lot of hearts when you left,” there was a smirk tugging at his lips.

You laughed, “Wouldn’t know—haven’t been back to find out.”

Somewhere along the line of your conversation, the two of you had gotten very comfortable. You had your legs pulled up underneath you as you leaned into him, his hand resting lightly on the nape of your neck. Every now and then when you laughed your hand would come to rest on his thigh for a moment or two before you pulled it back to your own body. He wasn’t bold enough to say it but he wished that you’d leave it there.

There was a brief lull in the conversation and you looked around the clubhouse, seeing that the two of you were some of the last people there. You checked your phone, seeing that you had gotten the safety update from your roommate almost an hour before and hadn’t noticed from being so enthralled with Angel.

“You got that look on your face like you gotta get going,” Angel said knowingly.

You sighed, “Yea, unfortunately I still have to go and do life stuff tomorrow,” there was a hint of laughter to your voice.

His thumb traced idly along the exposed skin at the base of your neck, “We can take the bike, if you want.”

You pressed your lips together for a moment, “I’ve never ridden on one before.”

He chuckled as he rose to his feet, helping you to do the same, “Something tells me you’ll be fine.”

The two of you walked out of the clubhouse, Angel’s hand settling on the small of your back. The chilly night air hit your skin and sent a chill through you. Without a second thought, Angel peeled off his sweatshirt that he’d put on and handed it over to you. You started to shake your head no but he wordlessly pushed the hoodie into your hands. You gave in with a smile, pulling it down over your head. It was warm, and you were practically swimming in the fabric, but you didn’t mind.

He let you use his helmet, and you settled behind him after climbing onto the bike. Your hands were lightly resting on his waist and he pulled your arms tighter around him, causing you to press flush up against his back.

“Don’t be shy, querida,” he chuckled, “For your own safety as much as anything else.”

You laughed, thankful that he couldn’t see the sheepish smile on your face as you let your body rest against his. The bike came to life underneath you and you nervously wrapped your arms a little tighter around him, and you could feel him laughing despite the fact that you couldn’t hear him over the noise of the bike.

Slowly you eased into the ride, your nerves subsiding a little bit. Angel must’ve felt the tension dissipating because he picked up the speed a little bit, causing you to laugh and tighten your hold on him. You knew that Angel knew the way to yours and Elena’s apartment, so you knew that he was taking the long way there. As much as you wanted to call him out on it, you didn’t want him to think that you minded. It was a peaceful, freeing feeling to be riding with him.

He rolled to a stop in front of your apartment building. You hopped off the bike, handing him back his helmet. The two of you stood there and you knew that he could feel the same type of tension in the air that you felt. For a night that you really hadn’t been looking forward to, it was the best time that you’d had in a while.

You went to take his sweatshirt off to give back to him but he shook his head at you, “Nah, keep it.”

“You sure?”

He nodded with a smirk on his face, “Yea. Just give it back next time I see you.”

You smiled, “Next time? Who said I’m coming back to the clubhouse?”

He laughed and shook his head, “Damn, you and Elena are both out to keep my ego in check, huh?”

“It’s good for you,” you shifted your weight from one foot to the other, trying to ignore the fact that you felt nervous, trying to figure out how to say goodnight.

“But really,” he stepped in a little closer to you, forcing you to tilt your head up slightly to look him in the eye, “I’d really like to be able to see you again.”

You managed to keep a straight face for a few seconds, just long enough to make him nervous. You could see him racing to try and come up with a follow-up statement to get himself out of being rejected, and you let yourself smile as you nodded, “I’d like that.”

He let out an audible sigh of relief, “Had me worried for a second,” he chuckled.

You laughed, shaking your head, “Can’t make it too easy for you.”

He smiled, “Can I have your number? Or do I gotta level up for that?”

You rolled your eyes as you held your hand out, “Give me your phone before I change my mind.”

He chuckled as he dug it out of his pocket and pressed it into the palm of your hand. He watched you intently as you plugged your number in, smiling as you handed it back to him, “This your real number? Or one of those rejection hotlines?”

You smirked, “Guess you’ll have to call me and find out. One time I gave some dude the number that would just play the John Cena theme song over and over again. That was…peak rejection.”

“That’s not exactly reassuring for me, you get that, right?” he laughed.

You smiled and shook your head, “It’s my real number, promise,” you stood up on your tip-toes and kissed him on the cheek, “Thanks for bringing me home.”

He couldn’t hide that he was surprised by the gesture. A huge smile spread across his face as he nodded, “Yea, any time.”

“Get home safe.”

He nodded, “I will,” he pressed a kiss to your forehead, “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” you crossed your arms over your chest, trapping the heat against your body as you watched him get back on his bike and strap his helmet on. He flashed you another smile and you waved him off.

You let out a small sigh of contentment as you turned around and made your way into your building. The walk up to your apartment seemed much shorter as you replayed the night over in your head. You turned the key in the lock and stepped in, glad to be home but simultaneously wishing that the night wasn’t over yet. You showered and threw your pajamas on, falling into your bed with a happy sigh. After shutting the light off and settling in underneath your blanket, your phone buzzed on your nightstand. You reached over to see who it was, and smiled when you saw a message waiting for you from a new number.

“Home safe. Sweet dreams” after a few seconds a second text came in, “It’s Angel by the way”

You chuckled as you typed out your reply, ‘Thanks for the clarification. Got worried for a second”

“Just tryna be sweet and you can’t let me have it, can you?”

“Nope” you were laughing in the quiet darkness of your room.

“Alright. Sweet nightmares then. Goodnight”

You could picture his face and you couldn’t stop smiling, “Goodnight xo”

You set your phone off to the side again, settling back down underneath your covers. Your body wanted to sleep but your brain was too busy replaying the entire night over again and you couldn’t stop smiling.

[memryse]

Third Life Duos Edition Three: C(r)astle But No Monarchy?

I AM SO SORRY IT TOOK ME SO LONG TO GET TO THIS i have been very busy with uni and i want to give them the justice they deserve. so here we are!! i’d also like to preface this by saying i have only watched cleo’s pov from this duo, not bdubs’ yet, so i can’t comment on him in quite as much detail and i also haven’t seen the crastle’s session five since cleo’s footage got messed up for it (i think bdubs is next on my list? i’ve been more preoccupied with empires lately though so i haven’t gotten around to it)

the first thing that always stands out to me about the crastle people is that they get lumped in as a red/green life duo, but they really never were that, because bdubs turned red right at the end of session five and then wasn’t in session six, which is when cleo turned yellow. they’re a very iconic duo, but i would consider them much more equals than the red/green life duos.

and they always were equals, together right from the very beginning. it wasn’t an alliance of convenience or mutual benefit or anything of the sort - just two friends, who spawned with each other and stuck with each other. while it might seem like they’re opposites - tired babysitter cleo and excitable red life bdubs, the same kind of formula that grian and scar are often slotted into - cleo and bdubs are more like two idiots who possess one (1) braincell between them, which is used exclusively for plotting various dastardly acts. 

they’re actually a hilarious duo to me because they had great ideas with the building of the crastle. fortified with a moat + magma blocks, only one point of entry, the archer slits in the walls? but then with literally... anything else their brains just go out of the windows. and i love that.

but back to talking about their relationship and development, what stuck out to me the most about them was bdubs’ attitude towards losing his lives. green life? everything’s great, they’re friends having a great time and building their tiny castle. yellow life? suddenly, the paranoia sets in. bdubs is instantly suspicious of cleo trying to get bdubs to turn red - he says he’s scared that she wants him to die so that she can “use [him] as a tool” and order him to kill people. and that is incredibly interesting to me, because red lives do not have to be bound by alliances if they don’t want to be. if bdubs were to turn red, he doesn’t have to listen to her orders. if anything it’s the exact reverse, the red life would be able to order around a green life, as we saw with both the desert duo and renchanting duo. which suggests to me that even in the midst of the paranoia of suddenly being a fresh yellow life, bdubs never even considered the possibility of betraying cleo. their alliance to one another was that strong.

this loyalty holds strong for the entire rest of the series. but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t develop! firstly, we see bdubs lose that paranoia towards cleo - in fact he grows to relish the idea of becoming cleo’s weapon. he’s happy about it! which i think stems from two places: first, he’s practically frothing at the mouth for revenge against the sand people, and he absolutely needs cleo’s direction on what to do with all of this anger he suddenly has. secondly, there’s a server-wide perception that the crastle is one of the weaker factions on the server (or at least bdubs wasn’t being taken seriously, everyone was definitely rightfully scared of cleo). the crastle needed a red life to pose a proper threat - what good are harming arrow crossbows if they have to wait for someone to attack them first? so bdubs is happy to make the sacrifice and turn red.

cleo, on the other hand, remains fairly static in terms of her regard for life (hers and others’). she’s impulsive. she starts off her series stealing a llama and hiding it just because she can, the middle of her series she’s doing arson, she ends her series attempting to take ren out in an ambush. losing her life was more of an “if it happens, it happens” deal. what changes is her attitude to other people. she’s friendly to everyone at first. then becomes more closed-off, more distrustful - presumably stemming from things like etho just showing up and attacking their castle. she doesn’t trust impulse (...does anyone?). but eventually, she develops a real fondness for tango, for scott, and she’ll put her life on the line for more than just bdubs eventually. but not quite as willingly.

like i said, the crastle people’s dynamic doesn’t change all that much throughout the series - it’s their individual actions that are fun to analyse; just look at how cleo acts during the session where bdubs isn’t there, for example, and how they bicker about it the next session. if anything, these solo actions complement their dynamic as a duo, and really highlight how it was the two of them against the world, from the very beginning. nobody else was afforded this loyalty. look how easily bdubs betrayed impulse. bdubs and cleo’s loyalty to one another was unmatched.

“bdubs is my ride or die. that’s it. if he kills me, then i will go out as an honest person.”

and i will leave you with that.

----

bonus fun fact: everyone knows about the zombie siege of dogwarts the night cleo died but i want to talk about it anyway because it is like. definitely a top 5 3rd life moment. potentially even top 3

bonus fun fact 2: in bdubs’ first episode, he talks about everyone being on good terms and not being against each other yet whilst stood directly on the hill above the lake where scar took his final life. somebody on twitter pointed this out but i did go and check this specific moment myself

bonus fun fact 3 cause i gotta add one every time i guess: that lake? yeah that one where scar also asked grian to kill him? it is directly next to grian’s original base, the one he abandoned to join scar. it is also on the other side of a hill from the day one alliance base, you know, the one involving scar and bdubs. oh 3rd life. you make me so very sad.

[officialscaramouche]

Hanahaki — a gift for @ambers-glider

Pairing: Scaramouche x Gn!Reader

Summary: Scaramouche caught a love sickness that could only be cured by mutual love.

AN: please read @ambers-glider ‘s part one and two before reading this so that it makes sense :)

Warnings: language

Word count: 1,691

Scaramouche felt bad for you. It was by pure coincidence that he saw you when you caught sight of Victor and his girlfriend. He saw the way your face dropped when she clung to his arm and he sympathized for you. But it was your fault anyway. Everyone knew Victor had a girlfriend, but since you were always cooped up in your office I guess it couldn’t be helped.

Noticing the way your personality had changed, Scaramouche actually kind of liked it. You weren’t annoyingly upbeat and overly friendly like before, so he found himself visiting your office more. He enjoyed the silence the two of you shared, even if he wasn’t always welcomed.

Childe would unfortunately come in every now and then to check in on you especially after finding out that Scaramouche often hung out in your office. And when he did, the two of you would talk briefly about mindless things. Scaramouche didn’t understand why it mattered to talk about stupid things like the weather, or what you were having for lunch.

Scaramouche walked into your room a little more forcefully than normal. At first he didn’t say anything, especially after you told him you wanted to be alone. But after sitting on the couch there for a while, reading the book he brought to work, he broke the silence. “What are your plans for today?” He asked casually, not taking his eyes off his book.

You looked at him incredulously. Was he seriously trying to have small talk with you? “...Nothing. After work, I have to do laundry.”

It was silent once more, this time a bit more awkward than it usually was. He shut his book and hummed, standing to stare at you from the other side of your desk. “Would you like to join me at Third Round Knockout?”

You leaned back in your chair to look up at him closely. What was his deal? What point does he want to make with bothering you for lunch? At least he asked you now, after getting over your sickness, rather than before when you would’ve jumped at the idea. You couldn’t deny your curiosity, however. “Are you paying?”

Scaramouche scowled. “I guess I am.”

It was weird sitting at an intimately small table with your boss. But it also had been a while since anyone had taken you out. Scaramouche didn’t eat out much, but it was your favorite restaurant. He asked for your opinion on some foods, but once the waiter took your orders, it was challenging to find something to talk about. You stared out a window until he finally broke the silence. “It’s good that you’re feeling better,” he said plainly.

“Thanks, I guess,” you responded curtly.

The both of you decided that instead of forcing conversation, you’d just sit in uncomfortable silence. After a while, Scaramouche coughed awkwardly into a fist and excused himself from the table. On the way there, the itch in his throat began to grow itchier and itchier until he slammed the bathroom door open and hung his head over the sink, his fingers grasping desperately at the edges. He scratched at his throat as he continued to hack, tears beginning to well in his eyes as he struggled to find relief in his coughs. Finally, whatever was caught in his throat came up and he spat it into the sink, the purple petal coated in his saliva falling helplessly before him. “You’ve gotta be fucking with me— ackh!” His cough grew more and more persistent as petals came spilling from his lips. He slapped his hands onto his cheeks and screamed. “What the fuck!!”

His shout was heard by the entire restaurant. People looked around nervously, some of them at you remembering that he was with you. You laughed in embarrassment, tentatively walking to the bathrooms to make sure he was okay.

A couple of men scrambled out of the restroom as you approached, making side comments about Scaramouche. “What the hell is his problem?” One of them mutters.

You knock before entering, announcing yourself as you push the door open. “Sir, it’s me, are you okay?”

He stared at himself in the mirror, hunched over the sink, with spit dribbling down his chin. “Get out.” He spits, a couple of weak coughs puffing out of his cheeks.

“Oh,” you breathe, noticing the sink full of petals. “Oh, sir I’m sorry,” you walk over to him and begin washing the petals down the sink. “We need to get you looked at quickly!”

“No!” He shoved you away, hating to admit that his heart was pounding when your hands held his shoulders. “I don’t want to be fucking operated on!”

“It’s okay!” You reassure, pulling him up from the sink. “The reason why...I was so upset about Victor is because he made me fall in love with him. To get over someone else…” Scaramouche closed his eyes to focus on curving the coughs. ...And to listen to your voice. “I know I’m not the best to look at, but I can try to help.”

Scaramouche couldn’t help but to smile at your innocence. How were you going to help? You were the problem! “...You’re right you’re not attractive at all.” You furrowed your brows and put your hands to your hips. He laughed at your expression. “Fine. You can try to help me.”

He was setting himself up for failure, he knew that. But seeing you try so hard to figure out the type of person he liked was amusing to him. One day you were doting, cooking for him and making sure he drank water. But then the next you were neglectful, thinking that maybe he didn’t like someone who doted on him. You tried being clingy, you tried playing hard to get. You tried cleaning his house, you tried making it filthy. Nothing seemed to be working since he coughed up more and more petals everyday, but as he lay there feeling the life drain out of him with every cough, he seemed to feel pretty happy in his final days.

Soon enough, he was too weak to even open his eyes. You tucked the blanket snugly around him and exchanged the cool towel on his forehead. “Please let me tell Childe,” you whispered.

He scowled, amazingly mustering enough energy to do so, and coughed. “No,” he said weakly. “I don’t want— ackh— anyone to cut me open.”

“I’ll cut you open myself!” You joked, pulling at the shirt he wore.

“I’d let you,” he smiled. He figured that if he was to die today, he might as well tell you how he felt. “You’re so dumb, [Y/N]. But that’s what I like about you. You work so hard no matter what you’re doing. Whether it’s paperwork or watching over me...you give it your all.” You blinked at him, trying to process his words. “Maybe if I had been a little nicer to you...I wouldn’t be lying here dying. Maybe we’d actually have been in love.”

“What are you saying?” You ask dumbfoundedly, your hands shaking where they lay on the bed.

“These stupid petals, [Y/N], they’re for you.”

It took you a moment to understand what he was saying so clearly as day. The man you had nearly died for, now lay dying for you. You spent almost two months suffering because he had not cared about you and now he spent these last two months suffering. But you suffered alone. This time, Scaramouche was suffering with you right by his side.

“I...I don’t know what to say.” You said finally.

Scaramouche turned over to lay on his side, facing his back toward you. “That’s alright. You don’t have to say anything. I just wanted to let you know, that way I would die without regret.”

“No, sir, you don’t understand.” You swallowed the lump in your throat to muster up the courage.

Scaramouche began to feel relief as he lay there. These are my last few minutes, he thought to himself. His body grew too weak to cough. At least, he figured, he’d die without coughing his lungs out.

You fiddle with your fingers and hyped yourself up to admit why you were sick in the first place. “Scaramouche...the reason I was sick...was because I loved you.”

Scaramouche was too weak to cough. So he should’ve been too weak to sit up. He sat up with such vigor, turning to look at you. He had been laying in bed for four days now, unable to sit up. Yet here he was, looking at you. The itch in his throat ceased. He didn’t stop coughing because he was weak. He stopped coughing because you returned his feelings.

Soon, the pink in his lips began to reappear. The color in his cheeks flushed, and his body aches seemingly disappeared. He tentatively reached forward, afraid that he had died and gone to celestia. This was a dream, this wasn’t real.

He cupped your cheek and caressed the skin there with his thumb. You held the hand on your face and leaned into the contact. All these months you had been suppressing your love for Scaramouche.

You didn’t want to be sick again. You forced your love onto Victor and latched on intensely so as to move on. But you didn’t know that while you were loving Victor, Scaramouche had been loving you. Watching you laugh and cling to Victor made him jealous. Jealous and possessive. When you recovered he wanted to spend as much time with you as he could. He wanted to learn more about you, talk to you, see the smile you used to give Victor. He wanted to see that smile and he wanted to make you his.

“You love me?” He asked barely over a whisper.

“I don't know why, but yes,” you joked with a laugh, a bright smile spread across your lips.

Scaramouche smiled too, albeit very little, but still a smile. The harbinger, and now your new boyfriend, promised himself that he’d protect that smile. Especially from Victor. “Good. You’re all mine.”