#(...when I feel a little less terrible I guess is the real answer there)

[heartz-for-de]

Aww your pieces are so adorable :3

How about first 'I love yous' with the mha boys?

Sorry this took forever!!! You didn’t specify which ones you’d wanted sooooo sorry if I forgot anyone!!

Characters included- KATSUKI, KIRISHIMA, KAMINARI, IZUKU, TODOROKI

Not any warnings lol js fluff and some cussing.

REQUESTS- OPENNN

————

Katsukis first time saying ‘I love you’ was reassuring and aggressive.

Katsuki was terrible with words, both of you knew that. In fact he’d made it a point to compensate for his lack of communication through actions. You appreciated his effort in your relationship, but even with his constant affection you’d still felt a tinge of doubt clouding your mind.

It had all started when one day during class when you had began to think, what really attracted him to you? I mean he was the epitome of a perfect man in your eyes and you felt as if you had very little to offer. He had shut you down multiple times when it came to downplaying yourself, but sometimes you couldn’t help but overthink the balance in your relationship.

Katsuki had come up to you after class, expecting to walk you to your dorm per usual. But you had walked forward quickly, causing him to almost have to jog to catch up to where you were.

“Oi? Fuck are ya doin’” he growled out once he had reached you.

“Hm? Oh I was just headed to my dorm.” Your heart skipped at beat at the sound of his raspy and deep voice.

“Right, without me? I think the hell not. whats wrong?” He brushed off your half truth answer and immediately pressed for something more honest.

“I had just..—I had forgotten, I’m sorry.” You nearly held your breath. Lying to anyone was hard, but lying to Katsuki? Damn near impossible.

“No, you did not, y/n. What the fuck is wrong with you? I mean…did I—did I do something?” For a split second you saw confusion and worry flash over his face as he seemed to go through his memories in attempt to find something, anything, but to no avail.

“No! No, Katsuki, I promise you did nothing. It’s just— “ you abruptly ended your sentence once you had reached your dorm room, trying to decide if you should tell him what was wrong, or tell him to leave.

“Just what?” He anticipated the answer, his ruby eyes peering at you through his blonde eyelashes.

“It’s just, I don’t know. You’re so perfect, and I’m so…I don’t know..me I guess?” You stumbled over your words, as his gaze became harsher the more you went on.

“The hell? Yeah, you are you. The fuck is that supposed to mean?” He pressured your answer, his eyebrows furrowed with a look of anger and disgust flooding his features.

You let out a guttural sigh, this really wasn’t how you had wanted to spend the end of your stressful day.

“I mean that I feel like you’re way too perfect, for someone like me.” You wished for nothing more than for him to just disappear and let you wallow in your own self pity, but Katsuki Bakugou never took lightly to people talking bad about what’s his, and that included yourself.

“Oh fuck no— don’t ever let those words come out of your mouth, not now not ever. You are— you’re everything I need, everything I want, so don’t spew some bullshit about how I’m too good for you. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t..” a pause came offer his half said sentence.

“If I didn’t love you, y/n. I love you, and it makes me so unbelievably pissed when you say shit like that.” His cheeks were flushed as he kept his glare set on you. Katsuki had never been one for words, but whatever he did say, came straight from his heart.

Kirishimas first ‘I love you’ was genuine and sweet.

It hadn’t been long since the two of you had started dating, but that didn’t make it any less real. And Kirishima was fighting demons everyday not to scare you off. He knew the 3 month rule, he also knew that if he did too much too early he could scare you off, and he’d rather die than see you walk away from him.

Training had been rough, per usual, and you and Kirishima were eating together in the common room.

He eyed your plate with tentative eyes.

“Mmm you meed more proteim.” He said with his mouth full of chicken. You let out a laugh at his mumbled words causing his eyes to land on you instead.

“And you need to chew your food.” You smile hadn’t left your face and Kirishimas heart was beating faster by the second. He gave you a sharp toothed smile and continued eating.

You then grabbed your drink and tried to wash down some of the rice stuck in your throat, but you had choked on the smooth liquid causing you to spit out some and remain a coughing mess.

At first Kirishima was alert and ready to help in whatever way he could, but when he realized you were just choking on water he let out a relieved smile.

You looked up at him with watery eyes and started laughing, the water from the previous attack now all over the table.

He laughed with you, his hand clutching his stomach form the sheer force.

Once the laughter had subsided all that was left was Kirishimas soft glance that landed onto your own. In that moment Kirishima felt nothing other than utter devotion and adoration.

“I love you.” He had said softly, his eyes still melting pure hot emotion. Your eyes went wide for a second from the unexpected confession. Your reaction caused Kirishima to realize what he’d said. Snapping out of his trance he gave you a terrified look.

“Shit, I’m so sorry y/n— I shouldn’t have said that.” He pulled his hands in front of him as if to defend himself.

“Hey, calm down.” You tried to calm the red headed boy who was now in a frenzy.

“I’m so sorry, I was trying so hard to wait—Yknow the three month rule— and I just let it slip.” He continued his rant.

“Eiji, baby. I love you too.” You grabbed his face with your hands, forcing his to meet your own eyes. His posture slumped as his cheeks turned a darker shade of red. He then made a weird expression as if he were constipated.

“I’m so freaking pumped you just said that, but I would take like three steps back because my entire body is about to go rock hard, and I don’t wanna cut your pretty hands.”

Kaminaris first Time saying ‘I love you’ was flirty and unexpected.

The two of you had been friends for what seemed like years, having met through Bakugou and mutual friends. However, you constantly teetered between friendly banter and full on flirting which made it difficult for outsiders to figure out the relationship between the two of you.

One day during the friend groups weekly movie nights, kaminari had volunteered to help you grab some snacks. You stood in the kitchen watching the yellow haired boy attempt to juggle a couple bottles of butter for which you wanted to use on the fresh popcorn.

“Kami, I really think you should put those—“

Splash, one of the bottles had fallen and spilled onto the ground near his feet.

“Shiittt, I could’ve sworn that I was gonna catch that.” Was all he said as you gave him a deadly glare.

“Yeah, well you didn’t.” You muttered angrily, not in the mood for his antics anymore.

“Cmon, babe, I’ll just clean it up! No need to get all pissy on me.” He smoothly grabbed. Paper towel from behind you and began to clean up his mess.

All you could do in return was roll your eyes, the seemingly empty nickname he had used brought a small heat onto your face.

“Wouldn’t have happened if you’d just listen the first time.” He glanced up at you, his cheeky grin forcing a smile out of you.

“Youre right shoulda just listened to you, i mean youre always right.” He said with a thick sarcastic tone lacing his voice. He let out a laugh as he threw away the dirtied towels.

“Mm, I am.” You responded simply.

“So stubborn, gosh. You’re lucky I love you.” He mumbled out. His voice slowly dropping out towards the end once he had realized what he’d said.

It wasn’t weird for friends to love eachother, in fact it was very normal. It would’ve been normal. But you and him both knew there was nothing platonic about what he’d meant. You both were frozen, waiting to see who would address it first, you decided you needed to break the thick silence.

“You love me?” You questioned, praying to everything there was that he wouldn’t try and say he didn’t mean it in the way you’d hoped. His face lightened and you saw the flirtatious look you usual saw.

“Thought it was kinda obvious, I mean cmon, babe. I charge your phone like every night…” he laughed softly while rubbing the back of his neck.

Izuku’s first time saying ‘I love you’ was pressured and hilarious.

He had spent the entire morning worried sick about you, his girlfriend, who had been seemingly upset. He couldn’t figure out why and it was eating away at him, the constant worry that he had done something wrong and was unaware.

So stupidly, the green haired boy had went to denki kaminari for relationship advice, because I mean obviously he would know what was going on in your head.

“Well I mean yall have been together for like two months right?” Denki asked with a perplexed look.

“Yes, but we’ve yet to get past a few important milestones.” Izuku added, his notebook in hand and ready for any notes or tips denki might have.

“Milestones? Like what might I ask?”

“Er, we haven’t said I love you, we haven’t—“ Izuku was cut off by an unimaginably loud gasp from his classmates mouth.

“You haven’t said I love you?” Denki whisper yelled as if anybody was actually listening.

Izuku gulped harshly.

“N-no? Should we have?” He questioned with a Look of worry written into his freckled features.

“Uh, dude, yeah! That’s probably why she’s so upset, I mean she probably thinks you hate her.” He said as if it was the most obvious answer to the boys problem. Izuku could do nothing but look horrified, how could he have let you felt that way?

The second he saw you in the halls he marched up to you and grabbed your shoulders.

“Y/n, I just want to let you know that i love you! I’m sorry for making you feel like I hated you and I want you to know that it’s completely the opposite.” He blurted out quickly with shut eyes.

“Izu, what the hell are you talking— I mean I love you too? I’m super confused, I didn’t think you hated me.” You tried to process everything he’d said but you couldn’t quite answer everything he’d thrown at you.

“Huh? You were super upset today, so denki had informed me it was because I hadn’t told you I loved you—“ you cut him off with a hand to his mouth.

“And you…listened? To denki? I love you too Izuku, but that was very, very dumb.” You patted his cheek with your free hand and played your lips to his forehead.

Todorokis first time saying ‘I love you’ was planned and professional.

He had been thinking all week about the perfect way to let you know and truly understand his feelings for you. You had been dating for about a month and he’d been waiting for just the right time.

He had decided that setting up a few candles in your room and a rose bouquet would really swoon you. (Kirishima had helped him with this perfect idea)

There were several candles, all of which were a lovely lavender scent that filled your room almost immediately. He had repositioned the roses multiple times, trying to get them in just the right position for when you opened the door to see him standing there.

He’d scheduled a study date with your friend group, only to bail last minute calling in sick. You were a little upset at the absence of him but he knew it would be soon replaced with joy when you entered your room. Or he hoped.

He stood awkwardly as he waited for the seconds to pass by, you’d be walking in your room any moment now and he was quite nervous.

The door gently creaked open, and you peered your head into the softly lit room.

“Sho, what the— I thought you were sick?” You asked with shock written all over your face.

You fully entered the dorm and took in all of the things he’d set up for you.

“I lied, my apologies. I needed you to be out of the room whilst I did this.” He answered you truthfully.

“What is this all for? I mean I love it so much this is the sweetest thing ever, but I must admit I’m a little confused.” You picked up the bouquet and looked at him with a small smile.

“I love you.” He felt his stomach drop once he’d released the words, his nerves now heightened beyond what he thought was possible. You gave a shocked expression, but it hadn’t lasted very long. You quickly teared up at the thought of your sweet boyfriend doing all of this just to tell you he loved you.

You let a smile flood your features as you nearly jumped onto the tall boy, his arms instinctively coming to wrap around your torso.

“I love you too, sho”

————

[ballroomeddie]

Get to know your mutuals

tagged by @livesbetweenpages. thanks for tagging me 🫶

1. You get $100 to go thrift shopping. What are you buying and why?

under normal circumstances i’d say, a cool mirror and a few lamps (some art if the budget allows for it). why? i have a few full length mirrors but i want something smaller (with an interesting frame or some other fun feature) to hang in my living room. as for lamps, i’m just a lamp guy; a lamp enjoyer, if thou wilt

that said, i’ll be moving soon so i’m actually trying to get rid of stuff. so, idk. i guess i’d hold on to that $100 for now

2. What's a song you could listen to dozens of times in a row and not get bored?

this is how i listen to music tbh. i usually have the same song on repeat for days/weeks til’ my brain latches onto smth new

an underrated gem that i return to time and time again is,--walk with me here--the theme song to the 2002-2006 cartoon What's New, Scooby-Doo?, performed by simple plan. i’m super serious abt this. it’s a pop punk anthem and i luv it

an evergreen banger that’s less underrated but that i, nevertheless, return to on the reg is, the fugees cover of killing me softly

currently, i have In My Bag by FLO (feat. GloRilla) on rotation

3. What's a decade you really like music from?

bob marley and the wailers is my fave band of all time and most of their best stuff is from the 70s. that said, i have eclectic taste so idk if i can narrow it down to one decade

4. What's your dream hair?

don’t think i have dream hair. i prefer to switch things up. i get bored if i have the same hair style for more than 6 months

5. What's a chore you actually like doing that surprises people?

hanging clothes, big fan of clothes hanging and closet organizing. i hang most of my clothes (instead of folding) and i have A System. i enjoy putting clothes in their rightful place so that i can revel in my System in it’s full, type and color coded, glory 

6. Do you fidget? How, or with what?

yes. i tend to fidget with my hair (when it’s not buzzed short). i’ll also fidget with a tube of lip balm or lip gloss if i have one at hand

7. Tell me about a current hyperfixation of yours.

i fall into random research holes sometimes. my current pet research topic is copaganda in film and television. been reading a lot abt it, and i might just fuck around and write a mini essay on copaganda in 911. idk maybe

8. What's your favourite animated movie or TV series?

tough one. i don’t watch a lot of animated stuff. but bojack horseman, arcane and the owl house stand out from the little that i have seen

favorite cartoons as a kid were, avatar: the last airbender, x-men: evolution, totally spies and this french cartoon called code lyoko (iykyk)

9. If you were forced to lose one of your five senses, which one would you choose

i have terrible vision, i’m lowkey face blind and i probably have a mild to moderate case of aphantasia. since my eyes aren’t doing much for me as it is, i’d probably go ahead and get rid of my vision

10. What makes you feel put together? What makes you feel like you have your life in order? You know, that thing that makes you go, okay yeah no I got this.

semi-truthful answer: i’m big on community. fostering cool relationships and practicing philosophies that are conducive to a healthy community makes me feel like i have my life in order

real but boring (and political) answer: i’m not put together, i don’t have my life in order and i don’t feel like i’m put together, nor that i have my life in order. being mindful of the fact that being ‘’put together’�� and having ‘’one’s life in order’’ are capitalist (and white supremacist if we’re being real abt it) notions that are detrimental to the average person’s well-being; notions that IIIII don’t, personally, vibe with, makes me feel like i/we got this

Bonus question: For Star Wars fans, who is your favourite Jedi and why?

not a huge star wars fan but i have an answer. mace windu. cause he’s black (like me 😊) and bc he has a purple lightsaber. the purple lightsaber is the main draw tbh

tagging: @sadgayeddie @tanktopdiaz @everybuddiewantssome @809eddie @wenttotheairport @kindlingtotheflames @agnes-nielsens @thebloodysmut and every single mutual. i'm nosy

[daryltwdixon]

The Promise of Us: Chapter 11

warnings: violence against mfc, also im so sorry for my terrible writing when it comes to action scenes.

You

The door creaks open, and your stomach twists with dread, thinking the tall man–the Governor–is back. But when your eyes come up and meet the icy blue ones at the door, your shoulder slump just an inch. You’re still unsure when Merle comes walking in the room, but it's still a relief to see him. What if after all this time, the pain you caused Daryl all those years ago was still fresh in his mind. And he was going to take it out on you now?

“Well, well, well... ain’t this somethin’.” Merle’s gravelly voice cuts through the silence, dripping with his usual sarcasm. The door slams shut behind him, and he saunters into the room, his boots scuffing the floor as he approaches.

He’s standing there, grinning like he’s just won something, but his eyes flicker with something else—something softer, buried deep beneath that rough exterior. He won’t show it outright, of course. Not Merle.

“Didn’t expect to see you here, sweetheart,” he drawls, crossing his arms as he leans casually against the wall, his metal prosthetic gleaming under the bright lights above you, “Guess you couldn’t stay outta trouble, huh?”

You don’t answer, but you can feel his eyes on you, scanning for any sign of weakness. There’s a teasing gleam in his eyes, but there’s something else too. Relief, maybe? It’s hard to tell with him.

“Still playin’ the silent type, huh?” Merle chuckles, shaking his head. “Ain’t nothin’ changed since I last saw ya.” His voice softens just a fraction, barely noticeable. “Thought maybe you were smarter than this—gettin’ yourself caught up with the wrong people.”

You roll your eyes, but the tension doesn’t leave your body. “Could say the same about you,” you mutter, refusing to give him the satisfaction of rising to his bait.

He chuckles, low and rough. “These guys found me when I was in a real rough state, honey.” He takes a step closer, his usual swagger a little less pronounced, but his grin doesn’t falter. “Hell, look at us—reunited like some kinda twisted family reunion. Shame little brother ain’t here to see it.”

At the mention of Daryl, your stomach tightens. You wonder if Merle knows he’s alive, but his expression doesn’t give anything away. He steps closer, his eyes flicking to the ropes still around your wrists.

“You look like hell, girl,” he says, his tone rough but lacking the bite it usually has. “Guess I’ll have to keep your ass outta trouble, huh?”

You snort. “Don’t need your help.”

He smirks, amused. “Sure you don’t.” His gaze lingers on you, just for a second too long, before he shakes his head and looks away. “Lucky for you, I got some pull ‘round here. Ain’t nobody gonna mess with ya while I’m around.”

You found that hard to believe when you still felt the ghost of the breath on your neck from the man who just left minutes ago. Merle moves to the chair in the corner, dragging it noisily across the floor as he plops down into it. He kicks his feet up on the table like he owns the place, leaning back with that signature cocky grin plastered on his face.

“So,” he says, crossing his arms behind his head, his voice a little too casual, “you gonna tell me how the hell you ended up here, or am I gonna have to drag it outta ya?”

You glare at him, refusing to answer. He just laughs, shaking his head like you’re a joke he’s enjoying too much.

“Fine, fine. Keep your secrets, sweetheart,” he says, his voice softening again, almost affectionate, though you know better than to take it at face value, “But don’t think I’m lettin’ you outta my sight. Ain’t no way I’m losin’ you again. My brother would kill me,”

Something stirs in your chest at his words—just for a second, the familiar warmth of the Merle you once knew. Despite all his rough edges, all the damage he’d done, a part of you still cared for him like family. He was, after all, someone you’d loved like a brother, even with his many flaws. He never wanted you to leave for college back then, never wanted Daryl to be stuck alone at home with their father.

But that was a lifetime ago.

Now, things were different. Merle was in a strange position of power here—dangerous, unpredictable. He wasn’t the same man you once knew. Sweet or not, there was an edge to his words, a darkness behind his smile that made your skin crawl. He was too unhinged to be fully trusted, even if his words tugged at memories of who he used to be.

“Merle,” you whisper, your eyes on his, “Where are Glenn and Maggie?”

He looks down with a smug smile, “Now, girl. You gotta understand, the Chinese kid wasn’t playin’ very fair back there. Wouldn’t tell me where he’s camped out. You’re with em, right?” 

“He’s Korean, asshole,” you roll your eyes, but sigh, thinking of the state they must be in nearby, looking to the wall as if you could see them through it, bloodied and bruised, and hang your head.

“Y/N,” he calls gently, and your eyes come up to him again with tears in them, “you know where my brother is, don’t ya?” it’s barely a question, just a statement. 

Your chin trembles, but you nod slowly. The weight of everything—the capture, the fear, the thought of Glenn and Maggie—sits heavy in your chest. And now, the mention of Daryl brings a wave of guilt and longing crashing over you. You can’t hide it from Merle, not now.

Merle’s smug smile falters, just for a second. He leans forward, his eyes narrowing. “Figured as much,” he grumbles, the rasp in his voice rougher now, “But you ain’t said nothin’ ‘bout him. Why’s that?”

“Why do you think, Merle?” you snap back, your voice shaking. “You think I want to talk to you about Daryl? You think I wanna tell you how he’s doin’? Look where I’m fuckin’ sitting,”

Merle’s grin fades entirely now, the cocky veneer slipping. He looks at you with a hard expression, but something else flickers in his eyes—regret, maybe, or something close to it.

You swallow hard, blinking back the tears that are threatening to spill over. “You don’t know him like you used to, Merle. He’s different now. Stronger, yeah, but… he’s got people who care about him, who depend on him.”

“And you’re one of ‘em, huh?” Merle leans back in the chair, crossing his arms, his tone unreadable. “You two always had a way of stickin’ close. What’s the deal now, huh? You finally screw my little brother or what?”

You don’t answer, just shake your head, rolling your eyes again. You’d almost forgotten how much Merle could give you a headache with the constant eye-rolling his words provoked.

“God, Merle, you’ve really always had a way with words,” you mutter, your sarcasm laced with the frustration you can’t fully hide.

“Aw, baby, I miss’d ya too,” he chuckles, leaning back in his chair with that familiar grin, clearly enjoying himself.

A long silence follows, stretching between you. Merle may be taking it easy, but your mind is racing. You weren’t going to get out of here in one piece, maybe not even alive, if you left it up to The Governor. You can feel time slipping through your fingers. You had to figure out where the other two were, and fast. Your pulse quickens as you glance at Merle again. He may be toying with you, but he’s your only chance. Could you trust him again? Even after all this time? This world changed people. You just hoped Merle still had loyalty to you and his brother.

“Where are they, Merle?” you ask again, this time more urgently. “Glenn and Maggie. What’s he gonna do to them?”

Merle shifts in his seat, rubbing the back of his neck. “The boss wants info. Where your camp is, who’s left. Kid wasn’t spillin’ nothin’. Pretty girl’s tougher than she looks too. They’re holdin’ up, but… let’s just say the clock’s tickin’.”

Your heart races. Time is running out, and you know what that means for Glenn and Maggie. For all of them.

“You gotta help me get them out,” you whisper, leaning forward, your voice pleading. “You can’t let him hurt them.”

Merle chuckles, but there’s no humor in it. “And what exactly do I get outta that? Huh?”

You hesitate, the weight of what you’re about to suggest pressing down on you. “If you help me get them out safely… I’ll take you to Daryl. I’ll tell you where our camp is.”

Merle’s face hardens, the grin disappearing completely. He stands slowly, pacing a few steps away from you, his mind working over what you just said. The promise of seeing his brother again, after all this time… it’s almost too much for him to process. But then, something darker creeps into his expression, a shadow of doubt.

“And how do I know you ain’t gonna screw me over the second you’re outta here? You’re clever, Y/N. Always were.” He turns to you, his eyes cold. “What’s to stop you from runnin’ back to lil’ brother and leavin’ ol’ Merle to fend for himself?”

You meet his gaze, the fear in your chest almost choking you, but you push it down. You need him. “You know I’m not that kind of person,” you whisper. “And if we don’t get out, you’ll never see him again. We need each other right now, Merle. You know that.”

He watches you for a long moment, the gears turning in his head. Then, with a heavy sigh, he leans against the wall, his arms crossed, the knife at the end of his bionic arm reflecting the fluorescents above you, “Alright, girl,” he drawls, the cockiness returning just a little. “We got ourselves a deal. But you better not be lyin’, ‘cause I’m doin’ this for him.”

Relief floods through you, but it’s short-lived. There’s still one more obstacle to overcome.

“If we’re gonna do this… it has to look real,” you say quietly, your voice trembling.

Merle’s smirk fades, his eyes narrowing as he takes in your words. “What’re you sayin’?”

“I’m sayin’… if you don’t make this look like you interrogated me, he’ll know something’s up,” you explain, your stomach twisting. “The Governor. He can’t suspect you’re helpin’ me.”

Merle’s face hardens again, and for a moment, there’s a flicker of something close to pain in his eyes. “I've never been afraid of my baby brother, ya know,  but he would kill me if I hurt ya, baby,” he says, his voice rougher, more strained.

“It doesn’t matter, Merle,” you say, your own voice unsteady but firm. You can see Daryl’s pained eyes behind your own now, the way he always hated seeing you hurt, but you sigh as you continue, “Neither of us will ever see him again if you don’t make this look legit.”

He stares at you for a long moment, and you can see the conflict in his eyes. For all his bravado, you know this is weighing on him—hurting you, even just for show, is too much, but that's more than he’s ready to admit. But he also knows you’re right. If the Governor doesn’t buy it, they’re all as good as dead.

Merle swallows, the lines on his face deepening as he nods slowly, understanding settling in. “Alright,” he mutters, his voice low and grim. “But don’t expect me to enjoy it.”

You nearly scoff, a small wry smile coming to your lips, “Please, the amount of times I kicked you in the nuts growin’ up, I’ll consider it Karma comin’ back to get me,”

❥・・❥・・❥・・❥・・❥・・❥・・❥・・❥・・❥

Daryl

The sun has completely dipped below the horizon now, leaving only the pale light of the moon to cut through the suffocating darkness around them. The group moves quietly, swiftly, weaving through the maze of abandoned cars that lie scattered ahead of the imposing gates. Daryl’s heart pounds, the tension in his muscles building as they creep closer to the towering walls of Woodbury. The walls loom large, casting long, intimidating shadows in the moonlight. There had to be a way in. There’s movement behind him, and the woman that was with them is off, slithering through the dark, keeping in the shadows. Rick tries to call after her in a hiss, but it’s no use. She’s gone.

“Dammit,” he whispers, backing up between Oscar and Daryl, “alright, we need to downsize,”

“Ain’t no way we’re gonna check in all them buildings,” Daryl says quietly, “not with all them guards there,” he looks up to watch the men walking back and forth, surveying. But then, a twig snaps behind them and they all turn quickly. The woman–Michonne, is back. Oscar, Rick, and Daryl all look at each other, and nod to follow her. 

Slinking through the darkness, keeping up with the shadows, they make their way forward.

❥・・❥・・❥・・❥・・❥・・❥・・❥・・❥・・❥

You

The pain reverberating in your head has only climbed higher with each punch Merle’s thrown. His fist connects again with your jaw, and you feel a sharp crack, a new wave of agony shooting through your face. Your cheekbone throbs, the skin hot and swollen where his knuckles landed hard.

Merle steps back for a second, his breathing heavy, looking down at you with a mix of frustration and regret. His face hardens, though you catch the brief flicker of guilt in his eyes. “Ain’t no other way,” he mutters under his breath, almost like he’s convincing himself. “You know this. We gotta sell it.”

You nod, swallowing down the taste of blood pooling in your mouth. You both know the plan—the Governor can't suspect anything. If you don’t look the part, this whole thing could blow up in both your faces. But knowing doesn’t make it hurt any less.

He throws another punch, this time aiming for your gut. The impact is brutal, forcing the air from your lungs with a sharp gasp. You double over instinctively, feeling the bruises already forming beneath your skin, every muscle aching from the force of it.

“Sorry,” he growls, his voice low and hoarse, his hand shaking just slightly as he pulls it back again. He hesitates, and for a split second, you can see the war waging inside him—this isn't easy for him, either. But you nod again, pushing through the pain, urging him to finish what he started.

His fist comes down one more time, connecting with your cheekbone. The blow sends a sharp, white-hot flash through your vision, the skin splitting under his knuckles. You can barely keep your eyes straight, vision blurring as you blink, your hands instinctively twitching, wanting to fly to the side of your face where the impact hit hardest.

Merle steps back, his breath coming in ragged gasps, his expression unreadable now. “That’s enough,” he mutters, more to himself than to you. He lowers his fists, his hands trembling slightly. “It’s gotta look real—but it ain’t gotta kill ya.”

Your body aches, every movement sending shockwaves of pain rippling through you, but you straighten up as much as you can. Blood trickles from the corner of your mouth, dripping down your chin, and you know you look the part now—battered, beaten, broken.

He steps closer, not with the same aggression but with something softer in his eyes. He grips your shoulder with his hand, helping you steady yourself, even though you wince at the touch. “You good?” he asks, voice low and rough, barely audible.

You nod, spitting out a mouthful of blood, trying to breathe through the throbbing ache. You swear you see him flinch at the idea of hurting you, but he cups your face in his one good hand, his palm under your chin. With his thumb on your cheek and forefinger under your jaw, he lifts your head to get a good look at your face, “Well–nothin that will change the way you look once you’re all healed– think Daryl would kill me if I did anything to that face,” he pauses, a grin ghosting over his features and your eyes meet his, tired and resigned.

But that’s when you see it—the apology, the regret etched in his hardened eyes, a flicker of the brother you once knew. “Really am sorry, darlin’,” he mutters, his voice gravelly and low. And he drops your face and leaves the room without another word.

❥・・❥・・❥・・❥・・❥・・❥・・❥・・❥・・❥

Daryl

They move quickly through the darkened buildings, and after running into a Woodbury citizen in the first one, they finally make their way out into the town. Gunfire cracks through the air, coming from across the way. Daryl’s pulse quickens as they press into the shadows of the houses, peeking around corners. Firelight flickers off the streets, casting a glow from a bonfire, and Daryl can just make out what looks to be a main building. It looks more authoritarian than the others, which are all smaller houses and old refurbished shops. The group stills while he checks around the corner, and on his OK and they fly through the streets unseen, and slip into the building. Filing down the halls with stealth between shadows, through the maze of metal walls and supplies, they come to a barrier, and crouch quickly when they hear voices.

“...Glad we could catch up,” a voice echoes from the other side of the wall, footsteps and orders coming in a rush. They’re in the way. No time. Daryl throws the flashbangs, the hallway bursting into chaos. Smoke billows, and they charge in with weapons raised.

Daryl grabs Maggie’s arm as Rick pulls Glenn. There’s gunshots, shouting, utter chaos, but they got them. There’s no stopping—no room for hesitation. Daryl’s stomach knots as they sprint toward the exit. Y/N’s not here. Not with them. He can’t find her in the smoke. His mind screams to panic, but he shoves it down. Not now.

Once back outside, they hug the walls, slipping through the shadows like ghosts.

“Inside, quick!” Rick hisses when they hit the town square, all of them squeezing into a cramped shed.

Daryl drops Maggie’s arm and heads to the back, searching for a way out. He runs his hand along the wall but comes up short. “Ain’t no way out back here,” he growls.

Behind him, Maggie’s voice trembles. “Rick, how did you find us?”

Rick ignores the question, his eyes coming around to Glenn. “How bad are you hurt?”

“I’ll be alright,” Glenn mumbles, his voice thick with pain. Daryl gets a clear look at him now—shirtless, one eye swollen shut, blood dripping down his battered face. It twists something deep inside Daryl. Glenn looks barely able to move.

“Where’s that woman?” Maggie blurts, her face pale, eyes blown wide in terror. Daryl’s eyes scan the group. They’re one short.

Rick’s jaw tightens. “She was right behind us.”

Daryl’s heart hammers as he steps forward, voice sharp. “Was Y/N with y’all when you were taken?”

Both Maggie and Glenn shake their heads. Daryl’s stomach drops. His mind claws for hope—maybe she’s still out there. Maybe she made it to the woods. He swallows hard, praying she did.

“Daryl–” Glenn says suddenly, his voice cutting through the room, loud and raw. “This was Merle.”

Daryl freezes, the words not registering at first. He stares at Glenn, wide-eyed.

“It was him,” Glenn repeats, scowling. “He did this.”

Daryl blinks, trying to catch his breath. “You saw ‘em?” Rick asks, his voice taut.

“Face to face,” Glenn nods, anger simmering beneath his bruises. “Threw a walker at me—was gonna execute us.”

Daryl’s mind reels. “So—so my brother’s this governor?” The words feel wrong in his mouth, like he can’t believe he’s saying them.

Maggie answers, shaking her head. “No. It’s somebody else. Your brother’s his lieutenant or something.”

“Does he know I’m still with you?” Daryl asks, disbelief creeping into his voice.

“He does now,” Glenn growls. “Rick, I’m sorry, we told him where the prison was. We couldn’t hold out—”

Rick cuts him off, shaking his head. “Don’t. No need to apologize.”

The conversation shifts around Daryl, but he can’t focus. They’re getting Glenn to his feet, talking about their next move, but Daryl’s thoughts are spinning—Merle is alive.

“Hey—if Merle’s around, I need to see ‘em,” Daryl blurts, desperation creeping into his tone.

Rick gets in his face, his voice tight. “Not now, we’re in hostile territory.”

“He’s my brother,” Daryl snaps, his breath quickening. “I ain’t—”

“Look what he did! We gotta get out of here, now!” Rick shouts.

Daryl’s eyes are wide, and they turn pleading. “Maybe I can talk to ‘em. Work somethin’ out.”

Rick shakes his head fiercely. “No, no, no. You’re not thinkin’ straight. Look—Glenn can barely walk. How are we gonna get out if we get overrun by walkers or the Governor catches up to us? I need you. Are you with me?”

Daryl’s chest heaves. His mind is a war zone, torn between Merle and the group. He clenches his jaw, weighing the options fast. Finally, after a long beat, he meets Rick’s gaze and says, “Yeah.”

[eowyntheavenger]

Hi! I saw your post on telling Americans to vote, and I was wondering what you think of posts from people from other parts of the world who are calling Americans evil for voting for Biden because of his support for Israel. I've seen a few already. They seem to be completely convinced that Americans deliberately voted for Biden specifically to side against Palestine and no other reason, and spread the general (pretty ignorant and hateful) message of "Americans are evil because of the actions of their government and because they collectively refuse to vote for a president who is good and not simply 'the lesser of two evils'". It frustrates me because they seem to think they're experts on US politics, culture, and society and have all the answers, but it also makes me concerned because it reminds me of the whole Russian bot thing from last time. Like, I'm 99% sure the people reblogging these posts aren't Russian bots (don't know about the OPs though), and they unquestioningly believe this. What do you think of this and how would you go about addressing this issue? Do you think it's possible to get them to understand how little they actually know about the US and how they're actually promoting a message that makes things worse for everyone? I've also seen less scathing posts that are just disheartened and don't seem to believe the democrats are truly better to vote for than the republicans and so it's just two sides of the same coin. To be fair, I think that sort of feeling is only further encouraged because there didn't really seem to be much if any progress made with Biden, not even back to square one after Trump moved the country so far backwards. I think most Americans really wish the elections actually had good candidates and they could pick the best of two goods, but are frustrated and stuck with the current system and don't know how to actually get to the point where there are good candidates. (Though personally I think voting for the one who isn't actively trying to make themselves a king with unlimited terms is a decent start. I can understand the frustration though.)

Hi! Thanks for the ask. This stuff worries me too. I've gotten comments on my posts like that too, telling me/other Americans that we're evil for voting for Biden.

But I've seen a much larger number of comments and posts from people outside the United States BEGGING us to vote for Biden. I literally get tags like that on my posts EVERY DAY urging Americans to vote blue. So I think that's valuable context, even if it doesn't solve the problem of the "I hate everybody who votes for Biden" crowd.

And yes, it's definitely a shitty argument on their part to claim that people voting for Biden are specifically siding against Palestine. Literally every single person I know in real life and online who plans to vote for Biden has been criticizing and protesting his policies on Palestine.

In terms of convincing the anti-voters that they're wrong, honestly, I don't know. They don't listen to reason and they seem intent on spreading despair. Some of Biden's policies have been terrible (Willow oil-drilling project), some of them have been downright evil (military aid to Israel), but I'm a rational person and I know that Trump is worse in every respect.

I've tried debating them. It's been pointless every time. They genuinely don't know how the government works, which scares me. Common takes include: 1) a genuine lack of awareness of how pro-Israel Trump and the right wing are, combined with magical thinking that a virtually unknown third party candidate can win the presidential election, 2) truly impressive mental gymnastics blaming Biden for the overturn of Roe v. Wade, and 3) continuing the mental gymnastics to blame Biden and the Democrats for anti-trans policies...

I guess my advice is to either ignore them and move on, or debunk things when you have time/energy? It's easier said than done, I know. There's nothing more annoying than someone being stupid on the internet, especially when they accuse you of stuff that just isn't true, and especially when they're spreading dangerous misinformation or voter-suppression rhetoric.

Like you, I'm highly suspicious of anyone who advocates AGAINST voting, or against voting blue. And I agree, many of these people are not bots, like you said, but I call them useful idiots, because they're doing the bots' work for them.

The one thing you said that I'm going to push back on is "there didn't really seem to be much if any progress made with Biden." Biden's actually made lots of progress on a variety of issues, and reversed some of Trump’s damage, it just doesn't get a lot of fanfare and it’s unfortunately happening at the same time as Republican gains in state legislatures and while they control the Supreme Court. But Biden and his administration have:

• invested billions in green architecture and clean energy, including making sure federal investments benefit low-income communities

• introduced new fines for companies' methane emissions

• introduced a plan to cut the federal government's greenhouse gas emissions by 65% by 2030 (that includes the military, which is a huge emitter)

• passed a huge bill for improving the country's infrastructure, including bridges, roads, broadband and more

• introduced first-ever national strategy on gender equality and equity and pushed Congress to pass the Equal Rights Amendment

• fought for women's reproductive rights after the overturn of Roe v. Wade

• put more women, people of color, and women of color on the federal bench than any of his predecessors combined

• nominated Kentaji Brown Jackson as the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court

• boosted funding to historically Black colleges

• ordered the DOJ to end the use of private prisons by the federal government

• pardoned thousands of people convicted on federal marijuana charges

• created a White House office of gun violence prevention

• passed the Respect for Marriage Act, guaranteeing federal rights and benefits for same-sex couples

• rolled out a series of actions to protect the rights and safety of the LGBTQ+ community, including protecting queer and trans foster youth, improving access to mental health services, and addressing the rise in hate crimes

• challenged discriminatory state bans against gender-affirming care and trans athletes

• called to support trans youth in State of the Union address and restored the White House tradition of recognizing Pride Month

• changed passport rules so that people can obtain a passport with no gender marker

• examined efforts by each federal agency to advance LGBTQ+ rights around the world

• reversed Trump's transgender military ban

• protected the rights of incarcerated trans people

• forgave billions in student debt, repeatedly, and introduced penalties for college programs that trap students in debt

• slashed bank overdraft fees

• expanded guaranteed overtime pay for millions of people

• made union-busting harder

• prevented discriminatory mortgage lending

• made efforts to expand the child tax credit, which could lift hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty

• cracked down on agriculture monopolies to support farmers and small businesses

• made it so the government is going to start taking drug companies' patents away if they don't make affordable drugs

• made over-the-counter birth control pills available for the first time

• lowered the cost of hearing aids and expanded access to them

• spent millions of dollars on students' mental health

• reversed discriminatory healthcare rules

• reinvigorated cancer research

• announced plans to replace all leaded pipes in the next ten years as well as combatting lead exposure abroad

• changed rules for how people can get aid after disasters so they can get more protection and immediate payments more easily

• introduced new data privacy rules protecting people from tech companies

• pushed the federal government to monitor AI risks

• maintained steadfast support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression

• maintained steadfast support for Taiwan in the face of Chinese intimidation

• strengthened ties with allies in Asia and the Pacific Islands

• pledged climate change assistance to low-lying Pacific Island countries

• literally IMMEDIATELY after being elected, Biden fortified DACA, rejoined the Paris Agreement, and ended Trump's discriminatory "Muslim ban", ended the Keystone XL Pipeline and fossil duel development in wildlife monuments, (same as last link) rejoined the WHO, strengthened COVID-19 response measures on a variety of fronts, re-included non-citizens in the U.S. census, and passed executives orders on racial equity in the federal government

And I'm sure there's more I left out.

There are also things Biden does that literally don’t make the news, but matter a lot, like funding the Postal Service, and continuing to have a State Department so we can conduct overseas diplomacy (Trump tried to defund the USPS and wants to purge the State Department and fill it with loyalists).

[moon-buggg]

Spare asks you say?

How would Sun and Moon react if they accidentally hurt y/n? In any AU but i guess haunted house is the most active atm.

Also why they so damn tall how am I supposed to smooch their big ole heads?

Don't worry! They're very good at bending down, and perfectly kissable so long as you're prepared to ask ^^ (and deal with Moons teasing-)

The haunted house boys are both Very torn up if they hurt you. Moon's performance is a bit more physical than Sun's, what with him grabbing you and dragging you out of rooms, so I'd say he's more likely to accidentally injure you. And of course he feels terrible, he never meant to hurt You, but... he isn't quite sure how to make it better.

So, once he notices the bruise left on you arm, exactly where he grabbed you yesterday, he... kind of freezes. For a few seconds. Just long enough for you to notice and start brushing it off- it was an accident, you didn't even notice it happen! But he makes a quick recovery, stalking towards you and gently, oh so gently holding your arm. Old instincts to sooth and comfort flare to life as he waves his hand above the purple blotch.

The words are quite, and all too at odds with the hissing distortion of his voice, "pain pain, go away." After a few seconds of careful inspection, his gaze meets yours, "better?"

And, well, all you can do is answer. "Better.... thanks Moonie."

And if he's noticeably gentler the next time he needs to drag you screaming out of a room, well, you're too occupied to point it out.

Sun's reaction is far more theatrical, but no less genuine.

It's a good thing he didn't notice the little red line across your shoulder until after your shift, he almost certainly would not have been able to stay in character if he noticed he nicked you during a performance. His claws are sharp, and while he's always so, so careful with you, accidents are unavoidable really.

It's so minor you probably wouldn't have noticed it, but for Sun it's a horrible, awful, glaring reminder of just how squishy humans really are. He's used to the gore, the guts and blood, you screaming while he laughed and laughed. But that's all pretend. Just acting. This is all too real and Sun doesn't like it.

... he really wants to wash his hands.

You're confused by his profuse apologizes until he points out the offending scrape and when you brush him off, say you're fine and you didn't even notice, he finds it difficult to believe. He's not MEANT to hurt you!! This is bad!! Why are you acting like it's fine?!?

Let him put a bandaid on it. Show him that you're ok, really for sure pinkie promise. He'll calm down soon enough.

(Of course, this is all when the virus hasn't reared its ugly head-)

AAAND BONUS because I want to talk about the mad science au

Honestly... they're more concerned by yn's Lack of reaction than anything? Shouldn't humans react a Bit more to being beamed upside the head by an overzealous metal man??? They're well aware the doctor isn't exactly like other humans, but do you want to sit down?? Doesn't your head hurt??

It is only at Sun's insistence that you admit that Yes. It hurt. And you should probably put something cold on the wound to avoid swelling. No matter how much you insist you're fine, it is really hard to shake off getting smacked by pure metal, and for as much as mad scientist!yn is making they boys worse, the boys are going to take care of you, whether you like it or not

[snowblack-charcoalwhite]

Remember that scene from episode 7, when Aemond tries to approach Jace on Driftmark, looking like he is about to offer his condolences but at the same time knows he shouldn't because even Jace can't acknowledge his real father? And Jace looks somewhat annoyed and Aemond leaves, then Jace glances at Aegon who is already in his cups and doesn't even notice him? There were no scenes like that in season 2. Short but meaningful, the scenes that reveal so much about the characters involved. We have Aemond who even after being mocked by his nephews still can sympathise with them in a way and the two (Aemond/Jace) can give us a 'what if' moment that creates the ultimate fallout more tragic. Then we have Jace who obviously is interested more in Aegon as a ringleader, an older boy he looks up to, and yet, it's Aemond, the boy he mocks for not having a dragon, the one who approaches him. These kind of scenes are important for the character building and also for making a stronger emotional impact on the audience when it comes to the fate of the mentioned characters. S2 had none of this and destroyed and undid whatever s1 built character and story-wise. Aemond's and Alicent's characters suffered the most, no doubt, but it was bad in general.

Also, in the balcony scene it's obvious how helaena and aemond have a great chemistry and it just made me even more mad because they had so little screentime together in both seasons. Same goes for Aegond. It's criminal they had zero good scenes , save for that one in e6 that is just used to not so subtly remind us that Aemond is a sadist. Also, why wouldn't Aemond just finish Aegon off because as long as he lives, Aemond is not safe? The answer: in the book he obviously didn't try to kill him at RR and therefore wouldn't want to kill him in the aftermath either, but these idiots just needed their shitty change to all of the sudden make Aemond a one dimensional villain, make Aegon as pitiful as possible and to show how terrible and dysfunctional the greens are as a family. However, they couldn't just kill Aegon off so early and that's why they attempted to fix their stupid plothole with that scene when Aemond threatens him. Like, what?? I'm supposed to believe that was enough for Aegon to shut up for weeks and then just leave? Nah. There were bunch of similar idiocies through the whole season and I'm sure that something seriously went wrong between s1 and 2 because the drop in quality is jarring. I'm not saying s1 was that great, but this one was abysmal. Probably Miguel leaving was one of the main reasons, but whatever it was, this season will remain a great example of what not to do when you make a TV show. I just feel sorry for the lost potential and also for the people who are planning to watch s3 because, unless you're a die hard tb stan with zero critical thinking skills, I can't see the appeal.

Ugh, I hope this rant makes sense 😅

Hello, and thank you for the ask!

You're making a very good point. Season 1 was by no means perfect; but there was at least some if not love then genuine investment in the story and the characters from the showrunners - one could feel that at least occasionally. I guess it really came from Sapochnik's end because Condal clearly couldn't care less. The show used to have a soul - and now it feels empty. And, as it has been proven time and time again through the entirety of cinematic history, it is virtually impossible to create a truly good film or TV show if you don't give a damn about its essence.

I saw some people calling season 2 "a trailer for season 3" - because of how underwhelming and lacking in substance it turned out to be, I assume. To me it feels like something in between a trailer for the things to come and a recap of an actual season that was filmed but not shown to us for some reason. Pretty much everything feels superficial - even the dragged out scenes supposedly added for symbolism purposes or whatnot. The relationships between the characters are underdeveloped at best, destroyed at most (for example, chemistry between Green siblings' actors is utterly wasted indeed); some plot points make no sense; quite a few characters seem to have got a personality transplant in between the seasons.

Actually, I can understand why people, even TG fans would still be willing to watch season 3 (some for Aegon and Larys storyline, some for Alysmond - whatever form it takes, some for other reasons which could be many). As for me though - at the risk of sounding too dramatic - I had too much heart poured into this show and got hurt too badly by what it has become to even think of continuing to watch it without feeling sick. At least, for now.

[cal-daisies-and-briars]

And last but not least here’s some presents for you! I’d apologize for how I just spammed your inbox buuuuuuut I’m not really sorry :p

���🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁 (story that’s currently making you giggle the most)

🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁 (story that’s currently making you cry the most - somehow I think I’ll be able to guess which it is)

🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁 (story whose current chapter/section you’re currently most proud of)

🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁 (whatever’s calling you to write right now)

Oh also I had a question! Obviously feel free to ignore if you don’t want to answer but I was thinking about how you’ve covered so many classic magical fanfic tropes (all with such uniquely fun takes on them) I was wondering if there’s any others you’re hoping to do someday? Like are there any other tropes you have some vague ideas for or that you love to read and would want to write if inspiration struck? No pressure obviously I just love hearing about your ideas/processes!

Thank you as always for sharing your work that brings me such joy!!!

- PCA <3

Okay doing these while working on trying to finish up Your Fake Name is Good Enough for me, so that won't be in here. Thank you for these, PCA!

As to your question, I'm really down for anything trope wise. There are some themes i won't cover but otherwise I'd like to do anything really. I'm pretty open! More monster fics maybe? Idk I'm working my way through fic request form submissions and Bad Things Happen Bingo so we will see what's inspired from that.

For the story that's making me giggle the most, I'll have to go with 🧜🏼‍♂️ - so 27 for 🧜🏼‍♂️:

---

Buck is experiencing massive amounts of betrayal today. From his partner, who believes he is the problem today. From his body, which has decided to keep a line of shimmering scales running across his stomach. And, now, from his more-or-less brother-in-law. Who is simply annoying. 

They’re at an octopus call. Literally. An octopus evaded near death at a seafood restaurant, slipped through the vents to the floor below, and landed on a woman’s head. She nearly suffocates. 

“Should we pause?” Chim asks as they exit through the restaurant after freeing the woman. “Take a moment of silence for our beloved ocean critters?”

Buck sighs. 

Eddie shakes his head.

Hen snickers.

“Chim…” Bobby cautions.

Ravi looks confused. “Wait, are you vegan? Or, uh, vegetarian? You were way too excited about mac and cheese earlier to be vegan.”

“I’m not a vegetarian or a vegan,” Chim answers with a smirk. “I’m just an empath.”

“You’re full of it, is what you are,” Eddie jokes. 

Ravi laughs. 

Buck glares at him. “You don’t even know why it’s funny.”

---

27 for the one that has made me cry most is 🌕 EASILY. The other night, I was thinking about a scene for towards the end and sobbed so hard my dog had to lay on my chest. The only other one that has MAYBE made me cry that I'm currently writing in Gentle on My Mind, and NOTHING like this:

Putting it under the cut because it's an upsetting scene.

---

There is only one feasible solution. Only one thing Eddie can think to do. 

And it involves breaking a promise. 

For so long, Eddie was only a parent to one person. Chris was the sole center of his universe, without having to share. He’d hear about parents having to make terrible choices. Which kid do you help first when both are in danger? The Sophie’s Choice question made real. He could never relate. He never had to fathom it.

He makes it today in a snap second. He doesn’t even think twice. 

Maisy is still in his arms. He walks out onto the road, carrying her, writing and crying. Stony-faced, Eddie drops to his knees beside his husband and son. 

“Eddie,” Buck moans. “Eddie, I’m… I tried… I couldn’t…”

Eddie ignores him. He can’t hear this. He can’t accept it.

He holds Maisy out towards Christopher. He grabs one of her little hands and presses it against his broken body.

“Fix him, Maisy.”

Buck’s face freezes. A secondary kind of horror adds itself to the already present doom in his eyes. 

---

27 for the part I am currently most proud of is still🌕 (sorry I am obsessed with writing this):

---

“Maisy, fix him,” Eddie commands again. “Fix him. Help him.”

There’s a crowd of people behind them, watching. Eddie can hear sirens in the distance.

“Maisy.”

She’s shrieking. Despondent. It doesn’t even occur to Eddie what he’s forcing her to look at. 

“Stop,” Buck begs through tears. “Eddie, stop. She can’t.”

Eddie doesn’t listen.

“Maisy. Maisy, please. Fix my boy.”

She just cries. She cries and cries and cries and doesn’t even try to fix this broken thing. 

“He’s my baby,” Eddie is sobbing now. He’s realized, underneath this frantic display, that she simply can’t do what he’s asking. “Please save him. Please save my son.”

“Enough,” Buck finally snaps. Still holding Christopher, he lurches to yank Maisy out of Eddie’s arms. 

Maisy buries herself in Buck’s arms, crying so much she’s shaking. 

And with that, Buck snatches away all the remaining dregs of Eddie’s hope. With that, it’s over.

---

And 27 for whatever I'm called to write? WELL I HAVE NO SHAME AT ALL. More for 🌕:

---

He still suspects they’re stress-related, and what was more stressful than what happened at that crosswalk? He knew a dream was coming. He’s hardly been in a restful sleep, due to the anticipation. He’s ready to comfort his husband. 

It doesn’t go the way Buck expects.

Eddie flies upright, gasping and crying. Buck moves to hold him.

“It’s okay,” he whispers. “You’re awake. It wasn’t real.”

Usually, this would be the point where Eddie would sort of melt into him and explain how very real it felt. How awful. He’d be shaky and unsteady and Buck would need to be strong for him. 

This time, Eddie is fine.

“I know,” he breathes.

“Good,” Buck strokes his back. “That’s really good.”

“It’s not real,” Eddie says.

“I know, I know it isn’t,” Buck echoes. 

“No. Buck. It’s not real.”

“I’ve been saying that,” Buck nods.

“You don’t understand,” Eddie says. “I just had the most horrific dream I’ve ever had in my life. I just… Christopher died in front of us.”

[the-amber-raven]

Random question... No pressure to answer.... But do u perhaps have any prompts for buck&bobby fics... I have a few fics of them that im working on but i wanna try writing smth simple for a writing exercise since i havent been writing very much lately

Alright so I don't know if I am the best person to ask this because really this is just a list of the stuff I'd love to read... and there's enough of it that I waited until I could answer this on my computer instead of typing it out on my phone 😂 Also a lot of these ended up kind of related to some of the texts I included in the texting fic, probably because I went through so much of the canon for it that they're all front of mind, but you could probably also use some of those sections to help augment some of these ideas??

But some Buck&Bobby related ideas that I reckon would be great fun to explore:

Bobby and Probie Buck at the Springsteen concert. I feel like this is a criminally underused plot point from the pilot episode that I desperately wish more fics touched on. Like what made grouchy Captain Nash decide to go to a Springsteen concert with the probie that was driving him nuts?? Did he have the tickets and he thought maybe the bonding activity would help him connect with Buck thus making him more likely to listen to him? Were they Buck's tickets and he didn't have anyone to go with and he totally faux-casually was like "hey Bobby you're a Springsteen guy, you want to join me? Totally fine if not though!!" except despite trying so hard to keep his cool everyone could see how insecure he was feeling about having no one to go with and Bobby felt bad for him so he agreed to go? Were there shenanigans at the concert? I had Buck planning to like walk somewhere less crowded and then order an uber to get home in the texting fic and I totally imagined Bobby just going "........ this is how get murdered get in my car I'm driving you home."

The Pops nickname, which is the other criminally underused little detail from the pilot. Given we only heard about it then, my headcanon is that Buck was kind of using it as a teasing nickname that was a mixture of him trying to fit in at the firehouse by giving Bobby a mocking nickname that was probably on the edge of disrespectful (like a "wow, you're old, Pops" sarcastic kind of vibe) and partly way too real except he wasn't in a position to admit his terrible relationship with his father then. Which is why I think he then stopped doing it - getting fired made him rethink things, gave him more respect for Bobby so he retired the kind-of mocking feedback and buried the "desperate for a dad" even further... but I would love to see him then break out the Pops later on in the canon, where it actually flips to a mark of the respect and appreciation that Buck has for Bobby's role in his life. So I guess in terms of writing a story, something like an "X times Buck made fun of Bobby by calling him Pops, and X times Buck used it to mean 'you're my real dad'." (Bonus points for having him call him that in front of Phillip Buckley? 😂)

Buck returning to work after the lightning strike. I feel like there's something really interesting you could pull from this part of the canon. Because Bobby is clearly concerned about Buck (he hovers around him when he's doing crowd control instead of being, you know, with the patient and he gives him the perfect performance review score) but he's also clearly trying to act on the lessons he learned during the ladder truck era - namely that he can't wrap Buck up in cotton wool and keep him from doing the job he loves. So there's something in the conflict he must be feeling around that time (and I headcanon that he doesn't let Buck up the ladder for months, a mission that is aided and abetted by Chimney and Eddie). But there's also something in the fact that Buck actually wasn't as keen to get back as he had been during the ladder truck. It could be a fun reversal of roles story, where Bobby gets overly enthusiastic about getting Buck back on the roster ASAP when he gets cleared to show that he's listened and he wants Buck back but it's actually Buck this time who has to tell him that he wants to take it a bit slower and take his time.

Ladder truck recovery period. We know from 3x01 that Bobby accompanied Buck to some of his PT sessions and was involved quite a bit in his recovery - I've touched on it in the texting fic and in words, how little they mean but I've always wished there were stories that explored this era because it's such an interesting part of their journey - Bobby feels so guilty over the bombing, and he's also come to care for Buck a lot but he's also refusing to admit it's a father/son relationship even though it's exactly how he's acting...

Tsunami AU - there is exactly one thing that would make the tsunami arc better for me and that is if the 118 found out that Buck and Christopher were caught up in the tsunami way earlier than all of them converging at the field hospital. I would love to see a fic where Bobby (and the others) get sent to the firetruck and get told about the off-duty firefighter named Buck who saved them all but was swept away by the receding wave alongside his kid (and yes I know I did this exact scenario in mortifying ordeal but it's not the same because Bobby actually is Buck's (adoptive) dad in that one so different dynamics at play than the canon one)

Something to do with the Buckley parents - maybe like 5 times Bobby learns something about the Buckleys (maybe stuff like they're teachers, Buck used to hurt himself to get their attention, they skipped Maddie's wedding because they didn't approve of her husband, they kept their dead son a secret and didn't even tell their other son, and I don't know something totally random (maybe how they seem to have plenty of money - they invested in Hershey and that's why they live there??)) + the time he finally meets them (you could do Buck Begins, but I think it could be even more interesting if it's during the lightning strike)

And one more that came to mind when I was thinking about Buck Begins - the missing scene of Bobby talking to Buck after they pull him out of the factory fire. I was so devastated when I found out they deleted a scene showing them talk AND HUG and oh my god would I love to see it play out in a fic at least.

Lol these were probably way longer or detailed than you might have wanted or expected 😅 But I do hope one of these might inspire the muse and get those creative juices flowing! I know I would be intrigued to read any one of them 👀

[haveyouseenthisskeleton]

Can I get UT toriel, Papyrus, alphys, undyne, and grilby's reaction to frisk telling them that sans once said if he didn't make a promise to toriel, then they'd be " dead"?

Undertale Papyrus - Papyrus suddenly choked on the pasta he wasn't even eating yet. What? You probably heard that wrong, Sans would never say something like that, he loves children. ... Right? Well, anyway, it's in the past so who cares? He quickly changes the subject to not talk about it. He still will confront Sans later who explains why he did this. Papyrus is a little shocked he could say something like that to a child, but yeah, he can guess why. But that was still terrible. But he can understand. Sometimes, he wishes Sans confess a little more to him, but knowing he's trusting at least Toriel to give up on such crazy plans is still comforting him. Sans needs more real friends he can rely on, and that's a long time since Papyrus resigned to not being one of his confidants. Sans is too scared to hurt him to be sincere. Not that Papyrus is that sincere with him either though. But, well... Maybe it will be better someday.

Undertale Toriel - She acts like it's nothing in front of Frisk, but it's upsetting her slightly. She's glad Sans trusted her on this and (more or less) protected the child on their journey, but... She can't stop thinking about what would have happened if she never answered that weird jokester back then. Could Sans really have killed a child in cold blood? Maybe she doesn't know her best friend all that much after all. She's still looking for a chance to have a heart-to-heart with him about this.

Undertale Undyne - She gives the kid a big tap on the back and says with a big shark smile that if the Hotlands weren't this hot they would be long dead too and that she perfectly understands the feeling! ... Uh, thanks Undyne, I suppose. She can't really blame Sans anyway when she puts so much effort into destroying the kid Underground lol. She doesn't take Sans' words seriously, he is always a little weird.

Undertale Alphys - She quickly looks down and pretends she didn't hear any of this. She is closer to Sans than most people think and she knows it wasn't words he said only to scare them. He was thinking each of these words. She saw him hesitate on the cameras at the entrance of Snowdin, as he followed you. She saw him hesitate several other times through your journey. Sans didn't attack you only because he's one of the most empathetic monsters she knows, and he cares deeply and grew attached. A lot more than what people think. Everyone sees Papyrus' kindness because he's a lot more expressive, but Alphys knows that Sans raised him and that the apple never fall far from the tree. She can't say to Frisk that Sans wasn't serious, but she won't call him out either. When she needed help, Sans was always here for her, and she wants to be a good friend back and not call him out for his past actions.

Undertale Grillby - He's a little disturbed by Frisk's revelations, but not too surprised. Grillby has known Sans for a long time, but more importantly, he witnessed a lot of things Sans said when he was completely drunk. Grillby is one of the first who got concerned about Sans' evident depression and tendencies to sabotage himself. He talked with him a lot about this, trying to get him to find some help. But Sans is way too stubborn. So of course, when an opportunity to finally leave this hell showed up, the first thing Sans would think about was to take it and kill a child. Grillby is not sure if Sans would have done it. Oh, he definitely could have done it, Grillby knows he's stronger than he seems, I mean, have you tried to drag a drunk angry Sans home? But he also knows he would never have forgiven himself for this. He cares too much to be a cold-blooded murderer. That wouldn't have ended well for him, so he's glad he gave up that stupid project.

[pr3ttym3l]

sick day (nightowl fan fic!!)

Nightowl: (gently tucking a blanket around Y/N) “You’re going to get better, cutie. I promise! Just rest, okay? I’ll take care of everything.”

Y/N: (sniffling) “Thanks, Nightowl. You’re always so sweet. I just… I hate feeling like this.”

Nightowl: (smiling) “I know, but you’re doing great. Here, sip some tea. It’ll help.”

(Y/N takes a small sip, then sneezes softly. Nightowl chuckles, leaning closer.)

Nightowl: “Bless you! You’re still adorable, you know that?”

(Y/N blushes, managing a shy smile. Nightowl leans in, brushing a strand of hair behind Y/N's ear, their eyes sparkling.)

Y/N: “You’re just saying that because you’re being nice…”

Nightowl: “No, really! You’re cutie even when you’re sick.”

(Feeling bold, Nightowl leans in and kisses Y/N deeply. It’s tender, filled with warmth and care. They pull back, both surprised by the intensity.)

Y/N: “Wow… that was nice.”

Nightowl: (grinning) “I thought so too! But, uh… maybe not the best idea considering…”

(They both start to cough, realizing that Nightowl just caught Y/N's cold.)

Y/N: (giggling softly) “Looks like we’re in this together now.”

Nightowl: “Great! Double the cuddles, double the tea! But we might need some help.”

Y/N: “Who can we call?”

Nightowl: “Let’s get Quest! He always knows what to do.”

(Nightowl picks up the phone, trying to stifle a cough as he dials.)

Nightowl: “Hey, Quest! We need some serious rescue help over here.”

Quest: (voice from the other end) “Uh-oh, you two are both sick? I’m on my way with soup and medicine! Hold tight!”

(As they hang up, Nightowl leans against Y/N, smiling despite the situation.)

Nightowl: “Guess we’ll be stuck together for a bit. Ready for a sick day adventure?”

Y/N: “As long as it’s with you, I’m ready.”

(They settle back into the blankets, smiles on their faces, knowing they’ll get through this together—with a little help from their friend.)

(The doorbell rings, and Nightowl stumbles to answer it, feeling a bit wobbly but determined.)

Quest: (walking in with a big pot of soup and a bag of medicine) “Whoa! You two look like you’ve been through a blender! What happened?”

Y/N: (smiling weakly) “Just a little cold… and maybe a kiss that went too far.”

Quest: (raising an eyebrow, smirking) “A kiss, huh? Sounds like it was worth it! But now you’re both sick. Classic.”

Nightowl: “Yeah, we were just being all cute and then—bam! Sick combo.”

Quest: (setting down the soup) “Alright, time for some magic soup. This’ll fix you right up!”

(He ladles the soup into bowls, the steam rising and filling the room with warmth.)

Y/N: “You always know how to make everything better, Quest. Thank you.”

Quest: “Just doing my best! Now, eat up. You two need your strength back.”

(As they dig into the soup, Nightowl tries to be cheerful, but he sneezes dramatically, causing Y/N to giggle.)

Nightowl: (grinning) “Okay, maybe I’m not quite as strong as I thought.”

Y/N: “You’re still my hero, even if you’re a sneezy one.”

Quest: (teasingly) “The great Nightowl brought low by a little cold. What would your fans say?”

Nightowl: (laughing) “They’d probably laugh! But hey, you’re here to save the day. Super Quest to the rescue!”

(After finishing the soup, they settle back on the couch, wrapped in blankets.)

Quest: “So, what’s the plan? More movies? Blanket forts? I can build a fort if you want!”

Y/N: “A blanket fort sounds amazing right now!”

Nightowl: “Count me in! We’ll make it the coziest fort ever.”

Quest: “Alright! I’ll gather supplies while you two pick a movie. Just remember, no scary ones—you need rest!”

(They giggle as Quest heads to gather more blankets and pillows, leaving Y/N and Nightowl to browse through movies.)

Y/N: (softly) “I’m really glad you’re here, Nightowl. It makes being sick a little less terrible.”

Nightowl: (smiling) “Me too. And once we’re better, we can have a real adventure—just us. But for now, I wouldn’t trade this time for anything.”

(They share a tender moment, eyes sparkling, then turn back to the screen to pick a light-hearted movie.)

(Quest returns, arms loaded with blankets, and starts building the fort.)

Quest: “Alright, fort is ready! Let’s get inside before the cold gets us!”

Nightowl: “Lead the way, Captain Quest!”

(They crawl into the blanket fort, laughter echoing as Quest starts the movie, the three of them huddled close together.)

Y/N: “This is perfect. Just what I needed.”

Nightowl: “Agreed. Cuddles, soup, and good company. Who could ask for more?”

(As the movie plays, they feel the warmth of friendship and love wrap around them like the blankets, making the sickness a little less

(As the movie plays, the sounds of laughter and lighthearted dialogue fill the fort.)

Quest: (leaning back against the cushions) “This is the perfect setup! If only we could make this our permanent hangout.”

Y/N: (snuggling closer to Nightowl) “I could get used to this. Just the three of us, hiding from the world.”

Nightowl: “Absolutely! We could have blanket fort parties every weekend. No sick days allowed!”

Quest: “Deal! Just as long as there’s soup and movie marathons.”

(As the plot thickens on screen, Y/N sneezes again, and Nightowl instinctively reaches over to hand them a tissue.)

Y/N: “Thanks,owl.”

Nightowl: “Always! Just trying to be a good partner. But honestly, I think the soup Quest made is working wonders.”

(Quest pretends to flex his arms.)

Quest: “Super chef skills! I should add that to my resume.”

Y/N: “You could be a professional soup maker. ‘Quest’s Souper Delights’!”

Nightowl: “I’d be your first customer! I’d order soup for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”

(As the movie progresses, Nightowl feels a sudden wave of dizziness. He leans back against the fort wall, closing his eyes for a moment.)

Y/N: “You okay, Nightowl?”

Nightowl: (opening his eyes) “Yeah, just a little lightheaded. Guess the cold’s hitting me harder than I thought.”

Quest: (concerned) “You need to drink more fluids. I can get you some water!”

Nightowl: “No, it’s okay. I’ll manage.”

Y/N: (softly) “You need to take care of yourself too. We’re in this together, remember?”

Nightowl: (smiling) “You’re right. It’s just hard to focus when you look so cute all snuggled up.”

(Y/N blushes, and Quest rolls his eyes playfully.)

Quest: “Alright, lovebirds! Let’s focus on getting healthy so we can have our adventures. No more mushy stuff for now—save it for the recovery party!”

(They continue watching the movie, sharing jokes and comments. As it nears the end, Nightowl starts to feel worse, leaning heavily against Y/N.)

Y/N: “Hey, how about we pause? You look like you could use a break.”

Nightowl: “Maybe just a quick rest. I’ll be fine, promise.”

(Quest glances at Y/N, a knowing look passing between them.)

Quest: “You both need to rest. How about I take over the movie for a bit while you two close your eyes?”

Nightowl: “You’re too good to us, Quest.”

Y/N: “Yeah, thank you. We’re lucky to have you.”

(Nightowl reluctantly nestles closer to Y/N, letting his eyes flutter shut. Quest takes over the remote, selecting a lighter movie, the comforting sound filling the fort.)

(A little while later, Y/N feels Nightowl’s breathing become steady, indicating he’s fallen asleep. They smile softly, gently brushing their fingers through his hair.)

Y/N: (whispering) “You always take such good care of me, even when you’re not feeling well.”

Quest: (smirking) “Looks like we’ve got a true night owl here. But he needs to learn to rest too.”

(Y/N nods, a hint of concern in their eyes.)

Y/N: “I’ll make sure he does. Once we’re both better, I’ll keep an eye on him.”

Quest: “That’s the spirit! Teamwork makes the dream work, right?”

(As the movie continues, Quest looks over at Nightowl, who stirs slightly but stays asleep.)

Quest: “You know, this is nice. I love seeing you both like this. It’s rare to have such a cozy day together.”

Y/N: “Yeah, it really is. It’s moments like these that make everything worth it.”

(They share a comfortable silence, the warmth of the fort enveloping them.)

Quest: “Let’s make a pact. Once we’re all healthy, we’ll have a big celebration. A ‘we beat the flu’ party!”

Y/N: “I’m in! We’ll invite everyone, make it a whole thing!”

Nightowl: (sleepily stirring) “Did someone say party?”

(Both Y/N and Quest chuckle, knowing they’re in for some silly fun once they’re back on their feet.)

[jesskasb]

Ok but which drv3 fic are you reading. And is it good so far

it's "amalgamate" by doctorhaifisch !! and it is good so far yeah! really elaborate answer under the cut, i went on about this for longer than i shouldve. sorry. ill take any opportunity to ramble about v3. :']

based on the hits and the amount of fanart ive seen of it, it seems everyone and their mother has read it... however ive been purposely living under a 2 bedroom rock for like 4 years so ive only gotten around to it now after seeing an artist i follow say it made them reconsider a few things about ouma and it made them like kaito and realize how intelligent he is and how fascinating his role in chapter 5 was— and i was like wow, that must be a based fucking fic! it took me years to see kaito more than just a loud guy with a savior complex, and now that im a huge fan of him, i wanted to see what kind of fic could open someone's eyes to his awesomeness.

i check it out *really* skeptically, mainly cause i dont trust most people's depiction of ouma. they either make him genuinely not give a shit about things and just be a terrible person for no reason, or they make him too emo in a way he simply isnt. the main reason i even gave it a shot despite never having read a v3 fic in the 6 yrs ive been a fan, is that it said that the tags say the whole fic could be interpreted platonically (#AROWIN) (god knows im not against oumota but i prefer them as friends by a really substantial amount) and the amount of research the author seemed to have poured into strike 9 poison and its real world pesticide counterpart. the art they attached to chapter 1 was really good, too, so that made me curious.

now im in chapter 10/20 and i can say with confidence ive been having a great time. its plenty obvious the author has a lot of love for all of the characters, and even though i thought i could gain no new opinions since i already love ouma and kaito's potential dynamic and everything to do with chapter 5, i ended up being very pleasantly suprised by himiko's depiction here! i cant say im too big of a fan of her, not due to any actual fault in her character but rather kodaka's failings to do anything actually interesting with her. in chapter 9, this author used her untapped potential in a really heartwarming way that i loved. similarly, i have enjoyed seeing their portrayal of kaito and ouma, and it seems there's going to be an arc for ouma to begin seeing his classmates not only as people whose lives are worth saving as much as any other, but to see them as friends and letting them become close with him. ive always been a firm believer that in a non-kg setting ouma could become super close friends with a small handful of people, but this fic is making me reconsider that— maybe its more! another thing im really enjoying are all the fascinating possibilities that the author is exploring for a world in which ouma lives to see chapter 6 and the consequences of his actions. him being there while people investigate his room? most amusing. its all stuff that happens in chapter 5 and 6 until a certain point— just enough to get these two chumps to live, and then... well, i guess ill see how chapter 6 turns out, but as of right now ive been super intrigued and entretained.

i do also have a couple of complaints, but theyre mostly pet peeves and no deal breakers so far: there have been a loooot of pop culture referenced but they all feel in line with stuff kodaka would write so whatever, the author uses italics way more than id like... in the chapters up until 9 there were constant descriptions of kaito seeing ouma as a Kid, and while that in an of itself is true (he is a 17 yr old) the context began feeling a little infantalizing and like kaito himself wasnt 17 as well. theres noticeably less of this in chapter 9 and what ive read of 10, or when theres references to them being kids it includes everyone and theres even a moment where kaito tells ouma theyre the same damn age lol. theres also been a bunch of moments that are clearly very indulgent of ship dynamics and inclinations im not too fond of (particularly between ouma and shuichi) but like i said, nothings been too much of a dealbreaker since the positives far outweigh the negatives!

im currently on a trip where i dont have signal most of the time so i got the epub of the fic to read on the downtime. im def gonna keep reading it, and im excited to see where its going despite some of the cheesy lines such as

(honestly i cant even complain. i dont care its a reference to the title of the game. he Would say that....)

i mean, really, it's such a good depiction of ouma. all his masks, his paranoia, his insecurities, his determination to stop the killing game, the way hes been helping the group while simultaneously remaining isolated, and the way his lies are an extension of his genius but also a constant tool to test his peers. i feel like i dont get to see all of these elements of him expanded upon so extensively like this fic does, and that alone makes me really respect what the author is doing! the word count may be scary but i think youd get something from the fic even if you only read like 5-6 chapters. so yeah in conclusion id recommend it if you give a shit about v3 and are interested in chapter 5 fix it fics LOL

[dodger-chan]

Thank you @cchapsticck for the tag

First fic tag game 📖

Pick a fandom and post an excerpt of the first thing you ever wrote in that fandom. Could be a scene, part of a scene, a couple of lines, whatever your first foray into writing for that fandom was. Feel free to include a link to the story it comes from if it’s been published (excerpts from WIPs count too).

Tagging @sharpbutsoft @sevenmerrymagpies @eriquin and @onirislanding to join in here.

So, not quite a work in progress, but previously unpublished nonetheless. A Stranger Things fic I started after season three, then went back and reworked post season four, but was never quite happy enough with to publish. It's only a thousand words, so I'll just put the whole thing under the cut.

Edit: now on AO3

“Do you think you want kids, Robin?” Steve asked as he flipped the sign from ‘open’ to ‘closed’ and locked the door. They were the only people in Family Video. It was Tuesday night, the one day a week they shared the closing shift. Their last one; Robin would be switching to Friday closings only once school started next week.

“I’m not likely to have any,” she answered. Robin was kind of surprised by the question. The time between locking up and clocking out had become the time they had serious conversations - the car ride home being reserved for light teasing and laughter. But this question didn’t fit the pattern they’d established since their first Tuesday night together.

‘How did you know you liked girls?’

‘How did you know you didn’t like guys?’

‘Did you ever try to trick yourself into liking guys?’

‘Do you think it’s possible to lie to yourself so well you don’t realize it?’

She’d been assuming Steve was working himself up to something specific. Something that wasn't kids.

“Yeah, I know but, suppose you could. Like, if kids actually came from storks or a girl could get you pregnant. Would you want to have kids or would you try to avoid it?”

“I mean, I’d certainly be trying to avoid it right now.” Before, when she’d thought of kids as the inevitable consequence of an inevitable husband, she had actively not wanted them. She hadn’t given the idea much consideration since. Robin tried to picture it; her, another girl, two point five little rugrats. It didn’t seem especially terrible, but it didn’t seem especially real, either. “I don’t know. Maybe, if I had a girlfriend that I was serious about and she wanted them? But it’s not something that can happen.”

“Yeah, I know.” Steve sighed. “Does it bother you?”

“In principle, yeah.” Robin wasn’t a fan of things being impossible. Particularly when they were less actually impossible and more not socially acceptable. “But not so much for me. I don’t think I’ll mind just being a cool aunt.”

“You’re going to be the coolest aunt.” Steve smiled at her, briefly, before looking down at the floor. “I want kids.”

“Yeah?” That wasn’t a surprise to Robin. She would have guessed that about Steve the first time she saw him interact with his little brood.

“When I was ten, I think, my dad asked me what my ambition was. Didn’t want my answer right away, wanted me to take a bit of time and think about it. So I did. And what I came up with was kids. At least six. More if possible. At least one girl and at least one boy, but ideally three of each. I wanted to make them food and read them bed-time stories and help them with their homework until it got too hard for me. I wanted to hold them when they cried until they felt better, and make sure they were always safe.

“My dad said kids weren’t an ambition, they were just something that happened. And that all the shit I wanted to do with them was shit my wife would handle. That I should try again. But I never came up with anything else. Nothing that I really felt mattered.”

“Six kids sound pretty ambitious to me.” It certainly sounded like a lot of work.

“I’m going to have to marry a girl to have kids.” Oh. Oh. Steve had been working up to something specific.

“What if you didn’t?” she asked, softly. Steve looked up at her. “I don’t mean not have kids. I mean, what if you didn’t need to marry a girl?”

Steve didn’t answer. Robin kept talking.

“It’s a fantasy world. Full stork-based reproduction. Kids just show up. You get six kids over six years, starting, say, once you turn twenty-two. No wife necessary. Would you want to marry a girl?”

“I don’t know. I’d want the kids even if it was just me, but I think,” Steve sighed, long and deep, “I think I’d rather have someone I could, you know, love in a different way. And also the extra pair of hands.”

Robin smiled at the humor, but wasn’t letting Steve distract her. There was one more question he needed to answer. “Would you rather date a boy?”

“That can’t happen.” He said it flatly, like it was an intrinsic fact of the universe. “Two guys don’t get to raise kids. And no girl will marry me if she finds out that I…I mean, I’m not…I like girls, too. It’s not, it shouldn’t be a problem for me to marry a girl.”

There’s silence between them for a little while, while Robin counted the cash in the register. She screwed it up twice, thinking about what Steve had said, and what he hadn’t.

“You think it might be, though?” she asked once she had the cash safely stowed away. “A problem to marry a girl, I mean?”

"I don't think I've really liked a girl since Nancy," he admitted quietly. He was leaning on the counter, had been since Robin opened the cash drawer.

“Have you liked a boy?” She asked the question softly, so he could pretend not to hear if he wanted. He nodded, a small tight nod she easily could have missed if she hadn’t been watching him. “Steve-”

“Doesn’t matter. I’ll get over it.” It. Not him. “Find another girl and fall in love. I’m good at that. Ready to head out?”

“Yeah.” The checklist was complete. All that was left was for Steve to lock the door behind them. He’d drive her home and they’d pretend this whole conversation had never happened. At least until the next time they shared a closing shift.

Robin wasn’t waiting that long. She grabbed Steve’s hand before he could turn the key in the lock.

“If it doesn’t matter, why tell me?”

“Robin,” he groaned. She didn’t let go of his hand, keeping the door unlocked, the conversation ongoing. His smile shifted from a fixed pleasant expression to one of exasperated fondness. “I didn’t want you to think that you were alone. That it was just you.”

“Dingus.” Robin dropped her hand and let him lock the door.

[radiokathryn-if]

What types of MC's do the RO's like the most and what do they dislike the most?

hmmmm to answer this I'm going to go with what the ROs look for in a partner rather than what the MC would be like... if that makes sense──I don't want to make any 'canon' ideals for MCs! (did I answer this right??? I'm second guessing everything today)

Current Nate is tricky because he's not looking for a romance he's looking for one night stands or a fuck buddy. He likes it when people are bold enough to look him in the eye and tell him they want him (he's an egotist!) He's interested in a challenge but not if he has to actively work for it. He won't get with someone who can't keep their mouth shut (about their circumstances, not particularly during the sexy times...) so Nate tends to stray away from overly talkative people or those who can't keep a secret.

Eva is open to all kinds of personalities. She likes trying to get shier people to open up for her──she has no problems taking control of conversations or... situations. She likes playing the game with playful or flirty people, keeping her on her toes interests her. She likes seeing how far someone bold can go before she's the one who can let go and get a little looser/more passive. (she's the ultimate switch I'm telling you now) However, the core through line is she will not be with someone terribly selfish and arrogance gets old fast... mostly because it reminds her of Nate. (don't be like Nate, essentially.)

Mica doesn't particularly enjoy straight-laced or just judgemental people. They are very easy going and very spontaneous so a partner that wouldn't even entertain their plans or judge them for trying something completely random is very off putting. They do prefer more talkative people rather than stoic or quiet/shy people but it's not necessarily a turn off.

Let's be real, Detective Han is... emotionally stunted at best. They don't have time (in their head anyway) for romance so they've never given it a first thought let alone a second one. They find themselves more intrigued by someone who can match them──who won't back down from their morals or beliefs, someone who can challenge them to think and help them understand. Other than that they have no idea what their preferences are! (they don't like the feeling of being clung to... but in a isolationist 'you have to do everything with me and only me' kind of way not a physical way.)

José's hard no is someone who won't/can't get along with their family. Their second (less hard) no is someone who can't respect their autonomy and line of work/way of thinking. They don't have a particular preference over their partners personality or hobbies but they do know they want respect and loyalty. (Though, they must admit it's kind of fun to bounce off of a personality type different to theirs.)

Honestly, Ji Han doesn't know if he has a preference or not──he's usually the one who changes things up to fit the bill for the other player, you know? He can say he doesn't gel well with people who are elitists or those who look down on others just because they can (he's been with a few of them... didn't end that well) and he doesn't even consider people who are morally strung up... on their high horse for example. He bounces well off of shier people because he likes to get reactions from them──though he likes getting reactions from anyone he dates so really if they can't take his teasing well then they're not for him.

Fauve is a bit different. She hasn't gone for people genuinely in a very long time so she's a little rusty in the real feelings department. She likes people who let her be her──independent. He really appreciates it when someone can communicate well, because she needs to be on top of things surrounding emotions and she can't just take over a relationship with someone who won't work with her. (does that make sense? in essence she needs a partner that will let her 'take control' but not of everything. she still needs their involvement, she's not a dictator.) However, she does like it when she gets romantically surprised──randomly but her flowers or suggest going on a date out of the blue. Be involved with her personally not just aesthetically, ya'no?

With Jackson, his hard no is if they are child free/if they don't get alone with Cilly. He will not ever drop his daughter for a potential romance──he comes with 'baggage' he knows, so he won't even entertain people who can't handle it. I think Jackson actually prefers a more quieter partner, not shy per say but maybe calmer? He needs time in a relationship to build up a connection of trust and understanding. That and he's not the most talkative person in the world so holding conversations isn't his strong suit. (That's not to say he wouldn't go for someone louder or talkative, as long as they respected him to be a listener rather than a converser.)

??? is fairly new to this... romance stuff but not nearly as fresh as the detective. Their first, and only, relationship didn't last very long and they didn't really know them all to well (it was a mess and ??? was very hurt by it... itwasadare) they look for someone to trust─or rather someone who has shown ??? they can trust them─which is why they tend to gravitate towards openly kind and warm genuine people. Their ex was really snarky and mean in bad faith so they tend to avoid that like the plague.

[kbandtrash]

Too Real to Call it Magic (Joshua x Reader) (Part 3)

~Rachel~

Masterlist

Okay, so maybe Dream Boy is real, and apparently he likes you?

Word count: 2.7k

Part 1

Tuesday night wasn’t good for him, unfortunately, but he was available Wednesday night. You would be going to dinner after you got off work. It felt like a little much for a first date, but it also felt traditional in a sort of old-fashioned way. It had felt right coming from him, so you had agreed.

Tuesday night had brought him to you anyway, so it seemed. Not exactly, but sitting beside him on the bench in the forest clearing, you could hardly tell the difference. His posture, his voice, even his inflections and vocabulary choice were indistinguishable from those of the Joshua you had met on the rooftop, not to mention his face.

You weren’t sure when it had happened, but at some point in the night, as you were laughing and talking about everything and nothing, you realized your hands had become intertwined. You tried to act like you hadn’t noticed, but, as previously established on the train and on the rooftop, you were a terrible actor.

He was quick to notice your sudden silence and inability to keep up the conversation, and equally quick to tease you about it.

“You know, I wouldn’t have pegged you as someone that always has cold hands,” he remarked, taking the hand he was already holding and wrapping both of his hands around it. “Or is it just part of the setup here?”

As your heart began to race, you tried to pull your hand away. “I don’t know, I guess I just always feel cold out here.”

He held it tighter, but he set it down on his lap as if to draw less attention to it. “So do you just freeze all night if I don’t come with my extra jacket?” he asked.

You shrugged, dropping the fight to pull your hand away. “It’s not that bad. I don’t even really notice it most of the time.” You had meant to make it sound like it wasn’t life or death if he didn’t come to the clearing one night, but you were afraid that you had come off as more dismissive than you had wanted to, especially with his silence that followed your remark. “I do appreciate you sharing, though,” you added.

He let out a breath like a laugh, and you looked over to see him smiling, looking down at your hand still in his. While he switched which hand was actually holding yours, he wrapped his arm around your shoulders and pulled you close. “I’m always happy to share,” he said.

As you leaned into his side, you found yourself wondering why this all felt so real if it was just a dream. You knew what it felt like to be in a dream, with your senses all warped and a plotline that made sense until you woke up and thought about it, and this wasn’t that. This felt just like real life although you knew you were asleep.

“What are we doing?” you mumbled, more to yourself than to him.

“Hmm?”

Nothing, never mind. That was what you wanted to say. But if not now, then when? When would you ever get up the courage to ask him again? So you sat up straight and turned yourself on the bench to face him properly. He was taken aback by the sincerity in your expression, and he was ready to listen.

“Is this even real?” you asked. “Are you real? Am—am I?”

He searched your eyes for a moment before he gave you an answer. “You look real to me.”

—

He looked real to you, too. Whatever that meant.

He felt real, he sounded real, but most importantly, and perhaps most unfortunately, the way he made you feel was real, whether he was real or not.

The more you tried to push it out of your mind, the more you thought about it as you got ready for your date. There were obviously more important and more immediate matters that could occupy your mind, but this was what you were stuck on. You wanted to smack your head on your bathroom counter, but then you would just have to put makeup over it.

Of those more pressing matters, you found that you weren’t worried, somehow, about achieving some sort of balance with your outfit. While you had been so stressed about the first text that you would send him, that same stress wasn’t bothering you as you picked out something to wear. You realized this as you picked out something because it was comfortable rather than because it looked nice, and you wondered why you weren’t as worried as before.

Maybe it was because you felt comfortable around him, considering both how you looked when you met at night and how you looked when you met that night, on the rooftop. He had seen you in your pajamas already, so what was the point of a first impression now? Or maybe it had something to do with the way he expressed his intentions toward you; you already had captured his interest, so keeping it wouldn’t be as hard.

The restaurant was close enough to your apartment that you could walk. It was a place you had been to a time or two, even, so that probably made you feel more comfortable, too. The way he smiled and waved you over to the table he had been seated at made you feel like you had already been seeing him for quite some time. How was it that he did this all so naturally?

The flow of your conversation barely felt like a first date, too. Technically, you were still getting to know each other and needed to have all of those beginning conversations, but you felt like you knew all of the answers already. There was so much else to talk about and he had such a talent for making you smile.

“How long have you been together?” your waitress asked cheerfully as she brought your desserts.

You and Joshua exchanged surprised expressions. So it wasn’t just you who was getting the vibe of a much longer relationship.

“Oh, not…long,” you stammered, hoping not to make her feel awkward for her innocent question.

Joshua smiled at you and looked up at her. “This is day one, I hope,” he answered, glancing back to you again.

He did? Already?

She gasped a little, raising her hand to her mouth. “Oh, really? I’m sorry, it just looked like—”

“Not at all, you’re fine,” he assured her with a smile. “Really, you spared me the trouble of bringing it up first.”

She apologized again and scurried away, but you could hardly take your attention off of him as he pushed your dessert plate closer to you. As if it weren’t unbelievable enough that he was sitting in front of you right now, he had just indirectly asked you to be his girlfriend. 

Part of you wanted to say no, this was only the fourth time—second time, really, you had met, and that was too fast, but the hours you had spent talking to him over text this last week made this feel reasonable. You wanted the same thing anyway, so what was the difference in waiting a few more weeks and a few more dates? It wasn’t like you planned on seeing anyone else, and neither did he.

“So?” he asked, preparing a bite of his cake with his fork. “What do you say?”

He looked like a prince in a simple black button down shirt. His manners were sort of princely, too, and his face brought the whole picture together. He had been striking in an old sweatshirt on the rooftop that night, in a t-shirt and sweatpants on the train. Honestly, though, your favorite view of him was from the side, sitting next to him on the bench in some woods.

As you opened your mouth to tell him yes, you realized you didn’t know if your feelings were for him or the dream boy. You couldn’t do that to him—you couldn’t date him if you liked him because of who you thought he was.

“I think we should take more time to get to know each other first,” you said instead. “But I…I think my answer will be yes soon.”

You hoped your answer would be yes, anyway. He smiled, maybe trying to help you feel like your answer was perfectly okay with him, but you felt like he must be a little disappointed at least. You wanted your answer to be yes right now, but you wanted to be in this for the boy that was in front of you, not for the boy who might be in front of you.

“Take your time,” he encouraged you. “I knew it was sudden—I was thinking we could get to know each other as we went, but I also understand wanting to be sure before you jump into anything.”

Wanting to be sure? That was absolutely one way to put it, although he probably meant it differently than you felt it. The way that he glanced up at you, though, as he took his bite of cake, carried a certain mischief that made you wonder again if he meant it exactly the way you felt it. Maybe he wondered if you were the girl from his dreams, too. You didn’t know how to find out.

His eyebrows raised in delight as he tasted his first bite. “This is good!” he said. He gestured to your piece with the end of his fork. “You have to try it.”

Maybe you should have just said yes earlier. He was cute enough, sweet enough, fun enough by himself that you probably wouldn’t even think about your dream boy anymore soon. No, it was a good idea to sort yourself out first, but that didn’t mean you couldn’t enjoy having a crush on the real Joshua for now.

“Okay, okay,” you obliged with a little chuckle.

—

This is going to sound insane, but I swear it’s true, you rehearsed in your head. There’s this place I go in my dreams, and there’s a boy I meet, and then I met him in real life, only I don’t know if there’s any connection between the two of them. Plus, I think I’m falling in love with both of them, and both of them might be falling in love with me, too, and…

Those thoughts were never going to leave your head. You were never going to post it on any online dating advice forums, you were never going to tell anyone you knew in real life, and you were most certainly never going to tell Joshua. You weren’t even going to tell Dream Joshua, if that was the name he would even respond to.

But one of the two Joshuas would have to find out somehow if you were ever going to leave the dream boy behind. You would have to leave him behind one way or the other; he wasn’t healthy for you. Whether you really did wind up dating real Joshua, or even if all of that totally fell through, Dream Joshua wasn’t someone you could hold onto if you wanted to live well. Still, whether he was real or not, you felt bad for leading him on. You would have to tell him that you wanted to stop…whatever it was you had.

“I thought you swore off boys after that nasty breakup a couple summers ago,” your coworker Juhee teased, startling you out of your thoughts. She was peeking over at you from around your back-to-back computer monitors.

You stared at her, dumbfounded. “How—”

“Oh, wait, really?” she asked, her eyebrows raising. “I was just joking, but good for you. Or sorry, I guess—you didn’t look all that happy about it.”

“Oh, yeah, I don’t really know,” you said. “It’s a situation, for sure.”

She snorted and sat back up behind her computer. “That’s a little too specific, I don’t know. Can you make it any vaguer, maybe?”

The two of you ended up going out for lunch together. On one hand, you hoped she wouldn’t ask about the boy situation, but on the other, there was still a part of you that wished you could ask someone for advice. You had dismissed her as a confidant before, but if she offered to listen, you might just have to spill before you ended up exploding.

You weren’t going to ask first, though. Even if she did ask, you didn’t know how you would tell her the story. The more you thought about it, the less sane you felt about the whole situation. Catching real feelings for a boy you had never met in real life? Never mind if maybe you had met him in real life, the basis for this plot was just so stupid.

“I have never seen you finish a drink that fast in the whole time we’ve worked together,” Juhee said. “Is the boy situation really bothering you that much?”

She was right; your drink was gone, and the boy situation really was bothering you that much. “Yeah,” you admitted, “it’s kind of overwhelming, to be honest.”

She nodded, impressed as she mixed up her salad. “Happens to the best of us,” she said. “What makes it so overwhelming?”

Where to start? And how to make this sound believable? “There’s two of them,” you began. She raised her eyebrows, more impressed. “But they might be the same person.”

“What?” Yeah, that was a reasonable reaction. “Do you think you’re being catfished or something? He’s not worth the drama if he’s playing with you like that—”

“No, it’s not like that,” you said, still trying to formulate your words. You decided that there was no good way to say this, actually, so you were just going to say it as you knew it. “Listen, this is going to sound crazy, but even if you don’t believe me, can you just pretend like you do for a little bit?”

Her eyes were evaluating your every move, which you understood. She had mostly known you as someone logical and hard to rile up. This wasn’t something she had seen from you before.

“Yeah, I can do that,” she agreed. “I would probably believe you anyway.”

You had to laugh a little at that. “We’ll see once I tell you, because honestly, it’s ridiculous and I know it.”

She listened patiently as you told her about your recurring dream about the forest clearing, leaning forward in interest as you described the boy you met there and the basics of your interactions with him. Her eyes widened in surprise when you told her how you then met his lookalike in your real life, and how his dream counterpart became more and more forward once you started talking to the real one.

“Joshua and I went out on a date the other night, and it was really nice,” you related, “but I just don’t know. Would I even like him if I didn’t know him from somewhere else? I don’t even know if it’s him I actually like.”

As you paused to recalibrate yourself, Juhee spoke up. “Does it…matter?” she asked. “I think as long as you get to know him and find out you do really like him for him, it doesn’t matter why you were curious about him in the first place.”

You mulled that over, and while her words made sense, and you even agreed with them, it still felt wrong to you. “But what if I find out I don’t like him for who he really is?”

“Before you think about that too much, I want to ask something else,” she stopped you. “Why—and I don’t mean this like I don’t understand why he would be interested in you, because you’re a catch—but why do you think he was so interested so fast? He seems unusually forward for someone who really only met you once.”

The thought had crossed your mind, but it had been so flattering to have someone be so up front with you about their interest in you that you didn’t want to question it. “I guess I haven’t thought about it too much,” you admitted.

“You know what I think?” she said, leaning forward once more. “I think he knows you, too.”

Part 4

[hexfloog]

#s 1 and 20, for edward? :}c

OMG HIII FRIEND OFC OFC

since i haven't talked about him much on this blog, i'll be interjecting with basic info every now and then to make answers clearer :3

this is edward - he's a demon living in the outskirts of london in the mid-1800s or so:

old pic, i haven't drawn him in yeaarrsss ;^;

he is a fandomless oc and his 15-year anniversary was last year holy shit whaaa

1. What kind of person is your OC in a crisis? Are they calm and collected? Do they panic? Or are they chronically the cause?

i, er.......... "yes"

or D, all of the above LOL

edward has a 0-100 temperament, he's either totally unfazed or has completely gone off the deep end. the latter is relatively uncommon though, very rarely is he faced with something he perceives as a real threat, both because he benefits from his urban legend/cryptid status-- people either don't know he exists, or they're just too scared of him to fuck around and find out-- and because he's unusually careful for a demon of his caliber. he's cognizant of the fact that he's not truly immortal and that he could attract the attention of the wrong force of nature one day and eat shit.

a true panic response for edward typically manifests with a transformation* and a show of violence, but usually his size alone will ward off the threat. doesn't stop the rampaging though - if he's reached this point he's also reached a point where he's decided people will pay until he's satisfied.

*edward is able to shift between his human skin and a towering demonic form at least three times his size

20. Has your OC ever done something terrible and lied about it? Did they run away or blame someone else for it? How long did they maintain the lie and did the truth ever come out?

weirdly enough, edward's less of a boldfaced liar and more of the type to lie by omission... but only to others, not so much with himself. he's very good at twisting words and taking advantage of technicalities and semantics when making deals, but when it comes to having to remediate his own errors, he has a tendency to fumble baaad, especially when improvising lmao

even then, what he considers an "error" is a little hard to pin down. he's done plenty of heinous things, both in his current life and past life as a human, but i think he classes most "mistakes" as actions that could potentially compromise his secrecy. public attention is his achilles heel, for instance, and lying his way out of a self-inflicted scene is weirdly difficult for him. it's just hard for him to go off-script, really, and even harder to run away [skull emoji], and in situations like this, if the truth were to come out it would lead to an immediate panic response.

i guess i can think of one lie that he's maintained for most of his life. naturally, in his current state, he considers himself above anything resembling affection. human emotions suck, they're a waste of time, unfit for his elevated existence, etc. to love or truly befriend anyone would be categorically terrible to him, but... he makes room in his heart for one person only, evangeline, the first who ever showed him kindness when no-one else would. he won't admit this affection out loud, of course, and at this point his feelings for her are merely instinctual, he doesn't even consciously recognize them. but he'd have a panic response above all panic responses if anyone were to ever point it out, and while some people have come close, they've never gotten close enough to confront him about it.

easily his biggest tell is the fact that he continues to blame her death on her. he killed her himself btw

this man will literally set fire to the world instead of just admitting he loves a girl. so the lie has gone on for literal decades in-universe and has, so far, never fallen to the truth

lol look. edward is not at ALL a good person okay, not by any stretch of the imagination, but i still love him :3c

thank you for the assskkkk <3

get to know the oc ask game!

[hallowgracie]

To Sail on Seas of Sky Excerpt: EloKas

Note: This excerpt is from one of my current wips, a pirate-themed high-fantasy that I'm aiming to bring to my platforms by next summer. I thought I might as well post a little excerpt for Talk Like a Pirate Day.

One of the features of the work is the tangled love-pentagon between the five young leads. One of these pairings is Elodie/Kas, and here is their first real meeting! Enjoy!

“Ah, it’s good to see milady out here.”

She turned her head to see none other than the gaudy blond pirate boy with his back against the railing, turned away from the endless ocean. It unnerved her, as she had not known how long he had been there. 

“I’m Kas, by the way.” He leaned his head back, his hazel eyes gleaming with something she did not understand. “Kas Beaumont—I don’t think we had the chance to exchange names.”

“Elodie Fleetwood,” she said, mostly out of reflex. She then felt the heat rising to her face. “Sorry—you probably know that already, don’t you?”

“I do, but I never correct a lady, if I can help it.” 

Elodie pressed her lips together, and looked back out at the water. The golden light turned the sea as dark as wine or the liquid that came from the jeweled-looking fruits that grew in the trees around Port Augustine. 

“Enjoying the view?”

There was something softer about Kas’s voice, something that made her feel more at ease. 

“I’ve just never been outside of Port Augustine before,” she confessed. “I had no idea that the world was so. . . so big!”

Kas laughed good-naturedly. “It still doesn’t fail to amaze me, for what it’s worth. And I traveled plenty before I ever set foot on a ship like this.”

“A ship like this?”

“A pirate ship—sorry, privateer, Captain will give me an earful if I don’t use the proper terminology.” He grinned all the same. 

“How did you end up on a privateer ship, then?” Elodie asked. 

She noticed the briefest darkening in his gold-rimmed hazel eyes. His smirk did not falter, however. “Have any theories, my lady? Maybe I was born to sail the seas and skies. Or perhaps I am like your friend we picked up, or dearest Jade, born among the pirates?”

“I don’t think you are.” Elodie pressed her lips together as she examined Kas. “Your accent is much crisper, and you speak like the students at the college. Clearly you have expensive tastes given—“ she gestured at the jewelry— “All of that.”

His eyes gleamed as his head bobbed back. “Very good. You have an eye for detail—you should ask Captain to put you on lookout.”

“You still haven’t answered my question.” Elodie tilted her head. “You don’t have to, if you don’t want to. You can come out and say it.”

“And where’s the fun in that?” Kas turned around, propping his elbows on the side and leaning back so he could look up at the sky between the billowing sails. “Besides, it’s no real secret. I don’t mind telling you.”

Elodie planted her hands on her hips. “And you’re going through all this song and dance about it why?”

“Because that’s what makes a conversation fun, my lady, it’s a battle of wits!” He adjusted his hat, so it wouldn’t blow off as the sea-winds picked up. “You should try it sometime, it does get so terribly boring being on the sea for so long.”

Elodie huffed a sigh. “If you aren’t going to talk, you might as well not waste my time.”

She started to storm off when Kas grabbed her arm.

“I’m sorry,” he said, the smile less conniving and the slightest bit more sincere. “Look, maybe I’ll tell you the story some other time. But let me at least escort you to dinner.”

“Escort me?” Elodie raised her eyebrows. 

“Well, I suppose you haven’t been there yet, and Jade’s a bit busy at the moment.” He let go of her arm, but his hand still hovered over her skin, lingering like the kiss of the sun. “Besides, I thought you might not want to be on your own.”

“I guess not.” Elodie tilted her head, reconsidering Kas. 

“Don’t worry, I can be a gentleman at least sometimes.” He tipped his hat to her, then slipped his arm into hers. “May I?”

“You may.”