#have their own space and be safe and a space for him but oof)

[dootznbootz]

As someone with ADHD, you know you're fucking exhausted when you're not even fidgeting. :'D

[kitty384]

The Space Beneath

Summary: After a hard mission, Y/N disappears into the one place that still feels safe. She doesn't want to talk, doesn’t want to be seen—she just wants to hide. But Bucky knows her too well to let her stay alone.

Content Warnings: PTSD symptoms (mild), emotional shutdown, hiding/coping behavior, soft comfort, hurt/comfort, fluff, established relationship, Bucky being the best boyfriend

There was something about the weight of silence that hit differently after a mission.

Not the kind of silence that filled the air when you were safe and still—no, this was the silence that followed chaos. A silence too loud in its emptiness. It rang in Y/N’s ears, humming over the memory of shouting, gunfire, the way her heart had pounded so hard it made her ribs ache.

She didn’t say much when they got back to the compound. No one pressed her.

Steve gave her a nod of acknowledgment. Natasha squeezed her shoulder. Bruce offered her a gentle smile. Bucky had searched her face for something—maybe a sign, a hint—but she hadn’t given him one. She couldn’t. If she spoke, if she let her hands shake, she might shatter. She might cry in front of everyone, and she wasn’t ready for that.

So she disappeared.

Not in a dramatic way. No slammed doors, no angry exits. She just… walked away. Slipped down the hall in her mission gear and socked feet, turning corners until she found the hallway that always led home.

The living room was dark. A few lights glowed dimly on the far wall, casting a soft haze over the carpet. She moved like a ghost. Not because she wanted to be seen that way, but because that’s what Hydra taught her: move quiet, move unnoticed, vanish when the world gets too loud.

She dropped to her knees beside the couch.

There was a time she would’ve chosen a closet. A locked room. A vent, maybe. But that was five years ago. Back when she didn’t know what safety was supposed to feel like. These days, safety was a warm blanket on cold furniture. The smell of peppermint tea and vanilla candles and whatever Natasha’s perfume clung to. It was this room. This couch. This space beneath it where the world didn’t exist.

Y/N crawled under slowly, her chest tight, every breath calculated.

It was cramped. Her elbow bumped a wooden beam. A few random socks were jammed into the back corner, probably Clint’s. She curled up into herself, pressing her cheek to the soft carpet. Her fingers tugged the throw blanket down from the couch edge, letting it fall like a curtain in front of her.

Darkness.

Not scary darkness. Not the kind that held nightmares or ghosts or memories of needles and sterile white light.

No—this was gentle. Close. Still.

She didn’t cry. Not yet.

She just breathed.

Time stretched thin.

She didn’t know how long she was under there. Long enough for her heartbeat to slow. Long enough for the quiet hum of the compound to settle in her bones.

And then—

Footsteps.

Slow. Careful. Not heavy like Thor’s. Not rapid like Sam’s. These were measured. Soft.

Bucky.

She knew that sound by now. She knew the way he walked, like he was always trying to make up for the times he didn’t have control over his own limbs. The way his boots barely scuffed the floor, how he hesitated just before he stepped into a room where he thought she might be.

She tensed.

Would he pull her out? Ask her what was wrong? Try to fix it?

The footsteps paused. Then there was a soft sound, the groan of leather, the clink of his knife being dropped onto the coffee table. Then—

Silence again.

Until:

“…Didn’t check here first. That’s on me,” Bucky’s voice was quiet, almost like he was talking to himself.

Y/N stayed curled up, eyes half-lidded, her fingers gripping the throw blanket.

Bucky didn’t crouch down or peek under. He didn’t call her name.

Instead, he lay down.

Right there on the carpet.

She heard the shift of his weight, the soft oof he let out as he adjusted onto his side.

And then his hand slid under the edge of the couch, palm up, open.

No words.

No pressure.

Just him, lying beside her.

Y/N blinked, throat tight. Her chest ached, but not in a way that hurt. It was… overwhelming. The good kind. The kind she still hadn’t fully learned how to hold.

She reached out slowly, her fingers brushing over his knuckles, then lacing through his. He was warm. Solid. Real.

They didn’t speak.

They didn’t have to.

Minutes passed. Maybe more.

At some point, Bucky’s thumb began to trace soft circles against her skin. She couldn’t see him—just the floor, and shadows, and the safe little world she’d built under this couch—but she felt him.

Eventually, her voice broke the silence, barely above a whisper.

“I couldn’t be around them. I wanted to be okay, I did, but I just… couldn’t do it.”

“I know,” Bucky murmured. “That’s why I came here.”

Y/N let out a shaky breath. “You always find me.”

“That’s the deal,” he said simply, like it was a fact of the universe. “You don’t have to explain. I just want you to know I’m here.”

Another pause.

Then she said, voice even smaller: “I thought I was better at this by now.”

Bucky’s hand squeezed hers gently. “You are. Being better doesn’t mean you never hide. It means knowing where to go when you need to. It means trusting someone enough to let them stay.”

Tears welled in her eyes then—not from sadness, but from love so thick it filled her up and spilled over.

She pressed her forehead to the back of his hand, breathing him in.

Metal and warmth and home.

When she finally crawled out from under the couch, blinking at the soft overhead light, Bucky didn’t say a word. He just opened his arms and pulled her close, letting her melt into him.

They sat on the floor together for a long time. Just breathing.

And for the first time since they got back, she felt okay.

Masterlist

Request

[arget-star]

Umemiya’s favorite to wake you up is with kisses peppered all over face. Light, chaste little pecks placed with no true rhyme or reason, just wherever strikes his fancy, often interspersed with whispers of your name in the hopes his voice will filter into your dreams.

Slowly, you rouse, aware of the fleeting pressure gracing your cheeks, your nose. Soft strands of his hair tickle your forehead as he continues his ritual. He pauses on the apple of your right cheek; something must have shifted in your expression—or your breathing, perhaps—alerting him you’ve joined the land of the waking.

His bangs move off your forehead as he angles his head up just enough to plant a tender kiss on the space between your eyebrows. Cool air rushes in once he lifts away from you completely, your nose scrunching at the sensation.

“Good morning,” he greets, normally chipper voice roughened with sleep.

There is nothing quite like fluttering your eyes open and seeing a grinning, pillow mussed Ume hovering over you. He’s ridiculous, all puppy love eyes and frizzy hair, and you adore him for it. “Morning,” you smile back, shuffling your legs, the sheets rustling in time with your movements.

Panic flickers across his face; you can’t help the tired laugh that escapes you. “Not goin’ anywhere. Just stretching.”

He visibly relaxes, overdramatic sigh of relief brushing across your skin in a warm puff of air. Another laugh escapes you, undeniably fond. Ume lowers back down, pecking your lips once, twice, three times in quick succession, then buries his face in your neck with a contended hum.

“Sleep well?” You ask, freeing your arm from beneath the sheets, hand coming to rest atop his bicep. You trail your fingers up, pausing to toy with the hem of his t-shirt sleeve.

A press of lips against your shoulder. “Mhmmm. Did you?”

Your fingers round the slope of his own shoulder, featherlight against his neck. He shivers faintly, nuzzling further into you. Your questing fingers finally reach their destination, threading through his hair, nails gently scratching along his scalp. “I did.”

He makes a muffled sound of acknowledgement, followed by another kiss, body settling contentedly atop yours. “Oof”, you mutter, even as you relish the comforting weight. Ume shakes with a silent chuckle and you resist the urge to shove at his unfairly muscled chest in retaliation.

Instead, you shuffle around enough to turn your head, pressing a kiss to his temple.

He’s typically so energetic in the mornings, ready to take on the day the second you’re lucid. Days like this are rare—minutes stretching out like honey, spent quietly basking in the simple pleasure of a comfortable bed and his beloved in arms.

You haven’t outright asked him what spurs the change of pace. Not that you’re afraid he won’t answer; rather, you don’t want him to feel like he owes you an explanation for seeking extra comfort. He’s so quick to offer you whatever you need without expecting anything in return. Becoming his safe place in the same way is the lease you can do for him.

You know he dreams about his childhood. You know the grief will never truly fade, only ebb and flow, leaving him drained when the tidal wave crests too high. These precious mornings of soft sunlight and extra kisses help him break the surface and remember he’s not alone.

That’s your theory, anyway.

Planting another kiss on his temple, you hope it conveys even a fraction of the love you feel for him. “Haji,” you whisper, just to call him back to himself, fingers still rhythmically combing through his hair, “don’t think I’m quite awake yet.”

No reply, save for a kiss to your neck. Your hand stills as he moves to face you, scarred eyebrow raised, a ghost of a disbelieving smile twisting his mouth. “You sure?”

You exaggerate a yawn.

Something almost dangerous glints in his eyes. It’s the only warning you get before he’s kissing you all over again, complete with loud, obnoxious smooching noises. Your laughter rings out as you try to squirm away from the onslaught.

Warmth glows in his chest at the sound; the shadows at the edge of his thoughts may threaten to overwhelm him, but you’re always there to banish them with your never ending light.

[warpedpuppeteer]

Buck reading on the couch and it's been HOURS and he's taking up all the couch space with his stupid long ass legs but Eddie doesn't wanna' disturb him and knows he needs to let him come out of that focused zone on his own so he just... crawls over him and lies down on his chest. Buck let's out an 'OOF' but without missing a beat he adjusts Eddie so that he's lying more comfortably on him, puts an arm around him and goes back to reading. Eddie sighs all content and warm and safe and takes the best nap of his life while thinking 'I really get to have this. I get to be protected and cherished and cared for. I'm home '.

[on-a-lucky-tide]

Sorry for asking this question, but recently I really wanted to read something very sad (mmm... suffering ☺️) so I'm turning to you.

How would John react if he caught Nikolai with someone else? What would happen to their relationship then?👉👈

Oof. This one hurt.

cw: Nik cheats; I genuinely don't think he ever would, fyi. This was more an experiment in 'what if'. I thought about doing it from the perspective of 'they're not exclusive and Nik has had mixed messages', but I went for maximum pain.

Price had wanted to surprise Nik. Turn up at his hotel room, take him out, fall into bed for a bit, and then go pick up the kids from his sister's. The usual. He hadn't expected that day for his world to be ended by a pair of blue eyes and a jawline he could cut paracord with. Maybe ‘ended’ was a bit dramatic. Sure, it felt like it, but he had survived worse. He kept telling himself that. Over and over.

He'd never been one to cry, but he had blubbered like a baby behind the steering wheel of his Landie. The image of Nik with the blond in his arms, the hickie on his neck, kept circulating in his head like a taunt. It was there now as he stood in his office, Nik in the seat behind him, bright behind his eyes as he stared into space.

Price couldn't even look at him. When he did, he wanted to feel indignant rage, but all he felt was hurt. Misery. Betrayal. He needed his anger but all he wanted to do was cry more, and he no longer felt safe showing Nik that soft underbelly. He kept his face turned away.

“John, I…”

“I need t’ get tested,” Price said quietly, like Nik hadn't even spoken.

“I wore protection. I would not put you at risk of…”

“Really, Nik? Can I trust ya word on that?”

The words cut deep. Nik knew Price couldn't. It wasn't just their relationship he had discarded, but twenty years worth of implicit trust. The idea that Nik always had his back had vanished in a cloud of expensive cologne. Price lifted his left hand and ran his thumb over his wedding band.

“It was a mistake. I was foolish, I…”

“How many mistakes? Once, twice?”

“Twice.”

The knife sank just a little deeper. “So, you had to make sure then.”

“John…”

“Just him or have there been others?”

“No others.”

Price didn't respond. He just couldn't trust him. His thumb nail caught in one of the grooves of his wedding ring. Til death do us part. Did this count? It felt like death. His heart felt like it was about to give out any minute. “What did I do to deserve it?”

“You did nothing…”

There it was. The surge of rage. Price turned to look at Nik for the first time, his fists clenched and shaking. “Don't fuckin’ lie to me. No one shags some poxy bit on the side if they feel like they're eatin’ well at home. So what? What was it?”

Nik gazed up at Price with those warm brown eyes that had made Price fall in love with him. Had those eyes looked at the other bloke like that? Price felt his own prickle with tears again, but he made himself look.

Nik said nothing at first, and then his chin dropped as he sighed. “You are a brilliant father, a loving husband, but you are… busy.”

“Busy,” Price repeated, and he hated how his voice broke around the word. He turned away again, drew in a stuttering breath, the back of his wrist to his mouth.

“I made a… selfish choice. I…”

Price had taken a different role with the Army so they could have a family. Consultancy with a few away missions. It meant he commuted to base, but he could still do the bulk of domestic shit kids needed. He was busy. Busy building the life he thought Nik wanted. Perhaps they hadn't been intimate enough for a while, or…

“I will understand if you want a…” Nik swallowed, “...a divorce.”

“No,” Price said. “You ain't gettin’ off that easy. The kids need their dad, even if he's a lyin’, cheatin’ cunt. They don' need t’ know that. They worship you. And ‘m not doin’ the single father shit.”

“Then, how do we… what…”

“Open marriage. Can't trust ya not to do this again. You can shag who ya like, so can I. Wear protection, get tested every month. Kids don't see or get told any different. Then, when they've flown the nest, we sign the papers.”

Nik sat in stunned silence for a while. Price couldn't turn to look at him because a tear had escaped. The truth was the thought of being touched by anyone else disgusted him. He felt dirty now, like someone else’s dick had somehow touched him through Nik. Nik swallowed, and spoke finally. “I do not want anyone else.”

“At the moment. You jus’ got caught. Give yerself time.”

“John, please…”

“Is it the thought of someone else shaggin’ me, Nik? Is that what's hurtin’? Good. I hope it fuckin’ does.”

Fuck, he might just go and do it anyway. Find some random bloke at a club and let him go at it. Nik would see it, smell it. Maybe feel even a tiny shred of what Price did now. The thought of another man's hands on him made Price feel sick. He only wanted Nik’s. His heart broke all over again and more tears tracked down his cheeks.

“Then I would like to go to counseling,” Nik said.

“Whot for? So ya can get better at lyin’ t’ me?” Price asked, incredulous.

“We have another twelve years together. Maybe more. They do not need to be twelve years of suffering.”

“Shoulda thought of that before gettin’ yer dick wet in some twink.”

“Not for me, John. For you.”

“Get out my fuckin’ office before I decide collectin’ on your life insurance is a better shout.”

“John…”

“Now.”

The chair legs scraped as Nik stood. For a terrible second, Price felt his weight linger near. His entire body ached for those big arms to wrap around him, offer comfort to his broken heart, but he knew that act had been contaminated now. Poisoned. Nik had taken even that.

As the office door closed softly, Price managed to hold it together. The moment the footsteps had faded, he grabbed the chair Nik had been sitting in and threw it across the room. By the time he'd finished, his office looked like the CIA had been in to turn it over. He sat in the middle of it, his knees clutched to his chest, and sobbed until he was dry heaving.

He'd survived worse. But this was the first time in his life he'd wished it'd killed him.

[zoniteillusion-pyritedreams]

Hi, how are you? Can i ask for nct jaehyun ideal type? I love your readings. Have a good day!

“Wait” by Dino played and suddenly Jaehyun’s ideal partner had him rethinking celibacy, masculinity, and metaphysics.

💌 JAEHYUN of NCT 127 — What He Wants In A Partner (Physically, Emotionally, Spiritually... Carnally 👀)

Let’s get one thing straight: Jaehyun may look calm and collected, but that man is emotionally deep, physically needy, and mentally chaotic in the most poetic way possible.

The vibes? Healing priestess meets bedroom menace.

💫 Astro Energy Check:

Scorpio reversed – Deep soul, yes. But no trauma dumps on the first date. He loves intensity, but not messiness. Bring him your emotions, but make sure you’ve done your shadow work.

Venus – This man wants a LOVER, in every sense of the word. He appreciates beauty, tenderness, sensual connection someone who makes him feel wanted and safe, not just hot.

Sagittarius – A big YES to someone with a curious mind, adventurous streak, and a lil chaos sparkle in their eye. If you’ve got a wild side but also know how to hold space for his deeper moods? He’s writing love songs in his head already.

🌹 Oracle of Roses: WHO makes Jaehyun simp?

Emotionally generous. Soft healer vibes. Someone who listens, who uplifts others. He wants someone who can love like a religion with faith, devotion, and a lil ceremony.

He LOVES someone who can tease him, keep him on his toes, challenge his “cool guy” exterior. Someone with wit and guts. A firecracker wrapped in silk.

The Sensualist reversed + The Companion reversed Surprisingly, he doesn’t want someone who’s always touchy or overly reliant. He wants to want you. To chase, to crave, to slowly unveil your layers.

The Storyteller Someone who knows how to spin magic into conversation. Big brain + big heart + a little mystery = he’s obsessed.

Tarot Breakdown: What He’s Into + How He Loves

🧠 Emotionally:

He’s not jumping into anything fast. He’s cautious. If you make him feel safe, he’ll show you depths you never knew existed.

He’s been hurt by cold, emotionally confusing people. He craves warmth, clarity, and emotional intelligence.

He wants someone who can make his inner world feel less scary. A gentle strength. Someone grounded, maternal (not in a mommy way...more “emotional earth goddess”).

The Star reversed + The Tower = Oof. Jaehyun is healing from disillusionment. When he falls, he FALLS HARD so he needs someone who won’t shatter him. Give him hope. Trust. He’ll give you his soul in return.

🔥 Physically & Sensually:

He’s into someone magnetic but not arrogant. You laugh with your whole body, you walk like you’ve got secrets, and you hug like you mean it. He’s HOOKED.

Jaehyun worships softness. Curves? Yes. Elegance? Absolutely. But it’s less about the packaging and more about the energy. A seductive presence, gentle hands, confident eyes. He’s down BAD.

He’s not looking for someone who’s too career-obsessed or emotionally unavailable. He needs presence. Someone who isn’t just passing through his life.

Genuinely I feel like his own song pops up unconditional. Like 100% even if you didn't participate in like the writing of the song I don't know if he did or not. That that that's literally what he wants in a girl. That's also exactly how he feels in a relationship he he needs someone who can he can love unconditionally who owes him unconditionally. He also wants a woman who is fully in her feminine energy she is prepared to receive all of the love and affection and willing to let him take on the more masculine roles etc.

💥 The Spicy Truth:

Jaehyun doesn’t want a fling. He wants a muse. A partner in crime. A therapist he can kiss. He’s into people who carry themselves with grace but fight like hell for what they believe in.

He’ll be stoic until you call him “baby” in just the right tone, and then it’s ✨ "pull me closer and tell me everything you’ve never told anyone else” ✨ kind of love.

He wants to MERGE. To be seen. To breathe you in like the scent of summer after rain.

Idol vs Civilian: Who Would He Date?

🧿 CIVILIAN ENERGY STRONG AF.

He’s tired of performance-based relationships.

Fellow idols? Too much pressure, too many layers.

He wants privacy, depth, and emotional realness. Someone who doesn't know or care about his celebrity status just about who he is when the cameras are off.

Overview Jaehyun’s Ideal Type:

Emotionally intelligent and spiritually grounded

Sensual but mysterious

Wholesome but flirty

The kind of person who walks into a room and makes the lighting better

Isn’t afraid to tease him but can hold space when he gets serious

Has main character energy but leads with the heart

💬 Aphrodite said: "He doesn’t want someone who’s easy to love. He wants someone who makes loving feel sacred.”

So, are you soft chaos with a backbone of steel? He’s already imagining you in his hoodie.

[weirdcat1213]

and now, a somewhat personal rambling about hua cheng and the cave of ten thousand gods

spoilers but not beyond arc 4 since im reading that rn

so ive seen some people call hua change a red flag and toxic after the scene and first of all

>:[

and second of all, yall missing really key context...and the point tbh

so if we go to the very beginning we have a child who has been pretty much abandoned and abused for...reasons probably (the really bad luck he had and something else probably). the entire world has been bullying this kid and then he quite literally meets god even before he becomes god

this prince showers him in love and care and of course he swore loyalty to said prince. he experienced his kindness first hand. years later his prince has become a god, only solidifying his thoughts towards him. his prince is so pure and kind and strong that he went to heaven to help others. but heres the fun part: he is still the same abused kid he was when they first met. now that his prince is not "in the same world" he finds comfort in being a devotee forever. plus of course his prince deserves it!

then we get the soldier era and now hua cheng is even more blown away by his prince. he was a god who came back to earth for the sake of others! the prince did quite literally everything in his power to help out and even if it was for nothing, it only showed even more of his character! and no matter the occasion he always protected hua cheng.

all of this is for this point: hua cheng is not a stalker by any means (following the modern definition or not). hua cheng didnt sculpt a shit ton of statues because he saw xie lian once and fell in love. he built those out dedication, out of devotion, he built them to cope and to remember his goal: to protect the one who had protected him many years ago when no one would.

and you can see in the murals and the fight with mu qing that he has internalized the hate he received. he is now a fucking ghost king but in his mind he will always be that cursed kid who for some reason got lucky enough to meet xie lian and his kindness. a stalker is someone who thinks theyre entitled to own/possess another person but hua cheng doesnt think that about himself at all. he literally says mu qing is right when he calls hua cheng disgusting.

now that we have reached the self hate its time for the 2nd part of this thing: the self loading and queerness

some people found the scene funny but i honestly was filled with anxiety and really felt bad for hua cheng. the cave was his safe space he had to use to protect xie lian and thanks to people who (funny enough tbh) actively antagonized him in the past....oof it felt rough

feng xin and mu qing start shaming his devotion, his writing, his paintings and thank god xie lian doesnt listen to them but then they go further. they start calling hua cheng a monster who desires the purity of the crown prince, a weirdo who is obsessed, they accuse him of wanting to curse xie lian and do him harm.

and guess what? this isnt the first time his love gets mocked like this. it happened before in the land of teder when the flower people made fun of him. ive mentioned this before but the summary: of course xie lian was his gay awakening but the flower people mocked his feelings, called him weird for wishing something he would never get, etc.

both situations are pretty similar except that in the cave, xie lian is actually there! forming opinions! maybe getting freaked out by everything! and when i tell you i wanted to tear down every wall in that cave and in my house because the panic/anxiety hua cheng must have felt is immeasurable. he already thinks so lowly of himself, imagine if *his god* calls him a weirdo or becomes afraid of him. tbh it brought back feelings i have felt and still sometimes deal with myself. people looking at your love and devotion and distorting it into a fetish/something disgusting? fuck that hurtss

and yes, maybe mu qing and feng xin had a reasonable reaction but they forgot 2 things: 1) how forgotten and insulted xie lian has been for centuries now. of course xie lian doesnt mind any of this because (in his eyes) he hasnt received this amount of love since his youth. and all of it coming from his close friend/crush? he is only slow to react because it happened so long ago. fuck he is surprised someone cares about him after so long. like someone on tumblr said, theyre matching each others freaks/ need for love and self reassurance.

2) they are literally forgetting the many MANY times hua cheng has helped xie lian and treated him with respect. they have seen hua cheng help out while pretty much trying to keep a respectable distance from xie lian AND YET they have the audacity to call him a sicko? nope, not allowed in my house

so i quite literally dont see why this is a red flag/disgusting from hua chengs part. it may be "too much" but it has been so established by now that this man's love goes above and beyond, its an adequate response to his context in the story, its well received by the other party ALSO BECAUSE of his own context in the story and because the relationship they have had so far is of trust and deep care for each other.

[snexy-the-snail]

Containment Protocal, MK Style

HEHEHHE slowly getting into it, I'm not sure how I was to twist and turn things lol

The sun was high above Flower Fruit Mountain, warm and golden. Mk swore that it was always perfect weather, no matter what. The trees shimmered with light through their emerald canopies, the birds chattered like gossips, and the breeze rustled like a sigh through the long grasses.

MK was focused, breath even, and stance solid. At least, he hoped so; he was getting tired of running the same stance over and over again.  When no correction came, he started to run through forms one after the other, staff spinning and legs sweeping. Wukong sat off to the side, tail lazily flicking, eyes half-lidded but focused. Mk having learned closed eyes didn't mean the celestial wasn't watching.

"Better," Wukong said as MK landed a difficult twist into a low crouch, "but that last sweep was too wide. You'd lose your footing on slick stone."

MK groaned, dragging the staff across his shoulders. "I was on slick grass." He didn't pout because that would be childish, obviously. Though he did smile slightly with his mentor.

Mk's smile fades when Wukong's ears twitch sharply, and his whole body becomes rigid. That never bodes well; part of him expected something big and ugly to charge out of the trees, his eyes snapping to the tree line.

"What is it?" he asks staff poised for a fight. The Monkey King didn't answer. His nostrils flared, his golden eyes flashing toward the northern treeline. MK also directed his gaze there, using gold vision, and still saw nothing.  The ground beneath them gave the faintest thrum; however, birds scattered. Something had happened; that much was obviously more so when Wukong stood abruptly.

"Kid," he said, voice tight and unfamiliar. "I need you to trust me right now."

"Wait, what's-?" MK started. There were a dozen things he was expecting, to be tossed, carried off by a clone, maybe told to brace himself.

"No time."

Wukong's magic pulsed out with a shimmer of gold. MK barely had a second to register it before his body compressed down, fast, briefly falling through the air until he landed in something soft and warm.  MK blinked up in surprise, a tad disoriented from the sudden compression. He was used to it, like riding a bicycle after a while or not.

Wukong hesitated, crouching over him like a wall of fur and muscle. "I'm gonna stash you someplace safe. You're mortal. Whatever this thing, it's not mortal friendly, bud."

MK opened his mouth to reply, but Wukong had already lifted him up, careful fingers cradling him close.

"Sorry," he murmured. "Just hang in there, okay?"

And with that warmth encircled him, a golden glow surrounded him like an odd sort of blanket. "Wait- hang on-" He squeaks, scrambling to try and lay down. He knew the rules; this was something he had way too much practice with.

Wukong tilted his head back and swallowed before he had time to lay flat. An 'oof' escaped him as he was awkwardly crammed into the celestial's throat. It wasn't ideal having his legs pressed to his chest, but he had managed to lift his arms up to make himself less bunched up. He hoped it eased some of the uncomfortableness.

He landed in a space with a squelch, huffing as thick slime instantly clung to his skin and clothing. Ugh, so much slime, oh! It glowed. "That's so cool.' he whispers, lifting a hand up to examine the soft, pulsing glow. The stomach flexed around him like a heartbeat, one that WUkong apparently didn't have right away, the steady beat happening after a second. Glowing threads of magic pulsed warmly from the lining like a living being on its own time.

"Wow," he shifts to his knees, his mind slowly catching up with him. "Smells weird in here. Like peaches and incense."

Outside, Wukong was crouched low, staff in hand, tail lashing. He braced against the tremors building in the earth. MK's voice rang out from inside his gut, muffled but clear. Wukogn grits his teeth, expecting a rapid fire of questions and freakouts he was not mentally prepared for. He had seen some of MK's magical rants and was not excited to feel that inside.

"Hey! Are you okay out there? This is actually kinda nice."

Wukong froze, his gaze dropping to his middle. "You're... not freaking out?" Any other mortal would be freaking out, screaming, maybe kicking. His stomach whines at the thought.

"Nah." A pause. "I grew up with Pigsy, remember? This is like a classic 'tummy time-out.' He used to do this whenever I got too rowdy in the kitchen."

"What." Wukong blinked, thrown completely off.

MK shifted, maybe a shrug? Or Just getting comfortable? Wukong wasn't sure and couldn't exactly see it. "I mean, yeah, he's a pig demon. It wasn't often, but ya know, squirmy kid, dangerous equipment, sometimes I needed a safe pen for five minutes."

Wukogn expected screaming that there would be panic, thrashing, and crying. That he'd lose the boy's trust in one terrified heartbeat. Instead, much to his surprise, MK acted like this was normal.

"This is kinda cozy, honestly," MK added, Wukogn feeling him flopping down against the stomach lining, the muscle shifting to accommodate. "You're way warmer than Pigsy."

A beat. Then two.

From the canopy, something hissed, a thousand-legged shadow crawling through the underbrush. Wukong's eyes sharpened. His gut clenched protectively, just enough to hold so the small thing inside wouldn't be jostled. Just enough to keep MK nestled.

"Hold tight, bud," he said quietly, a smile ghosting across his lips now. "I'll be back before you digest."

"Hey! I know you're lying!"

Wukong laughed, tense but grateful, and vanished in a flash of golden cloud, barreling toward the danger with a quiet storm curled safely behind his ribs.

The world around MK gently shifted and would blur at times, which was a little dizzying, a deep thrum echoing through the plush walls as Wukong moved. It was weird; he could literally see how Wukong's magic worked, pulsing when used, glowing brighter, or dimming. MK remained still, tucked in tight as the stomach muscles around him flexed, briefly holding him in place before relaxing again.

His fingers idly pressed into the soft lining beneath him. It pulsed faintly with golden chi, warm to the touch and strangely pleasant. No sting of acid. No burning. Just ambient, living energy, like the heartbeat of the mountain itself. MK chuckled to himself, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Pigsy would laugh his tail off if he saw this."

He remembered the first time, years ago, he'd knocked over a pot of hot broth, bolted around the kitchen shrieking, and Pigsy, in a moment of demonic exasperation, had scooped him up and gently tucked him away for five minutes in a place where he couldn't knock over anything else.

The memory made him grin. That time had smelled like spice and ginger. This? This smelled faintly of peaches, incense, and old stone warmed by the sun.

Above him, the stomach walls flexed again, not in a dangerous way, just responding to Wukong's movement. MK could faintly hear it: the distant boom of impact, the scrape of claws against the rock, and the sharp, irritated growl that only Wukong could make when someone dared threaten his mountain. He winced at a particularly loud crack above, followed by another growl, one that rumbled straight through him.

"Yikes. That didn't sound friendly." He comments to himself, not expecting an answer as Wukong fought. Still, MK wasn't worried. If anything, he was fascinated.

"Celestial biology's wild," he muttered to himself, reaching out to press a palm against the golden inner wall. "Feels like- like being in a bowl of jello."

The chi wasn't just light. He realized it shimmered like threads woven through the tissue, gently shifting in patterns and wards. Protection. It was magic, not just muscle. Something sacred. MK shifted to lie on his side, cheek pressed against the soft lining.

"Gotta say, Monkey King," he called up toward the ceiling if there was a ceiling, "this might be the fanciest tummy time-out I've ever been in."

A rumble passed through the chamber in response, almost like a hum. Maybe Wukong heard him. Maybe he was just fighting hard and pissed off. Either way, MK stretched, feeling the tension of training seep from his muscles.

"I get why Pigsy did this now," he mumbled sleepily. "Can't break anything. Can't get into trouble. Warm. Kinda like a weighted blanket, but alive."

Outside, Wukong struck with a growl that shook the space-like lighting, the glow nearly blinding. MK barely shifted; he was held too securely at the moment, the stomach walls compensating for every motion, protecting him from even the harshest jerks of the body.

MK tucked his hands behind his head, eyes fluttering closed as the golden glow dimmed with his senses. He took a deep breath, thinking how it was almost funny, how natural it felt.

"Man," MK murmured. "Next time Pigsy says I need a babysitter, you're tagging in first, huh?"

The last echoes of the fight faded into the wind.

Wukong stood still for a moment longer, golden staff shrinking in his hand, breath curling in the air from exertion. His fur was singed in a few places, a long gash across one shoulder already closing with a shimmer of light. The earth around him was scored and cracked, trees uprooted, and rocks split open, but Flower Fruit Mountain stood safe behind him. MK was safe inside.

He laid a hand against his stomach, where MK still nestled, quiet and still. Too still. No struggling. No yelling. No screaming.

Wukong's ears flattened slightly. That wasn't… normal, especially for a mortal. He inhaled deeply, murmuring a quiet spell. The golden warmth of his body shifted, magic unraveling just enough to guide MK gently back up the way he'd come.

A soft cough and MK's small, slime-slick form appeared in Wukong's palm.

And still no panic. No flailing. The kid simply blinked up at him, squinting a little in the light. Wukong braced for something. He hadn't exactly heard all of what the kid was saying during the fight, focused on not taking any strikes to his middle.

"Yo. That was wild. Your stomach glows. Same with the slime. Like—actual gold glow. That's so cool."

Wukong's mouth opened. Closed. Opened again. He had no idea what he'd expected, sobbing, accusations, vomiting? Some wide-eyed horror at having been eaten alive? Sure, the kid had said he had experienced it before, but this wasn't what he expected. Not a fascinated teenager brushing golden stomach slime off his face like he'd just finished a carnival ride.

"I-uh-" Wukong started, but MK was already continuing, wiping his hands on his pants with a grimace, this huffing as if realizing his pants would be in the same state as his hands.

"I didn't bring an extra pair of clothes, though. Can I go dunk myself in the stream real quick? I, uh… kinda look like I got hugged by a magic slug."

Wukong stared.

MK blinked up at him, oblivious to the silent, screaming thoughts behind those golden eyes. That wasn't right. Mortals weren't supposed to be okay with that. He'd swallowed him whole without much warning because it was the only way to keep him safe, and now the kid was just… chattering?

His hand trembled. Just slightly. Barely noticeable.

He masked it with a grin, all tooth and bravado. "Careful, bud. You start thinking that's 'cool,' I might start charging for stomach tours."

MK snorted. "Eh, you'd owe Pigsy royalties. He did it first."

Wukong let out a bark of laughter, too sharp, too relieved, and lowered MK to the grass. A subtle flick of magic expanded him back to normal size, restoring every detail with practiced ease. Wukong's eyes scanned him the entire time, checking his limbs, aura, expression, and anything out of place. Anything wrong. MK just wiggled his boots and looked down at his slime-streaked shirt with a wrinkled nose.

"Ugh. I am soaked."

Wukong exhaled slowly, his muscles finally relaxing, and it became even more obvious that MK wasn't shaken. Wasn't traumatized. Just mildly annoyed about the laundry situation.

"Tell you what," Wukong said, voice softer now. "Skip the cold stream. I've got old clothes back at my place. Stuff from when I was younger before I grew into all this." He gestured at himself, fur fluffing grandly. "You can dig through it. Might be something your size."

MK perked up. "Really? Awesome! Way better than dried slime."

Wukong chuckled, still watching him, still trying to make sense of this mortal boy who took everything in stride, including being swallowed whole by a celestial.

He gave MK a light pat on the back, letting the playful gesture hide the way his hand lingered just a second longer than necessary.

"You're a weird one, kid," he said, half to himself.

"Takes one to train one." MK grinned up at him, eyes bright; Wukong chuckled, nudging the boy with his shoulder. They headed back toward the temple.

[ronearoundblindly]

I have an idea for “how would…” !

It comes from a prank I’m seeing on tiktok lately of couples staying in a hotel room with 2 beds.

How would the guys react to reader saying they can sleep in separate beds tonight? 😆

Inspo: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP81dBS8k/

That's freaking hilarious, the link, but we've got lots of babes to cover! (Also...guess who realized Jake was missing from the banner? 😳👈 This doof.)

Warnings for, well, discussing couples and bed/bedtime activities but it's not real bad. MINORS DNI to be safe!

James Mace

You know what's tiny? A space bunk. He will starfish like a mothaf**ker on that queen size, and you gotta just give him that from time to time. If the stay in the hotel is just one night (and there's been no other time away from you recently), absolutely he will stretch out, pillows everywhere, each limb under a separate layer,--seriously though why are there nine layers of blankets and sheets? that's nuts--and no alarm if at all possible. However, if the stay is longer or the hotel is for a specific couple's vacation thing, then no, he would never spend a whole night outside of your bed. Maybe a nap after too much sun, or likely some space if he (or you) is feeling ill, but otherwise, Mace is very good at sharing resources with people he likes.

Curtis Everett

Oof. I really had to think about this guy. Some of Mace applies here, too, but Curtis likes the idea of having extra room far more than he likes using the room. I think he would try to fall asleep in the other bed for whatever reason, and then inevitably just crawl back in with you. He has never made it a whole night away, even if he falls asleep on the couch at home. He always has to be within arm's reach by the time you wake up.

Jimmy Dobyne

No. Nope. Not in the slightest.

He doesn't particularly like waste, so he might call down to see if there is a room with just one bed available, in case some other guests could use the two. Jimmy also hates the fuss of cleaning. He's acutely aware of how much effort would go into remaking the second bed (washing, etc) and won't even put things on top of the unused bed for the whole stay. Not your bag. Not your butt. Not a towel. Nada.

Johnny Storm

Few quick questions: this hotel is fireproof, right? The bedding, okay, but what about the carpet? The curtains? Are the headboards made of wood? Is the varnish flammable? You don't know? Shit, well, he needs to know.

I feel like Johnny has to have like a special tarp thing to lay over normal bed linens, but honestly, I can't really see how he's ever safe to sleep outside of his own customized bedroom. People do not have complete control while they are unconscious. That's super dangerous for folks like Johnny. Reed's fine because what's the worst that could happen, his foot actually hangs off the edge of the mattress? If we were talking about Ben, the weight-capacity would be a concern, too, so even if you are fine to sleep in the same bed as Johnny and sometimes get burned a bit...I...I'm just not convinced a hotel would want extraneous furniture in there.

That's not a sexy answer, but it's the one you're getting.

Jake Jensen

Dude can fall asleep any. where. any. time. However, if he is lucid enough to pick where he'll fall asleep, it will always be with you...

...after hysterically jumping around like a kid on the extra bed.

I'll just, yeah, leave you with that image. Have fun. Stay weird, Jake.

Lloyd Hansen

If you two are actively doing something--yes, of course, I mean sex or sexual acts or whatever nasty word Lloyd wants to call it--then you are in the same...general area. That's not limited to a bed.

For sleeping, real sleeping, separate beds are 99% of the time a must. There is one exception to this: if Lloyd has been worn out or injured badly on a job--which is so rare--and if it's not quite bad enough to be in a hospital hooked to machines to keep him alive, then he becomes a sort of energy leech and keeps you very close all the time. This is Lloyd's vampire phase. As you can probably deduce, it is not about you, but he will take whatever he can from you.

Ari Levinson

50/50. Ari is moody. He changes with the wind (not in a bad way but for all the small, subtle stuff), and he sometimes just fancies a bit of something different. Take that as you will--and by that I mean run with it because I am totally talking about all sorts of different things to do in bed. He's the type of man who does better with a bit of alone time, too. Never means any offense by it. Just has spells of needing socializing and needing quiet.

Ransom Drysdale

Literally, I feel like I always have the same answer for Ran: it depends on when this is in your relationship and what the hotel stay is for.

Early on in dating, he aires on the side of caution and goes by his mood and yours. If there's been frustration in the day--due to his family or work or anything--then maybe you need some space. When Ransom is in a relationship, for real, he's actually very attuned to the tone of sex--which, of course, will happen no matter the mood of the day--so a lot of connection and intimacy will tell him it's good to stay close while a simpler, transactional need to get off tells him the other bed might be best.

Ran, however, would not get--or enjoy--the 'prank' of this challenge, and stop goddamn filming him for tiktok!

Steve Rogers

Pardon my language, but are you fucking kidding? The look on Steve's face if you so much as hinted... His head would immediately be spinning with 'what did I do wrong?' and 'what romantic gesture can I make right here right now to fix it?'

He's a simple man, and that is a simple no.

Bucky Barnes

Trickier. Much trickier.

Hmm. How to explain...

This feels like a whole season of 'What If...?' but I'll try to simplify.

Are you an Avenger or agent? Are you two on a mission together? I think Bucky is hardcore about keeping sharp and professional during those times. Sleep shifts. Minimal touching. The whole nine yards because safety is paramount. Is there some reason there could be surveillance of you two and you're supposed to be a couple? Bucky can put on one hell of a show like that. Just saying. I doubt, however, that he would mix business and pleasure unless absolutely necessary.

Are you a civilian? Is he a civilian now? Then no, he's in that one bed holding you until the second (maybe third) snooze cycle rings on his alarm. He's notorious for giving himself cushions of time, so it's never him needing to rush out on the average day. It took a while to adjust, but Buck can now also vacation with the best of them. Takes advantage of all the bells and whistles: minibar, room service, and the 'do not disturb' sign. Champion vacationer, he is, of this I have no doubt.

Thank you for asking!

A/N: Mace is a sleeper fave of mine, and I would do anything for that man, I swear... Also, would someone like to tell me why Bucky gets soooo 🥵 in all of these. My god, what am I feeding that boi?

[Main Masterlist; Who Would...Asks; Ko-Fi]

[sinfiction]

What kind of reader would sinister Mark fall for? Childhood friend? Girl/ boy next door type? Looks innocent but is actually not?

Ooooh yes good ask, thank you! I'm excited to answer this.

I feel like for Sinister Mark to truly fall for someone, context is the most important thing. Their actual background and personality isn't anywhere near as important as their place in his life, or god forbid, if they're able to relate to him.

I have a lot of headcanons around Sinister Mark (which feature prominently in my interactive fic if you're going for an actual love route with him).

Since you asked about childhood friends in particular, I'll focus on that. You have to remember that Sinister's world is baseline much more evil than the OG universe, so there's probably a fair bit of trauma bonding going on, before he's necessarily... Sinister. And a certain amount of heinous activity is just... to be expected.

OOF, this turned into kind of a long drabble, so I'm putting it under a readmore. It's not POLISHED, because I didn't intend to sit here and write all that out lol, but I hope you enjoy.

Imagine it's the dead of summer, and little Mark—maybe even young enough that Nolan hasn't given him the, "we're aliens," talk yet—is staring out his window, bored as all get out, because he's got nothing to do and no one to play with.

Then, as if answering his prayers, a moving truck pulls into the driveway across the street. He watches a car pull onto the road in front of the house, and out hops a kid who looks to be around his own age.

That's when he meets them.

It starts out innocently enough, as innocent as anything can in Sinister Mark's world. Maybe their parents aren't so nice, and maybe in this world, neither is Debbie. Nolan is barely around at all. It gives them something to bond over, deeper than skipping rocks or playing Mario Kart.

Maybe they even find some secret place, some abandoned tree-house, or maybe just a cool spot under a bridge in their favorite park—either way, it becomes something of a secret base to them, somewhere they can go when things aren't so good at home.

The two of them become inseparable that summer, and every summer after that... every spring, fall, and winter too.

The pair even go to the same school. Mark's friend is new here, of course, so they don't have any friends other than Mark, but why would they need other friends? Even as a child, Sinister Mark has a possessive streak, but his best friend is too young to see it for what it is, just happy to have that one best friend amidst a sea of new faces.

In a world like Sinister Mark's, having even one person that genuinely cares would be precious.

Now, we know that most Mark variants get their powers before OG Mark, and considering Sinister Mark is canonically one of the strongest variants—if not the strongest—it's safe to assume he's not an exception.

So we'll say Mark is around twelve years old when he gets his powers—for the sake of exploring this, we'll say that since this version of Earth has so many extremely powerful villains, Nolan sees fit to train Mark right on Earth. Plenty of big monsters to punch.

But monsters aren't the only things young Mark is obliterating.

Twelve is also the age where bullies tend to start getting really mean, and in this dark bizarro world, Mark's sweet, innocent best friend would be an easy target when he's not around.

The first time he comes home from training with his dad to find them crying, he's filled with the kind of rage only an angsty twelve year old can feel. Only... he's got super powers, and he's learning to use them.

Nobody really says anything when the bullies start going missing. This world is so dangerous that it's not terribly unusual. Mark's best friend doesn't even know what happened for sure until he proudly explains that he flew them out of Earth's atmosphere and left them to die in the cold vacuum of space.

That's the first time they start to realize how dangerous Mark really is... and aren't they so lucky he's their best friend? Maybe it makes them feel safe, maybe they're scared of him... maybe a little bit of both.

Mark feels so good about that. He was protecting his best friend. How could that be anything other than good? It's what really cements Sinister Mark's particular brand of heroics—he's judge, jury, and executioner... emphasis on executioner, without nuance as to if the crime really deserved death.

But he's saving people. That's good right? His best friend thinks he's a hero, right?

By the time romance is even on his radar, he just assumes his best friend is his. After all, how many bullies has he killed for them? How many cool places has he flown them to? ...Even if they didn't ask, and being high in the sky knowing they'd die if he dropped them was terrifying. He knows he'd never drop them, so it's fine... Stop being such a baby about it.

If Mark's beloved best friend even thinks about giving anyone else the time of day, he'd leave the corpse in their bed, like a grotesque offering from a cat, to remind them how much he cares.

But it's much more likely by that point for everyone to be too scared to get near Mark's best friend, since anyone who so much as looks at them wrong tends to go missing.

When a teenage Sinister Mark brings his best friend to their special secret place and asks them to go to their first real school dance with him, are they really going to say no? Who else could they possibly want to go with when Mark has made sure they don't have anyone else?

That's when, without asking them, Mark makes it clear beyond the shadow of a doubt that they belong with him. Belong to him.

Mark is their first kiss, their first love, their first and only everything.

Could they turn him down even if they wanted to? Would he even recognize the difference?

All Mark knows is that they've always been there, always been his since that hot summer day all those years ago. If Mark has his way, they'll always be his.

But he doesn't get his way.

Not when Nolan destroys half of Chicago to show him the true power of the Viltrum Empire. Not when their broken body lies among the rubble.

"I murdered my own father! Do you really think you're gonna take me down?"

God forbid he finds their variant in the OG universe.

Sinister Mark's love is pure obsession. It doesn't matter who they really are, it just matters that they're his.

[kageyamas-tiktok]

Interpersonal Synchrony

Here’s my contribution to @zolo-san’s ZoSan Community Collab!

Written using @breathing-and-stuff’s prompt: canon compliant zsz three/whatever number of times when Sanji and Zoro share a comfortable silence together and one time when they acknowledge it and maybe do something about it too

Hope you all enjoy!

Summary:

Zoro and Sanji don’t say a word to one another for an entire week, and it isn’t by design. Sanji eventually notices and decides it’s high time they do something about it. Zoro is one hundred percent onboard, especially when he gets to see Sanji’s smile in the process.

Or;

Three times Zoro and Sanji unknowingly calm one another’s racing hearts with the rhythm of their breathing without a word, and one time they have a chat that leads to some heavy breathing that makes their heart rates spike.

Here’s a little snippet!

Excerpt:

And then there is another life force in Zoro’s bed, and as strange as it is sharing space with someone who isn’t cuddly Chopper or tactile Luffy, it isn’t.. bad.

Sanji crawls over him, bodily shoves Zoro over (“Oof!”) so he’s lying on his side, slots himself against Zoro’s back, hooks a leg over his hip, gets all nice and comfortable on top of him like he’s just allowed to be here. And instead of slicing him in three pieces to match his name, or even the usual shout of protests and profanities, Zoro just allows it all to happen.

His cheeks feel warm — Zoro curses his blood vessels for being stirred up so easily, because it clearly isn’t him who’s flustered right now — and he hangs his head forward to hide it.

Sanji seems to take this as an invitation to bury his face against the nape of Zoro’s neck. As much as it scratches at his slice-or-dice response, it also.. leaves his back feeling utterly protected.

Zoro realizes, with a start, that this is the first time he’s been able to comfortably lay on his side since he was a kid.

Normally, Zoro will find a corner or a wall to prop himself up against for a nap. When it’s the floor or a bed, he’s always on his back. It just feels so naked and vulnerable to have his back on display when he’s unconscious, even if his observation haki has never failed him during slumber and he knows his nakama have his back.

That being said, Sanji — someone who Zoro secretly admires for his immeasurable strength, and is just as devoted to the crew as Zoro is — being wrapped around him like a layer of armour… Zoro feels safe, in his hands.

…

The very same hands that have settled against his pecs.

Seriously?

Zoro swats at Sanji’s hand — deliberate in his gentleness; he would never risk harming those precious hands — and is unsurprised by the amused, sleepy smile that spreads against his nape as Sanji’s hands resituate themselves around Zoro’s waist.

And then he’s out.

Zoro assumes he must have woken Sanji up. He had been snoring, earlier, now that he thinks about it, but the faint sound is so familiar to him that Zoro doesn’t even remember when it stopped.

It starts up again, now, though. A soft rumble on the intake, then a near silent release that Zoro tracks as it fans over his own skin. Cool inhale against his neck, warm exhale across the expanse of his shoulders.

It’s weird, really, how almost instantly it begins to slow the racing of his over-caffeinated heart.

Thanks for reading, let me know what you think so far! The rest can be found here!

[befuddledcinnamonroll]

Oh Heart Killers, please save me from this crappy week.

Damn, Bison! Effective, but cold.

I wish we could hear Thanon's internal dialogue here. "Wait, killing people?!?! Keen, I thought you were an admin!!!!".

Lol, Style being all "awww" at the hug.

Khaotung is so good at playing a little rage-ball.

You can feel his hurt boiling under the skin.

Ugh, trying to negotiate with the police. I know Kant has to if Fadel and Bison are going to escape prison time, but blech.

Jojo, you naughty boy, we all know why you keep giving Peter shirtless scenes.

Bitch, Kant didn't want to work with you in the first place! You blackmailed him! Don't act like he's an employee who failed you.

Wait...they just tied up this important businessman and handled him to the police? Lolol. Romcom logic, gotta love it.

Oh good, Style is with me.

Also, we have confirmation that Style has more than one friend!

Fadel, I am going to try and not be personally insulted by you calling yourself an "old man" in 20 years. But for the record, people in their 40s fucking rock. And you and Style are going to be hella hot 40-year-olds.

Heh, the way Fadel just immediately gets soft & squishy when Style is romantic.

In the category of "lines that you don't really think about at first, and then hit like a ton of bricks":

Wait, "only child"? Is that a translation thing, or did Bison just say "I never really bought into this whole adopted brother thing"?

I am laughing at how Kant is struggling to hide his discomfort, and Style is just totally fine. Of course he's a natural.

Um, he does need to work on his sleight of hand skills though. Not subtle.

Ok, I'm dying that Lilly apparently had all of this footage conveniently sitting around in her files, but I do still love Kant's line delivery here.

And Joong once again destroying me with his performance.

I AM NOT WELL

Oof, that was powerful stuff. Joong and Khao are killing it.

Noooo, I don't want my babies in jail! But yeah, I figured school bribery wasn't going to be enough incentive against Christ being able to claim he solved a bunch of murders. Also - "I always keep my word" - bullshit, my dude.

Paaaaiiiin

Pure pain.

Oh, you little liar Bison! If you came out and found Kant with someone else, that man would be beyond dead.

I want to taking in the seriousness of this scene, but also I am deeply distracted by Fadel's hand massaging Style's thigh.

"I want to be a good man who deserves everything you do for me"; well just punch me in the heart, why don't you.

Waaaah, this is so brutal!

Fadel has a dad now! And dad says Marriage Equality!

10 Things tribute time!

I love doting Fadel so much.

Bison traumatizing a child tracks.

Oh god, Fadel was digging his own grave. I am not ok.

On the other hand, this does explain how he gets along so well with drama-queen Style. They are really well-suited.

They are just so lovely together.

And love Fadel being in his green space with his green boyfriend. How he feels at peace both in that location and with that man.

Aw, I like the White Elephant Path, can we start using that?

Love the full circleness of coming back to the place of their first hookup, but with the emotional intimacy that wasn't there before.

Style wasn't a safe person in the circle before, but now Fadel doesn't need the circle, because he has Style.

Oh Fadel, you still don't see how worth fighting for (or waiting for) you are.

Hmm, burgers don't quite work for the whole romantic-feeding-one-another thing, do they?

Hehe, Kant wants to be marked by his dom.

Koala Khaotung

And again with the green!

Aww, their little talks to each other are so delightfully character-specific.

Do you think First tapped into feelings about being parted from Khaotung for Kant's tears? I think he did.

Oh no, Style sobbing is going to break me.

Omg, that preview for next week! Only this show could add romcom shenanigans to a jail sentence, lolol.

[phoebepheebsphibs]

Epilogue

@boots-with-the-fur-club @littlemissartemisia @daboyau @tmntaucompetition

Prev || Return to the Propaganda

Leon - UIFY DvD - UIFY Mikey / Michael - UIFY ‘Phael - UIFY Leonardo - NFIF Donnie / Donatello - NFIF Angie / Angelo - NFIF Raph / Raphael - NFIF

"Oof!! What the hey...?"

Leon had been disturbed by something jumping onto his lap. It knocked the wind out of him, startling him awake.

Misa had apparently clambered onto him, crushing his legs as she walked across his person and curled up like a cat on his stomach. Leon sighed, stroking her shell softly and giving her gentle head pats as she fell back asleep.

Misa had been doing this on the hour, every hour since they'd taken their collective turtle pile nap. Leon wasn't sure how she managed to wake up on such a schedule, but she'd managed it. She'd been going in a sort of circle, waking up from her naps to simply switch out napping partners and cuddle with a new turtle. She'd started with Raph when they had initially all settled in, but at the second hour she'd woken up and wiggled out of his hold and went to sleep in the embrace of someone else. Leon was a light sleeper, and Misa was a noisy turtle, humming as she walked, and grunting as she climbed into the lap of someone new, and making little happy chirps as she snuggled in and felt them sleepily hug her close.

Once Leon was awake, it was hard for him to get back to sleep again. Misa had no issue with insomnia like he did; as soon as she had curled up and Leon began rubbing her shell, she'd fallen right back asleep and was snoring softly in his lap. Well, Leon was up now. Might as well take a look and make sure everyone was all okay and accounted for...

It was nice that the competition provided each team with their own private rooms, almost like a hotel or apartment complex. Somehow, each room magically knew what the contestants needed, and had their spaces properly furnished with everything they could ask for. The two teams had joined forces for the night, UIFY bringing their pillows, blankets, and sleeping supplies into NFIF's room for an epic turtle-pile sleepover. It was funny, though. Leo wasn't a stranger to turtle piles, he and Mikey had been doing that since they were tots. 'Phael and DvD were more green about the subject, though, and could use the practice. April and Karai had little to no idea what to expect.

Karai was the one in the group to have opted to stay awake, taking a reclining chair in the corner to watch over them while they all rested. Some habits never died, some tendencies -- the the overpowering drive to make sure everyone was safe and nothing would hurt them while they were all sleeping for example -- tended to linger. But even she had to admit defeat, too. Leon had woken up during Misa's first stumble around the room, and before he managed to go back to sleep, he'd noticed Karai had nodded off in her recliner. Good. She needed rest just as much as they all did.

Working around the room, next up were 'Phael and April, who had initially fallen asleep side by side but had somehow ended up with April curled into a ball in 'Phael's embrace. April was wrapped around him, her feline/canine Yokai tendencies showing as she purred and vibrated in her sleep, her tail twitching every so often. It must have been a comfort to the anxiety-riddled teenager, almost like a therapy animal. 'Phael's snores were soft rumbles, like having a natural white-noise maker in the room. His head was pressed against an enormous pile of blankets and comforters, which upon close inspection turned out to be his baby brother Michael, bundled up in a cocoon of soft things. Mikey had been the first to pass out, and the others had taken care to wrap him up in quilts and covers and layer after layer of warmth and weighted sheets that kept him anchored to the pile of pillows and beanbags underneath them all. Leon suspected that Mikey had been half-awake for that whole process of mummifying him; he'd seen the box turtle give the biggest grin ever as he was tucked in. DvD slept beside him, his arms wrapped over the top of the mountain that consumed his precious little brother that he guarded so closely. DvD had been skeptical about letting the other Donnie be so close to Mikey, but relented in the end when Michael had assured him he was all good now. (Apparently the two had a private heart-to-heart after everything. Mikey didn't say much, but his brothers had noticed the puffiness in his eyes afterwards. Yet rather than seem broken, the tiny teen looked lighter and healed, as if some weight had been lifted off him. Leon wasn't sure what they'd talked about, Mikey had insisted that it was private. NFIF Donnie wasn't saying anything about it either; apparently he'd been sworn to secrecy. But whatever Dee had said to him, it had proved he was himself and trustworthy again.) Donatello had fallen asleep just a little aways from Mikey -- a safe distance from DvD, who watched him like a hawk before he'd eventually drifted off. But even still, Mikey had apparently shimmied his hands up from the cocoon of comfort and Donnie had taken his exposed fingers in a small embrace. NFIF Angelo had fallen asleep on top of Donnie, his arms wrapped around him, almost mirroring DvD and Michael. Raph held the two in a close embrace, squeezing them tight every so often. In spite of that, they were completely undisturbed. Leon heard a loud snoring sound coming from the NFIF cuddle sesh, and at first assumed it was Raphael. It was so bombastic and deeply gargled, it had to have been! Imagine his surprise when he leaned over and instead found the noise coming from Donatello, his mouth wide open with a trail of drool dripping off his chin and soaking his plastron.

And then there was Leon, who'd claimed a beanbag chair with a blanket by the side. He'd chosen his quiet little corner of the pile for the same reason Karai had picked the reclining sofa chair. He'd wanted to make sure he could get a good look at everybody --

Wait a minute, someone was missing. There was an empty space between NFIF Donnie and UIFY Mikey, a lone katana resting where its owner had been previously.

Leon was about to get up and investigate where his alternate counterpart went, when the door to their private room opened with a soft click, and in walked the missing NFIF member, wearing a deep blue hoodie and carrying several bags of snacks and gifts for everyone. He'd been hoping to sneak in without being seen. Immediately he and Leon locked eyes, NFIF Leo's face falling as his mind frantically searched for an excuse.

"Leonardo," Leon greeted with a smirk.

"Leon," Leonardo replied.

The two stared at each other for an awkward three seconds.

"I won't say anything," Leon assured him with a smile.

Leonardo huffed with relief.

"Thanks. I just needed to get out for a bit. I felt like I was asleep the whole time with Audrey III. I wasn't really in the mood to sleep anymore, y'know?"

Leon nodded.

"What'dya get?" he asked, pointing to the bags and boxes Leonardo was holding.

"Oh, just some stuff. I got some fries while I was out," he said, showing the to-go bag from a fast food stand he'd found. "And I found this pretzel stand; I got some in yellow and dark yellow for Don-a-Tron. Figured he might like 'em. Oh, and I got something for you," he added, showing him all the snackfoods he'd picked up on his private little excursion.

Leon eyed the other gifts.

In a past life, he would have rooted through them all and taken anything that looked interesting or valuable... they wouldn't have noticed a small thing missing or one less of a baked good, there were so many bags and boxes.

"How long have you been gone?" Leon asked.

"Maybe an hour or two," Leonardo winced. "I got distracted by a few friends. Oh, by the way, Ghost says hi."

Leon smiled.

"How is the old softie?"

"Pretty good. He's hovering over that human Donnie."

"He's still here?" Leon asked, surprised by the fact.

"Yep!"

"Good. I wanted to see him again."

"Get in line. I overheard Miguel and Raph trying to bribe each other for who got to spend time with him first."

"Why not go together?"

"I guess they didn't wanna overwhelm him. The guy seems kind of on edge. But he starting to relax, and Ghost is watching him."

Leon smiled.

"He really is an old softie..."

Leonardo chuckled as he leaned against the table, taking out one of the donuts he'd gotten.

"I also ran into the Void Brothers. They were--"

"Pleasant and charming as always?"

Leonardo choked on his donut.

"No, no, they... they were surprisingly understanding. Although I'm glad it was me they ran into, instead of Donnie or Raph. I think they're still a little sore about everything... I can't blame them," he chuckled softly. "Funny. Usually, it's me that gets on the wrong peoples' nerves..."

Leon looked at him, wondering.

"...Can I ask you a kind of... weird question?"

Leonardo shrugged.

"Go ahead."

"Does it ever get any easier?"

Leo blinked.

"Does... what ever get easier?"

"This. Life. Dealing with all the stuff that comes with being 'us'."

Leonardo thought about it.

"That's... a tough question. I mean, nobody ever said life would get 'easier'. But it does get better."

"What's the difference?"

"Well, take a look at yourself. You're a pickpocket, right? No disrespect, it's a pretty cool trick to have, and useful for a ninja -- but how did you learn to do that? I bet it wasn't easy at first."

"No," Leon answered, cringing at the memories of how he'd gotten caught with his hands in different strangers' purses and wallets, the claps on the ears and the belt-shaped welts he got that made certain he couldn't sit down for a week afterwards.

"But with time, you got better," Leonardo pointed out. "And that's how life is. If I'm being totally honest, life tends to get tougher and tougher the longer you live. Some things get easier with practice, but there's always gonna be new challenges to face. A story never really ends, there's always gonna be a sequel, a new beginning, a new ending, a new after-credits scene --"

"Oh no, not more pop culture references..." Leon groaned.

"-- But even with the difficulties, it gets better. And again, take a look at yourself -- look at your family. You've been through a lot, and though it was tough at first, you guys seem pretty close."

Leon smiled as he looked down at his brothers and sisters -- Mikey snuggled deeply in his little kingdom of comfiness, DvD 'protecting' him as Raph and April kept each other pacified in their sleep, while he and Karai stood watch over them all, and even little Artemesia slumbering peacefully in his lap. They certainly had been through a lot... but Leon had to admit this moment was more than worth all of the pain it took to get here.

"...Can I ask another question?"

"Sure."

"Does the Curse ever go away?"

"Curse? What curse??"

"The Curse of Leo."

Leonardo was taken aback. Was this another little lore drop? Did this Leo have some weird magic spell on him or something??

"I ask again, what curse??"

"Y'know, the part of us that always gets us into trouble, no matter what we do. How we always get the worst of it, always lose what matters, always hurt the people closest to us... how we always do it to ourselves. The Curse of Leo. We all seem to have it."

"Oh. THAT curse..."

Leonardo sighed.

"Hmm. Eeoough, boyyyy... I honestly don't know that much about curses. That would be up for Angelo or Dr-- um, 'Barry'. But anyways, if there is a curse, I think it might be coupled with something else."

"Like what?"

"The Blessing of Leo. No matter how many times we screw it up, no matter what we do to antagonize our family or the mistakes we make -- even to the point where we might doom all of humanity because of our pride and pigheadedness -- our family will still do anything for us. Even rip a hole through time and space just to reach us. Because they love us."

Leon got the sneaking suspicion that he was speaking from experience...

"...The Blessing of Leo, huh?"

"You'd be surprised."

"Maybe. Okay, one last question."

"Fire away."

"How'd you get out of here without waking anybody?"

Leonardo smiled. He pointed to his spot on the bed, where a lone katana filled his space. He held the sword's twin in his hand. Leonardo placed a finger to his lips, and with a wink --

He reappeared in a small flash, cozy in his bedspace. Donnie subconsciously realized that someone he loved was close; he made a few sporadic snorting sounds before nuzzling his face closer to his twin. Angelo and Raph also scooched in closer. Even Michael reached his fingers over to touch what was undoubtedly his newest adopted brother.

Leon just stared, jaw dropped.

"How'd you do that?!" he whisper shouted.

"A magician never reveals his secrets!" Leo chuckled, taking Dee's hand and holding it close.

"Ya think I'll ever learn to do that?" Leon asked.

"That depends. Can you do any kind of magic?"

Leon smiled.

"You tell me," He said as he leaned across the NFIF team, reaching behind Leo's ear and pulling out the coin he'd 'given' him and Michael at their first meeting.

Leo gaped for a second, before laughing, almost waking the others.

"When did ya learn how to do that?" he asked.

Leon leaned back, tossing the coin to its rightful owner.

"Not until I found you."

The end.

For now..

[mysticinsightstarot]

🐻🐥Taehyung & Jimin Current Friendship Dynamic Tarot 🐥🐻

What’s Going On Between Taehyung & Jimin? A Detailed Friendship Vibe Check 💫💛

Alright, ARMY! Let’s spill the tea ☕ and dive deep into the current friendship dynamics between Taehyung and Jimin. This spread is giving me ALL the drama, growth, and soulful vibes. Are you ready for this rollercoaster of emotions? 🎢✨

Card 1: Current Energy of the Friendship

Wheel of Fortune + Justice The vibe between them is a cosmic blend of fate and karma! 🌌⚖️ Their friendship is going through a pivotal shift, like the universe spinning its wheel and saying, "Time to level up!" While the Wheel of Fortune brings cycles and unpredictable moments, Justice ensures balance and accountability. It’s like they’re working through some past energies (good or bad), finding harmony, and stepping into a new chapter. Things might feel destined right now—like they’re exactly where they’re meant to be, for better or worse.

Card 2: Taehyung’s Perspective

6 of Wands Taehyung feels proud of their bond. 🏆💖 He sees Jimin as someone worth celebrating—a ride-or-die who’s always there to cheer him on. Taehyung might also feel a bit validated or boosted by their friendship, like Jimin’s energy pushes him toward success. But don’t get it twisted; it’s not just about the hype. There’s genuine admiration here, and Taehyung feels like their connection is something to be seen and appreciated by others.

Card 3: Jimin’s Perspective

Devil + 3 of Wands Oh, Jimin… 🐍🔥 This one’s deep. The Devil suggests that Jimin might feel a little trapped or bound in some way by this friendship. There’s a sense of underlying tension—maybe expectations, misunderstandings, or even envy? But then the 3 of Wands brings in some hope. 🌅 Jimin’s looking ahead, wanting their bond to grow and expand. It’s like he’s torn between feeling stuck in old patterns and dreaming of what this friendship could become. Complex much?

Card 4: Strengths of the Friendship

World They complete each other. 🌀🌎 The World is the ultimate “we’ve been through it all” card. Their friendship is strong because they’ve grown together, overcome challenges, and created a sense of wholeness. It’s like when they’re together, things just feel right. They balance each other’s energy perfectly, and there’s a deep sense of unity and mutual understanding that’s hard to break.

Card 5: Challenges or Tensions

Sun + 7 of Wands + Moon Oof, here’s where things get spicy. 🌞🌚 The Sun and Moon together show some serious duality—light vs. shadow, clarity vs. confusion. While there’s a lot of warmth and positivity in their bond (Sun), there’s also defensiveness and guarded energy (7 of Wands) as well as hidden emotions or misunderstandings (Moon). They may have moments where they struggle to truly see and hear each other. It’s like, “Are we on the same page, or nah?”

Card 6: Hidden Dynamics

Page of Swords + 4 of Cups There’s some subtle overthinking and discontent under the surface. 🧐💭 One (or both) of them might be keeping tabs on the other—watching their actions, analyzing words, or even low-key stalking their vibes. 👀 Meanwhile, the 4 of Cups shows a bit of emotional detachment. Someone might feel like they’re not getting enough from the other or that something is missing, but they’re not speaking up about it.

Card 7: Potential for Growth

Empress Their friendship has the potential to grow into something so nurturing and abundant! 🌸✨ The Empress says they can build a bond full of creativity, comfort, and unconditional love. This is the type of dynamic that could be a safe space for both of them to flourish and thrive. It’s all about leaning into that softer, more caring energy.

Card 8: Advice for Taehyung

Judgment Taehyung needs to reflect on the past and own his role in their friendship. 💡🎺 Judgment is all about self-awareness and making peace with what’s been. He’s being called to rise above petty misunderstandings and approach Jimin with honesty and a clear heart.

Card 9: Advice for Jimin

4 of Wands Jimin, celebrate the wins in your friendship! 🏡🎉 The 4 of Wands encourages you to focus on the good times and create moments of joy with Taehyung. Let go of any lingering tension and lean into the stability and happiness you both bring to each other.

Bottom of the Deck: Queen of Pentacles

At its core, this friendship is about grounded support and care. 💎🌿 They’ve got a strong foundation, and no matter the ups and downs, there’s an underlying sense of loyalty and stability. The Queen of Pentacles reminds us that their bond is valuable and worth nurturing.

Friendship Vibes Wrapped Up in a Song 🎶

"Fix You" by Coldplay – This song perfectly captures their current dynamic: the ups, downs, and ultimate desire to bring light to each other’s lives. It’s tender, emotional, and full of hope—just like their friendship.

And that’s the tea, my loves! 🍵💫 Taehyung and Jimin’s friendship is a blend of cosmic highs, emotional complexity, and a deep bond that’s constantly evolving. Their connection might be tested, but it’s clear they’re meant to grow together. 💛

[triforce-of-mischief]

Missed You

Summary: Legend pays a much needed visit to Ravio, who is concerned for his partner's well-being.

Word count: 2390

AO3

Relationships: QPR Legend/Ravio

Reblogs > Likes!

The last few days had been nothing but one bad event after another. The group had been temporarily separated, Legend had suffered an injury, and they had no idea where the shadow had escaped to. When the next portal appeared, Legend was pretty sure that every single one of them was expecting the worst.

Which is why, when they stepped out and gathered around a field in front of a familiar castle, Legend allowed himself a triumphant yell.

“That’s my castle! I mean- Fable’s castle. Anyway, I know where we are!”

“Thank the spirits for that,” Twilight said. “Shall we head there, then?”

“My house is right down the road,” Legend pointed out. “Can’t we go there?”

“We don’t know how long we’ll be here,” Time said. “It would be smarter to talk to the princess first while we have the chance. If we get that done before the next portal arrives, I don’t see why we can’t visit your partner after.”

Legend let out an unfortunately incriminating squawk. “Ravio isn’t- I mean, he is, but- you- how-”

“Oh please, it was obvious from the time we first saw you together,” Sky laughed, giving the flustered vet a pat on the back. “You bickered more than Malon and the old man, but we all saw that look in your eyes.”

Legend gripped his skirts, denying his hands the urge to tug his hat over his ears. “Yeah, it took us a while to figure things out, and a lot of it’s happened in our letters since I left, but… that’s what we are.”

“Aw, vet, you’re adorable when you blush,” Wind said, giggling madly.

“You little-”

Sky held Legend back before he could lunge at the brat, and Time stepped between them.

“Maybe we should split up then,” their leader suggested. “Most of us can go to the castle while Legend and the rest go to his house. Sound good?”

All parties nodded and quickly set to work determining who would go where.

“I’d like to meet Fable,” Sky volunteered.

“Do I have to go to a castle?” Hyrule mumbled, and Legend waved him over.

“I want Wars with me,” Legend said. “Knights don’t have the best reputation here yet. It’ll be better for him to lay low.”

That was his only justification, of course. It wasn’t like it was because Legend felt the most comfortable around Warriors regarding his phobia. The incident from a few days ago was far from being fresh on Legend’s mind, and he definitely wasn’t thinking about a conversation with Ravio that he wouldn’t be able to avoid.

Nope.

A few minutes later, and with a rendezvous planned, Legend led his small group of heroes one way while Time and the rest followed the road in the opposite direction. Wild had opted to avoid the castle as well, so Legend had three other heroes trailing behind him.

“Remember: most of my stuff is magical, and most of that is dangerous. So don’t touch anything unless I give you permission.”

“That’s what you said last time,” Hyrule piped up.

“And you touched everything,” Legend said, deadpan. “You’re just lucky that you were only looking at maps while Wind almost cursed himself with a ring.”

“So this time we know what’s safe to touch,” Wild said.

“Nothing,” Legend growled, making sure that Wild’s cheeky grin faded a little. “If you mess anything up, I’ll make you walk to the castle and explain to Fable yourself.”

The group arrived at Legend’s house without further incident, and the others stood back to let Legend knock on the door. It was his house, of course, he had a key, but Ravio was a bit paranoid about thieves.

“It’s me!” Legend yelled. “And a few friends.”

They heard a muffled crash and a startled yelp. “Mister- oof- Mister Hero?!”

Legend took a step back just in time, letting the door whip past the space that his nose had been occupying a moment ago. A purple blur barreled into him, nearly knocking him over, and he felt Warriors’ hand steady him.

“One of these days I’m gonna be dead on my own doorstep,” Legend groaned, but he knew that the others could see his smile.

“I missed you so much,” Ravio said, and Sheerow chirped agreement from his shoulder.

“Missed you too, bun.” Legend matched the intensity of Ravio’s hug, taking a moment to simply enjoy the feeling of holding his partner close. So much had happened in the months they had been apart, but Legend was finally home. He loved adventuring and life on the road, but time spent away made reunions that much better.

“It’s nice to see you again, Ravio,” Warriors said, reminding them that they weren’t alone.

“Oh, of course!” Ravio exclaimed, pulling away from Legend a little so he could properly greet his guests. “It’s always a pleasure to see Mister Captain Hero Sir, and Mister Traveler Hero, and Mister Champion Hero!” The merchant stood on his tip-toes, peeking over Legend to glance over the rest of the yard. “Are your other friends not with you today?”

“The old man thought it best to visit with Fable,” Legend explained, nudging Ravio back down. “And I wanted to check on my house, so we split up.”

“Hmm… and I’m sure your plan has nothing to do with the fact that I’m living here?” Ravio teased, looping his arms around Legend’s shoulders and leaning in to nuzzle his nose. Ignoring his partner’s Ravi please, you’re embarrassing me, the merchant continued, “I suppose I can be persuaded to provide our lovely heroes with some good food! Free of charge, of course.” Legend gave him a look until he added, “And board, for as long as you need to stay. A- also free of charge.”

Hyrule piped up, “If you need rupees, I’m sure we can-”

“No, he’s just kidding,” Legend assured him. “Your rupees are safe, Roolie… I would watch your pockets though. Sheerow has a knack for nicking shiny things.”

Sheerow chittered indignantly.

“So are you gonna let us in, or are we camping out here?” Legend asked, just to see Ravio’s adorable pout.

“You never have any patience, Mister Hero!” Ravio scolded. “Yes, yes, come in already!”

Ravio released Legend, grabbing his hands to pull him into the house. Legend wasn’t prepared for the amount of force his partner used, causing the stitches in his shoulder to send a sharp ache down his arm. He stumbled through the doorway with a yelp, crashing into Ravio who had stopped just as suddenly.

“I’m fine!” Legend said as worry flashed across Ravio’s face. “Just didn’t know we were moving, that’s all.”

Ravio’s eyes flicked to the heroes behind them. He nodded and gave Legend a look before addressing them, his voice suddenly full of fake cheer. “Make yourselves at home, please! Link and I are going to have a quick chat.”

Legend was once again dragged along, though much gentler this time, through his house until Ravio was slamming his bedroom door behind them. The merchant whirled around, wringing his hands and looking Legend up and down. “Where are you hurt?”

“I’m fine, Ravi, really,” Legend tried. “We healed it as much as we could.”

“I won’t believe you until I see it,” Ravio said quietly, staring determinedly at Legend, who finally flinched and reached for his belt.

“Just… I don’t want you to freak out,” Legend explained, struggling to lift his arm properly. Ravio hurried to help, pulling his red outer tunic off and laying it neatly on the bed. “You’re squeamish about these things and I don’t want you to faint or anything.”

“I’m not going to faint, love,” Ravio assured him. “I’m a coward at heart, not faint of heart. Now, where is it?”

Legend sighed, pointing to his injured shoulder. Ravio stepped behind him, pushing the collar of his green tunic aside so he could see. Legend didn’t know exactly what the scar looked like- Four had offered to let him look in a mirror, but he had declined- but Ravio recognized it immediately.

“Stitches?” Ravio gasped, his finger tracing around them.

“Yeah,” Legend said, keeping still so Ravio could see. “Some lucky boko shot me with an arrow and we didn’t have any potions or fairies so we had to do it the dirty way.”

“Were- were you unconscious?”

“No… I only passed out after they finished. I felt everything.” He shivered, remembering how terrible it had felt, how much it had hurt.

“They… wait, who’s they? Who did this to you?” Ravio fixed Legend’s tunic back in place, turning the hero around to face him.

“Wars, Four and Rule… but it isn’t like you think, they didn’t hurt me,” Legend said, then corrected himself. “Well, I mean- they did, but they were… really good about it. I was bleeding pretty badly and Wars took the time to calm me down even a little. He talked me through it while Rule stayed close and Four took care of- of patching it up.”

“It sounds too good to be true,” Ravio breathed.

“I know. I still don’t understand why they were so nice to me, but it seems like Wars isn’t going to let this go quietly. We had a good talk after I woke up, and things are good with Rule and R- Four. Even though they all saw me acting absolutely pathetic and-”

“Oh no you don’t, we’re not doing that.” Careful of his shoulder, Ravio gathered Legend into a hug. “You are my amazing Mister Hero and I’ll never care how scared you are or what you’re afraid of.”

Legend melted into his partner’s embrace, fighting a losing battle to keep himself composed. “Thank you, bun…”

“I just wish I could’ve been there,” Ravio whispered. “I hate knowing that you’re alone and scared out there and not even Sheerow can reach you.”

Legend laughed softly. “Are you kidding? You know how bad you get, neither of us would’ve lasted ten seconds before Warriors would’ve actually had to pin us to the ground. I knew that you would be waiting for me when it was all over, and I was right, yeah?”

“True,” Ravio hummed. “But it’ll take a lot more than common sense to keep me from wanting to help my beloved in his moment of need.”

“You’re impossible…” Legend rested his chin on Ravio’s shoulder, surprising both of them with a wet sniffle.

Ravio tried to pull back and look at Legend, but was thwarted by his partner’s clinginess. “Link?”

“Jus’ missed you,” Legend mumbled.

“We already established that,” Ravio said gently. “Do you need to sit?”

Legend gave a noncommittal hum, content to just be close to Ravio. The merchant took that as a ‘yes’, however, and shuffled over to the bed with Legend still secure in his arms.

Ravio was warm and safe and home, and Legend was crying by the time Ravio eased them down. His partner knew not to pry, simply hugging Legend tight. This only made Legend even more emotional as he attempted to hide his tears and choke back sobs.

“M-missed you.”

Ravio shushed him. “I know, baby.”

Legend hiccupped. “Love you, Ravio.”

“I love you too, Link.” Ravio ran his fingers through Legend’s bangs, wandering up and lingering near the hero’s ear. “This ok?”

“Mhm, yes please.”

Ravio traced light patterns over Legend’s pointed ear, his fingers intermittently slipping behind to provide pleasant scratches to the soft skin there. Legend’s tears slowed as he snuggled into his partner’s comforting touch, and he may or may not have let a happy squeak slip out.

“When Four was working on my shoulder, you know what Wars talked about?” Legend murmured after a while.

“Do tell,” Ravio whispered back.

“He told me about you. He told me all about your habits and personality and skills…” Legend smiled to himself, remembering that small spark of light in the darkness. The happy memories that he had clung to in that moment of fear, now surrounding him in safety once more.

“How much he must have overstated! Only Ravio thinks so much of himself,” the merchant huffed.

“No, it was all true. And I think the world of you too,” Legend said. He hoped that his voice, tired from crying as it was, fully conveyed his sincerity.

“Goodness, Mister Hero… I don’t seem to recall you being quite this sappy during past returns,” Ravio mused, and was Legend imagining the tears in his voice?

“Yeah, well… I guess that’s what happens when something triggers my phobia,” Legend said, then whined when Ravio’s fingers momentarily paused behind his ear.

“That’s a new word,” Ravio said, resuming the gentle scratches.

“Oh, um, Four taught me about it… it’s a fear that’s so severe that it interferes with daily life, and encounters are… really bad. Me and you, we both have trypanophobia- a severe fear of-” even now he had to take a deep breath to prepare himself, “-a severe fear of needles.”

He felt Ravio flinch at the word, and gave him a coo of reassurance before continuing.

“It’s not something that can be cured or dealt with overnight, but Four and Wars claim that there’s a way to come to terms with it. It can take a really long time but they say that if somebody with trypanophobia has a good support system and learns coping techniques… then they’ll be able to face their fear in a healthy way.”

“And you want to try this?” Ravio guessed.

“I’ve been warned that it won’t be easy, but yeah, I do,” Legend said quietly. ���Plus, it it works for me, maybe it’ll work for you too. I’ll make sure that you’ll know exactly what’s going to happen before you agree to it.”

“I’d be willing to give it a try… I just hope that it makes things easier for you. Out and about and facing your fears left and right… that’s not the life I want for my dearest bunny.”

“Ravi, you know how I feel about that nickname,” Legend groaned, hiding his grin in the crook of his partner’s neck. “So… do you want to talk to them? After dinner, maybe?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Ravio said, placing a gentle kiss on Legend’s hair. “We’ll get through this, love. Together.”

[demeterdefence]

do you think that the SA with apollo was planned from the start? lots of people seem to think rachel meant it to just be bad sex and then retconned it to be assault

oof, that's a tough one. i have definitely seen that argument / belief in anti lo circles and several other lo critical blogs have discussed this in far more depth with far better understanding than i, so i won't novel spam the dash, but i am honestly and genuinely torn on it tbh.

like it wouldn't surprise me if that's true, because rachel has demonstrated over and over how poorly she understands consent, safe dynamics, and just female agency in the first place. there are definitely some aspects of the initial assault that, looking back on it now, made me wonder. considering how rachel's been trying to retcon some of this out it's difficult looking back at the assault and wonder what exactly rachel's thought process was in the plot as a whole.

that being said, i did not start reading lo until long after rachel was fully fleshed out on webtoons, so i could not even begin to say how she was on tumblr, or anything before the season 2 finale tbqh. and i can give her the credit on this at least, i have always viewed the assault as 1000% no doubt no question assault. genuinely it scares me if rachel wrote and drew that whole thing out and didn't know it was rape, because for many many many people, myself included, it was just so blatantly familiar and clearcut as rape.

it's one of those things that i just can't wrap my head around because it has not been resolved, or really addressed with persephone being in charge of her own healing. it keeps getting thrown in as a kind of hurdle for people to cross, and apollo has never been taken to task for it, punished for it, faced any splash back. even when daphne finds out what he did, she's immediately put into the position of running for her life, and then when she's finally free she just ... doesn't tell anyone?

what's even more concerning is that we see numerous male characters in the text play fast and loose with consent, and rachel really wavers on whether it's bad or not. ares keeps hitting on persephone when she clearly doesn't like it, and he usually ends up getting the narrative coming down on him; zeus lies to demeter to trick her and that gets handwaved away to make room for the bad blood between demeter and hades. hades grooms persephone and then initiates sex when she's in the middle of a bad mental health spiral (obviously just my interpretation of it but i viewed a lot of that scene as persephone having an anxiety attack, and regardless of whether that's canon or not, she's definitely not in the right space for hades to initiate some weird ass daddy dom routine.) so rachel seems to understand what consent is to some degree, but the issue of consent disappears depending on who is asking for it. rachel makes it clear that hades is totally fine and doing the right thing for persephone, whereas if we saw zeus doing that same thing to hera, the narrative would definitively label zeus bad. so whether rachel always intended that scene to be rape, or figured it out later, i think the big question is: why aren't all the characters held to the same standard of consent, and why are so many female characters constantly the victim of men who do not ask?