#hopefully this'll be it for a little bit

[gamebunny-advance]

Probably the Last of my Thoughts

Pikmin 4 Spoilers

Actually, while I previously thought that Dingo either has special solo missions or that he collects things in 100% areas, I think some of his side dialogue actually implies that he might be a "free pass" for dandori challenges or that he might act as a helper in such levels. So what I'm thinking now is that if you keep failing the challenges, then he may offer to either clear them for a cost or he's an AI that gathers items on his own alongside you to make clearing the dandori challenges easier.

If that's the case, then I do hope there's still a great enough incentive to do them yourself. I support "easy-mode" accessibility options as long as there's still incentive to take the challenge on yourself. Either way, if this really is what he does, it seems like the game is going to value "completion" over "challenge" which is giving me Pikmin 3 vibes in a way I'm not certain about.

Also, I didn't realize until my latest run that you collect pieces of Shepherd's diary and logs from her predecessors. They're probably going to be the source of most of the lore, but since half of said lore is gonna be from her point of view, she may turn out to be a well-rounded character the same way Olimar was in the first and second game. Now I just wonder how many people besides me are going to care about it since she's not the player character.

I never really bonded to the Pikmin 3 leaders despite them having personalities, since their main goal (collect fruit) seemed so impersonal despite the urgency of their situation, and the comic relief moments never really landed for me. It's just not funny to me for Charlie to be the butt of every joke when he doesn't seem to really deserve it most of the time. Like, I get the set-up of having the great respected hero be kind of bumbling, but that only really works if you see them in their prime beforehand. So he just starts bumbling and disrespected and ends bumbling and disrespected.

It kinda felt like they were going the same route with Shepherd, with her apparently being an accomplished captain but only being found in compromising situations, but I think her diary is either gonna really help or hurt that. From extra dialogue from the rest of the rescue corps, they all seem to really respect her, and vice versa, and despite her current achievements, she, just like you and everybody else, have been thrust into a challenging situation that you're having to suddenly adapt to. There's probably even more riding on her, since she has a legacy to live up to, so I'm interested to see if that plays into her character at all.

I'll also say that I like hearing the extra dialogue about and from the other guys too. While they do seem like archetypes first, and characters second, the little bit of character I've already gotten has endeared me a little more to them than the aforementioned Pikmin 3 leaders. Maybe it's because their archetypes are already more "extreme" than, "nice plucky boy" and "bitch," so there's already more room to add subtle details about them in the side dialogue. For example, even Collin, who seems to be the generic "nice guy" like Alph, has a relatable backstory about working to fund his education. And there's Dingo, who despite going down Charlie's route of being the tough guy with fantasies of romance at the very least has a reason to have a crush on the captain where Charlie seemed to pursue Brittany just because girl.

I'm not saying any of this deep or innovative characterization, I'm just saying they're more likeable upfront than 3's leaders. It feels like they're actually a group that had some history together, vs. 3 where they were essentially strangers learning and failing to get along without any emotional payoff for that journey. Like, I can imagine these guys around a campfire and telling stories together into the night.

However, that's all on the side and isn't gonna make or break the game either way. You don't play Pikmin for the story or characters, you play Pikmin because the puzzle solving of trying to do everything as efficiently as possible is addictive. Pikmin has never been a social sim, so a good story/characters are just a bonus rather than a necessity. However, I also think that kid of thinking is part of why I find Pikmin 3 so unmemorable. Of course, the game being fun in itself is a great point, but if the game is too easy, and the characters aren't relatable, then I probably won't have any lasting memories of it.

But I'm pretty hopeful for this game.

[rotagnus]

why you're loved by your circle!

simple pick-a-pile for those doubting their own heart. this was a draft i was supposed to publish ages ago but forgot to, so here you go <3 i hope you all enjoy! short and sweet but hopefully full of meaningful words.

pile 1.

a lot of the people in your life have difficulty seeing the bright side and positive aspect of things. everything is personal, when it comes to you. you speak with fervor and your boldness is admired by your friends, who are mostly introverted. they think you a unique person; you are unafraid to be yourself, for you understand that authenticity attracts authenticity. you've battled your own demons. you've had pitfalls, and closed yourself off to see that things aren't as bad as they seem; but that was the past version of you, and you've grown. your people have seen you grow, in matters of the heart and soul. they are so proud of you, darling. these are your people. your life is steadily growing better, and they see this. they see this peace coming over you, a slow wave of fresh air that'll have you panicking, for you won't know what to do with this completely unknown feeling. your people love you because of your relentless determination to forge a better life for yourself and others. you genuinely want to be a good person, and that is rare these days. you try not to be greedy and selfish; and your circle knows that your life will be wondrous, for you yourself are full of love.

pile 2.

you encourage people to be better. you don't sit down and tell your friends that their behavior is okay when it's not, and people prize you for this. people oftentimes lie to their buddies in order to keep the fake saccharine sweetness in relationships, and these relationships ultimately fail and crack really quickly because they don't have a solid foundation of honesty. you don't stand for disrespect, coming from your friends or to them, and this way you attract a crowd that resembles you in all the best possible ways. you're a very clever person, but you're so put-together and strict with yourself you rarely allow yourself to have fun, once in a while, so next time your friends offer to hang out or simply relax, let them. this'll mean to them more than you know. you don't always have to be so strong, prim, and proper in front of them. this crowd wants you to be comfortable in your own skin, not so afraid of shattering in front of them you don't allow yourself to be the warm, passionate soul that you really are. you truly want the best for your friends, and you push them to grow and blossom, when oftentimes, their previous friend groups wanted them to stay weak and immobile. you're a better friend than you think, pile 2.

pile 3.

you very easily listen to people and connect with them on an individual-to-individual level. when you listen to people speak, you truly listen; head tilted, eyes staring into someone's soul. you also don't play about your friends/circle; you'd truly do anything for them, and they can tell. you bring a sense of LIFE to them, every moment with you turns into a special, sweet memory that people later reminisce on, thinking about how they truly can be loved since a person like you exists. a lot of you carry a deep love for humanity and you want to uplift people as much as possible. your circle can tell that you've grown, despite it all. you've gone through many shifts in your life but you've never left your friends when they needed you, often self-sacrificing yourself just because you have a deep loyalty. however, this can be both good and bad; people, especially the elders in your circle, wish that you would take care of yourself as much as you care for others. you're unabashedly warm, even if it scares you a little bit of vulnerability, and this quality is deeply adored by people :).

[keithyp00]

The Very First Night

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x f!reader

Warnings/Tags: longing, nostalgia, reconnection, second chances, bittersweet joy, soft reunion, emotional intimacy, kissing, implications of sex

Song Inspiration: The Very First Night by Taylor Swift

Word Count: 824

Author Note: Hi again! Hopefully I'll be able to keep a schedule going with posting but I have my APUSH exam for school tomorrow so this is my good luck post to myself to make me feel better. Hope you enjoy and thanks for the continued support!

Please do not copy or translate any of my works. Thank you!

You hadn't seen Bucky Barnes in two years.

Not since the mission that split everything apart. Not since you chose separate paths- different coasts, different causes, different people- because neither of you were ready to stay still. Or maybe, because you were both too afraid to try.

But here you were now, standing in a hallway that buzzed with bad overhead lighting and too many memories, waiting for a man you tried desperately to forget.

Until you couldn't anymore.

The door opened.

And just like that- two years collapsed.

He looked the same. A little more tired around the eyes. A little scruffier. Broader, maybe. Still devastatingly handsome.

"Hey," he said softly.

Your throat was too full to answer. So you just smiled.

______________________________________________________________

Two Years Ago- The Very First Night

The hotel room in Belgium was nothing special. Beige walls, humming radiator, one flickering lamp.

But you still remembered everything about that night.

The way Bucky looked at you from across the room- half smile, hair wet from the shower he had taken, feet bare on the worn carpet.

The quiet conversation shared over whiskey and strawberries that were bought from the hotel's little corner store in the lobby.

The way his laugh- low and rare- filled up the space like music. You'd leaned into him, arms brushing, knees touching.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" You'd whispered.

"Because I know," he replied.

"Know what?"

"That this'll be the night I'll think about when I miss you."

You'd kissed him then. Soft, slow, and unforgettable.

The rest was a blur of heat and tenderness, hands memorizing each other like it would have to last a lifetime. Because, deep down, maybe you both knew it might.

______________________________________________________________

It wasn't messy when you parted.

No fights. Just two soldiers fighting different wars.

He was rebuilding in New York. You were chasing ghosts in Europe. You promised to stay in touch. But promise like that rarely survive the drastically different time zones and aching hearts that came from late nights alone.

Still, on certain nights, you'd pull out your phone. Reread old texts. Replay voicemails. Watch the grainy video you took of him singing off-key at 2AM when you were both drunk off your minds.

Once, you even dreamed he was beside you- his hand on your hip, whispering stupid jokes into your hair into the late hours of the night.

You woke up crying the following morning.

______________________________________________________________

Now, back in the present, you sat across from him in a quiet cafe.

Everything around you felt too loud.

"I didn't think you'd come," Bucky said, his voice low.

"I almost didn't," you admitted. "Thought maybe it'd hurt too much."

He nodded. "It does. But not seeing you again? That hurts more."

You looked at him then, really looked- at the man who still carried the weight of the world, but now sat with shoulders that were just a bit looser.

"I missed you," you stated. A breath. Then two. "I missed us."

His hand reached across the table, slow and steady. "I still think about that night," he said. "The very first one. The real one. It ruined me, you know."

You laughed, soft and fond. "Why?"

"Because no one else ever felt like that. Like home."

______________________________________________________________

You walked the city together after that.

Passed the old record shop you once ducked into during a thunderstorm. The bookstore where he read you poetry in a gruff whisper. The street corner where he kissed you like the world was ending.

He turned to you once you both reached the park, stopping in your tracks collectively.

"I thought maybe, if I saw you again, I could be just... your friend. But I can't."

"Bucky-"

"I don't want to forget. I don't want something new. I want you."

And despite everything- the time, the pain, the years apart- your heart whispered the same truth it had screamed in silence every night. I want you too.

You kissed him under the streetlight.

Slow. Hopeful. Like you'd been waiting two years just to remember how it felt.

And he held you like he'd never let go again. And this time- he didn't.

______________________________________________________________

Months later, you were in a new apartment. Shared. Full of photos and plants you kept forgetting to water. Bucky was sprawled on the couch, reading a book that you didn't recognize, most likely from a period you didn't really know.

"You know," he murmured, catching you staring, "we never really got another 'first night.'"

You smiled. "Maybe not. But we got a second chance."

He grinned. "And I'm not going to waste it."

You joined him on the couch, curled into his side, heart full with love for the boy you really got to know in a hotel room in Belgium and the man he grew into.

And this time, there was no leaving. Because now- you had a love worth staying for.

[honeytonedhottie]

becoming an academic weapon challenge⋆.ೃ࿔*:･✍🏽

this is a fun little challenge i created that'll hopefully help u to build good academic habits that'll improve ur grades and help inspire you to pursue excellence in ur academic life.

STEP ONE : ROMANTICIZE THE HECK OUT OF SCHOOL

when u learn to enjoy going to school, your going to be motivated to do well in school. because school is so IMPORTANT not only for ur education but also ur future. so take school seriously. and if u wanna become an academic weapon for the long term the best thing u can do is learn to make the best of, and enjoy it.

some ways to romanticize school :

create a school playlist that embodies the school vibes that u wanna have : i have lots of new jeans in my school playlist : i rly like the songs cookie, ditto and hurt for when im at school

ur appearance : if u go to a school where u dont have to wear uniforms, i strongly recommend getting dressed and getting ready meticulously bcuz when u look good, u feel good, and therefore u perform well. if u do wear uniform, wear accessories or hairstyles that make u feel and look pretty. i wear leg warmers with my school uniform and my signature is hair clips and barrettes.

read at school : i always walk around with a book bcuz i like to read a lot but if reading isnt ur thing, listen to a podcast about something that interests u (i rly like true crime)

take pride in ur notes : invest in cute stationary! i swear, sometimes i dont feel like studying but since my stationary is super cute and pink i get motivated to study just by looking at it lol. invest in quality stationary that u love and make ur notes look pleasing to you, and also effective. effective + aesthetically pleasing.

doing homework/studying in the library : or at least changing the scenery and location that u do ur homework from time to time. do yk how boring it is to do work in the same place every single day? give urself a break from the places u see all the time and spend time studying or doing homework outside of ur home. in a cafe or in the library, inside or outside, just change the scenery a bit

start a video diary : i started a little video diary with my friends so that we can remember our school memories. i just think its rly cute and a great way to bond with ur friends, make memories, and romanticize school.

STEP TWO : CREATE A STUDY REGIMEN

every single day study (at least for a little bit) ofc this will vary depending on ur personal schedule but the goal is to do a little bit of studying everyday, and if that isnt possible, designating 3 days a week to a thorough studying session.

the way that i divide my time with a study session is 40 minutes of work time and 20 minutes of downtime. during the 40 minutes of work time u need to LOCK IN. lock in on whatever assignment needs to be complete or lock in on whatever material it is that ur studying. ofc this'll differ between all subjects but dont study all subjects in one night!! thats ambitious, but i find it'll just burn u out so stick to studying for 2-3 subjects max.

STEP THREE : ADVOCATING FOR URSELF

this step is for everyone who feels a bit shy during school but u need to raise ur hand and ask questions!! dont focus on simply learning the material, the goal is to understand the material. understand it enough so that then u can explain it to someone else. thats how you can know when you've studied enough.

dont feel bad for asking a bunch of questions, its literally the teachers job to help you. so advocate for urself, if u need extra classes or a bit of extra help make sure that u get that for urself bcuz at the end of the day the only one responsible for ur grade is you.

STEP FOUR : THE RULES OF THE CHALLENGE

complete every assignment as if it was for a grade - dont half ass ur assignments, give every assignment 100%

study a little bit everyday or have thorough study sessions three times a week

romanticize school

ask one or more questions per teacher

FURTHER RESOURCES :

how to study consistently without burning out - by me

studying tips from a straight A student - @universalitgirlsblog2

[mphoenix-7]

Bitter Allies [Soap x Reader]

Chapter 14: The Cabin: Day 5 (pt. 5)

Summary: You and Soap go fishing, have some nice conversations, and get a little wet. Things seem to be changing between you.

Word Count: 8,311

Warnings: NSFW, 18+, swearing, strong language, animal death, fluff, mentions of poor past relationships

A/N: New chapter for you!! This one’s a little longer and full of nice moments 😊 Let me know if you’d like to be added to the Taglist!

Masterlist | <- Previous | Next ->

Bitter Allies • Part 14

By the time you'd gotten back to the cabin, you estimated it was nearing 1400-1500 hours. The sun was just beginning to move closer to the horizon, but there was still plenty of daylight left for fishing.

After dropping the backpack off inside, you found yourself back out in the woods looking for sticks that were both long enough and sturdy enough to fish with. So far you haven't had much luck. The sticks were either too rotted, too heavy, not long enough, or too flimsy.

Sighing softly, you toss another stick that turned out to be a dud to the ground. This one looked decent but felt a little too rotted. And sure enough, when it hits the ground, it snaps off about a fourth of the stick, making it too short now.

You grumble to yourself in frustration, continuing on with your search. You weren't expecting to catch any fish right away, but you honestly thought the preparation would be going a little faster than this.

Coming across yet another stick, you bend down to pick it up. This one actually feels sturdy and is a decent shape. You instantly start to get excited and hold it to show Soap.

"Hey! Would this work?" You ask, pulling him away from his own search momentarily.

He was a few yards away, searching out in the opposite direction that you had been. It doesn't look like he's found anything yet either. At least his hands are empty as he walks over to you to check out the potential spear. He glances it over really quick before taking it from you to inspect it closer.

"It's a little on the heavy side." He says, bouncing it a little bit in his hands to test out the weight. "If it's too heavy then you won't be able to thrust it fast enough to spear any fish. But I might be able to whittle away some of the weight to make it work."

"So does that mean it's good?" You ask slowly, hopefully. Any progression towards getting your fish dinner would be nice.

Soap chuckles softly and gives you a nod. "Yeah, this'll work. I'll start prepping it if you want to keep looking." He says, walking over to a nearby tree stump and sitting down.

You're grinning to yourself excitedly as Soap takes a seat on the stump. You only needed to find one more stick, maybe two if you wanted a backup, and then you'd out in the water.

Before you go back to searching though, you take a second to watch Soap as he lays the stick across his lap and as he pulls the knife from his pocket. He flicks it open with a practiced ease and gets to work on getting one of the ends into a sharp point. He's working quick enough that it looks like he's done something like this before.

"Where did you learn to fish this way?" You ask as you resume looking for suitable sticks.

Soap hums softly in thought, making three swipes with the knife before answering. "I think it was Price who showed me this way. Back a few years ago when I first joined up."

"Of course it was." You giggle. You could totally see Price being the kind of guy who liked to fish.

It was probably because of the boonie hat that he was always wearing.

“You do any fishing before that? The normal way with actual poles?" You ask, the question popping into your mind and leaving your lips without much thought.

Soap pauses mid-swipe, his knife hovering just above the wood. It's a brief moment, gone almost as quickly as it comes, but you catch the subtle hesitation before he resumes his work.

"Yeah... I used to go quite a bit with my dad." He answers slowly, returning to a steady pattern of swipes with the knife. "When I was young I remember going out a few times a month with him to go fishing. He was really into it, but after my mum died, I don't think we ever went again."

You stop your search for a moment to frown over at him. His eyes are glued to the stick he's working on though. You're having trouble reading him, not sure if this is a sensitive topic for him or not. He looked a little tense, but you can't tell if that's from the topic of your conversation or because he's hunched over whittling at a stick.

"Do you miss it?" You ask slowly, trying to keep up your search, but you're a little distracted now.

"Miss what?" Soap asks, finally glancing up at you. "Fishing? Not really." He shrugs, gaze dropping back down, the knife continuing its steady rhythm against the wood.

You frown a little bit. That wasn't really what you'd been asking. "I guess I meant it more like do you miss fishing with your dad." You elaborate.

"Oh, no. Maybe when I was a kid, but no. Don't really miss it now."

His response comes so quickly, so bluntly, that it catches you off guard. There's no hesitation, no flicker of emotion, just a flat dismissal. The ease with which he brushes it off makes you pause and take a moment to think over his response. You'd figured Soap and his dad must have been close, especially given how he spoke about his mom, but now you realize that might not be the case.

"Are you and your dad still close?" You ask softly, your search for sticks now completely forgotten for the time being.

Soap continued on with indifference though, pausing only to turn the spear over a few times to inspect his work. He was mostly done. The only thing that remained was to take off some spots that had the potential for causing splinters.

"No, we had a... falling out? I guess you could call it that." He says, blowing a quick puff on air onto the spear before shaving away at one spot.

You hesitate, trying to find the right words to respond. The way he brushes it off so casually leaves you a bit uneasy, but confident enough to keep asking about it. He didn't seem too upset by the topic.

"Falling out?" You echo, raising an eyebrow curiously. "What happened, if you don't mind me asking?"

Soap's expression tightens just a fraction, the subtle shift the only sign that this topic is more difficult for him than he's letting on. You regret asking now.

His eyes remain locked on the spear, and the silence stretches uncomfortably between you. For a moment, you wonder if he'll respond at all, and you're on the verge of reassuring him that he doesn't have to say anything. But just as you're about to speak, he breaks the silence.

"It's... complicated." He sighs, his tone carefully tight and neutral. "Kinda a long story. Not a great one. Let's just say a lot changed after my mum died."

He's getting more tense more. You can see his shoulders stiffen and the once smooth swipes of his knife become rougher, more forceful. Whatever happened between Soap and his father, it clearly left behind a deep, lingering anger.

"Alright. Yeah, we don't have to talk about it." You say gently, giving him a reassuring half smile even though he wasn't currently looking at you to notice it.

"So uh.. how many sticks do you think we'll need? Do you think two will be good enough?" You want to steer the conversation away from the topic that had clearly made him uncomfortable.

It seemed to actually work too. The second you get off the topic of Soap's dad, he seems to relax, his shoulders dropping.

"Should probably do three just in case one breaks or something." He says, sitting upright and rolling his shoulders out. It looked as though he was getting rid of any remaining stress. "You find anymore yet? This one is just about done."

He holds it up, showing off his work. One end of the stick looks extremely sharp, and he's done a good job at shaving off parts of the stick to make it more comfortable to hold and use.

The whole time he's been working, you'd been distracted by your conversation. You had yet to find another one, but you also haven't looked very hard. Forcing your feet to leave the spot they'd been firmly planted at, you start trekking back through the area to look for more sticks.

"No, not yet. Most of the stuff here is pretty rotted." It sounds like an excuse, but you're also not completely lying. Most of the options thus far had been rotten.

Then of course you just happen to find a perfect candidate the second those words leave your lips. "Oh, wait, here's one." You bend down to pick it up.

Soap laughs softly, and you miss that he rolls his eyes a little bit. He was fully aware you hadn't even been looking. "Well bring it over. Just one more to go after this."

He sets the finished spear down next to the stump he's sitting on and holds out his hand as you bring the next stick to him. Setting it in his lap, he starts whittling away at it once more while you get back to looking for one more.

As he does, his mind drifts a bit, thinking back to his father and what happened. His hand tightens on the handle of the knife, but he forces himself to relax. He doesn't want to be angry.

It's been a while since he's had to think about the things that happened in his past. The longer he's out here, the more stuff seems to come up—things he's buried deep for a reason. It's not something he really wants to think about... if he can help it.

He clears his throat, shaking off his thoughts and looking back to you. "So States, you uh... you ever been fishing before?"

Your face lights up when he asks that, and you start to ramble on about how you grew up in the city, so you didn't have the chance to go often, but you went once with your grandpa. A whole retelling of the trip occurs after that, and Soap just listens on with a smile on his face.

***

You're sitting in the grassy patch near the lake out behind the cabin, removing your socks and stuffing them safely inside of your shoes. Soap is already out in the water, spear in hand, but he hasn't waded too far out yet. He's standing right along the shoreline, just enough for his toes to be fully submerged, waiting for you to join him.

"Steaming Jesus, for someone who was rushing me through making that last spear, you sure are slow as hell all of a sudden." He grumbles, looking back at you with a somewhat impatient look on his face.

You shoot him a look as you roll your pants up a bit higher. "That's because I'm not just tossing my stuff around like that." You say, nodding toward his shoes, which are haphazardly kicked off with his socks inside-out and scattered randomly nearby. "You know honestly it's hard to believe you're in the military with how messy you are sometimes."

Soap scoffs at you. "I'm not messy." He claims, but you just fold your arms across your chest and raise an eyebrow at him.

"Yeah? What about the suitcase in our room?"

The suitcase had remained unpacked by him. While you had neatly arranged your belongings in the dresser drawers, Soap hadn't unpacked a single item. Whenever he needed something, he'd dig it out, wear it or use it, and then by the end of the day, whatever he'd taken out was returned to the suitcase, tossed back into the growing pile that filled the entire bag.

"What about it?" Soap asks defensively. "That's not messy."

You can only drop your jaw at him, eyebrows raised in shock. "What do you mean that's not messy? It's just a big pile. You haven't put anything away since we got here."

"Better than it being on the floor. Besides, I see no need to unpack if we're only gonna be out here a week."

You scoff, shaking your head as you finish rolling up your other pant leg. "You could at least organize your stuff a little. That's all I'm saying."

Soap shrugs nonchalantly, waving a hand as if to dismiss the topic. "Eh, whatever. Just get your ass over here already before all the fish turn in for the night." He says, turning back to look out into the water to see if he can spot an area where they might be gathering.

Rolling your eyes, you push yourself up from the ground and grab your spear. The sun glimmers on the water, the wind creating gentle ripples on the surface. Despite the warm rays bearing down on you, the water is cool. As you step in, a shiver runs along your spine as the water laps against your bare feet.

The bottom of the lake is rather smooth, but there are a few sharp rocks that poke up into the bottoms of your feet. As long as you walk slowly though, it doesn't bother you too much. It's something you've gotten used to in your time here and during the few baths you've taken.

Soap looks back over his shoulder at you when he hears you enter the water, waiting until you're closer to him before he starts to wade out a little farther. "Come on, we're gonna have to go out a little deeper for bigger fish. Small ones probably aren't going to be worth catching."

"Alright, I'm coming." You call out, taking a few steps farther into the water.

When you get a little deeper into the water, you suddenly pause. There's a slight prickle at the back of your neck that makes you turn and reflexively glance back at the shoreline.

Last time you'd been out in the water, you'd been attacked by a bear. While you had managed to face your fear directly earlier, that didn't mean that the urge to check your surrounds to make sure it was safe was entirely gone. That urge would most likely always be there to some degree. It was just more manageable now.

When Soap doesn't hear the sounds of the water splashing behind him anymore, indicating that you weren't following him, he stops and looks back. You were still standing in the more shallow waters, staring off back towards the shoreline.

"Oi, States!" He calls out to get your attention. "You good?"

His voice pulls you out of your own head, and you jump a little bit as your gaze snaps back to his. You quickly try to shake off any remnants of fear and try to remind yourself everything was fine. Even if a bear did show up, you knew how to make it go away.

"Yep! Coming." You call back, trying to quickly catch up to him without making the water slosh too much.

Soap waits patiently for you to join him, his brows furrowed the slightly and eyes following your every movement. "Everything alright?" He asks again once you've caught up.

"Yeah." You nod dismissively, giving him a slight shrug.

You're about to just move past him, head out into deeper waters where the fish are going to be, but then suddenly Soap grabs your arm. The quick motion makes your heart leap in your chest, and the unexpectedness of it forces you stop in your track and look at him.

His eyes are sharp, analytical, and his grip on your arm is firm, but not painful. He pulls you closer, giving your arm a little tug, and your heart seems to start racing as you move closer to him.

"No bullshite. What's up?" He asks, eyes not leaving yours for a second. "Are you still worried about the whole bear thing?"

You honestly hadn't expected him to notice anything, let alone address it so directly, but the reply flies quickly off your tongue.

"No." You answer, shaking your head, but then think better of it. "Well, thinking about it, yes. Worried? Not as much as I was. It's just... It's still on my mind, just not as present." You try to explain. The fear is more of a shadow now, a subtle unease that lingers at the edges of your thoughts. More manageable.

"In other words, I'm fine. I'll be alright." You try to summarize. "Just can't completely turn it off."

Soap remains silent, his eyes locked onto yours with an intensity that makes you more nervous than the thought of another bear showing up. His gaze is so unwavering, so focused, that it feels like it's seeing right through you.

The longer he holds your gaze, the more your chest tightens, as if the air around you has thinned. You find yourself wanting to hold your breath, unsure if it's his concern or something else that's making your pulse quicken. Then he nods, a soft hum of acceptance leaving his lips.

"If being out here gets to be too much, just say the word. You've done a lot today, and I don't want to push you too much." His words cause an unexpectedly warm sensation to fill your chest, and your breath almost hitches when he squeezes your arm. "Deal?" He raises his brows, almost like he was saying he expected an answer.

"Mhmm." You hum, giving him a nod. You don’t want to rely on words right now. You don’t trust your voice.

Soap gives you a nod back, seemingly satisfied with your response. "Alright then." He mutters, his posture becoming more relaxed. His hand drops from your arm, and you notice there is a warm tingle left behind where he'd been touching you. "You ready to catch some dinner?"

You feel a sigh leaves your lips as you nod. You hadn't even realized you'd been holding your breath. "Yeah, let's get going." You add quickly, trying to hide your sudden nerves behind a smile.

Soap either doesn't notice anything or he just doesn't care enough to. He just gives you a single nod back and then turns and continues walking. You follow after him, moving slower the higher the water gets.

You stop when the water comes up just a few inches above your knees. For Soap the water was only to his knees, but he was taller than you. The area isn't too far from the shoreline, and the water is a little cloudy from you kicking up the dirt at the bottom of the lake.

"We'll try here first." Soap says, coming to a stop. "Get into a stance that's comfortable cause you're going to be holding it for quite a while."

"How long?" You ask curiously, adjusting your feet shoulder width apart. It was the most comfortable stance you can think of. Almost like parade rest, which is a stance you'd gotten used to holding for hours thanks to basics.

"However long it takes for the fish to move into this area." Soap answers, adjusting his own stance as well. He holds the spear with a loose grip, the tip lowered toward the water, but there's no tension. His fingers grip the stick lightly, though he is ready to snap the spear up in an instant if he sees something.

You try to mimic the way he's holding his spear. This is your first time doing something like this, and as simple as it sounds, it was going to be difficult to move fast enough to be able to snag a fish. They were quick and used to responding to the most minute movements.

"Am I doing this right?" You ask, making Soap glance over at you. He observes your posture and then leans over, tapping softly at your hand closer to the butt end of the spear.

"Move this hand back just a little. No, too far. Right there." He says, grabbing at your hand and moving it into position when you move it too much. "Perfect. Leave it like that." He holds up his hand, making a gesture to not move it, and then turns his gaze back to the water.

"Cool, thanks." You mutter, shifting back into your "ready to strike" stance. Your eyes are trained on the water, looking for any signs of movements, but the water is still very murky.

"What kind of fish do you think are even in this lake?" You ask absentmindedly, mostly just asking to help pass the time.

Soap shrugs a bit, his eyes not leaving the water. "Maybe cod? Not really sure. We probably shouldn't talk though. It might scare them off and keep them from swimming over here."

"Oh, sorry." You whisper, pressing your lips together.

Not being able to talk was going to make time pass by so slowly. For a long time, you just stare at the water, but that soon gets really boring. You try to distract yourself by looking up every now and then to look at the scenery around you, but that doesn't keep you occupied for long either.

Soon enough, you're sure at least ten minutes has passed. The water is clear now, but you still don't see any signs of fish. Your back is starting to hurt a bit from staying in the same posture for so long, and you find yourself trying to slowly roll out your shoulders to help ease the discomfort.

You glance over at Soap, wondering if he's feeling the same tension in his back that you were. If he was though, you can't tell. He hasn't moved a muscle since you both went silent, and he doesn't look like he's too uncomfortable yet.

Sighing softly, you relax your stance a bit. "Soap, maybe we should try a different area? There doesn't seem to be any fish over here." You whisper. It'd been quiet for so long it almost felt weird to talk.

Instead of answering you with words, Soap holds up his fist. You're a little confused at first, brows furrowing slightly, but then he points over to a spot a little off to his right.

"Over there. I think there's three or four of them. Wait until they get close." Soap whispers, his eyes not leaving the spot he's looking at.

Your eyes widen, and you quickly, but carefully, get back into your stance from earlier. All the pains from earlier are now gone with the new excitement you feel. You look over to the area where Soap pointed to, looking for the fish, but you can't see anything. Just a glint of sunlight on the water's surface.

"I don't see them." You whisper, eyes still scanning the water. Soap silently points again, his finger tracking their movement. You try to follow to where he's pointing at, and after a few seconds, you finally spot them—shadows just beneath the surface, moving slowly toward you.

You hum softly to let Soap know you can see them now, and his hand slowly returns to his spear. You see him coil up just slightly, shoulders tensed and ready to snap. He's almost like a loaded gun, just a trigger squeeze away from firing.

"When they're close enough, I'll count down." He whispers, his voice steady. "You go for the one closest to you."

You nod, your own muscles beginning to tense up with anticipation. Your heart is starting to pound a little in your chest from the sudden adrenaline, and you find yourself holding your breath. You feel like you're looking down the scope of a sniper rifle, trying to steady your aim so you can land the perfect shot.

"Ok get ready…” Soap whispers. “One... two... three."

When Soap says three, he snaps like a spring lock. The movement is so quick it feels like his spear was already in the water before you even had the chance to move. You did go the same time as him though, snapping your spear down with all the force you can muster. You feel it hit the bottom of the lake, water splashing up as you do. All the commotion also causes the first to stir up again, so you can't even tell if you've gotten anything or not. 

Soap quickly reaches down into the water, hand searching for only a second before a big grin spreading across his face. "I got one!" He laughs victoriously, pulling a fish up out of the water by its tail, the spear pierced right through its gills. "You get yours, States?" He asks, grunting a bit as the fish thrashes around.

"I'm not sure." You say, almost scared to reach blindly into the water. You've never touched a fish before, so you're a little hesitant. You can't feel anything moving at the end of your spear though.

"Let's have a look." Soap says, taking a step closer and reaching down to feel around. By now the fish on his spear has slid down a ways, so there was no way it was going to be able to wriggle off.

He follows the wooden shaft of the spear down, and your eyes dart between his face and the water, hoping he'd pull something out. After a few seconds, his hand comes back up out of the water empty.

"Nothing down there." He confirms, flicking the water off his hand a little bit.

"Dammit." You curse, frowning a bit as you withdraw your spear from the water. "I thought for sure I'd gotten it."

Soap chuckles softly, giving your shoulder a pat. His hand was still wet and leaves a little wet patch behind. "Ah, come on. You'll get it next time. Let's go put this one out of its misery and then we can try again, yeah? Gonna need a few anyways."

You pout over at him, not too happy that you didn't also catch a fish, but the look of joy on Soap's face makes your pout vanish instantly. His eyes were practically sparking as he looks proudly at the fish he caught. You find yourself smiling at him instead, a laugh bubbling in your chest.

"How many are you planning on catching?" You chuckle, turning and walking with him back to the shoreline.

"If they're all this size," he says, holding up his spear a little. "Then I could probably eat like four of them."

You watch the fish flop around, noting its size. It's not particularly large—maybe eight to ten inches long—and you're not even sure what kind of fish it is. It has brown scales and a white underbelly. You can't imagine catching anything much bigger in this lake.

"If you want to spend time catching four for yourself, knock yourself out." You chuckle, stepping up onto the shore. The dirt and sand stick to your feet. "I might actually catch one by the time you get to four."

Soap rolls his eyes, sliding the fish off his spear and holding it by the gills. "You'll get one next time. It's your first time fishing like this. Don't be so hard on yourself." He pulls out his knife as he talks, jabbing it into the head of the fish to kill it and then slicing the gills to start bleeding it out. Even though you're on the military and see death a lot, you still have to look away as he does.

"We'll see." You sigh, looking back out to the lake. "Are we going to the same spot?"

"Nah, we should probably try somewhere else. Let me finish prepping this fish and then we can head out again. Unless you want to try a spot. Might have better luck catching something without me catching in the same area." He suggests.

You nod, mostly cause you don't really want to hang around as he guts the fish. Plus you know that fish don’t stay fresh for very long after you kill them, so the faster you can get a couple and cook them, the better.

"I'll head back out. Try to get a head start." You joke, glancing back down at Soap and wincing as he slices open the belly.

"Alright, catch up with you in a bit." Soap says, his focus solely on the fish before him now.

You grimace just a little before turning and head back out into the water, searching for another spot to fish.

***

You've been standing in the same spot for what feels like an eternity, though it's only been about fifteen minutes. Twice you've had a chance to spear a fish, but both times you missed. It's frustrating, especially since you've watched Soap haul two more fish back to shore in that time.

You're starting to wonder what you're doing wrong. Is it your aim, the timing, or something else?

The water laps quietly around your ankles, the stillness almost mocking your lack of success. You try to focus, adjusting your stance and grip on the spear.

Another fish is swimming towards you, gliding slowly through the water. Taking a deep breath and holding it, you wait until it's close enough, then thrust the spear down as fast as you can. The water splashes up around you, and you can hear the fish's tail flick up above the surface. But when everything settles, you still just have an empty spear.

"Fuck!" You yell out. It was a little louder than you intended it to be, the sound seeming to echo across the small alcove you found yourself in. Now you would have to move into another area, wait ten minutes for a fish to swim over, and try again.

As you pull your spear free and wipe off the little bits of sediment that were left on it still, you can hear a soft chuckle behind you. Turning in irritation, you send a glare over to Soap, who was leaning up against a tree and watching you. How long he'd been there, you don't know, but he had seen you miss apparently.

"Did it get away from ya?" He asks, his arms crossed and spear still in hand. His feet looked dry though, so you assume he's just finished gutting one and is just returning for another trip.

"Does it look like I got it?" You raise your brows at him. "This is fucking hard."

Soap chuckles again, clearly amused by your misery. "It's not that hard, lass."

"Says the guy who's caught three already."

"Four, actually." He corrects you, which makes your jaw drop. When did he get four? You swear you've only seen him make two trips.

"What the fuck?! How are you getting so many?"

Soap shrugs, an amused smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "You just stab them when they get close." You give him a look at his horrible advice, which only makes his smirk widen. You wish you could wipe that smirk off his face somehow.

"I've been doing that." You grumble, about to further complain, but then Soap's eyes leave yours, darting down to the water.

"There's another one swimming up to you now." Soap says, nodding indistinctly towards the water.

Your attention snaps back to the water, searching for the fish that Soap spotted. It takes a moment, but then you see it—the dark shape gliding just beneath the surface, moving slowly past you. You steady your stance, grip tightening on the spear as you line up the shot.

Then you move, a splash erupting around you, and you feel a brief resistance—but when you reach into the water to try and retrieve the fish, it's already darting away.

"Damn it!" You exclaim, frustration bubbling up as the water settles back into calmness. You're tired and hungry, you just want to catch something—anything, even if it's just a tiny fish.

Soap lets out a soft huff, the grin still plastered to his face. He's having fun watching you fail. "Need some help there, lass?" He offers, a teasing note in his voice.

You shoot him a glare, crossing your arms over your chest. "I don't need help." You grumble defensively, though it doesn't seem to faze him in the slightest.

“Right." He chuckles, turning the tip of his spear down and driving it into the dirt. "Let me show you something that might help." He says, carefully stepping down into the water and making his way over to you.

You sigh and fold your arms across your chest but withhold your protests. As much as it pained you to admit, a few pointers might be nice. You were willing to do anything at this point it if meant you'd finally catch something. That doesn't mean you don't fully intent on giving Soap a hard time about it though.

Soap ignores your expression, his eyes narrowing slightly as he considers the best way to help you. "Alright, first things first," he begins, stepping closer. "You need to wait until the fish is in a good range before you to strike. You'll be faster and more accurate if you hit it at the right angle. My speed at a forty-five degree angle is much faster than like ninety."

He makes the thrusting motions with a ghost spear, acting out how he would move for each angle he's talking about. You felt like you had a pretty good angle you were moving at, so that couldn't be the problem. Still, you nod along as Soap explains, letting him continue.

"Next, when you drive the spear forward, use the hand at butt of the spear to control the thrust." He takes a step closer to you, the water sloshing around him as he does. He takes your hand and places it on the spear, positioning it exactly where he wants it.

"That's where all the power comes from—it gives you that snap you need." He continues, his eyes meeting yours briefly. His voice is a little lower now that he's closer. "The hand up front," he pauses to grab your other hand for emphasis. "That's what guides it. So keep the hand at the front steady and loose so you can guide it, and the back one firm. Got it?"

You half glance towards your spear, looking at the way Soap has placed your hands. His are still right next to yours, holding it with you. "Yeah, I think I got it." You answer him.

"Good. Lastly," Soap lets go of the spear, and before you can even react, he's directly behind you, arms wrapped around you while he grabs ahold of the spear again.

Your eyes widen, and you know you have to be blushing. Your heart is pounding too hard in your chest for you to not be. Then you feel his chest against your back, and your stomach practically flips. It's the same feeling you had last night in your dream when...

You shake your head, trying to immediately erase that thought and focus on what Soap was saying instead. It's hard though when his lips are practically against your ear, making your thoughts just spiral more. 

"When you aim for the fish, remember that water bends light. The fish isn't exactly where it looks like it is. You need to aim slightly lower than where you think. So for example... do you see that rock?" He says, pausing momentarily while he searched for something to use as practice.

You nod, trying to ignore the pounding of your heart as you focus on the rock he's pointing out. "Yep. I see it."

"Pretend that rock is a fish." He instructs. "Now, if you were aiming directly at it, you'd miss. You've got to aim just below it. Like this." He guides your hands, tilting the spear just a fraction lower than where the rock appears and then pushing it forward. When it hits the bottom, instead of sinking into the sandy lake bottom, it hits the hard surface of the rock instead.

"Huh." You breath. No wonder you'd been missing every single time. You had been aiming right for the fish, not below where you should have been. Knowing this right off the bat would have solved so many problems.

Soap chuckles softly, trying to lean around you a bit to see your face better. "You were aiming right at the fish this whole time, weren't you?" He asks. You don’t need to see his face to know he’s grinning.

You huff and stand back up, turning around in his hold. When he doesn’t let go of your hips right away, you press your hand into his chest and push him away.

“Of course I was! Who just thinks about that when it's their first time spear fishing?" You argue back, starting to feel just a little defensive.

Soap's chuckle deepens, a low rumble in his chest. "Guess I just assumed you knew." He shrugs. "It's just like sniping, I thought it'd be second nature to you."

"Sniping is nothing like this!" You argue, crossing your arms. "With sniping, your target is far away, not just a few feet below you. And if it was, you'd just aim directly at it."

"Fair point," Soap concedes, holding his hands up in surrender. "I thought of it more like when you're a sniper, you notice subtle things, like light reflection, that might change how you aim."

You huff again, rolling your eyes. "Well, maybe if you'd mentioned that earlier, I wouldn't have missed so many times."

Soap's grin only widens. "Oh, but where's the fun in that, lass? I've got to admit, it's been pretty entertaining watching you throw a little fit every time you miss."

"Is that so?" You challenge, narrowing your eyes at him. The playful smirk on his face only fuels your irritation.

You'd been out here all day, and Soap hadn't thought to say a word until now about what could have caused your lack of success. And now he was laughing about it and calling it entertaining?

"Absolutely, hen. It's down right adorable when you're piss- h-hey!"

Before he can finish, without a second thought, you reach down and scoop up a handful of water, splashing it right at him. Soap holds his hands up to block the onslaught of water, but it doesn't help much to stop it.

"States! What the fuck?" He grumbles, looking back at you with an angry expression. He had a few drops running down the side of his face, dripping down onto the collar of his shirt, which was also dotted with some wet spots now.

You can't help it. While he stands there, looking annoyed, a giggle escapes your lips, quickly followed by more as you shrug innocently. "Just creating some more entertainment." You say, the laughter bubbling up uncontrollably now.

Soap narrows his eyes at you, and before you can react, he's scooping up an even larger wave and splashing you right back. You shriek as the cold water hits you, making the giggles cease. The wave he'd sent over was much bigger than the one you did. The entire side of your shirt was soaked now.

You stand there for a moment in shock, staring down at the water and watching the little ripples that form on the surface as droplets drip off your face. When your gaze flicks back up to Soap, he's smirking again, soft chuckles leaving his lips.

You glare at him, skin starting to prickle up as a small breeze blows by. Never one to back down and let Soap win whatever dispute you were having, you quickly splash him again, wanting to wipe that smirk right off his face.

It takes him by surprise this time, hitting him square in the chest. He gasps a little, and you hold your hands over your mouth. You hadn't meant to splash him that much, he was soaked now.

Instantly his laughter stops, and you're both frozen, just staring at each other. Then Soap's face shifts into a little scowl, and you know you shouldn't have splashed him again.

"I'm sorry, I didn't meant to splash you that much." You say quickly, but it does nothing. Soap's muscles tense just slightly, and that's all the warning you need.

You don't think—you just run.

The water slows you down significantly, splashing up around your legs as you push through it. You can hear the intense splashing behind you as Soap runs after you, and for whatever reason, laughter starts to bubble in you.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" You cry out between nervous giggles, not quite sure what Soap was going to do once he caught you, and you were sure he would. For one, your legs were shorter than his, which meant more resistance from the water. And second, Soap was faster than you in general.

"Soap please! I didn't mean it! I'm sorry!" You pled again, risking a glance back over your shoulder.

He's right behind you. You scream and try to dart to the side, but it's too late. He grabs you, and in one fluid motion, he pulls you toward him. The impact sends you both falling, but as you head towards the water, Soap twists at the last second, taking the brunt of the fall himself.

You both plunge into the water with a splash, the cool liquid enveloping you entirely for a brief moment. The shallow depth allows you to quickly sit up, and you gasp for air as you resurface. Water cascades down your face, and once you've taken a breath, laughter starts to pour out of you uncontrollably. Soap is still beneath you, the two of you tangled together in a mess of limbs and soaked clothes.

You're laughing so hard you can barely breathe, your stomach aching from it. "Soap, I'm—" you try to apologize through your giggles, but the words fail. Instead, you attempt to push yourself up, but your limbs feel weak from laughter, and it's a little slippery, making it a futile effort. You just end up twisting around clumsily and straddling him instead, your shoulders shaking with breathless amusement.

Soap wipes the water off his face as his pops up, and once he gets his bearings, he starts to laugh too. Instinctively, he grabs ahold of your hips to steady you as you turn around and slip into his lap. You grab ahold of his shoulders, still laughing as you look down at him.

Droplets cling to his eyelashes, and his usually styled hair is plastered messily to his forehead. His eyes crinkle at the sides, and his smile is so contagious as he laughs.

"Think you're funny, do you?" He teases, the laughter in his voice betraying any attempt at seriousness.

"Maybe just a little." You manage to gasp out, still giggling as you start to your breath.

Soap shakes his head, a soft smile curving his lips as his grip on your hips tightens ever so slightly. "You're a menace, States."

There's something in the way he says it—playful but warm. Your giggles start to fade, and for a moment, you're just sitting there, looking at him, still breathing heavy from exertion and laughter. For the first time you notice the subtle flecks of green amidst the blue in his eyes.

Soap is staring right back at you, and you almost don't realize it until you feel his hand against your cheek, brushing back the wet strands of hair that cling to the side of your face.

Your heart skips in your chest, and a warmth starts to spread through you, making you forgot that you're sitting in cold water. "You bring it out in me." You chuckle, earning a smile from Soap in return.

He laughs softly, shaking his head just a little bit. "Oh, so I'm a bad influence now? Guess you should stay away from me then." 

"Well, you're not so bad to be around." You say quietly, your voice barely above a whisper.

The words hang in the air, and Soap's smile falters, his gaze locking onto yours with an intensity that sends a shiver down your spine.

The space between you seems to be getting smaller, cause suddenly, you can feel his breath against your lips. The warm and steady puffs mingle with your own, and your pulse starts to quicken. You can't tell who is pulling towards who.

You don't know who makes the final move, but suddenly his lips are on yours—firm, warm, and insistent. The world around you melts away, the cool water forgotten as you deepen the kiss, melting into his soft warm lips.

His one arm slowly wraps around you, the other one staying behind him to keep you both propped up. He pulls you towards him, thumb brushing your hip as you wiggle a little closer.

Your hands move from gripping his shoulders to gently resting on the sides of his neck. Your thumbs brush lazily along his jaw, which draws out a very soft, almost mute, hum from him.

There's a quiet desperation in the way you both move, as if this kiss had been building for longer than either of you realized. You don't know how you keep circling back to this. Caught between trying to set a boundary but consistently overstepping it. Even now, you know somewhere deep in your subconscious you shouldn't do this, but you can't seem to stop.

You feel teeth gently dig into your bottom lip, and you whimper, eyes fluttering open slightly. You see Soap, his eyes shut, and you can barely make out his lips as he pulls gently at yours.

He releases it and looks up at you, his eyes heavy, clouded with what you can only pin down as desire. You search for something to say, something to explain and make sense of what is happening between you, but you can't.

"We should probably stop." Soap says gently, though his eyes still hold that heavy, lingering gaze.

You nod a little, eyes not leaving his. "Yeah... probably." You agree, but you make no move to get up, and he makes no move to push you off him.

It's only when you shiver slightly that Soap seems to snap out of whatever daze he's in. His eyes soften quickly, and he smiles at you, a light chuckle leaving his lips. "Alright, let's get you out of this chilly water, hen."

You blink a little to clear your head and then nod again. "Yeah... yeah." You chuckle softly, only now realizing how cold the water is making you. "Guess I am getting a little cold."

Just as you're about to shift off his lap, intending to create some much-needed distance, Soap suddenly stands up, bringing you with him. You yelp in surprise, instinctively wrapping your arms and legs around him as he lifts you effortlessly out of the water. His arms tighten around you, pulling you close against his chest, his body radiating warmth despite the cool water dripping off both of you.

"Soap! What are you doing?" You laugh, clutching onto him as he strides through the water.

"Getting you out of the water, obviously." He teases, his voice light as he carries you effortlessly toward land.

You lean back slightly to you can look at him, raising a brow at him. "I can walk, you know." You're trying to be serious, but you can't hide the laugh in your tone.

"Yeah, I know. But this is more fun." Soap winks, a playful grin on his face as he reaches the edge of the water. It makes your cheeks burn slightly, and you hope he doesn't notice.

As he steps onto solid ground, he begins to lower you down. Your legs unwrap from around his hips, and your body slides against his as you come down. The sensation sends a shiver through you that has nothing to do with the cold clinging to your skin.

You expect him to let go immediately, but he doesn't. His hands stay on your hips, keeping you close to him, and you make no effort to pull away from him.

"There you go." He says softly, a hint of a smile still lingering on his face.

You continue to stand there and roll your eyes at him. "Thanks for the assist." You joke, unable to keep your chuckle down.

Soap smiles back at you, chuckling softly himself. "Anytime, hen." He hums, his eyes suddenly flicking down away from yours. He pauses for a moment, and you wonder what’s running through his head. What he’s thinking about.

“We should see if we can get one fish more before we start cooking.” He says instead, finally looking back up. “But you should probably change first. I can see your tits."

It takes a second for his words to fully register, but when they do, your gaze quickly snaps down. Sure enough, you can see practically everything through your wet shirt. The water makes your shirt cling to your body. Even though it's a darker colored shirt, you can still see the outline of your bra, and the dip of the valley between your breasts.

You gasp and quickly cross your arms to shield yourself, which only makes Soap laugh. The bastard had just been staring at your chest this whole time. You glare at him, your face practically feeling like it's on fire.

"You ass! And here I thought we were having a nice moment!"

Soap laughs harder. "It was very nice for me." He shrugs, earning himself a firm punch to his shoulder, one that he gladly takes.

@the-faceless-bride @venavanup @hotthankss @daemondoll

[burningcheese-merchant]

Hopefully this'll make you feel better but, the two halves of the souljam of change(aka, abundance and destruction) both decide, "ya know what, our wielders need a heir" and just. Create one from nothing

"Create an heir from nothing" is a very unique and interesting way to say "BS and GC fucked all night every night until the doctor gave them the good news" sorry. Couldn't help it. I'm gutter trash at heart, forgive me

It's funny that you phrase it as though the Lights of Abundance and Destruction made a conscious decision wrt the creation/conception of the children, because that actually kind of did happen lol. It's been shown multiple times in canon that the Soul Jams are sentient (maybe even fully sapient, like actual people) and have even been seen having full-on conversations with their owners (the Ancients, anyway). Knowing this, I thought of incorporating this bit of lore into the kids' own backstories

There's a certain part I can't explain atm, because it involves really important aspects of the kids' characters/story arcs that I'm not ready to talk about yet. What I CAN say is that BS and GC decided together ahead of time that they wanted kids, which the Soul Jams were/are obviously privy to. And when the time came to make those kids (whichever way you choose to interpret that, the Cookie Run way or the human way lol), the Soul Jams wanted to be of service to their masters and thus took action on their behalf

And so, the Soul Jams willingly surrendered portions of their power to the children. Both of them, both times. Abundance and Destruction reunited as they were always meant to, but under different circumstances than was ever expected. And because they became one within totally new and different people, they didn't appear in them as either Abundance OR Destruction and instead manifested as different aspects of Change entirely. In this way, they can wholly belong to the children and no one else. Unique, but still a product of their parents' union. Still little heralds of Change, like mom and dad

(Important note: neither BS nor GC were aware of this. The Souls Jams acted entirely of their own accord and never said anything about it. They didn't know until the kids were born and they both had... that aura. The one all the Soul Jam wielders have. They both thought they were going insane until all the others came to visit them/meet the babies and confirmed they sensed it, too. A peek into their minds/souls (from both PV and SM) confirmed that they do, indeed, have Soul Jams of their own, much to everyone's shock. Now, not only are there 12 Soul Jams and not 10, but a) that godlike power now rests in the hands of literal children, and b) it wasn't created and given to them by the Witches. These Soul Jams are 100% brand new and came to exist through... unforeseen and unorthodox methods. They don't even exist the same way as the others; they're not gemstones you can touch and hold, they're legitimately only visible within their souls. They weren't given actual, physical pieces of Abundance and Destruction, their souls were imbued with their power. So they can't be seen nor taken away, unless you take their souls themselves away...)

[nogenderbee]

♡˗ˏ✎*ೃ˚ 𝕄𝕪 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕝𝕕 ₊˚ˑ༄

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ @kataba request: Before requests close, could I request Thoma, Ayato, Neuvillette, and Wriothesley being told they're their s/o's whole world?

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ Yes, of course! I made one-shot format and with reader kinda confessing or blurting it out... so hopefully this'll suit you too!

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ fluff

Thoma was honestly so purely kind for you. Despite just coming back from work, he still willingly helped you with small cleaning at your place. You knew it was a bit messy and could probably take care of it alone, but he didn't seem to take no for an answer.

He was just softly humming as he calmly did the dishes for you. It was the last thing that needed cleaning and he was stubborn enough to make you sit down while he finishes it.

Using the moment and your boredom, you layed on your hand and looked at him with gentle smile. He's doing so much for you... so you might as well drop small compliment that'll hopefully make his day!

"You're like... my whole world, you know?"

You could hear your boyfriend slightly chuckle as he dried his hands. Despite him not being turned your way, you just knew your words had to cause him at least a little blush.

"Well... why thank you. It goes both ways, so I hope you know it goes both ways!"

He finally turned to you with hand scratching the back of his neck, his face indeed had slightly pink hue.

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@bleachtheidiot - come get your perfect malewife~

Ayato was working like always and you just came back from little tea break with Ayaka, hoping that her brother will be done by the time you two finished your endless chat.

But when you came back into his office, you saw him still filling those papers... A bit bored you decided to give him a little surprise~

You sneaked behind his back and swiftly kissed his cheek, causing his head to finally raise from those papers and look directly at you.

"Oh? And what's that for, my love?"

You could see the slight surprise in his eyes. You thought he'll notice you faster than get scared but it seems like you catches him off guard after all! He almost made it too easy for you to be a little bit cheeky.

"What? Can't I even kiss my world now~?"

You chuckled while asking your little question, noticing it caused small smile on your boyfriend's face as well! Because there was particular compliment that catched his attention... he knows you're not one to throw words on air, so you describing how he's your world really just made his day.

"Thank you... I believe we both think similarly of each other. Because believe me when I say, I can't even imagine my life without you next to me..."

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@bleachtheidiot - come get your boba lover!

Neuvillette and you were on your classic walk, so the two of you could just hold hands and relax after long day...

None of you mind the silence but your boyfriend decided to break it, because he just found topic he wanted to explore. Knowing you most likely wouldn't mind, he decided to just straight up ask you that.

"I'm curious if you find Teyvat charming... you're not from here if I remember correctly... or maybe you don't like it at all?"

You looked around and was about to answer normally, but then you for a perfect idea for that a situation and looked directly at him instead with a cheesy grin.

"Honestly... the only world I'm currently admiring is you."

You could just see your boyfriend smoking under his nose and having his head down. The sky also seemed so much brighter all of the sudden... well it is 12pm so no wonder about that actually.

When Neuvillette was finally done with smiling to himself after your comment, he raised tour hand with his and placed soft kiss on its back, silently thanking you for your compliment before you continued your walk

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@bleachtheidiot @toyaswif3y - come get your otter judge!

Sigewinne asked you one day about your feelings towards Wriothesley, so naturally you answered them, not hiding the fact you think of him as of your whole world.

When you entered his office, you just saw Melusine walking out in dancy peace and humming happily. You looked at your boyfriend with slight confusion who was slightly smiling.

"Sorry for that, Sigewinne just... kept me company for a while. I was worried you might've changed your plans..."

You just smiled in assuring way, noticing his mood. You came closer and places your hand on your shoulder.

"No, no... I just needed to explain the path to few explorers. I could never forget about my whole world, you know~?"

On your words, Duke just smiled we if you've just confirmed every informations he needed.

"So it's true... sorry to spill it out bur Sigewinne told me how you called me."

You normally wouldn't mind but you really just ended up rambling to Sigewinne at some point... and if she said it all to Wriothesley... well, it certainly boosted his ego. But seeing this proud smile on his face... you really couldn't mind how much he've heard in this moment.

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@bleachtheidiot - come get your teddybear duke~

[komakesthings]

I'm excited (And slightly terrified) to post the project that's been occupying most of my spare time for the last few months, filming a very in-depth tutorial on how to make one of my Firey Plush toys for Youtube! I have been wanting to make this video a reality for a few years now, so it's sorta surreal to finally see it finally complete. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little nervous about the quality of this video, I'm very much an amateur at sewing after all. But if an amateur like me can make this cool plush, then surely the majority of folks out there can make it too!

Hopefully this'll be the first of a good few prop replica tutorials I film for Youtube, but I'm gonna reward myself with a bit of a break before I even think about recording something again.

[deepwoundsandfadedscars]

I'm doing it. it's being done

Realizing that this part of my fic would be so much more visceral from the other characters point of view so now I'm going to have to write it 😩😩

Don't get me wrong! I do want to write it! It's just thinking about doing that makes me weary cause doing any sort of writing lately has felt like pulling teeth. I want to be doing it, there is nothing else I want to do more than write and write and write, but the brain. it's broke and does not do the thinky bits well lately

[threepandas]

Bird4Bird Part 4: Yandere Hawks

The part of his mind that was his PR mask wanted to whine. Boooooring~! Blah, blah, blah. Do THIS Hawks, you did THAT wrong Hawks, we're never HAPPY Hawks! Whine, whine, bitching and moaning and whine! Yes, Sir. Of course, Sir. I'll do better, Sir.

Handlers.

Handlers were the WORST.

They nitpick. Micromanage like it gets them off. And worst of all? Are perpetually BITTER they couldn't make it as Heros themselves. Always thought that THEY could have done better. They couldn't. They're WEAK.

Self serving, corrupt, hateful. He has yet to meet a single one that actually would survive a week as even a mediocre hero. Yet here they are. Controlling them. Pulling the strings. Handlers are a disease. At least his managers back at the office could DO THEIR JOBS.

How long has he been forced to stand here? An hour? Two?

Lives he could have been saving. Crimes he could have been stopping. Work that could have been done. All wasted on an idiot's power trip. He wonders... how's he gonna get rid of this one? Crossfire of a villian attack? Car accident? Mugging gone wrong? Can't reuse any of the previous methods...

Ah. Done whining? Great! Same time next week then? Bye~☆

He leaves before the asshole can respond. Not bothering to get out of the way, as he walks dead center down the hall. Let other's move. He's had an entire childhood of being expected to accommodate in this place. Being FORCED to accommodate. He's more then a little sick of it.

You move.

And really, he was having SUCH a nice day, too! He got to see his lil predator~♡. All sweaty and straining in gym clothes! Muscles on display like a glorious Amazonian statue come to life. Those thigh could crush skulls! Those arms could probably flip cars! Granted, she'd need leverage, but STILL~♡

He let's his pleasant fantasies calm him down a bit. His Grumpy Lil Harpy a highlight to look forward too. He has them from time to time. Little fixations. He wonders how long this one will last? Hopefully a while. She's so CUTE~! Growly and vaguely murderous. Yet soft and kind too. ALL sorts of different sides to explore!

He stops, disrupting foot traffic.

The HPSC has a records office... and he DEFINITELY has access to it. He knows EXACTLY where it is. He glances as the hallway to his left. Towards the sweet freedom of Not Here and Fuck These Guys. Then back towards the right. Towards the RECORDS.

Is it even a question?

They obviously try to STOP him, of course. Personal records are SUPPOSED to be confidential. Legally they HAVE to be kept sealed unless ordered open by a judge for a SPECIFIC investigation. And can only be used FOR that investigation. Doesn't stop the upper ranks, obviously, but he? Is being WAY too out in the open about it.

Sucks for them.

Maybe this'll force them to make it harder to access records they shouldn't be accessing.

Oooooooh~ NAUGHTY Girl! Assault charges! Kidnapping? Ah, refused to give an abused child back to their abuser. Gave them to their father instead. Look at these, Look At THESE~♡! Borderline vigilante charges across the BOARD! It's a miracle his lil predator's temper hasn't gotten them into trouble they couldn't talk their way out of yet~

He steals a full copy of her files. He WANTS it. The picture they have though... it's awful. He could get a better one. He should. He knows a lot of photographers. Bet he could get her into something FLATTERING for once. Pretty, pretty, lil monster~♡ So much DAMAGE! And the medical records?

It sends a bloom of something unblinking and breathless through his brain. Warm and INTERESTED through his blood. Such sharp, SHARP talons she could have, when she doesn't file them down. Estimated maximum carry weight is WHAT? And ooooh~ the BITE strength! A picture of those pretty little FANGS~!!!

He manages... barely... to pull himself together. Has to readjust himself in his pants. Calm down. Calm. Down. Breathe through it. He shudders, mind desperate to drift back to the file in his hands. But he's very, VERY good at compartmentalizing. It can WAIT.

Wait until he's back in his apartment. When he's ALONE. THEN he can enjoy it. Self control, Hawks. They'll take it away from you. Remember your shrine. Calm. He has to be calm.

He tucks the file away. Slaps a PR mask on his face. And leaves the Records. Deletes the recordings of him ever being in there, as he passes the desk. No one thinks to stop him. Why would they? He's their caged bird. Their loyal pet. He would NEVER steal from THEM. They are the ones who take.

But now he has her file. A partial, Goverment, history. He could probably get the rest. He knows EXACTLY what buildings they're stored in. He's even allowed in them, TRUSTED in them. No one would blink twice. He should. Can they really be trusted? With such lax security? Such corruption? He'd basically be protecting them. Keeping them out of villian hands. It's basicly his DUTY isn't it? As a hero?

Yeah. He should go get them... AFTER he's done reading these ones. Landing on his balcony, shucking his uniform haphazardly, he let the file drop and spill gloriously across the floor before him. Let his eyes dart from word to picture to graph. Not even bothering to close the sliding door behind him, fumbling with his pants, the second he has access, his hands desperately slide down to pleasure himself.

His legs fold. He doesn't bother to brace against it. Let's gravity bring him closer to the coldly clinical records of his current obsession. Strong. So STRONG. Deadly, beautiful, things. Fangs and talons and pictures of eyes that stare right through him. His hands almost HURT, as he desperately strokes. Rubs and teases.

Need it, need it, NEED IT-!

Feels little like dying. Like he was tazed. Everything locking up and jerking, helplessly. So good it's awful, destroying him in how bad he needs it. He wants to cuddle. Wants to pin. Wants to see his pretty little harpy bird all tied up and helpless, so he can flop down on top of her and croon~♡

She'd be so CUTE. He muses, boneless, face pressed to the floor. Sprawled out surround by pictures and pages of HER. So, SO Cute. He's staring at the picture of her hand.. her talons. He'll have to plan around those. But in the mean time? He lets himself drift. Fantasize. A predators smile stretches across his face.

He hopes she stays interesting.

He wants to keep hunting her for a long, long time.

[snake-spotted]

Snake Show Saturday

folks: i want to interact with you more so i've come up with snake show saturdays!! every saturday, send me asks/tag me in posts about your snakes!! if you don't have a snake but want one, tell me about it!!

i will reblog your post/ask and chat to you about your snake!!

tag your posts so i can find them easily, with #snake show saturday

things you might want to tell me about your snake: their name, age, breed, their favourite thing to interact with in their inclosures etc. anything you want!! i want to get to know you and your wiggles :3

if you've sent in your snake before? (on a saturday or not!) send in a new picture of your squiggly wiggle and tell me something new!! im all ears :)

hopefully if multiple people send in their snakes then we'll have a little snake show going 🐍

this may not work and maybe no one will send anything but i just think this'll be a little bit of fun :) if i get a million asks/posts and dont have time to do them all one saturday, they'll get scheduled for the next saturday! fingers crossed this works though lmao

[kvalenagle]

Creature Fantasy Writing Tips #1 Sentient and Sapient are Different Words (and You Probably Mean Sapient).

There aren't a lot of resources devoted to writing creature fantasy, animal fiction, xenofiction, or similar human-free works, and I thought I'd help out a little by offering a few tips. My goal here isn't to judge or tell you that you're doing it wrong, but instead, I'd like to help you avoid a few pitfalls or give you more options as a writer. I'm also writing these after my brain is fried from getting my novel work done for the day, so hopefully this'll be coherent and fairly typo-free. With that in mind, here's your first tip. Sentience implies an awareness of self as an organism, while sapience implies wisdom, creativity, and near-ish human levels of intelligence. I think what throws people here is all those scifi documentaries about the "search for sentient life" in the cosmos. That phrase doesn't mean they're searching for little grey men with UFOs, it means they're searching for life larger than single-celled organisms.

If you sit outside reading this, turn around, and see that a squirrel has stolen your lunch, it is accurate for you to say "my sandwich was stolen by sentient squirrels." But if the squirrel shouts insults at you, came up with an elaborate plan to steal your sandwich, and this is part of the squirrel's four-year-plan to control sandwiches in your city, the squirrel is sapient. (It's also sentient, but since all squirrels as we know them are sentient, it'd be redundant to mention that.)

"So how far down do you have to go before life stops being sentient?" I've seen studies on sentience in beetles, so I'd assume below insects.

"Wait, but then.... where is the line between sentience and sapience?" This is a little tougher. Are crows, dolphins, gorillas, or whales sapient? It's a topic for debate, and rather than give you an answer, you can use those as an example of what the line looks like in your own writing.

This distinction can feel a bit pedantic, especially when your favorite scifi and fantasy writers are probably getting it wrong all the time. The thing about creature fantasy fans, though, is that they're here for sapient non-human protagonists, and they know the distinction. You will get angry letters if you mix these up.

That said... if you are writing sentient xenofiction, that's okay! Your audience may be smaller, but a book like Raptor Red by Dr. Robert T. Bakker was immensely popular and influential despite having just a normal Utahraptor as the protagonist. Depending on how you write them, you may get some claims that you're anthropomorphizing your characters. Maybe you want that, maybe you don't. That's entirely up to you. We'll talk about anthropomorphism and disanthropomorphism later on.

That's it for tip #1 =] Just a simple pitfall that writers find themselves in. I apologize ahead of time as you're going to see a lot of non-creature scifi/fantasy fans and authors say sentient when they mean sapient, and it's going to start to irk you as you fix it in your own writing. Just remember to be kind =] Unless you're in a situation where the difference matters, it's probably best to let it slide if someone uses sentience where they mean sapience. If anyone has any questions about how creature fantasy, xenofiction, furry fiction, or animal fantasy differs from other genres, feel free to ask any questions, and I'll try to answer them.

[starwarsmum]

Day 7! Phobia

@maribat-calendar-events

Link to AO3

“Chat, you'll be going with Superboy on a mission at the end of the month,” Batman said, almost like an afterthought. The meeting had been long enough that it took Adrien a moment to register what had been said. Alya didn't seem upset with the outcome, so Adrien just nodded. He'd get more details in a separate briefing, he was sure. 

Superboy was sitting further down the table, feet kicked up on the table and a glare directed at his- mentor? Was that the right word? The relationship seemed a little fraught, and Adrien didn't know enough about their dynamic to decide if it was because he was being sent on a mission or if he was being sent with Chat rather than a better-known teammate. 

It was a couple of hours later that he managed to get time with Alya without oversight. They holed up in a meeting room to discuss the upcoming mission. Eventually the conversation moved on to the thing that was really bothering him: what to do about the Waynes.

“I have to tell them something, I'm going on a mission for a few weeks and they're going to notice I'm gone,” he said, biting his lip. 

“You've got to do what's right for you,” Alya said soothingly, patting his head affectionately. “But if you think telling someone will make your life easier…”

“It would. But I can always tell them I'm visiting you in Paris for the couple of weeks. Mouse could actually come and visit for a couple of weeks, as if she's going with me and that would help cover it.” 

“That's a good option…but Cara and I have been talking and we think telling the Bats - and your host family - might be our best way forward anyway. Mouse has been all for it for a while and after everything you've been through in your other life…having people to rely on could be really good for you.” 

“If you're sure…maybe I can catch a Bat now. It'd be a good test for if telling the others would be okay. Do you think we should invite Vipe up to run damage control?” 

“I don't think that'll be necessary, I'm not getting any bad vibes from it. I might even be getting good vibes, which is wild. Just make sure they don't make the connection further than that, okay?” 

With a reassuring smile, Adrien darted off to hunt down a Bat.

_ _ _

It took less time than he thought it would to locate the one he wanted. Red Robin had made himself very approachable during Adrien's time in the League so, naturally, it's who he turned to first. The Gotham vigilante was chatting with he elder Superboy but gave him a smile as he approached.

“Hey Red, is there somewhere private we can chat? It's nothing bad, I just don't want it getting around,” Adrien said, smiling hopefully at Red. Superboy raised his eyebrows but shrugged and flew away when Red Robin nodded. 

Once they were safely tucked away in a meeting room - no cameras, Red promised - Adrien didn't waste any time. 

“I'm hoping this makes life easier for me,” he said, watching as the other man tilted his head curiously. “I just- this doesn't go further than your little bat clan, okay?” 

“...sure, as long as you're fine with the usual caveats?” 

“Usual…oh! Yeah, no harm to others etc, that's fine,” Adrien said, waving a hand. “No, I need to…I want you to have my identity. For, like, a number of reasons, but I don't want everyone to have it. But yeah, Plagg, claws in.” 

“Huh. Okay, this is all making way more sense now,” Red Robin said, leaning back against the closest desk. “So you've been living in Gotham for a bit, huh?”

“Yeah…sorry for not telling you all sooner, secret identities and all that.” 

“How have you been getting to meetings without anyone noticing?” 

“Trade secret,” Adrien said with a slight wince. “So, uh, do you think this'll square away the whole…investigation into me from the Justice League or…” 

“Oh, no, this is…yeah, we should go tell B now, and then he can deal with putting the investigation to bed. I really didn't think you'd be…well, you. And you didn't give me a whole lot of time to adjust before you detransformed.” 

“Yeah, sorry, I don't like to wait when I'm gonna do something. And this was a big thing,” he shrugged, pulling a piece of camembert from his pocket and holding it out for Plagg. “Maybe we should go find Batman to continue this conversation?” 

Red Robin agreed, pulling out his communicator and sending a speedy text that Adrien didn't even get a chance to work out what he had written. It didn't take long for the Bat himself to descend upon them. Adrien didn't bother transforming again, sure that they would have an easier time if Batman just saw him transform. 

After a brief conversation with Red Robin, Batman turned to him and motioned for him to turn into Chat. Once that was done, he gave a chuckle and started walking towards the door.

“Well, this is as good a time as any to bring you into the family properly,” Batman mused. That didn't sound like he was planning on turning him over to Superman. “Let's take the Zeta Tube down to the cave so we can discuss this in private.” 

The Zeta tube wasn't far from where they were and then Adrien was standing, awestruck, in the Batcave. Alya was going to be so envious. 

All of these thoughts abruptly halted when Batman took off his cowl and revealed Bruce Wayne underneath. Red removed his too, and Adrien's mouth dropped open as he tried to connect Tim - the guy who pulled all nighters and drank enough caffeine to put Marinette to shame - with the genius level hero that was Red Robin. 

“Oh my god, you're the Bats? What…Christ, how did we get to this? And how did I not notice?” 

“It's a mystery,” Bruce agreed, though he looked faintly exasperated. Like there was something bothering him but he wouldn't say what. Or like he'd figured something out beyond Adrien's identity and it should have been less surprising than it was. “I take it this is why Scarabella has been so…confrontational regarding the investigation of yourself?” 

“Yeah, she's very protective of our team. I'm actually really surprised she let me do this. Relieved, because I can just hitch a ride with you for meetings now, but surprised.” 

Bruce laughed and clapped a hand onto Adrien's shoulder. “I think we can do that, Adrien. I have a question for you, if you don't mind?” 

“Uh, sure,” he said, gulping. He wasn't going to answer anything he wasn't comfortable with but he wasn't sure he could lie or withhold things from Batman.

“How do you feel about becoming an official Wayne? 

_ _ _

“I can't believe I didn't work it out sooner. He's literally your best friend in and out of the mask,” Tim moaned, burying his head in his hands. 

“It's the magic,” Marinette consoled him. 

“Okay, but I worked you out really fast,” Tim argued. They were relaxing in the games room, taking a break between rounds. 

“If you hadn't caught me transforming you'd still be clueless,” she shot back, rolling her eyes. “Don't sweat it, I didn't know it was Adrien originally and we were classmates. I thought I was in love with him. You've only known him for, what, a couple of months? Don't feel bad for magical protection refusing to let you connect the dots.” 

Tim scrunched his nose but Marinette just started the next round. He still couldn't beat her so it took all of his concentration just to try and keep up. By the time she was done destroying his avatar, he felt a little bit less dumb, her explanation settling in his brain comfortably.

“Did B tell you that he offered to officially adopt Adrien?” Tim said casually as the next match started. To his dismay, it didn't seem to distract her as much as he'd hoped it would. 

“Finally, I thought Jason said it would happen quickly. Was the only reason it took this long because Superman thought Adrien was a villain? Because it can't be because of the villainous father, or Steph and Cass wouldn't still be around.” 

“You've been trying to get him adopted?” Tim asked, glancing away from the screen. He realised his mistake and snapped his eyes back but it was far too late. She gave a triumphant shout as she decimated his mech.

_ _ _

The following day, Marinette woke up early and decided to get a heads start on the day by doing some baking. She was almost at the kitchen when she pulled up short, trying to make sense of what she could see.

Marinette was surprised to see Adrien in a heated discussion with Damian in the hallway. When Adrien spotted Marinette he seemed to have a moment of indecision before pulling the smaller boy into a hallway closet, the door shutting quickly behind them. 

“Uh-oh,” she muttered to herself, painfully aware that this particular closet had a faulty lock thanks to a prank Jason pulled on Steph last month. Neither had had the guts to tell Alfred that it was broken because of their little war and Alfred liked to pointedly ignore things that weren’t brought to his attention after one of his charges’ misdeeds. 

“Hey, are you two okay in there?” She called through the heavy door. She knew Damian would be fine but Adrien…

“Is now a bad time to tell you I'm claws-trophobic?” Adrien said from inside the cupboard he and Damian were trapped in. Marinette groaned and pulled her hair; yep, that's what she thought would happen. “Because I think it's freaking meow-t.” 

“Chaton, one more pun and I swear I'll leave you in there,” she threatened absently, knowing he knew she didn't mean it. She ran through her options and sighed as she realised she was going to have to transform. She had been hoping that she could let Adrien assume that the bats had worked out her identity when he had outed himself but there hadn't been enough time since that for them to have pieced it together. “Mullo, get squeaky! Multitude.” 

She made short work of creeping into the door and undoing the lock, Adrien spilling into the hallway as soon as it sprang free. He looked pale and Damian looked annoyed, but at least they were free. She reformed into her singular form and detransformed before pulling Adrien back to his feet and into a hug. 

“You okay, Minou? You sounded pretty stressed,” she said gently, checking to make sure he hadn't gotten injured in the few minutes he had been in there. 

“You- you transformed! You've always been so careful, why didn't you-” 

“You were in trouble, I couldn't just wait for someone else to come along,” Marinette said firmly. Her voice softened as she explained further. “Besides, they kind of, maybe, already knew? It was an accident, I swear!” 

“Does Scar know? What am I saying, of course she doesn't,” he said, shaking his head. His colour was returning to normal, which was something at least. “You are going to be in so much trouble.”

“It's not like I did it on purpose!” Marinette argued, flushing bright red at his grin. “Whatever, next time I'll leave you locked in the closet I guess.” 

“Betrayed by my closest friend,” he said mockingly. 

“Tt, you could have used Mullo to phase through the lock, could you not? Transforming was needless,” Damian said, though there was no heat in the words. “Now that it is clear I know her identity, however, I trust this puts to rest your concern for our sparring?” 

“Oh, yeah, I guess it does,” Adrien said, looking thoughtful. “I'd like to tag team spar some time though, if you pick one of your team to pair up with.” 

“Drake would likely be most interested in sparring against you, and as Marinette is your tactical fighter it would make the most sense. I shall discuss it with him and inform you at a later time.” 

“Thanks little dude!” 

Damian's face puckered in annoyance again but he didn't stab anyone so Marinette classed that as a win. When they went their separate ways - Damian away from the kitchen, probably to walk Titus, and Marinette and Adrien entering Alfred's domain - Marinette flashed Damian a smile that he almost returned. 

Using Adrien as her sous chef, Marinette started prepping the various things she wanted to bake. They chatted as they went, discussing how they were going to spend time together before Adrien went on the mission with Superboy. 

“You know you're going to have to tell the others that the Bats know your identity too, right?” Adrien asked at last, washing his hands free of flour and tugging his apron off. “I don't even want to know how long they've known. It gives me plausible deniability, so…” 

“I know, it just- it didn't make a difference, them knowing mine. And since I know theirs it felt equal. Besides, it was a complete accident! It was a villain attack, I had to help,” she pleaded, biting her lip as she followed suit. “But I'll tell them, as soon as you're on your mission, okay? That way it's just me dealing with any consequences. None of this is your fault anyway.” 

“But you know I'd stand by you, no matter what?” He asked immediately, tilting his head to catch her eye. 

“Always,” she assured him, pulling him into a tight hug and resting her head in his chest.

[purpdrawsthings]

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💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

A lil announcement here for plans I have!

This'll be a lil disorganized and stuff so I apologize if you get confused.

Let's get on with it!

💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

First off, an event will be held soon!

Not sure when but maybe in a few weeks? Who knows, it'll possibly get delayed due to everyone being busy with art fight sodhdkhfkd

Second, I'll be joining art fight!

Speaking of art fight,

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This'll be my first time joining! I'm currently working on ref sheets for my OCS. Hopefully I finish them just before it starts.

Unfortunately, unlike most people I will not be grinding that hard. Two of the reasons are because of study and stuff.

I uh.. Got my middle year exams scores [ not all yet ] and ngl, I feel like I'm about to get punished soon for having such mid scores.

So for that, I'll be managing my screen time a little, that is if I manage to.

Third, I'll be posting doodles n' such!

I'll prolly be a bit inactive and rarely online. Hopefully I'll be able to follow an ACTUAL SCHEDULE soon and actually manage myself properly because I've been doing SO MANY mistakes to the point that I'm a bit scared of my parents.

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The amount of content you haven't seen from me just from doodles is crazy. I'm pretty sure I've only shared a QUARTER of what I've done.

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Fourth, I've got animations cooking up and there's a probably good chance one might come out this month or next month.

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So uh, yeah. That's really just about all I wanted to say.

I've got lots in store smh.

Oh and uhhh reason for not posting?

... I've been in the regretevator and forsaken hype..........

ANYWAYS YEAH YEETUS 💥

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[sae-something]

Anyway. A emailed me this today in reply to a little poem:

Oh Sae, this might sound strange but I am so proud of how you are doing this and I wish you the strength to keep enduring it until the pain gets a little less every time.

Except it sounds more loving in dutch. And I just hope this'll help me get through the weekend a bit because these last days have been A Lot. So exhausted & so much pain & so little sleep. Out for dinner & drinks with friends/colleagues now and then hopefully a restful weekend.

[fontainesiblingsbiggestfan]

Lyney & Lynette when GN S/O is on their period

tw; just blood, aches, nausea.. anything you'd expect out of a period pretty much

further notes: first post on this blog! very hopeful to get at least a couple requests this week. hopefully i didn't mischaracterize too bad, even if it's pretty much bound to happen with the majority of fan content

A less mentioned and yet convenient pro to pyro visions is how it can make the owner of the vision warmer, a perfect thing to know when your boyfriend has one. Especially when you're on your period. He'd be sure to allow you to enjoy it too, resting one of his hands on wherever your aching while he rests next to you.

Of course- don't think that Lyney'd stop with just helping your aches. Oh no. He'd be sure to spoil you more than usual, going out of his way to ensure you have all the candies and chocolates you'd ever want plus more. He'll be sure to start making you extra during breakfast too, you'll need the extra iron to help with all the blood loss after all.

Also not ashamed to buy you period products! ^^ He'd try and find whatever you asked for, and 99% he'll actually get the right thing + some sort of gift (usually consisting of stuffed animals or chocolates).

If you're nauseous he'd probably be pretty good help with that too, Lyney tends to take care of his siblings and even himself when sick so he's rather experienced in this field. Master at holding people's hair while rubbing the back.

Probably thinks to try and distract you with some magic tricks, whether this works or not is entirely up to you but honestly it's the thought that counts.

All together pretty good boyfriend for someone on their period, he tries his very hardest and luckily he is pretty knowledgable in this subject due to him having his sister and all. Probably made a joke about doing a magic trick and make your blood disappear at some point though, so he ends up ranking at a 9/10 due to his tomfoolery.

Lynette honestly is a pretty solid period partner, she wouldn't coddle you as much as Lyney but that doesn't mean she'll just sit and be useless either.

She definitely knows some helpful tricks (as in like life-hacks not magic tricks) to help deal with it due to her being on stage quite frequently and all. This primarily consists of ways to help make things easier for going on with day to day life without being in complete misery constantly.

Would take you to get some nice desserts more often too, as in the beginning of every morning before she goes off to perform and whatever else she does throughout the day. Nice warm drink included too, even if it isn't tea.

Will also obviously get you whatever period products you need, though unlike her brother it'll just be what you need, kind of. If she has a little spare change then that might change the result, though this'll likely just be a bit of candy or something of the like.

Primarily just trying to help you more than anything, also pretty good if your sick. Wouldn't comfort you as much as Lyney but makes up for it by making sure medicine is consistenly in the counter and that you always have a good place to throw up

In general Lynette is more convenience over comfort when it's up to periods, not uncaring just not acting like your gonna die. Helpful and considerate without being too over-bearing out anything. Another 9/10 experience, point only deducted due to her probably trying to wash your clothes from any blood with the washing machine then breaking the washing machine with your clothes still in it. Still reccomend either way.