#one piece shocks and astounds me in both good and bad ways

[im-still-watching-anime]

one piece is fun to watch because like every time something new happens it’s like wtf???? how have i never heard about that????? and it’s so wild PLUS i then get to go tell my sister about it so she can have the exact same mindfucked reaction secondhand through my retelling

[veala2]

“ꜱᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴍᴏʀᴇ.”

SYNOPSIS - It was just a simple day at the market, and yet something about him seemed off than what you usually know. Not a bad off, just an off… and then you realized something more.

CW - fluff to the max, fem!reader (no mention of certain physical attributes), just a sweet read before you go to sleep. (´∀｀)♡

A/N - life is getting tough once again, so this was a good pick me up to write. hope you all enjoy it as I did making it!

Sometimes it’s often forgotten how bustling an island market can be while on a ship. The many vendors exhaustingly attempting to sell their goods, customers haggling and bargaining while they can, the loud noises and over all craziness that can ensue in just one day. It was easy not to miss.

So, when your dear cook asked if you’d like to come along with him to get groceries, you agreed in the hopes of a quiet day. But that was far from the case, at the moment.

“Damn, I forgot how crazy this place can be.” You said, astounded and a little nervous. Sanji simply laughed and motioned his hand towards you.

“If you feel overwhelmed, just grab my hand. I promise I won’t let go, Y/N- swan~”

You giggled at his sweet advances and intertwined your fingers with his. Making his eyes go wide and blood start spilling down from his face. You laughed once again at his silliness, and the two of you made your way through the bustling markets. Hand in loving hand.

The day seemed to go by like a breeze. It was funny how a simple day of buying groceries was as adventurous as discovering a new island. Sanji taught you which fruits and vegetables were ripe and firm, using charm to get the best deal on food, and enjoying the many food stalls scattered throughout the marketplace. With the sun shining brightly up in the sky, and not a single cloud in sight, today was starting to look like one of the best days you’ve ever had since joining the Strawhats.

Though, something peculiar was noticed by you as the day went on. Something that was unusual for anybody who knew Sanji.

During the duration on your trip, not once did the- usually love- sick- cook fawn or glance up at another woman. Which was strange, because even you could notice there wasn’t a lack of them. Women who, once Sanji noticed on his mental radar, would be engrossed by his antics until the moment he sailed off the island.

The chef simply kept his hand in yours. Doing his business and having a good time with you. It was sweet, but suspicious.

You thought maybe there was something more, but never thought deeply about it.

Curiously, you made your way up towards a stall selling different pieces of jewellery. Eyeing them all, almost mesmerised. The love cook noticed how your eyes glistened with the bright and colourful gems and stones.

“Fancy anything you see, dearie?” The elderly vendor asked, a gentle smile on his face. You smiled back and nodded, examining a particular pair of jewels that caught your eye. It wasn’t too heavy, and looked amazing against the colour of your skin. That smile of yours slowly dropped knowing you had just spent all your money on all the other vendors you passed.

Sanji noticed the expression on your face, thinking both to how cute you looked with that puppy-like pout and how many berries he managed to save in his pockets. He fiddled around before scourging up just enough money to pay the man.

“We’ll take it, sir.” He said. You were shocked and confused, grabbing Sanji by the shoulder.

“Sanji! It’s fine, I don’t need it.” You whispered. The old man had already packaged it and handed it to you. Sanji gave you a toothy smile, pulling you closer towards him by putting his arm around your shoulder. You made contact with the side of his body, taking note of his scent. Fresh, warm and spicy cologne. A cool aftershave. And the lingering of his signature cigarettes that somehow added to his incredible smell.

“It’s my treat, don’t worry about it. Any man would buy jewelry for such a beautiful woman as yourself.” He insisted, already thanking the man and walking away with you by his side.

A warm and fuzzy feeling grew from inside the pit of your stomach. You peeked inside the bag, a smile forming on your face. Cheeks round and glowing. That adorable smile that made the love cook fawn over you. Causing yet another round of nose bleeding. It was a safe bet to say there was nothing wrong with Sanji today, but the fact that he wasn’t swooning over the latest women he found in the market had you suspicious. But, you decided to put this off until later. Maybe then you’d figure out why he was being so… himself, but not himself.

As the night started to fall, the crew had rallied up and taken their positions at the dining table for their 5- star meal tonight. As per usual, since their chef wouldn’t make anything but. You peeked around the corner of the kitchen, noticing Sanji adding the finishing touches to the food. The delicious aroma wafting through the air and into your nostrils. If you hadn’t come to the kitchen specifically for Sanji, then you most certainly would have just a taste of his latest dish.

“Sanji!” you called, jumping up from around the corner. The man spun around, his eyes turning to hearts at the sight of you in front of him.

“Mon cheri! I’m so happy you’ve come to see me!” he announced, a stupidly cute grin plastered on his face. He noticed something shine from near you, stopping and gawking at what it was. The piece of jewellery looked even better on you than he ever could have thought or even dreamed. His face said everything it ever could have, and you couldn’t help smiling like an idiot, too.

“I take it, you fancy it?” You asked, in the same manner the vendor. He shook his head up and down fast. Going down to grasp one of your free hands and planting a soft kiss on it. You felt the heat rise up inside of you.

“You look like a true goddess, an enchantress of another world! My dear, you truly don’t know what kind of hold you have on me.”

God, could he be more idiotically charming?

“Do you mean that? Cause I saw how you weren’t really… yourself in the market today. You didn’t fawn or swoon over all the girls there like you usually would.” You expressed, awkwardly shuffling your feet and gazing at the ground. He gave you a look of confusion, tilting his face to the side, puppy- like.

“Why would I when I already have a beautiful lady here, right by my side?”

It felt like your heart was about to explode. Explode into small bits as cupid’s arrows have struck you right in the centre. You lunged at him, engulfing him in a bear hug. Hiding your face in his shoulder and taking in that scent that you loved so dearly. Sanji soothingly patted the back of your head and caressed your back with loving circles.

“Your stupid, you know that…” was all you could mutter, still hiding in his shoulder. He simply laughed and held you tighter.

“Sweetheart, the food is starting to get cold. So let’s go enjoy it before that happens.” He advised, having you quickly agree and already start to drool at the thought of eating. Sanji couldn’t help but laugh some more at your antics.

The entirety of the night, you couldn’t help but glance at Sanji at the dinner table. Him doing the exact same. Besides Luffy’s grabby hands at the others' foods, and Brook causing Nami to yet another angry punch, and everybody else’s antics, you felt as if it was just the two of you at the dinner table. Neither of you knew, but you were both thinking about how lucky you were to have each other in this lifetime.

Turns out there was something more. And you loved it.

[astaroth1357]

The MC Accidentally Kisses the Brothers

Due to incredibly popular demand (and because it’s a cute prompt).

Lucifer

It was just a childish prank, but pretty much all of Satan’s pranks were childish at their core (even the more homicidal ones).

This one wasn’t even that bad in the grand scheme of things. The angry boi was just trying to see if he could get Lucifer to fall down the stairs...

...admittedly, saying it out loud makes it sound much more cruel than intended. But this is Lucifer we’re talking about. A tumble down a flight or two wouldn’t leave him too injured… Unfortunately for Satan, he wasn’t the only one who took a tumbling.

The plan was pretty simple, put an enchantment on the stairs to the Conference Hall, lay in wait, and trigger it right as Lucifer was leaving a meeting. He’s always the last to go, so it should have been foolproof.

But the MC hung back to leave with Lucifer that day and just so happened to jump forward right as Satan was timing his step… getting themselves thrown down along with him.

Fortunately for them both, the firstborn’s reflexes were astounding. He was already holding the MC in his demon form and cushioning their fall before they could even hit the first stair. And it was quite a long way down…

By the time they hit the bottom, Lucifer had them fully wrapped up in his wings and Satan couldn’t what had happened until they unfolded… whereupon he saw the MC laying on top of Lucifer with their lips far FAR too close together for his liking…

Yeah, that backfired pretty hard and Satan was left fuming over it for days… Not that Lucifer minded in the slightest.

Mammon

Sometimes when Mammon does his photoshoots he brings the MC along as one part cheerleader, one part pit crew. It’ll be their job to hold onto his stuff, make sure he has enough to drink, and generally stand there and be impressed by his awesomeness until they leave.

Well that day things had been going well… until a particularly nosy worker started hovering around the MC too much for Mammon’s liking.

He tried to put it past him, since he had a shoot to do and all, but he snapped about halfway through when the guy kept trying to force a conversation with the very not interested MC.

Oh, he was ready to tell him off. He made the photographer stop mid-shoot just so he could march over there himself and give that asshole a piece of his mind! He was going to absolutely tear him to shreds and then-!!

Okay, that didn’t exactly happen because right as he got up to the MC, ready to start shouting, our lovable moron tripped… again…

But unlike the first time, where he more or less face-planted the floor, this time he smacked lips first into a surprised MC in front of the jerk he was trying to scare off.

… Yeah. He meant to do that.

And that’s exactly how he played it off, keeping his lips right where they were and flipping the other guy off so he’d leave them alone (which, thankfully, he did).

Totally what he intended to do and he'll swear so to this day.

Leviathan

… how in the world do you mess up the Kabedon?

Levi had seen the move done hundreds of times before in anime. It’s a very simple concept: put someone up against a wall, put one of your hands by their head, and just lean. That’s it. Not rocket science.

Levi had been mentally preparing himself for this moment for days… He may or may not have even practiced this (very simple) move in his room countless times. He genuinely thought he was ready to try it on the MC.

So, on one of those rare days he went to RAD, he gave it a shot. He waited until he and the MC were walking alone together, got them up against the wall, annnnd…

...rather than touching the wall next to them, his hand completely missed any sort of hard surface because in his panic he stopped them right next to a blind corner…

Naturally, his body fell forward some but since there wasn’t that much space between them by that point he uh… he… well he now knows their preferred Chapstick.

No matter what the MC’s reaction ultimately was, he leapt away from them like he just licked an electric fence and bolted.

His embarrassment genuinely cannot be overstated... He practically broke a window in his attempt to get the hell out of there and back to his room, where he didn’t leave for three days straight… Poor Levi...

Satan

It started out as easily one of the best days of his life. 

The MC, the exchange students, and the Royal Court had all decided to surprise him on his birthday with a Devildom-style cat cafe… Kitties were on practically every surface around him! 

Admittedly, Satan had been pretty distracted throughout most of his time there. There were just so many kitties for him to see that he sort of forgot about the MC in the process…

So in order to get his attention a little, the MC thought it would be cute to pick up one of the furry bundles and hold it in front of their face, doing that little thing where you pretended to “talk” for the cat and even waved one of its little paws at him.

They hadn’t predicted that Satan would find the display utterly, heart-meltingly adorable...

He attempted to plant a kiss on top of the furry critter’s head at the exact time that the MC brought the cat down their face entirely.

It took Satan a second or two to register that his lips were not, in fact, on a cat. And when he pulled back to see the MC’s shocked expression, the full gravity of his actions smacked him in the face like a falling log…

Cue a flustered rush to apologize while the MC hid their face back behind the confused kitty… Getting an accidental kiss in front of the prince of Hell and literal angels was pretty dang embarrassing...

At least the incident was taken in good spirits by most of the people in attendance (minus Luke, who was desperately trying to give MC his bottle of holy water like it was pepper spray by that point). 

Though after that point, Satan noticed that his “guests” kept passive-aggressively giving him cats until he was literally so buried in fluff he could barely move… probably not related, though. Probably.

Asmodeus 

It was another party night with Asmo and the MC at the Fall having a good time.

Now, Asmo was no stranger to Demonus and other assorted demonic beverages. You could say his tolerance is decent enough, but get a few too many in him and he does start to get a little off…

And a drunk Asmo is a very troublesome Asmo. 

The MC, bless their heart, was pretty much playing the sober babysitter to their demon friend when Asmo decided that he HAD to leave the club and get cupcakes right then. Being the good person they were, MC agreed to go with him, as long as he promised to stay with them and not wander off…

But they somehow managed to lose him within three blocks from the club. All they did was check their phone for directions and the guy bailed!!

Little did the MC know, while they were frantically searching for him Asmo hadn’t run away completely… He had just decided it was a great idea to play hide-and-seek at 2am and hid behind a nearby building.

It was his drunken giggling that eventually gave away his position, but he jumped out from behind the corner right as the MC was rounding it. Naturally, they both to collided. If hugging hadn’t been an instinctual action to Asmo by they point, they would have fallen down…

All they did ended up doing instead was getting caught in lip-lock due to Asmo’s sudden vice-grip.

Apparently he laughed and laughed all the way back to the House but his memory of it is pretty hazy… He’ll just have to get the MC to reenact it with him a few dozen times, that ought to jog his memory!

Beelzebub 

The MC was helping Beel out with his workout yet again and things had been going well.

Since Beel is pretty much a one-man army, his weights and routine are usually waaay too advanced for any human to be able to handle. So the MC is less his spotter and more a casual supporter/motivator than anything else.

And motivation was just what they were trying to provide with a fun little experiment of theirs… 

Ever heard of the “carrot-on-the-stick”? Well they decided to try something like that… literally. Just replace the carrot with a roast ham!

They put ham on a fishing pole, set Beel up on a treadmill, and dangled it closer or farther away based on his speed. In theory, it wasn’t the worst idea in the world... but in practice…? 

Well. Someone should have told them not to stand in front of him during this little trial...

Their motivation experiment did work for a few minutes… But soon enough Beel’s stomach got the better of his (marginal) self-control. They just weren’t expecting him to leap over the top of the treadmill...!

The smart thing to do would have been to drop the fishing pole or to just keep it still so Beel could grab the meat, but the MC reflexively drew the pole back behind them… thus putting them right in Beel’s path instead.

And that’s how they ended up caged under lord knows how many pounds of Beelzebub, thankfully kissing their lips rather than trying to chew them off…

Needless to say, Beel climbed off of them, red as a cherry, and the MC let him have that ham before the two agreed to never try this again. Whoopsie!

Belphegor 

Belphie likes sleep. 

Belphie likes cuddles. 

Belphie likes cuddling in his sleep.

Really this was bound to happen eventually…

The MC and Belphie were having a nice nap together in the attic and there wasn’t anything nefarious about it. Just two people snuggled up together in the same bed.

...snuggled up very close together in the same bed.

So close, in fact, that when the MC finally woke up and rolled over some to reposition themselves, they felt the soft lips of their companion brush up against their own.

They, of course, had the appropriate reaction of shock and embarrassment to this… but this cheeky fucker just smirked at them and let one eye slip open.

“What…? Is that it? It’ll take more than that to wake me up…”

Never mind the fact he was awake the whole time...

He really should have expected that pillow to the head, but after they struck the first blow, it was on now.

Don't worry. As it would turn out, an impromptu pillow fight also wakes him up just fine. Who'd have guessed?

[iliveiloveiwrite]

love is all you need // G.W. (celebration fic)

Request: Okay one more cause I love you're writing. Can you do a George x Reader friends to lovers trope with fluff prompts 5 and 14?? I appreciate you and everything you do! Congratulations, you deserve it!! ❤❤ - @mischi3f-manag3d

Fluff 5: “Take my bed for the night. I’ll sleep on the couch.”

Fluff 14: “How about a kiss?

A/N: Thank you so much! Here is your request! I haven't written for George in so long! This is a load of fluff and a load of comfort. I’m sorry it’s not longer but I hope enjoy anyway!

Pairing: George Weasley x Fem!Reader

Warnings: mentions of an argument, mentions of arranged marriages, but it really is a load of fluff.

Word count: 1.8k

You aren’t sure how often you’ve knocked on his door; raised your fist and brayed it against the fading red paint that George always promises he’ll paint over but never does.

It’s no different now as you stand before his door, knocking three times before taking a step back. You glance on either side of you; biting your lip, second-guessing your decision to come here instead of blowing off steam another way.

“(Y/N)?” George greets; opening the door to your harried state, “What’s wrong?”

You blink away the fresh wave of tears; you thought you had cried yourself dry but the familiar burn in the back of your throat proves otherwise. “Can I come in?” You whisper; pointing into the flat he shares with his twin.

George nods; standing aside to let you enter. He won’t outrightly tell you that he’s worried; he’s sure you already know.

“I’m sorry for just showing up,” You mutter; looking down at your hands, shuffling from side to side.

George waves away your apology after shutting the door, “Don’t be. You’re always welcome here.”

You nod your head; throwing yourself onto his couch dramatically only to sit up immediately when you realise the absence of his twin. “Where’s Fred?” You ask.

“At Angelina’s,” George calls, heading to the small kitchen, “Do you want some tea?”

“Love some.” You shout back over the sound of now heating kettle.

George leaves the kitchen; letting the kettle boil. He leans against the doorframe with his arms crossed. With a soft expression on his face, he asks, “What’s wrong?”

You raise an eyebrow, “What makes you think something is wrong?”

George scoffs, “Come on now, love. I’ve known you since Third Year, I know when something is bothering you.”

You sigh heavily, “It’s my parents.”

“What happened?”

You go to open your mouth, but you’re interrupted by the kettle beginning to whistle. George holds up a single finger; telling you to hold that thought as he makes the tea. He’s back in no time, however – handing you your mug before settling on the couch next to you.

With a nod of his head, George tells you to continue.

“I know they mean well, and I know they want the best for me but…” You trail off; feeling that all too familiar lump start to form in your throat.

“But?” George prompts after a moment of silence.

“But I just wish they would stop pushing.”

“On what?”

You throw your arms out wide; almost spilling your tea, “On everything! They’ve never been happy with the fact that I chose to become a professor instead of working in the ministry. They never accepted the fact that I was sorted into Gryffindor and not Slytherin like the both of them. To top it all off, they hate the fact they can’t control me.”

George chuckles lightly; placing a hand on your knee, “Love, tell me something I don’t already know.”

You glare at him, “That’s not the worst part.”

“What is?”

Tears build in your eyes; lining them with silver, “They want me to marry,” You rush out in hushed tones.

“Marry?” George asks; voice astounded.

You nod your head; tears slipping, “They’ve got it all fixed apparently. Found a ‘lovely’ suitor; someone I’m sure to love in time,” You frown, “In time? No. I should already be in love with them if I’m to marry them.”

George sighs; taking both your mugs and placing them gently on the coffee table, “You don’t have to marry them.”

“That’s what I told my parents. That’s why I’m here.”

“How bad was it?”

You laugh mirthlessly, “Bad. I’ve never seen them so angry; kept telling me that the betrothal was already arranged and that for me to back out now would be a stain on the family name. After that, I walked out. I didn’t want to see or listen to them.”

“So you came straight to me?”

You nod; slumping against the redhead as the fight leaves your body, leaving you drained and tired. “I didn’t want to see anyone else; I only wanted to see you.”

George’s heart practically sings at your words; sending a shock of electricity through his body. He’s harboured feelings for you for as long as he can remember; he wouldn’t admit this to another soul, but he has spent so long daydreaming what it would be like to the be the one to hold you on a night and then to be the one whispering good morning before kissing you awake.

He tucks a piece of your hair behind your ear, asking, “What do you plan to do?”

You shrug your shoulders, “The only thing I’m certain of is not going through with the marriage, but I don’t know what will happen with my parents.”

“They need time to cool off,” George comforts, “You all do.”

You nod wordlessly. George shuffles closer to you; wrapping an arm around your shoulders, “Do you want to stay the night? Talk to them in the morning?”

You peak up at George from under your lashes. Nodding, you answer, “Please.”

George nods, smiling at you reassuringly, “Take my bed for the night. I’ll sleep on the couch.”

You shake your head; holding onto the redhead that little bit tighter, “Stay with me?”

His eyes narrow; unsure, “Are you sure? I don’t mind, it’s quite a comfy couch.”

You roll your eyes at his attempt at humour, standing from said couch and checking the clock, “I’m sure. Let’s go to bed, George.”

George takes your outstretched hand; pulling himself up from the couch. You’re both exceptionally quiet as he leads you to his room; it’s not like you haven’t been in there before, but this meant something more to the both of you.

Dropping your hand, George rifles through his drawers, grabbing some old clothes of his for you to wear through the night.

“Are these okay?” He asks quietly; holding out an old t-shirt and some joggers.

You take them from him; rising up on your tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. Pulling away, you whisper, “Thank you, George.”

Shutting the door to the bathroom, you catch sight of yourself in the mirror. The upset and the anger caused by your parents has dissipated leaving behind only excitement and anticipation alight in your eyes. You didn’t think that George would agree to sharing a bed with you despite having done so in the past, but you didn’t want to be alone, and all you wanted more than anything was to be held by him.

The reflection in the mirror smiles at the hope in your face. The reason for being so adamant with your parents about the arranged marriage was that you had already given your heart to another, and he was just outside the door getting ready for bed. Your heart was never stolen by the Weasley; in fact, you gave it quite willingly, handing it over to him unknowingly through your time with him at Hogwarts.

He’s owned your heart and has been the main character in all of your daydreams since you were a teenager worried about essays and Quidditch try outs.

You put George’s t-shirt on; inhaling the familiar scent of gunpowder and honeysuckle.

Leaving the bathroom, you find that George has already slipped into bed. He’s pressed himself against the wall; giving you the option of wanting to leave the bed should you change your mind through the night.

You share a small laugh as you slide into bed next to him; settling under the covers, feeling more at ease now than you had all night.

“It’s going to be okay,” George whispers.

“I know, I believe you,” You reply, and you did. You believe him wholeheartedly; he may throw pranks and make jokes, but George is well aware when he needs to be serious and is always there with open arms and a patient ear.

You feel his shrug under the covers, “Besides, if not, we’ll run away together.”

Smiling, you answer, “An entirely too tempting idea, Weasley.”

He beams at you and with a flick of a switch, George turns out the light and the room is sent into darkness.

There’s something about the dark that makes men brave; that make it easier to confront truths and feelings. There’s something about the dark that is made for lovers; grazes of fingers and the brushes of lips.

It starts with an outstretch of hands; fingers bumping clumsily in the limited light of the room. Smile grow on both faces as they become tangled; his fingers wrapping around yours tightly.

It follows with him bringing your hand to his lips; placing a gentle kiss on the back of it before letting it drop back down to the space between you both.

In the dark, George finally whispers what’s been on the tip of his tongue since you announced it, “Don’t marry him. Fight it, please.”

You turn onto your side. You can just about make out the outline of his figure in the dark, but you don’t need to see his face to know that those words cost him. Even though can’t see you, you shake your head, “I’ll fight it tooth and nail.”

George releases a long sigh; his hand squeezes yours as he says, “I want a chance.”

“A chance at what?” You ask; throat constricting with the hope rushing up from your stomach.

“A chance to be with you,” He whispers; the words taking shape and filling the room. He runs a hand down his face, “Merlin, (Y/N), I’m mad for you.”

“You are?”

He nods; moving closer to you. You meet him halfway; almost startling when you feel his body align itself with yours.

“I’m mad for you too as it happens,” You comment lightly; your voice filled with emotion.

The thick tension leaves the room upon the uttering of your words leaving behind an atmosphere filled with relief and happiness. George laughs as he turns onto his side, utterly delighted at your words; tangled hands forgotten as he reaches for you. One of his hands slips underneath you as the other wraps around your waist; he holds you to him, pressing kiss after kiss to your hair.

You fist a hand in his t-shirt; the other one slipping underneath, running your nails across the toned expanse of his stomach. He shivers at the feel of your touch, twining your legs together so there isn’t a part of you that isn’t touching.

Tilting your head back, you run your nose up the length of his neck. Humming at the intoxicating scent of his skin – the honeysuckle becoming stronger the closer you are to him.

“George?”

He hums; arms instinctively tightening around you, “Yes?”

A wicked grin breaks out across your face; all thoughts about parents and marriage disappear as you look into the face of the man you love and ask, “How about a kiss?”

George doesn’t need to be asked twice.

******** General (HP) taglist: @chaotic-fae-queen @obsessedwithrandomthings @harrypotter289 @kalimagik @heloisedaphnebrightmore @nebulablakemurphy @the-hufflefluffwriter @figlia--della--luna @bforbroadway @idont-knowrn @birdie-writes @big-galaxy-chaos @black-lake-confessions @annasofiaearlobe @imboredandneedalife @levylovegood @mytreec @haphazardhufflepuff @teheharrypotter @chaoticgirl04 @accio-rogers @msmimimerton @izzytheninja @slytherinprincess03 @acciotwinz @kashishwrites @kylosleftbuttcheek @xfirstfemale-marauderx @dreaming-about-fanfictions @they-write-once-in-a-blue-moon

George Weasley taglist: @susceptible-but-siriusexual

[a-snow-decahedron]

Befriending the enemy

Versión en español: Leer en AO3 / Leer en Tumblr

Summary: After Alphys confesses her feelings towards Undyne, she realizes that while the truth is hard to hear, it is better to say it. Papyrus listens.

Set in a true pacifist route, on the way to meet up eveyone else in new home.

Words: 2335

Read on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/31130111

Undyne was a monster that always faced her problems head-on. Or so she thought. Feelings were never her strong suit. And that day left her with some complex feelings.

A human showed up in Snowdin during the morning, closing the Ruins' door behind them. They wore a striped shirt, like every other monster child, but their soul shone red with power: it was the last soul needed to break the barrier, and she was determined to capture them and be the hero that freed monsterkind. It wasn't about honor as much as it was about justice for all the pain that monsters had gone through for generations.

But it was just a kid, a thought insisted, and she repressed it. Duty calls, and she wouldn't step back. The Canine Unit in Snowdin forest tried to stop them, yet all of them were unable to capture the human. Undyne feared the worst, that this child had killed them, but every monster that had encountered the human so far said they were kind, and never hurt anyone. She was livid. She knew humans couldn't be trusted, they could turn your allies against you like in those animes Alphys had shown her. So her frustration grew as the day went by.

Papyrus and his brother were no exception to the rule. The tall skeleton reported to her on the way to Waterfall that he had let the human go, after befriending them. He tried to stop her, telling her that she didn't need to get their soul. All of this just confirmed in her mind why he could never be part of the royal guard. What is the human had not shown mercy? The idea repulsed her, but so did extending monsters' wait to reach the Surface. So despite her friend's words and the apparent pacifist attitude the human had, she didn't give up on her goal.

She encountered them a few times in Waterfall, followed closely by another kid. Were they friends? Oh, the nerve of that human, to get someone else to fight their battles. Her anger grew after every time they managed to scape her attacks. Until finally, the monster kid left to go home and she fought the human. Their resilience was astounding and they could dodge her attacks like they had seen it all before. Despite making their soul green, they found the chance to flee like a coward towards Hotland. In the end, she couldn't keep up with her armor. She didn't want to admit it, but the water that human had given her gave her strength to go home. A moment of weakness. She was just glad the child had decided to pity her.

At her house, she meditated about everything she'd seen. The truth was that she was exhausted, and not knowing how to deal with her thoughts, she started playing piano. A while later she heard a knock on the door and Papyrus walked in, as was expected, but he brought the human child along. Against her better judgement, she let them both in. The following events still replayed on her head. How could she go from trying to defeat her enemy to a hang out at her house? How did that go so horribly well and so horribly wrong at the same time? She didn't have any answers, but one thing was certain, that child had proved her expectations wrong, and had flipped her view on quite some things.

Undyne now sat on the green couch at the skeleton brother's house. And now her thoughts gravitated toawards yet another revelation. Alphys liked her. The same way she liked Alphys back. Saying the truth had been hard for her, that was obvious and the Waterfall monster could relate too. Undyne was a monster that always faced her problems head-on but feelings were never her strong suit. Another idea presented itself on her head. Sure she was hot-headed and impulsive, but after such an eventful day it was impossible not tot take some time to think and make sense of everything.

She suddenly heard the door hit the wall as Ppayrus made his way inside the house. Despite being all bones, his expression showed deep worry. "UNDYNE! YOU MUST COME WITH ME NOW!" He said, extending his hand.

"What's wrong, Papyrus? Did the punk call again? Are they lost?" She stood up in a moment, ready to follow the skeleton.

Papyrus shook his head "THE HUMAN IS ON THEIR WAY TO NEW HOME! BUT WE CAN'T LET THEM FACE ASGORE, WE MUST STOP THIS, MAYBE WE CAN CONVINCE THEM NOT TO FIGHT" He replied, some distressed slipping through his voice. "I CALLED ALPHYS AND MY BROTHER TOO, THEY WILL BE MEETING US AHEAD, BUT WE MUST HURRY"

Undyne didn't doubt for a second about how her friend knew that, so she followed Papyrus toawrds the door and they went to the Riverperson. who was fortunately waiting for passengers in Snowdin. They both sat and took the ride. After a few moments, Papyrus noted her silence, and asked "YOU SEEM QUIETER THAN USUAL."

She was about to shrug and brush it off with some excuse, but something else took over her and instead she said "Hey, Papyrus? I gotta tell you something."

"WHAT IS IT? ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT THE HUMAN AND THE KING? I ASSURE YOU WITH THE GREAT PAPYRUS'S SKILLS AND YOUR STRENGTH WE WILL STOP THE CONFLICT BEFORE IT EVEN BEGINS"

"Well, yes, but i wanted to talk about something else..." What? We're really doing this Undyne? Oh darn it there is no way to stop now.

His eyesocket were staring right through her. "IF THIS IS ABOUT ALPHYS, I THINK OUR TRAINING NEEDS MORE T-"

"Fuhuhu, well, it's not exactly about her, that's still got my magic all shocked, but she got me thinking about some things..." Her gaze turned to the side, avoiding facing him. "Thing is, being honest isn't always easy, you know? I wasn't able to confess to Alphys on my own without the punk's help. She struggled with being sincere too. And maybe part of the truth hurt, I don't know if I can look at anime the same way again— But that's not the point!" Papyrus's mismatched eyesockets looked even more uneven when he raised his browbone, letting her continue. "I... have not been the most honest with you, and i want to put an end to it."

"BUT UNDYNE, YOU'VE SHOWN ME MORE SIDES OF YOURSELF THAN YOU SHOW MOST PEOPLE! NOT EVERYONE KNOWS YOUR PASSION FOR ALL SORTS OF MUSIC, OR HAS TRIED YOUR COOKING! AND CERTAINLY I AM HONORED TO BE YOUR TRUSTED FRIEND! SO WHAT IS MAKING YOU THINK THESE THINGS?" Undyne's soul sank like it had been turned blue. She took a breath, to give herself some extra time to plan her words.

"Dude, I... don't know how you'll take this."

"GO AHEAD, THE GREAT PAPYRUS KNOWS WELL WHAT TO DO IN DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS"

She exhaled, no going back now: "I was never intending to let you in the Royal Guard."

His smile dropped, but before she could apologize, he simply asked "WAS I NOT SKILLED ENOUGH?"

"No, you... it's not about ability. Dude, you're one of the toughest monsters I've trained with, you can take blow after blow and still keep on fighting." She sighed. "But I thought you were too innocent and naive and—"

"WELL I SURE APPRECIATE THE COMPLIMENT, BUT I FAIL TO UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM"

"You know the Royal Guard's goal was to capture a human and take their soul to King Asgore, right?" He nodded. "Right, but to do that we'd have to kill them, and humans would resist to that. Anyone would. Humans are powerful, and they can hurt many monsters trying to fight for their life. Some of them may beg for mercy, and trick us into trusting them only to betray us later."

"BUT THIS HUMAN IS NICE."

"Yeah, but we didn't know that when they showed up."

"SO WHAT?, EVERYONE HAS THE CAPACITY TO BE GOOD, I WOULD GIVE THEM THE CHANCE TO PROVE THEMSELVES."

"And that's the problem! They could take advantage of that! I don't want to see you being shattered into smiling pieces because of some enemy with bad intentions!"

"SO YOU THINK I SHOULD HAVE JUST KILLED THEM."

"It's the duty of the royal guard!" Undyne let out a sigh, feeling awful for the things she said.

Papyrus stared at her, empty sockets facing her one seeing eye. His thoughts, unclear. He stayed quiet longer than it was normal for him, but then he frowned and spoke. "UNDYNE, DO YOU THINK I CAN'T DEFEND MYSELF?"

She considered the question, then shook her head. "I don't know... I just don't want you to get hurt. That someone comes and crashes your hopes and betrays you. The Royal Guard must never hesitate. The hopes and dreams of monsters depend on us."

"DO YOU THINK THE HUMAN HAS WISHES TOO?"

"What? Of course I do! Well... I do, now that I've seen how determined they are, and their good heart."

"THEN WOULDN'T IT BE UNFAIR TO DESTROY THEM LIKE THAT?"

"But what if other humans are evil?"

"WHAT IF THEY'RE NOT? I'M SURE YOUR EXECTATIONS HAVE BEEN PROVEN WRONG LATELY. MINE HAVE. I NEVER THOUGHT SOMEONE COULD SHARE MY PASSION FOR PUZZLES AND HOMECOOKED FOOD AS SINCERELY AS THAT HUMAN." Undyne raised an eyebrow, curious about the skeleton's reasoning. He kept going "I HAVE MADE A NEW FRIEND BY BEING BRAVE AND OPEN TO SEE WHO THEY REALLY ARE. AND NOW THAT I KNOW WHAT IS AT STAKE I CANNOT LET THE VIOLENCE HAPPEN AGAINST THEM OR ANYONE."

"I see what you mean, but we can't let then just leave, it's their life, at the cost of the freedom of our kind. And ensuring we do that for monsters is what is needed to be part of the guard."

"THEN YOU SHOULDN'T BE A PART OF THE GUARD ANYMORE EITHER."

His words hit her like the hardest walls of the caverns. There, that's the issue that had plagued her mind all afternoon. It surprised her how the topic had gone from being sincere to Papyrus about her expectations, to talking about the right thing to do. The worst part is that he was right. How could she, the Captain of the Guard, give up on her duty? Shouldn't she set an example? But now the thoght of going after the human kid just made the magic within her whirl uncomfortably. She could feel the humid atmosphere of the Waterfall tunnels all around her.

"I DID NOT MEAN TO BE RUDE, UNDYNE." Papyrus hesitated on his next words, but she interrupted him.

"No, you're right after all. I befriended the enemy."

"AND THEY TURNED OUT TO BE DIFFERENT THAN YOU EXPECTED." She nodded.

"UNDYNE. I KNOW WHO I KNOW, AND I KNOW YOU KNOW WHO YOU KNOW. WELL...." He cleared his non-existent throat, then resumed his speech. "TO PUT IT IN BETTER WORDS, THERE ARE PEOPLE WE KNOW WELL. BUT IT'S BECAUSE WE GAVE THEM THE CHANCE, AND THEY USED IT TO BE GOOD"

Then he pointed at her, and kept going. "YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE DOING THE RIGHT THING, TAKING THEIR SOUL. BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE ANYMORE, DON'T YOU SEE? WE'RE GOING STRAIGHT TO THE KING'S CASTLE TO STOP THIS NONSENSE!"

Undyne was atypically silent after his words. Who was this guy? Did he always put that much thouught on things? Had she misjudged him? "Woah Papyrus, you really are sure about this. But you're right, i'm on board with you now." She grinned, showing all her teeth "I gotta say, you impress me, can't believe how i changed in a single day thanks to your actions."

"THANK YOU, I AM A SKELETON THAT LIVES TO SURPASS ANY GIVEN STANDARD." He wore his usual grin, and his eyes shone with pride.

"That's the guy I know!" She was getting close to tackle him in a hug when the Riverperson turned and told them they arrived to their destination.

"Come again sometime, tra la la..." Undyne pulled some coins from her pocket and gave them to the monster as tips. They didn´t charge for the ride, but any compensation was more than appreciated.

"NOW LET'S HEAD TO THE ELEVATORS, THE SOONER WE GET OUT OF HOTLAND THE SOONER WE WILL ARRIVE!"

"Hey, Papyrus?" He turned around to face Undyne as she walked to reach him. "Thank you."

"WHAT FOR?"

"For giving us the chance to do the right thing." While she pressed the button to call the elevator she asked: "Hey, one last thing, how do you... feel about what i told you?"

"WELL, IT DOES PUT OUR PREVIOUS ONE-ON-ONE TRAINING IN A NEW LIGHT, FOR SURE" He lifted his gloved hand, to wait for a moment, as he said the next words: "BUT I APPRECIATE KNOWING THE TRUTH, AND NOW WE CAN FORGET THE AWKWARD MOMENT AS IF IT NEVER HAPPENED, LIKE THE GOOD FRIEND I AM"

"Don't you feel bad about it?"

"WELL, I CAN'T SAY I DON'T, BUT I FORGIVE YOU, AS LONG AS WE SAY THE TRUTH TO EACH OTHER FROM NOW ON"

"Papyrus, you're something else." They both laughed as they got off the elevator.

"UNDYNE, I HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION" The skeleton fidgeted with his gloves, but a smirk was forming on his face. "IF THE ROYAL GUARD STOPS BEING ABOUT HUNTING HUMANS, DO YOU THINK ASGORE COULD GIVE ME A POSITION IN THE GUARD?"

"Fuhuhuhu, you bet! But first we have to make sure he and the punk don't kill each other because of some old unfair conflict." And with that said, they both sprinted on their path to the MTT resort.

Undyne was a monster that always faced her problems head-on. Or so she thought. Feelings were never her strong suit. But friends could alwyas subvert her expectations and be there to support her in those moments of doubt.

[talesofafangirlwithadvr]

Jan/Feb 2021 Picks

HELLO! It’s been a while, but I’M BACK!! Life has gotten a lot busier as I started Grad School this January. So, I feel it may be tough being on time with future Monthly Wraps like I’ve done in the past with working on my MFA, and my job. I’m going to probably do more seasonal wrap ups when I get the time. I also think I’ll be posting more individual posts as I watch an episode. Because even with a busier schedule, there is always time for TV and there’s so much I want to talk about!

You know the drill. Spoilers are coming.....

You’ve been warned :)

WANDAVISION

I want to start off by mentioning that I have not watched this week’s episode yet. So the last one I saw was EPISODE  6 with Halloween in the late 90s/early 2000s.

THIS SHOW! OMG.

I didn’t know what I was signing up for when I watched the first episode and I have been blown away. It is such a cool concept and I love the fact that everyone who watches it is confused. There have been so many interesting theories out there and I am so curious what is going to wind up being true. I love all the nods to old sitcoms and TV shows as well as all the MCU Easter Eggs. (I mean they got X-men’s Quicksilver-like WOW.) It feels really Black Mirror at times with the breaking of the fourth wall. I will never be able to shake the feeling I got in Episode 3, when Vision reversed. (And then I saw a bunch of videos with him looking at the camera as Wanda looks at the TV. Eww I don’t like it, but it’s such a good move on their point.) I love the outside plot as well and the characters who were previously side characters in other MARVEL movies. The love for Jimmy Woo is astounding and I’m here for it. I’m glad it’s Friday, so I can watch the next episode. I’m just upset that we’re so close to the show ending. The next Disney Plus Marvel shows better be just as good. Wandavision set the bar high.  

NANCY DREW

If you’ve visited this page recently, you know I have a very strong love for this show. It is the only one I am still watching religiously on the CW and I am tuning in the night it airs. (That is HUGE for me.) IT IS JUST SO GOOD AND I DON’T KNOW WHERE TO START....

2x05 just aired, which would have been the season 1 finale before COVID and I have it saved on my DVR to watch again. There’s just so much I want to relive and catch that I missed the first watch through. It would have been SUCH A GOOD FINALE, but I’m happy that we can continue with new episodes starting next week. And with the way it ended...there’s so much I need to know!! I’m just curious how fast they’re going to develop certain plots. I love the Drew Crew and how they are a family. Each character is so well developed and their chemistry is great. I love learning more about each of them and watching them develop. My favorite character is definitely Ace. I love all his witty lines and how he is opening up more to the group as well as to us, the audience, as we get more of a look into his personal life. I enjoy all of his scenes with his dad and specifically liked when they were celebrating Shabbat. (I am also here for the Nancy and Ace content. I gush more about this on my other blog: lydia-whogowith-stiles. Check it out if you want to hear more.)

THE WATCH

When I watched the Christmas special (or was it New Years? and why does that feel so long ago) of Doctor Who, BBC America kept advertising a new show called the Watch. Due to the extensive amount of commercials, I decided to tape the first two episodes (which premiered back to back) to see what it was all about. I was unaware that this series is based on the book series created by Terry Pratchett. When I came to see if people were talking about it on Tumblr, I saw that a lot of people didn’t like it because of how drastically different it was. As I was unfamiliar with the original, I can’t compare. The TV show was eight episodes and I just watched the last one that aired this past Sunday. I definitely liked the first half of the season more (I noticed my mind start to drift as I watched later ones), but thought the finale was good. I really enjoyed how they incorporated the theme song. I didn’t realize the connection earlier and now can’t stop humming it. (I don’t know if there will be another season or not.) I enjoyed the characters and how it was like nothing I’ve seen on TV before. It got me thinking a lot about blending genres. I would still recommend checking it out.  

ZOEY’S EXTRORDINARY PLAYLIST

I was VERY excited for this show to come back. I loved the first season so much. It’s just such a heartfelt show and it helped me survive the early parts of quarantine. So far, this season I am noticing how detailed the musical performances are. Mandy Moore is doing an AMAZING job. The choreography is *chefs kiss* I also feel like the song choices have been great and not always the ones I think that would be picked. We are getting to learn more about each character and watch Zoey and her family as they continue life after losing Mitch. I am here for Mo and Max’s restaurant. I think the concept would be so cool in real life. Who knows maybe we’ll see one now. (Max’s rendition of ‘Numb’ was amazing. I’ve never heard the song like that and I think it might be one of my favorites of the season so far.) I hope Max and Zoey get back together by the end of the season. It did feel fast, so I do understand why they had to break up, but it still makes me sad that we watched them get together and then it was taken away from us. The last episode before the break was so powerful and I think the show did an amazing job applying real world issues into their plot. It did not feel forced at all and brought so much awareness. Upset we have to wait so long for a new episode. 

SECRETS OF SULPHUR SPRINGS

Are you looking for a good mystery, but don’t think Disney Channel can provide it? Think again. I have to say, when I started watching I was not expecting this show to be a part of my monthly picks. It pleasantly surprised me. The show involves the mystery of a young girl, Savannah, who went mysteriously missing at camp back in the 90s. Apparently, her ghost still haunts the hotel that was on the camp grounds to this day. Then Griffin and his family buy the hotel with intent of fixing it up and reopening it after all these years. The people in the town think they’re crazy because of its past. But there’s something more going on with Griffin’s dad as well as some of the other adults in the town. They know something about Savannah’s disappearance, but aren’t saying anything about it. While this is a kid’s show (and only half hour episodes) it has been interesting to see where the story will go. I’m sure I am imagining much more intense things for her disappearance than what actually happened. It’s also not super cheesy or have bad acting, which is refreshing. (I really feel Disney Channel has gone down.) Either way, I don’t know how many episodes are left to air, but I think we’re pretty close to the end. If you’re looking for a quick, entertaining mystery I would highly recommend.  

MISS SCARLET AND THE DUKE

And here come my period pieces (ironically both from Masterpiece/PBS this time). I know last year I felt like I watched a lot of historical watches at the beginning of the year. We’ll see if that continues to happen this year too. It does serve as a nice escape. Plus, these are some really good stories. 

Miss Scarlet and the Duke is a part of Masterpiece Mystery on PBS, although it aired on a different network in the UK. It is (another) mystery series (shocking I know with that title!) It follows Eliza Scarlet who has a nose for mystery, but as a woman living in the Victorian era does not have any rights except for being a wife and mother (two things she would rather not be). When her father dies (apparently from a heart attack...emphasis on apparently), she takes over his Private Investigator business. Much to the dismay of long time family friend William “The Duke” who is a Detective Inspector for Scotland Yard. Eliza is often in his office as she gets arrested for being places she shouldn’t or trying to get information out of him. This element of Eliza having to work in a very male dominated Victorian society is one that I feel I haven’t really seen on a TV show. I really like her dynamic with William. There’s always that feeling of “will they won’t they,” but I don’t feel the show just focuses on that. The mystery is the heart of it all. This last week’s episode was REALLY GOOD. As we got to find out more regarding her father’s death. I hear a lot of people want a season 2 and I am right there with them. This show deserves it. 

ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL

Another PBS Masterpiece watch. I love this show, so much more than I was anticipating. It is so heartfelt and makes me so happy and in a good mood after watching it. It follows James Herriot who has recently graduated from veterinary school, but is struggling finding a job. Then he gets a call from Siegfried Farnon’s veterinary practice in Yorkshire. Siegfried is known for having a harsh demeanor and temper, so the assistants he hires don’t often last long. Spoiler alert, that should be pretty obvious, James does. The cast of characters are so lovely and I like all their relationships with one another. The show takes places in the 1930s and I realized I don’t often watch things in this era, so that has been fun to explore. The sets and locations are BEAUTIFUL. In the episodes, we often get these amazing shots that sweep over the exterior and I want to travel to Yorkshire like tomorrow. (See more escapism, it’s great.) The main plot follows everyone interact in the town and watching James become a more confident and experienced veterinarian (which I decided I could never do after watching). I heard that it has been renewed for a second season so that is so fantastic. 

FATE: THE WINX SAGA

The first things I heard about this show was how disappointed everyone was in how they decided to adapt the Winx Club show from their childhood. On this I can agree, but I decided to watch the show anyway. I pretended that it was something new entirely and I have to say I enjoyed it. Of course, there were parts that bothered me and then I had to remember it was a teen show, so angst would be annoying. I think overall it was too short (and should have at least 8 or 10 episodes), but I’m happy that they were able to conclude the main plot well. (Although we did get that cliffhanger, but it is exciting that it was released the show just got renewed for a second season the other day.) I really liked Silva-mainly because it was great seeing Thomas from Downton Abbey in something else. I also enjoyed seeing Jacob Duchman in more things. It was a surprise to see him in Medici and I am just happy he is adding more to his IMDB. 

Quick and addicting watch. Add it to your queue. Just forget it’s supposed to be based on something else. 

BLOWN AWAY SEASON 2

Continuing with the Netflix picks, one of my FAVORITE picks from 2020 got a season 2 and it is already on Netflix! That’s right Blown Away season 2 is now available. I seriously loved the first season of this show SO MUCH! Glass blowing is such a magical process and I am mesmerized every time I watch it. It felt weird starting this show with all new contestants, but then Alex came back as a guest judge and I was so happy. It is just as addicting and I cannot wait to see who wins this season. I am just trying not to rush the episodes. 

VIOLETTA SEASON 3 UPDATE

I know you were all dying to know...

After taking a hiatus from watching during the holidays, I have gotten back into watching the Disney Channel telenovela on Disney Plus. I am now on episode 68. Things are really starting to happen and I am finding myself getting sucked in again, which makes me happy. Episode 60 (pictured above) had A LOT happen and really was a turning point for the second half of the show. Can’t wait to keep watching. Some really awesome songs from these last set of episodes. 

AND NOW FOR MY NOT LOVING IT PICK:

LEGACIES

This third season has really disappointed me so far. As I’ve previously discussed on this page, it feels like they are just reusing previous plots from the last two seasons when there is so much more they can do. There was so much promise for this show and I loved the Vampire Diaries and Originals so much, that it’s sad to see Legacies miss the mark. I wish they gave Hope more storylines that didn’t revolve around Landon. She is such a strong character and is SO POWERFUL. This is something we rarely see and it shouldn’t only be shown to save a guy (multiple times). Their couple plot is continually doing the same thing. I want to see a lot more development with this show over this season to keep me watching. I am actually happy that there isn’t a new episode until March 11th. (That’s saying something...) 

[jessiewritesthings]

Saudade - Epilogue

Prince Zuko x Reader

Here she is!! Saudade is my baby and i’m so happy and so grateful for everyone that has taken the time to read this, i love you all! thank you thank you thank you x

Part I - Part II - Part III

168 AG

Izumi smiled softly, flipping through the pages of the family album. Black and white photos dotted the pages, documenting the life you had shared with Zuko for more than seventy years. Images of you and Zuko at the helm of numerous Fire Lily Festivals, visiting Fire Nation Citizens, meeting with delegates from all over the Four Nations. The images Izumi liked the most were the ones with all your friends in them – as a child she had thought it was just the coolest thing that her parents were best friends with the Avatar.

She also particularly loved the photos you would take on your vacations to Ember Island – loved how proudly you held yourself, scar and all. Most people would take to hiding away, a scar so bad as yours was enough reason to, Izumi had figured. She knew her father struggled with it every day – no matter how many times you tried to comfort him, he always saw it as a sign of his weakness, a reminder of the cruelty that Azula and Ozai, and the rest of his predecessors had put the world through.

Your life with Zuko hadn’t always been easy, though it had definitely been worth it. Numerous assassination attempts on the both of you had plagued your first few years together, and the backlash from Zuko’s advisors as he proposed and promptly married you, crowning you his Fire Lady, hadn’t gone down particularly easy. Nonetheless, you were stronger together, and in time the Fire Nation grew to love you, just as they did Zuko.

Izumi sighed, a tear rolling down her cheek as she closed the album, placing it on the corner table before joining her father on the balcony.

“Izumi, my dear,” Zuko murmured, reaching for her hand as she placed it on his shoulder.

Izumi stood silently with her father, watching as their guest’s ships began to depart. If she squinted, she could see Katara with Tenzin and Pema, waving as Pema wrangled with Jinora and Ikki, young Meelo clinging to his father. Raising his hand to wave in return, Zuko thought about how desperately he wanted Aang, or his Uncle Iroh around – someone that could help him come to terms with the most devastating blow he’d been dealt yet.

It had been two weeks now, since Zuko had woken to find you cold, yet soft and peaceful in his arms. Your arms had still been pressed across his chest, the same groove you always found yourselves sleeping in, legs pushed together like you were two halves of a whole – which, in a way, you were. Zuko had swallowed down his fear, and his cry for help, as he looked at you, softly brushing your white hair from your face, his fingers delicately running the beads along the strands.

“Oh, my sweet y/n,” he had whispered, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead, his tears starting to fall over your face. He stayed there with you, unable and unwilling to move, as if he stayed still forever you might open your eyes and greet him. His eyes didn’t move from your form when his attendant, Mira, entered the room, a tray of hot breakfast and steaming tea in her arms.

The tray was quickly placed on the side table as Mira rushed to the bedside, gasping in shock.

“Lord Zuko,” she started, tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Mira, please.” He let go of you now, gently removing himself from your bed, as if trying not to rouse you.

Mira came to his side, placing an arm on Lord Zuko’s shoulder before he smiled softly at her and pulled her into a hug. Zuko continued to cry, comforted by Mira. You had been loved and admired by all of the palace staff, and many of them had requested to follow you and Zuko when you had moved to Ember Island following Zuko’s abdication as Fire Lord.

“The Lady y/n will be remembered fiercely, Lord Zuko. The Fire Nation’s most delicate flower.”

Zuko smiled, fondly remembering the first time he had introduced you to his dragon, Druk. Zuko had the utmost confidence in the dragon, and you had been positively terrified – not because he was a giant fire-breathing dragon – you’d proven yourself more than capable of handling fire by now – but he was just so big. Nonetheless, you had mounted Druk, and shrieked in surprise as Zuko leapt off the dragon, watching as you soared into the sky, your wild hair flowing as you clutched onto Druk’s scales. Zuko was positively enamoured – he’d already spent a lifetime loving you, but seeing you ride Druk with such tenacity and grit had sent him straight into the past, flying through all your history until you were both back in the Crystal Catacombs in Ba Sing Se. Zuko was enchanted by you, and he knew he would be until his heart stopped beating.

You were beaming as Druk had landed, your hair windswept and your blue robes loose, exhilarated. Leaping off the dragon, you ran to Zuko’s arms, flinging yourself to him as your arms found their natural home, your lips pressing to his scar.

“Zuko, that was incredible,” you’d exclaimed, astounded.

“Mmm, it certainly was.” Zuko smiled – watching you ride Druk was better than being in the reigns himself.

“My Dragon Queen,” he murmured, pressing soft kisses against your neck, the spot he knew you loved the most.

_____

Zuko sat with his daughter until the sun had entirely disappeared, and then they sat together for longer, watching the night as the stars began to dapple across the sky, the moon incandescent in its beauty as it graced the sky. They sat silently, hands clasped together, tucked into a patchwork quilt you had made for Izumi’s birth – a delicate, stunning piece of work that seamlessly incorporated both sides of you and Zuko, magical swirls of red and blue speckled with gems and beads.

Izumi twirled the blue beads adorning the quilt through her fingers, recalling the countless nights that she would rouse you both from sleep, claiming to be plagued by nightmares. You never complained, always opening your arms to pull her in, letting her nestle in-between you and Zuko where she would sleep freely. Sometimes, before sleep took her, Izumi would feel your fingers drifting through her hair, and she would fall asleep in such a tranquil, safe space.

Eventually Izumi heard stories about her grandfather Ozai – horrifying stories of what he’d done to the world, his nation, his family. She’d never asked her father about his scar – in-fact it never occurred to her as a child that it deviated from malicious intent, because her mother had one too. In Izumi’s young mind, she used to imagine that the two of you being scarred was just the spirits way of making sure you found each other, as if your scars acted as magnets that would bring you together wherever you were.

“I was so lucky to have her love me, Izumi,” Zuko hummed, voice raspy. “I always knew I would love her, after we first met. Your mother, she was magic. Ethereal. It has been the greatest honour of my life to love her, and that love brought me the greatest gift: you.”

Izumi smiled fondly at her father, leaning forward to press a kiss to his forehead.

“She was lucky to have your love, too.”

Lord Zuko turned to his daughter, a soft smile gracing his face. She was an excellent Fire Lord, and he recalled the time Ursa had told him that a Fire Lord producing a nonbending child was a disgrace in Ozai’s eyes. Of course, Ozai was wrong. Izumi was not a bender, but Zuko constantly found himself in awe of his daughter’s calm demeanour, and when he abdicated his throne, he had never been prouder of Izumi as she was crowned Fire Lord.

Izumi’s birth had not been easy for you – she was a stubborn babe, and you’d been in labour for hours – days actually, as you later found out. Katara was assisting you, and Aang had taken Zuko away to keep him distracted – it was awfully improper for a husband to be present at a birth of course. Naturally, that didn’t deter you, and you constantly pleaded with Katara and your handmaiden to please, please, please get Zuko. As Zuko and Aang returned to the palace, Fire Lord Zuko was informed that your child still had not been delivered. Anxiety consumed him, and to the horror of his advisors he’d dashed to your chambers, grasping your hand and whispering sweet nothings into your ear as you finally delivered a healthy, beautiful, precious baby girl.

Zuko was enamoured with Izumi immediately, and would often be found after a particularly highly-strung meeting with his advisors sitting on the balcony in Izumi’s nursery, holding his soft, sweet girl in his arms. Before Izumi was born, Zuko had confided in you that he wasn’t sure about his ability to be a father – he wanted to be a good father so much that it overwhelmed him, and he wasn’t able to comprehend it. He’d blurted it out in the middle of a game of Pai Sho, neither of you knowing that you were in-fact already carrying the Crown Princess of the Fire Nation. You’d reached your arm across the board, hand gently caressing Zuko as you gave him a reassuring smile.

“You will be magnificent, my love. Any children we have will grow to see their father the same way I do – brave, intelligent, loving and kind.”

Zuko took your hands, pressing them to his lips as he watched you, shadows from the flames flickering across your face.

“Have I told you that I’m madly in love with you?” he replied, a cheeky grin forming. Forgetting the game of Pai Sho, you crept over to his side, wrapping your arms around his neck.

“Not nearly enough,” you answered, your lips pressing together as Zuko put his hands in your hair, pulling his fingers through.

“I’m madly in love with you, y/n. Every minute of every day.”

175 AG

Lord Zuko stirred softly in his sleep, out on the balcony as usual – you had spent most of your time here curled up together, after all. He was smiling softly, thinking of you as he always did. It had been an interesting few years without you, but nothing could fill the void that was left inside Zuko after you left. He would often wake from a restless sleep, desperately clutching the sheets as if you were there, only to be disappointed every time. He played many games of Pai Sho with Mira, and she would sit with him each evening, enjoying a cup of tea on the balcony as they kept each other company. Most often, Zuko would sit on the loveseat in the balcony, your favourite blanket draped across him for comfort instead of warmth. He’d sit there with his tea, usually forgetting it as he would drift into a deep sleep, visited by you and your memories together.

“Come, Zuko. Let’s go down to the beach,” you urged.

The sun was setting on Ember Island, and you were due to return to the palace tomorrow, Fire Lord duties to be resumed. Iroh had graciously stepped in in place of Zuko to allow the pair of you to have on ‘official’ honeymoon, something you were both incredibly grateful for.

Slipping your hand into his, you’d made your way down to the beach, both barefoot and revelling in the soothing nature of the sand. You’d let go of him now, running through the waves as they crashed on the shore. Zuko couldn’t do much more than stare at you – your hair shined in the fading sun, the red hues making you look delicious and warm. Your gown wrapped around your waist, unravelled slowly, revealing your scar. Zuko grimaced, a flash of pain echoing on his face. Seeing this, you ran to his side, placing your hands in his.

“I just…,” he started, swallowing. “I just wish I could take it away, for you.”

“Don’t, my love. It is as much a part of me as yours is you. I am proud to have this scar. Proud of what it represents for us, for all that we’ve been through. I don’t want you to feel this way every time you look at me.”  

Zuko smiled softly, pressing his lips to your forehead.  

“I look at you, and I am alive.”

Zuko placed his hands on your waist as you wrapped yours around his neck.

“Dance with me,” you whispered. Zuko blushed – forever the one with two left feet – and the two of you danced, softly, delicately, holding each other as if all the love in the world had been given to only you both in that moment. Water rushed over your feet as you moved across the sand. A laugh escaped you as Zuko caught his foot on yours, accidentally tripping you up as you both fell into the sand, water lapping at your feet. Sighing, you ran your fingers through his hair as you rested on top of him.

“I think I loved you the moment I saw you. Even if I didn’t know it then,” you’d whispered, gazing into his eyes. Zuko had raised his head slightly, watching you carefully, almost as if he didn’t believe you. “We will be remembered, Zuko. For the right reasons.”

Pulling himself off the sand, Zuko lent back, allowing you to shuffle into his arms. You sat silently together, watching as the stars began to dot across the night sky, peaceful and content like neither of you had ever felt before.

Zuko woke slowly, the first rays of the new day dawning. You stood before him, hazy and radiant and celestial in your beauty, before reaching one hand out to him.

“Come, Zuko. There’s still so much more to see.”

Zuko’s eyes closed, a long, deep breath escaping for one final time. He was in his dreams now – dreaming his dreams with you.

_____

“Lord Zuko,” Mira called, unsurprised to find the elderly Lord had once again slept on his balcony.

Mira approached him, a gasp of shock leaving her as she realised just how peaceful he looked. In his hands he held a small, silver hair clip, adorned with white and blue gems and beads.

Ah. Together again.

_____

oddment-niwit-blubber-tweak

eridanuswave

coldlilheart

thirstyforsometea

lammello

whalerus

astroninaaa

lil-lex1

zukosvice

darkskin-buttercup

yiyibetch

[frodos-bizarre-adventure]

@gingerreggg think i oughta make an ao3 of this?

Heads Up- Part 13 (Joseph x Bust! Caesar)

▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪▪

"Morning, Jojo," Caesar said gently, planting a kiss on Joseph's forehead.

Joseph, still not opening his eyes, hummed faintly and gave a smile, hugging the base of Caesar's torso warmly.

"Hey...this is a nicer way to wake me up," he said with a laugh.

From the first days when Caesar sat on his bedside tabe screaming at him like some sort of glorified alarm clock, their morning routines had become far more gentle and affectionate as, bit by bit, Joseph's perception of Caesar changed.

It had been a rollercoaster of emotions since the bust first came screaming and bouncing his way into his life. From initial fear, to confusion, to fascination, to guilt, to understanding, to friendship to gentle affection.

They'd come a long way in just a few weeks being together.

Joseph stood up for breakfast, but before he left he gently lifted Caesar from his bed and gently laid him onto the floor where he was able to hop over to the kitchen. As much as Joseph wanted ro grant Caesar some independence, the fact remained that he was, after all, a living disembodied head with only the smallest piece of a torso, and no matter how much he tried there were some things he simply couldn't do.

It was a bit like having a roommate with special needs, and Joseph didn't mind giving him some assistance whenever he needed it-- though he was happy to let Caesar be when he was sure about things he could do on his own.

And Caesar was surprisingly adaptable, having lived with his unusual form for over a month now. His hopping on his neck was quite slow and clumsy as always, if now a lot more balanced, but the skill of his mouth manipulation had been astounding. Not only at painting and writing, but also in holding and using tools, operating the little lifts Joseph made to help him get up and down tables, or stacking the wooden blocks Suzi brought him into fun shapes and structures.

And, with persistent gnawing, licking and nose pressing, Caesar had learned how to, in his own awkward, bizarre way, figured out how to operate the remote of the TV, and spent quite a lot of his time bingeing soap operas, much to Joseph and Suzi's amusement.

"Morning, Suzi!" Joseph greeted, as he made his way to the kitchen. She'd woken up early and was stirring a cup of coffee, and she looked up and greeted the two in her usual cheery self.

"Morning Jojo!" she said with a smile. "Morning too, Caesar," she added, looking down at the hopping bust on the floor.

Her presence had been a near-constant in the past few days, though she did have a home a few blocks down the street. Joseph could tell she enjoyed staying with them, with the alternative having been mostly alone in her apartment with little to do now that she'd graduated.

Joseph could tell she was lonely. Especially since they previously hadn't spent much time together for a couple of years.

And now Caesar had brought them together.

Caesar hopped onto the platform and pulled at the rope with his teeth, lifting himself up onto the table. Suzi couldn't help but watch in awe-- it looked as if it took Caesar so much effort to move around, but he somehow just managed.

"It's honestly quite funny how you came to just accept all this," Caesar joked as he hopped onto the kitchen table. "You'd think that you'd take much longer to get used to me, a talking head of clay."

"Well, at first it was odd," Suzi replied.

Caesar laughed, remembering their first encounter. "You kept trying to grab me and touch me all over the first time we met."

"Well...you're just amazing," she told him.

"And getting to know you more? You're a really good person deep down," she added. "Sure, a little rough around the edges at times, maybe, but your determination, your personality, your warmth... you've added so much to me and Joseph's lives since you came."

Caesar smiled, a shy, flustered smile that would have had come with a blush if he hadn't been clay.

"Plus the way you get around is rather cute," she giggled. "You remind me of the lamp from those Pixar intros."

"Oh, don't you think I didn't get that," Caesar retorted playfully.

Joseph, in the meantime, had been making breakfast, mostly just coffee, canned beans, a boiled egg and some toast. Whipping up his meal the best as he could, him being in no way a talented chef, he piled the ingredients onto his plate and sat down onto the kitchen table.

Caesar looked wistfully at the plate. "If only I could enjoy that too." he said with a dry laugh.

Made of clay, Caesar never felt the need to eat, or drink, or even breathe. He wasn't quite sure what even sustained him every time he woke up in the morning.

At this point, it was easier to just say "magic".

"Alright, here you go," Joseph grinned. He dipped his finger into the sauce of the baked beans and held it out for Caesar to taste.

He stuck out his tongue and gently touched Joseph's finger with its tip.

"Hmmm...not bad," he said. He could taste and smell, despite not needing to eat or breathe, and exactly why, or how, was a question Caesar opted not to bother himself with.

Joseph smiled. Just the knowledge that Caesar was able to enjoy the little things in life brought him a sense of satisfied joy. Sure, there were some things that he was missing out on due to his nature as a living clay bust, but what mattered were the things that could make his dull existence just a bit brighter.

There were things he couldn't change, and realities he had to accept, but he knew Caesar could make do with whatever he did have.

Sometimes it was just better to submit to the winds than fight it, Joseph thought.

Submit.

That one word suddenly struck Joseph like a freight train.

--------

"Oh no," Joseph mumbled to himself in realisation.

Both Caesar and Suzi suddenly looked concerned at the abrupt change in Joseph's demeanor.

"What's the matter, Jojo?" Caesar asked.

"What date is it?" Joseph asked, tapping his hand lightly, anxiously, on the kitchen countertop.

Suzi checked her phone. "March 24, why?"

Joseph scratched his head in frustration. "My finals project! It's...it's due in two weeks!" He knew he had to pass his work, otherwise he wouldn't graduate his final year.

He'd completely forgotten, so engrossed he was with his strange new life with Caesar, and his long-due reunion with his old friend Suzi.

He'd fallen into a little fantasy and reality suddenly burst his colorful little bubble of joy.

Joseph's heart sank in realization. His finals project was Caesar.

Except he couldn't bear to think of him as such anymore. In their time together Caesar had become much more than an artistic masterpiece. He had become a person. He was alive. He was a companion, a partner, a friend.

Joseph loved him.

"I...I need to come up with something to submit to the gallery if I expect to make it to the end of the semester," Joseph said wearily, scratching his head in exasperation.

Suzi's usual cheer suddenly faded and was replaced with unease.

"Jojo..." she said, her voice heavy with concern. "Isn't...your project..."

Joseph sighed. "Yes. I know."

Caesar knew right away what Joseph had been talking about.

He felt an immense sadness at the realization that his very existence was a roadblock to Joseph achieving his dream.

"But...but how could I?" Joseph continued. "He's not just a project anymore, Suzi. He's a person."

Joseph shuddered at the thought of the fate that awaited Caesar, to be put on display in a glass case at the gallery. And what if they found out he was alive? What would they do to him?

"Perhaps you could still make a new project in the meantime?" Suzi asked.

"We don't have time," Joseph said. "It took me months to make Caesar to his perfection, what could I do in two weeks? What would they think if someone as reputed and talented as me passed a half-assed artwork as my final masterpiece?"

"I understand," Suzi sighed.

This was a dilemma that weighed heavily on Joseph's heart. On one hand, he had dreamed of being renowned for his talent and skill in creating art. To earn his stern, distant mother's approval. To gain recognition for his passion that he had.

But on the other hand, it would mean giving up Caesar. The little unexpected miracle that had come into his life one day and made it all the more brighter. The friend he never knew he needed. He felt like to do such a thing would be tantamount to abandoning a friend.

Caesar could see the grief in Joseph's eyes.

"I can't do this," Joseph mourned. "I can't do this to you."

Caesar could see the pain and conflict in Joseph's face, and he hurt inside too. He just wanted Joseph to be happy, and it crushed his figurative heart to see Joseph, the one single person he'd known all his brief life, in such a sorry state.

He wanted him to be happy. Whatever it takes.

A determined expression crept onto Caesar's face.

"I'll do it." he said defiantly.

Joseph and Suzi's eyes widened in shock.

"Caesar, no..." was all Suzi could say.

"But I must," Caesar insisted. "It's what you made me for, right, Jojo? This...this is why I exist. To display your talent and help you achieve your dream."

"This is my purpose," Caesar concluded.

"But why?" Joseph pleaded, looking into the eyes of his precious creation. "Why are you doing this? What about you?"

"I'll be fine," Caesar reassured. "I'm good at freezing up when people are around. They wouldn't even know."

Joseph looked upset at the thought of Caesar spending the rest of his existence in a gallery. He deserved a life.

"Jojo, I owe you everything," Caesar insisted. "You've made me live, even if it wasn't your intention. You've given me the best life you could in spite of what I am. The very fact you saw me as a person, who deserved existence as much as you, when I first awoke...for that I am ever grateful," he said. "And this is the best way I can pay you back for all you've done for me."

"Because..." Caesar hesitated.

He didn't seem sure how to say it.

"Because..."

He closed his eyes and gave a sigh.

"...because I love you, Jojo."

Was it strange that a creation had feelings for his creator? Or for a creator to feel the same?

For the same feeling had been welling up in Joseph's heart, and Caesar declaring his feelings first was like opening the floodgates of Joseph's emotions.

"Caesar..." he said, tears building up in his eyes as he gazed back into Caesar's eyes, past the polished, clay pupils and into the beautiful soul that resided within.

"I love you too," he said.

Caesar felt a warmth like never before in hearing Joseph's declaration. His brilliant blue eyes were so sincere, so full of affection, and Caesar was steadfast to do anything for him, as much as he possibly could, no matter what lay ahead.

Despite his lingering anxiety at his uncertain fate.

"So, what now?" Suzi asked, interrupting the tender moment. "How do we do this?"

Joseph, encouraged by Caesar's declaration, and his refusal to let Caesar make such a tremendous sacrifice, did what he did best.

He began to think of a plan.

"Caesar, how long can you freeze up like a statue?" he asked.

"I am a statue," Caesar replied.

"No, no, like a regular, non-living statue?" Joseph specified.

"I mean, I don't have muscles to ache or need to blink, so I guess a long time?" Caesar explained. "I've never tried how long."

"I won't let them make you have to do it forever," Joseph promised. "But I have an idea."

"Hmmm?" Caesar and Suzi hummed in unison, their interest piqued.

"There's a two-day ceremony where the judges grade the artworks," Joseph explained. "I just gotta get Caesar in there, get him graded, and take him home. He'll be up on display for two days, and then I can take him back. Hopefully, assuming he doesn't get selected for permanent exhibit..."

"All you have to do is try not to move. Can you do that for me?" Joseph asked him.

"I'll try my best," Caesar answered, now with a hint of uncertainty, as he slowly realized what he'd have to do.

"Come on, Caesar," Suzi added, realizing how Joseph's plan would unfold. "People will get to see you. They'll see how beautiful you are. Wouldn't you like that?"

"But I've never been around people before!" Caesar answered, suddenly not so sure about his decision but still determined to help Joseph.

"What if I moved and gave up our whole secret?"

"Well then," Joseph said, as he resumed trying to finish his breakfast.

"I suppose we ought to start practicing."

----------

(Previous Chapter)

(Next Chapter)

[hexalt]

Schitt’s Creek and the Transformative Power of Love

I first watched the pilot for Schitt’s Creek in the early part of 2019 and found it...eccentric. Not really funny, the characters weren’t speaking to me (except for Stevie (Emily Hampshire), whom I felt a kinship with), and the story seemed odd. I decided this show just wasn’t for me, and I had given it my best shot. Many months later, one of my best friends was posting about it frequently. Since we have the same taste, I thought maybe it was just the pilot. Maybe I should give it another shot. Maybe this time I’ll actually like it. So I started it from the pilot again, and I kept watching even if I wasn’t thoroughly entertained. I soon grew to love the two black sheep and having characters you understand always makes things easier.

What I didn’t realize when I started the show was that the characters were each more than they seem, they weren’t meant to be shallow jokes of themselves and their personas. The way they acted was often a façade hiding their insecurities of not being good enough in a variety of ways. The only other show that I’ve seen with a somewhat similar premise is Arrested Development, but there the characters are supposed to be absolutely ignorant, privileged assholes with no redeeming qualities.

I didn’t realize each season is better than the last, an astounding and rare feat in television. The quality of each season improves as the show quickly finds its footing by discarding early storylines that didn’t really work and letting the characters slowly becoming more grounded and open. This family that was once so distant that the parents didn’t even know their daughter’s middle name eventually develop genuine relationships for the first time with each other and other people.

Schitt’s Creek, co-created by father and son, Eugene (American Pie, Best in Show) and Dan Levy, wanted us to ultimately empathize with these characters, even if the remnants of their wealth can make them profoundly delusional and hilarious a lot of the time. Before writing the show, they created timelines going back to their characters’ elementary school years, detailing everything from where they worked to what they wore.

The fashion on the show is distinct and the best dressed I’ve seen in any show (and most films). Dan is huge into fashion and personally selects a lot of pieces worn in the show (some of David’s clothes are even from his own wardrobe). Instead of constantly telling the audience that this family used to be rich, we are reminded of it through Moira’s wall of wigs and couture black and white ensembles, David’s patterned black sweaters and low crotch pants, Alexis’s bohemian dresses and headbands, and Johnny’s array of business suits. When they enter any room in town, they are clearly fish out of water.

Schitt’s Creek centers on the Roses, a once-disgustingly wealthy family who lose their fortune and are forced to move to the only asset they have left: a small town named Schitt’s Creek that Johnny Rose (Eugene Levy) bought as a joke for his son, David (Dan Levy). So dilapidated is Schitt's Creek and so destitute are the Roses, they don't even have a house of their own; instead they are forced to live in a motel with two connecting rooms, forgoing all the luxury they had become accustomed to and, more terrifyingly, are now physically closer than ever.

While at first the family is horrified at the prospect of living in such a small town with townies, they eventually embrace the weirdness of the town, and it makes them grow in unexpected ways. Johnny was once the owner of the second-largest video rental store in the country and retains his businessman-like self through and through, but he also began the show more uppity. While he is often the most reasonable of the Roses, he often sees himself as above others in town and gets into awkward situations because of it. Over the course of the show he ends up developing a friendship with the town mayor to whom he initially had yelled “get the fuck out!” While he’s always devoted to his wife, he wasn’t so keen on his children, but being forced to live together makes him take a larger interest in their lives and become a better father.

Alexis (Annie Murphy) is the quintessential “dumb blonde” socialite who’s had a Schitt-ton of relationships with powerful men, making stories of her past highly entertaining, often illegal, and frequently frightening. She clearly grew up way too fast, never having had proper adult supervision. She’s reliant on men, and all she can think about in season one is trying to date cute guys. In the following seasons, she realizes it’s time to start growing up and gets her high school and Associate’s Degree to start her own PR business. She becomes a more enlightened version of herself, still deeply kind but also willing to put the happiness of others above her own. The Alexis who previously couldn’t see beyond her own nose becomes independent and more selfless.

David’s had hundreds of flings with people of all genders, but they seem to be replete with abuse, manipulation, and a lack of care for his being. This is unsurprising when we see how he hides his insecurity behind sarcasm and sometimes downplays things he doesn’t like to fit in. He fears showing kindness to anyone because others haven’t always been so kind to him. Early on, he has a panic attack and comes to the realization that he’s “really lonely here,” but he’s been lonely for a lot longer than that. What he doesn’t expect is to make his first best friend or find his soon-to-be husband in this backwater town. In the process, he learns to shed some of his armor.

Moira (Catherine O’Hara) was once on a soap opera, Sunrise Bay, and retains the melodrama in her day-to-day life and demeanor. She is constantly trying to become what she believes is a star: someone who acts in film, someone who everyone mourns when they die, someone who people will just pay one sliver of attention to. She’s desperately trying to cling to the spotlight, but in “Life is a Cabaret,” she finds what I believe will be her place come this final season. Rather than trying to constantly soak up attention, she gives Stevie the starring role in the town’s production of Cabaret (which Moira comes to direct) because getting that role was a “gift that once jolted [her] out of [her] little podunk routine.” From the wings of the stage, as Stevie slowly builds into “Maybe This Time” with such breathtaking passion and joy after starting off unsure and quiet, Moira is shocked at what she was able to bring out of Stevie. She’s finally realizing that her place isn’t center stage but in bringing out the best in others and helping them find their place in the world.

Stevie Budd begins as the desk clerk of the Schitt’s Creek motel until her great-aunt passes away, and she inherits the motel. From there she has to decide whether she’s ready to grow up and take over the family business, and she’s terrified. Johnny soon teams up with her in the business, renovating the motel and renaming it after both of them, so she sees the Roses aren’t going to abandon her. She is part of the Rose’s found family. Her and David are similar in their bluntness and sarcasm, but Stevie is insecure about never making it out of the town, never being more than a motel desk clerk, never having a long-term romantic relationship. She worries while everyone moves on with their lives, she’s “watching it all happen from behind the desk.”

Dan describes creating Schitt’s Creek as “writing a world that examines the transformational effects of love when the threat of hate and intolerance has been removed from the equation.” While homophobia is often front and center in any media depicting LGBT characters, Schitt’s Creek doesn’t give it as much thought. Where small towns are usually seen as ripe for homophobia, transphobia, and other discrimination, Schitt’s Creek doesn’t fall prey to this trope. Instead, this small town is bursting with love.

Dan purposely made David pansexual (it’s also the only show I’ve seen use the word) to challenge the viewer’s biases and push the boundaries of what it means to be masculine and feminine. David’s parents and others in the town never discuss it as anything strange or bad, it’s something he simply is and as common as the sky being blue. When David tells Stevie about his sexuality (“I like the wine, not the label”), she’s a bit surprised at first because she thought he was gay, but ultimately she doesn’t care.

This doesn’t mean the show never discusses what homophobia can be like, but it comes at it from a different lens.

For example, in “Meet the Parents,” David decides to throw a surprise birthday party for his boyfriend, Patrick Brewer (Noah Reid). What David doesn’t realize is Patrick hasn’t come out to his parents yet, they think David is solely his business partner. He tells David, “I know my parents are good people, I just...can’t shake this fear that there is a small chance that this could change everything.” David himself is prepared for homophobia from Patrick’s parents, but when they tell him they don’t care about that, just that he was hiding such an important part of himself from them, David who’s been trying to stay strong through it all wipes a tear.

“When I found myself in a position to tell stories on a global scale, I seized the opportunity to make a television show that might, in its own way, offer some support, encouragement and love to those who might not have it in their homes or in their schools or in their day to day lives. It’s a place where acceptance incubates joy and creates a clarity that allows people to see themselves and each other more deeply. It’s fiction, yes. But I’ve always been told to lead by example and this felt like a good place to start.”

— Dan Levy

I would be remiss to not touch on the comedic style of the show. This is a comedy that relies heavily on the physicality of its actors. Their facial expressions, accents and tonality, their limp wrists, each create uniquely funny characters with mannerisms unlike any I’ve seen. The cast brought nuance to the characters, when they could have easily fallen into vapid stereotypes.

As season 6 premiered on January 7, Schitt’s Creek is not done yet, and I can’t wait to see how its final season concludes. The characters are all happier now that they are achieving dreams they may not have known they had, they have fulfilling relationships with family and friends, and they all have grown into better people. Schitt’s Creek truly was their saving grace.

*

I’m in a TV group where we wrote essays on our favorite shows of the 2010s, so here is mine on Schitt’s Creek.

[randombtsprincessa]

Bold

Author: Randombtsprincessa

Characters: Jung Hoseok x Kim Seokjin 

Words: 4.1k

Genre/Rating: Smut/fluff (NC - 17)

Prompt: 2seok with bad boy Jin (think tattoos, motorbikes, intimidating af but rescues kittens type) and model student shy and sweet Hoseok.

Warning: Clubbing, social drinking, mentions of drunken sex, tattoed blond Jin, flirting, LGBTQ+ fic, MxM fic, bad father, bad childhood mentions, volunteering work, kissing, blowjob in a garage, unprotected oral (male receiving) [be safe folks].

A/N: The following work is a part of @ficswithluv ‘s amazing project Change With Luv. It was commissioned by the lovely Ducky ( @diedinwarofhormones​ ) Thank you for the commission and let’s hope the donation helps bring about some really needed reforms! It is my very first mxm fic so please be a little lenient in judgement and I kept the smut not very explicit just in case (also because I exceeded the word limit shhh) so yeah. I hope you enjoy! Please do check out the project to help bring some change to the world and art to the world! 

Now, do welcome the gif that brought together the last scene of the fic!

In life, there are three sets of people who go hand in hand.

There are the people who are completely alike, do everything together, share hobbies and end up being the ‘goals’ that are usually portrayed on every hyped up couples instagram.

There are people who seem to just mesh well, go about in their personal bubbles as things either go well or not.

And then…there are the people who are nothing alike. They are poles apart, one league away from each other.

Yet, they are brought closer and closer to each other and gel together in a manner that astounds the people surrounding them.

Or so Jung Hoseok had read somewhere; in a book, maybe in his adolescence, in those past teen years that seem like a dream.

He was grown up now, in college and while he had kept on the rosy tint in his cheeks, he had shed off most of his earlier romantic notions.

After all, college was a step forward towards the future he craved desperately. And he worked hard for it, to graduate and then carry on further into a blissful, stress free life.

So, when he came in touch with the circle in which Kim Seokjin moved, well…

All those ideals and notions came back like a sucker punch.

To be very honest, a club scene where there was too much light but nothing could be seen, where a bass thumped that irritatingly made you feel like you had a second heartbeat, too many sweaty bodies that merged, collided to a rambling beat and alcohol that cost half a days’ worth income – even on a campus ground, was not to Hoseok’s taste.

However, his best friend Namjoon had dragged him out of his room this time, screaming, wailing, and crawling – for once to pry Hoseok away from those chemistry books that still had equations pounding in his cranium.

Many minutes after arriving at the party, Namjoon had disappeared.

Hoseok had no idea where; if there was someone who was more shy, nerdy or awkward than him…it was Kim Namjoon.

He hoped he was getting laid somewhere, that way he’d be much less annoyed when Hoseok inevitably left to go home.

He turned his torso around to the crowd, and although he could see absolutely nothing clearly, he tried, he really did.

He reached up, straightened onto the bar stool so he could look over the multiple heads. Most of the flashing lights glinted against his glasses, blinding him and he sighed. Slumping back, he admitted defeat, looking along the length of the bar.

Maybe he should order another drink?

It wasn’t midnight just yet. He could make it till 12 and then slip away. After all, if Namjoon was around and…not otherwise occupied, he would come over so they could both go back to the dorm.

They both had early and lengthy classes for god’s sake.

As he stretched out a hand, to attract the bartender’s attention, he saw him.

The angle the man sat at made it impossible for him to get a clear look at his face. However, it was easy to discern the hunch of his shoulders, too wide, clad in a smooth leather jacket that exploded rainbows whenever a streak of light bounced off of the man.

Deep blond hair ruffled on top of the head and he could barely make out the hints of a neck tattoo.

The bartender soon came over to take his order and after refilling the drink, Hoseok decided that he could stay a bit more, just to see what the stranger looked like maybe.

“Buddy, take a picture. It’ll last longer.”

Hoseok started, the rim of the glass jolting against his teeth at the move as the man turned his head to look at him head on, one dark eyebrow quirked.

Suffice it to say, the man was breathtaking.

The soft blond hair accentuated the poufy lips of the man, glistening wet from the alcohol. The leather jacket showed off a swimmer’s body, a silver clasp at his thin waist.

Hoseok was tempted to think that this man put his last boyfriend to shame.

“I’m sorry; I must’ve just stared at you. I was zoning out.” Hoseok excused himself.

“Don’t worry about it.” The man grinned, leaning forward so he would be audible. “You here with someone?”

“My roommate…he’s disappeared.”

The stranger nodded, taking a swig from his glass. “Yeah, that happens around here. If you wanna zone out a bit more, feel free but only cause you’re cute.”

Hoseok’s mouth fell open at the flirting, gaping like a fish as the man grinned yet again, this time feral.

“I…I wasn’t…”

“Like I said, don’t worry about it, pretty boy.”

The man was taking the final gulp, placing the glass next to Hoseok, along with a couple bills under the glass. “Buy yourself a drink from me, would you?”

Hoseok could only stare at the glass and money, still shocked at the bold advance of a complete stranger.

“Oh and hey pretty boy,”

Hoseok turned to look at the exiting male.

“Next time, I’m gonna start charging.”

He turned after that, not hindered by any of the swirling bodies in his path, leaving Hoseok to wonder if maybe he should’ve gotten the name of the man, or at least given his own.

“You’re, like, not even listening to me.” Namjoon snapped Hoseok’s attention towards himself, a pen tapping insistently against his notebook.

“Yes I am,” Hoseok immediately defended but it was too late.

Namjoon had already shoved the study materials that were strewn across the table to one side, both arms coming up to cradle his head. “Go on, purge.”

“I don’t have anything to say to you, I swear.” Hoseok could hear the defensiveness in his own voice and while it was partly true, he knew he would have to cave in the face of his best friend.

“Fine…I met this guy at the club party a couple nights ago.”

Namjoon stared.

“The one you left me alone at.”

That seemed to jog his memory, causing a delicate sheen of plum to spread along his cheeks. “I said I was sorry, I mean...I saw Taehyung and he looked like –,”

“A dream, yes, I got that.” Hoseok stopped himself from rolling his eyes at the slightly…enormous crush that Namjoon harbored towards the popular junior.

“You didn’t tell me about this guy though,” Namjoon continued.

What was there to tell? Yes, he’d conversed briefly with an absolute stranger for not more than five minutes. Yes, he had never felt this wildly attracted to anyone before. At least, not so much that warranted mooning over him for more than a day. He also knew that there was a good chance that he would never run into him again.

He didn’t even know his name. There was nothing tying the both of them.

Unless he wanted to end up like Namjoon, in a puppy love with a guy he was too scared to talk to, he’d have to move on.

After all; Hoseok thought back to the sleek black lines that ran along the man’s skin, the tight leather that clung to him, smelling of liquor that was alluring in its own right; he was someone Hoseok would not usually find himself associated with.

He was probably a patented bad boy, and Hoseok well…he was model student.

“You just flaked on me again, bro.” Namjoon poked his arm.

“Sorry, so, you didn’t get laid that night then? Why didn’t you come find me?”

“I kind of did; but I don’t know if you can call it that. The chick and I both were pretty smashed and all I could think about was Taehyung’s --,”

“No thanks, I don’t need that imagery in my head.” Hoseok interrupted with a sharp flutter of his hands, raising them to cover his ears.

Namjoon broke out laughing, before shaking his head. “So, do you know anything about this mysterious man of yours?”

“No, but I do know, we have a test tomorrow, so let’s get back to work, shall we?”

Yes, he did know one thing. It was to never hold true to ideals about anything. Somehow they always got smashed to pieces.

Hoseok had been right to let go of past ideals as he grew up.

He was sitting in the café, books open as he checked the answers to his test. A smooth cream latte sat near his hand with a plate of the café bakery’s special made chocolate chip cookies. Hoseok and Namjoon being regulars meant the staff knew their preferences and it was a god send when the both of them would stumble in, bleary and hazy from their workload to a ready steaming cup and some desperately needed sugar.

He had attempted to put away thoughts of any blonde men that may have crossed his path to solely worry about how chemistry worked in anatomy and it had somewhat paid off, if only all his answers mirrored the ones in his notes.

So, when he heard that same voice, calling out from the wide open door that had haunted him for the past few days, he had to look up.

In the daylight, if possible The Stranger looked much more beautiful than what the club lights paid homage to. He was awfully tall and broad, the same leather jacket and belt still wrapped around him, only this time, he had a helmet clasped under an arm and his hair was mussed from probably being trapped under it.

Big boots thudded, as Hoseok watched the man make his way to the counter, a hard smile ready for the counter worker who clearly stuttered in talking with him, while boxing up a few things.

Must be another regular; Hoseok thought back if he had ever seen him around but glossed over him. Nothing came to mind, even as the man slid over his payment before grabbing the handles of the bag, laughing at something the barista said.

Sensing that he was about to turn about, Hoseok looked down quickly, nearly burying his face behind the book.

He prayed; eyes closed that he hadn’t been caught. While he had hoped for another sight of his stranger, Hoseok hadn’t accounted for what he would do if it did happen. All the times, he’d imagined meeting up in his daydreams, they always stopped short when it came to a response on his part.

“…hey, it’s you.”

Hoseok gulped, wondering why he wasn’t invisible as he looked up, caught in the dark gaze of The Stranger again.

“It is you. Remember me?” The man tilted his head, shifting the helmet in his arms.

“Oh…yeah, in the club, of course,” Hoseok’s voice shook, hands dropping the book to the table as he worked hard to form coherent sentences.

The man’s eyes flashed to the books, grinning with those teeth flashing. “You’re a student.”

There was no room to deny it even as Hoseok chuckled. “Yeah, what about you?”

“Oh I’m done. I just hang about now.” He lowered his voice as if admitting to a mock crime and after a deep breath, Hoseok let out a much more relaxed grin.

In the light, it was easier to tell how different they really were. He was leather-clad, motorcycle helmet laden. Hoseok was wearing a knit sweater and simple jeans and sneakers, a school bag at his feet and his books strewn about a table.

Worlds apart…

Hoseok was someone easy to approach, to talk to, while this man was obviously not someone who anyone would go to first. However, even with the dark aura that hung about him, the way he talked, to ease Hoseok up, revealed something much softer beneath him.

“Speaking of which, I need to go. I will see you around I guess.” The man said.

Your name - give him your damn name, Hobi.

“My name is Hoseok. I forgot to mention it last time.” He said quickly.

The man paused in opening the door, a quirk to his lips. “I’ll remember that.”

And he was gone, with Hoseok watching his walk to a Harley parked nearby, straddling it as he put on the helmet. The Stranger hadn’t afforded Hoseok his own name…

Maybe they were too different. And maybe Hoseok wasn’t the only one who was aware of that fact.

Even if - Hoseok thought as he stared at the boy sitting opposite him - he wasn’t the only one who knew how different their lives were, neither seemed too intent on cutting their losses just at the moment.

Hoseok hadn’t timed himself, he swore up and down that the reason he was frequenting the café more and more was the increased need for coffee and not the need to catch an elusive Seokjin, whose name he’d caught only accidentally when the barista called for his order.

However, now here they were sitting across from each other.

He was still just as intimidating at first glance, a cold tilt to his head at anyone who he didn’t favor approaching him. A light scoff followed whenever he overheard something particularly obnoxious and rough looking fingers that Hoseok couldn’t help but want to touch.

He was in too deep, he figured. His mind had compartmentalized the raging crush he harbored for the new and exciting addition to his world but he knew that amidst his straight As and glowing recommendations, Jin would not only not sit well, but also appear…unsavory.

And Hoseok absolutely, blissfully, just didn’t care.

He had had a bad childhood, Seokjin had told him. A rich father, who had abandoned his family to ‘fuck about’ as he put it, with packets of money deposited for their upkeep but Jin didn’t touch it.

His mother had paid through the money in a trust after he had graduated in business but instead of putting his degree to use, he’d started working in a garage, now partner in it.

That explained the motorcycle, Hoseok had joked while Jin had only shrugged.

“I also volunteer a lot of my free time. My mom, well, I love her but she’s got her own life now…and she puts all of my father’s money in the trust still so I don’t have to bother her about anything. I don’t think she enjoys having a reminder of my dad around anyway.”

All Hoseok could do was nod his head sadly at him.

So when Seokjin offered to show Hoseok about the volunteering he did, he jumped at the opportunity. He had a chance to see what the man really was like under the façade of the cool bravado and Hoseok could feel intrigue tingling at his fingertips.

He wasn’t disappointed.

Seokjin took him to an animal shelter first, filled with puppies with big eyes, kittens that purred and curled up under their chins, bigger dogs and cats that were soft to touch and clearly abandoned and starved for loved. There were birds too, brightly colored and some wild and a couple of pigs and horses. Each animal that Jin visited seemed to love him, curling under his touch, molding them to him.

The next place they visited was a children’s library. A large group of toddlers shrieked when they saw him, swarming up to him and begging for a story. Hoseok watched with a bemused smile for an hour as Jin made animal and vehicle noises to entertain the spellbound kids.

When finally, they visited a retirement home, it was then that Hoseok saw the brief haunted look behind Seokjin’s eyes. It was just a glance, as he wiped an old woman’s mouth as she chuckled motherly at him, the rice that clung to her chin not fazing Jin in the slightest.

“It’s like having a family of my own.” He whispered as Hoseok put a hand to his shoulder, still hesitant.

“You miss them.”

“I do, but I would rather do this than let them be burdened by my presence again.”

“Maybe, they don’t feel that way.”

Seokjin didn’t reply to that, instead standing with a lovable smile to the lady who waved goodbye. “I’ll drop you off at your dorm.” He said.

His voice scared Hoseok. There was an air of finality there, as if he knew he’d shown Hoseok much more than was necessary. More than he needed to, to a guy who he probably wouldn’t see much of in the future.

“I’m not ready to go just yet.”

Hoseok knew he sounded desperate but there was nothing he could do. He had to accept his reality.

Seokjin turned with a curious look, puzzled at the heaviness in Hoseok’s voice before smirking. “Then there’s one more place I can show you. Let’s grab some dinner first.”

“This is amazing.” Hoseok whispered, awed as Jin flicked on light switches.

When Jin had said he was going to take him to his garage, Hoseok expected something like a shed, greased and metal barred. This was, this was sleek, all black steel and huge lights swinging from the ceiling.

“I spent a good deal of dad’s money on this. Hence, why I got the partnership, I saved the place from sinking. The upscale décor brings in some solid clients so, I guess you could say my sense of style did the job.” Jin kicked at a few strewn crates, turning to throw a wink at Hoseok.

Hoseok looked down at the remnants burger in his hand, biting the piece down into his mouth so as to not answer.

He watched, surreptitiously as Jin undid the jacket, removing his arms from the leather sleeves to reveal an extremely thin white tank top that sent a swoop down Hoseok’s throat, settling somewhere in his gut.

Jin turned; pausing Hoseok’s ogling at his muscled back as he stretched out his arms over his head, a thin strip of his stomach showing.

Hoseok swallowed loudly, the bite of burger going the wrong path and he broke out in coughs.

“Hey, what…” Seokjin laughed, pulling out a water bottle from a mini fridge to pass it to the wheezing boy. “Calm down, pretty boy. I know the burger’s good but eat slowly.”

Hoseok pulled the bottle away, eyes still watering.

This was too much; here he was, Hoseok, a nice kid who tried to steer clear from all sorts of ‘trouble’ and he was here with Kim Seokjin, someone who people would say embodied trouble.

And what was he doing?

Why, all he wanted was Seokjin to ram against him on the surface of one of the cars of course.

He was worse than Namjoon.

“I think…I should go.” Hoseok stuttered, casting his eyes down. This was it, the final time he put himself in the path of such temptations. Jin would never look twice at someone like him. He was in way over his head.

“Hey pretty boy,”

Hoseok looked up at Seokjin, who now stood too close to his face, blond hair hanging in his eyes, lips pulled into his teeth.

“Tell me something, why are you so scared of me?” Jin asked.

Hoseok blinked, all previous concerns evaporating. “Wait, what…? I’m not scared of you.” He said, conviction strengthening his voice.

“Really,” Jin moved in, eyes dropping to the way Hoseok chewed on his bottom lip. “So, why do you keep pulling away? You stare at me, flirt with me, hold on to me on the bike, but when I bring you here and when we’re alone for too long you withdraw.”

Hoseok thudded back against something and Jin took advantage, lifting his hands and putting them on either side of his body, caging him in.

“I’m…I’m not scared of you.” Hoseok sighed, giving in. “I’m scared of well, my feelings, as cliché as it seems.”

“Why?” Seokjin asked smoothly.

“Because we’re so different; I mean you’re a rich kid who acts like a bad boy but is so kind and sweet under all that toughness and I’m…I’m a good sweet boy who would never - never be able to keep up with someone like you. I’m putting myself up for disappointment when you realize it too.”

Seokjin stared at Hoseok, hard and deep. He looked almost angry – dangerous...gorgeous.

“You know what I realized actually?” He asked. There was a pleasant lilt to his tone but Hoseok could feel the undercurrents of a threat to it.

He leaned in, making Hoseok press himself to the wall, his body almost vibrating from the proximity.

“I realized that you’re exactly the kind of person who can keep up with me. I realized that it doesn’t matter if we belong to different circles. I realized that I should probably kiss you right now because you might be a grade-A kid but baby, you’re fucking stupid.

Hoseok had no time to even draw a full breath. Jin had reared back and then slammed Hoseok back again. The hands that Hoseok had dreamed of touching now gripped his cheeks, Jin’s mouth fully on his, swallowing the surprised squeaks he embarrassingly let out.

Seokjin chuckled against his lips, pulling back just enough to nip at his chin. “Fuck, I should’ve done that in the club.”

Hoseok reached forward to tug Jin back, taking over the kiss this time as he delved into the older boy’s mouth, tasting the soda on his tongue.

“Not a complete good boy, then.” Jin commented, reaching back to tug off the tank.

Hoseok lounged against the wall, idly tracing over the tattoos that ran over Jin’s exquisite body. “What do they mean?” He asked as Jin tugged off Hoseok’s shirt too.

Jin paused, glancing down at his torso.

“This,” he raised his arm. “A compass to point me in the right direction,” He moved to his shoulder. “The lion to keep me strong and brave,” he smirked suddenly, grabbing Hoseok’s hand and placing it against the burning skin of his chest. “The tree keeps me kind and nurturing.”

Hoseok met Jin’s gaze, running his hand down to his belt, fiddling with the clasp.

“Wait,” Jin stopped him, shoving his hand away. “This is about you. Let me take care of you tonight.”

“What do you mean, oh,” Hoseok’s voice pitched higher as Jin fluidly sank to his knees in front of him. Deft, nimble fingers undid the buttons and zipper on his jeans, pulling the band and the underwear down to free his gorged shaft.

“Fuck,” Jin and Hoseok both let out as Jin swept his hands against the soft skin. He was hard, Hoseok marveled, hard enough to drip over Jin’s palms which he smeared back onto his skin to make the slide easier.

A loud moan escaped Hoseok’s parted lips when Jin engulfed him, first the tip and then most of his length. He jolted, head falling back as his hips pushed forward on their own volition.

Jin kept his eyes on him, a smirk straining his lips at the vulnerable stance of the lithe man. While he would usually be on the receiving end of this, there was something so sexy, so erotic about watching a man lose it over head as he throated as much as he could.

Hoseok meanwhile fumbled with his hands, alternating between fisting his own hair and tugging at Jin’s to further lower himself into the heat of his cavern. If he knew this was what he would be missing out, there would’ve been no way he would have agonized over it for this long.

Seokjin continued moving, squelching sounds echoing throughout the empty garage that sounded so wonderfully taboo, Hoseok nearly came right there. The thrill of it; the way someone could walk right in, catch them with Seokjin sucking him deep into his mouth caused his eyes to roll back.

“That’s it, pretty boy. Come for me.” Jin coaxed from below and before he could catch his breath, his throat closed up, his body hunching when Jin pulled him back, and the tip of his cock brushing the back of his throat, deeper still.

With an almost pornographic groan, Hoseok unloaded himself into Jin’s throat, his lover keeping him in till he was fully empty.

Jin pulled away from him, color flaming high in Hoseok’s cheeks at the wet sound that echoed through the near empty garage.

All he could do was fall into the surprisingly sweet kiss that Jin pressed to lips, the taste of him mingling in his own mouth. Jin handed him his shirt with an impish grin.

“Next time,” he pulled Hoseok in by the waist. “I’m going to make you pay for ‘zoning out’ in the club.”

[the-blind-assassin-12]

Pygmalion

Word Count: 2,258 (oops) Character: Sam Adams A/N: I don’t even know what to say aside from that this made me laugh at myself the entire time. Happy Birthday to everyone’s favorite rebel, and a huge shout out to everyone’s favorite custom pop artist. 

(ARTIST APPRECIATION SUBMISSION) 

Happy Sunday friends! And a very happy 298th birthday to the one and only dirty rotten rebel bastard, Sam Adams! This submission made me so happy because it’s SO creative and the artist is incredibly talented and absolutely deserves this spotlight. I have to admit that I was far too terrified to write a longer, period appropriate piece for Sam, but this idea pop-ed (see what i did there??) into my head and I ran with it. 

So thank you to the anon who sent this submission in for @its-my-little-dumpster-fire​ ‘s custom Sam Adams Funkopop! And thank YOU Mrs. Dumpster-Adams, for sharing your incredible artwork with us all! The submission also mentioned the amazing illustrations that you added to your masterlist and the animated art you shared for a few of the characters- Neil in all his sparkly glory was my favorite! You astound me with your ceaseless list of talents, woman. There’s literally nothing you cannot do if you try your hand at it. So from this anon and I to you: THANK YOU FOR GIFTING US ALL WITH THIS FANTASTIC, FUN FANART. YOU ARE TALENTED. YOU ARE APPRECIATED. YOU ARE A WEALTH OF HISTORICAL INFORMATION AND OBSESSIONS, AND YOU WOULD MAKE AN EXCELLENT COLONIAL. Too bad it’s 2020...

(Would you just lookit the detail!!! My goodness.)

Pygmalion

This isn’t happening. It can’t be happening. You kept your hands at ten and two as the city lights faded, giving way to the darker country roads, your grip on the wheel so iron fisted that the bones of your knuckles were straining at your skin. It can’t be happening, because if it is then I’m crazy and I’m not crazy, so… You nodded to yourself. So it’s not happening. I’m going to look to my right and he’s not going to be there because this is not happening. Taking a deep breath to steady yourself, you exhaled slowly and turned your head towards the passenger seat, expecting - hoping- to be met with nothing but the pattern of your material interior. But instead your eyes landed first upon a pair of legs in linen trousers before scanning upwards and taking in a thigh length overcoat atop a dark waistcoat, the color of which you couldn’t be sure was from dye or dirt, accessorized with a mustard cravat. It was strange attire to see sitting in your passenger seat, but even stranger was the man wearing it. A tricorn hat that he’d been wearing was now sitting on his lap, his long hair corralled in a small tail at the base of his skull. Shit. It is happening. I am crazy. Okay. You let out a little puff of air that was part laughter, part disbelief and part surprise as you flicked your eyes back to the road. 

Samuel Adams- or at least that’s who he claims to be- was sitting in your passenger seat. Either that or you were having the most vivid dream that your brain had ever conjured. You cast another sidelong glance at the man, who was gripping the handle above the window with his right hand, his left clutching the chest strap of his seatbelt. You’d had to reach across him to pull the belt down and into the lock, his earthy scent filling your nostrils as you did. Leather. Tea leaves. Gunpowder. Dirt. He smelled exactly as you always thought that he might, which briefly made you question why you’d spent so much time thinking about that, but you were distracted by his startled jump as you clicked the seatbelt into its lock. After convincing him that it was a safety measure and that you would be wearing one, too, he watched in awe as you drew your own seat belt down and pressed it into the locking device, the word ‘remarkable’ slipping from his whiskered lips in an astonished gasp. If this is a dream, I can wake myself up. Keeping one hand on the wheel, you took the other off to pinch yourself, hard, using your fingernail to bite into the fleshy part of your bicep. 

“Ow.” You muttered to yourself. Okay, so it isn’t a dream. I have a founding father in my car… completely normal. 

..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  

Your day had started out just like any other; just a humdrum Sunday, which meant taking the dogs out before heading into work for the morning, and running to the grocery store since you’d been putting it off all week and all that was left at home were a few packets of Ramen that were older than the framed degree hanging above your desk. The only exception was that today happened to be Sam Adams’ 298th birthday, and since you were new to the Boston area, and since you were quite possibly the biggest American History buff in the state if not the country, you decided to head downtown to see what kind of festivities that the city had planned. The brewery was more packed than usual, as was Griffin’s Wharf, both locations offering special tours and discounts in honor of Boston’s favorite son. But you weren’t looking for a drink, and you’d already visited the wharf when you had come out to Boston looking for a place, so instead you spent the day at the State House, walking the FreedomTrail, and eventually ending up at Faneuil Hall, where the man of the hour’s likeness stood tall in bronze, surveying his city. “Happy Birthday Sam,” you said to the statue, “wish you were here so you could see all the hullabaloo the city kicked up for you today.” But you hadn’t been expecting a star to shoot across the sky at the very second that those words left your lips, and having had your fill of the city for one day, you turned to head back towards where you’d parked your car. That was when a searing flash of light came from right behind you, making you spin back around to see what had caused it.

What the he- the thought died mid word as your mouth dropped and your eyes grew to the size of the silver coins you’d seen displayed in one of the exhibits earlier that day. Blinking furiously as though the rapid opening and closing of your eyelids would change what you were seeing, you told yourself that what you were seeing couldn’t be real. And yet, the pedestal holding Mr. Adams’ statue was empty, and there was a man standing beside it that looked as though he had just stepped from the pages of one of the many  history texts you kept on shelves and tables and in piles on the floor of your home. What...the...hell? 

The stranger before you seemed just as stunned as you were, the overwhelmed look on his face turning to one of horrified shock as he took in the sites and sounds of the city. Oh my god. This is...this can’t be… Oh. My. God. Just as the bell from a pizza delivery man’s bicycle chimed, the colonial time traveler jumped back, one hand going to the holster on his waist, dirty fingers seeking out the pistol that hung there. Oh, that’s not good. You had no clue what was going on, where the man came from or what kind of trick this was, but you knew for certain that a colonial era gun going off in the city’s center would only make things worse. 

Stepping forward, you held up your hands and approached the man like you might approach a frightened horse. “Hey there, it’s- No! No, I’m not going to hurt you, just…” You pumped your hands, heart racing as he lowered his pistol shakily. Releasing a relieved breath, you wondered how on Earth this was happening, and why on Earth it was happening to you. “There you go, easy. It’s okay.” 

“Who are you, miss, and..and where...what’s…” he worriedly looked around, taking in the tall buildings, streets paved and crowded with vehicles, and bright lights. “What’s happened to Boston?” 

Oh boy. I swear, the crazies really sniff me out, don’t they? But you couldn’t ignore the fact that where just moments ago there was a huge, heavy, solid bronze sculpture of your favorite founding father, there now stood an empty plinth. And a man who looked like he had never taken a shower in his existence. You told him your name, which he repeated immediately in his serious tone as though to commit it to memory. “Um...nothing’s happened to Boston per say, it’s…” you struggled to find the right words. “Do you...do you know what year it is, sir?” 

“What year it is? Why of course I...it’s 1778, but I…” he looked back at the empty structure and then again at you, confusion only growing in his warm brown eyes. “Something isn’t right, something’s…something isn’t right.” 

“Alright, it’s alright, d’you…” you cleared your throat. “What’s your name?” 

“Samuel. Adams.” He reached up to remove the hat from his head, touching it to his chest. Beneath the hat his unkempt hair was flattened aside from the strands that hung free around his forehead. “My friends call me Sam.” 

I was afraid that’s what you would say. You sighed. “Alright, Sam.” I can’t believe I’m… You suddenly realized that while the two of you had yet to garnish any attention, the fact that the Sam Adams statue had gone missing from its pedestal would not go unnoticed for much longer, and you did not want to be anywhere near it when people did notice. But I can’t just leave him here, I have to… “I can...yes, I can help you, but we can’t stay here, alright?”  

He nodded eagerly, thanking you, and against your better judgement, you took his elbow in your hand and led him towards your car, planning to bring him home, let him clean up and get a good night’s rest- but that was the extent of your plans, as you decided that the rest would depend on the next few hours. This should be interesting… 

..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..

“Are you hurt?” 

He hadn’t said much since climbing into your car, seemingly as shocked to be there as you were to have him there, but his question came without the skittish nervousness that had been present in his voice at first, only genuine concern in his words now. Maybe my brain is hurt, but… Another little burst of incredulous laughter burst from you as you turned your car onto your street. “Uh, no I’m,” clearing your throat you threw him what you hoped was a reassuring smile but what felt more like a hysterical grin. “I’m fine just...this is...I’m fine.”  

“I thought I heard...it sounded as though you were in pain, are you certain you’re alright?” 

Pulling into your driveway you fought the urge to laugh, swoon and scream all at once. “Yep, I’m...not hurt. Don’t worry.” You put the car in park and took the keys from the ignition, the sudden quiet startling him just as much as the instant roar when the engine had come to life. “Here we are, home sweet home.” You undid your seat belt, feeling his eyes on you as you did, and then reached over to open his as well. 

“Oh,” he put up a hand and you froze. “May I?” There was an intrigued twinkle in his eyes behind the uncertainty and confusion that made you smile. He wants to… 

“Be my guest, Sam.” You watched as he extended his pointer finger and pressed down on the red button to release the metal clasp of the restraint. 

“Fascinating.” The seat belt snapped back into place and though you could tell that he was still distressed and disoriented, he chuckled in surprise as the harness retracted. 

“If you think that’s fascinating, wait until you try a shower.” You winked at him and got out of the car, helping him open the handle on his side. This is insane. 

“A shower?” He paused in the middle of your walkway and looked up to the night sky. “There aren’t any clouds, it isn't going to rain.” 

“No that’s…” you sighed, turning your key in the lock. “Not what I meant. Just...come inside, okay?” The last thing I need is my neighbor peeking out the window to see this. He agreed, following you inside where you instructed him to wait in your living room as you searched your room for spare sweatpants and an over-sized tee that would fit his tall frame and broad shoulders, depositing the items in the bathroom before getting the water started. There’s no way he would be able to figure out modern plumbing. You chastised yourself for believing even for a second that he was the real Samuel Adams, and not some crazed costumed performer who took the man’s birthday too far. Once the water had reached a decent temperature and you’d set out towels, soap and the clothes you’d gathered, you left the bathroom and headed back out to find him hovering near your desk. 

He pointed at the framed diploma as you entered the room. “I’ve never heard of this University before. Did you attend it?” Of course you hadn’t, it wasn’t founded until almost a hundred years after you… You nodded and he looked impressed. “I had my schooling at-” 

“Harvard,” you said the word with him. “I know.” 

He regarded you curiously, one cheek growing slightly rounded as he gave a sideways smile. “Hmm.” Hmm? What’s he… But before you could wonder what was going through his head, his long fingers closed around a small item on your desktop that made you gasp. Oh, I didn’t even think about… “What is…” He picked up the small figurine which was wearing an outfit stunningly similar to the one that he had on. “Is this...me? What is this?” 

“Uh...yeah that’s um… it’s called a Pop?” You shrugged. This is so stupid. “And I uh...made it. Well I didn’t make it, I…” what am I saying? “I bought it, it looked different when I bought it, but then I customized it, you know, with paint and… um...to make it look like, yes. To make it look like you.” 

He smiled again, still looking just as confused as he was when he appeared out of nowhere, but entertained and interested in seeing where that confusion would take him when it finally lifted. “Fascinating, truly.”  

He set the figurine back down where he found it and crossed the room to where you stood, finally giving him a smile of your own. “If you think that’s fascinating…” You trailed off into laughter. “Come on, bathroom’s this way.” 

You led him down the hallway, trying not to laugh as you heard him exclaim “An entire room just for that bath? Fascinating!” 

.

.

.

I had a blast writing for this amazing artist and her wonderful work! If you are an artist in the Ben Barnes fandom, or if you would like to surprise an artist with a quick little drabble, send me a message or link me to the piece that you would like me to write about. Let’s show these talented folks how much we appreciate them and the beautiful things that they create! 

[uzumaki-rebellion]

“Stark’s New Intern” Chapter 20

"Welcome to your life There's no turning back Even while we sleep We will find you acting on your best behavior Turn your back on mother nature Everybody wants to rule the world

It's my own design It's my own remorse Help me to decide Help me make the most of freedom and of pleasure Nothing ever lasts forever Everybody wants to rule the world"

Tears For Fears – "Everybody Wants to Rule The World"

Erik watched Maria down a shot of tequila and squeeze a sliced lime into her mouth. He sipped on a glass of ginger beer and watched the festivities aboard Le Sirene, Stark's 456-foot-long custom-built yacht. Scalloped sides, silver and turquoise accents and large glass facades gave panoramic views inside the interior. Sailing off the coast of Malibu, the balmy air and fresh smell of seawater relaxed Erik.

Stark spared no expense to wine and dine the interns. Everyone around Erik were in various states of good humor, ecstatic thoughts of the future, and varying degrees of sobriety.

Athena accepted a job with a completely different company in Paris.

Giselle would start a mid-level position in Stark's New York offices.

Valentina accepted a generous package with Stark in Los Angeles under the thumb of Janine.

And Maria…she had two top Stark Industries choices. Stay in Los Angeles with Valentina, or take an opportunity to work for Stark in D.C.

Only fifteen percent of the interns were offered jobs with Stark. The fact that all off his female friends received the careers they worked so hard for pleased Erik to no end. He was also looking forward to being right next to Tony. As soon as Happy from security gave him his new clearance, Erik had access to offices and buildings within the Stark sphere of influence.

Once he was removed from the interns, Erik spent two weeks shadowing Pepper Potts. She informed him that she would guide his transition into more of a junior assistant role. Erik liked Pepper's directness. She wasn't a fun person to hang around. Her tight lips and tight ass personality hid a core rooted in needing to keep the world around her extremely organized. Erik recognized the signs of obsessive behavior. He had it too.

Pepper was easy to read and she seemed to be irritated with Erik's relaxed stance around Stark. She dug into him during a lunch meeting the two of them shared.

"You need to be the one to keep Tony grounded. He's really just a big kid in a candy store and even though he is brilliant, he is also very brash. Impulsive. The key to doing the job right is to keep the riff-raff away from him and make sure he stays focused on the task at hand. He doesn't need another sycophant. Everyone wants a piece of him, so don't be afraid to be rude or abrupt. You and I will be in direct contact and I will be in charge of your itinerary with Stark daily. Any changes that need to be made go through me first."

Pepper always regarded him with a bit of detachment and triple-checked his work often. After two weeks of realizing that Erik was more than capable of handling Tony as her junior, she let up a bit. Just a tiny bit. Erik had to adjust to how he would stomach those other looks she gave him. Looks that always made it seem like she pondered how he was in Tony's orbit. This Black kid with the genius I.Q. and Oakland attitude. So many overly pedigreed interns and Stark chose Erik above all of them. A guy not even out of his teens yet.

Erik also learned another little tidbit about Pepper.

She was annoyed with Devika.

Maybe not annoyed…more like jealous.

The two women maneuvered around each other professionally. But more than once, Erik caught Pepper giving Devika catty looks when she was in Stark's inner office. This piqued Erik's curiosity even more, making him want to know what type of relationship Devika really had with Tony. It made Erik's stomach hurt sometimes to think that his boss had been with his girl in that way.

His girl.

Erik's eyes swept over to the open bar on the yacht's third deck as Devika picked up a champagne flute and tipped the glass against one of the female interns next to her. Prior to coming on board the luxury boat, Erik spent the afternoon with Devika at a café looking for an apartment for him. A basic one-bedroom in a decent neighborhood close to work was averaging three thousand a month.

Money wasn't a problem. Stark made good and gifted Erik with a hefty players fee from the poker game. Erik sent portions of his winnings to his relatives and banked the rest. He could afford a fancy apartment or even a condo himself if he wanted. But spending the night with Devika made him want one thing: to be with her.

He whined to her about having to spend a grip of money in a hotel and hinted that he would look for a roommate situation to ease him into a new living situation. He already had his belongings in her apartment and they were now sharing a bed. He wanted to stay with her during his fellowship. But she was concerned about Tony finding out about them. He was too chickenshit to ask outright if he could live with her hoping she would suggest the idea herself. She didn't.

Erik watched Pepper approach Devika and as the two women spoke to one another, he moved to the other side searching for the man himself. Jazzy tunes were piped in throughout the yacht and Erik tried to go where he last saw Tony.

A wet kiss on his cheek caught him off guard and Giselle's face came into view as she slid around him.

"You're real quiet tonight. Everything okay?" she asked.

"I'm good. Just looking for Boss Man."

"I never got a chance to properly congratulate you on your fellowship. Stark was right about you. From Day One. You were the man to beat."

"You haven't done so bad yourself."

"New York, baby!" Giselle squealed. She closed her eyes and did a little happy dance, "They loved my work with the Expo and I was a good fit for his team out there. I am over the fucking moon. I am going to kill out there."

Her eyes glinted with endless possibilities and Erik caught a glimpse of Tony walking toward him.

"Stevens."

Giselle slipped away from him to join a raucous group dancing in an open space. Tony handed Erik a glass of champagne.

"You missed my grand going away speech," Tony said.

"No, I heard it. I was just up here. Taking it all in."

"This is just one of the many perks of doing what I do. Showing appreciation for everyone giving their best."

"Do you ever get bored with it? I mean, all this," Erik said glancing around at the grandeur and all the decadence.

"Not really. When I was younger, I used to get bored…not with the money, but with the same packs of roving cliques. Money is never boring. Rich people? Yes. Money? Never. I just learned how to spend my money well and surround myself with interesting characters."

Erik drank from his glass and Tony moved closer to him.

"Pepper says you are ready for the big leagues. It's going to be quite a shift from being an intern."

"I can handle it."

Erik followed Tony around the ship, and as the night progressed, he longed to be alone with Devika and just watch a corny movie. She flitted around, and the yearning grew in his heart. It was a new feeling for him. Wanting a one on one. Athena and Giselle were open to him having a goodbye tryst with them, but he wasn't interested, and that shocked him. Turning down exceptional pussy? An abomination in his previous life, but now…

The black sheath dress Devika wore shimmered with tiny crystals at the hem. And she wore the heels that he loved fucking her in. Her hair was tucked into a loose bun on her head and she decorated her forehead with three dark green bindis. He followed her to the starboard side of the yacht and her eyes looked startled to see him come upon her as she stared at the dark water below them.

"Hey," he said, allowing his shoulder to bump into hers.

"Hi."

"You look nice."

"Thanks," she said. Her eyes darted behind him to make sure they weren't being watched.

"I'm on my best behavior, don't trip," he said giving up a bit of space between them.

"I needed a little break from the action," she whispered, folding her hands on the railing she leaned on.

"Pepper and you have been chatty Cathy's."

Devika's eyes narrowed at the sound of Pepper's name.

"Devika, be honest with me. Did you and Tony-?"

"No."

Her tone was curt. But her eyes were soft.

"I didn't cross the line with him. Not all the way. I was…I was really young when I took this job. I was also really good at it. Tony took a shine to me, but it was just an excellent working relationship in the beginning. But shit happens. Late hours. Last-minute trips to exotic places. Billionaire crowd. Working for him is both surreal and astounding at times. The people that he has on speed dial? You would be shocked at who I have called up out of the blue for him."

She took a deep breath and exhaled.

"I had a huge crush on him and he has always been attracted to me. We've had dinners together that had nothing to do with work. There have been times when I could've allowed us to cross the line, and I didn't. Then I met my fiancé and my life changed. Pepper is in love with Tony, and she hates that he still feels something for me even though there is nothing between us."

She turned and looked at Erik.

"I had an emotional connection to Tony and I ended it for the sake of my career. My dignity too, I guess. I look at Tony as a boss and a friend. Pepper hasn't found a balance for her feelings, and we sometimes butt heads."

"Does he still want something with you?"

"I don't think so. He was happy when I first got engaged. Maybe it was a relief for him."

"Does he feel anything for Pepper?"

"I don't think so. She treats him like a child. It annoys him a lot. I think it's why he blows her off a lot. But she is good at what she does so he puts up with her scolding. What's it like for you working with her?"

Erik looked out at the water and gripped the railing with his hands.

"Annoying as fuck. But I'm used to people like her. She doesn't like that I'm not invested in the gig as much as she thinks I should be."

"If you're not invested, why do it? You should go to M.I.T."

Her words made his chest hurt.

"You don't want me around?"

"This has nothing to do with me. God, I hope you didn't take the job just to be around me."

She laughed but then stopped when his face stayed neutral.

"Erik, seriously, you took the job for your future career, right?"

"I have a lot of reasons to take it. You were part of it too."

"Oh…Erik…"

Her eyes dropped away from his.

"Devika…"

"You have to make life choices that benefit you and your dreams."

"I'm still figuring that out, but you're a big perk."

She reached out and rubbed his arm.

"You are so sweet."

"I'm not trying to be sweet, Devika. I'm tryna be your man."

The words not only shocked her, but they made him tumble back from the railing. The champagne had him loose-lipped. Too loose.

Her eyes regarded him with quiet understanding.

"So sweet," she said.

He watched her lean away from him as if she were leaving him. He grabbed for her hand and pulled her toward him.

"You heard what I said, right?" he asked.

"I did."

"You like me, right?"

"I do."

"I wanna be with you. Not just friends."

"We should slow down."

"What?"

His neck tilted to the side.

Hours earlier they had been in her bed and she had whispered crazy things in his ear that made him feel invincible and so grown up. Was she playing him for good dick?

Two weeks of sharing her home together, making him feel like they were a legit couple, and she was standing there telling him they should slow down. He tasted sour spit in his mouth and the muscles in his stomach felt tight.

"You need to focus all your energy on being the best you in your new position. Don't get caught up with me and lose track of your future."

"Caught up?"

He could barely get the words out of his throat. Her words sounded like she was patting him on his head like he was a cute puppy that she no longer wanted to play with. He felt his lower lip tremble and he stepped further away from her.

"Erik…"

"I gotta get back to Stark. I'll see you later."

He felt a little wobbly as he searched for Tony. Once he found him, he stayed by the man's side and finished the evening on his motorcycle by the pier the yacht was docked at. Instead of returning to Devika's condo, he took a room at a Hilton hotel and drank up the liquor inside the minibar.

His cell phone rang and when he checked it, Devika left several messages for him. He called her back at three in the morning after a good hour of sleep.

"Where are you?"

"A hotel. West Hollywood."

"Why?"

"Why? You told me not to get caught up—"

"Erik, you know what I meant."

"I heard what you said."

"Come back here."

"Why should I?"

"Let's talk—"

"We're talking now—"

"Get over here."

"Why?"

"I want you here. Your stuff is here."

"I'll get my stuff later."

"What I said to you earlier…I wasn't trying to be mean. I was being honest with you."

"I don't want to slow down."

He could hear an exasperated sigh in her voice.

"Erik, I'm trying to make you see what I wish someone had told me when I was younger. I'm not trying to hurt you."

"I want to be with you. We get along. You know that. Tony won't find out about us—"

"We need to talk in person—"

"It's late. I'll come over when I check out."

He hung up.

Lying on the hotel bed nude, he stared at the walls.

An hour ticked by.

"Fuck."

He jumped up and put back on his silk shirt and slacks. Throwing on his dark biker's jacket and helmet, he hopped on his motorcycle and roared out of the hotel parking lot.

The highway was quiet as the sky lightened. When he reached Devika's condo, the pink and orange morning glow made him feel easier in the chest.

She answered the door after his third knock dressed in one of his sweatshirts and nothing else.

"Let's talk," he said.

She nodded and he leaned forward to kiss her lips. Her mouth was eager to have his and they took their time with slow drawn out smooching in the doorway. He lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist.

Suckling his tongue, Devika made him feel that what he needed most was for her to be in his corner. He held onto her ass cheeks to keep her pressed against him, and when she finally released his lips, he had her panting. He slipped a finger down her ass and let it rest against the cotton of her underwear. He could feel how damp she was, her slick saturating the panties. He rested his forehead on hers.

"Tell me your mine," he whispered.

She traced the fingers of her right hand across the back of his scalp sending tingles up his back. His lips touched her lips again and he looked into her eyes.

"Tell me," he demanded.

He walked into her condo with her still wrapped around him and kicked the door closed.

"I'm your man. Say it."

The bass in his voice made her eyes widen. He sent his fingers down into her panties and stroked her swollen vulva.

"Devika, say it…."

He unfastened his pants and pulled them down with his underwear.

"Devika."

Sliding her sticky panties to the side, Erik lifted her up and guided his dick inside of her. She whimpered as he fucked her standing up, her face pressed against his face, her arms laced around his neck.

The squelching sounds coming from her pussy made Erik give her hard strokes as he lifted her up and down his stiffness. She still wouldn't answer him and just gave his ears thrilling moans and yelps from the pleasure he gave her.

His calves began to strain from standing in one place and holding her weight so he spun around and jammed her up against the door. Pressing her into the solid wood, he drilled into her hard and fast, his aggression needing release. She refused to give him what he wanted and it aggravated him.

"Devika…"

"Erik!" she screamed.

Her eyes rolled back in her head and he felt her pussy contract up and down his dick. He reached up and grabbed her throat, his fingers squeezing and pushing her head back. The throbbing in his dick made his back hunch up.

"I want you!" he shouted releasing into her, his head dropping onto her chest as his legs trembled.

He groaned when he felt another sudden wave of semen spurt into her and it made him drop her down to her feet. He faced her with wrinkled clothes and semen still dripping from his tip. He kicked his feet out of his pants and Devika took his right hand and led him to her bedroom.

They made love until Erik was too exhausted to do anything more than stroke her hair as he held her in his arms.

The unspoken was made manifest.

He was going to live with her and she let be known by her loving that she belonged to him.

The world at that moment was his.

Chapter 21 HERE.

###

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[oumiyuki]

Teachers don’t date teachers (but You-sensei and Riko-sensei definitely are) Ch11

Summary: The whole student body and teachers teases the gym teacher, Watanabe You, with the new art teacher, Sakurauchi Riko, that they make a cute couple. How long can You deny this when Riko isn’t helping to reduce the rumours?

Pairing: YouRiko

Genre: Romance, Fluff, Slice of Teacher Life ;D

Words: 1236

Read me at fanfiction.net or AO3 too~

Author Notes

I. AM. BACK!! *w* With more lovely You-sensei and Riko-sensei chappie~ hehe~

May you enjoy~! XD

———

Tease 11 – Riko-sensei is blushing?? (You-sensei can’t help but stare)

———

You hums on her way to school. Jolly spirits as lately she haven’t been subjected to many teases about dating the new art teacher.

Peaceful days are peaceful~

The ash-brunette closed her eyes for a second as she thought about how she could have lunch in the school cafeteria with Riko and not hear giggles and sometimes feel a flash on them. The gym teacher grins and nods to herself.

Good days~

The moment she steps into school, however, her smile fell as she heard loud chatter. Excited squeals. And a crowd gathered…everywhere!?

Wait, wait, wait. What’s going on?? It feels like déjà vu and entirely new at the same time…

You approaches the scene cautiously but before she could take a peek at what’s causing the commotion, a student notices her and calls out loudly, “You-sensei!!”

Ah-

“Y-Yes? Wah-!” The gym teacher is swamped by students with starry eyes in no time.

“Tell us which art piece do you like most!”

Oh, it’s about art… Thank goodness it’s not about me and Riko-chaaaaan-?!!

You’s eyes bulged as the first portrait put up on an easel upon entering the school for all eyes to see was a scene of You and Riko in the same bed. You in the portrait had her back to the viewers but her speech bubble caused many who read it to blush just like You is right now – “I’m right by your side, Riko.”

In that portrait, Riko’s face was really flushed.

The gym teacher stared at Riko in the artwork for a rather long time, thinking about how it was different from the feverish flush but is not quite able to pinpoint what the difference is.

Riko-chan is so beautiful… If I turned around in bed that night would I be seeing this..?

“You-sensei?”

Ah!! Why am I staring so much? I mean- aahhh!

You clears her throat. “Why is this placed here..?”

The student beamed. “All classes have art classes, right? And we all finished our assignments around the same time! So, so! We decided to put them all about the school for everyone to get to view it too! Riko-sensei agreed!”

“R-Riko-sensei…” You’s lips pressed into a line.

If it’s for art class…it can’t all be paintings of me and Riko-chan, right?

Again, You was proven wrong.

The gym teacher walked further into the school to see art after art after art of her and Riko in various scenes. The common theme seemed to circle about them being at home and…them.

There were some simpler ones that just had You and Riko on it, not exactly a scene as there weren’t any backgrounds but it still made You embarrassed to see herself in casual wear standing right beside Riko.

I mean it’s not like we don’t hang out outside of school…but seeing it like that…

You rubbed at her nose, embarrassed.

Then she sees a sweet at-home, breakfast scene – Riko feeding her pancakes. You clenches her fists, holding back from covering her mouth or face and running into the teacher’s office to hide. Or maybe make a mad dash back out of the school and call in sick.

What is this overly cute homey scene?? We didn’t even have pancakes. We ate rice and saba fish for more nutrients!

“Riko-senseiiiii~~”

You blinks and turns to where the voices of energetic and youthful kids are, plus that gentle and lyrical voice of the art teacher, Riko-sensei.

“No…I…I can’t choose by that reasoning.” The art teacher seemed to be explaining.

You approaches, heart racing and she believes it’s just from all the pictures she’s seen so far and not because she was about to see Riko in school.

“Riko-sensei, good morning.” You greets with a lopsided smile, knowing the art teacher must have gone through a series of hyped students and blush-inducing gallery walk (or is the latter only something she felt?).

Riko turned around at the voice of You greeting her, head slightly lowered, an apologetic expression and cheeks dusted pink.

Riko-chan blushing..? That’s rare…

You’s lips parted subconsciously to breathe in the breath-taking sight of the usually composed and mischievous art teacher blushing.

“G-Good morning, You-sensei. I’m sorry you had to be…surrounded…so early in the morning.” Riko seemed to edge to her right to block the painting behind her.

You chuckles awkwardly. “Y-Yeah…You’ve, um, trained up some really great artists.”

“They are still learning.” Riko smiles small; You’s desire to know what’s going through the artist’s mind just keeps growing.

“W-Was the topic of teachers? Because I see us drawn in pretty much…all the paintings.” You made a thoughtful, perplexed yet casual look which made Riko’s shoulders relax from the endearing sight.

“No…I told them to use certain techniques I taught them in previous lessons… And they said you told them they could draw anything they wanted. Before you had to care for me at home.”

“Wha- Wait! This is my doing?!” You took a step back in shock, trying to recall her words. And sure enough, she did, kind of told the students they could draw anything they want before she left to bring Riko home.

Riko laughed at You holding her head in both hands and looking distraught. The laughter making You pout.

What have I done..?

The student who has been staring at their favourite teacher interact grins huge and sing-songs. “You-sensei~ You-sensei~ Look here!! What do you think of my art?”

You turns to look. Riko gasps. And although she wanted to turn back and see why the art teacher made that sound, her eyes were glued to the canvas the student moved away from Riko’s attempt in blocking the view of.

The big canvas depicted a scene of You halfway through putting on her shirt, so her smooth and toned stomach was visible, and she wore a relaxed, cool smile while greeting, “Good morning, sleepyhead.”

To Riko, eyes wide awake as she looked astounded and infatuated though she returns a “Good morning, You.” Both of them illuminated by a soft morning glow.

Wow…

The art teacher was worrying at the side while You analyses the art.

That is one amazing art piece.

Funnily enough, this work of art that got the quiet art teacher flustered did not have the same effect on the blush-easy gym teacher.

“Wow. Just- Your painting is amazing, Coco!” You praises the student.

Coco gives a victory sign with a proud smile. “See, Riko-sensei~ You-sensei agrees! I should get an astounding A Star for this!”

You laughs. “Is she going to get an A..? Riko…sensei..?” You trails off as she stares at Riko tuck her long auburn locks behind her ear, those cheeks still a beautiful shade of shy pink and looking the painting.

Gosh…Riko-chan is so pretty…

You only breaks out of her dreamy stare when she realizes she’s looking right into patiently waiting yellow eyes. “Ah. D-Did you say anything?”

I got distracted by those thoughts again!!

Riko smiles. “I just might give Miyashita-san an A grade.”

“That’s awesome!” You cheers.

Now, if only I could ask for the reason Riko-chan was blushing so much…

The gym teacher looks back to the artwork, tries to find a reason and failing.

Perhaps she was just shy about how beautifully drawn she was. Which she shouldn’t have to be!

Coco grins at her teachers then back at her work of art, 100% proud to have drawn what she did.

  ———

Author Notes

Yep, I decided to use N girls for at least some of the lovely students. I was starting to feel bad for calling them students as a whole when they LOVE and support YouRiko-sensei so much. XD

And wow…I can’t believe how much time has passed since the last update..!! –sweat drops-

I hope y’all enjoyed the chapter!! *O*

More is to come and this time I shall diligently do so~ Especially since…September is a YouRiko-ish month? :3 I guess. –chuckles-

Leave me a comment and let me know your favourite scenes!! (I feed on your comments for more YouRiko-energy! ;D)

Catch you next tease~ :”D

[soldatbarnes]

Six Months

Summary: Your daughter finds out how little time you spent with your husband before marrying him. 

Bucky Barnes X Reader (kinda Mechanic!Bucky/Modern AU?); a smidge of Brock Rumlow X Reader

Word Count: 2291

Warnings: Brock Rumlow being the worst. A car accident. Cheesy fluff.

A/N: I’m sorry, I’m very rusty. I hope everybody likes this!! I don’t really have a tag list anymore because I lost it, so I didn’t know who to tag! I hope you all enjoy this! Feedback would be incredible :) <3

You were sitting at your kitchen table, looking over special trinkets from your time with the love of your life. It was almost your 30th wedding anniversary, and you were feeling sentimental for the man that had captured your heart. You still couldn’t believe it. Thirty years. Having met him pretty young, you’d spent more of your lives together than apart. It was challenging sure, but you wouldn’t give him up for the world.  

Gazing at a picture from your first anniversary together, you were startled when you heard your front door open. Bucky wasn’t due back for a few hours yet. 

“Mom??” your daughter, Leigh called out. You sighed with relief, forgetting she was in the area today and promised to stop by. 

“In the kitchen Baby!” you smiled, piling pictures up together. You were so lucky. Your husband is incredible and you’d raised two amazing kids with him. 

“Watcha doin’?” she asked, flopping into a chair and nosing over the papers on the table. 

“Oh, just looking for an idea of what to do for your father this year.” you sighed. 

“I thought you guys were gonna renew your vows?” Leigh questioned, looking excited. She loved the prospect of being able to see you and your husband at a ‘second wedding’. Growing up she’d always adored how much you and Bucky loved each other, and worked together as a team, stating that she’d never settle down until she found what you had. 

“Well, we were thinking about it, but your father’s been working so hard lately, I don’t want to take a vacation when he has so much on his plate.” 

“Dad barely fixes cars anymore and spends most of his time at work drinking coffee with Uncle Steve.” Leigh laughed. “I’m sure he can take a little vacation with you. All you’d have to do is ask.” 

You chuckled. She had a point. When you first met Bucky he was a young mechanic, barely nineteen, working for your best friend in the world, Steve. Now, at almost fifty, he owned his own shop and mostly supervised the mechanics that worked for him. You glanced at your daughter, a beautiful mix of both yours and Bucky’s best features, she was concentrated on a piece of paper in front of her. 

“What?? Six months…” she mumbled. “Mom!!”

“What?” you were confused at her sudden outburst. 

“You and dad got married like, seven months before JJ was born!” 

“Yeah, I actually found out I was pregnant shortly after the wedding. I told you that.” 

“But you didn’t tell me that you and dad got married after like, six freakin’ months!!” you watched as she shook your marriage certificate around. “That’s barely enough time to get to know anybody!!” 

“Leigh relax. When you know, you know.” you shrugged. 

“I’ve barely had friendships that long!!” she was completely astounded. 

“Your dad has always been an incredibly special man.” you shook your head, remembering your first meeting. 

“Was it love at first sight or some crap?” Leigh asked. 

“Oh no. I didn’t even want to meet your father. I was completely done with all men at that point.” 

“Then how???” 

“Well it all started when I met a man named Brock…” 

After looking for an apartment for months, you’d finally found the place. It was a small two bedroom in Brooklyn that you could barely afford, but it was your new home. You couldn’t go back to your family. You had to survive on your own. Thankfully before you moved in, you found the perfect roommate, Wanda. 

Wanda was a little eccentric, but you liked her energy. You worked with her at a small coffee shop in the same area as your apartment building and you finally felt like you were getting a little closer at being able to stand on your own two feet. 

That was, until the day you were set to move in. Wanda had come to you, completely apologetic, stating that she was going to be moving in with her boyfriend instead. You couldn’t blame her. She’d been hoping he would ask for months before you even set up for her to live with you. The only problem was that the rent was a little steep for you to pay all on your own. 

But you got through. You even set aside a rainy day fund, in case of emergencies in your apartment, just in case you got sick or had to miss work, so you’d still make rent. 

Once again, things were looking up. And then you met him.

Brock Rumlow seemed charming at first. He was good looking, had a decent job, and knew some of your closest friends. At some point he’d run into some trouble, and had nowhere to go. Being the kind person that you are, you let him rent out the other room in your apartment. One thing led to another, and you’d begun dating. Everybody was supportive, except for your best friend Steve. 

Steve didn’t trust him at all. But wouldn’t give you any reasons as to why being with Brock was a bad idea. So you’d ignored him. 

Poor choice. 

On Christmas Eve, you were at Steve’s for a get together, with Brock. He had too much to drink and refused to take up Steve’s offer for you both to just spend the night until he’d sobered up in the morning. When you told him that you’d call a cab, he started to freak out. He didn’t want his precious car to be stuck there until morning. With a bad storm brewing outside, you tried to fight him on it, but it was no use. He just yelled over you until you quieted down. Begrudgingly you’d agreed to drive you both back home. 

After hugging Steve you headed out, an uneasy feeling settling in the pit of your stomach. A feeling you’d learn to listen to later in life. 

Brock’s car was lightweight, and didn’t have proper tires to combat the harsh winter. You’d hit a patch of ice on the way home, and spun out, into a pole. To this day you still couldn’t believe his behaviour. 

“Hey, C’mon, we gotta go!” he’d yelled. 

“What?” you asked. The entire front of the vehicle was caved in, trapping you in the driver’s seat.

“I don’t have insurance on this fucking car, we gotta go!” he managed to get himself out of the wreck and began trying to pull you out of your seat. 

“Brock, that hurts, stop it!!” your legs were completed encased. 

“Get the fuck outta the car. This isn’t funny!”

“Is everything okay out here?” your head snapped to the unfamiliar voice. “I called 9-1-1, help will be here soon!” A concerned neighbour. You felt very grateful as your head began to spin, Brock’s yelling fading out. 

“I can’t fucking believe this. This guy has no idea what he’s done! I’m fucking out!” Those were the last words you’d heard from Brock Rumlow, as you blacked out. 

When you awoke later, Steve was by your side, ready to comfort you. 

“Stevie…” You’d mumbled.

“Hey darlin’.” he sighed. “How’re you feeling?”

“I’ve been better….” he grabbed your hand. 

“Look, I know you don’t need anymore bad news, but I went to your apartment this morning…” he trailed off, refusing to look you in the eye. 

“What is it?” 

“He took everything.” he choked out. “I’m so sorry…” 

When you were discharged from the hospital Steve took you to your apartment. You were shocked when you went in. It was trashed. Your stuff was strewn everywhere, clothes were cut up, glassware was smashed. You ran to your room to look for your valuables and they were all gone. Your grandma’s jewellery, gone. Your rainy day fund, gone. 

“Steve…” you couldn’t stop the tears if you’d tried. 

“It’s okay. It’ll be okay. You can come and live with Peggy and I until we can figure this out..” he rubbed your back as you cried. 

It was about two months into living with Steve and Peggy that Steve made the suggestion that made you scoff. 

“Hey,” he’d sat down beside you on the couch as your read your favourite book. “I got a guy that I work with that I’d love for you to meet.” 

“No.” was your only answer. 

“No? What do you mean ‘No’?” he looked confused. 

“No more men. I’m done with men. I still don’t know what to do about that damn apartment. I know Brock’s still paying his part of the rent, I’m just so scared to go there. So No. No men.” 

“But this guy… He’s different!” 

“None of them are different Steve. So no.” 

And he’d let it go. For a while. And then one day, when you were doing the dishes, he came to you and said “Bucky’s coming for dinner tonight. You’ll be there.” and promptly left the kitchen.  You turned to look at Peggy who shrugged. 

“He’s… A really nice guy… I promise.” she nodded. “And he’s got a really nice ass.” 

Hours later you found yourself stealing small glances at him. You were struck by how handsome he was. He was a man of very few words. It was refreshing. You both spoke very little to one another for the whole night, but it was one of the best nights you’d ever had. After dessert was over, Bucky had declared that he need to go, and early morning at the shop the next day. 

You decided to walk him to the door, feeling Steve and Peggy’s eyes on you the whole time. 

“Hey,” he turned, after stepping over the threshold. “I know it’s not my place, but Steve told me what happened with that Brock guy. He sounds like a total dick. If you want any help going to get your stuff, let me know, and I’ll be there.” 

You knew then that he was different. 

Bucky had come with you to clean up the mess that Brock had made. Steve helped too, but you barely registered his presence, too wrapped up in the man that wasn’t vying for your attention. He was simply being himself, and for that you felt relieved. 

Every moment with Bucky Barnes felt like a breath of fresh air, and every moment spent with him you’d fallen a little more and more for him. 

After two months into your relationship, the words had slipped through your lips. 

He was sitting on your couch, playing with your cat. He had cooked dinner, accepted your help with cleaning up, and now he was lounging. The cat was laying across his chest, playing with the fingers that he held up to him. Bucky was like nobody you’d ever known before, and he fit so well into your life. 

“Hey!” he’d called out, “When are you gonna join us? Watching Netflix isn’t the same without you.” he held out his arm for you to crawl into the space beside him. You sighed out the words before you could stop them. I love you. 

“What did you just say?” the words were so low you barely heard him. 

“I said ‘I love you Bucky’.” you replied, louder and more firm this time. He never once made you afraid to express your feelings. 

“That’s incredible.” he laughed. “I love you too. So much.” he declared, leaning over to give you a heartwarming kiss. 

By the fourth month you’d known. 

You were sat on his toolbox, in the shop he was working at at the time. He was sitting cross legged at your feet, taking a sip of the coffee you’d brought him. 

“Okay, so. This weekend we have Steve and Peggy’s for dinner…” he mumbled out loud. You’d moved in together soon after you’d shared ‘I love you’s’, much to Steve’s delight. “And we have Becca’s birthday brunch next Saturday…” He was always so busy, that he often went over stuff out loud with you. He always said it kept him true to his word, because you’d never let him off the hook if he missed something. 

“Busy couple of weeks..” you reached over, and tucked a stray strand of hair behind his ear. He looked a little tired, and was covered in grease. 

“That reminds me,” he smiled up at you. “Can you book the weekend after Becca’s birthday off?” 

“Ummm, sure. Why?” you asked, brow furrowing. 

“I want to take you to my cabin by the lake. Have a nice weekend, just the two of us.” he looked you in the eyes. So sincere. So unlike every interaction you’d ever had. And you knew. He was the one. So you’d asked, for him to be yours forever. And he’d said yes. 

“You proposed to dad?!” Leigh’s voice brought you back to the moment. 

“Yes! I loved, love, him so much. I have never met another person who even came close to being as incredible as your father. Except for you and your brother. Your both just like him. Sweet, caring, kind, sincere, feisty…” you trailed off. 

“It’s disgusting how much you love him.” she laughed. 

“It’s disgusting how much who loves who?” Your heart sped up. It always sped up at the sound of his voice. 

“How much I love you, Husband.” you chuckled when he appeared in the room, immediately striding to you and placing a loving kiss to your lips. 

“And I love you so much, beautiful wife.” he winked, before wrapping your daughter up in a hug. “And it’s not disgusting Leigh, it’s wonderful. Your mom makes us all better people.” 

“You’re both so cheesy.” she laughed. 

“You love it.” you responded in unison, before he leaned down and captured your lips in a kiss once more. 

[jadeender]

Betrayals and Reunions

Curse awoke into life again as everyone did, screaming. When he returned to form in the dark world it was as painful as it had been the first time, his entire form being created out of the energy he’d gathered over the few months he’d been gone. A ripple went through the air around him, it wasn’t as if a dark was born every day, or in this case reborn. 

Every monster, fiend, and other dark would be able to feel it. That put him in immediate danger, he was still weak having used all of his energy to come back so he needed to get moving. As quickly as he could Curse got up cringing at his total exhaustion. 

Moving as silently as possible he crossed the open plain he’d been dumped in heading for the town nearby, there he’d be able to siphon enough energy to make it back to the light world. In the distance the caw of birds mingled with growls of beasts as they pursued him.

Breaking into as close to a sprint as his exhausted body would allow Curse made it into the village, collapsing as he did. The shadowlings of the town were gone, none walked around outside or hid inside the few residences, that he could feel. Before he had time to really remember anything the cawing got louder and louder until he knew he only had one chance to get out of there.

Picking himself up from the ground Curse threw himself in the shadows crudely pulling all his energy together and sliding into them as he passed through the barrier separating dimensions and fell into the light world. 

“Rabbit!” Was the last thing he heard as darkness once again consumed him. 

________________________________________________________________

If there’s one thing that could be said about Sky’s Hyrule, it was beautiful. It was such a role reversal for the links. They explored Sky’s Hyrule leisurely, with Zelda as their guide. Sky’s Zelda was radiant and her love for Sky had been apparent from the beginning. It was nice to tour the world and just get to experience it instead of fight their way through.

Hyrule was infinitely happy for this change, ironically he was happy to take the backseat in this adventure. For months he’d been trapped and watched as Callous had pretended to be him, used his pain for enjoyment, and locked him out of reality. But now he had his body back well and truly. Callous’s snide voice, the anger that grew so strong it overtook his senses, banished with the dark. 

Although just exploring the world was a balm on his soul. He’d always loved the feeling of exploring and finding, even when there was no directive. It was a welcome change from being literally hunted for his blood as he had been before. Thinking of that time was bad enough, it was during that adventure that he had first encountered and fought Callous. And Hyrule really thought he had won, but obviously he hadn't since Callous was still around to cause trouble now. 

That evening they were all sitting around in a sitting room in the new Hyrule Castle Zelda was having constructed, which was mostly finished and quite lavish despite this Zelda's simplistic philosophy. 

Hyrule himself was reading a book, one he'd borrowed from the castle library about the Loftwings, they'd fascinated him since he'd met crimson, they did have any remotely similar in his Hyrule.

"Ravio?" Legend screeched. Hyruls head flung up to see two figures emerging out of a corner, Ravio and Curse. Curse looked awful, his rabbit skin care was gone and he was dressed simply. Dark black cures ringed his eyes and the darks cheeks were sunken slightly like he hadn't eaten in months.

Immidealty the heroes were up to meet them. They ushered the duo to a chair and sat them down Zelda ordering away a servant to get food and water for them.

"What happened?" Time asked.

"Where's Maverick?" Four said.

"Why do you look like shit?" Legend asked. 

"Give them space." Hyrule said, stepping back himself.

Curse shook his head. "I just got back, I spent almost three months in the dark world reforming my body after Maverick killed me."

That left them all in shock, Maverick had killed him? Or dusted, they all knew a dark couldn't be killed unless their mirror was destroyed. But Maverick had attacked Curse? No one was closer to the lights than him, it seemed impossible.

"How did it happen?" Four spoke up, his fallen heart was obvious to see.

Curse told them about the time he and Maverick had traveled the dark world together, about finding Callous’s castle and finally what Maverick had said before killing him.

"Wait wait repeat that." Four demanded. "He said that specifically?"

Curse nodded. "He said he was just joining the winning side."

Fours face went from quickly to surprise. "I know what he's doing, why would he do that it didn't work when we tried it, it's only going to put him in danger."

Four rambled off having a conversation with himself.

"Whatever Maverick did he must have had a reason." Legend insisted. "He wouldn't have done that for no reason. It must have been necessary, sorry Curse."

Curse just nodded. "In the time we spent together he never gave any inkling of turning traitor. But the dark world is a corrupting place, and you can't forget that a darks base nature is to destroy and hurt. We need to be prepared for the eventuality of having to face him in battle. And we have to deal with Callous's army, from what I saw he has enough resources to take over not just one of your hyrules but all of them."

Hyrules mind clicked into action, he didn't know much about armies but he knew Callous.

"Then we need an army of our own. With any luck and help from the few darks on our side we can amass our own army from each of our Hyrules…" Warriors began before pausing. "Except my Hyrule no longer has an army thanks to me."

Time rested a hand on Warriors shoulder. "That's not a good idea, we can't risk Hylian soldiers in this. If we can take out their leader, the minions will stand down."

"That's not always true." Hyrule said shifting his gaze from Curse to Time. "When I killed Ganon.."

"Don't you mean sealed away?" Time asked.

"No I ki…" Hyrule started again.

"Oh you imprisoned him?" Someone else chimed in.

"No." Hyruke said with force cutting off any other comments. "I killed him. An arrow to the heart, and took his piece of the triforce from his ashes." 

The other gave him astounded looks, had none of them really every killed their ganon? 

"I was washing ashes out of my hair for weeks it was terrible. But that's not the point. After I killed ganon his minions were determined to revive him, I was hunted so they could use my blood to resurrect him." Hyrule admitted, he'd never mentioned it before. He hated the way it tied him to that villian.

Curse shook his head. "The shadowlings that make up his army aren't smart enough to plan like that, whatever magic or method he's using to control them should wear off when he's dead."

"Then I know what we need to do." Warriors said, "we need to take the fight to him, draw him out and take him out. Call on our allies, us and darks on our side, Savage and Noble will fight with us, and so will Tempest. What about Acidic?"

Acidic cringed upon hearing his darks name. "If I ask he'll come, but he's unstable."

Nodding warriors continued. "Conqueror and Stygian won't fight with us, Conqueror hates Callous but he won't help us fight. And I'm not sure about Stygian."

"He won't help us or Callous." Sky confirmed. "He quite literally doesn't care." 

Nodding Twilight joined in. "That makes sixteen of us against Callous and his army."

"Seventeen." Four insisted causing them all to turn back. "I'm not giving up on Maverick."

Hyrule looked back and forth at Four and Legend, both of them obviously had more to their statements about their darks but that would have to wait for now.

"What if we aren't enough?" He asked. "What if Callous manages to kill us all? He gets to have all of Hyrule. We need another plan than just facing him head on."

Twilight shook his head. "There is no other way, someone like him won't stop until he's killed. It's him or us. And I doubt even he will be able to take on all seventeen of us."

Wild nodded as well. "Everyone of us can take out armies alone, together we're stronger and with all of our strengths together we can beat him, but only if we take him out before he can launch whatever plan he has."

He knew Callous would never stop, the dark’s motives were as purely evil as they could be, nothing would stop him from simply coming back later. He'd already survived Hyrule killing him once who's to say he couldn't again. But maybe there was something Hyrule could do to give them a better edge, but no that was too risky.

Time began to converse with Curse, they had to decide the logistics of gathering their fighting force together. Hyrule turned away from that and looked back at Legend, his predecessor had seemed off all day and the way he'd talked about Acidic earlier told Hyrule something more had happened.

Hyrule caught Legends eye and nodded, the other hero followed him out of the room as the other absorbed into the planning.

"Are you ok?" Hyrule asked once they had walked into one of the empty nearby parlors. Looking closer he saw Legend had once again acquired the dark circles he'd had while merged with Acidic.

"No Hyrule I'm not. I'm trying to process and I can't." Legend sat down but then got up and started pacing.

"It's something about Acidic, did he come back to talk to you?" Hyrule questioned.

"You could say that." Legend replied his gaze shifted resting on an opposite wall with blank eyes for a minute before he snapped back into reality. "What he said, what he wanted to do, it would have destroyed us, both of us. But that's the problem I can't even tell if I want it as well. It's my own fault this happened, Veran was my enemy. I created this problem when I didn’t defeat her. And now Acidic is suffering for it.”

Hyrule watched worriedly as his friend, the man who was supposed to his mentor wore a spot into the floor pacing back and forth muttering as he went. 

“Legend.” He called getting the other hero to look back up. “What did he want?”

“He wanted to merge again.”

[themrswallace]

Why Internet Justice is NEVER fair: An example-

TikTok, basically Vine and Musically’s derpy lovechild, yet as of recently, a place of rising tension, drama, abuse, and constant “My POV of the situation” videos.  Mob mentality: prevalent in society both on and offline, basically whatever you do, say, see will be sliced into a number of pieces and divided amongst hundreds, thousands, perhaps millions and whether you were right, wrong, innocent or guilty, those people, will have an opinion and either take your side wholeheartedly or be against that side or even just not care and be on their own island of “Leave me the fuck out of it”. Can’t blame them, I’m the same most days, unless it’s juicy or I’m just bored and need something to read/judge because as you can tell by my blog, I do not get out much, even before Corona.  The reason for this post? Because I’m pissed.  Why? Because the internet, as always, well, social media, well, TikTok, Well, life generally but we can slap that ass later.  Over the last week, I’ve seen posts about abuse, cheating, manipulation, harassment, all that, and while watching those coming out to present their evidence, I looked at the comments and saw all these people, dismissing them, their evidence, their physical proof/snapshots/convos/pics/etc, these users, were getting laughed at, brushed off, told they wanted/encouraged said abuse/harassment because of what they did for a living, what they didn’t, how they acted and spoke and dressed, even for characters they cosplayed, and I was just sat there, wanting to smash through my ipad and address these idiots because god knows if it was them, they wouldn’t be saying shit like “What do you expect when you make ‘insert character here’ content?” if it was them, and I get that, everyone can be a hypocrite but we do so much to help and support victims of abuse/harassment/assault to come out and get justice, that people thinking this response is fine is just, utterly astounding, it blows my mind how the internet can be so pro, yet also, incredibly, violently anti to anybody, anybody, ironically, mostly those trying to actually get help/support.  The internet is as dangerous a place as it is amazing, and I guess, that’s the thing, pros, and cons, good and bad.....fair and unfair.  Now lemme say a thing, lemme tell you a story that adds to this whole theme:  A few years ago, I was a blog on here, left for so long and came back late last year after being away following a military-grade assault on my account via a bunch of rad stans who decided I was annoying/outspoken enough that they needed to get rid of me whatever way possible, which lead to me being hacked, accused of being a pedophile, assaulting one of their friends (On the other side of the world, even tho I was beyond broke, anxious af and could hardly stand human touch by anyone, including my own family), being a racist, gay fetishist, using my gender identity/sexuality to avoid justice, lying about my parents being dead (They liked to call me adopted/a runway/kicked out because nobody wanted me, lots of lovely things), sexualizing everything (Minors, animals, etc), these people went after my friends, some of whom, were victims of abuse/assault/violence themselves, they received messages similar to the comments in the Tiktok posts, one who was even a victim of child abuse, received sickening messages about how they wanted/deserved it, someone who simply refused to listen/be apart of the drama caused by these people and kept to themselves, they were attacked as viciously by so called “Justice bringers”.  As the arguments went on, any post I made was cut up, repasted and turned into something entirely different, or used in alternate context when literally I could be talking about something made for lunch and somehow it would become sexual/racist/disturbing, I couldn’t sneeze without it being policed.  Eventually, and not all that shocking, I left, after being broken down, hunted, mocked, abused verbally and dropped by people once known as friends, there were even threats of doxxing, which as you can imagine, did not aid my already shattered mental state.  Despite no real evidence, and scraps the radical Stans tried to use against me being debunked quite quickly thanks to my depressed butt never going anywhere or doing anything other than posting online, people turned, a lot of people turned and treated me as though I was guilty, some even demanding I block them because of how disgusting/troublesome I was, despite everything my harassers had being proven as bullshit and obvious lies, their side was taken, users excused their behavior as simply “protecting other tumblr accounts”, doing the fandom a favor and stomping out trouble makers, defending those who couldn’t defend themselves.  As you can understand, that event caused me lots of issues with trust and posting online, some I’m not over today, and even making this post scares me despite best efforts to laugh off everything with dark humor and a smug attitude.  When I was accused, few took my side, those few I’m still thankful for today and cherish because it showed me who my friends were.  But despite being innocent, I was treated as guilty.  And on TikTok, those guilty are being treated as innocent, defended, supported while the sufferers of their abuse are attacked, mocked, treated like the criminal despite having evidence to back up their claims.  Seeing that just hits a sore spot and so, I wanted to make this post.  The internet isn’t fair, but speak up anyway, demand to be listened to and don’t let those who’ve hurt you get away with it, you’re loved, you’re special, you’re wanted, you’re going to be okay, and if someone doesn’t believe you, keep shouting, keep making noise, keep believing yourself.  Get your justice. Nobody should go unheard.