#set 200. absolutely out of control

[katebeckets]

how to say "I love you" in x-files [200/?] ⤷ 8.21 — “Existence”

[the-case-book-of-fanfiction]

astarion ancunin hcs {pt. 1}

once he's comfortable with you, he adores non-sexual physical intimacy

playing with his hair will calm him down almost instantly

he's protective and possessive, so he'll keep a hand on you at all times, usually on your back

loves when you initiate any kind of physical contact

always asks to do something before he does, in either a sexual or nonsexual context

he's easily jealous and can sometimes get very possessive; for the first time in 200 years, he has someone who genuinely loves him and he hates the possibility that he might lose you

that possessiveness is obvious when he marks up your neck with bites and hickeys

if he feels like his place in your relationship is threatened in public, he will not hesitate to touch, hold, or kiss you in front of whomever is making a move on you; after some bearing of fangs, whoever it is usually scuttles off very quickly

he definitely feels very undeserving of you and your love and has his days when he's convinced you're going to leave him for someone better when you get the chance, or that he's keeping you from; that insecurity lasts for a very long time

constantly buries his own feelings, so you have to coax them out of him and teach him how to set boundaries and stand up for himself

astarion absolutely LOVES bathing together; he can be very vulnerable with you without sex being expected when you bathe together and it absolutely helps him regain some control and bodily autonomy

he loves gifting you things: jewelry, clothes, weapons, little knickknacks he sees that remind him of you

his elven ears are so sensitive and he absolutely will whine involuntarily when you brush your fingers over them (either on accident while you're touching his curls or on purpose)

speaking of which, astarion loves having his hair played with, it's a huge comfort to him (and another form of physical touch that isn't inherently sexual, so it's one of the ways to ease him back into being intimate and physical)

sexually, he's very switchy; some days he wants to be in control and giving you all the pleasure you deserve, but other days he's more than happy to let you take the lead and love on him

he loves staying up late to have deep talks and watch the sky (sun or moon and stars, it doesn't matter which to him)

cuddle this man. all the time. he's absolutely a cuddle bug. if you don't cuddle him while you go to sleep, he'll be very huffy, and you'll wake up to him curled up around you anyway

he also likes to be the little spoon sometimes, once he's comfortable with you seeing and being wrapped around his back

he will sew everything for you instead of teaching you to do it; he likes being useful in some little way for you (inspired by @aethes-bookshelf's post here because I saw it and went "you are absolutely right")

he commonly speaks to you in Elvish whether you understand it or not; it's absolutely a comfort to him, especially when you start picking up words and understanding some of what he says

contrary to the performances he puts on, astarion is a very gentle lover when he can finally be comfortable and genuine with you. he's quieter, softer, he takes the time to learn you and himself, he lets himself enjoy it; he learns to become a taker, not just a giver

he likes to hold you, however he can, and at the very least always be touching you. an arm around your waist or shoulders, a hand on the small of your back, holding your hand or twining your pinkies together. he can't be touching you, he's standing so close to you that he could be touching you if he moved a centimeter more

he likes to hug you randomly; one of his favorite ways to do it is to come up behind you while you're cooking or talking to someone or looking at yourself in the mirror to get ready so he can surprise you by putting his arms around your waist and resting his head on your shoulder

astarion has a habit of kissing your neck whenever he can, sometimes it's a way to let you know he's hungry, other times when he wants to be intimate, other times just to remind you he loves you

on the same hand, he doesn't always say 'i love you' but instead makes it known through his behavior around you (and the fact that he's constantly looking at you like you are his whole world, because you are)

on the nights when you can't sleep, he reads to you until you drift off because he knows you find his voice soothing

he likes tucking his head into your neck and shoulder when the two of you sleep (which he finds out he actually likes doing every now and then)

the first thing astarion does when he wakes up is pepper you with little kisses on your shoulders, collarbones, cheeks, and forehead

when he's nervous and with people he's okay with knowing that, he'll reach for your hand and touch your fingers to calm down and ground himself. if you wear a ring or multiple rings, he'll play with those

astarion loves it when you call him by a nickname, either a shortened version of his name or a pet name. if he's fed recently and had enough blood, his cheeks will turn this adorable shade of pink when you call him "Star" or "my love" or something similar

how he wakes up from a nightmare changes constantly. the worse the nightmare, the worse his reaction when he wakes up. sometimes it's just a little gasp and his eyes flying open, sometimes it's a yelp and tears, sometimes he's crying before he even wakes up; but every time, his biggest comfort is to cling to you until the panic fades and then curl up in your lap (you've learned to light a candle or summon lights with magic when he wakes up from a nightmare; the shadows make him feel worse)

when you fall asleep outside of bed, he picks you up and carries you to bed and tucks you in—all without waking you

if you are injured at any point and there is no certainty that you'll pull through, he panics. he stays at your side the entire time, even if the smell of your blood is driving him mad, and holds your hand and talks to you, often begging you to wake up, to come back to him, to stay with him; more than once, you've woken up to find him with tears streaked down his face

every time you wake up from an injury and he realizes it, either because he's watching you or because you say hi to get his attention, he smothers you in kisses

once he's no longer starving, he likes to feed from you very slowly, to take his time and enjoy your taste; now that he's promised food, he doesn't feel the need to rush. feeding becomes very sensual, intimate, and personal for the two of you after that

he also loves leaving bites and drinking from you in places the others won't see; it makes him incredibly giddy to know that you let him bite you in places only he will ever see

if he's taller than you, he loves to kiss the crown of your head whenever he can

he will sew up your injuries whenever you need his help with it, even if the sight and smell of your blood makes him salivate

he loves touching your body to see how you react and lets you do the same to learn his own likes and dislikes

matching. outfits. he loves it, loves seeing people realize that you wear the same material and colors and realize what it means. he's very smug when people come to the realization that you're together

he frequently gives you his shirts to sleep in

if you are apart from him for any amount of time, expect to be tackled with a hug the minute you are reunited again

when you have the time, he likes to just lay in bed with you and relax together, half-asleep and cuddling and sometimes mumbling to each other pt. 2 coming soon

[kyseya]

Weston Callaghan

(Yandere farmer x reader. He is from this fic)

————————

Age: 27

Appearance: Weston is a very tall and muscular man. His dark brown hair is cut short and reaches his ears. It’s often a bit messy since he doesn’t brush it or do anything besides wash when showering. He is a whooping 6’7(200 cm), this man is a beast, which isn’t such a surprise considering all the work he does daily. Weston also has a scar below his left eye, you can easily see the depth of the cut that caused it. It seems to be a miracle he didn’t lose his eyesight.

Personality: He is quite the simple man. He doesn’t require anything beyond the farm he lives on. It may be because of the upbringing he had, the one that didn’t allow greed of any kind, but he doesn’t have the energy to think about that. As the older one, he feels responsible for his younger brother. Naturally this meant he had to be the more mature one. Weston can usually be seen with a slight frown engraved on his face. It takes a lot to wipe it off. Despite his stoic nature, he can be incredibly sweet when he wants to. This is not shown through words but through his actions. It can be by helping you with any problem you might be having, bringing you a bouquet of hand-picked flowers or getting rid of any pests bothering you.

Likes & dislikes: he enjoys the light dawn brings and waking up early. In his youth, he absolutely despised it but now he likes the mornings. It’s peaceful and quiet, much like him, and you can enjoy nature in a calm demeanor. Coffe is something he also enjoys, which he drinks before setting out to do his morning chores. If you’re not an early bird like him, that’s fine. He doesn’t care about that stuff. As long as you don’t lay in bed doing nothing all the time. Although that may be more out of concern. Weston doesn’t like TV all that much. It’s because it reminds him of his parents and it makes him recoil in disgust. However much he dislikes it, the TV stays out since Lucas still enjoys sitting in front of it after a particularly hard day. If you like watching TV as well, then there is no way he could get rid of it even if he wanted to. The only exception of it being as a punishment. Even then he would throw it away, but just put it somewhere you can’t see, find or retrieve it.

Yandere tendencies: possesive and controlling. While he’s also protective of his loved one, it’s not nearly as much as his brother. Compared to him, Weston is more relaxed and doesn’t try to restrict his partner, so long they don’t travel outside the frames. If you do as he says and don’t question it too much, you’ll be fine! He will be content when you know who you belong to. He doesn’t pay attention to others so neither should you. Of course he’s not forbidding you to talk to other, no that’s be crazy, just don’t spend too much time with them or think about leaving him. Then he might have to come up with a solution; he is a good problem solver, always has been. He doesn’t want to keep you locked up inside the house, so don’t force him to make that choice, okay?

—-//////

(I don’t know anything about facial scars or eyes, so plz don’t come for me if it’s wrong)

[hongjoongtime117]

I can’t stand you - 200 follower special

Pairing: Kim Hongjoong/reader

Genre: SMUT (MDNI 18+)

Word Count: 3.2k

Warnings: rough sex, bratty reader, oral (M receiving), enemies to lovers, edging, marking, “hate” fuck (as usual, probably forgot a lot, let me know!)

Author’s Notes: Thank you all SO MUCH for 200 followers! I hope you all enjoy this! It was fun to write. My love aggression for Hongjoong may have prompted this idea, just a little bit!

Taglist: @kihyuns-military-wife @Arki-sha @Ghostlovesworld 

The bass thumps loudly in the club, vibrating you to your core. You grind against Mingi, as you watch the one man in your friend group you absolutely can’t stand with a look of disgust as he nurses his drink at the bar. 

“God, I can’t fucking stand him, Mingi!” you say into his ear, loud enough to be heard over the music. 

“I never understood why, though. What’s he ever done to you?” Mingi throws his head back with a hiccuping laugh.

“He’s just arrogant and cocky!” Not that he didn’t have reason to be, he’s absolutely gorgeous. He was in fact the furthest thing from cocky. He was sweet and charming, and you wanted him. But you would never let him know that, or the rest of the group. You would be teased relentlessly by them, given the facade you’ve maintained about your hatred for Hongjoong. 

You head to the bar to down another shot, purposely squeezing yourself next to Hongjoong in the crowded space. 

“Hey there, pretty girl.” Hongjoong gives you that million dollar smile and you return it with a roll of your eyes.

“Fuck off, Hongjoong,” you snark as you throw back your shot, hissing at the bitter liquid. 

As you go to walk away, he grabs your wrist and pulls you to him. “Why are you always so fucking feisty with me? Seriously, what have I done?” his tone serious and a glimmer of something else hidden in his dark eyes. 

“I just can’t fucking stand you, Hongjoong. Haven’t I made that abundantly clear!?” you shout as you rip your wrist from his grip and head back through the crowd to Mingi, who’s now dancing with Yunho. 

“What’s got you all riled up?” Wooyoung questions as he sees the annoyed expression on your face. 

“What always does, Woo?” you say with an exasperated sigh.

“I think you two just need to fuck out all of this tension yall got going on,” Wooyoung prods with a smirk and a wiggle of his brows.

“Yeah fucking right, Woo. Be so for real right now,” your annoyance growing at his teasing.

With the tension that’s always sparked between you two it would indeed be the hate fuck of the century. You didn’t actually hate Hongjoong. You hated how absolutely perfect he was. And before you could tamper down your attitude, Hongjoong had quickly followed you through the crowd, relinquishing any semblance of control you had gained over your emotions. He again grabs hold of your wrist and drags you through the crowd towards the exit, tightening his grip as you struggle against him. The remaining seven of the group exchange surprised glances with each other.

“LET GO OF ME, KIM HONGJOONG!” you scream at him once you’ve made it to the much quieter outdoors of the club. He ignores your raised voice and throws you over his shoulder and carries you to his car as you beat against his back. Once you’ve reached his car, he finally sets you down. 

“Get in,” he opens the door and gestures for you to hop in. 

“Since when do I take orders from you?” 

He pinches the bridge of his nose as he lets out a long, tired sigh. “Y/N. I’m taking you back to my place. We need to talk. Whatever this reason is that you hate my guts, I need to know so I can fix it. And the club isn’t exactly the proper place to do so.” 

You roll your eyes, and half heartedly plop into the passenger seat of his sleek, black sports car. He settles into the driver’s side and starts the car, engine purring to life. The car ride to his place is eerily silent, as is the ascent to his apartment. 

He unlocks his door and allows you to enter first. With the door shut securely behind the two of you, he pins you to the door by your throat. Not enough to restrict airflow, but enough to let you know he means business. “You want to tell me what your problem is?” his voice a low, dangerous growl.

The corner of your mouth curls up into a mocking smirk. “I fucking hate you, and your stupid, pretty face. Your perfect damn smile. That gorgeous ass body I know you have hiding under all those clothes. Your perfectly pointed nose that I think about riding more often than I should. There, you happy now?” venom oozing from your words as you push him away from you and throw yourself onto his couch. 

Before you can fully settle, he’s hovered over you on the couch. He grabs a fist full of your hair and yanks, forcing you to make eye contact with his blown out pupils. “Awww, if you wanted to ride my face, all you had to do was ask, darling,” his tone condescending. “But then again,” he places one of your small hands on the buldge growing in his jeans, “my dick clearly enjoys your attitude.”

“You’re all talk, Joong. All bark and no bite,” you challenge him, even in your vulnerable position. 

“No bite, hmm?” he whispers into the shell of your ear as he straddles your body and rests in your lap. Without warning, he sinks his teeth into the flesh of your neck, bringing forth a sharp gasp from your lips. “You can talk all the shit you want. But I know you want me as badly as I want you, and I’ll have you begging for more long before I’m finished with you.”

“Cocky much, Joongie?” you spit out.

“Is it really cocky if I know I can back up my words, darling?” He places heated, wet kisses on all the sensitive areas of your neck, his hold on your hair never faltering, and you can feel the stickiness forming between your thighs.

“Yet all I’m still hearing is a bunch of talk.”

Your feistiness makes Hongjoong groan into your neck before leaving another harsh bite. “That little mouth of yours is going to get you in trouble.”

“Like I give a shit,” you choke out. You’re pulling out all the stops to piss him off enough to thoroughly ruin you. 

“I’ve got better uses for that smart mouth of yours,” he growls, annoyance seeping through his words. For the second time tonight, he throws you over his shoulder, and carries you to his room. He throws you on the bed on your back, your head towards the foot of it. He hastily strips himself of all of his clothes, and his throbbing cock slaps against his abdomen. You don’t even need to right yourself to tell his size is impressive. You swallow hard at the sight, your mouth going dry.

“Nothing to say now, huh?” the devilish smirk playing on his lips. “Open up for me, pretty.” 

You open your mouth wide for him, and he shoves his thick cock down your throat in one go, making you choke around him. “Mmm, that’s the sound I love to hear. Not your smart ass mouth.” 

In a fit of defiance, you carefully but firmly let your teeth graze his cock as he thrusts in and out. Crazed look in his eyes, he grabs you by your throat, pushing against the bulge his dick has created. “You better watch those teeth, little brat.” He removes himself from your mouth, and you fill your lungs with a full breath of air. 

“Or what, Joong? Hmm?” you grit, catching your breath as you sit yourself up on the bed.

“I’ll just have to fuck your brains out until you beg for mercy,” a wicked glint flashes across his eyes, and he climbs towards you, like a predator after prey.

“You keep making promises, yet I’m still here, not being fucked. You know, if you’re incapable, I’m more than happy to find someone else to satisfy me. Or do it myself. And just leave you here with an angry, leaking cock,” you shrug, indifferent.

“Fucking try me,” he snarls, his face centimeters from yours, breaths mingling together.

You move to get up from the bed, but before you can move an inch he has you pinned against the mattress under him. He reaches under your skirt and swipes two fingers through the slick that is pouring out of your tight hole. “With the way she’s purring for me, I know you’re full of shit. And no panties? You were just waiting for someone to fill you, hmmm?”

“So sure of yourself, huh?” you pant.

“Darling, you’ve been eye fucking me from the moment we met. I know you want to be split open on my cock, until the only thing that leaves your lips is my name.”

“Does this bullshit work on all the other girls?” 

He chuckles darkly. “Oh, darling. There are no others. The only one I want to stuff full is you.”

You scoff at his words. “Yeah? Then prove it to me. You’re still all talk, Joongie.”

Without warning, he flips you around on your stomach and lifts your ass in the air. He rips off the skirt, and resounding smack fills the air along with a strangled moan from you. He gently rubs the reddening mark on your ass cheek. “Mmm, such a pretty color, let’s make the other one match, hmm?” He lands the second smack, and watches your hole tighten around nothing as you let out a high pitched whine. 

“Now we’re getting somewhere,” you say, feigning annoyance. 

Without so much as a warning, he shoves two fingers inside your wet heat, and plays with your sweet spot, ripping a loud whine from your lips. “Acting like you hate me, but your body betrays every word that leaves those sweet little lips.”

You fake a yawn. “Are you done yet? I’m getting bored.” You pick up your phone from the night stand and unlock it, attempting to piss him off even more. 

Harshly pushing his fingers further inside of you, he yanks your phone from you with his free hand and tosses it somewhere on the floor. You gasp at the sudden force of his fingers. “I want all of your focus on me as I pull you apart, piece by piece, my little stubborn brat,” he growls into your ear.

Against your heaving breaths, you still maintain your defiance. “I think it’s you who’s going to fall apart first, Joong.” He gives you an extremely arrogant laugh. “Mmm, not so fast, baby.”

“But I like fast,” you quip back.

“Unfortunate that I’m the one who’s in charge here, darling. It’s about time I show your needy little pussy who’s the boss.”

“Oh, and who is that, Hongjoong?” you try and say with confidence, but the tremble in your voice betrays you just the smallest bit.

“Considering the way she’s sucking in my fingers, and clenching them, I’d say it’s me. It’s always going to be me,” his fingers pumping in and out of you at a furious pace, and the fire in your gut is roaring. 

“Prove it, then,” the challenge in your voice evident.

He pulls his slick covered fingers out of your spasming hole, and reaches around to rub light circles against your clit. Just light enough to leave you on the edge, but never enough to tip you over. He switches between your dripping hole and your sensitive bundle of nerves. Your pussy is making loud, lewd noises from how wet you’ve become in your little banter with Hongjoong, and how well he’s working your body. “You hear that, baby? How wet she is for me? She’s mine. You’re mine.”

“You sure about that?” you huff out, trying not to give him the satisfaction of your moans, letting him know how good you feel. But a slight pinch to your clit renders your efforts useless.

He pulls you by your throat until your back meets his strong chest and whispers in your ear. “With the way you’re soaking my hand and the pretty noises you’re making for me, and you haven’t even had my cock yet, I’d fucking say so, darling.”

“I bet Mingi could do a better job. I should find out. He’s been dreaming to be where you are right now.”

His jaw clenches in annoyance at the mention of someone else having you the way he is right now. He slides his fingers back inside you, bringing you right to the edge. Your legs tremble as you whimper and whine, and before you can get the euphoria of release, he withdraws his fingers. 

You sigh in frustration and he chuckles because he has you right where he wants you. “You sure know how to push my buttons, hmm? I’m gonna stretch this pretty little pussy open until the only thing you can scream is my name.” He uses the hand soaked in your juices and brings it to one of your aching nipples. He pinches and pulls, just hard enough to bring pleasure. He can see your pulse pounding in your neck, and he sucks a dark, possessive mark right over it. 

He brings his unoccupied hand back to your swollen clit, giving you the friction you’ve been craving. Tears spring to the corners of your eyes from all the sensations he’s making you feel. Your breathing is ragged from his ministrations, labored pants mixing with the heavy breathing from Hongjoong, and the squelch of your pussy.

He can tell you’re reaching your peak yet again, and yet again, he stops. The tears you tried so hard to stop from escaping finally fall down your cheeks, along with a strangled cry. Hongjoong licks them up with a smirk, savoring the salty taste.

“Hongjoong, please,” you beg breathlessly.

“What was that, darling? Please what? You’ve been using your words this entire time, don’t stop now, my little brat.” His tone is mocking, but at this point you couldn’t care less. You need him, in the worst way. 

“Fuck, I need you. Please,” desperation in your voice.

“That’s it, darling. Beg for my cock. Let yourself go. Fall apart for me, baby.” He places you down on the bed and rolls you over until you’re on your back as he cages you in. He sets a tortuous pace in exploring your body with his mouth, leaving no skin unkissed.

“Hongjoong…” you say his name in a drawn out whisper. “Please…” He looks up at you through half lidded eyes, stopping his exploration for a moment. Tears spill down your cheeks again and he gently wipes them away. 

“Look at you, crying for me baby. Tell me what you need,” he coos.

“S-stop teasing!” You’re writhing underneath him, your body on fire, as you grow restless, waiting for him to finally fill you.

“Patience, darling. Haven’t you ever heard that good things come to those who wait?” The grin on his face makes you whimper with a need you’ve never felt before. He slides his cock between your glistening folds, spreading your arousal to coat him before he pushes just the tip inside your aching pussy. You both let out a simultaneous moan as he stretches you just the slightest bit, and he finally gets a feel of how tight and wet you are.

“How long are you going to let us both suffer, hmm? I’ve waited, now give me something good,” you pout at him, that hint of bratiness still hanging on by a thread. 

He slowly pushes in, just another inch and you try to rock your hips to push him inside further. He pushes your hips down roughly to stop you. “So needy, darling.”

“Hongjoong, you’re just torturing me at this point.” Your hands grip the sheets beneath you as you try and gain control over your body, every nerve set alight by how much you need him right now.

“Mmm, and what do you think you’ve been doing to me for years, baby?” He growls as he envelops your mouth in a searing kiss. As the kiss grows more impatient and messy, he finally sinks the rest of his throbbing cock inside your warm, wet heat. Your eyes widen and he swallows your moan, your back arching prettily underneath him.

Panting hard, he breaks the kiss. “Fuck, you feel so good wrapped around me. You’re mine. No one else gets to feel these tight, silky walls squeezing their cock, do you understand?” 

“Yes, Hongjoong.” Your voice is barely above a whisper and your walls squeeze him tighter at his words as you finally succumb to the man you’ve pretended to hate for so long. 

“That’s a good girl. All you needed this entire time was for me to put you in your place, and stretch you open, hmm?” He groans at your pussy clenching around his cock, his strokes lazy and unhurried. “I knew it was only a matter of time before I tamed that sassy little mouth, darling.”

“Fuck, Hongjoong.”

“So obedient now, hmm, baby?” He smirks as he looms over you to place a claiming bite on the flesh of your shoulder.  

You choke on a moan at the pleasure mixed with pain from his bite. You smirk dangerously at him, your brat never fully becoming tamed. “I enjoy a bit of pain, Joong. Stop treating me like I’m fucking fragile.”

“Oh, do you now, darling? Let’s see just how much you enjoy it.”

“Ruin me, Hongjoong,” you taunt, wrapping your legs around him, pushing him in impossibly deeper, and your hole pouring out even more slick around his cock. 

The look is his eyes is primal as he sets a punishing pace, the sounds of skin meeting skin filling the room, along with the symphony of pretty noises falling from your lips, and the deep, guttural ones from Hongjoong’s. Hongjoong’s eyes fall to your stomach, where he can see the online of his cock as it pistons in and out. He splays his hand across it and pushes down, just slightly, the pressure causing your orgasm to come barreling to the forefront exceedingly fast. Your walls throbbing around Hongjoong has his head thrown back in ecstasy, a predatory growl rumbling in his chest. 

“Come on darling, cum on my cock. Let that sweet little cunt milk me for every drop.” 

Neither of you being able to take in a full breath, chests heaving in rapid succession, he places a single finger under your chin. “I want you to look at me when you cum, darling.” After a few more thrusts and expert fingers on your clit, you come undone, locking eyes with him as he soon follows, hot seed filling you to the brim. 

His warm, sweaty body collapses next to you and he pulls you close. “Are you done hating me now?” he questions, trying to keep his voice light, but there’s a hint of seriousness and worry in his tone. 

“Hongjoong, I never hated you,” you chuckle. “And if I did, you fucked it out of me.” 

“So does this mean that you’re actually mine?” He mouths at your shoulder and the back of your neck. “You’re not gonna go run off with Mingi?” he jokes.

“I’m yours, Hongjoong. Who’s Mingi?” 

The two of you shake with laughter as you cuddle close, enjoying the newfound relationship between you.��

[xmenloganx]

Between the Lines of Hatred (Part 1)

Hey everyone! This is my very first fanfic, and it's an enemies-to-lovers story featuring Logan x Reader / Y/N . (Who doesn’t love a little enemies-to-lovers banter, right?) I hope you all enjoy.

Background Info: Y/N's in her mid-20s with a healing factor not as rapid as Logan’s, but effective over time. Her mutation, (dreamwalking) grants her the ability to step into and control the dreams of others. She can alter the dream world, uncover hidden memories or knowledge, and even replicate abilities witnessed within the dream. She can also turn the dream into a weapon locking someone inside a nightmare they can’t escape.

Warnings: cussing, sensitive topics, choking, minors please DNI

PS: future chapters WILL include smut.

Between The Lines of Hated Part 2

Summary: You and Logan couldn’t stand each other.

Don’t get it wrong...you were a sweetheart. You’d been working at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters for years before Logan ever showed up. The kids absolutely adored you! you were their favorite professor. And you felt the same way about them. They were your safe haven. A comforting distraction from the harsh reality you came from. A family who saw your differences not as gifts, but as something to be ashamed of. Their words were laced with hate, and their acceptance was something you’d long given up hoping for. So you left, choosing to start a new life somewhere you could truly belong—a place where people were more like you, and where you could be accepted for who you really are. A mutant.

You shared a close bond with your colleagues. Storm, Jean, and Scott felt like family. You were the one everyone gravitated towards, a calming presence who brought a sense of peace into every room. People often said you were the kindest person they had ever met.

So why was Logan the exception?

From the moment he arrived, it was like he was determined to get under your skin. Always a snide comment. Always something sarcastic to say when things went wrong. Even the smallest inconvenience became his excuse to throw a jab your way. It wasn’t playful. It felt intentional. Personal. You’d think a man pushing 200 would have better things to do with his time.

And it was only ever aimed at you. Which quite honestly hurt your feelings.

You’d tried to figure it out. As someone who overthinks everything, you’d replayed every interaction, every glance, every word you’d shared with him from the day he arrived. Searching for a reason. Some moment where you might’ve offended him without realizing it. But there was nothing. No explanation.

You saw how he was with others. The soft spot he still had for Jean...though he’d finally come to terms with the fact that she only had eyes for Scott. The way he spoke so gently to Rogue. How he treated Charles with the utmost respect. He could be kind. Thoughtful, even.

So what had you done to deserve the cold shoulder? The constant disrespect?

Maybe nothing. Maybe he just didn’t like you. And maybe… that had to be okay.

So, life went on. Same routine, same rhythm. You’d get up, set up for your classes, teach your sections, then have lunch in the staff lounge with your friends. Some days you’d check in with Charles, other days you’d get some training in. And at night, your favorite part—you’d make yourself a hot cup of coffee and curl up with a book before bed. Yes, coffee. It didn’t keep you awake like it did most people. It was comforting. Familiar. Like home in a mug.

You and Logan still crossed paths. The occasional “hi” or “goodbye” in the hallways. Polite. Brief. Distant. But in group settings? That’s when the tension resurfaced. Every time you offered a suggestion during mission briefings, he’d have something to say (by being an absolute ass) always cutting, always loud enough to make you look foolish.

You didn’t know what his problem was. But at this point, you were done trying to figure it out.

Present Day

You had just wrapped up your class, answering every last question your students threw your way. With that all taken care of, you decided it was the perfect time to change and squeeze in some training. So you changed into your usual Adidas sportswear and a white tank top, tied your hair back into a ponytail and headed straight for the training room.... But little did you know Logan already beat you to it.

You stepped into the room and froze. “Oh... hey,” you managed, your voice catching slightly as the words tumbled out. You hadn’t expected anyone to be here this early let alone him.

Logan glanced over at you with a smirk. “Looks like someone wrapped up their class early.”

You rolled your eyes. “It was a short lecture, thank you very much.���

He scoffed, matching your eye roll with one of his own, then started walking towards you each step radiating that effortless confidence that always threw you off just a little more than you cared to admit.

“This isn’t the first time your lecture’s run short. Don’t forget, I teach right after you so when your students show up early, it cuts into my time. Now I’ve gotta head to class looking like this with no chance to shower"

You tried to focus on what he was saying, but your mind just couldn’t stay on track. His damn ruggedly handsome face, that perfectly trimmed beard, and his messy, tousled hair, everything about him was distracting the hell out of you.

But what really caught your attention was the way sweat traced down his muscular arms, soaking into the white beater that clung to him like a second skin. And if you were being honest with yourself… there was just something about a man in a white beater that drove you wild and Logan wore it way too well.

You hated the effect he had on you but couldn't help it.

“What do you expect me to do? Keep them in class longer? They could be using their time better like studying for their midterms. So, excuse me for wanting them to actually be productive.”

You say in frustration while crossing your arms.

“Whatever. Enjoy your little training session. Let’s just hope it actually works before you screw things up again.” He walks out.

You stood there for a moment, silent and still, letting the frustration settle. But there was no way in hell you were letting Logan be the one to ruin your day. So you pulled yourself together, pushed the irritation aside, and shifted your focus back to training.

(Logan's POV)

There’s something about Y/N that just… irritates me, and I can’t even explain why. Honestly, I feel like an asshole half the time for being so hard on her. She’s never actually done anything to me. If anything, she’s been nothing but respectful...hell, even kind. Especially when I first got here.

She’s got that kind of presence that changes the energy in a room. Like, when she walks in, the air feels lighter. There’s this warmth about her something real. Her eyes light up when she teaches, and yeah, I’ve caught myself lingering more than once.

You can tell she actually cares about the kids. She's passionate, dedicated. The kind of professor who gives a damn, which is rare. And maybe that’s what scares me the most. Her kindness. Because it’s real. And when something’s real, it’s vulnerable. It’s fragile. And the people I care about? They always end up getting hurt when I let them get close.

So I do what I’ve always done! push people away. Burn the bridge before it even gets built. And when it comes to Y/N? Yeah… mission accomplished.

"Alright, everyone, grab a seat… your professor decided to cut her lecture short, so I guess I’ll be the one picking up the slack."

“It was a short lecture because it was a midterm review,” Rogue chimed in. “She was just going over what we need to study.”

“Yeah! I mean, it’s not like we had anything else to cover might as well leave early,” Bobby added, casually shrugging his shoulders.

“Right… well, some of us professors actually believe in using the full class to teach something,” I scoffed, shooting him a look.

Damn, she really had these kids ready to go to war for her.

Storm happened to walk by just as the words left my mouth. She paused, giving me that signature disapproving glare.

“Logan… might I have a word with you after your class? It’s important.”

“Uh, yeah sure. I should be wrapping up in about an hour,” I replied.

“Charles’ office. One hour.” She said coldly before walking away.

Great. I could already feel whatever’s coming. And it's about to be a fucking earful.

1 Hour Passes - Both Logan and Storm are in Charles Office

"Logan, I’ve been informed that you’ve been speaking disrespectfully about one of our professors to the students in her absence," Charles said the moment I stepped into his office.

I glanced over at Storm, already annoyed.

“I wouldn’t call it being disrespectful...just voicing some frustration,” I muttered.

Storm rolled her eyes. “Oh, cut the crap, Logan. We all know how you’ve been treating Y/N since day one. You haven’t given her a break.”

"Jesus, is that what you guys do? Sit around gossiping about me during your girl time?" I shot back. "I didn’t even say her name."

"You didn’t need to," Storm said in a sharp tone. "It was obvious who you were talking about, especially since she teaches right before you."

“Yeah, well, forgive me for being a little pissed that she half-assed her lectures, cuts class early, and then takes over the training room like it’s her personal sanctuary. In the end I’m the one left to clean up the mess she leaves behind."

“Alright, both of you, just stop—” Charles started, but everyone froze when Y/N walks in, clearly upset.

“Y/N…” Storm said softly.

“Oh, don’t mind me interrupting Logan’s little rant,” Y/N snapped, her gaze locking with mine. “I just thought I’d come in here to defend myself, since apparently, there’s some misleading information being spread behind my back.”

Y/N gaze remained fixed on mine

“For the record, I couldn’t care less what you think about me, my teaching style, or how I run my classes,” she continued. “But one thing I won’t tolerate is you making me look bad in front of my students. So, I suggest you respectfully shut the fuck up and mind your own fucking business.”

With that, she stormed out, leaving the room in silence.

Charles let out a sigh. “Logan, I get that you have your issues with her, but for the record, she’s never spoken a word against you. In fact, she’s always spoken highly of you, especially when it comes to the students.”

Storm turned to look at me. “Exactly. And you have no idea what she’s been through, so maybe—”

“Alright, alright, fine!” I cut her off, rubbing my temples in frustration. “I get it. I’m sorry. I won’t say anything else.”

Charles raised an eyebrow. “It’s not us you should be apologizing to, Logan.”

I let out a frustrated sigh. “When she’s ready to talk to me, I’ll apologize. Until then, I’m not losing any sleep over it.” With that, I storm out.

Jesus, does she always have to be such a pain in the ass?

(Y/N's POV)

Why did Logan have to be such a dick? I was so done with him. Anger and frustration flooded my mind as I made my way back to my room.

I walked in, flopped onto my bed, and replayed the whole scene from Charles' office in my head. Disappointment washed over me. I knew I wouldn’t always get to work with people I liked, but sometimes, Logan made being here feel downright miserable.

Normally, I’d grab a coffee and settle down with a good book, but not tonight. Instead, I put on my headphones, listened to some music, and decided to call it a night.

Later that Night

I was suddenly woken by groaning and screams coming from next door. It was Logan. This wasn’t the first time he’d had a nightmare since he got here, but this one sounded worse than usual.

I quickly made my way to his door and knocked softly. "Logan? It’s me, Y/N… Are you okay?"

A few students started to come out of their rooms, looking confused and concerned.

"Hey guys, it’s fine. Just go back to bed, there’s nothing to see here," I called out, trying to reassure them as I continued knocking on his door.

Still no response. But I could hear him thrashing around and shouting. So, with no other choice, I opened the door and stepped inside.

He was out cold, completely consumed by whatever nightmare had him in its grip. Given that my powers revolve around controlling dreams, I made the call to step in and settle it down.

Does he deserve the help? Fuck no. But I’m not doing this for him. I’m doing it so I can actually get my beauty sleep and so the kids aren’t up all night because Logan can’t keep his demons in check.

My hands moved carefully to either side of his face, fingers brushing his temples as I let my powers take control. As soon as I entered his mind, I was hit by a wave of agony raw, brutal, and suffocating. It was the kind of nightmare I hadn’t seen in a long time.

The dream was chaos. Logan was locked inside some kind of containment tank, submerged in water. Thick cables and syringes jabbed into his body, pumping him full of some liquid. His bones being coated, reforged. He was writhing in pain, completely helpless. Then came the man behind it all a cold-eyed figure with graying hair and a twisted sense of control. Stryker, his name tag read.

“Erase his memory,” he ordered.

And just like that, Logan snapped. He went feral, unleashing pure, animalistic rage. He tore through everything, blinded by pain and confusion. No wonder he was screaming in his sleep, this wasn’t just a nightmare, it was a memory. Or what was left of one. The whole thing felt fragmented, like someone had ripped pieces of it out and tried to stitch it back together wrong.

I steadied myself, made my presence known in the dream, and slowly began shifting the environment around him. Replacing pain with calm, torment with peace. Even if the memory never happened, I crafted something soft, something warm to anchor him. He didn’t need to know it was fake. I just needed the nightmare to end… for him to breathe again.

In an instant, I was ripped out of the dream and slammed back into reality flat on my back with a heavy weight crushing my chest and a hand clamped tight around my neck. Logan. He’d shot up from the nightmare in full survival mode, claws out, eyes wide with panic.

“Logan! It’s me...Y/N!” I gasped, struggling to get the words out through the pressure on my throat.

His expression shifted the moment he recognized me. He let go and stumbled back, his breathing was unsteady and his chest was heaving like he’d just dug his way out of a warzone.

“Y/N?” he snapped, voice rough. “What the fuck are you doing in my room?”

I struggled to catch my breath, coughing lightly while rubbing my neck. (Damn, that's gonna leave a bruise...) I thought to myself.

"You woke up the whole damn school with all that screaming," you muttered, arms crossed. "I was just trying to help, alright?"

"I don’t need your fucking help," he growled while raising his voice. "I never asked for it."

You shot him a glare. "God, why are you being such an asshole? You were clearly having a nightmare I only stepped in to calm it down. That’s literally all I did."

"Yeah? Well stay the fuck out of my head," he snapped. "And stay the hell out of my room."

Rage surged through your body as you stepped closer, getting right up in his face despite the obvious height difference. "You know what!?" you yelled, eyes burning with frustration. "Next time, I'll leave you to drown in your own fucking memories and misery. I’ll let you stay trapped in those nightmares, suffering. Hell, I hope the next one’s worse than this one."

You took a step back, and added, "I hope you have a shitty night" and walked out slamming his bedroom door shut behind you.

As you turned to head back to your room, you noticed nearly all the students gathered in the hallway, huddled together and staring at you. They heard everything.

Shit.....

Hope you guys liked part 1! Part 2 to come soon. Comment below if you want me to tag you for that :)

[satoruxx]

hey bestie <333

congratulations on 200 followers !! you deserve it and more !! 🫶

im thinking some Gojo fluff inspired by After Last Night by Silk Sonic? I love that whole album and I always get gojo vibes from it 🥹

love you and congrats again ‼️🥰

pairing: gojo satoru x reader | 1.1k words summary: fluff, lots of pining, slightly suggestive due to implied 18+ content, satoru is whipped as he should be, he's just a lil guy pls give him a hug he has sm love he wants to share !! a/n: RAHHH casey this request was sm fun i love this song and it absolutely gives satoru vibes !! anyways ty for being my number one supporter babes. i hope you enjoy this @novasatoru mwah ily <33

satoru considers himself to be rational. even though he can be loud, excessive, dramatic, he has always been rational. most people don’t know or understand all the detailed thought he puts behind every decision he makes. all because of his rationality.

sure, sometimes he can be a little reckless, but not in a way that is irrational. he’s reckless in childish ways, ways that make him seem obnoxious and yet frustratingly endearing.

but he’s not reckless like this. not irrational like this.

satoru’s not reckless so he knows it can’t be possible that you’re here, in his bed, naked skin just barely covered by his sheets. he knows it can’t be possible that you’re here first thing in the morning because there’s no way you went to bed with him the previous night. he knows, for sure, that he couldn’t have crossed all the lines he set with you for years in just a matter of minutes.

but the purpled bruises littering your skin, the scattered clothing across his bedroom floor, and the warmth of your bare body pressing against him tells him enough.

he’s speechless for a second, mind going haywire as he tries to remember what exactly happened and how he could’ve been so careless. years and years of friendship with you, all changed in a matter of one night.

you were always supposed to be one of his closest friends. sure, he would pay any price to see you smile and sure, he’d gladly take your side over anyone else’s.

and obviously, satoru would destroy the whole world if you so much as batted your eyes at him and said please.

but that’s normal because he is your best friend.

but no where in his plans did he ever think to cross this line. after so many moons of pushing back his less than appropriate thoughts. after wondering how good your lips would taste as you sweetly whispered his name. after all of that, he didn’t think his self control would dissipate like this.

there’s a brief memory of the previous night, tipsy words of confession and sloppy passionate kisses, that sends his mind reeling.

he’s pulling himself out of bed in an instant, slipping his clothes on and hoping they somehow manage to ground him because god, it feels like his head is floating.

he’s choosing to ignore how fantastic his heart feels to see you curled up in his bed like that, hair splayed across his pillows like you’ve always belonged there.

instead satoru steps into his kitchen, snowy bangs resting across his forehead as he tries to figure out what he’s going to say to you when you wake up. honestly he’s a little worried himself. how would you react? would you tell him you made a mistake or would you be angry at him for letting it happen?

truthfully he’s never cared much about other people’s feelings, but yours somehow have the power to impact his whole day.

he figures that he can live with it, if you think it was a mistake. he’d be pathetically heartbroken, he realizes, but your comfort matters most to him. and if all he was destined for in this life was your friendship, he’d never do anything to jeopardize it. it’d be enough for him.

satoru doesn’t even realize he’s made two cups of coffee instead of one.

he steels himself, watching his murky reflection ripple in the mugs, and knowing that he would respect your wishes no matter how much it bothers him. he won’t say anything, because he'd rather silently live with his own idiotic feelings than risk losing you for good.

“morning.”

he almost jumps, unusually startled because only you could catch the man who saw the world through the Six Eyes off guard. any plans he’s made on what to say or how to say it fly straight out the door when he turns to look at you, his throat going dry as he takes you in.

you hair is mussed and your expression is still dazed, a sleepy pout on your face as you rub at your eyes. you blink at him slowly, an inquisitive little expression on your face as you pad over to him and peer at the stove. “you making food?”

he nods wordlessly, still a little breathless because gods above you’re wearing his shirt like it’s yours and his brain is in overdrive. it’s so hard to think, to even breathe, because satoru has wanted this for so long and it’s finally here like it had always been here in the first place. like it’s normal, regular.

“can i have some too, ‘toru? i’m really hungry.”

he has to take a minute to bask in the intimacy of this moment because it’s honestly making his thoughts stutter. “u-uh yeah, ‘course you can.” he’s handing you one of the mugs before he can even comprehend it, and you take it from him gratefully.

he feels oddly parched as he watches you take a sip, looking at him with dewy eyes over the rim, and he waits with bated breath as you open your mouth to speak. “did you sleep okay last night?”

it’s such an innocent question and he’s almost completely sure he shouldn’t be overthinking it like a fool but he knows it in his soul that he’s nothing if not a fool for you. you make every rational thought evaporate from his normally over calculating brain, make his body react without a touch, make his mouth move faster than his thoughts can.

and this time is no different.

“fuck i’m so in love with you.”

you blink up at him, and he’s cursing himself for even opening his mouth, but then you’re grinning up at him like he’s said the most endearing thing ever. “well i should hope so. i’d be pretty bummed if you told me you loved me last night and then woke up and changed your mind.”

satoru’s breath hitches, and he briefly wonders when and how he managed to confess his love for you the previous night, but then he realizes he doesn’t care all that much because you’re smiling at him like he puts the stars in your sky.

which for you, he absolutely would do.

so he does the only thing he feels is right for the moment. he bends down to press a chaste kiss to your lips, heartbeat unusually erratic as he feels you melt into him, before pulling back and giving you a cheeky smile. “i’m not even close to done loving you.”

[padawan-snack-packer]

Hey snackpacker!!! I read all of your clones headcanons and they are sooooo adorable!!! Can I ask for Mando clans ones please?🥺

Hey Anon!!! Oh gosh, sure sure there you go!!!!

⚠️ TW: Not a Lore Purist, Just Vibes™ I love Mandalorians with my whole chaotic heart but I’m not a walking Chronicles of Mand’alor PDF. These headcanons are powered by ✨emotion, vibes, and space chaos✨ more than textbook canon. If something’s not lore-accurate, please don’t come at me with a vibroblade (kinky though-)—I’m just here to emotionally adopt found family and throw glitter bombs with Clan Wren. 💖

This is the Way (but also, This is the Fanon).

NOW LET'S GO-

🛠️ Clan Ordo — (Tough Love, Duct Tape Edition)

Their love language is "I fixed this for you but insulted it the whole time." Example: “Your jetpack’s garbage. I upgraded it. Don’t die.”

No one says “I love you” out loud. Instead, they hand you soup and complain about your aim.

Armor polish is sacred. If someone else polishes your armor? You’re basically married now.

Family dinners are loud, full of arguments, and end with at least one person crying—but it’s always because of pride, not pain.

They absolutely have a thousand tiny clan traditions no one remembers the origin of, like giving newborns a mini hydrospanner “for luck.”

Secretly very sentimental. They keep the worst drawings their kids ever made... inside their chestplates. Under the beskar.

🖤 Clan Fett — (The Myth, The Mess, The Legacy)

Every child raised under this clan grows up under a ridiculous amount of dramatic pressure to live up to the legacy of Jango.

There are so many family debates over whether Jango would’ve wanted to be remembered as “That Cool Bounty Hunter Dad” or “The Guy Who Accidentally Created a Galaxy’s Worth of Emotional Clones.”

They have a tradition of forging "Memory Blades" — knives with etched names of those lost. Every Fett carries one. Some carry dozens.

At feasts, they always leave an extra seat at the table. For Jango. Even now.

Their humor is DRY. Like, “We took a bounty on a Sith Lord for fun” levels of deadpan chaos.

Boba won’t admit it, but he calls old clone commanders “uncle” under his breath sometimes.

👑 Clan Kryze — (Tea, Trauma, and Terribly Controlled Emotions)

Everything is Very Formal Until It’s Suddenly a Knife Fight. “Cousin Alric insulted the tea set? Pistols at DAWN.”

The tea ceremony is a full military-grade operation. You wear armor. You pour with honor. You do not spill.

Every Kryze is passive-aggressively dramatic. They’ll say, “You always do this, mother,” right before throwing a thermal detonator at someone.

Their lullabies are weirdly sad and haunting and about the fall of ancient Mandalore and the inevitability of loss. (“Sleep, little warrior, the stars burn cold / Our home was fire, our story old…”)

Once a year, they gather in complete silence and light sky-lanterns for every family member lost to war. The sky is full.

🦴 Clan Vizsla — Drama, Duels, and Delusions of Grandeur

Has a 200-slide holo-presentation titled "Why We Should Still Rule Mandalore." No one asked for it. They show it anyway.

Will duel you over literally anything. The last one was about soup temperature.

They're the type to say “we’re not dramatic” while igniting a Darksaber and monologuing.

Family game nights are just strategic combat simulations with a scoreboard and someone always cries.

Wear so much black armor they look like they’re attending a funeral at all times. (They might be. They’re dramatic like that.)

Lowkey keep backup capes. In case their first one doesn't billow enough.

🎨 Clan Wren — (Art Is War, and So Is Family Game Night)

If you can’t graffiti while doing backflips, are you even a Wren?

Sabine may say, “I don’t do art anymore,” but Tristan absolutely still has a sketchbook full of emo poetry and helmet redesigns. (One of them says “PEW PEW EMO BOY” in Aurebesh. Sabine keeps it.)

They have a tradition where each child gets their first paint set before they get a blaster.

Weddings involve throwing glitter bombs into the air and yelling “THIS IS THE SHADE.”

They once staged an “artistic protest” by painting the clan elder’s speeder hot pink. The elder loved it.

The phrase “Wren family therapy” is code for a paintball match where the winner gets to yell at everyone else. They do it weekly.

🧬 Bonus: Little Traditions That Hurt (Just a Little)

Some clans pass down lullabies, others pass down the frequency to old comm channels. They keep them on, just in case someone out there is still listening.

Every Mandalorian learns how to dance—not because of ceremonies, but because when the wars are over, they want to remember joy.

If a Mandalorian dies without family, another clan will claim them posthumously. They will engrave their name into the wall and say it out loud during honor rites. “You were one of us. You are one of us still.”

[skarsjoy]

Watch Alexander Skarsgård star in These New Puritans’ intense new video for ‘A Season In Hell’

From NME:

It marks the latest single from their upcoming album ‘Crooked Wing Of the music video, George Barnett added: “It was great to bring Alexander Skarsgård and Harley Weir together. They’re both old friends of mine, especially Harley who I’ve known since we were teenagers; we share formative tenets and ideas in our work. She makes the familiar strange and the strange familiar.”

He continued: “Skarsgård is a rare artist who can move from something experimental to a blockbuster and back. Everything he does is believable. He is high risk, threw himself into it, every detail in him is controlled. He’s magnetic in an otherworldly way, and that worked so well with what Harley does.

Alexander Skarsgård and These New Puritans. CREDIT: Jeremy Young

ETA

The video starring Alexander Skarsgård for “A Season in Hell” by These New Puritans @thesenewpuritans was finally released today on YouTube after debuting on April 16th at @icalondon.

~video by @harleyweir / starring Alexander Skarsgård

~it features 2 sopranos, 2 church organs, 2 brothers and 200 drums

rom Vogue.com: First things first: How exactly did they get the award-winning Swedish actor to participate in the freaky, deliberately lo-fi visual, in which he runs across a gloomy, sodden field in southeast England and hurls himself into a muddy trench? It turns out that George and Skarsgård are old friends, and the actor is a long-time fan of Weir’s work.

“Over the past few years, I’ve been involved in several dark, dystopian projects,” Skarsgård tells me. “Of late, I’ve been feeling a growing desire for a palate cleanser—to do something light and fluffy that would be fun for the whole family to watch. Nothing screams ‘light and fluffy’ more than Harley Weir and These New Puritans, so I didn’t hesitate to jump aboard when this project sailed into my harbor.”

For George, it was a revelation to see his friend throw himself—both physically and emotionally—into the project so fiercely. “He is absolutely incredible in front of a camera, isn’t he, Harley? On set, I couldn’t believe it,” George says, with a touch of awe.

“It was amazing,” Weir says. “He really performed. He was, like, ‘I need more mud on my face.’ He wasn’t precious at all. I mean, he actually, genuinely threw himself into a grave. I was, like, ‘Oh, my God, I’ve killed Alexander Skarsgård. What am I going to do?’”

George emphasizes that it was all real—no stunt doubles here—before beginning to describe the process Weir used to achieve the video’s rich texture…until she cuts him off. “Don’t give away my tricks, George!” she says, laughing.

[noneatnonedotcom]

one more random character.

i'm having a lot of fun with these, this one will be in Avatar the last airbender.

Blade Beyond Steel: (400 cp) Your connection to your blade goes beyond physical skill. You have honed your swordsmanship to such a degree that your weapon becomes an extension of your very soul. No matter the material, you can wield your sword with such finesse that it can cut through objects far stronger than steel—be it reinforced armor, magical barriers, or even energy-based attacks. Your blade can sever through nearly anything, and no defense is safe from the sharpness of your strikes.

Master Swordsman: (200 CP) You possess the incredible skill of a seasoned swordsman. Your reflexes, precision, and technique are at a level that only the most dedicated of swordfighters can reach. Whether you're armed with a katana or any other blade, you can easily slice through enemies with devastating accuracy. With every swing of your sword, you can precisely cut through opponents or deflect incoming attacks, leaving your enemies in awe of your skill. This is the foundation of Atomic Samurai’s incredible swordsmanship.

Steel Trap Clarity: (300 CP) It's a sad fact, but traitors and spies are lurking everywhere. Their hands forced by blackmail, willingly becoming a double agent from bribery or falling to good old fashioned brain washing. Not you though, absolutely not. Upon purchase, you become excessively resistant to traditional forms of corruption, mystical forms of brain washing and everything in between. Something with mind boggling power may still be able to put you under its control. Most of the threats to your morals or sanity in this world are just out of luck. Additionally, you will always be able to keep a clear idea of your personal principles, meaning you won't stray off of your path on accident.

Perfectly Trained: (100 CP) They say someone who loves what they do will never work a day in their life. What you love is training. You love the sweat, the aching, the exhaustion. To that end, you’ve gotten good at seamlessly working your training into daily life, whether it be shadowboxing to kill time or practicing footwork when going out for a walk.

Infernal Governance: (free) You would hardly be a noble if you couldn’t look and act the part. Luckily this is something you have internalized completely, able to project a sense of dignity, grace, and nobility through your body language. And you don't just look like it, you also have experience with politics and governance, to the point that you would be able to walk into near any court in Creation and be accepted, while you would actually be able to be a good ruler. Of course to live the lifestyle of the nobility, you'll need a certain amount of wealth. It is a good thing then, that you're just as skilled in selling whatever you wish, finding the appropriate buyers, and setting up a shop to do so. Lastly this makes you skilled at coming up with convoluted plots to accomplish your goals, which somehow seem to work better than simpler schemes.

free roll: Anti Deception: (200 CP) At the outset of your journey, a significant portion of the Saints have been swayed to align themselves with Mars, lured by convincing falsehoods painting Athena as weak and the Martians as allies in the protection of humanity. Fortunately, you possess the invaluable ability to see through both lies and half-truths, allowing you to discern the deceptive nature of these claims. Furthermore, armed with a keen sense of logic, you meticulously dissect the inconsistencies and illogicalities present in the narrative, presenting compelling arguments to your allies to expose the deception and sway them from serving Mars.

this character is a nobel who is not a bender, instead he's a swordsman who's family has been stubbornly independent in the face of both the firenation and the earth kingdom. you might think it's their skill at arms that has saved the lands but in reality it's their minds, their skills at seeing through deception and half truths and their will to stick to their morals. these things are what makes them truly dangerous that and their skill at governance and strategy. still while the character starts off with the skills to fight, they lack the body nessicary for it. luckily perfectly trained helps to ensure that even if they're forced to play the noble administrator they do improve on their abilities as they go. tldr: really good swordsmen who are extremely politically savvy. ideas I had, 1 arranged marriage with the bei-fong family. leading to him eventually meeting toph and neither one really sure what to do because they were both expecting to hate the other making breaking up the arranged marriage even harder. maybe they don't break it off leading to them joking that their friends are all living in sin. 2 there are some religious buildings with people who look suspiciously like air nomads tending the place but he assures the firenation that it's just people who teach air nomad theology and they're simply priests and priestesses

3 no he has no idea who those pirates raiding both the earth kingdom and Firenation ships were but he hopes they find whatever handsome dashing rouge is doing it.

4 uses a willow leaf saber or liuyedao as his weapon of choice. with something very simular to European saber as his style.

5 those are totally normal bison and not flying sky bison, they use them for their wool and they can't fly. that's rediculous.

while his dad still rules over his lands he ends up traveling with the avatar on his trip up north to learn water bending and just never leaves.

this makes him a target for both earth and fire nation bounty hunters and he has a competition with soka over who can get the higher bounty. soka complains that he's cheating by having the earth kingdom mad at him too.

@howlingday @heliosthegriffin @weatherman667 @thatorigamiguy

any ideas for this character? also i should take advantage of the free powers more often. not all of them are great but a lot of them are OP for being free powers. secondary idea just for Weatherman he's actually the son of a roman senator in the avatar version of rome. they're still actively opposing both earth and fire nation but they're doing so less through pirates and clever lies and more through the unified effort of the roman legions the only majority non bender nation to remain in the face of both the earth kingdom expansion and the newer firenation.

ROMA INVICTA!

[readychilledwine]

Hi, I would like to begin by saying that your writing is amazing and I love your works. I would like to make a request. Reader and Eris are friends that secretly crush on each other. The night before Eris' birthday, reader takes him to a fancy restaurant and surprises him with a birthday celebration there. Reader brings Eris to her home and gifts him but he tells her she's his favourite gift and the Reader is shook aghhhhhhhh then you can continue it however you want with fluff or 🔥.

I had a short piece similar to this in my WIPS. With some love, time, and adjustments, I kind of made a middle ground between the two!

Always Been Yours

Summary - After Beron decides to trap you in the Forest House, you are still determined to make Eris's birthday special.

Warning - implied smut towards the end, mentions of Beron controlling reader a little

The moment Eris laid eyes on you at his 5th birthday celebration, he began to believe in love.

At that tender age, he had never seen a female who had the grace and kindness to rival his mother, nor whose laugh made his stomach feel like he was about to throw up at any second. Plus, you were pretty. You were Lady Autumn pretty. And young Eris knew he could make you Lady Autumn.

The feeling was mutual. You found the young lordling charming, funny, and kind of cute for someone who definitely had coodies. The two of you spent the night dancing, consuming too much sugar, and running from the grownups together.

That childhood infatuation turned to teen tensions quickly when you both grew and aged together. Countless stolen moments and glances had the heir absolutely hooked. You were shy, while he was bold, and you hid that crush from him so well. Oftentimes causing the heir to wonder if he was alone in how he felt.

But none of that truly mattered, you were his first love, his only love, and Eris, in an irrational and dangerous decision, made the choice to show you that when you two first become adults. He tracked you down one night after a hard fight with his father, a bottle of wine and two glasses in hand, and took you to his chambers. You haven't left them since almost 200 years later.

Marriage to Eris was not easy. Beron was constantly a wedge between you two, causing small fights, pushing buttons you hadn't even known you had until becoming his daughter in law, using you to push buttons Eris prayed wouldn't cause him to try to execute his father before he was truly prepared and ready.

In those chambers, though, your marriage and making chambers, there was no Beron, to war, no duties, no obligations. There was only love, burning passion, and emotional understanding. There was only the two of you.

You stood checking your dress in the mirror one more time. The red velvet clung to every curve, the open neckline would give him a peek of two of his favorite parts of your body, and it hugged your waist so tightly you looked like the hourglass he kept on his office table.  You had curled your long hair, allowing it to fall freely down your exposed back, and accessorized it with the golden leaf shaped hair pins Eris had given you for your 16th birthday.  You looked stunning, you felt stunning. 

You moved to the table for two you had asked the staff to bring in, setting it to perfection as you added the food to the center and opened his favorite bottle of red to allow the wine to aerate. You had the kitchen prepare his favorite. Rabbit stew, fresh baked rolls, apple pecan side salad, and pumpkin pie. 

All of this for his birthday. His 505th birthday, you smiled to yourself. All of this to not only celebrate him, but to celebrate the now 500 years you two have known each other.

You had planned more hoping to take him out to a restaurant in the Night Court and spend a weekend away in the cabin you two shared, but after the run in with Koschei and the mortal queen, Eris wanted to keep you here. Beron may have been a vain male, but he was not stupid. He would not allow harm to come your way in his home for fear it would make him look weak. You adjusted the many presents from yourself and your friends on the separate table, smiling as you stepped back. 

Everything was perfect. Just absolutely perfect.

You lit the candles, setting the ambience in the room, and lowered the fae lights before staring at the clock out of nerves. Right on time, the door handle twisted. "My love, you will not believe who.." Eris trailed off, eyes locking on you before studying the room. "What is this?"

"Happy birthday."

"Y/n, dearest you did not have to do all of this." Eris set the reports down. Looking around the room. He paused, his nose sniffing the air. "You spoil me."

You walked to him, placing your hands on his warm chest. He brought his own warm hands to yours before leaning down to kiss you. "I had the kitchen make your favorites." Eris chuckled as he gave you another gentle kiss. "And there's presents."

He held your hand, pulling you to the table. "Sit," you commanded gently. You took the empty wine glass in front of him, pouring the aged Autumn Court Pinot Noir into the glass and setting it down for him before moving to serve him. 

You had not served Eris a meal since your mating ceremony many years ago. His father typically ensured you two ate with the rest of the family, thus allowing the High Lord control of your food intake. 

Eris was watching you, his eyes beginning to burn into your dress, wondering if you were hiding something pretty for him to bite and rip off underneath. 

Your love language, he quickly learned was gifts and acts of service. His was physical touch and time.

And Gods was he taking his time undressing you with his eyes. You felt your face flushing as you finished setting the food in front of him before serving yourself. "You look delectable, y/n."

You tucked a strand of hair behind your ear, feeling that flush deepening under his gaze. "Thank you, husband." He smirked. 

Years. Years has passed and he still gave you butterflies. He still made your hands shake and nervous. Years had passed and you still had a crush on your husband.

You two ate with your fingers laced together over the table, small twinned smiles on your faces as you spoke about his day and recent Court gossip. 

He helped you clear the table, summoning servants to take everything but the wine and the pie as you began to move him to the couch in front of where all the presents sat. "Those aren't the gifts I'd like to unwrap right now, dearest," hands found your hips, squeezing them softly. Eris leaned in, kissing the exposed skin of your shoulder and neck. 

You sunk into him, sighing as you exposed more of your neck. "But Er, there's so many good ones this year."

He grabbed your chin gently, turning your face and leaning to ensure you two were making eye contact. "My favorite gift has always and will always be you, y/n." He pulled you into him, turning you in his arms as he placed a heated kiss on your lips. "You would not deprived the birthday boy of the gift in the prettiest wrapping, would you, darling?"

You shook your head, "Never."

"Let me show you how much I love you," he kissed your wrist, "how I adore you," a a kiss on your collarbone, "and much I love this pretty little dress." 

The butterflies set in. The butterflies he had given you since you were little. The butterflies stayed as you two kept the romance, crushes, and desire burning so brightly it could have lit every hearth and warmed every home in the realm. 

Eris walked you backwards across the room, kissing you as his hands unlaced the dress, and lifting you as he felt it start to fall. 

"So beautiful. Now, spread your legs like a good girl and give me my favorite birthday treat."

[michanvalentine]

I forced my husband to play Baldur's Gate 3. His Tav is a female tiefling monk. Now, don’t ask me why, but this man first flirted with Astarion until the vampire spawn told him to buzz off. Then he snuck away with Shadowheart for a bottle of wine and a sunrise kiss, only to settle down and start a family with Gale. Setting aside the bizarre path my husband took, I finally got to see firsthand what it’s like to romance the wizard from Waterdeep.

In my own playthroughs, poor Gale has always been sidelined in favor of other romances, even though I didn’t dislike the idea of being with him. The very first time I played, I accidentally ended up with Astarion (while trying to woo Shadowheart, mind you), and Gale was really sad and resentful the next morning. He said something about how maybe he hadn’t been mysterious/charming/talkative enough, and how simply being himself hadn’t been enough to beat out the vampire spawn (trust me, Gale, you don’t want to learn those skills the way Astarion did).

The second time I played, I had a clear plan and went through the adventure as Astarion, romancing Shadowheart first and then Halsin—which was unexpected. The third time, I had another clear goal: I wanted to do an evil run and see what would happen if I helped Astarion ascend (and yes, I regretted it and replayed the ending in a good alignment, lol). In that run, poor Gale never made it out of the portal he was stuck in and ended up losing a hand because of my absolutely awful Bhaalspawn trash character.

Aaaaaanyway, I’m giving you all this context to say that Gale is just the sweetest. Really. He’s so endearing, and honestly, he’d do anything for the person he loves. Actually, he tends to overdo it a bit. The guy seriously needs to have more confidence in himself and stop always being so... available. But what surprised me the most was how quickly and easily he told my husband’s Tav that he loved her. Just like that, pure and simple. I wasn’t expecting it. And that’s when I started to think...

...I thought about why it seemed strange to me, and then I realized it was because of my romance with Astarion. Because for the vampire spawn, the concept of love or a romantic relationship as we understand it— a communion of senses, ideas, feelings, emotions, and goals— is something abstract that no longer fits within his worldview. For him, everything is transactional, tied to dynamics of power. Love is a weapon, both to wound and be wounded, to control or be controlled. It’s probably also something dirty to him after all those years spent luring partners.

He even says that being with someone, any kind of intimacy, dredges up feelings of disgust for him. So unlike Gale, Astarion can’t immediately recognize that feeling for what it is: love, with a capital "L." Instead, it becomes “whatever this thing is between us.” Something undefined, something to be understood. To be discovered, if you will. Because it’s there, but he don't know how decode it, he can’t decode it—he doesn’t have the tools. He lost them along the way. And that’s utterly heartbreaking—200 years without love.

So, thinking back to that pivotal question, What are we to you?, and his awkward response, I feel an overwhelming tenderness. Astarion doesn’t know how to answer. At first, he tries to deflect, playing it off with the allure of mystery: Isn’t it nice not to know? But he feels uncomfortable, inadequate, and beneath the frustration in his tone, you can sense the fear and anxiety of disappointing or even losing Tav/Durge. So he makes an effort, tries to come up with an answer. He rationalizes, stumbles through it, eliminating possibilities: You’re not a target, nor a victim, nor a night best forgotten. He still can’t free himself from the old framework of relationships and intimacy, but he understands that this is different. He just doesn’t know how to define it yet: Then what else could you possibly be?

This gives an idea of how deep Cazador’s imprint is and how much damage two centuries under his control have done. Astarion hasn’t just forgotten his appearance; he’s forgotten the simplicity and naturalness of loving and being loved. And what it means to have a healthy relationship—with himself and with others.

It’s no surprise that, for the most part, he acts like a jerk. And let’s be honest, even after regaining certain concepts, Astarion will always remain an antihero with his wonderful flaws. But that’s part of why we love him, isn’t it?

What’s even more remarkable, though, is when, at the end of his quest, he finally says I love you. It’s not shocking because he says he loves us—we already knew that. The shock comes from the fact that he can finally say it out loud and mean it in the full, conscious sense of the word. Because, once again, our favorite little jerk has grown. Slowly and with great effort, Astarion in Act III has reached the level of understanding and self-awareness that Gale had in Act II. xD

So yes, I went on this absurdly long and roundabout tangent just to say that I absolutely adore Astarion's belated "I love you," without taking anything away from the incredibly sweet Gale. They're both fantastic characters!

[yellowocaballero]

There are so many fics that explore Obito hating Kakashi for what he did to Rin... but you know what I haven't seen? Fics going "what if Obito hated Rin for what she did to Kakashi?" Like, [and here I proceeded to write out 200 words of a second-person POV introspective piece where Obito puts the blame on Rin instead of Kakashi, before deciding I really should just post that on its own]

anyway, what if the narrative wasn't "Rin is kind sweet super medic whose only flaw was that she died". What if the narrative took a look at Rin and said "hmm. If you assume she was in control during the Rincident, then what she did was Fucked Up."

That's a really interesting thing to point out and I like the agency it gives Rin in the story. I get why Obito blamed Kakashi, because from the outside it was clearly such a mess - he didn't have context for anything that happened at the moment, all he saw was Kakashi putting his fist through Rin's chest. Obito's an impulsive, emotional person, and I'm not surprised that he cast Rin absolutely as the victim. I think him blaming Kakashi and making Rin the angel fits in very well with his character and is the most interesting avenue for his relationship with both Kakashi and Rin. It was set up for the misunderstanding, Obito's the type to misunderstand, and Obito resenting Kakashi is what creates the interesting narrative choice - it's that mixture of hate and love that I tend to mark ObiKaka by. Agreed that I would enjoy seeing some explorations of Obito not carrying resentment towards Kakashi, though (but, like, ONLY if you use it to make their relationship new and interesting amounts of fucked up)

Gonna be real, reading the Wiki (I never read Kakashi Gaiden F) I was also...really confused as to why Rin used Kakashi to kill herself instead of just jumping in front of the enemy ninja's attack. I get that due to the seal she couldn't kill herself, but if she could jump in front of Kakashi's attack then surely she could jump in front of somebody else's? I was confused, hence Obito's comment. For the sake of my own 'let's write things so they make sense', I'd probably portray it as Rin being under a 'die in the next 5 seconds' sort of time pressure or otherwise limit her options. I'd like to portray it as it being a very fucked up situation where Rin had to make a very bad choice very quickly and she didn't have the time or the composure to make the choice that would traumatize the least amount of best friends. It's just sad.

This is a funny thing to mention in general considering what happens next chapter in Utopia btw lmfao.

[in-maidjan]

round 2 (the fun uwu hehe one) 🪢🌙🛏️🕒💋 for lucin, satine, audoire + lurenius bc i'm contractually obligated to add him

every day i'm tortured with the knowledge that lurenius fucks and he's also evil. sigh. anyway, thanks for these! <3 // sinday headcanons

🪢do they have a kink? if so, what is it?

LUCIN — i almost said bondage as a joke but ahahahah no that's the thing he's sensitive about. he'd have a praise kink and i think he'd be really into dirty talking?

WARDEN-COMMANDER LA DETTE — you'll never know (jk, its not a kink but there's a set power dynamic. she'll always be in control).

AUDOIRE — legally i have to make the roleplay joke. the good chantry boy and the penitent sinner. realistically… well, he is orlesian. i think he would have been into wax play and bondage before his chantry days as a young bachelor. whilst in the chantry and in training as a templar...intercrural is the way to go, especially with giddy chantry sisters. the maker understands.

LURENIUS — bdsm. asphyxiation (not autoerotic). caning/whipping. edging. hope this paints enough of a picture of his tastes 💕

🌙do they need an emotional connection or are one-night-stands an option?

LUCIN — one night stands are his go to, emotional connections aren't so easy to form with his role (especially under satine) ((but thats where he likes to be)).

WARDEN-COMMANDER LA DETTE — the less emotion involved the better (forming attachments is counterproductive. and deeply saddening).

AUDOIRE — once upon a time, no, but i think he had a romanticism about each encounter. the romanticism is less so these days.

LURENIUS — he's not a one-night stand kinda guy. very much the opposite in fact.

🛏️what’s their favorite position?

LUCIN — whats the orlesian version of an eiffel tower? a halamshiral?? four quarters means four partners right? more simply, pulling a train.

WARDEN-COMMANDER LA DETTE — so many jokes here. on the desk. with someone else on their knees. i think she's fine with anything so long as its satisfying.

AUDOIRE — don't even look at him. (he'd enjoy standing sex. something about the practicality of a quick tryst in an alcove? that and being able to hold up his partner).

LURENIUS — so in doing a little research i learned about the teaspooning position? basically a standing-on-knees doggy style? i think binding would still come into play for it.

🕒what’s the longest time they went without engaging in sexual activity with a partner? [masturbation doesn’t count]

LUCIN — he's proooobably into month 3-6 right now, and it's not going great.

WARDEN-COMMANDER LA DETTE — there was a certain point in her life before the wardens when… entanglements just weren't sustainable or necessary. a few years i'd say.

AUDOIRE — definitely the first year or two of being a templar knight, and that was less about being pious and more about focussing on his work and wanting to do a good job. he found the balance in time.

LURENIUS — probably his time in orlais, which was several years. suffice to say, i'm sure he's glad to be out of there.

💋do they like to kiss while having sex? do they cuddle afterward?

LUCIN — i think he's actually a little precious about kissing. sex is fine but kissing? that's too intimate. he'd start on the "what are we" spiral and freak out. cuddling is fine up until a certain point and then i think he'd need his space again.

WARDEN-COMMANDER LA DETTE — absolutely not. do not kiss do not cuddle do not pass go do not collect $200. (unless…)

AUDOIRE — kissing and cuddling would be his bread and butter and he loves carbs.

LURENIUS — yes to both, and honestly: i think he'd be a good kisser and a good spooner. i can imagine him pouring over a scroll while holding lovers against him and tracing patterns on their shoulders or hips.

[danse--macabre]

Spawn Astarion epilogue hot take but I'm not in love with the line 'six months of happiness with you is counterweight to two hundred years of misery'

it's deeply romantic, sure, but strikes me as unrealistic. I actually imagine post-tadpole life to be, in some ways, really hard for astarion. I think now that he's out of survival and has a moment to rest, he's going to begin processing two hundred years of traumatic experiences, and that is going to hurt, to put it lightly. Nightmares, panic attacks, that sort of thing. He's going to be reburdened with restrictions of vampirism - light, running water, invitations - that add to annoyances, especially when travelling. I also imagine settled life could possibly prove its own challenge, especially when having complete freedom of choice over what to do contrasts so starkly to the past 200 years. In the same way prisoners sometimes struggle to 'de-institutionalise' and readjust to a life within their own control, not dictated by the hard rules set by an authority, I think Astarion might also have issues.

This isn't to say that the medium-term post-tadpole period is all doom and gloom for Spawn Astarion. I think there's absolutely happiness and warmth and good memories there if he's with a PC who loves him. I think being with someone who loves him will make this period less painful rather than more. I also understand why the game writers made the choice to downplay some of the realism of trauma for romantic idealism of this case -- it's the final scene, you want to give your players their well deserved happy ending.

All that said, to then say it's counterweight to two hundred years of Cazador? When Astarion had previously said nothing could make up for that? That sits wrong with me. Love doesn't need to negate trauma, nor do the two need to be so compared. Nothing can make up for those two hundred years AND the love between Astarion and the PC can be the light of their lives, mean the whole world and more. Those two things are not mutually exclusive.

[gears-twisting-and-turning]

Welcome to my stex dystopian au. Since this will be a dystopian place you can guess that some fucked up shit happened so just in case: TW dark themes, CW dark themes and all that jazz.

This fic will be only the characters. I know shocking, me making a non x reader? Unheard of.

Anyways this will be set 200 years in the future, where earth has practically gone to shit. Nuclear wars and global warming have made it impossible to live on earth. Due to this the humans have decided to band together for once and make space ships, going up into space.

Obviously that truce didn't last long as countries mostly just have their own ships, living how they did before, just up in space. This is not the main focus of the fic though.

The humans didn't have to want to wait for several generations for the earth to fix itself, especially since there would be a big chance humanity would die out before that ever could happen. Because of this they send squads of humans down to earth to check out what had happened and how they can possibly fix it.

Through this they got the knowledge of just how fucked it is down there. All the trees have burnt down, nuclear waste is almost everywhere. It's almost impossible to have a meal without a mutated burrowing animal attacking and killing you and it's all in all a horrible time.

The people who sent down the people don't like waiting though so they just armed the humans on earth, made sure they could properly at least live down there with entertainment, food, supplies, etc. and kind of have only been bugging them to hurry up sometimes. (<--- which is extremely annoying when everything seems literally hopeless)

The humans on earth are going to be our main squad. The old designs of the starlight express musical as our leads. We'll follow the story through Pearl's eyes as she discovers just how horrible earth has become.

This is not the only thing that they have to worry about though, the humans started getting impatient with the people on earth. Their squad is small and most other squads have died, so it's almost impossible to make grand progress with such little people. Yet of course the humans wanted more. So they started creating

Eventually they manged to make androids that will do the dirty work for them. This of course meant squads of androids being sent down to earth, along with forced to do work like retail, construction, etc etc. Well as you can imagine humans are still pieces of shit and 9/10 times they will treat something they think is below them like shit.

There are only a few times where humans are seen to be nice to androids, yet they get shunned for having empathy for 'a machine'. Due to this the androids eventually got absolutely sick of it and started rebelling. The problem? Control, main quarters and the majority of humanity doesn't know this yet.

The people on earth however have seen the start of an uprising and they aren't sure of what to do.

This is where our second batch of characters come in. With the designs of the London 2024 revival these people will be known as the androids. Of course control saw how good the humans on earth were doing, so they made them as androids to make them, but better! So these will serve as the antagonists against the humans, even though both are fighting for a better world.

And who knows? Maybe the designs of the current Bochum show might show up too?

For now this is the best I can explain, don't be afraid to ask questions if you're interested in this au :> Thank you for reading and take care!

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved on our archive

"In California, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed cutting the state’s public health funding by $300 million. And the Department of Health in Washington state slashed more than 350 positions at the end of last year and more than 200 this year." Tell me again that the Democrats are damage control: They can't even do the right thing in the states where they have absolute majorities. You should be livid, not complacent or complicit.

Analysis by Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez and McKenzie Beard

Good morning. I’m Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez, a KFF Health News correspondent based in Elko, Nev., which is about as high in elevation as Denver, the Mile-High City. Email me about your experiences with health care in rural America at jorozco@kff.org.

Today’s edition: The Harris-Walz campaign rolled out a plan to improve rural health care. Nebraska voters are set to weigh in on two conflicting abortion-related ballot initiatives. But first …

The boom-and-bust funding cycle for public health hits states

During the coronavirus pandemic, states received a rush of funding from the federal government to bolster their fight against the disease. In many cases, that cash flowed into state and local health departments, fueling a staffing surge to handle, among other things, contact tracing and vaccination efforts.

But public health leaders quickly identified a familiar boom-and-bust funding cycle as they warned about an incoming fiscal cliff once the federal grants sunset. Now, more than a year since the federal Department of Health and Human Services declared the end of the coronavirus emergency, states — such as Montana, California and Washington — face tough decisions about laying off workers and limiting public health services.

In California, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed cutting the state’s public health funding by $300 million. And the Department of Health in Washington state slashed more than 350 positions at the end of last year and more than 200 this year.

Public health experts warn that losing staff who perform functions like disease investigation, immunization, family planning, restaurant inspection and more could send communities into crisis.

“You cannot hire the firefighters when the house is already burning,” said Brian Castrucci, president and CEO of the de Beaumont Foundation, an organization that advocates for public health policy.

In late September, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra declared a public health emergency for states affected by Hurricane Helene, allowing state and local health authorities in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee to more easily access federal resources. Last week, ahead of Hurricane Milton’s landfall in Florida, Becerra declared another public health emergency to aid the state’s response.

If states don’t have robust public health resources ready when disasters like this hit their communities, it can have devastating effects.

Local health department staffing grew by about 19 percent from 2019 to 2022, according to a report from the National Association of County and City Health Officials that examined 2,512 of the nation’s roughly 3,300 local departments. The same report found that half of those departments’ revenue in 2022 came from federal sources.

But in some places, the pandemic cash did little more than keep small health departments afloat. The Central Montana Health District, a public health agency serving five rural counties, received enough money to retain a staff member to help handle testing, contact tracing and rolling out the coronavirus vaccines. It wasn’t enough to hire extra workers, but it allowed officials to fill a position left empty when a staffer left the department, said Susan Woods, the district’s public health director.

Now, five full-time employees work for the health district — enough to scrape by, Woods said.

“Any kind of crisis, any kind of, God forbid, another pandemic, would probably send us crashing,” she said.

Adriane Casalotti, chief of government and public affairs for the national health officials’ group, said she expects layoffs and health department budget cuts to intensify. Those cuts come as health officials work to address issues that took a back seat in the pandemic, such as increases in rates of sexually transmitted infections, suicide and substance misuse.

And rural health departments deserve more attention, Casalotti said, as they are likely to be the most vulnerable and face compounding factors such as hospital closures and the loss of services including maternity and other women’s care.

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF — an independent source of health policy research, polling and journalism.