#AND ATLAS MOVES ONTO ROUND TWO

[quanblovk]

CONGRATULATIONS TO ATLAS FOR WINNING THE POLL!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

I LOVE HIM MORE THAN MY OWN CREATION 💖💖💖

(Atlas by @unleashedsonic )

[danwhobrowses]

One Piece Chapter 1118 - Initial Thoughts

And we're back

It looks like it's time to leave Egghead, with Vegapunk's message cut off by the Gorosei's attack on the Iron Giant

Is there another twist in the tale left? We'll have to wait and see

Spoilers for the Chapter, Support the Official Release too!

After a handful of covers prepping, Yamato's finally setting off on his voyage, and he's already eating from the bento

Picking up from the attack on the Iron Giant, the attack sends it flying into the ocean

The marines not privy to the situation are just collateral

The last fragments of Vegapunk's message continues as the den den mushi gets waterlogged

'And their name was...'

The Iron Giant once more laments not finding Joy Boy

The Marines who witnessed the fall also spot Warcury's boar form, but believe it to be part of the island

The world watches and wonders how Vegapunk's message got cut off

They also start to wonder who could've killed Vegapunk

Koza stays quiet as speculation occurs

Alas, Morgans' earlier headline leads speculation to where we expected, with Luffy taking the fall

Vegapunk tells you a man made weapon caused the whole island of Lulusia to disappear and yet people still don't believe that the WG wouldn't silence someone for breaking a taboo

Laws which also wiped out Ohara, a whole nation of scholars, as well

The former Mr 9 and Miss Monday with their little kid in Whiskey Peak also don't seem convinced by this rhetoric

Only Leo is convinced and that's because Tontatta are gullible, Rebecca looks to set him straight

York is messaged by the Gorosei, asking how many more Vegapunks remain

York confirms Atlas and Lilith, nothing about Edison though, he mustn't have been using Punk Records

The Gorosei now intend to wipe out the other two, believing that York will get the full capability of Punk Records' genius with just York

The Giants and Luffy make it onto the longboat, with Luffy happy to be on there and greet the other giants

Luffy also asks about Usopp and Chopper, since they would've loved to be on the longboat too

Doll and Bluegrass got de-aged by Bonney, which limited their threat level, the little weaponized sea beast got kiddified too

Reminds me of the Toys R Us giraffe now XD

As Luffy greets Oimo and a recovering Kashii, and Bonney makes fun of the vice admirals, Sanji checks on the Sunny

Nami notes that they need help landing, to which Sanji claims he will rescue the ladies - Usopp chiming in to note to save all of them

Franky also chimes in to look after the ship, not the rest of the crew XD

Marcus Mars however has swooped down from above, intent on killing Atlas and all those who stand in his way

Luffy's straight into the kitchen, with the giants knowing him well enough to already have food prepared

Mars has fire breath, but it's blocked by Oimo and Kashii

The fire however has spread to the ship, which means they can't quite escape without putting out the fires and dealing with Mars and the Navy

Bonney and Atlas look to move the Stella body and Kuma away from the action, so Atlas will not be getting too violent at this point

The Giant captains lament that the monsters will chase them given that they can fly, with Mars stating his intent to leave no survivors

Franky notices something though, given the sound effect and what happens next, it's likely Nika back for another round

Luffy can also make the sea rubbery! Which the navy mistake for an earthquake and the rising of sea levels

Luffy still doesn't know why Bonney keeps calling him Nika

Dorry and Brogy are also dancing...but the ship's still on fire

Luffy invites Bonney to fight with him, but Bonney doesn't think she can

By his encouragement though, Bonney remembers how Luffy described Gear Fifth when she asked about his wanted poster

And with a Distorted Future where she is most free, there are now TWO SUN GODS

Kuma, thinking back to his promise to Ginny, bears witness to two different versions of Nika

Mars is most likely panicked now, the consequences of your actions are ready to punch you in the face

Ju Peter and Warcury sense the presence of another Nika, unnerved and deciding to hurry

And in the sea, the Iron Giant once again stirs, having found where Joy Boy is

That chapter absolutely flew by for me!

Bonney's fruit pays dividends because now she can believe in a future where she can be Nika, where she can be free, as opposed to when she couldn't do that against Saturn.

There's still death flags hovering over Atlas and Lilith though, it's likely that Saturn and V. Nusjuro will attempt to attack the Sunny while the rest take on the Longboat, the landing is still a question mark.

I wonder if Edison died, or if he's just being a lil' sneaky sneak, maybe someone able to catch York out. CP0 could do that too, since she did order the Seraphim to silence them.

As expected though, Luffy is likely to get issued the blame for Vegapunk's death, and all the other shit going on in Egghead (well, the shit he's not responsible for). Overall this still feels more like a WG win more than an incident, but stuff still looks like it can turn around or at the least break even. The Vegapunk transmission is likely done, or will have a big chunk missing after the Den Den Mushi dries out, but the Iron Giant is likely not.

[linkspooky]

What do you think about Teen Titans TV Series?

Best Cartoon ever created? Best Cartoon ever created.

I think the strongest thing about the Teen Titans Cartoon is that it's the most cartoon, to ever cartoon. The writers have gone on record by saying that their challenge was to always try to do the most creative thing possible with every episode, and the result we get is that it's this wild, unrestrained beast which uses the medium of cartoons to tell a story. In my opinion it's as hard hitting as like ATLA, Batman the Animated Series, etc. etc. but like it's made by people who are huge warner brothers cartoons nerds. There's scooby doo references! There's FLCL references! They do entire episodes where the goal is to animate the weirdest thing possible. It is just so unashamedly a cartoon and not trying to be what it is, like no wonder so many children got attached to this.

It's also essentially what everyone's introduction to the Teen Titans was, and the most popular team lineup nowadays.

So like there are two ways you can talk about it, as it's own show, and as an adaptation. As someone who has read every Teen Titans comic ever though, I do have some hot takes on it as an adaptation. UNDER THE CUT.

Number one: Donna Troy's character is missing, and there's a big Donna shaped hole in the team. I don't know if they just couldn't get the rights to Donna, or they couldn't make her work with the story they were going for but like Donna is actually super important to the team dynamic of the Titans. She's the one normal person, the babysitter, the mom.

People wonder why Starfire is so softened in this adaptation, and while I generally agree they rounded off the edges too much on Starfire to make her more palatable especially for kids I feel like Starfire had to have these rtaits of being the patient one, being the naive newcomer, being the one who always served as the therapist friend because Donna wasn't there, but the group needed SOMEONE to be the emotionally intelligent one. I'd say Starfire isn't really out of character so much as they grafted Donna's traits onto her and had her pulling double duty as being Starfire but serving Donna's role to the team, and to Dick Grayson.

Number Two: I don't actually think the Teen Titans cartoon character ruined Raven's character in modern comics. I think the fact that DC editing staff repeated the terror of trigon arc about, five times, until Raven was like double dead and they had no place left to take her character in fact ruined Raven's character.

Dc Editing staff has not figured out basically what they want Raven's character to look like post-trigon, where they would want her character to go, or what she would even act like having grown past the phase of her life where she has removed herself from Trigon's influence and it's shown by Raven basically being a non-character for the past ten years.

Marvel does the exact same thing with Jean Gray where they keep on recycling Dark Phoenix forever, and ever, and ever. I don't think Raven's character being empty is the fault of the titans cartoon, I think it's because they keep recycling her dark phoenix moment and don't know what to do past that. Like "They keep resetting Raven to a younger version of her character" that's not necessarily the fault of the cartoon either, they do that to Jean Gray. and it's cuz they wanna repeat Dark Phoenix / Terror of TRigon instead of just trying to move past that.

Number Three: So when it comes to individual character adaptation.

Robin: This is the best Dick Grayson adaptation, with the exception of the Live Action Titans show Dick Grayson. Dick suffers from what I like to call the "WanyeFamilyAdventures-ification" where people like to sand off all of his character flaws to make him a wholesome good boy. Dick was an angry little kid for a long time, like Batman turning into him into a sidekick and Bruce's like really overbearing controlling nature did a number on Dick and he's a way more compelling character when he's working through those issues then when people skip straight to NIght Wing and make him "The Good Robin."

Also, like Dick Grayson is always better in Titans adaptations bar none. I wonder why. It's almost like he's a Teen Titans character and that's where his good development is.

Cyborg: Cyborg is probably the most accurate to his comic book counterpart, the only thing they really cut out was his interactions with his father, and his connection to the city he grew up in which are important but like they were superheroes most of the time in this show. Cyborg just has like a really strong disability representation narrative which has always been a big part of his character and how he stands out. On top of that they do a lot of focus on Cyborg's flaws and his own personal narrative how like unlike most of the other characters he was a completely normal kid, and he had his life thrown off by his life altering accident and now he is still trying to grow up and gain some semblance of his life back. And like living with prosthesis is not the end of the world to him because he figures out he can still live just like everybody else, his life can be just as fulfilling before the accident. The fact that Cyborg is just kind of a normal kid who went through a horrible accident, but chooses to do good and become a hero makes him one of the more compelling and down to earth characters. Cyborg's all about his emotions too,he's like the most driven, the most in a hurry to grow up, the most argumentative he's cool.

Starfire - I mean I kind of explained why, but Starfire is the character who suffered the most from the adaptation. Especially since she's the only character who doesn't get a season. If you want to watch a more comics accurate Starfire, who still keeps her traits of being the loving, emotional, heart of the group while having a much rougher exterior then please watch the Live Action Titans on HBOMAX.

Beast Boy - Actually pretty accurate, I like to bully Beast Boy so don't take this too seriously, but Beast Boy is like if Dick Grayson was more annoying and whiny. Beast Boy is an essential member of the team, but he's not the smartest, not the strongest, not the most driven. He's kind of completely necessary because you need one person on the team of children who acts like an actual kid. Beast Boy's weird immature bullshit is actually just as important as the other character's issues, and this Beast Boy especially gets two seasons sort of since his character is so tied to Terra. The only thing that I'm sad they cut out is Beast Boy's trauma from losing the doom patrol is so interesting in New Teen Titans and such an important part of his character for a long time, it's a little bit sad they cut out his really bad depression.

Raven - I don't knooooooooooooow. The thing is I don't know if you could have done a comics accurate adaptation of Raven as a character. Raven in the comics is like such a slow burner character. For the longest time she barely interacts with the team she just like teleports in and out. When she starts living with the team she has no relationship to anybody besides Jericho until like, way past the Terror of Trigon arc. If you wnted to do a cartoon that is about the dynamic of the whole team, where every character consistently shows up every episode, where they have to get in group fights, those traits of Raven would not have fit well at all.

Like, adaptations sometimes have to make changes. However, I think Raven's character is actually a lot more in spirit of the original character than people give her credit for. Like I've said in othe rposts Raven is Jean Grey. What you need to get right about her, is that she is a heavily abuse and isolated child who believes deep down she is evil, and she will hurt people if she ever loses that carefully managed control of herself. If you keep that core to her character I believe you have essentially captured the spirit of her character. Characters aren't just like personality traits, they're also themes, and the most important theme of all to Raven is a young girl told she wasn't even allowed to exist, and that her birth is a sin reclaiming agency over herself and learning how to live. Teen Titans has that and so you have a character that is true to the spirit of the character if not a 1:1 adaptation.

Terra - This is probably the best adaptation of Judas Contract. Yes, I know Terra in the cartoon is way more sympathetic than comics Terra but like, a twelve year old cannot process comic book Tara Markov, grooming victim, sociopath, hater and still see those sympathetic traits. I think once again the spirit of the character, rather than a 1:1 adaptation.

I read an interview somewhere where, the gist of what they said was the creators also didn't want Terra to quit the team, or fail at the end of her arc. But, some people aren't meant to be heroes. That is who Terra is at the core of her character. She's not necessarily a bad person, she just couldn't make it as a hero. Terra's self involved, and unempathic, and hurts a lot of people but at the same time her life is genuinely hard, and she was groomed by Slade and all of these things make Terra a mess.

I think one thing that the cartoon nails is number one Terra is a fake human being TM. Basically no matter who she is around, Terra is never presenting her real self to anyone. Terra's personality changes wildly depending on who she is with, when she's with Beast Boy she acts like a normal kid, when she's with Raven she's catty and mean spirited, when she is with Slade she's conniving and manipualtive, there's like no consistency between any of these identities because Terra is in constant survival mode. She is just a runaway kid who is saying and doing anything to live to the next moment because she's had no stability in her entire life.

Number two, is that Terra does not trust anyone, ever. Terra is exactly the kind of person who would blow up over a little betrayal of thinking Beast Boy told someone else about her powers, because like I said she is in survival mode. She is constantly expecting that betrayal coming and trying to make herself ready for it. In fact, I think from Terra's point of view the Teen Titans betrayed her to begin with. The night that Terra betrayed the Titans, she makes it sound like Beast Boy is the one who betrayed her by breaking his promise to her to always accept her and be her friend no matter what happens. That's insane because obviously he'd be mad at her for letting Slade get the access codes to the tower, and distracting Beast Boy while he attacked all of his friends. but like...!! In Terra's weird little head it makes sense. Terra can't really see the consequences of her actions because she's always reacting to things. She literally cannot decide things or choose things for herself, so it's almost easier to do what Slade wants of her because number one the way Slade treats her alligns with Terra's idea of what relatinoships are, based on transaction and not trust. Number two, he at least introduces some kind of control in her life, whereas the easy trust the titans share with one another is something she's to scared to belive in.

So yes, I think cartoon Terra is different than comics Terra and I definitely like comics Terra better but I don't think it's a bad adaptation of the character at all. I also don't want to fault the show for not being like the comic books, it's an adaptation it's supposed to make changes.

[blueboybracket]

ROUND ONE PART ONE RESULTS!

And the second half of Round One is now over! Here are the final results, the following characters will be moving onto Round Two!

Megamind (Megamind)

Benny (The Lego Movie)

Atlas (Portal 2)

Simon Seville (Alvin and the Chipmunks)

Sharkboy (The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D)

Veigar (League of Legends)

Jowee (Drawn to Life)

Randall (Infinity Train)

Buddy (Mech Cadet Yu)

Bloo (Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends)

Cookie Monster (Sesame Street)

Mega Man (Mega Man)

Thomas the Tank Engine (Thomas & Friends)

Fred Jones (Scooby-Doo)

Orcane (Rivals of Aether)

Yang (Yin Yang Yo!)

Rodney Copperbottom (Robots)

Sokka (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

Yato (Noragami)

Sportacus (Lazy Town)

Hades (Hercules)

Yusuke Kitagawa (Persona 5)

Saphir (Sailor Moon)

Galo Thymos (PROMARE)

Cyrus (Animal Crossing)

Finn (Adventure Time)

Dipper Pines (Gravity Falls)

Benrey (Half-Life but the AI is Self-Aware)

Sub-Zero/Kuai Liang (Mortal Kombat)

Revali (The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild)

James P. Sullivan/Sully (Monsters Inc.)

Vergil (Devil May Cry)

Sasuke Uchiha (Naruto)

Continued in reblog

[sustraiii]

THE VICTOR | A ZRCN SPECIAL REWRITE

As with the rewrite of arc 1 and the continued rewrite of arc 2, it felt right to update what ended up being the only special of the whole fic.

So enjoy!

Wren

The Vytal Festival was one of the few times Huntsmen and Huntresses in training got to prove themselves at such a grand scale. Wren had waited eagerly for her time to participate, missing her first opportunity two years prior when her team was not selected to attend, before finally getting her chance this year.

Only some teams got to participate in the festival during their school years so when Team WLOW were finally invited to compete for Atlas in Atlas, Wren was determined to make the most of it. She attended as many matches as she could - lessons permitting - watching eagerly to see how the other teams performed, met with contestants from the other academies, and frequented many of the events the academy hosted in tandem with the actual tournament.

Team WLOW had easily moved past the teams round but it would be in the doubles round where they would meet their downfall.

Wren had known they were going to compete against the Valean Team COPR and had rewatched their previous match to prepare. Initially, Wren had wanted to put herself and Stanford forward to compete, but Lorelei had been persistent in asking to accompany Wren. Against her better judgment, Wren eventually relented and agreed to let Lorelei be her partner.

Facing off against Otso Umber and Raleigh Radcliff, Wren initially felt in high spirits and liked the odds that the battle could have gone either way. As it drew to a close, Wren was confident that she and Lorelei might even have been able to win. They had succeeded in chipping away at their two opponents steadily throughout the match, with Wren utilising her clones to deal primarily with Raleigh, whilst she and Lorelei tried to deal with Otso.

As the battle was winding down, Otso had his massive greatsword drawn back ready to attack. Wren motioned to Lorelei to stay back and deal with Raleigh, knowing that she stood a better chance against the ursine man with her weapon. One or two direct blasts with the missiles from her weapon ought to have taken his aura down to a critical level and handed them the win.

Wren was rushing forward when suddenly she collided with Lorelei, who ignored Wren’s instructions and seemed set on dealing with Otso herself and ignoring Wren’s earlier instruction in the middle of battle. The two women stumbled and fell before quickly trying to separate their tangled bodies. Lorelei promptly gave her a mouthful for not looking where she was going as they did so, meanwhile, Wren just stared back unable to believe what she was hearing whilst quietly seething about how Lorelei dared to be angry with her.

Although Lorelei was able to get back onto her feet, neither woman was aptly prepared to deal with the counterstrike from Otso after their accident. Lorelei was only standing upright for a few moments before her legs buckled and she started screaming as she was struck by Otso’s pain-inflicting semblance. Wren could feel it prickling at the edges of her mind too, though shielded her ears to try and nullify the effects as best she could. Left defenceless after this, neither of them could counter the shockwave that came when Otso’s weapon struck the ground near them and dropped both their auras below the critical level.

Despite the pain of losing, Wren tried her best to be gracious about the defeat. She shook hands with both of her opponents - ignoring the smug brag from Raleigh in the process - and bid a humble farewell to the home crowd as they left the arena for the last time as competitors. 

It was only in the wake of their defeat that irritation took root in her heart and began to bloom. 

A day had barely passed before Lorelei began to complain about the defeat speaking in vague terms that hinted about how the loss was Wren’s fault without actually outright blaming her. Looking at her now as she spoke with Stanford, choosing her words carefully so as not to outright blame Wren for the loss, Wren just wanted to hit her.  So much so, in fact, that Wren found her hands clenched into fists. She could not say for certain whether she would have had more luck if she had been allowed to partner with Stanford as she had initially wanted, but they certainly would have fared much better. He probably would have given that irritating Raleigh a harder time at least.

Wren was beginning to wonder how much longer she could listen to Lorelei’s excuses without flying across the room and slapping her. It was a relief when she was aware of Olive’s presence next to her, her green-haired teammate having drifted over from where she had been reading in the corner of their dorm.

A hand rested comfortingly on her shoulder. “You seem a little stressed,” Olive observed, tip-toeing slightly to whisper in Wren’s ear.  “Do you want to get out for a bit? Maybe go to the fair?”

“That sounds like a lovely idea,” Wren responded softly. With Lorelei having corralled Stanford into a forced conversation, the two of them saw their opportunity to sneak out of the room hopefully unnoticed. Unfortunately, they were not so lucky in that regard.

“And where do you two think you’re going?” Lorelei asked, crossing her arms over her chest. Behind her, Stanford shot them a sympathetic glance. Out of WLOW, Stanford seemed to be the only one Lorelei could truly tolerate, which was amusing given how much she could annoy him as well.

“We’re heading out for a little bit,” Olive answered.  “I thought Wren could do with a little cheering up after that defeat.”

Lorelei eyed them carefully for a moment. “I think our time would be better used discussing what went wrong,” Wren noted how the woman’s violet gaze shifted to her momentarily, and she felt the heat rise to her cheeks, “and how we can overcome this.”

Wren felt an angry barb threatening to spill out of her mouth, so it was lucky when Olive intervened for her. 

“Oh fuck off, Lorelei,” Olive said, waving her off. “Don’t act like you care about team tactics after that stunt you played in the last match.”

Following Olive’s remark, Lorelei merely gawked at the two of them. Wren suspected she might have had something to say in response had it not been for Olive promptly pulling Wren out of the dorm with her and hurrying down the corridor. They paused once they were a safe distance away and were certain Lorelei hadn’t followed them. Both Wren and Olive looked at each other awkwardly before bursting out laughing, neither of them seeming to believe what Olive had just said. They let their giggles out before regaining their composure and heading out to the festival grounds in the city. 

***

“I swear that woman is insufferable!”

Next to her, Olive nodded her head in agreement, whilst managing to swallow a mouthful of noodles. After escaping from the room, the pair made their way down to the fairground that had been set up for the festival. It wasn’t as large or as grand as some of the fairgrounds that the other kingdoms put together, but by Atlesian standards, it was fairly decent. After perusing some of the items on offer, Olive had led her to a noodle stall called “Deal or Noo-deal”, and bought them two large bowls, offering to pay for the meal as part of a “cheer up” present for Wren.

“You know I’ll be glad when we graduate and can go our own ways,” Wren admitted, earning a glance from Olive. She knew her friend well enough to know it wasn’t a judgemental look but rather one borne of curiosity.  “You, Stan, and me, we should form a team together, Lorelei be damned. We’ll call ourselves Team WOW.”

Olive laughed, quickly swallowing her mouthful of noodles lest she choke. “The feeling is mutual you know.”

“How so?” Wren quirked a brow. Was Olive referring to herself and Stanford?

“Lorelei has mentioned wanting to form our own ‘mini team’ numerous times before. Without you, of course,” Olive said setting down her chopsticks. Wren rolled her eyes. “She thinks you’re holding us back.”

“Of course she would,” Wren scoffed. “Her head is so far up her own ass I’m surprised she could tell.”

At this, Olive snorted with laughter, and Wren couldn’t help but laugh along with her.

“Whilst that sounds like a nice idea, I thought you’d been offered the chance to become a specialist by the army?” Olive said once they had both calmed down. “Wouldn’t that kinda prevent the three of us from operating as a team?” Olive pointed out.

“Oh, I was offered that, but I’m not sure if it’s what I want right now,” Wren admitted, with an awkward shrug. She had never been opposed to becoming a specialist, seeing it as an opportunity to do some real good in the kingdom, whilst also having a bit more structure and stability than regular Huntsmen had. Time in the academy had made her less keen to join once she graduated and more keen to explore her options as an independent Huntress. 

“What?!” Olive exclaimed. “Why not? You’d make a great specialist!”

“Thanks,” Wren said, smiling at the compliment. “I mean don’t get me wrong, I’d still like to become one, but I’d rather do other things first, and I don’t know, get out there and see the world. Plus, if they want me that bad I’m sure they won’t mind waiting a few years, right?”

Olive shrugged at the last part but offered a sympathetic smile. “Hey, it’s your life, Wren, live it as you see fit,” Olive said. “If you are thinking of holding off for a few years, I hope that means we get to go on a few more adventures together after graduation.”

“Of course we will,” Wren smiled. “You promised me you’d show me Vale, remember?”

The pair continued to eat their meal, mostly talking about the tournament so far, and who they predicted to win. With their team’s defeat, only a handful of competitors were left, though there was still one doubles match to be fought out. Olive seemed to think a young man from Mistral had a good shout. Wren seemed more convinced by the Vacuo team that had far exceeded everyone’s expectations. As Wren launched into a lengthy conversation about why the Vacuo team might be the winner, she noted her partner’s gaze shift to somewhere behind her before suddenly looking forward.

“Don’t turn around.” Olive urged.

“What, why?”

But Wren had her answer when a familiar voice rang in her ears.

“Well, well, if it isn’t little Birdy and Olivine!”

Wren swiftly turned around in her seat, spotting the person the voice belonged to - Raleigh Radcliff. As if the day wasn’t bad enough already, the very man she and Lorelei had lost to, was also approaching - the abnormally tall, Otso Umber. 

“That’s not my name.” Wren snapped, halting them in their tracks. “And that’s not her name either.”

“What?”

“Olive Vines,” Olive clarified, turning around to face the two as Wren was. She flashed them a falsely sweet smile. “It’s two names actually but it's an easy mistake.”

“My name isn’t Birdy,” Wren said soon after, “It is Wren. Wren Honeycutt.”

Raleigh made a shrug, feigning an apologetic look for having gotten her name wrong. “So, what were you two talking about?”

Wren groaned inwardly, wishing that of all the members of Team COPR they hadn’t been stuck with these two. Otso was fine, if a little unnervingly quiet, but Raleigh was far too smug for her tastes. His bravado reminded her of some of the male students at the academy who seemed intent on flirting with her if they were put together in class. What she wouldn’t have done for the company of Priscilla Chiffon from Team COPR, at least she was more polite than her teammates and would have fit in better with Olive and Wren. 

“We were talking about who will win the tournament,” Wren responded, moving to turn away from them.

“Ah, so us then,” Raleigh said gesturing to himself and Otso behind him.

“What, no!” Wren protested, having turned around to face them again. “Him, maybe,” She gestured towards Otso, “but you certainly don’t strike me as winning material.”

Raleigh’s smile faded slightly but he pushed on. “Well you still lost to us didn’t you?”

Wren groaned, rolling her eyes a little. “Don’t remind me.”

“Tell me, Wren, are you a betting woman?” Raleigh suddenly asked.

Wren blinked in surprise, eyeing him suspiciously. “Depends,” She said slowly. “Why do you ask?”

“You seem so determined to believe we won’t win, so let’s have a little fun with it,” He responded. “Fifty Lien sound reasonable to you?”

“What are the terms first?” Wren cut in.

“Well, if you’re right and we do lose, I’ll pay you fifty Lien, and as a bonus, I’ll treat you to a lovely gift from one of these stalls,” Raleigh began, taking a moment to pause so the first of his terms had time to sink in.

Wren made a show of looking as though she were deeply considering his terms. “The Lien would do fine, but if you want to go out of your way to spend more, go ahead,” Wren cut in, with a sweet smile playing on her lips. “I’m in need of a new pair of boots anyway.”

Raleigh studied her carefully for a moment, returning her smile with a dazzlingly charming one, before finishing the terms of his little wager.  “If I’m right, and we win, you owe me fifty Lien, and you have to go on a date with me.”

Wren’s brows raised in surprise, and beside her, she could hear Olive protesting against this. After a moment of thinking this over, she extended a hand for him to shake. “Deal.”

With a small chuckle, Raleigh reached out and shook her hand. He was still holding her hand when he bent his head and kissed her knuckles lightly.  “I look forward to our date.” He said, relinquishing her hand with a wink as he and his friend departed.

Wren watched the two of them leave, suddenly aware of the warmth in her cheeks, though she didn’t know if it was out of anger at his teasing or because she had actually rather enjoyed the little kiss on her knuckles.

Once they were gone, both women turned back to their bowls of noodles.

“I can’t believe you just made a bet with him,” Olive said shaking her head. “You know you really will  have to go on a date with him if he wins.”

“Him, winning?” Wren threw her head back in false laughter. “That won’t happen in a million years, especially not against that Vacuo team.” Or rather that was the hope at least. Team TEAL had gone from rank outsiders to one of the favourites to win. Although she didn’t know which team member would be stepping up, Wren didn’t think Raleigh would be able to compete with the likes of Tequila Alvarado or Bailey Estrada.

Olive shook her head again, this time in a more amused fashion. “If you say so, Wren,” She said, before picking up some more noodles between her chopsticks.  “Just remember that when you come crawling to me complaining about having to go out with him then.”

“Oh, Livvy, you do worry too much sometimes,” Wren said, patting her friend on the shoulder. “Trust me, it’s never going to happen.”

[mayhemproduces]

Ziggy Haim vs Yuki Kamifuku- MPW Fatales Championship

Referee Jake Clemons calls for the bell in this one, and we’re underway, Kamiyu blowing Ziggy a quick kiss before the two circle each other. The two lock up and Kamiyu immediately grabs an advantage, grabbing Ziggy and immediately taking her down with a quick headlock takeover, before trapping Ziggy’s arm and rolling her over for a quick pin attempt!

1… Kickout!

Ziggy out very quickly as she’s able to roll though, and pull herself up to a knee. Kamiyu backs off a bit and puts her hands on her knees, winking at Ziggy and insisting she was close to stealing it there. Ziggy shook her head and tried to laugh it off, getting back up to her feet. The two circled each other again, and Kamiyu looked like she wanted a test of strength, with Ziggy accepting and locking fingers, but Kamiyu quickly cartwheels to the side of Ziggy, maintaining arm control, and turning it into a wrist lock. Kamiyu twists Ziggy’s arm and twist around her, before dipping down and taking Ziggy down to the mat, trapping her in a modification of a bicep slicer! Kamiyu keeps twisting but Ziggy manages to sit up, and then fight up to a knee to relieve some of the pressure and get rid of Kamiyu’s leverage. Ziggy back to her feet now and Kamiyu takes the opportunity to switch arms, twisting around and taking Ziggy’s left arm into a wrist lock. Kamiyu yanks on it, but in response, Ziggy catches Kamiyu with a chop to the chest! Kamiyu backs into the ropes, and Ziggy grabs her, sending her off the ropes, but Kamiyu turns it around on Ziggy, sending Ziggy into the ropes, dropping down to try and trip Ziggy up, but Ziggy rolls forward, dodging it, before turning around and nailing a kneeling Kamiyu with a boot to the face!

Kamiyu rolls out of the ring, and Ziggy follows her out, going underneath the ring immediately and looking for some toys to introduce into this one- Atlas Rules after all. Ziggy finds a chair and takes it with her, going around the ring to find where Kamiyu had crawled off to, when Kamiyu surprises Ziggy as she rounds the corner, kicking the chair into Ziggy’s gut! Kamiyu takes the chair and tosses it into the ring, before catching Ziggy with an elbow to the back of the neck. Kamiyu follows it up by grabbing Ziggy and smashing her face into the ring apron, before rolling Ziggy back into the ring. Kamiyu follows it up by going underneath the ring and grabbing another chair, sliding it into the ring. Kamiyu slides into the ring and grabs her chair, not realizing Ziggy has the other one, and as Kamiyu raises her chair, Ziggy swings, connecting with Kamiyu’s chair, and causing Kamiyu’s chair to go right back into her face!

Ziggy takes a moment to set up the chair and stand on it, shouting something to the fans, and after a few moments when the camera cuts back to Kamiyu, it’s clear the chair caught her good, because there’s suddenly a LOT of blood pouring down Kamiyu’s face! Ziggy grabs a handful of Kamiyu’s hair, and shows her off to the Atlantic City crowd, before dragging her over to the chair and slamming Kamiyu’s face down onto the seat of it, right down onto the steel! Ziggy kicks the chair to the side, as Kamiyu tries to crawl away, Ziggy grabs her and picks her up again, only to be caught by an uppercut from Kamiyu. Kamiyu follows it up with another elbow to the back of the neck, and then a chop to Ziggy’s chest against the ropes. Kamiyu brushes her hair back out of her face, revealing she’d basically gone full crimson mask at this point with the blood running down her face. Kamiyu then turns back around and tries to charge Ziggy again, but Ziggy pulls down the rope and sends Kamiyu to the outside! Ziggy climbs out onto the apron and signals for a rolling senton, but as Ziggy charges, Kamiyu moves, and Ziggy stops herself in her tracks. Ziggy turns around, only for Kamiyu to grab a chair and throw it at Ziggy, connecting with Ziggy’s head! Ziggy is stunned, and she slumps against the ropes, half in half out of the ring on the middle rope. Kamiyu shoves Ziggy the rest of the way into the ring, before digging around underneath it again, eventually finding what she was looking for- a bag.

Kamiyu gets into the ring and opens up the bag, revealing it’s contents as she pours them all over the middle of the ring- a whole bunch of lego pieces. Kamiyu then lifts Ziggy up onto her shoulders, but Ziggy quickly fights back with a series of elbows to the side of the head, not wanting to end up with a back full of legos. Ziggy manages to slide off, before picking Kamiyu up, and driving her down, back first onto the legos! Kamiyu ends up with a back full of legos! Ziggy hooks the leg, looking to end this!

1….2… Kickout!

Kamiyu out at two! Somewhere along the way, perhaps when Kamiyu threw the chair, Ziggy got busted open as well, and now Ziggy had the makings of a crimson mask too. Ziggy grabs the set up chair and moves it to the middle of the ring, before exiting the ring again, looking for another chair. She finds it, and slides it into the ring, setting it up as well. Ziggy then grabs Kamiyu and drags her back up to her feet, before sitting Kamiyu down in one of the chairs, and sitting across from her. Ziggy starts off the bar fight with a chop, which Kamiyu answers in earnest, and now these two ladies go back and forth, peppering each other with precedingly harder chops as they go. Eventually Ziggy starts getting the better of Kamiyu, hammering away with chop after chop, when suddenly Kamiyu reaches out, grabs Ziggy, and starts biting her! And then Kamiyu follows it up by scooping up a handful of legos, and shoving them in Ziggy’s mouth, before grabbing Ziggy’s arm, getting up, and nailing Ziggy with an Eat Defeat! Ziggy gets up and rolls into the corner, maybe unsure of where she is right now. Kamiyu charges her, but Ziggy moves, and then tries to charge Kamiyu, only to be caught and driven into the turnbuckles with Deadly Nightshade! Ziggy falls into a seated position in the corner, and Kamiyu turns, hitting the ropes, and crashes into Ziggy with double knees! Ziggy might be out, Kamiyu pulls her out of the corner and stacks her up for the cover!

1…..2… Kickout!

Ziggy Haim out at two! Kamiyu gets up, and you can tell she’s getting frustrated. Kamiyu nails Ziggy with a boot to the head, before starting to gather up all the chairs that had been used so far in this one, four in total. Kamiyu starts to set them up near one of the corners, before going back to Ziggy, and dragging her up to her feet, but Ziggy suddenly catches Kamiyu with a codebreaker! Kamiyu stumbles backwards, until she meets the chairs, laying down across the platform that the four chair seats had formed, with Ziggy quickly getting back up to her feet, and climbing up onto the top rope! As Ziggy’s setting her feet though, Kamiyu quickly gets up and catches Ziggy with a right hand, stunning her. Kamiyu starts climbing the ropes, going to meet Ziggy up top, looking for a Superplex onto the chairs that would almost certainly end this match. Ziggy starts fighting back, though, and then suddenly grabs Kamiyu by the head, and kisses her! Surprising Kamiyu and sending her off the top rope, landing on her feet. Kamiyu turns back around to Ziggy, only to get caught with a Top Rope Spear that drives Kamiyu through the chairs!

Ziggy gets back to her feet, and drags Kamiyu up to hers, before hooking Kamiyu, and driving her down onto the mat, and down onto the legos with a Mazel Tov Cocktail! Ziggy makes the pin!

1….2…3!

“Here is your winner, Ziggy Haim!”

[crossovercentral1375]

Avatar Crossover Battles: Rules and Inaugural Season

Hey, so about 2-3 years ago I had an idea to do like a series of crossover battles that I never quite finished due to a variety of reasons but I really want to give this a second shot! Last time I did this I took characters from the ATLA, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Marvel, DC, and Mortal Kombat and grouped them into what elements each character would bend and have them face off against each other with storylines that I honestly could not put much time in and votes for who the winner was.

This time what I'm doing is I have taken characters from each fandom and picked 12 captains and did a snake draft choosing players in order of the Avatar cycle that fit best with the captains personality or choices that felt in character for those captains to make, going into a new Pro-Bending League.

Season: These teams will go through 1 scrimmage match before moving onto a 12 game regular season. The standings at the end of the regular season will determine who goes into an 8 team best of 3 playoff format that will see teams go head to head to win the Pro-Bending Championship. Throughout the season each win will earn a team 3 points. In the event of two teams tying in points the team that would advance would be the team with the best differential between zone pushes versus zone losses.

Managers: If you are interested in managing a team please send me a personal message and I will set you up with a team you would like. The manager's job throughout the season is going to be to manage the lines of their team and to make sure they can help their team thrive and make the playoffs. The manager would try to do this by making some signings during the off-season, negotiating trades with other managers, and drafting good prospects.

Teams: Each team would be made up of 8-12 players. This includes at least 2 waterbenders, 2 earthbenders, 2 firebenders, and 2 airbenders. Each team then has to consist of two units to play throughout the matches consisting of 1 waterbender, 1 earthbender, 1 firebender, and 1 airbender. A team cannot roll out a unit that does not meet these requirements or else the team will suffer a penalty from the league. Any reserves on the teams can be any bender but cannot take the place of a player who bends a different element than they do. Reserves can be substituted in for the following reasons: if a player who bends the same element is not performing well, if a player who bends the same element is suspended for a number of matches, or if a player who bends the same element is injured for a number of matches. If a player becomes suspended or injured and there are no players on reserve who can fit that role the manager is allowed to place a player from the other unit into that role. If a substitute is available on the team the manager must dress the player in the game or else the manager risk both a penalty from the league and/or increasing the period of time it takes for the player to heal. Teams cannot exceed a number of 12 players or else a penalty will be issued from the league. If it is evident that the team limit is going to be exceeded throughout the league, an expansion team will be added to the league to create more room for players in the league. When an expansion team is added to the league an expansion draft will take place where the manager of the new team can select 1 player from each team. In preparation for the draft each team can protect up to 5 players from being picked by the expansion team.

Matches: Matches will be won through a few factors: fan vote, power scaling, a random number picker, and AI match summary. Following each game will be a detailed summary of the events in the fight. With this fight summary will be a set of box scores from players in the fight. The first round will be fought by each teams first unit, with the second round being fought by both teams second unit. If the fight advances to a third round teams are allowed to make changes to whatever unit they want to send out. Much like in The Legend of Korra series players can be caught taking penalties which would result in the offender moving back one zone. If a player is caught from repeating actions that may cause them to be penalized during the same game they will be ejected, and depending on the severity of the penalty, suspended a number of games. If an in-game ejection occurs, the team must play the rest of the round with the remaining players and would be allowed to adjust their line-up once the round ends. If a player sustains an injury during a match, play is halted and the player is removed from the ring and the team would be allowed to replace the injured player with someone from the teams other unit; however, injured participants may be permitted to continue if they are still capable. Players who are injured while being knocked off the ring will be rescued by gaming officials. For more rules on matches please check the Game Play section of the Pro-bending fandom page.

Rules: Because the rules for waterbenders, earthbenders, and firebenders are already set, I decided to save myself some time and just linked the fandom page right here-> Waterbending, Firebending, Earthbending Rules. For the newly added airbending position, these are the rules that follow the new position. When a airbender is sent into the arena the side and middle vents release a thin light blue fog,so that the Referee and Audience can see the attacks. Airbenders on their teams will play a more defensive role on their team than their counterparts. Airbending can only be used in close combat, meaning that the airbender has to get close to their opponent to shrike; Airbenders cannot shrike at anyone half a zone away so the airbender will have to get close to the line but must make sure not to cross it. Each air blast must not exceed one second in duration, meaning that airbenders may not use jet streams to blow their opponent off the arena. Just like water, strikes to the head are allowed. An airbender may not use air to enhance one's movement. Giant tornados/hurricanes may not be used. Airbenders must bend the fog in their own territory or the territory they have gained. When defending, airbenders can deflect shrikes towards their teammates from a maximum of one zone away. Airbenders cannot create any constructs of air to stop any shrikes, meaning an airbender cannot create a sphere of air to catch any rock plates or other shrikes. In the events of a tie breaker and only one team has a airbender they can choose to fight any of the other 3 elements.

Trades: During the season each team can make trades for other players but have to deal with the team restrictions. The result of any trade should not leave a team with less than 8 players or more than 12 players. Trades should not push the team over the salary cap. Along with this trades should not leave the team with less than 2 benders per element. Draft picks can also be traded. All trades would have to be reviewed by the commissioner first before they can go through.

Salary Cap: The fixed salary cap for every season is going to be set at 36 which leaves enough space to sign some talented players but also forces teams to limit how many they can sign.

Contracts: Each player's salary is determined by their value to the team and to the game. A players salary will not consist of any actual budget or in-game currency but just of numbers 1-5. If a player ranks up in the top 20% of the league in stats the player will receive a 5. Players ranking in the 21%-40% will receive a salary of 4. Players ranking in the 41%-60% will receive a salary of 3. Players ranking in the 61%-80% will receive a salary of 2. Players ranking in the 81% or lower will receive a salary of 1. When signing a player the longest contract you can give is 3 seasons. All prospects entering the league will receive a contract of 3 seasons with a salary of 1. When resigning players at the end of each season you can only resign up to 5 players and let the rest walk to free agency where you can resign them there or look for possibly better players suitable for your team. During free agency a player can accept a contract from any team. The main factors that will play a factor on where the player goes is how much the team is offering, how successful the team is, and roster space. If there are multiple successful teams offering the maximum salary for one player then the decision of where he goes will be left up to a random team picker.

Player Draft: At the end of every season and before free agency begins a player draft will take place for managers to select players to help improve their teams future. Throughout the season prospects will be ranked going into the draft that will decide on the final ranking. These prospects can become eligible for the entry draft either through fan suggestions for what players/fandom universes should be added or by adding characters from the existing universes in the league into the running. When the season ends, the teams that failed to make the playoffs will enter into a lottery to win the first 3 picks, with the lowest ranked team having the highest chance. As the playoffs progress, the order of the draft would continue to be filled with teams that made the least amount of impact during the playoffs.

Gaoling Earthshakers- Toph Biefong (Earth) C 1 Zuko (Fire) A 24 Flash (Air) 25 Bucky Barnes (Water) 48 Hulk (Earth) 49 Sadie Kane (Fire) 72 George Weasley (Air) 73 Captain Cold (Water)

Ba Sing Se Jasmine Dragons- Iroh (Fire) C 2 Wally West (Air) 23 Severus Snape (Water) 26 Hermione Granger (Earth) 47 Leo Valdez (Fire) 50 Spider-Woman (Air) 71 Ron Weasley (Water) 74 Groot (Earth)

Laogai Red Tail Hawks- Dumbledore (Air) C 3 Scarlet Witch (Water) 22 Magneto (Earth) 27 Black Adam (Fire) 46 Impulse (Air) 51 Kya (Water) 70 Bolin (Earth) 75 Charles Beckendorf (Fire)

Capital City Phoenix- Jean Grey (Fire) C 4 Storm (Air) A 21 Voldemort (Water) 28 Thanos (Earth) 45 Starfire (Fire) 52 Reverse Flash (Air) 69 Poison Ivy (Water) 76 The Thing (Earth)

Ember Island Blazers- Superman (Fire) C 5 Zaheer (Air) 20 Nightwing (Water) A 29 Black Panther (Earth) 44 Mako (Fire) 53 Jason Grace (Air) 68 Iceman (Water) 77 Hazel Levesque (Earth)

Omashu Flying Boars- Martian Manhunter (Air) C 6 Swamp Thing (Water) 19 Minerva McGonagall (Earth) A 30 Atrocitus (Fire) 43 Susan Storm (Air) 54 Hawkgirl (Water) 67 Carter Kane (Earth) 78 Draco Malfoy (Fire)

Republic City Engineers- Iron Man (Earth) C 7 Human Torch (Fire) 18 Spider-Man (Air) 31 Mera (Water) 42 Deathstroke (Earth) 55 Thor (Fire) A 66 Quicksilver (Air) 79 Amon (Water)

White Falls Wolf Bats- Batman (Earth) C 8 Cyclops (Fire) 17 Red Robin (Air) A 32 Batgirl (Water) 41 Wolverine (Earth) 56 Sirius Black (Fire) 65 Luke Castellan (Air) 80 Tyson (Water)

Whale Tail Island Aquabenders- Aquaman (Water) C 9 Darkseid (Earth) 16 Shazam (Fire) A 33 Thalia Grace (Air) 40 Namor (Water) 57 Suyin Beifong (Earth) 64 Dazzler (Fire) 81 Fred Weasley (Air)

Republic City Tigerdillos- Captain America (Water) C 10 Wonder Woman (Earth) A 15 Captain Marvel (Fire) 34 Red Tornado (Air) 39 Cedric Digory (Water) 58 Batwoman (Earth) 63 Ginny Weasley (Fire) 82 Air-Walker (Air)

Southern Water Tribe Polar Bear Dogs- Katara (Water) C 11 Lin Beifong (Earth) A 14 Harry Potter (Fire) 35 Daredevil (Air) 38 Black Widow (Water) 59 Nico di Angelo (Earth) 62 Red Hood (Fire) 83 Connor Stoll (Air)

Harbor Town Winders- Tenzin (Air) C 12 Percy Jackson (Water) 13 Annabeth Chase (Earth) A 36 Firestorm (Fire) 37 Jinora (Air) 60 Mister Fantastic (Water) 61 GL John Stewart (Earth) 84 Frank Zhang (Fire)

During Free Agency these players were signed to their respective teams:

Waterbender Nevil Longbottom -> Republic City Tigerdillos

Earthbender Blitzen (Riordanverse) -> Harbor Town Winders

Earthbender Grover Underwood ->Republic City Tigerdillos

Earthbender Cosmic Boy (DC) -> Capitol City Phoenix

Earthbender Piper McLean -> Ba Sing Se Jasmine Dragons

Earthbender Tera (DC) -> Gaoling Earthshakers

Firebender Clarisse La Rue -> Gaoling Earthshakers

Firebender Magnus Chase -> Laogai Red Tail Hawks

Firebender Will Solace -> Ember Island Blazers

Firebender Crystal (Marvel) -> Republic City Engineers

Firebender Bullseye -> White Falls Wolfbats

Firebender Spoiler (DC) -> Whale Tail Island Aquabenders

Firebender Hearthstone (Riordanverse) -> Harbor Town Winders

Airbender Travis Stoll (Riordanverse) -> Southern Water Tribe Polar Bear Dogs

Airbender Luna Lovegood -> Ember Island Blazers

Airbender Quake (Marvel) -> Ba Sing Se Jasmine Dragons

[pomegranate-machinations]

A Demotion (Jayce/Viktor)

i’ve been keeping this drabble in my notes app for months. this was the first thing i had written for arcane, but i never posted it until now!

In which Jayce slips up at a benefactor event, and Viktor is rightfully pissed.

Word Count: 719

Content: G rating, tooth rotting fluff, pet names, Jayce is far too soft and Viktor can never stay mad for long

“Knock, knock.”

Viktor huffed, shaking his head.

“You don’t have to say ‘Knock, knock,’ you know that, right?”

He had been sat in the lab for a few hours, hunched over his desk but doing more pouting than any proper work.

The door slowly swung open, revealing Jayce fully shrinking into his suit jacket. The image almost made Viktor laugh, but he quickly stiffened as he remember he was supposed to be upset.

Wordlessly, Jayce slouched over to the desk to stand beside him, his eyes the size of dinner plates and fully locked onto Viktor in silent pleading.

Viktor averted his gaze, lip trembling to keep his smile at bay. He had to hold strong on this one, regardless of how precious his partner was acting. After all, he had been mortified.

The two of them had been at a Hextech showcase. After the roll out of the second wave of Atlas Gauntlets, they had been playing circus for weeks. All of the benefactors wanted an up close and personal look at the new designs, and of course Jayce obliged, wanting to constantly keep their progress moving. Viktor was completely onboard, until tonight.

After the presentation, Jayce had been doing his usual rounds chatting with the benefactors of the evening. Viktor normally preferred to just trail behind, happy to quietly hoard snacks and look on in wonder while Jayce worked his charm. However, during one of his notorious sales pitches to a potential investor, he had referred to Viktor as his “assistant.”

Now, of course they had a level of professionalism to uphold. “Boyfriend” wasn’t necessarily going to get them the support they needed. Normally, they had both stuck with “partner” when it came to Hextech. Sometimes for giggles it would be “colleague,” normally accompanied with an air of mocking snootiness that passed over the heads of their debutante audiences. But never, never, was it “assistant.” As soon as Jayce had said it, he knew what he did wrong, and quickly corrected to “colleague,” but it was too late.

Which had lead Viktor back to lab, staring at the wall and debating the purchase of a pencil skirt to accompany his demotion.

And in turn, had led Jayce to mooning over him like a kitten in a puddle.

“If you don’t need anything from me, I really do need to get on with my work.” He paused, throwing over his shoulder. “After all, I am just your assistant-“

A light pressure against his leg cut him off. As he looked down, his last bit of stubborn strength melted away.

Jayce had taken to sitting criss-cross on the floor, pathetically leaning his head against Viktor’s thigh as he looked up at him with the biggest pleading eyes. He still hadn’t said a word, but kept his cheek squished against Viktor’s leg.

Viktor’s heart burst, and he ran a hand through Jayce’s hair.

“You know, you can’t always get away with things like this.” Jayce moved to prop his chin up on Viktor’s knee, his pout morphing into a small grin.

“I can so long as you let me.”

Viktor shoved his head gently, snorting. Jayce caught his hand, grabbing it and pressing his lips to Viktor’s knuckles gently. Viktor’s ears burned, and he turned away slightly.

“Fine, fine! But if you ever call me your assistant again, I’m filing for divorce. Understand?”

“Of course, of course. From now on it’s only ‘my love.’” Jayce pulled his arm slightly to face him, kiss his hand again. Viktor burned a little more, sinking into his chair.

“Or would you prefer ‘my heart’?” He placed another kiss, this time on Viktor’s wrist.

“‘My dove’?” A kiss on his forearm.

“‘My angel’?” Two kisses along the crook of his arm.

“‘My light’?” A kiss on his shoulder.

At this point, Jayce had risen to stand over Viktor, who had turned into a blushing pile in his seat. Attempting to save some grace, Viktor straightened up a bit.

“P… Partner is still fine.”

Jayce smiled, lightly pecking Viktor on the lips.

“Partner it is then!”

Viktor brow furrowed, and he surged up, wrapping his arms around Jayce’s shoulders to pull him closer.

“Then kiss me like your partner, and not like a fucking assistant.”

Jayce’s smile widened, and he leaned in.

“Of course.”

ty for reading !! check my fic tag if you’d like to read more, i usually post on ao3 and share the links here!

[captainkirkk]

✩ WEEKLY FIC ROUND-UP ✩

All the fics I’ve read and really enjoyed in the past week-ish. Reminder: This list features any and all ratings and themes.

ATLA

a shame you don’t know by Haicrescendo

[“Listen, if you’re gonna kidnap me, it won’t work. We don’t have ransom money and I’ll be so annoying that you’ll be begging my Dad to take me back.”

There’s a huff in the darkness.

“Who would kidnap you, anyway?”

That irritated, cranky voice is familiar. Very familiar.

“Zuko?”]

Or: Sometimes Zuko comes in through the window.

Star Wars: Original Triology

How To Reinvent The Stormtrooper Armor To Make Your Surrogate Father Proud And Shut The Naysayers Up For Fun And Profit by Jackdaw_Kraai

This is an AU of loosingletters' The Background Noise Of Defiance verse

Instead of Luke inadvertently revealing to his anonymous holonet friend that his last name is Skywalker, thus revealing himself as the son of said holonet friend (yes, Darth Vader has a Space Twitter), he keeps mum and instead takes on Vader's job offer, becoming the new Head Engineer aboard the Executor, alias, the Lady. While he's thrilled to be there, thriving on getting to improve the lackluster hardware that gets shunted onto the rank-and-file of the Empire and building up a rapport with the mysterious Sith Lord who is fast becoming the father figure he never had, not everyone aboard is as happy about the young engineer shaking up the previously well-cemented hierarchy of the Lady.

But ask Luke and Vader if they care. All Piett knows is that this is gonna be one hell of a headache and way above his paygrade. At least he gets to see his boss be put in his place by a teenage engineer and Lord Vader himself.

Sleepover Dad by kittandchips

AU where Vader raises a teen Luke on Coruscant. After a young celebrity is kidnapped, Vader worries Luke may be next. Meanwhile, a shooting contest causes a friendship crisis for Luke, and this is going to take Skywalker levels of parenting to resolve.

The Magnus Archives

Consign Me Not To Darkness by ZaliaChimera

Martin can see the way that Jon's hands shake, and the dark bruises around his eyes. He notices the jitters and the skipped meals and the way that Jon is first in the Archives in the morning, and last out at night, assuming he ever leaves.

It can't go on. And Martin thinks that he might have a solution.

Clone Wars

Why Not's and How To's by Trixree

Two months after the Guard officially moves to Coruscant, the lawyer shows up.

_

In which Obi-Wan Kenobi never returns to the Jedi order after the war on Melidaa/Dann and instead finds another way to follow the Force's will. Namely, by fighting sentient-rights abuses all over the galaxy and emancipating the Grand Army of the Republic, one clone trooper at a time.

And I'll Follow the Light in You by AlamoGirl80

In a universe where the clone armies were created by the Sith and the Galactic Imperial Army, Commander Cody leads his brothers to freedom, creating a new clone society as he takes on the mantle of Manda'lor. Spread between Concordia and Kamino, the Vode begin to carve a niche for themselves in the Galaxy, living with the guilt of being responsible for the destruction they wrought under the Empire, hoping to become more than the weapons they were created to be. Cody and his squad stumble across the one thing they'd never expected to see again: a Jedi...

[ssadumba55]

Reunion (Captain Barbossa X Child! Reader)

Request: Oh awesome! So for Father's Day, I was thinking, maybe something with Captain Barbossa? Yes it's me again that anon from long ago who asked for the father Barbossa fic (very well done btw!!) So I was thinking, his kid all grown up and the captain of their own ship. One day he sees a ship off in the distance so his crew gets ready to fire. Then he immediately tells them to stop because that ship is his kid's ship!! And they have this awesome reunion and stuff! Sorry if this is really specific😅 you totally don't have to do this if you don't want to!!

A/N: Apologies for any bad errors/if it doesn’t make sense/it's ooc. I’m writing this tired after a long shift at work, but I wanted to get it done for Father’s Day! Really hope it’s not too bad! 3/3 Father's Day requests done! Enjoy!

“Come on, guys, am I going to have to do everything myself?” You huffed to your crew, pulling on the rope by the mast to stretch out the sails. You’d asked for it to be done hours ago, but of course, your crew had yet to do it.

They weren’t the most efficient crew on the seven seas, but they were loyal, and they had been basically like your family since you’d left your dad’s ship years ago. The split had been amicable, but you hadn’t seen the man since. Since the two of you were constantly moving, usually in different directions, you never crossed paths.

“Sorry, Captain,” your first mate, Tory appeared at your side. He always had a crooked smile, like he knew something you didn’t, and he usually did. It was almost always a practical joke the crew had cooked up for you. You sighed, bumping him slightly with your shoulder. He was a lot shorter, but he was definitely stronger.

The two of you exchanged smiles. “It’s fine, just round everyone up. I need to look like a captain on my own ship- “

“Captain!”

Your instructions were cut off by your lookout, yelling and waving his hands from high above the ship. He looked agitated, but you couldn’t yet see what he was seeing with your naked eye. Shielding your eyes, you gestured for him to come down and tell you what was going on.

While he climbed down, Tory hurried off to collect the rest of the crew. The lookout slammed onto the deck in front of you. You opened your mouth to scold him like you’d done countless times before but shut it once more. It was a lost cause and you needed to hear the news.

“What’d you see up there, James? Another mermaid?” You teased, walking to the wheel to make sure the boat was on course. James huffed, crossing his arms watching as you took the wheel from another crewmate.

“It was one time, captain. And I swear I saw her; Tory and Oliver did not look hard enough!” He sounded like a petulant child who’d lost a bet with his friends. That was essentially what he was, but you decided not to press the fact more, waving your hand to let him know to hurry it along.

“Ship approaching, captain!” Eli called, leaning so far off the front of the boat he was almost falling off. Your face paled slightly, looking up as James admitted that was what he’d been trying to tell you. There was a giant boat sailing toward you. It was no doubt a pirate ship, if the ship’s flag hadn’t given it away, the captain behind the wheel and his big hat did.

The other ship was clearly preparing for battle, any second the two ships would collide, and mayhem would begin.

“Atlas! Take the wheel again, keep us as far away from that ship as possible,” You handed the wheel off. This wasn’t going to end well.

Meanwhile, Captain Barbossa was thinking the exact same thing as they readied the cannons on the ship. They had spotted the ship when it was just a little speck in the distance, but it had crept closer ever since. His original plan had been to observe, see what this other ship had wanted. But the closer it got, the more uneasy he got.

“Prepare the cannons!” He’d called, now they were almost within shooting distance. Soon they would be right beside each other.

The captain on the opposite ship was yelling orders, they handed the wheel to someone else, hurrying toward the bow of the ship. At their side, two other crew members, clearly agitated joined them.

He’s about to give the signal for firing when-

“Wait!”

The captain waved their arms frantically, clearly not wanting their ship to be blown to smithereens. But that wasn’t what stopped the infamous pirate in his tracks, it was the voice, the way they waved their arms-

“Sir, do you want us to fire? We could probably hit them from here?”

Barbossa snapped out of his revelation, realizing he still had to captain this ship. “No! Do not shoot, unless ye want to walk the plank for killing my flesh and blood.”

His crew exchanged looks and quickly came to the conclusion they did not in fact want that. The two ships approached each other and the young Barbossa boarded their father’s ship once they were close enough to dock between the two. At their side was the crewmate with the crooked smile, arms crossed over his chest.

“Dad!” It wasn’t until they hit the ships deck that they realized whose ship they’d boarded. A mixture of emotions flashed across their face, but they eventually gave in, running across the ships deck to hug him.

It’d been too long since you’d seen your father and you only realized that when you were hugging him. He hugged you back, it was a weird display of affection between two pirate captains, but you supposed this was special circumstances.

“This is very heartwarming, I guess this means I can’t beat him up,” Tory pouted from behind you, and you pulled away from your father, rolling your eyes.

“Dad, this is my first mate, Tory. Tory, this is my father, Captain Barbossa.” You introduced the two to each other.

Tory sputtered a little, backing up slightly. “Captain (Y/n), you never told me- your father is- Oh, god, I think I’m going to be sick- “He stumbled back a bit more, slightly overwhelmed. James, who had also followed from your ship, hurried to help him.

“He’s a big famous pirate nut. Wonder what he’ll say one day when we’re face to face with Captain Jack Sparrow.” You crossed your arms, watching your first mate lean over the side of the ship with help from your lookout.

Your father let out a dry chuckle. “So, this is the quiet life ye mentioned when ye left, hm?”

You rolled your eyes.

“Before you say anything we’re not pirates. We’re adventurers. I am not following in your footsteps-”

“We’re making our own!” James turned, finishing your mantra. You had said it constantly. ‘We’re not following our parents’ footsteps; we make our own.’

“It looks like a pirate ship to me,” your father ignored the last bit of your statement and James’ addition. You crossed your arms, glowering. The look was enough to make your crew immediately fall in line, but it just reminded your father of the good old days. When you were still young and got angry at the smallest things.

“Come on, let’s see this ship of yers,” he gestured with his sword for you to lead the way.

“If you take anything-“

“Why would I do a thing like that?” He looked offended as you began to lead the way. You smiled back at him.

“Once a pirate, always a pirate, dad,” you reminded him, then you stopped and turned, “but I am happy to see you again.”

The two of you shared a moment, it was brief, but it held a lot of weight for the two of you. In it, you knew your dad was expressing everything he couldn’t voice. He was glad to see you too. To know each other was still alive was a powerful gift.

“So, you’ve met Tory and James…”

The rest of the day was spent introducing your father to your crew and your ship. He grunted a lot and made comments about certain things, but still. It was nice to be around him again, no matter how brief it was.

As you waved to your father from the deck of your own ship, watching his retreat, Tory came up beside you.

“I have a feeling we’ll be seeing more of him soon,” he leaned on the edge of the boat, watching the pirate ship fade into the distance. You shrugged.

“I wouldn’t mind.”

[spicybadlucksav]

I’ve got a NSFW Zutara modern prompt request for you- they decide to go to a wedding together while dress shopping for Katara. He helps her with the zipper of one of the dresses and by the look he gives her he knows he’s done for and can’t keep his hands off of her in the dressing room and smut ensues and they don’t care who hears them ;)

Welcome to the Kink Parade

Ooooh thank you so much for this! Sorry for the delay. I decided to hold off until Kinky Bingo from @atla-multishipping-bingo! I’m aiming for a blackout bingo so stay tuned!

NSFW below the cut ///

“Come on, babe,” Zuko grumbles from where he sits on a plush chair outside of the changing room. “How many more dresses are you going to try on?”

“As many as it takes!” Katara calls back. “This is your sister’s wedding. You know that it has to be perfect.”

Zuko rolls his eyes and huffs out a breath. He drops his head against the back of the chair, but he doesn’t protest further. He knows that she’s right. Azula is a perfectionist in every aspect of her life, and her wedding is no different. She’s been a true Bridezilla throughout the affair, and at this point, none of them want to tip her into a full-blown meltdown because the florist brought the wrong arrangements or because Katara’s dress is the wrong shade.

“I think this might be the winner,” she says, and Zuko swears he’s never heard sweeter words—they’ve been to three stores and through two dozen dresses by now.

“Finally,” he mutters beneath his breath.

“I need your help zipping it up though.”

“Okay, I’m coming.”

Zuko pushes himself to his feet and crosses to the dressing room door. He hears the lock click and the door opens half an inch. He pulls the door open the rest of the way, and he’s pretty sure that his jaw hits the floor.

Katara stands with her back to him, her supple skin exposed by the unzipped fabric of the pale pink dress she wears. Even unzipped, he can tell it has a tight bodice, and it hugs the curves of her ass in a way that has all of his blood rushing downwards.

She meets his gaze in the mirror attached to the stall wall. A smirk curves her lips, and the glint in her eyes tells him that she knew exactly what she was doing. The vixen.

“Zip me up?” Katara asks innocently.

Zuko steps into the dressing room. He closes the door behind him and flips the lock with one hand, his eyes never leaving hers in the mirror’s reflection. He moves to stand behind her, his eyes remaining fixed on hers as his hands come up to grab the zipper.

“I think this one is perfect,” he murmurs as he slowly drags the zipper up. “You look gorgeous, sexy….” He purses his lips. “On second thought, perhaps this isn’t the right one. Azula will kill you if you upstage her on her wedding day.”

Katara giggles as a blush rises in her cheeks. “I think your bias is showing.”

Zuko finishes zipping the dress before he trails his fingers down her back. He rests his hands on her hips and pulls her back against him, knowing that she can’t mistake the bulge in his pants.

Her eyes widen as her lips part in a silent gasp. Then a wicked grin curves her mouth. Katara turns towards him then and presses a hungry kiss to his lips. Before Zuko can say or do anything else, Katara drops gracefully to her knees and reaches for the zipper on his jeans.

Panic jolts through him—they’re in a fucking changing room, for fucks’ sake—and he grabs her wrists.

“What are you doing?” Zuko hisses, even as his traitorous cock twitches behind his zipper.

Katara peers up at him with a look that is somehow both devilish and innocent. “Don’t ask me. Ask your dick. I think it likes the dress.”

“Definitely,” Zuko rasps out. “But what if we get caught?”

“We’ll be quick then.”

He doesn’t protest further, and then Katara is making quick work of the button and zipper on his jeans. She tugs his pants and boxers down his hips, his hard cock jutting out from his body. Her hand wraps around the base of his member a moment later, and Zuko bites back a groan as she pumps his shaft.

He looks down at her. The sight of her on her knees, his cock in her hand and already leaking precum, has lust pooling in his belly. Then Katara wraps her lips around him and takes him into her mouth, and he’s done for.

His fingers tangle in her hair as she begins to bob her head, taking more of his length into her mouth until the tip of his cock is pressing against the back of her throat. Her hand pumps the length that doesn’t fit in her mouth, and the sounds she’s making are obscene and so fucking divine that he doesn’t give a shit if someone hears her.

“Fuck, baby, just like that,” Zuko groans as she sucks harder, her cheeks hollowed out. “Feels so good.”

Katara hums around him before she presses deeper, swallowing his entire length. His head tips back as white spots burst in his vision, and Zuko swears under his breath. Her mouth is so wet and warm wrapped around him, and he wonders what her pussy would feel like.

Katara withdraws until only the head remains in her mouth. Zuko looks down and sees her watching him, her pupils blown wide and her eyelids hooded. He gasps as her tongue traces the head of his cock before she opens her mouth further. Zuko groans as he traces the movement of her tongue with his eyes. She flicks her tongue over his slit, lapping up the precum beaded there as she lets out a soft moan.

“Spirits, the things you can do with that mouth,” he rasps out.

The corner of her lips twitch in a smirk before she takes him in her mouth again, pushing deeper until her lips brush against the sensitive skin between his hips. His cock throbs as he thrusts gently against her, and he can feel his climax building in his groin.

But he wants to fill that pretty pussy instead, wants to know that it’s dripping onto her underwear as they buy the dress he just fucked her in and go home.

“Come here,” he growls as he tugs gently on her hair.

Katara releases him with a wet pop, a string of saliva and precum running from the tip of his dick to her bottom lip. Her eyes are on him, hungry, wanting.

Zuko helps her to her feet before he grabs her hips and spins her around, hiking up the dress. The material is soft under his hands and threatens to slide back into place. Zuko bunches it up around her waist, exposing the lacy navy thong she wears and the perfect round mounds of her ass.

With a hand on the back of her neck, he bends her over, the mirror perfectly placed in front of them. Katara presses one hand flat against the wall—he’s glad it’s a solid one, so no one can see the walls shaking with the force of his thrusts—before he lines himself up to her opening. Zuko pulls her panties aside and runs a finger through her folds, catching her slick. Katara mashes her lips together to suppress a moan.

“Gotta be quiet, baby girl, or someone’s gonna hear us,” he murmurs.

Then he sinks into her. Her slick walls pull him in, and her eyes flutter shut as she hums out a moan. Zuko bottoms out with a second thrust, and for a moment they remain still. Zuko closes his eyes as he relishes the feeling of her tight pussy around his cock, her walls already twitching around his length.

“Fuck,” Katara whimpers softly. “I don’t know how quiet I can be. Your cock feels so good.”

Zuko gives a gentle roll of his hips and she mewls as she squeezes her eyes shut.

“Fuck,” she says again. “You asshole.”

He grins as he ruts into her again. “You started it. You knew exactly what you were doing.”

“I didn’t think about the minor details, okay? I just knew I wanted your cock in my mouth.”

Zuko bucks into her again, and she lets out a high-pitched sound that she muffles with her free hand. He adjusts his hold on her hips before he begins to fuck her. He keeps his thrusts slow and deep to prevent the sound of his hips slapping against hers from echoing in the changing area. Zuko knows that it won’t be long before someone else comes back here, wanting to use the dressing room, or before the helpful store clerk comes to check on them, but he intends to bring himself and Katara to climax before they’re done.

He watches Katara’s reflection in the mirror. A warm flush has risen in her cheeks and on her chest. Each thrust causes her full breasts to sway, the sight causes a shiver of lust to run down his spine. Her face is gorgeous, her eyes shut tightly in concentration as she presses her lips together to muffle the moans he can hear humming in her throat. Her ass bouncing back against his hips is even better.

“You’re so fucking beautiful,” he tells her as he keeps thrusting into her, aiming for that spot deep inside of her fluttering pussy that will make her spill all over his cock. “So quiet, too. Such a good girl for me. I’m gonna make you come for me.”

“Please!” she manages to say, her eyes opening briefly to meet his gaze in the mirror. “Your cock—feels so good—fuck me harder. Please.”

Zuko groans as his arousal winds tighter, but he gives her what she wants as he adjusts his legs. He brings her back towards him with each thrust, pistoling into her with deep, powerful thrusts. He can see her thighs shaking in the mirror, the tendons tight in her hand that’s pressed to the wall. Her other hand is a fist on her thigh.

“Touch yourself for me, baby,” Zuko grits out as he fights his own orgasm—he will be damned if he comes before she does.

Katara whines as she shoves her hand under the bunched skirt of the dress. Her mouth falls open as a low moan leaves her, her fingers circling her clit as he continues to pound into her.

“Fuck, I’m so close,” she whimpers.

“Let me see you come for me, baby,” Zuko encourages her. “You’ve been such a good girl. You took my cock in your mouth so well, and you’ve been nice and quiet. Just for me?”

“For you,” Katara breathes.

“Come for me, then.”

Zuko ruts deeper, harder, into her, his cock rubbing at her walls. He can feel her climax building, her walls tensing around him. Spots are bursting in his vision and he can feel the pressure building in his groin. He can’t hold on, any second now he’s going to burst, his orgasm milked from him by Katara’s tight, slick walls.

Then Katara throws her head back, her mouth open in a silent scream. Her back arches and her movements over her clit turn frantic. Her hips rock against him and he feels her walls clamp down around him, pulsating as her juices flood over his cock.

The sensations of her pussy fluttering around him draws his own climax out of him. Zuko clenches his teeth as he spills into her, his fingers digging hard into her hips. His thrusts stutter as he coats her walls with his cum until every last drop has been spent.

Zuko sags, his hold on her relaxing. Katara braces both hands on the wall. She lets out a satisfied sigh as leans forward bonelessly, her thighs trembling and her pussy quivering around him.

“That was good,” Katara comments breathlessly.

Zuko slowly pulls out of her with a groan. “That was hot.”

He spreads her cheeks for a moment, admiring the view of his cum pooling at her swollen opening. Zuko teases a finger over her clit, and her pussy clenches, pushing some of his cum from her.

“Fuck,” Katara whimpers.

“You’re so gorgeous like this,” he purrs. “But you should take off that dress before you make a mess in it.”

“Guess it’s a good thing we’re buying it then, hm?”

Katara pushes herself upright, the skirt falling back into place. She looks back at him from over her shoulder with a smirk.

“Unzip me?” she asks coquettishly.

Zuko chuckles as he grabs the zipper and pulls it back down. “Do you think we can try this again at Azula’s wedding?”

“Is it really a wedding if there isn’t a hookup or two?”

“Fair.”

Katara carefully steps out of the dress and reaches for her own clothes. Zuko picks up the dress and puts it back on the hanger, giving it a quick once-over. Then suddenly, there’s a knock at the door.

“Excuse me, ma’am, did you need help with anything?” the store clerk calls.

Zuko and Katara look at each other. She stifles a laugh behind her hand.

“I’m fine,” she says, her humor barely contained. “I’ll be out in just a moment! I found the perfect dress.”

“I’m happy to hear that,” the clerk says. “I’ll be waiting for you at the register then.”

They listen to the sound of the clerk’s footsteps walking away before they burst out laughing. Zuko wraps his arm around her shoulders and pulls her to his chest before he drops a kiss on top of her head.

“We definitely need to do this again,” he says.

Katara smirks at him. “I agree.”

[honestlyfrance]

just feel; let’s exist

ship: sam/bucky

warnings: hurt/comfort, suicidal implications

summary:

“Where are you, Sam?” Bucky whispered, dragging his hand on Sam’s back, rubbing careful circles to ease the tension in his man’s muscles.

Sam shuddered at the touch, murmuring, “I don’t know,”

or

Bucky tries to keep Sam grounded for the night.

—■—■—

We’d all like to know what’s it like living in the Avengers Mansion secluded in the vast forest, the same mansion that you could only reach with a rocky dirt path, the same one where it stretches with its landing strips and pools, the same one where it looked more like a castle lost in the 16th century than one in the 21st century, and the same one where the sunrises were almost as perfect as the ones in Wakanda. Despite this description, Sam Wilson would tell you it was a noisy place, always full of fights and silent conversations—other times it’s a game of cat and mouse on who can eat the last platter of brownies before the super-soldiers can get to them. 

Everyone wanted to know what it felt like to live at the top of the world, unbothered and untethered. Not even touched by the weather, god gifted and forever immaculate: What does heaven feel like? They’ll say it tastes like copper blood, everlasting and stained. Others would say that heaven does not exist, and it’s hell on earth in the Avengers Compound; constant tension in the hallways, there’s always a reason for thunder to break through the walls and shatter the mirrors. It doesn’t sound like heaven, and maybe it shouldn’t be called as such.

Most nights it did feel like heaven on earth, when the room was just the right cold, the water pressure was just right, and the hallways were peaceful as it can be on a Thursday, it’s almost as if you were on top of the world. Damned those who think not, it was better when it was empty and vast as it should always be. 

It was always so full of life, and other times it was full of sorrow, resentfulness, and even, death.

This was one of those nights, the nights when Sam feels decayed and broken to the bone , almost numb at the overriding sensation throughout his body. It should’ve been illegal to feel this way, empty and vulnerable to even air, feeling as if you may crumble at the very touch of kindness. It shouldn’t be like this, but it always has to be; c'est la vie. What can anyone do?

Sam sat on the rounded couch in the vast living area. It had high ceilings, two chandeliers hanging precariously with its heavy diamonds and crystals; the couch was in an unlevel flooring, shaped for the large rounded velvet couch; the moonlight was streaming in the drawn open French windows that reached the arches of the walls; the rose bushes were in full bloom in view of the windows, full and lovely; the TV screen was sat atop a long desk, decorated with picture frames of the members of the Avengers all smiling and serious; the room was dim lit except for the moonlight, and there’s an uneasiness in the room. It was nearing midnight, and Sam didn’t make any plans to go back to bed.

Everything seemed to swallow him whole, and the vastness was only eating at his sides, bringing him down just to build him back up again with hope; it’s a sickening plot to take him down but his mind was almost peeling at the seams, and there’s a need to kill his overwhelmed senses before dawn, because there’s a ticking in his head that he had interpreted as a ticking bomb that would implode him and his thoughts when the sun would rise.

It’s saddening, how the world could beat him down into a pulp, taking his mentality and sensibility. The world has stripped him down to the bone and left his soul to burst into flames, an open-to-all show for the world to see. This is your Captain America! and you’ve let him burn to ashes! The world has left him to drown like an Icarus, burnt to a crisp and broken like glass. Nothing could ever piece him back together except for death, and even then it wouldn’t be the same. There’ll be an aftertaste in his mouth that would taste like gunfire and carcasses, and he wouldn’t be able to wash that foul taste without burying himself six-feet-under.

In the silence of the mansion and the dimness of the night, it’s here that he let himself daze into nothingness, feeling the void wrap itself into his bones, etching his fate with a pen-knife and salt, embracing his wounds as if the Mona Lisa to its Louvre. Sam lets himself decay with the stars, and if his fate leads him into his bed, then so be it; he’s lived long enough, won’t that mean he’d die short enough?

The silence seemed to ring in his ears, and there’s an ache in his chest he couldn’t cater to; it seemed too far away for him to reach, and if it was close enough for his fingers to grasp, it would turn futile. He would let it be; who’s going to tell him otherwise? There’s not a person in the world who decided to let Sam thrive, and even if they did, it was obviously not enough. Sam knew his worth, but did he know this could save him? Months of spiraling into the void, Sam has finally recollected and called himself “extinct.” Reminiscing would lead him nowhere, and the happy thoughts he had clutched onto had become stone; Sam did know his worth, but it only became his enemy.

Sam knew what it meant to know things and had felt things to conflict it, in the end burying himself in his own grave from the pressure of the world. Life has offered him endless tragedies and he has offered nothing but service, ruthlessly nice and angelic to the halo and wings, and it’d be a shame to have him drown in Atlas and the world’s burdens, but that’s what people make him do; stripped down to “support” and “partner” all in one, the world will forever see him in this facade.

As the ache in his chest began to sear him, Sam suppressed his cries to beg mercy at the world; he’s been abused to the bone that he’d let himself get down on his knees to beg for a sliver of mercy from the world. There’s tears rolling down his cheeks as he gritted his teeth, clenching his jaw at every sensation he felt. There was the need to numb himself, and he’d do that even if he has to physically hurt himself, to ache at the skin— yes, maybe that would work…

Footsteps approach Sam, breaking his soliloquies. Sam was left with ragged breaths, wiping his tears away with his bare hands when Bucky Barnes had plopped down right beside him, invading his personal space. Bucky was panting, wiping his forehead with a face towel before facing Sam with a splitting grin; it disappeared when Bucky saw the red in Sam’s eyes, and so Bucky immediately gave the man some space.

“Hey,” Bucky gently spoke, his hands wringing in between his thighs, “You— You don’t have to say anything,” he put on a small smile for Sam, but the man only sniffled, turning into convulsive sobs, “Do you want me to leave? I can give you more space. Do you want me to stay? I have some, uh, few ideas to get your mind off things…”

Sam turned to the rough fabric of the couch for comfort, crying into it as he choked on his sobs. Bucky sat beside the man, resting his chin on his crossed arms on the backrest of the couch; he had fear glinting in his eyes as he watched one of the strongest men he knew break down in pieces. There’s an unmistakable anguish in the air, one that brittles the strong with crashing waves, and Bucky feared for it.

“What do you need right now, Sam,” Bucky whispered into the darkness, and there’s a softness in his tone that just breaks Sam even more.

Sam looked up from his arms, a glare burying Bucky to the ground as he says, “Don’t treat me like I’m fragile,”

Bucky took a double-take, but nonetheless nodded carefully, afraid he’d hurt Sam even more. There’s an unspoken rule about comforting someone: Don’t hurt them even more . Bucky stood up, arms in awkward positions as Sam went back sniffling into his arms. Bucky’s heartstrings chimed to the tune of a love song, one that sings just for Sam; there’s now the only goal he had in mind: make Sam happy .

“Everyone’s fragile, Sam,” Bucky whispered, his voice barely above a murmur, but Sam must’ve heard it, because he stopped his whimpers and stayed robotically still, “Their brokenness only depends on how people handle them,”

Sam looked up, his lips twisted as his eyes searched for something in Bucky. “Stay,” he whimpered.

Bucky warily comes back in his seat, Sam inching towards the warmth of Bucky. Bucky wrapped his arms around Sam’s waist as the man leaned into Bucky’s body, nestling his head on Bucky’s chest. They lied down like this for minutes long, feeling each other’s breathing blend into each other. Bucky tries to even his breathing, already fearing the way his own heart beats deafeningly into the night; does Sam hear the fear and anxiety Bucky feels for him revibrate in his chest, or was Sam too deep into his thoughts to feel anything outside of him?

Bucky planted a soft and gentle kiss on the top of Sam’s head, and Sam instinctively groaned at the action; Sam’s body reacted by burying himself deeper into Bucky, as if it was still possible. If anything, they were practically connected into each other, atoms sharing and merging with one another they wouldn’t be surprised if they had melted into each other's souls by dawn.

Dawn .

Sam lifted his head, and Bucky whimpered at the loss of heat. Sam set his hands on Bucky’s knees as he blinked at the darkness, trying to figure out the murky shapes in the living area; he almost jumped when he saw something move in the darkness, only to realize it was Natasha Romanoff’s cat, Liho, moving around by the carpet. Bucky watched the back of Sam’s head, his eyebrows knitted together as he tried to decipher Sam. It seemed like everyday that Sam was jumpy and spaced out, almost like an astronaut from the many times he’s been into the void — Bucky just wanted to bring him back down with him on Earth.

“Where are you, Sam?” Bucky whispered, dragging his hand on Sam’s back, rubbing careful circles to ease the tension in his man’s muscles.

Sam shuddered at the touch, murmuring, “I don’t know,”

Liho is now on the other end of the couch joined by the other cats, Alpine, Goose, and Figaro; so that’s what those menaces do at night.

Bucky sighed, bringing back his grip on Sam’s shoulder, easing out the ache of the world out of him; if it was only possible. Bucky wished it was that easy, because Sam didn’t deserve an inch of this bullcrap, however the world seemed fit, angels just don’t need the burden of Atlas as if it wasn’t from different religions in the first place. If there was just a magic word Bucky could say to bring Sam back down on base, he'd make a song out of it— Anything. Anything that would give back Sam his control, Bucky would pick it out from hell itself if it could bring Sam peace and comfort.

“Why do I bother,” Sam murmured, his voice raspy and ragged.

Bucky hesitantly set his forehead on Sam’s back, breathing in the scent of him; he exhaled, saying, “We bother because we care,” he breathed in once more, his eyes shut closed, “Sometimes we care too much to feel anything. Which is why we rest… Feel… Breathe in…”

“I know,” Sam’s eyebrows furrowed, staring into the void of darkness as his idle hands grew sweatier and colder, “I… I can’t seem to do anything right now…”

“Then let’s just exist, Sam. Come back down for you.”

Bucky rested his head right on Sam’s back, eyes upwards as he heard the mewling of the four cats approaching them. They both chuckled at that, and for a moment, the world stopped spinning and had rested just for the two of them. Sam lied back down, bringing Bucky down with him; Sam curled himself deeper into Bucky’s chest as the other rested his feet on top of the mahogany coffee table before them. Liho finds a spot between Bucky’s legs and Alpine is soon behind him; the other two cats, Bucky thinks, should scram before the two of them do anything more.

They sat down for a moment, overwhelmed by the silence to move, and it feels nice to have the weight be lifted from one’s chest; there’s a pang of pain to breathe but there’s also the love that revibrates within the heart, and it blares so loudly between these two it shouldn’t be hard enough to stay oblivious to this. 

“You don’t have to talk,” Bucky whispered in Sam’s ear; Sam hummed in acknowledgement, “I know. I know it’s hard, and it’s fine to be fragile,” he rubbed circles on Sam’s back with his palm, then his fingers, feeling Sam sigh deeply into his chest, “One thing I’ve learned is that… You should just exist. Alone or together, any is fine; just breathe and feel, Sam. The pain leaves like a bandaid,”

It’s probably near two in the morning when Natasha emerges from her bedroom on the other side of the mansion to retrieve Liho, scooping up the noir feline from Bucky’s legs. In exchange, Natasha had brought the two a blanket, and apparently Bucky had requested to bring his laptop and secret stash of champagne. No sooner had she left with her cat, Goose had followed as well, meowing all the way down the hallway.

“What are you doing?” Sam drawled out, suppressing a grin as Bucky laid out the blanket around them.

Bucky had set down his laptop on his lap, opening up a browser and going incognito; Sam watched Bucky enter a website that had too many ads for one’s liking, entering a movie title that had only disappeared from the cinemas just yesterday. The movie began to play and Bucky raised the volume, Alpine setting her paws on his arm as he did this. Chuckling, Sam popped open the champagne with surprising ease, laughing fully as some of it spilled; Figaro crawled on top of his legs, and Sam had run a hand across his cat’s fur as Bucky snuggled deeper into the duvet.

They took turns drinking the alcohol straight from the bottle, and no sooner had Bucky seen a smile form on Sam’s face, all gap-tooth and wide, it was too beautiful to miss, even in the darkness. Everything fell back into place, but there’s a new atmosphere surrounding them as explosions and guns blared from the speakers, their two cats purring in the background making everything harder to move, and their breathing was too close to each other to ignore.

They didn’t know who was the first one to lean into the kiss, but they both knew they wanted this. Long and languid  kisses ensued between them, and Bucky’s advice ringed in their heads: Just feel , and they did; they felt each other’s skin against each other as their hands found their way to cup the other man’s cheek and bring them closer with a hand on the neck. They rested against each other’s foreheads as they breathed heavily, eyes still closed as they let the taste of the other be ingrained into their heads, never wanting to forget what love finally tasted like: it tasted like champagne turned into wine and the living room into an abandoned movie theatre, and it felt ten times colder but they were too warm in their hearts to complain.

They stayed like this for another movie, just existing together and alone, and if the world has decided that enough was enough and that they should break apart, just know this: though they were both fragile, in each other’s presence they felt too strong to even believe they were weak in the first place. Dawn had just arrived, and they could say they’ve stayed for another day.

[infinitewhore]

Raising the Bet's Price(Snippet)

"Your a real pain in the ass" he says to the other male, "Ah Yeah? I bet ye love it though" He Laughed out as the other snorts "i dont have alot of fond memories with shortie's" Atlas chuckles, "Mate, How about you Buzz Off?" Mozzies brows furrow in annoyance at the mention of his hight, "Ah so the mention of your hight angers you, doesnt it?" While Atlas chuckles mozzie slightly nods, "lets make a bet okay?" Atlas turns his whole body towards the short Australian, "Depends..." Mozzies brow perks up, in curious. "The bet is that whoever has more kills in the training sessions wins." Mozzie nods at atlas, "Aight. What if i dont get the kills? What's the prize" atlas chuckle's.. "The loser of the bet will wear a maid dress, For the rest of the day." Atlas laughs, Mozzie turns his head away from atlas, considering the offer he lifts his hand towards atlas, "Aight, Deal." Mozzie says with confidence as kills aren't alot. Atlas shakes Mozzies hand."Why kills thought?" Mozzie asks the Norwegian operator while cleaning his gun, "Hmm? Honestly i dont know, First thing that came to mind." Atlas shrugs with his shoulders.

Zero came walking up to us, probably for a lecture, "last match went rocky, get your strategies on board team. Use everyone's skill and Abilities, i have-" Zeros speech was cut of by atlas yelling in, "I have HIGH expectations of you people!" Mocking the sound of zero's voice. Earning a death glare from the older male while mozzie was wheezing at the impression, leaning against rook for support. Caveira giggled slightly and lesions mouth curved into a smirk, "after training we'll have a talk. Bring mozzie with you." Zero walked off without any further words. Atlas now turned his gaze towards Mozzie, confused as why he was mentioned. Today's training sessions consisted of Protecting hostages and saving them.

the first training round, Defenders won. The second round too so this was matchpoint, "If we win again we wont get lectured by Zero. Maybe" Atlas said as he walked next to Mozzie, "Mate, we definitely will get lectured." Mozzie said getting Atlas to chuckle

They enterd the Theme parks second floor, everyone placed their stuff After getting thier Armor plate from rook. Mozzies Pest's at drone holes and doorways, where lesions Gu mine's were resting Already, and Caveira was already gone. probably checking the cameras in her hiding place, Waiting for the right time to strike.

Atlas helped rook reinforce the room before throwing Two Fídi's out, lifting his arm so he could look onto the Phone thats attached to his arm. A trick he learned from twitch. Slithering the first Fídi under a shelf and the second into a drone hole close to an entryway. A loud ring let both teams know that the rounds started. Time passed fast, Atlas was about to rotate when Ash opend the hatch in the hall. Thatcher threw his EMP Granade disabling most of The Abilities, Except Fídi. As Fuze dropped down, Atlas triggerd the switch making the Fídi release the training gas put in. Hearing Fuze swear in russian while coughing, Atlas peaks the doorway. Shooting him in the head.

"4 Attackers remaining"

Atlas rotated to be on stairs, Aiming at the hatch. "3 Attackers Remaining". "Why is blitz such an easy target?" Caveira laughed through the coms, "Ash and Thatcher are on the first floor, going to the Stairs at the arcade, Nomad is close to Me so i could take-" "Hey Tiana~"

"4 Defenders remaining

Atlas moved towards The arcade stairs, Trying to cut off Thatcher and Ash. "Eliza, The fuck are you doing!?" Thatcher yelled at Ash, "I Fucking tripped mike, calm down" She replied annoyed. Throwing a Fídi at The duo, and flipping the switch. Ash ran up the stairs coughing, giving atlas easy access for a headshot.

"2 Attackers remaining."

"How are you getting them kills Mate!" Mozzie yells through the com's, "im just better, Maid" Atlas replied with a cocky tone. He Strode through the building trying to catch nomad off guard, Or even Thatcher. As Atlas walked through a doorway he was thrown bacb by an Airjab. Shoots fired one hiting him in the shoulder, scurrying out of sight he ran back to the hostag room. "Nomade do you copy?" Atlas heard thatcher speak, Rushing towards the older male he shot him in the stomach a few times and in the head.

"1 Attacker remaining"

"Jævel... for Fake bullets they do hurt a fuck ton." Atlas ran into the hostage room sitting down in a corner, "Oi mate are you alright?" Mozzie rushed towards the other, "Yeah.. just a bit out of breath and.. In a fuck ton of pain." Atlas chuckle's, "Yeah... Uh Atlas, Mon ami you've been shot.. like Litreally." Rook pointed towards atlas shoulder wich was gushing with blood, Rook turned towards mozzie, "keep him awake and apply pressure, I'll find help." Rook ran off yelling for Doc, "well.. My time has come" Atlas giggles, as Mozzie holds pressure onto the wound Atlas groans in pain. "Fuck no you are not, and dont Fucking Quote Bohemian Rhapsody " Mozzie giggled, Atlas looked at the Aussie with a smile, "ill get to see you in that maid dress" mozzie laughed a bit, "Never" Atlas laughed, "la vache..." Doc stood at the entryway with Thunderbird, "You Know.. we have the same amount of kills Ozzie" Atlas eyes fluttered closed.

"Wake up you cunt." Atlas opend his eyes to a Mozzie. In. A. Maid. Dress. "Herregud..." Atlas was about to laugh when mozzie lifted a Maid dress his size,

"Zero overheard our bet... we both have to wear it or else."

Loud laughter was heard in the cafeteria, from everyone, "Atlas, Mozzie. The Fuck are you wearing!" Sledge laughed.

"I Fucking hate you so much.. Atlas"

"I Fucking Love you too Mozzie Ozzie"

[ckbookish]

Tag game: Fic round up

I was tagged by the delightful @romanticism-is-maudlinism and @hood-ex! Thank you both ❤

how many fic documents do you have and where do they live?

This is a great question that we will never know the real answer too, because I moved a bunch of stuff onto a portable hard drive and I am currently locked out of it because technology hates me. But I use way to many things. I have two google docs accounts (which I moved away from because google is gross), a Zoho account (which is my new go to) and I have stuff on my computer via Word (for when I have no internet because zoho is online), and I have my phone's note pad. Sooooo I have a lot of places I use. In Zoho I have 99 documents, on my phone notes app I have 11 documents of fic notes and poems (they are intermixed because I mostly put stuff here when I wake up in the middle of the night with an idea) on my laptop I currently have 16, but my portable hard drive as way more than my zoho so rip that lose. And google has 100s that I've not moved over to zoho yet.

what fandoms do you have fic for?

Almost exclusively DC. I've done two gifts that were for other fandoms, Harry potter and 911 on fox.

what fic types are most common in your wips?

I have been told I write melancholic fics. I like hurt/comfort but I'm very bad at comfort. I'm not big into AUs either so I like to stay relatively within reasonable reach of canon. I think that might sound a little weird but I don't like to abandon it completely. Canon is why I love Batman and Nightwing, so while I may not enjoy an authors take for certain runs, I think DC has great bones that are fun to look at.

do you have any ongoing 'verses/series in your wips? if so, what are they?

Oh boy do I ever. IT's actually terrible how many I have. I've got my Hard Truths and Other Realities series, that is way to long for its own good. I've got like six or seven more fics for that one. I've got a series called Regarding Atlas, which I have several fics outlined for, but I don't know when I'll get back to it. I've got a series that I've not published any of either, but again... probably won't see the light.

long or short fic?

Yes.

I shall tag the wonderful @fidothefinch

[mayhemproduces]

Referee Jake Clemons calls for the bell in this one, and we’re underway, Alexa blowing Ziggy a quick kiss before the two circle each other. The two lock up and Alexa immediately grabs an advantage, grabbing Ziggy and immediately taking her down with a quick headlock takeover, before trapping Ziggy’s arm and rolling her over for a quick pin attempt! 

1… Kickout!

Ziggy out very quickly as she’s able to roll though, and pull herself up to a knee. Alexa backs off a bit and puts her hands on her knees, winking at Ziggy and insisting she was close to stealing it there. Ziggy shook her head and tried to laugh it off, getting back up to her feet. The two circled each other again, and Alexa looked like she wanted a test of strength, with Ziggy accepting and locking fingers, but Alexa quickly cartwheels to the side of Ziggy, maintaining arm control, and turning it into a wrist lock. Alexa twists Ziggy’s arm and twist around her, before dipping down and taking Ziggy down to the mat, trapping her in a modification of a bicep slicer! Alexa keeps twisting but Ziggy manages to sit up, and then fight up to a knee to relieve some of the pressure and get rid of Alexa’s leverage. Ziggy back to her feet now and Alexa takes the opportunity to switch arms, twisting around and taking Ziggy’s left arm into a wrist lock. Alexa yanks on it, but in response, Ziggy catches Alexa with a chop to the chest! Alexa backs into the ropes, and Ziggy grabs her, sending her off the ropes, but Alexa turns it around on Ziggy, sending Ziggy into the ropes, dropping down to try and trip Ziggy up, but Ziggy rolls forward, dodging it, before turning around and nailing a kneeling Alexa with a boot to the face!

Alexa rolls out of the ring, and Ziggy follows her out, going underneath the ring immediately and looking for some toys to introduce into this one- Atlas Rules after all. Ziggy finds a chair and takes it with her, going around the ring to find where Alexa had crawled off to, when Alexa surprises Ziggy as she rounds the corner, kicking the chair into Ziggy’s gut! Alexa takes the chair and tosses it into the ring, before catching Ziggy with an elbow to the back of the neck. Alexa follows it up by grabbing Ziggy and smashing her face into the ring apron, before rolling Ziggy back into the ring. Alexa follows it up by going underneath the ring and grabbing another chair, sliding it into the ring. Alexa slides into the ring and grabs her chair, not realizing Ziggy has the other one, and as Alexa raises her chair, Ziggy swings, connecting with Alexa’s chair, and causing Alexa’s chair to go right back into her face! 

Ziggy takes a moment to set up the chair and stand on it, shouting something to the fans, and after a few moments when the camera cuts back to Alexa, it’s clear the chair caught her good, because there’s suddenly a LOT of blood pouring down Alexa’s face! Ziggy grabs a handful of Alexa’s hair, and shows her off to the Atlantic City crowd, before dragging her over to the chair and slamming Alexa’s face down onto the seat of it, right down onto the steel! Ziggy kicks the chair to the side, as Alexa tries to crawl away, Ziggy grabs her and picks her up again, only to be caught by an uppercut from Alexa. Alexa follows it up with another elbow to the back of the neck, and then a chop to Ziggy’s chest against the ropes. Alexa brushes her hair back out of her face, revealing she’d basically gone full crimson mask at this point with the blood running down her face. Alexa then turns back around and tries to charge Ziggy again, but Ziggy pulls down the rope and sends Alexa to the outside! Ziggy climbs out onto the apron and signals for a rolling senton, but as Ziggy charges, Alexa moves, and Ziggy stops herself in her tracks. Ziggy turns around, only for Alexa to grab a chair and throw it at Ziggy, connecting with Ziggy’s head! Ziggy is stunned, and she slumps against the ropes, half in half out of the ring on the middle rope. Alexa shoves Ziggy the rest of the way into the ring, before digging around underneath it again, eventually finding what she was looking for- a bag. 

Alexa gets into the ring and opens up the bag, revealing it’s contents as she pours them all over the middle of the ring- a whole bunch of lego pieces. Alexa then lifts Ziggy up onto her shoulders, but Ziggy quickly fights back with a series of elbows to the side of the head, not wanting to end up with a back full of legos. Ziggy manages to slide off, before picking Alexa up, and driving her down, back first onto the legos! Alexa ends up with a back full of legos! Ziggy hooks the leg, looking to end this!

1….2… Kickout!

Alexa out at two! Somewhere along the way, perhaps when Alexa threw the chair, Ziggy got busted open as well, and now Ziggy had the makings of a crimson mask too. Ziggy grabs the set up chair and moves it to the middle of the ring, before exiting the ring again, looking for another chair. She finds it, and slides it into the ring, setting it up as well. Ziggy then grabs Alexa and drags her back up to her feet, before sitting Alexa down in one of the chairs, and sitting across from her. Ziggy starts off the bar fight with a chop, which Alexa answers in earnest, and now these two ladies go back and forth, peppering each other with precedingly harder chops as they go. Eventually Ziggy starts getting the better of Alexa, hammering away with chop after chop, when suddenly Alexa reaches out, grabs Ziggy, and starts biting her! And then Alexa follows it up by scooping up a handful of legos, and shoving them in Ziggy’s mouth, before grabbing Ziggy’s arm, getting up, and nailing Ziggy with an Eat Defeat! Ziggy gets up and rolls into the corner, maybe unsure of where she is right now. Alexa charges her, but Ziggy moves, and then tries to charge Alexa, only to be caught and driven into the turnbuckles with Deadly Nightshade! Ziggy falls into a seated position in the corner, and Alexa turns, hitting the ropes, and crashes into Ziggy with double knees! Ziggy might be out, Alexa pulls her out of the corner and stacks her up for the cover!

1…..2… Kickout!

Ziggy Haim out at two! Alexa gets up, and you can tell she’s getting frustrated. Alexa nails Ziggy with a boot to the head, before starting to gather up all the chairs that had been used so far in this one, four in total. Alexa starts to set them up near one of the corners, before going back to Ziggy, and dragging her up to her feet, but Ziggy suddenly catches Alexa with a codebreaker! Alexa stumbles backwards, until she meets the chairs, laying down across the platform that the four chair seats had formed, with Ziggy quickly getting back up to her feet, and climbing up onto the top rope! As Ziggy’s setting her feet though, Alexa quickly gets up and catches Ziggy with a right hand, stunning her. Alexa starts climbing the ropes, going to meet Ziggy up top, looking for a Superplex onto the chairs that would almost certainly end this match. Ziggy starts fighting back, though, and then suddenly grabs Alexa by the head, and kisses her! Surprising Alexa and sending her off the top rope, landing on her feet. Alexa turns back around to Ziggy, only to get caught with a Top Rope Spear that drives Alexa through the chairs! 

Ziggy gets back to her feet, and drags Alexa up to hers, before hooking Alexa, and driving her down onto the mat, and down onto the legos with a Mazel Tov Cocktail! Ziggy makes the pin!

1….2…3!

“Here is your winner, and STILL MPW Fatales Champion, Ziggy Haim!” 

[hxseok-honee]

atlas heart || jeon jungkook

requested by @deepseavibez​ , asking who jungkook is when he’s not the person he makes himself out to be </3 this little moment takes place right after part 6 of the au, when jimin first brings up jungkook to y/n.

>> because when jungkook is finally alone, he’s terrified of being alone <<

______________________________

“Jeon Jungkook, you son of bitch!” Jungkook cracks a mischievous smile, taking the rough pat to his back with ease. He’d just been handed yet another detention for causing trouble in the castle, but even with all the house points he’d lost over the years, Gryffindor had always welcomed him home like a hero. It’s not hard to fathom, really -- with the weight this war’s had on the world, everyone could use a laugh. 

Nodding once at the 7th year that had greeted him when he’d walked into the common room, he tucks the detention slip into the pocket of his robes, the ink still fresh from his most recent run-in with authority. He gives the room one last glance-over as he heads for his room, his grin falling just slightly when he makes eye contact with James Potter, the older boy sitting with the rest of his friends by the fireplace. Their gazes remained locked while Jungkook crosses to the stairs, and it’s only when Potter sends him a playful wink that he turns away, setting foot on the first step as a sigh builds up in his chest. 

Nudging the door to the 6th year boys’ dorm open with his shoulder, Jungkook stops short at the sight before him. Kim Taehyung lounges on his bed, next to Jungkook’s own, but that’s not what brings Jungkook pause. Sitting at the foot of Taehyung’s bed, books spread around him like some kind of nerd halo, is Park Jimin. The Ravenclaw doesn’t even notice Jungkook’s entrance, but Taehyung certainly does. 

“Jungkook… hey, what’s up?” Jungkook’s eyebrow quirks just a fraction of an inch at the tone in Taehyung’s voice and even more at the way Jimin’s head is whipping up to look at him, eyes wide. Jungkook’s phone sits in his pocket, a text from Y/n from not even 24 hours ago sitting in the spotlight of Jungkook’s memories.

Park Jimin asked about you today… I think he knows something.

But it’s not like Jimin would know that Jungkook knows anything, so he hums a greeting in Taehyung’s direction and shoots Jimin an easy smile. 

“Jimin… right?” Jimin’s nod is cautious, almost like he’s uncomfortable with the fact that Jungkook knows his name. Jungkook crosses to his bed, pointing lamely at it as he looks at his roommate. “You guys mind if I take a nap? I gotta serve detention tonight, so…” Taehyung jumps up, practically kicking Jimin in the back as he searches for his shoes.

“Go for it, man -- we’re heading down to dinner anyway--”

“Wait, what? I thought we were studyi--” Taehyung shushes his best friend, bending down to pack Jimin’s books into his bag for him and sending Jungkook a curious glance, almost as if to check if he could hear them. Jungkook pretends he’s not standing less than five feet away and pulls back the blankets on his bed, taking a seat on the mattress with a suppressed sigh. He barely registers when the room empties out, too busy tugging the knot of his tie loose and flopping back onto his pillow with a groan.

--

When he sits up in bed, it’s several hours later and he’s incredibly frazzled. The state of him, heart racing and hair stuck to a forehead slick with sweat, is only worsened by the darkness he finds himself in. Glancing at the clock on his bedside table, he swears under his breath, realizing he’s almost three hours late for detention. Instead of jumping to his feet and running to explain himself, however, he’s patting his pants frantically for his phone. When he finds it, he’s yanking it from his pocket and searching for a contact almost out of desperation. 

Shoving the phone to his ear, he pins the device to his shoulder and holds it there as he searches blindly for his shoes. The line clicks, and he doesn’t even give her the chance to greet him.

“Are you alright? Tell me you’re alright. I had a drea--”

“Woah, woah, slow it down there. I’m totally fine… what happened?” Jungkook sighs loudly into the receiver, slipping his sneakers on and practically barreling out of his bedroom door. 

“Just… are you busy?” There’s a laugh on the other end, soft and breathless.

“I’m always busy, Jungko--”

“Don’t… don’t say my name.”

“But I’m alone…” He doesn’t hear one of his housemates call out a pleasant greeting to him -- he doesn’t even see that he basically runs Remus Lupin down on his way out of the common room. He has a reputation around the castle for being reckless and chaotic, but only two people in this school know what causes his tunnel vision : fear.

“Just don’t say it, Y/n!” He swears under his breath again, looking around to make sure no one’s heard him, and then he’s on the move again.

“Okay, I won’t, I promise… Where are you?” Her voice is calm, almost soothing, and Jungkook knows that’s on purpose. He responds as he’s racing up the closest staircase, taking the steps two at a time.

“I’m just… I’m on my way to--” Rounding the corner, he’s met with the sight of Y/n standing at the end of the corridor, leaning against the wall nearest the stairs to Ravenclaw tower. She’s gazing at him expectantly -- of course she is. She’s seen this enough times to know exactly what’s on his mind when he calls her in the middle of the night. 

Jungkook pockets his phone, ending the call without another word. Almost as if all his energy’s been drained from his body now that he has her in front of him, he trudges down the length of the corridor slowly, memories resurfacing as he goes. Memories of a happy home, a happy life. Memories of a mother who dotes on two children, of a father who reads two children to bed every night. Memories of late nights spent hiding away from the rest of the castle, just the two of them -- a childhood predicated on secrecy, in the hopes of one day being able to walk the streets of the wizarding world with no more fear. Because for now, fear is all he knows. 

When he reaches the end of the corridor, he doesn’t stop or even slow down, all but crashing right into Y/n as he takes her into his arms. He can’t tell her what he dreams about -- he can never tell her. He can never say that he lives every day in fear, fear for more than just his life. Fear for hers. Fear that one day he’ll wake up and she won’t be there. Fear that every moment of his life, he’s somehow coming closer to losing the only person that keeps him going. 

But he doesn’t need to tell her. He doesn’t need to say that he’s scared for himself, for his family. Because she is his family, she’s more than that. So if anyone knows what’s happening in his mind, it’s her. And, while he usually revels in the fact that she knows every thought that crosses his mind at any given moment, he hates that she will always know what plagues his nightmares. If he’d ever had any doubt of that fact, all he’d have to do is exactly what he’s doing right now -- falling apart in her arms. 

“You’re okay. Y/n, you’re okay… I…”

“Of course I’m okay, Jungkook. How could I not be? I’ve got you.”