#Caplan's Writing Challenge

[late-to-the-party-81]

Happy Birthday, Yasha

AN: Creeping in with a story for Bucky’s birthday, I bring you Cap Quartet filth. This is just porn. Not a sniff of plot. Based in the same BDSM AU as The ties that bind us. Sam and Steve have fully consented to this scene in advance and can safeword at any time without consequence.

Beta’d by the wonderful @endlesstwanted and with Russian help from @bittersweet-in-boston

Likes are loved, reblogs are golden

Mood board by me and dividers by @firefly-graphics

Bingo and Challenge fills:

@buckybarnesevents Bucky’s Birthday Bash - Base - AU Bucky; Filling - Forced Proximity Frosting - Sam, Nat and Steve; Toppings - Humiliation/Degradation Kink, And

Build a Bucky Bingo - March - Impact Play

@stuckygeekevents Bingo - O1 - “Why did you flinch?”

@stuckybingo - N3 - Free space

@steverogersbingoBingo  - D4 - Sex Party

@caplanbuckybarnes’s Weekly Writing Challenge #3 - “Please kiss me.”

Master list | Stucky Bingo Master List | SRB Master list | BaBB Master List | SGE Bingo Masterlist

Summary: It’s Bucky’s birthday and Nat has arranged a private party, just for him.

Relationship: Dom Bucky x Domme Nat x Switch (but Sub in this) Sam x Sub Steve.

Word count: 3.2k

CW: BDSM AU, Pre-established relationship, Polyamorous relationship, Bondage, Impact Play, Ass Play, Body Worship, Female Masturbation (briefly), Frotting, Anal Sex, Humiliation/Degradation Kink, edging, Face Sitting, Oral Sex, Cum Play/Cum eating, Cum Slut Steve Rogers, Aftercare, Safe, Sane and Consensual.

Bucky couldn’t help but grin, his arms around Nat’s waist and his chin resting on her shoulder as he took in the scene before him.

“Is this all for me, Natty?”

“Of course it is, Yasha. A party just for you.” His pack-mate and fellow Dom stated, her smile evident in the tone of her voice.

They were standing in the playroom, and spread out - and tied up - on the bed in front of them were their Switch, Sam, and their Sub Steve. 

Sam was laid on his back, arms attached to the headboard and ropes around his thigh holding his legs open. A silver plug with a bright red jewel poked out from between his round buttocks. Steve was laid face down on top of Sam, his small body similarly bound but with a blue, jewelled plug stretching his rim wide. Neither could move much, but it wasn’t stopping the pair of them trying to rub their cocks together as they messily made out.

“Fuck,”Bucky exclaimed again. “Look at them. Pretty as a picture and all dressed up for me. How am I gonna top this when it’s your birthday?”

Nat turned her head and nipped at Bucky’s ear. “You’ll think of something, handsome. You always do. Now, go enjoy your birthday treat. They’ve been like this for fifteen minutes already and I edged them a couple of times before I brought you down here, so they’re both a hair's-breadth away from coming apart.”

“You’re staying, though?” Bucky nuzzled into Nat’s neck, enjoying the way his scruff brought a red rash up on her neck. She might be a Dom as well, but that didn’t mean Bucky didn’t like marking her. She gave as good as she got anyway.

“I was hoping you’d ask. I want to see which one of them starts to cry first. You go left, I go right?”

“Deal.”

Bucky had known when Nat said she had a surprise for him today that it would be something along these lines, so he’d been waiting, just dressed in his leather pants, until she came to get him. Nat herself was dressed in her favourite PVC outfit - a push up bra with cutouts at the nipples, crotchless panties and thigh-high stiletto boots. She looked exquisite.

He stalked over to the right hand side of the bed, climbing up beside the two desperate, strung up men. He tapped Sam on his shoulder, as Nat on the other side tapped Steve, and the two broke apart and looked at the two Doms. Two pairs of eyes were blown wide and two faces had lax expressions, already looking totally fucked out. Bucky laid down and captured Sam’s lips, Nat doing the same to Steve.

It never ceased to amaze Bucky how different Sam was from Steve. Steve was a Sub, but a bratty one, needing to be forced into submission for his own good more often than not. Sam, though, as a Switch, was never intentionally bratty, but sometimes had difficulties moving from one headspace to the other. It seemed that Nat had done the hard work already, or maybe Sam was just in a submissive move, because he opened himself to Bucky’s domineering kiss without any resistance. Bucky laid his left hand on top of Steve’s buttocks, feeling the little movements his favourite brat was trying to make in an attempt to get friction on his no-doubt aching prick. With a grin into Sam’s mouth, Bucky brought his hand down onto Steve’s ass - a warning to stay still. He heard the angry squeak despite it being muffled by Nat.

Bucky pulled back, enjoying the way Sam chased his lips, and how Sam’s broad chest heaved with need.

“You’re gonna be a good boy for me, aren’t you Sammy? Gonna let me do exactly what I want, when I want, yeah?”

“Yes, s-sir,” Sam stuttered out, eyes glazed.

“Unlike this one,” continued Bucky as he took a firm grip of Steve’s dirty blonde hair and jerked his head back, pulling him from Nat. Steve’s eyes rolled, the little pain-slut he was, but there was still defiance in his eyes - he wasn’t as deep down as Sam was. “Fighting it as usual, Stevie? And on my birthday too? What am I going to do with you?”

Steve just narrowed his eyes, but for once didn’t talk back. He was probably too distracted by his throbbing cock to come up with something witty.

“Natty, can you reward Sam for being a good boy while I just work on Steve’s attitude?”

Nat smiled back enigmatically, then moved herself so Sam could turn his head and take one of her PVC clad breasts into his mouth and tease the nipple with his tongue. Nat let her head loll back and allowed herself to enjoy the sensations. Bucky, on the other hand, rose up from the bed, and with the feeling of Steve’s blue eyes boring a hole between his shoulder blades he went and opened up the wooden armoire that held their toys. His fingers trailed along the handles of the various implements used for chastisement and finally settled on his flogger. There were two of almost every implement, one made for Nat’s small grip and one made for Bucky’s much larger one. If Sam was in Dom mode with Steve, then he borrowed Bucky’s, but Sam wasn’t as much into impact play as the two Doms.

As Bucky turned back to the bed he carefully kept the flogger hidden behind his back, not wanting Steve to know how he was going to get punished until it happened. He positioned himself by the side of the bed and used his free hand to hold Steve’s head down against Sam’s collarbone, making it impossible for him to see.

“Stay still, and be good,” Bucky commanded, but wasn’t at all surprised when a sharp “Fuck you” was the answer. He leant down, head close to Steve’s ear. “I plan to, sweetheart. I’m gonna fuck you until you make a mess of yourself and Sammy. Maybe I’ll make you clean it up as well.” Bucky didn’t even need to see it to know that Steve shivered at the mental picture he’d painted. Pain and humiliation were Steve’s bag - it’s why they meshed so well, Steve enjoying everything that Bucky could dish out. Without any further warning, Bucky brought the flogger down on Steve’s deceptively plump ass. He didn’t strike all that hard, but starting too soft with Steve never brought the right results and he bit back a dark chuckle as Steve let out a shout and wiggled as much as he could, resulting in him just rubbing his trapped dick against Sam’s. 

“Why did you flinch?” Bucky asked with mock confusion.

“Fuck!” was the breathy response. This was gonna be good.

Bucky flicked his eyes up to Nat’s, which sparkled back at him with amusement as she stroked her hand over Sam’s short hair and encouraged him to pay attention to her other breast. She was already lazily playing with her clit, enjoying the scene before her. Bucky smirked and brought the flogger back down onto Steve, another beautiful sound of pained pleasure meeting his ears. It only took another dozen swipes, evenly distributed over Steve’s ass and upper thighs, for Bucky to feel the fight go out of his Sub, Steve finally relaxing under his hand.

Discarding the flogger to the floor, Bucky moved back around to the end of the bed and climbed up between the two pairs of spread legs. He took hold of one plug with each hand and slowly pulled and twisted them until Steve’s and Sam’s rims were stretched around the widest part of each before pushing them back in. Two choked off groans echoed around the room, and Bucky’s grin broadened as he started to fuck both of them with the plugs. As anticipated, Steve started showing signs of being close to orgasm first, so Bucky stopped playing with his plug, enjoying the strangled wail of disappointment that spilled from him. However, it was only a minute or so later that Bucky saw Sam’s balls start to draw up, so he stopped playing with his plug as well. 

Having tested for himself how ready they both were, Bucky unzipped his pants and pulled out his cock. He picked up the bottle of lube that Nat had thoughtfully tucked at the base of the bed and squirted some out onto his palm. As he stroked himself, he took another moment just to appreciate how beautifully Sam and Steve had been laid out for him. Fuck, it would be easy just to stroke himself to the view and leave the pair of them needy and unsatisfied. It was a tempting thought - he always delighted in marking both of them with his cum -, but neither of them had been particularly badly behaved recently and he was feeling in a kind mood.

Satisfied that he was sufficiently slicked up, Bucky removed Steve’s plug, being a little rough but in the way that Steve liked. Without ceremony, he pressed his cock inside Steve’s hole, the guttural moan sounding like music to his ears. Nat had moved off the bed and had come to stand behind him, a reverse of their earlier pose. She peered around his thick body as he speared into Steve, who had returned to kissing Sam as the pair of them were jostled together.

“Look how beautifully he takes you, Buck,” Nat observed, her gaze fixated on the way Steve’s body stretched to accommodate Bucky’s thick cock. Bucky placed his hands on Steve’s hips, gripping them tightly as he pulled back and thrust forward with vigour.

“You did a wonderful job preparing him, moya printsessa.”

He thrust forward again, enjoying the way his balls slapped against where Sam and Steve were pressed together, their combined precum making a sticky mess. He let himself sink into the pleasure of using his Sub until Nat let him know that Steve was close to coming.

“Careful, moy lyubimii.”

Gritting his teeth, Bucky pulled out of the warm clutch of Steve’s ass and pushed the plug back in, watching the ripple of the muscles in Steve’s back and listening to his once more frustrated wail. Bucky gave a harsh spank to his still red ass.

“Patience, kitten. ‘I want’ doesn’t get. You come if I allow it.”

Using deft fingers, Bucky removed Sam’s plug more carefully than he had Steve’s, and lowered his hips, curling himself over Steve where he was laid on top of Sam so he could sink into his other lover. Sam’s moan was deeper but equally as needy sounding as Steve’s as Bucky started to fuck into him. It was taking all of Bucky’s control to hold back, because he didn’t want to come yet - he had his own plan and was determined to see it through. And, with the way that he was pressed against both of them, he wasn’t surprised by how both Sam and Steve continued to moan, the friction between them increasing with Bucky’s movement.

“Don’t come yet, sweethearts. The first to come doesn’t get my cum and doesn’t get to have Nat ride his cock. He’ll also have to be on clean up duty as well. So best behaviour, both of you.

“Sir!” Sam shouted out in panic. “Please! I’m too close. I’m gonna come.”

“You’ll just have to hold it, Samuel. You get a break when I give you one.”

Taking a peak around Steve’s small frame, Bucky could see the way that Sam was now biting his lower lip, his fists holding tight to ropes that bound him to the bed as he desperately tried to hold back his orgasm. He gave a few more firm thrusts and decided it was time to return to Steve.

As soon as he slipped back inside his bratty sub, he knew that Steve was on a knife-edge. His whole body was trembling and he was letting out pathetic mewling noises each time Bucky punched his way up into Steve’s guts.

“Check his face, Natty,” Bucky huffed out between thrusts and Nat strutted around the bed. She leant down to peer at Steve’s face where it was buried into Sam’s neck. 

“You’re right, James. He’s crying already. Are you about to come, Steve?” she cooed. “You gonna make a mess all over Sam? Are you looking forward to cleaning me and Sam up and swallowing down all that cum?” She fisted her hand into Steve’s hair, wrenched it up and gave a little slap to his tear stained face. “I bet you’re not even sad that Bucky isn’t gonna come in you, because this way you get to taste it. You’re just our little cumdump, aren’t you, Steve? Can’t get enough of the taste. I bet we could get you to clean the whole floor with your tongue if we just splattered it with our cum. You act all bratty, but you just wanna be on your knees, don’t you? Maybe another day we should tie you down and just come all over you. Leave you in a sodden mess. You’d be in heaven.”

Steve cried out and his body spasmed around Bucky’s cock, his slim hips moving as much as they could, humping onto Sam as his orgasm rocked through him, pushed over the edge by Nat’s words. Bucky hissed and closed his eyes, trying to hold back his own orgasm, and Sam groaned as his cock slipped and slid against Steve’s.

“I knew it,” Nat said, her voice full of derision. “Pathetic.” She released Steve’s hair and shifted her attention back to Sam, running the back of her hand across his cheek bone as he looked at her with wide eyes. “You’re gonna be a good boy though, aren’t you? Gonna let Bucky come inside you, but not let yourself go until I’ve ridden that gorgeous dick of yours?”

“Yes, m-ma’am. G-gonna try.” 

“Make sure you do, or I’ll ruin it for you.”

Bucky almost felt sorry for Sam. He had to be struggling about now, and Bucky had seen Nat ruin orgasms before - it wasn’t nice. Bucky pulled out of Steve, who was now laid lax and snivelling, and returned to Sam’s waiting heat.

“Sir!” Sam shouted. “Oh god!” His hips bucked up as much as they could in his bound position, bumping Steve.

“Hold it, Sam,” Bucky barked back as he set a bruising pace, no longer able to resist the urge to just chase his pleasure. His movements jolted Steve even more, who whimpered as his spent cock was overstimulated from being rubbed up against Sam’s. Bucky could feel Sam’s channel flutter around him, desperately trying to hold back, and the sensation tipped Bucky off the cliff. A deep groan left him as he pumped rope after rope of cum deep into Sam, his hips continuing to snap back and forth until there was nothing left in him.

After he came down, Bucky pulled out and sat back on his heels, recovering his breath. Steve’s hole still gaped at him, and his cum was dripping out of Sam.

“Nat - come look.”

“Oooh, pretty,” she said before bending down and attacking Bucky’s lips with her own. They kissed ferociously for a few moments, fighting each other with tongues and teeth before they moved apart and untied Steve. They rolled him off Sam and he laid prone on the edge of the large bed. Bucky started to rub at the rope marks around his wrists and his thighs, bringing the blood back into full circulation

Meanwhile Nat climbed up onto the mattress, admiring Sam’s still rock-hard cock, the head a deep crimson-purple and covered in Steve’s cum and his own pre-cum. She leant down and licked a stripe up it, letting out an evil giggle at how it twitched.

“Nat! Please!” Sam begged, and with a smirk she took pity on him, throwing her leg over him, taking hold of his cock and sinking down in one move. She leaned back, her hands braced on Sam’s spread legs and began to ride him.

“Fuck, Sam. Love this dick so much. Feels so good. Just hold on for me.”

Bucky watched in amusement, only stopping to tap Steve’s face with his softening cock and then feeding it between Steve’s lips when he blinkingly opened his eyes. 

“First clean up duty, Stevie.”

Steve just moaned and started to suck and lick at the cock in his mouth, eager for every drop of Bucky’s cum he could get. 

On the other side of the bed, Nat had changed her position, now palming one of her own breasts through her bra, pinching the nipple through its peek-a-boo hole and rubbing at her clit with her other hand. Sam was tossing his head back and forth on the pillow, whimpering, and as soon as Nat shuddered out her own orgasm, Sam’s face screwed up and he shouted, finally letting himself let go. 

Nat gave herself a few moments to recover before she eased off Sam, his cum running down her inner thighs, and straddled Steve instead, her puffy cunt hovering over his face. 

“Next clean up, Steve. And you better make me cum again.”

“I will, ma’am. Please. Wanna taste you and Sam.” Steve couldn’t keep the eagerness from his voice.

“So you can be good? Now, get to work.” She sat down and Bucky heard her sigh in pleasure as Steve slurped loudly, his small hands coming up to hold Nat’s thighs. Bucky smiled and moved over to release Sam’s bonds and rub at his aching limbs.

“So perfect for us, Sam,” he praised. “Just relax for a moment. You worked so hard.” 

“Please kiss me,” Sam slurred out, and who was Bucky to deny him? He laid down next to Sam and gently kissed him, lazily trailing his fingers over Sam’s still sensitive body, amused by the answering whimpers and twitches.

“Fuck! Steve!” Nat shouted, her hips bucking. “There! Just there.” She had one hand on the headboard and the other in Steve’s hair, holding his head in place as she fucked his face with her pussy. She threw her head back and wailed as her second orgasm washed over her. She rocked her hips slower as she came down, and then slid down Steve’s body. His face was flushed red, shiny with her and Sam’s combined spend, and his hair was sticking up every which way. He looked totally debauched and more than happy about it. Nat kissed him deeply before urging him up and over to Sam. 

“Clean his cock first, Steve,” she urged. “Then you can get your taste of Bucky’s cum.”

Steve crawled with wobbly limbs over to where Sam was now dozing, his head in Bucky’s lap, having his hair petted. When Steve started to lick and kiss at his cock and balls, Sam let out a happy sigh. 

Nat pulled herself up against the headboard, the other side of Sam, and looked indulgently down at her Switch and Sub before turning her attention to Bucky.

“Did you enjoy that, Yasha?”

Bucky opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted by Sam’s whining moan as Steve pushed his face between his ass cheeks, and most probably, wormed his tongue in Sam’s ass. Bucky chuckled. “Best birthday ever, milaya. We’d best start planning for Steve’s. What was it you said about all of us coming over him and leaving him lying in it?”

Tag list: @christywrites, @alexakeyloveloki, @doasyoudesireandlive, @apenny4thots,

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[kjs-s]

Reblogging this to help me figure out which fics i haven't written yet.

All of these challenges are ongoing, no deadlines. So feel free to join and post whatever you fancy! (just make sure you tag me & read the rules of all the challenges!!)

Updated August 23 2024 - added masterlist w/ entries of old challenges from an older blog I had that was since deleted.

CappysForeverChallenge (Masterlist of entries) (Started June 18 2020)

CappysDecadesChallenge (Masterlist of entries) (Started June 11, 2022)

CappysSummaryChallenge (Masterlist of Entries) (Started July 7, 2022)

ThreeWordsForCaplanChallenge (Masterlist of Entries) (Started February 24 2023)

Songs4Cappy (Masterlist) (Started September 14, 2023)

CaplansDisneyCelebration (Mssterlist) (Started March 24, 2024)

BrokenHearts4Caplan (Masterlist) (Started April 6 2023 2024)

Weekly Writing Mini Challenge #1

Weekly Writing Mini Challenge #2

Weekly Writing Mini Challenge #3

Weekly Writing Mini Challenge #4

WeeklyWritingChallenges Full Masterlist

Title For Caplan Challenge (Masterlist) (Started May 10 2024)

Writing Challenges From an Old Blog Masterlist

Taylor Swift Playlist Challenge

ClichesForCaplan Challenge (Masterlist) (Writing Cliches)

POC FUN Challenge (masterlist) (Only POC characters)

Emo Night Challenge (Masterlist) (Emo/punk rock/metal songs/band prompts)

Dark Nights Au Challenge (Masterlist) (Angst/horror/noncon/dark elements/creature fics)

LoveStory Challenge (Masterlist) (Fluff, love prompts)

OneSentenceToGo (Masterlist) (only one sentence for a prompt)

100WordsForCaplan (Masterlist) (a fictlet with exactly 100 words)

TableForOnePlease (Masterlist) (one charcter only)

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[caplanreblogsfics]

Writing Challenges

this is a sideblog of @castielscaplan. this is a safe space for any and all types of fics will be reblogged. Heed the warnings on the individual fics that I reblog. I am not responsible for what comes on your dash if you follow me.

be kind to writers on here, people can spend hours upon days/weeks/months working on these fics. I, myself am a writer, whose fics you can look into on ao3.

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All of these challenges of mine below the cut are ongoing, no deadlines. So feel free to join and post whatever you fancy! (just make sure you tag me & read the rules of all the challenges!!)

Updated April 16 2025 - moved this from my main blog over here for easy access.

CappysForeverChallenge (Masterlist of entries) (Started June 18 2020)

CappysDecadesChallenge (Masterlist of entries) (Started June 11, 2022)

CappysSummaryChallenge (Masterlist of Entries) (Started July 7, 2022)

ThreeWordsForCaplanChallenge (Masterlist of Entries) (Started February 24 2023)

Songs4Cappy (Masterlist) (Started September 14, 2023)

CaplansDisneyCelebration (Mssterlist) (Started March 24, 2024)

BrokenHearts4Caplan (Masterlist) (Started April 6 2023 2024)

Weekly Writing Mini Challenge #1

Weekly Writing Mini Challenge #2

Weekly Writing Mini Challenge #3

Weekly Writing Mini Challenge #4

WeeklyWritingChallenges Full Masterlist

Title For Caplan Challenge (Masterlist) (Started May 10 2024)

Writing Challenges From an Old Blog Masterlist

Taylor Swift Playlist Challenge

ClichesForCaplan Challenge (Masterlist) (Writing Cliches)

POC FUN Challenge (masterlist) (Only POC characters)

Emo Night Challenge (Masterlist) (Emo/punk rock/metal songs/band prompts)

Dark Nights Au Challenge (Masterlist) (Angst/horror/noncon/dark elements/creature fics)

LoveStory Challenge (Masterlist) (Fluff, love prompts)

OneSentenceToGo (Masterlist) (only one sentence for a prompt)

100WordsForCaplan (Masterlist) (a fictlet with exactly 100 words)

TableForOnePlease (Masterlist) (one charcter only)

500 or Less (Masterlist) (write 500 or less for a challenge)

[americasass81]

Basement Lovers

Warnings 18+ for the following:- Dubious Consent, Spooky Halloween Vibes, Mention of A Loved One’s Death, Implied Witchcraft, Implied Murder / Human Sacrifice, Loss of Virginity, Oral (Female receiving), Fingering, P in V Sex, Multiple Orgasms.  Seriously do not read if any of this upsets you, the warnings are there for a reason. Feedback is welcomed and any mistakes are my own.

By proceeding you are acknowledging that you are over 18 and are consenting to the content below the cut.

Author’s Note 1:- Flowing from my muse as part of this spooky season, it seemed by the time I was finished this fic lent itself to a totally unspecified male character so I simply went with it.  Hope anyone that reads it envisions their own character and likes the result.  A special thank you also has to go to the fabulous @caplanbuckybarnes whose Titles For Caplan Writing Challenge makes a very welcome appearance here too.

Author’s Note 2:- Flashback scenes in color.

Synopsis:- Coming across a strange body in the basement of an old abandoned mansion you quickly discover that not all myths belong to the past.

Pairings:- Unspecified Male Character x Female Reader

Total Word Count:- 4,052

Leaving home and setting out on your walk as you normally did, the autumn evening and the cooling breeze welcomed you always like a well known lover and eased away the tensions the daily grind of that work and life had left behind.  And the children running to and fro in all the various costumes of the Halloween season only added to the magic.  A magic you yourself would soon come to experience.

Smiling and waving at the passing parents who acknowledged your presence with the same cordial greeting before taking a left turn off the main road and heading towards the older part of the neighborhood, a whisper on the breeze caught your attention and sent an eerie feeling creeping down your spine, but as usual looking around you, you saw nothing and simply shrugged it off as part of the holiday atmosphere before heading off on your walk once more.  Except you didn't get very far and there was definitely something to see after all.

Standing outside the old McHenry house now on Blackthorn Lane, the eerie feeling seemed stronger here but it was nothing compared to the compulsion that now moved you up the driveway towards the entrance.  A path no one in living memory had ever walked before.  Placing one foot in front of the other now, while looking around curiously as the very air seemed to shimmer and sway all around you, your hand coming up to rest upon the doorknob fully expected to find the thing locked.  But that was not the case however.

Turning at your touch and opening now of its own volition, you turned your head back towards the road, fully intending to walk away from this unnatural occurrence, but it seemed the house had different plans.  Calling out to you in a way no other place ever had, your curiosity now overpowered every sense of self preservation that had been drilled into you by those that had gone before you and so stepping inside you really should have been freaked out when the door slammed shut behind you, but your attention was focused elsewhere.

Gazing around the foyer now at an inside that looked far better maintained than the grounds outside, the beauty and grandeur once present here was still evident for all to see ... even beneath the layer of dust coating everything like a protective lover.  Hell, even on closer inspection, you could see that the years hadn't really claimed this place at all.  Walking now from room to room as a feeling you couldn't explain compelled you forwards, the windows were all still somehow intact and the floorboards showed not one sign of wear or decay.  It was remarkable actually.  What would have proved even more remarkable you imagined, had you ventured upwards, would be the fact that the roof overhead was still as pristine as the day the first slate had been placed upon it, but fate it seemed was calling you in a totally different direction.

Having made your way throughout the ground floor and right back to where you had started, a door now visible on the wall beneath the double staircase that definitely wasn't there before completely held your attention in a way that should have told any sane person to get the hell out of there.  But then it was the failure of that very instinct earlier that already led you here and found you now opening this door too to see what lay inside.  Which would end up being a most terrible mistake.

Walking forward now and ignoring this door closing too as if in a trance, the stone steps appearing before you didn't seem to register the danger you were in.  For the house seemed to have you now.  Continuing downwards now, one foot at a time, your eyes widened in both shock and surprise as the scene before you tapped into an old memory your grandmother had shared with you as a child and confirmed all that you now saw before you.  The legend was true.

Seated in the middle of this basement type room on a throne cast in the most elaborate of materials, the man chained to its armrests however had to be none other than the last known occupant of this opulent manor.  And the last known sorcerer from centuries ago if the stories were to be believed.  Reaching back through your memory now to the week before your grandmother had died, the girl you were then recalled in vivid detail the tale she had spun that you had simply chalked up to an old woman's fanciful imagination.  But that it seemed was no longer the case.

Speaking in hushed tones then that only came about with age, the woman you loved so dearly had painted a picture of a vibrant town that prospered far beyond the other towns and times around it until one day the truth of its success was finally laid bare and the decline which reaches all at last took hold there too.

Explaining how the story went of a neighborhood seamstress stumbling upon some strange ritual taking place within the bowels of McHenry Manor, your grandmother continued to explain that a group of skilled local women supposedly versed in the arts of witchcraft entered the Manor after hearing her report, performed some type of ritual of their own and were never heard from again as the Manor's grounds somehow sealed themselves shut to all who tried to enter.

At least, that was the official version.

Watching your grandmother's eyes light up now as so many kids did when they knew something no one else did, your grandmother beckoned you closer now so she could impart to you one last secret it seemed before time finally claimed her.  What she had never told you before, what no one in your life or surrounding neighborhood had ever told you before it seemed, was that the mansion was far older than you had ever known and it was an ancestor of yours that had not only been one of the women responsible for its current condition, she was also the only one to walk free from that cursed place.

A place you had now entered.

Coming back to the present now and looking back on the story in a different light, you still couldn't understand what all this meant and what it had to do with you.  But it seemed there were still mysteries here to unravel.  Walking around the room now while blatantly ignoring the figure obviously trapped in its center, your hands coming in contact with an invisible barrier as you reached out to pick up something off a nearby table told you there was definitely more to your grandmother's story than just the creative ramblings of an old woman.  For one, not a speck of dust lingered here as it did in the rooms above you.

Trying various other spots now along the table, cabinets and bookshelves still as pristinely preserved as every other part of this odd building, the invisible barrier still halting your progress might have triggered your frustration if a burst of inspiration didn't suddenly occur to you however ... the man on the throne?  Was it possible somehow that he could be the one thing in this whole room that you could actually touch?

Holding onto this thought now while silencing every other thought and instinct that screamed at you not to follow through with your idiotic intentions, your feet brought you closer and closer to the center of the room and the vision now waiting there.  For there was no other way to describe him.

Not one for putting much stock in looks if you were honest and wholly unskilled in the art of dating, sex and all that came with it, you would of course have to be both blind and stupid not to admit that the man now seated before you, untouched by time, was nothing short of stunning.  Tall in life, if his seated posture was any indication, his dark hair, striking cheekbones and all round muscular frame offered a rare insight into the man he must have been in life and the presence he no doubt commanded in every room he must have entered.  But what of him now?

Walking in a circle around the throne now while taking in the chains that ran from his wrist to the chair he occupied in death as he had in life, your mind still couldn't comprehend that this was the same man.  How could it be?  The story had seemed weird and fanciful enough when your grandmother had shared it with you.  And now, here you stood before someone supposedly far, far older than you and yet ... he could so easily be someone with whom you could see yourself sharing a life.

Which probably explained why your hand now rested against his cheek as your fingers caressed the startlingly soft skin beneath them.  But perhaps the most startling thing of all was the result this action brought forth as the stranger's eyes now opened and locked with yours as if trying to reach out and connect with your very soul.  And perhaps that might have happened if his actions that followed didn't pull you from your musings.

"Witch, I can smell your magic," the stranger croaked out suddenly before continuing, "dormant as the ashes of ancient times, but no matter.  Wherever the spark is present, I still have the power to reach out and harness it."  Rising from his throne then as the chains still held him to it, your mind screamed at you again to run, but your legs didn't seem to want to cooperate to that extent.  Taking one step back instead for every one he took towards you, the snapping of the iron as they reached their maximum length seemed to be just the catalyst you needed to fire you into action.  However, your handsome stranger it seemed had other ideas.

Murmuring words you had never heard before, words in fact no other human had now heard in centuries, the barrier that previously kept you from his possessions now somehow extended to keep you from the door, but it wasn't this occurrence that frightened you at this moment.  No, instead it was the niggling force working its way throughout your body that somehow now caused you to not only turn around and face your captor, but take you right back towards him.

Screaming at yourself now to fight whatever was happening, though no words were ever heard, your legs finally halting your movements just within his reach told you somehow that this was his doing.  And that was even before the man spoke again.  "Ah yes," he still croaked as his slender fingers now came up to caress your cheek in the very same manner yours had done to him earlier, "I can see her in you.  Your ancestor.  Can feel her in you too," he continued with a smirk and if nothing else had scared you thus far then this action definitely did.

Evil in a way you couldn't describe, the smirk, coupled with those same fingers roaming over any part of your immobile body his reach could now access, it was his next words that wormed their way into your heart and froze it solid.  "She was with child.  Did you know that?" he asked as he still caressed your skin before revealing the final details of the story your dear departed grandmother was never privy to.  Standing her ground and refusing his advances and promises as each of her sisters fell before him, your ancestor it seemed had given the last of her power to bind him forever to this place, but not before he had cast one last spell himself.  A terrifying one he now took pride in revealing to you.

Reaching for her stomach as her own hands closed around his wrists and forged the chains that kept him rooted to this spot, his words invoked an ancient and powerful curse that in turn bound him to her bloodline.  Promised in time would come a child, ignorant in the ways of magic, but destined to be his forever by the mark that sealed her fate.  A mark he now revealed to you as his hand formed a fist below your throat and tore your top clean in half.  There above your belly button now, as it had been your whole life, his fingers tracing the crescent moon birthmark brought you back to yourself and the shocking implications of all that he had just revealed.

You were meant to be his.  But how was such a thing even possible?

No one in your family that you knew of possessed any magical ability and the birthmark he so reverently spoke of had never so much as raised an eyebrow among anyone that had seen it.  Surely if such a curse had been laid upon your ancestor someone in the family would have known about it.  Been watching and waiting for it.  Surely to simply ignore it would have been the height of foolishness.  After all, if your ancestor was as powerful as this man and your grandmother had seemingly believed surely she would have left a warning for those that came after her that such a grave threat hung over every one of her female descendants.

Unless!  What was it he had said about her giving the last of her power to bind him to this place?  Could it be she had thought that no longer having magic would save her descendants from whatever he had done?  The laugh you let escape your lips at this little insight now told both you and the stranger how foolish that miscalculation had proven to be however, for it seemed the stranger had won, your ancestor had lost and you would be expected to pay the ultimate price.  But what was that price exactly?

Raising your head to look at the stranger now, though his fingers never left your mark, your voice caught in your throat at your first attempt at speaking, but a quick cough soon found his full focus back on your face as you now began to question exactly what lay ahead.  And his answer made you wonder if the curse itself hadn't invisibly dictated aspects of your life you had never even considered.  For it seemed your lack of experience could be laid at his feet.

Explaining now that you had the power to free him, while he had the power to awaken gifts you never even knew you possessed, it seemed a kiss was the key to this whole thing ... your first kiss.  Bound through spells older than the oldest of gods, you giving yourself to him, body and soul, would complete the ritual and meld your souls together in a way that made both of you stronger than the parts that time had currently separated.  But you had to agree.  A choice your ancestor had refused time and time again it seemed, leaving you now having to choose to walk your own path like her or embrace the one she had unknowingly thrust upon you.  Which didn't seem like much of a choice really given that you couldn't seem to leave this place.

Grasping onto this particular thought now and shocking the stranger as you turned around and walked away from him, your hand reaching out for the door once more and still finding it blocked from the same invisible barrier you suspected still held you here, you now returned to the stranger and asked the only question that truly seemed to matter.  "If I refuse to help free you this barrier will keep me trapped here forever, right?" and the smirking nod he sent your way was the only confirmation you needed that your life as you knew it was well and truly forfeit.  Which now left only one course of action available to you.

Moving forward now and placing your lips against his, what had started out as something weird and clumsy soon changed to something completely different however as the man before you took control and deepened the kiss into something you knew you could never have initiated on your own.  Biting your lips gently before his tongue sought entry and began to twirl itself with yours, his hands now pulling your body flush against his made you suddenly aware of everything your young life had so far been missing out on.  And it seemed this revelation only made you yearn for more.

Twenty-four years old now and already past the age that most of your friends had begun to experiment with all the hidden activities their bodies had been designed to experience, it seemed your earlier conclusion had been correct ... the spell invoked all those centuries ago had somehow suppressed your natural urges if the sounds emanating from your body now were any indication.  Panting, moaning, whimpering and sighing as his kisses grew harsher and your bodies now began to grind against each other, you were about to push him away in a much needed attempt to suck some oxygen into your over exerted lungs when his weight suddenly pushing you down to the floor brought a whole different thought bubbling to your mind ... the chains that held him were no more.

Free to ravage you now in whatever depraved manner his years of captivity saw fit, it still seemed that he alone was in full control of the situation unfolding all around you as the concrete floor below you and his weight above you didn't quite seem to crush you in the manner you would have expected.  But that still didn't bring you the relief it should have, for now there was nothing between you and the man that meant to claim you.  And that's exactly what he set about doing.

Removing your clothes as he did his own, his lips, tongue and teeth now began the same manipulation of your body as they had with your mouth and the experience was one you knew you would never be able to recreate on your own or with any other.  Sucking here.  Licking there.  Biting, pulling and squeezing with just the right amount of pressure to make you question whether the experience was pleasurable or painful, the moisture leaking now from between your legs left no doubt at least as to how your body felt.  It was coming alive in a way it never had before.

Reaching out towards his own body now as you tried to find something to ground you while his skillful ministrations continued to pull you apart, his hips now grinding against your intimate area brought what he had planned into stark focus however and you suddenly found the strength to push him from you at least enough that you could now see the face of the man who was determined to make you his own.  But were you ready for that?  It seemed you would either have to get ready pretty fast or convince him of your fears and doubts however if the rod now glistening beneath his legs was any indication.  For it seemed he was well on his way to getting things started.  But it also seemed he wasn't totally ignorant of what the intricacies of the spell had entailed however, as his eyes now followed yours to his dangling member and the implications its growing size meant for you.  

"Don't worry darling, I'm well versed in using this tool and preparing all equipment properly.  It may hurt slightly at first," he cautioned as his fingers now rested against your cheek in a gesture meant to reassure, "but I promise the pleasure and power on offer will soon obliterate all memory of any discomfort our coupling creates," he continued and this time as his lips connected with your nether region instead of your mouth all concerns your mind had previously conjured seemed to disappear as it now tried desperately to keep your lungs working while also trying to find the words to express the feelings assaulting every nerve in your body from the sensations working their way from his mouth to your flower.  But it seemed you couldn't really describe what was happening.

Holding down your hips with one hand as his tongue and teeth manipulated a particularly sensitive spot between your legs, you could now only pant out shallow breaths while murmuring the word yes over and over and over again as first one finger and then another entered your private field and connected with parts of you you never knew existed or were even capable of creating the reaction this man was now pulling from you.  But you knew you never wanted him to stop.

Reaching towards his head now and locking it in place with your hands and thighs, he somehow took your participation as consent and doubling his efforts, the scream that ripped forth from your throat at the same time your body spasmed and liquid gushed from your garden into his waiting mouth told you that this must be what a full body orgasm felt like ... and you didn't think you could survive another.  But it seemed your companion couldn't give a rat's ass what you thought.

Continuing to stimulate your flower as wave after wave of orgasmic bliss radiated through you from head to toe, you were too far gone it seemed to notice his manhood replace his mouth, but not too far gone apparently to remember the words his lips had spoken earlier as he thrust it home in one fluid motion and a scream tore your soul apart when a white hot pain traveled along every nerve ending you possessed and threatened to rip all conscious thought from you, leaving nothing behind but an empty husk dedicated now to nothing but his pleasure.  But it seemed that was a mild exaggeration.

Remaining still within you and shushing your pain with soothing words that sounded vaguely like those one lover might speak to another, your bodies remained connected as one until suddenly the fullness within you became more than both of you seemed able to handle and your hips began to nudge his own all by themselves.  Taking this as a sign now that you wanted more of what he had to offer, your shallow breaths and whimpered sobs soon gave way to slapping skin and ancient words as the man above you ratcheted his member in and out of your pussy while a magical glow spread forth from your birthmark and ignited a fire within far more penetrating than the one that triggered your meltdown when his erection had torn through your maidenhead.

Continuing to pound into you now over and over and over again as one orgasm ended and another one began, his words eventually died on the air at the same time his balls and cock tightened like a coil before releasing burst after burst of warm cum against your now well used walls.  Swearing and groaning out above you now as those same walls clamped down hard around his shaft and milked him dry of every bit of his essence he had to give, his body now collapsing atop yours was indication enough that the man was spent.  But you however still seemed to have some wits about you.  Rolling him off of you onto his side now, though he still somehow managed to remain inside you and as a result brought you with him, you would have asked him what the future now held, but something told you the answer to that was pretty obvious.

Gazing at him now as the haze which held him earlier had somehow slipped away as a result of what both of you had just shared, the feeling between your legs, the memory of what both of you had just done and the sparks now lighting up your fingertips told you one thing loud and clear ... you were not your ancestor.  Giving into your desires and the knowledge that had been kept from you your whole life, you had chosen your own path and for better or worse you would walk it now beside this man for however long forever lasted.

[formaianhassignment]

Week 10: Digital Citizenship and Conflict: Social Media Governance

The rise of social media has brought empowerment, but it has also amplified significant challenges, particularly in the realm of online harassment. This pervasive issue has created a gendered digital divide, disproportionately affecting women, transgender individuals, and other marginalized communities. As someone who frequently engages in online spaces, I see daily how this harassment plays out—whether through subtle exclusion or direct threats.

Online harassment takes many forms, from verbal abuse to coordinated campaigns that target individuals based on gender, race, or other personal attributes. Marwick and Caplan (2018) discuss how harassment can become a coordinated effort, with groups like the “manosphere” using tactics such as doxing, shaming, and cyberbullying to silence feminists and women online (Marwick & Caplan 2018). This “networked harassment” is particularly troubling because it normalizes misogyny and discourages women from fully participating in digital spaces, undermining the ideals of digital citizenship.

Similarly, online harassment is so normalized within certain communities that victims often feel it’s just part of the online experience​ (Haslop, O’Rourke & Southern 2021). This normalization contributes to a gendered digital divide, where women and gender-nonconforming individuals are disproportionately affected and may limit their digital engagement due to fears of harassment.

Young women are especially vulnerable to online harassment, as highlighted in Plan International’s Free to Be Online report (2020), which surveyed over 14,000 girls across 31 countries. The report found that more than half of these girls experienced online harassment, which often led to self-censorship and fear for their physical safety​(Plan International 2023). Personally, I’ve seen younger family members retreat from sharing their passions—whether art, writing, or simply personal thoughts—due to negative comments. This self-censorship restricts their ability to fully engage with online communities, limiting their digital citizenship.

In addition to self-censorship, online harassment can lead to broader psychological effects. Research shows that victims often experience anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem, further deterring them from digital participation (Megarry 2014). This exclusionary effect highlights the need for supportive measures that encourage young women to re-engage with digital spaces safely.

Addressing this digital divide requires both legal reforms and cultural shifts. Many countries, including Germany and Australia, have enacted laws to combat online harassment by requiring platforms to remove harmful content promptly. However, legal solutions alone are insufficient. Social media companies should actively engage in advocacy, educate users about reporting mechanisms, and implement better content moderation strategies to protect users​(Vitis & Gilmour 2016).

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives are also essential. Brands and social media platforms must recognize their role in creating safer online spaces. For example, brands that work with influencers should provide them with support resources to handle online abuse and publicly stand against harassment to show solidarity with affected individuals (Crowther & Rayman-Bacchus 2004). I’ve seen brands do this well by publicly supporting influencers who are targets of harassment, sending a message of solidarity and showing that they value a respectful community. This public support can go a long way in promoting a healthier digital environment.

The issue of online harassment is a pressing concern that limits digital citizenship for many marginalized groups, particularly women and gender-diverse individuals. Creating a safer digital space requires a multifaceted approach, combining legal frameworks, platform accountability, and community support. By addressing these challenges, we can move closer to a more inclusive and empowering digital environment where everyone feels free to participate.

REFERENCES: Crowther, D & Rayman-Bacchus, L 2004, Perspectives on Corporate Social Responsibility, Gower Publishing Company, Limited.

Haslop, C, O’Rourke, F & Southern, R 2021, “#NoSnowflakes: The toleration of harassment and an emergent gender-related digital divide, in a UK student online culture,” Convergence the International Journal of Research Into New Media Technologies, vol. 27, no. 5, pp. 1418–1438, viewed <https://doi.org/10.1177/1354856521989270>.

Marwick, AE & Caplan, R 2018, “Drinking male tears: language, the manosphere, and networked harassment,” Feminist Media Studies, vol. 18, no. 4, pp. 543–559, viewed <https://doi.org/10.1080/14680777.2018.1450568>.

Megarry, J 2014, “Online incivility or sexual harassment? Conceptualising women’s experiences in the digital age,” Women S Studies International Forum, vol. 47, pp. 46–55, viewed <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wsif.2014.07.012>.

“State of the World’s Girls 2020: Free to Be Online? - Plan International” 2023, Plan International, viewed <https://plan-international.org/publications/free-to-be-online/>.

Vitis, L & Gilmour, F 2016, “Dick pics on blast: A woman’s resistance to online sexual harassment using humour, art and Instagram,” Crime Media Culture an International Journal, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 335–355, viewed <https://doi.org/10.1177/1741659016652445>.

[writing-mermaid]

A Monster Like Me

Summary : After an incident, a young man remembers how he met his fiancée and the hard path they had that led them to that moment.

Words : 5 532

Author’s note : I wrote that one shot for two challenges : @sebbys-girl and  @caplansteverogers. My prompts were the song A Monster Like Me and the sentence  “A monster like me doesn’t deserve to be loved”. I used the song as an inspiration, but I also put some of the lyrics in the dialogues.

Warnings : Language, mentions of war, violence, PTSD.

Song of the title : A Monster Like Me -  Mørland & Debrah Scarlett

Masterlist 

The constant beeping of the machines. The slow and steady breath. Grey walls. Setting sun shyly picking through the taupe louvered shutters. Night is falling and so does the rain. The unremitting procession of nurses, doctors and sick people. Hospital life. It’s been four days and nothing changed. She’s still lying there, eyes closed, her body surrounded by white sheets, hands resting by her sides, sliver engagement ring shining around her ring finger, her chest rising and falling gently. I spent the last four days pacing up and down like a caged lion, constantly dwelling on how we met and what happened on that night.

“How is she today ?”, a nurse asks, entering the room, to check on the screens.

“Same as usual”, I answer, sitting on the chair next to the bed, grabbing the cold hand resting on the covers.

“Don’t worry mister Barnes, she’s going to wake up at some point”, she optimistically says. “And everything will be alright.”

She smiles and then, exists the room.

I intertwine my fingers with hers and smell her hand, looking for her usual scent, but it’s not here anymore, it’s long gone. Sweet Romance, that’s the name of her perfume. It enchanted me from the beginning, the smell of plum and blackberry, the sweetness of the morning rose, mixed with jasmine. Sweet romance, not really what she signed of when she chose to be with me. It turned me upside down when I first smell it, the day I met her.

How can I even forget that blessed day, or rather night, I met her. It was five years ago. I remember the moment she stepped into the club, with Steve by her side. I’ll always remember that little navy blue dress sprinkled with white birds. I was sitting with Sam, Clint, Natasha, Wanda, Peggy and Vision when he led her to our table, his hand on the small of her back to guide her towards us. When she came into the light, the first thing I noticed were smiling eyes and a bright smile on her painted red lips. She probably was the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met, and I would probably be the most fucked-up man she would ever meet.

“Guys, let me introduce someone to you ! This is Y/N Howlett, she’s my new neighbor.”

“Hi”, she waved at us.

“Of course you already know Peggy, and these are some of our friends, Sam Wilson, Clint Barton, his girlfriend Natasha Romanoff, Wanda Maximoff, Vision Shade, her boyfriend, and James Barnes, my best friend, but he goes by Bucky.”

“Nice to meet all of you”, she said, her voice peaking over the loud music.

“So Steve finally managed to make you go out of your place”, Peggy stated.

“Yeah”, she answered, “he said I should meet new people as I haven’t really had time to do it myself, he would make me meet some himself.”

“And that was an excellent choice”, Sam said, raising from his seat to take the one next to Y/N. “So beautiful, can I order you a drink ?”

“Sparkling water please. With a slice of lemon.”

“Consider it done !”, Sam exclaimed, rising on his feet. “Please, take a seat”, he gestured to her and, she complied, sitting next to Wanda.

After a few minutes, she started chattering with the girls, what about, I didn’t really know, still don’t for the matter, but didn’t care and whatever they were talking about is not the subject. I was completely mesmerized by her, her bright Y/E/C eyes shining through the lights of the club, her Y/H/C hair glowing in the dark, her straight back, ankles crossed. I don’t know which one of the girls said a funny thing but, she laughed, a crystal clear laugh, the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard. I haven’t contemplate her enough that Sam came back a few minutes later with two glasses in his hands.

“There you are sweetheart”, he said, putting down the glass of water in front of Y/N.

“Thank you”, she told him and then took a sip of her beverage.

“Now let’s talk about you, princess”, he began. “What do you do for living ?”

“I’m a dancer, a ballerina”, she answered.

“A ballerina. So I assume that you must be very supple then”, Sam added, not so cunningly, wiggling his eyebrows.

“Sam please, leave the poor girl alone”, Steve suddenly appeared next to us, standing a beer in one hand, his second one in his jeans pocket. “I already had a hard time to make her get out of her apartment, so please don’t scare her.”

“What kind of show are you working on ?”, Wanda questioned.

“Swan Lake, that’s the brand-new show my company is putting on. I’ve had the honor of being chosen to play the Swan Queen”, she responded, shyly blushing.

“Wow Swan Lake and Swan Queen, how… Amazing.”

“Say the truth Wilson, you don’t know anything about that story.”

“Because you do Barnes, maybe ?”

“Actually, yes”, I answered him. “Swan Lake is a ballet written by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. It’s about a princess, turned into a swan by an evil magician during the day, and she’s human again by night. One day, a prince that was hunting the swan followed her to the lake she belonged, and when the moonlight hit on her, she became a beautiful princess, they both fell in love and to break the curse, he promised to marry her. Except that the magician didn’t agree about that, and so he turned a black swan into the princess’ clone, so when the prince saw the black swan at the ball, he thought she was his princess and promised her eternal love. But then, the trick is revealed and the prince rushes to his true love, but she’s dying. They both die in the end. That’s a very sad story.”

I took a mouthful of my beer, everyone was gazing wide-eyed at me.

“What ?”, I said. “It’s not because that I’m in the army that I’m not cultivated.”

“You’re in the army ?”, Y/N asked.

“Yes, so does Steve and Sam.”

“My dad was in the army too”, she smiled at me.

And that’s how everything started. At the end of the night, we all head to Steve’s apartment, and we left her next door, with the promise of a brunch at Steve’s the next day. At the end of said-brunch, I headed back home with her phone number and a dinner date the next week to the great displeasure of Sam.

I took her somewhere fancy, because I wanted to woo her, literally.

“You didn’t need to”, she said, when we stopped in front of the restaurant.

“I just wanted to treat you like you deserve to doll, a real princess.”

“I’m no princess, James.”

“That’s what you say”, I winked at her.

We followed the maître d'hotel to the table I booked, and we started to chat of everything and nothing after we ordered food. When we get served, she simply hummed in pleasure when she took a bite of her pasta dish.

“So, what can you tell me about yourself ?”, I questioned her. “You told me your father was in the army.”

“Yes”, she responded, wiping her mouth with her napkin. “Maybe in your regiment you’ve already heard about James Howlett. Well I think you would have more heard about Logan Howlett, my dad goes by his middle name. He thinks that James is too common name. Please, don’t be offended.”

“I’m not”, I chucked. “He’s right by the way, James is a too common name.”

She laughed at it, so loud and clearly, it made some clients turning to our table.

“Sorry”, she said, drying away the tears from her eyes. “It’s just, no one ever agrees with my dad, especially not my boyfriends. They were all afraid of him. But, my father is just a big bear, you have nothing to fear if he likes you.”

She took another bite of food.

“Those are absolutely delicious !”, she swallowed, “So where were we ? Oh yeah, you wanted to know about me. Well, I’m twenty-five years old, I was born at Salem Center, Westchester County, my uncles have a manor there. My mother finished her pregnancy there. Her name was Kayla and she was an artist. Since the beginning she knew she was sick, a cancer, a violent one. She knew that she was going to die. She was three months pregnant with me when she knew she wouldn’t make it if she wasn’t cured. She had to choose between chemotherapy or me, and she chose me. She chose me because she had a miscarriage a year before, and she thought she would never had another baby. I was my parents’ miracle. My father begged my mother to get cured, she refused. The doctors said she could finish her pregnancy, but, after, there were only a tiny hope that she could be cured because the cancer would have been too advanced after my birth, and it would be too late. As my dad was away for a pretty long time, he told her to go to my uncle Charles and Erik’s home, it’s a big manor uncle Charles inherited from his father. After my birth, my mother went back to the hospital, she was attentively followed-up care while I was inside of her belly, but it was too late, as the doctors said. They told her she had six months left, and she better enjoy them and her newborn. My father went back for my birth, when she told him, he asked for a year of permission, he explained the army, and they let him take that year. My mom passed five months later instead of six. Dad stayed at uncle Charles’ with me until he had to go back to work. He asked uncle Charles and uncle Erik if I could stay with them while he was on duty, to avoid me to move every time, and know that I was somewhere safe, having a normal life. So I lived with my uncles and dad came back each time he could. I had a happy life, and they told me a lot about my mom. They signed me up for ballet at six when I asked them and I dance ever since. What about you ?”

“Me, comparing to you, my life is rather boring. Also, twenty-five. Born, raised and lived all my life in Brooklyn. I have five sisters, my mother is a school teacher and my father is a caterer. My sister Rebecca works with him, she’s going to take the business over when dad retires. As you already know, Steve is my best friend, we grew up together, decided to go to the army together and there, we met Sam. Steve’s way is already all choose, he’s going to be an art teacher, but I don’t know yet what I’m gonna do. I chose the army because I didn’t know what to do after high school. We signed up and that fucking country was at war. I’ve seen so many things, horrible things.”

“How long left ?”

“Two years and a half, and I’m gonna be a free man”, I smiled to her, and she smiled back.

We continued to speak through dinner and then, we walk in the sweet beginning of the spring. After an hour or so, we reached her apartment block. She fumbled into her purse to find her keys.

“I’ve spent an amazing evening, thank you, Bucky”, she put herself on her tiptoes and kissed my cheek.

I watched her pass the door of her building, a goofy smile on my lips, my hand touching my skin where her lips were merely seconds before. I started to walk, jumping happily on my way back home. Then, after that night came some other dates, first kiss, first time, moving together, meeting Logan.

“Relax Buck, everything is gonna be alright”, Y/N said, smoothing my shirt.

“I don’t know doll, with the portrait you made me about your father, I think I have many reasons to be afraid of him.”

“Bucky, you make me happy, I’m sure that he’s going to be happy for me. I’m his only child and all he wants is my happiness”, she stated, leaning her forehead against mine. “Don’t you worry”, she pecked my nose and turned back to the meal she was preparing.

“You’re the best baby”, I wrapped my arms around her waist, burying my nose in her hair.

Thirty minutes later, a tall man with brown hair and hazel eyes, wearing blue jeans and a leather jack, was standing in the doorway, a bouquet of flowers in his hands.

“Ya must be James”, he stated with a drawling voice.

“Yes, sir. But you can call me Bucky”, I told him, holding out my hand.

“Where’s my girl ?”

“She’s in the kitchen, finishing dessert. But please, come in.”

I moved aside to let him enter the apartment. He stepped in and took a look around. His eyes fell on my uniform that was hanging on a coat rack.

“So you’re in the army.”

“Yes sir. 107th. I’m going back in the field in a week.”

“Be careful there kid. I know what I’m talking about.”

“Dad !”, Y/N’s voice came from the kitchen’s doorway.

“Hey bug”, he said turning towards her to hold her in his arms. “Nice place you have here.”

“Thanks. I hope you’re hungry, dinner’s ready”, she smiled up at him, while she showed him his seat around the table.

It turned out that Logan was very nice behind his bear behavior, just a man who cares a lot about his only daughter’s well-being. He left shaking my hand, saying that it was nice to meet me and to be careful on the field. He kissed Y/N’s forehead, and left, telling her that she had made a great choice.

The next week, Y/N and Peggy came with Steve and I to take us to the military base from where we were supposed to leave.

“Be careful”, she whispered, “come back to me. Don’t do stupid things there, I beg you.”

“Don’t worry doll, I will”, I murmured back. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

I lent to kiss her soft lips before taking her into my arms, silent tears falling from her eyes. Next to us, Steve and Peggy were also saying goodbye to each other, Peggy was crying her eyes out, begging Steve to not be reckless this time. When it was finally time, we left the girls and headed to our plane.

We came and go for the next two years without any accident, our missions went well, until that bloody day, a little more than six months before the end of my duties. It was supposed to be a recon mission, just a fucking recon mission. I was walking, gazing all around me and then, there were screams, a searing pain, and everything went black. When I opened my eyes, everything around me was white, I was lying in a hospital bed, when I turned my head, Steve was there, half-asleep in a chair. A nurse entered the room.

“Glad to see that you’re awake Sergeant Barnes”, she softy said. “I’m gonna call the doctor for him to come and see you.”

She shook Steve up before exiting the room, telling him that she was going to come back with the doctor.

“Shit man, you frightened us !”, Steve exclaimed. “We thought you’d never wake up. You remained unconscious for almost a month ! How do you feel ?”

“A little numb, but I think everything is alright”, I answered him. “Did someone call my parents and Y/N too ?”

“I did, and they were bloody worried. Buck”, he said after a pregnant pause, “I don’t know how to say that to you, because you clearly didn’t realize it yet but… Because of the bomb that exploded next to you that day, the doctors had to… The doctors had… The doctors had to amputate your left arm Buck, I’m… I’m sorry”, he stuttered.

“What ?!”, I turned my head to my left side and all I saw was an empty place where my left arm usually stand. There’s nothing there, just a white sheet and a bandage around what’s left of my shoulder. “Have you told anyone ?”, I questioned, clenching my teeth.

“No, I swear. I thought this wasn’t my place to do it. I just gave them news, I thought you rather say it to them yourself. I’m gonna call and say that you’re awake.”

With that, he exited the room. I leaned back on my pillows, sighing heavily. How was I going to tell my folks about it, how would they take it. And Y/N, oh god, she’s never going to stay with me, which sane girl would stay with a cripple ? I hadn’t the time to think about it because the nurse came back with another woman who was certainly the said-doctor.

“Glad to see that you’re back to us, Sergeant Barnes. I’m doctor Helen Cho, from the US Army”, she introduced herself. “I’m gonna examine your arm, I need to see how the wound heals”, she lifted my sleeve and removed the bandage from the stump. “It’s really clear and it seems to heal well. I’ll have to take a look at the scars on your chest too. That bomb hit you pretty badly.”

The nurse helped her to remove the hospital gown and I saw what lied underneath.

“This is really good”, Doctor Cho said, while looking closely. “You’re healing really well. You’re going back home really soon. I managed to make you enter a program I’m supervising, it’s a program which will give you a prosthetic arm. Did you call your family back there to say you were awake ? Your girlfriend ?”

“My friend, Captain Steve Rogers, is calling them right now. How do you know that I have a girlfriend ?”, I asked, confused.

“You said a girl’s name, Y/N, during your sleep once when I came and check on you, Captain Rogers said she was your girlfriend. She’s gonna be relieved when she’ll know that you’re awake and fine.”

“Yeah, I’m really fine, I’m missing an arm, but I’m fine…”, I mumbled.

“Don’t worry Sergeant, as soon as you have a foot on the US soil, you’ll be taken care of my program and given a brand-new arm and your life will be as it was before, except that you’ll be off the army. Congratulations Sergeant Barnes, that wound makes a free man of you. Rest a little and in less than a week, you’ll be back home.”

With those words, she left the room, the nurse on her heels.

She didn’t lie, four days later, I was on a plane, on the way back home, Steve next to me. I was wearing a loose hoodie to hide my stump. During the time I was in the military hospital my hair grew and so did my stubble. I’m unrecognizable, I don’t look like the man that left anymore. I’m someone else. I’ve seen so much during those last few months, in addition of my missing arm, and I wasn’t a fool, I knew at the moment that the only thing that made me sleep well were the medications I took for my injuries. When the plane landed, I asked Steve if we could wait to be the last to go out, I didn’t want to blend in with the crowd, I wanted to go outside, quietly, without anyone to look at me. He accepted and asked one of the air hostess if it was possible. She answered that it was, and we looked at the plane becoming slowly empty.

“Ready ?”, Steve asked when every soul were out.

“What if I say no, will I be allowed to stay here forever ?”

“I don’t think so Buck. It’s your decision. But I know a bunch of people that would be disappointed and worrier if you don’t get your ass out of that plane. One of them especially”, he said.

“Y/N”, I whispered.

“Y/N indeed”, he repeated. “I know your folks are impatient to see you too. Your mom says it’s not good for you to be alone and withdrawn. She says no one is going to let you down.”

Steve got up and thanked the air hostess before I did too and put my hood on my head, nodding to the girl who sadly smiled at me. When we passed the terminal door, my whole family, plus Peggy, Y/N and Logan stood there. My father got my luggage back, and he was standing aside with Logan. Steve passed by me and ran to Peggy and took her in his arms, before kissing her lips passionately.

“I missed you, I missed you so much”, she said, between kisses.

I paused before continuing to walk, my backpack on my right shoulder, hanging from my back. I looked around and saw my family. In the middle of the way, Y/N was standing there, still, tears in her eyes. I hesitated, but she didn’t, she started to walk straight to me and suddenly ran towards me, she threw her arms around my neck and I managed to stay steady despite our two weights. She buried her face in the crook of my neck and cried.

“I was so afraid that you didn’t come back.”

“I’m here now.”

“And I’m never gonna let you go again.”

I put her down on the ground and kissed her softly. I took her hand and we walked to mt family. My sisters and mother were crying too, my father just hugged me and Logan just nodded, but when I saw his eyes that he has been worried too, maybe more for his daughter than for me, but still worried.

During the next month, I received the papers from doctor Cho’s program and even if I wasn’t really into it, Y/N insisted for me to have that intervention and take advantage of the free program, even if it was only at it’s beginning. I had physical tests, psychological ones too, the doctors said I better find a shrink in New York. My sleep was less good without the med, but I figured it out that having my girlfriend’s hot body sleeping next to me helped soothe me, despite the nightmares. After another month of test and appointment at the therapist, I was admitted in the program. Y/N took her vacations and came with me and in less time than I realized, I had a brand-new arm, metal one. I wasn’t armless anymore, but still so damaged.

After that, our lives went back to normal. I get used to my new arm, went to the shrink three times a week, started to work as a geography teacher in a junior high. And then there we were, five months ago.

One night after work, I was looking at the little velvet black box, containing a beautiful engagement right, I bought a few days before, in secret, that was hiding in my work backpack. I planned to ask Y/N to marry me Saturday night, I booked a table at the restaurant where we had our first date, and ordered for that night all her favorite meals. I heard the door opening, earlier than usual, and I ran to hide the box in my stuff.

“Hey doll, you’re here earlier tonight”, I said, going to her and kissing her lips. “You look sick and tired.”

“I felt bad today during the rehearsal. I have been nauseous, I wanted to throw up and I even faint. And you know Katie, she insisted for me to see a doctor, so she sent me to the hospital with Sharon and there they asked me a bunch of questions, take a sample of blood and did a test.”

“What’s going on ? Nothing serious ? Please, tell me, you’re stressing me right now doll.”

“I’m pregnant James”, she softly answered.

“Oh so that’s… What ?! Like… Like really ? We’re pregnant ?! We’re having a baby ?!”

“Yes, James we’re having a baby.”

“Oh my god, I love you so much”, I took her in my arms and started spinning with her in my arms. “Wait, I’m… I’m coming back !”

I put her down and ran to the bedroom, to pick up the ring in the pocket of my jacket. I came back in the room as fast as I left. Once in front of her, I put one knee down and look up to her, in those beautiful Y/E/C eyes.

“Y/N”, I breathed heavily, “for five years now you’re illuminating my life, I never thought that I would fall in love so quickly of someone who would take all of me, even after I lost an arm and had night terrors and PTSD, but you’re still here, and now, we have a little one on the way. I was supposed to do this on Saturday night but, I think I can’t wait, so… Y/N Howlett, will you do the honor of becoming my wife ?”

“Yes, yes, a thousand time yes !!!”, she nearly screamed knocking me down on the floor, peppering my face with kisses.

After that, we had a quiet night, having dinner and cuddling on the couch, absentmindedly watching TV.

“What do you think about Kayla if it’s a girl”, I stated, rubbing her not yet showing baby bump with my right hand.

“Kayla ? As my mom ?”, she asked.

“Yeah, as your mom”, I answered tightening my grip around her. “That would be a tribute to her. Except if your dad doesn’t agree with it.”

“I’m sure he would appreciate”, she answered, pecking the top of my nose.

The next day, we threw a little party with our respective parents and close friends, to announce them the two news. Everyone congratulated us, Logan a little smile dancing on his lips, he seems so proud and happy.

And then, it happened, four days ago, I don’t really know how it happened. I had trouble sleeping. I was turning over and over again. Suddenly, I felt a soft hand on my arm and someone was shaking me.

“Bucky, wake up. Baby, wake up, it’s just a bad dream. Nothing is real, it’s a nightmare. Bucky baby wake up”, Y/N’s voice was trying to sooth me.

I don’t know how it happened, but my left hand grabbed her throat and my fingers closed in on her skin.

“Bucky, stop it, it’s me”, she tried to say out of breath, but I didn’t hear her, still in my nightmare.

Her hands tried to push me away, but she didn’t manage to, I’m too strong and heavy.

“Bucky please”, she whispered one last time before her strength gave up.

My eyes shot up open and I saw her, barely breathing.

“Y/N, doll, say something.”

I shook her but she didn’t answer. Grabbing my phone, I called 911.

“911, what’s your emergency ?”

“I’m James Barnes, and I live at the 384 Bridge Street. It’s my fiancée, she… I had a crisis during my sleep and I strangled her. It… It was an accident, I’m a veteran and I have a PTSD, I didn’t know what I was doing. I…”

“Sir, sir, calm down”, the woman on the other side said. “Is she breathing ?”

“Yes, but, hardly”, I answered, tears falling from my eyes.

“Don’t worry mister Barnes, an ambulance is on its way to your home.”

I don’t know how much time passed in between the moment I hang up and the moment someone knocked the door. Two ambulance men dressed in their white uniforms came in with a stretcher. I showed them the way to the bedroom, and they took Y/N with them to the nearest hospital and let me sit next to her in the ambulance.

Once at the hospital, she was taken in charge by a doctor named Bruce Banner. He treated Y/N and intubated her to help the air in her lungs, saying the tube was there to help her breath normally again and that he would remove it in one or two days because she would be able to breathe by herself. He asked me how it happened, and I explained him everything.

“Don’t worry, this is not your fault mister Barnes. I know what PTSD is. I’ve treated many patients having it, my best friend was kidnapped by terrorists, and he has it too. I perfectly understand that it’s not your fault, James”, he said with a paternalistic tone, putting his hand on my shoulder, “I know it’s not. Did you let her family know ?”

“Her father, I… I have to call him”, I answered, remembering that I didn’t tell Logan yet, I was so panicked that I completely forgot about telling him that his only daughter was at the hospital, and moreover that she was because of me.

“Give me his number, I’m gonna call him. We transferred miss Howlett in her room, just go with her.”

I complied, I had nothing else to do after all. I must have fall asleep holding Y/N’s hand, because the next thing I remember is someone shaking me. When I opened my eyes and raised my head, Logan was standing there rage deforming his features.

“What happened”, he growled. “I wanna know, right here, right now what happened”, he demanded.

Without giving me a second to answer, he caught me by my collar and lifted me up.

“It’s an accident, I swear. I had a nightmare Logan. And you more than anyone must know what a PTSD is.”

He let me go, almost regretting his behavior.

“I’m sorry, and you’re right, I indeed know what is it.”

He sat on the other side of the bed, taking his daughter’s other hand and started waiting with me.

The next day, doctor Banner came and removed the intubation, saying Y/N was out of danger and that she would wake up, it was only a matter of days.

And that’s how it led to today and me keeping bringing all of this up. Logan left a few minutes ago to breathe some fresh air, and he’s probably smoking a cigar right now and Steve came to have some news. I’ve been thinking about what to do and already made up my mind.

“I’m gonna leave her as soon as she’s awake.”

“You can’t do that Buck, she loves you. She loves you more than anything in that world”, Steve states, his gaze traveling from Y/N’s motionless form to me.

“A monster like me doesn’t deserve to be loved”, I say calmly.

“Do you hear yourself ? Do you really think that if you really were a monster she would agree to marry you ? Do you really think that she would have want to have a baby with you ? Jeez, Bucky, how can you be so stupid ?!”

“I ruin everything I touch. How could she even thought that I was or could be the prince she dreamed of.”

“This is so stupid Buck, you’re not gonna abandon her and your baby to come. How do you think she’s gonna react when you’re going to tell her that you leave her ?”

“I’m gonna leave before she wakes up”, I end the conversation before Steve can say something else.

By the end of the day, Logan leaves again after telling me that he will come back tomorrow. That’s the moment I have to leave, tonight, while nobody else is here. It’s cruel, but it’s gonna be crueler if I stay and put Y/N in danger again and our baby too. It might seem selfish but I have to. I go down in the hospital shop, buy a card and flowers. I write my goodbyes on the card and put it next to her bed.

“I’m sorry my love, but I have to do this”, I say, putting down a kiss on her forehead, and rubbing her baby bump where the baby kicks when my hand touches the little bulge it makes.

“James, James”, Y/N’s voice came like a croak.

“Listen to me doll. I’m gonna let you go, I better let you go. I better set you free and give you up to find the prince you thought I was.”

Without saying another word and looking one last time, I go through the door and walk towards the hospital’s exit, and disappear into the night.

[libellule-ao3]

Life Links

10. Diego Caplan / Dance with the Death

Summary: After a delicate question from Jae, Diego remembers his last duel.

Rating: T+

⚠️ Warning⚠️: Canon-typical violence, death.

Chapter index - previous chapter (MC)- next chapter (Poppy Pomfrey)

A/N: At the time I wrote this (March 2021), Diego was portrayed very superficially in the game, the connection between the dance and the duel was unclear and I didn't like him very much (it's improved a bit since then). And yet, the chapter dedicated to him is one of my favourites in this series. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

“How did it feel?” says Jae as he lights a cigarette, lying on a deck chair facing the English Channel, shimmering under the moon. Inside the house, Chiara examines Penny, very weakened by months of deprivation and servitude.

Sitting on the ground, Diego dives into his memories, his eyes riveted on the sand that he lets slip through his fingers.

Triumphant Diego Caplan greets the jubilant crowd who chants his name and applauds his victory. The stronger the opponents, the better the show, the greater the glory of the winner, so Diego feels deep gratitude for the worthy duelists. They are partners who contribute to his legend. Caplan keeps his English championship crown and complacently poses for the front page of the Daily Prophet. A myriad of flashbulbs crackle. He runs a hand through his dark hair and gives a dazzling smile to the photographers... The hysterical audience shouts his name and reaches out to touch him. Diego savours this moment of glory, preceding another evening of unbridled sex washed down with champagne.

Suddenly, crazy shadows eclipse the lights of the arena. They move around, enveloping the crowd and blowing a wind of panic before spreading out along the walls. In an instant, death eaters block all the exits and one of them materializes, alone, in the arena. A mask preserves his anonymity. The only visible piece of flesh in a dark mass of loose clothing, a large hand clutches a fir wood wand. A tough, determined and intimidating character.

Diego’s smile fades. The wizard had expected this. They had warned him that this would happen. Diego Caplan’s resounding success has upset Voldemort and his followers. He represents everything that these supremacists abhor. He is a half-blood who fraternises with everyone, regardless of their extraction. That such a wretch should have the impudence to dominate such a demanding discipline of witchcraft is an affront to all purebloods! They cannot tolerate it. The champion has become a target to be slaughtered on the altar of their noxious propaganda.

In a sharp voice, the stranger demands a duel without delay, notwithstanding the fatigue of a man coming out of a confrontation. Completely disloyal, but any negotiation is futile. So the champion accepts the challenge of this challenger, whose malice vitiates the air like a poison. Then Diego focuses on his opponent. The world no longer exists. In his ear, his heartbeats the measure of the eternal refrain of his life, and his whole body prepares to dance.

The two wizards greet each other.

The duel is a subtle dance where you have to impose your rhythm on your opponent, so Diego takes the initiative. Both men use their magic. Attack, dodge, riposte, protection, feint, offensive, parry.

Usually, each movement improvises a complex choreography where the fighters become artists. Dance of life. Terrible as it may be, no one can deny the grace of a confrontation between two valiant and self-respecting fighters.

But there is no beauty in this raging dance, oozing hatred and contempt. Diego struggles to read the sequences of his opponent, whose wand whips through the air, casting spell after spell. Merciless. Disturbed by this outpouring of hatred which is foreign to him, Diego Caplan loses his rhythm. A misstep threatens.

The most unforgivable of spells is cast. The sorcerer nimbly dodges the impossible to parry spell. With horror, Diego sees in a morbid slow motion, the green lightning strikes a woman who falls dead, her face frozen in an eternal expression of fear. Dumbfounded, he becomes deaf to the terror of the audience taken hostage.

Then Diego understands. This is not a duel, a dance, or even a show of strength. It is an execution.

A shudder runs through him as his brown eyes take in the assembly of tense, tearful, trembling, or emotionless faces. One dodge and one of them will fall. The sorcerer resigns himself to the last will.

To look his first and last enemy straight in the eye.

The champion discovers the hard face of a fifty-year-old with a murderous aura, as inflexible as his wand. An emerald gaze devoid of pity pierces him.

What will the world remember about Diego Caplan? As an example of Pureblood superiority? Or a martyr who will exalt the spirit of those who oppose You-Know-Who? A final thought flies to his loved ones.

The fir wand moves without trembling, faster than the blink of an eye, while something inside him rises like a powerful and devastating groundswell. The rage to live. The man is lively. A privilege of youth, Diego is more so.

“Avada Kedavra!”

Death is a demanding dance partner who does not easily accept to be led. But Diego Caplan is a particularly skilled dancer.

The spell strikes in the chest. The enemy collapses. After a moment of stupefaction, when the entire room tries to understand, comes chaos. The ceiling of the arena collapses with a bang. Spells fly everywhere, shrill cries are heard, and wizards flee. Taking advantage of the confusion, Talbott Winger, Auror and Voldemort's opponent, grabs his arm and drags him out of the arena to teleport them to safety.

Then, under the aegis of Annie and Jae, he joins Chiara in France. The lycanthrope needs a benevolent guardian during the full moon and he needs the balm of a kind-hearted friend. It is an obvious choice to bring these two exiles together.

“Well, Diego? How did it feel to kill someone?”

Diego returns to the present time and watches the smuggler make smoke rings with his mouth. Jae keeps his thoughts to himself, but he is afraid for Annie, who evacuated him against his will to save him. He fears she will be scarred forever by war and Death. Diego understands all this better than anyone, but his friend doesn't need to know everything.

After a few months, he can say without lying. “It doesn’t matter, since in the end necessity has erased everything.”

Jae frowns, puzzled. “Even if it was Barnaby’s father?”

[indigobackfire]

🌻🌿 Summary 🌿🌻

(Not exactly Faceclaims but the closest for now.)

(Profiles might be a lil outdated...)

Indigo Silverwood

Tag

Profile / 2.0

Ship tags: Barnago or Indigo×Barnaby

Fankid: Oberon S Lee, Sawyer Silverwood Lee.

Phoenix Nobleworth

Tag

Profile

Ship tags: Menix or Ismelda×Phoenix

Fankid: Rosalyn Murk , Maxwell Nobleworth , Vesper Silverwood.

Aspen Samwise

Tag

Profile

Ship tags: Daspen or Aspen×Diego

Fankid: Davina Caplan Samwise.

Achilles Shepherd

Tag

Profile

Udelia Ripley

Tag

Profile

...

Fankids Birthdays

My personal Citric Scale for tagging fics.

Valentine's Day Writing Challenge Index

Sideblogs:

@silveryteeth (twilight)

@beedreamscape (aes and other fandoms)

@botheredbeewitched (HPHL and 19th century aes)

Tagging Guide under 💖

My writing (mostly) tagged #beezwritez

My Art tagged #mi artita

My collages are usually tagged #aesthetic

My poetry tag is simply #my poetry

Picrews as, well, #picrew

Some memes under #meme

Headcanons tagged as such or #hc stuff

Thoughts under #thoughts or #rambling

Asks I sent under #ask of mine

[the-al-chemist]

💄🔥⛄️

For Artemis, Ethel, Ophelia, and a character of your choice

Thanks for the ask, Kate! 💛 I’m going to choose my new girl Saff today, because I’ve not answered any asks for her before!

💄 APPEARANCE

Artemis - Artemis has never put much effort into her appearance, to the point that she didn’t regularly brush her hair from the age of 8 until the age of 12. Even then, until she was about 15, it was pretty much only Penny that brushed it. As an adult, she is much better at taking care of herself, but she still manages to look scruffy in pretty much all situations.

Ethel - Ethel likes to have her hair back off her face so that it’s out of her way. Unfortunately, she is forever losing hair ribbons, so she has to keep a supply of them on her at all times.

Ophelia - Ophelia put on a LOT of weight in her first year at Hogwarts, it being the first time in her life she had ever been able to eat proper meals that tasted good and filled her up, as multiplying food magically decreases the nutritional value and taste. She got a bit teased for her gluttony, after which point she started to rein it in.

Saffron - Saffron was very blonde as a child, to the point of being almost white-haired, but as she got older it darkened to a more honey blonde colour. As an adult, it is almost mousey brown in the winter, but goes blonde in the summer.

🔥 DISLIKES

Artemis - can we just point out the irony of the flame being a symbol for dislikes for Artemis? Anyway, I digress. Artemis dislikes Diego Caplan. She can’t deal with people being overly flirtatious, and he is. He really is.

Ethel - Ethel is a big supporter of her local Quidditch team, the Chudley Cannons. She doesn’t like the fact that they just keep slipping further and further down the league each season. Honestly, someone needs to have a word with their manager. She’d do it, but she’s too busy sparring with Lysander.

Ophelia - Ophelia hates it when the girls in her dormitory talk about how tough their lives are. Like, she is so sorry that your new coin purse isn’t pretty enough to hold all your gold, Caro. Ugh.

Saffron - Saffy doesn’t like it when people laugh at her. She shrugs it off, and she’s not going to change for anyone, but even so. It’s unkind. People shouldn’t be unkind to others, because every single person in this world is a miracle.

⛄️ SEASONAL

Artemis - one Christmas when she was five and he was fifteen, Artemis’ older brother Jacob challenged her to see who could eat the most cauliflower cheese. Artemis won the contest, but was violently sick afterwards. She still cannot eat cauliflower cheese.

Ethel - Ethel LOVES the Christmas season. She is a terrible impulse buyer, however, and will spend far too much money on extravagant (and sometimes bizarre) gifts for her loved ones. As an adult, she sees Christmas as an excuse for parties and get-togethers, and her social calendar is rammed at this time of the year.

Ophelia - Ophelia never went home for Christmas whilst she was at Hogwarts, because she didn’t want her mother to have to struggle unduly. Because of the effect multiplying food has on the taste, Ophelia’s mother refused to do it at Christmas, and Ophelia didn’t want to either be another mouth for her to feed, or the reason that her siblings can’t have as much food as they’d like. She never told her mother this, of course. Instead, she would write home to say what a wonderful time she was having with her girlfriends.

Saffron - Saffron sees herself as being incredibly lucky to have two very different Christmasses each year. Her mother, Anthea, doesn’t celebrate Christmas itself, instead she celebrates the winter solstice. There are no presents involved, but the two of them (along with whatever guests Anthea has invited) adorn themselves with wreaths of holly and ivy and make an altar with items that bring them joy. They light candles and burn incense and stay up overnight to watch the candles burn. At daybreak they dab citrus oil on their acupoints and dance outside as the sun rises. Saff loves the solstice, but does miss the presents and the gingerbread. Thankfully, her beloved dad is there to ensure that she gets a traditional Christmas too, complete with vegan roast dinner, Love Actually, and lots of presents - even for the bunnies.

Caro belongs to @lifeofkaze and Lysander belongs to @slytherindisaster

[carewyncromwell]

Hi guys! I thought I’d start this HPHM AU Ships Challenge, just for funsies! Feel free to steal and pass it along, if thou dost wish!

Tagging @dat-silvers-girl, @annabelle-tanaka-official, @angellazull, @lifeofkaze, @samshogwarts, @drinkyoursoupbitch, @kc-needs-coffee, @cursed-ice-spirits​, @thatravenpuffwitch​, @cursebreaker-lilith​, @cursebreakerfarrier​, and @cursebreakerelmswood​! 💖💛💙💚

What HPHM characters (or MCs) could you see your MC dating, in an AU? What would their relationship be like? Why did you ultimately decide not to go with that ship, or do you still hold a torch for it?

My answers for my girl Carewyn are under the cut!!

(Sorry, I couldn’t resist starting with a recycled doodle of my canon ship, the HMS Carion. 🥰)

Andre Egwu

Alright, right off the bat, we should discuss Carewyn’s canon ex, Andre. Carewyn and Andre attended the Celestial Ball and dated until their fifth year, breaking up right after the All-Wizard tournament. Fortunately despite their break-up, they’ve stayed on good terms and still greatly respect each other -- but truthfully, I never intended for them to be a long-term match in any universe. If you’d like to read more about why Carewyn/Andre didn’t work out, you can consult this analysis, but to put it very simply, Andre was someone Carewyn admired deeply, but couldn’t ever be completely herself around. And from a personal perspective, my parents are one of those rare couples who remained friends even after divorcing, and I’ve always found their relationship really fascinating, as no one can deny they do still sincerely love and admire each other, even if it’s no longer romantically. Carewyn and Andre know each other in a way no one else does, so it gives their friendship a depth that it didn’t have before -- so unlike with a lot of relationships, their bond actually strengthened after they broke up, rather than falling apart. 

Bill Weasley 

In Carewyn’s canon, Bill ends up becoming Carewyn’s best friend. Although at the start, their relationship had much more of a surrogate big brother/little sister dynamic, over time the two ended up on much more equal terms, both as Cursebreaker partners and as unofficial “parents” for the rest of their friend group. Bill is Carewyn’s right-hand man both while dealing with the Cursed Vaults and while leading the Circle of Khanna, and even though Carewyn wants nothing to do with Cursebreaking after dealing with the Vaults, she’ll still drop everything to help Bill with his work, should he need her. Bill is the one who came up with the nickname “Carey” for Carewyn, and he’s also arguably the friend who understands Carewyn best after the death of Rowan, given the similarities in their personalities and how long they’ve known each other. I actually did write out a post guessing what a romantic relationship between these two might’ve been like if they’d become a thing, but honestly, I’ve never really shipped these two. Carewyn may not be entirely based on me (she’s got elements of my mum too), but one aspect of the wish fulfilment for me early on was that my girl could have a ride-or-die best friend like Ron was for Harry in the original Potter books. In the end, that friend ended up being Bill, Ron’s eldest brother and a character I loved when I first read the books and only became fonder of through the game. And honestly, we could really use more sincerely loving, but completely platonic male-female friendships that never bump up against romance!!

Talbott Winger

Talbott and Carewyn are truly “birds of a feather,” though one would never know it based on their respective masks. Talbott is the sort to put a gruff facade on to hide his more sensitive feelings, while Carewyn is the sort to put on a pretty face to hide her angrier and sadder feelings. Underneath, though, they both are stubborn, intelligent, and distrustful people with a strong desire to fight evil and a creative spirit. After becoming an Animagus, Carewyn would frequently fly around the school grounds with Talbott in robin form, singing songs for both herself and Talbott, and even though Talbott teased her about it, he did sincerely enjoy it. Carewyn loves reading Talbott’s poetry, and Talbott is also one of the few people who can get Carewyn to laugh a lot, since their senses of humor line up really well. Last but not least, they become a lawyer and an Auror post-Hogwarts, so they end up working together A LOT, especially post-War. I did write a prompt once about what a Talbott/Carewyn romance would be like, and I admit, I could see them being a relatively good couple, particularly since I headcanon both of them as being on the ace spectrum. That being said, though, I ultimately didn’t go with Talbott for Carewyn for two reasons. One, I thought they’d be too similar in a lot of ways (most notably, they’re way too friggin’ serious -- give each of these two some sunshine, will you??) -- and two, on a much more superficial note, Talbott was so popular that I kind of hesitated before having Carewyn ask him out. (Plus come on, for that date, how much of a b*tch would you have to be to break Andre’s heart and then snatch up an outfit he made for you to wear on a date with his dormmate?! Just -- COME ON.)

Chiara Lobosca

When I first started playing HPHM, I strongly considered shipping my girl with Chiara, once she broke up with Andre. From the moment Chiara and Carewyn met, Carewyn just knew she had to know Chiara better, and that ended up being because -- thanks to her latent Legilimency potential -- she could subconsciously sense that Chiara and she were similar in a lot of ways. Most importantly, Chiara was very lonely and desperately longed for a friend, which reminded Carewyn of how lonely her pre-Hogwarts life was, especially after Jacob disappeared. Once Carewyn earned Chiara’s trust, Carewyn proved herself to be a very loyal friend, even learning how to become a robin Animagus so she could keep Chiara company and cheer her up with twittered songs during full moons. Both Carewyn and Chiara are sensitive “Healer” type personalities (though Chiara is a bit more literal of one) who fight against their own crippling self-loathing to try to nurture others. This, in the end, though, is why I hesitated on making them official and why I’m ultimately glad I didn’t. Like Talbott, Chiara in some ways is too similar to Carewyn, and I think in a romantic relationship, they wouldn’t grow as much as people through their interactions. I did come up with quite a few ideas about what their relationship might be like -- but ultimately I couldn’t help but feel that Carewyn’s happy ending couldn’t just be about peace, but about finding someone who could challenge and contrast her.

Diego Caplan

This  started off as a crack ship for me before actually gaining some legs and becoming Chiara/Carewyn’s main opponent, when it came to my debate with myself regarding Carewyn’s romantic future. In contrast to Chiara, Diego is pretty much Carewyn’s complete opposite. Carewyn is a planner. Diego is spontaneous. Carewyn is meticulous. Diego is flirtatious. Carewyn is serious. Diego is anything but. Carewyn is ace. Diego I headcanon as pan. And yet they both have their romantic and creative sides and are both seasoned fighters and loyal friends. Diego would definitely be able to bring some levity to Carewyn’s life, while Carewyn could bring some grounding to Diego’s. Diego even has a cute little nickname for Carewyn from their time in the Circle of Khanna: “general!” In short, these two would be perfect leads in a rom-com chick flick. But this, ultimately, ended up being why I hesitated on making them official and why I’m ultimately glad I didn’t. Diego/Carewyn is a ship that could really only bloom and blossom under fair conditions, and I had trouble seeing Diego being equipped to deal with Carewyn’s darker emotions or even her more intellectual bent. Just like with Chiara, I came up with plenty of ideas about how these two could be as a couple -- but I really felt as though Carewyn needed more than just “fun” as a happy ending. And ultimately, this conflict between peace VS fun ended up coming to an end when I discovered Carewyn/Orion, as Orion could provide Carewyn with both.

Jae Kim

Okay, honestly? When I first encountered Jae as a character, I didn’t think he and Carewyn would have anything in common, but in a weird way, they sort of subvert their respective house’s stereotype by exhibiting values from the other’s house! Gryffindors are seen as these rash, reckless, show-off hero types, but Jae showcases a lot of Slytherin-worthy cleverness, resourcefulness, and disregard for rules and what others think of him. Slytherins are seen as these cold, cruel, ambitious villain types, but Carewyn showcases a lot of Gryffindor-worthy courage, nobility, and selflessness. And so even though Jae is generally a rulebreaker and Carewyn is generally a rule-follower, when circumstances made it ideal for them to be on good business terms (namely, working in detention together and Carewyn needing an ally who knows Knockturn Alley and Jae needed an ally who was a Prefect), they soon found a lot of common ground. Add to that how much Carewyn encourages Jae’s cooking talent while respecting his privacy, and it’s little wonder that post-Hogwarts, when Jae opens up his own pub on the border of Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley, the two still meet up very frequently to swap news from their respective corners of the world. I admittedly don’t know how well Carewyn’s job as a magical lawyer would be conducive to her being anything other than friends with Jae, and I don’t think they’d ultimately have many interests in common, so I do much prefer them as friends, but their dynamic is full of fun contrasts! 

Ben Copper

Hahaha, oh god. So. Obviously Ben in-game is still very polarizing, but in my canon, Ben and Carewyn’s relationship is really complex and honestly one of my absolute favorite friendships for my girl. Ben was one of Carewyn’s very first friends, so he -- like Rowan, Bill, and Penny -- knows Carewyn in a way few others do. He befriended her before she became known as the poised, perfect Slytherin “Mama Bear,” but unlike her other friends, he was a bit disappointed by her abrupt transformation between her third and fourth years. While those like Bill, Penny, and Andre saw it as Carewyn coming into her own, Ben noticed how much Carewyn put herself “over” the rest of her friends, becoming their protector more than their equal, and Ben lamented it, disliking how he felt like a responsibility to Carewyn more than her friend. But Ben kept those feelings inside, not knowing how to properly express them when he did still cherish Carewyn’s friendship. After the events in the Portrait Vault, Ben went through his own dramatic change, and Carewyn sure enough didn’t end up liking it any better than Ben had liked hers. But ultimately the two had a heart-to-heart and realized that they both had become very different people than the kids who’d befriended each other in first year. After Rowan’s death and the formation of the Circle of Khanna, the two reforged their friendship on more equal terms. I did actually write out an AU roleplay where Ben and Carewyn’s confrontation in Jacob’s room ended up hinting Ben/Carewyn, but I ultimately think that the people they ultimately become are way too different to be a great romantic match. It makes their friendship fascinating, as it makes you wonder how such a tall, suspicious, reckless Gryffindor ever befriended such a poised, methodical, lady-like Slytherin...but even if they do feel a lot of deep platonic love for each other and I personally headcanon Ben being on the ace spectrum like Carewyn, I ultimately think they’d have very different dreams in mind for their future and would each need something different in a romantic partner. 

Barnaby Lee

Barnababy!! 💚 Yeah, Barnaby Lee is my personal favorite HPHM character, and yet I have never really shipped him seriously with Carewyn, even though I love their relationship and could see potential chemistry. Barnaby and Carewyn are both amazingly sensitive, loyal, and modest Slytherins with a love of magical creatures and a strong sense of honor, but they also contrast each other in some fun ways too. Carewyn may put on a happy face a lot, but she’s actually rather pessimistic. Barnaby’s unblinkingly optimistic and he wouldn’t even dream of putting on a mask to hide his feelings. Then of course there’s the fact that Carey-Bear is this tiny and rather physically weak thing, while Barnaby is a perfectly dashing tank. 😂 Barnaby and Carewyn are both protective of each other, as seen by Barnaby throwing himself in front of Carewyn to shield her from an Imperiused Rowan’s spell and Carewyn verbally tearing into Ismelda when she learned she planned to use a Love Potion on him. Barnaby was the one who really taught Carewyn about how deceiving appearances can be, and Carewyn was the one who really taught Barnaby about how generous and selfless friendship could be, so they both respect each other a lot. For all that respect, though, there’s a significant slant to their relationship. Carewyn supports Barnaby emotionally infinitely more than she would ever let him support her, so their dynamic comes across as very “mother/son”-like rather than complete equals. Plus, honestly, I think Barnaby and Carewyn’s dreams for their respective futures -- namely, to be a magizoologist traveling the world and to be a magical lawyer for the Ministry of Magic -- don’t match up in the least bit. I could also see Barnaby wanting a large family, and Carewyn has no interest in bearing children herself and would prefer a quieter home life. 

[kjs-s]

This is just a reminder for me that i have 3 fics planned for this. Hopefully by the end of September I will finish them.

BrokenHearts4Caplan Challenge

**ignore the graphic, i did it in literally two minutes lol.

So it's been a little while since i hosted a challenge, and since my last one sadly flopped, i ran a poll over sometime, and an angst challenge won the poll. (don't worry, im still gonna do the other writing challenge soon!)

But on the note! here's the newest challenge for you all!

----------

Rules:

It’s not necessary to follow me, but it’s always appreciated.

There are no deadlines, but please keep me updated on your fics.

Tag the fic #brokenheartsforcaplan

Also tag me in the authors notes (along with the hashtag so I know which Masterlist to place the fic when I post it)

Please tag the proper warnings before the fic

Must be MCU characters only

prompts are all up for grabs. they will not be crossed out if taken

No RPFs

If you’d like to write for more than one prompt, please make them separate fics

Can be however long you’d like the fic to be. (If it’s more than 450 words PLEASE use the keep reading feature.

If I do not respond to your fic being posted in 24hours of you posting the fic, please message me a link.

Send me an ask or a DM with your prompt and the character you’re writing for.

Prompts are down below

“I can’t pretend to love you anymore.”

“Please don’t do this.”

“I loved you, with every fiber of my being. And this is how you return the love?”

“Why don’t you trust me?”

“This can’t be goodbye.”

“Don’t come back ever again.”

“First time seeing a dead body, eh?”

“Please don’t walk out.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“We were never meant to be.”

“I just wanted to be enough for you.”

“I don’t forgive you.”

“Stop saying sorry! It’s always ‘I’m sorry’. When you really aren’t!”

“Get up and fight, you coward!”

“I know you’re lying.”

“I’m so stupid to think we had something.”

“You never cared about me.”

“This isn’t working…”

“I can’t believe you thought this was real.”

“No. We can’t… we are too toxic for each other.”

“Why me..?”

“Us? There was never an ‘us’.”

“No, we can’t- we can't do this.”

“Someone might see us- stop.”

"... What else am I supposed to do?"

“Where else can I go?”

“What do you mean, you’re dying?”

“How could you do this to me?”

“You were never supposed to survive that mission!”

“Leave them; they’re mine!"

“Did you really mean that? you don’t love me?”

“If you don’t love me, prove it to me. prove to me that you’ve never felt something towards me. look at me.”

” Is this what you wanted, huh? you could just make me fall in love with you and then just- just fucking leave? do you really expect me to be okay with that?”

“I wish we had more time.”

“This isn’t the real you talking.”

"Freedom is just a concept, isn't it?"

"I'm not some toy you can play with!"

“Don’t you love me?”

“What did you expect me to say?”

“This will be the last time you lie to me.”

“How did you think this wouldn’t hurt me?”

“I hope you're happier.”

“At least you got what you wanted.”

“I was miserable, and I still loved you.”

“Stop pretending. You wanted me like this… You wanted me broken and you got what you wanted.”

“You don’t own me.”

“I was nothing to you. I was only a toy for you to manipulate and I fell for it.”

“I spent so much time hoping you’d come back to me.”

"You mean nothing to me."

“If I leave, you will never see me again.”

“Don’t – Don’t make me fall in love again.”

“No, please, I don't want to die!”

“Why can’t you be happy for me for once?”

“We shouldn’t be together anymore. I’m supposed to hate you.”

“Why would you do this to us?”

“How could I be so oblivious.”

“Why did I even think I could be enough for you?”

“I needed to hold you once more.”

“I don’t understand... Wha- what are you saying...”

“I don’t want to say something I’ll regret later.”

“Haha! You think I love you? That’s pathetic.”

“What the fuck do you mean, you killed him?”

“You don’t get to leave and then come back after all this time and expect me to welcome you with open arms.”

[americasass81]

!!WARNING:- 18+ ADULT CONTENT. BY CLICKING ANY TITLE BELOW YOU ARE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT YOU ARE OVER 18 AND CONSENT TO VIEWING THE CONTENT INCLUDED.!!

YOUR MEDIA CONSUMPTION IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY SO PLEASE READ ALL THE WARNINGS PROVIDED.

NO REPOSTING (rewriting, copying or translating on another platform claiming it’s your’s or saying I gave you my explicit permission. I didn’t). If you see my work anywhere other than my Tumblr please let me know.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:- The idea behind the below stories is that the non-reader character is left vague so that those reading might imagine their own person . . . either male or female.

################################

Basement Lovers (dark)

Synopsis:- Coming across a strange body in the basement of an abandoned mansion you quickly discover not all myths belong to the past.

Total Word Count:- 4,052

📝Written for @caplanbuckybarnes Titles For Caplan Writing Challenge.

################################

In Still of Night (dark-ish)

Synopsis:- Can one night's pleasure from a mystery stranger be the answer to your dreams or a nightmare you never wake up from?  Well it seems only time will tell.

Total Word Count:- 1,805

[slytherin-puffskein]

@cervo-live-in-arts here it is ! I really struggled with that one, writing over-complicated scenarios and then deleting them, but then I thought... who said this had to be complicated ?

* * *

Barnaby Lee absolutely loved complimenting Laurent King.

Whether it be the most simple thing, or the most poetic sentence he has ever said in his entire life, he loved covering his Lau with words filled with admiration and then seeing his reaction.

His cheeks getting redder, his smile slowly but surely showing up, his eyes awkwardly looking down as he registers what just happened... Barnaby finds all of these small quirks absolutely adorable, and so, he swore himself to keep complimenting his boyfriend... as cheesy and as mushy and as lovey dovey as it may possibly sound. He didn’t care about what other people might think. The only that mattered to him was Lau’s joy... and if he could make him happy, then everything was perfect.

With that in mind, he quietly strolled inside of the potions classroom, and oh, there he was. Laurent Dorian King, focusing on his notes with his nose all scrunched up in concentration. Seeing this, Barnaby immediately

( Merlin, he’s so, so cute )

smiled, and trotted towards his lover, humming softly and sitting next to him.

“Well, if that isn’t the prettiest man of Hogwarts !”

As soon as Lau heard that, he immediately knew who he was with: Barnaby Lee. Only him could be that mushy... and that adorable. Immediately, he started to smile, but managed to keep his eyes on his notes. The class hasn’t started yet, so they still had time to fool around together.

“Well hello, Barnaby Lee” Lau replied. “In a good mood, I see ?”

“Always, when I am with you~”

In order to be as intense as his boyfriend, Lau dramatically let out an overjoyed exclamation, and clasped his hands together in glee, just like a little schoolgirl who had just been noticed by the prettiest, most popular boy.

“Oh, how happy I am, to hear such kind words ! It’s too much, really~”

And immediately, Barnaby guessed what Lau exactly wanted.

A cheesiness battle.

The rules were simple, really. Whoever blushes first, loses. Barnaby straightened his back, and shot his most charming smile at his boyfriend.

“Your joy is mine, because seeing you happy is the best thing ever...”

“You’re starting to sound like Caplan” Lau giggled. “At this rate, we’re going to be even flirtier than him”

“Is that a challenge, Lau ?” Barnaby asked, wiggling his eyebrows. “Because you know I looove challenges...”

“Oh, but so do I ! And if I win, I can be very, very generous...”

Was he offering Barnaby kisses if he let him win that cheesiness battle ? Probably... but Barnaby wasn’t going to let Lau bribe him that easily. Immediately, he cupped Lau’s face, and stared at him with the most goofiest smile.

“Oh, where are you, love of my life ? My, my ! Here you are, as beautiful as I pictured ! Maybe even more... and how glad I am to have him by my side, to be able to comfort him, to be able to hug him, to kiss him, to love him... it is the greatest honour”

And, despite how terribly mushy all of this sounded, Lau started to blush... and immediately, Barnaby started laughing, slowly letting it turn into a roar of victory.

“I win ! I win, I win ! I’m the best at this, right ? Ri-”

But before Barnaby could brag anymore, Lau had captured him into a kiss, one that caught him off guard and made him shiver... and, as Lau noticed when he finally pulled away, blushed.

“Well... you had to use tons of pickup lines to get to me. I kiss you once, and you’re as red as a tomato~”

Giggles bubbled out of Barnaby’s lips, and he gently petted Lau’s hair.

“That’s cheating !! Which obviously means you deserve a punishment. No caramel pudding tonight !”

Which, of course, was a lie... but Lau’s face has been absolutely priceless. They couldn’t keep on goofing, though, as an exasperated Merula yelled at them to shut up.

[firstdegreefangirl]

March 2023 Reading Wrap-Up

(A few days late, but finally here!)

Total books read: 6 

Total pages read: 2,152 

Days read: 27/31 

Average star rating: 3.79/5 

Challenge Prompts Filled: 14 in March; 33 total. Popsugar: 4(10)/40. Romanceopoly: 5(10)/36. CRAD: 1(3)/12. BTBL: 4(11)/52 

Mini reviews under the cut!

Unpregnant by Jenna Hendriks and Ted Caplan 

⭐⭐⭐⭐(¼) 

Me, sitting down for “a few minutes” to read on my night off work. Then, also me, closing the back cover like 90 minutes later. Once this story got under way, I was hooked. The pacing was perfect for a weekend-long, time-crunched road trip. I loved watching Ronnie rebuild her friendship with Bailey and rediscover the person she should have been all along. The only thing I might have changed was waning to see Kevin face just a few more consequences for how he kickstarted the story, but that’s Ronnie’s choice to make and I’m glad she reclaimed her agency from him. When I picked this one up from the 50 cent library sale rack, I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect from an “abortion road trip,” but this was laugh out loud funny in places, and just perfectly heartwarming in others. All of that said, Albuquerque is too far from Missouri, which was … kind of the point.  

Challenge Prompts: Beat the Backlist – Featuring travel (time optional) 

The Donut Trap by Julie Tieu 

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

This was really cute! I love second-chance romance, and the missed connections element made it even more interesting to me. It was really fun getting to watch Jasmine and Alex get to know each other for who they are, not just the images they’d built up in their heads. That said, I wasn’t a huge fan of the ex-boyfriend arc, or Alex being really jealous when Jas interacted with her ex, even though she assured him more than once that there wasn’t anything there. They were friends first, they run in the same social group, they’re going to cross paths here and there. There was some excellent personal growth, though, seeing Jas learn to go after what she wants and do things for herself. The PR/marketing angle was really fun, as someone who took a few classes and dabbled there in college, and who doesn’t love a book about donuts? (Note: as I’m writing this review like two weeks after I read the book, I’m realizing that it was cute, but largely forgettable. It’s a light, fluffy romance, but nothing that totally changed my life. Good read, definitely recommend it, but a lot of the details and such have already slipped my memory. VIVID memories of the Dodgers cap scene, though, if that sways anyone’s opinions.) 

Prompts filled: Romanceopoly – Has yellow on the cover 

What if It's Us? by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera 

⭐⭐⭐ 

OK, first of all, as a proud Broadway fan, I’m ashamed to admit how long it took me to realize that the title and the section titles are all from Dear Evan Hansen lyrics. I should have caught on right away, that’s my show, but WOW did I miss that one. That said, this has been on my TBR for ages, but it’s longer than some of the other books, so I kept putting it off. I’m glad I finally pulled it out, even if it was my slowest/longest read for the month. The pacing was just about perfect, and I love the MCs. Liiiiiiitle weird for me because I know close friends irl with the names of two of the characters, but that’s a personal issue and I don’t expect it to be universally relatable. No fault of the authors that they named the characters after my friends. Again with the missed connections romances, but this one took a fun and literal spin on it for the first section of the book. It’s been a minute since I’ve thought about CL missed connections ads, but it was so much fun watching the characters try to find each other in all of NYC. And once they did, I loved getting to follow along as they navigated summer romance and that instant connection they felt to one another. The ending was beautiful, if heart-wrenching, but it helped me to know that there’s a sequel to follow up on where things left off. And I loved how chock-full it was of musical references and New York City through the eyes of someone experiencing that part of the world for the first time.  

Prompts filled: Popsugar – A book with a song lyric as the title; Romanceopoly – M/M romance; BTBL – Multiple POVs 

Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour 

⭐⭐⭐(½) 

I judge books by their covers. I’ll say it. Especially when they’re at the dollar store so it’s a low-risk investment. The text on the cover of this one was/is SO PRETTY, and I loved the premise of “you have to do something epic this summer,” without any elaboration on what that something might be. The MCs are all freshly graduated from high school, but honestly they read enough like adults that this didn’t feel particularly YA except where it was specifically mentioned. It walked a very neat line between “handles real-world issues with characters who feel like real people” and “fluffy romance novel” that can be a hard balance to strike. I related so hard to Emi looking for the perfect couch, as someone who will get clear visions of what I’m trying to find and refuse to settle for anything less. Ava’s story is heartbreaking and beautiful, and I loved watching Emi and Charlotte try to navigate their differences from her with tact and compassion, even when they didn’t always understand what she’d been through. (Also, it’s not likely to fit better anywhere else in this review, so I’ll just point it out here: I’m picturing Clyde as Sam Elliot, and I will not be accepting constructive criticism at this time or ever.) I don’t know a lot about the inner workings of Hollywood and/or the film industry, but I really enjoyed the behind the scenes look at indie films. The ending stressed me out; there was a point where I remember clearly thinking that there was no way they’d be able to wrap everything up in the number of pages that were left, but everything felt nicely paced and the falling action wasn’t rushed. Very cute, less fluffy than other books I’ve read but not in a way that made it feel hard to digest. There were a few parts where I didn’t feel very invested in what came next, which is where the stars got knocked off, but all things considered, I enjoyed this one. 

Prompts filled: Romanceopoly – Ever Afters St/Sapphic romance; Popsugar – A book about or set in Hollywood; BTBL – This house is alive (or at least very important) 

A Million Little Things by Susan Mallery 

⭐⭐⭐(½) 

As we know, I love Susan Mallery. By and large, she writes a great blend of women’s lit and romance, all in the same story. This was a fun read, for sure, but fell a little flat for me compared to some of her others. Mostly, I think she tried to do too much with characters who spent too much time apart. The book follows three women, two best friends and one of the friends’ mothers, but for large portions of the story they’re not really on speaking terms with each other. It made the different storylines feel disjoined and distant from one another. All three stories were interesting, but I think they might have been better served separately, or at least with clearer distinguishments between the different POVs. Pam is a complicated woman and I liked watching her actively fight against her internal biases (for the record: pictured her as Wendie Malick). Jen’s growth was tangible, and her ending tugged at my heartstrings. And I LOVE Zoe. It was so rewarding to see her grow into herself as an adult and learn to take charge of her own life. Even when some of the people in her world didn’t support her, she never wavered on her own beliefs, and that’s an admirable sort of conviction. The ending felt abrupt, though. Jen’s storyline was resolved pretty completely, but everyone else’s seemed to be left more open/ambiguious -- which isn’t necessarily a bad way to end a story, but it left things feeling a little unbalanced between the three MCs. All in all, Mallery is still one of, if not my favorite author, but there are other books of hers that I’d recommend over this one.  

Prompts Filled: BTBL – Family drama; Romanceopoly – Spring/secret pregnancy; Popsugar: Book about a family 

Just My Type by Falon Ballard 

⭐⭐⭐(½) 

I love this one! What an excellent impulse purchase at Target, even if I came home from the store and remembered that I’d already been approved for the ARC and forgotten to read it before publication. Everything from the bright purple color to the journalism-themed second-chance love story felt like it was catered perfectly to my tastes, and once I made it into the story, I was excited to find out that I was right! The characters feel so real and authentic, down to their little quirks and cell phone ringtones in a way that made the story so incredibly immersive. The idea of a love story that's centered around staying single was unlike anything I've read before, and I loved watching Lana grow into herself as a person. Outside of the romance plotlines, there was just enough side plot about her life (her mom, her boss, her bestie, etc) that she felt like such a REAL person, not one half of a love story. The only thing I'd have liked to see in the ending was a bit of closure on her friend's relationship status (if you know, you know). Now I'm going to have to go back and read Lease on Love, and I can't wait to find out what stories come next! 

Prompts Filled: CRAD March (starts with next letter in the alphabet); Popsugar: BookTok recommendation; Romanceopoly: Flirts Corner/Contemporary romance by an author I haven’t tried before. 

[deamstellarus]

DeamStellarus’ Masterlist

Bucky Barnes

A Touch of Ink (Complete)

After a breakup with your ex, you decided to move to the small town where your long-time friend Sam lives, hoping for a change of pace and starting a new chapter in your life. You were prepared for a slower paced lifestyle, quaint diners, and a change of scenery. However, you didn’t expect to be swept off your feet by two stunning pairs of blue-grey eyes. (TattooArtist!Bucky x Reader)

Of Love and Ink (Ongoing)

Sequel series for A Touch of Ink

Not So Sneaky

Clint is known for his pranks around the tower and Bucky is his next target. (One shot) (Written for Girl-Next-Door-Write’s Disney Birthday Challenge)

Clint Barton

Stranger Things Have Happened (Complete)

You’d spent your whole life hiding your ability from the world. When you ended up in a dark alley, you never expected to be saved by Tony Stark. But when you met your soulmate, you knew it was fate. (Clint x Reader - Soulmate AU)

Steve Rogers

You with me, Princess?

Steve and Reader hate each other, but when they are forced to go to an awards ceremony together, they realize they may not be so different. (One shot) (Written for Caplan’s Disney Challenge)

Stucky

In Viata Asta (Ongoing)

It was possible you’d been on your own for too long. Maybe all you needed were two boys from Brooklyn to help you find yourself again.

[dolphinpink310]

Wolves (Part 1)

Title:  Wolves

Summary:  “There’s a story that has been told for centuries. A baby borne of Asgard descent would save her people. But she would be mistaken and cast away bringing the savior of Asgard to Berchler, where she will become strong and become queen of them. She will save the realms from anything that harms them, even defending them from her lover”

Warnings: None?

Pairing: Loki x Kiera

Word Count:  1356

A/N:  This is for Caplan’s 4k writing challenge @caplansteverogers : I chose the song “Wolves” by Selena Gomez for this. It’s going to be a series. Because why not? Anyway I created a playlist on Spotify for this series called Wolves. 

Let me know if you want to be tagged in future chapters! And let me know what you think!

Prologue:

“There’s a story that has been told for centuries. A baby borne of Asgard descent would save her people. But she would be mistaken and cast away bringing the savior of Asgard to Berchler, where she will become strong and become queen of them. She will save the realms from anything that harms them, even defending them from her lover”

Luna’s ear moved at the sound of a baby’s cry. She walked quietly in the direction of the cry. She stopped in front of the basket peering in to see a baby with bright brown eyes and a dark caramel colored head. The baby looked up at the wolf giggling

“Mama,” the baby cried. Luna shook her head turning back into her human form.

“Where is your mama?” Luna asked watching as the baby’s lips started to quiver and shake.

“No baby don’t cry” Luna said picking up the baby shushing it. She grabbed the basket from the ground carrying it with her toward the den. As they arrived to the den growls and barks grew louder as she approached.

“Luna” the alpha growled.

“Ronan” she smiled brightly.

“What is that?” Ronan frowned.

“An abandoned baby” Luna said placing the baby on the floor of the den. The pups ran toward her pushing the baby around.

“Hi” the baby giggled patting the puppies heads

“She speaks?” Ronan asked.

“She can communicate with us. That hasn't’ been done since…” a tribe leader trailed off

She can stay, but don’t think for one second she will replace Vera,” Ronan growled.

“She doesn’t need to. She will,” Luna shot back with a growl of her own.

Time Skip: (Kiera is 16 and Loki is 17)

“Momma” Kiera said walking out of the den.

“Yes Kiera?”

“Can I go with Skip and Flora to the river?”

“Yes, but stay close to your siblings” Luna nodded.

“Okay” Kiera said grabbing her art supplies and running with the wolves to the river. She found a place she could sit, a rock, by the river and sat, opening her art supplies and started to draw.

“Hi!” a boy said making Kierra’s head turn.

“Hi” she whispered.

“Are you okay?” he asked as Kiera nodded.

“I’m Loki Odinson. I’m 7 years old and you are?” Loki said.

“Um.. Kiera and I’m 6” she smiled.

“That’s a pretty name. What are you doing out here in Bechler all by yourself? It’s not safe.”

“I’m not by myself” Kiera shook her head.

“Yes you are. Nobody else is out here”

“There is” Kiera said pouting and crossing her arms, “Skip and Flora wouldn’t leave me alone.”

“Skip and Flora? Luna and Ronan’s pups?” Loki said getting up.

“Yes. You know my mom and dad?” Kiera said uncrossing her arms, her eyes brightened.

“Y-your parents are Ronan and Luna?” Loki asked.

“I think so? They said they found me in the woods and raised me so yeah I guess” Kiera shrugged.

“That’s cool. So what are you doing out here?”

“I’m watching the water and the sun. I’m going to draw it”

“Can I see?” he asked. She nodded showing him

“That’s so pretty” he said.

“Thanks” she smiled.

“Odinson!” Ronan shouted making Kiera drop her drawing.

“Ronan” Loki nodded.

“What are you doing here?”

“Talking to your daughter apparently”

“And last I checked talking to my daughter was not apart of the deal made between your father and I”

“I beg your pardon?”

“I made a deal with your father, a peace treaty, per say. He would not interfere in my land and I would do the same”

“Okay? And I should care because?” “You’re on my land”

“Last I checked being on your land doesn’t break your supposed deal to my father”

“Odinson”

“What are you going to do kill me? I’m sure that’ll definitely sit well with my father”

“Leave Odinson and don’t return if you value your life”

“Is that a threat?”

“It’s a promise”

“Fine so be it” Loki said walking away for a second before conjuring up Odin and one of himself before he disappears.

“So then who’s the girl?” Odin asked.

“That’s none of your concern Odin”

It’s not? Then why is it so difficult for you to explain?” Loki asked.

“Odin, tell you son to watch his tongue”

“And if I refuse?” Odin asked.

“I will have no problem killing him” Ronan growled.

“It’s probably best if we leave now” Odin said before they both disappeared. Ronan turned to look at Kiera who looked upset

“Kiki it’s okay” he soothed.

“I was just having a conversation”

“You know I’ve told you before to never talk to an Asgardian”

“Why does it matter? It’s not like he was going to kill me!” Kiera shouted.

Ronan went to say something, “Kiera…

“Just leave me alone!” she yelled before running home. Ronan chased after her before whispering, “Asgardian, I know you’re still here. So let me make it clear. If  I see you again, I will kill you.”

Loki appeared out of the shadows looking down at the left behind drawing, grabbing it, and disappearing for real.

“What happened?” Luna asked seeing Kiera running past her, toward the mountains and Ronan stopping at the front of the den.

“Asgardians” Ronan shook his head sitting down on his throne.

“What did they do?”

“Nothing is what they did” Ronan said.

“Ronan”

“Luna, she was talking to him”

“Who?” “Loki. Odin’s son”

“He’s harmless” Luna said.

“Luna”

“Ronan, he’s a boy. She’s sixteen. There’s no surprise to either of us if she’s from Asgard. But there is no reason to start a war over these two talking”

“Luna” Ronan repeated

“No Ronan, She’s sixteen living with wolves. We turn into wolves for god sake. All she has is us. And you’re taking her freedom away because she was talking to Loki Odinson? What’s the issue, that she was talking to Loki or is it because you can't handle the fact she’s doing exactly what Vera did?” Luna asked.

“Vera? Yes of course. Because she was killed by an Asgardian. One second she’s find the next she’s dead”

You don't think I know that? She was my daughter too. You think I don’t wonder what went wrong? She’s gone and we were given another chance to raise another. We have a duty to protect her at all costs” Luna said.

“I..”

“Ronan, Vera is dead and she’s’ not coming back. It’s been sixteen years. You need to move on.

“It’s my fault, she died” Ronan frowned.

“What are you talking about?”

“I sent her out that day. She said she wanted to go see the stars but I was busy with the pack. So I told her to go and I’d find her. So she went and maybe an hour or two later I found her with an Asgardian, I went to leave and I heart her scream. By the time I turned around she was gone”

“Oh Ronan, you can’t blame yourself. You really can’t”

“I’m the reason she’s gone”

“I’m sorry” Ronan repeated before breaking down.

“You don’t have to be sorry. It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault” Luna said soothing her husband. No words were spoken just the silence of tears.

“I’ve requested that I no longer be Alpha of the pack” Ronan said.

“What?”

“Don’t worry. She’ll lead well” Ronan smiled sadly.

“Who?”

“Kiera”

“Can she? Will they allow it?”

“They will”