#He was so excited 22 finally find out what's actually happening

[connectionterminated13]

I love FNAF one Mikey.. Boy seriously thought that by going to his dad's stupid pizza place he'd be able to figure out what's going on that after like a week Got fired for being smelly....

[sturn-saturn]

hey baby girl

pairing: fem!pregnant!reader x husband!chris

warnings: just cutesy stuff <3

a/n: i thought of doing this while watching shameless 😁

week 20: "hey, baby girl!" chris says as he holds up a camcorder. "so today, mama and i went to the baby doctor and we found out you're a girl!" your husband turns the camera to you and your hand is placed on your baby bump rubbing it up and down while the other is holding up your ultrasound pictures.

"we're so excited to meet you baby girl!" you smile kissing the camera goodbye.

week 21: "hey, baby girl!" you say holding the camera. chris is upstairs in your shared bedroom still sleeping. "as you can see, mama just woke up, i'm very tired but dad i have some errands to run so we can prepare for you to join us in 19 weeks. so the plan for today is to visit your grandparents, dads parents, then we're going out to target to look at some onesies for you and little socks to keep your tiny toes warm, after is the grocery store. i'll be sure to get some yummy stuff so i can keep you and i fed! alright baby girl, catch you later!" you say kissing the camera once again.

week 22: you and chris were on the couch watching coraline since it was your favorite comfort movie.

"hey baby girl!" chris says holding the camera up to face you both has his other hand is rubbing your belly gently.

"so right now dad and i are watching my favorite comfort movie because i wasn't feeling well today."

"her tummy was cramping but don't worry, it wasn't your fault. you're our baby girl, you could do no wrong." your husband says with a big grin.

"i'm hoping when you're older you enjoy this movie as much as i do. your dad and i actually watched this on our 5th date i believe." you smile.

"alright sweetheart, mamas gotta get her rest, see you tomorrow!" your husband says kissing the camera.

week 23: "hey baby girl! alright so we are in the car right now and todays plan is going to the doctor to make sure you're healthy and see how much you've grown. after that we need to find a bassinet for you to get a good nights sleep!" chris smiles at how cute he finds you.

"there are so any people who can't wait to meet you sweetheart. 4 grandparents, a bunch of aunts and uncles, our friends too!" he adds.

"you're so loved already, honey. okay we're here! time to go!" you kiss the camera.

week 24: "hey baby girl so today, uncle nick and uncle matt dropped by and got you some presents. they got you the cutest onesies, some baby bottles, and toys! we know you wont be able to play with toys until you grow a bit and get used to the new world but you are going to love them! also dad has something to say." you hand the camera to chris and get up to get a snack.

you over hear your husband talking to the camera and your eyes soften looking over at him.

"mama and i are gonna do everything we can to protect you. we will support you in anything you want to do. the only things we want from you is to be a good person and spread love. also you have to play lacrosse or hockey like me and your uncles did!" he laughs.

"chris what if she doesn't wanna play either of those?" you ask.

"well what every she decides to play she's gonna be amazing. she's half of you anyway. bye darling!" he yells kissing the camera.

week 25: "hey baby girl! we're currently at grandma and grandpas house for a little cook out with the family." you say showing everyone around.

"are you guys making a little vlog for the baby?" jimmy asks.

"we are!"

"mind if i say a few words?"

"not at all!" you hand the camera to jimmy and you use this time to rest your arms a bit.

"alright sweetheart. as you know, i'm your grandfather, your dads dad. i just wanted to let you know that i can't wait to meet you. you're my first grandkid! as much as i love my boys, i've always wanted a girl in the family and you're finally making that dream happen. i will definitely be taking you on fishing trips so get ready!"

jimmy hands you the camera with a big smile on his face. "you're gonna be a great mother, honey."

tears start to well in your eyes from the love you've received from your husbands family throughout the years. you thank jimmy and you kiss the camera goodbye.

week 40: "hey baby girl!" chris whispers. "today is a big day. mama felt some extra kicks last night and it turns out you're coming today! she's currently resting right now so she can use all her energy and strength to bring you here. keep this between us, but your moms a superhero." he smiles.

"chris?" you mumble. "come here."

chris comes over with the camcorder in his hand with a look of concern on his face. "what's up mama?"

you reach your hand for the camera and he hands it to you.

"hey sweet girl. i'm sure dads told you we're at the hospital right now waiting for you to come. it's currently 10pm and we're all super tired but this is all worth it if it means we get to finally meet you." you smile lazily.

4 hours later...

the doctors all finally left the room. they said that was the easiest delivery they've had to work through. chris is currently standing with your baby girl in his arms facing the window to see the city lights.

"hey clara." chris whispers rocking his daughter back and forth gently. "mamas resting again. the doctors told her she did a great job! i told you your mom was a superhero. in just 3 days you'll get to come home with us. how exciting is that!? grandma and grandpa are coming tomorrow to see you as well as your uncles. i love you baby girl. goodnight." chris kisses his daughters head before setting her back in her bassinet.

he relishes in the feeling of being a new dad before he drifts off into a good nights sleep.

taglist:

@sturniolos4life16 @hoeforchrizz @luckyscharms @emely9274 @chrispotatos @weirdratperson @simpson12 @ilovemenwithlonghairr @angeldvstee @pussypie456 @valentinasturniolo @chrissturnioloenthusiastforlife @cravingchrissturniolo @wonnieeluvvr @flouvela

[cheriladycl01]

My love, is mine all mine - Max Verstappen x Norris! Reader x Charles Leclerc Part 4

Plot: Norris' Twin sister is also a driver in the 2021 line up and is in her rookie era. Not only do the commentators struggle to now talk about the pair in the race, but they also struggle to talk about talent. What happens when two drivers find her eye-catching.

A/N: I've brought Luisia into things because of the timeline and it being 2021. Don't hate on her, or the fact that i've brought her into my writing please!

"MAX VERSTAPPEN WINS THE AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX, LANDO NORRIS COMING CLOSE BEHIND HIM IN P2 WITH HIS SISTER Y/N NORRIS FOR SECOND PODIUM IN P3. THAT'S A DOUBLE MCLAREN AND A DOUBLE NORRIS PODIUM!" the commentator screams.

The second stint in Austria was far better with the stresses from the first gone, you were able to fully concentrate on the weekend and it was like you were a completely different person on track.

You're driving was aggressive and you were unstoppable when working your way up to your brother who was ahead of you. With some incredible team strategy and the help of DRS from your brother you were able to retain a double podium for your team and defend from both Mercedes car's effortlessly which was a shock to you since one of them was a seven times world champion.

You stood on the podium that day with your brother, your dad was there watching the pair of you tears in his eyes same as yours.

Celebrating a win with your brother was a feeling you don't think you'd ever forget.

Post race interviews were incredible and everyone could see the glow you were emitting from how proud you were. But a lot of your answers were just leading them onto your home race which would come after the large break that was coming. Not huge break but enough for a small holiday.

You moved in with you brother as his home was closer to Woking where the MTC was based and it just made sense. You guy's lived together for the first 22 years of your life so it wouldn't be any different now.

You and your brother however did want to travel over the summer, and when you got invited to go to Mallorca with Carlos and Lando you couldn't say no. You met the Sainz family who were all so welcoming to you and helped you further your Spanish that you took at GCSE while you were out there.

Then you guys ended up travelling to Portugal where Lando met Luisia. You both immediately jelled to the point where you were probably more obsessed with her than Lando was.

You became her best friend and Lando and her kept talking on and off after you left Portugal. You also texted her all the time, making sure she was okay.

Lando had to explain to Luisia that you'd just had a falling out with your childhood best friend so it was natural for you to want to be attaching yourself to someone new and the crazy thing was Luisia didn't mind at all.

You went to Silverstone, excited for the race, and even though it wasn't a podium at your home race you and Lando place P4 and you in P5.

Then you moved onto Hungary which honestly wasn't great, you managed to slip into the points in P10, but Lando had a DNF on Lap 2.

After Hungary, there was the actual summer break where you joined Lando on a yacht with all of his friends. You ended up inviting Luisia where of course her and Lando finally got together and you couldn't be more excited for them.

There was one day when you all docked up in Monaco and you were alone as Lando had stolen Luisia and were having fun swimming and on Jetski's, your mum and Oliver wanted to go sight seeing and all of Lando's friends hit Monte Carlo casino, so you decided to go shopping by yourself.

You were walking the streets of Monaco when a familiar voice called out to you.

"Y/N?"

You spun round to be met with the Monegasque man who was standing behind you alone.

"Charles?" you smile a little looking over him and he steps forward coming up to you. It's a little awkward at first and it's almost like he doesn't know what he should do. You can tell he wants to pull you into a hug and typical European greeting but seems, tentative after everything that happened between the two of you.

"How- are you I haven't spoken to you since..." he trails off and looks down.

"Since you kissed me and admitted you'd basically been in love with me for the last like 8 years?" you chuckle looking over at him with a small smile on your face.

"Erm yeah. I just wanted you to know I wasn't making any of that up!" he nods.

"I know, I think part of me ... the immature part of me panicked especially where anyone could have seen, and you know I was right too because someone did" you smile. If you were to get into a relationship with another driver you'd have to be really careful with how it got out into the media.

"Yeah, it's funny actually Max and I used to argue over you a lot!" he chuckles and your head snaps up to him.

"What?" you ask looking up at him, now stood closer to him than before.

"Max and I we're both attention seekers, especially when it came to you. We both would fight for your approval, it was childish but we both liked you! Can't believe Max won you over" he smiled reminiscing.

"Max hasn't won me over, he's sleeping with my best friend while she's been lying to me..." you frown, offended that he'd think that especially after what happened after the first race in Austria at the restaurant.

"But Pierre said... and that one article about ..." he starts but you quickly interrupt him.

"There is nothing between me and Max trust me. He made me nervous and was able to make me blush but if he likes Y/BF/N, i wouldn't get in the way of that!" you offer, but Charles still doesn't seem convinced.

"But Max told me to back off" he murmurs to himself and you nearly didn't hear it with how quietly he'd mumbled it. You pretended not to be shocked, and looked down so he couldn't really see your facial expression.

"Have you ever been on a yacht?" you ask, kind of out of the blue.

"I grew up in Monaco, of course I have!" he grins.

"My family, Lando and I all rented a yacht to spend the summer on, did you want to join us while we are here!" you grin, and he thinks for a second before nodding.

"But you have to come shopping with me first!" you grin and he rolls his eyes before gesturing for you to lead the way. You spend about and hour walking through the streets of Monaco buying things with your new F1 money.

"You travelled back to the docked boat before turning to Charles remembering about your brothers new girlfriend. "You travelled back to the docked boat before turning to Charles remembering about your brothers new girlfriend.

"Just so you know, Lando has a new girlfriend so erm. You know if you post anything don't get them in it together" you smile and he looks over at you in shock.

"Lando has a girlfriend?" he asks as if it's a bizarre concept.

"Yeah, she's a model and super super sweet!" you cheer, happy your brother was happy.

"Well, lets go. I want to see you brother!" Charles grins before going in front of you and onto the boat.

What a summer this would be.

Taglist:

@littlesatanicassholebitch @hockey-racing-fubol @laura-naruto-fan1998 @22yuki @simxican @sinofwriting @lewisroscoelove @cmleitora @stupidandunnecessary @clayra-g @daemyratwst @honey-belden @moonypixel @lauralarsen @vader-is-hot @ironcowboycopnickel @itsjustkhaos @the-untamed-soul @beebo86 @happylittlereader @ziejustme @lou-larcher5 @thewulf @purplephantomwolf @chasing-liberosis @chillyleclerc @chanthereader @annoyingmoonballoon @summissss @evieepepi08 @havaneseoger08 @celesteblack08 @gulphulp @fandom1ruined2me @celebstories @starfusionsworld @jspitwall @sierruhh @georgeparisole @dakotatankbig @youcannotcancelquidditch @zzonsbeek @tallbrownhairsarcastic @mellowarcadefun @ourteenagetragedy @otako5811 @countingstacksandpanicattacks @peachiicherries @formulas-bitch @cherry-piee @hopexcroc @mirrorball-6 @spilled-coffee-cup @mehrmonga @bigsimperika @blueberry64857959 @eiraethh @lilypadlover @curseofhecate @alliwantisadonut @the-fem1n1ne-urge @21stcenturytaegi @dark-night-sky-99 @spideybv28 @i-wish-this-was-me @tallrock35 @butterfly-lover @barnestatic @landossainz @darleneslane @barcelonaloverf1life @r0nnsblog @ilove-tswizzle @kapsylia @laneyspaulding19 @lazybot @malynn @cassielikereading @viennakarma @teamnovalak @landosgirlxoxo @marie0v @jlb20416 @yourbane @teamnovalak @nikfigueiredo @fionaschicken @0picels0 @seomako @urdad-hot @formula1mount @tinydeskwriter @butterfly-lover @ironmaiden1313 @splaterparty0-0 @formula1mount @styl1shl1v

[cattimeswithjellie]

Liveblogging Doc Stream VOD, 6/8/24

(Just as an important contextual note for this stream, Doc is _always_ joking when he vows revenge or eternal hatred on somebody in these streams. He has assured everyone on a number of occasions that his petty rage is a bit and neither he nor the other Hermits ever take it seriously.)

Doc Stream, 6/8/24

9:20 Doc opens the stream by claiming that some crimes are so heinous that they require immediate retaliation. Someone has touched Doc’s redstone, and he is Not Amused. He tells chat that he was emotionally distressed to the point that he killed Cleo’s pig, but insists that the pig is really the victim of whoever touched the redstone. He offers a plea in the alternative that the pig was looking at him funny and it was really a case of self defense. Chat is divided on whether this is a compelling argument, but most of them are still busy saying hello.

10:38 Doc switches camera to Hermitcraft. He is in his base. He tells chat they will investigate swine crime later. He recaps last week’s stream where he broke 5k subscribers and says that his wife does not believe him about his number of subs. Today’s sub count is 4788 as a result of some gift subs lapsing. He needs to make it to 10k subs so he doesn’t notice as much if he loses a few. He thanks some subs and donos. Someone in chat mentions TCG and Doc is happy to be able to talk about it at last. He also admits that he has finally solved his considerable lag problem but is embarrassed about it.

14:50 Doc tells Chat that Beef has been working on TCG behind the scenes, and Joe Hills has been cultivating an IRL TCG community to play the game. The Hermits decided a TCG expansion is in order and artists have been hired for the new work. All the artists are under NDA, on pain of goat-slapping. Several of the DCP artists are part of the project. Doc was barraged with questions from his team on what sort of art he wanted, and insisted he wanted the artists to make the decisions. He was forced to join a Discord and actually talk to the artists, which is clearly terribly painful to him (in a clearly joking way.) He thanks more subs,.

17:55 Doc shows off the new smoothness of his improved FPS. He admits that for weeks he was whining and complaining about lag, but the solution was simple: a vacuum cleaner. When he finally cleaned the dust and yuck out of his computer, his overheating and lag problems were magically solved. He is embarrassed but pleased. He still has not set up his new PC.

20:45 A chatter asks how Doc’s day is going. He says it is brilliant, that he set up a tomato house and needs to end the stream on time because he has a delivery of garden equipment coming in. Home growing of cannabis is legal now in Germany and now it is quite difficult to find home gardening equipment at the shops. At the moment his plants are growing very well. He has 30-40 plants for sure this season. He is very excited about his tomatoes.

22:45 Time for work! The beacon is broken again. He thought he fixed it, but has a suspicion something else is broken. He needs to be on the server tomorrow at 6:55am to see what happens at that time. He talks about some redstone stuff involving the beacon that is beyond the ken of this livestreamer, but the upshot appears to be that the beacon is getting loaded and unloaded during server reset and that breaks it. There is supposed to be a workaround involving a hopper clock but it is not working. He wants to be online and watching what happens at the next reset. Doc thanks more donos and gets attacked by phantoms who shriek “Time to Shreep!” in Bdubs’ voice. He sleeps.

26:05 Doc’s job for today is to fill the machine he built last week to make armor trims. He will also investigate the heinous crime of redstone-touching. He gets a shulker box from his dispenser and begins filling it with the materials that can be used to decorate armor. Chat helps by reminding him of which materials he needs.

29:00 Doc makes the (possibly hubristic) claim that he is going to work today and no one will be able to stop him. He talks about the insanity of last week’s stream and how it was a once in a lifetime experience with the chat determined to get him to 5k subs. He is still not over it. He finishes gathering his materials then pauses to think. Chainmail armor cannot be used in the machine, but leather armor is possible. Doc asks how to farm leather. Chat suggests murdering horses and he calls them murderers. He raises the possibility of finding a hoglin farm or possibly bartering. He goes to the nether.

31:50 A chatter asks what is the weirdest fan-made thing that Doc has seen about himself. He says not to get him started. He begins to AFK the hoglin farm and demands chat do the math to determine how much leather will be needed. Chat doesn’t know, but is pretty sure it is more than 3. Doc settles on 96. He says a lot of fanart is pretty weird, especially the shipping fanart of him and Ren, though he has always said he doesn’t mind. He is not going to address the fanfiction but describes it as really far-out weird. Chat immediately calls him out (good-naturedly) for calling Ren his husband and then saying that ship art is weird. A chatter asks if Doc is using his new PC, he repeats his embarrassing vacuum-cleaner story. We get more details about the lengths Doc went to while chasing down his lag, including streaming to Cortex, maker of the Sodium-rendering mod Nvidium. Cortex apparently did suggest overheating might be the problem but Doc insisted with great fervor that his computer couldn’t possibly be overheating.

38:20 After recalling all of these computer misadventures, Doc decides that the story is too embarrassing to keep retelling. From this point onward in the stream, anyone who comments on the lack of lag will be told that Doc is actually using the new PC. Chat is not allowed to snitch.

40:00 Doc says that the new video got a small amount of static in the comments over the “wokeness” of putting up a rainbow beacon to celebrate his friends during Pride Month. Doc relates the arguments he has had there and on Twitter. LGBTQ issues are not a major issue in Doc’s life, as a cishet man, unless someone is going after his friends. (He makes a quick reference to the time he got in a fight at Disney because some people were hassling Bdubs, a story he has told before.) He very much disagrees with the argument that Pride is being shoved into people’s faces. He says people are just weird. He speculates that it may be a cultural thing as well, that in Germany nobody is really arguing about Pride month.

43:30 Doc arrives back at the shopping district. He says it is time to stop focusing on the complainers and get back to the really important issue, which is his redstone. A chatter points out that his mic is hot and he says he wants it that way, so that everyone can hear. He yells to the empty shopping district “YOU HEAR ME, HERMITS? A CRIME! HAS! HAPPENED!” He says he’s going to put up speakers all over the server to remind people. Someone asks if the crime was pig murder. He is not amused. He does not believe Scar or False were the culprit. At the suggestion of chat he does a quick check for snails in the machinery, saying that if he sees any, he will be getting out the strong pesticide. No snails are found. Doc says he wants to fix it very badly, but that would be tampering with evidence. He does some more shouting into the shopping district, then admits he doesn’t believe Xisuma or False, the only hermits online, had anything to do with it. False apparently is an angel, with no criminal energy inside her.

46:30 Time for work. Doc does not believe it was Cleo either, because when he killed her pig she got mad instead of confessing. He realizes that he forgot to bring the shulker box with him and it is back in the swamp. He blames chat.

47:30 Doc begins walking home, discussing potential suspects. The only Hermit he remembers tweaking lately is Scar, by laughing at the Death Scar prank and telling him he’s on Jevin’s side. He is sure it isn’t Scar, though, because Scar is a very bad liar and also would not have lied but would’ve doubled down and demanded to know what Doc was gonna do about it. He also doesn’t think it was Grian because he and Grian are cool right now and Grian hasn’t been around. He wonders if Joel might have done it just to be pesky. Chat suggests XB or Wels, and insists Joel would not mess with a build. Doc says XB is too nice. It definitely wasn’t Joe because Joe is Doc’s lawyer. He thinks Iskall is a possibility and decides to check his shop purchases. If Dark Oak has been purchased, the trail of evidence leads to Iskall. Doc declares that this is the biggest scandal on Hermitcraft since the tunnel bore incident. By now he has arrived home and collects up his shulker box and crafting table.

50:50 Back to the shopping district, as Chat continues naming basically ever Hermit as possible suspects. Doc thanks his “sugar mama” donos and does a little dance for them, then gets down into the guts of his redstone. He says that this is going to involve some brainwork. He swears incidentally, surprising some chatters, and explains that he does swear during stream. A chatter mentions that he is hotmiccing his swears into the shopping district, but Doc does not appear to notice.

55:15 A chatter says he is a fan of what Doc and the Hivemind are doing and encourages him to keep it up. Doc says his plans are to invent email on the server and maybe also do some drilling. He begins creating armor for the Tide armor trim, remembers that Tide is the name of a laundry detergent, then remembers the eating Tide Pods fad. He briefly despairs for humanity, then moves on to discussing how the armor pieces should be decorated. Chat helps Doc make various fashion choices.

59:45 A dono comes in labeled “from the ladies in the chat.” Doc says he knows 90% of his audience is ladies and that he is catering to the female audience, with his looks. Chat has many reactions to this information. Doc reiterates that he is the humble GOAT. He cannot say it with a straight face.

1:01:20 Another dono comes in claiming that a large percentage of his audience is nonbinary and should also be catered to. Doc assures them that he is also catering to the nonbinary audience, again with his looks. He cannot remember the phrase “gender goals,” but says he has been told that he is a gender role model for several fans who are transitioning. Chat assures Doc that he is indeed very gender. Doc says that he is catering to everyone with his looks. He does admit that it is hard to keep track of the often-complex array of identities and banners within the community, especially as someone who is outside of it, but reiterates that he loves all of Chat. He declares that the Jolly Roger is the flag usable by everyone, because being a pirate is the best thing you can be.

1:04:15 A chatter activates the auto text-to-speech function and makes it chant lyrics to “All The Single Ladies.” Doc is surprised, but does another little dance. He goes back to the topic and says that the most sexualization surrounding Pride comes from the people who are too preoccupied with disliking it. Back to the armor fashion discussion.

1:08:00 Doc responds to a hello message from an arriving chatter and advises the rest of the chat that if they want to be noticed by the streamer, they should use the color that this particular chatter has used, because it is very attention getting. (The chatter has chosen magenta as their username color.) A chatter asks if Doc is going to build one of every combination of armor and trim. Doc says no, that would be crazy. He is going to build a nice mix to showcase some possibilities. He replaces more armor pieces in the droppers and decides to use pink leather in place of chainmail, which does not work in the machine.

1:10:50 Doc heads for the dye shop to find pink dye. He examines Pearl’s Wordle build but finds that the dye is still in her truck shop. He accidentally visits the Purr-Purr shop before finding his way to the dye truck. Doc gets out his ender chest and realizes that he has no diamonds because he put all of them in the materials shulker box, which is back at the armor machine. He scolds chat for not reminding him to bring diamonds to the dye shop and bemoans their laziness in relying on their GOAT to remember everything. After a quick trip across the shopping district, he pays for his dye and dyes his leather armor pieces.

1:13:45 More armor fashion choices, this time for Coast trim. Doc is pleased that with the lag gone, he is getting so much done today. His anvil immediately breaks, but he has a spare.

1:15:55 Doc shows off the completed set of Coast trim armor, mostly in shades of pink and blue. He is pleased with it and wishes that he were allowed to dye his netherite armor different colors. He agrees with chat that the armor set gives a maid sort of vibe. He continues with more trims and more armor and trim color combinations, with occasional commentary. Vex trim looks a bit like a suit and tie outfit and a bit like a color-swapped version of Scar’s default skin.

1:23:14 A chatter asks if Doc would complain about sand less if it were easily renewable. Doc says of course, and that it _is_ easily renewable, you just have to make a sand duper. He begins working on the Sentry trim set, which confuses some chatters who think he is saying Sandtree. A chatter gifts a large number of subs. Doc threatens to name all the remaining armor pieces after the chatter. He is close to 5k subs again and encourages all viewers with Twitch Prime to sub now. A different chatter gifts a large number of subs. Doc insists that this gifting of subs cannot go on forever, but is clearly grateful for the generosity.

1:28:00 A chatter asks if the subscription price increase in July means a raise for the streamers. Doc says he does not know. He got an email from Twitch but hasn’t read it yet because most Twitch email is junk. He guesses that the split is usually based on percentage, so a higher sub price ought to mean more money for the streamer. He continues building armor pieces. He corrects a chatter’s misconception that partners get a 70/30 split, saying that 50/50 is the usual split.

1:31:50 A chatter says that Doc has no reading comprehension (Doc misread an earlier comment about bananas.) He says that he knows what the comment meant, but what he said was funnier. He deliberately bananifies a chatter’s name when thanking them for a dono. He talks some about how the grind on YouTube and Twitch is relentless, and that on Twitch, missing even one or two streams can cause a catastrophic drop in sub numbers. He puts together an armor set in the Silence trim, which most chatters seem to agree is the best. Doc agrees in part, but says the chestplate is too much. He does like the way the armor turned out, calling it “serious drip.” Chat suggests it looks like Optimus Prime.

1:36:50 A donor makes a donation and activates the auto text-to-speech. Doc comments that the “single ladies” (a holdover joke from last week) are generous today and says sometimes he feels like a stripper. Chat thinks this is very funny and he acknowledges that he says the weirdest things. Chat assures him that he can leave his hat on. They also attempt to summon Cub for horn acquisition. A chatter says they love Doc’s content but he should keep his clothes on because he’s got no curves. Doc takes great affront to this and assures chat that he has serious booty that he gets complimented on on a daily basis. He is favorably compared to many women’s husbands on the playground. He tells stories about this while chat loses their collective mind. Doc goes back to assembling armor pieces. He tells chat his current weight is 88kg, and that he used to weigh more when he played basketball but it’s been the same for about fifteen years.

((Liveblogger fast-forwarded through some conversation about weight loss and dieting at this point due to personal mental health concerns. Doc continues working on armor trims during this time.))

1:48:30 Doc says that he is almost done with the first half of stocking the machine. He has finished the trims up as far as the Rib trim. He begins working on the Ward trim. He says he may give Bdubs the chainmail he is taking out of the factory and that giving some gifts to the judge might come in handy. He clarifies to chat that he has all the respect in the world for single moms, having grown up as one. Chat queries him intensely on this, and he clarifies he grew up _with_ a single mom. Chat threatens Doc with more fanart.

1:51:55 Chat suggests conducting a poll on how many single ladies love Doc. Doc says they should definitely not do that, because Karin will not like knowing how many single ladies there are out there. (He is clearly joking.) He tells the single ladies to stay in the shadows, and that he knows they are there. He gives them a flirtatious waves and shushes them. He’s beginning the single ladies song again when suddenly interrupts himself with “I put it in the wrong hole again, goddammit.” Chat has the expected reaction to this turn of phrase. It takes Doc about thirty seconds to realize what he has said. He facepalms so hard he nearly falls out of range of the camera. Looking extremely pained, he tells Chat they have their mind in the gutter all day long. Chat has never been so desperately eager for Cub to make an appearance. Doc approves of the Ward armor trim samples and makes a noise similar enough to “uwu” to catch Chat’s attention again. He does not know what Uwu means, and Chat is only marginally helpful. Doc laments that life is hard for Boomers like him. Chat suggests that he should ask Gem but he refuses, saying she will just make fun of him.

1:55:00 With one side of the build completed, it is time for a short break. He wonders aloud if someone has been sneaking around inside his redstone. Chat suggests that maybe Doc is 77. Doc says that streaming is definitely not easy work, due to the CONSTANT INSULTS. Despite saying it is time for a break, Doc does not appear to be taking a break. He throws away some excess chainmail with the comment that Bdubs will not be happy about it. Almost instantly a zombie appears in full chainmail armor and tries to kill Doc, followed by another zombie with a chainmail helmet. Chat suspects this is revenge.

2:00:00 Dune trim construction. Doc sings a song about choosing armor trims. The trim comes out looking like tie dye and is declared a Renbob shirt. Doc says he is beginning to reach the unhinged portion of the stream. He sings a little more about what he is doing. Chat is unconvinced that the unhinged portion of the stream is only starting now.

2:03:10 A chatter called “Mistress of Torture” subscribes, Doc takes notice and jokes that this is one of the single moms, but a scary one. That chatter then goes on to make a large gift of subs Doc says “Thank you, Mistress” and laughs for awhile over that. Sub total is back over 5k. Doc thanks Chat as a whole for their great generosity in the last two streams. Someone in chat says they are all simps for Doc. Doc responds that just as there are Ethogirls, there are DocMILFs, which causes a substantial reaction in the chat.

2:06:40 A chatter subscribes and asks what they are signing themselves up for. Doc says they don’t want to know. A chatter suggests that now Chat knows what the M in DocM77 stands for. Doc says that his name came from his basketball friends. He could jump very high, so they said he could jump like Doctor J, but called him Doctor M because it is his last initial. He was also called Doc, he explains, because of his great understanding of and charisma with “the ladies,” who would often come to him with their problems. Doc assures Chat that he was never into chasing women, that his first long-term relationship was when he was 14, and that relationship lasted seven years. A short period of madness followed, and then he met Karin. Chat asks how he met Karin, and he says it was at a carnival party that he attended. It was a last-minute invite so he didn’t have a costume. He put a trash bag on and went as garbage. He saw Karin at the party and told his buddy that he just spotted his future wife. Despite the fact he was wearing a trash bag, he went up to her and they hit it off. Before the end of the party, he tore a heart-shaped piece of trashbag off his costume and wrote his phone number on it. She called him back. “Doctor Love strikes again, suckers,” he concludes. Karin still has the trash bag fragment.

2:11:00 Doc talks more about meeting Karin. He had been having fun as a basketball player, lots of cheerleaders, parties, etc, but he knew right away that she was different. Their friends didn’t initially believe it, but he always knew. He flies to the nether to gather more levels for trimming armor at his gold farm. Chat is disappointed that Doc did not visit Bop N Go. Chat asks for more tips about relationships, but he says there are no good general dating tips because everyone is so different. He says people enjoy the company of people who like themselves. Not narcissism, but knowing yourself and having self-confidence. Putting yourself out there to meet a potential new partner is scary, but the worst they can do is say no.

2:19:00 Doc has almost 30 levels but wants to gather a few more. Chat offers its own dating tips, including good hygiene, not being a dick, and talking to women like human beings. Doc tells chat that if you talk to women like a pickup artist or Andrew Tate, you’re not likely to get far. He offers more bits of relationship advice. A chatter asks how old Doc is, he tells them he is 19. Chat thinks that is very funny.

02:23:00 Doc leaves the gold farm. He is planning on rebuilding it bigger and better at some point, but not until after the next update. He is still being hounded by the forces that would suppress shadow poppy technology but he will never stop. He arrives back at the armor trim shop and tries to remember what trim is next. He talks with chat about the sub count and how many subs have been donated in the last two weeks. He still cannot get over last week’s stream.

02:27:10 A chatter asks if Cleo and Doc will be the first in the new courthouse. Doc says maybe, but what he is really interested in is catching the person who touched his redstone. He claims he would _never_ touch anyone else’s redstone. He believes capital punishment is the only acceptable consequence for such a crime. Doc says that stocking the armor shop machine is not the sort of chores he likes to do, but he is happier doing it on stream with chat to keep him company. He talks about a lumberjack-related television show from Canada that he he watches (Big Timber) and says he enjoys Canadian accents.

2:30:55 Doc sings again. He trims some more armor. A chatter compliments the Goatfather voice from Season 7 and Doc does a brief reprise. He shows off the pants with the Snout trim and declares the size of the belt buckle “sus.” Chat agrees that the pants belong to Texas. Doc has not been to Texas but he would like to go there and eat a gigantic T-Bone steak, drink Bud Light and talk about guns. Doc is not a gun advocate himself, he just wants to talk about them. A chatter says that Doc has Tweeted some strange stuff over the years, Doc scoffs at the possibilty of him saying anything weird.

2:34:00 Doc has been to New York before and has many basketball friends from there. He loves Brooklyn. He accidentally presses a button on the machine, which causes it to dispense an armor. He says that was not good, but the machine is not broken. He talks more about New York. He also talks about going up in the Sears Tower in Chicago and the Space Needle in Seattle. He likes anything you can climb. It has been about 10 years since Doc’s last trip to New York City, he’d like to go back and see how it has changed. He does more armor trims.

2:38 Doc talks more about changes in New York. He says the homeless situation was surprising to him when he visited, but it also happens in Germany and European cities. A chatter says it is unsafe to go to any major cities in the US, Doc scoffs at this idea and says the danger is very exaggerated. A chatter asks Doc to never say their name again because the first mention gave them a mini heart attack, Doc says it again and adds the headline “Twitch Streamer Kills Viewer.” He falls off his scaffolding several times and becomes frustrated. Doc talks about differences between Europe and the US regarding perceptions of race and interracial couples.

2:43:30 Doc thanks a new Twitch Prime subscribers, reminds other viewers with Prime subscriptions that they can subscribe for free. He pulls more armor out of the machine to trim. A chatter asks about Twitch Nitro, which reminds Doc that he wants to try running an ad. He has zero income from ads right now and wants to see what happens if he runs an ad. Chat points out that after the past two weeks, everyone in chat is subbed and will not see an ad. Doc says he needs a bathroom break but will hold it in because Chat demands it. (Chat is being fairly encouraging about running an ad.) Doc says if he pees his pants he will blame Chat.

2:47:30 A chatter asks what Doc will sell trim for. He says 6-7 shulkers of sand, to make the other Hermits regret their life choices. Chat says Scar is about to make bank, Doc agrees. ((Scar is selling sand for 15 diamonds per shulker as of Skizz’s latest stream, making the cost of a trim approximately 90 diamonds)). Doc admires his statue and its prominent booty. He says he debated with Jerome over the size of the statue’s booty, but Jerome assured him that the audience will love it. Chat generally agrees.

2:51:40 A chatter suggests using more iron armor instead of the gold and leather, Doc says iron does not show armor trims as well as other materials. Doc says he can’t pick a bad armor trim because it turns out that he likes them all. He notes a “battle of the MILFs” in the chat as two chatters make gifts of subs. Doc’s lead moderator claims victory as Chief MILF.

2:53:55 Ren signs onto the server, Doc calls him his husband. He explains that the community’s will is that he and Ren are some old married couple. Doc reaches the last set of armor trims. He asks Ren if he is streaming. Ren is not streaming, which is disappointing to Doc.

2:56:15 Doc shows off Shaper trim, the last set of trim, and reevaluates his stance that no trims are bad. He does not like Shaper because it is too generic. He accidentally hits another button. He replaces all the armor in the machine and the job is done. Returning to the surface, Doc hits some note blocks on purpose to run the machine. It produces a set of armor. Doc approves and says it looks like a superhero costume. He says the dispenser will probably need to be encased in glass because Hermits will definitely mess things up. He dismisses the armor. He talks about how to make a payment box, explaining he was deeply disappointed in Bdubs for not seeing the payment box in the wood shop. He expects Hermits to be breaking this machine for the rest of the season. The machine is taking a long time to reset.

3:00:00 Doc goes back into the redstone of the machine to troubleshoot. He figures out what happened and fishes out a chestplate that is lodged in a dropper. He’s not sure what went wrong and wishes he could replicate the error.

3:02:00 Doc returns to the surface and starts wrapping up. He is pleased with today’s progress. He tucks away his diamonds and says he is running low on loose diamonds. Returning to the studio view, he thanks the chat and the mods and looks for someone to raid to. He raids into FalseSymmetry and ends his stream.

[historicallyaccuratecheese]

Well, I guess I’m continuing to make these now! Here’s the next part of my thoughts on every Magnus Archives episode! Now, last time I said that I was planning to write about episodes 21-40 in the next post, but as it turns out, the hyperfixation has set in and my thoughts are a LOT longer (so buckle up if you want to read this), and I also reached the tag limit. So, I’m only going to be covering episodes 21-30 here, and then I’ll write about episodes 31-40, and this 10 episode trend will probably continue for the rest of the posts, but that just means I’ll be able to put them out faster.

Also, unlike my first post, where I wrote all of my thoughts after finishing episode 20, all of these ones were written right after I finished the specific episode I talked about, so my thoughts are a lot more clearly documented. Finally, there’s a link to my masterpost, which will contain all the post’s detailing my thoughts on every episode before and after these ones.

Once again, no spoilers for future episodes please, and for anyone who hasn’t watched up to episode 30, spoilers are under the cut, so I recommend turning away until you’ve caught up. :)

- Episode 21, Freefall 🪂

Statement of Moira Kelly, regarding the disappearance of her son Robert.

WHAT THE FUCK??!! MARTIN??!! DAMN, I guess the horrors did get to him! Well, it’s nice to finally meet him, even if his first line was dropping shit on the ground. Either way, I get the vibe I’m in for a wild ride for this second half. ….What was I talking about? Oh yeah, the actual statement. Anyways this one upset me. Not only did it bring out my fear of heights pretty well, but the portrayal of a grieving mother who can’t comprehend what happened to her son was really heartbreaking. The line “The sky ate him” was kind of comedic at first, especially with Jon’s following reaction (love this guy btw, he’s such a loser), but then it became really horrific when I realized how it was just Moira desperately trying to make sense of the impossible horrors she just witnessed. The plot thread set up with Simon and Harriet Fairchild is also very interesting, and the whole sky thing kind of reminded me of Dominic’s visions in Ep. 4. Overall another one of many fantastic episodes, but HOLY SHIT I’M SCARED.

- Episode 22, Colony 🔦

Statement of Martin Blackwood, archival assistant at the Magnus Institute, London, regarding a close encounter with something he believes to have once been Jane Prentiss. Statement taken direct from subject.

….aaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!! Ok let’s start from the top. Firstly, I’m really happy we finally got to meet Martin in this episode, and he’s great! Honestly he comes off as more dorky than stupid, and just comes off as a real sweetheart, so Jon’s distaste for him (outside of very different personalities), gets more mysterious. Though all things considered, after what he experienced, I don’t think that the bullying is his biggest worry anymore… Alexander J. Newall does a fantastic delivery, as much as I love Jon’s readings, you can really feel how terrified Martin is here (also “Blackwood” is a sick as fuck last name, and I related to him trailing off about spiders…) Outside of Martin himself, we have Jane Prentiss (or what remains of her) and…well, let’s just say that I don’t find the sex worms nearly as funny anymore. Jane and the worms inside her are absolutely terrifying, and while I would say I’m excited to learn more about her, I wouldn’t be complaining if the institute staff never had to deal with her again. Also the text episode made me, if you’ll excuse my language…squirm. Honestly, this might just be my favorite episode so far. The way that the plot threads from previous episodes connected here was extremely satisfying, and needless to say, I’m very excited and horrified to see where the show goes from here.

- Episode 23, Schwartzwald 🇩🇪

Statement of Albrecht von Closen, regarding a discovered tomb near his estate in the Black Forest.

Worst episode ever because Jon didn’t do a German accent, smh. Ok but in all seriousness, I really liked this one! It wasn’t the strongest in terms of complex themes in my opinion, but it had a great vibe, and was still very interesting, entertaining, and decently creepy. Having a “statement” written before the archives was founded is a really cool idea that’s executed perfectly here, and while we didn’t learn that much about Jonah Magnus, I still found it cool to get a first glimpse of the archives’ history. (Also, given the eye imagery that appears both in here and in other episodes, I can’t help but feel like Albrecht’s wording of Jonah having “good eyes” or something like that is a little weird…) And…now that we have the instance of something that isn’t a statement, but is important being in the archives, I absolutely agree with the idea that Gertrude Robinson organized these poorly on purpose, so that Jon would get the knowledge he needed to have. Regardless, this whole episode had the vibes of a classic ghost story, which while not as weird and off-putting as some of the other horror here, was still a nice change of pace overall. The descriptions of The Schwartzwald were really well done and added to the atmosphere, and I just like the fact that we have another historical episode, that’s also set outside of The UK. Also, the way that they played with the time period at the end was amazing, I already had my suspicions due to the eye imagery, but the reveal of Mary Keay (and therefore Gerard Wa- I mean Keay) being a descendant of Albrecht was still really cool. I also do wonder if the Arabic book was eventually found by Jurgen Leitner in the future…eh, food for thought. Lastly, I loved Martin jumping in out of nowhere, it was both funny, and a grim reminder about how fucked the archives supposedly are, yippee!

Wow, these are a lot longer than my previous thoughts. This, my sweet children, is a phenomenon called “brain rot”.

- Episode 24, Strange Music 🪆

Statement of Leanne Denikin, regarding an antique calliope organ she possessed briefly in August 2004.

Jon, honey, are we not going to elaborate on the fact that one of ✨the horrors✨is literally inside the institute? Like, HELLO? That’s not terrifying at all! Anwyays, this episode continues the trend of making me scared of things I’m not initially scared of, yippee! It had great vibes as well, the weird shit in the attic was made to be as creepy as possible. Initially, I didn’t find this one to be too scary, and figured it was going to go in the direction of “music makes people feel kind of weird”. AND THEN JOSHUA GETS KILLED AND TURNED INTO A DOLL HELLO??!!! Like, I know he was kind of a toxic boyfriend, but DAMN, whatever was behind the calliope and the dolls did NOT have to go that far. (Also until the end I thought he might be Joshua Gillepsie, and like, I don’t care how toxic he is, but you do not dump a guy who bested an evil coffin with his freezer.) Outside of that, It was really cool to meet Sasha! I like her voice, and the introduction was quite funny. (Also, even as someone who has lived in England for over two years, and has a family that is 90% British, nothing hurt more that Jon’s “Americans”.) Lastly, I have a theory, which I like to call “Ringmaster? More like cult leader.” Because I’M SORRY, but you cannot convince me that a CIRCUS, called THE CIRCUS OF THE OTHER, which possessed a HAUNTED CALLIOPE ORGAN, is anything but a cult. (Watch me when I’m inevitably wrong lmao.)

I guess now is a better time than any to say that I’m kind of wondering if there’s an in-universe reason for the music in the background? I mean, considering that the whole framing device is Jon recording these statements, I have to wonder if there’s a reason for the noise we hear, especially with the worms in Ep. 22 and the music in Ep. 24.

- Episode 25, Growing Dark ⛪️

Statement of Mark Bilham, regarding events culminating in his visit to Hither Green Chapel.

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I LOVE BEING RIGHT!!! I saw the episode title and immediately assumed this would continue the lore of Episode 9, and I WAS SO RIGHT!!! (Also, I now just noticed that the PCOTDH’s symbol is a closed eye, while The Keay Family’s symbol is an open eye…my cult theory thickens…) Anyways, this was another very enjoyable episode! Firstly, even though it’s far from the first piece of media to do so, I though the way they portrayed a cult brainwashing someone when they’re most vulnerable was very well handled and pretty depressing. I also really enjoyed how the episode isn’t the most weird and paranormal on it’s own, but the knowledge of the connections to Ep. 9 makes us know that it DEFINITELY is, even when the characters in the story don’t. The episode was certainly very spooky, the description of the spinach and the dark church definitely got me. (Also my mom came into my room briefly and when she left she accidentally turned off the light and I nearly screamed.) There were also some really interesting plot threads set up here, like the chanting of the northern most human settlement in the world, the mention of “three hundred years waiting”, and I also wonder if “Mr. Pitch” is an alias for “Detective Rayner.” then…the ending. Holy shit. You know, maybe I DON’T need to know what happened to Gertrude….

Episode 26, A Distortion ☕️

Statement of Sasha James, assistant archivist at the Magnus Institute, London, regarding a series of paranormal sightings. Statement taken direct from subject.

I…what…I don’t even…we are so fucked. Ok, there’s a LOT going on here, but I’ll try my best to formulate my thoughts as clearly as possible. Firstly, this episode easily scared me the most so far, I agree with Jon when he says that the horrors being somewhat friendly is scarier than them being antagonistic, like HOLY SHIT this one was unnerving. But with that out of the way…uh…let’s talk about Sasha! She’s really cool, I like how her character gives us a lot more insight into what working in the archives is like for a fairly regular person (i say this because Jon is weird as fuck and Martin is too nice to be normal, and I mean that as kindly as possible). But…while I don’t necessarily doubt her status as the most level-headed person in the archives, I don’t think that’s saying much. Like, she saw a creepy guy with weird-ass hands who spoke in riddles and knew too much about her and her coworkers, and followed him into a dilapidated building, also she works at the council of ghost stories despite not liking horror. Like, no offense, I’m sure she’s overall an intelligent person, as are most people in the archives, but none of them are beating Joshua Gillepsie anytime soon (yes I’m still thinking about him.) But mentioning the guy with fucked up hands, WHO OR WHAT EVEN WAS THAT??!! I have very little ideas as to how this “Micheal” even connects to the greater picture. I know some people connected him to the mentions of the man with bones in his hands in Episode 8, but that honestly reminds me more of the Leitner in Episode 17. Outside of that, his name is quite interesting, I initially thought that he might be Micheal Crew, but given that Sasha doubts it being his real name, I have my suspicions (although it would give us a connection between this, the words in Episode 8, and The Boneturner’s Tale….hm….) However, I could absolutely see him being Micheal Keay, as he gives off enough ghost vibes to pass as him (and I’m assuming that if Gerard’s dead, Micheal is as well.) Also he is not described as having a Lichtenburg figure on him so…yeah. Lastly, we have the return of THE SEX WORMS. And as happy(?) as I am to see that The Magnus Archives, a podcast developed by RustyQuill.com, that is also licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, is continuing it’s message of staying abstinent, all things considered, that was absolutely terrifying. I just LOVE the knowledge that the worms are a hive-mind and that Jane might not be the source, I LOVE THAT SO MUCH. In conclusion, I am probably going to sleep with a fire extinguisher tonight, and I am very scared for what the next 14 episodes have in store for me.

Also I guess I’ll mention Tim (the archival assistant, not the dead guy) here because why not. So far I’m getting major bastard energy from people’s descriptions of him, which means I will either love or hate him. Also I found it very funny but also kind of sad that Jon said he only trusts Tim to not prank him in Episode 11, and then he pulled a prank shortly before this statement took place.

- Episode 27, A Sturdy Lock 🔑

Statement of Paul McKenzie, regarding repeated nocturnal intrusions into his home.

Ok, after everything that happened in the last episode, it was nice to get a short and sweet one here. Well, as sweet as an episode of a horror podcast can be. Overall, this one isn’t my favorite, I thought it was a little bit under the standards of creativity for the show as a whole, but that’s obviously not saying much, as it was still pretty damn good in its own right. I think it was definitely very effective with its storytelling, and credit where credit is due, it certainly brought out my fear of weird noises in the middle of the night. And even if I can’t personally resonate with this aspect of it, I do really appreciate how it tackled the idea of mental illness at old age, and while I’d be surprised if the statement wasn’t real, considering where the show seems to be going, it did a very good job at planting seeds of doubt in my mind. But still, it was genuinely pretty crushing how Paul had no proof throughout the entire thing, along with how the cops treated him. It really did make me thing about what would have happened if he hadn’t washed the blood off his hands. It still had a creepy atmosphere, and the reveals at the end were pretty interesting, I hope they show us Marcus’ statement soon enough. Also, the aspect of loneliness in this one did remind me a lot of what happened in Episode 13, so I wonder if there’s some connection there. (Also, I love how I’m 27 episodes in and Jon is STILL roasting Gertrude’s organizational skills.) So while this one isn’t the most interesting for me, I still enjoyed it, and it was nice to have a slightly lighter one after Episode 26. I hope Sasha had a good few days off, she deserves it.

- Episode 28, Skintight 📷

Statement of Melanie King, regarding events at the abandoned Cambridge Military Hospital during filming in January 2015. Statement taken direct from subject.

WHOA THAT WAS SO GOOD!!! Ok, I feel like I should start off with my thoughts on the basic premise, as while those episode is certainly…not the most humorous in its execution, the premise itself kind of is. I don’t know why, but I just thought the idea of there being an in-universe competitor was a really fun concept that was executed perfectly here. It kind of reminds me of something like Hatchetfield and Clivesdale (I don’t know how many people reading this will understand that, but there seems to be overlap between TMA fans and Hatchetfield fans, and also like, shut up, let me indulge in my hyperfixations.) The bickering between Melanie and Jon was great, as was Melanie herself, I’d love to see her again as I think she oddly brought a lot to the world of the series. Although I will say that, while it doesn’t make me like him any less, Jon’s reluctance to buy into statements is a lot more frustrating when there’s another person in the room. I also absolutely love the fact that there’s an in-universe spooky podcast mentioned by name, like, come one, that’s genuinely hilarious. But comedic value aside, this one was definitely pretty creepy. In a similar vain to what Episode 23 was doing, the whole “young people enter creepy abandoned building to film stuff and then get genuinely scared” concept felt evocative of other classic horror stories, and the way they spun it into the context of the show was great. The atmosphere was definitely very creepy as well, as I have mentioned, hospitals creep me the fuck out. And lastly…oh my god, THE CONNECTIONS. So, I’ll start off by saying that all of the skin shit reminded me of what happened in Episode 18 (which I hope is true because I think some connections to other things would make me like that episode more). But that pales in comparison to the fact that we have stuff on THE ANGLERFISH, HOLY FUCK THE ANGLERFISH. I’m SO glad that they didn’t throw it away just because it was in the pilot episode. In retrospect, I think that the story of Episode 1 isn’t quite my favorite. It doesn’t really have to be, as I think the main draw of the episode is getting a first look at the framing device and general vibe of the entire podcast, but the stories didn’t really grab me until Episode 2, which is still one of my favorites. But MAN, this episode really made me appreciate the setup at the beginning so much more, and the knowledge that the people who walked into the alley didn’t necessarily die, meaning that all of those names could potentially come back, is SO exciting to me. In fact, when you consider that Sarah was kind of going through what looked like a possession, I wonder if The Anglerfish is a figure of worship in a cult, if that theory is to be true. (Also I have relatives that live in the same area as Sarah so…maybe I should tell them to watch out for their neighbor lmao.) So yeah, this…this show is just really freaking good.

Note: I have discovered the Leitner rant, and therefore I have achieved true enlightenment.

- Episode 29, Cheating Death ♟️

Statement of Nathaniel Thorp, regarding his own mortality.

I should start off by saying that I love the episode title for this, like, it’s not even metaphorical, the guy literally cheated in a game against death. Well, anyways, the main thing that caught me about the episode was how it absolutely blindsided me. While I was right about the soldier being the same as the statement giver, which I think was supposed to be obvious, everything else in those last six or so minutes left me with a wide-open jaw. (Also, can I just say that I love how poetic this guy just…decided to be? Like, I just love it when the statements really show of personalities with the way they’re written, and it comes with a cool framing device.) Regardless, I initially assumed that it was going in a very traditional line. Nathaniel cheats death, becomes immortal, and regrets it in modern day because he’s lived longer that he really should have. That, combined with the fact that “Death” didn’t seem like the one of the more creative horror monsters in the show so far, had me so prepared to just write this one off as one of my least favorites (once again, not like that’s saying much.) And then the twist comes and HOLY SHIT I WAS WRONG. The idea of there basically being multiple grim reapers at the hands of some unknowable power, who have to gain successors to finally die themselves is absolutely terrifying and extremely clever. I tip my hat to you Rusty Quill, you did a great job at fooling me. Kind of funny considering how this is a story about being punished for your hubris (which seems to be a recurring theme???) I have a few other small thoughts as well. Firstly, I can’t help but shake the feeling that Nathaniel Thorp was an actual revolutionary war soldier, but I can’t find anything online other than the character from this episode. Also, the fact that his fate remains unknown makes me think he’ll show up again, as it seems weird to NOT end the story with confirmation of his death, given the themes. Secondly, a lot of the…less than pleasant imagery here definitely reminded me of Piecemeal and The Boneturner’s Tale. I don’t remember the story inside that Leitner very well, but I might check just in case there’s any parallels between it and this statement. (Update: Not really.) And finally, I was just a little bit intrigued by the fact that we learn no one who was working at the institute in 1972 works there anymore. It’s probably nothing, but given the mysteries surrounding Gertrude’s death, I’m just a little suspicious, both in general, and of Elias because he’s still around. Overall this episode went hard, I’m still kind of stunned by what it pulled off.

Jane Prentiss statement…save me…save me Jane Prentiss statement…

- Episode 30, Killing Floor 🍖

Statement of David Laylow, regarding his time working at an industrial abattoir near Dalton.

You know what, Jon is right, there’s a lot of meat in this show. Not that I’m complaining, I mean, it does fuel my obsession with connecting the dots between statements. Regardless, while this isn’t among my favorite episodes so far, I still had a good time with it. The reason it’s not one of my favorites is purely personal, as I don’t do too well with animal violence. Like, as much as I do really appreciate how viscerally Jonny Sims can describe the statements, I will admit that the opening minutes describing the slaughter house made me more uneasy than the actual horror, and not in a particularly fun way, but it was overall fine. Speaking of the actual horror, that was actually pretty good. The endless hallways lined with doors that lead to precarious situations also kind of tapped into a personal fear of mine, but in a more fun and digestible way. And while the idea of “imagine humans being slaughtered like animals” is something I’ve seen many a time before, it was still much more well executed than many other interpretations of the idea (*cough cough*, peta) and there were also plenty of other interesting themes and ideas, like how the episode touched on the inherent horror of working in a job as gruesome as the killing floor, being enslaved to said job, and the idea that maybe we’re all just walking sacks of meat in the end, and nothing more. As for some other thoughts, I was definitely creeped out by Tom Han, I’m not sure whether or not he’s someone who spreads ✨the horrors✨or someone affected by ✨the horrors✨, and his sudden disappearance was certainly…odd. On top of that, it’s admittedly haunting to know that there’s still creepy stuff going on at the slaughter house, and that this isn’t something that happened to David, and only David. Overall, a pretty good episode, I don’t have much to say about it, but it was a fun time overall.

Tim…save me…save me Tim…

Well, if you’ve made it this far, thank you so much for reading! Genuinely means the world to me when there are people willing to listen to me ramble about my horrible (affectionate) interests lmao. I should have my thoughts on the final episodes of Season 1 out in due time, and while I’m sure it’s obvious, I’m absolutely hooked on this podcast. It absolutely has the potential to become one of my favorite things ever if the overarching plot becomes more involved and this is coming from someone who up until now, wasn’t all that gripped by podcasts. While I’m a little sad that I’m as late to the party as I am, then I remembered “oh yeah, I was in elementary school when this horrifying series came out”, and I’m also hopeful that I’ll be able to be around for The Magnus Protocol while it’s airing (I know it premieres in like a week but still.) Anyways, thanks for reading and hopefully you’ll be around for my thoughts on the next batch :)

[writemekpop]

On My Mind | Huang Renjun

Summary: You’re with your fiancé Renjun when you remember your bad boy ex Jeno. You realise you’re not over him. What happens when Renjun finds out?

Genre: Lumberjack!Renjun, criminal ex-boyfriend!Jeno, angsty 

Word Count: 2.1k

“Hey babe, look at this!” Renjun yells.

As soon as you turn, Renjun whacks a snowball at your tummy. He collapses into laughter.

“Hey!” you shout, laughing, running for shelter into the log cabin you share. You have no neighbours – there’s only forest for miles around.

Your fiancé might be sweet… but he sure can be childish sometimes.

You collapse onto your worn couch, flicking on your 80’s brick TV while Renjun goes into the kitchen to make hot chocolate.

You freeze. One mitten still dangles off your fingers, forgotten.

The newsreader’s voice pierces your ears like glass. “A 22-year-old man has just been arrested for the attempted robbery of the Royal Bank of Canada. He has also been charged with the deaths of two security guards.”

The picture is grainy, but you would recognise that face anywhere.

Lee Jeno.

Everything around you fades except the pixelated shape of Jeno’s face. You can feel your heart racing. Your mouth is dry as salt.

For exactly three seconds, you allow your emotions to battle on your face, your eyes welling with tears, your chest heaving.

Then, you make your face perfectly smooth.

Renjun walks in, holding two steaming mugs of hot chocolate. “What’ya watching?”

“News,” you say lightly. It is too late to change the channel. Renjun will get suspicious.  

Renjun settles down, his frown growing as he stares at the screen. “Why do people do things like that?” he says. “I don’t feel any urge to rob a bank, do you?”

“Maybe he was having money troubles,” you snap. “Not everyone grew up with perfect dentist parents, you know.”

Renjun sucks in a sharp breath. “I didn’t realise you cared so much.”

You realise that you are breathing hard. You must control yourself, before Renjun starts to think something is up. You plaster on a smile. “I don’t.” You lift up your faded DVDs. “Now what’ll it be – Home Alone or The Notebook?”

For the rest of the night, you bury all thoughts of Jeno deep down.

When Renjun has fallen asleep, you pull on your winter coat and boots and creep out of the house for a midnight walk. You need to arrange your thoughts.

Tonight, the forest swarms with memories, like fireflies.

You remember those innocent days in Jeno’s tiny Toronto apartment. You would spend the daylight hours poring over bank blueprints laid out over the floor, exchanging glances of disbelief. You couldn’t believe you were actually going to rob a bank together.

In those days, you had nothing to feed the electricity meter, so when it got dark, you and Jeno would make fervent, excited love in the glow of candlelight, clinging to each other in the gloom.

You remember your first successful heist.

That night, there were no candles. Every electric bulb in the house blazed. You remember the way Jeno looked at you as you lay naked, amongst piles of banknotes. Jeno’s eyes drank up your body as if he had never seen it before. He looked at you like you were worth more than every flimsy slip of paper in the place.

You suddenly stop walking.

A memory has hit you that you have no desire to remember.

That awful final night.

“So what?” Jeno shrugged. “It was a close shave.”

“A close shave?” You shuddered. “We were almost caught tonight. Do the words ‘life in jail’ mean nothing to you?”

““I got us out, didn’t I? What the hell does it matter?” Jeno said, his voice rising.

You took a deep breath. “I’m out. It’s gotten out of control. I can’t do this anymore.”

At first, Jeno didn’t seem to realise you were serious. Then, his face suddenly changed. He fell to his knees, his eyes pleading. “No, please, baby. You can’t leave me.”

But you were pulling your suitcase, already packed, to the door.

Jeno was crying now. “Y/n. We’ll stop. No more robberies. Nothing. Just please… don’t go. I’ll die if you go.”

But you’d heard this speech too many times before.

You will never forget the sound of Jeno’s muffled sobs through the apartment door. That sound rings in your ears now.

And now, because of you, Jeno is in another room, smaller, colder than that old apartment. A prison cell, which he will never leave.

You fall to your knees in the bitter, icy snow.    

You wonder if you will ever see Jeno again.

---

The change seems to happen all at once. Which, of course, only means that it has been happening for a long time.  

Suddenly, Jeno is everywhere you look.

Each night, you’re ravaged by nightmares. Some nights, wake yourself up screaming, the blanket writhing like a snake around your legs. On other nights, your moaning wakes Renjun, who presses his lips to your hair in the dark.  

One time, you wake up and grab the man beside you, moaning, “Jeno, I’m scared.” You know precisely where you are: the dirty little apartment in Toronto. You know that tomorrow, there will be bank blueprints to study, over cheap liquor and cornflakes.

When the light flicks on and you see Renjun, you almost jump out of your skin.

Renjun’s eyes are concerned.

You know how choking Jeno’s cell feels because you are in there with him. You spend every hour of the day imagining Jeno in that cell. Perhaps he sweats. Perhaps he is dry. Perhaps he is hungry. Perhaps he has lost all appetite. You grow obsessive about the physical details of Jeno’s life.

Meanwhile, your fiancé Renjun grows more and more distant. You chop wood in the forest, your business, in silence these days. You don’t have anything to point out to each other.

You can only make love to Renjun in the mornings. You don’t know why. In the bright energy of morning, it’s just easier to do with your body what your heart is no longer interested in.

One night, Renjun finally brings it up. You are getting into bed to join him. He is reading a yellowed paperback.

He touches your arm. “I know you’re struggling, Y/n. Just let me help you.”

The genuine compassion in his eyes nearly breaks you. You harden yourself. “Don’t worry. It’s a little thing. I’ll be better soon.”

“You’ve been saying that for a long time,” he says. “What is it? What is bothering you so much?”

You try to smile. It must not work, because Renjun grimaces.

“I’m fine,” you say.

“It’s him, isn’t it? That guy from the news, what was his name… uh… Jeno Lee. Why do you care about him so much?” he says.

Your heart speeds. You thought Renjun was oblivious. You were wrong.

“I… knew him in high school,” you say, offering part of the truth. You’re terrified of saying too much. You want to say too much. “He… offered me to go into some shady job, and I said no.” You risk a little more of the truth. “I should have stopped him from doing it. Maybe then, he wouldn’t be…”

“You blame yourself,” Renjun says knowingly. “But Y/n, you did the right thing. You couldn’t have stopped him.” He sighs. “You see, you have too much faith in people. Some people are just bad. Jeno’s a killer – and he was born a killer.”

“He’s not a killer!” you say.

You know exactly what would have happened in that bank. Jeno would have run out of the vault, the money in his hands. He would have seen two guards. Without a partner, he would have started to panic. They would focus their guns on him, like brutal black eyes. In his desperation, his mind would go blank. Shooting them would like seem like the only option.  

“Do you ever think how- how vicious those guards can be?” you say. “They shoot first and ask questions after. Did you ever think that it might have been self-defence?”

“There’s no need to shout,” Renjun says. “You cared about him.” He gazes into your eyes. “I know how you feel.”

“You don’t know a thing about how I feel!” you say. You run from the room. You cannot bear to look at him.  

It only gets harder to hide the truth from Renjun.

Finally, the inevitable day arrives. The day that you can no longer keep up the façade. The day that the lies that you tell so often you almost believe them, are revealed.

On that day, Renjun enters your tiny bathroom. You look up, toothbrush still between your lips.

“You lied to me,” Renjun spits, brown eyes glinting angrily.

The back of your neck prickles. Renjun is clutching a yellowed newspaper clipping in his hand. “Jeno had a partner. It says so right here! She was called Alexis Black. You’re her, aren’t you?”

You realise that it is too late to lie. “I can explain-“

“Y/n isn’t even your real name, is it? I don’t know who the fuck you are.” He crumples the paper in his fist. “We’re done.”

You step closer, cupping his face in your hands. “Renjun, you know me. You’ve spent a year working with me, fighting with me…” your voice softens, “making love to me.”

He shakes you off. “I can’t believe I was going to marry you. I was going to let you be a mother to my child. When we met two years ago, you were on the run. Was that all I was to you? A cover story?”

“No. I chose to leave that life. I chose you.”

“You didn’t choose a thing,” he almost spits. “You left Jeno because the police were onto you. You had no choice. And now, you hate yourself for leaving him.” He stops suddenly, a wild glint entering his eye, as if he has just thought of something.

He laughs. “Do you even regret what you did? Do you regret leaving Jeno? Or do you wish you’d stayed? You could be with Jeno right this minute, living the high life.”

Renjun grips the sink as if he is unsteady on his feet. You instinctively reach out to support him, then pull your hand back. That would not be comfort to either of you, anymore.

“I am such an idiot,” he moans. “How did I not see it? You have been killing yourself the past few weeks because… you’re still in love with Jeno.”

Finally, your throat opens enough to allow you to speak. But there is no point in denial, because you know that every one of Renjun’s accusations is true. Instead, you focus on another truth. “I love you. I’m your fiancée, Renjun.”

Renjun’s eyes are cold. “Y/n is my fiancée… not you. I have no fiancée. You are a stranger.”  

He moves through the bedroom like a whirlwind, throwing his few belongings into a suitcase. Renjun’s eyes are red with tears.  

You struggle to think of something to say, some parting word that will remove the bitterness between you. Something that will make him forgive you.

But when Renjun finally pauses in the doorframe, you are tongue-tied.

Renjun looks at you, the frustration and fear and longing bare on his face. “How will I bear the cold train journey home?” He steps closer to you, pleading in his eyes. “The worst part is, I knew. I knew that you were a stranger – that there was a part of you that you never shared with me.” He shakes his head. “Why did you wait so long? Why didn’t you just tell me the truth?”

He dips his face to your hair for just a moment, breathing you deeply in. Then, he pulls stiffly away and leaves the house.    

That night, you cannot bear staying in that cabin, which is crowded with memories. So, you sleep in a sleeping bag out in front of the house. It is bitterly cold. Even your flask of burning whisky cannot warm you tonight.

You think of Jeno, hunched in a prison cell. A place the colour of gunmetal, with bars on the windows. Perhaps he is alone, or perhaps he is with two or three other men. Smoking, playing cards.

You wonder if he has shaven, or if his beard has grown. You wonder if he is eating well. You wonder what he feels as he thinks that the rest of his life will be spent between those walls. Perhaps he feels terror. Perhaps, like you, he is swallowed by guilt. Perhaps he simply does not care anymore.

You and Jeno watch the same sunset.

You wonder if the sun will rise tomorrow.

Right now, it seems the most unlikely thing in the world.

—

MAIN MASTERLIST

Let us know what you thought in the comments or on anon! 💋

[cosmal]

aaaahhh congratulations!!! 3k! that’s crazy! i feel like it happened in just one second omg

sza — rugby player!james x reader who truly doesn’t care about sports till the moment when she one day catches the end of one of his practices and finally actually sees him in action, her mind melts and it goes from being this annoying thing he keeps on blubbering about to being one of her biggest turn ons.

thank you!!!!ily i know i swear i just did my 1k one omg.

james potter x fem!afab!reader

you’ve never been one for sports!!!! it’s never interested you. there’s plenty of other things that do.

one of them being james potter so it’s a catch 22.

he asks you for at least a week, he’s not above begging.

still, he’s your best friend, one who you’re hopelessly in love, so you’ll do anything for him.

it’s not like you’re donating a kidney or anything, but it’s still fun to watch him get all whiny because he really does want you there.

please come. bring remus so you can complain together.

when you tell him you’ll make it, he gets aggressively happy. a bit overboard but you won’t lie and say you don’t love it.

you bring remus to one of his last training sessions and you’re quiet the entire time, drooling over him.

every time remus tries to talk to you, he has to snap you from some little lovesick daze you keep falling into.

his little shorts. his tight jersey. how sweaty is. how controlling he is on the field. how every time he catches you on the sidelines, he sends you a little wave and a wink. how you’re absolutely, desperately in love with your best friend.

how you think you’re completely stupid for missing out on half of the season already when you could’ve been doing this every tuesday and thursday afternoon.

remus notices. obviously.

god, you make me sick.

what?!

i’ve never seen you so interested in a sport before, hmm?

it looks fun!

right...

once he’s done, he finds you both afterwards. you can’t look him in the eye.

he’s all red and sweaty. panting.

so. did you have fun? interesting?

yeah! yeah, no, it- it was fun to watch.

after that you have so many questions about the sport. what if your hit your head? how does a scrum work? they look pointless. if you can come to his next training. if you can come to watch his next game. and the game after that.

james is shocked tbh. but elated!!!!!

he’s so excited that you’re interest in the thing he loves most!!!!

you feel bad for not ever showing such interest but you know it’ll be worth it now.

you go to almost every training after the first. you’re at every game. his little cheerleader <333

you bring him extra powerade and you braid back his hair. you always go for lunch afterwards. he pays mostly, to show his appreciation.

and eventually the novelty of him being so hot wears off.

of course he’s always going to be good looking playing rugby.

but eventually you just love watching your best friend play rugby. especially when he’s so committed and passionate.

soon, the lunch’s afterwards turn into dates. and you become the best rugby player’s gf!!!!

[mlbigbang]

2022 Ladrien Fic Rec List

It's the end of the year which means it's finally time for the ML Big Bang's yearly fic rec lists! We're really excited to bring you our contributors' favourite fics started this year to supply you with plenty of reading material while you're waiting for the Big Bang fics' publication in January.

you're such a dream to me by @bocadelicate 1,076 words, Teen, 1/1 chapter

there was something so comforting about cuddling with his lady. even though she didn’t know he was her partner, and even if he couldn’t know who she was behind the mask. he was still ever so in love with her, and he wouldn’t change a single thing about it.

"It's simply soft, short and sweet Ladrien fluff."

o, trespass sweetly urged by @apopcornkernel 820 words, Teen, 1/1 chapter

“We can’t,” Ladybug breathed against his mouth, so close Adrien could count her eyelashes. “Your father—” “Isn’t here,” Adrien said, fierce and flushed. Ladybug swallowed, and as she did, her lips grazed his. He couldn’t help the shudder that ran through him. Ladybug is the vigilante protector of the people. Adrien is the crown prince of the kingdom. They should not be doing this.

"It's a Ladrien knight/prince AU. Need I say more. (I will say more though. It has lovely prose, a fabulous setup, and so much potential plot-wise.)"

for all the moon’s beauty (you are far more radiant) by @theladyfae 751 words, General, 1/1 chapter

Oh, the picture they must make: an outlaw, holding onto the hand of a prince, directing him on how to love her.

"this fic takes place in the famed Ladrien knight/prince AU. it depicts a single, simple night of Adrien and Ladybug, with stunning writing and word use where you can feel their yearning oozing off the screen <3"

"Fae's writing is so poetic and beautiful and the entire thing is just so evocative and fitting of Ladrien as a ship."

say something by @coffeebanana 17,963 words, Teen, 4/12 chapters

Whenever Adrien imagined sharing a hotel room with Ladybug...it wasn't like this. It was supposed to be on a desert island somewhere, they were supposed to be happy, and he always figured he'd actually know Ladybug's real name by then. Instead, Adrien's injured and Ladybug's insistent on hiding him away from Hawk Moth. Plus, as if finding out he's been fighting his father for years isn't enough, Adrien's pretty sure Ladybug's been acting differently since she found out who he is. What he is. And Ladybug...has no idea what to say to make things better.

"THIS FIC. It has sentiadrien, which is something sorta controversial in the fandom. However the way it's handled in this is great, the writing is awesome, and every chapter packs this emotional punch that leaves me wanting more. It's also very *realistic*. Adrien and Ladybugs feelings are complicated and messy, and this fic doesn't glide over that- it *embraces* it. Above all, they really care for each other, and this fic allows that aspect of their relationsip to shine."

Probably Not The Best Idea by @coffeebanana 17,827 words, Teen, 5/22 chapters

When Adrien first offered Ladybug his spare room, it was mostly joke. Not once in a million years did he think she'd actually take him up on the offer. After all, he's the only one who's hopelessly in love. Right? For her part, Ladybug never meant to make a habit out of visiting Adrien. But now that she has, well...spending time with him feels safe. It feels right. So why not give this roommates thing a try? Surely it'll be nice, not having to hide her hero identity in her own home for once, even if she has to hide her civilian identity instead. All in all, it might not be the best idea they've ever had, but...can it really be the worst? And if they happen to get a little more than they bargained for in the process? That's just part of the fun.

"personally i love ladrien, and i love domesticity, so when i saw that this fic was a thing i absolutely had to read it. its only a couple chapters in at the moment but their dynamic is written so well and the fic balances humour and fluff really well <3"

Selfish Love by @ck2k18 1,508 words, Teen, 1/1 chapter

Jumping from a nearby bush, the animal changed from lizard to jaguar in midair. She whirled to face it, sword in her hand, but not fast enough. Then she was on the ground, someone else's weight on her as she rolled out of the creature's path. The culprit hovered over her, blonde hair shining in the moonlight. His shirt was torn from the beast's claws, and he panted heavily. He’d flung himself into danger for her. And it looked like he’d do it again. “Adrien, NO!” ... Or: Adrien keeps sacrificing himself for his guard, and she's a little tired of reminding him that it's not his job.

"LADRIEN FIGHTING OVER LADYBUG SACRIFICING HERSELF FOR ADRIEN'S SAFETY. + KNIGHT/PRINCE AU. YOU AGREE."

reinvent love by @peachcitt 36,865 words, General, 30/30 chapters

“And what could a pretty sort of girl like you want with me?” she asks, the corners of her mouth quirking up into a smile. “I wanted to become your right hand man,” Adrien says. “Girl,” he corrects, hurriedly. “Right hand girl. I want to be your right hand… girl.” “Cute,” she says to Adrien as she swings gracefully onto the saddle. “Is that a yes?” or a prince cross-dressing to protect his identity and a famous lady-knight attempting to save the world. for ladrien june 2022

"Fantasy AU! Marinette is a magic knight! Adrien is a runaway prince! ....and is currently known as "Adrienne," self-proclaimed right-hand-girl of the mysterious knight. Has very good parallels to canon, but in a fantasy/medieval setting. And lots of delicious crushes and awkward moments."

Under Oath by @eoscenes 81,446 words, Teen, 30/? chapters

In the aftermath of Hawk Moth's defeat, Ladybug finds her heart torn between her schoolgirl crush and her superhero partner ― who returns, after an unexplained hiatus, more irresistible than ever. ⋆☆⋆ Gabriel Agreste is unmasked, and Paris rises up in the aftermath. Marinette Dupain-Cheng must weather Paris' anxious protesters, ravenous reporters, a scattered team of judiciary investigators, and her conflicting feelings for two different boys. In the eye of this storm is the elusive Adrien Agreste, the primary witness in his own father's trial, who might just hold the secret to finding the Peacock Miraculous. (If only she wasn't in love with him.) Meanwhile, locked away in Le Grand Paris hotel, Adrien grapples with his responsibilities to a city that can't decide if it hates or loves him. Keeping his daytime persona and Chat Noir separate entities becomes even harder when Ladybug, whom he has finally decided to get over, starts visiting him at night, determined to figure his secrets out. (If only he wasn't in love with her.) When an unknown figure returns with the Peacock Miraculous, Ladybug and Chat Noir will have to save their city once more — or lose each other trying.

"An amazing all-sides-of-the-Lovesquare fic (emphasis on Ladrien and Ladynoir), following the defeat of Hawkmoth, dealing with the ramifications of secretly being a superhero who brought down a villain that is also your father; the press, the legal system, and a big team of superheroes trying to solve the rest of the mystery. Plays with both realism and superhero fantasy expertly, gives everyone powerups, and has amazing use of emotion and character relationships. CW for alcohol use. One of my favorite ongoing fics."

[mia-tiny]

『 Jongho & FaceTime Sex + Lingerie 』 | KTB ‘22

⇒ pairing: c. jongho x fem!reader

⇒ smut, idol jongho, lingerie, mutual masturbation, FaceTime sex, light dirty talk

⇒ word count: 1.5k

💕 view my masterlist here

🖤 view my Kinktober ‘22 masterlist here

⇒ author’s note: only one fic left per member in Kinktober!

The sound of your phone ringing immediately has you grinning like an idiot because you know exactly who it is. Sure enough, you glance at the brightened screen and find your boyfriend’s name over top of a silly photo you took of him while on vacation.

During his tour, Jongho makes sure to speak to you every night because, by the end of each long and tiring day, all he wants to do is hear your loving words of encouragement. This is the first time he has been gone this long since you two started dating, and now you spend every second of every day looking forward to this moment, no matter how tired you are in the morning from staying up so late to chat.

Hating to waste even a second with him, you rush to answer his FaceTime and wait impatiently as it connects. As soon as his face pops up, you beam at him giddily.

“Baby~” you call in your most sing-songy voice, sitting up from your relaxed position in the bed that is far too big without him. He can’t help chuckling at your excitement, but you can see the exhaustion in his face that he tries to mask. You can’t imagine how overworked he must be and you wish you could just hug him right now.

“Hi, babe. How was your day?” He lays back in the all-white hotel bed with a large huff, his freshly washed hair dampening the pillow slightly.

“Boring, as always. There is nothing fun to do when you’re gone,” you pout in honesty, to which he sticks out his bottom lip, humorously pouting back in solidarity. “How was your day, though? Did the concert go well?”

“Yeah, I think we actually did really well tonight,” he answers lifelessly while running his hand through his hair to keep it out of his face.

“Why do you seem so bummed, then? Did something else happen?” You can’t help but be concerned for Jongho when he is down like this, especially when you can’t be by his side to comfort him in person. He lets out a dispirited sigh.

“Honestly, I just miss you so fucking much,” he admits, a blush rising to his cheeks as you grin sheepishly. “It is driving me insane. I just want to hug you, kiss you, touch you, and have you to myself, but there is still so long to go until I’m home.”

“Have me to yourself?” you prompt teasingly, knowing exactly what he means but still finding his choice of words amusing.

“Yeah, I mean… you know…” he trails off in embarrassment as his eyes shift elsewhere.

“You want to fuck me?” You tauntingly bite your lip and put on the most innocent expression you can muster. He clears his throat awkwardly at the sight.

“Well yeah, of course I miss your body, how could I not?” he confesses with more confidence. “Stop looking at me like that, all sexy-like. You’re going to get me riled up.”

“Would that be a bad thing?” you challenge. “I have a present to show you anyways.”

His brows furrow in confusion as he quickly racks his brain to remember if today is an anniversary or special date, but nothing comes up. You, however, nonchalantly position your phone on the bedside table so that it shows your whole body as you kneel in front of it. With a sly smirk, you slowly undo your robe’s tie and slip each side off one at a time to reveal the lacy red lingerie you bought earlier today. 

Jongho watches you closely, his expression turning increasingly lecherous by the second. The exhaustion in face has been washed away entirely as all of his thoughts are instantly occupied by you. The seductive bra, panty, and garter belt set doesn’t leave much to the imagination, but that is exactly what you wanted.

“What is all this for?” he purrs in contentment as you finally throw your robe aside altogether.

“Just because you’ve been working so hard, I thought you deserve a treat.”

“Oh yeah?”

By the slight movement of the camera, you can tell he is reaching down to stroke his cock already and you can’t help but feel a surge of confidence. You start putting on a show for him by running your own hands across your body, stopping at your chest to grope your own tits and moan dramatically for him.

“Do you like your gift?” you coo as he nods with his mouth agape in admiration.

“The only thing I hate is that I can’t rip that off you and bend you over right now.” You tweak your nipples playfully and moan softly.

“For now, just tell me what you want and I’ll do it for you, baby.”

His eyes sparkle with enthusiasm and he readjusts the pillow behind his head as he gets ready for the show. “Go ahead and touch that pretty pussy for me.”

You drag your hand down your stomach to your sex, teasing yourself by rubbing at your clit over the flimsy fabric of your underwear. You make sure to moan a bit more theatrically than normal, which he seems to enjoy by the low groan he lets out.

“Pull your panties to the side and let me watch,” he commands, feeling like he will explode with anticipation if he doesn’t get to see your needy cunt this very second.

Like a good girl, you follow his orders and expose yourself to him, opening your legs more so he has the best view. You continue to stroke your sensitive bud as he lets out hushed whimpers from the pleasure of his own hand.

“Jongho?”

“Hm?”

“Can I see too?”

He smirks as your face reddens, but you can’t go on knowing he is pleasing himself and not being able to see it. He flips the camera input so that it now shows the pornographic scene of his hand stroking his stiff cock, his pajama pants pulled just halfway down his thighs.

“Better?” he teases.

“Much better.”

The aching neediness in your core increases tenfold as you ogle over sight of his perfect dick, pre-cum oozing lazily from the tip. Your fingers automatically pick up their pace to match the slightly faster rhythm of his hand.

“Use your other hand and finger that greedy hole. I want to see you fall apart for me.”

You easily sink two digits in from how wet you are and curl upwards to drag along your g-spot, the sensation prompting you to release a shameless whine. You waste no time warming yourself up, immediately speeding up your movements to constantly stimulate both parts of your sex. The combined pleasure, in addition to the visual of your boyfriend’s own desperate motions, has your climax starting to build deep within your core.

“Shit, baby. You’re going to make me cum if you keep moaning like that,” he pants, clearly close to the edge.

“Cum for me.”

He curses under his breath and speeds up once again as he skirts close to the edge, the camera shaking frantically as he focuses only on the euphoric feeling. It isn’t much longer before his hot cum is shooting onto his abs with a cry of your name that the people in the next hotel room surely heard.

He keeps the frame focused on his cock as he watches you wildly chase your climax. He can tell by your increasingly high-pitched sounds of pleasure that you won’t last much longer and savors the sight of you so needy like this, wishing he could just climb through the screen and dive straight into your pussy to give you the mind-shattering high you deserve. Lamenting the fact he can’t do so, he settles for just enjoying the view for now.

“Your turn, baby. Cum for me now.”

His words flip a switch inside you and cause you to immediately spiral into a shuddering orgasm, Jongho’s eyes closely trained on you as he imagines just how good you would feel wrapped around his dick right now.

“There you go.”

You lightly gasp as you pull your fingers out of your hole, the sensitivity making your head spin. Jongho has flipped the camera back around so it shows his satisfied expression, sweat glistening faintly at his hairline. You also grab your phone and lay down in the same position, absolutely spent.

“Did you enjoy your gift?” you quip despite clearly knowing the answer. He just chuckles and rolls onto his side.

“If you aren’t immediately wearing that when I get home, I swear to–”

“What? You’ll punish me?” you taunt.

“Just wait and see what happens. But I’d be careful if I were you because I have another two months to imagine all sorts of scandalous things I can do to you.”

Your heart skips a beat at his threat, the proposition sounding much more appealing than he must think. A mischievous grin spreads across your lips.

“Then I will make sure to have high expectations.”

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Taglist: @minkysmilk @annaflwrs @han8ul @whatudowhennooneseesyou

[levis-coffeecup]

chapter 26| Promise

WC-4.0k

Summary

The underground is filthy and dark. Dim lights, dull alleys, and desperate hearts. A place Levi knows as well as the back of his hand, and a place he would do anything to get out of.

Chapters of life roll by and with the turn of a page, things drastically change. In front of him is the opportunity to live on the surface. And the flimsy bridge that he has to cross. From an uncivil criminal to a disciplined soldier.

But life on the surface seems tougher amidst all the mockery, civilities, and the gaping hole left in his heart, after the demise of his dear friends Isabel and Farlan.

Content/Warnings

canon- compliant, canon-typical violence, spoilers for No Regrets OVA, descriptions of PTSD, grief, depression, heavy angst and themes, strong language, self-hate, physical assault.

Author’s Note

Hiiii,

This is definitely one of my favorite chapters in the fic. Had this chapter in mind, ever since I was coming up with the idea of writing this fic.

Hope you enjoy it, as much as I enjoyed writing it! Song for this chapter is Aaj Jaane Ki Zidd Na Karo by Arijit Singh.

Chapters

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

Masterlist | Playlist | Other Works

MAY 850

The harsh summer sun is waning, and the clouds part to reveal a gradient of pink and purple in the sky. The incoherent chatter of passers plays like white noise, and Levi walks through the narrow lanes of Trost. 

He finds the evening sky is calming. 

He was here, just a few days ago too. Busy running away from Kenny and protecting Eren from the clutches of the royal family.

But things are different today. The stress on his mind has reduced immeasurably. There is a slight bounce in his gait, and he almost smiles, as he sees two kids run past him, with a kite in their hands.

Things have started falling back into normalcy. From the capture of the Female Titan to the false breach of Rose. Humanity is slowly healing.

And to Levi, the humdrum of a mundane life has always felt comforting .

Mae’s house appears at a distance. It doesn’t look the same as before, but the repairs made by the government are functional. Mae seems to be comfortable.

And Levi smiles as he sees a candle, flickering through the window. She’s home.

He picks up his pace, the beat of his heart picking up as well.

The yellow walls that he once looked at with distaste, have now found a place in his heart. And a simple slab of wood has never seemed so welcoming. It feels like he hasn’t seen her in forever.  

His knocks on her door almost seem urgent. And he taps his foot to somehow contain his excitement.

Then he hears the sound of the latch being opened. And he’s just about to make a comment about her taking a crap for too long. But her voice reaches him first, taut from all the crying. 

When the door finally opens, Levi is taken aback by the sight of her..

Her hair is disheveled, her cheeks are tear stained. And her eyes sing of the tragedies and woes of all mortal beings.

The picture is hauntingly similar to the time when her parents died. 

“Levi.” her voice frays. The sound tugs all his heartstrings, and he steps inside, closing the door behind him.

Her composure breaks the moment she meets the gray in his eyes. And her hands tremble as they cradle his face. Staunch disbelief makes her eyes go wide, and a single tear falls from her waterlines. As if millions haven’t fallen before already. “I-I thought you were dead,” she croaks.

The pain in her eyes is just a glimpse of what she’ll go through, the day he actually ends up dying. And Levi gulps at the sight. The possibility of that happening is higher than he’d like to tell her. 

It’s a happy day though. He should think of happier thoughts.

“Come here,” he opens his arms wide, welcoming her in a hug. And she jumps into his arms desperate to feel the pulse inside his chest.

Her shoulders quake with an intensity that makes Levi queasy. Her restlessness gets the best of her. And her grip around him doesn’t loosen, even when he carries her to the couch, and sits on it.  “Where were you?” she cries. “ So m-many people were t-telling me t-that you were k-kiled by the government.”

He rove his hand over her head. “ I’m alright… I’m right here, aren’t I?” And the pads of his finger are gentle as they wipe the tears slipping down her face. “I’m going to be safe now… Historia is the new Queen.”

He speaks with logic, but he does not make sense to her. 

Her hands still tremble against his skin. Scared that he will disappear into thin air.

She looks like she hasn’t slept for days. And his heart breaks, unable to comprehend the turmoil she’s been through this past week, while he was busy with his undercover mission.

In an attempt to distract her, he bends and takes out the knife he keeps strapped to his ankles. “Here..” he holds it out to her. “Sasha stitched this wound for me,… but it must have healed by now… mind, taking the stitches off?”

“Wound?” She panics. It’s something that completely slipped past her mind. “ Oh my god! I didn’t consider that, and I just jumped on you.” Her hands start frantically roving over his frame. “Are you hurt anywhere, did you-”

“Sweetheart, “ a rare laugh slips past his lips, and he cuts her off by putting his finger on her lips. “Wouldn’t I walk differently if I had an injury that serious?”  

He takes off his shirt and turns his right arm towards her.  “See, one wound is, that’s all… not a scratch anywhere else.”

And Mae gulps, as she takes the knife in his hands. 

No matter what she thinks of, the facts, the wins, the strength of Levi Ackerman, the tears don’t stop. They rage like the walls of a dam, left abused and broken. And every part of her still trembles. Her fear still holds her in a vice grip.

It all started when she heard a few distant gunshots. Then the fight between Levi and the Military Police became the talk of the town. People saw him dash through the roads, with the police hot on his tail. Some saw him surrounded by armed men in a Tavern as well.

In the next few hours, the government was arresting the  Survey Corps, Erwin was going to be prosecuted, and Levi was nowhere to be found.

And all Mae heard all day long were rumors about his disappearance, and the thoughts of his dead corpse. She couldn’t sleep, she couldn’t eat. Completely consumed by the anxiety of losing him.

Next thing she knew, there were wanted posters with a drawing of Levi on every wall. He had a huge bounty on his head, and she even heard people conspire ways they would find him.

As it is she faced the fear of losing him with every mission he went on. But now he wasn't even safe inside the walls? The one place she thought he'd be safe…

Days came and went.

The long line of patients at her clinic somehow kept her busy during the day.

But the nights were the same. With her tossing and turning in bed, helpless.  She physically felt her heart rip to pieces, at the thought of never seeing Levi again.

The knife in her hand quivers as she brings it closer to the bandage wrapped around his upper arms. She hasn’t lost him yet, the thought leaves a bittersweet aftertaste.

Then Levi cups both of her cheeks, and looks into her eyes.

The knife is so close to his skin. Unsheathed and sharp. And yet he stills for minutes. And yet he closes his eyes as he presses his forehead to hers.

It's a different kind of intimacy, not one he even registers now. All his are instincts pushed to the side

And as he keeps her in his palms, foreheads pressed and eyes closed, his love conquers. And he wastes no time to claim her, pressing his lips onto hers.

She melts with every little kiss. And she finds herself, settling into his warmth . Losing herself in the feeling of his lips against hers. It's so strong, that it pulls her out of her fears, and tethers her back to the world.

He angles her face, as he pulls her closer. And she finds home, in the erratic rhythm of his heart.

When they part, all their worries scurry away, even if it’s just for a fleeting moment.  And Levi puts his head on Mae’s lap. Tired from all the happenings of the week.

So much has happened, and much more is bound to happen. The mystery of the titans is only unfolding. And so far it has been taxing. His eyelids start drooping shut, and his breath evens out.

When he looks up he sees Mae. And she smiles, still teary-eyed. Holding him with such tenderness, it makes him feel delicate.

He lets the warmth of her eyes wash over him.

“Mae,” he reaches an arm up to touch her face.

And Mae nods, pushing away the hair that falls on his forehead.

“Kenny… “ he gulps. “Keny didn’t leave me because I wasn’t good enough…”

And she tucks a strand of hair behind his earlobe “I always told you, you were perfect, didn’t I?”

A rare smile traces on his lips. And even though his cynical mind wants to run off with more questions , he lets that part of him rest. The last thing he remembers before sleep comes to him is Mae telling him she’ll make a mask for his hair in the evening.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

AUG 850

The night treats Mae cruelly. 

It's cold, heavy, and dark. The lights are dimmed out, and people sleep peacefully in the illusionary safety of these walls. Forgetting that there is still a war to be fought, an enemy to be conquered.

Days have passed by in a flash. 

And restlessness has conquered her thoughts. Peace has eluded her. And she can only try to comfort herself, as she looks at the tall walls that surround Trost.

Levi goes past them tomorrow. Tomorrow he goes to conquer Shinghansina again.

And yet he isn’t beside her.

She decides to not read into it. She knows how he can be sometimes. And she knows how stressful the nights before a mission are. Especially for a mission as tough and risky as this one.

The Survey Corps is going to go all out.

The wind blows in her face. And her lips tremble as she looks over the sleeping city. The uncertainty of tomorrow’s mission has captured her entire heart. And its claws dig in. Slicing gashes across her skin, and making her heart bleed. 

She feels dizzy, and a single tear slips past.

His memory haunts, night and day. She wishes he was here, spending a few moments with her before he puts his life on the line again. 

But her job is to make his life easier, not to burden him with her desires. And she can only hope that he finds the time to come meet her, before he leaves for the mission tomorrow.

She can only hope she’s being good to him.

And Levi sits in the dark corner of a desolate shop. With a bottle of whisky by his side, and his hands touching the filthy dust on the floor. 

Outside, the sound of Eren, Mikasa and Armin fills the quietness. They chatter about all that is lost and all that they still look forward to.

In them he sees Isabel and Farlan. After all they too were naive, young kids who were forced to grow up a little too young. 

Armin concludes that he wants to see the sea. The enthusiasm woven in his voice is infectious.

And Levi gulps. Isabel wanted to see the sky too.

And yet he is the only one who gets to see the sky everyday. It’s unfair, something he doesn’t deserve after all the times he’s fucked up.

Tomorrow is a big day though. He hopes he can make them proud. And he hopes he can avenge all his fallen comrades.

The thought makes him feel content yet also nervous. They’ve come a long way. And yet they stand at a place where everything is uncertain. 

No one knows how many shifting titans wait for them out on the battle ground. No one knows the type of terror might be hauled onto them. And for the first time, Levi is failing to understand Erwin’s motives as well.

The thought itself makes him furious. And he plops open the cork of the bottle, and gulps down its contents. 

The alcohol burns his throat and bleeds into his bloodstream. Ushering him to the brink of a collapse, that he is dangerously close to.

Every time he shuts his eyes close, his heart begins to race. Wrecked by the weight of the world and the cynicism in his head.

He brings the bottle to his lips again. Gobbling the liquid until the bottle is half way done. It’s a good distraction.

A good distraction from the people that will inevitably die tomorrow. A good distraction from Erwin, who despite his pitiful condition is hellbent on going to the mission

Mikasa, Eren and Armin get up, and Levi doesn’t try to hide in the shadows. He’s a little too absorbed in his grief to even think of that. Fortunately for him, they don’t notice either.

He drinks, he drinks, he drinks up his misery. It's one of those days, where every loss he has ever endured comes crashing towards him.

His eyes ache, tired. His brain throbs, numb. And his entire body hurts, but it doesn’t stop trembling from restlessness. He’s exhausted, but sleep can’t grace him. He’s hungry, but the stress of the mission also takes his appetite away.

The night gets colder, and he shivers, sticking closer to the musty wall he rests his back on.

He fears he’s a little too close to self destruction. Shrouded by darkness, surrounded by doubts. A little too far away from everything and everyone.

And with his tattered soul, he carries himself to the only home he’s ever known.

━━━━━━━

It's 1 in the morning when Mae’s door rattles open. And she can’t help the tears that spring up in her eyes as she takes in Levi’s form. 

Levi’s eyes give away. Distressed underneath the expectations he has for himself, and tormented by the uncertainty that comes along with the mission.

His breathing is heavy and she rushes closer to him. Taking the empty bottle of whisky from his hands and hauling him inside. “Where have you been all this while,” she reprimands. 

Not an answer. It's often like this with Levi. He still hesitates to open up, to show where it hurts.

To him it's still a mere weakness.

Little does he know, she loves him the most when he’s weak and vulnerable, yet strong in his resolve and ambition. So beautifully human.

She makes him sit on the couch and snakes an arm around his waist, to hold him still. “Are you feeling alright?” 

“Tch,” he scoffs and pushes her away. “Of course I’m alright, I know my limits with alcohol, I’m not going to drink when there's a mission 12 hours from now.” His tone is confident, but his eyes remain vacant.

His body is here, physically present. But he is somewhere else, a distant place where she can’t reach no matter how hard she tries. And she feels lost in all the darkness he resides in.

“I’ll run you a warm bath to clean you up, or would you like some tea.” She pleads, hoping something helps. The last thing she wants is for him to go on the mission in such a miserable state.

But he doesn’t answer again. He just sits, quietly fluming, and overwhelmed as hell.

And Mae rushes to bring a wet washcloth, to wipe the dirt gathered on his knuckles. 

The cooling sensation of the cloth brings him back to this earth. And he watches as she takes his hand in hers, and gently rubs the filth away.

His eyes drop to her lips, and he blinks. The strings of his heart tug at him, feeble when she’s with him.

Her love alone has the strength to make him surrender. And he leans in, pressing a gentle peck on her lips. It’s a sweet distraction.

A couple moments pass by in stifling silence. And as she gets up to put the cloth away, his hand latches to her wrist.

“Sit…here.” There’s an underlying agony in his voice, that makes her break a bit. 

He can never see how sad he looks from her perspective.

And whilst Levi struggles with the criticality of tomorrow’s mission, Mae struggles with something too.

The possibility of losing him.

Turmoil has weighed heavily over her the past few days. From one thing to another, she’s hardly gotten any rest. And now Levi leaves again tomorrow. It feels like sadness looms over them like a heavy cloud ready to rain.

“Come let's sleep, honey… “ She sits next to him again. “You have a mission tomorrow.” Her voice almost frays at the cruelty of the moment. The condition he’s in breaks her to pieces.

“No I don’t want to sleep,” his answer is immediate. Maybe he’s having it a little too hard with his nightmares. “You go and sleep. I’ll just stay here for a while.”

“I slept already… in the afternoon today,” she lies. Deciding that Levi needs her more, than she needs her sleep. “How about we put a mattress on the terrace, and watch the stars?” 

And Levi follows, always working well with orders. 

He helps her take the mattress up the stairs. 

The night has turned colder and the cold bites at his hands. He shivers as he sits unusually stiff.

Soon Mae brings a set of blankets and pillows, to keep the both of them warm. And they lay down, watching the stars twinkle above.

The stars always made Levi feel better, a constant reminder of where he had begun and how far he has come. And Mae hopes that today they remind him of how proud she is of him.

She holds his hand first, and then she turns towards him. Shifting close.

And Levi gives in, defeated and exhausted. She takes her time to gently kiss the creases between his brows. Until they fade

Their feet mingle under the warm blanket. And they snuggle up, arms wrapped around each other.

Moments trickle by in silence and the effect of the alcohol fades away. The only thing that remains now is the warmth of her arms and the steadiness of her breath.

And Mae is a reminder that whilst there isn’t much positivity in this cruel cold world, there is always warmth.

He takes a deep breath. The sound of which is loud in the silence.

“My mom…” He exhales heavily. “I don’t remember much of her, but she would say that the stars are nothing but the souls of all the people that have left the world. Scattered across the darkness, so that when we look up at the sky and remember their stories.”

And Mae frowns the longer she looks at him. “A lot of people are going to die tomorrow, aren’t they?” She speaks with sadness.

“Death is the only thing that’s certain,” he jokes.

And Mae doesn’t understand whether Levi needs to be comforted, or to be heard.

“You’ll do your best… I’m sure of it. And that’s all you can do Levi, that’s all that’s in your control.”

His eyes flit from the stars to her. And he feels a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

“You’re so good to me.” His tone softens and he pulls her closer. And she doesn’t know whether it's the alcohol acting up, because Levi hardly gets drunk. Or if it's all the stress that's taking a toll on him.

A beat of silence passes by. And as she looks into the soft gray of his eyes, she realizes how quickly time is passing by. Like dust flying in a sandstorm.

Slowly she places her hand on the crown of his head. And her lips find the arch of his cheekbone. 

She can feel the war on his skin. In his calluses and his scars, and the way his hardened eyes only soften for the bits when he’s with her.

Levi is his battle and half of that is hers.

She needs to be brave enough to let him go.

“Say Levi,” her voice lingers, uncertain with doubt. She questions whether the troubles on her mind should be picked apart now out of all times. 

But time waits for no one

And she might never see the gray in his eyes turn blue in the sunlight. She might not see the new scars on his body.  He might die tomorrow, erased from her life. Becoming a memory so distant, that she can only remember, never experience. 

And if Levi dies tomorrow then the words in her mind will never get the chance to settle in his heart. “If I ask you for something, will you do it for me?” 

He parts away from her, taking in the destruction on her face.

A thickness settles in his throat, and he frowns the longer he looks at her.

Because he knows he can’t give her anything other than his heart. 

Hell, he can’t even assure her that he’ll come back alive. Because this mission will be dangerous, and if his death becomes important for victory, then he’ll have to sacrifice himself for the greater good.

“That depends on what you ask of me.” His voice comes out wispy. He feels like such a failure. These might as well be the few last moments he spends with her, and yet he has nothing but his own misery to share with her.

“If you die -” her lips shudder, pressing into a thin line. Words fail her, not able to slip out of her mouth without a sob.

“If you die… tomorrow, or whenever.” Tears fill her lash line, and she tries to blink them away.

She needs to be strong. She needs to be strong enough to convince him

“If you die tomorrow…, d-do you promise me that you’ll d-die happy? Will you think of how far you've come, instead of all your failures and regrets?” Her eyes sparkle, in the sadness they are trying to cage, but there is also so much love endowed in her gaze.

Because Levi stumbled into life, and then became her life. 

Her biggest fear will always be losing him. But Levi doesn’t need to know that. Not for his sanity at least.

And so she pulls out the sweetest, fakest smile. Betraying the tears lingering in her eyes. “ Most of all, I want you to know that I’ll be fine,” her voice cracks. 

“So…” Her fingertips shudder as they trace his jawline. “I don’t want you to feel guilty about leaving me behind if you end up dying.”

And Levi pulls her close. Letting her cry into his arms. After all, who is she trying to fool? 

And Mae breaks in an instant. He can feel the violent shudder of her shoulders and the wet patches that her tears leave on his shirt.

His fingertips card through her hair, and his other hand slips underneath her top. He focuses on the softness of her skin, and her scent. And the bitterness of life hits him hard, as he hears her trying to suppress her sobs.

In the 4 years that they’ve been together, he’s not given her much. Not a comfortable life, not sweet flirty compliments or a million gifts. Not even a reason to stay honestly.

And only they’ve known what an abnormal relationship it has been. With meeting her once every three months, to letters that have been delivered to the wrong person. He has missed her birthdays. He has responded to her letters very late. And he’s always walked so close to death.

She’s been through hell just to be with him. And even now, she tells him to not worry about leaving her behind, instead of begging him not to die.

He feels so loved and privileged.

“You’re so strong.” he whispers into her hair. It’s his way of praising her selflessness.

“Really?” she manages to mutter despite her hushed cries. And he finds it so sad that she still doesn’t see herself the way he sees her.

“Mhmm,” he hums. “Humanity’s Strongest is telling you that. Are you doubting him?”

“To me he’s always been Humanity’s Cutest.”

“Tch,” He clicks his tongue. Somehow the nickname still annoys him.

The next day brings hell for both of them. And with gentleness, Levi picks Mae’s head up and forces her to look at him.

“Mae…” The conflict in his voice is palpable, but there’s also a strong resolution hidden underneath. “I can only make the promise you’re asking for, if you make a promise to me as well.”

“What promise?” Her brows furrow, and she looks up at him through her clumpy lashes.

And his lips morph into a bittersweet smile, as he holds her in his eyes a moment longer. “If I die tomorrow, or in the future…, then find another-”

“WHAT! NOOO.” Mae interjects, knowing where he’s headed with this.

“Find another man,” he mutters heavily, as he pushes her hair behind her ear and presses a kiss on her upper lip. ”A man who can make you happy and give you stability and security. Find someone who can give you a normal life… a family.”

“Levi noooo,” she whines, and as she looks up at him, fresh tears crowd her waterlines.

The sound of her sobs fills the emptiness of the night. She can’t love anyone the way she loves Levi. It has captured her entire being, and the man who comes into her life next, will be only left with the remnants that Levi leaves of her.

She shifts to her side, turning her back towards him. Maybe she’s childish, but Levi is being unreasonable too. How dare he ask her to find someone else, when he knows how much she loves him?

“I am yours and I only want to be yours,”she speaks with sternness. And Levi places her hand on the dip of her waist, but she picks it up and pushes it away.

“Mae..” his voice teeters at the edge of a plea. “I can’t give you the life you deserve.”

“You don’t have to give me anything Levi,” she turns towards him, almost furious. “I make my own money. All I want is your heart and your companionship… I knew the risks I took when I decided to be with you… And I'd rather be alone, than to find someone else.” she concludes.

And Levi has been alone too. But Mae has taught him how wonderful companionship can be. 

He doesn’t want her to be lonely.

"Seeing me with another man, will that make you happy?" she taunts.

"Seeing you happy will make me happy…" he whispers with tenderness, as his fingertips wipe her tears away.

"If I tell you to find another girl after I die, would you do it?" 

"No,” he answers, without pondering for even a millisecond.

"Then why should I?" She retorts.

"Because this relationship was something I never expected in my life. I am grateful to have experienced having one, and that is enough for me, but can you confidently tell me that you have never dreamed of getting married? Of having a family?"

His questions are met with silence. Instead Mae glares at him, too slack jawed to find her reasonings. And resolve slips so easily from her features, as she thinks about what she wants for once. 

She’s always dreamt of getting married and starting a family. 

The bitter truth hits home, and she curls into herself.

“But Levi…” her voice comes out feeble. “ I want all of those things with you… I want to live the rest of my life as your lover… and your lover only.”

A bittersweet smile finds Levi’s lips. He hopes she can experience the love that she’s made him feel. He hopes  she finds someone who pampers her and gives her all his time in the world. And unfortunately that person can never be him. 

"You're always going to be my only lover, the only woman I have ever laid my eyes on," he coos as he places a kiss on the crook of her neck. "You-you'll always be m--my girl," His arms around her tighten, and her cries get louder.

Destiny has made their love too strong, yet the world so cruel.

"Sweetheart," his voice quivers. He’d rather have a bullet in his stomach than to hear the painful sound of her sobs. "Please."

He feels like he’s only seen her cry these past few months.

And so kisses her, relentlessly, wholly.

It might as well be the last time he gets to do it.

Morning comes closer, and the stars start to fade.

And when they part, they rest their foreheads against each other. Stealing a moment’s heaven before hell falls on the earth again.

"If I keep my promise, will you keep yours?. Even if it seems incredibly hard.” She speaks against his skin.

"I will." he affirms with unwavering confidence. Their pinkies intertwine.

The world falls into the brink of dawn, slowly waking to the day that’s in front of them. But Levi and Mae remain still, not ready to move on yet. With their eyes shut and their foreheads pressed.

"When I die, look up to the stars for me… I'll be watching after you.” Levi breaks the silence. His voice is wispy, but awfully sweet.

"Will you be smiling at me?" Mae questions back with utmost innocence.

And he smiles in response, "only if you smile at me first."

The sunlight catches her features. And her eyes sparkle, both with pain and love.

His heart pounds, and he takes his sweet time, holding her in his gaze. If he were to die now, it would be a sweet death.

I don't have much to say hehe. But I would love to know what you thought about the chapter! I'm open to feedback as well!

See you next Saturday!

Taglist: @keijikunn @evas-leslas @leviackermanmyhero245 (message me if you want to be added)

[linawritestwst]

𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬! (𝐠𝐧!𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫)

(divider link)

i wrote this for @twistedchatterboxed's april collab! (day 22: first date)

i wanted to write a drabble/short fic at first, but. i am not good at writing those jdkslfkdls so yeah we're going with headcanons as always. these are a bit short, but i hope you like them anyway!

♡ riddle would be.. very nervous. he feels like it's stupid to be so worried, especially considering that he was the one who asked you out and not vice versa. he also doesn't want you to start worrying as well (or feel even more anxious if you've already been feeling just as nervous as him), so yeah, he would try his best to look like everything's under his control as always. it's not though. he's freaking out.

♡ okay, fine, maybe he should ask his dormmates for advice. normally he would just ask trey to help him, but.. um.. maybe this time he can ask cater too? i mean, he probably knows a lot about dating, romance and all that stuff.. he can just ignore the advice he finds useless. when he finally asks them to help him, cater goes insane because WOW THEIR DORM LEADER IS GOING ON A DATE HOW FUN HOW EXCITING HE'S TOTALLY NOT GONNA TELL ANYONE ABOUT IT

♡ when cater finally calms down, he actually does give riddle some good advice and trey does the same. both of them don't have that much experience with dating, but at least they can help riddle stay calm and remember that you most likely love him back and you would love to spend more time with him and get to know him better. he probably doesn't even have to try to impress you, you already think he's amazing. but hey, if riddle is still nervous, cater surely can help him pretend like everything is fine and he's not worried at all! it's not like he has experience, haha.. that's what happens when you have to pretend to be the funny friend every day

♡ of course, riddle would still want to impress you and now he kinda regrets just inviting you to another tea party in the heartslabyul garden (even though it will be just the two of you this time), maybe he should've chosen something more interesting? maybe cater was right and he should've invited you to a more "cool" and popular place? he really wants this date to feel special and he wants you to have good memories of it.. though maybe this being your first date with riddle already makes it special enough.

♡ when your date starts, you notice that riddle looks a little more nervous as usual. you can see a drop of sweat rolling down his cheek and his face looking more red, but not because he's angry, but because.. because of you, maybe? you want to help him feel more comfortable and you confess that you're actually a little bit scared too. ah, not because of riddle, of course! it's simply because.. well, this is a date. and you're on a date with someone you really like. it's only natural to feel scared.

♡ so.. if it makes riddle feel any better, he's not the only one who's sweating and blushing. you two can be awkward together, haha!.. riddle is surprised when he hears that from you. he was trying so hard to look cool and he really just.. wanted this date to be the best one you've ever had. hearing these words from you really makes him remember why he even fell in love with you and decided to ask you on a date even though it took so much time and so much courage for him to finally do it.

♡ your date goes surprisingly well after that conversation. you two learn so many new things about each other, you take a walk in the heartslabyul garden while holding hands and trying really hard to hide how much you're panicking at the moment and you make each other laugh one, two or even three times. this whole first date really just reminded you two just how much you both love each other and even though it felt like a week-long crush at first, you and riddle slowly continued falling in love with each other every day and before you knew it, you've started to feel like it's impossible to imagine your life without each other.

♡ when it's time for you to go back to your dorm, it's very hard to say goodbye to riddle even though you know you're obviously going to see each other tomorrow. you wish this date could last forever, haha.. but actually, it would be much better to have more fun and exciting dates with riddle than just make your first one last an eternity. and considering just how much you two have enjoyed this date, you're sure that you will see riddle even more often starting from now. and now you can finally say that you and riddle are officially a couple. it will take some time for him to get used to it though

[sunnyrosewritesstuff]

Bagginshield Completed Multi-Chapter Fics

Beneath the Oak Tree

AO3 Link

Completed: 7/19/24

Rating: T

Warnings: N/A

Summary: Bilbo found Thorin when they were both quite young beneath an oak tree in the Shire, and it became a promise to meet there every chance they got. The oak tree saw them through years of friendship, falling in love, and even the day Thorin proposed before he was swept off on the tides of war.

The Different Shades of Bilbo's Love

AO3 Link

Completed: 12/30/23

Rating: G

Warnings: N/A

Summary: Thorin didn't think highly of hobbits until a little hobbit child wanted to become his friend. Thorin finds himself forever changed by Bilbo Baggins and the different shades of love Bilbo shares with him.

Guardian of Kings

AO3 Link

Completed: 1/11/22

Rating: G

Warnings: N/A

Summary: The Company has been having a good laugh as the story of their quest spreads through the mountain and more and more retellings makes Thorin out to be Bilbo’s damsel in distress. It stops becoming funny when Thorin’s honor is challenged, and it’s up to Bilbo to defend it. Thorin may be ready to smuggle his hobbit out of the mountain, but Bilbo will do it. For Thorin, he would do anything.

The Marali Festival

AO3 Link

Completed: 2/15/22

Rating: G

Warnings: N/A

Summary: Bilbo thinks Thorin is ready for the next phase in their relationship after receiving an anonymous note. He spends the entirety of the dwarves’ seven day “passion” festival trying to convince Thorin that he is amiable to any courtship attempts. Only misunderstandings ensue.

One More Little Adventure

AO3 Link

Completed: 7/4/22

Rating: T

Warnings: N/A

Collaboration: @mulasawala

Summary: Bilbo is wondering whether remaining in Erebor is the right decision anymore, and a misunderstanding with Thorin solidifies his choice in leaving. However, before he can go anywhere, Bilbo's acorn he picked up from Beorn's garden takes matters into its own hands and shrinks the both of them. Bilbo and Thorin must now fight their way up the mountainside at two inches tall, bickering the whole way. Looks like they are in for one more little adventure together.

Secrets in the Blue Mountain Apartment

AO3 Link

Completed: 11/30/22

Rating: G

Warnings: N/A

Collaboration: @thotinshield

Companion Fic: What Happened in 30C

Summary: Dis finally had a serious boyfriend she was actually excited about. The only problem is that he's friends with her older brother, and they might not have told him yet.

They Stole My Heart (Along with the Rest of Him)

AO3 Link

Completed: 12/10/23

Rating: T

Warnings: N/A

Collaboration: @lordoftherazzles

Summary: After departing less than amicably, Thorin and Bilbo find themselves pining over memories and questions of ‘what if’ without any courage to seek out the answers themselves. So their friends and family step in to help…some more forcefully than others.

[wander-over-the-words]

4, 10 and 22 for the Fanfiction wrapped meme?

2023 in Review - Fic writer asks - 4. What piece of media inspired you the most? 

BioShock (particularly 2), Fallout (particularly New Vegas), with a bit of Mafia: Definitive Edition on the side c:

10. What fic made you feel the happiest to work on?

Probably Hey, Good Lookin’, the first fic wherein my version of Johnny Topside showed up, just cause I was real excited to finally be showing him to my readers, especially since it was a different kind of setting for my Deltaclair stuff. Was real interesting writing Delta actually speaking and being heard and whatnot c: Plus, the fic in general was just all. sweet and romantic and whatnot that it made me all warm and fuzzy inside 

22. Share an excerpt from your favorite scene

I got three scenes that tie for my favourite soooo

(From Safety In Numbers)

Any of y’all who follow this blog know that my favourite thing ever to write/daydream extensively about is Protective Delta going apeshit when Sinclair is in trouble. Obviously, in this scene Sinclair isn’t actually in danger - he just had a nightmare - but hey Delta didn’t know that. He just heard Sinclair scream for him and came running. and ended up going through a wall to get to him lmao. Delta was ready to THROW DOWN (and obvs once you get to the scene in the kitchen it becomes clearer that his panic was also cause of some Rapture Induced Trauma so it has some harsher in hindsight qualities that I love). y'all KNOW that roar meant "NOT MY AUGUSTUS". Plus, Sinclair being savvy enough to know what’s about to happen and diving for safety just before Delta comes barreling through - he knows how Delta is 

(from the same fic as above)

I just think this is one of the more tender moments I’ve written for these two, with Sinclair falling asleep and waking up to find that Delta laid him down from where he was sitting up, put a blanket over him and then sat down to watch over him as he slept, with the added detail that he’s sitting in front of Sinclair, as in to shield him, all because he told Sinclair earlier in the fic that he would protect him. And it’s telling that Sinclair never woke up prior to this moment, even while Delta was moving him around. Nobody’s gonna be getting to Sinclair tonight - Delta will see to that

(from Mad About the Boy)

I honestly think this here is the cutest fucking thing I’ve ever written for this ship. For context, this whole fic was my excuse to talk about my hcs regarding Sinclair and Delta’s sexualities (it was written for Pride, after all). It was the first fic of mine to officially confirm that, yes, when I write him, Sinclair is a gay man (I implied it in A Train Car Fit for Two but it was a throwaway comment that I think people missed), but more importantly, it talked about how Delta only has eyes for Sinclair. Literally nobody else interests him in that kind of manner. The narrative literally mentions that if Sinclair were a woman instead, Delta would still love her just the same as he does this Sinclair

And this is his response to Sinclair asking him what he likes (“Now, I know it ain’t your top priority and you’re well within your rights ta tell me to butt out, but since we’re on the topic…what is it that you especially like?”). Just to say ‘well…I only like you?’ Just. how innocent and honest Delta is with it, combined with the fact that Sinclair is literally laying in Delta’s lap in this scene just. makes it for me, if I may toot my own horn c’:

[bylerbigbang]

On the Same Frequency

Fic by @oldfashionedmorphine | Art by @kaiminluu

Mature | 57k words

Ever since his best friend Will Byers was murdered back in 1985, Mike Wheeler wanted nothing more than to leave his hometown of Hawkins, Indiana and never look back—only each and every year he’s forced to make an exception when it comes to the holidays. And when Mike visits for Christmas in 1995, his mom asks him to help clear out some junk in his room and down in the basement before he returns home to Indianapolis. But when he comes across an old trunk containing his Supercom walkie-talkie and ham radio, he discovers something strange that has the potential to change everything.

(or an AU inspired by the movie “Frequency” from 2000)

Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Major Character Death, Alternate Universe, Not Canon Compliant, Supernatural Elements, Time Shenanigans, Butterfly Effect, Serial Killers, Thriller, Blood and Injury, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Grief/Mourning, Substance Abuse, Emotional Manipulation, Grooming, Abuse, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Angst with a Happy Ending

Read on Ao3 | View Art | Playlist on Spotify

Read an excerpt below:

December 22, 1985

Will sets his backpack by his feet and starts layering on his winter garb—coat, scarf…

“So what’re you gonna do while I’m gone?—besides Christmas stuff, of course,” Mike asks, inching the slightest bit closer and making Will’s stomach flutter.

They’ve been doing this little dance of theirs a lot lately. It started back in the summer with their hands brushing against each other in dark movie theaters, and then there were all the times he would look up to find Mike staring (or vice versa), and of course all the times he’s caught Mike’s eyes darting down to his lips, because that’s happened so often he’s lost count. But they never say anything about it. It’s quite confusing really, like they were playing a strange game without a rule book. And sometimes Will isn’t entirely sure if it’s all just in his own head or if Mike was aware of it too. But one thing was certain, absolutely every time he’s alone like this with Mike, he wants to burst into a million pieces because he can’t get his heart to stop racing, or quell the butterflies living in his stomach, or simply ignore that crazy impulse he gets to lean in and kiss him.

Focus.

Will places his green beanie over his head. “Uh… remember I told you yesterday that I finally got the last piece I needed for my Cerebro?”

“Mhm…” Mike nods, eyes dropping down for only a second.

Will swallows hard—his face had gotten so hot from just standing in the doorway like this. “So, um… if the weather’s finally good tomorrow then Dustin’s gonna help me install the antenna tower… just uh… me and him since… y’know… you’re gonna be out of town and uh… Lucas—Lucas already has plans with his family and whatnot...” If he had more to say, it was completely lost on him on account of Mike and the intensity of his eyes.

“That’s awesome… ‘cause now I’ll finally be able to radio and talk to you whenever I want—no more fighting Nancy for the phone.”

“Yeah…” then Will slips a pair of brown gloves onto his hands, and as he stares down at them trying to think of what else to say, only one thing pops into his head—how he went along with Lucas’s lie about the roll and how much it was actually bothering him. It bothered him because Mike didn’t deserve that—he didn’t deserve to be lied to. And he’d probably be mad if he found out. He always works so hard on his campaigns and lying about the roll just made Will feel like he was a cheater and a bad friend—especially when Mike was standing right in front of him, all smiles and excited at the opportunity to talk to him endlessly on a ham radio—so of course the very next thing to come out of his mouth ends up being; “It was a seven, by the way…”

Read more on Ao3 >

[whimsicallyenchantedrose]

Christmas Reruns 2023 Day 20: The Twelve Sweaters of Christmas

Merry Christmas if you celebrate it and happy holidays if you don’t!  One of the things I love about Christmas is watching reruns of all the old classic Christmas movies–Christmas is a big time for nostalgia.  A few years ago, I decided to incorporate that tradition into my fandom life and post my CS holiday reruns.  So here you go!  Enough holiday (mostly) fluff to get you to New Year’s Day. (With a new story posting on Christmas Day.)

Rating: G

Word Count: 1986

Other chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

Note:  This story was written for my “Christmas with Captain Swan” collection in 2020.

Note #2: *facepalm* Somehow when I originally posted this yesterday, I accidentally repeated the text of "The Gingerbread Castle", which was the rerun for day 19. As a result, I have decided to reblog this one, so you get the ACTUAL "Twelve Sweaters of Christmas"

CS Genre: AU

Killian Jones neatly folded what felt like the one-hundredth sweater today, and stacked it on top of the pile.  He prided himself on running a clean, neat, ship-shape establishment, and he hated when his clothing went askew.

Of course, given the fact that it was twelve days before Christmas, keeping things neat and tidy was a constant battle.

Killian never would have believed he’d find himself here.  He’d had a promising career in front of him.  He’d joined the Navy fresh out of high school, determined to follow in his older brother Liam’s footsteps.  Liam had been his hero, he’d been brother and father and best friend to him after their mother died and their father abandoned them.  

If only he hadn’t had to be a hero to everyone else.  When Killian was seventeen, Liam had perished at sea after a terrible storm.  He’d sacrificed his own life, saving seven of his crewmates before finally succumbing to the ocean’s fury.

After several months of aching grief, Killian had decided to live a life to make his brother proud.  He’d decided to go into the Navy himself.  He’d been a natural, taking to the water like a merman, never more content, never feeling closer to Liam than when he was out on the water.  Things were looking up.

Unfortunately, tragedies rarely come on their own.  When it rains it pours, and all that.  Two years into his naval career, Killian got into a catastrophic automobile accident.  Not only had he lost his love, his Milah, he’d also lost his hand.

And so he’d found himself alone, his promising career down the drain and with no idea what he was to do with his life.

Killian took a deep breath as he picked up yet another sweater to fold.  Such dark thoughts had no place on this beautiful, snowy day, less than a fortnight before Christmas.  Suffice it to say, after spiralling for a time, Killian had picked himself up and started on a new venture:

Revenge

He’d come across the clothing store quite by accident.  He’d been passing through the small, sea-side village of Storybrooke, Maine one day, and just happened to step into the store.  It was intriguing; had something of an edgy, pirate theme to it.  It was run by an eccentric man named Edward Teach, who went by the moniker “Blackbeard”, no doubt due to the bushy mass of facial hair he sported.

Something about the store spoke to him, excited him in a way nothing had in months.  Perhaps he could run an establishment such as this, combine a theme he was passionate about with goods people needed, and voila!  The perfect business venture.

He hadn’t been in the store ten minutes before he’d made a promise to himself: Revenge is going to be mine.

It almost felt like fate the way everything worked out after that.  As it happened, “Blackbeard” was looking to retire.  Within a month, Killian had used the last of his inheritance from Liam to purchase Revenge and make it his own.

Nearly ten years later it was still going strong.  He’d even managed to expand, turn it from something thoroughly niche into something more mainstream--while still maintaining it’s edge and it’s roots.

Revenge was Killian’s baby, and he was incredibly proud of it, and never more so than at Christmas.  He prided himself on having everything the discerning Storybrooke customer could want for their holiday clothing needs.

The bell over the door sounded, and Killian looked up to see an angel with soft waves of sun-gold hair, tight jeans and a red leather jacket walking purposely toward him.

More like stomping toward him.  The way her green eyes glittered dangerously as she approached proved that she was quite the angry angel.

She was utterly magnificent.

“Lost a bet,” she said curtly.  “Point me in the direction of your ugliest Christmas sweaters.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Emma Swan should have known better than to make a bet against Ruby, particularly about something outrageous, and if there was anything Ruby’s clothing choice today was, it was outrageous.

Emma liked Christmas--within reason.  Who didn’t like time off and peace on earth and all the holiday goodies you could eat?

But there was nothing reasonable about the sweater Ruby had chosen to wear for her shift at the diner this morning.

Emma groaned as her roommate sashayed out of her bedroom into the shared living room of their apartment..

“Ruby, it’s too early for this,” she groused.  “You look like Christmas threw all over you.”

Ruby poured herself a mug of coffee, and then sat opposite Emma on the couch.  “Hey don’t knock it.  Everybody loves a good ugly Christmas sweater.”

“More like loves to hate it,” Emma muttered.

A sudden gleam came into Ruby’s eye.  That really should have been Emma’s first clue to turn and run.  Nothing good ever came of Ruby looking at her like that.

“Wanna make a friendly wager on that?” Ruby asked.

“A wager on how many people will hate your clothing choices?”

Ruby rolled her eyes.  “The opposite.  I bet you I get more compliments today wearing this sweater than I’d get on any other day.”

“How would we even quantify that?” Emma asked.  “You usually keep count of the compliments you get?”

“Fine,” Ruby conceded.  “How about this: Come into Granny’s on your lunch break and sit in my section.  I bet you I get a genuine compliment on my sweater during your meal--totally unprompted too.”

Emma considered it.  “What are the stakes?”

Ruby thought for a minute and then smiled.  It was not a reassuring sight.  “You win, and I clean the apartment for a month.  But if I win….if I win, you have to wear an ‘ugly’ Christmas sweater every day until Christmas.”

Emma didn’t even take a moment to consider it.  Getting out of cleaning for an entire month?  So worth this bet, and it wasn’t like she was going to lose anyway.

“You’re on.”

Later that day when Emma and her partner, Sheriff Graham Humbert, stopped by the diner for lunch, they hadn’t been seated for five minutes before Emma realized she’d made a profound mistake.

“Hey guys!” Ruby smiled at them as she reached their table and pulled out her pencil and pad of paper.  “How’s your day going?  It’s been crazy around here this morning!”

“Pretty quiet at the sheriff’s station,” Graham said, smiling as he looked her over.  “That’s quite a sweater you’re wearing today, Ruby.  Very festive; I like it!”

Emma groaned as Ruby shot her a triumphant look.  Rookie mistake.  She should have known better than to bring Graham with her to lunch.  It was obvious to anyone with eyes that Graham had been more than half in love with Ruby for years.  She should have brought someone like Leroy to lunch.  She doubted that man had ever complimented anyone in his life.

But Emma was a woman of her word.  She’d lost the bet fair and square, and pay up she would.

Which is why she currently found herself talking to the owner and proprietor of Revenge.  

“Lost a bet,” she said curtly.  “Point me in the direction of your ugliest Christmas sweaters.”

The man behind the desk--Killian, his name tag said--grinned at her.  “Love, I’d wager the term ugly could never be applied to you no matter what you wear or don’t wear.”

Emma rolled her eyes.  The guy was hot, she’d give him that--with his artfully messy black hair, piercing blue eyes and reddish scruff.  And all the leather.  It really should be illegal for a man to wear that much leather and to wear it so well.  Still, Emma was in no mood for being hit on--handsome man or no.

“You’re hilarious,” she said dead pan.  “Now about those sweaters…”

He grinned again and then winked.  Actually winked.  “Hilarious?” he asked, stepping around the corner and gesturing for her to follow him.  “I prefer dashing rapscallion, scoundrel.”

Her stomach did not swoop at the way he almost growled that last word.  It didn’t!  

The fact that she was totally lying to herself annoyed her more than every aspect of this ridiculous bet.  “How about you be ‘shop owner who does his job and points the customer in the right direction’?  Think you could manage that?”

The rest of Emma’s shopping experience went without a hitch.  She grabbed the plainest Christmas sweater she could find--a simple powder blue v-neck covered tastefully with snowflakes. 

Maybe Ruby would take pity on her and call her bet paid off if she wore this thing.

Probably not, but one never knew.  It was the season of miracles, after all.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next morning, Killian opened the store as usual, taking a moment to be sure everything was ship-shape before unlocking the doors and turning the sign in the window to read “open”.  He glanced over at his “ugly Christmas sweater” display and smiled wistfully to himself.

He’d spent a fair amount of the evening thinking about her, Emma Swan, her credit card had proclaimed.  She was beautiful, aye, but there was more to it than that.  Though their interaction had scarcely lasted a quarter of an hour, though their conversation had been relegated to Christmas sweaters and the bet that had forced her to purchase one, he had the strangest sense that they were the same deep down, that they were kindred souls.

He was utterly captivated by her.

Killian sighed as he turned on the cash register and checked his supply of cash in preparation for what would likely be another busy day.    It was the first time he’d had any meaningful glimmer of interest in a woman since Milah’s death, and he was surprised at how nervous it had made him to interact with her.  For probably the thousandth time since yesterday afternoon he mentally kicked himself for not getting her number. 

A man unwilling to fight for what he wants deserves what he gets.  Liam had told him that five hundred times if he’d told him once.  

Well, there was no sense dwelling on it now.  Emma Swan had walked out of his life when she walked out of his store, and there was no changing that.

Or so he thought.

Not a quarter of an hour after opening his doors, who should arrive, charging forth in all her wrathful glory than the lovely Miss Swan herself?

Killian grinned at her teasingly.  “Back again, love?  Couldn’t resist my dashing self, is it?”

She rolled her eyes.  “You wish.”

He did.  He really, really did.

“Well, Swan, what can I help you with this lovely morning?” he asked.

She looked surprised.  “You remember my name?”

Killian chuckled and scratched behind his ear.  “I never forget a face, and yours, love, is exceptionally beautiful.”

“Not your love,” she said, but Killian took note of the way her cheeks reddened at the simple endearment.  “Anyway, I’m not here to flirt.  I’m here for another sweater.”

“Another Christmas sweater?”

“Yeah,” she said with a sigh.  “Apparently that blue one with the snowflakes I bought yesterday won’t fulfill my bet.  Ruby told me it barely even fit the category.  Got anything uglier for me?”

“You, darling are in luck,” Killian said.  “Revenge just so happens to stock some of the ugliest ugly Christmas sweaters in the state.”

Today, after a fair bit more banter and pleasant small talk, she’d decided on a red, woolen zip-up cardigan.  Featured prominently on the sweater were several applique snowmen playing musical instruments.  It was...it was quite something.

“This is actually kind of perfect,” Emma said, trying it on and looking herself up and down in the floor length mirrored column next to the sweater display.  “Definitely fits the category, plus it’s a cardigan.  I can take it off after I’ve shown Ruby I actually wore it.  I’ll just say I’m too hot or something.”

He grinned teasingly at her and wiggled his eyebrows in an exaggerated manner.  “You certainly are, love.”

She laughed at that before removing the sweater and setting it on the counter to be rung up.  “Do those exaggerated lines actually work on anyone?”

“You’d be surprised,” he answered.  “At any rate, they seem to have served their purpose today.  You seem to be leaving my establishment in better spirits than you entered it.”

She smiled.  “I guess I am.  Thanks, Killian.”

He inclined his head.  “A lady in distress needs my assistance, and her wish is my command.”

She laughed again.  “Alright, well I have to get to work.”

He rang her up and wished her a good day.  Just before she stepped out the door, he called out to her again.  She turned toward him.

“Any chance I might see you again?” he asked, feeling like a tongue-tied young lad with the lass he fancied.

“With Ruby being the way she is,” Emma said, “probably a really good chance I’ll be back.”

And so she had.  She returned the next day, settling on a sweater bearing the visage of The Grinch, the day after, choosing one that depicted all twelve gifts from the famous song, the one after that in her own, colorful words, looked like Christmas exploded in woolen form.

Each day their conversations lasted longer, and each day he fell a little bit more for the lovely Miss Swan.  He came to look forward to her visits every day with eager anticipation, mentally thanking whatever brilliant soul invented the “ugly  Christmas sweater”.

On the fifth day, Killian managed to unearth a gem of such glittering ugliness and ostentation, he felt the need to pat himself on the back.

“Yep, that’s certainly a disaster,” Emma said grinning at the garment covered in a large Christmas tree, filled with ornaments and a banner along the bottom that read MERRY CHRISTMAS! In huge letters.

“Oh, but love, you haven’t even seen the best part,” Killian announced.  “This particular sweater comes with a battery pack.”

She shot him a disbelieving look.  “I’m almost afraid to ask, but what exactly does the battery pack do.”

Instead of answering, he turned the device on.  LED lights flashed in every tiny ornament on the sweater, and the MERRY CHRISTMAS! nearly had a strobe light effect.

Emma groaned before dissolving into laughter.  “This is it.  This is the ugly Christmas sweater of all ugly Christmas sweaters.  If this doesn’t satisfy Ruby, I admit defeat.”

Killian watched her go that day with more than a little melancholy.  What if that was the sweater that would do the trick?  What if she didn’t return again?

He needn’t have worried.  Emma Swan showed up at his door bright and early the next morning.

His heart leapt at the sight of her.  He’d fallen hard and fast for this woman, and he saw no likelihood that would change any time soon.

“What? Even the monstrosity with the flickering lights didn’t satisfy the demanding Miss Lucas?” Killian asked by way of greeting.

Emma laughed.  “Oh it did,” Emma assured.  “I think I actually managed to render her speechless with that one.  It’s just...well my bet was for a different sweater every day until Christmas, and I’m a woman of my word.”

And for that he was profoundly grateful.

So it continued.  Each day she came in, each day she bought a sweater, and each day he fell a little bit more in love with her.

When Christmas Eve arrived, Killian noticed a change in Emma’s demeanor almost instantly.  She looked...uncomfortable.

“Is something the matter Love?” he asked, brow furrowed.

“No,” she said, drawing out the syllable, “It’s just..well...I’m here to ask you out.”

Killian choked on the sip of coffee he’d just injudiciously taken.  “Pardon?”

“Okay, first I have a little confession to make,” Emma said.  “Remember that ridiculous sweater with the battery pack around day five or six?”

“Aye,” he said carefully.

“Well, after I wore that, Ruby actually released me from my bet,” she said, looking bashful.  “She told me I’d fulfilled the spirit of it or something like that.”

Killian felt the smile creeping over his face.  “And yet you continued coming in and making your purchases every day.  Whatever for, darling?”

She tried to look stern.  “Look, don’t make a bigger deal of it than it is, but, I don’t know.  I kind of enjoyed our daily shopping sessions and conversations and all of that.”

His smile grew.  “You enjoy my company!”

“Don’t let it go to that over-inflated ego of yours.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he said, making a cross-my-heart motion over his chest.  “And for the record, I have greatly enjoyed our little...retail dalliances...quite a bit as well.  Now what was that about asking me out?”

She suddenly looked bashful again. “So the sheriff’s department is throwing this Christmas bash and ugly sweater contest tonight, and I was hoping maybe you’d...I mean, I know it’s Christmas Eve, and people want to spend it with family, and I totally get it if you’re not interested or it’s not your thing or whatever, and don’t feel obligated, but I just thought--”

Killian leaned across the counter and kissed her.  “Swan, I would like nothing better than to accompany you to your party.  Just tell me when and where.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ruby watched Emma walk into the diner hand in hand with Killian Jones later that evening.  She smiled broadly, reaching over to slap Graham’s arm as he sat beside her.

“Ow!” Graham groused.  “What was that for?”

“Look!” Ruby said.  “It worked!  I told you it would work!”

Graham obediently followed her directions and then grinned.  “I can’t believe you talked me into helping you rig that bet just to play matchmaker!”

“I told you!” she said again.  “Didn’t I tell you?  I knew Killian would be perfect for Emma.  She just needed a little push.”

“That she did,” Graham said with a laugh.  “Remind me to never doubt you again.”

They watched for a moment as Emma looped her arms around Killian’s neck and the two began swaying gently to the music that was playing.

Who would have known that an ugly Christmas sweater would lead to what was sure to become a romance for the ages?

NEXT CHAPTER->

[brown-little-robin]

Story asks: for both mp100 and Jojo, 1, 5, 6, 7, 13, 14, 19, 22

YAY okay I love these asks but I'm going to split the post in half because that's a lot of writing (thank you, you Get It). mob psycho 100 first:

1: what got you into this story?

clicking on a fifteen minute YouTube video essay titled "The Philosophy of Mob Psycho 100: The Sublime" or something like that. It explained mp100 through the end of episode 5. That was the first time I got into mp100. But I gave up on episode 5 that first time. I came back several years later because of this comic about what would have happened if Mogami kidnapped Mob at a young age and reading the mp100 fanfiction that inspired it, A Breach of Trust. Both times, I got into mp100 because of something a passionate and inspired fan made!

5: do you have a favorite character? who?

Shigeo "Mob" Kageyama himself :) and other than him, Ritsu, Musashi, and Dimple!

6: do you have a LEAST favorite character? who?

(sigh) well. if I must say it... Reigen. I care about him; he's interesting and I don't hate him. But honestly, I don't personally find him that funny, and that's the main draw of his character, is the comedy!

7: how does the story compare to your initial impressions of it? has it surprised you yet? how?

oh, it surprised me VERY much. it's..... the thing with Mob Psycho 100 is that it toes the line of almost being a parody of the shounen and paranormal genre, while also taking itself very seriously when you get right down to it. The premise is silly, but the emotional beats are incredibly raw. I thought mp100 was going to be... y'know... a silly slice-of-life story about a psychic kid's life as an exploited employee of a con man, and instead it hits me with things like "no one is special, and that means that everyone has the potential to change themselves bit by bit and do good in the world, including compulsive liars and severely repressed anxious teenagers". That kind of thing.

13: tell me an out-of-context piece of worldbuilding or lore!

alskdjfslkdf okay so in the 3rd and final season, a single mammoth broccoli plant appears in Seasoning City. It's called The Divine Tree. You will cry because of the broccoli. :)

14: how likely do you think this story is to break a reader's heart?

VERY LIKELY. you will be broken down and rebuilt. It will happen over and over again, starting with episode 5 of the anime or volume 2 of the manga. You will emerge stronger.

19: pitch an idea for a sequel or spinoff novel for this story!

okay this is a little bonkers but I want to see Tome and Mezato have an adventure together. And they should drag some protesting other, less insane person into it, too. I think a Tome and Mezato and Takenaka (and oooooh maybe Inukawa as a translator) story where they meet aliens would have some SERIOUS potential. It would be SO funny. IMAGINE. Takenaka playing the exasperated straight man to Tome and Mezato's zany nonsense, but not actually minding at all; he actually likes his life to be interesting and is studying them like bugs. Tome and Mezato feeling like they have to compete to fill the "most passionate person here" role, then discovering that both of them have felt insecure about their interests. Inukawa having PTSD flashbacks to the last time he interacted with aliens, the serious side of the story which is gonna need to be handled tactfully, and Tome, Mezato, and Takenaka are not tactful people, so it's gonna go wrong. IMAGINE. (vibrating with excitement)

22: FREE SPACE: say anything you want about the story!! <3

In lieu of saying something, I'm going to share screenshots, because the art style of the anime is one of my favorite things about mp100. :]

IT'S JUST SUCH A BEAUTIFUL SHOW, MAN