#I can't do this anymore just reveal the inevitable

[ventique18]

Malleus' father's name, RAVERNE, is just raven with extra letters. If you remove the extra letters, you get R and E. RE is the acronym for Resident Evil

Which means Raverne is NOT Dire Crowley because he's actually currently a character in Resident Evil and that's why Maleanor can't find him.

[mxnhoo]

see the stars (y. jw)

"with you, late night, it's full of starlight" ╰➤ jungwon x fem!reader genre bestfriends to lovers typa shi, fluff, romance, sweet as hell, just a quick drabble because why not!, not proof-read, wrote this in one sitting and in like one hour, lowkey cringey n cheesy word count 1961 cly's note was working on my hj fic but i wanted to switch it up, so i went to my playlist and wrote the first song that stood out to me, which is let's go see the stars ! genuinely love the song. hope u guys love this one — not really done that well cos it's just a drabble and im about to fall asleep, but regardless if u loved it please reblog comment n like <3 anyways goodnight AJSDIWJEO

now playing so let's go see the stars - boynextdoor

"what do you possibly have to show me at this point of time?!" you fought, failing to pull your arms back as Jungwon giggles, leadng you up a steep grassy hill.

"it's so dark, i literally can't see anything," you continued to complain, waving your phone which had the flashlight on in hopes of making the surroundings around you visible but to no avail.

"c'mon! just stop complaining, we're almost there okay?" Jungwon voiced out, still holding onto your wrist and bringing you up the grassy hill. you shook your head in disbelief, feeling anxious that any bug could literally jump on your leg and bite you since you were wearing shorts. more under cut

you looked behind you, seeing your car that was parked on an empty road beside a dimly lit streetlight and pouted, wishing that you weren't out in the dark and nature at this time. the last time you checked it was 12:23a.m and it was in the car, and you sighed as you completely gave in to Jungwon, allowing him to drag you without anymore resistence.

no words were spoken but he softly chuckled to himself, probably realising that you had given up on trying to fnd out where the fuck he was bringing you, and hiked up more gleefully.

Jungwon was your best friend, one that you spent a lot of time with. a scary amount of time with, and you inevitably caught feelings for him. shocking, am i right?

you shook your head, trying to brush away the thoughts of wishing he was your boyfriend or whatnot, and tried to treat this moment platonically. he spoke up, breaking the train of thought in your head, "almost there, you'll love it Y/N".

you sighed and shook your head even if he couldn't see, "i still don't know where you're bringing me. i hope you aren't murdering me or whatever."

he looked back at you and slightly angled his phone flashlight at you, his pout being somewhat visible, "how could you say that?". with his phone still in his hand, he put it on his chest to dramatically act out that he was offended. "i'm so offended," he whined, and you roll your eyes.

he laughed out loud, his laugh warming up your heart and he turns back, missing the stupid smile that was plastered across your face when you heard his contagious smile.

you finally felt like the grassy hill you were climbing on was getting more steep, the atmosphere that was being hidden by the cliff being slowly revealed as you continued to hike up. "almost there," Jungwon spoke, and it almost distracted you from the way his hand that was gripping your wrist sneaked it's way to your hand, interlocking your hands together.

your eyes slightly widen at his action, not wanting to say anything to give your flustered state away and you nodded at his statement even if he couldn't see. once you were finally up at at the top of the cliff, he continued bringing you to an area where there was a mat already set on the grassy floor. "we're heeere!," he said, his tone sounding bubbly.

you raised your eyebrows, feeling slightly confused as to why there was a mat being set in the middle of nowhere, especially in the middle of the night but Jungwon led you to it, stepping on it and sitting down, pulling you down to do the same.

he slowly released your hand and you silently grumbled at the loss of warmth, and you sat at the opposite side of him. "okay, so why are we here?" you shoot out the question that you were the most curious about.

"look up, Y/N," he spoke, his voice now deep and you almost immediately obeyed, your head shooting up to the sky and taking in the most beautiful view ever.

the way the stars nicely decorated the sky, specks of white at certain portions and single dots at other areas. it was perfect since the clouds were completely cleared up, having no disruption to the view. you gaze at the view in awe, not realising how you were now smiling to yourself and you didn't realise Jungwon giggling, his flashlight angled towards your body, "do you like it?".

"love it," you mumbled, your eyes not averting away from the sky and he laughed at how immersed you were at the sky. you turned your head constantly, taking in all the different star patterns in the sky and you pouted to the sky, "that looks like a heart!".

immediately hearing your comment, Jungwon follows your finger and shoots his head up, his eyes scanning the sky and trying to see which one you were talking about. "ahh, yeah i see it!" he replies once he finally sees what you're talking about.

you didn't know why, but your heart felt so warm. after what seemed like forever, your eyes averted from the sky to Jungwon. it was dim, but you could see how he was also looking at the beautifully decorated sky in awe, how his hair perfectly falls on his forehead, his subtle smile as he takes in the beautiful view.

you could feel as your heart skipped a beat. there were 2 beautiful views in front of you. obviously one being the sky and the other..

"it's beautiful, isn't it?" he said and he turned to face you, forming eye contact. your heart started palpitating faster than you wanted it to, and you started to feel nervous. you wanted to turn away, but for some reason, you just couldn't. a small part of you wished that he felt the same way, and that he felt as nervous as you right now.

you simply flashed him a small grin, "it really is".

both of you continue to stare at each other, the weight of the air starting to grow heavy. the way his eyes flickered to your lips didn't go unnoticed, and you started to feel excited, eager, thrilled. you didn't know what was going to happen, but you felt like something was going to happen.

he suddenly brought his hand up beside your face, tucking a fringe behind your ear as he continued to gaze intensely at you. you laughed, "what's with this, hm?".

"i don't know.." he said, "you just look especially beautiful tonight."

your heart almost felt like it wanted to jump out of your chest, and you could feel blushing to your cheeks. so many thoughts were going through your mind, and it intensified esepcially when his gaze was now on your lips and that he was leaning in closer.

without realising, you also started to lean in closer, but at the corner of your eye, you saw a light and luminous streak flying across the sky and your head shoots up. your eyes follow it and Jungwon, who was secretly disappointed you had looked away, followed your gaze and saw the same thing.

"Won! a shooting star! make a wish!" you hurriedly said, shooting your head downwards and closing your eyes and placing your palms together, making a wish.

i wish that i'll experience the rest of my life with Jungwon.

once you were done with your wish, you slowly opened your eyes and you were met with a Jungwon who was also closing his eyes in a praying stance as he also makes a wish. once he was done, he looked back up at you and gave you a smile that never failed to make you melt.

"what did you wish for?" he asked, his voice soft. "heheh, if i tell you it won't come true!"

he shook his head and smiled at your playfulness.

"you wanna know what i wished for?"

his question made your heart skip a beat, "...yeah, sure."

"i wished that you would know how beautiful, gorgeous, ethereal and amazing you look right now," he confessed. your eyes widen at how honest he was being, but you weren't complaining.

you laughed, tucking a hair behind your ear as you look away. "is that so? you couldn't resist my charms, hm?" you joked and he looked at you in awe, his head tilted as he watched your every move.

"i really couldn't," he admitted. "if it makes you happy, i wished that i'd spend the rest of my life with you,"

now it was his turn to be shocked — he straightened his back, his eyes slightly widen and his jaw subtly dropped. after a few seconds, he recovered and tried to act cool with it.

"dang, but as what though? as like, friends?" he teased, clearly knowing the answer.

"i don't mind," you played right back at him and he immediately placed his hand over yours, "i hope you know i mind though".

"then aren't you gunna do something about it?" you shrugged, raising your eyebrows and he rolled his eyes.

"am i? like, ask you to be my girlfriend or something?" he continued to playfully banter with you, both of you knowing where this conversation was heading.

"maybe exactly that," you giggle. his smile widened and he began to caress your hand with his thumb.

"will you take me as your boyfriend, Y/N?" he finally shot the question, and it felt as if all the tension inside you has been released. you released the breath you didnt realise you were holding.

you hummed, pretending to be in thought, "are you seriously worthy of being my boyfriend? after you dragged me in the middle of nowhere without telling me a single clue as to why we were coming here?".

his playful demeanor never faltered, "oh i am soo sorry for wanting to surprise you". you stuck your tongue out at him and he simply laughed at your antics.

you defended yourself, "could've said something, y'know?!".

"let's go see the stars right now, Y/N" "a little bit too late now don't you think?!"

you both playfully bantered for a while, feeling like there was nothing else other than the two of you under the beautiful sky and laughter only filled the atmosphere.

the gentle breeze blew in the air, slowly blowing your hair. "okay," you finally responded.

"okay to what?" Jungwon questioned, wanting you to say it fully.

"i accept you," "accept me to what?" "i accept you to be my boyfriend"

he clenched his fist and shook his arm in triumph, immediately pulling you to a hug afterwards. upon pulling back, he placed his lips on yours. the connection was so sudden and unexpected to the point your mind went completely blank. he cupped your jaw to tilt your head slightly, and since you weren't moving, he lightly tapped your cheek with his thumb and you immediately responded, closing your eyes and continuing the kiss.

the kiss was slow, rhythmic and passionate. his lips that you were so desperate to claim was finally yours, and it felt so right on yours. he complemented you so well, and your hands snaked up to his hair, lightly tugging on his locks as you two got deeply immersed into the kiss. his mouth moved against yours so perfectly, the pace matching yours so well. you were getting so drunk on him — the way your thoughts were all about him, the way your hands were desperately pushing his face to yours for closer proximity and the way you inhaled his sweet scent.

he slowly pulled back, both of you panting as you both try to catch your breaths, your foreheads resting on each other and you both stared into each other's eyes.

"you're so annoying, y'know that?" you spat out, feeling shy. "too bad, you're gunna have to deal with it for the rest of your life."

[givemefevrr]

Drabble.01

Pairing: Niki x reader

Warnings: mentions of self harm/scars, crying, guilt, angst, fluff, self blame, overall sad shit tbh...

wc: 1.1k

The bedroom was painted with a soft, honeyed light as the afternoon sun filtered through the blinds. You lay napping on top of your bed covers, sprawled across the mattress, unable to bear the summer heat under the blankets. Your tousled hair fell in disarray, partially obscuring your face. Dressed in baggy black shorts and a comfortable white t-shirt–which you likely "borrowed"– you lay there, your chest rising and falling with each breath.

Niki was nestled beside you, lying atop the covers as well. He had always been a natural cuddler, climbing into bed with others, seeking comfort and closeness, especially regarding you. But you didn't mind sacrificing a bit of personal space, always happily providing him with the comfort and security he sought.

Although he had been awake for some time, he remained just lying there, admiring the serene and innocent expression on your slumbering face, feeling lucky to have you as his girlfriend.

As he lay there with his head resting gently on your pillow, Niki couldn't help but let out a soft, gentle giggle, trying not to disturb you. With your faces close and your bodies even closer, the warmth between you two was unmistakably unbearable. Yet, Niki didn't mind the heat, especially when he could hold you close like this. He also knew that the heat would probably wake you up. So, it was a win-win situation for him.

As he snuggled in even closer to you, adjusting his position slightly, he couldn't help but let his gaze drift downward. Your shorts had inched up a little, exposing a glimpse of your upper thighs. He admired them for a moment–he always took any chance to look at your skin. It was always soft, and he loved how it pinked up whenever he squeezed it. But then he saw it.

The scars.

Niki's eyes widened in utter shock, and he couldn't help but sit up, his heart sinking with concern. Without a second thought, he delicately traced his fingers over the faint, almost imperceptible scars, feeling the slightly raised skin beneath his touch.

He rubbed his thumb over the marks as if trying to erase the pain and heal the now-healed wounds. How had he never noticed these before? With each scar, he felt a pang of regret for not seeing them earlier.

You began to stir, slowly waking. "Niki?" You looked up at him, a sleepy smile spreading across your face. But then you felt his hand on your scars, and your smile vanished. You quickly tugged the legs of your shorts down, shrinking away from your boyfriend. "Niki…" your voice was barely a whisper, filled with guilt and shame, the scars holding memories you wished could be erased.

As you prepared for the inevitable question, a flood of memories from years ago when your mother had tearfully asked the same thing replayed in your mind. Dread washed over you as you sensed those words about to come out of Niki's throat.

Niki couldn't help but stare at the hidden scars, his eyes filled with concern. Finally, he spoke, his voice filled with desperation. "Did you… do that?" His quivering lips revealed the depth of his worry as he struggled to find the right words.

You felt the weight of his question pressing down on your shoulders, causing them to slump. Releasing a heavy sigh, you confessed, "It's an old habit," avoiding his gaze as you spoke. "I used to do it when I was going through a really tough time… I don't do it anymore, I promise."

Niki shook his head, his expression transitioning from worry to sadness, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "That's not okay, y/n. You… you can't do things like that," he said, his voice trembling, almost frantic with disbelief and concern. "You can't hurt yourself like that…"

He couldn't reconcile the image of you in front of him–his girlfriend, who was always so happy and positive, sitting here with these scars. Niki's lip quivered, and he could no longer hold back the tears. He lunged forward, wrapping his arms around you in a tight embrace. Taken aback, you hugged him back, rubbing his back to comfort him.

You remained like that for a few moments, with Niki's head nestled in the crook of your shoulder and your chin resting on his head. You could feel his rapid breaths against your skin, and it was evident that something was wrong. As you attempted to pull away gently to try and help, Niki let out a soft whine and clung to you even more tightly.

"Please, don't let go," Niki pleaded, his voice sounding almost childlike in its desperation. He held onto you for dear life, terrified of the idea of losing you.

His words tugged at your heart, and you felt the dampness of his tears seeping into your shirt. You understood the depth of Niki's love for you – you were the light of his life – and realizing that your past self-harm had caused him such distress was genuinely heartbreaking.

Niki's quiet sobs echoed against your shoulder, a rare and unsettling sight. It was jarring to witness him in such a vulnerable state, with raw and desperate tears streaming down his face, especially after only ever seeing him shedding small, happy tears during their concerts.

As time passed, his tears gradually subsided, and he finally pulled away, his eyes red and swollen from crying.

The room was filled with a heavy silence as you sat on the edge of the bed, both lost in your thoughts, trying to make sense of the emotional situation that had unfolded. Finally, you reached out to gently brush away Niki's tears, feeling the warmth of his cheeks as you did so before placing a tender, reassuring kiss on his quivering lips. Niki released a shaky breath, trying to steady his emotions. "I just… I don't want you to hurt yourself again," he said, his voice crackling with raw sorrow.

You wrapped your arms around Niki once more, feeling the warmth of his body as he rested his head back on your shoulder. His quiet sniffles resonated in the room, and you held him close, comforting him as best as possible. After a few minutes, Niki pulled away, wiping his tears with shaky hands. "I'm sorry," he murmured, shaking his head, his voice strained. "I'm sorry for crying. I shouldn't have. I'm probably making you feel worse."

You couldn't bear to see him like this, so hurt and worried. You gently took his quivering hand in yours, offering him a reassuring smile. "Niki, you're not making me feel worse," you said softly, meeting his gaze with love. "I appreciate your concern for me. But please don't blame yourself for showing your feelings. I haven't done that in a long time. I'm truly okay now. I promise."

Hope this satisfies the Niki fic requests for now :)

[birdy-bat-writes]

Coffee for Mrs. Seresin?

Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Fem!Reader

Content warnings: Pining, fluff, and uh.... caffeine? Mild swears, Maybe some banter. I have no clue what qualifies as a warning anymore, I'm so sorry, y'all:') Also, sorry for the spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.

A/n: Should I be doing math right now? Should I actually be sleeping right now? Yes and yes, BUT no one can blame me. I was reading an adorable Jake Seresin Fanfic by @roosterbruiser (everyone go read Millie's work, it's gold) and I got an idea and I had to write it somewhere so here:D

You were pretty used to people assuming you and Jake were an item. When an attractive guy and an attractive girl have been friends since college and spend as much time together as you both do, you suppose it's a fair conclusion for people to draw, but an incorrect one, nonetheless. And you really wish people would stop asking because every time you had to explain to someone how you were "just friends," it ate you a little more inside.

The fact of the matter was this: you were in love with your best friend. And it sucked.

You stepped out of your car and strode along the stone walkway amidst the grass up to Rooster's door and rang the bell. It was a cute little townhouse with a blue exterior and you often poked fun at him for how much it resembled a little wooden birdhouse with its colorful walls and white wood-rimmed windows. You suppose it's fitting since Rooster lives there and yes, he hates that gag. It also serves as your group's prime hang-out spot, which is why you're here now.

The door opened to reveal Natasha, wrapped up in an oversized sweatshirt with her hair thrown up in a claw clip. "Yes, you brought chips!"

"Yeah, you didn't really specify which flavor so I just got them all." You said, walking in. "Guests should start coming in an hour, right?"

"Mmm-hmm." The 7 of you were throwing a casual party to celebrate Jake's promotion to Lieutenant-Commander. You saw Nat lift her eyes and smirk. "And there he is, the man of the hour." You turned around to see Jake at the end of the staircase.

"Well, hello, Mr. Man-of-the-hour," you teased, setting down the numerous bags of chips you were holding.

"Glad you're finally here, N/N. I was starting to think you were going to leave me here to fend for myself against Rooster's ABBA medley." Jake wrapped an arm around your shoulder and pulled you into his side. It was always like this. Him giving you butterflies you had to ignore because there was inevitably some other girl.

"Oh please, I would never leave you to fend for yourself against Rooster. I would join him and together, we'd overpower you and make you listen to ABBA forever." You grinned up at him and he narrowed his eyes, lips quirking up at the corners.

"Betrayal never comes from an enemy, I see," he shook his head at you. "I will leave you, lovely ladies, to yourselves. If you need me, I'll be in the kitchen." You watched Jake walk away and disappear around the corner. When you turned back, Natasha was still wearing that smug smile she always did when she saw you two. You knew it was coming.

"Nix, I'm telling you, if you say it, I'm salting your coffee." She knew you were messing with her but one of these days, you might just do it.

"All I'm saying is, shoot your shot! Come on, just once before you go settle for this rando."

"Mark is not a rando. We know him from accounting!"

"Exactly, Y/N, we know him from accounting. You don't even like the guy, heck you hardly know him."

"Exactly. That's why we're going to get to know each other at this party. I need to get over this crush, now. I can't keep pining for a guy who has no interest in me," you saw Natasha's mouth open as if to say something and you quickly jumped in, "And don't say he's interested. He's been with other girls multiple times and never once looked at me like that."

"True, I won't argue there. He's never looked at any of those girls the way he was just looking at you either." She took her hair out of her claw clip and it fell onto her shoulders in soft waves. "And ever since we all got back from that mission 3 months ago, he hasn't been with anyone. I really think he's got a thing for you but you're right. You should give this Mark guy a shot if you think he'd be good for you."

You smiled softly. You met Jake's friends when you were in San Diego a few years back. About a year ago, you were permanently stationed here and luckily for you, Jake was too. He settled here about 4 months before you. All his friends became your friends, and you've truly never known a better group of people. And they'd never known someone who could wrangle Hangman, so you were quite quickly welcomed to the group.

You and Pheonix tossed your sweatshirts upstairs and fixed up the last bits of your outfits just in time for guests to start arriving. You even managed to slip in a game of cards with Fanboy, Bob, and Payback before you joined a crowd in the living room. You barely felt the tap on your shoulder. If it wasn't followed by your name, you surely would have missed it. You turned on your heel to see Mark from accounting, facing you with a hand in his pocket.

"Mark, hi!"

"Hey. How are you?" His voice was almost monotone. His eyes roamed the room rather than meeting yours. He had just gotten here and he already sounded like he wanted to be somewhere else. You could have sworn he sounded more lively when you met.

"I'm good. I thought you weren't coming till later."

"I got off work early."

"Ah, well that's great." This guy really wasn't giving you much to work with. "Can I get you something to drink? There are drinks and food in the kitchen." That actually went somewhere. You headed to the kitchen where the conversation just barely picked up.

In the distance, Jake noticed your prolonged absence. As silly as it was, Jake liked knowing you were near him. You didn't have to be attached at the hip but he liked knowing he could saunter over to you and escape into your laugh when you came up in his mind. Which was a lot.

He scanned the room for you and stopped when he caught your frame in the kitchen...with some guy? Who the hell was that?

"Damn, if looks could kill...," Rooster muttered. "Do you not like that dude or something?"

"I don't even know who he is," Jake said through gritted teeth. "What's his name?"

"No clue. Pheonix?"

As if on cue, Natasha spoke up. "That, my friends, is Mark from accounting." Both the boys looked at her with questioning eyes.

"Okay, but who is he?" Something in Jake's voice was different now. Both of them looked at him.

"Careful there, Bagman, you almost sound jealous. He's some guy Y/N knows and I think she likes him." Phoenix was searching Jake's face for any sign that she was right about his feelings for you, and he never noticed because his eyes were trained on you like a hawk.

"I'm not jealous, Pheonix."

"You kinda sound jealous, Hangman," Rooster added, earning a glare from Jake.

"Okay, when we first met and you told me about her, you sounded so lovesick, I thought she was your wife. Cut to, you introduce us all and it turns out you're not married, or dating, but friends? I'm sorry, I do not believe that you two don't have feelings for each other." Natasha's remark sparked something in Jake. She watched the corners of his mouth twitch into a smirk so small, she almost missed it.

"I'll be right back." Jake stated, already pacing away. Rooster and Pheonix watched Jake make his way into the kitchen.

"She likes him too right?" Rooster asked.

"Oh, absolutely," Pheonix responded.

"You know, Fanboy has a betting pool on them."

"What? Get me on this, I have a feeling we'll make some money tonight."

Jake entered the kitchen to see you sitting alone at the table. "Got room for one more?"

"I don't see why not. Shouldn't you be mingling with everyone out there?"

"Well, the person I want to mingle with is in here." You smiled at him. There it was again, that smile that always left him utterly defenseless. "Who's the guy?"

You don't know why you felt your cheeks heat up when Jake asked about him. "His name's Mark. I met him when I was sorting reports last week."

"Okay. So, why do you sound so upset?"

"Because he said he was going to get us drinks 5 minutes ago and I just saw him leave with Commander Reeves' daughter." Honestly, you weren't upset because he left. You were upset because you were glad he did. He was boring you out of your mind and you two absolutely did not click, but it was still disheartening to know that this is what it was going to be like. No guy was going to measure up to the one you wished you were with. The one who was at this table with you now.

Jake was seething. What kind of idiot comes to a party and leaves you for some other girl? "You wanna get out of here?"

"What?"

"Let's leave. I'm bored."

"It's your party, you dork, you can't just leave!" You were giggling at a feeling somewhere in between confusion and disbelief.

"Yeah, it is my party so I say, you and I get out of here." He took you by the hand and walked you out through the back door to his car. And you let him. The chilly air swept you both up.

The drive was pretty calm. You didn't know where Jake was going but you didn't care either. This reminded you of when you two were younger. The long quiet rides in the car with no one but each other for company. He'd put on some cheesy 80's power ballad and you'd both laugh at it until you'd give in and belt it out at the top of your lungs.

"If you don't mind my asking, what did you see in him?"

"I don't really even remember. I think I just wanted to try and get myself out there. I haven't been on a date in literally years."

Jake hesitated before he asked. "So... what made you want to start now?" You felt the words catch in your throat.

"I'm not sure." you lied. You. I'm in love with you and I can't take it.

You felt the car slow down. You were so lost in your thoughts that you didn't even see where Jake parked. A cute little coffee shop and patisserie. Jake got out of his car and rounded the front to open the door for you. He already had you head over heels for him and he didn't even know it. Did he have to be such a gentleman? You weren't sure that you could fall even harder for this man but you really didn't want to find out.

"Why don't you get us a table and I'll get us something to drink. Don't worry, I remember what you like." You nodded and found a two-seat table by the french windows overlooking the city. On the left, in the distance, the last light of sunset was hitting the water and the top of the sky had started to go dark. Little stars twinkled above you. You wondered what it would be like to always be like this? Evenings with you and Jake, running off alone together from places and people you didn't really want to see. Taking comfort in each other's presence because it felt like home. Just then, Jake sat down in front of you. It almost hurt knowing he was right in front of you and you couldn't have him.

"Screw stupid Mark from accounting. He was not worth your time."

"Thanks. It's fine really, I'll find someone else. Someone less boring." When you met Jake's eyes, he looked as if he had something to say. Something he was holding back. "What is it?"

"Don't find someone else."

Did he just- Did you hear him right?

"What? Why?"

"Because-"

"I have a coffee and a latte for Mr. and Mrs. Seresin?" The barista called. You actually felt your heart skip a beat. Your eyebrows scrunched together and you looked to Jake for answers.

"Well, I think that's us." He blurted like it answered all your questions, a smile heard in his voice.

"Mr. and Mrs. Seresin?" You queried, rising out of your seat in tandem with him. "Why'd you tell her we were 'Mr. and Mrs. Seresin?!'"

"Because you looked so down and I thought I'd get a reaction from you! And it's not all my fault, Pheonix gave me the idea." Jake stated, matter-of-factly. How could he say that so casually?! "And you're still looking red so I guess it worked."

You both grabbed your coffees and sat down once again. It was dark out now. Once your laughs and giggles over your reaction were out, you remembered where your last conversation left off.

"Jake, why'd you tell me not to find someone?" You didn't force the question too hard into the conversation. You asked softly, not knowing how or if he would answer. He sighed before he spoke like he was preparing himself.

"Because...because I can't ask you out if you're dating someone else." The emotions hit you like a bombshell.

"You want to ask me out?" You weren't sure this was real. You were really about to pinch yourself before he stopped you in your tracks.

"I've been meaning to for months. Y/N, we've been friends forever, and I didn't want to ruin what we have. I know I should have told you before because I've liked you for as long as- Why are you smiling?"

"Because, you big dummy, I like you too." You couldn't hold it back. You were beaming. You felt butterflies and fireworks all at once just because the man of your dreams just made it all a reality. Jake held your eyes in his and smiled ear-to-ear. You swore you saw his ears go red but if you asked him, you doubt he’d admit it. "I'm really happy right now but I have no clue what to do next."

"I've got it from here," Jake reaches out and takes your hand in both of his. It feels like electricity is coursing through your veins. "Y/N L/N, would you do me the honor of going on a date with me?"

It took everything in you not to squeal in this coffee shop. "Yes, I will do you that honor, Bagman." You responded. He chuckled at you.

"Every now and again, I feel like introducing you to Pheonix was a mistake."

"Speaking of which, I really want to tell her about this but she'll get all smug because she was right."

"You're right. As far as people we don't have to tell yet go, Fanboy and Rooster have been betting on us. We can just keep it from them for now too."

"Deal." A laugh bubbled out of you as you thought about how the squad would react. And then a knock sounded directly next to you on the french window.

"Aww, cute," Rooster noted, his voice muffled by the glass, but still clear enough for you to hear his teasing tone.

"Left your own party so soon?" There stood Pheonix. Along with the rest of the squad leaning against Bradley's bronco.

"Shit." you commented.

"So much for keeping it secret."

———————————————————————

Tag list:

@glorified-red

[kiesbrainjuice]

— EVEN CALM ONES HAVE MELTDOWNS ! akaashi keiji

syn : as you two were supposed to go on a date, he got an unexpected meltdown

wc : 1k

tw : none just comfort and pure fluff

You were excited for your movie date with Akaashi, having planned it for days. As you made your way to his house, you couldn't help but smile, thinking about the cozy evening ahead.

Meanwhile, Akaashi was struggling through one of his worst days. Overwhelmed by emotions and anxiety, he found himself in the midst of a meltdown he couldn't control. He had never opened up about these episodes before, always managing to keep them hidden from you and others.

Today, however, was different. The intensity of his distress made him forget about your plans entirely. He hadn't messaged you to cancel or reschedule, lost in his own world of panic and inner turmoil.

As you approached his front door, Akaashi was curled up on his living room floor, hands gripping his hair, trying desperately to regain some semblance of calm. The sound of the doorbell pierced through his clouded mind, causing him to freeze.

Unaware of the situation inside, you waited patiently, wondering why Akaashi was taking so long to answer. Little did you know, you were about to witness a side of him he had never intended to share, at least not like this.

The inevitable confrontation loomed as Akaashi, still shaking, slowly made his way to the door. He knew he couldn't hide anymore, and a mix of fear and shame washed over him as he reached for the handle, about to reveal his vulnerable state to you for the first time.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

As Akaashi opened the door, your smile quickly faded. His disheveled appearance and tear-stained face immediately set off alarm bells in your mind.

"Akaashi?" you asked softly, concern evident in your voice. "What's wrong?"

He couldn't meet your eyes, his body trembling slightly. Without thinking, you stepped inside and gently closed the door behind you.

"I'm... I'm sorry," Akaashi whispered, his voice cracking. "I didn't mean for you to see me like this."

Instinctively, you reached out to him, placing a comforting hand on his arm. "It's okay, baby. Can you tell me what's happening?"

Akaashi's breath hitched as he struggled to explain. "I... I sometimes have these... meltdowns. I've never told anyone. I'm so sorry."

Your heart ached seeing him in such distress. Carefully, you guided him to the living room couch, sitting down beside him.

"You don't need to apologize," you assured him. "I'm here for you. What can I do to help?"

Akaashi's eyes widened in surprise at your calm reaction. Slowly, he began to open up about his struggles, his breathing gradually steadying as you listened without judgment.

As he spoke, you gently took his hand in yours, offering silent support.

As you sat together on the couch, Akaashi's trembling slowly subsided. He took a deep breath, his fingers intertwining with yours.

"It's... it's the volleyball championships," he finally admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "The pressure has been building for weeks. Everyone's counting on me to lead the team, to make the perfect sets. I can't stop thinking about all the ways I could let them down."

You listened intently, your thumb gently stroking the back of his hand. "That sounds incredibly stressful," you said softly. "It's a lot of responsibility to carry."

Akaashi nodded, his eyes still downcast. "I've been having nightmares about missing crucial plays, about disappointing my teammates, Kotaro. It's like I can't escape it, even when I'm awake."

Sensing his need for comfort, you carefully opened your arms. "Is it okay if I hold you?" you asked.

He nodded, almost imperceptibly, and you gently pulled him into an embrace. Akaashi's body was tense at first, but as you held him, he gradually relaxed against you.

"You don't have to face this alone," you murmured, running your fingers soothingly through his hair. "Your team trusts you because of your skills and dedication. It's okay to feel overwhelmed sometimes."

As you continued to hold him, Akaashi's breathing deepened and steadied. The warmth of your embrace seemed to provide a sanctuary from the storm of his anxieties.

"Thank you," he whispered after a while, his voice muffled against your shoulder. "For being here, for understanding."

I apologize for the confusion. You're right, Akaashi is indeed the guy in this scenario. Let me adjust the dialogue to reflect that:

As you held each other, the tension in the room gradually began to dissipate. Akaashi's breathing had steadied, and you could feel him becoming more relaxed in your arms.

After a while, you gently pulled back to look at him, a soft smile playing on your lips. "You know," you said, your tone lighter, "if you wanted to skip our movie date, you could have just said so. No need for all this drama."

Akaashi blinked at you in surprise before a small chuckle escaped him. "Oh yes, because having a meltdown is so much easier than just texting you."

You grinned, happy to see a hint of his usual dry humor returning. "Well, you always have been one for the theatrical. Remember when you 'accidentally' set the ball into my hands just to hold them?"

Akaashi's cheeks flushed slightly, but he was smiling now. "I have no idea what you're talking about," he said, feigning innocence.

You laughed, poking his side playfully. "Sure, Mr. 'Oh, my aim was off, how clumsy of me.'"

He swatted your hand away, but there was no heat in the gesture. "If I recall correctly, you were more than happy to catch that ball."

"What can I say? I'm a sucker for a smooth setter," you teased, earning you an eye roll from Akaashi.

As your laughter subsided, Akaashi's expression softened. He reached out, gently tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. "Thank you," he said quietly. "For everything."

You leaned into his touch, your eyes meeting his. "Always," you replied simply. "Now, what do you say we order some takeout and have that movie night after all?"

Akaashi nodded, a genuine smile spreading across his face. "That sounds perfect."

As you both settled in for the evening, the earlier distress seemed to fade away, replaced by the warmth of understanding and the comfort of each other's company.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Ⓡ kiesbrainjuice all rights reserved. please to not plagiarize, repost, or translate !

tag : @haechansbbg

[startrekfangirl2233-writes]

Hi hello!

💗 with Jake and Baby Blue? I love how sweet Jake is and how soft they are together, so more of that would be amazing!

Love you Star!

💗 slow kiss / gentle kiss / inevitable / soft with Jake and Baby Blue

Thanks for requesting this, Fern! I hope you love how flirty and fluffy this is!

There's music playing when you let yourself into the apartment one blustery fall day. Living in California, it's never quite as cold in December as it is in other areas of the country. But when you’ve been running between buildings on campus all day, it's still nice to slough off your coat and toe away your boots in the warmth of Jake’s foyer. Normally, he’s still at the office when you get back from your last class of the day, leaving the apartment dark and silent until you gather up the energy to make some dinner in between bouts of paper writing and studying.

Today was such a harrowing day, you were debating whether you should call up the Chinese restaurant down the road on your way up to the apartment or if you should just make something easy. Takeout was winning the mental battle. You’d get Jake's favorites and yours, and crack open a bottle of wine for the two of you to enjoy as you sat at the table in your pajamas. Obviously you don’t have to do that anymore. But other than the soft music, you can barely hear anything else. Jake’s a force of nature. Every room he enters feels his presence. It’s not that he’s loud, which to be clear he is, it’s that he takes up a room just by being in it. So why can't you hear anything else? 

You pad into the kitchen, trying not to make any noise. It’s not often Jake cooks for you - the music playing, Ella Fitzgerald crooning away, evidence that he had indeed been cooking for you - and you desperately want to see him in the act. You can imagine, in a love-sick sort of way, how he furrows his brow as he looks down at the ingredients. How he bites his upper lip in concentration as he chops vegetables and tastes what he’s making. It’s a sight you’ve only seen once in your relationship, and the last time you were too sick to enjoy or remember much of it. But the kitchen is deserted, only the smell of the lasagna bubbling in the oven and the music playing from the speaker on the counter an indication that he was once here. 

You finally find Jake sprawled out on the oversized sofa in the living room. He's fast asleep, hair mussed, cheeks a little pink with his face smushed into a cushion in his arms. He's wearing the soft pants which drive you a little mad and a sweater. Even when he’s at home he dresses like he’s going to be photographed for a magazine. The sweater’s rucked up a little from where he’s twisted on the sofa, revealing a trail of burnished gold slipping beneath the waistband of the aforementioned dangerous pants. He looks so peaceful, so relaxed that you leave him be, walking into the bedroom to change into loungewear of your own.

“Baby Doll?” His voice is sleep-slurred as you carefully lever the lasagne out of the oven fifteen minutes later.

“I’m in the kitchen, Jake!” You call back, keeping your focus on the lasagne as you set it carefully on the counter.

“Mmmm, baby doll, a man could get used to having you in his kitchen dishing up dinner like that.”

It’s so sleazy, so unexpected, you cackle with laughter. You know better than anyone Jake doesn’t actually believe a woman’s place is in the kitchen. He just has a fondness for your ass in this particular pair of satiny pajama shorts. But the delivery of the sleazy pickup line has you bending at the waist as unrestrained laughs leave your lips.

“Th-that’s so bad!”

By the time you straighten, Jake’s at arm’s reach, and you’re struck with the need to kiss him now that he’s awake.

“If that’s so bad then how come you look like you really desperately need a kiss, then, huh, baby doll?”

His hands are hot as they slip under the hem of your soft shirt. 

“I always want to kiss you, Jake.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” 

Your words are swallowed in a tender kiss, your body wrapped tight in his arms as he kisses the breath out of your lungs. It’s a kiss so sweet you could live in it forever, soothed by the scent of him, the feeling of him, just surrounded by him in general. His hand tangles in the hair at the base of your skull, big palm hot as he draws you closer. You can’t help how you curl your fingers into his hair in return as you reciprocate the motion, dragging him in until he's pressed up against you. You've been overthinking how you feel about him recently, choking back those three little words which share a part of yourself you've never shared with anyone else before. But now you want to so desperately, you can’t rationalize a better time than this. So when you pull away, finally, because you need to breathe and not because you want to, you murmur, “I love you” against his lips.

He lets you sweat a little, standing in the circle of his arms. You catalog every inch of his face, tracing the small wrinkles at the corner of his mouth and the glimmers of gold in his green eyes. You're counting his eyelashes, ridiculously thick as they feather around his eyes when he breaks the silence.

“If it wasn’t obvious, Baby Blue, I love you, too.”

Your squeal is so loud you're sure someone could hear you from a mile away. But you don’t care. The lasagna goes cold on the counter, ready to be reheated in the middle of the night when you're a little more kiss-bitten and sore. The fresh fruit and whipped cream which were supposed to be your dessert are put to very good use, albeit not in the fashion they were intended to be. Neither of you mind.

Ask me to write a kiss for one of my pairings!

[animebw]

Kumirei and Conflict Avoidance

So, after that earth-shattering Eupho episode last weekend, I am, unsurprisingly, hyperfixating on Kumirei once again. I keep rolling this conflict over in my head, how we got to this point, how inevitable it was in hindsight, how it reveals new sides of Kumiko and Reina's relationship I hadn't really considered before. And you know me: when I have thoughts, I have to talk about them. SPOILERS BELOW FOR ALL OF HIBIKE EUPHONIUM UP TO THIS POINT.

The thing is, Kumiko and Reina are incredibly different people. But one way in which their differences make them very much the same is that they both suck at handling messy interpersonal conflict. When faced with a problem that has no clear answer and every solution will end with someone getting hurt, they both balk at the prospect of actually facing that conflict head-on and dealing with that ambiguity. The difference is that Kumiko tries to shy away from dealing with the situation at all and hopes everyone will somehow find a way to get along, whereas Reina doubles down on her perspective and refuses to hear any counter-arguments. Kumiko reacts to uncomfortable issues by saying "Well, maybe everyone's right, I guess?", while Reina reacts by saying "No, I'm the only one who's right, and if you're against me you're doing it wrong."

And in a lot of ways, that makes them perfect for each other! Reina's stubborn passion is what pushed Kumiko out of her comfort zone and gave her the spark to actually care about what she's doing. And on the flipside, Kumiko's willingness to give people the benefit of the doubt gives Reina someone she can rely on when her pride is pushing everyone else away. At their best, they balance each other out perfectly, Reina inspiring Kumiko to try her hardest and Kumiko giving Reina a safe place to let herself be vulnerable. It's what's made them such an incredible couple for over a decade now.

But when things go really south, those instincts can end up bringing out the worst in each other instead. Reina's stubbornness can be so overwhelming that Kumiko can't bring herself to actually confront her for fear of how angry she'll be. And that reluctance ends up enabling Reina further, pushing her toward greater arrogance secure in the knowledge that at least one person will always be on her side. Reina makes Kumiko shrink even further, Kumiko lets Reina's ego swell even bigger, and suddenly the same odd-couple magic that pushed them to such great heights becomes a vicious circle dragging them both down.

Because at heart, neither of these girls have yet figured out how to navigate a situation that demands asking uncomfortable questions and making imperfect choices. Neither of them are brave enough to handle a messy conflict with the level of maturity it demands. Keep in mind that as many ups and downs as they've had, Kumiko and Reina have never truly gotten in a massive argument with each other, an argument that would demand them making those hard choices. The closest we got was the infamous episode in season 2 where Reina's crush on Taki-sensei boils over and threatens to drive a rift between them- and there again, Kumiko deflects the conflict, telling Reina she's "rooting for her" rather than face the issue head-on and deal with the fact that the girl she loves is stuck on her feelings for an adult who will never return them. Which, as I've discussed before, is framed just about as tragically and depressingly as cinematic language can accomplish.

But now that Kumiko's band leader? She can't keep running from arguments anymore. She has to dive headfirst into the thick of all her bandmates' issues and actively choose how to best keep them together, even if that means making hard calls she isn't comfortable making. And Reina's in a position of power now where her hard-headedness doesn't just affect her, but trickles down to all the underclassmen she's trying to lead. Neither of them can afford to let their worst habits drive their decision-making anymore- because it won't just be them that suffer if they refuse to rise to the occasion.

Which brings us to the boiling point of Kuroe taking Kumiko's place in the audition. In the aftermath of this upset, we see both Kumiko and Reina's coping mechanisms pushed to their limits. Kumiko's trying to calm everyone's worries while her own heard is still a whirlwind, Reina's doubling down and refusing to even consider Taki-sensei made a wrong call, and it reaches a point where this state of affairs just isn't sustainable anymore. There's too much tension built up, there's too many people's dreams and hopes on the line. Something has to give, or everything's going to give.

And it's here, at last, that Kumiko finally does something she's never had the courage to do.

She stands up to Reina and tells her, point-blank: "No, Reina, YOU'RE wrong."

No wonder it feels so monumental. No wonder Reina's shaken enough to rip apart their relationship. After years of not being able to address the deepest, stickiest issues that lie between them, Kumiko shatters the cycle of enabling they've been falling into and tells Reina that she is wrong. She is wrong to put herself above everyone else and not listen to alternatives. She is wrong to blindly put faith in Taki-sensei at the expense of all her bandmates counting on her to have their best interests at heart. She is wrong to let her pride and stubbornness guide her. It's bad for the band, it's bad for her, and it's bad for her relationship with Kumiko. And if they're going to have any chance of moving forward, then she needs to be just as brave in facing this mess honestly as Kumiko is. She needs the courage to accept that she isn't always right, that her way or the highway is no way at all, that the uncompromising road she walks will one day separate her from everyone she once held close.

She needs to let go of her fear of emotional honesty and meet Kumiko on the level she's finally been able to reach.

And you know what sticks with me the most? After Reina lashes out at Kumiko and essentially tells her to get stuffed, we see the horror in Kumiko's eyes as she realizes the consequences of finally standing up to the girl she loves...

...only for her expression to settle back into the determination of a girl standing by what she said regardless.

After so many years, Kumiko is facing her closest companion's worst traits dead in the face. And in this moment, in this expression, she decides that doing the right thing is more important than clinging to their relationship through thick and thin.

It's a face that says, "If this is the choice you're making, then this is worth ending things over."

And I can't blame her one bit.

[eitaababe]

SOMEBODY ELSE !

— chapter 13. finally.

a/n — i hope this made u cry

series masterlist. | previous / next

neteyam's pov ! written portion below. —

neteyam found himself walking into the cafe quickly, arriving around twenty minutes earlier than you guys had planned.

he sat himself down at the booth from across the girl, the two happily greeting each other. "so," he started, taking his jacket off. "do you have it?"

"i do!" she beamed up at him, taking out a small blue box. she opened it up to reveal a small oval shaped locket, pushing it towards neteyam.

the boy carefully took the piece of jewelry in his hand, opening it up to show a picture of you and neteyam. he smiled softly at the photo, remembering that day at the beach.

the day he'd asked you to be his girlfriend.

"it's perfect, evangeline, really," he sighed out, closing the locket and placing it back carefully to the box, pocketing it in his pants. "how can i repay you?"

"oh stop it," the girl spoke, waving him off with her hand. "you don't need to repay me. what's the locket for? special occasion?"

"no," neteyam denied, laying further back in his seat. "things have been— kind of rocky between us lately. and i haven't been the best boyfriend so i figured i'd surprise her with this gift today."

evangeline smiled softly at the thought of you two, humming in response. "well then, best of luck. she's a lucky gal."

"i'm the lucky one here."

the two continued talking, pretty much about school and whatnot, with a sprinkle of you whenever neteyam found a way to bring your name up. his happy demeanor quickly changed when he found that you were upset, inevitably leading to another fight.

"i just don't get you're not even that happy to talk to me! i'm your girlfriend!"

neteyam snapped something back, immediately regretting it when he saw the way you recoiled from him. he knew this wasn't going to make anything better between you both, and all he wanted to do was give you the locket and make you happy.

the boy was knocked out of his thoughts at your question. he hesitated, thinking about giving you the locket. he stopped, letting himself think if you would even want it. were you even happy anymore? did you still want to be with him? his hand subconsciously drifted to the locket, clutching it in his palm.

against better judgement, neteyam cleared his throat, only shaking his head. "nothing. we were talking about class and how football has been going for me lately."

at your silence, neteyam awkwardly brought up what he hoped would never come. "maybe," he started, chest rising up and down, begging to eywa you would reject the offer. "maybe we should just stop."

his heart tore at the sight of your teary eyes, ripping even further at the sound of your shaky breath. he didn't know how to respond, hoping you could just outright tell him you didn't want to break up.

all he could do was reassure you just how much you meant to him, and how even if you didn't want him in the way he would want you for the rest of his life, he still always wanted you there as a friend.

"you're right."

i am? he thought to himself, wincing at the way you continued.

no, no, no, no. he swear he could've felt his whole world falling when you didn't protest against the idea of a breakup, he hoped you had yelled, hit him, maybe even talked about taking a break, anything but tell him his dumb idea was right.

neteyam could only stand there, feet planted to the ground as you walked away, the locket still in his hold.

end of flashback.

even when he's not in your presence, even on another date with a different girl, neteyam cannot stop his mind from drifting to you. he always keeps the locket on, underneath a shirt or sweater, hidden from view.

violet's still chatting about something, going on and on, but quite frankly, neteyam can't find it in himself to give a fuck. he's staring out the window mindlessly before a voice pulls him out of it.

"neteyam? did you get that?"

"what?"

"i was talking about the party this friday."

"oh uhm," neteyam furrowed his brows, taking a small sip of his drink before speaking up. "yeah i don't think i'll be going."

"why not?" she whined, her faux pout making him want to vomit. "you've skipped the past few parties and i wanna be able to show off my boy!"

"woah, hold it. violet, i'm not your boy," neteyam corrected, all of a sudden very engaged in the conversation. "i'm literally just getting over a recent breakup, and we've been on maybe four dates or so. we're friends at best."

"but— but-" she stuttered, turning red in embarrassment. "fine! i wish you would've told me sooner before leading me on!" she snapped, storming out of the cafe and causing a scene.

"oh for eywa's sake." he sighed, his head falling into his hands. he felt majority of people's eyes here on him, and he whipped out his phone, hoping everyone else would settle down.

deep down though, he grit his teeth to contain his smile, thinking maybe this was a blessing in disguise.

he could finally talk to you.

FUN FACTS !

— y/n still doesn't know about the locket

— neteyam's been trying to figure out a way to tell y/n how he feels

— lo'ak's staring to notice about y/n and neteyam but doesn't know how to bring it up to either of them

—

taglist #1 / closed ! @n7ytiri @ilovejakesullysdick @possysblog @love-chx @stars4deku @evphology @afro-hispwriter @ydsm-29 @tsireyasgf @goldeneywa @doulcha @krazy-kattzz @fucksnow @squid4 @blairrrrrr @neteyamforlife @dreamtogether2000 @444lyra @ambria @cawi00 @calums-betch @powowowy @fadingpalacebonkpsychic @elegantkidfansoul @kolsmikaelson @mirikusashes @yukichan67 @goodiesinthecloset21 @netemoon @littlethingsinlife @coconut-dreamz @anm3mi @jjkclub @il0veheartz @liyahsocorro @nao-cchi @drugs-for-memes @zendayaswrld101 @grierpilots @misscaller06 @lightskinloak @mommyneytiri @inluvwithneteyam @halibanana @iheartamajiki @ipoopedmypants47 @neigesprincess @lookiiheh @ghostjoohoney @ronalsgirl

[himbo-aficionado]

I just think its interesting how at the very end of the story, we see Merlin walking past Avalon, the place where he sent off Arthur all those centuries ago. There are many different ways the scene could've went on to display his everlasting loyalty. It easily could've been a scene where maybe Merlin was with his wife and a kid who was named after Arthur, or he became a historian/scholar who kept the Arthurian legends alive after everything he went through or maybe even a physicist trying to build a time machine, find a loop in time to go back and fix the past.

But no.

We see him all alone, old and unequivocally miserable. No longer meddling with fate nor trying anything at all. Lost in a world beyond time that no man should live past or would even be able to comprehend. We see that he never moved on from Arthur, having somewhat a glimmer of hope deep within him. Nobody speaks about how insanely difficult it must have been to have hope especially when you have no end to your own life. As mortals, we can't even bear grief for a short period of time. Yet, Merlin lived the cursed life of an immortal, a life where he will only keep losing everyone he's ever loved. A life full of grief.

In the modern world shown, nobody even believes in magic or practises it and yet he...still believes that someday Arthur will return to him. In the past, he reiterates that he just wants Arthur to see that everything he does is for him. He tells Hunith that Arthur only likes him because he doesn't know him. We see he acknowledges that Arthur is doing acts of service because he likes him yet Merlin couldn't be satiated because he still wasn't his true self to Arthur. To be seen and known for who you truly are is to be loved, that is all he ever wanted from Arthur, even from the very beginning of their relationship.

"You never once sought any credit"

"Its not why I do it"

During the magic reveal, he said "I use it for you, Arthur. Only for you.", still desperately wanting it to be known that his entire life was devoted to Arthur. There was no talk about legalising magic and whatnot between them either after that. He only kept repeating that he was born to serve Arthur. We see in real time just how much he meant when he said "There will never be another like you, Arthur." Evidently, he meant that Arthur is the Once and Future King but it also plays out for Merlin, because there never was anyone like Arthur in his life after that. To the point where he could find no purpose upon losing Arthur.

And yes he keeps saying that its his destiny to be Arthur's servant, that he grew up and learned the meaning of duty but is that really all it is? Towards the end, it was apparent that Merlin's objective was no longer for magic to be accepted in Camelot (as much as he wanted it). Ever since he found out about Arthur's Bane, it was all about keeping him alive. Even when the great dragon told him that there is nothing he could do anymore, Merlin could not accept to lose Arthur. "I can't lose him, he's my friend." It didn't matter that magic isn't legal yet in Camelot. He could not give two fucks about it anymore or else we would've seen magic in the future scene. One can assume that he completely stopped trying to find a solution. Or even lost the will to live.

What I'm trying to say is that, the final scene really is more than just an epilogue to show his loyalty, immortality and despair. If you think about it for a moment, it shows that somewhere along all the fights, snide remarks, banter, and what he and Arthur think isn't exactly a friendship, - they're stupid, don't mind that - he was in love with Arthur. And Arthur loved him in return even in the face of death as the truth came crumbling down. Its not as simple as 'falling in love' because, I don't think Merlin woke up one day and realised that he was inconveniently in love with the idiot arrogant prince who was tied to him by fate.

Their love was inevitable but it definitely stopped becoming destiny and duty a long time ago, it became a choice. "I'm happy to be your servant till the day I die". Merlin was, and I quote "putting up" with Arthur not because it was his life sentence to do so; it was because he wanted to. The worst thing of all is: Merlin chose to do it for the rest of his life.

[taeloke]

Overanalyzing 4KOTA Chapter 142 instead of just waiting for more info (1/2?)

Honestly? I'm writing King's side of this separately, because it's about time I started talking about him here l and I know I can go on forever about him. That field of over-analysis needs its own house. I would go off about him first but then I'd forget his kids entirely and I don't want to do that to them... Speaking of--

So silly. So precious. Berte is so Helbram-coded and I'm sure that's intentional resemblance.

You know...I wonder which of their traits were inherited from Diane's parents. Probably the golden hair on almost half of them at least. Sixtus and Tioreh's pink hair looks more like a genetic mutation...unless their hair color is inherited from the leaf color of the Sacred Tree? That's possible too.

Diane seems less energetic since becoming a mother. She's settled down and has been shown to be gentle more often than bubbly, which was the impression she gave me in the original series. I'm assuming she hasn't fought since entering the Fairy Realm, too. She's put the stress of the Holy War behind her, and I'm happy that she seems content with her lots of babies. I wonder if she'll get to hear about Dolores once the current issues are over. I'm sure hearing she's Nasiens's adoptive big sister will be a shock. Diane deserves to know that.

The way Tioreh says this makes me suspect Puck is the one behind Nasiens and Myrtel's switcheroo. He must really love that "prank" in that case. Regardless of who was behind it, though, that's actually fucked up. A fairy trolled their own king by swapping their first child with a human, probably knowing exactly what issues both kids would be put in. I can't call this just a prank. I love King to death, but his people are their own kind of awful...

For this moment, let's glance back at how she reacted to that news at first.

Tioreh must have been suspecting this the whole time Nasiens was here, but this reveal may be the moment she started to seriously believe it, if not when Nasiens admitted to feeling healthier in the Fairy Realm. After this, she started to open up about her siblings more and telling Nasiens that he's like them--especially like Phao. All of this is stuff that Nasiens didn't know about since he met her two years ago. All of the tension in this family over Nasiens and Myrtel has been building up for so long...and right now we're watching it all cave in. I'm sure King and Diane had good intentions for hiding the truth, but hiding it's not working anymore.

And Diane knows it's not working anymore. I'm stuck on her asking "Is that bad for you?" Why is she asking that of all things? Is that what King and Diane were so worried about when they decided to never come out about this? Did they think their kids would be upset with having a human for an older brother?

Okay, but maybe that's not all that they considered. Maybe they got worried about how their people outside of their family would react to their theories being confirmed. If that happened, as unfortunate as it is, Mertyl would probably get more ostracized than he was. With that in mind, I'm sure his parents made that choice to protect him from some of the problems he'd inevitably go through. It's a nice thought that way, but this was still a bad call. They made too many assumptions of their own kids' feelings.

In other news...Phao was lurking... Now they're all gonna know and clear up this misunderstanding with their parents, right?

Anyway, I feel like I've written too much for one post, so I'll go on about the rest of the chapter tomorrow. Closing this part with this:

myrtel peek

[devotion-that-corrupts]

Some rambles on the ending and the codependent nature of Constantin and De Sardet's relationships. Spoilers for the whole game under the cut.

When I played Greedfall for the first time, I couldn’t stop thinking about Constantin’s corruption arc. It didn’t really make sense to me. Why would he want absolute power over the island? He has plenty of power and probably lives quite a luxurious life already. He also says he finds politics boring if De Sardet asks him, so the desire to rule over the whole island full of people seemed to me very out of character.

I do understand that he went mad and everything, but my brain deemed it a boring explanation and kept searching for something more logical.

So here: I think his actions make more sense if they're driven not by greed but by jealousy, less hunger for power and more hunger for absolute love (either platonic or romantic).

Let me explain.

His family is all kinds of messed up. He thinks his father doesn’t care about him, and although we don’t know if he’s actually abusive, I can’t think of any good reason why Constantin would lie about this. His mother, if DLC is to be believed, is responsible for the death of his brother Laurent — Constantin being an heir is clearly more important to her than his wellbeing & mental health after the literal murder of his brother. We don’t know much about Laurent and Constantin’s relationship (although he doesn’t ever mention him & he says nobody cared for him but De Sardet, so maybe it wasn’t good? Maybe Laurent was better suited for politics? That would explain Prince d’Orsay’s disappointment. That’s just my theory though).

Anyway, what I’m saying is that a child needs unconditional love, and judging by this family and Constantin’s line “You've always been the only one to care for me. Our friendship is the only thing that matters to me”, he has only ever received love from De Sardet, which sounds like quite a fertile ground for unhealthy overly attached relationship.

Then the game starts, and the thing is… Well, they are not each other’s everything anymore. De Sardet goes to various cities & talks to every person imaginable & makes new friends, maybe even falls in love. Constantin meanwhile is chained to a palace, especially after his sickness is revealed. De Sardet's world grows beyond him, and he can’t follow them there.

So what do you do when the only person who matters to you grows apart from you? What do you do when you are driven mad with pain and may die alone, and they have to leave you?

Naturally, you find a way to bind them to you for all eternity, and in doing so alienate them from everyone but you. Constantin's smart enough to realize that if De Sardet's friends and allies fought against him, they would turn away if De Sardet joined him. But even if they wouldn't, they're mortal. Their death is inevitable. The only one who can keep De Sardet company for eternity is Constantin. Everyone but him will eventually leave.

That’s why “For you, for us”, that’s why “together, forever”. Not power over the island or some people, but power to keep the only person who loves him unconditionally close to him.

(Again, I acknowledge that this is extremely, extremely unhealthy. That’s exactly what makes their relationship so interesting.)

Anyway, as I said, it feels very in character for him to basically give up on humanity in favor of De Sardet. I can't look at him in the beginning or in the middle and say, “This character would do anything for power”. But I can look at him at any point of the game, any cutscene, and say, “This character would do anything for his loved one”.

[theflyindutchwoman]

Wait, is she touching you? She's touching you, isn't she? Hey, you know what? If she offers you money for sex, I'm gonna win this bet. Look, I am down to do whatever you want. Yeah, you are.

| ANATOMY OF A SCENE - CHENFORD EDITION 4.07 - Fire Fight

What I love about this scene is how unassuming it appears to be : for all intents and purposes, this moment is meant to offset the more serious and dramatic part of the episode. Nothing else. And yet, it hides so many layers… One of them is how it actually gives us an aperçu of Tim and Lucy going undercover together at the end of the season. With the way they flirt here, it makes their practice kiss and all their display even more inevitable. And this is the perfect continuation of Lucy's last UC op, where she flirted with him to pass him the informations she had (and save his life). That their default mode while undercover is to flirt says everything… Those mission really gives them the cover and freedom they need to explore their feelings without revealing their hand. Having Tim go undercover, with Lucy as his handler, is also a perfect role reversal, where the student has become the master. He doesn't once question her expertise : he might protest but it's more out of habit than anything else. It's certainly never out of malice. Now add Tim's baggage when it comes to that line of work… And it brings out another layer. Interestingly though, this side is not explored. The aim here is to ease him into this, without triggering any bad memories the way Lucy's very first op did. This is a short stint, with no high stakes. And this explains why he doesn't protest much when Lucy suggests he goes undercover as Jake in the first place : the fun they have here might have played a part.

Lucy is definitely enjoying this way too much, instantly ragging on Tim's choice of clothes when he shows up at the rendezvous. They haven't even started yet and he looks done already. This is such a good reminder of their first dynamic : grumpy/sunshine. He just can't hide his smile, even in front of her, anymore - like when she recites the UC rules. The walls are down. Also, the fact that she had a jacket ready for him, clearly having expected this to happen, just shows how well she knows him.

But aside from all this fun, there's this undercurrent of tension that rises to the surface when Tim puts the jacket on… or when he lifts his shirt off, showing off his abs… The atmosphere here is so different than when she caught him wearing only a towel at Rachel's place. There is an awareness now that wasn't there yet. And it's even more intense with their close proximity. Or with Lucy having to touch him. It's just so intimate. The looks they exchange… It's electric. It's close to how it felt for a moment at Tim's place… Until he realises that she's placing the mic too high on his chest… Is it distraction? Is it on purpose? Either way, the way she rips off the tape, looking so smug, and his high-pitched scream are hilarious. Her sorry doesn't even sound sorry at all. #sorrynotsorry

And from there, it goes completely unhinged. Only these two would openly flirt and riling the other up while one of them is undercover. Now, to be fair, it started normally, with Lucy coaching Tim. But the second Aston began flirting with him, professionalism went out of the window. Then again, these are the same idiots who were making out 'for work', so maybe it is their definition of professionalism. Tim is trying to remain in-character but Lucy is having the time of her life, listening to their conversation. His smirk when Aston caresses his hand and Lucy comments on it, reminding him of their bet and how he might unwittingly help her win it if their mark keeps this up… They are so flirty here, openly, taking advantage of the situation… And that really lays the groundwork for Vegas. The fact that Lucy is basically whispering in his ear, that he can't see her, brings a certain level of intimacy… And while he is talking to Aston, his reactions are for Lucy. Like his big smile : sure, he is amused by their suspect's behavior, but I have a hard time believing that this isn't Lucy's comments that provoked it. There's such a double meaning to their dialogue… Like when he tells their suspect he is 'down to do whatever [she wants]', with Lucy instantly answering him with her iconic 'yeah you are'… She couldn't have said it in a more lusty tone.

This is all ambiguous, giving them plausible deniability. It allows them to act in a less than professional way, but without any repercussion. Almost as if they're testing the water. And it makes sense that Tim tries to take a step back after this mission, to reclaim some boundaries… Well, for a short while. All of this just comes back in full force when they have to go undercover as a couple… with no going back.

[laxmiree]

[CN] MLQC’s Lucien - Rebirth Date - English Translation [2/3]

⚠️ SPOILER ALERT!! ⚠️

This post contains a detailed spoiler for a date that has not been released in EN yet! Feel free to notify me if there are any mistakes in the translation~

No Man's Land Solo SSR Event | Rebirth Date Part 1 | Date Part 2 (You're here!) | Date Part 3 | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7

Before I even adjust to the harsh white light, I crash straight into Lucien's gaze.

"Not hiding anymore?"

He squinted his eyes and chuckled softly.

He crouches in front of me, his hair scattered across his forehead, damp with water droplets, his exposed chest rising and falling slightly.

He casually grips the chainsaw and pulls the starter cord with one hand, producing a piercing and terrifying sound.

Translation under the cut!

Previous Part=> [Click Here]

—[Part 3]—

More and more people are becoming seriously ill, and the radiation alarm in the safe house is sounding more intensely every day. However, Lucien still has no plans to move.

Seeing him inject medication into himself more frequently, I finally break the silence.

MC: Are you okay?

Lucien: Don't worry. This body has been confirmed to be able to last for some time in this environment.

MC: ...Don't you feel any pain?

Lucien: I'm not very sensitive to pain, so it won't be a factor in my judgment.

His tone is relaxed, and he even curls up on the sofa to read the pile of documents I retrieved for him earlier.

Despite trusting Lucien's judgment, I still faintly feel a certain sense of urgency.

MC: Lucien, will our experiment really yield results?

MC: In such a harsh world, shouldn't we lower our high expectations? Wouldn't it be better to just be ordinary people?

Instead of chasing for answers that we may never get in our lifetime, wouldn't it be enough to just simply live?

For a long time after that, Lucien doesn't say anything.

He just gazes at me quietly, his bottomless eyes like an abyss, making it hard to see clearly.

Lucien: I don't know.

Lucien: But experiments inevitably come with failures and contingencies, so I can't give you a definite answer.

Lucien: But I believe there will be results.

Even knowing that he might fail, he will definitely keep trying—until he reaches a point where he can no longer move forward, and then calmly starts over from the beginning.

Lucien: For this, I am willing to pay any price.

✂———————–

At night, I have a dream.

In the dream, those severely ill people stand up, the desolate land starts to have flowers, and there are more smiling faces.

However, everything shatters like broken glass the next moment, revealing a dreadful and bewildering void.

Lucien: MC, we have failed. This world will not get better.

Lucien, standing in front of me, starts to rot and blur, eventually turning into an exploded mess of blood.

I can feel the cold liquid seeping through my body, flowing over my cheeks and arms.

Lucien: [whispers gently] MC, how do you feel now?

I can't see Lucien's face, but I can hear his voice filling my mind.

I feel him gently embrace me, patiently waiting for my answer as usual.

The incredibly realistic sensation makes it hard for me to tell whether this is a dream or reality.

Lucien: Listen to the voice in your heart and tell me your answer.

I feel my entire body start to tremble violently, and countless unfamiliar images flash through my mind.

I see Lucien's calm yet mad eyes;

I hear the sharp whirring sound of a machine;

I see blood pouring like a waterfall, drenching my entire body like rain.

I scream and open my eyes—only to see Lucien's face the next second.

The face in front of me overlaps with the one in my dream, but he only has a worried expression on his face; some kind of familiar scent clings to his body.

Lucien: Are you okay?

I'm tongue-tied and can only stare at him blankly.

I don't know if it's the effect of the moonlight, but his entire figure seems to be covered with a faint halo, which then dissipates in the blink of an eye.

MC: I… seem to have had a nightmare and seen many scenes.

He gently strokes my back, but his eyes imperceptibly darken a little.

Lucien: I observed that your Evol fluctuations are quite significant. The recent radiation tide may have also affected you.

Perhaps it's the lingering effect of my dream, but as I look at Lucien standing before me, I feel an inexplicable timidity and uneasiness. I subconsciously reach out my hand to him.

Suddenly, I realize my body is without an isolation suit, and Lucien has almost no protective equipment. I quickly wrap myself in the blanket.

MC: Lucien, get away from me quickly! I'm not wearing an isolation suit! Get out quickly!

Lucien: ….

Lucien: A certain lady's decision is too hasty, making me a bit worried that you might actually dislike me.

The next second, a warm palm covers my head through the blanket.

I can't see Lucien's expression at this moment.

It seems to be a time that belongs solely to him. As long as he doesn't allow it, I can't enter.

Even long after, I still don't know what expression he had during that nearly minute-long silence.

In the end, Lucien walks out of the room without a word.

As I lie on the bed, my heart is still pounding with lingering fear, and I have lost the desire to fall asleep again.

The inexplicably familiar scent floods the entire room, making me sit up in frustration and can't help but sigh.

In the faint moonlight, I suddenly see some small, scattered black spots 'growing' on the floor.

Curious, I squat down and find that it is very fresh, with a faint hint of a metallic smell—

It's blood!

Cold sweat instantly seeps out of my back. Only Lucien had been here just now... Could he be injured? Or affected by the radiation?!

I hastily don the isolation suit and run in the direction of the bloodstains.

The intermittent and scattered bloodstains seem to guide me, leading me step by step toward an unfamiliar corridor.

??: “Rrrrr…”

A strange and piercing sound echoes from the depths, like... the sound I heard amidst the chaotic scenes.

Faint specks of light flicker faintly in the darkness, and I suddenly feel a surge of fear and foreboding —

That glimmer of light might destroy many things, but I can't stop my footsteps.

I traverse through numerous unfamiliar corridors and finally step into the glimmer of light—

A vast yet desolate building appears before me, with an enormous pit at its center.

Gazing down, I see the pit divided into numerous sections by plastic sheeting. The walls and sheeting are splattered with varying shades of crimson.

I descend into the pit, pushing aside the hanging curtains as if unveiling the true face of another world.

A thick stench of blood fills my nostrils, and the grating whirring of machinery churns my entire brain.

A familiar figure flickers past in a corner cubicle.

The curtain blurs his face, and the shadow gracefully raises a machine, lowering his arm like a conductor.

The transparent shower curtain is covered with dense 'raindrops'. Something is sliced open and falls heavily.

It rolls on the ground, spinning endlessly, before finally stopping in the gap between the curtains.

I see a person's face, the same face that was wailing and begging for death.

Now, he lies silently on the ground, his rotting eyes staring rigidly at me.

And in the next second, the shadow picks him up, revealing that familiar face through the gap.

Standing against the light, he turns his head, his calm yet crazed eyes gleaming brightly.

He doesn't seem surprised by my arrival.

An arm shrouded in the shadows casually slashes, slicing the entire curtain open in an instant-

-revealing the full, blood-soaked figure of Lucien before my eyes.

My rapid breathing fogs up the transparent visor on my isolation suit, obscuring most of my vision, yet I've never seen him more clearly.

I burst into a sprint.

A torrent of images and distant memories flooded my mind, slicing through me like a scalpel.

??: ...That’s a highly-contaminated area, and you say that child came out alive?!

??: She is crucial to our experiment. We need to study her powers—we have no choice!

Under the glaring lights, someone binds me to an iron table.

Countless days and nights blur together as flames sear my skin and sharp blades inflict ceaseless pain.

??: ...Under high radiation, her body remains stable... she's carrying high-intensity energy... 5 people died from…

??: Evol core… like a quasi-magnetic field…

Strangers speak in tongues I cannot comprehend, their eyes perpetually fixed on the distant future, but all I sense is madness.

They are all lunatics, lunatics of the apocalypse, and I only want to escape.

As I blast open the laboratory door, a gentle-faced young boy appears before me in the thick smoke.

Boy: Once you pass through this door, you can run free.

He pressed a button, and accompanied by a piercing siren, an iron door not far away slowly opened.

Boy: Remember to take the forest path. Nothing will harm you there.

For a moment, I thought this would be another experimental trap set by those lunatics.

The hurried footsteps gradually came closer, but the boy made no move to jump away. He simply watched me patiently.

Boy: You have three minutes to decide whether you want to be caught by them again or trust me.

Boy: Of course, you can also trust your instincts.

Those deep, dark eyes seemed to possess a strange power. In an instant, I turned and ran towards the door.

Suddenly, another thought struck me, and I turned back at the iron door.

MC: Why are you helping me?

Boy: If you want to know who you are one day, you can come find me.

MC: ….How can I find you?

Boy: I will let you find me. Remember to learn how to protect yourself.

✂———————–

Years later, I remembered his words when I finally realized the 'Grim Reaper' I carried within me.

I want to know who I am and what I want to change.

And he seemed to know that I would eventually return to this 'land of death,' leaving messages and marks in each area ravaged by radiation-

I thought Lucien was different.

Maybe he was hiding it too well, or perhaps he finally lost his patience.

The grating sounds of machinery and footsteps seemed to follow me like a shadow, yanking my taut consciousness back to reality.

As if anticipating my arrival, many places were already locked up.

The ground and walls around me tremble slightly, permeated with a strange yet familiar power that makes me feel dizzy.

The unbearable heat and dizziness slow my steps, but the chilling footsteps keep my nerves on edge.

To speed up, I simply take off the isolation suit.

I don't want to die, I must live on.

My heart feels like it's burning, urging me not to stop moving.

After escaping aimlessly, I found myself back in that deep pit again.

As I gaze upon the blood-stained black bags concealed behind the curtain, a sudden idea strikes me.

Shrouded in the humid darkness, I dare not make a single move.

The already cramped space seems to be devouring the last vestiges of air, causing me to slow my breathing instinctively.

Muffled rustling sounds intermittently pierce the silence, sounding eerily ominous in the heightened state of my hearing.

I force myself to focus, but the image of those eyes keeps intruding into my mind uncontrollably.

….The truth is, I don't know Lucien at all.

Is it because he has never fully revealed himself to me, or have I never truly gotten close to him?

Amidst a tinge of sadness, I realize that none of this matters now—I must focus on how to survive.

I exhale softly, and a familiar surge of power gathers in my chest. Through the haze, I catch glimpses of fragmented images —

The hum of machinery fills my ears, while the pulsing red light and constantly fluctuating curves leave afterimages on my retina.

I walk through the crowd of people, and flowers bloom by the roadside.

In that hazy world, there exists a pair of eyes that always gaze upon me with unwavering clarity.

Sharp, resolute, and scrutinizing. He seems to be peering through me to a distant place.

MC: …Lucien.

I part my dry lips but make no sound.

The air seems to thin even further, and in a daze, I feel as if I've been transported back to countless moments of frigid breathlessness in the past.

The unknown and fear tug at my remaining consciousness as if I'm about to be swallowed by the boundless darkness.

I don't know how much time has passed; the rustling sounds around me have also disappeared.

Perhaps Lucien has gone somewhere else to find me. Thinking this, I carefully unzip the zipper.

Before I even adjust to the harsh white light, I crash straight into Lucien's gaze.

The world roars, and my heart seems to stop for a moment.

Lucien: [chuckles] Not hiding anymore?

He squinted his eyes and chuckled softly.

He crouches in front of me, his hair scattered across his forehead, damp with water droplets, his exposed chest rising and falling slightly.

He casually grips the chainsaw and pulls the starter cord with one hand, producing a piercing and terrifying sound.

I can't fathom how long he's been waiting like this.

Five minutes? Ten minutes? Or has he been silently observing my every move from the beginning, watching me run continuously and then return here, lying down in the bag?

Fear makes me clench my fingers tightly, but I do not avoid his gaze, trying to find the answers I seek in his eyes.

MC: ...Why did you help me escape back then?

I don't answer him; instead, I ask a question I have never figured out. As if slightly surprised, Lucien's eyes flicker.

Lucien: Because I worry that they will damage my test subject.

He answers directly and calmly as if it's the most natural answer.

Somehow, I suddenly don't feel afraid at all. I even feel like laughing, so I simply pull at the corners of my mouth and lie in the bag.

I don't want to think about whether his close proximity will be affected by the radiation from my body, nor do I want to consider how to escape from this rapidly moving saw.

Maybe I've always wanted to find some way to talk to Lucien.

MC: Then why do you want to study me?

MC: Why do so many people want to study me? Do you want to change the world?

Lucien: [chuckles] Change the world?

Lucien laughs as if what I just said is a joke.

But soon he restrains his laugh, his gaze turns slightly bright as he looks at me again, and his voice carries an undisguised seriousness and stubbornness.

Lucien: Why change the world? I think this world is fine.

Lucien: What I want to seek is 'evolution'.

Next Part=> [Click Here]

[pleasantglitterflower]

My in-laws' daughter (Joe Burrow x OC)

Many things are difficult to tell your family, making certain decisions is a challenge and you can go from mature to embarrassed very quickly.

Exactly for this reason, Juliana, in her 22 years of life, has always tried to be as careful as possible when it came to revealing something to her parents, whether it was from wanting to cut her hair to her shoulders, making her mother purse her lips, to finding out that she threw away three years of college, because that course was definitely not what she wanted for her future anymore, but rather hair, everything that had hair

But this time it's different, the event she feared the most has arrived, that of introducing her boyfriend to her parents, with a big catch.

-Have you been together for six months?- The woman is surprised, letting her tone of voice overflow in the restaurant, quickly trying to contain herself.

-You didn't have to hide anything from us, you just had to say that you're together, what's the problem anyway?- Her father shrugs.

-Leo, you know it's not like that- Her mother said.

-Let the girl enjoy herself- She said again.

-Yes, of course, I just want to say that we need to make sure that he's a good person, a nice guy who treats her well, there's no problem with that-

-That's exactly why I called you here- She smiled a little embarrassed.

-What do you mean, he's here?- Her mother discreetly looked for any guy lurking around.

-No, I called you to let you know that I want to schedule a dinner with everyone and introduce him- She revealed, earning a big smile from her mother.

-That's incredible, I can't believe it, we need to plan everything and when are you going to introduce him to your father's side?- Gisele already commented, suggesting as if it were going to be a separate event.

-The thing is, I'm just going to schedule one dinner and then we'll all go, that way we'll save time- She explained.

-Oh dear, your father has a lot to do, he has a lot of work and girlfriends and you know, I have a lot of meetings, advertising, trips and the routine with your brothers - She changes the subject, hating the idea of ​​having dinner with him.

-Don't forget Tomtom - She cuts her off with a half smile, knowing that now her mother will be annoyed.

-What Tom? - She looks at her, holding the glass in her hand.

-My ex-stepfather - Juliana and Leo's smiles contrast sharply with Gisele's shock.

-Of course, daughter, no problem, but what's his name? Show me at least a picture - She changes the subject trying to be as attentive as possible.

-But you know him - Ju finished her salad, now getting really nervous, feeling her stomach churn.

-We know him? - Leo looks a little confused, changing his eyes between the two.

- It's Joe Burrow - He revealed.

The two looked at each other in disbelief.

But telling Tomtom would be even stranger.

He took advantage of the best moment to talk to him, when he was playing golf.

-Boyfriend? - He asked intrigued, watching her swing.

-Yeah-

-You're not old enough for that kind of thing - He implied, making her laugh.

-So I'm going to lose my golf buddy on Saturdays? - He lamented, watching the girl sitting on a stool.

-Never- She smiled at him, who smiled back, relieved.

-But show me a picture of him, who are we talking about? - He finally asked, going to the girl in the hope of seeing the picture.

-Do you know him? - He shrugged his shoulders.

- Where do I know him from? - Tom couldn't hide the fact that he found it strange.

- It's Joe Burrow - He gave a half smile to his ex-stepfather, who stamped his foot and ran his hand through his hair.

- That damn guy -

Tom started to remember some things and it was inevitable to ask.

- How did you meet? -

- It was thanks to his barber -

He wouldn't need a single word more than that, and Juliana remembers that day well, when she was spending time at her friend's house, whom she met thanks to her stepfather. Steve didn't have any clients that day, but an emergency came up.

-We need to fix this, the team scheduled a surprise online interview and I had to interrupt my vacation to pretend to be focused on the next season and suddenly, I need to appear on TV and not even my cap can save me anymore- Joe chattered until he got stuck in the doorway, when he saw another person he didn't expect that.

-This is Juliana..- He cut her off.

-It's really hard not to know who she is with this family- He observed her with some curiosity.

-Believe me, if it were up to me it wouldn't be like this- She commented with her discomfort with the subject, she hated all exposure.

-Well, let's get to the haircut then- Steven called Joe again, trying to break the awkward atmosphere in the place.

It wasn't hard not to fall in love with her, in terms of beauty it was undeniable, but she was more than that, she knows and likes golf, his favorite pastime, she started getting haircuts and various hair cream mixtures for free, they were able to talk about everything.

But the silence was always better, when they just looked at each other and realized that they were really by each other's side and enjoying it, the ease she has with the countryside, which surprised him a lot, maybe the hustle and bustle of her parents' lives made her fall in love with the silence and calm of sitting on a deck and just drinking tea.

Even so, one thing in particular impressed him in a bad way and in a good way.

She doesn't understand anything about American football, how was that possible when she lived her whole life with their biggest star? He doesn't know, but it was a fact.

Since that moment, the contact between them became natural, Juliana could no longer stand having to hide how in love she was, even avoiding having her life exposed like her parents, even though he is a player and it was impossible, they were trying their best, before it became a scandal they needed at least her parents to know, since she spent several weekends with his parents and playing with his nephews.

Gisele and Tom have found a way to talk about the subject, without anyone suspecting anything.

-How did she meet him?- Gisele whispers as if it were a big secret.

-She assured me that she didn't go to any of my games and that at that time, she had no interest in him- Tom assures.

-That's good, otherwise it would be really weird- The woman sighs thoughtfully.

-That's what I thought-

-Tell me a little about this guy- She asked, earning a confused look from him.

-Tell me a little about him, I don't know him, we just played against each other sometimes, it's not enough to know him- She shrugged her shoulders.

-Of course it's possible, he must have been mumbling something on the bench?-

-The benches are very far apart and when he was on the bench, I was on the field- Tom explains.

-But during the game, didn't he swear, say anything strange, have any strange habits? - His wife's concern and anxiety are starting to worry him equally.

-Look, not that I remember, he was quiet, not everyone makes a fuss or swears

-And scandals in the media, no, or rather scandals in the locker room, have you ever played with someone who played with him and knew something dirty?

-We both know how it is to deal with that, I don't think it's cool to keep commenting and no, I don't know of any scandals, or dirty things involving him, no player with any gossip, they just said he was polite and a good leader - Tom shrugged his shoulders and Gisele finally had no more questions.

At the hotel, unlike them, Juliana and Joe are simply in different sync.

-We already have couple pajamas, we're wearing our couple shirts, finishing our couple mugs, you know we're missing a couple plate, right - Joe reminds her charmingly, brushing his mug.

-We need paintings too, one for your house, the other for mine-

-What other stupid couple thing should we do?- He leaves his paintbrush under the table, thoughtful, while Juliana takes the opportunity to kiss his cheek. Joe, who was a little surprised, was surprised again by a paintbrush stroke on his face before he could react.

Before he could retaliate, the person in charge of the place arrived, finding the paintbrush stroke on his face strange.

-Joe, you're so clumsy- She grumbles, earning him an intrigued look.

The other woman laughed softly at Josh, gathering some materials on the table.Until finally, the day of dinner arrived.

-I think I can stay calmer for a game than for this- Joe comments still in the car, since they both need to gather the courage to go to the house.

-I'm also pretty nervous- She half-smiled without looking at him.

-Relax, you don't have to meet Gisele Bündchen and Leonardo DiCaprio as in-laws and also see Tom Brady not playing against you, but actually being your girlfriend's ex-stepfather. - He joked, moving his arms restlessly, while she knew exactly what he meant.

-It's an awkward situation, I never thought I'd be in this situation. Promise me we'll eat and leave? - He almost begged.

-Sure, but since you're the first one I'm taking home, I don't think any of them will know how to deal with it. It's horrible being the firstborn. - She lamented, but Joe turned abruptly to face her.

-What do you mean the first one?

-Yeah, I've never introduced anyone to my parents- She sighed.

-Why?- He watched her without answering.

-I've never met anyone I took seriously or that I thought I should do that- She finally looked at him, who couldn't hold back his smile.

-I was even embarrassed- He laughed all silly.

Juliana approached Joe, until she realized something that made her not know how to react, is it better to laugh or cry? She wondered.

-I think my mother and my ex-stepfather were watching us through the curtain- She commented looking towards the window, where the cloth still sways.

-Why do you think that?- Joe laughed, believing it was mainly paranoia.

-Because I saw them both run as soon as I looked at the window and someone pulled the curtain that was swinging- She said, making Joe a little more nervous.

-We better go then- He sighed, observing the house, for a moment wondering what he was getting himself into.

Walking next to a guy towards your mother's house is very strange, especially while holding his hand and feeling your stomach churn and your face burn.

It could all go well, just as it could all go wrong, like she forgot to tell him that Joe was allergic to something or someone made a bad joke.

There are many possibilities.

She put her hand close to the door but to her surprise, it opened before she could even knock.

-Sorry for the delay, I was at the back of the house- Gisele gave her best smile.

-We noticed- Juliana couldn't contain herself.

-Oh my God, you're here, what a surprise- Tom commented, almost lying down in the armchair to see the two of them at the entrance, for some reason refusing to get up from the armchair, making Juliana look at her mother as if asking what was going on.

The two of them just went inside the house, Gisele greeted Joe with a handshake, Leo did the same and Tom just waved without getting up from the armchair.

-We're looking for something on TV, do you like watching football?- Tom asked, earning some confused looks.

-Yeah, you could say I like it, but at this time of year it doesn't go away- Joe reminded him, only then did Tom realize what he had just said.

-Don't be silly, soccer is always on on Sundays- Gisele changes the channel and Joe swallows with all his might the urge to say it was Soccer, since luckily Juliana warned him.

And Gisele knows exactly what she's doing, since she patted Joe on the shoulder twice as she passed by.

-Daughter, I didn't know your type was Marlon Brando- She mumbled, but Joe, since he didn't know him, looked back wondering what that meant.

-He's a hunk Joe, you don't need to worry- she smiled nervously.

-Yes, he is a hunk- Gisele smiled equally trying to hide it.

-Without a shadow of a doubt a hunk- Tom finishes, leaving Joe alone instead of calm, suspicious of that.

The exchange of glances between the rooms was strange, even more so for Leo who was paying more attention talking to a woman on the phone than to them.

-Shall we eat? Each of us made a dish and I think mine is wonderful and will be the highlight of the evening- her mother stuck her nose up in a smug tone, starting a debate with Tom.

-Mine is not better by any means, you know I'm a meat expert- he defended himself.

Leo preferred not to go in, since he had only bought something ready-made and didn't want to be embarrassed by saying so.

Juliana let everyone leave the room, Joe in particular being accompanied by his mother, while Tom remained seated.

-Let's eat- She pointed in the direction everyone was going, receiving an embarrassed smile from him, who stood up all awkwardly, covering the seat with a cushion.

They kept an eye on each other and walked around the armchair, until she was quicker and pulled the cushion away, revealing a pair of binoculars.

-You two are more professional than many paparazzi- she joked, hiding the binoculars in the armchair again.

-I don't know what you're talking about- He shrugged.

-I saw you at the window- She revealed, making his eyes widen.

-Us? You must be excited about the situation and looking for problems in our excellent creative management, how could we be stalking Joe everywhere we can and calling journalists, looking for information? Juliana, these are serious accusations, we trust you in your vast love experiences, your heart, your rationality and your good taste in men, we would never make that mistake of toxic and slightly jealous parents, a child is raised for the world- He says in a serious tone, but clearly joking with her, calling her for a hug.

She can't deny it.

-Come on, before they notice us missing and start thinking I'm trying to get you to turn against him or scold you in some way- He put his arm around her neck and they continued walking to the dining room.

The table was set with great care by Gisele, who made sure to lead Joe to a chair next to hers.

-You can eat as much as you want, there's no need to be shy or think about dieting, I want you to feel at home- She told the boy who gave a shy smile.

-There's no poison in anything, don't worry- Gisele joked, placing a glass in front of the boy, who looked at his girlfriend worriedly.

And in fact, she didn't stop following Tomtom.

-Now everything is explained- He pursed his lips when he saw Juliana and Joe arrive at the course, she with a caddie on her back.

Although Tom didn't like it at first, he saw that it would be very good when Joe's first shot was played.

-Now you'll have to put up with me for the rest of your Saturday, until our dinner at a burger joint of dubious origin- Tom joked with a smile.

-Why dubious origin?- Joe adjusted the ball on the tee to take the next shot.

-Because we never go back to the same ones and that brings some pretty bad consequences

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

OKAY i am confused why no one thought of this..mark and the famous BPS duo headcanons of them reacting to a REAL Angel Y/n coming down and basically getting rid of the alternates?? :00

Oooo y'know that's a good idea. It makes me wonder if ALL angels in TMC were just replaced or never existed at all after Alt!Gabriel came along--maybe they lost the war with the Alternates/demons and were eradicated all at once.

Except for Y/N, ofc, because main character plot armor™

.........

Mark

You've been watching over Mark for some time, eventually coming down to Earth disguised as his next door neighbor, wondering if he could help you move some stuff.

This strangely happens the same day he prayed for a "guardian angel" in his life, especially when he noticed you were wearing all white clothing, didn't specify where you were from, and.....looked quite ethereal in appearance.

But he thinks it's just a coincidence and becomes fast friends with you.

You shared his same values and beliefs, subtly protecting him whenever he visited the church and went to school.

Though you weren't sure if you should tell him what you truly are...

Until the night he gets that phone call from "Cesar" and goes to his house against your wishes.

When he inevitably leads the Alternate back to his own home, you're there waiting for it.

The second it enters, you stand between them and reveal your wings, halo, and several eyes, shocking the Alternate as it thought angels were already eradicated...

You basically say "nah I'm still here, go back to hell" and eviscerate it in a flash of holy light.

To your amazement, it actually worked! You finally had the power to avenge your fellow angels.

You immediately put your human disguise back on when you realized Mark's was watching the entire time-

But he's already kneeling at your feet, trying not to cry bc you're the guardian angel he's been asking for!!!

He 100% worships you now after you confirm that, but you ask him to just treat you like a friend and not as some divine idol.

Ofc you're telling that to a paranoid 17 yr old Christian human boy who saw you literally vaporize an Alternate so.....it's hard for him to talk to you so casually after that.

Adam

Posing as a new student, you approached him at school and asked if you could join BPS, feigning interest in the paranormal investigations.

He's like "sure but your clothes are prob gonna get messed up" as he gestures to your pristine white shirt and jeans.

You just wear a black BPS jacket over them and go along with the "ghost hunts", finding out that he's looking for Alternates specifically.

That's fine with you though, considering you came down to eliminate as many as you could w/o drawing Gabriel's attention.

One of the hidden cameras caught you making one disappear and Adam's mind=blown after replaying the footage and seeing your wings show up in a few frames, learning you were an angel all along!

You beg him to keep it a secret, but he's so excited he brags to Jonah and Evelin (who thinks he edited that stuff in).

He asks you to continue vaporizing any Alternates you come across as long as he can get footage of it...though you don't like the idea of him exploiting your powers this way for fame.

However he suddenly becomes afraid of you out of nowhere, especially in the days following the investigation at the Torres house.

He just kicks you out of BPS without explanation and goes into hiding.

But soon enough you find out he's a Sleeper Alternate and become faced with a very tough decision...

When he shows up on your doorstep, half-naked and pleading for you to purge him from this world.

Never in a million years did you think any Alternate would be so attached to his "humanity" that he'd rather die than live without it.

Unfortunately, you can't grant Adam's wish knowing he was closely tied to Six and Gabriel's plans, but you do reverse the damage the bleach did to his organs.

He's not in constant physical pain anymore, though you vow to protect this scared boy, knowing he didn't choose to be this way.

Jonah

You met him through Adam sometime after joining BPS.

And right away, he feels a lot safer whenever you accompany them on assignments.

There's just something about your presence that's reassuring.

He makes jokes about how you act like a "perfect little angel" when you tell him you don't do drugs, never curse, mediate any arguments he and Adam might have, and always have the cleanest clothing.

Then he's confused as to why you tensed up.

Before you realize "angel" is just a metaphor humans use sometimes and calm down afterwards.

So he doesn't know what you are.....yet.

He used to say "hell" (like "oh hell yeah!") on a regular basis but now feels awkward when he says it around you.

You're only forced to reveal your true identity when Preacher tries to give him and Adam M.A.D, and you just....eliminate her on the spot with holy light.

She was particularly resistant to it, so your energy was spent and you nearly passed out.

Jonah's understandably freaked out by your powers and runs away, but after you find him and help him calm down, he becomes quite clingy.

His friendship with Adam grows more divided as he sees you as more caring and protective than him.

He didn't believe in angels before but he sure as shit does now.

[spider-bren]

It has been a year since July 3rd when I watched IJ5 and came on this tumblr account to write Vollber and Boyd…I look back on these moments I shared, the friends I made. Some I don’t speak to anymore, some I still am in contact with. I guess I’m nostalgic. In April last year I was watching Narcos and obsessing over Mr Holbrook that still has me in a chokehold….

I want to thank everyone for still being here even if I have become inactive.

A lot has happened since July last year and a lot has happened since I started writing Vollber. I met this other Vollber writer from ao3 on here and…I didn’t expect to be where I am now. I didn’t think the Vollber brainrot would last so long honestly and I didn’t think it would mean what it means to me now. It’s more than just a ship now…it’s a bond that I formed with this person.

Because it became a way to express ourselves, our feelings. A way to truly reveal through fiction and explore different dynamics. It has become so much more than just a ship because I get to share it with my other half–my co-author who just completely understands me. It takes a lot for me to open up and especially be able to collaborate and co-write something that needs to flow and be cohesive. I found a companion that I can write with in a way that feels entirely natural. And that is special.

When Blue sent me that prompt to write sadistic Klaber and dm’ed me to ask if I wanted to collab, I never really knew why I said yes. I didn’t know Blue, I didn’t know if we would write well together. I didn’t know what she was like. I didn’t know how well we’d get along. I had no idea where this would lead. I had no idea that I would be as close to her as I am now. That I felt as soon as we started talking, it didn’t feel like we were strangers for a moment.

Our writing flowed so beautifully. We just understood each other. We were always thinking the same thing and I could break down my writing in a way I never could with anyone else. She thought we’d stop talking after finishing our fics, but I couldn’t stop talking to her. I couldn’t stop smiling whenever she sent a message. I got to know her. Truly let her in…

Over time, I realised that I treated her differently than my other friends. I found myself not able to pull myself away, not able to stop myself from letting her in and sharing parts of my life with her. I feel entirely comfortable bearing pieces of my soul with her…I found myself realizing that I cared about her more than I ever cared for anyone this way before.

I caught myself one day point blank just reading back the texts I sent her and understanding just how special she is to me. How I'd listen to her talk about anything, how her voice calms me, and how I feel like every moment we engage in conversation feels like a secret, private moment that just the two of us shared…

No one else knows what we shared, the things we called about late at night. And I suppose it was inevitable that I would fall for her…

I'd do anything to make her happy and I just want to know her and share in her life, for her to make a space for me in her life. Because she has carved out a place in my life that only she can fill. She nestled under my ribcage and I'd be damned if I ever let her leave. Truly, I would bathe in her presence and be content to stay by her side for the rest of my days.

From the moment we started talking I immediately felt the connection. Before I even saw her face I knew I'd like her. Because it didn't matter what she looked like…and then when I realised she was beautiful face to face as well…I fell for her intense gaze and perfect face. The way her voice moved me before I ever saw her body. Her voice settles into me, infiltrates all my senses and my entire being. I can't even explain how it affects me. Every tone and her voice in every instance mesmerises me.

The way she talks makes me eager to listen to her for hours. I would like to peel back the layers and kiss her brain, worship the matter that makes up her thoughts and dreams and desires. I would touch and tease over it. To love there, too. Underneath it all. Her skin. Her bones. Everything that she is.

The more we shared about our lives, the more I wanted to know her. Every little part. Every little thought. I am amazed how easy it is to delve into the depths of myself. And I want to continue knowing and loving every part of her as well…

Our conversations ebb and flow effortlessly. The respect and understanding we have of our individualism, boundaries, and space. How we seem to always be in sync even oceans apart. We feel each other across the distance. She is always somewhere with me. And when I fall asleep at night, I picture her in my arms. I am instantly calmed and soothed by her presence. Her existence stills my restless soul. I long to meet her one day, for her eyes to land on me. To inhabit the space she resides. To be near her…it's all I want.

She is my Blue. I named her. I know her. And she knows me.

Although we're not together, I am hers.

I never felt closer to another human being.

For me, I am taken.

I never shared these parts of myself with anyone but her.

But I want to share this piece with the world now….

I love her.

I hope she always remembers that.

Happy One (1) Year Anniversary to our Vollber fic! And happy one (1) year to knowing you @blueeyedcitadel ❤️