#I didn't even notice until my friend pointed it out but apparently I only ever draw Cuphead in THIS exact expression- 💀

[yandere-sins]

Not to be the monsterfucker y'all know and love but I was running around, clearing the map today a bit while I was waiting for a visitor and I found these absolute UNITS of skeletons (They are called Death Shepherds):

Like HELLO???? I don't even mean that sexually but WHY ARE THEY SO FREAKIN' HOT???? (Sorry for the crap resolution on the first pic, I forgot screenshot's existed and used my phone, but then I remembered.)

Also they were HUGE BOYS (yes, plural, there were 2. Like Gale certainly has BJ height at most next to them, they were MASSIVE CHUNKS OF SKELETON AND ARMOR!!) compared to everyone else, even my Dragonborn Tav, and they kept reanimating the ghouls (which weren't as pretty), so I told my friend who was obviously appalled by how infatuated I was with the skeletons really tickled my inspiration for them, and I was thinking...

Yandere skeletons that are just your scary dog privilege, protection squad.

(And no, we are not sexualizing this time, this is not Sans Undertale.)

You should have died that day you met them, but without any apparent reason, they didn't attack you. They just watch you with their holes for eyes, ever so slightly creeping closer. It's not until the ghouls sticking around them notice you that you get into grave danger. You see those hungry, violent creatures charge at you, their claws scraping over stone and dirt as they come for your life, when, suddenly, the sound of a sharp blade cutting through the air and then flesh fills the crossroad where your unfortunate encounter takes place.

The scream ripping from your throat gets stuck as the head of the ghoul that attacked you rolls up to your feet, a now bloody sword lowering again as you hear the other ghouls whimper—whimper!—before they take off the other way. Instead, the two skeletons stalk closer, their armor rattling as if they were still living, breathing beings going off to war. Instead, one bends down, inspecting you with soulless eyes, its hand coming up to cup your cheek as if concerned with the horror etched into your face.

There's no getting rid of them. After standing around for what feels like ages, you are as confused as you are increasingly in a hurry to get away. Once you take enough steps away to turn your back to them without fearing being struck down, you make a mad dash for your life, running until your thighs burn and lungs beg for a moment to breathe—only to hear their armor rattle behind you.

Honestly, purely from a travel companion point of view, you cannot ask for anyone better. They are swift and skilled in battle, scaring away anyone who dares to come close to you, and incredibly low maintenance, as they don't need food or shelter, really. But they aren't mindless goons either, and that's where things get crazy.

Because one night, they decide they deserve cuddles for all the good they do.

As if being watched by the darkness in their eye sockets while you sleep isn't bad enough, you feel the hard armor press to your back one night, an arm—clothed but mere bones—wrapping around you from behind, face nestling into the nape of your neck. You can kind of come to terms with them trotting behind you all day, never saying anything, never leaving your side. You might even be thankful for their help when they keep robbers and goblins at bay and you out of any harm's way. Hell, you let them watch you do anything like eat, sleep, and—despite feeling unwarranted shame rake its claws down your body—bathe. But this was getting out of hand.

It could have been okay if it had only been a moment, but learning that these creatures sought out contact this intimate freaks you out. And it's never just a moment of putting their souls at ease, no. Because no matter how much you wriggle, they won't let go of you, their scraggy fingers digging into your flesh. You'll have to wait for them to switch if you want to try and escape, leaving everything behind to make a run for it in the middle of the night. But in stark contrast to you, who ran into the darkness without the time to collect things, they have all their belongings on them if they pick up their swords, and they can run endlessly without worrying about aches and stamina, catching up to you quickly. You'll just hang your head and be escorted back to camp when you decide to stop panicking, only for them to take the opportunity to rearrange and occupy both sides of your bedroll as they please once you want to lay down for another sleepless night.

It's not like you can get rid of them. You can't take them both on and if one falls, the other will just bring it back to life in an endless circle. You saw it before; no doubt it will happen again. Even if you talk to them, ask them questions, or shoo them away, they don't budge and cannot answer, getting into motion again only if you do. The most they ever give you to indicate their thoughts is laying their head to the side as if they don't understand you. Or admire you. Or stare at you adoringly. Who knows.

Things turn from bad to worse when you decide to end your adventure and return home. The stares you receive when you enter the city you live in with your hulking, undead companions are mortifying. Some people faint on the spot; others scream. And the two try to fight anyone trying to squeeze past them, seeing them as possible enemies to you. They made sure your life will never be the same. Neither friends nor family can get close to you, and no one dares to talk with you, trade, or even look your way. These two are creating a life where you'll be separated from anyone but them, and you begin to doubt they are doing it unintentionally. You'll never be able to free yourself unless you find a group that manages to actually kill them both.

But then again, as you stare at the night sky, stars twinkling above you, you can't help but feel bad for the two boney companions hugging you and resting their hard heads on your chest. The same ones that are so scarily indifferent, yet swift and merciless in a fight, straight out of a horror story with blood splattered on their white faces and swords in hand. Yet, they pick up flowers for you on the way or clean your equipment while you're asleep, hunting food for you and preparing it so you can cook and eat it right away. They are like needy puppies, putting their heads on top of yours while you read the map or admire the scenery, or hold onto your sleeve as you walk through a dark cave so you don't get lost. Clearly, they have some lingering sentiment, searching for warmth and affection from you. There's nowhere for you to run or hide, as they have all the time and strength to go after you. Maybe you shouldn't have given them names, shouldn't have treated them kindly when you started to travel together. But all these regrets come now when it's already too late.

Because they will let nothing and no one take you from them, no matter who or what they have to fight, just so they can have you all to themselves.

Their pretty, little, alive darling with a heart that races so fast whenever they do anything, be it scare or love you. 

__________________

Bonus points for you somehow dying despite their efforts (traps and magic are a bitch to avoid), so they keep reviving you, and they either... 

a.) succeed, and now you owe them your life and have to live with the knowledge of what it's like to die and that they'll most likely keep reviving you, even if you die of old age. So you'll suffer eternally with them.

b.) don't succeed, and can't accept/don't understand you're dead, so they carry your body around, trying to show you all the pretty things they learned you like as you slowly decay in their arms until you are a mere skeleton like them, so they lay you to rest in a grave with them, coming alive only when someone tries to rob your grave before returning to slumber next to you. You three won't even be apart in death.

Like, sorry guys, that's my emotional support yandere skeleton beloved ♥

[ryker-writes]

Hello, so i apparently have a brain rot about twst characters being concerned about their siblings mental health due to their taste in men

The younger sibling of Vil while having both the looks and skills of their brother and father, also has a small amount of stage fright and loves video games, so they end up becoming a v-tuber and develop a small crush on an internet friend and moderator who irl is Idia Shroud, maybe after revealing that they got accept to nrc the two decide to meet up irl and while Idia is lagging due to the error messages in his brain, little schoenheit's small crush develops into a full infatuation, Vil is so so concerned

I love this idea. While normally I write requests in bullet point format, I hope you don't mind that I wrote this one differently. I'm sorry if you don't like it as much because of this, I just felt like writing like this does requests like this better than my usual bullet point style

Request rules and Masterlist

As a part of the Schoenheit family, it was only natural that you had developed the acting and modeling skills as well as the good looks. It's just something that had been engrained into your lifestyle at a young age. Your father had you and Vil acting together from a young age, and Vil would always help you with everything.

The main thing he always had to help you with was your stage fright. While he and your father never had any problem being on stage, you hated it. Having everyone's eyes on you and the pressure not to mess up was all too much for you.

Perhaps that was why you liked video games so much. Online, no one knew who you really were, and that gave you a sense of freedom. No one could actually see you, and it gave you a sense of freedom. They didn't stare at you, and you didn't have to see them staring at you. There was a screen between you and them at all times.

But that desire to perform and entertain was still strong within you. Maybe it was just part of being a Schoenheit. Thankfully, the internet is a wonderful place full of opportunities, and you were able to find a way to play the video games you loved so much while performing for others.

Being a v-tuber was so much more fun than you had imagined. It's the perfect way to entertain and build an audience while playing video games too. The perfect job for you.

You were even able to connect with others and make new friends too. One of these friends was a moderator by the screenname Gloomurai. You had fun talking to him both in and out of streaming for others.

He understood you so well! The two of you were able to bond about a lot of things, mainly your love for video games and how scary it was to be in front of other people. And eventually, you even found out that he's a student at Night Raven College, the school you're going to be attending.

After a little bit of convincing and deliberating, the two of you decided to meet. Not anywhere out in the public eye with lots of people of course. So the two of you picked an isolated corner of the school, and waited until evening to go meet up.

To say you were nervous was an understatement. Gloomurai was a close friend and even a small crush of yours. He was just so understanding and cool. Now you were going to meet him in person. So many things could go wrong.

But you were the one to get there first, and you waited patiently for Gloomurai to show up. As the minutes passed, your nerves only grew.

Until finally, a very pale figure rounded the corner. He was tall, but hunched over like he'd been sitting and playing video games for a long time before this. Perhaps the most noticeable thing about his appearance was the long blue flames of hair and the bright yellow eyes that only met yours for a second before quickly flickering away.

Idia Shroud; the most reclusive guy in school. He rarely ever left his room and was known for being an introvert and amazing with technology. The housewarden of Ignihyde...he was Gloomurai?????

He's amazing! Truly amazing. Of all the people he could've been, you're glad it was Idia.

Idia on the other hand was freaking out. His favorite streamer and crush...was Vil Schoenheit's little sibling??? He's broken. His brain cannot compute. Error error.

"You're Gloomurai, right?"

"I, uh, yeah. I guess."

It was...pretty awkward for the first few minutes of talking. Neither of you quite knew what to say at first, but eventually conversation would flow smoothly just like when you guys normally chat. It felt really nice to be able to talk to him in person actually, and you finally got to put a face to the moderator you developed a crush on.

So when you saw Vil again, you couldn't help but gush about your crush.

"He's so much better than I thought! I mean we talked for a while and got along very well. He's super cute too!"

"Are you sure you're talking about Idia Shroud? Cute definitely aren't the words I would use to describe him."

"Of course he's cute! I mean have you seen his hair and his eyes? He also has a really nice smile."

"I don't understand you. Are you sure you're okay mentally?"

"I've never been better."

[kaminocasey]

Joyride

Summary: You and Hunter have been ignoring your feelings for each other for a year, but can't any longer when you're sent on a mission together.

Pairing: Hunter x f!Reader

Warnings: 18+ MINORS DNI; Angst, Enemies to Lovers, SMUT, Sex on a speeder bike, unprotected p in v (wrap it up friends), Cid (lol)

WC: 3.2K

A/N: OKAY don't be mad at me for having Cid in this bc I started writing this way before that finale and before we knew that Cid was a traitorous asshole, so I'm sorry about that. BUT sex with Hunter on a speeder bike should make up for it, right?? (Also, if you saw me post this earlier on my main, no you didn't lol.)

TAGLIST FORM │Bad Batch Masterlist

“Dark and Broody, Mopey… You two will be going on this one alone.” Cid points at you and Hunter.

That’s what Cid calls you, Mopey. Even though she’s known you your whole life and absolutely knows your name. You moped about Hunter to her one time and now the name has stuck.

“What?” You and Hunter ask, simultaneously and then look at each other uncomfortably.

Crossing your arms, you glare. “We don’t do alone missions.” 

“That’s not my problem. I need a couple who won’t stick out too much.” Cid starts to walk away toward her office, knowing you’ll follow. “It’s easy. In and out. Get the drive. Bam. You’re done.”

“A couple?” Hunter asks, still trying to catch up. 

“Yeah, a couple. Ever heard of the word?” Cid sits at her desk, rummaging through her drawers. “Two people who are together.”

“We aren’t together, though.” Hunter glances at you as you lean in the doorway with crossed arms, looking at you as if you have some sway here.

You’ve known Cid your whole life. She apparently used to run with your mom back in the day and when your mom passed, Cid took you in. She looks up at you, knowingly and you shake your head, walking out so you can leave Hunter to argue with her. It was a lost cause arguing with her. You learned that long ago. 

“Good luck.” Echo tells you, smirking from the bar. 

You flip him off and then look to make sure Omega wasn’t watching. Thankfully, she and Wrecker are in a heated Dejarik game while Tech watches over Wrecker’s shoulder. You can’t help but be grateful for this little group that you and Cid found a year ago. 

“You know, you’re pacing.” You tell Hunter from the co-pilot’s seat as the ship travels through hyperspace.

It’s quiet without the rest of the Batch, you notice. Too quiet. It occurs to you how little time you and Hunter have been around each other without any of the others around. 

“Yeah. And?” He snips.

You prop your feet up in the seat in front of you, your dress slipping up to your thigh slightly. He looks down only for a second and walks off to the bunks to do something. With a roll of your eyes, you pull up your datapad and send off a message to Echo.

You: He’s impossible.

Echo: What do you want me to do about it? 

You: Just complaining I guess?

Echo: You mean being mopey?

You: Fuck you.

Echo: LOL

You sigh and toss your datapad back into the seat, groaning in frustration.

“What is it?” Hunter stands in the doorway.

“Nothing.” You turn your seat around to look out at the blue hues of hyperspace. 

“Right…” Hunter disappears again until right before you come up on Coruscant. 

“So the plan-” Hunter stands in front of you when you land.

“I know the plan.” You stare up at him.

“Right. Okay then.” He sighs as he hands you your ear piece, giving you a curious look as he stares down at you.

“Okay.” You nod and open the hatch.

You leave the ship together, coming up on the speeder that one of Cid’s people left for you. He looks at the speeder bike. 

“Don’t even think about it.” You grumble and point at your outfit. “Dress, remember?” 

He chuckles. “Right.”

With a slight roll of your eyes, you get in the passenger side of the speeder. As he takes off, you try your hardest to not look at him in his nice outfit. He’s wearing a dark red collared shirt, the top two buttons undone, slightly revealing his tattooed chest, dress pants, and a gold chain you didn’t know he had. 

You find yourself wanting to ask him about the chain and about the tattoo that was clearly a continuation of the half skull on his face. You’re tempted to question him if it goes all the way down… 

“What?” Hunter picks up on your staring.

You go warm in the face instantly and look out your side of the speeder as he continues to drive. “Nothing.” He chuckles. “If you say so.”

Arriving at the casino, Hunter starts to get out but you stop him, leaning on the edge of the door. “What are you doing? Keep the speeder running in case I run into trouble. Thought you’ve done this before?” You smirk.

“I have.” He scowls at you. “You’re gonna go in alone, dressed like that?” 

You raise your eyebrows. “Really? We’re gonna have this conversation?” 

He thinks about it for a second. “Look… I know you can handle your own-”

“Great, then I’ll see you in a few minutes. Keep it running, I’ll be in and out.” You ignore him and walk away into the casino. 

“Nothing wrong with backup, you know?” He grumbles in your ear as you walk up the steps to the second floor.

“Hush.” You tell him, smiling at the coat check person, politely.

You can feel some eyes on you as you walk onto the casino floor. 

“You’re breathing heavily.” Hunter complains in your ear on the comm as you make your way through the casino full of people. 

“No I’m not.” You roll your eyes. “You just have supersonic hearing.” 

He chuckles. “I think you mean ultrasonic.”

“Maker, you’ve been hanging around Tech too much.” You shake your head to yourself.

Stars, why does his voice sound like that? It sounds like pure sex and it feels like he’s practically purring in your ear. And it’s going right to your-

“You good?” His voice pulls you out of your thoughts.

“Yep.” You take a wine glass off a waitresses tray and gulp it down in one go, trying not to think about what Hunter’s voice does to you.

“Please try not to get wasted.” He warns you.

“How did you know-” You put the empty glass on a passing tray and keep moving through the crowd of people who were clearly rich and well off. 

“‘Supersonic’ hearing, remember?” He teases, lightly. “You… ahem… swallow loudly.” 

He coughs and you try to not think about what he could be thinking of. 

“Focus, Sarge.” You smirk, just trying not to argue with him for once. It’s really not a secret that you two don’t really see eye to eye, but that’s not your problem. It’s his. He’s the one who always starts the arguments. Like now, complaining about your breathing and your swallowing. If anyone deserved to complain, it’s you. You’re in this ridiculously snug dress and stupid heels and you’re ready to peel them off. 

“Miss?” You hear a man’s voice behind you.

When you turn around, you find a handsome, young gentleman with a blue scarf that you’d been looking for. He’s supposed to be the one who gives you the drive. 

“Hi. Luc?” You smile.

Easy mission, thankfully. In and out just like you told Hunter, making him wait out in the speeder. 

“That’s me.” He grins. “They didn’t tell me that a beautiful woman was supposed to be meeting me. Could I buy you a drink first?”

You try to not roll your eyes as you keep a fake smile plastered on your face. 

“Wow. What a tool.” Hunter’s voice fills your ear.

“That’s alright, thank you. Just the drive please.” You start to hand out your hand.

“Pity… Well in that case, I’m supposed to tell you,” He suddenly pulls a blaster out, keeping it low. “Cad Bane sends his regards.” 

Kriff. Of course.

Acting quickly, you shove his hand away at the same time that he releases the trigger, sending blaster fire up into the air. You elbow him in the throat, making him double over in pain, gasping for breath, as you try to knock the blaster out of his hand. Suddenly, more blaster fire starts coming your way and you realize you’ve been set up.

All around you people scream as they scramble for safety in the casino.

“What’s happening?” Hunter’s voice is in your ear, panicked.

“Don’t worry about it. Keep the speeder running.” You grunt as you make for the balcony across the room, just hoping your heels hold up, pulling one of your blasters out and shooting at the people that are shooting at you.

“Don’t worry about it, she says, as blaster fire is literally firing around her.” Hunter mutters. 

“Will you please shut up?” You snap as you start to climb over the side of the balcony, shooting toward the top of the building. 

You look down for Hunter in the speeder but see him on a speeder bike instead.

“Where’s the speeder?” You yell.

“This is quicker!” He calls back.

With an annoyed groan, you stick your blaster back into your thigh holster and slide down the rope landing in Hunter’s lap, straddling his thighs while facing him. He lets out an ‘oof’ and takes off as people come running out of the lobby, shooting at the two of you.

“You could have let me climb off to get behind you.” You glare.

“No time. Hold on.” He revs the bike and starts going even faster through the undercity of Coruscant, causing you to press yourself to his chest. 

You roll your eyes. “We were set up.”

“Yeah, no kriff.” Hunter rests his chin on your shoulder so you can see.

It almost feels natural… having him against you. You quickly push that thought away as you go to argue with him again. 

“You know what-” You’re cut off as you realize people in speeders are after you, still shooting at you. 

“A little help here would be nice.” He grunts, taking a sharp turn, trying to buy you some time so you can grab your blasters. 

“Yeah, yeah. I’m on it.” You pull your blasters out of both thigh holsters. 

When you try to situate yourself so you can shoot better, you only realize you accidentally brush up against Hunter’s crotch when he lets out a soft groan. 

“Sorry…” You try. “Just shoot.” He says, through gritted teeth.

You immediately start to take out each shooter, precisely hitting each person so well that you can’t help but let out a chuckle.

“Crosshair would be so proud of me right now.” You compliment yourself.

“I’m sure.” Hunter grumbles as he shoots through an alley and then takes a hard right up into some sort of abandoned warehouse. When he thinks the coast is clear, he finally leans back, breathing heavily. You can’t even tease him about it, because your chest is heaving against his. With the deep glare that he’s giving you, his hate for you becomes evident. 

“You know, you may hate me… and still not trust me… but I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me for the long haul.” You shrug, tucking your blasters back into your holsters. 

“I don’t hate you.” He rolls his eyes.

“Then why-” You start but he crushes his lips to yours, shutting you up. 

Every nerve ending in your body stands straight up and you fight between the urge to shove him off of you and also wanting more of him. Wrapping your arms around his neck, you pull him closer and he grips your hips, grinding you against his hardened length, straining in his pants. 

“You feel what you do to me?” He rasps against your lips, his voice full of need. “So, I don’t hate you, I’m-”

Without another word, your hands fall down to his zipper and pull his length free. His sentence is cut off as you rest your foreheads together, watching your hand expertly start to pump his cock. He’s thicker than you imagined he’d be. You’re definitely not complaining though.

“Fuck, mesh’la…” He groans, gripping your hips tighter. 

The rumble of the speeder sends vibrations to your core and you can’t help the wetness that gathers in your panties, begging to coat Hunter’s perfect cock. 

You raise up slightly, moving your panties to the side as you sink down on him and he lets out an incredibly loud groan while he grips you so tightly that you know you’re going to bruise. Maybe that’s what he’s going for. To remind you of today, no matter what happens when you get back to Ord Mantell. 

You let out a soft gasp when his hands roam down to your ass and start to raise you up just to pull you back down onto his cock harshly. You’d been lying to yourself… You don’t hate him. You want Hunter just as bad, if not more. 

He pulls your body flush against his, kissing your shoulder. “Been waiting for so long for this.” 

You can’t help the needy whimpers that escape your lips for this man. The two of you had been fighting your urges for so long that you’d been convinced you hated each other. But now… 

“Feels so fucking good… So perfect… made for me.” Hunter babbles incoherently and you grind against him as much as you can. You pull away to make sure you’re not slipping but he grips your chin and pulls your gaze back to his own. “Keep your eyes on me. I’ve got you, you’re not going anywhere.”

And fuck, if that isn’t the hottest thing a man’s ever said to you…

He takes your fingers and pulls them to his mouth, taking them in his mouth. Your entire body feels like it’s on fire. He knows exactly what he’s doing because he smirks around your digits before guiding your fingers down to your clit. 

“Fuck… Hunter.” You groan, keeping your eyes on him, lips parted as the sounds echo off the metal walls of the warehouse as you rub your clit for him. 

“That’s it, mesh’la… need you to cum for me so I can fill this pretty little cunt up.” He whispers gruffly and you nearly come apart just at those words alone. “If… if that’s okay with you.”

“Please.” You gasp with a desperate nod.

You’d never known Hunter had this side to him. Sure you called him dark and broody as a joke, but this was something else entirely. He’s looking at you with such voracity, that you don’t think there’s any coming back from it. You want him to look at you this way forever. 

Pulling Hunter back in for a kiss so vehement, while still rubbing your clit, you near your edge. Your mind goes back to what he was saying earlier about not hating you. He didn’t give you a reason for acting the way he did.

“Hunter…” You whimper.

“What?” He rests his forehead against yours, still fucking you amorously. 

When he looks at you, it’s with such a softness that you can’t help but melt. 

“What…” You groan as he pushes you back on the speeder, reaching deeper into you with his cock. “What were you going to say… you don’t hate me… and?” 

“Right now?” He asks, looking down between you with a breathless chuckle. 

You nod as that familiar heat pools toward your warmth. “As… good a time… as any, right?” 

The way he’s fucking you is absolutely ethereal. You don’t think you could go back to how things were before even if you wanted to. And you definitely don’t want to, right?

“Maker…” He grits with a breathy chuckle as you clench around him. “I’m- fuck… I’m in love with you, okay?” 

As if that’s all you needed to hear, you cum, making his name sound like an entire prayer. Because that’s what coming around Hunter’s cock feels like. Absolutely spiritual. 

He grins down at you and pulls you back up into his lap, wrapping his arms around you, fucking into you mercilessly, overwhelming both of you. 

When his hips falter as he grips your sides, digging his fingers into you as he fills you up so fully that you spill out over the both of you. You can’t help but let out a soft laugh and then he lets one out as well.

“If I knew you’d react like that when I declared my love for you, I would’ve done it sooner.” He winks and you playfully slug him. 

“You’re very lucky I don’t actually hate you.” You lean in closely and the breath in his throat hitches.

“I’ll say.” He agrees before crushing his lips to yours.

Neither of you are sure what’s next for you, but you’re already feeling more hopeful. Maybe it’ll help that you won’t be arguing for once when you break the news to Cid that the mission failed. 

“I uh… actually wanted to show you something while we’re on Coruscant.” He coughs, awkwardly. 

“Okay?” You look at him curiously.

He grins as he helps you off the bike to sit behind him again. You feel the slight run of cum start to drip down your thigh. 

“Oh…” You look down and Hunter looks at your thighs as well, his grip on the handlebars tightening. 

“Do you want to run by the ship and clean up before I show you the surprise?” He smirks.

“Please.” You nod, going warm in the face as you hop on the back of the bike. “I’d also like to change. These heels are the worst.” 

He chuckles and relaxes into you when you wrap your arms around his waist and then takes off back toward the Marauder. It’s a strange feeling being so close to him after having so much distance between the two of you the past year. 

“So, what is it with you and speeder bikes?” You ask him, resting your chin on his shoulder.

He shrugs. “I don’t know.”

“Yes you do.” You start to release his waist but he quickly grabs your arms and pulls them against him again. 

“I’ve always wanted one. Since I saw one of the Alpha’s with one on Kamino when I was, you know, a “kid”.” He admits with a shrug.

“That’s sweet.” You kiss his shoulder. “We’ll get you one, one day.” 

He pulls one of your hands up to his lips and kisses it and you can’t help but smile.

When you pull back up to the Marauder, Hunter helps you off the bike, like a gentleman.

“Didn’t know you had such a sweet side to you.” You tease as he pulls you against himself, looking down into your eyes with his own warm brown ones. 

He smirks as he kisses you again. “Maybe we can shower… together… before I take you to that surprise.”

You find yourself desperate to have his mouth somewhere else.

“Yes please, Sarge.” You wrap your arms around him and he starts to lift you up but pauses as his ears perk up toward the Marauder and then pulls away to grab one of your blasters out of your holster, pointing it toward the hatch. 

“Hunter, what is it?” You whisper. 

All of a sudden, you hear a blaster shot come out from behind you and feel a bolt of electricity travel throughout your body. By the time you drop, you realize it’s too late and you’ve been stunned. The last thing you see before you pass out is Hunter going into attack mode.

TAGS: @twistedstitcher27 @misogirl828 @rebel-finn @rexandechosandwich @madameminor @dumfanting @rain-on-kamino @corona-one @tecker @ladykatakuri @brynhildrmimi @the-sith-in-the-sky-with-diamond @zoeykallus @maulslittlemeowmeow @littlemousedroid @arctrooper69 @rexxdjarin @agenteliix @padawancat97 @hated-by-me @sleepingsun501 @quigonswife8 @idlenesses @redheadgirl @themcuwriter @ashotofspotchka @sunshinesdaydream @crosshairsimp73 @ariadnes-red-thread @rosmariner @heyitsaloy @starstofillmydream @high-ct5555 @echos-girlfriend @sleepywych @nekotaetae @justanothersadperson93 @brownstalebread @aconstructofamind @book-of-baba-fett @chopper-base @palliateclaw @501st-rexster @dead-poolz @nahoney22 @where-is-my-mind-tho @jediknightjana @erishimoon @witching3 @queen-of-many-fandoms

[ldrfanatic]

sitting in the corner i haunt

Theodore Nott x Reader "13" Series pt 4 warnings - depression, angst, blood, theo gets the dark mark, mentions of suicide, cursing

this chapter is written entirely from theo's point of view

to be added to the taglist, comment; Also I was gonna include so much more in this part but then I realized I was already at 2k words and it was long lol

ps sorry stinks but now that the series is starting to really pick up there's gonna be a lot more angst before reader and theo get their hea

translator series masterlist <previous chapter next chapter>

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One thing Theo hadn't expected was for you not to forgive him. He'd figured you'd eventually find out about the bet, but he'd also noticed your crush on him a long long time ago. In all honesty, he'd been hoping and praying that you'd be able to forgive him and the pair of you could move past it.

Turns out those hopes and prayers were falling on empty ears.

He'd spent the remainder of the fall term secluded. At first, he tried to ignore Mattheo and Draco, still too mad at either of them for what they'd coerced him into. Finally he came to terms with the nature of his new relationship with you after what could have been was burned prematurely. Another thing Theo hadn't expected was for you to be the type that burned bridges instead of mending them.

Rather than feel his emotions, Theo had taken to drinking them lately. He tuned out of the various famous Slytherin parties and drank firewhiskey until it felt like his head was screwed on backwards. His groupies didn't stop chasing him, but he'd started hexing them in return.

Nothing serious just the occasional bat-bogey hex. And only at the ones that insulted you. Whether or not you wanted to be, you were still the girl that held his heart. And it was unacceptable for anyone to insult you. Mattheo and Draco had learned that fairly quickly following the incident.

As the Express chugged along the tracks and onto Platform 9 3/4, Theo tried to ignore the twisting in his stomach. Ever since his mother passed away in fourth year, his father had become an unbearable rotter. He knew that with the war looming, this break would be particularly unpleasant. As he retrieved his trunk from above his seat in the compartment, he didn't even bother with useless greetings to his friends. The children of Death Eaters were never cheery at the holidays. Everyone was returning to their own personal nightmare.

Theo used to feel bad for Mattheo's home situation. Used to. Until Mattheo really begun to live up to his father's reputation. Then all sympathy he had for the boy really flew out the window. Mattheo had been a perfectly fine bloke until Christmas of fifth year. When they'd returned in January, he was awful. No explanation, no more apologies. Just downright awful.

The moment his boot touched the platform, Theo apparated to his father's estate.

Nott Manor was in the most horrendous part of England. It was ALWAYS dark and cloudy. The sun was shining so bright at King's Cross, it was nearly headache worthy. But the moment Theo twisted down in front of the gates of his childhood home, the skies were dark, and the air was cold.

To Theo's surprise, Nott Sr was waiting at the door when he finally approached the massive structure.

"Theodore, my boy."

Theo was silent at his father pulled him into an awkward hug. He was being unusual cheery and it was rather unsettling.

"Father?"

If Nott Sr noticed Theo's tone at all, he ignored it. A large grin was spread across his face. It wasn't the kind that Theo had been accustomed to when his mother was alive. This one was creepy and made Theo's skeleton want to climb out of his skin.

"It's time, son. The Dark Lord will be rising soon, and he's calling for us to strengthen our ranks to prepare for the coming war. You'll be getting your mark soon Theodore. Finally."

Fuck.

Thunder rumbled in the sky overhead and Theo jostled awake. He hadn't sat with his friends on the ride back. With the burning in his arm and the screams of whatever poor bastard his father was torturing in the house, he'd barely gotten any sleep over the break. In fact, the burning hadn't stopped. His body was apparently just as unfond of the mark as his heart was.

What he hadn't expected was to see you. Sitting across from him in the compartment, reading a book. Your eyebrows were furrowed and you seemed pretty zoned in to the novel. Theo cleared his throat lightly and immediately regretted it as it sent him into a coughing fit.

You passed him a flask that you had. Theo accepted it with a quick thanks and drank, the cool water soothing his apparently irritated throat. "Not that I'm complaining cuore, but what are you doing here?" He tried to appear cool and calm but inside he was freaking out. How long had you been sitting there? What if you accidentally saw his mark?

If you had seen it, you made no indication. In fact, you didn't even look up from your book.

"I was just walking past and saw your compartment was empty. Astoria has taken a fancy to my dear awful cousin Draco and wanted to sit with him and that repulsive boy Mattheo. I'd much rather not for obvious reasons."

Even though you came from a pureblood family, you'd never taken a shine to that blood purity crap. It was something that Theo and you had in common. Something that he admired about you. Despite constant pressures from your other, darker side of your extended family, the Malfoys.

Finally, your eyes made contact with Theo's and he felt his breath leave his lungs. He could no longer hear the soft chugging of the train. He couldn't even feel the damn thing moving. Every sense in his body was tuned into you. Your voice still lingered in his ears even when you weren't speaking. His eyes feasted on every inch of you that they could catch. Your scent filled his nose and intoxicated his brain.

"I do miss you, Theo."

"I miss you too, cuore. I know that we were never really friends before, but the truth is, I'd gotten used to your presence. Without you..."

Theo didn't finish his sentence and you didn't ask him to. After you'd finished your chapter, you closed the book and set it on the cushion next to you.

"How was your break?"

Theo stared at you thoughtfully. He hadn't wanted to talk to anyone about his break, hence why he'd been avoiding his friends. At the same time, he'd take any excuse to talk to you. And with his father's words, he'd feared this was his last chance to really converse with you before you positively despised him.

"It was... uneventful."

You stared at him with a look that told him you knew he was lying. Disappointment flashed in your eyes briefly and felt like a knife in his gut.

"We both know that's not true. Draco was boasting about your entire little friend group finally getting their gifts from you-know-who." You shifted in your seat and then leaned forward. The look on your face was so intense, Theo felt that if he looked away, he'd simply burst into flames and die. "But even if Draco hadn't said anything to me, I've had a crush on you for almost as long as I've been alive Theodore Nott. I can tell when you're lying. Especially when you're lying to me."

Theo felt rage building up inside of him. How dare you patronize him like this? You had no right to judge him. You couldn't possibly understand what he was going through. "Whatever. You don't know me, Y/n." He sneered at you. In his heart, Theo was screaming at himself to stop. But even as he saw tears gathering in your eyes, he locked that part of him away. You'd shown him that Theo couldn't afford to be vulnerable. "You've no right to judge me. Following me around for years like some little fangirl. You've no idea what it's like when your father and uncle hold you down while you kick and scream and beg for them to stop. To let you go. To get away from a true monster while he carves his mark into your flesh."

Your face morphed into one of shock.

"What?"

Theo scoffed at your empty question.

"What? That dear cousin of yours forgot to mention the excruciating pain? That he was there with my father and uncle and helped them hold me down so Voldemort could brand me like cattle?"

His questions were rhetorical but it didn't matter. He stood from his seat across from you and exited the compartment at the mark on his arm started to burn. It was time Theodore Nott learned. Feelings were and always would be a weakness.

By the time the middle of the second term rolled around, Theo had come to terms with the dynamics of his feelings for you. He'd learned to push them down and away, and he'd grown accustomed to doing so. Instead, he focused on the task given to him by his father to prep Hogwarts for the Dark Lord to take over. You could still get to him in his dreams and he often awoke with nightmares. You'd appeared to him many times and spewed various levels of nonsense. How you'd never forgive him for this and the like. Usually they ended with Theo consuming enough firewhiskey to put down a horse and then falling into a drunken slumber only to wake up the next day with a hangover from hell.

This continued for a few weeks longer until finally, Pansy Parkinson had enough of his shit. She'd never been a best friend of yours or Theo's, but as a close friend of Draco's she heard constantly about the depression the pair of you had fallen into without one another. She'd figured that she'd have an easier time getting through to Theo than you most likely.

And there she sat. Across the Slytherin Common Room from Theo fixing him with a stare that would make even Nott Sr. rethink his life choices. If monsters were capable of that sort of thing.

"What the hell is wrong with you Theodore?"

"What do you want Parkinson?"

Pansy sighed frustratedly and whacked Theo with her potions textbook before resuming her homework as though she hadn't just left him with a fresh bruise. "I want you to stop being such an idiot. What happened to winning Y/n over?"

"It wasn't working out. Found a new hobby."

"What? Cohorting with the likes of Mattheo Riddle and serving as the Dark Lord's newest little bitch?" Theo glared back at the girl but she continued undeterred. "Besides, if it wasn't working then how come she was in your compartment on the train? That is until you lost your shit on her like a rabid animal."

"She doesn't understand. She never will. Not my fault and certainly not my problem."

"What she understands, Theo, is that she loves you. She always has. And now that she's finally coming back to that, you've gone back to being the insufferable twat that you always are."

Theo lit another cigarette. Pansy eyes rolled so far back Theo thought they might actually get caught at the back of her head.

"She took too long to get there. I've moved on from her."

"Moved on so much that you drink just to sleep and smoke a pack of those disgusting things a day? Moved on so much that when you think no one's looking in potions, you stare at her like she's the only girl in this whole school? Why is it that she waited years for you, and you can't even last a few weeks?"

Theo sat forward and stomped his cigarette out on the cold stone floor. He'd officially had enough of whatever little intervention Pansy thought she was throwing. "Listen Parkinson. This isn't really any of your concern. My feelings for Y/n are a weakness. She's better off without me anyhow."

"Your feelings for her are not a weakness. They are the strength that one day will be the reason you wake up from whatever spell you let your father put you under. You fucked up, and it sucks. But now it's time to grow a pair, and fix it. Or don't. Suffer for all I care but please, if you're gonna die, do it quietly."

Pansy shut her potions textbook and stood from her seat. She marched silently up to the girls dorms. But by the time she'd made it halfway up the stairs, Theo was already gone.

--

wc 2059

3.31.2024

-- taglist - @moonlightreader649

[michverdun]

I cowered underneath my bed as I heard the pounding of giant footsteps. He was looking for me, and I could only hope he'd give up the chase before he found me.

I sat there, with my hands over my head as i heard the creak of an opening door. the room darkened as he stood in the doorway, easily blocking out the light from the hallway with his width. He lumbered forward, each step shaking the entire house, until he was standing right at my bed. I saw both of his feet, leading up to bulbous calves, the biggest I had ever seen in my life. I whimpered thinking of just how much muscle was on the rest of his body, and even that small whimper was enough to alert him to my location.

Without so much as a grunt of exertion, he lifted my bed up with one hand, the other trying (and failing) to cover his massive cock.

"Alright Dr. Frankenstein, time to quit moping and deal with your monster." He said.

Without hearing him, I started to beg him not to hurt me, still cowering on the floor.

"Woah, what? Hey," He put my bed over to the side and crouched down as best as he could. "I'm not gonna hurt you. I'm your friend. Where'd you get that idea?"

I stopped whimpering and looked up. He looked just as confused as i did, and while the extra muscle made him even more intimidating, I could tell that he wasn't lying.

"I'm sorry," I said, as i sniffled and stand up. "The other guys got pretty mean after I gave them a dose, especially when I refused to make them bigger. When you started yelling 'MORE' and 'BIGGER' back there I thought it was gonna go the same way."

"Shit man, I didn't know. I'm sorry, I was just really horned up by the feeling of growing. Kinda still am."

He flexed one of his arms to accentuate his point, the bicep swelling with mass. Even with the other people I had given the treatment too, they only seemed to gain around 50 pounds. Miraculous to be sure, but he had to have gained upwards of 200 pounds, maybe even closer to 300. Even with his height, the mas was crammed so tightly his muscles were fighting for room on his frame.

"Fuck, my pecs" He said, bouncing the giant globes of meat that hung off of his frame. "God, they used to be my weakest muscle group, now look at 'em."

"Can I feel?" I blurted out

I felt a rising panic once again, but he only shrugged and bounced them again.

"Go ahead. You helped make 'em doc."

I rolled my eyes at the new nickname that was apparently going to stick, but my hands still reached out and grabbed on to his pecs. The warm slabs of muscle filled my hands completely. I couldn't even fully hold them. my hands felt up his entire chest, just imagining the power present in those muscles, I only paused after I accidentally touched one of his nipples.

"Careful," he grunted "Really sensitive there. Don't wanna have to clean my cum out of your carpet."

I noticed that his hands were clenched, and looking down I could see his throbbing cock was fully hard, with 2 orange sized balls just ready to fire a load. Knowing how receptive he was to both my treatment and my touch, I knew what I had to do.

"Do you wanna get even bigger?" I asked.

He let out a groan as he came hands free, with most of it landing on my clothes or my carpet. He was left panting, looking right in my eyes with the most pleading look I had ever seen in my life.

It seemed like it was time for his second dose.

[aleksanderscult]

Analyzing one of the Darkling's most notorious lines

Even though nobody asked for it, I want to analyze one of Aleksander's most controversial lines.

And it's none other than:

"I will strip away all that you know, all that you love, until you have no shelter but me."

Most people say that it's proof of his evilness and he can have no redemption and blah, blah. But we miss the big picture here. It's too easy to take a line, say it's evil and move on. I'm not that kind of person. I always look deeper (as you have already noticed) and in this line too there are so many things that can be drawn from about the way he was raised, his mentality at that point of the book and the lengths he would go to take Alina for himself.

Because, my dear people, it's more than a toxic line.

1) I'm gonna start with the most obvious one which is his possessiveness. I've already analyzed this point here so I'm not going to dwell for long.

In the beginning, Aleksander was (more than) willing to kill Mal 'cause he was the greatest obstacle between him and Alina. But as the latter gained more and more allies and friends the number of the people that Aleksander had to kill increased. He knew that she created bonds with most of them something that contrasts his own situation. Because he has none. He has soldiers. He has allies. He has his nichevo'ya. But he has no bond with anyone. Except with Alina. A girl that is too dependent, too caring with her friends so he has to do something about it. There is no way Alina will ever love him as long as those people are alive and he knows it. She will always fight him and push him away as long as there are beloved places to fight for and familiar people to turn to.

So what can he do about it? Destroy everything she cares about and apparently he has already started. He burned the orphanage, the place where she grew up, and killed the only mother figure she ever knew. If, one by one, her comforts are destroyed then Aleksander will be the only person she knows. Yes, in the beginning she will still fight him but as Aleksander has said "You will find I have more practice with eternity". And in the end he would win. Alina would give up. She would surrender to him and give herself completely to the Darkling 'cause he will be the ONLY familiar face she knows. She would forgive him and love him since what other choice could she have? There is none other left.

And for Aleksander it would be the same but for him it would be a victory. Because they have each other at last. No one would keep her away from him and he finally has a person that he can share the eternity with.

(Not me saying that I won't dwell for long and I wrote two paragraphs 🤡)

2) This one I consider the most important. This whole "I'm gonna cut you off from every person so you'll have only me" doesn't sound kind of familiar??🤔🤔

Ah, yes. Baghra of course!

For those of you who have read "Demon in the Wood" you know what I mean. But for those who haven't I will explain.

When he was a child, Aleksander kept asking his mother about his father.

Where is he?

Is he dead?

Who was he?

But he never got a good answer. He never knew anything about him.

It's possible that Baghra told him that he was a powerful Heartrender. But even that is not confirmed in text. We, the fans, guess it because the Darkling always showed favor to Heartrenders. And he might did this out of some repressed fondness for him.

But anyway back to Baghra. It's obvious that she didn't want him to think or feel anything about his father. She chose to keep everything a secret to her son in order to cut him off from any bond he could create with his father.

I believe she did this for two reasons:

A) Because she's not one for sentiment, as the Darkling himself had once said. She's not the type of person to say to her children "Oh my sweeties! Your father was tall and handsome with dark hair. He was a really good man". Not in a million years I imagine her to behave or say something like that.

B) Because she wants him for herself. When she was a child her mother didn't care at all for her. She only showed love towards her otkazat'sya sister. And the same went for her father. She saw a powerful Grisha bring an otkazat'sya back to life and he got killed for it. So, two members of her family died leaving her behind.

And when she gave birth to a powerful son, she wants him to stay with her forever. To love her and be his only companion. She didn't treat him with open love. She didn't kiss him goodnight and there is evidence that she verbally and emotionally abused him. If he ever did something that she didn't like, that didn't go along with her opinions and plans, she opposed him and scolded him. But she did it because she knew that he would always forgive her. He would always come back to her because there is no one else like them. Powerful, immortal, filled with so many and similar experiences.

They say that sometimes victims replicate the same pattern when they grow up.

And with the Darkling it's true.

Now he does the same to Alina. And whatever else he also did to her is a result of Baghra's upbringing that he repeats. He wants her to depend on him, to turn to him for love and company. To forget everyone else. Because no one will understand her like he does. And when he kills people she cares about, when he destroys places that mean something to her, he does it because he knows that she'll forgive him. Because she'll realize that he's the only one that will stay with her forever. Everyone else is dust and bones but not them.

Furthermore, eternity will make her tired of fighting him and hating him. "You'll tire of everything" as the Darkling said. Just like he did.

So yes, in this infamous line we can see that Baghra's manipulation and abuse towards him affected him and rubbed off him.

Here he speaks like her.

3) I think we all agree that the Darkling's dream to provide a safe home and life to the Grisha and put an end to the constant wars that Ravka suffers from is noble and reasonable. He's actually the only person that DOES something about this.

But by book three the Darkling's mentality has gotten worse, in large part because of Alina's constant rejections. She keeps slipping away from his hands, she keeps fighting him and she always keeps her power away from him. A power that he desperately needs and awaited for hundreds of years. All of these have made him almost mad from fury and despair and even though his strategic skills haven't been diminished, he now seems more concerned about having Alina than giving the Grisha a haven. He's no longer mentally stable to do it especially after he saw his mother commit suicide. Right now, he's willing to go to extreme, brutal lengths to have her and fuck the world and the casualties that are needed for this.

In conclusion, that line of his goes deeper than "oH mY GoD hE'S sO EviL! ThE ToXiCiTY!".

Yes, he's toxic and that line was toxic as well but what can you expect from a person that was raised by an abusive parent, never had a home, never had friends, didn't know how to form healthy bonds with others, saw so many loved ones die a mortal death and couldn't stop the wars that plagued his country?

Toxicity was the only path eternity would allow him to take apparently.

And if you want to know my opinion. I don't see the Darkling as the villain, but as an anti-villain (an anti-villain is a character that has a noble goal but the means he uses to achieve it is controversial and catastrophic, like Magneto).

A man that had a viable plan to stop the Grisha persecution but when you are immortal and see atrocities again and again for hundreds of years your heart becomes colder and harder. I don't think he took pleasure from killing people (like Voldemort, for example). For him they were just casualties of a war that, according to him, needed to be sacrificed. And he saw them this way because they were dust and bones for him. There was once a time (when he was much younger and more innocent) when he saw people as people. With their own lives and emotions. But the constant loss of people he cared about made him stop trying. Stop trying to make bonds and feel emotions (and this aspect of him was confirmed by the author itself in an interview).

Just like he said in the same scene:

“I have lived a long life, rich in grief. My tears are long since spent. If I still felt as you do, if I ached as you do, I could not have borne this eternity.”

He used to cry but not anymore.

He used to feel grief, sorrow and emotional pain but he forced himself to withdraw from any sentimentality.

He had closed his heart a looong time ago.

(UNTIL ALINE CAME AND PIERCED THAT ARMOR HEHE)

[changetyre]

Not the last time

SUMMARY: You're stuck in a complicated love triangle with 2 of your closest friends, you decide that you're not gonna pick either and that's how you'll get out of this situation. Except it seems it only takes one night to change everyone's minds. Daniel Ricciardo x Reader x Max Verstappen.

WARNINGS: Terribly written intense smut, threesome, fem!oral, male!oral, face fck, PinV, an*l.

A/N: This is my first attempt at writing Smut so forgive me for the mess but hope you enjoy ;) Also this isn't proof read so sorry for any mistakes.

Realizing that you could in fact be in love with two people wasn't as fun and dramatic and interesting as it appeared in the movies. And what makes things more complicated is that the two men you're in love with completely reciprocate your feelings.

You, Daniel, and Max had been best friends ever since the boys become teammates. You were Max's new P.R. manager and you hit it off with Max straight away, both realizing that although you should get along, what you had was a little more special than that.

Given your proximity to Max, you quickly began forming a friendship with Daniel too, what made this all the more fun was the fact that you were in between them both when it came to ages which meant you connected with them both on different levels.

It didn't take long before you three became inseparable, even after Dani left Redbull and even after you'd been offered a better job in a different team and took it.

However, the feelings between the three of you started becoming clearer as the increased time apart became more apparent. And it all came into understanding when you realized how much you despised seeing the boys being way too friendly with any woman and the boys felt exactly the same way about you with other men.

You were never one to wallow around with your feelings, being the kind of person to just face them up front so pulling the boys aside at the club one night after they were both practically throwing daggers at you for dancing with another man you finally revealed your feelings.

You were in love, with them both. BUT you didn't want anything to be ruined between the three of you. The boys revealed they felt the same way about you and you agreed the best approach would be for everyone to ignore the feelings and they would eventually go away. That way non one would get hurt. Right?

_________

2 weeks later:

You'd be lying if you said things between the three of you didn't get slightly awkward. There was now a weird tension in the atmosphere and you all took notice of the lack of contact with the opposite gender from all sides.

You thought the best medicine to get you guys back to being your usual selves would be for one of your movie nights like you had in the old days. You got the boys to clear their schedules for a weekend so they could spend 3 nights at your place, a slumber party if you will.

After scrolling through countless movies for too long and not coming to an agreement you decided to simply close your eyes and scroll until you landed on a random movie.

Secretary (2022), was the title of the movie. None of you had seen it and you decided to watch it.

It all started out okay, until you started realizing what this movie was about. Was this some kind of cruel prank form the universe?

You were at what was maybe the 4th sex scene in the movie, you were extremely horny at this point and little did you know the boys felt exactly the same.

The tension in the room was almost making it hard to breathe. You squeezed your thighs together and your mind wandered to the last time you had sex only now noticing how long it had actually been and now realizing how much you need a relief right now.

The boys take notice of your shifting and almost imperceptible whimpers as they start shifting uncomfortably in their seats trying to tame their need for you.

You can't take it anymore.

"I can't do this I'm so f*cking horny, I need one of you to fuck me right now." you blurt out, knowing damn well there's a possibility you might regret it later but all logic is out of the window right now, your wet core doing all the thinking right now.

Although the next thing that came out of Max's mouth took you by surprise.

"How about both of us?" he asked.

You looked at him waiting for any sign of a joke to which you find none. You turn to Daniel who already had a smirk on his lips.

"I've never been one to turn a threesome down baby." He bit his bottom lip already undressing you with his eyes. That's all the confirmation you need of what you're about to do.

You get up and start walking to your room the boys exchanging confused looks. "What the hell are you waiting for?!" You turn around to ask them both.

They jump up immediately following behind you.

_____

You're not sure where to start but to yours and Max's luck Daniel chooses to take the lead. He pulls you in kissing you softly as he starts pushing your clothes off you fumbling with his belt.

Max stands awkwardly unsure of how to follow but Daniel finally unlatches from you starting to kiss down your neck, and then your body nods for Max to come over.

This time you're the one taking the lead as you grab Max's collar pulling him into you with desperation to get your lips onto his. You're so distracted kissing Max and trying to undress that you don't realize when Daniel had left you completely exposed from the waist down now wearing nothing but your black lace bra.

The next thing you feel is as Daniel has found his way in between your thighs gliding his tongue over your folds making you tremble with surprise and let out a moan into Max's mouth.

You look down grasping onto Daniel's hair and pulling him back in between your legs indicating for him to keep going. His tongue covers you whole licking back and forth in slow swipes before he starts picking up the pace and occasionally sucking on your clit making you moan loudly.

Max getting incredibly turned on hearing your moans of pleasure. He guided your hand to his now exposed dick and you begin stroking him. Max starts kissing your chest, unclasping your bra before he starts sucking on your already hard nipples, showing equal praise to them both.

You bring your hand up gathering spit and licking it before bringing your hand back down to Max's shaft as you kept stroking him at a good pace hearing him groan in pleasure.

Once Daniel had given you your first orgasm all gentleness seem to go out of the window from there. Daniel picked you up throwing you down onto the bed before climbing over you.

He scooted all the way up before hoovering over your face, tapping his dick on your chin indicating for you to open up which you gladly do. You take him and Daniel lets you go at your pace at first.

Max now has full view of your dripping wet core, he wants a taste of it too. He kneels down between your legs locking his arms over your thighs as he takes his turn eating you out.

Your strangled moans being enough indication of how much you're enjoying this as well as the fact that he has to use a slight bit of force to keep your legs open for him.

Daniel grabbed the headboard behind you as he angled himself slightly to start thrusting into your mouth, the glint in your eyes letting him know you're more than okay with this as you open your mouth wide for him to face fuck you.

You're taken by surprise when Max has now lined himself up with your entrance and started thrusting into you causing an overwhelming amount of pleasure to course through your body.

You bring your hand down rubbing circles on your clit as the boys keep their pace going.

"Fuck y/n!" at this point it's hard to distinguish which of the men it's coming from with how much they've repeated the phrase tonight.

You all uncoil at the same time, Daniel cumming into your mouth, Max spilling all over your folds and you trembling at the 2nd orgasm of the night.

The boys take turns fucking you in different positions, you have your 3rd, 4th, 5th orgasm and you're not sure how much longer you can go.

Max is now under you as you bounce on his dick, barely able too from your trembling legs but the need for pleasure being enough strength for you to keep bopping.

Daniel licked your ass adding to your enjoyment and takes a step back as he takes in the view of his best friends fucking. But now he can't resist his urge to fuck you too watching as Max's dick thrusts deep into your pussy.

"Sweet," he whispers.

"Hmm." You only hum in response as your breathlessly moan.

"Can you can take us both?" he asks as he's rubbing circles over your asshole.

You've never tried it before. The question takes you by surprise.

But you accept being in a high unlike anything you've ever felt before and knowing if anyone's going to take care of you through this it's them.

"Yes." You finally give him a vocal agreement.

Daniel approached you and Max slowed down his pace giving you time to adjust to what was about to happen. Daniel lined himself up with your second hole starting to push in slowly as he can feel you clenching.

The stretch from their both massive lengths had you wincing at first but as Daniel kept pushing in slowly you almost felt your body shut down at the new and immense pleasure that filled your body.

"Faster!" You tapped Max's chest feeling a new feeling arises in the pit of your stomach that needed to be explored immediately.

Daniel didn't move until you indicate to him to and it doesn't take long before you're also reaching back and tapping Daniel's arm telling him to speed up.

You thought the pleasure these boys had already given you couldn't get any better but oh how wrong you were when they were both thrusting into you at the same time making you completely lose control of your body.

It only took a few minutes of this before the wave finally hit, fireworks in your entire body, seeing starts, ringing in your ears, collapsing atop Max's body trembling in complete ecstasy letting out loud cries of pleasure.

Both boys moderately slowed their pace letting you ride out your explosive orgasm.

Daniel gave you a few seconds then was the first to start pulling out of you and as he did you squirmed over Max's chest as he rubbed circles on your back. Max then gently placed you beside him as he began pulling out too, making you squirm once more.

The boys had literally fucked the living daylights out of you as you were still trying to catch your breath occasionally shaking at the remnants of pleasure left in your body, barely able to move at how weak they'd left you.

You were barely aware as Daniel went to the bathroom starting a warm bath as Max lay next to you still rubbing soft circles on your skin, your back, your cheeks, and your legs which had you letting out soft huffs at how sensitive your entire being felt right then.

A few minutes later Max got up and scooped your naked body into his arms, you're too weak to even protest at wherever it is he's taking you so you only loop your arm around his neck knowing damn well you trust the man to take you anywhere anyways.

He carried you into the bathroom where Daniel was adding oils into your bath before Max very slowly with Dan's help started placing you down into the bath letting your body adjust to the very warm temperature of the water.

The bath certainly helped you relax especially after the boys started helping you wash up. Max massaged and washed your hair while Daniel gently scrubbed your body.

You had asked the boys to join you needing to feel them with you. Max sunk in behind you spreading his legs on either side of you as you leaned your back against his chest. Daniel then sank in front of you as he picked your legs up placing them over his, you comfortingly rubbed circles over Dan's chest.

"Please don't let that be the last time boys." You hummed as your head laid back into Max's shoulder in comfort.

You felt so at peace in their arms conscious of the fact you were completely vulnerable. Naked and raw in front of them but they were your safe place, your happy place. You were completely surrounded by love.

Max and Daniel shared a smile, not answering you right now but knowing they could get used to making you feel like this. Being so head over heels madly and deeply in love with you they couldn't let you go.

[diagonal-queen]

If it's not too much trouble, could you please write about Chuuya's reaction when new mafia member!reader runs up to him and blurts out "Teach me how to fight!" before realizing that was probably a rude way to say that and getting embarrassed 🫢

Reader is gifted and even smaller than him and joined the Port Mafia because she wanted to learn from Chuuya specifically.

His New Trainee

♡ synopsis: You're a new recruit at the Port Mafia whose goal it is to receive the guidance of Chuuya Nakahara himself. One day, you finally gather the courage to ask him to teach you to fight.

♡ wc: 1.1k

♡ cw: Cursing (c'mon, it's Chuuya), Chuuya is a little scary, mentions of fighting (c'mon, it's the mafia), lmk if I've missed anything

note: My love, writing is NEVER a trouble and I'm always happy to do so! I simply couldn't refuse a fun request like this 🌸 (apologies for any errors present)

"Teach me how to fight!"

Whatever courage had suddenly swept over you disappeared the second those words escaped your lips. It wasn't common for a mafia executive to pay much attention to relatively new, lower level mafiosi, let alone directly teach them how to fight. Apparently, however, that logic wasn't enough to stop you from approaching him when you found him alone in a hallway and blurting out your plea.

Chuuya stared down at you, eyes slightly widened at the sudden expression of interest. He was immensely intimidating to friends and foes alike, but because you thought so highly of him he was especially scary. Not only was he taller than you, and his figure was rather imposing, his azure eyes were burning holes right into yours as if you were one of his targets.

"What did you just say to me?" Abnormally, you couldn't read Chuuya's expression. You couldn't figure out whether or not he was angry, confused, or simply taken aback by your statement. You stood silent for a moment, before you realised your cheeks and ears were very quickly warming up, and likely turning a very bright and noticeable shade of red.

"Oh, gosh..." You massaged the bridge of your nose in embarrassment. Of all the ways to go about it...

Chuuya was your superior, and, this being the mafia, could easily snuff out your life in the blink of an eye at his discretion. What were you thinking, approaching him so brazenly and asking him something like that?

You already knew about Chuuya's ability and sheer strength prior to joining the Port Mafia. You'd known immediately that you wanted that strength, and that if anyone would be able to help you attain it it would be the executive himself. Though you had assumed it would be easier said than done, given your stature and experience, you persevered and actually managed to score yourself a rank in the mafia, albeit a low one. Being a mere assassin, you didn't necessarily stand out at all. That was, until you impulsively decided to run up to Chuuya just now.

"...I want you to teach me how to fight," you repeated, meekly. "...please, sir."

Chuuya quickly looked you up and down, then folded his arms.

"What's your name?" He asked, tilting his head ever so slightly. You caught the movement and cursed yourself internally. Of course he wouldn't know who you were.

"I'm Y/N. I'm an assassin. I've been a part of the organisation for two months," you answered with as professionally monotone a voice as you could muster.

"You got some balls, approaching me like that and telling me to train you," he said, and you felt your hands grow sweatier. He wasn't necessarily wrong, but that was the scary thing. "Why do you want me to teach you how to fight?"

You inhaled, shakily. At this point you were lucky that he was even hearing you out. "Well...I usually use my ability in combat. It's...fine, but I want you to help me reach my full potential with it. I know it's a presumptuous request, but..." You finally gathered the guts to look up and met his sharp gaze. "I've seen what you can do with your ability- and I know, mine isn't as strong, but I think that with your mentorship I could fully hone my skill. That's why I..."

"...why you...?" He raised an eyebrow , prompting you to finish. You knew you absolutely weren't ready to admit such a thing to him, especially to his face, but keeping him waiting might have a worse outcome.

"...why I...joined the Port Mafia at all."

"...eh?" He certainly didn't appear to expect that answer. You began to panic, worrying that you'd just given him a very skewed impression of what you intended to.

"I-it's not like that..." You stammered, but he just shook his head and held up a gloved hand to stop you before you snowballed into a nervous tangent.

"Shut it for just a second, lady. You mean to tell me that you came here," he quickly gestured around the building, "to the Port Mafia, and became an assassin just so you could ask me to teach you how to fight?"

Well, when he put it that way, it sounded stupid. But deep down you still held out a sliver of hope that you would achieve what you set out to find here. You figured you wouldn't get anywhere by making yourself seem insecure about it.

"That's right." You gave the mafioso a firm nod.

"Geez, he really knows how to pick 'em, huh...?" Chuuya murmured to himself before he adjusted his hat and let out a sigh. "Well, it's not like I haven't done any one-on-one training with a subordinate before. But I don't think you know exactly what you're getting yourself into."

"No, I know." You replied eagerly, without hesitation. Chuuya raised his eyebrows and let out a small, surprised chuckle.

"It'll be hard, y'know. For a while, you're probably gonna get your ass kicked."

"I know," you nodded at him, determination sparkling in your eyes, "I'm prepared."

"You sure?"

"Absolutely, sir."

You both stood silent for a moment, eyes locked. It felt almost like he was evaluating you, but you remained stoic, the look on your face clearly displaying how seriously you felt about this. Soon, seemingly having had enough of testing your resolve for the moment, Chuuya placed his hands on his hips and straightened.

"Alright."

"Wait- what?" You blinked, your brave front immediately broken, and Chuuya let out a scoff that echoed through the hall. "You really- what?!"

"Bet you weren't expecting that, huh, newbie?"

"I-I...guess...I really expected a lot more pushback..."

"That kind of attitude will make things a hell of a lot easier for me, that's for sure..." he exhaled. "Listen- I don't normally agree to things like this, but I get the sense that you have a lot of promise. Find me here again at this same time a week from now. Hopefully once you start training you can prove me right."

"Of course, sir," you responded, barely able to hold back your elation.

"Then we're done here. I've got work to do and I'm sure you do too," he said, earning one more nod from you.

"Yes, sir. Thank you again," you bowed to him, before quickly turning on your heel and scurrying down the hall. Once you thought you were out of earshot you let out a joyful squeal. It had actually worked, after all. You were going to start training under Chuuya Nakahara. Such an idea was more than enough to have you bouncing with happiness.

Unbeknownst to you, Chuuya was still close enough to have heard your sound of excitement. When he did, he simply let out an amused sigh, and smiled.

shall i begin a taglist or is that too ambitious of me

[starpirateee]

Drabble request:

somehow, some way, Tinky manages to smush Abstinence Camp Lautski and NPMD Lautski into the same realtit

this idea has been ROTATING in my brain forever thank you goodnight

OH MY GOD-

Anon you can't just give me an idea like that and then duck out!!! And with no way to find out who you are either???

Anyway, that's cool as hell, let's get this show on the road!

Steph didn't know when she started seeing double, but at some point, she started swearing she could see... Another of her. Exactly the same in appearance... Mannerisms...

The other her was perfectly fine with everything until the moment the two of them locked eyes across the way. Then she just stared, stock still, unable to believe what she was seeing, or what the hell was going on. Out of an instinct she didn't know, Steph had beckoned her over, trying to pretend like any of this was normal.

It took a while, but the two of them managed to air things out. Stephanie- which the stranger decided upon because it was slightly easier- said she thought something was off earlier that morning, but given that Hatchetfield was notorious for never changing, she couldn't place anything wrong.

Steph had to agree. Nothing ever changed in Hatchetfield, and frankly, she wouldn't notice if anything was wrong either.

Neither of them could make sense of it. Stephanie said she'd not come alone, and after that the two of them came to an arrangement. She was going to find the friend she'd mentioned, and Steph was going to meet her again with the one person she thought might be able to make ends of any of this catastrophic mess. If he couldn't by himself, then the four of them likely could, in any case...

Pete was smart. Logical. He probably knew all sorts that she couldn't even comprehend. That's why she decided to call him first. In her head, even if he couldn't sort this out, he would at least make an effort to get things to make more sense.

"... Hey, Steph!"

He picked up quickly. He always did. And he always seemed so happy to hear from her. The very thought of it brought a smile to her face. "Hey, Pete." Before she could set them off into one of their long conversations, she needed to get to the point. Otherwise they would never get to it. "Uh, I've got a bit of a problem here..."

"A problem? What kinda problem?" She heard the creaking of his bedframe as he sat down. Damnit, now she had to make it make sense to herself, too! She seriously tried to think, to break it down, but nothing was working. There was no sensible way of explaining that she had seen and spoken to another version of herself. Eventually, she just sighed.

"I don't think that I can explain it well enough..."

Another creak. "Take your time, I'm not going anywhere."

"No, uh- I really don't think I can explain... I think you gotta come see this for yourself." Yeah, that was a good way around it. He could make his own judgements if he just saw it plain. Better than her trying to work it out in a few words.

"Sure... Okay. If that's- uh- if that works better?"

She nodded, knowing full well that he couldn't see her. "Yeah, maybe it will. How fast can you get to the park?"

He hummed. "The park? From here? I can be there in maybe ten minutes? How's that?"

"That's perfect. Thanks so much..."

Steph left him alone, and immediately, he sunk back, his brow furrowed in thought. There was a lot to think about, after all. She had left him with a fair deal for consideration. For someone who was normally so good with words, it was strange to have her so inarticulate. He needed to see something, and apparently, that was the only way she could properly explain it. Sure, it seemed a little weird, and Steph seemed a little apprehensive, but he hoped that she was right, that it would make sense when he got there.

No, of course it could. Steph knew what she was talking about, it would totally make more sense when he saw... Whatever it was she wanted him to see. He pulled on his shoes and left without much of a second thought.

In no more than a quarter of an hour, he'd reached the park. Steph was waiting for him on a bench, and waved him over as soon as she saw him. He quickened his pace until he'd reached the bench, and then they started to walk together.

"So, what's the problem?" He asked, glancing behind him.

"This is weird as hell... But, this morning, I swore to god that I was seeing double, but I was wrong..."

"Seeing double? In what way?"

They'd made their way across the park, and instead of an explanation, Steph pointed over at one of the larger trees in the grove, to a girl, who was leaning against it, talking to a boy on the floor.

Pete stared, adjusted his glasses, and stared again. They were far enough away that it wasn't obvious, which was lucky on his behalf, because he was able to do little else. He didn't have to ask for an explanation; it was right there in front of him. "Holy shit, is that _you_?"

"Yeah, it's super weird. When I saw her, I felt this kinda... Connection? Like, I knew straight away that she and I were the same... If you know what I mean."

He didn't. But he nodded anyway, making a note to himself that _this was just another thing he had to get an answer for, if he could._ "Not to mention you look... Pretty much exactly the same."

"Creepy, right?" The two of them approached the pair by the tree, and Steph raised a hand in greeting. "Stephanie, hey! This is the guy I was talking about, the one who might be able to make sense of what's going on here?"

"Well, maybe... No promises," Pete smiled, rubbing the back of his neck. He held out his free hand in the direction of the familiar stranger. "I'm Peter."

He watched Stephanie's eyes widen. She looked at the boy on the ground, then took Pete's hand with a soft smile that still somehow managed to portray all of that warmth and brightness that he knew so well. "This can't be a coincidence..."

Pete also glanced down to the boy on the ground. He was around his age, with large glasses and a head of curly brown hair. When their eyes locked, Pete saw something flash and dance between them. Something yellow, like a crackle of lightning.

It felt familiar, and something in Pete's brain clicked. The pieces started to fit together; the coincidence, the surprise etched on Stephanie's face, even the way that boy was looking at him... 

He nodded slowly. "Let me guess... You're Peter, too? Peter... Spankoffski, by any chance?"

"Yeah. Steph filled me in," Peter nodded towards Stephanie, who raised her eyebrows. "I think I might know what's going on?"

"Really?" Steph asked, impressed.

"Well, not exactly, but it does kinda make sense... In a way. I could probably work it out."

Pete looked to Stephanie. "We'll make this easier. Call me Pete, then."

The situation as far as the four of them could work out was as follows. Steph and Pete hadn't felt any kind of displacement or anything wrong with the world. Both would've been fully content to take it at the same level as any other Saturday. Maybe they would've hung out together anyway. Maybe they would've taken advantage of Solomon being so busy with preparations for the Honey Festival...

Neither of them had noticed anything was wrong at all until Stephanie came into the picture. Stephanie did. Peter was convinced he'd mistaken the feeling for something else. Now there was two of both of them. What was weirder still was the fact that the two Stephs looked near enough identical to one another, while the two Petes couldn't be more different.

The crackles of familiarity were mutual. Pete knew to recognise his double through nothing more than that spark.

"While we figure out how the hell you got here, and maybe how the hell to get you back..." Pete sat down on the ground near to his double, and glanced between he and Stephanie. "How about you guys tell us what we're missing out on?"

"What you're missing out on?" Stephanie asked, folding her arms over her chest.

"i'm just assuming we don't have identical lives, but who knows, huh?"

"What about you two?" Peter asked curiously. "You seem... Close, right? How'd that happen?" There was a smile playing on his lips, one that suggested his seemingly genuine interest at finding out how Pete and Steph managed to find each other.

"Close?" Steph echoed, amused. "I guess you could say that... Well, we got close after he let me cheat off him for a bilogy pop quiz."

Peter's eyes widened. Pete laughed. "Don't look at me like that! I was sitting in earshot, what else was I gonna do?"

Peter realised a little too quickly that he'd have done exactly the same thing if he was in earshot of someone like Stephanie Lauter too, there was absolutely no argument about it. He sat back against his hands with a resigning shrug, and let Steph try to continue her story.

"After that, it was like everything happened at once. Max Jägerman- uh, you know him, right?"

Stephanie nodded. "Yeah, sure, I know him. The backup QB. Everyone in school knows Jägerman."

"Backup? Wait, who's the quarterback for you guys?"

"Brad Callaghan."

"Asshole," Peter muttered under his breath, and Stephanie hummed in agreement. "Jägerman too, while we're on that. Anyway, uh- what about him?"

"He... Went missing." Steph was trying to cover her ass and Pete's at the same time. She was going to admit that Max turned up dead, but for the sake of both of them, she was going to deter as far as possible from the fact that they were technically the ones who killed him. "Things started to go downhill fast after that. He turned up dead, So did a couple other kids in our grade."

"Then the mayor, too. And a couple others," Pete added all too hesitantly. He was also trying to avoid thinking about what has happened in the Waylon Place that night, evem though the memory of it wasn't so much haunting as a major guilt trip. He knew he shouldn't feel bad about Max; he made their lives a living hell, and he still didn't feel bad about what happened, so to speak. Especially since it was an accident and the three of them had the memories to prove it. "But this is where it gets less believeable. See, all of those killings... Were done by Max. He came back, y'know? Back from the dead..."

"Woah..." Stephanie whispered, straightening up from against the tree.

"No shit?" Peter, however, leaned forwards, his intent gaze fixed on Pete. He lifted a hand to adjust his glasses, and saw his double nod. "Jeez..."

"We're the lucky ones," Pete hummed. "We're still here... Can't say that about the others, mind. Once we got rid of Max... That was it. They were as dead as he was..." He sighed heavily. Ruth and Richie were never not on his mind, not as things stood. He'd allowed himself to geel guilty about that over everything else, but he didn't have a reason to feel bad about Max. Those two were a different story entirely...

Steph sensed his discomfort at the topic, and for good reason too. He was still far from being able to think about anything else that wasn't his friends, now that the whole thing had blown over and everything had settled in. So she tried to change the subject quickly, turning towards Peter. "So what's your story then? How'd you two meet?"

"This is the stupidest story ever." Steph defended quickly, rolling her eyes. "Both of us got shipped off to fucking idonwannabang."

This seemed to resonate somewhere in Pete's mind, and he blinked. "Damn, wait, really? Peter, was that Ted's idea?"

Peter nodded, seemingly more drawn back than he was moments ago.

"You got scammed, man. D'you really think he of all people woulda survived that place?"

"It wasn't one of his best ideas, that's for sure..."

The tense change sunk in. Pete didn't want to think that as the immediate possibility, but what else made sense with the way Peter phrased it? He held his breath, hoping it was just another case of his overactive mind jumping to conclusions again. "... Wasn't?"

Peter frowned, exhaling a sigh that was probably a lot deeper than he expected it to be. "Yeah. Wasn't. You say you're the lucky ones? Heh, yeah... Me too."

"What... What happened to him?"

"I don't know. Never will. He was the one who dropped me off, but by the time summer was over, he was- he was fucking gone. I... don't want to ask."

[lewishamil10n]

went through your chores choreman tag, and it opened my eyes to the possibilities. in the past, I mostly focused on hilson and huddy and whatever wilson and cuddy are called but never the fellows. you have correct opinions on valewis and middle-aged men being not normal about each other, so you are definitely right about choreman. tell me more about choreman, please, bc your taste? impeccable.

hi! so first of all

you have correct opinions on valewis and middle-aged men being not normal about each other

is the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me, thank you :')

ok coming round to your ask — i feel you because one my first watch i didn't care abt choreman much, all my focus was on hilson and huddy as well. hell, i didn't even like chase till midway through s3 lol even though foreman was my favorite since episode 1.

second watch though, is usually when i notice the smaller details, and the funny thing about choreman is that i am damn sure all of it is entirely unintended. which is fine! the writers paid more attention to hilson/huddy, chameron got some attention (though not a lot), and then foreteen became a thing too. but if you're paying attention only to chase and foreman, it's a RIDE. which i am putting under a readmore to be considerate lol

so season 1 starts off with foreman being the newest member of the team. it's clear they get on fine in the beginning — we see them having lunches together, chase answers foreman's questions about house's insanity, etc. but by the time the vogler arc starts, it becomes clear that foreman, in all his judgy glory, doesn't actually hold a very high opinion of chase; he obviously thinks chase is a spoiled selfish nepo baby who doesn't care about his job. when vogler wants them to fire someone, foreman's vote is for chase. and then he's sort of proven right when chase goes behind their backs to help vogler. from that point onwards the lunches together and jokes become snark and derision, and it's obvious they're not friends.

season 2 is more of the same, pretty much — until euphoria. i can't emphasize enough how meaningful that moment is, with chase and foreman's dad in the chapel. it's really such a small moment, especially at first glance. foreman's dad doesn't know how to talk to him; he's religious, he's got a spiritual perspective on everything (including his wife's alzheimer's) and foreman doesn't. on top of that foreman clearly doesn't visit his family much. he's not very religious, and this seems to be a bone of contention between them. it's clear rodney cares about his son a lot; he just doesn't quite know how to express it. he finds chase in the chapel (as we know from s1, chase is religious too, to put it simply). chase, who has recently lost his own father, who has been watching rodney do his best with his son while his own dad never bothered, has very simple advice. "tell him you love him." barebones, straightforward, and that's exactly what rodney does. when foreman is at his worst, his father holds his hand and says "i don't want to miss you" and that is what gets through to foreman. and it's such a little moment! but it means a lot for foreman and his dad, and it goes a long way to show that chase does understand foreman better than anyone thinks he does.

season 3. things begin to change. it turns out chase is working in the NICU as well, because apparently his shithead of a dad cut him out of his will for reasons we never find out. the tritter arc happens. tritter plays chase, and everyone easily accuses him of betraying them. unsurprising due to the events of s1 but sad because it's obvious chase has changed. chase's frustration and exhaustion at being singled out is clearly visible. none of them are friends, but chase especially tends to be singled out; he's the butt of most of house's jokes, cameron finds her daddy issues jabs hilarious, and foreman mostly ignores him. chase and cameron start an fwb arrangement. foreman loses a patient and begins considering leaving ppth. house sabotages him. chase, who understands people better than anyone thinks he does, figures it out. tries to talk about it with foreman, except foreman — who is ashamed — cuts him off and tells him "i don't like you. i never have, and i never will" which obviously takes chase aback. he refuses to write foreman a recommendation letter. house bullies foreman more than usual. chase stands up for him and gets himself fired for the trouble. foreman leaves. cameron quits.

season 4. foreman has no choice but to return to ppth. surprise, chase and cameron never left either. initially foreman seems annoyed to see chase, especially since chase is betting against him, but chase doesn't give a fuck and continues hanging around foreman. foreman sort of lets it happen because sometimes in life you just have to pick your battles and he's already dealing with house and the fellowship hunger games. the infamous exchange between house and wilson happens ("foreman seems protected. maybe he's gay." "does he become an idiot around chase?") which honestly sums up their entire relationship development pretty well. but we'll get to that. s4 is quite short due to the writer's strike that was going on at the time, and ends with a whopper of a double episode that still makes me cry like a little bitch. at the very end, when everyone is dealing with the aftermath of amber's death, we see foreman sitting alone in a diner booth — until someone places a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. he looks up, smiles, and moves aside to make place. it's chase. he and cameron join foreman for dinner. just like old times, eh?

but something's changed.

season 5. house and wilson are temporarily broken up, which house deals with very normally. as in he hires a PI to stalk wilson and also be his substitute bff. the PI digs up dirt on everyone — except foreman, who is squeaky clean. this should be a good thing. to foreman, it is not. everyone calls him boring so he goes off to find chase like AM I BORING???? and chase is like. um. yeah? though you're not so much boring as intensely repressed. then again you do have a tattoo so what do i know. foreman's rationale for asking chase is that chase doesn't care about him enough to lie to him. still, Means Something that when he wants an honest opinion, he goes to the one guy he claims not to like at all. foreman gets offered a clinical trial. thirteen is in it. she's on the placebo. foreman, who's begun dating her, is in a Dilemma. who does he go to for advice first? you guessed it; the guy he claims he'll never like. they have lunch together, and chase tells him not to be an idiot. foreman, establishing a precedent he will continue to act upon for the rest of the show, is an idiot. more stuff happens which i will not elaborate upon. suffice to say they're clearly friends now, despite whatever foreman says because, as established, he's an idiot. also, many scenes of chase and foreman having lunch together. as people that hate each other do.

chase gets engaged with great difficulty and a very Healthy ignorance of the dynamics of his own relationship. foreman "kidnaps" him and gets drunk at his bachelor party, chase gets drunk too, and foreman wraps his arms around him from behind and convinces him to have one more shot. chase is holding a stuffed kangaroo and leaning into foreman. it's all very ... you know. colleagues. yes. then chase licks a stripper and goes into anaphylactic shock, because that's just how his life is. when chase is being wheeled into the hospital, he begins to tell cameron about the party, and foreman, who claims not to give a shit about him, quickly puts his oxygen mask up to shut him up and save him from cameron's wrath. fun times. s5 failmarriage bachelor party you will always be famous.

and then. whoo boy. season 6. s6 my absolute beloved. chase kills a genocidal dictator. or, if we're being pedantic, commits actions that directly lead to his painful death. foreman finds out, confronts him. he's the head of department because house doesn't want to be. this is a high profile case. it's his ass on the line. chase tells him why he did what he did, and asks that if foreman wants to call the cops, at least let him know so he can tell cameron first. foreman considers this, goes "naw" and, acting upon the previously established precedent, covers up the murder. in s5 he was at risk of losing his license; here he's straight up at risk of jail. it's all gucci though. friendly reminder of his insistence he doesn't give a fuck about chase. anyway. chase suffers from obvious ptsd and confides in foreman as they examine some dude's long decomposed remains. foreman covers for him when cameron begins getting suspicious. chase tells cameron and she, while previously a-ok with murdering the dictator, is now all GASP. HOW DARE. HOUSE HAS CORRUPTED YOU. DIVORCE! DIVORCE FOR YOU FOR ONE THOUSAND YEARS! chase is understandably upset. foreman is like "i get you dude i just had a breakup too ://" and chase is like be SO for real right now. s6 goes on; chase fits in well with 13 and taub, and it's clear this team is actually friends. including foreman and chase.

also. the karaoke scene. wilson pays house's team to take him out with them so he can stop thirdwheeling him and sam. everyone does so individually; chase and foreman do it as a pair. foreman even negotiates a higher fee; presumably to split with chase. they do karaoke together. looks very much like house is thirdwheeling yet another couple. they have fun, though.

season 7 is the season of the famed chastity belt episode. episode 1 itself starts off with shenanigans, as these two along with taub and 13 try to acquire a neurosurgeon. cuddy wants them to hire a female doc to replace 13. chase hires a hot woman whose resume he fundamentally misunderstands. foreman bullies her because he's mad house didn't ask him. chase is like "can you like, not?" and foreman is like. "shit. you right. ok, i will not" and sticks up for her. doesn't matter, she gets fired anyway. the takeaway is that when foreman is power tripping and chase calls him out, he actually listens. as in, pays attention and values chase's opinion and then corrects himself based on it. they've come a long way. they have a lot of fun moments, like playing rock-paper-scissors to see who has to babysit masters; chase being the world's worst wingman to foreman at a wedding; chase whining to foreman that he didn't get put on a billboard and foreman calling him a pretty boy and a swimsuit model. as one does.

stuff happens. huddy break up. 13 comes back. she's real sad because her honestly? her life kinda sucks i can't lie. masters leaves. they get a patient who won a lottery. chase and foreman get into a discussion where chase is like "well you're worried what it means for the hospital that cuddy's mom is suing house and cuddy, so obviously this means you're repressed as fuck." foreman is like "you're HORNY" and chase is like "am not! i am Going To Wait For True Love now." it's a bet. chase has to try to get a rise out of foreman. no one knows what's at stake here, since they don't discuss money, favors, or anything else changing hands. foreman does say, out loud, in front of God and house and country, that if he wins he gets to put chase in a chastity belt. no one is fazed by this. no one is weirded out by this. no one finds it strange. probably it's a given to them all that foreman constantly wants to dom chase. he does it enough in the workplace anyway. nothing new there.

(they both lose the bet, by the way.)

more stuff happens. huddy break up some more. house gives her living room a nonconsensual renovation. house becomes a temporary part of the US prison industrial complex.

season 8 starts off with many changes — foreman is now dean of medicine, and there's no diagnostic department. taub has fucked off to new york, and chase is off surfing somewhere. 13 has found herself a girlfriend. good for her! but then chase and taub come back. two new fellows join the team. foreman tries to boss house around. it goes as well as you'd expect. chase tells him off for being too restrictive and bureaucratic now. foreman is like "shit, you right" and lets them do whatever they want to the patient. chase gets the right diagnosis. the day is saved. this is their first case back.

more little moments. chase and foreman hang out at taub's house while foreman ruminates on the ethics of his relationship. chase plays peekaboo with babies while taub stews in his own jealousy. it's cute, honestly.

then chase gets stabbed, and foreman, for lack of a better word, panics a little. in that he literally can't figure out whose fault this is, so the obvious solution is to get someone else to make that call. he calls in his old mentor. he knows that if it's his fault, he will be fired. he blames himself a bit, wondering if he should've reined house in more. it's ruled to be nobody's fault. chase, reacting in a Normal and healthy manner, starts sleeping around again, then falls in intense Like with a nun. foreman disapproves. the nun ditches him after a religious experience on the surgical table. chase is sad until house yells some common sense into him, and he returns to the team. they get a case with a little girl. chase finds out the little girl's mum is experimenting on her. next scene is literally foreman interrogating the mum while chase stands behind him like they're some medical crime fighting duo. that'd be a fun spin off actually.

treiber, a pathologist who's got beef with chase, gets sick. house and wilson have fucked off to have a grand adventure. everyone panics. foreman tells chase to stop fucking up the case, but also doesn't take him off it. chase puts his entire pussy into solving the case, and decides to leave the team. foreman tells him "about time", indicating he's thought for quite a while that chase has outgrown the department, and is capable of running his own. they hug while a soft romantic song plays in the background. their scenes are cut with those of house and wilson. not sure who the romantic song applies to; probably both pairings if the lyrics are any indication. listen to it here.

more stuff happens. house fakes his death to drive off into the sunset with wilson. foreman is like, i know JUST the guy to replace him!! and hires chase back, the natural conclusion to chase's arc as a doctor. this is a job that foreman has failed at before, and he is trusting it to chase. they've come SUCH a long way. by the end of the show, not only do they respect each other immensely as colleagues, they are close friends who give each other's opinions a lot of weight, and also they are literally parallels to house/cuddy by the end.

also foreman wants to put chase in a chastity belt. there's that, too. may he one day realize his dream. amen.

[yamada-ryo]

Thoughts on Disco Elysium:

Went into the game completely blind other than the obvious "inner speech characterisation" thing and the following

The game calls you a centerist if you don't pick a political stance

Our lucky racist will grant you 3 wishes

Lamby

There's something with this Cuno kid

Drove his own car into the sea

Kim Kimball Kitsuragi

And that's it

Thoughts:

Grabbed the horrific necktie so quick I didn't even do the skill check and was wondering why the tie wasn't speaking to me

I thought the inner monolouge voice was his actual voice. Until the karaoke part.

Loved how the game lets you call yourself Raphael as an option at every point in the game despite multiple characters calling him Harry. I never once made him call himself Harry.

I didn't believe the ex wife thing one bit. Still don't. Genuinely think it's just part of his mind acting up. After all if he forgot everything how can I trust that this one supposed memory of his is real

Didn't drink or use speed at all. Bought one pack of smokes just to set the paint on fire.

Didn't go after any women because I thought he was homosexual by default and was wondering when I could romance Kim (didn't know homosexuality had to be unlocked first)

^also why I didn't buy the ex wife thing one bit. That and half light insisting that I don't pursue the thought

"A major part of being a communist is arguing with other communists"

The part about the game developer being fired from his own company

Died in the chair about 5 times because I didn't know the number above the health bars was the number of heals I had at the time (2) and not an indicator of my maximum health (also 2). Also didn't know how to heal

Bought about 20-25 health pills just to tank the ruby encounter only for her to run away before I used most of it

Lady who bought the pawned gun straight up didn't spawn. Like I could hear the police sirens at the spot where she was supposed to be but there was no one there

I thought Kim would get shot no matter what but apparently not. Raphael got shot in the leg and Kim was hit on the head

Softlocked myself from the ice cream maker machine and had to forget a skill to retry it

Didn't buy any dice or sneakers or speakers

Didn't know it at the time but I learnt indirect modes of taxation and had the +1 shoes on so I was getting 2 real every time I talked to someone and had more money than I ever needed

Gym guy (sunday friend's friend) actually noticed I was wearing the hat I knicked from his room which was cool

There is no way Cunoesse's last name is actually "vittu"

Royalty free alternate universe Karl Marx

Measurehead finally got off the gangway and it turns out you can't even press the button. And the box behind him there all this time only had 1.10 real in it. SAD!

The fact that there even is an option to shoot Cunoesse

Was hoping Kim would wear the matching PISSFAGGOT jacket (he didn't)

Ran about shoeless on the first day. Found the balcony shoe just before debreifing with Kim. Then found the shoe in the starting room.

Thought there would be more to Contact Mike but no Raphael just confuses one poor girl about it

Didn't buy the map until day 3 and didn't figure out how fast travel worked until day 5

Is the expression rigor mortis? Did he have The Expression during all that? Even the gunfight?

The pawn shop owner is the only character that responds to you having a torch in your hand. Also cool detail where if the cursor is in front of Raphael the torch will shine in the direction of the cursor

Paid 20 real for the motel room first thing in the morning before I realised I had free accomodation for the night at the pier

Not much to say about the harbour since my screen fucking died

[beachy--head]

A silly drabble based on Jackson saying April has road rage in season 13 (and yeah, I know the canon in s13-14 doesn't make any sense, but this was really fun to imagine)

___

Ask anyone who's ever met his wife to describe her, and they'll probably use a synonym of "nice". Kind. Cheerful. Sweet ("Unbearably so", Cristina would say). She's known for being the peppy resident, the upbeat attending, whose compassion is not always reciprocated but still knows no bounds.

But these people obviously have never been in a car with April Kepner as the driver.

One minute she's talking about her plans for Sofia's birthday party the next weekend ("I offered to bake the cake, because both Arizona and Callie are on-call and Ari doesn't even like to bake in the first place, so it was the least I could do, I mean-"), and the next she's swearing like a sailor who stepped on a Lego.

"Did you see that?? He cut me off and is slowing down? Hurry up! We could be going to the hospital to go save lives or something!"

They're not, they're actually headed home after a long, exhausting shift at Grey Sloan's, but April doesn't really care.

"Do you need an instruction manual to tell the difference between the gas pedal and the brake?"

"April."

She makes a move to blast the horn and then reconsiders, opting to flip the offender off. Her hand stays safely below the dash though, so the driver doesn't see, but Jackson does. Who are you and what have you done with my wife?

"My grandmother would go faster than you and she's been dead for years!"

"April!" 

He hadn't really noticed before, because he or Alex or Meredith had done most of the driving on the occasions they carpooled to work. And sure, Alex had told him about what happened at the trauma certification, with April hijacking an ambulance and apparently yelling at Major Owen Hunt, but he had thought his friend had exaggerated when recounting the situation, because, well, he was Alex. Her jumping on another guy at the board and trash-talking him (or at least trying to) could have given him a clue, but he'd been too busy being in awe of her feisty side, and, well, they'd soon found themselves very preoccupied with each other, so he hadn't given it another thought (except than "damn, that was hot").

Two weeks of marriage though, and he's discovering a new April Kepner, driving menace.

"I would have had the time to go to the hospital, do a total colon resection, round on my patients and come back and you'd still be waiting at this stop sign, you-"

What follows is a litany of words Jackson is pretty sure would be highly frowned upon by Karen Kepner and that April certainly didn't learn at Sunday school.

He's not ashamed to admit that it turns him on a bit. He always loves to see April, proper, angelic April Kepner, get out of her shell and let it loose. Probably because it reminds him of one of the best nights of his life in San Francisco, and because the only times April swears otherwise is during sex. Really, really good sex. Like the sex they could be having right now if the driver in front of them actually went faster than 20 miles per hour under the speed limit, and is he starting to see the point his angry wife is making?

"Okay fast and furious, why don't I–"

He has to wait until April is finished with her diatribe (her long diatribe, because his wife seems very creative with her use of swear words), and it's only turning him on more and more. Once the offender makes a turn and finally leaves her sight, she turns towards him with a sweet smile on her face, as if nothing happened.

"Anyway, I'll have to pick up Sofia's gift before the party, and– why are you looking at me like that?"

[foxy-eva]

Soft & Sweet

Summary: A confession between JJ and Tara leads to a night full of soft and sweet moments

Pairing: Jennifer Jareau x Tara Lewis

Category: Fluff, Smut

Content Warnings: (18+, minors DNI) drinking alcohol (responsibly), separation mention (Will & JJ), JJ struggles with her sexuality, implied homophobia, coming-out, kissing, fingering, oral

Author's Note: I wrote this for the Pride Writing Challenge hosted by @the-guilty-writer ! Happy Pride! I love women.

Word Count: 2.6k

Masterlist

Girl's night with the BAU ladies was a very important tradition for JJ. They could all forget about their professional demeanor for at least a couple of hours and show one another a softer side. Moments of light-hearted laughter and gossip seemed so rare in their line of work.

To her surprise, JJ didn't find all of her friends' familiar faces when she entered Tara's living room. Once she learned that Emily and Penelope had to cancel at the last second, her heartbeat got much louder than she'd expected. 

"Guess it's just gonna be the two of us tonight," Tara told JJ while pouring her a glass of her favorite white wine. 

Little did Tara know how much the prospect of being alone with her both excited and terrified JJ tremendously. As they both sat down on the couch, it became even harder for the blonde woman to relax. 

Tara noticed that, too. She brushed it off as some initial awkwardness between friends who had only ever hung out with each other when other people were present. It was the first time the two of them were alone with one another outside of work.

Tara pointed at the glass in JJ's hand and chuckled, "You better take a sip of that, you seem awfully tense tonight."

"Sorry," JJ apologized. "I just have a lot on my mind." 

Tara's facial features softened at her friend's words. She knew how hard leaving a marriage could be but she couldn't even begin to imagine how much more difficult that was when children were involved. 

"Are the boys with Will tonight?" 

JJ nodded, a shy smile visible on her face when she said, "They'll probably play video games all night."

Tara then asked the question her friend usually dreaded, "How are you holding up?" 

To her own surprise, JJ didn't need to lie when she answered, "I'm alright."

Those past few months had been complicated and difficult but slowly JJ was settling into her new life without Will as her partner. 

"Apparently Will started dating again and I'm actually happy for him."

"What about you?" Tara wanted to know. "An attractive woman like you surely gets asked out a lot."

A rosy shade spread over JJ's cheeks at the compliment. She thought about it for a moment but quickly realized that no man had caught her attention in a while. She struggled to be honest with herself but there was no denying how much she longed for something – someone – else. 

Shaking her head, she snickered, "I don't really feel like going out with men right now." 

Secretly she hoped that Tara would catch onto how that sentence was worded but she just joined JJ in her laughter and said, "You deserve a little break. Enjoy life as a single woman!" 

It wasn't the first time JJ had managed to control herself enough to deceive the best profilers in the country but this time she really hoped that Tara would see right through her. She didn't, though. 

There was a lot of gossip shared between the two women as the night went on. JJ managed to lock her feelings away for just a little while longer. However, each time she brought her glass to her lips she couldn't help but think about how much she yearned to feel Tara's skin against them instead.

She was far from being drunk after the first glass of wine was empty but she still felt intoxicated by Tara's presence. JJ wondered how often she'd have to drop her sight to the other woman's lips until she would catch onto it. 

After placing her glass on the coffee table JJ realized that just looking at Tara wouldn't be enough anymore. She felt like her heart might burst any moment now if she didn't bring to action what she had been so desperate to do for weeks. In a moment of comfortable silence between the two of them, JJ leaned closer to Tara and whispered her name. 

Right before their lips could touch, JJ felt a light pressure against her shoulders. Tara's palms were gentle but firm at the same time, pushing her away and denying her the sweetness JJ longed for. 

"JJ–," Tara whispered but was quickly interrupted.

"Sorry!" The blonde woman said as she leaned back again, leaving more distance between them than necessary. "It's just… you look so beautiful and your lips look so soft and…"

Tara reached out her hand to touch JJ's arm in an attempt to soothe her. It didn't work. 

"It's okay, don't worry about it," Tara told her. "I really like you, JJ. It's just that I have learned the hard way that it's not a good idea to hook up with straight girls."

JJ's chest felt heavier with each word being spoken. She got up from her place beside Tara to walk a few steps away, her eyes fixated on the floor as she tried to hinder the tears from spilling over her lashes. 

"I'm sorry," Tara softly spoke as she walked over to her. "I didn't mean to upset you."

JJ carefully thought about her words, restructuring sentences in her mind to make sure what she was about to say was the right thing. She already felt vulnerable, almost as if Tara was able to take a glance inside her chest to see how JJ's heart was beating just for her. 

"I come from a very small town in the middle of nowhere," JJ began, unable to lock eyes with Tara. "Traditions were very important and I still clearly remember how they used to talk about the people in the city. Dating boys was my only option, anything else was just a foreign concept that would definitely never apply to me."

She finally found Tara's eyes, who showed her the softest look she had ever seen. It encouraged JJ to keep going. 

"I was still so young when I got together with Will. I never really had a chance to explore this side of me, so I desperately tried to lock away. And even when my friendship with Emily got confusing all those years ago… I still couldn't admit the truth about myself." 

She took several deep breaths until a timid smile appeared on her face. She realized how safe she felt in that moment. She knew that Tara was the right person to trust with what she would say next. 

"Now that Will and I are separated I finally want to accept and explore… my queer side," she admitted and reached out to find Tara's hand. "And I'm sorry about before but… you're just so beautiful, Tara." 

Tara knew that they didn't need to have all the answers tonight when she stepped closer to JJ until hardly any distance could be found between the two of them. Her fingertips made contact with JJ's cheek and she almost got lost in the ocean that were her eyes. 

It felt like it was the first time Tara truly saw JJ. There was no more need to hide anything from one another as they stared at each other with open chests and hearts longing to find their counterpart. There was no need for words to be spoken for them to hear each other anyway. 

I have wanted this for so long. 

I have wanted you for so long. 

When Tara leaned down no force in this world could have held back JJ from capturing her lips. She felt the taller woman smile into the kiss, even more so when JJ swung her arms around Tara's neck to keep her in place. The kiss was tender but wild at the same time, both women displayed a hunger for each they had rarely experienced before. 

Kissing Tara felt like tasting the first droplets of water after a lifelong drought. It was revitalizing and exhilarating for JJ to feel Tara’s lips move against her own. When Tara deepened the kiss there was no way for JJ to hold back the quiet sigh escaping her throat. 

While Tara still cupped JJ's face, the blonde woman's hands became curious, almost greedy. She let her fingertips wander over Tara's sides and hips, firmly gripping the fabric of her clothes in an attempt to hold herself upright when her knees suddenly became so, so weak. 

Without ever really breaking contact, they walked over to Tara's bedroom. It was then that JJ's brain caught up with what was happening. She pulled back to find comfort in the warmth of Tara's irises. She had already noticed JJ's hesitation.

"We can slow down," Tara offered. 

JJ shook her head. "No, I want this. I'm just a little nervous."

With a smug grin painted over her face, Tara purred, "Don't worry, I'll take good care of you."

There was not a single doubt in JJ's mind that Tara would keep that promise. They took their time to help each other shed each piece of clothing until they stood in front of each other in only their underwear. 

Gently, Tara pushed her lover on the bed only to take a moment to let her eyes wander over her body. They lingered on the places that still held evidence of battles of the past and the miracle of bringing life into the world. Instinctively JJ tried to cover one particular scar on her stomach with her hand but Tara didn't allow that. 

She sat down beside her on the mattress to carefully remove her hand again. "You don't have to hide from me," Tara whispered. 

Tara's gentle fingertips traced the patch of calloused skin for a second before she lay down beside JJ. Their lips made contact once more and forgotten was any cruelness the past held for either of them. At least for tonight everything that mattered was showing each other how sweet and soft life could be. 

When JJ felt Tara's lips tracing along her neck, the first moan fell from her mouth. Her skin felt like it was on fire and could only be soothed by Tara's touch. She became eager to feel her against every inch of her body, hurriedly reaching behind her own back to open her bra and remove the fabric. 

Tara was in no mood to tease her, too mesmerizing was learning each of JJ's reactions to her touch. Once her breasts were revealed, Tara didn't waste any time to caress them. But licking and nipping on the sensitive skin of her chest quickly wasn't enough for her anymore. 

Tara was getting impatient to taste the honeyed wetness JJ had to offer between her thighs. She kissed down her stomach until she reached the seam of her panties. JJ became pliable under her touch and opened her legs to make room for her. 

Tara sat up between her legs and once again took a moment to admire the beauty of the woman lying before her. Her pupils almost swallowed the blue of her eyes and the rosy shade on her cheeks seemed to become darker by the second. When Tara's eyes wandered further down JJ's body, she noticed that her arousal had already soaked through the fabric of her panties.

JJ was yearning for her lover's touch, sure that she would combust if Tara waited just a second longer.

"Please…" JJ breathed to bring Tara back from her reverie.

"Sorry," Tara chuckled as she hooked her fingers under the waistband of the lacey fabric. "It's easy to get distracted when you look so pretty for me."

Once the piece of clothing was removed, Tara kissed along JJ's legs before finding her core. She was glistening with desire and looked so ready to be tasted. As she felt Tara's tongue collect the sweet evidence of desire that had gathered between her thighs, JJ's entire body began trembling. 

She dared to look down at the woman between her legs and almost lost her mind at the sight of Tara’s face buried against her center. Closing her eyes and leaning back was the safer option for now, JJ decided. Everything was already overwhelming, Tara's touch somehow being too much and not enough at the same time. 

"More," JJ whimpered and Tara understood. 

She found no resistance from JJ's body when she carefully let two of her fingers enter her. Just a few more moments passed until JJ finally found relief, the sounds of her ecstasy falling from her lips while her body pulsated around Tara's fingers. Tara helped her through her high before finding her place beside JJ once more. 

Tara kissed her lover’s cheek, certain that she had never seen JJ looking more beautiful than in that exact moment. That innocent gesture wasn't enough for either of them, their lips quickly finding each other once more. 

"You're still wearing too many clothes," JJ snickered as she reached around Tara's back to undo her bra. 

The remaining pieces of fabric were soon dropped to the floor, giving JJ unlimited access to Tara’s skin. Without ever breaking their kiss, JJ let her hands wander over Tara's body, eager to explore every curve and dip within reach. The softness she felt under her fingertips was not unlike the warm and fuzzy feeling filling her chest. 

When her hand descended further down Tara's body, JJ felt her pulling back from the kiss. 

"Do you not want this?" JJ softly asked. 

"No, I do want this. I just need you to know that you don't have to."

JJ smiled at Tara's words and breathed, "I know, but I really want to. I have thought about it for weeks." 

Tara couldn't help but open her legs for JJ at her words. JJ gladly accepted the offer, her hand finally making contact with Tara's heat. When JJ felt the wetness practically dripping from her core, she couldn't help but moan. 

She took her time exploring the silken skin, almost as if she was trying to memorize each of Tara's reactions to her touch. Her folds felt so delicate against JJ's fingertips, a sensation she wouldn't be able to forget anytime soon. When JJ focussed her attention on the little bud, Tara began singing her praise in the form of moans and sighs escaping her throat. 

Tara's palm made contact with JJ's hand, leading it towards her entrance. Timidly she let one finger glide into her, any hesitation quickly forgotten once she was certain that Tara was ready for their bodies to connect like this. Adding a second finger, JJ moved her hand against Tara's core, focussing on the feeling of being enveloped by her. 

Tara felt herself becoming greedy once more, unable to wait to experience JJ in the same way. Her hand made contact with JJ thigh while she purred, "I need to feel you."

JJ adjusted her position to make space for Tara's hand, gasping when she made contact with her still sensitive folds. There was no time to be wasted when Tara let her fingers enter JJ's body. They worked their hands against each other's cores while fervently kissing one another. 

Each moan was caught by the other's lips, only ever separating when the need for air got too overwhelming. They felt as if they might melt into each other as they chased their sweet relief. Together they entered a state of pure bliss, Tara falling over the edge just a few moments before JJ fell apart for the second time that evening. 

They found their home inside each other's arms with heaving chests and mouths gasping for air. It was as if time stood still as long as they held each other close, the erratic drums inside the other’s chest impossible to ignore. With gentle fingertips JJ drew random shapes on Tara's skin, smiling to herself when they morphed into little hearts. 

And for the first time in what felt forever, JJ could finally indulge in the sweetness life had to offer. 

If you liked this story you should check out my wlw Masterlist for more sapphic content!

Taglist: @gspenc @samuel-de-champagne-problems @sanaz1dlol @luredwithpretzels @reidselle @gaelic-symphony @spencer-reid-wonderland @lovelyy-moonlight @rustyzebra @sweetannanas @dashneydanger @iameternallylonely @sapphicprentiss @storiesofsvu @multifandomlesbianic @lover-of-books-and-tea @emiliaserpe @thenerdthatwrites

Join my taglist here

[humornaut]

Headspace Basil and Stranger: A Character Analysis

Hey everyone! I've noticed a bit that everyone seems to have different ideas on what Stranger (and Headspace Basil to a lesser extent) actually represent, so I wanted to put my own interpretation out there. This post may be a little contentious, I'm not sure. Major Omori Spoilers ahead.

"When you hid the truth, you sealed a part of me away with it. He's been waiting for someone to save him all this time. On that day... when you became nothing... I was split in half. Which one do you think was more painful?"

This line is the best thing the game gives us to actually explaining what exactly Stranger is. It's... incredibly up to interpretation, like a lot of Omori, but it gives us a place to start. It implies that Headspace Basil and Stranger are two halves of the same whole, not that that idea is farfetched without this line. I often see the idea that Stranger is the manifestation of Basil's thoughts following Sunny into his dreams, but I personally think that the white egret orchids are more of a metaphorical representation of how Basil would tell Sunny everything, and how those things about Basil are readily apparent in the foundation of Headspace. I really don't think that this line of dialogue as a whole makes all that much sense in that interpretation.

I also see the interpretation floated around that Stranger represents the darker aspects of Basil's character, or the parts that Sunny didn't like, and while I think that this gets closer to the truth, it misses the point of why Basil has been split up in Sunny's mind to begin with.

Everything about Headspace is meant to distract Sunny from his guilt. But what happened to Mari isn't the only thing that Sunny is guilty for. Sunny also holds guilt for breaking his promise to Basil and choosing to shut him out and forget himself. But he's also too attached to Basil to get rid of him completely, so his mind copes with this by attempting to cut out all the things about Basil that serve as a reminder that Basil and Sunny have a special bond, and that the real Basil has been left alone when he needed Sunny the most.

This does include some of the darker aspects of Basil's character. Things like a reference to Basil having to go to the bathroom being cut out of the Headspace photo album show this, as everywhere else in the game, Basil "going to the bathroom" serves to tell the player that he's actually excusing himself to panic in private.

However, we also don't get to find out about what Basil actually said about white tulips in regards to Sunny until it's Stranger saying it, and no Basil inside of Sunny's head ever calls Sunny/Omori his best friend until you lead Stranger to the Basil that has seen the truth in the Sunny route. In the hikikomori route especially, we see that Sunny has made it so Basil confides in all of their friends, rather than just Sunny, and in the same way, his mind makes it so the entire group knows about his phobias that came from the Lake Incident, despite implications that it was only actually Basil that knew about those in the real world.

We even get all of the friends getting excited about Basil taking pictures when they least expect it and wanting to see the pictures for themselves in Headspace, when Memory Lane actually shows Aubrey (and Kel, in a more joking manner) being somewhat uncomfortable with moments of Basil doing this in the Beach and Treehouse memories respectively, and Sunny is the only one seen to ask Basil if he can look at his pictures at all, even when Aubrey actually asked him to take the picture.

For this reason, I don't think that Headspace Basil is "idealized", at least not in the same way that everyone else is. I would imagine that Sunny's mind would not cut out this closeness from his "ideal" version of Basil.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in Black Space. Whenever a version of Basil remembers something from their past, what he actually says in those areas tends to downplay Sunny and Basil's bond.

In the Watermelon Area, you get Basil remembering the trip to the beach, but he only talks about Kel having watermelon seeds on his face.

In the Spider Area, you of course get the memory of Sunny telling him about the spider that landed on his shoulder during his lake incident, but Basil downplays Sunny's fear of spiders in a way that wouldn't really seem all that in character for the real world Basil to talk about the Lake Incident and Sunny's fears, but it is exactly how Basil talks about Hero's fear of spiders at the end of the hikikomori route.

In the Treehouse Area, the first thing Basil asks Omori is "Are KEL, AUBREY, and HERO here too?", and how much he's missed all of them, before talking about how hard they all worked on the treehouse.

In the Raft Area, the specific memory that Basil gets back isn't immediately apparent. However, his line about Omori acting "kind of cold" is particularly interesting. We could either take this as him remembering how Sunny used to interact with him compared to the empty shell that is Omori, or we could take this as Omori starting to get annoyed at Basil's constant recollection of things that he isn't supposed to be bringing up. However, the real meat of both this area and the previous area is that Basil tries to confide in Omori. In the Treehouse Area, he asks if he can share something with Omori with a nervous smile, while in the Raft Area, he wants to talk about something that is bothering him.

Most people assume that what Basil is trying to talk about is The Truth, but I think this is incorrect. There is only one Basil that has seen the truth, and that Basil is waiting for you in the Church of Something in the Sunny route. These Basils also aren't previous versions of Basil that have seen the truth and were banished to Black Space, as we can see that those previous Basils were killed and left in Red Space, just like the one at the end of the Sunny route. Finally, there is still dialogue in the game's code that shows that the Basils in Black Space originally were constantly trying to bring up the Truth, showing that this was specifically modified for the final release. Now, what he was actually going to bring up in either case is unknown, and I don't think it really matters all that much. Each of these Basils are reminding Sunny both of their bond and of a past that no longer exists.

Presumably, this is the original Spider Area Dialogue.

Finally, we come to the Neighbor Area. Here, Basil references Omori having to save him all the time. He remembers that his photo album should have more pictures than it does in Headspace, and he rushes ahead when he notices Hero nearby. I think the first thing is interesting, though I don't personally believe that it is implying that each Basil in Black Space is intended to be the same Basil. Instead, I think it references how Basil has just generally been turned into a bit of a "damsel in distress" figure, even outside of the main plot, as seen when he gets kidnapped by Boss in the beginning of the game.

Generally speaking, Basil in these areas is acting as if he and Omori are no closer than the rest of the group. He still looks up to Omori, but Basil in both the real world and Headspace is shown to look up to all of his friends. The way that Basil puts all of his friends on a pedestal is not something that reminds Sunny of his close bond with Basil in particular, so the Headspace version of Basil still keeps this trait.

Contrast this with how Stranger is presented throughout Black Space. Unlike Headspace Basil, he doesn't have that cheerful, if a little nervous, demeanor. He is fully aware of Headspace and Black Space. Like the real Basil, he is aware of the truth, but is unable to reference it directly, due to Sunny's mind having repressed it so deeply. He's a bit cold in the way he speaks to Sunny, unlike Headspace Basil, but when you actually read his dialogue, it's almost always comes back to how close the two are:

"The truth that you've locked away... You must find it no matter what. You have to... for the both of us."

"I miss you, SUNNY. You were always someone I could depend on to listen. My problems... my hopes... my dreams... You knew them all. So if you're still there... please let my words reach you one more time."

"Is there still hope left for us, SUNNY?"

"Back then... I wanted to save what was left. But even after everything... you left me, SUNNY... I waited so long for you to come back. Even seeing you now... It's hard to think straight. I can feel my heart hurting and I want to cover my face and hide. There are so many things I want to say to you... but the words won't come out. I just... I waited so long for you too come back, SUNNY... but... you never did."

"SUNNY... The truth is here. You've been running from this for so long. But this time, we can face it together."

Even in the hikikomori route, where we see Stranger at his most vengeful, he reminds Sunny about all the times that Basil continued to try and reach out after Sunny shut him out.

That's not to say that Stranger is the "real" Basil. Both Stranger and Headspace Basil are two halves of how Sunny sees Basil, and it's when they combine that we truly see the truth. In the same way that Headspace Basil never calls Omori his best friend until merging with Stranger, Stranger never asks for forgiveness for how Basil's actions affected Sunny until they combine, because that general personality that Headspace Basil has is still part of how Sunny sees the real Basil. Neither is truly an accurate representation of the way Sunny sees Basil.

And there are some more things to keep in mind about this. Post Hikikomori route, you have Basil giving Omori the flower crown, as well as the Basil Rush. This actually reveals a bit of a conflict within Sunny's mind. He desperately wants Basil around, and without the truth being apparent, they will naturally be drawn together for the same reasons they were so close in real life. But the flower crown and Basil Rush ultimately end up forcing Sunny to confront the memory of the truth, showing that even this was too much.

TLDR; Stranger, to me, represents the aspects of Basil that are reminders of what Sunny did the night of the accident, as well as the aspects of Basil that would remind Sunny of how close the two are, so that Sunny can try to avoid his guilt for leaving Basil alone with the burden of the truth. This explains the dichotomy between HS Basil's cheerful demeanor with less of a focus on Sunny specifically and Stranger's more cold and harsh personality that consistently provides reminders of both the existence of the truth and how close Basil and Sunny are specifically. Neither are completely accurate, resulting in neither Basil apologizing to Sunny or calling Sunny his best friend until the two merge.

[decks-writing-blog]

Emotional Support Gnome

Summary: Alyx helps transport the gnome.

[A/N] In my recently completed play through of the HL2 Ep 2 VR mod I found the gnome (I didn't in my play through of the normal game) so I decided to get the achievement. It was fun until I reached the car but then it got better when I figured out how to glitch the gnome into being much more secure in the car. Also, I didn't know you could leave the gnome behind when going off with the Vortigaunt to get the stuff to save Alyx (I only know now because I looked up tips for the car bit which only kind of helped and skimmed through and found that tidbit of info) and thus because of the way climbing ladders works in the VR mod, getting it out of the pit that you fall into in that part of the game was a bit of a pain but I managed. While I was there I came up with the idea to write a fic about Gordon transporting the gnome in which Alyx and the Vortigaunt helps him with said gnome because that's a neat idea. It provides some nice championship opportunities which Gordon desperately needs.

Also, Lamarr gets dragged out of the rocket because I'm sad she gets sent to space. I love her with all my heart and soul and want her to live. Gordon probably doesn't like her but Kleiner is his pal so he saves her for him.

~

After hanging up the call, Alyx turned to face Gordon again. Whatever she’d been about to say vanished from her mind at the sight of him though. “Is that a garden gnome?” She’d seen garden gnomes before so it wasn’t that out there but turning around to see him of all people randomly holding one made it a bit more strange.

He looked up at her for just a moment before turning his gaze back onto the gnome in his hands. Taking one hand off, he lifted it to sign a, “Yes.”

“Where’d you find it?” She would’ve noticed it if it were out in the open. It was fairly big and even with the faded paint, it was eye catching.

Gordon pointed to old rickety bed frame, angled down a bit. So under the bed. An odd place to find a garden gnome since one would think they mostly resided in gardens but with how messed up the world was why wouldn’t one somehow end up under a bed?

She almost stepped over and bent down to see if there was anything else interesting under there but… they had important stuff to do and the Combine were who even knew how close to finding them? They didn’t have time to goof off and look for hidden lawn decorations. “Uh, okay. We should probably get going.”

Switching his hold on the gnome to one armed hugging it to his chest, with it faced outwards, Gordon started for the door. Apparently the gnome was coming with them. With a shrug, Alyx followed. Who was she to question Gordon Freeman? Maybe he just liked gnomes. They were kind of cute after all.

And even if the situation was rather urgent it was good to see a less serious side of him finally. Before all this she’d have never thought she’d meet someone as cool and badass as the Gordon Freeman. But now they were somehow good enough friends for him to relax around her a little. How cool was that?

***

The fall shouldn’t have killed the Freeman. He’d survived much worse many times. And if his time were to ever come it wouldn’t be at the bottom of a pit. But still he was taking an awful long time to come back up. Time they did have – the others could keep the Alyx Vance stable for days if need be –but it wouldn’t be wise to push it if they could help it, especially with the Combine on the hunt for the Freeman and the Alyx Vance. … Perhaps the ladder didn’t descend all the way down and thus he needed assistance.

Abandoning the watch for antlions – none seemed likely to be coming anyway – they made their way over the edge to look down over it. … The ladder did seem to descend all the way to the watery bottom so that wasn’t the issue. Instead it was the little statue the Freeman had been carrying since they’d met up. He held it to his chest with one arm, twisting his wrist so he could grasp the ladder, allowing him to let go with the other and raise it to a higher rung. Not much higher though, too far and he’d likely loose his precarious grip on the statue. As a result, his progress was slow, he wasn’t even halfway up yet.

“Do you require assistance, Freeman?” They were not going to ask him to drop it. It was clearly important even if its purpose was beyond their comprehension.

The Freeman flinched at their raised voice, freezing in place. He then tilted his head to look up at them. But alas with his hands busy and his voice seemingly nonexistent, he had no means of giving an answer. Oh, if only he could connect to the Vortessence, eliminating the need for such paltry forms of communication.

“I will lower down a rope with a loop for your statue.” The least they could do for the Freeman was assist him in what was clearly an important endeavor.

Finding a rope long enough was surprisingly easy. Upon tying a loop at the end of it big enough to allow the statue to fit – all the Freeman would have to do was tighten it to prevent the statue from falling out – they lowered it over the edge. The Freeman had made it up a little further but not by much. Ever intelligent and dexterous, he managed to get the statue into the loop and tighten it while remaining on the ladder.

As he started climbing properly now, they slowly pulled the statue up, careful not to bump it against the wall. As a result, the Freeman reached the top a few seconds before the statue did. He stood by as they finished pulling it up to hand to him.

Before accepting it, he lifted his hands to sign, “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” For humans repeating something meant emphasis, meaning this was quite an important statue indeed.

“We are glad to be of service. Now let us continue.”

***

There were not one but two giant fucking antlions. Did the deterrents work on them too? … Hopefully because Alyx was about to find out the hard way as the pain radiating up from the freshly healed wound in her back and abdomen made the prospect of continuing forward into the fray proper a very unappealing one. Lucky for her she had a vortigaunt and Gordon on her side.

Speaking of Gordon, he turned to her, his gaze intent. Checking on her? … No, to shove the gnome into her arms, giving her almost no option but to accept it. He then immediately turned away, pulling his shotgun off where it was magnetized to his HEV suit as he rushed towards the antlion guardians.

“What am I suppose to do with this?” She called after him.

He didn’t even turn back to look at her.

“One would assume he wishes you to keep it safe while we deal with the antlions,” the vortigaunt said as he blasted one of the braver antlions that had dared to approach a bit closer than the others.

Damn it. She wasn’t good for much else in her current state so she’d been put on gnome guard duty. “Fine, whatever.” Only because Gordon had asked her to though. At least she wasn’t completely useless; she could keep a garden decoration intact, no problem.

~

After the battle, Gordon returned to her. “You okay?”

“As okay as I can be.” She was still weaker than she’d like and would’ve appreciated a chance to sit down but they didn’t have the time to so no use complaining. “I kept your gnome safe too. See? Completely intact.”

“Thank you.”

“Can I ask what’s the deal with it though? I mean like… no judgment of course just… it’s a bit odd. Not that that’s a bad thing, nothing wrong with being odd, some people think I’m a bit odd and that’s fine. But like… you know.” She was messing this up real bad. Way to go her. “There’s a lot going on and it’s a bit much to carry around and stuff.” She’d have assumed he would’ve left is somewhere as soon as carrying it became inconvenient.

Gordon lifted his hands as if to answer but held them there for several seconds before finally doing so. “I don’t know.” He then took the gnome from her with the gravity gun before turning away and continuing.

“Wait. What do you mean you don’t know?”

He didn’t turn to respond. Odd as the gnome was, that answer was even odder. How could he not know why he was carrying around a gnome even despite all the problems keeping it intact was already causing? He was running around without a proper weapon out for Pete’s sake, there had to be a reason for that. But… they didn’t have time to sit around and talk about it. So with a sigh, she set into a light jog, about as fast as she could make herself go currently, to catch up.

~

Well if Gordon was wondering off into a toxic filled pit while Alyx was stuck up here… “You want me to keep the gnome safe for you?” The amount of times it had almost taken damage had seemed to cause him some distress. Not that he was easy to read, especially when he had the HEV suit’s helmet up, but he had looked the gnome over rather closely every time something almost happened to it.

He turned to face her, the gnome held by the gravity gun in his hands. Seemingly he thought about it for several seconds before nodding and lifting it up for her to take.

“I promise I’ll take good care of it.”

He lifted a hand to sign a quick, “Thank you,” before turning and heading through.

After closing the door behind him, she turned to the vortigaunt. Some of them came up with names for themselves that humans could pronounce, some didn’t. She’d have loved to have a name for this one after everything they’d done for her. Would it be rude to ask for one? … Possibly so for now she wouldn’t. Instead… “What do you think might be Gordon’s deal with this gnome?”

“It is clearly of great importance.”

“Well yeah, but why?”

“It is not my place to question the Freeman and what is important to him or why. Besides, you are both human. I feel your ability to understand him far exceeds mine.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s fair.” Understanding other people was never something she’d been particularly good at either though. She’d spent too much of her time growing up working in the lab to waste time getting good at interacting with people. “It’s just… at fist I thought it was for fun. Like it was something that was silly and not a big deal. That he thinks it’s cute or something so he wanted to carry it with him for a bit. But now I’m not so sure. And I’m not sure why but it just feels really weird. Like maybe it’s… not necessarily a bad thing but uh… like I should be worried about it or something.”

“Ask him when he returns?”

She could and maybe even should but… “We don’t really have time to stand around talking about stuff.” And she wouldn’t at all know how to ask without it perhaps sounding like she was suggesting he abandon the gnome which would be rather rude. “And it might be nothing, just him being a little weird. Which I think he’s earned the right to after everything he’s done for humanity.” She hadn’t thought about it before but he’d had an awful lot of weight resting on his shoulders for a while now. Even if he could bear it well and had so far fulfilled those expectations, it was probably still stressful. So why shouldn’t he be entitled to a little weirdness and an emotional support gnome?

~

Naturally, when climbing into the car with Gordon at the wheel, the gnome ended up in Alyx’s lap. She was quickly becoming just as much this thing’s protector as Gordon himself was. That was fine though. Even if it was a bit inconvenient at times, it was the least she could do. It still struck her as vaguely worrying but… probably it was just stress from the whole almost dying thing and the Combine being after them. Gordon was just a bit weird, she could respect that and it was rather charming.

~

Despite Gordon having been the one to almost end up as the Advisor’s meal – or whatever it had planned to do to him with its long tentacle tongue thing – he was the one helping Alyx to her feet. He had the HEV suit, yeah, but still.

“You okay?” he asked, his hands moving fast enough that she’d doubt she’d have been able to read it if it had been signs she wasn’t as familiar with.

“Yeah, I think so. What about…” She cut off as he turned and hurried away. Had he heard more Combine coming or… no, he was looking for the gnome. Which did at least mean he was probably okay… physically at least.

It didn’t take him long to find it. The bit of its hat that had been chipped off at the tip was a bit more pronounced now, the whole tip had broken off, noticeable even from over here. Gordon rubbed his thumb over it as he stared it.

“It’s mostly intact,” Alyx said as she joined him. “It’s got a flat tip now so uh… we could maybe paint over it later and it’ll look fine.”

He looked up at her for a moment, his face utterly unreadable, before looking down at it again. What he might be feeling was impossible for her to even guess but it couldn’t be good, could it? The gnome wasn’t just a silly fun thing if he’d been that worried about it. Before she could ask him about why it was so important to him though, a familiar thud of boots came from uncomfortably close to the room they were in, coming their way. “Combine.”

Gordon turned and quickly found a hiding spot for the gnome, turning back around just in time for said Combine soldiers to burst through the door.

~

A clatter and a familiar headcrab call drew Alyx’s gaze up to the rocket. Gordon was at the hatch, pulling Lamarr out of it. She wasn’t going easy but fighting and struggling the whole way. To no avail though, Gordon was far stronger than her, forcing her out without seemingly much effort at all. Then, holding her to his chest, he jumped down over the railing, landing with a clank that betrayed how heavy the HEV suit was. He then made his way back over to them and extend Lamarr towards Dad, clearly wanting him to take her as she squirmed and shrieked as loud as she could. Which was just loud enough to be annoying.

“Get that thing out of here or make it shut up,” Magnusson called from over by the control panel.

Dad let out a long suffering sigh as he accepted Lamarr from Gordon. She didn’t like to be held by him either but did calm down a little bit. “I suppose I’ll get her out of her before Manugsson gets any more insistent about it. I’ll finish catching up with you two later, okay?”

“Sure thing, catch up with you more in a bit.” Alyx might’ve gone with him but her curiosity about what Gordon was up to as immediately upon his hands being freed of Lamarr he’d turned head back up to the hatch again, was too strong. So as Dad left for the elevator, she followed Gordon.

There being only room up there for one she couldn’t follow him up it and thus couldn’t see what he did as he reached into the hatch. “What are you doing up there?” Was he doing some kind of super smart fix the others hadn’t caught? … Probably not. Likely he was just fixing whatever Lamarr had disturbed.

Either way he didn’t reply as he pulled back and shut the hatch before jumping down again, once more not bothering to take the safer way down. Hopefully once it came time for him to take the suit off, he’d remember to not do that anymore. For now though, she wouldn’t say anything as he sat on the railing surrounding the rocket. Instead…

“Where’s the gnome?” She looked around but… it was nowhere in sight. Gordon had brought it in as always and of course he’d had to have to put it down to grab Lamarr. But he should’ve picked it up again immediately like he’d been doing. Of course they were in a safe space now so maybe he was more okay with not holding it as much as possible but it still had to be nearby, right?

As she looked back at him for an answer, he pointed up towards the top of the platform by the rocket’s hatch. The gnome wasn’t up there though so… “In the rocket?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, uh… why?” That was the least safe spot for it around here.

He lifted hand hands and held them there for several second before replying. “I’m sending it to space. It’ll break if I keep carrying it around.”

Finally he was leaving it, making things easier for both of them. But… “Why don’t you just leave it here? I’m sure Dad would gladly keep it safe for you.”

Another long hesitation before Gordon answered. “I need to cut ties. It’s not a person so I need to stop and get rid of it but I don’t want to throw it a way or break it. Sending it to space feels right.”

Alyx’s hunch that the gnome had long ago ceased being a small fun thing was right. Whether it was a sign of something she should be worried about was still unclear. She leaned back against the wall as she lifted her hands to sign back. It meant she spoke a bit slower as she was still better at reading sign language than forming her own sentences in it but Magnusson was still on the other side of the rocket and if they finally had some time to talk, she wanted to do it without him overhearing if she could help it. “It’s okay to care about objects. Nothing to be ashamed of.”

“I know but… this isn’t that. It’s not normal. I need to stop.”

So… it was something to be worried about? Gordon certainly seemed to be implying it was but he was just so hard to read. His face was impassive and his hands as he signed weren’t particularly expressive. … He looked tired. She was too. Everyone was, right? Who couldn’t be tired when all of this was happening? They were getting closer and closer to freeing themselves of the Combine and that was great but as far as they’d come, there was still a lot to do. But he’d done the most out of any of them and was likely to do even more. And he was only human.

Everyone put him up on a pedestal, expecting so much of him. Even she had, how could she not after growing up hearing the ways people talked about him? After seeing from a distance the things he’d done that seemed almost inhuman? But the more time she spent with the more obvious it became that he was just guy like the rest of them. Smart and strong and blessed with a seeming endless supply of luck but still just a man. One who’d been through a lot. After the Black Mesa incident he’d been put into stasis and dropped into all of what was happening now.

“Are you okay?” How had she never thought to ask that before? She’d always assumed that he was despite how obvious it was was in hindsight that he might not be.

He lifted a hand but paused for a few moments before forming it into a, “No.” Sighing, he lowered it again, offering no further explanation.

Alyx pushed off the wall and walked over to stand next to him. “I’m sorry,” she whispered because she didn’t know what else to say. Putting a hand on his shoulder, the HEV suit’s metal was surprisingly somewhat warm, probably because of the power running through it. “Do you… wanna go find a place to sit down and rest a bit? We don’t have to talk about it or… anything if you don’t want to. But I think you’ve earned a rest.”

For the first time perhaps ever, certainly since she’d met him, his mask cracked, revealing the same kind of look a dying man gave a potential savior. “Please.”

Keeping her hand on his shoulder, offering whatever little comfort it could give when he probably couldn’t even feel it, she started guiding him back towards the elevator. Before they were even halfway there though, alarms started blaring as lights flashed, making both of them flinch.

Magnusson cursed, damn he was still here. “Gosh dang it. Gordon, since you’re still here, go make yourself useful and deal with that. It’s probably just crows again but maybe you can use your smarts to figure out how to make it stop going off all the time.”

Gordon’s face hardened once more as he pulled his crowbar off his chest and turned to obey. Alyx wanted to protest, insist he deserved a rest, let someone else handle it for once. But if it wasn’t a false alarm, he was still the best man for the job. It wasn’t fair but… life wasn’t fair.

~

[A/N] I imagine the way Alyx interacts with him following this is a bit different but ultimately the events would play out the same and this is about the gnome so I decided to leave it here.

[aita-blorbos]

AITA for telling my girlfriend I care about her in a way that she didn't like?

I (60??M) am at the top of my field, and my second-in-command is also my girlfriend S (late 40's?F) with whom I've been since she was 20. So we're pretty much tight-knit: we sleep together, we eat together, we work together, have been for years. First I worked with her father, then when he died I took over his job and she took over mine.

The jobs we have are heavy with responsibilities: from what we decide, on different levels (basically, i take the big decisions and do diplomatic/PR work, and she manages the day-to-day stuff) can depend the lives of everyone under us but also about four times the people we are directly responsible for.

Once you've got that context, here comes:

Lately, I've been noticing some distance in my girlfriend and I's relationship: when she said she wanted to have more children (we have two wonderful, healthy kids and two other who died at birth or in their infancy), I said she totally could have more but I just wouldn't be present because I'm very busy, which I think is a totally reasonable response, but she just decided then unilaterally that she wouldn't have more children because I apparently didn't want any more children??? (girl i said I was fine with it!); at another point, she invited a friend over because the friend had been attacked and our place was closer than hers. I said the friend could stay but I wouldn't give them my first aid kit. She went behind my back to not only get her friend medical care but also to get her back home by getting another friend to pick her up! Despite me saying multiple times I didn't want her friends over! At some other point, while we were arguing, our pregnant daughter (~20) got afraid she was going to have a miscarriage and S got the absolute galls to say our daughter's anxiety was my fault for yelling in front of her, even when it was revealed she wasn't having a miscarriage, just cramps! A bit later, during a work meeting with her sister and two of her sister's colleagues (her sister, L, is head of her branch but still directly under us both) she decided to take the side of her sister over me, even when I'm the one who was right and also, like, her boyfriend and her boss!

Ever since her wounded friend left and we argued about her sister and all, she's been giving me the cold shoulder, always going outside for her work even if i know she doesn't have to be in every outing! It's like she doesn't even care that I know she's giving me the cold shoulder! Plus, there's recently been cases of some kind of flu variant inside our social circles, with our son-in-law taken ill recently, and S pretends that her friends I don't like know how to treat it, as if that wasn't some kind of trick to force me to let her spend time with them! Then our daughter went into early labour, our son-in-law died of his sickness while in the birthroom, and one of their children died at birth, too. Our daughter has PPD and my girlfriend is super worried.

Anyway, one of her friends is pregnant too, but they're squatting an uninhabited lot that belonged to no one until it was bought like two days ago by my nephew, who wants to put a family he knows in that place. To be clear, the friend is very heavily pregnant, and the family is not homeless or anything and there's no urgency, but my nephew's been asking me to intervene for a while so I ordered S to take a bunch of people and scare her friends away. She was cross about that so I told her she clearly cared for about those weird friends than about her real family and real friends.

She brought a freaking nurse to help the pregnant friend, as if i hadn't specifilcaly forbidden any contact with them except to scare them away, and then the guys my nephew and myself had sent arrived and there was kind of a riot inside the squatter's place. Part of a wall collapsed, S's sister L died, as well as the pregnant lady (she'd given birth like five minutes earlier and her child survived but honestly i want nothing to do with it) and S was put in a coma. When she woke up, I crashed into the room and told her I didn't hold her accountable for everything that had gone wrong, and all she found to say was that she was going to miss her sister? As if that was my fault she'd died??? Like, didn't she see I was being super nice?

Anyway, AITA for apparently picking the wrong moment or wrong way to tell my GF I liked her???