#I've never gotten over infinity train

[jacuzziwaters]

Why do big companies insist on taking away the things that I love?

[animeyanderelover]

Tw: Yandere themes, toxic relationship, possessive behavior, obsession, delusional thoughts, clinginess, stalking, manipulation, male reader

Tags: @jamayah @chxxz @leveyani @cynniical @shenryu-sama

Zoldyck family with Gojo-like older twin of Illumi

Zeno Zoldyck

🐲​You'd think that as one of the oldest members of the Zoldyck family, Zeno would act his role as the strict grandfather and drill into you every lesson you need to know as the future head of the family. Instead he has taken the complete opposite role and has settled into being the chill granddad for it is his son's role to lecture you in everything you need to know, not his. Most of the time he spends with you is more comparable to him just hanging out with you, unless he notices that you are slacking off in which case he will show you why despite his age he is still a feared assassin in the world. There are constant jokes thrown back and forth between you two as both of you try to see who can deliver verbally the bigger blow whilst both of you take it without a single grain of salt. Even during missions both of you have together, you tend to see who has the better one-liners all whilst being completely indifferent to the screaming and terrified targets. Silva has voiced his disdain as he thinks that Zeno is being too soft yet Zeno has always stood up. He's a proud grandfather so just let him do what he wants to do with his favorite grandchild. After all your very first word ever was "grandpa", how could he not love you?

Silva Zoldyck

🐺​For all the respect he holds for his own father, the old man is giving him a headache with the way he treats you, his heir. Silva claims most of your time, either training you or teaching you everything you need to know as the next head of the clan. You are his entire pride and he has high expectations for you which he is confident you will live up to. There is especially much time poured into helping you honing your special Nen-abilities of the Infinity and your Six Eyes, skills which he is proud that you have gotten as it only further solidifies you as one of the strongest members of the family. He's aware of the fact that you favor your grandfather though and he knows that Zeno often sneaks away with you because he wants to spend time with you and the GIF I've used is probably the exact same expression he gives the two of you when he catches you. Is he perhaps a tad bit jealous that you favor your grandfather over your own dad? Perhaps, he is rather possessive after all but he would never admit that though his suffocating aura is already indicator enough of his feelings. He's most likely never gotten fully over it that your first word wasn't "dada" and Zeno has never let him forget it either.

Kikyo Zoldyck

🔺​Kikyo has a terrible streak of jealousy and that isn't made better by the fact that Silva and Zeno steal so much of your time for themselves. As a result she is all the more smothering and clingy the moment you are by yourself as she seems to wait for you to be alone like a starved predator and pounces on you the moment neither of the two men are around. This woman is always complimenting you for everything. For your talents, your strength, your caring personality, your looks and whatever else you can think of. There is a tinge of bittersweet melancholy though as she sometimes mourns the time where you were chubby and small and came always stumbling towards her with a happy look on your face. Her little bird has left the nest far too quickly and has grown so independent.... Your kind and caring personality can be easily a trigger of her jealousy though whenever you pay attention to one of your siblings or can't spend time with her since you have promised someone else already that you'd be with them. She always makes a huge clamour whenever the topic of potential partners is involved as no one in her eyes could be worthy of her beautiful baby boy.

Illumi Zoldyck

🤎​For as long as Illumi can remember, you two have always been together. You complete him, he completes you. After all both of you have been sharing the same womb, have shared everything since the very moment the two of you were conceived. It is this mindset that has always pushed Illumi to be surprisingly clingy, your silent shadow that has been trailing behind you ever since the two of you could crawl. From all of his siblings he has always thought that he deserves you the most, perhaps even more than the entirety of the Zoldyck family as the both of you share a special connection as twins. He's casually thrown needles into people's heads when they so much as dared to question whether the two of you are really twins as your appearances are like night and day, silently enraged whenever someone would do as much as doubt just how close the two of you are. He's the one seeking you out even quicker than Kikyo when neither Silva nor Zeno are in sight and likes to whisk you somewhere where he can have the time with you he thinks he deserves more than anyone else. He's tried to scare some of his other siblings away whenever he thought that they were stealing you away from him.

Milluki Zoldyck

💻​Going back to Illumi bullying his siblings whenever they also try to get your time, poor Milluki is the one who gets the most of it, though Milluki has used this fact often to play the victim card to try to coax you into spending more time with him. Activities with Milluki contain munching on snacks whilst playing some video games or watching some Anime and with passing years this guy has installed an entire security system to make sure that no one disturbs him when he has you, his older brother with him in the room. The ony time where he has gotten too scared and let someone in his room is when either Zeno or Silva knock on his door as he knows fully well that they'll break it if he doesn't open it within 3 seconds. Whenever he has managed to make you promise to spend an evening with you, he buys tons of your favorite snacks and prepares your favorite movies, games and series so that everything is to your liking and so that he can hopefully become your favorite sibling. He's even made a phone specifically for you and gifted it to you on your birthday. There are a lot of special apps and features included on the phone, one of them being a very secretive tracker which allows him to always know your location.

Killua Zoldyck

🪀​Killua has been clinging to you since he was a toddler and that hasn't changed much over the years. Seemingly adapting to the strategies of Zeno, Killua is always sneaky when he seeks you out and beckons you to follow him and spend time with him. He's probably one of the few who is willing to share his time with you together with some of his other siblings which is pretty much only Alluka. You've always indulged him though, knowing that there was a certain pressure on him due to his white hair and blue eyes as well. Killua has taken some pride in his appearance though, mainly because people not associated with his family always instantly acknowledged him as your younger brother whilst such recognition wasn't as granted with people like Illumi or Milluki which causes him to act somewhat smug in such given situations. Both of you have a sweet tooth and whenever one of you is on a mission, it has become a sacred ritual that the person buys something sweet before heading home again to share it with the other. The poor boy was heartbroken when you couldn't come with him when he took his Hunter Exam, though you strongly spoke up for him when people like Kikyo were hesitant to let him go.

Alluka Zoldyck

💝​Whereas almost the entire rest of the family has always shunned Alluka, Killua and you were the only ones willingly spending time with her and playing with her. As a result Alluka as well as Nanika genuinely view the two of you as the only people both of them need and really love and Nanika especially grants the both of you free wishes. Okay, maybe not always free. At times there are demands for you such as wanting a piggyback from you, wanting a kiss on the cheek or wanting to be lifted up and spun around by you. Whenever you hear such words coming out of Alluka's mouth you instantly know that both of them want your affection and attention in that moment and you have never been able to deny them their requests, even if you have never used the wishes you were granted in return for something sinister. The room Alluka is kept in is filled with plushies and prettily designed because you demanded it to be that way and whenever Alluka or Nanika want the walls to be painted a different colour or desire a new plushie, you always take it upon yourself to fulfill them their wish and Killua gives you a helping hand for the majority of the time.

Kalluto Zoldyck

🏮​Kallluto has arguably got the worst luck as he is the youngest member of the family and often is brushed over by all of his other siblings who deem that he should wait for his turn. The poor boy is a professional stalker even from a young age as he has spend countless hours watching other members of the family having fun with you all whilst he is deprived of it. He plays the even bigger victim card than Milluki for such reasons in the very moment you call out to him and spend time with him. Whenever you two walk around, he either clings to the sleeves of your clothes or even manages to hold your hand, his head constantly tilted so that he can look at you with sparkling eyes. The insecurities he sometimes feels as a result of being somewhat overlooked as the entire household revolves around you is something he learns to use effectively as an advantage when he wants to steal your attention away from someone else because he knows you'll crouch down and ask him if everything is alright the moment he starts fidgeting around with his fingers and makes himself small. As you are the person he idolises and looks up to, he ends up adapting your likes and dislikes all to feel closer to you.

[froznwater]

im so sorry this is incredibly random but if i dont write alenoah i WILL die but i cant think of anything to write. do u have any simple ideas. ignore if not

HI!!! tysm for your ask <3 i hope you can find something to write amongst all the ideas. These are a bunch of ideas have written down in my notes/google drive/tumblr posts and have not got gotten around to. I still might at some point in time but feel free to use them. I will still do my own take if I get the time/motivation. There's simply so many, why not share and inspire some fics :)

----

General ideas:

Noah knows/learns spanish. Bonus points if Alejandro isn't aware until the perfect moment.

Alejandro thinks he can get away with flirting with Noah in spanish. Noah starts shit talking in spanish. Noah learns so he can hear all the little comments Alejandro keeps making under his breath. etc. so many possibilities.

Now that the show is over and Noah's off to college, he realizes he’s missing something in his life. Maybe it’s his friends, maybe it’s a lack of ever-looming danger, OR maybe it’s Alejandro. Who fucking knows. He’s too busy trying not to be in love with Alejandro to figure it out. 

Their group project is failing, horribly. There’s one thing Noah knows for certain: Alejandro's to blame. At what point does slippery eel turn into a term of endearment?

They have never ever fallen asleep next to each other. Let alone in each other's arms. Never.

Time loop where Alejandro is stuck on the episode where Noah gets voted out and sticks himself to falling in love because he can’t let go of his pride long enough to simply let Noah stay in the game and move on.

Noah loses his contacts and starts wearing his glasses more often. Alejandro notices. Everyone notices Alejandro notices.

Alejandro and Noah team up to get their friends together (insert whatever ship you like) and end up together in the process/the other two were trying to do the same thing for them.

A commentary timeline on how Alejandro's charisma turn into exploitation, how Noah's patience turned into indifference, and how they parallel each other. (I've written a few hundred words for this one lol.)

Each thinks the other doesn't like them. Cut to third party POV that watches and witnesses them completely a mess for each other.

Noah, once voted out in I See London, learns about Alejandro's family. Who have been very vocal since the show started airing.

Exploration of how Alejandro tries really really hard. Yes, He's at the top of the class, but so is Noah. Noah who sleeps through classes and doesn't turn in homework and shows up late or simply not at all and is still right up there with him.

“I would kill to be like you. To just absorb all the information fed to me. If I were you I might actually- “(beat my brother) “Might actually what?” “I told you. I don’t want to talk about it, Noah.” - "Do you know how long I studied for that test? Hours. And you- You got a 96 with no effort at all." It was a 98. But this seems like a bad time to correct him.

Dialogue one-liners prompts i've written down:

"If we make it out of this alive, I'm going to kiss you."

“Why do I feel like I cant say no to you?”

"I know you don't actually care about me, but thank you for trying to pretend that you do." (Said by Noah is joking. Said by Alejandro is bitter.)

"You can't win against someone who has nothing to lose."(Alejandro OR Noah angst.)

Soulmate aus:

My big two: Telepathy/Mentally linked.(imagine this one as a wt rewrite omg) And Whatever you draw on yourself shows up on your soulmate. Matching tattoos.

First words on each other. (I've done this one already here. but feel free to do it as well!!)

Communicating through dreams. (If you know cardcaptor sakura; like that.)

General AUs:

Until dawn AU.

Gakuen Alice AU.

My Babysitters A Vampire AU. Zombie Apoc AU.

Harry Potter AU. Reality Dating Show AU.

Infinity Train AU!!!!!!

Veronica Mars AU!!!! (i wanna do this one ALOT noah is sooo veronica LMAO) OBLIGATORY IDEAS:

seven minutes in heaven.

wrong number.

trapped in a closet.

movie night. noah is sitting under alejandro and lol they are physically, platonically touching for awhile. (leads to finally getting together).

one gets injured, the other fixes them up in the nurses office :P.

short "prompt-ishs" i've started writing:

“What the hell is your problem, Alejandro?” And this time, the tone was so disgusted, so bitter, that something snapped, deep in Alejandro’s chest.

Fuck it.

“What’s my problem?” He asked, incredulous. “What’s my problem? You’ve got to be kidding me, Courtney. I almost died. I almost died, paralyzed and alone, and the only friend I thought I had didn’t give a single shit! The only person who cared was Noah, of all people. I quite literally come back to life and the only thing you can do is whine about your girlfriend problems.”

Courtney takes a step back.

“I was stuck in a robot for months, my legs barely work, my family moved on- actually, I don’t know if they ever actually even noticed,” He laughs, broken, “- and you have the audacity to ask me what my problem is?!”

Alejandro is over playing nice. He’s had enough.

-

this one is a rivals team up to get out courtney blurb

little idea about Alejandro getting into zodiacs.

moments where alejandro questions why Noah is so attractive

-

SEND MORE ASKS IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THESE IDEAS!!! / IF THEY HAVE ANY IDEAS OR CONCEPTS TO ADD OR EXPAND ON :)))

[ajaxslibrary]

Foolish One - Gojo Satoru x Reader

a/n: this little piece popped into my head listening to Taylor Swift, and each bit is themed after the lyric that prefaces it

-

My cards are on the table, yours are in your hand

I've long given up hiding my affections for Satoru. Most people don't recognise my reactions and the ones that do won't be fooled by my faking. So, I give up.

I cut my eyes from my book to him when he walks in the room. I tilt my head when he speaks. I set aside what I'm working on when he tries for my attention.

Satoru though treats me the same as everyone else. Carefully guarded, a jokester, a tease.

Chances are tonight you've already got plans, and chances are I will talk myself to sleep again

Of course, Satoru is going out drinking with some of our co-workers. I should've known.

It's okay. At least I have my own company. That's all I'll ever truly need. Bound to always have only my own words, thoughts, and company. I've gotten used to it.

I'm okay on my own.

That's what I tell myself at least.

You give me just enough attention to keep my hopes too high

"(y/n)-san! Oi~! Wanna try this mochi? I got it from the new place in Shibuya!" Satoru jogs to catch up with me on my walk to the train station. "It's matcha with red bean filling."

"I- yeah, sure. I like mochi."

An understatement. Mochi is my favourite sweet. Satoru knows that. He never offers me anything else. Unless he takes me to ramen for a meeting.

He holds out a piece of mochi for me and I take it tentatively. I love mochi, I love red bean paste, but... I don't like matcha. I take a small bite.

"This isn't matcha."

"Is it not?"

I can tell from the small smirk that Satoru already knew. It was just sweet red bean mochi, my favourite, dyed a matcha green.

I can't help the way my heart starts to beat a little faster in my chest.

"Is it good? Is it good? I haven't tried it yet, does it have the mochi master seal of approval?"

I feel heat rise to my cheeks at the thought he wanted to know what I thought of the mochi before trying it himself.

"It's good. The last place was better, but this is really good."

"Score! Thanks, (y/n)-san!"

And the voices say "You are not the exception, you will never learn your lesson"

A little box is waiting on my desk. Tied up with a pretty bow, the tag of my favourite sweet shop on one of the tails. My heart starts pounding when I hear my phone go off with Satoru's text tone.

'You like your present?'

A giddy smile crosses my lips and I race to open the box. Three red bean mochi and three sesame mochi. He knows me too well.

I whip out my phone and type up a quick response, thanking God that the racing of my heart and the happiness overflowing from it can't carry over text.

'Yeah, thanks'

I know he doesn't love me the way I want him to. He's the strongest, surely he's above love.

But oh, I can hope.

Foolish one stop checkin' your mailbox for confessions of love that ain't never gonna come

It's a dance we do every day. I check my email, half-hoping to see a beautiful, melodramatic, wonderful love confession from Satoru, he swings by my office to say hi, I try to keep my caged heart from escaping through my throat as he smiles at me.

And oh what a smile.

It's a dance we do every day. I've long memorised its steps.

Because every day my half-hopes are disappointed. Every day he says hi and gives me a beautiful smile that makes my heart beat faster. And every day it takes everything in me to not profess my undying love to Gojo Satoru.

Don't know what to call this situation but I know I can't call you mine

I take a deep breath as the weight of Satoru almost presses into me. Contact undoubtedly prevented by infinity. I glance over to look at him and he grins.

"What are you working on?"

Satoru is draped over me, his lips right next to my ear. I'm hyper-aware of him now.

"Um, I'm working on, ah, working on a lesson plan for one of my students."

Satoru shifts as I talk so one arm is dropped down the front of my torso.

"(y/n)-san," I can hear the frown in Satoru's voice when he says my name. "Do you not trust me?"

I do. I trust you with my life. That frightens me.

"I trust you." Completely. Utterly. Wholly. Entirely. I trust you.

"Why did you get so tense the moment you knew I was here?"

I hadn't noticed. But I know why.

"Because if I let go then I will break. I will not be a burden."

He does not need to know how I love him. I know. And that is enough. That must be enough.

'Cause when my head is on your shoulder it starts thinkin' you'll come around

I lean my head onto Satoru's shoulder on the train. Well, almost. He laughs at me.

"Tired?"

I don't give a proper answer, just a quiet mumble. Then I feel a tingly warmth cover my body, and my face makes contact with soft, warm fabric.

"Sleep well."

I think I say thank you. It must have sounded strange, because Satoru chuckles before responding softly.

"You're welcome. Now rest, I can protect us both."

You will learn the hard way instead of just walking out

The dance stops abruptly. Satoru doesn't swing by my office to say hi. And he doesn't smile at me when we pass in the hall.

There's mochi on my desk though. From the new place in Shibuya. I take a tentative bite of one, and it's matcha with red bean filling. Maybe last time was an accident.

I can't stand matcha.

Satoru knows that.

When my phone goes off with his text tone, I glance down, ignoring the warning beats of my heart like an ominous drum.

'I'm sorry'

Oh you haven't written me or called but goodbye's screamin' in the silence

I break as soon as I'm home. I want to scream. I want to cry. I want to vomit. I want to cut my hair off. But more than anything else.

I want to die.

There aren't many things I hate in this world.

I hate matcha. I hate failing. I hate watching a student ignore my teachings. I hate feeling disregarded. I hate when people go back on their word.

But more than anything else, I hate goodbyes without words.

And there are many things I love in this world that cannot love me in return.

I love sweet red bean paste. I love mochi. I love ramen. I love pocky. I love coffee. I love seeing someone progress. I love being protected. I love protecting others.

And more than I love anything else, unfailingly, unswervingly, unconditionally.

I love Gojo Satoru.

[princessamahle]

mitsuri should've gotten her own filler episode

mitsuri once again was a missed opportunity as tengen and muchiro had their own filler episode. obanai and sanemi should've been placed in one episode together as there have been numerous scenes of them together specifically. from the first episode when they witness the infinity castle to training secretly together. if they were going to give every hashira a filler episode they could've given mitsuri one as well. this is including her backstory with rengoku and how she was his tsuguko. while that wasn't written by the author specifically. it seems to be canon to the fanbase and franchise as a whole. I felt like they did her dirty with not giving her much screentime. this is also including the swordsmith arc as they focused more on muichuro. Again sanemi and obanai should've taken up that entire episode.or atleast the upcoming epsidoe 6 because with tanjiro going to gyomei it is clear the main focus of that episode will be of the stone pillar himself along with his backstory. that alone should've been episode 7. it seems to me they really don't care for their female characters. maybe she's played for comic relief but to me she was so much more than that. I have a problem male artists writing female characters as their not very good at it...(epescially Masashi Kishimoto lol) but i have heard rumors that Koyoharu Gotouge is female herself. I don't know, i feel as a female i felt cheated from mitsuri's training arc because I still haven't seen that much from her. i've seen enough rengoku flashbacks to know she never gets that much screen time. even in the manga (spoilers) her fight with with nakime will be limited. anyways the hashira arc is still not over and i hope she won't just be comic relief as this so far feels like a sakura haruno situation.

[beefromanoff]

Going Under Ch. 30

summary: Gianna and Bucky getting used to their new normal. Gianna performs for the first time since her tour.

characters: Bucky Barnes x OC

soundtrack: Silver Springs - Fleetwood Mac

warnings: fluff, pop star fantasy x love story, set in an AU where the Avengers reunite after Civil War, pre-infinity war, slight angst, hurt/comfort, lonely reader/OC.

author’s note: more angst, so many emotions! this is the plan I've had for this story for SO LONG. I am so so glad to finally get to write it, as painful and sad as it was. it has to hurt before it can get better. pls trust me.

ilysm, thank you for reading! please let me know what you think!

chapter list

________________________________

Gianna

The early morning air in New York was crisp, announcing the slow arrival of spring. Gianna, wrapped in an embarrassingly expensive coat, sat alone at the patio of a small coffee shop near her apartment. The sun was barely making its way over the buildings, casting long shadows on the empty streets. It was a place she and Bucky had never visited, a quiet spot she had discovered on her own. As much as she longed for the comfort of old familiar shops, she couldn’t help but feel thankful to have found places untouched by painful memories.

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air as Gianna sipped her cappuccino, staring into the swirls of foam. The city, usually bustling with life, felt calm and distant at this hour.

As she lost herself in thoughts, she didn’t notice two teenage girls approaching nervously. They wore wide smiles that faltered a bit when Gianna lifted her eyes to them. The apprehension in their eyes betrayed a mix of excitement and hesitation.

"Excuse me, Gianna Cruz?" one of them stammered.

A gentle smile played on Gianna's lips as she nodded, "Guilty."

The girls exchanged glances, building the courage to make their request. "Could we take a photo with you?" one finally blurted out.

"Of course," Gianna replied, her smile widening. She stood up, setting her cup down, and posed for a selfie that would undoubtedly end up on social media. Fortunately, she positioned herself against a relatively nondescript wall, hoping her new favorite location wouldn’t be broadcast to the world.

The girls buzzed with energy as they bumped into each other while leaving. “Oh,” One of them turned back to Gianna. “I’m sorry about Bucky. We were rooting for you guys.” 

Gianna gave a polite smile, ignoring the twist in her gut. “Thank you.”

As the girls thanked her again and walked away, their nervous energy palpable, Gianna returned to her seat. She checked her phone, a habit born out of the loneliness that had crept back into her life.

A text to Tom, her manager, sat unsent. She’d typed and deleted it over and over again in the past few weeks as she tried to establish a new normal. This time, she pressed send instead of delete. 

I’m ready to perform again.

Bucky

The training room in the Avengers Compound echoed with the thuds of fists striking pads, boots scraping against the mat, and the grunts of exertion. Bucky, clad in his training gear, led a group of SHIELD agents through an intense combat training session. His movements were swift, precise, and laced with a barely-controlled aggression that seemed to cut through the air.

Something was off. It had been for weeks.

Steve and Natasha stood on the sidelines, watching their friend with furrowed brows. Bucky's formerly stoic composure was replaced by an intensity that bordered on ferocity. Each correction he made was sharper, each word a biting rebuke. The harshness of his training was a mirror of the turmoil within him. They’d hoped that it would improve with the more time that passed since Gianna’s departure, but it had only gotten worse.

An agent faltered in executing a particular maneuver, and Bucky's reaction was enough to silence the whole room. 

"No, no, no!" he barked, his voice cutting through the room. "You're leaving yourself wide open. What if your life depended on this? You'd be dead!"

Steve exchanged a concerned glance with Natasha. This wasn't the Bucky they knew. He was always sharp, intense, but this was different — a raw anger fueled by something deeper.

Natasha whispered, "Steve, we can't let him continue like this. He's pushing them too hard. He's hurting, and it's bleeding into everything he does."

Steve nodded solemnly. "I'll talk to him."

As the training session ended and the agents filed out, looking more dejected than usual, Steve approached Bucky. The echoes of combat had faded, leaving a tense silence in their wake.

"Bucky, can we talk?" Steve's voice was calm, a stark contrast to his friend’s demeanor.

Bucky glanced at Steve as he began to wrap his hands for sparring.  "Not really in the mood to talk right now."

Steve persisted, his concern unwavering. "You’re not okay, Buck. We've all noticed. You're snapping at everyone. Let me help."

Bucky's jaw clenched, and for a moment, the ghost of the Winter Soldier seemed to flash behind his eyes. "I said not now."

Steve frowned as he watched Bucky finish wrapping his hands and begin to strike the punching bag. Picking his battles, he turned and slowly left the room. 

Gianna

The green room buzzed with activity as Gianna prepared for her appearance on The Tonight Show. Kate, her longtime makeup artist, applied the finishing touches like they were back in the old days of touring. The scent of hairspray and the hum of anticipation filled the room.

As Kate delicately worked on Gianna's makeup, the singer's mind drifted to a time when this routine was a familiar prelude to the bright lights and applause of a concert stage. She remembered another green room, far away from the studio here at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, where Bucky would wait with her, sharing a quiet moment before the chaos began.

The memories played in her mind like an old film reel. Bucky's calm presence, the shared candy, the laughs and the way his hands felt helping her in and out of her sequin bodysuits. There was a warmth in those memories that contrasted sharply with the chill of the present.

"Gianna, you're up in five," a stage manager peeked in, bringing her back to the present.

She took a deep breath, suppressing the twinge of nostalgia. "Thanks," she said, steeling herself to put her public persona back on. After a few final touch ups, she slid into her heels and was ready to go face the world for the first time since her press conference all those months ago.

The stage manager ushered her through the backstage area of the iconic Tonight Show set. The familiar sight stirred a mix of nerves and anticipation. The last time she was on a stage like this, Bucky stood in the wings. Now she was alone. She shook her head to clear it of the one thing she couldn’t afford to think about and plastered a fake, but dazzling smile on her face just as she stepped into the stage lights.

The interview with Jimmy Fallon began with casual banter, what she loved his show for in the first place. He asked all the pre-approved questions about her outfit, her new label, rumors that she was making a cameo in an upcoming film. Ever the charismatic host, he teased about the mysteries of her time away and what happened at the famed Avengers’ Compound. Practiced in the art of deflecting, she steered clear of specifics, smiling and evading with the skill of a seasoned celebrity.

"So, Gianna, what's next for you?" Jimmy asked, sipping his coffee.

Gianna grinned, a glint of mischief in her eyes. "Well, Jimmy, let's just say, the stage missed me as much as I missed it. Stay tuned, because the tour might be making a comeback very soon."

The audience erupted into applause, only calming down when prompted by the monitors off camera.

"And what about the time off? Any inspiration for new music?" Jimmy prodded.

Gianna's expression remained composed. "It's been a journey, and I'm excited about what's to come. As for new music, I guess you’ll just have to wait and see."

Jimmy nodded, accepting the enigmatic response. "Well, Gianna, we can't wait for your performance later. Stick around, folks. We'll be right back after this break!"

The stage lights dimmed as the show cut to commercial, leaving Gianna with a moment of respite before the live performance. She stood as foreign hands removed her wired microphone and gave her a handheld. For a moment, she felt like she traveled straight back into the past. The weight of the microphone in her hand, the heat of the stage lights. She swore if she looked to her right, she’d see Bucky’s grinning face shielded from the crowd by the thick black curtain. 

Bucky

The spacious living room of the Avengers Compound was bathed in the flickering glow of the television. Sam sprawled, Wanda perched on the armrest, Peter lounging on the floor with a bag of snacks, and Natasha in her customary spot in the corner of the massive sectional. The atmosphere, usually vibrant with banter and camaraderie, felt subdued.

As the team waited for Bucky and Steve to return from their mission, the silence of the room was disrupted by the familiar sound of studio applause as the commercial break ended. The Tonight Show played on the large screen, Jimmy Fallon engaging the audience with his infectious energy as he introduced the first guest, none other than Gianna Cruz.

The atmosphere shifted slightly as Gianna's smiling face appeared on the screen. An involuntary hush swept through the room, replacing the calm with a more somber air as they watched her walk across the set to take her seat by Jimmy. Wanda broke the silence.

"I miss her," she said, her eyes fixed on the television.

The sentiment hung in the room, acknowledged by shared glances but unsaid for a while. 

Natasha added, "It's been quieter since she left."

"Yeah, things aren't the same without her." Peter toyed with the hem of the blanket on his lap

Wanda sighed, "She looks happy, though."

Natasha shared a small smile. "She deserves to be."

The team had purposefully avoided discussing Gianna in Bucky's presence, out of respect for his feelings. Yet, the absence of her laughter and vivacity had left a void that echoed through the Compound. Wanda had tried to keep the team dinners alive, but without Gianna to help cook, it was a tall task. Not to mention that Bucky preferred solitude these days anyway.

As the interview progressed, they admired Gianna's poise and the way she navigated the questions. Her makeup was flawless, her smile bright and cheeks rosy, but her eyes were smokier than usual. The dark liner was different, bringing a new intensity to her face. Hearing her voice in the common room felt familiar and foreign now that several weeks had passed and changed so much. With the chaos of the night she left, no one had really gotten to say goodbye to Gianna. Nat, being the one who flew her back to New York, came the closest. All they really exchanged was a sad hug and courtesy of Nat allowing her to cry in silence the whole flight back to the city. Wanda took it the hardest, second only to Bucky. She’d grown accustomed to having her friend around, and now her absence left a glaring hole.

In a fleeting moment of vulnerability, Wanda whispered, "I really hope she's doing well."

Gianna

In the studio, the set was simply a microphone stand and the musicians cloaked in shadow behind her, a stark contrast to Gianna's usual vibrant and glittering performances. Tonight, she stood resplendent in a sleek black dress, a departure from her signature pastels and sequins. She’d told her stylist she wanted a change. She wouldn’t admit it, but the dark colors were her way of mourning the love she lost and the life she dreamt of with it.

“I know everyone’s waiting for new music, but tonight I thought I’d pay tribute to one of my favorite bands, Fleetwood Mac. This song has always been beautiful, but it’s been especially resonating with me lately.” She gave a small smile. “I hope you enjoy.” 

As the haunting chords of Fleetwood Mac's "Silver Springs" began, Gianna closed her eyes and felt the warmth of the stage lights enveloping her. She wrapped her hands around the microphone and began to sing. 

Bucky

Heavy footsteps sounded in the kitchen and grew louder toward the living room. Steve and Bucky rounded the corner, still fully dressed in their uniforms. Steve’s helmet sat on his head, the chinstrap unbuttoned. Bucky’s hair was tousled, his eyebrow cut. Dirt and exhaustion covered both of their faces after being gone for two days. Steve paused, Bucky nearly running into him. His blue eyes locked onto the screen and the woman standing there.

The room's energy shifted, an unspoken tension taking hold. Natasha moved to change the channel, but Bucky's restrained voice stopped her. 

"Don't."

Gianna

And can you tell me was it worth it?

Baby, I don't want to know

Her voice was guttural, haunting. She sang with her eyes closed, brows knit together.

Steve shot Bucky a worried look, his own concern mirroring that of the rest of the team. Bucky didn’t move, every muscle tense.

Time cast a spell on you, but you won't forget me

I know I could have loved you

But you would not let me

Gianna's voice soared, a raw and soulful rendition of the song. The song, clearly chosen with purpose, echoed throughout the common room. The team carefully observed Bucky's reaction, realizing that the song's poignant lyrics struck a chord deep within him. He stayed rooted in place, but his jaw was clenched, eyes wide.

I'll follow you down 'til the sound of my voice will haunt you 

Give me just a chance

She clutched the microphone, barely moving as her voice and soul took over. All the words she wanted to say to Bucky, all the emotions she wanted to let overflow. She wanted to scream at him, throw things at him, fall at his feet and weep. She hated him for being the reason she wasn’t able to love him.

She wouldn’t, couldn’t, reach out to him. Her pride made her block his phone number as soon as she landed in New York. She had pages and pages of notes and half-written songs, all things she wanted to say to him. None of them felt ready to share with the world. This song captured all of her heartache, her anger. She hoped somehow, wherever he was, he was watching. She hoped the words hit him like a knife in the chest like his words that night had hit her. She hoped this song, her face, would haunt him like that last night still haunted her.

Opening her eyes, she let her voice turn raw and angry as she launched into the next line.

You'll never get away from the sound of the woman that loves you

Bucky

As Gianna poured her heart into the song, the realization hit Bucky like a tidal wave. The haunting melody intertwined with his thoughts, and for a moment, the past seemed to converge with the present. He heard her voice now, but saw her then. City after city, night after night. Singing her heart out, seeking him out backstage. Running into his arms after a show. Smiling, chest heaving, glistening in sweat…she’d made him fall back in love with being alive. She was light, color, music. She was a sunny day, a rainbow. She was everything good about the world. Until…him.

Bucky's inner turmoil unfolded on his face, visible to the team. 

The woman on the screen before him was a shell of the one he knew. She wasn’t smiling as she sang. She didn’t dance or spin onstage. Her outfit was as devoid of color as his life felt. Even through the screen, he could see the anguish on her face, in the way her brows knit together.

Her kohl-lined eyes flew open as her voice reached a new intensity, a near growl, and she seemed to stare directly at him. 

You'll never get away from the sound of the woman that loves you

As the final notes lingered in the air, the team watched in silence. The performance had laid bare all of her emotions, and Bucky stared at the screen with a mix of pain and recognition. Steve, torn between the desire to comfort his friend and the need to let him process, stood quietly by his side. The applause of the show, the commercials that resumed after she took a bow, all of it sounded muffled to Bucky as he stood frozen in place. 

His eyes remained fixed on the screen for what felt like an eternity. The room held its breath, the team's collective gaze shifting between the screen and Bucky's unreadable expression.

In that charged silence, it became evident that the lyrics had struck him right where she intended. The raw emotion in Gianna's voice had reached somewhere deep within Bucky, stirring something he’d been trying to repress for weeks.

Without uttering a word, Bucky turned abruptly and left the room. His footsteps echoed against the high ceilings as he walked away. The team exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of what to do, or what he’d do, for that matter.

Natasha sighed softly. "Give him some space," she suggested, tugging at the sleeve of Steve’s uniform. Clearly torn between following his friend and taking a much needed shower, he finally nodded.

Bucky, still clad in the dirt-streaked and blood-coated armor, moved with an urgency that mirrored the chaos in his mind. He needed to run, to escape the haunting words of the song, to process the emotions that had been stirred by Gianna's performance. He had to get her voice, her angry eyes out of his head. For weeks, he’d told himself that he did the right thing. He set her free, he wasn’t holding her back anymore. But tonight…seeing her made him question everything. He had something, someone so incredible. After him, she was a shadow. 

Was he really that dangerous, that he could utterly destroy the woman he loved in his attempt to spare her?

Outside, the cool night air hit him as he sprinted through the compound's trails. The sound of his boots on the pavement echoed his racing thoughts. Each step seemed to distance him from the echoes of the past that had resurfaced, and yet, the weight on his chest threatened to crush him.

Gianna

The night air was buzzing with excitement as Gianna stepped into the upscale lounge. The atmosphere was a blend of dimmed lights, smooth jazz, and the muted hum of conversation. She navigated the prestigious crowd, catching glimpses of familiar faces from the entertainment industry. It had been over a year since she’d been at this particular spot, a favorite of celebrities in New York. With her newfound loneliness, ahem, freedom -- she’d been doing her best to get out and socialize. Be seen again. She was never a huge fan of the performative nature of her industry, but she sure knew how to play the game. The more she was spotted out and about, the further away the headlines about her alleged breakup would get.

So here she was, in a meticulously styled outfit, attending an after party for an event she didn’t even remember the name of. Jimmy had invited her after the taping of the show earlier that afternoon. Her options were to say yes or to go back to her empty penthouse, and she was all out of the good gin anyways.

Gianna sidled up to the bar between overstuffed velvet stools and ordered a dirty martini. Another female artist and a friend of Gianna joined her at the bar, greeting her with a hug. They exchanged pleasantries amidst the loud chatter, discussing new albums and sharing touring stories.

Jimmy Fallon appeared, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Hey, Gianna, got a question for you," Jimmy said, interrupting their conversation as he held out his phone.

Curiosity etched on her face, Gianna glanced at the phone he offered. On the screen was a text conversation where her name jumped out. As she skimmed through the messages, Jimmy leaned in with a conspiratorial smile.

"Sebastian Stan wanted to say hi. Mind if I share your number?"

[animebw]

So I've been stewing a bit with the whole concept of "MCU Fatigue" after my disappointment with The Marvels, and I think I've come to a realization.

See, most people when they shit on the modern MCU act like they're been putting out tons of terrible stuff. But looking at their track record, that's not actually true. In fact, I'd argue that the majority of their Phase 4 and 5 output has still been above average. The only real misses I'd count are FATWS, Dr. Strange 2, The Marvels, and maybe What If if I was feeling particularly uncharitable (and I guess Secret Invasion, but the bad response kept me away from that one so I've never watched it myself). Other than that, Marvel's still putting out a lot of good stuff.

The problem is they're not putting out a lot of great stuff.

Like, we need to take a step back and realize just how fucking insane the MCU's track record used to be. They didn't just put out good movies on a regular basis that put every other franchise to shame, they regularly released some of the most iconic superhero blockbusters of all time. They cranked out all-time classics on such a consistent basis that at this point, at least half of the top 20 greatest superhero movies of all time list would be taken up by MCU projects, maybe more. That's how they built trust with the general audience; not just consistency, but the promise of greatness. People flocked to the MCU not just because there was a near guarantee of a well-made fun time at the cinema, but because that was a strong probability you were going to see something truly spectacular.

Seriously, just look at the studio's track record through Phase 2 and 3. Iron Man 3, Captain America 2 and 3, the first two Guardians movies, Thor Ragnorak, Black Panther, Infinity War and Endgame... you could argue that over half of their movie output from this period was unqualified home runs. And sure, maybe Thor 2 was a dud and Avengers 2 was disappointing, but it didn't matter because there was always the promise of another masterpiece waiting in the wings. People weathered the occasional misstep because they could trust the MCU to always find its way back to greatness.

But now consider: how many all-time bangers can you name from Phases 4 and 5?

Like, I can name a few. Wandavision, Black Panther 2, Guardians 3, Spider-Man 3, maybe Ms. Marvel if I pretend episode 5 doesn't exist (and I've heard Loki season 2 was also great, but that's another one I haven't seen yet). But the ratio of Big Deal Events to Just Another Marvel Thing has gotten much steeper. Between the movies and the Disney+ series, Marvel's cranking out more stuff than ever, but it hasn't been cranking out landmarks any faster than it used to. It's just shoving a lot more padding between the properties that really set the world on fire. And it's training the audience, unintentionally, to no longer associate the MCU with guaranteed smash successes every other weekend.

And I still like most of the MCU's current output! But I don't love it as much as some of its older stuff. Black Widow and Shang-Chi are good, but not quite great. Eternals I will defend to my dying breath, but it was destined for cult classic status. Love and Thunder I would argue is actually pretty fantastic, fuck you fight me, and Quantummania is fine, you guys, but I wouldn't die defending them the way I would, say, Iron Man 3. And as much as I enjoyed Hawkeye, Moon Knight and She-Hulk, you can only watch so much Pretty Good TV before it starts to feel like a chore.

This deluge of content hasn't resulted in tons of more Great Marvel Stuff. It's just resulted in tons of more Good, Okay, and Not That Great Actually Marvel Stuff. It's resulted in audiences feeling like you can't trust Marvel to regularly crank out classics that change the way you view superhero media. And it turns out, it gets a lot harder to justify spending so much time on such an overstuffed time-sink of a franchise when it can't guarantee you a steady stream of masterpieces on a regular basis.

Especially with so much more of it coming out now in such a painfully short timespan. Even in Marvel's busiest years, they used to max out at three movies per year and a couple spinoffs like the Netflix shows that you didn't need to watch to feel up to date. You went out to the movies a couple times a year and were basically guaranteed a good movie every time, and that was it. Now, though, with the Disney+ content, it feels like a constant battle to not fall behind, to keep up with tons of stuff you're just kind of enjoying to justify getting to the increasingly few nuggets of true gold. This stuff would need a track record just as good as the Phase 2/3 days to justify sitting through so much of it, and it just... doesn't. And the second you drop off from exhaustion, it's already roaring ahead and leaving you with too much to ever reasonably catch up on if you're not prepared for a couple days of heavy bingeing.

The shared universe model is fucking hard. Every studio's failed attempt to copy Marvel's playbook is a testament to that. The fact it even maintained its cultural domination as long as it did is nothing short of a miracle. Because it turns out, even being consistently good isn't enough to maintain the level of trust and engagement necessary for such a long haul. You need to be consistently excellent. You need audiences to come away from every other event singing your praises as the new gold standard of blockbuster cinema. And the second you can't maintain that standard anymore, all that goodwill slowly bleeds out as more and more people decide that the effort it takes to keep up with everything is no longer worth the reward.

Does the MCU recover from this? I don't know. At this point, what it needs to do more than anything is slow the fuck down instead of overloading audiences with too many shows and movies to keep up with. Maybe it's not the dominant cultural force anymore, but with a little patience and willingness to sacrifice quantity for quality, it can at least re-establish itself as a franchise worth sticking around for. Marvel used to be special; with a little luck, maybe it can be again.

[lovecatsys]

okay I don't expect anyone to rb this but u can if u want this is just a lil mini rant abt David now that I've read Academy X

When I first started reading New X-Men I was like huh this is Not the David I know but now that I've gotten through all of his major character development I think I really Get where Gillen was coming from with him and think he actually got David right. I don't agree with David being attracted to Teddy or Colossus even though Gillen seems to think that's his Type (it's not, his type is asshole speedsters lmao. Kieron, could you by chance be, projecting? Mayhaps?) and like. If I was going to make any of the OG 12 queer I would have done Brian, the most obvious answer, but he got killed off too quickly for that to happen lol. But it's okay because David is a bi icon now and we love that for him.

I do find it a little strange that he and Tommy got along so well at first after what Nori did to him, but hey, who's to say he didn't even realize how similar they were? and given the long time period between YA 2 and when Tommy and David were confirmed to be together, I think it's safe to say that David may have forgiven her, or at least gotten over her enough to overlook the similarities between her and Tommy by that time.

But yeah... since then the only thing I've really liked for David was Gillen's Thinkfast pride story and the voices infinity one focused on Tommy. The rest... it's either crumbs where they're just reduced to "Nerd boy and asshole bf" or its... Williams' X-Factor.

The biggest problem, obviously, with X-Factor was the Hatecrime. That was not Leah's story to tell, and of course it's been so long now that if David gets to be big in anything it's unlikely it will be acknowledged. Which it SHOULD BE. Now that she did that, we HAVE to acknowledge it in his story because that isn't something that David should just be able to walk away from. Ignoring it or pretending it didn't happen, at this point, just isn't okay.

My other main criticism with Williams' David is that, well... along with many of her other characters in this book, he's pretty much reduced to a memey, one dimensional, fragment of what he has been in the past. He's "Distinguished bi nerd boy" which... that has never been David, that has never been who he is.

I think David working in investigation is very interesting and obviously his powers are very useful for that, but I wish we could bring back David working in combat, because friendly reminder, he has the fighting skills of everyone he's ever come into contact with, even when he had lost his powers, after the Cuckoos gave him everything back, he could fight like fucking Wolverine, he had all of Kitty's ninja training in him. and now he has even more than that. He's incredibly skilled in hand to hand combat, and he's also just, beyond useful and powerful in so many ways.

Anyways. to wrap this up. Idk how long Gillen is going to stay with the X books but I wish he would write David again. I wish David was in something big, or long enough to be interesting, I wish he was on a team, maybe even leading a team. He was such a great leader for the New Mutants Squad? He didn't even have powers or the knowledge he had before losing them when he helped his team take down FUCKING NIMROD??? HELLO?? He should be so much more relevant than he is right now.

[masterwords]

la casita del perro

Summary: Hotch is spending his birthday on a case in Mexico and Derek shows up to help him celebrate the last of it. (Set during the first night they're in Mexico during Season 1 ep 19 - Machismo)

Pairing: Hotch/Morgan & Hotch/Haley...

Warnings: alcohol, sex, cheating

Words: 2.8k

Notes: I've been sitting on this story for a year. It fits right into this universe I haven't done anything with where Hotch & Morgan actually meet at SWAT training before they're with the BAU. I have a whole SWAT universe dreamed up and maybe this will make me actually write that because I'm obsessed with the idea and I've just been sitting on it. Anyway, my biggest cheerleader for this idea was @hogwartstoalexandria so I finally got off my ass and did something about it...happy (very late) birthday my friend! I love you to the moon and back times infinity.

Read on AO3: la casita del perro

***************

The microwave beeped at him in the same tone all of them did. It was comforting, no matter where he went, appliances in general were the same. Close enough anyway. The microwave was intuitive and simple, an older model, a little worse for the wear and definitely not as clean as he would prefer but it would heat his water all the same. Just hot water. Not for tea, not for anything other than plain old water.

His stomach hurt. Hot water always helped. There was something so simple and comforting about it.

This wasn't anything serious, just...well damn. It was his birthday for about another hour, Haley wasn't returning his calls and neither was Jessica. Haley was one thing. A wife did that sometimes. But Jess wasn't subject to the same playing field, so his mind raced. Did Haley tell her not to answer him too? Were they playing games with him? The way he got himself all worked up had, simply, made his stomach ache, twisting itself in all sorts of intricate knots. Hotch, call from the car. He heard Gideon's voice and he knew damn well he should have said something, stuck up for himself, anyone else would have...but no. He took it. He just nodded and did exactly that. Called his wife from the car and insisted he was sorry...but was he? Maybe not. He didn't know. There was that birthday banner and the cake and Jessica came all that way...but he'd never asked to celebrate his birthday. He explicitly told Haley he just wanted to sit home and do nothing.

“But it's your birthday,” she'd said softly, pleadingly, sweetly. And he was swayed very little for her efforts. “I'm exhausted. I just want to relax with my family and have a quiet day.”

And now, he was running on fumes. Jet-lagged, achy, sad. Deep inside, there was this small voice that told him there was a time difference to consider, and Jack was teething and probably troublesome, it wasn't likely they were actually ignoring him but this case was gruesome and the LEOs weren't exactly all playing nice, so maybe he was a little more sensitive than warranted. The young man in the holding cell had gotten to him, his sister sitting so protectively outside waiting, watching. Machismo, family. He felt sick. The water in his mug didn't even look appealing.

A soft knock at his door startled him. He glanced at the clock while he set the mug of steaming water on the dresser, right beside the wood paneled television.

“Derek...” he muttered quietly after looking first through the foggy peephole. The humidity in the room stuck in all of the nooks and crannies, around the edges of the television screen, making the carpet sticky and the peephole greyish. “It's late. You should be sleeping.” Outside, there was little humidity. The air was dust dry and coated your lungs. He coughed and stared hard at Derek illuminated by the oddly orange light that swung like a pendulum over him. He wasn't willing to budge.

“I could say the same about you...”

It was an endless stretching caustic moment spent wordless, both knowing where this was headed, both wanting and needing and a little afraid. Derek shifted and his shadow slid across the cobblestone sidewalk. “You gonna invite me in?”

“I don't know...it's late, and...”

“And nothin'. It's your birthday, man, and you've spent the whole thing in a foul mood. Now, I don't know what kinda sick joke it is, a guy like you getting to go back in time, getting an extra few hours of your birthday but I think it would be a shame to let it go to waste. I won't stay long.”

That was a lie. He'd stay until Hotch kicked him out, and that was the problem because Hotch rarely wanted to kick him out. If he opened the door all the way and let Derek in, that would seal up the rest of their night. He thought about saying no again, almost formed the words too, but he pulled the door inward instead of closing it and there came Derek across the threshold.

“Happy Birthday, old man,” Derek said, leaning forward for a kiss the minute that door was latched shut. He purred it more than said it, like a tiger licking its chops ready to pounce, and Hotch could smell the tequila fumes on his breath. Hotch let himself fall into it, take the bait hook line and sinker, and thought for a minute if he dared to suck Derek's tongue he might just be able to get a little tipsy himself. He smiled into the kiss.

It was possibly his first genuine smile that day, at least since the moment he'd come down the stairs to see Haley and Jessica so proud of their silly banner. It slipped his mind that he'd had a stomach ache, that no one was returning his calls, his entire world became utterly consumed by the taste of golden tequila and salt on Derek's tongue. He could have asked a million questions. Where he got the nearly finished bottle of tequila and how much of it he'd consumed, whether anyone had seen him come here, but every word died on his lips.

They didn't speak. That was part of the intrigue, the poetry, the deal. This was secret and secrets held power. The walls were thin, and Gideon was on one side, Reid on the other. Gideon's television blared through the thin wall, and Reid's shower was running against the other. Elle was close by and would likely wander past the curtained window more than once, she and Derek both sharing a penchant for the nightlife. He thought about JJ's comment on the jet, about spending his birthday in Mexico and how irritated he'd been by her attempt at making light of his miserable pissed off family. Maybe she was right, though, in ways she would never have predicted.

Sweat glued his cotton undershirt to his skin, and the damp material landed with a slap against the wicker chair in the corner. The way Derek tore at his clothes, it was a wonder they all came away in one piece. It looked like he'd been mauled by a bear by the time they were both sweat soaked bodies writhing on the bed, his hair a sweat tangled mess and Derek's hands digging tight into the flesh of his hips. With little grace, without looking, Derek swiped at the tequila bottle he'd brought with him and gulped some down quickly while Hotch watched his adams apple bob up and down greedily. Afterward, without any warning, he upended the bottle and trickled the honey gold liquid over Hotch's lips and down his eager throat. It burned, warmed his already overheating insides, and slammed into the ache in his belly taking it out completely. Whatever had been there disappeared on the wave of agave wonder and he licked the droplets from his lips before asking for one more.

Just one more. He wasn't a drinker, but the way it made him float and smile beneath Derek made him greedy. And he was rewarded for his greed with a tequila soaked kiss, another gulp, and then the bottle was tossed onto the carpeted floor and they wrapped tight around one another. Stifled moans and slippery hands, tangled sheets wrapping around twisted ankles. The bed squeaked, rusted dusty springs inside the mattress shouting out their deeds so they threw the sheets in a heap to the floor and fell into them gladly. Didn't matter where so long as it was quiet.

He didn't have any reservations about this arrangement, not anymore. At first it felt dangerous and a little wild, but Haley had insisted so long ago that he try new things. And it just so happened that he met someone he happened to like quite a lot during his SWAT training. First Derek gave him a run for his money at marksmanship, and then in the bedroom. Ten months was a long time, and he managed to become a little more than safely attached...but he let it go when the time came, just the same, even if a chunk of his heart had gone missing after. He went back to Haley as promised, ready to give it another go. They'd been having trouble. A lot of it. And this really didn't help, not even a little, but he'd agreed because she said it was worth a try. “Ten months is a long time to be alone, we should both try something new.” It sounded absurd to him, and like something he didn't need, he could spend ten months alone...or so he'd thought. Haley, he'd always known, understood relationships better than he did.

But he realized that wasn't it at all, that wasn't why she'd called for the break and when he realized what it actually was...he found it a little easier to find one of his own.

It was just that she'd found someone she wanted to have some fun with, so she needed to afford him the luxury of the same. Once he figured that out, the world became a little clearer and a little sharper. Still, he'd said goodbye and he was finished. Until Gideon chose the person he'd taken to bed all those years before to fill the void in the BAU left by David Rossi's departure. “Derek Morgan, do you know him? Looks like he trained for SWAT the same time you did...what do you think?” He played it cool while his heart slammed into its cage and alarm bells went off...say no, say no, say no his brain told his lips, but he couldn't lie to Gideon. And he certainly wouldn't cost a man a job, his dream job, over some hot nights in a squeaky dorm room bed. “Yes, we met. He'd be an excellent fit. His experiences are unique and would bring a new perspective we haven't had before.” Haley knew the name, too, and she'd given him a knowing look. The kind that said be careful, but she never had to say it aloud. He knew.

She watched though. And some part of her knew he couldn't help himself. He'd fallen hard, like he always did...Hotch never did anything halfway, not even a fling. But he always came home to her, and treated her just the same as always. He kissed her just as sweetly and told her he loved her in all the same ways he used to. He'd started to pull away as the job got harder, as he took on more responsibility, that sweetness was fading until Derek showed up. Now he called her two or three times a day again, he brought her flowers when he was gone too long. It was like he had to lead two separate lives, though. And she came to understand the strange role that Derek played in his life. Partner in more ways than one.

Sometimes, when she poured a glass of icy chardonnay and ate dinner on her own, she wondered what life would look like if he didn't have Derek there to blow off all that steam with. If Derek didn't absorb all the world's ugly so she didn't have to see it, if he didn't take that swirl of agony in her husband and turn it into something soft for her. She recognized the need, but she didn't like it. And he didn't either, not really. He knew he should be able to do this on his own. Deal with the job, the ugly parts of it that weighed on his soul, without needing Derek to filter it out for him.

But Derek needed it too. It was a two way street. For Derek, there was a level of trust there between them that he needed so completely...he liked to play the field, but he was careful, too careful, and Hotch knew better than to ask questions. He only knew that what he provided was safety and security. A home base, someone he could rely on.

It was mutually beneficial, this meeting between the sheets. This collision of souls. And they didn't fool themselves into wondering about things like love, they didn't have that luxury. All they had was this.

But right now, for the last half hour of his birthday, this was enough. It was better than enough.

“You should go,” he whispered into the warmth behind Derek's ear when they finished. They couldn't shake the sweat, they were overheating, drenched and slick and smiling up at the ceiling from their pile of blankets on the floor. “Before we get a call.”

“How about a shower first?”

The shower was hot, too hot, but still felt good. Cleansed them with fire. And they kissed deeper, arms dripping and wrapping tight around one another until their ribs became one cage and Hotch could feel Derek's heart slamming against his sternum. Something was wrong. “Hotch,” Derek whispered against his eager lips, and his voice sounded remorseful. “We need to stop this. Things with Haley are bad, I know it...”

“Stop...please...” Hotch whisper gasped, his eyes fluttering, shutting tight what he knew might soon be tears. “Don't.”

“No just listen, please. You need to focus on your marriage. You got a kid now, man. Haley's been really cool, way cooler than either of us have a right to...but I see the way she looks at me when I drop you off now...like I'm wrecking her family. I think maybe I am.”

“What if I say it isn't you, it's me?” Hotch asked, smirking with tears in his lashes. Somehow he knew that Derek wouldn't be fooled, would know the difference between tears and shower water. He couldn't hide here. And he also knew, without a doubt, that once Derek said something it was already done. He wouldn't come knocking at his door anymore. He'd given it all the thought he needed to before even showing up tonight. How long, Hotch couldn't say, but that tequila had been more than just a birthday surprise, it was courage in a bottle to do what needed doing.

“Thing is, this thing we've got...it's a little too real for me. And I can't let myself go there. Thinking maybe I'm in love with you, that you might be in love with me back. That being with you feels a little too comfortable, like home. Fuck. You're married and you love your wife. And I love my job. This will eventually ruin everything so it's better we just...call it now. It's been a fucking blast. Best time of my life.” He smiled desperately, sad and sweet and Hotch couldn't look at it for too long.

The worst part was that it sounded right to him, too. A punch to the gut, he didn't feel good about it at all, but it felt right.

And that hurt worst of all. Because he did love Haley, and he did want to make that work. For her, for Jack, for the vows he took in earnest. But if he was being honest, he loved Derek too and didn't that count for anything? He supposed not. Maybe in another life, another time, so he nodded and reached behind him blind to shut off the water at the source.

As Derek reached for the door handle, dried and clean and ready to head back out into the balmy night, he turned around to glance at Hotch putting his mug of water back into the microwave. “That's from a bottle, right? Not the tap?”

“Yes,” Hotch replied without looking at him. He'd listened to the front desk person when she said not to drink from the tap with his weak American stomach. “I got it from the police station.”

“Good. Hey, Aaron?” He waited until Hotch actually looked at him, met his eyes like smoldering embers in the dim hotel room. “You know I meant what I said, right? This has been the best time of my life. I'll miss it like hell.”

Hotch let a ragged smile drift over his tired features. He held onto the tears, though. Derek didn't need to see that. Not after he'd worked so hard to get through this without spilling any of his own. “I know.” He paused, waiting for the sound of the microwave beep. His stomach hurt again. “Me too. See you at the station in the morning.”

Derek laughed at the absurd truth of the statement. He'd never broken up with someone and been happy to say he'd see them the next morning. This was definitely going to be hard, showing up every day and looking without touching. But he smiled and he decided he was up for the challenge. Who knows, maybe he'd fail, he'd have one bad day and the need would be too strong and what was the worst that would happen anyway? “Yeah. Bright and early. I'll grab the coffee.”

[esmorothfallen]

KNOWING YOUR PARTNER WELL CAN POTENTIALLY MAKE WRITING TOGETHER A LOT EASIER. REPOST.

name: color!!

pronouns: she/her

preference of communication: if you have it and you're comfortable adding me, i much prefer talking on discord!! tumblr ims are kind of clunky and hard to deal with imo.

name of muse: simon laurent!

rp experience / how long: i have about twelve years of roleplay experience. i started on roblox when i was around eight, and gradually worked my way up from there. as for tumblr roleplay experience specifically, i don't remember, but probably 5+ years.

best experience: the period when the infinity train rpc was active was my best period for tumblr roleplay, i think. it was a small rpc, but that also made it more chill, and i really enjoyed it. i miss my infinity train rpc mutuals a lot, but i know how it goes. switching to other fandoms, getting too busy, getting burned out on tumblr roleplay. all of that happened to me too.

rp pet peeves / deal breakers: pretty much just what's listed in my rules for deal breakers. for pet peeves, i am a bit of a stickler for grammar, lol. not that big of a deal in the long run, though.

fluff, angst, or smut: okay well first of all i don't do smut at all. i'm majorly uncomfortable with nsfw content in general. with that out of the way though!! my best genre is definitely angst. it doesn't have to be pure angst, mind you. but tooth-rotting fluff is very hard to write for me. albeit i am currently writing a muse that's hard to do that with anyway, so y'know. kind of comes with the territory!! i will do slice of life threads, i've gotten better at those than i used to be, but there's always gonna be some level of angst involved even if it's not the main focus.

plot or memes: i'm down for either, actually! i'm not the best at coming up with ideas, admittedly, so i do struggle a bit with plotting sometimes. but i'm trying!! and i've been doing a little better at it than i was, to the point that i'd actually like to do a little plotting with all of my roleplay partners if we can. at least enough that i have a concrete idea of what kinds of interactions you're interested in. memes as first interactions are fine too, though! just so long as you're comfy with me deciding based on my own discretion what verse to use and other things like that.

long or short replies: on your end or mine? lol. i'll always write at least a paragraph (unless i'm specifically posting a one-line starter), but most times my minimum is 3-4. that said, sometimes i go crazy and write much more, from 11-20 paragraphs. so i'm kind of all over the place there. as for your end, i don't mind how long your reply or starter is, as long as you give me enough to work with! i'm not a stickler for matching length. i also don't force myself to match length exactly if i can't think of anything else to add. i'll never give you a drastically shorter reply, but i won't stress over it if it's a paragraph or two short of yours.

best time to write: ridiculously late o'clock, for some darn reason!!! my writing motivation is ALWAYS the highest right before i go to bed and it drives me absolutely crazy because i don't have time to get anything done. but if i don't finish it and try to go back to it the next day, my motivation is much lower, and i end up staring at it for so long that i start overthinking it and want to rewrite the whole thing. head in hands. i'm such a coherent roleplayer.

are you like your muse: LOL i hope not!!! not this one, anyway. i used to write noelle holiday from deltarune, and i think that's the closest i've ever gotten to really seeing myself in a muse. there's a lot about noelle that i relate to. but simon? no, not really. i just have a thing for complex villains with tragic backstories.

tagged by: @countlessrealities! thank you for the tag! tagging: @dreamsofalife, @cauterisen, @rathalascendant, @rxtroskull! and anyone else who wants to do it.

[spooky-pens]

I posted 3,172 times in 2022

That's 1,134 more posts than 2021!

8 posts created (0%)

3,164 posts reblogged (100%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@peppapigvevo

@heartsnbruises

@stupidbeecandle

@lemonade-cat

@sparkle-hotdog

I tagged 75 of my posts in 2022

#monster high - 11 posts

#infinity train - 5 posts

#human resources - 5 posts

#shinbone alley - 4 posts

#art - 4 posts

#draculaura - 3 posts

#steven universe - 3 posts

#creepover party - 3 posts

#monster high g3 - 3 posts

#my art - 3 posts

Longest Tag: 129 characters

#i didn’t say anything about gender or money being social constructs so i don’t know why you’re telling me this but i already know

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Much like G3 Draculaura, G3 Frankie has gotten a lot of static because they are nonbinary. I'm non-binary and I claim Frankie.

And quite frankly, I can't think of a monster more suited to be Non-binary than a simulacrum like Frankie is and others have said so more eloquently than I. I love this child and I am so grateful to see Mattel giving the community a character that falls under the trans umbrella.

I had a blast drawing them and I may be passive aggressively ignoring Paramounts new "rules" that Monster High's Frankie can't have neck bolts or be green. your copyright rules have no power over me!

49 notes - Posted August 13, 2022

#4

Much like G3 Draculaura and G3 Frankie, G3 Clawdeen has faced some backlash, mostly because she has glasses now but also because she is mixed, Her Father is human and her Mother is a werewolf. something very taboo in the Monster High universe.

As for her glasses I think they are cute! Wolves are notoriously colorblind so her needing glasses makes sense. However, Mattel gave her the most boring basic frames they could think of, She's a WEREWOLF! and Half Moon glasses are a thing! so I gave her a pair. Her pupils are also slits now which is weird because that's a cat thing, not a dog thing.

But it's my art so I make the rules.

Creepover Draculaura

Creepover Frankie

55 notes - Posted August 19, 2022

#3

See the full post

166 notes - Posted August 9, 2022

#2

The trailer for the Monster High movie just dropped. Now seems like a good time to show off my new Monster High necklaces! The charms are lipglosses! I’m making more! Available to buy soon!

241 notes - Posted July 15, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

I've never been much of a Draculaura fan until everyone and their mom came for her weight in the G3 dolls.

Now I'm on the G3 Draculaura defense squad.

And I drew my baby to reflect that. I'm really in love with their Creepover Party outfits! I had a blast drawing this.

243 notes - Posted August 11, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[ssamie]

eight. i’m calling the police

oikawa tooru x fem langa!reader

(hq x sk8 the infinity)

warnings: spelling mistakes, swearing, 2k+ words, adam, u have langa’s blue hair sorry 

gen masterlist.            “snow” masterlist.

"we're sorry!" the three boys exclaimed

"why are you sorry?" she asked in confusion as she stared down at them with furrowed brows "it wasn't your faults, oikawa-san, matsukawa-kun and hanamaki-kun." she reassured them "and you've been apologising the whole day.. its not like you need to anyways" 

"no, we still feel guilty" hanamaki chuckled "since it was our idea in the first place"

"well i was the one who skated so its fine. you don't need to apologise" she smiled at them

"but you're so sad!" oikawa groaned out dramatically "you look so heartbroken!" 

"im really not" she sweatdropped

"will you forgive us if we kneel down?" they asked "we already are, just in case!" y/n sweat dropped as she peered down at their grovelling forms and shook her head. "please don't kneel for me" she said

"its fine. i think i'll manage a few days without it" she said

"so why's your eyes all puffy?" iwaizumi deadpanned

"i cried" she replied with a straight face

"i see." iwaizumi hummed.

"hey, y/n-senpai!" kindaichi called out from the gym. "i think this is yours!" she looked up at him with a look of confusion ran over to where he stood. "what is it?" she asked 

"its your skateboard." kindaichi replied "it's in the gym for some reason" he said. y/n's eyes sparkled as she picked it up and hugged it to her chest. "wow! did you get it back?" she asked him 

"ah no.. it was just there when we entered the gym. kunimi found it" he said as he pointed towards kunimi who was too busy looking at his phone 

"thank you!" she beamed at them 

"no problem. maybe the teacher decided to give it back" he said 

she grinned and happily inspected it for damage just in case. though her smile quickly fell as her eyes trained themselves on a card plastered across the snow monster design's face. she plucked it off and wearily read over the neat letters written in gold ink. 

"you'll need this for later.. " she read with furrowed brows

she flipped the card over and paled as she saw the name that was signed. "love, adam" she shuddered 

"who's adam?" oikawa asked as he peered over her shoulder to read the card 

"um. he's-" she was cut off by the gym lights suddenly shutting off, causing her to jump in surprise. "what happened?" she asked oikawa, who shrugged in response and held her closer to him 

"my eve~" a voice cooed, accompanied by what seems like a sigh of delight and pleasure

she shivered and subconsciously backed up into oikawa's chest as she recognized the voice. "hey, what's wrong? you know that creep?" oikawa asked with a frown 

"its adam." she said 

everyone watched in confusion as the mysterious man entered the gym in an unnecessarily dramatic way. a red carpet rolled from the outside until the spot where y/n stood, and the gym lights turned on but were dimmed. 

"i hope you like my little gift" adam cooed as he skated towards her with a grin "you'll need i for what i have in store, as stated in my letter" he said 

y/n didn't answer but simply looked at him with a grimace, silently praying to whatever god out there that he just trips and dies or something. 

"though i have another gift for you, SNOW" he cooed as he came to a halt before her. adam grinned as he pulled out a huge bouquet of roses "these flowers are red, which symbolise one thing.." he said

"passionate love" adam cooed as he held it before her, making the petals fly around and making her hair sway. 

oikawa blinked once, and twice. he looked at the masked man in both fear and ick. just who the hell as he, anyways? "hey-what the?! aren't you like thirty?!" oikawa accidentally blurted out as he pulled y/n away 

adam simply ignored the brunette and kept his eyes trained on the girl. he waited patiently for her to accept the flowers. 

y/n pursed her lips and reluctantly took it from him. "thanks." she said. 

"you're accepting that??" oikawa groaned out as he looked at her in dread and confusion. 

she shrugged and gently placed the bouquet on a random bench. "adam--" she cut herself off with a squeak as she felt his hands gently grip her waist and pull her closer 

"come to this location i picked out." he whispered into her ear as he handed her another card. y/n stiffly nodded and quickly snatched the card from him, wanting nothing more than to get out of that situation.

"amazing!" adam exclaimed as he, finally, pulled away from her. "you never fail to entertain me, SNOW." he grinned "i knew coming here will be worth my while" he chuckled. 

"ah. right.." she muttered as she looked at him weirdly "wait, did you follow me?" she asked with a raised brow as the realisation finally dawned upon her. 

"other factors do not matter, my eve" adam mused as he took her hand in his and grabbed her hip with his other. "meet me later and let us dance like old times, okay?" he cooed with a smirk 

she looked away in discomfort and reluctantly nodded her head. "right.." she mumbled 

the boys, who were standing right there to witness the whole thing, looked at each other with a look that embodied the term 'what the fuck' and mentally agreed to step up and help her. 

"excuse me." iwaizumi cleared his throat, making adam side eye him with a look of disinterest 

"who are you and what are you doing with y/n?" he asked as he placed his hand on y/n's shoulder to try and pull her free from his grasp. "let go" oikawa said with a scowl as he pried adam's hands off her

"who are these nuisances, my eve?" adam asked her as he completely ignored their presence. "i thought i've already gotten rid of that redhead, and yet new names will be added into the list" adam hummed with a smile 

y/n gulped as she took note of the faint hostility behind his tone. "they're my friends." she said as she backed away from him and into oikawa’s arms once again 

"i'll meet you for a beef later but that's all" she said as she turned away from him "after that, please leave, adam." she requested with a sigh as she picked up the bouquet and her bag 

she gathered the boys and pushed them all out of the gym, quickly ushering them to run off along with her. she looked back one last time, only to be met with adam's eyes which seemed to be comically glowing red under his mask, paired with a grin 

she gulped and set him a curt nod. "bye" she said 

"goodbye, my eve" adam cooed as he watched her run off to the boys 

"hey hey! what the hell was that?!" oikawa exclaimed as he hugged y/n tightly in his arms "that creepy mask man came out of nowhere!" he said "and why'd he start touching you?" 

"yeah, who was that?" iwaizumi asked her

"his name is adam, or atleast that's what we call him" she replied "he's just like that, don't mind him" 

"uh no, i think i'm gonna mind him, thanks very much" oikawa scoffed "what did you mean when you asked if he followed you?" he asked with furrowed brows 

"oh.. well there's no other way he would've known i was here" she replied as she leaned back against his chest 

"also, oikawa-san.." she trailed off

"yeah?" he hummed 

"why are you still holding me?" 

oikawa blinked and slowly retracted his arms with a hint of reluctance. "haha, sorry" he chuckled 

"why does he call you eve?" matsukawa sweat dropped. "it has something to do with his name. adam, and eve.. like lovers" she answered with a look of distaste 

"..." 

iwaizumi let out a sigh before pulling out his phone and dialling a number. "im calling the police." he said 

"ah, don't do that" she waved her hands dismissively "i don't think that'll do much anyways" 

"well, he's clearly sick in the head so maybe they'll take him somewhere else other than jail" matsukawa mused. "ya know.." hanamaki chimed in "like the psych ward or something" 

"well when you put it like that.." y/n sweat dropped 

oikawa had a frown on his lips as they chatted. he wasn't joining in like he usually would, and was simply thinking to himself. y/n side eyed him and nudged him with her shoulder. "would you like to have dinner together, oikawa-san?" she asked him 

oikawa's eyes widened as his head instantly snapped over to hers "what?!" he spluttered "did you just ask me out?" 

"... i asked if you wanted to have dinner" she said 

oikawa bit back his tongue as he yearned to say 'that's the same thing!' but fought against it. "ah, sure!" he agreed with a grin. she smiled back and nodded. "great. i needed to stop thinking about adam" she said 

"also, will you guys come with me later?" she asked them 

the boys raised laughed and immediately nodded. "well, i was going to tell you not to go but.. i guess it'll be fine with us there" iwaizumi said. "yeah. if that dude does something sketchy, i'll seriously call 911" hanamaki laughed 

"oh, you can't." she said. "or else you and i will get involved. the skating i do isnt really appreciated by legal forces." she chuckled nervously 

"what?" 

"its kind of illegal." 

"...y/n.." iwaizumi trailed off with a sigh. 

"no way?! cool!" oikawa exclaimed as he gave her a high five. "it is, isn't it?!" she grinned as she and oikawa laughed together 

"jesus christ." iwaizumi deadpanned 

"that dinner was great!" she grinned as she sent oikawa a thumbs up 

"ah you're right.." he agreed with a meek laugh. "though it would've been better without them." he muttered as he sent the iwaizumi, maki, and mattsun a glare 

"oh cmon captain!" hanamaki mused "you love us!" he laughed. "no i don't" oikawa huffed and crossed his arms. 

"well, i love you guys" y/n interjected with an innocent smile

oikawa jumped and hastily waved his arms about. "no! no you don't!" he exclaimed. "why.. why not?" she sweat dropped 

"that should be saved for a special someone!" he said "cough. me. cough." 

"you're right!" y/n beamed with a grin "like reki!" 

oikawa dramatically sulked, kicking rocks by his feet and muttering under his breath as a gloomy aura surrounds him. "reki this reki that. why is it always reki? hmp" he muttered bitterly to himself 

iwaizumi sweat dropped and simply dragged him along "shut up, shittykawa. this is just getting sad" he said. "also, y/n where exactly are we going?" iwaizumi asked her as he looked around the dark and unsettling part of the woods they have entered 

"adam said he set up a course for us tonight" she answered with a shrug as she pushed her way through random bushes "it has to be hidden but we're very close, don't worry." she reassured 

"that's the problem. we're close." iwaizumi sighed. "just so you know, im still against this whole thing" 

"don't worry iwaizumi-san! it'll be fun!" y/n said with a grin as she pushed through one last bush, revealing a bright light from behind. 

"ah, there she is!"

y/n covered her eyes as a bright light shone against her "my eve!" adam announced followed by multiple cheers and shouts

"what the hell..?" matsukawa muttered as he looked around the abandoned looking part of the forest which was littered with skaters cheering and watching. "what the hell is this place?" she muttered as she recognised a few faces from S "is this S..?"

"my eve" adam cooed as he skated towards her "do you like it?"

"i've gathered everyone here to see you skate!" he exclaimed "everyone has missed you. but not as much as me" adam grinned as he tucked a single rose between her ear, making her shudder and warily poke at the flower.

"is reki here?" she asked with widened eyes as she looked around for a certain redhead

"that boy is not needed, is he not?" adam rebutted with a scowl "so there was no need to invite him."

her face fell at the statement and peered up at him with a frown. "don't say that about him.." she muttered

adam hummed and lit up a cigarette. "if emotions could be seen by the eye, what shapes would they be?" he mused

y/n brows furrowed as he listened to him. "i believe it will be a spring. and that spring will have different amounts of water depending on the occasion." he said "my spring is currently completely dry. because i don't have even one millimeter of interest in that.. reki..." he said with a grimace 

"but you.." adam trailed off as he threw the cigar away. 

he skated towards her and grinned, encaging her in a bubble her as he skates around her. "good.. you're good.." he said with a sigh of pleasure 

"it flows out... it gushes out!" adam exclaimed 

"that's right. the prize of this bet shall be you!" he announced as he gripped her waist and pulled her closer to him so their chest were touching "and what shall you ask for if you win, little y/n?" adam cooed as he tilted his head with a grin 

y/n sheepishly looked away from him and muttered. "if i win.. you have to go back and leave me alone.." she said 

adam's smile momentarily fell. he then grinned and nodded along. "what a cruel request" he mused "but if that is what you want then so be it.." he chuckled 

"but that just means i have to win no matter what, right?" 

y/n looked at him with dread. she didn't answer but simply turned away from him and faced the boys. "hey, i think we should leave" oikawa suggested with a nervous laugh "that guy is crazy!" 

"and what's with this place? i thought for sure he'd just bring you to a skatepark or something" he said as he eyes the various skaters who were chatting along 

"you'll see oikawa-san." 

everyone watched in anticipation as the lights blink one by one, a buzzing sound acting as a count down for them. as the last ringing of the buzzer filled the air, both adam and y/n skated off.

"holy shit" matsukawa cursed in surprise

they had done so in immense speed and force, that they'd even left some skid marks and a trail of dust and rubble behind

"yeah! go SNOW!" "im betting on you, SNOW!!" "SNOW you better win!"

oikawa watched with widened eyes as the crowd around them cheered and hollered, shouting her alias along with some encouragement. "snow?" oikawa hummed in confusion "is that like a nickname or something?" he muttered

"yes. we like to keep our personal lives apart from our skating activities." a guy chimed in "and that includes our given names, so we make up aliases or nicknames, as you said."

oikawa looked up at the man with a mask and nervously chuckled "i see." he said "what's your name then, sir?" he asked, only to quickly correct himself "or ma'am? uh-"

"cherry." he answered

cherry looked oikawa up and down and brought his eyes up to the screen displaying y/n and adam. "also im a guy." he said with a sigh. "ah right, sorry" oikawa chuckled

"its the hair isn't it?" a new voice cooed followed by a laugh 

oikawa watched as cherry sighed and irritably glare at the green haired guy that skated towards them. 

"sup kid" joe greeted with a nod "i heard you came with our rookie over there" he mused as he stared up at the girl through the screen. "im joe. im a friend of hers" he said with a grin as he held his hand out for him to shake. "cherry here is too" 

"oikawa tooru" oikawa said as he accepted the hand shake "im also her friend" he smiled at them 

"stop talking and watch. she brought you here so you better make the most of it" cherry interrupted their conversation 

"right.." oikawa nodded 

"YEAH GO SNOW!" "she's speeding up!" "ADAM's totally catching up though!" 

oikawa's eyes glistened in wonder and amazement as he watched her sharply turn a corner and flip her board around, using the edge to balance herself from the steep curve of the concrete. 

"its here!" adam exclaimed in delight 

y/n turned back with a cautious gaze as she watched in partial dread and confusion as adam does some type of dance as he skates. though she wouldn't lie, it was kid of impressive for him to keep his balance. but still.. 

" here, here! right in my heart!" adam exclaimed with a light squeal, continuing to dance and spin around, only making her dread what was to come next even more. 

"now, little y/n.." adam cooed as he suddenly appeared behind her to grab her waist and drag her closer to him, causing their boards to bump. 

"dance with me!" he said with a grin as he took her hand and maneuvered their way through the curves and turns of the course 

"what the..?! that's dangerous! shouldnt this be against the rules or something?!" oikawa exclaimed as he watched the scene play out in fear 

"no. there are no rules when it comes to S." cherry explained. "it may be dangerous but, the moment she agreed to the beef was her brushing off the consequences she may face." 

oikawa gulped and look back up, watching on distaste as adam spreads her feet to make her lose her balance 

iwaizumi, matsukawa and hanamaki's expressions were just about the same. they didn't really know what they were expecting when she brought them here but it surely wasn't this. 

adam chuckled as he pushed her, making her stumble and almost fall off, only for him to catch her by the small of her back and dipping her as if it was a dance. 

"okay, this is going too far.." iwaizumi muttered as they watched her expression through the screen 

y/n gritted her teeth as she glared up at him, only for adam to smile at her in amusement. 

"y/n.." oikawa muttered with a frown as he felt the worry build up inside of him 

"we're approaching a big corner now!" adam taunted her. he intertwined their hands and grinned mischievously as he lifted her up and started spinning her around. "here we go!" he exclaimed with a laugh

it was a total contrast to her screams of pure dread and adrenaline, tightly gripping his hands so she wouldn't fall and injure herself 

"this is so fun, SNOW!" adam cooed as she finally was able to place her feet back on her board, although they were still spinning 

everyone watched as the camera zoomed in on them, showing her widened eyes and gritted teeth as she stared up at adam, who was smiling tauntingly at her. "oh? is something the matter?" adam cooed "please don't tell me youre scared." 

it seems everyone, including adam was pleasnatly surprised as a small but noticeable smirk carved itself onto her lips. maybe it was adrenaline, but it seemed like it was out of enjoyment as well. after all, it's been a while since she's skated properly against someone. 

y/n grinned as she narrower the space between them, pushing herself against him as she took turn to maneuver them against the turn 

"she narrowed the turn radius to speed up" joe said as he stared up at the screen with a proud and amused smile "still the same as always" 

the boys looked at him and gulped. they had no idea what was happening whatsoever, except for the fact that she can literally die or injure herself with one wrong move. 

"love-love-love-lovely!" adam exclaimed with a laugh "wonderful!". y/n panted as she pulled away and finally managed to get a grip of her board once again 

"he's gonna do the love hug" a new voice filled the air 

the boys whipped their heads around to see a redhead rushing towards the scene with two other guys, one younger. 

"love hug..?" oikawa tilted his head in confusion as he peered down at the vaguely familiar redhead. though his attention was averted back to the screen as the atmosphere seemed to have grown heavier 

adam was grinning as he spun back around, spreading his arms as he looked at her through his mask. "come here.. into my arms!" adam cooed "love hug!" 

"Y/N!!" reki exclaimed as he shifted anticipatingly in his place, dropping his own board in the process 

as comical as it was, she somehow managed to hear his scream. maybe it was because everyone else was quiet due to suspense. but reki's voice echoed throughout the cleared out forest loud enough for her to hear. 

"reki..?" y/n spluttered as she immediately jumped over adam, performing what looks to be a snowboarding trick. she stayed in the air for longer as she eyed the area she planned to land. 

"YEAH! GO SNOW!" cheers erupted among the audience, filling the tense air with noise yet again. 

"she did it!" reki grinned as he watched her through the screen 

"reki?" oikawa mumbled with widened eyes as he looked at the redhead with a new sense of intimidation and wariness. though his eyes were quickly averted back to the scene before him. as unexpected as it was, he'd still rather focus on y/n skating rather than some kid he didn't know. 

"adam's not having it." cherry sighed as he watch adam try to keep up with her speed but struggle due to the advantage she had received

"she's gonna win!" reki grinned as he watched the two skate in anticipation

and just as he had predicted, loud screeching of her board's tires were heard as she passed over the finish line. "ah-ah shit!-" she cursed as she lost her balance and toppled over, causing her to wince in pain 

"ouch.." she sighed as she sat up on the ground, rubbing her head and checking her board for damage since the course was rockier than usual 

"y/n-chan!" oikawa exclaimed as he, along with the three boys rushed over to her, given that the finish line was a few yards away from them. "oikawa-san!" she faced him with a grin as she opened her arms for him to drop into "i won!" she said

"i know! you were so cool!" oikawa gushed as he stared up at her in admiration

"ehem." iwaizumi cleared his throat

"oh right." oikawa muttered. "but that was really dangerous!" he scolded her, a total contrast to his reaction before. "are you injured? your hand is probably wounded with how much you skidded it against the rocks!"

she smiled sheepishly and shook her head "im fine, oikawa-san" she reassured him "my hands and feet are kind of sore but it's alright"

"also.. was reki here? i heard him" she asked as she looked around the place, trying to find the redhead 

"i've lost" adam said as he stopped before her 

"you.. you do remember what my request was right?" she asked him with a wary gaze. "of course, my eve" adam mused. "i'm not very happy with it, as you may know" 

she looked down at her shoes and gave him a quick bow "sorry." she said "but a bet is a bet. and i won." y/n looked up at him and sent him a faint ghost of a smile. "it was fun skating with you, adam. but you have to distance yourself from me.." 

adam gazed at her with pursed lips, not looking too amused about the situation, but nodded nonetheless. "im glad i've left you satisfied, my eve" he cooed as he took her hand in his and placed a quick peck onto her knuckles 

the boys around her sweat dropped as they witnessed the strange and awfully uncomfortable interaction. "right well.." iwaizumi cleared his throat as he hesitantly pushed them apart. "we'll be going now." he said "this place is dangerous and you shouldn't really be making her participate in reckless things like this. do better sir." 

y/n smiled at him and chuckled as he dragged her away along with the others, more that eager to leave that place. 

"you're never skating ever again." iwaizumi said to break the silence 

"what?! no way!" she whined "didn't you see that iwaizumi-san? it was so fun!" 

"that guy was a creep and you were on the verge of dying." 

"well.. it was fun though" she huffed as she realised she couldn't even disagree with his statement 

"well, i think it looked fun" oikawa whispered to her with a cheeky wink, making her chuckle and suppress a smile 

"anyways.." she started as they had finally reached the exit of the forest. "i asked you before but.. was reki there? i heard him" she said 

"reki? well..." oikawa hesitated as he nervously looks around the place. "was he there, oikawa-san?" she asked him with an innocent smile 

"he-" 

"Y/N I FOUND YOU!!" 

i just used the whole beef langa had w adam on ep.5 here lol </3

sorry for the spelling /grammar mistakes if there are any :> 

[chronicallylatetotheparty]

Fractured Foundation: Chat Blanc

Summary: Since his own akumatization Chat Noir has been the perfect partner. Never questioning, never distracting, never asking for anything at all...

So, why wasn't it enough?

Ch.1 Double Standards

Chat Noir does everything right... But Adrien is still wrong.

---------------

Ladybugs swirled around him as Chat Noir came back to himself. Scanning his surroundings Chat Noir saw Ladybug helping who he assumed was a de-akumatized Backwarder.

Oh. It was over. The last thing he remembered was-

"Sorry about this Chat Noir."

... A push from behind. His heart spiking in fear. Backwarder's clock hand striking his chest.

"Chat?"

Looking up, Chat Noir held up his fist from touching the spot he was hit. He smiled at her "Bien joue, Ladybug."

"...Yeah. Bien joue." She bumped his fist and shook her head. "I need to go. Bug out!"

Vaulting over Paris, Chat Noir realized he never found out why the old lady was akumatized. But it didn't matter. All that mattered was that Ladybug won...

Adrien came out of the train's bathroom just as Gabriel did the same. Stiffening at the sight of his father, Adrien gave a slight nod and hurried to his seat. Heartbeat pounding far faster than when he was fighting Backwarder.

Kagami glanced at Adrien and he smiled reassuringly before putting his headphones in. At least he wouldn't have to sit through another lecture from Master Fu this time. Seeing as he'd be in London for the weekend.

Adrien would be in London for the weekend. No Fu, no Papillon, no Chat Noir. The thought made him feel... lighter. Taking his headphones out he turned to Kagami. "Is this your first time going to London?"

"No. Mother has taken me on several other business trips to familiarize myself with the company holdings." Kagami refocused her attention on Adrien. "But I can't say I've been sightseeing."

"Really? What do you want to see first?" Adrien fell into the ease of speaking with Kagami. Let himself enjoy this small moment of normalcy compared to the glorious disillusion of the akuma battle. Leaving Backwarder and Paris behind as the train accelerated.

----------------

Chat Noir soared over the rooftops. Grinning as the wind blew through his hair. For the first time in... he didn't know how long his heart raced with joy after a battle. He was useful! Sure he had to sacrifice himself so Ladybug could beat Gamer 2.0 but still!

Landing with a flip onto the designated rooftop he waited for Master Fu to show. Just like he did after (almost) every akuma attack. Except this time Chat Noir wasn't dreading it. This time-

The door opened as Master Fu stepped out.

"Master! Did you see... What's wrong?"

Master Fu held a stern expression. "Why did you not talk to Ladybug about what you intended?"

Chat's ears drooped as he pulled in on himself, enthusiasm forgotten. "Wh-what?"

"You sacrificed yourself without speaking to her first!" Master Fu sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Ladybug might have come up with an alternative."

"But... I..."

"At the very least you should have let her know before you act."

You didn't tell her that when she shoved me onto Backwarder's sword.

Adrien flinched. "... Okay... I'll... tell her next time."

Even though she never tells me.

Satisfied, Master Fu's gaze softened. "You must be mindful of Ladybug's feelings." With that he turned back towards the door. Pausing at the threshold, he glanced back. "It was wise to give Ladybug the last fight."

"..."

Chat Noir dashed across rooftops. Blinking rapidly as the wind blew into his eyes. For a moment he forgot. He forgot that Chat Noir was always wrong. That Adrien didn't get what everyone else did. He wasn't like everyone else. What they did mattered.

... Nothing Adrien ever did mattered. The universe was simply issuing a reminder.

---------------

Adrien didn't want to be at fencing practice today. He'd fantasized about taking Kagami to Kitty Section's rehearsal with the rest of his friends instead... But if his meetings with the Guardian had a theme it was listening to his... betters.

As though the universe could hear him the akuma alert went off just as he finished changing into his fencing gear. Making sure the rest of his teammates were gone, Adrien transformed and leapt out the window. Hoping Kagami wouldn't be too bored without him.

Quickly going over what information there was on 'Desperada' Chat Noir realized she was last seen at the Couffaine's houseboat. He ran faster.

A pang of longing came over him as Adrien remembered how tempting it'd been to skip practice and join his friends. But that meant disobeying. And disobeying never brought Adrien anything. Not with Father, not with his teachers, not with the Guardian.

Leaping across buildings a cyan blur knocked him five stories to the ground. Rolling with the blow Chat Noir readied his staff. The cyan blur was a lyre that came back to the hand that threw it.

A guy in a vaguely snake-like suit with cyan colored hair. "Sorry, Chat Noir. You would've gotten caught if I hadn't done anything."

To prove his point Desperada appeared and started shooting yellow blasts of magic. Chat Noir spun his staff as he ran for cover. Ladybug's yo-yo wrapped around him and pulled him into the alley. "Good, you're here. Chat, this is Viperion."

"Hello again, Chat Noir." Viperion smiled gently.

"... Hey."

"So what's the plan?" Ladybug asked the new guy.

Chat Noir stared. Ladybug never asked someone else to make the plan.

"Okay, first we need your Lucky Charm..."

In the end it was very simple. Chat Noir and Ladybug dodged Desperada's attacks long enough for Viperion to distract her with music from his lyre. Then Ladybug used the saddle her Lucky Charm gave her to restrict Desperada's movements. All three pulling the villain in different directions while Viperion threw his lyre at her guitar case, breaking it.

There was an extra 'Bien Joue' in their fist bump and then Chat Noir was running back to fencing practice.

...He'd done nothing. Viperion did all the work. And apparently he was so good at it he didn't even need to use his power. Or... was knowing what was going to happen his ability? Is that why Ladybug let him plan?

...Maybe he was reading too much into it. 'Bien joue' felt hollow all the time now. Just because it felt particularly empty this time didn't mean there was a reason besides his own selfish desire to be useful.

Back inside the locker room Adrien detransformed.

The door banged open. Adrien flinched.

"What is the meaning of this transgression, Agreste!?" M. D'Argencourt demanded.

Heart pounding, Adrien fumbled over his words. "I-I can explain!"

"I should hope so! I will have to inform M. Agreste of this behavior." M. D'Argencourt informed him.

Blood drained from Adrien's face. "NO! Please M. D'Argencourt, don't tell Father!"

Eyes softening, M. D'Argencourt shook his head. "I am sorry, Adrien. A student disappearing under my guard and I knowing not where he vanished to? I cannot overlook this."

Cold. Adrien was cold and his mouth moved without words. He collapsed onto the bench behind him. Heart hammering in his ears as he imagined what Gabriel would do...

---------------

Startrain rocketed into space, Nadja Chamack reporting over the image of the akumatized train. For a moment Adrien merely stood there...

"Hey, kid." Plagg pointed at the container of transformation cheese. "We gotta go help."

"R-right!" Coming out of his head Adrien tossed the purple, potion-infused cheese into the air. "Plagg, powerup!"

Swallowing it in a single bite Plagg glowed as the potion took effect. "Astro Plagg!" Small, glowing wings appeared on his back and his fur was coated with small star-like points.

Opening his mouth to say the phrase Adrien... His throat closed... the words wouldn't come... They wouldn't-

Plagg placed a paw on Adrien's cheek. "C'mon kid, your friends need us."

Friends. His friends were on that train! Finding his voice Adrien set his shoulders. "Astro Plagg, transforme-moi!"

Flying was unlike anything he ever experienced. And Astro Chat was flying faster than anyone had ever gone! Sky darkening as he rose above the atmosphere. Startrain had a head start he needed-

Sunlight lit up the Earth, cloud cover obscuring far more of its surface than was usually shown in photos. It was so blue... so beautiful. Adrien remembered what astronauts said about looking at the Earth from above.

He'd heard. But he hadn't known.

Turning back towards the void Astro Chat zoomed after Startrain. It was already past the moon. The moon which Adrien saw as only a handful of people ever did.

There!

Startrain was slowing down? That made it easier to catch up! Astro Chat's heart raced with excitement, willing his wings to go faster. He was almost there! Just a little more and-

A great, glowing, green portal burst to life directly in Startrain's path. Chat caught a glimpse of Big Ben on the other side and then the train sped through. Portal closing behind it.

Leaving Adrien in the void. Of course. Of course Ladybug already beat the akuma. And if that portal was any indication she had help. He wasn't needed. Wasn't necessary.

His friends were on that train and he couldn't. Do! ANYTHING! He couldn't breathe. Couldn't breathe! Everything was too big and too small! Infinity stretched forever in all directions and he was stuck inside this helmet! He wanted out! Wanted-

No. Focus.

As suddenly as his breath left him it came back. Adrien gasped and forced himself to breathe slowly... He couldn't stay here. There was nothing here.

Slowly, reluctantly, Adrien made his way back to Earth. Oh. Oh. He'd gone farther than he thought. Earth was a speck in the distance.

"A mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam."

Tiny. Insignificant. Precious. An oasis in a desert. The closer you are to something the uglier it looks. Adrien kicked the thought away. It was small and meaningless. If you looked too closely at anything you failed to see the whole picture.

Adrien wondered what the whole of his picture, his world, looked like...

[twig-rabbit]

I love you for infinity Bakugou x Reader

This is a bakugou x reader type fic. It was just a wip cause i was listing to a yt playlist that inspired this. I wrote in first person because idk deal with it. This is my first fic. This is also the first chapter. Like and comment for more!

The dream space

📷

Years. Years I've waited for this moment. As I stand in the grassy field. My eyes can barely make out the man on the opposite side of the field. My dress blows gently in the breeze. The sun setting painting the most perfect colors across the cloudy sky. All of a sudden its as if my legs are moving on there own. I've been over flow with a strong feeling . Of love. Of lust. Of passion. My long hair wiping in my face. My chestnut skin practically glowing in the light of the sun. The grass tickles my feet. Im running running hard. Hes right there. I can almost smell him. Hes just standing there hes waiting for me. If i just keep running I can reach him. Even though my lungs burn and my heart pounds I know i can reach him this isnt like other times. Hes not going to disapaer I can feel him now. I just have to run.

I see his face. His vermilion red eyes. His ash spiky blond hair. With a guarded expression. His strong muscular arms. God all I want is to feel his strong muscular arms around my body. For him to squeeze me tight kiss me with soft lips. To feel his heart beat.

I reach out for him feeling him slip through my fingers once again. Tears stream down my face leaving mascara trailing down as well. "Please, just take my hand I'm so close now! Please just take my hand!" I cry out to him. It looks as if he can hear me his eyes snap back to reality now losing there gloss. He can truly hear me. This is unlike anytime before. "Peach!?' He calls out. A painful sob escapes my body from hearing his voice. This is the first time I've gotten this far. I've never heard his voice. But I'm so close just if he would only grab my hand. He raises his had at the last second. He lunges towards me. He try's to hold me, to grab me, to see me. But just as we were about to touch once again he fades away. His image disappearing. I trip and land head first.

I wake up with a start. Sitting bolt up right. Another night failed

We live in a world where the only way to find your soulmate is through dreams and songs. Each type of dream vary's on the person. And once you find out how to contact them through dream the next day you will meet them in person no matter where they live. Tears pool in my eyes once again. I was so close last night. It has been like this for months. I sing to him "I love you for infinity~" he sings back the next line "cause I love you for infinity" his deep voice the only thing that makes my heart flutter. We decided that was our song. everyday we talk to each other through song. Depending on what we sing is our mood/ how our day was. Im a senior in high school. All my friends have found there soulmates, which makes my situation even harder.

i throw the covers off of me and wipe my eyes. "I dont even know his name" i sigh. Of coarse my dream space has to be the most difficult place. I haven't gotten a good nights sleep in almost a year. And i bet neither has him. This was the first time I've seen his face. He has blond hair and red eyes.... I never want to forget what his face looks like.

Time to start another day of high school. I bet all my "friends" will be asking me if I met him yet. Judging me. asking if theres something wrong with me. I'm sick of it. If i dont meet him soon... No i have to.

All day I hum just so he knows I'm thinking of him. So he know I want to meet him. He hums back. It brings a small smile to my face. I'm training my quirk everyday. I will be stronger and I may not be at U.A. But i will be a hero. Hopefully my soulmate is a hero too... Soon i will meet him soon.

[sapphicseekingsapphic]

(anonymous please)

Hi~ I'm Starry! I'm 24 and I'm a Very Very Tired Black girl from Missouri.

I'm looking for more friends and possibly a girlfriend! I have no problem with LDRs, just be cool with wanting to meet one day! Hopefully, if Miss Rona decides to get over herself....

I'm gonna get this out of the way but I have a rather submissive personality. Please don't take that with bedroom matters, that will make me cry. I'm just really reserved and I sometimes don't really like talking to people unless they directly address to me. However, when I'm comfy with you, I am a Mess. Good mess but a mess nonetheless. (Bars)

I'm going to start University somewhere in 2021 to do SOMETHING!!! with Psychology. I would love to be a school psychologist and a therapist, could....could I actually do both????

I love anime!!! Even though my ADD be like "Lol you're not gonna finish that series" and I be like "You right." I could probably count on my fingers and possibly one (1) toe of how my titles I've actually finished...

I also really like cartoons, I'm currently obsessed with The Owl House, Infinity Train and Hazbin Hotel. I just started watching the first two so bear with me and if you spoil me, so help me Stars....

I have a lot of other hobbies like video games, memeing hard, writing, reading, I'm learning how to sew for cosplay and fashion purposes and I want to garden but I'll be living in an apartment or a rented house so I have CONFUSION!!! I'm kinda getting into cooking too~

In the bedroom, I'm a switch and I've dubbed myself Kink Master Flex ™ . Please for the Love of all that is Starry and Saccharine, please do not expect me to Domme 100% of the time. I WILL cry. I will cry so much that the National Guard will have to be called they'll be like "the FUCK?? are we supposed to do?????"

Full disclosure, I've never had a girlfriend before. I've been close to but I've either gotten ghosted or played.

Aaaaaa! This post has probably gotten too long so here's what I'm looking for....

-Someone my age or older 24+ (everyone's welcome to be my friend but I'd feel weird with being friends with someone under 18)

-Someone who shares a lot of my interests~

-Anybody's welcome!! but if you're a Soft Butch/Stud, there's a special place in my heart for you~

-Have a cool personality! I Do Not vibe with people who are apathetic about everything. It's a no from me.

If you like what you've read and want to ramble about everything with me, I'm most active on Discord. Please don't ask me about Snap. I don't have it and I have Insta but I never post pics of myself (or anything for that matter).

Also, please don't ask for pics of me right away, I'm more than happy to voice chat with you though~

「romantic.taxidermist」💘#0980

(You can ask about the name but you may not like the answer sooooo.... 😌👉👈)

Uuuuuuuh there is no selfie, uuuuuh here's a good meme.....