#Love Is A Battlefield [Roi]

[quietwingsinthesky]

Lucifer shiv roy of Heaven

I. You’re right? Where did this come from? But you’re right. Lucifer shiv roy of Heaven, protesting what she has been happy to be a part of right up until it begins to turn on her… Her brothers love her, her brothers will not listen to her, her brothers will cut her out the moment it’s convenient because that’s what their father would have done…

Shiv Roy, Lucifer vessel… Consider this. She could burn it all to the ground before anyone else gets a chance to.

[riza-hawks-eye]

The ova Yet Another Man's Battlefield explores why Mustang can never settle down and get married like Maes Hughes.

He asks Hughes, "Can you really hold the woman you love with blood-stained hands?" And it's not just a manifestation of his guilt. There's truth to the fact that Mustang is not a good person. Mustang is terrifying. And people are right to be afraid of him.

The same thing applies to Riza, only Riza has the horrible bonus of having the Alchemical equivalent to nuclear launch codes on her back. Sure, Roy may have burned off the most important information of her Father's research, but the tattoo still lingers, and there will still be questions from the people who see it. And Riza can't give them answers that won't lead back to the numerous deaths she is responsible for.

It's no wonder then, that neither of these two characters are ever canonically romantically linked to anyone else.

Neither Riza nor Roy even really meaningfully touched anyone else until Episode 59. When the Gold-Toothed Doctor has Riza's throat slit.

It takes a near-death experience for Roy to hold the woman he loves, and for Riza to finally let herself be held.

But in a strange sense, it finally lets Roy hold the woman he loves with blood-stained hands.

[thelaughtercafe]

Heat*

Tea Type: Milk Tea

Potential Triggers: Full nsft in this one! This is honestly just nsft with the barest bit of plot

Pairing: Edward Elric/F!Reader

Length: 1.3k+

Summary: After a heated argument, and an emotional confession, things get passionate in a much more fun way.

“I cannot believe how reckless you are! You could’ve been killed!”

You straightened at the yell, glaring right back at Ed as you crossed your arms, lips pressed in a thin line as he continued scolding you unabated.

“You’ve no place on the battlefield! You have no way to protect yourself; if I hadn’t shown up when I did-”

“Oh but it’s okay when you put yourself at risk every day?”

You angrily rubbed at the tears forming, trying to stay strong.

“I’m sorry I did something stupid and that I scared you but goddamnit at least you know how I feel every time you go charging into battle after battle! I know you’re grateful to Roy for all he did for you and Al but there are other ways to repay him! Every time you sneak out in the morning without saying goodbye and think I don’t hear you when for all I know; it might be the last time I see your stupid face!”

You were openly sniffling now and looked away in embarrassment and annoyance.

Ed was uncharacteristically silent and you suddenly stiffened as his gloved fingers brushed away the last of your tears and he cradled your face, making you look at him. His eyes were still frustrated, but there was something warm just behind them too. Still, his next words made you scowl, however soft they were.

“Promise me you’ll never do something that reckless again.”

“Can you honestly promise me the same?”

He looked down in shame a brief moment before he smiled sadly and shook his head, meeting your gaze again.

“…You know I can’t.”

Your anger was back full force and his hands on you were admittedly making you woozy so you stepped back, out of his intoxicating grip, hating how even that simple touch left you breathless.

Despite the pain that twisted your heart, you knew he was right. You smirked weakly and gave a sarcastic huff of laughter under your breath as you made your way to the door, half mumbling to yourself more than him in your anguish.

“Ha. Leave it to me to fall in love with the most self destructive brat I’ve ever met who doesn’t even drink his stupid milk-”

You flinched as just as you turned the doorknob and went to open it further a hand jerked forward and closed it again, grabbing your wrist with the other hand and flipping you to glare passionately into your gaze.

Your eyes still were teary and his own burned with the weight of his grief and all he had to do but your lips met and abruptly it was as if an inferno was birthed where an unlit match soaked in gasoline had once been.

And oh, did that inferno rage.

Once you began you couldn’t stop.

The kiss you’d craved for so long was insatiable. You couldn’t get enough. The momentary breaks for air felt inconsequential. You didn’t need air, didn’t need anything but the intoxicating, bruising kisses he delivered again and again before his lips abruptly moved to your neck and you moaned, tangling your fingers in his dirty blond locks.

It didn’t take you both long to stumble towards the bed, losing clothes along the way with grumbles and curses and giddy laughter.

It was like your relationship; rough at a first glance but sweet at its core.

A smirk adorned his lips , something primal awakening in him that took you by surprise as he pinned you down with your hand on either side of your face.

“Sure you can handle me sweetheart?”

At your dazed nod he chuckled huskily, head already ducking to heatedly meet your lips again.

“Heh. Who knew all I had to do to shut you up was make you stupid from pleasure.”

Your eyes lit at that and you playfully bit his lip, making him pull back with a hiss.

“Fucking brat.”

Ed didn’t curse often, but suddenly you were glad for it. It had way too much of an effect on you for it to be permitted anywhere but the bedroom. Just for your own sanity.

Despite his rough words and demeanor his hands were feather light as they trailed along your nude body, and you his.

“Maybe later I’ll put that eager mouth of yours to good use, but for now I think I want to make you cum for me.”

His eyes softened a tad and searched yours for any hesitancy.

“…You’re positive you’re ready?”

You softened in reaction and nodded.

“I…I wouldn’t want it to be with anyone but you. It’s always been you, all these years.”

The sweet confession that fell from your lips like honey was enough to make Ed hiss again, rushing to discard his gloves and reveal the warm skin underneath. There was a vulnerability to him showing his bare hands given all he’d done to get them. It was a sign of trust and though you’d seen them before it felt all the more intimate now.

His fingers found your clit quickly once he slid down the bed to make himself comfortable between your spread legs and you found yourself too embarrassed to look. Luckily you didn’t have to for long as you threw your head back in pleasure and moaned.

He was entirely focused on your pleasure, one hand rubbing at your clit and building you up and the other entering you one finger at a time and working to loosen your entrance.

“You have…no right to be so good at this.”

You whimpered out between pants as your fingers clenched the sheets and you arched.

Edward smirked at that and cooed, sweetly.

“Oh? Don’t tell me you’re close already?”

“What can I say? I’ve f-fantasized about you taking me more times than I can count and it’s even better.”

Your words fed his ego and only encouraged him to hasten his pace, finally making you come undone as you moaned and shook as you released all over his fingers.

“That’s a good girl.”

His sweet praise made you melt as you came down and you finally looked to where he was slipping a condom over his cock. He was a bit bigger than what you assumed was the average, nothing crazy but now that you were prepared you couldn’t help clenching at the thought of how good he’d feel inside you.

Ed couldn’t help himself and moaned at the sight.

“Eager aren’t you?”

You laughed breathlessly as he lined himself up, a playful spark in your eyes.

“Says the man hard as diamonds before even being inside~”

He chuckled and then slowly pushed in, going slow and watching you observantly for any signs of pain. When you showed none and he was in to the hilt he quirked an eyebrow.

“Got another one in you, do you think?”

You nodded, head admittedly feeling hazy from pleasure.

“As many as you can wring from me.”

He inhaled sharply at that and began thrusting, holding your hips steady as he did so and pressing hot, wet kisses wherever his lips could reach.

“Don’t give me any ideas, princess.”

It wasn’t long until you both were close- he just felt so damn snug in the best way possible and your constant clenching and sexy moans had his eyes fluttering. He hugged you close as you both came one after the other. You laid still a moment, both recovering and then he gently pulled out.

You both cleaned up and at the end of it all you were content in his arms as he held you to his chest.

“I know…you get scared when I fight. But if I don’t use my strength for the little guy who will? All I can promise is that I will always return home to you at night.”

You turned in his grip to look up at him.

“You promise?”

He nodded, serious as you’d ever seen him.

“I do.”

“Fine. I love you.”

You sealed it with a kiss and dozed off in one another’s arms.

[shanastoryteller]

Happy Pride, Shana! Could I please get some badass/genius/generally impressive Ed please? I'm not picky about which AU, I love all of them! ^-^

a continuation of 1 2 3 4 5 6

The first time they hear an explosion, they assume they're under attack.

Everyone reaches for their firearm, except for Roy, who pulls on his gloves. Rize cautiously opens the door, looking for intruders, and instead she gets a face full of smoke that's very obviously coming from across the hall.

She sees people down the hall doing the same thing she is, looking for the source of that very concerning sound. It happens again and this time she's close enough to see the walls shake with it and the smoke a changes color from a typical dark grey to white and gains a sweet scent.

Everyone ducks back in their offices, deciding that they're not being invades and so feeling absolutely zero need to investigate further when all that commotion is coming from the Fullmetal Alchemist's office.

She looks to Roy. "This is your jurisdiction, sir."

He tugs off his gloves, giving the smoke a concerned look. "What, just because it's an alchemist's office no one else is willing to say anything about it?"

"You say that like we don't benefit from the same thing," she answers, although they've never exploded anything before. Inside the office.

Roy shoots her a sour look but strides forward and gives the door two sharp knocks. "Colonel! Explain yourself!"

The door opens and the smoke starts filling the hall even more rapidly, although for some reason this one doesn't cause her to cough.

The infamous Colonel Elric leans against the doorframe, nothing close to proper posture. She can also hear several people yelling from behind him.

His hair is in a high tale, his jacket is off, and his white shirt has been rolled to his elbows, the first two buttons are undone, and there are several strange green streaks over it and one high on his forehead. "Oh, hey Mustang."

Riza's glad everyone else had decided this wasn't worth having to interact with an alchemist if only so they wouldn't see Roy getting treated disrespectfully and him not doing a damn thing about it.

He should. But she's seen that look on his face before. She supposes she should just be grateful that the Colonel's not wearing a skirt.

"What the hell are you doing?" Roy demands.

"Want to see?" he returns brightly, a glint in his eye that would send Riza running for cover if this was a battlefield. "You like making things go boom, don't you?"

Before Roy can reply, Colonel Elric reaches out, loops his hand in the chain of his watch, and yanks him into his office, kicking the door behind them with a cheerful bang.

"Uh," Havoc says, "should we - do something? About that?"

Their team is bad enough and they only have the one alchemist. Colonel Elric may be the only State Alchemist, but he has three more alchemists on his team, to say nothing of the rumors she's hears about his automail mechanic. The paperwork on Roy's desk is important, but even she has her limits.

"He has his gloves," Riza says finally, "I'm sure that if he decides he needs rescuing, he'll be able to handle it himself."

[jetii]

Roy. My love. Bestie.

I saw a tag that there was Obi Wan smut in Event Horizon but you deleted it cause it wasn’t relevant to the plot

…*deep inhale*

Can we get

Perhaps

If you’re willing

Maybe

Please?

A deleted scenes bit? 👀👀

Ahh okay so I was hesitant to post this bc I didn't want to give the wrong impression about their relationship and my planned end game. I went back and edited a few things, clarified some other things a few days ago. Decided to post this now as a treat since neither Obi-Wan or Rex appear in this week's chapter. 💙

Even though I ultimately decided to leave this chapter out, it is "canon" and takes place between chapters five and six.

Event Horizon

Interlude: Remember to Lock the Door

Words: 6,189

Tags/Warnings: 18+ only! angst, friends with benefits, Force bonds, smut, masturbation, rough sex, cum play, inappropriate use of the Force?, i would not call this a healthy relationship

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It's been months since the fight, and you and Obi-Wan have never been closer. The bond between you has strengthened, and the trust has returned, the years of resentment and pain fading away day by day.

The two of you have worked through the issues that led to the rift between you and have rebuilt the relationship into something new, something deeper and stronger than it was before. You've been meditating more, trying to find balance, and while it's not easy, you're slowly learning to control the tumultuous emotions that have plagued you.

And, perhaps most importantly, the two of you have finally made amends.

As the months go by, you spend more and more time together, and it feels like no time has passed at all. You spar, and talk, and laugh, and it's almost as if the last few years never happened. On the battlefield, you move as one, the bond between you allowing you to anticipate and react to each other's movements without a second thought.

There's still a part of you that resents the Council for not believing you, for your fellow Jedi for turning their backs on you, but Obi-Wan has been there for you, helping you to process the emotions and come to terms with the pain and loss. And while it's not easy, you're working on it, one day at a time.

You still have nightmares, and the anger is never far from the surface, but you're learning to deal with them and channel the negative emotions into something productive. It's what you're attempting to do now as you sit in your quarters, your eyes closed and your mind focused on the Force.

You can feel the darkness within you, the rage and the hatred, and you're trying to find a way to balance them with the light, to bring the two into harmony. You've been at it for hours, and while the progress is slow, you can feel yourself getting closer. It's exhausting work, and you're starting to flag, but you press on, determined to make some progress.

Just as you're about to give up, there's a knock at your door. You groan, annoyed, but rise to your feet and make your way to the entrance. As soon as you draw nearer, you feel a rush of familiar energy, and a smile spreads across your face.

You open the door, and Obi-Wan's blue eyes sparkle with mischief, a hint of a smirk playing at his lips.

"You didn't tell me you were back," you say by way of greeting, your tone light.

Obi-Wan shrugs, the movement exaggerated, and his voice is dripping with sarcasm when he dips his head toward you.

"Well, I wanted to surprise you," he teases. "Since you've been so busy with...what, exactly?"

He gestures at the room behind you, and you blush, realizing how much of a mess it is. There are sheets of flimsi and holopads strewn about, and your cloak is crumpled in the corner, your boots lying haphazardly by the door. You look up at him, and the laughter bubbles inside you, the frustration and exhaustion melting away.

"Oh, stop it," you say, and Obi-Wan chuckles. "You know I've been working."

"Yes, I can see that," he replies. "Working yourself to death, apparently."

You roll your eyes, but the smile stays on your lips. You're glad he's here, glad he's teasing you, and it's a welcome distraction from the heaviness that's been weighing on you.

"Something like that," you admit. "How was Christophsis?"

"You'll be pleased to know we won," Obi-Wan says dryly. He casts a look down either side of the long hallway, then, finding no one, he leans against the doorway and crosses his arms. The pose is casual, relaxed, and he gives you a crooked grin. "But I didn't come here to discuss strategy."

"Ah." You smirk, mirroring his pose, and raise an eyebrow. "What, then, brought you to my door at such a late hour, Master Kenobi?"

He huffs a laugh. "I think you already know the answer to that."

"Perhaps. But I think I'd like to hear you say it," you tease, a playful glint in your eye.

"Very well." 

He sighs, feigning exasperation, but the corners of his mouth turn up into a smile. Obi-Wan steps forward, close enough to reach out and tuck your hair behind your ear. His hand lingers on the side of your face, and he lets the back of his fingers trace a gentle path down your neck. 

"I missed you, and I wanted to see you,” he murmurs.

"That's sweet," you murmur. Your gaze flickers up to meet his, and you take hold of the front of his tunic, tugging him through the door. "Now get in here. We can't have your fellow Council members seeing you visiting me at this hour. They'll start to think I'm corrupting their precious poster boy."

Obi-Wan snorts, his eyes rolling, but he follows you inside without protest, the door sliding shut behind him. He engages the lock, just in case, and turns back to you, finding you standing a few feet away wearing a coy smile.

"I did miss you, you know," Obi-Wan admits, walking towards you. He slides his robes off his shoulders, letting them fall to the floor in a puddle. "Very much, actually. We could've used your expertise. There were times when Anakin's tactics were..." He waves a hand, searching for the right word. "Unconventional, at best."

"So, the usual, then?"

"The usual," he confirms.

His eyes trail over your form, and his expression softens. You know the circles under your eyes must be dark, the fatigue etched into the lines of your face. He reaches out, running his fingers down your arm.

"You've been overworking yourself again, haven't you?" he asks, his voice gentle.

"I suppose," you shrug. "But I've made some progress. I think I'm getting better."

Obi-Wan nods, and the concern in his eyes is touching. "I'm glad to hear that."

You nod, and his fingers trace back up your arm, over your shoulder, and to your face, tilting your chin up. He searches your eyes, his gaze lingering on the shadows beneath.

"Are you sleeping?"

You shrug again, not meeting his eyes. "Sometimes. Not as much as I should."

"And eating?"

"Obi-Wan," you say, rolling your eyes. "I'm fine. I promise."

He frowns, but doesn't push the issue. Instead, he leans in and presses a kiss to your forehead.

"If you say so," he says, pulling back. He glances around the room, taking in the chaos, and shakes his head. "Do you think you could possibly clear some space? If I recall, there are a few chairs in here somewhere, though I'll admit it's hard to tell."

"Hilarious," you deadpan. You step forward and wrap your arms around his neck, pressing yourself against him. "But I have a better idea."

Obi-Wan smiles, and his arms tighten around your waist, pulling you closer.

"I'm listening," he says.

"Well, since I haven't seen you in weeks," you say, trailing a hand down his chest. "I think we should skip the pleasantries and just go straight to the good stuff."

"That sounds like a plan," Obi-Wan murmurs. His lips are only a hair's breadth from yours, his breath warm on your skin. "And just what might that entail, exactly?"

"Oh, you know." Your hand travels lower, sliding down his abdomen. "I was thinking a bit of this." You grab the hem of his tunic, tugging it upward. "A bit of that."

"I'm listening," he repeats, a playful smile tugging at his lips.

You slide his tunic over his head, exposing his muscled torso. Your fingers roam across his smooth skin, and his breath hitches, his eyes closing. He leans into your touch, and his lips ghost along your neck, sending shivers down your spine.

"I'm going to need a little more information," Obi-Wan murmurs against the shell of your ear.

You tilt your head, offering him better access. Your hands move down his stomach, slipping into the waistband of his trousers. You grin when he sucks in a breath, and your fingers brush his growing arousal, eliciting a soft groan.

"Is that what you had in mind?" you whisper, your voice husky.

"Not quite." Obi-Wan's eyes crack open, and they're hooded with desire. He presses a kiss to the spot behind your ear, his lips trailing down the side of your neck. "Keep going."

You chuckle, and your grip on him tightens, eliciting another gasp. You run your thumb over the tip of his length, and he shudders, his hips bucking.

"More," he says, his voice strained.

"You want me to keep talking?"

"No, no," he groans, his teeth grazing your pulse point. "I want you to show me."

You pull your hands out of his pants, and he sighs at the loss. You turn your back to him and move toward the bed, pulling your own shirt over your head. Your breasts are bared to the cool air, and the sound of his sharp intake of breath makes you smirk.

You look over your shoulder, and his eyes are dark with desire, his gaze roaming over your exposed skin.

"What, no quips this time?" you ask, feigning innocence.

"I'm afraid not," Obi-Wan murmurs.  "I think I'll leave the talking to you."

You chuckle, and begin unbuttoning your trousers, swaying your hips a bit more than necessary. You kick the fabric off and then turn around, your fingers trailing over the curve of your breast. Obi-Wan's eyes follow the movement, his pupils dilated, and his tongue darts out, wetting his lips.

“Are you going to join me, or are you just going to stand there and watch?"

Obi-Wan takes a moment to drink in the sight of you, his gaze roaming over every inch of exposed skin.

“I rather like the view from here, actually."

You scoff and turn away, feigning annoyance. As soon as you're sure he can't see, you let a mischievous grin spread across your lips. You slide your hands over your stomach, dipping into the waistband of your underwear, and slide them down your thighs. You glance over your shoulder, and his gaze is fixed on your exposed skin, his cheeks flushed, and his mouth slightly agape.

"Then enjoy it,” you tease, bending over and sliding your underwear off.

He groans, and the sound sends a shiver of anticipation through you. You lie back on the bed, propping yourself up on your elbows, and spread your legs. Without breaking eye contact, you let your fingers wander down, slipping between the slick folds.

You moan as your finger circles your clit, the pleasure coiling inside you. Obi-Wan swallows, his gaze fixed on your hand, and he starts to undo his pants. You can't help the smug grin that spreads across your lips, and you pick up the pace, your breath coming in short gasps.

"This is what you want to see, isn't it?" you ask, arching your back and pushing two fingers inside yourself.

Obi-Wan is struggling to undress, his fingers fumbling with the buttons of his trousers. His gaze darts between you and the task at hand, and you can see the frustration building, his patience wearing thin.

"Stop that," he growls.

"Why? Am I distracting you?"

"Yes."

He finally manages to free himself, and his erection springs free, hard and flushed with blood. He steps forward, kicking his boots off, and moves towards the bed. You bite back a moan, the sight of him, bare and ready, making your heart race.

Obi-Wan crawls onto the bed, his eyes locked with yours. You feel the anticipation building, the pressure coiling low in your stomach, and you can’t help but grind your hips down, trying to relieve the ache.

His hand wraps around your wrist, pulling your fingers out, and the whimper that escapes you makes him grin. He pins your arm to the bed, his other hand gripping your thigh.

"I thought I told you to stop that," he murmurs.

"You did." You smirk, your free hand tracing up his stomach. "I didn't listen."

Obi-Wan huffs, and his grip on your thigh tightens, his fingers digging into the soft flesh. He moves between your legs, and his erection brushes against your entrance, the head teasing you. You let out a soft moan, and your hips rock forward, desperate for more.

He chuckles, and he moves closer, his lips ghosting over yours. He doesn’t kiss you though, a boundary the two of you agreed on years ago. One of the few things the two of you didn't share, even back then.

"You're insufferable," he breathes, the words a whisper against your skin.

"And yet, you're here," you murmur.

He groans, and his eyes flutter closed, his nose brushing against yours.

"Corruption, indeed."

You laugh, and the sound seems to break the last of his restraint. He thrusts inside you in one smooth stroke, burying himself to the hilt. The sudden intrusion, the sudden stretch, makes you gasp, and the pleasure washes over you, the heat of his body sending sparks flying.

"Fuck, Obi-Wan," you pant, your eyes squeezing shut.

"What was that?" He pauses, waiting for you to open your eyes. "I'm sorry, did you have something to say?"

"No," you say, shaking your head.

"Are you sure?" he teases, and his lips brush the corner of your mouth.

"Just fuck me, please," you whine, trying to roll your hips, desperate for more. He doesn't let you, though, his grip on your leg keeping you in place.

He chuckles, and pulls back, just enough for the tip to catch on the edge of your entrance. The anticipation is driving you crazy, the aching emptiness making you groan. You open your eyes, and his gaze locks with yours, his expression playful, and teasing.

"Obi-Wan, please.”

He doesn't respond, his gaze still fixed on yours, and you're about to beg him again when he finally thrusts forward, filling you completely in one swift motion. The force of his movement rocks the bed, the metal frame squeaking in protest, and your body arches, the pleasure overwhelming.

"Like that?" he asks, a self-satisfied smirk spreading across his lips despite the innocence of his tone.

"Don't be smug," you breathe.

"Me? Never."

You scoff, and the sound dissolves into a groan as he rolls his hips, the angle sending stars across your vision.

Obi-Wan begins moving in earnest, setting a slow, familiar pace. His hands move to your waist, holding you steady, and his grip is strong, his fingers digging into the soft skin of your hips. He moves inside you, his movements languid and deliberate, each thrust drawing out a soft gasp.

The pleasure builds, slowly, and steadily, and the heat in the room rises, the sweat starting to bead on your skin. You can feel your bond with him, the connection between you humming and singing, the emotions and sensations flowing between the two of you in an endless loop.

It's a connection you've both been wary of, one that can be dangerous if allowed to spiral, but one you can't help but give into, to revel in.

The tangled threads of emotion are difficult to separate, the love and the lust, the friendship and the desire, the anger and the pain, all of it swirling together, creating a heady mix of sensations. You can feel Obi-Wan's arousal, and his affection, his concern and his desire, and it only fuels your own, the emotions spurring each other on. 

You're both drowning in the intensity of the feedback loop, the connection amplifying everything, and you can't bring yourself to care, to even try and stop.

His thoughts and feelings are intertwined with yours, and you're not sure where one ends and the other begins. The lines are blurred beyond recognition, the barriers between you stripped away. It's all too easy to lose yourself in it, to allow yourself to seek out the lightness of his heart and make yourself at home.

You're drawn to it like a moth to a flame, and you let yourself go. You let yourself consume the happiness and the joy that he feels, the comfort and the pleasure, and you allow it to fill the aching void in your chest. The darkness is pushed back, the shadows chased away, and the light that fills the hollow places inside you is warm and sweet.

It's the happiest you've been in months.

"What are you doing?" Obi-Wan pants, his voice a hoarse whisper.

"I don't know," you breathe, your fingers digging into his shoulders. "Just, please, keep going."

He nods, and he thrusts deeper, the pleasure rippling through the two of you. The sensation is intoxicating, and you find yourself clinging to it, the euphoria making your head spin. You can't help but reach out and search for more, the need to drown the pain and the grief, to silence the voices, driving you to chase the feeling.

It's dangerous, you know. It’s more than you’ve ever allowed yourself to take, but you're so lost in the sensation that you can't bring yourself to care. It's too much, too good, and you're desperate to hold on, to cling to the feeling of safety and peace that flows through the two of you.

You want to drown in the light, the hope and the warmth, and never resurface.

And so, you continue to take, and take, and take, until, with a sudden jolt, it's over.

The sudden absence of his energy, the cold shock of the emptiness, makes you gasp, and your eyes snap open. You’re met with Obi-Wan's concerned gaze, his eyes wide and frantic, and it takes you a moment to realize what's happened.

"Sorry," he breathes, his brow furrowed. His eyes search your face, and he swallows. "That was...intense."

You swallow, the guilt gnawing at your gut, and you nod, trying to calm your racing heart.

"Yeah," you murmur, your voice raspy as the shame threatens to make your throat close up. "Obi-Wan--"

"Shh, it's okay," he murmurs, his hand coming up to cup the side of your face. His thumb traces along the line of your jaw, and his touch is gentle, comforting. He leans down and presses his forehead against yours, his hair tickling your face. "It's okay."

You watch his eyes squeeze shut, his brows drawing together. He's trying to regain control, to rein in the emotions and the sensations that have gotten the better of him. Obi-Wan takes a deep breath, and his grip on your waist tightens.

The bond between the two of you has always been there, ever since the moment you'd met, and over the years it's only grown stronger. It was inevitable, really, with the amount of time the two of you spent together.

It's a natural, unconscious, and unavoidable process, and the fact that you can sense each other's emotions is not something the two of you can change. It's just part of who you both are, and while it's not a burden, not in any way, it is something that requires a delicate balance.

One that is easily lost.

And this, this is exactly why the Jedi forbid such attachments. Why the rules were created, why the lines were drawn, and why the two of you, no matter how much you care about each other, can never be more than this. The bond between the two of you is a double-edged sword, the connection amplifying both the good and the bad. It can bring the two of you together, closer than any two people could possibly be, or it can tear you completely asunder. 

And you know, just as you've always known, that if such a thing would ever come to pass, it would be your fault.

Obi-Wan's grip on your waist loosens, and the tension drains out of him, the momentary lapse forgotten. His eyes open, and he searches yours, his expression soft. He smiles, the warmth of it spreading through you, soothing the anxiety.

"Still with me?" he asks, his voice gentle.

"Yes," you breathe.

His gaze drops, and his eyes lock on the place where your bodies are joined. He lets out a quiet noise at the sight of your arousal coating the base of his cock, the wetness dripping down his length. His softening erection hardens again, and his hips twitch, the need to move returning.

You wrap your arms around his neck and pull him down, pressing your chest against his. You bury your face in the crook of his neck, inhaling the familiar scent of him as his body shields yours from the outside world.

You're enveloped in his warmth, and you revel in the closeness, the intimacy. The pleasure sparks to life with each shift of his hips, and the two of you begin to move, slowly at first, then with more urgency, the rhythm picking up speed until the pace is frantic.

Your lips find his neck, and you begin to trail kisses up his jaw, the stubble rough against your lips. You nip at the sensitive spot just below his ear, and the moan that escapes him sends a shiver down your spine. His arms wrap around your waist, and he pulls you impossibly closer, his hips thrusting erratically. The pleasure builds, and the pressure in your abdomen grows, the release just out of reach.

Obi-Wan's grip on you tightens, and he buries his face in your neck, his lips tracing a path along your shoulder. His teeth graze your collarbone, and you can't help but tilt your head, exposing the sensitive skin to his wandering mouth. He takes the invitation, and his lips close over the soft flesh, his teeth biting down gently.

Your mind goes blank as the pressure inside you suddenly snaps, the pleasure flooding through you, washing over you in a wave. Your entire body tenses, and a low, keening moan escapes you, the sound echoing in the room. Your back arches, and you can't help the way your hips buck, grinding down against him, seeking out every last drop of the overwhelming sensations.

Obi-Wan lets out a groan at the feeling of your walls fluttering, and he rears back, his head snapping up, his eyes wild. He searches your face, his gaze darting across your features, as if trying to memorize every detail.

"I—" He swallows, his expression almost reverent, as if he can't quite believe what he's seeing. "I need—"

He cuts himself off, and his words are lost, his voice trailing off. You watch, transfixed, as he tries to get his breathing under control, his chest heaving with the effort. His eyes drift back to the spot where the two of you are joined, and he watches as his length disappears inside you, his breath hitching at the sight.

He's always loved this, watching the two of you come together, and he's not ashamed to admit it. Obi-Wan's not shy about what he wants, and he's never had a problem asking, not when it comes to this. He likes to watch, and he's never hesitated to tell you so, and as always, the words are on the tip of his tongue.

But he's distracted, and his gaze is unfocused, and hazy. He's lost in the sensation, and you can't help but marvel at the way his eyes widen as if the sight of the two of you together is somehow brand new, as if he's never seen anything like it.

"Obi-Wan," you whine, trying to get his attention.

"What?" he mumbles, his eyes glued to the spot where your bodies meet.

"Obi-Wan."

"Hmm?" He blinks, his gaze flickering up to yours. He looks like he's trying to remember how to speak, his lips parted, and his eyes unfocused. "Yes?"

"What do you want?"

His swallows hard, and his hips stutter. His expression turns pained, and he squeezes his eyes shut, his hands gripping the sheets so tightly his knuckles turn white.

He shakes his head, his breath coming in short gasps. "I can't—"

"Obi-Wan."

"Please," he moans, his voice a strangled whisper, and his hips slam into yours, the force of his movement making you cry out. "I can't."

You wrap your legs around his waist, your ankles locking behind him, and he whimpers at the sudden tightness, the increased pressure. His arms are trembling, and you can feel the tension in his muscles, the strain of holding back.

"Then don't," you murmur.

You can see the conflict on his face, and his jaw clenches, his lips pressed into a thin line. His eyes flutter closed, and he lets out a soft groan, his head dropping forward, his forehead coming to rest on yours.

"But—"

"Obi-Wan, please."

You reach up, and your fingers tangle in his hair, pulling him closer. He leans into your touch, and the contact seems to break the last of his resolve, his restraint shattering. He's still for a moment, as if the weight of what he's about to do is sinking in.

Then, his hips move faster, the slow, languid thrusts quickly giving way to something more primal, and frantic. You can feel the pleasure building inside him, and his thoughts, and emotions, bleed through the connection, his desire spilling over into you.

"I've got you," you murmur, and the words seem to shatter the last of his composure, the final pieces of his carefully crafted control slipping away.

He groans, the sound raw and desperate, and his hips slam into yours. You can feel the pleasure building, the tension growing, and his thrusts grow more erratic, the pace becoming frantic.

He's consumed by the feeling, and he's unable, or unwilling, to hide the way his mind is spiraling. The bond between the two of you is wide open, and his mind is an ocean, his emotions swelling and breaking against the shore. The waves of arousal and lust are overwhelming, and they're crashing over you, threatening to pull you under.

The intensity of it all is too much, and you have to turn away, squeezing your eyes shut. You can't look at him, can't bear the sight of him. He's laid bare before you, completely and utterly vulnerable, and you can't handle it. You're drowning in it, and it's all you can do to cling to him, to keep your head above water as Obi-Wan loses himself.

His hands find your thighs, and he holds them, lifting you up, and positioning you how he wants. The movement pushes him deeper, and the angle makes him hit that sweet spot, and you gasp, your eyes flying open.

"Please, I—"

"Not yet," he groans, his voice raw. "Wait, not yet."

"I—oh fuck, please," you gasp.

He doesn't respond, his body acting on instinct. His mind is a haze, and the need to be as close to you as possible, to give you everything, consumes him.

He wants to lose himself, and he's begging you to let him, and there's no way you can deny him. Tears spring to your eyes, and you can't stop the sob that escapes you.

And he doesn't care, doesn't even notice. He's blind to it, his senses too full of his own pleasure, his own need, to feel anything else. He doesn't even hear the words, the soft pleas, the whispered prayers that tumble from your lips. All he knows is that you're there, that you're with him, and he's holding you, touching you, inside you, and he wants, he needs, so badly.

And he takes.

He takes and takes, and you let him. You let him use you, and you bask in the sensation, in the knowledge that, at least for a few moments, you can be there for him.

You can be the light, and he can be the shadow.

And for those few moments, it's enough.

With a choked gasp, Obi-Wan pulls out, and you're left empty and wanting, biting your lip to stop from screaming at the loss. Through half-lidded eyes, you see him reach down, his fist closing around his erection, pumping it roughly, and then he's coming, his release coating your stomach, his cock pulsing as the pleasure floods through him. He moans through it, the sound muffled by the arm he throws across his mouth, and his face is twisted with pleasure, his brows drawn together.

The feeling of his pleasure crashes into you through the bond, and the sight of him losing himself, the look on his face and the sounds he makes, is enough to send you over the edge. You feel your walls flutter and clench around nothing, the emptiness only heightening the pleasure. Your body trembles, and your hands grasp at the sheets, searching for something, anything, to hold on to.

Obi-Wan watches in awe as your orgasm ripples through you, his eyes wide and his mouth agape as his arm falls away. You can feel his shock and wonder through the bond, his amazement at the sight of you coming untouched, and his hand doesn't stop until the last drop has spilled onto your stomach.

You're left breathless and boneless, your body trembling with the aftershocks, and you can't help the smile that spreads across your lips. The pleasure, the satisfaction, and the joy is radiating from him, and it's contagious. It's hard not to laugh, and harder still not to cry, and you're not sure what you'd do if not for the fact that you're both so utterly, completely spent.

Obi-Wan looks down at the mess, and chuckles, a hint of embarrassment in his voice. "That was..." he trails off, his brain unable to come up with a coherent thought.

You nod, and let out a weak laugh, the sound more like a sigh. "I know."

"And I didn't even—"

"I know.”

Obi-Wan chuckles, and the sound is warm and light, his happiness spreading through the room. He runs a hand through his sweat-soaked hair, his eyes sparkling, and there's a shy grin plastered on his face.

"My apologies," he says, his tone sheepish. "I don't know what came over me."

"That makes one of us," you tease.

He snorts, his cheeks heating, and he falls to the side, rolling over on his back next to you. The two of you sit in silence for a few moments, trying to catch your breath, your shoulders brushing with each exhale.

You grin and nudge his arm. "Welcome back, by the way."

"I'm glad to be back," he replies, rolling onto his side to face you. He traces a lazy pattern across your skin, smirking when the muscles in your stomach flinch. "Though if this is the welcome I get, maybe I should stay away more often."

"Don't you dare," you warn, laughing.

Obi-Wan grins, and the look in his eyes is soft, the affection bleeding through the bond as his fingers trace along the curve of your hip. He watches you, his gaze lingering on your face, and there's a look in his eyes, a vulnerability that he rarely allows himself to show.

You feel a sudden wave of emotion, a mixture of love and regret, and the force of it steals your breath.

He shouldn't be looking at you like that, like you're his entire world, because you're not. You're his best friend, his confidant, his equal, but you're not his lover. And you're certainly not his soulmate, or his other half, or whatever the hell it is people call the person they're meant to be with.

He shouldn't be looking at you, and it makes the guilt gnaw at your gut, a reminder of what the two of you are doing, and what the two of you have done, over and over again. Because, as good as it feels, as much as it eases the pain, you can't pretend that it's not a mistake.

The Jedi are forbidden to love, and for good reason. Love is dangerous, and complicated, and it's the kind of attachment that leads to the Dark Side. The Council knows this, and the rules are in place to protect everyone, to keep the Order strong and united.

It's for the best, and it's necessary, and yet here the two of you are, breaking those rules. And for what? For some fleeting moments of pleasure, and a bit of fun? For some meaningless, empty physical connection, something that will never lead anywhere, and that can never last?

It's not worth it, not really. You both know that, and yet you continue to seek each other out, continuing to risk everything for the sake of a few hours of bliss. To pretend that everything is as it used to be, and that the war, and the fighting, and the dying are still a thousand worlds away.

It's foolish, and selfish, and reckless, but it's not something either of you can seem to stop. Obi-Wan has always done well at following the rules and obeying the Code, but he's also never been the most truly obedient of the Jedi. He's never been able to completely give up his attachments, and you know that his love for you is not the only one he carries. It's something the two of you share, the inability to let go of those you care about, and it's a weakness.

A weakness that, if not handled with care, could be his downfall. One that you can't help but feed into and encourage at every turn, even if it means destroying him. One that, despite your best efforts, you have come to rely on, to seek out, and to cling to.

It's a problem, and one that neither of you are able, or willing, to solve.

And so, the two of you remain in your little bubble of bliss, pretending that the universe isn't burning.

"Let's clean up and then come back to bed," you say, interrupting the silence. "There are some things I'd like to discuss with you, and I'd rather not be covered in fluids when I do so."

"Agreed."

Obi-Wan looks around, and a moment later a box of tissues flies from across the room into his hand. He helps you wipe off, and then you stand on shaky legs. You head to the fresher and clean yourself off properly, and by the time you return, he's already in bed, the blankets pulled up around his waist.

You slide in next to him, and the bed dips as he shifts closer, the warmth of his body seeping into yours. The two of you prop yourselves up on your elbows, and the position is familiar, the two of you having spent many nights discussing strategy and planning.

"What did you want to talk about?" he asks, his voice gentle.

You hesitate. You could tell him about the nightmares. You could tell him about how the fear of losing him, of losing everything, is weighing heavy on your heart. You could tell him about how you can't sleep, can't focus, because all you can think about is how everything is falling apart, how the darkness is winning, how there's nothing you can do to stop it.

You could tell him, and he would listen. He would hold you, and he would comfort you, and he would offer his own advice. He would tell you that it's okay, and that everything will be fine, and that the nightmares are not real, and that he is not going anywhere. He would tell you that the darkness cannot win, and that the Republic will prevail, and that everything will work out.

He would tell you what you want to hear, and he would do it because he loves you, and because he wants to believe it, too.

But you don't. You can't bring yourself to, not yet. Not while he's looking at you like that, his gaze full of warmth and fondness and trust. Not when things are finally starting to get better, not when the two of you are finally getting somewhere. 

Obi-Wan has enough to deal with as it is without the weight of your own anxieties, and so you push aside your doubts and fears, and you decide, for once, to follow his example and to put on a brave face.

"Everything," you reply. "Tell me about Christophsis. Tell me what happened. I want to hear everything."

Obi-Wan takes a deep breath, and you know that the stories he's about to tell you are going to be anything but pleasant. You also know that, no matter how bad they are, it will be a relief to talk about them.

You'll listen, and you'll offer what comfort you can, and you'll let him vent his frustrations and worries. And then, when it's all over, and the stories have been told, the two of you will curl up and sleep will take you. The nightmares will be held at bay, and the darkness will stay where it belongs, locked away until morning.

"Anakin's plan was insane," he begins, and you smile.

taglist: @baddest-batchers @lolwey @chocolatewastelandtriumph @hobbititties @mere-bear

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@callsign-denmark

[rileyslibrary]

I’m rewatching succession and I can’t stop thinking about kendall roy. what about a prompt with ghost dealing with a partner who is a drug addict and is in recovery?

Hi reader! I rarely watch TV, and had no clue who or what you were referring to, so I did some research. Also, you didn’t specify what you meant by “partner” (in the army or real life), so I tried to incorporate a little bit of both. 🍫

Warnings: mentions of drugs, addiction, disease, death of a relative and dark humour/making sarcastic comments of a very serious situation below. DNI if you’re uncomfortable with any of the above.

“What are you thinking about?” Ghost asks as he takes a sit next to you at the roof of the the truck.

“Y’know, stuff.” You reply, gazing at the horizon.

“Drug stuff?” He asks.

You slowly turn to look at him. For a man who has been trained to be a tactical machine, he is anything but tactful in his interactions with humans. Sure, you’ve seen him feed stray dogs and pet alley cats while you were on patrol together, but when it came to people, he had the social grace of a clown at a funeral.

“Well, I do now, lieutenant,” you reply sarcastically.

“Well, shit,” he shrugs and lights a cigarette, “didn’t mean to remind you.”

“Don’t worry,” you reassure him, “it’s always on my mind.”

“Talk to me about it.”

He wants to play therapy now; great. Every time he saw you like this, lost in your thoughts, he came and talked to you, persuading you to express your feelings. Things which you considered to be native to this man, but he was trying his best, even if he was heavy-handed in doing so.

“Sometimes I feel lost,” you explain, “without it.”

He nods, indicating that you continue talking. You sigh and look up at the night sky.

“Like, I know I’m doing the right thing, Simon,” you continue, “but I don’t know who I am anymore.”

“You’re a lot of things, love,” he says, “good things.”

“Oh?” You tilt your head to the side, “last time I remember doing something good was not stealing from an old lady because I thought she needed the money more than me.”

“See?” He says and opens his arms, “that was a good thing.”

“Yeah,” you murmur, “very Dalai Lama of me.”

You both stay silent for a while, and he turns to you.

“I know why you feel lost,” he says.

“Enlighten me, Lt.”

“You’re both strong and fragile at the same time,” he explains, “your will is strong, but your mind is playing tricks on you.”

“My mind is a mess.”

“I know,” he agrees, “which is normal.”

“Ha! Normal says the guy who walks around with a skull mask on,” you spit, and he looks offended.

“Hey, love, we talked about this,” he says, “don’t want to distract the enemy with my moneymaker.”

He gestures at his semi-covered face, and you both chuckle. Unfiltered comments and offensive remarks came out of your mouth quite often now that you’re in recovery. The good thing was that Ghost was a master at turning insults into banter, which was quite helpful in making you reflect on your words. He was very understanding and patient for a guy who was trained to be tough and emotionless on the battlefield.

“How do you know so many things about it?” You ask.

“It.” He mocks, “don’t talk about your struggles like they’re fucking Pennywise.”

You let out a long exhale. “Jesus, man,“ you exclaim, “how do you know so much about addiction and recovery?”

He looks down at his dangling legs. “My brother,” he explains, “went through the same thing.”

“Fuck,” you sigh, “hope he’s okay now.”

“He’s no longer with us,” he replies and faces you, “but you still are.”

“I’m so sorry,” you say, and he thanks you. He had never opened up about his family before. You knew he had issues but nothing more than that. Perhaps that’s another reason why he’s so supportive of your journey. He wants to see someone make it out alive.

“Seriously though,” he continues, “what you’re doing is huge. You’re fighting against a disease, and that takes a lot of courage and strength.”

“Disease?” You scoff, “you make it sound like I have cancer or something.”

“Addiction is a disease,” he reminds you, “it’s not something you choose to have, just like cancer. But you’re fighting it.”

“Easier said than done,” you mutter.

“Nothing worth having comes easy, love,” he says, “and what’s better to have than your health?”

He’s right. You’ve been so focused on the struggle that you haven’t acknowledged your progress. You’ve been sober for six months now, a huge accomplishment. It hasn’t been easy, but with Simon and your therapist’s support, you’ve been able to stay on track.

“Thanks, Simon,” you say, “for everything.”

“Anytime, love,” he says and puts out his cigarette, “now let’s get back to base; Price’s expecting us for the meeting.”

“Can we stop at a convenience store before we go?” You ask, “I’m thirsty.”

“Sure,” he says, “what are you getting, a Coke?”

You laugh and gently punch his shoulder. “Yes, lieutenant,” you say, “A zero one, of course.”

[prettyboypistol]

Mercs comforting m!reader who had an absolutely godawful day at work/on the battlefield?

Tf2 Mercs Comforting You After A Stressful Day! || TF2 x Male! Reader

Readers job is ambiguous, but I imagined he has a job a lot like Ms Pauling

Scout

Notices how exhausted you look as soon as you walk into the room and immediately drags you to the couch to snuggle.

Super attentive, eager to please. (He especially loves praise from you when you're tired.. idk!!! It just makes him so happy for you in your tired voice to thank him!!!)

Gets your favorite snack foods alone so you have time to yourself.

Wants to cheer you up by talking, but he knows that the last thing you need rn is more chatter.

Bro the leg bouncing of trying not to talk is STRONG

Medic

"Oh dear, wanna bitch?"

Lets you complain and shittalk your co-workers and totally not gossiping with you noooo (he is the nosiest mf alive)

FOREHEAD KISSES FOREHEAD KISSES

He has a bit of a temper if you talk on and on about how your job is hard and will snap that being a Medic isn't exactly a cakewalk either, but apologizes.

Lets you sleep while he makes dinner for you.

Soldier

He.. well, he tries.

You walk into your room and flop down on the bed with a groan and he immediately asks what's wrong and if you're sick.

When you say you're not and just tired, he waves it off and goes back to what he was doing, ordering you to be at ease.

When people knock at your door to pester you, he shouts at them for you to fuck off 🥺🥺🥺

Doesn't snuggle but absolutely gives you space to de-stress.

Engineer

THIS MAN RIGHT HERE IS THE BEST LISTENER. BEST.

He sees you walk in and hugs you, sits you in his lap for snuggles, and just listens to you vent as he tinkers against your back.

He kisses your shoulders a lot and hums Lil tunes to calm you down.

Mans will put you to sleep with one lullaby I swear to god

Back scratches!!!! He is the best!!!

Spy

Offers you booze and is sorta like medic in the shittalking regard, but brings up more dirt on the people you're pissed at.

Coos at you in French, calling you a tired boy and mon petit roi (my little king) as baby talk. Yeah it's a little demeaning bUT you're too tired to care.

Little do you know he has been up for 36 hours and hasn't eaten since breakfast but he won't tell you that.

Massages with lavender oil!

Orders your favorite takeout and puts on your favorite show for a relaxing night in

Pyro

Gets like... scary protective of you.

They clearly glare at anyone that tries to bother you. There is a sense of 'if you talk to him, I'll gut you with my axe.' Goin on.

Pets and caresses on your back and head! You know that Pyros lap is all yours to lie your head on!

Makes you little origami things to amuse you, making silly little stories to dull your senses and entertain you.

They love taking care of you, actually. They find it grounding and relaxing to just focus all their energy on you.

Heavy

Picks you up and keeps you nestled in his arms.

"No talking to little man! He is very tired!"

Calls you a baby, but like, /affectionate

God he's so warm! Like a heated and weighted blanket! Heavy wouldn't mind keeping you in his arms forever and you certainly wouldn't mind staying there

Has tried to convince you to leave your job before bc it stresses you out.

Demoman

'Aye lad, bring it here!'

Offers you scrumpy and kisses. Def if you're visibly mad he starts kissing you a lot like 'aww~' *kiss* 'what's wroooong~?" *kiss* 'hmmm?' *kiss kiss kiss*

Jokingly offers you to "take out your frustrations on him" ;>

Like, if you agree that's great, if you don't that's great too that means more time for tea spilling

'Yeah! Teresa IS a bitch!'

Sniper

He can tell by how you open the camper door that you're pissed and tired.

"Aww hell, that bad huh?"

Likes playing with your hair while you lie on his lap. You've fallen asleep and woken up to elaborate braids a few times lol

Kisses your neck and intentionally slows his breathing so that you mimic him and calm down

Doesn't really like when you talk about your work, because it upsets him how much you get stressed about it. But he cares more about you more than he dislikes hearing about work.

[felikatze]

thinks abt my many half baked ISAT FE AU stuff again....

siffrin is a manakete that is all good night

uhhh act 5 and twohats spoilers below

joking but. also yes. i was thinking a lot abt what FE classes the cast would have recently so.

Mirabelle is a lord. HOWEVER. she gets to be a fancy lord who also gets staff access. Like Hoshido Noble. could you imagine dragging around a scrublord who only gets good on promo but they had heal utility the whole time. isn't that a dream. imagine if Roy could heal and then still rips in endgame

Odile is very obviously a Sage. Like cmon. If i had to pick any specific sage outfit it would in fact be Awakening sages. But the thought of Odile in the outfit of Engage sages is enough to kill people I think. Though the banana mage gba era would be hilarious on her.

The trifecta of magic is also a nice reflection of her being able to use all types of craft :) esp tellius mechanics are dope for that (and integrated into my silly isat emblems stuff). It could also be very thematically appropriate to make her an Omnyoji instead.

Isabeau just has massive axe bro energy. Yknow how fighters are stereotyped as stupid but then Lot FE6, generic axe bro ever, plays chess and does philosophy? Yeah. From a gameplay standpoint it would also make sense to put him in armor knight cuz he will Protect His Friends. Also he has the highest hp in the cast anyways. He would also have rally skills.

If i had to pick one guy to make a beast unit, it would be him also. Tiger isabeau.

Bonnie is the Transporter. They cannot fight. They cannot die. Bonnie is Merlinus. We are not letting the child on the battlefield. Give Bonnie a caravan and convoy access, you know they gotta.

Sif is. hm.

Like the obvious call is Thief, right? In games that have em, daggers are exclusive to thieves (unless you're fates, and have butlers and ninjas). Dagger classes can also debuff (with engage thieves poisoning, and fates daggers inflicting debuffs) which would be a nice niche. However Siffrin isn't actually a criminal.

From a story standpoint mercenary would be the most appropriate since they're not really here for any particular reason but just bcuz he happened to be in the country when the curse struck.

HOWEVER.... engage has given us a very tantalizing third option. Wolf Knight. They're not associated with crime. They are speedy, dodgy, and use daggers.

Siffrin gets a pet wolf. Do you see it.

TO ELABORATE ON THE MANAKETES THING.... So, if you've seen me talk abt my fucking, fe6 isat au, i cast Idunn as Siffrin. And the idea of someone forgetting their own species is really funny, and also kinda terrifying. And the only other person like you is the guy you have to kill.

Also I think creechur siffrin AUs are great. And dragons in FE are associated heavily with two things. a) going insane. b) amnesia (just look at corrin, and grima, and alear).

Also also dragons love to take naps. WHO ELSE LOVES TO TAKE NAPS?? That's right. Siffrin.

Oh yeah also. Dragon Loop. Wouldn't that be epic. AND. act 5 boss fight siffrin turning into a full dragon.

And the development possibilites. As siffrin learns about the island, also uncovering myths about dragons. And the new strength siffrin is able to master more and more of each loop being bcuz. well. dragon. and growing aware of the ways he's different from the others not just in the growing chasm as they veiw the party more and more as actors, but also the paranoia in physically becoming a monster.

Do you see my fucking vision, here.

SPEAKING OF ENGAGE.... i forgot who. but SOMEBODY. suggested. Emblem Loop. wrgrhr.

and i've thought abt how this would work. And i think it does work, if like... the island (and the divine dragons) all got forgotten because of the emblem's miracle. That somebody thought it was too dangerous and wanted to seal it away forever and used the power of the emblems to make them forgotten. And so Wish Craft would be the emblems' power instead, which only dragons have access to - supposedly. Hey, if a whole country tries out a prayer incantation, would it work?

And. and. this would be really easy to do by. replacing the silver coin with a ring. Siffrin just has this random ring they've had forever. So when Loop wishes to get out, they become the emblem they've been using. You get recursive timeloop questions - who was the emblem that granted Loop's wish in the first place? Was it another Siffrin? Somebody else altogether? Who knows. But isn't the asking really fun.

And like, I mean, Emblem Byleth already exists, we all know what "rerolling missed attacks to hit instead" is. Emblem Byleth is still rewinding time you just can't see that he is.

Do you see my vision. ISAT fire emblem engage AU.

[liebgotts-lovergirl]

Beside You (Ron Speirs x Reader Oneshot)

Pairing: Ron Speirs x Female!Reader

Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Fluff

For @brassknucklespeirs (Happy birthday, lovely!! I hope you like this💖 )

A/N: Me, using a Marianas Trench song for a ficlet? You’re damn right lol 😆

When your tears are spent

On your last pretense

And your tired eyes refuse to close

And sleep in your defense

You didn’t let yourself cry until you were alone, Ron knew that much, so when he saw you disappear into the stillness of the frigid Bastogne night, he knew exactly where you were headed. 

The days of ruthless shelling by the Germans had felled several trees in the nearby area, splintering them to bits…all except one, which lay across the snow a good 8-10 feet away from the rows of foxholes, tucked away behind a steep embankment, away from view. 

It was the perfect place to seek refuge for a brief second and as the company’s only combat nurse, God, did you need it. Try as he might, Doc Roe couldn’t be everywhere at once and that was where you came in. 

From your first day with Easy, you’d made it your mission to get to know every single trooper so that even in the heat of battle, when someone screamed “Medic!”, you could recognize their voice in an instant and get there. You would talk to them as you treated them, about anything they wanted: their families, their hometowns, sports teams, films, whatever they needed to keep them focused and awake. These men were trusting you with their lives and you would not let them down. You were friendly, hardworking, and dedicated to your field and your company; you never let gunfire or explosions hinder you. If you were needed, you were there. 

It was your warm and selfless nature that had first caught the eye of the infamous Ronald Speirs. You captivated him. How could someone so generous, so full of life, be here, in a place like this? You were an angel trapped in Hell but it didn't dim your shine, not even for a moment. You would give the shirt off your back to anyone who needed it, always the first to lend a hand and the last to quit at the day's end. 

Your vitality and generosity meant that you made friends easily, something that the withdrawn and mysterious Ron so envied. Like a magnet, people just gravitated towards you, happy to bask in your energetic glow, and Ron would watch quietly from the sidelines with a goofy smile on his face like a smitten schoolboy. You were like human sunshine, a balm to his hardened & war-torn soul.

When it's in your spine

Like you've walked for miles

And the only thing you want is just to

Be still for a while

But Bastogne…Bastogne was a whole different beast, even for someone as dynamic and exuberant as you. The conditions were abysmal, supplies almost nonexistent, and tensions running sky-high. 

 Most of the men you treated were lovely and appreciative of your care, but some… some weren’t. 

You'd first heard the mutterings after the deaths of two Replacements. One had been shot by a sniper that no one had spotted in time and the other had taken the brunt of a particularly nasty firefight. Campbell and Ulrich were both good kids and in both cases, you had done your best with what little you had but it just wasn’t enough. The wounds were too severe and you didn't have the equipment needed to perform a surgery that risky nor could you do it by yourself, on the battlefield of all places. All you could do was kneel beside them, hands bathed in blood, and whisper broken apologies for not being able to do more as they passed.

Eugene, all too familiar with this sort of loss, told you that you needed to forgive yourself. 

“There was nothin’ more you coulda done for 'em, cher,” he said as he handed you half of a bandage he'd scavenged. 

But in your heart, you just couldn’t believe that and neither could some of the boys. 

Roy Cobb had been especially close with Campbell and he had no qualms about telling the newest replacements and anyone else who would listen exactly what he thought had killed his friend and it wasn't the sniper's bullet. 

"What killed him was her damn incompetence," he'd announced, deliberately loud enough for you to hear. "She should've let Roe or Spina treat him, then maybe he would've survived." 

"Nobody wanted her here in the first place either," a mortarman named Lombardi added. "They should've given us a third medic instead of some nurse!"

Doc Spina was way out of earshot but your friend Eugene, who had been nearby, had already begun to argue in your defense when you had marched over to the disgruntled group. 

These were men you had treated in the past, you realized as your tormented fury began to build. You'd risked your life to save these ungrateful assholes and you knew damn well that the moment they needed you on the battlefield, you'd have to do it again. and again. and again.

Cobb shot you a dirty look and muttered something involving the word “useless” and that was all it took. Heart pounding in your ears, you hauled off and punched him so hard that his nose began gushing blood, but the damage had already been done. 

Speirs had heard the commotion from his foxhole and seeing you storm off, tears of frustration and hurt pricking your beautiful eyes, sent an icy rage coursing through his veins that surprised even him.  

Who the fuck hurt you like that?

He was going to find out.

The wrath blazing like hellfire in his eyes as he stalked over was enough to make even grown men cower and the guilty parties quailed under his gaze. Ron dragged each one by the collar behind the nearest tree trunk, pinning them one by one with his forearm across their throats before they could blink. 

“From now on, you will treat (Y/N) with the utmost respect,” he intoned, his voice eerily calm as he applied just enough pressure on their throats to make them cough. “You will treat her as if she were me. And if I ever get wind that you’re mouthing off at her or otherwise mistreating her again, so help me God, there won't be enough left of you to mail home in a cigarette pack. Is that clear?”

"Y-Yes sir," they'd gasped out and grudgingly, he let them dart back to their foxholes one by one like mice.

He had more important things to worry about.

And if your heart wears thin

I will hold you up

And I will hide you

When it gets too much

I'll be right beside you

Seeing you cry tore Ron's heart in two. You were sitting on that felled tree just behind the embankment, hunched over, face buried in your hands as your shoulders shook with silent sobs. 

You were so overcome by your own anguish that you didn’t even hear him approach. Instead, he appeared beside you like a sudden dark spectre against the white snow, making you jump. 

“Holy shit,” you yelped, hurrying to brush the tears from your cheeks. “Damn it, Sparky, warn a girl next time, will ya?”

Ron stood awkwardly beside you, hands shoved deep into his pockets, and you swore you could see a small flush of pink creeping up his cheeks and it wasn’t from the cold. 

“Sorry,” he replied with a sheepish smile. “I forget I do that sometimes. I just…I was… I wanted to see if you were okay.” 

He cursed inwardly. 

What a stupid thing to say, Ron, he berated himself. She’s crying. Does she look “okay” to you?

You tried to return the smile but only succeeded in a wan grimace.

“I’m not okay yet but I will be.” 

You sighed sadly and gestured to the red cross armband on your arm. 

Overwhelmed or not, you were needed.

“I have to be.”

“(Y/N)…May I…Er, if you don’t mind, that is…?” Unable to quite get the words out, he just nodded to the empty spot beside you, earning him a genuine smile from you that filled his chest with warmth. 

“Absolutely,” you replied with a small sniffle, lightly patting the place next to you on the log and effectively putting him out of his tongue-tied misery. “I’d like that a lot.”

When you're overwhelmed

And you've lost your breath

And the space between the things you know is blurring nonetheless

You hadn't exactly intended on telling Ron your whole life story but before you knew it, it all came tumbling out: how you'd grown up, what had inspired you to become a nurse, how much you loved what you did but hated what it did to you, and Speirs listened quietly, hanging onto your every word. 

But when you admitted the toll it took on you to know how little a difference you were making, he balked.

“No difference?” He repeated, his hazel eyes wide with shock. “Are you kidding? Do you…Is this because of what those assholes back there said?” 

You sniffled again with a deflated shrug.

“Assholes or not, I think they made their feelings pretty clear. It'd probably be better for everyone if I just put in for a transfer.”

When you try to speak

But you make no sound

And the words you want are out of reach

But they've never been so loud

Your words echoed in Speirs' head like enemy gunfire. 

Transfer…Transfer...Transfer…

Ron felt like you'd just slapped him clear across the face. Come to think of it, he would've preferred it if you had. It would've certainly hurt less than the realization that he would lose you before he'd ever even told you how he felt. 

He'd never been any good at romance. To be honest, he'd never really tried. Girls back home flocked to him like flies to honey but he'd just felt uncomfortable with the attention and tried to set them up with his buddies instead, all of whom were dying for a date. 

Ronald Speirs was a man of action; communication was not his strong suit, which was one of the myriad of reasons he admired you. 

You, who somehow effortlessly made friends wherever you went. 

You, whose smile spread warmth on even the coldest winter day. 

You, whose kindness made everyone that spoke to you feel not only heard but understood.

You who brought the light of springtime to his ever-present darkness, like Persephone to Hades.

He had never understood why you had made it your mission to befriend him since Day 1 when everyone else avoided him like the Plague but he was glad you did. His intimidating gaze and badass reputation didn’t scare you one bit and you had assured him with your usual friendliness that it would take more than some rumors to scare you away.

He couldn’t let you slip away now.

Trust in me, trust in me

Don't pull away

Just trust in me, trust in me

Taking a shaky breath and exhaling, the tiny clouds curled up into the frosty air in spirals as you stood up. After smoothing some of the ice off your clothes, you gave Ron one last, small smile. 

“Thanks for listening,” you said earnestly before remarking with a self-deprecating laugh, “I promise not to be so depressing next time.”

You had just turned to leave when an invisible force compelled him to reach out and grasp your hand at the last second.

“Wait…Please.” 

'Cause I'm just trying to keep it together

Because I could do worse and you could do better

The silence was deafening. You stared at Ron, too stunned to speak, and he stared right back, the green and gold flecks in his hazel eyes catching the moonlight. 

Had it been any other time, you might’ve found it almost funny to see the infamous “Killer” Speirs at a loss for words just from holding your hand but right now…Right now, you could feel a tornado of butterflies in your stomach and you could tell that he was feeling them too.

“(Y/N), I…” he started before cutting himself off with a shake of his head. “Look, I’m no good at this and I’m sure you’ve probably got someone special writing you from back home already but…”

He rubs the back of his neck nervously with his free hand and you tilt your head, silently, as you watch him. 

You’ve never seen him this anxious before, not even in battle. 

Truthfully, you didn’t know a man like Ronald Speirs could get anxious. If the roar of gunfire and artillery didn’t faze him, you had thought nothing could.

“If you’re serious about transferring out, then you should at least know that you’ve made a big difference here, to the men…and to me…” 

He cleared his throat stiffly. 

“Especially to me.” 

Your eyes must’ve been the size of dinner plates. 

Was he saying what you thought he was saying?

“You are without a doubt, the bravest…the most dynamic…the most selfless woman I know,” he continued as his hazel eyes locked intensely with your (E/C) ones.

“Everything about you…You’re just amazing to me. And I know you don’t feel appreciated and with how things have gone lately, I don’t blame you one bit but damn it, (Y/N), you have to understand that you are vital to this company, not just for what you do but for who you are. We need you here.” 

Ron took a shaky breath, exhaling into the frigid night air, before saying quietly, “I need you here.”

I will stay (right beside you)

Nobody will break you

He started to say more but before he could, you dropped his hand and launched yourself at him, knocking the breath out of him as your lips met for the first time. He gently took you into his embrace, causing both your hearts to race, the both of you smiling against each other’s lips. But in your eagerness to deepen the kiss, your teeth clashed slightly against his, sending you into a fit of giggles when you pulled away seconds later.

“Are you…Will you stay?” Ron asked tentatively, still holding you as if you were made of glass. “Please?”

At first, you were tempted to jokingly mull it over but the fear in his golden-green eyes immediately banished the thought from your mind. 

This was Ronald “Killer” Speirs. This was a man who had stared Death in the face without blinking, a man whose ferocity and resolve on the battlefield were practically legendary, a man who could take a life with the same ease as one swats a fly…and yet, here he was before you, putting his whole heart in your hands, a heart most people didn’t even know he had.

“Of course I’ll stay,” you reassured him, the moonlight dancing in your eyes as you gazed into his. “As long as you'll be mine, that is.”

Ron gingerly cupped your face in his hands, the silky smoothness of his soft baritone voice making your heart skip a beat.

“Sweetheart,” he murmured as another slow smile spread across his face. “I’ve always been yours.”

And if your heart wears thin

I will hold you up

And I will hide you

When it gets too much

I'll be right beside you

Nobody will break you

[owarinaki]

Fullmetal alchemist : Brotherhood [2009]

Bonus Episode: "Yet Another Man's Battlefield" [2010] 1/6

Brief:

During the war, Maes is required to shoot Heathcliff to save Roy .Roy survive because of State alchemist's clock

Hughes enters Roy 's tent to call him, saying they'll start the attack on the 27th district at 10:30. Roy solemnly answers that they're all slavedrivers.

Roy asks Hughes why is he (Roy) killing people of his own country. Maes answers a "military protocol"

Roy asks if " Hughes was willing to hold the woman he loves with bloody arms". Hughes snaps back, saying that having a wife and a family is a simple happiness, but exactly because it was simple, it was also the greatest and that he would do anything to have such a happiness, even if that meant to smile while in his wife's presence and put all the war behind, as if it never happened. He then cuts off the chat by saying that they need to go to work

Roy gets even more depressed and asks for him to wait 30 seconds. Hughes says he will only give the Flame Alchemist that much, but, instead, gives him more than one minute, before calling him again. Roy gets up and leaves the tent with determined eyes.

.

[karolinswritings]

Hello there ^^ this may be a bit specific. However May I ask for headcanons of Mustang x reader who has a lot of scars across their body and face? I have some, and I happen to be insecure of some and have even been shamed of them lol. Thanks so much. <3

Hello, thank you so much for the request! I really don't think you should be insecure of your scars. They are a part of you and you should love all parts of yourself. They are what makes you you and being yourself is important. Don't let other people put you down no matter what! I hope I did well with the headcanons, I have never done Mustang ones before. TT

Fullmetal Alchemist Headcnaons: Roy Mustang X Reader who has scars across their body and face

So, since Mustang is a soldier and works for the military, where people risk their lives for the sake of their country, he would not have anything bad in mind about reader's scars, as he sees many people with scars daily. To him they mean bravery.

In fact, he would never really mention the scars as they are not a part of his business at all. He would listen if reader decides to tell him about them, but he wouldn't ask himself.

If he notices anyone making comments about reader's scars, or of them in general, he would have a good talk with the person. He is a man of justice, and would not let anyone bring somebody else down, especially if that person happens to be his s/o.

If reader tells him that they are insecure and that people have shamed them because of their scars, that would be the moment when he would become serious.

The usual flirty demeanor would disappear in a blink and be replaced by a serious but compassionate look, followed by a soft, reassuring tone of voice.

"Listen, Reader. You know what my profession is, right? I work in the military, where me and all of my commerades are ready to risk our lives for the sake of others, for the sake of peace, at any moment. Me, Riza, Alex. We are all people who have been at the battlefield. At work, I see people who have scars everyday, some have them on their bodies, some on their faces. Some are big, some are small. But they are there. And to us, scars mean bravery. A scar is the memorial of a healed wound. This means that someone was strong enough to go through the pain and keep living. No matter what the reason for you to have scars is, my beloved, they are just another part of you, just like your hair, your eyes, your lips. They aren't something to be ashasmed of, they are normal. And to me, you look just fine, you always will. I don't think anybody else's opinion should matter, if you and me think you look fine, right, Reader? If something else bothers you, tell me. I am here to listen, always."

[pinkarsonistwizard]

A love confession

Hehehe, the truth is I wrote this letter for me because I am terribly obsessed with ♥ Colonel Roy Mustang ♥, I also enjoy letters in general, usually writing them in character with my DnD OCs but now that I've read almost all the Roy Mustang x Reader fanfics I could find, I'm craving for moreeeee. Left possible scenario for it to happen as well, I hope you like it.

----- Colonel Mustang, who usually confronts things directly instead of writing letters, has decided to confess his love for you through one. He knows you are a sensitive girl and judging by the number of books you read, it's obvious you like written expressions and admire different styles of writing. You find it among one of the reports you are about to file on a rainy afternoon.

-----

My dearest (y/n),

Words fail me as I try to write this letter, for the feelings that flood my heart are too great to describe in ink and parchment. From the first day you entered my office as my assistant, you brought a light into my life that I never knew existed. Your grace, intelligence, and unwavering dedication enchanted me, captured my thoughts, and filled my days with indescribable joy.

In the realm of duty and military affairs, I have always stood strong and been guided by the principles of justice and order. Yet inside my heart I have discovered a vulnerability I never expected. The strength and determination I display on the battlefield are nothing compared to the fierce passion and adoration I have for you, (y/n).

Your presence alone ignites a fire within me that burns brighter with each passing moment. Your smile, so radiant and genuine, has the power to lift the weight of the world from my weary shoulders. Your unwavering support and commitment to our cause inspires me to be a better man, a leader who deserves a woman as extraordinary as you.

I am aware of the complexities that arise from the intertwining of personal and professional lives, especially within the confines of our military hierarchy. However, my heart compels me to put these considerations aside and speak the truth that I can no longer withhold: (y/n), I am deeply and unequivocally in love with you.

Every fleeting glance, every touch of our hands in the midst of shared tasks, every stolen moment we steal away in conversation, all of it fuels the flame that burns within me. I can not imagine a future without you by my side, and I long for the day when we can embark on a journey of love and partnership.

But please understand, (y/n), that I respect you and the professional boundaries we must maintain. Should my feelings not be desired, or should our circumstances prove too complicated, I will bear the burden of this unrequited love in silence, for the sake of our working relationship and the stability of the mission.

However, should there be even a glimmer of hope in your heart that returns the affection I have for you, I would be honored beyond measure. In a world where chaos and darkness so often reign, our love could be a beacon of hope, a shelter that protects us from the storm.

Please take time to reflect on my words, (y/n), and know that regardless of your response, my commitment to our common cause remains unrelenting. My duty as a soldier will never waver, but if fate allows, I hope to stand not only as your commanding officer, but also as the man who cherishes and worships you.

With all the love my heart can hold,

Colonel Roy Mustang

[amelikos]

Some character notes and episode notes for HZ059, writing them down for future reference.

First part of the ep had Dot and the others heading to Aoki's gym so Dot could take her implementation test only to find out that he wasn't there and that he was coming back later. Dot was feeling impatient and wanted to take her test quickly and even said she studied Aoki's videos a lot and came up with strategies taking into account her two Pokemon. Kuwassu eventually wanders away from the group after hearing some music and the group follows him to look for him. Kuwassu was watching a dance performance by an Odoridori and its trainer. He eventually joins in and Odoridori's trainer, upon finding out that Dot and the others were looking for Aoki, tells Dot that she'll tell her where Aoki is after they get acquainted with a dance. Ensues a dance session with Kuwassu and Odoridori. Kuwassu learns to improve his steps and even incorporates new ones in his routine, which impresses the crowd who is watching and Odoridori's trainer. After the performance ends, Dot and the others head to the Treasure Eatery, which is where they find Aoki. They introduce themselves to each other. Roy was surprised to learn that Aoki was both part of the Elite Four and a Gym Leader. The restaurant's dining area is then transformed into a battlefield so Aoki and Dot can have their battle.

Second part of the ep featured the actual battle. Dot says that Kanuchan has no battle experience (as in, official battle) so she decides to send out Kuwassu first. Aoki sends Nonokotchi. Kuwassu is soon paralyzed by Nonokotchi so Dot returns him and sends Kanuchan (and there was a cute moment of Kuwassu coming out of his Pokeball to cheer on Kanuchan because she was scared of Nonokotchi at first). Kanuchan does a good job against Nonokotchi all things considered, but Aoki returns his Pokemon and sends out Mukuhawk who soon defeats Kanuchan. So the end the battle comes down to Mukuhawk and Kuwassu. Dot loses her composure a bit because Aoki is always one step ahead of her and counters all her plans, so he asks her if plans are something she executes by herself. So Dot understands that she needs to take into account Kuwassu more and is more in sync with him afterwards. Kuwassu eventually evolves into Welcamo during the battle and Dot uses Terastal. Aoki does as well, and eventually defeats her. Dot is frustrated about losing and was surprised about passing her test. Aoki explained the reasons for passing her and considered that she did great work in implementing what she learned in her basics test. Liko and Roy congratulate Dot for passing her test, and they end up eating special onigiri at the Treasure Eatery (paid by Aoki, he was nice for offering them all onigiri).

Anyway, this was overall a nice episode. The battle was fine. Ep was written by Naohiro Fukushima (he wrote lots of Dot-centric eps at this point, he was also the one who wrote Dot's basics test with Nanjamo).

I loved seeing Dot's many different sides in display this ep. The way she comforted Kanuchan at the beginning by hugging her after Kanuchan fell on the ground and cried was adorable (back in HZ044, she didn't how to handle her crying so she called her back in her Pokeball). I loved how the previous ep and this one shows that Dot is more comfortable handling Kanuchan now, and how her tender side always comes out with her. She also showed that she could be impatient (she wanted to take her test quickly). Dot can also be smug and prideful (the way she bragged about Kuwassu being a hardworker was cute, that's her partner she is proud of!). She also can be goofy (the way she danced and moved around during her battle was fun), or shy and embarassed around strangers (she didn't know what to say to the staff at the Treasure Eatery.. and the way Liko naturally talked for her was a nice touch, Liko probably saw that Dot couldn't handle the situation and took over). I just like that Dot is a full person who has all these sides to her. Dot's arc with food will never get old either (she keeps trying lots of new stuff this chapter, like the onigiri at the end, and isn't scared of eating new things).

I also liked the way her relationship with Kuwassu (and eventually Welcamo) was showcased (seeing more of Kuwassu's playful side at the beginning was great too, he is usually more serious so seeing him excited over things he likes was a change of pace). Dot said that she thought they were both growing together but he passed her on again and she wants to catch up to him. It reminded me of the way she didn't want to stay on the sidelines anymore back in HZ045 and wanted to get actively involved with Liko and Roy and stand by their side as an equal. Dot was afraid that she had missed on a lot of things (when she admitted her fears to Liko in HZ027) but she is still trying either way and even though she admits that even her Pokemon can be ahead of her sometimes, it just motivates her to catch up. I also think it's interesting to have a trainer and Pokemon relationship like Dot and Welcamo in the anime. Kuwassu was always generally more put together than Dot and encouraged her multiple times in times of doubt (I remember reading that Dot feels like the middle child in her own team and it's kinda true w). Dot admits that too. In general, I just like the way the trio's relationships with their partners are depicted because they all feel distinct and varied. I keep enjoying the way Pokemon evolutions in Horizons are linked to the growth of both the trainers and Pokemon and showcase the emotional growth too (and that you know they will evolve, there is no doubt about that either).

I also thought that Dot being surprised that she passed her test was reminiscent of other instances in which Dot couldn't see the good that she did. Similar to the way she had a bit of difficult time acknwoledging Liko's compliments in HZ027 (Liko reassured her that she was doing lots of good things for everyone on the ship, but Dot had only focused on how she had been tricked by Spinel). This time too, she focused on the battle outcome (her loss) and couldn't initially see that she had learned a lot of things and applied them during her battle. Anyway, I really like the way the Terastal course is set because of this. I wonder how Dot will grow in terms of battles. She tends to prepare in advance a lot and studies her opponents (just like Spinel by the way), but I think she'll need to adapt on the fly against the Explorers for example (she doesn't know the way all of them battle etc…).

[shanastoryteller]

Happy valentines beautiful! I’d love some fma ishvala general elric! ❤️

a continuation of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

"What's going on?" Roy demands.

"What's going on is this whole plan hinges on no one being able to accompany me as I work on pain of death so now your options are to fake your death or for me to literally kill you," Elric snaps. "Believe me when I say the latter is my preference."

He takes an alarmed step back, but Alex just lets out another booming laugh and claps Elric on the back. The face that he doesn't stumble under the force of it means that he has to be at least as strong as the rumors say. "Do not be grim, Edward! This is a good thing. Without Roy on the battlefield, many lives will be saved!"

True by any metric, but it still makes him flinch. "I can't just disappear."

"You can and you will, until either this war is over or I'm caught and executed, and then you'll be Olivier's problem," Edward says. "Now give me some sort of code word or something that I can tell your people."

"Where am I supposed to go?" he protests.

"With everyone else," Ed gestures to the gathered Ishvalans, many who are already slipping into the tunnel that Alex made while the rest ready their supplies and get in line. "We're hiding millions of people here. You'll barely be a blip."

That doesn't explain anything. "Where are we going?"

"Away from the war," Elric answers, but before Roy can snap at him he continues, "Xerxes."

"That's just ruins," he protests. Neither Amestris or Xing has claimed it only because neither wanted it. Plus having a land of inhospitable desert between the two countries did wonders for international relations.

Elric grins, some of his rage fading under the hard curl of satisfaction. "It was ruins."

[flameleads]

Anonymous asked: (I read a fic recently where Roy was upset and bitter with Hughes because he got a family and was happy, meanwhile Roy didn't have that because he was still stuck with his mind on the war. What's your take on that? Do you think Roy was bitter with Hughes?)

This is a fascinating question, and I've seen it explored in fics before. It's a stark difference between Hughes and Roy as characters: one has a family after Ishval, and the other doesn't. Hughes does not have the same ambitions as Roy does either, but he supports them in whatever way he can.

If you watch the OVA Yet Another Man's Battlefield, or you read His Battlefield Once More, which is where it came from, we see a glimpse into how Hughes copes with the war around his family (link to read on my blog here). Hughes essentially puts everything about the war aside for his family. For them, he'll smile, and he'll make them happy. He'll handle what he did in Ishval alone, which is not an uncommon or surprising approach.

Roy couldn't make himself do that. He refused. If Roy was far less ambitious, and he desired a life more like the one Hughes had, he might be able to do it. He often acts this way throughout the series: putting himself in harm's way to save others or putting others' needs before his own are two key themes of his character. He is a character who loves deeply, so who is to say he would not do the same thing Hughes does and try to handle what he did in Ishval alone for a family?

But, he's Roy Mustang, and he had loftier goals in mind. Roy is the type of character who sees a problem and wants to fix it. He sees a broken nation, so he aims to fix it. He knew what he did in Ishval was wrong and unforgivable, so he aims to not fix it, per se, but work to ensure it never happens again, and to repair the damage he caused. Neither of those things leave time for building a family. In fact, with the latter, he aims to be tried for his war crimes in Ishval, so building a family would be a horrible idea.

Roy's lack of a family is also purposeful on his part as a means of deception. We see throughout the series that others consider him to be a slacker, incompetent, and a womanizer. This is a carefully curated reputation he built for himself to throw others off his scent while he works to climb the ranks. If others see him as all of those things, he'll be less suspect, and they will underestimate him. In truth, Roy Mustang is none of those things.

I would not say any of the above made him bitter towards Hughes. The two of them have their differences, and they understand each other. Roy carries the effects of Ishval in a different way, and he does mostly carry them alone as well. I will always consider Roy's annoyance over the phone with Hughes as an act as they were both trading intelligence with each other. Remember: Hughes was trying to get him to Central, and he supporting him every step of the way through his goals.

One of the key things I will always remember when it comes to these two is this: they had their differences, but they loved and cared for each other deeply, and they supported one another through and through.

[cheekyowldraws]

Series: Pokemon Horizons

Characters: Main plot: Friede, Murdock, Orla appears fairly often too Minor part: Ludlow, Liko, Roy, Mollie Mentioned: Dot

Ships: FriedexMurdock also called Capncrunchshipping or Airfryshipping

Summary:

How did Friede and Murdock met and how did the cook end up joining the RVTs? Liko was asking herself the same questions and so she confronted those two when they all had a little snack break together. I also emphasized them slowly falling in love with each other through out the story to have a smooth transition to the weeding proposal fanfic I already wrote. But they didn't fully grasped that feeling yet <3

It was a beautiful, sunny day and the Brave Asagi flew smoothly through the sky. A few days ago the ship was docking near the Wild Area of Galar where the Rising Volt Tacklers had enjoyed some delicious curry together made in a group effort by Liko, Roy and Dot. Murdock was busy in the kitchen preparing some snacks for everyone, deeply lost in thoughts. He let the events from their little trip to the wild area unfold once again in his mind. It made his heart sing, not only was it the first ever curry his niece had, but also the first time she actually joined them eating a meal together, after what felt like a eternity...he honestly can't even remember when the last time actually was. While musing about all this he felt a sudden saddness growing inside...he was so thankful that Dot found two precious friends with Liko and Roy, especially Liko managed to understand his little sister's precious girl he is looking after, slightly questioning himself wondering what he might lack to understand his nieces true feelings like Liko had succeeded in doing. "I probably just annoy her most of the time...no wonder...I keep pestering her with my silly questions...adults sure are bothering huh?" after letting out a deep sigh he continued his task.

"Talking to yourself?" Murdock was torn out of his thoughts but wasn't startled. He peeked into the direction of the familiar voice to find Friede leaning against the doorframe with a snippish grin. "And you seem to have forgotten how to properly knock at the door before coming in." the cook teasingly replied to him with a playful voice. "What are you talking about? I did knock! Where you daydreaming or something?" the professor let out a small chuckle when he saw Murdocks face turning into a grimace. "Huh?! You did?" Silence briefly draped over the pair for a moment. But before Friede could say anything in return, a plate with freshly made cookies were shoved into his hands "How about helping me out if you are already here?" rather baffled Friede was almost taken in by the pleasant smell. "Hey don't change the subject!" Friede exclaimed. "I don't know what you mean." Murdock contered delightful while taking off his apron, hanging it back on the hook. The cook then took a plate himself with different lemonade flavors he mixed from the fresh berries they collected in the Wild area before they left. "I can't wait to see everyones happy face. Let's Go Friede!" his voice brimming with excitment. But he didn't get a response. "Oi Friede are you listening?" the chef asked concerned, raising an eyebrow. Still no answer. "Who is daydreaming now?" the cook now teasingly asked, finally snapping the other man out of his thoughts. Friede started to blush. Murdock was way to close to his face. He felt even more embaressed after realising that he kept staring at the cook so he quickly averted his gaze. "S...Shut up it's not my fault that you are...(so hot)" he could barley stop himself from actually saying the last part out loud "I am what?" Murdock asked visually confused. "L...Let's go I bet the others are already waiting" the professor stuttered, turning around hastely to leave the kitchen. "WAIT!! Tell me!! I wanna know!" Murdock cried out but Friede just upped the pace, so the cook had no choice but to follow him.

Shortly after everyone was sitting outside on the battlefield enjoying the cookies and lemonade. It filled Murdocks heart with joy to wittness how everyone seemed to have a good time. When Friede went to get seconds Murdock took the chance and snagged them away right under his nose. "You can have more when you tell me what you meant earlier" sounding mildly exasperated. Friede wanted to be mad at him but he looked way to cute when he was pouty, so he kinda gave in. "I can't tell you... not here" he nervously replied "Why?" The cook was visually jumbled, noticing the slight blush on his lovers face he finally understood, turning his own cheeks into a slight pink as well. To their surprise everyone were now staring at them and no one dared to break the silence until Likos shyly voiced her inquiry. "Ehm...I hope it's okay to ask this question, but how did you two met?"

"You wanna know how we met?" Murdock repeated surprised. Liko now started to fidged with her fingers "Yes...Well...uhm...you two seem to be so close so I was just wondering how long you two know each other...y..you don't have to tell me" the girl nervously let out. The two men fleetingly looked at each other and then back at Liko, beaming a smile at her. "I guess it's time for another epic story" Friede started making Likos eyes lit up in excitment. "YUCHU!! I can't wait to hear more of your adventures." Roy marginally startled everyone with his sudden shout out. "Full of energy like always." Murdock stated laughing. After a heartfelt clearing of his throat the professor began to speak. "We actually met way before the RVTs were even founded. I still worked at my old job back then. That was.... " Friede paused mid-sentence and everyone eagerly waited for him to continue. "Let's just say it was a long time ago" he finally stated proudly sitting there with crossed arms, getting a judging stare out of everyone. Murdock playfully rolled his eyes because he already expected his best friend to not being able to remember the exact time. It's one of his weaknesses he has to admit is quite amusing sometimes.

"To be honest I would have actually been shocked if you did remember the exact time!" Friede just uttered an awkward chuckle while rubbing the back of his head. The cook released a deafeted sigh before he took over the storytelling "I joined the crew 7 years ago, but we actually met a bit more than 3 years before that event, so in total we know each other for around 10 years." Murdock started to explain "WOAH 10 YEARS!!?" the kids yelled out amaze, giving Murdock kinda the fright. "I probabaly wasn't even born back then!" Roy was already full into the story. "We barley started and it's already turning into chaos" Friede couldn't help but to laugh. "You of all people complain about chaos?" Orla bursted out into laughter. "HEY! What is that supposed to mean?" Friede gave her an offended glare. "You have the talent to bring chaos into everyones lifes and I don't mean it in a negative way" Murdock added and a soft smile formed on his lips "Honestly...I don't know what I would have done if I never met you" Murdock let himself getting swepped in by his emotions, tenderly smiling "He saved my heart back then" The moment the cook finished his sentence he grasped what he actually just said, instantly regretting it. He felt sharp stinging eyes staring at him. Casting a quick glance over his shoulder in the direction of this, let's say quite intimidate aura, to indeed see Mollie and Orla grining develish at him! "Now you have my full attention." the nurse said now fully involved. "Don't be shy and tell us everything, and don't you dare to leave anything interesting out." the mechanic demanded with a bittersweet grin on her face, making Murdock shiver in fear a bit. "W..Well...also it all started 10 years ago in a small forest of Galar..."

10 years ago somewhere in Galar:

It was almost lunch time and Murdocks day off. He had already finished all his laundry and others important tasks for today so he decided to go pick some berries for his cakes. Just a normal day like usual. Little did he know that his life gonna change forever starting from today. The forest Murdock was heading to was called Glimwood Tangle. It wasn't that big, but you could easily get lost if you lack the right knowledge. The several, maze-like paths shouldn't be taken lightly. Though perpetually dark, luminescent mushrooms provide small circles of light at various points on the paths. Touching these mushrooms causes them to glow more brightly and expands the area that they light. No problem for Murdock though, as he comes here weekly to pay a visit. So naturally everything went smootly and he fastly found everything he was looking for. "All right!! I got quite the good loot" He happiely summed while packing the last berry into his backpack. "Okay time to head home" He settled the bag on his shoulders and was about to leave the forest, when he got hold back by a weird sound. Thinking it was probably just a wild Pokemon, he tried to ignore it, but something deep inside him told him he should follow this odd noise. The curiousity growing inside him won and he embarked to investigate, firstly narrowing down from which direction the strange sound came from. Murdock now cautiously walked through the bushes, carefully watching his steps by touching the glowing mushrooms on his way to see better. The weird sound getting louder and louder...it more and more became creepy and with every further step he questioned his decision heavily.

But in this moment the pastry chef tripped over a big »object« and fell over, landing flat on his face. "Ouch...that hurt...?" He got rid of his backpack so he could sit up, rubbing his face to ease the pain.The creepy sound now suddenly came directly from behind him and sheer horror filled his body. That's it...that's his end...he should have just gone home when he still had the chance. "W...wa..." This made Murdock jump, letting out a high-pitched scream, now facing the source of this weird sound "Wa...water...." The cook now stared perplex at the ominous figure laying on the ground "Water?" he asked himself loudly until finally realizing it's actually a human-being laying down on the forest soil. Without thinking he rushed over to try and help. The white haired man was in an absolute terrible state, pale face, dry lips. Murdock tried to slightly shake the stranger to wake him up "Oi mister can you here me?" The smaller man tried to talk but no words came out, most likely having a dry throat, so the cook pulled out his water bottle and carefully making him swollow the water. After a few sips the stranger slightly opened his eyes just faintly able to see that someone was holding him. He was so dehydrated and hungry that he couldn't move. "Am I dead or why I see an angel?" he weakly said, the lack of nutrition must be playing games on his brain. Murdock got spooked by the sudden response and after his mind comprehended what the man just said his cheeks got quite the blush. But he also freaked out simoltaniouly, because he thought the stranger is about to leave this world. "S..stop talking nonsense Mister!! You are about to kick the bucket!!" he panicly started to shake him like a ragdoll so he would stay awake. "So bright..." the man mumbled looking even paler than before. "DON'T FOLLOW THE LIGHT!! Murdock now was fully on allert. " YOU GONNA BE OKAY! I'M SAVING YOU!!" Some time passed and the white-haired man were now leaning against a tree, gulping down a sandwich Murdock handed him. "I know you must be hungry, but you shouldn't gulp down the food like that or.." he couldn't even finsihed his sentence before the other man started to choke. "SEE I TOLD YOU!!" The chef offered him some water and the man gladly accepted it, washing down the food with it, letting out a satisfied sigh "Fwuuuhhh that was good! Thank you so much for saving me." the smaller man bowed down while still sitting to show how grateful he is "No problem I'm glad I could help you, but that surley creeped me out at first...talking nonsene like seeing and angel and stuff" he admitted slightly flustered. Realisation hit Friede like a Hyperbeam! WAIT!? Shit..Did he really said that out loud?? How embarrassing "S...Sorry I didn't mean to scare youl. Thank you! I owe you big time mister...?" right he didn't even know the name of his saviour yet. "Ahh I totally forgot to introduce myself didn't I? Name's Murdock nice to meet you...?" now it was the cook questionly looking at the other man and was greeted with a geniune smile "Nice to meet you Murdock! Call me Friede" and with that they exchanged a friendly handshake.

"What where you even doing here Mister Friede?" Friede immediatly gave him a cringe visage. "Please drop the Mister no need to be so formal just call me Friede." he insisted. "Ah sorry Mi...I mean Friede!" the cook stutterd a little bit, feeling a bit awkward, not formally adressing someone he just met. "So about my question..." he asked cautiously, not wanting to come off pushy, but for some reason he wanted to know more about Friede, who now was resting his back on a tree after stretching his arms. "I was reasearching Pokemon in their natural habitat." he began to narrate. "You know documenting how they find food, how they interact with each other, what they like and don't like, stuff like that." His voice sounded a bit sorrowful or was he just imagining it? Stop it your are just overthinking again. The cook scolded himself. "Sounds intersting. Is that your job or just a hobby?" he then added. "Oh haven't I told you? I'm a professor and I arrived here three days ago for my research" Friede proudly said. "Your a professor??! That's impressive!" Murdocks brain slowly took in the rest of the imformation he just got and nearly couldn't believe his ears. "Wait...YOU DIDN'T DRINK AND ATE PROPERLY FOR THREE DAYS!!?" the bigger man was quite outraged about this discovery so Friede tried to convince him that there is no need to fuss about this "Please it's not that big of a deal. I'm used to get by with little food and water. Besides I only planned to be here for a day, two at most but I got lost on my way out so..." he was certain that would be enough to reassure Murdock, but the opposite happened. "WHAT!? That's even worse! Pack your stuff together you coming with me" A bit intimidated Friede meekly asked "Where do you wanna bring me?" Murdock shouldered his backback and turned around to face Friede. "To my home. I make you a heathy meal...I...I mean I can't force you to come with me so..." Murdock now got nervouse because he realized that came across like an command and he might have pressured the other man. "You can cook?" Friede ask curiously "Yeah. I'm a pastry chef and actually work in a bakery together with a friend, but I can cook basically everything. I always loved to cook. Imagining everyone happily eating a good meal with a smile on their faces...I'm always looking forward to that. It's the best reward." what Friede now witnessed was the most geniune smile he ever saw. Murdock must really love cooking. He somehow felt a bit melancholic, but put this feeling aside for the time being. "Now I can't say no to such an promising offer." Friede chirped, and started to pack his stuff following Murdock's lead. "I'm glad to here that, let me know if you need help." When he was ready to go he looked at Murdock who wore a charming smile "Guess I really met an angel today after all" he whispered to himself, smiling softly he started to follow Murdock.

This was the beginning of a long and beautiful friendship. Of course Friede couldn't stay forever in Galar and had to go back to the lab he was working at, but for the next two years they tried to spend any freetime they had together, always staying in tough through their rotom phones. They shared everything with each other, their thoughts, their fears, what they love, what they hate. They could talk about literally anything and end up laughing together. Life seemed perfect. Little did they know that they had to overcome various hurdles on their journey towards true Happiness.

2 years after their first meeting:

Murdock looked on his phone checking if Friede answered him...he didn't. He let out a dissapointed sigh. One month has passed now since Friede vanished without saying a word, without answering his messages...at least he knows he is not dead seeing that he left him on read. He probably was just busy because the past few weeks before that his friend already kept replying less and less frequently...he knew Friede must have a good reason...but it still hurted to be ignored..."Why isn't he answering...did I do something wrong?" Questions like that kept spiraling in his head every day. He knew it was pointless to continue writing him at this point...if he haven't answered him before why should he now? The cook felt like he only keeps bothering Friede, so he decided it's time to accept that he probably won't see him again anytime soon and just trying to continue his life without him. It's only a month since he saw his best friend the last time...or at least he thought they were...but he already felt like something important is missing. Murdock felt so helpless. Just the thought of possible never seeing Friede again scares him. "Argh" Frustrated he let himself fall down on his bed. Now laying on his back he stared at the ceiling "I have no time to think about that now...I need to find a new job..." Murdock looked a last time at his conversation with Friede before he locked it away together with his heart.

At the same time Friede was out at sea fishing with his gramps and laying at his back, yet again staring half-lidded at the messages Murdock send him over the past month.

"Good morning Friede <3 I was visiting my sister yesterday to help make preperations for her daughters birthday. Can you imagine Dot is already turning 2 soon? I still can't believe I'm an uncle now. She is the precioust niece I could ever ask for" "Oi Friede you won't believe what just happend! Our little Milcery evolved into an Ruby Mix Alcremie! I can now make even more delicious cakes! Wanna come over and eat some?" "Sorry you're probably very busy, so it's okay if you don't have the energy to answer, but I haven't heard from you for two weeks now. I can't help but to get a bit worried...are you alright?" "Ehm sorry I hope I'm not bothering you...I know I said it's okay if you don't feel like answering but I'm worried and I kinda miss talking to you...Did something happen? I have so many questions and I wish I knew what you are doing right now. You know you can always talk to me ok?"

Friede uttered out a frustrated groan, covering his eyes to blend out the sunlight "If I only knew myself what I was doing right now..." It's now a month since he quit his job, he had no back-up plan, but he knew it was the right decision. He felt so unbearably exhausted, he would have lost his mind, if he have stayed in the lab any more minute. But what now? What is it what he want's to do? Honestly? He had no answer to that. He sat up to cast his fishing rod again, staring blankly into the distance. "How many more days you intend to pass this way?" Ludlow curiously asked his grandson "Huh?" Friede replied with a bored tone, not even looking at his gramps. "Youth should not be spent waiting for pray to bite when you can set out and claim it for yourself." Ludlow continued. "You say that, but...Not like I have anything else to do." Friede indifferently let out as something had taken the bait. "It's a big one Friede!" Ludlow called out. After cautiously reeling in whatever was at the other end of the string and with a "Hyah!" Friede sucessfully pulled out a Slowbro in one strong swing. Watching the Pokemon slowly walk past him and jumping back into the water, he let himself fall on his back, heaving out an irritated sigh. "I've got nothing..." he uttered out "You've got it good with your boat, Gramps. You can go anywhere." Now streching his hand towards the blue sky. "You have wings of your own." Ludlow replied. Friede gently patted the head of his charizard who was laying right next to him sleeping. "Even this guy's been in a mood lately." getting a lazy groan in return of his partner. "What should we do?" right at this moment he got a phone call from Ms. Lucca, who was about to show him a new Horizon.

8 month later:

One week has passed since the Rising Volt Tacklers were founded and the Brave Asagi set off for the first time, marking the begin of a long adventure to come. "Argh!! We can't just live from canned food and sandwiches" Orla complained, chewing on some conserved fruits. "It can't be helped nobody of us can cook properly." Friede replied, biting off a big chunk of bread. "Then why don't find a cook for our crew?" Friede tensed up and got suspicious silent for a moment, looking away sadly. "What's wrong!?" Orla could tell her childhood friend is hiding something. Friede had troubled feelings coming up. He tried to not think about the whole situation with Murdock, but judging Orlas look on her face there was no way to dodge this question. So he inhaled deeply before forming his words. "Nothing...or well...it's complicated...I know someone that can cook. I would die for his food, it's so damn delicious but when I quit my job I just left him behind without telling him and..."

"YOU LEFT WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING? WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?" the mechanic couldn't believe what she just heard. The sudden yelling from her made him act defensive out of reflex. "See I'm not proud of that and I wish I could change that, but I sadly can't and I already hate myself for that!" he snapped back. "Sorry Friede I didn't wanted to scold you like that" Orla apologized, breaking the silence that had settled in the meeting room. After another short pause Friede shakingly exhaled before he was able to explain what happend back then. "Like I said I ignored his messages, but I literally ignore everything at this time, I didn't knew what I wanted to do, everything seemed so pointless...I just just felt ashamed to tell him I quit my job because I couldn't stand it anymore, when he worked everyday with such passion and joy. I didn't want him to worry or pity me, but what I did in the end is even worse...so eventually he stopped writing at all and I don't blame him...after all this time I can't just start writing him like nothing happend right?" Orla wore a sympathic smile. She could tell it must be hard for Friede to even talk about this so she sqeezed his shoulder gently to assure him. "I don't even know if he still is working in this bakery!" he stated insecurly, burying his face into his arms. "Then let's find out" Friede lifted his head again and gave Orla a confused look "Huh? Did you listen to anything I just told you I..." but Orla grabbed his shoulders so he was forced to look at her. "What is if he is still waiting for you to come back?" She asked her childhood friend with a determind gaze. Friede's eyes flickered to the floor with a sorrowful expression. "Look at us! We haven't talked for years and then BAMM five month ago you suddenly appeared right before me, making the craziest demand." the machanican literally tackle his side with her elbow pretty hard making Friede cry out. "THAT HURT!! ARE YOU CRAZY! What was that for!?" scoffing back at her. "You won't know until you try right?" Orla winked her eye at him. He couldn't help but feel motivated now "You're not gonna let this go,are you?" he said in a defeated tone. But she is right. He needs to put his fear aside and face Murdock once again. Even if he don't wanna be his friend anymore, the least thing he could do is to proper apologize to him.

A few days later they eventually arrived in Galar. The bakery Murdock used to work at was unfortnatly closed down for good so Friede tried to ask the neighberhood if they happen to know anything about this, hoping someone might know were Murdock went. But the only clue they got is that he should still be somewhere in Galar, so they tried to search stratedically by visiting every reastaurant, Cafe or any other shop that could be related to food in any way. Two weeks had passed since they started their endeavor looking for Murdock, but their search only fruited into several dead ends. Today they tried their luck in Wyndon, the most populous city in Galar and home to the biggest Stadium in this region. Heated battle against to current champion are the main attraction. But that's not what they are here for. They had an important mission to fullfill. On top of that they also did finish some jobs in between. Somehow they had to earn money right? Running around all day makes hungry though, so they decided to treat themselve to a nice meal for once and went to another restaurant nearby that an friendly old lady had recommended to them earlier.

Without hesitation they entered the building and were kinda surprised how spacious it was inside. The interior looked quite noble, but simple and not to fancy. Orla and Friede fastly sat down to study the menu, waiting for an waiter to take their order. "Welcome to »Dylan's table« were we serve passion. Can I take your orders?" Friede immediatly froze...This voice...it can't be...He had to take all his courage to look at the waiters face. A very familiar visage awaited him ."M...Murdock!?" The man standing right before them indeed was Murdock, who now just stared at him in shock, needing a moment until realisation hit him. "F...FRIEDE!?? What are you doing here!?? I was worried you know!??" The cook immediatly coverd his mouth because his voice came out louder then he anticipated. Friede wasn't prepared to suddenly talk to him so he didn't know what to say and became nervous "I..I'm so sorry that I left without telling you...actually I was searching for you right now to..." he forcfully got shoved aside mid-sentence. "So you are the cook Friede was raving about!" Orla interrupted, trying to help turning this conversation into a positive one. "W..What!? R—raving about me? Why?" Murdock was so overwhelmed. He thought Friede didn't wanna be his friend anymore so he couldn't believe what he heared. Friede tried to hold Orla back "Stop it you embaressing me!" he pleaded awkwardly. "No I'm actually helping you out here you coward!" she snapped back at the professor holding him at his collar now. Murdock started to feel uneasy. "P..please don't fight here Miss?" Orla let go of Friede so she could focus on the cook again. "Sorry I didn't introduced myself! My name is Orla nice to meet you!" she beamed a smile at him. "My name is Murdock...wait you already knew that! Ahahaha" he awkwardly figured. Orla then went back to Friede, giving him a friendly push.

Watching those two having a friendly quarrle let Murdocks uneasyness and confusion slowly turn into saddness. "I see...that's why you didn't answered..." he whispered to himself with a soft but distressed smile. Friede saw that Murdock was staring at Orla and noticed the sudden mood change. He couldn't help but feel guilty seeing Murdock with such a sad expression. "Orla and I are..." He was interupted by a rather demanding and unpleasent voice. "Murdock what is this ruckus about? I don't pay you for doing small talk with our guest" A man with small stature and grey hair was standing right beside the cook, looking at him furiously. "Aaaahhh I'm sorry Mister Dylan it won't happen again!" Murdock shamefully bowed down. That didn't went unnoticed by Friede and Orla who instantly felt sorry for him. "You better go back to your work right now, or you have to deal with the consequnces. Did I made myself clear?" the manr angrily voiced. Murdocks body flinched at this. "Yes Mister Dylan!" he responded with a shaking voice, still bowing down, sweat dropping down his face. The restaurant owner then gave a sinsiter look to Friede, who gave him an annoyed look in return before walking away to talk to others cutomers. Only when Mister Dylan was out of sight Murdock raised his head. "S..Sorry Friede I need to go back into the kitchen" the cook didn't even looked at Friede and was about to hastly leave. Friede felt his heart stopping and filling with fear. Not again...he won't leave him again...not this time. "WAIT!" he yelled after his friend. The other man stopped in his track and turned around hesitantly, still wearing a anxious expression. The look on his face broke Friedes heart. "Can we have a proper talk after you finsihed work?" the white haired man expressed his request. Friede could tell that Murdock had troubled thoughts at the way he tried to avoid eye-contact. "W..well I would love to, but I won't be finished till 11pm...I can't possible ask you to wait that long..." putting on a rather forced smile he then exused himself to vanish back into the kitchen.

Friede let himself fall back into his seat, heaving out a frustrated sigh "Nice Friede...that was the cringest conversation you ever had." his eyes sliding shut. "That poor sweetie!" Friede and Orla turned their attention in direction of the voice. At the table next to them was sitting an old lady. "May I ask what you mean with that Ma'am?" Friede curiously asked. The old lady now faced the duo "You were looking for him earlier right?" The lady seriously asked, wearing a serene smile. "You are...?" The old lady kept smiling at him and Friede eventually recognised her. "Wait is that the reason you recommended this restaurant to us earlier?" he asked astonished and the old lady nod her head in affirmation. Friede face then tensed up a bit "I met Murdock three years ago, but through personal circumstances I haven't talked to him in the past year." while he said that he let his gaze wander to look at the floor. "I wanted to apologize to him for treating him like that.." he paused a moment biting his lip. "I want to be his friend again" He couldn't help but feel like he had just completely exposed himself in front of everyone. The old lady watched the white-haird man closely and tenderly smiled "Then will you safe his heart?" Friedes eyes widend "Save...his heart?" he repeated. What on earth did happen during the past year? His heart started to beat faster, just thinking about what Murdock might have had gone through in his absence, while also believing he got ditched by his best friend...he gulped down his guilt for a moment and made a decision. "Can you please tell me?" his eyes were literally begging for an answer. "Do you really wanna know young man?" The old lady asked in retutn, but this time with a serious look on her face. "Yes Ma'am please tell me what you know"" he replied, bowing down with determinating. Her smile softened again and her eyes now slide to the other guests. "Don't you find it odd that no other Waiters or Waitress are here tending to the customers?" Friede and Orla looked around exermining the situation. "Now that you mention it...where are they?" the mechanic wondered. "They all quit half a year ago, that poor sweetie is the only one left. He basically serves the customers, cooks, cleans everything all alone everyday until late at night. I live near by so I know when he comes here and when he lefts. He goes home around 11pm and starts working at 3am each morning, except sunday." Friede was shocked, he couldn't believe what he had just heard. "WHAT!!! THAT'S CRAZY!! There is no way that he can be happy with that!" The professor was completely shaken up emotionally.

Unfortunatly their conversation got interrupted by the restaurant owner. "Dear custumors I'm afraid I have to ask you to leave." you could hear the malicious undertone in his voice. "And why is that so?" Orla immadiatly snapped back, seeing that her friend isn't emotionally in the right mind right now. "This table has a reservation and like you sadly see all other seats are taken. I'm sorry but I must ask you to leave." Orla angrily stood up, banging her hands on the table. "Come on old man you just made that up!?" she was about to throw hands but got hold back by Friede. "It's okay we go." he had a serious look on his face so she left it at that and accepted his decision without protest.

They now were standing outside. "Are you just going to give up on him like that!?" Orla asked Friede firmly. "Of couse not. But if the old lady is right then us staying would have just gave him extra unneccessary work." Orla let out a sigh "Your not wrong." she paused for a brief moment. "So what's the plan?" she continued. Friede didn't answered immediatly, instead he started to slowly stroll around the corner of the restaurant, giving her a signal to follow him. "He said he has to work till 11pm right?" he asked rhetorically while sitting down on a small bench, making himself comforteable. "I'm just gonna wait for him here, so I can intercept him as soon as he's off work." he voiced his plan. Orla saw the determination in his eyes and gave him and reasuring smile. "Okay then I gonna head back to the ship for now." she said getting a nod of him in return. "You got this!" the mechanic then added winking at him before excusing herself. Friede couldn't help to let out a small insecure chuckle. How did she know that he still felt nervous?

At the same time Murdock was about to prepare the dishes for Friede and his companion, realising he forgot to actually take their order. So he tried to rush outsite to get them but got stopped by his boss entering the kitchen who inform him that they suddenly left. The cook wanted to asked for the reason, but he already got scolded earlier so he swollowed down his concerns. With an uneasy heart he then continued his daily work. Always putting on a smile, no matter how crushed he might felt. When he happened to pass by the table of the old lady, she secretly told him the truth. At least he was kinda relieved now, knowing that Friede didn't leave because of him turning down his request to talk. Still...For some reason work felt even longer today than usual. The hours passed and after finally being finished with cleaning up the cook change out of his work clothes and then locked the door behind him, heaving out an exhausted sigh. He couldn't get todays situation out of his mind. "Will I see him again...?" he let out a slight yawn. "I probably should go home and get some rest." The moment he turned around the corner a happy "There you are! I waited for you!" greeted him. Murdock was caught so off-guard that he jumped a little, lost his balance and landed on his butt. "D--Dont scare me like that." He pressed his hand against his racing heart trying to calm it down. "Sorry I didn't mean to startle you." Friede answerd while offering his hand to help the other man stand up. Murdock hesitated at first but then took the offering hand. "Don't tell me you waited all day for me to finish work?" Murdock asks as Friede pulls him onto his feet "What if I did?" Friede mischievously returend the question. Murdock just gave him an unimpressed look. "Then you'd be an idiot!" the cook teased him. Friede wanted to defend himself but a sneeze slipped out. Murdock gave him ja udging look before he started walking, giving Friede a waving signal to follow him "Come you idiot I gonna make you a warm tea." Friede wanted to protest, he didn't want to cause him any inconvenience or add to his already imense workload. But this talk is already overdue so he sprinted after Murdock. Ten Minutes later they have arrived at the small appartment Murdock lives in. Friede started to analyse his surroundings out of habit. The space seemed barley enough for one person. It had one big room that were divided up in different areas. To his surprise the kitchen was almost none existent and only had the bare minimum, including a fridge, a stove and a sink. The rest of the flat was filled with a bed, a small couch and a table. Other than that there only were a cabinet and a cupboard. At least there was a toilett with a shower. Considering how much Murdock is working every day it's likely that he hardly spends any time here, besides sleeping.

Make yourself at home I'm gonna brew us some tea." Murdock suggested before fiddeling around in the kitchen. Friede continued studying his surroundings, everything was furnished so...plain and lifeless...it doesn't suit Murdock at all. He felt his heart sink again. While his eyes kept sliding through the apartment, two framed pictures caught his attention. On one of them was a woman holding a baby. "That must be his sister and his niece he told me about." He thought. The other frame though was covered with a big layer of dust, making it hard to recognize anything. As he sat down on the couch, Murdock promptly came back with a hot cup of coffee instead. "Sorry seems like I'm out of tea so I made you some coffee, hope that also suits you." He put the cup down on the table before he made himself comfortable next to Friede. The white-haired man thankfully grabbed the cup, taking a small sip. "Thank you Murdock." He beamed a smile at him and the other man returned the favor. They now sat there silently for a while.

"You know..." Murdock paused for a second fiddling with his own cup of coffee "I was thinking you were busy, but I didn't expect that you find yourself a girlfriend. She seems like a very nice person and she is pretty. I'm happy for you." Somehow saying this felt like a lie, but why?! Isn't it a good thing that his friend found happiness? Before he had the chance to fall deeper into his thoughts he was interrupted by Friede heavely choking on his coffee trying to catch his breath "Easy, easy! Was it too hot? Are you okay!?" Murdock asked worried, while gently patting Friedes back. "You think Orla is my girlfriend?!" Friede spurted out, coffee drippng out his mouth. The room got dead silent and Murdocks brain slowly processed the new information until it made »CLICK« "W—Wait she is not!??" Murdock stuttered dumbfounded. "No we are just childhood friends" Friede squeezed out, having to cough slightly again. "Oh..." Murdock now felt stupid for even assuming that, but for some reason he couldn't stop smiling!? "H..hold on! Why I'm so happy about that? It's noit like I'm in love with him or anything..." Murdock stopped his thoughts right there. What on earth was he thinking just now? he started to question his own sanity. Friede felt kinda lost watching Murdock switching from smiling to heavely shaking his head several times, wondering about that sudden mood change. Why would he be so happy about the fact that Orla isn't his girlfriend? It doesn't made sense to him...unless? NO NO NO NO!! That can't be it! There is no way that he... Friede now looked at Murdock, shook his head and then looked at Murdock again. When their eyes eventually met for a moment, both quickly averted their gaze again, slightly flushed. "I'm sorry I left without telling you." Friede apologized breaking the silenced that had settled above the pair. Murdock on the other hand remained suspiciously quiet and Friede quickly found the reason. The cook was barley awake, struggeling to keep his eyes from falling shut and his head getting heavier with any second. Friede gently squeezed Murdocks shoulder to get his attention. And it worked, the cook tensed up for a moment, blinking his eyes open until his vision wasn't blury anymore. "S..Sorry can you repeat what you just said? I'm afraid I was out of it for a minute." He had to admit. Friede automatically wore an understanding smile. "It's okay. You must be really tired. We can talk tomorrow. Come with me!" Friede grabbed Murdocks hand and guided him to his bed. He could tell that his friend wanted to protest and listen to what he had to say instead, but was simply to tired to do so. "It's already late...you can stay here if you want...would love to talk to you again..." Murdock muttered already half asleep. Moments later the cook was soundly snoring and Friede watched him for a while...he really looked exhausted, burnt-out even. He never saw Murdock with such a fatigued face. Sadness filled his heart, when he thought about how long this situation already made him suffer. But there is unfortunatly little he could do about this right now, except of letting his friend rest. Before Friede settled himself down on the couch, he texted Orla that he won't come back today, so she won't start worrying. Casting one last look at Murdocks sleeping silhouette before turning off the lights.

The next morning: Friede was awakened by the sunlight blending his eyes. After a sharp yawn he sat up, stretching his arms, before opening his eyes. Still being drowsy he had to think where he actually was. "Right I'm in Murdock's appartment." the professor noted, staring at the empty bed in the corner. The clock told him it was 10am so of course Murdock already left for work. He got distracted by his grumbling stomach. He didn't plan to stay over night, so he didn't bring anything to eat. He played with the idea to quickly go into town to get somethng, when his eyes spotted a note an the table. It was from Murdock.

Good morning Friede. I hope I didn't woke you up when I left. I prepared some sandwitches and put them in the fridge so feel free to grab some.

A tear was dripping down his cheek. Friede was relieved to see that Murdocks still is the caring sweetheart he used to be, but he also felt that he didn't deserve this kindness right now. His growling stomach made it hard to resist a homemade sandwich from Murdock, so he gladly took one.

Hour later it was almost time for Murdock to finish work so Friede decided to surprise him and pick him up. And he knew it was the right decision when he saw the overjoyed smile on the cooks face the second he spotted him in the distance. They walked back to the apartment doing some Small Talk. Stepping inside, Murdock directly rushed over to the kitchen to heat up the stove. "I brought some leftovers from work, so let me heat it up real quick and let us eat first." The cook suggested. "Sounds great." Friede agreed. And soon after they were stuffing their faces. "Mhhmmm delicious." Friede praised, taking another fork full. "Your food is still as good as I remember it." he kept praising while chewing blissfully. A smile formed on Murdocks lips watching his friend gulping down the food like in old times. "I'm glad to know that." the chef said realizing how much he had missed hanging out with Friede.

"Did you ever think about quitting your current job?" Friede suddenly asked with a serious look on his face. "What do you mean?" the cook was visually irriteated. "I'm asking if you are happy to work under this terrible circumstances?" the professor got more precise. "It's just how life works. Having to work hard for your money is normal." Murdock justified, somehow dodging the question. "Being unhappy isn't normal!" Friede kept pressing. "Why are you suddenly asking stuff like that?" Murdock countered feeling more and more pressured. Friede could tell he really tried to avoid giving him a proper answer so he decided to tell him the truth. "I run into your boss earlier, when I was on my way to pick you up from work and I might have giving him my honest opinion."

"YOU DID WHAT!?" Murdock jumped of his seat in disbelieve, eagerly waiting for Friede to explain himself, so the white-haired man had no other choice but to tell him. "See your boss immadiatly scoffed at me demandig that I better stop corrupting your mind with delusional thoughts, so I naturally snapped back at him, telling him what a big scumbag he is and that he should be thankful that you haven't quit yet and..." Friede got cut off. "BUT I NEED THIS JOB! " Murdock couldn't hold back his anger. "Not if you join us! I'm sure you will be way more happy when...!" Friede tried to argue but got cut off yet again. Murdock was furious, rage filling his body and eventually he snapped. "YOU CAN'T JUST COME BACK AFTER A YEAR AND DECIDE WHATS GOOD FOR ME!" Friedes whole body flinched. He never wittmessed Murdock losing his cool before and he would lie if he wasn't scared right now. "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I HAVE BEEN THROUGH ALL THIS TIME!!" the cook's voice was giving in so he was forced to speak softer. "I thought you stopped writing because I was annoying to you...and then you suddenly appeared again yesterday...I didn't knew how to feel.. but I still was so happy to see you again and hoped we can go back like we used to be, but you understand nothing so stop acting like you still know me, because you don't! You didn't even cared enough to answer my messages."

Murdock only stopped talking because he was out of breath and shocked about himself...it's the first time he lost his temper like that. Friede just looked at the floor totally defeated. Murdock was right he didn't had the right to come back into his life after literally vanishing without saying a word and neglacting his best friend, if he even has the right to think about him like that. After some time Murdock had catched his breath again and more calmed down. "Sorry...I didn't wanted to leash out on you like that." the cook apoligized, his voice being crisp from yelling. Friede was full of regrets right now. "No I should be the one being sorry...your right I'm a terrible friend. I quit my job a year ago, because i couldn't bear working there anymore. I lost any motivation with it and went more lazy with every day passing not knowing what I want to do and I was so selfinserted with my own problems that I didn't even think about how you must have felt after I just left...I'm truly sorry" He couldn't look into Murdocks eyes and the cook also couldn*t look into his. Friede then continued "The only thing I know is that you deserve better and that I can't bear see you like this...the moment I saw your forced smile I knew...you lost your passion...and it broke my heart when I realized it's my fault...if I had just talked to you properly than you wouldn't be overworking yourself now...you have all the right to hate me." Friede had to pause for a moment, because his voice started to tremble. "You wanted to make everyone smile with your food right? But do you think they are happy when they see your tired and forced smile?" Murdock still couldn't look at Friede. "I don't hate you...I could never hate you...I just have so many thoughts right know, I'm confused and...I just need some time alone to think. I hope you understand so could you please go for now...I should go to bed soon anyways because I have work tomorrow." The brown-haird man was gripping his pants, trying to hold his tears back. Friede silently walked to the door, when he opened it and was about to go outside Murdocks heart sank, fearing his friend might not come back and leave him forever. "I also hoped we could go back to the way we were, instead I hurted your feelings even more and I'm sorry...but..." Friede had to hold his tears back "...we will dock with the Brave Asagi at the bay for three more days...I marked the exact point on your map...If you feel like giving me another chance I would love if we could at least talk again once more before we head to another region." he finished before closing the door. When Friede was gone Murdock couldn't hold back any longer and everything bursted out of him. He started sobbing heavely, tears and snot running down his face, while he felt his heart getting crushed under all this weight.

It was already 11pm and Orla started to get worried waiting for Friede to return. When he eventuallly arrived at the Brave Asagi she joyfully greeted him with a "Welcome back!! How did your conversation go?" but Friede didn't gave her a respond, walking past her with a depressed face and went straight to his room. "Guess it didn't went well." Orla sadly noted and followed him out of concern, but when she heard quiet sobs coming from his room she decided to give him some privacy and left.

The next day:

Murdock was so restless all night that he couldn't fall asleep and also forgot to set his alarm. So imagine the shock when he realized that it already was past 5am "Damn I overlslept!" He dressed up real fast and left his apartment in a hurry. When he arrived at the restaurant he saw his boss trying to stop the customers from leaving, assuring them the cook will arrive any minute. When he noticed Murdock walking in he promptly scolded him. "What do you think you are doing? You are two hours too late! You bringing shame to my restaurant" Murdock lowered his head. "Sorry I overslept it wont happen again." he tried to appease his boss. "IT BETTER WONT! As a punishment I gonna cut your payment for this month!" Mister Dylan decided. "But then I can't pay my rent." Murdock pleaded but Mister Dylan immadiatly shut him down. "That's not my problem! If you wanna blame someone than blame this silly excuse of a man. This white-haired scum didn't know his place and tried to criticise me. I would advise you to stay away from him, he is a bad influence for you and now stop wasting my time and already go to the kitchen." Mister Dylan demanded.

"No." Murdock said without thinking, like his mouth started to move on it's own. "What was that?" his boss asked, trying to further intimidate him and Murdock flinched in fear, his body trembeling...suddenly remembering Friedes words from yesterday. "He was right....And I yelled at him....I'm so stupid..!" he thought, still trembeling. "I said No." he then repeated. After sharply inhaling he finally could face his boss. "Actually I'm here to quit. I won't work for you anymore!" The cook made up his mind. "You are opposing your boss?" the owner started but Murdock kept going. He still was afraid but this is what his heart is telling him to do right now. "Yes I do and I should have done that way earlier!! You are the most heartless and greediest person I know and I feel ashamed that I didn't realized that until now. I wasted so much time here and almost forgot why I started to cook in the first place." The owner got furious after listening to that. "You want to quit? Than I have news for you! You are fired! Take your stuff and then get your out of my sight" his now ex-boss insisted and with a "I will gladly do so!" Murdock packed his belongings. When he finally stepped outside the restaurant he felt like a heavy weight falling down his shoulders.

Back at Murdocks appartment:

"What was I thinking!?" Murdock restlessly paced around his room, trying to not freak out "You just quit your job without even talking to Friede first! What if he changed his mind and doesn't want you to join anymore. I wouldn't blame him after I yelled at him like that and said such horrible things." All his thoughts just came bubbeling out unfiltered. Murdock felt overwhelmed, unable to calm down and he just begged for a sign. His walking circles became bigger with every loop so it was unavoideable that he gonna bump against his cupboard at some point. With a loud »BAMM« he was now laying on the cold floor. After a while of just staring at the ceiling he noticed a picture frame right next to him that he must have knocked over when hitting the cupboard. He sat up to grab it. "That sure is a lot of dust..." he noted while wiping away said dust. His eyes widend when he recocgnized the picture in it. "That's..." Murodock bit his lips and almost started crying. It was a photo of Friede and him hugging each other. He still could remember when they made this photo. It was at the very day they first met. He had invited Friede to his home and offered to cook for him after he found him almost starving in the woods. Murdock felt a bit awkward back then to make a selfie with someone he barly knew, but Friede insisted that it would be a great memory. And right now he is so unbelieveable thankful for that. Tears start running down his cheeks, dripping on the glass with the picture he was holding firmly. "I'm such a fool..." Murdock wiped away his tears and steadied himself. Putting the picture frame back were it belonged, he grabbed his phone to look up the description Friede mentioned yesterday. His face went pale when he saw this disaster. It was a map from Galar with a big red circle were the beach is located. >Somewhere here< was written next to it. "DID HE REALLY THINK THAT WOULD BE ENOUGH!?" Doesn't he know how large this beach is!?" He had to chuckle right after, because in a sense this is just like Friede is. Still nervous and uncertain about the future he opened the door to apologize to Friede, hoping he still want him at his side.

Later at the same day:

Friede was resting his arms and head on the reiling, staring into the distance with an empty look. He couldn't sleep at all last night and haven*t eaten yet either. "Friendships that have weathered storms are the ones that shine brightest when the sun reemerges." Ludlow said sitting near by trying to catch some fish. "You say that but..." Friede muttered when he suddenly got pushed from behind by Orla, actually making him fall overboard. "Thank me later!" she said mischievously. In fact the brunette already noticed Murdock standing at the entrance for a while. The cook got cold feet and was debating with himself if he should knock or not, when he suddenly heared his name."You better catch him Murdock!" Orla shouted from above with a big grin. Murdocks gaze immediately shot upwards just to see Friede falling towards him. Without thinking he catched his friend and through the impact they both were now laying on the ground. "A...are you okay?" the cook carfully asked looking at Friede who instantly jumped off him after realizing he was laying on top of Murdock. "Sorry about that!" he then apologized.

After a short period of silence both of them suddenly bursted out into laughter. "That was a hell of a Welcome." Murdock snorted out. "You should have seen your face." Friede wheezed. "Sorry for not expecting that you get yeeted at me!" Murdock huffed back. "That certainly wasn't on my list today either." Friede stated still chuckling. Their laughing fit got interrupted by Friedes loudly growling stomach. Murdock just looked unsurprised at his friend who was slightly blushing.The chef let out a serene sigh. "I think I need to stay or you will keep on with your unhealthy eating habit." he teasingly figured. A big grin now appeared on Friedes face. "Guess you have a new job now." he cheerfully symphatized, filling Murdocks heart with joy. "But more importantly...!" the professor paused for a moment to look at his friend. "Welcome to your new home." Friede added with the most genuine smile. Murdocks eyes widened "My...new..home?" that honstely sounded wonderful. His heart was dancing of joy right now. "Thanks for having me." Murdock replied smiling brightly.

Seems like he found a new Horizon.