#Please take care of her and succeed and where I failed

[ask-v2]

I put the drive into the computer

As you put the USB drive into the computer, an alolan Vulpix with green eyes appears in V2_Habitat.exe, she looks confused, "Where am I? This does not look like the lab I was in before..." the Vulpix asked, clearly distressed. Judging by the name of the program she was housed in, it's safe to include her name is V2.

V2 IS FINALLY OPEN FOR ASKS

[punksdoll]

Hi, I really enjoyed reading your writings about Damian Priest. I was wondering if you could please do one with Damian x fem! Reader where she has a longtime crush on him, and gets called up from NXT to RAW. She's super shy & nervous to talk to him. Her & Liv are in catering one day & she spots Damian sitting with the rest of TJD, Liv catches her staring at him & teases her. Rhea is her close friend from NXT & catches it as well & tries to encourage her to talk to him. She tries at that time in catering, but fails the first time due to nervousness & a crowd being there (TJD). Rhea helps her outside of work, and she sums up the courage & tries again next time, succeeds & they end up together in the end? Sorry it's long, but take your time writing this, thanks <3

~~~𝑮𝒊𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔~~~

gif not mine like, comments, & reblogs appreciated

𝑫𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒙 𝒇𝒆𝒎!𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓 ^owner of gif

𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒚: 𝒊𝒕 𝒈𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒅

𝒂/𝒏: 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒎<𝟑 𝒊 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒆𝒙𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒖𝒑 𝒕𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝑰 𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒕 𝒎𝒚 𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒅𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒐 𝑰 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒔 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒆𝒏𝒋𝒐𝒚𝒆𝒅<𝟑

𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔: 𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔, 𝑹𝒉𝒆𝒂 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒉𝒚𝒑𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒏, 𝑫𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒍𝒚, 𝒇𝒍𝒖𝒇𝒇

not proofread

“These meatballs are really good, you sure you don’t want some?” Liv asks Y/n while holding up a meatball to her mouth.

Y/n looks down at the meatball before shaking her head and trailing her eyes back to something—someone.

Liv looks over and smirks, looking back at Y/n. “You have been staring at that man since he got here, might as well talk to him.” Liv nudges her and y/n gives her a shake of her head.

“Hell no.” Y/n immediately objects, “That’s never going to happen.”

Liv huffs, “why not? the more you ogle at him, the less chance you’ll have with him.” She pops another meatball in her mouth, “and i’ve heard stuff.”

Y/n gives her a slide glance, “what stuff?”

“Your chance might be too lateee…” Liv trails off and y/n feels her heart drop at that.

She has liked that man since the beginning of her wrestling career at nxt. When news spread that he left and moved up to raw, she would admit that it hurt knowing she would never have a chance to see him or maybe even talk to him at some point. But now that she’s at raw and finding out something might be going on with him and someone else? Makes her heart hurt even more. She’s waited her whole nxt career to get up here to just to see him and pump herself up to talk to him.

Y/n looks at her then back at Damian and when she does, her heart drops. He’s talking to Jackie Redmond, a new interviewer. She watches as Damian lets out a laugh at someone she had said.

“Yeah you should definitely talk to him.” Y/n and Liv both hear a different voice and look over to see Rhea sitting down with them. “because next thing you know, he’s falling in love with another woman that’s not you.”

Y/n stares at Rhea who gives her a look before looking back at Damian, “why do you care? why are you even talking to me? did you forget? you stopped talking with me the minute you got a name for yourself.”

“I don’t want to see my old friend hurting when she realizes that he has eyes for another woman.” Rhea shrugs as she sits back.

Y/n looks at Damian then at Rhea before sighing, “How do i even talk to him?”

“C’mon.” Rhea stands up and y/n looks at Liv who nods. Y/n gets up and follows Rhea who is walking over to the table that has her other fellow jd members sitting at, Damian walking over as well.

“What are we doing…?” Y/n questions.

“You will be talking to him.” Rhea simply says as they finally reach the table and she sits down, y/n following after quickly.

“Who’s this?” Dominik is the first to notice a non jd member as all eyes go towards y/n who immediately gets nervous and shrinks herself a bit, feeling Damian’s eyes as well once he sits down.

“My friend from nxt.” Rhea replies, nudging her foot with y/n.

“y/n.” She replies as she keeps her eyes down onto her lap.

“Oh yeah we heard about you…” Damian voices come through and y/n immediately looks up and stares at him. “You made a name for yourself in nxt.”

Y/n nods slowly, “yeah…” she trails off nervously.

Rhea gives her a side glance as they all get into their own conversation. Rhea keeps nudging her foot with y/n, trying to get her to talk to Damian who is simply enjoying his food while keeping his ears open to the conversation that Finn, Dominik, and Rhea are having. Y/n looks at him and opens her mouth but closes it immediately as he leans up to look at his friends.

“Don’t we got a match later on tonight?” Damian asks Finn who nods.

“Of course we do, we always do.” Finn chuckles.

Damian smirks and goes back to eating his food and Rhea nudges her harder this time but y/n just shakes her head and stands up, “i’ll catch you later Rhea.”

Y/n rushes off and out of catering as Rhea watches her walk away in annoyance.

•••

“You disappoint me.” Rhea says the minute y/n opens up her hotel room door and invites herself in.

“Welcome…?” Y/n raises an eyebrow and closes the door, following Rhea.

“You had your chance y/n, why in hell didn’t you take it?” Rhea frowns as they both sit down on the couch.

“I got nervous…” Y/n sinks into the couch, “and i knew eyes would be on me so that made me even more nervous than regular nervous.”

“that doesn’t make sense…” Rhea raises an eyebrow.

“You wouldn’t understand because you’re confident and you know that you look good…and you just don’t care.” Y/n frowns.

“That’s because i think about how life will still move on normally even if it does go wrong,” rhea shrugs.

Y/n looks at her and sighs, “you’re not an over thinker that’s why.”

“your making excuses.” Rhea smirks, “just because i may not seem like it doesn’t mean i’m not.”

Y/n sighs, “how are you gonna help me?”

“I’m his best friend, i know quite well.” Rhea smirks, “Starting with us taking a road trip together to the airport.”

“Wait what?” Y/n looks at her with a raised eyebrow.

“They know and they don’t mind. I made some excuse, let’s go.” Rhea stands up, “We got a lot to talk you through about.”

•••

“He might look imitating, but trust me,” rhea pops some grapes in her mouth, “he’s an actual sweetheart.”

Y/n glances over at Rhea then looks back at the road as she drives them to the airport. “maybe that’s just because yall are friends.” Y/n suggests and Rhea immediately gives her a look.

“Stop making excuses.” Rhea says sternly, “I know the man and I know him well. He would never hurt a fly unless he really has to.” Rhea smirks.

“What does that mean?” Y/n tilts her head to the side.

“Just know he is an absolute sweetheart who will show you respect if you show him respect, simple.” Rhea holds a grape up towards y/n’s mouth.

Y/n takes it and chews on it as she furrows her eyebrows, “what do i even say to him if i end up talking to him?”

“He has a match tomorrow night, bring it up and tell him good luck.” Rhea shrugs, “Every time he has a match, always tell him good luck. His interest in you will go up and he will want to talk to you more.” She winks.

Y/n nods slowly, “ok…”

•••

Y/n watches as Damian is getting himself pumped up for his match against Jey Uso today. She could feel her nervousness bubbling in her but less then before as she takes notice that he isn’t with any one of the jd members. She takes in a deep breath and marches herself over there.

Never back down never what?

“Never give up.” Y/n smirks before dropping it as she gets to Damian.


Damian looks over and smiles, “y/n right? Rhea’s friend?”

Y/n nods slowly, “yeah Rhea’s friend.” She clears her throat and looks at his gear, “I hear that you have a match today…”

Damian hums and nods, “yeah against Jey Uso over our feud we got going on.” He nods as he wraps his belt around his waist.

“Would you like some help?” Y/n blurts out and immediately panics as Damian turns his head towards her, “Unless you have it, it’s fine if you do. You don’t even need my help, you have been having this title for so long that you probably get used to the struggle…” y/n rambles on in panic.

Damian watches her, amused. “Sure.”

Y/n shuts up immediately and looks at Damian with wide eyes, “really?”

“Sure why not,” he hands over one of his titles.

Y/n eyes widened even more as she looks at the title then back at Damian who gives her a nod. With shaky hands, y/n wraps the title around his waist and feels herself burn up in the face at the close proximity. She pulls back and clicks the belt together before taking a step back as Damian turns towards her. “How do i look?”

Y/n smiles, “like a champ…” she nods as she tries slowing down her heart rate.

Damian chuckles and grabs his jacket, putting it on. “Will you be watching?”

Y/n tilts her head, “your match?” She questions. Damian nods and y/n ponders before nodding slowly, “Of course…i’ll be rooting for you.”

Damian smiles and grabs his other title, “I’ll be dedicating my win for you then.” Damian says.

“Good luck!” Y/n watches as he walks away.

“Thanks!”

•••

That became a routine. Every time when Damian had a match, y/n would get herself pumped up to go and talk with him. She’d put on his belt, he’d ask if she’ll watch his match, she’ll say she’ll be rooting for him, he says he’ll be dedicating his win to her, and she leaves it off with a good luck.

Y/n could feel herself slowly getting comfortable with him as the days went on and as their routine kept going. She could feel her feelings for him get stronger and she was always thinking the unthinkable everytime they did their routine.

Ask him out.

Ask him for dinner.

Ask him to go out to get a drink.

etcetera etcetera etcetera.

That thought would always vanish though as the thought of rejection would overthrow every other thought that she had.

“There she is.” Damian smirks as he watches y/n rush over to their little hangout spot. “I was beginning to think that you weren’t coming.”

Y/n raises an eyebrow, “the day that i stop coming is the day i stop working.” Y/n grabs his title and wraps it around him. “Who are you fighting today?”

“Kevin Owens.” Damian says as she pats his back, letting him know he can turn around now. “You gonna watch?”

Y/n smiles, “nah.” She teases.

Damian immediately narrows his eyes, “the hell not? you watching someone else?”

Y/n giggles and shakes her head, “i’m just kidding. yes i will be watching. rooting for you.” Y/n smiles.

“i’ll win just for you and after…” Damian suddenly looks nervously as he puts on his jacket, “maybe we can go out to celebrate after i win?”

Y/n feels her heart flutter, “are you asking me out?”

Damian smiles a bit and nods, “yeah…i am.”

Y/n smiles and nods, “i would love that then.”

Damian smiles and grabs his title, “i’ll meet you here after?”

Y/n smiles and leans over to give his cheek a kiss, “good luck…”

Y/n walks away quickly, all giddy inside. “Wait so are you?!” Damian calls out to her with a big smile on his face.

“Yup!” Y/n calls back as she rushes away.

Damian watches her with a smile, feeling his own giddiness inside him.

[onskepa]

hi i was wondering if you could write something for tsu’tey? so to set the scene it’s jake and fem avatar’s iknimaya and this is when jake is first taming his ikran and fem avatar (that tsu’tey had to train like neytiri trained jake) gets really concerned for her friend who has been through the same things as her (in reference to getting found by neytiri and then being taken to the na’vi village and having to be trained) and tsu’tey gets jealous because he’s slowly grown feelings for the avatar reader as he’s taught her

(and i’m actually so excited bc i saw you write for Sylwanin and Mo’at and now i have so many ideas for stories but i’ll refrain for the time being, also hope you’re doing well since getting over your sickness! <3)

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSS!!!! MY FIRST TSU'TEY REQUEST!! THANK YOU SO MUCH SWEET~!! OH HOW I WANTED SOMEONE TO REQUEST FOR HIM!! MY SWEET HUBBY!!! HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS ONE~!!

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

Ningay

Of all things to happen to tsu'tey, he can bare it all. Hunting, gathering, teaching, fighting, being a warrior. Tolerate pathetic whiney skxawng. He can handle it all. But teaching a sky demon the ways of his people? His already thin patience, will be hair thin.

He and neytiri were given the task to teach jake sully and his dream walker friend. Stranded and lost in the forest, those two were found by him and neytiri. Given a sign by Eywa, mo'at had allowed them to learn the ways of their clan and go through their iknimaya.

At first, while neytiri was reluctant, tsu'tey was highly against it. But of course, what the tsahik says it goes. So neytiri was assigned to train jake, while tsu'tey was assigned to train the demon who he never cared to remember the name of.

"wrong....wrong ...wrong again! even a child can hold a bow better than you!" tsu'tey bullied criticized the sky demon. The false na'vi in front of him inwardly sighed, [don't say anything don't say anything don't say anything].

Tsu'tey smirks knowing the demon cant talk back, she doesn't even think of saying anything knowing anything can go wrong in her way. "AGAIN!" he would say after each failed attempt to shoot a proper arrow.

If he is forced to train the demon, might as well get some fun out of it. "At least tell me where I am in the wrong, yelling 'wrong' wont help me get better" the demon says. He merely scoffs and shakes his head. "I have told you again and again, but your little demon brain cant seem to grasp! What is the point to show you if you don't listen? Demons like you never do!".

"Well at least show me the correct way otherwise, we would be out here for hours" the demon says, slight irritation in her voice. Inwardly sighing, tsu'tey grabs her arms and corrects her position. His face close to her, taking in her natural scent. For a demon...she doesn't smell all that terrible.

The sky demon has gotten better, doing good in a well paste. All achievements, small victories, and accomplishments, the sky demon celebrates them. However, she doesn't celebrate it alone. The sky demon shares her excitement with jake sully.

Why him? Yes they go through the same trials and errors but it is tsu'tey that guides her! If there is anyone the sky demon should share her happiness is should be with him! Not the skxawng! But alas, seems the sky demon only has interest in jake sully. It brings bitter taste to tsu'tey's mouth for some reason.

"jake please be careful and try not to die!" the sky demon screamed after jake sully. It was time for the both of them to tame an ikran, and it was jake who is to tame one first.

Tsu'tey was expecting a good laugh, to see jake sully fail miserably. He could use a good joke. He and others of his training group gathered to see jake sully making his way towards the untamed ikrans.

Looking over, the mighty warrior sees the sky demon holding herself in comfort. Tsu'tey walks over to her, close, nearly their arms touching. "He will succeed....right?" the demon asks in worry, her eyes never looking away from jake. He wont die. Why must she keep looking at him when tsu'tey is right there beside her?

"If he doesn't make a foolish move, he will pass" tsu'tey replies, huffing a bit. The demon should be more worried about herself. In a fit of a show, jake managed to tame his ikran with not so much of blood or injuring himself. Taking his first flight with his newly tamed ikran.

Now it was the demons turn.

Taking a deep breathe, the demon went ahead to the other group of ikrans. "Remember what you have to do!" tsu'tey shouted after. Nodding in fear, the demon hissed at the ikrans, until one took at her challenge.

The demon screeched as she does her best to tie the mouth of the ikran with pale light coloring. But the ikran was slightly more aggressive than jake's. Tossing the demon back against the rocky walls. "I will tame you!" the demon said with determination in her voice. Launching back at the ikran, tsu'tey would secretly admit he was impressed. The demon isnt letting down with a fight.

As days pass, and both dreamwalkers were succeeding in their iknimaya, tsu'tey was no fool in how neytiri sees jake. He sees how she looks at him in a new light. Yet would play it off. But tsu'tey is no fool. He knows, neytiri knows deep in her heart. She is growing deep affections for jake sully.

Tus'tey isn't mad. True they were arranged to be mated but if neytiri feels a connection to jake, who is he to step in the way. Besides, he soon begins to feel for the other sky demon....

Every time he and the sky demon are together, he feels more at free, more loose, more...himself. With the little demon, he smiles more, makes jokes and coitizes less. Overall, he is more at peace.

"you know it tsu'tey, you know it as much as I do" neytiri spoke to him one day. Tsu'tey knows exactly what she is talking about. "I know....but the question is....can it be possible" he questions. Can it be? Can they love the sky demons truly?

"after the iknimaya....they should know" neytiri says. It wasn't a question nor was it a thought. It was confirmation. And tsu'tey agrees. While he may not understand these new found feelings for the female sky demon, its best to confess now. Before either jake sully or someone else speaks from their heart.

Their iknimaya is complete. Both sky demons are now part of the people. Omaticaya. And tonight, the whole clan celebrate their new brother and sister. But in the midst of it all, tsu'tey sees neytiri taking jake away from the crowd. That was his cue.

Gathering all the courage he can withhold, he seeks the female sky demon. It wasn't hard, she was the center of attention. Something tsu'tey isn't fond of. She has to share her attention to everyone, everyone that wasn't him. Quickly he grabs her arm and takes her away from the celebration and somewhere more quiet and private. A field of night flowers that the sky demon has come to love. Her favorite place.

"Thank you for taking me away from them...I am not so used to that amount of attention" the demon laughs nervously. She stares at the vast field of the night flowers, admiring their beauty. And tsu'tey does the same, rather, for a different type of beauty.

"I saw jake leave with neytiri. I wonder where they are going....perhaps somewhere like where we are....Jake is a man who can get easily lost I wouldn't be surprised if he loses neytiri somewhere in the forest" she releases a light giggle. He would have join in had it not being the mention of jake sully. It is always jake sully in her mind. It bothers tsu'tey greatly.

Slowly he moves closer, almost touching at the shoulders, taking in her sweet scent. A lovely smell pleasing to his nose. "Jake is a fine warrior....and so are you" he comment, the demon looks up at him with joy in her eyes. "Yes, it is thanks to you I have come this far...truly tsu'tey, I appreciate everything you have done for me"...there it goes. The pounding of his heart beat, ringing in his ears. The rush of joy and pride flow throughout his body.

"I merely did what I was tasked to do...but you are a good student. Better than others I admit to say. Now I await to see what you can do with everything I showed you" he says with care and genuine clarity. The sky demon giggles lightly, her sounds send shivers down his spine like never before.

The girl smiles brightly, seeming to be pleased with his words. Good. That is a good sign. Teasing him to follow, she leads him further into the fields.

Together, side by side they admire the beauty of the night. The glowing flowers gently swaying from the breeze. "Tsu'tey...there is something I have been meaning to tell you" the demon says in a low whispers but he managed to hear it. Shifting a bit he looks down at her, "what is it?". Anticipation is all he feels at the moment.

"I don't know when it began but......whenever I am with you.....I feel things and......I know it cant be good. While I am now Omaticaya...I don't think it can be with..." her sentence trails off. No no this isn't what he wanted!

Getting near her face, speaking with a soft voice he says "What if you could? What if...we can?" tsu'tey looked at her with strong hope, hope that she may reciprocate what he feels. The demon-no, calling her a demon now sounds more insulting, she is anything but a demon.

This beautiful woman in front him stands still, hesitation in her golden eyes. Gently grabbing her oddly five fingered hands into his. A small smile creeped up to her sweet lips. Oh how her beautiful smile brings warmth into his heart.

She takes a deep breath and says "does this mean you understand...?" she asks. Tsu'tey nods a bit too desperate. "I do...I have began to feel certain ways for you and if we give it a chance, explore where it can go" he offers. He is willing to do almost anything for this woman. As moments pass, he is getting more certain what he is feeling for her. Yes, he knows now.

The sweet girl laughed a bit and looks at him directly in the eyes, "then....can we" she asks a bit hesitantly. Smirking a bit, he says "we can ma'ningay" tsu'tey wraps his arms around her waist, and her arms around his neck, both getting closer, eyes closed and their lips meet to a passionate kiss.

Aaaaaaaaaaaand that is all for this one! Sorry this took me a long time! had to rewrite this so many times! But I hope you all like it! until next time! see ya!

Ningay = truly

[novankenn]

Memories...

Jaune stood on the top of Shade's exterior wall looking up into the star filled night sky. It was closing in on midnight. A New Year was just minutes away, yet he was unable to look forward towards possibilities. His mind was stuck in the past... regrets, and failures weighing heavily upon his soul.

Jaune: It's another year gone, and so much has happened... but it still hurts.

His hand drifted to the red sash about his waist, and he idly rubbed it between his fingers, as he bit his lip.

Jaune: I think you already know, but I have to say it anyway... I lost my chance with you... and then I had to take Penny away from Ruby...

Jaune lifted his hands and stared at his calloused palms. He swallowed, his throat dry, as his eyes grew wet.

Jaune: I've tried so hard... yet I keep failing... I failed you... I failed Penny... I failed everyone. My hands are stained, by the blood of someone I cared about.

Jaune clenched his hands into tight fists, grit his teeth and screwed his eyes shut. Tears rolling slowly down his cheeks. His breath hitched as he tried to force his pain down.

Jaune: I've failed and I've killed. I'm no hero, I'm not worthy or worth being around... I can't... do this anymore...

So lost in his own mind, Jaune never heard her approach. He wasn't even aware that she was beside him until he felt the soft caress of her hand against his cheek. Jaune flinched away from the offered comfort as if he had been struck. His eyes snapping open.

Jaune: Weiss?

Weiss: Jaune... are you okay? Everyone is wondering where you had taken off to?

Jaune: I... I... I just need to be alone.

Weiss: I don't think so.

Jaune: Please...

Weiss: Jaune, talk to me, and if you can't talk with me, then try Ruby, or Ren. Open up to any of us.

Jaune: I can't...

Weiss: Jaune?

Jaune: I keep failing... I feel like I'm still falling...

Weiss: You haven't failed Jaune. You're too hard headed to fail.

Jaune: Pyrrha and Penny would say...

Weiss: Pyrrha took your choice away from you, and while I understand why Penny did what she did... I don't agree with her decision... again the choice was taken from you... you haven't failed, Jaune.

Jaune: Then what would you call it? If I hadn't been so weak...

Weiss: You're not weak, Jaune. Untrained yes, but never weak. As for what I would call what has been happening to you... is others taking away you chance to succeed.

Jaune: Don't humor me... I'm no hero...

Weiss said nothing as she reached up and despite Jaune's flinch placed her hands on either side of his face and gently guided him to look at her. Without saying a word, she rose on her tip toes while pulling softly to bring Jaune's head downward towards her.

Jaune gasped at the soft, loving touch of her lips upon his. As Weiss withdrew from the short kiss, she held him still, her ice blue eyes looking directly into his deep blues.

Weiss: I never said you were a hero, Jaune. You so much more than a storybook hero.

Jaune: I'm nothing...

Weiss: No, right now you are a warrior... who will be a hero. You are not, will you ever be nothing... especially to me.

Jaune: I...

Weiss: I need you at my side Jaune. I WANT you at my side.

Jaune: I...

Weiss: Let the past live in the past. Look to a future with me? Please?

Jaune: But... Pyrrha... Penny...

Weiss: Remember them, cherish them, think of not of those last moments, or that pain. Think on who they were and what they meant to you.

Weiss released his hold on Jaune, and stood demurely before him. Her hands clasped together before her. her eyes never straying from his.

Weiss: We are all here for you Jaune. I am here for you, and I hope you can be there for me... but I can wait if I must. But I need you to promise me, on your name.

Jaune: A promise?

Weiss: Swear to me... promise me... you'll keep moving forward. That you won't ever stopping giving it your all... for you and us.

Jaune: I... promise.

Weiss: Thank you.

Jaune: Weiss?

Weiss: Yes, Jaune?

Jaune: Can you stay here with me... for a little longer? I'm not ready...

Weiss: I can.

Jaune gave Weiss a weak smile and reached out with one of his hands. Weiss didn't even hesitate to take it. To allow his strong fingers to enclose about hers. Jaune looked up into the night sky as he gently pulled Weiss closer, eventually enveloping her in a strong but needy embrace.

Jaune: Do you think... that they... are proud of me?

Weiss: Yes Jaune. They are... we all are.

Jaune: Thank you...

Jaune felt Weiss' slim arms wrap around his waist, as she pressed her head into his broad chest. Just being embraced so softly, so warmly eased his burdened mind... allowing more pleasant memories to push back the regrets he had been holding onto for so long.

Weiss: Your Welcome Jaune, and thank you.

Jaune: What for?

Weiss: Being you.

Jaune looked down at Weiss' shining eyes, a smile smile curled his lips, and unbidden he leaned down and returned Weiss' earlier kiss. When he broke the embrace, Weiss returned his smile.

Weiss: What was that for?

Jaune: It was my promise to you. For the future to come.

Weiss eyes grew moist and she snuggled into Jaune.

Weiss: To the future.

/=====/ A/N - I know not a really joyful "Happy New Year" post. No this one is more to the future in general. To the future and all that it holds.

[pixiecactus]

one of the headcanons/aus i'm really fond of is, lyanna survives jon's birth (we are going to ignore how all of westeros handles that change and it's repercussions, because certainly it would be a butterfly effect and this just a self-indulgent not serious at all post) and let's imagine the fact that she had a child out of wedlock and the shame westeros society would put upon her for this is ignored, or most importantly ned stark, lord of winterfell and warden of the north decides to completely ignore it and lyanna is living in winterfell of her own free will with her son, i hope this helps to set the scene. i'm not going to talk about jon finally having a mother figure and a loving one at that, i'm deeply sorry. but i will tell you that i definitely see catelyn and lyanna butting heads in this one, catelyn would not be pleased with having an unmarried and dishonored lady and her bastard son around her highborn family.

but this post is about my girl, arya. this little girl would benefit so much of having a northern woman around her. in canon it's baffling how much southern education is prioritized in the stark household over a northern one.

arya is failing at septa mordane's teaching all the same in this universe, she confides in jon, because you bet they are just as close in this au as in canon and this ends up with jon making a off-hand comment to his mother.

so lyanna decides to take action, she starts to attend the girls lessons wanting to know why arya, who reminds her of her very own childhood, is failing at them (i just want (1) one adult to actually take the time and pay attention to arya and figure out that she's left-handed, thank you very much!)

this post is getting to long when what i only wanted was to write a few lines, so let me get some plotpoints going:

i believe lyanna would talk with the septa about arya's preferred hand, look i'm a self-proclaimed septa mordane hater so you get where this is going, but the septa refuses to listen. no, i don't think she would get fired over this, maybe if i was her employer, well hell yes. but i don't see eddard and/or catelyn making this type of decision over this issue. so lyanna takes it in her own hands to teach her embroidery (i will make a reader's choice if lyanna knows how to embroider or not beforehand)

but the image of lyanna trying her hardest to make sure arya is able to succeed at this task in late nights sessions, because there's not really a reasonable time slot left in arya's itinerary, with jon at her side willing to learn too, because honestly who cares if a bastard boy is learning embroidery with his mother and cousin, who cares if that's a designated "lady activity", he just wants to see his mother and arya smile, it warms my heart.

i want this conversation to happen in this au too:

“A wolf with a fish in its mouth?” It made her laugh. “That would look silly. Besides, if a girl can’t fight, why should she have a coat of arms?” Jon shrugged. “Girls get the arms but not the swords. Bastards get the swords but not the arms. I did not make the rules, little sister.”

and you know what is the result of that conversation in jon's mind: the need to give "needle" to arya. of course in this context, it will not be a parting gift, so i think it could be meant as a nameday present. maybe when arya had reached twelve namedays.

i'm finally getting to the part i wanted to write initially:

i'd love to see both arya and lyanna's personalities shinning through, in lyanna teaching arya how to use needle. from the bits and pieces we have in the books, we can assumed lyanna was passionated about sword fighting and she loved the activity as well. arya is overly joyous in being able to learn something that was deemed "only for boys" too, after all, she considers that having activities designated to do by gender is pretty stupid!

[corrodedseraphine]

kiss me | one shot

pairing: steve harrington x fem!reader

summary: Your friend is desperately trying to find a person who will give him something more. Wanting to feel what it's like to be loved again and after many failed dates he gets the idea that it's time to go back to King Steve's famous tactics. Telling him that it's not the best idea gets you involved in a deal where you have to help him get another girl. Will helping the boy you're in love with turn out to be a good idea? Probably not. angst/fluff/smut (or an attempt to write one), steve and reader both are love-starved, friends to lovers

TW: mentions of killing, injuries after Upside Down and Vecna visions

the one shot is also avaliable on ao3

9 550 words

I got inspired while listening to "Kiss me" by Ed Sheeran

steve harrington masterlist | general masterlist

So, this is my first smut EVER. I am really sorry if it's bad and please don't hate me. I am so nervous right now 😭 but if you don't like it it's fine, you can tell me, don't be afraid to share your thoughts, maybe some tips or something.

"Hi Stephanie!" Steve's excited voice made you roll your eyes and walk off into the other end of Family Video.

"Hi Steve." the girl giggled as she approached the counter. The former captain of the Hawkins High cheerleaders was still in shape. Everyone said her athletic career had progressed at a killer speed after she went to college.

"What brings you to us this time?" he asked with a broad smile while leaning on the counter with his hands.

"I wanted to rent a flim." she said.

"Right, after all, that's just what you came here for." he laughed nervously, feeling embarrassed. When they had taken care of all the paperwork she thanked him and wanted to head for the exit, but Steve called her over. "Hey, I uh-I thought maybe you'd like to go to the movies this weekend?" he asked.

"Maybe next time." She replied and left.

"You're pathetic." Robin commented while looking at everything.

"I don't understand, she comes here almost every day, she gives the impression that she likes me, and when I ask her out she still refuses, I can't even remember which time it is!" he replied exasperatedly banging his head on the counter.

"Steve and Stephanie? That sounds disgusting. You should let it go, apparently she's not interested in you."

"There's no way I'm going to let go!" he looked in her direction. "I know what I'll do, from now on when she comes I'll ignore her or... make her jealous! It always worked in high school."

"Do I have to remind you once again that the King Steve era was the worst in your entire life? You were a very bad person Steve. I won't let you fall by the wayside like that again."

"King Steve at least didn't complain about being lonely," he rolled his eyes. When you heard him you snorted with laughter and his angry gaze landed on you. "You think it's funny?"

"You really think ignoring her or making her jealous is the only good way?" you asked, crossing your arms over your chest.

"Do you see anything else working?" he pointed with his hand toward the door.

"I'll enjoy watching your wonderful plan turn out to be one big failure." You smirked.

"Okay, lady 'I know everything about love'." He pointed a finger at you. "Since you're so confident help me! Help me get Stephanie."

"Why are you so desperate Steve? Besides, what's in it for me?" You raised your eyebrows trying to mask the surprise caused by his proposal.

"The awareness that you are a good friend?" he shrugged his shoulders ignoring the first question.

"If you succeed I want you to take all the evening shifts for me in January." made the condition.

"Deal. How are you going to do it?" he rested his hands on his hips and fixed his gaze on you.

"First of all, you certainly won't pretend that you don't care, King Steve is dead and his hopeless tactics too. You need to get over it." You said walking over to the computer. "Now we'll search the base and see what movies she has rented recently, you'll have to watch them, and next time she comes try not to make an idiot of yourself and talk to her about them. If you do well, she should finally agree to a date."

"And during the date, what would I have to do?" 

"Plan a date, and take me out on Saturday, I'll see what you'll have to work on. Saturday night we'll go for it, I'll see what you'll have to work on. Of course, with me it won't be anything serious, just a little test version of your official one with Stephanie."

"Sounds... reasonable." he commented after a moment of thought.

Was the idea a bad one? Yes. Will this idea end very painfully for you? Yes. Was going on a fake date with a boy you had a crush on for a long time a good thing? Definitely not.

Your relationship with Steve was close from the very beginning when you started working with him and Robin at Scoops Ahoy. Your friendship developed very quickly, and everything between you grew even closer when you had to save the world from the Upside Down together. You were there for each other whenever you needed it. You were laughing together, crying together, being there for each other during your worst nightmares and sleepless nights. You took turns sitting by Max and Eddie's side in the hospital watching and waiting for them to wake up.

The first time the Russians got you, he was your shield. Without a second thought, he always threw himself in front of you to protect you from evil. You returned the favor when Vecna almost caught him in his grasp. When Nancy and Robin told you that music could snap someone out of a Vecna's trance you spent the whole night recording tapes for each of your friends. Terrified at the thought that anything could happen to them, you had to be sure you were prepared for any possibility at any time. From then on, you always made sure to have your walkman and tapes with you. It happened the night just after Eddie and Max were hospitalized.

Steve, bereaved in remorse that he failed to save them, became an easy target for Henry. Fortunately, as soon as you noticed that the lights were starting to blink you grabbed your little emergency kit and quickly ran to the room he was in. Seeing his eyes slowly roll back up you quickly tried to put on headphones and played music for him. Begging him to come back you watched in horror as he slowly began to float above the ground.

"They are dead." said Vecna approaching Steve, who was standing right next to the hospital bed on which Max was lying. "They are dead because of you. You did nothing to save them."

"Bullshit, they're alive! They're still fighting!" Not knowing where the sound was coming from, he started pacing around the room trying to locate him.

"Their hearts are still beating, but not for long, and that, Steve, will be your fault. And it's not over. Next will be Dustin, Robin, Nancy..." he began to list the names of everyone he cared about. He knew perfectly well that Steve was willing to die for his family. "At the very end it will be y/n. Poor thing will never forgive herself for not saving you. Devastated with a broken heart, she won't even resist me."

"Shut up!" Steve shouted. He was terrified, but didn't want to let it show. Then he felt someone put a hand on his shoulder. Feeling the sinister breathing straight at his neck he did a quick dodge and ran out of the room. Then the sounds of his favorite song reached him and his vision was swept by the image of your distraught face.

"Come back to me Steve, I beg you, come back." you were desperate. "Henry! Vecna! Come get me! Take me but leave him alone!" you started shouting hoping for a miracle. You couldn't lose him. The group would not be able to cope without its greatest protector.

"Do you see how desperate she is? She'll do anything to save you. Everything." Henry whispered in his ear again And began to move closer. When Steve realized what was happening he began to run again. He ran as fast as he ever ran in his life. He ran straight towards you.

The next thing he remembered was falling hard to the floor and you taking him in your arms. Still terrified, you checked and made sure nothing had happened to him.

Reassuring that Max and Eddie were still breathing and their hearts were beating, you returned with him to his house. You insisted that you would not leave him alone after that. To his bedroom you brought two radios into which you put the tapes. When Steve noticed that you didn't make a tape for yourself he took care of it the same day you told them about it. If something bad happened to either of you during the night all you had to do was press play. Leaving the bedside lamp on, you lay down in bed.

"Thank you." he said quietly looking up at the ceiling.

"You're welcome." you replied turning your head toward him.

"Thank you for saving me and for being here." he sighed.

"I'm your friend, Steve. I will never leave you." With your pinky finger you grabbed his making a silent promise.

"He said that Eddie and Max... that what happened to them was my fault, that the next one would be Dustin and Robin, and you. And it will all be my fault." his voice was beginning to break. The very thought that he might lose you was unbearable. And the fact that Henry could be right and it could be his fault did not allow him to breathe calmly. He had to do everything to protect the ones he loves.

"Steve he just wants to mess with your head. He wants to take an advantage of how much you care about all of us. Eddie and Max are alive, they'll be fine soon. None of us will die. We won't let that happen." you said, and your words made him look at you with his eyes full of tears. "Come here Steve." you opened your arms. He immediately took his place between them. "You can close your eyes, you can lay down to sleep." you were whispering. "That's what I'm here for, so that you don't have to be afraid at all." Your warmth, the rhythm of your beating heart and the fact you were gently stroking his hair with one hand lulled him to sleep. That night for the first time, holding him in your arms, you admitted that your feelings toward him were not purely friendly.

Several months have passed since Vecna was defeated, Max and Eddie have recovered and the Byers have returned to Hawkins. All of you tried to move on with your lives despite all the tarumatic experiences. Steve threw himself into dating again, which meant he didn't have much time to spend weekends in your company anymore. Every time he talked about his failed dates you felt like leaving the room. Jealousy was eating you up from the inside because you knew you would never get your chance. This time, however, you might have gotten something similar.

Waiting for your fake date with Steve, you sat staring out the window nervously shaking your leg. Snow covered all of Hawkins, Christmas decorations added to the town's charm, despite the fact that it still hadn't fully recovered from its downfall.

Finally, in front of your house you saw the familiar BMW. You walked outside, and Steve got out of the car at the same moment. In his hand he held a small rose.

"I know this isn't a real date, but I figured that if we're going to pretend we're on one today we need to get into character well." he explained "You can also take this as a thank you for your help" He smiled slightly.

"T-thank you." You said swallowing with difficulty. You quickly went back home to put the flower in the vase and returned to your friend. Feeling increasingly nervous the whole way, you didn't say a word.

"So, I thought we'd start here." he said when you arrived at your destination. "We both like sports, and the ice rink will probably come out to be a good place for a first date?" he asked opening the door for you. You were beginning to hate yourself for getting involved in this. Cursing yourself in your mind, you nodded your head and muttered that the idea was very good for them.

"I don't think we've fully thought it all through..." you sighed as you approached the rink.

"Why?" he looked at you. His honey-colored eyes watched your face which was getting redder and redder. Fortunately, you could blame it on the cold.

"That's a good idea, Steve, for real. But you won't practice it with me."

"What's going on?" Now his surprise turned into worry.

"I don't know how to ice skate." you admitted. "I've never tried."

"And that's supposed to be a problem?" he grinned. "You've fought monsters from another dimension and you're afraid to go onto the ice rink?"

"Shut up, Harrington." You hissed embarrassed by this situation.

"Come on, I'll teach you." He grabbed your hand.

Over time, you stopped counting your falls. At first with each one you felt like getting off the rink and going back to the car when you felt other people's eyes on you, but hearing Steve's laughter you finally relaxed a bit and started laughing at the situation too. You stood face to face with Steve and all the while he held you by both hands wanting to help you balance. When you made a little progress he took a position next to you, but still held your hand. In this way you slowly rode around. Your fingers loosely intertwined with each other were definitely consuming too much of your attention. Lost in your own thoughts, you couldn't keep up with what he was saying to you. You only heard single words. Stephanie. Date. I care. University. Sports. Basketball match. Everything merged into one big noise when, and despite the cold, the touch of his hand made you hot.

"Are you even listening to me?" he asked stopping you suddenly.

"Yes! I am sorry." you said feeling ashamed that you let your feelings take control of you so easily.

"Are you sure you're okay? You seem off." he squeezed your hand tighter wanting to let you know that he is here for you if you need it.

Nothing is okay. It's not okay because I want this date to be real, to mean as much to you as it does to me. You thought. Unfortunately, no matter how much you wanted to, you couldn't tell him. "Yes, I zooned out a little, sorry. Can you repeat that?" you replied instead.

"I thought if the first date worked out I'd invite Stephanie to Lucas' game before she goes back to college. You guys will be there too, so she'll get to know you at once if something more serious were to come out of it," he said.

"Good idea." you forced yourself to smile. If something more serious were to come out of it. This day will definitely test your limits.

After the ice rink, he took you out for pizza at your favorite restaurant. He stated that he would also like to take Stephanie here and kept asking if it was really a good idea, what he should order and which table you thought was best to reserve. With pain you answered his questions trying with all your might not to die of jealousy at the very thought of how Stephanie was going to become part of everything you shared together. When he finally exhausted this topic you started talking about something else. Then the atmosphere immediately changed. The stress and nerves disappeared as you joked together and talked about everything that didn't involve his date. Work, school, kids, what to do to make Robin finally dare to take a step towards Vicky, quite as if the distance between you had not happened for the last few months. You were close again. Again you were friends who have no secrets from each other and feel comfortable together. Sitting in front of you was Steve, who was sorely missing from your life. Who completed it like a missing piece of the puzzle.

The last part of the date was to watch a movie at his house. Since he had to watch the ones she rented anyway, he decided that the two of you could do it together. You sat on two opposite ends of the couch, and he put a bowl of popcorn between you.

"I can't believe I'm going to have to pretend I liked it." he groaned as the closing credits appeared on the screen.

"I must admit she doesn't have very good taste when it comes to this..." you sent him a disgusted look.

"It was awful. At this point I don't think he wants to watch any more, Jesus, how can anyone like something like that?" he shuddered.

"I have no idea, Steve." You laughed seeing his reaction.

"Look how much snow has fallen over this time." He changed the subject by walking up to the window. When you looked out through it indeed the layer of snow was getting bigger and bigger. All the roads were covered.

"I wonder how I will get home now." you said more to yourself.

"You can stay here. I'll drop you off in the morning as they clear the streets of snow." he replied. The suggestion made your heart beat faster.

"That won't be a problem?" you asked quietly.

"You used to sleep here almost every day, why would it suddenly be a problem now?" Right. After all, it was only your feelings that had changed toward him. To Steve, you were still just a friend.

"Okay." You sighed without taking your eyes off the falling wafers of snow. "So what are we going to do?"

"Definitely not watching this crap. If I'm going to die tonight it won't be from boredom, I'd rather freeze outside already." You laughed. Selfishly you held on to a spark of joy that he had found one flaw in the perfect Stephanie. And even if it was just her taste in movies, you were glad that something existed at all.

"We can do something about it." You said getting up from the couch. "Dress warmly Harrington. Let's go build a snowman."

"What?" he asked surprised. He couldn't remember the last time he had done something like that. Surely it was a very long time ago when his parents remembered they had a son.

"You heard me, come on!" he shouted coming out of the house. "See the one the Willsons made?" you pointed to the house across from you as he joined you.

"Yeah."

"We'll piss them off. Ours will be much bigger and cooler."

You spent the next hour and a half making big snowballs, feeling like you were carefree teenagers again. It was as if a few years of your life had not slipped away in the eternal struggle for survival. The snowman actually came out much larger than his neighbors one. Instead of the usual and boring scarf and hat, you put on him Steve's old sunglasses and an old plastic crown that he once got for the title of prom king. Around his neck you hung a gold tinsel. You mutually agreed that he was definitely the coolest snowman around. While Steve was still admiring him you moved away from him and formed a small snowball in your hands.

"Hey Harrington! Watch out!" you shouted and the snowball directly hit his shoulder.

"Do you have any idea what you just did?" he asked pretending to be offended. "You started a war!" seeing him running in your direction you started to run away. You were chasing each other all over the yard and throwing snowballs, when at one point he chased you into a dead end and you had no way to escape anymore, he jumped towards you knocking you both over a thick layer of snow on the ground. Your noses were almost touching and the amused smiles disappeared from your faces when you realized how close you were to each other. Steve, not knowing what that strange feeling in his chest was, began to look at you. Your eyes didn't take their eyes off him, your slightly wind-tangled hair that was sticking out from under your hat now spread out in the snow, your nose and cheeks reddened from the cold and running. His gaze stopped at your parted lips as you quickly tried to catch your breath, not knowing if it was through fatigue or his proximity that was causing breathing problems.

"You look... beautiful today." he said quietly, not knowing where it came from. You being in even more shock did not answer. After a moment, he grunted, stood up and then helped you. "I'm sorry." he said quietly.

"Nothing happened." you replied nervously.

"Let's go inside."

Without a word you followed him in. Inside, he gave you your clothes to change into, which you had left during the times you stayed here more often. To your surprise he didn't throw them away and still kept them in his closet. The rest of the evening passed for you in a nervous atmosphere. It was as if that moment had changed something between you. At night you didn't sleep a wink staring at the warm flame bursting from the fireplace in the Harringtons' living room, wallowing in your thoughts and heartbreak. At the same time, Steve, lying in his bed, could not fall asleep either, still rewinding in his mind the situation when you were lying in the snow. Why did he feel so strange when he was close to you? And why did he want to feel that way again?

Monday was your day off from work. You wanted to spend it similarly to Sunday, that is, feeling sorry for yourself and your stupid crush on your friend and lying on the couch staring aimlessly at the TV. You were dozing off when you were suddenly roused by the loud sound of the phone.

"Guess who just made a date with Stephanie!" Steve's excited voice rang out from the receiver.

"I don't know...Robin?" you said sarcastically sighing. You wanted to enjoy his happiness but unfortunately it was harder than you thought.

"Ha, ha. Not funny." You could imagine him rolling his eyes now. "It needs to be celebrated, can you come to my place on Saturday? Robin will too." You didn't answer the first time. You began to wonder if you'd be able to last a few hours listening to him admiring her and still pretend to be happy about it. "y/n? you there?" he asked after a while.

"Yes, Steve, I am here." you replied quietly.

"Will you come? Please, we'll be able to talk more details about the date."

"Fine." you agreed. No matter how much it hurt you, you couldn't refuse him.

Thus, after a whole week of pretending that everything was fine and you didn't at all feel like screaming every time you heard Stephanie's name, you walked straight into the lion's den.

"Hi!" he said smiling broadly as he opened the door for you. "Robin called that she couldn't come, so that means more wine for us." He shrugged his shoulders and walked toward the kitchen. You, meanwhile, took off your jacket and went to the living room to sit on the couch. The absence of your friend did not help you at all. After a while, Steve returned to the room with two glasses and way to expensive wine that belonged to his mother. It had to be admitted that Mrs. Harrington had the best taste when it came to wines. "Do you remember the movies we didn't wanted to watch back then?" he asked, placing everything on the coffee table.

"I remember, but I would rather not." you laughed, thus adopting a mask that was supposed to convince him that everything was fine.

"Huh, me too..." he began pouring wine. "But I accidentally lied that I watched them and that I liked them a lot, so I have to get through the rest to at least know about what I'm lying about." he rolled his eyes and sat down next to you on the couch.

"May the wine numb the pain." you said dramatically and took a big sip.

"May the wine numb the pain." he repeated after you, unaware that you were talking about two different kinds of pain.

You watched everything laughing out loud at every hopeless situation that was happening on the screen. The more wine, the more your comments were chaotic and stupid. At first you hated how great you felt in his company, but later you came to an agreement with yourself that you would end up with a broken heart anyway. It was inevitable. Therefore, you decided to give yourself over to the moment and let yourself enjoy the last moments of joy in his company. Two movies later, when you were halfway through the second bottle of wine Steve gave up.

"Next time I'll call Eddie for the strongest shit he has. Maybe that will allow me to get through the rest." he laughed while refilling another portion for you. Then the phone rang. Harrington somewhat wobbly walked over to answer it.

"Helllloooo?" His state amused you. "Well, Dustin, I am not DRUNK. Okay maybe a little...What do you want? Can't this wait until tomorrow? Jesus, fine! Wait a second-" he hung up the receiver. "Who normal at this hour I need some stupid radio? This kid is going to end me," he started whining to himself and slowly walked up the stairs. Hearing all sorts of cursing and sounds suggesting that he was looking for something in his closet you wanted to go help him but after a while you gave up on that idea. Instead, you took your glass and moved to the soft, fluffy carpet that lay in front of the fireplace. The quiet sound of cracking wood and the warmth of the flames that gently warmed your skin were very calming. Taking the opportunity that the wine had effectively silenced all the voices in your head and it was now completely quiet there, you closed your eyes letting yourself have that moment of relaxation. It didn't last too long because after a while Steve came back downstairs, replied to Dustun that he didn't have what he needed, hung up and joined you on the rug.

"Were you cold?" he asked.

"No, I let myself feel luxurious for a while." You laughed quietly still not opening your eyes. Little did you know that at that moment Steve couldn't take his eyes off you. A warm orange color fell over your face, your cheeks slightly reddened from alcohol or heat. Maybe from both. Then he remembered what you looked like at that moment when you were both lying in the snow. He had always found you attractive, but in that moment, for the first time in his life, the word beautiful popped into his mind as he looked at you. Surrounded by sharp white, on which was reflected the red of your face caused by the frost. Now, for contrast, a pleasant dim orange made you look equally beautiful. So beautiful that he didn't want to look away.

"Are you okay?" you asked when you opened your eyes and noticed that he was looking at you.

"Yes, sorry," he abashedly turned his head toward the fire. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Have you ever... been in love?" he asked and quickly took a sip of wine.

"Yeah, I think I was..." you replied doing the same. "I think we both were. But as they say, first love always has to break your heart."

"Despite everything... I'm grateful for it." He smiled slightly. "I gained a friend that night."

The night Nancy broke up with Steve was the one that also foreshadowed the end of your relationship with Jonathan. When he left you alone at that party to take care of Nancy, Steve found you crying in the garden. Even then you knew it was over. You spent the whole night talking about how awfully hopeless love is and drinking away your sorrows, until finally you both fell asleep in the back of his car.

"In that case, let's drink to a brutally painful first love." You raised your glass toward him and he clinked his own gently against yours.

"You once asked why I was so desperate..." he began, not knowing why he wanted to talk about it just now. He felt all his boundaries and limits disappear. "I go on dates all the time, hoping that I'll finally meet someone who really cares about me... And every time I hit a wall because every girl I see only wants King Steve. At first it didn't bother me because the sex is usually good, but there came a point when I wanted something more... " he sighed. "Unfortunately none of them were interested in more."

"You at least go on dates." When you said this sentence out loud it sounded much more pathetic than you thought.

"And you don't?" he asked puzzled. "I thought you just didn't want to talk about it."

"Unfortunately my friend, my soulmate is probably dead." You said with a slight wince, wanting to turn it all into a joke.

"When you were with Jonathan... did you feel loved?" he changed the subject.

"I think in the beginning yes... later it was all one-sided. And you?"

"Exactly the same. But those small moments, when I really thought she loved me... I'd like to feel it again. I would like to feel that someone loves me." His voice was filled with sadness and loneliness, the pain you felt in your heart at that moment caused something you would never have expected from yourself.

"I love you, Steve." you said without thinking. Only when his eyes met yours did you realize what you had done. "As a friend-" you continued panicked but had no time to finish because he silenced you with a kiss. The first four words that left your lips acted on him like a charm he couldn't resist. It hit him straight in the heart making some invisible force draw him to you. At first in shock you didn't know what to do. Your brain told you to move away from him until it wasn't too late, but your heart started beating so fast and loud that it effectively deafened the bastard. You quickly put the glass down on the floor and reciprocated the kiss.

"I love you too..." he breathed out feeling still enchanted. "We both love each other, even if as friends, it's still love right?" You couldn't keep up with his train of thoughts, so you didn't answer anything waiting for him to elaborate. "We both want to feel loved again... Maybe we can help each other with that? Just tonight, this one night before everything goes back to normal, let's help each other feel loved." he was desperate. He had a feeling that if your lips were not on his again in the next few minutes he would explode.

"Yes." you whispered. In that moment, you didn't care about anything. Your wildest dreams could come true tonight, and no matter how devastated you might be afterwards, you accepted the risk. It was worth it.

When your lips found each other again Steve pulled you on top of him you put your arms on his chest. You could feel his heart beating as fast and as strong as yours.

"I love you, Steve." you said as you moved your lips to his neck, kissing each of his moles. 

"I love you, y/n" he moaned in your ear.

His large hands slid under your shirt, he gently squeezed your waist pressing you even closer. Through his too-fitting jeans you felt how hard he was. And it was all because of you. Not Stephanie. Not anyone else. Only and only you. Even if the setting of the whole situation was fiction, you let it fool you. That night, you were a fool who rushed headlong toward your doom without a thought. Not wanting your overthinking to destroy the moment, you decided to lose yourself in it even more. With a quick movement you took off his polo and threw it to the other end of the room. In front of you appeared numerous scars, reminders of the last years of the nightmare you lived in. You looked at each one in turn, touching them gently with your fingers and then leaving small kisses on them. Steve watched in shock and somewhat mesmerized as, despite the nasty imperfections, your eyes were still filled with adoration. He didn't know how you did it, but he could feel love in every brush of your fingertips. He felt what he was missing so much. He wanted to return the favor, which is why, after a while, your t-shirt joined his lying on the floor. You straightened up giving him access to your neck which he immediately began kissing like possessed. When you quietly whispered his name, he felt as if you had cast another spell on him, much stronger. He quickly found your lips again, and your hands sank into his hair. Once again he returned to your neck this time seeking further and not stopping. When his lips passed your collarbone line his hands began slipping the straps from your bra placing kisses along the cup. Unable to stand any longer you got rid of it completely, leaving nothing left on your top.

"Beautiful." he mouthed enthralled by the view and, like you, began to familiarize himself with every visible scar on your body. At one point he pressed you tightly against him and turned you so that you were now the one underneath him. Your heart was beating like crazy against his bare chest. His lips wandered over your body leaving behind whispers of single words of admiration and little I love yous. He felt like he was made to keep your body warm. As his honey eyes met yours, both of you could see in them desperation and desire mixed with the huge amount of tenderness you shamelessly poured out on each other.

Feeling him rubbing against you, you began to unbuckle the waistband of his pants and with his little help you got rid of them including his boxers. Still, you didn't dare touch him there yet, still waiting for his next move, which was to get rid of yours. Now he was lying down next to you, and without waiting a moment longer you found his lips. His hand from your cheek traveled all over your body stopping at the softly soaked material of your panties.

"Steve..." you said between kisses. "Please." You lifted your hips to make it easier for him to remove the last layer that separated you. As his hand returned to that spot making circles you pressed your hand to your lips to stop the sounds of pleasure.

"Baby..." he said slowing down. "Let me hear you. I want to hear you." Then he slipped one finger inside you, and with his thumb he continued to massage the point above your entrance. "I love you, I love the sounds you make, the way you say my name, let me hear that you love me, that you love what I do with you." In that moment, he felt as if he was losing his mind. What was happening between the two of you was something new. Steve had felt many things in his life, almost everything from hate to love to lust to truth, but that was nothing compared to what he felt now lying with you on the rug in front of the fireplace. The warmth not only surrounded your bodies, because your souls and hearts were also on fire. When his name resounded again with your voice he added another finger speeding up as his lips found your nipple.

"I love you, Steve." you said a moment before a wave of pure pleasure swept through you. You tightened your thighs around his hand but a moment later released it with a shuddering breath. Opening your eyes slowly still feeling drugged you felt you needed more. You knew that this was your only chance to be this close to him, so you had to take as much of it as possible. Without waiting a moment longer you pulled him towards you so that he was over you again.

"This is perfect, honey. So damn perfect." he himself had trouble catching his breath. He quickly reached for his pants, took the wallet out of his pocket and the condom out of it. Once he had dealt with everything, he focused all his attention on you again. Slowly running his hand along the length of your arm grabbed yours and kissed the top of it. Later he intertwined your fingers and slowly placed both of them over your head.

"Can I-" he asked looking straight into your eyes. And you just nodded your head affirmatively not letting him to finish the sentence. "Say it again, please." His voice faltered as he began to slowly filling you with himself.

"I love you, Steve. I love you so much." A single tear escaped your eye, which he quickly kissed away.

The goal was achieved. That night for the first time you both felt loved like you had never felt before. That's why when it was all over Steve pulled you close and hugged you tightly you didn't move from your spot fearing that you would spoil another beautiful moment between you.

"Can we pretend for a few more hours? Please?" he asked when his breathing calmed down.

"I love you, Steve." you repeated once again giving him confirmation that you agree.

"I love you too." He replied and without bothering too much about getting dressed again you simply went to his room to fall asleep cuddled up together. At that moment Steve Harrington was your safety and you were his. Thinking back to a few months ago when you lay in that bed and realized your feelings for your friend, you tried to catch the last moments of peace and warmth you felt when your bodies were entwined. Steve, still enchanted by everything you had discovered together today, with a slight smile, were laying stroking your skin. Thoughts popped into his head saying that this feels like falling in love, but being convinced that it was just the effect of fatigue, wine and all of the the emotions you had passed on to each other instead of saying something he kissed you on the forehead and fell asleep.

During Christmas you did not see each other, and when it was time to return to work neither of you brought up the subject of that night. Both of you tried to pretend that what happened between you didn't matter and everything was as it was. Steve tried to ignore the shivers that ran through him when by chance your hands met when you reached for the videotapes. You tried not to show that in your head you constantly heard every I love you that he said to you that day. You tried to hide the pain you felt at the thought that none of it was real, and Steve had to restrain himself from admitting how empty he felt now in his bed without feeling your presence there anymore.

The day after Christmas his desired date with Stephanie took place but he didn't say a word about how it was. You, not wanting to strike a blow for yourself, didn't ask either, afraid that you might hear that he had finally found the one he was looking for so much.

"Okay dingus, time to tell what's going on." said Robin when she found him in the back room.

"What do you mean?" asked Steve biting into his sandwich.

"For weeks you didn't shut up about her now you won't even say a word about your date?" she sat down in front of him. "What happened?"

"Nothing..." he muttered.

"What do you mean nothing?"

"Nothing! I did everything just as y/n and I planned, but everything looked wrong... At the ice rink she was always three steps ahead, completely as if I wasn't there, later I wanted to take her to dinner at our restaurant but she refused claiming she had to stick to her diet so all we ate all evening was a freaking salad!" he leaned his head against the wall. "Later we went to my place, I let her choose the movie and it was a tragic decision, I thought I was going to die it was so boring! I even suggested that we should skip the movies and go outside to make a snowman and she laughed at me not to act like a 12-year-old, Jesus! I am an idiot."

"Steve, you may be an idiot but maybe not because of this." She smirked.

"Why?"

"It was a good date, just with the wrong person. You did the exact same thing with y/n and for a week you didn't stop talking to me about how much fun you had."

"Robin, are you trying to set us up again?" He knew very well that his friend was right, he knew very well that on the "test date" with you he had a much better time than on the official one with Stephanie.

"I'm just saying!" she raised her hands in a gesture that said she was giving up.

"Let's wait until Friday, if nothing happens at the party I'll give up on her." He sighed.

The New Year's Eve party at Steve's house was initially supposed to be quite modest. Quickly, however, the crowd began to grow when friends brought their friends and those friends brought others.

"What are those gloomy faces?" you asked as you and Robin approached the guys sitting on the couch. Eddie, Argyle and Jonathan were smoking a joint, and Steve sat next to them with a drink in his hand.

"Stevie is sad because this year he's going to be a loser like us and won't have his New Year's kiss." Eddie cooed teasingly.

"Shut up Eddie! You know damn well that's not what this is about." An irritated Steve got up from the couch.

"Then what is it about?" you asked.

"She's avoiding me! She only spoke to me once, saying hello!" Just as you thought once again it was about Stephanie.

Feeling the familiar sting in your heart, you decided that you would not let it ruin your mood today. Putting down your drink, you asked who wanted to dance, Eddie and Jonathan declined, but Argyle eagerly moved toward you, and together with him and Robin you went out into the middle and began to move to the rhythm and fool around. In part, you managed to forget about the situation you were in, however, you couldn't help but stare at your friend who was definitely not enjoying himself. When your gazes met, you sent a slight smile in his direction, but he immediately looked away, and you slowly lost the desire to have fun. When you wanted to get off the dance floor Argyle firmly put his arms around your waist, lifted you up and began to spin you around laughing. Hearing your squeal Steve turned his head toward you. Laughing you asked your long-haired friend to let you go. This sight unlocked a whole new feeling in Harrington. Jealousy. He had never seen any other boy in such close proximity to you since you became friends. Now he felt like standing up and snatching you from his arms. What was happening to him? Confused and angry, he decided he needed to get some air. He went out to the now where the icy air greeted him. Now that the loud music was muffled he felt like he was left alone with his thoughts. And feelings he couldn't understand. Maybe Robin was right? Maybe he was focusing on a wrong person? He began to analyze all the moments when you were alone. Every I love you that left your lips that memorable night by the fireplace sounded sincere, went straight to his heart, and he knew he would do a lot to hear it again and feel that way. Then he remembered what Vecna had said during his vision. Devastated with a broken heart, she won't even resist me. Did you really love him this way?

He didn't have time to come to any further conclusions because everyone started to go outside as midnight was approaching. When you noticed him against the wall alone still looking sad you took another step in breaking your heart. What would be the next pin poked into it?

"You won." you said walking up to him.

"What do you mean?" he asked confused.

"My plan didn't work, I'm taking all your evening shifts in January, now come on." You grabbed his hand pulling him into the middle of the crowd. You looked around making sure you were perfectly in Stephanie's sight. "Now we will try your plan. It's time to resurrect King Steve, we'll make her jealous." you said moving closer to him, and everyone around started a loud countdown.

Ten.

Nine.

Eight.

"She's looking at us." You said looking back one last time. Steve still didn't know what was going on so he stood still holding your hand.

Seven.

Six.

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

"Kiss me, Steve. Kiss me like you wanna be loved!" you tried to shout out to the others. As soon as your words reached him without hesitation cupped your face. He didn't realize how much he missed your taste until your lips reunited. Reciprocating the kiss, you threw your arms around his neck. Feeling this, he felt like crying from the excess of emotions he was facing at that moment. He kissed you like he wanted to be loved and you returned the kiss giving him the feeling that he really was, once again you made him feel loved like he had never felt before in his life. This beautiful moment ended as quickly as the explosion of a firework. You moved away from him And when you saw Stephanie walking towards him without a word you walked away getting lost in the crowd.

"Steve!" the girl shouted coming closer. Distracted by how quickly you disappeared he began to look around. But there was no sign of you anywhere. "Steve?"

"Yeah?" he finally looked at her.

"Why don't we go inside together and talk about our second date?" she put her hand on his shoulder.

"But-" He wanted to say he didn't have time now. He wanted to say that he had to go, yet she was quicker.

"Come on, Steve. Come on." She grabbed his hand and dragged him into the house straight to his room. Taking off her jacket she threw it on the bed. And then she walked over to him. "How about a little preview of what awaits you at our next meeting?" she combed her hand through his hair and tilted his head so that she had easy access to his neck which she began to kiss.

"Woah, hey! What are you doing?" he felt panicked, now he was sure this was not what he wanted. He was sure Stephanie wouldn't be able to make him feel the way she did with you. What's more, he couldn't believe that the hopeless trick of making you feel "jealous" worked. He knew she wasn't jealous of him. Seeing him kiss another girl made her feel jealous of how quickly he found a replacement.

"Show me if all these rumors about King Steve are true." She grabbed him by the waistband of his pants trying to undo it, but he moved away rapidly. King Steve. King Steve was dead, and despite what you said today, no one is going to resurrect him. Another girl was not interested in just Steve. For her, all that mattered was what the former version of him could offer her. That is, definitely nothing serious.

"I think you should go now, Stephanie." he said with a sigh.

"You're a fucking loser, Harrington." she said and walked out slamming the door behind her.

"I know." Steve whispered to himself. "I know."

Throughout the night Steve didn't sleep at all. For the rest of the party he tried to find you but you disappeared without a word. Noticing Stephanie walking towards him then, you concluded that you had to withdraw, and not feeling like partying any more, you returned home. Not knowing where you were or what had happened to you until the very end, he locked himself in the room and did not come out of it giving himself far too much time to think. 

Hearing the rest of the crew starting to wake up as well, he went downstairs to the kitchen. From the very beginning it was established that you would all stay the night. Witnessing your absence among this group was another stab to him. Ignoring all the words directed in his direction, he began preparing cereal.

"Does anyone know what happened to y/n?" asked Nancy also reaching for the bowl. Hearing your name he froze.

"She ran away right after her New Year's kiss with Harrington." said Eddie.

"Dude, it couldn't have been that bad!" grinned Argyle causing the rest to laugh. Then a lound bang reached them.

"Shut the fuck up!" Steve yelled, slamming his fist on the countertop. "I didn't know! I didn't fucking know!" Everyone looked at each other in shock then at him. They had been through a lot together but this was probably the first time Steve had raised his voice at any of his friends.

"Steve...what didn't you know?" asked Robin slowly walking up to him. Sensing that he was a mess she didn't want to trigger him even more but no one had any idea what he was talking about.

"She was in love with me, this whole time, for a long time. And I didn't see it, didn't see that everything I needed was right under my nose! Even that damn monster knew about it, he told me during the vision, and I still didn't figure anything out!" he kept shouting waving his arms and walking around the room, overtired and irritated he felt himself on the verge of a breakdown.

"Who's in love with you?" asked Eddie trying to keep up.

"Y/n" walked over to the fireplace and sat across from him remembering every detail of one of the most beautiful nights of his life. "When she said she loved me she was telling the truth, and I foolishly thought she was just faking it so convincingly, god what have I done," he said more quietly hiding his face in his hands. No one expected that the first day of 1987 would turn out to be the day they witnessed Steve Harrington crying over a girl, not her crying over him. "She told me she loved me right fucking here and I didn't believe her, I thought she was just pretending, that it was just a temporary, one-time thing, god I'm such an idiot," he felt miserable. Realizing that everything he wanted he had so close to him, and lost it through his own stupidity was like sticking a knife in his cage and twisting it in slow motion.

"Steve, maybe there is still a chance..." Robin sat down next to him hugging him.

"Just a few hours ago she kissed you, so surely her feelings didn't just disappear." Eddie added wanting to comfort his friend in some way.

"Maybe she needed some time alone with herself? Maybe that's why she went?" asked Jonathan.

"My dudes, time for a word of wisdom, wipe away your tears my boy!" Argyle slowly rose from his seat and stood in the middle. "One of the senses I acquired with the magic purple palm tells me that we are dealing here with a very fragile thing called love." his tone was solemn, everyone waited for the next part with slight amusement on their faces. Argyle, in his colorful mismatched clothes, did not resemble the wise men described in the books one bit. "It's not easy to gain, but very easy to lose, which doesn't change the fact that it's definitely worth fighting for." He smiled broadly and reached out his hand toward Steve, whom he helped rise from the floor. "Sitting here and crying won't get you anywhere, fortunately you have great friends who will clean up the chaos while you get in the carriage and go straight to the palace of the one of your heart's choice."

"Thanks man..." said Steve wiping away tears. Feeling and seeing their support involuntarily one corner of his mouth lifted.

"But uh- Steve?" interjected Robin. "As your best friend I have to say this so don't get angry. Before you go... take the damn shower." Hearing her last words some couldn't stand it and burst into laughter.

When Steve disappeared behind the bathroom door the rest lazily took to cleaning up. The shower brought him a kind of relief, still repeating in his mind that everything was going to be fine he got dressed and went downstairs where everyone threw words of encouragement at him as well and then literally pushed him out the door saying that they would wait for him to come back here with you.

You didn't live too far away so a few minutes later he was standing outside your door ringing the bell. All the windows were blacked out, and for a moment he wondered if anyone was home at all, but fortunately after a while your mother opened it letting him in. She knew that Steve was your friend so she saw no obstacle in letting him go straight to your room without telling you that you had a visitor. You were lying on your bed staring at the snow falling outside the window. When you heard a quiet knock on the door you just shouted that it was open. Thinking it was your mother, you didn't even turn around when you heard the quiet click of the door closing. The mattress next to you bent under someone's weight so only then did you turned to look.

"Steve?" you asked surprised and raised yourself on your elbows.

"I love you." he said looking you straight in the eyes. Now you stared at him dazedly wondering if you were sure you were awake that morning. "I think I've always loved you. I thought about it all night, about every possible moment we spent together, and even then I definitely felt something more for you, but almost the end of the world we lived through made me push those feelings aside, and that was a big mistake, because I know you love me too. And we could have found out about it much earlier than my blindness. Like a moron I went on dates that were King Steve style. The truth is that none of them were interesting. I know now that I was subconsciously comparing them all to you." Trying to keep up with his words, you sat on the bed without looking away from him. "That night, at my place, when we watched those damn movies and drank too much wine... It was the best night of my life. And I want you to know that every I love you that I said then was honest. I thought at the time that my heart spoke for me and I know that you were honest too, I know because I felt it with my whole self. I felt it in your voice, in your touch, even in your presence there and I know that if you had pretended I would never have felt that way. It's all one big chaos for me y/n I feel so damn lost, but one thing I'm sure of...I love you and I want to walk through this chaos holding your hand. I want to hold you as close as I can, so I beg you for a chance. For you to forgive me all these months and let me make it all up to you."

His words hit you with such force that you felt like you were about to fall off the bed. Stunned, you watched the emotions on his face change with each passing second. Fear. Anxiety. Hope. Desperation. He was desperate to get some kind of answer from you, he deserved an answer so you quickly snapped and opened your mouth to say something but to no effect. The silence frightened him more and more with each passing moment, but he still waited patiently wiping his sweaty palms in his pants.

"I... I love you Steve." That was the only thing you managed to squeak out. It was enough for him. He didn't need anything more to quickly approach you and kiss you. Once again, a kiss was your form of conveying emotion when words were lacking. Relief. Happiness. Love.

"I know." I gasped out into your mouth. "I know you love me."

"I know you love me too. I can feel it." You smiled and this time it was you who kissed first.

taglist: @i-me-mine @phantypurple

[pepsiiwho]

Okay. Finished a checks watch 10 hour play session, without breaks no stopping.

General thoughts down below. No explicit spoilers but tone/ personality reads ahead. Long post :D feel free to respond or whatever.

One of the first things that I just wanna get out the way is, personally, the cast in this game is leagues better than the first game. And that isn’t like a “ah they’re all hotter!” (They are, don’t misconstrue what I’m saying, they very much are hotter then the first game’s cast) but the general vibe in cross roads is significantly more intresting. Which is very funny considering the set up, on paper, is remarkably similar. Hard ass, stuck up head of the place, shade mentor, emo bitch who hates you and wants to fuck you, emo boy who wants to fuck you, nebulous little thing that doesn’t serve a purpose but allows for comedic relief, hypnos, skelly— the works.

Yet the energy is wildly different. Idk I’m not like a zagreus dick rider or anything he’s cool but you really can feel how lonely the house of hades was in comparison to cross roads camp, a place not even half its size. The affection for Mel is like bursting out the seems of everyone around her (save Nem) and it goes past duty or obligation to the cause. It really feels like they all love each other dearly. I think that was so missing in the house of hades, intentionally or otherwise, but it felt so… cold? I always knew hypnos got that treatment because I’m crazy, but looking back that’s how everyone acting with zag too. They just talked to him. lol.

Ahhh to this point but a little bit to the left— hectate and Mel’s everything is incredibly compelling. Mel clearly and obviously seeing her as a mother figure, the only one she’s ever known and loving her deeply for it and frankly fighting in this war partly out of duty but more for her family she DOES have now, and then Hectate who knew Mel’s family and knew what they went through and refuses to take the place of “mother” when Mel has a mother, even if she isn’t here right now. But instead of detaching and making sure no real connection is made she’s so kind. She’s so supportive and loving and sweet and you can tell she cares about Mel so much. Zag’s mom came home and like, never gave off the vibe she cared even half as much. There’s a few moments when Mel tries to convey this love and this almost… mm… this idea that she doesn’t … need? A mom because she has one (hectate) and the witch shuts it down soooo quickly and Mel is always so dejected and it hurts but it’s sooo good. God. I want more of that. For the whole game. Please

Moros is a fucking delight. Like absolutely delightful. He’s sweet and polite and unassuming and kinda just sorry for taking up space but in the dignified way. I love everything about him. I am writing this checks watch May 6th, 2024 and at this point he is lovely. Assuming he doesn’t like, back hand hypnos he’s top 5 easy.

Nemesis is… unfortunately funny and charming. I hate emos I hate the bitchy dark thing I hated Meg for the same reason. This character shouldn’t work for me…. But it does. She’s the worst. I routinely cursed her out when she came on my screen. And yet. I think where Nem succeeds where Meg (and than) failed, is that nem genuinely is like, an asshole. And that’s endearing. She insults Mel and undermines her and talks down to her and clearly they have crazy beef. Meg and than just felt sooo put on with their back and forth with zag and it got old fast. Nem is a delight. If she doesn’t like, back hand hypnos she’s staying in my good graces.

Odess… has the least for me to say honestly. He’s sexy. Not much more than that. I adore how smitten he is with Mel, he clearly adores her.

Hypnos. Hand waves. No need to rehash that. Don’t touch me.

As for the oylmpus gods, they’re all as amazing as before. Apollo is my favorite, obviously, and he isn’t how I expected but he’s like just as wonderful in the opposite direction. This is the wrong way but it’s still took us to a great place. I’m content.

The goddess of fire is broken as hell as a boon also she’s a delight. Adore her. Same for the god of forges. Everyone is wonderful. I need more gods tho the current batch is amazing but I need ares and Athena yaknow everyone else. Idk if that’s an “add to the game later” thing or a “pepsi needs to play more of the game” thing. Either way I’m excited.

Story isn’t fully clear yet, as for what happened, it’s all just the stuff in the trailers tbh so nothing new there. All and all is having a fucking blast. I didn’t mention everyone I saw and enjoyed or didn’t because I’m tired sleepy but I have no one I don’t like RIGHT NOW. RIGHT NOW everyone is a delight.

Fic soon…

WAIT I DIDNT EVEN SAY: MEL IS THR BEST. 3

EVERYTHING AVOUT HER IS AMAZING!! Im gonna give her a separate post tmw i adore her down BAD

[m4gp13]

Okay time to talk about Al's hero complex and Ethan's martyr complex more in-depth because I love it so much <3

Al's hero complex is pretty obvious. He thinks he's Katniss Everdeen fighting a valiant battle against the Capitol because no one told him he's not the main character. He sees himself and those who agree with him as the Heroes (tm) while any who oppose them are the Villains of Unrivalled Evil because obviously his people wouldn't be fighting them if they were anything less. Al definitely has the overwhelming optimistic approach of a heroic paragon who believes it's impossible for him to fail because he's the good guy and good guys always win (Ladies, Gentlemen and Assorted Genders I would now like to direct your attention to "heroes never die, right?"). Which is how he ended up getting the remainder of his army massacred because he wouldn't accept defeat and pushed them on for a last-ditch attempt at victory. He's willing to sacrifice his people for the greater good, and in this way he and Percy are like the inverse of "Villains will sacrifice the world to save their loved ones, heroes will sacrifice their loved ones to save the world."

Al was the most powerful child of Hecate and as such was chosen to lead the rest of her children into battle. For such a young guy, this probably gave him a sense of grandeur, importance and self-respect which translates well into him seeing himself as the hero of his story. He had Luke and his propaganda to look up to, Mt Othrys to run things from and the Princess Andromeda to help things along, as well as a swarm of younger demigods who saw him as a hero. Now I'm not saying it all got to his head but that is pretty much what I'm saying. There's also Hecate, who is a pretty loving mother all things considered and was helping and supporting Alabaster and her children all the way through the war. With her encouragement exacerbating Al's self-righteousness instead of giving him a reality check, his hero complex could only grow until it made the Al we see in Son of Magic. He has lost everything and has never been in a worse place but he is still so sure of himself and his own moral superiority.

Ethan's martyr complex is a little more subtle but it's there if you're looking. My guy sacrificed his eye to his mother and was A-Okay with the arrangement. He was asked, from a very young age, to go through a lot of short-term physical pain with the result of a long-term disability in order to make a change in the world, which he agreed to. So he already doesn't think too highly of himself which is a great start! His mother uses him as a vehicle for her goals and he is aware of this and consenting to it. He has already relegated his own life as a tool for someone else. And then there's the arena battle in the labyrinth where he was very quick to offer Percy his own head on a platter. He was thinking very pragmatically at the time. He didn't seem to care much about "holy shit I'm going to die" and was instead just thinking "If he kills me then I die but if he spares me then we'll both die 2-1=1 so if we go with the first option then that will be one less death" HE DOESN'T GIVE A FUCK. His own life is something he can step back from, view in the context of the bigger picture and figure out how detrimental the loss of it would be to everything else going on around him. And then to further prove my point the last thing he ever does in the series is actually martyr himself to stop Kronos from ruining his mother's plans. Way to make it easier for me buddy.

As for how he ended up like this, his mother is fucking Nemesis. A hero complex and a martyr complex run antiparallel to each other with the key difference being that a hero will do whatever it takes to succeed while a martyr is all too happy to throw their life away for The Cause. In the eyes of a young child desperate to please his mother who is known for harshly punishing the prideful and arrogant of the world, being a hero who desires personal success and glory would be far too egotistical, and in order to be a hero his mother would approve of, he must be entirely selfless about it. She would despise anything else.

[sirfrogsworth]

The new Chris Rock comedy special was *rough*.

His acts have been deteriorating for a while now. But this was just a train wreck. He refuses to evolve and adapt. But the biggest issue... it was just a bad performance.

When I was trying to learn how to do stand up, his comedy specials were like a masterclass. Even if you didn't care for the content, his writing and delivery were always polished and razor sharp. You could tell he worked his ass off to get his material as close to perfection as possible. Probably telling the same jokes over and over at small clubs for months before filming.

A stand up joke is typically a premise a punchline and a button. The premise is usually a compelling story or anecdote, the punchline is the subversion of expectations (aka the joke), and the button is how you transition to your next premise. It allows for laughter to die down without an awkward pause. And he was such a natural. He flowed from one to the other so effortlessly. He must have practiced constantly to get his performance that smooth while making it still sound spontaneous and authentic.

But this latest act was all over the place. His delivery was forced and awkward. His transition from premise to punchline to button felt like he kept stepping on rakes. In spots it almost seemed like he was debuting brand new material that he never tested on an audience before. And he completely ruined one of his jokes near the end. Just monumentally biffed it. By the time you are filming a special, your material should be muscle memory. Sure, it was live and mistakes can happen. But usually it is a fumbled word or a stutter or something. I've never seen someone demolish their entire joke during a performance of that import.

And then there was the content. Only a few of his jokes hit. I mean, the audience was laughing in all the right spots. And there are reasons why captive audiences will do that. Especially if they are loyal lifelong fans who want to justify the price of the ticket. But I don't think I even cracked a smile.

Some of the jokes didn't even seem like jokes. He just seemed angry. Angry at women. Angry at his ex wife. Angry at Jada Pinkett Smith. He blamed her more for the slap than Will.

It all just seemed lazy--similar to Chappelle. He didn't spend much time writing. He didn't spend much time polishing. He didn't spend much time rehearsing. He didn't challenge himself to do any reinvention of his style. It was like a bad imitation of himself. As if he thought, "If I yell enough they will probably laugh and I'll get paid."

There is also this thing many comedians will do as a sort of challenge. They will take a controversial topic that other comics have gotten in trouble for and they will try to find a way to make similar jokes without consequences. The idea is to come as close to the line as possible without crossing it. George Carlin's Porky Pig rape joke is a famous example.

So Mr. Rock decided to give his views on transgender folks.

Because of course he did.

I knew exactly what he was doing the second he started talking about trans people. He wanted to succeed where Chappelle failed and his approach was... transparent.

Chris claimed *he* wasn't transphobic because he was "an artist." And if his dad was trans he would be completely okay with it. He repeated this like 50 times to make sure people knew he was not transphobic. And then he devised a super duper non-obvious clever scheme for how he could still tell transphobic jokes without appearing transphobic.

He told the jokes as his less enlightened "truck driving" older brother.

BRILLIANT!

It wasn't HIM saying transphobic stuff, it was just what he imagined his older brother would say if their father were a woman. And then he did nothing to show that his imaginary "brother" was in the wrong.

So if you have a problem, please send all complaints to his brother who never actually said any of those things and not the person who actually manifested those thoughts and repeated them to millions.

The cherry on top of his transgender material?

The One Joke™.

Yep. He did the whole "I identify as..." and "my pronouns are..." and it was just sad.

Instead of "Selective Outrage" I think his act should have been called, "Let me explain why I am bitter about women taking my money and I don't care if you laugh or not."

[buckyownsmylife]

Crash & Burn - Chapter 1

The one where Bucky is your father best friend, and the man you want to take your virginity.

Bucky is losing everything: his wife, his business, his house. And when his best friend is too busy to offer him the support he needs, you offer him your ear and shoulder. He wouldn't find it too bad that getting closer to you made him see you with new eyes, if it wasn't for the one thing you asked in return: you want him to be the first man to ever fuck you.

For general warnings and author’s notes, please go to the fic’s masterlist.

Y/N’s P.O.V.

“Bucky’s coming over tonight.” Those words were welcomed with a nod from me, right before I left for my classes. Living with my father after I’d already graduated wasn’t what I had planned for my life, but if I wanted to succeed as a university professor I needed to get a lot more degrees then my friends had pursued and it was just cheaper to stay at home then to add rent to the already overwhelming pile of student debt I’d have to face eventually.

So I wasn’t surprised when I got home that evening and he was there. James Barnes. The bane of my existence.

“Hey, sweetheart.” He smiled when he saw me, but it didn’t reach his eyes. It made me frown. Bucky was nothing short of the most charming man on the planet - it was the reason why it was so hard for me to be around him. I’d harbored a crush on the guy for as long as I could remember, but of course, it was nothing more than a silly, childhood crush, kept alive by my realization that my father’s best friend was actually incredibly hot.

But he was also twenty years my senior. And married. So I knew nothing would ever come out of it and tried to swallow down as much of the awkwardness that this lust entailed as possible.

“Hey, Buck!” Dropping my bag by the door, I made my way towards him, taking notice of his hunched shoulders and how his eyes had fallen to the glass of scotch he played with on his hand.

I had a hunch it wasn’t his first one.

“What’s going on?” It took him a while to answer. It almost seemed like he’d forgotten I was even there, and when the silence stretched for too long he snapped his head up, startled.

“Oh, your father had to help Maggie, her car broke down in the middle of the road,” he explained, as if that wasn’t the routine we did every single time he came around. “He should be back any minute now.”

My father’s new girlfriend was adorable, if not slightly lost without him. She’d taken over his entire life ever since the relationship started, but not in an overwhelming, suffocating way.

After my mother’s death, it took so long for my father to decide to get back on the dating world again, it was very clear taking care of someone new - someone who cared for him just as much - was exactly what he needed. Which is why I was used to him and Maggie spending every moment together, and Bucky and I both knew there was a good chance he wouldn’t come back home that evening.

Taking a seat next to him, I grasped his wrist, silently asking him to focus on me. He wasn’t surprised by my touch - we’d always been comfortable with each other - and so I took advantage of that to rub circles against his pulse.

“Okay,” I acknowledged in a soft voice. “And what’s going on with you?” He exhaled heavily at my question. I could see he wasn’t expecting it, wasn’t expecting me to care. But I did. Of course I did.

“I’m getting a divorce.” My eyes widened, the surprise impossible for me to hide. I was about to apologize for my shock when he ran a hand through his hair and kept going, “It’s not that it ended, I think it’s pretty obvious I didn’t care much for being married.”

Once again, my body failed me, my snort escaping me before I was able to swallow it down. “Oh my God!” My hands flew up to cover my mouth. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude-”

But Bucky was already laughing, shaking his head as the corners of his eyes crinkled in amusement. “I like that you’re so honest.” That had me biting my lower lip, avoiding his eyes as embarrassment got the best of me, but a smile made its way to my face anyway.

He couldn’t really blame me, though. If there was one thing anyone who spent time with Bucky knew, it’s that he wasn’t completely sold on the idea of being married. He barely spoke of his wife and for all the time I’d known him - almost all of my life - I think I saw the woman… What? Once?

Yeah, once. I’d even asked him about it one time.

*“Why are you married, Bucky?” The question fell from my lips as I witnessed him having the time of his life, dancing at yet another wedding we’d attended together and he had attended solo.

He sighed before finally answering me. “My father wanted me to,” he explained. “It was one of the conditions he had for me to inherit his company. And I was… You have to understand this, I was a different man back then.” He lowered his head, shaking it as if he felt ashamed of his past. “I didn’t think I was good enough to do anything. Hell, I *knew I wasn’t capable of doing anything by my own.”

His voice was thick as he admonished himself. “I thought taking care of his business was the only thing I could do and I wasn’t about to screw it up for something as silly as a contract. Because that’s all there is to it in the end, isn’t it?” He chuckled, a bitter, sad sound. “Marriage is a contract between two partners who expect to get *something out of it. And that’s all.”*

I still remembered that day so clearly. He went on to explain that his father had been the one to choose the woman he should marry. Bucky had actually gone on a few dates with the girl before the wedding, but it was very clearly something done for the sake of making the relationship as easily digestible to high society as possible - neither of them intended to pull out, too excited about their own prospects after the marriage. Bucky, with his father’s company, her, with all of the money she’d be able to enjoy once she became Mrs. Barnes.

Bucky’s P.O.V.

“If you’re not sad about the divorce, then why do you look like a kicked puppy dog?” She asked, leaning closer to me and raising my head with her knuckle so I would meet her eyes. It was hard not to smile at how adorable she was, her eagerness to help me quite obvious and heartwarming, given the situation I was in.

“It’s the reason for it that’s killing me,” I admitted, sighing. “I- I made a risky move and the company’s going down because of it.” My voice faltered, so I tried to clear my throat, taking up the opportunity to rub my eyes with the palms of my hands.

This felt good, despite everything. Talking to her about it took the weight off my shoulders, and I knew it would be a bit weird to someone from the outside. She was so young, almost half my age, not to mention my best friend’s daughter.

But if there was anything I’d learn about her these last few years, it was that she was incredibly mature for her age: wise beyond her ears, and an incredible listener. Even after the most tiring days at work, whenever I came over to her father’s house to watch a game or just distract myself before I was forced to go to that cold home I called my own, she never failed to cheer me up.

So was it wrong that I’d started to see her more like a friend than just a kid? I really couldn’t feel guilty about it, especially with him being so absent as of lately. Ever since he started dating this new chick, it was like he was never home, and never available to drink a beer or do anything, really.

And I got it. Of course, I got it. His kid might be back from college, but she’d been independent and grown-up long enough for him to finally start dating again, and it was more than time for him to take advantage of it.

It just brought me more awareness of my own loneliness.

“Okay,” she got my attention again by placing her hand over my wrist, gently clasping it. “Walk me through what happened.” And so I told her everything. How I had decided that now that I’d achieved some success by keeping my father’s company on its feet, I thought it was time to venture into something new, something I could be proud of. But it had turned out to be a dumb, terrible move.

“I grew too confident in myself,” I sighed. “I forgot I have absolutely no knowledge of the business world. I screwed up. And now I may lose everything.” I forced myself to look her in the eye, only to find her perfectly poised, patiently waiting for me to reach the end of my story.

“Including her,” I finished, knowing she didn’t understand what the business failure had to do with my divorce until now. Understanding made her eyes grow wide, her mouth falling open as I shrugged.

“Like I said, I don’t necessarily care about the marriage - or about her, actually. It’s just that her announcement felt like a confirmation.” And that’s when I averted my gaze, unable to watch if her emotions would mirror the ones I was expecting to find - the ones I was nurturing towards myself.

“I’m a failure. And now that I might have no money, no one will want to be around me anymore.” It was silent for a little while, until she disturbed my self-loathing with the most unexpected of sentences.

“Now, that’s just stupid.” Shock had my mouth falling open, head snapping up to see her. “C’mon, you’re one of the most intelligent men I’ve ever met. And, you know… you’re not exactly bad on the eyes. In fact, I think you could have a modeling career if you truly decide to give up on this business thing.”

I frowned, confused about where she was going with this, even though her recognition of my physical attractiveness did feel weirdly good. I knew I wasn’t awful by any standard, but to know that in my late thirties I was still considered interesting by someone in their twenties…

It did help with my bruised ego. At least the tiniest bit.

“But more importantly…” She caught my attention yet again, shaking my arm a little. “You know we’re here for you. Dad and I. We’ll always be.” And that’s when I understood what she meant, a smile slowly growing in my face, mirroring the one she offered me, as gratitude flooded my chest.

“Well, perhaps me more than him… He’s been awfully busy with Maggie, I’m sure you know that,” she added as an afterthought, shaking her head. “Doesn’t matter,  you got me. Now, do you want a hug?”

I was once again taken by surprise. I knew she was perceptive - she’d always been intelligent - but I’d only recently had the pleasure of being on the receiving end of her wise-beyond-her-years advice and comforting hugs.

It’s funny to think that the best friend I’d ever had was someone who had only been born for half of my life.

“Yes, please.” The grin that she opened up had no reason to be as adorable as it was, but I couldn’t complain about it. She threw herself on me and I huffed at the impact, laughing at how easily she could make me forget about my own terrible thoughts with just a little bit of empathy.

I lost track of time as we held each other. Rubbing her back, I inhaled deeply to calm myself down because the smell of her shampoo weirdly helped me. I would have felt creepier about it if she didn’t have her own face buried against my neck, her breath tickling me every time she sighed.

“So, would you like to eat something?” She asked once we parted, and I had to rub my hands on my jeans because they were sweaty for reasons beyond my comprehension. My heart was beating faster and I would have thought I was about to have an anxiety attack if I didn’t feel so calm.

“Oh, no,” I rushed to say, getting up from the stool and looking for my keys. “Your father probably isn’t getting home tonight, there’s no reason for me to take any more of your time.” But still, as I said it, I stopped by the threshold, fumbling with my keys, not wanting to be alone right now but not knowing how to say it.

“You said it yourself, he’s not coming home tonight and I don’t know about you, but I could use some company.” A wink followed her words as she made her way to the kitchen, with me trailing closely behind. Just like that, all nervousness was gone - I didn’t have to leave, at least, not straight away.

“Say, are you keeping the house?” The question came out of nowhere, as she was stirring the sauce of the pasta we decided to cook. I cleared my throat before speaking, trying to buy myself some time because I wasn’t really looking forward to admitting this.

“No.” It was final. “I don’t want it anymore. She can have it.” She nodded, eyes focused on her task until she seemed to process what I had said.

“So where will you be staying?” I just shrugged, running a hand through my hair.

“A hotel. I think. Didn’t really think this far.” But now it was all I could think about. After years of sharing my space with someone, even if it was someone I didn’t particularly talk to or cared for, I wasn’t looking forward to spending all of my days alone, especially with all of the shit that was running through my head.

“Fuck, no!” She surprised me by interjecting, and at my wide eyes, hers widened too, a hand rushing to cover her mouth. “Shit, I’m sorry.” And then we both burst into laughter, unable to contain it at her inability to restrain her language.

“You know what?” She questioned, a determined look on her face, now. “Fuck this shit. I’m a grown-ass woman and I feel like I’ve earned the right to say a few bad words. Even if it is in front of my father’s best friend.”

My heart picked up its beat at her following wink, my mouth running dry at the combination of the gesture and what she was saying, even though I couldn’t pinpoint why precisely. I didn’t have the time to focus on it either, because she continued, “What I wanted to say was - there’s no way you’re staying in a hotel room, with everything you’re going through! We have a guest bedroom, you’re gonna stay here with us.”

A firm hand clasped my shoulder and I bit the inside of my cheek to contain my smile from becoming a full-blown grin. “You shouldn’t be alone right now.” There was so much emotion in her eyes, I didn’t know what to say. So I just nodded, hoping it would be enough, and apparently, it was. Her body fit right against mine as she held me against her chest, breathing me in once more.

“I’m sorry it had to be this way,” she went on to say, “but I’m confident this means great things for your future. Promise me you’ll try to see the good in it and I promise I’ll help you with that.”

My mouth ran dry, making it hard for me to speak, even though I tried to clear my throat. Finally, following a nod, the words fell out of me. “I promise.”

I had no way of knowing that was the start of a whole new life.

[enchantedflameandflower]

Glimmer 22/? Billy Butcher fic!

Notes: I've been in a bit of a slump so please let me know if you're reading ♥

Tag List: @2dead2function @secretdreamlandmentality

Billy Butcher Master list

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Addison sipped her pint of beer at a table in the back corner where she sat watching Annie and Hughie - they had challenged each other to a game of darts. Hughie was currently losing quite miserably, but taking it like a champ. Addison couldn’t help smiling to herself as she thought about what a sweet couple they made.

Idly, she wondered how they made it work. It definitely wasn’t easy. That was something she had to admit now. She wanted Billy more than anything else in the world, so why was it still so difficult? 

She stilled for a minute, thinking of Billy, of his worry, then listening to her surroundings. Nothing out of place. 

Still, she felt uneasy. She tried to shake the constant feeling of edginess that had settled in the pit of her stomach lately and wouldn’t seem to go away. Wouldn’t go away unless Billy was touching her...

She sighed to herself, drinking again. 

But then he’d bellow and rave and tell her what to do...and it just made her...it made her want to explode. She had worked so hard, for so long, to be okay on her own. Sometimes it felt like he wanted to take that away from her. She knew he didn’t really. He wanted to take care of her, he just didn’t know how to convey that without coming off like a controlling prick. And she was too stubborn and impatient to listen to what he was really trying to say. She never wanted to fight but when he pushed her she only wanted to push back. She had been on her own for so long. 

The truth was, she was just scared. Scared it wouldn’t work, scared he would hate her in the end, scared she couldn’t get stronger, scared she would just fail at it all again. Scared she might succeed.

Hughie and Annie came back to the table and Addison forced herself to smile. “Thank you for helping me Annie, really. I don’t know how much good it will do, but I appreciate it.”

Annie gave her an encouraging look. “You already know what to do. You just need some self-confidence. It’s all right there inside of you, all of it. You just have to believe in yourself.”

Easier said then done. Addison thought, and she took a sip, thinking for a moment. 

“I can feel it,” Addison murmured quietly. “I can feel what I’m doing, physically...I never did before. Or I didn’t pay attention. I almost wonder if...” she trailed off. 

“You wonder if...?” Hughie asked. 

Addison shook her head. “Never mind. I’m not sure what I was thinking. Anyway,” she changed the subject. “Who won?” she nodded her head toward the dartboard. 

Hughie looked to Annie and she quirked her mouth. “Guilty,” she smiled. 

“And I think winner buys the next round?” Hughie grinned. 

“Oh I see how it is,” Annie smiled at him. “Okay, be right back.”

They watched Annie head to the bar, then Hughie turned to Addison when she was mostly out of earshot. “Annie was really excited to help you,” he said. 

“She’s...amazing,” Addison smiled. 

He tilted his head. “But yet...you’re holding her at arm’s length. Why is that? Because of Butcher?”

“Well, I’m here, aren’t I?” Addison protested, gesturing at the table. Geez the kid knew how to get straight to the point. “What did she say? I never meant to be rude, if I was...”

Hughie shook his head. “No, she just said - that you’re... guarded.”

“She’s probably right,” Addison sighed. “I’m trying. It’s not easy for me, I guess. To make friends.”

He regarded her for a moment. “But I think this is more than that.”

“What do you want me to do?” she shrugged. 

“Just be you. The best you that you can be.”

Addison couldn’t help giving a soft laugh. He was always just so fucking earnest. “Okay, Jiminy Cricket.”

Hughie huffed dramatically, giving her a mock glare. “You and Butcher deserve each other, you know that?” 

Addison grinned. “I know that.” She rubbed her finger over a spot on her glass, thinking. “How does Annie deal with him?” she shook her head. 

“How do I deal with who?” Annie spoke up, setting the pitcher in the middle of the table. 

“Three guesses and the first two don’t count,” Hughie joked as he refilled each of their glasses. 

Annie rolled her eyes. “Butcher?” She looked to Addison and she nodded. 

“I think...” Annie looked up as she thought. “I think I can forgive him for all his bluster because...well because I understand why.” She looked to Hughie then, and Addison could see in her eyes how much she felt for him. “And because I know he loves Hughie. So that’s enough.” She took a drink of her beer then grinned. “But the real question is how do *you* deal with him?”

Addison couldn’t help smiling as she gazed into the amber liquid in her glass. Billy. Her Billy. She could deal with anything because he was hers. But she didn’t say that out loud. 

“He’s really good with his hands...” she quipped, then tipped her beer up to her lips. 

“Oh TMI,” Hughie groaned but Annie laughed and Addison shared a look with her. 

Addison promised herself she would try to work to open up more. It had been so easy with MM. Probably because he was so annoyingly persistent and she’d never had a choice, but still. 

“Can I ask you something?” Addison asked after awhile, looking over toward Annie. “Did you know? About V?”

Hughie and Annie shared a look. “No,” Annie shook her head. 

“Billy told me when he found out. I just...I couldn’t process it. I didn’t react well.”

“How do you react well to that?” Annie said emphatically. “I lost it, on my mom. I just...” she shook her head. “I felt so betrayed. I felt like my whole life had been ripped away for a lie. Suddenly it all made so much sense, why my dad left, the way he acted, everything. But you know, at the end of the day she’s still my mom, so...” she shrugged. 

Addison nodded, her brow furrowed. How many lives had Vought wrought destruction and misery upon? All of them. It was almost too much to bear

“I’m working on it,” Annie continued. “What about your parents?”

Addison swallowed. “Gone. But it’s for the better.” For one moment, she thought about saying more, but she couldn’t quite bring herself to. Not about that. Not yet. 

“I’m sorry, that must be really hard,” Annie and Hughie shared another look. 

“Yeah I’m sorry too,” Hughie chimed in.

“Well...I have you all now, right?” Addison smiled. 

“Cheers to that.” Hughie held up his glass and Addison clicked hers to his, both of them finishing the last drink. 

She did have them. And Billy. Who was waiting for her at home right now and suddenly she wanted to be back with him more than anything. 

She wondered again if they could ever make it work. This was the path she was on now. Would he leave her when he found out this was what she wanted?

They asked for the check and all she could think about was getting to Billy and she pulled out her phone to text him she was heading home.

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

Billy stripped his jacket off and threw it toward his couch when he came in to his apartment. ‘What in the fuck am I doing?’ he cursed himself. 

He dropped into a chair, burying his face in his hands. He shouldn’t do this to her, involve her in all this shit. All his shit. 

But he couldn’t help himself or how good she made him feel. 

He thought of the way her eyes lit when she smiled at him, the way she looked when she was teasing him, the way she looked when she wanted him...

He just would not let anything happen to her. She was in trouble now and she needed him more than ever. He wouldn’t sit by and watch awful things happen to her. But he wouldn’t watch her become something awful either.  

He wasn't naive and he knew exactly what would happen if she became stronger. Every day, he saw what Kimiko and Annie had to go through, what they had to endure. He saw what people like Noir and Deep and even Maeve became after too long with the power they were given. He couldn’t watch that happen to her. 

Billy didn’t know what her future would be but he knew he was going to protect her until the day he died no matter what she did. He would do whatever he had to to make her want to stay. 

It felt like an eternity before she finally opened the door to his apartment. He was in the middle of changing and he did not miss the way her gaze swept over his bare chest as he came out of his room but he was too agitated to respond in kind. 

“Good of you to stop by,” he glowered at her, annoyed and beyond frustrated. 

Addison stopped. She looked like she had taken a hit to the gut. For one second he felt guilty, but what was she thinking? Why could she not understand someone was trying to kill her. 

“I just got here and you’re already pissed again?” she threw her bag to the floor. “I’m exhausted, Billy. What do you want from me?”

“You said you’d be home an hour ago,” he stopped in front of her, crossing his arms over his bare chest. The motion made his muscles bunch and he wasn’t above using that to try and persuade her. But it didn’t seem to work this time.

“For fuck’s sake Billy, I can’t teleport. I said I was heading out. The check took longer than I expected.”

Addison pressed her hands to her face, shaking her head before she looked at him again. He knew he was pushing her too hard but he didn’t know how to get her to listen. 

“I’ve spent my entire life alone, Billy. I’m capable of taking care of myself. I’ve worked really hard to be okay on my own, and I am,” her voice took on a desperate edge but he couldn’t stop, he had to make her see.

“I have a really shit feeling about this, Addison. These cunts are serious. It’s more dangerous than you think it is.”

“Is it though? Or do you just like the excuse to be controlling...”

“This ain’t about that. I’m trying to protect ya!” His voice rose as he started to lose his temper. What in holy fuck was wrong with her? 

“I’m here aren’t I?” she threw her hands up. “As much as you want to pretend I’m helpless, I am a supe. I went out, I had a fucking drink, I’m home now. I’m fine.”

He felt like he’d lost the entire fuckin’ plot. How many times did she need to be shot before she realized she wasn’t invincible. “This ain’t about your independence, sunshine,” he pointed a blunt finger toward her. “This is about your life.” And he refused to risk it. “No more,” he cut his hand through the air. “Until we get this cunt, you stay with me, right here.”

“You don’t fucking own me,” she was nearly as loud as him now but he could see the the war of emotion in her eyes and he felt his heart crack. Whatever he had left of one. 

He had to make her understand, but she was stark ravin’ now.

“You can’t order me around like you do everyone else!”

“I’m tryin’ to keep you safe and you won’t listen to a fuckin’ thing I’m tryin to tell you,” he growled.

“You’re acting like a lunatic!”

“And you’re actin’ like your life don’t matter at all. Well, it fucking matters. It matters to me. And if something happens to you I won’t forgive meself.”

“You can’t protect the entire goddamn world, Billy. I can’t live like that, under lock and key.” 

Oh yeah? He damn well would if that’s what he wanted. He straightened, raising to his full height, his voice fierce. “If that’s what I have to do to keep you from getting hurt, I’ll do it.”

Her eyes turned to steel grey, sharper than the blade of a sword and brimming full of blue fire. He knew then he had completely fucked up.

“Like fucking hell you will.” Addison spat, then she spun toward the door. 

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Let me know what you think!

Chapter 23

[winterwitch-trash]

Careful what you wish for…

Summary: Bucky’s girl has been teasing him all day with one purpose, and one purpose only. To test her soldier’s ability to control himself. But will her plan succeed or backfire on her?

A/N: I don't own anything. Bucky belongs to Marvel.

Warnings: Roughness, Bucky being a total tease, smutty situations, a bit of fluff and aftercare. MINORS DNI

This was one of the rare days where Bucky had no Avenger- related obligation (whether it was a briefing or a mission). So he chose to stay home with his girl. And she was currently pushing his buttons. From flirty remarks, to downright dirty comments along with sultry looks. Not her fault though. It had slipped him that he was excellent in staying under control, and she just wanted to test him. At first, he was nonchalant about all this, but then she upped her game by strutting around practically naked.

She could see that he was barely holding it together; a victorious smirk flashed over her face, as she had straddled his waist, raking her nails across his toned chest. “Well.. It is quite obvious you need some relief, my sweet soldier.. ” She mused brazenly palming his shaft, relishing in the way he was squirming under her touch. Normally she was sweet and shy. But tonight, it felt as if someone had flicked a switch within her, freeing the vixen she kept concealed. And Bucky liked this side of her, there was no doubt here. But he was the dominant one usually. “It seems you need to have your memory refreshed doll.. You’re in no position to make demands, or tease me like you’ve been doing for the past few hours.” He growled pinning her down in a swift motion, chuckling at the loud yelp that flowed through her lips. “Mmhm… All words my beautiful Soldier…” She taunted hooking her legs around his waist, so as to keep him there. “I always deliver baby girl… You shouldn’t forget that..” He smirked in response, pulling at the flimsy fabric that covered her body. And to prove a point, Bucky wasted no time in suckling a dark bruise to her pulse point, marking her so everyone would know she was his, thinking of ways he would repay her torture. Maybe he wouldn’t let her cum… Maybe he would eat her out until she couldn’t take it anymore. There were numerous ways he could go about this…

“Now, are you going to keep acting like a brat or do I need to fuck the naughty attitude out of ya?” He growled, fingers teasing across her folds. “Oh god… Please, fuck me…” She all but begged, clearly her game of seduction failing. But she could care less at this point. She was already struggling to keep it together herself.

“No. You don’t get to tell me what to do…” He chuckled darkly, against her. He would make sure she was mad with desire and want before he even gave her what she needed. Or not. It all depended on whether she would behave nicely. And from the looks of it she wouldn’t. He didn’t mind it though. But for a fleeting moment, he allowed his softer side show by capturing her lips sweetly, swallowing her moans, which only served to spur him on, as he drove himself inside her, keeping her hands tied over her head. And soon, this sweet moment disappeared as he slipped back to the dominant persona that his girl wanted to experience. “Bucky….” His name fell from her lips like a prayer as she felt that familiar knot forming in the pit of her stomach. She was close. But Bucky didn’t appreciate that. “Don’t you dare cum. You hear?” He whispered lowering himself to her soft mound. For his girl, watching him like this had to be the most erotic sights ever. But she really couldn’t handle this torture. “Please.. Please do something.. I need—I need to cum so badly..” She moaned loudly when she felt his beard scratching while he dove in, like a man starved. The soldier simply ignored her desperate pleas to let her reach her climax as he continued feasting on her. “Fuck, doll…” He breathed out. “You were made for me..” He said appreciatively, rubbing her slit in that quick motion, enjoying how her walls were pulsating around his metal fingers. “You’re doing so good for me baby…” He continued praising her, until… He removed his hands from her, watching as she writhed desperately, strings of cuss words leaving her mouth. “Keep whining, and I’m not going to give you your release until next week..” He threatened, icy blue eyes gone completely dark with lust. That threat wasn’t empty and she knew it. That’s why she fell silent. “I need you…” She whined, trying to stay as still as possible.

After a few excruciating moments, he relented. After all he was close himself. He was painfully hard, so he didn’t waste time and plunged himself inside her, setting a brutal pace, chasing his climax… “Oh my GOD!” A scream of pleasure filled the room while the sounds of skin against skin ceased the second he reached that ecstatic state, spilling inside her.

“It was amazing..” She hissed slightly cupping his stubbled cheeks while they both came down from their high. That was when Bucky slipped out of her, with the intention to bring her a snack. “It wasn’t too much, was it?” He asked, as he came back to their shared bed, gently cleaning her still sensitive core. She couldn’t help but smile. “No, it was absolutely perfect…”She whispered, her green eyes slowly falling shut.. “Maybe you should try to seduce me more often doll..” He chuckled wrapping a soft blanket around her naked frame before succumbing to sleep himself.

@world-of-aus There you go. 😇

[aeroargonic]

Okay, so I read your au idea with the role swap thingy and for some reason I got reminded very suddenly of a fanfic I read from like 2016 where the main four where supposedly going to be Shade, Griffin, Neuro and Karlof (although this was back when it was just Shadow). And I don’t know, that just unlocked a memory of it.

Anyway, about your au. Will you tell me about it? Please?

claps hands Alright, children. Gather round, please get yourself comfortable and make sure you've grabbed yourself a snack. We're gonna be here for a little bit.

(BTW there will be no rhyme or reason to what I say. Ya gurl is gonna ramble.)

So in this AU, Chen is the only son of the FSM. The FSM created Ninjago using the powers of Creation and Destruction, which Chen now is a master of, is teaching to his two young pupils, Clouse and Garmadon. The plot at this point is kinda the same: Clouse attempts to steal the Golden Weapons (which are different in this AU) and gets banished to the Underworld, yadda, yadda, yadda. Garmadon eventually succumbs to the pressure of being the pupil of the literal son of God, and guilt over leaving behind his younger brother Wu to study at the monastery on Chen's private island. Wu has been left in the care of Ray and Maya, whom Garmadon works part-time for as an apprentice. Eventually, Garmadon runs away after he and Chen get into a really heated fight revolving around Clouse's disappearance and the pressure Chen has since put on Garmadon to succeed to make up for failing Clouse. He and Wu become close with Ray and Maya and raise their twin children Kai and Nya after their deaths.

Chen eventually gets married to Skylor's mother, the Master of Water, (I've named her Lorena) and they eventually have Skylor. Lorena passes away after complications giving birth to their son and Chen ends up in a dark place for a bit but pulls himself together to raise Skylor. Chen is surprisingly human in this AU? He grapples a lot with the concept of perfection and trying to find his footing as a teacher but his past seriously haunts him. He's already failed two students and almost his daughter, but for the the sake of Ninjago and making his father proud, he's going to try again. He's not a perfect person, and his flaws are beyond obvious, but he does his best.

Skylor is a mixture of Misako and Nya's roles. There is no Samurai X because Skylor is treated as an equal from the start (and sexism as a plotline is so mid-2000s) but she's also a total history buff and becomes the exposition fountain Misako kinda was. The only thing is that she doesn't have a corresponding Golden Weapon and but Water in the show is pretty OP anyways so she's got that going for her.

Karlof is probably the closest to his show counterpart, probably because he has the least angstiest backstory. He's a mechanical engineer and the son of the Master of Earth who wields the Gauntlets of Earth as his weapon. He's basically the dad friend and everyone's big brother.

Griffin is the grandson of the Master of Lightning and wields the Whip of Lightning. He's annoyingly flirty and a track star prodigy who starts out pretty cocky but things go south for him when a Serpentine encounter gives him horrid acid scars surrounding his lips and chin, which he covers up with a mask. He's the kind of guy who hides his fears behind a swaggy coolkid persona.

Neuro is the son of the Master of Ice, Mahiro, who eventually becomes important later on. He wields the Spear of Ice. Eventually, the defeat of the Overlord ala Zane leaves him missing his left eye and arm, which are eventually replaced with robot prosthetics. He's an ice cold motherfucker who gradually warms up and takes pride in his natural intellect.

Shade is the son of the Master of Fire, but also the son of Mahiro making him Neuro's half-brother (it's complicated) and wields the Crossbow of Fire. He's a scrappy and aggressive street kid and gets treated like such by everyone.

Morro isn't related to the FSM at all. He's an orphan who obviously must've descended from an Elemental Master somewhere, but nobody knows his roots. His role as the fabled Green Ninja is to be the Elemental Master of Life and the prophesized saviour of Ninjago who will eventually destroy the Overlord in Ninjago's greatest time of need. He's much more power-hungry than Lloyd is and absolutely revels in his role as this all-important hero, but gets a reality check very quickly when he realizes that this isn't a game and lives are actually at stake. Besides that, he's the baby of the family and Neuro and Shade have kinda adopted him as their younger brother (the greycale siblings).

That's the main party for now, eventually Clouse joins after he's freed from being the Overlord's vessel and Mahiro also shows up once they find him. These are just brief overviews of each character and I have a lot of details about them and other characters as well if anybody is interested!

[hanmasghost]

“The Sweethearts Together Again”

Please read my pinned post before requesting

Authors words:

I tried- I’m a lil’ all over the place so I’m sorry if this isn’t what you expected, also I wrote the first half while I was on the verge of passing out, sorry abt that^^;

Pronouns: He/Him

Tags: @reallyromealone

Warning(s): de*th, dissociation, not proof read

Shinichiro had never expected his life to me going well. At least that’s what he told his husband.

They had been highschool sweethearts.

They were practically inseparable, no force could pull them apart, not completely anyways.

{Reader}, Shinichiro’s husband, had full on moved his tattooing business down near where Shinichiro’s shop was.

Why? Because Shinichiro complained that no matter how fast his motorcycle was, he couldn’t ever get to {Reader}’s work fast enough to share their lunch break together.

Hell! When Shinichiro was still the leader of the Black Dragons they were called “The Sweethearts” why you ask? People had given them the nickname as whenever fights happened, or anyone tried to overthrow Shinchiro, {Reader} was always there protecting him telling others “to get to him, you have to get through me” and afterwards people would watch as Shinichiro coddled him and babied the male. Sometimes Shinichiro would cheer {Reader} on if he seemed to be losing spirit, and in an instant, it’s almost like the males spirit had never left, he became stronger.

They were each other’s strengths, and that much was obvious. Hence why “The Sweethearts” became a much feared name among gangs.

So when Shinichiro died?

{Reader} was heartbroken. Shattered.

He felt utterly useless.

The one time he wasn’t there, something tragic happened.

He was going to kill whoever took his other half away. That was until he found out it was one of his brother-in-law’s friends.

He couldn’t kill a kid.

So he remained heartbroken. Quitting his job, and staying home, only ever leaving to go take care of Mikey and Emma or to get groceries.

Though after a few years, watching as Mikey, his in-law, his brother, lose himself into the abyss, is when he finally snapped out of it.

He thought he was taking care of Mikey all these years, when really he was just a shell of a person whom Mikey was taking care of.

It hit him hard.

Emma was dead.

Mikey wasn’t himself.

He didn’t succeed at taking care of them.

He failed Shinichiro.

That’s when he decided to start doing so.

He’d start taking care of Mikey like he should of been all these years. Emma is gone, and he’ll live with that guilt, but hopefully she’s enjoying her time in the after life, if there’s an after life.

That’s exactly what he did.

He started getting Mikey to write in journals, talk to a specialist, made him his favorite foods, had Mikey rediscover his interests.

Everything was going great.

Mikey was more of a human being now, he talked to people, played video games, wrote. All kinds of things.

He also seemed to have a very well paying job, he had a nice fancy house, which he shared with {Reader}, as {Reader} was taking care of him, and tons of nice things most people didn’t have.

Everything was… perfect.

Just as it was before.

That was until {Reader} got sick.

——

It was hard for Mikey.

Being happy and spending time with his brother, his only family, and switching up to a cold blooded gang member, a murder, with zero self control.

And once his brother became ill? He couldn’t do it anymore. He had to tell him about Bonten. The one thing Mikey wanted to avoid for as long as he could.

He was afraid {Reader} would be upset, curse at him, shun the help Mikey offered. So when {Reader} just.. accepted.. just accepted that Mikey was in a gang, along with everything else, he was shocked, but happy nonetheless. It just made it easier to help his brother and make sure he was taken care of.

And that’s what happened.

Mikey got personal doctors, who made you take tests which he was not to be apart of, or told what they were about.

He thought he’d be able to secure your health and well being, that was until the doctors came and told him {Reader} had [REDACTED] which currently had no known cure.

Mikey panicked.

He couldn’t lose the last living family he had. He just couldn’t.

He hired, and threatened, many people who he thought would be able to help keep {Reader} alive and find a cure.

——

Bonten executives watched as their boss, who rarely showed emotion towards them and others, dote and almost cry from stress over this man. They asked him what they could do, and tried comforting him, but he didn’t care. He didn’t accept their help. He didn’t care he was possibly going insane, he would do anything to make sure his brother was okay.

It was going well, besides Mikey on the brink of losing his shit. {Reader} was stabilized, that’s all that mattered.

——

“Hey.. Mikey?” {Reader} called out to the male who was sitting in a chair next to his bed.

Looking up, Mikey acknowledged his brother with a soft “hm?”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry I spent most of our time together distanced and heartbroken due to Shin.. Shinichiro’s death.. and I’m sorry that I haven’t been able to make up those years of distance to you.” Reaching his hand up to his chest where he gripped the itchy clothing he wore.

“What are you talking about—“

“I’m afraid.. I won’t be able to make up for those years where I wasn’t really there.. I just wish… just maybe… I could… maybe, just maybe, have taken care of you kids better.. and honor Shinichiro.. but instead I failed him. I failed.. to take care of you guys.”

Mikey sat in shock, what the hell were you talking about? Not really being there? Failed Shinichiro?

“I’m supposed to be your family, and take care of you, but now.. you’re like me… dissociated with life, knowing you’re there but not feeling like you are.. feeling as if your body isn’t your own as you watch yourself do things, good and bad… I failed.. to take care of you, I’m sorry.”

He knew deep down this would happen, but why.. why did it have to be so soon? You didn’t even make it to 40.

Mikey only heard static as he stared into your cold, unblinking eyes.

And for the first time in years, Manjiro Sano, cried. Now having officially lost his only living family member.

——

{Reader} stopped dreaming after Shinichiro died. Both ambition and sleep wise.

So last night, when he dreamed about seeing Shinichiro, holding his hand, and waking up after a “see you soon” he knew. He knew he was gonna die soon.

And a few hours before midnight is when he felt it. He felt his soul start to leave his body.

So before it turned twelve, he decided to apologize to Mikey.

Apologize to him for not taking care of him as Shinichiro would have. Apologizing about how he wasn’t able to honor Shinichiro’s death and wishes.

He knew the 28 year old man would be confused. He didn’t necessarily have the time to explain to him, so, with what he knew would be his last breath as he felt his heart stop, he apologized one last time.

Body numb, his vision and thoughts blank.

Then he was met with the sweet and loving calls of his name.

Shinichiro.

He was finally… finally back with his missing piece. He was.. free.

[bobauthorman]

From STRQ to Finish

There's been plenty of posts on how Team RWBY are turning out different from their predecessors, Team STRQ, and I'd thought I'd throw in my two cents, by comparing the members of each team with their parallel, and how the former succeed where the latter failed.

Taiyang Xiao Long - Yang Xiao Long: I know there's been some dispute on Tai lately, which I'm not comfortable with causing another debate. I think Taiyang is doing his best, and definitely had problems in the past, but I the biggest issue isn't with his daughters, but how he's completely unable to stand up to the rest of Oz's Circle. Take the end of Volume 3, where he's trying to comfort Ruby with the Fall of Beacon's fallout, only to be unceremoniously kicked out of the room by Qrow. This may extend into a deeper problem with confronting difficult issues entirely. Yang, by comparison, does not hesitate to look at Oz head-on and get in his face about his decisions. I'm not pleased with Yang agreeing with Oz in Volume 8, but I'm hoping this will be corrected.

Qrow Branwen - Blake Belladonna: Both are introduced feeling guilty for their past as outlaws (the Tribe/White Fang) and thinking that they need to keep their distance from others to protect them (Misfortune Semblance/Adam Taurus). By while Qrow almost lets himself get consumed by his own self-loathing, Blake manages to pull herself out and overcome it and set her former group on the path of goodness. And BTW, they both found blondes who try to help them out. (Two in Blake's case)

Summer Rose - Weiss Schee: This might be reaching, but I'm starting to see a lot in common between Summer and Weiss. They both have white as their color-motif. They both have an axe in their mythos (Summer's weapon Sundered Rose, while Weiss has gotten close to Professor Port, who has Blowhard)

Furthermore, while Summer was clearly the most caring parent she left...and her legacy has put an immense amount of pressure on Ruby. Weiss, meanwhile, was the one who realized how much Ruby has been suffering because of that pressure.

Raven Branwen - Ruby Rose: Again, reaching. But on top of similar aesthetics, Ruby's breakdown in Volume 9 reminds me a bit of how bitter and ornery Raven acts. While Oz (What a "reliable" source he is) tells us that Raven left because she was "selfish" I wonder what really happened between them. Was Raven someone like Ruby once, only to have her spirit broken? We only know the current Raven, after all. But while no one was willing or able to help Raven or see things from her point, Ruby receives the love and support from her friends.

Well, that' s my view of things. Whether you agree or disagree, please be civil about it.

[allyriadayne]

....i guess i should have frazed the question better. i'm not asking this in bad faith i'm genuinely asking for your take because i like your analysis and i respect your opinion. if you would have asked me last year if i think alicent is a well written character i would have said yes. but because of all of the fandom discourse skewing how i view things i'm honestly not sure at this point.

it's okay, thanks for clearing it up!

to me, TO ME (because at the end of the day this is more of a nitpicking issue that this fandom likes to indulge in after more than a year of hiatus), alicent is generally well written. if she wasn't, i don't think that many people would've fixated on her for good or bad, she's a well realized character with a clear personality, made to be sympathetic and it succeeds. the alicent from eps 1 until the first half of 8 is SO compelling and tight. is in moments where the writers put her relationship with rhaenyra over her writing that her character falters, like regarding her motives: does she want rhaenyra to be queen? or does she believe in what otto tells her? i go back and forth on this issue because it'd fit with alicent's nervous and anxious personality, wanting to please everyone but failing, i think she'd want to take the "easiest" route and believe in rhaenyra like she does in ep 8, but it's also pretty easy to believe it's just the writers squeezing another emotional moment from the two of them over the development of the alicent from eps 6 & 7 where she's rightfully afraid of what would happen to her and her children if rhaenyra ascends. i have this same beef with the motivations on ep 10 when otto brings the page to rhaenyra, it's not that it's a rhaenicent moment or whatever because out of context it's pretty good and such a good callback to when they were girls together but these women are past that!! 20 years too late!!!

but i wouldn't say at all that she's badly written, or that is /just/ her. i think there's a larger problem with some characters where the writers dropped the ball that could've been fixed with one line of dialogue or something. it's more prevalent in the second half and i think people have pointed at alicent for two reasons in good or bad faith: 1) she's one of the protagonists and 2) she's garnered incredibly amounts of attention. so most of her problems would have more traction inside the fandom. i could give you the example of larys, a minor character with zero traction in fandom in comparison: he terrorizes alicent by showing her his power over him, it's fine, this could be shown in SO many different ways, instead the writers decided to give him a foot fetish. the character with the clubfoot. why? WHY? dropping the ball completely for the laughs. in the fandom this got reviled only for what it did for alicent (valid) and only the larysheads saw that it was completely against his character but it stopped there bc no one cares about larys.

my point with this is that the fandom will speak about alicent in every which way from here to eternity, it's a given and with season 2 it's going to be worse. you are not asking me and i'm sorry if i sound patronizing but what i recommend is rewatching at your own pace and just closing the tab when there's discourse that doesn't contribute or critic in any meaningful way.