#So don't make the mistake of underestimating them. You don't know nothing about them.

[that-green-haired-swordsman]

Just because....

... an animal doesn't bite...

... or a bird can't fly....

... doesn't mean they never will.

[saetoshis]

Listen. Yes Hoshina is a short king. But consider. . . If he's short he's probably feeling like he's got smth to prove. Excited to bend his partner over and deill them like they insulted him. Plus then he might hit you with the 'princess' or smth of the like. Putting youbin a verbal place of power (as the taller person) while he's still doming thr fuck out of you. "How'd you let this happen, princess? Letting someone like me see this weak side of you? Were you just careless? Overly trusting? Or perhaps you underestimated me. I suppose I'll have to punish you for that." Type beat.

Anway love our beloved Hoshi thanks as always for your tasty art!

HELPME UR SO RIGHT ... NOW IM THINKING LIKE ... WHAT IF U TEASED HIM FOR BEING A LIL SHORT N THEN .. YK ...

taller!fem reader [5'7"+ 172cm+], oral m. receiving, size kink [sorta?], teasing, pet name [ princess], fingering, squirting, MDNI.

you, who got all-too-cocky because your eyes are just a bit higher in line with his, made a mistake.

vice captain hoshina is nothing if not an enigma. his silly demeanor and playful attitude about everything makes him seem so non-threatening, that you might've gotten too comfortable with teasing him and acting high and mighty. whenever he tells you what to do, maybe you'll make a little gesture with your hand above his head, reminding him who has more "power." these jokes were your mistake.

maybe he'll want to punish you - watch you kneel in front of him, his hand on your pretty head as he guides you towards the bulge in his pants. maybe he'll hum out a little, "since you wanna poke fun at height, how 'bout you try being the short one for once?"

maybe hoshina will lean back and watch you unzip his pants, taking no time to push your mouth onto his eager cock. he might even rut his hips a little, muttering out between breathy 'fuck's, "not so big now, huh? how does it feel, hm? didn't think i'd be big down there, did you?"

hoshina watches so closely as you bob your head and pump your hand, thighs keening together where you're sat all prettily on the floor. a little smirk might even tug at his lips as he realizes just how turned on you're getting from this. "what, getting all hot and bothered by this? didn't think someone shorter than you could get you all worked up? you know better, don't you?"

his words send a jolt straight through your frame and you can't help but shudder, and all of a sudden the vice captain seems so much more intimidating, even more enticing than you ever thought. it's like he can sense you losing yourself in the moment, and he's got you right where he wants you.

hoshina leans down, flashing you a smug sneer as he lifts your face to look up at him - all the while admiring the pretty sheen of your lips and your glassy eyes. "is that what i think it is? is the princess who's always mocking my height suddenly unable to resist me? the irony... how should i deal with you, hm?"

he maneuvers you to bend over against the counter, chest pressed against the cool granite as he lets his thumb drag along your clothed pussy. one hand presses your back, the other languidly slipping off your shorts and panties as he hums, "oh, what's that? a wet spot, hm? not so cocky now, aren't you?"

it takes a lot of strength to even muster thoughts, your head spinning from how lewd he's acting - it's bafflingly hot. you pant against the counter as you look back, watching his eyes flit over your hips while his finger does the same against your clit. hoshina lets out a little laugh when he watches you shudder along with a strained whine.

"feels good, doesn't it? does being put in your place turn you on? yeah?" hoshina sneers and lets out a little chuckle, swiftly slipping his fingers between your walls and curling forwards. he can't help but wear a smirk on his face as he enjoys your willing submission. "let me remind you that i'm the vice captain of the third division. the strongest second to mina. forgot that, did you?"

his sheer strength shows in each intense flick and curl of his fingers against the spot that makes your spine shudder, and it's humbling. it's when he starts simultaneously toying with your clit that you feel like you're on fire, a buzz building up between your thighs just begging for release.

"that's it... yeah, let it out. show me just how much you like it. cum all over my hand, bet you'll never act cocky again," hoshina leers under his breath, ministrations going into overdrive as you shiver and whimper shamelessly. with a voice-cracking whine, his name falls from your lips over and over as flicks of liquid smother his hand from his unrelenting movements.

"ahh, of course you squirt on top of everything..." hoshina leans over the counter to admire the dizzied expression on your face with a little grin of his own. his fingers nudge your chin as he murmurs, "felt good? yeah? you gonna be good now? don't wanna hear you trying to humble me ever again after you left such a mess all over me."

he presses a little kiss on your cheek, smirking against your skin before he shifts to your ear. with a low whisper, he mutters, "unless you wanna have me fuck you in that suit... 92% isn't a joke, you know?"

2024 SAETOSHIS. do not copy/repost.

[strawberrymochin]

liar

The slap you landed on shoko's right cheek has its sound echoing through the air surrounding you guys. The force of your hand left it's imprints on her cheek, blazing red as her eyes widen. Never she thought, you— her timid, gentle and kind junior would slap her.

"Why did you agree on such horrendous thing?" You scream your lungs out. "Why?"

"I — ah— tha—"

"Why? Why didn't you stopped him? Why didn't you informed me? All these mess were happening right one after another and you kept lying." Your eyes burned with tears pooling, threatening to fall. You couldn't breathe, it seemed as if your lungs went stiff, even drawing one breath could be fatal to you. Still you couldn't help but scream, give up on the rest of oxygen you still had hold off. "Liar. Liar. Liar. You're a liar. Gojo's a liar. Megumi's a liar. You all lied to me. You said everything's fine when nothing was fine. Why?"

"Y/n try to understand—"

"NO! Don't take my name from your filthy mouth who only knows to sew lies!"

Shoko forwarded her palms indicating you to calm down, "List—", a slash of cold current passed through her body in a millisecond.

Her eyes turned from your figure to her hands— now bleeding, her palms layed on the floor messing the floor in red. What?

What exactly was that? She looked at you, your eyes fixated on her, however there was a sense of uncanniness in your presence. It wasn't normal. Not at all. 'Did she just used her cursed technique on me?' thought shoko.

You were a healer, then how could you use a curse energy to land a blow, cutting off her palms. Unless you manifest that beas— shoko's eyes scanned around the entire room in horror. There's no sign of that curse, then how? But it's not the right moment, she needs to regenerate her hands. 'Focus.' she chanted in her mind. Continuously.

If you did really landed that blow on shoko, everyone's doomed. A bigger threat looped around everyone's necks and she knew, she sensed it's even worse than sukuna. One mistake and the threads of patience snaps, it's death they will be greeting. Maybe she knew it, she shouldn't have underestimated you, she found it bizzare when she first met you.

You had no such aura she could sense, yet yaga sensei introduced you to them as a user of healing energy. Normally when sorcerers are born, they emit a special aura which could be picked up by people born similar to them— and by the curses, however you had none.

She thought you were weak, then why did the higher ups ordered to kill you? If you were weak, weakness that can't even emit a healing aura then why assign assassins to take life out of you? Wasn't that just a waste of time?

"She's weird." Muttered gojo, sitting beside her as principal yaga assigned them to watch you as you practice your healing on geto's small cuts and scratches. It was 2005 probably, shoko smirked at him, lips creasing in a teasing smile, "though you seem to find that chick cute. Is that why i sense jealousy from you? Since that chick's treating geto, you seemed to be anxious not even trying to focus on keeping your infinity on...."

"S-shut up!"

Shoko laughed turning your and geto's attention towards them, geto shouted asking what she's laughing about, whereas you just smiled next to him.

The memory is so distant yet so clear, just like the buzzing sounds of insects in a warm day under the sun rays blazing the ground.

"Don't tell her the truth. I'm counting on you shoko!!" These were the last lines gojo said before leaving to face sukuna. After he was gone, she pondered on those lines a while, how long is he going to conceal the truth? She wondered. Though she thought he would handle it. Make it somehow. She was wrong.

Everyone tends to make the same mistake to the point it cannot be counted— mistaking the weak for powerless, useless and trash whom they could crumble at any point.

Shoko's eyes filled with terror, she couldn't move, as if you were entrancing her, taking control of her body, piercing into her each nerve. In a moment you were there, right infront of her, closing the distance between them, your hands stroke her face, making her shudder from your deadpan look. The clinic which was lit with dull LEDs suddenly engulfed in darkness.

She made the same mistake as others. Thinking you as of mere weakling was the biggest mistake of her life. There must have been a reason the higher ups saw you as a threat. Even the day you manifested that huge curse from your soul in 2006, she thought that was a mere circumstance driven by emotions which caused the curse to appear. It died down soon. Only lasted for five minutes or so, but the destruction was formidable, she thought maybe you could have manifested such huge curse capable of destroying the entire town, but it's effects were temporary. Thus the weak tag, something she tucked on your first impression, was never removed from her mind.

That was her mistake. You were never weak, rather you were unaware of your capabilities. The day you manifested that huge curse, it died down within minutes without any sorcery, since you— it's creater sucked back the power given to him— your emotions, your memories, turning it into mere dust.

You didn't remember any of that simply because you, yourself were cursed.

Your soul was cursed.

Shoko's memories flashed infront of her as you kept stroking her head. She could see her entire life up till now in your eyes. "Shall I kill you?" You asked her, your tone's completely different, even unfamiliar to you yourself. Never in life you felt such rage. It's was boiling your blood, making you want to dig your nails into your skin a scratch it till you draw out blood. You felt pulling out our hair, stabbing yourself, scorching yourself till every muscle on your body limbs out.

Yet before that, you felt that immense hunger crawl through your nerves, wracking every cell of humanity through you. Your bloodlust was on its peak.

'Kill her!'

'kill.'

'wipe out every single human being.'

'death'

'avenge his death.'

Several words rang in your ears, you were unsure which one to listen. The fury inside you had not even dimmed a bit rather taking in a peek at shoko's memories fueled it even more. The look of Gojo's dead body in her memories shook you till your core.

Why did he choose to lie?

Why couldn't he just say the truth, why didn't he inform you about tsumiki? Why did he had to force himself to go through all this alone? Why?

Are you that incompetent that he couldn't even share his grief with you?

Not only the guy you loved, the boy you raised and the girl you trusted as your sister betrayed you.

While you were away in foreign, they blinded you from the destruction happening in here. Why didn't they consider it would hurt you?

Your nails grew digging out flesh tearing her ear, blood dripped down her neck and she could do nothing but stare into your eyes.

'if anyone bullies you, come to me, i will beat the shit outta them.' shoko's voice lingered around you, she said that when you first joined jujutsu high. Her voice was warm and gentle. You didn't remember when anyone last talked to you in that calming tone.

She may have lied, underestimated you, but you never sensed any harming intent. You admired her, wished her to be your big sister in another life.

'What am i doing?'

Tears fell from your eyes, as shoko was out from your trance, falling to the ground, gasping for breath overwhelmed.

"I didn't — didn't wanted to lie. But gojo wanted to keep you away from the danger. I'm sorry." She managed coughing out blood.

What have you done? Is this why you should have better off dying? You shouldn't have ran away from those assassins. If you were dead long ago, then you wouldn't have hurt shoko. You wouldn't have tore her ear, cut her hands. 'I'm indeed a monster.'

You looked down at shoko, bleeding, coughing, too dazed to heal herself. What you've done could never mend the bond between you two, but you could atleast try saving the bond you shared with your treasured memories, among which shoko played an important role, she made your days happy, she gave you courage to live out life. It's time for you to repay.

You crouch down to her level, inhaling a deep breath. That's it you could do this, taking her disfigured half healed hands, you drown yourself into the void. Your memories with shoko flashed, lighting the void, your chest pained as your mind fuzzed with the distant laughs and sweet moments spent with her.

You can't back away. You need to give up. Burn her memories with you. Sacrifice a part of your soul. Heal her.

The flashes burned into the void.

Shoko raised her eyes suddenly feeling lightweight. Her hands had regenerated, she touched her ear, expecting it to be wounded, but rather surprise took her, her ear is there, right in its place, attached.

"Did you heal me?" She asked you, while you seem to have stilled for a while. Shoko waited for your answer. "Y/n?"

"Who are you?"

Part 2 - revival

© strawberrymochin 2024 - plagiarism won't be tolerated | divider made by me - don't use without my permission |

[ncis-nerd]

Silk Chiffon

Ship: Wanda Maximoff x Natasha Romanov x Reader (with uterus)

Warnings: Smut

Link to masterpost

About: Mornings with your girlfriends are the best, Wanda's food is to die for and Nat is gonna be the death of you. You make the mistake of underestimating Nat and her strength.

..

..

The light shined in, blinding me. "It's so brighttt" I groan, snuggling into my warm gfs embrace. Nat looks down at me and starts to stroke my hand, "Good morning to you too detka" she hums. I raise my head out of her neck and my eyes meet hers. She leans in and her soft lips press against mine. "Mmm you taste like cherries" I giggle. "Oh? I do? Maybe I sho-" she begins to attack me peppering kisses all over me. "Na-nat!" I gasp, squirming under her.

She straddles me, sitting on my lap. Pinning my arms to the bed, with her hands. "Well this is a lovely sight" Wanda exclaims, standing by the doorframe. Her eyes glaces towards us both, admiringly. "W-wanda help! She's attacking me!!" I whine. This catches both me and natty off guard so I take the opportunity to get revenge. Nat's hands have lessen the pressure on mine, leaving me trapped no more.

I flip us over, raising my arms and causing nat to go under me. I smirk, proud of my work. Obviously Nat is very strong since she is a spy, should've known I wouldn't be a match for her. She goes the the gym all the time and works out with Wanda while I sit there and play my Nintendo switch. Sometimes I like to just watch them there, all hot and sweaty on those machines. The muscle in their arms popping out when they lift those weights..

My plan failed as she overpowered me and I underestimated just how good of an idea this was. She almost immediately holds me in place, pushing my hips against her unclothed stomach. I jolt, my clit throbbed. Unexpecting that, I glace at Wanda. She is still standing by the doorframe, except this time she has her hands in her pants and she's watching us. Getting off on Nat teasing me. Touching herself and rubbing her clit, she gasps softly and makes eye contact with you. I can tell she's close.

I focus my attention on Nat again. She stopped the action and I whined. Her eyes burned into mine. I knew this wouldn't be over. "So detka, we show go eat that delicious breakfast that our wonderful girlfriend has made" Nat exclaims, moving me off her lap. Nat stands up and adjusts her hair, putting it up into a ponytail. I gasp, "So you're gonna leave me here all hot and bother?!" I pout. "No my love, you have fingers, you're free to fix your little problem yourself. No one's stopping you." Natasha says, making her way to the kitchen. I follow close behind, "but i want you" I murmur.

Nat opens the fridge and grabs the orange juice. "Sorry, what was that? Couldn't quite here you detka." Nat poured the juice into a cup. "nothing." I mumble. "Use your words darling. If you want something then be a big girl and ask for it." Nat says, taking out food for me. "Can we play right now Natty? I'm turned on and horny from before" I ask. Nat smiles and shuts the fridge. "See, that wasn't so hard, was it? And to answer your question, first get some food in your tummy then we'll see about getting to that. Especially since I haven't seen our redheaded girl in a while. She probably got an early start so the sooner we eat, the sooner we can join her." Nat smirks. My mouth waters, I don't know if it's from the food or the idea of Wanda touching herself and getting off.

I lift the fork up to my mouth, Wanda is the cooker in the group. She makes the best food and every time she is away, she tries to cook food for you and Nat. One time Wanda was gone for a week on a mission, you made the mistake of letting Nat cook. The house smelled burnt for days, a lingering scent of overcooked eggs. When Wanda came back she was so confused but from there on, it was decided that Wanda will cook from now on. You guys still never let Nat live it down.

"Honey, you there?" Nat looked at you concerned. "Mhm. Was just thinking about when you tried to make eggs and failed horribly" you giggled. "Oh?" Nat questioned. Suddenly, you remembered about Wanda and what Nat promised. You begin to speed up, take big bites. Your mouth overflowing with food. Nat shoots you a look. Trying not to laugh at you, she says "Slow down, we don't want you choking yet detka." This catches you off guard, you start to cough. "Wow, you must be really needy.. That's enough my love, let's go join Wanda now. You'd like that, yeah?" She said softly, rising from the seat across from you. You nodded.

note- feel free to leave song requests or scenario requests! this will all take place in the same universe btw.

and don't forget to leave likes, reblogs and comments!!

[gatitties]

hello so can you do a reader who It's like really, really spicy food.At the point where it's really concerning. You know that restaurant where you have to sign a waiver because the food is spicy? I'm eating like it's nothing.

can it be strawhats, heart and kidd pirates?

thank you

─Strawhats, Heart Pirates, Kid Pirates x reader

─Summary: why it's spicy?

─Warnings: none

─ No one really questions your desire to make your taste buds burn, although some of them can't stand spicy food, sometimes they try your favorite foods just to see how much they can handle it.

─ Chopper and Jinbe are definitely not in that boat, the doctor can't stand spicy food because it makes his body overheat and he can't stand the heat either, it's a no-no for him, Jinbe prefers more refreshing things, being a fishman he doesn't like very spicy food although he can tolerate it.

─ Franky and Brook are the ones who can tolerate the most spicy things next to you, although one is a robot and the other a living corpse… you don't consider them real competition.

─ Nami and Robin will prefer to try less spicy things if you offer them, they prefer to watch you win extremely spicy food competitions, it's entertaining for Robin, you can eat things you like and Nami earns money if you win the competition, it's a win-win for all.

─ Usopp and Zoro underestimated you and ended up breathing fire after trying one of your favorite spicy treats, how the hell do you stand the spice? Are you a dragon or something? Usopp really thinks so.

─ Luffy has quite a tolerance for many things, although he is not a big fan of spicy food, he won't mind continuing to steal from your food if he has the opportunity, although if what you are eating is extremely spicy he will reconsider stealing or not.

─ Sanji is your favorite person on the ship, no matter what the food is, be it sweet, salty, sour… he always makes the dish he cooks for you have that spicy touch that you like so much, it doesn't matter if the spiciness doesn't match the food, he will do it and for your palate it will be a culinary marvel.

─ It's not bread so Law doesn't really care that you like making your mouth burn from eating that kind of stuff, as long as you don't hurt your mouth or stomatch, then if necessary he will cut you into pieces so you don't eat.

─ A little curious about your tolerance for spiciness, he will do some tests to see your limits and compare them with Bepo, the poor polar bear does not tolerate spiciness in the slightest, he doesn't even like to be near you when it's time to eat because just looking at your plate makes his eyes burn.

─ However, whenever it's his turn to go shopping and he sees a new spicy snack, Bepo will get it for you because he knows how much you like it.

─ They don't always let you in with spicy condiments to season your dishes because Ikkaku almost made everyone spit fire once by making a mistake and making all portions of food extra spicy.

─ Jean Bart your only real one, he will be the only one who accompanies you and has endurance competitions with you because the others don't dare, Shachi and Penguin tried it once but they ended up with their eyes and lips as if they had been injected with botox very badly.

─ And speaking of these two devils… they will encourage you to try super spicy things, like if they see a food stand on a random island that claims to sell the spiciest hot dogs and they pay for you to eat to see how spicy they are.

─ Probably the crew that best adapts to your taste for spicy, not because they especially like it too, but because they don't give a shit what you put in the kitchen, as long as it's edible.

─ This doesn't mean that everyone will eat that spicy food that you helped prepare, but they will be more tolerable, the positive side is that if they don't like the dish you prepare you will have more portions of food for yourself.

─ Heat your favorite boy, you are the perfect couple for meals, he can handle all kinds of spice perfectly, this boy breathes fire and is a great competitor for you.

─ Unlike Wire, he likes spicy food, but he is not so good at tolerating it, he will accompany you two when you go to eat in case the situation gets complicated (you love spicy food, but you are not made of steel, sometimes you need an emergency exit)

─ Killer at this point thinks that your taste buds don't exist due to the amount of spicy food you eat daily, seriously, he cares about your health, you need to eat other types of things or your taste will become obsolete.

─ On the other side is Kid, who encourages you to try all kinds of spicy garbage he finds out there, so don't be surprised if he ever asks you to open your mouth so he can spray you with pepper spray, this isn't the worst idea that he has had.

[babyangelsky]

Back in March when I was doing the BL Challenge (brought to us by the lovely @negrowhat), I mentioned in my post about Korn Theerapanyakul that it isn't often that we get an actual villain who isn't just a love rival in a BL. The presence of an antagonist in a story doesn't necessarily make them the villain and not every story calls for one either. That being said,

Jak is a villain.

I want to break down this shot because it tells us a lot about the dynamic at play and Jak's point of view.

There's a lot going on here. The first thing my eye is drawn to is the line between them (and how Mut is just slightly crossing it since he stepped into the lion's den). Once you see that, the differences between both sides of that line become more obvious.

Mahasamut is dressed in a dark cool color and he's in shadow but his face is catching the light. The flowers, fireplace, candles, and TV behind him feel warm and homey. Fitting for a cafe. On the other hand, Jak is dressed in a warm light color and he's sitting in the light but his face is in shadow. The windows behind him and his positioning makes it feel like he's sitting at a desk in a corner office in a high rise instead of a cafe.

I weirdly wish they'd shown us when they arrived at the table because I would bet you anything that Jak sat down first. He's the older one, he's relaxed, etc. It makes sense for him to have sat first which means he chose that specific seat and the only reason I mention it, and really the only reason it matters, is that it tells us how Jak sees himself in this situation.

He's sitting there in the light in his dad sweater telling Mahasamut about wanting to fulfill his role as Tongrak's father and that he's so sorry about his behavior in the past and wants to atone for it and it's all bullshit because look at this man's face.

It is completely shadowed, just like his intentions and his agenda whereas Mut's is completely in the light.

And the difference becomes even more stark once Jak tells Mut to break up with Tongrak.

Jak is spewing nothing but ill-intentioned bullshit and Mahasamut sees it for what it is and makes it clear that he isn't going to fall for it, which is why things devolve.

Now. Just so we can get it out of the way, yes, obviously Mut should not have agreed to that meeting. He shouldn't have engaged and should've put the baby in the car and driven in the opposite direction. I was screaming at my screen for him to do just that, as were many of us I'm sure. However, I have to point out that it is not inconsistent for him from a character writing standpoint to have agreed.

Lest we forget, he said this to Tongrak last week when he was explaining why he turned Prin down when she tried to buy him.

"But Leah the dad is so much worse how could he not see—!" I know. Trust me, I do.

I'm gonna put on my baseball uniform and go to bat for my man for a second though because I think part of the reason that he agreed to talk to Jak is that he vastly underestimated him. And to be completely fair to Mahasamut, I did, too.

If I had to guess, I would say that he was expecting to be dealing with someone cut from the same cloth as Prin. Maybe a little worse since he knows what Jak has done in the past but certainly nothing he couldn't handle. Mahasamut is not a reckless or a thoughtless man. I don't believe for a second he would've even walked in the building if he didn't feel confident that he could deal with Jak.

The problem is that Jak is very much not cut from the same cloth as Prin.

I noted in my expressions post that it looked like the only time Jak was actually feeling something was when he accepted Prin's offer to destroy Tongrak but that's not entirely accurate. Having gone back to watch his scenes, there's a second instance where genuine emotion peeks through.

There's such a cold rage in his expression when he reproaches Tongrak for choosing his mother and cutting ties with him. And make no mistake, he's not angry because he loves his son. We already know that he doesn't. He's angry because in his eyes, he lost to a woman he felt nothing but disdain for.

If Tongrak and Kwan had chosen Jak over their mother, do you think Jak would be out here causing problems? No, he would've flat out ignored them. He wouldn't bother keeping such close tabs on Rak and his relationships because he would've already won and if he's doing it now, it's because he wants to win.

This is a game to him. This is fun for him.

His son is terrified and begging him not to hurt an innocent little girl and a young man and Jak's response is, "Don't be greedy."

He tries to force his son to choose which one of the people he loves most in this world gets to be safe but the choice isn't really a choice. He says he'll choose for Rak and he already has. Jak had already had Mahasamut beaten by the time he comes to see Tongrak and we know that because Mut's injuries have been treated when Rak gets home and Vivi is already there.

Matter of fact, the only reason Jak is even here talking to his son is because his attempt to convince Mut to leave has failed and he knows that going to Rak won't fail. He knows his son is afraid of him and he knows he can use that fear to get what he wants, which is why he brings up the uncle doctor.

Although we've gotten little of Jak so far, it's safe to assume that he is not a man who makes empty threats. Tongrak knows this, too, which is why he becomes so panicked when the doctor is brought up. We as the audience don't know who this doctor is but we can surmise from Tongrak's expression that he's important enough to be used as a weapon by Jak.

Until this point I don't think Tongrak realized that his father had anything to do with whatever happened to this doctor, he looks genuinely surprised. But all Jak had to do to prove how serious he is about his threat is mention the man. That's all he does. Rak puts the pieces together himself.

And here is where I bring up next week.

If you can look at this man's face as he rips the contract and think for a moment that he's going to try to push Mahasamut away for some flimsy petty reason, I am here to tell you that you are dead wrong. If I so much as SEE the words 'noble idiocy' I'm going to kick off.

Because we know that by the time Tongrak picks up this contract to rip it, Mahasamut has already been beaten twice and that Jak made a barely veiled threat to have him killed. Rak is rightfully terrified of his father and afraid for his boyfriend's life and wanting to keep Mut safe and ALIVE is not noble idiocy.

Now is it going to work? Smart money says no, wild horses couldn't drag Mahasamut away. He loves Rak too much to take any threats lying down. But as much as I understand why Mut talked to Jak, I understand why Rak wants to keep him safe even more.

Jak didn't accept Prin's offer because he wanted to help her. He doesn't give a single shit about her agenda except to mock her for it. He agreed to destroy his son because he wants to, because doing so will allow him to win and get back at his ex-wife. The money is just a bonus.

Jak is a Villain.

[tenderleavesbob]

Hi!! Anon from before, I meant the fic where the chain see each other again but Wild is missing/not there yet :) sorry for the confusion

Aaaah. That makes more sense! This fic. Here you go!

When their adventure ended and Warriors returned to his life as Captain Link, he accepted that it was the end of their time together. He felt blessed as it was to have the opportunity to not only see Tune and Mask again but to fight alongside the new heroes. He didn't expect to receive such a blessing again.

He stepped out of the portal and into preparations for a new war.

The breaking of Ganon's bindings had left them fragile. Even with the Master Sword sealing him back in his prison, no one expected them to hold Ganon for long. They needed to prepare for the new battle.

Impa introduced him to their new weapons. Rather than fighting another war and sacrificing their people to Ganon's madness, they would create divine beasts to join their hero and Hylia's daughter into battle.

"It was a good idea," Warriors admitted, rubbing his chest. "We underestimated him, though. He didn't have the Triforce anymore, but he was still empowered by it." He grimaced. "He was also mad as hell."

Wind pressed against his side. It was still strange to see Wind as tall as him. Wind showed him what he had actually looked like when he died, and Warriors cried at how old and strong his boy looked. He was still crying as Wind scolded him for dying so young.

"It almost worked, but we relied too much on him being similar to how he was before," Warriors said.

Legend tsked at him and shook his head. "Amateur mistake."

"Leg!" Twilight hissed.

Warriors grinned at him. "He's right. It was." He tapped his chest. "This time, it did cost me my life. I won, but no one expected..." He waved his hand vaguely. "Whatever that was. It was nasty. Took all of my power to take it out."

"His Malice," Twilight said. He frowned. "Wild mentioned it."

Warriors shrugged. "It certainly kicked my ass."

Time leaned against him from his other side. Spirits shouldn't have weight, but Time did. A dead man shouldn't be warm, but he was. He was comforting and smelled like the forest around them. "If I'm right about the timeline, it'll be a long time before we see Wild. Your sacrifice will keep Ganon at bay for a long time."

Warriors hummed and didn't respond. They all knew enough about Wild's timeline to know how that would go. He just hadn't realized that he was the hero right before Wild. He had hoped that he would be able to change it, even if it messed up the timeline again. Better prepare them after they used the Divine Beasts.

Twilight kicked Warriors's shin. It didn't really hurt. Nothing did anymore. Warriors still yelped. "I see ya thinking. Knock it off."

Legend grinned. "Don't tell him to knock it off. He'll never be able to start up again!"

Everyone started laughing again. Time kept his hand pressed over Warriors's heart.

His death had been immediate. He had seen the death blow but hadn't felt a thing.

"So now what?" Warriors asked.

Hyrule plopped beside Legend with Four right behind them. Their chain wasn't complete yet. It wouldn't be for centuries. It was nice, though, for all of them to sit together like this, safe within the Great Deku Tree's forest. The forest spirits laughed and chattered around them, and Hyrule resembled them as he offered them the fruit he and Four had gathered. "Now we eat!" he chirped.

"And wait," Four added, passing some of the fruit to Wind and Warriors. "We did our time."

"Sorta," Twilight said drolly. Time snickered.

They didn't need to eat, but the fruits of this forest were good for more than mortal sustenance.

Sky watched all of them quietly, a content smile on his face. In death, he glowed even brighter than life. Under the shadow of the trees, he shone like their own sun. "We're together," he said simply. "We'll watch over Hyrule the best we can and support Wild when it's his turn. For now..." He accepted a golden apple from Hyrule. "We eat!"

"Do you think we could make beer from this?" Twilight mused.

"Or wine?" Warriors offered.

That started everyone off again, including cheers when Wind reported that he knew how to make moonshine. Warriors watched his brothers, far more content in death than he ever expected.

For now, no more battles.

For now, they could rest.

And eat.

[haveyouseenthisskeleton]

S/O’s extremely abusive father they cut ties with has tracked S/O down and is banging on the door, shouting insults that are not very family friendly while S/O is having a panic attack in another room.

(Main boys, your writing is extraordinary!)

Undertale Sans - He refuses to open the door and calls the cops. He then goes to join his S/O and asks if they want to hang out somewhere quieter. He then teleports his S/O to Toriel's place so you can calm down with some pie, before returning home to deal with the police and your father. Sans makes sure he's not coming back this time.

Undertale Papyrus - Papyrus and you are locked in his room, waiting for the police to arrive. Papyrus keeps talking about random subjects to cheer you up and calm you, while hugging you close. Nothing bad is going to happen, he can even block the door with a thousand bones if he manages to enter the house, which he won't be able to do of course. It's ok, he knows parents can be bad. He knows quite a lot about this actually. You're safe.

Underswap Sans - He locks his S/O in the room and opens the door to confront your father, asking aggressively what the hell his problem is. Your father tries to pass by force but he underestimates Blue's strength and only ends up pushed back on his butt, in shock. Blue warned he's a police officer and that he should think twice before attacking him again, or it will not end well for him. Unfortunately, your father is determined, and you quickly hear chaos and broken objects downstairs, as Blue is fighting your father waiting for back ups. He ends up being lightly injured, but also he pinned down your father on the floor until his colleagues arrive, preventing his escape. Blue is quite proud of himself and can now come back to you to comfort you.

Underswap Papyrus - Your father is freaking him out as well, so Honey teleports the both of you to Asgore's place. He's not sure what to do from here, but Asgore helps them to collect their thoughts. Honey calls his brother for help, and on his demand, you hang out all day with Asgore so the King's size dissuades your father from coming near if he finds where you went. Asgore distracts the two of you with a nice movie and some cooking so you don't think too much about this.

Underfell Sans - Even if S/O begs him to not open the door, Red refuses to stay that horrible man insults you without doing anything. So yeah, he opens, and immediately attacks your father. He's not good with hand-to-hand though and quickly has to retreat back home. He manages to close the door before your father comes in. Somehow, it makes him even angrier, and he ends up breaking the door. Red is waiting for him behind though, with two huge blasters blocking the way to get to you. He called Edge, he just has to gain time until he arrives. So he taunts your father, which is probably not the best move of his life, but somehow, it works and opens a way for Edge to sneak behind him and knock him out with a big rock.

Underfell Papyrus - He violently opens the door and takes a step forward, a few inches from your father's face. He's growling and he put his royal guard armor on to look even scarier. Your father thinks twice about this and finally decides to retreat, saying it's not over and that you will pay for this. It's all bluff though. Edge has enough experience to know your dad shit his pants and won't make the mistake of coming if he's here. He didn't even need to say anything. Edge goes to comfort you after that and assures you're safe.

Horrortale Sans - He's anxious because of all the noise and the more it lasts, the more agitated he is. You try to keep him with you while dealing with your panic attack because you know that if Oak snaps, he might make a big mistake. You try to make him focus on you, and eventually, he takes a deep breath and calms down. Your father gets bored eventually and leaves. The next day, Oak is putting bear traps in front of the house though (and Willow took them off not ten minutes later without him knowing because he doesn't want trouble with the police.

Horrortale Papyrus - He locks you in his room and goes to confront your father, to try to talk to them. Willow understood very quickly that talking wouldn't do anything when your father made the mistake of punching him. When he tries again, Willow grabs his fist and slowly crushes it, to prove to your father it's really not a good idea to start a fight with him. Willow's strength is scary and he's not using it only because he chose not to. But that's a warning. Either you leave or you find out. Your father decides to retreat, thankfully. Willow is a bit shaken, but he hopes it will be enough to bring you some peace of mind for some time. He comes to cuddle with you after that scary event.

Swapfell Sans - Nox has a short temper. He tries to ignore your father, he really does, but eventually, he snaps, goes out, and punches him in the stomach at full force before he can even react. He then makes his soul turn blue and he pushes him towards the sidewalk while threatening him to do way worse to him if he dares to come back and insults his S/O again. If he screams he's not scared, Nox will break his arm with cold blood. He's dead serious right now. He's a threat to his family, and you really don't want to see him when he defends the ones he loves.

Swapfell Papyrus - He's frustrated because he knows he's going to lose if he engages in a fight with your father. So he does this the only way he knows. He fills a bucket with burning water and throws it from the first floor on your father, who has no choice but to retreat. If he comes back, he's doing the same with frozen water. He has a bathroom and he knows how to use it. Leave already!

Fellswap Gold Sans - Oh he's really not amused. Wine takes death threats very seriously and he's extremely protective. He opens the door and tries to reason with your father, but the second he leans a hand on him, Wine stops holding back and he throws your dad on the floor and sends a sharp bone through his leg. He then kneels next to your dad and says that if he ever sees him again around his S/O, the next bone will end right between his eyes. He illustrates his words by bruising his front with the edge of the bone he used to injure him. Your father will for sure not make the same mistake again.

Fellswap Gold Papyrus - Seeing you have a panic attack made him have a panic attack as well. You're both hiding in his wardrobe, desperately cuddling to each other and jumping at every hit on the door. Coffee panic calls his brother for help, who takes care of the situation the same way as above. Coffee and his S/O stay hidden until Wine comes to tell them there's no danger anymore. Not a good day.

[thirdsaltyhunter]

Crawl Home to Her

Dean Winchester x Reader

Summary: Dean thinks back on the times he died but found his way home to kiss you

Warning: mentions of death and dying, drinking, talk of alcoholism, cursing, kissing, angst, Dean self hate, takes place in season 10 so spoilers.

A/N: This is inspired by Work Song by Hozier and written in Dean's POV with lyrics acting as Dean's thoughts, lyrics in italics. NOT PROOFREAD ALL MISTAKES ARE MY OWN

Dean's POV

I don't want to get out of bed. I couldn't have woken up more than three minutes ago, but I'm so tired. Though that's been a pretty consistent occurrence for most of my life. I'd have a hard time remembering the last time I woke up feeling rested, and to make it worse, these past few months- few years, have been grueling. Hell, in the past few months I inherited the Mark of Cain, died and came back as a demon; I don't know how much more I can take. I want this to be over, but it's not, it's never over. The Mark still on my arm is a reminder of that. I'm glad I have Y/N, I don't think I could go through all of this alone. She's still with me even after everything. She makes it all worth it.

Boys workin' on empty

Is that the kinda way to face the burning heat?

I just think about my baby

I'm so full of love I could barely eat

As if she could hear me thinking about her she emerged through our bedroom door with a smile that always seems to melt away my worries and two mugs of coffee in hand. That explains why she wasn't lying next to me when I woke up. I release the breath I've been unconsciously holding since waking to find her not beside me. "Good morning my love" she says softly, handing me one of the mugs and sitting next to me on the bed. "Mornin' sweetheart". She cups my face and kisses me, soft and sweet. I kiss her back, with a wanting for something I don't deserve.

There's nothing sweeter than my baby

I'd never want once front he cherry tree

'Cause my baby's sweet as can be.

She give me toothaches just from kissin' me

It's still hard believing that all this is real. I was supposed to be dead. I did die. Yet here I am, waking up another morning, another morning with her. I remember hearing her when I was fading from the stab wound. I heard her begging me to stay with her and it made me fight. Evidently I wasn't strong enough to win the initial struggle against death, but I made it out alive and came home to her. Despite how ugly the road back was.

When my time comes around

Lay me gently in the cold dark earth

No grave can hold my body down

I'll crawl home to her

I think back to before we were together, back to when I came back after getting dragged to Hell. I wanted to shut everyone out, even her, and bury myself in a new grave of alcohol and guilt. Sam and Bobby had tried to get me to open up, tried to get me to talk about the literal Hell I had been through, Y/N never did. She somehow always knew when to push and when I needed to be left alone. So many nights I stayed awake, unable to sleep through the waves of guilt. Guilt over what I did in Hell, what I put Sam, Y/N and Bobby through, guilt for leaving them. My mind was so loud these nights, I drank until I blacked out. It was after one of these nights that I had woken up with a killer hangover in the bedroom that she usually slept in at Bobby's. Incomplete glimpses from the night before flashed through my head. Remembering how Y/N had found me in my drunken stupor and hauled me up from my seat at the kitchen table. How she managed to get me up the stairs and into bed by herself is beyond me, but I've learned over the years of knowing her, to not underestimate what she's capable of.

Boys, when my baby found me

I was three days on a drunken sin

I woke with her walls around me

Nothin' in her room but an empty crib

I had drug myself out of bed and wandered downstairs, unconsciously searching for her. I found her curled up asleep on the worn out sofa in the library. A new wave of guilt washed over me. I hadn't even pulled my head out of my ass long enough to ask her how she was, and now she had gone out of her way, given up her bed, so I could be comfortable. I didn't deserve her. That's why I kept my feelings for her to myself for so many years. I moved past her to the kitchen quietly, as to not wake her. I wanted to have a pot of coffee ready for her when she woke up, it was the least I could do. I was going to bring her a cup but she heard me moving around in the kitchen before the pot was even done brewing. "Hey" I saw her rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, her hair disheveled. My heart swelled at how cute I thought she was when she was like this, though I would never tell her that. Not only because I thought it might ruin our friendship, but also because she would probably stab me for calling her cute. "Hey" she responded, voice still thick with sleep. "You want a cup of coffee? ", I asked as I poured a cup for her, already knowing what her answer would be. "Please", she said with a tired smile. That morning over coffee I had told her some of what I went through in Hell, that I had broken and tortured souls. She listened, without judgment, without fear and without asking questions I didn't feel like answering at the moment. The fact the she didn't push me made me comfortable to tell her everything.

And I was burnin' up a fever

I didn't care much how long I live

But I swear I thought I dreamed her

She never asked me once about the wrong I did

And now almost 6 years later, I'm still doing the same thing. I put her through all that again. I made a stupid decision that got me dead but I made it back, only to try and shut her out. But now that we're together I know she's not going to let me do that and I'm too tired and I love her too much to fight her, even though everything in me is telling me to stay away from her. I don't know how she can even look at me let alone still be with me. I tried to kill her and Sam when I was a demon and there's more terrible things I did that she doesn't even know about, though I'm pretty sure she knows and isn't telling me. After her and Sam cured me, I tried to keep her at arms distance, tried to tell her the list of reasons why she shouldn't want me anymore. How could anyone forgive me after everything I did. But she took me into her arms and kept telling me it wasn't really me, that her and Sam still love me and all that matters is that she has me back.

My baby never fret none

About what my hands and my body done

If the Lord dont forgive me

I'd still have my baby and my babe would have me

She spent all of last night kissing away my pain. I want to take away her pain too. I set my coffee on the nightstand and reach over to take her cup too, setting it beside mine. "What'cha doin'" she looked confused until I turned back, grabbing her and pulling her to lay with me. "Fixing it", I whispered, knowing it wasn't an answer that made sense, but I was going to kiss her until it fixed her broken heart. I moved to hover over her and just looked at her, holding her face in my hands. Even in the low light of the early morning, she's still breathtakingly gorgeous. She pulls me down to kiss her and I get the feeling she knows what I'm trying to do. I pour everything I'm feeling into kissing her, how sorry I am for leaving her, for all the heartache it caused her. I don't think I'll ever erase from my mind, the sound of her crying as I was dying. The memory has me blinking back tears. I turn to hide my face in her neck and trail kisses along her shoulder. Her arms wrap around my back and I can't help but melt into her, breathing in the scent of her perfume. The weight is off my shoulders for once, I can breathe easier, and nothing matters outside of us.

When I was kissing on my baby

And she put her love down soft and sweet

In the low lamplight I was free

Heaven and Hell were words to me

It's moments like these that make me fight so hard. Fight to be better, do better. Fight for her and fight to stay with her. I roll over onto my back, pulling her with me to lay her head on my chest. "I promise that no matter what happens I'll alway find a way back to you". It was a promise I was making to myself as much as it was to her, and I intended to keep it.

When my time comes around

Lay me gently in the cold dark earth

No grave can hold my body down

I'll crawl home to her

[youphoriaot7]

just saw a heart-wrenching edit on tiktok (sad music and all) about q!cellbit and the way he interacts with the eggs and i just...

i remember when i was still getting into the qsmp (which i did from cellbit's pov) and was scrolling the wiki on the daily, trying to figure out past lore and relationships and everything

and every single time i clicked on an egg's page i would end up seeing cellbit's face somewhere in the relationship box. and it always made me grin so wide because it was just...cute. and then i realized a lot of them had even mentioned things like him being one of their favorite tios or whatever and i'm just so. fucking. soft. about the idea of just-

this guy. comes to this island. in the middle of nowhere—doesn't really know how he ended up there, doesn't remember much about where he came from, nothing. and, like, it's natural to be a bit skittish or at least defensive, especially when there's already so many people here, because you don't know what they will do to you, how they'll react to anything: they are essentially unknown entities.

and if you really think about it, that completely includes the eggs. because although they're just kids, q!cellbit was canonically in a war at, like, age 15. he's definitely not one to underestimate someone because of their age—he is damn well aware of how scary people can be, regardless of what their age is.

but then they start interacting, and, like—tallulah gives him flowers, and ramon picks him for a partner in the boat race, and he's able to joke and play around with chayanne and bobby, and...in a way, it's like seeing himself, or rather, what he could have been.

because he never got that; he never got to do that. he can see the relationships they have with their parents—tallulah and chayanne with phil, ramon with fit, dapper with bbh, bobby with roier and jaiden—and he sort of comes to realize, like, "these kids don't know." they don't know what it's like to be at war. they don't know what it's like to end up in jail. they don't know what it's like to not be able to live because you're too focused on surviving. whether it's been that way in the past and they don't remember or not, they don't know.

and, inwardly, he decides he's going to make damn fucking sure it stays that way.

so he starts collecting flowers, to give some to tallulah the next time they meet, and the way she beams assures him he'll continue. and when ramon makes a mistake in the boat race and starts beating himself up about it, he empathizes and reassures him. (practically makes the poor kid cry.)

he sees the way chayanne takes the lead around the younger eggs and takes note, making sure to joke around and play with him whenever he can—because he may be the oldest, and the most responsible, but he deserves to have fun, too.

all of this includes richas, of course. in fact, it's even more exaggerated, to the extent that (in some ways similarly to fit) he mostly lets richas do what he wants, only growing concerned or stern if the kid's life is in danger. (because he saw what happened to bobby, and he's not going to let it happen on his watch.)

because there's enough pain in the world. chaos runs rampant on the island, from the federation to the codes, from the kidnappings to the tasks, from the bombs to the capybaras. there is death at every turn, and this island can be deceiving, because it doesn't seem like it. it seems perfectly fine.

but he knows.

he's been in this position before, where everyone and everything is trying to kill him. he's familiar with the concept of survival. and this island is survival.

but these are kids. they don't need that. hell, he had that as a kid, and look how he turned out. no, if he has anything to say about it, nothing will seem out of the ordinary. as much as he can help it. he will gives flowers to tallulah, he will make jokes with chayanne, he will explore with richas, he will spend time with ramon and dapper—all to offer even a semblance of normalcy.

so uh the fluff part of this train of thought is over so click off now if you don't want the hurt <3

but then things start to change. bobby dies, and the federation teases them about it, dangling the child above their heads. the codes ramp up their attacks. the kidnappings start to increase. people die and respawn more frequently. and the more he tries to get free, to get away from the island, the worse things get for the current inhabitants.

he meets pomme. this terrified egg that's been trapped behind a wall since before he even got there. and he realizes that he won't be able to shelter them forever.

things are going to happen, one way or another, to shatter the fragile illusion of reality the islanders are trying to create for these kids. in some way, the curtain is going to fall, and it is going to hurt. it's going to hurt as badly as it hurt him when he was thrown into battle. it's going to hurt as badly as it hurt him when he ended up in a top-security prison when he was barely an adult. it's going to hurt as badly as it hurt him when the wool was yanked away from his own eyes by that white bear not a week after his arrival on the island.

so whatever you do, don't think about what it must've felt like to find that book. don't think about what he must've been thinking as he flipped through those old, yellowed journal pages. don't think about him reading that lost egg's words, and just thinking, "god, this could've been me."

because it very well could've been.

the book literally talks about not wanting to survive, but wanting to live, and all he can think about for the rest of the day is how it was abandoned. same as him—only one was on a battlefield, and one was in this tiny-ass room. and there was no warrior in shining armor, no police officer taking pity to pull this egg out of there. he had someone. this egg had no one.

so of course he switches out the keychain on his backpack. because carrying that egg with him is like carrying a piece of himself, in just the same way that all the eggs feel like a piece of himself.

he can't protect the eggs forever. he knows that. but that doesn't mean he can't try.

[the-pen-pot]

He saw Arthur burst from the forest, wide-eyed and pale-faced. Sweat plastered his hair to his forehead, and fear locked his expression in its clutches. One hand stretched out as if to grab him. So near and yet so far. The moment fled. Gravity won, and there wasn't even time for Merlin to cry out as the bandit's weight dragged him over the cliff and into the stormy waters below. **** When Merlin is hurt during a bandit attack, Arthur finds himself torn between the longings of his heart and his duties to the crown.

Chapter One

They were going to die.

Merlin's breath stalled in his chest as the dappled sunlight glinted off the blades that surrounded them. They had made camp no more than a candle-mark ago, and many of the knights had taken their ease. Their swords were a few paces away, buried point-first in the earth. Only Elyan had been standing sentry, and now the tip of a dagger pressed into the hollow of his throat: his life nothing but a bargaining chip.

'Don't, Your Highness,' one of the men growled, no doubt noticing how Arthur had glanced towards his weapon. He looked like the leader, scarred and grim: a survivor through-and-through. 'Make a move, and he dies.' He gestured to Elyan. 'Now, how about you hand over that trinket you're carrying? I've a buyer who'll offer a great deal of coin for such a relic.'

Merlin ran his tongue over his teeth, cursing their bad luck. The bandit wasn't wrong; they had been on a quest to retrieve a cursed amulet that was poisoning the land. In theory, only forge-fire could destroy it. That, or a fireball of pure magic. The gold had boiled and seethed as he plucked apart the foul fortune woven into it, and by the time he was done, not a trace of its presence remained. Unfortunately, it seemed perhaps just a touch of its malice had latched onto them – a final vengeance – because with its destruction they had nothing to offer up in surrender.

'I don't know what you're talking about.' A hint of an empty smile hooked Arthur's lips, but Merlin could see that strategic mind at work, racing through the possibilities. He was more than just a pretty face; more than one enemy had forgotten that fact. They may be outnumbered, by they were far from defeated. Arthur would not go down without a fight, and Merlin wasn't about to let him fall to the blade of some two-bit bandit with delusions of grandeur.

'None of that, now.' The knife dug deeper into Elyan's throat, and Merlin winced in sympathy. 'Your men don't have time for these games.'

Around them, the peace thickened, interrupted only by the sigh of the breeze in the branches and the song of the birds. No one dared move. A single flinch could be enough to tip the scene into violence.

Leon's gaze was fixed on Arthur, his determination to keep the Crown Prince safe writ in every line of his expression. His own life would be forfeit if it meant Arthur was spared. Percy ducked his head, watching the closest attacker from beneath his furrowed brow. People never underestimated his strength, but they often overlooked his cunning.

Lancelot seemed to be searching for the right words to diffuse the anger that simmered in the air. Good to his core, Merlin knew he would hope these men could be reasoned with, even when faced with all the evidence to the contrary. Gwaine watched the scene with dark eyes, his expression fixed in that empty, jovial mask that meant everything was about to go to shit. He kept glancing at Elyan, who appeared furious for having been caught off-guard.

All the knights were at the wrong end of at least one sword, but the bandits had dismissed Merlin's presence. After all, he was just a servant. They did not consider him any kind of a threat.

Their mistake.

He reached out with his magic, hoping to plunge them into sleep, but though his power rose willingly to his call, no one so much as swayed on their feet. The spell coiled like smoke around them, invisible, yet no matter how hard Merlin tried, it could not sink its claws into them.

It took longer than he would have liked to notice the charms they wore on their wrists: cheap bits of metal stamped with runes – protections against the efforts of a mage. It seemed unlikely that they knew Arthur counted a sorcerer among his confidants. The Prince and his knights had known about Merlin's magic themselves for less than a year. It remained one of Camelot's best kept secrets, and Merlin cursed his bad luck for coming across a gang of thugs who had some common sense.

If he conjured up a fake and handed it over, it would disintegrate as soon as they touched it. They'd know they were being tricked within moments. Still, just because he could not use his magic on them, that didn't mean he couldn't use it at all.

First things first, he decided, he had to get them and their pointy blades away from Arthur and the others.

'This amulet?'

The illusion in his grasp gleamed butter-gold, as vivid as the real thing. Even if placed side-by-side with the original, he knew no one would be able to tell the difference. His magic leant it a touch of extra sparkle, and he watched an ugly smile crack over the leader's face. His body language shifted as cool eyes raked up and down his frame, no doubt finding him wanting. He saw what Merlin wanted him to see: baggy clothes over a lanky physique; no sword, armour or rank. He looked at Merlin and saw someone harmless, the same as almost everyone else in Camelot.

Everyone who didn't know his secret, anyway.

'Give it here, boy, and no one has to get hurt.' It was said in a cajoling tone, as if the bastard wouldn't stab him in the gut the moment he got close enough to reach. He could see that in his eyes: the cruelty of a bully. Still, that was something he could use. No way would this man like being outwitted by a peasant.

Merlin glanced at Arthur, seeing the emotion in that blue gaze. He knew the amulet was fake: he could guess what Merlin was going to do. It was written in the tension that hardened his jaw and the lines upon his brow. He gave a fractional shake of his head, as if urging him not to go down this road, but they were running out of time. The others needed just one moment: a split-second where the balance shifted, and he could give it to them.

'Why don't you come and get it?'

He darted away like a deer taking flight, ducking through the trees and sprinting into the welcoming gloom of the woods around them. Behind him, shouts of outrage rose in chorus with the clash of swords. The knights had taken advantage of the bandits' distraction, as he had known they would, but they were still outnumbered. He would have to trust in their superior skills to get them all out of this alive.

Arthur's cry of warning – Merlin's name made hoarse by fear – was enough to tell him he was being followed. Even if not for that, he could hear boots crashing through the forest: a steady percussion that underscored the shouting, bellowing rage of the men who chased him.

Merlin ducked under a tree branch, lengthening his stride as roots threw themselves out of his way only to rise up in his wake, forming loops to trip the unwary. He might not be as strong as a knight and he had little luck with wielding a sword, but he could outpace any of them, especially if they were weighed down by chain and plate armour. Dressed in nothing but linen, he was light on his feet, though lacking in protection. He tried to ignore how the space between his shoulder-blades itched, vulnerable. At least the bandits didn't have crossbows. If it came to a fight, they'd have to catch him first.

Voices hounded him, cursing and yelling as his pursuers careened through the undergrowth. Their threats were little more than garbled sounds, too distant to make out, but Merlin knew he'd be in trouble if they got their hands on him.

Overhead, the wind picked up speed, rattling leaves and waving the branches against the sky. His magic rose with it, a rushing swell of power that delved down beneath the roots and surged in the sap of the trees all around him. Wood creaked and groaned, stirred to new life, but Merlin didn't dare look over his shoulder and check what was happening. One stumble could cost him everything.

Was it his imagination, or were the voices baying for his blood getting fewer in number?

It took a moment for him to realise that another noise embellished the air. It started as little more than a low, rolling roar, but by the time the forest turned damp and lush around him, the din of the cascade had grown all-encompassing. It thrummed between the trees, battering at his ears, and he stumbled as the fringe of the woods released him onto a large, flat outcrop of water-slick granite.

Bending over, Merlin braced his hands on his knees, licking the spray from his lips. A stitch bit into his side, and his throat was parched from panting for every breath. Beneath his feet, an underground river found its freedom, tumbling from the top of the cliff into a deep pool below: all frothing rapids and a raging torrent. It was a long drop, at least as high as Camelot's curtain wall, and Merlin grimaced at the dizzying height before turning back to face the way he had come.

The tip of a sword halted him in his stride, and he sucked in a breath as he stared down the length of the blade at the man who gripped its hilt. The leader was alone, his hair matted with sweat and his leathers torn. Blood trailed from a scratch on his cheek, and his eyes were half-mad with rage. His lips pulled back, baring a broken front tooth along with the rest of his snarl. He trembled with anger, but the weapon remained steady and firm, braced to run Merlin through if he so much as flinched.

'The amulet.'

Merlin swallowed, his mind racing. If he tried to duck past him and flee, he'd probably end up with a sword stuck in his back. He couldn't retreat. There was nowhere to go but over the waterfall, and he didn't rate his chances in the tumultuous waters far below. In the end, he had no choice but to open his hand and let his eyes flash gold. The illusion dissipated into sparkling motes as he spread his palms in surrender. 'I don't have it.' He wet his lips before offering a shrug. 'I never did. We destroyed the amulet two days ago. It's long gone.'

The bandit's scream of fury echoed around them, a cresting note of inarticulate anger that rode the clouds of mist boiling up from the foot of the waterfall. Merlin's magic bunched, braced and ready to retaliate, turning the iron arc of the striking sword blow to nothing but ash before it could touch him.

Yet, for all it spared him from the bite of metal between his ribs, his spells did nothing to stop the bandit's body crashing into his own. His legs, already burning from his mad dash through the forest, wobbled at the sudden weight. He staggered, fighting off the clumsy flurry of punches as he grabbed at the man's wrists. It was a useless, frantic scrabble, neither of them able to get the upper hand, and Merlin's breath caught in his throat as he stumbled backwards.

His foot found nothing but empty air.

There was a split-second of perfect stillness so strikingly clear that he wondered if his magic had stopped the world. Except no. He could feel it, distant and unreachable, pushed from his grasp by the single point of contact where the man's protection charm touched Merlin's palm.

He saw Arthur burst from the forest, wide-eyed and pale-faced. Sweat plastered his hair to his forehead, and fear locked his expression in its clutches. One hand stretched out as if to grab him. So near, and yet so far.

The moment fled. Gravity won, and there wasn't even time for Merlin to cry out as the bandit's weight dragged him over the cliff and into the stormy waters below.

[madwomansapologist]

elijah and cookies and cream

cookies and cream — are they protective of their lover?

⤷ with: elijah mikaelson

Elijah is your scary dog privilege. He's so polite, so observer. Many made the mistake of underestimate him. But those who know what Elijah really is, what he is capable to do for the people he loves, take effort to not be a problem for.

Elijah don't hesitate when you are the subject. It don't matter what happened, he will takes your side and defend you.

If you are mortal (and it time is the only thing separating you from a vampire life), then Elijah will never hesitate. Don't matter what happened, he will be there to support and protect you. He will take your side, and will kill whoever tried to hurt you.

Elijah will use them as vessels. Whoever tried to hurt you, scare you, kill you: they will not be a live being anymore, but just a way to send a message. Elijah will make it painful, and he will make everyone understand what happens when people try to mess with you.

If you know what he is, Elijah will prefer if you don't watch the things he will do. You can, he is not the kind of men to muzzle your freedoms, but he would rather you not seeing him as a monster. And if you do watch, nothing will make him feel better than your sweet embrace. Say you're thankful, that you feel so safe around him, that he's your hero: Elijah will feel held by you. You will feel like home.

But you know nothing about his long, long life, then it will be a little diferent. Elijah will be protecting you while making sure that you will only discover what he is at the right time. You will discover in a way that don't scare you that much, that won't be stressful, in a way that you can look at him without seeing a beast. Anyone who try to change that, or that actually can do it, will suffer.

And don't matter for how long you have been a vampire, no one will mess with you. You are strong, fast, resilient: Elijah will still be by your side. After all, that's what a real gentleman would do. Make sure that his partner is safe and sound.

if you enjoyed, please reblog! i promise it makes a difference ♡

@ madwomansapologist.tumblr.

[theflyindutchwoman]

I think they’ve made Lucy look so stupid. It annoys me so much cause she was my favorite. Isabel, Noah, Nyla have allllll told Lucy UC work destroys your personal life yet Lucy is running around like she’s the exception. She’s not. It drives me nuts.

I'm not sure if you just needed to vent or if you wanted me to answer… But I respectfully disagree. I get not liking this storyline and how frustrating it can be or even how out of character it might seem. That's perfectly fine. But I personally enjoy watching this journey. While I do believe that in the long term, UC is probably not going to be a good fit for her and the life that she desires, I love watching Lucy finding herself and trying to figure out a way to have the career AND life that she wants.

Let's get back to why Lucy became a cop in the first place. I joined the Academy on a whim. I knew that my parents would hate it. But I had no idea how much I would love it. Being a cop is the first thing I've ever been serious about. (1.04) I guess I've been adrift since college, trying on different hats and different personalities, and nothing's felt right, until -- until this. But I don't think the time spent trying to find myself was wasted. You know, everything I've done so far, the profound and the foolish, has prepared me to become a police officer so that I can protect those who need it the most and from those who would do them harm. (3.10)

By her own admission, she spent years trying to find her place, to find a job where she could feel fulfilled… So now that she found it, is it that hard to believe that she would do everything in her power to follow through? I know that she is talking about being a cop in general here and not UC. But at the moment, UC is what she wants to do… and honestly, she owes it to herself to try. Maybe she won't like it. Maybe she'll decide that it is not for her after all. But this is something she has to try for herself and decide for herself. Not because others have previously failed or because others told her to do something else - which is what her parents have been trying to do from the beginning by the way. Hearing other people's stories are not the same as living that experience yourself. Sometimes you need to learn first hand. There's nothing wrong with that. She may be 30 years old, but she is still at the beginning of her career. She is still finding herself and exploring all avenues. As she should.

"Isabel, Noah, Nyla have allllll told Lucy UC work destroys your personal life" All true. And yet, she is actively supported by people whose very own lives were destroyed by undercover work. Nyla has been mentoring her from the beginning. The same Nyla who teaches classes on how to learn from past mistakes. Who told Lucy on their first shift together to be better than her. And what about Tim? He obviously believes that she is different (his words), that this could have a better ending. Otherwise he wouldn't have bothered taking that leap of faith. And more than Lucy herself, he knew exactly what he was getting himself into. Despite his past and own issues, he has been nothing but supportive and encouraging since she graduated. Did he underestimate the toll it would take on him? Probably. Is he hiding his own feelings on the matter? Most definitely. But the fact remains that he still chooses to believe that they can make it work. It's no coincidence that the two main characters who had their personal lives so negatively impacted by UC work, are also the ones actively encouraging Lucy. I strongly believe that you are not bound by other people's mistakes and failures. Learn from it but don't stop doing something because other people failed. And that's what Lucy is trying to do.

"Yet Lucy is running around like she’s the exception." Is she, though? So far, ever since s4, she hasn't been in any rush to do undercover work. The only times she was pushing for a UC op, was when she volunteered Tim as a hitman and as Jake. Which is hilarious when you think about it. Since we mentioned Noah, here's what he said on the topic : she could have done more missions. Now, granted, unlike him, she is still a P2 so that might hinder her. It's entirely possible that she didn't get more opportunities. But when she got one, like in 5.07, she was still being cautious at first. And in 5.21, she didn't hesitate to call off the operation at the end. Not only that, but every time she meets someone who has done UC, she jumps on the occasion to ask them for their advices, for their different perspectives. And every time, those advices ended up with a 'maybe it can be different for you'. She is actually trying to learn from others so she can avoid making the same errors. That's not the act of someone who thinks she is better than everyone. Or who thinks she knows better. If anything, she seems to be taking her time : this has been her arc since s3. Even when she got accepted to the UC Academy, she went to see Nyla for advices. Sure, she was looking for some sort of absolution, but it's still telling that she went to her first.

"She’s not." How do we know she won't be the exception? Why do we immediately assume that she can't succeed when the premise of the show is about a 40+ years old man who decided to become a cop and succeeded? Everyone was telling Nolan he was stupid and naive too. And yet, here we are. So why Lucy couldn't be the exception as well? To show that there may be a way? In the end, it's a story. The writers can choose the ending they want.

Do I believe she would love the full undercover lifestyle? No. Not for long missions. I can't see her enjoying leaving her life and the people she loves behind… leaving herself behind. Not for a year. And not without taking its toll on her. But that doesn't mean I find her stupid for wanting to try out anyway. That's just my opinion though. Also, a career in undercover ops doesn't automatically mean going under. She could be a case officer. She could train new agents. She could do short(ish) missions. All of this could be a really good alternative for her.

Side note : I didn't touch on the logistics of long term undercover work on the show (or her being outed on a documentary) because, at the end of the day, no matter how complicated it could be, if the writers want her to do UC, they'll find a way. I just wanted to focus on Lucy's journey.

[thebearmage]

Mindless

Five Hargreeves x GN!Hypnotist!Reader

Summary: Y/N works for the commission and was born with Mind Control/Hypnosis powers. In 1963, the Handler sends them after Five, who makes the mistake of underestimating Y/N and their powers.

Prompts: @whumpster-dumpster (I used a lot of them, lol)

Warnings: Hypnosis, Mind Control, Angst

Five and Reader are both 18+

Part Two, Part Three

MASTERLIST

Five gasps as Luther throws him off the stairs. He quickly blinks to avoid crashing into the floor and stumbles a bit when he appears in the alleyway,

"Jeez, when did the monkey learn to fight dirty?"

The sound of a rock hitting the asphalt caught Five's attention, and he turns to see a figure standing on the rooftop above him.

It was your figure, wearing a blue vest, white undershirt, and blue slacks. You were also wearing a snake masquerade mask over your eyes.

Five recognized the uniform instantly, "Son of a bitch!"

You smile and run away from him, appearing again as you run past the alleyway as if mocking Five.

Five only hesitates for a few moments before running after you. You lead him far away, over to an old, abandoned train station. Five watches as you take a pipe and break the window to the door, unlocking it and rushing inside.

He teleports after you and appears behind you.

"What's The Handler's plan?" he asks, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

You slowly turn around, smiling at him, "The Handler?" you ask, "Who said anything about her?"

"Oh, come on, do you think I'm an idiot?" Five spits, "If you're here then she's here! What does she want now?"

You laugh, and Five feels his stomach flip, "Wouldn't you like to know, old timer?"

"Okay," Five sighs, "Let's get this done!"

Five teleports behind you but is surprised when you whirl around and kick him in the jaw.

You chuckle softly as Five holds his mouth, you turn and run deeper into the building.

Five teleports in front of you and throws a punch, connecting with your cheek and knocking off your mask. When you look back up at Five, he freezes.

Your eyes... they were beautiful. Your eyes are a dreamy purple, glowing slightly in the dim room.

Five couldn't look away, you chuckle knowingly,

"Do you like my eyes, Five?"

Five shakes his head and tears his gaze away. He flings around and attacks you, which you dodge easily.

You back up, smiling as you make eye contact with Five again. Your eyes bore into his, causing Five to falter, his body was growing sore and tired.

"Aww, already at your limit?" You coo, leaning against a pillar.

"What are you doing to me…?"

You chuckle softly, "Oh, nothing much," your eyes turn a shade darker and Five feels his legs give out. He has to grab a nearby table in order to steady himself.

"How do you feel?" You murmur, taking a step towards him.

“I feel…so weird…” Five mumbles, blinking a few times. He puts a hand to his head and shakes it, hoping to clear it, “I can’t make it stop!”

"Of course, you can't," You whisper as you shove Five against the wall, arm pinned across his chest. Your other hand grips Five's chin, forcing him to look at you.

Five grunts as one hand grabs the arm across his chest and the other grabs your wrist. But you're faster, your eyes glow more brightly, and Five is frozen again.

"Look into my eyes, Number Five. You can’t look away,"

Five stares deeply into your eyes, eyelids fluttering slightly, eyes glazing over.

"That's it...look deeper and deeper into my eyes," You run a finger down the bridge of Five's nose to his lips, gently pulling the bottom one down. He doesn't react, just blinks drowsily, "Going deeper and deeper. Don't try to resist. The more you try to resist, the harder it becomes. Just..." you lean close to breathe into his ear, "Relax~"

Five's arms slowly fall to his sides, body relaxing under yours as he continues to look deeply into your eyes. You smile, gently removing your arm from his chest and taking a half step back. You caress Five's chin, tilting his head up so he can keep looking into your eyes.

"Good boy," You purr, "So nice and relaxed. All you can hear is the sound of my voice. Surrendering feels so very good, doesn’t it?"

Your thumb strokes Five's cheek softly, "Your eyelids must feel so, so heavy, don't they?"

Five's eyelids droop, he blinks a few times and awareness seems to come back to him.

"Wh-what are you...?"

"Shhhhh," you put a finger to his lips, "Don't try to think. I will think for you," Five's eyes become glassy again and his irises slowly start to glow purple. The same color that shines brightly in your eyes.

"Good, keep looking into my eyes. Your thoughts are slipping away, like sand through your fingers. Your mind is becoming so blank and empty. So peaceful, isn't it?"

Five slowly nods his head, his jaw goes slack a bit, lips parting as he slips deeper under your spell. His eyes glow brighter, the color slowly spreading to cover his eyes entirely, making them glow a solid, blank purple.

“You are my slave," you spoke slowly, "You are completely under my control. You have no free will, you belong to me,"

Five nods again, "Yes..." his voice is monotone and blank, "I am completely under your control. I belong to you,"

You smirk darkly, you take a step back and say one simple order.

"Kneel,"

Five drops to his knees in front of you, looking up at you. You giggle, cupping his chin again.

"Aww, I love that expression on your face. So beautiful and blank," you grip his chin harder, eyes shining, "You will obey only me. You will do everything and anything I say,"

"Yes..." Five nods once again.

"Yes what, Five?" You ask gleefully, "Who am I? Say it. Call me your master! Say it!"

"You are my master..." Five says softly, "I obey you. Only you..."

Out of the corner of your eye, you see a woman walk over to you.

"Well done," The Handler says, you glair at her.

"I'm not finished,"

The Handler sighs, "What more do you need to do?"

You ignore The Handler and turn back to Five, "Imagine in your mind, your family, Five," you say, "Imagine them. Imagine them and watch their faces slowly slip away from you. They don't matter,"

"My family..." Five drawls, "Doesn't matter,"

"Good," You smile, "They are your enemies. The Umbrella Academy are your enemies,"

"The Umbrella Academy...are my enemies,"

You nod, "Very good. You don't know them. You don't care about them. Why should you? They are your enemies,"

"I...don't know them," Five mumbles blankly, "I don't care about them,"

"Very good," you stroke Five's cheek, "No control, no free will. Only obedience," After a moment you turn away from him, "Stand," you order.

Five rises to his feet as you walk over to The Handler. You turn back to Five with a smirk.

"Now, you're going to do something for us. We have an assignment for you,"

Five's blank look doesn't change as he nods, "Your wish is my command, my master,"

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

Thank you for reading! This might have a part two if people are interested. Thanks again for reading my first fic here on Tumblr!

[jillianrose305]

yandere obey me

sorry I've been gone for so long let me know if you want a part 2

Ok so this is what I assume who is most likley to be a yandere in obey me shall we date . Top 5 first

1.Mammon.

I know leviathan was supposed to be a yandere but belphagor ended up getting that troupe + that jealousy episode he had.but imagine how easy it would be for him. He's your first . Your his. little d No.2 is in on this which is why he says you and mammon would make a cute couple and asks if yall are dating . All he has to do is complain about feeling unwanted by his brothers and all your attention is back on him just how he wants it. He's greedy for you and your attention and he's the second most powerful but I think its because he doesn't try . He can influence luck we know that so anytime you hang out with his brothers suddenly nothing goes well for you or they have short tempers oh how that must make you feel unwanted but don't worry he's always here for you waiting for you to run back into his arms.

2.barbatos

What you don't think the demon of time would be a yandere? You best believe this boy is making sure everything goes according to plan. Since the moment he sall you he needed to know more thats why on his pocket watch he uses his magic so its a small portal to always see what your doing. He doesn't want to get his hands to messy so he simply turns the clock insanely fast forward on the person lifespan who tried to take you he enjoys watching them panic as they get older and more week its his favriote. Sometimes he goes back in time to watch his favriote moments of you. Since he's basically diavolos actual right hand man he can get away with alot. So don't expect it to be to hard for him to keep you.

3. Leviathan

Ah yes the Avatar of envy he gets so jealous when you give anyone else your attention is he not good enough for you. I think we all Remember the line that went somethng like 'Sometimes i think about forcing you to play a game your bad at and only letting you leave my room once you've completed every aspect of it' I can't remember quite exactly though. He's the Admiral of Hells Navy if you even tried to underestimate him he would quickly show you how wrong you are. Him and Henry 2.0 are the only company you need. I also think he has a body pillow of mc hidden somewhere in his room.

4. Belphagor

Ah yes on of our cannon-ish yanderes of obey me. You know he didn't get much time to spend with you as the others. He just loves you so much. Why can't you understand that? He will use his powers to enchant you to find your way up to the attic just like he did so long ago. But this time he's not making the foolish mistake of letting you leave. He will use his youngest sibling privilege to keep you there. He's gotten good at manipulating you in what ever way works best. Don't you want to cuddle with him and wear matching pajamas? C'mon he can't rest without you in his Arms. You aren't gonna take away sleep from the Avatar of Sloth are you?

5.Diavolo

Future king of the Devildom. What can I say he has always wanted to take you from the brothers and keep you for himself plus we know he will probably need someone to rule along side him. You don't want to take that from him do you? Oh well he will just have to make you marry him. You'll learn to love him as much as you once loved this exchange program. He rules this land he will make sure you are always being watched he can't risk you running off or falling in love with someone else now. No bother though if someone so much as thinks about acting on their crush on you they are being publicly executed for all to see. He keeps there blood in vials in his desk. he won't stop you from having a fan club ad long as he's president of it,he can't stop people from loving you just as long as they don't act on it he will let them live for now.

[trulybetty]

Bookstore | Frankie Morales x f!Reader

Pairing: Frankie Morales x F!Reader (no use of Y/N) Word Count: 2,163 Warnings: This is Flings and Stood Up Frankie four years later, so things might be a little jaded, just saying. No real warnings, hints of some angst - but that's about it Summary: It's been multiple moves across states with Frankie and with retirement from the service the two of you are looking at a fresh start. AO3: Linked

A/N: Soo, this is Bookstore Frankie, the piece that spurred Stood Up and Flings. I've been putting off putting it out as I've been worried this won't live up to those two one-shots. We have the lovely @wildemaven’s prompts to thank for the creation of the Marcus Pike and the Sweet Janes series, and now we have them to thank for Frankie and this currently untitled series 💕✨

There was a misconception some people had when they first met Frankie. They’d take in his appearance, the permanent ball cap on his head, the nondescript clothing, heavy boots, dirt under his nails no matter how often he scrubbed his hands, coupled with his quiet demeanour and make an unqualified assumption.

Which was precisely what was happening at that moment.

“How can I help you?”  the shop clerk asked eagerly, clasping her hands together as she framed herself directly in front of you. Making no mistake who she thought led the excursion to the bookstore that morning.

“Actually,” you replied with a small smile, “I’m tagging along with this guy,” you thumbed in the direction of Frankie who had ignored the formalities you’d found yourself in and was making a beeline for the bookshelves.

“Oh,” was the shop clerk's response and you gave her a short smile before heading off to find your boyfriend who had disappeared amongst the racks of books.

Frankie was an ex-army Delta Force operative and had also served as a part of the Special Operations Aviation Regiment. Not that he would ever tell anyone that. If asked he’d simply shrug and tell those who would ask that he was just a flight instructor, a gross understatement for what he actually did now, but as Frankie told you. It kept things simple, and it kept people from asking questions.

The only reason you knew anything at all about Frankie’s military career is that what was supposed to be a fling between deployments turned into a four-year-long sleepover, three moves across states and his retirement from active service.

But it wasn’t just in bookstores, it was everywhere. Whenever the two of you went out, most people would underestimate him or simply overlook him. To them, Frankie was just an ordinary man, nothing special about him.

But to you, he was everything

As you made your way through the narrow aisles of the bookstore, you finally caught up with him as he held a book in his hand, his brow furrowed in concentration as he read the blurb on the back.

“Find anything good?” you whispered as you came up behind him, sliding your arms around his waist to peer around his shoulder.

Frankie held up the book for you to see, “Dean Koontz,” he said with a smile of satisfaction. “I’ve been wanting to read this one for a while now.”

You nodded, recalling his recent phase of reading through the author’s works.

“What else do you have there?” You asked, indicating the book tucked under his arm.

He didn’t look down, his eyes reading the back of another novel now, “Just some manual.”

You raised your eyebrow, “Just some manual?”

Letting go of him you slid the book out from under his arm and inspected the cover, “Advanced Aerodynamics and Propulsion: A Comprehensive Guide,” you read aloud, your voice echoing a mixture of disbelief and amusement. “Just some manual, huh? A bit beyond your usual fun reads?”

Frankie shrugged, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “Thought I’d brush up a bit before that course starts. It's been a while since I played with the hardcore stuff, and you know how I like a challenge,” his eyes now had a mischievous glint. “Got to keep up with the younger crowd at school. Don't want to let my old age show too much,” he chuckled, wrapping his arms around you, pulling you close.

The bookstore, aptly named ‘The Last Book Store’ was nestled between a florist and a coffee shop in downtown Tampa. The store was a captivating blend of weathered leather-bound classics and the vibrant hues of freshly printed paperbacks. The lingering smell of paper coupled with the scent of the fresh roast from the coffee shop next door made it all the more charming. You made a mental note that you would stop there on your way home since you still had yet to find your coffee maker in the labyrinth of boxes since moving to Florida. You were desperate for a freshly brewed cup of coffee and not something made from instant freeze-dried grounds.

“You're hardly old,” you retorted, playfully poking him in the ribs.

He laughed, leaning down and kissing the top of your head. “Says the spring chicken.”

You rolled your eyes, barely a year between you, but couldn't help the smile that spread across your face. 

“Are you excited about returning to school?” you asked, he was going back after a long stint in the military.

Frankie's expression shifted, his eyes distant as he confided, “Yeah, excited but also a bit anxious. It's been ages since I tackled papers and exams.”

You offered a reassuring squeeze of his hand. “No doubt you'll ace it. You've got some smarts in there,” you quipped, a playful grin easing the tension. “And plenty of experience too.”

He laughed, appreciation in his eyes. “Some brains hey Mav? I didn't know you thought so highly of me.”

“Well, I have to give credit where credit's due,” you said, shrugging playfully.

He looked at you a moment longer before leaning in, his lips capturing yours in a gentle kiss. The world around you seemed to fade away, and for a brief moment, there was only the two of you, between the bookshelves hidden from the view of the other customers.

“Do you think we made a good choice moving to Florida,” you asked.

Frankie nodded, his mouth turning up in an expression that resembled a smile, though it never touched his eyes. “I think so. A new chapter for both of us.”

“Is that Francisco Morales with a pun?” you teased.

“Maybe,” he said, his eyes brightening.

“Remember that bookstore we used to visit back in Colorado?” you asked, your voice heavy with nostalgia.

Frankie looked at you, his eyes softening as he remembered. “The one with the creaky floors and the old guy who knew every single book in the place?”

“That’s the one,” you said, smiling. “This place reminds me a little of that.”

Frankie reached for you hand, and gave it a gentle squeeze, “We can make this our new spot. Start a new tradition.”

“You think this is it?” you asked him hopefully.

Frankie gave a half smile, “I hope so, baby. We've been through enough, it's time to settle down.”

The sincerity in his voice made your heart swell with emotion. The journey to where you stood now had not been an easy one, with Frankie's past and the constant moves between deployments. But here you were, together, looking forward to a future you could both finally believe in. 

This was a fresh start.

He kissed your forehead, his lips lingering there as if to seal a promise. “We'll make it work. We always do.”

You looked into his eyes, seeing the determination and the underlying vulnerability that he so rarely showed to others. You knew him better than anyone, and most of all, his potential.

You reached up and cupped his cheek, feeling the stubble against your palm, you bit back a smile. No matter how hard he tried he could never grow in a full beard. Only the other day, when Will came by after his veteran support group had finished. The two men had sat on the porch, beers in hand, Will teasing Frankie as he stroked his own full beard. 

Will was already living in Florida, part of the catalyst for this one last move as Frankie had promised you. That promise had come off of the back of the trouble Frankie had found himself involved in. The trouble that you’d both agreed on was now put to rest and in the past. Will, having served with Frankie as a part of Delta Force, he and the others were a special kind of elite. The creme de la creme, all forged for war and set loose with little to no regard for what would happen once they were back home. Will had been a somewhat lifeline for Frankie in retirement, his quiet demeanour a match for Frankies.

“I know we will,” you whispered, echoing Frankie's assurance, your eyes locked on his. “We're in this together, right?”

Frankie's eyes softened, and he nodded, his grip on you tightening. “Always.”

You both pottered around the bookstore for a little while longer. The building was deceptive from the outside it looked to be a small affair, but the place was expansive with rows and rows of racks and a second floor. Frankie had found another book to add to his stack and you a couple of paperbacks that were light reads to get you through the next couple of weeks.

The two of you watched the rain fall from under the awning of the coffee shop next door. A gentle drizzle combined with the humidity, you could smell the heat coming off the asphalt. 

“It seems like Florida wants to give us a proper welcome,” Frankie remarked.

You laughed as you stashed your purchases into the canvas bag you'd brought with you to keep them safe from the rain, “Very reminiscent.” 

Grabbing your hand, Frankie stepped forward, out from undercover into the rain.

You thought you were both going to make a dash to the car, instead, Frankie stopped and turned his face up to the sky. Before you could ask what was going on you saw the carefree smile tugging at his lips and he looked at peace for the first time in what had been a long time.

“You know Mav,” he said, his face still upturned to the sky, “they say rain is good luck.”

You laughed, shaking your head as droplets clung to your lashes, “Is that so?” you stepped back to close the distance between you both, your fingers reaching out to trace the outline of his jaw.

His hand finding a place on the curve of your cheek and the other around your waist, he moved closer, his lips barely a breath away from your own. Your heart skipped a beat, his touch sent a shiver down your spine despite the warmth the rain fell into. 

“It’s really going to be different this time, I promise,” he stated, looking at you directly in the eye.

“I know,” you responded forcing a smile, really wanting to believe that this was going to be the fresh start the two of you needed. 

Retirement was a bright horizon ahead for both of you full of opportunities. You just hoped it was a bright enough light to stave off the dark clouds that had followed through your last moves across states.

You didn’t think he could get any closer, but he shifted and his hips knocked into you forcing you to wrap your arms around his neck as he pulled you into a playful twirl. The rain soaked through your clothes, and the drops glistened on his face, highlighting the joy in his eyes. 

The world seemed to fade away as you both danced in the rain, your laughter echoing in the otherwise quiet street.

“Here’s to us, Mav,” Frankie said, leaning in to gently kiss your lips. “I love you,” he whispered, his breath warm against your ear.

“I love you too,” you said, your voice cracking with emotion.

His words sent a shiver down your spine, and before you could respond, his lips found yours in a soft yet passionate kiss. The rain intensified the sensation, each raindrop a fleeting caress as you melted into his embrace. It was a kiss that held the promise of everything that had brought you together – the challenges, the laughter, and the shared moments that had forged your connection.

As the kiss deepened, the world seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of you in the midst of the rainstorm. His fingers traced a gentle path down your back, leaving a trail of warmth in their wake. When you finally pulled away, both of you were left breathless, rain-slicked hair clinging to your skin.

Frankie's gaze bore into yours, his expression a mix of desire and adoration. “I think I've found my luck,” he whispered, his thumb brushing your damp lips.

As you headed back to the car, the rain began to ease, and the sun peeked through the clouds, casting a warm glow on the wet pavement. You glanced at Frankie, noticing the way he seemed more relaxed, the weight of the past years lifting. You could see it in the way he walked, in the way he smiled, and in the way he held you close.

Yes, you thought, this was the right decision. Florida would be your new start, a place to finally settle and grow roots. No more constant moving, no more uncertainty. You had each other, and that was all that mattered.

You slid into the passenger seat, Frankie starting the engine, his hand reaching out to squeeze yours. You looked over at him, his face lit with anticipation and hope of what was to come.