#So this is really unfamiliar territory and it would be great if I got some advice 🫶

[astronomical-bagel]

i hope you and your twin are safe and doing okay, take care astro

Yeah, weve got a whole group of friends who’ve got our back and I think we’re fine now. We’ve made plans to never talk to that guy again and we’re trying to find more healthy ways for King to front, because he definitely isn’t blameless in this situation.

oH uh speaking of which,,, so we thought King was a protector for a bit, but after this and a lot of confessions from Alex’s other alters it is Really Fucking Obvious that he’s a prosecutor… I’m not… great with dealing with King because he hates my fucking guts (because. Prosecutor) and I’m also not very familiar with systems as a whole, but I know I have followers who are systems so if any of you know any healthy ways to help a prosecutor, or like. I don’t even know it would just be great if we could convince king not to let the body get sexually assaulted 👍 if anyone has tips on how to communicate with him that would be! Great!

[lanassgirlll]

Old Faces

Elijah Mikaelson x Fem!Reader

Summary: The last time you saw the Mikaelson family, you got left heartbroken. Now, you meet a certain member of the family again after centuries.

Warnings: kidnapping (kinda?) tiniest bit of angst, mentions of paranoia, use of y/n!

Words: 1,7k

AN: First of all, it's been a while since I have posted something, but I am back! So, I'm thinking about making this story into two or three parts. Also, I haven't decided which the love interest will be, so I will make a poll and I ask of anyone who reads this, to vote and choose!! Anyway, enjoy my new story and I hope you like it! (side note: please excuse any grammar and spelling mistakes, lol)

Getting out of the taxi, Y/N took in a deep breath whilst looking around the fascinating streets of New Orleans. She had only been here a few times, long before the city was founded. So, saying the place had changed would be underestimating.

It was almost dark outside, and she couldn't wait to have a shower and get some sleep. The flight she had booked was early in the morning, so she had spent many hours in the air just to get here.

Taking her bags out of the car, Y/N slowly made her way inside the hotel she had booked a room in. The hotel itself wasn't anything special and it wasn't one of the best places to stay in the city. But she liked the simple, rather than the extravagant places, so this would be just perfect for her.

It was now early in the morning when Y/N was getting ready for her day. She had decided that she'd spend the few days she was staying in the city, exploring, and collecting little souvenirs for her home in Europe, instead of sulking and rotting in the bed of her hotel room. Y/N didn't like traveling so far away from home much, as she loved the comfort of it, but whenever she did, collecting things that would catch her eye was like a tradition for her. Her house was full of colorful toys, rugs, all kinds of weird cutlery and even furniture, all of which she had gotten from her travels.

Putting on her coat and grabbing her bag, she made her way out of the room, and outside into the streets of New Orleans.

After strolling around the more modern part of the city, Y/N decided to go to the famous French Quarter, as she had heard many good things about it. At least more good than bad, as the place was known for the wicked vampires and witches who somehow never could make peace between their communities.

The place was truly beautiful, she had to admit. The buildings, the people, the jazz music, which she didn't like much, but it was still charming in a way.

But as she was walking around the streets, simply just admiring the place like a kid would admire a toy store, Y/N couldn't get of the feeling that someone was following her.

Sure, she was known for being a little too paranoid at times, but this time she really couldn't find out why. A thousand questions were running in her mind: Was it because of the stories she had heard about this place? Were the witches trying to get her for being in their territory? The fear was slowly building up as the paranoia was taking over her mind.

Taking a deep breath, she slowly made her way into an alleyway and looked around, just to make sure she was alone.

Just as she was about to open her bag, a man appeared in front of her. And as she was about to speak, the unfamiliar man broke her neck, and her world went dark.

Slowly waking up, a quiet groan escaped Y/N's lips. She figured it had to be from getting her neck broken. As the realisation kicked in, she opened her eyes and looked around.

She was in a big room, big windows letting the bright sun lighten the space. The room itself didn't have much furniture nor people in it. She looked down at herself and saw that she was tied down to a chair, and from the burning that she felt, it was obvious that the ropes were soaked with vervain. Great.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she managed to speak up.

''Hello? Is- is there anyone?''

She had to admit, she was scared to death right now. She had never really been in any situations like this up until now. She had never gotten attacked by anyone and it's been a few good centuries since anyone has broken her neck. The worst feeling was the anxiety she was feeling at that very moment.

How could she be this stupid? She was such an old vampire and she always let her fears get the worst out of her at the worst moments. Like this one. Y/N thought that this would be the day she'd die.

She was so lost in her thought, she didn't even notice the man that was now standing behind her.

''What do we have here?''

Hearing the deep voice behind her out of nowhere, made her squeak and close her eyes tightly, trying to control her breathing. She was a scaredy cat and at that moment she felt more embarrassed than afraid.

''Who are you? What do you want with me?''

The question started flying out of her mouth as she tried to get a better look at the man behind her.

''The more important question is, who are you? And what are you doing here?''

Just as Y/N was about to answer his questions out of fear for her life, she heard another man walking into the room. Of course, she couldn't see him either and the only thing she could hear now, was the quiet mumbling between the two of them.

Y/N swore that the voice of the man who had just walked in was one she had heard before. She just couldn't place where.

She looked down at her hands, trying to pull them out of the ropes, even though she knew it was of no use. She hissed at the burning feeling and clenched her jaw. Y/N was getting angry now. She had done nothing wrong to deserve this.

''Hello? If you won't tell me what you want, just let me go! I have done nothing to you!''

As she looked up, with the corner of her eye saw one of the men making his way over to her. He stood in front of her and looked her up and down, and Y/N swore she could feel the judgment in his eyes.

''Quick change of attitude, I see?''

The man was tall, with dark skin and sharp face. His expression wasn't giving anything out, and she couldn't read him.

''Look, I only-''

She stopped mid-sentence as the other man now stood in front of her, too. Memories started flooding her mind as she stared up at him. It had been centuries since she last saw him.

The one and only, Elijah Mikaelson.

He was looking at her, like he had just seen a ghost. His brows were furrowed, and his lips were parted, as he was sucking in a breath.

Before either of them could make a sound, the dark-haired man that stood next to Elijah, spoke up first.

''I'm guessing the two of you know each other. Care to explain, Elijah?''

Y/N clenched her jaw tightly, looking away from them without a saying a word. She was getting overwhelmed with all the memories that were coming back. She had been keeping them locked at the back of her mind, as they were too painful. It had taken her decades to get over what had happened. In all honesty, she never truly got over it, but at least she managed to control the thoughts.

''Marcel, would you be so kind and leave us.''

She heard the man, whose name apparently was Marcel, sigh with a hint of annoyance before slowly making his way out of the room.

Y/N reluctantly looked up at Elijah again, her jaw still clenched tight. He looked so different since the way time she saw him, yet still the same in a way. The only obvious changes were, of course, his clothes and his hair style.

''Y/N, this is- a really unexpected surprise.''

She scoffed as she heard his words. Using the word 'unexpected' was a funny way to describe it.

''Then let me go, and we can all continue with our day, peacefully.''

''I'm afraid I can't do that. Just yet.''

''You cannot be serious, Elijah.''

She was so angry at this point, her blood was boiling. What did he want with her? She knew that he didn't know she was here until he saw her with his own eyes. The shocked face he had made told her everything she needed to know.

''Just let me go. I don't know why your friend had to snap my neck and bring me here, but I assure you, I have done no wrong to him!''

Elijah had a small smile dancing on his lips as she chuckled at her words lightly.

''What's so funny?''

''I'm just- I am at loss of words. You've changed so much since the last time we saw each other.''

''I will not sit here and suffer, just because you want to chit chat.''

As she was looking at him, she saw as an emotion flashed in his eyes, but it was gone before she had the chance to figure out what it meant.

Suddenly, he ripped the ropes off her hands and threw them down on the ground.

Y/N quickly stood up and took a few steps backwards, needing space from him.

''Don't expect a 'thank you'.''

''Why are you here, Y/N?''

Her brows furrowed as she heard his question.

''Excuse me? Suddenly you own the world? I was here on a holiday, and now you have ruined it!''

His face was like a rock. She couldn't figure him out and it was slowly starting to annoy her, along with the other hundred things that were already annoying her.

''No, of course not.''

''Listen, Elijah. I don't want to be around you. So, I will get my things and go back home, and you won't hear or see me ever again. Sounds good? Great!''

Just as she started walking towards the door Marcel had walked out of earlier, figuring that had to be the way out of the building, Elijah appeared in front of her, startling her.

''Jesus-''

''Don't go. Just not yet at least.''

''I don't owe you anything Elijah. And you don't deserve a second of my time. Now get out of my way.''

''Y/N, please, let's talk. Or let me talk. I believe we have much to go through.''

She was looking at him, thinking about his plea. Was she really about to agree with him? She had tried so hard to keep the memories out of her mind, because of how painful they were.

But just like in the past, she really could never say no to him.

Knowing she'd regret it later, she took a deep breath and crossed her arms over her chest, before speaking up.

''Fine, let's talk.''

[sayorseee]

@themundanemudperson asked for some Cheney fic recs, these are all the ones I knew instantly that I liked, maybe one day I’ll do another rec list when I go back and reread fics

————————————————————————

One Shots Under 1k

Sleepless Nights in Swellview: Henry and Charlotte think of a way to stop having dreams about each other. Rated G

they’ve got each other: a chenry hurt/comfort fic that involves cuddling and having the others back. Rated G

One Shots Over 1K

Endless Summer Nights: Henry and Charlotte take a fun hike together, and Henry decides it’s finally time to tell Charlotte how he’s really feeling. Rated G.

Undercover with Danger: Rated G

More Than a Dream: Henry had been in many scary situations before because of his job as Captain Man's sidekick. But none of those situations could have prepared him for what happened next. Rated T

take my breath away: She tries to grapple with the fact that she just kissed her best friend. Her best friend who she's known forever, who she's grown up with, who she's now stuck in an elevator with even though all she really wants to do is run far, far away. / Or, in which the elevator breaks down with Henry and Charlotte inside. Rated G

After: Finally the events from last night came barreling back into her mind. Rated T

Christmas in an Elevator: It's Christmas Eve in Dystopia, and instead of spending the night with their dates, Charlotte and Henry are trapped in an elevator. Great. Rated T

There’s Something on Your Eye, Charlotte: Charlotte Page has been battling feelings for her best friend, Henry Hart, for a little over two months, and it’s annoying when he speaks highly of other girls he finds attractive. Henry, on the other hand, has taken notice of Charlotte’s standoffish and awkward behavior every time he mentions how cute another girl is, and this strikes curiosity within him. They cross into unfamiliar territory with one another, and things will never be the same. Who knew a piece of dust about to fall in Charlotte’s eye would bring out their suppressed interest? Rated T

Multi-Chapter Masterpieces

peace: Henry Hart and Charlotte Page were once the best of friends. The two of them, Jasper and Piper were as thick as thieves once upon a time. But now, at the grand age of seventeen, they're practically strangers. Or at least they were. When stolen kisses and shared secrets and lies enter the mix along with some very unwanted feelings, Henry and Charlotte both begin to wonder if they can truly be something more... Rated G

All Things Spicy 🌶️ (Ratings out of 3 🌶️)

Stay with Me: Henry Hart is struggling to get used to Dystopia. At 19, he has to come to terms with the fact that he's spent his teenage years fighting crime and saving lives, and that he doesn't really want to do it anymore. He manages to get away in his own apartment, but when Charlotte breaks down from the pressure herself, he encourages her to stay with her and has to come to terms with something else. He may be in love with his best friend. Rated M | 11 chapters | Spice Rating 🌶️🌶️

More Than Friends: "Do you have a girlfriend?" Joss questioned. There were two ways Henry could answer her question. One, he could tell the truth and say he didn't have a girlfriend, or two, he could lie and say he did, so she could leave him alone. In which Henry tells Joss that he and Charlotte are dating. Chenry. Rated M | 8 chapters | Spice Rating 🌶️

Dreams of Danger: The zoo dream is just the beginning of a long road for Charlotte Page who is tortured by dreams, by desires for her best friend, Henry Hart. Rated M | 1 chapter | Spice Rating 🌶️

Nobody but You: Three years since their last encounter. Rated M | 1 chapter | Spice Rating 🌶️🌶️

[eppysboys]

When the Beatles returned to Liverpool in December 1960 Stuart Sutcliffe had stayed on in Hamburg. He finally came home around the 15 January 1961 and took his place in the group a day or so later, ready to play the upcoming gigs at Lathom Hall. The Beatles had all witnessed violence at venues in both Liverpool and Hamburg but the unfamiliar north end of the city around Seaforth was particularly rough. A lot of the Teds in the audience were likely to have worked on the local docks during the day and seemed to have a strong territorial mentality so the Beatles were often looking over their shoulders after a gig in case one of them had said the wrong thing or looked at the wrong girl, or John had done one of his great big winks, which delivered with just the right amount of sarcasm and provocation would really wind the Teds up.

They were right to be wary. Neil Aspinall, a friend of Pete Best who was just starting to drive The Beatles to gigs, and would eventually become their road manager would recall an incident at Lathom Hall in January 1961 where "two troublemakers followed Stu Sutcliffe into the dressing-room muttering things like ‘Get your hair cut, girl!’ John and Pete saw this and went after them. A fight broke out and John broke his little finger…It set crooked and never straightened.” Pete Best: “When we’d done our session and came off, we changed, which didn’t take an awful lot of time because we basically played in what we stood up in. Stu went out, followed by John and myself. These lads started a fight with Stu after picking on him. We got to know about it because some people ran back to the side of the stage where we had come from and said, ‘Stu’s getting the living daylights knocked out of him. So John and I dashed out. We threw a couple of punches, sorted things out and pulled Stu back in again. The fact that John and I had pitched in and got involved made (the teds) feel a certain amount of respect for us….as a result of the fight John broke a little finger. He still managed to play for a couple of gigs after that. He hadn’t complained …the next time we saw him he had a splint on it. Neil had gone home to his studies while the Beatles were playing but when he returned to pick them up they told him "there's been a fight in the bogs". John had broken a finger, Pete had a black eye, Paul had been dancing around and Stuart had been kicked in the head. Apparently Stu had been trapped in the toilets by some Teds because their girls had been screaming, and John had probably done one of his big f*****g winks. (Tune In)

[treetrunk737464]

The first of the pair!

This is Pearl, she’s an era 2 gem who belongs to Amethyst, the subject of my next post. There’ll be lore under the Read More sign!

Context warning for cannon-typical depersonalisation, kidnapping, systematic murder system and other dystopian themes. Fun Homeworld things.

| Basic Information

Okay, so Pearl. Pearl is an era 2 gem, made after the gem war for a Spessartite Garnet as a reward for some great thing she did, probably conquering a planet with feisty organics on it or something, it’s not super important.

I’d say that Pearl doesn’t really know anything about the Crystal Gems at all. I don’t think she even knows that there was a war in the first place- Homeworld keeps what happened under tight wraps, and if you are a new gem you won’t really know about it unless an older gem tells you. And, of course, Pearls have no business knowing about such things in the first place.

| Background Information

You may or may not have noticed that Pearl’s gem has a few big nasty cracks in it! Oh no! Not entirely healthy for a gem to be having. So, the tea:

When Pearl was being incubated (since Pearls are organic- they are made in the Shell instead of in the ground. This is going into hc territory, but I don’t think Pearls made for gems who are not super high class present as flowery and nice as Diamond Pearls do- I think they’re a little more… mass produced? Like a string of Pearls is created, they’re taken out of the Shell by some gem (Peridots?) then nursed until ready to sell. Does that make sense?), the Peridot transporting her and a couple other Pearl gems to the nursery dropped them. See: top left corner of the image.

Most of the string shattered, but Pearl was fortunate, her gem fell on top of her now dead sisters. She still got a couple of cracks, though. Since Pearl was still so new- I mean she hadn’t even formed yet- once in the nursery the Peridot filled her cracks with some glue stuff so she wouldn’t fall apart.

However, now she’s been cracked and parts of her gem have been sloppily replaced by glue stuff. Not exactly ideal. She’s got some behavioral problems (which for Pearls is like- crying one singular time or showing anything remotely akin to uncomfortable) and some memory problems, which is pretty important for Pearls to have to like… do their job. As a result, she’s clumsy, forgetful, and often loses things in her gem if asked to store them.

She’s still Pearl-y though, very polite, obedient, loyal, good at dancing and singing, friendly albeit a bit talkative, so the Peridots thought it was probably okay. When Pearl was given to the high-class Spessartite Garnet she was made for, the Garnet had her for like a WEEK before crankily giving her back and demanding a new one.

The Peridots really didn’t know what to do with her. They COULD shatter her, but Pearls made for high-class gems are made with better quality materials, and it would be such a waste of a relatively okay Pearl. They could probably sell her to a lower class gem for a low price, but god knows what those low class barracks gems would do to her, and again, she’s made with good quality materials. They were so torn over it they actually consulted Yellow Diamond.

Yellow said ‘why are you even talking about this to me. Shatter her, send her to a harvesting plant. I don’t care’. So, in the harvesting plant she went.

| Meeting Amethyst

So she’s is in there, sitting on the conveyor and waiting for her demise. She’s feeling fine, it’s a shame that she had to go so fast, but she’s okay. Well, that’s until she feels something sharp jab into her back, so she releases her form and goes into her gem.

When Pearl reforms, she’s in an unfamiliar place, she’s sitting on a desk with a sheet over it and where the actual hell is she??? Hello??? She slips down and crawls under the desk where it’s darker, freaking out a bit because she’s just been kidnapped. She is so freaked out, actually, that she didn’t even notice the Amethyst quietly watching her in the corner of the workroom.

| Present-ish

Since the day she was kidnapped from the harvesting facility by Amethyst, Pearl’s been hanging around her. What other choice does she have, really? Pearls are objects on Homeworld, she can’t go out and live on her own or anything, so she’s kind of stuck with her.

Amethyst isn’t too bad to her personally, in fact Amethyst is quite nice to her, but Amethyst does some shady business. Amethyst is a police officer who also dabbles in the Homeworld equivalent of the black market. Amethyst has a weird infatuation with Pearls, and since again Pearls are objects on Homeworld, Amethyst likes to buy or borrow Pearls to experiment on? Which Pearl just has to deal with, no complaints, because she’s just a Pearl! No matter how awful it makes her feel on the inside to have to help with that.

As her and Amethyst’s story goes on, Pearl grows more comfortable in herself and works on her ability to have her own opinions and thoughts. It doesn’t end with her leaving Amethyst- again, there’s nowhere for her to go until era 3- but it does end in a more healthy relationship between the two.

[7grandmel]

Todays rip: 24/10/2023

Mad Monster Mansion Mashups​.​.​.​2!

Season 6 Featured on: The SiIvaGunner Party Pack 7

Ripped by DonnieTheGuy, miiwii

Part of Spooktacular Week! ● Requested by oetam4830 (Discord)

That's right - the spooky season is upon us! With just a week away from Halloween, I figured it's high time we do another sort of "event" here on the blog, a themed week similar to voiceless week from way back in June. This will be a bit more broad, and I've already got a great lineup of rips on offer - rips all focused primarily on celebrating the Halloween spirit!

There's a good few reasons for why I chose Mad Monster Mansion Mashups​.​.​.​2! to be our premiere of the event, the foremost one just being that it's really damn good! The hyperactive nature of Banjo-Kazooie music allows the rip to change between a bevvy of jokes at a scarily fast rate, one every four seconds, all while retaining the spook factor of the original track. DonnieTheGuy and miiwii did an excellent job here, no doubt, but...what's that two in the rip title about?

This is where I'll need to step into somewhat unfamiliar territory, as this is in reference to one of SiIvaGunner's many "fan-channels", other YouTube channels that upload similar content to SiIva itself. Amidst these, one of the most notorious is known as "VvvvvaVvvvvvr", where the entire gimmick was that literally *anything* submitted would get uploaded regardless of quality. It's like the fan-made remnant of SiIvaGunner Season 1, a complete agent of chaos ran entirely by its audience, yet surprisingly it developed its own set of rather consistent in-jokes and memes. To my knowledge, it's a great place for fledgling rippers to get their start, and it even had some lore and such that I'm still not very familiar with. Althesame, the channel uploaded its own mashup medley of Mad Monster Mansion in 2019, with many of its own memes dominating it - Mad Monster Mansion Mashups​.​.​.​2! is, effectively, SiIva's own spin on it, three years later.

I think what's most fascinating about the sequel-status Mad Monster Mansion Mashups​.​.​.​2! holds is that it results in a lot of seemingly obvious SiIva-mainstays, that were also mainstays on VvvvvaVvvvvvr, were therefor omitted from this iteration. In fact, with only a few exception, MOST memes featured in this mashup are from the more recent years of SiIva's life - Astronaut in the Ocean, ANTONYMPH, Right Foot Creep, music from Friday Night Funkin', and so on. Much like the Season 6 premiere Bramble Blast Collab that I covered last week, it feels like a celebration of the new as a result - ironically slotting in perfectly with Season 6's overarching themes of moving on from the past.

You can consider this a soft-start to the Spooktacular Week if you will, as we're yet to go truly into what defines SiIva's annual Halloween celebrations. Mad Monster Mansion Mashups​.​.​.​2! is an excellent rip all along, regardless of what connections it has to SiIva's halloween events. Yet its interesting upbringing and ties to Season 6 as a whole, along with its evident quality, make it a mainstay of any SiIva Halloween must-listens althesame.

[soft-girl-musings]

20 Fanfic Questions

ty for the tag @virtie333, sorry for the delay!

How many works do you have on AO3?

7, so far!

2. What's your total AO3 words count?

17,707 (that number makes me unreasonably happy)

3. What fandoms do you write for?

currently: Moon Knight (2022) previously: The Arcana (dating sim, pre-Dorian butchering), The Hobbit franchise (I'd like to continue this one tbh!!) potentially: the Lokiverse (mans has been in too much), Spiderverse

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

An Unexpected Proposition (Kili x Fem!Reader - 43 kudos) Strawberry Cordial (Muriel x Apprentice OC - 37 kudos) Last Night (Jake Lockley x Fem!Reader - 26 kudos) Perks of Being a Wallflower (Jake Lockley x Plus Sized Fem!Reader - 17 kudos) Unfamiliar Territory (Muriel x Apprentice OC - 15 kudos)

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

ABSOLUTELY, it makes me happy to do so. I love telling writers how I feel about their works (all good things i promise). and i love when folks take the leap and share their feedback.

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

oh golly, technically Frankincense & Myrrh (The Arcana, Muriel x Apprentice OC). bc it's 1) unfinished and 2) will deal with a lot of the post-resurrection trauma Tamar (my Apprentice) will go through. it'll still be fluffy and more comfort than hurt if i ever get back into it, but man i really miss seeing her go through it.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

i'd have to say Perks of Being a Wallflower! no angst, just insecurity leading up to the ending lol

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I'm not popular enough to attract the haters

9. Do you write smut. If so what kind?

i don't <3

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

i feel like the closest thing to a crossover i'd attempt is something in the mcu, since every major event affects everything else in some way

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

great heavens i hope not

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

nah

13. Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

not in the strictest sense of the word. but in the future, i plan on crediting the folks i share hcs and thots with, they've had a huge hand in shaping the world of my stories.

14. What's your all-time favourite ship?

the only thing that comes to mind is Matt Murdock x Claire Temple but i 1) have not finished Daredevil and 2) fully respect her for distancing herself from that disaster boy

15. What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

Frankincense & Myrrh - the Arcana fandom was spiraling when i entered in 2020, and while i love all the research and outlining i did for that story, it would take a lot for me to dive back into the game/lore to flesh out that story. Tamar Ufam you will always be famous to me.

16. What are your writing strengths?

i'd have to say dialogue and my attempts to make the stakes believable

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

(actually writing lol) in all seriousness, taking the time to string together the little story pearls i come up with. i burn myself out sometimes and end up not writing anything.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

i enjoy seeing it! what i don't like is people going "lol no hate on my google translate spanish/whatever language" (mostly when the language is poorly applied) bc we not only have the technology/better websites to use, but real people online willing to assist with translating/contextualizing. if you're going to do it, give it its due diligence. fingers crossed i can follow my own directive on that.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Cats the Musical. I don't want to talk about it.

20. Favourite fic you've ever written?

published: tie between Last Night and Perks of Being A Wallflower. the first 2 fics i've published for my new fave Jake, and i see a lot of myself in Reader. these two will always be near and dear to my heart. unpublished: Relic to Relic (Loki x Fem!OC), outlining that story got me through my junior year of high school. while i'd need to rework some aspects of my OC's arc/abilities, i wouldn't mind writing for these two again.

tagging @cchickki @hon3yboy @mrs-lockley if you'd like to brag on yourselves!!

[sablegear0]

Sable vs the Carpenter Bees (Part 1?)

(Tentatively labeling as "part 1" because I expect I will post updates eventually)

So, yesterday I had my first encounter with carpenter bees. For those unfamiliar; they're the size of a bumblebee and look similar, but rather than living in underground nests, they tend to burrow into dead wood to lay their eggs. Note that this can and often does include any unfinished lumber or exposed wooden parts of a house. They're also very territorial. It's worth mentioning that only the males get territorial, and only in late summer, and that male carpenter bees cannot sting. However, they do make every attempt to get up in the business of any perceived intruder to chase them off, other bees included.

And also myself included, obviously.

It has been a long time since I've been chased by bees or wasps. Not since I was a child have I feared my stripèd flying neighbours. But yesterday was something different.

I think the main problem was I was mowing the lawn. See, our property is fairly small so I only have a reel mower, one of those old-fashioned push-mowers that isn't powered at all. It works great for me because I don't mind the workout and it's way quieter than its gas- or electric-powered peers. But it does tend to stir up the bugs, I think partly because it's so quiet. It just makes a metallic rasping noise as it spins, which is enough noise (and motion) to startle bugs but not enough to drive them away. The first carpenter bee buzzed me as I was finishing up with the mower and starting to put it away. I ducked inside my shed and that seemed to put me out of range.

The next came to harass me when I tried to harvest some of my garden veggies. I haven't posted any garden updates this year but things are looking relatively lush, and I'm pretty pleased with it. So I go to clip some peas down and who should reappear but a carpenter bee. Now, when I'm outside doing just about anything, I wear a newsie cap, sunglasses, and my big ol' headphones. This means that the only exposed skin on my head is my cheeks, nose, jaw, and neck.

And that bumbly bastard went straight for the side of my neck like a freaking vampire.

He tried to get in behind my headphones (or into the loop of my bun?) for some reason, and Monkey Brain did NOT like that one bit. I actually freaked out, dodged/ran away, swatted at the damn thing, and ran back inside. We did this twice, as I made a second attempt shortly after. There was also a fair deal of shouting and verbal threats issued. As if it could understand me. But it did make me feel better to state aloud that I wasn't above killing the bugger if need be. I did lay a solid smack on one with my hat, which grounded but did not kill it (as it flew off shortly after).

But of course, Looney Tunes style, this meant war.

Except I had no intention of killing the little bastards. See, while they were being bastards, they didn't know any better. They're just defending what they see as their territory from the big noisy animal that chops up the plants they like. I don't begrudge them, and I do still want them around as pollinators. But not being able to get to my own garden is unacceptable. So I got to thinking, what could I do to keep myself safe without killing them?

Some quick googling suggested that if I was able to find their nest holes (BIG if), dabbing some citrus or almond oil near the hole for a few days would persuade them to abandon the nest. They also apparently do not like noise (duh), so constant music or wind-chimes were suggested as a pest control measure. I honestly was a little surprised by the wind chimes thing but it gives a lot more context beyond aesthetics as to why people might have them. Who'd'a thunk.

So I have my information for longer-term solutions but nothing that would work today because I really wanted to get out there and harvest those peas. I ponder a trip to the nearby dollar store to pick wind chimes and perhaps a bug net, intending to catch and detain the little bastards while I work, then release them after I was done.

Then my Brother-In-Law comes downstairs and I chat with him about the situation and what I'm thinking of doing. And here's where things get interesting. He's in the Reserves, so he mentions he has some bug-netting in his kit. He goes and grabs a mosquito-net head cover for me to borrow. It's meant to fit over an army helmet so it fits nicely over my cap, and would probably go over my headphones too if I wanted. My head and neck suitably armoured, I head back outside.

By this point it's been maybe 20 mins since I was last outside. And the bees are nowhere to be found. Not even seen at a distance, just gone. Go figure. Realistically all I probably needed to do was leave and wait for them to calm down. Still, I like to think the netting helped, as behind the green mesh I was no longer skin-coloured (except for my arms but those were not a target) so I was less perceptible as a threat. Whatever the case, I was able to harvest my veggies in peace.

Later that day, the lads (my partner, BIL, and a couple friends) were hanging out on the patio and I half-expected to hear they had been harassed as well. But they were smoking, and I can only assume bees of any type don't particularly care for smoke, so they weren't bothered either.

Anyway, there's no moral to the story other than maybe I should wait a bit after mowing to do any other gardening, to let the bugs calm back down. I might go hunt down a nice set of wind chimes and the bug netting helmet is remaining by the back door. At least until I can find the carpenter bastards' nests in the... hoo boy, the huge amount of unfinished wood in my back yard, and stink them out with essential oils.

More updates (and garden updates) probably to follow.

[microwave-core]

Burning Hellfire

Mela x Fem! Reader

Some “nobody” seems to have taken a liking to you. Incidentally, Mela seems to have taken a hatred for them.

If you could only describe your girlfriend in two words, they would be “terrifying” and “sweet”, and not in a “she seems terrifying but is actually really nice” kind of way. “Asshole to the world sweetheart to her girl” fits her infinitely better.

That’s just how Mela is. She’s mean and rough around the edges, but sometimes her meanness comes out when she’s trying to be… not mean, like the time she threatened to beat up members of the art club when she was just trying to join them.

When she had suddenly confessed to you after skirting around her feelings for months, she had been so awkward. As any good confession starts, she started with “I’ve come here to fight you.” Her tone was serious but her body was stiff and unmoving, reflecting the extent of her nerves. “Ah-I mean, I like you and we should go on a date or something.”

So incredibly charming despite her rugged nature. Again, she’s not terrifying on the outside but completely innocent on the inside like Eri, she’s terrifying on the outside and on the inside, just as she can be sweet on both sides, as well. 

Since getting together, that sweet side is pretty much all you’ve known. Not to say she was mean to you before getting hitched, she was just pretty awkward and that led to her making false threats, one’s that lacked bite, only to backpedal after they slipped past her lips. It’s a side that isn’t unique to you, not by a long shot, but you definitely get to see it the most.

Mela is, however, still a little hesitant when expressing her feelings. Romantic relationships are clearly unfamiliar territory for her, given how she’s uncertain at times, unsure of how to navigate or proceed. It’s endearing, really. She’ll grab your hand but will do her best to avoid eye contact. She’ll give you a quick peck in public but it’s quick and sudden. She’ll envelop you in a warm hug, nuzzling deeply into your shoulder, only for her cheeks to be dusted red when pulling away.

But when she thinks that someone is getting a little too personal with you? That’s a completely different story.

Of course, it’s only natural that Mela is protective over you. Who wouldn’t take issue with someone trying to flirt with their girl? Rather, the issue is what she defines as “getting too personal”: Basically anything. 

As much as you love your girlfriend and her old Team Star buddies, sometimes you just need to talk with other people, hang out with other friends. 

Recently, you’ve found yourself talking to the same group of people after classes near the academy’s entrance. You enjoy hanging out with them, but they’re strictly school friends, the kind you don’t ever really see outside of the hallways.

After a brief discussion of the upcoming biology test, you were left talking to one of the girls in the group. She was huddled against you, shoulder to shoulder, with a textbook propped up in her hands. She was mid-ramble when she suddenly stopped talking. Her abrupt bout of nervousness would be concerning if you haven’t been through this situation before.

“Um… I think someone’s watching us…” She jostles the heavy book in one hand to rub the back of her neck with the other. You don’t even get to mutter out a response before the signature squeak of Mela’s fiery boots fills your ears. 

“You’ve got a lot of nerve-” “It was great talking with you, but I’ve got to go.” You interrupt her in hopes of diffusing the situation before it even starts. “I’ll see you next class!” You hope your cheerful tone makes this poor girl feel better. You attempt to walk away from her, goading Mela to follow, but she doesn’t seem ready to budge. 

“You seem real close to MY girl.” “I-I’m sorry?” She starts shaking under the pressure.  “I don’t want to see you around her again-” “Mela!” She breaks her glare to look at you, where it softens for a moment, before turning back.

 “Look. You're lucky that MY girlfriend is here, because if she wasn’t, then I’d teach you a lesson you wouldn’t be forgetting anytime soon. But know that if I see you getting all buddy-buddy with MY girl again, I won’t hold back.”

Mela grabs your hand and starts marching away, leaving your poor friend shaking in her metaphorical boots. You throw a whispered “sorry” over your shoulder before turning your attention back to your fuming girlfriend.

“So…” “Don’t like the way she was looking at you.” You can’t help but sigh. You love her dearly, but this jealous streak is a lot to grapple with. 

“She’s my friend, Mela. We were just talking about school work, like friends do.” “But she was looking at you funny, like she was into you! What if she started coming onto you and made you all uncomfortable?” “Whatever helps you sleep at night…”

She huffs, but doesn’t protest. She’s jealous, alright, but she’s not about to admit it. At least her blushing face is cute. The rest of the walk to her dorm room is relatively silent.

Once the door is closed, she relinquishes the hold on your hand, throwing them around your form instead. She all but collapses into you with a groan. As rough and tough as she is, she’s a softy deep down. She’ll come out swinging against the people she gets jealous over, but always needs to recharge with many cuddles and soft kisses. 

And maybe you shouldn’t reward her behavior with sweet, sweet affection, even if it does come from a good place, because she just wants to protect you from getting hurt in the same way she was a year ago, but she looks so cute when her barriers are down, a state that she won’t be in for long before reverting to normal, everyday Mela.

[finnified]

finn hissed out a breath as it pressed the wet scrap of fabric to the gash in its forehead, doing its best to be gentle as it wiped off the blood. it had already taken care of its black eye and split lip as best as it could, but it still hadn’t grown used to trying to maneuver with one eye squinted shut. 

leaning back in the chair it had dragged in from the table, it sighed heavily, scrubbing a hand over its good eye. the day could’ve gone so much worse than it did- it didn’t know why it was so exhausted. 

closing its eyes, it considered the merits of the past few hours, trying desperately to grasp at an emotion that wasn’t dread. it landed on its conversation with inigo and looked back with an unfamiliar-feeling quirk of its lips. 

inigo had stuck to both the promise of getting cleaned up and getting a drink- as soon as they were out of the alley, the kestrel had produced a scrap of cloth and a canteen of water from seemingly nowhere and had done his best to scrub the dirt and dried blood off of finn’s face. once it was deemed presentable enough to be seen in a kestrel bar, inigo led it by the shoulder, holding his head high. 

finn had immediately gone on guard, shoulders up, hating the feeling of being in a place that was conflictingly both familiar and completely hostile to it. they got more than a few strange looks, but that didn’t seem to disturb inigo, who’s step was confident as he pushed his way to a high table near the back of the establishment where nobody would bother them. 

it had slid into its seat with what it hoped was a polite mumble to the hostess who came up to serve them, turning up the collar of its frock-coat as if it could disappear. 

inigo had thumped the table as their drinks appeared. “oh, chin up, finneas. nobody’s going to bother you as long as they see you with me.” finn had taken his drink with a grateful nod, but his nerves were still rattled and fear and shame were still clumped together in a thick lump at the base of its throat. 

“you’re in a ripe good mood,” it had eventually settled on saying, white-knuckling its tankard. inigo had quirked a brow at it, but said nothing, allowing it to sink a bit into the warm influences of its drink. 

eventually, it looked back up at him. “tell a story,” it insisted, chin dropped close to its chest. 

inigo, who was looking about the same amount of drunk as finn felt, managed a surprisingly strong response: “kestrels aren’t storytellers- herons are.” it had merely scoffed in response, giving a half-wave of its hand. 

“oh, just- tell me how you got the slashes on your face, or something,” it had offered after a long moment of hazy consideration. inigo’s face had brightened, and he’d nodded with an intensity finn didn’t really understand, but didn’t bother thinking too deeply about either. 

“it’s funny you ask that, because they don’t actually have a great story,” inigo had laughed, gesturing loosely with his mug. “it was definitely my fault, though- it was just after the factioning, and i was super eager to show off to all the newcomers, so i took some of them on a little adventure to one of the jungle islands up north. i was showing off, not paying attention, and then-“ he had punctured his sound effect with another thump of his fist on the table “-bam, right out of nowhere! tiger from the forest. we must have trespassed into her territory.”

finn hadn’t even bothered to stop its horror from showing on its face, but inigo just laughed again. “ah, it was nothing. the new kestrels had a good laugh at it!”

as inigo had finished speaking, finn was struck by the lack of gravity in his statement. the other talked about his scars like they just existed, and it wasn’t anything to feel strongly about, positively or negatively. 

it had drawn its brows together pensively, subconsciously passing a hand over its own disfigured lips. inigo must have noticed, and he had leaned forward with far too lucid and pressing a look in his eyes for someone who should have been intoxicated. “what about you, finneas? have yours got an interesting story?” 

its mouth had tightened without it meaning to as a various slurry of emotions went through its head, dulled only partway by the alcohol. at least part of its turmoil must have shown on its face, because inigo had immediately leaned back and looked away. “you don’t have to-“ 

“no, no, it’s fine, it’s-“ finn had forced out, passing a hand over its mouth again. “it was just, you know. a thing. with dante- a long time ago.” it had hastily tacked on the ending statement as it watched inigo’s face grew darker and sharper. it immediately busied itself with observing the other patrons, and inigo had eventually calmed and sunken further back into his chair, but it had left finn unsettled. 

of course, that had hardly been a half of the true story- finn pushed himself up from the sink, abandoning his washtowel behind him. the true account was much more complicated- and, of course, he wouldn’t be able to avoid thinking about it now that the remembrance was in his head. 

it had been about three months before the factioning, and finn had already moved out of his parents’ home. not officially- officially, he still belonged to house blackwood of the kestrels- but he had begun making his intent clear to his few kestrel friends that he was planning on changing wings when the factioning occurred. 

he didn’t exactly remember who’s basement he’d been sleeping in at the time, but he did remember the perfectly ominous appearance of the lanterns cutting through the fog on the street when he opened the door and found dante waiting for him, not a piece of his platinum-blonde hair out of place despite the early hour. 

before he had the chance to call out, finn was yanked out the door by the wrist and was led steadily out of the more populated residential part of the kestrel village. dante had dug his fingers into its wrist before releasing it once they were far enough away. 

“wearing bandages again, finneas?” dante had scolded him like he was a small child. “you know that’s against the rules.” 

so, of course, they had halted in the middle of the pathway while dante rolled the sleeves of its frock coat up and unwound all the bandages on its arms. and then, because he had some kind of uncanny instinct, he rolled up the left cuff of its pants so he could take off the bandage on its ankle too.

“dante, i can’t walk on that without the wrapping,” finn had argued, hating how much he sounded like a petulant child who had been denied dessert. dante had merely laughed at him before shoving the peeled-away bandages into his pockets and starting back off on the road, indicating to it to follow. it did, tail lashing quietly behind it. 

dante had seemed to be in uncomfortably good spirits, despite the disturbing atmosphere he had put them in. he whistled some sort of kestrel sailing tune that finn had never bothered to learn as they wound through the streets to the harbor. the sight of the fog rolling off the water onto the shore sent a fresh, cold wave of terror through it. 

“so, finneas,” dante had finally started, his hands tucked away behind his back as he backed out onto one of the piers. “that was quite the stunt you pulled yesterday, thinking you could run off like that.” 

finn’s ears had pinned back to his skull. so that was this was about. of course he would get in trouble for trying to dodge dante’s torment- he either sat through it in the moment or dealt with it coming back around to bite him later. 

“you know what the rules are, don’t you, finn?” dante paced back up the pier to be just a step or two away from their foreheads touching, grabbing finn’s right ear and tugging on it sharply. “or is your mind so much like that of an animal’s that you’ve already forgotten?” 

“no, i- i remember-“ it managed to choke out, ear trying desperately to flick the pressure of dante’s fingers off. dante released it with a pleasant smile, folding his hands behind his back again. 

“very good! ah, but wait-“ the blonde’s smile melted into something much more sinister as he spoke. “-if you knew the rules and still didn’t follow them, that means you were being rude on purpose, weren’t you? you know what happens when you’re rude on purpose, don’t you, finneas?” 

finn hadn’t even conjured the presence of mind to nod. its entire body had gone completely still. the base of its tail still throbbed in pain occasionally from the only other time he’d ever tried to fight back, where dante had punished him by driving a knife into its tail halfway to cutting it off. 

“oh, get that look off your face.” dante had flicked a hand at him, and finn had realized at that moment that he’d produced a small knife. “it wont be nearly so bad as last time. come here.” 

mechanically, it had stepped forward. dante had taken its chin in his hand, tilted its face up. he stared critically down at it for a moment before setting the point of the knife gently at a spot above the right corner of its mouth. “now, this is just to get you used to it. you’ll do the next one yourself.” 

“wh-“ before finn had the chance to get the question properly out of his mouth, dante was yanking the knife down across its face. it screamed without really registering it was doing so, hands immediately flying up to bat dante away from it. the taller boy immediately lashed back out by grabbing its shoulder, holding it firmly in place. 

all it could process was the taste of blood in its mouth. it spit what it could out onto the wood planks, and realized with horror that one of its teeth was sitting in the murky red puddle. finn screwed its eyes shut, valiantly repressing the urge to vomit.

“see, that wasn’t so bad!” dante chirped, sounding like he was having far too much fun. he grabbed one of finn’s hands and pulled it up from where it was balled at its side, then pried its fingers open to deposit the knife there. “now you just do what i did, but start… hm, right about here.” he tapped a spot on its face just below its cheekbone.  

finn stood inert, gripping the handle of the knife with shaking fingers, feeling blood pour down its chin. after a long moment of silence, dante scoffed and struck it hard on the opposite side of its face, waiting until its eyes flew open to speak again. “i told you to do something, finneas. you’re not going to break the rules again, are you?” 

it blinked uncomprehendingly, and he scoffed again. “do as i said. ugh, you’re probably stupid enough to forget where i said to start- here.” he grabbed finn’s wrist and maneuvered it so the point of the knife was again rested on its cheek. “now cut.” 

jaggedly, like it was trying to carry out the action without requiring any cognitive function, finn yanked the knife across its own face. 

it dropped the weapon immediately and started retching, turning around and hunching its shoulders so it could bring its hands up to cover its face. dante didn’t give it a moment of respite, yanking it back around so he could grab its head with both of his hands to observe the incision. 

“good enough,” dante had muttered, and dug around in his pockets for a long moment before thrusting the bandages at the bleeding boy. “clean that up on your own. or don’t, i don’t care.” 

he didn’t exactly remember what had happened after, where he’d gone or who he’d seen or what excuse he’d used to explain how it happened. over time, he’d grown used to muttering a clipped description of a fight with an enemy faction that usually warded off any other curiosity. 

he considered all of these circumstances as he exited his private quarters and wound his way out of the kite dorms, flicking his ear respectfully at a few people on his way out. he needed to go by the beach, clear his head, get his priorities back in order. 

at least, he mused with some confidence as he closed the door behind him, it had an ally on the kestrels now- one that it was surprisingly sure would keep to his word. 

if only that was enough to stop what it surely had coming.  —

haha…. hhhhhey guys, i promise i can explain,

(im sure none if you need the credits at this point but as per usual, inigo is by the ever-lovely and ever-talented miss dizzy! this is more or less a sequel to her post here, which you should absolutely read!!)

[bitsandbobcats]

Day 5: Imposter

    How Felix could stand to wear such stuffy, weird… business-like clothes every day was completely beyond Adrien. And a tie?! 

    I guess he really does take after father in some ways, Adrien thought, adjusting the tie and sending his most Felix-like glare at Nathalie, which was Felix’s regular way of telling her he was leaving the mansion. His heart ached at the unkind expression he was making, but if he did anything out of the ordinary, someone would notice and the ruse would be up.

    Adrien had spent the last two weeks committing his brother's schedule and mannerisms to memory. He had taken every precaution, like turning off Felix’s alarm so that he wouldn’t wake up, and there wouldn’t be two Felixes walking around Paris. He even went so far as to call in a favor with Nathalie to give Felix a late night photoshoot so that he would be extra tired in the morning.

    Adrien pulled out a slip of paper that he had copied from Felix’s planner, which held a very important address: Tom and Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie.

    The reason for Adrien’s expedition was really quite simple. Felix had a girlfriend, and Adrien knew nothing about her. For all he knew, she could be a complete gold-digger taking advantage of his poor, sweet brother (Felix was neither poor nor sweet, but that was beside the point). So, Adrien made it his responsibility to learn about the girl himself.

    It was only a short walk from the mansion before Adrien stood in front of the most uncertain part of his excursion: unfamiliar territory. He had no idea how Felix behaved in front of the family, so he would have to do a bit of improv.

    Time to use those acting lessons you gave me when I was little, Maman, he thought before opening the door.

    “Marinette, Felix is here!” Adrien heard a woman shout from behind the counter. She turned to Adrien.

    “Don’t worry dear, she’ll be down in a minute. Why don’t you take a croissant, just in case you get hungry on your date?” Adrien accepted the pastry with a tiny smile, a perfect replica of one of Felix’s. The woman, who Adrien assumed was Marinette’s mother, seemed satisfied, and went back to the counter.

    Adrien nibbled the corner of the pastry, then found he couldn’t stop. It was heavenly. Felix could marry the girl if it meant that Adrien could have these incredibly things at family gatherings-

    The girl! Remembering the reason for his mission, Adrien quickly got back into character, looking impassively at the stairs. With the creak of a door, someone began to descend the staircase.

    In terms of looks, Felix had found himself a keeper. The girl had dark hair tied back in cute pigtails, with freckles around her button nose. Her clothing looked well-made and tasteful. 

    She immediately spotted him, and ran up to him right away. Adrien was shocked as she wrapped her arms around his middle. Felix always hated touch, but somehow, Marinette Dupain-Cheng must have melted his brother’s icy heart.

    Adrien stiffly and awkwardly hugged her back, saying, “Hello, Marinette, it’s great to see you.”

    The girl released her grip and looked up at him, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

    “What, no ‘Nettie’ for me today, Fé?”

    Shoot, he had completely overlooked pet names! They played a crucial role in the ways couples treated each other, and that was a puzzle piece that Adrien was sorely lacking.

    “Sorry, Nettie.” It felt so wrong to use such a term of endearment with his brother's girlfriend. “I… had a late shoot last night, so I didn’t get much sleep.” His arm instinctively began to move to his neck, but he pushed it back down before Marinette could notice.

    She still looked slightly apprehensive, but she seemed to let it go. 

    “Well, we should probably get going, if we want to be back in time for brunch.”

    They were back in familiar territory. Adrien knew the date plan by heart. Since Felix had a lesson in the afternoon, it was a morning date, culminating in a Saturday brunch with Marinette’s parents. First though, they were going for a walk through the park near the bakery.

    It was a beautiful fall day, warm enough for light jackets, with a light breeze blowing colorful leaves. They walked hand-in-hand, but Marinette never talked. She just serenely walked next to him, eyes closed in contentment. By the time she leaned her head on his shoulder, Adrien had gotten somewhat frustrated. If she didn’t talk at all, how could he learn more about her personality?

    Pulling away, he said, “It’s a lovely day, isn’t it?” Marinette seemed startled, like she hadn’t been expecting him to talk. Maybe she and Felix often went on silent dates to the park. Weird.

    “Uhhh, yeah, it's really pretty. It kinda reminds of… you know…” Marinette blushed slightly, with a little grin forming on her face. Adrien had no idea what she was talking about.

    Marinette looked at him expectantly, but when his silence continued, her expression shifted to concern.

    “Are you feeling okay?” she asked, standing on her tiptoes to feel his forehead. Adrien flinched away. “You seem a little out of it, Fé.”

    “I’m fine, just… late shoot, you know?” They awkwardly stared at each other until Marinette nervously giggled and suggested, “Well, we should probably head back now, right? Don’t want to keep Maman and Papa waiting.” Adrien nodded in agreement, and they started walking back.

    Adrien thoroughly enjoyed the brunch. Not only was the food phenomenal, but Marinette’s parents were delightful, especially Mr. Dupain and his puns. Adrien would have joined in if he wasn’t pretending to be his brother. Even more than that, though, Marinette’s parents were a great source of information about Marinette’s character. Though they might be considered biased by most counts, their testimony combined with the concern that she had shown for him (when she thought that he was Felix) convinced Adrien that she was a perfect partner for his beloved brother. Now he just had to make it to the end of brunch and he would be home free.

    “Well, thanks for having me, but I should really be going. Goodbye… Nettie.”

    Marinette shot up. “Wait! I mean, you haven’t been feeling well, so going home is probably smart, but… could I show you my latest project first? I’ve wanted to show you all week…” Adrien glanced at the door, weighing the choice in his mind. It would be easier for him to just bolt for the door, but his brother loved Marinette. The most in-character thing for him to do would be to follow her. 

    “Alright.”

    She grabbed his hand and led him up a ladder and threw open a trapdoor. 

    “So, you’ll immediately see all the progress I've made since you last saw it-” she began, but Adrien interrupted.

    “W-wait, this is your room… I…” His face flushed dark red. Marinette narrowed her eyes at him. Her voice was low and threatening, barely above a growl.

    “You’re not Felix.”

woah, my first established relationship fic... and felix isn't even in it. oops

Part 1 (Here) | Part 2 (soon)

@felinettenovember

[starredeclipse]

The Raven

(This is a Warrior cat story of my friends and I's fanclan, some of the characters in this story belong to my friend Foxy and some are mine. With her permission (because some of her characters are in the story) I am posting it here. Enjoy!)

PuddleKit as far as he could remember, he had always been normal. Him and his siblings weren't anything special, they weren't gifted and showed no signs of superior traits that would be considered above normal.

Today he hung out with his favorite cat, Puddleshine, there wasn't any sick or injured cats and with so many other medically capable cats. The tom could take at least one day off and a day off he shall take.

PuddleKit came bouncing around the tom excitedly "What are we going to do today?" He meowed energetically which made Puddleshine smile, the old med cat had no plans.

DuskCry had ditched him for Widow again, OmniPine was doing a art project with WillowBloom and AppleSong. HollyMouse was on a family field trip to the farm again and he wasn't really needed soooooo. "I don't know, I don't got any plans" Puddleshine chirped to his namesake. "Whatever you want to do I suppose" he added and PuddleKit gasped "Can we go for a walk in the territory?" The kit asked desperately wanting to explore and discover the world outside his home.

Puddleshine blinked "Oh I don't know about that one…" the tom said hesitantly. He wasn't really sure that was okay but PuddleKit wasn't someone you could deter easily and eventually he managed to convince Puddleshine to take him for a brief five minute walk into the territory and that was it.

"You have to stay close to me and no running off" Puddleshine said seriously and PuddleKit nodded "Okay!" He chirped happily.

He followed the old med cat out of camp and his eyes grew wide as he looked at the unfamiliar things the outside world had. There was so much green the kit almost couldn't process it all.

PuddleKit kept Ooing and Awing at all the plants he's never seen and the scents he's never smelt. He looked at the animal prints in certain areas that kept there shape from yesterdays rain. He saw Raccoon tracks, the tracks of mice and rabbits along with the track of a Blue Jay.

This was supposed to be a five minute walk….

"Puddleshine, what's this plant?" PuddleKit asked as he tried stretching to sniff it.

"Which plant?" Puddleshine asked, he didn't have his sight, he would need the kit to be more specific.

"Uhm, its white with long petals that curl towards the groUUUUUUUU-" When PuddleKits voice got cut off and instead the medicine cat heard what sound more like a startled sound the tom became instantly panicked.

"PuddleKit?!" Puddleshine meowed sniffing the area the kit had been and discovered a hole in the ground and rock that was kit sized "PUDDLEKIT! PUDDLEKIT!" The med cat kept calling into the hole, each call of the kits name became more desperate.

PuddleKit slid down what was similar to a rough slide and landed on a bed of old dried leaves. It was enough to cushion his tumble.

PuddleKit was a bit dizzy when his ride ended, he felt like he had slid for a while.

He eventually sat up and heard Puddleshines voice calling from somewhere "I'm here!" PuddleKit called back a few times and waited for a reply.

Puddleshine let out a sign of relief at hearing the kits voice but now what? What could he possibly do? Upon further inspection this hole was a small cave entrance that he neither could dig or fit through.

Then the tom got a idea, CavernDawn. "I'm going to go get help, stay put" Puddleshine urged before he reluctantly stepped away and hurried back to camp with great urgency. If MalaDove caught wind of this… Puddleshine doesn't know how she would react….

PuddleKit nodded but he didn't want to be left alone! This leaf pile had sharp stuff in it, it hurts his paws and he had to get off of it. "Ow Ow" the kit meowed, it hurt sure but it didn't draw any blood.

He stumbled off of the pile and straight onto…sand? The texture was odd but it was soft under paw, much better than the stabby leaf pile.

The kit sat down, the sand clung to his fur but he didn't seem to mind. However deep down the kit was scared, he was alone, stuck in a hole that he definitely wasn't strong enough to climb back out of.

Puddleshine was going to go get help but stars who knows how long that was going to be. Deeper into the cave he could hear the wind howl but it sounded like….a monster! PuddleKit let out a scared scream hiding his face with his paws, his fur was on edge and he was shaking terribly. The world was so scary to a four moon old kit, he really wished he wasn't alone and then….he wasn't.

He heard a sound….sand moving and then light and gentle hopping, a brief flap of what sounded like wings caused PuddleKit to peak out a eye, he looked at what was in front of him with not fear….but instead with relief? It was a Raven with beautifully blue eyes instead of the dark colored eyes ravens normally had.

PuddleKit has seen ravens before but the adults warned that those kind of birds would gladly pick at the kits bones, going for the soft bits first, not that they ever got graphic with the story or anything.

"A-are you going to pick at my bones?" PuddleKit asked the raven with unsurity.

It looked at him and then a voice feminine and soothing came from the bird "But of course not, You are my friend, my family, my master, I would dare not lay a single claw of ill will towards you" She responded taking the kit by surprise. This one could talk! She could speak of the cats tongue! But how?!

"How…can you talk?" PuddleKit asked her and the bird seemed puzzled by this. "You created me, only seems right that you made me to speak" The Raven replied to him.

"I…did not make you…" PuddleKit said sitting up with hesitance.

The raven looked at him "Are you're paws not touching the soft golden earth?" She asked of him this question.

"Y-yes" PuddleKit said a bit more confidently.

"Didn't you desire to not be alone?" The raven asked the child, her tone never wavered from its soothing ways. PuddleKit felt relaxed….even safe in the birds presence.

He just nodded and she went on "Weren't you scared of the noises?" She asked him. Again he just nodded.

"Then you made me, whether you truly believe it or not, you are my master and you will never be alone ever again." He felt her words were spoken from truth, no hint of lie or deception. He could feel deep down she only told the truth.

PuddleKit relaxed and let the bird lay next to him. She brought him comfort while they waited and suddenly the cave didn't see as scary. "Do you got a name?" He asked his new friend.

"No young master, for you have not given me one yet?" The raven told him.

"I get to name you?" PuddleKit said a bit puzzled. She nodded. He thought for a bit "I'm going to call you Mabel" he chirped to her. She made a sound of approval "Mabel is a beautiful name" she told him and it made him smile.

Puddleshine came back with CavernDawn, he retraced his steps and found the cave entrance "Down there" Puddleshine meowed.

"Alright stand back, I don't want you accidentally falling in" CavernDawn instructed and Puddleshine nodded taking a few steps back.

The warrior pressed his paws into the caves entrance and he made the rock bend opening the entrance wide enough to walk inside, stairs formed as CavernDawn descended until he opened up the main entrance and found the child with the bird.

They both jumped and the raven took flight flying through the large entrance Cavern had made. PuddleKit squeaked for her as CavernDawn picked him up and left the cave closing up the entrance as he walked.

"Young Master, can you hear me?" Mabel asked and the child could hear her clear in his head. 'Yes I can' he thought. "Then I'll meet you back at camp" She told him as she flew.

Puddleshine took PuddleKit from CavernDawn and hugged him saying apologetic words and how worried he was. "Its okay, it was just a accident, I'm okay" PuddleKit reassured him. "Can we go home now?" The kit asked him.

"Yes, of course" Puddleshine meowed but he wasn't sure how he was going to live with himself if something had happened.

For now the three of them went to camp and what PuddleKit saw once he did filled him with horror "Mabel!" He screamed racing forward as Hawkwind landed the killing blow upon the bird "No!" PuddleKit cried at the warrior. Hawkwinds ears pricked at the sound and suddenly sand filled his mouth and he spat it out "What the?!?" Hawkwind spat trying to get the gritty substance out of his mouth. He stopped when he saw tears on PuddleKits cheeks, did he do something wrong?

Hawkwind looked down as he felt something move beneath him, there was a puddle of sand and it…moved?!?

The sand moved reforming the shape it once took…a raven. It was Mabel. "Do not fret young master, I am made out of the golden earth, I cannot die or be killed. Only temporarily disappear" Mabel told PuddleKit as Hawkwinds fur spiked and he backed away from the child and bizarre sand talking bird. Instead he just went back to Silvertail, he was unsure what was going on but he wasn't going to be biting that bird again any time soon. The taste of sand is absolutely terrible.

[workingnahas]

Rob zombie hellbilly deluxe 2 tracklist

Naming his new album Hellbilly Deluxe 2 was an ambitious move on Zombie’s part, and the title definitely created some buzz. So in 2009, three years after creating the pinnacle of mediocrity, it seemed Rob Zombie was ready to release something great once more. I’m serious, that album could be used in literature, or even in textbooks for school, as a description for something overly average. It's not bad, it's not good, it's nothing but average really. For those who are unfamiliar with the album, Educated Horses is a contender for the most mediocre record in the world. Things were seemingly looking good after that, but then Educated Horses happened. The Sinister Urge didn’t have such huge songs like the aforementioned "Dragula" and "Superbeast", but as an album which flows well from start to finish, Zombie is yet to match it. Not that good of a score, aye? After the disappointing, yet critically acclaimed Hellbilly Deluxe, Zombie released The Sinister Urge, his best work to date. The good tracks on Hellbilly Deluxe include "Dragula", "Superbeast", "Demonoid Phenomenon" and maybe even "Living Dead Girl", but that’s about it - the rest sounds like filler. I just can’t understand how it’s regarded as a shock rock classic by some. I never got the appeal of Rob Zombie’s infamous debut album, Hellbilly Deluxe. Review Summary: Hellbilly Deluxe 2 is most definitely better than the snoozefest that was Educated Horses, but is that really saying much? Robert VerBruggen is an associate editor at National Review. But anyone who doesn't mind losing a few IQ points to the man's pointless-but-catchy music will feel right at home in the grisly grooves on offer here. If you haven't been in the Zombie camp since the first Hellbilly, Hellbilly 2 probably won't draw you in. "Burn" features guttural nu-metal vocals that went out of style years ago. And while there's nothing wrong with "Virgin Witch" or "Dream Factory," per se, they're not great songs and bring absolutely nothing to the table stylistically. The acoustic intro to "Mars Needs Women" is promising, but the mind-numbingly stupid chorus sinks the whole track. Zombie still hasn't completely shaken his tendency toward filler, however. "The Man Who Laughs" is ten minutes of synthesized strings, guitar, and even a lengthy drum solo, but it works surprisingly well. "Werewolf Women of the SS" is a lot of fun in that classic Rob Zombie kind of way. The vocal effects on "Cease to Exist" are a bit much, but the song adds a psychedelic feel to the record. "Werewolf, Baby" is a pleasant surprise with its slide-guitar riffs and almost classic-rock feel. "What?" has a creepy circus feel, and it could almost fit on Marilyn Manson's Portrait of an American Family. Then comes "Sick Bubblegum," which is equally catchy but feels too much like a rehash of countless other songs. The record starts out with "Jesus Frankenstein," a slow, catchy metal track with some killer guitar riffs. This isn't an album-of-the-year contender by any means-too many of the songs are just paint-by-numbers Zombie tracks, with throbbing power chords, audio clips from old horror movies, and growled vocals-but for those who've been along for the ride so far, it's not a bad buy at all. The industrial touches of the first Hellbilly are still dead and gone, and he's still exploring some new musical territory once in a while. Contrary to what the title would suggest, this is not a return to Zombie's older days. Over the course of his next two releases, The Sinister Urge and Educated Horses, Zombie became more consistent and ambitious, but his best songs never again quite equaled the megahits on Hellbilly Deluxe. His first record, Hellbilly Deluxe, featured simplistic musicianship and a lot of filler, but it had a few tracks-"Dragula," "Superbeast," and especially "Living Dead Girl"-that were so infectious they more than made up for the album's flaws. Since departing the inimitable White Zombie, Rob Zombie has had a spotty music career.

[sunflowerdaisybee]

In The Woods | Technoblade X Reader

Summary: Technoblade meets an odd person while looking for his horse

Genre: None really :/

Pronouns: They/Them 

A huff escaped Technoblade's lips as he searched for Carl, the horse had gotten spooked and ran off into unfamiliar territory. Techno was quick to go after the horse but Carl was most definitely faster.

"Fuck, how far did he run?" Techno took a second to stop and look around, hoping to spot the horse somewhere within the trees.

"If you're looking for the horse he's down by the creek over there." The voice chimed out from behind the piglin, prompting him to turn around. With no hesitation, he swung his sword at you, though rather than connecting with your figure his sword whipped right through a gathering of butterflies.

"That's not very nice, I was simply trying to help you." Your voice came from his side this time and again with no hesitation he swung. And once again he hit nothing and instead was met with a swarm of fluttering butterflies.

"Who the hell are you?" Technoblade frantically looked around, though there was no one in sight. His aggravation only intensified, not only was Carl missing but now he was being punked by some random jerk.

"Well maybe if you weren't constantly trying to kill me I'd tell you." Technoblade looked upwards, finally seeing you rather than butterflies. You were sat atop one of the higher branches in a nearby tree, legs swinging lazily and gaze trained down on him.

Watching him carefully you jumped from the branch, landing on the ground too softly for his liking.

"What the fuck are you?" Techno raised his sword, pointing it in your direction.

"First it was who am I and now it's what am I. You never seem to stop asking questions. Well since you're oh so eager to know, I am (y/n) god of all living creatures. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance Technoblade, god of blood." Rather than lower his sword Technoblade only raised it higher and got more angered.

"How do I know you aren't lying, and how do you know who I am?" With a sigh, you stepped forward and moved the sword away from your face, only for Techno to put it right back where it was.

"Well obviously turning into butterflies and jumping from great heights isn't something that just anyone could do, and I know who you are because I've spoken with a little birdie friend of yours." You let out a soft laugh, finding humor in his distress.

"You know Philza?" Techno lowered his sword, but still kept his guard up in case of a surprise attack.

"Well of course, what other bird would I be talking about? Anyways back to your horse." You let out a long and loud whistle, then simply stood there for a moment.

"What was that?" Though before you even needed to answer, Carl came galloping into view.

"Carl!" Technoblade was quick to greet his four-legged friend, glad that he was ok. Upon turning around though Techno found that you were nowhere in sight. Where did you go? Were you even real in the first place?

Deciding not to think on it too much Technoblade hoped onto Carl and started on the ride home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Getting home was easy, as was putting Carl away. Though what made going into his home so difficult was that white letter taped to his door. The envelope had no markings on the outside, the only key to who it came from being the butterfly stamped into the wax seal.

Rather than go into his own home Technoblade marched over, and into, Philza's home. Not even bothering to shed his cape or boots Techno marched right over to where Phil stood in the kitchen and started speaking.

"Have you ever met a god by the name (y/n)? They're the good of all the animals or something like that?" A surprised look crossed Phil's face before he nodded and smiled.

"Ah yes, I do remember someone like that, though it's been a while so we've talked last. Why do you ask?"

"Because I met them today. They knew who I am and helped me find Carl, that's not why I'm here though. They somehow left this letter at my door and I want to know why."

"Well did you read it? How are you so sure it's them?" Phil looked at the envelope in Technoblade's hands and quirked a brow.

"I know it's them because of this," Techno raised the letter and pointed to the wax seal.

"It's the same butterfly as the ones they turned into. And, uh no I didn't even think to read it, just came right over here." Technoblade contemplated reading it, what reason would you have for sending him a letter anyway.

In one swift motion, Philza reached over and yanked the letter from his hands. Now with it in his own hands, Phil immediately opened the envelope and pulled out the paper inside. Though before he could unfold and read what it said, it was yanked from him by Techno.

"The letter's for me, not you." With that said Techno cast his gaze downwards towards the paper, might as well read it now.

The letter was short, only a few lines written on the paper. In summary, it said that (y/n) was thankful for Techno's appearance and that they stop by sometime soon, whether intentionally or not.

After reading that letter Techno handed it to Phil, he was sure the winged man would want to read it anyways.

"Hm, maybe you should." Techno looked confused at Phil's words.

"Should what?"

"Go visit, not only will the change in scenery be nice but it would be nice for you to have a friend."

"I have friends."

"Not counting me and the syndicate." Technoblade rolled his eyes, what does he need friends for. He has Phil, the dogs, Carl, and the syndicate, he doesn't need anything more.

With a quick goodbye, Techno grabbed the letter and left. Though as he undressed and changed into nightwear for the night he couldn't help but think of (y/n). Technoblade had never read anything about them in any books or heard any stories about a nature god by that name.

With one final sigh, the piglin climbed into bed, determined to find out if you are who you really claim to be.

[rainydaydream-gal18]

(The Bad Batch) Crosshair x Reader: Comfort Zone

   (Author’s Note:  It was requested I do a hurt/comfort fic with Crosshair, and I happened to have a shelved project very similar, so this request was my motivation to get it done!  Thank you, @leia-saveourskins!

Enjoy!)

   Crosshair wasn’t quite sure what to do when he heard your cries on the other side of the door.  He had only been walking past to head to his quarters when the unfamiliar sound caught his attention, realizing only after a short pause what it was.  His first instinct was to avoid, to pretend he hadn’t heard it in the first place.  Crosshair didn’t consider himself an expert on dealing with that sort of thing anyway.  He didn’t know how to comfort someone other than with a subtle nod or resting his hand on their shoulder.  That’s how he managed to get by when it came to the rest of the squad.  With you, it wasn’t the same.

   Hunter was better with that sort of thing, Crosshair thought.  Or Wrecker.  Even Tech would be a more recommended person to comfort you.  The only issue was the three of them had left the ship a while ago for supplies in a nearby village.  There was a chance that they wouldn’t be back yet for some time.  Plus, part of him didn’t want it to be any of them in the end.  He wanted to be the one even if he had no idea how.

    Crosshair groaned, rolling his eyes to no one in particular.  Before he knew it, he was knocking swiftly on your door.  The crying ceased on the other side.  Silence fell over the space until he cleared his throat.

   “_________?” he grunted through the door, pausing to listen.  “Are you in there?”

   Of course he knew you were in there.  He figured he’d give you the opportunity to stay quiet if you chose and endure whatever it was on your own.  For a moment, he thought you were going to take advantage of the opportunity, and he’d be on his way.  However, that changed when your voice croaked on the other side.

   “Cross?  Do you need something?”

   His shoulders sank as he exhaled.  Part of him melted a little at the thought of you offering your help even though you clearly weren’t okay.  That was just the sort of person you were.  Not to mention you used his nickname.  

   “No,” he replied.  Several seconds passed in silence as he waited for you to say something else, but it occurred to him that there was no reason for you to.  After all, he had been the one to knock on your door.  Before he could find the words, the door slid open.  You stood there and looked at him with signs of your hurt written on your face.  Your lips were turned up in a smile that didn’t quite reach your eyes, which were glistening with tears that you kept at bay.  A shiny wet streak stretched across your cheek where you had wiped a few that had fallen already.

   “Don’t mind me,” you told him quickly, swiping the back of your hand across your face again.  “I’m just having a bad day.”  You didn’t attempt to hide your state.  In your mind, there was no need to around Crosshair.  You knew he wouldn’t pay it any mind.  You merely wanted to help him with whatever it was that had him knocking at your door- especially since it didn’t happen very often.  “Are you sure there isn’t something you need?”

   “Are you...okay?”  The question was spoken slowly, as if he were speaking a foreign language.  You weren’t sure what you had been expecting, but that certainly wasn’t it.  His stare hadn’t relented.  “You were crying.”

   It took you a minute or so before you knew how to respond.  His concern, if that’s what it was, was unforeseen.  You considered playing the situation down and just giving him an “I’m fine” so he could be on his way.  But if there was anything you learned about working with the Bad Batch, it was a family of perceptive individuals.  Sometimes you’d put on a smile for the others, and they’d play along, even though you knew that they knew.  But in that moment, with Crosshair standing in front of you with those sharp eyes of his, it didn’t feel like the time to do that.

   “Well if I’m being honest,” you said finally, flashing another half-hearted smile.  “I’m not okay.”

   Crosshair exhaled quietly.  He knew you were in distress, and there you were standing in front of him admitting it, but that was only half the battle.  How could he make you feel better?  What in the universe could he do that would make the tears stop falling?  Or even put a smile on your face?  Again, it seemed like Wrecker territory.  Crosshair thought back to the last time your expression had fallen in front of the others.  Wrecker had wrapped his arms around you and lifted you off the ground in a big embrace, causing laughter to spill from your lips.  He remembered the pang in his chest even though he got to see you smile.  He wished it had been him to make it happen.  Maybe it was time to take a page from his brother’s book.

   You had begun to feel uneasy about admitting your hurt to the most stoic of the Bad Batch when, out of nowhere, he opened his arms toward you, and for a split second, you stared at them in confusion.  Your eyes travelled back up to meet his expectant look.

   “What…?”  Before you could finish your question, he took a few steps forward and began to close his arms around your form.  Eyes wide with surprise, your cheek was pressed into his shoulder as he tightened the embrace in a firm, but comforting way.  You finally responded, wrapping your arms around his lean torso.  

   He was so warm.  It was the kind of warmth that affected you inside and out.  Crosshair could be a difficult man to read on the surface.  He was more comfortable with showing irritation or anger.  Displays of the more tender emotions he held for his squad were subtle, so subtle that you might not notice them at first.  For him to step out of his comfort zone in that moment spoke volumes to you.

   “It’s...going to be alright,” he drawled.  “I’m here.”  The tears had started again at his gesture.  You found yourself just sinking into the hug and taking deep breaths.  Crosshair kept holding you with patience as the hurt passed.

   “Thank you,” you spoke into the shoulder of his blacks.  “I needed this.”

    He pulled away only slightly to look at you.  Your head was swimming with many feelings as both of you locked eyes.  Suddenly, you felt his arms hold you tighter as you were lifted off the ground.  Your laughter filled the hall as he held you suspended for a moment before bringing you back down.  Crosshair’s lips were turned up in a smile, but he hadn’t released you.

   He watched your reaction, your eyes bright and mouth forming a wide smile.  That was what he wanted.  That was what he was hoping for.  Your smile was like cool water on a desert planet to him.  Crosshair held your gaze for a few more moments until you broke eye contact to lean into his shoulder once more, a breathy chuckle escaping your lips.

   “Really, thank you.”

   He ran a hand from between your shoulder blades to the middle of your back in another soothing gesture.  “I know I’m not the best at this.  Wrecker probably has me beat.”

   “He’s great,” you said.  “But in my opinion, this is the best.”

   His chest swelled a bit after hearing that.  Both of you pulled away from the embrace, fighting the desire to linger.  Crosshair’s expression remained soft, his features smoothed by the tender exchange.

   “Want some caf?” you asked, breaking the silence that had settled between you two.  “I think Tech said there was some left, even if it isn’t a whole lot.  It’ll be restocked when the others get back.”

   He hummed in agreement.  “Sure.”

[mistersshelby]

I have an idea for the story. So, maybe Thomas Shelby would be invited to a party to do some business but all of the guests would be speaking in different language (unfamiliar to Thomas) and he would ask the reader to come to the party to translate it (she would be almost native to it) and the guests would hit on her all the time and even though Tom and reader are not together he would be veeeeeeery jealous of her!!! (We love some good jealous Thomas) It’s just an idea, I hope you liked it! 😊

sorry this took so long!! hope you like it! also just disclaimer i don't actually speak german anything i used here i used google translate for so i'm sorry if it's incorrect!!

masterlist

questions, comments, concerns

“Business with the Germans?” You frown, “I didn’t know you worked with the Germans.”

“The alliance is new. Will you do it?” You’re sitting across from Tommy in his office and he looks rather bored, “I’ll pay you extra.”

You smirk, “Can I get a new dress?”

He sighs, “Sure.”

“Okay.” You fold your hands in your lap, “I’ll do it.”

“Great.” He says dismissively, “I’ll pick you up at 7.” He pushes some cash across his desk, “Go pick out a dress.”

You eagerly take the cash and leave his office. Tommy never took you on business. You had always hoped he would, but you knew for the most part he only ever asked you to check over the books for him, needing your patience and attention to detail. But now, now he needed your German. And you got to wear a pretty dress.

Tommy was silent as he drove you to the party. The only instructions he gave were to not let anyone know that you spoke German, at least at first. Easy enough. After being in Birmingham for so long you were more capable of sounding like a native Brummie than a German anyway. Though your mother had left Germany with you long before the Great War, you knew the way the Brits saw Germans and so you had removed every trace of your native country from yourself.

“You’re German.” Tommy had said the day you sat across from him, to apply for the secretarial position.

“Yes.” You swallowed tightly. You knew a decorated war vet like Tommy was highly unlikely to hire a German, but you had to try. You were out of money and you needed a job.

“When did you leave your home country?”

“1910, sir.”

“And who did you support in the war?”

You opened and closed your mouth, “I was still quite a young girl then, sir, I knew nothing of politics.”

He carefully leaned forward at his desk and folded his hands in front of him. You avoided his eyes, “Which side?”

“I supported the Allied Forces, sir. I like living here, I supported my new home.” You say quietly, still unable to meet his eyes.

“You don’t sound German.” He says.

You look up at that, “When the war started I made sure I sounded like true Brummie. I think you know what patriotic men do to women from the enemy country.” You recalled a memory of being backed into an alley by two Englishmen who had heard you mutter something in German while in a shop. “I rarely speak German anymore.”

“But you can?”

“Yes,” You say and smile sadly, “Sprechen erinnert es mich an meine Mutter.”

He had no idea what you had just said, but it made no difference, “Good.” He took out a cigarette and lit it, “You’re hired.”

You think now as you sit in this car that even all that time ago, Tommy must have foreseen that he would need someone around who spoke German. 

Though you had looked forward to this party all evening, you felt like your heart was going to burst out of your chest as Tommy walked you inside, “Stay close to me and just listen.” Is all he says and you manage a nod.

Hearing the cacophony of German as you entered the room nearly brought you to tears. You loved England and were proud to be English now, but you hadn’t been in a room with so many Germans since you were barely a girl and the nostalgia rushed through you. You thought of family parties, your father sneaking you a sip of beer when your mother wasn’t looking, the smell of her potato pancakes filling the whole house.

“Are you alright?” Tommy asked, noticing the expression on your face.

You shook off the memories, “Fine.”

Tommy grabbed two champagne flutes off the waiter’s tray and handed one to you as an older man approached him, flanked by two associates.

He spoke to Tommy in heavily accented English about a deal. It didn’t concern you and they were speaking English so you directed your attention elsewhere and found there were several sets of eyes on you. You were one of maybe two women that were in the room currently and you found yourself sweating beneath their predatory gazes.

And then one of the associates of the man who spoke to Tommy said something lowly and German and you had to hide your blush. Tommy sensed your change in behavior and forced a smile, “Excuse us a moment,” He takes your arm and drags you from the room, “What did he say?”

You open and close your mouth, “Tommy, it had nothing to do with the business, it’s fine.”

He narrows his eyes at you, “They said something about you. They know you’re German.”

You sigh, “No, but with the way you just pulled me out of there, I’m sure they do now.”

“What did he say?” He repeats.

You chewed the inside of your cheek and sighed, “They want to have a go at me as well in addition to… The weapons that you seem to be selling them.”

He stares at you and then nods, “You can let them know you speak German now.” And then walks back to the men without waiting for you.

You frown to yourself and then walk back to Tommy. When you return, they’re speaking business again and the one who suggested he wanted to fuck you stares you down again. You look away.

He elbows the man talking to Tommy, “Sag ihm, ich will Zeit mit seiner Hure oder es wird keinen Deal geben.” Tell him I want time with his whore or there will be no deal.

You finally look at him, the disgust evident on your face, “Ich bin keine Hure und wenn du mich berührst, werde ich sicherstellen, dass du mit einer Hand weniger gehst.” 

The men pale and Tommy leans to your ear, “What just happened?”

“He insisted on fucking me and I told him if he touched me he’d leave without his hand.”

Tommy couldn’t hide the smirk on his face as he turned back to the Germans who still had yet to regain their color.

“You brought a German with you?” The first one said.

“Well, I didn’t want to be at a disadvantage seeing as I’m the only Englishman here, surely you understand. It appears you’ve upset her as well,” He clicks his tongue, “That’s not a very good idea.”

“My men are not afraid of your small woman, Mr. Shelby, and they still feel that since you brought her here she is fair game--”

“I think she made it perfectly clear that no one will be laying a hand on her,” He stepped to the man, “You may not be afraid of her, but you should be very afraid of me. And I don’t take kindly to my associates being disrespected.” He steps back, “Now we can resume the business or we’re leaving. Your choice.”

“You forget, Mister Shelby, that you are outnumbered here.”

Tommy smiles, nodding, “You think I would come alone. I brought a German with me, none of you thought to consider that I would prepare in that way. Do you really want to take the gamble that no one else is with me?”

The Germans hesitantly looked around the room. You were fairly certain Tommy was bluffing, but he could have men waiting outside that he hadn’t told you about. If you were the Germans, you wouldn’t take the gamble. Tommy was fuckin’ ruthless, you’d witnessed it first hand, but he was also clever as hell. Could probably outsmart every person in this room. You would never bet against him.

Suddenly, the Germans smile, “Why don’t you and your woman enjoy the party, eh? The business can wait.”

Tommy stares for a moment before smirking, “Pleasure, gentlemen.” And then he leads you away.

You exhale in relief and Tommy notices, “I’m sorry.”

“No,” You frown, “No, don’t be sorry.” And then you smile, “This is the most alive I’ve felt in years.”

He manages a small smile, but it doesn’t reach his eyes, “Go enjoy yourself, then. We’ll leave in an hour or two.” And then he’s gone before you can protest.

Before you know it, there’s another man next to you. He has kind eyes, “Sprichst du Deutsch?” He asks.

You nod, offering him a shy smile, “Ja.”

Tommy had disappeared into a dark corner, perplexed by the sudden feeling he needed to protect you, needing to drown it in alcohol. He was watching you still, the easy way you talked to the men who ate up your smiles and shy glances. You were kind, good. And yet, when you bit back at those Germans like a Rottweiler he thought maybe you had been hiding something from him. These men would rue the day they underestimated you, he was sure of it. He was beginning to regret it himself especially as he saw the glint of a knife tucked away in your hair disguised as a clip, something he certainly had not told you to bring.

They all eat you up, and you’re polite, but you keep looking around the room. Looking for more suitable men or looking for him? He lets himself imagine the latter and then feels incredibly stupid for even wanting it. Wanting you. And the want and the jealousy only grows as he keeps drinking and you laugh at some joke the German toff next to you had recited. You even reach out a hand to rest on his arm. Tommy’s hand tightens on his glass.

And then when he leans over to whisper in your ear, his lips fall to your neck. You don’t push him away and the roaring in Tommy’s ears is deafening. He wants you to reach for that knife in your hair and cut him, but instead you lean into his touch, your eyelids fluttering with pleasure. 

That’s the final straw. Tommy cracks his neck each way before standing. He walks over to you calmly and clears his throat from behind and you jump, spinning to look at him. “Tommy, I--”

“Are you having fun, love?” His tone becomes territorial and the toff is already frowning. Good. But you’re also frowning at the endearment. He doesn’t blame you, he hadn’t paid much attention to you before tonight.

You frown, “Yes.” You say firmly. He almost raises his eyebrows at the challenge in your voice.

“Go and fuck off now.” He says to the toff, not taking his eyes off you.

“I, but, we were just--” The toff starts and you begin smirking.

“Yes, Tommy,” You continue, “We were just getting to know each other, did you need me for something?” He can see in your eyes you’re aware of the effect you’ve had on him tonight and you’re enjoying this. You’d push him over the edge if you could. He had gravely misjudged you.

“You’d like to continue talking with the toff?”

“Oh, Tommy,” You lower your voice, “We were doing much more than just talking.” There’s deadly rage in his eyes and it delights you.

“Brauchst du mich, um ihn loszuwerden?” Do you need me to get rid of him?

You laugh, still looking at Tommy, “Oh nein, Liebling, du würdest dich nur umbringen lassen.” Oh no, darling, you’d only get yourself killed.

“What are you saying to him?” Tommy asks coldly.

You ignore his question, “What would you do if I kissed him right now?” You whisper in Tommy’s ear.

He looks at you with such disdain, you’re unsure if maybe you crossed the line. “Do you want him dead?” Tommy asks quickly in Romani. You had spent enough time with the Shelbys to pick up some words here and there and he knew you would understand. 

You stare him down for a few moments, the poor toff still waiting behind you. Finally, you sigh and turn to him, “I’m terribly sorry, but I must be going.” You tell him in English, “It was lovely to meet you.” You don’t kiss him on the mouth, but you do kiss his cheek lightly and it takes everything in Tommy not to pull that knife out of your hair himself and cut him.

You walk out without waiting for the toff or Tommy and as he walks behind you he thinks of all the ways he’ll give you hell for what you did in there. When you’re outside, he catches up to you and grabs your arm, backing you against the wall. He grips your throat with his hand, enough that it should scare you, but not enough to make it hard to breathe.

But you only look at him defiantly, that smirk still on your face, “If I had known it was this easy to make Tommy Shelby squirm I would’ve done this ages ago.” You said.

He can’t answer you, can’t think of anything but that mouth, that dirty, cursed mouth. And so he covers it with his own. His kiss is rough and angry and his hand tightens around your throat enough to make you gasp, but he can feel you’re still smiling. You like it. That only arouses him further.

“You’re fuckin’ evil.” He says into your mouth and you moan when he tightens his hand again, “Will you come to bed with me?”

He pulls away from you the smallest bit to read your face. “Yes,” You say breathlessly.

He leans in for one more hungry kiss before pulling you roughly by the wrist to the car. His hand wandering up your thigh throughout the drive home. It was probably the best night of your adult life.