#Weekly Anime Round-Up

[bakugoushotwife]

kinktober day four: voyeurism kink

>>> guys can you tell i have a choso fantasy or do i need to write another five thousand word fic to prove it i'm sobbing and actually in love with him fr. it took me days to write this bc i was just too feral.

>>> starring: choso kamo x curvy!fem!reader >>> cw: roommate choso, hung like a horse choso, virgin choso, voyeurism clearly, petnames, masturbation, cowgirl, implied multiple rounds, choso whimpers you're so welcome, choso smokes a blunt grow up >>> wc: 4.8k >>> event masterlist

this whole roommate ordeal seemed easy enough. you had a spare room in your condo, yuji had a spare brother that needed a place to stay after graduation. it worked out perfectly, as you weren’t too keen on having a rando move in. though the half-curse was little more than that, really. you had only come in contact with choso briefly, seeing him move through the halls of jujutsu tech in search of the very brother that recommended him to you. he was intimidating, tall and broad with a look of disinterest across his face every time you ran into him. yuji had told you that he wasn’t necessarily unfriendly, just unsure, so you were weary to approach him once he moved into the spare room. you didn’t want to overdo it, you would hate to make him uncomfortable with all these changes he was getting accustomed to. so for the first three months or so, you two would only exchange pleasantries and nod respectfully, two strangers sharing an address and lingering curious stares. then, one morning you offered to make him breakfast, and you two settled into a comfortable friendship after that. 

Nowadays, nearly a year later, the living area was actually used and shared. you watched recommended shows together, introduced each other to your favorite movies, and oftentimes just sat in each other’s presence on the couch; on your phones, playing nintendo switch games, or passing choso’s best attempt at a blunt between you while shit talking your neighbors with your legs in his lap. you even encouraged him to invest in a real gaming setup, where he plays a host of different games for hours while you sit contently in the bean bag chair stationed nearby in his room, reading or crafting or just watching from time to time. the more comfortable he became, the more fun he was to be around. he was no longer shy to ask you to sit with him while he plays or to inquire about your latest book and his smiles and conversations flowed more freely. 

he enjoys your presence. it’s easy to be around you. he wonders why. even with all the progress he had made with you, he was still terribly awkward around new people and his social battery was limited. he never got tired of hanging out with you though, in fact, he craves it always. yuji says that it’s because you’re pretty, which choso can’t disagree with, though his brother’s statement irritates him for no good reason. 

he finds himself wondering if his brother knows you the way he does, silly things about you like which animal crossing character you would reincarnate as or the fact you hate grape flavored anything—it all tastes like cough syrup!--he can hear you say. no, he gets to see the real you, the one you reserve just for him. so yuji can think you’re pretty all he wants, but he’s the one who gets to see your breathtaking smiles in reaction to something he said.

“bro?! still there–or are you too busy being jealous?” yuji snickers, relishing in the match he made. he knew choso would wake up with a babe like you walking around. 

“you’re a child. and a dick.” he huffs, aggravated by his spacey sibling’s acute sense of his feelings. “goodbye.” he taps to end their weekly gaming marathon facetime two hours short out of annoyance, confronted with the silence of his bedroom and his questioning thoughts about you. jealous? as much as he hated to admit it, maybe he was. he couldn't even picture the thought of you being with someone else, try as he might. did that mean he wanted to be that person? your person? he’s so confused, but he knows even if he’s embarrassed he can talk to you about it. you could help him work through his feelings and come to a solution. even if the feelings were about you, he knows you would always be honest with him. he sighs, deciding to make his way to your room down the hall. 

you two didn’t spend a lot of time apart now that the bond had been created, and you were more than alright with that routine, because on fridays, choso holed up in his room for five straight hours to facetime yuji and play video games giving you some much needed time to yourself. you always started with a long and intricate shower, doing all your different exfoliants and masks. then you’d touch up your nails and give yourself a total spa treatment, finishing up by putting on your cutest little panties and releasing some of the pent up sexual frustration for your roommate that you keep under lock and key for the same reasons you were hesitant to cross into friendship territory all those months ago: you don’t want to scare him away. 

so you settle for your own small hands cupping your chest and pinching at your nipples, trying to picture him. It’s choso’s large and veiny hands that run down your sides and spread your legs instead of your own toying with your underwear. you can smell the versace eros cologne he wears wafting through your nose, almost able to hear his gravelly voice in your ear praising you for doing so good. it’s almost embarrassing how easy it is to conjure the image of him sinking between your thighs, lust pooling in his violet eyes. you’re soaked already, feeling the fabric of your panties sticking to your cunt just at your active imagination. you peel them off, hissing as cold air blows across your middle, but your fingers quickly find the heat of your hole, gathering that natural lube to flick your clit with. your eyes are closed—whining helplessly already at the sensation you bring yourself with him in mind. it’s nowhere near the real deal, but the bliss is good enough to lull pants of his name from your mouth, body light as air.

choso doesn’t think anything of your closed door. you told him you keep it closed to let him have his space, not wanting him to feel like you’re watching or eavesdropping on him while he’s on the phone. especially as he got close enough to reach for your door handle, hearing you call his name. you sounded…strained? in all honesty he was worried. so he doesn’t hesitate to push the door open a bit, peeking to check. his heart drops into his stomach at the sight of you naked on your bed. you’re stunning. he’s seen pictures of other women—and yuji showed him a few websites—but your body was second to none. his hand flew to cover his immediate hard on, shocked you hadn’t noticed him yet. fuck, you are gorgeous, one hand squeezing at your breast, the other playing around in that squelching noise he hears between your legs. he fights the urge to moan aloud or announce his presence, and he’s ashamed of himself. he feels like he’s betraying your trust, but his dick keeps growing in his pants at the chants of his name spilling out of your lips. he watches as your legs jerk and your head falls back against your pillow, making him think you were almost done. he had to get out before you saw him or felt his unique energy so close to you. he’s panting as he shuts the door quietly, turning the knob just so it wouldn’t alert you. 

his dick hurts as he makes it just one room down—the bathroom. perfect. he turns the shower on immediately, stripping his clothes off like they were on fire. he had set out to talk to you, to be completely honest about the thoughts he had been having, but seeing you like that did things to him words could not. he’s been horny before, of course, and dealt with that the way single human men do. but this—the desire coursing through his veins—this was different. so different. everything was clear now, he needed you. he stands with his back under the water, whimpering as his dick throbs to the mental image of your glistening pussy and blissed out face. he can’t help but close his fist around the his wide shaft, stuttering out a sigh in relief. he strokes himself to the same rhythm you moved your fingers, imagining how that pace would feel with your wet and warm cunt hugging him in instead of the rough surface of his hand. his other hand keeps him braced on the shower wall, steadying him through the searing heat the promises of your touch seem to be; to think that you were calling for him, thinking of him in the way he thinks of you now felt like a dream. he had to be hearing things, that’s the only excuse the man can summon. water beads down his biceps and chest, and it just makes his dirty deed all that much more so, fucking into his fist until his load is running down the side of the tub, the pearly beads getting swept away in the water and carried down the drain. he tosses his head back in the shower stream, his long black strands sticking to his face and neck as he tries to rinse away his shame. 

that night, choso doesn’t come out of his room to watch a movie with you before bed. you pout, but try not to linger on it too long. maybe yuji took a lot out of him today, or they didn’t have a successful time on and he was moody. either way, you weren’t going to bother him. you hang out on the couch like usual with the hopes that he would emerge soon, but as your bedtime nears and everything remains still, you slink off to your room with a sour mood to end an otherwise normal day.

as the days pass, choso’s behavior gets weirder and weirder. it’s almost as if he’s completely reverted inside his shell he made when he moved in, only emerging to get food when he had hoped you weren’t around. the times in which he did inevitably run into you were dealt in nervous laughter and denials that anything was wrong with him. it didn’t take a genius to figure out that he was lying, hiding something from you even. you were slightly hurt that he didn’t trust you enough to talk to you, instead of going backwards and shutting you out. you wanted to wait it out, but as the days turned into a full week, you feared losing him altogether. 

you stewed over the situation the entire time you were at work. you couldn’t even get anything accomplished because you were too preoccupied wondering what you had done to wound your connection. spending your days alone was maddening. a little over a year ago, you would have relished in the peace and quiet, but now it was unwelcome. you only wanted quiet if it was filled with the subtle sounds of pages turning or the buttons of a controller smashing or shared breathing during the climax of a show. this was haunting, and you knew you had to do something. you left work early, faking a stomach ache in order to get home and corner choso into relenting. no more miss nice roommate. you were tired of letting him be all weird and distant. so you walked in unceremoniously, not necessarily out to scare him. you shake your sandals off by the door and walk towards his room, noting that his door was actually open for once. 

that was only because you weren’t supposed to be home for three and a half more hours, giving choso plenty of time to relive his dirty fantasies of you with the least amount of guilt possible, though he could barely look you in the eye these days. if you weren’t home, he could at least not worry about you catching him in his perverted acts, only dealing with the shame that flows in after he’s came for the millionth time to the image of your legs quivering and mouth parting in pleasure. he didn’t hear you sneak in–didn’t hear you shuffle down the hall to poke your head around the doorframe. he was dead to the outside world, his hips stuttering into his hand, thumb swiping the pre-cum that beaded there around his slit, stroking himself with whimpers of your name tumbling out, his eyes scrunched tight in concentration. 

your jaw was on the floor, never in a million years imagining that he even knew how to touch himself like that, not to mention the prayers of your name on his tongue, mirroring the ones you make for him on fridays. he was massive, it had you covering your mouth in shock. even with his huge hand, it seemed like pumping himself was a tall task. you couldn’t imagine trying to do it yourself, you’re not even sure two hands would do the trick— you must have gasped aloud or something, because suddenly his head snaps toward where you stand in the doorway. 

“y/n–you’re–” his dark eyes are wide, his lips parted in realization that you had really caught him jerking off and mewling your name like a helpless perv. as the guilt starts to creep in, the haze of need and desire clouds his mind. he never lets go of himself, all too aware of your lip between your teeth and your hardened nipples poking through your top—no, you shouldn’t be seeing this, you shouldn’t even be home yet! not to mention how ashamed you should be of your own roommate rutting into his hand.

“...i’m home.” you whisper back, a slight smirk creeping onto your face. despite the red blush spreading across his cheeks, he keeps fucking up into his hand. it’s salacious, and you can feel your body responding to the sight, unsurprisingly. you’ve been picturing him naked for months, and not even your lewd imagination gave him justice. every plane on his body was sculpted and defined, thick veins running down his arms and thighs and cock. he left his hair down, some of the strands tucked behind his ear, some of them hung over his brows and cheekbones. he gulped when he noticed your stare, your eyes locked on the thick cock in his hand, curved with an angry and needy tip. 

“y/n, i’m so so sorr–” he scrambles to sit up, the heavy reality finally sinking in. he was awful, sick in the head, you were going to have him pack his shit immediately, and he’d have to tell all his friends why you had gotten rid of him. 

“need some help?” you spit out, unable to tolerate the pounding in your chest and pussy. his eyes grow impossibly wider, blood rushing in his ears. did he understand you right? he couldn’t possibly. 

“wh-what?” he sputtered, sitting up slightly to try and hide himself from view a bit, as if you hadn’t seen every bit of him already. 

“i asked if you wanted my help. you were saying my name, weren’t you?” you tease gently, stepping further into his room, your hands innocently folded behind your back. now that you know your desire is shared, you felt confident enough to push your relationship further yet again. he nods hesitantly, watching you stalk over to the bed like a lioness about to pounce.

“i–yes, it’s not what you think. i know it looks–” 

“like you were jacking off and thinking about me? is that not…what you were doing?” you hum, pausing by the foot of his bed. you look so cute, he has to believe you know what you’re doing, folding your arms under your voluptuous chest just to taunt him a bit more. you have him backed into a corner, and he either had to admit the truth or come up with a very clever lie. and he is not a gifted liar. 

“i–yeah…” he looks away, feeling the shame weighing down on him now that you had confronted him with the undeniable truth. 

you chuckle warmly. “i do the same thing, ‘cept I’m thinking of you.” you shrug, the smirk growing on your face as realization seeps into his. he didn’t misunderstand you that day or even earlier in this conversation. you want him too. he swallows thickly again, remembering the day that started all of this. 

“i–i know, i saw you, last week.” he chokes out as you take your top off, revealing yourself to him. He’d noticed your lack of bra earlier, but didn’t expect to be blessed with the sight of your body again, especially as you bend at the hips to wiggle out of your pants. Your laughter surprises him again, like he had intentionally made a joke. but it was only because he had solved the mystery that led you to his room in the first place, and that would potentially resolve any secrets you had been keeping from one another. 

“so that’s why you’ve been avoiding me?” you scrunch your nose at him adorably as you crawl onto the bed, his eyes glued to the body that had him locked in his bedroom day and night. “oh choso, i wish you would have interrupted me…i surely woulda let you help me.” you purr, so close to him that he could reach out and touch you now, and he definitely thinks about just grabbing your hips and pulling you down on him, finally feeling that glistening pussy for himself—to hell with his imagination, but your voice interrupts his thoughts again. 

“so, do you want me to help you, baby?” you glance from the hard length in his hands to his deep purple eyes, swirling with something you recognize very well to be deep desire. 

“please–” he whimpered and let his hand fall away from his pelvis, looking to you like a pathetic boy getting his teenage dreams fulfilled. Your grin grows wide, and you lean closer to brush your hand across his toned abdomen. he lets out a pleased little grunt and his cock jumps at the simple touch

“you’ve never been with anyone, have you?” you asked, faces so close he can see every freckle and dimple and scar on your skin. he shakes his head. you peck the tip of his nose. he’s already shivering, the feeling of your body leaning over his was exhilarating. your kiss was so simple and sweet, but it stopped all the thoughts in his brain. he was just malleable now, ready to let you make him feel good, finally shifting from imagination to reality. “need you to talk to me, so i can know where you’re at, cho.” 

“no, no..never.” he shakes his head again, eying you with excitement and nerves all at once. he wants to touch you, and you’ve already stripped naked and kissed him, so surely there was no going back now, so he reaches up and places his hands on your hips—so light like he was afraid to hurt you. 

you grin at both his answer and his courageous touch, nodding your encouragement, “that’s fine, i’ll help you…just do what feels natural–you can go as hard as you want., and tell me if you want to stop.” your eyes blink at him sweet he realizes he would trust you with his life if you asked. 

“okay.” he lets your words wash over him, nodding as he grips your hips a little tighter. he’s more than embraced his fate, his mouth watering a bit at the idea that you were in his bed and offering to make all his fantasies come true. you were expecting him to keep that deer in a headlights look, but when you rake your fingernails across his chest, you watch his eyes darken a bit more. “kiss me?” 

choso looks so cute, you couldn’t deny him if you wanted to. his eyebrow raised with innocence, but his eyes shrouded in arousal. you giggle softly and lean up, sliding your hands over his pecs and shoulders and into those dark locks calling your name. you tug, and he gasps softly. you take that opportunity to cover his parted lips with your own, his head falling back to accommodate you as you fully crawl into his lap. he melts, you feel and taste so impossibly good he’s concerned he may bust over the kiss. your tongue moves so expertly against his, twirling around and sucking on the muscle in a way he didn’t know people employed. then you’re sitting on his abs, and he can feel so much at once. his eyes blow wide in the kiss, and he has to pull away to gasp again and see what you’re doing to him. 

you’re simply sitting, your pretty shining pussy rubbing against his core and his dick teasing the crack of your ass. that must be what’s driving him insane, the warmth and softness providing some but not enough friction. you wiggle your ass a bit to tease him, and he whimpers. the sound is so sweet and low you know you can’t handle playing with the shy little virgin much longer.

“i–is th–that sup’posed to f-feel that go–ngh, good?” he stammers, the hold on your hips bordering bruising. he doesn’t even realize, and you certainly don’t mind, so you only smile and nod down at him, reaching for his chin with your fingers. he makes you look so small without even trying, the broad expanse of his body, wide jaw and thick legs—not to mention the monstrous cock rocking against your behind, your own need soaking his happy trail to the skin beneath. you move his gaze from your sensual movements back to your sultry gaze. yuji was wrong. pretty was such a mild way to describe the woman on his lap. you were more a kin to a goddess, something not fully human like him. 

“i was hoping to give you the full treatment, but i don’t think you’ll mind if i skip to the main event?” you bite your lip, your other hand scraping at his scalp a little bit. no, of course he didn’t mind. sometimes you were so silly. he nods fervently, remembering that he needed to find his voice, to not seem like such a coward when he wanted this so badly. 

“no—please,” he whimpers again, feeling the drip of your liquid on him. it dawns on him then that you’re just as needy, and you still wanted him even though you’d have to teach him what to do. you didn’t seem worried, maybe it was easier than he thought. but all he knows is that his balls are starting to hurt and he had never felt more buzzed in his entire life, sensitive to every move you make. “i need you so bad, oh sh–” 

you scoot back, lifting yourself up a little to align him with your entrance. his whimpers and begs were so fucking amazing, you wish you had it in you to milk it. you make the mental note to keep him begging when you show him what it feels like to have his dick sucked or whimpering when he eats your cunt for the first time. he’s so heavy in your hand, and you can’t even close your fist around him. it makes you shudder, knowing that you’re going to make him fit inside you no matter the stretch. his tip was so red and irritated, oozing pre. you swiped it over his head, humming in amusement as he jerks and whines at the feeling. 

“you’re massive, d’you know that?” you pout, sinking down a few inches. he moans at first, feeling like his cock was fit into a perfect sleeve. it’s unreal, the heat he feels in his gut as you rock further down on him, whining at how huge he was. he watches the pained faces you make halfway down, the concern clear on his face. he didn’t know he was that big—he hadn’t really been comparing, but if it was hurting you, he wondered what he could do. he remembers watching you play with that sensitive spot at the apex of your thighs, using your own slick to glide around. he thinks he could replicate that, so he sticks his fingers in his mouth, spitting a bit to make sure they were just as wet as you were. you take more of him, almost to his base all while panting and bracing yourself on his chest with your eyes screwed shut. he reaches toward you, swiping his fingers around the place he watched you toy with. you gasp out and sit all the way down, the noises you make as he touches you make his eyes widen again. 

“god—i’m so full, baby.” you nod, your hips moving forward automatically, searching for more of that searing feeling he brings to your clit. he surprises you, moving his digits in slow circles as you get accustomed to his size. he chokes slightly when you squeeze him, his eyes zeroed in on your face. 

“are you alright?” he asks softly, feeling your nails dig into his chest as your hips move faster now, any other words he had wanted to say sucked from his brain like he had no thoughts at all, nothing other than that vice-grip of a pussy you have locked around him, bouncing softly and leaving little half-moons in his skin. 

“mhm, just had to stretch a bit t’fit you, are you alright?” you grin as you ask, knowing he would struggle to respond—in the best way possible. he nods eagerly, eyes flickering from where you swallow him up to your soft face of bliss. 

“are you kidding? i’m—” you rock on him a bit faster, the feeling of wet and choking walls rubbing every possible spot had him sputtering, unable to speak. he’s only able to watch you run a hand through your mane, keeping it out of your face and away from your bouncing tits. he’s in heaven. being with a woman, no, being with you, was as all the eternal bliss he cared to know. 

his hips start to move, the hold he has on your hips trailing up to the curves of your waist to better hold you down. he didn’t realize how much more intense he would make this feel for the both of you, grunts and whines spilling from his lips as you begin to cry out and yell. it’s heavenly, the way you let him drive into you, leaning forward with one hand on the headboard and the other tugging his head towards your chest. he contains his pathetic pants by sucking your nipple in his mouth, laving his tongue over it, mind so drunk and hazy he can only be driven by his primal instincts, flat footed on the bed to plow into you from below. 

it’s so perfect. you scream his name way better than he ever imagined, and he doesn’t mind to bear the scratch marks of your passion. you keep squeezing around him, and it drives him crazy. 

“i–i love when you do that—clenching down on me like that, fuck.” He grunts, slowly getting his knees under him while you sloppily keep the pace. he uses the leverage to ease you to your back, though you don’t have the luxury of pillows or a headboard, only the mattress beneath you as choso realizes this positioning lets him piston his hips without you having to do any work at all. you’re wailing, nodding to keep him from worrying about you as you continuously claw at his back and shoulders. 

“choso baby—” you whine in such a way, he knows he’s going to bust in seconds. “you’re gonna make me cum, please–doin’ so good, ngh—ack!” you cry, legs tightening around his waist as he feels a significant increase of your fluids. feeling and watching you cum by his doing was the nail in the coffin—the way your face screwed up in pure pleasure brought him his own, his pelvis stilling against the mounds of your backside, cock twitching against your womb before your vision is blurry, and all you feel is warmth seeping out of you. his load leaked out around him inside you, his cock still pulsating with no signs of dying down. 

he smiles at you a little shyly, his cheeks rosy and eyes hazy with the aftershocks of such a gripping orgasm. he watches your chest heave as you calm down, your eyes fluttering open and a smile spreading across your face as you look up at him. 

“what do i do now? to take care of you?” he asks, absentmindedly stroking the creases where your thighs meet your hips. you giggle and shake your head, knowing it would take multiple rounds for his erection to die down. 

“i show you the full treatment now, baby.” you grin, wiggling your eyebrows. 

choso found himself immersed in exploring himself and your body, discovering several new kinks to enjoy with his sweet little roommate turned lover.

[megalony]

Is It Bad?

This is an Eddie Diaz imagine requested by Anon, I really enjoyed writing this one I hope everyone likes it.

Taglist: @lunaticspoem @butlegendsneverdie @langdonzvoid @jennyggggrrr @rogmeddows @radiob-l-a-hblah @rogertaylorsbitontheside @chlobo6 @rogertaylors-lipgloss @sj-thefanthefan @omgitsearly @luckytrashgooprebel @scarsout @deaky-with-a-c @killer-queen-ofrhye @bluutac @vousmemanqueez-blog @jonesyaddiction @milanosaurus @httpfandxms @saint-hardy @7-seas-of-fat-bottomed-girls @mrsalwayswritex @rogerina-owns-me  @hellsdragon @im-an-adult-ish @crazylittlethingg @allauraleigh @onceuponadetectivedemigod @ceres27 @avyannadawn  @noonenuts @sleepylunarwolf @coverupps @justagirlthatlovedtoread @musicistheway

Masterlist

Summary: Chris has a bad day when he can't keep his routines, but things get worse when he and (Y/n) get in a car crash and the 118 don't know Eddie has a family.

Enjoy.

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

"Mummy…"

Turning her head, (Y/n) looked back over at Christopher but the smile on her face started to fade when she saw the frown setting into his brows and the slight slope of his lips.

"What's wrong baby?" She turned the trolley round and slowly headed over to him.

Instead of answering, Chris reached out and patted his hand against the bare shelf on his left and with each tap, his effort got stronger until he was slamming his fingers down on the shelf and making a thudding noise that echoed through the shop. (Y/n) let go of the trolley and kneeled down in front of him to see what the problem was but she sucked in a deep breath when she realised what was missing from the shelf.

Cookies.

Pushing up, (Y/n) bounced on her heels and scanned the rest of the shelves in case they had been moved higher up and Chris simply couldn't find the brand he wanted. He liked the thin baked cookies with animal shapes baked into the underside and chocolate on top. They came in a dark purple packet that was hard to miss.

They always bought three packets every Friday to last him the week, he took a few in his pack up to school and always demolished a full pack on a Friday night when they watched Thomas the Tank Engine movie. The same movie every Friday, the same snacks and the same pyjamas and blanket.

"Excuse me, do you know where the animal snaps are?"

The elderly lady in front of (Y/n) leaned back to see where she was pointing before she clicked her tongue and shook her head.

"Sorry, we don't sell those anymore."

"Fuck,"

(Y/n) bit her tongue and turned back round to Chris. How could they not make those anymore? They were specific, they were this store's home brand cookies, that was the whole reason they did their weekly shop at this store every Friday, without fail. Come rain or shine, (Y/n) and Chris were here after he finished school and those cookies were always in the trolley.

"Uh, we'll get some other ones for now and I'll Google and see if anywhere else sells them and we can go somewhere else." She didn't even manage to get her phone out her pocket before Chris shook his head.

He slipped his arms out of his crutches, let them drop to the floor and then flopped down until he was sat on the polished floor with his head against the shelf and his arms around his chest.

Oh dear.

It wasn't as if (Y/n) could buy similar cookies and replace the packaging with the brand Chris was used to. He would taste the difference, he had a specific pallet like (Y/n) did, they could both tell when they didn't have sugar in their coke or when the crisps were the cheap brand or not the specific store brand they were used to.

Chris was a stickler for routine, it kept him content and relaxed, they helped shape and control his life. Fridays were for shopping and cookies and the same movie that he could watch five times over and not be bored of.

He didn't want different cookies or a different snack for a Friday night. He didn't want a similar brand that looked different and tasted tangy with bittersweet chocolate.

"Baby, let's finish the shopping and we can look across town for them," (Y/n) went down on her knees in front of him and reached out to him but she knew they weren't going to get finished here.

"Home."

"Now baby-"

"Home. Home. Home!" Chris reached out for whatever was on the shelf next to him and grabbed a bag of flour from the bottom shelf. It was a bit heavy for him but he moved quicker than (Y/n) anticipated and managed to throw it between his legs and bash his hands down on it like he was playing the drums. A gust of flour spread through the air around them and a powder of white settled down on (Y/n)'s face until she had to close her eyes and cough to get a clear breath.

The flour settled on Chris's glasses and covered his hands before he felt (Y/n) hoist him up by his underarms and lift him from the floor.

She juggled Chris in her left arm despite how heavy he was starting to get, and grabbed both crutches with her free hand and moved back to the trolley. It was usually Eddie who would carry Chris in and out of the car and pick him up if he got upset or had a meltdown. Despite the meltdowns Chris would have, he always stopped immediately if he was comforted, a cuddle or being carried always stopped him.

Especially if it was Eddie holding him.

"Okay baby, we'll go home."

(Y/n) sat him on the trolley handlebar, shoved his crutches in the trolley and whispered a quiet 'sorry' to the lady who was already smiling and shaking her head politely.

He left his legs swinging between them but kept his arms tightly bound around (Y/n)'s neck and his face buried in her chest so she had to lean over the trolley while she pushed it towards the checkout. They barely had half the things on their list. She would have to come back tomorrow and see if Eddie's Abuela would have Chris for an hour. If the shopping wasn't done on a Friday, Chris wouldn't go unless it was to the toy shop.

Her back started to burn and ache when they reached the checkout and Chris still wouldn't let go of her. (Y/n) had to carry him on her hip as long as she could while leaning in the trolley and putting the items on the checkout. When her back and arm started to strain, (Y/n) set Chris down on his feet and let him coil his arms around her waist instead and burrow into her side.

"Home. Is daddy home?"

(Y/n) was relieved Chris had said something a little more than home when they were back outside the car. He was sat back on the trolley, arms around her neck and his face so close to hers she had to kiss his nose to try cheer him up.

"He won't be home yet baby, but when we get back you can ring him and talk to him and Buck, how's that sound?"

"Hm." He let (Y/n) lift him him up and put him in his car seat in the back of the car but he wouldn't unwind his arms from her neck. "No, mummy, no." He started to whine in her ear until he was almost crying and his arms were shaking from how tight he was holding her against his chest.

"Christopher," Her warning tone was enough to make him let go and he let her strap him in.

His head fell against the headrest and he brought his hand up to his mouth so he could bite down on his thumb. There was no trace of his usual bright smile on his lips and he closed his eyes and burrowed into his seat.

It was going to be a long day.

***

"You all know the drill, spread out, anyone who can walk or with minimal injuries, send them to the medics. Anyone you can't free yourself, shout out. Go."

They all knew where they needed to divert to. Eddie and Hen were already getting a woman out of her car on the outskirts of the crash. Chimney was with another medic helping anyone who could freely get out of their vehicles and make their way to assistance. And Bobby was heading down with Buck towards the cars that were more damaged, wedged in the middle of the mess.

Reaching a dark red fiesta, Buck narrowed his eyes and climbed over the bonnet to reach the driver's side. The back of the car was crumpled up against the divider between the motorway and van had crashed into the passenger side and wedged it into a corner.

"Miss? Fire and rescue, can you hear me?"

Buck sucked in a deep breath when he opened the door and it fell off its hinges, crashing down to the floor. He bent down and leaned on the edge of the car but he could see immediately that the driver was unconscious.

Her hair was fanned across her face, her chin was tilted down into her chest and she was slumped to the left. Buck tried to look for injuries but the most pressing one he could see was her right leg. It was broken so badly the bone was sticking out halfway down beneath her knee.

"Mummy!"

A shiver bolted down Evan's spine and he grabbed the roof to steady himself. He hadn't thought to look in the back.

A little boy, roughly seven or eight, was sat in a car seat behind the passenger seat. He had a cut to his brow, he was trembling, his glasses were hanging around his neck on red string and he was biting his thumb like he was about to chomp through it.

"Hey there, my name's Buck I'm a fireman. Can you tell me mummy's name?"

"Mummy… I want mummy." He reached his arm out towards the driver's seat and made a fist and a grabbing motion to try and reach her but the seatbelt was strapped too tight and he couldn't get it off.

"Can you tell me your name?"

"Christopher."

"Good lad, stay put and I'm gonna get you and mummy out of here, alright? Are you hurt?"

When Chris shook his head, Buck managed a smile before he leaned over the driver and reached for her bag that was still resting on the passenger seat. He could see her eyes fluttering behind her eyelids, he needed a name and address to give the hospital when they got her transferred and helped out. Someone would have to come and take Christopher when they got to hospital or they would have to call social services for him.

He found her purse quickly and rummaged around for her driver's license but when he read her name, all the blood drained down to his feet and pins and needles coursed through his legs.

Oh God.

"Cap… Cap I need assistance, badly." His hand shook around the radio, he couldn't say anything else lest Eddie heard him through the radio and got panicked. He was busy helping someone with Hen, they couldn't risk panicking him until he had sorted his patient. "Just gonna put this on your neck (Y/n)," Buck whispered quietly and grabbed a neck brace from his bag.

He carefully tilted her head back and clipped the brace around her neck to keep her head in place. He didn't know what kind of spinal or nerve injuries she might have sustained and he didn't want to give her any further pain. It was a good sign that she groaned when he moved her though, she was coming back round.

"Buck, what have you got?" Bobby knelt down near the passenger door but when he noticed the little boy in the back, he quickly moved to jam open the back door.

"Cap, it's uh… her name is (Y/n) Diaz… Eddie never said he was married."

Buck wasn't sure if he was getting the wrong assumption, she could still be Mrs Diaz and be Eddie's sister. Maybe she kept her last name when she got married. Eddie did have three sisters after all. Or she could be a cousin. Eddie never said anything about going home to a family after work, he didn't mention having a child waiting at home for him. Eddie never indulged about a family and Buck told him everything about his life.

"You must be Christopher, I'm Bobby, I work with your dad. Can I check you over and get you out of here?"

Bobby dared to glance his eyes across at Buck whose face fell and his jaw dropped. Eddie really had hid a whole other life from him- from the rest of the team. The only one Eddie told was Bobby because he had to divulge personal information when he had the job interview. He had to tell Bobby that he had a wife and son at home and if his son had a disability, in case he ever had to rush off shift and go to the hospital or take a personal phone call on shift.

"Daddy, I want daddy." Christopher's words were mumbled around his thumb that he wouldn't stop biting.

"I'll take you to your dad, don't worry. Eddie, when you get a second come over to the red Fiesta near the front pile up please."

"On my way."

Bobby reached over and wiggled the seat buckle hard enough to wrench it free and let Chris breathe better. He had a small cut on his chest from where it had pinned into his skin and glued him to his seat. There was a cut on his head and he pointed down to his foot but when Bobby checked, it wasn't broken or fractured. Most likely sprained.

The car seat had saved him from most of the impact.

"Okay, come here." Bobby carefully picked him up and lifted him out of the car but when he turned round, he held his breath.

'Here we go.'

The medic bag in Eddie's hand dropped down to his feet and he stumbled back a pace until he felt Hen's hand on his back and her worried whispers in his ear asking what was wrong. He thought Bobby saying a red fiesta was a bit unnerving; it was the same car as (Y/n)'s.

But the moment his eyes latched onto his captain, he felt like his world had turned upside down.

He knew that mop of brown curls anywhere and those legs that were kicking and swinging like he always did when he got picked up and carried around. That was his little boy.

"Christopher? Oh God, Chris! I'm here bud I'm here!"

Eddie pulled away from Hen and weaved through the cars towards his son who started to scream. His arms started to wave and when Bobby put him down, his voice overtook the sound of the car horns and the raised voices begging for help. All Eddie could hear was his boy screaming his name and waving his arms out towards him.

"Daddy!"

"I'm here, oh bud I've got you." Tears fell down Eddie's face when his arms looped around his son and he lifted him from the floor. He couldn't breathe when Chris snapped his arms so tightly around his neck and burrowed his face into his neck.

He cupped the back of Chris's head, tangling his fingers in his curls as he kissed the side of his head repeatedly.

"Are you alright?"

"Foot hurts… mummy won't wake up. No cookies in shop, you take us home now. Daddy I wanna go home." There was too much rattling around in Chris's head and he couldn't cope. His foot was aching, his mum wouldn't answer him when he cried out for her. They didn't have cookies in the shop so tonight's movie night was now ruined. And then the car started to spin and everyone was crying.

But Eddie was here now. Eddie could take them both home and look after them.

Eddie's hand tangled tighter into Chris's curls and he got closer to the passenger side of the car and peered down. (Y/n) was crying. She was awake now and she was sobbing her heart out. Eddie had to get her out of there, he had to get them both to the hospital and look after them.

"Chris, buddy can you wait here with Bobby for me so I can get mummy out?"

Bobby nodded and held his arms out again but Chris wouldn't have it. His arms stayed tight around Eddie's neck and he started to whimper and cry. He wasn't leaving either of his parents, he was staying right where he was in Eddie's arms.

"You take us home. Now. Home-"

"Buddy I can't take you home, I have to get mummy out she's hurt."

"Home!"

Eddie tipped his head back as if to try and force the tears into the back of his head and his lips pressed into a thin line when Chris started to cry. His hands bashed down on the back of Eddie's chest and shoulders and his legs started to swing and hit out at his legs and knees so much Chris himself cried from the pain it caused in his sprained foot.

"Buddy please-"

"Home-"

"Christopher Diaz!" The moment the name passed through his lips, Chris stopped kicking out and gasped when Eddie dropped down to his knees onto the tarmac.

Huffs, sniffs and bubbling cries passed through Chris's lips but he loosened his arms around Eddie's neck and tilted his head down to burrow his face into Eddie's florescent jacket that smelled of dirt and smoke. A smell he always associated with his dad from this job he'd had for the past eight months.

"I promise, when I get mummy out and safe, I will not let either of you out of my sight. And when mummy is okay, I will take you home and we will sort everything out. I will make it better, I always do. Now you stay with Bobby, understand?"

With a lasting kiss to Chris's temple, Eddie picked him back up and let Bobby take hold of him and set him on his hip. Bobby stood off to the side so Chris could still see his parents but he wasn't close enough to see the damage or get too frightened. The little boy burrowed his head against Bobby's and started to pat his chest rhythmically to calm himself down.

Eddie wasted no time in climbing into the passenger seat but when he looked across at Buck, he could see something flare in his eyes. Maybe he should have told the team- or at least Buck, about his family.

But he didn't like mixing work and personal life and he never thought he would be on scene where his family had been in a car crash.

"Mi amor, it's me, how we doing?"

"Eddie! God, baby… where's Chris?" (Y/n) managed to open her eyes and when the tears fell down her face, she craned her eyes to the left to look at her husband. It was a Godsend to hear his voice. She had no idea who the other man next to her was, the only person on the team she had spoken to before was Bobby. But the other lad next to her seemed very concerned which was sweet.

"He's fine, Cap's got him, just a bad foot that's it." Eddie kissed her temple and reached down to hold her hand. "This is Buck, we're gonna get you out…" Eddie looked over at Buck but when he glanced down at (Y/n)'s leg, Eddie could feel bile rising in his throat.

"(Y/n), I'm going to put a strap around your thigh to restrict the bleeding, then we can get you on a stretcher and out of here, alright?"

"W-what's wrong with my leg? Baby, i-is it bad?"

(Y/n) tried to look at Eddie but she couldn't move her head due to the neck brace she had woken up with. Everything ached and burned but both of her legs felt they were on fire. What was wrong with her leg? Has she broken it or got a deep gash that was bleeding out? It didn't feel like her leg was hanging off or in bad shape.

Moving over, Eddie leaned across (Y/n) with one hand on the seat and the other moved to cup her face so he was in her line of sight. His thumb brushed over her cheek and he managed a smile before he leaned over and gently pecked her lips.

"You've broken it, mi amor but we can get it fixed up. Stay really still so Buck can strap it."

(Y/n) brought her hand up to grab Eddie's wrist and she nodded, keeping her eyes on him when she felt Buck shuffle a small plastic strap beneath her thigh. Her teeth gritted together and she gasped when he pulled it tight and popped the pin in. She had to be bleeding for them to cut off her blood supply.

"I'm gonna round the other side so we can get you out," He kissed her again before he scrambled out of the car. They had to move her now, her leg was in bad shape and Eddie could feel the car overheating. It was a trap ready to blow.

Her hand reached up to rub her temple, her head felt like it was splitting and her back was burning. She tried to push forward to relieve the pain in her back but when she heard Buck mutter no and his hands grabbed her shoulders, she looked down.

"Eddie!" His name screamed from her lips and she pushed back in the chair, moving her hands to grip her thigh like she was going to magically fix it. Another tortured scream flew past her lips before a gurgling cry errupted and she slammed her head against the headrest. "Eddie, ooh fuck, Eddie-"

Her bone was sticking out. Her trouser leg was no longer dark blue, it was a horrid shade of crimson and a sprig of bone was punctured out along with a torn piece of muscle that made (Y/n) almost throw up.

She couldn't lose her leg. Christopher needed her, she had to drive, they had their routines, their walks and their physio they did in the park to keep him up and active. She carried her boy around when he needed her, she couldn't lose her leg. If they saved it, how long would she have to be in a cast? She couldn't look after Chris if she was on crutches too or God forbid, she had to be in a wheelchair. He was going to be petrified enough after this whole ordeal.

Buck moved out the way and took Eddie's place in the passenger seat so Eddie could crouch beside his wife.

his hands moved to cup (Y/n)'s face and he took a very deep, slow breath and managed a smile to try and calm her down. He couldn't have her panicking on him now, they had to get her out.

"Mi amor, shh. You're gonna be fine, we can fix this. I'm gonna spin you round and Buck will get your legs, and we'll lift you out of here. Christopher is waiting for us, come on mi amor you got this." He kissed her head, peppered his lips across her cheek and down her jaw until she nodded in agreement with him.

"Here we go (Y/n), on three."

Buck kneeled up on the chair and leaned over, carefully holding her knees in place while Eddie twisted her round so her back was flush up against his chest. His hands slipped under her arms and he gripped her flesh comfortingly tight and nodded over at Buck.

"One, two, three."

Eddie took her weight on his chest and started shuffling back while Buck climbed over the seat, trailing his hands beneath (Y/n)'s legs to hold her ankles and elevate her legs.

The scream (Y/n) let out made Eddie tip his head back and he held his breath to try and compose himself. He felt her hands reaching back to grip his biceps and ground herself while the boys carried her to the stretcher Hen was waiting with.

"Baby d-don't go… p-please get Chris,"

"I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere." He smothered her temple with a kiss and held her hand until they got near the ambulance Bobby had moved over to. When they were close enough, Eddie reached his free arm out and looped it around Chris's waist and sat him on his hip. "I've got you both, you're safe. I'm here."

"Daddy," Chris wrapped his arms around Eddie's neck when they were in the ambulance and he perched on his dad's lap. He could feel his dad kissing his hair and his mum rubbing her hand up and down his leg, both of them doing their best to keep him calm and stable.

They would be okay.

[valdomarx]

It begins, innocently enough, with a carton of orange juice.

Roy has never cared for the stuff, but Jamie is round at his house at 6am every morning after training, and he loves it. Roy figures he might as well make breakfast for them both while they're there, so the next time he's at the supermarket he picks up a carton and shoves it into the fridge.

And there's really no point in Jamie going home to shower before team training, is there? That would be a waste of everyone's time, so he showers at Roy's. Soon enough Roy's bathroom is full of expensive hair conditioner and elaborate skincare products and the inevitable cans of Lynx which start to crowd his shelves, but whatever.

And then Jamie starts turning up for weekly Lust Conquers All watch parties, and it's not quite clear how that happened. Roy wouldn't admit it on pain of death, but he likes having an excuse to watch the show and having someone to bitch about the terrible contestants and the unfair eliminations with.

And Jamie is right there, so it would be rude not to offer him dinner, wouldn't it? Roy likes to cook, and it's just as easy to cook for two as for one. Then suddenly Roy's kitchen cupboards are full of Jamie's favourite brands of soy sauce and Tabasco and rice cakes, but that's okay because at least now Roy can keep an eye on his diet.

And when Jamie is round and it's getting late and they've got 4am training tomorrow, he might as well stay the night. So what was Roy's guest room becomes Jamie's room. And if, on occasion, when they're both knackered from a hard match and ready to pass out, Jamie collapses into Roy's bed, tucked up next to him, snuffling and cuddly and infuriatingly, wonderfully Jamie, then that's no one's business but theirs.

Roy keeps finding bright orange joggers and graffiti-covered hoodies in his laundry pile, but Jamie still complains of having nothing to wear, so Roy tosses him one of his old Chelsea shirts. Then somehow Roy's entire cupboard full of old kits becomes Jamie's wardrobe, and Roy gets kind of used to waking up to find Jamie in the kitchen, making coffee, with KENT printed across his back.

At some point it's been weeks since Jamie was at his place, and Roy caved ages ago and gave Jamie his own set of keys, and it would be odd, frankly, for him not to be here, in Roy's space, sprawling on Roy's sofa and eating Roy's leftovers, and dropping his feet into Roy's lap with that ridiculous grin that makes the corners of Roy's mouth twitch upwards involuntarily.

"Marry me." Roy blurts it out, some instinct rising up directly from the very centre of his chest and exiting via his mouth with no input whatsoever from his brain.

"The fuck?" Jamie blinks at him, slowly, like he's approaching a wounded animal.

"Oh." Roy thinks fast. "It's a joke. Because you're always here, right, and we spend all this time together, and we're practically married." He forces what he hopes is a jovial smile. "Haha?"

Jamie gives him an odd look. "Riiiight."

Roy fiddles with the TV remote, then glances over at Jamie, then looks away again, then looks back. Jamie is still staring at him, a look of utter bafflement on his face. "I mean." Roy's leg bounces anxiously. "Unless... ?"

[captainkirkk]

✩ WEEKLY FIC ROUND-UP ✩

All the fics I’ve read and really enjoyed in the past week-ish. Reminder: This list features any and all ratings and themes. Please look at tags and warnings on ao3 before reading.

Shadowhunters

Enthrallment by smilebackwards

It does look a little bad, Parmela thinks, looking at it from outside. As more specialists had been called in for consultation, they’d decamped to one of the larger conference rooms—eschewing attendance at A, B, AB, & O: The Impact of Blood Type on Non Subject Specific Blood Magic, because this was vastly more interesting and potentially important—and there are a round dozen high-level warlocks clustered around Alec, poking at him with magic.

Or: Alec attends the Magical Inventions and Advances convention in hopes of recruiting warlocks for another Downworld Cabinet. The warlocks, however, are more interested—and concerned—by the blue magical aura following Alec around.

DC

temporal fraternity by envysparkler

Damian clears his throat. “I require your assistance.”

The words come out easier with the benefit of practice and the knowledge that no one will remember them tomorrow. Today. Tomorrow-today.

The Umbrella Academy

cut me open and i still bleed red by aletterinthenameofsanity

Part 1 of the odds were never in our favor

Ben knows his fellow mentors pretty well, for how long he's spent here, behind the screens of the Games, watching as his tributes die.

Allison, from District One, has a way with the sponsors. Just a word placed here or there, stealthily dropped into conversation, and she can get her tributes the shit they need.

In his time as a Mentor, Klaus has developed a habit of drinking to get through the Games, and through the rest of his life, really- anything to avoid the truth of what's happening, the ghosts of the children he and Ben have sent to their deaths.

Very few people remember what Five’s name was before the Games. Caesar Flickerman and the Gamemakers nicknamed him that when he took out the entire Career Pack on his second day in the Arena.

Vanya’s the newest Mentor, the victor of the Seventy-Third Hunger Games.

Diego’s one of Ben’s oldest not-quite friends. A Victor from District Ten, he’d gone into the Games knowing how to kill an animal.

All the other Mentors Ben knows try never to get attached. Luther, on the other hand, doesn't forget a single name.

(A story of seven victors of the Hunger Games and the lives they live as Mentors.)

Danny Phantom

The Promised Land by redrobin1989

Danny Fenton has been running for years, from his abusive parents, from Vlad's experiments, from his freakish powers. He expected to be running his whole life until he found his way to a small town that felt like the home he'd never had.

M!ik

Study Dates Are Not Real Dates by StormySteady

A very important exam is coming up, and Asmodeus is trying his hardest to get Iruma and Clara to study for it. But his soulmates have other ideas.

Star Wars

Starlight, In All Its Forms by Soap_And_Lye

When Luke was eight, he was taken from his home on Tatooine and delivered into the hands of the emperor and his right hand.

When Luke was sixteen, he overheard the emperor's plans to steal a tiny Force sensitive child and saves him first, before being caught and dragged back to his masters' keeping.

When Luke was eighteen, he finds that same child on Gideon's cruiser, and spares both him and his family, including a silver clad Mandalorian.

And when Luke was twenty-four, he is captured by the Rebellion (captured or did he just let it happen? Really up for debate) and secretly sent as a prisoner to Mandalore, where Mand'alor Din Djarin rebuilds his planet and raises his son.

And the rest was history. Or the beginning.

Clone Wars

will you be an anarchist with me? by a_alene

Once the Kenobi floodgates are opened, they cannot be closed. Cody has apparently been keeping an itemized list of disagreements, and he is determined to tell Rex each and every one of them.

Kenobi refuses to listen to Cody’s input. Kenobi throws himself into battle with no regard for previously established battle plans. Kenobi uses the Force so recklessly and obviously that every undercover assignment is blown within the first few minutes. Kenobi is a hypocrite who berates Cody for sidestepping protocol, but flouts it himself at every opportunity.

CT-7567: bet you wish you had skywalker now

CC-2224: I wish for nothing but the cold embrace of space

Right. And he says Kenobi’s dramatic.

(Marshal Commander Cody and High General Obi-Wan Kenobi of the 212th cannot stand each other. Rex doesn't know why this is his problem.)

poetry is what you find (in the dirt in the corner) by fivecenturiesverse

(In which Cody becomes an anonymous poet after the war and his brothers find out.)

Rex launches forwards immediately and so does Bly, because he can admit to himself that he likes gifts. He likes gifts a whole lot more than Cody and Wolffe, anyway, who both act like martyrs who don’t need any material love. “Poetry, vod?” Bly asks, incredulous. “Cody’s right, you are going soft.”

“It’s by a clone,” Fox says, defensively, “it’s quite good, actually. For poetry. It made Sergeant Hound cry at the service.

[welcometothejianghu]

Welcome to another round of W2 Tells You What You Should See, where W2 (me) tries to sell you (you) on something you should be watching. Today's choice: 少年歌行/The Blood of Youth

The Blood of Youth is a 2022 live-action adaptation of the tale of a deposed, disabled, and incredibly cunty prince who's on his way back to settle the score with his asshole father, and the rag-tag band of weirdos he accumulates along the way, including Spear Girl, Bad Monk, and Fire Puppy (pictured above).

I hope you like shounen anime, because this is the most shounen anime something is allowed to be without actually being based on something running weekly in Shounen Jump. What if Nirvana in Fire were also Naruto? It would be the Blood of Youth.

This show is an underrated gem of action-packed fun that not nearly enough people in English-speaking fandom have seen. In an attempt to correct that -- and ahead of an announced second season and prequel in progress -- I'm here with five reasons you should try it out.

1. Zero thoughts head empty

You do not have to pay an enormous amount of attention to this show to understand what's going on. The show itself does not always know what's going on. It got distracted by a shiny object over there, and now we're all gearing up to go punch the shiny object. We'll get back to the main plot when we're done with the punching.

It has a million billion plot threads going on at any given moment. Bad guys roll in from sects you've never heard of before, using superpowers with stupid names, only to get kicked into next week. There's approximately eleventy thousand characters -- so many, in fact, that I ran into problems several times while making this rec post, because there aren't readily available photos of everyone I want to talk about. Just look at the DramaWiki cast list. See how it goes on for like fifty screens? That's a little what the show feels like.

Except I'm not saying that like it's a bad thing, because the show knows it's doing this, and it acts accordingly. It telegraphs pretty well who's important and who isn't (and then it goes out of its way to color-code the latter, which is handy). What you're left with is absolutely a manga-style plot, complete with training arcs and semi-relevant sidequests, all working up to the final boss match.

It is an extremely self-aware show. On multiple occasions, something would happen, I would crack a joke about it, and then a beat later the show itself would make the exact same joke. I wouldn't call it an outright comedy, but it's still very funny, and on purpose. It has no illusions about being some kind of profound, meaningful epic. Mostly it's just here for a good time.

Yet this lightheartedness is what makes the powerful emotional parts really powerful by contrast. The show is not stupid; it's just goofing around most of the time. When it knuckles down, it can be devastating. And you know what? It does wind up being profound and meaningful about some stuff. How about that.

So yeah, if you're up for something that bops merrily right along and only occasionally rips your heart out, here you go!

2. Putting the poly in polycule

Bisexuals, rejoice! It's representin' time!

Here you go, I made a relationship chart of about 40% of the show's potential and canonical ships. I could have included so many more, but I only had so much space on the image, so I had to leave out some amazing ones, like the sword hedgehog who's real into this one cougar who could easily wipe the floor with him, or the rich nerd who thinks he has a chance with the aforementioned hot butch, or the fancy MILF who cheated on the emperor with a dreamy jianghu man and is trying not to cheat on him again with a different, slightly less dreamy jianghu man. See? There's just so much.

I would also say these are not exclusive ships. They are extremely inclusive ships. I am a fan of most (though admittedly not all) of the pairings listed here, and in fact of many of the three-and-more-somes indicated by these lines. They're such a cuddle puddle of shared intense feelings that it's hard to imagine anyone getting more than mildly jealous. Moreover, the potential for romance does not get in the way of hetero friendships; a boy and a girl who are each dating other people can go do adventures together, and (mostly) nobody gets weird about it, which is nice. If anything, what makes the overall dynamic so polycule-like is how equally friends and love interests get treated, meaning that it's not difficult to see a lot of crossover potential between those two categories.

If you're like me, you're hesitant about canonical romance, especially when it's straight, mostly because so many straight love stories wind up being tiresome, gross, and/or skull-poundingly boring. You will then be pleasantly surprised by how the canon pairings with members of the main cast are not like this at all!

Xiao Se and Sikong Qianluo are the main textual romance, and golly gee, they're just cute as heck. As the chart above indicates, I like interpreting them as two Kinsey 6's who have found their single exceptions, Mulder-and-Scully-style. Maybe one of the best things about their relationship is that it gets sidelined all the time for the plot. They're not so busy being in love that they forget to get shit done. Then they get a bit of downtime and get to go on a date, and you're like, aww, those sweet gay disaster babies are gonna do a little bit of heterosexuality. Just precious.

Tang Lian and Fairy Rui are right up there with the cuteness. She's a sex-positive dancing beauty who wants to ride that pretty boy like she stole him, and he's a shy sword boy so tightly bottled up that he'll explode if he sees a bare ankle. Avoiding spoilers, I will simply say that this is a pairing of two relatively soft people, until a bad thing happens to one of them and the other hardens up about it. If that's your jam, they're here for you.

Lei Wujie and Ye Ruoye are probably the most magical and the most practical of the bunch. They have a beautiful, super-dreamy, really horny sword-dance meet-cute, complete with its own pop song ... and then that's it, they're basically just together. She likes him, he likes her, good for them. In-laws aside, it's a refreshingly low-drama situation. Besides, I always love it when the hypercompetent woman gets the sweet, devoted himbo who'd do anything for her. Ruoye's had a hard life, and she deserves someone who can dick her down good at night and make her a nourishing breakfast the next morning.

And then there is, of course, The Ship:

Xiao Se and Wuxin are canonical, textual soulmates. The show treats their dynamic as more important than any other. It's so important, in fact, that the show has to sideline Wuxin for huge parts of the drama, lest everything get too damn gay. They each get a boyfriend catch on the other. They both do fairly reckless things when the other is in trouble. They are the secret hidden happy ending to the series. They share the kind of ride-or-die relationship built on mutually being the hugest bitches in any given room. Whether or not you think this is romance, it is extremely romantic, and the series agrees as much as it can, all things considered.

And if none of those flavors of love float your boat? Well, have you considered ... eunuchs?

3. She likes e4e

So I'm on record as being real into eunuch characters, right? Well, if you're with me on that, you are in for a treat here, because these are some absolutely buck-wild eunuchs.

There's five main ones, and I can't even begin to scratch the surface of what's going there. Like, really, I don't even think I understood all of what was happening with them. They're kind of the bad guys, but then they're kind of the good guys, but then some of them are the bad guys, but then they're just working for the bad guys, but then they screw over the bad guys, and ... it's just a lot, okay? It's a lot, and it's all happening with this bunch of catty bitches.

Also, you would not believe the difficult time I had finding any images for this section. I guess for some reason, fandom isn't way into a bunch of canonically dickless color-coordinated middle-aged men in weird hats? Whatever, man, they are missing out. If, however, you have the good sense to be into the intense and complicated (semi-romantic??) relationships among colleagues who also professionally just happen to be missing their external genitalia, buddy, strap in (and maybe strap on, depending).

Don't let me oversell how much these guys are in the show. They're not. They're vaguely important at points throughout, and they become incredibly important near the end, but they're hardly main characters. They're mostly back at the palace, doing their various schemes and looking absolutely fantastic.

So if they're such a minor part of the story, why do they get their own selling point? Well, I think their presence is a good example of two specific things about the show:

Specific thing the first: It's so queer -- not gay, but queer. Thinking back to my last selling point, you will notice how many of those straight pairings may look normie on the outside, but once you get down to it are not playing by cishet rules. (For instance, I've seen a lot of people read Tang Lian's resistance to sexual advances as asexuality, which, sure!) Likewise, there are lots of incredibly important, intimate relationships that don't conform to standard romantic pair dynamics. Add to that a lot of bodies with unusual characteristics and conditions, and you've got the makings of plenty of delightful non-normative love stories.

Specific thing the second: There are so many things going on with so many side characters that there's a kink here for everyone. Don't care for eunuchs? How about slinky villains with mind-control powers? Devoted servants who would do anything for their masters? Former bad guys who owe life-debts to the good guys who saved them? Bonded pairs traipsing around the jianghu together? Sons nursing legitimate grudges against the men who killed their fathers? Alcoholic widowers with incredibly slutty necklines? Mysterious cross-dressers with unconvincing moustaches? Vengeful brides? Martial siblings? Murderous royals? Guilt-ridden half-siblings? Boring star-crossed lovers? All these and more! It's a smorgasbord of rarepair fuel!

Also, I just love these toxic drama queens. It's like if RuPaul's Drag Race had the authority to have you executed.

4. The most intriguing outfits I've ever seen in anything (and yes, I'm including Winter Begonia)

Time for a fashion show!

The asymmetrical fits, the detailed embroidery on everything, the brilliant colors -- everybody just looks so good. And yet everything still looks ... eh, I don't know if "practical" is the word I want, but at least wearable. Nobody's dragging ten-foot trains of fabric behind them or wrapped in eighty floofy layers of gauze (except Rui, but she's special). Their outfits are strange and elaborate, but they don't defy physics.

What's truly stunning is how often they get new outfits. Xiao Se alone changes clothes about once every other episode, and more if he's getting a flashback. He is the fashion plate of the whole series, and every look he serves is pitch-perfect.

They're not outright color-coded, but the main characters do have certain colors associated with them -- which is extra-fun when you watch those colors bleeding into their friends' clothes as their relationships get stronger. I also think -- and I'm willing to be proven wrong on this point, but I think I'm right -- that they recycle some characters' outfits into parts of other characters' outfits. On more than one occasion, I'd swear that Lei Wujie shows up wearing the left half of something Xiao Se was wearing a few episodes back (tailored to fit him, of course, because that dumb ponytail boy is tall).

Where I think the costume design gets massive points, though, is that the costumes are themselves adaptations.

Before the live-action series, there was a 2018 3D animated donghua. I have never watched the latter, but apparently the drama is intensely faithful to the animated visuals, to the point where some fights are shot-for-shot remakes.

Of course, you can do a lot more with unreal clothing and bodies in animation -- and you can show a lot more skin, at least according to Chinese content laws. The live-action costumers chose to preserve about as many of the appearance beats from the donghua as they could manage, while still accepting the limitations of real-life bodies and materials. You can see some side-by-side comparisons here. The live-action outfits manage to be instantly recognizable without being slavishly devoted recreating to their inspirations.

So if you're sick and tired of dreary, ill-lit shows with bland palettes, this vibrant, colorful drama may be just the thing for you. It's a rainbow from start to finish.

5. Actually a good central plot?

Despite all the wacky delightful shounen nonsense that this show has -- and it has a lot -- the core of the whole narrative, which is Xiao Se's story, is surprisingly great and cohesive.

The short version is this: Xiao Se used to be Xiao Chuhe, sixth prince and somewhat heir apparent. Then he and his jerk-ass dad had a falling-out that resulted in the prince's having his martial arts abilities all but taken from him. He's been living the life of a very well-dressed innkeeper for several years, trying to avoid all of that palace garbage. But now his jerk-ass dad is dying, which means that a lot of horrible decisions are finally having unfortunate consequences for everyone, and Xiao Se's got to get back in there to make sure everything does not go to shit and land someone terrible on the throne -- even if it has to mean taking it himself.

His central conflict is between what he used to be and what he's become. Does he miss being Xiao Chuhe, high-ranked martial artist and future emperor? Or is he happier being Xiao Se, long-suffering nobody who can barely run a business, much less hold his own in a fight? What would he be willing to do to get back what he's lost? What are his obligations to himself versus his obligations to everyone else? How much is he responsible for his father's bullshit? And why has he wound up having to babysit this stupid Fire Puppy?

It's okay, they're best friends now. Lei Wujie decided.

No spoilers, but I liked Xiao Se's ending a lot. I feel it's very true to the character and shows a real understanding of who he is and what he values. And really, at the end of the day, sometimes all you need for a happy ending is your girlfriend, your girlfriend's girlfriend, your girlfriend's girlfriend's boyfriend who's also your boyfriend, your other boyfriend, his girlfriend, and your long-distance for-real soulmate.

Feel like giving the youths a try?

You can find them on YouTube or on Viki. But be absolutely sure that no matter where you watch it, you make sure to go watch the epilogue as well. (And if you get real into the story, well, here's a link to information about all the other adaptations.)

You are also welcome for how I did not spend this post going off for five hundred years on how much I love Wuxin and his funky relationship to Buddhism. I figured that's way too niche of a selling point for most people, and might indeed have even been counterproductive. But know that I could have.

Also, I'm very happy about the announcement of a second season, because that's going to mean Liu Xueyi has to shave his head again, and he looks unbearably good with a shaved head.

Oh yeah, did I forget to mention the whole motorcycle photoshoot?

In case you hadn't noticed, the whole cast is stupidly hot. Hachi machi.

[teastainedprose]

Play With Fire, Chapter 3 (Homelander x Reader)

Homelander finds your apartment empty and Homelander is going to be a creep about it. This chapter is a fluff break and an extra one from what I'd originally planned. 1.7k words, No sexual content. Female, plus-sized reader. Slight warning for hints of animal abuse. [AO3 Link, Chapter 1, Chapter 2]

You’re not home. This is new. Homelander frowns as he drops to his usual perch a building away as he surveys the area before scanning through your apartment building. It’s past lunchtime and normally you’d be settled at your desk working away on your PC, but the chair is empty. The laptop is closed and shut down. Where has his little bug scurried off to?

His frown further sours as Homelander scans your usual haunts around your apartment, but he doesn’t catch sight of your plump little figure anywhere. He blinks, reorienting his x-ray vision back to your apartment for another glance before his eyes snag on the whiteboard above your desk. It’s a weekly planner where he’s often seen notes of chores, appointments, or what meals you plan to have quickly scribbled on it. It’s Monday and on the planner is scribbled ‘FIRST DAY’. 

He puzzles over that before it hits him. A new job, that must be it! He’s so clever. Homelander has certainly seen you scroll job postings and even caught you coming home from an interview in the cutest little businesswoman get-up. So fetching, he could have eaten you right up.

Now what sort of new job did a worker bee like you get? Something to research later, Homelander mentally notes as he glides quietly down to your balcony. There’s a better use of his time right now. You’ll be out for a few more hours yet, of this he’s certain. First day and all. Better make a good impression, little bug. Homelander chuckles to himself at the thought as he peeks into your apartment.

Today is the perfect opportunity to indulge, and Homelander has never been one to hold back.

The balcony door isn’t locked and opens quietly under his hand as Homelander smiles to himself, stepping inside. He already knows the layout, walking briskly across the wooden floor as he takes everything in from this new perspective. Being inside, instead of a silent observer of your apartment from above is a new experience for him. Now he gets to experience your world in truth. Homelander takes everything in with a new eye as he walks about, pausing to straighten a photograph or trace his fingers across the spines of your books. You’ve built a cozy little den here. It’s nothing compared to his opulent penthouse, but it reflects a creature such as yourself well enough. None of it is to Homelander’s taste, but he won’t hold that against you. The trinkets and baubles you’ve decorated your nest suit you and he approves of that fact.

Homelander pauses at the couch, plucking up the throw blanket discarded there. He’s seen you snuggled up in this very blanket many a night, tucked in with a book or watching your little shows. He brings the plush fabric to his nose, inhaling deeply. Homelander closes his eyes, savoring the scent there. Your scent. He hasn’t smelled you before, not really. The elevator encounter had been so brief and surprising that Homelander never registered what you’d smelled like at that moment. It had been all anger and stress radiating off you at the time.

He inhales again, breathing deeply with the blanket still held against his face. There’s the citrus scent of fabric softener, but also something undeniably human and undeniably you. Homelander finds that he likes it very much. A moan escapes him as Homelander presses the blanket harder to his nose as if he could imprint the smell of you in his senses. Idly, he wonders if you’d smell the same when he buries his nose in the space between your neck and rounded shoulder. Soft and warm and sweet like the hint of you on this blanket? Homelander sighs at the thought, the longing making his cock jump as he straightens. 

Reluctantly, he drops the blanket back onto the couch as his boots take him deeper into your home towards the bedroom. The door is shut, which Homelander finds curious. Normally, it stands open as he’s watched you wander from bedroom to living room to kitchen and back again while your mind keeps you elsewhere as you putter about doing whatever little bugs like you do. He doesn’t pause as Homelander opens the door, confidently stepping into your bedroom with the eagerness of a child given free rein in a toy store. Homelander expects to paw through your dresser and give the toys he’s seen you use on yourself a thorough inspection.

What he doesn’t expect is the sudden attack from a black blur pouncing onto his foot with a delighted chirrup. Homelander drops his gaze, watching in a detached way as the kitten tries to dig its claws into his boot while kicking back feet furiously. He feels none of it, of course. He doubts even a mere mud person would feel anything from such a pathetic assault, yet the kitten is determined. The little creature squirms about, bottom over front briefly before it twists and promptly scampers off in a confusion of fur.

Homelander frowns. When the fuck did you get a cat? He should have noticed such a creature despite its diminutive size. The little thing is barely a mote of soot as it scrambles under the bed, green eyes wild and wide. The creature pauses, making a sound Homelander would call an undignified squeak ill-suited for a predator before it rushes forward again. His lip twitches, annoyance settling over Homelander at this animal disturbing his tour of your apartment. 

Still, he makes no move toward the kitten as it stalks around behind him to inspect his cape. Homelander turns and the cape goes with him, fabric fluttering in such a tantalizing way that no kitten can resist. The little beast pounces or attempts to.

The frown on Homelander’s lips tugs further down now that he’s eye to eye with the green-eyed imp as in an instant he snatched it up to keep it off his cape. Homelander has never been one to interact with animals often, let alone young ones. The most would have been with such animals sulking away from him in the bad room, hissing and spitting while a doctor looked on behind bulletproof heat vision-resistant glass. Back then he’d been instructed to take care of the creatures to show how much he’d learned of control with his powers, but he can’t do that to this fluffy shadow.

A small purr emanating from the kitten draws Homelander from his memory as he blinks. His eyes refocus on the animal who now is trying to gnaw at one of his fingers through his glove eagerly as it thrums away. Poor thing has no idea who it’s facing. “Charming,” He mumbles before shutting the bedroom door behind him as Homelands steps into the room proper. He gingerly places the squirming animal onto the bed. 

Homelander casts about the bedroom with fresher eyes, taking in a plastic mat with food and a water dish atop it. He doesn’t even need to sniff the air to discern the faint aroma of ammonia and cat litter coming from the open bathroom door. The little beast has been properly set up in your bedroom. A new acquisition. The creature is yours and confined here with purpose, so he can’t risk it suspiciously going missing. At least not yet. A cracked window later down the line will fix this little problem. There’s no need for you to house this extra distraction. Not when he’s so close to getting his claws into you. Homelander smiles to himself.

“Your days are numbered.” He points out, even going so far as to waggle a finger at the black kitten as it rolls about atop the bed. 

In reply, the kitten promptly drops onto its rump atop the comforter and sticks a leg out. This it began washing intently. There’s a slight charm to such a fragile thing being oblivious to the danger present. Homelander cocks his head, watching the animal a beat longer before a sound catches his interest.

There’s the unmistakable rattle of keys too close that takes Homelander by surprise, too lost in his thoughts to notice the approach of footsteps down the apartment hallway. Your footsteps. He’s instantly on high alert, quietly opening the bedroom door and closing it behind him to not let the little beast escape and alert you of something amiss. He waits a beat, eyes on the door as he watches you on the other side while you fumble with the keys. The lock sticks as he’s observed and you never seem to remember to bring it up to the landlord. Forgetful little bug.

Homelander’s form is a patriotic blur as he rushes right across the room, to the balcony, to yank the door open, and dart out to the open sky in a woosh of air. It all happens in a blink as you click the key into place and the lock slides free of the deadbolt.

You pause as you open your apartment door, a slight frown on your face. Something like a breeze seems to have disrupted your apartment as a tapestry on the wall flutters back to rest. You shake your head as a glance about shows nothing amiss. All is well and now you’re smiling to yourself. Your first day at your new job has been a success! 

Dropping your purse on the kitchen counter, your feet are quick as you move to your bedroom door to yank it open. There sits your stray kitten you’d taken in only the other day. He’s mid-lick while grooming his leg. You grin wide, quick to cross the room to scoop the bundle of fur up into your arms. 

“Adrien, did you miss me?” You coo to him, burying your face into his fur as Adrien purrs up a storm. Indeed, he did. You laugh at his enthusiasm as Adrien promptly starts to lick your cheek as if you’re the one in need of a bath. Your smile doesn’t falter as you drop onto the bed before gently laying down to let him settle beside you. 

“It’s nice to be back doing something, you know?” You confide in him. “This charity work is doing wonders to soothe my soul.” Being a kitten, Adrien’s only response is to purr as he curls himself up as close as he can get to your neck.

High above your apartment, Homelander lets himself linger a moment longer. Charity work? Interesting. He watches still, taking in your smile as you cuddle that obnoxious ball of soot. He rolls his eyes, a huff escaping him before moving on.

[bethanythebogwitch]

Dry Beast Monday: chinchillas

For over a year now I've been doing weekly Wet Beast Wednesday posts where I do a deep dive on some aquatic animal, and you know what? I'm tired of it! This is now a dry beast blog!* And where better to start than an animal that can literally die if it gets wet? Beasts can't get much dryer than that. So strap in for the first Dry Beast Monday... Dmonday?... Drunday? Whatever, it's the chinchilla.

(Image: a pet chinchilla in a cage, standing upright on a wood platform that has been heavily chewed. It is a rotund mammal with a similar body plan to rabbits, featuring a large head distinct from a round body. Its hind paws are larger than the forepaws and have more distinct toes. Its eyes are almost completely black and it has a flat nose with very long whiskers. The ears are large, rounded, and mostly furless. The tail is bristly hair like a squirrel's and is curled up. Most of its fur is a dark grey but the fur on its underside is white. End ID)

Chinchillas are rodents (the best mammals, fight me) that are members of the family Chinchilladae along with the viscachas. There are two living species of chinchilla: the long-tailed chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera) and the short-tailed chinchilla (Chinchilla chinchilla, formerly Chinchilla brevicaudata). The two species can produce sterile hybrid offspring. Domesticated chinchillas are descended from the long-tailed chinchilla. All chinchillas are medium-sized rodents with powerful back legs, long whiskers, large ears, and extremely dense fur. In comparison, the short-tailed chinchilla is larger and has a shorter tail, thicker and less distinct neck and shoulders, and smaller ears. The most famous feature of chinchillas is their fur. At about 20,000 hairs per square centimeter, chinchillas have the second densest fur of any mammal, second only to sea otters. Each hair follicle grows up to 50 hairs, compared to human follicles, which only grow 1. The fur is famous for being incredibly soft, often described as velvety. If you've never felt a chinchilla its really hard to describe just how soft they are. The fur is so dense because Chinchillas live in the highlands of the Andes mountains where it gets very cold. The fur is used for insulation and even with it being so thick, chinchillas still need to bask in the sun to warm themselves up. The fur is actually the reason why chinchillas can't get wet. Their fur is so dense that wanter can't evaporate easily, instead remaining around long enough for fungus to start growing in the fur. This can lead to a lot of different skin conditions and infections that can be lethal. When chinchillas bathe, they take dust baths. By rolling around in volcanic ash, the can work the ash into their fur, where it absorbs oils, moisture, and other contaminants. This keeps the fur clean and healthy. Domestic chinchillas need specially made dust for their baths. It cannot be substituted with sand or other materials. Chinchillas can release chunks of their fur in order to escape from predators, leaving the predator holding nothing but a tuft of hair while the chinchilla runs away. This is called fur drop and in domestic chinchillas it can be a sign of mishandling or stress. Wild chinchillas have grey fur, but domestic breeds have been bread to have other colors of fur, including white and black. Chinchillas can't sweat, which isn't a problem in their natural habitat, but is for domestic chinchillas. The only way for them to cool down is to expose their ears (which are hairless and heavily vascularized) to wind. Chinchillas in temperatures at or above 26 degrees C (80 F) are at risk of having heat strokes. Daytime in the Andes can exceed those temperatures, so chinchillas hide in burrows during the day. Chinchillas are very skilled at jumping, able to leap up to 1.8 meters (6 ft). Their hind legs are longer than the forelegs and provide propulsion when walking or jumping. The toes has fleshy pads called papillae that help them grip onto surfaces. Chinchillas live in arid, rocky conditions and are skilled at leaping between rocks. The tails act like rudders, providing stability and direction when leaping. The front feet are capable of gripping and picking up objects. Females tend to be larger than the males, but there is otherwise little visual difference between the sexes. Wild short-tailed chinchillas can reach 38 cm (including tail) and 800 grams while wild long-tailed chinchillas can reach 26 cm (including tail) and 450 grams. Domestic chinchillas can get up to twice the size of their wild relatives.

(Image: a wild long-tailed chinchilla sitting under a rock. Its body plan is the same as the pet chinchilla above, but its fur is a lighter grey End ID)

(Image: a short-tailed chinchilla in captivity. It has a less distinct neck than the long-tailed chinchilla, making it look like its head merges with the body. Its tail is shorter than that of the long-tailed chinchilla, making up about 1/5th of its length as compared to the long-tailed chinchilla's 1/3rd. End ID)

Chinchillas are social animals that live in colonies called herds that can reach up to 100 members. Females dominate the herds and can be aggressive toward each other, though physical fights are rare. The herd cooperates when finding food, always having at least one member acting as a lookout to spot predators while the rest feed. They communicate vocally, with 10 types of vocalizations on record for. Social behaviors include grooming, playing, and friendly nibbling of each other's ears. Pet chinchillas should never be kept alone. They should be in same-sex groups of at least 2. Chinchillas are crepuscular, active mostly at dawn and dusk. During the day and night, they are usually found hiding in burrows or crevices between rocks, where they can avoid predators and high or low temperatures. They are primarily herbivores, but will supplement their diets with insects and other bugs. Most of their diet consists of grasses, seeds, and succulents and cacti. Wild ones almost never drink water, instead getting all of their hydration from their food. Chinchilla digestive systems are fairly specialized to their food. Domestic chinchillas need special-formulated food and can only have wooden chew toys form certain species of wood. Fresh or dried fruit is good for a treat, but should not be a regular part of their diet as they have a lot of sugar. As with all rodents, the incisors grow continuously through the animal's entire life and need to be worn down by chewing on things.

It is surprisingly hard to find good-quality images of wild chinchillas. Most of the time when you search for wild chinchilla pictures what you get are either domestic chinchillas or viscachas.

(Image: a trail-cam shot of two wild long-tailed chinchillas. The photo is i black-and-white. One is in the foreground on all fours while another is on its hind feet in the background, standing on a rock. The terrain is rocky and the chinchillas are next to a shrub. The camera's light makes their eyes appear to glow white. End ID)

(Image: a wild short-tailed chinchilla that is part of a relocation effort. Its fur is light grey with darker patches. A gloved human hand is reaching in from the right side of the image. End ID)

Male chinchillas appear to be fertile year-round, but females only enter estrus during the winter, from May to November in their natural habitat. Gestation takes around 120 days in both species and both species typically have two litters a year (a low rate for a small mammal). Offspring (called kits) are born well-developed, with fur and open eyes, and can run as soon as they are born. They nurse for 6-8 weeks before being weaned. 1-6 kits are born at a time, with 2 being the usual number. Chinchillas are monogamous, mating for life. Either partner can initiate mating, which they do so with hair-pulling. Unusually for rodents, male chinchillas do provide care for their offspring. Members of the same herd will help each other with parenting. Female chinchillas have been known to adopt the kits of other females who can't nurse due to health issues. Females are usually dominant due to their size. Chinchillas become sexually mature at around 8 months. In the wild they can live for 10 years, which is doubled in captivity.

(Image: an adult domestic chinchilla with a juvenile. The juvenile is smaller than the adult, with proportionally larger head and limbs and proportionally smaller tail. The two of them are nuzzling their snouts together. End ID)

The name chinchilla comes from the Chincha people of the Andes, who hunted chinchillas for their fur and meat. This hunting increased vastly after European colonization of South America. Between hunting and trapping, both species of chinchilla were brought to near extinction and vastly reduced their native range. Both species are now only found in Chile and have been granted legal protection. The IUCN switched their classifications between Vulnerable, Endangered, and Critically Endangered for a while. As of 2016, both species are classified as Endangered, upgraded from Critically Endangered as their populations have seen some improvement. Poaching, both for fur and capture for sale as pets, is still a large threat to wild chinchillas. Their close cousins, the viscachas, are doing much better as they were not hit as hard by the fur trade. The domestication of the long-tailed chinchilla is thanks to Mathias F. Chapman, an engineer who became fascinated with the animals after meeting a native person who was trying to sell one. He ended up getting permission from the government of Chile to capture several and import them to the USA. It took him 3 years to catch enough that he considered suitable for breeding, 11 in total. He then spend over a year gradually bringing them down from the highlands to sea level, giving them plenty of time to acclimate to the lower altitude. Once in the USA, Chapman started breeding his chinchillas in a farm in California, though he had to deal with medical problems and a thief stealing half of his stock. Eventually, though, his experiment paid off. The vast majority of all domesticated chinchillas today are descended from those original 11, brought to the states in 1923. Chinchillas today are raised in captivity for their fur, for use as laboratory animals, and as pets. While both species are raised in captivity for fur, the domesticated chinchilla is descended from the long-tailed chinchilla and short-tailed chinchillas apparently do not make as good pets.

(Image: a black-and-white photo of Mathias F. Chapman, a white man with a large nose wearing a shirt and tie. A chinchilla is standing on his leg and looking at the camera while he looks at the chinchilla. End ID)

* April Fools

[carlos-in-glasses]

2023 Writing Round Up

Thank you for the tag @heartstringsduet @reasonandfaithinharmony @jesuisici33 @chicgeekgirl89 @thisbuildinghasfeelings @theghostofashton @orchidscript @welcometololaland @ladytessa74 @strandnreyes @reyesstrand @alrightbuckaroo

Rules: Share what you wrote this year! It can be works you posted to Ao3, Wattpad, Tumblr, or anywhere else! You can share everything you wrote or just the ones you're most excited about.

15 fics this year! I have loved writing and sharing every one of them. Thank you to everyone who has read or will at some point. Work is a lot busier these days, so I don’t anticipate writing the same volume in 2024…but we shall see! I just want whatever I share to be good quality, and it’s my New Year’s resolution to keep improving. I love Tarlos. I love writing Tarlos fic. I love this fandom.

January

The Ruins of Wonderland – a reimagining of TK and Carlos getting back together after their breakup. I posted this on New Year’s Day, resolving to start 2023 off on the right fanfic foot.

Chasers – A coda for 3x13. TK talks to Cooper about his past, while Carlos goes for a swim and thinks about his own. When Carlos gets home, he and TK have an important chat. The rection to this fic spurred me on to continue writing in the flashback/vignette/timeline format.

February

Man to Man – A coda for 2x11 and 2x12, which also looks at Carlos coming out to his parents and where he is now with it all.

March

Afterglow of a Supernova – When fiancés TK and Carlos help Carlos’ high school crush and his wife during a call, they end up having a dinner with them that leads to jealousy in an unexpected way. The feedback I’ve had on this fic sent me to the moon on rainbows.

April

The Heart Behind the Shield – My first chaptered fic! I'd been wanting to write a 2x08 coda, but it was 4x04 that made it possible. This combines events from both episodes where there’s duality, and was an absolute blast to write and post.

The Light of Our Life – Listen, I wrote this during an extended lunch break and posted it the same day. For somehow it’s my fifth most kudos’d fic of the year…Thank you!!! We were all deep in our Lou II feelings at this time. Never forget.

Fire Island – TK and Carlos travel to Fire Island, where an older gay couple talks to them about their experience of the AIDS crisis in 1980s New York. This fic by far had the most emotional impact on me while writing it, and based on feedback it seems to be the same for readers(?) People have shared personal stories and memories with me since I posted this, and I just want to say I’m truly grateful for the response, given I wrote it in January but didn’t feel brave enough to post it for a few months.

May

With Infinity Folded Into It – Written for the @tarlosweeklyprompts Countdown to the Wedding event (prompt was: Love). After TK proposes, Carlos remembers the first time they said “I love you.” It’s fluff, it’s smut, it’s kinda angsty because Carlos is trying to bake and baking is stressful.

The Center of the Maze – Another written for Tarlos Weekly Prompts Countdown to the Wedding. (Prompt: "I Never Thought I Would Get This Day".) I thought this was going to be a 2k one-shot; it turned into 20k split into 4 chapters… Seven times they thought they would never get married, and one time when they actually did. I was super inspired and happy with the writing in this one.

June into July

When Soulmates Swim – The closest I’ll ever come to writing a sports AU (….or is it?👀…) Sparks and splashes fly when TK and Carlos each take up swimming while they recover from workplace injuries. I really pushed myself with smut and humour in this fic and the feedback I’ve had has been incredible. One of the most enjoyable writing experiences I’ve ever had, this fic holds a special place in heart.

Release The Hand to Relax the Animal – TK and Carlos explore the world of tantric massage in their own way. Written because Rafael Silva has madly attractive hands, and @heartstringsduet and I thought we should celebrate. You can read Michelle’s hands fic, Take My Hand, Take My Whole Life, Too, here. It is BEAUTIFUL.

(Nothing in August)

September

Sweet Dreams and Flying Machines – A 3x08 coda, which also gets into TK and Carlos’ childhood memories of 9/11, and the way that event went on to impact their lives (to the point where it set them on the path to meeting each other). It recieved the most amazing comments, with people sharing their memories of 9/11, so like Fire Island this fic feels deeper to me in a social way.

October

Suddenly in the Silence – I’d ‘joked’ about the show giving us Ghost Gabriel in season 5, but a conversation with thisbuildinghasfeelings led me to explore that concept myself. In this fic, it’s up to the reader to decide whether they think the spirit of Gabriel is around, which made writing it challenging but a lot of fun. It’s so interesting to see what side people fall on!

November

Where All This Love Comes From – This is my Tarlos novel at ~90k words, due to finish posting in February. I began writing it in March, when a hefty amount of plot relied on Gabriel being alive after season 4. Substantial rewrites happened after May, which was pretty gutting at the time, but ultimately I think this has ended up being the best thing I’ve written so far in my life.

December

There is a smutty one-shot coming with a scream very soon…And I hope you like it!

I'm not sure who has already done this - tagging with no pressure if you want to share/haven't already - and open tag!

@cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut @goodways @lemonlyman-dotcom @paperstorm @wandering-night19 @heartstringsduet @im-overstimulated-and-im-sad @rmd-writes @rosedavid @chaotictarlos @lightningboltreader @taralaurel @three-drink-amy @redshirt2 @noxsoulmate @sanjuwrites @bonheur-cafe @liminalmemories21

❤️🩷🧡💛❤️🩷🧡💛

[alcoholfreenayeon]

Sundays with Twice

Ask: Sundays with Twice

Nayeon

For Nayeon, sundays are all about spending quality time with you.

She will be up early and will wake you up as well so that the two of you spend as much time together as possible

But you manage to convince her that instead of getting out of bed, it’s better to cuddle for some time which she reluctantly agrees to.

Breakfast is something simple and then the two of you head outside to a park. Walks in the park are nonnegotiable and it’s inevitable that the two of you do it whenever you meet up. Sometimes she wants to play badminton and you both play a few rounds.

After spending a few hours at the parks, you both eat lunch out, it could be something like a McDonald’s or someplace really fancy. You both switch it up. Of course the next stop is for desert.

After desert, you both return home and it’s time to binge watch some show. Cuddles and spooning is obviously included.

Time flies by incredibly fast and now it’s time for dinner. Sometimes Nayeon recommends new places to order from, other times the two of you try and cook.

After dinner, it’s time to watch a romcom or a sitcom. You are in charge of which one to choose. At this point Nayeon starts to feel tired and also annoyed at the thought of having to go to work the next day and clings on to you for rest of the night, falling asleep holding on to you.

Momo

For Momo, Sundays are all about catching up.

She will wake up only when you force her and even then she’ll feel sleepy so you’ll have to drag her out of bed.

However once Momo is up, she is ready for anything. She’ll make you a delicious breakfast and will talk about how her week has been.

She’ll then proceed to show you all the things she recently bought and will always have a present to give to you.

In the afternoon the two of you will go out for shopping but you both don’t necessarily buy a lot. Quite frequently it’s just the two of you buying small things for each other. Then you both have lunch at a fast food place.

You both are back home by evening and then Momo insists on teaching you the latest twice dance even though you aren’t the best dancer. With her expert guidance however you always manage to make it look acceptable.

For dinner, you insist on making something for her but you accidentally end up burning up the food. She teases you endlessly for it. You both then go to a convenience store and buy snacks.

Of course neither one of you goes to sleep early, you both go your socials and share various memes, challenges and other media with each other, eventually falling asleep on the sofa.

Jeongyeon

For Jeongyeon Sundays are all about bonding.

Your day starts with Jeongyeon already having prepared breakfast for you.

Sometimes she takes you to her family, sometimes you take her to yours and spend a few hours there. Her sister likes to tease you both as a very lovey-dovey couple.

After visiting either family, she takes to you dog and cat cafes often since you both love animals.

Dinner alternates weekly between Korean food and Italian from your favorite restaurants.

Sometimes you both play some video games but she somehow always manages to beat you.

She asks for your opinions on the songs she writes. Somehow it ends up going from you giving your serious opinions to teasing her to both of you just dancing and singing your favorite song wildly until the two of you feel exhausted and fall to the bed, spooning and giggling.

Sana

For Sana, Sundays are all about closeness.

You always wake up to see Sana cuddling you. She’s really happy to be able to express her love and does it through hugs and kisses.

Breakfast is always done late because she doesn’t let you get up insisting on “few” more minutes of cuddling.

After a slow start to the day, it’s time to pick up the pace because Sana always has plans for you both. It ranges from going to amusement parks, movies and meeting with friends.

Sana’s seemingly never ending social battery never stops amazing you especially when yours runs out much quicker.

By the time you both return, it’s almost always quite late so dinner is always ordered.

The rest of the time, she just wants to express how happy she is with you and just starts to peck you randomly.

The only way you discovered to calm her down is to tire her out which isn’t easy but you somehow manage.

Jihyo

For Jihyo, Sundays are all about having fun.

The day starts with her waking you up. Jihyo never lets you sleep in for too long. Breakfast is made by the both of you together and is quite heavy.

Afterwards , you really just want to jump back in bed and sometimes you are able to but other times Jihyo chides in and reminds you that you have to take her out.

First destination is to the spa followed by a extensive shopping spree.

Sometimes you both go to play tennis. Jihyo is surprisingly good at it but occasionally you manage to beat her and make sure she doesn’t forget about it.

You have taken making dinner as your responsibility and always make a good meal for her for which she always wholeheartedly thanks you.

Webtoons are her favorite and you both watch ones that have gotten adapted into shows before sleeping.

Mina

For Mina, Sundays are all about recharging with you.

She generally wakes up before you but stays in bed and on her phone. Every now and then she looks at you sleeping and smiles lovingly, stroking your hair.

When you eventually wake up, she’s really happy to greet you and urges you to get ready soon because she wants breakfast.

After breakfast the two of you just sit and talk, sometimes they get really deep and intense. Other times it’s all sorts of topics that happened during the week.

After a light lunch, you both start playing video games together. The games can vary from first person shooters to something more light hearted like Minecraft.

By the time you both notice the time, it’s already way past dinner time so you both order something.

While waiting for the food to arrive, Mina looks for movies you both can watch while eating. You were surprised to find out she prefers action movies romantic ones but you didn’t mind.

After finishing dinner and the movies, you both head straight to bed. However while you lay to go to sleep, Mina stays awake for some more time scrolling through her phone. When she thinks you are asleep she kisses your cheek and whispers about how happy she is to have you.

Dahyun

For Dahyun, Sundays are all about making memories.

She’ll make sure you are up EARLY, she has the whole day planned with activities for both of you to do and there was no way any of them were going to be missed.

Of course the sun wasn’t even up yet. But that was the point she would insist, she wanted to watch the sunrise with you. After looking at the sunrise, it was time to head to a restaurant that served with breakfast.

After breakfast, it was time to go for a nice long walk where the two of you would be chatting away looking like any other couple.

After the walk, it was time to go an amusement park where the two of you would spend the next few hours and have lunch there as well.

In the the evening, it was time to head to a nice fancy restaurant where you both would have a nice romantic dinner.

After dinner, you both come back home and go to bed early after a long and tiring day.

Chaeyoung

For Chaeyoung, Sundays are all about new experiences.

You wake up before Chaeyoung and prepare a big breakfast with lots of varieties from eggs and toast to waffles.

There is no fixed plan for the day so you both look up places to visit.

Of course visits to art galleries, museums and historical spots are a must. However sometimes you both just visit popular spots.

Trying new delicacies and dishes is almost a must for Chaeyoung for lunch. You aren’t that keen but occasionally do try new food as well.

After lunch, you both go somewhere where you both can learn something new. It could go anything like pottery classes or sewing classes etc.

You both return home by nightfall and order a few dishes and make a few at home for dinner.

After dinner Chaeyoung puts on the latest movie or tv show that’s trending which you both watch til you both fall asleep.

Tzuyu

For Tzuyu, Sundays are all about getting closer

The days starts with Tzuyu waking you up saying it’s breakfast time. You help her with it and you both have a hearty meal.

After breakfast, it’s time to head to her parents place since Tzuyu misses them often. You often get nervous since you know her parents value manners a lot and your generally causal approach wouldn’t do.

You were surprised to find out that Tzuyu’s family describe her as the mischievous one while she strongly denies them saying her siblings only say that to tease her.

By late afternoon you both leave her parents house and go to a mall where it’s a typical date. You both shop, having some ice cream and if time permits even go to the cinema.

After that you both return home and start preparing for dinner. Even though neither of you are particularly good at cooking, together you both can whip up some good meals.

After finishing dinner, you show Tzuyu the last show you were watching. She generally prefers to watch something slow paced and romantic.

Sometimes it’s hard to tell to whether Tzuyu is still watching or not since she sleeps with her eyes open.

[seungkwansphd]

naughty cat of the week

pairing: jun x animal shelter staff!reader word count: 725 synopsis: jun loves checking the naughty & nice cat of the week updates at your animal shelter. occasionally a rogue opossum makes the rounds and he can't help but ask you about it. themes: s2l, cats & one mischievous opossum, meet cute...i think that's it?

a/n: valentines drabble for @love-strike i'm sorry this is SO LATE & i hope this doesn't suck & you enjoy it! thank you to @playmetheclassics for including me! not edited, lmk if you see typos & whatnot

“Oh mother- god damn!” you shouted, just barely managing not to drop the metal trap. “You again,” you frowned at the animal inside.

The two beady eyes that reflected back at you were those of an opossum and definitely not of the feral cat that you had hoped to trap and neuter. In fact, this opossum in particular had started to make a habit of getting “trapped” and eating all of the cat food before being discovered. You recognized him because of a distinctive notch in his left ear and also the smug, self satisfied opossum grin that you swore you could recognize anywhere.

“Will you freaking get out of here?” you pleaded with him as you released him. Perhaps next time you would drive him to a section of woods further away, but today you did not have the time.

Grumbling quietly to yourself, you went about resetting the TNR trap for a fourth time. You would get that big tomcat eventually!

…

Jun whistled contentedly as he walked home from the bus stop. Work had passed relatively uneventfully, but he was still looking forward to getting home. At the crosswalk, he took a right. This was technically a detour from the shortest path home, but it ensured that he would pass by the animal shelter. He’d always enjoyed checking out the cats and kittens through the window, but recently the staff had taken to announcing “Nice and Naughty Cat of the Week”. Jun had found himself immediately invested and he had made sure to take this route home every week since.

“Stupid. Freaking. Animal.” you grumbled under your breath as you placed the letters spelling 'Mr. O Possum' into the board under 'Naughty Cat of the Week'.

As it was the week of Valentine’s Day, the board was also adorned with pink and red cardboard hearts, but your mood didn’t quite match.

“Mr. Opossum again?” Jun found himself asking before he could help himself.

You jumped slightly, startled at the sudden appearance.

“That’s like the third time, right?”

“Yes,” you nodded, surprised that someone was keeping track of the weekly announcements. “Why do you know that?”

“Ah, that…,” Jun scratched his head sheepishly, giving you a once over. “I live nearby. I love the weekly Nice and Naughty Cat announcements, so I make sure to pass by on Mondays.”

You looked away, shy, as chest squeezed at his adorable explanation and boxy smile.

“Who’s the nice cat of the week?” Jun asked.

His eyes were so round with curiosity and it filled you with an overwhelming desire to kiss him on the mouth. Luckily you managed not to do that.

“Oh it’s Maxi!” you were excited to report, pulling out a picture of the white cat.

“Oh! Her ears?” Jun gasped, pointing at the C-shaped appendages on her head.

“Yes, she has curly ears! It’s a mutation that makes them look like that,” you gushed. “Would you like to see her in person?”

“Yes!” he nodded enthusiastically, allowing you to lead the way. You pointed to Maxi’s kennel where she looked up at you both curiously. Jun let out an adorable squeak as he crouched down to look at her more closely.

A warmth filled your chest as you watched him watch her, his chin resting on his fist. He was tall and small at the same time in a way that confused and intrigued you.

Jun tried to keep his cool as he felt your eyes on him. He’d been a little flustered to meet you, the person behind his precious updates, and to learn that you were cute in addition to funny.

“So what will become of Mr. Opossum?” he found himself asking as he stood.

“I released him, but I’m worried he’s going to come back!” you enthused. “If he comes back, I’ll have to figure out how to get him to the next town over or something.”

“Ah,” Jun nodded. “Well I’d be happy to help, if that’s the case.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah,” he nodded, looking at you through the pieces of hair that had fallen into his eyes. “I can leave you my number?”

“S-sure,” you nodded.

“Great. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that Mr. Opossum makes another appearance on the naughty board,” he grinned. “Or maybe me?”

The nervous swallow that you swallowed was so painfully audible.

[michellemisfit]

WEEKLY TAG WEDNESDAY - FIRSTS!

Tagged by @suzy-queued @deedala @darlingian @heymrspatel @lingy910y @energievie @mybrainismelted @blue-disco-lights

Name: Michelle

Age: Currently getting a kick out of telling people that I’m nearly 40 and having them go ‘NO WAY!!!’ - It’s funny and flattering :)

First Pet: Siberian gerbils called Tom & Jerry

First Word: No idea. Turns out my parents kept a baby book for my older brother where they painstakingly recorded all of that stuff. I found mine a few years ago and it’s got a grand total of 3 entries, one of which is talking about how chubby I am, and how I am yet to find a food I’ll say no to, and let’s hope that’s not a sign of things to come… after which it was abandoned. Thanks mum.

First Celebrity Crush: Leonardo DiCaprio

First IRL Crush: Dominik. We hung out basically every day after school. I would go round to his house and he would play me the latest Michael Jackson tape and show me new dance steps that he’d taught himself. I thought he was so cool.

First Kiss: Age 14 with my first boyfriend. He was 20 years old. We were in a relationship for over a year. Shit was fucked up. At the risk of repeating myself… Thanks mum.

First Car: Bebop 🚙 He’s my baby and I bought him this year and I love him! He’s a turquoise 2013 Toyota Yaris Hybrid.

First apartment/house/dorm/whatever away from your parents: Heh. I moved straight from my childhood bedroom to a different country. If you’re gonna do something, do it right! lol

First Time on a Plane: I was… 18 months old? Parents went on holidays to Florida. I have about 3 memories from that trip.

First Cellphone: Nokia 3210 😎

First Concert: David Hasselhoff. I was maybe… 6? And I got very tired and slept through the second half, but my parents woke me up for Looking for Freedom, which was my favourite song of his.

First Foreign country you visited? Italy or France most likely. Pure proximity, and most of our family vacations were done by car from Switzerland so…

First sport you ever played? Hmm. I did competitive swimming when I was very young. And then gymnastics. And after that… about five minutes of football (the only sport I to this day do not understand. How do I run AND kick a ball simultaneously?!?), then 3 years of tennis, 2 years of basketball, 8 years of roller hockey, and a whole smattering of other sports on and off.

First career aspiration? I mean… I basically wanted to be a Disney Princess, purely for the Animal Best Friend aspect! And then any form of Animal Whisperer would have done the trick. I watched all the TV shows and movies where characters had magical bonds with animals, and I wanted that. And then I realised that the characters in the shows and movies aren’t real, but the people training and handling those animals *are*. However that wasn’t something realistic to aspire to, being Swiss, so instead I became a bookseller (somehow that made sense at the time… 🤷🏽‍♂️). And then 15 years later, in a different country and a different life, I did end up training animals for TV and film. So that’s kinda nifty.

And finally… tell me about the first time you wrote/drew/created/whatever something that made you think “wow”

Hmmm. I dunno. I thought I was really fucking talented when I was about 12. I wrote a novel and sent it to publishing houses and literary agencies. One of them invited me for an interview, because they thought my writing was great and they wanted to meet the kid that had sent them a manuscript aged 12/13. They ended up giving me a job, working as a admin/secretary/slush pile reader. They also gave me lots of feedback and constructive criticism on my writing. I scrapped the novel I had sent them in favour of writing a different, better novel. I still think that novel was pretty fucking good. I tried to get my mum to proof read it and give me feedback so I could do any necessary corrections before I spent my pocket money on photocopies, C4 envelopes, and a whole bunch of stamps so I could attempt to get it published again. She was dragging her feet and I tried to explain the urgency, because I was clear that it needed to happen before I turned 14. That was the goal in my head. I had huge ambitions and dreams. I was also convinced that if it happened after I turned 14 it wouldn’t be special anymore. Like anyone could do it after 14… 🙄 In response to this my mum told me that she’d had ambition and dreams, too, when she was my age. But not to worry, that’ll go away, and once you’ve put away the fanciful notions of being talented then you can just get on with your life…

Not sure if this actually answers the question, but that was kinda the first and last time I remember feeling uncomplicatedly good about and proud of something I created. After this anything creative I did was always immediately followed by the doubt of ‘is this actually good, or is this just a fanciful notion I have about being talented, when in actual fact it sucks?’ 🤷🏽‍♂️

Wow. Ended that on a downer, didn’t I?

…

Erm… I wrote Tell me we’ll never get used to it,

They’re the only two people left that know what it’s like to have loved and to have lost a Lightwood.

And it’s a good story.

There.

I said it…

Tagging @crossmydna @palepinkgoat @too-schoolforcool @vintagelacerosette @heymacy @loftec @mikhailoisbaby @rereadanon @the-rat-wins @tsuga-of-mars @ian-galagher @andthatisnotfake @francesrose3 @faejilly @jrooc @creepkinginc if you fancy playing? I’m just very exited I’m actually posting this on a Wednesday still! Whoop!!

[megalony]

Let Him Burn

This is an Eddie Diaz requested by Anon, I hope you like it, any feedback is always lovely.

Taglist: @lunaticspoem @butlegendsneverdie @langdonzvoid @jennyggggrrr @rogmeddows @radiob-l-a-hblah @rogertaylorsbitontheside @chlobo6 @rogertaylors-lipgloss @sj-thefanthefan @omgitsearly @luckytrashgooprebel @scarsout @deaky-with-a-c @killer-queen-ofrhye @bluutac @vousmemanqueez-blog @jonesyaddiction @milanosaurus @httpfandxms @saint-hardy @7-seas-of-fat-bottomed-girls @mrsalwayswritex @rogerina-owns-me  @hellsdragon @im-an-adult-ish @crazylittlethingg @allauraleigh @onceuponadetectivedemigod @ceres27 @avyannadawn  @noonenuts @sleepylunarwolf @coverupps @justagirlthatlovedtoread @musicistheway

Masterlist

Summary: (Y/n) takes Chris to the shop for their weekly magazine, but things take a bad turn when someone starts a hostage situation and the 118 arrives to save the day.

Enjoy.

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

"Come on then, cheeky boy." Reaching into the car, (Y/n) scooped Christopher up in her arms, gave him a little spin and set him down on his feet so he could grab the crutches that were waiting for him.

She carded her fingers through his wet locks and slung her bag on her shoulder. A smile lit up (Y/n)'s face when Chris started to speed ahead into the shop. Despite just finishing hydrotherapy which was a tiring hour for him, he was still full of energy and ready to go speeding round the shop.

Every Friday after school, (Y/n) would come to the school and join Chris for his hydro session in the small pool at the back of the school. It was a small rectangle pool but they booked it out every Friday so Chris could make use of it and he could be on his own with his parents when Eddie had the afternoons free to join them. Chris loved to splash around and play with the floats and it burned the last of his energy that he had for the day.

Now it was the second routine they had on a Friday afternoon, they went to the shop ten minutes away from home. Chris would choose the same chocolate bar, the animal farm one with different pictures and inscriptions on each one. And he would get a new Dino magazine that came out weekly on a Friday. They contained new miniature figures and fun facts and he could colour and cut out and make new things.

Chris liked (Y/n) to read the facts and stories to him in the evening and then on the Saturday he would spend all morning cutting out and colouring and doing the activities.

It was one of his favourite routines.

"Chocolate," Chris beamed up at (Y/n) when she caught him up and walked into the shop with him.

(Y/n) rested her hand on his back and nodded, following him past the fruit and veg and towards the back of the shop where the sweetie aisle was.

"I think daddy deserves one too, he's done a double shift."

"Yeah!" Chris grabbed two and handed them over, it made him feel special when Eddie would have a chocolate bar with him and they knew Eddie would be home early tonight. He had been on shift since yesterday afternoon so he was supposed to be home on time for tea if all went well.

(Y/n) followed a step behind him round the corner towards the next aisle where the magazines were and right where it always was on the front row was the blue and green magazine Chris always picked. She let him grab it and he juggled it along with his crutch and they dawdled down towards the checkout.

"Why aren't you fucking listening to me? Try it again,"

Frowning, (Y/n) curled an arm around Chris's shoulders and pulled him back into her chest as she stopped walking. She didn't want to go to the checkout with Chris if that man was going to start shouting, it would unsettle her son.

She watched the lady at the desk try his card again but when it didn't work, he slammed his hand down on the counter and threw the bottle of whiskey onto the floor. The glass shattered, the alcohol splashed like droplets of rain forming a puddle and when he shouted, (Y/n) reeled back.

Chris jumped in her arms, the smile instantly dropping from his face as he brought his hands up to cover his ears, holding the magazine tightly against his left ear in his panic.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? I'm not doing this shit, do it properly or I'll light this place up!"

Fear bolted through (Y/n)'s body and tingled down to her toes. The man got a lighter out of his pocket and despite how badly he was shaking, he held the lighter out as if he might either throw it on the alcohol on the floor or throw it on the lady at the checkout. He hadn't made up his mind and either prospect made (Y/n) choke.

Why today? Why did this idiot have to make a fuss today on all days? Why now when Chris was having his Friday routine did this idiot have to make a scene?

"Mummy,"

Reaching down, (Y/n) turned Chris around and let him burrow his face into her chest. He kept his hands covering his ears and (Y/n) tangled her hand into his curls to try and soothe him but she could feel him starting to tremble against her. Each time the man shouted, Chris jumped and shuddered and gasped until he finally screamed.

The scream vibrated through (Y/n)'s chest and shook her heart behind her ribs. She felt the magazine drop to the floor and Chris fought in her arms until he could flop down onto his knees and curl his chest over his legs with his arms pinned into his chest and his hands still over his ears. The crutches fell from his elbows and crashed to the floor with a clattering bang.

"Okay baby, shh, I'm here." (Y/n) went down on her knees in front of him and coiled her arms around him, trying to gently shush him but a fire lit up her eyes when she looked over at the man.

"What's he doing, what're you doing?"

"You're scaring him, what do you expect him to do?" She snapped back, unable to control her own anger. He couldn't expect the few people in the shop to be happy that he was causing a scene. "Baby come here, let's go home."

Reaching forward, (Y/n) curled her arms around Chris's chest and slowly pulled him up into her chest before she tried to stand. His legs hooked loosely around her waist and he tightly dug his arms into her neck until she could barely breathe. His breathing was laboured and harsh in the crook of her neck and he was about to start crying, she could feel it. But (Y/n) didn't get two steps before she stumbled back when the man threw a can of beer her way, narrowly missing her head.

"Stay where I can see you or I'll light this place up!"

Something inside (Y/n) told her to bolt. She could leave Chris's crutches here and the magazine and chocolate which were all on the floor. She could make a break for the exit with Chris in her arms and get in the car and go home. It wasn't worth the risk. As much as (Y/n) could run with her boy in her arms, that man was close and he could still start a fire or throw something else or hurt the cashier.

There was any number of things he could do and (Y/n) didn't want the risk, not unless it was a last resort.

But she didn't know how long Chris could stay here without having a full blown meltdown. Screaming was just the start and (Y/n) dreaded what else her son would do when panicked like this.

"Okay,"

(Y/n) nodded her head and slowly lowered herself down to her knees, still with Chris clinging to her front like a baby monkey. She gently shushed him and started to sway back and forth like when he was little and woke with nightmares. Her hand dug deep into his curls and she kissed his forehead repeatedly.

"Mummy, don't like it." His words were slurred around his thumb he was deeply biting down on, something he did when he was extremely happy or extremely unsettled.

"I know baby, we'll go home soon. I've got you," Shifting round, (Y/n) sat down on her bum, spread her legs out and kept Chris sitting on her lap. She could feel her legs beginning to burn and her lower back was starting to ache already but it didn't matter. What mattered was keeping Chris calm and safe, no matter what.

The stranger started to rant again but (Y/n) couldn't work out what he was saying, all she could hear was Chris whimpering into her neck and her heartbeat thudding rapidly in her ears.

Each can of beer the man threw made (Y/n) jerk and jump but when she watched the man throw down another bottle of whiskey just past the checkout near the window, fright took over her. He leaned down and set the alcohol alight with his lighter and jumped back to stop himself from getting lit up too.

This was bad.

With one arm still around Chris's waist and his face tucked into her neck- thankfully looking behind her so he couldn't see anything happening- (Y/n) dug around in her pocket. She fished her phone out and scrolled down to Eddie's contact. This was going to be hard.

"Ola mi amor, how are you? Did hydro go okay?" It was a relief to hear Eddie's voice after only two rings. Part of (Y/n) was afraid he would already be out on a call and wouldn't be able to answer and if she rang 911 they might think she was pranking them and hang up on her.

"Shh baby, good boy, everything will be okay." (Y/n) buried her nose and mouth into Chris's shoulder and kept her trembling hand between their merged chests. She had to have the phone close enough to speak and just about hear Eddie's voice on the other end but she couldn't let the stranger see in case it infuriated him or made him set another fire.

"(Y/n) what's wrong? Is Chris having a meltdown?" The panic was evident in Eddie's voice when his tone dropped an octave and a sterness overtook him.

"Hm,"

"Mi Amor why aren't you talking to me, is something happening?" Eddie reached his hand out and grabbed Bobby's arm, stopping him from walking past.

He'd never had (Y/n) ring him up like this before. If something was wrong she would always talk to him right away, she would rant and rave if something happened. She would panic or get upset if something was bothering her or Chris and if their son was particularly upset she would hand Chris the phone so Eddie could calm him down and talk to him. She always spoke when he answered, she wasn't giving clear answers right now and it was unnerving.

"Yes, baby."

Fear struck Eddie's heart and he pressed the phone tighter to his ear while simultaneously gripping Bobby's arm in a tighter grip.

"Where are you?" Eddie glanced at his watch strapped to his wrist and racked his brain. "Fuck, hydro's finished so… so are you at the store with Chris, for his book and chocolate?"

Eddie had all of Chris's routines memorised, each day was planned and specified because routines kept Chris happy and in order. He liked structure and if something had to change, they had to sit him down and explain what and why and make sure something else was in place for him. It made him feel calm to know what he was doing.

They had meal plans each week so Chris knew what he was eating each day, they had structures for shopping and only on a Saturday night would Chris ever try and watch a new movie. Every other day he stuck to the same Disney and cartoon movies he knew and liked.

Eddie knew by this time hydro was done and finished and they should be on their way home from the shop with his magazine and usual animal chocolate.

"Hm, yeah."

"Daddy?" Chris started to drool onto his hand and the back of (Y/n)'s shirt but she didn't care. She continued to smooth her free hand up and down his back.

"Shh, we need to stay quiet baby. We'll see daddy soon." She couldn't have Chris trying to talk to Eddie or she would have to hang up. The man couldn't know, if he knew she was calling someone, much less a firefighter, he would get manic.

"Mi amor," Eddie paused, gulped and took a shakey breath, "Are you being threatened or held hostage in the store?"

"That's right baby, we'll see daddy soon."

Bile rose in the back of Eddie's throat and he stumbled forward until Bobby held an arm out around his chest and hoisted him back up.

Oh God.

His family, his wife and son, they were being held hostage in the store. Chris had never been in a situation like this before. He had never been forced to stay somewhere or had his safety threatened. He didn't even watch movies about hostages or guns or violence, Chris wouldn't know what it meant or what was going on.

"We're coming, we'll be there soon mi amor I swear-"

"Who the fuck are you talking to? Why are you spouting shit?"

(Y/n) held the phone closer to her chest and continued to rock back and forth. This was going to give her a chance to speak a bit more freely to Eddie before she hung up. He knew what shop they always went to on a Friday, he had been part of this routine thousands of times each week. Eddie could get the team down here and help them out.

"I'm talking to my son, I told you you're frightening him."

"Stop talking-"

"Then let us leave, let me take him out of here-"

"No one's fucking leaving! This place will go up in flames if you keep testing me, bitch."

"Daddy! I want daddy. Home. Home. Home!"

Terror struck Eddie's heart when (Y/n) hung up on him. Why did he have to be on shift today? Why couldn't he of had today off and worked last Friday or next Friday instead? Anything to be there with his family right now. He could try and descale the argument and calm down the person threatening his family. He could of tried to get them out of there and keep them safe and make sure Chris wasn't going into a meltdown and (Y/n) wasn't panicked.

"(Y/n)…? (Y/n)! Fuck!!" Eddie let his weight drop onto Bobby as his vision blurred with tears and his head started to fill up with air.

They had to get down there. Now.

***

Closing her eyes, (Y/n) buried her nose in Chris's curls and tried to hum quietly in his ear but it didn't do anything to calm him down. If anything, she could feel his panic rising until he started to cry and he was itching to move in her arms. He kept his arms bound tight around (Y/n)'s neck like he was trying to strangle her but his legs kicked out against her hips and he squirmed until (Y/n) had to pin both arms around his waist as tight as she had ever done.

She couldn't have him try and fight his way out of her arms, she had to keep hold of him in case she had to make a break for it and run out of here. Chris wouldn't be able to run or hurry even with his crutches. (Y/n) had to be ready.

"Daddy. Home. Go Home!"

A tremor ran down (Y/n)'s spine when Chris slammed his hand down on her back and made her wince. He wasn't trying to hurt her, he was panicking and he didn't know what to do or how to make everything stop. He wanted his chocolate, his magazine and to be back at home without anything bad happening.

He wanted to be home with his parents, not stuck in a shop with people shouting and crying.

"Daddy's coming here to get us, he should be here soon baby," She continued to rock him back and forth despite how badly he was thrashing around in her arms.

"I want d-"

Chris shuddered and gasped in (Y/n)'s arms when the distant sound of a fire engine rattled the store and got closer. The team had gotten here, Eddie had gotten to them as fast as he could. They were going to get everyone out.

The siren continued to blaze which alerted the man that someone was going to come in and ruin whatever plan he had concocted. His violent shouts, the siren and the sudden blaring fire alarm in the store all became too much for Chris who started to scream at the top of his lungs. He chomped his teeth down on the side of his hand and smashed his forehead into (Y/n)'s shoulder as if he wanted to smother himself to make everything stop.

The action sent (Y/n) tumbling backwards into a shelf and her arms momentairely let go of Chris to cradle the back of her head.

A split second was all Chris needed to scramble out of his mum's arms and shuffle away. He felt like he had tunnel vision, all he could see was the door where he knew his dad and the team would be waiting for them. He wanted Eddie, he wanted uncle Buck and Bobby to get him and take him and his mum home. He wanted to be out of here now.

"Christopher!"

Rolling onto her stomach, (Y/n) scraped her knees on the floor to try and get to her feet and grab him when she saw the assailant bolt towards them.

There was only a split second for (Y/n) to decide what to do and in that moment, she hooked her hands under Chris's arms, hoisted him up off his feet and bolted towards the door.

"Cap I have to get in there-"

"We can't risk running in blind we don't know if he's holding them hostage, if he had a weapon or if he's hurt anyone."

"That's my family! He was threatening to light the place up!" Eddie slammed his fist into the side of the truck, relishing in the burn it ignited in his knuckles and how it caused his nerves to flare.

He had to get in that store now, he had to go in and get his family out and keep them safe, that was his job. Eddie's job was to protect people and keep them safe and if he couldn't protect his family, he shouldn't be doing this job. (Y/n) had called him, she had been desperate for help and Eddie had to do something about this situation.

"Someone's coming out," Hen dug her hand into Eddie's shoulder and pointed towards the entrance to the shop when the automatic doors opened.

"Eddie!"

His head snapped to the left in time to see his wife running out with Christopher in her arms. But right on her tail was a man with vengence in his eyes, fury on his face and his arms stretched out towards her.

Both Eddie and Buck set off into a run but their paces faltered when they watched the stranger grab a fistful of (Y/n)'s hair and yank her backwards forcefully. A strangled sound left her lips and she tilted Chris forward to give him a shove towards the team to get him safe.

The eight year old stumbled forward, tripped over his feet and went down on his knees. He pressed his palms back over his ears, screamed as loud as his lungs would allow and curved his chest down over his knees with his head pressed into his legs to hide himself away and become as small as possible. He was out, he wanted Eddie and he wanted to get in the car and go home, whatever was happening wasn't fun and he wanted it to stop.

"I got you, come here buddy." Buck reached down and scooped Chris up before he backtracked towards Chimney who was waiting uncertainly by the ambulance. He needed Chris as far away from the scene as possible and he had to check if he had any injuries.

"Get off! E-Eddie…"

(Y/n) reached behind her to try and grab the wrist that was tangled up in her hair and in a frantic panic, she waved her left arm to try and either hit him or get some leverage and add some distance between them. His hold was strong and the force he yanked her back with caused her to stumble down to her knees.

She couldn't help but scream when he slammed her head into the side of the door and tried his best to drag her back into the burning shop by her hair. Her head started to thud and everything turned and spun on its axis around her.

A pitiful howl left her lips when she felt his lighter scrape down her left arm from her elbow to her wrist and the flame licked and fizzed against her skin. She dug her nails into his face and screamed, digging her heels into the floor to try and stop him from moving her any further.

She could feel Eddie's name on the tip of her tongue until she managed to open her blurry eyes and saw him heading straight for her. She barely got to focus her vision before Eddie was lunging.

His elbow flew into the man's nose earning a successful snap and when his head shot back, Eddie grabbed his wrist and twisted it round so he dropped the lighter that had burned his wife. As swift as anything, Eddie dropped the left side of his body and pummeled his shoulder into the man's chest and took him down to the ground.

He pinned his knee down on the man's groin and curled his fingers into his palm, smashing his already bruised knuckles into the man's face causing blood to splatter across the gleaming white floor.

He wanted to keep going.

Eddie wanted to smash his fist into the man's face until the flesh tore apart and the bones were exposed. He wanted to pin him down and light up his skin like he'd just done to (Y/n) and drag him closer to the flames by the roots of his hair. Eddie wanted to frighten him and punish him and pummel him for terrorising his family like that.

His son was screaming and his wife had been attacked; Eddie wasn't going to let that lie.

"Eddie- hey, that's enough!"

"Let him burn!" Eddie's chest heaved beneath his shirt that he had been sweating through since he received (Y/n)'s phone call. His arms shook and tensed up and he fought with Hen and Bobby when they grabbed an arm each and dragged him backwards until he was level with (Y/n) who was doing her best to sit up.

They should evacuate any other people in the shop and leave him to be engulfed by the flames. He shouldn't be able to get out, he needed to sit and dwell and inhale the smoke he had started. He shouldn't get priority for anything.

"Get off," He huffed breathlessly and wrenched his arms free from their hold so he could collapse down on his knees in front of his wife.

He wasn't sure whether it was the smoke, the terror of the event or the relief of seeing his family relatively unharmed that made Eddie cry, but the tears drenched his face and he didn't bother to wipe them away.

(Y/n) curled her shaking arms around Eddie's neck and burrowed her face into his neck, hiccuping into his skin when he bound his arms around her and pulled her back into his lap. His face tucked into her hair and he closed his eyes, inhaling her scent to try and calm himself down but a storm was raging inside of him and his heart was working overtime until he was sure he was about to have a heart attack.

"Mi amor," His tone changed, became softer with a gentle edge and he nuzzled his nose into her hair so he could press multiple kisses against the side of her head.

"Eddie…" (Y/n) wasn't sure what she wanted to say, but she didn't have to say anything. She moved her shaking hand up from his neck to cup his face and bring him down for a tear stained kiss. "W-where's Chris?"

"Buck's got him, he's safe. Come here,"

Moving his hands down from her waist, Eddie cupped the back of her thighs and swiftly pulled her until her pelvis bumped into his groin. He curved her legs around his hips and kissed her again while his fingertips dug into the soft flesh of her thighs and he lifted her up with him. He stood up with (Y/n) clinging to his front and her lips glued to his jaw, something she knew would instantly calm him down.

He turned around and made his way over to the ambulance where he could see Buck. His friend was stood in front of the ambulance, a soft smile on his face and Christopher in his arms who was curled up into his chest, calmly biting his thumb.

Eddie carefully sat (Y/n) down on the edge of the ambulance and stood between her legs, feeling the heels of her feet pressing softly into his lower back just above his bum.

He reeled his arms back and reached out for (Y/n)'s left arm and gently squeezed her hand while he held her arm out in front of him for inspection. A light burn ran up the inside of her arm from her elbow down near her wrist, but it wasn't deep her extensive enough to need medical treatment. Cream and bandages would do just fine to make it blister and heal up in a week or so.

A small burn and a bash to the head was the best outcome Eddie could of asked for when he had fretted they would have smoke inhalation, loss of consciousness. He imagined bullet wounds, broken bones, third degree burns, the lot. Anything and everything ran through his mind when he thought about what could have happened with his family.

"Are you okay, buddy?" Eddie brushed his thumb across Chris's cheek when Buck gently sat him down on the ambulance next to (Y/n).

"Just a scrape on his knee, he'll be alright."

"Home," When Chris saw (Y/n) lean forward and bury her face into Eddie's chest, Chris pushed forward and wrapped his arm around his dad's leg. He pressed his chin into Eddie's thigh and tilted his head up so he could look up at him.

He wanted to go home now. He wanted Eddie to take them home and for this day to be over.

"Yeah, I'm gonna take you both home now."

[barbarianbookhoe]

Chapter 1

As the years passed, Y/N learned how to blend in with the workers of the club, trying her best to hide her need to shapeshift, keeping her gift to herself and her partner as they both climbed the rankings of the Dregs. (If you didn't count her brother, who seemed annoyed anytime he had to join her for their weekly training, and would rather eat his hair than admit he liked it.)

She didn't want to draw attention to her magic, especially in a place where people would kill for her head, if they knew how much she was worth. The arrest warrant came seven years later, while she was on a job and had to use her powers to help her friends escape the stadwatch.

She found out about the bounty while she was looking for a gift for her nephew's birthday, and as she rounded the corner, on the brick wall studded with multiple job requests and wanted papers, there was one, which stood out to her.

"Wanted dead or alive! Shapeshifter woman, aged 19, seen mostly around the East Stave and the Crow Club. Look for: burn scars on neck, green belt scarf. Reward: 100 000 kruge!"

Y/N stopped in her tracks as she read it, then let out a small laugh as she took off the paper and hid it in her coat's pocket. You're trying to find someone who changes looks faster, than you can blink. Ha! Idiots!

That green scarf she usually put around her waist, was one of the only things anyone gave her while she worked at the Crow Club. The boy was far more ruthless and cold than his age required, never laughing or smiling, or even seeming to enjoy anything. One day when Y/N was fourteen and came back from her first mission with the Dregs, all bruised and cut, the boy stood next to her and gave her that emerald green scarf. He told her that he noticed when she was stuffing it in her jacket, only for the scarf to fall out from her pocket while running, so he went back and retrieved it. When she asked why, the boy answered with something, that replayed in her mind for the next few days: "I saw how badly you wanted it. It was just a stupid piece of fabric, but it seemed you loved it. Yet, when you saw it fell on the ground you didn't stop to get it back. You ran with the others, and when you thought the danger was gone, you tried to go and find it. But when the stadwatch saw you, you dropped it, and ran again. You're a greedy person, but you didn't let greed take over your life. And that's something you won't see often in the Barrel." Suddenly the soft fabric felt heavy in Y/N's hands, as she slowly realized what he meant by his action and words. She decided she'd rather eat dirt, than lose the scarf that reminded her of him.

Y/N made her way to the West Stave, where she thought she might find something unique the little boy would definitely like. Her nephew was a curious kid, therefore anything that seemed new or foreign to him, he took interest in it, and played with it until he passed out. For a 2 year old he was quite full of energy, a trait that no side of his family had.

Y/N had been looking at multiple handmade toys, stuffed animals and even a kitchen supply stand. She started to forget what gift she wanted to give in the first place, when she came face to face with a stand that sold blankets, carpets, curtains and even tapestries. The woman who was shouting numerous prices about numerous fabrics, saw Y/N eyeing one of the blankets and quickly came over to her.

"Good morning! Can I help you with something Miss?" She asked on a cheerful voice.

"About that knitted blanket over there," she pointed at said item, just on top of the multiple piles. The woman held it up for Y/N to see it. "Do you sell smaller ones?"

"Yes. Do you want a knitted one?" The woman asked and Y/N nodded, before she reached into one of the piles and pulled out another knitted blanket. It was way smaller than the other ones, and some strands were hanging out of it, like it had been pulled by someone.

"Perfect," Y/N whispered as she took it in her hands to take a better look at it. The woman apologized for the state of it, offering to find one in a better condition, but Y/N just waved her off. "Don't worry about it, it's for a kid. He's going to rip it to shreds in a few days, anyway." She smiled at the woman and gave her the money, thanking her.

She folded the blanket and tugged it to her chest as she made her way towards her small shop. Her father teaching her the basics of making weapons came in handy, after she got a job offering at the Dregs' private gunsmith. After three years of kindness and a little forgery, she got to keep the place, the workshop basically becoming her second home. After a while, Y/N and Raffiel decided it would be more practical for her to buy the apartment above the workshop and live there, instead of walking back and forth between their aunt's house and the workplace two-three times a day, not to mention the visits she had to make to the Crow Club and the Slat, delivering the finished knives and guns.

She was about to open the front door of the shop, when she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up. It felt like someone was watching her and she took a glance around the area, finding nothing. When she finally stepped inside the shop, she heard the faint sound of boots clicking and a very familiar voice whispering, "That was my foot!". Y/N put the blanket on the counter before going outside again, checking her surroundings. This time she saw the figure of a certain sharpshooter walking closer and greeting her with one of his famous smiles.

"Morning beautiful! How are you on this lovely day?" Jesper asked on a suspiciously giddy voice as he leaned on the wall next to Y/N. She just rolled her eyes as she let him inside the shop. "I gave you my address for emergencies only. What do you want now?"

"What? I can't visit one of my dearest friends to see how they're doing? You hurt me sweetheart," He said exaggerating almost every word, earning a knowing look from Y/N. Jesper took a sharp inhale before he spoke up. "I need a favor," Jesper began explaining his problem with his revolvers, how it happened, and how it was none of his fault, which Y/N knew was a big fat lie, but she listened to his reason anyway.

"So you want me to fix your revolvers by tonight?" Y/N asked and saw Jesper shift uncomfortably from one leg to another. "Look, I would've got here sooner if it weren't for Kaz, and his firm belief that my duty is to guard a door," he told her which made Y/N look at him with lifted eyebrows. "That's your job, Jesper," The boy shook his head at her words.

"No, no, no. My job is to shoot things and look good while doing it," He smiled and Y/N let out a quiet laugh as she shook her head. "How you managed to not die yet is beyond me." She let out a sigh as she motioned for Jesper to give her the guns. "Look, I never had to do anything with your guns, not even cleaning them, so I don't exactly know how they look when they're in pieces. I can't promise they'll be done by tonight, but I'll try what I can. I know how much they mean to you," she told him and saw the boy almost ready to say a prayer at her words. Jesper thanked her multiple times as she walked him to the door, so she could start working.

The workshop, along with her, was loyal to the Dregs, which meant she always started with their requests and orders. The orders usually consisted of simple knives and guns, all of which had no mark or sign as to where it came from, making them untraceable for anyone who found them. Then after lunch, she'd take a look at other orders, to keep up the image that the workshop belonged to no gang, inviting in more customers.

After the gunsmith's death, Y/N practically became her own boss in the shop, so her work hours were quite flexible. Some days she refused to even lift a finger after five bells in the afternoon, some weeks she didn't sleep for days, trying to get the orders done as soon as possible for the extra money.

This week was one of those weeks, and Y/N could already feel how exhausted she was going to be by this weekend, just by looking at the requested items the gang needed. She cursed them for not taking care of their weapons enough (not like Inej and Jesper did at least), as she got to work. She let her mind wander elsewhere as she grabbed a box and began gathering some weapons listed on one of the orders, to see how much she'll have to make. The morning turned into afternoon, and later into night, but Y/N only left the workshop for a very quick lunchtime at her brother's, to give her nephew his gift. (Which he started to chew not long after she gave it to him.)

Meanwhile, a few blocks away in a club filled with rich merchants, unlucky tourists and the smell of cheap alcohol, Kaz Brekker was scheming once again. After telling Jesper, Inej, Nina, Matthias and Wylan about the Ice Court job and the fact that Wylan's not only Van Eck's son but their demolition expert, they begin to argue. It only goes on for a few minutes before Kaz settles it in his usual way, making Matthias tell Wylan everything he knows about the Ice Court, so Wylan can draw a map for them. After they get it done, and Matthias reluctantly explains every detail of the security protocol, Kaz turns to their group.

"We're going to need weapons that are easy to hide, but no one's going to recognize. We'll need a gunsmith," he told them.

"There's at least a dozen gunsmiths in Ketterdam," Jesper said casually.

"We need someone we can trust with this. Someone, who doesn't ask questions, someone who..." Kaz didn't finish his sentence as he stared into space, his mind moving a hundred miles per each second he stayed silent.

"Scheming face?" Jesper smirked at Inej as she looked back at him. "Definitely"

All of a sudden Kaz moved to the door as he called out for them. "I know who we need. Follow me," he said and walked out the door without looking at them.

They shared confused glances, before quickly going after him. The darkness of the night was in favor of them, for the citizens didn't take one glance at their strange group, led by none other than Dirtyhands himself.

When they reached a gunsmith's shop, Kaz didn't stop at the front door as expected, but instead went around the corner and walked to the backdoor. Jesper and Inej shared a curious look as Kaz picked the lock and went inside.

The lights in the workshop were turned off and the fireplace was dead too. The only thing that indicated someone was here, was the warmth that still radiated from the fireplace, and the half-done knife sitting on the working table. As they slowly glanced around the room, Jesper's brows furrowed.

"Wait, this place seems awfully familiar," he whispered, looking at Inej next to him, but she just shrugged her shoulders.

"They must've went upstairs, come on," Kaz whispered firmly and made his way to the staircase that was hidden behind the wall, next to the fireplace. Not knowing what else to do, the others followed him.

"Looks like no one's here, so why are why whispering?" Nina asked and Kaz harshly shushed her, which made her open her mouth in surprise. Before she could respond, Jesper put his hand on her mouth, muffling her words. She looked at him with raised brows but Jesper just shook his head. Don't piss him off right now, his eyes said and Nina huffed, but stayed silent.

Kaz knocked on the door twice, but he was met with silence. He knocked again, this time using a pattern that made the other five person behind him look at each other with even more confusion than before. When there was still no answer, he grabbed the lockpicks from his pocket and just as he put them in the lock, the door flew open, revealing a woman in dirty clothes, numerous knifes and tools attached to her belt, with a rifle pointing at Kaz's head.

"You're not supposed to be here Brekker," she said calmly, slightly lowering the rifle to his throat as he smirked.

"I have a job for you, Orlova." Kaz said on a sweet voice, but his gentle voice went unnoticed, because the five members behind him were too surprised to notice. Wylan, Nina and Matthias was surprised to see a woman in general, Inej and Jesper was surprised that it was Y/N, their most trusted friend.

Y/N tilted her head slightly to the side as she spoke. "What's the prize?"

"Four million kruge. And the bounty gone from your head."

[furryfaceoff]

WHO'S YOUR FAVORITE ANTHRO CHARACTER?

I've been obsessed with anthro animal characters ever since I first got my hands on a library VHS copy of lady and the tramp as a little kid. Unbeknownst to me this was my first step towards a downward spiral into having a fursona and constantly browsing faux fur fabric online. Vote for your favorite furry/furry adjacent character in the FURRY FACEOFF!

WHO COUNTS?

any fictional animal with human characteristics. Bonus points if they regularly inspire furries. They do not have to be a mammal. They do not have to stand on two legs. Real people and real furs will not be counted. I'm open to considering characters like werewolves, catgirls, or animatronics (cough FNAF cough) who aren't typical "anthro animals" if they get enough support. If the character has a good chance of making someone into a furry, I'll count it. Make your case!

Edit: I won't count nominations along the lines of "everybody in [story]", you can submit either single characters (ex: Lady from Lady and the Tramp) or duos/teams with a strong basis of being a duo/team (ex: TMNT)

HOW DO I NOMINATE A CHARACTER?

glad you asked! Nominate here through this google doc and feel free to nominate as many characters as you want. PLEASE only nominate a character one time, but I'm aware that I cannot feasibly stop you from doing otherwise.

HOW WILL THIS POLL WORK?

I will take nominations for 5 days. If I dont have many nominations in 5 days I'll just extend nominations until I have enough. Depending on how many character nominated that I agree upon, there will be a elimination google doc to get an amount of characters to use for the poll. After that, I will make a bracket sheet for the remaining characters based upon how many votes they get. Rounds will be posted on a weekly basis from Thursday-Sunday. If no one responds or this post doesn't get enough attention we're all gonna forget I did this, okay?

ANYTHING ELSE?

don't be rude and just have fun. this is just a silly bracket that I think would be fun to make. :3c I encourage "propaganda" for characters and WILL reblog it if you make it

tags / I was inspired by: @bestbutchbracket @best-fnaf-character @mad-scientist-showdown @doctorbracket @siblingtournament @baldguy-fight @baldguyswagcompetition @battle-of-the-lawyers thanks for being silly and fun!!!!!!

Reblogs from anyone would be appreciated to get this blog up and boomin' ! Thank you all!

[stevetonyweekly]

SteveTony Weekly - December 17th

Real life has been crazy as my kids went through finals week and I went through--helping them through finals week. There’s very little on this week’s list--but my holiday break is starts Wednesday so I expect the next few weeks list will make up for the brevity of today. And of course, y’all can look forward to holiday lists and my end of year round ups in the next few weeks. 

*

One More Dream by citsiurtlanu

Steve is an animator dreaming of breathing life back into a stagnant industry. Tony is a musician dreaming of introducing electric violin to rock. In December of 1981, they meet and come to realize what it means to follow said dreams.

Also known as the artist!Steve/musician!Tony La La Land AU no one ever asked for.

the perfect blend by downeylove, robertdowneyjjr

Tired of the stress and pressure that comes with being the CEO of a global tech conglomerate, Tony hands over control of Stark Industries to Pepper and decides to open a cafe in Brooklyn.

Then an exhausted high school teacher named Steve walks into his life looking for coffee and doesn’t make any effort to leave. Not that Tony’s complaining.

Blacksmith's Hands by Amuly 

Based in Marvel's 1872 Western Universe, where Tony is a blacksmith and Steve is the town Sheriff. Blacksmith Tony hears Sheriff Steve's birth date is coming up, and decides to give him the present he deserves.

darling I fancy you by complicationstoo 

Steve has had a plan for April fifteenth for months now. He’s finally back in New York tonight, officially done with the semester abroad in London that he and Natasha started in January. He loved England, but after months of conversations through text and brief phone calls alone, he just wants the taxi from the airport to drive faster to take him back home. Back to Tony, who Steve has been in love with for the better part of four years and is finally ready to tell how he feels.

cold coffee by complicationstoo 

In retrospect, Steve can admit that he overreacted to the entire situation. His only defense is that he was already stressed out by the bad grade he got on his art project. It’s weak, he recognizes, but he worked really hard on that project and Professor Hill called it “contrived” and “unnecessarily complex.” He was fuming by the time he walked out her office, having failed at arguing for a better grade, and getting freezing cold coffee spilled on him was really the icing on the top of the world’s worst cake. Can he really be blamed for blowing up on the guy?

(Yes, he’ll admit later, he can. But not now.)

Met You on a Monday by justanotherrollingstony (adoctoraday)

The Chitauri invade on a Monday, the same day that Steve meets Iron Man for the first time, and then Toni Stark--and then everything he thinks he knows about both of them goes right out the window.

Indulgence by FestiveFerret, One and Five Nines (Obani)

All it took was one word from Tony, and Steve fell to his knees, every time.

He wished he didn't need this so badly.

Before We Part (The Adventure's End Remix) by citsiurtlanu

Minutes away from incursion, Steve and Tony realize that this adventure will be their final one.

Size Doesn't Matter by izazov

An incident results in Steve reverting to his pre-serum body. It may be the worst thing that has happened to Tony Stark. Or the best.

Love of Inconvenience by AvengersNewB

Tony had a plan; bond with Steve to keep him from deportation until he could find Steve's childhood friend Mr. Barnes.

Temporary.

For convenience.

The plan did not entail falling for this perfect beautiful omega.

Tony Doesn't Love Drama (It Loves Him) by tonystarkssnipples

Steve carefully folded his fingers together and took a steadying breath. “With all due respect, sir, I do not think it would be a wise idea for me to be a part of this project.”

Steve seethed. His boss did this all the time; talked him into doing things they both knew were not good for Steve. In the end, Steve always went along with what his boss said because that’s how jobs worked.

-or-

Steve is a photographer hired to take pictures of Tony Stark and they end up falling into bed together.

Just Like This by BlossomsintheMist

“You are,” he murmured in Tony’s ear, “the sweetest, most generous, most wonderful boyfriend a man could ever have.”

Steve and Tony share Valentine's Day together, and Steve wants to make a point.