#all of the gods in this really. Kat did such a good job with the deities and their relationship with this world

[turtletaubwrites]

Numbers Game ~ Part 1

Thank you @discordantwritings for this request! I've been so excited to write some Cross Guild shenanigans, I hope you enjoy it! Also, this will be part 1 because I did turn it into a whole ass thing, lol. Just a miniseries, I swear!

Pairings: Cross Guild x Fem!Reader (Eventual smut, but not this chapter. Reader is in a relationship with Buggy first, then meets the others in this chapter.)

Word Count: 2863

Ao3 Link

Summary: You left your stable/boring life as an investment banker to have some adventure. Unfortunately, that sweet Warlord of the Sea didn't follow your financial advice, and now you and your clown are at the mercy of his biggest lender and his new business partner.

Rating/Warnings: Eventual Smut, 18+, MDNI, AFAB!Reader, She/Her Pronouns for Reader, Reader-Insert, Alcohol, Swearing, Angst, Established Relationship, Canon Typical Violence, Manipulation, mention/brief threat of slavery, Humiliation, Blood and Violence, Pet names, Power Imbalance, Crocodile is a villain

A/N: The reader starts out with Buggy, so Crocodile and Mihawk will be enemies to the reader at first. Crocodile in particular is a VILLAIN toward the reader at first, threatening violence and there's a mention of paying off debts by selling Buggy and reader into slavery, as he threatened in the anime. Please do not read this if toxic, threatening relationships are triggering for you. Dynamics will shift after the initial chapters, but he's still a villain and I wrote him that way in this fic. It's very much dark romance style/bad guys need love too/Mafia boss type vibe.

Fuck, my sister was right. 

“Hurry it up, Y/N, it’s time to go!”

“But, Captain Buggy,” you matched his near frantic whisper, “Your crew are calling for you. Don’t you need to give them orders?”

“Fine, fine! Just keep packing!”

You barely heard the commands and lies that he spewed from the balcony, your hands shaking as your mistakes blared through your mind.

You’d been so bored. You had a good, stable life. You were great at your job. You’d started at a bank, and soon you were managing investments for wealthy clients who didn’t want to do their own work to stay wealthy.

You were so good with numbers. So good at helping your clients make smart, safe choices.

Yet here you were, about to get killed by the fucking Navy because you’d wanted a little adventure.

The screams started getting louder, and you heard what had to be explosions, luckily not close by. Yet. 

Kat told me this clown would get me killed.

Tears burned in your eyes as you pictured your sister’s face, pinched with worry and shock.

“He works for the government now! I’m going to help run his organization, I’ll handle the finances, and his mercenaries will help the Navy out.”

“Are you fucking insane? He’s a Warlord! Not some Navy officer,” Kat almost yelled, face red as she leaned toward you.

“I… He’s different, okay. He’s really sweet,” you mumbled, looking down as your fingers twisted in your lap.

“Oh my fucking gods, Y/N, did you fuck that clown? What has gotten into you?”

You didn’t know what you were grabbing and packing, tears streaming freely now.

“Captain! The warships around the island are getting attacked!”

“Who’s helping us,” Buggy screamed, and the confusion and hope in his voice made you drop everything.

Racing to the balcony, you were just in time to watch two Navy warships go down in flames.

Desperate hope filled you now, and you reached for his hand.

He pulled away as news of who your savior was came closer, shouts of triumph sending chills through you, freezing Buggy in place.

“It’s Crocodile! He really does work for Chairman Buggy! We’re saved!”

Crocodile. Crocodile!

All those berries, drained away with Buggy’s antics. All those berries that you were technically supposed to be in charge of. 

All of it was Crocodile’s.

“Buggy, Buggy, please. Where can we hide?”

He turned at your hoarse whisper, his mouth hanging wide in shock.

“Buggy!”

“We don’t have the money to pay him. He’s gonna kill me!”

His strained voice grated your nerves as you pulled on his hand, dragging him away from the balcony, and the adoring eyes of his henchmen.

He was near babbling as you pulled him along, searching for anywhere to hide. 

A frustrated sob left your throat as you remembered what you’d been feeling recently, even with his idiotic spending, and refusal to listen to your words of reason.

I thought I was falling for him.

But the sight of him falling apart now, not only failing to protect you, but even himself, was making you regret every single moment.

Your heart felt raw, burning more with each yank on his hand, especially since his hand was only connected to that fucking pouch he likes to wear.

Then that hand was torn away from yours, Buggy’s yelp making you jump. 

Buggy went flying over your head, sliding down the hallway with a grunt. 

Before you could turn around, you were encased in someone's shadow. You shook as you felt the heat of a body, inches from you. The first thing you saw was the glinting gold of a massive hook, then you had to crane your neck. 

Towering above you was a man in lavish clothes, a purple vest with an orange scarf, and a fur coat. He seemed to be ignoring you, his cigar dangerously close to dropping ash onto your hair.

You felt like prey, like a rabbit. Shivering in fear, just waiting for the wolf to walk away or devour you.

“I know you,” he directed at Buggy, his deep voice rumbling through you. “I thought you’d try to flee without paying me back.”

I’m so close to him. How can he tell I’m so weak? If I had a weapon I could try to hurt him.

As if he could read your thoughts, Crocodile looked down at you, tapping his cigar off to the side before the ashes fell. 

“I don’t know you.”

Your mouth gaped open as you stared into his cold, scarred face.

“Well, you see, Crocodile,” Buggy started bullshitting, moving closer. “Buggy’s Delivery Service may look like it’s doing well, but we’ve, uh… We’ve lost a lot of our big earners, and…”

Buggy trailed on, spouting excuses that made you want to scream at him, until you felt his hand grip the back of your shirt. 

He slowly pulled you backward, away from Crocodile. New tears fell as your pathetic clown tried to shift his body in front of yours, shielding you.

He was too late.

The sting of cold metal wrapped around your neck as Crocodile’s hook captured you, like the prey you were.

He yanked you up, until your toes were barely scraping along the ground as he looked you over.

“If you can’t pay, clown, we can sell you into slavery. I wonder how much your woman is worth.”

“Come on, Crocodile,” Buggy drawled, inching closer again. “Don’t say such horrible things! We broke out of Impel Down together, didn’t we?”

“I lent you money for that sake,” he countered calmly, before looming over Buggy with even more danger edging his voice. “But if you can’t pay, you’ll have to take full responsibility.”

“Responsibility,” Buggy choked out, eyes flicking to you when you gasped from Crocodile's movements.

“I’m gonna found a new company, so I need money now.”

You could see the frantic wheels spinning in Buggy’s head before he puffed himself up, making his body look huge as he spread his limbs out in the red fabric.

“Then, let me help you with that business! This former Warlord of the Sea will serve under you. I’ll work off my debt! We have great resources!”

You brought your hands up to hold onto the hook as Crocodile lifted you even higher. You couldn’t tell if he was doing it on purpose, or if he had just forgotten that he was holding you there. You watched Buggy try to sell the plan, try to save you both. 

“We have advertising design, printing, transportation, and the finest financial adviser on the seas.”

Buggy emphasized the last with jazz hands shaking wildly in your direction, and you cringed.

Crocodile hummed, setting you on the ground in front of him, but still tugging on your neck with that cold metal as he looked you over. You let out a breath when he released your neck, but then the sharp point of the hook traced teasingly on your cheek, stopping your breath entirely.

“W-Wait, come on, Croc. We’re pals! You don’t need to–”

“If you’re in charge of the finances,” Crocodile breathed down on you, ignoring Buggy’s pleas, “then it’s your fault that all my money is gone, isn’t it?”

You started to shake your head, but the cold prick of metal held you frozen.

“No, it wasn’t her fault,” Buggy almost yelled, voice missing its chummy tone now. “Please, we didn’t– I didn’t follow her advice. Tell him baby, you’ve got all those plans you made, right? The investments?”

Your eyes clenched shut, a wave of tears cascading down as he defended you.

“Is that true, girl? Did you try to keep this idiot from wasting all my money?”

His breath was hot on your face as he leaned over you. Your lip quivered as you waited for him to open his jaws, and swallow you whole.

“Tell me.”

“I… I created a plan to manage those funds, using much of them to invest and create reciprocal income for the organization.”

His eyes burned into you, silently demanding more.

“Unfortunately, I was not able to go forward with those plans,” you said weakly, eyes looking down, seeking freedom from his glare.

“I wonder why that could be, hmm?” 

He brought his hand to your face now, huge fingers gripping your chin to force your eyes back to his.

“Tell me why all of my money is gone. You are the financial advisor, aren’t you? Should I bleed the berries out of you?”

“No, I’m sorry,” you stuttered, eyes fluttering down again until his grip on your face became painful.

“It’s okay, baby,” you heard whispered behind you.

“Ca-Captain Buggy did not follow the financial plans that I laid out for him, or my recommendations to adjust spending when funds became low.”

Crocodile’s lip twitched up, and he released you, making you stumble.

He reached for Buggy, hitting him again until he slid across the floor.

“No, please!”

“Why are you crying for this potato sack? He nearly got you killed.”

The menacing man sighed as you failed to speak, then grabbed Buggy by the hair.

“Don’t worry, we’re not killing him yet. Go get your paperwork, I wanna see if you really are a numbers girl.”

Shame flooded you as you nodded, doing nothing as Buggy was dragged away like trash. 

There’s nothing I can do. Numbers, money, that’s all I’m good at. 

Taking a deep breath, you reminded yourself that you are really good at that. And maybe that skill could help you get out of here alive. 

Maybe I can help Buggy after all. 

~ 

That sliver of hope vanished when you walked through the door, your briefcase in hand.

Off to the side you saw Buggy’s officers, eating and laughing happily, as if nothing had happened. 

As if their Captain’s head wasn’t dangling from Crocodile's hand, bruised and bloodied while that hook kept shoving against his skin.

Crocodile was seated on the plush, green couch, using Buggy’s limp body as a foot rest. He held Buggy’s head over the middle of the couch, between him and another man.

The other man’s cold, amber eyes felt like blades through your skin as you froze in the doorway. You recognized him, though you’d hoped you’d never meet the swordsman in person.

Dracule Mihawk. What the fuck has my life turned into?

Buggy coughed, spitting out a piece of paper. That stupid fucking flyer his men had made. 

They hadn’t even waited for approval before spending the money on printing and distributing it. You’d wanted to strangle every fucking dumbass that touched it when you saw the bill.

“The word ‘humiliation’ isn’t enough to express how I feel,” Crocodile growled, as Buggy apologized for the Cross Guild poster, showing Buggy as their leader. 

“As much as I’d like to kill him,” Mihawk mused, his voice filled with calm disdain, “it’s not a bad idea to have him as our figurehead. I would rather live peacefully than become an Emperor of the Sea.”

He stood gracefully, heading to the counter to pour himself a glass of wine. He turned to look back, his head tilted like an animal watching for prey.

“Let him take the heat, and we can get rid of him whenever we want.”

“You’re right,” Crocodile laughed, shoving his hook into Buggy’s mouth.

You let out a choked gasp, grateful that they weren't going to kill him now, but feeling the looming threat that the future held.

And there were Galdino, Alvida, and even Mohji and Cabaji, ignoring his pain, laughing and stuffing their faces. Their betrayal made you ache for Buggy.

Until you remembered the danger you were still in. 

I’m betraying him too. I’m going to work for these men. I’m going to stay alive.

“Who is this,” Mihawk drawled as he took his seat again.

“Uh, I–”

“This might be our numbers girl. If she proves herself,” Crocodile threatened, dropping Buggy’s head onto the floor behind the couch, before patting the cushion beside him. 

“Come here, girl. Show us how useful you can be.”

With wide eyes, you walked toward them, avoiding stepping on Buggy’s body as you sat between the two terrifying men. 

Crocodile’s arm rested on the back of the couch behind you, so you sat slightly forward, avoiding his touch. 

Mihawk tilted toward you, and you found yourself staring at the beautifully embroidered details of his black and gold coat, avoiding looking at his bare chest and abs between the rich fabric.

He cleared his throat, making you jolt, before bringing your shaky fingers to unlatch the briefcase. You struggled, gasping when Mihawk reached over your lap to open it for you.

“Gods, Galdino, will you bring this girl a drink," Crocodile huffed, and you could feel his eyes on you. "Where the fuck did the clown pick up such a skittish little thing, huh?”

You focused on your paperwork, pulling out some of the plans you’d initially brought to help manage the funding Crocodile had provided. 

Mihawk took them gingerly from your hands as Galdino passed you a glass of wine. You were sure that he must be pissed at being ordered to serve you like a waiter.

You chugged the whole glass of wine, closing your eyes while Crocodile chuckled, and Mihawk reviewed your work. 

“It’s well done,” he praised, handing it to his partner. “These skills will be helpful with getting this operation running.”

“As long as the idiots in charge actually listen, of course” Crocodile joked, flipping through the pages. 

He tossed the papers aside, motioning for Galdino to fill your glass again.

“Sorry about all of that in the hallway. You work for us now.”

“Okay,” you breathed out, barely audible.

The back of his hook touched your face, the smooth metal guiding you to look at him.

He studied you for a moment, and your brain tried to make sense of him, of what was happening. His black hair was slicked back, a few stray strands falling over his forehead. The long scar across the middle of his face made your brain hurt. You couldn’t imagine what kind of wound that must have been.

His deep set eyes were judging you, and you fought every instinct to hold his gaze instead of running. 

Finally, he let out a low laugh.

“When I find something of value, I protect it. Do your job well, and you’ll be taken care of. Better than with this clown, that’s for sure.”

You winced as his foot dug into Buggy’s body, eliciting a moan from the man who’d brought you here. 

Chewing the inside of your lip, you sipped on your second drink as they discussed plans to announce the lie that Buggy really is the leader. 

They don’t need me here. I’ll just go to my room.

Each time you almost stood, or asked to be excused, your brain went blank. You just sat there, between these two ex Warlords, these two men who radiated power. The night went on, until all of Buggy’s betrayers trickled out.

“Wait.”

Crocodile’s deep voice commanded as you stood to follow Alvida and Galdino out, desperate to not be alone with these men. But here you were.

“What’s your name? Unless you want us to call you Numbers Girl.”

You settled on the couch, still sitting away from the back to keep from leaning against Crocodile’s arm.

“It’s Y/N.”

“I am curious, Y/N,” Mihawk spoke up, swirling his wine in its glass. “How such an intelligent and attractive woman ended up with this pathetic clown.”

“Please, leave her alone,” Buggy’s weak voice creaked up from behind the couch.

“It’s just curiosity,” Mihawk continued, and you couldn’t help meeting his golden gaze, his large hat tilting down toward you.

“Come, Y/N,” Crocodile joined in, “I could use a laugh. How did you end up with Buggy?”

“We… We met at a bar.”

They stared, and your skin practically crawled at the pressure for more.

“I’m an– I was an investment banker. I was having a drink after work, and overheard Buggy discussing his new organization. I offered my services.”

You shifted your head slightly to look back and forth at them, and their confused faces almost made you laugh. Almost.

“Why,” Crocodile asked, his deep voice almost dangerous as he demanded an explanation. Mihawk just cleared his throat, and took another sip. 

You wanted to comfort Buggy. To remind him that you’d been drawn to him. That he was funny, and sweet, and that your time together that night was what made you want to join him. 

But you knew the real reason you chose to go with Buggy, and you knew they’d only punish you both if you talked about being with him. So you told the truth.

“I was bored.”

It felt like the air around you shifted. The weight of their stares, and the sound of their low laughter made your skin flush with heat.

They both leaned forward, surrounding you as they brought their glasses to tap against yours.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart,” Crocodile’s husky voice rumbled beside you. “You won’t be bored with us.”

Likes and reblogs bring me much ✨dopamine✨ thank you so much!

a/n: I hope you enjoyed this first chapter! It hurt beating up my Buggy boy like this, but I made it through, lol

Part 2

| masterlist | about me | rules | ao3 | ko-fi |

[trevuorzegras]

━╋ NEW RELEASES

⏜ˑ 🐇 actress au part four 𓋜 ⋆ ࣪

౨ৎ . . all works for this series will be under the #his greatest mistake au tag. for any random thoughts, or asks it will be under the #cassidy morgan au tag!

fem actress!reader x quinn hughes.

mentions of fem actress!reader x jacob elordi

faceclaim: beabadoobee

find the series masterlist, here!

cas_morgan

cas_morgan: so so so excited to finally let you guys in on what i’ve been working on! ‘spinning out’ is now streaming on netflix! everyone go show your support, and love please 🫶🏼.

words cannot describe how incredibly honored, and grateful i am to have had this opportunity. i loved being able to bring this character to life. this experience is something i’ll forever cherish, thank you everyone!

tagged: netflix, spinningoutnetflix, evanroderick

liked by trevorzegras, jackhughes, and other

user1: OH MY GOD

user2: on my way to watch it right now

trevorzegras: superstar at it AGAIN

↳ cas_morgan: my #1 supporter 🩷

user3: since when do you know how to skate?

↳ user4: she’s been skating since she was a kid

↳ user3: really? user4

↳ user5: yes! she has a video all about it on her youtube channel (: user3

user6: i need a season two asap

user7: who got you those roses?? 🤔🤔

↳ cas_morgan: 🤫

↳ markestapa: it was me don’t let her fool you

↳ cas_morgan: you are DISGUSTING markestapa

user8: whyd evan and cas be cute irl tho…

↳ cas_morgan: guys this man is 28 PLEASE

↳ user9: age ain’t nothin but a numba… cas_morgan

↳ evanroderick: Absolutely not! user9

evanroderick: Been such a wonderful experience working with you, Cassidy! Thank you for teaching me the ways of skating even if i fell on my ass most of the time. I’ll forever cherish the memories that were made, and i hope to keep a close friendship!

↳ cas_morgan: very like wise! i love working with you, ev! you did a great job, regardless of how many times you busted your ass. i hope to stay close as well, keep in touch, don’t be a stranger! 🫶🏼

user10: i felt so bad for kat throughout the series ):

↳ user11: no literally, my baby deserved better 😭

spinningoutnetflix: our very own kat baker and justin davis! we loved having you bring our kat to life!

jackhughes: the amount of SEXY SCENES I NEED BLEACH 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

↳ cas_morgan: there’s like one get a GRIP ROWDY

lhughes_06: watched it like 82672 times

↳ cas_morgan: it came out two days ago, luke.

↳ lhughes_06: don’t underestimate me cas_morgan

user12: i love cassidy’s friendship w jack and luke so much omg ☹️

↳ user13: it’s so cute, they’re like her annoying brothers 😭

user14: anastasia allen core

↳ user15: now she just needs her hockey bf

rutgermcgroarty: would’ve been better with a hockey boy as the love interest 🤷

↳ cas_morgan: not everything is about hockey rut

↳ rutgermcgroarty: could be! cas_morgan

user17: okay but rut’s onto something, would’ve been cute with a hockey player

↳ user18: it’s a basic trope. hockey player x figure skater is BASIC say!! it!! with!! me!!

liked by cas_morgan

user19: oh no she liked the comment about figure skater and hockey trope being basic there goes our chance of getting her with a hockey player

↳ user20: she’s an actress not a figure skater, there’s still a chance trust

liked by cas_morgan

user21: she is NOT slick

↳ user22: she’s so real 😭😭

_quinnhughes: congratulations, cassidy!

↳ cas_morgan: thank you quinn!

edwards.75: you did good 🗣️🗣️

↳ cas_morgan: thanks eth 🔥

user23: she’s so pretty fuck

user24: can’t wait to see more future projects!

user25: you are so talented cassidy

trevorzegras

trevorzegras: don’t let cas fool you, she’s having an absolute blast w the hockey boys 🗣️💯🔥

tagged: cas_morgan, lhughes_06, jackhughes, jamie.drysdale, _alexturcotte, edwards.75, markestapa, rutgermcgroarty, luca.fantilli

liked by _quinnhughes, nhl, and others

cas_morgan: don’t lie to them, i hate you, and everyone here (besides luke, jamie, and mark)

↳ trevorzegras: what the hell Cassidy.

↳ lhughes_06: YUP 🗣️

↳ markestapa: it’s an honor 😭😭😭😭😭

↳ edwards.75: ??

↳ jackhughes: do i just not exist?..

↳ cas_morgan: no you do and that’s the problem rowdy jackhughes

↳ jamie.drysdale: awe cas loves me

↳ cas_morgan: always 🫶🏼 jamie.drysdale

user26: LMFAOO THAT WHOLE THREAD IS SO FUNNY

user27: are you guys excited for hockey season again

↳ trevorzegras: yes i get to drag cas to more games!

↳ cas_morgan: yeah that’s absolutely not fucking happening, good try tho! trevorzegras

user28: so glad cas has people who care about her surrounding her 🫶🏼

↳ user29: real, im glad she’s happier!

user30: Cassidy only has followers cause of the hockey players she sleeps around with

↳ markestapa: cassidy has more followers than all of us 😭 she acts, and we play hockey, let’s not.

user31: mark #1 cassidy defender

↳ user32: that’s dom’s roll, mark can get #2

↳ user33: who’s dom? user32

↳ user32: dominic fike! user33

rutgermcgroarty: don’t let cas fool you, she reads most of the time, and barely talks to us

↳ cas_morgan: don’t be a hater rut

jamie.drysdale: im cassidy’s favorite by the way

↳ markestapa: no its definitely me but okay

↳ trevorzegras: ACTUALLY 🤓 markestapa

lhughes_06: funny you guys are fighting over favorite when it’s literally me 🤣🤣🤣

↳ jackhughes: you’re real funny luke. ever tried being a comedian i’m laughing so hard 😐

user34: none of y’all are the favorite btw

liked by cas_morgan

sorry about slow updates, trying my best! just please be patient, and i promise to try and upload as much as i possibly can! 🫶🏼

taglist | @wnderify @bunbunbl0gs @alwaysclassyeagle @bunting58 @callsignwidow @crazycat-ladys-blog

[5uwabbit]

"Testing testing..The mic seems well! What a nice morning to greet everyone, Welcome to Altru inc!"

“What are you looking at? Did you finish loitering around? We have a mission to do."

“That’s Kellie??”

Kincaid background is unknown (secret) but he actually have some sort of educational background. He’s still has a skill in spotting talents out of the ordinary. The first time he met Kat she was just a troublesome kid breaking a vending machine. What impresses him more was how her parents didn’t give her an output for this? This is wasting talent!! Anyways.. when her parents were giving her a lecture for doing unforeseen robotics, he told them she would be a genius in tech. By chance, Kat was already in the best school in the area, where Kincaid is in. He now actively sponsors her. (Then they all moved to Almia in via student exchange)

Of course, given that it is an exchange program Kincaid has to keep her in check. Unfortunately, Kat is the “well now I’m not doing it now that you told me type”. So she’s giving him trouble.

Kellie was also from Fiore. He’s the son of a very popular whatever.. just think they have big influence here. He was already in Kincaid class and of course.. Kincaid is trying to get him on board with this plan. However the biggest struggle is literally convincing the boy since he’s Very. Very. unmotivated. He’s a natural social genius yet doesn’t like any interaction that doesn’t interest him.

Kellie only followed Kincaid when he mentioned they’re taking him to ranger school. Kincaid here actually works as a supervisor because Kellie has actual work in Altru including and they know Kincaid from the inside, putting trust on him. He always lived a carefree lived and his motivation is way too vague to tell. (Kincaid thinks he’s actually more at risk of drifting away from their group than Kat is)

Both Kat and Kellie were separate project. He didn’t plan for them to meet. They first began interacting in Almia Ranger School. Kat actually wonders why Kincaid needed Kellie because of course “Kincaid doesn’t really need anyone else doesn’t he?” (This leads to her investigating the organization as a whole, realizing that it’s much bigger than just robotics privileges). However instead of breaking away this strenghtened both of the two bonds.

Kat: I know your evil plans old blondie

Kincaid: what (oh sh-)

Kat: I agree

Kincaid: (huh?)

After this the two have full transparency. Anyways.. Kat realized Kellie’s background and was more like okay we’re coworkers. “I guess Kellie does play a good role in the plan..” Although…. it was kind of unexpected given Kellie were more of the “carefree type”. They got closer later on. Kat thinks Kellie should rebel more because why aren’t you extorting Kincaid more. We in this together dude!

Dear god please do not. Inspire Kellie to be like you.

-Kincaid

Also Kat suspected Kellie had relation to Kincaid at first because “He isn’t the troublesome type but still here anyway”. (Referring to some sorta detention)

Kellie knew right of the bat that Kat and Kincaid were actually allies to each other by sheer observation alone. Even when both the Professor and Kat literally seems like they only got beef with each other (This is why Isa doesn’t suspect that Kat and Kincaid is in the same faction). There will be more children dramas between R!Rhythmi, R!Keith, R!Ponte and Isa but that’s a topic for another stuff..

(Note: I put name differences for easy filtering, it also provides nice detail)

TAGGING

If I said R!Kate that means it’s Kat, R!Kate=Kat

Kate -> Kat

Kellyn -> Kellie

Isaac -> Isa

Mr. Kincaid -> Prof. Kinz (Still spelled Kincaid but again, easy filtering)

I have yet to make name diff for some :p I would love if you try to hyperanalyses who is swapped with who whether in personality or jobs. Who mirrors who designs LOL.

My take in Reverse Universe is like

Sometimes they are completely opposing themselves. Sometimes two characters swaps personality or/and jobs. Sometimes they remain the same as ever but something is off.

[jellysweets]

sick day ! gn reader

characters: itto, scara, albedo, ganyu, thoma, hu tao ♡

synopsis: gn!reader is sick and their partner takes care of them !!

warnings: they’re pretty short, use of scara’s real name, ooc scara maybe, petnames used.

genre: fluff

kat’s ramble: second post! first post w multiple characters <3 added some of my favs, may do a part two!! can u tell i have a thing for being picked yo bridal style?? GOD I LOVE IT

a. itto - hanamizaka heroics

・came home to you sick after hanging out w the gang :(( despite him being big and strong you always take care of him so he literally has a heart attack because he doesn’t know what to do to help you.

“are you okay?? what’s wrong?? what do you need?? what can i do??” he spits out in panic. “yes, im okay, dear. and i don’t need anything, i’ll be okay. just having your company is enough for me.” you say.

・you know this goof doesn’t know the difference between medicines, if you’re afab he’d give u like idfk peptobismol when you’re on your period😭

“uhhhh.. ibuprofen?? do you need ibuprofen??” he asks. “achoo! no, sniff, love, that’s a painkiller.” you reply. “well aren’t you in pain?? you keep coughing and sneezing..” he cries. “im not in pain, i just have a cold.” you laugh at his awful attempt at taking care of you. “don’t laugh!!” he frowns. he doesn’t know much but he’s trying his best because he really does love you :((

scaramouche - balladeer

・you know this man is busy and when he comes home to you sick he is just.. he’ll barely show any sympathy but on the inside he feels really bad for you :(

“what the hell is up with you?” scara asks with a stern tone. “kuniiii.. i feel like crap” you whine as you pull yourself onto him, resting your head in the crook of his neck. “ugh, you’re no different from a leech.” he scoffs. while he’s voicing his usual mean words, he frowns because he really does feel bad for you.

・he has to carry you to bed because you can’t/won’t stand up.. well you probably can but you’ll never tell..

“you idiot.. you really need me to carry you to bed?? so pathetic..” “…’m sorry, kuni..” you mumble as he picks you up. “don’t.. apologize. it’s whatever…. let’s just get you to bed.”

・SPECIAL SLEEPYTIME TREATMEANT🤭 he’ll hum to you to help you get some rest which is the cutest thing ever idc

“..kuni.. can’t sleep..” you mumble at 4am, and scara being the light sleeper he is, wakes up almost immediately. “..y/n.. come here.” he pulls you into his embrace (something that doesn’t happen often) and hums to you sweetly. the next morning he’ll just say you were being annoying so he just did it to make you go to sleep but somewhere inside of him told you he did it as a form of love HELLOOOO OHMYGOD HES SO🤭 you almost pretend to be sick forever so this special treatment never ends <3

albedo - kreideprinz

・will drop ALL of his work for you until you’re better. which is pretty rare, but for you, he’d do anything.

“mm.. ‘bedo.. you didn’t have to sniff stop working for me, i’ll be.. achoo!.. okay.” you reassure him softly. “dear, it’s okay. im going to be here for you until you’re better. do you need anything?” albedo says. “…just you..” you mumble, just loudly enough for him to hear you. “mm..” he hums softly as he pulls you into his embrace.

・he’ll make you a potion that you think will taste absolutely disgusting, so he has to pour it in your mouth for you. and tbh it makes you feel so much better after like 30 minutes.

“dear, say ‘ahh’ for me.” he commands, raising your head your chin gently. “mm.. ahh..” you hesitantly open your mouth as he requested. he pours the unknown liquid in your mouth, you can feel the warm substance dripping down your throat. it makes you tummy feel all warm and it didn’t taste as bad as expected. “good job..” he smiles at you sweetly. he picks you up from the chair he had you sitting in, and holds you bridal style. he takes you to your shared bedroom and lays you down on the bed gently. he joins you in the bed and pulls you closer to him, placing a kiss on your forehead.

ganyu - plenilune gaze

・you didn’t tell her because you didn’t want to worry her because she’s already stressed enough. when she came home, she saw how sick you were and she felt so awful for not noticing before.

“y/n, im home!” she announces when she steps into your shared home. she gets really worried when you don’t respond because you usually come quickly to welcome her home. she walks into your room and sees tissues scattered on the floor and bed, a trash can next to the bed, and your sleeping body laying on the bed. she runs to the bed and sits down on the edge of the bed. you were just barely asleep so you wake up rather quickly. “ah! y/n, i-im so sorry! i didnt mean to wake you up!” she stutters over her words. “mm.. im so glad you’re home..” you mumble. “are you okay?” she asks in concern. “just a fever, i’ll be fine.” you say, caressing her cheek with your hand. “a fever?! oh, y/n.. im so sorry i didnt notice before i left! im here now, do you need anything?” “..just you..” you mumble, just loud enough for her to hear. her eyes widen and despite the darkness in the room, you can still see her blush. “i!.. o-okay..” she cuddles up to you in bed and presses a kiss on your cheek.

thoma - protector from afar

ment. of throwing up!!!!

・the sweetest ever :(( he’ll give u anything you need at any time, he always there.

“open up for me, love.” he commands softly. you open your mouth and he puts places the food on his chopsticks he’s feeding you with in your mouth. “good.. good bite” he smiles. “are you feeling okay?” he asks. “mm.. better.” you mumble. “good, im glad…y/n.. i love you so much.” “i know..and i love you too.” you slowly drift off to sleep as he sits on the chair next to your shared bed. once he’s sure you’re sound asleep, he joins you. careful not to wake you up.

・picks u up to take you to the bathroom to throw up and he’ll hold your hair back when you’re doing so.

“thoma.. can u take me to the bathroom..” you mumble while you’re laying on his lap. he doesn’t respond with words, he responds by sitting you up and bridal style carrying you to the bathroom. he places you next to the toilet and sits on his knees next to you. you um yk do your thing ..throw up you sit up and thoma releases his gentle hold on your hair. he sees a tear trickle down from your eye. he panics, “love, what’s wrong?! are you okay?!” he asks. “thoma… do you still love me..?” you sob quietly. he lets out a small giggle, “yes, of course i still love you, baby.” laughing and pulling him into your embrace. “stop laughing, it’s not funny!!” you cry and he lets out apologies in between giggles.

hu tao - fragrance in thaw

・she’d tell you jokes and THEN take care of you. comedy then care bayybeee!!

“are you okay?? do you need a coffin?? 50% off since you’re my beloved y/n!!” she giggled. “taooooooo” you cry, holding out your arms gesturing that she gives you a hug. she frowns, “agh! what a shame.. i truly thought i had a new customer!” she teases, then she holds you tight. “im not dying!!” you yell. “haha, i know!! sighh, jokes aside, i do hope you feel better sooooon.” she says, pressing a kiss on your forehead. “do you think if i scare you your fever will go away?” “no!! that’s not how that works!!” you cry.

・literally won’t stfu abt how worried she is abt you to zhongli at work.. like he literally cannot take it.. that man is going to die before he hears the end of it.

“zhongli, im so worried about my lovely y/n, i believe they’re going to die!!” she cries. “hu tao, i ensure you y/n is going to be okay shortly, they just need rest and care,” he begins. “and if you’re so worried, shouldn’t you be taking care of your ‘lovely y/n?’” he jokes. “agh!! zhongli!! you’re right!!” she stands up from the table she and zhongli were sitting at and yells from a distance “take care of the parlor for me!! thanks!!” you’re going to have to apologize for her actions once you’re better..

— reblogs are appreciated! —

[that-bitch-kat3]

kats initial ttpd thoughts

fortnight:

stand out lines: i took the miracle move on drug, the effects were temporary

i like this one. i don’t think it’s my favorite (or i hope it won’t be) but i think the production does do it for me. i was honestly hoping that “i love you it’s ruining my life” would have been in a… better (?) song. this will undoubtedly grow on me but not a great start.

ttpd:

standout lyric: “i’ve seen this episode and still loved the show”

okay “who uses typewriters anyways” is objectively a really funny line. “i’ve seen this episode and still loved the show” im screaming crying and throwing up how dare you put that lyric in a song i have to listen to.

on a different note who tf are dylan thomas and patti smith? am i meant to know these people?

oh my god. the way charlie puth is about to have his career explode. this poor man. i hope he was warned.

CYCLONE!! CONEY ISLAND!!!

oh i like this bridge. also lucy as in lucy dacus?

i’m trying not to be a hater but taylor “now you hang from my lips like the gardens of babylon” couldn’t have come up with a more poetic way to say you put my ring on the finger where people put wedding rings? fr? is this about marty healy? i hope to god it’s not.

mbobhft:

stand out lyrics: “once i fix me he’s gonna miss me” and “there was forever in the heat of my touch, he say forever so he smashed it up”

i was ready to not like this one but im kinda into it. the line “i’ll tell you that he runs because he loves me” is… not something i am ready to unpack. this is a really good song and i will probs have it on repeat for a while but i stg if i don’t hear a song about joe soon im gonna be pissed

down bad:

standout lyric: jury’s still out

this song was not written by a 33 year old. jesus christ. taylor please. STAND UP. THIS IS BAD FOR THE BRAND!! however as a 19 year old: real af.

you loved his indecent exposures? interesting.

this is once again giving situationship. which is insane because JOE WAS HERE FOR 6 YEARS?!? WE DONT GET TO HEAR ABOUT THAT?!? i mean like she is entitled to her privacy but never in my life did i want to hear this much about marty healy

so long london:

stand out lyric: “i didn’t opt in to be your odd man out. i founded the club she’s heard great things about” “you sacrificed us to the gods of your bluest days”

not the production i was expecting from a track 5 but ill keep and open mind.

fairy lights mentioned!! ttpd bingo moment

i like this bridge tbh. it kinda fucks. “you swore that you loved me but where were the clues” taylor wtf?

two graves one gun?!? oh wow! very melodramatic and i love it

this song is good. very sad so great job! killed it! i’m not crying yet tho

but daddy i love him:

stand out lyrics: Growing up precocious sometimes means not growing up at all

HEYY RELIGOUS TRAUMA VIBES?!? FUCK YEAH!! FINALLY SOME GOOD RELATEBLE CONTENT!!

this is so champagne problems vibes

“im having his baby! no im not but you should see your face” BAHHAHA taylor wtf

i was hoping for more religious trauma energy than what i got. i had high hopes with that first verse

OMG WHAT?!? MAAM?!? “ID RATHER BURN MY WHOLE LIFE DOWN THAN LISTEN TO ONE MORE SECOND OF ALL THIS BITCHIN AND MOANIN” GIRLY YOUR “BABY” IS ANTISEMEIC?

okay this song is now just funny to me. deeply i would’ve kept this one in the vault but it’ll grow on me

fresh out the slammer:

stand out lyric: n/a

we are starting with the lowest of standards for the record. i do not have a good vibe from this song

its fine. liek it’s not revolutionary to me. like its okay but… why does this beat change like that and did the long prison metaphor help? i think not.

however yeah bring up that he didn’t propose again. love that for you

florida!!!

stand out lyric: well me and my ghost we had a hell of a time

!! what!! “they said i was a cheat so i guess i must be” ARENT YOU THE ONE WHO WRITE IVY AND HIGH INFEDELITY?!? WHAT?!? i am giggling so hard. taylor what are you saying?!?

this song reminded how much i love florence! i mean that woman can really sing

nbnc reference! that was not on my bingo card!

texas mentioned!! slay!!

i love this song. like i fr really like this one. the drums are a bit much but i love how their voices work together! delicious

guilty as sin?

standout lyric: “there no such thing as bad thoughts. only your actions talk” “i keep recalling things we never did”

i like how this one sounds

this song is really good! and bestie i get it! yikes!

this song is really for the girlies who make up fake scenarios to hurt their own feelings and i feel seen

false god references(?)

well terrible job everyone that was a bit too relatable! thanks! i’m going to throw up! or scream! or cry!

who’s afraid of little old me?

standout lyric: “you don’t get to tell me about sad” “is it a wonder i broke let’s hear one more joke” “you wouldn’t last an hour in the asylum where they raised me”

yay!! she’s doing witchcraft again!! thank god!! levitate queen!!

you should be afraid of little old me was not what i was expecting from this song! but i like it! also i am enjoying this production

“so tell me everything isnt about me but what if it is?” HAHAHH TAYLOR WHAT IS THIS?!?

no taylro they say that you’ll sue them they prublish public information about your plane! so close tho!

jokes aside i like this! this one’s gonna be in my tops i think! it reminds me of tlgad which is one love

i can fix him (no really i can)

standout lyric: “he had a halo of the highest grade, he just hasn’t met me yet”

texas mentioned again!! a win is a win

another song about matty healy?!? must we?!? are we sure? this is proof that any relationship pain is overshadowed by a 3 month situationship

loml: “better safe than starry eyed”

mmm im liking this one!

damn marriage is brought up a lot in the album for someone who wrote lavendar haze

i like that there is the love of my life to loss of my life switch! i was worried she abrievated that for no reason

still alive, killing time at the cemetery is a great line!!

!!! oh!! i wish i could unrecall how we almost had it all! i didn’t think i would like that lyric!! i in fact do.

icdiwabh:

standout lyric: “babe you gotta fake it till you make it and you did”

THIS SONG IS SO GOOD!! OH SHIT

okay now this is my shit. i like how she’s taking about her success and shit

i cry a lot but i am so productive it’s an art is so real

“try and come for my job” yikes.

the smallest man who every lived

standout lyric: “i would’ve died for your sins but i died inside”

this one isn’t doing it for me so far. i’m sure it’ll grow on me but idk it’s not killing it for me.

DID SHE JUST CALL HIS DICK SMALL?!? HELLO?!? good lord i hope that’s what that meant

“you kicked out the stage lights but your still preforming?!?” GOOD LORD TAYLOR! it’s so jover

The alchemy:

standout lyric: “he jokes that it’s heroin but this time with an E”

i had to listen to this song twice cause i could just not lay attention

AYO ITS TRAVIS!! god the next album is gonna have so many football metaphors that i will not understand

this is really cute! i’m on team trayvis

clara bow:

standout lyric: promise to be dazzling

cool! now i’m sad!

as a girl who tries to be something exciting but feels like she never gets there this is very yikes! greta job gang

DID SHE JUST SAY HER OWN NAME?!? SHE NEVER DONE THAT

OH MY GOD

YOUVE GOT EDGE SHE NEVER DID

WHAT

WHAT

WHAT

the black dog:

standout lyric:

i am scared!

oh shit! who cheated on taylor?!?

oh wait. maybe that’s not true

i love old habits die screaming! tahts a funky line. i know we already had it but im a fan

!! hoax reference!!

!!daylight reference!!

oh joe. that poor man. they’re gonna kill him.

this is putting a sad spin on some of my fav songs so that’s cool

imgonnagetyouback:

standout lyric: “pick your poison babe, i’m poison either way”

did we need to do this in one word

OH MY GOD

SHE MAKING THE SAME THING AS GET HIM BACK BY OLIVIA RODRGIO

now i personally would’ve rewritten this one or picked a different song but this is a choice

this is a worse versions of get him back! imo

eras fading to gray is a crazy line!

the albatross:

standout lyric: “the devil you know now looks more like and angel”

this is kinda giving cowboy like me vibes but with more unnecessary vocal effects but that does in fact mean that i like it

peace reference?!

idk im into this one i think

chloe or sam or sophia or marcus:

standout lyric: all of them <3

my god this is a long title

oh my god. did she just out joe alywn? what? that can’t be what just happened

“you needed me but you needed drugs more” IM THROWING UP HOW DARE YOU

nobody touch me

“if you want to break my cold cold heart, just say i loved you. the way that you were” okay so now i am crying! hey! tahts cool! in other news put me on watch

this is one of my tops

you can tell cause i’m depressed now

maroon reference!!

okay so i will never recover congrats everyone!

how did it end?

standout lyric: “we learned the right steps to different dances”

i feel invasive listening to this. i didn’t want to hear about matty anymore but this is a lot.

this song is good but sweet lord. this is really sad. which i should’ve guessed but this is not what i was expecting

“D-Y-I-N-G” that was not how i thought that line was gonna end

so high school:

standout lyric: idk man they’re all cute

is this another one about travis?!? yay!!

awww she want to marry him! that’s so exciting!! and also maybe kill him but we do what we can

this is really cute

i’m glad she got this back! cause this is giving very fearless vibes which is perfect! i love that! i love that she’s having the sweet love again! and i’m so glad im not listening about matty! cause that man if the gift that won’t stop giving. no matter what i do. he just won’t.

i hate it here:

standout lyric: “No mid-sized city hopes and small-town fears” “when they found a better planet only the gentle survive”

second time bringing up being a precocious child! not something i thought we would get twice!

this song feels like it’s right off folklore

GIRL WHAT!?! “I'd say the 1830s but without all the racists and getting married off for the highest bid” this is why no one wanted to play with you as a little kid

oh yikes now i’m relating

“i get lost on purpose. this place made me feel worthless” crying in the club once again

she really had to fight not to call him a finance bro

thank you aimee

stand out lyric: “Everyone knows that my mother is a saintly woman but she used to say she wished that you were dead”

go to jail just for the capitalization

i feel like im missing something

is amiee real? is she a metaphor? is it someone from the rep era? i’m lost

if this is 15 year old beef that is amazing.

“there wouldn’t be this if there hadn’t been you” oh lol that’s so funny.

thank god taylor changed the name! cause otherwise they would kill her!

“and one day your kid comes home singing a song that only us two is gonna know so about you” oh that’s so good. you see i like taylor better when she’s being petty over decade old shit. it makes her more relatable

i look in peoples windows

stand out lyric: “i’m afflicted by the not knowing” “im addicted to the if only”

i love this.

is this the new shortest song in her discography? it’s gotta be. it’s like 2 minutes long

anyways. relatable. killin it

the prophecy:

stand out lyric: “Don't want money just someone who wants my company”

finally a song i can relate to! you know cause im psychic?

“I guess a lesser woman would've lost hope a greater woman wouldn't beg” yikes

oh no. i’m gonna cry. you see now im reminded of why i feel like im never enough. so cool 🤙

witchcraft again!! yay!!

what is gray-ge? gray/beige? was that already a word?

cassandra:

standout lyric: “what does kill you makes you aware. what happens if it becomes who you are”

bffr taylor does not patch cracks in her house

sorry i know tahts a metaphor, allow me to start by being less of a hater

oh i love a call back to the 2016 era. yikes

“BLOODS THICK BUT NOTHING LIKE A PAYROLL” HOLY FUCK WHAT?!?

“when its burn the bitch they’re shrieking, when the truth comes out they’re quiet” lol relatable

peter:

standout lyric: “we both did the best we could do underneath the name moon in different galaxies”

who is peter? very excting!

oh it’s peter pan! that’s cute!

is this about joe? i’m confused? i have no idea who this is about

i liek the piano! i like this more stripped back version

great bridge!

“cause love's never lost when perspective is earned” HEY BRO WHAT

the bolter: “she was leaving it felt like breathing”

standout lyric:

omg hey she wrote a song about me! jk it just started idk what this is

oh no

i cant do this right now

okay so no comment but yeah very relatable! cool! (except i’m not really a bolter now that i think about it. i just think i am. i’m actually not a quitter. im a stick with it person even when maybe i should bolt.)

robin:

stand out lyric: “you have no room in your head for regrets”

i like these a lot better than the first part of this album. i actually can’t tell if it’s a double release or not but i just like these more emotional songs more.

is she singing to her child self?!? is that what happening?!?

crying again.

the manuscript:

stand out lyric: looking backward might be the only way to move forward

my god this is a lot of songs! not complaining but i’m tired

okay i like the piano

“He said that if the sex was half as good as the conversation was soon they’d be pushing strollers” FUCKING HELLo?!? well now i’m in pain slay

this was not what i was expecting at all but let it be known i am crying and im not okay

this song really fucked me up guys

[fratboykate]

Just a desperate anon, politely asking if this was ever posted 👀👀👀 or if it could be added to the potential writer-strike queue if it wasn’t. I am crossing my fingers it wasn’t eaten by tumblr or notes…

https://www.tumblr.com/fratboykate/711128923636908032/papi-we-need-the-stepmom-angst-its-a-matter-of

You must've crossed those fingers really hard because you sent this two weeks ago and are now getting it three whole days before the strike lol. Here's almost 10k of...them. Mom!AU is officially back from the war too.

///

"Do NOT bring those boots into the apartment, Ri. Off by the door. I mean it. You're cleaning it if you track all that dirty slush around."

Kate abruptly halts her twelve-year-old daughter’s hasty rush toward the entrance with a firm yank on the hood of her brightly colored parka and deftly transfers the stroller she’s pushing to Ereka. In the same single, graceful, and fluid motion, Kate skillfully juggles the diaper bag, empty coffee tumbler, and cell phone freeing her dominant hand to dig through her purse for her keys. A palpable imperativeness hangs in the air as they make their way down the hallway because Russell, who currently tries to squirm his way out of the stroller straps, is on the brink of a meltdown. With each passing second, his patience wears thinner, and Kate endeavors to avoid him going nuclear in public.

"And take your brother's boots off too, please. You know where the stroller goes. Don't just leave it blocking the door. Did momma text you back about dinner?"

"No...Any day now would be great, mom."

Kate's eyes narrow with stony intensity as she shoots Ereka a dirty look.

"I’ll leave you out here. Don’t try me."

"Top-notch parenting. I'll be sure to add that to the CPS file I'm compiling."

"Mommy, druck!"

Two-and-a-half-year-old Russell unleashes a series of frustrated hollers from within his rolling prison. His annoyance is palpable.

The boy is an undeniable carbon copy of his mother, a living reflection of Yelena. Kate has never once laid eyes on her son and seen anything other than an unmistakable resemblance to her wife. This moment isn’t an exception. Kate can't help but notice the striking parallels between them. Every feature screams Yelena, from how his nose scrunches when he smiles to his green eyes to his vibrant blonde hair to his Short King status. Even his breathing issues, which lend a raspy voice and a crackling laugh, serve as a constant reminder of the deep link that those two share. Kate could complain about the fact that he also inherited her rotten temper, but instead, she finds herself captivated by this portable embodiment of her darling wife.

"Yes, baby. Riri will get you another truck as soon as we're inside."

"I WANT RED DRUCK NOW! RED DRUCK!"

"Okay, woh. Tone, sir. You're the one who threw it out the car window. You're gonna wait until we get inside and give zero attitude because this is a problem of your own doing."

Russell furrows his brow, a visible display of his discontent, followed by an exasperated huff. The air between them hangs momentarily. This could be the moment when he finally loses his cool. Then…after a beat…

"A druck is a wectangle, mommy."

"It is. What shape is this?"

Kate holds up the face powder she's holding.

"Circle! Cuz it wound. Like this..."

The little boy traces a circle in the air with his plump toddler fingers.

"Good job!"

"Oh my god. Do we live in the hallway now? Open the door."

Kate continues digging through her purse while simultaneously turning to Ereka and contorting her face into a humorous expression. Ereka quickly mirrors her mother's mischievous look, sparking a shared moment of amusement between the two. Laughter escapes their lips, affording them a moment of levity amid the chaotic scene. As their chuckles subside, a triumphant glimmer sails through Kate's eyes — she’s finally found the keys!

"There's no reason this thing should be able to swallow my keys into another dimension. It's not that big."

Kate swings the door wide open with a determined push. Without missing a beat, she dumps the bags that dangle from her shoulders onto the table by the entrance while slipping her waterproof boots off. Once her hands, arms, and feet are free, she heads to the jacket closet to begin taking layers off.

"Ri! Come on! You're smarter than that. Take your boots off first, THEN his. Moving around and look at the mess you're making."

Kate is too busy chastising her daughter to notice Yelena's coat is already hanging in the closet.

"You said to take his off too. I'm doing that and you get mad."

"I didn't think I needed to give you a detailed step-by-step on how to do it right, but I'll be sure to next time."

"Next time, I just won't do it if you're going to scream at me either way."

"There was no screaming. Just pointing out the obvious."

"...while you screamed."

Kate offers a vexed eye roll then strides into the apartment, leaving Ereka to wrestle with the challenge of removing Russell's stubborn boots in the foyer. Kate moves with purpose, her footsteps echoing as she navigates through the familiar space. Once Ereka successfully frees her brother’s tiny feet from the damp shoes, she proceeds to unstrap him from the stroller.

"Riri, druck!"

"I will get you your dumb truck, but I need to take this off you so mom doesn't flip a lid." Ereka tells her brother while deftly unzipping the small, purple coat.

"DRUCK NOW, RIRI!"

The little boy squirms as Ereka wrestles with his jacket.

"I will hide all your trucks if you scream at me again."

A deep frown creases Russell’s face, his features contorting into an expression of displeasure and frustration.

"No! Druck Wuss!"

"Yeah, they're your trucks, but I can also put them on the top shelf where you can't reach them if you don't stop being a brat." Ereka slides his gloves off, stands, and heads for the door a few feet away. Ereka opens the closet and immediately catches Yelena's coat. She hastily hangs her brother's tiny parka, throws the gloves into the corresponding cubby, and stares at Yelena's jacket once more before turning to Russell. "Don't move." Ereka darts to the back of the apartment, disappearing momentarily from Russell’s sight. She returns to the hallway that connects the foyer to the rest of the apartment a few seconds later. "Mama's home."

From her position by the kitchen island, Kate gazes at her daughter with confusion etched across her face.

"What?"

"Her coat's in here, so I went and checked and she's in the room. I think she's sleeping though, because all the lights are off."

Kate turns to glance at the clock on the microwave. 5:28 PM. Yelena is never home before them, let alone before 5:00 PM. At least not unless she's feeling unwell. Kate closes the cookbook she perused for dinner ideas and heads for the bedroom.

"Please keep an eye on him and get him one of the trucks from his chest. Thank you."

Kate tells Ereka as she kisses the top of her head in passing.

"Come on, Russellsprout. Let's get you a truck."

Kate suppresses a smile and instinctively rolls her eyes, a reflexive response to Ereka’s talent for assigning people terrible (and often food-related) nicknames. This might be one of the most annoying traits Ereka inherited from her father and Kate can’t help but find it both amusing and exasperating.

---

Kate enters the pitch-black room, stepping closer to the bed as her eyes gradually adjust to the darkness. The air is nice and toasty, meaning the older woman must be running the small space heater she’s permanently moved to her nightstand. As Kate approaches, she can see Yelena is, in fact, in bed. Her back is turned to the door and her shoulders rise and fall in a slow, steady rhythm. A wave of concern washes over the brunette as she realizes that her wife must be feeling truly awful to be in bed this early.

"Baby...Yel..."

Kate whispers but gets no answer. She debates letting Yelena sleep but can't resist the urge to be close to her wife, even if it's just for a moment. Kate crawls into bed and nestles herself against Yelena’s warm form. Yelena instinctively responds, her body pushing back into Kate’s.

Kate's lips find Yelena's neck, leaving a trail of soft, affectionate kisses. Her arm delicately snakes around Yelena's overgrown midriff, cradling the ever-growing twenty-two-week pregnant belly.

"You okay?"

Kate whispers into Yelena's ear and places a gentle kiss on her earlobe. Yelena softly shakes her head, indicating her disinterest in engaging in conversation at the moment.

The most accurate way to describe Yelena's pregnancy thus far is: miserable. The first trimester was a nightmare, marked by persistent malaise and bouts of morning sickness that had her bent over a toilet for hours on end, leaving her feeling drained and weak. And those were the good days. But that was only the tip of the iceberg. Yelena’s body is rebelling at every turn. Run down any list of pregnancy symptoms (and add a few more most people had never even heard of), and Yelena went through all of them. Her body seems determined to manifest every ailment imaginable and magnify its intensity. The dizziness has become a constant companion. Exhaustion has settled in her bones, claiming all of her energy. Frequent nosebleeds interrupt her daily routine, keeping her perpetually on edge. There’s also the hormonal mood swings that leave Yelena feeling like a stranger in her own body. Crippling headaches punctuate her days with throbbing pangs, constantly forcing her to seek solace in the darkness…like now.

Throughout the madness of this pregnancy, Kate has risen to the occasion, stepping up as a pillar of emotional support and embracing the role of caregiving, devoted partner with unwavering dedication. Day in and day out, Kate has done everything she can to make Yelena's life easier, including taking on the lion’s share of household chores and errands. Additionally, Kate has done everything in her power to anticipate Yelena's needs. She cooks meals to soothe Yelena's queasy stomach, researches remedies and alternative therapies to alleviate symptoms, offers calming teas and massages to ease aches, ensures Yelena stays hydrated and gets enough rest, or is simply around to provide a comforting touch along with words of consolation when Yelena is feeling down about the toll that pregnancy is taking on her body. Kate has become a constant presence by her wife’s side, ensuring Yelena feels loved and cherished throughout this challenging period. Overall, Kate has made it her mission to turn Yelena's difficult pregnancy into a somewhat manageable experience.

With tender affection, Kate runs her palm over Yelena's growing belly.

"I thought we had a deal that you were going to be nice to momma, baby girl. What's going on in there, huh?"

"Your stupid genes...trying to kill me." Kate chuckles, a jovial response to their now recurring conversation. Since Yelena is carrying a baby conceived with Kate's egg and the donor's sperm, Yelena has started to (halfway?) joke that Kate’s genes must be “toxic” to her and that they’re the root cause of Yelena's endless pregnancy woes. "You drive me crazy every day. Why did I think putting a literal piece of you inside me would go any better?"

"I'm sorry. So evil of me. Bad, BAD genes. I'll have a talk with them later." Kate's lips graze Yelena's shoulder, leaving behind a trail of soft kisses. In an instant, Yelena's body surrenders to her touch and loosens up as a result. "What are you feeling for dinner?"

"The last thing I want near me right now is food."

"You need to eat, Yel."

"I need this baby out of me. That's what I need."

Yelena lets out a discontented grumble and Kate's smile blossoms against her skin.

"Three more months. You just have to cook the nugget for three more months and you're done."

"That sounds like forever. Don't like it."

"How about some Mac and Cheese? Would that make it somewhat better?"

"Kate Bishop...are you trying to bribe me out of bed?"

"Maybe. I think there's lobster in the fridge. I think I got some when I went on Monday. If not, I can have some delivered. Lobster Mac. Super ooey and gooey and cheesy and yum."

"Why are you trying to sell it to me like I'm two?"

"It's how I convince your son to eat. Figured it might work on you since you're both grumpy little gremlins." Restless and dissatisfied, Yelena grunts in discomfort and shifts in bed, struggling to find an agreeable position to no avail. Eventually, she ends up half-facing Kate, seeking some semblance of relief in the brunette’s proximity. Kate offers her a warm smile. "That's the face of someone who could do with some ooey gooey cheesy yum in their life."

Yelena's lips curl into a merry smile and she indulges in a slight eye roll.

"I hate that it's actually working."

"My job is to sell things for a living and..." Kate plants a delicate kiss on Yelena's lips. "...I'm good at what I do."

"You..."

The door bursts open, unleashing a flood of light that fills the room. The little blonde toddler charges inside with a whirlwind of energy while proudly showcasing the truck his sister procured for him.

"MOMMA, LOOK! RIRI GOT RED DRUCK!"

Russell hops onto the bed, forcefully wedging himself with determined enthusiasm into the nonexistent space between his mothers.

"Your son...he had the genius idea to hurl his truck out the moving car window on our way here. Blue truck no more."

"Russ...that's dangerous. We don't do that."

"Blue druck went...FRUMMMMMMM"

The little boy offers Yelena an animated demonstration of the flight his toy truck embarked on with uncontainable excitement.

"RUSSPBERRY!"

"He's in here!"

Kate shouts at her daughter, who promptly appears at the door seconds later.

"Sorry. I went to the bathroom and I told him to stay."

"It's okay."

"Did he wake momma up?"

"Your mom woke me up."

"WITH KISSES. It was the most gentle wake-up ever."

"Still woke me up."

Kate shakes her head, purporting to be piqued.

"Come here. There's room."

Ereka's face lights up with a broad smile as she dashes to the bed and jumps onto it, somehow also forcing herself between Kate and Yelena.

"Easy. Momma's not feeling great."

"Sorry. Hi."

Ereka settles herself snugly, resting her chin on Yelena's hip and tenderly placing her hand on the gentle curve of her mother’s stomach.

"Hi. How was school?" Yelena asks with genuine curiosity.

Ereka shrugs nonchalantly, a hint of facetious defiance in her expression.

"Same as every other time you ask."

Kate and Yelena exchange amused glances before bursting into laughter. Yelena leans closer to Ereka, a warm grin on her face.

"Humor me."

Ereka huffs dramatically, her eyes rolling with jocose petulance. A small, roguish grin tugs at the corners of her lips, giving away her underlying amusement.

"Classes are boring. Everyone is stupid. The rules don't make sense. It's always going to be the same thing. So…fine, I guess. Tolerable.”

"Oh, you're going to be a FUN teenager." Yelena responds, her tone lighthearted and teasing.

"If I'm as precocious as everyone says I am, then technically, you could assume I've been a teenager for a while now."

"Yeah, that's it. The moment you hit thirteen, I'm packing your bags and finding you a new place to live, or I'll start graying early.” Kate playfully warns while simulating seriousness.

"Wow. Threatening to rescind my housing for exercising my right to free speech? I'm sure some case worker out there is salivating at the thought of it."

Kate rolls her eyes.

"Mommy, hungwy. I has milk?"

"Have, baby. Can I have milk?"

"Yeah. Can I haves it?” The little boy insists eagerly and with a hint of distress.

Kate chuckles.

"Close enough. But we're having dinner in a little bit, so no milk right now." Kate places a final peck on Yelena's lips and starts to stand. "Mac and cheese for dinner."  

"Yesssss. Can you put bacon in it?" Ereka inquires excitedly.

"If you guys haven't gone through it already, then sure. Last I checked, there were like two pieces left, so not making any promises."

"Tell Lila to make less bacon for breakfast then."

"OR...you could do what I ask and write it on the list when you see we're running low. She already has enough on her plate with you two. You could help out more."

A few times a week, a dedicated housekeeper arrives early in the morning to help with the kids and the upkeep of the house. She quickly becomes a lifeline for the family, offering an extra pair of capable hands and a much-needed boost of organization and support. This arrangement means Kate and Yelena have less to juggle and can focus more of their time on the children.

"You also saw we were running low and didn't put it on the list, so..."

"I did put it on the list when I realized I just haven't gone shopping again. But it wasn't on my last list because YOU, the bacon fiend in this house, didn't put it there."

"Whatever." Ereka grumbles, feigning annoyance.

"Keep her busy...but don't drive her crazy. It's a delicate balance. I'll scream when it's ready. And...I might need you at some point, so don't pretend like you don't hear me calling you when I do."

Kate punctuates her words by tapping Ereka on the shoulder as she stands and walks away.

"I have bad ears." Ereka tries to play it off, but Kate doesn't let her off the hook.

"Not according to the doctor, you don't."

Ereka has gotten so proficient at selective hearing that Kate took her to the otolaryngologist to get her checked, only to prove a point.

Ereka repositions herself to lie on Kate's pillow, her face ending next to Yelena’s. She lovingly presses her head against the blonde’s.

"I like it when you're home early."

Yelena offers a faint smile while keeping her eyes closed.

"Me too."

"WUSS LIKES, MOMMA." Russell exclaims. He has an adorable habit of referring to himself in the third person, which always makes the outlandish things he says objectively funnier.

The little boy clambers up Yelena's body, unknowingly jabbing her sides with the hard plastic of his toy truck. Yelena winces and hisses in pain, prompting her to extend her arms and lift him off.

"Why are all your toys deadly weapons?" Yelena gripes, readjusting Russell so he's lying against her chest and carefully removing the toy from his hand. He immediately snuggles his cheek against hers and allows his entire body weight rest on her. Yelena lets out a groan, a mixture of mischief and genuine fatigue. "You guys are so clingy. Where are we even going to fit a third?"

Yelena fake complains, although deep down, she loves every second of it.

"She can go right here."

Ereke facetiously places her open hand over Yelena's face, covering most of it. Yelena chuckles.

"Yeah. Perfect place to sit a dirty diaper on."

Ereka's chuckles echo around the room as Yelena tries to shake her palm off her face. With a bit of effort, Yelena succeeds in removing Ereka's hand and turns to face her, offering a weak but earnest smile.

"I'm sorry you're not feeling good."

"It's okay. I'll suck it up...but I'm going to complain the entire time."

Ereka snickers and slides impossibly closer to Yelena, their bond evident in their proximity.

"Thank you for a little sister."

Yelena presses a loving kiss to Ereka's temple.

"Are you happy about it?"

"SO MUCH!" Ereka’s genuine excitement and gratitude shine through her words. "...Unless you're lying to me again and it's actually another one of these..." Ereka pokes her fingers all around Russell's body and the toddler giggles uncontrollably. "...in there."

Yelena guffaws.

"Promise it's a girl. For real this time. And she's a very lucky girl to have you as a big sister."

"I think so too."

"We have to work on your modesty." Yelena teases her daughter with a smile.

"I'm the right amount of confident. I know I'm a good big sister. Right, Russpaghetti?"

Ereka looks at her little brother for validation. The boy eagerly nods his head as he pats his tiny hands all over Yelena's face.

"Mama, milk pwease."

"Mommy is working on dinner. No milk right now. Milk later."

"Milk pwease." Russell persists, his fussiness escalating.

"No milk right now, Russ."

The boy begins to fuss and instantly works himself up to the brink of a tantrum.

"MILK, MAMA!” Russell insists, his volume rising.

"No no. Shhhhh...let's all just...Shhh...quiet time until dinner is ready. How about that? That sounds so much more fun and better for my head."

"NO!"

Ereka rolls her eyes at his protest and rises from the bed.

"Where are you going?"

"To get him milk. He's not going to stop until someone does and it'll make your headache worse if he doesn't. Just a little and he'll chill."

"Thank you."

"Yeah, yeah."

Ereka disappears out the door.

"Milk."

"Ri, went to get you some."

“Milk. Okay." Russell acknowledges, reassured that his request is being taken care of.

"So stubborn. Definitely get that from your other mom, not me. Definitely not me."

Yelena pulls the boy close and covers his body in kisses. His sour mood instantly shifts and he devolves into a fit of giggles.

---

An hour later, the foursome sits around the table, settled into their usual seats. Russell is perched in his high chair next to Kate, who patiently feeds him his meal. Ereka is to the other side of Kate, absentmindedly moving the food around her plate, seemingly lost in her thoughts. Yelena, determined to fend off her nausea, takes slow, deliberate bites, willing herself to keep the food down.

"Can I ask you something? And you'll promise you'll at least think about it before you say no?"

"Uh oh," Kate utters.

"I'm serious, mom."

"Me too. I can't possibly see how this is good, so I was bracing."

"Momma, promise you'll at least think about it."

Ereka turns towards Yelena, her expression brimming with seriousness and sincerity. Yelena meets her daughter's gaze, responding with a warm smile that conveys her openness to listen and engage wholeheartedly in anything Ereka is about to share.

"Whatever it is, mom and I will think about it and have a fair discussion before we get back to you.”

Following Yelena’s reassurance, a brief silence fills the room as Ereka gathers her thoughts. Kate and Yelena maintain their focus on her.

"I don't want to go stay at dad's anymore...ever."

Ereka declares confidently. Kate and Yelena instantly exchange worried glances.

"Did something happen?"

"No. Yes. No. I just...it's not that I don't want to see him. I just don't want to sleep over. Or be gone for days. Whenever I'm there, I'm missing here and Russtachio and you guys. And baby sister is coming soon and I'll miss her too. You always end up doing something fun without me and I hate it. Nothing I'm doing there is better than being here."

"Ri, we can't take days away from your dad."

"Why not?"

"It would...be a problem."

"What problem?! Just tell him I can…I don’t know…come hang out during the day for a few hours and then he has to bring me back."

"It doesn't work that way."

"Why not?!"

"Because we have a court-ordered agreement that we need to stick by. He gets you 30% of the time. That's how it works."

"Fuck court."

"Ereka!" Kate and Yelena exclaim simultaneously.

Ereka responds with a nonchalant shrug, seemingly unfazed by their reaction.

"See? That's what happens when you send me over to dad's house. I learn curse words. Bad influence."

"Honey, your dad loves you. You're the light of his life and he loves spending time with you." Kate tells Ereka matter-of-factly, her tone filled with unwavering certainty.

"All they do over there is be angry, argue with each other, and drink until they make up more reasons to keep arguing. Then it usually goes to fighting and breaking things. I hate it."

"How long has this been going on?" Yelena inquires, her voice laced with worry.

"Since I was little. That's what grandma's house has always been like."

"Who argues and breaks things?"

"Everyone. Everyone is always over for dinner and definitely on weekends. Dad and Uncle Billy get into it every time they start drinking. Aunt Viv drinks even more now that she's getting divorced. Her and dad argue all the time too. And then Aunt...it's a lot of people and I don't want to sleep over anymore."

"Ereka, did something else happen that you're not telling us? Something bad?" Yelena doubles down on her line of questions.

"No. I just want to come back home every night. I want to sleep here. Always."

"You can tell us anything. You know that, right?"

"I'm telling you right now!"

"Okay...hey...let's take a breather." Kate interjects, attempting to calm her.

"Ri, look at me," Yelena asks firmly. "Did anything inappropriate happen over there and you're scared to go back? Because if something did, we will..."

"Oh my god! No one like...touched me or did anything weird! Ew. Don't go there. I just don't like them. That's it. Nothing illegal. I mean, I have seen illegal things, but...nothing illegal involving me. I swear. Truly...that's not it."

"Promise?"

"Promise. It's not that. Really."

Yelena nods, her gaze shifting between Kate and Ereka, silently acknowledging the weight of the situation.

"We'll talk about it and get back to you.“

"There's nothing to talk about. We can't do that."

"We'll talk." Yelena insists, her voice firm yet gentle. "Give us some time, okay?"

Ereka nods and Yelena reaches across the table, placing a heartening hand on Ereka's.

"Thank you."

The girl whispers and finally takes her first bite of food, her appetite slowly returning. The table falls into a solemn silence as they continue their meal, each of them deep in their minds.

---

Yelena lies in bed, her hands absentmindedly caressing her stomach. Her eyes remain fixed on Kate, who moves around the bathroom finishing the last few steps of her nightly routine.

"Yel, we can't take this on,” Kate asserts firmly.

"Why not?"

Kate walks to the doorway, rests her shoulder against the jamb, and crosses her arms over her chest.

"Because we went to court for almost TWO YEARS to get the agreement we have now. How do you think it's gonna go over if I call him tomorrow and tell him we're breaking it? Do you really wanna go through whatever that brings up? Now? In the middle of this?"

Kate's hand gestures to Yelena's stomach, emphasizing their current situation.

"My feelings aren't more important than hers. If she doesn't want to go back, we shouldn't force her."

"Yes. You're correct. Absolutely. We should always take her feelings into consideration. But think about it like this, what she's asking is for us to get full custody and he gets SOME visitation rights. Under nebulous circumstances. What is she actually asking for? She gets to see him for two hours every other weekend and then comes home? We don't know what she wants, but whatever it is, I know that we don't have legal grounds to take her away from him. He's gonna fight it."

"And we can fight him."

Kate lets out a tired groan as she switches off the bathroom light. She moves to the bed, slipping under the covers, sitting up, and leaning her back against the bed frame. Her eyes are glued on the darkened TV screen across from her, her mind seemingly lost in serious contemplation.

"You two would fight all day if it were up to you, but *me*...I'm over it. This isn't something that's realistic and as much as I hate making her do something she doesn't want to, no judge is going to take his partial custody away. We don't even have any reason to take him back to court. Nothing's changed."

"She said she's seen illegal things...We should ask what that is."

"Yelena..." Kate turns to face her wife, her expression showing both fatigue and vulnerability. "...I don't have another two years of court in me. I don't have even another second of his tantrums and his shit in my body. I can't do it. Especially knowing we're not going to win. He's been...better???"

"That's a stretch."

Yelena reaches out and takes Kate's hand in hers, intertwining their fingers, and grounding her. Grounding each other.

"It has been better. You can't deny it hasn't. Why do we want to poke the bear?"

"For her. I would poke the bear for her."

Kate's shoulders slump as she exhales a heavy sigh, the weight of their situation bearing down on her. Yelena squeezes her wife’s hand gently.

"What happens when we go through a long, miserable custody battle over this, then she's suddenly sixteen and wants to go sleep at her dad's because we did something to piss her off?”

"Nothing. She goes to sleep at her dad's. Because that's her choice. As long as it's her choice, it's fine. But we shouldn't force her into a situation that makes her clearly unhappy." Yelena takes a beat, thinking. "What if we don't have to go to court? What if we all sit down and talk about it?"

Kate lets out a bitter laugh.

"Yel, please."

"It could work."

"When have you two ever been in a room where the situation doesn't end with me stopping you from killing each other?"

"I can't exactly kick his ass right now, so...different circumstances. I mean, I probably still could, but unless I had to, I wouldn't."

"I love her and I love you, but I'm not doing it. I'm not going to detonate a bomb we don't even need to touch."

---

The next morning. Yelena finds herself perched on a booth in a bustling café, the air filled with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the animated chatter of the early lunchtime crowd. She grimaces and shifts restlessly, her hand instinctively soothing the spot where her daughter just delivered a formidable fighter-style kick.

"You need to cut it with that."

Yelena mutters, chastising the baby before taking a cautious sip of her decaf concoction. Her eyes remain glued on the café entrance as she anxiously awaits the arrival of the person she's meeting.

Thankfully, Yelena's anticipation is short-lived. The jingling bell above the door heralds the arrival of Tom, who enters the busy room and immediately starts scanning the patrons. Spotting Yelena, he makes his way to her booth. Their eyes meet and they exchange perfunctory nods before muffled, forced greetings escape their lips. Tom drapes his coat over the back of his chair and slides into the padded bench. Yelena's gaze remains fixed on the table, trying to conceal her agitation.

This close to him, Yelena can smell the alcohol on his breath. He doesn't appear visibly intoxicated, yet the unmistakable odor of Vodka taints the air around them, lingering like a cloud and a troubling reminder of his choices. It's barely 11:30 AM. This meeting is already off to a bad start.

"Hi. Thank you for meeting me."

"What's this about?"

"Look, I know things haven't always been easy between us." Tom remains silent and stoic, his expression guarded as he waits to see where this will go. Yelena’s attempts to conceal her unease only amplifies it. She's never been good at masking her genuine emotions or engaging in fake pleasantries, especially in situations like this. "All we've both ever wanted is the best thing for our daughter."

"MY daughter. She's nothing of yours. Ereka is MY daughter."

Yelena bites back her tongue and fights the urge to respond to Tom’s provocatory dig. If they start getting into it less than ten sentences into the conversation, this isn't going to go anywhere.

"All we want is the best for Ereka."

"I know that's what *I* want, yeah."

Yelena's phone screen illuminates, signaling an incoming text. She glances at it briefly. It's from Kate. Aware that her wife is oblivious to the current situation she finds herself in, Yelena decides to ignore the message for the time being, already anticipating Kate's displeasure when she eventually finds out.

Tom's eyes fly to the screen. His expression hardens and he locks his jaw as his eyes zero in on the background image. It's a photograph taken during the pregnancy announcement shoot Kate insisted on having. The still captures Kate, Ereka, Russell, and a pregnant Yelena standing in a vibrant field of fall-colored trees, radiating pure joy. It undoubtedly gets under Tom’s skin.

"What do you want? Why did you call me here?" Tom presses.

"We had a conversation with Ereka last night. More like she had a conversation with us where she made a request. We...I....*I* thought maybe you and I could talk like adults about it and deal with the situation. Parent to parent."

"You're not her parent, so...if there's anything going on with my kid, Kate can talk to me about it."

"Whether you like it or not, the judge granted me legal guardianship too."

"That fucking bitch judge fucked me over. I deserved full custody."

"Tom, I don't want to fight about that. That's not why I'm here."

"Then why are we here? Why is Kate not here?"

"I told you. Because I thought you and I could have a grownup chat."

"The fuck is going on with my kid?"

"I need you to listen to me. Before you respond or do anything, I need you to listen to me. That's all I'm asking for."

"If you don't tell me right now, I'm calling Kate. She'll tell me."

"Ereka wants to modify the custody agreement."

"What?"

"Ereka doesn't want to have overnight visits anymore. She doesn't feel comfortable being in your home, witnessing your family's behavior, and also just being away from us and her siblings. She made that very clear."

"My baby's twelve. She can't want or have a say in anything." Tom pounds his fist on the table violently, rocking everything and forcing all eyes in the room to turn to them for a split second. "If I find out you've been filling my kid's head with crap...I swear to fucking god I will end you."

"Ereka's happiness and well-being should be our priority."

"YOU…" Tom’s pointer finger comes within an inch of Yelena’s face. She musters every bit of self-control in order to not grab it and break it clean. "…don't get to tell me what my priority with my daughter is. She's MY kid and she comes home to me."

"That's not going to happen anymore."

“What? What’s not gonna happen?”

"I'm not forcing Ereka to do something she doesn't want to do."

"Try to take my kid away from me...see how that goes. You already stole my wife. You try to take my kid too and that's the last thing you ever do."

Yelena's demeanor takes on a sharper edge, her expression a mix of fury and defiance. Tom sneers, his eyes narrowing as he fiercely locks his eyes with Yelena.

"Are you threatening me?" Yelena asks, her tone challenging.

Tom leans forward, his voice dripping with venomous assurance.

"I'm telling you what's going to happen if Ereka isn't at my house this weekend. ALL weekend. Just a very clear warning."

"If she doesn't want to go, she's not going to go."

Yelena holds firm, unwavering. Tom's face contorts with rage, his entire body giving off menacing energy.

"If you come between me and my kid, I will fucking end you. I'll fucking kill you."

The remark hangs heavy in the air.

"That's a threat.” Yelena retorts, her voice calm and steady.

"Take that however you fucking want, but Ereka better be at my house at 10 AM on Saturday."

Tom abruptly stands, frenziedly ripping his coat off the back of the chair, and storms out of the café.

---

Kate's fingers fly across the keyboard and the rapid clacking of keys punctuate the silence of her office. She’s fully immersed, pouring her focus into crafting this proposal.

A firm knock on the door jolts Kate out of her flow. She recognizes the cadence of the thumping instantly - it’s her assistant. Annoyance flickers across her face, knowing this interruption will disrupt her momentum.

"What's up, Ash?"

Her assistant pops her head in while offering a courteous grin.

"Your wife is here."

Kate looks at her confused, with her brows furrowed in surprise.

"What?"

"Lobby just called. I told them to let her up so she's on her way. Should I let her in?"

"Yeah. Of course. Yeah. Thank you."

---

A few minutes later, a second knock reverberates through the office. Kate also recognizes this rapping without reticence - it unmistakably belongs to Yelena. The corners of Kate’s lips curl and her face lights up as she watches the door swing open, revealing her visibly pregnant wife standing there.

Their eyes meet and the mere sight of Yelena erases any trace of the stress and preoccupation Kate felt moments ago. She promptly pushes her chair back, eager to greet her wife.

"This is a nice surprise." As soon as the door closes behind her, Kate presses her lips against Yelena's in a tender, affectionate kiss while her hands instinctively come to rest on either side of Yelena's stomach. Kate steals a second kiss. "Hi."

"Hey."

"What are you doing here?"

"I did something...and I could've waited until tonight, but I also didn't know if you were going to get a call or text before that, so I figured it might be best to talk in person."

Kate's smile fades as she reads the somber expression on Yelena's face. Concern fills her eyes as she responds.

"What happened?"

"Can we sit? My back is killing me."

"Yeah. Yeah. Of course."

Kate places an allaying hand on the small of Yelena’s back, guiding her towards the two-person couch opposite her desk. They settle on the sofa and Yelena shifts her body slightly, opening herself up to face Kate directly.

"Not going to lie, I'm kind of very nervous right now. You never just show up at my office, especially not being cryptic."

A touch of humor paints Kate’s voice as she tries to ease the tension. She surveys her wife’s face, searching for answers.

"I talked to Tom."

"You did…what?" Kate asks, aghast at the mere idea.

"I called him and asked him to meet me at a coffee shop earlier. We talked about the custody situation because I don't think..."

"Why would you do that?!"

"Because I don't think she should go back if she doesn't want to."

Kate's voice rises with frustration and disbelief.

"No, no. What you want, what you REALLY want is to 'beat' him. That's what you want...You should've stayed out of my kid's custody business."

"YOUR kid?" Yelena scoffs bitterly. "Are you taking talking points from him now?"

"It was NOT your place to do that." Kate's eyes narrow as she retorts, her tone sharp and accusatory.

"He threatened to kill me."

"Yeah, I'd do the same if someone showed up talking about taking my daughter away from me. What would you do?"

"If I were an incompetent, insane drunk, I would want what's best for my children."

Kate's vexation intensifies, and she stands up, putting distance between them. She walks to her desk and starts to pace in front of it. The room feels tense, the air heavy with unspoken indignation from both sides.

"I asked you to leave it. I told you to leave it alone."

"She shouldn't..."

"You can make unilateral decisions about what kind of jelly you pick up at the store. You don't get to make unilateral decisions about custody shit, Yelena. I can't believe I'm having to even say this to you."

"I was doing what's best for her."

"No. NO, this was your chance to have another pissing contest with him and use her as an excuse. She's not a thing you use to get back at him."

"That's not what happened."

"That's EXACTLY what happened. She's my daughter and you are WAY out of line. Neither of you has claim over her."

Yelena's expression becomes steely.

"I only wanted to fill you in before I went to the police."

Kate's eyes shoot up and widen as she stares Yelena down.

"What are you talking about?"

"He made pointed threats against our family, so I'm filing a police report and requesting an emergency restraining order against him. For all of us. I already called the school and let them know he's not allowed to see her until further notice."

"If you don't wanna be signing divorce papers too, you leave this alone. I'll talk to him and this'll be done. We'll pretend it didn't happen."

"I can't do that, Kate.” Yelena’s resolve strengthens and her voice is firm.

"Yelena, I'm being so beyond serious right now. Drop it."

"I'm sorry, Kate, but I can't in good conscience leave it open for him to harm our family."

Kate's frustration boils over, and she strikes her hand down on the desk.

"WE WOULDN'T BE HERE IF YOU HADN'T PULLED THIS SHIT! I told you...I asked you not to touch it. And what did you do? Go behind my back and blow our entire lives up. For what? FOR WHAT?!"

"For Ereka."

"Don't. Do not use her as an excuse. This is all on you."

Kate reaches for her phone, her fingers negligibly trembling as she taps on the screen. She brings the device to her ear, determined to undo whatever Yelena just set in motion.

"What are you doing?"

"Calling him. Controlling the situation before this gets out of hand."

"Kate, that's..."

Kate interrupts her curtly, her words teeming with aggravation.

"Don't talk to me right now."

The call goes to voicemail. Kate's impatience grows, but she tries once more.

"Katherine."

The utterance of her full name makes Kate glare at her wife, her eyes flashing warning signs that Yelena is willingly ignoring.

When the call goes to voicemail once more, Kate jumps into action. She reaches for her purse and heads to the door, her movements swift and purposeful.

"Where are you going?"

"To find him. And Yelena...if you file that report or a restraining order, you might as well also start looking for a divorce attorney because I'm not playing this game with you. I won’t. We are OVER if you do."

Without uttering another word, Kate stomps out of the office, leaving Yelena alone. The weight of their strained relationship hangs heavily in the air, thickening it with unresolved tension.

---

A few hours later. The front door to the apartment swings open with a burst of energy, and Kate ushers her lively children inside. Laughter and the pitter-patter of tiny feet fill the air, infusing the space with a tangible joy and warmth. Like a conductor orchestrating the symphony of their homecoming, Kate deftly navigates the chaos and issues detailed instructions, guiding Ereka and Russell through their tasks for the evening. As the children settle into their respective activities, Kate makes her way to the bedroom to change into more cozy clothes.

Kate turns the doorknob and freezes in her tracks. Not only is her wife already home, but she’s immersed in an intense flurry of activity. Once a sanctuary of peace, the room is now a battlefield of chaos. Clothes and shoes are strewn haphazardly across the floor, like casualties of a tempestuous storm. Before a symbol of order and serenity, the walk-in closet now stands open, its contents spilling out in disarray, mirroring the turmoil that has taken hold of their lives. The atmosphere crackles with an electric tension, as if the very walls hold their breath, knowing they’re about to witness the unfolding drama.

There, in the thick of the chaos she created, stands Yelena. Her movements are frenetic, driven by an urgency that cannot be ignored. She hastily stuffs clothes into a suitcase, the rustling fabric punctuating the charged silence that fills the room. As their eyes meet, a kaleidoscope of emotions dance across their faces. Upon seeing Kate, Yelena's hands momentarily freeze before she resumes her frantic packing. With firm resolve, the rhythmic zip of the luggage bag serves as an intransigent punctuation mark, echoing with profound finality that pulsates throughout the living quarters.

"What are you doing?"

"When it actually came down to me and him, you picked him." Yelena utters, cold and distant.

Kate explosively thrusts their bedroom door shut and charges over to Yelena, feeling a wave of anger detonate within her.

"I didn't pick ANYONE. I picked sanity and peace. For them. They will always be my priority." Kate crosses her arms over her chest and stares at the floor, mind racing. A long beat and a million thoughts later, she scoffs. "After everything...'you picked him.' If *this*..." Kate spiritedly points around their room. "If THIS is what 'picking him' looks like Yelena, then I'm curious what you think 'picking you' would entail. Because fuck...WOW."

Yelena crams one last pair of pants into the already overstuffed duffle bag that sits next to the hefty suitcase she just filled. Her tense body struggles to force the zipper halves to meet; its bulging shape evidence of her lack of thoughtfulness while packing. The fabric strains against the zipper, resisting her efforts to contain its contents. After a few firm yanks, the metallic teeth reluctantly interlock, sealing her belongings within. Yelena grabs the handle of the large rolling bag before slinging the strap of her duffle over her shoulder, and a sudden surge of adrenaline propels her forward in the direction of the door.

Before she can make her escape, Kate's hand shoots out as Yelena storms past her. Her fingers find their mark, latching on to Yelena's forearm, their grip like a vice, anchoring her in place. Their eyes lock in a fiery exchange, a tempest of emotions brewing within their depths and threatening to consume them both.

"Where are you going?"

Yelena points to the envelope resting atop the dresser. Kate retrieves it, her jittery fingers slowly tearing it open. Inside lies an emergency restraining order against Tom accompanied by a police report.

"I'm keeping them safe. At any cost." The women glare at each other. Kate takes a step back, willingly putting distance between them. Her heart pounds in her chest as she meets Yelena's gaze. They’re now locked in a battle of wills. "I'm taking him with me."

"You're not taking him anywhere."

"We're just going to the Ritz for a few nights. Until we can figure out what's happening next."

"Yelena, my son's not leaving this apartment."

A clash of emotions thunders through the room, their conflicting desires colliding into a torrent of raw feelings.

"If Ereka is YOUR daughter, then that's MY son. That's how it works, right?"

"You're being petty about this?"

"I'm being logical."

Yelena's words cut through the air, her tone shifting to cold and calculated. Each syllable carries a sharpness that slices through their relationship's already fraying threads, leaving an icy tension behind.

"You're not even in the same universe as logical right now."

"Must be pregnancy brain, I guess." Yelena bites back.

Kate’s patience officially reaches its breaking point. She truculently strides to where Yelena stands, her steps exuding steadfastness. In a display of unyielding and assertive belligerence, Kate snatches the duffle bag from Yelena's shoulder, ripping it away without hesitation. With a single speedy motion, Kate hurls the bag several feet away, the velocity causing the already tenuous hold the zipper had to give way. The contents spill out, scattering haphazardly across the floor.

"Sit." The word hangs in the air, pregnant with authority. What Kate uttered wasn’t a request; it was a command and one that left no room for negotiation. When Yelena doesn’t move, Kate's tone grows more forceful, compelling her to comply. "Sit down." Kate reaches into her pocket and pulls out her phone. She dials a number with exigency. "I'm calling Landers, see if he can squeeze us in as an emergency right now."

"I don't need a therapy session. I need to go lie down."

"Bed's right there. Help yourself." Kate snaps at Yelena with a venomous undertone. "Hi Janey. This is Kate Bishop-Belova. I have a bit of a serious situation and I'm wondering if there's any way Joy can see us tonight? It's an emergency...Uhum...Uhum...Yeah. Please. That would be so helpful...Yeah. This number is fine...You're incredible. Thank you...Okay. Talk soon." Kate hangs up. "She doesn't know if tonight will be possible, but she'll talk to Landers and see if maybe tomorrow morning might work."

Yelena scoffs dismissively, her irritation evident.

"This is stupid."

"Yeah, I agree. Everything you've done today is BEYOND stupid."

"I already made a reservation."

"I couldn't give two shits about your reservation. Sit down. You are not blowing up our lives tonight. I'm not letting it happen."

"You're the one who brought up divorce."

"YOU'RE THE ONE WHO'S BEING INSANE!" Kate screams, her voice cracking with emotion. "I can't talk to you right now, or I might say some things that I don't actually mean."

"Then let me go to the hotel."

"You're not going anywhere." Kate's words carry the significance of an ultimatum as she makes for the door. "I need to figure out dinner. What do you want?" Kate asks in an attempt to shift the focus away from their escalating argument.

"Nothing." Yelena's response is curt and indifferent.

"Pizza it is."

With that final declaration, Kate exits the room and shuts the door with a bang.

---

The sound of rushing water fills the air. Kate stands at the kitchen sink, dangling Russell in front of the open tap as she diligently works to wash away the splatters of paint that have found their way onto his tiny hands. The colorful streaks mix with the swirling water, creating a mesmerizing spectacle and carrying away the colorful remnants of his artistic escapade. Lost in her task and the words of the babbling boy, Kate momentarily forgets the apprehension that saturates the apartment.

But then she hears adult footsteps approaching from behind, disrupting the tranquil rhythm of the moment. Kate turns, her eyes widening as she sees Yelena purposefully making her way to the entrance, her duffle bag slung over her shoulder and her suitcase clutched tightly in her hand. A surge of panic courses through Kate, pushing her to act without a moment's hesitation. She swiftly shuts off the water and sets Russell down, his little feet pattering on the tiled floor as he toddles away, overjoyed that his paint-streaked hands are forgotten for the moment. Filled with a sense of impending doom, Kate compels her bare feet to glide across the kitchen tiles as she chases after Yelena.

"Hey. Hey. Was I not clear?"

"I'm not your child, Kate."

"You're acting like it." Refusing to let Yelena slip away unchallenged, Kate corners her wife in the foyer and plants herself firmly mere inches away from her. "Go back to the room. Pizza's going to be here in forty minutes."

"I'm going to the hotel."

"No, you're not."

Kate’s voice hardens, drawing a line in the sand. They glare at each other.

"Are you going to back me up on this?"

"No. You're wrong, so I'm not. I'm still not letting you leave because you're being beyond unreasonable. I'm not letting this get worse than it already is."

Yelena tries to push to the door, but Kate stands her ground, blocking her path with her body.

"Katherine..."

"I'm trying to stop you from fucking up this marriage."

"What if I don't want you to?"

They lock eyes, each searching for answers in the depths of the other’s gaze.

"Now you're just trying to piss me off. I know you too well. Go lie down. I'll send one of them to get you when food is here." Yelena doesn't move. "Who do I call to get rid of that stupid restraining order?"

"You can't end a protective order I requested."

"Then do it. Take care of it."

"No."

Yelena is resolute. Kate takes a measured, deep breath, making a concerted effort to keep herself centered.

"Yelena…”

"We've done it your way for years. It's never worked. It's about time we try it my way."

"I'm not backing you up on this. Get rid of it."

"No." Yelena repeats, somehow even more unwavering.

"You know what...fine. You want to destroy our lives this bad...be my guest." Kate finally relents. She steps back, giving Yelena all the space she needs to open the door and leave. After a beat of stillness, Yelena opens the door and walks out. Kate stands by, flummoxed, her heart heavy with incredulity and heartbreak. "I want you to be so very clear that you're the one doing this. You're the one walking away. Again. You're leaving a second time." Kate's voice quivers with a mix of anger and hurt. That stops Yelena in her tracks. "You said you'd never do that again. You promised and I believed you, so what is this? You promised."

With a heavy sigh, Kate steps away from the entrance, retreating back into the apartment but leaving the door wide open.

---

As Kate attends to the remnants of Russell's mess, the faint sound of the front door closing reaches her ears, stirring her from her thoughts. She turns her head, her attention abruptly drawn to the entrance. Her heart withers at the conclusive thud that reverberates through the air. To her amazement, seconds later, Yelena emerges from the foyer. Their eyes briefly connect in a charged moment before Yelena clenches her jaw tightly and strides deeper into the apartment, vanishing down the hallway that leads to their shared bedroom. Not long after, a resounding boom fills the air as the door is violently slammed shut, further emphasizing the growing chasm between them.

Lost in a maelstrom of emotions that threaten to engulf her whole, Kate's eyes linger on that hallway. Russell takes advantage of her distraction, seizing the opportunity to indulge himself. In a sudden burst of movement, the boy leans forward with a rascally grin and his tiny hands break the water's surface. The cold liquid splashes in all directions, showering the immediate area, including a generous dousing directly onto Kate's face. The shock of the gelid liquid snaps Kate back to reality with a gasp, her senses jolted by the sudden and unexpected intrusion. The temperature forces her breath to catch in her throat while droplets cling to her skin and drip down her face. It is a moment of undeniable clarity, a gentle reminder that life persists even in the midst of turmoil.

At least there's still a way back. It's cracked but not shattered. There's still a way to fix it.

[alvisiscrazy]

The demon the night (pt3)

TW-blood play, curssing, sex talk, drugs

summary- a cook for Elvis comes to realize he is really more to what we know, he is something outta this world like a book or a fairytale.

Kat had gave me a ride back to the hotel “Thanks for the ride” I said “No problem right now nobody shouldn’t be walking alone there is a killer on the loose” She said “Oh god that ain’t good” I said Kat had gave me her number “Gave me a call when you are free” “See you around Kat” I said I went to my room getting ready for bed I took a shower, wrapped in a towel I walked out stopping dead in my tracks…. “What- what are you doing in here?” I said “Where’d you go?” Elvis asked “I went out for a bit” “You shouldn’t be out there is a killer on the loose” I looked for my pjs “I have them” I quickly snatched them from him going into the bathroom “it’s not safe for a women like you” he said I walked out “Me or Jerry will take you next time” He said I rolled my eyes “I don’t need a babysitter I made a friend” I said harshly he gotten up “Did you forget that you work for me" He said looking into my eyes I can tell I pissed him off "I could end you If I wanted to" He said walking out the door slamming the door I was scared to death...

I went to sleep with Elvis's words repeating in my head "I could end you" I couldn't sleep tossing and turning... I woke up just in time to relax I ordered a cup of coffee I couldn't sleep last night I turned on the news "A killer is in vegas stay safe don't go out a night" "Reports of women being taken off the streets" I turned off the news shaking my head has the world gone mad.. I got ready for my shift, I made it on time clocking in now waiting by the phone..... It was now noon I had helped the other workers cook.... It was 5 minutes before my shift was over the phone rung I shook my hand "Hello" I said with a slight tone "Hey, Check the computer" I was so pisssed "I've been waiting all day maybe try asking him before he goes to sleep for what he wants" I said shouting "Sorry, I will tomrorrow" Jerry said I ended the line checking the comupter for the list He wanted chicken and fries took me 30 minutes to do I was so over tonight I gotten to the penthouse banging on the door "Damn, I hear ya" Elvis said he opened the door "Finally I been waiting" I held my tongue knowing my job is on the line from last night "Have a goodnight" I said turning "Wait, are you still upset with me?" "I've been waiting all day for the damn phone to ring so you tell me am I upset?" I said crossing my arms He turned and looking at me holding his tongue "I am sorry for that is that what you want me to say?" He said looking me in the eyes again "Yes, now goodnight" I said walking out the penthouse closing the door behind me… I gotten in the room calling Kat "Hey, I can hang tonight" I said "'I'm going to a club, wanna come?" She asked "Yea sure" I said "Be ready in a hour" I gotten ready putting on the new dressed I had got "black velet" along with my lacey heels,

I gotten into the elevator running into Elvis "Where are you going" He asked "Out with a friend" I said "You know it's not safe" "I will be safe" I said walking away... Kat and I gotten to the club having the time of our lifes..." gotta um- um take you home" Kat said pulling out her keys “I’ll drive" I said taking her keys..... "You can stay the night" I said "Really thanks" She said I helped Kat into the bed now taking a shower putting my pjs on the phone had rung "Hello" I said "Hey, Elvis wants you" Jerry said "Um- it's late everything okay?" I asked "He wants to talk to you" He said "Well okay be up soon" I said ended the line heading up the penthouse,

Jerry wasn't at the door I opened the doors to the penthouse it was dark only a few lights on I walked into the living room looking around I jumped "Am I scary?" Elvis said "Um- no didn't think you were behind me” I said clearing my thoart "Well um is everything okay" I asked” I wanted to say sorry for being a ass" He said "Everyone has their bad days, I have had said sum things I shoudn't have to" I said looking at him "Well are we good?" He asked "Yea- Yes were good" I said looking as his big hands oh lord- "Well I am really tired so I'm off” I said looking around "Well alright, goodnight" He said smiling…

I gotten into my room crashing for the night, I woke up to see Elvis standing in-front me of “What are you doing in here?” I asked “You weren’t answering the phone I came to check on you” He said “Well what time is it?” I asked “Noon” He said “Oh god I overslept” Kat was gone “Your friend had left this morning” He said I gotten up getting my uniform out “No need for that, We’re going out so be ready in a hour” He said heading out the door… I gotten up getting ready for today now calling Kat to check in “Hey, I’m just checking in” I said “I’m not supposed to talk to you” She said “What do you mean?” It was silence “Kat?” I said “He told me I can’t talk to you or see you anymore” She sounded annoyed “Who?” I asked “Your boss he told me he will hurt me if he saw me again” She said with fear I felt a rage of anger “He what?” I couldn’t believe my ears “Seriously what is his problem” I said with a groan “He is crazy y/n watch your back” She said “Look don’t worry about it, We can still hang out together I don’t care what he says” I said “No- no your job is on the line y/n I’ll see you around I gotta go” She said ended the line. I was pissed I can go out when I’m not working it’s my free will I went up to the penthouse in rage I didn’t see Jerry so I opened the doors to the penthouse walking in hearing voices “She’s the one” I heard Elvis say “How can you be so sure ?” Jerry said “I just feel it I- I don’t know how to explain it” I peeked around the corner seeing Elvis and Jerry “Well she works for you” Jerry said “I know but I can’t control myself around her” I walked out the penthouse heading out the lobby I needed some air, I found a coffee shop down from the hotel trying to put the pieces together of what just happened and what I heard I couldn’t believe it Elvis is into to me? Why me out of all girls in the world but he treated me like crap while working I didn’t understand it he has mood swings I can’t handle, I gotten up now walking along the streets of Vegas in the hot summer looking around trying to ease my mind then I saw the limo I quickly turned the other way walking “Hey, where are you going?” I heard him say “What could you possibly want” I said harshly turning back to face him “Get in the car please” He said walking towards me “No I will not” I said crossing my arms “Please y/n get in the car” I rolled my eyes I walked pass him getting in the limo trying to get far as possible from him but he slowly gotten closer to me my heart was racing “Why’d you tell Kat you’d hurt her ?” I gotten straight to the point “I didn’t mean like that” He chuckled “It sure seemed like it don’t ever threaten my friend that’s not cool” I said turning to face him “Whatever you say baby” Baby? “So I will be seeing Kat, and you can’t stop me” I said with a slight tone “You won’t I’ll make sure you won’t” He said with a grin “Whatever Baby” I mocked him before you know he had me by the throat “You think it’s funny ?” He said I tried to push him only weak couldn’t move “Let me go” I said “No, you won’t be seeing her because I said so do want to keep your job?” He was right I nod “My point if I ever catch you with her again I will cause hell she isn’t a good person” I looked at him with anger “How do you know?” I said trying to push him off of me “I knew her from a while back she was a groupie” He said I wasn’t the type to judge everyone had a pass “So what I don’t care about her pass now let me go please” I said he finally got me I didn’t say a word I was over this conversation and being in the limo with him “Don’t be mad y/n it’s for the best” He said so surely but I will be seeing Kat again she was my only friend here and I get very lonesome… Elvis had forced me to go shopping with him picking out clothes and jewelry for his upcoming show which is tomorrow night “You like the one?” He asked looking at himself in the mirror it was a black tapestry suit I can say it fit him well “I like it” I said looking at him “Well I’ll take it” He said laughing, We gotten into the limo again I hoped we are going back to the hotel.

[golbrocklovely]

i'm blocking out the accounts bc i'm not about to draw more eyes to them. funny enough, i went snooping on my own and found both accounts before this ask.

also this is just a warning, i'm running on about two percent battery brain power, so if this doesn't make sense and/or sounds like i'm an asshole, that's why. i'm not trying to be rude to you anon, so please don't think that. i'm just ridiculously tired of this situation and the ppl involved in it.

imma be so forreal, i kinda have to laugh at all of this. first off, both of these accounts are run by teenagers… and it's very obvious. it reads like a jealous little girl's diary.

also i can debunk all of their shit in a heartbeat. half of it is just them saying "see ! malia is a slut who had work done" and all i gotta say to that is… do you say that about amber? shea? stas? just curious. bc they all got work done, and they all have casual sex (most likely) or at the very least have hooked up with colby. so like???? keep the misogyny even if you're gonna go full pick me.

malia had an onlyfans, yes. she did technically lie in her response to a hater who said she had one. however, no one is owed an explanation to if and why she had one. and secondly, this fandom is full of young fans. if she admitted she had one, yall would just call her a creep that's promoting sex to minors or whatever. and clearly if she actually posted anything of her nude, it would be online. bc.. like these losers pointed out, the videos she did of her modelling bikinis for some brand got put on porn sites by creepy dudes. none of them are of her nude tho. it's just her in a bikini which surprise surprise isn't porn.

she got work done but liked a comment that called her a natural beauty….. do these fans really think they ate pointing this out?? she is naturally pretty, she just got some work done. again, would you harp on shea liking a comment that says that? or amber? or stas?? or how about a woman that's wearing makeup or a push up bra??

these fans really think they have her in this gotcha moment when reality is…. all they're doing it pointing out how pathetic they look. yeah babes, you're totally right. malia is a slutty porn star who got work done… and colby STILL decided to date her. you know why? bc he doesn't care. and you do… and yet here you are… still not getting the attention from colby you think you deserve. even if you were the last person on earth colby wouldn't choose you. and for all the hate you have for malia, you basically run a fan account for her since you know so much about her. but yeah… keep calling her a whore or whatever. you're doing such a good job at it lmao

i'll go thru the other ones these bozos pointed out fast:

colby likes his alone time, she made a tiktok saying she likes when guys are obsessive…. those don't even relate, but on top of that she made that vid before she was even DATING HIM

we have no proof malia made him unfollow anyone, they are just jumping to that conclusion

the cheating thing we now know is false

she didn't steal that hair color from amber………. are yall on crack? amber hasn't ever dyed her hair that color?? she uses a wig??? and just bc she wants to dye her hair a similar color doesn't mean malia copied. how would she have even known that?? jesus christ keep the schools open these kids are DUMB

the girls went to coachella a couple years ago or whatever but claimed the one they went to with snc was their first. oH mY gOd ThEy LiEd Or PoSsIbLy FoRgOt??? call the firing squad and line them up in the town square. burn the witches at the stake!!!!

malia called herself a slut and that's proof… she's a slut. sure. yeah. whatever you say, children. yall barely have had sex ed but please inform me how she's a slut. i'd love to hear it.

the girls in general are copying kat/amber. i mean… they literally aren't. they just cut and dyed their hair, two things NEITHER KAT OR AMBER HAVE DONE in a long time/ever. i would say you're grasping at straws but that would require there to be straws.

if you think malia or katelyn are bad ppl for having subscriptions about their lives where they might post their boyfriends, boy do i have news for you about shea and stas.

anything else they said is horseshit and tbh i'm over it. call me when the girls have been found guilty of something other than being kinda annoying and attention seeking on *gasp* the internet, of all places.

[ichayalovesyou]

Hi! I was wondering if you could do an imagine between pike/reader as a couple, where they’ve gotten into an argument and are now resolving it? thank you! I am looking for some angst lmao

Ask and ye shall receive my dear reader, and you are quite welcome! 💚🖖🏻💚

I’m Not Invincible (Pike x Reader)

Rating: PG-13 (language, innuendos)

Word Count: 936

Content: SFW, angst, hurt/comfort, injured!Pike (not graphic), GN!Reader, CMO!Reader, established romantic relationship, heart to heart, death mention (canon character death), Discovery Season 2 spoilers, takes place on SNW-era Enterprise.

Teaser: Chris has been allowing himself to get hurt a lot more on away missions lately. It would piss you off if it weren't so terrifying. It's time that the two of you had a serious talk.

“You can’t keep doing this Chris, this is the fourth time this month! I know you have responsibilities, away missions are part of the job. But, you’re being reckless, not with the crew, but with yourself! I don’t know if you have a death wish or think your invincible all the sudden or what but, it’s scaring me. You’re scaring me.”

It was dark in sickbay, you were completely alone. You had hoped you could save this conversation for later in your quarters. But when Chris came through the medical transporter barely conscious with half a spear jutting out of his clavicle you couldn’t bottle it up.

Thank god the surgery bay was relatively sound proof, the last thing you wanted to do was humiliate Chris in front of his crew. Not even when you were absolutely furious with him.

Not that you were furious anymore, it was hard to stay mad at him. It helped that he didn’t shout back, even if it made you feel like an asshole. It did help you recollect yourself quicker, behave more like the Delta Shift CMO you were supposed to be. What had been flames of fear and frustration were little more than hot ashes now.

You sat on the biobed next to him, he wouldn’t even look at you, it was like he was somewhere else, far away.

“I’m sorry. I’m not…” Chris finally spoke thickly.

“You’re not what?” you ventured, very delicately.

“I’m not invincible.” you could feel yourself sigh in relief as he finally looked at you when he said that. Eyes, pleading to be understood, like they couldn’t understand themselves.

“You don’t need to be invincible with me.”

“Oh I know, believe me. I wish I were invincible, that’d take care of some things.” Chris croaked with a bitter chuckle.

“Like what?” you wished you understood, when it struck you what he was about to say, it filled you with what little remained of your anger.

“Don’t you dare say-“

“It’s classified.”

“Chris!” you stopped yourself, deep breaths, slow down, don’t want him clamming up on you like he does. Men like him do love to suffer in silence. You’re sure he thought of it as something noble, what a load of crap.

“Listen, I know Bob- Robert- Cap- Ugh! Admiral April, pushed you into coming back. If you think you’re still not-“

“No!” Chris said, quick to defend.

“It’s not that Y/N, I promise, it’s not that. Honestly, coming back to the Enterprise was probably the best decision I… I think she needs me, and that I need her too. If I had stayed, I would’ve just kept, wallowing? Hiding? I don’t know, nothing good.”

“Hiding from what, the classified thing? Do you think?” you tested the waters again, he glared at you with a mixture of begging and incredulity.

“Sorry sorry! I know, but Chris, whatever this is, you gotta process it, make peace with it. And, not just because the mission at hand is forcing you to. I know I don’t have the security clearance to help you with this. But maybe, someone else could, maybe I could talk to Kat and- oh, oh god.”

Out of nowhere it seemed, you found yourself choking on your own grief, and not his.

“Oh, Y/N…”

Chris let out a mixture of a laugh, sigh, and sob. He put his arm around your shoulder and pulled you close. Damnit, it was supposed to be his turn to be comforted not you. It wasn’t fair really, he’d watched her die not you. Probably why you kept slipping up in the first place.

“I’m sorry, I just, I keep forgetting that she’s gone, it’s been, a year, but still. She was like a sister to me Chris, I don’t-“

“Hey, hey hey.” Chris crooned, pulled you in for a real hug, you both clearly needed it. Practically collapsing into each other. The medical officer in you carefully avoiding the tender healed skin where a spear had been not even twelve hours ago.

“I know, I miss her too, we’ve both been through a lot lately. Lost things…”

You touched your forehead to his “We can get through this together.”

“We will.” he said quietly, kissing your lips gently.

The two of you broke away a bit, not entirely untangling from each other.

“Ah, I’ll tell you what.” he started, sounding more like his normal, upbeat self again.

“What?”

“I can’t guarantee you that I’ll have the time or opportunity to, frankly, do what I should. But, I’ll try and arrange to stick to the Captain’s chair a little more. At least for a while, let Una do the galavanting for a bit, doctor’s orders right?”

“Hah, right.”

“And, if you consider me fit for duty, Dr. Y/N, maybe we could-?”

“Chris, I am EXHAUSTED, from saving your ass all day. Don’t even-“

“I was just going to suggest that your quarters are closer to sickbay than mine, and that you could keep a better eye on me from home.”

“Oh, uh huh, I see.” you smirked, voice dripping with sarcasm.

“I’ll make you breakfast.”

“…Deal.”

God damn, that smile was hard won, from both of you. You nodded, he tagged along. You and Chris headed off to your quarters, arms around each other’s waists, the need to stay connected after such a long and difficult night still lingering.

And maybe, just maybe, if you could ride the high of this small victory, and if you could stay awake. You’d consider him fit for duty tonight after all. ;)

[mhathotfic]

Saw that you were on a road trip and wanted to chat which is great cause I’m feeling submissive and breedable and finkin’ ‘bout sitting on a fat cock. Would be Katsuki’s but he’s away on a mission with Kiri so he sent Mina over to keep us company—now she’s being so mean, thrusting that pretty pink dildo so far inside that were a babbling mess. Eijiro never lets her top so she’s really giving it her all right now. God she looks so gorgeous down there with the tip of her tongue poking between her glossy pink lips. Do you think she’ll call Eiji and Kat to show them what a good job she’s doing ?

I’m finally home and free to commit sinful acts!

Where do I start?

Ooo! What if Bakugou is always the reluctant mediator of sorts with them? Knows all about how frustrated Mina gets never getting to top and how Eijirou just isn’t interested in bottoming for the most part that is. So he talked to his pretty little baby and basically orchestrated this.

Wasn’t even hard, up coming mission, shamelessly horny freak of partner, close friend he trusts that is just dying for a chance to scratch that itch they can never get. Planed itself really.

Though he figured when he called Mina to ask her if she wouldn’t mind and had Kiri confirm he was ok with with it, they’d just do the deed and be done with it.

He wasn’t expecting to get sent several videos in a row. One of her looking so proud of herself while he hears our babbling sobs and moans while she says something about he might have competition now.

Another of a close up of pretty pink thighs thrusting up into us, making him watch that dildo, all shiny and slick, get pushed so far in. Like she was trying to knock his partner up

So many where she’s just praising, sometimes condescendingly sometimes genuinely

Things like “so good for me, such a good little angel for me” or “awww, is it too much? Poor baby, so pretty all dumb on my cock, so cute when you cry like that for me”

He wants to be mad, but he did invite her and his dick was too hard to actually care anyways. He did wonder for a moment why it was sent to him instead of Ei, but the pounding on his hotel suites door and flustered faux redhead behind it told him what he needed to know. Now to plot a revenge plan.

[coldvampire]

man i was trying to come up with a valentine's day themed oc post today (day itself has passed whatever idc) and i weirdly. do not think kat would want to do much for it?? if anything at all? which almost seems contradictory with her character lmao but i think it's partly just 1. she feels loved on a regular basis good job on that one nines and 2. i think she would just find a timed display awkward, if that makes sense? like almost a performance & she would much prefer something natural/spontaneous. i think at Most she would appreciate flowers because what the hell would she need chocolates for (& she's not really a stuffed animal person so.) maybe jewellery? not that she wouldn't trust nines to get her something she likes, she's just extremely particular and likes to shop for herself. so yeah definitely flowers at most, gift wise, which he would plan ahead for & order a nice custom bouquet with flowers & colours he knows she actually likes, no last-minute drug store flowers here. and she'll never say no to having a date night in, she loves just cuddling on the couch and half-watching something while she soaks up nines' attention (& vice versa let's be honest lmao). she's going to want plenty of kisses + touching but that's not unusual tbh. she doesn't even need the day itself mentioned, she'll just take any excuse for them to have a peaceful evening free of distractions <3 rest in fucking pieces to any members of the ivory tower or sabbat packs who interrupt them though

i feel like both mitchell and beckett just straight up don't even register what day it is. just not paying attention in any capacity & not especially caring. but also i know beckett is Dramatic TM and probably lives for the aesthetic, i can picture him concocting some sort of elaborate evening that required a dress code and ended with some wildly fantastic sex. this could just be here or other members of their respective polycules involved, it all depends on scheduling and location. if she's with vv, then it's more of an 'aesthetic' date. lots of pink everything, rose petals, the works. however! i don't actually think they would end up having sex since i honestly read vv as being aspec/demisexual like mitchell, so it's really just more of an excuse to get together & just be present. maybe they'll head out and split a 'meal' together lmao. vv i think would want coordinating outfits for that & would get a kick out of dressing mitchell. nothing too out of the realm of her usual style, just part of a pair.

for my IF characters,,, reina is going hard. she's decorating her office (it's still her aesthetic though so it's a gothic valentine's day lmao black roses etc etc). she's sending gifts to qui's house. she's doing a whole themed photo shoot and agonizing over the perfect layout to give him. i feel like she's the one person here who would try her hardest to imitate champagne with carbonated blood but i doubt it would be successful so she just bottles it like wine & serves it over a candlelit 'dinner.' she might even borrow someone's ghoul for the night if she finds out they play violin & have some live music. she expects only participation in return because quite frankly she knows that this is the work of an insane person & no one can match that. qui is just along for the ride lmao god bless, i think he would find it all deeply overwhelming but she is so happy to be doing this for him so he just kinda soaks it up while absolutely buzzing with happiness internally.

iris and lettow are another pair i can see not really caring, lettow is a whole elder and iris never really did much of anything for it in the first place. she's not really a flowers person tbh, plus i think lettow can be pretty dramatically romantic on a fairly regular basis anyway & they've got so much time together while travelling east with no obligations to anyone but themselves. it's just not a necessary holiday.

romina and raúl, though. both of them are still pretty young, and he's got the benefit of still being human. romina would probably try to actually cook him dinner, some italian recipe she remembers enjoying when she was still alive. it's Not Good. like, at all lmao but he still eats it because it was a really nice gesture & it's not like she could have tasted it anyway. alternatively if he already knows it'll be bad he'll offer the idea of them cooking together, which ensures it'll be edible & they can spend time together as an added bonus. the first part of that completely flies over her head tbh but it's fine. these two are definitely going dancing somewhere also, whether it's a club or some cool street venue. they'd also be into watching a movie later on, but raúl strikes me as someone who would want to make it a bit more special by setting up a screen & projector outside so they can be under the stars, maybe get a little fire going too. plenty of cuddling & kisses, possibly sex too if her dog actually ends up leaving them alone (probably not, they will almost definitely have to wait until they're inside and can close the bedroom door lmao) because neither of them want to be stared at during the act, just a deeply awkward situation they would like to avoid because the night is otherwise perfect.

[hopefulstarfire]

For this meme: 1 for Iris, 5 for Kat, 14 for Nana and 20 for Maddox?

Oooo bet thank you for the ask!

1. What six CD’s would your OC keep in their car? Is it just a taste/preference thing, or do any of them have particular significance?

At least one of those CDs are one Iris burned herself of a bunch of songs she really loves, with anything from Cigarettes after Sex to some indie artists she doesn't have a cd for.

Green Day's 21st Century Breakdown.

Pvris's White Noise.

Halestorm's The Strange Case Of...

The Pretty Reckless's Death By Rock and Roll.

Magnolia Park's Halloween Mixtape (She esp blasts 10 for 10 all the time).

Iris keeps what she can CD wise bc yeah no you can't trust keeping everything digital esp now when companies are pulling the shit of taking things you bought away from you so she keeps a lot of physical copies. These are just bands and artists she really enjoys and can blast in her car loudly and especially when she needs to go have a breakdown in her car.

5. What’s one mundane thing that would throw them off-kilter? Why?

Either it would be the smell of certain perfumes or the sound of wooden boxes or doors slamming. Those are things that remind her very much of her mother and Kat usually gets thrown for a loop when they come to her attention.

14. Is your OC superstitious? If so, what superstitions do they believe? If not, what do they think of superstitious people?

Nana was a superstitious person to start with, but she became even more so once she realized Oh my God, magic actually exists. She doesn't believe the one about black cats, but she doesn't walk under ladders, she doesn't step on cracks, she is very careful around mirrors, no umbrellas inside and she always knocks on wood. She also believes the whole "it comes in threes" thing.

When your little brother shares his body with a 3000 year old ghost with dark magic and weird shit keeps happening to you and your group, yeah, yeah you try to keep the bad luck at a minimum and do what you can for good luck.

20. Any major theme(s) or conflict(s) in your OC’s life? How have they dealt with that? Are they aware of it, or do they ignore it? Did you design them with such theme(s)/conflict(s) in mind, or did they evolve naturally?

Maddox faces two major things in his life; loss and having to be the one responsible for everything.

He loses a lot of his family when he's young; aunts, uncles, cousins and his grandfather. He loses Cecelia, his cousin, his best friend, his twin flame and it tears him apart because of how incredibly strong their bond always had been. Then Paige abandons him and their daughters. It's a struggle he faces just as much as Kat did and he's so tired of losing people he loves and I think he fights harder and harder bc of it.

On top of that, out of all the cousins, Maddox was the oldest, followed by Cecelia. He always had to look our for everyone and keep everyone safe and happy. He was the protector and the leader and the glue. As he got older, as everything got smaller, he became responsible for keeping Max sane and helping raise Kat on top of his own daughters; bc while Vance and Chelsea were her guardians and doing a damn good job raising her, he and Max promised Cecelia they would always look after Kat.

He was responsible for I2 and later KaibaCorp. He's responsible for the Yugi Gang and the D&D Gang. He's responsible for a lot and I think he's just tired.

[bullet-prooflove]

Chasing Fires - Brian ‘Otis’ Zvonecek: Chapter Eight

Brian Zvonecek has spent most of his adult life fighting fires, now it’s time to chase one.

Follows on from Million Reasons but is a stand alone fic.

Tagging   @orileyfiction for all her help and support! Also @me-ladie​ for being the wonderful person she is and betaing.

- Chapter One

- Chapter Two

- Chapter Three

- Chaper Four

- Chapter Five

- Chapter Six

- Chapter Seven

The precinct was quiet, a rare lull for a Friday night. Brian was glad for it to be honest; he had just come off a forty-eight-hour shift and he knew this place was usually a zoo on the weekend. He’d hoped to snag a quiet moment with Kat. He knew that she was working herself into the ground over this case, putting in every single hour that God sent. That was the nature of her job, and it was well suited to her tenacious personality. He also knew when she got caught up in a case, she forgot to look after herself. He would bet his Battlestar Galactica memorabilia she hadn’t eaten since this morning.

Platt was perched at the desk, the same way she always was. Her chin tilted down as she filled in the paperwork in front of her. He stepped up to the desk, the brown paper bag of food from Carlito’s clasped between his hands. 

“Otis.” She greeted him without looking up. 

Her uncanny ability to do that sent a chill up his spine. As a child his Baba had always told him stories of the old country, of witches who stalked through the woods, who knew things they shouldn’t. How the townsfolk had been delivered offerings to appease them. He wasn’t saying Platt was a witch but…

She could be downright terrifying. 

He removed one of the sandwiches from the bag before setting it on the desk and pushing it towards her with his fingertips. 

“A sandwich for the lady.” 

Platt’s gaze lifted; her eyes fixed on the sandwich taking in the wrapping before giving him her full attention. 

“You do know how to stay on my good side.” She said before picking up the phone and putting it to her ear. “You after Kat?”

“Please.”

“You know they’ve been wrapped up in a pretty tough case right now. It has been crazy up there.” She confided before barking into the phone. “Thompson, someone to see you.”

Brian turned his attention towards the stairs, catching a glimpse of Kat through the cage doors before she unfastened the lock and stepped outside, securing the door behind her. He swore his heart stopped beating in his chest as she strode down the steps towards him. Her hair was loose, waves flowing past her chin in an artful style, one that she never wore for work. She was wearing makeup, her expressive eyes accentuated by smoky eyeshadow that gave her a dark, mysterious edge. Her lips were red, the colour of roses after their first bloom. He felt a rush of heat erupting through his nerve endings as he took in the figure hugging, black leather, wrap dress that showed off her athletic legs. He imagined his hands on those thighs, parting them slowly, his fingertips ghosting across the underwear underneath…

“You’re staring.” Platt informed him, sandwich already unwrapped and, in her hand, as she watched the interaction. 

His cheeks flushed at her words before he pushed away from the desk to move towards Kat. She rubbed the back of her neck subconsciously, flashing the swirling leaf tattoo on the underside of her arm as she did. He wanted to run his lips over it, to trace it with his tongue…

“I have a sting tonight.” She said, breaking his chain of thought as she gestured at herself.

“You look great, amazing, really top notch.” He told her with a thumbs up.

Inwardly he kicked himself. Seeing Kat dressed up like this completely threw him off guard. On a normal day he found her sexy, dynamic but wearing that dress kicked his imagination into overdrive. He couldn’t stop thinking about running his hands through her hair, those legs wrapped around his waist, his name on her lips. 

Platt cleared her throat, drawing him back into the moment. She gave him a pitiful look before tilting her head towards the empty interview room near the entrance. 

“OK.” He said, steering Kat towards the vacant room. “So, let’s eat this somewhere else so we don’t get in the Sergeant’s way.”

Kat glanced at the fake Michael Kors watch on her wrist before following him. 

“I can spare fifteen minutes.” She told him, closing the door behind them. She frowned as Platt  leaned over the desk to peer through the glass. Kat pulled the cord on the blinds, releasing them so that they covered the window. She turned to face Brian who was holding up a paper bag from Carlito’s. 

“I know that this is a rough one for you,” he told her. “I also know that you don’t come up for air when something like this goes down, so I wanted to make sure that you were adequately sustained.”

He set the bag down on the table and removed two paper wrapped Hoagies. He pushed one out towards her. 

“Turkey, cheese, lettuce and tomato, toasted to perfection.” He informed her. 

Kat dropped into the seat across from him, before unwrapping the Hoagie and taking a bite. He could tell from the way she devoured it that he had been right in his assumptions. 

“You take such good care of me.”  She smiled, using a napkin to wipe the crumbs from the edges of her mouth.

“You do the same for me right?” he said quietly. “All those nights you popped by, staying up watching Stargate Atlantis.”

“To be fair it’s hardly a chore. Good show, good company, what more can a girl want?” Kat said, flashing him that smile.

Jesus Christ, it felt like the sun was erupting over the horizon every single time he saw it. He felt it warm through his soul, chasing away the darkness.

“Are you nervous about your sting?” he asked.

“Usually, I would be. There’s a lot of variables.” She admitted before meeting his gaze and placing her hand over her heart. “Truthfully, I’m too angry. Remember that feeling I was telling you about. I have it sitting right there in my chest.”

He saw that fire in her eyes, it burned like an inferno with a ferocity he both admired and feared. She would do anything to avenge that little girl and that was part of the problem. Kat wouldn’t think twice about putting herself in harm's way if it achieved the desired result. That was the nature of her job, the nature of their jobs. He recognised the way it glowed, the smoulder of it. They were cut from the same cloth, her and him. 

“I know, I could see it this morning.” He said, bundling up his wrapper and tossing it in the trash. “You get this look; I don’t know how to describe it.”

“Does it scare you?” Kat asked him,quietly.

They had talked about this before, about this feeling, this drive, this desire to pursue justice. It was set in her bones, ingrained inside the marrow. It flowed through her veins the same way it had in her old man’s. Asking her to change would be like asking the sun to stop shining so bright.

“Sometimes I worry.” He confessed before meeting her eyes with a small smile. “But then I remember you’re ballsy and you carry a gun.”

“I worry too.” Kat admitted, taking his hands in hers, her thumbs ghosting over his knuckles. “About the fires, the car accidents and all the other crazy shit you get yourself into, but I trust you to handle it.”

Brian brought her hand up to his mouth, his lips grazing over the delicate skin. That sweet, floral fragrance flooded his senses as he turned her palm over and kissed the tattoo on her wrist. A low whimper escaped her throat, her cheeks flushing pink.

“Brian…” she murmured.

“This is why I came here tonight.” He whispered against the ink. “I wanted to tell you that I’m ready.”

He wasn’t sure who started the kiss but in the end it didn’t matter. The moment their lips met he was a goner. It was like a tornado, a reckless furious passion building up inside of him, drowning out everything else. He wanted her closer, needed it now. He found himself drawing her into lap, her thighs encasing his hips, the dress hiking up. She was wild, untamed, her lithe body pressing urgently against the length of his. He wanted to kiss her into oblivion, to unzip the dress and make her forget any other man that had come before him. 

It was the sudden knock on the door that caused them to break apart. Kat’s forehead came to rest upon his, she clung to him breathlessly, her fingertips ghosting across the space where his heart resided. 

“Kat, we gotta go.” Antonio called through the door.

“Go.” Brian whispered against her lips, his thumb trailing over the apple of her cheek. “You know where I’ll be when you get back.”

“I know.” She murmured, patting his chest once more before pulling away.

Brian caught her hand, drawing her back to him for a second. Those dark eyes of his imploring as he kissed her once more.

“Stay safe tonight.”

[cinematicnomad]

Kat! how are you feeling? what are your thoughts on the way buck's heading? honestly i am pretty excited, I am hoping for a lot of angst (just because) while buck grows and learns that he deserves to have and set boundaries and that he doesn't only exist to serve other people etc (something something going through a paralel journey in therapy rn so! love to see it! go babygirl! realize your selfworth). and uh. lowkey highkey hope something happens to him in the mid-season finale lmao. ALSO. DID YOU SEE HEN! HANDLING THE CHAINSAW! IDK why but that was v nice to see. And the fact that hen can't keep still (relatable) and that buck went to her and they just decided to get blasted...love them so much. Also Bobby and the dog...just. people were saying how empty their house is and bobby saw the dog and went 'guess it's mine now' (which brings me to: didn't hen & fam have a dog way back? one she rescued from a collapsed building?). GOD AND EDDIE! Don't get me started! He's growing so much, and love to see that his father is actively working on himself and his bond with his son too!!! That whole scene with christopher had me ahw-ing all the way through, he's doing such a good job, i love love love that for him!!

ah anon!! i hadn't watched the episode yet when you sent this so i had to wait to reply—i'm still dealing with some truly obnoxious jetlag that's keeping me up late in italy so i just caught up on everything. don't worry you didn't spoil anything!! i spoiled myself on EVERYTHING last night as the ep was airing 😂

re:buck i'm waiting to see where this story goes. personally i don't really think it's gonna actually end up with him successfully donating his sperm and having a biological child out in the world. and honestly i'm just a little wary of this arc bc i personally hate tv's track record when talking about adoption/sperm donor's/surrogacy/etc. like...love the drunk scene! but if buck donates his sperm he is NOT a father walking away. sometimes i think tv gets really hung up on blood/biological relations and i find it Particularly Aggravating. (of course that doesn't mean that BUCK doesn't think or feel that way, and i'm totally okay with him struggling with those feelings—i just am wary of the story/writers/etc validating those feelings as correct™)

hen handling the whole call at the star was SO fucking good and impressive and hot and just. YEAH QUEEN, YOU'RE GREAT AT BEING CAPTAIN.

hen did bring a dog home that she rescued in the s2 earthquake, but tbh i don't know if we ever saw that dog again? we might've when denny was playing in the park but i can't remember.

eddie still looked so bummed after his final talk with chris and all i can say is—that man needs a boyfriend to occupy his time as chris gets more independence and buck is RIGHT THERE (speaking of, buck was DEFINITELY yearning while listening to connor and his wife talk about how they met and fell in love. he wants a partner so bad!!)

anyway, it was a VERY good episode. i'm looking fwd to when this buck donor plot is picked back up in e7 (when i'll be back in the states and can actually!! watch it live!!)

[child-of-peace]

this is an ask filled with my reactions as i read the latest chapter.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

i would definitely read a matilda's pov for every episode fic

edwin? is this a poe party ref? (i love it)

i forgot brom's last name is van brunt because i was so used to calling him bones so that was a shock

"Unless it were Brom’s own wedding, there would be no reason for him to tell Edwin about it." whoops

"At least there hadn’t been another fire." i need to hear this story.

"Edwin had never seen his usually good-tempered son so bitter." this actually fits in really well with my adhd (and/or autistic) brom headcanon.

"Brom only had to live up to the same expectations that Edwin had." i'm sorry but i'm liking this dad less and less by the line. that's an insane amount of expectations

"God, Edwin could only imagine what his contemporaries were saying about his absence." is this dad... more concerned with the LOCAL NEWSPAPER than his son's happiness?

also can i use the name edwin for his dad in a fic eventually

"He couldn’t understand why Brom was so eager to talk to the Bishop girl. It’s not like they were friends outside of Kat. Oh. Maybe Matilda was arranging Kat’s funeral."

can i punch edwin

your son is a grown man with his own life and his own job and his own friends and you weren't there for possibly the most important moment of his life so stop assuming things about him!

"Not a pet then." probably the only valid question edwin has raised so far.

All he really wanted was some alcohol and a quiet night to process everything. my hatred for this character is growing by the word. YOU NEED TO SORT OUT YOUR PRIORITIES SIR nope he doesn't deserve that sign of respect

"“Oh my god, Ick. Did you run all the way here?” Brom fussed, pulling out an inhaler from who knows where and handing it to his friend." this radiates dad vibes that i entirely agree with. brom would make a great dad. especially considering the one you'd given him he'd do a great job by being the opposite of edwin

"Edwin could tell from experience that his son was physically restraining himself from hugging the young woman." i expect that he tried to hug you but you always refused that's why you're so well-versed in that expression huh edwin

"And in an instant, Edwin was reminded that she was only twenty-seven. It can’t have been easy for her losing her best friend so young. His previous animosity for the witch faded with his realisation." probably only good thing he's said in this whole thing. and only thing of his i agree with.

"His son had always been a better man than he." not that it's hard

"She was that strange girl who’d shown up out of nowhere one day and moved in with the Bishops." I forgot Verla exists pre-canon in your world. whoops. but it makes for an interesting outsider view!

okay i stopped quoting because this is so great. I LOVE HOW YOU WRITE THEM

"And, having observed them all morning, smiling and joking with Ichabod and Verla, Edwin could see it made perfect sense." edwin is starting to redeem himself in my eyes. still an arse but an arse who wants the best for his son (though he doesn't always know what it is)

"[...] who cared? Certainly not Edwin. In fact, he’d never felt so proud of his son. Brom had done what Edwin never could. He’d broken the cycle, shattering the expectations set against him." edwin redemption arc? he has existed for a few paragraphs and i already have strong feelings about this character. that's a sign of good writing.

after reading the note it makes so much sense. loved this chapter.

(also i just realised i forgot to kudos when i was logged in so i'm off to do that rn. you deserve all the kudos you get)

This ask was so sweet! I almost cried whilst reading it and some of your responses were hilarious! I’m gonna try to give you a reply to each of your comments:

1. THANK YOU!!!

2. I’m glad to hear that! It’s definitely something I’m interested in writing, but it really depends on my headspace after I finish this fic. I have a lot of ideas though!

3. Short answer: yes. Long answer: I was looking up Dutch names and I came across the name Edwin and I took the opportunity to also reference Poe Party!

4. 😂 I get that!

5. Lol yup!

6. This was actually a reference to Kat’s episode 1 line “don’t let him near your gas stove” when she introduces Brom to Ichabod!

7. Love to hear it! As an autistic person myself, I can totally see that!

8. Ikr! I had the poem This Be the Verse by Philip Larkin in my head when I wrote Edwin. I really wanted that idea to bleed through!

9. Pretty much!

10. Gopher it, mate! I look forward to reading that fic!

11. Yeeeee

12. Sure! Maybe it’ll help him realise what a wonderful son he has!

13. Exactly!!!

14. 😂 Agreed!

15. Lol

16. Yup! Brom loves so deeply and loyally, he just radiates dad energy.

17. Mmhmm! When Brom was a boy (until the age of 12) Edwin would hug him behind closed doors, but in public he would tell him it wasn’t proper. When Brom got older, he stopped hugging him at home too. He’s making progress, but he’s got a long way to go.

18. Oh yeah!

19. Accurate!

20. Lol yeah! Since we were given so many different possible Verla backstories canonically, I figured I��d just come up with my own!

21. Thank you!!!

22. 😂 That’s what I was going for! A redeemable arsehole!

23. Oh my gods, thank you! This is definitely the beginning of a redemption arc for him!

24. 😂 Glad to hear it!

25. (Thank you, I really appreciate it!)

[salemsimss]

Beginning | Previous | Next

Transcript under the cut

Casper: -Okay, so as you all know by now, I got the job.

[The group cheers]

Casper: And Johnny insisted that we all go out to celebrate.

Johnny: You bet I did!

Casper: I don’t really know what to say other than thank you for welcoming me, and let’s enjoy the night. [Nervous laughter]

Braeden: Fuck yeah!

Salem: You’re basically one of us now. There’s no getting rid of us!

Chris: Yeah, what Salem said!

[Chattering in the background]

Shi: Ah, man it’s a shame you’re not the one behind the bar. I much prefer your drinks.

Mizuki: I’m glad you like when I make the drinks.

Kathryn: You’re a bartender?!

Shi: Yeah, he’s a bar manager at some place- forgot what it’s called.

Mizuku: Shi, you’re literally always there.

Shi: Mizuki, please. Your pretty face and bartending skills are more important for me to remember.

Mizuku: I’ll drink to that.

Chris: Sick, I’ll have to stop by then.

Shi: This bartender is mine, back off.

Johnny: Ooh~

--

Arya: I just saw Beyoncé walk in.

Casper: Huh?

Arya: We need to sing this well, or my life is over.

[Distant chattering]

Person 1: Oh my God, is that Beyoncé?

Person 2: Girl shh- don’t embarrass us!

Shi: They make a pretty good duo.

Johnny: Yeah, they sure do.

Shi: You’re gonna have a go too, right?

Johnny: I don’t think I’m drunk enough to even step foot on that thing.

Shi: Want another drink then?

Shi: Well...?

Johnny: Fuck it, go on then.

--

Kylo: Yo, Kat. Did you read that fic I sent you?

Caleb: It’s not too late to ignore him.

Kathryn: Oh, God what rabbit hole did you fall into this time?

Kylo: It’s really... Something!

Caleb: Kat, don’t listen to a word he says. Trust me. It’s for your own good.

Kathryn: Who else did you send this to?

Kylo: Everyone.

--

[People cheering]

Casper: They’re actually not that bad!

Kathryn: I expected worse. Especially considering how pissed they are.

Bella: This is so going on Instagram!

[The crowd cheering and whistling]