#also behold the very long skill bar

[anime-scarves]

The gang's all ready to annihilate.

[thorns-and-rosewings]

Soooo wanna hear about another AU I have brewing? God this is now the third one I have created now for TSAMS, which is a lot even for me. But still I am really fond of this one. It's one of those cute stories full of FLUFF... But also ANGST 😈

This AU focuses on Ruin and Eclipse and the Steampunk-Themed Bar that they open together.

Behold the Home Sweet Bar AU! 🍻

The first thing I guess I need to explain is that this is technically in the same universe as Reaper King AU 💀 as in literally the same world and the stories overlap A LOT but they focus on different character groups but it was to such a degree that it only felt right to give the two sections their own titles.

The starting information for this idea is below, but TW: There's some darker topics touched on...

-In a bit of an edit to the story of Reaper King AU, yes, it was Ruin who brought KC back using the Killcode that was present in Solars Moon... However... This was not done maliciously... It was done by the desperately lonely Ruin trying to create a threat that only HE could defeat. His plan being that he would defeat the Reaper and finally earn a place with the Celestial Family.

-Sadly this didn't happen. In fact when Moon discovered what Ruin had been up too, he ran him out of the Pizzaplex himself. After sending both Reaper Killcode and Bloodmoon through the portal hopefully never to be seen again. (Yeah they are back after 8 days, even though to them it's 8 years...)

-During this same time Eclipse returned do to unknown reasons...

-After some further events, Earth encounters the devastated Ruin sobbing in a back alley and feels incredible pity for him and she makes a VERY risky move.

-Earth had noticed that Eclipse, while being bound to return to the back of the Fazcade every night... Before that, during the time after he finishes looking for his creator, he goes to this one bar and gets absolutely wasted every night. So he's always hungover the next day...

-Eclipse is taking the long hike up Substance Abuse Mountain

-She brings Ruin there one night when Eclipse is about halfway to drunk... And Ruin is obviously terrified due to Eclipse's accusations and threats against him. But Earth points out Eclipse never actually hurt him... And... Eclipse is alone and hated. Just like Ruin. Maybe, now that his motor skills are a bit impaired, Ruin could try talking to him. After all it's not like Eclipse could possibly hate him any more.

-Swallowing nervously Ruin wrings his hands before cautiously approaching Eclipse... Sitting next to him at the bar, while Eclipse looks up from his drink to glare at him. Or in his general direction due to his buzz...

-Sadly Earth gets a text from Lunar and she has to leave... She isn't comfortable with just leaving Ruin with Eclipse, but she has no choice now.

-Due to the fact that she's with Lunar a lot and with how Moon is still raging about Ruin, Earth has no ability to stop by where Eclipse is usually resting. But she does return to the bar Eclipse drinks at... Only to find the whole place boarded up and under massive renovations. Sooo... Something clearly went down.

-She feels overwhelmingly guilty, fearing something happened to Ruin. Even though she's aware that Eclipse is physically unable to hurt him... She thinks... Earth never got the complete details.

-But something odd occurs when Earth gets an invitation to the opening of a new bar... In the same location as the one she saw that had closed. Apparently it's under new management.

-She goes there with Monty... Only to see the bar completely redone in a Steampunk theme, now rebranded as Infernal Machine. Inside the now completely packed bar they find friendly staff, tons of steampunk creations, Frank as an actual server with a uniform...

-And Ruin happily interacting with guests.

-He greets Monty and Earth. Getting them a table and introducing himself as one of the two owners of this place. Much to Earth's shock, though she is happy for him... Although Monty's proverbial hackles raise as he glances towards the bar... Where Eclipse is bossing around the bartenders while also acting as the head bartender himself.

-Ruin explains, a bit nervously, that he and Eclipse had a erm... Productive? Conversation. That even transferred over when he sobered up. And the two have gone into business together. With Eclipse not trusting Ruin, but confronted with his reality of what was at the Pizzaplex and seeing a better option, even if it's an option he equally HATES... Being away from Sun and Moon while still working on his search for his creator is something he could tolerate.

-And having the 'Stupid Bar' as a hobby would keep his mind from completely tearing itself to pieces... Along with the fact that Ruin had seemingly removed the chip from his head... And did so without Eclipse blowing up.

Monty: Was that... Wise?

Ruin: (Getting nervous) Probably not honestly. But it was a good faith gesture on my part...

-Earth and Monty share a worried glance at that...

-But Ruin changes the subject and presents Earth with a letter from Eclipse to give to Sun and Moon explaining the new situation... Although he advises her not to read it... Eclipse wrote it and it's full of profanity and a lady shouldn't have to read that.

-Thus this is the official beginning of the Home Sweet Bar AU! 🍻

-Important Things to Note: Eclipse is very much still a complete and total ASSHAT... that being said he's not the worst boss though. He's tough but can be fair, provided people do their jobs right.

-Ruin is a total sweetheart. He is definitely the more personable one and is the individual that the employees talk to if they are having a problem. He's kind and happy... Even if there is a certain amount of desperation to his happiness... But he makes sure the guests have a good time.

-Both Eclipse and Ruin actually live in the basement/bunker below the building of the bar which is two stories tall and every inch is themed perfectly

-Eclipse is currently expanding the basement into a massive underground base...That Ruin is decorating... much to Eclipse's annoyance. But Ruin is also doing all the cleaning and tending things that spares Eclipse from having to do any of it, so he's tolerating it.

-For Ruin... The guy is trying SO hard. Not only to prove to Eclipse that he genuinely doesn't know how he came back, but also that the arrangement they currently have can truly be beneficial to them both.

-Its not hard to see that Eclipse is mentally a wreck and having difficulty with his sense of self... He ISN'T the real Eclipse. He's just a copy with his memories. Hated for things beyond his control. He also feels the guilt of his predecessor and still has to suffer for actions he himself never did.

...just like Ruin...

-Now Ruin owns that he messed up with the Reaper Killcode situation that finally got him kicked out. But... He has been lonely prior to that. Looked at with distrust from the moment he woke up in a strange new universe. He's been just so alone... And he is DESPERATE for company.

...as much as Eclipse is an asshole... At least Ruin knows exactly where he stands with him...

-Ruin hopes that eventually this situation can become more positive overtime... As Earth stated, in spite of Eclipse threatening and scaring him, he never actually hurt Ruin. Even if he intended too... so... As far as Ruin is concerned, there's a chance things might work out.

-He hopes...

-Nobody worry, things actually DO go well for them. There ain't no abuse, its about to get fluffy in here...

[spinchs-field]

tell us about your mechs headcanons

woah thats crazy i was just thinking about them

it’s all gonna be under the cut. im just listing shit off

i know in canon, Aurora is mostly engine space with only a few common areas, but i like to think that she’s a massive ship that was built not just for war but also to live in, but not comfortably. the crew kinda made the place more enjoyable to spend eternity in. there’s a food storage area that the crew turned into an actual working kitchen and bar. there’s a huge common area that they turned into a living room (used to have a section of it walled off to act as a guest room for new Mechs, got rid of it after Carmilla left). there’s obviously a med bay, but Marius and Raphaella turned half of it into a living space/office. Raphaella’s lab used to be a storage room. Nastya’s “room” is the cockpit, so the place is a little messy, but pretty barren save for the tools scattered everywhere and trash she keeps forgetting to throw out. the crew sometimes get into arguments about how shitty all their decorating skills are despite the fact that Aurora genuinely loves all of it. it’s like jewellery or tattoos to her (:

Nastya and Jonny are biological siblings; twins, more specifically. they were separated at a very young age due to Jonny being kidnapped by Billy Vangelis. it was originally a hostage situation, but Billy got attached to the kid and decided to just raise him, telling the Tsar that Jonny was dead. Billy never told Jonny about his past, because he didnt want to make things more complicated than they already were. wasn’t till Ivy noticed how weirdly similar they were that they found out. Raphaella ran DNA tests on them (against their wills of course) and, lo and behold, Jonny finds out he’s been a prince his whole life. took him a while to adjust, but Nastya was overjoyed. someone in her family was alive, and that was enough

Brian is like 6′8″ and Ashes is 6′2″. why? it’s funny.

anatomically, Brian and the Toy Soldier are almost identical. Carmilla actually used TS as a blueprint for Brian’s body when she was rebuilding him.

Tim sleeps with really thin blankets and hates heavy clothing because it reminds him too much of the lead sheets from the war. also gets really nervous when he sees smoke without a source; reminds him of the gas attacks.

all the Mechs have scars from when Carmilla found them, except for Brian and TS, of course. they’re the only ones that don’t vanish with the healing process. Ashes has burn scars on their legs and chest. Nastya still has her gunshot wound. Jonny has a surgery scar from when he got mech’d. Ivy has a lot of scars, but the most prominent ones are the burn scars on her hands and arms. Marius has a scar on where his mechanical arm connects to his shoulder; the skin looks shredded and only slightly taken care of. Tim has burn scars around his eyes, of course. Raphaella’s scars can’t be seen very well, but if you look close enough, you can see where her skin tore away around where her spine is.

Nastya is cold like. all the time. Ashes, however, is very hot all the time. Nastya clings to Ashes like a damn leech when she’s especially cold. it’s actually how they became such good friends. Nastya just hung around Ashes long enough for them to want to talk to her

Jonny drinks very dangerous substances for fun. these include but are not limited to radium, gasoline, liquid novichok agents, pesticides, and enough alcohol to kill a man (this happens once every few months)

Marius may not be a doctor or a baron but damn if he can’t make a good cocktail. similarly, Brian is a very good cook (:

okay im done im sorry my brain has rotted from the inside out

[i-did-not-mean-to]

Can someone please stop me?

So, today, I hurt myself by going back to the first chapters of the Silm...

Special thanks to a person I don't know the handle of yet and that I shall add later :D thanks for enabling me and talking to me about Things (and for your lovely art)

ah @the-red-butterfly (there's the handle of another great artist...yup, I collect them)

Words: 500

Warnings: slight sadness

How it feels to reread the first chapters of the Silmarillion 

Darkness falls like a veil; a messenger arrives in haste.

And so, it starts…

I stand motionless and paralysed – overlooking the dark sea that shall be nourished by my tears – for speechless, voiceless, wordless, I mourn the loss that kicked off an avalanche of sharp stones within my breast that shan’t ever stop tumbling noiselessly into the endless obscurity, ne’er redeemed by the light that shall be.

Finwë is dead, and memories assail me like blades – newly forged and sharp as ice – as I reminisce about our long travels in darkness and fear.

Finwë and his wives, Finwë and his children – beautiful, strong, talented – and their strife amongst each other; then later, Fëanor holding Maedhros aloft, his face aglow with pride, and young Fingolfin cradling Fingon as if he was made of something holier than could be found in all of Valinor.

My bare feet cramp against the smooth stone, digging into it as if to take root; I stand still, looking into a future barred to me.

The blessed realm shall be blessed no more as those children I have seen thrive like weeds – their joy and their unquenchable thirst for knowledge and skill – leave it to grow into rulers, parents, warriors, and outcasts in another land where their strengths and flaws shall expand endlessly until they throttle them, enmeshed in their most earnest endeavours.

Like the rivers of that broken realm, they shall flow apart, never to behold the face of their own brothers again for parting or conciliatory words; they shall learn the bite of the double-edged sword that lies in a promise and the weight of love unending as it grows into shackles bound tightly around their souls. 

Nonetheless, the sacrifice of their innocence shall bring forth deeds of renown and glory beyond what peace could ever engender.

Forever now, they shall be sundered from me and from that deep affection of mine that is exempt of blemishes but also devoid of the depths of their suffering that shall mould and sculpt them into the greatest and most terrifying of our kind.

And despite knowing this, all I can do is stare out to the sea; helplessly witnessing them raising cities and watching them fall to ruin, seeing them love and lose, fight and falter, trespass and repent.

Their blood – my blood – shall water the hungry soil of a world still in becoming, and I’ll cry – hoping that my tears might find their way into the lakes that shall bring them healing – for the wounds I cannot tend from across the water.

I stand and I shall stand until they’ve returned – one by one, bruised and battered – to the kin they’ve left behind.

“Eternity is a long time when you’re waiting,” a voice resounds behind me, but I don’t turn around, unable to avert my eyes from what must come to pass.

Finwë is dead; it has begun; and my long and lonely watch has started.

Let me tag my two book friends @lathalea and @legolasbadasss

And @eunoiaastralwings and @medusas-hairband who have expressed excitement about my reading the book...as you can see, it makes me very sad :(

[odissey061]

Parenting with(out) you [pt. 2]

I didn’t specify very well in the last chapter, but the reader was a member in an organization similar to the Haunting Dogs (for the ones who read the manga), but with the difference that this organization was subdued to a politician, so their missions could also be like kill x person. She is a skilled killer and a very good fighter you have no idea about how many scenarios played in my mind with a Mafia!Dazai x Killer!reader. Dark couple power, guys--.

It’s also implied that the reader and Chuuya were friends when Dazai worked with the Mafia and when she escaped from her boss, Chuuya offered her a shelter (the first time Chuuya appears in the anime, he said he just arrived in Japan after spending some time in the east)

[Mild smut]

The gif has not plot purpose: I juast wanted admired once again this hottie in a white suit

 Your first encounter with Keiko… didn’t go very well: you teared up as soon as you saw her, but she hid behind her father’s leg, refusing to see you. Of course, Dazai told her that there was the possibility she could see you for the first time, but it was like three month ago and in the meanwhile the kid started to believe she was not going to meet you. For the first month, she saw you as a woman who wanted take away from her the only parent left. She only changed her behavior with you when Dazai scolded her harshly, because she said she hated you and she didn’t want to see you again. That was the first and the last time Dazai slapped her.

 Hearing those words, you started to cry too: you know it wouldn't be easy to make Keiko accept you in her life, but still… From another room, you listened to Dazai saying “I know is difficult for you; but she is your mother. I already told you that she didn’t leave us because she wanted, but because she was forced” and also “I just want the two women of my life to love each other, can you do this for daddy? ”.

 Then she came into yours and Dazai’s room and she sat on the bed, close to you. Keiko gazed at you for a long time, then she spoke:”You have the same hair as me and also your face is similar to mine. Daddy says that we can both understand him the most and that my character is really similar to yours when you meet for the first time. Are you really my mommy? You are not trying to take away my dad away from me, right?”. “No, of course not. I love you so much, Keiko. I’m sorry for disappearing, but I didn’t want to put yours and Osamu’s life in danger. I’m so, so sorry, Keiko”.

 Then you showed her your wallet: there was a folded photo of your daughter with Dazai. Only then Keiko understood you really were his mother and you were with her. She hugged you, crying, and begged you to don’t leave her again. “I will do everything in order to have your pardon” you said and with that words you firmed your own end. But we are going to see this later.

When you started to work at the ADA, you requested to be Yosano’s partner, due to your ability: you could force someone else to do what you wanted, but you had to hurt yourself and the more lethal the wound, more control you had. You and her became friends really fast since you were the woman more close to her age. Sometimes you helped her in her laboratory and other times you carried on a case alone.

You two often spent time together out of work and you accompanied her to go shopping under the other members of the Agency’s blessing, of course, but you refused whenever she proposed to you to drink together, saying that somebody was waiting for you at home  and she teased you about your lover. Well, she wasn’t completely wrong, but you were talking about your daughter. (Neither you or Dazai told your coworkers you were in a relationship and you also had a child).

At work, nobody knew that you two were engaged: the smarter ones understood that you and Dazai weren’t completely strangers, since you entered at work and left it at the same hours, really often you spent your breaks together etcc…; but they couldn’t imagine you were actually engaged (and you were parents!)

Let’s answer one of your questions: how did Dazai behave with you at work? Apparently, he treated you just like a colleague, but he subtly showed only to you how he cared for you. Dazai’s love language at work was impossible to notice until you knew him: every morning he left a cup of your favorite drink on the lab’s table, he was always slacking off or ignoring his work free when you had breaks and he spent them with you and he always searched for your eyes and smiled at you when you were in the same room (when you were in the lab, he often gazed at thee closed door. Kunikida seemed to have a super effective radar for when Dazai was distracted about you: every time he hit his head with the pile of documents he ignored). And he also loved caressing your hand when he passed by the spot where you were, or when you casually brushing his hair please, ask me to write something about this point T-T. His gestures were discrete and small, but they were there. you still preferred them to that time he made love to you in his study when he still worked for the Port Mafia cough cough.

You preferred to maintain a professional facade at work, but sometimes, at the first occasion nobody was looking, he took you in an unused room at the floor to spend some time with you alone ;). You two usually kissed for a long time, even if you seldom indulged in more carnal acts. You protested everytime, but Osamu insisted with his usual dramatic act that it was impossible to resist when you were so cute in that outfit. He also used the excuse that at home you had no privacy since Keiko was glued to your side, even when it was time to sleep much to Dazai’s mild annoyance since he couldn't do anything with you because Keiko slept between you and your boyfriend in your bed.

Speaking about your relationship, Yosano was the first who suspected that you and Dazai were engaged. In the Agency’s bar there was the rumor, between the maids, that Dazai had found a s/o, since every morning he bought for them a cup of their favorite drink. A day, you, Osamu and your respective partners went there to have a meal and a maid was thanking this Dazai’s s/o for existing, because thanks to them nor her of her colleague were harrassed by the question of committing a double suicide together. With a mild anger in your voice, you asked her to be more specific and for every word spilled by the maid, Dazai’s face became paler. needless to say, that night he slept in Keiko’s bed, as your daughter was with you. Yosano connected the dots and she understood you were something more than colleagues, but she kept your secret.        

 But how did the Agency find out you had a daughter? That’s a fun story. Remember when I said that the quote “I’ll do anything for you” doomed your downfall? Well, the little rascal (your kid) took this really seriously. This wicked brat listened to you talking with your boyfriend about you abandoning her and she exploited that to steal your attention: were you talking with Dazai on the sofa? She sat between the two of you, saying that she wanted to play with you. Were you working at home? She cried so much loudly that you gave up what you had to do and the list went on. It took a while to Dazai to realize that his daughter was stealing you away. You were fooled by Keiko’s angelic face, but Dazai knew this little devil too much well to be tricked. (He was one fours surprised for the cleverness she showed and three fours annoyed by it. Dazai, what did you expect from your own daughter XD).  Having said that, a day Keiko feigned to be sick in order to spend more time with you, but you had to work and the babysitter wasn’t available, so you thought bringing her to work was a good idea (spoiler: it wasn't).

 The first ones to see you with Keiko were Atsushi, Kyoka and Kunikida. A few seconds later came Kenji and the Tanizaki’s siblings. They all were fooled charmed by your daughter and they started to play with her, complimenting how cute she was. Then Naomi said:”Somehow, she looks familiar” and, after staring at her for a while, they all agreed, trying to understand who the father was. Kunikida shivered for a second noticing how similar she was to Dazai, but he couldn't imagine Dazai having a lover, let alone being a father. You heard a crash behind you and when you turned you saw a very much shocked Yosano who held in her hand a cup handle and Rampo with the open mouth as he was eating a candy. Your partner knew your relationship with Dazai, but discovering he was also a father shocked her too much, Rampo probably understood everything when he saw Keiko.

 Atsushi wondered:”But who is the father? Does he work here too?”. The poor, naive Atsushi, didn’t have the slightest idea and you couldn't even have the time to answer, that Keiko jumped off Kenji’s lap, screaming:”Daddy!!”. All the members turned to see Keiko clinging to Dazai’s leg. Kunikida’s lenses audibly cracked, some of them felt the urge to sit and Yosano had to assist a couple of faintings. Some seconds passed in the utter silence as they tried to metabolize the shock, then they started to assault you and Dazai with questions.      

 The sight of Dazai lifting up his daughter was a sight to behold and eventually they accepted the fact that Dazai is a father. the image of Dazai giving a esquimo kiss to his daughter, holding her in his arms, has me melting on the floor. “How old is she?” Naomi asked and you answered:”She’s four years old”. She thought about it for some seconds:”But if she’s four that means that you and Dazai met when he worked with the Port Mafia, isn’t it?” and luckily Yosano was quick:”There are some things that are private in a couple. Now let’s work that we already lost enough time”. She saved you before the questions became too personal.

 Dazai and Kunikida left the office for a mission and you went in the lab with Yosano, telling Keiko to don’t come in, since the room was full of lethal weapons. Feeling abandoned, she cried as loudly as she could, thinking that you’d rushed over she used the same technique at home when you are with your boyfriend. It worked every time. But you didn’t. Rampo decided to take care of her: he shared his candies with her and he asked her to help him to resolve his cases. Keiko quite enjoyed staying with him.

 After a couple of hours, when Dazai came back to the office, all of your colleagues kicked you three out, begging you to take a stroll with your child. Above all the experience was traumatic and the shock too huge for them, but what surprised them was that even someone like Dazai could have a family and be a good father. It’s murmured that that day, when Kunikida went at home, he declared:”After four years of being Dazai’s partner, I asked to the Grim Reaper to take me, but he said “no, you have to suffer a bit more” and he placed Dazai’s daughter on my path”.

You also wondered how Chuuya would react to a mini Dazai? you sadists. You, Keiko and Osamu were in a luna park to spend some quality time together as a family. Both yours and Dazai’s guard was very high, considering your past works, especially when Keiko was with you. Recently, you heard news about a child kidnapper, so you were even more anxious, but Osamu reassured you: nobody was so stupid to kidnap the daughter of an ex Port Mafia director and of an ex agent. Right? No

All happened in a second. The park was really crowded and in a second you were holding Keiko’s hand and in the next one she was no longer by your side. Surprisingly, Dazai was the most scared one: he told you before that the reason he stopped to think about suicide was Keiko, so he was really attached to his daugher (more than a normal parent). But the moment of fright and bewilderment was really brief and in the next second, both you and Dazai analyzed the situation with utmost rationality. You watched in Dazai’s eyes and you shivered: they were ruthless, without a shred of magnanimity, just like whe he woked under Mori's command

But the kidnapper was doubly unlucky: he kidnapped not only Keiko, but also Elise-chan. When Mori knew that she was kidnapped, he sent Chuuya to retrieve her. His orders were: make sure that guy regretted turning against the Mafia (you know, usual Mori stuff).

He found the kidnapper hideout and he killed him without any problems, but the troubles for him had just started. As soon as the man was dead, ten kids or more ran away from that place (Chu Chu instructed them to go to the nearest police station), but a brunette kid stayed there.

Keiko, to put it simply, fell in love with him as soon as she saw him using his ability. Osamu didn’t mention at all he was a mafioso (he wanted to show to her daughter only his best sides), but he talked about his ex partner. She clinged to Chuuya’s leg with adoranting eyes. Chu Chu was a bit creeped out: why was that child not scared? She was kidnapped, for the God’s sake

Chuuya tried to push her off, but he miserably failed. He gazed more carefully at Keiko and with dread, he admitted that she somehow reminded him of his ex partner, but that was only a coincidence, right? Elise asked her:”Why weren’t you scared?” and Keiko answered:”Because I know that mommy and daddy will come soon”. Then she looked at Chuuya, trying to remember how her father called him and she said:”Chibi-chan?”.

And the cruelty of reality hit Chuuya like a thunder: not only that wasting bandage garbage was still alive, but he also reproduced! He wanted to die, no, better: he wanted to kill Dazai once for all. But the final stroke arrived with the next question:”Do you want to marry me? Daddy told me to ask this question to a very special person”. Being proposed by Dazai’s daughter… in what other wicked ways his ex partner did try to send him to the Creator?! That was even more successful that putting a bomb in his car

Luckily, you and your boyfriend arrived at that moment. At the sight of his daughter clinging to the person he hated the most, Dazai almost had a stroke (to Chuuya’s happiness). As soon as Keiko saw you two, she runned in your direction (Chuuya was two times happier).

“You bastard, what did you say to her abou-” he started to yell at Dazai’s direction, but you interrupted him:”Thank you Chuuya for saving our daughter”. And you hardly hit Dazai's stomach with your elbow, so that he thanked Chuuya too.

In Chuuya’s mind something activated and he came to the general comprehension of what happened four years ago and why you met him some time later; but he didn’t say anything about it. He changed the topic:”You are the only woman in the world that can handle him, so be sure to be by his side”. That sounded almost like a blessing, but you didn’t dare to say it. “It’s what I intend to do”.

And walked in different directions, then Keiko yelled:”The next time we see again, tell me your answer” and you were almost sure to hear Chuuya trip to the ground. “What question have you asked?” you wondered half curious and half amused and she smiled dreamly:”If he wanted to marry me”. This time was Dazai’s turn to stumble on his steps. You laughed so hard that you stomach hurt, but you couldn’t stop, Osamu glared at you with a look of betrayal.

For the whole walk to your home, Dazai kept telling her how Chuuya was a bad person, but Keiko retorted that someone as beautiful as Chuuya couldn’t be a bad person. For a second Dazai glared at her with a sad smile, wondering if she would have told the same thing after he confessed to her all of his crimes. Knowing his thoughts, you tightened the grip of your hand on his, smiling:”For Keiko, you are the best person in the world, no matter what you did in the past”, then you added with a cheeky smile:”even better than Chuuya, I bet”.

 After tucking Keiko in her bed, you and your boyfriend retired in your bedroom. Dazai whined:”My daughter, my sweet, beloved and innocent daughter… How could she propose to another man? Especially him. She broke my heart: until yesterday she wanted to marry me. What did that slug do to her?”. You chuckled:”Are you sure it’s his fault? When we arrived it seemed like Chuuya was shocked too. I admit too that he’s beautiful”.

 At those words, Dazai’s body froze, but you didn’t notice it, too focused on changing yourself for the night. “You and him seem to be well acquainted” his voice was somehow restrained and it was just your impression, or Dazai was jealous? “Not really. When you were in the Port Mafia we met only twice, but after my escape, he saved me. I had a high fever, no place to stay and I didn’t eat in the last days. I was probably on the verge of death. He took me in his home and he helped me to get better”.

 In your stream of words, you didn’t notice that Dazai’s mood changed. In the Port Mafia he was possessive and he get jealous really often, but at least he vocalized it in his words or by action; but this Dazai was different: since once you got together, he never showed any sign of uneasiness, probably because now he knew that there was no possibility that you could fall for someone else. But Chuuya was the exception and knowing that he was by your side when you rejected his help, fueled his insecurity. And in the next second, you were under him, his hands already on your pajamas.

Notes: if you are curious about certain aspects in this AU, you can always ask me

 You lost your occasion to say:”Nothing that you imagine happened, really”, because his lips were already on yours, kissing you until you didn’t have any more oxygen in the lungs. That night, Osamu kept asking who you loved not really for reminding you but for himself. He made love to you all night along, coaxing an orgasm after another one from your body, hungry for your love. You were quite sure that the both of you have been quite vocal and you hoped to don’t wake up Keiko. After he washed you, you took his face in your hands, saying only two words, a single question, Osamu gazed surprised at you for a while, then he smiled, answering your question with three letters: yes.

[gastricpierrot]

Title: Ships in the Night 

Series: Genshin Impact

Relationship: ZhongVen

Rating: T

Summary:

Barbatos had always wanted to enjoy a Ludi Harpastum with Morax, making so many empty promises with him over the years to go together one day. A festival of fun and games close to his own heart, it’s a change of pace he always thought Morax could appreciate. They finally manage this after all these centuries, yet Barbatos just had to be an idiot at the very end.

He rests his arm over his eyes, exhaling a slow breath. He's such an idiot.

Also on AO3

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The sheer idea of festivities lasting two whole weeks sounds absolutely exhausting to Morax, yet even at the peak of the Ludi Harpastum, Mondstadt’s people do not seem like they are slowing down anytime soon.

Morax’s tugged along by the cuff of his sleeve, Barbatos in the lead as they weave their way through the packed streets. Songs and cheer fill the air, mingled with the scents of various food, flowers, and of course, the city’s beloved wine. Barbatos himself is already tipsy despite it still being rather early in the day, having downed almost every pint of free alcohol that’s offered to him by the countless vendors they come across. There's an occasional stumble in his steps, but his spirits remain high as he shows Morax around with wholehearted excitement, a bright grin across his lips, a lively blush on his cheeks.

Morax finds the myriad of sensations dizzying, too many sights and sounds and scents bombarding him all at once—and he holds on to Barbatos’ presence for balance. Barbatos, in contrast, seems to harbour no such qualms, flitting from one booth to the next with ease, only pausing to look back when he finds something he wants to recommend. The apples from this store, the handcrafted trinkets from another, the freshly made Mora Meat from yet another one. He isn’t shy when it comes to haggling—even though Morax did remember to bring his wallet for once (much to Barbatos’ exaggerated horror) and he’s certain there would be enough between them to last the day—but it seems to be a normal occurrence to the vendors. Morax watches their good-humored banters, sees how comfortable Barbatos is around these parts and in these situations.

It’s clear how much he loves Mondstadt, and how much he is loved in return.

They spend the rest of the afternoon like this, navigating the packed streets, Barbatos showing him his favorite spots, stopping only for the occasional breathers and snacks. Mondstadt’s festivals have a very different atmosphere to them compared to those back in Liyue, unique in a way Morax can’t exactly pinpoint. Rowdier, perhaps, with the people more comfortable when it comes to mingling with strangers. Morax has lost count of the number of times he’s been randomly approached to be given some sort of gift, or to be invited for meals or gatherings he politely declines. Perhaps the community here is simply tighter knit as a whole, as compared to the more family-centric people of Liyue.

Barbatos leads him to a park at some point, declaring it’ll be their last stop before he has to prepare for a performance after sunset. Morax notices how it’s mainly families and children in this area, not a single wine vendor in sight. There are booths for games instead, where players will have the chance to earn various prizes if they win. Each is packed with groups of youngsters, all vying for the best toys on offer. Shrill, excited voices cheered and jeered at one another; in a way inciting even more chaos here compared to the people crowding the market lanes.

“Why don’t you give one a try? Even adults are allowed to play, you know,” Barbatos suggests when Morax stops to watch a child’s attempt at a game of throwing hoops over cups marked with numbers. Morax glances at him, sees his wayward smile.

“I don't think it’d be fair to the young ones if I did,” he says, to which Barbatos only barks out a laugh.

“Show off,” he retorts, and even Morax cracks a smile.

“Um, excuse me.”

They’re just about to continue on their way when a voice calls out to them. Morax turns around, not seeing anyone until it occurs to him to look down. A lone young girl stares at him wide-eyed from below, a messy flower crown clutched tightly in her hands.

“Mister, please have this!” She offers the item to him, her words slightly rushed from her enthusiasm. Morax has turned down countless gifts throughout the day, but this time, at least, he knows better than to needlessly upset a child.

So he kneels down to be a little closer to eye-level with her. “It is an honor to receive your gift.”

She stretches out her arms, and Morax tips his head to let her crown him.

The child giggles in delight as she steps back. “You really are like a prince, mister! Bye-bye!”

Morax watches her run back to her parents a little way off, warmth blossoming in his chest as he waves his own farewell to her. He gets back on his feet, and finds Barbatos looking at him with an expression he’s never seen him wear.

“It suits you,” he says, like he actually means it rather than the usual sarcasm Morax’s expected he would go for. He supposes he must be quite the sight, a full-grown adult with a falling-apart flower crown perching lopsided atop his head.

“It probably suits you more, Bar—” he stops himself just in time, remembering that they’re here only as humans and nothing more, and that they should at least make a bit of effort to keep up appearances. Though, it's not like anyone within their vicinity would actually be paying attention.

“Venti,” he tries anyway, and immediately breaks into a frown. The name still feels strange on his tongue, no matter how much he’s tried to practice saying it.

“Gods, it does feel weird hearing you call me that,” Barbatos admits with a slight wince, but Morax could somewhat tell that he appreciates it, nonetheless. It's the way his features brighten at the sound of it, the way his eyes would light up ever so slightly. It is, after all, a name bestowed upon him by a beloved friend many years ago. Barbatos has not been called such for a long time. “But yeah, no, you should keep that. Have some fun, let loose a little!”

Morax doesn’t exactly see how wearing flowers in his hair contributes to “letting loose”, but he doesn’t argue.

They have time to go grab something for dinner just as dusk falls, and then Barbatos is bringing him to what he claims to be one of the main final highlights of the Ludi Harpastum: an event of all night drinking and fireworks. There are several spots around the city hosting such sessions, all offering endless streams of food and alcohol sponsored by Mondstadt’s major wineries. Barbatos will be performing in the one held at the city square—the main place, he boasts—first of the few bards invited there to further enliven the mood.

Dozens of chairs and tables are set up across the open space, most already packed with people by the time they get there. There’s a small stage at the very front, the sides of the venue lined with booths in charge of the food and drinks. Waiting staff donning bright uniforms dart from table to table, expertly weaving their way around the already half-intoxicated crowd.

It’s almost overwhelming; the energy, the pungent scent of food and strong wine, the sheer rowdiness of the people gathered around. Morax stops by a convenient tree a respectable distance away from the square, just far enough that the chances of a random drunkard stumbling over and dragging him in would be minimal.

And “I think I’ll stay here,” he says, when Barbatos turns to him with raised eyebrows.

“Don’t want to join in?” he asks, despite Morax’s answer already being obvious.

“I’m sure I can enjoy the atmosphere well enough from here.”

“Hmm, fair enough.” Barbatos shrugs after a quick gauge of the distance between them and the heart of the event. Then he smiles, hands on his hips. “Anyway. I’ll get going first, then. I’ll come find you when I’m done?”

“If I haven’t already left,” Morax says, because he genuinely does not know how much of this unbridled revelry he can tolerate. Even now, part of him wants nothing more than to walk off and find somewhere quiet to wind down for the rest of the evening.

Of course, his statement immediately gets Barbatos whining. “At least wait for me!!!”

“Just go before you’re late.” Morax shoos him off, though he doubts anyone present currently retains even the slightest sense of time.

“Fine, fine!” Barbatos relents, cheeks still puffed, “but I’m going to throw rocks at you if you really leave without me, alright?”

Morax halfheartedly assures he can throw as many rocks at him as he wants if it comes to it, then with a sudden rush of wind and a final harrumph, Barbatos turns on his heels and strides towards the stage, his people cheering his name the moment they spot him.

“Looking forward to what you have for us tonight, Venti!”

“Venti you rascal, you really made us wait this time!”

“Venti, you’re looking lovely as ever!”

Venti, Venti.

The descent of a god, unknown to his own people.

Barbatos takes his seat on the single stool placed on the stage, crossing his legs just so, his posture relaxed yet brimming with elegance. The wind carries the sounds of his lyre all the way to where Morax stands, clear and proud amidst the endless chatter of the crowd. He begins with a slow tune, a moment of calm cutting through the chaos. Demanding attention.

Quiet. Listen.

Morax too, catches himself holding his breath.

And then Barbatos strums another note and smoothly transitions into a new tune, and the crowd explodes with excitement. His next song matches more to the barely suppressed merriment around him, its melody upbeat and festive. He’s skilled at involving his audience, easily encouraging them to sing and dance along. Charming, radiant. He captivates all who behold him—even Morax, despite such genre of music never being to his tastes. It’s a rather belated realization to come to, but seeing him fully in his element like this, Morax can tell that Barbatos’ boastings indeed hold their weight, and that he truly has mastered the craft of a bard.

Barbatos leaves the stage around the middle of his fourth song, slipping into the crowd as he continues his performance. He sings and twirls and dances, one with his people—and somehow still, Morax spots him managing to down some drinks in between. His current song involves a back and forth; he sings one line, then prompting the nearest person to follow up. It seems to be a piece everyone’s wholly familiar with, all who enthusiastically join in barely stumbling on their turn.

Morax notices too, after a few minutes of observation, that it also seems to be endless; constantly looping around the chorus. He wouldn’t put it past Barbatos for doing this deliberately, for as long as it continued, he could drink.

And he does drink. He drinks so much that it’s almost impressive, since he only has a few seconds at a time to gulp down his alcohol. Morax wrinkles his nose from afar, already dreading the stench he would exude when he returns later.

Morax doesn’t see it, at first. He can pinpoint Barbatos’ general location based on the reaction of the people and when he hops onto benches and tables for some elevation, but he’s partly obscured from his sight most of the time. It’s only as Barbatos makes his way further towards the back of the crowd, closer to where Morax stands, that he notices how else some members of his audience interact with him.

People who take advantage of the general unruliness of a large-scale drinking session in a packed area, hands that touch places past normal boundaries. His thighs, his back, his neck.

Barbatos does not falter, either too immersed in his own performance or too intoxicated to realize and care. Or perhaps he is simply used to this, having been a bard for as long as he’d been a god. Morax does not know.

Fire flares in his stomach the longer he watches, filling his mouth with a bitter taste. It is truly an uncomfortable sight. Intoxication is not consent, nor is silence. Morax could not stand it for long, reaching for the flower crown on his head and tossing it aside before striding toward where Barbatos is lingering within the crowd.

He grabs a person by the wrist and wrenches their hand away from Barbatos, his grip hard enough to make them cry out. Barbatos must’ve heard the commotion, turning at the sound and eyes widening in surprise when he sees Morax right there behind him.

Morax glares at him—a misdirection of his anger, he admits—but he only breaks into a satisfied grin, and finally decides to move his song along. He leaps onto the nearest table, feet stepping delicately between the many glass mugs piled across its surface. His tune reaching a crescendo, his finale presented with flourish.

His audience, quite literally, erupts into cheers and applause.

Barbatos half stumbles down from the table amidst the cacophony of the reception, Morax moving to catch him just as his knees buckle beneath him and he loses his balance. He's trembling, his forehead visibly damp with sweat.

And before Morax can properly help him get back on his feet, he throws up all over his sleeve.

xXx

Barbatos supposes his age must finally be catching up to him.

Or perhaps he’d simply overestimated himself, thinking that participating in the Ludi Harpastum’s all-night drink session wouldn’t be too different from his usual gigs, only with a little more people.

Perhaps he shouldn’t have stepped off the stage in the first place, shouldn’t have danced quite so hard, and should’ve saved the drinking until after his performance ended. The lack of air, the thick haze of human odour mixed with the saccharine scent of alcohol, his own sweeping movements—Barbatos had not expected them to combine into an experience quite so nauseating, even for a god.

He vaguely remembers throwing up once more while Morax carried him somewhere, then a third time in a washroom he didn’t recognize. Then he draws a blank after that.

He stirs to find himself on a bed, his clothes replaced with a set of loose cotton pajamas and his body smelling faintly of floral soap. His head throbs with a dull ache, but he figures he’s seen worse days. More than anything, he feels dehydrated, his lips dry and throat like sandpaper. He braces his palms against the mattress, and slowly pushes himself upright.

He's in a dimly lit room, probably one in an inn not too far off from the venue of the drink fest. He hears the sounds of running water from behind the door opposite the bed; Morax is probably there cleaning up after the mess Barbatos made. There’s a jug on the bedstand, a fresh glass of water already poured out for him. Barbatos’ chest warms as he reaches for it, endeared by how fastidious Morax remains, despite everything.

He returns to lying down a little later, admittedly just a little bitter at how things have turned out. He’s had such an amazing day. He'd always wanted to enjoy a Ludi Harpastum with Morax, making so many empty promises with him over the years to go together one day. A festival of fun and games close to his own heart, it’s a change of pace he always thought Morax could appreciate, since he’s constantly at work. They finally manage this after all these centuries, yet Barbatos just had to be an idiot at the very end.

He rests his arm over his eyes, exhaling a slow breath. He's such an idiot.

The sounds of the shower eventually come to a stop, leaving a ringing sort of silence in their absence. The ruckus of the ongoing party not far off carries all the way to their window; people laughing, cheering, singing. Fireworks bursting in the sky.

He'd wanted to show Morax the fireworks too, damn it.

He lowers his arm and turns when he hears Morax stepping out of the bathroom. He’s wearing a similar set of pajamas as himself, though admittedly it looks so out of place on him that Barbatos almost lets out a snort.

“Hey,” he greets, because he’s genuinely not sure how else he should start. Morax meets his gaze from behind his damp fringe, his face betraying no particular emotion.

“Hey,” he returns, every bit as curt. Barbatos cracks a lopsided smile, and decides there’s no point trying to go around it.

“Listen, Morax, I’m so sorry things ended up like this,” he says, twisting to lie on his side facing him. Morax doesn’t respond to that immediately, and neither does Barbatos see much of a change in his expression.

“Barbatos, how many times do you think I've had to handle your drunk antics over the years?”

Barbatos winces at that. “Now you’re making me feel even worse.”

“You should,” Morax agrees, running a towel over his damp hair. “It’s about time you realize how self-centered and inconsiderate and – “

“Okay, okay, I get it!!” Barbatos interjects before his feelings are actually hurt. “I’m sorry!”

Morax only shoots him a meaningful look and says nothing else, knowing at the end of the day he’d do it all over again anyway. Barbatos supposes he can’t blame him; he’s more aware than anyone that he’s been the way he is for more than a millennium, never once giving even the slightest indication that he would change.

Maybe it’s time he considers, after all that’s happened today, but he decides he’ll mull over that some other time.

His eyes follow Morax as he steps away to hang his towel on a rack, his confusion growing when Morax proceeds to stand rooted in place, frowning slightly and arms crossed as though deep in thought. Barbatos stares at him for a solid couple of minutes before speaking up.

“What are you doing?”

“Thinking about what I should do next,” Morax answers, in all seriousness. Barbatos can’t believe this man is for real. He bursts into laughter, earning himself a puzzled look.

“You really don’t know what ‘rest’ means, do you?” he marvels, then scooting closer against the wall and patting the empty spot before him. “Come here and lie down, we’ve been up and about the entire day. Aren’t you tired?”

Morax’s frown deepens by a fraction. “But I don’t think there’s sp-”

“There’s more than enough space for the both of us!” Barbatos assures, chest light with newfound mirth. Morax really is too much of a gentleman at times. “This bed’s huge!”

Morax remains hesitant for a moment longer, but with just a little more gentle pestering, he relents in the end. “Then, if I may.”

Barbatos watches as he moves to take the space beside him, watches the way his long hair falls over his shoulders, the way the collar of his shirt shifts to reveal the hollow of his throat, a small window of his chest.

Morax fully lies down, and Barbatos realizes there really is just enough space for them to stay still like this. Huh. Has Morax always been such a big person? Or maybe the bed really isn’t that wide to begin with, and whatever alcohol lingering within his system is just messing with his perception of space. Not that it matters at this point. Morax still smells fresh from his shower, his uncharacteristically messy hair and comfortable clothes giving him an air of innocence Barbatos never expected to see on him. Unguarded, youthful. They’re a mere half-arm's length apart, close enough that Barbatos can almost feel his every exhale of breath.

“So how did you find the Ludi Harpastum?” he asks, voice barely above a whisper, perhaps part of him being rather conscious about the little distance between them. Did it live up to the expectations he set for him by constantly inviting him to one over the years, he wonders? Did Morax at least enjoy himself a little with all the festivities? Barbatos noticed he’d mostly followed his lead, trying the many things he’d recommended to him, visiting only the places he brings him. Barely making many choices for himself. It’s too late at this point, yet Barbatos still worries about being overbearing without meaning to. Could Morax really have had fun without as much as a freedom of decision?

“It was...” Morax trails off ominously, pausing to weigh his words while Barbatos braces himself for the continuation. “Different, I suppose.”

“A good different or a bad one?”

“Just different,” Morax affirms. “It certainly feels livelier than the celebrations in Liyue.”

“Then,” Barbatos perks up, a little more hopeful now with the way Morax has responded so far. “What did you like most?”

Morax hums to that, silent in a moment of contemplation. “If I were to choose, I quite enjoyed some of the places we visited.”

He goes on to recall the few locations he’d found a liking to, admiring the history and cultural significance of each that Barbatos had explained to him, the various architectural designs and artistic liberties that define Mondstadt’s trademarks. The motifs of the cobbled streets, the poems framed and hung inside windmills serving as charms for Barbatos’ blessings, even the theme of the patterns carved on many a doorplate—Morax seems to have been quite fascinated by them.

He wears a different expression when he talks about the things that strikes his fancy. A slight upturn of his lips, the faintest crinkles at the corner of his eyes. Even his voice adopts a different tone, laced with a smallest hint of excitement—perhaps even joy, because someone cares to listen.

Barbatos could listen to him like this for an eternity, if he had the chance.

“You’re staring at me,” Morax stops to say at some point, a slight knit across his brow. Barbatos supposes he must be wearing quite the expression, for him to look at him like that. But he could not help it; after all, who wouldn’t be utterly captivated by someone as quietly radiant as this god before him?

“I think I'm in love with you, Morax.”

Are the words that take form, a confession he’s surely taken long enough to make. He no longer even remembers when was the first time it’d dawned him, that his feelings for Morax had progressed into something that wasn’t platonic. How many years has it been since he started seeing him with a different sort of admiration, with the barely suppressible urge of wanting to be closer to him?

Morax blinks at him once, twice. Processing what he’s just heard; understandable, as it really had come out of nowhere.

Then he averts his gaze, reaching to cover his mouth as a wave of red creeps up his entire face.

“Why don’t you tell me that again when you’re sober?” he mumbles into his hand, and Barbatos effectively short-circuits for a moment.

“This is the most sober I’ve been all day, though???”

Morax is adamant, shifting to turn away from him as though to physically end the conversation. “That’s what a drunk person would say. Now stop talking and go back to sleep.”

“No, no, no, isn’t this a little sudden?? Morax??” Barbatos is half laughing now, seeing how desperately Morax is trying to deal with his own embarrassment. It is surprisingly contagious, though; even he’s starting to feel a little shy the longer he badgers him.

“Morax?? Heyyy, Morax? Rex Lapis?”

And yet he refuses to let it stop him. He can see how red Morax’s ears are even from behind him like this. Barbatos pokes at his back, a mix of fondness and mischief welling in his chest when the idea occurs to him.

He squirms forward, closing the little distance between them.

“Zhongli.”

Morax tenses at that, the slightest reaction that Barbatos would’ve missed if he as much as blinked. He's...really cute when he’s like this. Part of Barbatos refuses to believe that this is happening. Morax, the Geo Archon, the honourable Rex Lapis, Adepti Prime—has this absurdly adorable side to him.

“Zhongli,” Barbatos dares to say again, just to see what other sort of response he could elicit from him. “Zhongli.”

He leans out of the way just in time before Morax twists to face him once more, bracing himself for a well-deserved smack—but is instead pulled into a tight embrace.

“You’re so obnoxious,” Morax says, his exasperation obvious even in his quiet tone. Barbatos smiles as he returns the hug with just a much intensity, leaning into their contact with a sigh, a swell of his heart.

Morax is much warmer than he could’ve ever imagined.  

xXx

They say that both the Geo and Anemo Archons are fond of disguising as humans, often descending from their divine residence in Celestia to mingle with the commonfolk of their respective nations.

No one knows what are their preferred appearances, as oftentimes they are indistinguishable from the everyday person. No one knows if they preferred to present as men or women or even children, or if the rumours of them taking human form even hold any truth. After all, who’s to say they wouldn’t choose to appear as an animal, a sprite, or perhaps a fragment of the elements they embody?

Not many in the nations of Liyue and Mondstadt have ever had the chance to see their respective gods, nor to realize that they’ve lain eyes upon them at all. It is something the people have accepted to simply leave up to chance, as there is no point to obsessing over the miniscule possibility of coming face to face with the deity they worship. There are enough mundane things worth paying attention to on the daily; the clarity of the skies, the specials available in the markets, the trees newly bearing fruit.

A particular sight has grown more common as well within the borders of the two neighbouring nations in recent years, one of a pair often spotted strolling together through the busy city streets, the bustling villages, and even the vast wilderness, when the weather is agreeable.

Should one have their stars aligned just right, they may just chance upon a certain bard and gentleman, both usually engrossed in jovial chatter or some lighthearted bickering no matter the location. Oddly out of place sometimes, seeming right at home the rest. Greet them if you wish, and they would usually respond warmly in return. But take heed, at times you may notice their hands linked and fingers intertwined, the pair lost in a world of their own—and that will be your sign to give space, for even gods would appreciate a little time to themselves.

[littlemisswriter]

Saving London - Part 2

Summary:

Now a Rook with a more structured calling to his life, Jacob finds himself delighted to be apart of the gang. Though his mind runs wild with opportunity as his ambitions tempt him to want more.

[I’m finally giving you the update you deserve! I want to make this a longer series because I have so much in store for this series! Posting more Jacob Frye content gives me so much life and I’m so excited to share it with you all! :)]

-

“You’ve got to be joking.” The monotone voice of his sister had come as nothing of a surprise to the newly found Rook.

“Oh, come on, Evie!” Jacob huffed, readjusting his cap as he looked onwards at his sister who sat with perfect posture at the small table. Her brows furrowed as she focused in on her activities of sewing up one of her dresses that was in dire need of a touch up. She hadn’t been too fond of the clothing yet saw no other option if she were to continue her day-to-day life without ridicule of the others. “It’s not as bad as all that!”

“You’re parading around the streets in a gang, Jacob. Tell me what part about that sounds remotely responsible.” A light huff then came as she pricked her finger, jaw clenching as she decided to lay off her efforts of the dress. It was too strenuous a task in the wrong mindset, especially with Jacob having been gloating about this new so-called gang he had found refuge in.

“I’m doing what is best for the city.”

“You’re being a bloody fool!” She stood abruptly, scraping the chair back against the hardened floor as her glare bore into the twin across from her. “I will not have my only brother run amuck of the city when he can barely put one foot in front of the other! This is dangerous, Jacob. We’re talking about the possibly of life or death. How can you not fathom that?” It seemed her lectures only came more often, and even from the pit of concern, Jacob could only bear so much from his twin. For once he wanted her to see things how he did, and the benefit of what joining the Rooks would do for London.

“You worry too much, dear sister.” He shook his head, glancing back at the door which he entered. “Anyways, I’m off.” She groaned, fists balling as she watched her sibling descend out of the room and towards the exit of the building. “Duty calls and I have a very important meeting to attend.” He opened the door, standing in the frame as he threw an empty grin. “Wish me luck!”

“Bloody halfwit.” Evie mumbled, hesitantly coming back to her seat as she regained her composure, while her brother had made haste through Southwark. It hadn’t of been the most welcoming of all boroughs at this time of night but knowing that a handful of his gang were awaiting his presence, it gave him confidence to continue through the dark streets.

The Duke of York pub had finally come into view after rounding the final corner, the sights and sounds of the liveliness from within already echoing down the street. He was eager to make way from his abode and indulge in a few drinks with pleasant company, though he also held a hint of doubt. His intent was more than just a few easy drinks on a night out, but a promotion in a sense.

The numbers to the gang were rising and he had yet to utter a word directly to its leader. It had been eating at him ever since he pulled the green jacket on for the first time. To be apart of something greater than himself was one thing, but to contribute in ways that truly mattered was another. He wanted proper training, combat skills, defense techniques… the lot. And by the way he had seen Lily hold herself in any sort of confrontation against the enemy gang had led him to believe that she was the one to train him towards his ambitions.

But the question was… would she find interest in training another mere Rook? A lump came up in his throat as he forcefully swallowed it down again. He just wanted more than what life had offered him, and perhaps with a push in the right direction, he could become so much more than he imagined.

Entering into the bright lights of the pub had him hold a hand over his eyes; the darkness outside in the streets a complete contrast to the environment inside. The music and chatter were louder than ever, a crowded atmosphere with more than half of it being Rooks had him physically relax. He was safe, now surrounded by those he was familiar with.

A few Rooks made use of their night by swinging themselves around the open floor, mostly too intoxicated to properly watch their footing or those around them. A handful gathered around the piano singing away any worries with sloshing drinks in each hand. Some stood chatting behind the bar while most had a seat on the tables surrounding. It was a sight to behold, and a few rough pats on the back in acknowledgement to his green colors had Jacob smile.

He came to the bar, turning to lean back on it while his eyes searched the perimeter. His sights sought out the woman that had brought all these people together, a confident leader which aspired others to fight for what was right. And the mere memory of her youthful appearance had Jacob’s fists ball subconsciously as his gaze darted around.

“Lookin’ for someone?” His head turned to the woman leant next to him, a pint in her hand and cool grin plastered to her lips.

“Ah, yes actually.” He cleared his throat and stood tall once more. “I’m looking for Miss Harvard.” There hadn’t been an immediate response but rather a slow chug to finish her drink before slamming back on the counter behind them. Jacob’s brow raised as he watched the woman wipe her mouth with the back of her hand before sticking it out in use of a greeting.

“Name’s Belle.” His eyes flickered between her own and her hand before exchanging a firm shake.

“Jacob.” A nod. She had obviously been sizing up the young lad, sights set from his feet up to his cap with a devilish glint in her eye. It hadn’t of made Jacob uncomfortable per se, but rather eager to find his leader before he lost an opportunity.

“You’re quite young. Fit too. We need more like you in this gang.” She pulled wider to the corner of her lips, exposing a toothy grin before flicking hair from her face and simply nodding over her left shoulder. “Boss is over there, and quite entertained she is.” Jacob followed her line, finally setting eyes on the woman sitting at the back corner of the pub. Her feet crossed over the edge of the table as a pint sat comfortably in her lap. Once again was her hood down, allowing her locks to sit around her shoulders.

Jacob couldn’t help but swallow the lump in his throat as how withheld she appeared. She looked like a leader, one that would ravage anyone that put a hand on her Rooks. And against all the rough and ready Blighters splayed throughout each burrow, she was exactly what London needed.

“If you wanna talk to her, go right ahead.” Belle paid for another pint as she leant off the counter, eventually grabbing her drink and smirking down at the young man. “But try opening with somethin witty and clever.” Jacob locked eyes with Belle once more. “She’s a hard woman to impress.” A wink was all he was left with as Belle left him alone at the bar.

“Well,” he muttered, watching Lily down more of her drink, a smirk subtly spread across her lips as she listened in on the conversation, “thanks for the vote of confidence.”

The Rooks around her had been passionately stuck in a card game, voices rising, and money exchanged in a competitive manner. She had simply sat back to watch her members indulge in a bit of gambling; a nice turn of events in celebration to just having reclaimed another stronghold in Southwark. Her gang was expanding and growing in size which aided her cause to bring down Crawford Starrick. The man had been nothing but a heavy weight over the city, and the people in it suffered terribly from the oppression.

It had to stop.

“You’re a bloody cheat, you are!” The large brute beside her, Travis, threw his cards down onto the table as he pointed over at the man across him, Pete. With his own hat and moustache adorning his nimbler features in comparison, he laughed at his friend as he took his money.

“You’ve a large head with nothing inside it!” Lily had laughed, taking another swing at her drink as her eyes cast over the pub. It was lively and loud, the people in it seeming to have been enjoying themselves after a genuinely long time.

Though the sudden movement of a Rook caught her eye, brow arching as she watched a young man slick back his hair under his cap and maneuver through those around him. He appeared to be making his way towards her which in turn had sparked her curiosity. He was easy on the eyes and held himself rather well, though seemed unfamiliar. He must have been new.

Jacob bravely came to the edge of the table, hands tensely by his sides as he lifted his sights to the very person that had made this event possible. His voice catching in his throat to see she was already looking at him, eyes slipping up along him as if to size him up. A lump caught in his throat once more as he did his best to ignore it, fingers rubbing against each other in nerves in contrast to how relaxed Lily had been.

His throat cleared catching momentary attention from those around the table. Travis took a gander at his before serving out another round of cards. “Yes, boy?” Lily looked between the brute back to Jacob, waiting to see how he would respond. He was out of his element, yet here he was.

“I uh,” he ran a hand down the side of his pants, clearing any sweat as he made memory back to Belle’s words. Witty and clever. “I wanted to introduce myself. Properly.” Not so much witty and clever as he had hoped, but upfront and honest which had to count for something. “I’m Jacob, Jacob Frye.”

“You a new recruit?” Pete had asked, looking beside him to get a glance at the man. Though he hadn’t appeared to take interest, eyes flickering back down to his cards as he threw coins into the center of the table.

“Yes, saved from my factory job down by Waterloo station.” Recalling which factory that had been, Lily bounced her brows with a shake of her head, throwing back the rest of her drink as she internally sighed. She was all for new recruits and leaving a good mark with them yet had somehow been waiting for a spark of some kind to flare. Greenie had been the only other assassin there to offer her any real company, but he was too pure; his mission set on finding the precursor artefact and allowing Lily to do all the field work. She wouldn’t have minded a little spice to her daily life.

“Well, you wanna play then, kid?” Another woman adorning green asked, looking between him and the free seat beside her. Jacob took a moment to glance between the offer and back to Lily shyly, watching as she sighed and pushed to her feet. And in that moment, he couldn’t contemplate what it was or why his brain snapped the way it had. But he felt his opportunity slipping and spoke without thinking.

“No, I’d rather buy the boss a drink.” The blurting had all movement stop. All eyes finally turned to him, most surprised and some with hidden smirks. Travis could only quietly chuckle to himself as he looked over to Lily, the woman’s interest having peaked as she stood tall, laying eyes on her Rook properly for the first time.

A spark. A bold use of words that had definitely drawn her attention. Jacob couldn’t believe what he had said, but bit back any fear and kept strong his stare. There was no taking back those words now, so why not simply own them?

Lily then chuckled, slowly making her way round the table to come before him. Watching her walk so casually had his fists ball as his cheeks began to burn. Now she stood before him, a short distance from each other as she simply tipped a grin at the man. He had her full attention, and a flare which she was willing to explore.

“I accept.”

She led them to the bar, others seeming to part for the woman as she stood side by side with Jacob. His hand ran through his hair again, lifting his hat merely to do so before returning it snuggly on his head once more. He actually had her by his side and couldn’t even think on where to begin in conversation.

“Two pints please,” Lily grabbed the bartender’s attention, turning to face her usual grin at Jacob, “on my Rook.” With a nod, their drinks were fetched as Lily slowly turned to face Jacob. Having a good look at her attire for the first time made his breath withdraw. It was a suit of armor, no doubt. Costing more than most at how intricate the patterns along her robes had been. A mix of red, dark grey, and black sewn precisely from top to bottom. Her coat covering most but seeming to accentuate her hourglass figure. A belt wrapped multiple time around her lower torso carried more than enough weapons to threaten any man.

Jacob was impressed and absolutely enamored to say the least.

“So… Jacob Frye, was it?” She teased his name on her tongue for the first time, satisfied with the quick nod that came from him. “How are you finding yourself settling into the gang?” The drinks were pushed between them, Lily watching as Jacob pulled a few coins from pocket and pushing it back across to the barkeep. The older man nodded before moving along.

“It’s thrilling,” he dryly laughed, seemed now caught up in every new aspect of his life. “I have the freedom to roam the borough. Not stress about money and putting food on the table. And,” he shrugged, straining a grin behind the mug lifted to his lips. It had Lily curious as to why he hid such an action, “I like the fights.” He had audibly quietening, as if relaying a secret he shouldn’t know. He knew it was a topic he couldn’t speak so freely about without receiving a lecture or a whack on the back of the head.

“There’s no shame in a little combat.” Lily turned, leaning onto the corner as he had had, almost mirroring him as she looked at her drink. Jacob turned to look at her, eyes openly laying to her features as she took her first sip. “Besides, you’re a Rook now. I would expect you to get into mischief every now and then.” She pointed her finger teasingly at him. “But not too much trouble, or Freddy will gut me alive!” Jacob hadn’t known who this Freddy was, but laughed along anyway as the humorous manner.

“Well, I’m glad you think so. Because,” he clutched tighter to his drink while subconsciously rubbing a hand to the back of his neck, “I wanna train. Under you.” Her eyes widened slightly at his forward motion, internally reassuring himself as he went on. “I’ve seen what you can do. What you’ve accomplished, and I want to do more.” Lily threw back her drink this time as he went on. “Being in this gang has given me a purpose to do right by the people. And now that I have the opportunity to explore this avenue, I wish to do it.”

His eagerness had been taken well; Lily unable to help her large grin at how willing her Rooks were to aid her cause.

“Your enthusiasm is delightful, Jacob. And most welcome.” She stood tall, leaning sideways on the counter as her hand perched on her hip. “I’ll tell you what. I’ll train you,” his own smile suddenly broadening as excitement shot through him. He stood straight, meeting his boss eye to eye intently as she went on, “and in exchange I’ll need you to do some running around for me when I’m not here. There is a lot of work to do, and I will no doubt need help seeing as I cannot be everywhere at once. Even though I practically am.”

The glint in his eyes at the new thrilling opportunity hadn’t gone unnoticed as Lily fed into all reactions he was giving her. There was strength, drive in this Rook, and she was happy to follow through and see how far this rabbit was willing to jump down the hole.

“If you do this for me and apply the training I give you, then I’m sure we can find more suitable tasks for you.” This was it. His leap of faith had served in his favor. “So… do we have a deal?” Her brow perked as he nodded eagerly, lifting his mug up to clink her.

“Yes we do, boss.” Lily took hold of her drink and the pair knocked them into each other before throwing back their contents. The use of her rank had only complimented her ego, Jacob feeding into it as she had personally agreed to train his growth in hand to hand combat. He always had an interest but never an opportunity nor the right mentor. But it appears that fate had something in store for him.

“Meet me here in three days, around noon I would assume. We’ll start your training then.”

Let the fun begin.

[foxy-knowledgeseeker]

Olympic Games AU!

Has this been done before? Probably, but I haven’t seen it, so behold:

Summer Games babies:

- Ty Lee: rhythmic gymnastics. no i do not take criticism. her favorite apparatus is ball. she started on an artistic swimming team with her sisters but then pursued rhythmic gymnastics to get her own identity.

- Mai: tennis. she has good reflexes and good aim. it started as a thing she did as a Rich Kid™ at her parents’ country club, but turned out to be actually really good at it and went pro at 17.

- Suki and the Kyoshi Warriors: artistic gymnastics a la Final Five in 2016. Suki slays on the uneven bars. alternatively, the kyoshi warriors are the whole womens’ soccer team and they strike fear into the hearts of the mens’ teams. i will accept either.

- Toph: greco-roman wrestling, but this is up for debate tbh. currently a male only event, but Toph would say no <3 and do it anyway and she would win. her parents don’t approve. Iroh is her super supportive coach that’s always crouching and clapping on the sidelines in a track suit. he gives her tea from a thermos after every match.

- Katara: surfing. (was going to debut in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, so it counts). Katara would take gold no problem. she is most famous for her impeccable flynnstone flip. she’s from a pretty small town and mostly self-taught, so she was the underdog that took the world by storm as an unexpected prodigy. during the games she is featured on a lot of promotional materials and emotional commercials and gets a brand deal with some sort of waterproof sports bandage company.

- Aang: gosh how do you choose for the master of all elements??? at first I thought track & field because he would dominate in sprints and pole vault, but then I thought SKATEBOARDING! (was also gonna debut in 2020). Skater Boy Aang™ has my heart, so this is just the next level. you can’t tell me the inventor of the air scooter wouldn’t compete in olympic skateboarding. he is the olympic team’s golden boy and is also in all the commercials because he is so charming. he’s the guy who signs little kids’ skateboards after events.

Winter Games babies:

- Zuko: ice hockey because it’s aggressive, but he would actually want to do some form of skating. perhaps he’d defy b*tchlord ozai and quit hockey to pursue his dream of figure skating. his long program would be to the Blue Spirit theme from the ballet of Love Amongst the Dragons.

- Azula: also ice hockey, but only because she was better at it than Zuko and b*tchlord ozai liked that. she is definitely the alpha of the team and holds the record for most goals made in the games. she also holds the record for most major penalties. 

- Sokka: short track speed skating. the olympic website says you need “strategy, bravery, and skill” for this event, and if that isn’t Sokka i don’t know what is. his nickname in all the promotionals is “The Boomerang” because of how he slings around the turns of the rink. he is advertised as the “ladies’ man” of the team (you know the type, they always have one) but is actually very awkward in interviews because he is bad at public speaking.

- Kataang (because i love them, they get a Winter Games bonus hc): both are snowboarders. Katara does halfpipe and Aang does big air. they met at the previous winter games, fell in love, and returned to the next games as the power couple to beat. they get interviewed about it on the today show. Katara blows a kiss at the camera for Aang before every run. Aang has “K + A” in a heart on his helmet.

Bonus side characters:

- Jet: fencing

- Longshot: archery, duh

- Smellerbee:  handball

- Haru: sport climbing

[fallout-drabbles-n-stuff]

“There is no me without a you.” (Paladin Danse x Reader)

(Au! Where Danse doesn’t read rivet city and the reader is a friend of his and Cutler’s. Also I guess the reader technically isn’t sole..so enjoy! It’s an idea I had brewing for a long time.)

The thought made your stomach turn. That was putting it lightly.

For years it had been just you, Cutler, and his weirdo buddy- Danse. You were family, the only one you’ve known or at least cared to consider as such. So many nights had passed where your friends laughter was the only thing that kept you willing to face the next day, both of their grins forever imprinted in your mind and usually serving as the only things you could trust in the life you led.

It was rough. You had came to the shelter of Rivet City seeking to make a fortune as a merchant, having left home and everything you once knew to do so. The first couple of weeks hadn’t been easy, you had barely even gotten by but..then, by some miracle, some flame-haired man with a seemingly permanent smug grin came strolling up to your stand, a tall- handsome fella with dark hair close behind him. That fucker that interrupted your business introduced himself and his bashful friend, Cutler and Danse were their names...and of course, you started the beautiful relationship off by asking them just where the hell they came up with such “crap-tastic” names. Indeed, it was the start of a beautiful friendship.

It was the recollection of memories such as these that made tears blur your vision, each step you took forward feeling more labored than the one before. Days ago those same goofy men you met all those years ago, the ones you’ve grown to love so much, had said they were going off to join some crazy ass organization in the capital- begging you to come along as well.

As much as you adored your friends, neither of them were all that bright. At least not if they couldn’t see just how dangerous this thing they wanted to run off and join was. You had an uncanny gift of being able to see when something was a catastrophically bad idea, and this was certainly one of them.

Shaking your head, you did the best you could to blink away the built up tears- having realized that you were at your desired location.

Danse’s rickety shack.

The poor man really needed to brush up on his building skills.

At least that made you laugh, even if it was choked up and sounded more pitiful than anything. Regardless, you carefully knocked on the door- unaware of where to begin. All you knew was that your time was limited to figure it out, the much expected rattling of metal being able to be heard from the other side within seconds, signaling that Danse was both indeed home and also on his way to answer the door.

Fuck.

Much too soon, the door opened up and revealed the man you once ridiculed for his unfortunate name. His stoic, yet lovely amber eyes softening as soon as they fixated upon your familiar form. Damn, he was such a sight to behold. Even wearing a red flannel with the sleeves rolled up and some ripped jeans, he was undeniably attractive. The acknowledgment of this fact made your heart skip a beat, your breath hitching in your throat as your eyes met his own.

Over the years you’ve known him, danse and yourself had became close- very close. You grew as people together, spent a couple nights out alone while Cutler reaped the spoils of being able to trick some person from the bar into bed with him, and even danced around the line of becoming a little more than friends every once in a while.

“(Y/n)..? What’s going on? Is something amiss? Nevermind that, please, come inside.” That deep, raspy voice tore you away from the invasive thoughts you were so deeply enthralled with. With a graceful like motion, the bulky man stepped to the side and allowed you to enter the his humble little home.

Of course you obliged, your knees growing week as you bumbled to his beaten up couch- sinking down into it’s plush as soon as you sat. However you weren’t alone long, Danse quickly following you, having no problem with sitting right beside you.

Funny, years ago when you first met, he barely seemed to be able to talk without Cutler doing the legwork of the conversation.

Now here he was, his arm resting on the back of the couch right behind your hunched over body. Practically beckoning you to just say “screw it” and cuddle right up into his side, hell, the man practically radiated warmth so there was very little holding you back at the moment. There were more important things to tend to now...

Steadying yourself, you tried your very best to put on a strong face. Straightening your back and giving him the “serious” look, or as Cutler called it, your “bitch face.” Whatever the look would be called, you just hoped he couldn’t see right through you. Because as it stood now, anxiety courses through your veins like a terrible icy brook- threatening to steal your spirit itself and make you retreat and forgo this plan of your’s.

For just a moment, it almost won. Your gaze shifted over to Danse’s coffee table, taking notice of the disassembled pistol that laid upon the horribly scratched wooden surface. Heh, he might’ve been a terrible architect but Danse sure as hell could modify guns. It was cute really, how invested he’d become in something so complex. Sometimes you’d come over in need of a friend and he’d keep you company by explaining how to modify a 10mm pistol’s barrel, all while doing so.

Your eyes fell close now, a hollowness in your chest. It was time. It was now or never. Later wouldn’t exist, especially since you refused to run off and join the brotherhood.

“D..danse..?” Your voice stammered out in a way that you despised, sounding so scared..like you truly were. That in its self was enough to make the relaxed look on danse’s face morph into one of concern, his weight shifting as he leaned more towards you.

Did he feel it too? Did he also want to embrace you as badly as you wanted to embrace him?

After a moment of waiting, he audibly gulped. Your obvious distress filled the poor man with worry, he..he didn’t like seeing you feel this way. “Yes?” Now even his own voice was demure as it urged you to continue.

The muscles in your legs clenched in response, adrenaline beginning to run its course.

Why was this so hard? All you had to do wa-

“I can’t stand it Danse.” Real Nice. Real good start. God you hated yourself already. “You two..you two asshats want to go play soldier and I can’t stand it..” oh yeah, only getting better, but the words just wouldn’t stop coming..and the affects of them wouldn’t heel either. “You-you’re Just going to leave me..and I..I get it because you want to find purpose b-but..”

Now you truly felt foolish, your face contorted and the anguish you felt deep inside made itself blatantly apparent by your expression. As though that wasn’t enough, those tears you thought were gone away came back with a vengeance. The longer you looked at the now confused man, the more your chest hurt and the more obvious the feeling a hot tears rolling down your cheeks became.

Everything just hit you all at once and it wasn’t fair. How could they just decide to leave what you all had together? Was it not good enough? Was it not what their purpose was? Better yet, how could he leave you like this? How was it right for him to swoop in one day, make you feel something and fall for the bastard, only to one day down the road decide that no, this isn’t what he wants? How was any of this fair?

“I..I um, I didn’t realize how much this affected you..” Danse’s shaky voice replied, his hands cautiously reaching out to pull you towards him. Countless times before when he felt emotional distress, you had grabbed him, embraced him without second thought and each time you did it, it crazily enough brought some degree of comfort to him. “I apologize but I’m not the-..oh (y/n)..” His chest heart seeing you cry.

In a way, as it stands now, you’re not the only one in need of a hug anyways- so as he pulled you close to him, the relief was felt on both ends.

For you, he’d try anything to help ease the sorrow you felt. However it was no secret Danse was absolutely terrible at these kinds of things, any extreme display of emotion generally made him uncomfortable..but seeing you like this? It made him feel a deep, sorrowful pain in his chest. Why? He didn’t entirely know the answer, at least not a straightforward and simple answer at that. You somehow always managed to elicit such passionate emotions in him, ones that he hardly understood- after all he was not by any means an overly emotional man.

As sobs wracked your body, he couldn’t help but feel the compulsion to shed a tear as well in response to your pain. A pain that he knew that ultimately, he caused. That hurt. That hurt really bad. Before he could even process what it exactly was he felt, a single tear slid down his cheek as well, his arms tightening and squeezing you the slightest bit in search for the comfort your embrace usually brought.

Time slowed down in an almost ethereal manner suddenly, all that pain you felt facing reality slowly began to subdue to a throbbing ache in your chest- sobs transforming to soft sniffles and a vivid embrasser blush as you hid your face in his form chest- his scent providing a minimal amount of comfort despite reminding you of how much of an idiot you probably seemed like.

Now there really wasn’t anything to say...except what you came to say anyways. Well..it was somewhat of a sad win/win situation. If you confess to your more than platonic feelings for the brooding man, he could either return the feeling and maybe, just maybe you could convince him to stay....or he doesn’t and then at least you won’t have to live with the shame of ruining your friendship for long seeing as he’d be leaving with Cutler soon.

Feeling as though your whole world was on the brink of shattering right before your eyes, you withdrew from the man- not daring to go back enough to break away from the comfort of his arms around you, instead only enough so that you could get a proper look at his dumbfounded- almost heartbroken looking face.

“Please..Danse, don’t..don’t leave me. I can’t take it. You- you mean the world to me..” your voice was barely over a whisper but you knew he heard you loud and clear, his eyebrows scrunching into a slanted, concerned look as guilt flashed in those beautiful puppy dog like eyes.

He cleared his throat, carefully contemplating his next words as he licked his lips- his eyes unconsciously gazing down to look at your own as he did so. “I’m sorry (y/n), I..I didn’t think I’d hurt you so badly..I should’ve been more considering..” for a second he paused, the next words sounding painful to even utter. “Especially considering how close of...friends..we are.”

That’s it. That’s fucking it.

Without better sense, you leaned forward right after his words- knowing words would get you nowhere with him. Actions. Actions worked. As such, you willed yourself not to scream as you finally connected your lips with his own- the very thing you’ve wanted to do since he first lowered his walls and let you get to know him all those years ago.

A muffled groan of surprise could be heard but you didn’t care, he wasn’t trying to push you off yet..so that was good. In fact, unbeknownst to yourself, Danse’s eyes fluttered closed as soon as the shock of the situation subsided and suddenly he found himself pressing back and trying his very best to let you know he returned the affection before it was too late.

Damn, he’s wanted to do that since he first laid eyes on you at your stand. How crazy..

As the kiss deepened, Danse could feel his heart pounding in his chest, all the feelings hitting him like a charging raider in power armour. Regardless of how confused he was, he couldn’t help but follow his instincts- which landed him laying back on his raggedy old couch with you laid lazily on top of his body, his legs on either side of your hips. For it being an entirely innocent moment, it surely was a provocative position and had he been in his right mind- he likely would’ve flipped out and had a heart attack.

Eventually you had to end the fantastical moment, the need to breath becoming too great to deny any longer. So, with a viciously bright red blush and pure terror in your eyes despite your watery grin, you gazed down upon him.

“A..actually, that’s what I wanted to..to um talk to you about.” It was about now, as you panted, you realized just how you were sitting. “Danse, I want to be something more than just your..your friend.”

The very second he processed what you said, his thick eyebrows practically ascended half his forehead, his jaw dropped and his eyes became the size of saucers.

Boy, his expressions never ceased to amuse you. Even now when shame should’ve been consuming you, he made you giggle.

“Are you...are you saying that you’re in love with me?” He asked in pure disbelief, his hands courageously settling upon your hips to rest despite his sudden urge to fidget and twitch his fingers. Nerves making his stomach tighten painfully even though you just plainly made your intentions clear.

“Yes Danse, I’m in love with you..you fucker, I wouldn’t act so crazy if I wasn’t..”

Once again, words usually didn’t suffice with Danse..so, you leaned in for another kiss. This time he was prepared and he sure as hell wasnt going to disappoint.

He loves you too, you truly are crazy if you think he’ll ever leave you now.

Who knows, maybe one day you and Danse will get to live the happily ever after. Run a decent stand, Get hitched, maybe even have a couple babies way down the road and be the parents you both wished you could’ve had. Cutler, that bastard, was just going to have to stay too if he liked it or not.

Besides...what fun would it be to be whatever the hell a Brotherhood of Steel soldier is? Pfft, what even is a Paladin?

[1-800-seo]

1-800-𝗦𝗘𝖮'𝘀 𖣘 "𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝘆 (𝗨𝗻𝗶)𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲"

- 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝖩𝗎𝗇𝗀𝗄𝗈𝗈𝗄 𝗑 𝖸/𝖭

- 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: 𝖿𝗅𝗎𝖿𝖿/𝗌𝗅𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝖼𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗄/𝖻𝗎𝗅𝗅𝖾𝗍𝖾𝖽/𝖾2𝗅/𝖼𝗈𝗅𝗅𝖾𝗀𝖾 𝖠𝖴

- 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: 𝗄𝗂𝗌𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗀 (𝖺 𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗉𝗅𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝗄𝗂𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗌), 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋 𝗁𝖺𝗍𝖾𝗌 𝗅𝖺𝗎𝗇𝖽𝗋𝗒, 𝖽𝗈𝗆!𝗃𝗄 𝗂𝖿 𝗎 𝗌𝗊𝗎𝗂𝗇𝗍, 𝖾𝗇𝖾𝗆𝗂𝖾𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗌

- 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀: 2984

- 𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆: 𝖶𝗁𝖾𝗇 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗅𝖺𝗎𝗇𝖽𝗋𝗒 𝗀𝖾𝗍𝗌 𝗆𝗂𝗑𝖾𝖽 𝗎𝗉 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝖺 𝖼𝖾𝗋𝗍𝖺𝗂𝗇 𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗈𝗇𝖾'𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝗈𝖿 𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗐𝗁𝗂𝗍𝖾'𝗌 𝗀𝗈 𝗉𝗂𝗇𝗄, 𝖺 𝗀𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇𝗀𝖾 𝗉𝗅𝗈𝗍 𝖾𝗇𝗌𝗎𝖾𝗌, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖿𝗂𝗇𝖽 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋𝗌𝖾𝗅𝖿 𝖾𝗇𝖺𝗆𝗈𝗎𝗋𝖾𝖽 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖺𝗇𝗇𝗈𝗒𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖽𝗈𝗋𝗄.

doing laundry is absolutely one of your least favourite things in the world beside soggy socks

so you’re in a bad mood as soon as you walk into the campus launderette to say the least

the launderette is empty bar one dude you’d seen around the global technics centre

if you remember rightly he’s a European studies major

odd choice but you do you and all that

now you’re not weird or anything but you have a preference on what type of washing machine you use

I know I know kind of unorthodox

but the old washing machines take 30 mins longer so you’d prefer a newer one

unfortunately the only one left is directly next to this familiar-faced stranger and his laundry

your better judgement is telling you no but your impatience is telling you yes

and so you dump your laundry onto the floor next to the stranger and his and start sorting through for all your whites

your piles mingle a tad as they overlap beside each other like Venn diagrams of assorted underwear and other garments

his consisting of only whites

yours a jumbled mess since you had to wash all of your stuff

in sync you both pick up your washing and put it into the machine

you catch his dark wide eyes as you both straighten up and he lets out an awkward low-voiced giggle

your cheeks immediately flush pink and a bashful smile creeps up to your lips

“you’re from the global centre, right?”

you ask testing the waters

“I am, I’m a European studies major, my name’s Jungkook. I recognise you, you’re in linguistics class right?”

“Yeah, I’m a linguistics major so you’ll mostly see me there, it’s nice to meet you Jungkook”

you say with a smile as your hands fidget with the door handle of the washing machine

“It’s nice to meet you too, I thought I recognised you from somewhere, but it’s because I see you sometimes when I have to do extra credit European language projects. What’s your name?”

he says tilting his head like a curious puppy

“its ______”

you say as you bow to him politely

“Can I ask you something? I have to do a project on European languages and their similarities to others. The professor wants us to speak to outsiders for references so would I be able to collab on a project with you sometime in the future, if it’s not too much to ask?”

he averts his eyes from yours and blushes lightly

“Oh yeah sure, that’s no issue! It’ll be beneficial to me too because the linguistics portion of the course is coming up soon, so it’s a great idea.”

you beam at him

“Could I get your number?”

their is a pause that feels like an eternity between your next words and his last

the cause of this is your mind being far too focused on his wavy dark hair and his clear doe eyes

you snap out of your daze

“yeah totally, one sec”

you pull out your phone from your backpack on top of the washing machine and input his contact name and number as he reads it out

“Thanks for that, it’ll be a big help, let me know when you want to link up” he replies

and with that you had his number and continued on with your washing

21/10 18:32

Jungkook ༄ : not to be accusatory but do you happen to own a pair of RED socks?

You: yes, why do you ask??

Jungkook ༄ : well ALL of my washing seems to be PINK!!

You: just because I own a pair of red socks doesn’t mean it was me 😠

Jungkook ༄ : yes but you were the only one in the launderette when I was there,,

Jungkook ༄ : smh gonna be turning up to class in pink tshirts and and socks, everyone be thinking ive made a new fashion choices when it’s really just because SOMEONE can’t keep their clothes separate from others B/

You: 1) it’s not my fault that my socks decided to migrate to new lands

You: 2) why, are you scared of pink or something? your ego too fragile to wear a ‘woman’s colour’?

You: 3) did you really use a sunglasses sad face emoticon lol

Jungkook ༄ : girl u owe me big time for all these clothes you ruined 😩

Jungkook ༄ : also im not scared of pink I just dont want to be wearing pink shirts to all of my formal events for the next ten years

Jungkook ༄ : and yes im sWaG so my emoticons are sWaG duh

You : ruined? ruINED? RUINED? I did not ruin anything, I simply spiced up your wardrobe boo x

You : oh no he’s a 2012 hype beast 🤦🏻‍♀️

Jungkook ༄ : how dare you call me something so sacreligious as a hypebeast!!

Jungkook ༄ : I am gucci not channel thank you very much

Jungkook ༄ : anyways I gtg write a report, speak soon red socks

Seen ✓

Jungkook was in fact not writing a report

he was planning revenge dun dun dun~~~

his plan was to do the exact same thing you had done to him

but he had to be cunning about it

and so the week went on

he was scrolling through twt when he received a new follower

it was the one and only @_______

and lo and behold their last tweet was “tysm Seokjin oppa for buying me a personal washing machine,, now I can do my most hated thing but at home!!”

hehehe

an idea sprung into kookie’s head

he didn’t have to try and spike your washing at the launderette

he could do it in a place you’d never suspect,, your home

now he only had to find out where you lived

just stalkerish tingz

he had to be lowkey about this

so he decided to ask his best mate and social butterfly of a friend Taehyung whether he knew you

and of course he did lol

“Hell yeah I know where she lives, she had the best party of the whole term, Jimin was so drunk he started chatting himself up in the mirror”

“Damn that sounds like a good time, probs should start going to these parties you invite me to”

“defo should, anyways I’ll tell u as long as you promise not to spread the information or use it for pervy or questionable reasons”

“I promise not to spread it or use it for pervy or questionable reasons”

he replies in monotone voice and his hand on his chest like an oath

and so that was how he acquired your address

simple enough really

and so that’s the events that lead him to be crawling through your dorm window however paused like a deer in headlights at the questionable sounds coming from the room across

he was squatted on the window ledge like spider man, red sock in hand and hood up

it was 9:00pm and your university apartment was supposed to be empty at this time

you had your class on now but he hadn’t accounted for your roommate

hence why he had frozen at the unsavoury sounds echoing round the apartment

low moans and grunts emanated from the room across

dEsGöStEn

he had to get to the kitchen without alerting the dusk time love makers

he could do it if the floor plan was the same as his apartment block and he bet his reputation on that

if he got caught he’d never hear the end of it from his mates and your roommate might even call the campus police if they were spooked enough

and so he clambered through your bedroom window and onto your bed underneath

unmade bed might he add but what did he expect from a uni student

with wide eyes he listened for any noise of suspecting roommates and examined your room

the desk was littered with papers and an oversized lava lamp stood stout in the corner of the room

a lacy bra was hung over your wardrobe handle

he shoved away the idea of you wearing it and continued with his night time plot

slowly and stealthily he crept through the halls of the apartment and out to the kitchen

on the maiden was already a neatly hung load of whites

he’d have to assume it was yours otherwise he’d have to go back to your room to get laundry

he bundled up the clothes and shoved them in the washing machine with the incriminating red sock he’d brought and set it to economy spin

round and round it spun, getting progressively louder as it went

he had to get out of there asap

tip-toeing as he went past the questionable lewd noises, he finally made it to your bedroom

he made one last check to see if he’d left any damage in your room

his eyes fell upon that same bra

damn his manhood making him think predictably

he shoved the thought away and departed

25/10 22:08

You: what in the hell did you do to my washing!!!?!!!

You: unless it was a ghost it HAD TO BE YOU JEON 🤬

Jungkook ༄ : wym I don’t even know where you live 😑

Jungkook ༄ : what’ve you done now?

You: IT HAS TO BE YOU!! SOMEONE FRIGGIN TURNED MY WASHING PINK AND I PROMISE YOU IT WASNT ME

Jungkook ༄ : how would i do that?? I don’t have like magic clothes dyeing skills boo

You: I SWEAR it was you!!

You: what do you want to bet it was u

Jungkook ༄ : I won’t bet anything I’m poor

You: that means you did it!

Jungkook ༄ : if you come with me to Taehyung’s party tomorrow I’ll tell u everything

Jungkook ༄ : but only if you go, that’s the terms of agreement

You: that’s all the incriminating evidence I need!! you basically just admitted to it you know?

You: however for reasons sake I will attend 👀

Jungkook ༄ : see you then red socks x

You: I suppose u will x

time passed quickly and soon it was Taehyung’s party

You’d known Taehyung since middle school however since starting college you hadn’t seen much of him

schedules clashed often so the only time you got to see him was at a good party

nothing wrong with that, you just probably haven’t had a completely sober conversation with him in 2 years

he’s good fun, Taehyung, so you hoped Jungkook wasn’t as much as a killjoy as he’d been this week

his little antics (that you’d yet to figure out) had caused your work uniform to turn bright pink

and thus the ‘pink princess’ nickname at work began

you felt like sharpay, everyone in white, but you pink

you’d quite like to knock Jungkook down a peg after that

and so you made your way to the infamous Taehyung’s party

he welcomed you as you entered the large door of his fraternity house

behind his head of black curls you could see the mess that is a raging college party

young people, at assumably different levels of intoxication, were everywhere

some were stood all the way up the expanse of the stairs even

you looked around and spotted a familiar brunette in the kitchen sat on the large marble counter tops

he’s chatting to some pink haired girl beside him

you stalk up to him like a woman on a mission and jokingly (a little too hard for jokingly) push his shoulders with both hands

he immediately snaps his head round to face you and his eyes widen with shock

“I have a bone to pick with you.” you say as stern as you can

you grab hold a fistful of his black T-shirt and drag him into a side room

once you enter only then do you realise it’s a laundry room

how fitting 👀

you say “Come on, tell me how you did it.” as you cross your arms and glare at him

“Did what?”

“you know what I mean, don’t play dumb with me, how did you turn all of my washing pink, and might I add, my work uniform too!”

“Ohhh that, it was far too easy. You really should keep your windows locked when you’re out.” he says as he laughs, like the whole thing is amusing

“So you’re telling me you broke into my apartment?! How did u know where I live??”

at this point you’re pacing around the room, arms flailing wide at the sudden discovery

“Well, I may or may not have asked Taehyung, and he told me, and then I entered, I did not break into your apartment. Anyway, I didn’t touch anything but the washing machine and I had the lovely experience of being serenaded by your roommate’s sex symphony.”

he made a step forward towards you, almost in a challenging way

“Oh I’ll be having harsh words with him later...” you say as you uncross your arms and put them on your hips.

you stand thinking for a second before it sinks in

“Wait.. what did you hear? You said sex symphony, right?”

“Uh yeah, your roommate was proper going at it with someone. At least he had the decency to do it whilst you were out, I guess.” He chuckled

“Oh my days, that means Hobi must’ve had Hyerim round! Go him I guess, but also ewww”

“Anyways we’ve bounced around the issue enough here, you ruined my clothes and broke into my apartment!” you exclaim backing up against the wall

Jungkook starts to close the gap between you two

“So? What’re you going to do about?”

your back pressed flush with the wall, you start to realise how close he really is

you can see the small freckles that dot the bridge of his nose, the thick eyelashes that frame his eyelids, the totally sinful look in his eyes

like this you start to realise how shockingly handsome he is

no wonder he has a slight reputation in class

you had no idea why he was looking at you this way

“I-I’ll call campus security..” You begin

“Will you really now?” he retorts as he slams his hand into the wall behind you, caging you in

“I w-will” a whisper that falls on deaf ears

before you even register, his lips have attached themselves to yours and you feel his thumb under your jaw

he works his lips against yours and you feel your legs start to tremble

he tastes sweet and robust, like syrup on your tastebuds

you mould into his kiss and then break away, panting for air, wanting more

everything felt so wrong, yet so right at the same time

it was as if your current issue had melted away and the only thing you could focus on was the way he looked at you and how his soft lips felt against yours

“J-Jungkook? What’re we doing?” you asked, a giggle leaving you

you rest your head against chest, clasping at his tshirt

“I couldn’t resist, you’re so hot when you’re angry”

he places a firm kiss against your cheek, takes your hand in his, and leads you back to the party

you couldn’t believe you’d just done that, let him kiss you so easily

but once you let him, it felt so right, like it was supposed to be that way, him lapping you up like a parched man to water

it felt so natural to have his arm round your waist like it was now

the pair of you approached Taehyung, still clutched together

“What happened to you two? I heard _____ went off on one and then you both were missing for ages. And now you both show up all over each other... what went down 👀”

“Well you know, hate and love are both forms of passion.” Jungkook says with a smirk

“excuse me? Assuming I love you? I let you kiss me once and you say it’s love? I’ll show you love” you retort

“Oooh she’s feisty; so you kissed? Damn, things’re moving quickly for you two, one minute Jungkook’s asking me for your address, the next you’re sucking each other’s faces off. I’m one of hell of a wing man, if I do say so myself.”

Taehyung flips an imaginary lock of hair out of his way like a sassy high school cheerleader

You both just laugh, at Taehyung, and because of how crazy it is,

It’s almost like you didn’t know you liked him like that until it smacked you in the face

“Do you want a drink? A beer?” Jungkook asks pouring himself a glass of punch

“That’d be great, thank you” you reply as you realise how much more time you want to spend with this annoying but totally handsome dork of a boy

༄ 𝖳𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗄 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗌𝗈 𝗆𝗎𝖼𝗁 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀! ༄

This was just a little fic I wrote a while ago which had formatting errors so I fixed it for y’alI, Hope you enjoyed it ☺️ Let me know what you thought of it and feel free to like and reblog <3

[docholligay]

Follow Water Down

I have been wandering around in the woods since I was a small child. My family was not particularly well off, and from the ages of probably 3 to 16, the only vacations we ever took were camping trips. We left the house for the woods nearly every weekend. I live in Montana, and so when I say camping trips, I don’t mean we headed off to the KOA with a pool, I mean if I walked away from the campsite I was in the goddamn National Forest. I was genuinely happy with this arrangement, as I was a strange child who grew up to be a strange adult, and I enjoyed the quiet, the sense of exploration, the smell of the trees. 

I began leaving the campsite nearly from the word go, and by the time I was about 8 or so, I was very much off by myself in the woods for the majority of the day, which leads us to our post today. There are people who would call my mom grossly neglectful for having allowed me to do so much on my own at such a young age, and even she gets bashful when she talks about it, but I credit it with a lot of positives: 

I have an extremely good sense of direction

I have a strong core of self-sufficiency and am not easily overwhelmed by anxiety

I can be alone in the quiet with my thoughts

I am rough and tumble as HELL, owing to many many many falls down the sides of mountains, huge gashes in my legs, being stalked by a mountain lion, and one very memorable miscalculation that ended in me falling off a (small) waterfall

When I meet my fear, I can master it*

So what I am here to present to you today are very basic survival skills such as I would teach my own child, such as I was taught as a child. This is by no means comprehensive, and if you intend to get seriously into outdoor life, I recommend both doing far more research, and taking a a Wilderness First Aid class, which are frequently offered when it’s NOT Covid, and which I take about once every 3-5 years (I am due). This is a primer for those who are young, or new, or mostly want to experience the wilderness by reading about me doing it. 

Follow Water Down. 

I cannot remember how old I was when I learned this. It’s the sort of thing that is a part of my makeup, my mother must have told me when I was only a toddler and its stuck with me so hard that it’s one of the first things I tell people. 

If you are lost: 

Water will always lead you back to civilization eventually. Join up with the stream. See which way its going. Go that way. This is obviously not significantly helpful if you are lost in a flat desert plain but then again, I did start this by saying I was a child of the woods and not the desert. This seems like such an easy trick that people often ignore me when I say it, but it is the simplest thing for a child to remember. 

I can’t remember how old I was when I got lost in a tangle of hills and mountains in the Little Belts, where the trail faded but I kept going in my normal bullheaded way. But I was well and truly lost by the time it was about 3 pm, and in some ways I wish I had worn a step tracker back in those days because I am extremely certain I went miles and miles, as one does when they leave immediately after breakfast and don’t come back till dinner. I had no idea where I was, where the campsite was, or what direction I should be going. 

I was not thrilled. 

But I was not a kid who sat down and cried, in that I had smaller concerns before, and so could easily grow to meet the larger ones. I simply walked down the mountain, knowing a valley was more likely to have a stream I could easily join. Lo and behold, there in that little valley was a snowmelt creek, and I followed it downstream, knowing eventually there would be a house, or a campground, or something. In a twist of glorious good luck, it actually led me back toward where the campsite was, and as I began to recognize things, I easily clipped into our campsite long before any sign of trouble. 

Follow Water Down. If you aren’t near a stream, head for the nearest valley, and follow the valley. This will generally lead you to water. People will tell you to stay put and that is WAY smarter than wandering aimlessly in circles, which is why I say to follow something. You think you won’t go in circles, but you will. By following a streambed, not only are you doubtlessly heading back to civilization on a long enough timeline, but you keep yourself from doing that. 

Your Pack: 

Before you go out for the day, you should have a simple day pack. Mine is an Osprey Hikelite 18, but I hike all the time, and you don’t need something that technical. A plain ol Jansport will work as long as it fits you well. I do however, really approve of and recommend a waist clip. I also think a pocket for a water bottle on the outside is really useful, but you’re not going to fucking die if you have to take off your pack to get to your water bottle. I just find it takes up space I don’t want. 

Gear:

More important than your pack itself is what you have in it. Again, this is according to people named Doc, who are me. This is stuff I always take with me when I am by myself, on a trail where it would be realistic to assume I would not see someone else for hours. This is like 95% of Montana trails, or any time that I am off trail. 

Compass. You can get fancy, pretty compasses, but a lot of times they lack the actual essentials you need. I like this guy, which is well made, can be clipped to you backpack easily, and is inexpensive. I don’t have the time or space to really try to teach you how to use a compass, but here’s a really good simple primer from the American Hiking Society. 

Paper Map. I sometimes break this one, admittedly, but I shouldn’t. Having a paper map of the area is always a really smart practice, and used in combination with the compass, can help you get unlost quickly, or at the very least give you an idea of how close to any given outpost you are. 

Water Bottle. Please don’t tell me you were going to attempt to leave without this. I have no preferences on one, shockingly, and I’m being serious. I’ve been given to use an old disposable one, who gives a shit. 

Water Filter. Now THIS I did not have as a child, because my parents didn’t know any better, but if I follow in the grand tradition of my people and release my child into the mountains, I will give them one for certain. I knew what kind of water to look for if one was going to drink from a stream, and I did so, which probably explains why I am not susceptible to ~tummy upsets~ to this day. However, it would have been smarter for me to have one of these. I like LifeStraw but Sawyer makes a perfectly good one. Look for lightweight, it’s a day pack, kids. 

Knife. I have many many feelings about knives, which would require its own post, but this is fairly essential for being out and about. This is not a thing I would necessarily cheap out on, though there are fine options at most price points. This is my knife:

The Gerber Propel AO. The serrated and straight blade edge means there’s a lot of options for use as a tool, I find the blade to be strong and hold an edge well. Most American-made Gerbers (be sure and check, as they have a much shittier Chinese-made division) are incredibly well made knives. Leatherman multi-tools and Swiss Army Knives are, if you ask people named Doc who are me, a waste of weight and size, but if I were to buy a Leatherman, it would be a Free K2X. I would not buy a Swiss Army Knife. 

A jacket/fleece/pullover. Listen, i am the last one who wants to carry this shit but if you get lost overnight (as has never happened to me, kinehara.) you are going to want it. Read up on what the lowest temperatures are, and rate it to that. Depending on what mountain you are in, this is going to vary widely. And for the love of god, wear pants. I know, I know, it’s in the 70s and you’re hoooooooot but seriously, you’ll be less likely to injure yourself and you won’t fucking freeze. 

Flashlight/headlamp. 

There are fancy firestarters, but honestly I just throw in a bic. 

Food! Clif bars are great for this, lightweight, high calorie, keep well. this is in addition to your sandwich or whatever you’re packing for planned eating. 

Sunscreen/bug spray. Don’t be stupid. 

Whistle. Three sharp shot blasts is the easy and international sign for help. 

FIRST AID KIT this has its own thing. A first aid kit can be very basic to very intense. Our group first aid kit is more intense, but when I’m stuffing a day pack, I want stuff that’s light. 

Ibuprofen

Bandages

Gauze

Leukotape

wound wipes/antibac

Imodium, benedryl, caffeine

Oxycontin. This is leftover from long ago and basically exists in case I break my leg and have to drag myself out of there, or, as we like to say, a Worst Case Scenario. 

That’s it! It essentially fits in a bento box. 

You will want to be wearing a sunhat of some sort, sunglasses at hand, and a watch. Not a smart watch, a watch watch. It’s good to know what time it is, better to know that after your phone dies. Attach bear bells to your pack, or your shoe, or something. You do not want to surprise a bear, that is how people die. 

You may notice that I do not have a phone, external battery, GPS tracker or anything like that listed. GPS trackers are not a bad idea if you want to invest the money in backcountry--my wife has one--but I never have and I do not consider them essential. Phones and external batteries are not useful to me, and in the places I go there’s often not service. If there IS service, I find I’m more irritated than not by the people with me, who often can’t pull their faces out of telling their audience how much of a life they have to actually have one. Be alone with your fucking thoughts for once. 

Which leads me to my next thing: DO NOT WEAR HEADPHONES TO HIKE OH MY GOD. Being able to hear what’s going on around you is key to safety, and also to allowing you to get your bearings. If you are listening to music or something, you are far more likely to sneak up on something, or allow it to sneak up on you. Don’t do it. It’s a terrible idea. 

Should I bring bear spray? This is an excellent question! We have ample bear spray, and I often wear it but I just as often wear Montana Bear Spray (a gun). It’s easier to practice with a gun, I feel more sure of how to use it, and I’m comfortable around it. That being said, this is not the story for most of America, and I understand that. So make sure you are VERY familiar with how to use your bear spray. 

I suppose this went off the rails into supplies more than “tips for survival” but honestly I would rather help you all AVOID trouble than help you out of it. It’s easier to pack clif bars than set a rabbit snare, and its easier to not get lost than it is to build shelter. Also, this is already at 2,000 words, so if you have a SPECIFIC question, let me know! 

*Apologies to Phillip Pullman, but if I were going to get anything from HDM tattooed on me, this sentiment would be it, the only problem being the actual line is “You ent afraid are you?” “Not yet. When I am, I shall master the fear.” which doesn’t look as good but damn has that resonated with me since I read it.

[ventonvixen]

(stefanie martini. 31. cis female.) behold! (cordelia venton) has finally joined us at court! as (duchess) of (venton), they’re known for being (clever), but also quite (pretentious) at times. the halls of this great castle harbors great secrets, and (she) does not disappoint; reputation precedes them as they're known for (eloping suddenly with demetrius venton despite having never shown signs of rebellion before).

【 ɢᴇɴᴇʀᴀʟ 】

name ; cordelia venton ( nee esterine )  nickname ; del age ; 31  magic ; non-magical currently living ; royal court

【 ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴᴀʟɪᴛʏ 】

traits ; clever, conniving, proper, refined, serious, coy, calculating, cynical, practical, exasperated, considerate, intelligent, fair.  alignment ; lawful neutral hobbies ; horseback riding, embroidery, espionage, watching puppet shows and magic acts, dancing, gardening, hunting.  fears ; death, childbirth, her mother’s wrath,  a cage. 

【 sᴇxᴜᴀʟ 】

orientation ; bisexual.  kinks ; n/a.  hookups or relationships ; married to demetrius venton.  relationship status ; married.  shipping status ; undetermined. 

【 ᴘʜʏsɪǫᴜᴇ 】

faceclaim ; stefanie martini height ; 5′4″ hair ; copper eyes ; green piercings ; none tattoos ; none scars ; burn scar on top of right hand, slim slice scar of right side of jaw, triangle shaped scar on left knee. 

【 ᴇᴅᴜᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ / ᴄᴀʀᴇᴇʀ 】

level of education ; knowledgeable due to tutoring from scholars until the age of sixteen. skilled in arithmetic, especially when it comes to money management.  occupation ; duchess. 

【 ʜᴇᴀʟᴛʜ 】

drinker? ; wine during social events.  smoker? ; no.  recreational drug user? ; no.  which? ; none.  disabilities ; none.  mental illnesses ; anxiety

【 ᴏᴠᴇʀᴠɪᴇᴡ 】

➥ One might imagine that, as a duchess, Cordelia’s life growing up was rather easy. And one would be right, despite being one of many sisters constantly clawing for attention Cordelia regarded her upbringing with the surprising wisdom that she was privileged from an early age. And although she was sheltered from those less fortunate than her, her inherent curiosity led her to ask questions about the lives of the staff around her. Both endearing herself to them and educating her on the fact that she was blessed with wealth and security without having to earn it. 

➥ Cordelia, ever a listener, used the information gathered from the attendants and her ladies in waiting to gain a picture of the world that she was barred from. Gossip and stories became ammunition for her quiet rebellions. She knew knowledge was power, and to spite her parents she gained as much knowledge of forbidden subjects as she could. Most of them were anti-monarchy sentiments or tales whispered about magic. While she never participated, she bided her time and waited for any opportunity to surprise people with the fact that she was not as proper and innocent as she seemed. 

➥  This desire to defy expectations at the right moment to maximize the dramatic impact of a grand reveal is the thing that ultimately led her to accept her husband’s marriage offer. It was not love for him or even to spite her parents, it was simply because it seemed like the most outrageous thing she could do at the moment. She wanted adventure and a story to tell, and she knew Demtrius was the best way to procure that. But she’s grown quite fond of him over the years, glad to have a companion at her side that is there because he wants to be, not because she has to be. She does not know if she deserves that. 

【 ʜᴇᴀᴅᴄᴀɴᴏɴs 】

➥ She is very wary of childbirth and is trying to avoid the conversation of having children. 

 ➥ She does not believe magic to be as bad as everyone says it is.

 ➥ She prefers the company of commoners.  

 ➥ She’s skilled in embroidery, chess, and horseback riding. 

 ➥  She hopes to live a nomadic lifestyle since she doesn’t like staying any place for too long. She finds stagnancy suffocating. 

【 ᴄᴏɴɴᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴs 】

➥ Demetrius Venton  - husband

➥ Alysanne Venton - sister-in-law

[tommynikkivincemick]

Can I get a nsfw a-z for Nikki (bass daddy) please?

I got,,,,, way too into this. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it, and if you’d like me to elaborate on any points, I totally would. I give you: Bass Daddy. Enjoy xx

A = Aftercare (What they’re like after sex)

Half the time after sex, Nikki busies himself getting you ready for another round, laying on the dirty talk and kissing and biting you all over, teasing you with his fingers (or his tongue, if you’ve been especially good that night). But when the two of you are really done, aftercare usually consists of a stiff drink and a cigarette for him and a glass of wine for you, and a nice long soak in the bathtub for both of you. Nine times out of ten he will be showering you with compliments and telling you how good you were for him, all whispered softly in your ear.

B = Body part (Their favourite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

Nikki is an intense, all consuming lover; so when it comes to your body, he fucking worships you. But if he had to pick a favorite part of you, it would be between your mouth and your breasts. Your mouth because he loves the way your lips curve up into a smirk, your smile that shows the teeth that have often bit him, and he loves your tongue for obvious reasons. And your tits because this is Nikki Sixx we’re talking about— did you really think he wouldn’t?

Nikki is a pretty vain guy (more than Tommy, but less than Vince), so he loves looking at himself almost as much as he loves looking at you. His favorite part of himself would be a solid tie between his hair and, well, his dick. His hair because he puts so much time and effort into it in order to make it look good, plus the ladies love it. His dick because, again, this is Nikki we’re talking about,,,,,,, plus the ladies also love it.

C = Cum (Anything to do with cum basically… I’m a disgusting person)

Nikki is a possessive, jealous little shit, and he sees cumming on or in you sort of like marking his territory. Cumming in you is always a wonderful experience for him, but also seeing his cum on your skin satisfies that possessive instinct within him— even better if it stains your lingerie.

D = Dirty Secret (Pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

Nikki (along with Tommy) is the king of sleaze. He has done and seen some fucked up sexual shit; and even you don’t know all of his secrets. But something he has told you is that when he was heavy into devil worship and witchcraft, he did in fact have ritual sex, and it was hot.

E = Experience (How experienced are they? Do they know what they’re doing?)

King Nikki is a very experienced, very talented individual. While he hasn’t always cared about a woman’s pleasure (like say, Mick), he’s always been good at it without really trying. The man is a natural at giving pleasure, even when he’s not trying to.

F = Favourite Position (This goes without saying. Will probably include a visual)

Nikki’s position of choice is a little something like this, but move one of the hands to your throat because he is into choking and the only person who can tell me different is the bass daddy himself. He’s a fan of this because he does not have to do the work if he doesn’t want to, but he has the option to. This also gives easy access to the tits and throat and he can also more easily play with your clit in this position, if he so desires. Nikki also tends to bite your shoulders in this position, and he bites HARD. So be prepared for that.

G = Goofy (Are they more serious in the moment, or are they humorous, etc)

As previously stated, Nikki is an intense, all consuming lover. This especially applies to sex; when he’s fucking you, he wants to be the only thing on your mind. When y’all are getting down, your train of thought needs to be all Nikki, all the time.

H = Hair (How well groomed are they, does the carpet match the drapes, etc.)

Not quite natural; Sixx keeps everything pretty well groomed. Naturally, the carpet does not match the drapes, as he dyes his hair black and is naturally a dirty blonde or light brown. That said, he is not above using hair dye in certain other areas. So yes, the carpet does match the drapes— he makes sure it does.

I = Intimacy (How are they during the moment, romantic aspect…) 

Sex and sensuality comes naturally to Nikki; romance does not. But when he wants to, when he tries, he can be damn romantic, even if it’s usually not totally perfect. He’s not really a champagne and roses type of romantic, he’s more of a would-kill-and-die-for-you kind of romantic.

J = Jack Off (Masturbation headcanon)

Nikki is a little turned on a lot of the time, and while he prefers not to get himself off, sometimes he has no choice (you caught him doing it once when he was getting ready for the day, and in reply he said “You ever tried to fit a hard cock in leather pants? Shit is a pain in the ass. You gotta do what you gotta do.”). Nikki doesn’t usually do it for pleasure or because he just really wants to, it’s usually out of necessity, and therefore usually pretty rushed with not a lot of thought to it.

K = Kink (One or more of their kinks)

Ohhhhhh boy. Oh boy. If you think Nikki isn’t a kinky bastard, you’re out of your damn mind. This boy has SO MANY kinks, the more intense ones including breath play, blood play, and bondage; maybe a little bit of leather now and then. And Nikki is a top who is dominant as fuck (but sometimes it’s sexy to see his girl take control).

L = Location (Favourite places to do the do)

He prefers the bedroom because it’s private and within the confines of his room he can do whatever fucked up shit his heart desires, and also because he does not need anybody else gazing upon you when you’re in a state of pleasure such as that which he gives you. That is for him to see, and him alone. But also, he has made a point to fuck you on every piece of furniture in the house, and has tried to fuck you in every venue you’ve been with him at. Like I said, the man likes to mark his territory.

M = Motivation (What turns them on, gets them going)

Nikki gets jealous so easily. If he even thinks a guy is looking at you with lust in his eyes, he will prove right there in the middle of the bar that you are his and no one else’s (and there would be some mind blowing angry sex when the two of you got home). Sixx is also kind of into pain, so if you really want him right fucking now, even if he’s busy, all it takes is biting his lip a little hard when you kiss him, raking your nails down his back, or pulling his hair a little bit, and he melts.

N = NO (Something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

Nikki doesn’t share. There have only been two known exceptions to this, but other than that, he does not like another guy or girl to come to bed with the two of you. Other than that, almost anything is on the table, aside from bodily excretions other than cum, blood, and saliva.

O = Oral (Preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc)

Nikki is very balanced in this area; he enjoys giving and receiving equally. Of course he will never say no to a blowjob, but he will also never say no to giving head. And when he gives, he is very talented and picks up very easily on what you want.

P = Pace (Are they fast and rough? Slow and sensual? etc.)

The vast majority of the time, the sex is rough as fuck. The pace varies; if he wants to tease or really wants to take his time, he’ll go slow, but also half the time he just wants to get down to business and goes hard and fast.

Q = Quickie (Their opinions on quickies rather than proper sex, how often, etc.)

Nikki is not a fan of quickies, but he’s not totally against them. He prefers to have the time to do whatever he wants with his lover, but sometimes he just really needs you, so quickies do happen but they are few and far between.

R = Risk (Are they game to experiment, do they take risks, etc.)

Nikki will try anything once and will take risks regularly. He would probably be down to fuck on the ledge of a forty story building, to be honest.

S = Stamina (How many rounds can they go for, how long do they last…)

The stamina is strong in this one. At the best of times, sex is an all night event for Nikki with multiple long lived rounds. He will go until he (or you) physically can’t anymore.

T = Toy (Do they own toys? Do they use them? On a partner or themselves?)

I firmly believe that Nikki has a nice little collection. Not a whole room filled to the brim with toys, but maybe a nicely stocked bedside drawer with all the essentials (vibrators, a few plugs, bondage materials, a knife, etc.).

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

Nikki Sixx is the biggest tease in the world. If he had a little more self control, he would probably keep you on the edge for a week straight just for the hell of it. Sex is like a box of chocolates with Nikki; you never know what you’re gonna get.

V = Volume (How loud they are, what sounds they make)

Nikki is relatively loud. Just as he wants to know he’s the only thing on your mind, he wants to convey the same sentiment to you. He tends to give a lot of low groans, raspy moans, and lays the dirty talk on thick.

W = Wild Card (Get a random headcanon for the character of your choice)

The one time Nikki shared you with another guy, it was with Tommy, because who better to share with than the man who was the yin to his yang? The coke to his whiskey? You were shocked at how fluidly they moved together and around one another, never getting in each other’s way. They cooperated with each other so flawlessly and knew what the other needed and wanted automatically. You even had to ask Nikki later that night if he had a thing with Tommy, to which he replied: “Babe, you’re the love of my life, but Tommy’s my soulmate.”

X = X-Ray (Let’s see what’s going on in those pants, picture or words)

I would first like to state that Nikki is a grower, not a shower, and there is not a damn thing wrong with that. But when fully hard, he is definitely a sight to behold. Very well endowed; maybe an inch or so above average and thick as fuck. God damn.

Y = Yearning (How high is their sex drive?)

Again, Nikki is a little turned on a lot of the time; the only time he isn’t down to get down is when he’s super busy or too high to function. But even then, it doesn’t take much for his resolve to break and have him bending you over the nearest piece of furniture.

Z = ZZZ (… how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

If it’s been a long night, Nikki will fall asleep within a few minutes. If it was only a couple rounds, he might stay up for a couple more hours and work on lyrics or finish his bottle of whiskey or chain smoke for the hell of it.

[norristheundying]

Get to know my OC - Hwan

1 – Favorite beverage? Alcoholic: not a fan of alcohol drinks. Are there even any underground?? From mushrooms??? Anyway, it’s probably something neutral like gin or vodka. If it’s import, then white wine. Non-alcoholic: none? He always drinks filtered water…

2 – Favorite flavor? He doesn’t like intense flavors, but something with a hint of sour flavor is a go.

3 – Favorite food? It’s that disgusting worm-extracted JELLO.

4 – Meal of the day? Snacks in the canteen. Because jello…

5 – Food / flavor they hate? SWEETS. Food is dull underground in general, and it is favored to salty than sweet. Plus it hurts the teeth.

6 – Spicy food? NO.

7 – Favorite animal? Ahuizotls. He used to own those otter-doggos with his previous lover, and would like to own one again in the future.

8 – Nightwear? Just underwear, maybe with a tank top. He’d rather wear less suffocating clothes after a stressful day. At home he’s plain naked.

9 – Position they sleep in? On his side, with one hand under the pillow holding an army knife.

10 – Morning or owl person? Night owl. He usually volunteers to take guard duty before sleep out of paranoia, and he often works in late.

11 – Heavy or light sleeper? Definitely light sleeper. He has to stay vigilant on the field, and had some pretty bad experiences in the past regarding his peers abusing him while he was unaware…

12 – On a rainy day? No rain underground, but if he’s stuck at home then he would actually read a history book (probably from an illegal source in Zuian) or a lawyer’s magazine.

13 – Favorite scent / smell? Bane’s hair…

14 – Pefume or cologne? He doesn’t wear any of that patchouli in the army. On a date he applies some decent brand of cologne.

15 – Baths or showers? Showers. Only bathes at Bane, when together.

16 – Cooking? It is expected from soldiers to learn how to prepare venison if they run out of rations on the field, but that’s an emergency situation, and it would be very bland (maybe salted). Baking he doesn’t know at all though.

17 – Favorite time of year? No seasons underground, but probably not spring because they have a lot of flooding after the snow melts, and that means more service work.

18 – Favorite holiday? None (: Most of the holidays are built on propaganda to worship beholders, or anti dragon / -touched which is a big yikes.

19 – Buying or receiving gifts? He likes to secretly gift the ones he love. Anonymously, because these gifts are usually costly or exchanged favors, and he doesn’t want any gratitude in return.

20 – Height? According to my notes, he’s 183 cm, so pretty tall. And massive in muscle weight. He has a presence that’s for sure, and the horns are just an addition. He prefers not to stick out, because being seen makes him a target for cops and black-heads / antis…

21 –Any instuments to play? Unfortunately he didn’t have the opportunity to learn.

22 – Singing voice? He has a very nice, deep bass voice. It’s rare, but he likes to sing to himself, or in a group where he feels welcomed.

23 – Soliloquy? When he doesn’t have to order around useless cadets, he’s very silent in general, and doesn’t speak much, not even to himself.

24 – Music? Not much free time for him to listen to music. But he would dig alternative rock / nu metal, or post rock if he feels emotional. (He also liked the type of punk music Piers’ band produced.)

25 – Friends? It has been very hard for him to make friends, mostly becasue of his heritage. People rather hurt him, so he closed himself in. He needs a friendly extrovert to lure him out of his shell, and once he opens up he is very kind and playful. Due to his rank though he has been distancing himself more and more.

26 – Surprise bday party! He would be very surprised and kind of timid. Only his lovers had ever remembered to give their best wishes, or close friends who would invite him for a drink.

27 – Favorite flower? There is none underground, but I think he would love a poppy meadow, under a sunset.

28 – Wearing jewelry? None, they are in the way.

29 – favorite jewel piece? On formal occasions he would wear a black ornamental pin to tie up his hair in a bun.

30 – Fashionable? He looks a piece of candy in tight leather clothes.

31 – Underwear? For practical matters he wears either elastic boxer briefs, or jock-straps. Simple trunks on off-days.

32 – Makeup? Nah.

33 – Nail polish? Nope.

34 – Haircut? His hair is an entierly different matter. It’s very messy and wavy, and because of his horns it is hard to comb it together. So either he lets it grow down, or shaves it off entirely. With short hair he would look like a sheep… Although a long time ago he had an undercut (which was more comfortable).

35 – Can they whistle? Absolutely! Great at herding the troops together, signaling, and even making a tune.

36 – Braiding hair? He knows how to do a simple loose braid, but nothing complex at all. He’d sooner show you fifty knot types.

37 – Scared of anything in nature? He’s rather more alert than scared, as a professional monster hunter. On the surface if he would ever hear a storm for the first time, it would bring out PTSD, and make him quite frightened.

38 – Death? Numerous times he had found himself at death’s door, so sadly it is not a foreign experience for him.

39 – Getting sick? He would take medications and pretend he’s fine until he passes out, or just brute forces it through the day. Never takes any sick leaves.

40 – Sight of blood? He is used to seeing blood daily, it doesn’t affect him.

41 – Paying the bills? Actually he has a pretty decent salary as Captain in the military.

42 – Satisfied with their occupation? By all means he is very proud of what he had accomplished on his field, but it is not his dream job. Before the Purge, he was actually studying to become a historian. After graduating in law, he had been also interested in becoming a legal practitioner. (In my humble opinion he would be also a great underwear model or porn star u_u)

43 – Are they creative? His work requires to be very strict about routines and trainings. From time to time he likes to change schedules and pratices. In a way he has a creative intelligence to him when operating on the field, and adapting to unexpected situations, solving problems.

44 – Drawing skill? Not really.

45 – Equipement? Usual military garb: uniform, armor and hovercylce on the field, weapons of all type, PDA, gas mask, inhaler, binoculars, energy bars, healing shot.

46 – Sweet tooth? NO.

47 – Gourmet? He has a strict protein-filled diet and doesn’t like to eat junk food. Except for jello.

48 – Can they swim? Yes, he is a good swimmer. Two centuries ago he was gold medal winner worthy in Pentathlon.

49 – Any scars? Many, all over his body, from various combats.

50 – Handwriting? It is surprisingly neat. He used to write a lot by hand as a historian student, and it stuck with him.

[tinydemondragon]

There’s a Beast in the Woods - 2

I lied it’s actually 3.9k. I realized I had forgotten a linking scene haha. Anyway, here we go!

Beginning

Roman opens his eyes to complete and utter darkness, not even a drop of moonlight. At some point, someone must have come in and closed the curtains. Roman stumbles through the room, trying to get to the window to yank the curtains back open.

He fumbles with a curse, knocking his hip into the nightstand. A crash sounds as… whatever was on it falls to the floor. He hopes no one heard that.

Finally he reaches the curtains and tugs them open. The moon is a pale sliver high in the sky, stars winking around it. 

He struggles to figure out why he was awoken in the first place. He does not feel the need to go to the restroom. The only sounds he can hear are the crickets in the wind, neither loud nor quiet.

His stomach growls as he remembers he had slept without dinner and he figures that must have been the cause of his abrupt awakening. He casts one last glance outside before he turns to leave.

A shadow passes in the treeline, and he whips his head around to stare out into the woods, on edge. He waits and waits, but sees nothing else. His stomach sounds once more and he turns again, to leave the room in search of food.

He is intimately aware of the dangers the night brings. The creatures that step out to play their games, frightening and heart stopping and terrifying to behold. Still, he is confident in his ability to stop them if need be, a year of experience rapidly gained from his travels and bounties. 

There was also the fact that he had survived a full week within the land of the fae. There are ver few who can claim this achievement, and those who can have long passed due to the continuous march of time.

He glides towards the stairs, feet light upon the ground, ears straining for any noise that should not be there. As he crosses the threshold between the hall and the stairs, he’s taken aback by the loud noises that assault him.

Roman takes a step back, confused, and his world goes silent once more. Curious, he steps forward again, and is hit with a wave of noise again. He… had not realized that their little town had this particular ward added to the halls of its inn.

He takes a step towards the rail and finds the ward engraved upon its end, barely lit by the lanterns lining the hall. The light seems to flicker over it, giving it an otherworldly feel as it appears to move with the shadows.

It is not moving, of course. That is merely the way wards are. Only those adept in the arts are able to glean their meanings, able to discern their shapes, imbue them with power.

Roman frowns. It is not an uncommon practice to hire a Master to ward a town or inn. At least, not in the big cities. In small, rural villages such as his, the work is simply too expensive and unnecessary to find and hire a Master to carry out the work.

Then there is also the tendency to fear those who possess a talent in the arts. People tend to be afraid of things they can not understand, cower in fear or stand up to it with malicious hatred. And the arts are a mysterious force. If you are not of the few chosen to have a talent amongst it, you will never be able to understand its ways. That is simply its nature.

Roman has no such talent, can not hold the shape of the ward in his mind, does not truly understand how it works. But he has spent enough time in large inns to at least have a faint understanding of what, exactly, this ward is. A sound muffling one, a powerful one at that.

Who ever had laid it here, must have been very powerful indeed to have all noise eliminated once across its threshold.

He lays a hand upon it, feels the heat and spark of it, and bites his lip. His time with the fae had lent him certain… gifts. Well, curses, really given how much they wreck him when he tries to use them.

Another growl of his stomach shakes him out of his reverie. He can inquire about the ward later, but first he must get food, lest his stomach wake everyone who might be sleeping. Best not to use the things he had gained, they always lead him to more trouble than they are worth.

He glides down the stairs, curious as to how his inn has changed with time. How its people has changed. It used to be such a lively place, never going without uproarious laughter for too long.

It is still loud, far louder than it had been earlier. But it does not seem to hold a candle to the joy and liveliness of his memories. It is as though the joy has dwindled, leaving nothing but a shell of what this place used to be.

Has the beast really haunted this place that much?

He knows, of course, of the missing people. Children who stray too close to the woods and are never seen again. Worried parents who follow them and are swallowed up by the trees and branches. Has heard the tales of an unkillable thing, slaying every person who dares to hunt it.

But still, there have been no attacks within town. No one mysteriously disappearing from their homes. The fear, however, seems to linger in every crevice, every shadow. It is as though the people do not believe they are safe wherever they are.

He will kill this beast, if only to see peace in his home once more.

He allows his steps to grow louder now, not wishing to scare anyone. Not wishing to scare Patton, who he can see entering and exiting the bar area. His arm held aloft with a tray of drinks and glasses with every pass.

Roman calls out to him, then sits at a table that appears abandoned in the corner. These are not his people any more, and he does not know how to move around them. Better to get some distance and regroup. Tomorrow, or perhaps later today, he will talk to them. For now, he needs a plan.

Eventually, Patton is able to make his way over, a smile on his face. “Slept well?” he asks, teasing.

“Quite. The beds are rather lovely, and I’m afraid I simply could not help myself,” Roman returns.

“Oh, quiet you. I know those beds are far from comfortable, though I gave you the best we had. Still, you missed dinner. Everything alright?”

“Yes, my travels simply had drained me more than I had anticipated. Dinner would be nice though, late as it is.” Patton doesn’t reply, simply nodding and turning towards the back, where the food is prepared.

He does not have a quill or ink or even paper, but that is alright. He enjoys writing down his travels, the stories that he creates from them, but he has always been more content with planning in his own head. He thinks of the facts, gleaned from his time in the woods earlier, and his conversations with both Patton and Logan.

He knows the beast had first been sighted a week after he had left. When people had started going missing, he is not sure. All he knows is that the bounty had gone up nearly six months ago.

He had seen it then, of course, but he was not ready to face the town at the time. Still is not sure that he wants to be here even now. The memories threaten to overwhelm him and-

The bounty had been small then. Just a few gold pieces. Just what the town itself could offer. Then bounty hunters had started going missing. Small, unknown ones at first. Ones that had just started their careers. The reward had started to climb steadily as the townspeople, presumably, gotten desperate.

Then Hunter Valerian had gone missing shortly after taking the job.

She was a prominent hunter, known by nearly everyone. While Roman did not have a specialty, simply taking jobs that took him far from his home and helped people, Varian did. She was a Declared Hunter, apart of the Bounty Hunter Association. She had Declared in the hunting of Savage Beasts.

Savage Beasts, like the name implies, were beasts or creatures that had at least five dozen missing persons, or kills, attached to their names. These were of the nastiest sort, the ones that could torment people for years before being slain. And Varian was a master at slaying them.

So for her to go missing was a big deal.

That was nearly a month ago, and she has since been declared missing. The BHA has since added to the reward, two hundred gold pieces for the pelt of the creature. Unfortunately, due to such a prominent a person going missing, not many wanted to take the job. No matter how high the reward.

Roman, however, began to feel guilty about leaving his village to such a fate, and knew he at least had to try.

So, this beast was a nasty one. Had killed people far more skilled than he, and was, from what he had seen, rather large. Just what was he going to do?

A plate appeared in his vision, interrupting his view of the table he had taken to staring at while thinking. He looks up to see Logan sliding into the seat across him, Patton leaning casually on his chair.

They are so casual around each other now. It is not as though they were tense before, but like the air around them had been heavy with unspoken confessions. Now, they are relaxed as Logan settles in and Pattons gestures for him to eat.

He feels a pang of longing that surprises him. Not at the ease with which they have. No, that longing is still there but it is unsurprising, no matter how much he loathes it. What is surprising is the longing he feels for having wished he had witnessed their closeness.

He wishes he had not left.

It is a startling realization, one he does not know what to do with. So, he ignores it, buries it deep deep down, and he begins to eat.

The meal is as delicious as always. This must have been made by Patton himself, despite the fact that he must surely have had staff to do it for him. How long had Roman been thinking to himself?

He eats and compliments Patton, who smiles and laughs, saying it’s nothing. Roman just continues to thank him and compliment, perhaps overdoing it a bit. But he enjoys making his friends laugh and hopes they are still friends. That after this business is all well and done, he can talk and laugh with them. Even if one of their number is missing, he finds that he may be able to face it now.

As long as he has them, he may be able to face that yawning emptiness inside him.

Patton leaves eventually, leaving Roman with Logan who has been smiling at their antics. If anyone knows what, exactly, is going on, it is him. Logan always did hate not knowing things, always wanted to know all he could. An admirable trait, even if it lead to him practically living in the library during their teen years.

They talk, and Roman learns that the first disappearance had not occurred until nearly three months after they first spotted it. Even then, they had not thought it was the beast until later.

The child that had gone missing was Calamity. A strange name, but Calamity was a strange girl. She was loved by her parents, and though she was a bit eccentric, many were entranced by her rambling tales of the wildest dreams of hers.

He disappearance distressed her parents. They had gone after her, a couple days after she had gone. No one has seen them since.

Since then, three more children have gone missing, along with ten other adults. And, of course, all the bounty hunter’s that have tried before. This brings the totals of deaths accredited to the beast to twenty.

“It is strange, however. The only bodies to have been found were those of the bounty hunter’s. I wonder why that may be?” Logan mutters to himself, looking as though he has been given a particularly difficult puzzle. Roman is not worried. If any one could figure it out, it would be Logan.

Interesting though this information is, however, it does not give him any information as to how to slay the beast. All it does is tell him how dangerous the beast is.

That, and it makes him a bit uneasy. He can not shake the feeling that they’re missing something big. Something important.

Roman is about to inquire about the state of the bodies, to get a better idea of how the beast attacks, when the door to the inn slams open.

The inn goes utterly silent, as they all turn to stare at the man in the doorway. He looks panicked, terrified, but also overwhelmingly upset.

“Has anyone seen Darran?” He asks, no. He sobs. There are tears streaming down his face. “Have you seen my nephew? My daughter’s little boy?”

It took Roman a moment, memories slow to catch up to him in this moment of surprise and dread. Furan, the old blacksmith.

Somehow, without even looking at anyone else, he knows that no one here has seen the child. Knows, somehow, that the child must have wondered into the woods.

A woman comes up behind the man, looking just as pained as panicked as him. No, more so. It must be Felicity, the new blacksmith, his daughter. She looks so distraught, hair wild from where it has escaped her ponytail. She does not say anything, just sobs and collapses into her father’s arms.

It is quiet in the inn, pity and dread weighing the atmosphere down. Roman takes in the room, the people who can not look at the sobbing pair at the doorway, and makes up his mind.

He stands quickly, the chair crashing into the wall behind him in his haste. The sobbing pair don’t glance up, but the other patrons stare at him, eyes wide. He glances at Logan, who looks shocked at first. After a moment, however, understanding over takes his face, followed by fear.

Roman and runs up the stairs, not even stopping to notice the silence that now seems eerie. He just goes to his room and grabs his weapons.

He runs downstairs, faster even with the sword weighing him down. He does not have a plan, he just knows that he can not stand there and do nothing.

The pair at the door have been joined by another woman, perhaps the Felicity’s wife, Persephone. Named for her beauty, she looks ruined now, hair every which way and clothes torn. They’re all sobbing, clutching each other.

He is about to approach them, to tell them that he will make things right, when a hand reaches out to stop him. It’s Patton, peering up at him, fear in his eyes. “Be careful,” he whispers, Logan behind him.

They both look so sad, so scared. “I will come back,” Roman vows. He will not leave them again. Refuses to.

They both look at him, before nodding as one. “Very well,” Logan says. “See to it that you do.”

Roman nods back, then turns towards the group at the door. “I will be back,” he promises. “I will come back, and bring Darren with me. On my honor, I will be back.” 

The group just stares blankly at him, tears in their eyes. Maybe they believe him, maybe they do not. Either way, he marches out into the woods, purpose in every silent step.

The woods look different at night, sinister. Whether it’s because Roman understands the danger now, or because he’s alone, he doesn’t know.

What he does know is that the forest would be calm, peaceful, even if it didn’t make him so tense.

There are crickets and frogs sounding, the sound of moving water. The moon lights his path, stars winking at him where the sky breaks through the trees above. All of this should culminate in a peaceful setting, but he just can not relax.

After all, there is a beast and these woods, and he is here to kill it.

He slinks through the undergrowth, eyes straining to pick up the path he stumbled upon when he first came to town. He has slept since then, however, and the woods look different at night. That may be why he has been wandering the woods for so long the moon is nearly at its peak.

His sword is held in front of him, ready as it has been since he stepped off the path. Though his arms are starting to burn, experience tells him that not being ready is far worse. He had let nostalgia cause him to be lax earlier. He would not make that mistake again.

He’s aware of every sound he makes, every twig snapping, every leaf crunching, every breath he takes.

Roman is very aware, so he notices immediately when there is breathing there that is not his.

He freezes for a moment, fear causing his heart to leap into his throat. Only a moment, though. Then he continues.

If the creature hasn’t attacked yet, for whatever reason, it is best to not stop and make himself a sitting target.

He walks forward, straining his ears this time. If he can pinpoint where the creature is, he may be able to attack first.

A snap sounds, but that’s from his own feet. A hoot and a woosh come from his left, and he struggles not to jump. He’s tense, anticipation and dread and a small bit of excitement rushing through his veins.

A few more steps and he hears another snap, this time from behind him and a little to the right. Heavy breathing mixed with a slight rustling sound.

As the sound continues, Roman hones in on it, becoming more and more sure of where it’s coming from.

Finally, he’s got it. The crickets have died down, there are no more frogs to be heard. It’s just him and the thing he’s hunting, the leaves crunching beneath their feet. Anticipation wins out over the dread, and his heart thrums in his chest.

Roman slows his pace down, listens as the sounds coming from the beast get closer.

Closer.

Closer.

Now!

He whirls around, bringing his sword around where he assumes the neck is. He thinks he has the timing right, is fast enough, but he just misses.

The beast leaps back, and it lowers into a defensive stance. Legs apart, mouth set in a snarl, terrifying and larger than he had anticipated. Time stands still for a minute, and then Roman brings his sword back up, ready to attack once more.

A hack, a slash, but he’s always one step behind, not quite fast enough.

And yet, it’s odd. The beast has not attacked him once. Rather, it seems to… relax almost.

The ears aren’t pressed to its skull, it’s tail swishing back and forth.The mouth, once snarling and vicious, closes. It confuses Roman, and while he does not stop attacking, he also starts retreating, wondering if perhaps this is a trick.

He backs up into a clearing, the beast following him, and suddenly it is bathed in light.

In the shade from before, Roman had mistaken the beasts coat for black, dark as it was. Now, in the moonlight, Roman sees that, while dark, it is more of a dark brown color, light reflecting off the coat. The eyes, he sees, are a deep violet color, and almost seem to glow. Like this, no longer aggressive and bathed in light, the beast doesn’t seem nearly as scary.

Even with the adrenaline thrumming through his veins, Roman knows that, logically, he should be terrified. He recalls that the beast has killed every bounty hunter that has tried to take its head.

The more he looks at the creature, however, the less scared he feels. Part of him still wants to freeze, wants to run, wants to fight, but that part of him is shrinking the more he looks.

He wonders if this is like the sirens he had encountered, the one time he had gone by boat to the other land. Charming, leading you in with its song.

No. It is not the same. This feeling, this curiosity, it is all his own. It is not something that is being implanted in his brain. It is a subtle feeling, a subtle difference, but it only serves to bring him in more.

Roman stops his fighting. It is not getting him anywhere to begin with, and the beast is not attacking him either, for whatever reason. For now, his curiosity pushes him to figure out why that is, why him?

Is this how Logan feels anytime he has a question he does not know the answer to? This need to figure it out, to answer the question, solve the mystery?

If that is so, Roman should try not to tease him so much about it. It is a compelling feeling, more a need than a want.

Still, he keeps his weapon out. Curiosity, when not tempered by caution, can kill. He has seen it happen, has heard the stories.Has nearly joined their numbers. He does not wish for tonight to be his last.

The beast looks at him, violet eyes flashing lavender in the moonlight. They are almost at eye level, tall as the beast is, so much larger than he had first thought. Both are still, calm in this clearing.

The beast takes a step forward, and Roman takes a step back, a spike of fear zipping up his spine.

In response, the beast freezes, stepping back. Roman relaxes, but it causes his confusion to rise.

While a lot of the beasts and creatures he has hunted before show some signs of intelligence, every one, every single one, attacked him relentlessly. They may have had intelligence, but they all were feral. Lacking humanity.

The only creatures who had not acted as such were the High Fae, but they also draped themselves in illusions, looked as human as anyone if not studied too closely. They, too, tried to kill him, however, when he stumbled into their domain.

This beast, however, is not like that. It is… curious, almost. Defensive. Perhaps it had only killed the others because they had tried killing it?

But that does not explain the other attacks, and why it had not tried killing Roman when he attacked it.

He has so many questions now. What is this creature? Why does it seem as though Roman is special?

Staring into the creatures eyes, he feels a strange calm over take him. The longer he stares, the safer he feels. Not safe enough to put away his weapon, not yet, but safer nonetheless.

He takes a step towards the beast, curious as to how it will react. It does not move, so he takes another.

And another.

Further and further until he’s standing right in front of it. They’re both frozen, staring at each other. Roman’s sword is hanging, forgotten at his side.

Roman reaches out a hand, not entirely sure what he’s doing, but knowing it just feels right.

Right when Roman is about to touch its snout, it startles. Its tail tucked between its legs, ears pressed flat to its head. It takes a step back then turns and dashes off, leaving Roman alone in the woods, and a child still missing.

Tag: @rabbitsartcorner, @bihighandgivinghighfives, @thgjclw, @oddball-wqri, @madsk3tch, @007ardra, @rainboots-are-for-snobs

Beast: @fan-tastics-stuff, @just-emotional-trash, @musicprincess655, @dragonindigo245, @emo-nithtmare, @icequeenoriginal

Lemme know if I missed you or you want to be tagged! See ya next week(ish)!

Next

[local-anon]

A-Z for Will

This is a thirsty ask but I respect it. Haw yee.

A = Aftercare (What they’re like after sex) He is very into aftercare and taking care of his partner. He loves to help and wants to make sure who he was with is happy and satisfied.

B = Body part (Their favourite body part of theirs and also their partner’s) He’s proud of his arms, mostly the muscles there, he put a lot of effort into them just so he can carry his partner, who ever they are. On a partner he likes necks, not like finding them attractive but he likes them because he can put his face there easily and they usually like when he kisses them there.

C = Cum (Anything to do with cum basically… I’m a disgusting person) He likes to cum inside his partners but won’t if they don’t want him to of course. It’s mostly just the enjoyment of seeing it leak out of them.

D = Dirty Secret (Pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs) He likes to be used to get his partner off. He loves to sub for them as they ride either his face or his dick just as long as they’re happy he’s having the time of his life.

E = Experience (How experienced are they? Do they know what they’re doing?) Honestly he’s pretty experienced in like any universe I put him in. He’s attractive and a top lots of people are into that. He’s open to fucking nearly any person which is how he got so experienced.

F = Favourite Position (This goes without saying. Will probably include a visual) He likes being ridden. Even if he’s domming he likes making his partner ride him. That’s not to say he’s lazy he just really likes the visuals of someone bouncing on him.

G = Goofy (Are they more serious in the moment, or are they humorous, etc) It really depends on the situation. He can be funny if the fucking is lighthearted and happy. But if he’s like in a sub mindset, or like angry fucking, or in a dom situation he’ll be more serious.

H = Hair (How well groomed are they, does the carpet match the drapes, etc.) Will takes his hygiene very seriously. He always tries to be clean and wash his hair. Hair? Soft/clean. Beard? Soft/clean. He tries to manscape and it works bc he actually wants to be able to see his balls ya know. His ass prolly hairy tbh, how dude with beards work.

I = Intimacy (How are they during the moment, romantic aspect…) Again this depends on the situation. He LOVES romance and soft things like that, so when he’s on a cute ass date it’s easy to get him flustered bc he’s just happy. But yea if you ask him to make love bruh he will do that in a heartbeat and be all cute. But if u ask him to fuck you he can just as easily switch and fuck you into the bed.

J = Jack Off (Masturbation headcanon) He edges himself. Builds him up for as long as he can before he cums hard over himself. He claims it’s to build stamina, I just say he’s a sub.

K = Kink (One or more of their kinks) This boy is an exhibitionist. Likes fucking in public spaces, not in front of people, just in public. He finds the adrenaline makes it feel better. Another one he likes to mark his partner. It’s truly a lovely thing when his partners are into it as well. He has a lot so I’m not gonna say all of them but just know, there’s a l o t. He also has a big praise kink btw.

L = Location (Favourite places to do the do) Outside. Like either against a wall hidden somewhere or like in a field. He likes them places. He also likes to get ridden on the couch so he can easily press his mouth places while they ride.

M = Motivation (What turns them on, gets them going) Teasing him can get him going pretty fast. Like denying him touch or not allowing him to touch makes him want to touch more. Confidence also turns him on. (I’m not saying insecurity turns him off let me explain) Like if his partner jumps him and is like “I’m ready to fuck are you ready?” And if he’s not in a depressed mood he will be ready in like 5 seconds flat.

N = NO (Something they wouldn’t do, turn offs) He hasn’t really tried anything that is a no yet so he isn’t sure of something’s that would turn him off. He doesn’t like knife or shock play, traumatic reasons. He doesn’t really like degradation too much, like humiliating him he doesn’t like (You can call him a toy/tool that doesn’t bother him)

O = Oral (Preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc) Please sit on this man’s face he deserves it! He doesn’t have as much experience (ik this is shocking) with sucking dick as he would like to have but he’s very good with his tongue. He does love getting his dick sucked tho, he’s never been rimmed before so he doesn’t know if he likes it.

P = Pace (Are they fast and rough? Slow and sensual? etc.) Depends on what his partner wants but usually he’s fast and rough. He can slow down though especially if he’s tired and is sleepily thrusting or if he’s just worshiping his partner.

Q = Quickie (Their opinions on quickies rather than proper sex, how often, etc.) He prefers proper sex with fore play but like if he’s frustrated and his partner wants to fuck now, then he’d willingly rips some pants open and just fuck them over a bar is they so desire. (Speaking from experience of course)

R = Risk (Are they game to experiment, do they take risks, etc.) He wants to try a lot of things. Hell he even found a bondage book to try out. He’s willing to be taught new things as well so he’s always open to constructive criticism.

S = Stamina (How many rounds can they go for, how long do they last…) He can do two rounds as long as he’s given time in between them for his dick to calm down a bit. He lasts pretty long during unless like every single button is getting pushed then he can shoot of pretty fast. He doesn’t mind oversensitivity play just don’t make fun of his tears if it gets too much for him.

T = Toy (Do they own toys? Do they use them? On a partner or themselves?) With the universes I’ve put him in there’s not much access to toys (Rdr & fallout) But he makes do with his imagination. He’s used rope pretty liberally and he has tied ribbons around cocks as a makeshift cock ring. Will in a Modern Au is a Will of peak confidence.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease) Boy he is a big tease. He will rub his cock over his partners hole till they’re demanding/begging him to fuck them. He loves to flirt as well so if he sees his partners face is red from something he said he will milk it.

V = Volume (How loud they are, what sounds they make) Loud. He is a loud top with moans and groans and dirty talk. When he’s subbing he’s whiny and let’s out cries and moans even whimpers if given the right stimulation. It’s really unfortunate for an exhibitionist to be loud but what’re you gonna do? Gag him? (Do it)

W = Wild Card (Get a random headcanon for the character of your choice) He’s never bottomed before, mostly cause he isn’t sure he’d like it plus it doesn’t turn him on as much as topping. I believe the only time he would ever bottom is if the top were in complete control and had steel confidence.

X = X-Ray (Let’s see what’s going on in those pants, picture or words) A good sized dick. Not hung like a goddamn horse but long and thick enough to stretch his partner good. I’m thinking about 8-9 inches (19-23 cm) and a good thickness to it. He also has a nice ass.

Y = Yearning (How high is their sex drive?) Very high. He really likes sex and he’s able to do it a lot.

Z = ZZZ (… how quickly they fall asleep afterwards) Once the aftercare is done and his partner is happy and most likely asleep already then he’ll relax enough to sleep. Unless they’re on the ground then he can’t sleep and will probably move them to a bed.

This was rlly fun. Behold thy best boy.