#and I’m a bit anxious with sharing my thoughts and ocs :

[rust-spark]

What if I uhhh

What if I shared some stuff here about my Invincible OC(s) what then :0

nothing art related or anything (I can NOT draw ppl for the life of me) and I’m a bit nervous to share my art here but maybe just some basic info and rambles here and there :3

[thelaundrybitch]

Link your three favorite fics right now

How do you write smut scenes? Do you get very visual or detailed? How important is it to be realistic?

Share a snippet from a WIP

YAY! Thank you for sending me an ask!

Link your three favorite fics right now

Woven by Nacatu on Wattpad and AO3 (2012 tmnt)

LINK HERE

Pocky Game by Moonbean21 on Quotev (Bayverse Raph)

LINK HERE

Shells, Tails, and Freelancers by @sharpwindow (Bayverse turts)

LINK HERE

How do you write smut scenes? Do you get very visual or detailed? How important is it to be realistic?

Ok, Im'a be honest.

I don't really enjoy writing *smut*

I prefer to write romance, and romantic scenes that potentially end up in some steamy bedroom time.

I don't necessarily get very visual or detailed, I'm more about dialog and feelings. For me, those are the most important to portray during a love scene.

As for realistic? I mean... Feelings and dialog, I try my best. I think if I can get myself to enjoy my bedroom scenes, then they are realistic enough 💖

Share a snippet from a WIP

WOOHOO! Going for gold here! 🥳

It's a bit out of context and messy, but here you go. It's with my tmnt OC Basilio - who is the eldest of my iteration of the turtle bros.

Warning, Thirsty bitch under the cut

💙💙💙💙💙💙💙

I'm in a dojo.

None that I recognize.

It's dark and quiet.

There's a whole bunch of plants - mainly bonsai- lining the walls on scattered shelves.

It's incredibly peaceful.

As I'm spinning in place to see the rest of the room I've jumped to, I see him.

Sitting with his back to me, in deep meditation.

Quietly I walk to him, thinking I'm being sneaky, but his hand whips out and grabs my wrist and with a sudden yank I'm in his lap.

“You're not where you're supposed to be, Ma Reine,” Basilio hums into my ear. His lips find mine immediately, and I can't help the moan that follows my surprised gasp.

The kiss isn't nearly as long as I want it to be, so when he pulls back from it, I end up chasing him for more.

He lets out a low chuckle and places a few sweet kisses on my needy lips.

“Where am I supposed to be?” I ask, still trying to get him to kiss me.

He's all smiles as he kisses me everywhere but my lips. “With the other three. Today was my solitary day,” he tells me. 

I pull back and give him a sobered look of concern.

“It's required by dad,” he says, “I have exactly zero issues with you popping in on me,” he tells me before I can even spiral into my anxious guilt. His hand finds the back of my head as it tangles through my hair, pulling my lips to his for one of those kisses.

God I just.

No brain activity.

Just pure feelings.

“So,” he says, breaking the kiss, “why me?”

I feel my body flush with hot adrenaline as I blush from head to toe.

Thank God it's dark in here.

He snickers, “You look like I just caught you reading my diary. Fess up,” he teases with a poke to my side.

I squirm a bit, bringing my hands to my face, embarrassed about how I'm going to present this.

“I've been thinking about you all day,” I say quietly.

He moves my hands to reveal a single raised brow ridge and a smug smirk.

“Oh?” he asks, his eyes searching my face until they fall to my lips, where they stay and wait for my response.

*gulp*

I know if I open my mouth I’m going to embarrass myself further so I just nod, instead.

“I thought about you all day too…” He confesses, with a flirty wink. “So tell me,” he says, while moving so suddenly I don’t realize I’m on my back and pinned under him until it’s too late. “What kind of thoughts… were you having?”

There’s no escaping him.

I mean, this is Basilio we’re talking about.

So instead I close my eyes and get it over with, “Thirsty ones,” I admit.

I feel his warm breath in my ear, “Why are you embarrassed? I’ve been having thirsty dreams about you for years,” he purrs, before his lips make real estate down my neck.

“Not dreams…” I let out a pleasurable gasp when his open mouth leaves a love mark on his descent. “Active… uhm… actively thinking,” I get out through some heavy breathing.

“I didn’t say mine happened while I was asleep. They were a conscious decision. And I enjoyed every second of them.” He’s so matter-of-fact about it, I end up squeezing him between my thighs, because oh. My. God. 

“You gonna share, so I can make your dreams come true, Ma Reine?” He purrs between kisses that are making me thirstier. The kisses are everywhere but my mouth.

His self-control is killing me.

💙💙💙💙💙💙

Hope you enjoyed the snippet! You can Find out more about Basilio HERE

Again, Thank you so much for asking me some questions! I love doing these!

Questions are from this post HERE for anyone else who may want to use it or to ask more questions!

~tags for the sneak peek~

@leosgirl82 @leoandraphssoulmate @eveandtheturtles @ninjaintheshadow @replicasey @scholastic-dragon @justalotoffanfiction @meowph-132

[aces-and-angels]

Title: Not My Birthday

A/N: what the hell is up, gang? i've been dying to share this one with y'all for weeks and now it's finally here 🎊🎊🎊 please enjoy the thing that's been plaguing my very being for hours on end 🖤 @choicesficwriterscreations

p.s. a big thank you to @noesapphic for helping me out with some of the spanish dialogue

Characters: Xiomara Calloway (oc: @a-cloud-for-dreams), Ryan Cortazar, Amalia de León (oc: @itlivesproject), Beau McGraw, Enid Mendoza, Cameron Rose, Tommy Rose, Gigi Sinclair, Martin Vanderweil, Wind Velez (oc: @oh-so-youre-a-nerd)

Pairing(s): Martin x Wind (not yet official), Gigi x Xiomara

Summary: Set sometime before Magnus gets hired; Wind does their best to get through another birthday.

Content Warning(s): brief mention of blood, language, childhood trauma

Word Count: 3.9K

read below cut or...

AO3 LINK

---

McGraw Byrne, morning…

It’s just a day. A set of numbers written in the margin. Zero three zero two. Yet Wind’s calendar remains flipped to February, its page marked with thick black lines crossing off each date. What they’d give to be able to take a sharpie to the day and scribble it out entirely. But they can’t- not for another 14 hours and 32 minutes. Not like they’re counting or anything. 

Amalia saves them first. 

“Mx. Velez, I know you’re busy with that case for Landon, but can you-”

“Yes,” they say all too quickly. 

Amalia blinks, perplexed by their eagerness. “You don’t even know what I’m about to ask for yet.” 

“Does that matter? You know I’d do anything for one of my favorite paralegals.” Their desperate need for distraction aside, the sentiment was sincere. Without Amalia, completing any case would be nearly impossible. 

“Wasn’t fishing for compliments, but I’ll take it,” she breathes with a hint of a smirk tugging at her lip. “Hopefully, you’ll still hold that sentiment after this conversation.”

“Pretty sure I will. What can I help you with?” 

“It’s a bit… Es una tontería, de verdad,” she warns, absently toying with the hem of her wine red blazer. 

Noticing her nerves, Wind pushes their notebook aside. “Amalia, no te preocupes, puedes decirme lo que pasa.” 

The warmth and reassurance in their tone do something to soothe her nerves, as her hand noticeably stills. “Mr. Vanderweil tasked me with redacting these documents yesterday. Simple, right?”

They nod along to her story. “I’d say so.”

“I thought so too, but then I had an issue with loading the PDFs on my computer, so I…” she pauses, sucking in a breath. “I took an alternative approach.”

“What kind of approach?” 

“Converting all the files to Word docs so I could highlight all the info in black instead of contacting IT like I should have.” Her words fly out of her mouth faster than she can speak, jumbling into a mess of syllables they barely manage to catch. But they do- and oh, how their stomach plummets to the floor. 

Panic cracks through the otherwise calm demeanor they’ve maintained thus far. “Amalia-” 

“I know- I know,” she laments, rushing up to the foot of their desk. “Ryan already told me how wrong that was half an hour ago, which is why I haven’t uploaded anything yet.”

“Oh, thank God,” they sigh, visibly slumping into their chair. “This’ll be easy to fix then.”

“Except it won’t be because Mr. Vanderweil wanted this done before the partner meeting, and he’ll definitely chew me out when he learns that it isn’t.” Whatever nerves were kept at bay came rushing back in full force. Amalia began pacing, her heels scuffing up the floors beneath her with every anxious step. “This is the easiest thing to do, and I found a way to mess it up. It’s no question- I’m gonna get fired. And what respectable law school is going to accept someone who can’t even-” 

Wind jumps from their seat to block her path. Their hands fly to her shoulders, stopping her in place with a firm grip. “Amalia,” they say gently, careful not to agitate her any further. Her dark brown eyes dart around the room, desperate to cling onto something- anything. Wind squeezes her once, steadying her frenzied gaze at them. “Inhala. Exhala.” So that’s what they do. They breathe.

In and out. 

In and out. 

Inhala. Exhala. 

Eventually, the dust settles and Wind’s arms fall back to their sides. “Better?” 

She nods. “Better.”

“Good. Now, how much work do you have left?”

“I managed to fix around half of what Mr. Vanderweil sent me, but there’s still over a hundred pages left to deal with.” 

The wheels in their head spin, formulating a plan. “Okay- here's what we'll do. Forward the files to me. I'll take the first 50 or so, you get the rest. Can Ryan pitch in? That would really speed things up.”

“He’s tied up with logging discovery for Ms. Tanaka. That’s why I came to you,” she grimaces. 

“That's fine. We’ll manage on our own.” 

“Are you sure? Even with help, it'll take some time.” 

The honest answer was that they weren’t. Meetings at McGraw Byrne are notorious for being pushed up at the drop of a hat. There’s no guarantee Martin wouldn’t decide to do just that; he certainly flaunted his authority to do so around the office enough. But Wind knew one thing: they can’t cross today out, but they can redact a few dozen documents. And that was enough. “Positive. Hand the files over- we've got work to do.”

—

It’s a tricky thing- pretending to be fine. Until it isn’t. Their smile is a reflex. Their lies, sweet little things, mask the bitter truth buried deep inside them. It’s almost scary how easy it’s become. 

Almost. 

Gigi nearly crushes them next. 

It starts with a playful hip check by the break room counter. Nothing more than a soft bump that Wind returns as a greeting. “You avoiding me, Velez?” 

“Of course not,” they reply automatically. Not on purpose. 

“Then why is this the first time I've seen you all day?”

The corners of Wind’s mouth pull upwards. “You’re exaggerating. Our offices are across from each other, glass windows and all.”

Gigi scoffs, a fond yet exasperated look on her face. “You know what I mean. How much work did Martin stick you with?” 

Actually, he didn't. I asked for more. And I would've stayed in my office, but I physically can’t ignore the gurgling in my stomach with paperwork anymore. “Not much, really. Guess it’s just been one of those days.” There’s a part of them- the smallest, stupidest part- that wishes she, or anyone, could see through their cheery disposition. Lift the mask they’ve clutched onto for years. 

It’s a hollow victory when she doesn’t. 

“Tell me about it. Linda roped me into working on this painfully boring property dispute,” she complains. 

“Think of it this way: maybe the land is haunted.” They wiggle their fingers spookily, throwing in a few ‘oo’s and ah’s’ for good measure.  

“That would explain the urge to blow my brains out anytime I redraft these contracts.”

“Poor little Millie. She’s just trying to protect her property from the grave.”

Gigi stifles a laugh. “Millie?” 

“Judging me only angers her spirit,” they retort, their own bout of laughter bubbling to the surface. A moment of silence passes between them before they both lose their resolve, dissolving into a fit of giggles. 

“Whew, I needed that,” Gigi says, still chuckling. 

They take a bow. “I’ll be here all week.” 

“Perfect- just enough time for you to join me for lunch.”

“You’re shameless.” Despite their light ribbing, they still take a seat at the nearest table and begin to unpack their own lunch. A small break can’t hurt, right? 

“I just prefer to have some entertainment with my lasagna,” she corrects in a light, teasing voice. 

“You made lasagna?” 

“Xo made lasagna. She's been cooking a lot more since her show wrapped.” The glow on her face at the mere mention of her wife is undeniable. 

“Seems like you’re enjoying a lot more than her cooking lately,” they grin suggestively. 

Her daze sharpens into a challenging glint in her eye, her smirk unwavering. “So what if I am?” 

They raise their hands in surrender. “Then good for you, boo.” 

“Mm, that’s what I thought,” she hums triumphantly as she walks over to the fridge. “Seriously, you’ve got to try some. It’s- oh damn it.”

“What is it?”

Gigi pulls out a large pink box and sets it on the table, slightly miffed. “Beau’s leftover birthday cake knocked over my containers. I told him no one but him likes coconut.”

Wind’s pulse quickened. It’s fine. You’re fine. “It wasn’t that bad.”

“How would you know? You couldn’t eat any because you’re allergic to coconut.” 

They shrug. “It looked pretty.”

“Last time I let a man plan an event. I don’t care if it’s his birthday,” she mutters, more to herself than at them- too occupied with reconstructing her toppled lasagna with a pair of plastic forks. Wind turns their attention to their own lunch, a heaping portion of arroz con pollo, hoping to swallow down their bout of birthday-induced anxiety with each savory bite. It almost works. 

They’re mid-bite when Gigi unknowingly moves in for the kill. 

“I’ve decided,” she announces, sliding into the seat across from them. 

“Hm?” It’s all they can manage to say with a mouthful of rice. 

“I’m putting myself in charge of all birthday parties at the firm from here on out. Who better to plan a party than a party-lover like moi?” She cuts a piece of her lasagna with the side of her fork, still talking animatedly. “Ooh, I can start a group chat to organize any after-work festivities-”

“Mhm,” they hum along, trying to ignore the lump forming in their throat. It’s fine. You’re fine. Their eyes fixate on the grains of rice stuck to their spoon. Three on the front. Two on the back. Three on the front. Two on the back. Three on- 

“Wind? You still with me, boo?” 

Their head snaps up, only realizing now that they had tuned out their friend. “Sorry- can you repeat that? I zoned out.”

Another smile. Another lie. But it’s enough.

“I asked what kind of cake you like,” Gigi repeats. 

“Oh- uh… I’m fine with anything, really. As long as it’s not coconut for obvious reasons.” 

“C’mon, everyone has a favorite. Lemmie guess, you’re a cheesecake girl, aren’t you? No wait- red velvet.” 

They force out a chuckle. “You got me. I love a good red velvet.” 

Gigi’s eyes narrow, assessing them like she would a witness on trial. “You’re just being nice, aren’t you?”

“I-I’m not! I really love red velvet,” they reassure her, but to no avail. She only shakes her head, leaning back into her chair. 

“I’ll figure you out eventually, Velez. Cake preference is a science. And I just so happen to be a mad scientist.” 

“You really don’t have to put that much effort into this, Gi.”

“The hell I don’t! There’s no way I’m going to plan a subpar birthday party for one of my best friends. When is your birthday anyways? Before you judge me for not knowing, I did try. I just couldn’t find it listed on any of your socials.” 

Her determination in any other context would flood their chest with a friendly warmth. But now it pierces through their ribcage, sending their heart into an unwanted frenzy- its beat pounding in their ears. 

It’s fine. You’re fine. 

It’s fine. You’re fine. 

It’s fine. You’re-

It’s-

They stand abruptly, the chair behind them screeching against the floorboards. “I need to go.” 

Gigi glances down, concern etching onto her features. “But you’ve barely eaten anything.”

“There’s a call I’m expecting from one of my clients. Can’t miss it,” they explain, hastily packing away their food. “Let’s catch up later, yeah?”

Another smile. Another lie. But this time, they don’t stick around long enough to know if it’s enough. 

—

Calm. They need to stay calm. Yet the air grows thinner and thinner until Wind is gasping, pulling at their collar in a feeble attempt to ease the tightness coiling around their throat. Everything is too loud. Too bright. Too exposed. 

On their first day at McGraw Byrne, Wind marveled at the grandness of it all. How its name glimmered as rays of golden light shone through the floor to ceiling windows, hitting the platinum just right. How every hallway felt like a brand new world waiting to be explored. But now? Now there is no glimmer. No hallways left to be discovered. Only a crushing weight resting atop their chest.

Forget calm. They need to hide.

Wind shuts the door behind them, then the blinds to their windows. It’s a small shield, so they strengthen their armor. Soft, pillowy cushions cover their ears, silencing the wars raging outside. A dark quiet descends over them. Not quite calm, but numb. Numb lets them breathe. Slow their tired, weary heart from running rampant. Here, underneath a cherry wood desk, they can rest.    

—

The thing about a closed door is that it can always be opened.

So Martin does just that. 

He strides in without any warning, preoccupied with typing out a quick response to yet another email, all while hoping to find a certain report waiting in his inbox. “Velez, I need an update on Landon.” Three more notifications- nothing of any true significance, but it gains his attention nonetheless. 

Eyes glued to the screen, Martin doesn’t register the empty office chair in front of him. “I don’t have all day,” he huffs out, already bracing himself for whatever teasing remark Wind has in store for him. But none come. To his surprise, instead of a toothy grin, he sees a pair of pink heels carelessly kicked off to the side. 

Martin pockets his phone and takes a cautious step forward. “Velez?” 

A pitiful sniffle, amplified by the stillness of the room, hits his ears, freezing him in place. Part of him weighs the merits behind turning around. Then he hears it again- that sorrowful hitch in Wind’s breath- and before he even realizes it, he is by their side. 

Months of working alongside each other allowed Martin to experience the many sides of Wind. Infuriatingly righteous. Overly-energetic. Perplexingly kind. Wind got under his skin- crept inside and made it impossible to stay away. None of that prepared him to witness them like this- curled up underneath their desk, unwilling to even look at him. 

At a loss, he simply asks, “What are you doing down there?” 

A few harrowing seconds pass before they mumble a reply. “Hiding.”

“From whom?” 

“Just… from today.” 

Martin hums in acknowledgement, unsure how to take that answer. “How long have you been hiding?” They give a weak shrug. “Can you at least tell me why?” He waits, more than he should’ve, then sighs. “Go home, Velez.”

Wind snaps their head up. “W-what?”

“I said go home.”

“Y-you… you can’t do that!” 

“I can and I am. Clearly, you’re incapable of-”

“-I’m plenty capable-”

“-You’re under a table.” He chooses not to mention the redness in their eyes or how they shine with unshed tears.

“I- I can…” Wind sputters, their voice no higher than a whisper, “I can do it.” 

“I’d have an easier time believing that if you weren’t mid-cower.”  

“I’m not-” Martin cocks his eyebrow, effectively killing their argument. “This isn’t any of your concern. So just leave me be.” 

“Not my concern?” he scoffs, almost in disbelief. “As your supervisor, I’d have to firmly disagree. I’m responsible for your successes and your screw ups. And I work very hard to mitigate the latter. So, I’m asking you again. What’s this about?”

“It’s… personal.” Martin folds his arms, indicating them to elaborate. But much to his dismay, they don’t. He peers down at them, searching for something. The infuriatingly righteous. The overly-energetic. The perplexingly kind. Something he can work with. It’s surprisingly disappointing when his search comes up as empty as Wind’s chair. 

“Send whatever you have on Landon to Aislinn. She’ll be taking point for the remainder of this case.” 

“But-”

“Save your breath, Velez. You can sort out whatever it is you’re dealing with now or never. I don’t care. You just can’t be here.” 

—

Wind trods through the city past several storefronts and food carts, crestfallen. Their aimless journey eventually leads them to a random dive bar- the perfect location to get good and drunk. Its unassuming exterior paled in comparison to its rich interior. Spacious, yet cozy. 

An unoccupied podium greets them at the entrance. “Hello?” Their voice travels beyond the stacked chairs and strings of exposed lightbulbs casting a golden glow over the room. A few minutes go by before they try calling out again. “Hi, are y’all open?” 

They venture further inside, ignoring the big, bold letters indicating patrons to ‘please wait to be seated.’ A plethora of memories line its walls. Polaroids of patrons captured in various states of inebriation- all in good fun, they figure. Along with those are news clippings throughout the years, most of which feature the NYPD in some capacity.

“I bought every copy of that issue.” Wind yelps, coming face to face with an older man. The faint lines on his bronze skin deepen as his face stretches into a friendly smile. He points at one of the officers pictured. “This one’s my niece, Cameron.”

They take a closer look at the photo. Despite its grainy quality, Wind can see the resemblance between the two. Same brown eyes. Same round nose. Her skin, however, is about three shades darker than her uncle’s. Youthful. “She looks beautiful.”

“I like to think so,” he says, pride beaming from his features. “She’s always begging me to take this one down, but I can’t bring myself to do it. Ya only graduate from the academy once, y’know?”

They nod politely. “Sorry for walkin’ in like this.”

“The sign’s flipped to open, even if we don’t look like it,” he chuckles. “Grab a seat, I’ll be right with ya.” Wind slides into an empty bar stool while he makes his way behind the counter. After rummaging through a few drawers, he pulls out a menu. “Ha! I knew I kept a few back here.”

“Thank you.” They skim through the appetizers, not retaining much. 

“I promise, if ya catch us during our peak hours, we’re more lively. Anyways, welcome to The Drunk Tank. I’m Tommy- owner, bartender, and your server for today. Most of our food items won’t be available till our cook arrives, but I can try to whip up something simple if you’d like.” 

“That’s alright. I only came in for a drink.” 

“Perfect. What’s your poison?”

“Whatever’s strongest. Neat,” they answer flatly.

Understanding flashes through Tommy’s face. He works with silent precision, pouring a long stream of amber liquor into a glass. “Here ya go. Spirits to lift the spirit.” 

Wind raises their drink to him before throwing it back in one gulp. The burn is immediate, slithering down to their chest and warming them from within. “Hah,” they wince, wiping the stray droplets from their chin. “I’ll have another.”

Tommy’s eyebrows jump, unable to conceal his shock, but he complies and slides over another shot. It goes down just as quickly. This process repeats two more times before he finally pulls the plug. “Why don’t we pace ourselves for a bit? Happy hour doesn’t start for another thirty minutes. Save yourself a few bucks.” 

“Money’s not an issue,” they say, their words slightly slurred. 

“Alright, I’ll level with ya. I’m not as concerned about your wallet as I am about any ‘accidents’ I may need to clean up.” 

They huff out a hollow laugh. “I can hold my liquor, promise.” 

“Just indulge me and drink some water.” 

“Fine,” they grumble, taking a tentative sip from a much taller glass.

“Ya wanna talk about it?” 

“Huh?” 

“Ya wanna talk?”

“About what?”

“Anything. The weather- the Yankees- oh, I can show ya my collection of wine corks.” 

“That’s… okay.” They gulp down the rest of their water, casting a hopeful glance at him, then at their empty shot glass. 

He purses their lips, thinking. “Tell ya what- I’ll pour another shot if ya tell me one thing about yourself.” 

Their eyes narrow at his deal, but his face remains steady. Fine, they can play along for now. “My name’s Wind.”

A quiet grin spreads on his face. “I was hoping to hear about a hobby or something.”

“A deal’s a deal.” 

Tommy raises his hands in surrender. “That it is.” He serves another shot, which doesn’t last very long. “I like baseball, if ya couldn’t tell,” he jokes, gesturing to the several pieces of baseball memorabilia displayed.

“You play?”

His belly shakes with laughter. “Not well, I’m afraid. My ol’ man still put me in Little League, though, right next to my brother. I was one hell of a benchwarmer.” 

“How ‘bout your brother?”

“Oh, that asshole? He was a mini prodigy. Bastard went on to play varsity. Won the state championship and everything.” Despite his light, jovial tone, Wind notices the distant look in his eyes. 

“... And now?”

There’s a brief pause before he answers. “He doesn't play much of anything anymore.”

“What happened?”

His lip twitches upward with a smile that’s not all there. Dimmer than the one he first met them with.  “I’ll need a few drinks before ya pull that story outta me.” 

“Sorry,” they apologize quickly, “I didn’t-”

“No- you’re fine. Just felt like talking ‘s all.” He busies himself by wiping down the bar with a towel. “Ya don’t need to tell me anything, but a word to the wise: it feels a helluva lot better when you finally let it all out.”  

Wind stares at him, their thoughts- all the pain, anger, and confusion threatening to spill out of them like a faucet. Kind brown eyes stare back with a patience that says, ‘Everything’s gonna be alright,’ without uttering a word. “Well, I-” 

“Pop some champagne, Tito. I just got promoted!” They both startle in place. A woman strolls up to the bar, carrying a faint scent of ginger and citrus as she approaches. Wind’s eyes immediately flick to the golden snake adorning her neck, drawn by its intimidating beauty.

“Nini! That’s wonderful,” Tommy rejoices, clapping her on the shoulder like an old friend.

“I know. Now, where’s that champagne?”

“Hold on, I’ve got some in the back.” He moves to grab a bottle, but stops in his tracks when he sees them. “Oh- I’m sorry, Wind. You were about to say something.” 

They shake their head. “No- actually, I should head out.” 

“Stay for the toast at least.”

“Are you serious?” the woman complains.

“Yes,” Tommy hisses at her underneath his breath, which to Wind’s surprise, is all it takes for her to stand down.

“Alright,” she concedes, peering at them through her curled lashes. “Enjoy it, blondie. I’m usually not this generous, but today is a celebration. Consider it an early birthday gift.” 

Their body seizes up. “What?”

“Or a late one. Not like I’d know the difference anyway. It’s no cake, but it’ll do.”

Glass shatters. A cacophony of shrieks and curses follows. Wind registers nothing- lost to fragments from the past. Their senses recall the piercing sound of their baby brother’s inconsolable wails. The desperation in their father’s pleas. They remember the cool tile on their knees- how sticky their tiny fingers became with pink frosting as they tried to push chunks of uneaten cake back together, ignoring the shards of fine china mixed throughout. All the while, their mother’s broken voice pounds within their ears. A haunting chant they can never forget. 

“No puedo más- no puedo más- no puedo más-”

“Ya alright, pal?” Tommy’s worry warbles through their nightmarish haze. 

“This fucking idiot got glass everywhere.”

“Ay, Nini- just grab the broom. It’s in the back. Oh- and the first aid kit.” 

First aid kit? They glance down- mortified by the crimson stains on their sleeves. “Oh God-” 

“Hey, take it easy-”

“NO-” Their sudden outburst sends them back several feet. “I- I need to- I need to go.”

“Hold on-”

Tommy’s words fall on deaf ears, or rather, no ears. They’re gone in a flash. No warning. No goodbye.

Just like Mamá.

---

tag list: @choicesmc, @win-chan, @brycesgirl, @stars-are-within-me, @inlocusmads

[adracat]

yes, hello. I’d like to attack you with unrelenting happiness for the next few minutes of your time. it’s a feedback loop originating from and re-projecting back to you.

first of all, seeing your deconstructions after stumbling upon your ao3 makes me regret missing out on the live updates from you and the community here (aniwave comments are dogshit)

thank you for your posts. they let me think critically about and appreciate g-witch that much more from novel analysis perspectives. reading back a bit, especially to your take on scenes such as ep10’s communication clear up, and seeing these pieces given the gravity and respect they deserve, is taking the bite off of the series’ conclusion.

speaking of treating the sulemio shaped hole in the networks from now on, a red tempest is the kind of fic one wishes they could distill and take intravenously at maximum drip.

it won’t be for everyone, and you think law of causality is your best (haven’t read it yet), but it feels like you’re writing professional grade work just for me with how it seemingly doesn’t miss or waste a line. you present a tight ship regardless of whether that’s how you run it. the story feels compact and layer woven yet flows along seamlessly and with that wonderful sense of OC unlimited potential, dropping shadows here and there but keeping me fully on my toes. still in the rising action, but hopefully multiple full arcs…? (worth!)

the spots of canon that you spun into a universe feel weighted, alive with the way your voice gives an inherent gravitas even to small supporting details, and nothing is more alive than your characters.

you do them so well, it’s impossible to stress enough. regardless of where they’re going in the future, where you’ve had them come from and be is so genuine and, in most cases, compliant/paying close homage in their personalities. your dialogue is a breath of life. eri and chuchu particularly, and prospera especially.

there are small things that are subtle like suletta being a bit less anxious at the start, and there are larger things that are less subtle like all of prospera— yours of whom I love— but everything’s working believably and in sync as you craft this beautiful story. my only complaint is that I think the next release is gonna be a sulemio heavy chapter during the job’s sudden distress, and it isn’t this weekend’s release date yet.

there’s a lot else, like the many juxtapositions, the slow burn, and other emotional/literary devices, but while I’ve already spent too long trying to put just this much of a review/praise bomb together, I’ve gotta jaw on a bit more about your fantastic perspective work with clear voices for each heroine. it’s so exciting getting into the younger couple’s heads when it comes to each other. you’re probably going to slaughter me with elnora and notrette, but ch11’s suletta and mio are already doing it with their pining.

thank you. it’s a joy and a pleasure. I hope to read you for a long time to come. I’d ask to share some of your brain chemicals, but reading the product makes mine just as happy. I hope that means we share a brain cell; then I could rise and meet the caliber. o7

That’s so sweet of you! And absolutely; sending you spiritual braincells 🤗 I put a wealth of thought into all my works but something about Sulemio and Prospera✨ sends my brain into overdrive. Law of Causality and A Red Tempest are passion driven works that I’m happy to share with likeminded people. If you ever do decide to give AASB and its sister works a try you may find interesting connections. ART is a bit of a spiritual sequel in a way. Though admittedly ART Prospera may be a rascally devil but is intentionally more likable than LoC ‘Prospera’. I decided to make her pathetic in ART for funsies 👏

Thanks so much for the kind words ❤️Encouragement gives me wings to confidently move forward—just like our merry cast!

[celestie0]

i've always wondered have you ever given the y/n in your fics a personality description? like everything about her just ties the whole story together yet the reader can actually, embody her in some way?? that's one of the things that makes your writing so enjoyable to read and i've always wondered if you see yourself in her when u write ;

IDK HOW TO EXPLAIN IT BUT i hope u know what i mean 💔💔

love u loads btw you're like my comfort writer as we speak

GASP i have neverrr actually, i dont think i’ve formally sat down n really given any of my characters personality descriptions i just kinda have a vibe of them in my head haha but this has intrigued me 🤔 I KINDA WANNA MAKE EM NOW!!! (i hope this is what u mean by character descriptions btw hahah)

kickoff reader.

i think she is a little self conscious at times, easily affected by things going on in her life, definitely tries to bite off more than she can chew, and she’s an anxious avoidant until she can’t take it anymore and becomes overtly confrontational instead alskdjdh i think this can be seen in the way she confesses to gojo, in her interactions w kai, and then also her turning down the newsletter job before she realized it was actually a good opportunity, etc etc. when i write for her, i kinda wanna give the vibe of tired college student that has a lot going on in her head n in her heart, but she’s slowly starting to learn to live again and is looking forward to life after college (aka me all of my senior year loool) i think she has a pretty neutral personality overall :0

in holy matriphony reader.

omg i haven’t written much for ihm reader yet but i already ADORE her so so so much based on what i’ve got planned for the series, and i think i understand her the most of the oc’s i’ve made. she is someone that gets crazy tunnel vision, can only really focus on one thing at a time, often neglects her other responsibilities if it means getting The Main One done, she is hella jaded because of all the financial stress, work stress and caretaking stress which means she doesn’t have much of a filter anymore, she’s very cynical and pessimistic and easily irritated and prideful BUT…..deep down she’s a huge softie and is actually very self aware of her flaws n just really wants to get better but she just can’t find a moment to breathe…im gonna enjoy writing for her bc i think she’ll come off irrational and a bit over the top at times, but in those soft moments, she’ll be very down to earth :)

in another life reader.

aww i haven’t had too much written for ial reader yet, but in my head i picture her as a veeeery soft spoken, sweet natured woman in her older age (she’s engaged to nanami, who i imagine has mellowed her out in comparison to when she dated bad boy choso lol), idk i think she’s kind of basic 😭 not that that’s a bad thing at all, i kinda wanted that dynamic of crazy rock star lifestyle choso mixed w simple lifestyle reader (for when they meet again later in life). when she was younger, she was highly impressionable, often thought she was more mature than she actually was, n loves veeeerryy deeply, so much so to where old scars hurt even after years and years. i think she always tries to do the right thing, but bc of her conflicting emotions, she has the capacity to cause a lot of hurt

AHH idk this is just the vibe i get from them or try to encapsulate while i write them, and i also totally think readers can have diff interpretations of them than me and still be accurate about it (idk as the author i don’t feel like i even know everything ab my own stories sldkdjdh at times i feel some of my readers know more than me haha)

i think kickoff reader is the most confusing in my head, but i like it that way because i suppose she’s the youngest and she’s in college and it makes sense for her since she’s figuring herself out

i definitely do see myself in all of them!! i have certain attributes i share n some that i don’t. for example i don’t think i’m as brave as kickoff reader (to pursue passions or confess to a boy so brazenly or slap tf outta someone at a bar LOL) and i don’t think i’m as crass or no-filter as ihm reader for example, but i definitely relate to certain aspects like the tunnel vision, anxious avoidance, and stuff like that!! but i still try to make them their own characters i suppose, but it really depends on how i want their personalities to mesh w the love interest as well

GOSH THIS IS A LONG FUCKIN ANSWER MY BAD i was just so intrigued by this ask xD i’m soooo sososoossooo happy to be your comfort writer and that you enjoy my works 🥺💕you guys keep my passion alive n i’m always so grateful for you all <33 have a wonderful day/night!! 🧚‍♀️✨ilyy

[esta-elavaris]

Flufftober Day 21: Swoon ~ James Norrington/OC [1,414 words]

My Flufftober '23 masterpost can be found here, and my behemoth of a main fic about these two is here 💜✨

Notes: So the storyline I’m building here is kind of referenced in the “Playing With Hair” Christmas fill, in which Theo expresses a bit of insecurity over not being the typical wife a man would seek in this time period. The "problem" (as she sees it) is shown from James’ POV here, and then we get the conclusion of it on the fill for day 30. It’s not exactly a high-stakes action-packed plotline or anything, but it’s just a continuing theme that’ll work best when you have all parts – so if things feel a bit vague or like there should be more here, it’s because there should, and there will be, on day thirty.

Governor Swann insisted on granting them the use of his London home for the duration of their time in the south of England, and while James had been reluctant to agree – a reservation Theodora shared – for a grand townhouse brimming with servants hardly seemed to lend itself to the kind of privacy and solace they sought on this honeymoon of theirs, he could not pretend he was not happy for it when they arrived. Mostly because it meant large hot baths and lavish meals with delightfully little effort.

Of course, it also lended itself rather nicely to their goal. To schmooze London’s high society, acquire further backing and connections for Norne Maritime Protection, and – perhaps most importantly – to show those here that, whatever the rumours drifting out of the Caribbean, he and his wife were of the good sort, and simply could not have acted wrongly in what occurred, nor brought it down upon themselves in any way. The latter goal was rather the trickier one. And Theodora was anxious.

She hid it, of course, even from him. When he asked if she’d been in London before (or, well, after – technically), she murmured the affirmative, along with expressing doubts that she would be able to snag Lion King tickets this time round. James, by that point, confessed himself an expert on discerning when she joked from true levity, and when it came from discomfort, and he knew that to be the product of the latter. And who could blame her? Those gathered in Port Royal had not been particularly kind to her – writing her off as a feral creature, perhaps somewhat soft in the head, who possessed just enough beauty and feminine wiles both to somehow ensnare him along the way. They did not see that he was the lucky one in the equation because they simply did not want to see it.

But her arrival in London was somewhat smoother than the way she’d been catapulted into their lives in Port Royal, she was used to this time now…and they were a team. This would be different. He had faith in that, and in her. Always in her.  Not just because she was charming, but because she was clever. Before there was full transparency between the two of them, he’d sometimes been half-tempted to regret that cleverness. Usually for fear of her safety. But now? Now he was free to be thrilled by it at all times.

For she did know how to play a good game.

On the first night they were set to host, she came downstairs bedecked in a gown of soft light floral fabric, contrasting the darker, bolder colours she usually favoured. Her hair was bound up with only a few soft curls left about her neck, white porcelain flowers set amidst the deep red of her hair and a string of pearls about her throat. Beautiful, she looked – beautiful she always was – but not like herself. None here would look at her and guess she was playing role. None here could look at her and possibly think that any of the rumours surrounding her were true. He allowed that fact to ease his sadness at how she clearly thought she had to hide herself to make a good impression.

Save, perhaps, for when it came to the white glove on her right hand, hiding nails that had not yet properly grown back. She hid it where she could – betwixt her skirts, behind her back, beneath anything she held – and when she was asked about it, she grumbled something about looking like Michael Jackson. Given that James had never heard of such a fellow, he could neither support nor reject her conclusion. But he wished he could ease her nerves.

James himself did not consider him adept at people-ing, as Theodora had once referred to it with great distaste. Oftentimes he was perceived as too serious, too dour, too unable to loosen up and give into revelry. He’d just been rather lucky in that all of those things were fine for a man and a soldier to be. But a hysterical once-tortured woman who was either a witch, mad, or both? Those were heavier burdens to bear for his wife. Judging by the pale cast of her face as they waited to make their first impressions on potential backers, she was keenly aware of that.

So James said the only thing he could think to – lowering his head as he heard the butler let the first of the guests in and murmuring to her.

“Ireland, after this.”

And it gladdened him to see that it cheered her.

When all had arrived, James was certain none would be able to guess at the doubt and trepidation that had shown on his wife’s face just before they’d walked in – at which time she’d straightened, offered one of those brilliantly warm grins of hers, and greeted them as though they were old friends.

She was not quite herself – more subdued even down to her accent – but none were at social events such as these, James himself included. And she was candid, warm, and lovely. That was all Theodora. He soon found that whenever he looked to her to see how she was faring, he had difficulty looking away. Even those who had arrived with a blatant nose to find gossip would share looks with one another as though surprised to find her qualities so abundant.

It had been difficult not to smile his pride at that. To know that not only did others finally see his wife as he did – others who were not pirates, at least – and to see that he had somehow managed to win the hand of such a woman. He couldn’t help but think of all the many times his wife had set those piercing eyes of hers upon him before proclaiming herself very lucky, laughing at the thought that she truly had no idea that he was the lucky one.

The door closed behind the last of the guests, Theodora’s shoulders dropped and she sighed her relief. James’ hand found the small of her back, entirely sharing in the sentiment she’d so silently expressed.

“Nightcap?” she turned a tired smile in his direction, leading him back to the drawing room.

James was not content to allow her to brush off her victory so readily.

“You’re a force of nature, do you know that?” he asked as she poured them a drink each.

“Oh, har-har,” she snorted fondly.

“Lady Montague made no less than three further appointments to see you while we remain in London,” he pointed out, pulling her to sit with him once their glasses were in hand.

“She was kind. And her husband liked you.”

“They liked you. They liked us. They’re backing us, Lord Montague as good as said so tonight - already. In part because of my very charming wife.”

Her eyes lit up at the first part, but at the second she rolled her eyes – albeit kindly – steadfastly refusing to believe that she might be greeted with anything other than scorn in “polite” society. It was a defence strategy, he knew that, so she mightn’t care when people – when fools – did dislike her. But it grieved him to see it warping her perception so.

“We found the one crowd in London who find the Irish foundling thing to be a cute novelty rather than an omen of doom, then?”

“Do not discount your victory here, Theodora.”

“Is that an order, husband?”

“On this occasion, I’m afraid it is,” he teased. “I will not hear it. You were magnificent tonight. I very nearly swooned to witness it.”

Another eye roll – but accompanied by a blush. And James was fine with that. He was patient, and he knew their victories would only increase from here. She’d see his point before long. He’d make sure of it.

And until then, he’d marvel at his wife enough for the both of them.

Links: AO3 -- FF.net -- flufftober masterpost -- dividers by cafekitsune

[darth-caillic]

Update!

Sooo hi gang, this may be kind of sudden but I’ve decided to take a break from writing for the whole of January.

Now, what does this mean? I’ll run through some things under the cut real quick:

Why am I taking a break? I’ve been pushing myself really hard when it comes to writing these last few months. I finished Heads Will Roll and the latest part of Force of Nature by the time I wanted to (end of 2023). It’s been good fun, but I think I’m experiencing some genuine burn out right now.

I’ve been trying to start the rewrite of Power of Love or go through final edits for Force of Nature: Book 3, but I keep getting all these anxious thoughts that will not go away. I’ve even hit a roadblock when it comes to brainstorming my Doctor Who OCs.

I’ve concluded that I just need to put it aside for a bit. I wanna spend some time catching up on video games or maybe even some irl painting.

Will I keep updating/posting? I will continue to post the remaining chapters of Heads Will Roll weekly (and the last four chapters will be posted by the end of January anyway).

As for the blogs, I’m not sure. Right now, if I have any edits, art, random thoughts or jokes I wanna share, I’m just gonna save them as drafts until February rolls around. I will also be trying to comment on fics because I’ve really fallen behind on ficmas this year.

Side Note: I'm also gonna try and answer the last few asks in my inbox before I go on break.

And um is there anything else? I dunno, if you have any questions I’ll be happy to answer them, but I’m pretty sure I’ve covered the main points.

I hope you all have a good January.

The New Taglist: Let me know if you want to be removed/added: @bisexualterror @thehedgehogat221b @margoshansons @waterloou @aceyanaheim @jedi-valjean @asirensrage @arrthurpendragon @foxesandmagic @bi-ologistofthehills @sterling-writes @bluejay-in-write

[creature-of-the-stars]

Beyond Fortunate

Read -> here

Vreenak/OC

No warnings. SFW

Summary: Vreenak has been away on a diplomatic mission for almost a month. Once he returns home, he shares a tender reunion with his wife, Eve. A tiny Keep Your Enemies Closer sequel; takes place before the events of Rekkhai.

This little piece was supposed to be my third (and way overdue) installment for SoC, but it was too sweet to make spicy.

Tag list: @starrynightgardens @deepspacedukat @horta-in-charge @emilie786 @indignantlemur @darkmattervibes @wafflingchemist

If you want on this list, let me know!

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+

Vreenak dropped his bags at the door and went in search of his wife. He had a good idea of where he’d find her, most likely babying her plants in the greenhouse he’d built for her, and was pleased when he saw her blurry silhouette through the dewy glass panes. 

The sight of her made the senator stop, standing transfixed as he savored the view. He was beyond fortunate that he could call such a prize his mate, and he told himself so nearly every day. But, though he could have stood there forever and watched her, the anticipation to see and hold his prize pushed him toward the greenhouse door. 

He called out in greeting, making Eve jump in surprise, and she nearly decapitated her delicate Terran orchids (which grew much better in their Romulan home than they ever did on Earth or Deep Space 9) with her shears. She’d been waiting anxiously all day for him to walk through the door, and now that he was cutting a path through the greenery - a good head taller than some of her largest plants - Eve was bursting with excitement. She was poised to run and throw her arms around him when Vreenak stopped before her, his expression morphing into shocked surprise.

“What?” Eve asked and worriedly looked at her apron but only spotted stray bits of dirt, nothing more.

“Nouhha…” Vreenak whispered as he drew near. “ I was gone for less than a month. How have you grown so large already?” 

He stared down at his wife in amazement - his wife, who looked significantly more pregnant than she had when he’d left. Vreenak had been on a diplomatic mission for a few weeks, and while leaving his pregnant mate for so long made him anxious, he tried to remind himself that a month really wasn’t such a long time.

Except now that I see her…leaving was a mistake, he thought and gawked at the exceptionally prominent bulge ballooning out from under his wife’s breasts.

Eve had to laugh. “Well, yes, love. That’s what happens.” She tossed her apron onto the workbench so she wouldn’t get potting soil all over Vreenak’s tunic. “It only takes nine months to bake one of these things. And, now that I’m in my second trimester, I’m only going to get bigger from here.”

Vreenak gingerly palmed the curve of her stomach as if afraid to break something. He could scarcely imagine his lithe wife growing even wider, but he couldn’t deny that the vision appealed to him greatly.

“Setting aside how huge I’ve become,” Eve joked, “How was your trip, love?”

“Too long,” replied Vreenak, crouching down so he was level with his wife’s bump. “I never should have left... I didn’t miss anything important, did I?” He looked up at her sharply, hoping she’d say no. 

This child was his first, perhaps his only, so he was going to be rather distraught if he’d missed out on anything significant. Just knowing that he’d been absent for a handful of his unborn child’s enthusiastic kicks was a jab to his heart. 

“No, no,” Eve reassured him as she played with his hair. “Nothing too exciting. Just back aches and weird cravings.”

Vreenak hummed and pressed his face against Eve’s stomach. He could swear he could hear the fluttering of something - or someone - as they twisted and turned, just beyond Eve’s soft skin. 

Beautiful, he thought lovingly.

It took a few minutes before he could tear himself away, but he did eventually stand and take his wife’s hand. Although Eve didn’t consider seemingly trivial things such as aches and cravings exciting, Vreenak was swimming in regret and was keen to make up for lost time. 

“And what about you?” he asked her. “How have you fared in my absence?”

She looked at him quizzically. “What do you mean? I told you, back aches and cravings.”

“I’m not talking about the baby or the pregnancy, e’lev. How are you ?”

A slow, warm smile spread over Eve’s face, and she was instantly reminded of why she’d fallen in love with her austere senator. Even though the way she’d met her husband had been intense and deadly, she’d willingly agreed to go with him to Romulus, thus turning her back on her career and altering her life forever. For a time, she’d been worried that she may come to regret that decision, but the life Eve had built with Vreenak was more fulfilling than anything she could have imagined. 

Eve smoothed her palms up her husband’s chest and stepped in close, or as close as she could manage, considering the extra person wedged in her belly. “I’m happy, deyhhan. Much happier now that you’re home.”

[twothpaste]

So 👏 pls share your thoughts on Paula and any has you have for her (especially with her family. I’m all for that angst. Especially with how you portrayed her parents)

I love Paula to bits and pieces. After all I've done to develop her, she's probably become my favorite EarthBound party member. Which feels weird to say, 'cause most of the stuff I associate with Paula I made up from almost scratch. The game only provides a handful of tiny character details to extrapolate from, and boy do I strive to get maximum mileage outta them. But reluctant as I am to warp canon characters into OCs, I do reckon that's kinda the point with EarthBound. Itoi wanted to keep the party members vague enough that players could picture their real friends in their places, or dream up their own versions of 'em based on impressions alone. So, alright, Shigesato, sir. I've got yer small town damsel in distress right here.

My Paula's the literary nerd to Jeff's science nerd. Rockin' local accolades and the second highest IQ stat in the party, only makes sense she'd be good in school. Havin' her be clever and bookish is a fun contrast to Ness too, who I imagine is a lovably ditzy C-student. Made her an American literature enthusiast, since EarthBound's all about those anachronistic americana vibes. Made her obsessed with chess, since playing Paula at her best involves a lot of strategic micromanagement on the player's part. Her ruthless glass cannon gameplay, utilizing her unique psychic skills, implies a great confidence in her own talents - but also a secret brittle side. She's delightfully witty and self-assured on the surface, desperately insecure underneath. Anxious to admit how badly she needs supportive friends to help prop her up, 'til she comes to love and trust Ness n' the gang.

It hit me like a truck, right about here, when I realized how easily all of this could stem from her growing up with an overbearing mother.

I initially didn't get much of a read on Mrs. Jones in the game dialogue itself - aside from her bein' kinda rude to Ness once or twice. I've seen several fics & fanart intepretations of Paula having a troubled relationship with her folks (this fic's one of my very favorites!). Love how this kinda thing really gets to the heart of EarthBound's gloomier themes - kids uncovering dark undersides to things that're seemingly benign, and often close to home. I imagine Paula's mom as the kinda parent who's awfully affectionate and supportive at first glance - and genuinely thinks she's doing everything right! But she's actually deeply possessive, in a covert sorta way. She hinges her own self-worth on her daughter's reputation, lives vicariously through Paula's success, needs to prove her merit by bragging about her perfect little angel's straight A's. Hopes to compensate for her own failures and broken dreams (read: law school) by ensuring Paula has a prosperous future (read: rich lawyer) in her stead. Doesn't help that Mrs. Jones is just as relentless as her daughter, and refuses to admit fault for years and years.

Kid Paula, an only child, used to be real close with her mom. Wanted to be just like her, wished for nothing more than to impress her. Only to grow up and realize she's unwittingly inherited all her baggage. She gives herself no leeway for failure, feels as if she's gotta do everything on her own, craves praise but can hardly stomach it. Even the snarky banter I love to cram her dialogue with probably comes from her mother. Paula wears her intellect as a badge of honor 'cause it's one of the few things that earned her mom's favor. Pursues success 'cause she doesn't know any alternative. Holds herself to impossible standards, 'cause she associates mediocrity with unbearable shame.

But like. Like!!! The best thing about Paula isn't that she's smart or talented or an ultra-powerful psychic!! It's that she's a selfless person with a great big heart!! She's the one who prays for everyone's safety, and in so doing defeats the fucking embodiment of all things evil! She's beloved by the preschoolers she cares for! I imagine she helped ease Ness n' Jeff n' Poo through so many homesick meltdowns!! Her sharp attention to detail and experience with kids makes her really adept at noticing others' feelings, and patiently tending to them. Given that her mom's a wreck, she probably gets it from her dad. I think it's funny if he's kind of a pathetic pushover wifeguy, lettin' Mrs. Jones walk all over him n' Paula both. But my headcanon's that starting a preschool was his idea. He's a kind, gentle soul, who does a lot more listening than judging. Someone Paula can go to - though she absolutely loathes to burden him. Ness n' pals help to bring out this softer side of her, and remind her what a great person she really is.

There's a long, grueling period through her teens and early 20's where my Paula notices herself looking and sounding more and more like her mom, and it drives her to tears on regular occasions. Growing more resentful and rebellious. Threatening cut-offs she'll never go through with, doin' things just to spite her. But ultimately, I do imagine there's a prospective future where she gets to reconcile with Mrs. Jones. Probably with dad's help. And lots of words of encouragement from little ol' Ness.

[hb-writes]

It's Fine. I'm Fine.

Summary: Lenny has a fight with her boyfriend and ends up at Billy's door, but he's not home and she's without her key. Though Lenny insists she's fine by the time Billy arrives, he knows better.

Characters: Billy Russo & Lenny Falconio (OC)

Request (from 💜 anon): “Stay there. I’m on my way.” & “I could really use a hug right now.” For The Punisher or Twilight, you choose, pretty please 💜

Content Warnings: mentions of an argument with a partner. I feel like I should also note this series will eventually be a Billy x Lenny story and there's a bit of an age gap (~6 years) between Billy and Len in this AU.

Life As We Know It (The Punisher) Masterlist

Please take a moment to tell me what y'all think! Reviews and comments are always appreciated. 😌❤️

Anvil's second in command continued talking as Billy pulled his eyes away from the computer screen they were sharing. He glanced down at the cellphone buzzing beside him, a familiar smiling face taking up the screen. 

It was late—he had come back to the office to debrief the latest job and to do a quick run through on the strategy for tomorrow’s event, but that would have to wait now. He waved Wilkens out of the office as he swiped to accept the call. 

“Hey, Len,” Billy said, shifting the phone to his ear as Wilkens closed the door behind him. “Everything alright?”

“Are you home?”

“Not yet,” he said. “Everything alright?” 

Lenny hadn’t answered his question the first time around, and a silence stretched on in the wake of his second iteration. A subtle tension prickled through Billy’s limbs as he waited on her to answer, but if Lenny noticed, she didn’t pick up on it, too caught up in her own prickling limbs and anxious thoughts. She had no intention of speaking more than she needed to, not quite sure how to put words to all of it as she swallowed the lump settled in her throat and nodded her head. 

“Len?”

“Yeah?” she mumbled, as if she’d been lost and Billy’s voice had brought her back, as if he had tugged on some kind of tether. 

Lenny had already known Billy wasn’t home. She’d already tried the bell before calling his cell, but it was wishful thinking that somehow he was home and simply hadn’t heard her, wishful thinking that there was nothing more than a locked door and a few rooms between them now. 

“C’mon. Talk to me,” Billy said. He wouldn’t tell her she was making him nervous, making him want to pull up the app in his phone that could pinpoint her location in seconds, the app he knew she’d be pissed to learn about. “What’s going on?” 

“I…um…I…don’t have my key,” Lenny sputtered out. “I…my…we—” 

Her voice broke on the truth and she pulled the phone away from her mouth, trying to muffle the sound as she reminded herself that it was Friday night and that Billy was probably out on a date. A date that she was now interrupting.

“Where are you?” he asked. “The apartment?”

Lenny nodded again, barely conscious of the fact that she needed to actually say something. A quiet affirmation came from her mouth, barely audible on the other end of the call. Billy was already on his way out of his office, already halfway to where his car was parked out in the lot.   

“Alright, stay there. I’m on my way. Five minutes.”

Seven minutes. 

That’s how long it usually took Billy to drive home from the office at this time of night, but that was when he abided by the overabundance of red lights and the stop signs, the things he ignored entirely now as he thought of Lenny alone on his doorstep. 

Lenny could handle herself when it came down to it—Billy knew that, but there was something in her voice, something in her not being able to talk to him that had him worried. Lenny wasn’t acting her usual self. 

If she was, maybe he wouldn’t have felt so worried, so keen on propelling himself in her direction as quickly as he could. Maybe. 

But maybe not. 

Whether she was fine or not, whether she was in a relatively safe neighborhood or not, Billy didn’t love the idea of Lenny standing around outside his apartment by herself so late. It wasn’t an altogether unprecedented event, Lenny showing up at his place without her key. He could no longer count on his two hands the amount of times she’d forgotten it since he first gave it to her. 

People like Lenny were the reason people left spare keys lying around, but Billy didn’t believe in the concept of leaving a spare key under the mat. The security professional in him wouldn’t allow for it. 

He idly wondered what she’d done in the time when he was overseas, and then he thought better of dwelling—he didn’t want to know how she’d managed it, though he couldn’t imagine she’d been going all the way back to her sister’s place to pick up the other spare key he’d left with Maria.

As Billy pulled into the parking spot just in front of his apartment, he watched Lenny wipe at her eyes and take a deep breath. 

“Hey,” Billy called up the steps, taking them two at a time until he met her at the top. “Everything alright? What—”

“I’m fine,” Lenny said, her voice stronger now, back to usual. “I’m sorry I called you like that. Sam and I…we had a…disagreement and I left my stuff and—”

“C’mon, we’ll go—” Billy started, taking a step back toward his car, no hesitation given to taking the ride across the city to her boyfriend’s place to pick up anything she needed. 

“No, Bill, wait. It’s fine,” Lenny insisted, reaching out to stop him, stilling Billy there on the top step with her hand around his arm. “I’ll take care of it tomorrow. Let things cool off and I’ll go get my stuff in the morning. Really, it’s fine. I’m fine. You don’t need to do anything.” 

Billy nodded. She seemed fine, suddenly a bit chipper sounding, the only evidence of her panicked call five minutes earlier was the reddened, puffy skin around her glassy eyes. 

“You really expect me to let—”

“Let it go?” she started. “Yeah, I do. It was a…just a misunderstanding. And I started it, so just…forget it, alright? I don’t want you to do anything.” 

“Alright, alright.” Billy held up his hands in a mocking forfeit. “You don’t even want me to…unlock the door?” 

“Well, that—yeah,” Lenny scoffed, “but you don’t need to…you can go back to your...I didn’t mean to interrupt your…Friday evening.”

“Nah, it’s alright.” Billy sighed. “I was at the office, but I’m done for the night,” he said as he fit his key into the lock and reached inside to flick on the lights, allowing her to step inside first.

“You want something to eat?” he asked. “A drink?” 

Billy felt like he could use one after the rush that was the last ten minutes, even if she seemed fine now as she lowered herself into a seat at the counter.  

Lenny shook her head. Her fight with her boyfriend meant she’d missed out on dinner, but she couldn’t imagine she had the stomach for anything just now.  

Billy went to the fridge to pull out a beer for himself. “You sure?” 

Lenny nodded, wrapping her arms tight around herself as Billy withdrew from the fridge.

“And you’re sure there’s nothing I can do?” Billy set a water bottle across from her and popped the cap off his beer, taking a sip. “It’s no problem. I can have one of my guys—”

“No!” she interrupted, shaking her head. “No. I don’t want you or Frank or one of your guys or anyone anywhere near him. It’s fi—it was nothing. Just a stupid fight.”

“I see.” Billy nodded, taking another sip. “You want to talk about it?” 

Lenny gulped, taking a deep breath before shaking her head. “It’s fine. I’m alright,” she offered, “just an idiot who walked out with nothing other than my phone.”

“Well, it’s a good job you had that, at least. Otherwise you’d have had to send up the bat signal or something.” 

Lenny snorted, rolling her eyes at that though she was grateful for him making excuses for her stupidity, her carelessness. It was nothing more than luck on her part that her metro card and credit card and ID were safely tucked in the card case affixed to the back of her phone. 

“I don’t think it was that serious. It’s fine,” she finally said, reaching out for the water bottle and unscrewing the top.

Billy fixed her with his gaze while Lenny focused on reading the label on the water bottle—some fancy brand that probably cost more per bottle than the beer did. Billy took another sip of his drink before setting his bottle down on the counter. 

“Well, I’m glad you’re fine and that you don’t need anything, but I could really use a hug right now,” he said, moving around the corner to stand next to her. “Scared the shit out of me calling like that.” 

Tears pricked at Lenny’s eyes as Billy’s words washed over her.

“Billy, I’m fine,” she said, her words quiet once again, barely making their way out.

“I know, I know,” he mumbled, fitting an arm around her shoulder and pulling her into his side. “This hug’s for me, remember?” 

Billy pressed a kiss into Lenny’s hairline, readying to let her go before she shifted, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his chest.

—

Life As We Know It (The Punisher) Masterlist

[driedupeyeballs]

🚗& 💯 for your fankids!

Due to the fact you didn’t specify which ones I will be rambling about all of them so. Have a seat ALSO SORRY THIS TOOK ME SO LOJG TO ANSWER

🚗 - “does your OC have a drivers license? Can they drive/operate any automobiles/machinery besides cars?”

Ok I was not expecting anyone to pick this I have like. Never thought of this??? Like I’ve never looked at my fankids and thought “hmmm. Which one of you is forklift certified?”- (Rico definitely owns a shirt that says “I’m forklift certified” but he’s not) After giving this a bit of thought I’ve come to a somewhat conclusion- I think most of my fankids can drive, Ik Zelda can’t bcuz she’s too scared to be outside in a light rain in case she somehow gets struck by lighting so there is no way in HELL she’s getting behind the wheel of a vehicle. And obviously my malleus kid can’t bcuz he’s uh. Blind- but he isn’t relevant bcuz I haven’t even drawn him yet- I’m sorry aihan 😔 Ember tho. Ember would get his license revoked for modifying a car so much that it’s no longer street legal. And I do not trust Shenzi driving bcuz she gets distracted so easily- we’d have to put her on medication 😭 but everyone else I think is good to go

💯 - “share three random facts about your OC that others may not know”

This one was interesting when it’s like. Any of them- I already answered this for Skye in my other post so I’ll limit this to my other kids tho

On the topic of ashengrotto kids tho, we all know Skye couldn’t be trusted around baby mers as a kid cuz they’d eat them. Akram sort of had the opposite issue?? He was terrified of anything that swam, especially eels. Which was pretty awkward for the first few years of his life, he was very anxious around the eel kids in their merforms and refused to go anywhere near the adult eel mers

Okay my basketball trio is something remarkable I swear- three completely different energies there. But Ember was actually briefly banned from playing real games cuz he kept using Moxie to cheat, he actually added a specific program in Moxie’s code to predict the other teams movements. He was thus banned from bringing any robots to basketball 😔 (I realize I haven’t talked abt moxie publicly- or Ember much for that matter. Moxie is a robot beetle that’s like a mini ortho, Ember built him and he just kinda hovers around him like Idia’s skull thingie)

Okay I have plenty of facts I could put here but I’m gonna opt for a mysterious little thing here; not one, but two of my fankids have indeed killed someone in their lifetime! Whether by accident or not! I will say one of them is my Malleus kid, (I rlly need to draw him he’s just the forgotten child), just cuz he has insanely powerful magic and as a kid he didn’t have great control of it. Unfortunately a random civilian found this out firsthand! The other one tho. That reveal I’ll probably save for when I drop all of her lore. Which will be soon! Cuz I plan on doing a lot more loredrops for these dudes soon!!

[my-time-at-brainrot]

my sandrock ocs and their pairings  :)

also a wip doodle of sonia and fang lmao

(current patch spoilers under cut)

Sonia and Fang, main save and also the one I care the most about lmao

Completely opposite personalities: Sonia has pretty much limitless energy, can talk for hours off of one tangent, very extroverted, just really excited to be around people and likes getting to know all sorts of folks, while Fang is... not any of that.

Both are the type to get absorbed into their work, but Fang gets in his own head over whether or not he's done something wrong to make Sonia stay away, but in reality Sonia kinda just forgot that she existed for a week lol

Tangentially related to the above: Sonia is so incredibly clumsy in day to day life. She trips over her own feet, falls out of chairs, stumbles when she stands in the same spot for too long, walks into walls, stubs her toes, etc. Fang first saw this after Sonia fell off of the observation table at his clinic, and thought that she had some type of balancing issue, but in actuality she just doesn't pay attention when she feels comfortable.

Because of this Fang is understandably Very Anxious about Sonia being involved with the Civil Corps, even though she is very much capable of keeping herself alive in combat situations

Sonia is usually the one making date plans, which both parties are happy about, though Sonia would like Fang to be more open about his needs.

sonia, preparing for a dangerous event: "nah dude, dude, dude i'm fine, i have hella plot armor i'm aight dude trust me"  

fang, remembering their last date at the saloon where sonia dunked her hand into blazing hot coffee after being warned that it was in fact boiling hot not once, not twice, but five times by owen: "...no."

As far as Fang's canon romance storyline goes: Fang slowly comes out of his shell over the course of Sonia's time at Sandrock, and their friendship (and eventual romance) is a very slow burn (that I still have to outline but I'll get to it when I get to it)

Sonia could not cook at all before coming to Sandrock. She ate raw potatoes out of the ground, dirt and all, "that's where the REAL nutrients are!" she would say. It was really only after Arvio's comedic failure with the Spicy Bean Paste that she gave cooking a genuine try. 

Fang was not aware of this until Juno joked about it during their first wedding anniversary. Something about Sonia putting in the time to develop a completely new skill on the off chance it could make him happy... made him emotional for a bit.  

There's one particular line from "Words to Betray the Heart" that say something about the Builder being so perfect and how Fang would be a burden on someone like that etc etc etc, and uh. Man. Can't really articulate it rn but in short it's rather important of a trigger for Sonia, so there's absolutely self esteem issues in both parties that have to get ironed out if this relationship can be healthy

Sonia did do the medical trials, and it went something like:

sonia: hm.

fang: ...

sonia: hey.

fang: ...?

sonia: i'm gonna drink all three of these at once.

fang: ?!?! 

sonia: *devours all contents of the bottles faster than lightning and passes out immediately*

fang: ?????????????? 

^ repeated for a comical amount of time until Fang finally bans her from FREE MED WEDNESDAY/FRIDAYS (TM)

Juno and Logan, the secondary save and heavily dependent on main story updates AND romance update in june/may :))))) so this is going to be rewritten without a question when the proper romance quests come out

so how normal are we about logan :)

Surface level: Juno is a Civil Corps monster hunter, Logan’s Pa was a monster hunter (and Logan is too lol) so they bond over sharing knowledge of the desert’s beasties and train together in remote areas of the desert.

Very early on, Juno develops a keen sense of... secrecy around Logan and the real nature of his departure and relationship to Sandrock as a whole, and ends up confiding in Elsie about his suspicions, but not much is really going on until Water Tower Moment (Gone Wrong)

Juno is, in short, the truest definition of orphan you can get. There is no one that ever knew his family, nor his parents’ names, or if he had any siblings. His memory only really starts around the time that he met Sonia, and being in Sandrock is only distressing him further about his lack of memories

That’s part of the reason that Juno is so drawn to Logan. The plot just doesn’t make sense to him. 

Can someone really love their Pa so much that the grief destroys everything they once loved? Can Juno ever know that type of love? (and other hurty questions)

Logan is tied to Sandrock, and keeps his hometown so near and dear to his heart. Juno... doesn’t have anything like that. If he died tomorrow, only Sonia would notice and care. No one else would even bat an eye. 

During the Duvos invasion, Juno goes missing. Logan is concerned, but quickly realizes that his concern is based in something more than simple comradery, and makes the super duper mega healthy decision to suppress his feelings. 

oh what’s this? oh boy oh boy! work in progress ocs!

Lily and Mi-an, the planned save for full release and a Builder power couple (and admittedly Mi-an the one I know the least about romance wise, but builder power couple cute)

With Yan arrested and awaiting trial in Atara, Sandrock is down a Workshop and Builder, which is especially bad news for the more remote villages around Sandrock. Sonia writes to her old friend Lily (her godparents’ daughter) and invites her to fill the position on behalf of City Hall. Lily is ecstatic and jumps on the opportunity.

Lily and Mi-an immediately hit it off and spend hours talking about various builder nerd stuff.

Out of the relationships I’m writing, this one is definitely the most casually, normally paced. 

Romance wise, they present a Heart Knot to each other at the same time, so they are on the same wavelength most of the time.

Mi-an has bouts of self confidence issues, but Lily is rather quick to hype her up and comfort her if needed

Similarly, Lily sometimes needs scheduling help, so Mi-an is happy to help coordinate commissions for Ultimate Productivity (So We Have Time To Watch Old World Romance Movies)

Armaros (they/she) and Owen, Schrodinger’s save (as in I have renamed this oc like 7 times and will probably rename her another 5 times) as well as the bachelor that I am going to take the most creative liberties with edit 4/23: mhm, i did in fact change their name an eighth time lmaoooo

Rose is completely, totally mute. They never spoken a word and never will, as it is physiologically impossible for them to verbalize their thoughts. No amount of “encouragement” will change this and they are very exhausted arguing this. 

Rose visited Sonia (former coworkers) in Sandrock about a couple months or so into her contract, and stayed at the Blue Moon during her week long visit.

Owen and Rose’s initial meeting is, well, awkward to say the least. It took Owen a little bit to catch on to why the blond wasn’t saying anything in response to him and only pointing to menu items, and he was very apologetic once Rose passed a note to him explaining themself.

Owen wouldn’t exactly admit that it was immediate love, but he was captivated by their general vibe and wanted to get to know them better

Of course, Rose did go back home to Highwind, but the two stayed in contact via letters. Owen writes very kind, cordial letters, and Rose writes in an elegant, poetic style. Soon the content of their letters would turn more romantic and emotional.

Rose has the special, unparalleled ability to quickly get people comfortable with them. Owen and Rose have similar warm vibes, but accomplish this through different ways. Owen talks to you like you’ve known each other forever, and Rose is a gentle attentive listener that takes her time responding/giving advice to someone.

Rose is pretty Church of Light religious in comparison to other ocs, so they do utilize some scripture and similar sentiments in their letters to Owen.

Until there is more Owen content, there’s not much else canon I can play with, so I will probably rewrite portions, but the general idea is going to be the same.

Bonus: a Rose and Fang interaction

Rose: :)

fang: ...Have needs, query X.

Rose: :|

fang: ...

Rose, holding up her notepad: (I’m mute. Please be patient with me. -w-)

fang: ...oh. (internally: thank you, peach...)

[bisexualbumblebee-writes]

Flower Child Part 2- Edward Cullen x OC

Edward Cullen x Autumn Fields

Description: Autumn is a lot more observant than the Cullens originally anticipated. 

Word Count: 1.7k

Everyone could only stare at her in shock upon hearing Autumn’s answer. She didn’t seem to take notice of it as she continued her task of gathering the scraps of paper. As she stood up she offered the group a small smile. 

“I’m guessing you just got back from some sort of hunt,” she continued as she brushed past Carlisle to walk into the kitchen. “You know, I’ve gotta say I’m surprised that it was Jasper who slipped; I thought that he was a bit more careful around guests. I fully expected it to be Emmett that exposed you guys to me.” Everyone was bewildered by how calm she was acting and it definitely showed. 

“Wa-Wait, so you know about us?” Rosalie questioned in an alarmed tone, standing from the couch. 

“Yep,” was Autumn’s only response.

“Since when?” Carlisle asked. 

“Well, it took a few weeks to confirm my theory, but I’d go as far as to say right from the get go,” she shrugged as she threw away the scrap papers, facing the family afterwards. “To be fair I’ve always had a sort of interest in the supernatural, so I had done more than my fair share of research long before my family even moved to Forks. I’d read just about every book on ‘The Cold Ones’ by the time I reached eighth grade. It wasn’t that difficult to connect the dots from there.” For a moment everyone just stared at her in shock. Edward was the one to finally say something, thankfully breaking the slightly awkward silence. 

“Well, now that your theory is confirmed, are you scared of us?” He looked nervous to even ask the question, and by extension, the others were anxious to hear her answer. Almost as if sensing this, Autumn was quick to diffuse the tension. 

“I mean, no,” she answered as if it were obvious. “You guys are literally all like almost a hundred years or older and you still decide to bide your time by going to high school for some reason. If you guys were vicious I would think that you’d have massacred the town long before I got here. I’ve gotta say, there is one thing that’s stumped me.” As she spoke she moved to the kitchen doorway in order to see everyone better. 

“And what’s that?” Carlisle asked curiously. Almost as if reading the girl’s mind, Edward answered for her. 

“Our diet,” he said in a knowing tone, which made her look at him with both shock and confusion on her face. It was obvious that he’d caught her off guard with how accurate his response was, which amused the others.

“Uh, yeah,” she said distractedly before looking at the others. “Um, Forks is a pretty small town. If you guys fed off of humans I would think that there’d be more missing people. And if you fed somewhere else like the Reservation or Port Angeles, why didn’t you guys just move there so you didn’t have to travel so far?” 

“Well, that’s because we don’t feed on people,” Esme answered simply. “We’re vegan, so we feed off of animals. Forks is the perfect place for that because there’s a lot of wildlife around here.” Her answer gave Autumn pause, her eyes slowly trailing over each of the family members, who were watching her reaction carefully. 

“I… don’t think you guys understand how veganism works,” she trailed off slowly, which finally made everyone else laugh. Once that tension had been broken she allowed a smile to slip onto her face as well. 

The Cullens sat Autumn down and talked about vampire myths and truths for quite a while. They answered any questions she had and told her everything she wanted and/or needed to know about them. Their discussion was long enough for it to grow dark. It wasn’t until Edward realized what time it was that the others decided it was time to call it a night. 

“I have one more question,” Autumn spoke as she stood from the couch. 

“Fire away,” Alice answered with a patient smile. 

“Why are you guys telling me all this? What makes me special enough to be told all of this stuff about vampires?” Her question was met with silence. The family looked amongst themselves, unsure how to answer it. It seemed like they knew the answer, but it would just be difficult to talk about it, which confused her. 

“I’ll tell you about it on the way home,” Edward ultimately said, already standing up. 

“Oh, you don’t have to give me a ride home. I’m sure I can manage,” she answered quickly, not wishing for him to do something he didn’t want to for the sake of chivalry. 

“Don’t be ridiculous,” he retorted as Autumn slipped her jacket on. “It’s practically dark out and your house is at least twenty minutes away by car. Besides, I thought you wanted an answer.” The girl sighed, knowing that her curiosity would get the best of her and she wouldn’t be satisfied until she knew the answer. So, she nodded and allowed the boy to lead her out of the house after saying goodnight to the others. He opened the passenger door of his silver Volvo for her then closed it once she was comfortably seated. 

It was silent for the first five minutes of the car ride. While waiting for Edward to speak, Autumn took the time to examine him. He looked like he was trying to figure out how to start his explanation. She couldn’t deny how handsome he looked under the street lamps that they passed, but she supposed it had something to do with his enhanced beauty. After another few minutes, he finally spoke. 

“Do you believe in soulmates?” He asked softly. The girl was confused, but nodded anyway. 

“Uh, yeah. I believe that everyone has their one person that they’re supposed to spend the rest of their lives with. My parents are basically living proof of it,” she answered, not missing his smile as she talked. “Why?”

“Well, vampires also have those kinds of connections. Ours are much more powerful though,” he explained. That piqued her interest. 

“Powerful in what way?” 

“Our lifespan is eternal, and our love is the same. When it comes to finding our mate - or soulmate, I guess - what we feel is eternal and powerful love, and the want to be with them for as long as we live. Probably even longer. If a vampire falls in love, that feeling never fades away and that love is bound for eternity. Once we fall in love, that’s it. We can’t fall in love again. It isn’t necessarily love at first sight, but it is fast. That’s what happened to Carlisle and Esme, Emmett and Rosalie, and Jasper and Alice.” Autumn stayed silent as she took in the information, but her confusion wasn’t sated. 

“But what does that have to do with me?” A quiet laugh left Edward’s lips and he looked away from the road long enough to glance at her before his gaze returned ahead. 

“You know, for someone who’s exceptionally smart, you’re very dense.” Autumn didn’t have time to be offended by his comment before realization hit her. 

“I’m your mate,” she muttered. It was more of a statement than a question. The boy couldn’t stop the small, amused grin from forming on his face as he nodded. She laughed, whether in disbelief of joining in his amusement, and shook her head. 

“I should have known there was a reason. I felt that pull towards you,” she said, internally reprimanding herself for not realizing sooner. 

“Stop it,” Edward demanded softly, carefully slipping his hand into hers. The girl was confused for a moment before she remembered his little power. She sighed softly and squeezed his hand gently.

“So, what does that make us?” She asked softly after a minute. 

“Whatever you want us to be,” he answered in the same tone. “You don’t have to decide right now. I’ve waited almost a hundred years to find you, I think I can manage just a little longer if that’s what you’d prefer. But, if you want nothing to do with me, I would like you to tell me when you do figure it out.” 

“I already know what I want.” 

“And what’s that?” He asked, not looking at her. Of course, they both knew that Edward could just read her mind and get the answer himself, but he wouldn’t. He wouldn’t take the opportunity to answer for herself away from her, and she appreciated it. And maybe it’s that sort of action that helped her make her decision. 

“You,” she responded without a second thought. Edward’s smile returned immediately, which in turn caused her to smile as well. 

“The vampire and the flower child,” he muttered. “What an unlikely combination.” 

“Maybe it just makes this pairing that much more special,” Autumn suggested as they finally pulled into her driveway. The boy considered her words before nodding. 

“Maybe so,” was all he said before getting out of the car. The girl waited for him to open her door before getting out. Edward, being the gentleman he was, walked her to her door. When they stopped at the doorstep, they faced each other. 

“Thanks for the ride,” she muttered with a shy smile. 

“You’re welcome,” he responded smoothly. For a moment they just stood there, staring at each other. Just as Autumn opened her mouth to wish him a goodnight, he spoke. 

“May I take you out sometime?” He asked. Although surprised, the girl couldn’t help but smile as she nodded. 

“I’d like that a lot,” she answered. 

“This weekend?” Edward suggested, which made her nod again. 

“Sounds good.” Now it was his turn to nod and, without saying anything else, he took her hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it. 

“Goodnight Autumn,” he all but whispered before taking a step back, leaving the girl slightly flustered. 

“Goodnight Edward,” she responded, opening her front door. They shared one last smile before she closed the door behind her. Autumn had never been happier that she was right about the Cullens. 

[the-loveliest-lotus]

All of the balls

Your OC is planning their wedding. Their phone is ringing off the hook and emails keep flooding their inbox. So many people are giving their opinion about what they should and shouldn't do. -How does your OC handle all of this attention? How much information do they absorb from those around them? -What are some of their coping mechanisms when things get too stressful? Would they work in this situation? -Can they rely on their partner for help and guidance? Do they provide the clarity your OC seeks?

All of the balls. 😹 (This time, I understood the instructions, lol. Thank you for this one, this actually turned into a super cute little aside and I love this as part of the eventual canon of "The Wicker Man" universe. And yes, Dick is still alive in that Universe post Doomstar, lol.)

Lucy was handling yet another email in preparation for her wedding with Pickles and Dick. When the three of them had agreed on a triple wedding for their open triad, somehow she hadn’t thought about the extra work involved attempting to coordinate everything. Dick’s family had survived, so there was a matter of planning things out with them and finally meeting them. Pickles’ family had been killed off in the Metalocalypse, save for Seth’s wife and child. Amber actually turned out to be really sweet and some part of Pickles had wanted to try to have a relationship with his nephew, but trying to arrange for Amber and Pickles’ nephew to get out to the Red Woods from Australia had been an absolute nightmare. Lucy was just happy that everyone had been able to figure out how to get wifi back and get the phones working again so quickly after the dust settled from the Doomstar.

She was handling constant serious calls from her Dad about where exactly they should set up the altar so that it would have the best lighting and planetary alignment, and “maybe you should do it on this day, babydoll, Venus is going to be in a better alignment,” and “is everyone in the crowd going to mind being witness to a ritual like this?” Her father almost seemed more anxious about her wedding than she was, but the anxiousness was starting to rub off on her. Then there were the constant texts from Murderface and Toki about what kinds of food was going to be offered, whether or not the cake was going to be sugar free and if it wasn’t could they get a small sugar free one for Toki, and ‘how are you even going to get catering after an apocalypse?’ Trying to find a supply of drugs and booze that was going to last for the three day after party that they were planning was also nothing short of a nightmare post apocalypse, though Pickles and Dick had both been exceedingly helpful in that department. At this point, she was at her wits end.

On top of the wedding, Nathan had had inspiration for a new album as a beacon of hope to everyone who had survived the Metalocalypse, so they had been working on that consistently, meaning she was on her phone and laptop in the studio figuring things out in between doing her parts. Lucy also still had other partners and intimate friends that she was trying to spend her time with. Even smoking to relax wasn’t helping as much as it normally would, and she couldn’t find the time to do any of her hobbies, so she was starting to feel a bit on edge.

When they had finished recording for the day, Lucy was still face deep in her computer, and hadn’t noticed that everyone else had left the studio. Pickles and Dick shared a look, and then looked at their fiancé, who had a sudden feeling of being watched. She looked up from the laptop at them and noticed that everyone was gone. “How long have you two been staring at me?”

Pickles shrugged, “Lahng enough to know that yer stressed beyond ahll reason.”

“Baby, you’re gonna burn yourself out if you don’t calm down about the wedding.”

“I’m calm. I’m fine. We’re only trying to plan a wedding post-apocalypse while also recording an album and everyone’s up my ass constantly with questions and I’m feeling weight of being polysaturated for the first time in my life. Why wouldn’t I be fine?”

Pickles pulled out a joint, “Here, smoke this.” She sighed, shut her laptop, and took the joint, taking a big hit and then passing it to Pickles. He took a hit and then passed it to Dick. “You need a break, Luce.”

“You know, we can help with all of this stuff,” Dick said.

“Yeah, but everyone keeps emailing me and calling me about it.”

“We’ll figure out a better system for all of this baby, we’re not just gonna let this fall on your shoulders.”

“For now though, come ahn. You need a break.”

Lucy set her laptop on a table and got up with the two of them. “Where are we going?” she asked as she held Pickles’ hand and leaned against Dick.

“It’s a surprise,” Pickles said.

They walked up to the roof, where they had had a blanket already set up. There was stoner metal going, and there was fresh fruit waiting for them. She grinned at them. “What’s this?”

“This is the pregame for the night that we gaht planned.”

“Pregame?”

Pickles pulled out a little tube with some strips of acid in it. “Got yer favorite.” Lucy got a big grin on her face.

“You’ve been real stressed lately, kitten. We figured we could take ya to space for a little while, hit the reset button.”

She looked between the two of them, remembering exactly why she was going through all of the stress of trying to get the wedding perfect, and she said, “You both have no idea how much this means to me.”

Pickles chuckled, “I think we gaht some idea.”

She sat down with the two of them and they star gazed for a little while, enjoying their fruit knowing it was going to enhance the trip later, and found happiness in the fact that they were even able to do any of this with all that they had experienced in the last few months.

[robinbuckley1985]

“I love you. Always.”

Pairing: Robin Buckley X Elyse Harrington(OC)

Prompts: “I’ve got you.” “You mean too much to me.” “Kiss me.” “I can’t do this on my own.” “Please don’t go. “I’m not ready to say goodbye.” “Don’t you ever change.” “I don’t want to have to live without you. I can’t.”

Summary: One casualty that comes with the defeat of Vecna causes the biggest heartbreak no one can be prepared for.

Warnings: Character death, angst, cursing, my shitty writing of course

Word count: 2.2k

A/N: this goes hand in hand with my stranger things wattpad story. The storyline of that is NOT the same as the show.

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As Elyse stood in the small bedroom of her apartment that she shared with her now fiancé Robin, she started to feel anxious. Like something was going to happen. It had been over a year of normalcy after the group had finally defeated Vecna. Their lives had gone back to normal-or as normal as they could. Elyse and Robin got engaged last week, a beautiful sweet moment that for the time being only Steve knew about. They wanted to savor the memory for a bit alone, before everyone else knew.

She looked into the mirror, fixing her hair. Today the whole group was getting together to have a small dinner. In honor of normalcy for over a year, courtesy of Nancy. Elyse had honestly been dreading this. If they celebrate normalcy, the other shoe is going to drop. Something is going to happen. If she had it her way she would be snuggled up in her bed with Robin drinking wine and hiding from the world. But, she’s going because Robin wants to go. And she would do anything for her. She would live, die, and everything in between for her.

And that might be happening today. A glimpse of red smoke caught Elyse’s eye out the window. In the distance, red smoke puffed up into the sky. She thought she was seeing things. She tried blinking it away, hoping it was just the sunset or something. But it was still there. And then she felt it. He was back. And her mind went back to the conversation last year. You’re the only one who can stop him. You were made to stop him. And she knew what had to be done. Robin was still in the shower so she had about ten minutes to frantically write out letters exposing what happened. In case she didn’t make it out of this alive.

She couldn’t say goodbye to everyone, they would all try talking her out of it, saying there’s another way. Except, there isn’t another way. This was always meant to happen. She had to stop him. She couldn’t let anything happen to her friends. Her family. She sealed the letters in envelopes. She stood for a moment in front of the mirror, preparing herself. As she walked out of the bedroom, past the bathroom, the shower wasn’t running. “Hey, Robin I have to go take care of something, but I’ll see you at Nancy’s, okay!” She yelled, grabbing her flannel to throw on. Robin cracked the door open, a towel loosely wrapped around her body and her hair thrown haphazardly down from it being wet.

“Do you want me to wait for you and we can go together?” She asked, her fingers combing through her hair absentmindedly. Elyse shook her head, forcing a smile so as to not worry Robin. “No, it’s okay. It might take a while. I’ll see you later. I love you.” She said, placing a kiss on Robin’s lips, giving her a smile as she walked away and out of the apartment. She took a breath. She had a stop to make first. One that she honestly never expected to make.

As she approached the house she grew up in, she grew anxious. She hadn’t seen her parents since they kicked her out last year. And now, on what could be her last day, she’s giving them these letters in hopes that they will get to the people they need to. She had her fingers crossed that only her mother was home. While she may not have done anything to stop her father, she never added to it either. She raised her hand, knocking on the door twice. And not even five seconds later the door swung open. And there stood her father. She sighed, his anger clear on his face. “What do you want?” Elyse swallowed hard, controlling herself. “I need you or mom to give these to Nancy. She’ll know how to get them to everyone else. Don’t ask me why. I just need this.” She was pleading, his anger residing a bit. “I guess that can be done.” He took the letters out of her hands, his eyes narrowing at her. “Is there anything else you want to say?”

She sighed, knowing what he was referring to. “If you want me to apologize for who I am, that’s not happening. I’m happy. Is that so terrible?” He scoffed, his glare intensifying. “How can you be happy? You’ll die alone. No man would want a woman who looks at other women the way you do.” Elyse rolled her eyes, her sight getting caught by her mother in the back of the house. “Actually, I found a girl who is amazing. And has made me happier than I have ever been. And we’re engaged. And I wish you could accept that. But, I don’t need your approval anymore. Please, get those letters to Nancy. Bye dad.” And without giving him a second glance, she walked away. For what could very well be the last time.

As she approached the smoke, the silhouette of Vecna was visible in the distance. Her breath hitched in her throat as she prepared to do this. This was the end. Of him. Of herself. Of the pain and suffering. She hated that she wouldn’t get to have a proper goodbye with everyone, but it had to be done this way.

As everyone was gathered in the wheeler house, the smell of freshly made food filling the house, Robin sat anxiously in a chair in the corner of the living room. It had been 2 hours since Elyse had left. She figured she would’ve been done by now. Steve walked over, bringing a small glass of water. He handed it to her and then sat down on the chair next to her. “Thanks.” She said, her voice hoarse, as she took a sip of water. “Where’s Elyse at?” Robin shrugged. “She said she had to take care of something. I thought she would be ba-.” Robin was cut off by an earthquake shaking the house. As screams filled the rooms, PTSD flooded all of them from the past.

When it stopped, everyone frantically went outside to see what was going on. The red smoke in the distance caused concern to grow between everyone. And then Nancy raced back into the house. She grabbed her car keys, sprinting back out. “Robin, Steve, come with me! Now!” She said, quickly getting into the driver's seat. Robin quickly followed, getting in the passenger seat. Steve took a seat in the back. “Where the hell are we going? Nance?” Robin asks, Nancy pulling out of the driveway. “It’s called your girlfriend is about to get herself killed. That red smoke? I’m betting it’s Vecna. And I’m betting Elyse took a conversation way more literally than she should have. And now I’m hoping we get there before she does something so incredibly stupid.”

Nancy sped down the street to the other side of Hawkins, following the red smoke. Before the car even stopped completely, Robin was sprinting to Elyse. Nancy and Steve followed closely behind, however the ground started shaking causing all three of them to lose their balance. Nancy and Steve caught up to Robin as they all stated into the distance where Elyse stood, hand raised, blood flooding out of her nose. She was pushing her powers to a limit beyond what she thought was capable. She was doing what she should’ve done a year ago. Her powers surged through her body, the pressure building as she put everything she had into defeating Vecna once and for all.

In the distance, Robin, Nancy, and Steve all stood there, shock freezing them in their steps. Robin was sobbing, her voice wavering as she called out to Elyse. She tried walking forward, however, being stopped by Nancy grabbing her wrist. “Let go of me.” Robin pulled her hand, Nancy’s grip tightening.

“No. If you walk over there you're going to get yourself killed.” Nancy said, a few tears clouding over her eyes. As selfish as it sounds, if she was going to lose Elyse today, she couldn’t lose Robin too.

“I have to stop her. I can’t let her die.” Robin said through choked back sobs. She managed to free her wrist from Nancy’s grasp. Walking towards Elyse, her breath hitching as she saw it in front of her. Nancy and Steve stayed back. “You’re not going to try to keep her back?” Nancy shook her head. “No. She’s not going to listen to me.” A few tears slid down her face as she watched in front of her. The vision of Elyse stood in front of Vecna, Robin approaching from behind.

“Elyse.” She said, just barely above a whisper. Elyse heard her, and her heart broke at it. “Robin, I’m sorry. But, I had to stop him. There was no other way.” Elyse said, her voice straining as she fought against Venca. His eyes glared over to Robin, a sinister smirk forming on his face. “There’s always another way. You don’t have to sacrifice yourself. We can do this ano-.” Robin was cut off by Vecna putting her into a trance. Elyse let out a yelp, pushing against him even more. “Let. Her. Go. This is between you and me.” As she pushed her powers further, his powers wavered. Robin was let out of the trance and fell to the ground.

Nancy rushed over to her, helping her to her feet. Robin tried running forward, to do anything to save Elyse. Nancy held her firmly in place, her arms wrapped tightly around her. Robin let out screaming sobs as she saw Elyse lift into the air. “Holy shit….” Steve said under his breath. The three of them watched as the fight raged on. As she fought against him, his chest started to tear open. And after a moment it seemed as though Elyse may actually make it out alive.

However, his hand snapped up causing Elyse’s powers to falter, allowing Vecna to gain the upper hand. She used all the strength left in her to push him backwards. His body ripped more, his power dying down causing Elyse to fall to the ground. Vecna’s body went limp and then disintegrated into dust. Robin broke free from Nancy’s grip, rushing towards Elyse and falling to her knees. She gently pulled her up and onto her lap, holding her close. Tears flooded down her face, the sight of Elyse making her stomach churn. The blood had dried underneath her nose, however, fresh blood was now covering her body.

Robin gently brushed a few strands of hair off of Elyse’s face. The girl in her arms had let out a small whimper at the pain coursing through her body. “Hey hey hey, I’ve got you. It’s going to be okay.” Robin said, gently cradling Elyse in her arms. Tears were falling from her eyes, pooling on her cheeks. Elyse let out a few small sobs. “Kiss me. One last time.” Elyse choked out, her hand struggling to reach up to Robin’s face. “No no no no. You’re going to be fine. You have to be fine. Please don’t go. Please.” Robin said through choked back cries. Her grip tightened, pulling Elyse closer to her.

Elyse managed to pull herself up enough to place a gentle kiss on Robin’s lips before falling back into her lap. The moment made Robin’s heart shatter. “Don’t you ever change, Robin Buckley.” Elyse said, a small smile spreading on her lips. The same shimmer in her eyes as the day she and Robin first locked eyes. ‘Elyse….I’m not ready to say goodbye.” Robin said, her words catching in her throat.

“Neither am I. But….he had to be stopped. Yo-you gav-gave me the strength t-t-to stop him.” She said, the words struggling out. “I don’t want to have to live without you. I can’t.” Robin said, her hands shakily holding Elyse. Robin’s hand found Elyse’s, Elyse squeezing it gently.

“Robin, don’t worry about me. I’ll be okay. You mean too much to me. I don’t want this to destroy you.” Elyse said, her words just barely above a whisper. Robin let out a few sobs, her lip quivering as she looked at the girl in her arms. “I can’t do this on my own. I need you. I need you.” Robin let out, Elyse squeezing her hand once more. She gave a soft smile, tears welling up in her eyes. “You don’t need me. You’re so incredibly amazing, Robin. You don’t need anyone.”

“Elyse…..please. Don’t give up.” Robin said, pulling her impossibly closer. Elyse let out a soft sigh, her breathing became labored and hoarse. “I love you, Robin. Always.” Elyse choked out, her eyes fluttering shut. “I-I-I lo-love you, Elyse. Al-always.” Robin said as she felt Elyse's body stilled in her arms. She was gone. She felt a presence come up behind her. “She saved us.” Nancy said, kneeling down next to Robin. “She saved me that first night. When she kissed me. I’ll never have that again.” Nancy gave a tight hug to Robin as both girls started to sob. The red smoke had dissipated. Vecna ws defeated once and for all, but at what cost.

“We were engaged….” Robin said just under her breath. “What?” Nancy asked, her gaze going over to Steve who simply nodded. Nancy pulled Robin in tighter, holding her close. The only comfort she could give in this situation. The three sat there, all lost in the haze of what happened. No idea how to go on from now.

[waywardstation]

Glad you liked my input with bringing up Mizuki a few asks ago. I'm always anxious talking about AU's or even OCs I've created because I feel like it would be boring for others. But sharing something about something I've created made me feel a bit more confident!

With Mizuki constantly having her "I'm fine" smile going most don't really catch that she's hiding most of her feelings. But for some reason ([Emmet] even if he can't remember at that point) Ingo can always tell if her smile is genuine or fake and with is calm and kind ways manages to get through to her to find out that she is not fine.

So Papa Ingo always makes extra sure to keep an eye on here if her smile seems fake to him. It takes long to get to her but he's determined to help her along with every other child that fell to Hisui.

I also imagine in Hisui that she catches an Eevee, gets an Alolan Vulpix (reminds her of her new home in Alola) and a Heracross. Team is still in Progress but with Papa Ingo she'll get a tough team.

WOW... I'm sorry for infodumping but it is actually fun to write out concepts that have been in the back of my mind for many years now.

A follow-up from this ask

No worries Anon!! I always love hearing about others talk about their OCs or AUs! And I can imagine how fun it would be to finally talk about something you’ve built up for so long; it’s fun to listen to! It’s not boring at all, I’m glad you’re feeling more confident!! :)

I like your thoughts that Ingo can tell when smiles are fake or genuine, I can imagine he would be quite good at telling the difference! (For reasons he can’t remember, like you said!) Ingo is an intimidating looking guy, but he’s very kind so I’m sure he can find ways to get across to a lot of kids going through things, just like Mitzuki! Sometimes all it takes is for him to show kindness to kids, and others it takes a bit more time patience.

Also like the Pokémon you’ve chosen for her team! That alolan vulpix tie-in is very nice! The thought of Ingo training the kids to strengthen their teams so that they can be independent and protected without him in the wilds is very nice!! Very responsible!!

Once again, no worries Anon! Thank you for sharing! Your OC is very well-thought out!!