#and then dying to bring their family together proper

[katzenkarussell]

Der Nesträuber

The nest robber - this was such a fun piece to make :) A bit of a "What if" situation

[haveagarbageday]

The joy of missing out \\ Lando Norris

summary: You and Lando celebrate your birthday on the same day. While he's planning a big party, you'd rather spend the night on your own. Not like he's gonna let that happen…

additional info: Alpine!driver!reader. Have you heard "The joy of missing out" by AleXa? No? That's what I was listening to while writing this.

This year you didn’t feel like celebrating your birthday. You just wanted to stay under the warm blanket, binge-watching your favorite comfort show and eating pizza all day.

You weren’t really on speaking terms with your family after a stupid argument at a family gathering last year, and your old friends believed you changed a lot since you joined F1, so they weren’t exactly keen to spend time with you either, especially after you relocated to Monaco like so many of the drivers did. This left you getting more and more comfortable with the idea of being alone, spending your limited free time in your apartment instead of attending parties you were invited to.

On the most recent race weekend though, Lando and Oscar caught you in the paddock and the three of you started chatting, soon being joined by other drivers, and the conversation shifted to Lando’s upcoming birthday. They were planning on partying together, even now they were talking about who would bring who, if they should spend the night at the same place, or move around, maybe heading to the place of one of them.

It was only after a good ten minutes that something dawned on Lando. “Wait, your birthday is on the same day,” he told you, the little light bulb above his head almost visible. “That’s great! You should invite your friends too!” The Brit got excited at the thought, but when he noticed you were just shaking your head, he could tell you would say no to the whole thing. “You’re not planning on missing out, are you?”

As you let out an annoyed groan, the others began to try and convince you, saying it was great that they could celebrate not one, but two birthdays that year, and you were like everyone’s little sister, you were practically family, so this party was mandatory for you. Last year you missed it because you were with your family and friends back home, spending time with them as you usually did when you had the time, but this year it was an open secret that you’d rather retreat into your shell after race weekends.

“Guys, I just… don’t feel like celebrating, that’s all. You all have fun, but you can count me out,” you told them, then said goodbye and decided to go back to the Alpine motorhome to be alone for a while.

Halfway there, you suddenly felt someone put an arm around your shoulder, making you come to a halt to see who it was. You were met by Lando’s shining eyes, the mischievous smile telling you he was here to try and convince you to join them. But instead of giving you a speech full of reasons why you should join them, he decided to start with something else, something a lot more personal.

“Look, I can tell something is wrong. What happened? Last year you spent so much time with your family, your friends, and even with us. Now? Now I can see you getting cozy at your place, ignoring everyone until it’s absolutely necessary to be around people. I’m worried,” he added, and the look in his eyes told you he was telling the truth.

“I’m fine, trust me.” But Lando didn’t buy it, he just rolled his eyes and raised an eyebrow, expecting you to finally be honest with him. “My relationships are dying, because apparently, I changed too much since I’ve been here. Why bother?”

Without a proper warning, Lando pulled you into a hug, his chin resting on your shoulder while you relaxed in his arms. It surprised you, but didn’t feel all that bad, to be honest. You’d been craving physical contact for months now, after all. “The party wouldn’t be the same without you. And I was planning to do so much, like getting you to be stuck to me the whole night, dancing together, drinking together, maybe letting me kiss you,” he finished as he pulled back to look at you with a wolfish grin.

To kiss you? That’s what he wanted? It would be a lie if you said you hadn’t thought about this, because there were times when you wished he would do that, but you usually got rid of these thoughts quite fast. It would complicate things, and complication was something you didn’t need in your life now. But God, he was so handsome, and so cute, and so–

Your train of thought was interrupted when you felt his lips on yours, moving slowly to see how you would react, waiting for the opportunity to truly get lost in it. And when you kissed him back, he moved his hand to the back of your head, tangling his fingers into your hair, moaning softly into the kiss. The world around you ceased to exist, and you just enjoyed the moment, completely forgetting that the paddock was full of people who wouldn’t hesitate to take photos of the two of you.

When he finally pulled away to breathe, you gulped and watched him with uncertainty. Was he just playing with you? Or was he serious about this? Oh, why couldn’t he see you as a sister like the rest of the drivers did?

“So, I believe you’re coming to the party,” he spoke up with a smile. “The birthday boy is dying to spend the evening kissing the birthday girl. Maybe even sneaking away to have some fun in private,” he added before giving you a quick kiss again.

“Have some fun in private?”

With a wide grin on his face, Lando leaned closer to whisper the answer in your ear. “I have a special surprise for you. You’ll love it,” he told you in a sultry voice that made you gulp.

Well, it was safe to say he was probably several steps ahead of you in this.

[euthymiya]

slowly, surely — ft. todoroki touya

touya’s body heals one day at a time, slowly but surely. he and his brother bridge the gap along the way, slowly but surely. you like to think maybe, there’s a good chance he’ll live a life outside of just dying now

before you read: fem reader ; chapter 426 spoilers ; established relationship ; post war ; touya lives and his body heals idc ; todoroki family dynamics ; fluff and healing

You never thought you’d meet his family.

Touya’s family files in every day through the door for weeks into his room after the war. You’re introduced to the people you never thought you’d formally meet in an unlikely circumstance.

It’s difficult at first. Touya can only speak for a few minutes at a time every day. You have to share the sparse, little time you have to see him with the rest of his family. But you suppose it’s not so bad. You get a glimpse of the kind of brother Touya could have been, a side him you never got to see.

He’s teasing—makes a well-timed slightly inappropriate joke at Natsuo’s expense regarding his wedding. The blush on his brother’s face and the chastising click of his mother’s teeth makes you smile a bit. He pretends to be bored when Fuyumi rambles about her new students, but he listens attentively—you know because it surprises you all when he brings up a student she mentions in passing weeks ago. He’s a bad influence, too—his suggestions for Shouto to cheat earn a wilting glare from you that makes him concede begrudgingly.

Despite it all, you like to think Touya could have been a good brother. Can be a good brother. You don’t lose hope that maybe, amongst all the rubble, a small, fertile patch of soil exists.

It takes weeks. Months. Close to a year, even. One healer turns to two, two turns to three, and eventually, there’s a handful of the best healing quirks slowly trying to fix his charred, weakened body. Your eyes fill with tears the first time you see the swell of his round cheek restored, earning a huff and roll of his eyes.

Always so damn emotional, he grunts. He closes his eyes and relishes in your touch when you stroke the skin with your finger, though.

His skin is never quite the same. That much, you expected. It’s better than it ever was before, though. No more staples holding him together. No more deep purple and rubbery skin. It’s textured and discolored, but not nearly as rough as it used to be. You don’t care what he looks like, of course. As long as he’s with you and breathing you’re content—but he seems happy with the results.

He starts to feel whole again.

His family never stops visiting, either. (Except for his father—you promptly tell him his presence is no longer required one day. He nods like he understands. As though he can understand. It enrages you, but he offers you a quiet thank you before he leaves. Thank you for taking care of my son. You hate him more after that—for being appreciative that you now do what he couldn’t).

He gets moved to a proper hospital bed eventually. There are still tubes and needles hooked up to him—he’s not too happy about that. It makes sharing a bed with you hard. But he settles for letting you rest your head against his thigh, hand clutching his.

It’s as good as it gets for now.

Slowly, surely, Touya for the first time, doesn’t head for death. Slowly, surely, for the first time, he starts to heal.

————

“Is Touya-nii sleeping?”

“No,” you smile, turning to Shouto as he walks up to you, “he’s in there. Bored, actually.”

Shouto bends down, grabs the snack that drops from the vending machine for you and hands it to you.

Touya is right. He was raised to be a kind boy.

“I brought soba,” he says quietly. “I heard he can have solid food now.”

“He’ll appreciate it,” you beam.

Shouto lingers. You smile gently and take the hint, joining him and walking alongside the boy and make your way to Touya’s room.

It hits you then, all at once. Shouto has never spent a moment with his brother alone. Not properly, at least—not without trying to avoid being burned to death and not without having an unconscious, recovering Touya laid up in bed rest.

Soon, you hope, they can share a meal together without you in the room to ease the awkward tension.

“Touya,” you call, walking in, “you have a surprise!”

“We can finally use this bed for better things?” He asks, voice a raspy grunt.

You pinch the bridge of your nose, sighing in exasperation and making him snicker as he notices Shouto follow you through the door.

“No,” you say tiredly.

“Bummer,” he grins. It’s cheeky and cute enough that you don’t scold him further.

“Is the bed uncomfortable? I’m sure we can get a better one,” Shouto offers.

Touya lets out an amused snort, and you let your shoulders fall in relief—at least Shouto’s cluelessness at times makes things less painful when Touya remains his shameless self.

There’s comfort in it, though. You suppose you don’t mind it as much if his personality is still in tact.

“So what’s my surprise, doll. It’s not nice to keep the sickly waiting, y’know.”

“Why don’t you ask Shouto?” You roll your eyes.

Touya looks over at his younger brother. So much has changed in the last few months, you think—Touya looks happy to see his brother. It’s a big step up from murder, for sure.

“You shouldn’t have, little brother,” he grins, “what is it? Our father’s death certificate?”

“Oh, Touya,” you sigh, shaking your head, “you never change.”

“I brought soba,” Shouto holds up the bag in his hand, “I thought we could share.”

The smooth grin on Touya’s lips falter. Something flashes in his eyes—something close to regret. Maybe even sadness. It’s gone as quickly as it comes, replaced with practiced amusement as he hums.

“Great,” he drawls, “hospital food sucks, you know.”

Touya has more in common with his brother than he doesn’t. It takes him good near two decades to realize as much. Maybe, if he had the opportunity to realize Shouto was his brother who liked soba just like him and not the son that replaced him in his father’s fucked up goals, he could have lived just to live instead of just to die.

But he’s living now, he supposes. Breathing and talking and seeing—and as of more recently, eating. (Real food, at least).

There’s still a chance to eat soba with Shouto, though. Maybe Shouto hates fish just like him too—maybe he doesn’t. Maybe, in another life, he could pass his fish over to his younger brother at the dinner table when their mother isn’t looking.

“I’ll bring some more often then,” Shouto offers.

You smile as Touya’s eyes soften. The glimmer with a little bit of excitement, even. A childlike sort of glee he never got to have.

“Yeah,” he nods, “you should. Don’t expect me to pay you back, though. Your older brother’s dead broke.”

“Okay,” Shouto smiles.

You settle in the corner, letting the younger of the two take the chair beside the bed. Shouto pulls out chopsticks—Touya huffs over getting the brown ones instead of the black.

Shouto trades without a complaint.

You hear Touya murmur, “did you see the news lately?”

“About what?”

“About Endeavor, what else?”

“No,” Shouto swallows, “I had exams.”

“I told you, it’s easy to cheat if you—”

“Touya,” you hiss, making the latter curl his lips into a slight pout.

“Study hard, Shouto,” Touya grunts, rolling his eyes. “Hit those books, I guess.”

————— bonus —————

“How was today?” You ask quietly, sat on the edge of his bed, stroking through his hair. It’s shorter than it used to be, regrowing slowly from the roots with the rest of his body.

“Are we back on this talking about our days bullshit again?” Touya sighs, “we spent the whole day together, doll. You saw it all.”

“C’mon,” you hum, pinching his cheek, “indulge me.”

“S’fine,” he rolls his eyes, “the little brat was good company, I guess.”

“Yeah?” You grin.

He doesn’t meet your eyes, looking off to the side as he shrugs. “Yeah. Don’t make it weird.”

“You seemed like you were having fun,” you beam, stroking his cheek with your thumb. He rolls his eyes, leaning into your touch slightly.

“Yeah, s’cause my only company is you. Gets boring.” He gives you a charming, teasing, smooth little smile that has you scowling at him.

“How rude,” you huff, “maybe I should leave you with no company at all.”

He chuckles, turning his head slowly to give the pad of your thumb a soft, delicate kiss. “I’m kidding. You’re the best company a wanted criminal-turned-hospital-prisoner could have, doll.”

I would make a longer more detailed healing journey fic with touya but I already have a half written long fic for him that I seriously need to finish so it can wait. For now it will stay a short drabble

[hero-the-meep]

Why is the Doctor making Donna a cup of coffee so significant?

Well, he is trying to impress her, to get her to travel with him again – like he tried to do by using the TARDIS to make it snow at Christmas the first time he asked her to travel with him.

But he got that attempt wrong. Donna doesn't like Christmas, and the Doctor having the power to make it snow "scared her to death."

A cup of coffee, just how she likes it, is (on the surface of it) a smaller gesture to show that he remembered the little details about her. A cup of coffee is what brought them together all those years ago.

But it's what Donna told the Doctor about what Lance making her that cup of coffee meant to her that the Doctor really listened to and remembered.

"I was temping. I mean, it was all a bit posh, really. I'd spent the last two years at a double glazing firm. Well, I thought, I'm never going to fit in here. And then he made me a cup of coffee. I mean, that just doesn't happen. Nobody gets the secretaries a coffee. "And Lance, he's the Head of HR, he didn't need to bother with me. But he was nice, he was funny. And it turns out he thought everyone else was really snotty too. So, that's how it started, me and him. One cup of coffee, and that was it."

Donna fell in love with Lance because he made her a cup of coffee. So used to being unnoticed and uncared for, something as simple as an 'important' man taking the time to make her a cup of coffee meant everything to Donna.

She thought it was a sign that he was kind, that he was nice. She thought it was a sign he noticed and cared for her.

And the Doctor sees how it devastates her to learn the real reason why he was making her coffee was to drug her for his own ends. Despite their differences, he's gentle when he breaks it to her. And it connects her to him in a shared grief.

So when the Doctor makes her a cup of coffee after she regains her memories, he's not just telling her that he remembers the little details about her like how she likes her coffee, but the big things too.

He's showing that he sees her, that he cares about her thoughts and feelings, that he wants to care for her after all these years when he couldn't. That he knows how important this is to her.

But that's not all.

In the alternative timeline, Donna never meets Lance. And yet, when she is upset, and afraid, she asks Rose Tyler for a cup of coffee. Steam rises from her mug as they stand around the console inside the dying TARDIS, and have the most honest conversation they've had yet about the Doctor and their feelings towards him.

In the proper timeline, the person we see Donna drinking coffee with is Wilf. In moments of joy and moments of upset they bond over coffee. Before she finds the Doctor again, Donna brings Wilf a thermos to escape Sylvia's criticisms.

Wilf is the only person in Donna's life who she can be herself around, who has unconditionally cared for her, and who she takes joy in caring for back.

Even in the alternative timeline, Wilf has held onto not only the telescope but the exact same thermos Donna brings him coffee in when he's up on the hill.

For the Doctor to remember how she takes her coffee, we know they must have had moments together like this off-screen too.

So when the Doctor makes her a cup of coffee, just how she likes it, he is communicating he remembers not just the small details of her but that he remembers all these things that she associates with making someone a cup of coffee – kindness, acceptance, being noticed, caring for someone and being cared for, home, and family.

It's possible, for the Doctor, there's an apology in that cup of coffee too.

But wait, there's still more.

Did Donna spill the cup of coffee on the console on purpose?

The slight of hand was rather obvious. And it came at a time when Donna was trying to convince him not to leave her, to come back home to her, if only just for a visit.

He'd not said no, but she'd easily seen through him the first time he lied about coming inside to have dinner with her family that first Christmas, and likely saw through him again – the avoidance of eye contact, fiddling with the TARDIS, the wane "yeah, maybe."

She also rather clearly wanted to go on another trip with him (she never wanted to stop in the first place), and was only saying no because of her obligations to her family. It's possible she was buying time by spilling the cup of coffee – just one more than one last trip, without it being her "fault."

She had, after all, just dropped a cup of coffee on a computer and lost a job she'd probably hated, knowing Donna. And before things had gone really wrong, she'd definitely been enjoying herself.

It's also possible she's still quite angry with the Doctor, but unable to fully verbalise this yet.

He connects the cup of coffee to remembering every detail of her. She has not been able to remember any detail of her life with him. The last time they were standing around the console together, he took her memories against her will. He says it killed him; but she – or that version of herself, the one she actually liked – was arguably the one who was killed.

And she might be remembering Lance, another man she truly loved and trusted, and how a cup of coffee seemed like a kindness but was in fact a lie, a violation.

The Doctor quite possibly also suspects something like this is what might have happened, given his level of anger at her.

Despite the fact that this Doctor is more able to admit his feelings, we don't see what happened between them when he took her memories ever properly resolved in words.

Instead, there are a series of proxy arguments that stand in for it – Donna's anger that she gave away all her money because of him, that he sees taking the slow path, living a life day after day as such agony when he made her do it, his anger at her faith that he will know how to defeat the Toy Maker.

And their most emotional proxy argument of all – who is at fault for stranding them at the edge of the universe? Is it Donna, who spilt the cup of coffee, or the Doctor, who she couldn't stop from wandering off?

Thematically, however, there is some resolution. The Doctor lets Donna decide to regain her memories, even if it means she'll die. The Doctor knows Donna enough to save her from being left to die alone, even if it is at the very last moment. The Doctor admits he used to think he knew everything, but now he knows he doesn't.

Donna gets to tell him it's not all about him saving her, gets him to stop, finally gets him to come home with her.

And in their last scene, it's the Doctor who is having the cup of coffee.

[dimneo1010]

You know those "Alastor joins the Vees" aus? Yeah yeah well how about that but in reverse?

I named this au "50's Housewife Vox AU" (Kindly suggested by my friends)

It's fluffy but also angsty.

It starts with Vox dying in a traumatic death involving television/technology. Even in life the job of TV host was forced on him. As a result, in Hell he refuses to be around or work around modern tech. Much to his dismay, his head is a CRT.

He meets Alastor who offers him to stay in cannibal town, away from innovating technology. Vox agrees. They spend time together and at the end Vox decides to marry Alastor. He stagnates with him in terms of media. Using everything from 50's and older eras. Anything retro.

Alastor, trying to keep up with his image as an Overlord and a proper gentleman, enforces the 'Stereotypical 20-50's family' dynamic. Vox is completely domesticated and works as a househusband. He is not allowed to leave the house at all unless Alastor lets him.

Unfortunately for both of them, Alastor knows no better and thinks this is how all families should look like thanks to his upbringing. This way he's hurting himself and Vox in the process. He does many things he's not comfortable with just to make sure there are no eyes on them. For he's scared to lose Vox. He's the first person he could actually emotionally connect with in Hell.

He doesn't want to lose that.

Of course, Alastor is still Alastor and enjoys the control he has over Vox. He doesn't want to hurt him, but he does want to steer Vox's life in ways that benefit him and his image. And to ensure Vox's safety.

He even laughed at the proposition of Vox also becoming an Overlord and actually having his own life outside of Alastor. Alastor explained that's impossibe for Vox is too weak to reach such a rank. Even when they've met Vox struggled to find his place in Hell, sleeping on the streets.

Vox agrees, knowing Alastor is probably right. He has no reason to doubt his husband anyway. I mean, he owes him his afterlife for making it so luxurious. Alastor takes care of everything for him. He shouldn't complain

Once their child is born Alastor grows even more overprotective. He has two people to lose now. He brings twice as much food to the house and doesn't let a soul near the area. Alastor always wanted a family life but never has he expected it would be in a place like this.

Vox doesn't complain. He's happy. He has a luxurious house, loving husband and a son. What more could he ask for? There couldn't be another universe where he'd be somewhere else or happier.

What a silly thought.

(beautiful doodle by @ciphercalamitiez)

[olichat-reads]

Imagine | Betraying Villain Bakugou as an Undercover Hero

Villain!Bakugou x ProHero!Reader

Summary: you were a pro hero sent undercover to get close to & gather intel on the notorious villain Dynamight. What you didn't account for was to fall in love with the man you were meant to take down.

A/n: basically undercover cop x mafia boss inspired hehe.

A/n: this was meant to be a proper fic but its been sitting in my drafts for SO LONG as just a concept so this will just have to do for now :')

🌟

You have to tell him.

The longer you wait, the worse it is for you. It won't take long for them to get to you.

To get to him.

Your fists clenched around the covers at the thought.

You can't let that happen.

You won't.

Bakugou Katsuki- or better known as Dynamight was a name well known by the public as the ruthless villain ruling the underworld with an iron fist whilst fitting into the facade of a very accomplished CEO.

He was notorious for his dirty ways & illegal businesses, never bothering to hide his darker persona from the world, making sure everyone knew to fear him. Yet, the authorities never had enough proof to arrest him, never able to trace his crimes back to him, his organization too clean & flawlessly managed to reveal any dirty work below the surface.

Thats where you come in. An undercover pro hero sent as an innocent civillian to get close to him & investigate from the inside.

Who would've guessed on the inside you'd find a grumpy teddy bear of a man instead of the demon of Musutafu. You learned he wore facade over facade. Despite knowing his CEO mask wasn't really him, you discovered he wasn't really the heartless criminal either.

Bakugou acknowledges that his hands weren't clean in his business deals, he knows he isn't all good, but over the time you spent together, you learn that he isn't all bad either.

Because how could the man who visits the orphanage he grew up in be all bad?

How could the man- insisting he only visited to see his Ma Inko that raised him out of obligation and not because he got attached to the little hellspawns at the orphanage, despite always relenting to play with them every single time without fail, because they were annoying, as if he couldn't just walk away if he really wanted to- be as evil as they say?

How could the man that consoles little kids who were nervous to have a new family so gently and softly, that they will be loved, deserved a place to call home, and promise he will make sure they were happy and safe, be totally heartless?

Falling in love was not the plan.

Nor was having the big bad crime boss fall in love with you.

It was most definitely not in your plans to adore the man snoring peacefully next to you while you silently lose your mind, as much as you did.

Looking over at him, his head pressed against your hip, arm draped over your thighs, his chest rise & fall in slow breaths, you couldn't help the smile that tugged on your lips.

Who knew the big scary, angry man whose explosive demeanor never fails to shaken people's hearts everywhere could be so..

Adorable?

He looked so harmless burrying himself further into your side, pulling you closer as he mumbled your name in his slumber, the action making you melt.

You twisted your body just a bit to bury your hands into his deceptively soft hair, letting fluffy porcupine spikes tickle your cheeks as you let yourself be pulled closer by the sleeping mobster.

And who would have ever thought the person who got him to open his heart was the same person sent to bring him down.

How ironic.

You clenched your jaw at the thought, freeing your fingers from those gold strands to fist your palms so tight your knuckles turned white, as you tried to control yourself while still being mindful of the sleeping Bakugou snuggling for your warmth.

You wanted to protect him. To keep him safe. For him to be free and happy. No matter the cost, even if it meant dying by his hands.

You've thought about it. Of course you have. You knew the consequences of revealing yourself to him, your initial motives and the fact that you've been betraying him, all the while the cold, hard man fell in love and trusted you enough to offer his heart.

He would kill you.

You knew that. You hurt him, even if he didn't know it yet. Broke his heart, & betrayed the trust he found so hard to give to just anyone.

There was no doubt he would kill you, and take your life as compensation.

Yet, you've made up your mind. You'd have nowhere to go. Even if by some miracle you get out of this alive, the HPSC would hunt you down. Your life was over with either way.

How strange.

To think dying was the least of your concerns.

As you run your fingers gently through his hair again, unable to placate your twitching fingers, Bakugou slowly stirred awake, soft red eyes fluttering open to blink up at you, before he broke into a sleepy smile filled with so much pure love and adoration you had to choke back a sob.

No. Dying was a show of mercy. Nothing would hurt more than having those warm eyes currently staring at you like you were the best thing in the world, turn cold. No torture would hurt more than having to live, knowing the man that used to attack you with the sweetest kisses whenever he came home, the man that clung to you like a baby koala while you cooked, the man that loved you despite knowing you weren't perfect, would come to hate you.

That was what would break you.

You were certain. Death would be welcomed in comparison to the alternative. Death would be worth having those red eyes only ever look at you the way he was now.

"Hi."

"Hi, you."

🌟

a/n: ohhhhhh mafia au my beloved

[sighonaraa]

augusnippets day 8 -- reunion/found family!

“Do you think I have gotten too tall?” Sam asks Jamie abruptly, rounding on him with such intensity that Jamie, unwittingly, takes a half-step backwards, eyes blown wide. “Please tell me that you brought a measuring tape.”

“Why the fuck would I bring a measuring tape to the airport,” says Jamie. “And what’re you on about, you’ve gotten too tall?”

“What if he doesn’t recognize me?” Sam says, bringing the corner of his thumb to his mouth only for Jamie to tap it away before he can gnaw. “If I’ve gotten too tall, what if he doesn’t recognize me and he leaves without us and he’s lost out in the city for weeks—”

Oh. Oh. “Mate,” Jamie says, fond, “that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.” Sam bristles, so Jamie clasps him by the shoulders; presses his thumbs to the hollows of his friend’s collarbone hard enough that he hopes the warmth of his body, the steadiness of it, will seep into Sam’s and allow him to settle. “Your dad would still recognize you if you grew ten eyes and dyed your hair bleach blond. Swear down, he’d probably love you even more.”

“I just don’t think that can possibly be true,” says Sam.

“No, no, ’cause he’d have to love you more to make up for all the self-esteem issues you gained on account of having ten eyes.”

Sam searches Jamie’s face as though he can’t quite believe that was an actual sentence spoken into being, and Jamie takes it as a massive win because if Sam is stuck on the whole ‘ten-eyes-bleach-blond-hair’ of it all, then he’s not stuck on the whole ‘it’s-been-a-year-since-I-saw-my-dad-and-I’m-scared-I’ve-changed-more-than-either-of-us-are-ready-for’ of it all. Finally, Sam’s expression softens, the mountain-peak crease between his brows eases into a vague hill, and he smiles, tremulous and then brighter, brighter, brighter.

“That,” he says, “might now be the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.” He returns Jamie’s hold, hands to shoulders, and then draws them together for an embrace that Jamie melts into, every fiber of his being aching for the simple press of Sam’s brow to his neck, for the soft scratchiness of his palm to the crown of Sam’s head. “Thank you. I know I’m being—”

“Shut up,” Jamie whispers. “You ain’t being stupid.”

Sam shifts; huffs a little laugh that tickles at Jamie’s skin. “I was going to say that I’m being silly, actually, thank you very much.”

“Oh. But you were being a bit stupid, to be fair.”

“Excuse me—!”

“I must say, I am incredibly glad to see my boys getting along, but I am feeling rather left out of all this hugging.”

The voice that interrupts Sam is deep, and rumbling, and spilling over with the sort of hearth-warmth that makes Jamie think of thick, hand-knit sweaters in the winter, a proper nice pair of socks resting in front of the fireplace, hot chocolate steaming in painted mugs. He nearly cries from it, which really is stupid, and he lifts his head from where it’s buried against Sam to find Mr. Obisanya standing there with his suitcases and a blistering smile splitting across his face like it could crack him in two from the sheer force of it.

“Daddy!” Sam cries, joyful, and lunges into Mr. Obisanya’s chest. Mr. Obisanya catches him and holds him tight, cradles him close as though life never happened and Sam is still a baby. “Daddy, I’ve missed you so much.”

“I’ve missed you,” says Mr. Obisanya fiercely, and presses a kiss to his son’s forehead. Then, before Jamie can bolt or bury a hole in the ground to die in or hide, he glances up and says, “Jamie! Do you not wish to say hello?”

“Oh, no, I—hello, Mr. Obisanya,” Jamie says, awkward. “I just—”

“Come here,” says Mr. Obisanya. “Join us. And, please, call me Ola. You have more than earned it.”

And when Mr. Obisanya—Ola—catches Jamie by the wrist and drags him to the hug, Jamie doesn’t resist; he brings his arms up and allows himself to melt, slow and sure as sunlight through the window, into this family that—maybe, possibly, yes—he can call his own.

[namecantbeblank]

Can you give me a little TL:DR for begore the brazilians came? It's just too much to accompany and im lazy, sorry-

Anon, there is a ton to go over, but I'll just give you some big plot points okay? I'll try to organize them! People please reblog/comment with more points. Sit back. Hold your breath. This won't be in exact order, and this is slightly English POV heavy, but it's what I can think of right now.

Before Eggs:

The original Spanish and English members arrive on a train, split into two groups. They solve puzzles to escape and blow up the wall that was separating them both.

They 'meet' the Duck through videos, telling them what to and most importantly, to not blow up the wall, which Vegetta immediately does.

They meet Osito Bimbo / Cucurucho , a fully white snowman/bear like creature that claims they're from the QSMP census bureau. Seems harmless, and some fun is had with them.

La Villa de Sacapuntas is created, consisting of Wilbur, Jaiden, Phil, and Slimecicle, serving as an early civilization and interaction before Spreen, Missa and Roier took it over. Lots of lighthearted events here, great interactions between people.

Everything is lighthearted for a bit until the egg event. I honestly recommend watching day 1 vods.

Egg Event:

Live translation is introduced, as well as the eggs! Players are introduced to the concept, rules and partnerships regarding the eggs, which are as follows:

The eggs are Dragon eggs, and players must protect them until the mother returns.

Each Egg has two lives. They may be lost through dying or failing to complete egg tasks (Lethal and Happiness tasks)

The family with the happiest egg will be rewarded, and any families with eggs that die will be punished.

Each family has a partner who speaks a different language (minus single parents, Bad and Quackity)

If an egg bed is broken, the egg loses a life.

Everyone adopts their eggs, names them and gets their partners. Some parents, like Phil and Missa and Spreen and Fit, have one of their partners go on a trip, so they're basically single parents.

Families begin, some more stable than others, and egg personalities are learned.

Family Disputes, Early deaths, and Satan:

In the early days of the eggs being around, there were a few deaths, but none permanent.

Families like Charlie and Mariana, Quackity and Tilin and Max and Dan quickly show how dysfunctional they are. Either with outright arguments or lack of proper interaction with their egg. But everyone tries their best

Families like Roier and Jaiden, Philza and Missa, and Bad and Dapper are very positive and have little issues for the most part. Everyone is becoming attatched to these eggs.

A new person joins the party: Satan (The Devil) and Lil J (The Angel/Jesus). Played by Rubius, each of these characters talk with the parents and give them rewards for performing tasks. The Angel also has contact with a higher God, allowing eggs to be revived or given another life.

Egg Death 1: Misclick

After going AFK, Mariana accidentally clicks on Juanaflippas bed and destroys it, taking her last life.

Everyone is distraught, especially Charlie.

Charlie goes a bit insane. He starts a plan of revenge, trying to murder all the other eggs in an attempt to bring Juanaflippa back. He fails and is talked down.

Egg Death 1.2: The Rebirth of Juanaflippa and The Court Case

After failing to kill the other eggs, Charlie starts a court case against Mariana. He gets five lawyers. He kind of loses.

This is honestly a stream worth watching from any POV. Very funny.

The Judge allows Juanaflippa to be reborn. The dysfunctional family is back together.

Charlie and Mariana make up and have sex. Again. This happens multiple times on screen. I hate them

Egg Death 1.3: She fucking died

After Charlie exiles himself, Juanaflippa and Mariana stay in the greater island.

Mariana, while fighting a vindicator, fucking kills Juanaflippa again

Osito Bimbo visits Charlie in exile to tell him his egg is dead. Charlie doesn't believe them, and they have an argument.

Both parents are in a strong stage of grief, wanting to kill other eggs sometimes.

There is a semi-ongoing attempt to bring her back.

Egg Death 2: The Neglect of Trump

After the court case, Trump loses his second life. His parents are Maximus and DanTDM- Dan hasn't been on since the beginning, and Max forgot to take care of him.

Maximus goes a little crazy after. I don't remember the details but he started like, eating a lot

Trump has been found in the promotional posters tho?? And there's a lot sus about him. Don't quote me on that though.

Egg Death 3: Misclick PT.2 + Quackitys downfall

Before Juanaflippa died the second time, she and Charlie were taking care of Tilin. Tilin was going to go with Roier, who usually took care of them, but Charlie took her instead. During the night, Charlie accidentally hit Tilin while fighting a mob with a sword, killing him.

Juanaflippa is distraught that her friend died, Roier is yelling at Charlie, and Charlie and Mariana are officially named misclick duo.

Quackity finds out. He's out for revenge. He goes mental, planning on killing eggs and Charlie. He is eventually talked down a bit by Wilbur, forming his attachment to Tallulah, but it doesn't end there.

(Modern day) Later on, in the strip club, Vegetta and Roier perform a... show.. for Quackity specifically, where Quackity reveals he wants to kill the eggs still. He's basically just been spiraling since his kid died.

The Funeral

The third official event scheduled, the funeral was an event to remember Tilin, Trump and Juanaflippa. Slimecicle watches from exile as the other parents of the dead kids speak.

Mariana tries to blow up the chapel and everyone in it. He was stopped.

They all go to the graveyard after, where the cameras are destroyed (Max thought they were from the census bureau), and Osito Bimbo appears.

Osito leads the parents to a place, much like a limbo, where they can see their dead eggs one more time. Charlie comes back from exile for this.

Bad and Spreen fight lmao

As a result, Quackity asks Charlie to fight, and Charlie lets him win.

Wilburs return/Tallulah

I think he technically came back a bit before the funeral

But when Wilbur returns after being on Tour, him Fit and Phil go to the adoption center and check the attic.

They find an egg, Tallulah, and Wilbur adopts her.

They spend the day making the house, when Quackity comes up to him

Quackity thinks Wilbur is the father of Tilin, so they have a whole argument, and Wilbur goes to Tilins grave.

They end on decent terms, but later on Quackity insists on taking care of Tallulah, calling her his adoptive daughter, etc. Even when Phil is taking care of her. You see this become a bigger issue in recent streams

The Rise of Gegg

Charlie Slimecicle, grief-ridden and poor, makes a plan with Quackity to make a fake egg to rob people. It quickly gets out of hand.

Charlie morphs into a green, squishy egg and is found In a room in the adoption center. By using the excuse that Charlie is in exile, and with this egg acting like a regular egg, Gegg is now created.

Quackity adopts Gegg but quickly abandons him, so Gegg has to interact with others for help

Not many people really like Gegg. But Charlie is committed to the bit. He is Gegg now. Gegg is real. Gegg has taken over Charlie. Gegg. Gegg. Gegg.

Six Days.

The members get a video stating that in six days, their eggs will die. There is also a secret code in the video that hasn't canonically been solved

Panic and disbelief obviously happen, and parents take the time to take care of their kids and do extra events with them.

The night before the sixth was very emotional.

Parents wake up to their kids being gone, and the Brazilians coming in the ship.

Other points I couldn't fit in:

There are so many relationships, flirting and cheating that there's no way for me to list them all. But it does create drama. This is gay island at this point. LGBTQsmp.

The mobs are progressively getting stronger and harder, with new strange mobs appearing

The Code Monster, as we see more of now, attacked Phil before he and Fit killed them.

Roier becomes a psychologist and also has a female counterpart named Melissa.

There are some cases where people have "Nightmares," aka noncanon egg deaths. Sometimes there's a mob that is uneccessarily strong, lag happens, or other circumstances that lead them to giving the egg their life back and the event being retconned. Examples of this are Chayanne and Tallulah, Dapper, and Bobby

Luzu has a whole arc about being like, a robot? Arin? But I'm not caught up on that. Someone help

Bad is often the designated babysitter for eggs, followed by Phil

Maximus is actually a really fucking good actor and won awards for roleplaying. Fun fact

Maximus had a chess match with Osito Bimbo, which ended up in Osito giving him information.

I'm going to tell you right now, I could probably make a whole other list of running inside jokes

Quackity is canonically two people. English Quackity and Spanish Quackity

Roier got stabbed by Spreen with the help of Quackity, and is now looking for revenge

Check out clip channels/tiktoks for fun stuff. There's some blogs here too!

Hope this helped some, Anon! I know this is a big read but I hope you can at least scan and understand. If anyone has anything to add please reblog!

[senjuhashirama]

THE NUANCE OF HASHIRAMA’S UNFAMOUS QUOTE

After Hashirama wins a fight with Madara at the Valley of the End and subsequently impales Madara with a sword, Hashirama says to him:

Hashirama is saying this memorable quote to a dying Madara as if he was trying to justify his decision to kill Madara not only to Madara but also to himself. He’s reminding Madara that he will choose Konoha over anything else (including Madara) no matter what. He’s firm and assured with his decision. However, he’s not sure if it’s the right decision and he perceives his action as desperate. In other words, He feels like he had no other option, and he feels similarly to a rat being forced into a corner. He can only jump at his enemy or he (and everything he worked for) dies. He blames Madara for him having to face this hard situation. He doesn’t feel like he‘s won, there’s no movement in his face to suggest that, he’s angry at best for being cornered. Rather than that, he feels like he’s lost together with Madara.

However, this quote alone without context (as it’s usually thrown around) doesn’t tell us the whole story of Hashirama’s point of view that was shaped by his upbringing, experiences and dire situation.

When Hashirama says he would kill his child if the child was a threat Konoha, He doesn’t talk about a literal six years old child who came with a wooden sword. And he doesn’t talk about an adult child he could easily overpower and deal with them verbally. Instead, he talks about an offspring that would be at least on Hashirama’s level of power who would try to destroy Konoha and everyone in it, including babies and families. To put it more simply, it‘s not about only protecting Konoha as a political system but about actual people living there who wouldn’t stand a chance against said offspring and would eventually die if the offspring wasn’t stopped. Considering all previous points, Hashirama wouldn’t kill his offspring as a form of punishment, but out of necessity and out of desperation. This is also how he feels about killing Madara – he doesn’t want to punish Madara.

However, Hashirama doesn’t just think about it, he also says it aloud, which can give sort of dark or even cold vibes. But to understand this, we need to look at the way Hashirama was raised. He was born in a midst of wars where death was so prevalent that he becomes a little obsessed about it. His two brothers died, and we can assume that many of his friends and comrades also died. For Hashirama, death is a normalised, sad part of life and it’s not a taboo as it is later in the series. He is capable of talking about it and it, without a question, taught him to be compassionate.  

To Hashirama, death is not a punishment, but the last resort.   

Similarly, in Hashirama’s flashback, we can see where his struggles with parent/child relationships come from. His father was authoritative and abusive, which means that Hashirama was never shown a proper parent/child relationship. He struggled as a child and he probably automatically presumes he will struggle as a parent (on the other side) too. We don’t know how Hashirama was as a father and I don’t personally believe he was anything like Butsuma, but his traumatic experience with his own father probably shaped Hashirama’s view of familiar relationships. That’s why it was so easy for him to say aloud that he would kill his own offspring if they threatened Konoha. Hashirama’s feelings about family are more numb and lacking because of the abuse he has suffered. Because of that, he will never see father/son relationship as only good and loving as that’s not what he knows. Hashirama’s statement is rather dark and it lacks nurturing (that is prevalent in healthy family relationships), just as his adolescence.

Despite this, Hashirama isn’t sure if his decisions he made for Konoha were right. Madara himself warns him that his vision will bring darkness upon Konoha. Hashirama has regrets and doesn’t fully justify his decision as being right.

That said, Hashirama‘s statement to Madara about killing a family member and his regrets aren’t supposed to show him as a bad person. Instead, they humanise him and they make him seem like an individual rather than an ideal.

On the contrary, Hashirama‘s „heroic sacrifice“ (killing an enemy who was a friend) isn’t supposed to show him as a good person. He’s not just good and flawless or simply bad. He’s not just a cartoonishly evil character and neither he’s a funny and innocent himbo. He’s a nuanced character with flaws, not just an aspirational hero whose hands are clean.

[tgmsunmontue]

Caring, Keeping and Collecting Transformers - A Guide 1/?

Maverick is unknowingly surrounded by Transformers. He knows something is up though. Just not quite what it is exactly.

Bradley and Jake, having never met, are embarking on their own journeys and will have to learn to deal with the fact that they've both been adopted by Transformers.

Despite having years more experience, Maverick is no help at all.

PROLOGUE 1978

                He’s sitting at the table, dragging a spoon through his oatmeal when Nick staggers into the room, scrubbing at his face with one hand and stopping his pants from falling down with the other. His chest is covered in little red bite marks and not so little scratch marks and he raises an eyebrow.

                “Good night?”

                “Wild. Absolute hellcat. Amazing in bed. But man, I really need to cut back on drinking, you know what I thought I saw last night?”

                “What?”

                “You know that new hoover I bought? I swear I saw it change into an insect, like a butterfly, but then I blinked and it was back as a hoover.”

                Pete laughs, points to the hoover standing completely inanimate in the corner of the room.

                “You mean that one?”

                “Yeah… the bag was unfolded into these big wings…”

                “Man, your mind must be a weird and wonderful place and –” he’s about to say he should lay off other stuff as well when he catches movement in the doorway and there’s an attractive woman standing there wearing nothing but one of Nick’s shirts and what he assumes are her own underwear. “Good morning. I can’t believe Nick hasn’t offered you coffee yet. Or introduced us. My name’s Pete, it’s nice to meet you.”

                “Carole, nice to meet you too.”

                Nick’s spluttering about not having time to do introductions, how he was just about to bring her breakfast in bed, but Pete just laughs and decides to make himself scarce for the rest of the morning.

…            …            …

PART ONE – the coming together

                Pete runs his hands over the body work of the Kawsaki Ninja. It’s body is in solid shape, but it’s been customized in some way, the internal bits not like the standard engine, but he can figure it out. He’s good with engines.

                “You’re beautiful… shall we go for a ride?”

                “Oh, we can’t get her to start up…” the mechanic says, walking over and wiping his hands on a rag before shoving it into his back pocket.

                Pete turns the key and the engine immediately thrums into life and he grins.

                “Must have the magic touch.”

…            …            …

                A week later, out of the corner of his eye, he thinks he sees his bike standing upright, like some kind of robot but when he turns to look properly it’s just his bike and he shakes his head and he convinces himself that he needs to get a proper night sleep. Maybe stay where the sounds of Goose and Carole having sex don't wake him up in the middle of the night.

…            …            …

                The wedding and Bradley being born are highlights for Pete in the early eighties. Carole and he get on really well and he’s so happy, feeling the reflection of joy from his little adopted family. Happy for years so when he loses Goose the sharp and sudden contrast is crushing. The darkness, the guilt, the missing piece… it drags him down. He tries, he really does, knows that the people around him are worried but he can’t bring himself to care.

                He is certain, that the crash, when it happens, should have killed him. He’d been drinking again, not caring about anything much, but instead of dying his bike seems to wrap itself around him like a protective casing and rolls down the hillside. He can hear the scrape of gravel and snapping of branches; he fully expects to never wake up from the injuries he is surely sustaining. A voice close to his ear mutters this is a stupid fucking way to try and die and he lets out a wet laugh. People saw him go over the side, stopped to help and he’s taken to a hospital where he is cleared from anything other than some grazes and bruises. He’s told he’s very lucky, that he must have a guardian angel and he knows that some people are thinking about Goose, but he’s starting to think about his bike.

                When he gets out, his bike is in his garage waiting for him. No one mentioned getting it for him. It’s only been twenty-four hours and his bike is in pristine condition, not even a layer of dust. Like he didn’t even take it out. There is definitely no evidence of the same fall that he experienced, no scratches or scrapes in the body-paint and he runs his hands over the body reverently, not understanding what or how, but knowing that there is something definitely special about it. And for some unexplainable reason it’s chosen him to be with.

                It’s a turning point, he stops drinking so much, squares his shoulders and takes a deep metaphorical breath and begins living his life again. Carole and Bradley are still there. Flying is still there. Weirdly and a little confusingly Iceman is still there, along with Slider, orbiting him like they maybe expect him to explode, touching base regularly but never getting too close.

                Work too settles back into a sense of normalcy, although he makes a few changes to his will to make Bradley his sole beneficiary and Carole his emergency contact. They combine households, his own deployments making it pointless to have his own place when all he wants to do with his leave is spend it with them. He comes back from one deployment to find the old hover in the garage beside his bike and he frowns, carries it back inside to Carole.

                “This was in the garage…”

                “I swear I threw it away. Maybe I was just meaning to throw it away…”

                “Does it not work anymore?” Pete asks.

                “You know, it really does, it’s just so heavy and I can’t be bothered carrying it up and down the stairs so I bought a lighter one.”

                Pete just looks at it, remembers Goose’s grumbling about imagining it turning into something and his fingers tighten around the handle.

                “I’ll keep it in the garage to clean up after myself.”

                “Okay, I’ll believe that when I see it!” Carole teases, but Pete knows she’s teasing because he’s a neat-freak, his years in the Navy not allowing for mess to just lie around. Everything has a place and it needs to be tidied away back to that place when he’s finished with it, whether it’s on a carrier, in his plane or in his garage. He’s had to relax with regards to some of that with Bradley and the fact he’s simply a kid that leaves his things everywhere, but his own bedroom and garage remain safe spaces.

                More years pass and he catches more glimpses of both his bike and the hoover in forms that are definitely not a bike and hoover. He doesn’t mention it to anyone else, doesn’t even know what he could begin to say. He does talk to them though, just quiet murmurings under his breath while he cleans them and studies the internal workings, and the fact it’s so different makes him feel justified that he’s maybe not meant to have seen these types of inner workings. So while he keeps them and talks to them, they never talk back. Never do anything more out of the ordinary and some days he forgets that they are simply not a standard motorbike and hoover.

                He ends up being deployed with a squadron that has both Iceman and Slider and when he ends up in the shower with Iceman, his hand wrapped around both their cocks, some of their previous interactions suddenly make a lot more sense. He has to ignore Slider’s knowing looks for the rest of the deployment, but he also gets the heavy intense gaze of Iceman watching him whenever they’re in the same room and he’d put up with a lot to have that apparently.

                When he gets back Bradley has finished his first year at school and he and Ice have struggled through a talk. About them. And their feelings. It had been horribly awkward, and he’d once had to explain to Goose about why he enjoyed anal sex, but this conversation with Tom takes the new first place in his list of awkward conversations.

                He hopes they never have to have another one.

…            …            …

                Jake is ten when his uncle first brings home the old beaten-up cockpit of some type of plane and gifts it to him as his tenth birthday present, despite his parents’ grumbles about it taking up precious space in the barn. It’s not a cockpit that he recognizes at all, not one anyone recognizes when he asks around, but he doesn’t care. He sits in it and pretends he’s flying, runs his hands over the dials and wonders what they’d look like all lit up. It’s his favorite place to sit and do his homework, to sit and listen to music and also hide away from the world when it gets to be too much.

                He starts doing it up, sanding away rust and buffing the metal to a gleaming shine. When he’s around thirteen he goes out the there are a few parts sitting in a pile just outside the barn door and he takes them inside, has to drag some of them they’re so big. He doesn’t know how to weld, but he knows who to ask to teach him. He can already see how some of the parts are meant to fit together.

                “Where did the spare parts come from?” Jake asks that night over dinner, and his father frowns at him.

                “What parts?”

                “Uh, there was just a… small pile near the barn this morning. I tidied them away,” Jake says, know as long as he keeps the space contained and up in the lofted part out of the way his father doesn’t really care what he does in there.

                “Huh. I don’t know, maybe your Uncle Andy dropped them off?”

                Jake doesn’t think that’s the case at all, but there’s no other explanation that he can think of. As years pass more parts turn up and he no longer asks. There’s something… weird about it. Not bad weird, but definitely odd. He’s older now, knows the inner mechanics of the ranch trucks and his pick-up. He’s visited the airfield and spoken to some of the pilots, asked questions and been interested enough for them to show him the inner workings of the engines. This is nothing like anything he’s seen before, and yet it feels and looks older. So. Weird.

…            …            …

                His mom passes away a week before he turns fifteen. He doesn’t think he will ever be able to have a birthday in the future without remembering the grief of his mom dying. Pete and Tom are great, but they’re not his mom.

…            …            …

                Sally stretches her wings out and basks in the sun, she doesn’t transform much anymore, enjoys staying in the plane form which Maverick seems to enjoy the most. Not that she’s ever shown him her alternate form, she’s old, but she’s not lost her mind. Plus the paint and oils that Maverick uses are top of the line and she’s not felt this good in years, won’t be letting go of this lifestyle in her twilight years if she can help it. When she’s too tired to fly, or doesn’t feel like flying she simply doesn’t, which she’d first thought would cause anger, because humans do seem quick to anger. But not Maverick, instead he’d run warm hands over her nose, murmuring quietly under his breath and asking her what was wrong, then given her a complete overhaul, which she can only liken to a spa pamper day she once heard some humans refer to.

…            …            …

                “Name’s Bronco,” the blue car introduces himself, voice gravelly and the plane doesn’t transform, but he can feel that he’s being judged.

                “Original,” she says dryly. “You a friend of Bumblebee’s?”

                “I know him. Wouldn’t say we’re exactly friends,” Bronco mutters, because there’s no point in lying. The old plane hums and he wonders if she’s going to say anything else.

                “Let me tell you how it works here.”

                She describes the humans, explains that Maverick is their human, the one that all the other humans around here seem to defer to, even when he does something that no-one else can make sense of. There is Iceman, who isn’t here very often, but occasionally turns up. Then there is Bradley, who Bronco is already familiar with. Ninja is surly, doesn’t seem to care about anyone other than protecting Maverick and only seems to tolerate Sally because she’s the only one who can protect him up in the sky.

                Then there are all the others. Dozens of the fuckers. Minbots who take on the forms of everyday human appliances which he himself would find incredibly demeaning. Except for the fact that there are so many of them, and they’re not all old, but they do range wildly in actual usefulness. Sally says that many of them just turn up, and he raises one of his eyebrows at that, hears the crunching of metal at the movement but he’s yet to allow Maverick to touch his innerworkings.

                Bronco doesn’t particularly like Maverick, instead likes the kid he often has with him. Bradley. He’s got more of a fun streak and Bronco likes that. He knows refusing to work for Maverick annoys Sally, but he doesn’t care. He works for Bradley and that’s more important to him, the way the kid laughs and runs a hand over his hood and dash, like Bronco is a treasure rather than a beat-up old relic. As Maverick shows him how to oil his pieces, explains how things should work, but how Bronco is special in some way he can’t explain, he finds himself warming to the older human a little. Just a little.

…            …            …

                It’s been a while since he’s been out to the hangar and he’s impressed, the outside still looks old and like a strong wind would blow it away, but inside there’s a new coat of paint, there’s a large well-lit work bench, a line of about five bikes, the Mustang and a car. Well, an old blue Bronco. Mav’s never shown any interest in doing up cars before, and he didn’t mention buying one.

                “When did the Bronco arrive?”

                “Oh, are you admitting you actually organized that one?”

                “No. I’m not admitting to anything. Who’s going to be driving it?”

                “Well, no-one at the rate I’m going. It won’t even turn over for me. Don’t know what Bradley does, but he must wiggle the key just the right way but it turns over for him perfectly each time.”

                “Are you teaching him to drive?”

                “Yeah, he’s seventeen. Of course I am.”

                “God, when did he get old enough to drive…”

                “When we weren’t watching.”

…            …            …

                The yelling and screaming is short lived, no-one shifting an inch, Pete refusing to say anything as to why he pulled the papers. Bradley’s feeling of betrayal apparent with every shouted word.

                When he drives out to the hangar both Bradley and the Bronco are gone.

                Pete hopes like hell that the Bronco is actually like his bike and the hoover, not that the hoover ever saved his life, but Ice still denies all knowledge of the Bronco, and the Bronco only ever started for Bradley, so he has to hold onto the hope that it will keep him safe.

…            …            …

                When Bradley leaves, Bronco goes with him.

                He doesn’t ever show himself to Bradley, not yet.

                But he does listen as Bradley talks to him.

                Asks him questions.

                Like why his gas gauge never changes despite the miles they travel. Bronco knew he was a smart kid, but he still doesn’t say anything.

CHAPTER TWO

[kittenofdoomage]

Midnight

Summary: New Year’s Eve brings a surprise at the end of a crappy year.

Pairing: female!reader (Y/N) x unnamed male

Word Count: 3610

Warnings: angst, mentions of break ups of long term relationships, anxiety, fluff, masked dances, semi-public smut, some mild breaking and entering, fingering, full vaginal sex, some mild feelings of unhappiness

A/N: This is another one of those "pick your character" fics that I can't really post on Ao3, so I'm posting here to wish you all a very happy new year. I hope everyone has a peaceful and blessed 2024, and that the fall of the patriarchy/death of capitalism finally comes to fruition. Enjoy!

Originally, her plan for New Year’s Eve had involved a family-size bag of Doritos and whatever movies she could find on Netflix. She had no work for the next week, no boyfriend since Andrew had dumped her in the summer, and when Dee had surprised her with a ticket to the annual city New Year’s Masquerade Ball, she had ultimately failed to provide an excuse good enough to turn it down. 

“All of us are going,” Dee had informed her excitedly, making sure Y/N had no wiggle room. “I’ll help you find a dress, we’ve got a huge car booked -”

“Okay, okay,” Y/N smiled, internally dying at the thought of an evening around strangers, even ones in masks. “I’m in.”

Maybe it would do her some good. Since the end of her relationship, she’d been unable to summon enthusiasm for anything, and she had to admit, shopping for a dress and giggling over imagined possible events at the ball with her friends was more fun than she had had in a while. She hadn’t realized just how stale her life had become, even before Andrew broke up with her.

The downside to the evening presented itself with the understanding that she would very much be the proverbial fifth wheel. Dee and Jenny both had dates for the night in the form of their long term partners, David and Leanne, respectively. Still, they assured her that they wouldn’t ignore her in favor of their company - Leanne had even offered up a blind date, but Y/N quickly turned her down, politely, because although she didn’t want to seem ungrateful, she didn’t think it would make her evening any more enjoyable. It would probably have had the opposite effect.

New Year’s Eve rolled around faster than she wanted it to, despite her excitement for the party. She started preparing ridiculously early, and by the time her cab arrived to take her to Dee’s, she was trembling with nerves. Her friends didn’t make it any better when she got there, chatting excitedly, making her feel like she’d be wallpaper the entire night. Still, she smiled and nodded along, following quietly when the car arrived to take them to the hotel downtown.

The Masquerade Ball was held in the same place every year. It wasn’t exclusive, but it was limited, another reason Y/N had been reluctant to turn down the ticket. They arrived in plenty of time to join the queue, and the chilly evening had her wishing she’d brought more than her light jacket. She shuddered in silence, keeping up with Dee as they shuffled closer to their destination, feeling more and more underdressed in her simple unembellished evening gown as she took in the stunning dresses and tuxedos everyone else was wearing. Of course, she couldn’t see anyone's faces, which made it marginally better, but she still felt underwhelming in comparison.

They made it inside within thirty minutes, accepting direction to their table in the grand ballroom several floors up. It was busy, and loud, and the dancefloor was already bustling with bodies grinding together to the late nineties pop tune that was currently playing. The ticket had stated a mixture of classical and popular music, with opportunities for “proper” dancing. Around the room there were several booths, the capitalist side of the event, and as the group seated themselves at the table, Jenny grabbed Y/N’s hand and pointed toward one booth at the back of the room.

“Look, they’re doing the Dance Card stall this year!”

Y/N scrunched up her face. “What’s that?”

“It’s like a game, people can sign up and get matched with a dance partner for a song. You can do it as many times as you like.”

“So it’s like Speed Dating?” Leanne asked, pulling a similar face to Y/N.

“I don’t think so,” Y/N giggled, shaking her head at the thought of getting up close and personal with a stranger. “I just wanna enjoy the party.”

Dee leaned into her, smiling. “I’ll dance with you, baby girl, don’t worry.”

The ballroom was filling quickly, and for the first part of the evening, Y/N stayed with the group, chatting over the music and drinking. Occasionally, Leanne would drag Jenny off to dance, or Dee would make David, but they never left her alone, something she was grateful for. She shared a dance with Dee, but quickly found the crowd overwhelming, so she remained at the table while the others took turns in dancing.

“Are you sure you don’t wanna try the dance card thing?” Jenny asked, leaning in as Dee pulled her boyfriend from the table. “Just once?”

Y/N looked over at the booth again, ready to deny it, then her gaze caught on one figure that seemed to stand out from the crowd. He was standing off to the side of the booth, leaning against the wall, a full glass in one hand with the other in his pocket, and she was certain he was looking right back at her. There was something familiar about him, not that there was anything extraordinary that would have made him stand out in the first place. The tuxedo he wore was the same as a dozen others she’d seen, and he was wearing the standard mask they were handing out on the door for those who forgot or didn’t have one.

“Oh my god, you’re thinking about it,” Jenny giggled, touching her forearm and bringing her attention back to the table. When she looked over at the booth again, the man was gone, and disappointment settled into her stomach.

“I’m not,” she assured her friend. “I thought - nevermind.”

Her mind was already wandering as Leanne distracted her girlfriend from badgering her. It couldn’t have been him, even if her gut was telling her it was. He wouldn’t be in the city, let alone at the same party she was at, it was impossible. The one that got away had gone away permanently, a long time before Andrew was even a blip on her radar, and it was just wistful thinking making some random stranger look like him.

Dee returned, breathless from her dance, though David didn’t return with her. “He’s getting more drinks,” she explained as Jenny asked where he went. The two other women took their turn to go and dance, and Y/N drew back into herself a little, realizing they were spending their time keeping her company when they should have been enjoying themselves.

“I’m sorry,” she said suddenly, looking at Dee, who blinked in confusion.

“For what?”

“You’re -” Y/N gestured wildly. “Looking after me, like usual. I’m a buzzkill.”

Her friend laughed. “Honey, do I look like my buzz has been killed? I can’t dance to every single song anyways, I’m not seventeen anymore.”

“You’re sure?”

Sighing, Dee leaned in, covering Y/N’s hand with her own. “You need this,” she insisted. “Since Douchebag McDouche left you - yahoo, by the way - you’ve been in a slump. And I hate seeing you miserable.”

“I know,” Y/N mumbled, sagging in her seat. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get so… boring.”

“You’re not boring,” Dee replied, squeezing your hand. “You just need to rediscover yourself a little.” She picked up her almost empty drink, draining the last of it. “You could always try the dance card thing. Maybe you’ll find someone to kiss at midnight. Even if it’s just for midnight.”

The idea was less than appealing but Y/N looked in that direction anyway, just in case the mystery man was there again. When he wasn’t, and she sighed, Dee frowned.

“Not up for it?”

“It’s not that,” Y/N murmured, wary of their companions returning. “Do you remember after college, there was that guy -”

“I got fresh drinks for everyone!” David announced, arriving back at the table with a tray in his hands. Instantly, Y/N fell silent, and Dee quickly realized she wouldn’t be getting anything more out of her. “Another rum, Y/N?” David asked, handing her a drink regardless of her answer.

She got to her feet with a forced smile. “Actually, I’m going to find the ladies room,” she informed both of them, stepping away and waving off Dee’s almost immediate offer to join her. The crowd wasn’t as dense as it looked, and she easily found her way to the lobby, following the posted signs for the restrooms. There was a queue that she quickly joined, pulling her phone from her purse, scrolling through her Twitter feed to pass the time.

Someone across the lobby yelled, which made everyone look that way to see a gentleman being forcefully exited by security. Y/N watched along with them, and as the scene died down, she went to turn her attention back to her phone, only to see him again. This time he was at the other side of the lobby, standing with a group of people, and when he caught her eye, he smiled, raising his drink a little in her direction. She froze in surprise, staring back, and it took the woman behind her in the queue jostling her to get her to look away.

He was gone again when she glanced back, but the queue was moving too quickly for her to do anything. Her heart was in her throat as she rushed to be done in the restroom, scanning the crowd the second that she was out in the lobby again, finding the group he was with gone and him with them. It was stupid how disappointed she was, when she wasn’t even sure if it was who she thought it was or even if it was the same person.

For all she knew, she was going crazy.

“Idiot,” she muttered to herself, heading back into the ballroom to find the table again. None of her friends were there, all busy on the dancefloor, and her stomach dropped, anxiety rushing in at her. “What am I doing?” she whispered, certain she was going to cry.

“You look a little lost,” said a man from behind her, in a voice she recognized even after all this time.

“Yes, well,” she replied, keeping her gaze on the dancefloor in case she was imagining him. “These things are more for couples, aren’t they?”

He laughed, and her insides churned with a need to see his face, to make sure it was really him, because she felt like it was a dream. She still remembered the last time she’d seen him, just the back of his head as he left, taking her whole heart with him even if he didn’t know it. “I suppose so,” he agreed, and a hand brushed the small of her back, making her inhale sharply. “Would you like to dance?”

Why was he here? How? What was happening?

She nodded, holding her questions in as he took her hand to lead her to the dancefloor, just as a slower classical number came on. Finally, she turned her head, disappointed that the mask covered his face, but recognizing his features underneath. Her heart soared, nerves gathering as butterflies in her stomach, and she couldn’t help but smile through her mask at him. He smiled back, pulling her closer as they reached a spot with enough room not to feel cramped.

Neither of them spoke. Her desire to know where he had been, why he was there, was held at bay by the simple comfort of just being in his arms. He was still fond of the same aftershave by the scent clinging to his clothes, and his hair was slightly different, but otherwise he was exactly as she remembered, and she couldn’t help leaning in to rest her cheek against his shoulder as they moved slowly to the music. Across the dancefloor, she met Dee’s confused gaze from where she was dancing with David, recognizable by her hair, and Y/N smiled at her so she knew everything was okay.

“You look just as beautiful as the last time I saw you,” he murmured, making her lift her head to look at him. “Can’t believe it’s been so long.”

“How can you tell that I look the same?” she asked playfully. “I’m wearing a mask.”

He chuckled. “I just know,” he shrugged, smirking at her.

“You’re still just as big,” she said shyly. “Your hair is different.” The music picked up speed a little, transitioning to a faster beat, and Y/N frowned as couples around them started to get a little showy with their movements. “I don’t think I like this song,” she joked.

“Let’s go somewhere quieter,” he agreed, stepping back and taking her hand again.

As they moved through the crowd, they passed Dee, who stared at the man with her in shock, recognizing him, and mouthing a “is that who I think it is” while pointing at him. Y/N nodded, not stopping to explain as he led her into the lobby and towards a fire exit. “Wait,” she hissed, “where are we going? It’s gonna be midnight soon.”

He glanced back with a grin. “Don’t worry,” he assured her. “No one’s up there.”

The there he was referring to escaped her, but she had always trusted him, and she had no reason not to now. With a nod, she followed him through the fire exit, into the stairwell and away from the noise. He started to climb the steps, looking back to make sure she was with him, and on the next floor, they entered a larger, empty room that was only lit by a few lamps.

“What is this place?” she asked.

“A lounge,” he replied. “There’s a balcony we can watch the fireworks from.”

“Won’t someone catch us?”

His eyes sparkled behind the mask. “Only if we’re not quiet.”

The balcony was separated from the room by large doors that weren’t locked. Y/N followed him out into the night, feeling her breath get snatched away by the view of the city. There was a balcony on the ballroom floor too, and she could hear the music below and the chattering of people on the balcony. She pulled away from him to approach the stone ledge, unsure she’d ever seen anywhere look so pretty.

“It’s beautiful,” she whispered.

He was behind her, one hand on her hip as he pressed into her, burying his nose in her hair. “Isn’t it?” he mumbled, though she wasn’t sure they were talking about the same thing.

“You’re really here,” she turned to look up at him, “after all these years, you came back.”

“It would have been sooner. But… things happened. And when I came back to see you, you always seemed happy with someone. I didn’t want to take that away from you.”

Guilt made her insides churn because she hadn’t been, not really. Enough to fool herself, enough to hurt herself, maybe, but she’d always known what had slipped through her fingers. “And now? How did you know I’d be here?”

His cheeks darkened. “Dee posted a picture of you guys getting ready,” he explained, a little sheepishly. “I pulled some strings. This is not actually my tux.”

“You know,” she whispered, “I had a pretty crappy year.”

“Me too.”

Lifting a hand, she pressed it to his cheek. He leaned into it, covering her hand with his own. “I never thought I’d see you again. This feels like a dream.”

“It’s not,” he replied softly. “Lemme prove it.”

She wasn’t quite expecting him to kiss her but after the split second of shock, she melted into it, wrapping her arms around his neck as his tongue slipped between her lips. The action made her moan, and he groaned in reply, clutching at her like she might disappear. When they broke apart, she felt almost high, unable to stop herself from smiling.

“We never had a chance to do that before,” she gasped breathlessly. His fingers were digging into her hips, pulling her body flush with his, and she could feel his erection through the fabric of his pants. Her body reacted with a rush of warmth between her thighs, and before she could stop herself, a lustful whine tore itself from her lips.

His gaze grew hungrier. “There’s a lot of things we never had a chance to do,” he practically growled, voice so low that she shuddered in his hold.

“There’s no one here,” she said abruptly, surprised at her own words.

Her dress was already bunching in his hands as he tugged it up. “Tell me to stop,” he grunted as he pulled the fabric higher, pressing his mouth to hers in a desperate, quick kiss. “Tell me to stop and I can wait, I promise -”

She stopped him with a deeper kiss, rubbing her hand against the bulge in his pants. “I can’t,” she whimpered.

He turned her, pulling her back against him. “You’re so beautiful,” he hummed, pulling her dress up again until it was bunched over her ass, pinning it there with his body. Sliding a hand underneath the fabric still covering her front, he rubbed his fingertips over her mound, pressing his lips to her throat. “Are you wet?”

Her answer wouldn’t come out as she struggled to process what was happening. He chuckled, working his fingers underneath the waistband of her panties, finding the answer himself when he stroked her slit. She moaned, throwing her head back against his shoulder, rubbing herself into his erection.

Two thick fingers spread her open, sinking into her with ease, and she yelped, lurching forward. The roar of the party below became clearer as she caught herself on the balcony edge. “Someone could hear,” she panted, unable to stop her hips from rocking into the same rhythm as his fingers. “They’re right below us -”

“Guess you’ll have to try and be quiet,” he replied with a low chuckle. “The fireworks will be starting soon.”

She nodded, gasping as the heel of his palm ground into her clit, thick fingers still thrusting inside her. His lips brushed the shell of her ear, and a breathy groan made her shudder and push back against him. The consistent stimulation was making her head swim; her eyes fluttered shut and her hands tightened on the stone balcony.

“Are you going to cum?” he asked. She whimpered, nodding when she couldn’t make herself speak, and he laughed again, working his fingers a little harder until the tremble that had started in her knees seized her whole body. Her cunt clenched around the intrusion, the sound of her wetness reaching her over the party noises below them, and finally, she cried out once, covering her own mouth as she shuddered around him.

His hand withdrew, leaving her bereft. She gulped down air in her brief reprieve, then inhaled sharply as his hot and heavy cock landed against her exposed bottom. He didn’t wait, thumbing the tip down until it slotted between her thighs, rubbing right against her sensitive labia. The hunger for more returned, and she tilted her hips, allowing his thick head to find its target, and she arched as each inch filled her until she could feel the soft fabric of his pants pressed against her ass. Only when he was fully sheathed did he stop, dropping his lips to the bare curve of her shoulder with a tiny, contented sigh.

“Only ever dreamed of this,” he whispered, grinding deep inside her. “Feeling you wrapped around me -” He sighed again, the same happy little noise. “Fuck -”

She whimpered his name when he pulled back to sink home again with his hands grasping her hips tightly. His height forced her to lift slightly, but he quickly bent his knees, enabling him to drive into her a little harder, forcing a squeak from her lips when he bottomed out again.

“Listen,” he grunted, leaning in close, pressing a kiss to the back of her neck. Below them, the crowd was chanting, and it sounded like the whole city was too. Her lover started to count with them, slamming into her hard enough to punch the air from her lungs with every number. “Seven, six, five -”

Her pussy clenched around him, and as the countdown drew to an end, she cried out, letting the sound be drowned out by the sudden burst of fireworks that lit up the night sky. She pushed back into him as she came, and his pace quickened, his own climax filling her hot and thick as the party music struck up again from the floor below.

A pleasurable buzz left her dizzy and she clutched the balcony, letting her blurry gaze linger on the city underneath. The sensation of his withdrawal made her hum happily, and when he pulled her to her feet, she stumbled right into his arms and his kiss. His lips left her dizzier than before, and she gave him a dopey smile as he chuckled and cupped her cheek.

“Happy New Year.”

She leaned into his touch. “Happy New Year.”

“Your friends will be wondering where you are,” he murmured.

“Let them wonder,” she replied, almost drunk on him, clinging to the front of his tuxedo. “What now?”

He inhaled deeply, wrapping his arms around her. “Well, I was hoping to take you home,” he said quietly, lips twitching with a smile.

“And tomorrow?” she asked, daring to hope.

His smile became a grin. “I waited so long for this, you think I’m gonna give it up now?”

Her heart pounded as she smiled back up at him. “I was really hoping you’d say that.”

Psst, if you wanna tell me who you were imagining, send an ask or reblog 😘

[melonteee]

"A pirates life means leaving lovers at shores, because your first love is the sea! I can't see Sanji canonically with Pudding, or with anyone, because that's not the life a pirate lives! After all, his dad was 60 without a partner and a crew of his own (ie the Baratie chefs), why would Sanji be any different?"

I want to push back on this a bit not for any shipping reasons, but because we have canon examples of this not being a hard truth in the series. Aladin/Praline + Bege/Chiffon & now Lola/Gotti are examples of couples seamlessly being part of a pirate crew. Bege & Chiffon even have a kid who constantly sails with them. So I'm just confused where this idea of romance being impossible if the Strawhats want to stay together comes from. We already know they're different from other crews what with lack of offical hierarchy & how they feel comfortable to boss Luffy around so why not this particular case? Luffy even implies if any of his crew wants to get married it's no big deal to bring them aboard. This goes for ANY crewmate btw not just Sanji.

Lastly, not only did the literal king of pirates have a whole family sail with them (Oden+Toki & kids) but even he fell in love and had a partner. The only reason he gave up the pirate life was because he was dying. Sure, he could've met her after he got his death sentence, but I really don't think he still would've stopped being a pirate had he been able to keep doing it. Probably would've taken her aboard ship too. He already knew what having a family aboard would be like.

I dunno. I think it's a bit silly to think you cannot be a proper pirate AND have a partner sail with you. I mean if you can take a baby from a chest and raise it on your ship I don't see why you can't have your gf/bf travel with you if you both choose to do so. Isn't the freedom to live how you want the core of the pirate way?

I just feel this sentiment is just a preemptive way to hate on any possible ships for our strawhats just because it might not be the one we want? Like a way to go ha! see it's ~bad writing~ IF the hypothetical becomes reality. I feel Oda has left enough hints through worldbuilding that romance is not 100% off the cards for our mains.

I'm not trying to start an argument, but I do think people might want to try deconstructing the whole "No Romance in One Piece" mentality that was built upon misinterpreted quotes by Oda very long ago & perpetuated by sexist male fans because we're nearing the end lol and if it happens fans will unfairly rage about it all over the internet like with so many other series when they don't agree with endgame couples. People can still engage in ship content even if said ship isn't canon after all. Canon isn't a binding contract.

*sorry if this comes off condescending I promise it's not meant to be!

It's just mainly because, again, Sanji's own mentor didn't have a partner, and while Sanji LOVES women and everything it feels...strange?? For him to like, end up with anyone, when he says he's a man for ALL ladies! I'm not saying it's impossible, as you've pointed out, but I just cannot see the Strawhats getting partners by the end of One Piece, at most I can see it being heavily implied but that's it.

There is romance in One Piece, of course, but it always has a point to it, and the greatest romance within One Piece is the world of adventure and fantasy itself. I personally would be very disappointed if there were end game pairings that were solid and set, because not once have I thought any of these characters want to settle down and marry anyone. It's cute to have crushes here and there, but I have just have never seen any indication of marriage being in the books once for them.

Big Mum's children were very specific cause that arc overall was about marriage and family, and while Pudding did fall for Sanji, he still rejected her and her marriage. Yes Luffy said it wouldn't be a problem, but in the end, Sanji still didn't want to. Sanji only accepted the marriage when making the promise that the Strawhats would be safe, so I'm unsure why it would suddenly flip in the future and he'd have his sights set on marrying someone lmao

Oden and Toki were also different because the purpose for their marriage was to continue on Oden's lineage. Yes, they fell in love, but Momo and Hiyori ultimately existed for Wano's plot.

I think I also just really fucking hate endgame pairings LMAO like if One Piece ends with Strawhat endgame pairings instead of open interpretation I will just pass away because I really don't want this series to box itself and its characters in by doing such a thing.

[chthonic-mommy]

Imagine a Good Ending for Karlach

Larian hire me right now.

also my English is weak but I’m trying so please be kind I can’t REMAIN SILENT ANYMORE. it was a 3am unfiltered stream of consciousness written in language which isn’t my native.

So, the final battle. Karlach overheats. I don’t care how are they going to get rid of anything else - that’s not the topic. Then Tav (maybe with Gale’s help) uses extreme ice spell on Karlach, a few seconds before the end. This won’t let her die - but won’t let her live either. Tav just couldn’t tolerate the thought of Karlach dying. The battle ends. Everything’s over. Everyone is alive. But there is Tav - with swollen eyes, feeling like her own heart’s gonna explode instead of Karlach’s engine. And then there is The Body. Tav holds her head close to her chest, crying, but Karlach’s cold now, too cold. Gale tries to go talk with her, but both Astarion and Lae’zel ask him not to. Tav is overwhelmed and incredibly protective over The Body. She is a short and weak bard, but she will not let anyone touch Karlach, she’ll protect her like a mother lioness protects her cub.

She’ll take The Body home with her. Cold, with an ice crust on that place where soft light was coming from.

A year passed. Tav stayed in Baldurs Gate. Karlach’s dream was to help tiefling children who lost their parents. Karlach told Tav “All children should have proper housing. I didn’t have any opportunities when I was a child myself. It didn’t turn out good.”

So Tav opened a home school. She wasn’t as good with children as Karlach was, but she originated from aristocratic family, so she, as a woman of great knowledge, became a teacher for tiefling kids. They were stubborn at first and didn’t attend classes, but by time they started to listen. They began to help Tav with the garden, so they could eat stuff they grew together afterwards. Mattis remembered what Karlach told him - it’s easier to avoid battle and come out as winner out of any situation if you have a way with words. Mol was the last to stop leading her illegal lifestyle, influenced by others.

Tav taught them proper writing, counting, helped them with better clothing. She couldn’t give them everything - money won’t last forever. But she tried - tiefling kids had breakfast and dinner, they had a place to sleep, they were learning something.

Tav was numb. She stopped crying - work and children who needed her, all of that made her tougher. She was weak physically before - Karlach was always there for her to help. She remained weak, but could hardly afford that weakness now.

Three years have passed. Tav searched. Karlach’s body remained the same. There was a way to melt her heart, but she’ll die right after, Tav needed a way to melt her engine without damage, and a way to make it work. Gale told her one day “You need to move on, Tav, those children need you.” Tav answered him “She wanted to live more than any of us did. I’ll rip my own heart out, if needed. Help me or leave me alone.” She and Gale stopped talking for a year. Than he returned to her with loads of books and an apology.

Astarion didn’t like the whole idea of home school at first, but he still was coming to Tav as frequent as he could. He taught kids personal boundaries, cuz Tav didn’t want to be touched, so Astarion taught children that before a hug you need to ask first. Astarion never left Tav’s side, he supported her in her dream to bring Karlach back. He missed his barbarian friend too.

Five years have passed. Lae’zel and Shadowheart came to Tav’s place and brought their hatched gith child with them. Lae’zel also brought githyanki medicine, Shadowheart brought her prayers. Gale and Astarion came, bringing a fire artifact they’ve been searching for during the last year. Halsin and Will came, bringing their magic. Dammon was there as well. The whole group have got together again because everyone knew - if today’s stuff won’t work out, Tav will lose her life purpose. She needed their support.

It was the dark and cold night. Tav was nearly as cold as Karlach, tearless and calm. Gale started to dissolve the spell, the engine began to melt. Halsin was trying to support Karlach’s health, at least till the engine starts. And then everything went wrong. The engine started to heat like crazy, burning Karlach from inside, Dammon took his blacksmith tools and started to repair the engine right there. Tav took the fire artifact and put it into the engine. It burned through her gloves, it burned her hands heavily. Dammon took a step back.

Karlach’s body twisted in pain, she started to cough. She threw up. She coughed again, there was a black smoke, the smell of charcoal and burned flesh.

Everyone stood still, until Astarion ran for Karlach and hugged her tight.

“Damn, Fangs, I’m gonna vomit again…”

He looked nervous, his eyes twitched just like he was going to start crying, but he buried himself into that hug even more. Lae’zel came to them too, swearing, but hugged them with all her strength. Then was Halsin and his bear-like hugs. And Gale - who already started crying. Shadowheart and Will stood aside politely.

Karlach coughed uncontrollably, suffering from pain, laughed, not quite understanding what happened. For her it was just a moment - like she slept for a while. But everyone was different then she remembered. Gale had more wrinkles, Astarion never hugged her like this before, and Tav… looked like a pale imitation of herself. She stood silent, watching the hugs happening. Like she wasn’t there at all.

Everyone moved away, leaving Karlach sitting on the floor, still coughing but not that bad. Tav stayed on her place. She was afraid to believe it.

“Love…” Karlach started, and Tav whimpered, her heart skipped a beat. “…What’s with your hands? Did I burn you?”

Tav came closer, with tears dropping on the floor, breathing fast, looking like she’s gonna either have an anxiety attack or faint.

“Tav?” That’s was enough for her to burst out crying. She rushed into Karlach’s arms, crying like a baby, shivering.

Karlach’s started to kiss Tav’s face, trying to calm her down, caressed her hair. She worried so much and her engine was still unstable - it started heating again. Tav kissed her lips and felt them burning, like it was their first kiss.

“We need to stop, Tav, something’s wrong.”

“I’ll never stop! Karlach I missed you so fucking much! You were here, your body, cold and silent, I could touch you but there was no YOU in there! For five fucking years! I’ll rather burn myself than hold back now.”

Karlach looked at her in shock.

“Five years? How… How did you?..”

“I needed you to live. I did what I could.”

“That’s why your hands are burned?”

“That’s a small price.”

Karlach pulled her close, while her engine calmed down a little.

“And you waited for me for five years…unable to reach me… just like I waited to touch you… when we just met… it’s all crazy.”

“I was afraid I’d lose you. I’d die too.”

“Love…”

“Don’t tell me anything. It’s easy to get used to good things. When you lose them - you may never recover.”

Karlach kissed her again, kissed her burned lips, kissed her forehead, kissed the tears traces on her cheeks.

“We’ll talk about it later… I’m here, love, I’m here…”

That was the first night after the final battle which they spent happy, together. Tav was crying over and over, snuggling to Karlach and holding her hand tight, like she’ll disappear at any moment.

The next morning Karlach found out about kids. Most kids who she remembered were nearly young adults now. Mol and Mattis came early to help Tav with her house chores and ran to Karlach’s arms like they were her own kids.

“Karlach, we thought you dead!”

“Yeah, we thought mama Tav lied to us so we wouldn’t be sad about you!”

And Karlach hugged them close, but then pushed away to ask a question.

“Mama Tav?”

“Yeah, everyone calls her mom, it’s easier to explain and to remember.”

“She adopted EVERY child here?”

“Not really, but we’re still hers, I guess. She helped us all this years.”

They told Karlach about their jobs, about little ones who came when Karlach was already “away”. When little ones, those who stayed at Tav’s place, woke up, they rushed to see what’s happening and why this place is so crowded.

Mol said: “Listen here, little bastards, THAT’S Karlach we told you stories about! She finally came back!”

And then there were lots of “wow”, “she’s as tall as I thought!”, “the light from her chest is real, see?” and “are you mama Tav’s wife? she wouldn’t tell us”. Karlach was delighted.

She got to meet Lae’zel’s and Shadowheart’s baby gith, and couldn’t get enough of him.

She and Tav made use of every free minute to speak. Tav started to bloom like she used to - colors came back to her. They kissed again and again to the point when Astarion started to joke dirty about putting Karlach back to sleep.

When Karlach asked Dammon, how’s her engine, he told her he doesn’t know how long will it last. They didn’t know anything at all.

Lae’zel always asked Tav before, why does she read so much, isn’t she already one of the smartest women in Faerun?

Tav always answered that the main point of learning is that you never stop. Science has no answers, you learn and then you understand that you know nothing and then you learn again. And that’s an endless path, you’re never stagnated. Lae’zel was fascinated by that.

Tav answered Karlach’s question about her engine just as expected.

“If it breaks, we’ll find a way to heal you again. And again. That’s the never-ending path of knowledge…”

“Knew you’ll say that.”

“So why did you ask then?”

“Just wanted to hear it aloud. It’s strange to know… that now I’m finally free. What should I do, Tav?”

“You can start at helping me with our homeschooled gang. I’m slowly getting burnt out. Mal and Mattis are helpful, but I can’t trust them with everything and they don’t have to be here all the time.”

“Understood…” Karlach stopped thinking about her future after Dammon for the first time told her that her engine can’t be entirely fixed. She couldn’t imagine someone going this far to bring her back. But Tav did it.

Karlach was free. Finally free of Avernus, free of her past, nearly free of death (Tav made her believe in that). She was surrounded by children and her friends were all here to welcome her back. Tav was here - with her hands and lips burned and painful, but refusing to leave her no matter what. Sweet Tav, who seemed so little in comparison to Karlach. Her savior.

“Gods,” Karlach smiled bright. ”Love, it feels so good to be alive.”

[fiberturkey89]

Memorial (Dragons Rising Skylor Drabble)

Skylor stared at what was Nya's birthday pictures for the what was about thirteenth time today. Her eyes focused where the dates had been scratched out by a red marker- understanding as to why the Master of Water had taken the images from her and furiously began to scribble out the dates on both.

They'd been too busy to really do it at the time- but it had been Nya's birthday when she became one with the sea;

April 30th.

They had done a proper one when the time came around. At first, Nya was reluctant, brushing it off and downplayjng it as just another day on the calendar. But then Ray, Maya, and herself had shown up, alongside Garmadon and Misako, too.

Now here Skylor was; May first, three, nearing four years later, and only able to celebrate Nya's birthday once before The Merge took all of her friends from her. Umber slept in his nest quietly as Skylor leaned on a palm, seated at her kitchen table. Her memory doing all the work for her to put all the details of the birthday back into place.

Her eyes slowly went around the picture, smiling softly at the memory of what had been a happy but melancholy day - Kai and her were seated together, his arm wrapped around her shoulder, making a face while she tipped his nose in frosting. But his eyes betrayed a mirth in them; one seen only when he was with family.

Nya was beside Kai, and she was laughing with tears in her eyes at his failed attempt to flirt with her - Pixal and Zane bringing more food to the table with the help of Ray and Maya, the two Smith elders bearing proud smiles. The Nindroids talked to each other about something she couldn't really remember, but it did involve Zane helping with a girls' night out later. She did remember that part.

Morro, Cole, and Lloyd were fighting over the last plate of empanadas, the largest of the team keeping them out of reach while the kther two were doubling down on him and trying to get it out of his grasp. Lloyd hanging off of his arm while Morro was climbing up his back to reach for the plate.

Misako, Wu, and Garmadon were conversing awkwardly in the background - still getting used to one another after some time of being separated, and Skylor vividly remembering the latter gifting Nya a potted flower. Something about how "She rose up once more,". If you asked her, it was just his vague way of saying happy birthday.

A frown tugged on her lips when she remembered that Jay and Nya had a recent falling out. She even still had the note from the Master of Lightning, sitting placidly beside the little pile of photos. In fact, that's why he was absent from the photos themselves. He had been the one to take them.

Grasping the edges, she played with the paper, somehow having survived The Merge, covered in little stickers. It was his signature in a way. "Hey, Skylor? I know we don't really talk much at all - could you come over? Me and Zane and Pix and I wanted to throw a birthday party for her, and you two are pretty close, so it would mean a lot if you came."

She pulled up another image from the pile, all their spirits playing a game in the courtyard - playing dodgeball, eventually the Ninja had joined in on the fun, a snap shot of herself and Nya and Morro being the last ones standing against Mistral and Torrent.

She sighed, leaning back in her chair and staring outside into the illuminated city- her hands feeling the hunger for elemental powers as she beat them back. Kai's fire still clung stubbornly, but its flame was dying out- and she was afraid of when it would run its course.

Three years, and not a single hide nor hair of the Ninja. Eveen her knocks at the Monsastery, plus the barks from the Cockatrice wouldn't get a single response.

She knew they were alive, they had to be- she just wish they would come home to her sooner.

[merakiui]

Since you said the octo trio get their breeding kinks from their mer instincts, what do you think about Savannahclaw?

It also comes from the beastman instinct to breed! I think all of the twst characters with inhuman characteristics (Octavinelle trio, Savanaclaw trio, Che'nya, Malleus, Lilia, and even Sebek) will have some breeding kink in them because of the nature of their species.

With Leona, it's essentially expected that the royal bloodline be carried along with heirs for the future. Though Leona will never be king, he's probably heard from those around him (perhaps hearing it as reminders from Farena or even Farena's wife) that it's important to find a mate and have children, if only to keep the pride extant. Leona has no interest in any of this, constantly thinking that since he will never be in line for the throne there's no need for his family to get any children out of him.

But it's a different story when he meets you and he sees how good you are with Cheka, always keeping him entertained and occupied so Leona can slip away for a nap. Leona could do without children, but if you want children then he'll gladly give you plenty to fill your sweet, domestic heart. Part of him just wants to see how big your belly would get and how many children you might have if he bred you while he was in rut. After all, Leona never backs down from a challenge if he knows it's something he can easily accomplish.

- - -

With Ruggie, it's really just a matter of wanting to be tied to you in the most intimate of ways. Since he grew up in the slums, he has a completely different outlook on reproduction. Rich, prince types like Leona have it nice and easy; he can make as much children as he wants and he'll never have to worry about scrounging anything together to afford the many expenses that come with a child, nor will he have to worry about any of the children getting sick or dying due to a lack of proper care. Ruggie sees children as a blessing. The birth rates are often high in the slums for various reasons, but it's not guaranteed that all of the babies will survive. So he never really dwells on the thought of breeding.

He brings leftovers back when he visits home and seeing how the children light up in excitement is enough for him. He doesn't need a child of his own when he has the children in the slums who he can occasionally look after. And for a while Ruggie's content with this way of thinking, but then you enter his life and things have become...complicated. It doesn't help that he has heightened senses, so every little thing you do is not lost on him. He'll be able to pick up the slightest changes in your body, such as a new subtle perfume scent or even when you're menstruating. Ruggie isn't a stranger to the scent of blood, but knowing the reason for your menstruation (and being able to smell and sense the change in hormones) has him thinking and fantasizing and promptly chasing such fantasies away. He can't afford that sort of life. He really can't...but maybe a certain lion prince wouldn't notice if a few valuables went missing so he could make enough to afford that kind of life for himself and you. :) Ruggie also likes the idea of being able to take care of you when you're all swollen and soft. <3

- - -

With Jack, the concept of breeding ties in with the wolf's ideals: mating for life. It's his dream to find someone who he can love forever and indulge in the wonders of life with, both mundane and exciting. He'll want children of his own, preferably a boy and a girl, but he can settle for less (or more) depending on what his mate wishes. He's going to want to have children with you. In fact, the more time he spends with you as friends the more he realizes he wouldn't mind being with you for the rest of his life.

Jack sees how well his grandparents and parents get along and how they always spend every second of their lives together. He's grown up witnessing these deep, loving bonds, so it's only natural that he would want to seek something like that for himself. With you, it's a matter of love and protection. He wants to be there for you, he loves being able to help you (even if it's something as simple as using his height to reach the shelves you can't), and he will devote his everything to you if you'd let him. Of course he has thought about the future, picturing a life in which you're living with him and you're so happy together, bonded for life. That also means he's thought about you in a domestic setting. Jack wouldn't rush these things. He's patient. As beautiful as you would look pregnant, he wants to wait for the right time. For when he can make your everlasting bond more apparent and so that the both of you will be ready to tackle parenthood. Though that doesn't mean he's immune to his fantasies. They drive him wild all the time when he's particularly excited about sharing his life with you.

[nicoseyeliner]

Deep Dive Into Nicos Internalised Homophobia

Quote:

You can hold my hand in a crowded place

Just hope that they don't see my face

Car Lights - James Marriott

I feel that this quote fits Nico pretty well as he wants to be openly in a relationship with Will and show him off in public, but he feels that he cannot due to his past. As he grew up in Nzi Italy. This is relevant because the fact that male homosexuality was severely oppressed and shown as wrong when he was growing up. These thoughts would have been drilled into his brain and he would have been constantly told it immoral and wrong.

As much as I love Maria, she was most probably homophobic or not supported. Unless Hades sheltered both of the siblings they would definitely been homophobic at one point.

I also believe this quote represents Nicos internalised homophobia as he would feel like he isn't good enough and probably would be scared to show his face around his family.

In my opinion Nico probably hallucinated when he was in the jar, as tartarus brings out your worst memories and your nightmares, I feel like a lot of these would be nightmares of his friends and family finding out he is gay.

I just did some research and it says the Nzis campaigned against male homosexuality from 1933-1945, Nico was born in 1929, this means he would have been growing up during this time and probably would have been taught in school that is was wrong. Nico was put in The Lotus Casino in 1939. He also grew up in a heavy conservative Catholic household this means most of his family was probably homophobic and openly said bad stuff about that.

In the Percy Jackson wiki about Nico it mentions when he moves to America when the First World War begins. It mentions that he made a friend (Henry Whittaker), they played Mythomagic together and Nico mentions how he thinks Ares is pretty : (see below) Henry quickly said that was weird and stopped play with Nico.

This was Nicos first proper exposure to homophobia towards him. I believe that's why he kept so quiet about his homosexuality.

Cupids reveal of his crush on Percy made this worse (and in some ways better aswell) in my opinion as Nico saw that it was ok to be gay for the first time, but also he learn how unremorseful some people can be towards homosexuals.

I feel that when Nico was in Tartarus this may have worsened things as when entering he felt useless and no one cared about him.. this would have worsened things because he would have been stuck inside his head and only had his (mostly bad) memories in his brain.

When Nico was in the jar I believe he would have had bad hallucinations about his Grandparents; Bianca and Maria. As well as Hades saying that he would have preferred Bianca to have survived.

Hades saying this about Nico and Bianca would have heavily worsened Nicos already rapidly declining Mental Health, many people mischaracterise Nico that he is ruthless and doesn't care about others. This is completely wrong because he literally almost faded into the shadows to get the Athena Parthanos back to Camp Halfblood. This shows that no matter how many bad memories at camp: Such as finding about Biancas passing and Bianca leaving him to join the hunters, the fact that he risked his life show s how much he has grown to care about the camp.

I personally believe that Nico would struggle a lot with gaining the weight and coming back to a normal weight and normalise not constantly feeling hungry.

I feel Will would also help aswell and be Nicos emotional rock, help him get through everything and be his therapist ( to an extent)

pt2?

@the-dying-sun7

@agentwaffle