#and then we operate with the idea that someone is always on the bottom and someone is always on the top

[dcxdpdabbles]

Danny's Grill Part 2

Special thanks to @mkarchin713 for letting me use their idea.

Tim's night had been hectic.

Not only have things at WE taken a turn for the worst due to some random influencer that decided Wayne Enterprises was the cause of global warming and convinced all his fans of the same- despite the fact they were the nation's leading company in green energy- sales have been down.

The board was breathing down his neck to fix the stocks while being no help at all to get the youth back on their side. He's already pulled twelve hours of overtime this week and it was only Wednesday.

He's been dealing with the PR nightmare while trying to get to the bottom of data theft across multiple big-name technology companies. Reports of scams and total funds lost were reported all through Gotham and only his city.

Tim suspects someone had been planting screen recording devices in one of Gotham's shipping factories before they left the buildings, stealing all the information from new buyers.

Since his theory is so hard to trace, he's been having difficulty pinpointing the base of operations, never mind having enough proof for his thesis. After Bruce's lost-in-time fiasco, Tim learns to have evidence before going to the family with anything.

So that means he's been trying to fight his way on his own, which usually isn't too much to handle, but stress and lack of sleep have really been slowing him down.

Thankfully, a specific food truck appears in his line of sight, and his mood improves drastically. He finds a safe roof to quickly change into his civilians, already fantasizing about what delicious food he would eat.

Dressed in his typical Alvin Draper disguise- black, almost second-skin tights and an oversized sweater- he all but skips to Danny's Grill.

"Night, Danny," He says, smiling at the back of the chef. He leans on the little extended table outside the truck's small window. He takes a sniff of the air, mouth watering at the scent.

Looks like tonight is cheeseburgers, as Danny carefully flips some patties. Danny whirls around with a smile of his own, only to drop the spatula in horror.

"Alvin! What happened!?" Danny shouts, nearly flinging himself through the tiny opening. The vigilante blinks in confusion before catching his reflection in the napkin dispenser.

In his haste to have some of Danny's food, he forgot to cover up a black eye, swollen right cheekbone, and busted lip from his last faulty lead. A goon had gotten him by surprise and had nearly rearranged his face before he was able to get his wits about him.

"Nothing, really; it comes with the job, you know?" Tim tries to play off, laughing nervously when Danny's expression crumbles into pure rage. "Look, it's no big deal-"

"How can it not be a big deal!? Half your face is swollen!"

That happens when someone hits you with a metal pipe in the face. He thinks hysterically. "I've had worse."

"That's not comforting!" Danny screams, throwing off his apron. "Let me close down, and I'll take you to a doctor-"

"No hospitals. They'll ask where I got this, and I can't answer that." Tim cuts in, voice hard. There is a tense moment where he thinks Danny will force him to go anyway, but after a moment the other man growls slamming his hands on the counter.

"Fine. Fine. No hospitals. At least let me ice it." It takes everything in Tim not to shrink back from the hateful tone. He barely has the mind to nod as Danny quickly unlocks the little door that leads into his truck, ushering the Bat inside with barely controlled rage.

He knows it's not aimed at him, but being around someone so upset makes his skin crawl. Tim has problems with offending people; his parents had been masters in drilling into him from a young age.

That's why Tim always sought the approval of everyone around him, even if he couldn't stand the person.

He has been working on it, but old habits died hard.

"Sorry." He mumbles as Danny quickly gets a zippy bag full of ice.

"Don't. Apologize." Danny bites before taking a large breath, clearly trying to calm down. He gently places the ice against Tim's cheek, staring at him with such tender worry Tim can't help but feel butterflies. "You don't have to apologize for getting roughed up. Never. Okay?"

Tim nods, shyly looking away as his stomach is rapidly overrun by even more butterflies. "Okay."

"Come home with me." Danny suddenly blurts as if the words were forced out of him. He looked just as surprised by them as Tim was.

"What?"

"Just for tonight. Just so I know you're safe." Danny all but pleas, and Tim- well, Tim has never been known to be strong enough to resist his impulses. Sure, the family might worry, but he can send them a message claiming to be undercover, and frankly- it's been so long since Tim's had a break.

He's always wanted to know more about Danny outside his food truck. He hadn't been able to find much on him. Tim is a detective by heart. He wants to know everything there is to know about Danny Fenton.

"I can leave when I want." He says, as Danny carefully places a warm hand on his other cheek. "And I sleep in my own space. No bed sharing. I also want to take a shower but I don't have anything to sleep in."

"You can borrow something of mine/ Whatever you need." The words are practically a warm hug, and Tim feels relaxed. Already the shitty week feels less terrible, and he finds himself growing bold enough to take an obvious sniff of the air.

"Can I have a burger?"

There is a hint of an amused smile, but it does not cover up the worry. "Of course you can."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The shower is running in Danny's house.

It's a bit out of the way, about a forty-minute drive outside of Gotham limits, but it's spacious and private, just the way Danny liked it.

Ever since he inherited his title, he's found this house on the list of properties, and that was why he chose to take Gotham by storm in his little truck.

Danny isn't really sure what the story of the property was- the suspects the place was built around the same time Gotham got its curse; seeing as it was overseeing the city and had enough natural ectoplasm in the air, he would suspect the curse affecting the town lead to here. He never cared to check.

No, rather Danny had some ghosts remodel the old building to include wiring and functioning plumbing but asked that the general overall of the mansion stay the same.

He sort of like pretending to be a Lord of the Oldden days. If anyone asked if he walked around acting out old romances of the Victorian era, that was not else business but his own.

Alvin was undoubtedly impressed when they pulled up to his house. Maybe it shouldn't have felt so prideful to have the handsome man be impressed with his mansion given the circumstances.

He seemed to accept the excuse of having been willed the house by his late grandfather. He just hoped Alvin didn't think him the same as his wealthy clients.

Speaking of, he better make the call before Alvin finished.

Stepping to his balcony, he pulled out his burner phone and pressed the speed dial five. There are four rings before the call connects.

He gets no greeting, but he's not expecting one. Danny looks over his shoulder to ensure the bathroom door is connected to the master room- his bedroom, where Alvin will be staying, seeing as it has a bigger fireplace. He needs to have them install a heating system. Danny never bothered, what with his ice core and all- before he spoke.

"Hey, Red Hood, it's Danny. I'm calling in that favor."

There is a long pause before the other man grunts. "What is it?"

"My friend is a pro whose pimp or johns have been abusing lately. Can you help me....take care of the issue? I don't want to overstep in his life, but I'm pretty sure they broke his check bone tonight, and he claimed to have had worse before." Danny sighs, his stomach overturning at what that could mean. He hasn't gone out as Ghost King to show those assholes a thing or two because this isn't his haunt.

It's Red Hood's.

Danny had met the other man when a rouge attack had busted up all the main highways he usually worked in and had no choice but to try to sell in Crime Alley. He was right off the territory's edge, freaking out about entering without the main ghost's permission, until Red Hood confronted him.

Danny's frantic fretting had been suspicious enough that the main honcho had gone to find out why he was so nervous.

They worked a deal where Danny would sell his ware in peace, and as long as he let kids eat for free, Red Hood had no quarrels with him. He even got a favor from the crime lord after Danny provided free meals to some of his men's families struggling to get food a few months back.

He also allowed Hood to use his house as a safe house to hide a few people who needed to be out of the city. Is he part of Red Hood's gang? No.

Is he an alley? Yes.

Danny had been saving the favor for such an occasion.

There is silence on Hood's side, so Danny goes in for the kill. "My friend is seventeen; in a few months, he'll be eighteen, but he said he has been doing this since he was younger."

The silence is now laced with malice. If there was one thing they both agreed on it was that kids were never meant to be hurt by the scum of the city. "Give me his name and the area he usually works in."

"Alvin Draper. He changes per night, but I've often seen him on the east side of Crime Alley."

"I'll look into it. Is Alvin safe?"

"Yeah, he's going to be staying with me tonight. Don't come by until I convince him to extend his stay." Danny knows Hood will understand. This is one of many pros to see the Zone- his mansion's name- as a sanctuary.

"That's fine. Can you get me a picture of Alvin?"

"No, he's too skimmish."

Hood grunts again, his voice coming out tired despite the voice monitor. "Kids always are. I'll have my boys find Alvin's primp and johns. Ensure there aren't any other younglings before they make them swim with the fish."

Danny almost falls over in relief. "Thank you. Alvin...Alvin means a lot to me."

" Don't mention it. Stay well, Victorian."

Victorian is the code name Hood has given him to ensure Danny isn't tired of his gang. Yes, it's because his house is a Victorian mansion, but Danny also likes to think it's cause the other man appreciates the aesthetics of his house a little too much.

He once caught Hood admiring his Pride and Prejudice hardcover book displayed in his green sitting room.

"You too Hood. And thank you."

How would he convince Alvin that his house was a better place to call home than the orphanage and street corners without coming off as a wannabe savior or hopelessly in love creep?

Danny pauses at his own train of thought.

Hopelessly in love? He thinks in shock as the bathroom door swings open, and out comes Alvin, dressed in Danny's extra pajama set. He offers Danny a shy smile; even with the injuries, it is the loveliest sight he's ever seen, and- oh no, Danny is in love with him.

"You up for a late-night snack?" He asks, trying to not show the world-shattering realization on his face, and Alvin's smile grows wider.

"You're going to make me fat." The other laughs. Danny's heart skips a beat.

Danny Fenton loves Alvin Draper and will do everything he can to protect him. Even if Alvin will hate him for it.

[queenshelby]

Sweet Possession (Part 4)

Pairing: Very Dark! Thomas Shelby (32) x Innocent! Reader (19)

Warning: Age Gap, Smut

"What is going on, Tommy?" you asked when he came back inside,  still feeling a little uneasy about what you had seen outside.

Thomas hesitated, his eyes darting around the room before settling on your face. "Just business, Love," he said dismissively, but there was a guarded look in his eyes that made you think he was hiding something.

"But what kind of business?" you pressed, your voice tight with apprehension.

"Business that I cannot discuss with you,"  Thomas replied, a hard edge to his voice.

You flinched at this, recoiling slightly from him. "Can't, or won't?" you asked, your eyes narrowing with suspicion.

Thomas sighed heavily, running a hand through his damp hair. "Can't," he said firmly. "It's better that way."

But you couldn't let it go. Something in your gut was telling you that there was more to this than he was letting on, and you were determined to get to the bottom of it.

"I am your wife, Thomas. You made me a promise on our wedding day to always be honest with me. I deserve to know what's going on," you said, crossing your arms over your chest in a defensive gesture.

Thomas sighed and walked over to the bar, pouring himself a glass of whiskey. He took a long sip before setting the glass back down on the table with a heavy thud. "I have been asked to export certain things on behalf of the Crown. Things that the Crown cannot itself be seen  to be involved with," Thomas finally admitted, his voice tense and low.

Your eyes widened with shock as you absorbed his words. The Crown? Exporting things that they couldn't be seen to be involved with? What on earth could that mean?

"What kind of things?" you asked, trying to keep your voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside you.

Thomas hesitated before finally answering, "Weapons. Guns. Ammunition," Tommy explained, his voice barely above a whisper. 

"Illegal things," you gasped, your heart twisting with a mix of fear and disappointment.

"Not illegal, just controversial," Thomas replied, his voice still low and tense. "And necessary. It helps fund our operations and the facilities we support, including the orphanage you want to work in," he told you and you stared at him, your mind reeling with the implications of his words.

"So, it is legitimate? Because you are doing this on behalf of the crown?"  you asked, struggling to make sense of the information Tommy had just revealed to you.

Tommy nodded. "It's a delicate matter but, of course, I wouldn't do anything illegal. You know that, right?" Thomas asked, his eyes pleading for your understanding.

You nodded slowly, taking in the weight of this new information. "Of course. I trust you , Thomas," you finally whispered, albeit with some hesitation.

Thomas let out a sigh of relief at your words, pulling you into a tight embrace and pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead. "I love you," he murmured.

But as the night wore on, you couldn't shake off the nagging feeling that something was still amiss. The idea of Thomas being involved in such controversial and dangerous business left a bad taste in your mouth, and the thought of him endangering himself for the sake of others weighed heavily on your heart.

The following morning, however, you went on with your day as if nothing had happened. It was your first shift at the orphanage, to which you had agreed last minute as someone else had, apparently, called in sick.

Isiah, was again, tasked to drive you to the orphanage and, when you told him that he could simply drop you off and then pick you up later, he shook his head.

"No, I need to stay with you Mrs Shelby," he  replied, his voice brooking no argument.

You sighed inwardly, not wanting to cause a fuss but also slightly annoyed at the thought of having your every move shadowed by Isiah.

You couldn't shake off the feeling that he was keeping tabs on you for Thomas.

But you swallowed your pride, knowing that it wouldn't be wise to defy Thomas given everything that had happened the previous night. You assumed that he was just being overprotective of you and this was kind of sweet, you thought. 

The orphanage was buzzing when you arrived and a young man, around 25-years of age, greeted you in the grand hall of the big building. His name was James McKinnin , a well-known social worker of the city.

"Hi, it is so nice to meet you. I'm Y/N Shelby, Thomas' wife," you said with a smile, extending your hand towards him.

James clasped your hand firmly and shook it. "Mrs Shelby, of course. I heard that you we were coming," James told you , his voice full of enthusiasm. "Mr Shelby called me yesterday evening, at around midnight, to let me know that you would be joining us and it was quite a surprise, you know. Mr Shelby donates a lot of money to our organisation and I would not have expected his wife to volunteer with us as well," the man continued, his tone earnest as he led me down a long corridor.

"It's my pleasure and a little selfish really. I miss the work but, since I moved in with Thomas, I gave up my employment, so I have become rather bored," you said honestly and James smiled at my response.

"That's very commendable Mrs Shelby, but let me ask you, do you have any experience in a setting like this? Without meaning any disrespect, being Mr Shelby's wife, I had expected you to be a little older,"  James asked, his words laced with polite curiosity.

"No, but I am eager to learn, and I am certainly not afraid to do some hands-on work. Before meeting my husband, I worked in a factory and then in a pub, cleaning up after drunk men, so I am no stranger to hard labor," you replied with a small chuckle.

James smiled warmly at your response, clearly impressed by your determination and down-to-earth attitude. "That's fantastic, Mrs Shelby. I'm sure you'll be a great asset to our team. Let me give you a quick tour and introduce you to the other staff members," James said as he led you further into the orphanage. "Michael, one of our duty managers, will be looking after you and explain everything you need to know,"  he added as he spotted Michael in the distance.

Michael was a tall, slender man in his mid-twenties with short, curly brown hair and warm hazel eyes. He greeted you with a friendly smile and shook your hand firmly, welcoming you to the orphanage. He then gave you a brief orientation and introduced you to the other staff members, who were all friendly and welcoming as well.

As you worked there, you began to realize just how much need there was in the community and how much of a difference your husband's donations were making.

You felt proud to be a part of it, even in a small way.

That day, Michael showed you everything you needed to know in a commercial kitchen setting, which is where you wanted to work. It was your passion, cooking for others and Michael appeared to be an excellent source of information.

Isiah, however, always stood in the corner, observing your interactions with the tall man who, for his liking, occasionally came to close to you when working in the kitchen.

"Here, let me show you," Michael said on one occasion as he approached you from behind, taking the knife from your hands. "This is an easier way to prepare the herbs for the soup," he said, brushing your arm ever so slightly and causing Isiah to intervene. 

"Everything alright here?" Isiah said, his tone stern and disapproving.

"Yes, of course," you replied, flustered at the intrusion. "Michael is just teaching me how to prepare the herbs for lunch," you added in an attempt to defuse the tension that had suddenly filled the air.

Michael nodded a greeting towards Isiah, who continued to glare at him with suspicion but nodded nonetheless.

Isiah then intervened a few more times over the next few hours, insinuating that Michael was getting too friendly and, eventually, you couldn't help but feel a bit uncomfortable with his presence.

Despite this, however, the day had been productive and fulfilling for you. You had made new friends, learned new skills, and felt a sense of purpose that had been missing in your life for quite some time.

As the sun began to set, Isiah drove you back to Thomas' luxurious home and, just after Frances greeted you and Isiah, you made your way to Tommy's office.

"You are late," was the first thing he said , not looking up from the documents in front of him. You leaned down and pressed a kiss to his cheek before settling into the chair opposite him.

"I am sorry, I didn't realize the time," you answered with a small smile. "I was just so engrossed in what we were doing."

This seemed to appease him, and he looked up and smiled at you, reaching across the desk to take your hand in his. "I'm glad you enjoyed it," he said softly.

"I did," you answered, squeezing his hand.

"I really did. I never knew that working in a kitchen could be so fulfilling."

Thomas smiled at your enthusiasm, his eyes softening as he leaned back in his chair. "I'm glad," Tommy smiled before asking you for Isiah's whereabouts. 

"He is downstairs," you said. "Shall I send him up?"  you asked, your voice laced with a hint of caution. Thomas' demeanor had shifted again since that morning, and you couldn't quite put your finger on why.

"Yes, I have some business for him to take care of," Thomas replied, his tone curt and dismissive. You nodded and stood up from your chair, making your way to the door. But before you left, you turned back to Thomas and looked him in the eye.

"Is everything alright?" you asked, searching his face for any signs of distress. 

"Yes Love," Tommy said, forcing a smile onto his face. "Everything is fine," he added, although his voice didn't quite ring true.

You frowned at his response, not entirely convinced. But you nodded anyway and made your way to the door, calling for Isiah to come upstairs and, unbeknownst to you, what Tommy really wanted from him was an update on your day. 

"How was it?" Thomas thus asked as soon as Isiah walked into his office and closed the door behind him.

"It was fucking boring ," Isiah replied with a sigh, leaning against the door. "Just a bunch of kids and their annoying chatter," he explained to his boss who, of course, had some more questions.

"And what about the employees. Did they treat my wife with respect?" Tommy asked , his voice low and tense. 

"Of course, they did," Isiah replied with a shrug. "They were all very friendly, although, one of them was a bit too friendly in my opinion," he went on to say , causing Thomas's eyes to narrow.

"How so, Isiah?" Thomas asked, his voice low and dangerous.

"Just one of them kept getting a little too close to her," Isiah replied with a shrug.

"Too close how?" Tommy queried with a steely glint in his blue eyes. He didn't like the sound of some man invading your personal space after he had secretly made sure, for many years, that you were shielded from these kinds of advances.  However, as Thomas pressed for more information, Isiah's response was casual and nonchalant.

"Just talking to her a lot, and touching her arm on occasion," Isiah finished, still leaning against the office door.

"He touched her?" Thomas repeated, his voice deceptively calm.

Isiah nodded. "Yeah, a couple of times," he confirmed before, explaining to Tommy again that the employee in question had only touched your arm. "Her arm, Tommy. Nothing else," Isiah clarified, sensing Thomas' growing tension. 

"Did you get his name?" Thomas asked, his voice low and growly as he clenched and unclenched his fists in an attempt to conceal his anger.

"Yeah. His name is Michael Grosvenor," Isiah told Thomas, his voice steady despite the dangerous look in his boss' eyes.

"Michael Grosvenor, eh" Thomas repeated, testing the name on his tongue. He would remember that name. "Did my wife seem interested in his advances?" Thomas then asked, trying to keep his voice even.

Isiah shook his head. "No, she seemed a little uncomfortable with it after it happened a few times, but she didn't say anything," he answered honestly.

Thomas nodded, his mind already racing with plans of how to handle this situation.

He had always made it clear to the men in town that his property was off-limits, but now it seemed that some of them had forgotten that rule.

"I see," Thomas said simply, his voice deadly calm. He stood up from his chair and walked around the desk to stand in front of Isiah. "I want you to keep an eye on my wife whenever she's at the orphanage. Do you understand?" Thomas ordered, his voice low and commanding.

"Yes, boss," Isiah responded, understanding the gravity of the situation. He nodded once, before turning and exiting the room, leaving Thomas alone with his thoughts which began to race incoherently until, eventually, he snapped out of it and walked downstairs to the reading room where he knew he would find you.

"Y/N, may I have a word?" Thomas said, his voice rough and low as he entered the room. He closed the door behind him with a definitive thud, before walking over to you, the sound of your own heavy breathing filling the air around you. 

"Of course," you responded, your voice a breathy whisper, your heart pounding in your chest as Thomas knelt down before you and pulled your legs apart, his gaze fixated on the lacy underwear you were wearing, catching you off guard. 

"Thomas," you gasped, your fingertips digging into the plush armchair you were sitting on as he placed a soft kiss on the inside of your thigh, just above where your stockings met your skin.

"Isiah tells me that one of the employees at the orphanage got a little too close to you today," Thomas growled, his voice gravelly with desire.

You let out a soft moan as he traced his fingers along the seam of your underwear, the lace already damp with your arousal.

"No, oh god Tommy, it was innocent," you moaned , your head falling back as he pressed a tender kiss to your clit through the thin fabric.

But Thomas wasn't having it. He was insanely jealous and protective of you, and the thought of some man touching his property made him see red.

He hooked his fingers into the waistband of your underwear and tugged them down your thighs, baring you to him. He growled as he saw how wet you were, your pussy glistening in the soft light of the room.

"Innocent, eh?" Tommy groaned. "Just like you were, just days ago, before we got married,"  he continued, pinching your clit firmly between his thumb and forefinger.

You cried out at the sensation, arching your back as you clung to his shoulders, digging your nails into his muscular arms.

"Tommy," you whimpered, your hips bucking involuntarily as he teased you with his fingers. "Please," you begged, not sure what you were asking for, but knowing that you needed more.

"Please what?"  Thomas rasped, his mouth hovering over your pussy as he waited for your response.

"Fuck me," you whimpered, unable to hold back the words any longer. 

"But why should I?" Tommy asked. "You let some stranger touch what's mine and now you want me to give you what you want?"  Thomas growled, his fingers still teasing your clit. 

You whimpered as you processed his words, but the ache between your legs was insistent. 

"He didn't. I mean, he touched my arm. Oh god, please,"  you moaned, pulling his head towards your core, desperate for some kind of release.

Thomas chuckled and obliged, pressing a tender kiss to your clit before slipping a finger inside you. You gasped at the intrusion, your back arching off the chair as he began to pump his finger in and out of you, his thumb still teasing your clit.

You felt yourself building towards your release, but just as you got close, Thomas pulled his fingers out of you, leaving you feeling empty and unfulfilled.

"No, don't stop," you begged, your voice breathy and desperate.

Thomas smiled at you wickedly, his fingers still slick with your arousal. "Tell me who you belong to, Y/N. Who owns you, eh?" Thomas repeated, circling your clit with his thumb as you writhed beneath him. "Say it."

"You do," you gasped, your breath hitching as he stroked your aching core with deliberate slowness.

"Be precise," he demanded, his voice low and raw with need.

"You own me. You own my body. I'm yours," you moaned, the words tumbling from your lips in a desperate plea.

Thomas smiled, a self-satisfied gleam in his eyes. He held up his fingers, still slick with your arousal, and sucked them into his mouth, groaning at the taste of you.

"Good girl," he praised, his eyes dark with desire as he reached for his belt.

You watched him undo the belt, your breath caught in your throat as you waited for what was to come next.

Thomas pulled the belt from the loops of his trousers, the sound of the leather slithering through the buckle echoing in the stillness.

"Tell me again," he commanded, his voice rough and ragged with desire as he approached you, the belt coiled in his hand like a snake ready to strike. "Who do you belong to?"

"You, Thomas," you panted, your eyes wide and fixed on the belt in his hand. "I'm yours. Only yours," you confirmed, your voice heavy with desire.

Thomas' eyes blazed with a primal hunger as he lifted the belt and brought it down against your inner thigh with a sharp crack.

You gasped at the sudden sting, your eyes watering with a mixture of pain and pleasure. Thomas watched you carefully, his eyes searching for any signs of discomfort or distress. But all he saw was your desire-filled gaze locked onto his, inviting him to continue.

He raised the belt again, bringing it down on your other thigh with an equally sharp crack. You whimpered at the sensation, your hips bucking up towards him as you begged for more.

Thomas' eyes narrowed as he dropped the belt to the floor with a thud, his hands going straight to your hips to hold you in place. He tugged your legs apart wider, his gaze locked onto the glistening folds of your aching pussy.

"You're so fucking wet for me," Thomas rasped, his fingers tracing the slick seam of your core.

He spread your arousal over your clit, the sensitive nub throbbing under his touch. "And all mine," he growled, his eyes flashing with a primal hunger as he pushed down his pants , his hard cock springing free.

You moaned as he positioned himself at your entrance, notching the tip of his shaft against your slick folds. "Yes," you hissed, digging your nails into his shoulders as you arched your back, ready for him.

Thomas thrust into you in one swift movement, filling you to the hilt. You cried out at the sudden invasion, your eyes rolling back in pleasure as he buried himself inside you.

Thomas groaned as he felt you tighten around him, your walls clenching him like a vice.

"Fuck, Y/N," Thomas growled, his hips pistoning in and out of you in a punishing rhythm. He reached down between your bodies and found your swollen clit with his thumb. He pressed down on it, rubbing it in slow circles as he continued to thrust into you.

You moaned as he touched you, your hips bucking up to meet his thrusts.

Thomas was merciless, his hips slamming into yours with a force that left you breathless. The sound of their bodies slapping together echoed through the room, mingling with your gasps and moans.

Thomas reached down and wrapped his hand around your throat, squeezing gently as he powered into you. You whimpered at the feeling of his hand on your throat, your pussy clenching around his cock in response.

"You like that, don't you?" Thomas growled, his voice low and raw with desire. He had never taken you like this before, so possessively and it quickly became overwhelming for you.

The hand around your neck, the unyielding thrusts, and the sound of his hips slapping against yours. The pleasure was so intense that it bordered on pain. But, before you knew it, your orgasm was already creeping up on you. With every circling motion of Thomas' thumb on your clit, you felt yourself getting close to the edge.

"Come for me, Y/N," Thomas rasped through gritted teeth as he continued to thrust into you at a relentless pace.

"I want to feel you come all over my cock."

Your breath hitched as the heat within you coiled tightly, ready to unravel at any moment. Your legs shook around Thomas' waist, trying to keep contact as he hit your sweetspot over and over again.

With one last, hard circle of Thomas' thumb on your clit, you cried out as you toppled over the edge. Your orgasm tore through your body like a freight train, leaving you panting and trembling in its wake.

Thomas groaned as he felt your walls clench around him, milking his cock as you came. He continued to piston in and out of you, chasing after his own release which came much faster than he had expected.

Pulling out of you quickly, he cupped your mound, his fingers massaging and teasing the sensitive folds of skin as he watched you come down from your orgasm while he stroked his cock.  He was so turned on by the sight of your pleasure that he couldn't help but take his own.

"Touch yourself, Y/N," he growled. "I want to watch you make yourself cum again, Love," he told you and so you did. 

Your fingers hovered above for a moment before brushing over the sensitive nub of your clit.  You gasped at the contact, your hips bucking as you felt yourself growing more and more aroused.

Thomas' eyes blazed with desire as he watched you touch yourself, his hand continuing to stroke his cock in long, languid movements. He groaned as he saw your pink flesh flush a deep red, your arousal unmistakable.

"Yes, just like that," Thomas rasped, his voice barely above a whisper. "Make yourself come again."

You whimpered at his words, your fingers moving faster over your clit as your pleasure mounted.

"Oh god, Thomas," you gasped, your legs shaking as waves of pleasure washed over you.

Thomas groaned, his hand moving faster as he watched you touch yourself until, finally, he too came, hard and fast.

He grunted as he spilled his seed onto your stomach, the thick, white ropes of his release painting your skin in a primal display of possession.

You watched him, your chest heaving as you caught your breath, your pussy still clenching in aftershocks of pleasure. Thomas' eyes met yours, the dark desire in them sending another flush of heat through your body.

"Jealousy suits you , Tommy," you whispered, your fingers still stroking your sensitive clit.

Thomas chuckled, a deep, rumbling sound that made your stomach flutter. "I'm not jealous, Y/N. But what's mine is mine and  I won't have anyone else touching it," Thomas growled, his fingers tracing the curve of your hip as you lay panting beneath him, his tone determined. 

"Nothing happened," you reassured him, your voice softer than a whisper. "It was just a small touch. It was inadvertent, innocent and it meant nothing."

Thomas nodded, but the tension in his shoulders didn't ease. He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead, before pulling up his pants. 

"I can't help it, Y/N," Thomas admitted, his voice low and rough. "I need to know that you're mine.

Only mine," Thomas rasped, his fingers tracing lazy patterns on your thigh. 

"I am," you whispered, looking up at him with doe eyes that made him weak at the knees. "I've always been yours, Tommy. Only yours," you repeated, emphasizing the words that seemed to drive him wild and, whilst you had boyfriends before him, none of these relationships really lasted.

One of the men you had been with before meeting Tommy was killed in a fire following your second date while the other had disappeared without a trace, as had your brother. Men seemed to always have abandened you until now.

Until Thomas Shelby. Thomas had been a constant force in your life. Never leaving, never giving up on you and always making sure that you were safe and secure. But as much as you belonged to him, he belonged to you too. 

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[bunnys-kisses]

i only got eyes for you

col. alejandro vargas

cw: smut/pwp, protective!alejandro (borderline possessive), body worship, tender sex, missionary position

bunny says: like the fic? leave a comment! really like the fic? suggest your own. i'm always opened to new ideas <3

"do i scare you, dove?" he asked as he hand trailed up your thigh, pushing up the rather short skirt you wore. his dark eyes met yours as he smiled, "i've done a lot of bad things for the sake of safety."

you sat down in his lap and cupped his face tenderly, there was a small buzz in your head from the feeling of your lover's broad hand on your thigh. you leaned in close to him and replied, "alejandro. you're a good man, you could never convince me otherwise. i'm not scared of you."

he reached for your hair and combed his fingers through it, "good." he smiled then pulled you gently to his lips.

-

you knew that alejandro was a good man. he was protective in a way that some would view as alarming. at times it put him at odds with himself, was he keeping you trapped like a bird?

but if something happened to you.

the idea of losing you had him double checking the locks before bed. he left extra kisses on your neck before he left for missions. and always came home with flowers.

you met him by chance, you were in university in the city he was stationed at. you just thought he was a charming man, until you found his id in his wallet the next morning. you had slept with a special operative. he caught you with his wallet in your hand, for a moment you thought that he was going to pull out some fighting moves and knock you out... or worse.

"i guess you found my little secret. i lied about my name. it's not eliseo." he shrugged, "can't be going around and giving away my identity, even to pretty girls." he closed the gap between you two, he held onto your chin and looked at you, "but i am curious how alejandro sounds on your tongue."

i mean what were you supposed to do, not invite him for breakfast. after that it felt like your two lives sort of melded together. he came home from long grueling missions and would just lie on top of you. he wanted to make sure that his woman was safe till his return.

"no one else touched you, right?" he asked lowly as his hands ran up and down your arms.

you squirmed occasionally in his touch and replied, "not a soul. i'd never want anyone else alejandro. i thought about you every day." then you started to slowly kiss him.

he made a soft noise against you as his calloused hands roamed up the front of your sleeping shirt. you're the one he came home too, the woman he'd go through hell for.

and what a beautiful woman you were. it was why he worried so much about other men getting their hands on you. you were his slice of heaven and would bend the earth to make sure that you stayed that way.

call him possessive, but to lose someone so precious would turn him into a man who could not be contained by any means. so as his hands trailed your stomach, his heated gaze on you, you felt under his control.

"alejandro." you said softly.

he kissed you once more and toyed with your breast under your shirt. he heard you soft noise in your kiss then pulled away and looked down at you, "yes, my dove." both hands were still under your shirt, he was touching you gently.

"did you miss me?" you pouted.

he smiled softly and kissed you on the forehead, "every second we were apart it felt like hours." he slowly pulled the shirt over your head and exposed your breasts to him.

he kissed you once more as he started to work on his pants, which he kicked to the bottom of the bed, his hands then hooked into the waistband of your sweatpants before they were off too. in a tussle on the bed, you were both stripped on your clothes.

alejandro's cock was quite impressive. he chuckled and told you he was just "average" but you were certain that "average" didn't feel like it was in the back of your throat every time he fucked you.

he gazed down at you, "you'd tell me if anyone tried to touch you, right?" he leaned in once more, your noses almost touching. his energy was almost intimidating, it made you stomach twist in a good way.

he was feared, that was certain. he didn't get to where he was by being a pacifist. if he got his hands dirty, even for a good cause, it meant others got to stay clean. simple as that.

you both laid in bed together, where he kissed along your heated skin. he kissed along the hills and valleys of your body. the plushness under his hands as he held your hips. a goddess. a symbol of the divine feminine. the thought made him smile as he slowly kissed your breasts. he could almost feel your heartbeat.

"nothing will ever hurt you, my dove." he said softly as he gazed at you briefly before he pressed more kisses. he worshiped your body in ways that made his cock twitch.

that was why he found himself to be on the possessive side when it came to you. your name, location and other information was under a tight lock and key.

he pressed his head up against your stomach and held your hips for a moment. he exhaled deeply, "never leave me." he said out loud, but internally said, or i will have to find you.

sometimes it slipped out, the obsessive need to know that he'd never be without you. while you never noticed the intensity of what he was saying, it simply meant he could continue to pile on the security to keep his dove safe.

you ran your fingers through his dark hair and said, "alejandro. i would never, i love you too much." you watched him look up at you once more and take your hand off his hand to kiss it.

"then be good and let me take care of you." he let go and pulled away from you. he got between your legs, his cock at full attention. he rubbed it gently against the entrance of your slit. the wetness made a shiver run through him.

you reached out for him, but ended up with your hands buried in the covers. you loved him deeply, even if he could be off-putting. you labelled him as protective, even if your friends thought he was a little possessive. like who needed to check on the cameras in the house if it was just you there? but you shrugged it off, he just wanted you safe. what was wrong with that?

"are you ready, my dove." he said softly. your pussy was enticing to him, the feeling of your heat around his cock was like muscle memory, baked into his core.

you nodded, "i'm always ready for you."

he smirked. so eager, so soft and gentle. of course you fell for a man like him, you needed someone to protect you. keep you safe against a world that would take you limb from you. he leaned forward as pushed his cock deep inside of you with ease.

he chest was pressed against yours as he put his weight on you. kept you pinned down to the bed as he fucked your cunt. the sounds of your love making filled the room. your noises sounded angelic to him.

a paradise for his pleasure, the most beautiful woman in the world letting him rut his cock into you. he dug his nose into your hair as he held your hips. he moved against you, he could feel the racing of your heart.

he chuckled, "good girl. my good girl." as his grip tightened a little more. he continued to thrust into you, your bodies moved together in a rhythm that made both of you hot all over.

the kissing became sloppier as you felt your head begin to feel dizzy. despite the rush of hormones in your body, it still felt hazy as you partner held you tightly and fucked into your tight head.

he gave you soft words of praise as he grew hotter all over. his angel. there was no other woman like you, he just thought you were simply perfect. and nothing could ever convince him otherwise. he held onto your hips and thrusted up into you.

you wrapped your legs around him tightly as you moved up and down the bed. your cheeks felt flushed, pleasure was taking over. your hands soon roamed his back as you felt the strength of him.

"mine." he simply said. then went into for another searing kiss. the electricity between you two felt hot. there was a flame in your belly as you tried to meet his pace. he simply said close to you, "stay still, my dove. be good for me."

his voice sounded darker, laced with heavy pleasure as he began to pick up the pace. he watched your expression change the deeper you fell into lust.

you moaned out loud as you felt the rush through your body. with a few more heavy thrusts of his hips, you dug your nails into his back and tightened around him. your buried your head in his shoulder and climaxed.

he held onto you as tightly as he could and fucked you. it was good proper fucking as you started to fall from your orgasmic high. he kept a good grip on you as he finished inside of you.

"alejandro!" you whimpered as you felt the pace slow down.

he slowed to a still then let go of his tight grip on your body. he kept his eyes on your blissed out expression as he pulled out and laid next to you on the bed. he reached for your face and pulled you in for another kiss.

"good girl." he purred before he settled himself beside you and wrapped his arm around your shoulders. he kept you close as he came down from his own high, his cock still soaked in your wetness.

he kissed you a few more times before he simply gazed at you with warmth in his chest. you were his girl and nothing could ever break you two apart. he simply wouldn't let it happen.

and he'd make sure you never forget who your man was. the good, proper man he was. <3

[spotlightlowlife]

Ed Edd and Eddy succeeds at what Haz/boss attempts

Here's another series both these shows could learn from.

Spoilers ahead.

Ed Edd and Eddy, another hyperactive crazy gag cartoon that is hardly for its supposed target audience. With a very basic plot, it's a lot like Helluva boss, yet it manages to move any story along faster than the more serious plot driven but still wacky Hazbin hotel.

We have obnoxious lead characters pushing business in an unappealing looking and feeling environment where good and bad and right and wrong are ambiguous. Only accountability and growth are highly prominent in the kids show.

Initial plots

Assassin imps who sit at the bottom of society are determined to make this small business work.

Antichrist princess of hell runs a hotel where she wants to redeem sinners in order to send them to heaven.

Kids who grift for money and candy.

Characters

Eddy is a lot like both Charlie and Blitzø, he's a hyper, toxic positive, opportunistic try hard, desperate for his ideas to work, he's leader of the pack who's good at being dismissive and driven to the point of carelessness.

Like Blitzø and co. and pilot Charlie and co., the Ed's are not established at what they're working towards, but they're willing to put in the work which only leads to misadventures.

Excluding Charlie as she barely gets the time of day, the fake it till you make it demeanor Eddy and Blitzø display masks saddens, loneliness and a lack of control of how they live and how they've been living.

Blitzø glides through his show on charisma and sympathy, along with facing someone objectively worst, his behaviour being rude and mean spirited is something nobody cares about and he like those around him can step up on anybody of any standing and their actions be shrugged off.

Eddy too is a charismatic and sympathetic character, his constant trying and failing at his ideas offers us a good underdog, yet he's no hero, he's a scammer and his unsavoury ways always bother people. He gets confronted a lot.

Charlie glides through on being a nice enough side character, dispite being the lead. Though like Ed, Charlie is very determined to push an idea and get others on side, but lacking in fight, assertiveness and aggression. All three leads are fast talking salesman types, yet Ed faces consequence on the regular.

HB and EED feature additional leads that serve as the primary leads sidekicks.

We have the highly similar Moxxie and Edd, though Edd stands up for himself a more, there have been fall outs and he doesn't treat his leader of the pack as a superior, something Moxxie does dispite being there since Blitzø business was just an idea, which was when they first met, welcoming Blitzø into his life.

Both are timid, sensible, cultured and full of ideas, dragged into the problems their pushy leader presents and walked all over, much to their frustration.

We also have the friendly and loyal bruiser sidekick who doesn't really have a lot to contribute in this group dynamic. These characters being Millie and Ed, yet were Millie could speak up more, have an opinion and let her presence be known but she doesn't, Ed on the other hand is consistently operating from elsewhere.

Target audience

Helluva and Hazbin are both adult cartoons, yet clean up the dialogue and that's hardly the case. Yes there's gore and mature themes but they make up a small part in upping the age rating in comparison to the swearing and sex jokes. The mature themes are offered to us in layman's terms, we get a lot of flashbacks and confessions.

Ed Edd and Eddy is for all audiences dispite being violent, featuring sexual harrassment, domestic violence and child abuse, the execution of these mature themes are played out in a nuanced manner where we are not spoon fed information.

Mature themes - trauma

Dispite being a comically violent gag cartoon, all the children, dispite being at odds with Eddy, some being volatile ob the regular and some being younger, were able to understand what domestic violence was when Eddy was bullied by his brother, his brother being a character Eddy had long hyped up as someone cool and admirable, turned out the only truth was that this guy existed.

His own revelation that he had fabricated a big part of his background explained a lot, all of Eddy's charisma and try hard ways were determination to be liked, appreciated and have nice thing. This was growth for him and he earned the respect and understanding of his peers absent of pity, everybody moved on happily without the audience being guided into what they should perceive.

The movie not only wrapped up the show, but bought completion to the whole story.

Helluva and Hazbin is very overt in showing us what the characters have been through and are going through. We get flashbacks to childhood even when it may not be necessary.

First off, Moxxie's flashback was fine, it wasn't particularly dramatic for its setting, it explained why he was a good marksman and why he had 'daddy issues', his daddy is also an active threat, so Moxxie's avoidance doesn't always work out.

Blitzø desperation to have his business work out leading him to make a dodgy deal fit perfectly fine, we learn that his kind are at the bottom of society, we see that they don't work anywhere glamorous and he's no kid, obviously he's had to make an effort to keep his head above water, his poor decision making has probably gotten him into trouble in the past which is something that could spell endless storylines, his family aren't present and he's aggressively forming a new one so bridges being burned were storylines the audience should have expected, we learnt that he stole from Verosika and broke her heart, Verosika is a whole sucubus who seemed more cut up about in him than him interested in her.

Did we really need to know that he was manipulated into being a user and a thief back when he was an innocent little child? Weren't his underhanded tactics understand enough?

Charlie got a flashback of being a very small child expressing an interest in what her daddy was doing but her now absent mother took her away. This provided the backbone for her sulking that her dad isn't being supportive when he presented himself as a rare character to challenge her ideas, yet unlike the other extras to do so he had the vantage point of having had the same ideals herself once.

Her mother being probably the most like minded person in her life yet absent, for some reason doesn't matter.

Mature themes - SA

In Hazbin we have a pimp who films porn and has his workers in soul contracts.

We have royalty lending out a grimore in exchange for kinky sex over in Helluva.

Sex jokes are a regular occurrence in the helluveese with actual SA being downplayed by the victim who holds no power and no to little choice, who openly shows a discomfort around their controller, not be a victim because they gave reluctant consent.

Sexual harassment and SA manage to be present in EEE in an overt manner despite the show being for all audiences, yet they also manage subtlety.

The pests are the Canker sisters, three intimidating sister with different dads who all want boyfriends and are a force to be reckoned with, they stick together and double up as school and neighbours bullies and are casually violent to one another with no hurt feelings. They have snuck on to the Ed's properties and even the most ferocious of charaters fear them, these girls want their way with their targets and little stops them, so they hold a lot of power, it really makes for a good hierarchy.

Though there is self awareness here, they have been stood up to for their aggressive advances and in one episode they had their pushy ways reflected back at them and were terrified, only this wasn't undone by a new episode rolling around and all that was done being undone, but normality was restored when they smelt fear, a predators equivalent of blood in water to a shark. This allowed a major plot progression to occur yet be reversed effectively, opposed to HH and HB offering big plot progress such as Blitzø and Moxxie's capture and heart to heart or Charlie showing up at Angeldust's work, which both go on to make no difference to future episodes as if they didn't happen.

The subtlety with their characters comes from the surprising adult joke of the different fathers which insinuates that their behaviour is something they're used to seeing, also, they are children, what chance have they had to learn empathy and decency? Who will teach them?

Which leads on to a major plot point of all these shows.

Elders are to blame

Where both Helluva boss and Hazbin hotel are big on daddy issues and absent mothers, Ed Edd and Eddy doesn't feature parent at all. We only follow children doing as they please wherever they may be. We don't see teachers even though we see them at school. We don't see neighbours even though the world around them is often being trashed. On the occasion we do meet a seemingly adult character it's away from the series and in the movie, it's a truely big deal that lives up to any hype, then the story is over.

Adversaries

In the Helluverse, villainy is selectively embraced, the tone of who we should root for and who we shouldn't is clearly set. Where we have full blown predators and dictators being pushed as essentric and the other cheek turned to their actions and intentions, Valention is just running business and Stolas and Blitzø have a thing going on.

Some are even counterproductive, how did Lucifer being at the heart of everything not matter or care to be addressed? Why does Charlie not care about the sinners Alastor and Rosie cannibalized?

We then have had prominent adversaries who the tone depicts as baddies we shouldn't like and a real treat, however both series gave us a 'big fat stupid jerk' who nobody had issues humiliating. Nobody cares about what they have to say or their contributions.

Female adversarie haven't been much of a threat, they get to have spats with the character who in the spotlight, sympathetic and in the right.

What did Glitz and Glam do that was so wrong? Was Stella not a scorned woman cheated, publicly humiliated and given no choice but to leave her home,

later revealed to have the same sad backstory as Stolas yet less freedom in the present?

Females tend to be sexualised 'super bitches' with their bitchyness being what matters, not what is directed at them, but ultimately it doesn't matter at the same time because they don't matter. Over in HH, we have basic Lilith as a twist shady character lounging on the beach while war is happening and her daughter struggles? Why is this is an issue when her husband is yet to be confronted and probably never will be? Same 'bitch' who come between daddy and daughter.

There's also fellow basic Lute whose actions truly should should make her stand out but don't for no reason at all, yet would they get half the spotlight if they weren't designed cute?

Who knows, since every female to get some time has been 'pretty', but no doubt the same dismissive attitude would be sent their way if they absolutely had to be seen.

Ed Edd and Eddy have a variety of different local kids to serve as friends or foes. The perpetrator depends.

They tend to be common trophes that are built upon, take jerkish because he can be local mean kid Kevin, who sees the Ed's as dorks and feels the need to let them know it.

The highly aggressive Sarah is almost entirely reactive, yet as violent and strong as she is, she has no more courage than anyone else and is seen gaging when to pick her battles or being to frightened to make her presence known. She is a nice friend to Jimmy and mainly a menace because she is a bratty little girl who is harder to avoid than others since she's Ed's sister.

Some are decent like pretty and well liked Naz who is rather mature and isn't going to let herself get walked all over

and foregin kid Rolf with his unusual customs, a hard working and principled kid who will call out anyone

but how much patience should a nice enough person have? Especially when lot of the time it's the Ed's, generally Eddy, making trouble for others.

Ed's main barrier to success is his struggle impress or screw these others over, there's no shying away from his behaviour bothering people yet he still manages to hold up as a fun, eccentric lead.

Location

In the Helluverse, this is hell but only when it suits. The scenery of HB has looked rather spacious, vibrant and appealing while the harsh colours of the HH series in heaven or hell are bold, the ceiling we were offered in the pilot which offered a claustrophobic entrapment seems a thing of the past, it looks very big and open once we step outside of Charlie's hotel, even the colour relax to something more neutral.

There is a lack of depravity with powerful leaders we are to like being toned down, the sin of lust believes in consent always, the sin of gluttony worries about over indulgence and the actual devil is just a fun dorky dad who doesn't appear to be doing anything in particular. Anyone portrayed as a victim serves to tug at the viewers heartstrings and be cute and likeable in that moment.

Charlie has a big fancy hotel that isn't going anywhere and welcomes sinners, former humans who are spawned into a middle class.

Over in HB the demons have raised hell on earth, arriving to carry out hits, bringing forth monsters, demonic possession, lude acts infront of minors, showing true forms and being responsible for some of the most gory scenes.

All with no consequence. It's like the setting serves primarily as a way to incorporate fun character designs with the various races.

EEE gives us a bunch of unsupervised kids who can do what they want in this unattractive environment that uses a strange colour scheme with a lack of contrast that gives a closed in feel. It is entirely lawless, non serious, so OTT that anything goes, physics need not apply.

For years people have theorized that these characters aren't living and that this may be set in limbo or purgatory. Be this the case or not, this series succeeds at giving us a very off backdrop to compliment its total lack of realism.

[the-girl-wh0-cries-w0lf]

You're waiting for a train...(5)

A Lesson in Planning

Robert Fischer x reader

description - the logistics of the dream begin to come together and get finalised by the group. Y/n's heart yearns for Robert more but she feels absent from those around her.

warnings - non-con touching (because she is not awake! UNCONSCIOUS PEOPLE DON'T WANT TEA!), mentions of surgery, mentions of murder.

word count - 2.2k

a/n - Boy you guys are gonna hate Arthur here! this is an important filler chapter for the plot but the real juicy stuff is still to come!

Previous Part Series Master list Master list

If you want to be added to the taglist - here

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

“So now in the first layer of the dream, I can impersonate Browning and suggest concepts to Fischer’s conscious mind. When we get a layer deeper his own projection of Browning should-should feed that back to him.” Eames orated to our group as we sat concepting the plan for the mission.

“So he gives himself the idea?” Arthur questioned.

“Precisely.” Eames continued. “That’s the only way it’ll stick. It has to seem self-generated.”

“Eames.” Arthur leant back in his chair and looked to me and I nodded in agreement. “I am impressed.”

Eames chuckled. “Your condescension, as always, is much appreciated, Arthur, thank you.” I laughed at Eames’ quip, but felt I should cover my face to not embarrass Arthur further.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

I sat in the workspace with Ariadne as she worked on her totem.

She’d decided upon a chess piece with a partly hollowed out centre that would always fall a specific way. We’d actually had the idea together when we’d been walking in the park and had come across a group of old men who’d formed a chess club. When Ariadne had picked up the queen, it had felt right in her hand.

I glanced to my watch and commented on the lateness of the time but hadn’t noticed Ariadne had actually left our desk. I must have zoned out. That had been happening a lot recently. My mind went to Robert. It wasn’t always thinking back on our interaction, most of the time it was just imagining him beside me. Living in the moment with fantasies of him living it with me.

I perked up when Dad and Ariadne walked back towards me, Ariadne gestured for me to show my Dad the mazes but I hesitated.

“Each level relates to the part of the subjects subconscious that we are trying to access.” Dad walked past our designs, assessing the skill and intricacy. Ariadne and I loomed over her paper built mazes. “So, I’m making the bottom level a hospital so Fischer will bring his father, -- um you know, actually, I have a question about this layout.” Dad immediately retreated as if the sight burned his eyes.

“No, no, no. Don’t – Don’t show me specifics. Only the dreamer should know the layout.” I winced at Dad’s harsh tone.

“Dad, she just wanted some help.” I looked up at him.

“Just – “ He pointed at me in a fierce tone but doubted his words. His tone smoothed out. “Just no specifics.”

“Why is that important?” She questioned, amid our staring contest.

“In case one of us brings our projections in. We don’t want them knowing the details of the maze.” Dad feebly explained.

“You mean in case you bring Mom in?” I spat at him. The room went quiet, the tension was thick. “You can’t keep her out, can you? Right. If you know the maze then she knows it. That’s why you can’t build anymore.” I stalked towards him amidst my lecture.

“Cobb is this getting worse?” I appreciated Ariadne’s concern. She had been whisked in to this operation only to find out the leader’s brain was more fucked up than most. Who wants to share dreams with that. “Because the others need to know if it is?”

“Who said it’s getting worse!” He abruptly ended so we knew the conversation was done. There was a lull. “I need to get her home.” He pointed at me. “That’s all I care about right now. Is her.” He stood up and embraced me. My guilt weighed me down. He’d only ever thought of me, and my thoughts were filled with someone else. How selfish could I be.

“Why can’t you go home?” Ariadne fiercely inquired.

“Because they think I killed her.” Cobb said into my hair whilst we stayed hugging. I squeezed tighter at that answer. Ariadne stayed quiet as Cobb left my arms to walk away. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For not asking whether I did.” He smiled appreciatively.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

“I will split up my father’s empire.” The word emblazoned on our whiteboard. “Now, this is obviously an idea that Robert himself would choose to reject which is why we need to plant it deep in his subconscious. The subconscious is motivated by emotion, right? Not reason. We need to find a way to translate this into an emotional concept.” Dad addressed us.

“How do you translate a business strategy into an emotion?” Arthur questioned.

“That’s what were here to figure out. Now, Robert’s relationship with his father is stressed to say the least.”

“Well, can we run with that?” Eames perked up. “We could suggest breaking up his father’s company as a ‘screw you’ to the old man.”

“No.” I commented. “Positive emotion trumps negative emotion every time. We yearn for reconciliation, catharsis. His bond with his dad is broken beyond repair. Maybe if we’re gonna be in there anyway, we could do him a little good.” When I trailed off softly, I felt all eyes on me, confused. I especially felt the hot gaze of my father.

“We need Robert Fischer to have a positive emotional reaction to all this.” Dad agreed whilst eyeing me suspiciously.

“All right, let’s try this.” Eames jumped to my rescue. “My father accepts that I want to create for myself, not follow in his footsteps.”

“That might work.”

“Might?” Arthur argued. “We’re gonna need to do a little better than might.” Eames turned towards him with a cheeky smile.

“Oh, thank you for your contribution, Arthur.” He said sarcastically.

“Forgive me for wanting a little specificity, Eames.”

“Specificity?”

“Inception’s not about being specific. When we get inside his mind, we’re gonna have to work with what we find.”

Ariadne had already prepped each of the dreamers with the layout of the maze. I was truly impressed, and I spent every minute telling her that. It was so great to have a girl on the team. I often felt I was drowning in testosterone.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

We had entered Yusuf’s dream which would act as the first layer. Ariadne had created a metropolitan city with towering skyscrapers. It was perfect. Complex and confusing if you were not familiar yet still had a sense of believability.

“On the top level,” Eames narrated to us all, as we stood in the direct centre of the road. “We open up his relationship with his father, and say ‘I will not follow in my father’s footsteps.”

I walked around in awe of the world around me. I’d been in many dreams and had created a few for myself, but nothing like this. I bumped Ariadne’s shoulder and whispered.

“This is seriously amazing.”

“you’ve told me that like 5 times, y/n.”

“Oh sorry—”

“No, it’s nice.” She threw her arm around me so we ended in a half way hug. I suddenly remembered the boys were talking.

“Then the next level down, we feed him ‘I will create something for myself’. Then by the time we bring out the big guns – “

“My father doesn’t want me to be him.” I finished. After speaking those fateful words I chanced a glance at my own father’s eyes. But I looked away in shame, missing his own longing gaze.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

“Three layers down the dreams are gonna collapse.” Arthur admitted. “Even with the slightest disturbance.”

“Sedation.” Yusuf proudly stated. “For sleep stable enough to create three layers of dreaming, we’ll have to combine it with an extremely powerful sedative. The compound we’ll be using to share the dream creates a very clear connection between dreamers whilst actually accelerating brain function.”

“In other words, it gives us more time on each level.” Dad explained for the ones who struggled to understand Yusuf’s chemistry.

“Brain function in the dream will be about 20 times normal. When you enter a dream within that dream, the effect is compounded, it’s 3 dreams – that’s 10 hours times –”

“I’m sorry maths was never my strong subject.” I chuckled at Eames’ confusion. “How much time is that?”

I decided to fill him in.

“It’s a week, the first level down, 6 months the second level down –”

“Its 10 years, the third level.” Ariadne said in a gasp. I nodded sadly towards her. “Who would want to be stuck in a dream for 10 years?”

“Depends on the dream.” Ariadne and I looked unamused towards Yusuf’s attempt at humour.

“So, once we’ve made the plant how do we get out? I’m hoping you have something more elegant in mind than shooting me in the head.” Arthur commented whilst swinging on his chair.

“A kick.”

“What’s a kick?”

“This Ariadne,” Eames gently tapped Arthur’s chair so he panicked and fell forward. “Is a kick.” He smiled innocently towards Arthurs unimpressed face. I giggled watching their little bromance.

“It’s that feeling of falling you get that jolts you awake.”

“Will we even feel a kick with that level of sedation?” I questioned.

“I’ve customised the sedative to leave inner function unimpaired.” I gave a grateful nod. Yusuf was truly a gift to this mission. “Let me demonstrate.”

“Arthur.” “Arthur!” Eames and I said in sync.

Arthur reluctantly rises and sits on the chair Yusuf gestures to. Yusuf puts him into a dream.

“You see the sleeper still feels the falling.” Yusuf tips Arthur and he jolts awake just in time to watch his body hit the ground. Eames and I burst out laughing. I wink at Eames as we both get the same idea.

“But Yusuf.” I begin. “He just fell sideways. I think it needs to be demonstrated that it works falling at ALL angles.” Eames and I could barely hold in our laughter as my dad shook his head in disapproval. Arthur was put under 4 more times and shoved off the chair each time. God this was too good. After the final time, he threw his hands up when Yusuf went in for one more IV. He abruptly stood up and walked past me. He slowed down when he reached my shoulder.

“Don’t be so childish.” My smile broke.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

“He hasn’t got any surgery scheduled, there’s no dental, nothing.”

“Wasn’t he supposed to have a knee operation?”

“Nothing. Nothing that they’d put him under for anyway.”

We were coming up with the final stage. And the most important element. Time.

“We need a good 10 hours.” My dad offered up the situation to the room.

“Sydney to Los Angeles.” Saito had very much taken up the role of the silent money. Quiet, observing. Merely here to protect his investment. When dad had told me he wanted to go under with us I wasn’t shocked. Inception is hardly a mission which has a physical outcome a buyer can hold. The only way to get proof is to be there with us. I did worry about safety. He was just another parasite the projections could flock to; this put us all at risk. And I had a feeling this sedation meant a simple kill shot wouldn’t suffice.

“One of the longest flights in the world. He makes it every two weeks.”

“He must be flying private then?” Dad questioned.

“Not if there were unexpected maintenance with his plane.” I smirked at this.

“It would have to be a 747.” Arthur jumped in.

“Why’s that?” I asked.

“Because on a 747, the pilot is up top,” I didn’t miss how Arthur directed the answer towards my dad. “and the first class cabin is on the nose, so no one would walkthrough but you’d have to buy out the entire cabin and the first class flight attendant.”

“I bought the airline.” We all flocked our gaze to Saito. “It seemed neater.” Ah of course! Why didn’t we think of that?

“Well then.” We had our stage. “Ariadne?” Dad stopped us as we went to leave. “Terrific work by the way.” I smiled her way but she missed it, taken up in a conversation with Arthur.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

My fingers fidgeted on the lock of the case. Itching to try again. Nothing around me was satisfying, I needed some release. The lock flicked up and I hurriedly unpacked the IV. I inserted it and let it do it’s magic. My eyes drooped, my heart slowed yet my excitement bubbled up. My head flopped onto the rough fabric of the deck chair. As my mind floated me away, a presence loomed in my peripheral.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

*Arthur’s pov*

I’d stayed behind late, hoping to have a word with y/n. She hadn’t seemed herself recently and I worried for the state of her mind when we begin this task.

I made my way to the door, believing I’d missed her. I noticed one of the deck chairs hadn’t been put away so I went to tidy up. I saw five painted nails loosen their grip on the edge of the chair and collapse to the side. There was an IV exiting the vein, I tracked it back towards the silver case.

I ambled my way towards her sleeping frame. So peaceful, yet so much life danced behind her closed eyes. I found myself stroking her soft cheeks. She was so perfect. My thumb caressed the contours of her face and it began to droop lower, until it met the curve of her lips. What was I doing?

I jumped back as if her skin had burnt me. Suddenly I was possessed by a new found drive. I ripped one of the other IV’s out of the case and dragged a chair up to the table. I inserted the tube and let the sedative consume my body.

My mind crumbled down and was rebuilt into her subconscious.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Oh boyyyyy Arthur has gone into her subconscious! What's he gonna find? What's she hiding??

taglist: @jonsncws @h-l-vlovesvintage @theethy @fashionki11a @felicity1994 @bearchermer @idkyoutellmesmh @mimimarvelingmarvel @butterfly-lies-chase-them-away

[girlboss-enthusiast]

Please tell us how to get into IT without a degree! I have an interview for a small tech company this week and I’m going in as admin but as things expand I can bootstrap into a better role and I’d really appreciate knowing what skills are likely to be crucial for making that pivot.

Absolutely!! You'd be in a great position to switch to IT, since as an admin, you'd already have some familiarity with the systems and with the workplace in general. Moving between roles is easier in a smaller workplace, too.

So, this is a semi-brief guide to getting an entry-level position, for someone with zero IT experience. That position is almost always going to be help desk. You've probably heard a lot of shit about help desk, but I've always enjoyed it.

So, here we go! How to get into IT for beginners!

The most important thing on your resume will be

✨~🌟Certifications!!🌟~✨

Studying for certs can teach you a lot, especially if you're entirely new to the field. But they're also really important for getting interviews. Lots of jobs will require a cert or degree, and even if you have 5 years of experience doing exactly what the job description is, without one of those the ATS will shunt your resume into a black hole and neither HR or the IT manager will see it.

First, I recommend getting the CompTIA A+. This will teach you the basics of how the parts of a computer work together - hardware, software, how networking works, how operating systems work, troubleshooting skills, etc. If you don't have a specific area of IT you're interested in, this is REQUIRED. Even if you do, I suggest you get this cert just to get your foot in the door.

I recommend the CompTIA certs in general. They'll give you a good baseline and look good on your resume. I only got the A+ and the Network+, so can't speak for the other exams, but they weren't too tough.

If you're more into development or cybersecurity, check out these roadmaps. You'll still benefit from working help desk while pursuing one of those career paths.

The next most important thing is

🔥🔥Customer service & soft skills🔥🔥

Sorry about that.

I was hired for my first ever IT role on the strength of my interview. I definitely wasn't the only candidate with an A+, but I was the only one who knew how to handle customers (aka end-users). Which is, basically, be polite, make the end-user feel listened to, and don't make them feel stupid. It is ASTOUNDING how many IT people can't do that. I've worked with so many IT people who couldn't hide their scorn or impatience when dealing with non-tech-savvy coworkers.

Please note that you don't need to be a social butterfly or even that socially adept. I'm autistic and learned all my social skills by rote (I literally have flowcharts for social interactions), and I was still exceptional by IT standards.

Third thing, which is more for you than for your resume (although it helps):

🎇Do your own projects🎇

This is both the most and least important thing you can do for your IT career. Least important because this will have the smallest impact on your resume. Most important because this will help you learn (and figure out if IT is actually what you want to do).

The certs and interview might get you a job, but when it comes to doing your job well, hands-on experience is absolutely essential. Here are a few ideas for the complete beginner. Resources linked at the bottom.

Start using the command line. This is called Terminal on Mac and Linux. Use it for things as simple as navigating through file directories, opening apps, testing your connection, that kind of thing. The goal is to get used to using the command line, because you will use it professionally.

Build your own PC. This may sound really intimidating, but I swear it's easy! This is going to be cheaper than buying a prebuilt tower or gaming PC, and you'll learn a ton in the bargain.

Repair old PCs. If you don't want to or can't afford to build your own PC, look for cheap computers on Craiglist, secondhand stores, or elsewhere. I know a lot of universities will sell old technology for cheap. Try to buy a few and make a functioning computer out of parts, or just get one so you can feel comfortable working in the guts of a PC.

Learn Powershell or shell scripting. If you're comfortable with the command line already or just want to jump in the deep end, use scripts to automate tasks on your PC. I found this harder to do for myself than for work, because I mostly use my computer for web browsing. However, there are tons of projects out there for you to try!

Play around with a Raspberry Pi. These are mini-computers ranging from $15-$150+ and are great to experiment with. I've made a media server and a Pi hole (network-wide ad blocking) which were both fun and not too tough. If you're into torrenting, try making a seedbox!

Install Linux on your primary computer. I know, I know - I'm one of those people. But seriously, nothing will teach you more quickly than having to compile drivers through the command line so your Bluetooth headphones will work. Warning: this gets really annoying if you just want your computer to work. Dual-booting is advised.

If this sounds intimidating, that's totally normal. It is intimidating! You're going to have to do a ton of troubleshooting and things will almost never work properly on your first few projects. That is part of the fun!

Resources

Resources I've tried and liked are marked with an asterisk*

Professor Messor's Free A+ Training Course*

PC Building Simulator 2 (video game)

How to build a PC (video)

PC Part Picker (website)*

CompTIA A+ courses on Udemy

50 Basic Windows Commands with Examples*

Mac Terminal Commands Cheat Sheet

Powershell in a Month of Lunches (video series)

Getting Started with Linux (tutorial)* Note: this site is my favorite Linux resource, I highly recommend it.

Getting Started with Raspberry Pi

Raspberry Pi Projects for Beginners

/r/ITCareerQuestions*

Ask A Manager (advice blog on workplace etiquette and more)*

Reddit is helpful for tech questions in general. I have some other resources that involve sailing the seas; feel free to DM me or send an ask I can answer privately.

Tips

DO NOT work at an MSP. That stands for Managed Service Provider, and it's basically an IT department which companies contract to provide tech services. I recommend staying away from them. It's way better to work in an IT department where the end users are your coworkers, not your customers.

DO NOT trust remote entry-level IT jobs. At entry level, part of your job is schlepping around hardware and fixing PCs. A fully-remote position will almost definitely be a call center.

DO write a cover letter. YMMV on this, but every employer I've had has mentioned my cover letter as a reason to hire me.

DO ask your employer to pay for your certs. This applies only to people who either plan to move into IT in the same company, or are already in IT but want more certs.

DO NOT work anywhere without at least one woman in the department. My litmus test is two women, actually, but YMMV. If there is no woman in the department in 2024, and the department is more than 5 people, there is a reason why no women work there.

DO have patience with yourself and keep an open mind! Maybe this is just me, but if I can't do something right the first time, or if I don't love it right away, I get very discouraged. Remember that making mistakes is part of the process, and that IT is a huge field which ranges from UX design to hardware repair. There are tons of directions to go once you've got a little experience!

Disclaimer: this is based on my experience in my area of the US. Things may be different elsewhere, esp. outside of the US.

I hope this is helpful! Let me know if you have more questions!

[bitchymanlet]

Safety Net

Chapter 1: The Plan

🔞MINORS DO NOT INTERACT🔞

Pairing: Levi x Fem!OC; Sub!Levi x Domme!OC

Tags/Content Warnings: canon compliant; problematic; pregnancy; baby trapping; porn with plot; explicit sex; angst; obsession; jealousy; age gap (both are adults); losing virginity; secret relationship; power imbalance; superior and subordinate romance; D/s dynamic; BDSM (FYI, these tags cover the overall story. No sex or kink in this chapter.)

Word Count: 2,491

Summary: Ambitious Scout Emmy Bohn, member of the elite Captain Levi's Special Operations Squad, finally brings her dream to fruition by means of deceiving the one who she holds most dear, her own Captain. However, it's not all smooth sailing from there. She must grapple with the possibility that the life of peace she's meticulously crafted in her mind over the years—the control that she so desperately craves—may always be a mere fantasy.

A/N: This is my first fanfic I've ever published. Hope you enjoy.

Levi shuffled into the Commander’s office with a despondent look etched onto his stony-face. He kept some distance between himself and Erwin’s desk, yet far enough away from the door to prevent anyone outside from eavesdropping.

“Levi.” Erwin perked up, giving the Captain his full attention.

Levi rips off the bandaid. “I’m in deep shit, Erwin... Emmy’s pregnant,” he paused, putting his hands on his hips and sighing, “and it’s mine.”

Erwin eyeballed Levi, waiting for an elaboration. “Care to explain?”

“It’s been so long since you got laid that you forgot how pregnancy works? We had sex.”

Erwin shut his eyes and released a long, weary sigh. “You’re not making my job any easier, Levi.”

“Sorry for the inconvenience,” Levi deadpanned.

Erwin stared at nothing as he put on his signature thinking face.

Levi spoke up, “Nobody knows. Except for Dr. Sieger at the infirmary. Emmy just found out today and came straight to me with the news. So…” Levi shrugged, crossing his arms. “Any ideas?”

Erwin thought about it. If the doctor had confirmed it, then there’s little chance that she’s lying about her pregnancy. Nor would it be feasible to assume the doctor would tell anyone, that’s a small relief to Erwin at least, since Dr. Sieger is under oath to keep patients’ medical confidentiality.

“There’s no certainty that the child is yours.”

Levi scowled. “Are you really suggesting that Emmy, the one without so much as a speck of dirt on her record, is actually a slut?”

“You cannot be certain that there is no possibility for her to have gotten pregnant from someone else.”

Levi’s scowl faltered slightly. He had only slept with Emmy once, and in that single time he had worn a condom. Shit happens, a broken condom isn’t unheard of. Sure, there was a possibility that Emmy could’ve seen someone else around that time… He scoffed at such a bullshit notion. She was a virgin right up until they had done the deed. But that’s none of Erwin’s business.

“You know Emmy’s reputation. And you know damn well how easily word gets around. Petra is Emmy’s bunkmate, she’s got the bottom bunk and she’s a light sleeper. If Emmy snuck off to go fuck somebody, Petra would’ve found out, and she couldn’t keep it secret–that girl wears her heart on her sleeve.” Levi glanced off to the side. “There’s no doubt about it… it’s mine.”

Erwin stared at Levi. “By your logic, Petra would know about Emmy sneaking off to see you. She could be a witness.”

“Petra doesn’t know because Emmy didn’t sneak off. I gave Emmy a late night assignment… As far as Petra knows, Emmy was busy following orders,” Levi muttered.

Erwin folded his hands together over his desk. “This was no accident, I see. This was premeditated.” He nodded, gazing at his hands before looking at Levi. “You realize that fraternization is prohibited? This is grounds for dishonorable discharge.”

“I’m well aware,” Levi answered dryly. “What’s the point in telling me this? You’re gonna give us the boot? Okay, thanks for dragging me out of that shithole, my six years as a Scout have been a blast, good luck with saving humanity, Commander.”

Erwin let out a wry chuckle. “You know that I would never give you the boot. Emmy is another story…”

Erwin considered the possible outcomes. If the child was indeed Levi’s, according to the military code, that would mean both Levi and Emmy would have to be dishonorably discharged. Booting Humanity’s Strongest Soldier from the Survey Corps would be shooting himself in the foot at best and damning the fate of humanity at worst. Although, if he kept their affair under wraps, Emmy’s pregnancy would eventually become a problem. He wasn’t so much of a monster that he would put a pregnant soldier on the front lines. Emmy is a very capable soldier in her own right, but so were many others. Nor could he make her take the fall for this either–it would ruin her.

“Her squadmates are aware that she is sick,” Erwin said. “I could formally put down that she has contracted a severe ailment and give her medical leave. Perhaps it was a flare up from some chronic illness that she had under control, until now. She can return at her own discretion.”

“Beats a dishonorable discharge, but… then she’d have to report for duty after her leave. What about the kid? She doesn’t have a family to take care of it, they're all dead,” Levi said in agitation.

“Then her duty won’t be on the field. She could transfer to office work, again, on the grounds of her documented chronic illness.”

“Then who would take care of the kid?”

Erwin narrowed his eyes. “Why don’t we ask her?” He stood up from his desk with an air of nonchalance. “Bring her here.”

Levi clenched his jaw and left to fetch his pregnant subordinate.

~~

When Emmy entered the Commander’s office, none other than Commander Erwin himself was seated on his small, professional-looking sofa.

“Hello, Emmy. Have a seat.” Erwin gestured for her to sit on the other side of his sofa.

Emmy stood frozen in place while Levi walked past her and plopped down in a chair.

She quickly nodded. “Yes, sir,” she said, quiet as a mouse, then she rushed to the sofa and sat down.

She held her trembling hands together on her lap. It wasn’t often that she had the chance to speak directly to Commander Erwin. Despite only having eyes for the Captain, even she couldn’t resist his charming aura.

But she had to keep it together. This is the moment of truth. She cannot screw this up.

“How are you feeling?” Erwin asked in a low tone of voice.

She cleared her throat. “Uh-I-I’m, uh, fine… sir.” She didn’t have to act here. Her anxiety was so real, her voice went up an octave higher without even trying. She gulped, hoping she wouldn’t throw up all over his nice rug.

“Captain Levi told me the news; that you are with child. Congratulations.”

Emmy glanced at Levi, who had a somber look in his eyes. She then lowered her head, saying nothing.

“Perhaps a ‘congratulations’ is not very appropriate, for the circumstances in which you find yourself are anything but.”

Emmy bit her quivering lower lip. She let out a whisper of a noise, trying to find the courage to speak. This was supposed to be the easiest part, yet here she is, all choked up in the Commander’s office like she’d just seen a titan for the first time.

“Nevertheless, I haven’t summoned you here for a reprimanding. I must ask you, what course of action would you prefer for yourself? I suggested that I give you a medical leave for your chronic illness, and that once you have recovered, you may return to do office work. Captain Levi, however, doesn’t like this plan.”

Emmy lifted her head up, widening her eyes at Erwin.

“I’m not getting punished?” Emmy’s high-pitched voice shook.

“No. This is… a special case, let’s call it that. Now, your thoughts?”

Her heart raced in her burning chest, in any moment her stomach acid could come up, further stripping her of her dignity before her two heroes. How she loathed making herself appear meek. Subordination was one thing, for she would gladly accept the command of a worthy leader. Meekness made her stomach twist in knots.

This is just a means to an end, she reminded herself, fidgeting with her hands all the while Erwin’s and Levi’s eyes locked on her.

Her eyes filled with tears. “I… worked so hard to get to where I am, sir,” her voice cracked, and she blinked her tears free. “To think that… after all this time, my-my career is…” She hiccuped, her voice caught in her throat.

Levi stepped up to her, pulling his handkerchief out from his breast pocket and handing it to her before retreating back to his chair, draping his left arm over the back.

Emmy whined at the kind gesture, her Captain always did have a keen sense of compassion. She gingerly wiped her tears on Levi’s divine handkerchief, almost as soft and silky as his skin. What a shame that her nose was too snotty to be able to smell it.

How despicable this was, and she knew it. After all the times she had been praised for her diligence; for her bravery, even from her beloved Captain Levi.

“I’m not fighting for humanity anymore…”

She never fought for humanity. She fought for herself. For this one goal.

“I’ll just be a mom,” Emmy heaved. “If I did office work, then there wouldn’t be anyone to care for my baby... My family died in the Titan invasion of Shiganshina five years ago!”

“Levi told me the same." Erwin’s eyes bore into her own with intensity, she hadn’t even noticed him blink yet. "What should we do instead, Emmy?”

She blew her nose into the Captain’s handkerchief, sullying the precious thing with her filth.

“Maybe… a medical discharge would be most ideal…?” her voice cracked.

Erwin quirked an eyebrow, and Levi leant forward in his chair.

“A medical discharge?” Erwin broke his gaze away from Emmy for a brief moment as he sat up straight and tilted his head. He then looked at Levi.

“That way,” she continued, “I could stay home to raise my and Captain Levi’s child, without being called into duty,” Emmy said in a lower tone, closer to her natural speaking voice.

The room fell silent. Emmy clutched Levi's soiled handkerchief, her eyebrows knit in worry. This was it. All the Commander had to do was approve. If he doesn’t, then these past five years would have been for nothing.

She would rather kill herself than succumb to a titan. If she had no control over how she could live her life, then at the very least she could control how she would die.

“Emmy… Do you love Levi?”

“Why the fuck would you ask her that?” Levi’s expression twisted into a grimace.

“Well, I’m curious.” Erwin glanced at Levi before turning his body over to Emmy, staring into her eyes again. “Why not one of your fellow squadmates with whom you spend more time in the day getting intimately involved? Why Levi, your superior officer?”

Levi gripped the back of his chair.

Being asked that so suddenly brought on a wave of heat over Emmy. She had a lot to be ashamed of, but there was no shame in loving the man who gave her a purpose for living. If this would help to convince the Commander of going along with her plan, then so be it.

Her breath hitched, her face flushing as she raised her shoulder in a bashful manner. “I do. I am in love with my Captain, sir. I have a close relationship with each of my squadmates, and I do care for them deeply, but the Captain…” Emmy continued with her shaky voice, “There’s no one in the walls who I admire more...”

She winced, dropping her head in embarrassment at admitting this to the both of them, and her eyes had again filled with tears as she bit into her stupid quivering lip. Her stomach gurgled in the silence.

Levi squinted his eyes; a pained, sympathetic look to his face. He’s heard her say it before, but now, he can’t quite shake it off as easily as he once had. This crush of hers that he foolishly fed into led to all of this. He can’t shake off the fact that he’s going to be a father. Father to a child growing inside of his most dedicated subordinate who will lose the career she fought tooth and nail to attain, all because he didn’t keep it in his pants.

Erwin scrutinized her reaction for an uncomfortable length of time.

“Very well, you shall have your medical discharge. Consider this matter settled.”

Emmy released a puff of air as Erwin stood up from his sofa and went over to his desk. “You’ll get lump sum payments for the two years you have spent in active duty. No retirement benefits, I’m afraid, but name one Scout with that privilege.”

Erwin opened one of his drawers and looked through his files. “You have served us well, Emmy… You are dismissed.”

In place of relief, she felt a pang in her heart and cringed as she held herself back from gagging.

“Thank you, Commander Erwin,” she said in a choked voice and leapt up on her feet. She saluted Erwin then glanced at Levi for a split second before turning her head guiltily. She hurried out of Erwin’s office, clinging Levi’s delicate handkerchief to her chest, feeling like the most revolting human being who had ever lived.

Levi sighed from his nostrils as he squeezed the back of his chair so firmly that the wood made a creaking sound. He glared at Erwin, who seemed unfazed.

“Oi. Blondie. Did you have to get so weirdly personal there?”

“I was determining her motive.”

Levi scoffed. “Now you’re calling her a liar? I know her better than you do.”

“There’s no need to get defensive. I granted the woman her wish, did I not?”

“Yeah, but why did you ask her that shitty question?” Levi stood up and strode over to Erwin’s desk. “You had to twist the knife in her wound?” Levi spoke with a harsh, gravelly voice.

“Think about it, Levi. You know who you are.”

Levi rolled his eyes. “I don’t give a shit what her motive is. She’s my comrade in arms. I��ve saved her life, and she’s saved mine. And she didn’t use mind control to get me into bed, I made the choice to fuck her.” Levi leant his fists against Erwin’s desk. “Fact of the matter is, I knocked her up. This is my responsibility, Erwin. End of story.”

Erwin hummed. “That is your prerogative, Levi.” Erwin found what he was looking for, and took out a medical discharge document before sitting down. “Even so, ‘taking responsibility’ here entails that this will remain strictly confidential. I am effectively sweeping this under the rug. If there is any documentation of you and Emmy having an intimate relationship, that could be held against me as Commander.”

“I get it. I’m not marrying her.”

“And you must make it clear to her that any sexual affiliation she has with you is not to be shared with anyone. In your heart you can claim it, though, legally, that child is not yours.” Erwin dipped his quill into ink and began writing onto the document. “She was diagnosed with a debilitating chronic illness and is hereby found to be medically unfit for duty. If perchance anyone discovers her pregnancy, it is nothing more than a subsequent occurrence of her early retirement.”

Levi’s knuckles still against the wood, his jet black fringe curtaining over his aggrieved, downcast face.

“I’ll be sure to spell that out for her.”

~~

Join my taglist @sixpennydame

[sendpseuds]

Share a bit from a fic you’ll never post OR from a scene that was cut from an already posted fic. (If you don’t have either, just share a random fic idea you have that you don’t plan on getting to.) 👉👈

THIS!

Sadly, I will never write this insane dark!Obi-Wan on Mandalore AU that haunts my dreams to this day

what you see above is the timeline of events [well, as far as I got with it] and SEVEN different points of view, but while this timeline is in chronological order, the fic was not going to be. Well, not totally.

Basically, the fic would start in Bo-Katan's POV [the blue stickies] where she and the rest of Death Watch meet with a mysterious figure offering to help them take back Mandalore. Cut to Satine's POV [purple stickies] where she's informed that a patrol has picked up a downed ship outside the city walls. The pilot survived and has been identified as Obi-Wan Kenobi. But that's not possible, because Obi-Wan Kenobi died on Naboo over a decade ago

*gasp*

Anyway, the audience knows from the beginning that he's working as a double agent but we don't know what his motivations are. Other than the Kryze sisters whose stories are told chronologically, almost every POV [Dooku red, Cody orange, Quinlan yellow, Anakin green] is out of order and often out of context, especially Obi-Wan's [black stickies] who's POV segments I had started to write in a very different style from everyone else, more poetry than prose from him just to make everything even eerier.

This thing is insane. An absolute monster with so many cool ideas but I just don't have the bandwidth for it.

There are a lot of elements I think about a lot and I often wonder if I could break this down into smaller fics.

I'm having fun thinking about this so I'm gonna keep ranting if that's cool with you? Cool.

The main theme of the story is pain, both emotional and physical. Obi-Wan is horribly injured on Naboo after Qui-Gon sacrifices him to defeat Maul [hense, everyone thinking he's dead] and he lives with chronic pain, which is how Dooku manipulates him into training as a Sith, by offering him relief and threatening to take it away whenever Obi-Wan steps out of line. There is also something in there about Obi-Wan learning how to completely shield himself in the Force because his pain gets so loud other Force-sensitive can feel it [which is how Dooku finds him in the first place]

Eventually, Obi-Wan escapes and spends a lot of time learning on his own and just observing what's going on. He knows there's a war coming but Dooku never told him the details. So he's curious.

This brings me to one idea I think could definitely just be a fic all its own —

During the war, Cody notices that clones are going missing on the battlefield. At first, he makes some particularly gruesome excuses in his mind involving explosives and local fauna but eventually, it becomes clear someone is taking them. It's not every battle and it's always only one.

Before he's ever able to get to the bottom of it, Cody is knocked out cold in the middle of battle and wakes up on an operating table where a mysterious man explains how he's been taking clones for months. At first, he'd only taken men who were already dead, curious to learn about their physiology, but when he'd discovered the chips— Well, then he'd started to experiment.

in the larger AU plot, this came back in the end, Obi-Wan has his own little clone brigade [oh gods this part was so complicated, there was some zombie troopers and some reprogrammed ones and Death Watch didn't know about the reprogrammed ones?? also I wrote the zombie trooper idea down before Ahsoka so yeah], but I really think this could work as a horror one-shot that just ends with Obi-Wan kissing him on the forehead and putting him under for his reprogramming.

Okay, wow. This is probably a lot more than you bargained for, but I haven't really played around with this AU in a while, so thank you for giving me the excuse to do that!

For anyone wondering, the sticky note app is called Mural, but it really only works on a computer, the iPad app is unusable.

And if anyone has questions about this AU, please feel free to ask! this one goes wild places

[drbased]

Do you have an opinion of the online rational-sphere? (Such as lesswrong and everything adjacent.)

Separately from your opinion from them as a movement/community, what do you think of their "teachings" about rational thought?

I must admit, I'm not aware of them. I associate the word 'rational' with atheism, but from what I can see, 'lesswrong' is about teaching you how to think. And straight off the bat, this whole concept screams manosphere-adjacent. 'Rational', like 'logical' is one of those heavily male-coded words that allows a man to think he's better than you with your silly emotional woman-brain. And just to confirm my suspicions, this website seems a bit too interested in AI. Like hell, AI is mentioned in the fist entry on the library page.

Just think about this for a second: the three subjects here are 'rationality, ambition and AI'. Those things, especially the last one, have nothing to do with each other. Not according to him though:

This is so funny because no it's not. Maybe this guy's niche area is, but the majority of AI is being used to steal data, steal artwork, steal jobs and make spam. If your understanding of AI isn't that it's primarily a tool to make our actual human lives better, then you're a damn fool.

These techbros are obsessed with the idea that AI - something that processes the world from a bottom-up approach, that is, learns by understanding each individual pixel/fragment of information - can share the same word and therefore meaning of intelligence that humans - something that processes the world from a top-down approach, that is, learns by understanding the broad picture first without needing to know details - have. To me, to think our minds can be replicated and 'improved on' is such a devaluing of the value of not just humanity but life itself. And I fail to see how you can think rationally when you don't understand that a world of perfect autonomous machines making perfect decisions means nothing if none of them can feel anything.

If someone is telling you how to 'think rationally', that's always going to be from the context of their own brain. No-one on this god's green earth thinks entirely 100% rationally - we all have our biases and blind spots, and that's fine. The subjectivity of our experiences is entirely what makes us human. If you're telling me to 'think more rationally' without addressing the nature of the self in its relation to reality, and what morality, emotions and co-operation mean in our collective journey in thinking and behaving more rationally, then I'm naturally going to be suspicious of you.

And indeed, the more I read, my suspicions are increasingly confirmed:

(Jesus christ, just look at how this guy chooses his examples. Look at how these 'facts' are all so politically and morally loaded and yet they're conveniently placed next to each other as if they're on the same level of legitimacy and importance. This whole article screams 'I once hated those SJWs but now I have a more intellectual and balanced approach, meanwhile almost all of the examples of shit argumentation he gives just so happen to be SJW-esque.)

Everything about this website just screams motivational shit for mgtow-ers. It's all about being the thinkiest brainiest boy who can bend reality to his will and therefore achieve success with his pet AI wanking him off, up until the AI achieves sentience and vores him. These men are libertarian individualists - it's all about you being rational, and how you can use that rational thinking to get on in your own life. But also, for all the individualism, there's a deep insecurity where they feel they need to be told how to think.

I'm sure there's plenty of actually good stuff in here but as part of my 'rational thinking' I tend to pick up on vibes very easily. Pro-tip, it's always about what's not said as much as what is said. And the way people phrase things, how they choose to lay out information in order of importance matters. Not to say that you have to dilute their subject matter - I definitely don't with my discussions on radical feminism - but if there's a known evil associated with what you're discussing and you don't mention it straight away, I assume that you have a strong bias and something to hide. (Which is why I always make it clear on my stance on transgender people and why I refuse to be flippant on the subject, by the by).

A few things to note here:

I've already covered the first paragraph

'heavily motivated by trying to improve the world as much as possible' - in what way? What are your end goals, what are your aims? Being this kind of vague can be a dogwhistle to anything, and given the wider context of not just this website but the culture wars in general, I absolutely read this as ayn-rand-esque

because, if these people want to improve the world, why do they think AI has anything to do with it? what about the dismantling of oppressive systems and finding alternative approaches to our government and economic system of capitalism?

What about the environmental impact of AI?

These men are so clearly out of touch with reality (seriously, AI might be an existential threat?):

I've had an admittedly very brief scan of this report but everything I've read so far reminds me strongly of what super-genius elon musk thinks about simulation theory, debunked here.

I also followed a link to their 'alignment forum' which seems to be identical in format. And here's the first post I saw, by some different author:

This all screams so out of touch with reality. That stereotype is old - most people now associate AI with theft, spam, taking jobs away from artists, and using up as much energy as whole countries. For all the obsession with rationality, this is religious apocalyptic ferver - these men want to believe that AI will become so powerful as to destroy us all - as opposed to, say, literal climate change which AI is accelerating.

I've focussed so much on AI here because I think it says a lot about their understanding of 'rationality'. The maleness of all this jumps out. I've spoken on this male obsession before - this idea that people aren't logical enough, but AI is logical, so AI will be better than all of us, and with our new Logical Overlords to guide us society will be Better. This is just repackaged meritocracy capitalism which is repackaged religious thought. And it's all right-wing thought which says that there are certain ways of being and certain types of being which are objectively better and earn and prove their right to run society by being 'better'.

Philosophy is such a broad spectrum of ideas, and trying to compile it all into one place to figure out the One True Way how to think is not something I would suggest. Because in my experience, changing my life was not just about thinking but rather recontextualising my whole concept of myself as an active, present agent in the real world and therefore learning that if I'm not using my thoughts alongside actions then they don't mean anything. I've learned that there is a real value in recognising where your selfhood has been fragmented and seeking to restore a complete sense of self - because if you think about it, you were already a whole: that's literally what you are, there aren't parts of you floating around in the ether. My thoughts are mine, my experiences mine, my beliefs and morality mine. I'm at the center of my existence, and any philosophy/school of thought/psychological discipline that doesn't address that right out of the gate is an immediate write-off to me.

I've actually delved into some really dark existential terrors and came to the conclusion that at a certain level down, you have to think irrationally. If you face pure 'objectivity' then you'll end up obsessing with how having car like next door has would make your life easier, so therefore in order to be more honest about your relationship with the world, you would have to either feel miserable about not being able to drive or seek to remedy that immediately. This is the mechanism by which I tried to live my life through my whole adulthood and this is what caused me to stay depressed. In the end, the only 'logic' you really need to remember is that this is your life and that feeling good feels good - your emotions and actions don't need to line up with your perception of what 'objectivity' is, and you can choose to be happy regardless. Other people would label that irrational and vapid, as I once did, but I've found it's actually the most rational thing there is, and above all it's honest. It requires a humility and honesty that the techbros will always lack, because their obsession with rationality will always be anti-human.

This website wants to be the thinking man's conservatism, but just imagine trying to debate with any one of these men IRL: they're going to start off thinking they're better than you because they ~~think rationally~~ (because they've spent time in a community that is ostensibly dedicated to that) and they're never going to engage with you in good faith, because they're always going to be wanting to deconstruct your arguments on a purely technical level, whilst entirely ignoring their own logical fallacies, biases and agenda. And that's the danger in all this - these men want to think rationally, they want to make the world a better place, but they also don't want to engage with uncomfortable moral ideas, especially those that actually challenge and question their privilege. Being 'rational' is a smoke-screen.

I just scrolled back up to read that you wanted me to comment on this separate from them as a movement, but in all honesty I couldn't have engaged with this any other way - and I think what I've written here illustrates why. If their teachings are any good, then I recommend searching for them elsewhere. Just as with critique of transgenderism, I recommend not consuming right-wing websites for it. Nobody exists in a vacuum; anything proposing to be 'objective' is always going to be dripping with the ideology of the writer. As I said earlier, I don't think any website or community that wants to compile complex philosophical ideas into one space that teaches you how to think is a good thing. Regardless of the legitimacy of some of the teachings, they're all part of a wider whole, and I do not like that whole. Even the name 'LessWrong' screams arrogant to me. You can find these ideas elsewhere, and I would recommend that.

[thenatashamaximoff]

The Last Day Of Christmas; Day 1

Summary: On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...

Pairing: Wanda x Reader

List of warnings could be found on the masterlist

Words: 3,132

✎ | ☃

December 14th, 2022 (Present Day) When her arm swept across the bed in front of her, she couldn’t stop her eyes from flying open at the feeling of the cold, vacant space. She sat up, eyebrows scrunched in confusion as she searched for you, but her eyes couldn’t find you no matter how many times her head went on a swivel around the room, kicking the blankets off of her as she climbed out of the bed. Her mouth remained shut as she looked towards the dark bathroom, an empty pit forming in the bottom of her stomach. She couldn’t recall the last time she had woken up with you gone, knowing you'd always wake her with the softest kiss against her forehead before leaving.

She hated waking up without you.

Her lips had just parted open in her first attempt of the morning to call your name, but the bedroom door opening caused her voice to get caught in her throat. She watched as you walked into the room, her eyebrows that were once pinched together in confusion raised in suspicion when she eyed the small, wrapped box in your hands. You sent her a kind smile, the worry that had formed in her bones deteriorating at the sight of the warmth portrayed on your face. “Hey, sleepyhead.” You were cheerful, happy, one of the many sides of you she had fallen in love with.

It was a much different turn than what she had seen of you last night, having come back from a mission with the look of death in your eyes. She had made the mistake, at the time, of delving into your mind to find out what had exactly gone wrong on that operation. Yet she only had the smallest taste of the pain and agony you had mentally played on repeat before she pulled out, but it was enough for her to know that the only thing you needed was for her to be there.

Now? Well, now you weren’t thinking about whatever had transpired last night. The two of you have enough experience with blood and death through your jobs, it had become a silent agreement that neither of you would talk about anything relating to SHIELD off the clock. No, you were keeping your mind focused on naming as many of the states as you possibly could off the top of your head when she had taken a dip into your thoughts.

You were definitely hiding something.

“What’re you hiding?” You reached the edge of the bed, watching as she crossed her arms over her chest. Her head tilted very slightly and the warm smile you had on your face turned to a playful smirk as you placed the gift onto the mattress.

“And what could I possibly be hiding, dear?” You mimicked her stance, crossing your arms over your chest and tilting your head to the same degree as her. 

“Wisconsin.”

You clapped suddenly, oblivious to the subtle jump from Wanda when the loud noise caught her off guard. “That’s the one I’m forgetting! Hold on, now I have to start over. And don’t help me this time.”

“Y/N.” She smiled, she couldn’t help it, but she did manage to swallow the soft laughter building in her throat. “Stop concealing your thoughts.”

“I got you a present.” You gestured towards the box on the bed, looking at her softly. “We’re trying something new this year.”

“Oh, yeah?” She cautiously walked towards you. “Last time we tried something new, a certain someone ended up in the hospital for three days.”

You rolled your eyes, shaking your head as you moved your hands to grip your hips with a huff. “This one doesn’t involve any crossbows, alright?” You shook your head, muttering under your breath, “Geez, challenge Barton to one competition and you never hear the end of it.” She chuckled lightly, but you were quick to smack her hand away when she reached out to grab the present. 

She looked at you with wide eyes and you bit your tongue to fight the laughter tightening your chest. “You said it’s for me!”

“I didn’t say you could open it,” you countered. “At least hear my idea first.” She sighed, gesturing for you to hurry along. You sent her a cheeky smile, clearing your throat. “We have twelve days until Christmas, yeah?”

She nodded. “If I counted correctly, yes.”

“You don’t even count the days.”

“I’m just agreeing with you.”

“It’s because I said it confidently, right?”

“I find you extremely irresistible when you’re confident, and, baby, I’m not having any trouble resisting you right now.”

You stared at her, mock pain painting your features, and the laugh that bubbled out of her throat made you crack your façade as a small smile stretched your face. “That was really hurtful. I’m taking the presents back now.” You grabbed the box off of the bed, but she was fast to grip your elbow with another laugh.

“C’mon, darling, don’t be a grin-” She furrowed her eyebrows, and your smile grew as you watched the moment of realization form in her brilliant green eyes. “Presents?” She looked down at the box, processing the singular item, before meeting your gaze once more. “Plural?”

“On the first day of Christmas, your true love gave to you…” You trailed off, moving out of her hold to hand her the present. “Twelve days of presents, my love. Open your gift.”

“Twelve?” She blinked. “But why?”

“Because I love you,” you answered, grinning widely as you leaned forward, “forever and always, darling.”

“Y/N, I… I didn’t get you any-”

“I don’t recall asking.”

“But you-”

“Open the present.”

“I can’t-”

“Come now, Hex, there’s really no use in fighting this. It’s going to happen no matter what, so just accept it and open the damn present.”

She stared at you, unblinking. “I’m really finding it difficult to resist you all of a sudden.”

You maintained eye contact with her for a moment, contemplating your next action - the way she was looking at you was almost undeniable… almost. You decided to laugh, shaking your head and sitting on the edge of the bed. “Come on.” You patted the empty spot next to you, smiling when she joined you. “I’m extremely late and Steve’s blowing up my phone right now. It’s numbing my ass with all its vibrating. Open it.”

She laughed softly as she looked down at the present before ripping the paper off. You gladly took the garbage away from her, crumpling it up into a ball in your hand as she opened the jewelry box. Yet the smile on her face only contorted into confusion, pulling up the necklace to see the crumpled bullet charm looped through the chain. You couldn't stop the wide grin from lifting your lips, crossing your arms over your chest as you watched her try to figure it out.

"It's a bullet," she had eventually stated, looking at you as she lowered the jewelry back into the box.

"Thank you for your close inspection, Miss Maximoff," you expressed. "It seems to have given us accurate results."

"I'll bite, Y/N," she said. "What's the significance of the bullet?"

You scoffed, shaking your head in mock disappointment. "You seriously don't know?"

"Nope."

"Not even gonna try to read my mind?"

"You're definitely not thinking about the bullet right now."

"That's fair. I’m thinking about all the other presents." You shrugged, smirking at her.

Her eyes widened. “Really?” You laughed heartily when she rolled her eyes, gently bumping against you. "No you're not."

“Of course I'm not, Hex. I’m not new to this whole ‘girlfriend is a mind reader’ thing.” You ran your hand down her cheek gently. “I'm simply commemorating the moment you penetrated me for the first time.”

━━━ᗢ━━━

August 11th, 2016 Natasha sat in front of you on the bench in the training room, your disassembled gun in between you both. Cleaning a gun was delicate work, yet Natasha wasn't making it any easier by pestering you. And you knew she was doing it purposely, scratching the surface of annoying in an attempt to get under your skin.

It was secretly working.

"The process would go much faster if you just let me help you." She instantly pulled her hand back when you swatted it, preventing her from grabbing one of the parts. You looked at her, an eyebrow raised challengingly.

"Nobody touches my gun," you stated, your voice teetering in between playful and serious.

She rolled her eyes, but the smile on her face was as clear as day. "You let Wanda touch it."

You huffed, shaking your head. "That's a different story."

"Just bite the bullet, Y/N," Natasha stated. "She likes you, you like her. It's really not that hard, but you're both being cowards."

 You began reassembling your gun, looking down at the parts to avoid her smug stare. "It's not about cowardice, Romanoff."

"What's it about then?"

"It's about time," you declared. "She just lost her brother-"

"Last year."

"-and she's still adjusting to the whole superhero thing-"

"She's had a year to adjust."

"-not to mention she doesn't really know anybody around these parts-"

"She's become well acquainted with everybody the past year."

"-and I just don't think it's the right time to pursue her." Natasha stared at you while you shrugged in casual defeat, your fingers working to solve the puzzle of your weapon. It was as if everything she had said didn't reach your ears.

"It's annoying when you do that."

You paused to look up at her, feigning innocence. "I don't know what you're referring to." 

Natasha pursed her lips together as you returned your focus to your gun, not bothering to hide the smile cracking your posture, but whatever she had to say would never come to light when someone cleared their throat to gain your attention. You both picked your head up, but you were the only one grateful for the interruption.

Your teasingly smug smile turned soft and warm when you noticed Wanda standing a couple feet away from you, meeting her green eyes that held a comfort you couldn't find anywhere else.

"Hey, Maximoff." You acted casual, relaxed in the presence of your best friend sitting in front of you. You knew that if you had made a fool of yourself in front of the girl of your dreams, the redhead across from you would never let you live it down. "That was a nice job on the mission. We were put in a sticky situation and you handled it flawlessly. So, thank you for, y'know, saving my life and all."

She nodded subtly, tugging her sleeves over her hands nervously. You looked back down at the gun you had disassembled, putting the pieces together slowly yet effortlessly. "You save mine all the time, so it was no big deal." You grinned, immediately experiencing that same stomach-churning feeling you get whenever you hear her voice. "Things could've gone much differently."

Your movements halted, straightening your form and turning your head to return your gaze to her. "But they didn't."

"They could've."

"You shouldn't dwell on the past, Wanda," you said gently, "you're stealing from the future."

"Either way," she expressed, "I was put in a scenario where I couldn't use my powers and it taught me that I shouldn't really rely on them." You returned to your gun assembly, though she still maintained your full attention. You wouldn’t be able to stop listening to her even if you wanted to. Which, to be fair, was never. "Maybe you could teach me how to shoot."

You pushed the final piece of your gun together, listening to the sound of it clicking into place as your hand automatically cocked it back. You flipped it over, giving it to the witch, handle towards her. She was hesitant at first, looking into your eyes as if she were searching for something. You were unsure if she found what it was when she slowly reached out until her hand wrapped around the grip and you released it. You felt Natasha nudge her foot against yours, but you waved her away as you stood up.

"I have to go see if Barton needs a hand," Natasha announced, standing up after you. You didn't watch her leave, focusing on Wanda as she turned her back to you, but you could practically hear her teasing thoughts.

"Shooting a gun is relatively easy," you assured her. "First thing's first, don't aim the gun at someone you don't want to shoot." She looked at you over her shoulder and you released a quiet breath. Natasha was right, just bite the bullet… "Find a comfortable position. The default is feet shoulder-width apart." She nodded, adjusting her stance, but you were quick to place your hands on her hips and use your foot to move hers farther apart. You could feel the goosebumps tickle your skin at the touch of her, fighting the chills rapidly climbing your back. "Raise your arm so it extends out in front of you." You moved your hands to her shoulders, sliding down until you reached her elbows, pushing her arms up. You swallowed harshly, forcing down the gasp building in your chest. "Hold the pistol with both hands, and align the sights at the target."

You could hear her breath catch in her throat when your chin rested on her shoulder, giving yourself a better view of her hands while at the same time getting you closer to her. "Like this?" Her voice came out as a whisper, barely managing to get it louder than that.

"Exactly like that," you said back softly. "My gun's trigger is extremely sensitive, so keep your finger on the side until you're ready to shoot. And, when you do, brace yourself for the recoil."

With your body pressed against hers, you prevented her from fully reacting to the recoil of the gun when she pulled the trigger. You pulled away from her the moment the bullet pierced through the head of the target on the other side of the room, feeling butterflies erupt in your stomach when she turned around to face you with a wide, excited smile.

"First shot," you congratulated, mirroring her grin. "See? You're a natural."

"It's nice to have another option when out in the field," she confessed, looking down at the gun in her hand. You were grateful she had averted her gaze, already feeling the heat color your cheeks a warm red. "In case we're in another bind."

"How about you shoot the target a few more times before you decide you're a professional marksman," you told her, laughing lightly.

She raised her eyebrow at you when she picked her head back up, the corner of her lips curling upwards into a smirk. "How many tries did it take you to get your first headshot?"

"Oh, oh," you laughed. "Should we recall how many bullets you went through yesterday?"

"I don't think-"

"An entire clip," you interrupted. "With the last bullet being an absolute miracle worker."

She rolled her eyes, though the smile that remained on her lips told you she was enjoying the moment just as much as you were. "I'll get better than you before the end of the week."

"Considering it's Tuesday right now, I'll take that bet." You smiled at her. "Winner takes the loser on a date."

You would've been blind if you missed the way her cheeks glowed a light pink at your proposition, making you think that maybe Natasha was telling the truth. Maybe Wanda did return your feelings. "It's a deal." She held her free hand out, to which you eagerly accepted.

But your mind didn’t make sense of the second gunshot that echoed throughout the room until you watched Wanda’s soft, heartwarming smile fade into shock, her face paling with nausea. She tugged her hand out of yours to cover her mouth, her eyes growing wide with terror as pain erupted through your leg. You didn’t want to look down. You didn’t want to see the blood staining your pants. But you did. And your stomach felt empty as your gun fell from Wanda’s hand, clattering to the ground. You hadn’t even realized you were reaching for her until she stepped closer to you, allowing you to use her upper arm as a crutch. It took everything in your power to not release a noise caused by the searing agony throbbing in your nerves.

Wanda Maximoff just shot you.

“I just shot you.”

“It’s fine.” Your voice was a low croak, incapable of anything more. 

“I just shot you!”

“It’s just a flesh wound.”

“I’m pretty sure your definition of a flesh wound is much different than mine!” Though your grip on her arm was tight, it wasn’t doing much in helping you stay upright. She inched closer to you, allowing you to wrap your arm around her shoulders to keep you standing. 

“I do tend to have more experience with this kind of thing.” You practically placed all your weight into her, releasing a heavy puff of air under your breath as you tried to muffle a groan.

“That’s-”

“Wanda, dear, as much as I’d love to keep talking about this, and I know this may come as a shock to you, but I’d actually prefer it if I didn’t die in front of you.”

She gasped lowly with realization as your words seemingly pulled her out of the shock she had succumbed to. She let you use her as support while she guided you out of the training room, ignoring all the wary looks and pertinent questions as you walked down the hall.

━━━ᗢ━━━

Present Day “Nat never did let me live down that biting the bullet phrase after that.” You laughed heartily when she rolled her eyes. "Those were my favorite pants, too, by the way."

"That was six years ago," she expressed. "You kept the bullet for that long?"

“Of course.” You smiled, your eyes sparkling as you looked at her. "It was the moment I realized I was in love with you."

She blinked, breathing out slowly. "All I had to do was shoot you to make you love me?" She shook her head, smiling softly. "I would've shot you sooner if I had known that!" She laughed as you threw the crumpled ball at her, watching it bounce off of her shoulder as she looped an arm around your waist, pulling you into her.

"I'll always have a scar from the moment I fell in love with you, Wanda Maximoff. Forever." You smiled widely at her when she sighed, shaking her head as she moved forward to connect her lips to yours.

[caelumsnuff]

Oh boy, aren't you just tired of those damn opinions in your fandom?

If you would like to stop seeing my opinions and those of others who don't think exactly like you, i have a great little tool to tell you about called "Blocking."

By blocking me or anyone else who posts opinions that oppose your own, you no longer have to see our posts and we are incapable of interacting with your blog via likes, reblogs, replies, messages, or asks (unless we operate on side blogs, that is). Unfortunately, blocking someone on tumblr never will prevent them from seeing your posts, so you will just have to live with that fact. (Telling other people to block you does nothing positive for you!)

Here, i'll teach you how using myself as an example;

Blocking on your main blog vs your side blog are two different tasks, but ill explain both.

If you are on your main blog, you will need to click on the blog of the person you are wanting to block. It should look something like this.

You're going to want to click on that small button with three horizontal dots, which will open a drop down menu that looks like this:

Just click the bright red block button at the bottom, confirm your choice, and you can peacefully go about your life.

Blocking someone from interacting with a side blog is slightly more complicated. You're going to need to be on a desktop to follow this tutorial.

On the left hand side of the screen, you should see a bunch of options like this

You're going to want to click the drop down menu for "Account".

It's going to look like this. Click on whatever side blog you wish to block this blog for.

There will be a menu on the right hand side of the screen like so. You are going to want to click the "Blog settings" button at the bottom of the menu.

From here, you are going to scroll all the way down to the bottom of your blog setting. You'll see a bunch of stuff, ignore them, they're irrelevant to blocking. You will want to click the pencil button beside the pixelated pfps of blogs you have blocked.

From here the list of blogs you have blocked will drop down and open like so

You'll want to type the name of the blog you wish to block in the box at the top, like this.

Simply click the block button

and ✨VOILA ✨! Blocked!

Now you never have to see those pesty Different Opinions™ ever again! Though it may be a good idea to remember the usernames of the people you block for this reason, in case in the future you mature enough to be capable of civil, critical discussion with people who don't agree with you. Or don't! That's no skin off either of our backs :)

This tool is also quite helpful when someone posts art, fanfics, head canons, or whatever else you may not like. In fact, it is encouraged that you use the block button instead of harassing others, making call out posts, defaming others, or letting something that frustrates you linger in your head!

You should always use the block button when you see something that is triggering to you or puts you in distress. This alongside using the filtering system that tumblr has can keep you much safer. You can do your own part to help others by remembering to never censor words you use on tumblr.com and instead typing the entire word with no euphemisms. This will prevent your post from winding up on the dash/search for someone who has those subjects/words/tags filtered out.

Thanks for coming to my TED Talk, and godspeed.

[allastoredeer]

Holaaa I am back with a new appleradio fic recommendations!!! This one is so good, and I know I say this for almost everything I read, but I don’t think I ever laughed so hard for a fan fiction before, the misunderstanding, the drama, Al finding himself to consider Angel a friend, plastic ducks with more cognitive thoughts than Lucifer, Al thinking that Lucifer is trying to poison him when he just very horny lol

They are so stupid I LOVE THEM SO MUCH

Also I love how the author show Al’s perceptions of intimacy, especially in the second parts, where Al wants to please Lucy in some way, and asks Angel how to basically make yourself want it!😭 As an ace fellow I always find myself in contrast with my thoughts and sometimes I need out and I hate everyone, but then I feel bad and I just want an hug…and seeing myself in this fic, in Alastor, was kinda therapeutic in a way. To know u don’t have to change, that there are people willing to be with you, even if it never gets that intimate and now I am ranting…but I really like where the author is going with this, they are very in character too, and I am just glad there ppl who actually take the time to consider how we operate? I saw too many stuff of Al just jumping into the idea of using his d I c k and it just doesn’t feel right to me. Where is the struggle on accepting that he might want that intimacy cause he loves someone? Al obv doesn’t care about sex, he has is own idea of entertainment, so the only reason he might even go with, would be cause he wants to please his partner, or at least enjoy the fact that he is making the king of hell hard u know, then tease him about it and enjoys how Lucy can’t even deny it...That’s how I would see their relationship going…bottom Al supremacy>>>

Anywhizzle thank you for listening 💜, and before I forgot here is the fic

Can I Interest You in Some Holy Suffering? By AlligatorEyes

◉_◉ I just started reading it and I'm already in love. Seriously, I'm not even halfway through the first chapter and I'm frothing at the mouth. I'm absolutely LOVING the setting descriptions especially. Describing environments is my greatest weakness when it comes to writing, and this author does it so beautifully I'm in awe.

Thank you very much for sending me this. I'm going to have so much fun reading it, I can already tell.

[utilitycaster]

I know the unpopular opinions meme finished ages ago, but id love to hear yours on Chetney, especially given the uthodurn arc. I suppose for more specific direction since thats quite a broad ask, what would you say is the fandom interpretation of Chetney’s character, and how does your opinion/interpretation of him differ and why?

Absolutely - and questions like this one are always welcome!

I was actually quite pleasantly surprised by the fandom response to Chetney this week, which was by and large positive. But with that in mind I think that honestly, it's hard to pin down a definitive fandom interpretation of Chetney's character! Some of this is probably the circles in which I engage and what people put in the main tag, but I think at this point people who felt he was comic relief or a shallow joke or "just couldn't get him!" have either quietly adjusted their expectations or have left the fandom, or have always been people only watching for one character and ignored him from the start.

So I think the thing that differs in my opinion, to be honest, is just that like....I've never reduced him to mere comic relief? Like, he's an extremely funny and ridiculous character, but he showed a great deal of emotional depth from early on; if you didn't pick that up from his rapid turnaround on Dorian it's pretty much impossible to miss in his quiet conversation in the Heartmoor or the way he takes FCG's also ridiculous backstory about Shithead completely in earnest. These two things, as I've mentioned many a time before, are not in conflict! I think Chetney definitely skews far more comedic than, say, Fjord; or obviously more so than other Bells Hells party members Imogen; but like, comedy, tragedy, and horror are all connected by the same tissue, separated only by timing, perspective, and expectation. We know Travis can do a ridiculous character with heavy plot beats as we've seen with Grog; we also know that sometimes the funniest jokes come from more serious characters (again, I think an underrated moment of hilarity in C2 was Caleb's early "you look like a nerd").

It's very narrow and not terribly smart to box characters into a tiny contained archetype with no room to spread out, and Travis is particularly good among the cast at creating characters who defy those boxes. Chetney is an old weirdo with a high voice who says truly preposterous things; he is also someone whose life took an unexpectedly sharp slide downward following an impulsive decision, and who then, improbably, found that what many would consider rock bottom was in fact one of the greatest things that ever happened to him. He's incredibly passionate about what he loves, and vocal about what he dislikes, and deceptively insightful, and has a strong sense of justice and a remarkably good sense of how far he can push people with his over-the-top bravado without wearing out his welcome. He's even (heavily implied to be) bisexual.

I also think, and here's where "oh shit we need to catch up on the entire campaign on the Bells Hells page on the wiki" is really benefiting me, people underestimate how quietly instrumental Chetney is in many of Bells Hells decisions. He was not just the person to clock Dusk, but also the person to broker the compromise; he served as one of the more levelheaded party members following the disastrous fight with Otohan; he's consistently been the one to ask Imogen to actually consider her relationship with her powers; he was the one who convinced Delilah that she needed them leading Delilah to give Laudna a moment; and it was ultimately his idea to fly the skyship into the key. As of this level, he literally is the brains of the operation, with a +3 INT modifier to Orym, Ashton, and Laudna's +1 (and Imogen's +0 and Fearne and FCG's -1's). He has an overblown public sense of pride, but is remarkably willing to set his ego aside when he is not the focus. And for all he loves being a werewolf, he also does take responsibility for the harm he has done without wallowing in guilt. (Not that exploring guilt isn't valid as well, but I think Chet's approach is an admirable trait).

To be honest I think anyone who's not on board with Chet is uncomfortable with those final notes. Either they're one of the stragglers still on their "but Grog had a 6 INT and despite having five entire years to get over this during which Travis has consistently played characters with at least a +2 to INT, I shall not change my perception" bullshit, or, more realistically, are uncomfortable with the fact that Chetney (and, on a meta level, Travis as a player) both without hesitation will take the lead when appropriate or needed, but also will step aside when the narrative is not about him with absolutely no ego or resentment. I think that last bit really throws people off, especially people of the 'if the show cannot be interpreted as secretly centering my blorbo at all times I'm going to go into my tantrum hole' persuasion.

[terapsina]

Hope/Lizzie: Dealer’s choice! 21, 22, 23, or 25!

(lets try to go for broke and pick all)

21. sharing long term dreams, goals and aspirations with one another 22. playful teasing 23. being unable to keep their eyes off of them 25. finding comfort in their scent

--- ao3 ---

Lizzie Saltzman shone.

She was... the most alive person Hope knew. It was hard to look away from, - which... a bit ironic that, considering how it was Hope who killed her.

But it was the truth all the same.

Even on a night like any other, where they were just hanging out in the library going through piles of grimoires and fairy tale books - and what were their lives that both were equally useful now? - the last ones still awake, with everyone else having abandoned them almost an hour back. Even here, under the simple light of the table lamp, Lizzie pulled Hope's eye like a magnet.

Lizzie's hair was pulled up in a messy bun, with little golden tufts of hair fallen out of place and tickling her neck. Little micro-expressions flit over Lizzie's face as she read, - a scrunch between the eyebrows; a sharpening in her gaze as she leaned closer to the book; a brief uptick to the corners of her lips as she took a brief note.

Hope's chest ached with the increasingly familiar sensation of longing.

It was getting harder trying to hide it. If this was what Lizzie had felt during Hope's dramatic roller coaster of a romance with Landon, she didn't know how Lizzie had dealt with being Hope's one big constant at the time.

Which was exactly what Lizzie had been. And it was so easy to see that with all the reflection available to Hope now.

Lizzie had always been there. Having Hope's back, helping Hope even when it nearly cost her everything. Even when they fought, even during the moments in time when Lizzie would proclaim her hatred of Hope, Lizzie would always - always - come through.

And Hope had begun to take it for granted.

"Lizzie?" she asked spontaneously "What do you want to do?"

"What?" Lizzie looked up, blinking rapidly a few times, like she was trying to wipe away the imprint of pages and pages of text from the back of her eyelids. "Figure out how to deal with this brownie infestation?"

"No, I mean... when we leave the Salvatore Boarding School, what will you do?"

"Oh," she bit into her lip and Hope felt it like a slice of a heated blade somewhere deep within the lining of her stomach, her fingertips tingled with the urge to reach over and run them against Lizzie's bottom lip to ease the tiny sting. "I... don't really know. I mean I want to go to college. Go visit Josie in London. But existentially? With potentially the rest of all of eternity? No idea."

There was a moment of heavy silence as the air between them seemed to stretch, their eyes caught by a single spiderweb string.

Frazzled, she grasped for something to say.

"I miss New Orleans," she admitted quietly, "I miss seeing my family."

After her dad died Hope had... kind of walled herself off from everyone. Sometimes she blamed her aunts and uncles for letting her. They hadn't at first, of course, had called nearly every week and visited more than a few times too. But Hope had barely spoken to them, the pain too deep, missing both her dad and her mom too much.

She'd let the calls go to voicemail. Barely spoke during the visits until Rebekah, Marcel, Kol and Aunt Freya finally started giving her the space she'd been fighting for.

It was probably because they didn't quite operate on a mortal timetable. Didn't quite remember anymore what a year or two meant to someone who was sixteen and not one thousand and sixteen.

"I'd like to go to New Orleans someday," Lizzie's eyes dug into her in a way that made Hope think she really could see right through her and into Hope's head. Like she saw into the very depths of Hope's heart and saw it laid bare.

She wondered if she was translucent enough for there to be Lizzie's own face staring back at her.

"I could show you," Hope offered with a traitorous skip in her heartbeat. One that by the way Lizzie's eyes slipped briefly to Hope's chest she had clearly heard too. "I could introduce you to my family, I think they'd like you."

Which was a bit of an understatement, she could already picture Aunt Rebekah taking one look at Lizzie - or better yet, the way Hope's eyes had lately been going to Lizzie with something like a compulsion - and starting to grin like she was having the best day of her millennia-long life.

She wondered what it said about her... feelings, that the thought was strangely compelling instead of terrifying.

"Okay," Lizzie said and pulled Hope back into the present.

"Okay?"

"Yeah, I'll come meet your scary family. But just so you know, if I die I'm going to have to sucker punch Frodo and come back as a ghost to haunt you," Lizzie said, tone very frank and practical.

Hope fought back a smile.

It was strange, Lizzie's careless mention of Landon should have hurt and yet somehow it just reminded her that he was still... there. Somewhere in the grand space of reality he wasn't truly gone.

And somehow, as was Lizzie's way, she'd said the exact right thing in what might have been misconstrued by someone who didn't know Lizzie as the exact wrong way to say it. It wasn't though. It was just... the Lizzie way to say it.

And Hope kind of loved-

Lizzie.

Hope loved Lizzie.

The thought wasn't new exactly. She'd been thinking it with increasing frequency in the past few months - and with a strangely more pointed edge since Lizzie and MG had broken up; like the side of her that had taken over when she'd switched off her humanity was getting bored with Hope's pace.

Or her complete absence of pace.

Instead Hope just... stewed. At first, not ready to move on from Landon. Then, not ready to face what she'd done to Lizzie and how making her own growing feelings for Lizzie obvious might hurt her just as she was clearly moving on from her confession to Hope. And once she'd dealt with that, there was the fear of being too late.

Hope had hurt her. Hope had hurt her so much. She had killed her, it would only be rational to have moved on from whatever it was she felt for Hope.

And yet Lizzie had remained Hope's best friend and one constant - something Hope was no longer stupid enough to take for granted or to abuse.

And sometimes - like right now - Hope caught Lizzie staring back. A look of something deeply fond on her face, like Hope's brief, swallowed smile had pushed everything else out of Lizzie's head.

"Oh, screw it," Lizzie said under her breath and in one vampire-quick movement of air moved around the table, grasped Hope lightly by the back of her neck, and pulled her forward until Hope's lips landed against Lizzie's.

Blood rushed to her head as she leaned even further into Lizzie's hold on the sheer rush of instinct and pleasure. Lizzie's lips were warm and tasted of cherry lip balm. Her scent, which Hope usually tried to push into the background - she did kinda still need to function sometimes - exploded around her with overpowering strength. It made Hope dizzy and giddy.

She wanted to fall asleep to that scent, to wake up to it, to-

Lizzie kissed her like she was trying to prove a years-old point. And Hope kissed her back like she was finally ready to listen. Their lips moving against each other with the need to meld together. Her own hand moving under nearly its own power to slide Hope's fingers between the messy strands of Lizzie's hair, swallowing into their kiss the response of the little, contracting gasp of air Lizzie released in response.

She'd been wanting this for so long. Waiting. Hoping.

And then, as the emotion of it all reached some kind of crescendo Hope felt veins begin pulsing under the skin of her eyelids, - with the hot need for Lizzie, to pull her close, so close they'd never be parted from this moment - when her suddenly sharpening teeth accidentally nicked the skin of Lizzie's lips.

"'Sorry," Hope gasped at Lizzie's hiss, pulling back, panting heavily.

"It's fine. Though... it's a good thing I used your blood," Lizzie said, rueful and a bit dazed, a look of a tiny smirk blooming on her lips and glinting over her eyes, "it would be very annoying needing to drink from you every time you bit me."

Hope's eyes widened with a brief spike of panic. Werewolf venom.

"Are you okay, do you feel anything? Maybe you should still- just to be safe-"

"Chill, sweetie" Lizzie soothed her, running a reassuring finger over the side of Hope's face "I'm fine. If you'd just poisoned me I'd feel it, Mom told me how it feels, and see?" she extended her lip in brief pout "Already healed."

Hope's eyes flicked back to Lizzie's lips and she swallowed, feeling heat rush onto her face.

An extended beat passed before an old lesson they'd had once also managed to push forward from the back of her mind, reminding her that also-

"You're a heretic, heretics can pull the magic from the bite."

"Oh, right. I forgot. I'm awesome," Lizzie grinned and swung forward to plant a tiny kiss on the very tip of Hope's nose.

Hope smiled, something warm flickering within again and then growing slightly more serious. Asked, "Why did you kiss me?"

Lizzie had never tried to kiss Hope before, not even during their ill-fated road trip when Hope's darker side was behind the wheel and had left more than a few openings for it. She was glad for it now, though, not because Hope thought she'd have regretted it happening - she knew she wouldn't have - but because she was afraid of how she might have hurt Lizzie's heart further with her gaping, empty lack of care.

Or her possessiveness. There had been quite a bit of that in the No Humanity version of Hope where Lizzie was concerned.

"Because you were taking too long," Lizzie smirked matter-of-factly.

Hope widened her eyes in mock offense, enjoying Lizzie's teasing "Was not!"

"I'm immortal now but I think I still would have died of old age before you came out and actually-"

"I would have said something eventua-"

"Hope Andrea Mikaelson, you would have let the universe crumble into dust before you went ahead and actually-"

Well, with fighting words like those there was only one thing Hope could do.

This time, Hope kissed her.

[nekoannie-chan]

Misunderstood instructions

Title: Misunderstood instructions.

Ship: Steve Rogers & New!Avenger!Reader.

Word count: 421 words.

Square: I1 “Misunderstood.”

Rating: Teen.

Summary: Steve said the wrong directions, or maybe he didn’t.

Major Tags: Misunderstood, mission gone wrong.

Additional tags: This my entry to @cabottombingo Captain Bottom Bingo round 2. CABB2024.

Links: Wattpad, Ao3, Spanish version.

@saiyanprincessswanie

My native language is Spanish so I wanna improve my writing skills in English if you notice any mistakes, please let me know and I will correct them.

I don’t give any kind of permission that my fics to be posted on other platforms or languages (I translate myself my work) or the use of my graphics (my dividers are included in this), I did them exclusively for my fics, please respect my work and don't steal it. There are some people here who make dividers that anyone can use, mine is not this type, please look for the other's people. The only exception is the ones I gifted 'cuz now belong to someone else. If you find any of my works on a different platform and are not one of my accounts, please let me know. Reblogs and comments are always welcome.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Marvel's characters (unfortunately), except for the original characters and the story.

Add yourself to my taglist here.

My other media where I publish:  Ao3, Wattpad, ffnet, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter. 

If you like it, please vote, comment, and give me feedback to improve my skills and reblog.

Tags: @sinceimetyou @unnuevosoltransformalarealidad @navybrat817 @angrythingstarlight @shield-agent78 @charmed-asylum @pandaxnienke @real-fbi @smokeandnailz @white-wolf1940 @tenaciousperfectionunknown @xoxonotme @bluemusickid @leyannrae @harrysthiccthighsss @marvelatthisonee @caplanbuckybarness @sapphire-rogerss @lizzieolseniskinda @notyourtypicalrose @hallecarey1 @nana1000night @talia-rumlow @writingshae @alexxavicry @azulatodoryuga @daemonslittlebitch @chaoticcollectivenightmare @endlesstwanted @chemtrails-club  @marigoldreamer @whiskeytangofoxtrot5555 @here4thefanfics @theestorm @patzammit @kmc1989 @somegirlfromasgard

The city lights flickered as Steve and the team prepared for their most important mission to date. The tension in the operations room was palpable as the heroes reviewed plans and prepared for action.

That night, the team infiltrated a suspicious warehouse in the heart of the city. Steve was leading the operation, followed closely by you, the new agent who had joined less than a month ago. The mission was simple: infiltrate, disable the weapon, and capture the enemies. But things rarely went according to plan.

As you and Steve were walking into the warehouse, you and Steve found yourselves in the middle of a firefight. Gunshots echoed through the air, and lights flickered as you moved quickly for cover. Amid the confusion, a misunderstanding arose when you saw an armed individual who appeared to be aiming at Steve. Without hesitation, you made a quick decision and fired, neutralizing the attacker before he could reach Steve.

They then managed to get to the machine room and began to search for any information that would be useful to them, although you had understood otherwise, so you erased all the information from one of the USB sticks. As soon as Steve realized this, he became enraged, and they began to argue.

While they were arguing, the enemies took advantage of the confusion to activate the weapon, triggering a series of explosions that shook the warehouse.

The team rushed to evacuate the building. Steve approached you.

“Why did you do it?" Steve asked, extremely annoyed.

You looked at the floor and then tried to explain what had happened, but the words caught in your throat.

“I'm sorry. It was a mistake; I had understood that we had to get rid of all the information and evidence; that's what you explained, so I assumed."

Steve sighed. He always said it was a bad idea to accept more agents and personnel into the team, and maybe he had been right; they had just had a catastrophic result.

“Forget it. We can't afford mistakes like this," Steve said, his voice firm but with a hint of hatred in it.

Steve decided to conduct a thorough review of the mission to analyze what had happened and what they would do next, although it seemed like everything was going against him.

Maybe you should go back to your old organization; maybe you were wrong to have joined, although you still had another option, somehow, without anyone noticing, to take revenge for the humiliation they were putting you through.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

I have no idea if someone already mentioned this, but i always wondered what would happen if merfolk can be effected when it comes to difference in water pressure. Like those who live near the surface can't survive in the deep sea and vice versa. Its definitely far fetched but its something I think about from time to time

From what I understand, creatures like humans are crushed by water pressure because of how they breathe (ie with lungs). In the simplest possible terms... when we (humans) exhale, we push out air. It works on land because the surrounding atmosphere is about the same as the air being expelled. However, the same is not true if we were underwater, as the water would be exerting more pressure than your internal pressure. This makes it extremely difficult for muscles to expand/contract and for the lungs to operate as they normally would--and with the weight of the water pushing down on you, if you go deep enough, it would cause your lungs to collapse and instantly kill you.

Many sea creatures breathe using gills. When water runs over said gills, blood in the capillaries pick up oxygen that is already dissolved in the water. This is how fish breathe, and other underwater animals (like octopuses and eels) have very similar breathing methods. In other words, water pressure does not typically affect sea creatures (at least not to the same extent as it does for humans) because they don’t have the same internal air pockets as humans do. However, bringing a sea creature to a higher or a lower water pressure (than what they are typically used to) TOO quickly can kill or injure them, as this wouldn’t give their bodies enough time to adapt to the environmental change; the same holds true for scuba divers that resurface too fast.

What you should be worried about (rather than just water pressure) is low survivability due to other factors, whether alone or in conjunction with decreased pressure. Creatures that live in the deep sea have special biochemical adaptations which allow them to be able to survive in that environment. Removing them from that environment would make those adaptations useless, and perhaps even detrimental and the same would go for surface level creatures being taken to the deep sea). For example, the anglerfish uses its bioluminescent “lure” to attract prey in the darkness of the deep sea. If you take it to a place where there is significantly lighter, the anglerfish would not be able to feed as efficiently as it did before, and could result in starvation. In nature, it’s not really one cause so much as it is “all” of the causes which have a domino effect.

For a fantasy race like merfolk, they seem to have a respiratory system that is a combination of both humans and fish. Since their upper halves are human, I would assume that they have lungs like humans do, but we also see what could be called gills in the twins’ true forms (but nothing resembling visible gills on the merman museum guards in episode 4). Despite this, it seems that all merfolk are able to survive at the bottom of the sea (where, I assume, the museum is located, as we see the seabed in some of the battles that occur in episode 3). We also see that merpeople adapted to the depths of the ocean can also survive just fine in fresh water and low pressure situations; this was the case when the twins swam in their true forms to carry Yuu and co. back to Scarabia after Kalim summoned a river using Oasis Maker. Again, this leads me to believe that merpeople’s respiratory systems are a combination of human and fish, which allows them to comfortably adapt to differing circumstances in water pressure, light, temperature, etc. As Hannah Montana would say, it’s “the best of both worlds”.